《Lord of the Sky City》


 Chapter 1: Chapter 1, Chapter 2 Defects and Whispers (Combined Chapters)

    ```"This is just... thinking about it is so frustrating!"


    Sitting in his own room, Rocky had a gloomy expression on his face.


    As a transmigrator, he had been in this world for a month now. He went from initial fear to wandering uncertainty, and finally, he slowly adapted to the new environment. Yet no matter what, he could not adapt to this new body.


    His new body was named Rocky. It originally belonged to a second-generation rich kid with a substantial family background. The personality was decent too¡ªperhaps not exactly a great person but not too bad either, so his future ought to have been bright.


    Unfortunately, the otherwise quite capable Rocky had a fatal flaw: he was a pushover.


    This defect was truly terrifying because if you''re a pushover, even dogs might bully you!


    The Rocky before the transmigration was such a pushover, and to an extent that nobody would believe if told. He actually let someone snatch a Sky City right out of his own hands!


    The so-called Sky City is a type of city capable of flight, high above the ground. To clarify this fairy-tale-like notion involves delving into the history of this world.


    This world is called Sanibo, meaning ''land blessed by the gods,'' a world where both sword and magic, as well as magic technology, are highly developed.


    Regrettably, although the world''s name sounds idyllic, the gods have shown little to no favor here. Instead, they have mercilessly punished this place.


    A hundred years ago, demons invaded from the Different Dimension, seizing two-thirds of the land in an instant. Every race on the land suddenly faced the danger of annihilation, but thankfully, humans then invented Sky City and used this invention to relocate all races to the sky, ushering in the Sky Era.


    In the hundred years that followed, people continuously thrived in the sky, hoping that one day they would be able to reclaim the land. The number of Sky Cities grew from the initial one to ten, and from ten to a hundred. Nowadays, the amount of Sky Cities in the sky is beyond count.


    And Rocky owned one such Sky City!


    His Sky City was an inheritance from his father, who was originally a noble from the Mairente Family. Although he left the family after starting his own, with his efforts alone he carved out a medium-sized Sky City with a population of thirty thousand.


    However, a few years after giving birth to Rocky, his mother passed away. The loss of his wife left the once valiant and capable father listless and morose. Eventually, he passed away a year ago.


    The successive deaths of his parents meant that Rocky, as their only son, naturally inherited his father''s Sky City, becoming the lord of an entire city. Everything seemed so wonderful.


    But this beauty was only fleeting, as disaster struck not long after.


    "Ah... why am I so unlucky..."


    Remembering the events that had befallen ''him,'' Rocky in his room couldn''t help but sigh, feeling a sense of ruefulness.


    The trouble began half a year ago when members of the Mairente Family, the family his father originally belonged to, suddenly appeared. They claimed that as a descendant of the Mairente Family, they hoped he would return to the fold and listed a plethora of benefits that would come with his return.


    This should have been a good thing. Even though Rocky didn''t understand why his father had left the family, the Mairente Family was a major house after all. He felt that returning to such a family might not be a loss, so he agreed.


    But that agreement was a mistake!


    He did return to the family, but as soon as he did, Rocky was immediately informed: as a member of the Mairente Family, all assets owned by Rocky... now belonged to the family!


    These weren''t just empty words. The Mairente Family really did confiscate all his assets, including the medium-sized Sky City with a population of thirty thousand; it was all taken by the Mairente Family.


    After taking everything Rocky had, the Mairente Family then suddenly notified him that since his father had left the family, the family council did not recognize his status.


    Just like that, he was expelled from the family again!


    Of course, when the Mairente Family banished Rocky, they didn''t leave him with nothing. Perhaps because they knew they had gone too far, in sending Rocky away they also gave him a small Sky City, one with merely a thousand residents...


    Which means, in the course of returning to the family, not only did Rocky not get anything beneficial, but he also lost all his property¡ªit all ended with him still being a city lord, but his Sky City had shrunk from a medium-sized one with a population of thirty thousand to a tiny, rundown city of just a thousand.


    Others might feel furious just hearing about such incidents, wouldn''t they? For this was clearly robbery! S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And even though he knew this was outright robbery, the Rocky before the transmigration had no way of objecting. His weak nature forced him to swallow the insult and bear it until he transmigrated.


    After transmigration, Rocky had even less chance to correct the situation; in fact, not only did he have no chance, but he also had to clean up the mess left behind by the ''former him.''


    This mess was the Sky City he owned.


    The Sky City Rocky now owned was called Thunderhawk City. The name sounded impressive, but it was nothing more than a tiny city with a population of just a thousand, more fitting to be called a village than a city.


    ```

 Chapter 2: Chapter 1, Chapter 2 Defects and Whispers (Combined Chapters) _2

    And just the thought of Thunderhawk City worsened Rocky''s already sour mood.The city was simply too small and dreadfully poor; being the City Lord of such a Sky City was a headache just to think about.


    "City Lord, Captain Eyer has returned and is waiting for you in the hall,"


    Just as Rocky was feeling a headache coming on, a knock suddenly sounded and someone pushed the door open and entered the room.


    The newcomer was a young woman with beautiful black hair, dressed in exquisite leather armor, and equipped with a silver-white long sword at her waist, looking both dashing and charming.


    This striking woman was named Liliya, Rocky''s bodyguard and the only confidante who followed him to Thunderhawk City.


    "Okay,"


    After agreeing, Rocky walked towards the doorway.


    He naturally liked Liliya; it wasn''t out of lust but because the original Rocky had been very close to Liliya.


    The woman before him was not just an ordinary bodyguard; she had been Rocky''s playmate since childhood, holding a significant place in the original Rocky''s heart, filled with trust and some admiration.


    Approaching Liliya, Rocky glanced at her and immediately felt a surge of wild vigor, so he casually said, "Haven''t I told you before, just call me by my name, no need for ''City Lord,'' it sounds so distant."


    "Calling you City Lord makes others respect you,"


    Liliya replied coldly, her face expressionless, making Rocky feel somewhat embarrassed.


    He had just made a casual remark, intending it as a joke, but Liliya took it seriously.


    Of course, Rocky understood why Liliya would do so; the original him, although a city lord, was indeed too feeble, to the extent that no one took him seriously¡ªnot to mention outsiders, even the officials and nobles of Thunderhawk City lacked respect for him as their City Lord.


    It was precisely because of this that Liliya treated him with such ''seriousness,'' otherwise, no one would take him seriously at all.


    In all of Thunderhawk City, probably only Liliya truly respected him.


    Thinking of this, Rocky inwardly sighed, but it wasn''t appropriate to explain too much; he couldn''t just tell Liliya the original him had died and that he was an entirely new person.


    Nevertheless, Rocky believed that even if he didn''t say it, Liliya could sense the differences.


    "Captain Eyer left half a month ago, right?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To ease the awkwardness, Rocky changed the topic.


    "Yes,"


    "What exactly did he go to the land for?"


    But just as he changed the topic, Rocky felt even more embarrassed because he had forgotten why Captain Eyer had gone to the land.


    The Eyer they spoke of was the captain of the Guard Corps of Sparrowhawk City, commanding the city''s guards.


    Half a month ago, he suddenly requested to lead a team back to the land; at the time, Rocky had just arrived and was still adjusting to the changes around him, so he agreed without asking much, leading to his complete forgetfulness about the reason for the other''s return to the land.


    "He heard that there might be a mine nearby, so he led a team to search for it,"


    Liliya looked at Rocky, disappointment undisguised in her gaze but still provided the answer.


    Rocky avoided Liliya''s gaze, nodded, and started to recall.


    When the world entered the Sky Era, many things changed, such as resources becoming more precious, especially mineral resources.


    The sky was vast and boundless but lacked even a single piece of ore; ironically, minerals are essential for development, so to obtain them, one must return to the land to mine.


    The land was rich in mineral resources, but don''t forget, the land had long become the territory of Demons! Therefore, going back to the land to mine was very dangerous, and among miners, there was even a saying: every piece of ore represents the life of a miner.


    This danger, in turn, made minerals even more precious.


    This time, Captain Eyer went to the land to search for a mine, perhaps an undiscovered new vein or an old mine from the Land Era, Rocky wasn''t sure.


    "Hope Captain Eyer makes some discoveries,"


    Liliya said by his side, seemingly hopeful of Captain Eyer''s mission.


    "Who knows... Let''s hope he finds something,"


    Rocky didn''t argue with Liliya, but deep down, he didn''t believe Eyer would succeed.


    Mineral resources were too precious, and most of the veins and old mines on the land were already controlled by influential figures; nowadays, not to mention finding a new vein, even discovering an old mine from the Land Era seemed less likely than a blind cat running into a dead rat.


    Besides, even if they found it, so what?


    With Thunderhawk City''s capabilities, it simply lacked the workforce to mine and a sufficient military force to protect miners, so even with coordinates of a vein, they could only sell them, nothing more.


    As these thoughts crossed his mind, Rocky had already arrived at the City Lord''s Hall and then pushed open the door to enter.


    Upon entering the hall, he saw a middle-aged man sitting inside, who stood up when he entered.


    "City Lord,"


    When Rocky settled in the City Lord''s seat, the middle-aged man nodded slightly to him as a form of salute.


    This man was Captain Eyer, around thirty years old with a scar on his face, emanating a faint aura of fierceness. He had been the city''s captain of the Guard Corps even before Rocky came to Thunderhawk City, an old-timer of the city.

 Chapter 3: Chapter 1, Chapter 2 Defects and Whispers (Combined Chapters)_3

    However, Rocky didn''t like this person; in his memory, Eyer had once deceived his former self. When he had just taken over Thunderhawk City, Eyer had lied about military expenses and embezzled a large sum of money.Rocky knew all these things from before, but due to many concerns, he chose to step back, yet his stepping back was seen as weakness in the eyes of others, causing them to care less and less about him.


    And obviously, among those who didn''t care about Rocky was Eyer.


    "Captain Eyer, have you found anything?"


    Putting aside his dissatisfaction with Eyer, Rocky asked with a smile, believing that in time Eyer would start respecting him again, as he was no longer the person he used to be.


    "I''m sorry, City Lord, to disappoint you, but this time I haven''t found any new veins."


    Standing in front of Rocky, Eyer spoke as though he hadn''t found anything, yet he behaved as if he had won a great victory, puffing out his chest and lifting his head in pride.


    God, does this man have no shame?


    Seeing that Eyer had clearly made a futile trip yet assumed such an arrogant demeanor, Rocky couldn''t help but get angry.


    Considering that returning from Sky City to land consumed a lot of resources, and Thunderhawk City being a small city with scarce resources, could hardly afford such waste.


    Thinking of this, Rocky''s expression turned sour, but he still suppressed his dissatisfaction and then asked, "There were no casualties, right?"


    The population of Thunderhawk City was only a little over a thousand, with no army of its own, just two hundred guards barely maintaining order in the city. Rocky remembered that Eyer had taken thirty guards with him.


    But when he asked this, Eyer''s face changed, "My Lord, we were attacked by Demons on the way back, and more than twenty of our brothers died..."


    "What!"


    Upon hearing Eyer''s words, Rocky slammed his hand down on the table and stood up!


    More than twenty people died?


    There are only two hundred guards in Thunderhawk City. These two hundred people normally act as police, and in times of trouble, as soldiers, they are the city''s only armed force, yet Eyer had just lost a tenth of them! S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, even if Rocky wanted to endure, he couldn''t hold back, his anger flaring as he questioned Eyer, "Captain Eyer, what exactly happened! Why was there such a great loss!"


    "City Lord, as I said earlier, we encountered a Demon attack on the way back. This loss is quite reasonable."


    However, faced with his questioning, Eyer seemed fearless, appearing utterly indifferent, simply repeating what he had said before.


    His opponent''s demeanor infuriated Rocky, his face turning crimson, his eyes glaring at Eyer as if he wanted to kill him.


    He stared intensely at Eyer, and Eyer likewise looked back at him; the two of them stood in silence, plunging the entire hall into quietness.


    It was a while before Rocky''s face improved slightly, it seemed he had managed to suppress his rage, then he waved his hand as if giving up.


    Seeing him wave his hand in resignation, Eyer inwardly sneered, just a useless coward. Even if he had learned to glare, he was still a coward!


    In Eyer''s view, this new city lord didn''t even count as being tough on the outside but soft on the inside; he was simply a fish on the chopping board, utterly without fear, knowing well that Rocky didn''t have the guts to touch him.


    As for why there had been such heavy losses this time, of course, there was a reason, but it was a reason he had no intention of telling Rocky.


    But just as Eyer was sneering inwardly, Rocky had already whispered something to Liliya.


    When Rocky finished speaking, Liliya looked surprised, even asking incredulously, "Are you sure?"


    Rocky nodded, "Are you confident about it?"


    In disbelief, Liliya smiled after a moment and said confidently, "Almost certain."


    Having said that, she walked towards the exit of the hall, passing by Eyer without a sideways glance.


    But just as Liliya brushed past Eyer, she suddenly lashed out, kicking his knee with such force that it snapped with a crack! The next second she had Eyer pinned to the ground, her sword pressed against his throat.


    "You! What are you doing! City Lord!"


    Captured without any chance to react, Eyer endured the severe pain in his knee, his eyes wide with disbelief as he looked at Rocky.


    This worthless Rocky, dared to treat him like this!?


    PS: It''s not easy starting a new book; the content will become increasingly exciting. I hope for everyone''s support, and most importantly, please make sure to add this to your favorites! Thank you all!

 Chapter 4: Chapter 3: Void Magic Armor

    "Release me! You scoundrel, how dare you treat me like this!"Pinned to the ground, Eyer cursed and struggled, only to realize he could not break free from Liliya''s restraint, so he could only turn to Rocky, "City Lord, what do you intend to do!"


    Looking at Rocky sitting in the City Lord''s seat, Eyer couldn''t believe what was happening.


    This cowardly Rocky, the one who didn''t dare to resist even when his father''s Sky City was taken from him, dared to lay a hand on him! Was he not afraid that Eyer would lead the city guards in rebellion!


    Before Rocky had taken over Thunderhawk City, Eyer had been the Captain of the Guards, relying on this as his greatest support; therefore, Eyer was certain that Rocky would not dare to touch him. If Rocky dared to act against him, he would not hesitate to lead the Guard Corps to oust Rocky from his position!


    Unfortunately, Eyer didn''t know that the Rocky he was dealing with was not the same as before.


    The current Rocky had no intention of being a pushover any longer!


    "Captain Eyer..." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ignoring Eyer''s shouting, Rocky reclined in the City Lord''s seat and coldly watched him, "What exactly did you go back to the land for this time, and what did you discover?"


    "City Lord, what, what are you talking about... I don''t know what you''re saying..."


    No sooner had Rocky finished asking that question than the expression on Eyer''s face changed, becoming extremely uneasy.


    This change was not lost on Rocky, and it eased his mind somewhat. It seemed his guess was likely on the mark.


    Actually, while locking eyes with Eyer in anger, he had been thinking, and eventually, he came to a clear realization about something: that Eyer was deceiving him!


    Without a doubt, Eyer was not loyal to him, which was evident from the other''s attitude and actions.


    So, would a Captain of the Guards who was disloyal to the City Lord go searching for a mine for Thunderhawk City, or for Rocky''s sake? Especially when there was a chance of encountering demons.


    The answer was clearly no.


    Yet Eyer had gone, and during the process, he had indeed encountered danger and lost more than twenty men.


    Why? Why would Eyer take such a great risk to return to the land?


    The answer was actually quite simple: His return to the land wasn''t for the purpose of finding a mine, but rather, he had a different objective. The mission was extremely dangerous, causing the deaths of over twenty guards, but Eyer had gone anyway, and must have gained something from it. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have returned so cocky and arrogant!


    That was the answer Rocky had come up with, and judging by Eyer''s recent reaction, this speculation was almost certainly correct.


    Regrettably, Eyer had no intention of confessing. He stared fiercely at Rocky and resolutely said,


    "City Lord, I don''t understand what you are saying!"


    "My Lord, I don''t know what you''ve heard, but my trip to the land was truly for¡ªAhh!!"


    Eyer''s halfway attempt at deception was cut short by a scream, as Liliya, holding him down, viciously struck his knee, immediately causing him to wail in pain.


    Good teammate!


    Liliya''s action earned her a surreptitious thumbs-up from Rocky, grateful for such an understanding girl.


    It was only after Eyer''s screaming ceased that Rocky continued, "Tell me, what exactly did you find when you returned to the land?"


    "I, I didn''t find anything..."


    At that moment, because of the intense pain, Eyer''s face turned pale, and the beads of sweat on his forehead grew larger than beans. He could no longer roar as he had before, yet he still tried to talk tough.


    But the tougher he talked, the more it hinted at a great secret, and the less likely Rocky was to give up.


    So, Rocky waved his hand, signaling Liliya, who looked like she was about to deal another harsh blow to Eyer, to stop.


    "Rocky, he''s not telling the truth!"


    Seeing Rocky restrain her, Liliya urgently called out his name, fearing that Rocky might believe Eyer''s slippery defenses.


    "I know."


    Flashing a grin at Liliya, Rocky, of course, knew Eyer was stubbornly lying, and so he stood up from his seat.


    He walked slowly over to Eyer, towering above him, "Captain Eyer, even the greatest secrets require a life to enjoy. I am very curious, what secret is worth risking your life to protect?"


    "You dare to kill me?"


    Suddenly raising his head, Eyer stared at Rocky with a pair of eyes and burst into laughter, "You dare to kill me? Rocky, you better think this through. If you kill me, the brothers in the Guard Corps won''t let me die in vain!"


    The City Guards within the city were Eyer''s greatest reliance, all of whom he had personally trained. Therefore, if he died, the Guard Corps would definitely not obey Rocky.


    However, Rocky had already considered this issue. He looked at Eyer coldly and slowly began to speak, "Captain Eyer, are you sure that after your death, the Guard Corps will seek revenge for a dead man?"


    "Will they confront the Void Magic Armor for your sake?"


    "Void, Void..."


    "You actually have Void Magic Armor?!"


    Eyer, who was previously full of arrogance, suddenly changed his demeanor upon hearing the words ''Void Magic Armor'', his eyes widening in shock as he looked at Rocky, never expecting him to utter those words.


    This Rocky... actually possesses a set of Void Magic Armor?!


    After the world entered the Sky Era, the way warfare was conducted underwent a complete transformation.


    Warfare in the skies was no longer about soldiers engaging in hand-to-hand combat, but rather battles between Floating Warships, and the key to determining the outcome of the war was the Void Magic Armor!


    Void Magic Armor, second only to the magnificent invention of a Sky City, revolutionized the method of warfare. Soldiers clad in Void Magic Armor not only gained the ability to fly but also a significant increase in combat power. Regardless of whether they had learned magic or not, they could rely on the armor to launch magical attacks.


    Take Rocky, for example; currently a Second Level Warrior and a First Level Mage, he would just be considered average. But once he donned his Void Magic Armor, the armor''s augmentation would transform him into a Fourth Level Warrior and a Third Level Mage!


    And imagine, when soldiers wearing such armor appeared in the skies in formation, what kind of scene that would be and what terrifying combat power they would represent.


    Rocky had such a set of Void Magic Armor, left to him by his father.


    Although the previous Rocky was quite feeble and had suffered terribly because of it, no matter what threats or temptations he faced, even if it meant giving away an entire Sky City, he never surrendered the Void Magic Armor left by his father, ultimately benefiting the current Rocky by giving him an ace up his sleeve!


    In the entirety of Thunderhawk City, no one knew about this except for Liliya; hence when Eyer learned that Rocky actually had a set of Void Magic Armor, he truly felt fear.


    Though Eyer was merely a captain of the guards, he had seen a fair bit of the world and was fully aware of how formidable a soldier wearing Void Magic Armor could be. It was simply not something average people could contend with, not even Floating Warships. The only thing that could contend with Void Magic Armor was another Void Magic Armor!


    What''s more, he didn''t believe Rocky was lying. Rocky might be feeble, but he was undoubtedly a true rich second generation, and it was entirely possible that he had some hidden assets.


    This realization deflated Eyer like a punctured balloon, transforming him as if he was a different person, no longer resistant or defiant, and at last he spilled the truth.


    "My Lord, my trip to the land... actually, it was to complete a transaction..."


    "What transaction?"


    "Trafficking... trafficking the people of the city..."


    "What! You actually dared to traffic the people of the city!"


    This time, before Rocky could even speak, Liliya couldn''t hold back any longer!


    You must understand that Thunderhawk City only had about a thousand inhabitants, which was already the minimum standard for a Sky City to operate normally. If the population were to decrease further, Thunderhawk City would become a ghost city, even without outsiders conquering it!


    But here was Eyer, secretly trafficking the people of the city. His actions were utterly destructive to Thunderhawk City!


    Not only Liliya, but Rocky was also seething with anger.


    A month of acclimatization had given him a full understanding of this world, and he was well aware of the consequences Eyer''s actions could bring. He was sucking the blood of Thunderhawk City! At the same time, Rocky felt genuinely relieved, grateful that his rebellion today was so correct; otherwise, he might not have known about this matter for who knows how long.


    "My Lord! My Lord, please hear me out, this is the first time I''m doing something like this, truly!"


    Knowing that Rocky possessed Void Magic Armor, Eyer understood that the Guard Corps was no longer his reliance, and as soon as he noticed a change in Rocky''s expression, he began to plead.


    "Keep talking!"


    Rocky, with a grim expression, looked at Eyer and said through clenched teeth.


    "Y-yes, my Lord, I did make an important discovery this time! A very important discovery!"


    Queried by Rocky, Eyer clung to that question like a lifeline, immediately saying, "My Lord, when I returned to the land, I discovered an institution from the Land Era!"

 Chapter 5: Chapter 4: Decision

    "What did you say?"Eyer''s words made Rocky furrow his brows in an instant, even doubting if he had heard wrong.


    "It''s true! My lord, I really did discover a research institute from the Land Era, a Lost Research Institute¡ªwe were attacked by demons at that time!"


    Fearing that Rocky wouldn''t believe him, Eyer very affirmatively repeated his statement; he truly had found a Lost Research Institute on the land!


    A hundred years ago, demons invaded from Different Dimension and drove all races on the continent up into the sky, seizing the land in one fell swoop.


    During that time, people tried to resist, but the strength of the demons far exceeded their imaginations. Hence, although the resistance war was brutally fought, it only lasted a few years before ending in failure, forcing humans to flee into the sky.


    However, although the resistance failed, the war spurred Magic Technology to advance by leaps and bounds. This led to the birth of countless new technologies and equipment, and ultimately the invention of Sky City, the ultimate creation.


    The birth of Sky City undoubtedly saved everyone, but in actuality, other Magic Technology was being developed at the same time. These technologies were also revolutionary inventions of their age. It''s regrettable that...


    Regrettably, by the end of the resistance war, large areas of land had fallen, and as people hurried to fly to the sky in Sky Cities, a great escape that involved everyone ensued. Those equally great inventions were either discontinued or abandoned in the process, and even some completed ones never had the chance to be revealed to the world.


    And these unfinished yet equally great inventions mostly lay forgotten in research institutes across the land!


    In order to resist the demon invasion, during the resistance war, numerous countries established many labs to develop new weapons and equipment. But as the great escape began, due to the urgency, many research institutes were closed in haste, leaving their contents behind without a chance to be moved!


    These unemptied research institutes, possibly hiding great inventions, were then known as¡ªLost Research Institutes!


    Eyer''s words made Rocky furrow his brows tightly. Could it be that right beneath Thunderhawk City lay a Lost Research Institute?


    Such an outcome was far beyond his expectations, and it even made it hard for him to breathe steadily. For if it were true, it would be a major discovery, perhaps even more significant than finding a new vein of ore!


    But... could it be possible? Could Eyer be so lucky?


    At this thought, Rocky steadied his breathing and asked with a still icy face, "Eyer, if you think you can save your life with such a lie, you''re very foolish."


    "No! My lord, I''m not lying to you! I truly found a Lost Research Institute, I swear!"


    Eyer bit his lip, as if making a grave decision, before speaking, "My lord, actually, the demon attack only killed about a dozen people. But I feared this secret might be leaked. So, I killed those I couldn''t trust, leaving only a few confidants..."


    Desperate to make Rocky believe him, Eyer had told the ultimate truth.


    Eyer was indeed ruthless! On the one hand, he used the Guard Corps as his support, but on the other, when faced with truly valuable interests, he did not hesitate to get rid of these same guards!


    However, by saying so, he indeed added some credence to his previous words. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The value of the Lost Research Institute was exceptionally great; after all, it might contain high-end Magic Technology. What was a few lives in the face of such immense interest?


    "Rocky, what do you plan..."


    Unconsciously, Liliya had stopped calling Rocky "city lord." At this moment, she looked up at Rocky, wanting to know his next move.


    Eyer had spilled everything he knew. Now, the next course of action was up to Rocky, the city lord.


    At this moment, Rocky was already deep in thought.


    If there truly was a Lost Research Institute beneath Thunderhawk City, as the city lord, he faced two choices: either sell the location of the institute or personally investigate it.


    Since the Lost Research Institute could potentially contain high-end Magic Technology, many people¡ªespecially the city lords of many large Sky Cities¡ªwould be willing to pay a hefty sum for the coordinates of the institute, even if such a venture might yield nothing.


    But it was like gambling on stones, even if a hundred stones were useless, as long as one stone contained a beautiful jade, the previous investments were all worth it. And even if a hundred research institutes yielded nothing, finding advanced magic technology within one institute would likewise make it all worthwhile.


    Therefore, if Rocky sold the coordinates of the Lost Research Institute, he was sure to fetch a good price, and this money would significantly benefit Thunderhawk City, enough for the city to operate for a very long time.


    The other option was to personally visit the institute to see for himself. If he really found something inside the institute... his good days would be coming!


    However, this approach involved huge risks. Eyer had mentioned before, there were demons near the institute.


    There were only two hundred men in the entire Thunderhawk City Guard Corps, and they could barely manage to deal with two or three demons; facing a large horde of demons... haha, there wouldn''t be enough of them even to stick between a demon''s teeth.


    Moreover, even if we set aside the demons, what if Rocky located the institute, successfully got inside, and found nothing?


    If he entered the institute only to discover it was empty, then the institute would be a waste, of no value to Thunderhawk City, and even the coordinates wouldn''t sell.


    Those big shots who spent money on coordinates didn''t want second-hand goods, and besides, these people were the true predators of the sky, not easily fooled. Otherwise, they could easily dispatch a force of Void Magic Armor troops larger than the population of Thunderhawk City and wipe Rocky out with a flick of their wrist!


    To sell the coordinates for a sure sum of money or to take the risk? The choice was up to Rocky to make.


    "You keep an eye on him; I''m going to change into my armor,"


    After careful consideration for a moment, Rocky told Liliya, already determined in his heart!


    He was going to take the risk!


    In just a short time, Rocky thought about a lot. He was well aware that Eyer had likely intended to secretly sell the coordinates to walk away with a huge sum of money, but he couldn''t do that.


    Because Eyer was someone who was satisfied as long as he himself was full, not caring about others. But Rocky was different; he had to think about Thunderhawk City.


    In this world, the importance of a Sky City was beyond words, with countless people dreaming their whole lives of owning one. Luckily, Rocky, who had crossed over, immediately became the lord of a city, a chance given by fate!


    He couldn''t let this opportunity slip away, no matter who he was in his past life or what he had done. What was important now was to develop and strengthen Thunderhawk City. Only by doing so could he survive in this unfamiliar world.


    So he decided to take the risk, planning to use the Void Magic Armor to personally visit the research institute!


    He demonstrated remarkable decisiveness on this matter, driven as well by necessity. After observing for nearly a month, he deeply comprehended the weakness of Thunderhawk City.


    Thunderhawk City was already a struggling small city on the verge of a crisis. Now, with him as the new city lord, many others began to harbor ulterior motives, with Eyer being a prime example.


    Didn''t Eyer know that trafficking people was destroying Thunderhawk City?


    Of course, he knew, but he did it anyway, clearly hoping to make a fortune and then take off, abandoning Thunderhawk City altogether. And there were definitely more than one person in the city with the same thought.


    This was the situation that Rocky faced, fraught with internal strife and external threats, leaving him with no choice but to take a gamble.


    While Liliya watched over Eyer in the hall, Rocky quickly returned to his own bedroom.


    Although he was the lord of Thunderhawk City, his bedroom was not luxurious. This wasn''t because he preferred simplicity, but rather because he had no means for luxury.


    Once inside the bedroom, Rocky closed the door behind him and then pulled out a large leather trunk from under the bed.


    This large leather trunk had been sitting under the bed for a long time, covered in dust, but no one could imagine that such an inconspicuous trunk contained the most valuable thing in Thunderhawk City: Void Magic Armor!


    Gently dusting off the trunk, Rocky felt a surge of excitement. Though he knew from memories that he owned a set of Void Magic Armor, he had never seen it or worn it before, so at this moment, he was filled with anticipation!

 Chapter 6: Chapter 5 Shock! (Part 1)

    For the current Rocky, Thunderhawk City was the foundation of his survival in this world, and the Void Magic Armor left by his father was the support he could rely on for survival!So, with an excited heart, he slowly opened the leather case.


    "What, what is this¡­? What is this?"


    The excitement he felt suddenly vanished after opening the case; he didn''t see the dazzlingly colorful golden helmet and armor he envisioned, but a pile of scrap metal instead?!


    Indeed, there was a set of armor inside the box, but it was covered in rust, barely looking any different from a heap of discarded metal.


    This, this is the Void Magic Armor left by my father?


    He picked up the armor and inspected it closely, finding a bracer in his hands. It wasn''t particularly light, but it was covered in grime and seemed even inferior to common armor, let alone the legendary Void Magic Armor.


    "Why does it even smell? Is it moldy?"


    Looking at the bracer in his hand, Rocky suddenly detected an unpleasant smell. Could it be that it smelled because it had been left to sit for too long and had grown moldy?


    With this thought, he sniffed it carefully, and after a moment he was shocked!


    How could there be a smell of blood!?


    Closely sniffing the bracer, Rocky indeed smelled blood. Upon closer inspection of the bracer, he realized that the so-called grime was actually bloodstains that had seeped into the armor!


    This discovery made him immediately take out the rest of the armor pieces from the case and inspect them, only to realize he was mistaken earlier. The supposed rust on the armor was in fact bloodstains that had soaked into the armor!


    Such a result completely shocked him.


    How many battles must it have been through for the enemies'' blood to have permeated into the armor!


    This astonishing discovery inevitably made Rocky think of his father.


    Since he came from another time, he was not familiar with his father, knowing only through memories that his father was a melancholy man, his gloominess naturally stemming from missing his mother.


    However, he was also very aware that before becoming melancholic, his father must have been an impressive person; otherwise, he couldn''t have established a family on his own, and even more so, gained power to become the lord of a mid-sized Sky City ¡ª a feat that ordinary people could not accomplish.


    The Void Magic Armor before him, especially the bloodstains branded on it, seemed like a book, a blood-written book recording his father''s countless battles.


    "Sigh¡­"


    Taking a deep breath, Rocky cast aside the disrespect and dissatisfaction in his heart, and then took out every piece of armor from the case.


    In just a moment, a complete set of Void Magic Armor lay before Rocky, and he then recalled the method of donning it.


    The greatness of Void Magic Armor lies in the fact that it is entirely different from ordinary armor, which is essentially just clothing with strong defensive power. But Void Magic Armor is not like that. It is embedded with Magic Stones and driven by Mana, providing all-around enhancement and support to the wearer.


    It is exactly for this reason that the method of donning Void Magic Armor is different from regular armor¡ªit needs to be activated first.


    With his eyes closed, Rocky recalled the activation method of the Void Magic Armor several times, then opened his eyes and reached out to the armor on the ground with his left hand.


    "Void Magic... Armament!"


    Channeling the Magic Power within his body according to the method from his memories, Rocky immediately felt a connection with the Void Magic Armor. Then he heard a whoosh as the armor''s gauntlet suddenly flew up and fit itself onto his hand in the blink of an eye, followed by other parts of the armor flying up and equipping themselves on him without waiting for a reaction!


    In the blink of an eye, Rocky had fully donned the Void Magic Armor!


    "This¡­ This is just too cool¡­"


    Although he had long known that this world followed the path of Magic Technology, when Rocky personally experienced its marvel, he was left astonished and speechless.


    "It''s quite lightweight and flexible too¡­"


    Having put on the entire set of Void Magic Armor, Rocky couldn''t help but move his body around, finding the armor that felt so heavy in his hands now surprisingly light and far more flexible than imagined when worn on his body, without any discomfort at all.


    He then couldn''t resist walking in front of a mirror to look at his own reflection.


    "My God¡­ This, this is just too cool!"


    Looking into the mirror, Rocky could hardly believe his eyes. Was that incredibly cool figure in the mirror really him?


    The Void Magic Armor he wore was actually an old model from forty or fifty years ago ¨C after all, it was his father''s armor. By rights, it should have been outdated, but it still looked incredibly formidable.


    Compared to ordinary armor, the design of Void Magic Armor was much more exaggerated, but it was precisely this exaggeration that made Rocky, clad in the armor, appear imposing and majestic, leaving him stunned.


    Next, Rocky attempted to control the armor''s movement and found himself surprisingly floating bit by bit into the air!


    ......


    ......


    "Liliya! I order you to let go of Captain Eyer! Immediately!"


    While Rocky gushed over the merits of the Void Magic Armor, a change had occurred in the City Lord''s Hall.


    Liliya, who had been waiting here, now held Eyer up like a shield before her, confronting a group of people opposite her.


    The leader of this group was a fat man who appeared to be about fifty years old, bald and with a face full of fat, looking every bit the cunning fat pig.


    The man''s name was Perolo, an administrative officer of Thunderhawk City. He was currently yelling furiously at Liliya, ordering her to release Captain Eyer.


    To the left and right of Perolo stood two guards, swords drawn and tips pointing straight at Liliya! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Liliya, are you deaf? I said to let go of Captain Eyer this instant!"


    Glaring venomously at Liliya, Perolo was beside himself with rage, his mind a whirl of chaos.


    Earlier, Eyer had confided that his true purpose for returning to the surface was to traffic humans, and his accomplice in this crime was none other than Perolo!


    As an administrative officer of Thunderhawk City, Perolo had little to do, for the city was too small, but he was the one who knew the population distribution of the city best.


    Perolo knew well which people in the city were untouchable and which could disappear without anyone caring. With his help, Eyer had managed to capture people for trafficking and sold them off.


    According to the plan between the two, Eyer should have gone to find Perolo to split the loot after reporting to Rocky. But Eyer hadn''t returned after meeting with Rocky, and Perolo, wracked by guilt, suspected something was amiss and decided to find out, leading to the current scene.


    In truth, when Perolo arrived at the City Lord''s Hall and saw Eyer injured, he realized that their misdeeds might have been exposed, throwing him into utmost disarray.


    In any Sky City, human trafficking is a capital offense, punishable by death¡ªa rule that Thunderhawk City was no exception to.


    Logically, once their human trafficking was exposed, Perolo should have fled immediately; otherwise, death was certain. Yet he did not, and the reason was simple: Rocky was the City Lord of Thunderhawk City!


    In Perolo''s eyes, Rocky was young and inexperienced in governance and moreover, weak and easily bullied. Perolo believed that if he could just rescue Eyer, there might still be a chance to turn things around, especially since Eyer was the Captain of the Guards, with the entire Guard Corps at his command.


    For insurance, he had also sent someone to notify the finance officer, planning to pressure Rocky into submission by teaming up with the officers when the time came.


    "Perolo, do you even realize what you are doing?"


    Sword in one hand and supporting Eyer with the other, Liliya retreated under the encirclement of the four guards, while coldly addressing Perolo: "Perolo, Captain Eyer is under arrest by order of the City Lord. By asking me to release him, are you suggesting rebellion?"


    "Nonsense! The City Lord would never issue such an order!"


    Of course, Perolo knew it must be Rocky''s command, but he could not admit it and instead had to turn the tables, cursing Liliya internally.


    If it weren''t for Liliya''s Third Level warrior strength, even stronger than Eyer himself, he would have already attacked.


    That wretch! Given the chance, he would mount her and torture her to death!


    As these thoughts filled his mind, he was about to speak again when the main doors of the hall burst open and an elderly man with white hair slowly entered.


    "Lord Voss!"


    Upon seeing the elder, Perolo felt a surge of elation and hurriedly approached him, speaking anxiously: "Lord Voss, this Liliya is attempting a revolt, she has attacked Captain Eyer!"


    This elder was none other than the financial officer of Thunderhawk City.


    Different from the murderous Eyer and the fat-faced Perolo, the elderly Voss, though advanced in years, bore a much more spirited look, exuding a pure aristocratic aura.


    For instance, now, as Eyer was held captive by Liliya and Perolo was in a state of urgency, Voss entered with a calm smile, and after seeing everything around him, his face still held that calm smile, as if the tense standoff in the hall did not exist to him.


    So after Perolo finished speaking, Voss looked toward Liliya.


    "Miss Liliya, may I ask if the order to capture Captain Eyer came from the City Lord himself?"


    "Yes," Liliya replied to Voss, succinct and clear.


    "I see," Voss nodded and continued, "In that case, may we see the City Lord to have him explain what exactly is going on?"


    Voss spoke with no sign of urgency.


    However, just as he finished speaking, the doors were flung open again, and Rocky, clad in Void Magic Armor, flew in!


    Indeed, he flew in, directly over the heads of Perolo and Voss, landing in front of Liliya!


    "Lord Voss, what is it that you would like me to explain?"


    Standing firmly in front of Liliya, Rocky smiled triumphantly at her, then turned to look at Voss and Perolo, his expression turning grim.

 Chapter 7: Chapter 6 Shock! (Part 2)

    Rocky had never imagined that in the short while he was away, the situation would have evolved into this.Perolo and Voss, along with Eyer who had been captured, all the officials of Thunderhawk City were present. What were they planning to do? And those four guards pointing their swords at Liliya, what were they doing¡ªstaging a coup or rebelling!?


    The scenes unfolding before his eyes filled Rocky with fury, and he shifted his gaze from Voss and Perolo to the four guards pointing their long swords at Liliya.


    "What are you trying to do, rebel?"


    Before the guards before him could even react, Rocky aimed his palm at one of them, and immediately gathered a Magic Bullet, firing it in an instant!


    The Magic Bullet, the most basic magical attack of the Void Magic Armor, uses Mana to form a pure Magic Sphere that can be fired like a cannonball and has the power equivalent to one.


    With a loud bang, the Magic Bullet hit the chest of one of the guards, and the struck guard was sent flying out before he even had the chance to scream!


    Clang clang clang...


    This spectacle made the remaining three guards quickly drop their swords like hot potatoes and kneel before Rocky.


    "City Lord, spare our lives! It wasn''t us trying to rebel; it was Perolo who instructed us to do this!"


    "My Lord, it was Perolo who told us to do it. It''s not our fault!"


    Kneeling before Rocky, the three guards begged for mercy non-stop, immediately pinning the blame on Perolo as if fearing that if they were too slow, Rocky would fire another Magic Bullet at them.


    As for Perolo, mentioned by the guards, he had already been frightened out of his wits by this point, staring dazedly at Rocky with eyes bulging as wide as cowbells, nearly dropping to the ground.


    "Void Magic Armor... Void Magic Armor... How is this possible..."


    Seeing Rocky clad in a set of Void Magic Armor and having knocked down a guard right off the bat, Perolo was so frightened that his legs trembled, and he almost sat down on the floor.


    He had never anticipated such an outcome. How could Rocky possess a set of Void Magic Armor?


    In contrast to the terrified Perolo, Voss beside him remained much calmer. Yet even he was slightly startled upon seeing Rocky, the smile that had been constant on his face freezing for a moment, but soon he regained his composure.


    All these reactions were keenly observed by Rocky, and they perfectly matched his impression of the two men: Perolo was a dumb pig, while Voss was as sly as a fox.


    So Rocky didn''t bother with Perolo at all but instead changed his grim expression to a smile, looking at Voss, "Lord Voss, what was it that you wanted me to explain just now?"


    "My Lord, please don''t misunderstand; that was my indiscretion."


    Hearing Rocky''s words, Voss bowed to him with an unchanged expression, and then spoke calmly, "I wouldn''t dare ask my Lord to explain anything. I''m just very curious to know what crime Captain Eyer has actually committed?"


    Voss spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly, showing respect to Rocky while also getting his question across. Unless Rocky wanted to find fault deliberately, there seemed to be no flaw in his words.


    However, there was no need to find fault with Eyer''s case. Rocky directly said, "Captain Eyer has been unlawfully trafficking the population of Thunderhawk City, so I detained him for further interrogation. Any problems with that?"


    Sitting back in the City Lord''s position, Rocky spoke casually, and Voss did not inquire further.


    Seeing Voss remaining silent, Rocky then turned to Perolo and asked coldly, "Perolo, was it you who ordered these guards to threaten Liliya?"


    "My Lord, have mercy! This is a misunderstanding. I, I was just, I wanted to..."


    Thumping to his knees on the ground, Perolo continuously begged for mercy, yet he couldn''t come up with any excuse and could only sneak glances at Voss, as if hoping Voss would intercede on his behalf.


    Interestingly, at this moment, Rocky also looked at Voss, and even added, "Lord Voss, Captain Eyer is trafficking people, Perolo is insubordinate; what do you think should be done with these two?"


    Rocky''s question seemed casual, but in reality, he was probing Voss''s attitude, because in his mind, Voss was the one person to be wary of!


    In Rocky''s eyes, Eyer and Perolo were not of much concern; neither of them needed him to employ any strategies¡ªa set of Void Magic Armor was more than enough to deal with them, and indeed, that was the case.


    But Voss was different because among the three, he was the only one with real power, and this power, even Rocky couldn''t shake!


    Thunderhawk City was very small, so small that there was virtually no industry to speak of. The over one thousand residents living in the city could only rely on two means for their livelihood: farming and textiles.


    Typically, each Sky City is surrounded by vast tracts of farmland to solve the food problem; Thunderhawk City was no different, with most of the city''s residents living off the land around the city. However, being a small Sky City, even with farmland, it was not enough to feed all the residents.


    This gave rise to the city''s second industry: textiles. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Importing yarn from other Sky Cities, and then having the women of the city spin it into cloth before selling it, they would use the income from selling the cloth to buy food. This was how the residents of Thunderhawk City made a living.


    As the Financial Officer of the city, not only did Voss control the city''s finances, but more importantly, he had close connections with all the Chambers of Commerce involved in importing yarn!


    So it''s no exaggeration to say that if Thunderhawk City were to lose Voss the Financial Officer, then the city''s textile industry would immediately fall into paralysis and those residents who relied on textiles for their living would starve to death!


    The reason Voss was feared lay exactly in this: Rocky could deal with Eyer and Perolo with thunderous methods, but he could not treat Voss the same because this man was too important to Thunderhawk City.


    Therefore, Rocky asked Voss for his opinion at this time to gauge his attitude towards himself.


    But somewhat unexpectedly, Voss''s response came quickly, as if he had been well-prepared:


    "My Lord, trafficking in people is a serious crime, with the mastermind being executed and the family members and other participants being expelled from the city, banished to the land."


    "Rebellion against one''s superiors is equally a grave offense, where the death penalty may be spared but not the punishment. The main culprits and their families should all be expelled from the city, banished to the land."


    Facing Rocky''s question, Voss didn''t show the slightest change in expression and began to speak.


    "You! You!"


    His words not only stunned Rocky but also left Perolo, who was expecting him to plead on his behalf, pale-faced and so furious he couldn''t speak.


    This old fox... was too decisive, wasn''t he?


    Such an answer left Rocky feeling a chill down his spine. He remembered clearly that while Voss had not deceived him like Eyer had, there was certainly no respect shown towards him; there was more of an ignoring, disregarding himself as the City Lord.


    Yet from Voss''s stance earlier, it was clear he was drawing a line between himself and Eyer and Perolo¡ªalmost as if he was helping Eyer eliminate the two of them!


    Was it possible that Voss had now acknowledged him as the City Lord?


    Looking at Voss, who stood with his hands hanging at his sides, Rocky couldn''t fathom the old fox''s thoughts. But since the other party had already taken the initiative to speak for him, he certainly didn''t need to be reserved or cautious and said directly:


    "In that case..."


    While speaking, he looked at the three Guards kneeling on the ground: "From today on, you will be under Liliya''s command. Now, take Perolo to the prison to await further handling, and if anything happens during this process, I''ll hold you responsible!"


    "Yes, yes... Thank you, my Lord!"


    "Thank you, City Lord!"


    The three Guards, without a second thought, immediately seized Perolo; mere moments before they had been his Guards, but now they were the ones taking him to prison.


    After Perolo was taken away, Rocky turned to look at Voss:


    "Lord Voss, if there''s nothing else, you may go now."


    "Yes."


    After agreeing, Voss gave Rocky a slight bow and left the City Lord''s Hall. He was the same as when he had come, as if nothing had happened at all.


    Watching his figure leave the hall, Rocky finally let out a long sigh of relief. He truly hadn''t expected things to turn out this way. It was just as well that Voss had not challenged him because, given his status and importance, Voss would not have been an easy adversary.


    However, it was also thanks to what had just happened that the two cancers, Eyer and Perolo, were suddenly removed. This was indeed an unexpected blessing for Rocky, saving him quite a bit of trouble.


    "How was it? I did quite well just now, didn''t I?"


    Pleased with the outcome, Rocky turned to Liliya and posed the question, looking like a child seeking praise and completely lacking the imposing air he had just moments before.


    His action caught Liliya off guard, but she nodded and then looked at Rocky: "You seem... you seem different..."


    "Of course I''m different, and I''ll keep getting better."


    Laughing heartily, Rocky instructed Liliya: "Gather fifty Guards and arrest everyone who returned with Eyer. Deal with any who dare to resist as you see fit, then take your men to meet me at the Skyport."


    "Understood."


    After she agreed, Liliya handed Eyer over to Rocky and hurried out of the hall.


    Once Liliya had left, Rocky turned his glance to Eyer, his face beaming with a smile, "Captain Eyer, let us make another trip to the land, shall we?"


    "Yes, yes... I''ll follow your lead, my Lord..."


    Having witnessed everything that had just transpired, Eyer no longer had the courage to refuse. He now profoundly understood that Thunderhawk City was about to see a change in the tides.

 Chapter 8: Chapter 7 Skyship

    Having left the City Lord''s Hall with Eyer, Rocky came to Thunderhawk City.As a small Sky City with just over a thousand residents, Thunderhawk City was naturally not large. Standing on the high steps and looking out, Rocky could easily see the entire cityscape at a glance.


    His eyes swept over the city and soon fixed on the square at the city center where a Magic Crystal, over ten meters tall, hovered, looking incredibly eye-catching.


    This huge Magic Crystal, known as a Drive Crystal, was not just a decoration but the core of the entire Sky City. The power that allowed the city to fly through the air was all provided by this Drive Crystal.


    At the same time, the Drive Crystal spread out an invisible Defensive Net above the city, like a giant umbrella enveloping the city, which could defend against external attacks during wartime and block high winds during regular times.


    When the Sky City was first invented, the Drive Crystal had to be manually charged. After nearly a century of development, the Drive Crystal no longer required manual charging, it could now be self-sufficient relying on solar and wind energy, which not only eliminated much hassle but also saved a vast amount of resources.


    "Truly spectacular..."


    Although it wasn''t his first time leaving the City Lord''s Mansion, every time he saw the huge Drive Crystal, Rocky would still be struck by awe. The grandeur and wonder of Magic Technology struck him afresh each time.


    It was only after a while that he took Eyer and boarded a carriage, heading straight for Thunderhawk City''s Skyport.


    Since the onset of the Sky Era, carriages had become the means of transport within cities. To travel beyond Sky City, one had to take a Skyship, similar to how sea voyages were made in the past, only that the ports had turned into skyports now.


    Leaving the City Lord''s Mansion, the carriage sped away, all residents deliberately making way, and upon seeing that it was Rocky sitting inside the carriage, some even voluntarily saluted him.


    The behavior of the residents was even slightly unsettling for Rocky.


    But this was not surprising. Although in the eyes of people like Eyer and Perolo, Rocky might seem like a weak City Lord, the ordinary residents of Thunderhawk City were unaware of these matters. They only knew Rocky as the City Lord, who had the authority over life and death for everyone in the city, so they both respected and feared him.


    Under these circumstances, the carriage naturally had an unobstructed path, quickly arriving at the Skyport.


    Since the Skyport was used to dock Skyships, it covered a vast area. Upon arriving, Rocky hadn''t even alighted when, through the carriage window, he saw ten docked Skyships in the harbor.


    These Skyships were slightly larger than fishing boats, equipped with a Magic Cannon at both the bow and stern, capable of carrying twenty people. They were early models of reconnaissance Skyships, constituting the entire aerial force of Thunderhawk City.


    Over a thousand residents, two hundred guards, and ten reconnaissance Skyships, plus a set of Void Magic Armor and a Liliya ¡ª this was the entirety of Rocky''s assets.


    "City, City Lord!"


    "City Lord!"


    Rocky, along with Eyer, alighted from the carriage, and the guards at the Skyport immediately ran up to him.


    The guards had not expected the sudden appearance of Rocky, their City Lord. It was surprising enough, and even more startling was the fact that Rocky was dressed in a suit of Void Magic Armor. Thus, the expression on their faces when they saw Rocky was not just surprise but outright fear!


    They also saw Eyer, who looked like a prisoner. The guards weren''t fools and kept their mouths shut at this time.


    "Who is in charge here?"


    Looking at the group of guards before him, Rocky asked. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "City Lord! It''s me!"


    A young man, looking about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, dressed in Leather Armor, spoke up, looking quite spirited.


    "What''s your name?" Rocky asked after looking over the young man.


    "City Lord, I, I''m Felly, Felly!"


    Perhaps it was because it was his first time facing the City Lord, Felly was incredibly nervous, and even his name didn''t come out fluently.


    His response somewhat pleased Rocky, finally giving him a bit of the sense of being the lord of the city. After the pleasured moment, he said with a smile, "Felly, I need five Skyships to be ready for lift-off as soon as possible. You arrange it."


    "Yes!"


    Rocky saluted, and Felly immediately called a Guard nearby and then led a group of men away.


    Due to the sudden development, it took some time to get the Skyship off the ground, but this process coincided with Liliya''s arrival.


    Following Rocky''s previous orders, she went to the Guard Corps'' camp and gathered fifty guards, and then personally arrested everyone who had returned with Eyer.


    "Everyone is here?"


    Looking at the six guards tied up tightly, Rocky asked.


    "There was one who tried to resist, he''s already dead."


    "Hmm."


    Rocky nodded, which was not unexpected.


    The guards who followed Eyer to engage in human trafficking and were still alive were naturally his confidants. These people would definitely understand what was happening when they heard Liliya was going to arrest them. It''s not surprising that they tried to resist, as trafficking humans is a capital crime, and being caught means execution.


    This was why Rocky had sent Liliya to arrest them. Liliya, being a Third-Level Warrior, was the strongest in the Guard Corps, where the strongest was only Second Level; thus, resistance would be futile.


    The outcome was just as expected.


    Rocky glanced over the six men brought before him, then looked at the guards behind Liliya, but said nothing.


    However, the less he spoke, the more fearsome he seemed, especially to the fifty guards assembled there.


    These guards might not be Eyer''s closest aides but were still part of the Guard Corps. They had heard, more or less, about Eyer''s deeds and some had even heard Eyer mocking Rocky, calling him a weak and incompetent City Lord.


    But now, it seemed, this City Lord was far from weak!


    In these soldiers'' eyes, not only was Rocky not incompetent, but he also appeared quite imposing. Looking at him clad in Void Magic Armor and then at Eyer, whose legs had been broken, made clear who the superior was!


    Undoubtedly, Rocky, dressed in Void Magic Armor, had left these guards in awe. This awe inadvertently cemented their recognition of him as the City Lord. Even if Eyer were to incite a rebellion at this moment, these guards would not follow him and might even arrest him voluntarily.


    And this was naturally the result Rocky wanted to see.


    "Sir! City Lord! The Skyships are ready, already ready!"


    Felly, who had previously led the men away, quickly returned. He saluted before Rocky, then reported breathlessly that five Skyships were prepared for takeoff and could launch at any moment.


    "Good."


    Turning around, Rocky shouted to the guards behind him, "Everyone, listen to the command!"


    "Yes!"


    His shout caused all the guards to instinctively straighten up, staring straight at him.


    "Groups of ten, board the ship immediately!"


    "Yes!"


    The guards shouted in unison at the end of Rocky''s command, then quickly rushed toward the five Skyships prepared for takeoff.


    Watching the guards spring into action without delay, Rocky was somewhat surprised; he hadn''t expected Eyer to have trained these soldiers so well. Perhaps they were not on par with the regular army, but at least they were disciplined.


    "Felly, take these men and put them on the ship too."


    After instructing Felly to take the six tied-up men to the ship, Rocky boarded the Skyship with Liliya.


    With a command from Rocky as he boarded, the five Skyships slowly took off, and once they had flown out of Thunderhawk City''s Defensive Net, they turned their bows downward and flew toward the land¡­

 Chapter 9: Chapter 8 Land

    Standing at the bow of the skyship, Rocky could only see thick clouds, but even so, he was still very excited.This was his first time riding a skyship away from Thunderhawk City, and also his first time heading to the land below, so he couldn''t help but feel a little thrilled.


    The land had been occupied by demons, which was the first thing Rocky learned after coming to this world, but what then?


    Was the demon-occupied land now devastated and unrecognizable, damaged beyond repair?


    Had all the other creatures on the land died out?


    And those who hadn''t managed to reach Sky City all those years ago, could they have survived after so many years?


    Rocky had no answers to these questions, but he was about to see for himself.


    "Sir¡­ please come back to the cabin¡­ outside¡­ the wind is too strong."


    As Rocky stood alone in his excitement, Liliya''s voice came from behind him. Turning around, he saw Liliya struggling through the strong wind.


    Traveling at an altitude of tens of thousands of meters, one could imagine the strength of the winds outside the skyship. Even Liliya, a Third-Level Warrior, was having trouble keeping her eyes open and found it difficult to speak on the deck, which was despite the fact that the skyship had its Defensive Net spread out to block the winds.


    Without the protection of the Defensive Net, a gust of wind could easily have blown Liliya away.


    "I''m fine; I''m just getting used to the Void Magic Armor."


    Compared to Liliya, who was struggling to walk on the deck, Rocky seemed unaffected by the strong wind, a feat naturally credited to the Void Magic Armor.


    Designed specifically for aerial combat, the Void Magic Armor was covered with an energy shield from top to bottom. This energy shield acted like a miniature Defensive Net, not only increasing defensive power but also blocking the vicious wind, offering protection to its wearer even during high-speed flight. That''s why Rocky, standing at the bow, didn''t feel the strong wind at all.


    But Liliya was a stubborn girl. She didn''t turn around and leave; instead, she bravely stood by Rocky''s side, despite the howling wind.


    "Sir, you¡­"


    "Just call me Rocky, it sounds less awkward."


    Turning to glance at Liliya, Rocky repeated his request with a smile.


    This time, Liliya didn''t respond with the cold reply she had given before. Biting her lip, she eventually nodded, "Rocky¡­"


    Hearing his name from Liliya''s mouth made Rocky inexplicably feel a wave of relief, much more comfortable than when others called him City Lord.


    "Rocky, do you really plan to personally explore the research institute?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While Rocky was basking in that moment, Liliya brought up her question.


    At that time, the skyship was en route to the land. Amidst the strong winds, aside from Rocky, clad in Void Magic Armor, and Liliya, a Third-Level Warrior, no one else dared to come to the deck, which made their conversation private, with no chance of being overheard. Liliya took this opportunity to ask.


    "Yes, I want to go there myself."


    Nodding, Rocky didn''t hide his intentions.


    "But... that''s too risky... I think we should just confirm the exact location of the research institute and sell the coordinates. We would still make a lot of money from that, money enough to support Thunderhawk City for a long time."


    Standing behind Rocky, Liliya voiced her thoughts.


    But in response to his words, Rocky simply shook his head. "Thunderhawk City needs more than just a sum of money; just a sum of money can''t change Thunderhawk City¡­"


    After finishing his statement, he turned around. "You don''t need to worry about me. Even if I really encounter demons, I can retreat unharmed with the help of the Void Magic Armor, so it''s fine."


    "You can''t rely too much on the armor."


    However, the intended comfort from Rocky had the opposite effect, invoking Liliya''s dissatisfaction. "You''re only a Second Level Warrior, with no actual combat experience. You can''t exert the power of the armor like the old master did. Over-reliance on the armor could cost you your life."


    The ''old master'' Liliya referred to was naturally Rocky''s father. She had fought alongside him and had witnessed his gallant form donning the Void Magic Armor. Therefore, in Liliya''s eyes, though Rocky might be wearing the Void Magic Armor now, he was still a far cry from his father.


    That left Rocky with no choice but to roll his eyes. Must she be so blunt? What about respect?


    Unfortunately, even though he grumbled inwardly, he couldn''t refute her because what Liliya said was true. His own strength was indeed too average. Even with the enhancement of the Void Magic Armor, he couldn''t afford to be careless, especially since the foes he would face were not like Eyer.


    Left with no other option, Rocky had to play hardball. He verbally agreed to all of Liliya''s demands but didn''t budge in his actions, eventually frustrating Liliya to the point that she simply walked away.


    Watching Liliya''s retreating back, Rocky shook his head with a wry smile, then stopped pondering other matters and began to adjust his own state.


    Liliya''s admonitions had not fallen on deaf ears. On the contrary, they had sounded a warning bell for him.


    He must not become complacent just because he had the Void Magic Armor, for he might be facing demons this time!


    The Void Magic Armor was indeed strong, beyond doubt. Yet even so, there was no certainty of victory when facing demons. Otherwise, after the invention of the Void Magic Armor, people would have counterattacked the land long ago. Instead, they remained adrift in the sky, and so Rocky continually reminded himself not to be careless.


    Not long after he adjusted his state alone, the speed of the skyship began to decrease gradually, and the gusts of wind surrounding them started to weaken, transitioning from the initial howling gales to a gentle breeze.


    Clearly, they had arrived at land.


    Standing at the bow and looking down, Rocky no longer saw thick clouds beneath him but the silhouette of land.


    A stretch of green¡­


    When Rocky looked towards the land, he didn''t see the devastation or scarring he had imagined. Instead, he saw a verdant and beautiful vista.


    "This¡­ is this really the land¡­"


    Looking at the lush forests beneath the skyship, Rocky was stunned. He hadn''t expected the land to look like this.


    Hadn''t they said the land was occupied by demons? Hadn''t they said the demons had destroyed the land?


    Yet why was this forest before his eyes so beautiful?


    "Rocky, prepare for landing."


    Just as Rocky was astounded by the sight before him, Liliya emerged from the cabin and informed him that the skyship was ready to land.


    "Okay."


    He nodded and followed Liliya back into the cabin, after which the five skyships began to descend slowly.


    And when the five skyships landed smoothly, Rocky disembarked with the guards, stepping firmly onto the land that had been occupied by demons.

 Chapter 10: Chapter 9: Searching for the Research Institute

    Having left the cabin and arrived on land, everyone, including Rocky, couldn''t help but let out a gasp of surprise and admiration.Because the scenery before them was simply too beautiful! So beautiful that not only was Rocky surprised, but even the guards behind him felt the same way.


    In fact, it was not only Rocky''s first time returning to land, but many of the guards behind him were also experiencing this for the first time, so these guards, like Rocky, were filled with novelty and curiosity about everything they saw.


    The Skyship had landed just on the edge of the forest, so as everyone looked ahead, they saw a dense forest, and behind them, an endless prairie. Everything looked immensely beautiful, with no trace of ruin.


    "Don''t be deceived by what you see,"


    As everyone marveled at the beautiful scene before them, Liliya spoke up, addressing the guards, "The land has long been occupied by demons, so don''t be fooled by what you see. Behind this beautiful scenery, there could be demons ready to tear you apart. So, all of you, be on alert!"


    Such a speech made all the guards come to their senses, as everyone quickly diverted their gaze and instinctively lowered their heads.


    It had to be said that Liliya held a significant position in the hearts of these guards, primarily due to her status as a Third-Level Warrior, and, unlike these inexperienced guards, Liliya had accompanied Rocky''s father in multiple battles, not only gaining experience in leading troops but also visiting the surface several times, hence her understanding of the land far exceeded others.


    Therefore, even Rocky took her words seriously and swiftly diverted his gaze as well.


    "Bring Eyer, and then you lead the guard squad here and wait for me,"


    Calming his excited emotions, Rocky then said to Liliya beside him, now was indeed not the time to admire the scenery; he had to attend to important matters.


    Although the land was not as devastated as imagined, even quite scenic, it did not change anything. The fact that the land was occupied by demons was an ironclad reality. In such circumstances, Rocky did not want to waste time¡ªthe more time they delayed, the greater the chance they would encounter demons.


    Following his instructions, Liliya quickly brought Eyer, but did not hand him over to Rocky.


    "I''m going with you,"


    After bringing Eyer, Liliya told Rocky that she intended to join him in searching for the institute.


    "No,"


    But to her request, Rocky rejected it outright without even thinking.


    "I outrank you and have experience fighting demons! I can help you!"


    Rocky''s abrupt refusal caught Liliya off guard as he seemed more resolute, reflecting his determination on this matter. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As expected, Rocky was very steadfast, shaking his head, "I can rest easy knowing you are here guarding."


    "But¡­"


    "No buts."


    Not wanting to argue further, Rocky then took Eyer, who had his hands bound, from Liliya''s hands, and then slowly levitated, carrying Eyer towards the distant forest.


    Seeing him fly away like this, Liliya stomped her foot fiercely and immediately said to the guards behind her, "Everyone, be ready to fight! The Skyship should be ready to take off at any moment. As soon as the City Lord returns, we''ll leave immediately!"


    "Yes!"


    At her command, the guards immediately sprang into action, knowing well the dangers of the land. A moment''s laxity could mean death by a demon''s attack, so no one dared to slack off.


    ......


    ......


    Liliya should be left out of the conversation for now, Rocky had already taken Eyer soaring into the sky above the forest.


    "Captain Eyer, tell me the exact location of the institute," Rocky said.


    "Sir, it''s too, too high. I can''t confirm¡­"


    Being carried in the air by Rocky, Eyer trembled all over in fear, but he did not lie; from the air, he truly couldn''t pinpoint the location of the institute.


    With this, Rocky had no choice but to descend slowly and land in the forest.


    As he landed in the forest, Rocky noticed that the vegetation was incredibly dense, almost overly so. It was filled with unnamed green plants, looking much like a tropical rainforest.


    "Sir, if you keep going in this direction, you should find the institute," Eyer said.


    Upon landing on the ground, Eyer breathed a sigh of relief. Being in the air had terrified him, as he was not the one wearing the Void Magic Armor, but rather it was Rocky. If Rocky had let go, he would have been smashed to death.


    "Are you sure?"


    As Rocky turned around, he frowned, because as he looked in the direction Eyer had indicated, he suddenly felt a pang of distress.


    This sensation was quite peculiar; all he saw before him was a forest, no Demons or other threats, yet Rocky still felt this way, and even... he felt somewhat scared?!


    "Sir, you, you felt it too, right? Is that it?"


    Just as Rocky furrowed his brows, Eyer suddenly said, "Sir, I also felt something was off initially, which is why I went to check, and then I discovered the institute."


    "Oh?"


    This intrigued Rocky, so he immediately asked, "So, it is the Demons who are emitting this feeling?"


    Eyer had previously mentioned that after discovering the institute, he was attacked by Demons. So, could this distressing sensation be emitted by the Demons?


    But Eyer''s next reply surprised Rocky, as he shook his head repeatedly: "Sir, Demons don''t have that ability. I think it might be some kind of equipment in the institute that''s emitting it to keep the Demons at bay."


    "Where could there be such equipment; that''s just ridiculous..."


    Upon hearing this, Rocky couldn''t help but laugh. There couldn''t possibly be the kind of equipment Eyer described; Demons aren''t mosquitoes that one could simply fend off with a mosquito coil. Eyer had clearly mythologized the Lost Research Institute.


    Thus, after shaking his head, Rocky didn''t ask further and simply led Eyer deeper into the forest.


    The forest was truly dense, not just thick with bushes but with many other forms of vegetation as well. Coupled with Eyer, who had a limp leg, this made Rocky''s pace extremely slow.


    Fortunately, they encountered no Demons along the way, so although the journey was long, it was safe.


    After an indeterminate amount of time had passed, Rocky stopped in his tracks because there was a corpse in front of him, a Guard''s corpse.


    "Sir... we''ve arrived..."


    Looking at the body lying on the ground, Eyer stammered out, and the guard now turned into a corpse was one of those he had silenced!


    And finding these guards meant that the Lost Research Institute was nearby!

 Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Lost Research Institute!

    Since they had found the guard who was silenced, it was clear that the Lost Research Institute was not far away. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality."Did you kill these people?"


    "Yes, yes..."


    Faced with Rocky''s icy gaze, Eyer quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet his eyes.


    "How many people did you kill, do you remember?"


    "This..."


    Suddenly asked about this, Eyer was stunned; he really didn''t remember how many guards he had killed to keep the secrets of the institute, because all he wanted back then was to keep a tight lid on the secrets, so he killed everyone he couldn''t trust.


    "Think hard!"


    Seeing Eyer stammering and unable to answer, Rocky shouted at him, making Eyer shiver all over.


    "Sir, it should be eight people..."


    "Eight people? But there are only five corpses here."


    As Rocky spoke, he looked down at the corpses on the ground. Indeed, as he said, there were only five corpses. If Eyer was not mistaken, that meant three corpses were missing!


    When he mentioned this, Eyer also looked down at the corpses on the ground, noticing indeed that there were fewer than when he had left. This realization made his face turn pale as he quickly looked up at Rocky:


    "It''s demons! Sir, it must be the demons that ate the corpses!"


    "Hmm... that''s possible..."


    This time, Rocky didn''t counter Eyer but simply nodded in agreement.


    Although he had never seen a demon with his own eyes, remember that the original Rocky was a proper nobleman, educated at a higher level. So, through what was recorded in books, he knew quite a bit about demons.


    One thing he remembered the most was that, according to the books, demons ate humans!


    This was not just a rumor; it was a fact written into textbooks, so it should be correct. If demons indeed ate humans, then it assured that demons truly existed nearby! They were the ones who had taken the three missing corpses!


    "Sir, let''s, let''s leave... It''s too, too dangerous here with demons around..."


    Thinking of possibly encountering demons again, Eyer was terrified. Although he had encountered a demon once before, at that time he was accompanied by thirty guards. By sheer force of numbers, they had managed to escape the demon''s attack, yet even then, more than ten had died.


    And... Eyer only encountered one demon last time!


    Just one demon, and thirty armed and trained guards fled in total disarray!


    So, when Eyer realized there were still demons nearby, he was utterly panicked. Now, there were just the two of them, Rocky and himself. Rocky might rely on Void Magic Armor, but he was a cripple and would surely die if they encountered a demon!


    But how could Rocky listen to him? He continued forwards without even bothering to respond, leaving a terrified Eyer to hurry after him, not daring to stay alone in that place.


    So, the two walked another hundred meters through the forest, then once again found corpses on the ground.


    Just like before, numerous guards'' corpses lay haphazardly on the ground, only this time, there were obvious signs of battle; some corpses were even torn apart, creating a very gruesome scene.


    "Were you attacked by demons here?"


    This time, without needing Eyer''s explanation, Rocky already figured out what had happened.


    "Yes, we were attacked here. The entrance to the research institute... it''s behind that huge rock..."


    Nodding, Eyer pointed with his hand toward a huge rock in the distance.


    Following the direction of his hand, Rocky indeed saw a huge rock nearby, its size like that of a small hill, standing out prominently in the forest.


    At last, they had found it!


    Seeing the huge rock, a surge of excitement filled Rocky''s heart, and he grabbed Eyer and leaped into the air, flying directly towards it.


    Moments later, he landed steadily in front of the huge rock and truly saw a large door on the rock wall!


    It looked like Eyer hadn''t lied to him after all! There really was a Lost Research Institute here!


    Setting Eyer aside, Rocky quickly walked up to the stone gate and noticed a pattern imprinted on the thick door.


    "This is..."


    After brushing all the dust off the stone gate, the pattern revealed its true form, looking like a crest...


    "This seems like... seems like a national emblem... I must have seen it somewhere..."


    At a moment like this, his past memories served him well. The old Rocky might have been timid, but he loved to read, and had read a variety of books, so the pattern on the stone gate seemed familiar, as if he had seen it in one of those books before.


    "I remember now! This is the emblem of Kohen Country!"


    After careful thought, he recalled seeing this pattern in a book about the history of the Land Era. This was the national emblem of Kohen Country!


    Kohen Country was a massive nation during the Land Era, with extensive territories and strong military and economic prowess, rightfully considered a global powerhouse at the time.


    This powerhouse nation, a stalwart during war periods, had established numerous research institutes to develop new weapons and equipment; it seems like the institute before them was indeed one established by Kohen Country then.


    "Wait here for me,"


    After confirming that this was a research institute left by Kohen Country, Rocky turned to look at Eyer, clearly planning to enter the research institute alone.


    "Don''t, don''t leave me here! My lord! Please!"


    However, upon hearing this, Eyer panicked immediately, as he dared not stay in this place alone!


    But Rocky completely ignored his plea and directly pushed the stone gate with his hands.


    "Hm?"


    As Rocky pushed the stone gate with his hand, it felt as though he was pushing a mountain, and the stone gate did not budge at all.


    He then placed both hands on the stone gate and exerted force fiercely, but still, the gate did not open.


    "What''s going on..."


    This result made him frown. With the augmentation of Void Magic Armor, he had reached the level of a Fourth Level Warrior, far surpassing ordinary people. How could he possibly not push open this stone gate?


    "There must be a mechanism!"


    A moment later, he realized, the reason the stone gate could not be opened by brute force was definitely that there was a mechanism.


    Thinking this, he began to search around.


    But after feeling up and down the stone gate, even walking around the massive stone twice, he found absolutely no mechanism.


    "What should I do now..."


    "Hehe, keep thinking..."


    Seeing Rocky blocked, Eyer could not help but sneer inwardly.


    He too had tried to open the stone gate when he discovered this place, but all methods had been useless, so he knew Rocky would definitely also fail.


    The inability to open it was for the best, so Eyer did not have to stay here alone, he thought gleefully.


    "Right! I should use magic power!"


    But just as Eyer was reveling in misfortune, Rocky suddenly slapped his forehead, having finally thought of something.


    He then placed his hand on the national emblem of Kohen Country and started channeling the magic power within his body towards the stone gate.


    Subsequently, a thunderous boom was heard, and the stone gate in front of him began to vibrate violently, then slowly opened!


    It worked!


    Watching the stone gate slowly opening, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief, turned back to look at the bewildered Eyer, smiled slightly, and walked through the stone gate.


    "My Lord! Wait for me, take me with you!"


    Seeing that Rocky truly opened the stone gate and was actually leaving him behind alone, Eyer hurriedly rushed over.


    Unfortunately, being lame, he was not quick on his feet, and before he had taken two steps, the stone gate slowly closed...


    Ignoring the cries and screams of Eyer left outside, Rocky discovered upon entering the stone gate a tunnel that led underground, indicating that the research institute was built underground.


    This was a clever decision, for with the strength of the Demons, if the institute had been built on the land''s surface, it would undoubtedly be easily destroyed; building it underground was different.


    "I hope this time I really find something..."


    Taking a deep breath, Rocky, with a trace of anticipation, started walking towards the depths of the tunnel.


    However, he had barely taken a few steps when lights appeared before him, and the magic lamps on the tunnel walls lit up all at once!


    "There''s... there''s still mana here?!"


    Looking at the magic lamps lighting up the tunnel, Rocky was somewhat surprised. This research institute had existed for nearly a hundred years; how could there still be a mana reserve?


    Truly miraculous.


    No wonder the lords of the major Sky Cities were willing to pay a large sum for the coordinates of the Lost Research Institute. This place was indeed extraordinary.


    Being immediately stunned upon arrival at the institute undoubtedly bolstered Rocky''s confidence, so he immediately continued walking towards the deeper parts of the tunnel.


    Yet, just like earlier, as soon as he attempted to move, the situation occurred once again!


    This time, a voice came from the depths of the tunnel!


    "Someone has finally found this place..."


    "Who!"


    Hearing someone speaking, and moreover speaking to him, not only was Rocky shocked, but he was also frightened!


    "Come... come quickly... I do not know who you are, but I have been waiting here too long, so hurry."


    The voice coming from the depths of the tunnel paid no heed to Rocky, continuing to speak, seemingly eager for him to come quickly...!

 Chapter 12: Chapter 11 Magic Energy Image!

    ```The voice coming from the depths of the tunnel sent shivers down Rocky''s spine...


    "Could it be... this place is haunted..."


    You see, when people fled to the sky, each nation urgently shut down their research institutes and evacuated all their staff, so there really shouldn''t be anyone here.


    So what was with that voice just now? Truly haunted?


    Shaking his head, Rocky cast aside the absurd idea and bravely trod down the tunnel, step by step.


    No matter whether it was haunted or something else, he had come this far and couldn''t return without achieving anything; it was crucial to figure out the situation here, both for himself and Thunderhawk City.


    Thus, he quickly adjusted his mood and focused intensely as he began to walk deeper into the tunnel.


    The length of this tunnel far exceeded his imagination; Rocky had walked downwards for a long time without reaching the end, feeling as if the tunnel had no end at all, which gave an idea of how profoundly deep the research institute was situated underground.


    However, this was rather normal, just like the stone gate outside; these were safety measures designed to prevent demons from destroying the institute.


    Finally, after descending nearly a kilometer, Rocky finally arrived at the end of the tunnel, where he faced another stone gate.


    Having walked such a distance without encountering any other strangeness and without that previous voice reappearing, Rocky''s mood had stabilized greatly. Coupled with his prior experience, he placed his hand on the stone gate at the end of the tunnel and channeled his magic power.


    What followed was a rumbling sound as the stone gate rose slowly from the bottom up, and Rocky stepped through.


    Behind the stone gate was a vast laboratory with dozens of research stations, each covered with various research equipment.


    "Just like the rumors..."


    Walking through the stone gate and surveying the room, Rocky approached the nearest research station and looked down to find a magic stone and an unfamiliar instrument covered in a thick layer of dust.


    It seemed that when everyone fled to the sky, they indeed did so in haste, not even having time to take the equipment from the institute, just evacuating the personnel.


    Thinking this, Rocky picked up the magic stone from the research table and discovered, to his surprise, that the magic stone still contained an ample amount of mana.


    "I''ll take that, I can keep these magic stones for my own use."


    "And I should take this equipment too; it would be good to sell it as antiques!"


    Realizing that the magic stones still held mana, Rocky took out a large cloth bag, placed the magic stone inside and then lifted the equipment from the table, clearly planning to take everything with him.


    These things could fetch some money!


    As City Lord, Rocky knew all too well how tight the finances of Thunderhawk City were. The city couldn''t even sustain itself, so what income could it generate? Hence, he planned to take whatever he could from this place; if nothing else turned up later, selling these items would be enough to break even.


    "You''ve finally come..."


    But just as he was busily packing the devices into the cloth bag, that eerie voice appeared again!


    "Ah!"


    The sudden voice startled Rocky so much that he trembled, and a piece of equipment fell to the ground, causing him great distress.


    When he looked toward the source of the voice, he found someone standing at the deepest part of the laboratory!


    He really saw a ghost!


    Seeing someone inside the lab surprised Rocky greatly, even filling him with a sense of horror.


    But when he looked closer at the person, he realized it wasn''t a person at all but a magic energy image!


    My goodness! There''s a magic energy image here?!


    Realizing that the figure in the laboratory was just an image formed by magic energy, Rocky''s eyes widened, for as far as he knew, magic energy images were not exactly cutting-edge technology but had only been invented around fifty or sixty years ago!


    ```


    Why did Magic Technology, which wouldn''t be invented for another fifty or sixty years, appear in a research institute that was nearly a hundred years old?


    The answer to this question wasn''t hard to guess, but when Rocky thought of it, he couldn''t help but take a sharp breath!


    Could it be... that the person in this lab had invented the Magic Energy Image all by themselves?


    This realization made Rocky''s breathing quicken because if it was true, did it not mean the research in this laboratory was fifty or sixty years ahead of its time?!


    "Impossible, it must be impossible. Perhaps someone came here before me..."


    Feeling his guess was too bold, Rocky shook his head to warn himself not to think wildly and not to harbor too many hopes, or else he might collapse from disappointment.


    Meanwhile, he also arrived in front of the Magic Energy Image.


    Standing before the Magic Energy Image, he looked closely and noticed that the image was of an old man, whose aged appearance seemed to be in his eighties or nineties. The old man was dressed in a Magic Robe from the Land Era, suggesting he was from the Land Era.


    "I''ve finally waited for you..."


    As if sensing Rocky''s approach, the Magic Energy Image spoke again: S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My name is Wensel, and I am the head of this research institute. This image is my last will and testament..."


    By this time, Rocky had somewhat understood. There must have been some sensing mechanism within the research institute; once the stone gate outside was opened, the Magic Energy Image would activate, leading to everything he was seeing.


    But what puzzled him was that if this Wensel was the head of the research institute, then he must be an extraordinary figure. So why would he leave his image here? Figures of his stature should have been taken to Sky City long ago, right?


    As Rocky was puzzled, the Magic Energy Image in front of him, or more precisely the image left by Wensel, continued, "I don''t know when you or you all will find this testament, and I don''t even know who you are, but I assume you must have already implemented the Sky City plan."


    "But believe me, the Sky City plan is destroying everyone!"


    All of a sudden, Wensel''s image became agitated and angrily said, "Fleeing to the sky is the same as handing over the land to the Demons; it''s an act equal to surrender! No more surrendering to the Demons!"


    "The direction of this plan is completely wrong; Sky City cannot take everyone away. People won''t find a chance to fight back for the land in the sky¡ªit''s completely a death wish!"


    My heavens!


    Wensel''s words shocked Rocky to his core!


    How could this old man start by railing against Sky City, which had saved everyone? Who on earth was he to be so presumptuous?


    Meanwhile, Wensel''s image paused for a long time, and it took a while before a sigh came through:


    "Forget it..."


    "Talking about this now is pointless since you''re seeing this image. It means I am already dead, and the Sky City plan has been carried out, so everything is too late..."


    After a long sigh, Wensel''s image continued:


    "You might be wondering why you''re seeing my image left here. It''s simple because I didn''t evacuate. When those cowards chose to flee, I preferred to stay here."


    "Don''t be surprised; there are many who share my sentiments. And we''re not staying here to die; we''re continuing our research."


    Research!


    Research!


    When the image left by Wensel uttered this word, Rocky''s breath almost stopped!


    This Wensel had not fled to the sky, and he was still in the research institute continuing with his own research. What did this imply?


    It meant that the research institute should hold his inventions!


    And it looked like... Rocky might be the first person to come to this research institute!


    This possibility made him forget to breathe...

 Chapter 13: Chapter 12 Great Invention?

    Wensel''s last words sent Rocky''s heartbeat racing!Could it be, could it really be that this research institute contained Magic Technology from the Continental Era!?


    This possibility made Rocky hold his breath, not daring to think of anything else, listening very carefully to Wensel''s last words.


    "When the cowards chose to flee, I, like many others, chose to stay and continue my research,"


    The image of Wensel continued to speak, recounting a piece of unknown history:


    "The arrival of the demons was so sudden that people were utterly unprepared, leading to the creation of numerous research institutes and thereby many great inventions."


    "Sky City was such an invention, but even the greatest inventions become scrap metal in the hands of fools; those cowards who only thought of fleeing wasted such a marvelous invention."


    "In contrast, the Flying Armor project that the Wins Dynasty was undertaking was more practical¡ª they wanted to create an armor that allowed the wearer to fly and greatly enhanced their combat capabilities. Once developed, it would significantly increase the wearer''s combat ability."


    "Unfortunately, although the idea of Flying Armor was good, it came too late. If it had come ten years earlier, perhaps we would not have been so utterly powerless before the demons. I hope, I hope they can make this project successful one day¡­"


    Wensel''s words completely shocked Rocky! That so-called Flying Armor project, it was clearly the Void Magic Armor!


    As far as Rocky knew, the earliest concept of the Void Magic Armor indeed emerged towards the end of the resistance war, but at that time, since they had already lost much of the land, it was too late to realize this idea, and the first true Void Magic Armor was only developed after everyone had completely relocated to the sky.


    Good heavens...


    Who exactly was this Wensel?


    He even knew about the Void Magic Armor, and from his tone, even such a great invention that was second only to Sky City was simply a nice idea in his eyes?


    Is this not a bit too arrogant?


    Or could it be...


    that Wensel had been working on something as great as the Void Magic Armor!?


    At this moment, the image of Wensel continued to speak:


    "The idea of Flying Armor is good, and Sky City is a great invention, but the research I am conducting is no less significant than theirs!"


    Following that, the image of Wensel spoke very proudly:


    "Unlike them, my approach is different. They just think about developing new technology, about using new technology to defeat the demons, but these people forget one thing¡ªthat there is neither time nor resources!"


    "The demons have occupied a vast amount of land, leaving us with little time and fewer resources. How easy is it to invent new equipment to resist demons under these conditions?"


    "Even if it really succeeds, what can a single new weapon or new armor do in the face of completely occupied lands?"


    "So all these people are wrong!"


    "What we truly should do is to enhance the existing equipment! That is the purpose of my research!"


    Here comes the important part!


    When Wensel''s image finished saying this, it paused for a moment before continuing:


    "Mana Runes, this is my invention."


    "My life''s work, a great invention that, compared to it, even Sky City pales slightly!"


    While speaking, Wensel''s image waved its hand, and a symbol Rocky couldn''t understand appeared in front of it.


    "This is the Mana Rune, a magical symbol containing energy, functioning like a Magic Stone, which can provide a magic power source, and will completely replace Magic Stones from now on."


    "So it''s... just this... thing...?"


    When Wensel''s image proudly revealed his invention, Rocky felt somewhat disappointed...


    Because Wensel had made it clear that the Mana Rune he invented was merely a substitute for Magic Stones.


    In a world reliant on Magic Technology, mana had become an indispensable resource. From something as large as Sky City to as small as the Void Magic Armor, all relied on mana to function properly, with Magic Stones serving as the containers for storing mana.


    Do you remember the Drive Crystal inside Thunderhawk City? That huge crystal is essentially a super-sized Magic Stone, and even the Void Magic Armor that Rocky currently wore was embedded with Magic Stones to provide the necessary mana for the armor.


    What Wensel invented was a substitute for Magic Stones.


    But so what?


    Today''s technological level had already solved the issue of charging Magic Stones, making it possible for them to be reused, thus becoming a renewable resource. Hence, they weren''t as precious as before. Under these circumstances... what use could Mana Runes possibly serve?


    A replacement for Magic Stones? But Magic Stones don''t even need replacing!


    Wensel indeed left behind his invention, which might have had some uses a hundred years ago, but today, a hundred years later, it was utterly useless...


    This outcome couldn''t help but make Rocky feel disappointed.


    "Well, it''s still an invention, maybe it can still be utilized somehow, so it''s not a complete loss."


    Heaving a deep sigh, Rocky had no choice but to console himself and adjust his mood.


    He had actually been looking forward to making a truly significant discovery this time, hoping to use it to reverse the downturn of Thunderhawk City, but he also knew that one should not be too greedy, and he was not that lucky either.


    Just then, Winsel''s voice continued to transmit, "The method to draw mana runes and my research materials are all here, and there are also some experimental items I used during my research. These items will help you better understand mana runes."


    As Winsel finished saying these words, the presence he left began to blur a bit, as if it was about to disappear.


    "Make good use of this great invention¡­ drive demons off the land¡­"


    After saying this last sentence, Winsel''s image completely disappeared.


    But at the very moment the image vanished, the wall behind it slowly opened, revealing a secret room! sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing the secret room slowly open in front of him, Rocky immediately walked over. Even though the invention of mana runes might not have much practicality today, it was still an invention after all. If used well, it could potentially generate considerable profits, so although Rocky might be disappointed, he still walked into the secret room immediately.


    The secret room behind the wall wasn''t very large and contained only a table and a few large chests.


    As Rocky walked in and looked down at the table, he saw a yellowed notebook on it, clearly titled: Research Notes on Mana Runes.


    "It seems that Winsel has written everything about mana runes in this notebook."


    Rocky carefully collected the notebook, then turned toward the chests in the room.


    These chests were covered in dust, resembling treasure chests that had been sealed for many years.


    Winsel had mentioned earlier that these chests contained experimental items.


    "I wonder if there''s any treasure..."


    Seeing these chests, Rocky''s spirits lifted again because although Winsel''s invention might be mediocre, such masters often have considerable value. If there were one or two treasures among these experimental items left by Winsel, Rocky would consider his journey worthwhile.


    So he eagerly opened the nearest chest.


    As the lid opened, Rocky saw two long swords inside, and he randomly picked one to inspect. A sparkle flashed through his eyes instantly!


    "Good stuff!"


    As he grasped the long sword in his hand, Rocky instantly knew it was a top-notch weapon!


    Theoretically, this long sword should have been sealed for nearly a hundred years, yet it still glowed brightly, with a coldness emanating from its tip, looking murderous.


    More importantly, the hilt of the long sword was embedded with two magic stones!


    This was a piece of magic energy equipment!


    By using a special technique to embed magic stones into equipment, it is possible to create magic energy equipment, whose power, although not comparable to that of Void Magic Armor, is much greater than ordinary weapons. Additionally, due to the much lower cost compared to Void Magic Armor, magic energy equipment is extremely popular.


    The long sword before him was a mana sword, and it was also embedded with two magic stones. The mana contained in the two magic stones would undoubtedly greatly enhance the sword''s power and significantly increase the value of the sword.


    "Scored big!"


    Swinging the long sword a couple of times in his hand, Rocky was overjoyed. According to what he knew, such a mana weapon was worth quite a bit of money. If sold, it could at least earn him several hundred gold coins, nearly matching the monthly fiscal income of Thunderhawk City.


    "Hopefully the other items here are also this valuable."


    Reluctantly setting the mana sword aside, Rocky reached into the chest to pull out the second long sword.


    This second long sword was almost identical to the mana sword he had just examined, the only difference being that this long sword did not have magic stones embedded. Instead, strange patterns were inscribed on the blade.


    Holding the long sword, Rocky scrutinized the patterns and soon discovered that the patterns on the sword were all composed of weird runes!


    "These must be mana runes, no wonder there are no magic stones embedded."


    Mana runes themselves act as substitutes for magic stones, so while this long sword did not have magic stones embedded, because it was covered in mana runes, it still classified as magic energy equipment and also was a valuable item.


    But then¡­


    Looking at the rune sword in his hand and then at the mana sword on the table, Rocky suddenly had a curious thought¡ªbetween the two swords, one embedded with magic stones and the other covered in magic patterns, which one had greater power?


    Thinking this, he couldn''t help but feel curious and somewhat eager to test them!


    "Let''s see which of you is sharper!"


    Driven by curiosity, Rocky held the rune sword in his left hand and the mana sword in his right hand. He activated their magic power simultaneously, causing both swords to radiate light. Following that, he swung both swords together, letting them clash against each other.


    However, instead of hearing the expected clashing sound, Rocky only felt a swish as his hands crossed paths. When he looked at the swords in his hands again, he found that the magic sword in his right hand had been cut in half!


    The magic sword in his hand¡­ had broken into two pieces!


    "How is this possible!"


    Staring at the two halves of the magic sword, Rocky was dumbfounded¡­

 Chapter 14: Chapter 13: Big Harvest! (Please Favorite!)

    Staring at the Mana Sword, broken into two pieces in his hand, Rocky was stunned...What had he just done... to destroy such a valuable weapon, it was simply wasteful... No, that''s not the point!


    The point was, how could a Mana Sword embedded with two Magic Stones be so easily severed!


    This outcome made Rocky scarcely believe his own eyes because even the powerful Void Magic Armor could not so easily destroy a Mana Weapon!


    Could it be... could it be...


    Thinking this far, he suddenly looked towards his left hand, no, towards the Rune Sword he was holding in his left hand!


    Could it be that the power of this Rune Sword was so great that it instantly cut through the Magic Sword?


    At this thought, he couldn''t help but inhale sharply and felt somewhat dizzy.


    Because this simply shouldn''t be happening!


    Previously, Winsel had already mentioned that Mana Runes were merely substitutes for Magic Stones, and aside from one being a rune and the other a stone, there was essentially no difference between them.


    So the Mana Sword he was holding should not have been severed by the Rune Sword!


    This result completely baffled Rocky.


    Unable to solve this puzzle, he then brought the broken Mana Sword up to his eyes to inspect it, finding nothing unusual, and then he carefully examined the Rune Sword he held, noticing nothing different besides the pattern made up of runes on the blade...


    No, wait! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking closely at the runes on the Rune Sword, Rocky suddenly realized something!


    There was indeed one difference between the two swords, which was that the Mana Sword had only two Magic Stones embedded, but the Rune Sword was densely covered with runes!


    This discovery led him to a crucial question!


    "Could it be... could it be because there are more runes than Magic Stones, so the power of the Rune Sword greatly surpassed that of the Mana Sword...?"


    No sooner had this thought emerged than Rocky gasped. He suddenly had a feeling as if his train of thought had been opened by a massive door.


    Yes, that must be the reason. The Rune Sword could so easily bisect the Mana Sword because the amount of Mana contained in each was vastly different!


    Although the Mana Sword was embedded with two Magic Stones, it had only those two; however, looking at the runes on the Rune Sword, there were so many that they formed a complete pattern!


    Which meant that although both were Mana Weapons, there was no difference in quality, but there was a vast difference in quantity, and this was likely the root cause of the Mana Sword being easily slashed in two.


    And if that really was the case, it was terrifying because this might suggest that Mana Runes, as Winsel himself claimed, were an invention no less great than Sky City and Void Magic Armor!


    The reason for this, Rocky realized swiftly, was his own Magic Armor!


    As everyone knows, the Void Magic Armor is powered by Mana, which naturally comes from the Magic Stones embedded within the armor. However, like the broken Magic Sword, the stone nature of the Magic Stones places many restrictions on embedding, and this material limitation indirectly restricts the power of the Magic Armor.


    But what if... what if the Magic Stones in the Void Magic Armor were replaced with smaller, more convenient Mana Runes? Would this not break the limitations? With more Mana, would not the same set of Void Magic Armor be more powerful than before?


    And once Void Magic Armor broke through the limits of Mana, could it not open up even greater development possibilities!?


    A series of speculations burst from Rocky''s mind, instantly clarifying the true use of Magic Runes for him, and he finally understood why Winsel had devoted his life to researching this invention, because clearly, this invention truly was grand enough!


    "Made it, made it, this time I really made it!"


    Having understood the real purpose of Mana Runes, Rocky felt his heart might jump out of his chest because this time he really had made a breakthrough!


    Although he still knew very little about Mana Runes and had no idea how to draw them, don''t forget, he had already obtained Winsel''s research notes, and as long as he could learn everything from the notes once he got back, then he could truly master this grand invention!


    So this time, he really had made a fortune, and indeed, he had made it big!


    "Fantastic!"


    Waving his fists vigorously, Rocky was extremely excited. He knew that given some time to fully master the technology of Mana Runes, both he and Thunderhawk City would undergo transformative changes!


    "Stay calm, stay calm, I''m the City Lord, don''t act like someone who hasn''t seen the world..."


    After the excitement had died down, Rocky forced himself to calm down and then looked towards the other chests in the secret room, quickly opening each one to find them filled with a variety of weapons and armor.


    By now, he had understood why Wensel had left these things in the secret room. They were left for him to use as references while studying Mana Runes.


    What a thoughtful old man.


    After taking out the equipment marked with Mana Runes from the chests, Rocky packed them into his cloth bag, and then, carrying the bag, he returned to the laboratory and took everything that could be taken...


    It wasn''t that Rocky was greedy, but because he was too poor now. Not only him, but Thunderhawk City was also too poor, so it was necessary.


    Although the technology of Mana Runes was great and had already fallen into his hands, remember, just learning how to draw Mana Runes would take quite some time, let alone producing real benefits could be an even longer wait.


    Therefore, although Rocky''s future was full of hope, at this moment, he was still a poor and destitute City Lord. That was the harsh reality.


    In such circumstances, he couldn''t overlook anything in the laboratory. Whatever could help him study Mana Runes he kept, and what couldn''t be used was to be sold. Nothing could be wasted by just lying there.


    So, after that, he started a frantic search in the laboratory, disregarding the image of a City Lord...


    "There should be nothing left to take."


    Wiping the sweat from his forehead with his hand, Rocky finally stopped and looked very satisfied.


    After his raid, he had taken away everything that could be taken from the laboratory, and when he was sure there was nothing left to take, he carried the cloth bag in one hand and several tied-up chests in the other, leaving the laboratory with his full harvest.


    Exiting the laboratory''s main door and passing through the long tunnel, when the stone gate opened again, he finally returned to the forest above ground.


    Back in the forest, Rocky was naturally in an excellent mood, given his enormous gains this time.


    "Is something... missing?"


    Although Rocky was in a good mood back in the forest, he felt vaguely that something wasn''t right, as if something were missing...


    "Could it be something I didn''t take?"


    "No... I checked several times..."


    "Eyer!"


    Furrowing his brow in thought, he suddenly realized what was missing. Eyer, whom he had left outside, was gone!


    "Did this guy... run off by himself?"


    Realizing Eyer was nowhere to be seen, Rocky looked around and then confirmed that Eyer really had run off.


    However, Rocky didn''t search too thoroughly because he had originally planned to banish Eyer to the land. In this situation, if Eyer had run off, let him be, as there was really no need to bother about such people.


    So, he did not pay attention to the fleeing Eyer and simply began to slowly ascend, preparing to leave the forest.


    But just at that moment, just as he had lifted off the ground, a sudden noise came from within the forest.


    "Help! Help! Help!!"


    The sudden cries for help immediately caused Rocky to turn his head, and then he saw someone limping from deeper within the forest towards him...


    Eyer!


    The person coming towards him was none other than Eyer!


    As Rocky saw Eyer, Eyer also saw him and immediately shouted loudly, "My lord! Save me! Save me! It''s..."


    Eyer hadn''t finished speaking when suddenly a large hand stretched out from the shadows behind him, grabbed him, and dragged him deeper into the forest in the next instant!


    Everything had happened so suddenly that not only had Rocky not reacted, but even Eyer himself had not managed to scream.


    But a moment later, realizing the danger, Rocky cursed inwardly and without another word quickly flew up into the air.


    Demons!


    The ones who had taken Eyer away had to be demons!!

 Chapter 15: Chapter 14: Good Girl! (Please Favorite!)

    Damned!We''ve run into demons!


    Seeing Eyer being dragged into the forest by a huge hand, Rocky knew that the owner of that hand must be a demon!


    This left him no choice but to not even consider staying to inspect closely; he immediately took to the skies and flew towards the edge of the forest!


    Rocky was now completely different from when he had arrived; he had come to this part of the forest empty-handed, but now he possessed the hugely important discovery of the Mana Rune¡ªhe did not want to engage with a demon under these circumstances.


    Rocky had just seen a glimmer of hope for the future; he couldn''t just die cluelessly at the hands of a demon.


    Moreover, he was currently holding a large cloth bag in his left hand and a box on his right shoulder; how could he fight?


    But fortunately, he was wearing the Void Magic Armor, and the greatest advantage of the armor was its ability to fly. As long as he could fly, he was relatively safe, so Rocky immediately took to the air.


    However, just as he had risen into the air, a furious roar suddenly emanated from the forest below.


    "ROAR ROAR ROAR!! ROAR ROAR ROAR!!"


    The sudden roar was like a thunderclap, making Rocky''s head buzz and even causing him to experience ringing in his ears.


    "What is that¡­ Could this be a demon¡­"


    Turning his head to look down at the forest, Rocky was utterly shocked.


    Just one roar had given him a splitting headache; it was unimaginable to Rocky how such a terrifying scream could come from any creature. How powerful must a monster be to emit such a dreadful sound?


    Is this the strength of a demon?


    Rocky had never actually seen a demon, so his understanding of demons was still limited to what he''d read in books. This made him suddenly remember Liliya''s words; that is, a demon''s terror was far beyond imagination and one must never be careless, even when wearing the Void Magic Armor. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, it seemed he knew too little about demons and, although he had been mentally prepared, this preparation was clearly insufficient.


    He must leave immediately! Right now!


    If demons were truly this powerful, Rocky knew he couldn''t linger in this forest; even wearing the Void Magic Armor might not save his life.


    Thus, he didn''t hesitate to increase the speed of his Void Magic Armor and quickly flew towards the perimeter of the forest. Once he reached where the skyship was stationed, he could return to Thunderhawk City.


    However, to Rocky''s surprise, as he rapidly escaped through the air, another roar boomed from the forest below, followed by a large swath of trees continuously falling over.


    "Is it catching up?"


    As he flew at high speed towards the outer edge of the forest, Rocky looked down at his feet; he soon saw that the trees below were continuously toppling. Although he was too high to see clearly, he could still make out a massive figure chasing after him.


    This figure was immensely huge, roaring furiously and charging wildly, causing the trees in its path to fall like wheat!


    Without a doubt, this massive figure was a demon, and not only was it chasing Rocky, but its speed was also no slower than his!


    "Damn!"


    Realizing that the demon below was chasing him and that its speed was no slower than his, Rocky became frantic, because this development meant that even if he successfully escaped the forest and met up with Liliya, the demon would still catch up!


    At that time, he could rely on the Void Magic Armor to hide in the air, but what about Liliya and the others? Facing such a terrifying demon, the five skyships might be destroyed before they could even take off!


    "I must shake off this monster!"


    With this thought, he gritted his teeth and directly increased the speed of the Void Magic Armor to the maximum.


    In an instant, the speed of the Void Magic Armor''s flight in the air sharply increased, finally creating some distance from the demon chasing through the forest.


    But just then, the demon in the forest roared angrily again, and a large tree suddenly flew up into the air like a javelin!


    "Damn!"


    While flying at high speed, Rocky only felt a gust of wind from behind. Turning around, he saw the large tree flying towards him and quickly rolled to the side in the air, barely dodging it.


    "That was close..."


    Watching the thrown tree fly past him, Rocky felt a chill, realizing he had narrowly escaped being hit.


    Yet, no sooner had he breathed a sigh of relief than more trees from the forest below soared into the air, one after another, like javelins aiming directly at him!


    It turned out that after Rocky accelerated, the demon below did not give up. This fearsome creature not only continued the chase but also tried to knock him down from the sky.


    In such a situation, Rocky did not even have a moment to breathe; dodging another tree, he immediately flew towards the edge of the forest without looking back.


    Fortunately, he was flying in the air at full speed, so even though the demon relentlessly pursued him and kept throwing ''javelins'' at him, he gradually managed to increase the distance between them.


    Seeing the demon getting farther and farther away, Rocky finally allowed himself to relax. Although he never saw the true face of the demon, he fully understood how terrifying this creature was.


    However, just when he thought he had escaped the danger, something unexpected happened!


    Without any warning, his speed, which had been very fast, suddenly slowed down...


    "Not good!"


    Sensing a steep drop in the speed of the armor, Rocky was stunned for a moment, then cursed silently, realizing he had overlooked a critical problem.


    The mana of the Void Magic Armor was almost depleted!


    To shake off the demon, he had maintained the fastest possible speed of the Void Magic Armor, which had helped him distance himself from the demon. However, this high-speed flying had also accelerated the consumption of mana, and just a short time later, the armor''s mana was critically low, nearly out of energy!


    It was totally unexpected that the Void Magic Armor would run out of mana. Rocky suddenly realized he might really be doomed.


    He was still far from the edge of the forest, and even if he managed to fly out of the forest at a slow pace, Liliya and the guards would have no chance against the demon relentlessly chasing him...


    In an instant, Rocky felt utterly despairing.


    He suddenly remembered something Liliya had once told him: "Relying too much on the Void Magic Armor could get you killed!"


    At this moment, Rocky finally understood what Liliya meant. He knew far too little about the Void Magic Armor, not even knowing how to manage its mana, which led to this embarrassing and fundamental mistake.


    At the same time, Rocky felt a deep malice from this world.


    Because the mana rune he had discovered was precisely an invention that could break through the limitations of the magic stone, increasing the capacity of mana. Yet here he was, about to die due to a lack of mana in the Void Magic Armor, which felt like a cruel joke and made Rocky all the more unwilling to accept it!


    He had just acquired this great invention of the mana rune, had just started adapting to this new world, and had just improved his relationship with Liliya!


    Why was he so unlucky!


    However, just when he was overwhelmed with frustration, a cannon sound suddenly came from afar, followed by a burst of explosions lighting up the forest below!


    "What is..."


    Watching the shells burst into flames in the forest, Rocky quickly looked into the distance, then saw a scene that moved him to tears.


    Five skyships were slowly approaching him in the air, relentlessly bombarding the forest below!


    Liliya!


    Seeing Liliya standing on the bow of one of the skyships, Rocky truly felt moved to tears, grateful for the girl''s timely arrival!

 Chapter 16: Chapter 15 Return Voyage and Night Talk

    Upon seeing that Liliya had dispatched five skyships to pick him up, a disheartened Rocky no longer dared to delay and immediately flew towards the skyship.At the same time, Liliya, at the bow of the ship, also breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing him, her previous tension finally easing.


    What Rocky hadn''t noticed was that he had stayed in the institute much longer than he had imagined, and Liliya, who had been waiting on the outskirts of the forest, was already frantic with worry.


    To others, Rocky in his Void Magic Armor might seem invincible, and Rocky himself thought the same, but only Liliya knew this wasn''t the case. Although the Void Magic Armor was strong, it wasn''t invincible, especially for a novice like Rocky, so her worry for his safety was inevitable.


    Fortunately, Liliya''s battle experience was incredibly vast. When the first roar of the demons echoed from the forest, she instantly realized Rocky might be in danger. This feeling, though baseless, was a unique intuition held by those who had experienced warfare, prompting her to immediately order the skyships to take to the air and meet Rocky above.


    As it happened, not long after the skyships ascended, Liliya saw Rocky in the air, flying unusually slowly, and more crucially, she spotted the demons relentlessly pursuing him through the forest.


    This quickly made Liliya grasp the peril Rocky was in, so she had the skyships close in while ordering a bombardment on the demons in the forest!


    Although the skyships of Thunderhawk City were all reconnaissance ships with weak combat capabilities, the magic cannons at the bow and stern still proved somewhat useful when bombarding land targets.


    Besides, Liliya wasn''t aiming to kill the demons, just to provide Rocky with an opening in case he fell at that moment, which led to the sequence of events that followed.


    Shortly thereafter, Rocky finally arrived above the skyship where Liliya was located, but before he could land safely, he crashed onto the deck! His Void Magic Armor''s mana was completely depleted just then!


    It was a close call, a very close call indeed. Had he been any later, he would have fallen in the forest and been devoured by demons.


    "Roar, roar, roar! Roar, roar, roar!"


    As if noticing Rocky''s safe boarding, an angry roar suddenly bellowed from the forest being bombarded by the magic cannons. This roar was not only deafening but also carried a deep frustration, a fury about prey that was on the verge of being caught yet escaped at the last moment!


    Such a terrifying outcry immediately terrified the guards on the skyship, particularly the gunners responsible for the cannons, who even forgot to continue firing. Even the well-versed Liliya frowned at that moment.


    However, Rocky''s reaction at this time was completely different from theirs; having crashed onto the deck, he flipped over and stood up, his expression not showing the slightest fear but instead bursting into loud laughter!


    This caused both the demon''s roars and his laughter to simultaneously echo through the skies and the land.


    Seeing Rocky''s reaction, all the guards looked on in disbelief. Faced with such a terrifying demon, this city lord was not only able to laugh but did so with such excitement?


    It was utterly incredible!


    The guards on the ship were once again stunned by Rocky, not because of his Void Magic Armor this time, but by the bravery and madness he exhibited in that moment.


    Indeed, in these guards'' eyes, laughing in the face of such a terrifying demon was surely an act of bravery, or perhaps even madness.


    But they thought too much; Rocky''s laughter was simply the result of the joy from having narrowly escaped death, nothing more...


    It wasn''t his fault, considering the circumstances were too perilous not a moment ago; had Liliya not arrived in time, he truly might have died in that forest, so how could Rocky not laugh joyously?


    When he stopped laughing, he went straight to Liliya and gave her a big, tight hug. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You..."


    The sudden hug took Liliya by surprise, turning her little face into a red apple in an instant.


    "Thank goodness you were here, otherwise I would have died out there."


    Holding her tightly, Rocky sincerely said, considering Liliya''s arrival to be incredibly timely.


    "You... you don''t need to do this... it''s what I should do..."


    After a moment, the blushing Liliya finally responded, but the usually assertive woman stuttered at this time.


    "There''s nothing that should! If it''s good, it''s good!"


    Having finally let go of Liliya, Rocky laughed heartily and then turned to the guards on the deck, saying, "Stop the bombing, let all the skyships ascend and head back immediately!"


    "Yes!"


    Upon receiving the order, the guards immediately relayed Rocky''s command, and soon the five skyships stopped bombing the forest and began to slowly ascend, preparing to return.


    Only when the skyship gradually climbed into the high sky did Rocky say to Liliya, "Have someone move these items into the cabin, and don''t let others touch them."


    "These are..."


    Actually, when Rocky crashed onto the deck, Liliya had already noticed the large cloth bag and several boxes he brought back, but she hadn''t had the chance to ask about them until now, and since Rocky had brought it up, she looked at these items and asked with anticipation.


    "Our good days are coming."


    The response might be unintelligible to outsiders, but Liliya knew exactly what it meant. Thus, her eyes immediately lit up, followed by no further questions as she took the cloth bag in one hand and lifted the case with the other, personally delivering these items into the cabin where she stayed and guarded them herself.


    It was only after watching Liliya enter the cabin that Rocky could finally relax. Then, just as before, he stayed alone on the deck.


    He wasn''t trying to act cool; he was planning for his and Thunderhawk City''s future!


    Discovering the Mana Rune would undoubtedly completely change his life and equally transform Thunderhawk City, perhaps even the entire world. However, how to utilize the Mana Rune and the specifics of its operation were problems Rocky couldn''t ignore.


    Such a monumental invention, if handled well, could drastically elevate someone''s status. Yet if mismanaged, it could lead to utter ruin, since "the innocent bearing a treasure invites trouble." Rocky was well aware of this.


    He certainly did not want the Mana Rune he painstakingly found to end up benefiting someone else or, worse, be the death of him¡ªsuch a scenario was absolutely unacceptable.


    Therefore, after returning to Thunderhawk City, Rocky had to carefully consider his next steps.


    Unfortunately, he had not thought for long before he found staying on the deck unbearable. As the Skyship ascended higher, the winds on the deck grew stronger, yet without mana, the Void Magic Armor could no longer provide protection, so he had no choice but to return to the cabin.


    Back in the cabin, Rocky found Liliya in his room, guarding the place.


    "By the way, where are the other six people?"


    Upon seeing Liliya, Rocky suddenly remembered and casually asked.


    Previously, apart from bringing Eyer, Rocky had also brought Eyer''s six confidants. However, he hadn''t seen them on the ship just now.


    "I left them on land due to the emergency when I went to pick you up."


    After stealing a glance at Rocky, Liliya gave her reply, and Rocky, in response, gave her a thumbs up.


    This was actually Rocky''s original intention as well. He had no intention of letting Eyer or his subordinates off the hook but felt that killing them would be too severe a punishment. It''s not that he was soft-hearted; rather, he believed that the act of killing should be reserved as a last resort and the most severe punishment, to retain its deterrent power.


    Hence, he had planned to leave Eyer and the others on land from the start.


    Liliya clearly saw through his intentions, thus not bringing them aboard.


    Afterwards, the Skyship ascended continuously until it grew darker, and they finally returned to Thunderhawk City.


    Upon successfully returning to Thunderhawk City, Rocky sent the guards back to the Guard Corps and then went with Liliya, along with their numerous gains, to the City Lord''s Mansion. However, instead of rushing to research the Mana Rune, he took a good night''s sleep.


    After all, Rocky''s identity was the city lord, and with Thunderhawk City undergoing major changes, with troublemakers like Eyer and Perolo eliminated, he had fewer troubles to deal with. However, he also faced many new challenges, such as new personnel appointments.


    Combining the issues of the Mana Rune and future developments, these were matters he needed to consider and would not be resolved overnight.


    Thus, after returning to the City Lord''s Mansion, he decided to rest well first, to clear his mind and make decisions for the future.


    ......


    ......


    While Rocky, content with his vast gains, dozed off upon returning to Thunderhawk City, some people in the city were far from sleep, like Voss.


    Thunderhawk City had just over a thousand residents, among whom there were few nobles, Voss being the most prominent among them.


    At this moment, Voss was sitting in his study, still the epitome of a nobleman, with a person sitting opposite him ¡ª a noble girl about seventeen or eighteen years old, very pretty with a distinct noble demeanor, and sharing some resemblance with Voss.


    "Grandfather, did the city lord really capture Eyer and Perolo?"


    "Yes."


    Voss, maintaining his usual faint smile, nodded as he looked at his granddaughter.


    "What is he planning to do?"


    "Eradicate the toxic tumors."


    Voss''s answer was simple and clear.


    This response, however, made the girl across from him frown, thinking for a while before speaking, "But I heard this new city lord is timid and indecisive. Perolo is one thing, but how could he dare move against Captain Eyer?"


    "That''s not important. What matters is that he has already made his move."


    "Then... will he come after us?"


    The girl''s words made Voss pause, then he smiled and shook his head, "Aileen, do you also see your grandfather as a toxic tumor?"


    His words startled Aileen, but she quickly flashed a cunning smile, "Grandfather, that''s not important. What''s important is how the city lord sees you."


    This reply made Voss laugh even more heartily and he was very pleased.

 Chapter 17: Chapter 16 New Finance Officer

    "You are absolutely right,"Aileen''s response greatly pleased Voss, and he nodded with a smile. However, he quickly added, "But you don''t have to worry; the City Lord won''t lay a hand on us."


    "I know."


    Shrugging indifferently, Aileen glanced at Voss, "Grandfather holds significant influence over the import of yarn, so unless the City Lord is a fool, he wouldn''t dare meddle with us."


    "No, that''s not the reason."


    This time, Voss shook his head, clearly feeling that his granddaughter had missed the main point.


    Aileen was surprised, and looked at Voss quizzically, not understanding where her thoughts had gone wrong.


    But Voss soon offered an explanation:


    "Merchants are profit-driven, so even without us, as long as the City Lord can offer money, he would still manage to find another Chamber of Commerce to import yarn. Therefore, that''s not our real safeguard."


    "Then what is our safeguard?"


    "That depends on what we can offer this City Lord." He paused for a moment, then revealed the answer, "Thunderhawk City is too small, small enough that only we can assist him, and that is why he won''t touch us."


    "Ha, I doubt that."


    Challenging Voss''s assertion, Aileen pursed her lips, "Grandfather, our City Lord hardly seems like a man of great ambitions; otherwise, he wouldn''t have ended up in his current predicament. So, he might not even need us."


    "That''s not important."


    At that moment, Voss smiled slightly, then looked at his granddaughter, "Aileen, whether the City Lord has great ambitions is not for us to consider. I just want you to understand one thing¡ªif we are clear about our own value, only then can we survive."


    After saying this, Voss handed Aileen a letter.


    "Take this letter to the City Lord tomorrow."


    As she took the envelope and looked at it, Aileen immediately showed a surprised expression, and turned her eyes towards Voss:


    "Grandfather, why...",


    ......


    ......


    The next morning, Rocky rose early, having slept more soundly that night than ever since his arrival, without even dreaming, and woke up feeling refreshed, all his fatigue gone.


    But he didn''t laze around upon rising early; as the City Lord, he had many duties to attend to, like appointing the new Captain of the Guards and the new administrative officer.


    Regarding this matter, Rocky had made a plan yesterday; he intended to have Liliya temporarily take over as Captain of the Guard Corps.


    The Guard Corps was the only military force in Thunderhawk City, hence it couldn''t be left unmanaged. With the severe shortage of personnel, it could only be handled by Liliya, and given her sufficient prestige and strength, this wouldn''t be too difficult for her.


    As for the new administrative officer, Rocky decided to take over for the time being himself since Thunderhawk City was rather small and the role of the administrative officer was basically symbolic; he believed he could handle it.


    This arrangement was naturally out of necessity, for apart from Liliya, Rocky had no one else he could rely on, so he had to opt for this temporary solution and consider slowly cultivating his own team later.


    However, just as he had finished breakfast and was about to inform Liliya of his decision, Liliya informed him first¡ªthat Aileen had arrived.


    "Aileen? Who is she?"


    Rocky was unfamiliar with the name Aileen and had no idea who she was.


    "She''s Voss''s granddaughter."


    "Voss''s... granddaughter?" S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This response surprised Rocky, wondering if Voss wanted to see him. But if Voss had something to discuss, he should have come himself; why send his granddaughter?


    "Let''s go, let''s see what this is about."


    Always wary of the shrewd Voss, Rocky stopped pondering and simply took Liliya with him to the City Lord''s Hall.


    Before long, he met Aileen who was already waiting there in the City Lord''s Hall.


    "City Lord, this is a letter from my grandfather."


    After briefly introducing herself, Aileen didn''t beat around the bush and directly handed over the letter her grandfather had asked her to deliver the previous night.


    As Rocky took the envelope from Aileen, he looked at her, then at the envelope in his hand, his mind filled with questions.


    But as he opened the envelope and saw the contents of the letter, he frowned immediately!


    Having held the letter for a long time, Rocky finally turned his gaze back to Aileen and asked, "Is Lord Voss ill?"


    "Yes, grandfather felt unwell yesterday and is now resting in bed."


    "So he sent you to take over the position of finance officer?"


    "No, grandfather only suggested it, everything still depends on the arrangements of the City Lord."


    Aileen not only looked somewhat similar to Voss, but her tone and demeanor were also much like his, facing Rocky with the same unassuming yet confident manner, and her words were meticulously chosen.


    Her words, however, plunged Rocky into deep thought.


    The letter Voss had given him was actually a leave request, basically stating that he was not feeling well and needed some time to recuperate. Of course, all of this was nonsense; he was fine just yesterday, and now he was too sick to work in just one night? Rocky could hardly believe it.


    The most important content of the letter was just one thing: Voss was recommending his granddaughter to fill in for his position as finance officer.


    What was this old fox thinking?


    Looking once at the youthful Aileen, Rocky couldn''t comprehend Voss''s intentions. Why suddenly push his granddaughter forward?


    At the same time, he felt helpless because it was clear that Voss intended for Aileen to succeed him. Rocky''s only options in this matter were to agree or disagree.


    But in reality, he had no choice. If he disagreed with Voss''s suggestion and did not let Aileen take over as the finance officer, then who would fill the position?


    He was even struggling to find someone for the nominal position of administrative officer, let alone the indispensable role of finance officer. If not Aileen, then who?


    So, although it seemed a bit irregular, after frowning and thinking for a while, Rocky nodded at Aileen and said,


    "Aileen, the finances of Thunderhawk City will be in your hands. I hope you will not disappoint Lord Voss''s recommendation."


    "Thank you, City Lord."


    "Please quickly summarize the city''s financial status and the financial revenues of the last three quarters and bring them to me."


    "Yes."


    By agreeing to Aileen becoming the new finance officer, Rocky also gave her a task to summarize the financial situation of Thunderhawk City and present it to him.


    Following that, Aileen responded with a nod, deeply bowed to Rocky, and turned to leave.


    Only after she had left did Liliya turn to Rocky.


    "Rocky, what exactly is Voss planning?"


    "Who knows..."


    Shaking his head, Rocky couldn''t figure out Voss''s thoughts, but he felt that Voss''s actions were in his own favor. Now that the original team of Thunderhawk City was completely gone, Rocky''s control over the city would further increase, which was undoubtedly a good thing.


    Therefore, he didn''t ponder this issue much; rather, he turned to Liliya:


    "Liliya, I''d like you to temporarily take charge of the Guard Corps. It''s only temporary until I find suitable personnel for other appointments."


    "No problem."


    Liliya didn''t refuse his request; she clearly understood the importance of controlling the Guard Corps herself, and that such power should not fall into the hands of outsiders.


    After that, things were easy to manage. Liliya went to take charge of the Guard Corps, and Rocky summoned all the personnel that had once belonged to Perolo to the City Lord''s Hall. He met with them and also arranged for them to compile detailed data of Thunderhawk City, including population, industry, and material reserves, and bring it to him.


    As the lord of the city, Rocky had to have a comprehensive understanding of his city.


    After arranging all this, he finally reached a brief respite in his work.


    However, rather than resting, Rocky returned to his room and then took out the research notes left by Winsair!


    The notebook detailed various aspects of Mana Runes, representing a huge wealth. Rocky had to learn everything within and master the Mana Runes completely.


    "Come on..."


    Holding the notebook in his hands, he took a deep breath and then slowly began to flip through it, diving into the content.


    He was completely immersed, and by the time he stopped, it was already late at night!


    "Unbelievable..."


    Closing the notebook slowly, Rocky struggled to calm himself but couldn''t manage it.


    Because the content he saw in this research notebook was simply too shocking!

 Chapter 18: 17 Research Notes

    The research notes left by Winsel meticulously recorded various contents about Mana Runes, from the initial research ideas, through the research process, to the methods of drawing runes, and finally the uses of the runes, everything was documented therein.It was only after reading this notebook that Rocky came to truly understand Mana Runes.


    This was indeed a great invention!


    As for Winsel, he was a true genius!


    Not only had Winsel invented Mana Runes, but he had also perfected the entire system of Mana Runes on his own, and even classified the runes into levels.


    According to his classification, Mana Runes were divided into six levels, with the First Level being the lowest and the Sixth Level the highest. As the levels increased, the capacity of the runes also continuously rose.


    This classification of levels corresponded exactly to the sizes of Magic Stones, which were similarly divided into micro, small, medium, large, extra-large, and a special category.


    According to Winsel''s calculations, a First-Level Rune corresponded to a Micro Magic Stone, but it contained only half the Mana of a Micro Magic Stone, meaning that it took two First-Level Runes to equal one Micro Magic Stone. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Second-Level Runes corresponded to Small Magic Stones, and similarly, it took three Second-Level Runes to equal one Small Magic Stone.


    The Third-Level, Fourth-Level, and Fifth-Level Runes all had similar conversion methods.


    From this conversion, it was evident that a single rune could not compete in capacity with a Magic Stone of the same level, a point that Winsel also mentioned in his notes.


    But he also emphasized in his notes that the advantage of Mana Runes was not in their capacity, but in their size!


    The essence of a Magic Stone was after all a stone. This essential nature gifted Magic Stones with a massive flaw, that being their large size.


    Even the smallest Micro Magic Stone had to be the size of a bottle cap, which was the smallest size achievable for Magic Stones. Any smaller and they couldn''t contain Mana, becoming just a useless rock.


    But what could a Micro Magic Stone do? Sorry, it could only be used in daily life, such as powering Magic Energy Lamps, and beyond that, it was incapable of much else. The Mana contained within a Micro Magic Stone was too little to be used in manufacturing Mana Equipment, let alone embedding it in Void Magic Armor.


    To manufacture Mana Equipment, at least a Small Magic Stone was needed, but how big was a Small Magic Stone?


    The size of an egg!


    Each Small Magic Stone was equivalent to a stone the size of an egg, so imagine, on a piece of equipment, even large items like shields or Plate Armor, how many Small Magic Stones could be embedded?


    As for Medium and Large Magic Stones, it goes without saying: they were simply too large to be used in manufacturing equipment. Rocky knew that only a complete set of Void Magic Armor could barely integrate a Medium Magic Stone; no other equipment could accommodate such a large stone.


    Therefore, even though Medium and larger Magic Stones contained a large amount of Magic Power, their excessively large size meant they could only be used in Magic Cannons or Skyships.


    This was the inherent flaw of Magic Stones: they were too large.


    This is where the advantage of Mana Runes came in.


    And what is a Rune? It''s just a symbol!


    How big are runes? Runes don''t have a volume at all!


    As long as there is space on the target, runes can be drawn on it, and any number can be drawn; it can be said that using mana runes has almost no limitations!


    This is why Rocky was able to sever a mana sword with a rune sword in the first place.


    Although the severed mana sword was also embedded with micro magic stones, due to their large size, only two micro magic stones were embedded in the hilt of the long sword, naturally limiting its power within a certain range.


    In contrast, the rune sword left by Winsel had no such limitation. Winsel specifically mentioned that rune sword in his notes and emphasized that all the runes drawn on the rune sword were first-level runes!


    It is known that the magic energy of two first-level runes is only equivalent to one micro magic stone, while two micro magic stones were embedded in the mana sword.


    Even so, when the amount of first-level runes with such low magic energy content reached a certain number, the power they unleashed already surpassed that of two micro magic stones.


    This was exactly Winsel''s initial intention in researching mana runes, using quantitative changes to bring about qualitative changes!


    "Phew¡­"


    As Rocky closed the research notebook and organized the content he had seen, he couldn''t help but take a deep breath.


    It was through reading the contents of the notebook that he finally understood the greatness and subtlety of mana runes, and he also developed deep respect for Winsel.


    Winsel was definitely a master; this was not only evident in his ability but also in his determination to resist demons. His determination even led him to give up the opportunity to flee to Sky City. You should know that a master like him would have certainly been among the first to be sent to Sky City in those days, yet Winsel did not leave.


    But it was this stubbornness that led him to invent mana runes. It''s detailed in his notes that he continued his research alone in the institute for ten years after everyone else had fled to Sky City, finally succeeding in his research of mana runes.


    That was a whole ten years! What kind of persistence was required for Winsel to endure ten years and finally complete his great invention?


    This kind of persistence couldn''t help but impress Rocky.


    Now, the mana runes had finally seen the light of day again, and had landed in Rocky''s hands. So, not just for himself, but also for Winsel, Rocky had to promote the use of mana runes.


    As for the technique of drawing runes, Winsel also recorded it in detail in the notes. To draw mana runes, one must use magic power, and the higher the level of the rune, the greater the requirement for magic power.


    According to the notes, a first-level magic energy rune is very simple; a first-level mage could complete it once they grasped the method. But as the level of the runes reached second-level, the requirement for magic power was relatively high, needing at least a third-level mage to complete it.


    As for more capacity-demanding third-level runes, at least a sixth-level mage was needed to successfully draw them.


    The strict requirements in terms of magic power did give Rocky a bit of a headache, since he was just a first-level mage.


    Fortunately, this thing wasn''t absolute; he was just a first-level mage now but could level up in the future! Even if he couldn''t reach the highest level, he could still hire someone to draw the runes.


    So while this was somewhat stressful for him, he wasn''t too worried; after all, he could already learn first-level runes, which was enough for now.


    He had to learn first-level runes as quickly as possible!


    After reading through the research notes, Rocky now had a clear goal about what he needed to do next¡ªlearn first-level magic energy runes as soon as possible!

 Chapter 19: Chapter 18: Great Crisis

    By the next day, Rocky had someone prepare a room in the City Lord''s Mansion early in the morning to serve as his own study.Since he had the ability to draw First Level Magic Energy Runes, he naturally planned to devote his time to learning how to make them.


    However, it was best to have a separate study for these kinds of activities. Fortunately, the City Lord''s Mansion had numerous rooms available, and it was just a matter of arranging one to be cleared out. Later on, the equipment scavenged from the research institute could be moved in, and the study would be complete.


    But what Rocky hadn''t anticipated was that Aileen, whom he had met the day before, arrived even before the room had been readied.


    "Is it ready already?"


    With a stack of thick papers in hand, Rocky found it hard to believe because this stack contained the financial summaries of Thunderhawk City for the last three quarters.


    The day before, Rocky had indeed asked Aileen to prepare this information and hand it to him, but he hadn''t expected her to compile so much data so quickly¡ªit had only been one day.


    Looking at the documents in his hand and then at Aileen standing before him, Rocky found it hard to believe.


    In his eyes, Aileen was just a delicate girl, approximately seventeen or eighteen years old, seemingly younger than him, yet he hadn''t anticipated her capability in handling matters to be so strong.


    It would be one thing if Voss had helped organize these documents, but if Aileen had done it alone, then this seemingly youthful girl was truly extraordinary.


    Thinking this, Rocky tentatively asked, "Aileen, have you looked over all the financial documents regarding Thunderhawk City?"


    "I have," she replied, her face devoid of much expression.


    "Since that''s the case, do you have anything you want to tell me?"


    Seeing her nod, Rocky asked again.


    "Yes, I hope the City Lord can be prepared."


    Facing Rocky''s casual query, Aileen indeed nodded, then stated, "I just received news that the price of imported yarn next month might be much higher than before."


    "Oh?"


    Rocky hadn''t expected Aileen to bring up the matter of yarn, and he furrowed his brow.


    As mentioned before, textiles were the only industry of Thunderhawk City; men in the city took care of farming while the women worked on weaving at home. Thus, every quarter, the City Lord''s Mansion had to import yarn from cooperating chambers of commerce to ensure that the residents could produce fabric.


    Aileen''s words suddenly made Rocky realize it was already August, and September was the last month of the third quarter. As City Lord, he indeed needed to prepare the yarn required for the fourth quarter.


    However, he was puzzled as to why Aileen would suddenly tell him about the rise in yarn prices.


    This matter couldn''t be taken lightly by Rocky, as it was extremely significant, directly affecting the financial income of Thunderhawk City and the well-being of its residents. Thus, he immediately set aside his concerns about Magic Pattern Runes and regarded Aileen solemnly.


    "Aileen, what exactly is going on? Is there a problem with the Azure Commerce Guild?"


    There were two chambers of commerce working with Thunderhawk City. The Azure Commerce Guild, mentioned by Rocky, was one of them, primarily responsible for supplying the city with yarn and food; the fabric produced was then sold to another chamber of commerce.


    Confronted with his question, Aileen directly responded,


    "Sir, it''s not that there''s a problem with the Azure Commerce Guild, but Canglang City is engaged in warfare."


    "Are you saying¡­ Canglang City has gone to war?"


    "Yes, the information is very reliable."


    Facing Rocky''s slightly surprised look, Aileen nodded, then fixed her gaze on his face, observing his reaction closely.


    Despite her calm demeanor in front of the City Lord, Aileen was actually quite intrigued.


    Previously, when Voss handed over the position of finance officer to her, Aileen always wondered what her grandfather meant by this. Of course, with her intelligence, she could understand that her grandfather wanted her to start building a relationship with the City Lord from scratch, yet Aileen didn''t see the reason for doing so.


    The City Lord in front of her appeared quite ordinary, and his reputation was notably feeble. Was he really worth building a relationship with?


    Aileen couldn''t figure it out, but she agreed to her grandfather''s approach and grew curious about Rocky.


    Just like she had just mentioned, she did indeed receive this news today, but the reason she told Rocky was not out of loyalty, but because Aileen wanted to seize the opportunity to see how the City Lord would react.


    Was this City Lord truly as incompetent and pathetic as rumors suggested, or did he actually possess some extraordinary qualities?


    Of course, at this moment Rocky was unaware of what Aileen was thinking because he was considering a more critical issue.


    Shortly after, he sighed and then glanced at Aileen, "So, does this mean there might be problems with the food supply for the winter as well?"


    They were clearly discussing the rising prices of yarn, yet Rocky suddenly mentioned the food supply for the winter, which was completely off-topic.


    But it was precisely this remark that made Aileen''s eyes light up!


    This City Lord was quite impressive!


    Aileen stared intently at Rocky and a slight, barely noticeable smile appeared on her face.


    It seemed that this City Lord wasn''t particularly incompetent; at least he was thinking clearly.


    Because, indeed, the rising prices of yarn were related to the food issue in Thunderhawk City!


    These two matters seemed unrelated but were actually closely connected.


    It was well known that the textile industry was the sole industry in Thunderhawk City, and the revenue from exported textiles was the only source of income; the use of this money was even more important as it was meant for buying food.


    Thunderhawk City''s own food production was far from enough to feed everyone, and it was necessary to purchase additional food to meet the needs of the residents.


    But now, as the price of yarn, a raw material, increased, the profit from exported textiles would decrease, naturally reducing the money available to buy food.


    Perhaps some might wonder why not just increase the price of the textiles as well? If both were raised, wouldn''t it solve the problem?


    This idea might sound reasonable, but that''s all it was¡ªreasonable sounding; the actual situation was nowhere near that simple.


    After all, the reason Thunderhawk City''s textiles were able to sell was because they were cheap!


    In the skies, there were not just one but multiple cities producing textiles like Sky City, compared to which Thunderhawk City''s textiles were neither substantial in quantity nor quality. Their only advantage was the lower price, which attracted Chambers of Commerce to purchase in large quantities; but once Rocky raised the textile prices, no Chamber of Commerce would trade with them.


    In this matter, Thunderhawk City utterly lacked bargaining power.


    So, at the root of it all was the rising price of yarn.


    Regarding the price increase of yarn, Aileen had already provided a reason: Canglang City was engaged in a war!


    Canglang City, a large Sky City with a population of over one hundred thousand, housed the headquarters of the Azure Commerce Guild, which collaborated with Thunderhawk City.


    The reason the Azure Commerce Guild could sell large quantities of yarn was because Canglang City produced a lot of cotton, which enabled the Guild to conduct yarn business.


    But now, as Canglang City was at war, this would inevitably lead to a rise in local prices, and the Azure Commerce Guild would certainly seize the opportunity to increase the price of the yarn sold to Thunderhawk City.


    And more importantly, Thunderhawk City not only needed to import yarn from the Azure Commerce Guild but also the food necessary for winter.


    As the headquarters were located in Canglang City, a large Sky City, the Azure Commerce Guild could access a large amount of food; however, with the start of military conflicts, securing more food would become challenging, and the prices offered by the Azure Commerce Guild would rise as a result.


    With the increase in yarn prices and the decline in textile income, not only would the money for food decrease, but the food prices might also surge significantly. Between the two, the pressure on Thunderhawk City was enormous! S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Therefore, Aileen had urged Rocky to be prepared, because given Thunderhawk City''s current financial situation, it might be impossible to buy enough food for the winter, and if there was a food shortage, many people in the city would starve to death!


    If such a situation truly arose, it would be a real crisis for Thunderhawk City, and as the City Lord, Rocky naturally had to be prepared to face this crisis.


    In fact, Aileen had initially thought that Rocky wouldn''t be able to foresee such a far-reaching issue, considering the complexity and the non-obviousness of the connections. People with slow reactions or less capable minds would never think that a problem with yarn could trigger such a massive crisis, but Rocky indeed had thought of it, which was interesting.


    Since Rocky now understood the severity of the situation, Aileen was very curious to know how, exactly, this City Lord planned to help Thunderhawk City get through this difficult time.


    Yes, how exactly would Thunderhawk City overcome this difficult time? That was a question Rocky was also pondering.


    At this moment, Rocky felt both helpless and powerless. The discovery of Mana Runes should have promised him a bright future, but before he had even mastered a single rune, Thunderhawk City was faced with such a big problem, and if not handled carefully, it could lead to serious chaos!


    So, how exactly could Thunderhawk City overcome this difficult time? Rocky indeed was thinking hard...

 Chapter 20: Chapter 19 A Whole New Level of Respect

    Sitting in the City Lord''s seat, Rocky pondered for a long time, but no matter how much he thought, he couldn''t come up with a suitable solution.Time was too pressing.


    The current time was August, and in a few months, winter would come. In such a short time, he simply couldn''t raise the money! Without money, there might not be enough to pay for the grain, and then the residents of the city would suffer.


    What should be done...


    After a long while, Rocky could only sigh helplessly and then looked to Aileen, "Aileen, please ask Lord Voss to step in and negotiate with the Azure Commerce Guild."


    "Alright, I will convey the message to grandfather."


    Nodding her head, Aileen wasn''t surprised by the request, as she was the finance officer of Thunderhawk City and knew the city''s financial situation better than anyone; she was well aware that Rocky could probably only think of such an ineffective method.


    Unfortunately, this method would not work at all. The Azure Commerce Guild might not be a dominant Chamber of Commerce, but it was not small in scale. A Chamber of Commerce of such caliber only looked at profits, not relationships, and even if relationships were to be considered, they wouldn''t with Thunderhawk City, so even with her grandfather intervening, it wouldn''t be very effective.


    This could not help but make Aileen a bit disappointed; she thought that Rocky might come up with some practical solutions.


    But then, Rocky spoke again:


    "Also, can you get in touch with merchants who specialize in trading Magic Stones?"


    "Magic Stones?"


    Aileen furrowed her brows at Rocky''s words, but nodded, "I can. I will contact them as soon as possible. But are you planning to...?"


    "I was lucky during my last trip to the land and found some items, among which are a few Medium Magic Stones that could sell for a good sum. So, I plan to sell all these Magic Stones. This should alleviate some of the city''s financial pressure."


    Rocky knew what Aileen wanted to ask, so he provided an answer before she could finish her question.


    And this answer was the only solution he could think of now.


    The biggest problem Thunderhawk City faced was, in fact, a single one: the lack of money!


    This problem could not be solved in a day or two, and for Rocky to come up with a solution right now was utterly unrealistic, but if it was just about easing the immediate urgency, he felt he could manage it.


    Like selling some items.


    Last time he visited the research facility, not only did Rocky obtain research notes on Mana Runes, but he also scavenged a bunch of items from the labs. Although many of them were useful to him, some could be sold, like the Magic Stones.


    In the lab, he found quite a few Magic Stones, all containing ample Mana, among which were several Medium Magic Stones.


    Medium Magic Stones, being too large for use in equipment, were not typically used to manufacture gear but could provide Mana for Skyships and be embedded in Magic Cannons, making them very valuable and worth a considerable amount of money when sold.


    With this money, the financial pressure on Thunderhawk City could be alleviated to some extent.


    Under such pressing circumstances, Rocky could only rely on this method to help Thunderhawk City overcome its difficulties.


    After he finished speaking, Aileen across from him nodded slightly, without further questioning.


    However, in her heart, Aileen was somewhat surprised by his words.


    She really hadn''t expected Rocky to be hiding so much "private stash."


    What was even more unexpected to her was that, for the sake of the Thunderhawk City residents to survive the winter, Rocky was willing to sell off his belongings. This action did make her see him in a new light.


    Because as Aileen knew, not every City Lord of Sky City was fond of their citizens, and in fact, the vast majority of City Lords didn''t care much about the lives of the residents, or they completely regarded the residents as their personal property. To get these City Lords to sell their belongings for the sake of the city''s citizens was fundamentally impossible.


    But Rocky had done it. His solution might not be very clever, but it still made Aileen look at him with newfound respect.


    Clearly, Rocky''s actions had made a good impression on Aileen, so she decided to seriously discuss with her grandfather and see if they could get the Azure Commerce Guild to compromise on the prices of yarn and grain.


    ......


    ......


    By around noon, Aileen had left the City Lord''s Mansion, and when she was gone, Rocky returned to his own room, not long after which the empty room he had ordered to be prepared was ready.


    After surveying the tidied room, Rocky was very satisfied and dismissed everyone, only then did he move all the equipment he''d scavenged from the research institute into the room, transforming the bare room into a fully equipped laboratory with his arrangement.


    Once everything was in order, he took out his research notes.


    "Looks like I need to hurry up¡­" sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Holding the research notes in his hands, he couldn''t help but feel the urgency of time.


    The previous conversation with Aileen not only made him aware that Thunderhawk City was facing a major problem, but also made him realize that he didn''t have much time.


    The weakness of Thunderhawk City didn''t allow him any luxury of time; he had to learn Mana Runes as quickly as possible and make them valuable fast, otherwise, even if he could wait, Thunderhawk City could not!


    "Sigh¡­"


    Standing in front of a desk, Rocky opened his research notes to the section on Rune drafting and studied it over and over.


    As the most basic Mana Runes, First Level Runes could be drafted by a First Level Mage, but this was only in terms of Magic Power requirements. As for technical skill, even First Level Runes required a high level of expertise to be successfully drafted.


    And it was this skill that Rocky needed to master.


    Of course, mastering the First Level Runes couldn''t be achieved simply by rote memorization of the methods in the research notes; extensive practice was also necessary.


    Before long, there was a knock on the door, and then Liliya, carrying a large box, arrived in the laboratory.


    "This is the equipment you asked for."


    Liliya set the large box on the floor and came up beside Rocky, noticing he was intently studying the research notes. She didn''t disturb him and silently stood by his side.


    After a few minutes had passed, Rocky finally took his attention away from the research notes and looked at Liliya.


    "Thank you for your hard work."


    "No problem, have you already learned all the Mana Runes?"


    Glancing at the research notes set aside, Liliya appeared very curious.


    "How could it be so fast? I''ve just started learning."


    Seeing Liliya''s curious expression and her blinking big eyes, Rocky suddenly discovered she had such an adorable side and almost couldn''t resist pinching her cheek.


    "Oh, I''ll take my leave then."


    Completely oblivious to how cute she had been just a moment ago, Liliya then nodded understandingly, not quite getting it, and turned to leave the room.


    However, just as she reached the door, she suddenly remembered something.


    "Rocky¡­"


    "Hmm? What is it?"


    "The Guard Corps'' equipment is so worn it can''t be used anymore, and there''s hardly any spare gear left. Now that we''ve brought you so much, it''s time you considered getting new equipment for the Guard Corps."


    After saying that, Liliya then left the laboratory.


    But as soon as the door closed, Rocky in the lab went crazy. He hadn''t resolved the issue of having no money for supplies, and now the Guard Corps'' equipment needed replacing too¡ªhow was he supposed to survive this!

 Chapter 21: Chapter 20 Difficulty of Runes

    "I just can''t live like this anymore."With a long sigh, Rocky tried to calm himself and avoid thinking about the affairs of Thunderhawk City.


    The current state of Thunderhawk City was simply deplorable, lacking in both clothing and food. Being the City Lord under such conditions, Rocky couldn''t feel the slightest joy of his position.


    To change the plight of Thunderhawk City, there seemed to be only one method, and that was Mana Runes! If Rocky could learn Mana Runes and utilize them well, Thunderhawk City would surely be transformed.


    The greatest use of Mana Runes was to provide unlimited mana to equipment, significantly enhancing the power of Mana Equipment. This was something Wen Seer specifically mentioned in his research notes, and he hoped to empower people to fight against demons with this method.


    However, there was something Wen Seer didn''t anticipate, that shortly after his death, the project of Flying Armor he mentioned in his last words was developed successfully. It produced the Void Magic Armor, which was far more powerful than Mana Equipment!


    If Wen Seer had known about this, he would have been extraordinarily excited, and with his intelligence, he would have immediately realized something¡ªthat the Mana Runes he invented were the perfect match for the Void Magic Armor!


    Once the Magic Stone inside the Void Magic Armor was replaced with Mana Runes that had fewer restrictions and could provide more energy, the combat capability of the Void Magic Armor would instantly break through existing limits and reach heights unimaginable to anyone. It could even open a new door, allowing the Void Magic Armor to evolve again!


    All of these possibilities were the future of Mana Runes and the future of Rocky. When he had mastered all of this, would he still worry about Thunderhawk City running out of food for the winter? Would he still fret over the Guard Corps not having equipment?


    Certainly not!


    By then, he would have become one of the most formidable individuals under this sky! Rocky firmly believed in this.


    And to be awesome in the future, he had to work hard now, starting with learning how to draw runes.


    So he quickly put his worries aside and focused all his attention on his studies.


    Having calmed himself, Rocky took out a piece of equipment from the box full of them, a wrist guard, and then picked up a pen.


    But the pen in his hand was no ordinary pen. It was the Magic Energy Pen, an important tool for inscribing Mana Runes, specially modified for this purpose.


    The function of the Magic Energy Pen was to turn magic power into marks left on an item. To put it plainly, it used magic power as ink, and only with this Magic Energy Pen could one draw runes that would be considered Mana Runes.


    After getting a hold of the Magic Energy Pen, Rocky activated his magic power and slowly drew a strange symbol on the wrist guard.


    This strange symbol was a Mana Rune, more precisely, a First Level Mana Rune.


    The principle of the Mana Runes was using magic power in the form of symbols to sustain energy. The crucial point was that the Rune had to be drawn without a single mistake in order to be effective; otherwise, it was just a useless symbol.


    According to the research notes, a First Level Mana Rune was not too complicated, but even so, Rocky drew very slowly. This was not only because he was drawing for the first time but also because he knew he couldn''t rush in this matter. Otherwise, even a slight deviation would lead to a failed inscription.


    But the more he thought about being careful, the less his hand seemed to obey him, and an inadvertent jitter caused the nearly completed rune to instantly vanish into nothing.


    "Huff..."


    Watching the half-finished rune disappear from the bracer, Rocky took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    In just a short amount of time, he was drenched in sweat. This was due to the tension of his first rune drawing and also because the task was much more difficult than he had imagined, nowhere near as simple as the notes made it seem.


    As for the failure, it was something Rocky had anticipated. He wasn''t the least bit discouraged. It would have been surprising if he had succeeded on his first try.


    Taking another deep breath to steady his hand, he began to draw the rune on the wrist guard once again...


    As time ticked by, Rocky''s second attempt at drawing also failed quickly, followed by a third try, then the fourth, fifth, sixth. He kept trying over and over again, only to meet with failure repeatedly, as if stuck in an endless loop.


    Through these numerous failures, Rocky gradually came to understand the difficulty of inscribing runes. It was a hundred times harder than he had ever imagined!


    Regarding the methods of drawing First Level Runes, the research notes were very detailed, and they looked not too difficult. Rocky had memorized everything in a short amount of time, but it wasn''t until he started drawing them himself that he realized the difficulty was entirely different from what he had imagined.


    Continuous failure even led him to reopen the research notes, wondering if he had remembered the methods incorrectly. The results proved his memory was fine; everything was difficult simply because creating a successful Mana Rune was really hard.


    And it wasn''t until the evening that he finally stopped, not because he was tired or frustrated, but because his Magic Power had been completely drained.


    The amount of Magic Power required to draw First Level Runes was minimal, after all, the Mana they could bear was also very limited, but still, his Magic Power was consumed in the repeated failures until he had no choice but to stop.


    However, although the process was filled with failures, Rocky felt not the slightest bit discouraged when he stopped; on the contrary, he was quite pleased.


    Because when he had used up all of his Magic Power, although he still had not managed to draw a successful Rune, at least he could now draw the Rune in one go. Perhaps the flaws in the details made the Rune he drew useless, but it was much better than his first attempt at drawing. This was progress!


    With progress, there was hope!


    So after he stopped, Rocky was actually very satisfied with his performance today, and he felt that if this momentum continued, he may well be able to draw a successful Rune very soon.


    This anticipation filled him with confidence, and then he decided that tonight he had to get a good night''s sleep to recover his Magic Power and rejuvenate his spirit for continuing tomorrow.


    "Liliya?"


    Leaving the study, Rocky saw Liliya standing at the door, which surprised him, "Have you been waiting here for me the whole time?"


    "Not waiting for you, protecting you."


    Looking at him, Liliya spoke meticulously, "Although I am now also the captain of the Guard Corps, I am still your protector."


    "You... you''ve worked hard..."


    Liliya''s words warmed Rocky''s heart; clearly, not only was he busy working hard in Thunderhawk City, so were others.


    "Your complexion... doesn''t look very good."


    As Rocky was reflecting, Liliya looked at him with some concern.


    To this, Rocky casually waved his hand, telling her not to worry, that he was only drained of Magic Power. But upon hearing this, Liliya nodded, "Perhaps that''s a good thing. Continuous use of Magic Power can greatly improve your control over it. If you keep this up, you''ll become a Level Two Mage very soon."


    "Spare me, I just want to eat now."


    Rocky really couldn''t stand Liliya''s habit of getting serious at the drop of a hat, so he quickly interrupted.


    But he was truly getting hungry. When he was focusing all his attention on drawing Runes, he hadn''t felt it, but the moment he stopped, he was starving, especially since he hadn''t eaten all day.


    "Dinner has already been prepared for you. I had someone place it in your bedroom."


    "That''s great! You''re the most thoughtful!"


    Giving Liliya a thumbs-up, Rocky hurried back to his bedroom.


    Watching his famished retreat, Liliya sighed.


    "Thoughtful..."


    "It''s only because you''re someone who needs to be taken care of..."


    S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 22: Chapter 21: When Conditions Are Right, Success Will Follow

    In the following half-month, Rocky day after day did the same thing: he drew Mana Runes.On one hand, this was because the situation in Thunderhawk City required him to master Mana Runes in the shortest time possible, which was the only way he could proceed with his next plans.


    On the other hand, it was because during the process of drawing runes, Rocky was surprised to find that he didn''t feel the slightest bit bored!


    Though he kept encountering failures, he could find pleasure in every failure by identifying his problems and trying to avoid them in the next attempt. This turned what was originally a tedious repetition not only into something that did not bore him but actually seemed quite interesting¡­


    Finding joy in it, perhaps only these words could describe his current state.


    Indeed, in failure after failure, not only did he not feel bored, but he also found pleasure; he truly found joy in it.


    However, precisely because of this, he became even more immersed in it, almost as if he were possessed.


    Fortunately, there was nothing pressing in Thunderhawk City during this time, and his obsession only made him stay in the laboratory all day without affecting others or anything else.


    Days passed by uneventfully, each day progressing smoothly and tranquilly to a degree that felt pleasant.


    However, whether it was Rocky, Liliya, or Aileen, they all knew that the current calm was just superficial, the real crisis was actually right before them.


    The people from the Azure Commerce Guild were about to arrive!


    The arrival of the Azure Commerce Guild would signify the increase in the prices of yarn, which would then trigger a series of chain reactions, eventually leading to a significant crisis within Thunderhawk City!


    Facing this major crisis, everyone was thinking of solutions, not only Rocky, the City Lord, but Aileen as well.


    "Grandpa, the merchant ships from the Azure Commerce Guild will be arriving in a few days, have you greeted them yet?"


    Sitting in her home, Aileen asked somewhat anxiously. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After her last meeting with Rocky, Aileen had been busy. She not only told Voss that Rocky wanted him to negotiate with the Chamber on his behalf but also informed Voss about Rocky''s plan to sell off private assets to subsidize the finances.


    Perhaps Aileen didn''t even notice it herself, but in the process, although she didn''t say much, her stance in her conversation with Voss had been made clear¡ªshe did not want to stand idly by on this matter.


    Aileen herself didn''t notice this show of involvement, but Voss did. He never expected his granddaughter to be so earnest about this matter, so he certainly did not neglect it, having contacted the Azure Commerce Guild as early as a week before.


    In this situation, facing an anxious Aileen, Voss showed a bitter smile, "Little girl, are you starting to doubt grandpa''s abilities now?"


    "Grandpa, I''m not doubting you!"


    Being addressed this way, Aileen pouted in front of Voss, uncharacteristically becoming more childlike.


    "Alright, alright. I''ve already spoken to Chief Steward Mar. He mentioned that some accommodations could be made, but the specifics need to be discussed in person, so don''t worry."


    Looking at Aileen, Voss said smilingly.


    "Grandpa, you''re amazing!"


    Hearing her grandpa say this, Aileen finally smiled, significantly relieved.


    The Chief Steward Mar mentioned by Voss was in charge of the trade with Thunderhawk City on behalf of the Azure Commerce Guild, and as Aileen knew, her grandpa had an old acquaintance with him. Therefore, since he said that accommodations could be made, it meant the price issue could be negotiated, which made things much easier.


    If they could keep the yarn prices from rising too much, and then when the Magic Stone buyers arrived, sell them at a high price, this back-and-forth could greatly reduce the pressure on Thunderhawk City.


    Her grandpa''s words completely eased Aileen''s mind, and she started planning the next steps.


    In the days that followed, Thunderhawk City remained peaceful, with everyone busy with their affairs.


    During this time, Rocky continued drawing runes non-stop.


    Counting the days, he had already spent nearly a month in the lab, an endeavor that even Liliya couldn''t help but admire for his persistence.


    What a tedious and boring month it had been! Not only was he repeating the same thing every day, but the result was also always a failure. Not to mention the patience required, but just the fact that Rocky could maintain his composure throughout the continuous failures, never losing faith in himself, was something ordinary people couldn''t achieve.


    However, it was precisely because of Rocky''s unyielding spirit that, after countless failures, he finally had a breakthrough.


    He had succeeded!


    Without any warning, Rocky almost habitually drew a rune on his bracer, and then he succeeded...


    After one failure after another, he finally successfully depicted a First Level Mana Rune!


    "Finally... succeeded...?"


    Holding the wrist guard up to his face and taking a closer look, Rocky blinked his eyes, hardly believing it.


    Because he didn''t feel that the rune he drew this time was any different from the previous ones.


    "You, you succeeded?!"


    As Rocky was lost in thought, Liliya''s voice rang out, and compared to him, Liliya sounded even more excited.


    Coming to his senses, Rocky glanced at her and then at the wrist guard in his hands, finally letting a smile spread across his face.


    It all came together naturally.


    This idiom was the perfect summary of his success. After persistent practice, Rocky had naturally mastered the First Level Rune.


    Do not underestimate this, because not only was this rune the first one Rocky had successfully depicted, but it was also the first Mana Rune to appear in the world since the beginning of the Sky Era!


    Although besides Rocky, only Liliya saw the rune, it was still a historic moment. From that moment on, the whole sky would start to change because of the successful depiction of this rune!


    "Congratulations, you finally did it..."


    Looking at Rocky''s smiling face, Lilia sincerely congratulated him.


    She had witnessed Rocky''s efforts over nearly a month and understood better than anyone the struggles he had undergone to depict the rune before him.


    As for Liliya''s congratulations, Rocky just smiled. He knew very well that during this time, Liliya had been instrumental. Although she may not have helped him with the runes themselves, she stayed by his side throughout, so that Rocky could feel her silent support every day.


    So, after glancing at Liliya, Rocky gathered his courage and gave her a hug.


    "Ah..."


    Clearly, Liliya had not expected Rocky to suddenly hug her, caught off guard, she even let out a slight exclamation while being held.


    As for Rocky, who was hugging her at that moment, he was enjoying it, savoring the fragrance of Liliya''s hair and feeling her body, strong yet delicate.


    Time passed by, minute by minute, for a long, long time.


    "How long are you planning to hold me..."


    After who knows how long, Rocky, completely engrossed in Liliya''s embrace, was suddenly asked by her, but then with a playful shake of his head, he replied, "A bit longer."


    "I think it''s enough now."


    Amused by Rocky''s response, Liliya didn''t indulge him any longer, she broke free from his embrace, and then asked:


    "Rocky, now that you can depict runes, what are you planning to do next? Are these runes really useful?"

 Chapter 23: Chapter 22 Caught Off Guard

    Rocky finally succeeded in drawing the Rune, and even though it was only a First Level Rune, it was still a cause for joy, so much so that even Liliya couldn''t help but feel happy for him.But even though the Rune drawing was successful, what next?


    Rocky was now able to make Runes, but what did that represent? Could it mean that from now on, he and Thunderhawk City could soar to great heights and transform from a sparrow into a phoenix?


    Liliya didn''t think so, which was why she couldn''t help but ask.


    However, Rocky obviously had a plan in mind, so he immediately gave his answer, "I plan to produce a batch of rune equipment."


    "Produce rune equipment?"


    Upon hearing this answer, Liliya frowned, "Are you planning to start trading rune equipment?" Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I..."


    "Rocky, you absolutely cannot do this!"


    Before Rocky could speak, Liliya interrupted him and said very seriously, "Rocky, you absolutely cannot sell rune equipment before you have the power to protect yourself, and you can''t even let others know about it! Mana Runes are too important, important enough to change the entire structure of the skies.


    If others come to know that you possess such terrifying technology, it would be a disaster for us!"


    Liliya looked at Rocky seriously and expressed the concerns that she had harbored for a long time.


    Even though Liliya didn''t know much about Mana Runes, she was not a fool. She had understood how terrifying they could be just by a rough understanding of the potential applications of the Runes.


    If outsiders were to learn that Rocky had such important technology, the outcome would not be beneficial for Thunderhawk City or him. Instead, it would bring disaster upon them, a disaster so severe that it could leave him and Thunderhawk City with nowhere to bury their dead!


    Thus, as soon as Rocky was able to draw Runes, Liliya spoke out her concerns, truly afraid that Rocky might not realize this.


    "Don''t worry, I''ve thought about all of this already."


    Liliya was right to be worried, but she underestimated Rocky. All the possibilities she mentioned had already been considered by Rocky.


    No one understood better than Rocky how important Mana Runes were and how they could change the world. The moment the Mana Runes were exposed, he and Thunderhawk City would become targets. Those behemoths roaming the skies, those true leviathans, would immediately come after him, and they would stop at nothing for Mana Runes!


    This was a case of ''the innocent man burdens himself with the guilt of his jade treasure.''


    Mana Runes were the jade treasure, and Rocky was the man burdened with it. Almost all those he faced harbored malicious intentions toward the Mana Runes!


    Given such circumstances, how could he possibly be foolish enough to expose the Mana Runes so soon? The Mana Runes might eventually become known to the world, but it definitely wasn''t the time yet.


    Rocky''s intention to produce a batch of rune equipment was actually part of a different plan.


    After Rocky explained simply, Liliya''s worries dissipated. In fact, no matter what Rocky intended to do, she would support him in everything except for watching him head toward self-destruction.


    "By the way, Aileen came by earlier."


    "She wanted me to tell you that people from the Azure Commerce Guild will arrive tomorrow, but she said you shouldn''t worry too much. Voss has already spoken with the Azure Commerce Guild, and from the hints they''ve dropped, it seems that the matter regarding the price increase of the thread is negotiable."


    Having finished talking about the Mana Runes, Liliya remembered the main matter at hand and hurriedly conveyed Aileen''s words to Rocky.


    Aileen had visited earlier that day, but at the time Rocky was engrossed in studying Mana Runes, so Liliya turned her away. Nevertheless, she conveyed Aileen''s message to Rocky without omitting a single word.


    Upon hearing this, a look of joy spread across Rocky''s face, even greater than the joy of successfully drawing the Mana Rune!


    The issue of the yarn price hike was what truly concerned Rocky and gave him a headache; it was not only imminent, but any mishandling could lead to great chaos.


    "Did Aileen say that Voss has already notified the Azure Commerce Guild?"


    "Yes, that''s what she said."


    "Huh... that''s such a relief!"


    After asking Liliya once more and receiving a positive response, Rocky finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the price of yarn could be controlled, even if it was bound to rise, if the increase could be kept to a minimum, the pressure on Thunderhawk City would be significantly reduced, and future matters would be much easier to handle.


    "Let''s go, we need to prepare. Aileen has already taken care of what she can, and we cannot afford any hitches on our part tomorrow."


    Having said this, Rocky left the study with Liliya to prepare for the next day''s meeting with the Chief Steward of the Azure Commerce Guild.


    A day passed by quickly, and soon it was the next morning.


    "Grandpa, the merchant ship has arrived!"


    The next morning, to welcome the Azure Commerce Guild''s skyship, Aileen and Voss made a special trip to the port of Thunderhawk City.


    In theory, there was no need for such formality, but this time, Thunderhawk City was the one asking for favors, so not only did Aileen, the finance officer, come, but Voss was there too, showing utmost respect.


    At that moment, Aileen and her grandfather stood next to a carriage, looking in the same direction, when they saw a huge skyship entering Thunderhawk City''s Defensive Net and slowly approaching the port for landing.


    "Don''t worry, just perform normally and you''ll be more than capable of handling it."


    As the skyship gently descended, Voss noticed that Aileen was a bit nervous and spoke to comfort her.


    "Yes, since Grandpa has arranged everything, I won''t mess it up."


    With a deep breath, Aileen nodded and then calmed herself down.


    Since Voss had previously greeted Chief Steward Mar, who was in charge of the trade, the negotiations with the Chamber of Commerce would be assisted by Aileen alongside Rocky, and Voss was not going to be involved. This fact had made Aileen somewhat nervous.


    However, since Grandpa had already made arrangements, Aileen felt that if she still couldn''t handle the matter well, it would be rather incompetent of her. So she quickly let go of her undue anxiety, and confidence began to emerge in her eyes.


    Soon after, the merchant ship landed smoothly at the port, and in no time, a group of people disembarked and headed straight toward the carriage where Aileen and Voss were.


    These were the people from the Azure Commerce Guild.


    "Grandpa! What''s going on?"


    Yet, as the people from the Azure Commerce Guild gradually approached, Aileen, who had stopped being nervous and was even full of confidence, suddenly panicked!


    Because upon seeing these people, she realized that the person leading them was not Chief Steward Mar, who had always dealt with the transactions with Thunderhawk City, but a middle-aged man she didn''t recognize!


    What was happening?!


    Hadn''t Grandpa already liaised with Chief Steward Mar? Wasn''t it agreed to discuss the details after they met? Why was it not Chief Steward Mar who came this time?


    This was bad!


    Taken by surprise, Aileen quickly looked at Voss, but found that he still wore a faint smile, as if none of this was unexpected to him...

 Chapter 24: Chapter 23 Deceived

    The sudden turn of events caught Aileen, who had made meticulous preparations, completely off guard!She had assumed that Chief Steward Mar would be the one coming, and had prepared thoroughly for that.


    Not only did Chief Steward Mar have a good relationship with her grandfather, but he had also hinted beforehand that although the price of yarn was bound to rise, the extent of the increase was negotiable.


    Isn''t the implication clear? Simply put, as long as one can offer enough benefits, Chief Steward Mar could use his positional advantage to give Thunderhawk City a little price concession.


    As someone in charge of trading with a city, he certainly had that authority.


    Thus, Aileen had already figured out how to deal with Chief Steward Mar and had even notified Rocky in advance.


    But what was happening now? Why hadn''t Chief Steward Mar, who had readily agreed with her grandfather, shown up, and why had someone else come to trade with Thunderhawk City?


    This unexpected change left Aileen at a loss, even uncertain about how to respond for a moment.


    Fortunately, Voss was right by her side!


    "Is it Senior Voss?"


    The group from the Azure Commerce Guild had just approached when their leader spoke up first.


    "Indeed, may I know who I have the pleasure of speaking with...?"


    "I am Jia Xi, the newly appointed overseer of the Azure Commerce Guild."


    The man speaking was named Jia Xi, who appeared to be around forty years old, but his temples were already slightly graying, and his complexion didn''t look very good. However, he maintained a smiling face throughout the conversation.


    "Senior Voss, I have heard much about your exploits from Chief Steward Mar. You were quite an influential figure back in the day!"


    After a brief self-introduction, the new Overseer Jia Xi struck up a conversation with Voss, who effortlessly responded with wit and humor. Judging by their demeanor at that moment, one couldn''t tell that it was their first meeting; instead, they seemed like old friends.


    After exchanging pleasantries, Voss, Jia Xi, and a perplexed Aileen all boarded the same carriage and headed straight for the City Lord''s Mansion.


    "Senior Voss, please put in good words for us during this transaction in front of the City Lord."


    While riding in the carriage to the City Lord''s Mansion, Jia Xi and Voss talked continuously, quickly getting onto the topic of the transaction.


    But hearing this, Voss just smiled and shook his head, saying, "Overseer Jia Xi, I''m afraid I can''t interfere this time. I''m no longer the finance officer of Thunderhawk City."


    "Oh?"


    Upon hearing this, Jia Xi was startled, clearly unaware of this fact, then inquired:


    "Senior Voss, who is Thunderhawk City''s current finance officer...?"


    While speaking, Voss glanced at Aileen.


    "Aileen, come and greet Overseer Jia Xi."


    "Overseer Jia Xi, hello."


    Called upon by Voss, Aileen finally snapped back to reality and hastily greeted Jia Xi.


    In fact, from the very beginning, Aileen had been somewhat distracted. She kept wondering why? Why had the person coming to trade with Thunderhawk City suddenly changed?


    Was it an accident?


    Aileen didn''t think so; at the critical juncture of rising yarn prices, such an accident seemed improbable.


    Was it a coincidence?


    Was it just a coincidence that the Azure Commerce Guild decided to have Jia Xi handle the trade with Thunderhawk City and that it was completely unrelated to the increased price of yarn?


    Aileen felt that was equally impossible. Thunderhawk City might be small, but it was still a Sky City, and it had to be managed by an overseer-level individual. Therefore, the Azure Commerce Guild wouldn''t change its representative lightly.


    Furthermore, Chief Steward Mar had already made contact with Grandfather before; if he knew he was going to be replaced, why would he have readily agreed to all of Grandfather''s requests?


    Therefore, after much thought, Aileen could only come to one conclusion¡ªGrandfather had been deceived!


    Even though Chief Steward Mar had readily agreed to Grandfather''s requests before, in reality it was all a deception. The other party likely knew in advance that it wasn''t him coming to Thunderhawk City for the trade, but he didn''t inform Grandfather, leading to today''s scene!


    This outcome was indeed difficult for Aileen to accept. She had never imagined that her grandfather, who had always been so astute, would be tripped up over such a matter and played by a mere steward.


    With this in mind, she couldn''t help but glance at Voss, only to find her grandfather looking as composed as ever, still jovially chatting with Jia Xi.


    At this moment, Voss was introducing Aileen to Jia Xi:


    "This is my granddaughter, and she is now the finance officer of Thunderhawk City."


    "Oh?" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Voss''s words made Jia Xi reveal an expression of sudden realization, and then he turned to look at Aileen.


    After examining Aileen, Jia Xi nodded with a smile. Although he didn''t say much, there was an involuntary flash of something in his gaze.


    At the same time, Aileen subconsciously frowned because the thing that flashed through Jia Xi''s eyes while appraising her suddenly made her feel somewhat disgusted.


    However, everyone present was clever; the sly and crafty Jia Xi soon started chatting with Voss again, and Aileen returned to her normal demeanor.


    During the journey, Jia Xi and Voss were always chatting idly, looking very much like long-time acquaintances. After learning that all the previous preparations had been void, Aileen began trying her best to join in the conversation, attempting several times to steer it towards the yarn trade.


    She wanted to use this opportunity to sound out Jia Xi''s stance, to better prepare for the negotiations to come.


    But for some reason, after discovering that Voss was not the finance officer, Jia Xi, who had originally brought up the matter actively, now refused to discuss it. Even when Aileen brought it up several times on her own, he only casually acknowledged her a few times before changing the subject to other matters.


    The journey from the port to the City Lord''s Mansion was not short, but it had to end eventually. So by the time the carriage stopped, Aileen''s efforts had been unsuccessful; she hadn''t been able to discern Jia Xi''s stance.


    This result made Aileen more and more uneasy, because based on her experience, Jia Xi''s behavior was not a good sign.


    And after the carriage arrived at the City Lord''s Mansion, Aileen led Jia Xi to meet Rocky, while Voss, just as he had said earlier, did not follow.


    "City Lord, this is the Overseer of the Azure Commerce Guild, Overseer Jia Xi."


    Having brought Jia Xi to the City Lord''s Hall, Aileen was greeted by Rocky who had already been waiting there for some time.


    However, when Aileen finished introducing Jia Xi and then looked towards Rocky, she discovered, just as she had imagined, that Rocky''s face was filled with surprise and confusion.


    Clearly, Rocky had been just as baffled by Jia Xi''s appearance as Aileen had been, because like Aileen, he had expected Chief Steward Mar to arrive, as Chief Steward Mar had represented the Azure Commerce Guild in dealings with Thunderhawk City for a long time. So why was there suddenly someone else today?


    Now this was troublesome¡­


    Glancing at Jia Xi standing in front of him and then at Aileen, whose expression was slightly embarrassed, Rocky knew that there might have been some changes in the situation!


    But his response was also quite fast; the surprise and confusion on his face quickly disappeared, replaced instead by a smile as he said to Overseer Jia Xi, "Overseer Jia Xi, you''ve had a long journey."


    "Thank you for your kind concern, City Lord."


    With a slight bow to Rocky, Jia Xi clearly was a man accustomed to significant events and knew very well how to behave in the presence of a City Lord.


    After that, Rocky exchanged a few pleasantries with Jia Xi, and then they moved on to the main topic.


    "City Lord, the price of yarn this time will increase by thirty percent."


    The real business between Jia Xi and Rocky was, of course, the yarn trade, and Jia Xi got straight to the point, informing Rocky that not only would the price of yarn go up, but it would be by as much as thirty percent!


    Thirty percent!


    At these words, Rocky involuntarily took a sharp breath!


    The increase was not just far beyond his expectations, it even exceeded the limit that Thunderhawk City could withstand!

 Chapter 25: Chapter 24 Negotiations

    ```The price of yarn is going to increase by thirty percent!?


    Even though Rocky had known about this, when he heard about the thirty percent increase, he still involuntarily gasped, because this increase not only far exceeded his expectation, but also directly surpassed Thunderhawk City''s limit of affordability!


    Such a significant price hike disrupted his original plan.


    According to his initial idea, he hoped to sell all the Medium Magic Stones that had been found in the research institute, then use that income to offset the yarn price increase, maintaining the quarterly balance of income and expenditure.


    Based on Rocky''s rough estimate, if he sold all the Magic Stones he had, he could earn at least two thousand Gold Coins.


    Thunderhawk City''s expenditure on yarn each quarter was around twenty thousand Gold Coins, which means that even if the price of yarn increased by a full ten percent, he could still balance it out with the income from selling the Magic Stones, thereby relieving some of the financial pressure on Thunderhawk City.


    However, he never expected that the Azure Commerce Guild would actually raise the price of yarn by as much as thirty percent in one go! This meant that instead of spending twenty thousand Gold Coins on yarn, Thunderhawk City would now need to spend twenty-six thousand Gold Coins!


    An extra six thousand Gold Coins!


    Such a large sum of money, let alone selling a few Magic Stones, even if Rocky himself was sold, it wouldn''t be enough to cover the cost!


    So after Overseer Jia Xi finished speaking, Rocky couldn''t help but frown, and his expression became increasingly grim.


    "Overseer Jia Xi, why has the price of yarn increased by so much?"


    As Rocky''s brows were tightly knitted, Aileen, who had brought Jia Xi and was standing beside him, opened her mouth to speak. Aileen''s role was that of the finance officer of Thunderhawk City, and it was indeed her responsibility to handle negotiations with the Chamber of Commerce.


    "City Lord, in this matter, our Chamber of Commerce is also compelled," replied Jia Xi, glancing at Aileen and wearing an innocent expression before turning to Rocky: "City Lord, you may have heard that Canglang City is at war, and all resources in the city are being controlled."


    "Frankly, to ensure the timely delivery of yarn, our Chamber of Commerce had to exert great effort within Canglang City, so City Lord, this price really isn''t within our control."


    In the face of Rocky, Jia Xi presented an innocent facade. However, upon closer examination, his words seemed to hold some merit yet were ultimately nonsensical.


    It was true that Canglang City was at war, but even if war necessitated the control of resources, it was unlikely to extend to yarn, which was not a strategic material. Moreover, the Azure Commerce Guild was not merely ordinary citizens¡ªit was a Chamber of Commerce. Could it be that they would stop doing business simply because the war was occurring in the city where their headquarters were located?


    That, undoubtedly, was even less plausible.


    So while the war might indeed have caused an increase in the price of yarn, the increase could surely not be so substantial. In essence, the Azure Commerce Guild was using the war as an excuse to intentionally hike the prices!


    This fact was something Aileen understood all too well, thus she spoke again: "Overseer Jia Xi, we''re aware of the war in Canglang City, but this price is too high for us to accept."


    "Miss Aileen, this is not something our Chamber of Commerce can decide, we truly have no choice..."


    Following that, a verbal duel ensued between Aileen and Jia Xi as they debated non-stop about the extent of the price increase.


    In the meantime, Rocky remained silent, quietly seated in the City Lord''s position, clearly becoming an observer.


    As the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, haggling was not his job. He only needed to wait for Aileen to reach a conclusion with Jia Xi and then give a nod or a shake of his head.


    Throughout the process of observation, Rocky gained a deeper impression of Aileen; the seemingly seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl made him have to secretly give her a thumbs up.


    Despite Aileen''s young age, she was not at all timid during negotiations, demonstrating considerable skill. She wisely avoided wasting time on whether the price should increase at all, instead bargaining over the amount of the increase.


    Based on Jia Xi''s demeanor, it was apparent that the Azure Commerce Guild was set on raising the yarn prices; therefore, Aileen focused on negotiating the extent of the increase, with the goal of reducing it as much as possible.


    Clearly, she had a concise and clear objective for the negotiation.


    However, Aileen''s adversary was no easy opponent. Jia Xi was an extremely cunning merchant with impeccable negotiation skills, and he held fast to one crucial point¡ªthe Azure Commerce Guild, between itself and Thunderhawk City, was the stronger party, and Thunderhawk City had to purchase yarn and food from them!


    It was precisely because he held onto this key point that, no matter how hard Aileen tried, Jia Xi wouldn''t budge an inch.


    "Overseer Jia Xi, a five percent increase in the price of yarn is the absolute limit we can accept," said Aileen, her brows furrowed as she looked at Jia Xi, stating Thunderhawk City''s bottom line.


    Although that''s what she claimed, she wasn''t telling the whole truth, for as much as she knew, Rocky''s acceptable bottom line was ten percent. This meant that she was still leaving room for further negotiation with Jia Xi.


    This is the art of negotiation¡ªit''s not about arguing, but about giving. You give me a step, I give you one, and only then is there something to talk about. Aileen clearly understood this principle.


    Unfortunately, after she finished speaking, Jia Xi simply shook his head: "City Lord, Miss Aileen, raising the price of yarn by thirty percent is already the bottom line for our Chamber of Commerce, I truly have no leeway."


    "Overseer Jia Xi!"


    ```


    Jia Xi''s attitude had finally pushed Aileen to her limit; she couldn''t believe the other party was so stubbornly refusing to budge, clearly showing no desire to negotiate!


    "Alright..."


    Just as Aileen was about to speak again, Rocky, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke up. He glanced at Aileen, signaling her to stop, and then turned his gaze to Jia Xi.


    "Overseer Jia Xi, you must be weary from your journey. Let''s end today''s discussions here."


    After saying this, Rocky spoke to Aileen, "Aileen, escort Overseer Jia Xi to rest, and do not neglect your duties." sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes..."


    With a response, Aileen left the City Lord''s Hall with Jia Xi.


    Watching the two leave, Rocky waited until the doors of the City Lord''s Hall were closed before he sighed,


    He had purposefully halted the negotiation because he had realized that facing the unyielding Jia Xi, Aileen was at a loss, so he let Jia Xi rest, thus giving Aileen time to regroup and think about how to handle her opponent.


    However, Rocky was well aware that even if Aileen thought of a strategy, she might not come up with anything effective. The reasoning was simple: Thunderhawk City simply didn''t have enough bargaining chips.


    Even a clever cook can''t prepare a meal without rice. No matter how skilled Aileen was at negotiating, without sufficient leverage, she would never get Jia Xi to give in. And Jia Xi knew this, which was exactly why he was so uncompromising.


    This was the dilemma Thunderhawk City now faced.


    In such a situation, Rocky felt that he should start making other plans...


    ...¡­


    ...¡­


    "Overseer Jia Xi, is there really no room for discussion on this matter?"


    On the way to see Jia Xi out of the City Lord''s Mansion, Aileen was still trying, but this time, she was less aggressive and seemed more like she was just chatting with Jia Xi.


    "Overseer Jia Xi, as you know, Thunderhawk City isn''t large, and with the price of silk skyrocketing so much, I''m afraid the City Lord won''t accept it. So please, would you speak kindly of us to the Chamber of Commerce? If you could really come to an agreement, the City Lord would surely not treat you unfairly."


    Now that they were in private, Aileen spoke of matters that could only be discussed behind closed doors, such as personal benefits.


    However, hearing her words, Jia Xi just shook his head and smiled, "Miss Aileen, just have the carriage take me back to the port. I''m accustomed to staying on the merchant ships."


    He looked at Aileen without any intention of acknowledging her suggestions.


    "This... well then..."


    Jia Xi''s reaction made Aileen frown. Could it be that Jia Xi really had no personal desires?


    Or was it that he had other plans, or simply wanted more from playing hard to get?


    Uncertain of Jia Xi''s intentions, Aileen chose not to say more and proceeded to escort him out of the City Lord''s Mansion.


    It was only upon leaving the City Lord, just as Jia Xi was about to board the carriage, that he suddenly turned to Aileen and said,


    "Miss Aileen, if you..."


    He caught Aileen''s hand mid-sentence, gently stroking the back of her hand while he continued,


    "If you really want to talk, you can come to the merchant ship for a detailed discussion..."


    "Overseer Jia Xi! Please conduct yourself with dignity!"


    Jia Xi''s move caught Aileen off guard, and she immediately pulled her hand back from his grasp like a startled rabbit, glaring furiously at Jia Xi.


    "Overseer Jia Xi! What are you intending to do!"


    Staring fiercely at Jia Xi, Aileen was so angry she was on the verge of tears; she had never encountered such a situation before.


    But facing her angry stare, Jia Xi appeared completely indifferent, saying as he got into the carriage, "Miss Aileen, the price of silk is negotiable. Whenever you are ready, you can come and find me."


    With those words, he closed the carriage door and rode away...

 Chapter 26: Chapter 25 New Ideas

    What happened with Aileen after Jia Xi left, Rocky did not know, as he had returned to the laboratory after the two had departed.Although he hadn''t lost hope in the negotiations, Rocky knew he couldn''t solely rely on them. He needed a backup plan, which naturally involved the Mana Rune.


    So, after returning to the laboratory, he had Liliya bring over his Void Magic Armor!


    "Do you really intend to do this? Isn''t it too soon..."


    Not long after waiting in the laboratory, Liliya brought over the Void Magic Armor, albeit somewhat reluctantly when handing it over to Rocky.


    Because Rocky had already told her what he intended to do¡ªhe was planning to inscribe runes on the Void Magic Armor!


    This decision surprised Liliya, as Rocky had only just learned about runes!


    Though using runes on the Void Magic Armor was an inevitable trend, wasn''t it too soon for Rocky to proceed? Especially considering he only had this set of Void Magic Armor, and if anything went wrong, there was nowhere to turn.


    "I just want to experiment, and besides, even if the runes fail, there are no side effects. It will merely consume some Magic Power; the Void Magic Armor will definitely be safe."


    Though he spoke in such a manner, Rocky had no confidence inside, yet he had to proceed. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How important the Void Magic Armor was to him, Rocky knew better than anyone. It had always been his prized possession; how could he not cherish it? Unfortunately, due to the circumstances, he had no choice but to risk using the Void Magic Armor.


    His only asset now was the Mana Rune, but given Thunderhawk City''s current strength, he couldn''t let outsiders know about the existence of runes. Thus, Rocky''s options were limited, leaving him essentially with one choice¡ªto use the runes to enhance his own strength.


    Either he would apply the runes to ordinary equipment, turning it into rune equipment, or he would apply them to the Void Magic Armor to make it even stronger.


    And for Rocky, who already possessed the Void Magic Armor, he naturally chose to apply the runes there. It wouldn''t make sense to forsake the more powerful Void Magic Armor in favor of wearing rune equipment.


    So he had to take this risk.


    However, Liliya found Rocky''s decision not only rash but also pointless. In her view, even if Rocky became stronger, what use would it be?


    Nevertheless, she could see that Rocky seemed to have his own plans, so she ultimately did not stop him and even left the laboratory for fear of disturbing his rune drawing.


    Afterward, the laboratory was left with only Rocky, a pen, and a set of Void Magic Armor.


    Placing the chest piece of the Void Magic Armor on the lab table, Rocky did not immediately start inscribing runes on it but carefully studied it inside and out.


    The reason why the Void Magic Armor was considered the strongest personal equipment was not merely because it was embedded with Magic Stones. The technology contained within a set of Void Magic Armor far exceeded the imagination; therefore, even if Rocky had mastered the First Level Mana Rune, he couldn''t simply apply runes to the armor.


    If he wanted to use runes to strengthen the Void Magic Armor, he first needed to understand the armor''s Mana driving system, then connect this system with the runes so that the armor could utilize the Mana provided by the runes.


    The technology and expertise involved were so complex and advanced that unless one was a professional armor maker, no one could understand it, let alone Rocky.


    But despite the difficulty, he still planned to give it a try.


    It wasn''t that he was overestimating his capabilities, but because he had a different idea.


    Rocky didn''t want to drastically overhaul the Void Magic Armor. He knew he didn''t have the capacity to do so, not just him, even the most experienced armor maker couldn''t, especially since Mana Runes were a new technology.


    Without going through research and experimentation, no one could replace the Magic Stones in the Void Magic Armor directly with runes; the involved technology was too numerous and complex.


    So his real idea was to treat the Void Magic Armor like ordinary equipment and then turn it into rune equipment!


    Simply put, he wanted to inscribe runes on the Void Magic Armor. By ensuring the original combat capabilities remained unchanged, he aimed to add a layer of rune equipment''s power, using this method to indirectly strengthen the armor!


    This was a plan only Rocky could think of, no, it was a new idea that only he could conceive of!


    Before the advent of Mana Runes, whether it was Void Magic Armor or Magic Energy Equipment, both relied on Magic Stones to provide Mana, making it impossible for a piece of equipment to be both Void Magic Armor and Magic Energy Equipment at the same time; they couldn''t coexist.


    But now with the emergence of Mana Runes, which could substitute for Magic Stones and coexist with them, Rocky thought of this method to strengthen his own Void Magic Armor, aiming to let his Void Magic Armor maintain its original power while also becoming a set of rune equipment!


    This idea perfectly circumvented the high-end technology involved with the Void Magic Armor, requiring only that the armor be treated as regular equipment, which could then be made into rune equipment.


    Though creating rune equipment wasn''t a simple task, do not forget that Rocky still had a research notebook in his hands.


    Wenzel initially developed Mana Runes hoping they could replace Magic Stones and thereby transform Mana Equipment into rune equipment, significantly enhancing its power. Thus, his notes contained detailed instructions on how to use runes to make equipment.


    With this notebook, Rocky could fully create rune equipment!


    And if he succeeded, the enhanced Void Magic Armor would undoubtedly see an upgrade in combat effectiveness! Then he could proceed with the next steps in his plan!


    "Let''s begin¡­"


    After observing the chest plate of the Void Magic Armor set for a long time, Rocky was ready to begin.


    He picked up the Magic Energy Pen and drew a rune on the inner lining of the chest plate.


    Not wanting anyone to notice anything suspicious, he fully utilized the convenience of the runes, drawing directly on the inner lining of the armor. This method would not affect the rune''s effectiveness nor reveal anything unusual about his armor.


    As he finished the stroke, a rune was drawn and emitted a faint light.


    This indicated the rune was successfully created, and it now contained Mana. However, that was not all; a First Level Rune held very little Magic Power, far less even than a Micro Magic Stone. To unleash its true power, it would rely on quantity.


    According to Rocky''s estimation, he needed to draw at least a hundred First Level Runes on the chest plate to truly enhance its defensive power, a monumental task.


    So, after successfully drawing one rune, he immediately drew a second, then a third...


    Half a day passed in this manner, and by evening, Rocky left the lab with all his Magic Power depleted.


    The next morning, Jia Xi came seeking an audience with Rocky, seemingly eager to finalize the transaction involving the yarn as soon as possible.


    This was somewhat unexpected to him as he had planned to delay, but since Jia Xi was so proactive, he had no choice but to call for Aileen.


    By the time Aileen arrived at the City Lord''s Hall, a new round of negotiations began.


    The morning flew by, and the outcome of the negotiations remained the same as the day before, almost no progress was made, with Jia Xi standing firm on increasing the price by thirty percent without budging.


    On the contrary, Aileen seemed somewhat off today; whereas yesterday she could stand toe-to-toe with Jia Xi, today she was visibly distracted, which was a significant reason why the negotiations failed.


    Having no other choice, Rocky had to find an excuse to forcibly halt the negotiations, planning to give Aileen some time to think of a solution, but Jia Xi did not give Rocky that opportunity.


    "City Lord!"


    "Yesterday, the Chamber of Commerce sent an urgent notice. I am summoned back to headquarters for important matters, so I can only stay here for one more day. I hope the City Lord can provide a definitive answer tomorrow to finalize this matter quickly," said Jia Xi before he turned and left¡­


    His words clearly meant he was no longer willing to delay and was pushing Rocky to make a decision quickly!


    "Sir, I will also take my leave¡­"


    After Jia Xi left, Rocky initially wanted to discuss with Aileen what to do next, as they couldn''t afford to delay any longer, but to his surprise, Aileen left without saying a word.


    "Rocky, Aileen was a bit off today."


    After Aileen left, Liliya said to Rocky, noticing that Aileen had been acting strangely.


    "There is something off¡­" He nodded, equally puzzled, not understanding what was wrong with Aileen.


    "I''ll go ask her."


    After saying this, Liliya didn''t wait for Rocky''s response and immediately chased out of the City Lord''s Hall.

 Chapter 27: Chapter 26 Liliyas Experience

    ```Looking at Liliya chasing after Aileen, Rocky helplessly shook his head. He was relieved to have Liliya around; otherwise, he truly didn''t know what to do in such a situation.


    Actually, Rocky could also tell that Aileen wasn''t quite herself, but he didn''t know how to broach the subject. After all, the two of them didn''t share any personal relationship but were merely in a subordinate one.


    Setting that aside for now, Liliya, who had left the City Lord''s Hall, quickly caught up with Aileen.


    "Aileen, wait a moment."


    By the time Liliya had caught up with Aileen, she was already preparing to board a carriage. Called to a halt, she turned back and saw Liliya approaching.


    "Captain Liliya."


    Seeing Liliya, Aileen didn''t dare to neglect her manners, promptly nodding to her as a sign of politeness.


    Now, Liliya was the Captain of the Guard Corps, holding a position equivalent to Aileen''s, and what was more important, she was one of Rocky''s confidants. Thus, even though Aileen wasn''t very familiar with Liliya, she still showed her due respect.


    "Captain Liliya, does the City Lord have any instructions?"


    Knowing her departure was somewhat abrupt, Aileen quickly asked when Liliya approached.


    "Nothing from the City Lord, I just wanted to talk to you." Glancing at Aileen, Liliya smiled and said, "If you don''t have any matters to attend to, why don''t you take a walk with me?"


    After saying this, Liliya didn''t even wait for Aileen''s response before she walked ahead, causing Aileen to have no choice but to follow.


    So, the two women walked side by side out of the City Lord''s Mansion, a carriage trailing behind them, looking just like two noble ladies taking a leisurely afternoon stroll.


    "How has Lord Voss been recently?"


    "Grandfather is doing well."


    Ambling through the streets, Liliya casually asked, and Aileen casually answered. However, Aileen''s mind was somewhat perplexed, for she couldn''t make out Liliya''s intentions.


    With her intelligence, Aileen naturally understood that Liliya coming to find her was not for small talk; there must be another reason. Yet, she couldn''t fathom what it could be. Could it be that Rocky had sent Liliya to see her?


    Impossible. If it were Rocky''s instructions, then he would have simply directed her to see him directly, no need for Liliya to be involved.


    "Aileen, have you encountered any troubles?"


    "Hmm?"


    As Aileen was musing, Liliya''s question took her aback, and she quickly shook her head: "I don''t have any troubles."


    "Is that so?" Liliya looked at her skeptically: "It''s not just me who noticed you weren''t quite yourself today, the City Lord also saw it, which is why he asked me to come and check on you."


    "I truly appreciate the City Lord''s concern, but I''m fine."


    Continuing to shake her head, Aileen said nothing more.


    Seeing that she had no intention of opening up, Liliya suddenly laughed, which bewildered Aileen.


    "Do you remember Perolo?"


    After her laugh, Liliya suddenly asked.


    "Perolo? I remember."


    Although Aileen did not understand why Liliya brought up that person, she nodded her head. Of course, she remembered the former administrative officer.


    "What do you think of Perolo?"


    "A waste."


    Without a second thought, Aileen voiced her opinion of Perolo. In her eyes, Perolo was nothing but a waste, and she even found it an insult for her grandfather to have to work with such a person.


    And Liliya, in response to that answer, nodded and added: "Perolo is not only a waste but also a scumbag who can''t control himself around women."


    "Ah?"


    "When I first came to Thunderhawk City, Perolo harbored improper thoughts towards me, and he didn''t let go of them until he was caught by the City Lord."


    Liliya''s words staggered Aileen; she couldn''t believe the other woman would share such a thing with her, someone who was hardly even a friend!


    Yet those very words struck a chord with Aileen.


    Deep down, Aileen was painfully aware of how badly she had behaved today, and the reason for that was the incident that occurred with Jia Xi.


    The previous day''s events had a significant impact on her, scaring her thoroughly.


    But Aileen was strong - so strong that she was stubborn. She hadn''t mentioned yesterday''s events to anyone, not even to her grandfather Voss, intending to bear the burden alone.


    However, she never expected Liliya to have noticed!


    As bright as she was, Aileen immediately realized why Liliya had sought her out. After a moment, she looked at Liliya and, biting her lip, asked, "What happened afterwards?"


    Liliya has just said that Perolo had unsavory intentions towards her, so what happened next? How did it end?


    "Afterwards¡­" Liliya gave a slight smile towards Aileen and patted her side sword: "Well, when I was ready to chop off his head, he ran away."


    This answer astonished Aileen, and it wasn''t until she snapped back to reality that she looked at Liliya with newfound admiration in her eyes. She imagined a scene where Liliya, with her sword at the ready, pointed it straight at a terrified Perolo, scaring him out of his wits.


    ```


    If only I could muster the grace and imposing presence of Liliya, and point my sword at Jia Xi, I wonder if that old bastard would still dare to touch my hand! Would he still harbor inappropriate thoughts about me!


    Unfortunately, I am not Liliya.


    With that thought, Aileen couldn''t help but sigh...


    However, she suddenly thought of something and blurted out, "Does the City Lord know about this?"


    "He...doesn''t know..."


    Liliya shook her head upon hearing this and sighed, "I haven''t told him about this matter, and even if he had known at the time, there was nothing he could have done."


    As Liliya thought about it, she felt a sense of helplessness, much like how Rocky regarded her as someone closest to him. In Liliya''s heart, Rocky was also the person she trusted the most. It was just that Rocky at the time was really...


    But then she turned to Aileen with a smile, "But if it were now, I would tell the City Lord about it."


    "Why?"


    "Because the City Lord would help me, he would back me up," Liliya said with certainty as she looked at Aileen.


    Her words were no lie. Indeed, Rocky used to be too timid, a fact even Liliya admitted. But now, Rocky had changed, and although she didn''t know why he had changed, he had undoubtedly become better than he was before. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So if a similar situation were to occur again, Liliya would definitely tell Rocky, and Rocky would absolutely back her up!


    Aileen was stunned by her words. She of course understood what Liliya meant, but after a moment she still let out a wry smile, "Yes...the City Lord would indeed back you up..."


    Aileen believed Liliya''s words, but let''s not forget that the one speaking was Liliya herself! She was Rocky''s confidante, possibly even his lover, whereas Aileen didn''t share such a connection with Rocky.


    Aileen was well aware of her place, knowing she was merely the finance officer recommended to Rocky by her grandfather.


    "No, he would help you too."


    Just as Aileen was privately sighing, Liliya suddenly took her hand and looked into her eyes, "You might not quite understand Rocky yet. Whether in the past or now, he''s a good person. As long as you can support him well, he will never let you down."


    "And... Rocky is also worthy of your trust. His achievements in the future will be boundless."


    "Really?"


    Upon hearing this, Aileen also gazed intently at Liliya, her eyes suddenly filled with curiosity, "Does the City Lord have such aspirations?"


    "It''s not aspiration, but an inevitable outcome."


    Liliya was very clear about the future that awaited Rocky once he mastered the Mana Runes. Without exaggeration, as long as he could get through the current difficult period and had enough time, Rocky was destined to become a prominent figure in this sky!


    This was the reason Liliya had so much confidence in Rocky.


    Unfortunately, Aileen was not aware of this, so after listening to Liliya, she just smiled, "Perhaps, but Captain Liliya, you should know that the City Lord won''t only be dealing with the likes of Perolo."


    "It''s all the same."


    Aileen''s skepticism didn''t surprise Liliya, mainly because Aileen was still unaware that Rocky had mastered the top technology of Mana Runes. Therefore, she didn''t argue further but said with full confidence:


    "Be it Perolo or Jia Xi, they''re just clowns who can only strut around for a while. In front of Rocky, the current Jia Xi is no different from the former Perolo."


    ......


    ......


    By the time Liliya returned to the City Lord''s Mansion and saw Rocky in the laboratory, it was already the afternoon. She and Aileen had chatted for a long time, almost seeing Aileen all the way home before coming back.


    "You''re back, what took you so long?"


    In the lab, Rocky was still busy inscribing Runes for the Void Magic Armor. At least thirty First Level Runes had been etched inside the lining of the chest plate of the Armor. However, as soon as he saw Liliya return, he put down his pen.


    "I had a chat with Aileen, so I got a bit held up," she said.


    "Oh? Did you find out why she''s been off her game?"


    Rocky was curious to hear Liliya mention this, so he couldn''t help but ask.


    "It''s because of Jia Xi."


    After taking a sip of water, Liliya recounted the matter to Rocky.


    Rocky frowned upon hearing it.


    "That old bastard is really trying to play the dirty old man...and I haven''t had my chance with her yet..."


    "You''re still green yourself, so quit thinking about tender grass," Liliya unexpectedly heard his muttering and Rocky, startled, quickly retracted his head and hurriedly said, "I got it, I''ll handle this matter."


    After saying that, he picked up the Magic Energy Pen again, seemingly ready to continue inscribing Runes, but then he seemed to remember something and turned to look at Liliya again.


    "Liliya, it seems like you had noticed something between Aileen and Jia Xi long ago, right?"


    "Did you ever encounter something similar?"


    Rocky might have been a bit slow on the uptake with this issue, but he was not a fool and immediately sensed there was more to it.


    However, Liliya responded with a faint smile and, heading towards the door, said, "Of course not. If anything like that had happened, I''d have told you."

 Chapter 28: Chapter 27 God City

    "Why does everything seem so strange today?"Watching Liliya turn around and leave, with an impish smile still on her face, Rocky was utterly confused. What was going on today? It was one thing that Aileen was acting out of sorts, but why did Liliya also seem off?


    "Women, truly baffling..." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shaking his head, Rocky put this intricate issue, one even the saints might not understand, to the back of his mind and continued with the Magic Energy Pen.


    The situation Aileen found herself in, to be honest, had relieved him of concern.


    Because it meant he didn''t need to hold onto any hope for the negotiations; he just had to focus wholeheartedly on thinking of other methods. As for the matter of the rising yarn prices, and that shameless Jia Xi who wanted to use it to blackmail either him or Aileen, he naturally had ways to cope.


    But the precondition was, he must successfully turn his Void Magic Armor into rune equipment, so as to further enhance its power!


    So Rocky quickly cast all concerns aside and started to focus on drawing runes on the Armor.


    A day passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was the next morning.


    The following morning, not waiting for Overseer Jia Xi to come to him, Rocky took the lead and called both him and Aileen to the City Lord''s Hall.


    "City Lord, have you made up your mind regarding this trade?"


    Upon seeing Rocky, Jia Xi still wore the same polite smile as the previous two days, his demeanor courteous, radiating confidence.


    "Overseer Jia Xi, the terms you''ve proposed..."


    Just as Jia Xi was awaiting Rocky''s reply, Aileen, who was standing next to Rocky, spoke first.


    After a thorough conversation with Liliya, Aileen had evidently readjusted herself and was ready for a rematch with Jia Xi!


    But just as she was about to speak, Rocky, from his position as the City Lord, gestured with his hand, interrupting her, and looked towards Jia Xi, "Overseer Jia Xi, about the price of yarn..."


    "We accept."


    Rocky said expressionlessly as he looked at Jia Xi.


    "My Lord!"


    Not only did Aileen, who was ready to challenge Jia Xi, freeze in shock upon hearing this, but Jia Xi himself also abruptly raised his head, looking incredulously at Rocky!


    "My Lord..."


    At this moment, Aileen couldn''t worry about formalities and leaned close to Rocky''s ear to say, "My Lord, I''ve thought of a way to deal with Jia Xi, please give me another chance¡­"


    Aileen wasn''t just making empty talk or being boastful this time, because after Liliya sent her home the day before, she adjusted her state and thought of a method to handle Jia Xi!


    Jia Xi''s unwillingness to budge in the negotiations, and his brazen confidence, were rooted in his belief that Thunderhawk City could only import yarn from the Azure Commerce Guild. However, if the Guild insisted on raising the yarn prices so much, Thunderhawk City could simply purchase the yarn at the same high prices from other Chambers of Commerce!


    This approach might not benefit Thunderhawk City, as they would still need to spend more money to acquire yarn, but for the Azure Commerce Guild, it meant losing a client in Thunderhawk City!


    And for Jia Xi, who had come for these negotiations, it would signify his failure. If he caused the loss of Thunderhawk City as a long-term and stable client, wouldn''t that count as a failure?


    This was exactly the bargaining chip Thunderhawk City needed!


    And once she had this chip in hand, Aileen believed she could definitely drive the yarn prices down. Not to overpromise, but reducing the increased rate to within twenty percent was absolutely feasible!


    Only, she never expected Rocky to suddenly agree to the other party''s proposal, not planning to let her negotiate further. This was totally beyond her expectations, which was why she couldn''t help but whisper to Rocky.


    But in response to her whisper, Rocky simply smiled with an air of confidence, subtly shaking his head at Aileen before turning his gaze back to Jia Xi.


    "Overseer Jia Xi, we''ll go with the yarn price you''ve mentioned. Please, have your merchant ships offload the goods as soon as possible."


    "Yes."


    Looking up at Rocky, Jia Xi hastily affirmed.


    However, his expression at that moment contained no joy whatsoever.


    Logically, this outcome was precisely what he wanted. Although he didn''t manage to get Aileen, he was, after all, a merchant. Having successfully concluded the deal, he should feel delighted regardless of the circumstances.


    But Jia Xi could not bring himself to feel happy, as when his gaze fell upon Rocky, he experienced an unexplained pang in his heart!


    In his sight, Rocky sat firmly in the City Lord''s position, looking down on him with an expressionless face. This made Jia Xi extremely uncomfortable.


    He had been in big situations before and had even personally dealt with City Lords of some medium-sized Sky Cities¡ªindividuals who were tycoons in these skies. The feeling Rocky gave him now was exactly the same as those giants!


    That was why Jia Xi couldn''t feel happy. He even thought... thought that maybe in this matter, he had gone a bit... too far?


    Even though the negotiation concluded in his favor, had he possibly upset the City Lord before him?


    "Just a lord of a broken little city, what do I have to fear!"


    As soon as these thoughts emerged, Jia Xi quickly consoled himself. Rocky was nothing but the lord of a minor Sky City, struggling to protect himself. What was there to fear? Even if the City Lord remembered this with resentment, what could he do?


    So, after a moment of self-reassurance, Jia Xi bowed to Rocky and left the City Lord''s Hall to arrange for the cargo ships to be unloaded.


    Once he had departed, Aileen, who couldn''t understand at all why Rocky would behave this way, couldn''t hold back any longer and finally blurted out:


    "My Lord, why did you agree to his demands? I... I could have continued to negotiate with him¡­"


    Aileen was originally very angry about Rocky''s decision, which she found not only rash but also quite thoughtless. However, when she recalled her own performance the past couple of days, her confidence waned.


    She even suspected that Rocky''s impatience might be due to a lost hope in her...


    However, Rocky''s following words left Aileen stunned.


    Rocky then smiled and said, "Aileen, I know of course you could have found a way, but for someone like Jia Xi, there''s no need for my finance officer to go through such trouble. Just let him be."


    After expressing his indifference, he switched topics and asked, "How are the arrangements for the Magic Stones coming along?"


    "The merchants have already been contacted, and they will arrive within the next few days."


    "Pay close attention to the sale of textiles as well."


    "Understood."


    "Another thing..."


    After giving Aileen a few instructions, Rocky suddenly changed the subject,"I plan to send Thunderhawk City to the Eternal City, so prepare yourself¡ªyou''re the one I''ll be counting on when the time comes."


    "The... Eternal City?"


    The mention of Eternal City by Rocky made Aileen freeze, not understanding his intentions.


    The Eternal City Rocky referred to was also a Sky City, but no ordinary Sky City. It was one of the biggest cities in the skies, known for being a God City!


    The hierarchy of Sky Cities had been widely recognized many years ago.


    Cities like Thunderhawk City, with populations under ten thousand, are all classified as small Sky Cities. Only when the population exceeds ten thousand do they qualify as medium-sized Sky Cities.


    The population ceiling for medium-sized Sky Cities is one hundred thousand. Once the population exceeds one hundred thousand, it becomes a large Sky City. Canglang City, where the headquarters of Azure Commerce Guild is located, just barely exceeds the threshold with a population over one hundred thousand, making it a large Sky City.


    But above the large Sky Cities is another level: the Divine Cities!


    The so-called Divine Cities are the super-large cities with populations above one million.


    In the whole sky, there are only ten Divine Cities, known as the Top Ten Divine Cities. These ten God Cities are the true behemoths of the skies, and the forces they represent are the most elite tycoons in the skies, dividing and ruling the sky among themselves.


    Even among the Top Ten Divine Cities, the Eternal City mentioned by Rocky was the most special, as it is a neutral city open to all, belonging to no particular power, and also the largest trade center in the entire sky.


    What puzzled Aileen was exactly this: Eternal City is a neutral city, to which Thunderhawk City could certainly go, but what for?


    As the biggest trade city in the entire sky, those who go to the Eternal City either go for business or for leisure and enjoyment. But neither has anything to do with Rocky or Thunderhawk City!


    Try as she might, Aileen couldn''t fathom why Rocky wanted to go to the Eternal City, so she asked:


    "My Lord, you want to go to the Eternal City¡­ for what purpose?"


    "Of course, to make money," he said.


    Rocky looked at Aileen with a chuckle, "You''ll know when the time comes."

 Chapter 29: Chapter 28: Carried Away by Success

    "What exactly have you planned?"After Aileen left with deep confusion, Liliya couldn''t help but ask Rocky. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, even she was a bit puzzled by what was going through Rocky''s mind, and she was equally curious as to why he wanted to go to Eternal City.


    "Don''t worry, you''ll know when the time comes."


    Rocky gave her a confident smirk and then asked, "Liliya, how long do you estimate it will take Thunderhawk City to fly to Eternal City?"


    One of the biggest differences between Sky City and cities on land is their ability to fly in the air, meaning they can go anywhere they want, albeit slowly, so when Rocky mentioned going to Eternal City, he wasn''t suggesting taking a skyship, but flying the whole of Thunderhawk City there!


    "Well... at least a month, I guess. Eternal City seldom moves, and from our current position, it should not be too far."


    "That''s good to know." Rocky nodded upon hearing the time estimation and then left the City Lord''s Hall, diving into his research room as usual.


    A month was not too long, nor too short, but he had to finish the runification of the Void Magic Armor within this period, or else the following matters would be troublesome.


    So after returning to his research room, he immediately picked up his Magic Energy Pen and continued drawing runes on the breastplate of the Void Magic Armor.


    With days of effort, he had successfully drawn nearly a hundred First Level Runes on the breastplate, but even so, it was still not enough.


    The Void Magic Armor itself already had extremely high defensive power, and to further enhance it with runes on that basis required a massive amount of runes to provide mana support. Therefore, by Rocky''s conservative estimation, he needed to draw over two hundred runes on the breastplate to truly make an effect.


    This was a massive project, which not only consumed magic power but also drained his energy, and was by no means a task that could be completed casually.


    Consequently, in the days that followed, he never stepped out of his research room, sometimes even choosing to sleep there.


    After three whole days, he finally managed to draw a total of two hundred mana runes on the breastplate!


    "Phew... it is finally complete!"


    Looking at his work, completed day and night, Rocky took a long breath of relief and immediately moved on to the wrist guard of the Void Magic Armor on the research table without stopping.


    Yes, simply drawing runes on the breastplate was far from enough for him; he intended to draw runes on the entire set of Void Magic Armor to undergo a comprehensive enhancement!


    The reason he called it enhancement rather than modification was because everything he was doing now did not cause any fundamental changes to the Void Magic Armor, it was merely an enhancement using runes.


    Frankly speaking, his usage of runes was truly an underapplication, for the potential and changes that mana runes could bring about were far beyond simple enhancement.


    But the predicament was that the current Rocky indeed lacked the conditions and capability to bring out the true potential of the runes, and this method of using them to enhance the Void Magic Armor was already his limit.


    However, even if his method ''wronged'' the mana runes, should it succeed, it would still be considered a pioneering act!


    Time went on, day by day, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye. During this period, Rocky spent almost every day in his research room, and the set of Void Magic Armor he owned was gradually filled with runes, one piece after another.


    As time progressed, Rocky''s speed in drawing runes visibly increased. This was partly due to his increasingly proficient technique and partly because, apart from the breastplate, the other parts of the Void Magic Armor were smaller, hence accommodating fewer runes.


    While Rocky was wholeheartedly enhancing the Void Magic Armor, two things happened within Thunderhawk City. The first was the arrival of people from the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber.


    As mentioned before, there were only two Chambers of Commerce that had trade relations with Thunderhawk City: Azure Commerce Guild was responsible for selling yarn and food to the city, while the cloth produced by Thunderhawk City would be sold to the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber.


    Compared to the Azure Commerce Guild, backed by Canglang City, the cloth-buying Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber was much smaller. The Chamber''s headquarters were in a mid-sized Sky City, and it was a standard organization with average strength; otherwise, it wouldn''t have come to purchase cloth from Thunderhawk City for a bargain.


    Fortunately, despite its small size, the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber had a good reputation, so this transaction went smoothly, and Thunderhawk City managed to sell all its cloth without any trouble.


    The second event that occurred during this period also involved a transaction¡ªit was the arrival of the Magic Stone merchants contacted by Aileen.


    Since Rocky had only a few Medium Magic Stones, the Chamber of Commerce would not make a special appearance for this, and only a few merchants came to Thunderhawk City.


    However, due to the previous failed negotiations with the Azure Commerce Guild, Aileen felt very guilty, believing her own incompetence led to the failure. So when dealing with the few Magic Stone merchants, she really put her heart into it.


    Who knows what method she used, but when Aileen sold all the magic stones that Rocky had handed over to her, she actually fetched a price of a full three thousand gold coins!


    This price greatly exceeded Rocky''s expectations!


    He may not be a businessman, nor was he familiar with the market, but he still had some understanding of the approximate price of a medium magic stone; a fully charged medium magic stone typically valued around five hundred gold coins, and since Rocky initially only found four medium magic stones from the research institute, he estimated that these four magic stones could sell for two thousand gold coins at best.


    However, he never expected Aileen to be so amazing, managing to increase the final price by a thousand gold coins. That was equivalent to a fifty percent increase!


    "Aileen, how exactly did you do it?"


    When Aileen told Rocky the result, even he, who wasn''t much interested in trading, couldn''t help but ask.


    "My Lord, I just took advantage of the other party''s mindset," she said.


    Looking at the ever curious Rocky, the frustration that had been weighing on Aileen''s chest these past few days finally relieved itself quite a bit.


    Her last negotiation with the Azure Commerce Guild had cost her several sleepless nights; she had never thought she would lose so miserably. Even though Rocky hadn''t complained about her at all over this matter, Aileen couldn''t get past it herself.


    Her resilience, and her pride, couldn''t accept such a crushing defeat, so she was very driven in the trade of the magic stones, determined to perform well in front of Rocky.


    It wasn''t that Aileen valued Rocky''s opinion of her too highly, but rather she didn''t allow anyone to look down on her!


    "Hehe, it seems that Lord Voss''s recommendation was indeed correct," Rocky said.


    Seeing Aileen''s confident demeanor, returning to the proud noble young lady she once was, Rocky was reassured. As for the specifics of the deal and exactly what methods Aileen used, he actually didn''t care.


    "By the way, how much money do we have in the city now?"


    Thinking about the recent sale of the city''s fabrics and now the sale of the magic stones, Rocky felt like he should have quite a bit of money by now, right?


    "My Lord, there are roughly sixty-seven thousand gold coins in the city," Aileen, the finance officer, naturally knew Thunderhawk City''s financial details like the back of her hand, and so she gave him an exact figure on the spot.


    However, after giving this number, the previously somewhat exuberant Aileen lost her smile, and her expression turned serious, "My Lord, winter is approaching, you should consider purchasing grain."


    "Our last trade with the Azure Commerce Guild made it clear they intend to take advantage of the Canglang City war to hike their prices, and as a result the price of yarn has gone up. In a few days, the price they sell us grain will also rise."


    "And ... the increase won''t be small."


    The saying that one falling leaf foretells the coming of autumn was evident through the increase in yarn prices by the Azure Commerce Guild. It could be inferred that the price of grain they would sell to us would not be at the original price either; it was bound to rise as well.


    What was more important was that Rocky had easily accepted the price of the yarn before, which undoubtedly signaled to the Azure Commerce Guild that Thunderhawk City had money! So, not only would they hike the price of grain, but the increase would certainly not be small.


    As the finance officer, Aileen understood this matter better than anyone, so she had to remind Rocky, warning him not to think that a few tens of thousands of gold coins made Thunderhawk City secure. When the need arose, those sixty or seventy thousand gold coins might not be enough at all!


    "I know, how could I possibly forget something like that."


    "But don''t worry, I have a plan in my mind, and you''ll see when we get to Eternal City."


    However, faced with Aileen''s warning, Rocky dismissed it with nonchalance and didn''t wait for Aileen to continue before sending her away, which caused her considerable consternation. She even felt that Rocky had become arrogant due to having some money.


    It wasn''t just her who thought so; even Liliya, who was beside Rocky, frowned after the event and couldn''t help but say to him:


    "You should have let Aileen finish speaking; she was indeed looking out for you this time."


    "I know," Rocky replied.


    After glancing at the furrowed brow of Liliya, Rocky smiled faintly and then, unexpectedly, made a proposal:


    "Liliya, would you be interested in joining me for some martial technique practice?"

 Chapter 30: Chapter 29: Strengthening Armor! (Part 1)

    "What do you want to do with me?"Rocky''s words made Liliya question if there was something wrong with her ears. They were clearly discussing important matters concerning Thunderhawk City; how did the conversation suddenly shift to this topic? S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Didn''t you say I should practice more? I''m free today, so I thought I''d seek your guidance."


    With a hearty laugh, Rocky didn''t give Liliya any time to respond and pulled her away from the City Lord''s Hall, heading straight to the garden behind the City Lord''s Mansion.


    The so-called garden behind the City Lord''s Mansion was actually just a relatively large grassy area. Logically, this was where Rocky practiced his martial techniques, but he hadn''t been there since his arrival from another world.


    "Rocky, do you really want to practice martial techniques with me?"


    Having been forcefully dragged to the garden, Liliya was still somewhat disbelieving. She had indeed urged Rocky to spend more time on martial techniques and magic, but Rocky had never listened; what was different today that he was so proactive?


    "Of course."


    Facing Liliya''s disbelief, Rocky appeared very confident, clearly not joking.


    But then, he quickly added, "However, you are much higher in level than me, so I need to wear the Void Magic Armor."


    "Void Magic Armor?"


    "You, you''ve already successfully modified the Void Magic Armor?!"


    Liliya, being very intelligent and aware that Rocky had been working on modifying the Void Magic Armor using runes, immediately thought of this when he mentioned it.


    "It''s not a modification, just an enhancement."


    Liliya''s words made Rocky unable to resist showing a proud smile because, as Liliya had said, after many days of effort, he had finally succeeded in enhancing the Void Magic Armor using runes!


    That''s why he had sought out Liliya to try his hand and see what kind of power the enhanced Void Magic Armor could unleash!


    "You, you really did it?!"


    Seeing Rocky''s proud face, Liliya was also extremely delighted, because whether it was an enhancement or a modification using runes, it was a pioneering act!


    Thus, Liliya too became excited and was very interested in the enhanced Void Magic Armor.


    Afterward, Rocky returned to his room, put on the Void Magic Armor, and didn''t leave through the door. Instead, he flew directly out the window to the garden.


    "Really..."


    Seeing his somewhat ostentatious entrance, Liliya shook her head helplessly, thinking that at times Rocky really did seem like a child who had never grown up. However, she quickly turned her attention to the Void Magic Armor, eager to see what the enhanced armor looked like.


    Unfortunately, when she looked at Rocky, she found that the Void Magic Armor he wore still looked the same. While it still appeared impressive, there was no change in its shape, and there wasn''t even a rune visible.


    This wasn''t surprising, because Rocky, in order to avoid drawing attention, had specifically drawn the runes inside the lining of the Void Magic Armor; thus, the real change in the armor was internal.


    After making a stylish entry, Rocky looked up at Liliya with confidence and said, "Should I go easy on you?"


    "Go easy on me?"


    This comment made Liliya laugh out loud. The Void Magic Armor might be strong, but its effectiveness depended largely on the person wearing it. With Rocky''s limited abilities, even in the Void Magic Armor, Liliya was not worried.


    So, without saying anything further, Liliya drew her side sword from her waist and pointed the tip at Rocky:


    "You better be careful; I won''t hold back."


    The moment her words hit the air, she suddenly lunged forward, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye, and then swept her sword toward his chest!


    Curious about the power of the enhanced Void Magic Armor, Liliya went all out from the start, not holding back at all, knowing that with the armor''s protection, Rocky was unlikely to get hurt; she didn''t need to worry.


    It must be said that Liliya was definitely not just for show. Not only did she possess the strength of a Third-Level Warrior, she had also experienced the carnage of the battlefield firsthand, truly qualifying her as a genuine warrior. Therefore, even when faced with Rocky wearing the enhanced Void Magic Armor, which brought him up to the level of a Fourth Level Warrior, she was not afraid at all!


    In the blink of an eye, Rocky hadn''t even fully grasped Liliya''s movements when he felt the sword light at his chest. Then, he heard a clang as the sword struck directly upon his chest. Although it didn''t injure him, the immense force still pushed him back several steps!


    This is the ¡­ enhanced Void Magic Armor?


    Unexpectedly, with one strike, Liliya forced Rocky into a retreat. She paused, totally not anticipating this outcome; the enhanced Void Magic Armor seemed no different from before.


    Rocky, equally surprised by this result, stabilized himself after retreating four or five steps and was utterly astonished. He had not expected Liliya to strike as quickly as she did, nor did he anticipate such immense power!


    And just as he was secretly amazed, Liliya appeared in front of him again.


    "Wait...!"


    Seeing Liliya charge at him again, Rocky was just about to speak when he realized that Liliya had only feinted an attack before disappearing from his view.


    By the time he relocated Liliya, he had already been fiercely kicked, following her feint which had allowed her to move behind him and kick him off balance!


    "Wait a second..."


    In just a few rounds of engagement, Rocky was already thoroughly disoriented and hurriedly tried to call a halt.


    Unfortunately, Liliya didn''t give him a chance to speak. Her figure blurred once more as she charged at him again, forcing him to leap into the air and fly up.


    "Liliya, wait, wait a minute..."


    Having escaped into mid-air, Rocky tried to continue speaking, but then saw Liliya on the ground raising her hand toward him.


    This gesture immediately made Rocky''s skin crawl, followed by a foreboding exclamation, but it was already too late!


    Because afterwards, Liliya sent three fireballs hurling towards him with whooshing sounds!


    Liliya was not only a Third-Level Warrior but also a Level Two Mage!


    Facing the three fireballs flying towards him, Rocky hurriedly dodged. Just when he barely managed to avoid them, he spotted a figure leaping from the ground out of the corner of his eye, then felt himself being powerfully kicked and sent crashing towards the ground!


    With a boom, Rocky slammed into the ground like a shot-down cannonball, creating a huge crater in the grass...


    For a moment, dust was thrown up, completely covering the spot where he landed, making it impossible to see the situation inside.


    It wasn''t until a while later that the dust finally settled, revealing Rocky''s disheveled figure.


    At that moment, Rocky was a complete mess, his Void Magic Armor covered in mud, looking like a soldier who had just fled a lost battle.


    Seeing his disheveled state, Liliya also opened her mouth awkwardly, and it took her a long while to finally say:


    "Rocky, is this your enhanced Void Magic Armor? It seems... it seems no different from before..."


    Although she didn''t want to demoralize Rocky, Liliya couldn''t help but speak her true thoughts. She really couldn''t see any difference in the Void Magic Armor!


    Defeating Rocky without him being able to resist was exactly the expected outcome, because Rocky lacked actual combat experience and had only mediocre fundamentals. Thus, even with the Void Magic Armor, he couldn''t win against Liliya, a fact known to both of them.


    Liliya had initially thought that after being enhanced by runes, the Void Magic Armor would greatly increase Rocky''s capabilities, at least making him not so inadequate against her, but now it seemed not to be the case at all, as if the enhancement of the Void Magic Armor did nothing.


    However, just as she finished speaking, Rocky, crawling up from the ground, started to roar!


    "What do you mean no difference! Who asked you to move so quickly, I, I haven''t even activated the rune''s mana yet!"


    Now, Rocky was infuriated. Because Liliya had acted too quickly, he had absolutely no time to activate the rune''s mana...

 Chapter 31: Chapter 30: Strengthening Armor! (Part 2)

    "I''m so pissed! Why couldn''t you wait until I was ready before attacking?"After climbing up from the ground in a disheveled state, Rocky couldn''t help but roar at Liliya.


    It turned out that Liliya had acted too quickly just now, and Rocky hadn''t been prepared at all; he had been flattened before he could even activate the runes on his armor...


    This outcome had nearly infuriated Rocky to death!


    The reason he had challenged Liliya to a spar was partly to test how powerful the enhanced Void Magic Armor was after its upgrade; he knew Liliya was the highest-ranked and most experienced warrior in Thunderhawk City, and only by fighting her could he truly evaluate the strength of the enhanced Void Magic Armor.


    On the other hand, Rocky actually wanted to show off in front of Liliya.


    In Rocky''s view, Liliya was perfect in every way; if he had to point out a flaw, it was that she was too dominant. Not only was her personality assertive, but her strength was formidable as well. Having such a strong woman by his side all the time almost constantly bruised his ego, so he also wanted to prove himself in front of Liliya, even if it meant wearing the Void Magic Armor.


    But the result... turned out to be a thorough thrashing from the get-go, which was nothing like what Rocky had anticipated!


    "This..."


    Hearing his words, Liliya showed a rare expression of embarrassment; she genuinely hadn''t expected things to turn out this way. Looking at Rocky, who seemed to have suffered a great injustice, she had no idea what to say.


    "Wait until I''m ready before you attack this time!"


    After muttering sulkily, Rocky tried to calm himself down. Then he began to harness his magic power to connect with the runes on the Void Magic Armor, activating the mana within them and truly enhancing the armor in the intended way.


    Time ticked away second by second. During this process, Liliya didn''t dare to move an inch, afraid of disturbing Rocky, and remained standing opposite him.


    After a while, she couldn''t help but ask, "Are you, are you ready yet?"


    "Ready!"


    This time, Rocky finally nodded his head. Now he had connected to every rune on the Void Magic Armor with his own magic power, fully activating them all!


    "Really?"


    Seeing him nod, Liliya still hesitated to act because she didn''t notice any change in the Void Magic Armor from before.


    Although Rocky claimed to be ready now, he still looked as disheveled as before, making Liliya reluctant to make her move. She didn''t want to hurt Rocky''s pride again.


    "Come on!"


    Seemingly discerning her hesitancy, Rocky was significantly more confident than before, nodding firmly at Liliya.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Sure, come on!"


    Seeing how certain Rocky was, Liliya took a deep breath, and when she looked at him again, her eyes were razor-sharp!


    Liliya''s nature was such that once she got serious, she would show no mercy. Since Rocky claimed he was genuinely prepared this time, she gripped her longsword tightly and dashed toward him like an arrow!


    In the blink of an eye, she reached Rocky and swung her sword in a sweeping strike aimed directly at his chest.


    Previously, it was this very strike that had forced Rocky to retreat, and she used the same move this time, with undiminished strength.


    Faced with the same attack as before, Rocky didn''t react in time, or for some other reason, he didn''t dodge, allowing the sword to land on him!


    A loud clang resounded as the longsword struck heavily against the armor!


    "How, how could this be...!"


    Having struck Rocky with her sword, Liliya was stunned because the strike, which was identical in technique and force to the previous one, resulted in a completely different outcome!


    Before, her single strike had made Rocky retreat uncontrollably, backing up four or five steps before stopping.


    But this time, Rocky, having been hit, didn''t budge an inch, not even a sway!


    How could there be such a big difference?!


    This result, far beyond Liliya''s expectations, left her astonished, as she knew her strike was without reservation, a genuine full-force attack. How could it have no effect? It wasn''t like this before!


    The astonishment on Liliya''s face finally brought a smile to Rocky''s lips, his heart swelling with pride.


    He had deliberately not dodged just now, wanting to see what kind of defensive power the combination of Void Magic Armor and mana runes could produce.


    The result was unexpectedly good, easily blocking Liliya''s attack, which meant that Rocky''s enhancement of the Void Magic Armor had been a success!


    He had successfully used mana runes to enhance the Void Magic Armor, significantly increasing its defensive power, convincingly proving its ability to withstand Liliya''s attack without budging!


    "Unimaginable..."


    While Rocky could hardly contain his triumph, Liliya couldn''t help but marvel. She truly hadn''t expected the enhanced Void Magic Armor to improve so much.


    Normally, Rocky''s set of Void Magic Armor would only raise his strength to the level of a fourth-level warrior and a third-level mage, but Liliya''s own strength was already at the pinnacle of a third-level warrior.


    Combined with her rich combat experience, her fighting power wasn''t much different from that of a fourth-level warrior, which was why she had been able to suppress Rocky wearing the Void Magic Armor before.


    But now, Rocky''s Void Magic Armor had clearly been upgraded a notch in terms of defense. Liliya had extensive combat experience and knew well enough that even a fourth-level warrior couldn''t effortlessly withstand her full-force strike, yet Rocky had done just that, and he hadn''t even defended actively; it was the Void Magic Armor''s own defensive power that had blocked her complete strike!


    What did this indicate?


    It meant that the enhanced Void Magic Armor had definitely surpassed the defensive level of a fourth-level warrior and might even have reached fifth-level capability!


    This enhancement was a qualitative leap!


    Perhaps even Rocky hadn''t expected the Void Magic Armor, once enhanced by runes, would receive such an astonishing improvement!


    To verify this possibility, Liliya flashed behind Rocky''s back in an instant, delivering a ferocious kick to his back before he could react.


    With a thud, Liliya put all her strength into the kick that squarely hit Rocky''s back, yet he remained immovable as a mountain!


    The enhanced Void Magic Armor had once again perfectly blocked her attack!


    "How is it? Impressive, isn''t it?"


    Slowly turning around, Rocky was like a child eager for praise, impatiently asking.


    Facing his demeanor, Liliya couldn''t help but feel both helpless and fond, yet she seriously nodded, "It''s very strong."


    "Really?"


    "Yes." Seeing Rocky''s excitement, Liliya honestly said, "With the Void Magic Armor and the rune''s reinforcement, your defensive power has reached the level of a fifth-level warrior. My attacks can no longer defeat you."


    "It has reached the level of a fifth-level warrior? That''s incredible. I didn''t expect the enhancement effect to be so apparent."


    Hearing Liliya''s words, Rocky was surprised as well. He had truly not anticipated such a huge improvement in the Void Magic Armor after its enhancement.


    "Attack me."


    And just as Rocky was also amazed by the enhanced Void Magic Armor, Liliya took a step back to create some distance and then said to him:


    "Attack me. Let me see if the Void Magic Armor has also reached the offensive power of a fifth-level warrior."


    "Alright!"


    Nodding, Rocky gripped his sword tightly and then charged towards Liliya with large strides!


    Before the rune enhancement, the Void Magic Armor could bring Rocky up to the standard of a fourth-level warrior, so his speed was by no means slow. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Liliya, swinging his sword down!


    "So fast!"


    As Rocky charged towards her, Liliya didn''t dare to slack and quickly raised her sword to block. But in the next second, she inwardly cursed and gracefully dodged the strike.


    "That''s enough, no need to continue..."


    Seeing Liliya dodge the attack, Rocky originally intended to keep on the offensive, but Liliya immediately called a halt. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What''s the matter?"


    Not expecting Liliya to stop the fight, Rocky was a bit taken aback.


    "There''s no need to continue. The dual reinforcement of the Void Magic Armor and the rune has brought your offensive power to the level of a fifth-level warrior, too. I simply can''t withstand it, and given that you have a rune on your sword, my ordinary sword would be sliced in two if it were to block."


    As she spoke, Liliya helplessly shook her head. The dual reinforcement from the Void Magic Armor and the rune had brought Rocky up to the level of a fifth-level warrior both offensively and defensively, creating a gap that could no longer be bridged by experience and skill, so there was no point in continuing the fight.


    "That''s great! That means my enhancement was a complete success!"


    Liliya''s assessment finally put Rocky at ease, as it confirmed the complete and even beyond expected success of his enchantment on the Void Magic Armor.


    "Rocky."


    However, just as Rocky was reveling in joy, Liliya walked up to him, and couldn''t help but speak up, "I have something I want to ask you."


    "Oh? What is it?"


    "Why the rush to enhance the Void Magic Armor?"


    Looking into Rocky''s eyes, Liliya voiced the question that had been on her mind for a while. She''d been curious why Rocky was so hasty in enhancing the Void Magic Armor.


    It was something she couldn''t figure out. The study of mana runes was indeed important, and Liliya admitted that, but let''s not forget Rocky wasn''t a researcher, he was the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, which was facing a significant crisis at the moment!


    Winter was fast approaching, and they had yet to secure food for the season, which should be the top priority for a City Lord!


    Yet, rather than focusing on these matters, Rocky had been devoting all his attention to enhancing the Void Magic Armor, something Liliya couldn''t understand.


    "Because..."


    Rocky was well aware of Liliya''s doubt. He hadn''t explained in detail before because even he wasn''t sure if his ideas would work, but now he could share his thoughts since he had completed the most crucial step.


    So Rocky went on to say:


    "I was in a hurry to enhance the Void Magic Armor because only in this way can we make money, money to buy food."


    "Making money from enhancing the Void Magic Armor? How do you plan to make money?"


    Liliya was even more confused by Rocky''s explanation.


    "I plan to... hunt demons!"


    Looking at Liliya, Rocky revealed his long-held idea!

 Chapter 32: Chapter 31 Were Together!

    "What, what did you say?"Rocky''s words had stunned Liliya!


    And a moment later, having regained her senses, she rushed to Rocky''s front, "No! Rocky, you mustn''t think like this, don''t consider targeting the demons!"


    Rocky had anticipated Liliya''s reaction, so he just sighed helplessly and looked back at her with a question, "Other than targeting the demons, do we have any other choice?"


    His counter-question was filled with helplessness but left Liliya speechless.


    As Liliya had said earlier, Thunderhawk City was facing a significant crisis. Winter was approaching, and the city lacked the food reserves for the cold months. The Azure Commerce Guild had also chosen this time to hike up the trade prices, leaving Thunderhawk City unable to afford enough food.


    How would they overcome this difficulty?


    This was the dilemma that had troubled everyone for the past month. Liliya was worried, Aileen was anxious, but no one was as desperate as Rocky, for Thunderhawk City was his! He was the City Lord!


    If something went wrong with the city, as the City Lord, wouldn''t Rocky be doomed too? Therefore, he was actually the most anxious of all.


    So while Rocky would spend each day in his laboratory tinkering with runes, at night, when everyone else in the city had fallen into a deep sleep, he would think about how to get Thunderhawk City through the winter, how to ensure the city''s residents had food to eat.


    Ultimately, he thought of a method: hunting demons!


    After so long familiarizing himself with this world, Rocky knew very well that demons were not just everyone''s enemies but also a resource!


    Demons were valuable!


    Ever since demons began to invade the land, people discovered that these creatures from the Different Dimension, despite being terrifying, were treasures all over!


    Their skin, as hard as steel yet as flexible as cloth, was the perfect material for making soft armor.


    The blood of demons was a prime magical ingredient, even capable of enhancing magic stones.


    The most valuable part of a demon was the Demon Core, equivalent to the heart of a demon, containing energy far surpassing that of any magic stone, a very precious item that many were researching to uncover the secrets of the Demon Core and locate the demons'' weakness.


    In short, a demon''s body was full of treasures. Therefore, whether it was the governments represented by the various Sky Cities or individuals aiming to make money, many were hunting demons all year round, and it had even led to the emergence of a new profession: Demon Hunter.


    And the method Rocky thought of was to hunt demons.


    If he could successfully kill a demon, he could easily earn close to ten thousand gold coins!


    This price was not exaggerated at all, for although demons were everywhere, unless a formal military force was deployed for a large-scale hunt, killing a demon with an individual''s power was very difficult, hence the high price. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was why Rocky was heading Thunderhawk City towards Eternal City; it was the largest trade city in the skies. With demons in hand, once he reached Eternal City, he would not have to worry about being unable to sell them, nor fetching a high price.


    At the same time, this was also why he had been relentlessly strengthening his Void Magic Armor day and night. To hunt demons, he would have to act personally, as only the Void Magic Armor could contend with demons. However, Rocky knew his abilities were too mediocre, and his Void Magic Armor too outdated; thus, it was essential to enhance it with runes to have a chance at success!


    And now, having completed the enhancement of the Void Magic Armor, his next plan was to return to land, hunt demons, and then sell them. Thus, naturally, Thunderhawk City would overcome its crisis.


    In Rocky''s view, this was the only way to save Thunderhawk City!


    "No! You absolutely cannot go!"


    However, Liliya firmly disagreed with his idea.


    "Rocky, last time you already witnessed how terrifying demons are, they are monstrous creatures that only an army can contend with, not something you can handle alone."


    At this moment, Liliya showed an unprecedented level of agitation, because, in her view, Rocky''s idea was simply suicidal! She could rely on Rocky, could support him unconditionally, but she would never watch him go to his death. This was Liliya''s bottom line, so she firmly opposed Rocky''s method.


    "Liliya, this is the only way to save Thunderhawk City, I..."


    "Even if this city is destroyed, I want you to live!"


    Standing in front of Rocky, staring intently into his eyes, Liliya resolutely said!


    Her words stunned Rocky, he looked at Liliya''s eyes with some disbelief, seeing only determination in her eyes, which let Rocky know that Liliya wasn''t deceiving him, she would rather see Thunderhawk City fall than let him get hurt...


    So, Rocky smiled, smiled and placed his hands on Liliya''s shoulders, then he said, "Thunderhawk City won''t be destroyed, and I won''t die."


    "Because I didn''t plan to hunt demons alone, so why are you in such a hurry."


    "You don''t need to lie to me!", Liliya glared at Rocky, dismissing his words, "Don''t forget that I''m the Captain of the Guard in Thunderhawk City, none of the city''s guards and skyships can help you in this matter, they are no match for demons."


    "I didn''t say I wanted their help."


    Shaking his head at Liliya, Rocky became serious, "I want you to come with me, the two of us together, to hunt demons!"


    "Me?"


    Upon hearing this, Liliya was stunned, she stared blankly at Rocky for a long while before letting out a bitter smile, "Sorry... I cannot help you this time..."


    "I... am too weak..."


    Looking at Rocky, Liliya''s voice was filled with bitterness, "Unless I reach the strength of a fifth-level warrior, I wouldn''t even withstand a single blow from even the weakest demon, but I''m only a third level, this strength is not even enough to buy you some time in case of a demon encounter, I''m sorry..."


    As she spoke these words, Liliya felt extremely distressed, she indeed wanted to help Rocky, but as she had said, even to face the weakest demon, one would need the strength of a fifth-level warrior!


    This was experience that far too many had paid for with their lives, yet she was only third level.


    "No, you can, and only you can."


    However, just as she had finished speaking, Rocky shook his head and then smilingly reminded her, "Liliya, have you forgotten what I found at the research institute? It wasn''t just research notes and a few magic stones I found, but also several pieces of rune equipment!"


    "Those rune equipments are all personally crafted by Winsor! And as long as you wear the rune equipment, together, we can definitely hunt down the demons!"

 Chapter 33: Chapter 32: New Adventure!

    Rocky indeed wanted to earn money by hunting demons but he never thought of completing this task alone, because he knew he couldn''t do it, even if his Void Magic Armor was successfully enhanced, he still couldn''t do it.So, his initial idea was to team up with Liliya!


    "Are you saying... let me wear the rune equipment left by Winsel?"


    After hearing Rocky''s explanation, Liliya didn''t dismiss it immediately, but instead frowned and fell into thought.


    She had figured out that Rocky had made thorough preparations for this plan. Not only had he made arrangements for Thunderhawk City, but he had even taken helping her into consideration, which was very comprehensive, but... would his preparations be useful?


    If she wore the rune equipment left by Winsel, could she really fight the demons...?


    At this thought, Liliya glanced at Rocky and then asked, "Rocky, how powerful is the equipment left by Winsel? Tell me the truth."


    "Each piece of rune equipment is at least as strong as my Void Magic Armor!"


    Rocky quickly provided the answer to this question and didn''t exaggerate at all!


    The equipment he found from the research institute was indeed very powerful, those items were not ordinary, and they all had runes drawn by Winsel himself on them!


    This was the most important thing!


    Winsel was a top master who invented the mana runes; calling him the ultimate genius of this world was not an exaggeration. Thus, the rune equipment made by his own hands was absolutely no less powerful than the Void Magic Armor, and there was no doubt about that.


    "I see..."


    This answer made Liliya furrow her brow even tighter, her facial expression became quite intriguing in an instant, somewhat worried, yet also anticipative, eager to try while simultaneously filled with hesitation, clearly caught in a dilemma.


    Indeed, Liliya was conflicted because if Rocky hadn''t exaggerated, then relying on the rune equipment left by Winsel, she too started feeling eager to try hunting the demons.


    But she was also worried about Rocky''s reassurance; after all, equipment was just external aid, and hunting demons was like dancing on the edge of a knife¡ªany slight mistake could mean death, so Liliya was somewhat hesitant.


    "Liliya, it''s settled then, you and I will hunt demons together!"


    "Wha¡ªWhat! I haven''t..."


    Just as Liliya was indecisive, Rocky had already made the decision for her!


    "Liliya, I trust you, as long as you''re by my side, I''m sure nothing will happen to me."


    After saying this, Rocky leapt into the sky and flew towards the City Lord''s Mansion.


    "Rocky! What, what are you doing?"


    "I''m going to get your equipment, you are going to train me right away, we don''t have much time."


    Just as Liliya thought, Rocky had indeed made thorough preparations for hunting the demons, not only had he enhanced his Void Magic Armor, but he also planned to have Liliya train him!


    Hunting demons was very dangerous, Rocky knew this better than anyone; he obviously didn''t want to die doing this, so apart from the external preparations, he also hoped to improve himself. Although time was pressing, even a slight improvement before heading out could increase the success rate, and he did not intend to give up even this small chance of success.


    So once he had successfully persuaded Liliya, he immediately started sparring with her, and this time it was a real sparring session.


    After that, Liliya began a week-long intensive training for Rocky!


    During this week, Rocky never went back to the research lab, because a week''s time wasn''t long, it was actually very short. If he wanted to improve during such a short time, he needed to devote all his energy to training, without any distractions.


    Liliya was naturally very pleased with his actions, and to ensure Rocky could see results in such a short time, she became quite tough on him, sparing no mercy, truly putting him through a hellish training.


    Time passed day by day, and the week was over in the blink of an eye.


    That day, Thunderhawk City, gradually hovering in the sky, slowed to a stop, and the entire city floated high in the air.


    "City Lord, you... must be careful..."


    At this moment, within the Skyport of Thunderhawk City, a skyship had already prepared for takeoff, and both Rocky and Liliya were also ready to board.


    Seeing the two fully prepared, Aileen, who had come to see them off, could think of nothing else to say but to remind them to be careful.


    She had only learned a few days ago about their plans, and when she heard Rocky''s intentions, she was genuinely frightened and instinctively wanted to stop them, but it was to no avail. The only thing Aileen could do was to take good care of Thunderhawk City while Rocky was away.


    "We will be fine."


    With a laugh towards Aileen, Rocky appeared quite relaxed: "The city is in your hands now. Remember to keep the guards and the skyships on standby. The moment you see the signal, come to pick us up immediately."


    "Alright."


    Since the mission involved hunting demons, it would be impractical to take all ten skyships of the city, as that would be too conspicuous and might attract a multitude of demons.


    Therefore, this time Rocky sent only one skyship, and upon landing with Liliya, they would send the skyship back and signal Aileen when they wanted to return to the city. Upon seeing the signal, Aileen would dispatch a skyship to pick them up.


    This arrangement was so bold that even Aileen could hardly believe it, for it meant that Rocky was entrusting his life into her hands!


    Why would Rocky trust her so much?


    That question, even Aileen herself did not know. All she knew was that when Rocky informed her, she felt disbelief as well as a touch of emotion.


    "We are leaving now; make sure to watch for the signal!"


    As Aileen reminisced about the scenes from a few days ago, Rocky and Liliya had already boarded the skyship. They waved at her before the skyship gradually ascended and quickly flew towards the land.


    "Felly, keep all the skyships ready for takeoff, and keep an eye out for the City Lord''s signal."


    As the skyship gradually disappeared into the clouds, Aileen turned to a guard standing nearby and instructed. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This guard was none other than Felly, who had initially welcomed Rocky at the Skyport. He had since been promoted by Liliya to one of the deputy captains of the Guard Corps, specifically in charge of managing the skyships at the Skyport.


    "Yes!"


    With a response, Felly saluted Aileen militarily and then went to make preparations with his team.


    ......


    ......


    Leaving the people on standby in Thunderhawk City aside for now, Rocky, who was en route to the land on the skyship, was already seated in the cabin, seemingly resting with his eyes closed.


    This was his second return to the land, and he found it quite amusing, as his memories recalled that the former him had never set foot on land in his entire life. Yet now, he had made repeated trips to the land within just a month or two, the frequency of which was indeed a bit too rapid.


    Having recently been to the land, Rocky felt less excitement this time and no longer stood at the bow facing the wind like last time; instead, he sat quietly in the cabin.


    "Once we reach the land, follow my lead. You must not act on your own."


    As Rocky inwardly mused whether his return to the land was overly frequent, Liliya was cautioning him.


    By now, Liliya had donned a new set of equipment, specifically the rune equipment left by Wensel. Not only were these pieces exquisite, but they also featured patterns composed of runes, making Liliya look completely renewed.


    Even though she was equipped with more powerful gear, Liliya remained cautious and continued to remind Rocky that he must not act independently once they reached their destination.


    Among the two, only she had encountered real demons. Rocky''s knowledge of demons was still only theoretical, so they had agreed beforehand that Liliya would take the lead once they got to the land.


    "Okay."


    Rocky gave Liliya a serious look and nodded without jest.

 Chapter 34: Chapter 33: Crows Mouth(crows cawing could bring people bad luck)

    The journey back to the land from Sky City didn''t take long. After staying in the cabin for a few hours, Rocky felt the Skyship''s speed slow down, which clearly meant they were nearing the land.So he and Liliya left the cabin together and stood at the bow looking down, just in time to see another vast forest below them.


    "Lucky us, another forest."


    Discovering their landing spot was a forest made Liliya sigh with relief, for the terrain was ideal for their operation. Escaping danger would be easier in the woods than if they had landed in a large plain or desert, where they wouldn''t have a place to hide.


    "Steer the ship to the edge of the forest, then we can land."


    Liliya turned to the guard accompanying them and issued an instruction before turning to look at Rocky, only to find him unusually quiet and solemn.


    "What''s the matter, you nervous?"


    Seeing Rocky acting differently from before, Liliya asked with a smile.


    "Yeah, a bit nervous."


    Glancing at her, Rocky couldn''t help but take a deep breath and nodded.


    He hadn''t felt the slightest bit nervous when imagining all this before, nor when he was in the cabin, but now, as the Skyship was about to land, he couldn''t help feeling tense.


    "It''s normal to be nervous. After all, demon hunting is no game. One careless move and we both might not make it back."


    "But you don''t seem to be nervous..."


    Looking at Liliya, Rocky couldn''t help but admire her, as he couldn''t sense any nervousness coming from her.


    "Between the two of us, you handle the nerves, I''ll handle the calm."


    Curving her lips into a smile, Liliya cracked a rare joke.


    The joke finally drew a smile from Rocky, but he knew in his heart that Liliya''s extensive experience allowed her to be calm and composed at critical moments, a skill he completely lacked. He still had much to learn.


    "We''re about to land."


    Just then, Liliya''s voice brought him back to the present, and he saw the Skyship hovering at the edge of the forest, making its descent.


    Soon after, the Skyship settled steadily onto a grassland on the forest''s outskirts. Rocky and Liliya disembarked and headed straight for the forest. As they ventured further away, the Skyship slowly ascended and flew back to Thunderhawk City.


    "Now we''re truly on our own..."


    As he walked toward the forest with Liliya, Rocky looked back just in time to see the Skyship climb slowly, muttering to himself.


    Although this had been his own decision, the reality of being left on land made Rocky feel uneasy, or perhaps... scared?


    "What do you mean ''on our own''? You still have me."


    Liliya rolled her eyes at him and said, "Stop fretting, let''s get into the forest. We need to find the demons before they find us, otherwise we''ll be at a disadvantage."


    After saying that, she quickened her pace, and after taking a deep breath, Rocky followed closely. It wasn''t long before the two of them vanished into the woods.


    This forest was different from the one Rocky had visited last time. The vegetation here was sparse and the trees were not lush, making it hard to feel a sense of verdancy. Instead, the whole forest exuded an aura as if it were on the verge of decay.


    And when Rocky and Liliya truly entered the forest, they gradually slowed down and became more cautious.


    "Do you remember what I told you?"


    Liliya, leading the way, casually chopped off a branch blocking their path with her sword without looking back at Rocky.


    "I remember, if we encounter a high-level demon, we run as fast as we can."


    "That''s right."


    In this world, demons were ranked in tiers, with a great variety of species. The strength gap between different types and levels of demons could be tremendous.


    The strongest were, naturally, the high-level demons. Regardless of species, high-level demons were formidable. Warriors and mages stood no chance against them. Only a great warrior or an archmage, especially when equipped with Void Magic Armor, could fight a high-level demon, otherwise, it meant certain death.


    In comparison, low-level demons were much weaker, though their danger depended on the species. Some species might be classified as low-level, but their strength was still formidable, making them equally perilous entities.


    Over the past several days, Liliya had told Rocky much about the types of demons and the hierarchy of their levels, so he could be prepared and clear about their target for this mission.


    So, while Liliya didn''t look back as she led the way, she continued, "Our target this time is low-level demons, the lower the better. Hence, if we run into high-level demons or more than two low-level demons, we''ll run immediately."


    "Got it, we probably won''t be that unlucky to run into high-level demons right off the bat."


    Though Liliya''s words were true, Rocky felt it wouldn''t be so unfortunate for them to encounter high-level demons right away. They weren''t as common as cabbages on the roadside, surely they wouldn''t stumble upon one so soon?


    He had just finished speaking when suddenly a roar came from a distance, and at the same time, the ground beneath him and Liliya began to tremble continuously.


    "This, this is..."


    "Jinx!"


    This sudden, but ear-splitting roar, along with the trembling of the ground, undoubtedly signified great danger!


    So after giving Rocky a fierce glare, Liliya immediately dragged him behind a large tree for cover.


    In fact, both of them could tell that the roar did not come from the forest they were in; rather, it came from a very distant place, which only made it more evident how terrifying the source of that roar was. Liliya was afraid that the roar would disturb the demons in the forest, and naturally, they had to hide just in case.


    And if just a single roar could affect such a vast distance, one could imagine that the demon emitting the roar must be a high-level demon!


    They waited until the roar had completely subsided before Liliya and Rocky emerged from behind the tree where they had been hiding and finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Liliya, what exactly happened just now?"


    Turning his head towards the direction from which the roar came, Rocky couldn''t help but ask.


    "It''s likely that someone provoked a high-level demon. The two sides must be fighting."


    Just like Rocky, Liliya also turned to glance in that direction but her answer was not certain.


    "Could there be others like us, hunting demons as well?"


    "I don''t know."


    Shaking her head, Liliya sighed, "We''re better off minding our own business. Even if the others are hunting demons, their target is a high-level demon. Do you really want to encounter such a person?"


    "..."


    Rocky opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing. Those who targeted high-level demons¡ªwhat kind of beings were they? Indeed, it was best to avoid provoking them, better yet, not to meet them at all.


    "Let''s not worry about this anymore." Withdrawing her gaze, Liliya stepped forward to continue their progress, "Stay alert. If there are demons in this forest, they surely have been disturbed by that roar. We need to be cautious." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright."


    Agreeing, Rocky followed Liliya, his alertness heightened.


    The two of them cautiously made their way deeper into the forest, walking and stopping intermittently, always ready to halt at the slightest rustle of leaves or grass, prepared for combat.


    But despite their caution, they still hadn''t encountered any demons, a fact even Rocky found unusual.


    So, as night fell and Liliya decided they should stop to spend the night in the forest, Rocky couldn''t help but ask,


    "Liliya, what exactly is going on? Where have all the demons gone?"


    Sitting by the flickering campfire, looking at Liliya who sat opposite him, Rocky was somewhat agitated. It was beyond him how they had traveled the entire day without encountering a single demon; the phenomenon was just too abnormal.


    There''s an old saying¡ªabnormal occurrences often spell trouble; this was clearly not a good sign!


    "Something isn''t right¡­"


    Even Rocky had noticed something amiss, so how could Liliya, with her more extensive experience, not realize there was a problem?


    But she was also at a loss to understand what was happening.


    Initially, Liliya''s biggest concern was that the two of them would face a swarm of demons or even bump into a high-level demon, leaving them no chance to escape. Yet, after traveling through the forest for a whole day, they hadn''t met any demons at all.


    Could it be that, by some coincidence, there were no demons in this forest?


    This possibility was quickly dismissed. The land had been occupied by demons for over a century; they were everywhere. How could there be no demons in this particular forest?


    However, no matter the reason, Liliya couldn''t figure it out. She could only be certain of one thing¡ªthere was definitely a problem!


    "Maybe something happened that we''re unaware of. Anyway, be extra vigilant tonight. It should be fine."


    After thinking for a long time without reaching any conclusion, Liliya gave up and then started to discuss the night watch with Rocky. They hadn''t encountered any demons during the day, but that did not mean they would not encounter any at night, so someone had to keep watch.


    But just at that moment, while Liliya was getting ready to rest and Rocky was bracing himself for the night vigil, a furious roar suddenly erupted from within the forest!


    This roar startled them both because they could tell that this time the call wasn''t from a distance; it originated from within the forest, and it was very close to them!


    Finally, the demons had come!

 Chapter 35: Chapter 34: Unlucky? Lucky?

    "They''re finally here!"Hearing the roar from the forest, Rocky immediately stood up, tense yet also faintly excited.


    He had finally encountered a demon!


    This time he had come to hunt demons, and if he had to return empty-handed because he was defeated, that could be forgiven. But if he had to go back because he hadn''t encountered any demons, it would drive him mad with frustration.


    However, in today''s world, not coming across demons was almost impossible. Even if none were found during the daytime, there were always encounters at night.


    Liliya, who had just lain down, also stood up at this moment. She looked in the direction of the roar and listened carefully before saying to Rocky, "Not far from us, let''s go!"


    After saying this, the two rushed toward the direction of the roaring noise.


    "Remember, if there''s any danger, you run first."


    Though they were speeding through the forest, Liliya did not forget to remind Rocky to flee if danger arose. Rocky, who was closely following her, nodded at her words, though it was unclear if he agreed.


    Afterward, the two advanced quickly through the forest, one after the other. Liliya was known for her agility, which allowed her to move freely through the forest, and Rocky, relying on the enhancement provided by his Void Magic Armor, moved with ease as well. In such a manner, they soon traversed hundreds of meters into the forest as if walking on flat ground.


    At the same time, the demon''s roars continued unabated, serving as invisible coordinates, continuously reminding Rocky and Liliya that they were getting closer and closer to their target.


    "Stop!"


    Once they heard the demon''s roar again, Liliya suddenly halted, realizing from the sound that they were very close to the demon. It was not wise to continue sprinting at this point, as it could lead to running straight into the demon''s embrace.


    Seeing her stop, Rocky, who had always been following her, also halted and then drew the side sword from his Void Magic Armor, readying himself for battle!


    "The demon is in that direction, go!"


    Using her experience, Liliya quickly identified a direction and, after informing Rocky, briskly headed that way.


    However, just as they were about to search for the demon, having barely taken a step, a loud noise suddenly erupted from the distant forest, followed instantly by a black shadow shooting out like a cannonball!


    Had they been discovered?!


    Seeing a black shadow fly out from the forest, both Liliya and Rocky were startled, their first thought being that the demon had spotted them.


    But a moment later, they realized that this was not the case. The black shadow that flew out from afar crashed into a large tree while still a good distance from them and let out a miserable scream as it hit the ground.


    Not a demon?


    This unexpected outcome left Rocky stunned. When he took a closer look at the shadow, he found that it wasn''t a demon at all, but a person!


    No, that was not quite accurate; to be precise, the shadow was a Beastman¡ªa towering Beastman, more than two meters tall!


    What was happening?!


    The scene before him confused Rocky. He had expected a demon to rush out, but instead, it was a Beastman, and judging by the way the Beastman had landed, he seemed to have been sent flying?


    "Don''t just stand there like an idiot!"


    While Rocky was dazed, Liliya reacted swiftly and pulled him behind a huge rock to take cover.


    Just as they had hidden, the demon''s roar sounded again, accompanied by the sound of heavy footsteps.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The heavy footsteps grew closer and soon caused the ground beneath Rocky to tremble, indicating something was approaching.


    The severe shaking of the ground made Rocky, hiding behind the rock, unable to resist peering out to take a look. Soon enough, he saw the distant forest ambiguously reveal a massive figure!


    The sheer size of the figure was astoundingly large by any measure, and with each step, the earth trembled along. And while its strides didn''t seem swift, it had covered the distance in merely a few paces!


    "My God, what on earth is that thing!"


    As he watched the enormous figure step out of the shadows, Rocky''s eyes grew wider and his face gradually paled!


    Because in his view, the creature that emerged from the forest was unmistakably a monster!


    This monster stood over three meters tall, resembling a humanoid rock. Every inch of it was made of stone, and its massive stone fists were as big as its head; the only things relatively normal about it were its eyes. However, in comparison to its huge stature, its eyes were as small as soybeans, just two little dots on its enormous head.


    What was this thing?


    "Demons..."


    While Rocky was utterly dumbfounded by the monster before him, Liliya inhaled sharply next to him, for while Rocky didn''t know what the monster was, Liliya did¡ªit was the demon they were hunting!


    "It''s the Greyrock Demon... Damn it!"


    After one glance at the demon, Liliya clenched her teeth fiercely. Hearing this, Rocky quickly retreated and asked softly, "Is that a demon? You recognize it?"


    Liliya nodded, a worried look crossing her face.


    "Is it a high-level demon?"


    Rocky certainly noticed Liliya''s concern and quickly pressed for answers. They couldn''t really be so unlucky as to encounter a high-level demon right away, could they?


    Fortunately, Liliya shook her head after a moment, indicating they weren''t that unlucky.


    But after shaking her head, Liliya followed up saying, "This type of demon is called the Greyrock Demon. Although it''s a low-level demon, it''s very tough to handle."


    "Greyrock Demons have no flesh and blood; they are entirely composed of stone. This thing is extremely strong, and its body is harder than diamond¡ª not even a magic cannon can shatter it, which makes it really tough to deal with."


    Liliya was absolutely right. At that moment, what they had encountered was indeed a Greyrock Demon, whose biggest characteristic was its toughness¡ªso tough that even standing still and taking a direct hit from a magic cannon didn''t bother it!


    However, the value of a Greyrock Demon was also extremely high. Despite lacking flesh, once killed, a Greyrock Demon''s body would disintegrate into Greyrock Stone chunks. Once refined, these chunks could be turned into incredibly sturdy Grayrock Steel, making it one of the most top-notch materials, more valuable than an equivalent amount of gold!


    In just a few words, Liliya explained the situation regarding the Greyrock Demon to Rocky, leaving it unclear whether they were unlucky or fortunate to have encountered such a difficult yet valuable Greyrock Demon. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I see... So what do we do now? Do we take action?"


    After understanding the basics about the Greyrock Demon, Rocky asked.


    "Wait a moment, let''s see how things unfold first,"


    Liliya waved her hand and was not ready to act immediately, instead peering out to observe.


    At this time, the Greyrock Demon once again took a step, but its heavy footsteps were not heading towards Rocky and Liliya. Instead, it was heading towards the Beastman who had previously crashed into the ground with a thud!


    Meanwhile, the Beastman also got up.


    The Beastman stood there bare-chested, his muscles sculpted and well-defined, and he wielded a broadaxe in his hand. He showed no fear in the face of the approaching Greyrock Demon. In fact, he even thumped his chest, full of fighting spirit!


    "Who is this guy?"


    Hiding behind a rock, Rocky glanced at the Greyrock Demon and then at the Beastman, utterly confused; he still hadn''t figured out what was going on.


    However, Liliya next to him quickly provided an answer.


    After looking at the Beastman, she turned to Rocky and said, "This Beastman, just like us, is here to hunt demons."


    "He''s a Demon Hunter!"

 Chapter 36: Chapter 35 Demon Hunter

    "This Beastman... is a Demon Hunter?"Liliya''s words made Rocky gasp sharply and he hurriedly leaned forward to look at the Beastman.


    In his gaze, the bare-chested Beastman was confronting a Grayrock Demon. Although the Grayrock Demon had a gigantic body, the Beastman was also a hulking figure, standing well over two meters tall with muscles that seemed sculpted by axes and cleavers. Just this impressive appearance alone made him no less formidable than the Grayrock Demon.


    What was even more crucial was the strong fighting spirit exhibited by the Beastman. He had clearly been thrown here, but when he got up from the ground, he showed no fear facing the advancing Grayrock Demon.


    Was this the Demon Hunter?


    It had been said before that because demons were of great value, this had given rise to the profession of Demon Hunter, those who hunted demons specifically to sell them and thereby sustain their livelihood.


    Generally speaking, Demon Hunters were extremely wealthy, given the immense value of demons. A Demon Hunter, if he hunted just one demon a year, could earn enough to live comfortably without worries for the entire year.


    But equally, while this profession was lucrative, it also had a high mortality rate. After all, the targets they hunted were terrifying, leading to a frequent reversal of roles between hunter and hunted, to the extent that the vast majority of Demon Hunters ultimately died during their hunts, turning into the quarry of the demons.


    Yet even so, there were still a great number of people who pursued this profession. After all, demons were valuable, and among the Demon Hunters, there were indeed skilled individuals; some even made a name for themselves and became significant figures that shook the entire sky.


    Rocky had not expected that his first demon hunt would bring him face to face with a Demon Hunter; he couldn''t tell if this was bad luck or good fortune.


    "They''re fighting!"


    Just as Rocky was inwardly reflecting, the Beastman and the Grayrock Demon had already started clashing fiercely!


    The first to make a move was not the Grayrock Demon but the Beastman!


    The Beastman let out a furious roar and charged towards the Grayrock Demon, his entire form like a moving mountain. Moments later, he slammed ferociously into the Grayrock Demon''s chest, forcing the massive opponent to stumble back several steps.


    And that was not the end. As the Grayrock Demon staggered back from the powerful impact, the Beastman leaped up, hoisted the Broadaxe in his hands, and chopped down fiercely.


    A sound rang out as the Broadaxe struck squarely on the Grayrock Demon''s head, but it produced a metallic clashing noise, and then... nothing further happened, the Grayrock Demon was unharmed!


    Seeing this scene, Rocky finally understood what Liliya had said earlier; the Grayrock Demon''s body was exceedingly tough, impervious to ordinary weapons.


    After being struck by the axe, the Grayrock Demon was clearly enraged, and a crack then opened on its stone-like head, soon followed by roars emanating from the crack.


    Amid the roars, the Grayrock Demon raised its huge fist, and slammed it down hard at the Beastman!


    "Bring it on!!"


    Faced with the descending fist, not only did the Beastman not dodge, but he also let out a shout and then hoisted the Broadaxe with both hands as if he were holding up the fiery sky, attempting to block the strike outright!


    A moment later, a dull thud sounded; the Grayrock Demon''s fist landed heavily, exactly on the Beastman''s Broadaxe.


    And yet... he actually blocked it!


    The Beastman below the fist was gritting his teeth, veins bulging on his arms as he held the Grayrock Demon''s fist at bay with the Broadaxe, successfully withstanding the blow.


    Then, amidst his roaring, the Beastman''s arms burst with force, swiftly knocking aside the fist overhead, and as he leaped up, he landed another axe blow on the Grayrock Demon''s head! sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My goodness..."


    Rocky, hiding behind a rock, was completely stunned by the battle unfolding before him. He had never imagined the Beastman could be so formidable, daring to fight a demon one-on-one, and not falling behind in the least!


    This was utterly unbelievable!


    Yet, as shocked as he was, and as much as he admired it, he hadn''t forgotten his main task ¡ª he too was here to hunt demons!


    So, Rocky hesitated, unsure of what to do. The Beastman before him was so formidable; should he just stand by and watch the highly valuable Grayrock Demon be defeated and let this big catch slip away?


    Thinking this, Rocky couldn''t help but glance at Liliya, then noticed that Liliya''s brows were also tightly knit.


    "Liliya, can this Beastman win?"


    "Hard to say..."


    Liliya shook her head, her expression serious, "This Beastman is very powerful, I estimate he''s at least a fifth-level warrior, maybe even sixth, and he has a lot of experience. Did you notice? Each of his attacks specifically targets the Grayrock Demon''s head because that''s the only weak spot, where the Demon Core is located."


    "But... it''s not going to be easy for this Beastman to defeat the Grayrock Demon."


    "He''s already on par with the Grayrock Demon, how is it not easy?"


    "You''ll see soon enough, we''re not at the critical moment yet."


    Without further explanation, Liliya continued to watch the battlefield.


    At this moment, the Beastman was fiercely tangled in a death battle with the Grayrock Demon, and he was indeed formidable. Facing a Grayrock Demon that was significantly larger than himself, he did not fall behind at all; in fact, due to his relatively greater agility, he even managed to gain the upper hand at times!


    This result made Rocky extremely anxious, because, at this rate, the Grayrock Demon might really end up in the Beastman''s bag!


    But just as he was about to lose control, an unexpected situation suddenly arose!


    The Beastman struck the Grayrock Demon''s head with his Broadaxe once again, a move he had repeated countless times without effect. But this time, when the Broadaxe fell, something different happened¡ª there was a cracking sound, and a crack finally appeared in the rock-like head of the Grayrock Demon!


    According to Liliya, the head was the only weak point of the Grayrock Demon, so although the Beastman hadn''t completely shattered its head, this strike gave him hope that a few more blows might finish the Grayrock Demon off.


    But at that moment, the heavily damaged Grayrock Demon let out a deafening roar and went completely berserk, launching an aggressive attack on the Beastman.


    In an instant, their positions of advantage were completely reversed; the Beastman, who had been slightly on top, was immediately outmatched after the Grayrock Demon went mad and soon fell into a significant disadvantage.


    Facing the fists of the Grayrock Demon, the Beastman no longer dared to resist head-on and could only dodge awkwardly. At first, he managed to barely evade the attacks, but as time wore on, his greater disadvantage became evident¡ªhis stamina was failing!


    Considering the duration, they had been fighting for quite some time. The prolonged battle caused the Beastman''s stamina to steadily decline. In contrast, the Grayrock Demon remained as strong as ever. So, when the Grayrock Demon began its frenzied assault, and the intensity of the fight escalated, the Beastman gradually couldn''t keep up.


    After dodging several attacks consecutively, the Beastman was ultimately, and carelessly, struck by a punch and knocked down to the ground!


    With one punch, the Beastman was flattened to the ground, and the Grayrock Demon then lifted its foot and, roaring furiously, slammed it down, attempting to crush the Beastman with one stomp.


    In that instant, the Beastman felt the threat of death and hurriedly rolled to the side before he could get up.


    Immediately after, there was a loud boom¡ªthe Grayrock Demon''s foot slammed down, and the ground erupted in a cloud of smoke¡­


    "Aaaaah!!!"


    From within the enveloping smoke came a sudden scream. Hidden behind a rock, Rocky and Liliya quickly looked over, but it was not until the smoke cleared that they saw that one of the Beastman''s arms was pinned under the foot of the Grayrock Demon!


    Amid the screams, the Beastman struggled fiercely to pull his arm free, but to no avail. The Grayrock Demon''s body was even more massive than his and made entirely of stone, making it unimaginably heavy.


    While the Beastman struggled to escape, the Grayrock Demon, instead of lifting its foot, raised its fist high and aimed directly down at the Beastman!


    Boom!


    A loud crash sounded as the Grayrock Demon''s fist smashed into the ground, and at the same time, the Beastman''s screams abruptly stopped¡­


    Had he been, had he been smashed to death?


    No longer hearing the Beastman''s screams, Rocky, hidden behind a rock, felt a chill run down his spine. Could it be that the Beastman had just been smashed to death?


    But no!


    Just as he thought the Beastman had been killed, he suddenly saw a disheveled figure appear not far away¡ªit was the Beastman!


    He was alive! And he had escaped?


    Seeing the Beastman reappear, Rocky was shocked. However, as he looked closely at the Beastman, he was stunned.


    The Broadaxe in the Beastman''s hand was dripping with blood, and his other arm was severed cleanly!


    In a desperate bid to save his life, the Beastman had amputated his own arm that was pinned down, thus narrowly escaping death.


    That was ruthless¡­


    Looking at the still-bleeding stump, Rocky felt his face must have turned pale, realizing just how dangerous it was to deal with Demons¡ªthat life and death could hinge on an instant.


    "Oh no!"


    As Rocky was somewhat dazed, Liliya suddenly shouted, snapping him out of his stupor.


    Oh no!


    Recovering his senses, Rocky silently cursed as the Beastman who had just narrowly escaped death was charging in their direction, where he and Liliya were hiding!


    This wasn''t to say that the Beastman had spotted them, but rather, having lost an arm, he knew he couldn''t win and so decided to flee. Coincidentally, the direction of his escape was precisely where Rocky and Liliya were hiding.


    As he attempted to flee, the berserk Grayrock Demon showed no signs of stopping. The frenzied demon not only caught up with the Beastman but also raised its fist and smashed down, forcing the Beastman to use every last bit of his strength to barely dodge.


    Although he dodged, the Grayrock Demon''s fist smashed directly onto a large rock¡ªthe very rock behind which Rocky and Liliya were hiding!


    As the rock shattered, the two of them sprang out, appearing before the Beastman and the Grayrock Demon¡­


    In an instant, the whole forest fell silent, as neither the Beastman nor the Grayrock Demon expected others to be present.


    Similarly, Rocky and Liliya were caught off guard, never having imagined they would expose themselves like this.


    But as the Beastman, Grayrock Demon, and Rocky all froze, Liliya was the first to react, and she shouted at Rocky,


    "Take action!!"

 Chapter 37: Chapter 36: Take Action!

    ```"Attack!"


    While everyone else was stunned, Liliya reacted the fastest, she shouted at Rocky and then, with shield in hand and longsword gripped tight, she charged directly at the Grayrock Demon!


    Rocky and the Beastmen quickly caught up, with the Beastmen''s reaction slightly faster. He didn''t get entangled in who Rocky and Liliya were, instead taking the opportunity to dash into the forest, directly running away.


    As for Rocky, he took to the air and then dove down at the Grayrock Demon from midair!


    "I''ll hold it off, you look for a chance to attack its head!"


    Holding up her shield as she approached the Grayrock Demon, Liliya shouted while swinging her longsword heavily toward the Grayrock Demon''s lower leg.


    The Grayrock Demon stood over three meters tall, and even the similarly large Beastmen only came up to its chest when facing it, so Liliya, who was even shorter than the Beastmen, had no way to compare with such a massive creature. In front of this gigantic monster, Liliya was like a tiny speck.


    But don''t underestimate this small figure, because Liliya was now fully equipped with rune-enhanced gear personally strengthened by Winsail. With the power of this rune equipment, her strength had skyrocketed, already nearing the level of a fifth-level warrior.


    So when Liliya''s sword struck the Grayrock Demon, a crack followed by scattering of stone shards showed she had actually injured the Grayrock Demon!


    This was simply incredible!


    The rock-solid Grayrock Demon, so easily hurt!?


    If the Beastman from before had seen this scene, he would have dropped his jaw in shock, for he had fought desperately for a long time, striking the same spot countless times, only to barely make a crack on the Grayrock Demon''s head. Yet Liliya''s single strike knocked off several chunks of stone from the body of the Grayrock Demon, the difference was simply too great.


    Of course, this did not mean Liliya was stronger than the Beastmen, in actuality, the real difference in absolute strength was still in the Beastmen''s favor. The real gap was in the equipment¡ªthe Beastmen''s broadaxe couldn''t compare with Liliya''s full set of rune equipment.


    Especially the longsword in Liliya''s hand, which Rocky had found in the research institute. Winsail had inscribed several hundred first-level runes on this longsword, the contained mana even surpassing that of the Side Sword of the Void Magic Armor.


    As the saying goes, a fine horse deserves a good saddle; the reason Liliya could injure the Grayrock Demon with one strike was because her weapon was good enough.


    At this moment, the Grayrock Demon, having been struck, was clearly in pain and immediately swung its fist down at Liliya.


    "Opportunity!"


    Seeing the Grayrock Demon focus on Liliya, Rocky immediately seized this opportunity, quickly flying over the Grayrock Demon''s head from midair and slashing viciously at its head!


    With a clang, Rocky''s longsword landed heavily on the Grayrock Demon''s head, followed by a cracking sound that made the fissure cut by the Beastmen even larger!


    Rocky was wearing the Void Magic Armor, and the longsword in his hand was naturally embedded with magic stones and inscribed with many runes, so its power was immense.


    Moreover, the Grayrock Demon''s head had already been attacked countless times by the Beastmen and had shown weaknesses, so Rocky''s sword strike immediately had an effect.


    At this moment, the Grayrock Demon clearly had suffered a heavy blow, its huge form even swaying and nearly losing its balance.


    But similarly, the heavily injured Grayrock Demon became even more furious after regaining its footing!


    You could see it roaring in anger as it raised both arms and then tried to crush Rocky on its head with a powerful blow.


    In such a situation, even Rocky, who wanted to follow up with a second strike, couldn''t react in time and hurriedly flew higher instead. Just as he flew out of the reach of the Grayrock Demon''s attack, a muffled thud sounded as the demon''s raised arms slapped together with such force that it even cracked its palms!


    Seeing this, Rocky broke out in a cold sweat and felt thankful he hadn''t been rash in seeking quick success, for if such a heavy blow had hit him, he would have been heavily injured, if not dead.


    Seeing Rocky escape its attack range, the Grayrock Demon on the ground roared at him non-stop, madly waving its arms to hit him out of the air, but to no avail.


    However, suddenly during its wild arm swinging, the Grayrock Demon tilted and its huge body fell down without warning.


    It turned out that while Rocky had drawn the Grayrock Demon''s attention, Liliya took the opportunity to circle behind it and, seizing the moment, slashed at the Grayrock Demon''s knee with all her strength. Adding the inherent power of her longsword, she managed to make the Grayrock Demon lose its balance and half-kneel to the ground.


    At the same time, Rocky in the air dove down again, striking the Grayrock Demon''s head once more.


    In this way, Rocky and Liliya, one in the air and the other on the ground, began to engage with the Grayrock Demon.


    Although Rocky and Liliya had less absolute strength compared to the Beastmen, one was wearing rune-enhanced Void Magic Armor and the other rune equipment. With their tacit cooperation, their combined strength resulted in a qualitative change, leaving the enraged Grayrock Demon no chance against them.


    Facing the agile Liliya and the freely flying Rocky, the Grayrock Demon was played like a puppet, each time it targeted one of them, the other would launch a stealth attack, and with both of their weapons so powerful, the duet gradually left the Grayrock Demon battered and bruised. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What''s more important, during these repeated attacks, the Grayrock Demon''s head became the main target, enduring countless hits!


    "Die!"


    ```


    When the Grayrock Demon was once again lured by Liliya, Rocky charged above its head and brought down another sword strike, directly severing half of its brain, even exposing the Demon Core within!


    Finally, they saw results!


    Seeing his strike sever half of the demon''s brain and expose the Demon Core, Rocky was overjoyed¡ªit meant they were about to succeed. If the next strike could hit the Demon Core, it would be enough to completely annihilate the monster before them!


    But just as Rocky basked in his triumph, the Grayrock Demon went completely berserk. The threat of death made the monster let out an ear-shattering roar, and it suddenly changed direction, charging into the forest.


    This was...


    Trying to flee?


    The actions of the Grayrock Demon left both Rocky and Liliya stunned; they never expected the monster to know how to flee?


    However, they quickly realized their mistake, for demons do not flee, and that was what made them most terrifying.


    The crazed Grayrock Demon wasn''t running away but instead made it to a large tree. It hugged the tree trunk, yanking the great tree from its roots, then swung it like a broom toward Liliya!


    "Ah!!"


    Faced with the sweeping tree, Liliya had nowhere to escape despite her agility. All she could do was shield herself with a shield before the tree trunk struck her fiercely, sending her flying...


    "Liliya!"


    Seeing Liliya sent flying, Rocky, who was in mid-air, panicked. But he was the next to suffer, as the Grayrock Demon, after sweeping Liliya away, raised the tree and took aim at him!


    "Damn it!"


    Rocky, who initially was about to dive down to rescue Liliya, had to halt his descent and, with a nimble sidestep, circled in the air, narrowly avoiding the attack.


    "Use magic!"


    Just then, Liliya''s voice called out from below. Although she had been struck head-on, the protection of her rune equipment and the timely use of her shield meant her injuries weren''t severe; she even had the strength to remind Rocky.


    Rocky immediately took her advice and began to fly around the Grayrock Demon, with his palm opened he shot out a series of Magic Bullets!


    The sounds of "Boom, boom, boom" followed, as a barrage of Magic Bullets rained down from the sky.


    However, due to the high-speed flight, the hit rate of the Magic Bullets wasn''t high; only a small portion hit the Grayrock Demon, with the vast majority missing. Even the hits did not do much damage, for Rocky, empowered by the Void Magic Armor, only reached the level of a Third Level Mage. His Magic Bullets were too weak to harm the Grayrock Demon.


    Yet the unstruck Magic Bullets had a noticeable effect, as they kicked up dust upon impacting the ground, quickly enveloping the battlefield in smoke, with the Grayrock Demon, Rocky, and Liliya all lost within it.


    This was Rocky''s true intention!


    Amid the billows of smoke, the large frame of the Grayrock Demon remained clearly visible, but it was different for Rocky and Liliya. After being engulfed by the smoke, they completely vanished, leaving the Grayrock Demon unable to find them.


    For a moment, the battlefield fell silent, save for the Grayrock Demon''s roars and heavy footsteps. No matter how much it bellowed, Rocky and Liliya did not appear¡ªthey seemed to have vanished.


    "Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar!"


    Unable to find the pair, the Grayrock Demon''s roars grew louder, and it swung the tree in its hands blindly, making several rounds in the surrounding area.


    As the tree continued to sweep, the smoke gradually cleared, revealing everything that had been covered...


    "Die!"


    But just as the smoke started to clear, Liliya, who had been out of sight for a while, suddenly fell from above the Grayrock Demon, her Rune Longsword aiming straight for its head!


    With a clang, Liliya struck!


    Her sword harshly hit the Grayrock Demon''s... arm!


    In a critical moment, the Grayrock Demon dropped the tree and raised its arm to protect its head, successfully fending off the lethal blow...


    However, at the very moment Liliya''s strike was blocked, the Grayrock Demon''s head was penetrated!


    A Rune Longsword entered through the back of the Grayrock Demon''s skull, piercing the Demon Core within, then emerged through the mouth, which resembled a gap!


    Dressed in Void Magic Armor, Rocky floated behind the Grayrock Demon and struck it down!

 Chapter 38: Chapter 37 Meeting Again

    Rocky thrust his sword through the Demon Core of the Grayrock Demon from behind, completely killing the fearsome creature...!A thunderous boom echoed as the Demon Core was pierced, and the Grayrock Demon''s colossal body collapsed with a crash, breaking into variably sized rocks, which turned into the Greyrock Stones that Liliya had mentioned before.


    The hunt¡ªsuccessful!


    As they witnessed the Grayrock Demon crumble into rubble, Rocky and Liliya exchanged a glance and smiles spread across their faces simultaneously.


    They had won!


    They had truly slain the Grayrock Demon!


    The tough and perilous battle had exhausted them both, so as soon as the Grayrock Demon hit the ground, they were immediately overwhelmed by an immense fatigue and couldn''t help but sit down on the ground to catch their breath.


    To be honest, even though Rocky had made ample preparations beforehand and had even undertaken an intensive week of training with Liliya, the real encounter with the Demon, especially the combat, made him understand the kind of pressure one had to bear in the face of a Demon.


    Therefore, even though the Grayrock Demon had become nothing more than real stones, the memory of the recent fight still left Rocky with lingering palpitations.


    "That was really close, just now..."


    Leaning against what had become a boulder¡ªthe Grayrock Demon¡ªRocky couldn''t help but express his amazement.


    Although he and Liliya weren''t gravely injured, it didn''t mean the battle hadn''t been dangerous. In fact, had they not been together, had their equipment not been sufficiently good, or had the Beastmen not fought a vanguard role prior, they might not have won at all.


    "You did well,"


    said Liliya, seated next to Rocky, as she glanced at him and revealed a knowing smile.


    Rocky''s performance had far exceeded her expectations. It was, frankly, unexpectedly good.


    Because Liliya knew Rocky best, she knew he hadn''t really fought before; at most, he had engaged in some inconsequential training with her. But no matter how much training one does, it could never compare to real combat.


    Therefore, before this point, including during the battle, Liliya had been worried that Rocky wouldn''t be able to endure¡ªnot physically, but mentally. Intense and dangerous battles can easily crush the unstable at heart, yet Rocky had managed, and he had done quite well.


    "Haha!"


    Hearing Liliya''s praise, Rocky laughed heartily, naturally feeling especially pleased.


    As they joked and laughed, they alleviated the fatigue from the fight, but they soon got busy with a pressing task.


    Though they had slain the Grayrock Demon, one mustn''t forget they were still in the midst of the forest, still on land.


    In this day and age, land was undoubtedly the most dangerous place in the world, so after achieving their objective, they didn''t dare to relax and immediately set about collecting the body of the Grayrock Demon, which was the Greyrock Stones scattered about.


    These Greyrock Stones were their spoils of war, and extremely valuable at that. These seemingly ordinary stones would instantly sell out once put on the market, bringing a steady flow of wealth to Rocky and Thunderhawk City!


    Under these circumstances, Rocky took out the bags he had prepared beforehand and, together with Liliya, gathered up all the Greyrock Stones, not leaving a single scrap behind.


    Rocky had done something similar at the research institute before, so he was quite experienced.


    "Liliya, how much do you think these Greyrock Stones will sell for?"


    asked Rocky as he collected the stones from the ground.


    "That''s hard to say. We''ll know when we ask Aileen back home, but as far as I know, Grayrock Steel is one of the best steel materials and it sells by the gram on the market, so we''re definitely going to make a good amount of money this time,"


    replied Liliya.


    "That''s great, hehe!"


    Rocky felt much relieved by Liliya''s words. After all, he had risked his life hunting Demons to earn money.


    But just as he was gleefully stuffing the Greyrock Stones into the large sacks, Liliya suddenly stopped and stood up, clutching her Longsword.


    "Liliya, what''s..."


    After glancing at Liliya, Rocky found her staring intently behind him and quickly turned around, only to see a person standing in the forest behind him!


    This person had only one arm... it was the Beastman from before!


    This guy hasn''t run away yet?!


    Surprised to see the Beastman again, Rocky immediately gripped his side sword.


    Was this fellow planning to swoop in like a mantis stalking a cicada, with the oriole following, to steal the spoils of battle?


    It was no wonder Rocky thought this, for strictly speaking, the Grayrock Demon was actually the Beastman''s prey. Not only had the Beastman discovered it first, but he had also fought with it for a long time, and during this fight, the Beastman had even cracked the Grayrock Demon''s skull. The relatively easy victory Liliya and Rocky had over the Grayrock Demon owed much to the Beastman''s efforts.


    Because of this, it was not impossible for the Beastman to want a share of the spoils or even to attempt to snatch them by force.


    And when both Rocky and Liliya had turned their attention to the Beastman, who, despite having lost an arm, still held a broadaxe in his other hand, he also took a step forward, walking toward them.


    "Stop, don''t come any closer."


    When the Beastman came within a dozen meters of Rocky, Liliya stepped forward to shield Rocky behind her, her long sword pointed directly at the Beastman, ordering him not to come any closer.


    Liliya knew all too well how strong the Beastman was; even with a severed arm, he was by no means an easy opponent, so she couldn''t allow him to get too close.


    However, to the surprise of both Rocky and Liliya, the Beastman actually stopped in his tracks. Not only that, he then raised his broadaxe and slowly loosened his grip, letting the broadaxe fall to the ground.


    In the culture of the Beastmen, laying down one''s weapon in front of an opponent was equivalent to surrendering!


    "You two, I mean no harm."


    After setting down his broadaxe, the Beastman spoke up.


    His voice was somewhat muffled yet very loud, giving the impression of distant thunder.


    "If you have something to say, you can say it from there."


    Liliya, though the Beastman had laid down his weapon, didn''t relax her guard one bit. She still gripped her long sword tightly, not allowing the Beastman to come any nearer.


    The Beastman seemed a little helpless at her intense caution and began to regard Rocky with even greater importance since he could clearly sense that Liliya was protecting him. Not to mention, Rocky''s Void Magic Armor made it obvious that he was no ordinary individual.


    Thus, standing still, the Beastman inquired, "My lord, you are not Demon Hunters, are you?"


    "No."


    Realizing the Beastman was addressing him, Rocky nodded.


    "My lord, are you from Sky City?"


    Once the Beastman was certain that he and Rocky were not of the same profession, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and followed up with his question. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, what do you want with that?"


    "My lord, I hope you could take me to Sky City, I..."


    "Need treatment."


    It was only when the Beastman spoke these words that Rocky remembered the other was severely injured!


    Despite appearing still majestic, the Beastman''s left arm was completely gone, the stump tied roughly with hemp rope to stem the bleeding, and the injury was evidently very severe.


    This was indeed the real reason why the Beastman had returned. Although he had initially fled taking advantage of the fight between Rocky, Liliya, and the Demon, such a serious injury was beyond him to handle, so after a simple dressing, he was compelled to come back, resulting in the scene before them.


    And upon hearing his words, before Rocky could even respond, Liliya suddenly turned around and whispered in his ear, "Take him back with us and try to keep him in the city!"

 Chapter 39: Chapter 38 The Unexpected Guest

    Upon learning that the Beastmen actually wanted them to take him back to Sky City for treatment of his injuries, Liliya reacted swiftly and immediately whispered to Rocky, "Take him back and try to keep him."The words took Rocky by surprise. Although he was astonished by Liliya''s change of attitude, he quickly understood her intention¡ªwas she planning to have him subjugate the Beastman before them?!


    Once he grasped Liliya''s intent, Rocky immediately felt it was feasible!


    Despite the Beastman having lost an arm, which made him appear gravely injured, his inherent strength was unmistakable. Even with one arm missing, his power was not to be underestimated. Unfortunately, in his current state, it was impossible for him to continue as a Demon Hunter. Slaying demons single-handedly, the Beastman had not reached such a monstrous level of strength.


    But this presented Rocky with an opportunity. If he could retain the Beastman who could no longer hunt demons under his command, it would surely be a significant asset. Whether it was the Beastman''s strength or his experience and insight, it would all be of immense help to Rocky!


    Thinking this, he gave Liliya a slight nod to show that he understood her message, then turned to the Beastman and said,


    "I can take you to Sky City."


    "Thank you so much!"


    Seeing Rocky''s nod of agreement, the Beastman appeared very excited, and the nerves he had been straining relaxed, causing his massive body to sway uncontrollably thereafter.


    His injuries were actually much more severe than they appeared. The reason he had maintained his imposing demeanor was largely due to sheer tenacity; now that he had relaxed, he was clearly struggling to keep up.


    This guy, he''s quite clever... S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Noticing the Beastman''s complexion worsen, Rocky naturally understood that his just prior appearance was feigned. This didn''t surprise him. After all, neither party knew the other, and it wasn''t wrong for the Beastman to maintain a strong front, at least to appear capable of fighting, otherwise no one could ensure that he wouldn''t become another hunting target.


    This kind of thing was not uncommon on land.


    "What''s your name?"


    And so, Rocky, Liliya, and the Beastman left the forest together, beginning their journey towards the edge of the woodland.


    As they walked, Rocky asked.


    "Monte."


    The Beastman glanced at Rocky, looking past Liliya who was between them, and in a deep, resonant voice, he stated his name.


    Although the three of them were walking together towards the outskirts of the forest at this time, they still maintained a considerable distance from one another. Liliya and Rocky walked side by side, deliberately keeping the Beastman apart from Rocky, clearly still on guard.


    Liliya didn''t see a problem with this caution. Although she was keen on having Rocky subdue the Beastman, until they fully understood his background and character, it was prudent to remain guarded; otherwise, it might be too late if anything went wrong.


    The Beastman also noticed Liliya''s thoughts and consciously maintained a fair distance from Rocky. It was fortunate his voice was naturally loud, otherwise they might have struggled to hear each other while talking.


    "My name is Rocky, and this is my guard, Liliya. We are from Thunderhawk City."


    After Monte introduced himself, Rocky also briefly introduced themselves, and with that, they were acquainted.


    "How do you plan on returning to Sky City? You can use my Skyship if you want."


    Continuing towards the edge of the forest, Monte asked.


    "No need, someone will come to pick us up."


    "You have a Skyship?"


    Liliya declined Monte''s offer, but Rocky''s face showed surprise and curiosity. He knew that Monte was a Demon Hunter, but he was unaware that the other man also possessed a Skyship. Skyships were not cheap; most people simply could not afford one.


    They say Demon Hunters are wealthy, and it seems to be true.


    "Just a small, worn vessel barely good enough to get by, not worth much."


    As for Rocky''s surprise and curiosity, Monte wasn''t taken aback.


    As a Demon Hunter, Monte had traveled far and wide, and he could immediately tell that Rocky, although of no ordinary status, was ignorant about many things, such as his current reaction, which showed that he didn''t have much understanding of Demon Hunters.


    For a true Demon Hunter like Monte, owning a Skyship was not out of the ordinary; in fact, his home was on the Skyship.


    Because of their constant hunting of demons, Demon Hunters spent more time on land than in Sky City. Furthermore, since Sky City could fly, it could move to different locations after a certain period. Therefore, for Demon Hunters, a profession that required extended periods on land, it was common to be without a fixed abode and to set up their homes directly on their own Skyships.


    Monte was such a Demon Hunter who not only had his own skyship but also lived on it with his daughter.


    Thinking of his daughter waiting for his return, Monte sighed silently to himself. He had never anticipated falling prey to a Grayrock Demon. Although his life was spared, one of his hands had been crippled, which made it impossible for him to continue hunting demons.


    It seemed he needed to start making plans early, Monte couldn''t help but think.


    Without realizing it, the three of them had walked out of the forest and at the same time, a hint of dawn had risen at the edge of the sky, day had broken.


    Upon exiting the forest, whether it was Liliya, Rocky, or Monte, all three sighed in relief at the same time. Then Liliya took out a signal disc and sent a signal to Thunderhawk City.


    Monte was startled when he saw the signal disc in Liliya''s hands. He recognized the object, and he knew that such a signal disc was not something ordinary people could use.


    At the same time, he also took out a signal flare, lit it, and held it up to the sky. This was the way ordinary people sent signals. Liliya''s method of contacting Sky City directly with a signal disc was a practice reserved for the nobility.


    Of course, there were more advanced methods, such as using Mana to directly transmit sound or images, which were certainly not something the average person could afford.


    Shortly after the signals were sent, a skyship slowly approached from a distance and began to land after it neared Rocky and his group.


    This skyship was naturally not from Thunderhawk City, as it was clearly a small civilian skyship, even smaller than the scout ships of Thunderhawk City. It looked somewhat dated, and a young Female Beastman stood on the prow of the ship.


    "I''m heading back first. I''ll go to Sky City with your skyship later,"


    After greeting Rocky, Monte walked towards his own skyship. Although his figure was still towering, it couldn''t help but look somewhat lonely.


    Watching his figure recede into the distance, Rocky and Liliya almost simultaneously let out sighs.


    Although Monte hadn''t said much along the way, they could hear a hint of helplessness and worry in his few words, especially when they saw the young Female Beastman standing on the skyship, they understood Monte''s feelings even better.


    "Is that his daughter?"


    "It looks to be about the right age," Liliya nodded and said helplessly, "That''s the life of a Demon Hunter. These people deal with demons on a regular basis and few end well. Monte is already lucky to have survived."


    "......"


    Rocky didn''t know what to say in response to Liliya''s words, as this was probably the fate of a Demon Hunter. These individuals danced on the edge of the knife every day and eventually died by that same blade.


    "When will our skyship arrive?"


    For some reason, Rocky suddenly felt the wait was too long. He was eager to return to Thunderhawk City. Perhaps he longed for the City Lord''s seat, or maybe he just wanted Monte to receive treatment as soon as possible. He wasn''t sure himself.


    "Don''t worry. Aileen has received the signal. We should arrive in another hour or two,"


    Liliya glanced at the signal disc in her hand, which had received a signal from Aileen. This indicated that Aileen inside Sky City had sent a skyship.


    Hearing this, Rocky nodded, knowing that it was no use being anxious about such matters and began the long wait with Liliya.


    In principle, waiting for two hours wasn''t a very long time, but because they were carrying a lot of Greyrock Stones, and with Monte''s presence, both Rocky and Liliya wanted to return to Thunderhawk City quickly to feel at ease.


    However, before their skyship arrived, they encountered an unwelcome surprise!


    The surprise visitors were not Demons, but other humans!


    Just as the two hours were almost up, a group of people suddenly flew in from the sky!


    A Void Magic Squad had suddenly appeared!


    The so-called Void Magic Squad was a troop composed of Void Magic Armor soldiers, the most elite troops across the skies.


    The squad that appeared in Rocky and Liliya''s view was about ten strong, each member clad in the latest model of Void Magic Armor.


    "How did we run into a Void Magic Squad?"


    Seeing the Void Magic Squad flying overhead, Rocky and Liliya were both stunned, having not expected to encounter such a high-end team.


    And as they spotted the group, the Void Magic Squad in mid-air also noticed them, with the leader even halting in place!


    This is bad!


    Seeing the others notice them and halt, both Rocky and Liliya were struck with panic, worrying they might not be able to return this time¡­!

 Chapter 40: Chapter 39 Mana Energy Value

    When Rocky and Liliya noticed the Void Magic Squad in mid-air had spotted them, they both inwardly cursed, "Damn it!"After all, this is the land!


    In the current world, there exists an unwritten rule that everyone abides by, which stipulates that everything that happens on land is the work of demons.


    Killed on land? Definitely the work of demons.


    Robbed on land? Also definitely the work of demons. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In short, no matter what happens on land, the culprits are always demons, as this has become a common understanding among the people, because the law can only govern the skies and has long ceased to govern the land.


    And it''s precisely because of this that dangers are omnipresent on land; these dangers do indeed come from demons, but sometimes they do not.


    So when Rocky and Liliya saw the Void Magic Squad appear and realized they had been noticed, they both had a moment of dread, not because they feared the squad was after the Greyrock Stone, but because they feared the squad would discover their secrets!


    Rocky''s current attire, the Void Magic Armor, had been enhanced with runes, while Liliya was dressed in full rune equipment. If the squad were to detect anything off about them, they were as good as dead.


    In an instant, their hearts leaped into their throats!


    But thankfully, after a brief pause, the Void Magic Squad in mid-air resumed their flight and soon headed towards the horizon, disappearing from view.


    Only when the squad had completely vanished from sight did Rocky and Liliya finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    They hadn''t been discovered.


    That was indeed too lucky.


    After exchanging glances, Rocky and Liliya saw in each other''s faces the look of having survived a great peril, because at that very moment, their tension had even surpassed that of facing demons.


    In the face of demons, they might have had a chance to flee, but facing that Void Magic Squad moments before, there would have been no opportunity to escape had a fight ensued.


    The sudden unexpected encounter came quickly and left just as swiftly. And not long after the Void Magic Squad disappeared, the Skyship of Thunderhawk City arrived. Ten Skyships slowly emerged above Rocky''s head and gradually descended.


    "It''s finally over..."


    Seeing the Skyships from Thunderhawk City, Rocky finally let out a breath of relief, his mind at ease, but immediately felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him.


    His mission this time, though not lengthy¡ªmerely a day and a night¡ªhad been filled with too many incidents. Not only did he encounter demons, but he also met Demon Hunters, and even a Void Magic Squad right when he was about to return home. The constant surprises had nearly overwhelmed him.


    Despite the numerous unplanned events, he ultimately achieved his goal and successfully returned to Thunderhawk City, which was a joyous outcome for everyone.


    ......


    ......


    "Jialuo, what model of Void Magic Armor was that person wearing?"


    While Rocky successfully boarded the Skyship and began his return to Thunderhawk City, the Void Magic Squad he had encountered continued to ascend to high altitudes, seemingly on their way back as well.


    During the ascent, the leader of the squad suddenly asked.


    This person was clad in a suit of sharp-edged, silvery-white armor, obviously not the regular kind of Void Magic Armor, and although his face was obscured by the armor, his voice sounded very young, indicating he was likely not very old.


    The person he referred to was naturally Rocky, and it was indeed Rocky''s Void Magic Armor that he was asking about!


    "Young Master, that''s the Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor, from the first generation of Void Magic Armor, which has long been phased out. It''s normal that you haven''t seen it before," another person flew up beside him and promptly gave an accurate answer.


    The Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor, the Void Magic Armor that Rocky was wearing, to tell the truth, even he himself had no idea about it, but it was seen through at a glance by a man named Jialuo.


    Upon hearing this answer, the young master first fell silent for a while, and then said, "It seems I have not misrecognized it, that indeed is the Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor, but something seems off to me..."


    "Young Master, is there a problem?"


    "Jialuo, do you remember what the magic energy value of the Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor is?"


    Glancing at the person flying beside him, the young master asked again.


    "If I remember correctly, the official data states it at 300 magic energy value."


    The magic energy value the two were discussing is an important indicator for measuring the combat strength of Void Magic Armor.


    As is well known, the power source of Void Magic Armor is mana, therefore its strength is directly linked to mana, making the magic energy value the best indicator of the merits of a particular Void Magic Armor.


    And the magic energy value of the Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor just happened to be 300.


    "Only 300 for the magic energy value..."


    Upon hearing Jialuo''s words, the young master clad in silver-white armor furrowed his brows and then said with confusion, "But I''ve just noticed that the Void Magic Armor the man is wearing far exceeds this number in terms of magic energy value!"


    "Oh?"


    Upon hearing this, Jialuo was also startled: "Young Master, what value did you see?"


    "500."


    "500? Young Master, that''s simply impossible."


    Laughing with a ''haha,'' Jialuo, who was flying beside the young master, said, "Young Master, the magic energy detector must be faulty. The model of the Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor is too old, the latest magic energy detectors may experience detection issues."


    "Why would you say that?"


    Seeing that Jialuo totally disbelieved him, the young master was somewhat puzzled.


    "Young Master, it''s not that I don''t believe you, but the Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor simply cannot reach a magic energy value of 500." Jialuo then started explaining to the young master: "The Blood-patterned Armor was the first generation of Void Magic Armor.


    Back then, armor had just been invented not long ago, and the technology in all aspects was immature, so the first generation of Void Magic Armor not only had generally low magic energy values but also provided very limited enhancement to the wearer."


    "What''s more important is that the Blood-patterned Armor itself had design flaws, so this series of armor was completely phased out by the fourth generation, but even the Blood-patterned Fourth Generation Armor did not exceed a magic energy value of 600, so that man, even if he modified his armor, couldn''t have possibly brought a second-generation armor up to the level of the fourth generation; that is simply impossible."


    "What you''re saying... does make some sense, maybe the magic energy detector really is faulty."


    Jialuo''s words made the young master nod his head, and then he stopped thinking about Rocky''s matter.


    Not leaving after this, Jialuo instead continued to ask, "Young Master, what do you think?"


    "About what?"


    "The new model of armor."


    While speaking, Jialuo pointed to a few people behind them, or more accurately at the Void Magic Armor they were wearing: "This batch of new model armor, how do you feel it performs in actual combat, Young Master?"


    "Average." After a glance at the few people behind him, the young master casually remarked, "They claim the magic energy value reaches 5700, but in actual combat, they can''t even put out a magic energy value of 4500. If I hadn''t been there this time, they would have all died at the hands of high-level demons."


    "This..."


    Seemingly not expecting the young master to rate the new armor so poorly, Jialuo felt a bit embarrassed and only spoke after quite a while: "Young Master, these are general-purpose armors, they cannot be compared with your special armor."


    "If it doesn''t hold up in actual combat, then talking about it is pointless. I will not recommend to the king to purchase this batch of armor."

 Chapter 41: Chapter 40 Flattery

    "City Lord!"When Rocky arrived back at the Skyport in Thunderhawk City aboard the skyship, Aileen and a group of guards, including Voss himself, were already waiting for him. It was only after they saw him emerge unscathed from the cabin that everyone breathed a sigh of relief, especially Aileen.


    Regarding Rocky''s mission this time, Aileen had not been optimistic. Although she admitted Rocky''s ideas were right, she did not believe he could succeed. In her opinion, Rocky''s safe return was already the best outcome.


    But precisely because her expectations were not high, Aileen was completely stunned when she saw four bags full of Greyrock Stones being carried off the ship!


    "My Lord, is this, could this be¡­"


    With a fist-sized Greyrock Stone in her hand, Aileen could hardly believe her own eyes. She confirmed it over and over, even glancing back at Voss before speaking dryly, "Could this be Greyrock Stone?"


    "Exactly."


    Her reaction did not surprise Rocky. Not only did Aileen hold little hope for the mission, but even he himself did not have much confidence.


    Nevertheless, Rocky had ultimately succeeded. Thus, when he saw the incredulous look on Aileen''s face, although he might not have shown it on the surface, he was truly thrilled inside!


    "Congratulations to the City Lord for the great success! Hunting down the Grayrock Demon, your military fortune is vast and enduring!"


    While Aileen was still dumbstruck and Rocky was secretly reveling in the moment, Voss, who had been standing to the side, suddenly stepped forward, bowed deeply to Rocky with great respect, and spoke out loud.


    His words took everyone present by surprise.


    Rocky was also taken aback. He did not expect Voss to say such things at this moment; it was blatant flattery!


    That did not seem to be Voss''s style at all.


    At the same time, the other people present, especially the guards, were also stunned upon hearing this.


    Voss''s words caused all the guards to reveal surprised expressions. These men had no idea what Rocky had been doing on land, so when they learned he had actually killed a demon, their view of Rocky changed instantly!


    To these ordinary guards, the demons that had occupied the land for nearly a century were undefeatable monsters. Any person capable of killing demons was someone to be revered. As soon as they heard Voss''s words, the guards looked at Rocky with immense respect, astonished by their own City Lord''s prowess!


    Unintentionally, the soldiers stood even more erect and dared not act casually in Rocky''s presence.


    The unconscious change in the guards did not escape Rocky''s eyes, and he immediately understood Voss''s intention. What Voss had just said seemed like sucking up, but it was actually meant for the guards to hear!


    Old fox!


    Rocky nodded his head with a smile toward Voss, admiring the old man even more.


    "What are you standing around for?"


    At that moment, Liliya stepped forward and addressed the guards, "Take these things to the City Lord''s Mansion and then assign someone to guard them rigorously, not allowing for any mishaps!"


    "Yes!"


    Although Liliya had not been Captain of the Guards for long, she had already managed the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City extremely efficiently. The guards had a great deal of respect for her. As soon as Liliya finished speaking, the guards immediately started moving the four bags of Greyrock Stones.


    The four bags of Greyrock Stones that Rocky and Liliya had brought back required three or four guards to barely move one bag; after all, they were filled with Greyrock Stone, not cotton, and both Rocky and Liliya had managed to bring them back with the help of Void Magic Armor and their own strength, respectively.


    And once the guards had gradually moved all the Greyrock Stones away, Aileen looked at Rocky with a bit of curiosity: "City Lord, aren''t you planning to go back?"


    The Greyrock Stones had been moved, but Rocky had shown no intention of leaving, which puzzled Liliya.


    "Wait for me for a moment, someone else is coming," S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While saying this, Rocky turned to Voss, "Lord Voss, please stay as well."


    "Of course,"


    Voss nodded with a smile and didn''t ask any further questions before staying at the skyport.


    Not long after that, another skyship emerged from the clouds and slowly flew above the skyport.


    "My Lord, what is this...?"


    Aileen looked surprised as she watched the unfamiliar skyship approach because in Thunderhawk City, such a small city, it wasn''t common for people to visit. Other than the Chamber of Commerce coming at fixed times for trade, it was unlikely for anyone else to come back even once a year.


    "This is a friend I met on the land,"


    Rocky explained casually with a slight smile, and at the same time, Felly, who was in charge of the skyport, ran up to him, "City Lord, this skyship... How should it be arranged?"


    Standing in front of Rocky, Felly was respectful but seemed somewhat at a loss,


    Under normal circumstances, skyships wanting to dock at Sky City have regulations to follow. Unless it''s a skyship from the city itself, all foreign skyships have to first declare their purpose. Upon landing, they are also required to pay a certain skyport tax before being officially allowed in.


    But at this moment, the skyship preparing to land was clearly the one Rocky was waiting for, leaving Felly unsure whether to proceed with the usual procedure or not, so he decided to come over and ask.


    "Everything should follow the rules,"


    "Yes, sir!"


    Upon hearing this, Felly saluted Rocky and then quickly left.


    Under his command, Monte''s skyship began docking and slowly descended into the skyport.


    Once the skyship had landed safely, Monte, accompanied by his daughter, a young female Beastman, exited his skyship. After paying the tax to the guards, they headed straight for Rocky.


    Shortly after, Monte and his daughter arrived in front of Rocky and the others.


    By now, Monte''s complexion had improved a lot compared to before, and the arm that had been severed was now simply bandaged, probably tended by his daughter.


    "City Lord Rocky, thank you for your help,"


    "City Lord Rocky, thank you for saving my father,"


    As they approached Rocky, Monte said this while giving a deep bow in gratitude, and his daughter likewise bowed her head to Rocky.


    Such a display of gratitude from them wasn''t at all excessive, even though Rocky had only brought Monte to Thunderhawk City. But this simple gesture was enough to be considered a lifesaving favor.


    Monte''s injuries were clearly not something he and his daughter could handle alone; they needed to find a professional doctor in Sky City for treatment. With the sky being so vast, it''s not easy to just come across Sky City.


    If it weren''t for Rocky, the only option for the father and daughter would have been to seek treatment in one of the large sky cities that floated at a fixed coordinate all year round. But by then, it was uncertain if Monte would still be saveable.


    So, Rocky''s seemingly simple action actually amounted to saving Monte''s life.


    "It''s no trouble at all, just a helping hand,"


    Facing the father and daughter who bowed and expressed their thanks to him, Rocky smiled lightly and wasn''t too concerned. However, he then addressed Monte, "We should get to know each other anew, the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, Rocky."

 Chapter 42: Chapter 41 Ambition

    "You, you are actually...!"Rocky''s new self-introduction, though brief, had truly shocked Monte!


    Monte had long noticed that Rocky was no ordinary person, but he had never imagined that Rocky was a city lord! He had originally thought that Rocky might be a noble of not insignificant status, but he never expected that Rocky''s rank was far above that of a noble, so much so that he owned the city beneath their feet!


    Therefore, after a brief pause, Monte promptly pulled his daughter to kneel on one knee: "City Lord, please forgive our previous disrespect!"


    As a Demon Hunter, Monte wasn''t just well-traveled and knowledgeable, but also much smarter than the average Beastman. Upon learning that Rocky was the master of Sky City, he immediately changed his attitude.


    He was very aware that he was on Rocky''s territory, and while on land it might not matter as much, inside Sky City no one could contend with the city lord. He did not want to displease the City Lord over a matter of etiquette, bringing unnecessary trouble upon himself and his daughter.


    "No need to be so formal, get up."


    With a casual wave of his hand, Rocky let Monte and his daughter stand up, then he turned to Liliya and said, "Arrange for a guard to take them to the city district, and have them treated as soon as possible."


    "Understood."


    Nodding, Liliya summoned a guard and arranged for him to lead Monte and his daughter away.


    It was only after the father and daughter had walked some distance away that Rocky turned to look at Aileen and Voss standing nearby.


    "Aileen, Lord Voss, what do you think of this man?"


    "My lord, this Beastman is..."


    Rocky''s question momentarily caught Aileen off guard because she did not know who the other person was and thus did not understand Rocky''s point.


    After that, Rocky recounted the events that had taken place on land, and only then did Aileen learn who Monte was, as well as finally grasping the reason Rocky had kept her and her grandfather behind.


    Rocky wanted them to help assess whether Monte could be of use to him!


    Although Aileen understood Rocky''s intention, she did not speak recklessly, but instead looked at her grandfather.


    Then Voss nodded at Rocky, "My lord, this man is of use."


    Though Voss''s words were simple, they gave Rocky considerable relief. Rocky had asked Voss to stay precisely because he knew of Voss''s vast experience, especially when it came to judging people; his gaze was not only clear-sighted but also keen.


    Soon after that, Rocky left the Skyport with everyone else.


    He was indeed eager to recruit Monte, but such matters could not be rushed, nor was there any need to hurry. Considering the severity of Monte''s injuries, he would not stay in Thunderhawk City for just a day or two.


    Furthermore, Rocky himself was quite busy. Now that he had obtained the Greyrock Stone, the next step was to make his way to Eternal City as quickly as possible. Only in Eternal City could he sell the Greyrock Stone, possibly for a high price, which was his top priority at the moment.


    Therefore, the next day, he called Aileen to the City Lord''s Mansion.


    "Aileen, how much do you think this batch of Greyrock Stone can sell for? Is it enough for Thunderhawk City''s grain sales?"


    The issue of having no money to buy grain had always been a major problem for Rocky and Thunderhawk City, a pressing issue at hand. Everything Rocky had done thus far was meant to resolve this matter.


    Now he had made all the efforts he could, and it was time to see the results.


    "My lord, it''s enough."


    Aileen''s answer was straightforward, yet it made Rocky breathe a long sigh of relief.


    "Are you certain?"


    "Absolutely certain." With a slight smile, Aileen said, "City Lord, the current market price of Greyrock Stone is around fifteen Gold Coins per kilogram, and based on the weight you brought back this time, we can earn over ten thousand Gold Coins."


    "That money, added to Thunderhawk City''s reserves, will be enough to purchase winter provisions, even from the Azure Commerce Guild, no matter how much they raise the price, and we''ll still have some left over."


    As the finance officer of Thunderhawk City, Aileen naturally had the most authority on this matter. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once Rocky returned with a full load of Greyrock Stone, she hadn''t rested for almost an entire night, spending the whole evening gathering market information on Greyrock Stone through various means. Therefore, everything she had just told Rocky was not off-the-cuff, but the result of careful calculation.


    And upon hearing her say this, Rocky finally felt at ease; the difficulty Thunderhawk City faced could finally be smoothly overcome.


    However, after this, he posed another question.


    "Aileen, must we import food from the Azure Commerce Guild?"


    "That..."


    Aileen paused slightly, but quickly grasped Rocky''s meaning and fell deep into thought.


    Rocky''s question clearly indicated his dissatisfaction with the Azure Commerce Guild and his intention to seek cooperation with other Chambers of Commerce.


    This, of course, was not surprising. After all, although the last transaction of yarn was ultimately successful, the process was anything but pleasant. The straightforward reason was that the Azure Commerce Guild had taken too much advantage of Thunderhawk City with their pricing.


    The reason the previous trade was successful was not that it satisfied both parties, but rather it was a result of being left with no other choice.


    This lack of choice referred solely to Thunderhawk City.


    In this context, it was logical for Rocky to want to change trading partners, especially now that they had money.


    Having money granted them the right to choose.


    Therefore, Aileen did not answer immediately, instead, she thought carefully before speaking after a while:


    "If you truly wish to change our trading partner, City Lord, this trip to Eternal City is a good opportunity. Eternal City is the largest trading hub in the skies, with branches of Chambers of Commerce, big and small; we could start by getting to know the situation before making any plans."


    "Yes, that''s what I was thinking."


    Aileen''s words made Rocky nod in agreement, for he had the same thoughts.


    His reason for visiting Eternal City this time was partly to sell the Demons, and another was to explore the possibility of finding new business partners.


    The performance of the Azure Commerce Guild last time had been a huge disappointment for Rocky. It was clear that they had deliberately raised their prices because they saw Thunderhawk City as a small town, and combined with Jia Xi''s behavior, Rocky had long been considering finding a new Commerce Guild to collaborate with.


    And now that he had money, he could buy food anywhere; why should he continue to cooperate with the Azure Commerce Guild and suffer their exploitation?


    However, Aileen then added, "City Lord, if we really cease cooperation with the Azure Commerce Guild, we must not only find a new Commerce Guild for buying food but also for importing yarn."


    The scale of the Azure Commerce Guild was not insignificant. It was only because Thunderhawk City agreed to their demand to import both yarn and food from them that they consented to long-term trade. If Rocky decided not to import food from the Azure Commerce Guild, he would need to find another company to import yarn as well.


    Aileen felt it was her duty to remind Rocky of this.


    But Rocky was well aware of this. His willingness to end collaboration with the Azure Commerce Guild had already taken this into account.


    Moreover, Rocky''s ambition was actually greater. He didn''t just want to use this opportunity to break away from the Azure Commerce Guild and find a new partner; he even felt that Thunderhawk City should seize this chance to undergo some changes!

 Chapter 43: Chapter 42 Urban Reform

    Thunderhawk City, it was time for some changes, Rocky thought.Regarding his identity as the City Lord, Rocky was filled with contradictions. Although this status provided him with a better starting point than others, it also brought him immense pressure, and being the City Lord of Thunderhawk City only increased that burden substantially.


    The frailty of Thunderhawk City was evident to anyone. A small city with merely a thousand inhabitants, it lacked virtually everything¡ªindustry, commerce, military, and so on. If there were such a thing as a development index in this world, Thunderhawk City''s would undoubtedly be zero!


    Under such circumstances, Rocky believed that it was essential for Thunderhawk City to change!


    Now, with the unique technology of Mana Runes at his disposal, Rocky''s potential was boundless. Therefore, he had to ensure the development and strengthening of Thunderhawk City. Only with a powerful Thunderhawk City could he truly take advantage of the benefits of Mana Runes.


    But how exactly could he strengthen Thunderhawk City?


    Rocky pondered this question for a long time and finally arrived at an answer: the economy.


    The economy was the key!


    For a city to develop, whether it was Sky City or any city on land, the economy was paramount because it was the foundation of everything. Without it, all else was empty talk.


    So, if Rocky wanted to make Thunderhawk City strong, he naturally had to focus on the economy first.


    The first thing he thought of was that Thunderhawk City could no longer rely solely on the textile industry for its livelihood.


    The city had a small population and no real factories; the so-called textile industry was entirely based on manual labor. The idea that a Sky City''s economic lifeline was handwoven fabric was laughably absurd.


    Rocky believed that the economic lifeline of Thunderhawk City must shift to other industries, or even directly to the market. Only then could the city''s economy improve.


    Next, it was imperative to change the economic model of Thunderhawk City.


    At present, Thunderhawk City was still functioning under a planned economy, with all resource allocation decisions being made and distributed by the City Lord''s Mansion.


    Take the textile industry, for example.


    Each quarter, the City Lord''s Mansion would decide how much yarn to import. Then, they would sell the yarn to the residents at a set price. Once the residents weaved the yarn into fabric, the City Lord''s Mansion bought it back at a predetermined price and sold the fabric to the Chamber of Commerce.


    In this process, the City Lord''s Mansion was in charge of everything, and the residents only had to labor and earn a margin to make an income. This was a classic example of a planned economy.


    This economic model had too many drawbacks. Without shifting to a free market economy, Thunderhawk City could never develop.


    Rocky saw his upcoming trip to Eternal City as an opportunity and hoped to use it to kickstart the reforms for Thunderhawk City.


    With this in mind, he summoned Aileen the day after and shared his thoughts with her. After all, as the Financial Officer of Thunderhawk City, she understood economic matters far better than Rocky did.


    "My Lord, I think I understand what you mean..."


    After Rocky laid out his thoughts to Aileen, she fell into deep contemplation. After a while, she finally spoke, "My Lord, your ideas are indeed excellent, and Thunderhawk City does need to change. It''s just that..."


    "Just what?"


    "We can''t rush things." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After looking at Rocky, Aileen said, "My Lord, the residents of Thunderhawk City have already become accustomed to the ''economic model'' you mentioned."


    "Planned economy."


    "Yes, that''s right, the planned economy." Aileen felt that the term was very accurate. "The residents are already accustomed to the planned economy you mentioned. If you suddenly change this model and connect Thunderhawk City''s market with the external markets, the residents won''t be able to withstand the impact, and that could lead to significant turmoil."


    "So what do you suggest?"


    Aileen''s words were entirely correct and also what Rocky was worried about. Although changes were necessary for Thunderhawk City, Rocky was afraid that the residents wouldn''t be able to accept them. This was precisely why he sought Aileen''s counsel.


    "My Lord, we can take it slowly, allowing the residents to gradually adapt."


    Aileen was sharp. After hearing Rocky''s ideas, she quickly grasped the key points and thought of a solution¡ªto let the residents of Thunderhawk City gradually adapt.


    It may have sounded like an obvious statement, but it wasn''t.


    This was because the population of Thunderhawk City was too small. But with a small population, adapting to changes could be swift. If Thunderhawk City had a population not of one thousand but of one hundred thousand, adapting to new changes would prove challenging. Fortunately, with only about a thousand residents, adapting them to new changes would be much simpler.


    After saying this, Aileen laid out her thoughts to Rocky one by one. In the following days, the two of them discussed the matter extensively, deliberating on how to initiate change in Thunderhawk City and help its residents adapt to these changes.


    As a result, a week passed quickly, and by the end of it, Rocky and Aileen had crafted a fairly comprehensive plan for the economic reforms of Thunderhawk City, ready to be implemented upon arrival in Eternal City.


    Following this, Liliya sought out Rocky and informed him that Monte had been discharged from the hospital.


    Since he had been busy preparing for the economic reforms of Thunderhawk City, Rocky had almost forgotten about the Beastmen. It was only after Liliya''s reminder that he remembered.


    "Has his injury already healed?"


    "Is it possible to recover that quickly? He''s broken an arm. It won''t heal for three to five months," Liliya said with a shake of her head and an exasperated look before suggesting, "Shall I go talk to him?"


    Both Rocky and Liliya valued the Beastman Monte highly, despite his current disability. They still saw him as talented, at least the talent Thunderhawk City needed.


    His strength and his experience were valuable assets in Thunderhawk City. Hence, if they could recruit him, it would only benefit Rocky.


    However, with Monte healing and Rocky occupied, they had not had a chance to meet. Now that Monte was not only out of the hospital but they were also about to arrive in Eternal City, there was little time left to speak with him before he potentially left.


    After contemplating for a moment, Rocky shook his head, stood up, and said, "I''ll go talk to him myself. It shows more sincerity that way."

 Chapter 44: Chapter 43 Give Me Some Time

    Rocky planned to personally meet with Monte to see if he could persuade the beastman to stay under his command.As for his approach, Liliya naturally gave her full support.


    Since their goal was to recruit Monte, it was undoubtedly a sign of sincere commitment for Rocky, the Lord of one city, to meet with Monte himself, which was certainly much more effective than having someone else make the visit. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, shortly after, Rocky and Liliya left the City Lord''s Mansion and took a carriage to the city district.


    Monte had not met with Rocky since coming to Thunderhawk City, but Rocky was well aware of his movements. First, because Thunderhawk City wasn''t large, and Monte had few places to go; and second, because Liliya had already instructed the patrolling guards to pay close attention to his whereabouts.


    So after leaving the City Lord''s Mansion, they rode the carriage directly to the inn where Monte was staying and arrived shortly after.


    "City Lord, you, how come you''re here..."


    When Monte opened the door to his inn room and saw Rocky standing before him, the tall beastman was completely stunned, clearly not expecting to see the City Lord again.


    "What, not pleased to see me?"


    Observing the dumbfounded Monte, Rocky jokingly remarked.


    Unfortunately, he forgot the status difference between himself and Monte, for the beastman''s face turned sour in an instant upon hearing his words, "My Lord, I beg forgiveness, I didn''t mean it like that!"


    In the midst of speaking, Monte hurriedly moved aside his towering figure and invited Rocky and Liliya into the room.


    "City Lord! Hello!"


    As Rocky entered the room, he immediately heard an exceedingly crisp greeting. Looking towards the source, he saw Monte''s daughter, the young female beastman.


    Monte''s daughter seemed to be only about fourteen or fifteen years old, but because she was a beastman, her appearance and figure were almost on par with Liliya; she now greeted Rocky with enthusiasm.


    "Hello."


    Rocky nodded slightly to Monte''s daughter and smiled.


    "Dusa! Stop fooling around!"


    Monte, following behind Rocky, scolded his daughter for her lack of manners: "Go back to your room, don''t bother the City Lord here!"


    "Oh..."


    Scolded by her father, Dusa pouted, lowered her head, and then reluctantly returned to her room. Though she closed the door, she still left a crack open and peeked out at the outside.


    "Monte, no need to be so nervous, I just came to check on your injuries."


    Ignoring Dusa''s little antics, Rocky glanced at Monte and then said with a smile.


    "City Lord, please have a seat."


    However, no matter how much Rocky said to relax, Monte couldn''t possibly do so. He hurriedly offered Rocky a seat and stood without sitting himself.


    "You sit too, no need to be so formal."


    Only after Rocky''s repeated requests did Monte finally take a seat opposite him, still appearing quite constrained.


    "How are your injuries?"


    Seeing that Monte remained tense, Rocky couldn''t take it anymore and simply started to chat with him.


    "Thank you for your concern, my Lord, my injuries are no longer a concern."


    "That''s good..."


    Upon hearing this, Rocky nodded and then glanced at Monte''s severed arm, which had been bandaged up and clearly received professional medical treatment; it indeed seemed no longer to be a major issue.


    Rocky then shifted his gaze back to Monte''s face, looked at him for a moment, and asked, "Monte, do you still plan to continue being a Demon Hunter?"


    "This..."


    Monte was taken aback by Rocky''s sudden question, then he gave a wry smile and shook his head, "My Lord, in my current state, I don''t think I''ll be able to hunt Demons anymore."


    As he spoke, he unconsciously touched his severed arm and sighed.


    His arm had been severed, and although he received timely treatment and would heal after a period of rest, he could no longer be a Demon Hunter.


    "What are your plans for the future?"


    Monte''s answer was entirely within Rocky''s expectations, so after a slight pause, he spoke again.


    At this question, Monte, who had previously been somewhat confused, immediately understood why Rocky had come to see him and why he was asking these questions.


    Thus, after thinking for a while, Monte spoke again, "My Lord, my daughter and I have some savings, so I haven''t made any plans for now."


    "Then... would you be interested in staying with me?"


    At this point in the conversation, Rocky stopped beating around the bush and directly entered the main topic, plainly stating his purpose in coming.


    "My Lord, I haven''t considered that," Monte replied, looking at Rocky, his response was very tactful.


    This answer was effectively giving Rocky a response¡ªthat he did not plan to stay in Thunderhawk City.


    This truly reflected Monte''s thoughts; he had been living in Thunderhawk City for several days, and although he spent most of that time in the hospital, he had already learned a lot about the city and knew exactly what it was like.


    Monte felt that such a city was too small for him.


    Indeed, just as Liliya had estimated before, Monte was a Fifth Level, or even on the verge of breaking through to Sixth Level warrior before his injury. Even now, with only one arm, he still had the strength of at least a Fourth Level Warrior, which was not considered low.


    With such strength, Monte might not be able to hunt Demons, but he could certainly find a job in any Sky City to support his family, and that was absolutely not a problem.


    If that was the case, why should he live in such a small city as Thunderhawk City?


    Monte, who had traveled far and wide, had visited many medium and large Sky Cities. In those cities, he could ensure a good life for himself and his daughter without any need to stay in Thunderhawk City.


    However, that was just what he thought internally; he couldn''t say it out loud. After all, even though Rocky was just the Lord of a small city, he was still the City Lord, and the difference in status made Monte express his thoughts as tactfully as possible.


    "That''s roughly what I was thinking..."


    What Monte didn''t expect was that Rocky, upon hearing his tactful response, did not show displeasure but smiled as if he had anticipated it.


    Following this, Rocky opened his mouth to say, "Monte, you think Thunderhawk City is too small, right?"


    "My Lord, I absolutely did not..." Monte quickly shook his head in denial. If he agreed now, he would really be a fool.


    However, Rocky simply waved his hand to interrupt him, then said, "Monte, is that the only ambition you have for your future?"


    "I..."


    "Do you think that now, you can only serve as a guard for some minor noble, or find a menial job in a guild, and that''s it?"


    Rocky''s words stunned Monte on the spot; he couldn''t speak for a long time because most of his thoughts were precisely what Rocky had articulated!


    When he said he hadn''t made any plans for the future, it was just to brush off Rocky. How could Monte not plan for his future, especially since he was also a father?


    His plans were indeed as Rocky said: intending to head to a large Sky City, then become the guard for some noble there. With his abilities, achieving this would not be difficult, even with one arm lost.


    He believed that with his current conditions, if he could live such a life, that would be fairly good. The earnings from being a guard would be enough to support him and his daughter, with some left over to save for the future. When his daughter reached adulthood, he could find a good family for her to marry into, and that would complete his life.


    Those were Monte''s thoughts: no lofty ambitions, just solid and realistic ones.


    Clearly, Rocky didn''t see it that way, so he then said, "Monte, you indeed cannot go hunting Demons anymore, but this might not be a bad thing. Rather, it could be an opportunity."


    "I hope you can stay here with me. Believe me, following me will be much better than serving some minor noble."


    "My Lord, I... I really haven''t made up my mind," Monte replied.


    Rocky''s words were straightforward but also sincere, a sentiment Monte could feel. He even felt slightly persuaded, but this was, after all, a significant matter, and he needed to consider it carefully.


    "No problem, I hope you think it over and give me your answer later." Rocky said with a slight smile, not seeming to rush, "We will arrive at Eternal City in two more days; you can leave at any time, and I won''t stop you."


    "But I hope you can wait and give me some time because you will soon witness the transformation of Thunderhawk City. Once that happens, it won''t be too late to make your decision."

 Chapter 45: Chapter 44: Grateful Heart

    After his chat with Monte, Rocky brought Liliya back to the City Lord''s Mansion.In his view, this meeting with Monte had been a success, because he had said all he could, and it was apparent that Monte had been touched; Rocky felt that was enough.


    However, in the eyes of some, his meeting with Monte had not been successful at all, and it had yielded nothing, since he had not convinced Monte to become his subordinate.


    The reason was quite simple: what Rocky could offer now was just too little.


    Even so, Rocky still believed he had moved Monte, because he had seen reluctance in Monte''s eyes. Although this Beastman had lost an arm and repeatedly said he would be content to live a peaceful life, his gaze was still filled with unwillingness. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This reluctance made Rocky feel that there was still something to discuss with Monte.


    His thought was correct.


    Because Monte was indeed very reluctant, and it was this reluctance that made him not immediately reject Rocky.


    This was actually quite easy to understand. Monte had been a warrior on the verge of breaking through to the Sixth Level, a strength already considered very formidable, and this was precisely why he had chosen the dangerous profession of a Demon Hunter.


    Under such circumstances, how could Monte, having lost an arm, be willing to lead an inconsequential life?


    So, although he did not agree to Rocky''s proposal immediately, Monte also did not refuse him. Moreover, he did not plan to leave Thunderhawk City immediately, since Rocky had mentioned that Thunderhawk City would soon undergo changes. Monte wanted to stay and see what the city would become, then make his decision when the time came.


    Therefore, overall, the conversation between Rocky and Monte went quite smoothly. Rocky ultimately convinced Monte to stay in Thunderhawk City, and as long as Monte stayed, he believed that with the Beastman''s insight and experience, Monte would definitely make the right choice after witnessing the forthcoming changes in Thunderhawk City.


    Following this, upon returning to the City Lord''s Mansion, Rocky immediately became busy again: they were about to reach Eternal City, and there were still many things he needed to prepare.


    Two days passed in the blink of an eye. After slowly flying through the sky for more than a month, Thunderhawk City finally arrived at its destination: Eternal City!


    Rocky had long heard of this God City, so he was excited to go to the Skyport early in the morning with Liliya and Aileen.


    "This is... Eternal City..."


    Standing on the Skyport platform, initially prepared to board a Skyship directly to Eternal City, Rocky was stunned. Just by standing on the platform of the Skyport, he had already clearly seen Eternal City in the distance and was utterly astonished.


    How could this city be so large!?


    Standing in the Skyport of Thunderhawk City and gazing into the distance, Rocky could see a giant city floating in the sky. The scale of this city was so immense it almost filled his entire field of vision. Considering that Thunderhawk City was not actually close to Eternal City, being separated by several thousand meters at least!


    From such a distance, and yet Eternal City was still so massive; one could only imagine how magnificent this city was.


    God City, truly as legendary as its name!


    Standing in the Skyport and looking for a while, Rocky couldn''t help but inwardly exclaim; the name God City truly wasn''t for naught; the city before his eyes indeed qualified as a colossal entity.


    "Have all the goods been loaded onto the ship?"


    Gradually coming back to his senses, Rocky turned to look at Aileen and then asked.


    "Everything is ready."


    Rocky''s main purpose for traveling to Eternal City this time was for trade. On the one hand, he wanted to sell the Greyrock Stone he possessed, and on the other hand, he needed to find a Chamber of Commerce that could supply food to Thunderhawk City, along with some other minor affairs. Thus, Aileen became crucial for this trip, with all trading matters being her responsibility.


    "Board the ship, to Eternal City!"


    Seeing that everything was in order, Rocky waved his hand excitedly and then led everyone onto the skyship, preparing to head to Eternal City!


    "My lord! Please wait a moment!"


    Just at that moment, just after Rocky had boarded the skyship and before it could take off, a thunderous shout came across. It immediately drew everyone''s attention.


    Following the direction of the voice, it didn''t take long for them to see a tall figure appearing at the Skyport¡ªit was the Beastman Monte!


    It didn''t take much longer for Monte to sprint over to Rocky''s skyship, and then he called out, "My lord, are you going to trade Greyrock Stone this time?"


    "Yes,"


    "My lord, I have been to Eternal City many times and am very familiar with it. I can help you."


    "Really? That would be great!"


    Having Monte come to him proactively was something Rocky hadn''t anticipated at all, and naturally, he was very pleased.


    Actually, Rocky had thought about asking Monte for help earlier because, being a certified Demon Hunter, Monte was surely more familiar with demon-related trades than Aileen was. Having his assistance would make things much easier. However, considering Monte''s injuries, Rocky had ultimately refrained from asking, yet here the Beastman was, coming forward of his own accord.


    It must be said that Monte the Beastman was indeed impressive. Despite having traveled far and wide and witnessed much of the world, he had not forgotten the simple honesty typical of Beastmen. This made his respect and gratitude for Rocky not only that of a commoner towards a City Lord but also deeper and more personal.


    In Monte''s view, no matter Rocky''s status, he had once saved his life¡ªan act of kindness Monte always remembered. So even if Rocky wasn''t a lord, Monte''s attitude towards him would not change much, and he would definitely repay the favor.


    Although Rocky was delighted by Monte''s initiative, thinking about his injuries still made him unavoidably concerned.


    "Are your injuries all right?"


    "They''re mostly healed."


    Swinging his half-arm bandaged up, the Beastman laughed heartily, indicating that there were no problems at all.


    The physical resilience of Beastmen was indeed formidable. If a human had suffered injuries as severe as his, it would typically take months to recover. However, Monte had rested for only a week and was already quite healed.


    Seeing this, Rocky simply nodded and then waved to Monte, "Come aboard!"


    And so, Monte also boarded the skyship, and once he was aboard, Rocky ordered the skyship to slowly ascend and flew toward Eternal City!


    PS: Please recommend and bookmark the new book. Every recommendation and bookmark you give is the greatest encouragement to Little Detective. We hope for your extensive support! Extensive support! Extensive support!

 Chapter 46: Chapter 45: Eternal City

    The skyship ascended and slowly flew out of Thunderhawk City''s Defensive Net, then headed towards the distant Eternal City."Liliya, look over there!"


    Standing at the bow, Rocky was once again just as excited as the first time he''d taken a skyship.


    But who could blame him, for in just this short journey he had seen so many sights he''d never experienced before.


    For instance, at this very moment, he was pointing astoundedly at a vast Sky City in the distance.


    This Sky City was not the Eternal City, but rather it was smaller in scale than the Eternal City, yet significantly larger than Thunderhawk City, and it was not far from Thunderhawk City at all, with roughly a kilometer separating the two.


    And as Rocky looked out, he realized that there were dozens of Sky Cities stationed several thousand kilometers around the Eternal City!


    These Sky Cities varied in size; the smallest were similar to Thunderhawk City, but most were medium to large sky cities.


    Such an astonishing sight was something Rocky had never seen before, so it was no wonder he was exclaiming excitedly at the bow.


    Not just him, even Liliya and Aileen had their mouths wide open, displaying expressions of disbelief at the scene before them.


    Out of the group, only Monte appeared relatively composed, for Rocky, Liliya, and Aileen had only heard of the great name of the Eternal City but were visiting for the first time, whereas Monte was not. He had visited many times before, so the sight before him was nothing unusual.


    "Monte, are all these Sky Cities here to trade with the Eternal City like us?"


    Seeing Monte standing there calmly, Rocky quickly asked him since he knew much more about the Eternal City than Rocky did.


    "Yes, my lord."


    Monte nodded and then explained in detail to Rocky, "My lord, sky cities like these are always present around the Eternal City at every moment, and this is even not the busiest time. During certain important days, the surrounding area of the Eternal City might see over a hundred sky cities, and the scene is truly magnificent."


    "It''s that extravagant¡­"


    Monte''s words made Rocky take a deep breath. He tried to imagine, but ultimately, he simply couldn''t picture what it would be like with over a hundred Sky Cities around the Eternal City¡ªit was beyond his imagination.


    Meanwhile, as the skyship gradually neared the Eternal City, more and more skyships appeared in the sky.


    These skyships came in various sizes, and there were civilian ships, merchant vessels, and even warships, bustling in the sky like lively fish, some flying far away, others heading to the nearby Sky Cities, all very busy.


    Just as Rocky was being amazed by this spectacle, a small skyship, no, a hoverboat, approached them.


    There were only two people on the hoverboat, but both were wearing Void Magic Armor!


    As Rocky noticed the hoverboat drawing near, it had already approached closely, and then he saw one of the people on the boat use their Floating Armor to fly up into the air and gently float alongside Rocky''s skyship.


    "Good morning, sirs and madam. I am a Patrol Officer from the Eternal City. May I ask if you are here for trade?"


    "This¡­"


    The Patrol Officer''s question stumped Rocky as it was his first visit to the Eternal City, and he was still unclear about the local rules and regulations.


    What was even more important was that when the Patrol Officer approached, Rocky''s attention was completely captivated by the Void Magic Armor he was wearing!


    He had never imagined that someone who was merely a Patrol Officer would be equipped with Void Magic Armor, much less armor that was clearly superior to his own set!


    Heavens...


    The financial strength of Eternal City was simply too much, being able to supply such high-quality Void Magic Armor to a mere Patrol Officer. With such lavish spending, even Rocky, a City Lord himself, was left speechless.


    "We are visiting Eternal City for the first time," asked Aileen, "are there any differences for trade?"


    As Rocky''s pride was deeply wounded by the seemingly insignificant Patrol Officer, Aileen beside him asked the officer, as they indeed didn''t quite understand what the other party had just mentioned.


    "Oh, if you''re here for trade, then please dock your Skyship at the trade port. If not, head to the general port. The port entry taxes are different for each, and only Skyships docked at the trade port are allowed to load cargo. General ports do not permit this. If anyone is found breaking these rules, they will be treated as smuggling and subject to heavy fines.


    Please comply with the regulations of Eternal City."


    "So that''s how it is..."


    After hearing the Patrol Officer''s explanation, Aileen glanced at Monte, and only after seeing him nod slightly to her did she feel assured.


    "We are here for trade."


    "Okay." Upon hearing Aileen''s response, the Patrol Officer immediately said, "The trade tax in Eternal City is fifty Gold Coins per day for each small Skyship. The total tax is to be paid upon departure. Please steer your Skyship to these coordinates to queue for entry."


    While speaking, the Patrol Officer clad in Floating Armor gave Aileen a set of coordinates and then flew away without looking back.


    "Why is the entry tax so expensive?"


    After passing the coordinates to the Guard on the ship, Aileen pouted unhappily, her face showing clear distress¡ªevidently finding the entry tax exorbitant.


    A port entry tax of fifty Gold Coins a day¡ªif they were to stay for ten days, that would amount to five hundred gold coins in taxes! That was just too expensive!


    "City Lord, it looks like we can''t afford to waste any time¡­"


    The steep entry tax forced Aileen to turn to Rocky, as they certainly couldn''t afford a long stay in Eternal City.


    "Oh, alright." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A shaken Rocky finally snapped back to his senses, then nodded.


    Not long after that, their Skyship slowly flew toward the Patrol Officer''s given coordinates and began to queue for entry.


    Upon reaching the Skyport of Eternal City, Rocky and the others were once again astounded, as the Skyport of Eternal City was simply too vast!


    "My heavens... This port is even bigger than Thunderhawk City''s entire district!"


    As the Skyship slowly descended, Rocky, standing at the bow, couldn''t help but exclaim in shock because the scale of Eternal City''s Skyport was overwhelming¡ªsurpassing even the district size of Thunderhawk City!


    In this enormous Skyport, there were hundreds of Skyships docked, with dozens or even hundreds taking off or landing in the port at any given moment, making the entire area extremely busy.


    Such a scale of Skyport thoroughly stunned Rocky. Thunderhawk City also had a Skyport, but compared to Eternal City''s Skyport, Thunderhawk''s was nothing more than a small platform¡ªthere was absolutely no comparison.


    Is this the might of a God City?


    Seeing just a glimpse of Eternal City''s Skyport was enough for Rocky to understand the tremendous power of Eternal City. No wonder this city had become the largest trade center in the skies, and no wonder the Top Ten Divine Cities positioned alongside Eternal City were known as the ten monsters of the sky¡ªtheir strength was simply staggering!

 Chapter 47: Chapter 46 Exchanges

    After the skyship landed at the skyport of Eternal City, Rocky and his companions found a carriage and then headed to the city district of Eternal City.Since it was a trading city, the skyport of Eternal City was very close to the city district, and a half-hour carriage ride brought them inside the city area.


    Upon arriving in the city district, Rocky''s first impression was of its bustling activity. It was indeed a super metropolis with a population of millions, where the streets and alleys were filled with throngs of people making it extraordinarily lively.


    And the second impression it left him with was its prosperity.


    The prosperity of Eternal City far exceeded Rocky''s imagination; he even saw seven- or eight-story buildings for the first time here. You must know that in Thunderhawk City, the tallest building was his City Lord''s Mansion, which is merely a two-story castle.


    But in this place, structures bigger and more luxurious than Rocky''s City Lord''s Mansion were everywhere, with some restaurants almost rivaling the scale of his Mansion!


    Such a vibrant and colorful sight gave Rocky a huge shock, suddenly making him feel like a country bumpkin who had finally arrived in the big city for the first time, having never seen anything like it.


    In fact, his thinking was a bit too self-deprecating. Eternal City was indeed very prosperous, and this prosperity was indeed something Thunderhawk City could not compare with, but this was only limited to a comparison between Thunderhawk City and Eternal City.


    In reality, the level of prosperity in Eternal City was among the top throughout the entire Sky. Not to mention the feeble Thunderhawk City, other Sky Cities could not compare to it either, including the large Sky Cities, which also could not compete with Eternal City in terms of prosperity.


    "One day, I will make Thunderhawk City like this!"


    Sitting in the carriage, watching the bustle of the street traffic, Rocky felt not only envy but also made a secret resolution. He was determined to build his Thunderhawk City to be just like this, no, even more prosperous than Eternal City!


    In this manner, the carriage moved on. After entering the city district, it didn''t take long before they arrived at their destination, a reasonably sized hotel.


    This hotel was recommended by Monte, not too expensive and very close to the trade center within the city district. Monte would stay here every time he came to Eternal City.


    Regarding where to stay, be it Rocky, Liliya, or even Aileen, none of them were particularly concerned, because they were well aware that they didn''t come to Eternal City for pleasure, even though it was also the best entertainment city in the entire Sky.


    "Monte, would you mind taking us to the Hunting Exchange now?"


    After selecting two rooms at the hotel, Rocky said to Monte, asking him to take them directly to the Hunters Guild.


    The so-called Hunting Exchange was actually a large market specializing in Demon trades. All buying and selling activities regarding Demons took place there, with numerous sellers and buyers making transactions very convenient.


    "My lord, don''t you want to rest for a bit?"


    Glancing at Rocky, Monte did not expect him to be in such a hurry.


    Indeed, Rocky was in a rush!


    You must understand that for every day they stayed in the city district, the skyship parked at the skyport had to pay a docking fee of fifty Gold Coins, a substantial amount for the cash-strapped Rocky, so he had no intention of wasting any time here.


    Under these circumstances, soon after arriving at the hotel, the group almost immediately left again, and then they took the carriage straight to the Hunting Exchange.


    You have to say, the hotel recommended by Monte might not look fancy, but its location was really good. They arrived at their destination in just about fifteen minutes.


    "My lord, this is the Hunting Exchange."


    ```


    After getting off the carriage, Monte pointed across the street, and Rocky and his companions crossed the bustling thoroughfare to see a trading house five stories high and twice the size of Rocky''s City Lord''s Mansion.


    "Good heavens, this place is really massive."


    Having glanced at the trading house, Rocky couldn''t help but click his tongue, not having expected it to be so grand.


    "My lord, this is Eternal City, where all demon hunters under the entire sky, if able, choose to conduct their business, because there are also the most buyers here. Moreover, any transaction is supervised and guaranteed by Eternal City, and any issues will be handled by Eternal City as well. Therefore, the trading house here is naturally quite large."


    "I see..."


    After listening to Monte''s explanation, Rocky nodded and then led his group across the wide street, heading straight for the trading house.


    Upon entering the trading house''s lobby, what first came into view was a mana notice board so large one had to tilt their head back to see it all - it was over ten meters in size, with dense, scrolling notices, which, upon closer inspection as Rocky and his company drew near, turned out to be all transaction information.


    ¡Á¡Á Chamber of Commerce is offering a high price for Sky Antelope Demon Horn, interested parties please contact the Chamber''s representative ¡Á¡Á¡Á, price negotiable.


    ¡Á¡Á Chamber of Commerce is buying various demon cores in bulk, fair price assured, interested parties are welcome to discuss details at trading house''s second floor in ¡Á¡Á shop.


    A large quantity of Earth Dragon Demon Skin for sale, for price inquiries, please contact ¡Á¡Á¡Á¡Á.


    Long-term purchase of Greyrock Stone, price negotiable, interested parties are welcome to the second floor of the trading house to discuss in shop ¡Á¡Á¡Á.


    The scrolling notices on the board were all about demon-related transactions, including postings from buyers and sellers alike, their number so great it was dizzying to behold.


    And beneath the notice board there were also many people, like Rocky and his allies, looking up at it attentively. It was clear from the way these individuals were dressed that they were unmistakably not merchants, and if not merchants, then they must naturally be demon hunters here for business.


    "The trading house is too big, so this notice board was set up to facilitate trading for everyone." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While Rocky was dazzled by the contents of the notice board, Monte at his side explained, "These messages are being updated every moment. Hunters who come here to sell demons need only follow this information to find merchants to quickly complete transactions, which is very convenient."


    "Monte, none of the information on here specifies prices. Do all merchants operate this way?"


    At that moment, Aileen turned her head and inquired of Monte.


    "That... should be the case..."


    But Monte awkwardly scratched his big head when asked, "Actually, I''m not too sure either. Each time I come here to trade, I go directly to the merchants based on the information on the notice board, so I''ve never paid much attention."


    Although Monte was much smarter than the average beastman, he still retained some typical characteristics of beastmen such as being very straightforward and finding calculative affairs bothersome, like the question Aileen had just posed - a matter he had never considered before.


    In Monte''s eyes, as long as he could sell the demons he hunted, what did it matter if the price was a little higher or lower? After all, he was earning either way.


    After hearing his response, Aileen nodded and then looked at Rocky, "Lord, please wait here for a moment, I want to check the trading information."


    Having said this, Aileen no longer paid heed to the others and took out a small notebook from her pocket. She stood under the notice board, swiftly browsing through the ceaselessly scrolling information and incessantly jotting something down in her notebook.


    It was evident that upon arriving, Aileen was somewhat excited, and now she was preparing to make her move!


    ```

 Chapter 48: Chapter 47: Horns and Fangs

    Aileen was indeed very excited now for she had an innate sensitivity to all transactions; after asking Monte a few questions, she began to take action.However, this meant that Rocky and his companions had nothing to do, and even Monte was in the same situation. Although he was familiar with the place, he was far inferior to Aileen, the business expert, and was of no help at all.


    In this situation, Rocky made a suggestion:


    "Monte, could you show us around? Besides purchasing demons, the merchants here should also sell them, right?"


    "My lord, yes," Monte nodded, then said, "This exchange almost gathers all buyers and sellers pertaining to demons. If my lord needs anything, you will definitely find it here."


    During their conversation, he led Rocky and Liliya deeper into the hall and then up the stairs to the second floor of the exchange.


    The Hunting Exchange was five stories tall; the first-floor hall mainly handled information dissemination and account settlements, while from the second floor onward, there were independent storefronts of various merchants. Just as Monte said, there were both buyers and sellers within this exchange. Besides Demon Hunters who came here to sell demons, many also came here to buy demons.


    Of course, those who came to buy demons would not purchase a whole demon but certain parts, such as the Demon''s Horn, demon skin, or the Demon Core, and so on.


    In this state of affairs, when Rocky entered the second floor under Monte''s guidance, he quickly saw the separate storefronts, which instantly gave him the feeling of browsing through a shopping mall, and it felt like a luxury shopping mall at that.


    "What is this?"


    Rocky entered a shop casually and immediately noticed a long horn displayed inside the counter. The horn was grey-white in color, nearly one and a half meters in length, but straight as a ruler, which was quite unusual.


    So after looking at it for a while at the counter, Rocky couldn''t help but ask.


    "My lord, this is a horn from a Wild Poison Demon, extremely hard. With just simple polishing, it can be directly made into a weapon, or even inlaid with Magic Stones to become a Mana Weapon," Monte explained.


    "The hunter is correct," said a man who walked out of the shop. Judging by his dress, he appeared to be the owner. Approaching Rocky, the man continued, "My lord, this indeed is the Horn of the Wild Poison. The most valuable part of the Wild Poison Demon is this very horn. It is a top choice for making Magic Energy Weapons."


    As a merchant, the owner naturally had an eye for judging people, so he recognized at first glance that Rocky was no ordinary individual; therefore, he was very enthusiastic.


    However, that was normal; although Rocky''s attire wasn''t particularly lavish, he was after all the City Lord, and he did have several high-end noble garments. Additionally, being the lord of a city, his natural demeanor set him apart from common folk, so it was not surprising for his extraordinary status to be noticed.


    "Why is this horn particularly suitable for making Mana Weapons?"


    Rocky, evidently intrigued by the owner''s pitch, couldn''t help but inquire further.


    Hearing his question, the owner became even more certain of Rocky''s uncommon status, for the more noble one''s identity, the less they knew about demons.


    Subsequently, the owner said, "My lord, the Horn of the Wild Poison has the strongest adaptability to Mana among low-level demons, with excellent conductivity. Thus, Mana Weapons made from this horn are at least ten percent more powerful than ordinary Mana Weapons."


    "It has such an effect? How much is this horn?" Rocky nodded, asking casually about the price of the Horn of the Wild Poison.


    "Fifteen thousand Gold Coins."


    Seeing that Rocky had inquired about the price, the shop owner cheerfully put forth a figure.


    However, that number nearly gave Rocky a scare!


    Just one horn, and it costs fifteen thousand Gold Coins!?


    Such a high price was far beyond Rocky''s expectations and even left him at a loss for words.


    Luckily, at that moment, there was a heavy sigh from behind, followed by Monte''s voice, "My lord, perhaps we should look in other shops."


    "Alright."


    Upon hearing Monte''s suggestion, Rocky promptly agreed and then walked away without looking back, his decisiveness catching the shop owner off guard¡­


    Actually, he genuinely took an interest in the Horn of the Wild Poison. Since the horn provided a boost to the Mana from Magic Stones, he wondered if it would also enhance Mana Runes. So he wanted to purchase the horn for experimentation, but he never expected it to be so expensive.


    He had assumed that the horn would cost around a thousand Gold Coins, which, even though not cheap for him, was still affordable if he tightened his belt. To his surprise, the price of the Horn of the Wild Poison exceeded his estimate by more than tenfold!


    Splurging thousands of Gold Coins on such a demon horn was simply beyond what Rocky could afford, so he left using Monte''s interjection as an opportunity.


    "Monte, was that Horn of the Wild Poison really worth fifteen thousand Gold Coins?" Rocky asked, still somewhat reluctant to let it go; he really wanted to get his hands on it.


    After leaving the aforementioned shop, a slightly discontented Rocky questioned Monte ¨C he was indeed very interested in purchasing the Horn of the Wild Poison.


    "My lord, the Horn of the Wild Poison is indeed a fine material for crafting mana weapons, but it''s not worth that much," the shopkeeper said. "The store owner must have sensed your noble status and purposely quoted a high price. In fact, if you really want it, you could find it for no more than eight thousand Gold Coins."


    Eight thousand Gold Coins...


    This number crushed Rocky''s hopes entirely.


    Although eight thousand Gold Coins was nearly half the price of fifteen thousand Gold Coins, it was still well beyond Rocky''s budget. Of course, he could produce eight thousand Gold Coins, but he would never spend so much for a single Demon''s Horn. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, with no other option, Rocky had to completely give up on the Horn of the Wild Poison and then walked into another store.


    Afterward, he, Liliya, and Monte started browsing through the Hunting Exchange, stopping at different stores along the way. They may not have bought much, but the experience gave Rocky a general idea of the market prices for demon trades and exposed him to a wide range of goods.


    It must be said, all trades related to demons were incredibly lucrative. Items like the Horn of the Wild Poison were commonplace here, each commanding prices upwards of ten thousand Gold Coins, and even the more common ones cost several thousand Gold Coins.


    For Rocky, who wished to purchase something here, such steep prices were both a good and a bad thing.


    He did not have tens of thousands of Gold Coins to spend on these items. Rocky had set a maximum spending limit for himself of just one thousand Gold Coins¡ªthat was the limit he could afford.


    Actually, one thousand Gold Coins was not a small sum; it could even buy a piece of top-quality magic energy equipment, but sadly, it was nowhere nearly enough here.


    However, since items related to demons could be sold at such exorbitant prices, Rocky was filled with anticipation about how much he could sell his Greyrock Stone for.


    Previously, Aileen had conservatively estimated that the Greyrock Stone could be sold for more than ten thousand Gold Coins, but this was just a forecast based on what she heard from other merchants. The actual price would depend on the market at the Hunting Exchange.


    This filled Rocky with anticipation, so even though he couldn''t afford anything here, he remained cheerful and, before he knew it, he had unconsciously wandered up to the third floor of the Exchange.


    According to Monte, the items sold in the Exchange became progressively more expensive and high-end with each floor. By the time one reached the fifth floor, it was all about high-level demon items, where any random item could fetch a price of over a hundred thousand Gold Coins!


    However, even though that was the case, the moment Rocky stepped into the first store on the third floor, he was immediately attracted to an item.


    "Is this a demon tooth?"


    With a casual glance, Rocky noticed a tooth displayed in the showcase. The tooth was about a foot long, and its grey appearance was quite unremarkable compared to the other items in the showcase, but it caught Rocky''s attention immediately.


    "This... I''m not quite sure."


    Monte approached the showcase for a closer look but still couldn''t identify which demon the tooth belonged to after a long while.


    "Shopkeeper, what kind of demon tooth is this?"


    Seeing that even Monte couldn''t recognize it, Rocky grew even more curious and decided to ask the store owner directly.


    "My lord, to be honest, we also don''t know which demon this tooth comes from."


    When asked by Rocky, a hint of embarrassment appeared on the owner''s face: "This tooth has been in our inventory for several years now, and the initial records are long gone, so I''m not entirely sure which demon it belonged to."


    "But rest assured, there is absolutely no problem with the quality of this tooth, and its size is perfect for crafting into a dagger. Even if used to make a mana weapon, it would be much superior to ordinary materials."


    "How much for this tooth?"


    After the owner finished speaking, Rocky immediately inquired.


    "One thousand two hundred Gold Coins."


    It was clear the shopkeeper wanted to sell this unidentified demon tooth, so the quoted price wasn''t too high.


    Rocky''s eyes lit up upon hearing the price¡ªit was acceptable to him. Although the tooth''s origin was unknown, Rocky intended to buy it for experimentation, so he didn''t need it to be of the highest grade.


    With that thought, he turned to look at Liliya: "Go and call Aileen."


    Although the tooth wasn''t very expensive, Rocky felt there might be room to negotiate the price, so he decided to have Aileen come over, as no one among them was better at bargaining than her.


    Soon after, Liliya returned with Aileen in tow.


    "My lord! Why are you spending money recklessly again?"


    As soon as Liliya found her, Aileen confronted Rocky with a pout and an unhappy face. She didn''t even give Rocky a chance to speak before she blurted out, "Why bother buying such things, my lord? I''ve already made arrangements with the Continental Commerce Chamber. After this trade is completed, they will gift us ten Man-Eating Demon teeth."


    "My lord, please go back. Don''t cause me any more trouble here."


    Pouting, Aileen complained to Rocky, and as soon as she finished speaking, everyone present was taken aback.

 Chapter 49: Chapter 48 Mercenary Guild

    Aileen''s words left everyone stunned!Especially the storeowner, who was even frightened by her statement!


    The Continental Commerce Chamber that Aileen mentioned is one of the most powerful chambers in the entire Sky City.


    What kind of background do these people have to be doing business with the Continental Commerce Chamber?


    And Aileen also said that the other party would gift ten ogre teeth, which was even more unbelievable to the storeowner. It''s not that such a thing had never happened, but because even the purchase price of a Man-Eating Demon''s tooth would be around two thousand gold coins. How big a deal had they discussed with the Continental Commerce Chamber to receive such valuable items as gifts?


    Due to the shock, when the storeowner looked at Rocky again, his expression had changed from before, clearly unable to figure out Rocky and his companions'' backgrounds.


    It was no wonder that the storeowner was frightened because even Rocky was startled when he heard Aileen''s words; he knew best what they were there to sell, which was nowhere near as exaggerated as Aileen had described!


    However, since Rocky had been with Aileen for quite a while, he quickly regained his composure and then coughed twice, "Aileen, don''t talk about me for now, look at this tooth, I think it''s pretty good."


    "Nonsense, what good things could there be on the third floor of the exchange?"


    During the conversation, they approached the counter. Aileen pursed her lips and examined the teeth in the counter, then she looked at the owner, "Boss, how much for this?"


    "One thousand two hundred... gold coins..."


    It must be said, Aileen''s series of actions after coming here genuinely shocked the storeowner, so when she asked him like this, the storeowner responded somewhat falteringly, looking very guilty.


    "Tch!"


    Aileen glanced at the owner impatiently, "This thing, my family likes it. Your fortune is selling it to us, five hundred gold coins at most, otherwise, I won''t let them buy it."


    "This..."


    The storeowner immediately showed a troubled expression; five hundred gold coins was indeed too low a price.


    However, he didn''t immediately refuse because, conversely, he really wanted to quickly sell the tooth Rocky was interested in.


    In fact, regarding this tooth, the owner hadn''t told a single lie; the tooth had indeed been stored in their warehouse for many years, for some reason kept in a corner unnoticed, unrecognized, and under such circumstances, the owner also wanted to quickly sell it off to avoid being stuck with it.


    Moreover, since Aileen had been acting like money was no issue from start to finish, the owner didn''t want to offend Rocky and the others. So, after a moment''s hesitation, he finally bit the bullet and sold the unidentified Demon Tooth to Rocky.


    Just like that, with a little cunning, Aileen managed to slash the price of the Demon Tooth by more than half and successfully purchased the unknown tooth.


    Actually, Rocky and the others were well aware that everything Aileen had said earlier was just to scare the storeowner. It was all about "waving the big flag to beef up their appearance."


    And logically speaking, the storeowner should not have been frightened by such tricks, but since Rocky was indeed a City Lord, he didn''t seem like an ordinary person. Furthermore, Aileen''s bluff was big enough, involving things like the Continental Commerce Chamber and the teeth of Man-Eating Demons, making the storeowner not even dare to doubt, thus he was duped.


    "Aileen, how did it go, did you find a buyer?"


    After leaving the store and securely storing the Demon''s Tooth, Rocky looked at Aileen, eager to know how her negotiations regarding the Greyrock Stone went.


    "My lord, don''t worry, these things take time. I''ve already roughly talked with a few Chambers of Commerce and want to ask a few more, so we might not finish the discussions today."


    Aileen''s idea was clearly right, so Rocky thought for a moment before saying, "If that''s the case, let''s split up. You keep looking for suitable buyers here, no rush, and I''ll go check out the leather and technicians."


    "That works."


    Nodding, Aileen then split up from Rocky and continued to look for Chambers of Commerce to discuss the Greyrock Stone affair.


    As Rocky had stated, he quickly left the Hunting Exchange with Liliya and Monte.


    His visit to Eternal City was not just to sell Greyrock Stone; there were many matters Rocky needed to handle, among which the most important were those he had just mentioned: buying leather and hiring technicians.


    Previously, he had prepared to reform the economy of Thunderhawk City, for which he and Aileen had discussed for several days and successfully formulated a detailed plan, termed "Thunderhawk City''s Two Economic Reform Plan," or the Dual Reform Plan for short.


    The so-called dual reform referred to both economic model and economic focus¡ªgradually transitioning Thunderhawk City from a planned economy to a free market economy and shifting the economic focus from low-margin textiles to higher-cost, but likewise highly profitable, leather manufacturing.


    The decision to choose leather manufacturing was a mutual decision between Rocky and Aileen after careful consideration.


    Because leather production shared some similarities with textiles, it would be easier for the residents of Thunderhawk City to adapt. Furthermore, the leather industry had good market prospects, covering everything from military to daily uses, which suited a small city like Thunderhawk with a low population that needed an industry that, despite low output, didn''t worry about sales and profits.


    To ensure success, Rocky was considering using the opportunity of his visit to Eternal City to hire a few technicians to teach in Thunderhawk City, so the local residents could learn leather manufacturing techniques and then gradually develop this industry in the city.


    So, after splitting up with Aileen, he followed Monte''s lead towards the Technician Guild, ready to hire some technicians.


    However, they hadn''t reached the Technician Guild when another guild caught Rocky''s attention.


    "Monte, what is this Mercenary Guild?"


    Stopping in his tracks, Rocky pointed at a building not far away and asked.


    "My lord, that is where various Sky Cities congregate to distribute missions," Monte glanced at the building Rocky mentioned and provided an answer.


    "There''s actually a place like this? Let''s check it out!"


    Monte''s explanation immediately piqued Rocky''s interest, and without another word, he headed straight for the Mercenary Guild. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, just as he had taken a few steps, Liliya stopped him.


    "Rocky, what are you planning to do now?"


    Stopping Rocky, Liliya looked at him disapprovingly, as if she could see right through him.


    "Heh, I''m just going to take a look, I promise not to do anything rash."


    With a chuckle to Liliya, Rocky said this but his feet didn''t stop, heading directly towards the Mercenary Guild.

 Chapter 50: Dangerous Ideas

    Full of curiosity about the Mercenary Guild he had chanced upon, Rocky had disregarded Liliya''s protests and walked straight into the guild.Unlike the previous exchange he visited, the Mercenary Guild was housed within a two-story building, yet its scale was much more grand, giving an immediate impression of magnificence. Moreover, it was bustling with people coming and going in large numbers.


    As soon as Rocky entered the Mercenary Guild, he found it extraordinarily lively.


    The people here far outnumbered those at the exchange, and they varied widely in appearance. For instance, just as Rocky walked through the door, he brushed past an elf whose beauty rivaled that of women, and then, after just a few steps, bumped into a dwarf who reached only up to his waist.


    "Goodness... the variety of races gathered here is enormous..."


    Seeing so many different races for the first time, Rocky was clearly unaccustomed to it, and when he looked past the crowd into the main hall, he immediately noticed a mana board similar to the one in the exchange.


    There was also a notice board in the hall of the Mercenary Guild, even bigger than the one in the exchange, constantly scrolling with various kinds of information.


    ¡Á¡Á Sky City offers a high-priced hiring of a Mercenary Group to help defend the mine, requiring a group size of over five hundred members, with an average strength not below the fourth level, offering a commission of thirty thousand gold coins per month.


    ¡Á¡Á Chamber of Commerce offers a high-priced hiring of Void Magic Warriors to escort merchant ships, seeking thirty individuals, paying two thousand gold coins daily per person.


    ¡Á¡Á Sky City offers a high-priced employment for a powerful Mercenary Group to collaborate in wiping out demons, requiring a group size of over three hundred, to coordinate with the Void Magic Squad, price negotiable.


    Beneath the notice board, Rocky looked intently at the rolling information and found that the content matched what Monte had described, all being commissions issued by chambers of commerce and Sky City, predominantly for combat missions.


    To be honest, it was the first time he had heard of such activities, so he couldn''t help asking Monte, "Why does Sky City publish commissions to hire Mercenary Groups for combat?"


    "Well...," Monte looked at Rocky, opened his mouth, and after a long pause finally said, "My lord, not every Sky City has strong capabilities, so the weaker ones, especially when they face troubles related to combat, typically post missions here to hire others to resolve their issues."


    "And even some fairly powerful Sky Cities sometimes post tasks here, though these tend to be more dangerous. That''s because the city lords don''t want their own people to die."


    "Oh... I see..."


    Monte''s explanation made Rocky immediately understand, then his eyes lit up and he asked, "To accept tasks here, do we have to form a Mercenary Group?"


    "Rocky, what are you planning?"


    Before Monte could reply to Rocky''s question, Liliya, who was beside them, spoke angrily as she had already guessed what Rocky was thinking.


    "Hehe, I''m just asking, getting to know the situation doesn''t pose any danger, right?"


    With a sly smile towards Liliya, Rocky turned back to Monte, awaiting his answer.


    "Actually, it''s not necessary. For posting a task, one just needs to sign up, and it''s similar for accepting tasks. As long as you meet the employer''s requirements, the guild handles everything else; it doesn''t necessarily have to be through a Mercenary Group."


    "So, what types of tasks are generally available here?"


    "Usually, they are protection-related, but they almost always involve combat, and nine times out of ten it''s combating demons. That''s why there are very few tasks for individuals here." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With Monte''s explanation, a grin spread across Rocky''s face because for him, the Mercenary Guild was obviously a perfect place to make a fortune!


    Thunderhawk City was about to undergo a reform, which undoubtedly needed substantial investments for smooth progression, so now more than ever, Rocky needed a lot of money, a great deal of it.


    But the finances alone from Thunderhawk City were far from sufficient to cover these reform costs, thus Rocky had to think of other methods.


    Originally, his plan was to immediately go hunting a few demons to sell their parts for money to support the reform after he left.


    But now it seemed that the various tasks offered by the Mercenary Guild were clearly a better option, with commissions easily reaching tens or even several tens of thousands of gold coins!


    As the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, Rocky had not only a set of Void Magic Armor but also two hundred guards and ten military floating ships under his command! Such a setup wouldn''t count for much in Sky City, but in the mercenary world, it definitely reached the scale of a Mercenary Group and was sufficient to meet the requirements of many tasks!


    So after thinking it over carefully, Rocky felt this idea was very feasible, and then he asked:


    "Monte, does the Mercenary Guild have any communication facilities that would allow me to check for tasks anytime, anywhere?"


    "Of course, there are."


    Nodding, Monte said, "The Mercenary Guild has a task receiver that uses mana for transmission; it can check task information anytime and anywhere and can also contact the guild to hand over tasks, very convenient."


    "Monte!"


    As Monte was explaining in detail to Rocky, Liliya on the side became unhappy, glaring at Monte fiercely, scaring the large Beastman into immediately shutting up, and then Liliya glared at Rocky with the same ferocity.


    Liliya knew Rocky too well; she knew from the start what little schemes he was plotting.


    Unlike Rocky, she had heard about the Mercenary Guild long ago and was well aware that although the tasks offered here seemed to have high commissions, they were also extremely dangerous, and in some respects, even more dangerous than hunting demons!


    So naturally, Liliya didn''t want Rocky to stay here any longer because once Rocky understood the situation here, who knows what absurd and dangerous ideas would come out of his head.


    "Hehe, I''m just asking casually¡­"


    However, facing Liliya''s obstacle, Rocky was as usual, acting spoilt while looking at Monte, "Monte, do you think the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City, along with the ten floating ships in the city, have the capability to undertake the tasks here?"


    "This¡­"


    The question from Rocky somewhat bewildered Monte. Despite Liliya''s repeated interruptions, Monte really hadn''t expected Rocky to aim for these tasks, considering he was a city lord! Was it really necessary to partake in such dangerous activities?


    Moreover, considering the strength of Thunderhawk City¡­ Monte''s face showed a troubled expression.


    "No worries, you can say anything."


    Seeing the troubled look on Monte''s face, Rocky waved his hand, encouraging him to speak frankly.


    Seeing his persistence, the candid Monte thought for a moment before finally saying:


    "Sir, the ten floating ships of Thunderhawk City are definitely a major force, which the vast majority of mercenary groups simply cannot compare with, and the strength of the City Lord and Miss Liliya naturally goes without saying."


    "However, the Guard Corps in the city... they really aren''t suited for combat..."


    Shaking his head, Monte finally spoke the truth, in his eyes, the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City was merely for show, completely lacking combat capability!


    "Hmm¡­ it''s almost as I thought."


    Having heard his words, Rocky was not at all angered but instead nodded in agreement and then further asked, "Monte, if you were to train the Guard Corps, how long do you think it would take for the Guard Corps to become capable of actual combat?"

 Chapter 51: Chapter 50: The City Lords Embrace

    After glancing at Monte, Rocky asked, "If you were to train the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City, how long do you think it would take before the Guard Corps is capable of actual combat?""My Lord, I¡­"


    Caught off guard by the sudden question, Monte was at a loss for words and simply stood there stupefied.


    However, Rocky did not press him and soon looked around before walking over to the service counter in the hall to purchase a task receiver.


    The Mercenary Guild''s task receiver was indeed a very convenient gadget, not only could it check task information anytime and anywhere, but it also allowed for constant contact with the Guild to complete the handover of tasks. The only issue was that it was not cheap; a palm-sized receiver cost a whopping five hundred gold coins, which really made Rocky wince.


    But despite the pain, Rocky still bought one, believing that the investment of five hundred gold coins would definitely bring him a return several times over. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After that, he left with Liliya and Monte and finally made their way to the Technician Guild.


    There was not much to say about the journey to the Technician Guild. Once there, Rocky easily found two technicians willing to accompany him to Thunderhawk City. After negotiating the commission and signing a contract under the Guild''s notarization, the matter was settled.


    But that wasn''t all. After leaving the Technician Guild, he hurriedly went to the largest trade market in Eternal City and ordered five hundred pieces of leather there.


    These leathers were mainly for the residents to use in learning skills, the demand was not very high, and the cost was not too steep, so Rocky directly negotiated a deal with the seller and didn''t bother Aileen.


    Only after attending to all of this did Rocky finally end his day''s itinerary and returned to the hotel.


    However, when he returned to the hotel, Aileen had already come back earlier and brought back some good news: the trade for Greyrock Stone was complete!


    "It''s already done? So soon?"


    Rocky looked at Aileen in surprise, hardly believing it; he had thought that such things would take several days to finalize.


    "We were quite lucky this time."


    Seeing the skeptical expression on Rocky''s face, Aileen went on to explain, "I didn''t expect it to be concluded so quickly either, but it turns out that a newly established small Chamber of Commerce was in urgent need of a batch of Greyrock Stone, so the deal was made."


    "Then¡­ What price did they offer?"


    More than which Chamber of Commerce had bought the Greyrock Stone, Rocky cared about how much money it was sold for, as this sum was too important to him.


    "Nineteen gold coins per kilogram, nine hundred kilograms of Greyrock Stone, the total transaction price is seventeen thousand gold coins, and they also promised to gift a piece of Blue Rat Demon Skin, we can complete the handover tomorrow."


    With a slight smile towards Rocky, Aileen couldn''t hide her pride as she announced the outcome.


    And when Rocky and the others heard this result, they were all stunned.


    Because this outcome was far beyond their expectations, unexpectedly good!


    Before coming here, Rocky and Aileen had already made an estimate of the Greyrock Stone trade. Based on the market information that Aileen had at the time, they believed that the Greyrock Stone could be sold for at least ten thousand Gold Coins. As long as they hit this target, the money from selling grain in Thunderhawk City would be sufficient, and there might even be some surplus.


    So when Rocky found out that Aileen had actually sold the Greyrock Stone for seventeen thousand Gold Coins, and also got a piece of Demon Skin thrown into the deal, he was so delighted he nearly jumped for joy!


    This price was way beyond his previous expectations!


    It was definitely an occasion for everyone to celebrate. Perhaps for other cities in the sky, the extra seven thousand Gold Coins might not seem like much, but for Thunderhawk City, not only was this amount not insignificant, it was also of paramount importance!


    With this money, Rocky could do so many, many things that he didn''t even know how best to praise Aileen. So, he simply gave her a hug from the City Lord, which was the best way he could think of to express his gratitude.


    The hug from the City Lord caught Aileen off guard. When Rocky embraced her, she froze like ice, and even after Rocky let go, she hadn''t thawed out.


    "Fantastic, with this money, I can replace all the equipment for the Guard Corps!"


    Rocky didn''t notice Aileen''s reaction and began to excitedly pace around the room, muttering something under his breath.


    It wasn''t until then that Aileen barely snapped back to reality and stared blankly at Rocky for a while before speaking.


    "My lord, it''s best to save and be sparing with this extra money..."


    Seeing that Rocky had already started to plan how to use the money, Aileen felt the need to remind him.


    Although the Greyrock Stone trade had exceeded their expectations, yielding a considerable windfall profit, Aileen had to remind Rocky that with Thunderhawk City''s current situation, it was wiser not to spend money recklessly since they simply did not have the capital to squander.


    Such worries were not without merit. Rocky naturally knew this too, but in his opinion, Gold Coins stored in the warehouse would not breed smaller Gold Coins. On the contrary, sometimes spending all the money could actually lead to making even more money.


    Take the Guard Corps that he just mentioned, for example. After one visit to the Mercenary Guild, Rocky was considering becoming a ''mercenary'', not meaning that he planned to abandon his role as City Lord to become a mercenary, but rather he wanted to complete the tasks assigned by the Mercenary Guild.


    To Rocky, the tasks posted by the Mercenary Guild were undoubtedly a good way to earn money, and a substantial amount at that. Those tasks typically offered commissions in the tens of thousands of Gold Coins, which was not a small sum and would be of great help to Thunderhawk City.


    However, the tasks from the Mercenary Guild could not be done alone; they required a squad that met the task requirements. So, once he knew that the income from Greyrock Stone far exceeded his expectations, he immediately thought of buying a batch of equipment for the Guard Corps.


    With new equipment, plus proper training, Thunderhawk City''s Guard Corps would be like turning from matchlocks to cannons, ready to be truly useful!


    "This is great! Truly great! I need to think about how to use this money..."


    The excited Rocky paced around the room while muttering to himself, pondering in his mind about the best way to utilize the money Aileen had earned.


    He looked just like a child. Liliya, who had seen his antics multiple times, was unsurprised, but Aileen and Monte, who had never seen him like this, were both dumbfounded. They had never imagined that their City Lord could act in such a way.


    And so, everyone''s first day in Eternal City passed by. On this day, Rocky and others accomplished many things, but equally, there were many more tasks awaiting them, no matter if it was in Eternal City or Thunderhawk City.


    Therefore, on the second day, Rocky and Aileen continued on their separate tasks. Aileen went off to find the Chamber of Commerce to negotiate a grain trade deal, and after an excited night of planning, Rocky decided to take Liliya and Monte with him to purchase a batch of new equipment!

 Chapter 52: Chapter 51: Whats Going On?

    The sky was far from peaceful now, war erupted at every moment, either against demons on the land or in major battles between the cities in the sky. In any case, the warfare never ceased.Under such circumstances, trade related to warfare naturally flourished, and as a trade city, Eternal City was never short of transactions related to war. It was even the largest weapon market in the entire sky.


    So when Monte brought Rocky to the weapon market of Eternal City, Rocky was immediately captivated by the dazzling array of weapons before him.


    The weapon market in Eternal City wasn''t some small fair composed of roadside stalls; the market''s scale was immense, stretching across more than a dozen streets, a giant marketplace with several hundred shops ranging from simple soldier''s weapons and armor to Floating Warships, from cheap whetstones to the latest models of Void Magic Armor¡ªeverything was available!


    Upon arriving here, Rocky had turned into a big kid, excited beyond measure by the countless "toys" before him, and almost immediately dived eagerly into a shop.


    "Hello, welcome."


    As he walked into a shop with Liliya and Monte, a young and pretty female shop assistant greeted him with a smile as soon as he entered, "What would you like to buy?" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hello."


    Rocky nodded at the shop assistant and looked around the shop, noticing that it was a reasonably sized weapon store with various weapons and armor hanging on the walls, and the same was true for the counters. Furthermore, all the weapons did not look ordinary at all.


    Rocky then began to browse through the shop, and the shop assistant followed him closely, offering just the right amount of information whenever Rocky stopped or showed interest in a particular weapon.


    "Sir, this Backstab Sword is forged from Fine Steel, coming from King Ding Mountain City, exceptionally sharp, and can easily pierce through regular armor."


    "This is a standard military shield, with a large defensive area and moderate weight, extremely agile to use."


    "This is a set of heavy armor with very strong defensive power, even capable of withstanding an attack from a Blue Rat Demon head-on."


    When Rocky paused and his eyes fell on an entire set of armor, the shop assistant beside him hurriedly introduced it.


    The shop assistant presented everything well, but Rocky wasn''t really interested in these items, only slightly curious as he had not seen them before. So, he soon turned back to look at the shop assistant, "Do you have Mana Weapons here?"


    The reason Rocky had come to the weapon market this time was to buy equipment, and not just one or two pieces, but a large amount of gear because his goal was to arm the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City.


    However, what he wanted to buy wasn''t ordinary equipment, but Mana Equipment!


    "Yes, we do!"


    As soon as she heard his question, the shop assistant''s face lit up with a radiant smile. It was well-known that Mana Weapons were far more expensive than ordinary weapons, with profits several times higher naturally, so when the shop assistant heard that Rocky was interested in Mana Weapons, she became even more enthusiastic.


    She quickly led Rocky to a row of counters and then, pointing to them, she said, "Sir, these are the Mana Weapons you''re looking for."


    Standing in front of the counter and looking down, Rocky saw that this row indeed contained all Mana Weapons¡ªthere were longswords and daggers embedded with Magic Stones and Armor and Shields with Magic Stones in them. Although the quantity wasn''t particularly extensive, the variety was quite complete.


    "Let me take a look at that shield."


    After browsing for a while, he pointed at a shield, and the shop assistant immediately retrieved the indicated shield from the counter and handed it over to Rocky.


    This was an oval, steel shield with a slight curvature on its surface, as smooth as a mirror. It also featured a three-star pattern, and when Rocky flipped it over to look at the inside, he saw that it was embedded with three Micro Magic Stones!


    There was no doubt that this was a Magic Energy Shield of quite good quality, both in material and craftsmanship, and particularly because the shield had three Micro Magic Stones embedded into it, the defensive power of the shield soared, easily enough to withstand a head-on assault from a Fourth Level Warrior.


    "Sir, this magic energy shield is crafted from fine steel and a small amount of mithril. The arc of the shield''s surface has been specially designed to effectively reduce the impact force when defending against attacks. Moreover, as a three-star magic energy equipment, its magic energy value exceeds 150 points.


    The powerful mana ensures that it can easily withstand the heavy strikes of a fifth-level warrior."


    As Rocky carefully examined the magic energy shield in his hands, the female sales clerk thoroughly introduced the advantages of the shield to him.


    What she referred to as three-star magic energy equipment actually meant that the shield was embedded with three magic stones, one magic stone representing one star.


    However, her description was clearly exaggerated. Although Rocky might not know much about the material and craftsmanship of the shield, his mastery of mana runes meant he understood magic energy values much more deeply than most people.


    In his view, the craftsmanship and material of the shield were indeed very good, but the magic energy value definitely did not reach 150 points. A micro magic stone could only provide 40 points of mana, and three micro magic stones made 120 points. While some special techniques after processing could increase this value, the shield in front of him did not feature such technology.


    Not only did the magic energy value of this shield not reaching 150 points, it didn''t even reach 120 points. Without additional technical enhancement, it was impossible for three micro magic stones to fully unleash their contained magic energy.


    According to Rocky''s estimation, the magic energy value of this shield was at most around 100 points. It should be fine for defending against the attacks of a fourth-level warrior, but it definitely couldn''t withstand the assault of a fifth-level warrior, let alone their heavy strikes.


    But he wasn''t interested in quibbling with the female sales clerk. Instead, he followed up with the question, "How much is this shield?"


    "Sir, eight hundred gold coins."


    Eight hundred gold coins... For Rocky, the price was undoubtedly too expensive.


    So he asked afterward, "Do you have something a little less expensive?"


    "Cheaper..."


    The sales clerk didn''t look down on Rocky after hearing his request; instead, she lowered her head and rummaged through the counter. She soon found another shield.


    "Sir, this shield is made from top-grade black iron. Although it''s only a one-star shield, it still has a magic energy value of 50 points, and the price is much lower, only three hundred gold coins."


    While speaking, the sales clerk handed the shield she was holding to Rocky.


    But to her surprise, Rocky didn''t even look at the shield and asked again, "Still too pricey, do you have anything even cheaper?"


    "Even cheaper?"


    The sales clerk, holding the shield up in mid-air, was stunned. After a moment, she smiled somewhat awkwardly, "Sir, if you''re looking for something cheaper, I''m afraid we only have ordinary shields."


    "No, I want magic energy equipment, but it doesn''t need to be embedded with micro magic stones¡ªeven equipment with even smaller stones would do."


    "I''m sorry, we don''t sell that kind of equipment."


    When Rocky said this, the previously friendly sales clerk instantly changed her expression. She frowned at Rocky and then said irritably, "Sir, this is a legitimate weapon shop. We don''t sell the kind of equipment you''re talking about."


    After saying that, the sales clerk no longer paid any attention to Rocky. She rolled her eyes at him and returned to her position behind the counter.


    What was going on?


    The sudden change in the sales clerk''s demeanor caught Rocky completely off-guard, and he was puzzled by what had just happened. Had he said something wrong?

 Chapter 53: Chapter 52 Montes Dissatisfaction

    In the frustrated gaze of the female clerk, Rocky helplessly left the shop, still puzzled about the situation even after he had stepped outside.Had he said something wrong just now?


    Shaking his head in confusion, he didn''t dwell on it much and directly headed for the second shop.


    Upon entering the second shop, Rocky did the same as before, inquiring about the prices of magical equipment and once again asked if there was any cheapest magical equipment available, the cheaper, the better, even if it wasn''t inlaid with a micro magic stone instead of a small magic stone.


    As soon as he made this request, the clerk hurriedly shook his head. While he wasn''t as disdainful as the previous female clerk, he nevertheless began to ignore Rocky soon after.


    What Rocky didn''t know was that those who worked in weapon shops were experts, and they all knew one basic fact, that the minimum standard for mana equipment was to have one small magic stone inlaid. Only equipment with at least one small magic stone could be called mana equipment, and anything below this standard could not be considered as such.


    The request Rocky had made clearly fell below this minimum standard, hence he naturally came back empty-handed.


    Yet, having hit a wall twice in a row, Rocky was all the more persistent, asking at each shop he visited just as he had at the first two, thus, he went through seven or eight shops in a row without any intention of stopping.


    Perseverance paid off, as after visiting more than a dozen shops and traversing several streets, he finally found what he was looking for in a secluded little store!


    "Yes! Sir, we have what you are looking for right here!"


    As soon as the thin-faced shopkeeper with a monkey-like expression heard Rocky''s request, he immediately showed a smile, "Sir, please give me a moment right here."


    After saying that, the shopkeeper turned and went into the back room of the shop, and not long after, he came out holding a round shield.


    Holding the round shield close to Rocky, the shopkeeper said with a beaming smile, "Sir, this is the magic energy equipment you wanted. It''s impossible to tell anything from its workmanship or material. It looks just like normal magic energy equipment, and moreover¡­"


    Meanwhile, the shopkeeper turned the shield over, pointing at the magic stone inlaid on the back, "And look, this magic stone can only provide the mana of a micro magic stone, but its appearance and size are exactly like that of a small magic stone, absolutely indistinguishable from the real thing!"


    After saying this, the shopkeeper laughed heartily at Rocky, with an expression that said ''you know what I mean''.


    From the shopkeeper''s various behaviors, it was clear that he mistook Rocky for a swindler who dealt in fake magic energy equipment! S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Indeed, the magic energy shield he was introducing to Rocky was a counterfeit!


    This shield, although inlaid with a magic stone, only had a micro magic stone, which could indeed provide mana, but the amount it provided was insufficient for battle, making it a genuinely fake piece of magic energy equipment.


    This was also the very reason that Rocky kept facing rejection in the previous shops because to those clerks, his description of mana equipment was simply akin to seeking a fake!


    For legitimate weapon shops, selling poor-quality weapons and equipment was strictly forbidden since it directly affected the shop''s reputation, even touching on the most fundamental ethical bottomline.


    What is the purpose of weapons and equipment?


    They are for battle!


    Therefore, if there''s any issue with the quality of weapons and equipment, it could be a matter of life and death, and no weapon shop would dare to play tricks on this issue, as it could mean the end for the shop if something went wrong.


    However, there are always exceptions, for when the forest grows, all kinds of birds will fly into it. Knowing that selling substandard weapons and equipment was unethical, there were still some unscrupulous merchants who engaged in such business in the shadows, much like the shopkeeper now.


    Before this, Rocky certainly had no knowledge of these matters, but when he saw the expression on the boss''s face as he faced him, he pretty much understood what was going on.


    Yet, after that, not only did he say nothing, but he also took the fake Magic Energy Shield, looked it over, and then nodded his head in satisfaction, as though the shield was exactly to his liking!


    "Sir, may I have a word with you?"


    At that moment, as Rocky was nodding incessantly at the shield in his hand, Monte, who had followed him for a day, could no longer hold back and called him aside.


    "Sir, are you planning to buy equipment for the Guard Corps?"


    "Yes, what about it?"


    Rocky glanced at Monte with an unconscious look of surprise, as if Monte was asking something he already knew.


    Indeed, Monte was asking a question to which he already knew the answer because, since Rocky had brought him to Eternal City, he had never treated Monte like an outsider and had not done anything without including him. So, Monte was indeed aware of Rocky''s intentions.


    But it was precisely because he knew what Rocky intended to do that Monte asked the question¡ªhe meant to remind Rocky!


    Seeing that Rocky completely missed his point, Monte felt he had to elaborate: "Sir, are you planning to equip the Thunderhawk City Guard Corps with new gear and then lead them on Mercenary Guild missions?"


    "Exactly."


    "Sir, if you really intend to do so, this kind of shield simply won''t do. After all, the majority of the Mercenary Guild''s missions involve facing demons," Monte said straightforwardly after looking Rocky in the eye.


    Although he had only been with Rocky for two days, Monte had already understood the City Lord''s financial situation¡ªit wasn''t wealthy, but that didn''t make Monte think less of Rocky. In fact, it was quite the opposite; it made him respect Rocky even more.


    Monte had observed every action of Rocky''s since his arrival in Eternal City, noting that he didn''t lead a life of debauchery like other City Lords or nobles. Rocky certainly had the means to do so; even though he wasn''t rich, he could still come up with tens of thousands of Gold Coins, enough to enjoy several days in Eternal City.


    But Rocky didn''t do that; he saved almost all of his money and never spent it frivolously¡ªall his expenditures had clear purposes.


    And this series of actions had left a very good impression on Monte, even making him consider staying at Rocky''s side. If he could follow a City Lord like that, Monte felt it wouldn''t be too bad.


    However, Rocky''s actions today greatly disappointed Monte!


    Monte knew Rocky was planning to buy equipment for the Guard Corps and that Rocky wasn''t rich, but even so, one should not purchase such shoddily made fake Magic Energy Shields for one''s own guards, should they?


    This behavior had surpassed the limit of what Monte could tolerate!


    If Rocky was planning to take on Mercenary Guild tasks, it meant that he would be leading his guards into land combat, into battle with demons on land!


    And once the battle ensued, could one even imagine what would become of the Thunderhawk City guards relying on these fake Magic Energy Shields? If soldiers were sent into combat with demons wielding such fake shields, wasn''t Rocky essentially making a joke out of his subordinates'' lives?


    So, Monte could no longer hold back.


    He felt he must remind Rocky because such behavior was no longer fitting of a person, not even the coldest-hearted or most frugal City Lord would do such a thing!

 Chapter 54: Chapter 53: Misunderstandings Beyond Explanation

    "Sir, I suggest you not to buy this batch of equipment..."Looking at Rocky, the towering beastman said most cautiously.


    However, despite his earnest persuasion, Rocky, although exasperated, still shook his head, "Monte, you should know, I don''t have much money."


    After saying this, he ignored Monte''s reaction and directly turned to the shop owner, "Owner, give me a hundred of these shields."


    And after saying this, he even asked, "Do you have more armor like this?"


    "Yes! Yes!"


    The sly-smiling owner quickly nodded and, just like before, went to the back of the shop and brought out another set of armor.


    This armor, just like the previous shields, were counterfeit magical equipment. They looked no different from regular magic armor, but in actuality, they were embedded with micro magic stones that had no effect whatsoever.


    This type of armor, as well as the prior shields, seemed like magical equipment, but were actually equivalent to ordinary equipment; however, these items had one advantage¡ªthey were cheap! S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A hundred sets of armor and a hundred shields together cost only six thousand gold coins, and after some bargaining, Rocky actually spent only five thousand gold coins to buy all two hundred pieces.


    Without a doubt, this price was incredibly cheap, because if the same five thousand gold coins were used to buy real magic energy equipment, even the lowest one-star magic energy gear, he could only buy at most twenty pieces. That is to say, the price difference between the real and fake items was more than tenfold!


    It didn''t take much time for Rocky to complete this transaction. He also arranged with the owner that early next morning, he would have all the equipment he purchased delivered to the skyship, where they would settle the payment.


    And throughout all this, Rocky did not try to avoid Monte, so his various actions were all seen by Monte, making Monte even more disappointed.


    Thus, after Rocky finished the transaction and left the shop, Monte, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke up.


    "Sir, I''m heading back first."


    After saying this to Rocky and even without waiting for Rocky''s response, Monte turned and left right away.


    Clearly, though he didn''t say much, his behavior spoke volumes; Monte obviously left filled with anger.


    And watching his receding figure, Liliya glanced at Rocky, "Aren''t you going to explain to him?"


    Discover exclusive content at §Þ??


    "Explain what?"


    Turning to Liliya, Rocky''s expression was helpless, "In front of everyone, should I tell him about the mana runes?"


    After saying this, Rocky looked in the direction Monte had left, not worried but rather nodding in satisfaction.


    He certainly knew that Monte was disappointed with him because of the recent incident, but he wasn''t in a hurry, because it was clearly a misunderstanding.


    Rocky hadn''t gone to great lengths to purchase a batch of fake Mana Equipment because he truly wanted to save money at the expense of his guards'' lives. Indeed, it wasn''t Monte who cared the most about the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad, but Rocky himself!


    That was the only armed force under his command, which was bound to play a significant role now and in the future. How could Rocky possibly joke about their lives? He would never engage in such self-destructive behavior.


    In fact, he had bought the counterfeit Mana Equipment precisely to increase the survival chances of the Thunderhawk City guards in future battles.


    Because only with such fake Mana Equipment could the real Mana Runes function effectively!


    As he had said many times before, with the current strength of Rocky and Thunderhawk City, the Mana Runes could not be exposed carelessly. Hence, Rocky had to devise a way to maximize their effect without revealing them.


    That was the rationale behind the transaction just now. Although the Mana Equipment he had just purchased was fake and couldn''t exert the power of genuine Mana Equipment, the problem would be solved if Rocky drew Mana Runes on this gear!


    Once runes were inscribed on these fake pieces of Mana Equipment, they would become authentic rune equipment!


    And why had Rocky specifically chosen to buy shields and Armor? Among all the types of equipment, these two were the most expensive. If he had merely wanted to economize, he could have simply bought wrist guards or even helmets, which are far cheaper.


    Yet Rocky did not do so. He specifically chose Armor and shields because more Mana Runes could be drawn on these two items. He estimated that at least fifty First Level Runes could be applied to the Armor and shields, enough to bring their defensive power to the level of One Star Magic Energy Gear!


    More importantly, this approach wouldn''t allow the Mana Runes to be easily exposed. No one would suspect that these pieces of Mana Equipment were embedded only with Micro Magic Stones, while the actual source of Mana was the Runes.


    This solution was the best Rocky could conceive at this stage. It would not expose the top-tier technology of the Mana Runes, while subtly allowing the Mana Runes to unleash their effects. Indeed, it was a strategy that killed two birds with one stone.


    Unfortunately, the only person who understood his intentions was Liliya. Others, such as Monte, would completely misunderstand him.


    However, Rocky wasn''t worried about Monte''s misunderstanding. Instead, he felt that this incident had allowed him to understand Monte better.


    Although he had always wanted to recruit Monte to his side, the two had known each other for such a short time that Rocky had always been apprehensive about Monte''s character. He wasn''t recruiting Monte just to work under him; he wanted to build his own team!


    Monte''s behavior today, however, gave Rocky a deeper understanding of him. Moreover, the straightforward nature displayed by the Beastmen greatly appealed to Rocky.


    So, although Monte had left in a huff, this reaction was instead seen as a validation by Rocky. He also believed that once he explained everything, the Beastman would surely understand him.


    Under these circumstances, he didn''t chase after Monte. Instead, he soon went on a leisurely walk through the weapon market with Liliya, and they didn''t return to their hotel until evening.


    The day had not only resulted in a successful deal but also exposed him to much of the world. The weapon market in Eternal City was extremely vast and offered an array of equipment, including Floating Warships and Void Magic Armor.


    After Monte left, Rocky and Liliya focused their attention on the Void Magic Armor and Skyships. They visited several large stores in succession, not returning until their legs were weak. This round of exploration made Rocky feel that he was finally on track with the world.


    For he had not realized until he saw for himself; up to now, he had been a frog at the bottom of a well. The age had left Thunderhawk City far, far behind...

 Chapter 55: Chapter 54 Do you know me?

    Although demons had occupied the land for a hundred years, people did not stop their strides after fleeing to the sky. In fact, during these hundred years, the entire world had developed and progressed, and the steps were quite significant.However, the sky was too vast and boundless, and communication between the scattered Sky Cities was extremely poor. Coupled with the imbalance in human resources, material resources, financial resources, etc., the development of each Sky City was very uneven.


    Strong Sky Cities, such as the Top Ten Divine Cities of Monster-level magnitude, had long surpassed the top cities of the Land Era in splendor, reaching new heights that the predecessors could never have imagined.


    Beyond the Top Ten Divine Cities, some large Sky Cities had also developed very rapidly. These large Sky Cities might not be comparable to the Top Ten Divine Cities, but their scale had surpassed cities from the Land Era.


    As for the weaker Sky Cities, such as some large Sky Cities and the vast majority of medium-sized Sky Cities, the scale of the cities had at least returned to the level of the Land Era, and in all aspects, there was no difference from the cities of the Land Era.


    The weakest batch of cities in the sky were the small-sized ones like Thunderhawk City. No matter from which angle, these small Sky Cities fell behind other cities by more than an entire era!


    Your next chapter is on §Þ??


    Rocky was previously unaware of this because he had been staying in Thunderhawk City since crossing over. Although he knew Thunderhawk City was weak, he did not understand to what extent and what level it held in the entire sky, due to a lack of horizontal comparison.


    However, after staying in Eternal City for two days, especially after browsing through the weapon market, Rocky realized just how backward Thunderhawk City was.


    Why did he suddenly understand?


    Because in any world, weapons are a ruler that can measure everyone''s strength and weakness.


    Take a simple example: in Thunderhawk City, Rocky was already the strongest person, after all, he was the only one who possessed a Void Magic Armor, and the whole city only had one set of Void Magic Armor. But in Eternal City, even a mere Air Patrol Officer was equipped with Void Magic Armor!


    The strength and weakness of the two cities were immediately apparent through this mere fact.


    The ability to equip a humble Patrol Officer with Void Magic Armor amply illustrated the economic prowess of Eternal City and proved the military might of Eternal City. Economic and military strength combined represented the significant role of Eternal City among all Sky Cities.


    This was all that could be measured with the ruler of weapons.


    So, after touring the weapon market, particularly after seeing the latest model of Void Magic Armor, Rocky essentially knew where Thunderhawk City ranked in the current world, and he also gained a more comprehensive understanding of the Void Magic Armor.


    Rocky possessed a set of Void Magic Armor, but his Armor was too outdated. After a tour in the weapon market, he realized that his Void Magic Armor belonged to the first generation, while the latest was already the Fifth Generation!


    This gap gave Rocky quite a shock.


    So for the next several days, instead of continuing to wander idly, he buried himself in the library of Eternal City.


    It must be said that after coming to Eternal City, Rocky''s insights soared dramatically, and his vision and goals for the future became gradually clearer. Under these circumstances, merely using Mana Runes to enhance weapons and equipment was no longer enough for him; he planned to use Mana Runes in more areas and maximize the value of Runes.


    This kind of idea naturally required a vast amount of knowledge to realize, so for the next several days, Rocky would leave early and return late, spending all his time in the library.


    Just like that, time flew by for three days. During this period, Liliya had already found a Chamber of Commerce willing to trade with Thunderhawk City, and everything was settled. They could have left already, but they ended up staying in Eternal City entirely because of Rocky.


    Since he started frequenting the library, Rocky became unstoppable, completely drowning in the sea of knowledge, which led to them lingering many days in Eternal City.


    Today would be Rocky''s last visit to the library, as Aileen had given him an ultimatum. Their mere food and lodging expenses in Eternal City had already exceeded five hundred gold coins, and with the departure tax, their expenditure had long surpassed a thousand. This cost greatly exceeded Aileen''s prior estimate, and they had to leave.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky had to hurry and find all the books he needed in the library, then buy them all in one go, planning to study them slowly after returning to Thunderhawk City.


    "This book will be needed too¡­"


    After flipping through a few pages of a book titled "Principles of Magic Cannon Construction", Rocky handed it over to Liliya, intending to buy it later.


    But just at that moment, a young woman happened to pass by him. Rocky did not think much of it, his attention was on the book, but the woman turned her head to look at him subsequently. After looking at him for a while, she couldn''t help but speak:


    "Rocky, is that you?"


    "Hmm?"


    Hearing someone calling him, Rocky stopped and turned around to look, just in time to see the woman looking back at him.


    Regarding the young woman who had called out his name, Rocky appeared quite puzzled, "Are you calling me?"


    He pointed to himself and asked uncertainly, as he did not recognize the other party at all. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Rocky, don''t you recognize me?"


    At this moment, the young woman had walked up to him, looking at him with an expression that was hard to describe.


    "Do I know you?"


    The woman''s words prompted Rocky to take a closer look. He noticed she was very beautiful and dressed meticulously, giving off an air of similarity to Aileen, evidently someone of noble background. But he was certain he did not know this person.


    Seeing Rocky failing to recognize her for quite some time, the woman''s expression became even more peculiar, but she eventually said, "Rocky, I''m Cyril, we met a year ago in Mairente City¡­"


    "Mairente City¡­"


    Upon hearing this name, Rocky suddenly felt as though he remembered something, then it suddenly dawned on him¡ªhis father''s family was the Mairente Family, and the Sky City where this family resided was called Mairente City!


    With this realization, Rocky immediately remembered who the woman before him was, and he exclaimed in astonishment, "Cousin?!"

 Chapter 56: Chapter 55 The Result of the Struggle

    His eyes gradually widened, and Rocky couldn''t help but cry out loud; he finally remembered who this woman named Cyril was¡ªshe was his cousin!So-called cousins naturally referred to relatives of his father''s generation, which is to say, Cyril was from the Mairente Family!


    Rocky''s father came from the Mairente Family, and after his father''s death, the people from this family took away everything that Rocky had inherited, even including a medium-sized Sky City with a population of thirty thousand!


    This incident, whether for Rocky before he traveled through time or the current Rocky, was etched deeply into his bones!


    Initially, Rocky thought he would never have anything to do with the Mairente Family in this lifetime, because he was no longer who he used to be, yet he hadn''t expected to encounter someone from the Mairente Family today; this truly surprised him.


    However, after a brief moment of surprise, he calmed his emotions, neither displaying great anger nor the joy of seeing a relative. He simply nodded to Cyril as if he was looking at a stranger, and then he turned and walked away.


    As for the various events before Rocky traveled through time, he actually didn''t care much. Similarly, he had no fondness for the Mairente Family. Under such circumstances, he didn''t want anything to do with the family, including any of its members.


    As for his cousin Cyril, he had even less of an impression. Perhaps it was true that they had met once, as she said, but due to his dislike and deliberate distance from the Mairente Family, Rocky had no intention of clinging to kinship.


    "Wait..."


    Watching Rocky turn to leave with an expressionless face, Cyril instinctively wanted to call out to him, but stopped herself at the last moment. The words that had reached her lips remained unspoken, and in the end, she could only sigh as she watched Rocky''s retreating figure.


    Cyril was not surprised by Rocky''s reaction, although it left her feeling helpless, because she knew all too well what the family had done to Rocky. After all, once Rocky''s father had passed away, the family took everything he was supposed to inherit.


    Obviously, such an action could not possibly gain Rocky''s favor. It was even more unfair to him, yet there was nothing that could be done about it.


    The Mairente Family was a powerful and immense family with a long history, controlling over ten Sky Cities, and holding a prestigious reputation throughout the heavens. In such a gigantic family, intense internal struggles were inevitable, and it was for this reason that Rocky''s father had left the family.


    But how could one cleanly break away from such a massive family?


    That''s why after his death, the family took everything from Rocky, a result also caused by the family struggles.


    Cyril, who was already involved in the management of the family, was well aware of these matters. She had even been part of the decision to take away everything Rocky had inherited!


    That''s why her expression was so strange after she recognized Rocky. She knew that Rocky lived in Thunderhawk City, and while she had never been there herself, one could imagine the conditions of a city that the family had intended to give up.


    So when Cyril recognized Rocky, she felt somewhat guilty.


    "Sister, what''s wrong with you?" Find adventures at §Þ??


    Just as Cyril was staring at Rocky''s disappearing figure in a daze, a young man about her age came over. While speaking, he glanced in the direction where Rocky had disappeared, catching sight of Rocky''s fading figure.


    "Sister, who is that person?"


    "He''s your cousin, Rocky."


    Coming back to his senses, Cyril let out a sigh.


    "Rocky..." Hearing this name, the young man thought for a moment before an expression of realization dawned on his face, "Oh, I remember now."


    While speaking, the young man looked in the direction Rocky had left, "Sis, is he the one who had his inheritance taken away by the family? I heard this guy is pretty spineless. When the family was taking away his Sky City, he didn''t even dare say a word..."


    "Don''t talk nonsense! He''s your cousin!"


    Turning her head to glare at her little brother, Cyril was quite displeased.


    But the young man just shrugged, showing a carefree expression, "Tch! I don''t want a cousin who''s such a loser."


    After saying that, something suddenly occurred to the young man, and he then said, "Sis, didn''t the family give Thunderhawk City to this guy?"


    "Yes, what about it?"


    "I think I overheard father mentioning Thunderhawk City the other day, that... what''s his name... Baron Wolin, right, Baron Wolin recently secured a large mine for the family. Although it wasn''t some grand achievement, father and the others couldn''t not reward him, so it seemed they were also planning to grant Thunderhawk City to Baron Wolin." S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What?!"


    Upon hearing this, Cyril immediately looked at her brother, and her complexion changed on the spot.


    ......


    ......


    Rocky was unaware of what had transpired with Cyril after he left the library, because although he recognized her, and it brought up some unpleasant memories, he didn''t take it to heart. In fact, as soon as he left the library, he had left Cyril and all matters related to the Mairente Family behind.


    Upon returning to the hotel, everyone started to pack up, and then, with a full harvest, they finally left Eternal City.


    For Rocky and his group, the trip to Eternal City was highly rewarding. Not only did they sell Greyrock Stone at a high price, but they also found a new Chamber of Commerce to partner with, hired a Technician, and even purchased new equipment for the Guard Corps. They hadn''t just accomplished all the goals set before they left but had exceeded them.


    With this in mind, Rocky was in a very good mood on the way back to Thunderhawk City, completely unaffected by everything that had happened in the library. In fact, once he got back to Thunderhawk City, he slept soundly to adjust his mental state, after which he was ready to make big moves!


    Because after returning from Eternal City, Rocky had already prepared everything he needed. Next, he would carry out economic reforms in Thunderhawk City!


    This was a significant event both for him and for Thunderhawk City. Rocky had even invited two Technicians from Eternal City for this purpose and had bought a batch of leather to ensure the smooth progress of the economic reforms in Thunderhawk City.


    However, before the reforms in Thunderhawk City had officially begun the next day, a new piece of news arrived first.


    The Azure Commerce Guild had sent someone at this time to inquire when Thunderhawk City would purchase grain and how much they would buy.


    Upon learning of this, Rocky was momentarily stunned, and then a sly smile spread across his face...

 Chapter 57: Chapter 56: Naive

    Rocky really hadn''t expected that just after his return to Thunderhawk City, he would receive a message from the Azure Commerce Guild, especially one inquiring about how much food he wanted to buy.This couldn''t help but amuse Rocky a bit. It seemed the Azure Commerce Guild still had no awareness; after that last unpleasant trade, did they really think they had Thunderhawk City under their thumb?


    In reality, Thunderhawk City no longer needed to conduct any trade with the Azure Commerce Guild, because Aileen had already negotiated a deal with another chamber in Eternal City long before.


    This chamber was called the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, a newly established business with its headquarters in Eternal City. Although smaller in scale compared to the Azure Commerce Guild, precisely because of this, they wouldn''t bully their clients.


    Also, being newly established, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce also urgently needed a steady, major client like Thunderhawk City. In the eyes of the Azure Commerce Guild, Thunderhawk was just a minor client, but to the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, Thunderhawk could be considered a major client.


    Therefore, when Aileen approached them, they agreed to her terms right away, not only agreeing to supply the necessary food and yarn steadily but also at a much more favorable price than the Azure Commerce Guild.


    With this in place, there was absolutely no need for Thunderhawk City to cooperate with the Azure Commerce Guild anymore.


    However, Rocky did not do so.


    "Aileen," he said, "tell the people from the Azure Commerce Guild that we need the food supply as per the previous years'' amounts, and the sooner the better. As for the price, we''ll discuss it later; just get the food here quickly."


    "My lord, what did you say?"


    Blinking at Rocky, Aileen doubted if she had heard correctly. "My lord, we have already settled with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. They will deliver this year''s food supply in three days, and I have already paid the deposit."


    Although Thunderhawk City had returned to the vicinity of Eternal City, the city did not immediately leave, the reason being that in a few days, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce would be delivering the food. Therefore, Aileen couldn''t understand why Rocky still wanted the Azure Commerce Guild to transport food.


    "I know, I just want to see what the Azure Commerce Guild''s food supply looks like this year."


    With a sly grin, Rocky told her not to ask too much and just do as he said.


    Aileen, being exceedingly clever, immediately understood what Rocky was up to and subsequently shook her head helplessly, the words "childish¡­" popping into her mind.


    Although in her thoughts she found Rocky''s approach quite childish, her heart was brimming with glee because she too was eager to see the expression on Jia Xi''s face¡ªthe old pervert who tried to take advantage of them¡ªwhen he arrived in Thunderhawk City laden with food.


    Having discussed the matter with the Azure Commerce Guild, Aileen didn''t leave right away, because what she had to talk about next was more serious.


    "My lord, the notice for the training class has been posted."


    "Oh? How has the response been?"


    Upon hearing this from Aileen, Rocky immediately asked.


    Previously, he had already hired two technicians from the Technician Guild, and he had them start teaching in Thunderhawk City. He had introduced this training class for the residents to learn leather-making skills, which is what Aileen was referring to.


    Early this morning, Rocky had people post notices throughout the urban areas of Thunderhawk City, hoping the residents would eagerly sign up to learn new skills, and all courses were free of charge.


    Yet faced with his eager expectations, Aileen indeed looked at him helplessly and then shook her head. "My lord, the residents'' response... isn''t too enthusiastic." Experience new tales on §Þ??


    Looking at Rocky, Aileen, though reluctant to dampen his enthusiasm, still had to tell the truth, because the reality was as she said ¨C the response to the notice posted by the City Lord''s Mansion was lukewarm, and no one had signed up all morning.


    This was actually to be expected, as the residents of Thunderhawk City had long been accustomed to a lifestyle of men plowing fields and women weaving at home, and no one thought there was anything wrong with this way of living, so no one was willing to attend any training classes. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sir, I think you should just issue an order directly, commanding the town''s residents to attend the training classes, as this would be more effective," he said.


    Looking at Rocky, Aileen expressed her thoughts.


    Setting up training classes was not a problem, after all, leather manufacturing was a new technology for Thunderhawk City, and the residents indeed needed to learn to master it, but Aileen never understood why registration had to be voluntary?


    As the City Lord, Rocky could simply issue an order about what he wanted the residents to do, and who in the town would dare to disobey the City Lord''s command? One must remember, in this era, the residents of Sky City do not look up and see the sky, it is the City Lord of Sky City who is their sky!


    Yet, Rocky did not do so, he insisted on having the residents sign up voluntarily, a practice Aileen could not understand.


    "A twisted melon is not sweet..."


    Aileen''s misunderstanding was something that Rocky actually understood quite well; in fact, he really could make everyone in the city learn the new technology with a single command, but he did not wish to do so.


    It was not because of kindness, but because he had a longer-term plan in mind.


    He hoped to use this reform to cultivate the residents'' initiative, allowing them to voluntarily accept and even proactively seek reform, as that would make future matters easier to handle.


    So, after pondering for a moment, Rocky said to Aileen, "Aileen, immediately send someone to change the announcement. Tell the residents that the deadline for this training session is one week from now. After this time, they will have to wait for the next session."


    "This... Sir, are you sure we should do this?"


    Rocky''s words caused Aileen''s eyes to widen in disbelief.


    The current situation was that no one was willing to attend the training classes. Under such circumstances, setting a registration deadline would only reduce attendance even more, Aileen thought, finding herself increasingly unable to understand Rocky''s ideas.


    Yet, faced with her confusion, Rocky did not offer much of an explanation. He only asked Aileen to follow his instructions, believing that it would not take long, at most after the first training session, for the residents of Thunderhawk City to change their minds about the training.


    "Sir!"


    Just then, as Rocky and Aileen were discussing the training class, Liliya hurried over.


    "Liliya, what''s the matter?"


    Seeing Liliya hurrying towards him, Rocky frowned. She should be with the Guard Corps at this time, so why had she suddenly come to him?


    By now, Liliya had reached Rocky, and then she said to him with a smile, "Sir, Monte is leaving..."


    PS: New book seeking recommendation, seeking collection, each of your recommendation tickets, each collection is the biggest encouragement for Little Detective, hope everyone supports more! More support! More support!

 Chapter 58: Chapter 57 Help Me

    Since the last misunderstanding occurred, Monte and Rocky began to drift apart, despite Rocky not leaving Eternal City ahead of time, but in the following days, he didn''t continue to follow Rocky. From then on, the two of them barely spoke to each other anymore. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.And as soon as he returned to Thunderhawk City, Monte went to find Liliya and told her he was leaving.


    It was clear that the previous incident had greatly disappointed Monte with Rocky, to the point where he even cast aside the thought of observing Thunderhawk City for a while, and he planned to take his leave as soon as he returned.


    Although Liliya was well aware that Monte had misunderstood the weapon, she couldn''t explain it to him, so she had no choice but to go to Rocky.


    "You go bring Monte to the City Lord''s Mansion, come directly to the lab to see me."


    "Research... Rocky, are you going to?"


    Upon hearing Rocky''s words, Liliya was slightly taken aback because she was the only one who could understand the meaning of his words.


    "Go, I have it figured out."


    Without giving Liliya a detailed explanation, Rocky simply told her to bring Monte according to his instructions.


    Monte''s departure wasn''t a surprise to anyone, at least not to Rocky, for Monte''s character was easy to predict. As a Beastman, he had no interest in beating around the bush: it was perfectly normal for him to part ways when their paths no longer aligned.


    However, regarding the misunderstanding between the two, Rocky naturally had a way to clear it up. After instructing Liliya, he also turned to Aileen.


    "Aileen, don''t leave just yet. Come with me to the lab; I have something to tell both of you."


    "...Okay..."


    At this time, Aileen had been ready to leave since she still had work to do. But, after hearing what Rocky said, she too decided to stay, feeling somewhat curious.


    When had a research lab appeared in the City Lord''s Mansion? This was the first Liliya had heard of it, and she couldn''t help but feel curious.


    Afterward, Liliya went to find Monte, while Rocky took Aileen to his own lab ahead of them.


    It didn''t take long before he brought Aileen into the lab, and just as they stepped through the door, Aileen was stunned by everything she saw!


    Rocky''s lab was filled with various research instruments, which wouldn''t have been unusual, but as a shrewd merchant with vision far beyond ordinary people, Aileen realized at a glance that these instruments didn''t belong to the current era¡ªthey were all from the Land Era!


    This discovery took Aileen aback, and as she inspected more closely, she noticed that the room also contained numerous weapons and pieces of equipment that seemed to be used for research purposes¡ªeven Rocky''s Void Magic Armor was displayed in the room.


    Even the Void Magic Armor was being used; what on earth was Rocky researching...


    The scenes before her were astonishing to Aileen, and how astute was she? After a brief moment of shock, she quickly understood why Rocky had brought her here.


    And just thinking about what Rocky might be about to do made Aileen''s heart start to pound furiously. She felt that a significant event was about to unfold today, one that could deeply affect her!


    "Take a seat wherever you like."


    At this moment, Rocky, who had brought her to the lab, didn''t say much, just telling Aileen to take a seat anywhere, clearly intending to speak once everyone had arrived.


    Not long after, the door to the lab was pushed open again; Liliya arrived with Monte.


    Unlike Aileen, who was meticulous and extremely smart, Monte, brought by Liliya, did not notice the extraordinariness of the lab. He merely glanced at Rocky upon entering the lab and then silently stood aside.


    "Now that everyone''s here..."


    Once Monte was brought in, Rocky stood opposite the few of them. Without any pleasantries, he picked up the Rune Longsword and slowly began, "This longsword, I found it at a Lost Research Institute on the land."


    With just this simple sentence, Aileen and Monte facing him were both stunned!


    "This longsword has no name, but I think it can be called a Rune Sword because those patterns on the sword are called Mana Runes..."


    Rocky ignored the stunned looks on both Aileen and Monte''s faces and, as he spoke, activated the Mana Runes on the sword. In an instant, the longsword in his hand shone brightly, and at the same time, with a gentle flick of his wrist, a slash of sword light appeared before everyone.


    "These Mana Runes were invented by a master named Wensel during the Land Era to replace Magic Stones."


    After saying this, Rocky finally turned to look at Aileen and Monte, just in time to see their faces as they gasped in shock.


    In fact, from the moment Rocky began speaking, Both of them had been stunned. And when Rocky mentioned the Mana Runes, both the anticipating Aileen and the utterly unprepared Monte couldn''t help but gasp!


    Mana Runes... Could it be top-notch Magic Technology from the Lost Research Institute?!


    That was what Rocky had just meant, right? They hadn''t misunderstood, had they?!


    Thinking back on everything Rocky had just said, although the information was succinct, it left them both stunned for a long while, even doubting their own understanding.


    And if they had understood correctly, then this was too shocking for both Aileen and Monte.


    The two of them, one a supremely intelligent merchant and the other an experienced Demon Hunter, did not need Rocky to explain in detail the uses of Mana Runes; they had already realized the immense potential of this technology.


    So when Rocky looked at them, they also looked back at him, faces full of disbelief. They had never imagined that Rocky would possess such a potent technology with such potential!


    They were even more astonished that Rocky would so casually disclose this to them, knowing well that if such a thing were made known, it could cause a stir across the entire sky!


    At that moment, Rocky continued to speak, explaining in detail the various potential uses of the Mana Runes to Aileen and Monte.


    And when he finished, the Aileen and Monte standing opposite him were completely dumbfounded, standing still as if they had crashed, their minds a blank slate.


    "My lord, you... shouldn''t have told us this..."


    Aileen whispered uncontrollably. She not only felt Rocky shouldn''t have disclosed this, but even thought she shouldn''t have heard it, because even hearing it could bring disaster upon oneself!


    "I know."


    Aileen''s whispered words, however, were heard by Rocky. He showed a face full of helplessness and said with great self-mockery, "Such top-notch technology, falling into the hands of a city lord like me, does seem like a bad thing indeed."


    With a self-deprecating smile, Rocky then looked at Aileen and Monte:


    "I also know that if this gets out, it''s over for me and Thunderhawk City. I''ve even thought more than once about just selling the Mana Runes as a commodity. At least that way, I could save my life."


    "But every time I think about it, I feel¡ªunwilling!!"


    As he spoke, the expression on Rocky''s face changed; the helplessness and self-mockery disappeared in an instant: "I''m unwilling to forever be a small city''s City Lord, I''m unwilling to let my city be forever bullied, I''m unwilling to live such a mediocre life!"


    "So, I want to take a gamble!"


    "I want to take a gamble with the Mana Runes, I want to use the Mana Runes to let Thunderhawk City soar in the sky, I want to stand shoulder to shoulder with the giant beasts in the sky, with the demons on the land!"


    "But..."


    Experience tales at M V L


    "I can''t do it, not alone..."


    Having said this, Rocky looked towards Aileen and Monte.


    "Therefore, I''ve decided to tell you everything, without holding anything back."


    "I hope, you will help me!"

 Chapter 59: Chapter 58: Oath

    On this day, Rocky did something extremely dangerous, the risk level of which far surpassed that of hunting Demons, and also exceeded all missions of the Mercenary Guild, which was sharing the secret of the Mana Rune with Aileen and Monte!His actions were, to say the least, unexpected by everyone, even Aileen and Monte themselves had not anticipated hearing such explosive news. It was an action of extreme danger, because if either of the two were to leak everything they had heard, there would only be three words to describe the fate of Rocky and Thunderhawk City: utter annihilation!


    Yet, at the same time, this move was within reason, because Rocky needed his own foundation!


    Only with his own foundation could he then freely develop and become stronger, and the foundation he chose was Liliya, Aileen, and Monte.


    There was no need to mention Liliya; Rocky absolutely trusted her, so that was beyond question. As for Aileen and Monte, after interacting with them for a period of time, Rocky also deemed them trustworthy.


    This was precisely where his audacity lay because in Rocky''s eyes, although Aileen and Monte were trustworthy, they did not reach the level of absolute trust he had in Liliya.


    Still, he shared his greatest secret with the two of them, because Rocky knew one thing: excessive caution is tantamount to groundless suspicion, and once you fall into that vicious cycle, there is no one left to trust.


    In this situation, he decided to take a gamble; he bet that he had not misjudged these two people, and that his trust had not been misplaced!


    ......


    ......


    The silence in the research room had become profound at some point; after Rocky had finished speaking, he did not continue, merely watching Aileen and Monte as if waiting for them to digest everything they had heard,


    Indeed, Aileen and Monte truly needed time to process everything in their minds, and with their intelligence and experience, they had understood Rocky''s intentions as soon as he finished speaking.


    However, this was a matter they had to consider very carefully, because once they made their choice, it could potentially affect the rest of their lives. Therefore, neither spoke up immediately, falling into silence together.


    As time ticked by, after more than ten minutes had passed, Monte was the first to make his choice. He looked at Rocky, then slowly knelt on one knee before him!


    "City Lord, Beastman Monte swears loyalty to you. I am willing to be the spear in your hand, or the shield. I vow to follow you and never betray you!"


    Beastman Monte swore loyalty to Rocky!


    And after he made his oath, Aileen also made her choice. She too knelt on one knee before Rocky like Monte did and pronounced her vow, "City Lord, Aileen wishes to swear loyalty to you. Your ambitions are my goals, your dreams my desires. I will follow you, never to leave or forsake you."


    Aileen, swore loyalty to Rocky!


    "City Lord, Liliya swears loyalty to you. I am willing to be by your side forever, to follow your footsteps ceaselessly."


    After Aileen and Monte had consecutively sworn loyalty to Rocky, Liliya also knelt before him and spoke her vow.


    With this, Liliya, Aileen, and Monte, all three had sworn loyalty to Rocky. They were henceforth known as the most valiant, astute, and loyal trio under the Master of Runes, and at this moment, their legend was born.


    At the same time, these three giants would not know that many years later, the vows they made today would come to be known as the Oath of Spear and Shield, the Oath of Heart and Desire, and the Eternal Oath, and would spread to every corner of the skies, becoming the standard for all pledges.


    Of course, all of this would happen many years from now, and at the moment, not the three of them, nor Rocky, who would be later honored as the Master of Runes, knew what the future would hold for them.


    The current Rocky was simply elated, very much so!


    So, he then helped the three who were kneeling before him to their feet, and in turn, gave each one of them an embrace from the City Lord.


    "Alright, now it''s time to talk about serious matters."


    After giving each of the three a big hug, Rocky opened up his floodgates of speech.


    He actually had many ideas about their future development, including Thunderhawk City, how they were going to survive in the skies, and even the Mana Rune, in short, Rocky had many thoughts.


    But before this, he could only confide in Liliya alone. However, everyone has their expertise, and even though Liliya understood Rocky well, she was not adept at everything, so she couldn''t always help Rocky.


    But now, things had gotten better; not only did Rocky have Liliya by his side, but he also had Aileen and Monte, so he could share many of his ideas with them.


    Therefore, following this, the four of them held a candid conversation in the research lab, without any secrets or schemes, talking from day to night about all sorts of things ¡ª immediate plans and long-term goals alike; they chatted about a great many topics.


    After this in-depth conversation, Rocky became much clearer about what he needed to do next and how he was going to do it; at the same time, his relationship with Aileen and Monte grew much closer because of the talk.


    So when the next day arrived, it might have seemed like nothing had changed in Thunderhawk City, but in fact, changes were silently taking place ¡ª for instance, the Guard Corps had a new instructor.


    This instructor, naturally, was Monte.


    Actually, Rocky''s idea was to have Monte take over Liliya''s position and become the new Captain of the Guards, which was also what Liliya hoped for, but this needed to happen gradually.


    Monte was different from Liliya; while Liliya was the personal guard of the City Lord and her status naturally earned her everyone''s respect, coupled with her strength and beauty, which had facilitated a smooth transition when she took over the Guard Corps.


    Monte, however, arrived in Thunderhawk City as an outsider. Even though he was stronger than Liliya, he couldn''t come close to her in terms of prestige. Appointing him directly as the Captain of the Guards would have caused unnecessary trouble for Monte.


    So, Rocky came up with a solution: he let Monte start as an instructor for the Guard Corps. This way, while training the guards, he could simultaneously establish his own prestige in their hearts, paving a natural way for his eventual promotion to Captain.


    Meanwhile, as Monte became the new instructor for the Thunderhawk City guards and began training the Guard Corps, the training classes finally started to gain some traction.


    Strangely enough, despite the lack of initial interest in the training classes, once Rocky set a registration deadline, people began signing up. Although the number wasn''t large, with only a dozen or so participants, the result was still far beyond Aileen''s expectations and left her puzzled.


    "You could think of this tactic as like a sale." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Aileen voiced her confusion to Rocky, he responded, "Imagine this: if a product permanently drops in price, people won''t rush to buy it because the sale is forever, right? They can buy it any time when they really need it."


    "But if a product is on a limited-time sale, people''s desire to purchase intensifies, because if they don''t buy now, they might not get the chance later."


    "The same principle applies to the training classes; setting a deadline for registration naturally boosts the residents'' desire to sign up."


    "So that''s how it works... Why didn''t I think of that before."


    After Rocky explained, Aileen understood the situation and nodded thoughtfully.


    "How are things going with the food?"


    At this point, Rocky inquired.


    "Oh, everything has been taken care of. We''ll start selling food to the residents next month, with the same prices as before. Once all the food is sold to the residents, funds will flow back, and we should have enough money for buying yarn for the next quarter."


    A week had passed since they left Eternal City, and the Ruby Chamber of Commerce had already delivered the food to the city, while Aileen had managed all these matters properly.


    "Excellent."


    Upon hearing Aileen''s report, Rocky nodded in satisfaction. Although he had initiated reforms in Thunderhawk City, it would take time to see actual results, so in the meantime, the city needed to continue operating in the old way without any mishaps.


    "By the way..." Rocky nodded, then suddenly remembered another matter, "Any news from the Azure Commerce Guild? They should be arriving soon, right?"


    "Soon."


    Upon mentioning the Azure Commerce Guild, a smile appeared on Aileen''s face, "They''ve already sent word; they should arrive with the food in a week, and the one leading the team is that Jia Xi." Experience tales at M V L


    "Good, I''ll leave this matter to you then."


    After looking at Aileen, Rocky chuckled.

 Chapter 60: Chapter 59: Lord Steward, please dont be angry

    After leaving the Eternal City, everything in Thunderhawk City returned to normal, and everything was running smoothly and orderly.However, in reality, subtle changes were quietly taking place in Thunderhawk City, changes that were unnoticed by many because they were too minor; probably only those who were driving these changes could perceive everything that was happening, but these changes were indeed occurring.


    Monte, who had sworn loyalty to Rocky, had taken up his post successfully. He became the new instructor of the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad and began targeted training of the Guard Corps with Liliya''s help.


    At the same time, the leather crafting training class had also started. When the registration for the training class ended, the number of participants in the first session stopped at thirteen, which meant that, in a city with a population of one thousand, only about one percent of the population participated in the training.


    This number was obviously much lower than what Rocky and Aileen had expected, but even so, the training class started as scheduled, and the first step in the economic reform of Thunderhawk City was taken. Perhaps this step seemed small, but it was taken nonetheless.


    Thunderhawk City was changing silently like this, a change that might not seem effective now, but it would be enough to affect everyone soon enough.


    As for Rocky, the City Lord, he was quite busy these days. Although everything in the city was running smoothly, he was still very busy because he was preparing for his next goal.


    Just as he had meticulously prepared for the successful hunting of Demons before, Rocky now set his next goal on the tasks of the Mercenary Guild. The training Monte was conducting for the Guard Corps was for this purpose, and he too was swamped with work because of it.


    He had to draw up a batch of rune equipment for the city''s Guard Corps by himself!


    As mentioned before, Rocky had spent thousands of Gold Coins buying a large amount of fake Magic Energy Equipment, to use these fake items to cover the truth, taking the opportunity to utilize the function of the Mana Runes.


    And what he had to do was to inscribe True Runes onto the fake Magic Energy Equipment.


    But... that''s over a hundred pieces of equipment!


    One hundred shields, plus one hundred sets of Armor, Rocky had to inscribe Runes on all two hundred pieces of equipment; and not just one or two Runes per item, he needed to inscribe a significant number of Runes on each piece of equipment to make them truly effective.


    According to the conversion of Mana Points, a small Magic Stone contains Mana equivalent to 40 Energy Value points, while a First Level Magic Energy Rune has an Energy Value of only 1 point. This means if one wants to make a piece of rune equipment reach the effect of One-Star, they must inscribe at least 40 First Level Runes on it. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This is a huge undertaking, indeed. One piece of equipment needs 40 Runes, ten pieces would need 400, a hundred pieces would be 4,000, and two hundred pieces of equipment would be 8,000...


    The thought of having to inscribe so many Runes made Rocky''s head spin, and he acutely realized the limitations of First Level Runes, which was that they contained too little Mana.


    If Rocky had mastered the Level Two Mana Runes now, his task would be much simpler, as the Energy Value contained in a Level Two Mana Rune is 15 points. This means he would only need to inscribe three Level Two Runes on the equipment to achieve the effect of One-star Magic Energy Gear.


    Unfortunately, Rocky was not yet able to learn Second-Level Runes. His magic level was too low, and only Third Level Mages could inscribe Level Two Mana Runes, while Rocky was still a First Level Mage.


    In this situation, he had no shortcuts to take and had to honestly stay in the laboratory, inscribing Runes day and night.


    But fortunately, there was nothing in Thunderhawk City that needed his worries at the moment, and with the help of Liliya, Aileen, and Monte, he didn''t need to concern himself with the minor affairs of the city, allowing him to work in peace as a diligent little worker.


    And as time passed day by day, a week went by in the blink of an eye.


    A week later, Thunderhawk City''s Skyport was suddenly graced with the arrival of five skyships, all of them merchant vessels.


    After making their appearance, these five merchant ships slowly descended within the Skyport. Shortly thereafter, a man disembarked, surrounded by a crowd... This man was none other than Jia Xi! And these five ships were the very grain transport vessels from the Azure Commerce Guild!


    In fact, as soon as Rocky returned from Eternal City, he had already received news of the Azure Commerce Guild''s arrival. No, it would be more accurate to say he had actively arranged for the Azure Commerce Guild to transport the grain, even though Aileen had already purchased all the grain from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce by the time he made this decision.


    Still, Rocky let the people from the Azure Commerce Guild come. As for why¡ªit didn''t seem to be too important, at least that''s what Rocky believed.


    As he got off the merchant ship, with a crowd escorting him, Jia Xi''s smile froze and he looked around bewildered.


    He had disembarked to find the place empty¡ªnot a soul to welcome him!


    This scene left Jia Xi both dumbfounded and utterly unprepared.


    According to his estimation, upon his arrival in Thunderhawk City, the reception ought to have been even more grandiose than the last time, even expecting Rocky, the City Lord himself, to come in person.


    After all, he was bringing grain this time! Was there anything in this world more important, more deserving of attention than grain?


    Moreover, after the last negotiation, Jia Xi felt that the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, provided he was not a fool, would have guessed that following the rise in yarn prices, the price of grain was bound to increase. Shouldn''t the City Lord understand then how crucial it was to curry favor with him?


    After all, with just a word from him, Thunderhawk City could potentially save tens of thousands of Gold Coins!


    For this reason, Jia Xi had employed a little trick¡ªhe deliberately delayed his arrival by a few days to make Thunderhawk City anxious, thus gaining more bargaining power upon his arrival.


    But to his astonishment, the reception at Thunderhawk City was so lackluster; there wasn''t even a person to meet him!


    Find your next adventure on M V L


    "Hey! You, come here!"


    After a moment of stunned silence, Jia Xi shouted angrily for a guard, then furiously asked, "Where is your City Lord! And what about that Aileen! Why aren''t they here to welcome me!"


    The guard he called over was none other than Felly, who was in charge of the Skyport. Facing Jia Xi''s intimidating presence, Felly quickly tried to appease him with a nervous smile, "Overseer Jia Xi, please don''t be angry. The City Lord and the finance officer were really tied up with matters today, that''s why they couldn''t come to meet you."


    "However, the Lord has arranged for a carriage and ordered us to take you to the City Lord''s Mansion as soon as you arrived."


    As he spoke, a carriage indeed pulled up in front of Jia Xi, clearly having been waiting there for him.


    "Hmph!"


    Seeing the carriage before him, Jia Xi huffed coldly. Although he was very angry, he knew he was here for business, so he boarded the carriage with an air of displeasure.


    However, once he was inside the carriage, he had already made up his mind. He decided to raise the price of grain by another ten percent, to give Rocky a shock¡ªthat would be the only way to appease his anger!

 Chapter 61: Chapter 60: The City Lord is Busy

    While sitting in the carriage leaving the Skyport, Jia Xi was pondering how to embarrass Rocky upon meeting him, as that was the only way he could feel relieved.At the same time, Jia Xi also thought of Aileen, and just thinking about her made him feel much better.


    Though he had met Aileen only a few times and those occasions were several months ago, even so, the mere thought of Aileen made Jia Xi''s heart itch.


    This was actually quite normal because despite Aileen being the finance officer of Thunderhawk City, she was only seventeen or eighteen years old, a young age full of potential, and moreover, she came from a noble family and was full of spirit. How could such a girl not be likable?


    Thus, thinking of Aileen, Jia Xi felt much better, directly pushing Rocky to the back of his mind and figuring out how to win Aileen over this time.


    Actually, the last time he had tried to get Aileen, but Rocky had not given him the opportunity.


    Jia Xi couldn''t believe that Rocky, as the City Lord, did not understand what he wanted; he rather thought that Rocky was deliberately feigning ignorance because he had an affair with Aileen and could not bear to part with her.


    In Jia Xi''s view, such things were too common in high society. This also made him more determined to possess Aileen because in his eyes, Aileen was the City Lord''s woman. If he could have her, he thought, it would not only possibly be enjoyable, but it would also make him feel very content inside.


    You must understand that although Jia Xi was a chief in the Azure Commerce Guild, in a guild of this size, there were several dozen chiefs. Besides, being a chief, no matter how significant, still could not compare to being a City Lord, so having the City Lord''s woman would surely be a brag-worthy achievement for Jia Xi.


    "Why haven''t we arrived yet?"


    Sitting in the carriage, fantasizing for quite some time, Jia Xi was getting thirsty, but he realized they still hadn''t reached the City Lord''s Mansion.


    Why was it so slow?


    Having been to Thunderhawk City once a few months ago, Jia Xi knew that the distance from the Skyport to the City Lord''s Mansion wasn''t particularly far, but he felt that he had been sitting in the carriage for a long time.


    Thinking this, Jia Xi subconsciously glanced out of the carriage window to see where they were, only to be shocked by the scene outside. How had he been brought into the district of Thunderhawk City?


    The carriage was now traveling on the streets of Thunderhawk City''s district, completely devoid of heading towards the City Lord''s Mansion.


    "Hey! What''s going on; why did you bring the carriage into the city district?"


    Realizing he had been brought into the district, Jia Xi could not care about his status anymore and quickly poked his head out of the window, shouting at the carriage driver.


    "Sir, the road from the Skyport to the City Lord''s Mansion is under repair, so we have to divert through the city district. Don''t worry, sir, we will be there soon,"


    the driver said, while waving his whip, then slightly sped up.


    "Damn it..."


    Hearing this, Jia Xi could not say much more and could only sit back inside the carriage, silently cursing Thunderhawk City and Rocky countless times in his heart.


    It wasn''t until more than an hour later that the carriage finally arrived at the City Lord''s Mansion, and when Jia Xi stepped down from the carriage, his legs were numb.


    However, having finally reached the City Lord''s Mansion, he still did not see Rocky or Aileen. A maid led him to the City Lord''s Hall, but there was no one inside.


    "Where is your City Lord?"


    "Sir, the City Lord is attending to urgent matters. Please wait a moment,"


    the maid who had brought Jia Xi to the hall said with a slight smile before turning and leaving. Soon, someone brought tea and snacks, and Jia Xi had no choice but to patiently wait in the City Lord''s Hall for Rocky to arrive.


    This wait lasted another hour...


    After a long and tedious hour, the previous maid appeared again and then told Jia Xi that Rocky''s matters were not yet resolved and that he could only meet him tomorrow.


    By this time, Jia Xi had completely collapsed, driven mad with anger, but he had nowhere to vent it. Surely he couldn''t lash out at a lowly maid, could he?


    So in the end, he had no choice but to leave the City Lord''s Mansion with a bellyful of pent-up frustration, and once again took a carriage, circling around Thunderhawk City''s district extensively before finally returning to the merchant ship at the Skyport.


    He had arrived in Thunderhawk City in the morning, but by the time he returned to his merchant ship, it was already dark!


    For the better part of the day, Jia Xi had wandered around Thunderhawk City''s district twice, achieving nothing and not even catching a glimpse of Rocky or Aileen¡­


    This left Jia Xi utterly furious upon returning to the merchant ship. In his rage, he decided that he definitely wouldn''t go to see Rocky tomorrow. Rocky must come to see him in person!


    But the next day, Rocky didn''t show up to meet him at all. Not only did Rocky, the City Lord, not come, but even Aileen, the finance officer, didn''t appear. Jia Xi, who had waited agonizingly all day on the merchant ship, ended up waiting for nothing.


    Jia Xi, having waited bitterly for a whole day, was furious beyond measure, vowing that unless Rocky came personally to apologize, he absolutely wouldn''t go to meet Rocky. He wanted to see who could afford to wait longer; Rocky, who had a city''s population to support, or himself! Continue your journey at M V L


    However¡­


    Just three days after making this vow, Jia Xi was forced to leave his merchant ship and visit the City Lord''s Mansion once again.


    During these three days, Rocky showed absolutely no intention of meeting him, and not even a message came. Jia Xi simply waited in vain on his merchant ship for three whole days, achieving nothing.


    Therefore, he had no choice but to take the initiative to find Rocky. After all, he hadn''t come to Thunderhawk City to hold a grudge, but to conduct business. Therefore, reluctant as he was, he had to meet with Rocky, or the business deal would fall through.


    So, although he had cursed Rocky countless times in his heart, he still took a carriage just like three days before, circled the district extensively, and then headed to the City Lord''s Mansion.


    Meanwhile, Rocky was sitting in his study, sipping tea and chatting with Liliya, looking quite at ease.


    Actually, he had been very busy these past few days. In order to quickly turn the batch of equipment he had bought into rune equipment, he had been drawing hundreds of runes by hand every day. It was quite laborious, so much so that even Liliya felt pity for him and had forced him to rest for two hours every day, or else she wouldn''t allow him into the study.


    "How is the Guard Corps adjusting to Monte''s training?" Rocky asked after taking a sip of black tea.


    "Monte''s training is very intense, so it''s quite a stretch for them to adapt. However, hearing that those who excel can receive Magic Energy Equipment has motivated everyone greatly, so there are no major issues," Liliya replied.


    "That''s good, but don''t let Monte be too harsh. If the guards develop resentment towards him, he''ll have trouble managing them later." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I know," Liliya said, nodding. "Why don''t you visit the Guard Corps in a few days? As the City Lord, if you personally check on the Guard Corps, it would greatly boost their morale."


    "Alright," Rocky considered it for a moment and felt that Liliya made a lot of sense, so he agreed right away.


    "By the way," Liliya seemed to recall something at that moment and casually mentioned, "I think I just saw Jia Xi outside."


    "Oh? He came today?"


    "Yes, he seems to have been waiting in the City Lord''s Hall."


    "Then let him wait; I''m very busy," Rocky said, taking another sip of his black tea.

 Chapter 62: Chapter 61 The Cornerstone of the Future

    Three days later, just as he said, Rocky took a day off to visit the Guard Corps in the city for an inspection.The Guard Camp of Thunderhawk City was adjacent to the urban district, but quite far from the City Lord''s Mansion, mainly for safety considerations. So although Rocky had set out from the City Lord''s Mansion early in the morning, by the time he arrived at the camp by carriage, it was already past ten in the morning.


    Upon his arrival at the camp, Liliya immediately took him straight to the training ground. Since Monte became the new instructor of the Guard Corps, apart from those who must patrol within the city, the rest of the guards were kept on the training ground by him from morning till night.


    As Rocky approached the training ground under Liliya''s guidance, he hadn''t yet seen anyone, but he could hear Monte''s voice booming like thunder.


    "Run faster! Haven''t you eaten breakfast?"


    "Hurry up! If anyone falls behind, everyone will have to run as punishment!"


    Looking in the direction of the voice, Rocky quickly spotted Monte, the Beastman standing in the center of the training ground, shirtless and holding a Teaching Whip, shouting at the guards like an evil foreman.


    As for the guards being constantly yelled at, they were running laps around the training ground in formation.


    Rocky took a quick glance and noticed that there were over a hundred guards participating in the training¡ªapparently, all of the guards except those patrolling the city were here. They were also shirtless just like Monte, soaked in sweat, their beads of perspiration glistening under the sunlight.


    "Look, there, isn''t that...?"


    "It''s the City Lord!"


    "What? Where?"


    "Let me see!"


    When Rocky approached the training ground led by Liliya, the guards running around the ground immediately spotted him, which caused some commotion. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was no wonder, for in the eyes of Thunderhawk City''s residents, Rocky was the highest existence in Sky City, respected by everyone and rarely seen.


    So, when they caught sight of him, many exclaimed in surprise, even coming to a standstill.


    There weren''t many guards who had actually seen Rocky¡ªaside from a small number responsible for the Skyport, almost no one had truly met the City Lord. But the guards had heard many rumors about their City Lord.


    Among the Guard Corps, there were quite a few rumors about Rocky, with the earliest even dating back to the times when Eyer was still the Captain.


    Captain Eyer, the one who had discovered the Lost Research Institute through hard work, only to end up aiding Rocky''s fortune, had spoken ill of Rocky back when he was the Captain of the Guard, even describing Rocky as a complete loser.


    His words couldn''t be said to be entirely negative, as Rocky indeed used to be quite inadequate. However, because of Eyer''s gossip, the guards inevitably held the impression that their City Lord was ineffectual.


    Yet soon, the situation in Thunderhawk City turned upside down; Captain Eyer and the administrative officer Perolo were exiled one after another, and Rocky had even donned his Void Magic Armor. This series of news astounded the guards.


    Shortly thereafter, the news that the City Lord and Captain Liliya had gone to the land to hunt Demons shook the guards even more intensely. Suddenly no guard dared call their City Lord a loser anymore.


    However, the guards may no longer consider Rocky a loser, but what kind of City Lord he truly was remained a mystery to them. They had seen too little of Rocky, and the rumors about him varied so greatly that it was impossible to form a coherent image of him in their minds.


    So when Rocky personally came to the camp, the guards became exceptionally excited, eager to catch a glimpse of what the City Lord really looked like.


    "What are you idiots doing? Who told you to stop!"


    But just as the running troops stopped because of Rocky, Monte''s roar filled the air again, "The City Lord has come to inspect your training, and you dare slack off! Are you trying to disgrace me on purpose!"


    Monte stormed towards the troops while bellowing, and at the same time, he raised the Teaching Whip in his hand.


    This scene sent the guards scurrying for cover, immediately swarming back onto the track to run, even faster than before. Explore new worlds at M V L


    "City Lord."


    Having set the guards in motion again with his Teaching Whip, Monte smoothly made his way to Rocky''s side.


    "How''s the hand?"


    Glancing at Monte, Rocky asked about his injury while inwardly marveling, how did the Beastman sculpt such muscular build?


    "My lord, it''s already healed."


    Flashing Rocky a grin, Monte shook his half-severed arm, which by now had no longer been bandaged, clearly healed, and it seemed Monte had already adapted to living with one arm.


    This reassured Rocky quite a bit, so he then turned to look at the running guards, "How are these guys doing?"


    "Not bad."


    Turning his head towards the track as well, Monte commented, "These guards might have a weak foundation, but with proper training, they''ll certainly be fit for battle. Moreover, a few of them are promising recruits. With focused development, they could achieve great things."


    "That''s good to hear."


    Monte''s words made Rocky nod in agreement, his expectations rising because he had high hopes for Thunderhawk City''s Guard Corps.


    Thunderhawk City would eventually grow and expand. In time, the city''s Guard Corps would not only increase in size but would also have a true military force. By then, the role of the current Guard Corps would become exceptionally important.


    Because by that time, these guards would have become seasoned veterans, serving as an essential cornerstone of Thunderhawk City''s armed forces!


    With this in mind, Rocky glanced at Monte:


    "Train these guards well, but don''t be too harsh. I''m afraid they won''t be able to handle it."


    Although it was only his first glimpse of Monte''s training method, even so, Rocky could imagine how Monte trained the guards¡ªit must be both straightforward and brutal.


    Such rudimentary methods were fine, for steel isn''t steel without being tempered, and jade isn''t jade without being polished, but Rocky was afraid Monte might be too rough in his tempering and polishing.


    "Don''t worry, my lord, I know my limits."


    With a hearty laugh, Monte thumped his chest, assuring Rocky, then continued to roar and wave his Teaching Whip, heading back towards the guards.

 Chapter 63: Chapter 62: Restless Magic Power

    Rocky stayed with the Guard Corps until the afternoon before he returned to the City Lord''s Mansion, and he was very pleased when he left.He had spent almost the entire day with the guards and witnessed their whole day of training.


    It must be said that although Monte''s training was somewhat harsh, it was incredibly systematic. After running, came a series of physical exercises, and after lunch, they moved on to group combat practice. Monte had arranged each training segment very appropriately.


    For the guards, even though the training was arduous and even painful, it brought significant benefits, especially since they would soon be accompanying Rocky to the land to complete a series of missions assigned by the Mercenary Guild. In such cases, intensive training became a necessity, and it was the only way the guards could survive the battles against the demons.


    Seeing how hard the guards worked, Rocky did not dare slack off himself. So, upon returning, he went straight into the workshop and began to inscribe runes on one piece of equipment after another, working until late into the night.


    Late at night, after a busy day, Rocky finally returned to his bedroom. Even then, he didn''t rest immediately. Although he lay in bed, he took out the Demon''s Fang he had bought earlier.


    Holding the Demon''s Fang in his hand and continuously fiddling with it, Rocky examined its patterns while carefully feeling it, almost unable to let it go.


    He indeed liked the Demon''s Fang very much. Although he didn''t know which demon it had come from, Rocky was fond of it to the extent that he had bought it for experimentation but had not yet inscribed even a single rune on it after so much time.


    Because Rocky was somewhat reluctant, he did not want to waste the Demon''s Fang in haste. He wanted to wait until he could make it into a dagger, then it wouldn''t be too late to inscribe runes on it. Moreover, if given enhancement, he even considered inscribing a Second-Level Rune directly on it.


    It was because of this idea that he played with the Demon''s Fang every night before sleep, carefully feeling it and becoming familiar with it so that he would be more proficient when he actually began to inscribe runes on it.


    Thus, Rocky played with the Demon''s Fang for quite a while before preparing to sleep.


    However, just as he had lain down and before he could even close his eyes, something unexpected happened. Rocky suddenly felt his magic power stir inexplicably within him.


    "This is..."


    "A breakthrough?!"


    Feeling the agitation of his magic power, the just-lying-down Rocky quickly sat up, and a look of joy appeared on his face.


    Although he was only a First Level Mage and didn''t know too much about magic power, he at least knew that such sudden agitation typically indicated a breakthrough, which meant he was about to become a Level Two Mage!


    This was definitely an unexpected surprise, but it did not surprise Rocky.


    That was because Liliya had once said that the best way to achieve continuous breakthroughs in magic power was to use it continuously and preferably to exhaust it every time. Every time the magic power was exhausted and subsequently recovered, it would increase a bit on its existing basis. Over time, this would naturally push the magic power beyond its previous limits.


    Explore hidden tales at M V L


    Since learning the Mana Rune, Rocky''s magic power had often been depleted because of his frequent inscription of runes, especially in recent days when he had inscribed hundreds of runes on several pieces of equipment every day until his magic power was exhausted. Perhaps it was this high-intensity consumption that had caused Rocky''s magic power to break through!


    Realizing that he was about to break through, Rocky quickly sat up from the bed, then focused his mind and began to consciously control the magic power within him.


    He had to do this because magic power became extremely unstable during a breakthrough. One had to actively control it to stabilize it, otherwise the uncontrolled magic power could easily rebound and injure Rocky.


    However, this task was easier said than done. Though Rocky tried hard to suppress his magic power and calm it down, the more he actively suppressed it, the more obvious the resistance within his body became, until eventually he could not suppress it at all!


    "Why is this happening..."


    Time and again, he tried to control the magic power within him, but to no avail, causing Rocky to furrow his brows in frustration.


    This situation was clearly not normal. He had already spent a long time drawing runes, and there should have been hardly any magic power left in his body. How could he possibly be unable to control such a small amount of magic power?


    However, the impossible had happened. The scant amount of magic power remaining in his body not only became difficult to control but also grew increasingly agitated, to the point where even Rocky could hardly bear it any longer.


    This was troublesome! S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Being just a First Level Mage, Rocky had little knowledge of magic power and encountered a situation he had never heard of before, making him unsure of what to do.


    Although he panicked, the magic power inside his body continued to churn violently, and what Rocky couldn''t see was that his skin had already turned an intense red. It felt as if fierce flames were burning beneath his skin, scorching him so intensely that he felt he might explode at any moment!


    This made Rocky immediately realize the gravity of the situation and hurriedly tried to find Liliya for help, fearing something disastrous would happen!


    No sooner had he risen from his bed than he collapsed weakly onto the floor with a thud!


    "Some... some..."


    "Somebody...!"


    Lying on the floor, Rocky struggled to open his mouth, but he could only make a very faint sound. When he tried to crawl toward the door, he found he couldn''t muster any strength at all...


    Why was this happening, what was this situation!


    Powerless, lying on the floor, Rocky wanted to shout but couldn''t make a sound, wanted to crawl to the door but couldn''t exert any force, causing him to completely break down. He even thought he might just die in such a bewildered state.


    But just then, just when Rocky really might have perished confusedly in his room, there was a clattering sound as the Demon''s Fang, which he had carelessly placed on the bedside, fell to the ground.


    Before the powerless and helpless gaze of Rocky, the Demon''s Fang that had fallen to the ground seemed to be drawn by some attraction, rolling toward him until it stopped by his side.


    Immediately after, a tremendous suction emerged from the Demon''s Fang, suddenly enveloping Rocky''s whole body, and sucked away all the agitated magic power inside him...

 Chapter 64: Chapter 63 Congratulations, my Lord!

    The Demon''s Fang that rolled to Rocky''s side instantly sucked away all the magic power about to explode within him, leaving him completely drained!Once his magic was empty, Rocky, who had been lying on the ground unable to move or cry out, felt as light as a feather, as if all his burdens had vanished along with the magic power. Shortly after, he slowly got to his feet.


    After he rose from the ground, he gasped for breath several times, then realized that his entire body was soaked with sweat, almost as if he had taken a bath with his clothes on.


    But, at the same time, he had also become a Level Two Mage.


    After the perilous experience just now, he had successfully leveled up to a Level Two Mage!


    However, after the breakthrough, Rocky did not seem very happy. Instead, he was more concerned about something else, so he hastily picked up the Demon''s Fang from the ground as soon as he stood up.


    What on earth just happened?


    Picking up the Demon''s Fang and inspecting it, Rocky couldn''t help but think about the recent events and feel a sense of fear.


    After careful recollection, he understood that something must have gone wrong during his breakthrough, causing the magic power in his body to riot and nearly costing him his life. If not for the miraculous performance of the Demon''s Fang in his hand, he would probably have died without understanding how.


    But why would this mysterious Demon''s Fang suck away all his magic power?


    Looking down at the Demon''s Fang in his hand, Rocky was utterly perplexed.


    His knowledge about the Demon''s Fang he had purchased was actually very limited; he didn''t even know which high-level demon the tooth came from. But now it seemed that this tooth was anything but ordinary!


    Could it be... a treasure?


    With that thought, he brought the Demon''s Fang closer for a detailed examination, hoping to detect some clues.


    But just then, there was a crisp cracking noise, and Rocky found that a crack had appeared on the Demon''s Fang he held, followed by the crack spreading across the entire tooth, causing it to show a web of large fissures!


    "It''s cracked? Cracked?"


    Watching the Demon''s Fang in his hand cracking into pieces, Rocky was stunned on the spot. Was it just breaking apart like this?


    No, the Demon''s Fang had not fallen to pieces. Though its surface cracked all over, it was only shedding its outer layer.


    After the fragments had peeled off, the true form of the Demon''s Fang was revealed!


    Now significantly smaller than before, the Demon''s Fang had shrunk to the size of a palm. More importantly, the tooth became as clear and sparkling as crystal, emitting a faint blue light, looking just like an exquisitely carved piece of art, stunning in its beauty! Find more to read at M V L


    "This, this..."


    As he saw the Demon''s Fang transform before his eyes, Rocky couldn''t help but widen his own, his face a mixture of disbelief and utter confusion.


    Was this the true form of the Demon''s Fang?


    Loading at the artistic Demon''s Fang in his hand, the only thing on his mind was what exactly had he bought?


    This item might indeed be a Demon''s Fang, but it was clearly not from any ordinary demon!


    "Fantastic!"


    Realizing the extraordinary nature of the Demon''s Fang, Rocky yelled out in excitement; it was obvious that he had stumbled upon a treasure!


    But perhaps due to the overwhelming excitement, he unintentionally waved his arm, and as he did, his arm clutched in his hand shot out a beam of blue light. Right after, there was a thunderous boom, and a huge hole was blasted in the bedroom wall!


    This outcome caused the jubilant Rocky to suddenly freeze, staring blankly at the hole blasted in the wall, completely dumbfounded...


    ¡­


    ```


    ......


    "To think such a thing happened, are you injured?"


    Liliya looked at Rocky with an anxious face, full of concern.


    "I''m fine."


    He waved his hand at her to show that he was not seriously harmed, then asked, "What do you all make of this? What exactly is this thing?"


    As he spoke, he took out the Demon''s Fang, which had become crystal-like, and then turned his gaze to Liliya, Aileen, and Monte.


    It was now early in the morning of the next day. After the events of last night, Rocky had called Liliya and the others to the City Lord''s Mansion first thing in the morning and recounted his experiences from the previous night.


    After hearing his story, all three of them were stunned. None had expected that Rocky had encountered such a dangerous situation the night before.


    The most worried, naturally, was Liliya. Even when Rocky took the Demon''s Fang in his hand to show her, she snatched it away and threw it aside: "This thing is too dangerous, don''t hold onto it."


    "This..."


    Watching the Demon''s Fang being discarded like trash, Rocky was somewhat dumbfounded, but fortunately, Monte went over and picked it up.


    "My Lord, are you saying this tooth absorbed all your magic power?"


    After picking the Demon''s Fang back up, Monte looked at it and asked.


    "That''s right."


    Rocky nodded confidently. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, Aileen and Liliya also gathered around Monte, and the three of them carefully examined the strange tooth together.


    After studying it for a while, Liliya finally said, "This thing looks quite dangerous..."


    At the same time, Aileen also spoke:


    "This thing looks quite valuable..."


    The two women examined the Demon''s Fang from all angles, each expressing her own thoughts.


    Clearly, their thoughts were very much in line with their personalities, and both were correct. The unidentifiable Demon''s Fang was indeed dangerous. If anyone doubted it, they only needed to look at the gaping hole in the wall of Rocky''s bedroom.


    At the same time, the Demon''s Fang was, as Aileen said, likely worth a good deal of money. Even setting aside its potential powers, its appearance alone, like that of a piece of fine art, would fetch a high price on the market.


    Unfortunately, although their thoughts were not wrong, they were of no practical use. Therefore, Rocky turned to Monte, who had been silent this entire time.


    As a former Demon Hunter, even if Monte could not recognize which high-level demon the tooth came from, he should at least be able to make a rough judgment, right?


    Indeed, after an even more meticulous study than anyone else had undertaken, Monte finally raised his head slowly and, while handing the Demon''s Fang back to Rocky, said solemnly, "Congratulations, my Lord!"


    "Hm?"


    Caught off guard by the unexpected remark, Rocky was taken aback, not quite understanding.


    Monte then continued:


    "My Lord, if I''m not mistaken, this should be a tooth from a high-level demon!"


    ```

 Chapter 65: Chapter 64 Dangerous Thing!

    "My lord, if I''m not mistaken, this Demon''s Fang likely comes from a high-level demon," Monte said as he handed the Demon''s Fang back to Rocky. Experience tales at M V LAs these words left his mouth, everyone present, including Rocky, was shocked and, in the next second, their gazes uniformly fixated on the Demon''s Fang in Rocky''s hand.


    This Demon''s Fang... could it actually be from a high-level demon?!


    The conclusion was so frightening that everyone was stunned for a long time before Rocky, after taking a deep breath, asked Monte, "Monte, how did you figure it out?"


    If this Demon''s Fang truly were from a high-level demon, then it would definitely be considered a treasure, possibly even more valuable than Rocky''s set of Void Magic Armor, but this was contingent on Monte not being mistaken, otherwise, a big misunderstanding could occur.


    "I believe I have not mistaken it."


    However, in response to Rocky''s inquiry, Monte confidently stated, "My lord, although I have never actually hunted a high-level demon, I have seen some items from high-level demons at the Demon Exchange, so I do have some understanding of them."


    "Although there are only high-level and low-level categories for demons, the gap between these two levels is immense. Hence, any item from a high-level demon, whether it be teeth, horns, or skin, is fundamentally different from those of low-level demons." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This difference stems from their essence. Take this tooth, for example. It is clearly a Demon''s Fang, yet it can absorb magic power.


    Just from this point alone, we can prove it definitely doesn''t come from a low-level demon since even the most powerful low-level demon doesn''t possess such an ability, and even if they did, the ability would vanish after their death, but that''s not the case with high-level demons."


    "High-level demons are all terrifying beings with immense strength, and almost all of them have special abilities that usually remain after their deaths, just like this tooth. This is also why the market value of high-level demons is far greater than that of low-level demons, by over tenfold."


    "So that''s how it is..."


    After Monte''s explanation, Rocky and the others finally understood the situation and felt that what Monte said made a lot of sense.


    They had recently visited the Demon Exchange and, though they only browsed the first three floors, they indeed did not see any items from low-level demons that had any special abilities. It appeared that, as Monte mentioned, only items from high-level demons possessed special abilities; low-level demons did not.


    If that was the case, then the Demon''s Fang that Rocky had acquired could indeed be from a high-level demon!


    With this realization, Rocky had struck it rich!


    You must know that he had purchased this Demon''s Fang for only five hundred gold coins, a price that was already quite cheap. And if the Demon''s Fang truly came from a high-level demon, then Rocky would have made a fortune!


    "This is truly great! And if it really is as such, I must thoroughly investigate what special ability this tooth possesses!"


    Upon learning that the Demon''s Fang in his hand might come from a high-level demon, Rocky grew even more attached to it and immediately planned to investigate it further.


    He now knew that the Demon''s Fang could absorb magic power, but he was still unclear about the specific effects and the precise conditions for activation, among other things¡ªknowledge that was essential for maximizing the use of the tooth.


    Afterward, Aileen and Monte both left the City Lord''s Mansion, while only Liliya stayed behind.


    No choice, seeing Rocky''s excited expression, Liliya knew he was definitely going to do something reckless again, so she had no choice but to stay by his side, to prevent another incident like last night.


    And to avoid unnecessary danger, the two of them went to the back garden of the City Lord''s Mansion, and for safety''s sake, Rocky even put on his Void Magic Armor, just in case any accidents occurred.


    ......


    ......


    In the back garden of the City Lord''s Mansion, Rocky and Liliya stood together, both looking at the Demon''s Fang that Rocky held in his hand.


    "This tooth, it seems like it can absorb mana..."


    Holding the crystal-like Demon''s Fang in his hand, Rocky felt it for a moment, but didn''t feel the sucking force from yesterday, and his magic power wasn''t being absorbed directly either.


    "Try touching it with your magic power and see if there''s any effect,"


    Liliya reminded him from the side at this moment.


    "Okay."


    Agreeing, Rocky mobilized the magic power inside his body, controlling it to surge towards the tooth in his hand. The moment they made contact, a huge suction force emerged from within the Demon''s Fang, as if a giant maw instantaneously sucked all the magic power out of Rocky''s body.


    No, it wasn''t just the magic power within Rocky''s body that was being drained, even the magic power contained in the runes on his Void Magic Armor was being sapped!


    All of this happened in the blink of an eye, so instantaneously that Rocky had no time to react. By the time he did react, the Demon''s Fang he held in his hand was already emitting bursts of blue light, just as beautiful as it had been the night before.


    "Rocky, throw it away!"


    But at that moment, Liliya suddenly shouted and, without waiting for Rocky to react, kicked his hand. The force wasn''t great, but it was enough to send the Demon''s Fang flying from his grasp.


    It was exactly at the moment that Liliya''s kick sent the tooth flying when a blue light suddenly shot out from the Fang. In the blink of an eye, there was a thunderous explosion, and a large tree struck by the blue light was completely blasted into the air. The massive trunk flew for a while before crashing down heavily onto the ground, landing right in front of Rocky...


    The scene that occurred in the blink of an eye left both Rocky and Liliya stunned on the spot, neither of them had expected such a result!


    What was this blue light that shot out from the Demon''s Fang? It possessed such immense power that it exceeded even the might of a magic cannon!


    And if it weren''t for Liliya''s quick response in kicking the Demon''s Fang away, the blue light might have exploded right in Rocky''s hands, and the consequences of that were simply unimaginable.


    You have to understand that his Void Magic Armor and the Mana Rune on it were already drained of mana. Without the support of mana, the Void Magic Armor is just an ordinary suit of armor, unable to withstand an explosion of that magnitude.


    With a light clink, the Demon''s Fang that had been kicked into the air now gently fell to the ground and, as if alive, rolled towards Rocky''s feet. But at this moment, Rocky was already too scared to pick it up...


    This thing is too dangerous!

 Chapter 66: Chapter 65: Havent Left Yet?

    Watching the Demon''s Fang fall at his feet, Rocky didn''t dare to pick it up right away because it was simply too dangerous!Only after a good while did he carefully bend over and gingerly picked up the Demon''s Fang from the ground.


    And when he picked up the Demon''s Fang, nothing happened.


    That''s what made Rocky breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Don''t be afraid, the magic power absorbed by this thing must have been depleted, it should be safe now."


    Liliya looked at Rocky with a bit of amusement before approaching and glancing at the Demon''s Fang in his hand.


    "Was the situation you encountered last night the same as just now?"


    "Yes, it was the same last night. In the blink of an eye, my bedroom was blasted, but the power was definitely not as strong as just now."


    Having confirmed that there was no danger, Rocky finally relaxed and then explained to Liliya, simultaneously glancing at the large tree that had been blown to his feet. He couldn''t help feeling scared. If last night''s explosion in his bedroom had been as powerful as the one just now, his bedroom would have been more than just a hole in the wall; the whole room would have been leveled.


    "So, this Demon''s Fang can not only absorb magic power but also emit the absorbed magic power afterward?"


    As Rocky was still feeling shocked, Liliya opened her mouth.


    Her words made sense, for the blue light shot out from the Demon''s Fang was clearly mana, which meant that the Demon''s Fang could not only absorb mana but also release it exactly as it had absorbed.


    As for why the explosion was stronger than last night, it''s actually quite simple. This time, the Demon''s Fang had absorbed more mana.


    Last night, it had only absorbed Rocky''s magic power, but just now, it had absorbed not only Rocky''s magic power but also the mana contained in the Void Magic Armor and Mana Rune, which naturally made the emitted mana much more massive and the effect more astonishing.


    "So that''s how it is..."


    After Liliya explained this, Rocky understood and then looked down and thought for a while. After quite some time, he looked up again and began to distance himself from Liliya while saying, "Liliya, attack me with magic."


    "What?"


    Liliya was slightly taken aback by this request, not understanding his intention.


    "I want to see if this tooth can absorb not only mana but also magic."


    Mana, magic power, and magic, although named differently, are essentially the same force; the only difference is in their form of manifestation. So, if the Demon''s Fang could absorb mana and magic power, could it also absorb magic that was transformed from magic power?


    Rocky really wanted to know, which is why he made such a request to Liliya.


    Liliya understood his reasoning after his explanation, and although hesitant, she eventually nodded.


    Beyond being a Third-Level Warrior, Liliya was also a Level Two Mage. Her control over magic power might not be exquisite but was still decent. Following that, she took two steps back and then shot a Magic Bullet at Rocky.


    A Magic Bullet is a First-Level Magic that is half as powerful as the Fireball Technique; even if it hit Rocky, it wouldn''t cause much harm.


    Facing the magic bullet flying towards him, Rocky didn''t dodge or flinch but instead raised the Demon''s Fang in his hand.


    In the blink of an eye, there was a loud bang, and Rocky was knocked back several steps by the magic bullet...


    "Are you okay?"


    Not expecting Rocky to actually be hit by the magic bullet, Liliya rushed over and then saw that he was not seriously hurt; the magic bullet had just hit his breastplate.


    "Can''t this thing absorb magic?"


    Seeing that Rocky was alright, Liliya glanced at the Demon''s Fang in his hand.


    "No, I didn''t aim it properly..."


    Shaking his head at Liliya, Rocky''s expression was somewhat embarrassed. It wasn''t that the Demon''s Fang hadn''t absorbed the magic bullet; it was because he hadn''t aimed the Demon''s Fang at the magic bullet correctly, so he was hit...


    ```


    "Let''s do it one more time."


    Rolling her eyes at Rocky, Liliya walked farther away than before, because the greater the distance, the longer the trajectory of the magic bullet and the more reaction time Rocky naturally had.


    ......


    ......


    In this manner, Rocky and Liliya started to experiment with the Demon''s Fang in various ways in the back garden of the City Lord''s Mansion.


    Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and during these days, the two of them spent every day in the back garden of the City Lord''s Mansion. They came up with all sorts of ways to tinker with the Demon''s Fang, feeling as though they had both turned into mischievous children.


    However, it was because of their relentless experimentation that they finally managed to understand the effects of the Demon''s Fang thoroughly! S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Demon''s Fang displayed several characteristics:


    First, the Demon''s Fang could indeed absorb mana, magic power, and even magic itself. The specific upper limit of its absorption remained unknown.


    Second, whether it was mana, magic power, or various types of magic absorbed by the Demon''s Fang, it would all be converted into pure energy and stored within the Demon''s Fang.


    Third, the energy converted by the Demon''s Fang was highly unstable. Even a slight vibration, or a mere touch, would cause the Demon''s Fang to release the accumulated energy all at once without reservation.


    Fourth, and most importantly, the Demon''s Fang could only absorb energy with which it came into direct contact; otherwise, it had no effect whatsoever.


    These four findings were the result of Rocky and Liliya''s several days of consecutive experimentation and personal experiences. Not only did they clarify the effects of the Demon''s Fang, but they also gave Rocky new ideas about its potential uses.


    At first, he intended to craft it into a rune dagger, but now it seemed impossible.


    Because the Demon''s Fang could absorb all mana it came into contact with, it was impossible to inscribe runes on it. If one tried to activate the runes, the Demon''s Fang would absorb all the mana contained within the runes, even the user''s mana, rendering it unusable as a rune weapon.


    Although his initial idea was no longer feasible, Rocky had come up with another method to utilize the Demon''s Fang. He thought of using it as a defensive measure, relying on its ability to absorb energy to fend off magic or magic energy attacks!


    If used this way, wouldn''t the Demon''s Fang become a top-tier defensive item?


    This new idea made him decide to embed the Demon''s Fang into his own Void Magic Armor. By doing so, his Void Magic Armor would have a powerful defensive measure against magic or mana attacks, wouldn''t it?!


    Of course, he couldn''t implement this idea right away, as he had been too busy recently. Besides, this kind of modification wasn''t easy to achieve, especially figuring out how to allow the Demon''s Fang to function without absorbing the mana of the Void Magic Armor itself, which Rocky hadn''t yet found a solution to. Thus, he could only wait until he had time in the future to undertake this task.


    And in order to fully understand the effects of the Demon''s Fang, Rocky had neglected several days'' worth of work. After clarifying its effects, he busy himself trying to catch up on the progress of his enchanting work for equipment.


    Just as Rocky had begun to immerse himself in his primary duties, Aileen sought him out.


    "Sir, what do you plan to do about Jia Xi?"


    "Who?"


    Holding the magic energy pen, Rocky looked up at Aileen in confusion and asked.


    "Jia Xi, the overseer of the Azure Commerce Guild."


    Seeing the blank look on Rocky''s face, Aileen had to remind him.


    Your next chapter is on M V L


    After her reminder, Rocky suddenly recalled the matter and his eyes widened.


    "He hasn''t left yet?"


    "Hehe, no, he hasn''t."


    With a slight smile towards Rocky, Aileen cheerily updated him about Jia Xi''s situation.


    Although neither she nor Rocky had seen Jia Xi during these past days, with Rocky even forgetting the incident, Aileen had not. She had been keeping a close watch on every move Jia Xi made; whatever he did, Aileen knew all about it!


    ```

 Chapter 67: Chapter 66 Vosss Plea

    Jia Xi had not been having a good time these days - no, it should be said he had been having a very bad time. He had already been in Thunderhawk City for over half a month, but he still had not met either Rocky or Aileen, a situation that was driving him to the brink of desperation.He had come to Thunderhawk City this time on behalf of the Azure Commerce Guild to conduct business, but how was he supposed to negotiate a deal when he couldn''t even meet anyone!


    So these days had left him extremely anxious, and he had even stopped staying on the merchant ship, moving directly into the residential area of Thunderhawk City in order to be more accessible.


    After moving into Thunderhawk City, he practically ran to the City Lord''s Mansion every day, using every possible means in hopes of seeing Rocky as soon as possible.


    Over the course of half a month, he had been to the City Lord''s Mansion more than a dozen times. His previous pride had long vanished under such torment. Making Rocky look bad, Aileen - none of those mattered to him anymore. Now he only had one thing on his mind, and that was to meet Rocky as soon as possible, conclude the trade, and then he never wanted to come to Thunderhawk City again.


    Alas, he could not even achieve this, as neither Rocky nor Aileen would see him. Even though he ran to the City Lord''s Mansion every day, each time he would be politely taken to the City Lord''s Hall, where after waiting for two to three hours, someone would come to tell him that the City Lord did not have time and asked him to return the next day.


    This lack of audience was driving Jia Xi mad, and let''s not forget that he had not come alone this time, he was accompanied by no less than five ships full of grain!


    For every extra day Jia Xi stayed in Thunderhawk City, the grain on the merchant ships would also need to be stored for an additional day. While it is true that grains can be stored for a very long time, they can''t last nearly as long in the dark, damp hold of a ship.


    If stored for a short time it would be fine, but should it be too long and the grain begins to mold and spoil, then there would be real trouble!


    Thus, he was burning with impatience yet had no solution.


    In fact, with Jia Xi''s intelligence, he may not have realized it at first, but by now he had generally figured it out; he could guess that Rocky and Aileen were deliberately avoiding him and dragging their feet in not meeting him, and the reason was certainly due to the last trade deal.


    Continue your story on M V L


    In the initial days, although Jia Xi understood what was happening, he was still not ready to give up; he still wanted to stand up to Rocky, believing that as long as Rocky needed the grain in his possession, he would ultimately compromise, and Jia Xi would be the one to emerge victorious.


    But now he had changed his mind; he simply could not afford to wait any longer.


    After being ignored so many times, Jia Xi had completely given in; he had finally understood one thing, that he truly could not compete with the City Lord of Sky City, and he had genuinely relented.


    Once he had relented, Jia Xi''s mind became more agile, and he soon turned to Voss.


    Voss and the Azure Commerce Guild had quite a good relationship.


    The reason the Azure Commerce Guild began doing business with Thunderhawk City was largely due to Voss''s efforts as a liaison, and given that Voss had also once served as the finance officer within Thunderhawk City, Jia Xi felt that if he could get Voss to pass on a message or make an introduction, he would definitely be able to meet Rocky.


    And what pleased him to no end was that when he sought out Voss and explained his purpose, Voss readily agreed, promising that he would talk to Aileen!


    This delighted Jia Xi immensely! In his view, as long as he could meet Aileen, then everything would become much easier. So he not only thanked Voss profusely but also presented him with a generous gift, then returned home filled with expectation to wait for news.


    As for Voss, who had accepted a generous gift, he indeed kept his word and really did have a talk with Aileen.


    "Grandpa, didn''t you say you wouldn''t interfere with my affairs? Why have you gotten involved again? Tell me, did you accept a gift from that man?"


    Seeing that Voss had actually brought up Jia Xi, Aileen puffed up with anger.


    Leaving Jia Xi to fend for himself was a deliberate choice by her and Rocky, meant to discipline the Overseer and make him realize who truly ruled over Thunderhawk City. So, regarding her grandfather''s words, Aileen shook her head as vigorously as a rattle-drum, firmly disagreeing.


    "Aileen, you should meet with Jia Xi," Voss insisted.


    With a faint smile on his face, Voss explained to Aileen in a kindly manner, "You and the City Lord have been neglecting this matter for too long, which is really not good. What if you drive people to desperation, and they end up leaving once and for all? How would you handle that?"


    "So, you should listen to Grandpa''s advice, go meet with Jia Xi, appease him properly, and let him calm down. Doing this will bring only benefits and no disadvantages."


    Having said that, Voss looked at Aileen, noticing that she was looking at him with a face full of surprise.


    It was not until a good while later that Aileen finally spoke:


    "Grandpa, you''re the craftiest."


    Giving Voss a thumbs up, Aileen had clearly understood what her grandfather meant.


    "Nonsense!"


    With his eyes wide, Voss put on an angry face, but Aileen was not the least bit scared. She quickly bounced away toward the exit, calling back, "I got it, I''ll see Jia Xi tomorrow."


    "There''s no need to rush. Wait three days before you meet him." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Watching Aileen bounce away, Voss shook his head and reminded her.


    Three days later, just as she had said, Aileen did indeed go to meet with Jia Xi.


    Upon seeing that Aileen had finally come, Jia Xi was overjoyed. The arrogance he had shown last time was gone, and he quickly apologized to Aileen right after meeting her, saying that he had offended her during the last encounter with the City Lord and that he hadn''t wanted to, but it was the Chamber of Commerce''s orders, and so on. In short, he said a lot of things to ingratiate himself.


    Of course, Aileen was well aware of such tricks. After all, how could one believe the words that come so easily from a merchant''s mouth? However, she did not call him out on it. In fact, she did not show the slightest displeasure towards Jia Xi, but instead spoke to him earnestly.


    "Overseer Jia Xi, to be frank, the City Lord has been very dissatisfied after the last transaction, and he has not just once but multiple times requested that I seek cooperation with other Chambers of Commerce," Aileen said, her face a picture of helplessness.


    "So, if it were not for me and Grandpa pleading on your behalf in front of the City Lord, this deal might not have happened at all."


    "Yes, yes, I understand. I am very grateful to the senior Voss and to Miss Aileen. I will certainly remember this favor, but regarding the current situation..."


    Like Aileen before him, Jia Xi did not believe a word she said, but he verbally agreed to everything nonetheless.


    "Let''s do this, I''ll go speak with the City Lord."


    As if she had made a great resolution, Aileen stood up while she spoke and then looked at Jia Xi, "Overseer Jia Xi, please wait here. I''ll go see the City Lord right now, but you can''t behave as you did last time. Otherwise, I really won''t be able to help."


    "Good, good, Miss Aileen, rest assured, I know what I should do."


    Seeing that Aileen was going to see Rocky right away, Jia Xi quickly thanked her, and a weight lifted from his heart. At this point, he didn''t ask for anything more, just to finish this transaction as soon as possible would be a blessing.

 Chapter 68: Chapter 67: Inspecting the Guards

    Read latest chapters on M V LAfter speaking with Aileen, Jia Xi courteously and respectfully saw her to her carriage, not daring to take any inappropriate actions or even harbor inappropriate thoughts throughout the process.


    While not exactly an upright person, Jia Xi, who seemed respectable on the surface, had done many underhand things in the shadows. However, he wasn''t someone controlled by basal desires. He was very aware that he was asking Aileen for help, so he dared not entertain any improper thoughts or actions.


    One might wonder, was Jia Xi being too cautious?


    Since he already knew that Rocky was intentionally avoiding him, why then did he linger in Thunderhawk City? Why didn''t he just leave?


    This thought was not wrong, but Jia Xi couldn''t bring himself to do it because he had already missed the opportunity to leave.


    If he had wanted to leave during the first three days after arriving in Thunderhawk City, then leaving would have led to no loss, despite the failed negotiations. But now, having stayed in Thunderhawk City for over a month, if he were to leave dejectedly, the losses would be substantial.


    The entire five ships of grain he had brought were now exposed to the elements at the skyport. If he were to leave now, to whom would he sell this grain?


    If he couldn''t sell this batch of grain, how would he explain it to the Chamber of Commerce?


    So, it wasn''t that Jia Xi didn''t want to leave; it was that he simply couldn''t. He had to sell this batch of grain to Thunderhawk City, otherwise, the trouble would be even greater.


    In such a situation, Jia Xi could only place his hopes on Aileen, hoping she could quickly convince Rocky and expedite the deal so he could leave. Moreover, Jia Xi had already decided that once this transaction was completed, he would swear never to come to Thunderhawk City again.


    However, while Jia Xi sat waiting for good news from Aileen with great anticipation, the carriage-carrying Aileen headed straight to her training class. She didn''t have time to specifically look for Rocky for Jia Xi''s sake; she had many other matters to attend to.


    The training class had already been running for a month. Aileen went to check on the progress of the residents who had enrolled, which was truly what concerned her heart.


    On the other hand, Rocky in the City Lord''s Mansion was still buried in his study. After his extended efforts, the hundred shields bought from Eternal City had all been converted into runic shields, and the majority of the hundred pieces of armor had also been crafted into runic armor. That meant Rocky just needed to finish the last few pieces of armor to finally complete this major undertaking!


    In this situation, he was highly motivated, continuing to work hard despite extreme fatigue and many days without proper rest.


    Once this major project was completed, it would signify a fresh start. Soon, over half of the guards in Thunderhawk City would be equipped with the newly crafted runic equipment. Combined with Monte''s intense recent training, the Guard Corps would undergo a revolutionary transformation in strength. With that, Rocky could then lead them to undertake missions from the Mercenary Guild!


    This was something Rocky had to do, as it directly concerned whether the treasury of Thunderhawk City could be replenished. Only with secured funding could he move to the next phase of development and planning.


    So, it was right for Aileen not to come to him. Rocky didn''t have the time to deal with Jia Xi''s predicament; his focus was entirely on crafting rune equipment.


    After another four or five days, Rocky finally inscribed runes on all the equipment he had purchased, transforming these imitation magic energy equipment into genuine rune equipment!


    The smooth completion of this major project brought Rocky a sense of relief. So much so that after drawing the final rune on the last piece of armor, he simply fell asleep in his study¡ªand slept for a whole day and night. The next day, he only woke up because he was too hungry; otherwise, he might have slept even longer.


    No wonder, considering it had been over two months since Rocky returned from Eternal City. That meant he had been tirelessly working alone on the batch of rune equipment for two months, which explains why he fell asleep as soon as he finished the last piece of armor.


    However, for Rocky now, rest was always a luxurious indulgence. It was just the beginning of the development of Thunderhawk City, and there were too many tasks waiting for him to tackle. Therefore, after briefly resting for a day, he went to the Guard Corps with the newly crafted rune equipment! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The equipment laboriously produced was intended for the guards, but due to Thunderhawk City''s limited finances, only one hundred guards could be equipped with the new gear. This meant that only half of Thunderhawk City''s Guard Corps could don the new equipment.


    This was something Rocky had carefully considered beforehand. In fact, if he had chosen to purchase only shields or only armor, it would have sufficed for the entire Guard Corps. However, he did not do so.


    In Rocky''s view, guards equipped with only one piece of rune equipment would see very limited improvement in strength. Rather than that, he preferred a strategy of ''fewer but finer,'' allowing a select few of the more capable guards to wear more powerful gear. This elite strategy proved more effective.


    Moreover, although most of the Guard Corps participated in tasks from the Mercenary Guild, not every member was required to fight tooth and nail, as Thunderhawk City had more than the Guard Corps¡ªit also had ten skyships.


    Skyships needed to be piloted, and the magic cannons on board also required operators. Thus, some of the guards were needed to pilot the skyships and operate the magic cannons. Given this, the actual number of guards required to fight alongside Rocky was not extensive. One hundred sets of equipment sufficed to arm these guards.


    The guards, in fact, had already been informed of this. During their training, Monte had told them that the City Lord had acquired a batch of powerful ''Magic Energy Equipment,'' but only the top one hundred guards would have the privilege to wear this gear.


    That was precisely why, under Monte''s grueling training, the guards were tremendously motivated. Everyone''s goal was to be among the top one hundred to receive the ''Magic Energy Equipment'' prepared by the City Lord.


    ........


    ........


    Today, rather than training as usual on the parade ground, the soldiers stood in neat rows, as if they were ready for an inspection.


    In fact, they were indeed being inspected, for word had spread that the City Lord would bring one hundred sets of Magic Energy Equipment to evaluate their training results. From amongst them, the one hundred most outstanding individuals would earn the reward of a Magic Energy Shield and Mana Armor.


    At that moment, Rocky stood before these members of the Guard Corps, clad in Void Magic Armor, radiating an imposing aura. Beside him stood Liliya and Aileen, and even Aileen''s grandfather, Voss, was present.


    For this inspection, Rocky took it significantly seriously; he was not only dressed in full military regalia himself but had also brought along all the notable figures of Thunderhawk City. Although the gathering was not large, it was indeed the grandest assembly within the city.


    The scenario made the guards extremely tense, as in their eyes, whether it was Rocky or Liliya, or even Aileen and Voss, these figures were immensely high and unreachable.


    "All units...attention!"


    Just as the guards were extremely nervous, Monte''s voice, like rolling thunder, suddenly erupted. Following his command, the entire Guard Corps instantly stood up straight, chests out and eyes forward.


    Soon after, the neatly dressed Monte ran to the front of the formation and then loudly called out to Rocky:


    "City Lord! The Thunderhawk City Guard Squad is ready for your inspection!"


    "Ready for the City Lord''s inspection!!"


    As Monte''s words fell, the Guard Squad behind him echoed in unison. Their voices booming, instantly reverberated across the entire parade ground.


    This scene made Rocky continually nod his head, not to speak of the actual strength of the Guard Corps, but merely the morale and fervor they displayed were already beyond comparison to before!

 Chapter 69: Chapter 68: The Harsh Assessment

    The morale and enthusiasm displayed by the Guard Corps greatly satisfied Rocky, so he stepped forward to face the crowd. After nodding at Monte, he turned his gaze towards the guards.At such a time, his duty as the City Lord naturally required him to speak a few words. For this reason, Rocky was also quite nervous, for he had never addressed hundreds of people before; this was a first for him.


    While observing the Guard Corps, he pondered what to say. Yet, throughout this process, he managed himself well, exuding authority despite the intense pounding in his chest, giving the guards the impression that the City Lord was assessing them all.


    After a short while, Rocky began to speak: Your journey continues at M V L


    "Guards, do you know why I am here today?"


    "We do!"


    After Rocky finished his sentence, the neatly arranged guards before him answered in unison.


    "Very good."


    With that response, Rocky nodded his head and swept his hand, signaling Liliya who immediately understood and took out a runic shield, no, a ''Magic Energy Shield'' from a row of boxes behind her.


    Holding the shield, Liliya turned towards Rocky and, upon seeing him nod slightly, she activated the shield''s magic energy.


    In an instant, the shield in Liliya''s hands emitted a faint glow, making the otherwise ordinary shield seem extraordinary.


    Such a scene immediately energized the gathered guards, their eyes sparkling with excitement.


    For these guards, mana weapons were considered treasures. Until now, not only had they never had the chance to use one, but they also had never even seen real magic energy equipment, nor had they ever imagined they would be able to use such high-grade gear.


    Therefore, when Liliya took out the runic shield, no, the Magic Energy Shield, and activated its power, how could the guards not be thrilled?


    However, as excited as everyone was, they also knew that these pieces of equipment were not for everyone. Only the most outstanding amongst them would receive them, which only served to increase everyone''s determination to demonstrate their readiness for battle.


    And this very excitement was exactly what Rocky wanted to see.


    He felt that nothing he could say at this moment would be as effective as simply presenting the real deal, and indeed, the outcome was just as he had expected, immediately motivating the guards.


    Consequently, he cleared his throat and loudly announced, "Today, I will conduct an assessment to test the results of your training!"


    "And those who perform excellently in the assessment will be rewarded with a One-Star Magic Energy Shield and a piece of One-Star Mana Armor. Have I made myself clear?"


    "Clear!"


    Once Rocky finished speaking, the guards in front of him puffed out their chests and shouted with full vigor.


    "Very well, maintain this spirit and show me your true performance in the assessment!"


    Having said this, Rocky then turned to Monte, who immediately stepped forward and addressed the guards: "Attention, everyone! I will now announce the details of the assessment..."


    Regarding this assessment, Rocky had already discussed it with Monte beforehand. The content was straightforward combat: the guards would pair off and engage in one-on-one battles, with their performance during the fight determining their assessment. Only those who excelled in actual combat would receive the equipment.


    This assessment might seem simple, yet it''s the best way to determine the strength of the guards. After all, these individuals would soon follow Rocky to execute tasks for the Mercenary Guild, and absolute competence in combat is essential.


    It didn''t take long for Monte to explain the rules of the assessment to the guards. While everyone had already anticipated them, learning they had to engage in one-on-one battles and only those who performed exceptionally could receive Mana Equipment did cause their expressions to change to some extent.


    Some guards became even more nervous after this, with a few of them turning pale, but others showed complete confidence. Far from being tense, these few unconsciously curved their lips into a smile, appearing utterly determined to succeed. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Monte then brought over a box, specially prepared for this assessment. It contained slips of paper with the guard''s names written on them, and who would face whom was to be decided entirely by drawing lots to ensure the fairness of the assessment.


    "My lord, please."


    Presenting the box of lots to Rocky, Monte clearly intended for him to draw the first pairing for the assessment.


    At that moment, Rocky too felt a bit of excitement and immediately plunged his hand into the box, rummaging around for a good while before pulling out two slips of paper.


    "Lamiro, Mario."


    Glancing at the slips, he read the names written on them aloud.


    As his voice rang out, the guards'' gaze swiftly shifted en masse, settling on the two individuals in the ranks, naturally Lamiro and Mario, whose names were called.


    Both men were around thirty years old, but perhaps they didn''t expect to be picked first¡ªwhether that was lucky or unlucky¡ªboth appeared somewhat disconcerted. It took them a good while to nervously step out from the formation.


    "Snap to it! Show the level you have in training, and don''t embarrass me!"


    Perhaps sensing their nervousness, Monte shouted encouragingly as Lamiro and Mario stepped out of the ranks and stood facing each other.


    His shout sounded fierce, but perhaps due to being accustomed to his loud voice during training, Lamiro and Mario relaxed significantly.


    Then, following Monte''s command, their battle commenced.


    The fight went on for over ten minutes before finally coming to an end, with Mario emerging victorious over Lamiro.


    However, the triumphant Mario didn''t receive the Magic Energy Shield and Mana Armor, for although he had won, the performance of both combatants was rather ordinary. To put it bluntly, apart from showing good vigor, the battle had no shining moments. Such a display won neither Rocky''s nor Liliya''s approval, nor Monte''s.


    Both the victor Mario and the defeated Lamiro were clearly aware of their dismal performance. Being overly nervous, they failed to show their best in the fight, not even managing to demonstrate half of the strength they exhibited during training.


    This was precisely their issue: after all, Rocky isn''t going to bite. If they are so nervous in front of him that they can''t perform properly, how will they handle facing Demons?


    Against real Demons, even an above-average performance may not suffice to save one''s life. How could they expect to survive if their performance was subpar?


    So, under these circumstances, neither Lamiro nor Mario received the coveted Mana Equipment. They could only return to their ranks dejectedly.


    As they rejoined the ranks, many among the troops began to understand. They finally grasped that the assessment wasn''t something that could be easily completed. Simply winning wasn''t enough to earn the Mana Equipment; they had to perform exceptionally well, which undoubtedly increased the difficulty of the assessment significantly.


    As a result, the atmosphere became even more tense and somber¡­

 Chapter 70: Chapter 69 Bad Performance

    The first assessment had ended, but neither participating party received rewards, as neither side''s performance had satisfied Rocky.This outcome undoubtedly conveyed to the Guards that this assessment was no child''s play, and it significantly increased their psychological pressure.


    Not long after, the second assessment began. However, this time Monte took over the task of drawing lots instead of Rocky. With two hundred participants undergoing assessment and pairs being matched, that meant a hundred rounds of lot drawing, a laborious task that naturally fell to Monte.


    As Monte called out the names of two Guards, the named pair stepped out of the lineup.


    At the command, the second assessment officially began.


    Perhaps the outcome of the first assessment had put too much pressure on the Guards because those participating in the second round performed not better but noticeably worse.


    The second assessment dragged on for a full fifteen minutes, comically ending with neither party daring to make the first move for almost half the time, creating an exceedingly unsightly scene.


    In such a scenario, when the victor was finally declared, the two participating Guards dejectedly returned to their formation, clearly aware of their subpar performances, knowing that such a poor showing would surely exclude them from receiving Mana Equipment.


    What they didn''t realize, however, was that they were not the only ones to be denied Mana Equipment; indeed, after several subsequent group assessments, not a single person received Mana Equipment!


    And as yet another pair of Guards returned to their ranks, dejected, the morale of the entire group plummeted to rock bottom. Originally full of energy, one by one, they deflated like punctured balls. Even Monte, standing beside Rocky, began to look visibly displeased at this time.


    Monte placed great importance on this series of assessments as well, because they were a test not just for the Guards but for him personally.


    If the Guards performed well, his credit as their trainer would be greatest. However, if they performed poorly, it would inevitably demonstrate his incompetence. With no one interfering in his training methods, Monte didn''t even have the option to shirk responsibility.


    So as the performance of the Guards deteriorated, Monte''s expression became increasingly grim.


    To be honest, he hadn''t expected things to turn out this way at all. The Guards had performed far better in training than they were now showing. He had never imagined they''d display such poor performance in front of Rocky, and he was caught off guard by this outcome.


    Read latest chapters on M-V-L


    Fortunately, although the Guards were performing poorly, Rocky didn''t seem displeased.


    Rocky indeed wasn''t displeased at all because he understood it was normal for the Guards to perform this way. After all, Monte had had too little time to train them. Counting from the first day Monte became their trainer to now, it had only been two months. For him to get the Guards to their current level in such a short time was quite an achievement.


    So, after another group assessment had ended, Rocky nodded at Monte just as he had done before, signaling that Monte could start the next round of assessment.


    With Rocky''s signal, Monte once again began drawing lots. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, however, when he saw the names written on the slip of paper, he silently heaved a sigh of relief and then called out loud, "Robin! Sandro!"


    As Monte called out these two names, a buzz suddenly erupted within the demoralized ranks of the Guard Corps, with many Guards looking in the same direction.


    This naturally caught Rocky''s attention, making him curiously follow the Guards'' gazes. He then saw a young man step out of the formation.


    The young man appeared to be just over twenty, with nothing remarkable about his features, but with well-proportioned facial traits and a very stern expression, as if he did not know how to smile.


    As he stepped out of the formation, he immediately held his square shield in front of his chest and a long sword tight against the shield, slightly crouching to ready himself for combat.


    "Is that posture correct?"


    After taking a look at the stance the young man adopted, Rocky nodded. That combat posture was typical of a soldier, not something easily assumed by ordinary people.


    "His name is Sandro, twenty-one years old today. His grandfather once served as a soldier in another Sky City, so he began training Sandro from a young age. As a result, his strength is one of the best within the Guard Corps," Liliya explained quietly beside Rocky, who was watching with interest.


    "I see..."


    After hearing Liliya''s explanation, Rocky nodded, his interest in Sandro growing.


    Rocky then exchanged a look with Monte and, with Rocky''s cue, Monte immediately commenced the assessment.


    As the assessment started, Sandro, armed with a shield and long sword, began advancing towards his opponent step by step. His pace was not fast, but each step was solid and menacing.


    At the same time, he kept his shield up in front of him, nearly completely covered behind it, revealing only his eyes and the cold edge of his sword. This kept him in a state from which he could launch an attack or mount a defense at any moment.


    Within three to five steps, Sandro closed in on his opponent, who, pressed relentlessly, was left with no escape, forced to strike. However, such a desperate attack naturally lacked any threat. When the opponent swung his long sword down, Sandro easily blocked it with his shield, and nearly at the same instant, he thrust his own long sword forward!


    A slash of cold light flashed. In a panic, Sandro''s opponent hurriedly brought up his shield to block, narrowly parrying the blow. Sandro then made a sudden lunging step, kicking his opponent''s shield away, and immediately afterward, he slammed his own shield hard against his opponent!


    A dull sound echoed, and Sandro''s opponent fell to the ground, thus concluding the assessment...


    No one had expected such a decisive outcome, so swift it was almost unimaginable!


    Yet, the battle was also exceedingly spectacular! Sandro defeated his opponent with overwhelming force, turning the assessment into his own personal showcase, and he did it with great flair!


    This fantastic bout took Rocky by surprise, but it also left him extremely satisfied, so afterward, he glanced at Liliya, ready to have her bring over the prepared Magic Energy Shield and Mana Armor to reward Sandro.


    But just at that moment, Sandro''s opponent suddenly rose from the ground, an unyielding look on his face, and shouted to Rocky, "City Lord, I can still fight!"

 Chapter 71: Chapter 70 Sandro and Robin

    Sandro''s performance not only satisfied everyone, but also greatly exceeded everyone''s expectations, to the extent that even Rocky couldn''t help but cheer for him.In such a situation, Rocky naturally wasn''t stingy at all and handed over the Magic Energy Shield and Mana Armor to him.


    But just at that moment, before Rocky could have Liliya hand over the Void Magic Armor to Sandro, the opponent whom Sandro had decisively defeated suddenly leaped up from the ground and shouted loudly at Rocky, "City Lord! I can still fight!"


    This outcry immediately attracted everyone''s attention, and many from the Guard Corps laughed upon hearing it.


    At this moment, Rocky naturally turned his attention toward this bristly fellow. Previously, his attention had been on Sandro, and he hadn''t paid much notice to Sandro''s opponent. But when he took a closer look, he realized that Sandro''s opponent was actually a youngster, only seventeen or eighteen years old.


    "His name is Robin. He''s only eighteen today and has just joined the Guard Corps recently."


    The Guard Corps had a roster of two hundred people. Although every one of them knew Rocky, Rocky did not recognize them. So when Rocky looked at the youngster scrambling from the ground, Liliya gave a simple introduction at his side. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This guard named Robin was only eighteen, clearly a naive and confused young man. After rising from the ground, he didn''t admit defeat; instead, he was hopping and jumping, his youthful face full of dissatisfaction.


    "City Lord, I can still fight! I really can still fight!"


    Noticing that Rocky was only looking at him with a smile and not speaking, Robin became even more anxious and kept shouting.


    Seeing his eager demeanor, Rocky, while chuckling, turned to look at Sandro and then asked, "Sandro, your opponent thinks he can still fight. How about you?"


    "I can!"


    Sandro, who had already put away his longsword and shield, didn''t say much. He simply answered and once again took his shield and longsword in hand, immediately getting ready for the battle.


    Thus, the second match of the same assessment between Sandro and Robin began.


    "Sandro! I won''t go easy on you this time!"


    Gripping his longsword with both hands, Robin, full of resentment, yelled at Sandro and then charged at him with large strides.


    He reached Sandro in no more than two steps and immediately lifted his longsword with both hands, slashing down ferociously!


    One strike!


    Two strikes!


    Three strikes!


    Robin swung his arms, striking thrice, but each swing landed on Sandro''s raised shield. Not only that, Sandro, who was fending off these three strikes, did not even budge.


    This outcome was not because Robin lacked strength; in fact, he was giving it his all. Unfortunately, Sandro''s defense was too solid. Facing the continuous assault, his defense was like a hill, steadfast and giving no opportunity to Robin.


    And after Robin''s three strikes, Sandro directly kicked him in the knee, immediately knocking Robin down.


    Similar to before, it didn''t take long for the second bout between the two to be decided, and the victor and loser did not change.


    "I can still fight!"


    Yet after being knocked down once more, Robin immediately got up and charged toward Sandro again!


    And so, their struggle began.


    As Liliya had mentioned, since Robin had only recently joined the Guard Corps and had no foundation to speak of, he could only be considered a Level One Warrior at most. With such determination, alas, both his foundation and technique were still lacking by a large margin.


    In contrast, Sandro was entirely different. Although he was just a Second Level Warrior, his foundations were solid and he was extremely adept at defense. The shield in his hands was like a thick wall, capable of fending off all attacks.


    Under such circumstances, the outcome of their exchanges was all too predictable; Robin was simply being overwhelmed.


    Yet, whether it was due to his stubbornness or foolishness, Robin, who kept getting knocked down, seemed like an indestructible roach, or like a Weeble that wouldn''t fall down. Despite being continuously knocked down, he was always able to stand back up!


    "I can still fight!"


    "I can still fight!"


    "I can still fight!!"


    Time and again, he got up from the ground, each time shouting his slogan. Although he was quickly knocked down again, he still loudly proclaimed his determination to stand up anew. Discover stories with M-V-L


    For a moment, the entire field was filled with one voice, a voice that seemed to cast a spell, drawing everyone''s gaze involuntarily from Sandro to Robin.


    "I can still..."


    After knocking Robin down once more, before he could stand up again, Sandro directly pinned him down with the tip of his sword to his forehead, then slowly spoke, "Robin, you can''t defeat me. Surrender."


    "No! I can still fight!"


    Ignoring the sword above him, Robin suddenly lifted his head, roaring with resolve, "I must receive the City Lord''s gifted equipment! I''ve already promised my mother!"


    As he roared these words, he suddenly leaped forward and slammed into Sandro''s chest, pushing Sandro back several steps and nearly unbalancing him.


    "Robin''s father died early, leaving only his mother to care for him,"


    As the two of them became locked in combat again, Liliya explained to Rocky. As the captain of the Guard Corps, she was well-acquainted with her guards.


    She then went on to say:


    "I heard that Robin''s mother has poor eyesight and can''t weave. The whole family relies on Robin''s income from the Guard Corps. He''s been noisy about becoming the captain since his first day, saying that captains earn more and he could then give his mother a better life."


    In this world, the lives of commoners and nobles are as different as heaven and earth. Take Rocky, for example, who, although he always seems worried about money, never had to fret over food and drink as the City Lord. In fact, if he hadn''t been as driven as he is now, he could have lived his entire life without a care as the City Lord.


    But ordinary people''s lives are not the same. Take the residents of Thunderhawk City, for example. Even though Thunderhawk City employs a planned economic model to ensure everyone has food, some people still live in great hardship due to various reasons ¨C Robin is one such case.


    "So that''s how it is¡­"


    Understanding dawned on Rocky as he nodded at Liliya''s explanation, then turned his attention back to the two fighters still in battle.


    By the time Liliya had finished telling Rocky about Robin''s situation, Sandro and Robin were already fiercely engaged in combat.


    Sandro, who repeatedly knocked Robin down yet failed to win, was visibly growing annoyed. His brow was furrowed tightly, and his eyes gradually became colder, while Robin, as always, picked himself off the ground time and time again, with a more evident determination in his eyes.


    "Stop."


    However, at that moment, Rocky suddenly called for a halt, prompting the two, who had been fighting earnestly, to cease their combat.


    Both fighters turned to Rocky, who was approaching them.


    "Sandro, your performance was very good, far exceeding my expectations. I''m quite pleased,"


    Rocky said as he approached Sandro, handing over a shield and armor he had crafted himself.


    His words were sincere ¨C Sandro''s performance had indeed won Rocky''s approval.


    "Thank you, my lord!"


    Taking the shield and armor from Rocky, the always-serious Sandro finally smiled, and immediately knelt on one knee before him.


    "Stand up."


    Rocky helped Sandro to his feet and nodded at him, then turned his gaze to Robin, who stood aside.


    "Robin."


    "City Lord, I¡­"


    "Enough, I know you can still fight," Rocky said with a shake of his head and a smile, full of appreciation, "But you don''t have to continue. Your perseverance has already earned my respect, and I am equally satisfied."


    Having said that, Rocky handed Robin a shield and a piece of armor.


    "Thank you, City Lord!"


    Upon receiving the shield and armor, Robin jumped for joy, hopping around on the spot for a while before remembering to thank Rocky.


    Afterward, the two returned to the ranks, their spirits high. Barely a moment passed before they were inundated with envious gazes ¨C they were the first to receive Magic Energy Equipment after such a lengthy examination process.


    The success of the two also greatly encouraged the other guards. The men, whose morale had been low due to poor performances in previous rounds, became excited again after witnessing the achievements of Sandro and Robin.


    Emboldened and invigorated once more, the participants recovered their normal performance in the subsequent assessments. Perhaps inspired by Robin, each guard entered the fray with renewed determination, making the event increasingly engaging. Under these circumstances, the equipment Rocky brought was finally distributed, one piece after the other.


    And so, the assessment continued, one round after another, and quickly it was evening. As the sky gradually darkened, the assessment was finally drawing to a close.


    When the last round ended, nearly all the hundred sets of equipment Rocky had brought had been handed out to the guards. However, not all were accounted for ¨C one set remained undistributed by the end.


    The remaining set was naturally not going to be kept. So when everyone''s assessment concluded, Monte addressed those guards who had not received equipment: "Who among you would like to vie for this set of equipment?"


    Upon hearing there was still a chance to compete, the guards who had failed the assessment perked up, eager to try their luck.


    "City Lord! Me! I want to try!"


    A crisp shout suddenly rang out, catching everyone off guard as the voice didn''t come from a member of the Guard Corps. As everyone turned to locate the source, they saw a young Female Beastman waving at Rocky from a distance, running towards the group as she waved.


    "Isn''t that Dusa?"


    Recognizing the young Female Beastman at first glance, Rocky identified her ¨C it was none other than Monte''s daughter!


    Upon recognizing Dusa, Rocky turned to look at Monte and instantly saw that his expression was far from happy.


    But by then, Dusa had already raced over and, full of enthusiasm, asked Rocky, "City Lord, may I try?"

 Chapter 72: Chapter 71 Dusas Talent

    "Dusa! What are you doing here, stop causing trouble!"Seeing his daughter had actually come, Monte''s face immediately turned livid as he angrily scolded her.


    But facing her father''s scolding, Dusa, although somewhat scared, acted stubbornly. She didn''t look at her father, her eyes filled with eagerness as she looked at Rocky.


    "This..."


    Now Rocky was in a difficult position. He of course could tell that Monte did not want his daughter to come, a thought clearly written on his livid face. However, Dusa''s eagerness made it hard for Rocky to refuse.


    Thus, caught between a rock and a hard place, Rocky had no choice but to ask, "Dusa, what can you do?"


    "I can shoot arrows! I can shoot arrows!"


    Asked by Rocky, Dusa raised her hand as if a student answering a teacher''s question.


    It was then that Rocky noticed Dusa was indeed carrying a longbow and a quiver bag. She had come fully prepared.


    Seeing Dusa''s fully equipped appearance made Rocky realize that her presence here was no accident, but rather something she had planned in advance, or else she wouldn''t have been so thoroughly prepared.


    In this situation, he could only give Monte a look. It was then that Monte quickly said, "City Lord, you don''t need to bother with her. Dusa is just causing trouble..."


    "Father! I''m not causing trouble. I am very formidable, at least more than them!"


    Monte hadn''t finished speaking when Dusa unhappily interrupted him, then turned to Rocky, dissatisfied, saying, "City Lord, I am quite formidable. None of these guards can best me. Please let me try!"


    "Dusa, stop causing trouble and go home!"


    "I''m not causing trouble!"


    Seeing the father and daughter arguing just like that, Rocky reluctantly stepped between the two, "Enough with the arguing..."


    After stopping their argument, he looked towards Dusa, and her puffy, angry face immediately brightened when she saw him look her way.


    "Dusa, do you want this last set of Magic Energy Equipment?" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes!"


    "What do you want this equipment for?"


    "I want to join the fight alongside my father!"


    Stay tuned for updates on M-V-L


    To Rocky''s series of questions, Dusa answered without hesitation. She wanted to wear the new equipment and fight alongside her father.


    This indeed was Dusa''s true intent, as Beastmen, regardless of gender, are natural warriors. They not only possess innate abilities for combat but also crave battle deep in their bones; however, this is exactly where the conflict between Monte and Dusa lay.


    Monte did not want his daughter to end up like himself. He only wished her to live a peaceful life, thus he never involved her in his affairs. Yet, Dusa was a typical Beastman, innately craving to join her father on the battlefield, just as Monte had when he was a Demon Hunter and even now. This issue had often led to conflicts between father and daughter.


    "So that''s it..."


    Facing Dusa''s straightforward answer, Rocky just smiled and then said, "Dusa, I can let you try, but as you can see, anyone who gets the Magic Energy Equipment definitely needs real skill, do you have that confidence?"


    "Yes!"


    With her big eyes looking at Rocky, Dusa nodded without hesitation.


    "Alright."


    After saying that, Rocky casually picked up a stone from the ground, about the size of a fist, weighed it in his hand, and then looked towards Dusa.


    "Dusa, if you can hit this stone with one arrow, I will give you the last set of Magic Energy Equipment!"


    As his words fell, Rocky threw the stone into the air.


    This was the best solution he could think of. Monte did not want his daughter to be exposed to any danger or be involved in his affairs, and Rocky certainly would not defy his wishes, so he presented Dusa with this difficult challenge.


    It was already dark, and the stone he threw into the air was only fist-sized; those with poor eyesight couldn''t see it clearly at all, let alone hit it with an arrow. In this way, though Dusa would fail, she would not blame her father for not giving her a chance. It was absolutely a perfect solution in every respect, at least that''s what Rocky thought.


    However, what he hadn''t expected was that at the very moment he threw the stone, Dusa immediately grabbed the longbow from her back, bent it, fitted an arrow, and shot it out with a swoosh!


    Right after, a whooshing sound was heard as the fled arrow drew an arc in front of everyone, and then with a snap, it hit the stone in mid-air!


    In an instant, the entire place fell silent¡­


    "Is that even possible?"


    Watching as Dusa fluidly hit the stone he had thrown with one arrow, Rocky''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    He had never imagined Dusa would have such skill!


    Dusa''s archery was so superb?


    "Hit it! Hit it! City Lord, am I great?"


    While everyone was stunned by Dusa''s exquisite archery, Dusa herself cheered gleefully like a magpie, not even waiting for Rocky to speak before she ran to Liliya''s side and took away the last set of Magic Energy Equipment¡­


    No one had expected that Rocky''s inspection of the Guard Corps would end with Dusa taking the last set of equipment¡­


    However, this inspection was clearly a success. Rocky not only handed over a hundred sets of personally crafted equipment to the guards, but he also witnessed the training achievements of the Guard Corps over this period.


    After two months of training, the guards'' strength had clearly grown considerably stronger. Notable talents like Sandro and Robin had emerged, which was definitely joyous for Rocky, as these individuals could potentially become the backbone of Rocky and Thunderhawk City in future.


    Of course, Dusa''s performance was an unexpected delight. Her archery skills completely surpassed everyone''s expectations, and even Monte was unaware of his daughter''s prowess, which naturally made Rocky interested in her talent.


    However, he was not in a hurry about this matter; indeed, if Monte was not willing to let his daughter follow him, Rocky would certainly not insist.


    Also, after today''s review, Rocky now had a comprehensive understanding of the Guard Corps'' strength. This understanding was very important and necessary for him, as he was soon going to lead these guards to accomplish the tasks assigned by the Mercenary Guild!


    Yes, Rocky had already prepared everything, so it was time to accept the task from the Mercenary Guild!

 Chapter 73: Chapter 72: The Tricks of the Task

    Now, the food problem in Thunderhawk City was solved, and there was some surplus money in the treasury, enough at least to buy the next batch of yarn. After two months of training, the Guard Corps was fully prepared, both physically and equipment-wise. Finally, Rocky could focus on the next step of his plan.His next plan was naturally the mission from the Mercenary Guild!


    Since he had returned from Eternal City two months ago, he had been working hard toward this goal, and now everything was finally in place to take on missions from the Mercenary Guild.


    So, after returning to the City Lord''s Mansion, Rocky didn''t go to sleep right away but eagerly took out the mission receiver.


    This mission receiver, which he had bought from the Mercenary Guild for five hundred Gold Coins, allowed him to easily review all the missions from the Mercenary Guild and directly contact them to receive missions.


    The mission receiver wasn''t large, about the size of a palm, and looked like a dish embedded with a Magic Stone, equipped with several buttons. When Rocky turned it on, a beam of light shot out from it and transformed into an image right before his eyes.


    "Damn! That scared me!"


    Startled by the image projected from the receiver, Rocky immediately thought of a term not of this world: holographic projection.


    This mission receiver was just like a holographic projector!


    When he looked more closely at the image, he saw rows and rows of information, all related to missions.


    Rocky''s interest was piqued, and he quickly selected one of the messages, pressing the buttons on the receiver to read the details closely.


    Type: Merchant ship escort.


    Requirement: A Void Magic Squad of more than ten people.


    Duration: Three days.


    Mission Objective: Accompany the merchant ship from Baili City and escort it to Hundred Beasts City, making a land stop for resupply. The mission is completed once the merchant ship successfully reaches its destination.


    Commission: Thirty thousand Gold Coins.


    Mission Issuer: ¡Á¡Á Chamber of Commerce.


    Unlike the bulletin board inside the Mercenary Guild, the task information displayed on the mission receiver was very detailed, clear at a glance, and very convenient.


    When Rocky saw the detailed information of the randomly selected task, he couldn''t help but lick his lips.


    "Goodness, a three-day escort mission can earn thirty thousand gold coins¡­ That''s quite generous."


    "I just wonder what kind of valuable goods the issuing Chamber of Commerce is transporting to hire a Void Magic Squad for such a high price."


    Although surprised by the high commission of the mission, Rocky quickly moved on to other information because he couldn''t take this mission.


    Shortly after, another piece of information caught his eye.


    Type: Demons extermination.


    Requirement: A Mercenary Group of over one-hundred people.


    Duration: ¡ª¡ª


    Mission Objective: Head to the forest farm owned by the Mengma Commerce Guild in the Jialin Mountain Range, exterminate the demons within. Estimated number of demons is over thirty, specific types unknown, no high-level demons, and the mission is completed once all demons are exterminated.


    Commission: Forty thousand Gold Coins.


    Mission Issuer: Mengma Commerce Guild.


    Unlike the previous escort mission, what attracted Rocky''s attention was an extermination mission, and the commission for this task was very high, a total of forty thousand Gold Coins!


    Furthermore, the requirements for this mission completely matched Rocky''s capabilities, even exceeding them, meaning that he could definitely take on this mission.


    But Rocky didn''t act rashly because after carefully reading through the mission information, he realized that although the commission was high, it was also extremely dangerous.


    The objective of the mission was to clean out the demons that had occupied the forest farm, and according to the information, the number of demons inside was over thirty! That number was a bit too much!


    Thirty demons!


    Although Rocky hadn''t engaged in large-scale combat with demons before, he knew that such a number and scale of demons could only be confronted by a Void Magic Squad; ordinary soldiers, let alone a Mercenary Group of over one hundred people, even a five-hundred-person mercenary group might not be able to handle them!


    So, despite the very high commission for this task, Rocky wasn''t blinded by the amount of money at stake. He indeed wanted to earn money by completing tasks, but he wasn''t about to risk his life for it. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Also, precisely because he maintained his rationality, the more Rocky looked at this task, the stranger it seemed to him.


    If this task truly required exterminating at least thirty demons to be completed, then why would the Mengma Commerce Guild need to hire a mercenary group of more than a hundred people? You should know the commission they were offering was a whopping forty thousand gold coins, a sum sufficient even for a mercenary group larger than five hundred members.


    This is really strange...


    Shaking his head, although Rocky couldn''t figure out the answer, he still felt that the task released by the Mengma Commerce Guild, despite its high commission, was too dangerous and there seemed to be something off about it. It was a task he wouldn''t accept.


    Fortunately, there were many tasks available at the Mercenary Guild, and there was a vast array to choose from. Thus, even if this particular task wasn''t suitable, there were other tasks to consider.


    In this way, Rocky soon began to look up information about various tasks one after the other and noted down the ones he was interested in.


    Before he knew it, he had spent most of the evening looking and, by the time he realized it, it was nearly dawn.


    The next day, he called Liliya, Aileen, and Monte into his room.


    The tasks from the Mercenary Guild were definitely to be taken, but they couldn''t be accepted recklessly, or else he might end up spending all they had, which was not something Rocky wanted to see happen. Thus, for the sake of safety, they needed to discuss which task to take as a group.


    Once everyone had arrived, Rocky took out the task receiver and showed everyone the tasks he had selected the previous night. He believed these tasks were within their capability, but which one to actually take still required everyone''s opinions to make a decision.


    However, before that, he first brought up that extermination task again, because he always felt there was something peculiar about it.


    "Look at this task," he said. "Doesn''t it seem problematic to you? I just feel there''s something odd."


    After bringing up the detailed information of the extermination task, Rocky spoke.


    On being asked, Liliya, Aileen, and Monte all looked towards the task information.


    "My lord, is it the requirements of this extermination task that you find problematic?"


    Aileen was the first to speak, having just glanced at it briefly.


    This was somewhat unexpected for Rocky, as he thought perhaps Liliya or Monte would be the first to notice something amiss, but he quickly nodded in agreement.


    "Exactly, I don''t understand why the Mengma Commerce Guild would spend forty thousand gold coins yet only hire a mercenary group of more than a hundred members. Logically, a task of this difficulty would require a group of at least five hundred members to complete, you know..."


    "The Mengma Commerce Guild did it on purpose."


    Even before Rocky could finish articulating his doubts, Aileen had an answer for him, continuing to say, "The reason the Mengma Commerce Guild set the task''s requirements so low is actually to attract those mercenaries whose capabilities are clearly insufficient but are blinded by the prospect of money."


    "Because if a mercenary group with insufficient strength took this task, even if they couldn''t complete it, they could still indirectly lower the difficulty of it ¡ª after all, a group of more than a hundred might not be able to exterminate all thirty demons, but could probably kill at least one or two, right?"


    "But if only one or two demons are killed, the Mengma Commerce Guild definitely won''t pay the commission, yet the difficulty of the task would have been reduced. Then, the Mengma Commerce Guild could immediately lower the commission and raise the requirements, allowing a competent mercenary group to quickly finish the task. This method guarantees them a no-loss situation," Aileen explained.


    In just a few words, Aileen had clearly explained all of Rocky''s doubts, leaving him completely dumbfounded!


    "I never thought it could be done this way..."


    It took a good while for Rocky to regain his composure after Aileen''s explanation, after which he frowned. Although he had felt this extermination task was fishy, he hadn''t realized there were so many twists to it, and the Mengma Commerce Guild''s tactic was utterly devious!


    Seeing through Rocky''s thoughts, Aileen then said, "My lord, these are just small tricks of merchants, quite normal. We just need to be more cautious."


    When Rocky couldn''t help but feel the Mengma Commerce Guild was too sly, Aileen appeared unconcerned.


    Enjoy new adventures at M-V-L


    Remember, Aileen was a merchant too!


    For a merchant, profits are always the top priority. To achieve their goals while minimizing expenses, such little tricks are nothing.


    Moreover, though the task seemed sly, it was up to the volunteers. If those mercenary groups, clearly lacking in strength but hoping to make a fortune, ended up annihilated, whom could they blame?


    Therefore, to Aileen, such tricks were nothing much at all.


    Upon hearing Aileen''s words, Rocky, while reluctant to admit it, couldn''t help but nod. He also privately felt fortunate that calling everyone together to discuss this had been the right move, because clearly, what seemed simple in the Mercenary Guild''s tasks often had many underlying complications¡ªone misstep could lead to unwittingly benefiting others.


    So afterward, he laid out the tasks he had picked the day before, discussing with everyone which task they should take.

 Chapter 74: Chapter 73: Three Tasks

    After spending much of the night selecting, Rocky had looked at dozens of task information and finally chose three of them.He believed these three tasks suited him well in various aspects, so after Liliya and the others had gathered, he pulled up the detailed information for these three tasks.


    The first task chosen by Rocky was an escort mission.


    Type: Escort caravan.


    Requirement: Mercenary Group of over one hundred.


    Duration: Seven days.


    Task Objective: Escort the caravan from Deep Valley Mine, protect it through the entire journey as it passes Deep Gorge Canyon onward to the Great Drought Highlands to wait for the Skyship pickup. The task is completed once the Skyship finishes transporting the goods.


    Commission: Ten thousand Gold Coins.


    Posted by: Drake Commerce.


    Rocky felt this escort mission was quite good for a start, as the time was not too long, and secondly, the commission was quite decent. And from the description, he felt there weren''t significant dangers involved. Leading the Guard Corps and adding ten Skyships, completing this task should not pose any problems.


    The second task he chose was a demon extermination mission:


    Type: Demon Extermination.


    Requirement: Mercenary Group of over two hundred, those with Floating Battleships given priority.


    Duration: ¡ª¡ª


    Task Objective: Clear out the demons on the Rhein Plains, killing at least twenty demons to complete the task.


    Commission: Five thousand Gold Coins; spoils of battle belong to the Mercenary Group.


    Posted by: Libra City.


    Rocky was interested in this mission mainly because of the high commission. Although it was only five thousand Gold Coins, the spoils of battle belonged to the Mercenary Group. As a demon extermination mission, naturally, the spoils were the slain demons!


    By this calculation, the mission''s commission was worth far more than a mere five thousand Gold Coins, because the mission requirement was to kill at least twenty demons for it to be completed. This meant that Rocky could earn not only the five thousand Gold Coins but also at least twenty Demon Corpses.


    And if he were to sell these Demon Corpses, even if each sold for just one thousand Gold Coins, he could earn at least twenty thousand Gold Coins!


    Such a generous reward truly tempted Rocky, so he kept this mission.


    The third task he chose was a coordinated defense mission.


    Type: Coordinated Defense.


    Requirement: Mercenary Group of over one hundred.


    Duration: 30 days.


    Task Objective: Cooperatively defend the mining outpost, withstand demon attacks together, and successfully defend for 30 days to complete the task.


    Commission: Ten thousand Gold Coins; spoils of battle belong to the Mercenary Group; five hundred kilograms of Yellow Scale Ore.


    Posted by: The Forsaken People.


    The last task chosen by Rocky, to be honest, was filler, because apart from the high commission, many details were unclear to him, such as the nature of The Forsaken People who posted the task. However, the commission was indeed very high, so he kept it.


    It didn''t take long after that for Liliya and the others to review the detailed information of the above three tasks thoroughly, then turned their gaze to Rocky.


    "What do you think? Which task do you feel is suitable?"


    Seeing that the three had finished reviewing all the task information, Rocky quickly asked. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My lord, the first task is definitely not acceptable."


    This time, it was still Aileen who spoke first. Your journey continues with M-V-L


    However, her words caused Rocky to be slightly taken aback, and even Monte''s expression showed some change.


    Because the task Aileen was referring to was the escorting of the cargo, which was the very task that Rocky particularly liked. He felt that this task met his requirements in terms of commission and difficulty level.


    Monte shared the same thoughts as Rocky, so his expression changed when Aileen spoke up.


    "Aileen, is there a problem with this task?"


    Given Aileen''s previous performance, Rocky did not dare to ignore her opinion, so he asked immediately afterward.


    Facing his question, Aileen directly responded, "My lord, the information about this task is too vague. Escorting the cargo through the canyon sounds simple, but what kind of attacks will we encounter along the way? Will it be an attack by demons or humans? None of this is clarified."


    "Moreover, the client has stated that the task will only be considered complete after the skyship has transported all the goods. How long will this take, will it be completed in one trip, or will it require ten? Whether there will be attacks during this time is also not mentioned in the task details, so I think this mission is not very reliable."


    We must not underestimate Aileen just because she does not fight. To others, tasks published by the Mercenary Guild may seem like just tasks, but to Aileen, they are all business, and she knows business well!


    In such a scenario, she analyzed the task so thoroughly in just a few words that Rocky was left staring in amazement and even blushed from embarrassment because many of the issues raised by Aileen were ones he had not thought of before.


    What''s more important is that Aileen''s analysis sounded very reasonable, and even after listening to her, Rocky himself also began to feel that the task was unreliable.


    As a result, he sought the opinions of Liliya and Monte, then eliminated the first task.


    "If the first task is no good, what about the second one?"


    Having eliminated his preferred task, Rocky could only compromise and focus on the second task at hand, which was the demon eradication mission.


    But as soon as he finished his question, Monte shook his head, "My lord, this task is absolutely unacceptable."


    "Why?!"


    Turning to look at Monte, Rocky didn''t know what to say. Why couldn''t they accept this task either?


    "My lord, I''ve been to the Rhein Plains mentioned in the task. It''s a true great plain as far as the eye can see, riddled with demons, including high-level demons that appear frequently. We absolutely cannot go to such a dangerous place."


    "......"


    Monte''s words left Rocky stunned, and he sighed inwardly, having never expected that the tasks he had worked so hard to find were all unfeasible.


    Yet, Rocky could not refute the reasons given by Monte. Monte had been a Demon Hunter and had traveled more than anyone else. If he said the Rhein Plains were off limits, then they certainly were.


    With no other choice, Rocky reluctantly had to reject the second task he found and then turned his attention to the third task.


    Glancing at the last task, Rocky felt there was no need to consider it, as it was only chosen to make up the numbers.


    To his surprise, facing this task that was meant just to fill the list, Liliya, Aileen, and Monte all fell silent¡­


    "What''s the matter with you?"


    Noticing everyone''s silence regarding the last task, Rocky blinked his large eyes innocently and asked.


    "My lord, about the task issued by The Forsaken People, you surely know what that entails, right?"


    Seeing Rocky''s naive expression, Aileen looked at him in slight surprise.


    However, facing Aileen''s astonishment, Rocky shook his head like a rattle. Indeed, he did not know anything about The Forsaken People.

 Chapter 75: Chapter 74 The Forsaken People

    ```Looking at Aileen, Rocky blinked his large eyes, a look of confusion on his face because he truly did not know what The Forsaken People was all about.


    Seeing that he was actually unaware of this matter, Monte, who was beside him, spoke up:


    "My lord, The Forsaken People is the term we use to refer to those who still live on the land."


    Explore more at M-V-L


    "What?"


    Upon hearing Monte''s words, Rocky was so surprised that his mouth hung open in amazement.


    Of course, one couldn''t blame him, for he was, after all, a traveler from another world. Although he was very familiar with this world, his understanding was limited only to what he could come in contact with. As for some matters he had never encountered since his arrival, Rocky knew very little, and The Forsaken People was one such issue.


    Over a hundred years ago, people built Sky City and fled to the sky to escape the Demons, a fact known to all. But the situation back then was far from simple.


    In reality, when humans had constructed the first Sky City and were ready for a large-scale migration to the skies, a significant portion opposed the idea. This opposition is mentioned in Wensel''s will, and at the same time, the capacity of Sky City to hold people was very limited.


    This led to many people either voluntarily or involarily staying on the land during the initial stages of the move to the sky. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Later on, as more Sky Cities were constructed, people truly began migrating in earnest. Yet even then, there was still a significant number of individuals who chose to stay on the land to continue the fight against the Demons.


    And it was these people who decided to stay on the land that became known as The Forsaken People.


    The Forsaken People called those who fled to the sky traitors, seeing their actions as a cowardly escape, as a surrender of the land that had nurtured them. Therefore, The Forsaken People would rather stay and battle the Demons on the land than flee to the sky.


    This divergence of opinions caused the two groups to split into two major camps at the beginning of the Sky Era, leading to endless disputes. One side accused the other of stubbornness, while the other called them cowards. Eventually, things escalated to the point of complete hostility, cutting off all relations between them.


    This state of affairs continued for decades until the last few years, especially after the First Counter Offensive War began, that the relationship between the two sides started to ease up.


    Today, interactions between the two groups have grown increasingly frequent. Take, for instance, the last task that Rocky had found¡ªthe person who posted the task came from the land!


    "I really had no idea that such things were going on..."


    After listening to Monte''s explanation, Rocky slowly nodded in a daze and couldn''t help but think back to the Magic Energy Image Wensel left in the Lost Research Institute. Now, giving it some thought, Wensel''s will did indeed mention that he was not the only one who stayed on the land, that many others, like him, chose to remain and continue the fight against the Demons.


    And now that he knew people still lived on the land and were continuously fighting the Demons, Rocky suddenly thought of something else: If people were still on the land and resisting the Demons, didn''t that mean the land hadn''t been completely occupied?


    "No, the land has long been occupied..."


    However, facing this question of his, whether it was Monte, Aileen, or Liliya, they all shook their heads. This time, Liliya was the one who spoke, saying afterward, "Although those who stayed on the land have continuously fought against the Demons, they have not succeeded."


    "When Sky City had just been invented, the Demons had occupied about two-thirds of the land. But by the early stages of the Sky Era, in just a short span of ten-plus years, the land was completely lost.


    Nearly all cities were destroyed by the Demons, and although the people remaining on the land fought valiantly, in the end, they could only hide in places less frequently visited by the Demons and barely manage to survive."


    "As for now, there are only three cities on the land that are truly under human control, and the reason these three cities have remained is due to the two counter offensive wars we launched; otherwise, not a single city would have been left on the land."


    "So it is..."


    With Liliya''s explanation, Rocky took a deep breath, for it was not difficult to hear from her words that life was hard for the people who remained on the land. But that was not surprising; staying on the land meant confronting the Demons daily and facing such terrifying creatures. It would have been strange if their lives had been easy.


    As for the counteroffensive wars that Liliya mentioned, Rocky did have some recollection. The so-called counteroffensive wars referred to the people in the sky uniting all Sky Cities in a major counteroffensive campaign to retake the land. The wars occurred twice and were respectively known as the First and Second Counteroffensive Wars.


    The scale of these two wars were unprecedented, with each war mobilizing nearly all Sky Cities. The fighting was ferociously intense, with close to a million soldiers dead or injured, and dozens of Sky Cities destroyed, including the destruction of several major ones.


    Yet despite all this, the land remained in the hands of the Demons, and the outcome of both wars ended in failure.


    All of these matters were in textbooks, so Rocky remembered them. However, from what Liliya had just said, although both counteroffensive wars had failed, they seemed to have been not entirely fruitless, as the land''s three cities at least managed to survive because of them.


    As Rocky pondered this, Aileen then spoke, "But don''t underestimate The Forsaken People; despite their harsh life on the land, they are very wealthy."


    "Oh? Why is that?"


    Upon hearing this, Rocky was slightly startled, evidently not understanding.


    The people on the land were wealthy? How could that be possible when they lived at risk of being killed by Demons every day¡ªhow could they possibly be wealthy?


    "My lord, don''t forget that the resources on the land are much more abundant than in the sky."


    Seeing Rocky''s confusion, Aileen elaborated, "Although those on the land live under the shadow of Demons, because of the land''s abundant resources and the improved relations with us, there is often trade between the two sides. Take, for example, the task that my lord has chosen."


    "The goal of this task is to assist in defending a mine, and if I''m not mistaken, this mine should belong to The Forsaken People."


    "My lord, you don''t need me to elaborate on the immense value a mine can generate, do you?"


    Aileen''s explanation led to an epiphany for Rocky, as it was true just as she said¡ªthe people on the land sat upon countless resources, and by selling these resources to Sky City, it would mean a continuous flow of wealth!


    And since the conversation had come full circle back to the task at hand, Rocky then asked, "Given this, what do you think¡ªshould we take on this task or not?"


    ```

 Chapter 76: Chapter 75 Its it!

    After a lengthy discussion, everyone''s focus finally circled back to the initial topic: whether to accept the task from The Forsaken People or not?After a lesson for Rocky, he became even more confused, so he had no choice but to look towards Liliya and the others.


    "My lord, if we speak solely of profit, this task is acceptable."


    It was Aileen who spoke first this time: "The commission for this task is ten thousand Gold Coins, and any spoils of war are ours to keep. That means any Demons killed in battle belong to us, and on top of that, they will pay us five hundred kilograms of Yellow Scale Mine. If we calculate this..."


    "We could earn at least thirty to fifty thousand Gold Coins if we can complete this task!"


    Such a huge profit honestly tempted Aileen, and that was exactly why she thought the task was acceptable. However, she also didn''t forget to remind them:


    "Just please remember, my lord, the profit of a task is directly proportional to its danger. If there is such a large profit to be made from this task, then its difficulty will inevitably be very high."


    "Hmm..."


    Rocky nodded and fell into deep thought.


    The reminder from Aileen made a lot of sense to him. According to her calculation, the profit of the task was indeed enormous, but let''s not forget: the Mercenary Guild is not a charity. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Hence, the greater the profit of a task, the higher and potentially even greater the risk.


    "I''m not so sure..."


    But at that moment, Liliya spoke up, and it seemed she didn''t quite agree with Aileen''s opinion.


    "Rocky, I think that if we take on this task, there will definitely be danger, but the difficulty might not be higher than the previous two tasks."


    "Oh?"


    Liliya''s words turned everyone''s attention toward her, and Rocky felt extremely surprised.


    He knew Liliya''s personality better than anyone, and that was exactly why he was surprised. From his point of view, it would have been normal for Liliya to strongly oppose such a dangerous task.


    Then Liliya looked at him and said, "Have you forgotten? I once followed the old master to land to fight, so I have had the experience of joining forces with The Forsaken People."


    "You may have overlooked something: although the people living on land are always threatened by Demons, it has also made them brave and skilled in battle. Almost everyone, even the women, possesses great strength, otherwise, they couldn''t possibly survive on the land today."


    "The goal of this task is to assist The Forsaken People in defending the mine, which means we don''t have to bear the defense''s burden alone. The Forsaken People will share a lot of the pressure, as the minerals are theirs. They will be the ones who are most diligent and committed in this task."


    "So I think this task will indeed be very dangerous, but if we talk about the ratio of reward to risk, it might actually be the highest of the three tasks."


    "That... that does make sense..."


    Having listened to all this, Rocky couldn''t help but nod his head. He found Liliya''s points very reasonable. After all, the mineral resources they were supposed to defend belonged to The Forsaken People, who would surely be more dedicated and committed than himself.


    Discover hidden tales at M-V-L


    And if The Forsaken People''s fighting capability was as formidable as Liliya said, it would definitely alleviate some of their own pressure.


    "My lord, I also agree with Liliya''s opinion. We can take on this task."


    As Rocky nodded repeatedly, Monte also expressed his opinion at this time.


    And if even he said so, it meant that Liliya, Aileen, and Monte all affirmed the task concerning The Forsaken People.


    "Okay, then let''s take on this task!"


    With this, Rocky felt assured. Without any hesitation, he used the task receiver to contact the Mercenary Guild and successfully accepted the task!


    The process of accepting the task was very simple; it didn''t even require verification of the ''Mercenary Group'' size that Rocky claimed, because after he met with The Forsaken People, they would confirm with the Mercenary Guild. If Rocky had lied, they wouldn''t have confirmed his eligibility.


    After successfully taking on the task, Rocky was given a set of coordinates. He had to meet with The Forsaken People within a week at those coordinates, or the task would automatically be considered a failure.


    This wasn''t a difficult matter for Rocky, since Sky City itself could fly. Therefore, he adjusted the flight direction of Sky City and headed directly to the location of the coordinates.


    Once everything was in order, everyone began their final preparations. Rocky started tuning his Void Magic Armor, Liliya was organizing her rune equipment, and Monte went to the Guard Corps to inform everyone of this news; everything was carried out in an orderly fashion.


    However, during this process, Aileen told Rocky something¡ªthat Jia Xi had already left.


    Jia Xi had left Thunderhawk City in a rage. Unfortunately, on the day he left, Rocky happened to be leading everyone to a review at the Guard Corps, so nobody knew he had left, and his departure only reached Aileen''s ears the day after. By the time Rocky learned of it, Jia Xi had been gone for several days.


    "Did he say anything when he left?" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon learning that Jia Xi had finally left, Rocky asked with a chuckle.


    "I heard from Felly, who''s in charge of the Skyport, that he left cursing and swearing, not seeming to say anything useful."


    Aileen slightly curled her lips in a smirk when she mentioned Jia Xi, as if speaking of a joke.


    Jia Xi had indeed become a joke this time, having spent a month and a half in Thunderhawk City without accomplishing anything. Not only that, but the five ships of food he had brought ended up being mostly wasted.


    So when Aileen said that Jia Xi kept cursing as he left, her words couldn''t be truer¡ªin fact, Jia Xi was not just cursing; he even felt the urge to kill!


    With his intelligence, how could he not realize that he had been played like a monkey for over a month by Rocky and his team? So when he left, not only was he cursing, but he also threatened that the Azure Commerce Guild would not let this matter slide!


    Unfortunately, Rocky couldn''t care less about such threats¡ªnot because he didn''t care about the Azure Commerce Guild, but because he didn''t care about Jia Xi.


    The Azure Commerce Guild was indeed a large Chamber of Commerce, there was no doubt about that, but would they really attack Thunderhawk City over this matter? Just for Jia Xi and five ships of food?


    Certainly not.


    In fact, Rocky felt that Jia Xi should be worrying not about how to take revenge on him, but rather about how to explain himself to the Chamber of Commerce upon his return. He spent a month and a half and failed to close a deal, moreover, he lost a sizable amount of food. The responsibility and loss would surely not fall on Thunderhawk City; Jia Xi would have to bear it.


    So as far as Rocky was concerned, Jia Xi''s departure was his problem. Rocky had no time to bother with such matters; he needed to focus on preparing for the upcoming task¡ªthat was the top priority!

 Chapter 77: Chapter 76: The Loyal Guard

    The mission from the Mercenary Guild was now Rocky''s top priority, and he permitted no errors on this matter. Thus, during the flight towards Thunderhawk City''s coordinates, not only did he fine-tune his Void Magic Armor to ensure it functioned flawlessly in battle, but he also preemptively considered any potential issues they might encounter.As for the coordinates they were headed to, they were not too far from Thunderhawk City. The mission required that they arrive within seven days, but Thunderhawk City had reached the target area above in just three days!


    "Attention!"


    Inside the skyport of Thunderhawk City, the neatly arranged guards stood before Rocky. Upon Monte''s command, they all puffed out their chests and stood up straight.


    By this moment, the guards were already briefed about the mission. They harbored no complaints for they understood clearly that they were the guards of Thunderhawk City, which belonged to Rocky, thus they would do whatever Rocky ordered without question.


    However, even with mental preparation, everyone couldn''t help feeling tense at the moment of departure, a tension that was almost visibly written on each person''s face.


    Of course, this was to be expected since these guards had never experienced any combat before, so this mission could be considered their very first.


    In such a scenario, being the City Lord, Rocky naturally needed to boost everyone''s morale.


    At that moment, Rocky, dressed in his Void Magic Armor, stood in front of everyone. His gaze swept across each face, capturing every guard''s expression, then he spoke,


    "Guards, do you know what we are here to do?"


    "Yes! To complete the mission for the City Lord!"


    At the end of Rocky''s words, the guards responded in unison. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Wrong!"


    However, Rocky suddenly shouted in anger, startling everyone.


    "You are not here just to complete a mission, you are here to fight!"


    "As guards of Thunderhawk City, combat is your sworn duty, and this time you will fulfill that duty by following me into battle against the demons!"


    After raising his voice to make this proclamation, Rocky paused for a moment. Only after scanning the crowd with his gaze did he continue in a more even tone,


    "Guards, are you afraid to fight the demons?"


    "You! Are you frightened?"


    Before the guards could respond, Rocky pointed at one of them and asked directly.


    "I, I... City Lord, I..."


    Suddenly singled out by Rocky, this guard was clearly unprepared and struggled to speak.


    Therefore, Rocky interrupted him, "You are scared, I can see it."


    After saying that, he addressed everyone, "You don''t need to answer my previous question because I''ve already seen the answer on your faces. I know you are nervous, even frightened!"


    "But that is normal."


    "Even I was filled with nerves and just as scared as you during my first battle against the demons. If it weren''t for my most loyal guard, Liliya, constantly protecting me, I might have already died!"


    "So, I don''t blame you... however, I want you to know something!"


    "Demons are not invincible! There is absolutely no need for you to be afraid. Your comrades are right beside you, and I, your City Lord, will be at the forefront of the battle!"


    Explore stories on M-V-L


    "I, your City Lord, will be your most loyal guard in the battle!"


    "Guards, tell me, are you afraid!"


    "No fear!"


    "No fear!"


    "No fear!!!"


    Under Rocky''s encouragement, the guards suddenly became spirited, letting out a deafening roar, and in that roar, the tension on their faces and the fear in their eyes were swept away!


    "Everyone on board! Prepare to depart!"


    After the three roars, Rocky issued the order to board, and all the guards in attendance promptly boarded the pre-prepared skyships!


    As soon as the guards were all aboard, Rocky also boarded the ship, accompanied by Liliya and Monte, and following his command, exactly ten skyships ascended, slowly flying out of Thunderhawk City''s Defensive Net, heading towards the land!


    This time, Rocky had truly pulled out all the stops, deploying all the skyships in the city and taking a full 180 members of the 200-strong Guard Corps, leaving only twenty guards stationed in the city. At the same time, he brought Liliya and Monte with him, while Aileen stayed in Thunderhawk City to coordinate.


    For this mission, Rocky had indeed put all his available resources on the line, all to ensure the successful completion of this mission!


    Afterward, the skyships departed from Thunderhawk City, flying downwards toward the land, with Rocky, Liliya, and Monte making final discussions and preparations in the cabin.


    "Liliya, if there is a large-scale battle this time, you will command the Guard Corps,"


    Inside the cabin, Rocky glanced at Liliya, then said.


    Among them, Monte''s power was undoubtedly the strongest, but his strength was personal. As a former Demon Hunter, Monte lacked experience in command, an area in which only Liliya was experienced.


    Since Liliya had previously gone to war with Rocky''s father and knew what real combat was like, Rocky decided to let her command the Guard Corps.


    "Okay,"


    Liliya nodded without any hesitation to take on this important responsibility.


    "Monte, if we engage the Demons in battle, you must obey Liliya''s commands, and also lead the guards. This task is yours now."


    "Don''t worry, my Lord!"


    After nodding, Monte looked at Liliya, "Miss Liliya, my life is in your command."


    "As for me..."


    After arranging for Liliya and Monte, Rocky spoke about himself, "Once the battle starts, I will act alone, dealing with the strongest Demons on one hand and commanding the Floating Warship on the other."


    "That''s fine, but be very careful, and don''t try to overdo it,"


    Instead of stopping Rocky''s arrangements, Liliya accepted them because in large-scale combat situations where they faced a large number of Demons, Rocky, with his Void Magic Armor, would be the most crucial asset in combat. He indeed needed to tackle the strongest Demons and was the only one capable of commanding the skyships during the battle due to his ability to fly.


    "City Lord!"


    Just as Rocky had finished making these arrangements, the door to the cabin suddenly opened, and Felly entered.


    Felly, standing at the door, saluted Rocky, then reported, "City Lord, we have reached the land and are advancing towards the coordinates!"


    "Good, I''m aware."


    After hearing this, Rocky nodded, then looked at Liliya and Monte, "Let''s go, it''s time to meet our employer."


    With that, he left the cabin with the two of them.


    PS: After such a long time of peace, it''s time for a real battle. Please cast your votes for Rocky to boost his morale!

 Chapter 78: Chapter 77 Thunderhawk Mercenary Group

    Accompanying Liliya and Monte, Rocky exited the cabin and stood on the deck of the skyship, looking out over a barren expanse.By now, the skyship had reached land and was slowly flying just dozens of meters above the ground, arriving at a desolate landmass.


    Not a single tree or blade of grass adorned this barren land, just rust-like yellow soil covered the ground. Occasionally, whirlwinds swept up gusts of dust, creating an air of desolation.


    Standing at the bow of the skyship, looking down at the bleak landscape, Rocky found the sight difficult to adjust to.


    He had been to the land twice before, but each time he witnessed lush forests and verdant grasslands, never the desolation he was seeing now.


    Despite the bleak appearance, he felt this might be more apt for the current state of the land, at least, that''s what Rocky believed.


    Afterward, the skyship continued towards the coordinates of their mission, and before long, a steep mountain appeared before their eyes!


    "What, what mountain is this...!"


    As they gazed at the distant peak, Rocky could not help but gape, and even Liliya and Monte gasped at the sight.


    The mountain soared into the clouds, blocking the skyship''s path and its exceedingly steep surfaces, almost as if cut by axes, gave it a sharp look.


    "Felly! What''s going on, why aren''t we turning!"


    The towering mountain blocked their way, yet the skyship was still heading straight towards it, prompting Rocky to urgently summon Felly.


    "Sir, the coordinates you gave us are indeed this mountain..."


    Felly, looking aggrieved, because the mission coordinates Rocky had given were for this mountain! S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this, Rocky was stunned; clearly, he hadn''t anticipated such a result.


    By this time, the skyship had drawn very close to the mountain, and as they approached, the true enormity of the mountain was revealed, far beyond Rocky''s imagination.


    Initially, the mountain had merely been shocking from a distance, but now up close, he felt not just shock but a tinge of fear!


    For the mountain not only reached into the clouds but obstructed the sun as if a colossal wall stood upon the land, its immense presence causing an oppressive feeling that suffocated anyone nearby!


    This was the mission location, in such a place?


    "Sir! There are people below!"


    At that moment, Monte suddenly pointed ahead, and when Rocky followed the direction of his finger, he saw a group of people waving at them from the foot of the mountain.


    Seeing these people, Rocky knew the coordinates were correct, so he immediately ordered all the skyships to head there.


    In no time, ten skyships had safely landed, and as Rocky and the Guard Corps disembarked, the group that had been waving came over.


    Looking at the approaching people, Rocky knew they must be The Forsaken People, those who lived on the land because their attire was markedly different from those living in the sky; to say they were dressed shabbily might be impolite, but their attire certainly couldn''t compare to that of the sky dwellers.


    Soon after, The Forsaken People came closer, and then the leader gestured for the others to stop, approaching Rocky and his group alone.


    "Excuse me, are you the Thunderhawk Mercenary Group?"


    The Thunderhawk Mercenary Group was a name Rocky came up with when he needed to provide a name for easy contact while accepting missions at the Mercenary Guild.


    "Yes, I am the leader."


    With that confirmation, Rocky also stepped forward, walking towards the other party.


    "Hello, my name is Lin Feng. I am the Soldier Captain of Backhill Village. Welcome to our village."


    When Rocky approached, the leader among The Forsaken People smiled and said.


    This robust man, named Lin Feng, was about thirty years old, dressed in clothes sewn from beast hides, and had a very sturdy figure, giving off a highly reliable impression at first glance.


    "Hello, my name is Rocky. I am the leader of the Thunderhawk Mercenary Group."


    Find more adventures on M-V-L


    Nodding at Lin Feng, Rocky also gave a brief introduction of himself.


    During his introduction, Lin Feng appraised him from top to bottom, continuously nodding his head.


    Rocky was not surprised by this behavior since he was wearing an impressive Void Magic Armor, which explained Lin Feng''s thorough looking over.


    However, Lin Feng then could hardly hide his excitement as he said, "Leader, I did not expect you to have ten Floating Warships. Now I am relieved."


    ...So he wasn''t looking at him at all...


    Rocky felt awkward as it turned out that Lin Feng was not looking at him but the ten Skyships behind him, and was only satisfied with the Skyships.


    Of course, this was not surprising. The biggest reliance for Rocky to complete this mission was neither his Void Magic Armor nor the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City, but precisely these ten Floating Warships!


    In any battle against demons, the Floating Warship played an extremely important role because the Magic Cannons on the Skyships were immensely powerful. Thus, with a sufficient number of warships, even demons couldn''t withstand the barrage of Magic Cannons.


    So, seeing that Rocky had brought ten Floating Warships, Lin Feng was naturally overjoyed, to the extent that he overlooked Rocky''s presence.


    "Leader, follow me to the village. The Village Chief is waiting for you," Lin Feng said.


    After a brief introduction, Lin Feng wasted no time directing Rocky and his group towards Backhill Village, as that was the real location of their mission.


    As they made their way to Backhill Village, they talked while walking, and through this conversation, Rocky also learned about the region they had come to.


    The place they were currently in was called Carlson Wasteland. The towering peak that took everyone''s breath away was known as Skybreaker Peak, and Lin Feng''s village lived at the foot of that mountain.


    Rocky was actually very curious about Backhill Village, as mentioned by Lin Feng. Since crossing over, he had always lived in Sky City and had never seen how people on the land lived.


    However, when he finally saw Backhill Village under Lin Feng''s guidance, he was completely dumbfounded, for this was no ordinary village but more like a small fortress!


    PS: There are no recommendations this week, so please ask for recommendation tickets and save this spot, there will be another update later today!

 Chapter 79: Chapter 78 Backhill Village

    The location of Backhill Village is not actually at the base of the mountain, but inside Skybreaker Peak.As mentioned before, Skybreaker Peak does not only tower into the clouds but the entire mountain is made up of cliffs, giving it a sharp appearance. However, at the base of Broken Mountain Peak, there is a huge crack which splits the steep cliff walls in two from bottom to top, and Backhill Village is situated within this crack.


    The village in the rift is surrounded by mountains on three sides with only one entrance and exit, which essentially serves as a natural barrier. Furthermore, they built a high wall at the crack in the cliff, making it feel as if the crack had been patched up.


    As a result, Backhill Village became a settlement completely hidden within Skybreaker Peak. Unless the demons could break through the high walls at the entrance, they wouldn''t be able to harm the villagers.


    This natural terrain allowed Backhill Village to exist for over a hundred years. The village was not only there before the demon invasion but also survived the hundred years after demons occupied the land.


    So, when Lin Feng arrived at the entrance of the village with Rocky and the others, they saw a high wall over ten meters tall made of stone, flanked by two tower structures, manned by villagers.


    As they approached the wall, Lin Feng shouted to the people above, "Open the gate! The Thunderhawk Mercenary Group has arrived!"


    Following his call, the gates in the high wall slowly opened, and Rocky and his party finally entered Backhill Village.


    Walking into the village, Rocky immediately noticed rows and rows of simple houses. These modest dwellings were all no more than two stories tall. The better ones were made of stone, but most were wooden structures¡ªnot only plain but also seemingly very frail.


    "These houses were built a few months ago."


    Noticing Rocky''s gaze and sensing his confusion, Lin Feng explained, "Despite being surrounded by mountains and having high walls for defense, we often suffer demon attacks. That''s why we use wood to build our houses¡ªthey can be quickly reconstructed even if destroyed."


    "Oh..."


    Lin Feng''s explanation made Rocky nod, and he couldn''t help but look back at the high wall they had passed, indeed noticing that the colors of the stones on the wall were different, clearly the result of multiple repairs.


    This meant that even with its natural terrain and fortifications akin to a small fortress, Backhill Village still could not hold back the demons'' onslaught. No wonder they spent money to hire a mercenary group for assistance in defense.


    "Come, I''ll take you to meet the village elder, then take your people to the camp so we can discuss defense strategies."


    After saying this, Lin Feng strode forward, and Rocky told Liliya and the others to wait in the village while he followed Lin Feng alone.


    The village elder''s residence was in the very center of the village, yet it was nothing special and seemed no different from the other villagers'' homes.


    As for the elder himself, he was quite old, looking to be around seventy or eighty with wrinkles on his face that told of the many hardships he had endured.


    "Commander, I''m very pleased to meet you."


    Upon meeting Rocky, the village elder was extremely cordial, even personally pouring him a glass of water.


    "You are too kind, village elder. Please, just call me Rocky," Rocky said as he took the glass of water from the elder and sat down with him and Lin Feng.


    "Commander Rocky, no need for formalities with me, just call me Old Jack," the elder said with a smile, waving his hand at Rocky after a brief self-introduction, and then asking, "May I ask how many people you''ve brought with you this time?"


    Old Jack went straight to the point without much small talk.


    "Ten floating battleships, one hundred and eighty warriors, with an average level of Second Level among the warriors. This includes one Third-Level Warrior and one Fifth-Level Warrior, plus myself," Rocky replied without any concealment, aware that Old Jack was confirming whether his force met their requirements for verification with the Mercenary Guild.


    Sure enough, after hearing Rocky''s words, Old Jack glanced at Lin Feng, and upon seeing Lin Feng''s slight nod, he broke into a smile.


    "If that''s the case, Commander Rocky completely meets our requirements, I''ll confirm with the Mercenary Guild right now."


    After Lin Feng confirmed that Rocky wasn''t lying, Old Jack made the confirmation with the Mercenary Guild right in front of him.


    And as Old Jack finished confirming with the Mercenary Guild, it also signified that Rocky''s mission had officially begun!


    "Lin Feng, you take Commander Rocky to the encampment," Old Jack said after confirming the task, then he turned to Rocky, "Commander Rocky, your team members will be staying at the encampment these days, then discuss with Lin Feng as soon as possible on how to defend."


    "Okay."


    Having agreed, Rocky left Old Jack''s residence with Lin Feng and promptly led everyone to the encampment within the village.


    Actually, calling it an encampment was a bit of a stretch; it was really just an open space. There was a row of crude tents on the open ground, clearly prepared as accommodations for Rocky and his team. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For such a simple living arrangement, Rocky naturally wouldn''t mind, as he could see that Backhill Village had very limited conditions, and being able to arrange such a place for them was already very good. Besides, they weren''t here to stay for long; they could endure it for a month. Stay updated via M-V-L


    Upon arriving at the encampment, Rocky gave some instructions to the guards, and once everything was mostly settled, he took Liliya and Monte with Lin Feng to his home to discuss the details of the mission.


    Rocky''s main task this time was to coordinate with the villagers of Backhill Village in their defense¡ªdefense against what? Naturally, it was to protect against the attacks of demons.


    According to Lin Feng, the main source of income for Backhill Village was mining. There was a vein inside Skybreaker Peak, and every quarter the villagers would delve into the vein to mine.


    It was precisely because of the need to mine that Backhill Village required Rocky and others to assist in defense.


    The number of demons around Skybreaker Peak wasn''t very high, and also due to the location where Backhill Village itself was situated, it was generally safe. However, troubles arose every time the villagers began mining, because there was a type of demon around Broken Mountain Peak that always attacked Backhill Village during the villagers'' mining activities.


    "Is it the Black-eyed Demon?"


    At Lin Feng''s home, after Lin Feng briefly explained the mission from start to finish, when he mentioned that demons attacked each time the villagers began mining, Monte interjected from the side.


    "Exactly, it''s the Black-eyed Demon."


    Looking at Monte with slight surprise, Lin Feng nodded, indicating that what Monte said was completely accurate.


    "The Black-eyed Demon is a kind of low-level demon, named for its entirely black eyes. However, these demons actually lack vision. They perceive the outside world entirely through vibrations, especially vibrations from the ground. These demons can even detect through these vibrations if someone has walked dozens of miles away."


    "That powerful?"


    Monte''s explanation made Rocky widen his eyes in disbelief.


    "Captain Monte hasn''t exaggerated in the slightest,"


    Lin Feng then spoke up, "The terrifying aspect of the Black-eyed Demons lies in their sensory abilities. Thus, while we may not feel the noise of mining, to the Black-eyed Demons, it''s like thunder, which is why mining always attracts these demons."


    "So that''s the case¡­ Then how strong are the Black-eyed Demons?"


    Since their main target this time was the Black-eyed Demons, the strength of these demons naturally became a focal point.


    "This¡­"


    But upon hearing Rocky''s question, Lin Feng hesitated for a moment before finally providing an answer, "Well, in terms of strength, the Black-eyed Demons are relatively weak among the low-level demons, but..."


    "These demons are gregarious¡­"

 Chapter 80: Chapter 79: Taking Turns on Defense

    "Black-eyed Demons are social creatures..."Upon hearing these words from Lin Feng, Rocky couldn''t help but furrow his brow, aware even he knew how terrifying it could be once the demons reached a certain number.


    After that, Lin Feng continued:


    "Initially, Backhill Village could still fend off the demon attacks on its own. Although mining always attracted the Black-eyed Demons, their numbers were not too great, at most about ten, and we could defend ourselves with the village''s high walls."


    "But starting half a year ago, for some unknown reason, the number of Black-eyed Demons suddenly increased. We were overwhelmed unprepared and our walls were breached, with catastrophic losses. The same thing happened last quarter during mining, with the number of Dark Demons increasing dramatically, and the walls were breached again."


    "The continuous breaching of the walls over several months led to severe casualties in the village. Originally, we had over two thousand villagers and six to seven hundred soldiers to protect the village, but now..."


    At this point, Lin Feng sighed helplessly, the village having suffered repeated breaches by the demons. Now, only a little over a thousand villagers remained and the number of soldiers had drastically decreased from the original six to seven hundred to now barely two hundred. The extent of the casualties was indescribable.


    His words caused Rocky, Liliya, and Monte to exchange heavy glances.


    It appeared that this mission was as difficult as they had anticipated and certainly not something that could be easily accomplished.


    Fortunately, prior to this, Rocky and his group had already assessed the risks of the mission, so although their mood was heavy, they were not frightened by it.


    Afterward, Lin Feng introduced the situation of Backhill Village to them. With the village repeatedly breached by the demons, its strength had significantly weakened, which was why they had requested Rocky''s help. Even so, the village still had two hundred soldiers.


    Among these two hundred, there were one hundred warriors, with an average strength around the Second Level. Lin Feng, serving as the captain, was the highest ranked - the only Level Six Warrior in the village, even a level higher than Monte!


    Besides Lin Feng''s hundred warriors, Backhill Village also had fifty archers and fifty mages, who comprised the remote forces.


    From these arrangements, it was clear that although the village did not have a large number of soldiers, its overall strength was still quite formidable, even stronger than Thunderhawk City if one discounted the Skyship.


    "Commander Rocky, how many from your Mercenary Group can participate in direct combat?"


    "A hundred."


    "I see..."


    Rocky''s answer made Lin Feng nod, not surprised since Rocky had brought a hundred eighty people. However, due to the Skyship, quite a few were tasked with piloting, so having a hundred people available for combat was already significant.


    Thus, counting the soldiers from Backhill Village, both sides together had three hundred troops ready for combat against the demons, including two hundred warriors, fifty archers, and fifty mages.


    Calculated this way, even combined, the forces were not very large and normally would be insufficient to contend with the demons. However, Backhill Village had a unique geographical advantage and, with the high walls providing a blockade, this gave them a significant strategic benefit, making the battle relatively easier.


    Also, one must not forget the ten Skyships brought by Rocky!


    These ten Skyships were crucial in the fight, especially when facing large numbers of demons. The wide-area bombardment from the Magic Cannons could effectively reduce the number of demons.


    "Regarding the Skyships, I have two questions."


    When the topic turned to Skyships, Liliya, who had been mostly silent, spoke up. She glanced at Lin Feng, "Where exactly will the Skyships be docked? They are currently outside the village, but obviously, they can''t stay out there indefinitely, as they would be prime targets for the demons. However, I don''t see any space within the village to dock them."


    Liliya''s question was indeed sharp, as Rocky and the others had indeed arrived in Backhill Village and had found places to live, but ten skyships were still parked outside the village!


    Since the skyships were an important combat force, they couldn''t always be parked outside. Just beyond Backhill Village was a vast wasteland, where the skyships would become the primary targets if demons appeared.


    "This¡­"


    Faced with her question, Lin Feng also furrowed his brow; he indeed hadn''t considered this, simply because he had never expected Rocky to bring so many skyships, and naturally, he hadn''t prepared a docking space for them.


    "Here''s an idea." After furrowing his brow in thought for a while, Lin Feng finally spoke, "There''s an open space on the mountainside. When we trade with the Chamber of Commerce from Sky City, they park their skyships there. The area is quite large, large enough for ten skyships, but with this arrangement, it would significantly slow the skyships'' speed to come to our aid¡­"


    Although he had thought of a suitable place for the skyships to dock, the location was relatively far from Backhill Village, making the skyships'' involvement in battles much slower.


    However, this was unavoidable. It was better to have the skyships parked further away than to have them targeted by demons just outside the village.


    "The second issue is that the mana of the skyships is limited; they can''t support every battle, so please, Captain Lin Feng, prepare yourself mentally for this."


    After addressing where to dock the skyships, Liliya raised a second issue: although the skyships were an important combat force, they couldn''t rely solely on them for every battle since their mana was finite.


    Liliya had realized that Lin Feng''s cordiality and satisfaction were largely because they had brought ten skyships.


    This was understandable, as in any battle against demons, the role of skyships was always secondary to that of the Void Magic Squad but far surpassed that of ordinary soldiers, so Lin Feng''s interest in these ten skyships was expected.


    But Liliya had to remind him that these ten skyships couldn''t be deployed in every battle to bombard; their mana was ultimately limited, and once depleted, they''d be no more than useless scrap. So, while they could rely on skyships, they could not be dependent on them.


    "I understand." Experience new stories with M-V-L


    In response to Liliya''s caution, Lin Feng directly said, "The skyships are our most precious asset this time, I will not use them indiscriminately; rest assured on that point."


    "Moreover, if the skyships are damaged in battle, Backhill Village can take responsibility and provide compensation. I can assure this. However, I also hope Commander Rocky won''t be stingy."


    Glancing at Liliya, Lin Feng then addressed Rocky, claiming that Backhill Village could bear and compensate for any loss to the skyships in battle, but Rocky should not be parsimonious with his skyships and must not hesitate to commit them when crucial.


    "That''s not a problem."


    Rocky naturally agreed to this request. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With that, everyone had a general understanding of each other''s situation, and then they began discussing the specific details of the defense.


    "Commander Rocky, I suggest we take turns defending."


    When it came to the specifics of defense, Lin Feng was the first to make a suggestion.


    "I suggest that our forces take turns defending Backhill Village. I will lead the soldiers in defending for one day, then you lead the Mercenary Group the next day. This way, we can jointly alleviate the pressure on both parties."


    "Of course, when one party is defending, the other must also be on alert, ready to support if something goes wrong. If the number of attacking demons is too great, then we move out together. Do you think this is acceptable?"

 Chapter 81: Chapter 80 A Little Surprise

    Regarding the specifics of the defense, Lin Feng suggested that both sides take turns defending Backhill Village. Doing so would allow each to get ample rest, and if one side encountered danger, the other could promptly provide support.Continue your adventure with M-V-L


    He had clearly considered this matter beforehand, so after speaking he looked toward Rocky.


    However, Rocky did not immediately give a response. Instead, he turned his head to glance at Liliya, wanting to see her opinion on the matter.


    Among Rocky''s people, only Liliya had experience commanding troops, thus before this discussion, Rocky had entrusted the command of his forces to Liliya. Now, naturally, the decision would be influenced by her.


    "It''s agreeable."


    When Rocky looked her way, Liliya nodded her head, showing agreement with Lin Feng''s method, but she added, "Captain Lin Feng, the suggestion to alternate defense is good, but I hope you''re not planning to play any tricks. When reinforcement is needed, our commander doesn''t want to see any accidents."


    Liliya said this to Lin Feng, enunciating every word.


    Liliya''s impression of Lin Feng was rather favorable; the robust man indeed seemed honest and reliable. However, she hadn''t forgotten one thing: her side and Backhill Village had no substantial ties, and there was even less trust to speak of between them.


    In such a situation, Liliya certainly did not wish for Rocky to be used as a pawn, nor did she want the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City to be treated as expendable in blocking the Demons!


    "About that ..."


    Seemingly caught off guard by Liliya''s forthrightness, Lin Feng appeared stunned for a moment but soon gave a wry smile, "Rest assured, Miss Liliya. We would never stab you in the back. In the same way, I hope Commander Rocky will do his utmost."


    As he spoke, Lin Feng looked at Rocky, clearly sharing the same concerns as Liliya.


    Subsequently, both parties communicated the specifics of the defense. By the time Rocky returned to the camp with Liliya and Monte, night had already fallen.


    "Liliya, is it really good to alternate defenses?"


    On the way back to camp, Rocky walked and questioned Liliya, his mind full of doubts. Though he had limited understanding of military affairs, he felt that combining their forces, totalling only three hundred troops, would be stronger. Why deliberately separate them?


    "No, it''s easier to keep them separate."


    Yet to his query, Liliya shook her head, "It''s true that combining our forces could make the group larger, but it wouldn''t necessarily make us stronger."


    "Why is that?"


    "Because of cooperation, because of trust, and also because of our different combat styles."


    Liliya apparently knew a great deal about commanding troops, she continued, "Our relationship with Backhill Village is purely based on the mission; not only is there no trust between us, but to some extent, we are both on guard against each other. Under these circumstances, merging our troops won''t enhance our combat power."


    "Moreover, we have never cooperated before, and once the troops combine, not only will there be no coordination, but it will also hinder individual command, turning the soldiers into a disorganized group. It is better to remain separate in such a situation."


    "So that''s how it is ..." S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing Liliya''s explanation, Rocky couldn''t help but nod. He realized that leading troops wasn''t an easy task; everything he had thought before was clearly too simple and na?ve.


    Thus, Rocky, Liliya, and Monte chatted as they walked, discussing the details of defense preparation while Monte filled them in on various aspects of the Black-eyed Demons. Before long, they had returned to the camp.


    Back at the camp, Rocky didn''t arrange any other tasks for the team, instead instructing everyone to rest well. After all, the mission was to officially begin tomorrow!


    After parting ways with Rocky, Liliya returned to her own tent, which had been specially prepared for her by Rocky. Since she was the only woman among all those Rocky brought, it was natural for her to have a tent to herself.


    As she stepped into the tent, Liliya let out a sigh, suddenly feeling extremely tired.


    The command responsibility of the mission was entrusted to her by Rocky. This not only represented trust and authority but also meant she was accountable for the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City! And this was obviously an immeasurable pressure because Thunderhawk City had only this Guard Corps. If any mistake occurred during the mission, she would bear the responsibility and thereby ruin Rocky.


    Thus, Liliya had kept her mind tight and focused from the outset, only allowing herself some relaxation now that she was back in her tent.


    As she relaxed, she walked over to the bed and began to undo her leather armor, and after taking it off, she proceeded to remove her side sword.


    However, just as she was about to take the side sword from her waist, she suddenly drew the sword and without hesitation stabbed behind her!


    Liliya sensed someone behind her!


    "Sister Liliya! It''s me! Stop, please!"


    The moment Liliya sensed someone behind her, and without a second thought turned around and thrust her sword, a panicked and alarmed voice came from behind her!


    Hearing this voice, Liliya was at first taken aback, then promptly flicked her wrist to the side to change the direction of her sword thrust, and then saw her sword graze past Dusa''s neck!


    Yes, standing behind her wasn''t any malefactor, it was Dusa!


    "Dusa? What are you doing here!"


    Realizing that it was Dusa behind her, Liliya was taken aback and quickly sheathed her sword: "I didn''t hurt you, did I?"


    "No, but you scared me to death...huff..."


    Standing dazed in front of Liliya, Dusa''s face was covered in cold sweat. Only after Liliya put her sword away did she take a breath of relief and patted her chest.


    Ever since Monte had sworn allegiance to Rocky, his daughter Dusa had become one of them. Although they had not told her about the Mana Rune, the relationship between Dusa, Liliya, and Aileen had become extremely close. Dusa even held a sense of admiration towards the valiant Liliya.


    Of course, that wasn''t the main point. The main point was, why was she in Backhill Village?


    Liliya clearly remembered that Monte hadn''t brought Dusa with him when he left Thunderhawk City!


    At this thought, she frowned at Dusa, "Little girl, did you sneak out here on your own?"


    "Well... um... I don''t know! I woke up and found myself here!"


    Facing Liliya''s stern questioning, Dusa''s big eyes darted around a few times, then she responded with an innocent face...

 Chapter 82: Chapter 81 Mission Begins!

    Dusa''s response left Liliya patting her forehead, feeling utterly helpless."Liliya sister, please, you mustn''t tell my father, or he will scold me again..."


    Just as Liliya was feeling helpless, Dusa began to plead with her not to tell Monte about her sneaking away.


    "This..."


    But this request really put Liliya in a difficult position. After all, Dusa was different from others; she was Monte''s daughter. If she kept this from Monte and something happened to Dusa in the process, who would bear the responsibility?


    Liliya and Rocky couldn''t bear that responsibility!


    So, after a glance at Dusa, Liliya made a decision, "Little girl, you wait here for me and don''t go anywhere!"


    "Oh¡­"


    Realizing Liliya was somewhat angry, Dusa obediently nodded her head, then sat down demurely on the bed while Liliya immediately left the tent.


    After leaving the tent, she didn''t go to find Monte but went to find Rocky instead; she herself couldn''t handle this matter, so she had to let Rocky take care of it.


    Shortly after, she brought Rocky back to her tent, and upon entering, Rocky was stunned the moment he saw Dusa. He was incredibly surprised to find Dusa in the tent and felt a bit disappointed¡­


    "Dusa, how did you get here? Didn''t your dad lock you up?"


    "I, I... I sneaked out¡­"


    Facing Rocky, Dusa didn''t dare to lie anymore, so she told the truth.


    After learning that Dusa had sneaked away, Rocky also began to feel troubled.


    Just as Liliya had thought, Dusa was Monte''s daughter. How could Rocky keep this from him? If something happened, wouldn''t Monte blame him fiercely?


    But faced with Dusa''s desperate plea, he found it hard to remain unswayed, for he could imagine Monte''s reaction upon learning of this¡ªno Beastman was known for their temper.


    Therefore, feeling helpless, Rocky had no choice but to agree to Dusa''s request, but he strictly ordered her not to leave the tent, or she would face the consequences if Monte discovered her, and neither he nor Liliya would intercede on her behalf.


    "Okay! I promise! City Lord!"


    Seeing Rocky agree to help keep it a secret from her father, Dusa readily agreed to all his conditions and even assured him fervently that she wouldn''t cause trouble, although Rocky found it hard to believe such a guarantee.


    And so, Dusa stayed in Liliya''s tent, and Rocky left with a feeling of resignation.


    Although Dusa''s appearance made him feel helpless, her disturbance somewhat lightened the tension of the mission, allowing Rocky to quickly fall asleep as soon as he returned to his own tent.


    When he woke up, it was already daylight, and Rocky got up early and prepared himself because from now on, the mission truly began!


    Early in the morning, Old Jack, the chief of Backhill Village, led a large group of villagers to the mine at the end of the village to start mining ores. At the same time, Rocky and Lin Feng also officially put their troops on alert. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    According to Lin Feng, the first few days of mining were relatively safe, because even though the mining noise might attract the Black-eyed Demons, these demons'' gathering places were quite far, so they couldn''t arrive immediately.


    However, once the first Black-eyed Demon appeared, more and more demons would start to emerge in an unending stream, and that''s when the real danger would begin.


    As previously arranged, Lin Feng would take charge of the first day''s defense with the soldiers from Backhill Village, and on the second day, Rocky with the Guard Corps would take over, and then they would alternate in this order.


    So, on the first day of the mission, Rocky and the others weren''t too tense. Although the guards were on high alert, they didn''t need to fight, and only Rocky, Liliya, and Monte got up early and joined Lin Feng on the high wall for the vigil.


    "You all don''t need to come over, take the time to rest. The hard times are still ahead."


    Seeing that Rocky followed him up onto the high wall, Lin Feng couldn''t help but speak.


    Rocky understood his good intentions, but he also had his own thoughts, albeit somewhat selfish.


    In his heart, Rocky really hoped that Lin Feng and his people would confront the demons first. That way, he could observe how they fought and be better prepared himself, considering he had never led over a hundred people in battle, nor had he ever faced more than one demon. Thus, Rocky wanted to learn first.


    However, he couldn''t control such matters. In fact, as Lin Feng had mentioned, there was no danger on the first day of mining, and Rocky had stood on the high wall for a whole day without seeing a shadow of any demons.


    A day had passed in the blink of an eye with no battles occurring.


    By the next day, the defense responsibilities had been handed over to Rocky.


    Early the next morning, Rocky led the Guard Corps to gather around the high wall, leaving Monte behind to lead the Guard Corps and stay on alert while he and Liliya climbed to the top of the wall.


    This was his second time standing on the high walls of Backhill Village. He had stood there with Lin Feng for a day yesterday, but today, standing on the high wall again, he felt even more nervous than the first time.


    Because yesterday he was more of an observer, but today his mindset was completely different since it was his responsibility to protect the village and the wall behind him!


    This pressure inevitably made Rocky somewhat nervous, and after standing on the high wall for a while, he began to pace back and forth.


    "Maybe I should fly out and check. If we can spot the demons early, we can prepare earlier," he said after pacing back and forth on the wall a few times.


    "No, the Void Magic Armor''s mana is limited, and we didn''t bring many magic stones this time. You can only recharge a few times, so you can''t waste your mana indiscriminately," Liliya immediately rejected the idea. The Void Magic Armor was one of their most critical assets, but its mana was limited, so it shouldn''t be used unless necessary for battle.


    After rejecting Rocky''s suggestion, Liliya looked at him and said, "You don''t need to be too nervous. We have prepared for this mission for two months. Nothing will go wrong, and further, the villagers only started mining yesterday. The Black-eyed Demons won''t attack so soon."


    "You''re right... Maybe I am just too nervous."


    Rocky nodded, took a deep breath to calm himself down, and then stood next to Liliya. The two quietly looked out over the endless wasteland.


    The next day passed just like that.


    Although Rocky stayed vigilant all day, just like yesterday, no danger happened.


    And when the third day came, the defense duty was handed back to Lin Feng.


    But having the experience of the past two days, Rocky didn''t join Lin Feng on the high wall again. It had already been proven that there really was no danger these days, so there was no need for him to make himself nervous every day.


    So, on the third day, Rocky went to train with the guards instead.


    After training all morning with the guards, although he was a bit tired, his mood had relaxed quite a bit, and at midday, Rocky had lunch with the guards, which brought them significantly closer to him.


    But just when everyone was having lunch at the food stall, a piercing bell suddenly rang out! Stay connected through M-V-L


    "What''s happening!"


    Rocky, who was sitting with the guards, immediately stood up when he heard the bell and hurriedly looked toward the source of the sound. He saw soldiers frantically ringing the bell on the towers beside the high wall.


    "The demons are attacking? How is this possible!"


    Seeing that the bell came from the towers, Rocky was profoundly shocked, as this meant the demons had appeared!


    PS: The mission has finally officially begun. A fierce battle is about to arrive, ask for recommendations! Ask for favorites!

 Chapter 83: Chapter 82: Formation and Attack!

    The bell signaling the enemy attack rang out, causing Rocky, who was initially having a good time with the guards, to immediately rush towards the high wall with Monte!"What''s going on!"


    At this moment, Liliya also rushed out from her tent and quickly asked upon seeing Rocky.


    "I don''t know; it seems like the demons have arrived."


    Lin Feng had said that once the alarm bell on the tower rang, it meant that demons were approaching, and this was undoubtedly true.


    But this wasn''t right! Because Lin Feng had also said that it would take the Black-eyed Demons several days to reach Backhill Village, and even yesterday during the handover, he told Rocky to be prepared, informing him that the battle would start in three to five days, yet today the demons had arrived?


    How could they arrive this quickly?


    Carrying deep doubts, Rocky and Liliya quickly ascended the high wall and happened to meet Lin Feng, who was coming down from it.


    "Captain Lin Feng, what''s with the bell?"


    "The demons have arrived!"


    Without offering much explanation to Rocky, Lin Feng responded and then brushed past him, heading off the high wall towards the already prepared troops, loudly shouting at them, "Everyone, prepare for battle!"


    "Yes!"


    At Lin Feng''s command, the troops of Backhill Village immediately arranged themselves neatly and stood ready, and soon after, the large gate of the high wall slowly opened. This hundred-warrior troop then swiftly and orderly charged out.


    As the troops charged out, Rocky and Liliya also climbed onto the high wall, where it was already crowded with people holding bows and arrows and others holding magic wands ¡ª they were the archers and mages of Backhill Village.


    Standing on the crowded high wall, Rocky looked outside and soon spotted Lin Feng leading the troops. Lin Feng, who was leading the troops out, was continuously issuing orders, and following each of his orders, the troops from Backhill Village split into three square formations.


    Three square formations, each formed by two rows of soldiers, fifteen in each row. The soldiers in the front row held up shields without weapons, while those in the back row wielded long spears without carrying shields.


    Although Rocky, who was still unfamiliar with tactics, couldn''t see the purpose of these formations, he could tell that the troops of Backhill Village, although not large in number, were well-trained. Faced with such a sudden situation, not a single soldier showed any sign of panic, and everyone moved smoothly and orderly into formation.


    After this, when Rocky shifted his gaze towards the distance, he saw three figures looming on the barren land!


    Three demons!


    Although the three figures were still far away, at least a hundred meters or so, Rocky could instantly tell that they were demons!


    In his line of sight, these three demons were quickly approaching, in just a few blinks, they had already come much closer. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s the Black-eyed Demons!"


    As the demons continued to approach, Monte''s voice came from beside Rocky, and hearing this, Rocky looked even more carefully at the three demons.


    These three demons, each over two meters tall, walked upright like giants, but they resembled giant lizards. They not only had large lizard-like heads and beast-like sturdy limbs but also had exceptionally rough skin covered with dense bumps, which was revolting to look at.


    And accordingly to their name, they possessed a pair of pure black eyes.


    So these were the Black-eyed Demons?


    Watching the three demons steadily approaching, Rocky took a deep breath and then looked again down at Lin Feng and others below the high wall.


    "Can these people handle three demons at once?"


    Having never experienced such a battle, Rocky had no concept of the fight unfolding before him, so he couldn''t help but worry.


    By contrast, Lin Feng, who was outside the high walls, seemed much more relaxed and calm. As the three black-eyed demons kept closing in, he continuously issued orders.


    "Everyone, maintain formation!"


    "Maintain formation!"


    "Maintain formation!"


    With Lin Feng''s voice echoing, the captains of the three formations also kept shouting loudly, ensuring their formations stayed intact despite the demons'' approach.


    "Everyone! Advance!"


    Soon after, as the rapidly approaching demons and the troops of Backhill Village were only tens of meters apart, Lin Feng suddenly gave the order to advance!


    At his command, the soldiers of the three formations stepped forward, maintaining their cohesive formation as they advanced. Though not very fast, their approach exerted immense pressure on the demons.


    "Hiss, hiss, hiss! Hiss, hiss!"


    As Lin Feng led the troops forward, the three lizard-like black-eyed demons suddenly stopped. Then, facing the troops, they emitted a series of harsh, raspy cries before abruptly charging forward.


    The demons'' charge came without warning and was extremely fast; it felt like three whirlwinds instantaneously crossed the distance of tens of meters and reached Lin Feng and his men!


    Confronting the rushing demons, Lin Feng strode forward and collided head-on with the foremost one. Not waiting for the demon''s attack, his long sword came crashing down furiously, flipping the demon onto the ground. He then followed up with several more slashes, pummeling the demon into rolling all over the ground.


    Of course, such an outcome was not surprising¡ªLin Feng was a Level Six Warrior, and the black-eyed demons were not particularly strong, so naturally, they were outmatched.


    However, the real focus of this battle was not on Lin Feng. Even if he were made of iron, could he beat a single nail? The key lay with the troops behind him.


    While Lin Feng tied down one demon with his own strength, the other two black-eyed demons swiftly sprinted past him and, in a few moments, rushed up to the front of the three formations!


    Seeing the black-eyed demons charging at them, all three formations halted, and every soldier in the front rows raised their shields.


    "Hiss, hiss, hiss!"


    The black-eyed demon that rapidly reached the front of a formation let out a roar and viciously swung its claws at the front-line soldiers!


    Afterwards, a series of sounds followed as the demon''s sweeping strike hit four or five soldiers but struck only their raised shields, causing no casualties.


    But at that moment, soldiers from the back rows, gripping their spears tightly, suddenly surged forward and fiercely thrust their spears out!


    In an instant, more than a dozen spears pierced from the formation, all aimed at the black-eyed demon!


    Among these attacks, some missed, and some hit but failed to penetrate the black-eyed demon''s skin; yet still, two spears thrust fiercely into the demon''s body, causing it to issue a piercing scream and forcing it to leap backward. Find exclusive content at M-V-L


    "They can actually push them back like this..."


    Standing atop the high wall, Rocky watched the battle clearly, and as he saw the troops of Backhill Village using this method to repel the demons, his mouth fell slightly agape.


    PS: Please recommend! Please collect!

 Chapter 84: Chapter 83 Something is wrong...

    "So it can actually be done this way..."Standing atop the high wall, Rocky watched as the Backhill Village troops not only successfully resisted the Demon''s onslaught but also managed to repel them, and couldn''t help but feel astonished.


    These troops accomplished this feat not with Lin Feng''s help or by relying on strong equipment, but purely through the advantage of their formation.


    For Rocky, who had never been on a battlefield, this was simply inconceivable.


    In his mind, the formidable nature of Demons was something ordinary people simply couldn''t contend with, unless they were high-level warriors or soldiers clad in Void Magic Armor; otherwise, no one could match a Demon, but today, this notion had been shattered.


    The troop''s average level from Backhill Village wasn''t high, mainly around Second Level, with few Level Three Warriors, and their weapons and equipment were even more common; no, to be accurate, they were rudimentary. Their gear was even comparable to the earlier equipment of the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad.


    Yet such a group had managed to defend against the Demons'' attack with the power of their formations and their excellent cooperation, even injuring the Demons. Although they faced only one, achieving this was no small feat.


    This outcome filled Rocky with amazement.


    While Rocky was in awe, the battle outside the high walls continued.


    Lin Feng, entangled with a Black-eyed Demon one-on-one, showcased the prowess of a Level Six Warrior in full splendor. To ordinary people, the demon, monstrous in their eyes, was utterly defenseless against him, only able to take hits, and if Lin Feng had wielded a Mana Weapon, the victor might have been decided much sooner.


    On the other front, the other two Demons that charged at the three formations also bit off more than they could chew. Despite their relentless onslaught against the formations, each charge was futile, and after each rush, they would end up with several bloody holes from the spears!


    The formation of the troops from Backhill Village was clearly aimed at countering the Demons. The front-line soldiers had given up their weapons, but the large shields they held with both hands could effectively withstand the Black-eyed Demons'' charges. Once they successfully resisted the assault, the soldiers in the rear would immediately thrust their spears forward.


    Perhaps not every jab would hit or injure a Demon, but even if only one or two connected each time, the small amounts would accumulate, eventually killing the Demons through attrition.


    Thus, the battle swiftly moved towards its conclusion. When the two Demons, repeatedly charging at the formations, no longer had the strength to attack, the formations sprang into motion again. The three formations, like three moving walls, not only blocked the path of retreat but also forced the two Demons into continuous retreat.


    The soldiers in the front rank of the formations strode forward steadily. As soon as they closed in on the Demons, the soldiers in the back rank would thrust out their spears. In this manner, while pushing forward tens of meters, the two Demons finally collapsed powerlessly to the ground!


    Meanwhile, Lin Feng on the other side had also concluded his battle. He beheaded the Black-eyed Demon with a single sword strike and lifted the severed head high off the ground, joining the soldiers behind him in a victorious roar!


    In the deafening roar of triumph, the battle finally ended, with all three Demons eliminated and no casualties among the Backhill Village troops.


    To be fair, the scale of the battle was not large, in fact, it was quite small, with only a hundred Backhill Village troops and three Demons. But it still excited Rocky, who had watched the entire battle from the high walls.


    However, he felt a twinge of nervousness amidst his excitement, for tomorrow it was his turn to lead the troops in defense.


    "Black-eyed Demons are nothing to be afraid of,"


    Liliya''s voice came at that moment, and when Rocky turned to her upon hearing her, he saw that Liliya was looking at him: "If the troops from Backhill Village could withstand these Demons, so can we."


    "Right, our guards won''t be any worse than them,"


    Monte also said from the side.


    Encouraged by Liliya and Monte''s words, Rocky nodded, and then the three of them descended from the high wall together.


    By this time, Lin Feng had already led his troops back, so the trio who came down from the high walls soon encountered them. Rocky had intended to step forward with congratulations, for despite the small significance, victory was still a victory.


    Unfortunately, before he could speak, Lin Feng, with a grave expression, took the initiative.


    "Commander Rocky, something doesn''t seem quite right,"


    "What''s wrong?"


    Lin Feng''s words made Rocky furrow his brows in slight astonishment.


    "The demons came too quickly this time; they shouldn''t have come so soon."


    Even though they had just won against the demons, there was not a trace of joy on Lin Feng''s face. Instead, he appeared deeply worried as he said, "In normal circumstances, the first wave of the Black-eyed would appear two to three days later, but this time they came too quickly, and their numbers were greater."


    "Greater numbers?"


    "Yes, previously the first wave of demons would be just one, at most two, but today three appeared. This indicates there will be even more demons appearing later¡­ So¡­"


    At this point, he glanced at Rocky, "So it''s possible that tomorrow we might face even more demons. Commander Rocky must be very cautious. I will also arrange for archers and mages to provide support from atop the high walls."


    Once Lin Feng had finished speaking, the look on Rocky''s face turned sour, and his previous excitement and good mood vanished completely.


    He thought hard with his brows furrowed for a good while before speaking, "Rest assured, Captain Lin Feng, I will be cautious."


    With those words, he returned to the camp with Liliya and Monte.


    For the rest of the day, the demons did not appear again, but because of the previous battle, it was clear that the demons had arrived. Therefore, neither the troops from Backhill Village nor people like Rocky dared to take it lightly, particularly at night. Lin Feng left half of his troops to keep watch on the high walls, fearing any unexpected incidents.


    However, the night passed by peacefully without any demon attacking.


    This was naturally good news for Backhill Village, but for Rocky, the opposite might be true, because it meant that the demons might launch their attack during the following day when it was his turn to guard!


    So when the next day came, and it was still dark, he got up early and began checking his Void Magic Armor, making sure there would be no issues with the armor during combat.


    As dawn broke, Rocky took over the defense duties from Lin Feng, leading his own troops for the handover.


    ......


    ......


    When Rocky stepped onto the high walls, Lin Feng and his troops started their rest. But as the captain, Lin Feng gathered with a few of the squad leaders.


    They intended to discuss the defenses going forward, but as soon as the topic started, the conversation turned to Rocky.


    "Captain, can we rely on these people?"


    "I doubt it; their soldiers are too nervous. A clear sign they''re greenhorns with no experience in big battles."


    Before Lin Feng could say a word, one squad leader beside him who was roughly the same age and had commanded a phalanx in yesterday''s battle, bluntly made that comment, showing his substantial standing among Lin Feng''s subordinates.


    "These soldiers from the Thunderhawk Mercenary Group¡­ are indeed average, but at least they have ten Floating Warships, and that''s enough," Lin Feng responded.


    Lin Feng wasn''t too impressed with the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad, but what he cared about the most were the ten Floating Warships Rocky brought with him.


    So afterward he said, "Let''s not worry about them; think about what we''re going to do next. The demons have come so suddenly, I''m afraid the events of half a year ago might repeat themselves¡­" S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Half a year ago, Backhill Village''s high walls were directly breached by a large number of demons, leading to heavy casualties in the village. At that time, Lin Feng wasn''t commanding a force of two hundred, but a force of seven hundred!


    And yet, despite that, the high walls were breached. With hundreds of Black-eyed Demons besieging them, both his troops and the village walls were as fragile as paper¡­


    Lin Feng feared that the current situation might unfold just like it did half a year ago!

 Chapter 85: Chapter 84: Leading the Charge!

    Lin Feng and his troops were discussing something, but Rocky had no idea what it was, nor did he have the luxury of minding other people''s business.At this moment, Rocky stood on the high walls of Backhill Village and had been standing there the entire morning.


    Having witnessed yesterday''s battle with his own eyes, today''s Rocky dared not take anything lightly, especially since according to Lin Feng''s words, demons would start appearing endlessly from the moment the first batch emerged. So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, demons would attack today as well! S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How he wished for some accident to occur...


    Standing on the high wall, Rocky hoped more than once for some accident that would prevent the demons from coming. Although this thought might seem cowardly, it is a natural human sentiment, as nobody in their right mind would want to fight demons unless they were mad.


    However, his prayers went unanswered. What was destined to come, after all, arrived.


    As noon approached and Rocky, who had been on high alert all morning, was about to grab some food and rest, the bell on the tower suddenly rang out!


    The sudden tolling of the bell immediately tensed everyone''s nerves. Rocky, who had just started eating, hurried to the edge of the high wall and when he looked beyond it, he couldn''t help but gasp!


    One, two, three, four, five...


    As he cast his gaze beyond the high wall, he immediately spotted a group of figures -- not just one, but a whole crowd!


    These figures were, of course, the attacking demons, and in an instant, a total of eight appeared!


    Oh, heavens...


    Seeing the eight demons outside the high wall, Rocky''s heart sank to the bottom!


    Even though Lin Feng had cautioned him yesterday that the demons were coming too quickly this time and that their numbers could be greater than before, the sight of eight demons appearing before his eyes still made Rocky inhale sharply!


    But at that moment, he had no time for surprise. After seeing the number of demons, he immediately rushed down from the high wall.


    "Everyone, prepare for battle!"


    Descending from the high wall, Rocky arrived in front of the Guard Corps and shouted loudly.


    And by this time, the guards were already aware of the demons'' arrival due to the bell and had readied themselves for battle under Monte''s leadership.


    However, despite this, most of the guards within the Guard Corps couldn''t hide their nervousness, especially after Rocky appeared.


    The expressions of the crowd were all taken in by Rocky, but unfortunately, with time pressing, he had no time to rally everyone again, so he could only shout, "Does everyone remember what I said before we set off?!"


    "We remember!"


    Before the mission, Rocky had told these guards that as their City Lord, he would lead the charge in battle; as their City Lord, he would become everyone''s most loyal guardian!


    Recalling Rocky''s words, the guards'' performance improved significantly, and they then followed Rocky out over the high wall, led by Liliya.


    Once outside the high wall, Liliya, the overall commander, gave the order, "Everyone, spread out by squads!"


    At her command, the hundred-strong Guard Corps instantly split into ten squads, ten people each, led by a squad leader, and then dispersed in front of the high wall.


    Fighting in squads was a tactic that Rocky, Liliya, and Monte had formulated the day before.


    After witnessing how Backhill Village''s troops fought, Rocky sought Liliya and Monte''s opinions. He wanted the Guard Corps to employ formations similar to Backhill Village''s troops to combat the demons.


    Because even though Backhill Village had two hundred troops, half of them were archers and mages, and the warriors confronting the demons head-on were only about a hundred strong¡ªexactly equal to the Guard Corps. This led Rocky to believe that if the other side could rely on that two-row formation to combat the demons, then his Guard Corps should be able to as well.


    The ideas he had were immediately vetoed by Liliya and Monte.


    The Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City had never undergone such training and therefore couldn''t possibly form formations. It''s important to understand that formations aren''t just for show; they require the soldiers to be in tacit harmony with each other. Such harmony can only come from long-term training and repeated battles, abilities that the Guard Corps currently lacked.


    However, after rejecting Rocky''s suggestion, Liliya also put forward her own idea; she planned to divide the Guard Corps into small squads for combat.


    Compared to the troops from Backhill Village, Thunderhawk City''s Guard Corps was inferior in terms of experience, quality, and training. Therefore, it was impossible to adopt the same combat methods as their counterparts. But the Guard Corps did have one advantage¡ªequipment!


    Each of the one hundred Guards participating in the battle was equipped with two pieces of rune equipment. This was the greatest advantage of the Guard Corps. The defensive power provided by the two pieces of rune equipment was enough to elevate the strengths of the Guard Corps by a notch.


    By splitting the Guards into small squads and using this method to divide the demons, they could create a local advantage where one squad would face one demon. This strategy would allow them to leverage their strengths and avoid their weaknesses. As long as there weren''t too many demons, they would be able to fight back.


    It was because they were already prepared that, upon Liliya''s command, the Guards immediately divided into ten squads under the leadership of their respective captains.


    "What are they doing?"


    At this moment, Lin Feng, who had heard the bell, also led the people from Backhill Village up to the high wall. Just like Rocky the day before, they looked down upon the battle below from their vantage point.


    But when they saw Liliya ordering her troops to split into ten separate squads, someone immediately furrowed their brows.


    "Captain, do these people even know how to fight? They dare to scatter themselves against the demons. Do they think that a small squad of ten can hold off a demon?"


    Clearly, to the people of Backhill Village, Liliya''s tactics seemed like folly. Her idea might not have been wrong, but it was overly naive. While the dispersed formation could indeed create numerical advantage, one must not forget they were up against demons!


    Imagining that ten people could hold off or kill a demon seemed like a joke! And if they failed to do so, the situation would quickly reverse, turning into a horrific scenario where the demons would defeat the small squads one by one.


    Therefore, the people of Backhill Village were entirely dismissive of Liliya''s approach, considering it foolishness.


    Even Lin Feng frowned at this moment, and he promptly instructed those around him to have the Archers and Mages on the high walls ready for long-range support while also preparing his own troops.


    From these arrangements, it was clear that Lin Feng was also doubtful about Rocky and his team''s chances in the battle.


    However, even as these thoughts crossed their minds, Rocky and his companions were already in a state of serious readiness because, as they were dividing into squads, the approaching demons had already neared!


    Just like the previous day, the ones that appeared were still all Black-eyed Demons, and after emerging, they quickly closed in, reaching only a few dozen meters away in no time.


    "Everyone, hold your positions and wait for the demons to charge!"


    Liliya, who was leading a squad herself, held her Runic Shield and Rune Longsword in her hands. As she saw the demons getting closer, she ordered everyone to wait for the demons to rush in first.


    Her command was quickly relayed by the captains of each squad, ensuring that all Guards remained stationary.


    But just as Liliya issued her order, the Black-eyed Demons made their move!


    The eight Black-eyed Demons suddenly accelerated and charged toward the assembled warriors!


    Although there were only eight demons, they must not be underestimated for they were true monsters!


    Each of these formidable beasts stood over two meters tall. With each step, the ground would quake, and their charging speed was incredibly fast, so the impact and shock from just eight demons mimicked the charge of an army of thousands!


    Faced with such a staggering charge, everyone on the battlefield was extremely tense, except for one person¡ªRocky!


    As the eight Black-eyed Demons charged forward, Rocky, dressed in the Void Magic Armor, lifted off the ground. Gradually ascending, he then suddenly sped up, shooting towards the demons like an arrow released from a bow!


    True to the words he spoke before he departed, as the City Lord, he was to lead the charge in the battle against the demons!


    PS: The battle has begun! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations!

 Chapter 86: Chapter 85 Mana Sparkle

    They both charged at each other at the same time, Rocky and the demon moving so fast that it only took a few blinks of an eye for the two to crash into each other fiercely!Like an arrow released from the string, Rocky collided head-on with the demon at the forefront. This wasn''t just a figure of speech, he had literally slammed right into the demon. The tremendous force of the impact had flipped over the two-meter-tall black-eyed demon!


    Having flipped the demon over, Rocky didn''t engage with it any further. Instead, he soared into the air, and once he was midair, he immediately dove down, targeting another demon. This demon was his actual target.


    The demon chosen by Rocky was over two and a half meters tall, the largest and most ferocious of the eight demons!


    With demons, the saying "all bark, no bite" didn''t apply. The bigger and more horrifying a demon looked, the more formidable it would be! And Rocky, wearing the Void Magic Armor, naturally chose the most formidable demon as his target.


    He dove onto the largest black-eyed demon, and taking advantage of the momentum, Rocky swung his sword down in one fluid motion, striking the shoulder of the black-eyed demon.


    However, the demon''s skin was too thick. Faced with a side sword that had been enhanced with runes, which was at least close to two stars in power, the sword came crashing down only to leave a small wound on the demon''s shoulder.


    This strike didn''t seriously injure the demon; instead, it enraged the black-eyed demon, which let out a hoarse roar and immediately clawed at Rocky''s chest, scratching him twice in an instant!


    If it had been an ordinary soldier who was clawed by the demon, they would have definitely died, but Rocky was wearing the Void Magic Armor and had rune enhancement, so even though he was sent flying, he wasn''t seriously injured. Taking advantage of the momentum, he soared into the air again and dived towards the giant demon!


    "This commander... is quite brave..."


    Rocky, who was the first to engage the demon, naturally caught everyone''s attention, especially the people from Backhill Village on the high wall.


    And as they watched Rocky battle with the biggest black-eyed demon, they internally gave him a thumbs up for his bravery!


    "Yes, it''s because he''s wearing the Void Magic Armor."


    As they watched Rocky and the demon fight time and again, the people around Lin Feng felt somewhat envious. They were familiar with the reputation of the Void Magic Armor, but unfortunately, Backhill Village couldn''t afford such expensive equipment, so watching Rocky clad in the Void Magic Armor fighting the demon made these people extremely envious.


    "Stop the idle talk and get the archers and mages ready!"


    While others were focused on Rocky, Lin Feng had a serious expression. He didn''t need to watch Rocky because there was no danger to him in the Void Magic Armor. He was truly focused on the troops behind Rocky!


    While everyone was chatting, other demons had already charged toward the troops behind Rocky!


    These black-eyed demons seemed to have no brains, or maybe they just didn''t understand the concept of teamwork. Yesterday, when Lin Feng fought a demon one-on-one, the others charged at the troops, and today they did the same; while Rocky engaged the strongest black-eyed demon, the remaining seven demons charged recklessly at the troops behind him.


    And only then did the real battle begin!


    "Everyone, stay calm! Follow the command!"


    Leading her own small team at the very front, Liliya was shouting loudly while intently watching the demon closest to her team. This demon might not be as huge as the one tangled with Rocky, but it was still big, and from the direction it was coming from, it looked like it was targeting her team.


    As the demon drew nearer, Liliya raised her shield and ordered her team, "Shields up!"


    At a command, the rest of the squad raised their shields and simultaneously activated the mana in both their shields and armor, enveloping the otherwise ordinary shields and armor in a halo of light!


    Just a few seconds after the guards raised their shields, the black-eyed demon charged forward and swept its claw without warning!


    There were two thudding sounds as the demon''s sweeping attack hit four guards in succession, knocking two of them over with its immense force, while the other two were also pushed back several steps.


    But because they had all raised their shields in time, and more importantly, activated the mana in their shields and armor, they looked somewhat disheveled but did not sustain any real damage.


    "Surround it!"


    Ignoring the guards who had been knocked down and pushed back, after the black-eyed demon''s strike, Liliya immediately yelled out and led the rest to encircle the demon. The guards who had been knocked down and pushed back also got up and joined the encirclement.


    Thus, Liliya led her squad and completely surrounded the demon.


    "Others, look for an opportunity to attack!"


    Having said that, Liliya rushed toward the encircled demon and leaped high in the air, slashing it with her sword, creating a foot-long gash across the chest of the black-eyed demon!


    Liliya''s rune sword was even better than the side sword of the Void Magic Armor. If evaluated by today''s standards, this rune longsword would easily be considered a three-star weapon. Even the tough hide of the black-eyed demon couldn''t withstand such a slash, and blood immediately sprayed from the large gash across its chest.


    "Chi chi chi! Chi!"


    The severely injured black-eyed demon let out a scream and mindlessly swiped its claw at the nearest guard.


    There was a loud bang as the claw hit the guard, sending him flying several meters, but it did not kill him because his runic armor absorbed most of the force, allowing him to rise from the ground soon after and then rejoin the encirclement! S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Raise your shields! Raise all your shields!"


    "Raise shields! Activate the mana! Everyone stay orderly!"


    While Liliya was leading her squad to encircle a demon and fight it fiercely, calls for action and mana activation also continuously came from behind her, indicating that other squads were also engaging the demons in battle.


    Because everyone had begun fighting, nearly in an instant, the battlefield was filled with a blaze of light.


    This scene left everyone on the high wall dumbstruck!


    "My goodness ... how do they have such good equipment?"


    "Are these soldiers all wearing magic energy equipment?"


    As they watched the guards activating their magic energy equipment, everyone from Backhill Village was gaping, their faces filled with disbelief.

 Chapter 87: Chapter 86 Accident!

    "What''s the deal with this Thunderhawk Mercenary Group? They even provided their soldiers with Mana Equipment?!"When Rocky led his Guard Corps into battle against the demons, Lin Feng and the others, who were closely watching the battle from atop the high walls, were completely dumbfounded, their faces filled with astonishment.


    Before this, they hadn''t had high hopes for Rocky and his troops¡ªin the eyes of those in Backhill Village who constantly fought against demons, Rocky''s troops were nothing more than greenhorns. So much so that Lin Feng had already arranged for his own men to be ready to charge to their rescue at a moment''s notice the instant Rocky''s forces couldn''t hold out.


    But to their greatest surprise, the troops led by Rocky were all outfitted in Mana Equipment, which made all their previous judgments meaningless.


    Take the current situation, for instance. Lin Feng and the others, with their commanding view from the high wall, could see every corner of the battlefield.


    In their eyes, the situation on the battlefield was utterly chaotic; at first glance, it seemed no different from a scattered mess. This wasn''t surprising, as Liliya''s tactics involved dividing the troops into small teams to isolate and pick off the demons one by one. Plainly spoken, the tactic was nothing more than a bunch of people ganging up on one demon.


    Naturally, the battlefield looked disorganized, even chaotic, unlike the ordered battle formations Lin Feng and the others were accustomed to.


    For this very reason, the people of Backhill Village weren''t optimistic about the battle. They believed Rocky was bound to fail, and might even crumble at the first blow.


    However, once the battle truly commenced, the expected outcome did not occur.


    Contrary to what Lin Feng and the others had imagined, when Rocky''s troops began to divide and surround the demons in small team formations, not only did these small teams not crumble under the claws of the demons, but they also managed to pin down their respective demons!


    Such an outcome was, of course, thanks to the Guard Corps'' Mana Equipment! sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If the quality of Thunderhawk City''s Guard Corps was considered on its own, it was indeed quite average. Faced with the attacks of demons, most guards would be knocked back instantly, some even blasted away. But because they were wearing two pieces of Mana Equipment, even though these guards couldn''t withstand the attacks, they also sustained no casualties.


    Those who were knocked back or flung away would simply get back up from the ground and rejoin the fight.


    Meanwhile, even though the overall quality of the Guard Corps wasn''t top-notch, some individuals shone particularly bright. There was no need to mention Rocky, clad in his Void Magic Armor. Besides him, the performances of Liliya and Monte also took the people of Backhill Village by surprise.


    Liliya on the battlefield was like a dazzling rose among a group of men, her presence as imposing as any. In terms of prowess and bravery, she was second to none, and she even took on a demon by herself with merely Third Level strength!


    And the reason Liliya could challenge a demon alone was, naturally, due to her full set of Rune Equipment, which made the people of Backhill Village envious.


    Of course, Lin Feng and the others did not know that Liliya was wearing Rune Equipment. They all thought it was a set of Mana Equipment, and they were incredibly envious. It was an entire set of Mana Equipment, after all! In terms of equipment quality, if Rocky''s Void Magic Armor was ranked first, then Liliya''s set of Mana Equipment must be second.


    Therefore, from the beginning of the battle, Liliya became the center of everyone''s attention, even more so than Rocky. After all, who wouldn''t enjoy casting their eyes upon a beautiful woman shining brightly?


    Another focus of the crowd''s attention was Monte.


    The people of Backhill Village felt conflicted about Monte. They recognized his strength, but let''s not forget that Monte was missing a hand, making him, in their eyes, essentially disabled.


    That had led to plenty of behind-the-scenes talk. They really couldn''t understand why Rocky would put a disabled person in charge of his team.


    But after the battle with the demons started, those with such thoughts, especially those who saw Monte as a disabled man, were all silenced because Monte was incredibly fierce on the battlefield!


    Being a Beastman, Monte also stood well over two meters tall, a height comparable to that of the Black-eyed Demons, making it so their encounters resulted in a fight beyond ordinary people''s imagination.


    The towering Beastman faced the Black-eyed Demon without backing down, going Head-to-Head with brute force. In particular, his Broadaxe, which was larger than a basin and etched with runes, combined with Monte''s inherent strength as a fifth-level warrior, allowed him to knock the ferocious Black-eyed Demon flat in their first clash, completely befuddling it.


    "Looks like we don''t need to make a move..."


    Assessing the situation of the battlefield, Lin Feng let out a sigh of relief and said with a smile to the people around him, who also nodded in agreement.


    Lin Feng''s assessment was correct. At that moment, Rocky and the others were still engaged in fierce battle, but such fighting wouldn''t last long. As soon as either Rocky, Monte, or Liliya managed to defeat the demon they were facing, the other teams would receive their support.


    That would significantly increase the speed at which demons were killed, and the battle would swiftly come to its concluding phase.


    In fact, Monte and Liliya had already overwhelmed their respective demons and would soon eliminate them. Under these circumstances, indeed, there was no need for Lin Feng and his group to provide support.


    "Make way! Make way! Let me see"


    "Step aside, don''t block the way!"


    Just as Lin Feng eased up, convinced that the battle was well in hand and he needn''t lift a finger, a crisp voice suddenly emerged atop the high wall. A figure promptly pushed through the crowd and ran to the edge of the wall, peering excitedly down at the scene unfolding below.


    This person... was naturally Dusa.


    Having hidden in Liliya''s tent, Dusa had stayed inside all this time, so she was quite stifled these past few days. As soon as she heard the battle had begun, she couldn''t contain her boredom any longer and dashed out.


    Dusa pushed through the crowd on the high wall and then looked toward the battlefield, immediately spotting her father.


    At that moment, Monte was locked in intense combat with the Black-eyed Demon, beating it back soundly. Seeing this, Dusa became ecstatic. She jumped up and down with joy and said to those around her, "Did you see that? That''s my father! That''s my father!"


    After saying this, she couldn''t contain her excitement and shouted toward the battlefield, "Dad! Go for it! Go for it!"


    Damn it!


    Lin Feng immediately cursed inwardly, realizing too late that Dusa had the audacity to shout in such a way!


    Dusa''s voice might have been ignored by others on the battlefield or not heard at all, but Monte did hear it!


    Monte, who was pressing the demon hard in battle, suddenly heard his daughter''s voice. He looked back in surprise, quickly spotting Dusa on the wall gesturing towards him¡ªa sight that left him utterly shocked.


    In that moment of astonishment, the Black-eyed Demon he had been beating back fiercely launched an attack and swept its claw towards Monte''s head!


    Feeling the rush of wind, Monte, regaining his wits, dodged just in time to avoid a blow to the head, but his shoulder was struck hard by the demon''s claw. Not only was he sent staggering backward, but his shoulder was also torn open, revealing flesh and blood.


    Simultaneously, Liliya also heard Dusa''s voice, prompting her to glance unconsciously at the high wall and then towards Monte. She witnessed the very moment Monte was hit but was blindsided by an immense object charging at her. Liliya didn''t even grasp what was happening before being sent tumbling away!


    In an instant, just an instant, the formerly orderly battlefield descended into chaos!


    PS: Little Dusa has caused trouble, seeking everyone''s support! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations!

 Chapter 88: Chapter 87: The Mainstay

    "Captain! Captain!""Instructor!"


    Monte and Liliya had been knocked down by demons one after another, causing their squads to fall into disarray in an instant, and this chaos undoubtedly gave demons the chance to break through the encirclement in a blink of an eye!


    The two squads, which had originally been the most promising to kill the demons first, had their ranks scattered first at that moment!


    At this time, the other squads also noticed the situation here, and when the guards saw that the squads led by Liliya and Monte were scattered, and that Liliya and Monte were knocked down, the biggest weakness of the new soldiers was exposed!


    The Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City had never seen the battlefield, hence regardless of age, all guards were new soldiers, and one of the most fatal flaws of new soldiers is the inability to fight a battle against the odds.


    The reason the guards had been able to hold back the demons on the battlefield was firstly because Rocky, the City Lord, charging at the front had greatly boosted morale, making everyone feel high-spirited; secondly, it was because Rocky, Liliya, and Monte were the backbone of the guards, and everyone felt that as long as the three of them were there, the battle could surely be won.


    This thought might have been somewhat naive, but it was the basic motivation that kept everyone willing to confront the demons, and when the actual battle started, the situation indeed matched everyone''s expectations.


    Rocky, Liliya, or Monte all fought with extraordinary bravery, the demons which seemed like monsters to others were completely suppressed by the trio, further inspiring the guards'' morale, and letting everyone hold their ground no matter what under the attack of the demons.


    But now, due to Dusa''s appearance, Monte and Liliya had both faced accidents consecutively, and two of the three backbones had fallen in an instant, which was a huge blow to the guards'' psyches. The squads they led were the first to fall into chaos, and this chaos quickly spread to the other squads, throwing the entire situation into disarray.


    Although there is a reason for this, and although the downed Monte and Liliya actually stood up again very quickly, don''t forget that this is a battlefield, and most people do not know what exactly has happened; everyone only knows that both backbone figures like Monte and Liliya had been struck down by demons, and the previously soaring morale suddenly plummeted.


    This is the most common problem with new soldiers on the battlefield. Due to a lack of experience, they cannot judge the situation on their own, coupled with a lack of mental fortitude, often resulting in extreme displays of either excessive morale or complete despondency.


    The guards of Thunderhawk City are now in such a state.


    And when morale plummeted, the guards fell completely into chaos, and as chaos broke out, the situation on the battlefield also changed immediately!


    The demons, which had been tightly encircled, started slaughtering in all directions as soon as the guards began to panic, and in the wake of the demons'' wilful rampage, the solid encirclement was breached, and as soon as the circle was broken, casualties followed. Guards were injured by the claws of demons for failing to dodge in time, and some even fell never to rise again.


    "Don''t panic! Hold your ground! Captain Liliya is fine!"


    "Everybody, don''t panic! Stay calm!"


    "Instructor Monte is fine, don''t let the chaos get to you!"


    As chaos began to spread on the battlefield, the captains of each squad still tried to remain calm, doing their utmost to stabilize others, but it had no effect, and the chaos continued unabated.


    Almost in an instant, the tide of the battle had completely turned!


    "How... How could this... How could this happen..."


    The battlefield became chaotic in an instant, leaving the previously elated Dusa stunned, the naive girl having no idea what had happened; everything was fine just moments ago, so how did it all change so suddenly?


    "Someone! Get her out of here!" S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, Lin Feng also furrowed his brows deeply. At his command, the dazed Dusa was hurriedly sent down the tall wall, and then he quickly turned his attention to the battlefield.


    Actually, based on Dusa''s behavior just now, Lin Feng had already figured out her identity, and with his experience, he could tell from Monte''s surprised expression the ins and outs of the situation; this also filled him with a profound sense of helplessness.


    Since ancient times, there has been a rule that soldiers going off to war can''t bring their wives and children. Why can''t soldiers take their wives and children into battle? Just look at Monte''s behavior just now, and you will understand.


    Once soldiers are on the battlefield facing the enemy, if their hearts are still tied to their loved ones at home, they will become deserters if they don''t die in battle! Dusa''s appearance was clearly a violation of this taboo!


    However, it was too late to say anything now. Although Dusa had been driven down from the tall wall, the battlefield was already in chaos, and a trend of defeat had become apparent. Lin Feng immediately gave the order for the Backhill Village troops to prepare to strike; he wanted to lead the charge and support them.


    But just at this moment, as the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City had already become hopelessly disorganized, and the trend of defeat was inevitable, Lin Feng was just about to lead the Backhill Village troops to support them when a miserable wail that pierced the entire sky suddenly came.


    "Ssshh ssshh ssshh! Ssshh ssshh!!"


    The wailing was ear-piercingly loud, so tragic that it made one''s blood run cold. It not only rang through the entire sky but also reached the ears of everyone as soon as it appeared. People on the battlefield heard it, those on the tall walls heard it, even the villagers of Backhill Village heard it!


    This terrible wailing made everyone, whether on the battlefield, on the high walls, or the Demons wreaking havoc everywhere, look in one direction at the same moment: the source of the sound.


    In fact, the source of the wailing was not far from everyone¡ªit was at the edge of the battlefield, exactly where Rocky was!


    Due to the previously rapid change in the situation, many people had overlooked Rocky''s presence and had even forgotten him. But, when they paid attention to him once more, they were met with an incredibly shocking scene.


    At this very moment, Rocky, with his long sword in hand, was stabbing towards the Black-eyed Demon. He thrust his sword fiercely into the demon''s chest, then out its back, impaling the massive Black-eyed Demon clear through!


    The Black-eyed Demon, pierced through the chest by the sword, kept wailing mournfully. The sound was eerie, and with a resentful flailing of its claws, it seemed as though it wanted to drag Rocky down with it to death.


    But it had no chance for that, as after impaling it with his sword, Rocky pressed down on the hilt with both hands and with a swift slash, split the Black-eyed Demon open from its chest!


    "My God..."


    "What did he just do..."


    This bloody scene left everyone stunned, and some even felt a wave of nausea churning in their stomachs.


    After cleaving the Demon in two, Rocky slowly turned around, holding his blood-drenched sword as he looked back over the battlefield.


    At that moment, he seemed like a God of Slaughter himself, not only shocking everyone present but also stunning the remaining Demons!


    Seeing the battlefield in utter disarray, Rocky didn''t hesitate as he leaped into the air and then flew towards the center of the combat zone!


    The cornerstone of the Guard Corps had finally arrived!


    ps: Seeking recommendations!

 Chapter 89: Chapter 88 Reversal!

    When Rocky parachuted onto the battlefield, the guards and demons hadn''t even snapped out of the shock from the previous moment.And it wasn''t Rocky who finally brought everyone back to their senses, but another scream!


    Rocky, who had parachuted into the fray, targeted a dazed demon and, after knocking it down with a sword, he slashed at the demon three times with his long sword, drawing continuous screams from the creature.


    However, it must be admitted that demons are truly monstrous in nature. Even after being sliced by Rocky three times in a row, this demon still didn''t die until Rocky used all his strength to deliver a fourth blow, finally severing the demon''s head!


    With the beheading of the demon, everyone on the battlefield finally snapped back to reality.


    The Guard Corps, now reinvigorated, were completely different from before; just moments ago on the verge of collapse, they now surged with morale, changing the dynamics of the battlefield once again.


    The chaotic battlefield seemed to stabilize instantly; with the direction of various squad leaders, the guards once again surrounded the demons completely, and all the previous chaos seemed as if it had never occurred¡ªaside from the dead demons and injured guards.


    At this point, it''s worth mentioning the leaders assigned by Liliya to the squads. These were truly the elite of the Guard Corps.


    When all the guards were in disarray, leaders like Sandro didn''t lose their footing. They still tried to control the situation, and although they had little effect, their efforts were undoubtedly commendable.


    Indeed, it was thanks to them that, with Rocky joining the fray, the guards quickly encircled the demons again. Monte and Liliya also took this opportunity to recover and joined Rocky in a counterattack.


    The situation, which was on the verge of collapse, turned around just like that, and the catalyst for this change was clearly Rocky.


    Killing the demon he was entangled with was a very common occurrence for Rocky, so common that no one bothered to pay attention. However, the timing of his kill was critical.


    The moment he killed the demon coincided precisely with the Guard Corps'' descent into chaos and the brink of defeat. This timing was pivotal, and combined with his God of Slaughter-like descent onto the battlefield and swift elimination of a demon, he steadied the hearts of the bewildered guards, allowing them to regain their pillar of support.


    Rocky was that pillar of support for the guards!


    In their eyes, Rocky''s status was irreplaceable. He was not only the City Lord in their hearts but also the mightiest warrior they looked up to.


    Interestingly, after Rocky joined the fight, not only did the morale of the guards swell because of his presence, but even the demons were affected!


    Perhaps it was because he had killed their ''boss'', the surrounded demons no longer displayed the same arrogance. When Rocky set his sights on them, these demons actually began to wail mournfully, and their pitch-black eyes revealed fear.


    Given this, the outcome of the subsequent battle was self-evident. Rocky, Liliya, and Monte began picking off the surrounded demons one by one. The demons were quickly laid out on the ground, and in no time, all were slain!


    "We won! We won! We won!"


    "We won! Haha! We won!"


    "We won!"


    When the last demon was pinned under Rocky''s foot, and his long sword pierced its head, it wasn''t clear which guard started the victorious chant, but soon that cry connected into a chorus, becoming waves of cheers. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Amidst the cheering, Rocky pulled his sword out of the demon''s skull and turned to face the incessant cheers of the guards.


    As he slowly turned around, the cheering of the guards came to a sudden halt. Everyone was looking at him, watching as Rocky slowly raised his long sword, watching as a smile spread across his face streaked with demon blood.


    "We... won!!!"


    Facing his own Guard Corps, Rocky raised his blood-drenched sword high and declared victory!


    As he finished his statement, the guards all lifted their weapons, erupting into even louder cheers!


    They had won!


    "You''re not hurt, are you?"


    In the midst of deafening cheers, Liliya approached Rocky, eyeing his bloody figure, and asked with concern.


    "No, it''s all demon blood."


    While shaking his head, Rocky reached out to wipe the blood off Liliya''s cheek, causing her to blush, but he promptly said, "Take the injured into the village immediately, and see to Monte. Dress his wounds as quickly as possible."


    The recent chaos had left many among the Guard Corps wounded, especially Monte, whose injuries were severe. Without wasting time on further conversation with Liliya, Rocky sent her to tend to the wounded, then called over Sandro.


    "Ci... Commander!"


    Seeing Rocky wave for him, Sandro quickly ran to his side with a face full of joy¡ªit was unclear whether his happiness derived from their recent victory or from Rocky calling out to him.


    "Sandro, take some men and carry the demons'' bodies into the village," Rocky ordered. "Freeze them with Ice Magic. These are our spoils of war, understood?"


    "Yes, my lord. Rest assured!" Sandro responded.


    With his agreement, Sandro ran into the cheering crowd and called several guards to start cleaning up the battlefield.


    Although the battle had been fierce and they had ultimately won, Rocky hadn''t let success cloud his judgment¡ªhe still remembered to seize their rightful spoils of war, the bodies of eight demons, which, even if some were damaged, could be sold for a substantial sum of money!


    Once everything was taken care of, he led his people back to Backhill Village.


    As they passed through the tall gates, the victorious Rocky and his troops were greeted by Lin Feng and others, who had been waiting for some time.


    "Commander Rocky, that was a splendid victory."


    Approaching Rocky with large strides, Lin Feng couldn''t help but say.


    His words were no flattery; the battle had indeed been thrilling. The situation on the battlefield had shifted several times, keeping Lin Feng on edge as he watched, but in the end, Rocky and his men won¡ªand won handsomely, with minimal casualties.


    "Thank you, Captain Lin Feng. Please make sure that our wounded are well cared for by the villagers," Rocky replied.


    "Don''t worry, the injured will be taken care of by the villagers," Lin Feng assured him.


    The two had already discussed the matter of the wounded, with Backhill Village villagers being responsible for them, so Lin Feng simply nodded in agreement.


    After that, Rocky didn''t chat much with Lin Feng and immediately began preparing for the next battle.


    Although they had achieved victory, the day wasn''t over. What if more demons came? Rocky had to be vigilant.


    And so, Rocky and the Guard Corps, rather than resting immediately after their victory, continued to remain on alert in case of another demon attack, all the way until the night. Once Rocky had arranged for the night watch, everyone could finally rest.


    Even so, Rocky didn''t rest. He went straight away to check on the wounded.


    Although no one had died in the recent battle, many had been injured¡ªnine guards in total. Naturally, Rocky wanted to check on them, and after seeing to everyone else, he brought Liliya to Monte''s tent.


    Among all the injured, Monte''s condition was the most severe. Upon entering the tent, Rocky saw Monte with thick bandages around his shoulder.


    "Monte, rest and recover in peace. Liliya and I will take care of the upcoming battles," Rocky assured him.


    Rocky was naturally most concerned about Monte''s injuries and urged him to heal without worry.


    However, Monte''s reply had nothing to do with the troops, with Rocky, or with anyone else.


    "City Lord, how is Dusa doing?" he asked.


    "......."


    Taken aback by Monte''s question, Rocky didn''t know how to answer and simply looked at Liliya, who, understanding the situation, stepped out of the tent. When she returned, Dusa was with her.


    Dusa at that moment seemed like a completely different person. The vibrant young girl now appeared wilted, especially her swollen eyes¡ªit was clear she had been crying for a long time.


    "Father... I... I was wrong..." she said tremblingly, approaching Monte''s bedside and unable to stop her tears from flowing.


    Rocky and Liliya had guessed that Monte would probably roar in anger at this point, especially since Dusa had indeed caused a big problem this time.


    Unexpectedly, rather than erupting in anger, Monte just looked at his daughter and sighed, turning his gaze toward Rocky.


    "City Lord, Dusa has caused serious trouble. Don''t hesitate to punish or discipline her as needed, but..." he said.


    "Please let me bear the burden in her stead."


    "This..." Rocky was initially taken aback and then sighed helplessly, as the situation was indeed a difficult one to handle.

 Chapter 90: Chapter 89 You Must Be Strong

    Monte''s words put Rocky in a difficult position.This time, Dusa had indeed caused a huge disaster. If it weren''t for her, the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City should have won the previous battle in a splendid fashion, and there would have even been no casualties. But it was because of Dusa that the battle nearly ended in failure, and many guards were injured as a result!


    Facing such serious consequences, it wouldn''t be excessive to charge Dusa with the crime of disrupting the military''s morale, and punishment was certain because not punishing her would not suffice to steady the military''s heart!


    But what made Rocky feel troubled was that although Dusa was at fault, she had no malicious intent; she caused this disaster simply out of ignorance, so the principle "the ignorant are not guilty" could apply to her. Secondly, the main reason for the Guard Corps'' chaos was actually Monte and Liliya, so the blame couldn''t be entirely placed on Dusa¡ªthey both bore responsibility too.


    And the final point was that Dusa was Monte''s daughter!


    To treat Monte, Rocky naturally couldn''t act the same as he would with others. After all, Monte was his valued aide. How could he bear to punish Dusa in such a situation?


    Thus, Rocky did indeed find the situation difficult. The guards in the Guard Corps were already injured because of this matter. If he let it slide without any resolution, the guards would likely become discontented. But if he were to actually punish Dusa, Rocky couldn''t bear to do it.


    According to the laws of Thunderhawk City, Dusa had to be whipped for committing such a mistake!


    "City Lord, this was Dusa''s mistake. The brothers in the Guard Corps almost died on the battlefield because of her, so we must give everyone an explanation," Monte said, having noticed Rocky''s hesitance. "You don''t have to hesitate. Do what needs to be done. I will bear all the consequences."


    Seeing Rocky undecided, Monte spoke up again.


    He knew Rocky was in a dilemma, but Monte was even clearer that they had to give the Guard Corps an explanation, or there would surely be guards who harbored ill feelings. Such discontent would be very detrimental to both him and Rocky.


    "How about this? Let''s just make a note of this incident for now. Once the mission is complete and we return to Thunderhawk City, we will make a decision then," Liliya suggested from the side, offering a provisional solution.


    "That won''t do; such matters cannot be delayed!" Monte immediately replied, even before Rocky could agree or not: "The battle has just begun, and now is the time when unity is most needed. If we don''t deal with this matter, we won''t be able to fight in future battles!"


    Monte''s words hit the nail on the head. The fight had just started, and it was unknown how many more battles would follow. This was precisely the time to unite everyone''s hearts and make them cooperate. If the Guard Corps started harboring resentment now, it could indeed lead to big trouble.


    "City Lord..."


    As Rocky was torn, Dusa, who had been silent with her head down since entering the tent, suddenly spoke up. She looked at Rocky with her eyes still wet from tears and said while biting her lip, "City Lord, father is right. I caused a major disaster and should be punished. Please do not show mercy on my account."


    "But please promise me one thing," Dusa continued, glancing at Monte before turning back to Rocky. "I can bear the consequences of the disaster I caused, my father doesn''t have to bear them for me."


    ...


    Upon hearing Dusa speak so bravely, Rocky was taken aback. He hadn''t expected the girl-like Dusa to have such courage, especially because if she were punished, she would be whipped!


    Monte, too, was surprised by his daughter''s words but then showed a proud smile. This was his daughter!


    "Alright..."


    With that, Rocky could only nod, then he patted Dusa on the head: "Young lady, you''ve grown up."


    After saying that, he left Dusa in Monte''s tent. Now that everyone knew Dusa had come, there was no need for her to hide anymore. It was best for her to stay and take care of Monte. Immediately afterward, Rocky left with Liliya.


    And after Rocky and Liliya had left, Dusa sat beside Monte''s bed and, after a long while, still biting her lip, she asked:


    "Father, does the whipping hurt...?"


    "It hurts." Monte replied after looking at his daughter. "But you have to be strong."


    ...


    ...


    The night passed without words, and in the blink of an eye, it was the next day.


    Early in the morning, after completing the handover with Lin Feng, Rocky led the Guard Corps back to camp, but did not immediately dismiss the troops. To everyone''s confusion, upon entering the camp, they saw Monte, bandaged up, standing with Dusa beside him.


    Rocky stopped the troops and stood before all of them.


    "In yesterday''s battle, all of you performed extremely well!" Rocky said loudly to the guards: "Your bravery made the Demons tremble, and your strength shocked the Demons. I am proud of you!"


    Rocky''s words came straight from the heart because yesterday''s victory had indeed filled him with pride. The guards, hearing this, puffed out their chests, feeling proud of themselves as well.


    But then, Rocky''s tone suddenly changed, his expression turning serious: "However, yesterday some made a fatal mistake! This mistake caused many brothers to be injured, and it nearly resulted in our downfall!"


    "I will not tolerate such incidents!"


    With that, Rocky waved his hand, and Monte brought Dusa forward. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Monte, you are everyone''s instructor, and Dusa is your daughter. Tell us, how should this be dealt with?"


    After glancing at Monte, then at Dusa, Rocky asked in a cold tone.


    "My lord, Dusa attempted to disrupt the army''s morale during wartime and should be subjected to the whip."


    "How many lashes?"


    "Six lashes!"


    Standing straight in front of Rocky, Monte said loudly.


    As soon as he spoke, the guards all drew in a sharp breath¡ªsix lashes! Dusa was just a girl; how could she endure such severe punishment!


    Under these circumstances, someone from the Guard Corps immediately shouted, "My lord, please spare Dusa. She didn''t do it on purpose."


    "Yeah! My Lord, please let little Dusa go."


    "Please show mercy, my Lord!"


    Over two months of grueling training had forged a bond between the guards and their instructor Monte. Since Dusa often appeared during the training sessions, everyone was not only familiar with her but had also grown fond of the little girl, who was always hopping and bouncing around.


    Therefore, upon hearing that Dusa was to be whipped, the guards immediately cried out loudly for clemency on her behalf.


    However, in response to the pleadings of the crowd, Rocky simply waved his hand and then turned to look at Monte.


    "Monte, what do you think?"


    "My lord, please enforce the law impartially!" Monte replied without hesitation.


    "Very well."


    Rocky nodded at this response, which caused a pang in the hearts of the watching guards. But then Rocky spoke, "The mistake that Dusa has committed cannot be taken lightly, but considering that it was an unintentional fault, and she is not a member of the Guard Corps, therefore... let the punishment be halved."


    After saying this, Rocky glanced at Dusa, and she, somewhat timid but also resilient, nodded her head and stepped toward a large wooden stake in the camp.


    The stake had been erected by Liliya early that morning, specifically for the execution of Dusa''s whipping. So when Dusa approached the stake and embraced it, Liliya, who had been waiting nearby with a whip in hand, handed her a small wooden stick.


    "Bite down on this."


    As Dusa bit down on the wooden stick, Liliya tied her securely to the stake and whispered softly, "Endure it, it will be over soon."


    Thus, it wasn''t long before Dusa was bound to the stake, after which Liliya retreated to a distance.


    "Carry out the punishment!"


    At Rocky''s command, Liliya, standing behind Dusa, swung the whip, and with a loud crack, the lash struck Dusa''s back!


    The strike tore a bloody gash across Dusa''s back, prompting many in the Guard Corps to turn away, unable to bear such a cruel sight.


    Even Rocky, at that moment, instinctively turned his head away.


    Rocky was quite fond of Dusa, and since she was close with Liliya, he often saw the vivacious little girl bouncing around at the City Lord''s Mansion. He would not have allowed her this suffering if it weren''t absolutely necessary, if not for the exigencies of the situation.


    As for Dusa herself, after that first lash, she let out a whimpering cry, and tears streamed down her face.


    But the person who felt the most pain wasn''t Dusa; in fact, it was Monte. As her father, who could feel more heartache than him? But as Monte had said the night before, Dusa had committed a serious error at a critical moment, and this was the punishment she had to endure, lest it leave behind a grave hazard.


    While everyone felt sorrow for Dusa, another crack sounded as Liliya delivered the second and then the third lash!


    After three consecutive lashes, the execution was complete.


    Although the procedure was very brief, it felt longer than a whole day to those present. After delivering the third lash with her own hands, Liliya rushed to the stake to untie Dusa, only to find the girl had passed out...


    In that situation, Liliya quickly took Dusa for treatment, and an anxious Monte followed at Rocky''s gesture.


    Only after they had departed did Rocky turn his gaze back to those assembled.


    "I want everyone to remember what happened here!"


    Rocky''s expression was stern as he addressed the crowd, his tone serious and his demeanor solemn: "Here with me, no matter who you are, rewards come with achievement, and mistakes carry penalties. Do you understand?"


    "Understood!"


    Standing straight before him, the guards of the Guard Corps shouted in unison.

 Chapter 91: Chapter 90 Silence?

    The flogging Dusa endured was not only heart-wrenching but also made the guards understand the true meaning of the saying "law enforcement is as immovable as mountains."This was precisely why Monte insisted that Rocky punish Dusa.


    Because through this flogging, not only would the Guard Corps hold no grudges against Dusa and Monte, since the whip had already been cracked, but they would also develop a sense of fear, a fear that stemmed not from any person, but from military law itself!


    This was the most critical matter; once military law and military might were established, it would be infinitely beneficial for the entire Guard Corps.


    At the same time, Rocky''s actions were also observed by the people of Backhill Village and in no time had reached Lin Feng''s ears.


    Upon learning of this on the high wall, Lin Feng was first stunned, then smiled and nodded.


    "Commander, this Rocky is really ruthless, showing no mercy at all," someone said.


    "Yes, he''s too cruel," another agreed.


    The residents of Backhill Village were well aware of Dusa''s situation, as they all had been present the day before, so when they learnt that Rocky had dealt with the matter so promptly and had punished Dusa so severely, they all sighed.


    "This Commander Rocky does have some guts; it seems we underestimated this Mercenary Group before," commented someone.


    After nodding with a smile, Lin Feng also spoke.


    As the leader of his own unit, Lin Feng naturally understood why Rocky had dealt with Dusa''s situation so swiftly, and although it wasn''t of much concern to him, Lin Feng was, after all, collaborating with Rocky to combat the demons. Calling them allies was by no means inappropriate.


    In such a scenario, if Rocky could manage his own unit well, it would be advantageous and harmless for Lin Feng. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ensure that the village''s doctor takes good care of the wounded from the Thunderhawk Mercenary Group; they should not be neglected," he commanded.


    After giving the instruction, Lin Feng put the matter aside and turned his gaze towards the exterior of the high wall.


    Although he appeared no different than usual, he was very tense inside, perhaps even more so than Rocky.


    With years of experience combating demons, Lin Feng had detected that there was something different about the demons attacking Backhill Village this time, with the greatest difference being in their numbers.


    The demons attacking Backhill Village this time were too numerous!


    This statement might seem a bit off, as, upon careful consideration, the demons attacking Backhill Village totaled only eleven and had attacked over the span of two days, which didn''t seem excessive.


    In reality, it was the opposite, given that the mining in Backhill Village would continue for an entire month. During this time, more demons would be continually attracted, and their numbers would gradually increase. This meant that within this month, the number of demons attacking Backhill Village would consistently rise.


    This was precisely why Lin Feng was worried. If the second wave of demons amounted to eight, then what about the third? How many would appear in the third wave, and would it exceed ten? As for the fourth and fifth waves, how many demons would there be?


    One must know that demons were not only individually powerful but also numerous in number. The appearance of a swarm of demons would inevitably lead to a disaster.


    So while the initial two waves of demonic assaults had been repelled, this did nothing to alleviate Lin Feng''s concerns. After all, the number of demons in the previous two encounters had been below ten, which was still manageable. But when their numbers reached double digits, the battle would move to another level entirely.


    This was what worried Lin Feng and the cause of his nervousness.


    He had encountered a similar situation six months earlier. Back then, Backhill Village was much stronger than it was now, but it nevertheless fell to the greatly numbered demons. Whether they were his soldiers or the villagers of Backhill, there had been heavy casualties. Therefore, Lin Feng truly did not wish for a repeat of the scenes from six months ago.


    "Everyone, stay sharp!"


    With these thoughts in his mind, he couldn''t help but shout at everyone on the wall, leaving them bewildered.


    Meanwhile, after carrying out the flogging and assigning Monte to take care of Dusa, Rocky summoned Liliya, Sandro, Robin, and the other squad leaders to his tent.


    Although they had won the battle the day before, it also exposed many issues, such as the Guard Corps falling into disarray at a critical moment. If it weren''t for Rocky''s decisive action, the outcome might have been completely different.


    The blame for this incident was ultimately placed on Dusa, but that was just on the surface. The real issue lay within the Guard Corps itself. If their discipline had been stronger, if the guards'' mental fortitude had been higher, perhaps the chaos that ensued would not have occurred.


    It was normal for there to be problems during the Guard Corps'' first actual combat, but this was no excuse to ignore the issues. Thus, while the other guards were resting, Rocky had called the squad leaders to his tent to hold a meeting, or rather a post-battle summary, to discuss the lessons learned.


    But as everyone sat down in the tent and before Rocky had a chance to speak, Liliya couldn''t hold back any longer.


    Standing in front of the squad leaders with a solemn expression, she asked, "Do you think that the reason the previous battle went so poorly was all because of Dusa?"


    "This..."


    Perhaps because of the recent flogging, Liliya was in a bad mood, and her ominous expression looked particularly intimidating.


    Faced with her dour countenance, the squad leaders in the tent looked at each other and then all lowered their heads, with none daring to answer.


    Seeing no one respond, Liliya singled someone out: "Aga, you speak."


    The man named by her, Aga, was a middle-aged man, already thirty-five years old this year. Among the Guard Corps, he was the oldest and the most mature and steady. Hence, Liliya had appointed him as the leader of a small squad.


    However, after being named by her, Aga looked at her and awkwardly grinned.


    "Sandro, what do you think?"


    Seeing that Aga didn''t open his mouth, Liliya turned her spearhead toward Sandro, but just like before, Sandro, whose name was called, also hung his head.


    "Hmph, why aren''t any of you speaking!"


    When no one opened their mouths, Liliya snorted coldly and then said, "That''s right, having a young girl take responsibility for you, you really don''t have much to say."


    Giving a cold look at the crowd, Liliya was ruthless, immediately rendering a whole bunch of grown men blushing intensely.


    "You all should be well aware that the mess in the previous battle wasn''t Dusa''s fault, but because you didn''t do what you were supposed to!"


    "Commander, we did our best¡­ but when we saw both you and the instructor were taken down, the brothers really panicked at that moment¡­"


    After being severely scolded by Liliya, a squad leader next to Sandro said with a sense of grievance.


    His words were not wrong, because though the guards were in chaos, these squad leaders attending hadn''t descended into panic alongside them; they were all trying their best to control the situation.


    "You dare to argue!"


    As a result, the words of the squad leader directly inflamed Liliya. She glared with round eyes and said annoyedly, "When the people in your squad panic, isn''t that exactly when they need you! Otherwise, why would I appoint you as squad leaders!"


    After this remark, no squad leader dared to retort, for Liliya was absolutely right¡ªthey indeed hadn''t managed the members of their squads well during that time.


    So, the scene fell silent, until after quite some time had passed, Sandro, who had remained silent all along, suddenly stood up from his seat.


    "Commander, it is indeed our dereliction of duty."


    Looking at Liliya, Sandro''s expression was resolute, and then he turned to Rocky: "City Lord, as squad leaders, we failed to fulfill our responsibilities. Please punish us as you see fit, City Lord!"


    After finishing his speech, Sandro stood up straight before Rocky, and at the same time, the other squad leaders around him also stood up. They seemed to be waiting for Rocky''s reprimand just like him.


    But how could Rocky continue to scold them? Liliya had already done all the scolding previously, so he then said, "Sit down, all of you."


    After Sandro and the others had resumed their seats, Rocky began to speak, "What Liliya just said wasn''t wrong. As squad leaders, you indeed didn''t organize your guards well, but there''s a reason for this."


    "However, remember, for any military unit, discipline is the most important thing. Without discipline, even the strongest forces are no more than a scattered mob. As leaders, it is your responsibility to ensure on the battlefield that your squad is not thrown into disarray."


    "You may not be able to do this now, but you can''t forever be unable to do so. If that''s the case, then I will have to find replacements. Understood?"


    "Understood!"


    "Good, now, let''s talk about your feelings. Facing demons for the first time, engaging in direct confrontation with demons for the first time, how do you all feel?"


    After making a summary speech, Rocky began to let everyone share their feelings about confronting the demons. This was also one of the reasons he had gathered them¡ªto collectively exchange and sum up experiences so that they could perform better in future battles.


    Time passed like this for quite a while. When the squad leaders came out of Rocky''s tent, the sky had already turned dark; they had actually talked for an entire day inside the tent!


    "Strange¡­"


    Observing the dark sky, Sandro, who walked out of the tent, couldn''t help but frown, then turned to Aga beside him, "Big brother Aga, did you hear the bell?"


    "The bell? I didn''t hear it¡­"


    Aga shook his head, indicating he hadn''t heard the bell that signalled the attack of demons.


    "It''s already dark?"


    At that moment, Rocky and Liliya also exited the tent, and they too were stunned to discover the night had fallen. Then they looked at each other.


    "The demons didn''t come today?"


    Both reacted quickly. Seeing that it was dark, they knew that throughout the whole day, the demons hadn''t launched an attack. However, this didn''t bring them the slightest joy but instead made their expressions change.


    "Let''s go have a look!"


    After these words, Rocky rushed towards the high walls!


    The demons not attacking for an entire day was too abnormal!

 Chapter 92: Chapter 91 Where Did the Demons Go!

    The demons didn''t attack all day?This situation was so abnormal that it made Rocky immediately ascend the high wall.


    Upon reaching the top, he quickly spotted Lin Feng, who had been on guard there all day.


    "Captain Lin Feng, no demons appeared today?"


    "Yes... none..."


    Obviously, the quiet day had also left Lin Feng feeling uneasy. He frowned and glanced at Rocky, "No, not even a shadow of a demon all day."


    "Is this... a good thing or a bad thing?"


    As someone new to Backhill Village, Rocky wasn''t sure if this was normal or an anomaly, so he could only ask Lin Feng.


    But Lin Feng''s next response made his heart tighten.


    "This has never happened before..." Turning to him, Lin Feng said with concern, "Normally, as soon as the village starts mining, demons begin appearing one after the other. From the first demon, the attacks continue nonstop until the mining ends, and sometimes even longer."


    "So I''ve never encountered this before." After saying this, Lin Feng sighed, and it took him a while to muster a smile, "But you don''t need to worry. Maybe the demons will show up tonight, it''s quite common."


    Although demons previously appeared without interruption, they did not necessarily attack only during the day; sometimes, they started their assaults at night.


    "Alright, I''ll have the troops ready at all times. If you need support, send someone to notify us immediately."


    Since Lin Feng had said so, Rocky could only nod, tell him that he would keep the troops ready to assist at any moment, and then he left.


    Upon returning to camp, Rocky had no choice but to summon all the squad leaders, telling them to keep the guards alert at night in case the demons attacked.


    Once he had arranged everything, he finally managed to return to his own tent.


    After the battle yesterday and discussions with the various squad leaders all day, Rocky was completely exhausted. No sooner had he lain down on his bed than his eyelids began to droop.


    However, he couldn''t allow himself to fall asleep; he was worried something might happen during the night.


    Even though Lin Feng said the demons were likely to attack at night, Rocky was still very uneasy. After all, what if the demons didn''t attack during the night?


    Wouldn''t that mean when it was his turn to defend tomorrow, a bunch of demons would suddenly appear?


    If that were the case, it would be terrible because Rocky knew that a major reason they had won yesterday''s battle was due to good luck and because the number of demons wasn''t particularly high, staying in the single digits.


    If it were his turn to defend tomorrow and more than ten demons appeared all at once, that would be troublesome, something Rocky had to consider seriously.


    As he thought about it, he fell asleep...


    There was no helping it; Rocky was just too tired. Not only had the battle taken a heavy toll on his body, but the myriad concerns had also drained him mentally. Thus, once he lay on his bed, he fell asleep and slept soundly until dawn.


    After a solid night''s sleep, Rocky awoke and immediately cursed himself for his uselessness, rushing out of the tent. There, he saw the already prepared Guard Corps, everyone waiting for him.


    "Liliya, how was last night? Did the demons come?"


    While leading the Guard Corps towards the high wall to relieve Lin Feng, Rocky inquired about Liliya''s situation last night.


    But to his question, Liliya shook her head with a troubled expression, "Last night... nothing happened."


    "......"


    Such an answer immediately furrowed Rocky''s brows, because if the demons hadn''t appeared yesterday, they were definitely going to appear today!


    This was troublesome, as the Guard Corps had just battled the day before yesterday. Although they had rested for a day and were in better condition, continuing the fight with the demons might still be too much for them.


    Moreover, the injured from the last battle had not yet recovered, leading to an incomplete roster in the Guard Corps. A few missing regular guards could be overlooked, but the absence of Monte, a key member, undoubtedly weakened Rocky''s side significantly.


    More importantly, since the demons didn''t show up yesterday, the number appearing today would definitely be especially high, easily exceeding ten, and possibly even more!


    This made Rocky very worried about whether he and the Guard Corps could hold the high wall¡­


    It seemed very likely that they would need the support of Lin Feng''s team today.


    Worried sick, Rocky and Liliya climbed up to the high wall and began their day-long duty of defense.


    An entire day went by consumed with his worries!


    Yes, an entire day passed peacefully, and the demons still did not appear!


    When evening came, Rocky, worried that the demons might appear at night, didn''t let the Guard Corps return to the camp to sleep, but had them rest right at the gate of the high wall, ready to fight at any moment.


    But just like during the day, although everyone was very alert all night, it was a night tensely spent in vain, as the demons still did not show!


    What in the world was happening?


    Two consecutive days of tranquility increasingly worried Rocky, because it was unusually quiet to a frightening extent! S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In fact, Lin Feng was feeling the same way at this time.


    When Rocky personally led his troops to guard the high wall all night, Lin Feng also stayed awake all night. Surprisingly, he really hoped for the demons to appear that night because that was the only way he would feel at ease.


    But his hope did not materialize, as the demons did not show up.


    And when Rocky and Lin Feng again swapped their defensive duties, this heavy burden now lay on Lin Feng''s shoulders!


    Taking over the duty of defense, he was just as deeply troubled as Rocky and stood on the high wall for a whole day and night, yet still did not encounter the demons that should have appeared.


    Not only that, but after another three whole days, the demons still did not show up!


    To calculate it carefully, it had been a whole six days since the demons had appeared, as if these creatures had vanished without a trace.


    However, this situation was highly unusual for Backhill Village, because even when there wasn''t any mining happening, the demons would visit every now and then, albeit in smaller numbers. There had never been a memory of not seeing any signs of demons for six consecutive days.


    Now everyone was getting anxious, wondering, where are the demons?


    Where have the demons gone?!

 Chapter 93: Chapter 92: The Bell Rings Again!

    The demons disappeared...For six continuous days, the demons vanished without a trace, leaving everyone in great unease.


    This might sound strange¡ªaren''t the demons disappearing a good thing?


    No, it absolutely isn''t a good thing!


    Please don''t forget, the demons had occupied the land for a century now, every corner of the land bore the trace of demons, the only difference being in their numbers. Under such circumstances, their omnipresence was the norm, and their sudden disappearance was abnormal.


    This was especially true for Backhill Village at the moment.


    Both the group from Backhill Village led by Lin Feng and the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad commanded by Rocky couldn''t help but worry.


    They had prepared for continuous attacks from the demons, and according to past experience, once the mining began at Backhill Village, it always ended up this way without exception.


    But the exception occurred, with no attacks from the demons on the village for six straight days, nor even a sighting of a shadow, which immediately made everyone tense.


    Where did the demons go?


    No one knew the answer to this question.


    But in order to find out the answer, Rocky and Lin Feng didn''t spare any efforts, eventually deciding unanimously to dispatch a skyship for reconnaissance!


    Before this, the skyship had remained docked at Skybreaker Peak and hadn''t been deployed since the previous two battles were too minor to necessitate its use. However, the extended absence of the demons troubled both Lin Feng and Rocky profoundly, compelling them to send out the skyship for reconnaissance to be better prepared should any situation arise.


    On the other hand, the sudden disappearance of the demons, though unsettling for everyone, also had a silver lining for Rocky and his team¡ªit allowed many days for recuperation, and the soldiers led by Monte were mostly healed from their injuries.


    This was definitely good news worth celebrating for Rocky, particularly Monte''s recovery, which restored the former strength of the Guard Corps, allowing them to fight against the demons with full force once again.


    Moreover, Dusa, who had been whipped three times, had also nearly recovered.


    Her quick recovery was partly due to the robust constitution of Beastmen; despite being a young girl, as a Beastman, her recovery was much more robust than that of a regular human.


    Plus, credit must also go to Liliya who administered the whipping.


    The reason Liliya personally carried out the whipping was to set an example and to protect Dusa.


    Being a Third-Level Warrior, Liliya''s control over her strength was naturally much greater than an ordinary guard''s; thus, although her whipping looked severe, the lashes inflicted on Dusa weren''t very heavy, undoubtedly alleviating much of Dusa''s suffering.


    Since her recovery, Dusa had learned from this ordeal and had become obedient and well-behaved, now only moving within the camp boundaries, daring not to run around anymore.


    However, the young girl''s nature was inherently lively, so even though she had become much more obedient and well-behaved than before, she still couldn''t stay idle.


    Take today, for example.


    Today, as Lin Feng was responsible for the defense duties, the recovered Monte continued to lead the Guard Corps in training. Once her father left the tent, Dusa sneaked out, carrying her own bow and arrows.


    With her own bow and arrows, Dusa arrived alone in front of the post where she was once punished, then stood a hundred steps from it and immediately proceeded to draw her bow and nock her arrow.


    Although Dusa had become much more obedient in recent days, deep down, she still wished to fight alongside Monte and hadn''t forgotten to diligently practice.


    And it must be admitted that Dusa''s archery skills were indeed exquisite, claiming her to be a talent in archery wouldn''t be an exaggeration. Because Monte, who didn''t want his daughter to suffer any harm, never taught her archery, yet Dusa had managed to master the skill of Endless Bullseye through self-learning.


    Standing a hundred steps away from the post, Dusa pulled open her longbow and took a brief aim before shooting an arrow, and in the blink of an eye, a whooshing sound was heard as the arrow accurately struck the post!


    Afterward, Dusa began to shoot arrows continuously at a rapid pace. Although the speed slightly affected her accuracy, it was only a minor impact, and all the arrows she shot still hit the wooden stakes.


    "Hee hee!"


    Seeing that all the arrows she shot had hit their targets, Dusa giggled proudly, flashing her small canine teeth, then gleefully ran up to the stakes and plucked each arrow out one by one.


    But just as she had removed all the arrows from the stakes and was skipping back to resume her practice, the sudden jarring sound of a bell rang out!


    "The demons are here!"


    Hearing the bell from the tower, Dusa was startled at first but then she understood what was happening. The demons that had disappeared for so many days had finally appeared?!


    As she heard the bell, Rocky''s figure appeared above the camp. Hearing the bell, he used the Void Magic Armor to fly up into the air and then quickly headed toward the high wall. Soon after he left, Liliya and Monte also rushed out from within the camp, running toward the location of the high wall.


    "Dusa! Stay put in the camp!"


    As Monte was rushing toward the high wall, he brushed past Dusa in the camp and shouted loudly. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this, Dusa pursed her lips, clearly reluctant, but she suppressed the urge to join in and stayed obediently in the camp.


    With the demons finally appearing, Dusa no longer had the heart to practice archery and simply jumped onto a nearby stake, standing on a pole to look toward the high wall, but she couldn''t see anything.


    Looking left and right and seeing nothing, Dusa jumped off the stake disheartened and glumly returned to her tent.


    "Damn it, everyone treats me like a child. It''s infuriating!"


    Back in her tent, Dusa sat on her bed, pouting and very dissatisfied.


    "I''m already fifteen years old. My father had already joined the army at my age, but they won''t let me join the Guard Corps. It''s so annoying!"


    Sitting on the bed, Dusa complained while angrily punching the mattress, making it thump loudly.


    After complaining for a while, perhaps feeling tired, she simply lay down on the bed, muttering to herself about how boring it was, and imagining herself in battle, shooting flawlessly.


    In this daydream, she didn''t know how much time had passed until she sleepily opened her eyes, having unknowingly fallen asleep.


    However, as soon as she opened her eyes, still dazed and not fully awake, she suddenly heard a voice outside the tent.


    She knew this voice all too well¡ªit was her father''s voice!


    "Everyone! Get ready for battle! Prepare to support the troops at Backhill Village!"


    Hearing this, Dusa abruptly sat up from her bed and ran outside the tent.


    As soon as she stepped out of the tent, she saw the Guard Corps hurrying past her.


    "What''s going on? What happened?"


    After looking for her father to no avail, the confused Dusa had no choice but to grab a guard and ask.


    "I''m not sure, but it seems the number of demons is too great, and the troops at Backhill Village are almost overwhelmed."


    After saying this, the guard she had grabbed quickly left, joining the main force heading toward the high wall. In the blink of an eye, the entire camp was left with only Dusa alone...

 Chapter 94: Chapter 93: Wounded Soldier

    Before she could react, the entire campsite seemed to have emptied, leaving her alone. Dusa had just woken from a nap and hadn''t quite grasped the situation yet.Stunned for quite some time, Dusa finally looked up to see the sun still high in the sky, indicating that she hadn''t slept long¡ªjust a quick nap, at most.


    Having spent so many days at the camp, she had already figured out the defense rotation between Rocky and Lin Feng, and how they supported each other.


    It was Lin Feng''s turn to be on defense duty today, but the Guard Corps had suddenly been deployed. Could it be that the troops from Backhill Village couldn''t hold their ground?


    This seemed unbelievable to Dusa, as she had heard Monte praise the troops of Backhill Village, stating they were highly skilled. If they were to face off directly against the guards of Thunderhawk City, the latter would likely lose.


    Could it be that even such skilled troops couldn''t withstand the demon''s assault and needed support from the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City?


    Just how many demons had attacked this time?


    This made Dusa unavoidably worried, especially since Monte was also on the battlefield; she couldn''t help but feel anxious.


    Standing alone in the campsite, she then looked toward the tall walls, but they were too far to see anything, not even the sounds of battle could be heard, which only exacerbated her anxiety.


    Yet worry was futile. Although she thought of running up to the wall to see for herself, remembering the trouble she caused last time, she had no choice but to suppress such thoughts.


    With no other options, Dusa reluctantly returned to her tent to pick up her bow and arrows, deciding to try to calm her nerves with some archery practice.


    So, in a short while, she was in front of the wooden stakes again, continuously shooting arrows. Perhaps due to her worry, her aim was off, and many arrows missed their target.


    Instead of easing her anxiety, this only made her more upset. With nothing else to do, she pouted and irritably went to collect the Arrow Feathers one by one.


    Boom!


    Boom, boom!


    Just as Dusa was irritably gathering up all the Arrow Feathers, a sudden barrage of thunderous cannon fire reached her ears, and she quickly turned to look toward the walls.


    "Is that... the sound of Magic Energy Cannons?"


    Upon hearing the cannon fire, Dusa immediately realized it was the sound of Magic Energy Cannons.


    Could it be that the Skyships had been deployed?


    A small village like Backhill Village didn''t have Magic Cannons. The tall walls at the entrance looked impressive, but there were only two defense towers on either side, and no Magic Cannons on top of the walls. Therefore, the only option left to use Magic Cannons for bombardment was the Skyship.


    This meant that the sound of cannons signified the deployment of the Skyships!


    "What exactly is happening outside..."


    The roaring cannons filled Dusa with immense urgency. She hadn''t expected, after so many days had passed, that the demon attacks would become so fierce that not only had Lin Feng and Rocky taken their respective troops out one after another, but the Skyships had also joined the battlefield.


    Only now did Dusa understand why Rocky and her father had looked so worried over the past few days. It seemed that after lying dormant for so long, the demons had indeed launched a severe attack!


    But what kind of demonic force had arrived, strong enough that both the troops of Backhill Village and the guards of Thunderhawk City couldn''t hold, forcing the use of Skyships to bomb them?


    Being in the campsite, Dusa naturally couldn''t know the answer, but the less she knew about a situation, the more she wanted to investigate it. Thus, she was caught in a dilemma, debating whether she should run up to the wall to check for herself.


    Furrowing her brows, Dusa thought to herself: If she could sneak to the wall without anyone noticing, would there be no problem?


    Even if someone did discover her, she could just say that being alone in the campsite was too frightening. That way, her father wouldn''t get angry, right? At least the City Lord wouldn''t blame her, right?


    After pondering for quite some time, Dusa felt her idea was feasible...


    However, just as she was nodding to herself, believing her plan to be flawless, suddenly a group of people came running from the direction of the walls.


    "What''s this..."


    Recognizing the approaching group as the Guard Corps, Dusa realized that the guards were heading her way!


    Has the battle ended?


    Seeing the guards returning, Dusa immediately smiled, thinking that the battle must have ended.


    However, when she looked closely at these guards, she realized that there was a small squad of them, and they were carrying stretchers two by two, bearing the wounded on them!


    The battle hadn''t ended after all; these guards were returning to transport the injured!


    Seeing the guards carrying a stretcher towards the camp, Dusa hurried over to meet them.


    "Uncle Aga, has the battle not ended yet?"


    As she approached the guard carrying the stretcher, Dusa recognized the leader as Aga and hurriedly helped carry the stretcher while asking.


    At the same time, she glanced at the stretcher and, with that look, her whole being was stunned, no, shocked!


    "Sister Liliya!"


    Among those being carried on the stretcher back to camp was Liliya herself!


    Seeing Liliya on the stretcher, Dusa was instantly dumbfounded; she had never imagined that Liliya would be carried back on a stretcher.


    However, fortunately, Liliya''s injuries didn''t seem too severe, as Dusa saw her struggling to get off the stretcher when she looked her way.


    Unfortunately, her struggles were stopped by the surrounding guards.


    "What are you doing! Let me go!" Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing the guards pressing down on her, preventing her from getting off, Liliya shouted loudly, but this time no one listened to her.


    "Captain, bringing you back is a command from the City Lord, we can''t obey you!"


    "Let me go, you bunch of... Dusa?"


    Liliya, who had been struggling incessantly, caught sight of Dusa by chance.


    "Sister Liliya, what''s happened to you, how could you be so badly injured..."


    Helping to carry the stretcher, Dusa looked towards Liliya with an anxious face, her eyes already brimming with tears.


    Seeing Dusa, Liliya, who had been ceaselessly striving to get off the stretcher, calmed down a bit and then smiled at Dusa: "Little girl, sister is fine, it''s just a minor injury from being careless."


    Dusa couldn''t possibly believe those obviously comforting words; besides, she wasn''t blind. Liliya''s body was covered in blood, and although most of it wasn''t her own, a bloody wound on her arm couldn''t be hidden from anyone.


    Liliya was injured, and the injuries were far from light!


    Therefore, afterward, Dusa didn''t ask any more questions and, together with the guards, carried Liliya and the other injured back to the camp.


    After settling Liliya and the others, the leading Aga called Dusa to his side.


    "Little girl, the City Lord has an order for you."


    "Ah? What order?"


    Hearing Aga''s words, Dusa froze.


    "The City Lord ordered you to keep an eye on Captain Liliya; no matter what, she must not leave the camp. Also, the village doctor will soon come over with others. I will leave two people here; when the time comes, you need to help out, okay?"


    "Okay!"


    She nodded emphatically and agreed.


    After saying this, Aga left two guards who had also sustained minor injuries, and then hurriedly led the others away.


    Seeing Aga leading the people away in a hurry, Dusa suddenly remembered something and called out:


    "Uncle Aga, what about my father? How is he doing?"


    "The Instructor is fine, don''t worry!"


    Shouting back, Aga left the camp with his men, and hearing his answer, Dusa was also much relieved.


    However, no sooner had she calmed down than she turned to see Liliya''s figure.


    "That bastard Rocky... he''s really infuriating!"


    Standing behind Dusa, Liliya muttered and then strode towards the exit of the camp, obviously intending to return to the battlefield!

 Chapter 95 Chapter 94 Died

    "Liliya, sister! You can''t go!"Seeing Liliya trying to return to the battlefield, Dusa thought of Rocky''s instructions and hurriedly spread her arms like an eagle catching a chick, blocking her way.


    "Dusa, stop messing around!"


    Liliya glanced at Dusa and, without another word, walked around her. But as soon as she took a step, Dusa stepped across and stood in front of her again.


    "Sister Liliya, the City Lord has instructed me to keep an eye on you, so I won''t let you pass!"


    Biting her lip, Dusa was stubbornly unyielding, showing no sign of backing down.


    Her stubbornness frustrated Liliya. If it had been anyone else from the Guard Corps obstructing her, Liliya would have already knocked them down. However, she couldn''t do that to Dusa, so she just sighed.


    As she sighed, she suddenly felt dizzy. If Dusa hadn''t quickly supported her, Liliya would have almost collapsed.


    Liliya''s injuries were not light at all!


    Although she might not have suffered severe external injuries, the cut the demons made on her arm caused her to lose too much blood, making her unfit for further battle, which was precisely why Rocky had ordered her to withdraw to the village.


    Feeling almost faint, Liliya had no choice but to return to the tent with Dusa''s support and rest with the other injured brought back.


    Not long after, the village doctor arrived with the villagers and began treating the injured.


    Dusa naturally helped a lot during the treatment. Monte used to get injured often when he was still a Demon Hunter, so Dusa was quite experienced with such matters.


    But precisely because of this, when Dusa saw the wounds on the guards, she couldn''t help but exclaim.


    The guards brought back had very severe injuries!


    Although there had been casualties in previous battles, the guards had only sustained minor injuries and had recovered after a few days of rest, including Monte, who was the most severely injured. But this time, the guards'' injuries were much more serious.


    Among the guards who were brought back with Liliya, one had his chest torn open, a vast wound even tearing through his runic armor. When Dusa and the doctor were treating him, the guard was screaming nonstop.


    But he was relatively lucky compared to the other four who were brought back with him; their injuries were even more severe, and they had all fallen into a coma!


    How fierce was the battle still raging outside?


    All the guards involved in the direct combat were equipped with rune equipment!


    Although the rune equipment crafted by Rocky might not compare to Wensel''s creations, it still packed some power. The combination of a runic shield and runic armor could significantly boost their defensive power, and normally, not even a black-eyed demon could severely injure a guard with a single blow.


    Yet here, all these guards were severely injured, even comatose!


    What did that imply?


    It implied they weren''t just injured by a single strike from a demon; they must have been struck countless times to have such severe injuries!


    Just how many demons had come this time?!


    This question popped up in Dusa''s mind once again, and evidently, the only one who knew the answer was Liliya.


    So after she finished helping the doctor with the wounded, she ran over to Liliya.


    Now it seemed that among those carried back, Liliya was the least injured, as she was still conscious at least.


    But if you thought that, you would be gravely mistaken.


    Because Liliya was wearing a full set of rune equipment crafted by Wensel. The fact that she was injured even with such gear meant one could only imagine how severe the strikes she endured in battle were!


    Stay tuned for updates on empire


    "Sister Liliya, you¡­ you should drink some water first..."


    Seeing Liliya''s cracked lips, a somewhat clueless Dusa hurriedly got her a cup of water, then sat beside her.


    "Sister Liliya, how many demons have come outside, and how could everyone be injured like this?"


    "Outside..."


    Facing Dusa''s question, Liliya had just started to speak when another bout of chaotic footsteps came from outside the tent, and soon soldiers rushed into the tent carrying stretchers.


    More wounded had been carried in!


    Seeing more wounded being brought in, Dusa and Liliya naturally couldn''t continue their casual chat. Dusa immediately went to help, and after Liliya gulped down the water in her cup, she also stood up resolutely and went to assist.


    The wounded brought back this time were from the troops of Backhill Village, and the number of injured soldiers was over a dozen. In order to help these wounded soldiers, everyone was frantically busy, not even having time to speak.


    Compared to the injuries of the Guard Corps, the soldiers from Backhill Village were more severely injured. They did not have rune equipment to protect themselves; wearing only regular equipment, they relied mainly on experience when facing the attacks of Demons, and basically had no external forces to rely on, so once injured, it was bound to be serious.


    In such a situation, every soldier brought back had severe wounds. The worst among them had a leg brutally torn off by a Demon, and his screams filled the tent upon being brought in, but not long after, the screams disappeared...


    He died.


    The battle against the Demons had finally begun to claim lives...


    As the deceased soldier was carried out of the tent, everyone inside fell silent, even the busy doctor spoke softer when directing others, as if he was whispering.


    An invisible gloom shrouded everyone. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under this oppressive gloom, after who knows how long of hustle, they finally managed to settle the new batch of the wounded, and then the tent fell into a deathly silence.


    In this deathly silence, the wounded soldiers either lay on beds or on the ground, each with a vacant look, not knowing what they were staring at, while the doctors and villagers of Backhill Village all remained silent, some silently shedding tears.


    Their village was not large, and everyone recognized each other, so even though not all the deceased guards were their relatives, it left the villagers feeling sorrowful nonetheless.


    This mood also affected Dusa, who likewise seemed drained of energy. She stopped talking and just sat next to Liliya, starting to zone out as if worried about something.


    "You don''t need to worry."


    Seeing Dusa zoning out by herself, Liliya wrapped an arm around her and said, "You don''t need to worry, Monte will be alright. At least, he had no problems when I was pulled back."


    "Really?!"


    Upon hearing this, Dusa immediately turned her head, her face showing much less concern.


    "Of course it''s true. Why would I lie to you."


    "Then... what about the City Lord?"


    "The City Lord... that fool should be okay, I suppose..."


    Thinking of Rocky, Liliya felt a surge of anger. How could she have been injured if not for him?


    Unfortunately, not knowing what had happened, Dusa nodded upon hearing this and said with full conviction, "Right! The City Lord is so powerful, he certainly won''t have any problems!"


    After learning that both her father and Rocky were alright, Dusa''s oppressed mood improved, and she couldn''t help but ask, "Sister Liliya, exactly how many Demons came this time?"


    "Ten."


    Liliya glanced at Dusa and immediately gave the answer.


    However, her reply not only shocked Dusa but also made the villagers of Backhill Village look at her, disbelief in each of their eyes.


    Ten Demons?


    How could that be possible!


    The forces of Backhill Village combined with Rocky''s Guard Corps, how could these two forces suffer such severe losses against an attack of just ten Demons!


    But as everyone was incredulous, Liliya continued to say, "At first there were only ten Demons, then another ten came, and then another ten, and then another, until when I was pulled back, another ten had arrived."

 Chapter 96 Chapter 95 Continuous!

    Ten demons, then another ten, and then another ten, and then another ten, finally another ten!?Liliya''s words left Dusa and the others momentarily unable to respond. They weren''t sure if they hadn''t heard clearly or hadn''t counted properly, but they simply didn''t grasp how many demons there actually were.


    But without a doubt, there were a lot of demons attacking this time!


    Indeed, that was the case. Your journey continues at empire


    After hiding for so many days, the demons not only reappeared but did so like a relentless tide!


    The first wave of demons that appeared was indeed only ten, and this number had initially greatly relieved Lin Feng, who was in charge of the defense, because in his view, ten demons might not be few, but the troops of Backhill Village were definitely capable of repelling them.


    Not just him, even Rocky, who had rushed to the high wall first, relaxed, believing that Lin Feng would surely be able to hold them off.


    The actual situation was similar to what both had imagined. When Lin Feng led the troops of Backhill Village out beyond the high walls and engaged the ten demons, they quickly gained the upper hand, but at that moment, the second wave of demons appeared!


    The second wave of demons was also precisely ten in number. However, Lin Feng''s troops had only just killed three from the first wave, so when the two groups of demons combined their forces, their numbers reached seventeen!


    Faced with these seventeen demons, Lin Feng and his troops instantly lost all their advantages!


    The Backhill Village troops numbered two hundred, but half of them were Archers and Mages, equipped for ranged combat. Only a hundred warriors could directly confront the demons, which meant each warrior was faced with the task of taking on nearly two demons, instantly multiplying the pressure on Lin Feng and his troops.


    Fortunately, Rocky responded quickly enough. Almost at the same time the second wave of demons appeared, he had Monte mobilize the Guard Corps, and immediately thereafter, he led the Guards out over the high wall.


    Rocky''s timely support greatly reduced the pressure on Lin Feng and his troops, and with the help of the ranged units, they managed to steady the battle.


    But then, an unexpected turn of events occurred as the third wave of demons suddenly entered their field of vision!


    This third wave was also ten strong and charged directly into the battlefield on arrival!


    By the time this third wave appeared, Lin Feng and his troops along with Rocky and the Guard Corps had only just killed six demons, which meant that as the third wave joined the battle, the number of demons swelled to twenty-one!


    If one thought that twenty-one demons weren''t enough, then the following fourth wave of demons completely threw everyone into panic.


    Shortly after the third wave entered the battlefield, the fourth wave appeared, also ten in number, and quickly joined the fray, imposing an almost mountainous pressure on both Rocky''s and Lin Feng''s troops as soon as they entered.


    At this moment, Rocky made a quick decision. He flew into the air and released a massive Magic Flash, signaling the Skyship troops!


    Facing such a multitude of demons, relying solely on their troops was no longer viable, so he decisively called for the Skyship. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    About ten minutes after the signal was sent, the Skyship arrived with utmost speed, and then followed the scene Dusa witnessed with the sound of cannons.


    The timely arrival of the Skyship relieved much of the pressure on everyone, but the tide of battle did not turn in their favor because the Skyship had arrived too late.


    The greatest function of the skyship was to take advantage of aerial superiority to bombard demons with the enormous power of magic cannons which could deal heavy damage to demons.


    However, in this battle by the time the skyship arrived at the battlefield, Rocky and Lin Feng had already led their troops into close combat with the demons, with both sides entangled with each other, making it impossible for the skyship to conduct a wide range of bombardment, after all, magic cannons do not discriminate.


    In such a situation, the arriving skyships could only bombard isolated demons as best as they could, and although this had a certain effect, it was very limited, which is why Dusa heard only sporadic sounds of cannon fire.


    Thus, the battlefield entered the most brutal phase where Rocky and Lin Feng, leading their respective troops, were thoroughly entwined in combat with the demons, engaging at close quarters. And as the battle continued, casualties started to mount.


    This led to the scene where Liliya was injured and carried back to the village.


    With her strength, Liliya should not have been injured so easily. Clad in her runic armor, her defense was second only to Rocky, and she would normally not be harmed.


    The real reason she was injured was not that she couldn''t defeat the demons, but because she was protecting Rocky!


    In this battle, Rocky, wearing the Void Magic Armor, naturally became the primary force, because he could fly!


    The advantage of being able to fight in the air made him even more valuable on the battlefield than Lin Feng who had the highest rank, and Rocky himself was well aware of this. Therefore, he fought extremely bravely in combat, managing to entangle three demons by himself!


    To hold off three demons single-handedly was an act of courage that would make everyone give a thumbs-up.


    But such an act was clearly beyond his capacity.


    Rocky was indeed strong with the enhancement from the Void Magic Armor. If the combat power of everyone was ranked, he would only be second to Lin Feng, even stronger than Monte who only had one hand left.


    But please don''t forget, this strength came solely from the boost provided by the Void Magic Armor, and Rocky himself did not possess this kind of power.


    If the Void Magic Armor could provide a boost in raw power, when it came to combat experience, Rocky was severely lacking.


    He had participated in too few battles, which led to his serious lack of experience. This deficiency might not show when facing a small number of demons, but once the number exceeded a certain threshold, he simply could not cope.


    And so, as the battle went on, Rocky, who was holding off three demons, started to face increasingly dangerous situations. Multiple times he fell into extreme peril, often being snatched from midair by the demons he couldn''t dodge in time, and it was to protect him that Liliya got injured.


    By the time Liliya was injured and carried back to the village, she didn''t know what happened on the battlefield afterward, but she was certain that by the time she was evacuated, the fifth wave of demons had appeared!


    Yes, when Liliya was carried away, the fifth wave of demons arrived!


    Since Liliya was forcefully put on a stretcher when the fifth wave of demons appeared, she did not see the exact number of demons, but based on the previous situation, it could be inferred that there were no fewer than ten demons in the fifth wave!


    This is why she wanted to rush back to the battlefield as soon as she reached the camp. Liliya knew very well that once the fifth wave of demons joined the fight, the pressure on Rocky and Lin Feng would become even more enormous!


    This fact had actually been confirmed. The wounded soldiers who were carried back in succession were the best proof, with the increasing number of casualties clearly indicating that the pressure on the battlefield had reached unimaginable levels.


    In such circumstances, although Liliya kept comforting Dusa, she was far more worried than Dusa, equally eager to know the situation on the battlefield after her departure, wondering if a sixth or even a seventh wave of demons had appeared after the arrival of the fifth wave?


    PS: These chapters have been describing the battlefield indirectly; they might not be very dramatic, but don''t worry, a real big battle with the demons is coming soon!

 Chapter 97 Chapter 96 Tragic Victory...

    Compared to others, Liliya was actually even more worried about the situation on the battlefield, but unfortunately, just like everyone else, she could only wait in silence now. The only thing she could probably do was pray, praying that the gods would bestow their blessings.Regrettably, such prayers seemed futile, as more and more wounded soldiers were continuously brought back in the time that followed, undoubtedly proving that the battle was still ongoing and had become even more brutal.


    Time slipped away minute by minute, and the sky went from broad daylight to sunset. During this process, the number of wounded steadily increased, with soldiers from the Guard Corps and Backhill Village, amounting to dozens of people.


    In this situation, Liliya and Dusa didn''t even have time to worry anymore. They did all they could to treat the wounded, which was the most they were able to do.


    "Sister Liliya, listen..."


    After an indeterminate amount of time, just after she finished bandaging a wounded soldier, Dusa suddenly lifted her head. She looked towards the outside of the tent and said to Liliya, "Sister Liliya, the artillery fire has stopped..."


    "The artillery fire..."


    Dusa''s words made Liliya listen carefully, realizing indeed, just as she said, the constant bombardment that was heard before had unknowingly ceased!


    The cessation of artillery fire¡ªcould it be that the battle was over?


    With this thought, Liliya quickly put aside everything in her hands and hurried out of the tent.


    Upon leaving the tent, she immediately ran toward the high wall, but after only a few steps, she faintly heard a series of noises coming from beyond the wall¡ªthat sound... it was cheering!


    Cheering... had they won? Could it be that Rocky and the others had already won?


    The faint cheering from the other side of the wall made Liliya pause for a moment before rushing toward the wall!


    But just as she arrived in front of the wall, before she could climb up, the gates of the wall were opened, and soon after, people appeared, carrying a large number of stretchers. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It looked like the battle had indeed ended, and as soon as it did, the casualties from the battlefield were immediately brought back to the village.


    Under normal circumstances, this would all be expected, but when Liliya saw those carrying the wounded appear before her, she panicked because among these people was Monte!


    Monte was not lying on a stretcher; he was actually carrying one!


    Who could be injured that would make Monte personally carry a stretcher?


    The answer was self-evident!


    So Liliya immediately rushed toward Monte, and when she reached the stretcher he was carrying, she saw the scene she least wanted to witness¡ªRocky, clad in Void Magic Armor, was lying on the stretcher!


    "Rocky!"


    At that moment, Rocky, who lay on the stretcher, was covered in blood, his face as pale as paper, which left Liliya completely stunned. Even in times when she had been seriously wounded without as much as furrowing her brow, she now suddenly burst into tears.


    "I''m fine..."


    As Liliya uncontrollably started crying, Rocky on the stretcher lifted his arm and slowly grabbed her small hand, then he revealed a smile.


    It was evident that Rocky was trying to make his smile appear as manly as possible, but given his current condition and pale face, his smile wasn''t reassurance for Liliya, but rather it increased her heartache.


    So, without waiting for Rocky to finish speaking, Liliya eagerly asked, "Where are you injured?"


    "Do you still recognize who I am?"


    "Where does it hurt on your body?"


    "Can you move your leg?"


    As she ran alongside the stretcher toward the camp, Liliya bombarded him with questions in rapid succession, so quickly that Rocky simply couldn''t keep up with the replies.


    Left with no choice, Rocky had to muster all his strength to make a stopping gesture to her, and only then did the incessantly questioning Liliya pause, and at last Rocky had the chance to speak.


    "I''m not injured... It''s just... It''s just that the Void Magic Armor is out of mana..."


    "You don''t need to... worry..."


    Although it was a short sentence, Rocky spoke in fits and starts, indicating that he had no energy left even to speak.


    But he was not lying. Even though he lay on a stretcher being carried, he was indeed uninjured; the reason he was on a stretcher was entirely due to exhaustion, and on top of that, the Void Magic Armor had run out of mana.


    The battle that had just ended had drained all of Rocky''s strength, so as soon as it was over, he collapsed completely, unable to even stand.


    At the same time, the Void Magic Armor had also depleted its mana during the fight, and once the mana was gone, the full weight of the armor immediately pressed down on Rocky''s body, making the already exhausted warrior feel as though he wore a small mountain, and leaving him no choice but to be carried back on a stretcher.


    This explanation did not come from Rocky himself, as he lacked the energy to explain, but from Monte, who told Liliya. After hearing Monter''s words, Liliya''s breakdown eased, and she ran back to the camp alongside the stretcher.


    The troops outside the city walls returned to the village in succession shortly thereafter, and the outcome of the battle was self-evident¡ªthey had won!


    However, Liliya did not know how exactly they had won. Having returned to the village early, she had not had time to ask before she joined the ranks of those treating the injured.


    In fact, even though the troops led by Rocky and Lin Feng had won, the victory had come at a colossal cost. The casualties of the battle were staggeringly high, leaving those who heard about it dumbfounded.


    In this battle, Rocky and Lin Feng had led their respective units into the fray; a total of 300 warriors had entered the battle, but by the end, the number of those either wounded or killed was as high as 63, with 45 injured and 18 dead!


    With 300 joining the fight, 63 had become casualties, a ratio of one in five!


    But even this high casualty rate was not accurate, for out of the 300 who participated, a full 100 were part of a ranged unit. This means that these 100 supported the fight but did not engage in direct combat with the demons, leaving only 200 warriors who truly fought hand-to-hand with the demons!


    So, if we talk about the casualty rate among the warriors in this battle, the number would be even more staggering, exceeding one in four! That is to say, after the battle, on average, one out of every four warriors was injured, and out of every ten, a warrior was killed by the demons!


    The battle against the demons was just that brutal!


    A hundred years ago, there was a reason why the demons swept across the continent as soon as they appeared; that reason was that they were too powerful, so mighty that human strength could hardly compete.


    And today''s battle served as the best proof of this. And please do not forget, the number of demons Rocky and Lin Feng faced today did not exceed a hundred!


    So when the battle was over, there was no time to revel in the joy of victory. Treating the wounded, reorganizing the troops, and other matters awaited their attention because no one knew if the demons would attack again tomorrow, and everyone needed to continue preparations for the next battle.


    That night, no one in Backhill Village got any sleep; they were busy until dawn, when they finally got a brief moment to rest.


    "How are you feeling?"


    Sitting beside Rocky''s bed, Liliya saw that he had woken up and handed him a glass of water while asking with concern.


    Since Rocky was carried back, Liliya stopped attending to others, devoting all her attention to caring for him, and Rocky had fallen into a deep slumber upon his return, sleeping through the whole night before waking.


    "Much better..." Taking a sip of water, Rocky looked at Liliya and noticed she looked haggard, obviously having not slept all night.


    "You don''t have to take such care of me, I''m fine."


    Seeing that Liliya had been taking care of him, Rocky felt a pang of discomfort, but at the same time, his heart was warmed. Even though he knew his words would likely be in vain, he still hoped that Liliya would take some rest.


    As he had anticipated, Liliya gave him an indifferent look. "I''m not seriously affected."


    After saying this, she eagerly asked, "What happened after I left yesterday''s battle? Did more demons come?"


    Liliya had been very concerned about yesterday''s fight, even now that the battle was over, she still wanted to understand what had happened.


    Hearing her question, Rocky simply nodded. "They did."


    At this point, he took another sip of water and then continued, "After you left yesterday, the fifth wave of demons arrived, followed by another, making it a total of six waves of demons."

 Chapter 98 Chapter 97 Mission Change

    "In yesterday''s battle, a total of six waves of Demons came,"Rocky said flatly.


    But his matter-of-fact tone did nothing to reduce the impact of his words, and upon hearing this, Liliya couldn''t help but gasp.


    "...Six waves of Demons?!"


    "Yeah, during yesterday''s battle, sixty Demons came in total..." While speaking, Rocky glanced at Liliya and then, without warning, flashed a grin. "Heh, I killed four Demons in the fight! Pretty impressive, huh?"


    "Impressive my foot!"


    Seeing Rocky suddenly adopt a teasing and smiling demeanor, Liliya couldn''t restrain herself and, raising her fist, thumped him on the head!


    Didn''t he realize how worried everyone was?


    Struck on the head by Liliya''s fist, Rocky chuckled twice, and Liliya, helpless at his reaction, rolled her eyes before pressing on, "Since another wave of Demons came after I left, how on earth did you win?"


    With six waves of Demons in total, that made sixty of them! Although the Demons were being killed off during the process, it was not as fast as their arrival, which meant the number of Demons they faced kept increasing.


    Honestly, Liliya couldn''t comprehend how Rocky and the others could have possibly won such a battle; she clearly remembered that when she was carried back to the village, the forces on the battlefield had already been pushed to their limits and simply couldn''t withstand any more assaults from the Demons.


    "It was all thanks to the Skyships."


    Yet, faced with her question, Rocky directly provided the answer.


    The reason why they managed to win yesterday''s battle was that the Skyships played a crucial role!


    Although the Skyships joined the battlefield late, arriving when the fourth wave of Demons had not only already arrived but were entangled in combat with the soldiers, this caused the Skyships to fail to exert their full power, and their effect was extremely limited on the battlefield.


    However, as the fifth and sixth waves of Demons appeared one after the other, the significance of the Skyships became evident.


    When the fifth wave of Demons appeared, the Skyships directly bombarded them with fierce firepower. Ten Skyships firing in unison blew away more than half of this wave before they could join the battle.


    And by the time the sixth wave of Demons appeared, the Skyships followed suit, resulting in numerous casualties under their bombardment as well.


    Therefore, although two more waves of Demons arrived after Liliya had returned to the village, thanks to the Skyships, these waves did not exert too much pressure on Rocky and Lin Feng, at least not fatal pressure. It was for this reason that they finally achieved victory.


    "So that''s how it was..."


    Listening to Rocky''s brief account of the battlefield situation after her departure, Liliya contemplated as she nodded, then looked at him.


    "Rocky, what do you plan to do next?"


    Although they had won yesterday''s battle, the mission was far from over. Less than half of the month had passed, meaning the Demons would continue their assaults, and Rocky would have to keep defending.


    But after yesterday''s fierce battle, both the Guard Corps and the Backhill Village forces had suffered heavy losses. The Guard Corps had over ten injured and three fatalities; the number who could participate in the next battle would not exceed eighty.


    Compared to that, the losses of Backhill Village were even more severe. Due to the poor equipment of the soldiers from Backhill Village, over twenty were injured in the battle and more than ten died on the battlefield, greatly diminishing their strength.


    Because of this, it became impossible for either Rocky or Lin Feng to continue to fight the Demons with their own troops separately. Moreover, from the last battle, it was clear that there would be no more minor skirmishes against just a few Demons. Each battle from now on was bound to be a bitter struggle!


    So, how to defend became the current priority.


    And regarding this matter, Rocky had already made some plans, so he directly said, "From now on, both sides must defend together; otherwise, we will definitely not be able to withstand the Demons. I will lead the Guard Corps, and Lin Feng will lead the troops from Backhill Village. Each of us will command our own forces; there is no other way."


    It was quite coincidental that just as Rocky had finished speaking, someone entered his tent, and it was none other than Lin Feng.


    "Commander Rocky, how are you feeling?"


    As Lin Feng walked into the tent, he nodded to Liliya and then came over to Rocky''s bedside, asking with concern.


    "Much better, I reckon I''ll be fine after resting for one more day."


    With a slight smile, Rocky sat up from the bed and said, "Captain Lin Feng, you''ve come about merging our troops together, haven''t you?" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Feng''s arrival was not unexpected, much like Liliya was concerned about how to cope with the upcoming battles, Lin Feng would naturally think of this too.


    "Right, I wanted to ask for your opinion."


    Indeed, Lin Feng nodded directly, indicating that he was indeed there for this reason.


    Afterward, Rocky discussed the matter with him. They had no objections to merging their forces because both had mentioned this point at the start of the mission, and everyone had been prepared for it early on.


    So the issue was quickly settled after a brief discussion, with both sides agreeing to lead their troops together in the coming battles, each commanding their own teams.


    At the same time, the Skyships could not continue to remain idle above Break-Sky Mountain. The location where the Skyships were docked was a bit too far from Backhill Village. Although it would only take about ten minutes to get there, in the rapidly changing battlefield, this time was enough to determine the outcome of a battle.


    In fact, in the previous battle, if the Skyships had arrived earlier, the casualties of the troops would certainly not have been so great.


    Therefore, Rocky decided to dispatch two Skyships for patrol every day; on one hand, to provide early warning, and on the other hand, to allow these two Skyships to quickly join the Armor in suppressing the battlefield as soon as the battle started, before the other Skyships arrived.


    After they had finished discussing this matter, Lin Feng told Rocky about another issue.


    He indeed had other matters to discuss with Rocky.


    "Commander Rocky, I discussed with the village chief yesterday. The number of Demons is too great this time. If we continue fighting, I estimate that it will be difficult for us to last a month, so it''s been decided to shorten the mining schedule to twenty days."


    "Reducing the mining period means that your mission time is now twenty days instead of a month. But rest assured, Commander Rocky, the commission for the mission will still be paid as we previously agreed, and all the Demons killed in battle, including those we kill, will belong to you."


    "Commander Rocky, what do you think?"


    Having said that, Lin Feng looked at Rocky, seemingly waiting for his response.


    It was exceptionally rare, but in Lin Feng''s gaze, there was also a hint of nervousness, as if he feared that Rocky would refuse his proposition.

 Chapter 98 Huge Profits

    Watching Rocky, Lin Feng felt an unusual sense of nervousness, fearing that Rocky might refuse him.For the real purpose of his visit was exactly this matter.


    Just as he had mentioned earlier, the mining had indeed attracted too many demons, far beyond Lin Feng''s expectations, forcing him and the village chief to decide to end the mining early. Otherwise, Backhill Village would definitely not last a month.


    Another reason for this decision was that Lin Feng and the village chief hoped it would make Rocky stay!


    It wasn''t about having him lead his troops to stay in Backhill Village forever, but to stay until the task was completed, which was the most crucial matter for Backhill Village.


    The battle yesterday had devastated the village''s forces, not only were many injured, but many had died, greatly weakening their strength. Under such circumstances, the primary defense naturally shifted to Rocky and his led Mercenary Group, also known as the Guard Corps.


    Although the Guard Corps also suffered casualties in yesterday''s fight, the proportion was not very high, and they still maintained a considerable fighting strength.


    At the same time, the performance of the Skyships during yesterday''s battle was also impressive. Had it not been for the ten Skyships blocking the fifth and sixth waves of demons at a critical moment, the outcome of yesterday''s battle might have been different.


    Considering all these factors, Rocky and his Guard Corps had now become the main defense force of Backhill Village. Whether Backhill Village could withstand the next demon attack completely depended on Rocky, the Guard Corps, and the performance of the Skyships.


    Your next chapter awaits on empire


    This was why Lin Feng and the people of Backhill Village were very worried, worried that Rocky might leave before the task was finished.


    After experiencing the great battle yesterday, even a fool could understand that the next battle would be even more terrible. Therefore, it was normal for Rocky to leave early, especially since the survival of Backhill Village had nothing to do with him; he was just there to complete a mission, and that was all.


    Once Rocky led his troops away, especially taking the ten Skyships with him, there would be no doubt that Backhill Village would be overrun in the demons'' next attack, just like it had been six months ago.


    However, unlike six months ago, this time Backhill Village didn''t have six or seven hundred soldiers to resist the demons!


    In such a situation, to retain Rocky and his troops, Lin Feng and Old Jack had jointly decided to reduce the mining period to twenty days. By shortening the mining time, Rocky''s defensive task would naturally be alleviated.


    Additionally, Backhill Village increased the commission significantly, hoping this would encourage Rocky to stay.


    Perhaps some might find it odd, as the commission for this mission hadn''t seemed to increase, had it? Lin Feng had merely stated that Rocky could take all the demon corpses, and that was it.


    Indeed, Lin Feng had only made that brief statement, which might seem trivial, but the difference was actually huge!


    In this mission, the commission involving gold coins and minerals was actually minor; the real value lay in the spoils of the battle, which were the demon corpses!


    It''s worth noting that the corpses of Sky Demons were highly valuable, selling for at least a few thousand gold coins each, and it wasn''t unusual for them to fetch tens of thousands. Thus, the more demon corpses Rocky acquired, the more money he could earn.


    But according to the previous agreement, only the demons killed by Rocky and the Guard Corps were considered their spoils and could be taken; those killed by Lin Feng and other people from Backhill Village were not theirs to touch, as those belonged to the village''s spoils.


    However, in order to retain Rocky, the people of Backhill Village decided to give up their share of the spoils and hand them all over to Rocky.


    For Rocky, this was absolutely a huge gain!


    From the start of the mission to now, between Rocky and Lin Feng, they had eliminated at least seventy demons together. This meant that if the mission ended now, Rocky would have gotten at least seventy Black-eyed Demon corpses!


    Perhaps the Black-eyed Demons were not particularly powerful, and their corpses might not fetch a high price, but they could surely be sold for at least a thousand Gold Coins each, right?


    Seventy corpses, even if each only sold for a thousand Gold Coins, that was seventy thousand Gold Coins!


    Moreover, the corpses of the Black-eyed Demons were definitely worth more than a thousand Gold Coins. The actual price would certainly be much higher, and the money Rocky could earn would definitely exceed seventy thousand Gold Coins.


    And let''s not forget, the mission hadn''t ended yet!


    In the upcoming tasks, battles were bound to continue and more demons were sure to come, so Rocky would obtain even more Black-eyed Demon corpses, meaning that when the mission ended successfully, it was no exaggeration to say that Rocky could obtain at least a hundred demon corpses!


    A hundred demon corpses, all converted into Gold Coins, how much money would that be!


    Even if Rocky wasn''t as sensitive to Gold Coins and numbers as Aileen, he knew this was definitely a substantial gain, so large that it could fill the entire treasury of Thunderhawk City!


    So when Lin Feng finished speaking, Rocky furrowed his brows and couldn''t help but fall into deep thought.


    To say he had never thought of giving up the mission would be impossible, especially since the level of danger had already exceeded his expectations, particularly after the end of yesterday''s battle when Rocky indeed had thoughts of giving up.


    But, he hesitated.


    This hesitation stemmed from wondering what would happen to Thunderhawk City if he abandoned the mission.


    In Backhill Village, Rocky''s identity was just that of a Mercenary Group Leader, but if he truly were just a commander, it would be fine, but alas, he was not; his true identity was the lord of a city.


    As the lord of a city, Rocky had too many things to consider, such as how, without the commission from this mission, Thunderhawk City would fall into the same financial straits as before, and then what?


    Giving up the mission was easy, but getting Thunderhawk City through another crisis was difficult.


    It was because of these concerns that when Lin Feng increased the commission to retain Rocky, Rocky had to carefully consider whether to stay for this substantial amount of commission or to prioritize safety and leave early¡­? S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two choices, each with its pros and cons, it was up to Rocky to weigh them.


    However, surprisingly, Rocky made his choice almost without any hesitation. He then stretched out his palm and said, "Captain Lin Feng, let''s do as you said, we will definitely persist until the end of this mission."


    "Great!"


    Hearing his words, Lin Feng let out a big sigh of relief, showed a smile on his face, and extended his own palm, tightly clasping it with Rocky''s!

 Chapter 99 Trouble Again!

    After everything with Rocky was settled, Lin Feng left, and with the day having fully dawned and Rocky needing recuperation, the entire defense of the village fell on Lin Feng alone, which meant he couldn''t afford to stay for long.After Lin Feng had left, Rocky assigned Liliya a new task, asking her to check on the mood of the Guard Corps. At such a critical moment, it would be very troubling if there were any issues among the Guard Corps.


    This task would normally have been done by Rocky himself, because even though Liliya and Monte were highly regarded in the hearts of the guards, they still couldn''t compare to Rocky. In the eyes of the guards, Rocky was not only their City Lord but also their idol. His personal presence would have definitely boosted their morale considerably.


    Regrettably, it wasn''t that Rocky didn''t want to go, but his body simply didn''t allow it. The previous battle had completely drained him, and he couldn''t get out of bed without a day''s rest. If he had gone to the Guard Corps in his frail condition, it likely would not have boosted their morale, but instead, might have demoralized them even further.


    Therefore, this task could only be entrusted to Liliya to first check on the spirits of the guards.


    And once Liliya had also left the tent, the bedridden Rocky quietly lay on his bed, pondering how to defend next while he waited for time to slowly pass.


    A day slowly went by, and it was yet another uneventful day...


    As for today''s calm, whether it was Rocky, Lin Feng, or anyone else, they all had expected it, since a similar situation had just happened recently.


    The recurrence of similar conditions had given everyone experience; they all knew this moment of calm was just the quiet before the next storm arrived.


    Yet likewise, this foreboding also increased everyone''s stress, because it implied that when the demons appeared next time, a fierce battle would erupt again!


    Facing this imminent fierce battle, no one could prevent it; everyone could only wait behind the small high walls, waiting for what was inevitable to gradually arrive.


    However, this calm wasn''t necessarily a bad thing for Backhill Village now; at the very least, it allowed the soldiers who had just fought in the dreadful battle to fully rest and the injured soldiers to take the chance to heal.


    Just like that, the next day arrived in the blink of an eye.


    The bedridden Rocky was finally able to get out of bed. After he left his bed, he moved around to stretch his muscles and found that although there was still a sensation of soreness, it was essentially manageable; participating in the next battle would absolutely not be a problem.


    With that, he immediately went to the Guard Corps.


    The day before, Rocky had arranged for Liliya to check on the guards, but the news Liliya brought back wasn''t good. After the previous dreadful battle, the morale of the guards was very low, almost as if they had been through a devastating defeat.


    This worried Rocky a lot, because in the upcoming battle, the Guard Corps would be the main defense force. If there were issues with their mindset, then the battle could not be fought. So the moment Rocky recovered, he hurried to the Guard Corps.


    It wasn''t long before Rocky arrived at the small training field of the camp. The guards had just finished their routine training and were resting.


    "My lord!"


    "My lord!"


    "My lord, you''ve come!"


    The guards, who were resting on the spot, quickly stood up at the sight of Rocky and instinctively began to form ranks.


    "No need to form ranks; I just came to see how you all are. Please, sit down."


    Waving his hand at everyone, Rocky not only dispensed with formalities but also sat down on the ground with them.


    "How are you holding up?"


    Sitting in a circle with the guards, Rocky didn''t give a speech but instead started chatting with them.


    Through this mission, especially after several consecutive battles, Rocky had become very familiar with these guards, and now he could accurately name each person in the Guard Corps.


    Similarly, the guards had become more familiar with him than before. At this point, although they still respected Rocky greatly, they no longer felt he was so unapproachable, but rather more affable.


    However, even so, when Rocky finished speaking, everyone still fell into silence, their heads lowered, none responding to his question, which made the atmosphere turn tense.


    "I heard from Liliya that you are not in a good state?"


    In this tense atmosphere, Rocky spoke again.


    Unfortunately, no one answered him this time either.


    "Are you... afraid of battle?" Rocky asked calmly as he looked at the silent guards, "Or is it that... you are afraid of dying?"


    When he finished these words, some of the silent guards raised their heads, some even with tears in their eyes.


    Death, a common occurrence on battlefields, is something no one wants to accept or even mention. Yet, in the last battle, although the casualties within the Guard Corps were fewer than those of Backhill Village''s troops, people still died on the battlefield, an unprecedented occurrence for everyone, leaving them unsure of how to cope.


    "Lord... Uncle Reed died... he died¡­"


    At that moment, a young figure suddenly stood up and looked at Rocky.


    "Robin..."


    The one who stood up was none other than Robin, the youngest member of the Guard Corps. He looked at Rocky while tears streamed down his face, appearing overwhelmingly distressed.


    As for Reed, whom he mentioned, Rocky knew him well. Reed was a naively honest uncle, just a year younger than Aga, and was considered an elder in the Guard Corps. He usually took good care of everyone and was particularly protective of Robin, the youngest. Therefore, the two had a very good relationship and emotional connection.


    However, during the last battle, Reed did not survive; he was pierced in the chest by a demon and died instantly.


    This incident had deeply affected Robin. Therefore, when Rocky mentioned death, Robin thought of Reed, and his emotions instantly became uncontrollable, bursting into tears and sobs.


    Rocky had a profound impression of Robin. He still remembered how this tiger-headed young man looked during the assessment, and through their interactions over this period, he understood that Robin was entirely driven by emotions.


    Following that, Rocky beckoned to Robin, signaling him to come over.


    "Robin, are you scared? Scared of dying on the battlefield like Reed?"


    "No! I''m not scared! I want to avenge Uncle Reed!"


    Asked thus by Rocky, Robin immediately lifted his head, his assertion unwavering.


    This response made Rocky nod and then he turned to the other guards, asking the same question.


    "Are you scared? Are you scared of dying on the battlefield like Reed?"


    The same question, yet there were different answers. Some guards shook their heads, others lowered theirs, everyone reacted differently.


    "Sir... aren''t you... aren''t you scared? Aren''t you afraid of dying..."


    It was unclear who suddenly asked Rocky in return, directing everyone''s gaze towards him.


    "Not scared."


    Without the slightest hesitation, Rocky shook his head: "I am not afraid, because I have all of you."


    Such a reply stunned all the guards, but Rocky did not elaborate further. He promptly stood up: "Everyone, buck up! We will definitely make it back alive this time!"


    After saying this, he left the drill ground and headed straight for his tent, moving very hurriedly.


    He was indeed in a hurry because while he was chatting with the guards, he saw Monte arriving at the camp with Felly, and Monte soon gave him a meaningful glance from afar, indicating they go inside the tent first.


    Given the circumstances, Rocky had to abruptly end the conversation, as clearly something was up!


    In this mission, Felly had not stayed in Backhill Village to participate in the frontal combat but had been assigned by Rocky as the Commander of the Skyship, in charge of directing ten skyships to support the battlefield. Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire


    After the last battle, Rocky had ordered the skyships to patrol in groups of two around Backhill Village daily, and to immediately report any demon sightings; Felly was responsible for this task.


    Therefore, in principle, Felly should not have appeared at the camp; he should have been commanding the skyships from the sky!


    Back in the tent, Rocky saw Felly and Monte already waiting for him.


    "Felly, what''s the problem?"


    As soon as he saw Felly, Rocky immediately asked.


    "Sir, I spotted demons while patrolling!"


    Without wasting any time, Felly directly said, and upon hearing this, Rocky couldn''t help but take a deep breath. The demons came so soon?


    "How many demons did you see? When are they likely to attack?"


    As he spoke, Rocky was ready to leave the tent and lead his troops out to strike. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But at that moment, Felly stopped him: "Sir, please don''t worry, we''ve scattered the demons, but I came back to report because something seemed off."


    "What?"


    Rocky sharply turned towards Felly, not understanding his meaning.

 Chapter 100 Ridiculous Idea

    "Demons... you scattered them?"Stay updated with empire


    Looking at Felly, Rocky clearly did not understand what he meant, so he asked, "Tell me exactly what happened."


    "Yes." Felly responded and said, "Sir, when I was leading two skyships on patrol, we happened to see a few demons all moving in the same direction. I thought they were about to attack Backhill Village, so I immediately ordered the skyships to follow them."


    "But then I discovered that the demons were not heading to attack Backhill Village; instead, they were gathering together."


    "What?"


    After Felly finished speaking, Rocky was startled and asked, "What do you mean the demons were gathering together?"


    "Demons from all directions were converging on one place. By the time we discovered them, more than twenty demons had already gathered. Fearing they might attack Backhill Village, I ordered the skyships to bombard them, scattering the gathered demons."


    In just a few words, Felly had summarized the situation to Rocky, and although his words were brief, they caused both Rocky and Monte to furrow their brows after hearing them!


    Demons, gathering together?


    This discovery was extremely important! But how could this be possible?


    Rocky had never heard of such a thing before, so he looked to Monte, who had once been a Demon Hunter and was most knowledgeable about demon behavior.


    "I''ve never encountered anything like this either, but if it''s the Black-eyed Demon, it might be unusual, yet not impossible. After all, Black-eyed Demons are communal creatures."


    Seeing Rocky looking at him, Monte spoke up. Although he had never personally witnessed a similar situation, given the communal nature of Black-eyed Demons, it was not beyond the realm of possibility that they would gather and act together.


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Felly interjected, "Sir, it wasn''t just Black-eyed Demons that were gathering; there were other types of demons as well."


    "Are you sure?"


    With Felly''s words, Monte was immediately taken aback and quickly followed up with, "Felly, are you absolutely certain you weren''t mistaken?"


    "Instructor, I''m absolutely sure because the other demons with the Black-eyed Demons had distinct features: they had two horns on their heads and their heads looked like those of cows; they also had Scale Armor. When I ordered the skyships to bombard, the Black-eyed Demons were quickly dispersed, but these types of demons kept charging into the sky, so I definitely could not have been mistaken."


    "The armored bull demons..."


    Upon hearing Felly''s description, Monte immediately recognized what type of demon he had seen, and his expression changed.


    "Sir! Something isn''t right here!"


    Turning his head, Monte immediately said to Rocky, "Sir, if it were just Black-eyed Demons gathering together, perhaps it could be explained, but the presence of armored bull demons as well is very suspicious."


    "Why?"


    "Because armored bull demons are solitary creatures. They are extremely territorial, and typically, there''s only one armored bull demon per territory, never exceeding two."


    "...Felly, how many armored bull demons did you see?"


    After hearing Monte''s explanation, Rocky asked Felly.


    "At least three, I''m absolutely certain I wasn''t mistaken."


    When faced with this question, Felly was very certain in his response.


    This made things clear; different types of Demons had gathered together for some unknown reason¡ªthis was the intelligence Felly had brought back. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was extremely important intelligence! Because if nothing unexpected happened, these gathered Demons were most likely targeting Backhill Village!


    As this possibility emerged in his mind, Rocky could no longer remain calm. He hurriedly sent Monte to call Lin Feng and Liliya over because they also needed to know about this.


    Not long after, Lin Feng and Liliya arrived at Rocky''s tent, and Felly repeated what he had said before. Once he finished, Lin Feng and Liliya also fell into deep thought.


    "Captain Lin Feng, have you encountered this kind of situation before?"


    "No." Shaking his head at Rocky, Lin Feng frowned deeply, "In the past during our mining, the attracted Demons would immediately attack the village. They never gathered together like this."


    "So, you''re saying that the Demons are gathering this time because they are organized?"


    Realizing that Lin Feng had also never encountered such a situation, Rocky voiced his own thoughts. He believed that since different types of Demons had gathered, including both solitary and social ones, their gathering must not be spontaneous but organized!


    "Impossible!"


    "Rocky, it won''t happen."


    "Right, how could Demons possibly be organized."


    No sooner had he finished speaking than he faced unanimous opposition from everyone, whether it was Lin Feng or Liliya, or even Monte. They all shook their heads as if they were spinning drums, indicating that he was completely wrong.


    This left Rocky somewhat bewildered; he didn''t think he had said anything incorrect!


    His thought wasn''t just blind conjecture; it had occurred to him right after the last battle.


    The reason the last battle had been so fierce was because there were too many Demons. But why had the number of Demons suddenly increased so much? Naturally, it was because of the lurking in the previous days!


    Before the battle occurred, the Demons had completely disappeared for six days, and then suddenly appeared, continuing to emerge in six waves one after another. Could there be no connection between these two events?


    Rocky believed there must be a connection. It was precisely because the scattered Demons had gathered together during those six days that the attack was so fierce.


    Not only did Rocky believe that the Demons were organized, but he also thought they were commanded, otherwise why would the exact count of ten appear in each of the six waves of Demons?


    So, he was perplexed as to where he had spoken incorrectly to face such unanimous rebuttal.


    Unfortunately, even after he shared his thoughts and rationale, Lin Feng, Liliya, and Monte still continuously shook their heads.


    "Rocky, the things you''re thinking about simply aren''t possible. Demons can''t be organized, much less commanded."


    Even as Rocky tried his best to explain his ideas, Liliya still said, "Demons have occupied the land for a century, and since the very first day they appeared, these beasts have acted purely on instinct, regardless of whether they are high-level or low-level Demons."


    "Miss Liliya is correct." After Liliya finished speaking, Lin Feng also said, "Commander Rocky, I''ve lived in Backhill Village since I was born, but I''ve never heard of Demons being organized. Moreover, if Demons could be organized to act collectively, our Backhill Village would have been annihilated long ago, right?"


    "More than just Backhill Village, if Demons could be organized and obey commands, I''m afraid these beasts wouldn''t only occupy the land; they would have taken to the skies long ago."


    As Liliya, Lin Feng, and Monte spoke, they shook their heads; not one of them thought Rocky''s idea was correct, even going so far as to find it somewhat ludicrous¡­

 Chapter 101 Taking the Initiative

    ```Regarding Rocky''s idea, Liliya and others repeatedly shook their heads, which made him very distressed.


    However, the reason why Liliya and the others did this was not because they were obstinate, but because demons had been around for a hundred years, and in that time, people had thoroughly researched them. This in-depth study was evident from the fact that demon corpses could be used as resources.


    Under such thorough research, there was no evidence to suggest that demons possessed organizational abilities.


    Demons were undoubtedly powerful, but they also had their weaknesses. For example, their intelligence was very low. They were essentially monsters driven entirely by instinct, which means that beneath their formidable bodies lay not-so-bright brains.


    That is also why people were still able to live in the sky after losing the land. If demons were not solely driven by instinct and had become organized and strategic, then these monsters would have already attacked the sky, and the world would have been completely occupied by them.


    Because of this clear understanding, Liliya and the others simply laughed off Rocky''s idea.


    "So why do you think the demons are starting to gather?"


    Rocky was naturally dissatisfied with everyone''s attitude. As a transmigrator, he didn''t hold any preconceived notions. He felt that both the previous battles and the intelligence brought back by Felly were proving that the demons were launching organized attacks on Backhill Village, but why wouldn''t anyone believe it?


    Indeed, it''s possible that the demons were just a group of mindless monsters for a hundred years, but even if they were monsters, couldn''t they evolve?


    Could it be that monsters couldn''t gradually evolve intelligence?


    After all, it has been a hundred years since the demons appeared! In such a long time, any species could undergo fundamental changes, even demons!


    "Commander Rocky, let''s not dwell on this issue,"


    Seeing Rocky being persistent, Lin Feng spoke up to mediate, then said, "I think we can put the discussion about why the demons are gathering near the village aside for now. Let''s discuss how to deal with these gathered demons first."


    Although he did not agree with Rocky''s idea, Lin Feng''s words hit the nail on the head. For Backhill Village at present, the reason behind the demons'' gathering was not important. What mattered was how they should handle it if the gathered demons began to attack.


    Following Lin Feng''s redirection, the focus of the conversation shifted to this issue.


    Then Rocky turned to look at Felly:


    "Felly, how far are those demons from the village?"


    "About a dozen miles away."


    "I see... Captain Lin Feng, do you think it''s possible that the demons'' target is not Backhill Village?"


    After hearing Felly''s answer, Rocky turned his gaze back to Lin Feng.


    Unfortunately, Lin Feng just shook his head: "To the north of Break-Sky Mountain, there is only our village; no other places are inhabited, so the demons'' target is definitely here. There should be no mistake about that."


    "In that case... the primary question now is exactly how many demons there are." When Lin Feng finished speaking, Liliya opened her mouth: "If there are only twenty or thirty demons gathered together, then even if stronger armored bull demons join them, we can still hold the village with the advantage of the high walls and skyships, even withstand several waves of attack."


    "But... If the number of gathered demons is too large, for instance, like last time, reaching fifty or sixty, or even a hundred, then it would be difficult for us to defend."


    Liliya''s words made everyone nod in agreement.


    ```


    The most critical issue now is indeed the number. If there aren''t many demons, it''s manageable, but once their numbers grow, say, they appear in groups of fifty or sixty demons, or even more, then what should be done for defense becomes the key issue!


    This question caused everyone in the tent to lower their heads, all sinking into deep thought, earnestly contemplating countermeasures. Your next chapter awaits on empire


    After a good while, Lin Feng was the first to lift his head, but he did not speak. Instead, he turned his gaze to Rocky.


    "Commander Rocky, what do you think we should do?"


    Seeing that Lin Feng was asking for his opinion, Rocky thought for a moment and then said, "The best method... is probably to dispatch the skyships on the offensive, to find the demons gathered together and then bomb them. This way, we can not only disperse them, but also reduce their numbers."


    "Good! I agree with Commander Rocky''s idea!" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as Rocky finished speaking, Lin Feng immediately seconded the motion, leaving Rocky feeling a bit helpless.


    Lin Feng agreed with the plan without even thinking about it, indicating that he had also come up with it long ago but inquired Rocky''s opinion out of respect, as the skyships were not under his command. Otherwise, given Lin Feng''s cautious nature, he definitely would not have reacted as such.


    Of course, there was no need for Rocky to point this out, so he then instructed Felly, "Notify the other skyships immediately that from now on all skyships are to go on patrol. As soon as they encounter demons attempting to gather, they must report it right away, and then all the skyships will carry out bombing together."


    "Yes!"


    "Also, you came back in a skyship this time, right?"


    As Felly saluted and prepared to carry out the orders, Rocky asked him another question.


    "Yes..."


    Felly nodded blankly. Of course, he had come back in a skyship.


    "Great, I''ll join you on patrol."


    Seeing Felly nod, Rocky directly stated that he would join Felly on patrol!


    "No!"


    However, no sooner had he finished speaking than Liliya expressed her opposition.


    Unfortunately for her, Rocky''s mind was already made up, and her objection was evidently ineffective. Rocky remained undeterred from his initial idea, believing there must be a reason for the demons'' concerted efforts to gather. Since others doubted his convictions, he resolved to see for himself.


    That''s just the kind of person Rocky was. He seemed easygoing, yet he possessed a stubbornness that far exceeded that of ordinary people. Once he made a decision, it was very difficult to sway, even by Liliya.


    So, after giving a few instructions to Liliya and Monte, he boarded the skyship with Felly, and soon they slowly left Backhill Village.


    "Felly, take the skyship straight to where you discovered the demons."


    As the skyship gradually flew away from Backhill Village, Rocky ordered Felly to head to the site of the incident, the place where the demons had been spotted before. He wanted to see for himself what was going on, to find out what exactly had caused the demons to be gathered together!


    ps: Please recommend! Please add to your favorites!

 Chapter 102 Gather in Groups!

    The Skyship''s patrol radius wasn''t far, because the purpose of the patrol was to provide early warning. In the absence of comprehensive communication equipment, too large a radius would mean that even if demons were spotted, there would be no way to report it in time.Therefore, when Rocky left Backhill Village aboard a Skyship, it didn''t take long to reach the destination, the demon gathering site.


    Upon arrival, Rocky ordered the Skyship to lower its altitude, then stood at the bow and looked down carefully.


    At this moment, their location was still a desolate land, but the ground was riddled with several large pits, clearly the result of magic cannon bombardment. Looking closely, one could see some bodies around these large pits, the bodies of demons, which undoubtedly confirmed that Felly hadn''t lied. Previously, demons had indeed gathered here and had been bombed.


    After confirming this, Rocky issued a new order.


    "Felly, inform the other Skyships to thoroughly search the vicinity. We must find the traces of the remaining demons."


    "Yes!"


    With an affirmative reply, Felly immediately used the communication equipment on the Skyship to convey Rocky''s command.


    Rocky had just carefully counted and found that there were only two or three demons that had been killed by the bombing, which was quite normal since Felly had only brought two Skyships at that time, each equipped with only four magic cannons. Achieving such a result was already quite good.


    But if there had really been more than twenty demons gathered together at that time, a problem arose. Where were the other demons scattered by the bombing?


    Where had the other demons, scattered by the magic cannons, run off to?


    Rocky was determined to find these fleeing demons; otherwise, once they regrouped, Backhill Village would be in danger!


    Under these circumstances, ten Skyships began to act separately, like a huge net cast in the sky, searching for prey on the ground.


    Time went by, and the blazing sun overhead moved slowly from east to west in this process, finally being swallowed by the horizon, and nightfall came soon after.


    Strangely enough, after almost a day of spread-out patrolling, the ten Skyships failed to find any trace of demons. Not a sign of a large group, nor even scattered demons could be found.


    This was obviously very abnormal because the area around Heavensplit Mountain was an unending wasteland with no forests or similar places for concealment. The dispersed demons, even if scattered, should have appeared sporadically on the wasteland rather than disappearing without a trace.


    In light of this, Rocky did not skimp on the mana for the Skyships; instead, he ordered the expansion of the reconnaissance area to continue until traces of demons were found!


    Meanwhile, he did not return to Backhill Village but joined the Skyships in the reconnaissance, wanting to see where these demons were hiding.


    Thus the night deepened, and Rocky, persuaded by Felly, returned to his cabin. But just as he was about to rest, Felly came to him again.


    "My lord! We''ve found the demons!"


    "Where?!"


    The moment Rocky, who had just lain down on his bed, heard this, he sat up.


    "It''s the third Skyship that spotted the target, five kilometers away from us."


    "How many are there?"


    Continue your adventure with empire


    "The report says... at least thirty..."


    Thirty...?!


    Hearing this number, Rocky involuntarily took a sharp breath, thought for a moment, and then immediately ordered, "Command the third ship to monitor the demons'' movements on the spot, and report immediately if there is any movement."


    "Have the other Skyships immediately converge on the third ship, but before I arrive, no one is to engage in an attack!"


    "Yes!"


    With his order received, Felly immediately turned and left, and Rocky had no more intent to rest. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, he wasn''t thinking about anything because the demons'' actions had clearly gone beyond common sense. In such a situation, any prediction made in advance was unreliable and could even lead to misleading conclusions. Therefore, he decided to wait until he saw the demons with his own eyes before making any decisions.


    A distance of five kilometers was not far for a Skyship flying in the sky. In just over ten minutes, Rocky was called to the deck; they had already met up with the third Skyship, and in addition, three other Skyships had already arrived.


    As soon as Rocky stepped out of the cabin, he heard a cacophony of hissing roars!


    Having clashed with the Demons multiple times, he immediately recognized the sounds and hurried to the bow of the Skyship to look down.


    With that single glance, his heart sank.


    The Skyship was not too high above the ground, about forty to fifty meters, allowing him to clearly see everything below from the bow.


    Looking down from the bow, Rocky saw a dense throng of Demons beneath the Skyship, bunched together in large numbers, at least thirty strong!


    At the same time, the Demons clustered on the ground were roaring at the Skyships, their combined cries not only deafening but also unbearably cacophonous.


    What''s more, some Demons were picking up huge stones from the ground and hurling them at the Skyships, each stone flung to a height of over ten meters!


    Fortunately, with the Skyship being forty to fifty meters above the ground, the stones thrown into the sky couldn''t reach it, which allowed Rocky to observe these Demons more safely and carefully.


    "Black-eyed Demons..."


    "Bull-horned Demons..."


    "This kind of Demon... I don''t recognize..."


    Carefully observing the thirty-odd Demons below, Rocky found that the most numerous were the Black-eyed Demons, with about twenty or more; next were the armored bull demons, covered with scales and with bull-like horns on their heads, but not just the three that Felly had mentioned¡ªthere were five!


    In addition to these two types of Demons, there was one more kind that Rocky had never seen before, with only three present.


    In other words, the group of thirty-plus Demons now had not only increased in number from the daytime, but the variety had also grown!


    This undoubtedly proved Rocky''s earlier thought: the Demons near Break-Sky Mountain had been gathering together!


    "Sir, shall we open fire?"


    As he furrowed his brow, Felly couldn''t help but ask beside him, his tone and voice betraying his fear.


    "How many Skyships have arrived now?"


    "Six."


    While Rocky was observing the Demons, another Skyship had arrived.


    "Wait a bit longer, let''s bombard them when all the Skyships have assembled."


    The Skyships Rocky commanded, though all outfitted with Magic Cannons, were old models of Reconnaissance Ships, each with only two cannons on board, so a single ship''s combat power was not strong. Only when a sufficient number converged for a collective bombardment would they achieve the best effect.


    So he had to wait until all ships were present to launch the attack.


    In the time that followed, Skyships arrived one after the other, but during this same process, the number of Demons also grew!


    Yes, as the Skyships arrived one by one, scattered Demons also emerged from all directions, one after the other.


    And by the time ten Skyships had finally assembled, the number of Demons gathered together had swollen to over forty!


    The rate of this increase was chilling to Rocky''s spine! He didn''t dare to imagine how many Demons would have gathered if they hadn''t been discovered today, and how many there would be after a night had passed.


    Fifty?


    Or a hundred?


    Or even more!


    So when all the Skyships had assembled, he immediately gave the order for the ten Skyships to carry out free bombardment on the Demons below!

 Chapter 103 Demon Evolution Theory

    Following Rocky''s command, the ten skyships encircling the demons in the sky immediately started a barrage of indiscriminate bombardment!Each skyship''s magic cannons numbered only two, and even with relentless firing, the destructive power was quite limited. However, twenty magic cannons from ten skyships firing continuously made for a vastly different effect and scene.


    From the first boom of the cannon, the sounds of the magic cannons seamlessly merged into one relentless roar.


    Under such intense bombardment, the ground below was instantly riddled with a succession of dense explosions, dealing a heavy blow to the clusters of demons.


    In theory, the hit rate of magic cannons wasn''t very high, especially considering the older models on Rocky''s ships, which relied solely on sight for aiming. As a result, accuracy was as one might expect. However, due to the dense clustering of the demons, the gunners didn''t need to aim precisely; they simply had to fire within a general area.


    Under this unrelenting onslaught, the grouped demons were initially roaring at the sky, but it didn''t take long before they started to scatter and flee.


    Given the demons'' strong physiques, they fled quickly. From the first demon''s escape, in just a few minutes, the clustered demons scattered in all directions, vanishing without a trace.


    "Cease fire."


    Seeing that the demons had mostly fled from the smoky aftermath of the artillery, Rocky ordered a cease-fire. After all, mana for the magic cannons wasn''t infinite and shouldn''t be wasted.


    On his command, the ten skyships stopped shooting one after another. After some ten minutes had passed, the smoke from the gunfire finally began to settle, revealing a pockmarked terrain.


    Standing at the bow of the ship, Rocky looked down to see not only the chaotic and blown-up terrain but also some demon corpses.


    One, two, three¡­ He counted roughly and saw that more than a dozen demons had been directly killed by this round of bombardment, a quite significant victory.


    But such favorable results still failed to ease Rocky''s furrowed brow.


    "Felly¡­"


    Turning his gaze away, Rocky called over Felly, "I remember you saying that the last time we bombarded these demons, the armored bull demons seemed very agitated?"


    "Yes."


    Not quite understanding why Rocky was asking this, but Felly still nodded and affirmatively said, "Sir, I clearly remember that during the last bombardment, an armored bull demon was howling at the skyship amidst the artillery fire, and they only reluctantly left after all the black-eyed demons had run away."


    "I see¡­ How far are we from Backhill Village now?"


    After hearing this reply, Rocky posed another question.


    "Around eight kilometers."


    "Eight kilometers¡­"


    Felly''s answer caused Rocky to nod continually while his brow furrowed even more deeply.


    He was frowning for a simple reason: this time, while observing the bombardment, he noticed that the armored bull demons didn''t show any ''bone essence''; not long after the bombardment started, they ran off following the black-eyed demons¡­


    What did this imply?


    Had the armored bull demons grown fearful?


    Rocky was convinced that was definitely not the case¡ªthe bombardment from ten skyships had not left even a single body of an armored bull, proving this type of demon was very robust.


    This could only mean that the armored bull demons had become smarter!


    Or, in other words¡­ they were following some sort of command, knowing they should immediately flee once the skyships commenced their assault! Explore more stories at empire


    Also, the two occasions the demons had gathered were different locations¡ªwhat did this suggest?


    These questions left Rocky deep in thought for a long while before he issued a new order.


    "Order all skyships to continue reconnaissance. If demons that have gathered together are found, notify the other skyships immediately, and carry out the bombardment once everyone is assembled," he commanded.


    After issuing the order, he had Felly steer their skyship back to Backhill Village.


    This personal reconnaissance confirmed Rocky''s previous suspicions¡ªthe organized clustering of demons was definitely orchestrated, and the reason for their organization was to follow commands!


    If this were true, it was incredibly frightening. Demons that previously acted on instinct alone were now organized and following orders, leading to unthinkable consequences. Therefore, he must inform everyone in Backhill Village, whether they believed it or not.


    Thus, as dawn broke, Rocky returned to Backhill Village and immediately summoned Lin Feng, Liliya, Monte, and all others!


    "Everyone, this is everything I discovered yesterday."


    Standing before a whiteboard, Rocky faced not only Lin Feng, Liliya, and Monte, but also Old Jack, the elder of Backhill Village, and the squad leaders of both troops who had also been called over.


    Facing so many people, Rocky recounted the situation he had reconnoitered the day before, and when he finished speaking, everyone was stunned, as his point of view was somewhat difficult for the crowd to accept.


    Demons being organized?


    These monsters beginning to follow commands?


    Was this some kind of fantasy tale?


    No, even for a fantasy tale, it seemed too far-fetched!


    "Commander Rocky, could everything you found...possibly, possibly just be a coincidence?"


    The oldest among all present was Elder Old Jack, who although not versed in warfare, had the most extensive experience dealing with demons out of everyone there. Yet even he had never encountered such an occurrence.


    "Elder Sir, I believe none of this is a coincidence."


    While speaking, Rocky drew a circle on the whiteboard behind him: "This location represents Backhill Village."


    He then drew a smaller circle in front of the one representing Backhill Village: "Here is the spot where the Felly demons first gathered, and this is the location of the demons'' second gathering."


    After drawing a third circle on the whiteboard, Rocky said, "As you can all see, the first gathering spot of the demons was about five kilometers from Backhill Village, but it was soon discovered by a skyship."


    "However, by the time the skyship discovered demons gathering for the second time, it was eight kilometers away from Backhill Village."


    "If demons gathering in one place could be considered a coincidence, that might be one thing, but what if it happens twice within a single day? And what if the second gathering consists of even more demons, of a greater variety? Could that still be a coincidence? I don''t think so."


    "And consider this; the first gathering spot was five kilometers from Backhill Village, but the second gathering was even farther away. What do you think that means?"


    "Could it be... could it be that these gathered demons are hiding from us?"


    As soon as Rocky finished speaking, Liliya spoke out in surprise.


    "Not hiding from us, but from the skyship..."


    As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Feng, whose brows were already knotted with concern, said that the demons weren''t hiding from Backhill Village, but rather from the skyship bombing them!


    "Exactly, I believe the demons are indeed avoiding the skyship."


    At this moment, Rocky nodded and then proceeded to describe the different reactions of the armored bull demons during the two bombings.


    And when he had finished explaining all of this, the more than ten people in the tent simultaneously let out a collective gasp of astonishment. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Demons...evolving?!


    How could that be possible!


    Despite being utterly incredulous about these events, everything Rocky had just described was logical and irrefutable, leaving everyone at a loss to rebut. Moreover, arguing about it was pointless because regardless of whether Rocky''s conjecture was true or false, one fact couldn''t be changed: Backhill Village was in danger!


    In just one day, more than forty demons had gathered without any sign of stopping. So when these demons finally launch an assault on Backhill Village, just how numerous will they become?


    That is the most pressing issue!


    "What are we to do..."


    Old Jack, who had been the village elder for decades, showed panic on his aged face. He was truly scared, and he had every reason to be.


    "Elder Sir."


    Just when Old Jack seemed at a loss, Rocky addressed him: "Elder Sir, since we have taken on this mission, we will see it through to the end. Captain Lin Feng and I will coordinate on this matter."


    "So, Sir, please don''t worry about this aspect, but¡­"


    After saying that, he paused before continuing, "Perhaps I am not the one who should say this, but as the village elder, I hope you will make plans for the future of Backhill Village. Demons have now changed from before, and if you and the villagers continue to stay here..."


    After glancing at Old Jack, Rocky sighed deeply and did not continue.

 Chapter 104 A Sudden Turn

    Rocky''s final comment was, indeed, just as he himself had said, not fitting for him to make.In Thunderhawk City, he might be the lord of a city, but in Backhill Village, he was merely an outsider. Decisions on how to protect themselves from the demons'' attacks were to be made by the villagers themselves, and it was not his place as a foreigner to be dictating what they should do.


    So, when he had finished speaking, whether it was Lin Feng, Old Jack, or any other person from Backhill Village, all frowned to different extents. If it were not for the fact that Rocky currently commanded a formidable force, they might have already expressed their dissatisfaction with his meddling.


    The reactions of Lin Feng and the others did not surprise Rocky. He even knew that he should not have said those things, but they were things he had to say! S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because Rocky had his own plans: he wanted to absorb the people of Backhill Village into Thunderhawk City!


    In the skies, population was the most valuable resource. Backhill Village had more than a thousand inhabitants, their number even surpassing that of Thunderhawk City''s residents. If he could bring all these people back to Thunderhawk City, the population of his city would immediately double!


    To Rocky, that was where the real treasure lay, of a value so immense that it couldn''t be measured by any amount of Gold Coins.


    So, there were things he had to say!


    Actually, before this, Rocky had never entertained the delusion of taking away all the people of Backhill Village. There was a reason these people chose to live on the land and would not be swayed by a few words from an outsider like him, so Rocky had never considered this possibility.


    But now, he had this thought, because the situation had changed!


    This change was the unusual movement of the Demons!


    Since the mission had started, the behavior of the demons had repeatedly caught everyone by surprise, something that even Rocky didn''t need to remind Lin Feng and Old Jack of, as they could feel it themselves.


    And as the situation continued to evolve, Backhill Village found itself in an increasingly dangerous position. For instance, at the current moment, the demons began to gather outside the village¡ªa very dangerous sign. Perhaps this time Rocky could stay to help them defend, but what about once he left?


    What could Backhill Village use to fend off future demon attacks once he had gone, without the Guard Corps, without the Skyships?


    The people of Backhill Village might face death without flinching for the sake of their homeland, but knowing it to be futile and still waiting for death was not the same thing. For Rocky, this presented a perfect opportunity!


    That''s why he had spoken those words earlier¡ªto remind the people of Backhill Village that they had to consider what would come "afterward."


    This mission, for Rocky, might truly be described by the saying "good fortune lies within bad, and bad fortune lurks within good." The abnormal behavior of the demons had plunged him into a situation far more dangerous than he had anticipated, but likewise, if he could turn this disaster into an opportunity to absorb all of Backhill Village''s residents, it would become a great stroke of fortune!


    However, these matters were not something Rocky could speak too plainly of just yet. As conditions continued to develop, he had to wait until the situation was desperate before making his move to maximize his chances of success.


    In fact, events unfolded far quicker than he had imagined, for just half a day later, a Skyship returned to Backhill Village, and then Felly appeared before Rocky once again.


    "My Lord, we''ve spotted demons again,"


    Felly immediately reported the latest news upon seeing Rocky and the others.


    After escorting Rocky back to Backhill Village, Felly, following his orders, led ten Skyships on a sweep-style patrol and quickly found another gathering point of demons!


    The demons that had been scattered not long ago had regrouped in a short time, and compared to the previous two times, there were even more of them this time¡ªover fifty had been gathered when discovered!


    Obeying Rocky''s command, the ten Skyships immediately converged and bombarded the demons fiercely.


    The bombing was highly effective, killing nearly twenty demons, while the rest dispersed in the chaos.


    Having reported the latest intelligence, Felly hurriedly left. After hearing the latest developments, Lin Feng and the rest of Backhill Village fell into silence. Experience new stories on empire


    The fresh reports once again proved Rocky right. If the gathering of demons was just a coincidence, then when these creatures gathered three times in succession, such a coincidence no longer existed.


    Moreover, let''s not forget that every time the demons gathered, they were scattered by the Skyships, yet time after time they regrouped, undoubtedly proving that their actions were organized.


    What''s more important is that although the Skyship dispersed the swarming Demons with each bombing and killed at least thirty of them, the number of Demons gathering in swarms was still increasing!


    The first time a Demon gathering site was discovered, there were more than twenty Demons, but by the second the number had soared to thirty or forty, and according to the latest intelligence brought back by Felly, the third gathering of Demons had reached more than fifty!


    In other words, even though each bombing by the Skyship was a significant triumph, it seemed to have no impact on the Demons at all¡­


    At this time, even without Rocky''s reminder, Lin Feng and the people of Backhill Village had begun to consider a question, namely, what they were going to do in the future.


    The most important reason why Backhill Village could survive at the foot of Break-Sky Mountain for so many years was the scarcity of Demons there, plus the geographical advantages of the village, which allowed the people to barely survive.


    But now the situation had clearly changed, with the number of Demons increasing sharply; the geographical advantage of Backhill Village had vanished against their numbers, and the high walls at the entrance of the village were utterly useless against hordes of Demons.


    This situation gave the people of Backhill Village an enormous headache.


    Yet what caused them an even bigger headache came later, as Felly, who had left during the day, returned after nightfall, bringing with him the latest intelligence!


    The Skyship on patrol had discovered the Demon gathering site for the fourth time!


    The Demons that had just been dispersed during the day had regathered in less than half a day''s time, and this time the Demons had a new change in tactic: When the first Skyship discovered them, they dispersed before any others could arrive. By the time other Skyships hurried over upon hearing the news, the Demons had long since vanished without a trace¡­


    "How, how could this be?!"


    After hearing Felly''s report, not only Lin Feng, Liliya, and Monte, but even Rocky was surprised, his mouth agape!


    Without a doubt, the rapid development of the situation had far exceeded everyone''s expectations; describing it as a drastic turn for the worse was no exaggeration.


    "Felly, order all the Skyships to return,"


    After a brief moment of astonishment, Rocky issued a new command to Felly, ordering all the Skyships to return!


    No sooner had this command been given than the surrounding onlookers turned their gaze upon him, all wearing incredulous looks.


    "Commander Rocky, why retreat the Skyships?"


    The first person to not understand or to accept the order was Lin Feng.


    Since it was now clear that the Demons were continually gathering; it was only because the Skyships were able to scatter them each time that they hadn''t launched an attack on Backhill Village yet.


    Therefore, if the Skyships were retreated, the Demons would face no threat at all, could rapidly gather sufficient numbers, and would soon launch an attack on Backhill Village!


    However, facing Lin Feng''s confusion, Rocky shook his head helplessly before explaining, "Keeping the Skyships out there is pointless now."


    "The Demons are obviously becoming smarter. Continuing to let the Skyships patrol outside is of no use, doing nothing but depleting Mana unnecessarily."


    "But, but¡­"


    Rocky''s words stumped Lin Feng, leaving him unable to retort, for based on the latest intelligence brought back by Felly, the Demons had indeed become smarter. With the scattered patrolling of the Skyships, even if they did find a Demon gathering, the Demons dispersed before any reinforcements could arrive, greatly diminishing the effect of the Skyships.


    Yet similarly, if the Skyships were retreated, wouldn''t Backhill Village be in danger?


    Consequently, Lin Feng had no choice but to ask:


    "Commander Rocky, after recalling all the Skyships, what do you plan to do?"


    "What to do?" Looking at Lin Feng, Rocky calmly provided the answer, "Of course, we''ll wait for the Demons to initiate an attack."

 Chapter 105 The Final Battle

    Perhaps no one had noticed something, which was that at some point, Rocky had become the leader of this mission.At the beginning of the mission, everything related to it was determined by Lin Feng and Liliya, with Rocky more of a bystander. But now, both Liliya and Lin Feng had begun to follow his commands unconsciously.


    Liliya might be understandable, but it was quite abnormal for Lin Feng, because in terms of strength, experience, and even capabilities Lin Feng should have been far superior to Rocky. Yet, Lin Feng kept asking Rocky what to do, as he was doing now.


    And when the speech had ended, everyone immediately frowned, because the implication was clear, they were planning to give up using the Skyship to harass the demons, and instead let the demons attack proactively!?


    "Commander Rocky, are you planning to defend with all your might?"


    Lin Feng, with his vast experience, instantly understood Rocky''s intention, understanding that he planned to use all their strength to defend against the next demonic attack.


    But...could they hold?


    True, the high wall at the entrance of the village could serve as a barrier against the demons, but anyone could tell from the growing number of demons that their next attack would be on an unprecedented scale! Against such a huge number of demons, the high wall would be utterly useless.


    And if even the high wall couldn''t stop the demons, how could the troops of Backhill Village and Rocky''s Guard Corps withstand them with their mere flesh and blood?


    The answer seemed glaringly obvious¡ªit was impossible to hold!


    "I think we can."


    However, in face of the doubts of Lin Feng and others, Rocky seemed very confident, "I think we can hold. At least, I am confident we can hold the next attack."


    "Why?"


    His confidence was not only incomprehensible to Lin Feng but even Liliya was somewhat puzzled.


    "Because the number of demons won''t be that many, at least not as many as you all imagine."


    After saying this, he glanced at Felly, "Felly, according to the latest intelligence, how many demons have you found?"


    "This... about fifty or so."


    "Hmm, that''s right."


    Hearing this response, Rocky nodded his head and then said to everyone, "According to the current situation, it is true that the demons are being organized and brought together, but their numbers are limited."


    "Captain Lin Feng, I remember you said that the demons around Break-Sky Mountain are actually very rare, right?"


    Explore new worlds at empire


    "Yes..."


    Lin Feng could only nod in response to this question, because it was true that there weren''t many demons around Break-Sky Mountain.


    After Lin Feng had nodded, Rocky continued, "Everyone, think about it. Since the demons around Break-Sky Mountain are few, even if they are organized and brought together, their number must have a limit, right?"


    This assumption left no room for rebuttal from the crowd.


    Seeing no one contest his point, Rocky then said:


    "Now, let''s consider this. From the beginning of the mission to now, how many demons have we eliminated? If I remember correctly, counting the achievements of the Skyship these past two days, we''ve killed at least a hundred demons. With this in mind, how many can be left surrounding Backhill Village?"


    "I''m sure there can''t be that many left."


    "So, I believe that although the demons'' next attack will surely be huge in number, it definitely won''t be astronomical, at most around a hundred. That should be all the demons that can be gathered from around Break-Sky Mountain in the short term."


    "Facing around a hundred demons, we have the advantage of the high wall, the soldiers, and the bombardment from ten Skyships; there''s no reason we can''t withstand the next attack."


    Having said this, he paused for a moment, scanned the room, then continued:


    "However, if we continue to send Skyships to harass them, the situation will be completely different, and even become much worse."


    "The harassment from the skyships can indeed delay the demonic assault, but this delay is also very beneficial for the demons, because the longer it drags on, the more demons will arrive from all around. By then, we won''t just be facing the demons from around Break-Sky Mountain; even demons from the surrounding areas may be gathered."


    "By that time, not only will there be over a hundred demons, but there might even be over a thousand!"


    "Captain Lin Feng, facing over a thousand demons, do you have confidence in defending against their attack?"


    After saying this, Commander Rocky threw the final question at Lin Feng.


    At this last question, Lin Feng opened his mouth several times but said nothing...


    Could Backhill Village withstand an attack from over a thousand demons?


    Was this even a question?


    Facing an attack from over a thousand demons, not to mention Backhill Village, even a city would be leveled to the ground, wouldn''t it?


    So then Rocky continued, "Captain Lin Feng, let''s prepare for defense next. For our Thunderhawk Mercenary Group, this will likely be the last battle of this mission. I and my troops will not shrink from this battle, rest assured on that account. It''s just the matter afterwards..."


    Rocky stopped talking there because he was right. Considering the timeline of the mission, the next battle indeed should be the last one for him and the Guard Corps in Backhill Village. Once this battle was over, the mission period would also be nearly up. However, once he led his troops away, Backhill Village would...


    Have to fend for themselves...


    Of course, Backhill Village still had one way out, and that was to leave with Rocky, but at this moment Rocky had not yet expressed this idea, because he could see that the people of Backhill Village were not yet desperate enough. Only when they were utterly desperate, with no way out, would Rocky put forth his suggestion.


    After the conversation, Felly was the first to leave the tent. He went to recall all the skyships outside to prepare for the final battle of this mission.


    Lin Feng also left with the people of Backhill Village, his face filled with worry. It was unclear whether he was worried about the next battle or the future of Backhill Village, but their expressions were one more unsightly than the next.


    Once all the outsiders had left the tent, Rocky shared his plan with Liliya and Monte.


    "Good idea!" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After hearing his thoughts, Liliya was the first to agree. If they could absorb all the people from Backhill Village into Thunderhawk City, the city''s strength would immediately double. It was undoubtedly a situation where there were only benefits and no drawbacks.


    At the same time, Liliya started to see Rocky in a new light. During this mission, Rocky''s growth rate was astonishingly fast; he was becoming more and more like a true City Lord, just like his father.


    At this point, it was decided what everyone should do next: prepare for battle with all their might!


    So, when dawn broke, the troops from Backhill Village and Rocky''s Guard Corps were completely integrated, with Liliya and Lin Feng discussing and taking responsibility for the command.


    The skyships that had been dispatched earlier also returned that day, but instead of docking at Break-Sky Mountain, they stopped outside the high walls. Additionally, a skyship patrolled outside the village every day, constantly observing the demons'' movements. Should there be any sign of a demonic attack, all the skyships outside the high wall would take to the skies.


    In the midst of these intense preparations, a day quickly passed, followed by another day.


    When the sun rose on the third day, the skyship that was patrolling around the village suddenly returned, bringing back news that everyone had anticipated: the demons had arrived!


    "What''s happening?"


    As he hurried out of the tent, Rocky''s first sight was Felly, to whom he posed the question.


    "Sir, the scouting skyship has spotted a large number of demons heading towards Backhill Village."


    "How far away are they?"


    "Two kilometers."


    "How many are there?"


    Looking at Rocky, Felly swallowed hard before laboriously saying, "At least... at least more than a hundred...!"

 Chapter 106 Demon Army!

    What was destined to come, eventually arrived without the slightest surprise.As soon as Rocky received the report from the skyship, he immediately went to the high wall with Liliya, Lin Feng, and others in tow.


    Upon mounting the high wall, everyone looked out into the distance together, but while the demons themselves were nowhere to be seen, the party did witness billowing sand dust rising from afar.


    In their line of sight, a sandstorm appeared several kilometers away, the vast dust cloud sweeping towards them like the gaping maw of some beast, and there was no question that the culprits behind this tempest were the demons.


    But this was hardly a surprise, given that the skyship''s report indicated that more than a hundred demons were surging towards Backhill Village. It was only logical that such a number could stir up a storm of this magnitude.


    What was destined to come, indeed, had arrived.


    "Captain Lin Feng, Liliya, take your troops out,"


    Rocky turned to glance at Lin Feng and Liliya before continuing. Now that the demons had arrived, they had to take action as well.


    Upon hearing this, Lin Feng and Liliya each nodded and then descended the high wall.


    As the two of them left, Rocky certainly wasn''t going to sit idle, either. Donning the Void Magic Armor, he took flight, soaring toward the skyship stationed outside the high wall and ordered it to lift off immediately.


    Soon thereafter, the ten skyships outside the high wall gradually rose into the air, and following them, the gates of the high wall were flung open as Lin Feng and Liliya led their respective troops outside.


    The two detachments struck out together but were not intermixed directly, each forming separate, independent squares led by Lin Feng and Liliya.


    After two full days of preparing for battle, Lin Feng and Liliya were fully ready for the fight, so as soon as their troops appeared, they immediately adjusted their formations, positioning the troops into two identical squares.


    Meanwhile, archers and mages stationed on the high wall were also in place, ready to play a vital role in the battle according to the plan previously devised by Rocky, Lin Feng, and others.


    Dusa''s figure also appeared conspicuously among the archer unit, her bow and arrows at the ready as she stood alongside her fellow archers at the crenelated battlements, her face equally tense.


    This time, Dusa wasn''t sneaking out to join the fray. Given that this could be considered their final battle, Monte had finally granted his daughter''s wish, allowing her to join the fight as an archer alongside him. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With skyships, ground troops, and the ranged combat unit all prepped, Backhill Village''s entire force was ready for action, merely waiting for the demons to arrive.


    On this front, the demons surely didn''t disappoint. In just a few short minutes, the sandstorm whipped up by the demons drew near to Backhill Village.


    As the demons closed in, Dusa noticed small stones on the crenelations start to dance about, the pebbles of around the size of soybeans hopping and jumping on the battlements as if enchanted.


    But, of course, this was not the effect of magic, rather that the demons were drawing close, causing even the high wall itself to tremble!


    If those atop the high wall could feel such distinct trembling, the sensation was far more pronounced for the troops outside the wall. The units arrayed outside were acutely aware of the ground shaking beneath their feet, feeling very much like the onset of an earthquake.


    With more than a hundred demons charging towards them, even the Earth itself trembled in alarm!


    In the midst of the continuous tremors, the demons neared Backhill Village. The troops on the wall and on the ground might not yet see the fiends, but Rocky, positioned mid-air with the skyship, could already see the demons clearly.


    Through the swirling dust clouds, herds of demons came into his view, their numbers indeed surpassing a hundred. They seemed like a pack of hungry beasts lunging for food, madly surging towards Backhill Village.


    Demon Army...


    Facing these groups of demons, the term "Demon Army" emerged in Rocky''s mind, and indeed, the demons he was confronted with this time could truly be described by that term.


    At the same time, he was constantly calculating the distance between the demons and Backhill Village.


    One thousand meters...


    Eight hundred meters...


    Seven hundred meters...


    The demons'' speed was just too fast; in the span of a few minutes, the Demon Army, which had been a kilometer away, had already closed in to about seven hundred meters.


    However, at this moment, Rocky, suspended in midair, suddenly raised his arm and then pointed fiercely towards the demons.


    Following his gesture, the ten skyships that had already ascended immediately flew headlong towards the Demon Army.


    And after the skyships took flight, it didn''t take long for the oncoming Demon Army to enter the firing range of the Magic Cannons.


    "Fire!"


    As soon as the first demon entered the range of the Magic Cannons, Felly, who was responsible for commanding the ten skyships, used the communicator to order all the skyships to open fire, and a series of cannon roars immediately followed!


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The deafening sounds of bombardment instantly merged into one, and the ground being bombarded was shrouded in smoke and flying debris. The demons within range naturally suffered the consequences; in the relentless shelling, some were even blasted into the sky, and the less fortunate were hit directly by the Magic Cannons and torn to shreds!


    Without a doubt, the advantage of the skyships and Magic Cannons was fully exhibited at this moment; the ferocious attack from the skies left the demons powerless to retaliate, allowing the skyships to bombard them and causing significant casualties.


    But let''s not forget, demons are not mere targets. These monsters may not be able to counter the bombardment of the skyships, but they could use their speed to rush out of the bombing range.


    In fact, after only two rounds of bombing, demons had already dashed beneath the skyships, completely escaping the bombardment zone.


    There was no help for it, the demons were too robust; despite the continuous cannon fire, apart from a few unlucky ones struck head-on, the rest could swiftly exit the bombardment area unafraid of the artillery. Once they were out of the skyships'' bombardment range, they only faced the troops beyond the tall walls.


    In this situation, the captains of the various skyships began to bellow at the gunners, ordering them to fire as many cannons as possible and to bombard more before the demons could fully escape the attack zone.


    But even so, even though the barrels of the Magic Cannons had become glowing red from overuse, the Demon Army still charged out of the bombardment range and towards the high walls!


    Thus, the only thing the skyships could do was to immediately turn around, follow the footsteps of the Demon Army, and try to fire a few more shots at the demons before the battle transitioned to close combat¡ª that was all they could do.


    Meanwhile, Rocky, floating in midair, had everything in his sight. He watched demon after demon rush out of the bombardment range and towards the troops outside the walls, yet a smile slowly began to appear on his lips at this moment.


    Very good, everything is going according to plan!


    PS: The intense battle for this mission has started, asking for recommendations! Requesting for recommendations!

 Chapter 107 The Baptism of Death!

    The bombing from the skyship was highly effective; had it not been for the demons'' speed, the damage dealt to them would have certainly been significant.Unfortunately, there are no "ifs" in battle, and the demons had swiftly moved out of the bombing range, charging straight towards the troops under the high wall!


    All of this was watched by Rocky from mid-air; however, faced with the Demon Army that hadn''t suffered heavy casualties, he didn''t show the slightest hint of panic. Instead, a smile curled up at the corner of his mouth.


    Yes, he had anticipated this outcome.


    The skyship could only be effective at the beginning against the charging demons. Once the demons broke through the bombing range of the Magic Cannons and started engaging in close combat with the ground troops, the skyships'' impact would become much less noticeable¡ªa fact that Rocky had already taken into account.


    That''s why he had sent out the skyships when the Demon Army was about seven hundred meters from Backhill Village, striking at this distance. Coupled with the demons'' charging speed, they were meant to encounter each other at roughly five hundred meters from the high wall, causing the Demon Army to suffer the first round of bombing.


    This first round of bombing served two purposes: the first, naturally, was to strike the demons with an initial round of fire from the Magic Cannons. No matter how fast the demons were, casualties were inevitable under the relentless onslaught of twenty Magic Cannons.


    In reality, that''s exactly what happened. When the demons moved beyond the range of the Magic Cannons, there were no longer one hundred of them. This meant that, in the recent bombing, at least a dozen or twenty demons had been killed.


    The second purpose of this round of bombing was to disrupt the formation of the demons, using sustained bombing to slow their charge.


    Under the continuous bombardment, the Demon Army could be said to have been completely baptized by the cannon fire from start to finish. Setting aside how many demons were killed, the dense formation was certainly scattered. The once ferocious Demon Army dispersed completely after charging out of the bombing area.


    That was the true significance of the first round of bombing!


    The group formations of the demons were unstoppable.


    If they were allowed to maintain their speed and dense formation all the way to the high wall, not only would the troops led by Lin Feng and Liliya be instantly overwhelmed, but even the tall wall standing at the entrance to the village could be easily breached¡ªa situation Lin Feng was all too familiar with, as half a year ago Backhill Village''s high wall was breached in such a manner.


    It was precisely because of the experience from the previous incident that Lin Feng and Rocky formulated this battle strategy, to have the skyships launch furious bombings at the demons. They weren''t aiming to kill as many demons as possible, but definitely to scatter them.


    Looking at the results, the plan was very successful. Although a large number of demons still broke through the bombing area, not only was their speed significantly slowed down from before, but their formation was also broken.


    However, once the Demon Army broke out of the bombing range, they were only three to four hundred meters away from the high wall¡ªpractically within striking distance.


    At that moment, Rocky, positioned in mid-air, once again raised his arm!


    As he raised his arm once more, his gaze was firmly fixed on the Demon Army that continued to approach.


    Four hundred meters...


    Three hundred meters... sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two hundred meters...!


    As the Demon Army charged to less than two hundred meters from the high wall, Rocky suddenly dropped his arm.


    Right after that, a continuous wooshing sound could be heard, as countless arrows were fired into the sky. After tracing a nearly perfect parabola, they all fell like raindrops!


    The archers from atop the high wall began their attack!


    The ranged forces from Backhill Village were an extremely crucial power, having played a very important role in the last fight, and even more so in this battle.


    Benefiting from the advantage given by the high wall, paired with the longbow''s own range, the archers easily launched attacks at targets two hundred meters away. At that distance, the Demons could do nothing but take the hits. Although the power of the arrows was quite limited, they would definitely cause damage upon striking the Demons, and that was enough.


    Including Dusa, all the archers on the high wall repeatedly drew their longbows, then one after another they let the Arrow Feathers fly.


    Any archer engaging targets one to two hundred meters away didn''t need to aim; what they needed was to shoot as quickly as possible, turning the released arrows into a true arrow rain. This form of intensive firing naturally meant that targets would be hit.


    Under the deluge of Arrow Feathers, the Demons, who had just suffered from the bombardment of the Magic Cannons, were struck again. Perhaps this blow wasn''t particularly massive¡ªhardly any Demons were shot dead¡ªbut their speed and formation were inevitably affected. This resulted in their charge towards the high wall slowing once more, and their ranks becoming even more disordered.


    But was that the end?


    No, it was far from over!


    As the Demon Army continued to advance beneath the rain of arrows towards the troops below the high wall, the Mages on top of the high wall unleashed the third round of attacks!


    One by one, searing Fireballs were hurled by the Mages from the high wall at that moment!


    In theory, a Mage''s magic would not be able to reach a hundred-meter range, but Backhill Village''s high wall was more than ten meters tall. This elevation difference greatly extended the range of the magic, enabling them to hit targets nearly a hundred meters away.


    Similarly, to the archers, at such a distance, there was no need to aim. The Mages simply had to cast their spells as quickly as they could. Against the Demons, the most convenient magic was the Fireball Technique. This magic was not only low in consumption but also had clear effects. Even if the Demons had thick skins, they couldn''t possibly be completely unafraid of fire, right?


    Indeed, that was the case. The damage caused by magic to the Demons was significantly greater than that of arrows. In fact, two or three Demons that had already been wounded by the blasts were struck down by the Fireballs, unable to get up again.


    Having accounted for the Mages'' assault, the Demon Army had now faced three consecutive strikes. First came the bombardment from the Magic Cannons, then the Arrow Rain from the archers, and now the Mages'' magic. This round after round of assault was like a baptism from the angel of death, and even if the Demons'' bodies were strong, they couldn''t possibly remain unharmed.


    There''s a saying: "First we muster the energy, then we begin to flag, and at the third attempt, we are exhausted." After enduring three consecutive rounds of attacks, the Demon Army''s momentum had clearly diminished, far from what it was initially. The sandstorm they raised was long blocked by the smoke raised from the Magic Cannons and was hundreds of meters away.


    Also, under the attack of Arrow Rain and magic, their speed and formation had already dispersed, lacking the imposing manner they initially possessed.


    And at that moment, the two square formations that had been waiting outside the high wall sprang into action!


    Liliya and Lin Feng issued consecutive commands. Under their orders, each of the formations they led stepped forward in unison, taking the initiative to advance towards the Demon Army!


    PS: The great battle erupts! Little Detective has some confidence in depicting scenes of warfare. As the grandest battle in this mission, I guarantee it will be written splendidly. So, as always, I ask for your recommendation! Please recommend! Please recommend!

 Chapter 108 Battlefield Ghost

    Though the arrow reaches its limit, it cannot pierce the strong armor.First strike with vigor, weaken on the second, exhaust on the third.


    After three successive rounds of long-range salvo, the Demon Army had lost its initial fierce momentum, nearly halving its speed compared to before, and its formation was in disarray, looking like a scattering of sand.


    It was at this time that the two square formations waiting outside the high wall started moving!


    Following the commands issued by Liliya and Lin Feng, the troops in both square formations took a step forward!


    Looking at the two formations now, one would notice a different configuration from before. At this moment, Liliya and Lin Feng did not arrange their troops in a single line but instead formed them into a Cone Formation.


    The so-called Cone Formation is characterized by a small group at the front as the vanguard and a larger force on the two flanks.


    This formation allows the vanguard troops at the front to break through swiftly, piercing the enemy''s line like a cone, thereafter tearing apart the enemy''s formation, allowing the large forces on the flanks to expand on their achievements.


    The reason for choosing this formation was its focus on the vanguard; if the troops in the front could withstand the demons'' onslaught, the large forces on the wings would have significantly less pressure, which was the most suitable option for everyone.


    Thus, looking closely at the two formations, one would find Lin Feng positioned at the very front in the formation composed of Backhill Village troops, with various squad leaders behind him. The situation was similar on the Guard Corps'' side, with Liliya and Monte at the forefront, followed closely by squad leaders like Sandro and Aga, and then the rest of the Guards trailing behind.


    As the two formations began to move, the Mages and Archers on the high wall also commenced their final onslaught.


    At that moment, the distance between the Demon Army and the two formations was less than a hundred meters. Considering the speed of both sides, they would collide within minutes. Once they clashed, the battle would turn into hand-to-hand combat, significantly limiting the Archers'' and Mages'' opportunities.


    Therefore, during this brief period when the two sides were about to encounter each other but had not yet met, it became the best and last opportunity for the long-range troops. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Archers on the high wall relentlessly fired arrows as if cost-free, spraying out Arrow Feathers, and the Mages did likewise, casting magic non-stop into the area beyond the high wall, utterly disregarding whether they had exhausted their Magic Power.


    In this situation, Arrow Feathers and Magic rained down on the Demon Army like droplets.


    Meanwhile, the booming sound of the Magic Cannons continued. The ten Skyships were also tightly chasing the tail of the Demon Army, seizing this last chance to bombard.


    For a while, the barren land in front of the two formations was shrouded in gunsmoke; the sounds of cannon fire, magic, and the swish of Arrow Feathers managed to overshadow the demons'' roars at this moment!


    Fairly speaking, the series of strikes delivered by Backhill Village were extremely effective and forceful. Had it been only a few dozen demons attacking, they may have been bombarded to death before even engaging with the two formations.


    Regrettably, this time they were facing hundreds of demons!


    Although they had undergone three successive baptisms and were at their last breath, demons are still demons, monstrous creatures! Your journey continues with empire


    So, as the Mages, Archers, and Skyships just raised the screen of gunsmoke, the first demon fiercely burst out from it! Then came the second, the third, the fourth¡­ and then countless demons surged out of the smoke!


    In that instant, the Demon Army collided with the soldiers of the two formations!


    "Roar, roar, roar!!!"


    Amidst roaring, Monte, at the forefront of the formation, swept a Black-eyed Demon flying away with a strike from his Broadaxe. He then took two steps forward, facing another demon charging at him and swinging his axe again, making it stagger.


    However, Monte could not pursue, because he simply did not have the time. The third demon was already upon him, and all he could do was swing his axe at the demon fiercely.


    Liliya, almost side by side with him, was also facing a similar situation. Adorned in rune equipment, she was equally valiant, her Rune Longsword shining in the smoke and causing severe damage with every strike, but alas, there were too many demons. By the time she cut down one demon, she barely had time to strike again before another would leap at her.


    On the other front, Lin Feng''s troops were facing a similar situation, and Lin Feng was particularly unlucky. After chopping down several Black-eyed Demons in succession, he encountered an armored bull demon and was immediately engulfed in a fierce battle.


    This is characteristic of the Cone Formation. The advantage is that the vanguard troops are incredibly sharp. Correspondingly, the first-line troops also bear enormous pressure, just like Monte, Liliya, and Lin Feng at this moment.


    Stationed at the forefront, they became the prime targets of the Demon Army as soon as the fight started. Countless demons were emerging, one after another; no sooner had they hacked one down than another would strike, and had their personal strength not been exceptional, they would have likely been crushed into pulp during the initial onslaught.


    However, the valiant efforts of the vanguard ensured that the two square formations were not scattered during the head-on collision with the demons and even slaughtered many demons.


    The demons, struck down by the vanguard before they could even rise, were immediately surrounded by a large number of soldiers converging from the flanks. No matter how tough the demons'' hide, facing five or six soldiers wildly hacking with longswords proved too much; many demons died this way.


    Meanwhile, Rocky''s figure had also appeared on the battlefield, and upon his arrival, he instantly became the most active participant there.


    This time he chose not to engage the demons with his personal strength alone, as it would have been futile.


    Faced with hundreds of demons, could Rocky even make a difference if he restrained two or three of them, much less ten by himself?


    Clearly not.


    In a battle of this magnitude, individual power was insignificant. Therefore, before the battle began, Liliya had clearly instructed him to focus on two tasks. The first was to command the distant troops before the melee began and the second was to slay demons with utmost speed once the melee had started!


    These two tasks were all Rocky was meant to do in this battle, and he executed them precisely.


    In mid-air, he dove toward the ground and, using the momentum of his landing, kicked a Black-eyed Demon in the chest. The force and inertia of the dive sent the demon tumbling, and seizing the opportunity, Rocky strode forward, raising his longsword and repeatedly stabbing the Black-eyed Demon in the chest!


    After several strikes, the Black-eyed Demon was thoroughly vanquished. Next, Rocky took a large step forward, gliding five or six meters across the ground assisted by the flying capability of his Void Magic Armor, and reached a demon who was overpowering a soldier. He swung his sword at its neck!


    It must be said, Rocky, clad in Void Magic Armor, performed incomparably on the battlefield. First, because his Void Magic Armor was extraordinarily powerful, strengthened by both armor and runes, he could kill an ordinary demon in three to five slashes; second, he was very agile.


    After so many battles, Rocky had mastered the control of his Void Magic Armor, allowing him to quickly maneuver through various spots on the battlefield. Only he chased demons, as they couldn''t catch up to him at all.


    This made him seem like a ghost independent of the battlefield, continually seeking prey and steadily increasing his achievements.


    "Die!"


    Flying low and fast, Rocky held his longsword horizontally, using the speed of flight and the sharpness of the sword to slice past a demon. By the time he landed, the demon''s neck was spraying blood, and it thudded to the ground.


    "The fifth..."


    Glancing at the demon that lay motionless, Rocky gasped for breath and said, this was already the fifth demon he had slain!


    The continuous slaughter boosted Rocky''s morale; not only that, but he even felt that if things continued this way, they would surely win the battle.


    However, at that moment, he heard a grumbling sound, and something rolled to his feet. When Rocky instinctively looked down, he saw a human head at his feet!


    "Aga..."


    "Aga!!"


    Seeing the head, Rocky immediately widened his eyes, for it was none other than Aga, the squad leader of the Guard Corps!


    PS: The great battle is underway, please recommend, continue to recommend!

 Chapter 109 Father and Daughter

    When Rocky, donned in his Void Magic Armor, became a phantom of the battlefield, not only did he wreak havoc but he was also brimming with confidence. However, the overall situation on the battlefield was far from as favorable as he imagined; in fact, "not optimistic" would be a more accurate description.Not every soldier on the battlefield wore Void Magic Armor!


    Those without Void Magic Armor were as fragile as paper in front of the Demons, only managing to hold off a Demon when several soldiers worked together.


    Especially when the fight turned into a melee, once the frontline troops and the wings inevitably engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the Demons, the advantage of the Demons became markedly evident. Not to mention the troops from Backhill Village, even the Guard Corps equipped with rune equipment also fell into a tough fight.


    There was no helping it; this time, there were simply too many Demons. Over a hundred Demons charged them, and even after three rounds of ranged attacks, seventy to eighty Demons still remained. With the soldiers'' ratio at two or three to one, could two or three soldiers combat a Demon? The answer was obviously no.


    The time shifted to a few minutes earlier.


    Determined to avenge Reed, Robin, who had joined the battle, truly lived up to his words. He displayed exceptional bravery in combat and, once the melee started, together with a few other Guards, managed to engage a Demon.


    However, this time the Guards were not facing a mere eight Demons but at least eighty! On such a large-scale battlefield, forming an encirclement was impossible. Robin and four or five others had just surrounded a Demon when they were immediately scattered by other Demons, leaving Robin to face a Demon alone.


    Even so, Robin did not retreat. He charged at the Demon with a shout. Admirable in courage, but the outcome was predictable ¡ª he was immediately smacked away by the Demon.


    Thrown about like a kite, Robin''s shield and longsword fell to the ground. Although he quickly got up, before he could steady himself, another Demon appeared out of nowhere and swiped at his head!


    Continue your adventure with empire


    Just at this critical moment, Robin, utterly defenseless, was knocked aside.


    The one who knocked him away was none other than Aga.


    But after knocking him away, the Demon''s claw harshly struck Aga, sending his head flying like a ball¡­


    There was no fierce battle.


    There was no back-and-forth confrontation either.


    Dying on the battlefield was a matter of an instant, even... quite simple.


    Witnessing all of this, Robin completely blanked out. He sat dumbfounded on the ground, the only thing he could do was stupidly watch as Aga''s headless body slowly fell, comprehensively shocked.


    While he was stunned, the Demons were not. After one swipe killed Aga, the Demon immediately targeted Robin.


    Facing the Demon that was getting closer with each step, Robin continued to daydream, seemingly turning into a statue.


    But just then, whoosh! An Arrow Feather, from nowhere, whizzed past the Demon''s neck. Although it missed, it drew the Demon''s attention momentarily, and it was in this brief moment that Robin finally snapped out of it!


    Regaining his senses, he hurriedly rolled to the side, picked up the longsword and shield that had fallen to the ground, and by the time he stood up, two more soldiers had arrived. So, he roared and charged at the Demon with the other two.


    "Damn it!"


    Standing before the battlements, Dusa cursed herself fiercely. The arrow that had saved Robin was the one she had shot.


    When the battle had escalated to close-quarters combat, Archers and Mages were still providing support to the battlefield as much as they could. Though they couldn''t unleash Magic and Arrow Feathers as before, they still aimed at their targets whenever possible.


    Dusa was naturally the most active one, but including the arrow just now, she had already continuously shot five arrows, yet not a single arrow had hit its target.


    This was simply unimaginable because anyone who had seen Dusa practicing archery would describe her in three words: sharpshooter.


    However, Dusa knew that the reason every arrow missed was because her hands were shaking!


    Standing on the high wall, Dusa could see the battlefield exceptionally clearly, but what she saw was not victory, only blood and death, of demons, and soldiers, but mostly of soldiers.


    For her, who was on the battlefield for the first time, the scene was too cruel, completely different from the battles she had imagined and longed for, causing Dusa to feel scared.


    In such a situation, her hands shook every time she drew the bowstring, and arrows shot with such trembling hands naturally couldn''t hit any target; in fact, the arrow shot at Robin just then was already Dusa''s most reliable shot, the rest she didn''t even know where they had gone.


    This caused Dusa a great deal of distress, and she even kept cursing herself as useless in her heart, but the more she did so, the more her hands trembled and she couldn''t aim at any target at all.


    Until... she saw her father on the high wall.


    Standing on the high wall, shaking hands forced Dusa to put down her drawn bow because she knew she could no longer shoot any arrow feather, but just then, she suddenly saw Monte''s figure on the battlefield!


    "Father..."


    Seeing her father''s figure, Dusa''s feelings of depression and fear improved a lot because, in her eyes, her father was always a valiant warrior, her lifelong idol, but when she looked closely at Monte, her heart tightened! S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, Monte was in a very bad situation!


    In an army composed entirely of humans, Monte, a beastman, naturally stood out tremendously, not only to other soldiers but also to demons, especially since Monte himself was extraordinarily brave, making him the prime target for demons as soon as the battle entered close quarters.


    Therefore, when Dusa noticed Monte, he was being surrounded and attacked by four demons! What was even more terrifying was that among these four demons, only three were black-eyed demons, and the other one was the even more dangerous armored bull demon!


    Facing the attack of so many demons, Monte, with only one hand, simply couldn''t resist; it was extremely perilous, and he had been knocked down to the ground several times. If not for his indeed strong strength and abundant experience, he might have died several times over already.


    With her father in such grave danger, it was impossible for Dusa to just stand by. She hurriedly picked up her longbow, drew, and aimed it, and shot an arrow.


    However, once the arrow was shot, she didn''t know where it had flown. Monte on the battlefield, instead of receiving any support, was actually knocked down by the charge of the armored bull demon, rolling and crawling on the ground to barely avoid the follow-up attacks of the other demons.


    "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"


    Dusa on the high wall kept cursing herself, clenched her fists, and fiercely pounded the wall twice, then picked up another arrow feather, drew her longbow again, and aimed at the demon that was pursuing her father.


    "Huff..."


    "Huff..."


    "Huff..."


    After breathing deeply three times, Dusa loosened her fingers, and with a whoosh, she shot out the arrow feather!

 Chapter 110 Blowing for a Year!

    Struggling to control her trembling hands, Dusa took careful aim and finally loosed the arrow!With a whoosh, the arrow feather shot forth with a sharp piercing whistle, and in a blink, struck the demon in the shoulder!


    Hit!


    Seeing that she had finally hit her target, Dusa almost cried out in joy, but she quickly suppressed her delight because she saw clearly that her father still received no support from her shot. The demon, struck in the shoulder by an arrow, seemed utterly unaffected and continued its fierce pursuit.


    In such circumstances, Dusa immediately drew another arrow feather from behind her, nocked it onto her longbow, aimed, and released another arrow.


    With a whoosh, this arrow feather hit the demon''s chest, followed swiftly by Dusa shooting a third arrow, which also struck the demon!


    She''s got her groove back!


    Three successive, accurately aimed shots let Dusa gradually regain her usual form and restored the confidence she had lost for a moment. She continued to draw and release arrows, targeting the demon relentlessly pursuing her father.


    Undeniably, as part of the ranged troops, archers are a force that cannot be ignored in any battle, even against demons. However, due to the demons'' incredibly tough, thick skins, ordinary archers find it hard to inflict real damage.


    To enable archers to play their role effectively in combat against demons, people had already greatly improved arrow feathers through continuous battles.


    Today, the most powerful arrow feathers aren''t made of wood but are crafted from the spines of Hundred-thorn Demons. Resembling huge hedgehogs, these demons have hundreds of spines that are harder than steel but amazingly light, making them the best material for making arrow feathers.


    These arrow feathers crafted from spines are known as Piercing Arrows, allowing even the most ordinary archer to wound a demon.


    Regrettably, any equipment made using demon parts is extremely expensive, and Piercing Arrows are no exception. One Piercing Arrow costs a whole Gold Coin, a price too steep for the archers from Backhill Village, and Dusa couldn''t afford them either; they could only use ordinary wooden arrow feathers.


    In this case, even though Dusa hit the demon with five or six arrows consecutively, the damage inflicted was very limited, only causing the demon to cry out in pain twice.


    But don''t forget, in such fierce battles, life and death are decided in an instant. Thus, when the demon, relentlessly pursuing Monte, cried out in pain from the consecutive hits, Monte seized the opportunity to raise his broadaxe and chopped at the demon''s neck, instantly causing blood to spurt from the wound.


    Monte, having escaped danger, was unaware that it was his daughter''s support that had saved him. He had barely caught his breath after slaying the demon before he rushed off in another direction where three soldiers were being attacked by another demon¡ªhe wanted to help out.


    Seeing her father out of danger, Dusa also breathed a sigh of relief, but she soon shifted her target and aimed her bow and arrows at another demon.


    This time, her target was an armored bull demon!


    Equal in might to the Grayrock Demons, the combat power of the armored bull demons was significantly stronger than that of the Black-eyed Demons. Their horns, which topped their heads, were the perfect weapons, capable of penetrating even shields once they charged, added to the scale armor that covered their bodies, making them nearly unstoppable once they began their assault.


    In this assault, there were about a dozen armored bull demons among the hundreds, not a high proportion, but still, they were among the most dangerous creatures on the battlefield. Aside from Rocky, Lin Feng, Liliya, and Monte, the strongest warriors, ordinary soldiers targeted by these demons were inevitably either killed or severely wounded.


    As Monte''s daughter, Dusa''s understanding of demons was naturally far superior to that of ordinary people. Thus, once she had regained her composure and adapted to the brutality of the battlefield, she focused on the biggest threat out there!


    Having set her sights on the armored bull demon, Dusa slowly drew her longbow, not releasing the arrow feather immediately as she usually did, but taking good aim for a while before gently loosening the bowstring in her hand.


    An arrow shot forth, and after a blink, it accurately struck the neck of the armored bull demon, immediately causing it to bellow in pain!


    The armored bull demon was covered in scale armor from its feet all the way to its neck mane. Hence, combating such a demon required breaking through the scale armor with immense strength, or else targeting the neck and head, which were not covered in scales.


    Particularly the neck of the armored bull demon; though it was covered in thick mane, it was the most vulnerable part of its body. Dusa''s arrow targeted precisely this spot and pierced directly through the mane into its neck!


    Unfortunately, as the saying goes, the power of wooden arrow feathers is extremely limited. Even though Dusa had so precisely struck the armored bull demon''s weak spot, the damage inflicted was minuscule.


    But it seemed Dusa already knew this would be the case. No sooner had she released one arrow than she pulled out a second arrow feather, drew her bow, aimed, and fired just like before!


    Another arrow struck its mark, the armored bull demon cried out in pain again, but before its cries could end, a third arrow arrived in the blink of an eye and hit its neck once more.


    After this, the fourth, fifth, and sixth arrows followed in quick succession, each striking the armored bull demon''s neck with unwavering accuracy!


    The impact of one arrow feather was indeed small for the armored bull demon, even if it hit a vital area, but what about two arrows? Five? Ten? Fifteen?


    If a vital spot was hit repeatedly by a dozen arrows, even the armored bull demon couldn''t bear it, could it?


    When the neck was struck by another arrow, the unlucky armored bull demon turned and roared furiously at Dusa on the high wall, as if bellowing for Dusa to come down and face her death.


    Clearly, the armored bull demon had no concept of what a Sharpshooter was, and it didn''t realize how ridiculous it was to roar in anger towards the target of a Sharpshooter.


    So as the armored bull demon kept roaring, Dusa''s lips couldn''t help but curl up slightly, and she nonchalantly pulled out another arrow feather, slowly drawing her longbow.


    The constant drawing of the bow had caused Dusa''s shoulders to ache unbearably, and her delicate fingertips were raw and bloody from pulling the bowstring repeatedly, each draw causing excruciating pain. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But when she drew the longbow yet again, she didn''t even furrow her eyebrows as she immediately released another arrow!


    This arrow, as if alive or endowed with awareness, flew straight from the bowstring towards the roaring demon and in a split second pierced through the armored bull demon''s eye, half of the arrow feather instantly penetrating into its brain!


    The roar stopped abruptly, and the massive body of the armored bull demon fell to the ground with a thud, raising a cloud of dust...


    With just her own strength, Dusa had actually killed an armored bull demon!


    This result was simply unbelievable. Considering the formidable strength of the armored bull demon, even a dozen normal soldiers might not be a match for it, and even if Lin Feng and Rocky wanted to kill it, it would have been exceedingly difficult. Yet Dusa achieved it, using her astonishingly exceptional archery skills to kill an armored bull demon!


    Such a feat, without exaggeration, was enough for her to boast about for a year!


    However, although Dusa was gradually regaining her form and achieving impressive results, as previously stated, in battles of this scale and level, the power of one person could hardly sway the outcome of the battle, not even Rocky clad in Void Magic Armor could achieve that.


    As Dusa was gradually regaining her form and earning impressive results, Rocky too was continuously killing demons. At this time, although he had not kept an exact count, he had killed at least seven or eight demons.


    But what of it?


    "Die!"


    A sword chopped onto the neck of a Black-eyed Demon, and Rocky, with bloodshot eyes, immediately decapitated the demon, but he didn''t even have time to breathe before quickly sliding away eight meters using the mobility of the Void Magic Armor.


    "No!"


    Using the rapid slide of the Void Magic Armor, Rocky roared but could only watch helplessly as a Black-eyed Demon bit into a soldier''s shoulder and then violently jerked its neck upwards, tossing the bitten soldier into the air. By the time Rocky arrived with utmost speed, the soldier had already fallen to the ground, dead...


    In anger, Rocky then ruthlessly thrust his sword into the chest of the Black-eyed Demon. When the first stab didn''t penetrate, he thrust a second time. The second stab didn''t penetrate either, so he thrust a third time, finally skewering the Black-eyed Demon through and through.


    After killing this demon, he immediately soared into the sky, and from his aerial perspective overlooking the entire battlefield, his heart sank completely...

 Chapter 111 The Last Barrier

    Rocky''s personal combat power in this battle could indeed be described as unrivaled. With the augmentation of the Void Magic Armor, he even killed more demons than the Level Six Warrior, Lin Feng. Yet, this still could not change the tide of the battlefield.When Rocky flew midway into the sky and looked over the entire battlefield, his heart turned cold because even he, a novice who had only participated in a few battles, could tell that the situation was quite disadvantageous for his side!


    His spree of killings did nothing to shift the overall unfavorable situation. In fact, ever since the battle had escalated to close combat, the situation had steadily tilted toward the Demon Army.


    This scenario was not because the soldiers weren''t fighting desperately; on the contrary, from his vantage point in the sky, Rocky could clearly see every soldier on the battlefield fiercely battling the demons.


    Not just the soldiers, but the archers and mages on the high walls were also doing their utmost to support the fighting, and even the Skyships, which were less effective in the melee, were trying their best to contribute.


    The ten Skyships repeatedly lowered their altitude, now down to just over ten meters above the ground. Only at this height could the gunners improve their accuracy enough to strike at the demons without mistakenly hitting their own forces in the melee.


    Yet even with everyone''s bravery, the Demon Army still held an absolute advantage...


    As the fighting reached a phase of intense intricacy, the soldiers'' formations were completely disrupted. Without the protection and balance of their formations, the soldiers couldn''t confront the demons with their individual strength.


    On the other hand, as soon as the battle turned into close combat, particularly during the intensely heated deadlock phase, the monstrous nature of the Demon Army became apparent. The demons, with their robust bodies, immense strength, and seemingly endless stamina, had their advantages increasingly amplified on the heated battlefield.


    Although the troops from Backhill Village also had some standout moments during this process, such as Lin Feng, the Level Six Warrior who was unmatched on the battlefield. Not to mention the Black-Eyed Demons, even more formidable were the Armored Bull Demons, two of which were killed by Lin Feng alone!


    Liliya and Monte''s performances were equally remarkable. Liliya leading a small team of guards killed at least four demons, and although Monte wasn''t leading a team, his personal strength also achieved nearly the same results. In addition, Dusa had also killed an Armored Bull Demon, making their accomplishments quite outstanding.


    One could say that in localized skirmishes, the forces from Backhill Village did indeed have commendable performances, but looking at the entire battlefield presented a different picture altogether.


    Across the entire battlefield, except for a few individuals, the vast majority of soldiers who were combating the demons were being steadily pushed back. Not to mention killing many demons, it was considered lucky if they could save their own lives under the demon strikes. Yet even this low standard was met by only a few.


    In such circumstances, one could only imagine the casualties of the troops. When Rocky surveyed the entire battlefield, he saw more bodies than living people. The desolate land was littered with corpses lying in every direction, the blood seeping from their bodies staining the ground in spots.


    Among these corpses, some belonged to demons and others to soldiers, but Rocky did not know exactly how many were soldiers'' bodies. Ten? Twenty? Or fifty? He couldn''t count. He just knew they could not continue fighting like this!


    This battle could not continue this way any longer because if it did, the victor was sure to be the demons!


    Thinking this, he released a Magic Flash towards the sky, instantly illuminating the entire battlefield sky!


    Seeing the radiant light, soldiers fighting the demons quickly began retreating toward the high wall behind them, as if obeying a certain order.


    It was indeed a command, a command for a full retreat!


    In the two days waiting for the demon attack, Rocky and the others had been studying the tactics for this battle, covering every possible scenario and formulating various plans.


    One of those plans was to retreat behind the high walls and use them as a final barrier for defense when the situation turned extremely unfavorable.


    The decision of which plan to use and when to execute it was left to Rocky''s discretion, as only he could move freely across the battlefield with the advantage of the Void Magic Armor and oversee the entire situation from the air.


    Now, Rocky felt it was time to implement this final plan!


    After signaling for retreat to everyone on the battlefield, Rocky did not retreat with the others. Instead, he dove back into the battlefield, fighting the demons alone while everyone else fought as they retreated.


    This was not because Rocky had lost his mind¡ªit was a pre-planned strategy!


    Once he issued the retreat signal, it meant the battle had entered a highly unfavorable stage, and retreating under such circumstances would not be easy, especially since the demons were not fools who would simply allow everyone to withdraw behind the walls.


    So it had already been planned that once Rocky signaled the retreat, all squad leader-level individuals in the two units would hold off the demons as long as possible to allow more troops to reach the safety of the high wall. Then, the squad leaders would retreat, followed by Lin Feng, Liliya, Monte, and others, with Rocky being the last to withdraw.


    Because of these well-prepared arrangements, although the situation on the battlefield was highly unfavorable for Rocky and his team, the retreat process did not degenerate into a chaotic rout. As the retreat began, both ordinary soldiers and guards, whether acquainted or not, immediately grouped and started falling back slowly.


    Meanwhile, squad leaders from the two units quickly gathered around Lin Feng, Liliya, and the others, blocking the demons under their lead.


    In this, Rocky''s courage was paramount as he returned to the battlefield and once again chose to personally contain the demons.


    What worked at one time may not at another. Initially, containing the demons had little effect, but now, as the main forces began retreating toward the high wall, the significance of containing the demons became apparent. If Rocky could hold off even one or two demons, the pursuing demon forces would be reduced accordingly.


    Moreover, after such a prolonged battle, although the human side had suffered heavy casualties, the Demon Army was not unscathed. The earlier counterattack by the long-range units had killed a dozen or twenty demons, and ensued by the fierce combat, now there were probably less than fifty demons left, likely only about thirty to forty.


    This was why Rocky chose this moment to retreat. Thirty to forty demons could still exert terrifying combat power on the battlefield, but against a high wall, they might not be able to cause much trouble. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In other words, as long as the remaining forces could retreat behind the high wall and make their last stand with the wall as their backing, there was still hope for victory in this battle, the only hope for their success!

 Chapter 112 By Ones Own Strength!

    As long as the troops on the battlefield could return to the high wall, the advantage of the wall would be enough to drive back the remaining demons. This was Rocky''s only hope of winning the battle.And to achieve this, to allow as many troops as possible to retreat, Rocky naturally took the lead to become the vanguard blocking the demons!


    While the other soldiers retreated towards the high wall, he charged at the demons, constantly drawing their attention with the advantage of the Void Magic Armor.


    Gliding instantly to a demon, Rocky raised his hand for a slash, immediately slid to the side, and struck another demon with his sword, then retreated after the blow and targeted other demons.


    With the agility of the Void Magic Armor, Rocky continued to harass the demons through relentless repetition. His goal wasn''t to kill a large number of demons, but to attract their attention to the fullest, keeping the monsters focused on him.


    He had done the same thing in the last battle, so he had experience on how to attract demons and how to entangle with multiple demons at once. It did not take long before at least six demons were enraged, directing their spears at him.


    "Come on... come on... all of you, come here..."


    To ensure that the demons always followed him, Rocky did not fly into the air. If he flew away, the demons would target others, so he always used the Void Magic Armor to glide close to the ground, slashing at any demon he encountered to draw in more of them.


    At the same time, he absolutely did not engage in a drawn-out battle with the demons. Last time, he had put himself in danger by doing so, and Liliya ended up getting hurt trying to protect him. So, this time Rocky had learned his lesson. He wouldn''t entangle with the demons and would simply use the Void Magic Armor to soar into the sky and shake off any pursuing demon, nothing more.


    Without a doubt, Rocky had grown a lot through ceaseless battles. Before this mission, he hardly had any encounters with demons, and the only time he did, he cooperated with Liliya. Now, due to this mission, he had rapidly grown into a qualified warrior, whether in skills, experience, or on-the-spot judgment.


    In such a situation, an astonishing scene occurred on the battlefield. A large number of human soldiers were retreating toward the high wall, and the gate had already opened. The first group of soldiers had even made it back, but the demons did not take advantage of the situation to pursue a victory. At this critical opportunity, over half of them were distracted by one person.


    That person was naturally Rocky!


    From up high on the wall, one could see Rocky weaving through the battlefield alone, with a long tail of demons relentlessly chasing him, uttering furious roars. Over twenty demons were chasing Rocky at that moment, resembling a pack of hungry wolves pursuing a fleeing rabbit.


    These hungry wolves were frenzied, baring their teeth and slashing their claws as they chased. It was easy to imagine that once they caught their prey, they would unquestionably tear it to shreds.


    However, the pursued rabbit was quite clever. Despite being in constant flight amidst dangers, it always managed to escape from the gaping jaws of the hungry wolves, even taking the chance to attract more during the chase!


    Thus, the situation on the battlefield underwent yet another change.


    At this moment, there were fewer than forty demons left on the battlefield, and there were still about a hundred soldiers with combat capabilities. With this ratio, if they continued to fight head-on, Backhill Village would be undoubtedly defeated. Even if the troops started retreating, the demons would certainly not give them this chance.


    But it was because of Rocky''s successful diversion, that more than half of the demons had their attention fixed on him. He led them around the battlefield as if walking dogs, drastically reducing the pressure on the others.


    Under the cover provided by Lin Feng, Liliya, Monte, and a host of other squad leaders, along with the support of Archers and Mages on the high walls, even the demons that Rocky hadn''t drawn away were blocked from chasing down their victory, allowing more and more troops to make it back inside the high walls.


    Once the bulk of the troops had safely returned, Lin Feng, Liliya, and the others also led the various squad leaders in a fighting retreat, eventually making it back to the high walls under the cover of Archers and Mages!


    "Hold it! Everyone, help me hold the gate!"


    Retreating to the gate of the high walls, Lin Feng grabbed a shield from someone unknown and took the lead in front of the gate, together with Liliya and the other squad leaders, they all became the most solid barricade, blocking the demons that were attempting to storm the high walls with them outside.


    Meanwhile, noticing that everyone on the battlefield had managed to retreat, an utterly exhausted Rocky leaped into the air and soared towards the nearest Skyship, bellowing, "Fire! All hands, open fire!"


    Continue your adventure at empire


    At his roar, the nearest Skyship immediately started bombarding the battlefield, followed by other Skyships unleashing their cannons, turning the battlefield outside the high walls into a field of explosions almost in the blink of an eye.


    At the same time, the Archers and Mages on the high walls once again began to unleash their fury, sending a barrage of Arrow Feathers and Magic beyond the walls.


    Obviously, now that all the troops had retreated behind the high walls, the ranged units had another opportunity to come into play, an opportunity that was incredibly precious, especially for the Skyships.


    That''s because once the demons started to attack the high walls, the Magic Cannons couldn''t fire anymore¡ªotherwise, the cannons themselves would be sufficient to bring down the walls without waiting for the demon assault.


    In this situation, the gunners aboard the Skyships didn''t have the time to aim. They used the Magic Cannons to bombard wildly, firing until the barrels glowed red hot, firing until there wasn''t a speck of Mana left in the Magic Cannons.


    At the same time, Rocky had already flown back to the high walls, but he didn''t stay on top; instead, he flew directly toward the camp.


    After the intense fighting just now, especially the last stage where he single-handedly held off half of the demons, the Mana in his Void Magic Armor was almost depleted. Whether he liked it or not, Rocky had to recharge his Void Magic Armor.


    Until the Void Magic Armor was fully charged and Rocky could return to the front, the troops that had retreated back to the high walls had to rely on themselves.


    Fortunately, with the bombardment from the Skyships, not only did Lin Feng and the others withstand the demon''s onslaught at the gate, but they also managed to close it successfully.


    "Barricade the gate! Quick! Use whatever you can find!"


    The moment the gate closed tightly, a massive bolt, which took several soldiers to lift, was thrust across it, yet this was clearly not enough; a single bolt could not withstand the following assaults of the demons. Therefore, Lin Feng immediately ordered to bring all the heavy objects they could find to thoroughly block the gate.


    Under his command, carts, barrels, and even large grindstones from the village were moved over, completely sealing the gate shut.


    After that, Lin Feng, Liliya, and the others charged up to the high walls. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the moment they reached the top, the deafening sound of the bombardment stopped, immediately sinking their hearts. They quickly leaned on the battlements to look down, only to see that the demons had gathered below the high walls and started assaulting the walls with their strong bodies!

 Chapter 113 Turning the Tide!

    When Lin Feng and Liliya were peering down from the top of the wall, they discovered that the demons had already begun to charge the high wall!After another round of cannon fire, the number of demons had significantly decreased, but there were still nearly thirty. All the demons that survived the cannon fire rushed to the base of the wall!


    Unlike the sieges conducted between humans, the demons'' method of attacking the wall was hardly admirable; this group of monsters could only rely on their robust bodies to launch a direct and brutal assault on the wall.


    This crude form of assault lacked any aesthetic value but was undeniably effective. Take the armored bull demon, for example, it charged at the wall, and its hard horns easily shattered a large portion of the wall, yet it was unscathed itself.


    Compared to the formidable armored bull demons, the black-eyed demons were much weaker in all aspects, but they were also a lot more agile. The few black-eyed demons that survived the bombardment jumped up as they reached the wall, clinging to it with their sharp claws and climbing up swiftly like geckos.


    The extremely hard wall seemed like tofu under the claws of the black-eyed demons, not only failing to stop them but rather providing these monsters with the perfect foothold. When Lin Feng and Liliya looked outside the wall, the fastest black-eyed demon had already climbed up five or six meters!


    "Archers and mages, fall back, soldiers, forward!"


    Seeing the demons attacking the wall, particularly the black-eyed demons crawling up, Lin Feng immediately issued orders.


    This was where his abundant experience came into play. Had a novice been in command, they would surely have used this opportunity to let the archers and mages launch an attack, which would undoubtedly be the case.


    However, this approach, while seemingly logical, was utterly impractical. After such a prolonged battle, the archers and mages were already exhausted, with both their arrows and magical power nearly depleted. At this point, letting the ranged troops continue to attack would have limited effect.


    Moreover, given the not-so-great height of Backhill Village''s walls, it wouldn''t take long for the black-eyed demons climbing up to reach the top, and even if only one made it up, it would spell sure disaster for both archers and mages!


    In these circumstances, the ranged troops on the wall were immediately withdrawn, with the few remaining soldiers taking their places. However, no sooner had the soldiers positioned themselves than the first demon arrived!


    The first black-eyed demon to climb over the wall leaped onto the walkway, but before it could land, the quick-reacting Liliya stabbed it in the chest with her sword, causing the demon to scream and fall back down.


    But after that, more demons leaped onto the wall one after another. At first, the soldiers could still slash or kick them down like Liliya had, but once a demon firmly made it onto the wall, the situation quickly deteriorated.


    The first demon that secured a foothold on the wall swept through three soldiers with one swipe of its claw and then leaped towards further soldiers, throwing everyone into disarray. With the soldiers panicked, more demons made it onto the wall.


    Thus, the battle on the wall began!


    After the bitter struggle beforehand, the soldiers still standing on the wall were fewer than a hundred, and each one was exhausted and wounded. Although the number of demons had also significantly reduced to a few dozen, the soldiers were still unable to hold their ground.


    Even Lin Feng and Monte, the two mightiest warriors, were beginning to falter.


    Facing a swipe from a black-eyed demon, Lin Feng steadied himself with his longsword, but he was pushed back two steps by the strike before he could stop¡ªa scenario unimaginable for him as a level six warrior. Under normal conditions, he should have been able to make the black-eyed demon recoil with a single stroke.


    But that was the reality. Even someone as strong as Lin Feng was drained of his strength during the battle, and he was forced to give ground under the demon''s assault, making the situation worse for everyone else.


    So, when the battle on the wall started, the demons jumping onto the wall gradually gained the upper hand, forcing the soldiers into a relentless retreat without any chance to fight back. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a heavy crash, Liliya quickly rolled to the side, and then a loud thump followed as the giant foot of the armored bull demon stamped down hard where she had just been.


    But at that moment, Liliya had no time for fear; she leapt up from the ground and struck the shoulder of the armored bull demon with her sword, the force of which surprisingly shattered the demon''s scale armor and sank into half its chest.


    This was trouble!


    Given the demons'' tenacious vitality, the only way to effectively kill them was to cleave them in twain with a single blow; failing that, even grievous wounds could allow a dying demon to launch a fierce counterattack. That was exactly Liliya''s situation now!


    Her sword, having sunk into the armored bull demon''s shoulder and chest, did not deal a killing blow, but instead got stuck!


    And just as Liliya struggled to pull her sword out, the badly wounded armored bull demon roared and pounced at her!


    What immense strength does an armored bull demon have?


    And how narrow is the walkway on the wall?


    Embraced fully by the armored bull demon, Liliya almost in an instant crossed over the battlements, falling outside the high wall...


    "Liliya!"


    "No!!"


    "Captain!"


    The moment Liliya fell outside the wall was witnessed by many. Lin Feng shouted, Monte sprinted towards the battlements, and the guards beside Liliya were simply stunned.


    No one could have anticipated such a turn of events. How could Liliya die?


    She was wearing equipment second only to Void Magic Armor! She had been leading everyone in battle until now! How could she possibly die like this!?


    "Captain!"


    Not only the soldiers on the high walls found it hard to accept such a scene, but even the guards on the skyships surrounding the walls saw Liliya fall from the wall. Felly, who was in charge of command, burst into tears. He rushed to the bow and yelled for his captain, but couldn''t do anything. He could only watch helplessly as Liliya and the demon fell together from the wall¡­


    But just at that moment, a figure flew in from nowhere. It soared like a swallow, leaping down along the high wall and just a few seconds later, the figure rose back into mid-air.


    Rocky!


    The figure hovering in mid-air, naturally, was Rocky clad in Void Magic Armor, and in his arms, he held Liliya!


    "It''s the City Lord!"


    "The City Lord has arrived!"


    "The Lord has arrived!!"


    Watching Rocky rise slowly from outside the high wall and having also rescued the almost certainly doomed Liliya, the guards atop the wall were the first to burst into cheers. Excited, they had forgotten that they should call Rocky the captain here, for they only knew their leader had arrived!


    In fact, not just the Guard Corps, but also the soldiers from Backhill Village unconsciously let out shouts. Although these soldiers were not under Rocky''s command, and were not even familiar with Rocky, his performance in two consecutive battles had already conquered them.


    Soldiers worship the strong, just as the soldiers from Backhill Village respect Lin Feng. Rocky''s leadership in battle and the formidable strength he showed with the Void Magic Armor had impacted the soldiers of Backhill Village greatly, earning their deep respect. Therefore, when he appeared, Backhill Village too seemed to see their savior and shouted excitedly!


    Among the soldiers'' loud shouts, Rocky placed Liliya on the high wall and then handed her his side sword.


    "Use my sword for now."


    Having said that, he once again leaped down the high wall and when he returned shortly after, he already had in his hand Liliya''s longsword which she had left on the demon.


    This longsword was crucial not to lose, for it was a Rune Longsword personally made by Winsel, its power even greater than the side sword of Void Magic Armor.


    "Warriors!"


    Having retrieved the Rune Longsword, Rocky, hovering in mid-air, bellowed, "For Backhill Village! For our families! And for ourselves! Kill these demons!!"


    In his roar, hovering in mid-air, he flew straight at a demon. With a swing of his sword, he cleaved the demon in half!


    One sword strike to kill a demon!


    The power of the Rune Longsword was finally unleashed to its fullest extent in that moment!


    Following that sword strike, the guards who had been continuously retreating on the high wall suddenly surged in morale, and inspired by him, engaged the demons in combat once more!


    It''s strange how things work. Before Rocky''s appearance, the soldiers were nearly overwhelmed by the demon''s onslaught. No, not nearly¡ªthey were indeed overwhelmed. But after his arrival, they seemed to regain their full strength, charged with boosted morale, and courageously fought against the demons once again.


    Discover exclusive content at empire


    It was not only the soldiers; even Lin Feng and others, upon seeing Rocky re-enter the fray, seemed to shed all their exhaustion and once again gained the upper hand against the demons.


    At the same time, Rocky''s presence brought not just morale but also a significant enhancement to everyone''s strength!


    In his hands, the true power of the Rune Longsword was finally unleashed. With the enhancement of the Void Magic Armor, Rocky now possessed the strength of a Level Four Warrior. Under this powerful influence, the Rune Longsword left no challenger standing!


    The Black-eyed Demons were thick-skinned and tough, and ordinary weapons found it hard to fatally wound them. However, the Rune Longsword, personally forged by Winsel, was no ordinary weapon. Its power even surpassed regular Mana Weapons, making each of Rocky''s strikes deadly to a demon.


    Even the stronger Armored Bull Demons found no advantage under the Rune Longsword; their scale armor could not withstand its strikes, often succumbing within two or three slashes.


    Thus, the situation on the battlefield changed once again.


    One, Two, Three¡­


    Rocky sliced through the demons, charging into any that appeared in front of him.


    Four, Five, Six¡­


    After slicing down a demon, he immediately turned and charged another direction.


    Seven, Eight, Nine¡­


    With a sweeping strike, he decapitated a demon. Rocky immediately turned back, then in surprise, he realized there were no more demons on the high wall¡­


    The demons attempting to climb the high wall had been killed off without anyone realizing!


    PS: The biggest battle till now has finally ended. I hope everyone liked it? With this battle over, Rocky is about to return to Sky City and he''s bringing massive gains with him. So, as I always say, the upcoming chapters will be even more exciting. Please recommend! Please recommend!


    Please recommend!

 Chapter 114 The Terrible Cost

    ```Unbeknownst to them, the demons¡­ had all been killed?!


    Rocky, who was scanning the high walls left and right, could hardly believe the outcome, but sure enough, as he looked around, he found that all the demons on the walls were lying on the ground, indeed there were no living demons left!


    They¡­ had actually won?


    This battle, they had won!


    "We''ve won!!!"


    After confirming that there were no living demons left, Rocky finally roared towards the sky!


    With his roar, all the soldiers who were still standing on the walls, even those barely breathing, let out a cheer together! Many of them shed tears in their cheer.


    They truly had reason to cheer, they had every right to shed tears for the victory of this battle, because it was all well-deserved!


    With a force totaling no more than three hundred people, plus ten skyships, they faced off against more than a hundred demons and ultimately achieved victory. Such a military feat was something to be proud of no matter where they went or who they mentioned it to.


    In the battles of humankind against demons, numerous fights involved more troops than theirs facing fewer demons, yet resulted in defeat, not to mention those were not few in number, but this time Rocky and his comrades had won. Perhaps this victory could not be considered unprecedented, but it certainly qualified as a splendid and outstanding triumph!


    "All able-bodied men, immediately tend to the wounded!"


    After the cheering and shouting had subsided, Lin Feng immediately gave the order. The final outcome of the battle was their victory, but the number of wounded soldiers was also countless. So, after a brief moment of joy, everyone began the urgent work of treating the wounded.


    Rocky, who had performed exceptionally well in this battle, exhausted his last ounce of strength in the cheering, and finally collapsed on the ground due to exhaustion, just as he had done previously. He was placed on a stretcher and urgently carried back to camp.


    The reason Rocky was able to return to the battlefield so quickly, rescue Liliya at the critical moment, was not because his Void Magic Armor was fully recharged. In fact, when he returned to the battlefield, the Void Magic Armor had only replenished a third of its mana. Therefore, in the final stages of the battle, the Armor''s mana was already depleted.


    This meant that the Void Magic Armor was effectively useless during the last stages of the fight!


    After this mission, he had reflected carefully on the situation and still had no answer; he didn''t know how he had managed to fight to the end in his heavy armor.


    But now none of that mattered because they had won this crucial battle, and that was enough!


    Completely exhausted, Rocky fell into a deep sleep as soon as he was placed on the stretcher. He didn''t even know how he was carried back to the tent. Fortunately, all post-battle operations were managed by Lin Feng and others, so it was no big deal that he slept through it all.


    He slept straight through to the next day, and only then did he wake up from his deep slumber and, unsurprisingly, saw Liliya.


    "Has the casualty count been tallied?"


    As soon as Rocky opened his eyes and saw Liliya, his first question was about the casualty count because he knew that although they had won the battle, the victory must have been incredibly harsh. He wanted to know how many soldiers of the Guard Corps were left.


    Liliya, who had been joyful at Rocky''s awakening, saw her smile fade away by half at that moment, then she sat by Rocky''s bed and nodded at him: "It has been tallied, the losses of both units are very severe¡­"


    Then, Liliya went on to relay the casualties after the great battle to Rocky. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this battle, not including the skyships and the guards on them, a total of 267 people from Backhill Village and the Guard Corps participated in combat, of which there were 100 ranged troops, and 167 soldiers engaged the demons in direct confrontation.


    ```


    But when the battle ended, only 178 soldiers were left alive, among whom only 92 soldiers who had directly participated in the combat survived, with 75 casualties!


    Also, during the battle at the tall wall, two demons had broken into the village, resulting in 14 deaths among the 100 ranged troops that had been withdrawn.


    In other words, after the battle, Backhill Village and the Guard Corps combined suffered 89 deaths, a casualty rate of nearly forty percent!


    And this was only the death toll. The number of injured soldiers was beyond counting, because there wasn''t a need to¡ªevery soldier who survived the battle was injured, with the only difference being the severity of their wounds.


    "......"


    Although he had anticipated it, Rocky still fell into silence after hearing everything Liliya had to say.


    Casualties were an inevitable price of war, especially in the war against demons. In fact, if judged solely on the scale and outcome of this battle, a forty percent casualty rate was not only not high, it was actually quite low! Facing a battle against hundreds of demons, not just a forty percent, but even a fifty percent death rate, or even total annihilation, would not have been surprising!


    Yet such heavy losses were still hard for Rocky to accept, so after a brief silence, he asked,


    "How about the casualties of the Guard Corps?"


    Discover hidden content at empire


    "The Guard Corps... they are... not too bad, I guess..."


    With a sigh, Liliya replied to the question, "The Guard Corps lost 32 people in combat, and among those injured, another 13 will never be able to serve as guards again..."


    "Sigh... the casualties are so heavy..."


    After hearing Liliya''s report, Rocky let out a long sigh. Previously, nearly ten guards had died in the successive attacks by demons, and now 32 more had perished in this battle. All in all, of the hundred guards Rocky had brought to Backhill Village, nearly half had died, and among the remaining half, many had completely lost their fighting ability and could no longer serve as guards...


    Saddened by such a grim outcome, Rocky didn''t know what to say. He sat on his bed, lost in thought for a long time, then suddenly seemed to remember something and hurriedly asked, "What about Monte? And Dusa, is the little girl alright?"


    "They''re all fine."


    "That''s good... that''s good..."


    Monte, Dusa, and Liliya had not met with any accidents in the battle, which was probably the only thing that could make Rocky feel happy and relieved. So after this, he got up from the bed.


    "What are you going to do?"


    Seeing him rising to leave, Liliya quickly asked because his condition wasn''t good, and he should continue to rest.


    "I need to see Lin Feng and Old Jack, it''s time for them to make a choice," Rocky responded.


    Although the losses of the battle pained Rocky deeply, it was exactly because of such a painful cost that he felt it was time to reveal his identity and purpose to Lin Feng and the village elder, Old Jack. They either had to follow him and leave, or stay here and wait for death, but Rocky was absolutely not going to take care of them anymore!


    PS: Three chapters today, ask for recommendations!

 Chapter 115 The Great Migration (Part 1)

    The battle that had just ended had fulfilled Commander Rocky''s mission, so he did not plan to stay here a minute longer. However, there were two things he had to take care of before leaving.The first was to collect his rightful reimbursement, consisting of ten thousand Gold Coins, five hundred pounds of Yellow Scale Mine, and all the bodies of the Demons. These were Rocky''s dues, and the very reason he had undertaken this mission, so he had to take these items with him before departing.


    The second matter was Rocky''s plan to reveal his identity to Lin Feng and Old Jack and to persuade them to lead the villagers of Backhill Village to leave with him.


    Thus, upon leaving the camp, he went directly to meet Lin Feng. However, as he just arrived at Lin Feng''s residence, he saw several carts of ore parked outside the house, which indicated that Lin Feng had already prepared the reimbursement without needing a reminder.


    Indeed, that was the case. When Rocky entered Lin Feng''s residence, he not only met Lin Feng but also Old Jack.


    "Commander Rocky."


    Upon seeing Rocky, Old Jack was the first to stand up and warmly thanked him, then said, "Commander Sir, we have prepared the commission for this mission, ten thousand Gold Coins and five hundred pounds of Yellow Scale Mine all loaded onto carts.


    As for the bodies of the Demons, I had Captain Lin Feng send people beyond the high wall to retrieve them as much as possible, and it should be ready by tomorrow."


    "Thank you, village chief."


    Rocky nodded and did not offer thanks because these were his entitlements, earned through the blood and lives of he and the Guard Corps, no thanks owed to anyone.


    After that, he cut short any further pleasantries and directly asked, "Village chief, and Captain Lin Feng, do you have any plans for the future?"


    "Well¡­"


    Upon hearing this, both Old Jack and Lin Feng furrowed their brows, and then Old Jack said with a laugh, "We are still considering it. Anyway, we truly thank you, Commander Rocky, as without your cooperation against the Demons, our village would not have known how to survive this ordeal."


    Old Jack was indeed a wily old man, skillfully bringing the topic to a close without any fuss.


    This was actually quite normal, for the affairs of Backhill Village were really not something Rocky, a foreigner, should be concerned or meddling with. However, he had asked about it twice now, and if not for him and the Guard Corps indeed helping Backhill Village resist the Demon attacks, Old Jack and Lin Feng would certainly not have been courteous to him.


    Yet, it seemed as if Rocky did not understand Old Jack''s hint and continued, "Gentlemen, do you really think you can withstand another attack from the Demons after I leave?"


    With these words, Old Jack and Lin Feng''s expressions indeed began to sour¡ªfirstly because Rocky''s repeated probing annoyed them, and secondly, because what Rocky said was absolutely true!


    It didn''t matter whether he was entitled to meddle, but his point was undeniable¡ªthat once he and his troops left, could Backhill Village withstand another attack from the Demons?


    The answer was clearly no. After a series of brutal battles, Backhill Village had suffered much more than the Guard Corps, not only were there more injured soldiers, there were also many more deaths and even the high walls were riddled with holes.


    The high wall had sustained severe damage during the Demons'' assault, especially during the initial charge by the armored bull demon, which caused extensive cracks in the wall. Had the battle not ended when it did, the wall might have collapsed!


    So when Rocky led the troops away, Backhill Village could hardly gather effective defensive forces in a short period of time. It would take at least one to two months, or even up to six months, for them to possibly recover. However, in such a prolonged period, the demons would certainly not remain inactive and even a single attack by the demons could wipe out Backhill Village!


    This matter also troubled Old Jack and Lin Feng. So, when Rocky made this issue clear, both their faces looked incredibly grim.


    Even so, facing Rocky, an outsider, Old Jack still forced a smile and bared his teeth, "Commander Rocky, we naturally have..."


    "Village chief, I actually have a suggestion."


    Not waiting for Old Jack to finish his words, Rocky interrupted, "Village chief, and Captain Lin Feng, my identity is not merely that of a Mercenary Group commander, or rather, I am not really a commander at all."


    Looking at Old Jack and Lin Feng, Rocky slowly said, "In fact, I am the City Lord of a Sky City."


    Just as expected, when Rocky revealed his identity, both Old Jack and Lin Feng gasped!


    The two had indeed harbored doubts about Rocky''s identity before because as a City Lord, Rocky exuded a demeanor unlike ordinary people. Backhill Village had not hired mercenaries for the first time to help with defense, and they could naturally spot that this ''Commander'' was different from other commanders.


    However, the limit of their imagination was to think of him as a noble who had concealed his identity, but they had never imagined that he was the owner of a Sky City!


    No wonder this was the case, for during the Sky Era, the status of a Sky City Lord was regarded as the most noble rank. No matter how noble you were or how long the suffix title of your nobility was, without being a City Lord, it was all nonsense!


    Therefore, no matter how hard Old Jack and Lin Feng racked their brains, they could never have imagined that a City Lord would lead troops to carry out such a dangerous task! Were they insane? S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this context, the way they looked at Rocky changed, and it had to change, for the gap between them was far too great.


    It was only after Old Jack and Lin Feng had regained their composure that Rocky continued to speak, "Gentlemen, I think you are well aware of the situation in Backhill Village. If the demons launch another attack, you definitely won''t be able to withstand it."


    "I understand that you have your own reasons to remain living on the land, and even your own beliefs, which I deeply respect. It is precisely your fearlessness in fighting the demons that has preserved the last sanctuary for people on the land and prevented the demons from completely overtaking it." Explore more at empire


    "However, I think not fearing death and waiting for death are not the same thing. What do you think?"


    While speaking, Rocky looked at Old Jack and Lin Feng, waiting for them to absorb everything he had said before he continued, "Therefore, I hope you carefully consider the suggestion I am about to make for the sake of all the villagers in Backhill Village."


    "I suggest... moving all the people of Backhill Village to my Sky City."


    Looking at Old Jack and Lin Feng, Rocky slowly stated.


    Upon hearing his words, both Old Jack and Lin Feng furrowed their brows tightly and simultaneously fell into silence.

 Chapter 116 The Great Migration (Part 2)

    Actually, as soon as Rocky had made his identity known, Old Jack and Lin Feng had already anticipated the suggestion he might make, so when he finally voiced it, neither of them showed much surprise; instead, they both fell into silence.This reaction was certainly a good sign for Rocky since their hesitation to immediately refuse meant they were considering it.


    In fact, this was indeed the case; Old Jack and Lin Feng were seriously considering Rocky''s suggestion, not because it was particularly good but because Backhill Village had very few options left.


    If they disregarded Rocky, then Backhill Village would inevitably face the next wave of attacks from the demons, and no matter how quickly the village tried to repair or even hire other mercenary groups to help, nothing could guarantee the village''s survival from the next wave of demon attacks.


    However, if they agreed to Rocky''s proposal, it would mean that everyone in Backhill Village must give up their homeland and move to an entirely unfamiliar environment to live, and in this strange environment, they could no longer dictate their own terms, which posed a great challenge to the people of Backhill Village.


    Therefore, making a choice was indeed a significant dilemma.


    "Commander Rocky... rather, Lord Rocky, could you give us some time to think..."


    After a moment of contemplation, Old Jack glanced at Rocky.


    However, Rocky shook his head, "Village Chief, we don''t have much time. I only have ten skyships; if you really wish to relocate, then we must hurry as no one knows when the demons might attack."


    Rocky''s words were not untrue; Backhill Village had over a thousand villagers, but he only had ten skyships. So even if they didn''t bring anything else, just transporting these villagers to Thunderhawk City would take two or three days, indeed leaving no spare time to overthink.


    Moreover, Rocky harbored his own motives; now was when Backhill Village was most helpless and desperate. Under such circumstances, Old Jack and Lin Feng were highly likely to agree to his proposal. But if they delayed too long and the two of them thought of another solution, then Rocky''s attempt to take all the villagers to Thunderhawk City would become difficult.


    Thus, from the beginning, he had not planned to give Old Jack and Lin Feng much time to think; they had to make a decision immediately and stick to it.


    Under these circumstances, Old Jack thought for a long time and even whispered with Lin Feng for a while before they finally came to a decision.


    "Alright, Lord Rocky, we agree to your suggestion..."


    With a hint of reluctance, Old Jack delivered the final answer; he agreed to relocate all the villagers of Backhill Village to Thunderhawk City!


    Excellent! Enjoy new tales from empire


    Hearing this answer, Rocky merely nodded outwardly, but internally he shouted in triumph!


    If it weren''t for the presence of these two men, he would have loved to fiercely swing his fist right now, for this would mean the population of Thunderhawk City could potentially double!


    A doubled population!


    In today''s age, the size of a Sky City''s population directly determined its rank. This was not without reason, for the larger the population, the greater the productivity, and the greater the productivity, the stronger the Sky City would become; also, a larger population could form a bigger army, and a larger army naturally meant greater strength¡ªit was a simple fact. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And thus, the population has always been the scarcest resource. Although there could be population movements among the Sky Cities, a small city like Thunderhawk had no chance of attracting new inhabitants from other cities. For Thunderhawk, not to mention doubling the population, even increasing it by ten percent was extremely difficult!


    But now, once the villagers from Backhill Village were relocated to Thunderhawk City, the city''s population would instantly double, which would undoubtedly play an enormous role in the city''s future development.


    So, having confirmed this matter, Rocky immediately set to work on arranging the relocation, acting as though he feared Old Jack might have a change of heart.


    On one hand, he had Old Jack and Lin Feng explain the situation to the villagers, while on the other, he personally oversaw the task of organizing the skyships for transportation.


    Just like that, the day after the great war had just ended, Backhill Village became busy.


    Old Jack and Lin Feng gathered all the villagers, including Rocky, introduced Rocky''s new identity to everyone, and also explained the situation facing Backhill Village, thereby mentioning that everyone would be relocated to Sky City.


    Upon hearing this news, the villagers were naturally filled with astonishment, and some were even unwilling. Therefore, Rocky delivered a speech, which was almost identical to what he had used to persuade Old Jack and Lin Feng.


    With the clear outline of the pros and cons, and with the assistance of Old Jack and Lin Feng by his side, the villagers of Backhill Village had eventually accepted the result.


    After that, the great migration kicked off in full swing!


    Under the arrangement of Rocky, ten skyships began transporting villagers to Thunderhawk City continuously. Although these ten skyships were strictly speaking warships, and also small-sized scout ships, with a carrying capacity incomparable to cargo ships, each skyship carrying twenty villagers was still achievable.


    Thus, ten skyships could transport two hundred villagers at a time, and going back and forth five or six times was enough to move all the people of Backhill Village.


    Of course, it wasn''t just the villagers who were to be transported; other items from the village, like the warehouse of Backhill Village, were also to be moved.


    In the warehouse of Backhill Village were not only food supplies but also Gold Coins, and even demon cores from Demons! Could Rocky possibly give those up? Of course not!


    Furthermore, the necessities of life needed by the villagers were to be transported as much as possible. Thunderhawk City originally had just over a thousand inhabitants, and now that number had suddenly doubled, which made accommodating the additional people a big issue.


    Next were the spoils of this mission. Although after the migration began, Rocky''s biggest gain from this mission became the populace, he did not want to forsake the commission that was rightfully his, especially the bodies of hundreds of Demons, and several thousand pounds of Yellow Scale Ore!


    There''s no need to mention the bodies of the Demons, after having gone through two major wars, the number of killed demons had reached into the hundreds, and the majority of these bodies had been recovered inside the village. Rocky definitely wanted to take as many as possible.


    As for the Yellow Scale Ore, normally Rocky, after completing a mission, could only take away five hundred pounds of Yellow Scale Ore. But now, with the villagers of Backhill Village following him, the freshly mined ore naturally belonged to him as well.


    You should know that even if mining in Backhill Village had only been conducted for twenty days, the excavated Yellow Scale Ore amounted to several thousand pounds. These ores could be sold to any Chamber of Commerce for tens of thousands of Gold Coins. How could Rocky possibly give them up?


    Given the circumstances, he had to make arrangements as efficiently as possible, first using the skyships to transport the villagers, then the spoils and items from the Backhill Village warehouse, and finally the necessities of daily life, in that order.


    However, the relocation of over a thousand people was definitely a major project. Though simple to arrange, serious difficulties arose when it actually came time to act, so Rocky promptly had Voss come down after the first batch of villagers had been transported, hoping to utilize his experience to help with the migration.


    Upon arriving at Backhill Village, Voss didn''t disappoint Rocky''s hopes; always based in Thunderhawk City, he might not have known what had happened, but after quickly understanding the situation, he immediately took over the coordination work from Rocky. Under his command, the speed of the migration improved significantly.


    Time passed by day by day, and on the third day after the start of the migration, all the people of Backhill Village were successfully transported to Thunderhawk City, where Aileen, who was stationed there, was responsible for settling them in.


    Then, within three more days, the bodies of hundreds of Demons, several thousand pounds of Yellow Scale Ore, and the warehouse of Backhill Village were also emptied.


    Meanwhile, during these days, the Demons did not appear, it seems they were just as Rocky had previously thought. The Demons, already scarce around Break-Sky Mountain, had been exhausted in the last fight. Although it wouldn''t be long before more Demons would appear, at least before the completion of the migration, the Demons would not come.


    Thus, the work of migration was nearing its conclusion. Three days later, the necessities of life packed by the villagers were also transported to Thunderhawk City by skyship, trip by trip. By the time the skyship came to Backhill Village for the last time and took Rocky and others away, Backhill Village had already become an empty village!


    In the whole village, besides the houses that could not be moved, everything that could be taken was taken by Rocky!


    After that, Rocky left Backhill Village with the last trip of the skyship. Standing at the prow of the skyship, watching as the village became increasingly tiny in his sight and now completely empty, he couldn''t have been more satisfied!


    PS: Three updates delivered! Please recommend!!

 Chapter 117 Gesya City

    With a brimful of gains, Rocky took the last skyship out of Backhill Village and returned to his own Thunderhawk City.Standing at the bow of the skyship, Rocky was in high spirits, or rather, his mood had to be good, for the rewards from this mission were simply too great!


    The original commission for this mission was merely ten thousand Gold Coins and five hundred pounds of Yellow Scale Ore, plus a portion of Demon Corpses. If all these commissions were converted to Gold Coins, the total sum would definitely not exceed one hundred thousand Gold Coins. Of course, for Rocky and Thunderhawk City, this was already considered a huge amount of money.


    But now, when Rocky truly left Backhill Village, the gains he acquired far exceeded his expectations.


    Let''s not talk about his commission which initially belonged to him, nor the over a hundred Demon Corpses, or even the thousands of pounds of Yellow Scale Ore¡ªit goes without saying. Even excluding these, Rocky still had other gains.


    For example, everything in the storage of Backhill Village!


    The warehouse of Backhill Village was not particularly large, but it was completely equipped, containing not only Gold Coins and food but also over a hundred Demon Cores!


    Long before this mission began, Aileen had mentioned that The Forsaken People were very wealthy since they not only possessed the resources of the land but also those of the Demons. Backhill Village was just such a case.


    Years of battling with Demons had allowed Backhill Village to accumulate a large number of Demon Cores. Whenever the village encountered an emergency, the villagers would sell these cores to the Chamber of Commerce of Sky City in exchange for needed resources. Now, with Rocky having emptied the whole of Backhill Village, these Demon Cores, accumulated over years, belonged to him!


    Continue your journey with empire


    Demon Cores, ah!


    There were at least a hundred of them accumulated by Backhill Village, and once these cores were sold, how much money would that be?


    So, counting this profit, this time, he''s probably going to earn over several hundred thousand Gold Coins!


    Several hundred thousand Gold Coins!


    My God, even thinking about that number made Rocky drool. He, who had been troubled about money since traversing to this world, had never seen so much Gold!


    And all these earnings were still those that could be measured in numbers. In reality, his most significant gain from this time was precisely what could not be calculated with numbers or Gold Coins, which was the population of Backhill Village!


    The more than one thousand villagers of Backhill Village would henceforth be residents of Thunderhawk City. Two months ago, Rocky had just started economic reforms in Thunderhawk City; new industries were waiting for manpower to be developed and constructed.


    At such a critical period, the sudden increase of more than a thousand people was self-explanatory in terms of what it meant for Thunderhawk City, right?


    At the same time, among these more than a thousand people, several hundred were experienced soldiers who would undoubtedly greatly strengthen Thunderhawk City''s power. After all, the troops of Backhill Village were not rookies; they were veterans who had fought against Demons for countless years!


    A single mission, with so many tangible and intangible gains, how could Rocky not feel elated.


    And with such a tremendous gain, what would the future hold for him and Thunderhawk City?


    It would undoubtedly be on the rise!


    So, if it weren''t for the presence of outsiders, Rocky really wanted to dance and laugh out loud just to express the joy in his heart.


    At this point, some might ask, the rewards from this mission were indeed huge, but let''s not forget, how many people died for this mission! Since human life cannot be measured in money, is the profit earned at the cost of so many lives truly worth it?


    Rocky didn''t know the answer to that question. He only knew one thing: If so many had died and nothing was gained, that would be the true loss!


    ......


    ......


    And so, Rocky left Backhill Village with his full gains, leaving in high spirits, and he really should be glad, for his gains from this time were enormous indeed.


    But as the saying goes, joy for some often means sorrow for others. When Rocky happily returned to Thunderhawk City, on the other side of the continent, someone was worrying.


    Gesya.


    In this world, Gesya is known as the God of the Earth, said to be the one who nurtured the land and bestowed life upon all creatures dwelling on it. Legend has it that he, along with the God of the Sky, gave birth to the seas, making him the father of the Sea God. In the mythological system of this world, Gesya holds an exceptionally important position.


    But now, people no longer believed in such myths and legends, because no one was blind. When Demons began to invade the land, the deities of the myths were nowhere to be seen. Gesya, the so-called God of the Earth, was missing without a trace, letting Demons occupy the land. Under such circumstances, who would continue to worship him?


    For the people of today, Gesya no longer represented the God of the Earth; instead, it denoted a city.


    One of only three remaining cities on land is called Gesya City!


    Today, after demons have occupied the land for a hundred years, there are only three places left on land where people still live and can be called cities, and Gesya City is one of them.


    This city is located on a vast plain, almost as large in area as the Top Ten Divine Cities in the sky, and is home to hundreds of thousands of people. It can be said to be one of the last strongholds on land. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, anyone who has personally visited this city would be incredibly surprised because Gesya City is situated on a plain surrounded by expansive grasslands, with no naturally defensible terrain. How could such a city hold out so long against the attacks of demons?


    If someone thought this way, they would be terribly mistaken, or rather, anyone who had such thoughts obviously had not seen the full picture of Gesya City. Indeed, the city is located on a plain and one can see endless land all around the city, but if one looked farther, they would see the true face of the city.


    A hundred li away from Gesya City lies a swamp nearly a thousand kilometers wide. This vast swamp encircles the city like a giant serpent, protecting Gesya City from the approach of demons. Even high-level demons, faced with a swamp nearly a thousand kilometers wide and fathomless, are at a loss.


    The swamp is known as the Karina Great Swamp, meaning "insurmountable," and it is precisely because of this insurmountable swamp that Gesya City remains one of the only three cities left on land!


    Only now, the situation seems to have changed a bit¡­


    Above the vast swamp, there appeared a fleet of skyships numbering in the hundreds. Each warship in this fleet is of the latest model, especially the flagship of the fleet, which is over two hundred meters long, equipped with nearly a hundred newest type magic cannons, and carries thousands of crew members and hundreds of soldiers donning Void Magic Armor!


    The highest officer of this flagship, who is also the supreme commander of Gesya City¡ªSiberius¡ªis currently wearing Void Magic Armor, floating in midair, and surveying the opposite shore of the swamp under the protection of a Void Magic Squad.


    Following Siberius''s gaze to the other side of the swamp, one would find it completely covered with demons!


    At this moment, the number of demons gathered on the other side of the swamp is unimaginably high, so much so that one couldn''t even begin to count them.


    Are there ten thousand demons?


    No.


    Fifty thousand demons?


    No.


    One hundred thousand demons?


    No!


    The demons surrounding the swamp are easily in the millions!


    Millions of demons are packed around the Karina Great Swamp, thoroughly surrounding Gesya City both inside and out, making it impenetrable, a scene that even Siberius, who had led Gesya City through the Second Counteroffensive War, couldn''t help but be startled by.


    "What on earth is going on..."


    Hovering in midair with the aid of the Void Magic Armor, Siberius looked upon the endless horde of demons, his brow knotted in deep concern. A month ago, demons began congregating around the swamp; in just a short month''s time, their numbers grew from a few hundred or thousands to the scale it had reached now, and it appeared that their numbers were still increasing.


    Who is Siberius?


    Being the commander of one of humanity''s last three cities on land, his strength and abilities have reached an unrivaled level, but even he had never faced a situation like the one before him.


    However, drawing on his lifetime of experience fighting demons, he could tell that something major was about to happen, a catastrophe!


    Therefore, he swiftly called his lieutenant, "Inform the Kafka Empire, the Sky Alliance, and the Magic Energy Research Institute about our situation here. Ask them to send large Sky Cities to eliminate the demons as soon as possible, and also contact the other two cities to see if they too have encountered similar situations."


    "Yes, sir!"


    With a quick response, the lieutenant immediately returned to the flagship and relayed Siberius''s orders.


    The Kafka Empire, the Sky Alliance, and the Magic Energy Research Institute that Siberius mentioned are the three superpowers in the sky. Over eighty percent of the Sky Cities are dependent on these three forces for survival, and even the monstrous Top Ten Divine Cities have seven of them divided among these three powers!


    Clearly, Siberius felt that the abnormal behavior of the demons in the recent month was serious enough that the three superpowers must be informed!


    PS: It''s still three updates today! So continue to ask for recommendations!

 Chapter 118 Astronomical Numbers!

    "Finally... I''m back!"Rocky had no way of knowing what was happening on the other side of the land, but now that he had returned to Thunderhawk City, he stood at the Skyport, arms wide open as he took deep breaths, because he was finally back, finally home! Experience new tales on empire


    Although this mission had lasted only a month¡ªno, in fact just over twenty days¡ªthe ordeal felt like a lifetime to Rocky. Each day of the mission dragged on endlessly, every battle seemed like it could be the last. This relentless pressure made Rocky long for Thunderhawk City and the days when he was the City Lord.


    Being City Lord is really the best...


    It was only after facing the hardships and dangers of the mission that Rocky truly appreciated how blissful it was to be City Lord.


    "My Lord! Welcome back!"


    As Rocky was musing to himself, Aileen, who had been managing Thunderhawk City during his absence, had already approached him, clearly having waited for some time.


    Aileen''s face was likewise adorned with a joyful smile, showing her happiness upon seeing Rocky. It was evident that during Rocky''s absence, Aileen had missed him, even if just a little.


    "Hahaha, Aileen, you''ve worked hard during this time!"


    Seeing Aileen made Rocky burst into laughter, then, without further discussion or allowing for refusal, he gave her a big hug.


    Another hug from the City Lord.


    To his peculiar habits, Aileen seemed to have grown accustomed, so she did not resist being embraced by Rocky.


    After the embrace, Rocky led the group that had returned with him onto a carriage and headed straight for the City Lord''s Mansion.


    "My Lord, the villagers from Backhill Village have all been settled," Aileen reported to Rocky, who hadn''t even waited until they reached the City Lord''s Mansion to start briefing him.


    This wasn''t because she was impatient, but rather because the treasures Rocky brought back were astonishingly numerous, so much so that Aileen could hardly imagine it. Naturally, this made her extremely excited, hence she had been busy without pause ever since the great migration began, and she wasn''t done yet.


    Of all her tasks, the most crucial was settling the over one thousand villagers who had come from Backhill Village, a number roughly equal to the existing population of Thunderhawk City! To accommodate these villagers, Aileen had been incredibly busy.


    Thankfully, Thunderhawk City was big enough; even with an additional thousand people, there was still enough housing available.


    Some might wonder how a small Sky City like Thunderhawk could be considered ''big.''


    That question would only be asked by someone unfamiliar with the matter. Although Thunderhawk City''s population was just over a thousand, it didn''t mean that the city could only accommodate a thousand people.


    In fact, the standard housing capacity for any small Sky City is around five thousand, so with a population of just one thousand, there were plenty of vacant houses and lots of unused land in Thunderhawk City.


    Under these conditions, the villagers from Backhill Village were quickly housed within the city and given residences as soon as they arrived. The process was complex and time-consuming, but with the cooperation of Old Jack, Lin Feng, and others, there were no incidents.


    Once they had a place to live, the migration could be considered more than halfway done, so when Rocky returned to Thunderhawk City, the one thousand plus villagers from Backhill Village were almost all settled.


    "You''ve worked hard," Rocky said after listening to Aileen''s report, letting out a sigh of relief. He had to admit that Aileen''s competence was truly remarkable. Though her official role was finance officer and resettling people wasn''t her forte, Aileen had managed everything perfectly, saving Rocky a lot of trouble, since he was, in fact, the city''s administrative officer!


    After nodding at Aileen, Rocky asked, "Aileen, have you finished inventorying the spoils of war?"


    "Yes! The inventory is complete!"


    At the mention of the spoils he brought back, Aileen''s eyes immediately sparkled, and the tiredness on her face vanished, replaced by radiance and vitality.


    "My Lord, not only have I completed the inventory of the treasures from Backhill Village, but I''ve also divided them into three categories," she excitedly reported.


    "Firstly, there''s everything from the storehouse of Backhill Village. After inventorying, there were a total of fifty-two thousand three hundred and twenty-one Gold Coins, which have now all been deposited into the treasury of Thunderhawk City.


    Including our existing surplus and the forty thousand gold coins in Commission, there are now a total of seventy-four thousand eight hundred and thirty-three Gold Coins in the city. This amount is sufficient for purchasing next quarter''s food supplies or importing yarn and leather; it''s enough to last us through the year."


    Whenever money was mentioned, Aileen''s spirits soared, and she even calculated down to the very last Gold Coin!


    "And the second major item among the spoils is ore."


    No sooner had Aileen finished counting the Gold Coins in Thunderhawk City''s treasury than she continued without giving Rocky the chance to ask any questions: "From Backhill Village, you brought back 3999 pounds of Yellow Scale Ore, all of which have now been stored in the storeroom." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I asked around a few days ago, and the market price for Yellow Scale Ore is approximately eight to ten Gold Coins per kilogram, so if we were to sell all of this Yellow Scale Ore, we could fetch at least thirty to forty thousand Gold Coins."


    Thirty to forty thousand Gold Coins... This wasn''t a small sum either, especially for Thunderhawk City.


    However, among the spoils Rocky had acquired this time, the ore was still the lesser part; the real bulk of the loot was yet to come.


    Demon Corpses and Demon Cores!


    This was the greatest gain from Rocky''s venture!


    So, after discussing the Yellow Scale Ore, Aileen naturally brought up the Demon Corpses and Demon Cores, and her little face was so flushed with excitement as she spoke about them.


    "My lord, the most important spoils you brought back this time are the Demon Corpses. I''ve counted them, and you brought back a total of one hundred and thirty-five Demon Corpses, among which there are one hundred and twenty-two Black-eyed Demons, and thirteen armored bull demon corpses."


    "Out of these one hundred and thirty-five corpses, ninety-nine are complete Demon Corpses, the rest are either incomplete or are corpses pieced together from various limbs, but this is not a problem, even these corpses can be sold for money."


    "As for the price of these Demon Corpses, I asked Monte, and he said that the corpses of Black-eyed Demons might fetch about three to five thousand Gold Coins apiece, depending mainly on the demand from buyers.


    And the price of an armored bull demon is particularly high, worth at least ten thousand Gold Coins each, and if it''s in perfect condition, with horns and Scale Armor intact, the price could be even higher."


    "By this estimate, just by selling all the Demon Corpses, we could make over two hundred thousand Gold Coins!"


    "That much?! Can we really sell them for over two hundred thousand Gold Coins?"


    Aileen''s estimate made Rocky''s eyes widen in disbelief!


    Two hundred thousand Gold Coins... The Demon Corpses he brought back could actually be sold for so much money?!


    For Rocky, who had been poor since his arrival in this world, two hundred thousand Gold Coins were an astronomical figure. He didn''t even comprehend what that amount could signify!


    "My lord, I''m not lying to you. The Demon Corpses you''ve brought back can indeed be sold for over two hundred thousand Gold Coins, and..." Aileen glanced at Rocky as she spoke, smiling broadly, and very happily, because she then went on to say, "And this two hundred thousand Gold Coins'' worth of income doesn''t even include the Demon Cores."


    Don''t forget, apart from a large number of Demon Corpses, Rocky also brought back a substantial number of Demon Cores!


    So Aileen continued:


    "This time, you brought back a total of two hundred and thirty-one Demon Cores, all from Black-eyed Demons. I''ve already asked Monte, and he said the Demon Cores from Black-eyed Demons are not that valuable..."


    "But even if they aren''t worth much, each Demon Core can still be sold for at least one thousand Gold Coins. Thus, if we sell all these Demon Cores, then earning over two hundred thousand Gold Coins will still be easy for us."


    "Another two hundred thousand..."


    Upon hearing this number, Rocky was completely flabbergasted!


    It suddenly seemed to him that he couldn''t quite keep up; the Demon Corpses could earn two hundred thousand Gold Coins, and the Demon Cores could also earn two hundred thousand Gold Coins. How much was that when added together?


    Four hundred thousand!


    So, if he sold both the Demon Corpses and the Demon Cores, Rocky could make four hundred thousand Gold Coins!?


    Four hundred thousand... The number had a staggering impact on him. For Rocky, it was simply an astronomical sum!


    PS: The second update! Please continue to recommend!

 Chapter 119 Not Enough to Spend?

    Four hundred thousand Gold Coins... For Rocky, that was absolutely an astronomical sum!For a moment, Rocky even felt his breathing become rapid, experiencing a tension and excitement he had never known before!


    With so much money, how should he spend it?


    Money, naturally, is to be spent, and the purpose of making money is to spend it. Hence, after accepting this astronomical sum, the first thing Rocky thought of was how to use this money to develop Thunderhawk City.


    Unfortunately, he who had always been worried about money suddenly couldn''t think of a way to spend it!


    Because now the coffers of Thunderhawk City were quite substantial; as its City Lord, he no longer had to worry about food, yarn, and such. But suddenly not having to worry about these things left Rocky feeling at a loss¡ª if he wasn''t worrying about these things, what should he worry about?


    After much thought, Rocky finally clarified his ideas; he wanted to use this money to develop Thunderhawk City and expand his strength!


    Firstly, he would use the money to accelerate the pace of Thunderhawk City''s economic reforms, then make another trip to Eternal City, hire more technicians, and have more people start learning leather manufacturing techniques. At the same time, he would also build a leather manufacturing factory in Thunderhawk City, setting the city''s manufacturing industry on the right track.


    This was something he had never considered before because he didn''t have the money to build a factory. In Rocky''s original plan, even if the residents of Thunderhawk City learned leather manufacturing techniques, they would still, just as now, do manual production at home. Thinking about building a factory was a plan far in the future.


    But now he had money, so to take out tens of thousands or even a hundred thousand Gold Coins to develop Thunderhawk City had become easy. Under these circumstances, previously unfeasible ideas could now be realized!


    Besides the development of Thunderhawk City itself, he would also use this money to enhance Thunderhawk City''s military strength. If the economy was the soft power, then the military naturally was the hard power.


    The mission to Backhill Village not only allowed Rocky to genuinely experience a war against Demons but also to understand many things. For instance, through continuous battle, he increasingly realized the importance of the Void Magic Armor.


    In this mission, he was the only one who possessed Void Magic Armor, yet the combat power displayed by just this single set of armor was enough to rival an entire squad of soldiers, no, even more exaggeratedly so. Because judging from battle achievements alone, Rocky had killed more Demons in various battles than an entire squad of soldiers.


    And if he could have a fully-composed Void Magic Squad, how much would Thunderhawk City''s strength be enhanced?


    Unfortunately, a fully-formed Void Magic Squad would require ten people, and considering the exorbitant cost of Void Magic Armor, even Rocky with his four hundred thousand Gold Coins couldn''t form such a squad all at once. However, he could start by buying one or two sets of Void Magic Armor!


    Not to mention much else, once he sold the Demon Corpses, Demon Cores, and ores, he would definitely have enough to purchase two sets of Void Magic Armor. When the time came, giving one set to Liliya and another to Monte or Lin Feng, even like this, Thunderhawk City''s strength would see a significant increase.


    And then there was the Skyship, something Rocky absolutely mustn''t forget.


    In this mission, the Skyship had played a far greater role than Rocky had anticipated, giving him a completely new perspective on Skyships. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having started with his own Void Magic Armor and then extremely fortuitously discovering Mana Runes, a top-tier technology, Rocky hadn''t paid much attention to Skyships, even thinking that in front of Void Magic Armor, Skyships would be of no use.


    However, this mission changed that ingrained idea; Void Magic Armor was indeed strong, but Skyships were by no means weak, especially in aerial combat where, in some respects, their role could even surpass that of the Void Magic Armor.


    Furthermore, the price of Skyships was substantially cheaper compared to Void Magic Armor, which was a crucial factor.


    Take the latest Fifth Generation Void Magic Armor, for instance, the cheapest model on the market ranged from 80,000 to 100,000 Gold Coins, and the price could double, or even triple, for some of the more powerful models. Your next read awaits at empire


    But the latest models of Floating Warships, especially the small ones, were significantly cheaper by a large margin. Rocky remembered the last time he saw a new model Reconnaissance Ship on the weapon market in Eternal City; it was priced at only 50,000 Gold Coins. And if it were an older model or a second-hand Floating Warship, then the price would be even cheaper.


    In such circumstances, Rocky felt that he should also purchase a few Skyships. Currently, Thunderhawk City only had ten Skyships, all outdated Reconnaissance Ships, and it was time to expand the fleet.


    After all, when facing demons, he could send the soldiers into battle, but between Sky Cities, the combat was dominated by Void Magic Armor and Skyships¡ªordinary soldiers simply couldn''t play a significant role.


    In addition to the Void Magic Armor and Skyships, it was naturally necessary to provide benefits for the soldiers, such as new equipment.


    In this mission, the power and utility of rune equipment were fully demonstrated. The casualty rate of the Guard Corps equipped with rune equipment was at least half that of the Backhill Village troops in ordinary gear.


    This was despite the fact that the Guard Corps consisted of new recruits with little battle experience, while Backhill Village''s troops were veterans with substantial combat experience.


    If the Guard Corps were to undertake the same mission again, Rocky believed that with the protection of rune equipment, the casualty rate among the Guards would be even lower!


    That was the role rune equipment played on the battlefield, and Rocky felt it was essential to replace all the Guard Corps'' gear with rune equipment!


    And lastly, there were the Mana Runes.


    As the ace of aces and a secret among secrets in his hands, Rocky thought that once he had money, he should further expand the applications of rune equipment. Currently, he had only used Mana Runes on equipment, but could runes be used on Skyships or Magic Cannons as well?


    Both Skyships and Magic Cannons relied on Mana for flight and firing. Since Mana was being used, Mana Runes certainly had a role to play. It was just that Rocky currently lacked the technical expertise in this area.


    In fact, Rocky had this idea for a while but, being a transmigrator, his understanding of Magic Energy Technology was limited. Although he had specifically purchased many books on his last trip to Eternal City, his learning progress was very slow.


    Therefore, he felt that he should hire a real teacher, preferably an expert in the Magic Energy Domain, to improve his skills in this area as quickly as possible.


    In light of this, Rocky had a rough direction on how to spend the 400,000 Gold Coins.


    Part of the money would be used for the construction of Thunderhawk City, a rough estimate would be about 100,000 Gold Coins; combined with the current treasury of Thunderhawk City, it would definitely be sufficient. The remaining 300,000 Gold Coins would be allocated for purchasing Void Magic Armors, Floating Warship battleships, and also weaponry and equipment for the soldiers.


    And if there was any surplus afterward, Rocky would hire a teacher for himself so that he could learn all about Magic Energy as quickly as possible and maximize the effectiveness of Mana Runes.


    Heavens... after making these plans, Rocky roughly tallied up the budget and found that the 400,000 Gold Coins were almost entirely allocated, and even... might not be enough?!


    PS: Third release! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations!

 Chapter 120 Domestic Affairs (Part 1)

    Rocky had never imagined that the staggering sum of 400,000 Gold Coins, which he had casually allocated, would suddenly become insufficient to cover the expenses.This money... was it really that easy to spend?


    In fact, it wasn''t that the money was easy to spend, but rather that Rocky had too many places to spend it. If an ordinary person had 400,000 Gold Coins, they could live a life of daily luxury and squander it all, and still have enough to last a lifetime.


    However, Rocky was using this money to develop his own city and expand his army. In front of a city, in front of an army, what was 400,000 Gold Coins? No, it was not much at all; this amount could only be considered a mere trifle, something that could be spent with a mere flick of the fingers!


    By this time, the carriage had already arrived at the City Lord''s Mansion, finally returning home, and Rocky could put aside the matter of money, as there were still many other issues waiting for his attention.


    Now, Thunderhawk City, having absorbed the entire Backhill Village, had too many decisions waiting for him as the City Lord to make, and so, upon returning to the City Lord''s Mansion, he didn''t even have time to rest before heading straight to the City Lord''s Hall.


    In the City Lord''s Hall, he met Liliya and Monte, who had returned just before him; he also encountered Lin Feng and the distant elder of Backhill Village, Old Jack.


    "City Lord, welcome back!"


    Once Rocky sat down in the City Lord''s designated seat in the hall, Liliya, leading the group from Thunderhawk City, immediately greeted him with a bow.


    Seeing the way Liliya and the others acted, Lin Feng and Old Jack also bowed to Rocky shortly afterward and also started addressing him as City Lord.


    Clearly, Lin Feng and Old Jack were still not accustomed to this; having always lived on land, they were obviously not yet adapted to the customs of Sky City, but there were certain rules they had no choice but to adapt to, such as recognizing the change in Rocky''s status.


    In Backhill Village, Rocky''s role might have been just the leader of a Mercenary Group, at most on par with Lin Feng, or even lower than Old Jack, but now Backhill Village was no more, and in Thunderhawk City, there was only one authority, and that was City Lord Rocky! S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So when these two men met Rocky again, regardless of what thoughts they had, they had to respectfully call him City Lord and bow, otherwise, it would be considered rebellious.


    "Lord Jack, Lin Feng, are you two adapting well to life in Thunderhawk City?"


    After everyone had bowed, Rocky asked with a smile to Old Jack and Lin Feng, who had returned several days before him and had already been living in Thunderhawk City for some time.


    "Thank you for your concern, City Lord. Everything has been well arranged, and everyone, including myself, is very satisfied," Old Jack replied with all his usual tact, having a wealth of experience and being able to choose his words carefully, even though he was still somewhat unfamiliar with the customs of Sky City.


    "That''s good to hear."


    This response pleased Rocky greatly because Old Jack cleverly included the over a thousand villagers from Backhill Village in the term ''everyone,'' which made it sound comfortable to Rocky; here was Thunderhawk City, and every person here was a resident of Thunderhawk City¡ªthere was no concept of Backhill Village here anymore!


    So, nodding his head, Rocky then said to everyone, "Everyone, you have all worked hard on this mission; on behalf of the over two thousand residents of Thunderhawk City, I thank you."


    After saying this, he then turned to Old Jack, "Lord Jack, do you have any suggestions for the development of Thunderhawk City?"


    "Hmm? This¡­"


    Faced with Rocky''s sudden question, Old Jack was clearly taken aback, unsure of how to respond, and what puzzled him even more was why Rocky would ask him such a question.


    After everyone from Backhill Village had relocated to Thunderhawk City, the so-called village chief''s role lost its significance¡ªafter all, he had no voice in Thunderhawk City!


    Just when Old Jack was at a loss, Rocky smiled and said, "Lord Jack, the previous administrative officer of Thunderhawk City was banished by me six months ago, so the position has been vacant. I wonder if you''re willing to take on this role?"


    So it turned out that Rocky wanted Old Jack to be the administrative officer of Thunderhawk City!


    This was something he had been considering for the past few days. He felt that Old Jack, as the village chief of Backhill Village, definitely had more experience in administration than anyone else, and since Thunderhawk City had already absorbed Backhill Village, Old Jack obviously couldn''t continue as the village chief.


    However, he could take on the role of administrative officer, which would also relieve Rocky himself.


    As for Rocky''s proposal, Old Jack took a while to react but soon agreed!


    In Old Jack''s eyes, this was naturally a great opportunity! Frankly, he was quite afraid that the villagers might be bullied after arriving in Thunderhawk City, as they were outsiders and had no say here. Even if Rocky, the City Lord, did not target them, it would be unbearable if other city dwellers bullied them!


    But if he could hold a minor official position in Thunderhawk City, the situation would be much better. He could at least speak with Rocky, the City Lord, ensuring that the days of Backhill Village''s residents in Thunderhawk City would not be too dreadful.


    With this in mind, Old Jack agreed to Rocky''s request without a second thought, thus becoming the new administrative officer of Thunderhawk City.


    After arranging things for Old Jack, Rocky then turned his attention to Lin Feng, asking, "Lin Feng, are you interested in serving in the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City?"


    Rocky naturally liked Lin Feng even more because he was an absolute talent!


    Not only was Lin Feng personally powerful, being a rare Level Six Warrior, but what was even more valuable was his rich experience in both combat and command¡ªexactly the kind of talent Thunderhawk City needed. Continue your journey with empire


    So, after arranging things for Old Jack, Rocky turned to Lin Feng.


    To his invitation, Lin Feng also nodded without hesitation!


    Indeed, even before Rocky returned, Lin Feng had already decided on this. He was somewhat confident in his own ability, knowing there was a good chance Rocky would want him to join the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City, and he had no objections to it.


    In his view, since Backhill Village no longer existed, he had to live in Thunderhawk City next, and with a family to support, securing a position in the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City would obviously be the outcome Lin Feng hoped for.


    "Okay!"


    Lin Feng''s painful nod made Rocky very pleased; thus, he then said to everyone, "Starting tomorrow, Lord Jack will assume the role of administrative officer of Thunderhawk City, and Lin Feng will join the Guard Corps, taking the role of instructor. The previous instructor, Monte, will be promoted to deputy commander of the Guard Corps, both under the command of Liliya."


    "Aileen, tomorrow, take Lord Jack around Thunderhawk City to familiarize him with the environment and help him adapt quickly."


    "Understood."


    Aileen nodded in agreement and responded.


    "Liliya¡­" After making the arrangements, Rocky turned to Liliya and instructed, "Order Thunderhawk City to set sail immediately, flying towards Eternal City!"


    "Yes!"


    PS: It''s off to Eternal City again, but this time Rocky is very different from before. What will happen in Eternal City this time? Just thinking about it is quite exciting!

 Chapter 121 Domestic Affairs (Part 1)

    After appointing Old Jack and Lin Feng, Rocky ordered Thunderhawk City to head for Eternal City once again!The decision met with no objections, for after such a great haul, the most appropriate action for Rocky was to immediately make for Eternal City, to convert all the spoils of war into Gold Coins at the largest trading city in the skies, and then use those Gold Coins to enhance his own strength as well as that of his city.


    So, at his command, Thunderhawk City, which had been docked near Break-Sky Mountain for nearly a month, slowly began to move, and then it headed towards the coordinates of Eternal City.


    After making all these arrangements, Rocky finally had the chance to rest well, which resulted in him sleeping for a full two days in his room!


    There was no helping it; the mission had been extremely exhausting. The continuous battles had left him worn out in both body and mind, so once he was finally back in his city, Rocky completely relaxed and was able to sleep soundly, peacefully, and, most importantly, safely for a good long time.


    A week went by just like that, and after a week had passed, a fully rejuvenated Rocky once again summoned his officials to the City Lord''s Hall, resuming his regular duties as a City Lord.


    "During this time, there hasn''t been any conflict among the residents, has there?"


    The sudden doubling of Thunderhawk City''s population, especially with newcomers, naturally led to busier civic affairs. Although the specific details and operations did not require Rocky, the City Lord, to involve himself, he still had to control the general direction.


    What he was now most concerned about was the fear of conflicts arising between the original residents of Thunderhawk City and the newly arrived villagers.


    The influx of so many people into the city meant that the original residents of Leying City might feel some resentment, and the same could go for the people from Backhill Village. As outsiders, they would naturally be nervous about the unfamiliar environment, making it very easy for conflicts to erupt between the two groups.


    "City Lord, please rest assured, everyone is integrating well and there hasn''t been any conflict," Old Jack, the newly appointed administrative officer, hastened to say at this time, while Liliya, Captain of the Guard, also nodded at Rocky: "My Lord, the Guard Corps has not received any reports regarding such issues."


    Neither Old Jack nor Liliya was lying; ever since the villagers from Backhill Village had moved into Thunderhawk City, there had indeed been no conflicts with the residents. Instead, there was more curiosity between them, and as both residents of Thunderhawk City and Backhill Village were relatively simple and honest folks, there had been peace all along.


    "That''s good to hear..."


    Upon receiving this response, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief but then he cautioned, "Lord Jack, you must mediate the relationship between the two groups well so that everyone can integrate quickly. Our Thunderhawk City may be small, but unity is of the utmost importance."


    "Yes, Sir."


    After giving instructions to Old Jack, Rocky turned to Liliya: "Liliya, keep the Guard Corps vigilant at all times, and should any anomaly arise, act swiftly to suppress it. But ensure that law enforcement is just and does not favor any individual. If need be, employing stern measures as a warning example is permissible."


    "Understood."


    It was, of course, good that there were no problems, but they could not afford to lower their guard simply because there were none at present. Preparations had to remain thorough.


    Once that matter was settled, Rocky then turned to Aileen:


    "Aileen, after we reach Eternal City, I plan to build a leather factory in Thunderhawk City, as well as a large store, so you and Lord Jack will need to select two suitable locations within the city. Once we''re in Eternal City, you should conduct some research in that regard as well."


    Having secured a substantial sum of funds from his trip to Eternal City, Rocky had long made new plans for the development of Thunderhawk City. In addition to the planned leather factory, he had decided to build a large store.


    The quality of life for residents in Thunderhawk City was far too low, with hardly any shops to be found; the necessary goods of life were supplied by the City Lord''s Mansion. Hence, with ample funds now available, Rocky had decided to improve residents'' quality of life by constructing a large store for everyone.


    And to Rocky''s plans, Aileen naturally had no objections and subsequently nodded in agreement.


    "That settles it then. Is there anything else?"


    After arranging these matters, Rocky looked around the group, giving off a vibe of ''report if there''s business, withdraw if there isn''t''.


    "My lord, please take a look at these items."


    While no one else had any issues, Aileen was an exception. Right then, she produced a package and handed it over to Rocky, and when Rocky opened it, he found it full of leather trinkets and other small baubles.


    "My lord, these were made by the students of the training program."


    "Oh?"


    Upon hearing this, Rocky immediately started examining a bag full of leather trinkets with care, noticing the craftsmanship was quite satisfactory. Although he wasn''t particularly knowledgeable in this field, he could still discern whether the workmanship was exquisite and the quality good.


    At the same time, he also asked:


    "Does this mean that the first training session has concluded?"


    "Yes, it ended half a month ago."


    "Very well, let''s start the second session immediately."


    After setting down the leather trinkets, Rocky said to Aileen, "Post notices as soon as possible, informing everyone about the schedule for the second training program. Additionally, tell everyone about the upcoming leather factory."


    "Inform all the townspeople that, once the factory starts operating, only those who have attended the training program and completed all of its courses will be eligible for employment at the factory. The first batch of trainees from the training program will be employed without the need for tests, while the rest will be selected based on merit. You''ll handle the details regarding wages."


    "Understood, I''ll take care of it right away. Also¡­" Aileen agreed, then hesitated, which surprised Rocky¡ª he had not expected Aileen to have so many matters to address.


    "My lord, there has been a slight complication with the cloth exports."


    "Oh? What happened?"


    Rocky quickly asked, concerned.


    Most of Thunderhawk City''s administrative affairs were trifles, and only three matters could be considered significant: grain imports, yarn imports, and cloth sales. Upon hearing that there was a problem with cloth sales, Rocky naturally took it very seriously.


    Although he wanted to transform Thunderhawk City''s economy, such a goal wasn''t achievable overnight. Therefore, at least until the leather factory was up and running, Thunderhawk City would still need to rely on cloth sales for its income.


    Seeing Rocky''s concern, Aileen hastened to say, "My lord, the situation isn''t particularly serious. Half a month ago, the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber was supposed to come to Thunderhawk City for trade, but they couldn''t reach the vicinity of Break-Sky Mountain as quickly as planned due to issues with their skyship''s voyage.


    They hope to postpone this trade and prefer conducting it in Eternal City if possible."


    "I see¡­"


    Hearing Liliya''s explanation, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief¡ªit seemed there wasn''t a significant problem after all.


    Discover hidden tales at empire


    It was strange that the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber couldn''t complete the trade on time, but for Thunderhawk City at the moment, selling the cloth a few days later wasn''t a major concern. Furthermore, trading in Eternal City aligned with his destination plans, which hardly posed an inconvenience.


    He thus instructed Aileen to contact the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber and inform them of his approximate arrival time in Eternal City, adding that they could complete the trade directly at the Eternal City Skyport.


    Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 122 Family Resolution

    After arranging a series of governmental affairs, Rocky could relax for a while, and then he just needed to wait, becoming busy again only after arriving at Eternal City.But his leisure time was not spent idly; he took this opportunity to read several books thoroughly.


    Last time he visited Eternal City, he had brought back a large collection of books about mana, and Rocky''s purpose in purchasing these books was naturally to better utilize Mana Runes. After all, though both runes and magic stones could provide mana, they differed significantly in their usage.


    Replacing the magic stones in equipment with runes was relatively simple, partly because Wensel''s research notes contained relevant records, and partly because the technology involved in Mana Weapons was not very advanced, thus Rocky could manage it.


    However, increasing the scope of rune application proved more challenging for him.


    To mention not only the highly sophisticated Void Magic Armor but even the Magic Cannon had stumped Rocky.


    According to his original plan, he had hoped to apply runes to the Magic Cannons, as using runes either to replace magic stones or to work alongside them to generate mana could significantly enhance the power of the Magic Cannons.


    His idea was undoubtedly correct, but he encountered problems in practice, because operating the Magic Cannon wasn''t as simple as just embedding magic stones or drawing on runes; it involved many conduction technologies that were beyond Rocky''s comprehension, and only after understanding these technologies could he apply runes to the Magic Cannon.


    For this reason, he had specifically purchased a large quantity of books and had finished quite a few, but unfortunately, the results were far from ideal.


    Though Rocky had gained some understanding of Magic Energy Conduction through the books, his knowledge was far from sufficient for practical application, which was why he planned to use this trip to Eternal City as an opportunity to find himself a teacher, realizing that some things indeed required teacher''s instruction.


    Even though he had decided to hire a teacher, he was still making the most of his free time to study, hoping to master some of the fundamentals. By doing so, once the teacher arrived, he could move directly to practical application. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, while Rocky leisurely read his book, he was unaware that, on the distant horizon, an event was unfolding that could impact both him and Thunderhawk City!


    ......


    ......


    In the skies far from Thunderhawk City, there was a magnificent Sky City by the name of Machine City, which was a large Sky City with a population of one hundred and fifty thousand.


    At this moment, inside the City Lord''s Mansion of Machine City, a conversation was taking place that could potentially alter the destinies of Rocky and Thunderhawk City!


    "Father! Why would the elders agree to such a thing!"


    Standing behind a middle-aged man, Cyril, Rocky''s cousin, was very agitated.


    Explore more at empire


    Upon hearing her words, the middle-aged man with his back to Cyril slowly turned around and glanced at his daughter.


    This man appeared around forty, tall and broad-shouldered, with a high stature and a chiseled face that made him appear very resolute. Named Atted, he was Cyril''s father, Rocky''s paternal uncle, and also held an extremely important role: the current Clan Leader of the Mairente Family!


    "Which matter are you referring to?"


    Turning around to look at his daughter, Atted responded with a serious tone.


    It wasn''t that he was deliberately being stern; rather, Atted was a naturally serious person, embodying all the qualities of a superior leader.


    "Father, I am talking about Thunderhawk City. Why would the elders grant Thunderhawk City to Baron Wolin?"


    "That is a decision of the family. Baron Wolin has performed a great service for the family and should be rewarded,"


    "But, but Thunderhawk City was given to Rocky half a year ago. Have the Elders forgotten?"


    Cyril was baffled and even furious at her father''s words. As he spoke, it seemed as though Rocky, the current City Lord of Thunderhawk City, didn''t exist, as if there were no City Lord in Thunderhawk City at all!


    However, what Cyril hadn''t expected was that Atted then coldly said:


    "Things given away by the family can always be taken back. Do I need to remind you of that?"


    "But, but..."


    Facing her father''s words, Cyril suddenly found herself at a loss for words, unsure how to respond.


    While she was at a loss, Atted had already sat down and then suddenly asked, "Cyril, are you feeling guilty about what happened six months ago, hence wanting to help Rocky?"


    "Yes."


    Taking a deep breath, Cyril looked her father in the eyes. "Father, if it hadn''t been for Rocky''s medium-sized Sky City, it would have been difficult to say whether you could have received Auntie Kelly''s support and succeeded in becoming Clan Leader. So, I feel that we indeed owe Rocky a great deal."


    "Moreover..." This time, without waiting for her father to speak, Cyril continued, "Even if we disregard Rocky, I still think the decision to hand over Thunderhawk City to Baron Wolin is exceedingly ill-considered."


    "I believe you are aware, Father, that Baron Wolin is a man of Lexington, and his faction has never been satisfied with you becoming Clan Leader. Handing Thunderhawk City over to Baron Wolin would only embolden Lexington''s group further, offering no benefit to us."


    As Cyril had long been involved in the family affairs, she had a deep understanding of the various factions and branches within the Mairente family, just as she had thought when first meeting Rocky. In families as powerful and with as many branches as Mairente, there were not only conflicts amongst them but also ceaseless struggles.


    In such circumstances, Cyril wasn''t merely arguing over Thunderhawk City with her father because she felt indebted to Rocky; she was also considering her own faction''s position.


    However, facing this series of arguments from Cyril, Atted rarely smiled, but he immediately said, "Cyril, since you know the people of Lexington have long harbored dissatisfaction towards me, you should not have tried to stop me from giving Thunderhawk City to them."


    "Why?"


    "Because it gives them an opportunity." From a smile to a frown, Atted''s expression changed rapidly. "The people of Lexington have always been looking for troubles with our family, and now that Baron Wolin has secured a mine for the family, establishing a great merit, if I don''t reward him accordingly, I would merely give Lexington a chance to criticize."


    "So I decided to give them Thunderhawk City. This city was already one the family planned to abandon, not only is it small, but it also has a low population. I remember when I handed it to Rocky, there were just over a thousand people, and now there might not even be that many left, it might already be a deserted city."


    "Giving such a city as a reward to Baron Wolin not only won''t increase his power but will instead become a burden; Cyril, don''t you understand such simple logic?"


    "But... Father..."


    "I met Rocky a few months ago, and he seemed to be managing Thunderhawk City quite well, so it probably isn''t a deserted city yet..."


    Unable to come up with any argument to respond to her father''s words, Cyril could only blurt out.


    Her words were indeed said in desperation, for the last time she had seen Rocky was in a library. How could she possibly know how Thunderhawk City had developed?


    She would have been better off not saying anything at all; as soon as she finished speaking, Atted snorted coldly, "Since Rocky is developing Thunderhawk City well, then you don''t need to worry about it. This time, the family will not intervene in this matter. I believe Rocky should have the strength to hold off Baron Wolin after all, as the Baron only has one fleet."


    After saying this, Atted waved his hand, denying Cyril any chance to speak further and immediately made her leave the study.


    Visibly infuriated, Cyril left her father''s study, thought for a moment, and then immediately summoned her assistant: "Find out the exact location of Thunderhawk City immediately!"

 Chapter 123 Making Things Difficult? Revenge!

    Rocky had no idea what was happening on the distant horizon, for his attention was now wholly focused on the Gold Coins that were practically in his grasp!After a half-month of prolonged flight, Thunderhawk City was once again approaching Eternal City!


    Several months had passed since Rocky''s last visit to this magnificent Super Sky City, yet he was just as awestruck as he had been during his first time here, overwhelmed by the splendor of Eternal City.


    However, armed with the experience from his last visit, he was well versed in the entire process of heading to Eternal City, so he quickly set off with his people.


    This time, as a large amount of trade was to be conducted, Rocky brought out ten Skyships in one go, three of which were loaded with fabric because Aileen had already arranged with the Steward of the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber to trade directly at the trading port.


    As for the other seven Skyships, they were filled with Demon Corpses; after all, next to Eternal City''s trading port was a vast array of warehouses, storing a hundred or so corpses was a trivial matter.


    The ten Skyships reached the trading port of Eternal City after a brief flight, and after queuing for a short while, they smoothly landed.


    Once Rocky led all ten Skyships to land, he met the Steward of the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber, who was responsible for the trade with Thunderhawk City, just as they had agreed to wait there for the transaction.


    "Steward Maima, it''s been a long time."


    Upon seeing the Steward of the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber, Rocky was very courteous and then asked Aileen to arrange for the fabric to be moved off the ship.


    Just as Aileen was about to handle this matter, the fifty-something Steward Maima suddenly stopped her and, grinning at Rocky, said, "City Lord, before we trade, I''d like to inspect the goods first."


    An inspection? Maima''s request left both Rocky and Aileen taken aback.


    The fabric trades between Thunderhawk City and the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber had been ongoing for more than just a day or two. Long before Rocky had become City Lord, the two sides had been trading. Was there really a need for inspection? Could it be that Thunderhawk City was capable of deceit?


    Although he furrowed his brows, Rocky didn''t make much of Maima''s request and simply nodded, allowing Aileen to have a few boxes of fabric carried down from the Skyship. Maima also promptly had his accompanying helper begin the inspection.


    A dozen minutes passed, and the helper finished inspecting several boxes of fabric, then hurried over to whisper to Maima.


    Rocky and Aileen found the entire sequence of actions perplexing. Was there such a need for formality?


    However, while they were puzzling over it, Maima shook his head and said to Rocky, "City Lord, the Chamber of Commerce has new quality requirements for fabric. Therefore, the batch you have provided doesn''t meet the standards."


    "What?!"


    At his words, Rocky was dumbstruck. He hadn''t anticipated such an issue!


    "Steward Maima, what do you mean? We''ve been cooperating with your Chamber of Commerce for years, and the quality of the fabric has always been the same. How can it suddenly be substandard?"


    This matter naturally fell within Aileen''s domain, so before Rocky could speak, she challenged Maima with displeasure in her voice.


    Indeed, if quality were to be mentioned, the fabric from Thunderhawk City was indeed very ordinary, a fact Aileen acknowledged. But don''t forget, it was exactly because of its ordinary quality that the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber traded with Thunderhawk City! Because ordinary quality meant lower prices, and the Chamber was buying fabric from Thunderhawk City precisely to save costs.


    In Aileen''s view, this so-called lack of quality was laughably absurd!


    In response to Aileen''s objection, Maima still greeted her with a smile and said, "Miss Aileen, these are the requirements set by the Chamber; I have no authority to question it."


    "But..."


    "Oh! Isn''t this the finance officer of Thunderhawk City?"


    Just as Aileen intended to continue, a voice she found somewhat familiar suddenly appeared. When she looked towards its source, she indeed saw a familiar figure.


    Jia Xi!


    Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire


    The person who had unexpectedly emerged was none other than the Steward of the Azure Commerce Guild, Jia Xi!


    "Aileen, what a coincidence to meet here," said Jia Xi as he approached them with a stance that seemed both smug and taunting, "We meet again at this place."


    After saying this, Jia Xi glanced behind Aileen and naturally caught sight of Rocky.


    "Oh! Isn''t this the City Lord of Thunderhawk City? Seeing you is truly a rare pleasure!"


    Upon seeing Rocky, Jia Xi raised his voice, and the remark clearly had an undercurrent, since Rocky had previously made him wait for over a month in Thunderhawk City without granting an audience.


    Honestly, Jia Xi''s sudden appearance came as a surprise to Rocky and the others. Was this coincidence too good to be true?


    Of course, it was no coincidence! For right after that, Jia Xi casually stationed himself beside Maima, and the two began chatting and laughing together!


    "Old buddy, it''s been a while since we last saw each other."


    "Yes, indeed, how long has it been? How have you been recently?"


    "Not bad, just running errands for the Chamber of Commerce..."


    In the presence of Rocky, Aileen, and others, the two chatted away as if they were old friends who hadn''t seen each other in years.


    By this time, even a fool could understand what was happening. Everything that had occurred before, whether it was the supposedly poor quality of Thunderhawk City''s cloth, was clearly nothing but Jia Xi and Maima colluding to deliberately make things difficult!


    This Jia Xi truly was a persistent ghost. Despite being played by Rocky last time, not only did he not become more honest, he actually came back for more!


    By now, Jia Xi and Maima had been chatting for a while before Jia Xi suddenly slapped his own head as if he''d just realized something, "Oh my, Maima, you were in the middle of negotiating with the City Lord. Look at that, I''ve interrupted your important business. Please, continue, continue." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he spoke, he retreated behind Maima, then put on a cold smile as he looked towards Rocky and Aileen.


    Afterward, Maima still had a beaming smile, but when he turned to Rocky, he actually showed a hint of apology on his face, "City Lord, I''m truly sorry. Jia Xi is an old friend of mine. Let''s continue."


    After saying these words, Maima glanced at the few boxes of cloth on the ground, then turned to Rocky, "City Lord, the quality of your goods really is subpar. However, if you really wish to sell them, we''re not unwilling to purchase them, but the price cannot be the original one."


    "Oh?"


    Rocky looked at Maima and then at Jia Xi standing behind him. He was far from angry because, in his eyes, these two were merely a joke. The only thing on his mind was whether he should play along and pretend to be furious, given they had gone to such lengths to retaliate against him.


    Unfortunately, Rocky simply couldn''t bring himself to do that; the most he could do without bursting into laughter was to ask, "Steward Maima, how much do you intend to offer for these goods?"


    "Twenty percent of the original price."


    Maima, with chin held high and flashing two fingers in front of Rocky, set his price, then didn''t forget to add, "City Lord, if you think the price is too low, feel free to try elsewhere in the city. There are plenty of Chambers of Commerce in Eternal City."


    After Maima finished his sentence, Rocky couldn''t help but let out a laugh. Did Maima really think him a fool?


    To purchase the cloth at twenty percent of the original price would lead Thunderhawk City to its financial demise!


    And as for what he had added, suggesting that they could try at other Chambers of Commerce in the city?


    Without even checking, Rocky knew it was most surely a set-up, and in all likelihood, Jia Xi had already notified many Chambers of Commerce to ensure the cloth couldn''t be sold anywhere.


    As the steward of the Azure Commerce Guild, Jia Xi had that level of influence. It wasn''t that he wielded monumental power, but rather, to many Chambers of Commerce, Thunderhawk City was simply too insignificant to warrant making an enemy out of the steward of a major Chamber of Commerce. Instead, they would prefer to curry favor with him by offering a convenient gesture of goodwill.


    Unfortunately...


    "Steward Maima, if that''s the case, then we won''t be selling the goods."


    Rocky looked at Maima and said.


    As if Maima had been eagerly anticipating this reply, he immediately shook his head with regret, "City Lord, that is truly regrettable. Next time, next time we might have the opportunity to collaborate."


    "There''s no need to wait for next time."


    Just as Maima turned to leave, Rocky suddenly called out to him, "Steward Maima, I have another batch of goods here. Would you be interested in taking a look?"


    "Oh?"


    Such words made both Maima and Jia Xi pause, bewildered, then both revealed sly looks. What was Rocky thinking, being unable to see the situation for what it was, yet still intending to do business with them?


    But for Jia Xi, who relished the opportunity to further humiliate Rocky, it was a chance not to be missed, so he nodded his head at Maima. After understanding the gesture, Maima stayed behind with a grin.


    Seeing that neither had left, Rocky was relieved. He had indeed been worried that the two clowns might just walk away!


    "Aileen, have everyone unload the other batch of goods."


    "Yes!"


    With a firm response, Aileen cast a glance at Jia Xi and Maima, then ordered the guards, who were already fuming with contained rage, to unload the goods from the other seven skyships.


    All that had happened was witnessed by the aboard Guards, and it had left them seething with anger.


    It was evident that Maima and Jia Xi were purposely making things difficult for Rocky, something the Thunderhawk City Guard Corps could not tolerate. What was more intolerable to them was Maima''s claim about the cloth''s substandard quality.


    The cloth meant for trading was personally woven by the wives and children of the guards!


    Claiming that its quality was subpar was tantamount to insulting the labor of the guards'' families!


    Could the guards stand for that? Had it not been for Rocky''s presence, they might have already rushed forward to beat these two infuriating old fools to death.


    So, when Aileen ordered them to unload, the guards on the ship swiftly got to work, and soon after, one after another, Demon Corpses were being carried off the ship!

 Chapter 124 Regretting the Past

    One after another, Demon Corpses were quickly moved down from the Skyship by the Guards, and at the same time, Aileen had dispatched Guards to contact the Skyport dispatcher, who immediately rented a warehouse.Once the warehouse was rented, the Skyport dispatcher sent over several horse carriages, and then the Guards began transporting the Demon Corpses to the carriages one by one.


    Moving more than a hundred corpses from the Skyship was certainly a major project; not only was it laborious, but it was also quite time-consuming. However, Rocky was not in a hurry at all, for he had entertainment to watch¡ªJia Xi and Maima were his greatest sources of amusement.


    From the moment the first Demon Corpse was moved off the Skyship, Jia Xi and Maima both furrowed their brows; indeed, they had not expected Rocky to show them something like this.


    As Commerce Association Managers at the First Level, Jia Xi and Maima certainly knew the immense value of Demon Corpses¡ªgoods that were perpetually in short supply on the market. Even if there was only one, most Chambers of Commerce would not pass up the opportunity.


    However, even knowing the value of the Demon Corpses, the expressions on their faces didn''t change significantly, for they were both Managers of various Chambers of Commerce and had overseen large trades involving dozens of Demon Corpses; a couple of corpses were not enough to frighten them.


    Even when Jia Xi saw Guards carrying corpses walking past him, he scoffed indifferently.


    However, his indifference quickly turned to shock, as with each passing second, not only did the Guards not stop passing by, but they also started moving even more Demon Corpses from the Skyship!


    Initially, Jia Xi and Maima thought that Rocky could only produce one or two, at most four or five, Demon Corpses. But the reality was entirely different. In just half an hour, an entire ship''s load of Demon Corpses had been moved out, filling two whole carriages, yet the Guards still didn''t stop and swiftly began unloading from a second Skyship!


    By this time, Jia Xi and Maima''s faces had completely changed, as they watched at least twenty Demon Corpses being loaded onto the carriages¡­ Twenty corpses of Demons!


    For any Chamber of Commerce, a transaction involving twenty Demon Corpses would be termed as a large transaction, the sum of which would often amount to tens or even hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins, a concise reason no Chamber of Commerce would miss such an opportunity.


    So, when Jia Xi and Maima saw that Rocky possessed so many Demon Corpses, and as the Guards continued moving them down from the Skyship, their expressions changed as well. Jia Xi''s face turned red with anger, flabbergasted that Rocky could produce so many Demon Corpses.


    However, even more ghastly was the look on Maima''s face, which had turned a deathly pale blue, for strictly speaking, the conflict between Rocky and Jia Xi had nothing to do with him!


    He had been innocently dragged into this, never imagining Rocky would possess so many Demon Corpses. Had he known this would be the case, he wouldn''t have sided with Jia Xi against Rocky but would have tried to curry favor with him instead.


    Regrettably, it was too late for regrets now, and as their faces grew increasingly ugly, the second Skyship had also been emptied, and the Guards immediately began unloading corpses from a third Skyship.


    By then, the number of Demon Corpses moved had already surpassed fifty! Seeing so many Demon Corpses being unloaded, and given that there seemed to be more to come, the Skyport dispatcher immediately called for more horse carriages and began treating Rocky and his group with even greater courtesy.


    As more and more Demon Corpses were moved down from the Skyship, other people on the Skyport also took notice of the scene. It is known that the Skyport in Eternal City is extremely bustling, with hundreds of Skyships landing and offloading at every moment, frequented by people from various Sky Cities and Chambers of Commerce.


    But even in such a bustling Skyport, it was very rare to see so many Demon Corpses being unloaded at once, which is why many onlookers turned their gaze towards Rocky''s group.


    Another hour passed, and five Skyships had been emptied, the Demon Corpses amounting to over a hundred!


    Now in front of Rocky, there were about fifteen or sixteen horse carriages, loaded with Demon Corpses, while around the carriages, a crowd had gathered, appearing to enjoy the spectacle. However, judging by their attire and bearing, these people were clearly wealthy and noble, definitely not idle bystanders.


    As for Jia Xi and Maima, by this time they were already stupefied. No matter how they had thought or guessed beforehand, they had never expected Rocky to bring out so many demon corpses!


    The number exceeded one hundred demon corpses¡­ if all were sold, what a tremendous trade that would be! Such a huge transaction is something any Chamber of Commerce would fight tooth and nail to secure!


    Regret over past deeds!


    Now, Jia Xi despised Rocky so much that he gritted his teeth, but even though he hated him, he felt somewhat regretful in his heart.


    His Azure Commerce Guild might be a large Chamber of Commerce, but what of it? Did large Chambers of Commerce not do business?


    On the contrary, the larger the Chamber of Commerce, the more they would want to engage in big business, like this one involving the trade of one hundred demon corpses!


    So when more than a hundred demon corpses were moved off the skyship, Jia Xi started to regret how if he hadn''t caused all sorts of disputes with Rocky, relying on the strength of the Azure Commerce Guild and its longstanding cooperative relationship with Thunderhawk City, they could have likely secured this deal!


    Like him, Maima also felt immense regret, and if Jia Xi was regretting the past, then Maima was regretting ''just now.'' Read the latest on empire


    Because just an hour or two ago, his Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber still had an excellent cooperative relationship with Thunderhawk City, and his relationship with Rocky, the City Lord, was also very harmonious.


    Therefore, if it were possible to turn back time by an hour or two, even if the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber could not swallow this huge transaction whole, they could have at least gotten a piece of the action!


    Considering that the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber was much smaller compared to the Azure Commerce Guild, even a transaction involving only twenty demon corpses, no, even ten, would be considered a big deal for them and would have brought in a hefty profit for the Chamber.


    Unfortunately, all of this was now impossible, because Maima had already offended Rocky!


    Thinking this, Maima fiercely glared at Jia Xi and with a cold snort, stepped aside, deliberately distancing himself from him.


    The one he hated the most now was Jia Xi. If it weren''t for him encouraging his own actions, how could he possibly have antagonized Rocky or made things difficult for him over the fabric issue? If none of this had happened, he could definitely have bought several demon corpses from Rocky''s hands no matter how much he talked.


    In fact, Maima was not wrong, because if it hadn''t been for the previous issues, Rocky would indeed have possibly sold him a few corpses, ten corpses for certain, as after so many years of cooperation with Thunderhawk City, Rocky would even be willing to do a favor.


    "Esteemed Sir..."


    Just as Jia Xi and Maima were amidst their regrets, the Skyport dispatcher ran up to Rocky, then, with a smile on his face, asked, "Esteemed Sir, do you need more carriages? If not, I''ll let the carriages leave first, since right now..."


    While speaking, the dispatcher glanced around. At this time, the surrounding area was crowded with onlookers, and the gathering of so many people was severely disrupting the order at the Skyport.


    "Sorry, we might need to wait a bit longer. You''d better send over some more carriages. The corpses coming later are bigger in size, and additionally¡­" After smiling, Rocky whispered a few words to the dispatcher.


    His voice was very low, so no one heard what he said, but everyone noticed that after Rocky finished speaking, the dispatcher''s eyes lit up, and then he nodded repeatedly at Rocky and turned to run off.


    This inevitably made the onlookers curious. What on earth had Rocky said to make the dispatcher so excited?


    Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 125 Cant Help It Anymore

    The dispatcher at the skyport had barely left when a dozen more carriages were sent over, and once the carriages arrived, the guards boarded the last two skyships.Initially, what was unloaded from these two skyships were still demon corpses, but different from the ones before, this time the size of the corpses were bigger. Previously, two guards were enough to carry a corpse, but now it required four people!


    "It''s, it''s armored bull demon corpses!"


    When it took four guards to barely carry down a corpse from the skyship, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted out, causing others to immediately turn towards the corpse.


    "Look at those horns, and the scales on its body, it truly is an armored bull demon!"


    Read the latest on empire


    "Yes! It''s an armored bull demon!"


    As said before, the onlookers at this time were not idle bystanders, many among them were knowledgeable and had sharp eyes, and someone immediately recognized these corpses as those of armored bull demons!


    This immediately caused a stir among the crowd because while the previous batch of over a hundred demon corpses might have seemed impressive in quantity, their quality was ordinary. Everyone knew they were just black-eyed demons, which weren''t particularly valuable, but armored bull demons were a different story!


    In the Hunting Exchange of Eternal City, a well-preserved armored bull demon corpse could easily sell for over ten thousand gold coins. The horns and scale armor of the armored bull demons were particularly valuable, ensuring that these demon corpses always had buyers clamoring for them, some shops even offered higher prices for exclusive purchasing rights.


    So, when the guards emerged onto the skyport carrying thirteen armored bull demon corpses, it indeed caused a small sensation. Thirteen armored bull demon corpses, calculated at a minimum of ten thousand gold coins per corpse, that totaled to a whopping one hundred thirty thousand gold coins!


    By this time, people in the crowd finally could not hold back, and a man in his thirties stepped out from the group, then approached Rocky with a smile on his face.


    "Sir, my name is Laight, I am from the Klein Chamber of Commerce, and this is our business card,"


    While speaking, the middle-aged man named Laight handed over a business card to Rocky, then continued, "Sir, if you would like to sell this batch of demon corpses, Klein Chamber of Commerce is fully willing to take them off your hands. I don''t know if you have heard of us, but we have a wide array of channels for demon sales and guarantee your satisfaction..."


    Clearly, this Laight was representing his chamber of commerce to do business with Rocky, and he wasn''t the only one with this idea, as more people from various chambers of commerce began approaching Rocky, each handing over their business cards, hoping to have a good talk with Rocky.


    Among these people was also Maima!


    After the guards carried out the armored bull demon corpses, a previously pale Maima, who had already distanced himself from Jia Xi, couldn''t help but try to negotiate with Rocky regarding such valuable goods.


    Then, everyone saw what it meant for someone to turn their face faster than flipping a book. The previously pale-faced Maima instantly plastered a flattering smile on his face. After the other chambers of commerce people gradually moved away, he rushed up to Rocky.


    "City Lord, you... look... see how senile I''ve become, what was I even saying just now, when can I transport the cloths?"


    Approaching Rocky, Maima was all smiles, not mentioning the demon corpses at all, but just wanting to transport the cloths away as if nothing had happened just before.


    Rocky merely glanced sideways at him and said directly,


    "Steward Maima, you should take your medication,"


    Rocky truly had never seen someone as shameless as Maima, daring to talk to him after behaving like that, insane.


    Meanwhile, he also looked at Jia Xi, whose complexion was extremely ugly, seeming like he could die of anger at any moment, then he just smiled, "Overseer Jia Xi, you really should take your medication."


    These words were indeed no joke, as Jia Xi, who watched helplessly as each demon corpse was carried off the ship, appeared as if he was truly having an attack, so agitated he couldn''t even speak. If he didn''t take some medicine quickly, he really might die of rage.


    So after Rocky finished talking, Jia Xi was so infuriated that he almost passed out on the spot. He staggered a bit before barely steadying himself, then clenched his teeth and walked away with a dejected Maima. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, the departure of the two went unnoticed as people continued to approach Rocky, hoping to discuss potential trades with him.


    "What are you all gathering here for? Disperse!"


    Just then, a loud voice suddenly rang out, followed by a group of Guards dressed in armor carving a path through the crowd.


    After the crowd was parted, a squad captain, fully clad in Magic Energy Armor, led a team similarly equipped to appear before everyone, accompanied by the dispatcher who had left earlier.


    The dispatcher who led the Guards quickly approached Rocky, said a few words to him, and with a wave of Rocky''s hand, the Guards who had already moved the Demon Corpses boarded the last Skyship and began to move boxes of cargo down one after another.


    Meanwhile, the brought-over Guards started to disperse the crowd, asking the onlookers to back away.


    Regrettably, the Guards'' efforts to disperse the crowd were ineffective. The dispersed people merely moved a bit farther away, as these were merchants who regularly dealt with Eternal City and were well aware of what kind of people these Guards were.


    These Guards belonged to the Skyport Security Team, tasked partly with managing the security of the Skyport and partly with escorting valuable cargoes!


    Eternal City is a trade city where countless goods are moved daily, including naturally luxurious goods. To ensure the safety of these items, even in a city where no one dares cause trouble, the God City still assigns a Security Team for escort duties.


    Well aware of the Security Team''s responsibilities, the crowd was even less willing to disperse. It was clear to everyone that there was no security issue here. Given that, the reason why a squad of Guards appeared was easily understood¡ªthey were here to escort valuable cargo!


    In this situation, the surrounding crowd was unwilling to disperse. Everyone wanted to see just what valuable goods Rocky had that required the escort of the Security Team?


    During this curious process, the Guards had moved boxes off the Skyship and placed them on a cart. Clearly, these were the cargoes that needed to be escorted by the Security Team, but exactly what they were remained unknown, as they were all packed in boxes.


    "Sir, the boxes contain Demon Cores."


    Among the curious crowd, a middle-aged man in his forties whispered to an old man beside him, revealing the mystery!


    At that moment, the boxes that the Guards had methodically loaded onto the cart indeed contained Demon Cores!


    "To think that there are so many boxes of Demon Cores..." Overhearing the middle-aged man''s words, the elder beside him couldn''t help but look towards Rocky: "Who exactly is this City Lord? How did he manage to procure so many Demon Corpses and Demon Cores."


    Muttering to himself, the old man then instructed the middle-aged man next to him: "Send someone to check this City Lord''s background, and also find out where they are staying so we can pay a visit later."


    "Yes."


    With that, the middle-aged man turned and walked away. Coincidentally, as he left the crowd, several other individuals also departed with similar intentions to investigate Rocky''s identity!


    Earlier, when the armored bull demons were being offloaded, quite a few Chambers of Commerce eagerly approached Rocky to talk, but there were also a significant number of people who remained calm. These people also came from various Chambers of Commerce, but they were in no hurry.


    Because they understood that any deal involving over a hundred Demon Corpses could potentially be worth four to five hundred thousand Gold Coins, and such a large transaction could not possibly be settled in a place like the Skyport. Hence, they only needed to note Rocky''s identity and where he was staying, and they could negotiate slowly later on.


    So it wasn''t until Rocky began moving out the Demon Cores that these individuals finally sent their subordinates into action. Yet even so, a few people in the crowd remained stationary, although it wasn''t clear if these few were truly just onlookers or were genuinely capable of keeping their composure...

 Chapter 126 City Lords!

    When Rocky truly left the skyport, it was already nearing dusk, which meant he had spent almost an entire day at the skyport.But there was nothing he could do about it. This time, he brought so much with him, including demon corpses and demon cores, as well as fabrics. Besides, he had several thousands of pounds of ore to sell. So, when the demon corpses and demon cores had been unloaded from the ship, the skyship had to return to Thunderhawk City to transport the ores to the skyport, naturally causing significant delays.


    Luckily, unlike last time, Rocky was in no hurry at all. Even though he had spent a whole day at the skyport, he was still in a great mood; he didn''t even worry about the fabrics.


    Because the fabric, indeed, wasn''t something worth worrying about. The fabric from Thunderhawk City was bound to sell, and considering the many deals he was about to negotiate, any chamber of commerce would likely purchase these fabrics while trading with him.


    At the same time, what surprised him more was that when he left the skyport this time, the treatment he received was significantly different.


    The last time Rocky left the skyport, he had hired his own carriage and stayed at a small inn recommended by Monte, but this time, he had a car reserved just for him!


    Looking at the large carriage that had been waiting for a long time, Rocky was completely baffled, not knowing who had sent it. After much inquiry, he finally understood the situation.


    It turned out that in Eternal City, any City Lord from a Sky City was entitled to certain privileges, such as car transfers and accommodations specifically prepared for the city lords within the city.


    This was the first time Rocky had learned of this, but after detailed inquiries, he understood the reason. It seemed that this was a tactic by Eternal City to attract city lords to conduct trade.


    One should know that city lords of this rank, when they made their move, it resulted invariably in large-scale transactions: a few hundred thousand gold coins were a trivial amount, while transactions worth millions of gold coins were commonplace, and even transactions amounting to tens of millions of gold coins were not new to the city lords of large Sky Cities.


    Such massive transactions naturally brought in equally substantial tax revenues for Eternal City. So, in order to attract the city lords from various Sky Cities, Eternal City devised several methods.


    They not only allowed the city lords to enjoy the privileged treatments of a city lord but also offered them certain privileges that increased with their trade volume, much like the VIP systems of various chambers of commerce.


    This was naturally good news for Rocky, who was also a Sky City lord. Thus, upon learning about this, he immediately registered with Eternal City authorities. From then on, not only could he enjoy the treatment accorded to city lords here, but as his trading volume in this place accumulated, he would also gain certain privileges.


    In such circumstances, when Rocky and his people left the skyport, they boarded a carriage exclusively reserved for city lords and were directly sent to the accommodations prepared specifically for them.


    The accommodation prepared for the city lords in Eternal City was a large hotel called Star of the Sky, which stood nine stories tall.


    Even in Eternal City, a building of nine stories was quite rare, and this place, along with the hotel''s name, certainly underscored the prestigious status of the city lords from every aspect.


    When the carriage delivered Rocky and his company to the entrance of Star of the Sky, looking at the nine-story tall hotel, Rocky, visiting this place for the first time, seemed somewhat nervous.


    This was not surprising, considering that this was no ordinary place. It housed only the City Lords of Sky Cities! A slight mishap could trigger a major war among Sky Cities!


    Fortunately, as soon as Rocky and his group entered the lobby on the first floor of Star of the Sky, a waiter immediately led them to handle various procedures, barely requiring any effort on their part.


    And once the procedures were smoothly handled, Rocky and his group were assigned to three rooms on the second floor, where they could comfortably settle in.


    In the Star of the Sky hotel, which floor one resided on was a matter of great significance. Small Sky City lords could only stay on the second or third floors, medium Sky City lords could reside on the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors, while only the lords of large Sky Cities were eligible to live on the seventh and eighth floors.


    The highest ninth floor was reserved for those city lords in Eternal City wanting special privileges.


    This rule meant that Rocky, who had just registered his status in Eternal City, could only stay on the second floor and was not eligible for the third floor. Although the third floor was also for Small Sky City lords, it was reserved for those who had achieved a certain amount of trade, which Rocky had not yet achieved. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rocky didn''t particularly mind this; he was satisfied enough to stay in such a fine hotel for free, and whether he was on the second floor or the third didn''t really matter to him.


    However, just as he had finished processing his paperwork and was about to turn away, he noticed a young man of his own age, surrounded by several guards, coming straight toward him.


    "Hello, are you City Lord Rocky?"


    Walking straight up to Rocky, the young man of similar age to him asked with a smile.


    "Yes, that''s me. And you are...?"


    "Oh, I''m Berg, the City Lord of Lingyu City."


    A simple self-introduction had forced Rocky to take serious notice of Berg, who was around the same age and also a City Lord of a Sky City!


    Honestly, this was Rocky''s first time meeting another City Lord of a Sky City, which somewhat caught him off guard. Fortunately, Berg soon initiated the conversation.


    "City Lord Rocky, my Lingyu City is also a trade city, so I hope you can visit when you have time, and you are very welcome to come to Lingyu City for trade," Berg said.


    While speaking, Berg stepped closer to Rocky and lowered his voice, "The trade tax in Eternal City is really high, and although my Lingyu City is small, there are quite a few chambers of commerce. City Lord Rocky, if you visit, you will surely be satisfied."


    After saying this, Berg nodded at Rocky, giving off an air of ''you know what I mean,'' and then exchanged a few pleasantries before leading his guards away.


    It wasn''t until Berg and his guards had disappeared from view that Rocky finally caught on; this guy was trying to woo him to trade in his city!


    This somewhat surprised Rocky; a City Lord personally soliciting business for his Sky City was incredibly proactive of Berg.


    In reality, he shouldn''t have been surprised, as he too had led charges against Demons for the sake of Thunderhawk City. Otherwise, where would all those Demon Corpses have come from? Discover more content at empire


    This little episode ended with Berg''s departure, and then Rocky and his group were finally led by the servants to the elevator leading to the second level.


    Yes, an elevator, or rather, it should be called a Magic Elevator here, but its function and mechanism were just like those of a regular elevator, capable of moving straight up and down.


    This was Rocky''s first encounter with such a device, yet he wasn''t surprised. In a world where cities could fly in the sky, an elevator hardly seemed complicated.


    On the way to the second level, Rocky met four or five groups of people, each moving in different directions, some alone and some flanked by attendants. The only commonality was that all these individuals were City Lords!


    Being a City Lord himself, Rocky could tell who among them were his peers, marking the first time he had seen so many City Lords together.


    In today''s day and age, although there were thousands of Sky Cities, the sky itself was vast. In comparison to the entire sky, thousands of Sky Cities still amounted to a tiny number.


    Moreover, since City Lords usually stayed within their own cities, opportunities to meet each other were rare. Some City Lords didn''t even wish to interact with other City Lords, preferring to live comfortably in their own cities.


    Thus, the appearance of five or six City Lords together was a scene Rocky had never encountered before, making him both nervous and a bit excited.


    Not long after, they were led by the servants to the front of the Magic Elevator, stood waiting for a little while, and then the doors slowly opened, revealing a group of people stepping out.


    Among this group, the most eye-catching was a young woman surrounded like the star among the moon. She was dressed in a fiery red gown with beautiful curly red hair, making her look like a blooming red rose.


    Undoubtedly, she was another City Lord. Rocky knew her identity at just a glance. However, as he passed by this rose-like woman, she seemed to remember something and involuntarily looked back at him.


    "You''re the one named Rocky, right?"


    "Um? ¡­ Yes, that''s me ¡­"


    It was Rocky''s first time realizing how well-known he had become; everyone seemed to know his name.


    This response made the rose-like woman examine him with great interest, up and down, until Rocky felt somewhat uneasy, and then she smiled while moving her red lips, "I''m Karina, City Lord of Rose City. I heard about what happened today at the Skyport. Did you kill those Demons?"


    "Well ¡­ yes ¡­"


    Rocky was surprised at how quickly the day''s events had spread, even among the City Lords of Star of the Sky.


    Upon hearing his confirmation, Karina revealed a sly smile, "I didn''t expect you to be so capable, given your small frame. But that''s great; we might have a chance to collaborate because ¡­ I also love hunting!"


    PS: More City Lords are appearing, and a bigger story is about to begin. This trip to Eternal City is extremely important for Rocky, as he will officially enter the grand stage of the sky after this ¡­ so of course, I''m still requesting recommendations!

 Chapter 127 Fire Butterfly Armor! (Part 1)

    Karina left, vanishing in front of everyone in a flash of red, and only after she had gone did Rocky somewhat confusedly enter the Magic Elevator.The City Lord of Rose City made a lasting impression on Rocky, not because of her beauty, but rather because Karina gave off a peculiar aura, and her words were intriguing. It sounded as though she wanted to collaborate with Rocky?


    Shaking his head, Rocky couldn''t figure out what the woman was really after and didn''t pursue the matter further. Perhaps her words were just a polite gesture, and there was no need to take them too seriously.


    However, Karina''s appearance did broaden Rocky''s horizons since, including her, he had met five or six City Lords along the way. Based on the behavior displayed by Karina and the previously met Berg, it was clear that each City Lord of the Sky Cities had their unique personality.


    Although he had met quite a few City Lords and was acquainted with two of them, Rocky had no intention of befriending these people, not because he was arrogant, but because the time was not right. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Currently, Thunderhawk City was still weak, and hastily engaging with other Sky Cities was not a wise move when his own strength was not solid enough. After all, the others were also City Lords, and who knows if they would view Thunderhawk City as their next expansion target.


    Moreover, Rocky possessed the secret of the Mana Rune, and too much contact with the well-informed City Lords might let them catch a hint of this secret, which would only bring trouble upon himself.


    Therefore, after checking into his room, Rocky summoned everyone to his room and conveyed his new orders: keep a low profile.


    Whether it was on the Star of the Sky or outside, he wanted everyone to remain discreet and not be ostentatious. After all, they had come here to make and spend money, and attracting other troubles was the last thing they needed.


    This request was naturally unopposed by the others, who were also busy with many tasks in the Eternal City and had no time to show off even if they wanted to.


    However, unfortunately, while Rocky''s intention might have been good, the events that followed ensured his low-profile strategy was doomed from the start, as the commotion he''d caused at the Skyport made it impossible to stay under the radar any longer.


    In fact, just overnight, by the next day, visitors were queuing up at his door.


    The dispatch of over a hundred Demon Corpses, several boxes of Demon Cores, and thousands of pounds of ore at the port was widely known the next day thanks to those with an interest in spreading the word, which drew a lot of attention. Otherwise, how could City Lords like Berg and Karina, who had never met Rocky, recognize him at first sight?


    Besides these well-informed City Lords, the ones paying more attention to Rocky were the merchants from various Chambers of Commerce.


    After all, he had in his possession over a hundred Demon Corpses, several boxes of Demon Cores, and thousands of pounds of ore. He surely hadn''t brought all of these items to the God City just for show; they were meant for trade, and any Chamber of Commerce wouldn''t refuse such an opportunity; they would even take the initiative to knock on his door.


    So, on the next day, the knock on Rocky''s door came, and one Chamber of Commerce after another sent representatives to connect with him, hoping to strike a deal.


    Unprepared for this turn of events, Rocky, who had intended to be discreet, never expected to attract so much attention. Could it be... could it be because he was too outstanding?


    Quickly discarding this absurd thought, Rocky immediately called for Aileen and irresponsibly handed all these matters to her, as she was supposed to be in charge of them anyway.


    As for himself, he then took Liliya, Monte, and Lin Feng and left...


    As a result, Aileen was completely confined to the room on the Star of the Sky, as there were many Chambers of Commerce planning to negotiate with Rocky. Three groups of people arrived early in the morning, followed by another three in the afternoon, keeping Aileen indoors all day long.


    However, these visits weren''t entirely a bad thing since Aileen did need to sell all the goods she had. Since the Chambers of Commerce took the initiative to come to her, it saved her the trouble of going out.


    On the other hand, having left the Star of the Sky, Rocky headed straight for the weapon market.


    He had many tasks to accomplish in the God City, but among them, the two most important were the purchase of Void Magic Armor and a Skyship. These two matters were not only directly related to the strength of Thunderhawk City but also accounted for a substantial part of the expenses, necessitating extra attention from Rocky.


    Once they reached the weapon market, Rocky led Liliya and the others straight to a store specializing in Void Magic Armor.


    He intended to buy a set of Void Magic Armor for Liliya!


    After the last mission, especially the final battle in that mission, Rocky made a decision. Liliya had nearly lost her life under a high wall during that battle. If it hadn''t been for his timely arrival, Liliya might have been buried in the ground by now.


    This was something Rocky absolutely could not accept. Since coming to this world, Liliya had always stayed by his side, caring for and protecting him. Rocky might not care even if he lost a Sky City, but he could not afford to lose Liliya. Therefore, he planned to arm Liliya with the Void Magic Armor!


    Besides, he was now wealthy and didn''t need to count every penny anymore, so he could afford this.


    With this in mind, it wasn''t long before he led everyone into a decently-sized Void Magic Armor specialty store. The three-story building wasn''t small, and as soon as they entered, the attendants immediately came with a warm greeting. However, they did not rush to recommend Armor but instead invited everyone to sit down and served tea and fruit.


    "Sir, what is this..."


    Lin Feng, who had never experienced such a scene, looked at Rocky with a puzzled expression as he sat down.


    "Brother Lin Feng, don''t be nervous, this is just the protocol,"


    Such a matter naturally did not need Rocky to explain, so Monte spoke up instead, "The shops that sell Void Magic Armors are quite different from ordinary weapon stores. After all, a set of Void Magic Armor can cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins.


    Thus, the service here is exceptionally comprehensive, and there will be a specialized attendant to accompany and introduce the products."


    As if to prove Monte''s words, no sooner had he finished explaining than a young and beautiful woman gracefully approached them.


    This young woman looked to be only about twenty years old. Not only was she exceptionally attractive, but she also had an impressive demeanor. She approached the group and, instead of speaking right away, she smiled and looked around before resting her gaze on Rocky.


    "Sir, my name is Zi Feng. How may I assist you?"


    With a slight bow in front of Rocky, Zi Feng spoke slowly, clearly recognizing Rocky''s status among the group.


    She was the specialized attendant that Monte mentioned, responsible for helping customers select their Void Magic Armor.


    "I want a set of women''s Void Magic Armor,"


    Looking at Zi Feng, Rocky said directly.


    "Oh..."


    Zi Feng nodded upon hearing this and glanced at Liliya, naturally understanding that the women''s Armor Rocky spoke of was intended for her. She then quickly followed up with a question, "Sir, which generation or model of Armor would you like, and do you have any specific requirements?"


    "No. The third or fourth generation is fine. Preferably the guardian type,"


    Rocky had already decided on the type of Armor that would be best for Liliya. It had to be the guardian type with strong defense and didn''t need to be anything too advanced like the latest fifth-generation Armor¡ªwhich they couldn''t utilize at the moment anyway.


    Additionally, Rocky felt that there was no need to show off between him and Liliya; a third or fourth generation Armor sufficient for their current use would suffice.


    "Very well, sir, please follow me to the second floor,"


    Having heard Rocky''s preferences, Zi Feng now had a clear understanding of his requirements and led the group to the second floor of the store.


    As mentioned before, the store spanned three floors and had a considerable size. So when Rocky and his party were taken to the second floor, they were instantly met with display stands lined up one after the other, each containing a complete set of Void Magic Armor!


    The entire second floor housed dozens of display stands, meaning there were dozens of sets of Void Magic Armor of various models!


    "Sir, this way please,"


    While the array of Void Magic Armors left Rocky and his companions dazzled, Zi Feng led them to one of the display stands.


    "Sir, this is the third generation Void Magic Armor, the Fire Butterfly - Guard Type 5."


    Having brought Rocky and the others to the stand, Zi Feng looked at the Armor within and slowly began her introduction, "The Fire Butterfly series is a line of Void Magic Armor custom-tailored for women by the renowned Armor manufacturer, Mag Industry. It comes in assault and guardian types, and the Fire Guard Type 5 is a classic among them."


    As Zi Feng continued her introduction, the gazes of Rocky and the others were fixed on the Fire Butterfly Armor.


    The Armor was designed specifically for women, distinguishing it significantly in many ways from the Armor Rocky wore. It was notably more compact and delicate in design. As its name suggested, the Armor was a fiery red color, sleek and streamlined, and it resembled a form-fitting bodysuit.


    Even the heels were crafted with high-heel-like construction, which gave the entire suit the appearance of a gracefully dancing lady.


    The Armor was also equipped with a small shield and a standard-issue longsword, and the forearm of the left arm featured a protrusion that seemed to be some sort of special equipment.


    While Rocky and his companions gazed intently at the Armor, Zi Feng continued to elaborate:


    "Although this Fire Guard Type 5 Armor is only a third-generation model, its magic energy value reaches 1800. Furthermore, it incorporates Magic Energy Semi-Control Technology and Magic Energy Flow Technology, allowing the wearer to freely distribute half of the Armor''s mana during combat for ease in both offense and defense,"


    "As a guardian-type Armor, the Fire Guard 5''s defensive ability is naturally exceptional. In addition to its standard Magic Energy Shield, it is also equipped with an operational Defensive Net that, even to this day, remains the mainstream.


    Once this Defensive Net is deployed, it can block attacks from all angles, even withstanding direct hits from Magic Cannons with a power of 1000 magic energy points - a fact supported by real battle data,"


    "On the offensive side, the performance of this Armor is also quite impressive. Beyond the standard-issue Mana Sword, the left arm is equipped with a Magic Energy Bullet Emitter.


    It can channel the Armor''s magic energy to fire powerful Magic Energy Bullets with a force exceeding that of a Sixth-Level Mage''s energy bullets, allowing the wearer to engage in combat without being distracted by casting spells,"


    Zi Feng''s string of highly professional introductions left Rocky and the others gaping, as beside Lin Feng, none of them knew much about Void Magic Armors. They all understood that Void Magic Armors were powerful, but the precise details, the technology that set them apart from ordinary equipment were unknown to them.


    Among the group, probably only Lin Feng had some understanding, and to tell the truth, after Zi Feng finished introducing this Armor, Lin Feng was quite tempted!

 Chapter 128 Fire Butterfly Armor! (Part 2)

    Zi Feng''s introduction had indeed piqued Rocky''s interest in the Fire Butterfly Armor.Since he was an educated man, he had understood most of what Zi Feng had introduced, and it was exactly for this reason that he was moved by this Armor.


    Firstly, as a 3rd generation Armor, the Fire Guard Type 5 had a magic energy value of 1800 points. This magic energy value might seem low compared to the latest 5th generation Armors, but it was relatively high among the 3rd generation Armors. When compared to Rocky''s 1st generation Armor, it was significantly higher!


    Rocky''s Blood Pattern Generation 2 Armor, being a 1st generation Void Magic Armor, had a meager magic energy value of 300 points, which, even after rune enhancement, reached only around 500 points. In contrast, the magic energy of the Fire Guard Type 5 was several times higher!


    Zi Feng also mentioned two technologies, Magic Energy Semi-Control and Magic Energy Conduction, both of which were among the top technologies of the Void Magic Armor. The Magic Energy Semi-Control Technology allowed the wearer to autonomously allocate a portion of the Armor''s magic energy, while the conduction technology allowed the magic energy to be freely transmitted to every part of the Armor.


    These two technologies complemented each other, enabling the wearer to autonomously allocate magic energy during combat ¨C focusing it on attack when offensive and using all of it for defense when needed, greatly expanding the wearer''s operational capacity.


    With a magic energy value of 1800 points, plus two cutting-edge techniques that are still top-tier today, as well as its own defensive net and other configurations, all these factors combined indeed made the Void Magic Armor seem quite impressive to Rocky.


    So, he subsequently inquired about the price of this Armor.


    "My lord, this Armor is priced at forty-eight thousand Gold Coins."


    "That expensive?"


    Upon hearing Zi Feng''s quote, Rocky slightly frowned. It wasn''t because he was unwilling to spend; in fact, the price did not exceed his expectations. However, he remembered from his visit to the weapons market with Liliya a few months ago that this price seemed somewhat high.


    The Fire Guard Type 5 was only a 3rd generation Armor, but according to what Rocky knew, even some Mass-Produced 4th generation Armors were priced at around forty thousand gold coins. This meant that the price of the Armor Zi Feng recommended was higher than that of the Mass-Produced 4th generation Armors.


    "My lord, this price is actually not high because the concept of Mass Production Type arose only with the 4th generation Armor. It was also from the 4th generation that Armors began to be differentiated into Mass Production and Specialized types with varying configurations. Before that, all Armors were of the highest configuration."


    "In other words, although the Fire Guard Type 5 is only a 3rd generation Armor, it is equivalent to Special Armor, so its price is naturally higher than that of the 4th generation Mass-Produced type; my lord, I can even assure you, despite the Fire Guard Type 5 being a 3rd generation Armor, in terms of combat capability, those flashy but impractical 4th generation Mass-Produced Armors that deliberately reduce combat power to lower prices are incomparable to it."


    As if seeing through Rocky''s doubts without waiting for his questions, Zi Feng offered a perfect explanation.


    Faced with her rationale, Rocky indeed had no grounds to argue, because she wasn''t wrong.


    After so many years of development, Void Magic Armor technology had matured in all aspects, leading to more detailed classifications. Apart from being categorized by application into types such as Assault and Guardian, they were further divided into configurations like Mass-Produced and Special.


    The so-called Mass-Produced type refers to low-end configuration Armors, which feature standard or even lower configurations within their generation. Despite the Mass-Produced type''s modest configuration, they are quite popular due to their very affordable prices.


    In contrast to the Mass-Produced type is the high-end configuration of the Special Armor. Special Armors aim to reach the highest standards within their class and generation, and can even be custom-made for users, which makes their combat strength terrifyingly potent ¨C to the point that their combat capabilities are several times higher than those of Mass-Produced Armors!


    However, with formidable combat strength comes a correspondingly high price; Special Armors are definitely expensive, and even describing them as exorbitantly priced would not be an exaggeration. Prices that are considered cheap are in the tens of thousands of Gold Coins, while normal prices are in the hundreds of thousands. There are even custom-made Armors that cost over a million Gold Coins!


    As per Zi Feng''s explanation, the Fire Butterfly - Guard Type 5 Armor was indeed, in a way, equivalent to Special Armor, considering that the distinction between Mass-Produced and Special types began with the 4th generation Armors; while the Fire Butterfly - Guard Type 5, as a 3rd generation Armor, might have gaps in various aspects, it still wasn''t inaccurate to classify it as Special Armor.


    In light of this, Rocky didn''t say much more and simply asked Zi Feng to continue introducing other Armors.


    ```


    Although Rocky was satisfied with the Fire Butterfly-Guard Type 5 Armor, there were still so many armors to choose from that he didn''t need to rush his decision. Besides, he was only there to look; even if he wanted to buy, he''d have to wait until Aileen finished negotiating all the trades before he could get the money.


    In this situation, Zi Feng introduced several other armors to Rocky, including not only third-generation armors but also a number of fourth-generation mass-produced armors.


    Afterward, Rocky left the store and headed to other shops.


    The day quickly passed by, and when Rocky and his party left, they not only had spent the entire day at the weapon market but had also visited seven or eight exclusive Void Magic Armor stores, seeing at least dozens of different suits of armor.


    "So, have you taken a liking to any?" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the way back to the Star of the Sky, Rocky and Liliya sat by themselves in a carriage, chatting while they rested.


    After a day of browsing, Rocky had indeed taken a liking to a few sets, but since this time it was about buying a Void Magic Armor for Liliya, her opinion was the most important.


    "They are all fine..."


    "Hmm... I think that Iron Guard Type 3 isn''t bad..."


    Liliya said, after thinking with her head bowed.


    "Iron Guard Type 3?"


    Since they had seen so many armors that day, it took Rocky a while to remember which one Liliya was referring to: "Are you talking about that fourth-generation mass-produced armor?"


    "Yes."


    Liliya nodded, but Rocky kept shaking his head: "No, no, that one''s mana is only 1700 points, and it doesn''t have any particularly high-end technology either. It simply doesn''t live up to the title of a fourth-generation armor."


    "But I think it''s enough. We don''t need to engage in particularly dangerous battles right now, we don''t need such high specifications, and 1700 magic energy points are enough. Besides..."


    "Besides, that Iron Guard Type 3 is the cheapest one of all the armors we saw today, right?"


    Rocky finished her sentence for her, without waiting for Liliya to do so. How could he not understand Liliya''s thoughts?


    The Iron Guard Type 3 Armor, as Liliya mentioned, was indeed the cheapest of all the armors they had seen. Although it was a fourth-generation armor, its price was only thirty-eight thousand gold coins¡ªunbelievably cheap, given that it was a fourth-generation armor.


    It was precisely for this reason that Liliya had taken a liking to this particular suit of armor.


    Unfortunately, Rocky didn''t see it that way. Liliya was a good girl; she chose the Iron Guard Type 3 to save a substantial amount of money, but she had forgotten the principle that cheap goods aren''t good, and good goods aren''t cheap.


    Whether this saying applies elsewhere is uncertain, but it certainly applies to Void Magic Armor. The cheaper the armor, the worse the quality¡ªthat has been the case since the invention of Void Magic Armor.


    There must be a reason why the Iron Guard Type 3, a fourth-generation armor, is so cheap, and Rocky was certainly not willing to let Liliya find out why.


    ```

 Chapter 129 Ruby Chamber of Commerce

    When Rocky and the others returned to the Star of the Sky, it was already quite late, yet no sooner had he returned to his room than Aileen sought him out.Despite Rocky spending the whole day out, Aileen, who stayed behind at the Star of the Sky, was even busier than he was, having received seven or eight waves of visitors from various Chambers of Commerce throughout the day.


    So, the moment Rocky came back, she hurried over to report the situation.


    "My Lord, these are the price offers from the various Chambers of Commerce."


    Upon seeing Rocky, Aileen handed over a pricing sheet she had compiled to him. It listed all the offers from the different Chambers of Commerce for the Black-eyed Demon and the armored bull demon corpses.


    "You''ve worked hard..."


    Giving Aileen a nod, Rocky then turned his gaze to the pricing sheet.


    The pricing list Aileen had created was very detailed, with clear pricing. On the whole, the offers from the various Chambers of Commerce were not much different. Most were priced around two thousand gold coins for the body of a Black-eyed Demon, the lowest being one thousand eight hundred gold coins, and the highest only slightly more at two thousand one hundred.


    Overall, the figures were quite close.


    The prices that varied the most were for the armored bull demons.


    Unlike the relatively cheaper Black-eyed Demons, prices stated by the Chambers of Commerce for armored bull demons all exceeded ten thousand gold coins, with the lowest bid at eleven thousand gold coins for a corpse, and the highest bid going up to sixteen thousand gold coins from the same Chamber of Commerce that had offered the lowest price for the Black-eyed Demons.


    Generally speaking, these prices were within the expectations of Rocky and Aileen. If there was anything surprising, it was that the figures were better than they had anticipated. However, what puzzled Rocky was that the pricing list only included the prices for the demon corpses and omitted the prices for the Demon Cores.


    "Aileen, didn''t you mention the Demon Cores to these Chambers of Commerce?"


    At this, Rocky asked, puzzled.


    "No."


    Aileen shook her head firmly before stating, "The Chambers of Commerce that came today are all very well-informed. They had already heard about the Demon Cores, but I did not go into details with them."


    "Why?"


    This approach surprised Rocky since they had over two hundred Demon Cores. Even if they were all Black-eyed Demon cores, they could still fetch a price of two hundred thousand gold coins, which was a significant deal. Why would Aileen not mention it to these Chambers of Commerce?


    "My Lord, I think we can wait a little longer."


    "Oh?"


    "There were many Chambers of Commerce that came today, but they were all relatively unknown smaller Chambers. The renowned larger Chambers have yet to make a move."


    Despite being exhausted from a whole day''s work, Aileen''s mind was still sharp. As she pointed out, even though several Chambers had sent representatives today, their overall scale was average at best. Not one of the large and prestigious Chambers, famous throughout Eternal City and the entire Sky, had made an appearance.


    "Surely the larger Chambers won''t go out of their way to approach us for such a small deal, right?"


    Rocky of course understood Aileen''s point. Larger Chambers of Commerce guarantee more secure transactions, and compared to smaller ones, they might offer higher prices. After all, they deal in volume, and as long as the amount is significant, the price is always negotiable.


    However, even with over a hundred demon corpses and two hundred Demon Cores, it might be a considerable transaction for a smaller Chamber, but for a larger Chamber, it would be just a routine trade. It seemed unlikely that they would personally seek them out for this reason.


    After Rocky finished speaking, Aileen shook her head and then said, "My Lord, I thought so too at first, but today I received word from the Continental Commerce Chamber. They plan to visit you tomorrow."


    "The Continental Commerce Chamber? They want to come?"


    At the mention of the Continental Commerce Chamber, Rocky showed a look of surprise because this Chamber was definitely well-known. Among all the Chambers of Commerce across the expanse of the Sky, the Continental Commerce Chamber ranked comfortably within the top three, a true behemoth!


    Rocky had never imagined that this trade would attract the attention of such a titan, and that they would even proactively send someone?


    "My Lord, not only the Continental Commerce Chamber but the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce and the Dalmor Chamber of Commerce have also sent representatives. They all hope to arrange a suitable time to meet with you."


    "They want to come as well...?" S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After Aileen finished speaking, Rocky was completely stunned because the two Chambers of Commerce that Aileen mentioned were also prominent ones in the sky, with the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce and the Continental Commerce Chamber being peers in terms of strength, while the Dalmor Chamber of Commerce was one of the oldest, with a history that could be traced back to the Land Era.


    To be honest, Rocky was somewhat scared, and he couldn''t understand why these famous Chambers of Commerce would come to find him.


    This was his own issue, as Rocky was still thinking from the perspective of an ordinary person; in reality, if he had thought from the perspective of a City Lord, he wouldn''t have been surprised at all. Wasn''t it normal for a Chamber of Commerce to discuss business with the City Lord of a Sky City?


    After all, if the deal went well, it could develop into a long-term collaboration, and which Chamber of Commerce wouldn''t want to add a City Lord to their list of clients?


    "Additionally, there''s news from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce that their Guild President will personally visit tomorrow," Aileen continued as Rocky was somewhat dazed.


    Upon hearing that the Ruby Chamber of Commerce would also come, and it was the Guild President who would personally visit, Rocky smiled after a slight pause, giving the impression that the other party was also impatient to proceed.


    After ceasing all transactions with the Azure Commerce Guild, Aileen found a new partnership in Eternal City with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce.


    The Ruby Chamber of Commerce was a recently established Chamber of Commerce, in urgent need of a stable client like Thunderhawk City, so both sides hit it off immediately, and the several transactions that followed went very smoothly, giving Rocky a good impression of this Chamber of Commerce.


    He had already anticipated that the Ruby Chamber of Commerce would send someone to find him, especially since he brought so many Demon Corpses and Demon Cores this time, and other Chambers of Commerce had caught wind of it.


    Situated in Eternal City and already collaborating with Thunderhawk City, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce surely couldn''t miss the news, but he hadn''t expected their Guild President to personally come.


    But upon further thought, this made sense. After all, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce was a new organization, not particularly strong, so it was only right they show the necessary respect if they wanted a share of the deals from Rocky. Stay updated with empire


    Given the situation, Rocky sighed, "It looks like I won''t be able to go out tomorrow..."


    Originally, he had planned to examine the Skyship tomorrow, but it seemed he definitely wouldn''t be able to go now, especially since he had to personally meet with the Guild Presidents of both the Continental Commerce Chamber and the Ruby Chamber of Commerce.


    "My lord, let''s wait on spending money, we haven''t earned any yet," Aileen said, puffing up her cheeks in a somewhat annoyed manner, noting that Rocky looked reluctant. She had been working all day without complaining!


    Seeing Aileen''s puffed-up cheeks, Rocky gave an awkward smile and couldn''t say much more.


    The next day, Rocky didn''t go anywhere and just stayed at the Star of the Sky. He didn''t wait long because the Guild President of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce came in the morning.


    To Rocky''s surprise, the Guild President of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce was a young woman only a few years older than Aileen, which he found astonishing, yet he didn''t dare take her lightly.


    Despite being a newly established and small Chamber of Commerce, one should not forget that it''s impossible to set up a Chamber of Commerce in a place like Eternal City without strength, background, or connections.


    Therefore, Rocky treated her with the utmost respect,


    The young Guild President''s name was Amanred, an odd name but very talkative, making the meeting with Rocky quite pleasant.


    As Rocky had thought, Amanred''s primary purpose for visiting in person was to purchase some of the Demon Corpses, and if possible, she even hoped to acquire some Demon Cores and Ore, which meant she was interested in everything Rocky had brought for trade.


    But she held the reins well in this matter. Amanred didn''t plan to take all the Demon Corpses, Cores, or even Ores, but rather hoped Rocky would sell her a portion, considering the Ruby Chamber of Commerce was newly established and in urgent need of high-grade goods to showcase the Chamber''s capabilities.


    Rocky naturally didn''t refuse.


    As he had said before, if Maima hadn''t sabotaged herself, he would have even sold a portion of the Demon Corpses to the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber, so when faced with Amery''s request, he not only agreed to part with twenty Black-eyed Demons and four Armored Bull Demons, along with twenty Demon Cores, but also agreed to sell all the Yellow Scale Ore to the Ruby Chamber of Commerce!


    In return, Amanred offered the highest market price for the goods: each Black-eyed Demon''s corpse was priced at two thousand one hundred Gold Coins, the Armored Bull Demon at the market''s highest of seventeen thousand Gold Coins, and even the Demon Cores and Yellow Scale Ore were priced at the top of the market.


    Beyond this, Amanred also purchased all the cloth produced by Thunderhawk City this quarter and promised Rocky that the Ruby Chamber of Commerce would buy all cloth and leather produced by Thunderhawk City in the future.


    Thus, once the deal was struck, Rocky suddenly had over a hundred thousand gold coins in his hands!


    The three thousand plus pounds of Yellow Scale Ore sold for the full forty thousand Gold Coins, and the twenty-four Demon Corpses sold for one hundred and ten thousand Gold Coins. Alongside the cloth, he earned another thirty thousand plus Gold Coins, bringing his total to one hundred and eighty thousand gold coins after the transaction was completed!


    One hundred and eighty thousand Gold Coins!


    Such a large sum of money could even allow him to immediately buy a set of Void Magic Armor for Liliya!

 Chapter 130 Floating Escort Ship!

    Rocky made a profit of one hundred and eighty thousand gold coins from the deal, an occurrence never before experienced by him¡ªhe was naturally very satisfied!Read exclusive chapters at empire


    Indeed, not just he, the trade deal actually satisfied both parties. Rocky earned the much-needed money, and Amery acquired the goods she desired, which were particularly crucial for Amanred and her Ruby Chamber of Commerce to secure the deal.


    For a Chamber of Commerce, the level of products it can offer to its clients is key. Should a Chamber fail to present commodities like Demon Corpses, Demon Cores, or ores¡ªgoods that are highly sought after in any market¡ªits strength would surely be questioned.


    But such hot commodities, which one is easy to come by, and which doesn''t require risking one''s life to obtain?


    It is exactly for this reason that upon learning of Rocky''s arrival with a large amount of valuable goods, Amanred personally came, hoping to acquire some from him.


    As for the final result, it pleased Amanred greatly. Despite the fact she spent eighteen thousand gold coins, once these goods were in the Chamber''s hands, not only could they be resold effortlessly at a profit easily twice the amount, but they also showcased the Chamber''s strength and channels, killing two birds with one stone.


    Meanwhile, the completion of this transaction also signified the start of a comprehensive partnership between Thunderhawk City and the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. From now on, all of Thunderhawk City''s grain imports, yarn, fabrics, and future leather goods manufacturing, would be handled by the Ruby Chamber of Commerce.


    This partnership was desired by all. Thunderhawk City needed a stable supply channel to ensure its development, and as a new Chamber of Commerce, the Ruby Chamber needed stable clients, especially big ones. Thunderhawk City was their perfect target.


    So when Amanred finally left the Star of the Sky, her face was blooming with joy, as if she had just achieved a certain satisfaction.


    After her departure, Rocky soon met with his second important visitor: the manager from the Continental Commerce Chamber.


    Unlike other Chambers of Commerce that sent their general managers, the Continental Commerce Chamber sent just a manager to meet Rocky. However, never underestimate this manager¡ªdue to the difference in scale of various Chambers, the same position might hold vastly different power and status.


    In a top Chamber of Commerce like the Continental, their manager''s power and status could be much more significant than a general manager''s in an average Chamber.


    Thus, in this regard, the Continental Commerce Chamber did not come off as discourteous, and Rocky''s meeting with their representative was quite pleasant. Naturally, the main topic of their conversation centered on trade, but unfortunately, the Continental Commerce Chamber did not offer an outstandingly surprising price.


    For the price of Demon Corpses and Demon Cores, the Continental Commerce Chamber basically offered the market rate¡ªnot a penny more nor less.


    They did, however, offer a highly tempting condition: once the trade was complete, Rocky would enjoy the privilege of a VIP membership in the Continental Commerce Chamber, allowing him to receive a ten percent discount on most transactions conducted within the Chamber.


    This was an enticing offer. The Continental Commerce Chamber covered almost every single field of business, selling everything from the latest Void Magic Armor to the top Floating Warships¡ªa ten percent discount is quite a lot.


    However, Rocky and Aileen both felt a bit helpless about this condition because to obtain the VIP status, they must conduct transactions with the Continental Commerce Chamber. But remember, the VIP status offered by the Chamber was only valid within the Continental Commerce Chamber itself, meaning Rocky could enjoy the discount only if he spent money with them.


    What did this imply?


    It meant that the gold coins Rocky would get from the Continental Commerce Chamber would ultimately end up back in their pocket!


    Such a business deal was astoundingly shrewd.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky naturally would not make an immediate decision, so after briefly discussing it with the manager, he saw off the guest.


    Over the following three days, he did not leave the Star of the Sky, and at an average pace of two visitors per day, he met with several managers from major Chambers of Commerce, finalizing the business deals.


    The Chamber of Commerce Rocky ultimately chose was neither the renowned Continental nor the equally esteemed Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce, but instead, a Chamber called the Apple Tree Corporation.


    Although the Apple Tree Corporation might not be as renowned as Continental and Blue Sky Chambers of Commerce, it is still a well-established and respected Chamber within Eternal City. Rocky didn''t choose to trade with them because of their fame, but rather because of the terms they offered.


    In terms of trading price, the Apple Tree Corporation offered a rate that was essentially equivalent to the market price¡ªnothing outstanding. However, apart from that, they also put forth a condition¡ªthat once Rocky completed the transaction with them, they would give him a third-generation Floating Escort Ship for free!


    Yes, you read that correctly¡ªa Floating¡ªEscort Ship!


    In the classification of floating warships, the lowest level was the reconnaissance ship. Among all warships with combat capabilities, reconnaissance ships were the smallest in size, had the least mana, and the weakest combat ability. Their only advantage was speed, which was fair given their scouting purpose.


    A step above the reconnaissance ship was the escort ship. And starting from the escort ship level, warships would change their classification to battleships. Ship or battleship¡ªthough there''s only a one-word difference, the combat capability is several times greater, if not more!


    Some might ask, has the Apple Tree Corporation gone mad? To offer an escort ship, which is a third-generation warship that hasn''t been phased out, just for a trade worth four to five hundred thousand gold coins?


    This question leads us back to the Apple Tree Corporation itself.


    They were originally a corporation that specialized in the business of floating battleships and had their own shipyard, allowing them to manufacture and sell independently, resulting in significant business.


    But six months ago, the corporation suddenly got a new Guild President. Upon taking office, the new president drastically changed the corporation''s guideline of only dealing in floating battleships and started to diversify their business ventures, including dealing in Void Magic Armor among various other products.


    However, easier said than done. Not only were customers unfamiliar with their other businesses, but other Chambers of Commerce also fiercely suppressed them. To improve the corporation''s new business as quickly as possible, the new president made a bold decision:


    Any non-warship business transaction with the Apple Tree Corporation exceeding five hundred thousand gold coins would come with a floating warship as a gift. The grade of the gifted warship was directly linked to the transaction amount¡ªthe higher the amount, the better the warship gifted!


    And according to the price offered by them, the sum of demon corpses and Demon Cores that Rocky had meant that the transaction amount just exceeded five hundred thousand gold coins!


    Rocky now had one hundred and two Black-eyed Demon corpses, nine armored bull demon corpses, and two hundred and eleven Demon Cores left. According to the price offered by the Apple Tree Corporation, Black-eyed Demon corpses would sell for two thousand gold coins each, armored bull demon corpses for twelve thousand gold coins each, and each Demon Core for a thousand gold coins.


    Calculating this, the Black-eyed Demon corpses would bring in two hundred and forty thousand gold coins, the armored bull demons one hundred and eight thousand gold coins, and the two hundred and eleven Demon Cores a total of two hundred and eleven thousand gold coins.


    Summing up all three brings the total to five hundred and fifty-nine thousand gold coins¡ªjust above the Apple Tree Corporation''s standard for gifting a warship. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was the reason Rocky ultimately chose to trade with them. By trading with this Chamber, he could get an escort ship for free!


    For Rocky, this escort ship was of great importance. After all, one of his objectives in coming to God City was to purchase floating warships. In his original plan, he didn''t intend to buy the costly escort ships, just a few newer reconnaissance ships.


    But now, with this trade deal from the Apple Tree Corporation, Rocky could get a battleship for free¡ªand an escort ship at that! How could he possibly miss out on such a good deal? So, he immediately had Aileen negotiate the trade details with the Apple Tree Corporation and completed the transaction without the slightest hesitation.


    After completing the transaction, Rocky was ecstatic to find that not only had he gotten an escort ship for free, he had ended up with more gold coins than he had anticipated!


    The transaction with the Apple Tree Corporation, along with the trade with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, brought the total combined transaction amount to seven hundred and thirty thousand eight hundred gold coins!


    This figure was a whole three hundred thousand more than the anticipated four hundred thousand gold coins!


    Now possessing over seven hundred thousand gold coins, Rocky was truly wealthy. The only thing left for him to do was summed up in two words: Spend money! Spend money! Spend money! It''s worth repeating three times!

 Chapter 131 The Invitation

    After completing all transactions, Rocky suddenly had more than seven hundred thousand Gold Coins in hand, a sum much greater than he had anticipated, finally enabling him to spend money liberally.However, regarding how exactly to spend this money, Rocky still needed to carefully plan, after all, good steel must be used on the blade edge.


    "Once all the trades are completed, take out one hundred thousand Gold Coins to build factories and shops, as well as to purchase leather materials and stock the shops, all from this one hundred thousand Gold Coins. Do you think that''s enough?"


    Early one day, Rocky gathered everyone in his room to discuss the next steps of the plan.


    Now that all transactions had been settled, and the continuous stream of visitors was gone, Rocky finally had time to arrange how to spend this considerable amount of money. It wasn''t a trivial matter, because while spending money is easy, making each coin count is not, and Rocky had to maximize the benefits of the seven hundred thousand Gold Coins in his hand.


    It didn''t matter if they were all spent, but after spending, it was necessary to ensure that the strength of Thunderhawk City was raised a notch.


    And since the acquired Gold Coins were much more than anticipated, the plans Rocky had previously considered would have to change slightly. However, the money originally slated for the development of Thunderhawk City remained unchanged.


    Aileen and Old Jack had already chosen a location in the city; the house was ready to move in, only requiring some modifications to be usable, so the main expenses would be on factory equipment and raw materials, as well as importing goods for the stores. Rocky felt one hundred thousand Gold Coins was sufficient for these needs.


    "One hundred thousand Gold Coins is enough. The Ruby Chamber of Commerce can supply us with the leather materials and goods needed for the stores. As for the factory equipment, I will handle that with Lord Jack tomorrow." Experience tales at empire


    Indeed, Aileen stated that one hundred thousand Gold Coins was enough and assured that she and Old Jack would handle the matter, freeing Rocky from concern.


    With that settled, Rocky continued,


    "The remaining money, I think, should be spent according to the original plan, on purchasing Void Magic Armors and expanding the fleet of Skyships, as well as upgrading the soldiers'' equipment. Only now, we can increase and improve the quantity and quality."


    When Rocky finished speaking, both Monte and Lin Feng''s eyes lit up, as if Rocky''s men were to be divided into administrative and military roles, Monte and Lin Feng clearly belonged to the military side. So when they heard Rocky planned to enhance the military strength of Thunderhawk City, they were naturally excited.


    At this moment, Rocky turned to Aileen, "Aileen, when exactly can the Ruby Chamber of Commerce and Apple Tree Corporation complete the transactions?"


    "In the next few days. I''ve already started the handover of goods with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. If everything goes well, they will make the payment tomorrow, and then we''ll proceed with the handover with the Apple Tree Corporation. In three days at most, all transactions should be completed."


    "Good, once the transactions are completed, I''ll go purchase the Void Magic Armors and Skyships."


    Having arranged everything, everyone finally relaxed a little. Now they had nothing to do but wait for how they would spend the money later.


    The three days passed quickly. To be honest, everyone was a bit nervous during this time as it was their first time handling such a big business deal, and they all feared any unexpected events that might cause problems.


    But fortunately, such a stroke of bad luck did not occur. All the transactions over these three days had gone smoothly, resulting not only in over seven hundred thousand Gold Coins in hand but also the Escort Ship gifted by the Apple Tree Corporation had been delivered!


    Upon learning that the gifted Escort Ship had arrived, Rocky made a special trip to the Skyport to lay eyes on what was truly a warship.


    When he got to the Skyport and saw the Escort Ship, he couldn''t help but exclaim in his heart that this was indeed a real warship!


    Although among all Floating Battleships, the level of the Escort Ship was relatively lower, only one level higher than a Reconnaissance Ship, it ultimately met the warship standard, far surpassing the Reconnaissance Ship in many aspects. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Take, for example, the Escort Ship given by the Apple Tree Corporation, which was one hundred ten meters long, greater in size even than two Reconnaissance Ships placed side by side.


    The entire warship was powered by twenty-five Medium Magic Stones, which provided not only propulsion but also a magic energy defense net, with defensive power enough to withstand attacks from Magic Cannons with a magic energy value of below 500.


    Just this characteristic alone ensured the Escort Ship an invincible position against Reconnaissance Ships, at least when facing those from Thunderhawk City.


    That''s because Thunderhawk City''s Reconnaissance Ships were all first-generation, equipped with only two Magic Cannons, and the power of their magic energy was merely 300 points. In other words, against an Escort Ship, Thunderhawk City''s Reconnaissance Ships could blast away to no avail, their 300-point Magic Cannons unable to breach the opponent''s Defensive Net.


    Because of the warship''s enormous size, it also required more crew members, with a full complement capable of carrying one hundred fifty personnel. Additionally, the warship was armed with no less than fifteen Magic Cannons, including two main cannons powered by Medium Magic Stones alone, reaching a magic energy power of 1300, and thirteen auxiliary cannons with a power of 700.


    Not just in defensive power, but also in firepower, this Escort Ship left the Reconnaissance Ships of Thunderhawk City far behind. Compared to Thunderhawk City''s vessels, the firepower of this Escort Ship could only be described as terrifying!


    In fact, this was rather a sad affair, as it indirectly showed how weak Thunderhawk City''s military strength was. While fifth-generation warships were already commanding the skies, Thunderhawk City still relied on first-generation Skyships to protect its city.


    But now things were different.


    Rocky now finally owned a true warship, albeit a third-generation one, but it was still countless times stronger than those outdated Reconnaissance Ships of Thunderhawk City. And third-generation warships weren''t completely obsolete from the historical stage; many average-strength Sky Cities still relied on this generation of warships as their main force.


    Therefore, Rocky was one hundred percent satisfied with this Escort Ship.


    With the warship delivered and the transaction payment settled, the deal between Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation was officially concluded. However, to Rocky''s slight surprise, after finalizing the trade, the other party also presented him with an invitation to a ball, asking him to attend a dance hosted by the Chamber of Commerce in three days.


    Eternal City, a behemoth in the sky, naturally saw a constant gathering of important figures year-round. With nobles commonplace and City Lords ubiquitous, balls served as the best platform for interaction among nobility and prominent figures, making them a staple in Eternal City, where dances occurred daily throughout the year.


    For most people, especially the nobility or small City Lords eager to climb the social ladder, the frequent balls in Eternal City provided excellent opportunities. Being invited to these balls signified wealth or nobility, and making connections there was obviously beneficial for advancement.


    However, Rocky, also a small City Lord, felt rather indifferent upon receiving the ball invitation. He thought that the pressing matter at hand was to spend the money he had. Where could he find the time for such dances?

 Chapter 132 The Ball

    "Of course you should go, such a ball will be beneficial to you."When Rocky handed the ball invitation to Liliya, he had not anticipated that she would strongly urge him to attend.


    "The Apple Tree Corporation is an old-established Chamber of Commerce in Eternal City, with extensive connections. The ball they host will surely be attended by many important figures, and getting to know these people could be advantageous for us," Liliya explained slowly, sitting across from Rocky. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m afraid of not making any useful connections but instead drawing unwanted attention..." Rocky sighed while sitting across from her, looking somewhat helpless.


    He certainly understood Liliya''s reasoning. Attending such a ball was naturally beneficial, but benefits and risks always coexist. Thus, nobody could guarantee that, after the ball, Thunderhawk City and he as its City Lord wouldn''t end up on someone''s blacklist after mingling with the VIPs, becoming the next target for takeover.


    "You''re exaggerating," Liliya laughed upon hearing this. "Just go. It''s ultimately good for you to make more connections with other City Lords at the ball for your future development."


    "Alright... It seems the trip to the weapons market will have to be postponed again..." Experience tales at empire


    Convinced by Liliya''s persuasion, Rocky finally nodded and agreed to attend the ball. But, as he mentioned, since he decided to attend, the plan to go to the weapons market to buy Void Magic Armor and Skyships would have to be delayed.


    Some might find it odd¡ªwasn''t the ball starting in three days? There should still be time to browse the weapons market.


    Those who say such a thing must have forgotten one detail: can you wear casual clothes to such a ball? To attend, you must dress up; hence, Rocky must now prepare for this aspect. Moreover, he won''t be going alone, so these kinds of preparations will definitely take more than a day or two to complete.


    "It''s okay to delay it for two days. We don''t have much else going on lately. It won''t matter if we go to the weapons market after the ball," Liliya assuaged.


    "Alright then, tomorrow you, Aileen, and Monte should come with me to buy clothes. If we''re going, we must dress to impress."


    Having decided to attend the ball, Rocky certainly didn''t want to embarrass himself, so the next day he took Liliya, Aileen, and Monte to the biggest shopping center in Eternal City to start purchasing formal attire for the ball.


    In the past, Rocky would never have dared to do such a thing because the formal wear required for the ball wasn''t something the poor could afford¡ªa single piece of clothing could cost hundreds or even thousands of Gold Coins, which was far too stressful for the old him.


    But now, with hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins in his possession, he no longer had to worry. Allocating a few thousand, or even tens of thousands of Gold Coins to choose suitable attire for himself and others to attend the ball seemed worth it to Rocky.


    Just as he anticipated, it was an extremely time-consuming task. This time he had to choose clothes not only for himself and Monte but also for Liliya and Aileen. Once women were involved in such matters, it became an endless pursuit.


    In the end, by the time Rocky had everything ready, it was the day of the ball. After spending three days at the shopping center and shelling out over five thousand Gold Coins¡ªto the extent that Aileen even sought the help of a designer for advice¡ªthey finally settled on what to wear to the ball.


    So when Rocky, accompanied by Liliya and Aileen as his dates and Monte as his escort, went to the ball, he was close to breaking down.


    However, considering the caliber of the ball, his preparations were clearly justified. The Apple Tree Corporation, as a prominent Chamber of Commerce in Eternal City, organized a ball that was impeccable both in quality and standard, truly deserving the wholehearted preparation of those attending.


    The venue was at the Guild President''s private residence; in other words, this was a private ball. And of course, the guests invited to the ball need not be mentioned¡ªthe attendees included plenty of individuals of City Lord status or higher, apart from the City Lords themselves, there were also influential figures from various Sky Cities.


    Therefore, when Rocky arrived at the venue with Liliya and the others, they were quickly swallowed up by the crowd. It couldn''t be helped, there were twenty to thirty City Lords attending the ball, and Rocky didn''t stand out much among them.


    Rocky was quite happy with this lack of attention; he had never been interested in such balls in the first place and had reluctantly spent several days at the shopping center. With no expectations for the ball itself, he headed for a corner as soon as he entered the venue and started to focus on the food provided at the ball.


    However, just like how he couldn''t stay low profile when he wanted to previously, the events Rocky encountered at the ball definitely exceeded his imagination.


    Firstly, he saw Karina again.


    The Lord of Rose City also attended the ball. Dressed in her formal attire, Karina still resembled a fiery red rose, and unlike the unnoticed Rocky, she seemed to have a wide network¡ªalmost everyone at the ball knew her.


    "City Lord Rocky, you''ve come as expected," Karina approached him proactively while he was enjoying the exquisite food at the ball, accompanied by the two beauties.


    Rocky had actually spotted her earlier in the venue. The Red Rose, Karina, truly stood out, but given the young City Lords surrounding her all the time, Rocky didn''t approach her.


    To his surprise, Karina had noticed him too and took the initiative to come over.


    "City Lord Rocky, you''ve been quite the figure of note lately."


    Carrying a wine glass, Karina walked up to Rocky and glanced at him with a smile, speaking casually as if the two of them had known each other for a long time.


    "Oh, how come I didn''t know that?"


    Rocky responded with a slight smile, genuinely unaware of when he had ever had such glory.


    "You made a deal directly with the Apple Tree Corporation for over five hundred thousand Gold Coins, isn''t that glamorous enough? For a small Sky City, that''s not a small amount."


    "Lord Karina, may I ask a question?"


    Upon hearing Karina''s words, Rocky frowned and then asked.


    "Of course, you can."


    "How did you find out about these things concerning me?"


    Although Rocky wasn''t surprised that she knew about his affairs, he was still very curious about how she had come to know them.


    "Shadow Alliance, just pay ten thousand Gold Coins a month, and they will provide you with all the information you want."


    With a soft smile towards him, Karina casually provided the answer.


    There was such an organization?


    This response did startle Rocky for a moment, and then he silently took note of the Shadow Alliance. It seemed to be an information organization, which might come in handy for himself as well.


    "Isn''t that City Lord Rocky? And Lord Karina, so you two know each other!"


    Just then, another familiar voice reached Rocky''s ears, and as he and Karina turned to look, they saw Berg, the City Lord of Lingyu City, approaching them.


    "What are you two talking about? If it''s business-related, you must include me."


    Arriving at Rocky and Karina''s side, Berg spoke as if he were an old friend, without any hint of feeling like an outsider.


    However, faced with Berg''s familiarity, Karina simply rolled her eyes: "Look who''s here, Money City Lord."


    "Money City Lord?"


    Rocky''s expression was that of a curious baby upon hearing Karina''s nickname for Berg.


    "A City Lord whose eyes see only money, that''s exactly what a Money City Lord is."


    "Karina, you often do business at my place too, there''s no need to talk about me like this in front of City Lord Rocky, right?"


    Berg didn''t seem upset by Karina''s mockery, and soon turned to Rocky: "City Lord Rocky, you''ve made quite the big deal recently! Next time, you must come and support my Lingyu City, where our Chamber of Commerce offers nothing but quality goods at fair prices..."


    "A bunch of heartless traders still have the nerve to talk about quality and fair prices."


    As Berg boasted, Karina interjected with disdain, forcing Berg to laugh awkwardly and then continue chatting with Rocky as if nothing happened: "City Lord Rocky, you, me, and Karina are all City Lords of small Sky Cities. We occupy the lowest status in this sky, and only by helping each other can we survive better. Don''t you agree?"


    Berg indeed acted very much like a merchant, extremely talkative, but it was precisely because of his gregarious nature that Rocky, Karina, and he enjoyed their conversation a lot. Berg would later introduce Rocky to several other City Lords.


    However, just as Rocky got into conversation with these newly met City Lords, another person in the ball noticed him and hurried over.


    "Rocky, what are you doing here?"


    Rocky turned around when he heard his name called and then saw a person he wasn''t very eager to see: Cyril.


    Cyril''s appearance left Rocky extremely astonished; he never expected such a coincidence that on both of his visits to Eternal City, he would encounter this cousin.


    Just as surprised as he was Cyril. Actually, her purpose in coming to Eternal City was to find Rocky, but she had never imagined that the two would meet in such a setting.

 Chapter 133 Cyrils Advice

    Rocky and Cyril were both momentarily stunned upon seeing each other again; neither had expected to encounter the other at such an event.It was Cyril who reacted first, quickly pulling Rocky away from the group of City Lords and into a corner.


    This move naturally caused dissatisfaction among the City Lords, but they were all well aware of Cyril''s status and thus hesitant to provoke her easily.


    After taking Rocky to the corner of the dance, Cyril looked him up and down a few times before asking incredulously, "Rocky, how come you''re here?"


    "Why can''t I be here?"


    Rocky, hearing this, was not pleased at all. What did that mean? Was he supposed to just stay in Thunderhawk City forever?


    Frowning slightly as he looked at Cyril, Rocky also asked a question:


    "And why are you here?"


    "The Chamber of Commerce invited me."


    "They invited me too."


    "The Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce¡­ invited¡­ you?"


    Cyril blinked her eyes for several seconds, her face filled with disbelief at Rocky''s words.


    The Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce held such dances not without purpose; in fact, the aim of these dances was very clear: to expand the business scope of the Chamber through the City Lords. And, due to this goal, anyone invited by the Chamber was seen as an exceedingly important client.


    Cyril had also just arrived in the Eternal City yesterday and received the invitation immediately upon arrival. Given that the Mairente Family had some business dealings with the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, she had come.


    Accustomed to such affairs, Cyril, being the daughter of the Mairente Clan Leader and a City Lord of a Sky City herself, was always a person of honor wherever she went. Moreover, her own status made many people eager to maintain good relations with her. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still, Cyril hadn''t expected that the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce would also extend an invitation to Rocky, which was somewhat of a surprise to her.


    Afterward, she couldn''t help but scrutinize Rocky thoroughly, her gaze growing more complex the longer she looked.


    Being invited by the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce signified that Rocky was seen as an important client in their eyes. Just a few months had passed since they last met ¨C what had he done to gain such a status?


    "What kind of business have you done with the Chamber?"


    Considering this, Cyril couldn''t help but ask.


    "Nothing much." After glancing at her, Rocky kept his expression neutral: "Cyril, what do you want? If there''s nothing important, I am leaving."


    Having said that, he turned around and was ready to leave without hesitation.


    "Wait¡­"


    Seeing that Rocky was indeed about to leave, Cyril, feeling helpless, had no choice but to call out to stop him: "Rocky, I have something important to discuss with you."


    "Is it about the family?"


    "Yes."


    "I have no relation to the Mairente Family anymore."


    With his back to Cyril, Rocky walked away while speaking coldly; ever since his father''s Sky City had been taken by the Mairente Family, he had indeed severed all ties with that family.


    But just as he had taken a couple of steps, Cyril''s voice came from behind him again.


    "The family wants to take back Thunderhawk City."


    That simple sentence forced Rocky to halt in his tracks!


    "¡­"


    Stopping, Rocky let out a soft sigh and then turned to look back at Cyril: "What did you say¡­?"


    "The family... is planning to take back Thunderhawk City..."


    Gazing into his eyes, Cyril repeated the sentence helplessly once again.


    It was only after Cyril had repeated these words that Rocky furrowed his brows and thought carefully, taking several minutes before lifting his eyes again.


    "The news you have for me is just this? Why?"


    "Because... I don''t want the family to take back Thunderhawk City. It''s not good for you or for me, and besides... this is what the family owes you..."


    Looking at Rocky, Cyril bit her lip and spoke haltingly.


    At this moment, Rocky had returned to Cyril''s side. He looked down at Cyril, who was shorter than himself, feeling torn inside.


    Because he could see that Cyril felt some remorse towards him. The reasons for her remorse need not be stated, but the current Rocky truly wanted nothing to do with the Mairente Family. The last incident had made him see the family for what it truly was.


    However, Cyril''s words just now meant that Rocky couldn''t simply walk away carefree; even if he was reluctant, he had to ask what was going on before he could leave.


    On the other hand, seeing Rocky return to her side, Cyril began to speak: "Rocky, the family isn''t deliberately targeting you..."


    "Let''s stick to the main topic."


    Rocky interrupted Cyril''s words with a wave of his hand and asked directly, "You just said the family wants to take back Thunderhawk City. What exactly is going on?"


    "Yes, because..."


    In a few words, Cyril explained the family''s decision regarding Thunderhawk City and the situation with Baron Wolin to Rocky. The matter was simple, just a straightforward decision by the family, so it didn''t take long to describe.


    "So that''s how it is..."


    And after Cyril had finished explaining everything, Rocky nodded while his brows were furrowed deep in thought.


    Despite his calm demeanor, the news was as sudden and shocking as a bolt from the blue for him. He had not expected that just as things were starting to look up for him, he would encounter such misfortune.


    But now it was too late for any regrets, whether cursing his own bad luck or hating the Mairente Family. The urgent matter at hand was how to survive this looming crisis. Find your next read at empire


    If Thunderhawk City were taken back, Rocky could definitely not agree to it. The Mairente Family had already taken away a medium-sized Sky City he was supposed to inherit, and Rocky would never allow such a thing to happen again.


    So after a brief silence, he lifted his head again.


    "You just mentioned that the family won''t help Baron Wolin take action, right?"


    "Exactly." Cyril nodded affirmatively and said, "In fact, both my father and I would prefer not to see Baron Wolin''s faction grow, but individual wishes can''t sway the family''s decisions. The only thing I can do is ensure the family stays out of this matter, and you can be assured of that."


    "If that''s the case, how does Baron Wolin plan to take Thunderhawk City from me?"


    Such a response made Rocky somewhat surprised. If the family wasn''t going to intervene, how could Baron Wolin manage to take his Thunderhawk City? Surely he didn''t intend to drive Rocky out of Thunderhawk City himself?


    "How to take it back? Naturally, by bringing the fleet to drive you away."


    Cyril gave Rocky a glance, appearing astonished. Wasn''t the answer to this question obvious?


    "Drive, drive me away?"


    Rocky was wholly taken aback by the correctness of his guess; it took him a good while to regain his composure before he couldn''t help but ask another question:


    "How large is Baron Wolin''s fleet?"


    He couldn''t fathom just how powerful Baron Wolin had become, to the point where he even aimed to forcefully remove Rocky from Thunderhawk City. Such audacity!


    "Although Baron Wolin is not yet a City Lord, he is still considered a veteran in the family. As for his fleet... it comprises at least thirty Floating Warships."


    "Thirty..."


    Hearing this number, Rocky''s face revealed a strange expression. Then he fell silent, as if calculating something.

 Chapter 134 Then Fight!

    Rocky''s reaction greatly surprised Cyril, who had expected an angry explosion but instead, saw no trace of fear on his face when he learnt the size of Baron Wolin''s fleet; rather, his expression turned oddly serene.This left Cyril somewhat perplexed. Had he not made himself clear?


    That was a fleet composed of thirty Floating Warships!


    Cyril felt that Rocky hadn''t yet grasped the full implications of what thirty Floating Warships meant, so he felt compelled to explain it again: "Rocky, that''s thirty Floating Warships!"


    "Oh, I know."


    Brought back to attention by Cyril''s voice, Rocky nodded casually and then asked, "Cyril, what kind of warships make up Baron Wolin''s fleet?"


    The type of warship varied greatly in combat capability, so it was difficult to judge the combat strength of a fleet merely by its numbers; the quality factor also needed to be considered to truly gauge a fleet''s strength. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Well..."


    This question made Cyril think for a while before he spoke: "Baron Wolin''s fleet is his private military, so I don''t know much about it. However, considering his status and standing within the families, the fleet''s quality should be fairly decent, at least comprised of third-generation Floating Warships.


    However, its major components should be third-generation Reconnaissance Ships, because large warships are too expensive, and Baron Wolin, not being a City Lord, cannot afford them."


    "Also, Baron Wolin is a Void Magic Warrior and owns a suit of fourth-generation Void Magic Armor."


    "Oh? Is it a mass-production type or a specialized type?"


    "The mass-production type. I''ve seen him wearing it, I remember it being the Eagle Claw Type 3."


    "Eagle Claw Type 3..."


    Rocky nodded and recalled the specifications of the Eagle Claw Type 3 Armor in his mind.


    A few days ago, while he was shopping for armor for Liliya, he had spent an entire day at the weapons market in Eternal City, looking at dozens of armors, substantially enhancing his understanding of Void Magic Armor.


    And the Eagle Claw Type 3 that Cyril had mentioned, Rocky had just happened to see.


    This was an assault type armor, known for its speed and versatile attack capabilities. Although it was a mass-production model, its combat performance was excellent, thus its price was much higher than that of typical mass-production fourth-generation armors. Rocky remembered that it cost at least sixty thousand Gold Coins.


    This meant that Baron Wolin not only owned a fleet of thirty warships but was also a Void Magic Warrior; this really did pose a bit of a challenge for Rocky.


    However, it was just a challenge, not a cause for despair.


    Let''s not forget that he also had several hundred thousand Gold Coins unspent! If he were to spend all that money, then the power at Rocky''s disposal would be no less than that of Baron Wolin!


    So after a brief moment of thought, Rocky turned to look at Cyril.


    "Cyril, the information you''ve shared with me is very important, thank you for telling me all of this."


    Even though he was indifferent towards the members of the Mairente Family, Rocky had to acknowledge the extreme importance of the information Cyril had provided. With this intelligence, he wouldn''t be engaging in an unprepared battle, and instead, could make sufficient preparations to face Baron Wolin before his arrival. He had to thank Cyril.


    But after expressing his gratitude, he changed his tone, "Cyril, I can tell you''re a decent person, you at least recognize some of the wrongful practices of your family. But, as you said, there are some matters beyond both our controls, so..."


    "You no longer need to feel any guilt towards me, let''s consider the matter between us settled."


    After saying this, Rocky turned and walked away, not just straying slightly, but leaving the ballroom with Liliya and others and heading back to Star of the Sky.


    Just as he had said earlier, he did indeed feel some gratitude towards Cyril, but as he had also mentioned, there were certain things they simply could not change, such as the Mairente Family''s attitude toward Rocky and Rocky''s perception of the Mairente Family. These matters were not something Cyril or Rocky could control by themselves, no matter how much they tried.


    Therefore, for both her benefit and his own, Rocky believed it was better to clearly define boundaries between them. Otherwise, when Rocky stood on the opposing side of the Mairente Family, things would become very troublesome!


    Your next chapter awaits on empire


    Yes, that was Rocky''s decision; he was prepared to stand against the Mairente Family!


    This was a choice made out of desperation, yet it was his only choice. Perhaps, in the eyes of the Mairente Family, he and Thunderhawk City were merely parts of the family to be manipulated at will, but Rocky did not see it that way.


    Now, he would no longer let any person or family dictate his fate, and if anyone still wished to treat him that way, they had better be prepared to lose a piece of flesh!


    So if the Mairente Family wanted a battle, then let there be a battle!


    "..."


    Meanwhile, when Cyril gazed at the receding figure of Rocky, he sighed with a sense of melancholy. He hadn''t expected things to turn out this way.


    In fact, he had many things he wanted to say to Rocky, like advising him to use the flying capabilities of Sky City to escape as far as possible, as that was the only way to avoid Baron Wolin''s fleet. As for expecting Rocky to defeat Baron Wolin by sheer strength, Cyril had never even contemplated such a fantasy, as he saw it as utterly impossible.


    Baron Wolin might just be a nominal noble without a Sky City, but don''t forget he was still a member of the Mairente family. This status gave him access to more resources than an ordinary city lord, otherwise how could he possibly afford to maintain a private army?


    Thus, although the family would not officially intervene this time, Baron Wolin alone had enough strength to forcibly take over Thunderhawk City. It was precisely because of this strength and confidence that his faction agreed with the family''s decision not to intervene.


    Unfortunately, Cyril hadn''t yet managed to express these thoughts before Rocky had already left...


    Elsewhere, after Rocky had left the ball, he went straight back to the Star of the Sky and called everyone to his room.


    "...The situation is as I have described. I''d like to hear your opinions."


    Since the conversation between Cyril and Rocky had been private, even Liliya and others who had attended the ball did not know what had happened until Rocky gathered everyone together and repeated everything that Cyril had told him. Only then did everyone understand the situation.


    "My lord! Of course we strike back!"


    Upon understanding the whole backstory, Monte was the first to jump up, "My lord! Thunderhawk City must not be bullied like this; it''s too much! Let that certain baron come, and we''ll kill him!"


    The naturally hot-tempered Beastman roared as he waved one hand, seemingly ready to engage in battle at any moment.


    "My lord, Thunderhawk City is not what it used to be. I think if we prepare adequately, we indeed can fight a battle."


    At this moment, Aileen also spoke up. She wasn''t as impulsive as Monte, but while maintaining her composure, she still suggested a battle.


    "What do you think? Can we fight a battle?"


    "It''s all up to you."


    Glancing at Rocky who was seeking her opinion, Liliya smiled slightly, showing complete indifference; she really didn''t care much and would definitely stand by him in any action he decided on.


    "Lin Feng, Lord Jack, what do you think?"


    "We''ll follow the lord''s lead."


    When asked for their opinions, Lin Feng and Old Jack immediately bowed their heads. Both were well aware that in such a time, they definitely should not speak out of turn, as it would surely bring them no good, especially since they were far from being Rocky''s confidants.


    "Since that''s the case¡­" Rocky surveyed the room, then let out a smile, and slowly said, "We need to begin preparations now. If we''re to fight, we must not only fight beautifully but must also ensure we win!"

 Chapter 135 Buying a Warship

    The news that Thunderhawk City was to be taken away caused everyone''s nerves to tighten once again.As for the decision made by the Mairente Family, Rocky planned to respond in the simplest and most direct way, which was to deal a heavy blow to Baron Wolin, sending him packing!


    That is to say, he planned to launch a massive sky battle!


    For this reason, everyone began preparations for war the next day, with their first task being to purchase floating warships!


    To wage a sky war, it was absolutely essential to have skyships, and relying solely on the existing skyships of Thunderhawk City was also insufficient. Thunderhawk City had only ten first-generation reconnaissance ships, and even including an escort ship gifted by the Apple Tree Corporation, their overall strength was still too weak.


    Cyril made it clear that Baron Wolin''s private military comprised a fleet of thirty warships, a fleet of this scale, even if all its main forces were third-generation reconnaissance ships, possessed considerable combat strength, given their number. So, to match such a fleet, Thunderhawk City also needed to increase the number of its skyships.


    Therefore, early the next morning, Rocky led everyone to the weapon''s market, but he did not go directly to buy warships; instead, he first visited the Armor Store and purchased the Fire Butterfly - Guard Type 5 Armor, which he had long favored, for Liliya! S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The upcoming great battle was obviously of great importance to Rocky, but he did not pour all resources into the fight blindly; he not only planned to buy the Void Magic Armor for Liliya as originally planned, but also continued the development and construction of Thunderhawk City.


    The war was meant to improve the development of Thunderhawk City, not to drag it down, and this point had to be made clear.


    However, Liliya had some objections to his decision; she believed that the money spent on the Void Magic Armor could be enough to buy a third-generation reconnaissance ship, and even two if they were to buy used reconnaissance ships!


    Unfortunately, in this matter, Rocky''s attitude was uncompromising, and Liliya had no say in the decision.


    After purchasing the Void Magic Armor, Rocky then led the group to select floating warships.


    Since they had already cooperated with the Apple Tree Corporation once, and the main business of the latter was indeed floating warships, and it had both considerable scale and reputation, Rocky did not shop around as he did for the armor but took everyone directly to the dockyard of the Apple Tree Corporation.


    "City Lord Rocky, welcome, welcome!"


    When the group arrived at the dockyard, a steward of the Apple Tree Corporation, who had been waiting there for a long time, immediately came forward to greet them.


    "Steward Zhang, sorry to have kept you waiting."


    "City Lord Rocky, no need for apologies, I just arrived as well," said Steward Zhang, who seemed to be in his forties, with a hearty laugh. This man was Zhang Heng, who had represented the Apple Tree Corporation in the previous transaction with Rocky, so he was here to greet Rocky and his party this time.


    "City Lord Rocky, what do you need this time? Our chamber of commerce''s floating warships are well renowned, and I am sure they will satisfy you," said Zhang Heng with a chuckling smile, standing in front of Rocky.


    "This time, I''d like to buy some used floating warships. Does your chamber have any?" asked Rocky directly, revealing his purpose for this visit, as he intended to buy used warships.


    The advantage of second-hand warships is that they are cheap enough, and cheaper prices mean more quantity, which is exactly what Rocky now needs. Baron Wolin''s fleet boasts over thirty skyships. To compete with a fleet of that scale, ensuring sufficient numbers is a must.


    "Yes! Of course! And I guarantee you will be satisfied."


    Given Rocky''s straightforward approach, Steward Zhang showed neither contempt nor negligence. After all, he brokered their last transaction and knew exactly how much money Rocky had. As long as it was about money, there was no difference between buying new warships and second-hand ones, as long as the money was spent at his Chamber of Commerce.


    After that, Zhang Heng led Rocky and the others to the front of a shipyard.


    The gate of the shipyard bore a large ''5'', indicating it was Dock 5, and also the largest among all the docks, with dozens of floating warships docked inside!


    "City Lord Rocky, may I ask what scale of fleet you are looking to form? Not to boast, but I do have some experience in this area,"


    Leading everyone into Dock 5, Zhang Heng asked as they walked.


    His words were indeed true, as someone in the business of floating warships, he naturally knew how to assemble a fleet; otherwise, how could he recommend warships to clients?


    "I want a fleet with reconnaissance ships as the main force, preferably all from the 3rd generation."


    "Can do, can do..."


    Hearing this, Zhang Heng nodded, thought for a moment, and then took Rocky to a reconnaissance ship nearby.


    "City Lord Rocky, what do you think of this reconnaissance ship?"


    Pointing with his hand at the reconnaissance ship behind him, Zhang Heng introduced, "This Cheetah Type 2 reconnaissance ship is the best-selling model among the 3rd generation reconnaissance ships.


    It is fifty-one meters long, powered by two medium magic stones, can carry a full crew of thirty-five people, and is also equipped with five magic cannons with a magic energy power of 450, making its firepower very formidable."


    "The most acclaimed feature of this reconnaissance ship is its very thick armor, equipped with an independently-operated defensive net. The defensive net is powered by a single medium magic stone and can withstand magic cannon attacks with a magic energy power of less than 400, making this reconnaissance ship extremely excellent in both offense and defense.


    Many Sky Cities are still using this model as their main warship."


    "How much?"


    "Thirty-eight thousand gold coins each, we have twenty here, and all are 80% new. I can guarantee that with my reputation."


    "......"


    This price made Rocky slightly silent for a while. The Cheetah Type 2 reconnaissance ship Zhang Heng introduced seemed really nice, but the price was a bit high.


    After deducting the funds for the development of Thunderhawk City and subtracting the money spent on buying Void Magic Armor for Liliya, Rocky had less than six hundred thousand gold coins left, only five hundred eighty-nine thousand. In this situation, if he bought ten Cheetah Type 2 reconnaissance ships, it would cost him three hundred eighty thousand gold coins.


    Perhaps after some bargaining, it could be cheaper, but it was still too much as he wanted more than ten ships.


    "City Lord Rocky, don''t rush, we still have many other warships you can choose from."


    Seeing the hesitation in Rocky''s mind, Zhang Heng immediately spoke, and then led him to another skyship nearby.


    "City Lord Rocky, if you are not satisfied with the Cheetah Type 2, then what do you think about this one..."

 Chapter 136 Flagship!

    Under the recommendation of Zhang Heng, City Lord Rocky looked at at least six or seven reconnaissance ship models before finally making a decision."Airship Model 6, let''s go with this one."


    "City Lord Rocky, you really do have a good eye!" S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Rocky finally make a decision, Zhang Heng immediately praised him. His compliments were, of course, mostly flattery, but a small part of them was sincere.


    That''s because the Airship Model 6 reconnaissance ship that Rocky ultimately chose indeed had very distinctive features among the third-generation reconnaissance ships.


    As the smallest class with the weakest combat capability, reconnaissance ships didn''t have many advantages to offer. Their only notable advantage was their decent speed, and the Airship Model 6 reconnaissance ship that Rocky chose was the very embodiment of maximizing speed advantage.


    The Airship series had a ringing reputation in the large category of reconnaissance ships, with its greatest characteristic being its speed.


    When set to full speed, the reconnaissance ships in this series could reach one and a half times the speed of regular reconnaissance ships. After several generations of development and improvements, the series had already become quite perfected by the fifth model. As for the Model 6 chosen by Rocky, it was the ultimate model of this series among the third-generation warships.


    The Model 7 would then belong to the fourth generation.


    The reason Rocky chose this model was precisely because of its fast speed. He believed it was foolish to overemphasize firepower and defensive power in reconnaissance ships, as the type itself restricted these capabilities. Even though each shipyard attempted to enhance these areas, even the latest fifth-generation reconnaissance ships still didn''t make much of a breakthrough.


    It made more sense to focus on speed because in aerial combat, speed was also a core element. The faster the speed, the more agile the ship, and the harder it was to be hit by magic cannons; this was an easy concept to grasp.


    However, although the Airship Model 6 was very fast, its firepower and defensive power were indeed quite deficient. This model of reconnaissance ship was only equipped with four magic cannons with a magic energy power of 400, and the defensive net it was outfitted with was the most basic kind.


    It not only did not utilize independent magic stones for mana but also had a defensive power of only 300 points, which was quite pitiful.


    But likewise, the price for the Airship Model 6 was very affordable. Zhang Heng quoted a price of twenty-eight thousand gold coins per ship, and they were ninety percent new. The attractive price was also a key reason that swayed Rocky.


    At twenty-eight thousand gold coins per reconnaissance ship, Rocky planned to buy fifteen ships outright. This would leave him with about one hundred and fifty thousand gold coins, enough to buy another warship!


    Yes, Rocky was not only planning to buy a few reconnaissance ships and be done with it; he also intended to buy a proper warship, a real big one!


    Thus, after finalizing the reconnaissance ship deal with Zhang Heng, Rocky disclosed his plans to him, and naturally, Zhang Heng was more than willing.


    "City Lord Rocky, you see, I was just boasting in front of you just a moment ago, not realizing you had already thoroughly considered everything. Pairing reconnaissance ships with a large warship is the most fashionable fleet configuration nowadays."


    "Are you planning to get a flagship kind of warship?"


    "That¡­ Is there a difference?"


    Rocky''s knowledge about warships was not as extensive as it was for Void Magic Armor. After all, he had only started to pay attention to floating battleships after his last mission ended, so Zhang Heng''s remark left him somewhat perplexed.


    Rocky, of course, knew what a flagship meant, but judging by Zhang Heng''s manner, the flagship he mentioned seemed to be different from what Rocky imagined.


    And indeed, it was different.


    Zhang Heng then explained, "City Lord Rocky, you might not be aware, but as a commanding vessel, a flagship plays a core role in any fleet. This makes the flagship an easy target for enemy attacks. To address this issue, every shipyard designs a flagship version aside from the standard models when they design large warships."


    As he spoke, Zhang Heng led Rocky to the side of a huge warship, "City Lord Rocky, do you remember the escort ship provided by the Chamber of Commerce as a gift?"


    "The Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship, what about it?"


    Rocky certainly remembered the escort ship gifted by the Apple Tree Corporation; he even recalled the exact model number.


    Impressed by his accurate response, Zhang Heng just smiled and pointed to the warship beside them: "My lord, this warship here is the flagship version of the Defender Type 1."


    "This warship? No way..."


    Subconsciously, he looked up at the warship beside him, and Rocky''s mouth gradually widened in awe.


    The Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship gifted by Apple Tree Corporation was very much to Rocky''s liking, so not only did he personally go to see it upon delivery, but he also boarded the warship himself before piloting it back to Thunderhawk City. In his plans, this Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship was to be his future flagship, and he had even thought of a name for it: the Thunderhawk.


    This fondness meant that Rocky was highly familiar with the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship. However, the escort ship that Zhang Heng was introducing to him now was completely different from the Scavenger Type 1. To begin with, the warship in question was larger in size, measuring up to one hundred and thirty meters in length¡ªover twenty meters longer than the Scavenger Type 1.


    Read exclusive adventures at empire


    Additionally, this escort ship was equipped with an even greater number of magic cannons, no less than twenty!


    This enormous difference made it difficult for Rocky to believe that the escort ship before him was a Scavenger Type 1.


    But just as Zhang Heng had introduced, this indeed was a Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship, the difference being that this was the flagship version.


    "City Lord Rocky, as a flagship, this warship naturally differs from a standard Scavenger Type 1. As you can see, the body of this warship is larger, and it is fitted with more magic cannons. It has two additional main cannons and seven auxiliary cannons, bringing the total number of magic cannons to twenty-four, making its firepower extremely potent."


    "At the same time, the armor of this warship is also much thicker. Even without deploying the defensive net, the hull can withstand magic cannon attacks with a magic energy power of up to 500. And if the defensive net is deployed, then magic cannons with magic energy power below 1000 cannot even scratch this big guy."


    "How much for this warship? I''ll take it!"


    With Zhang Heng''s introduction, Rocky immediately fell for the flagship version of the Scavenger Type 1 and decided on the spot to purchase it!


    In his view, this flagship was simply too fantastic, with both powerful firepower and impressive defensive capabilities. Being the lord of a city, he should command battles from such a colossal vessel!


    Of course, the desire to buy this warship was not entirely an impulse; he had also taken into consideration the upcoming battle with Baron Wolin.


    In Baron Wolin''s fleet, the main force was also constituted of reconnaissance ships, and Zhang Heng''s various introductions had already given Rocky a very comprehensive understanding of them. He knew very well that even the latest fifth-generation reconnaissance ships had limited firepower and could not possibly be equipped with magic cannons with a magic energy power over 1000.


    This meant that if he purchased this big guy before him, wouldn''t it be tantamount to holding an indefeasible position in the battle against Baron Wolin?


    This was the crux of his considerations.


    "City Lord Rocky, you have an excellent eye!"


    Seeing how eagerly Rocky desired this warship, Zhang Heng''s face immediately lit up with a brilliant smile: "My lord, the price of this warship is 150,000 Gold Coins."


    "150,000? The price of a new ship?"


    "No, it''s the price for a second-hand ship, eighty percent new."


    The initially enthusiastic Rocky felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over him when he heard the price because it was simply too expensive!


    He had already ordered fifteen reconnaissance ships and had spent more than half of his Gold Coins. Now, he had only about 150,000 Gold Coins left, so if he were to buy this flagship, he would be left with not a single Gold Coin...


    "Aileen, you talk to Steward Zhang about this."


    After gritting his teeth, Rocky finally decided to purchase the flagship. Although the price of the warship was exorbitant, and the same amount of money could buy five reconnaissance ships, the combat capabilities of such a flagship far exceeded that of five reconnaissance ships! So Rocky was determined to make the purchase.


    However, he did not need to handle such matters himself. He had Aileen, who was more professional, to represent him.


    And as soon as Rocky called Aileen to his side, Zhang Heng''s face stiffened, having previously negotiated with her. Zhang Heng knew all too well how formidable this seemingly young lady was.


    In contrast, Aileen, who had been called forward, smiled at Zhang Heng. It was as if she had set her sights on some prey, making Zhang Heng break out in a cold sweat...

 Chapter 137 The Eccentric Master

    When Rocky finally left the docks with his companions, a wide smile was plastered on his face, and Aileen beside him was just as beaming with happiness. Only Zhang Heng, who accompanied them, had a less than pleased expression.Naturally, the deal had gone through, and it was a big one at that. Rocky had bought a total of fifteen Airship Model 6 reconnaissance ships and a Scavenger Type 1 flagship edition escort ship. Although both were second-hand, such a transaction, even for the Apple Tree Corporation, was considered a major deal.


    The sheer size of the transaction was naturally extremely substantial. Rocky had spent five hundred thousand Gold Coins. It may sound like a lot, but if you consider Zhang Heng''s original asking price, the actual sum should have been five hundred seventy thousand Gold Coins. This meant that after Aileen''s negotiations, Rocky saved a total of seventy thousand Gold Coins!


    That was the reason for Zhang Heng''s displeasure. Even though the corporation still made a huge profit from the deal, they had earned seventy thousand Gold Coins less than expected. For a businessman who considers not picking up money on the ground as a loss, it was almost akin to taking a loss.


    Therefore, when Zhang Heng finally signed the trade agreement with Rocky, he couldn''t stop praising Aileen. Without her, he wouldn''t have been able to "accompany" such a substantial amount.


    With the completion of this transaction, Rocky''s most significant reason for coming to Eternal City had been sorted out. This didn''t just mean that he had spent most of his Gold Coins, but also that Thunderhawk City''s military strength had increased several times over!


    Discover stories at empire


    Once the fleet was delivered, Thunderhawk City''s aerial combat force would transform from its original fleet of ten first-generation reconnaissance ships to an imposing fleet comprised of the ten original ships, fifteen third-generation reconnaissance ships, one third-generation escort ship, and a third-generation flagship.


    This fleet, made up of twenty-seven Skyships, now had a scale in terms of numbers, and it didn''t fall short even when compared to other small Sky Cities.


    Moreover, the quality of this new fleet was also quite satisfying. Although the main force was still reconnaissance ships, the two third-generation escort ships significantly enhanced the overall strength of the fleet, especially the flagship.


    With its firepower and defensive power, this flagship would be considered an excellent warship even among the fleets of some large Sky Cities, not just in Thunderhawk City.


    Such a formidable fleet substantially increased Thunderhawk City''s military capability, bolstering Rocky''s confidence for the upcoming battles!


    With the warship situation handled, Rocky''s remaining tasks in Eternal City were few. After careful consideration, there were roughly three left.


    The first task was to get Aileen and Old Jack to finalize the leather factory equipment. Although war was imminent, the city''s development and construction couldn''t stop.


    The second task was to have Liliya and Lin Feng purchase a batch of equipment for the soldiers, with the same requirements as before, which Liliya was already familiar with.


    The last task was to hire teachers and recruit crew members.


    Due to the purchase of a large number of warships, Thunderhawk City was facing a severe shortage of crew members, particularly since both escort ships required over a hundred crew members to be operational. This made it necessary for Rocky to recruit a batch of crew members to bridge the gap, or else the newly purchased warships would only serve as decorations.


    Fortunately, in Eternal City, there was a dedicated Technician Guild where a large number of crew members could be hired.


    As for hiring teachers, it was something Rocky had planned for a while. After several personal attempts, he had to admit that it was not feasible without a teacher. Although he had the research notes left by Wensel, due to his own insufficient foundation, much of the content in the notes was incomprehensible to him, which undoubtedly made learning Runes more challenging.


    In this situation, everyone started to act separately. Aileen and Old Jack took care of one task, Liliya and Lin Feng another, and Rocky himself, accompanied by Monte, took charge of hiring crew members and recruiting teachers.


    Last time he came to Eternal City, he had already hired technicians specializing in leather manufacturing, so when everyone split up to tackle their respective tasks, Rocky went straight to the Technician Guild with Monte.


    Just like the Mercenary Guild, the Technician Guild was bustling with people, but those here didn''t carry the same heavy air of murder about them and looked more refined.


    "Hello, how may I assist you?"


    Approaching the service desk of the Technician Guild, the attendant greeted Rocky with a professional smile.


    "I''d like to hire a group of crew members, about three hundred people." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sure, do you have any specific requirements?"


    "The requirements are that they must be proficient in operating reconnaissance ships and escort ships."


    "Alright."


    After knowing Rocky''s request, the waiter handed him a slip of paper and told him that in three days, someone at the port would lead the crew members he needed, waiting for him¡ªit was all that simple.


    And after hiring the crew, Rocky then made another request to the waiter, to hire a teacher.


    "What kind of teacher would you like to hire?"


    "Mana. Preferably a master in mana."


    "I see..."


    Upon hearing Rocky''s request, while the waiter began to search, suddenly someone at the side shouted!


    "Me! Kiddo, I''ll be your teacher!"


    That shout startled everyone, and both Rocky and Monte quickly turned their heads, only to see an old man with white hair striding towards them.


    The old man was certainly not young, with white hair and beard, sporting a pair of sharp, triangular eyes, and a face riddled with wrinkles¡ªeasily in his seventies or eighties. Despite his age, he exuded vitality, brimming with energy, almost resembling a young lad.


    The old man covered the distance in just a few steps and arrived in front of Rocky, then began to size him up, not only observing Rocky but also not sparing Monte, checking him out for quite a while, even taking in the axe tied to his waist.


    After looking them up and down for a while, the oldster finally spoke: "Kiddo, didn''t you want to hire a teacher? I''m here!"


    Having said that, the old man didn''t wait for Rocky''s consent and approached the service counter. He then said to the waiter inside: "Quickly, quickly, hurry up and give me a contract."


    The old man''s anxious appearance baffled everyone, not just Rocky and Monte, but even the waiter''s eyes bulged in utter confusion.


    "What are you dazing for? Hurry up!"


    Seeing the waiter still unresponsive after quite some time, the impatient old man slammed his hand on the service counter, jolting the waiter awake.


    "Uh... Master Orton, this gentleman just wants to hire a teacher, you..."


    "What, can''t I, Orton, be a teacher?"


    The waiter''s words made the so-called Orton, the old man, immediately widen his eyes, then he turned to face a bewildered Rocky, pulling him close.


    "Kiddo, are you looking for a teacher in mana?"


    "Yes... Yes..."


    "Preferably a master in mana, right?"


    "Right..."


    "That settles it, I am a master."


    After saying this, Orton pushed him back and then looked at the waiter: "See? This little guy has agreed to hire me as his teacher, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and get me the contract!"

 Chapter 138 City Lord and Baron

    Confused as it was, almost akin to a forceful transaction, Rocky hired Orton to be his teacher, and it wasn''t until he left the Technician Guild that he actually realized what had happened. It felt as though he had been dreaming, unwittingly becoming Orton''s student.Although the event seemed quite dramatic, Orton was indeed a genuine Magic Energy Master. Rocky was still confused when signing the contract, but he had asked the waiter thoroughly about Orton, and the waiter was certain that he was a real Magic Energy Master.


    Since that was confirmed, Rocky didn''t mind other details. Perhaps Orton''s personality was a bit eccentric, but as long as he was genuinely skilled, that was enough.


    Thus, Orton followed Rocky back to the Star of the Sky, and about a week later, most other matters had been settled. Aileen and Old Jack had purchased all the necessary equipment for the leather factory and imported a batch of goods from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, thus solving most of the issues concerning the leather factory and the store.


    At the same time, Liliya and Lin Feng sold the equipment and returned. With Rocky having sorted out the crew and his teacher, everyone had finished their business in Eternal City and could safely return to Thunderhawk City.


    However, on the day before departure, Rocky decided to visit Karina and Berg once more. Through the previous ball, Rocky had become quite familiar with these two City Lords and felt that they were quite amiable, so he made a point to say goodbye before leaving.


    The next day, the group left Eternal City''s Skyport with substantial gains and successfully returned to Thunderhawk City.


    Rocky''s trip to Eternal City was immensely fruitful, but upon his return to Thunderhawk City, he couldn''t rest at all because a great battle was looming over him and Thunderhawk City.


    Under these circumstances, as soon as he returned to Thunderhawk City, he immediately began preparations.


    First, he decided to let Thunderhawk City fly far away, preferably to a place where no one could find them. This would not only effectively delay the time Baron Wolin could find them but also give himself more time to prepare.


    This was crucial because Cyril only mentioned that Baron Wolin would come with his Fleet, but did not specify when they would arrive. The timing might be tomorrow, or next year, and it was possible that Baron Wolin had already set off while they were leaving Eternal City.


    Therefore, Rocky must find a way to buy more time to prepare, otherwise Cyril''s information would be meaningless.


    On another front, the newly formed Fleet also needed urgent training and coordination. Rocky named this new fleet the First Fleet of Thunderhawk City, with Thunderhawk as the flagship, and Felly was appointed as the Commander of the First Fleet, henceforth independent from the Guard Corps and directly under Rocky''s command.


    This appointment elated Felly, who had never dreamt of one day commanding such a large fleet, and he was so thrilled that for several days he literally slept on the Thunderhawk.


    Rocky''s first order to Felly was to train the Fleet quickly and thoroughly because no one knew when Baron Wolin might appear. Felly must ensure the Fleet had sufficient combat power before the opponent showed up.


    Simultaneously, he had Old Jack post a notice to recruit a hundred new crew members citywide. Depending solely on hired crew to operate the Fleet was only a temporary solution, and ultimately, Thunderhawk City had to rely on its own crew to run the Fleet.


    However, since Thunderhawk City''s population was still too small, with a population of two thousand and over three hundred in the Guard Corps alone, making the military-civilian ratio over one-tenth, which was well above the normal standard.


    Thus, Rocky could only recruit a hundred people; recruiting more would completely distort the city''s military-civilian ratio, which was not something he wanted to see happen.


    Besides organizing the Fleet''s training, Rocky didn''t neglect the construction of the city. Thunderhawk City''s first leather manufacturing plant and the first store had already started renovations, and the second training class had officially begun, with everything proceeding in an orderly manner.


    Rocky was relieved to see that when the notice for the second training class was released, the number of applicants increased several times over. The first training class had only a dozen registrants, but by the time the second training class started, the number of participants had surged to several hundred!


    The enthusiastic registration was for two main reasons. Many wanted to work at the newly established leather factory, as Aileen had announced the factory''s wages¡ªthirty Gold Coins per month with two days of rest each week¡ªa very enticing offer for the residents of Thunderhawk City.


    Especially the women who usually weaved at home; their monthly output of fabric could never earn thirty Gold Coins. Such generous wages prompted many women from Thunderhawk City to eagerly sign up for the training class.


    Another reason for the active participation in the training class was the addition of the residents from Backhill Village. The villagers from Backhill Village had generally integrated into the life of Thunderhawk City without any major issues, but one thing continued to trouble them.


    They couldn''t find things to do in Thunderhawk City.


    The native residents of Thunderhawk City could live off weaving and farming, but these newly joined villagers lacked such skills. The cultivable land in Thunderhawk City had already been taken, and the villagers didn''t know how to do the skilled work of weaving, which worried all the residents of Backhill Village.


    They were concerned that although Rocky might be able to support them now, what would happen in the future? S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the announcement of the training class, residents from Backhill Village flocked to register. If it wasn''t for the inability to train too many people at once, the size of this training session could have exceeded a thousand!


    Everyone''s enthusiastic participation in the training naturally pleased Rocky, as it signified that the first step of Thunderhawk City''s economic reform had successfully been taken.


    Thus, although a great battle was imminent, the overall situation in Thunderhawk City had not changed drastically. Development was ongoing, military strength was improving, and everything was progressively getting on the right track, moving forward methodically.


    ......


    ......


    While Thunderhawk City was equally focusing on development and military, far across the horizon, another protagonist of the looming grand war, Baron Wolin, was also busy.


    Unlike Rocky, Baron Wolin was just a noble in name only; it was precisely because of that, he was desperately eager to own a Sky City. And who in today''s world wouldn''t want to be a City Lord?


    To achieve this goal, many had strived their entire lives, and Baron Wolin was among the best of them.


    Today, Baron Wolin was over fifty. He had joined the Mairente Family in his twenties, and after nearly thirty years of dedicated service, he had finally achieved his long-awaited dream during his destined year, being bestowed by the family as a City Lord!


    Although everyone knew that Thunderhawk City was only a small Sky City, it was still a Sky City! And everyone understood that no matter how small a City Lord was, he was still a City Lord. The status and level of importance could not be compared to that of ordinary people.


    So, since receiving the appointment from the family, Baron Wolin had been shuttling between parties hosted by various colleagues. There was no help for it; as a City Lord, his status and position had drastically changed. Those who were once his peers were now eagerly flattering him, leading to constant invitations, a feeling Baron Wolin greatly enjoyed.


    "Baron Wolin, congratulations! No, I should not call you a baron anymore, now it should be City Lord Wolin."


    At the ball, wherever Baron Wolin went, he became the focus of everyone, and people tirelessly came forward to pay compliments. Baron Wolin, having maneuvered in these circles for decades, was no longer surprised and handled them with ease.


    "Count Kexins, you shouldn''t say that. It''s all thanks to the family''s recognition, nothing to do with me personally."


    "City Lord Wolin, you are far too modest. Everyone knows you were given this honor by the family for your great merits, so don''t be so modest."


    "Exactly, exactly. Now that you will become a City Lord, your status is different. Don''t forget about us, your colleagues!"


    "Sir Chalgold, what are you saying? Am I the type who would be ungrateful and forget favors?"


    Surrounded by a group of nobles, Baron Wolin looked very happy and enjoyed himself immensely.


    "City Lord Wolin, when do you plan to take office?"


    At that moment, someone suddenly asked, and everyone turned their attention to Baron Wolin. After all, he had only received the family''s appointment and had not yet assumed office.


    "Right, City Lord Wolin, I heard that the family wouldn''t intervene directly this time and that you need to go to Thunderhawk City to assume office yourself. Will there be any troubles? If you need anything, just say the word, and we will surely help."


    Since they all served the Mairente Family, this was not a secret, so everyone knew that Baron Wolin needed to personally take office.


    "I appreciate your kindness, I''ve already sent people to scout the location of Thunderhawk City."


    "As for taking office, don''t worry about it. Currently, the City Lord of Thunderhawk City is just a young boy. Even if the family does not intervene, just a visit with the fleet will make him hand over the position willingly, right? What else could he do?"


    Looking up at the crowd, Baron Wolin said with utmost confidence, and as soon as he finished, there came an immediate shower of agreeable noises.


    "Hahaha! City Lord Wolin is indeed confident as always. Indeed, there''s nothing for us to worry about."


    "Exactly, just a young lad. What could he possibly do when City Lord Wolin arrives with the fleet, challenge you to a battle?"


    "Hehe, if that kid really dares to do so, it would become this year''s most amusing joke!"


    PS: The novel ''Sky City Lord'' should be able to launch next week, so the update pace will slow down a bit. But don''t worry, once it''s launched, it will burst out explosively, and we will make up for the slow pace now with double the content!"

 Chapter 139 Secrets Exposed?!

    "Speed it up a bit!"Utilizing the flight capability of the Void Magic Armor, Rocky instantly circled to Liliya''s back and followed up with a fierce shoulder slam that sent Liliya flying out.


    The sent Liliya stumbled a few steps on the ground, flew a short distance in the air, and then barely managed to land and stabilize herself.


    "You...!"


    Barely managing to stabilize on the ground, Liliya looked at Rocky with a hint of anger in her eyes, her expression as if she had been bullied, which instantly intoxicated Rocky.


    At this moment, Rocky and Liliya were practicing against each other, but this time both were wearing their respective Void Magic Armor, with Rocky clad in Blood Pattern Mark II, while Liliya was in the brand-new Fire Butterfly - Guard Type 5.


    As the strongest individual weapons, Void Magic Armor could become the main force on any battlefield, especially in aerial combat. Therefore, in the looming battle against Baron Wolin, Rocky and Liliya would surely become extremely important forces. This made them dare not slack off at all, particularly Liliya.


    Don''t be fooled by her being a Fourth Level Warrior now. Yes, after the last mission, Liliya had raised her level by one and had become a Fourth Level Warrior. However, even so, among the Void Magic Warriors, she was still a rookie, and she was well aware of this. Hence, as soon as Rocky was done with all his matters, Liliya had requested to practice, leading to the scene just now.


    Remember, half a year ago, whenever Rocky and Liliya practiced against each other, it was always Rocky who was defeated¡ªeven though he was wearing his Void Magic Armor. But today, half a year later, when both wore their Void Magic Armor, the results were quite different.


    Both wearing Void Magic Armor, and Liliya''s being a much superior new-generation model in every aspect, she was still completely at a disadvantage in the practice. To say she was being beaten without the power to fight back by Rocky might sound exaggerated, but it was almost the case.


    If not for this, how could Liliya''s face show such a pouting expression? Such an adorable expression is rarely seen on her face.


    "Let''s take a break."


    Seeing Liliya''s pouting look, the nearly smitten Rocky laughed and gestured with his hand, then took off his helmet to signal for a pause.


    "Why? Why can''t I beat you when I''m wearing the Void Magic Armor?"


    Also taking off her helmet, Liliya asked with a serious face. She couldn''t understand how she could possibly not be a match for Rocky after putting on the Void Magic Armor?


    In terms of absolute strength, she was two levels higher than Rocky; in terms of the fighting power of armor, her Fire Guard 5 was two generations ahead of Rocky''s Blood Pattern Mark II. By all accounts, she should have had the advantage!


    "You''re too anxious."


    Looking at the earnest Liliya, Rocky shook his head helplessly and motioned for her to sit beside him. Only after she sat down did he continue, "The combat style of the Void Magic Armor is entirely different from traditional fighting methods, and you have not adapted yet."


    "But why were you able to master it so quickly? I remember when you first put on the armor, you were able to spar with me right away, performing much better than I am now."


    Liliya said, not quite willing to accept it. She still remembered the scene when Rocky first wore the Void Magic Armor and practiced against her. Although he ended up being defeated at the time, his performance was much better than hers now.


    "Because I''m a genius!"


    Looking at Liliya, Rocky couldn''t help but laugh heartily with pride.


    Only when he was with Liliya did he completely relax, able to make jokes without restraint and without having to worry about his status as the City Lord.


    However, after a joke, Rocky seriously explained, "I''m different from you. I have absolutely no clue about ordinary combat, and my thinking hasn''t been fixed, so I could quickly adapt to the combat style of the Void Magic Armor. But you''ve been accustomed to ordinary combat for so long that even with the Void Magic Armor on, your mind hasn''t adjusted.


    When you manage to change that fixed thinking, that''s when you will adapt to the Void Magic Armor."


    "...¡­"


    As someone who had relied on the Void Magic Armor to fight demons to the death, Rocky''s words held a lot of persuasions and made Liliya stand up by herself after being silent for a while, "I will practice a bit on my own."


    After saying that, she slowly flew into the air and then danced like a red butterfly in the sky, clearly adapting to the Void Magic Armor.


    Seeing her so earnest, Rocky shook his head and simply lay down on the grass, watching Liliya fluttering in the sky while enjoying this rare moment of relaxation.


    However, both Rocky and Liliya failed to notice something: as the two were sparring in the backyard of the City Lord''s Mansion, a pair of eyes from a window in the mansion was watching them.


    These eyes had been observing their every move since the very first moment of their sparring, from daylight to evening, and stayed on them until they returned to the City Lord''s Mansion at sunset.


    "Interesting¡­"


    Orton, the Magic Energy teacher who Rocky had hired in a rather muddled fashion, moved his gaze away from the window and revealed a strange smile on his face before striding out of the room with big steps!


    At this time, Rocky and Liliya were having dinner together, having practiced almost the entire day they were indeed exhausted, so as soon as they returned to the City Lord''s Mansion, they began eating at once, wolfing down the food.


    But just at that moment, as he was wolfing down his food, Rocky suddenly heard a commotion outside the door, which sounded like the voice of a maid, and before he could react, the door to the room was kicked open!


    The door being kicked open startled Rocky slightly, this was his own City Lord''s Mansion! Who dared to be so bold?!


    Reacting even quicker than him was Liliya; the moment the door was kicked open, she who had been sitting opposite Rocky, stood up instantly, grabbed the Rune Longsword beside her, and stood protectively by Rocky''s side.


    However, when they both looked towards the door, they frowned, because the one who had broken in was none other than Orton, the Magic Energy Master they had invited!


    Seeing that the intruder was the old man Orton, Rocky was taken aback. He had been back in Thunderhawk City for several days and, due to being busy with official duties, hadn''t yet had the chance to formally study magic energy with Orton.


    However, he had treated the Magic Energy Master with great respect, having directly arranged for him to stay in his own mansion, and was quite courteous in their interactions.


    But now, Rocky frowned, because what Orton was doing was entirely unacceptable!


    Yet, Orton, who had barged in, showed no self-awareness at all; after rushing into the room and glancing at Rocky, and then at Liliya who pointed the sword directly at him, he was not afraid at all and instead shut the door behind him with a bang.


    "City Lord Rocky, I have some questions to ask you."


    Before Rocky could demand an explanation, Orton took the initiative to speak first. He glanced at the longsword in Liliya''s hand, then looked at Rocky, "City Lord Rocky, that girl''s longsword, the Beastman''s axe, and your Blood Pattern Generation 2 Armor - where did they come from?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This string of questions left Rocky somewhat bewildered, but his face turned very ugly in an instant!


    Because the items Orton mentioned¡ªwhether Liliya''s longsword, Monte''s axe, or his own Void Magic Armor¡ªall shared a common feature, they were all rune equipment!


    This Orton¡­ could it be he discovered the secret of the Mana Runes?!

 Chapter 140 Master Orton

    Orton''s barrage of questions initially baffled Rocky, but he soon realized that all the inquiries pertained to Mana Runes!With this revelation, Rocky''s complexion immediately shifted!


    The secrecy of the Mana Runes, his greatest secret, could not be discovered by others, for such knowledge was too dangerous. The slightest exposure would invariably attract endless calamities. The moment Rocky realized Orton might be privy to this secret, his mind buzzed explosively.


    Still, his reaction was swift, making a sign with his eyes to Liliya across the room. Though she did not fully grasp the situation, she instinctively moved to block the doorway, sealing Orton''s exit.


    The secret of the Mana Runes could not leak out, a line that must never be crossed. So when it became apparent that Orton was aware, or even just potentially aware of this secret, Rocky felt an immediate surge of murderous intent!


    "Teacher Orton, I don''t understand what you''re talking about¡­"


    Rocky continued to feign ignorance from his seat, only after Liliya had blocked Orton did he speak.


    Unfortunately, this evasion only provoked wry laughter from Orton.


    "Young man, there''s no need to play dumb with me here."


    As he spoke, Orton glanced at Liliya blocking the doorway, waved his hand, and a powerful burst of magic power instantly erupted from him. Liliya couldn''t even react in time as her Rune Longsword flew out of her grasp, landing straight into Orton''s hands!


    To Rocky, this scene was completely astonishing, and he inwardly cursed himself for being foolish!


    If Orton was a master in the realm of Magic Energy, then he must be a Mage as well, and a high-level one at that. This was evident from the burst of magic power he had just released. Now the situation was problematic, could he and Liliya actually stop him? Neither of them was wearing their Void Magic Armor!


    While Rocky was in the midst of his silent self-reproach, Orton meticulously inspected the Rune Longsword, activating it with his magic power. The runes on the sword glowed intensely once activated. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is truly... truly incredible¡­"


    Gazing intently at the Rune Longsword, Orton''s eyes shone brightly, incessantly marveling, "This is unbelievable. There is not a single Magic Stone embedded in the sword, yet the patterns alone comprise over two hundred points of mana, this is... simply miraculous!"


    After admiring the Mana Rune on the sword for quite some time, Orton deactivated the magic power and casually threw it back to Liliya.


    "Young fellow, you didn''t draw the patterns on this sword, did you?"


    Having returned the Rune Longsword to Liliya, Orton turned to Rocky with the question, but he didn''t wait for an answer, instead starting to muse to himself: "Right, it couldn''t have been you. The patterns on the sword clearly come from the hand of a master."


    "However, the patterns on the axe wielded by the Beastmen, those were drawn by you, weren''t they?"


    "Young man, this technology, you found it in the Lost Research Institute, didn''t you?"


    Orton''s mixture of soliloquy and interrogation left Rocky dumbfounded because what he said... was spot on!


    Through Orton''s words, another matter also became clear, the reason he eagerly volunteered to be Rocky''s mentor at the Technician Guild. It was simple¡ªOrton had discovered the axe worn by Monte!


    The axe Monte carried was also created by Rocky as rune equipment, and it was through Monte''s axe that Orton had become aware of the Mana Rune secret!


    The exposure of the Mana Runes in such a manner not only surprised Rocky but was closely related to him, as he had evidently been somewhat negligent.


    Considering the timeline, Rocky had been safeguarding the secret of the Mana Runes for half a year, always careful to prevent it from being discovered. Yet the six months of undisturbed peace had led him to lower his guard, leading him to believe that even if someone saw the Mana Runes, they wouldn''t recognize what they were and would just consider them regular patterns.


    While this line of thought wasn''t wrong, since the Mana Runes were a technology unknown to anyone else and would likely be seen merely as decorative patterns by most, there was one thing he had forgotten...


    In this world, there are many people who have profound research into magic energy!


    Take Orton for example¡ªhe is one of such people!


    Orton truly was a master in the field of magic energy. If one were to consider research ability and technical skill, his contributions to magic energy could even be ranked amongst the top few of the contemporary world. However, this master was not exactly in everyone''s good graces...


    There were two reasons why he wasn''t liked. First, he had no restraint. As a master in magic energy research, Orton started off very popular. The first institution he served was none other than one of the three greatest forces in the Sky¡ªthe Magic Energy Research Institute, also touted as a paradise for scholars.


    Even among the populous, highly respected scholarship of the Magic Energy Research Institute, Orton was held in high esteem. Unfortunately, his unrestrained research would be his downfall.


    Seven years ago, Orton began research on a new generation of magic energy technology under the sponsorship of the Magic Energy Research Institute. However, during the two years of the project, he completely destroyed seven Super Crystals!


    What are Super Crystals?


    The giant magic stones that make Sky City soar in the heavens are known as Super Crystals. In just two short years, Orton, for the needs of his research, had destroyed seven Super Crystals. What did this amount to? It was akin to obliterating seven whole Sky Cities!


    Such vast consumption, even for one of the three greatest forces like the Magic Energy Research Institute, was just too much to bear. What the Institute found even more intolerable was that after destroying so many Super Crystals, Orton brazenly announced the termination of his research project against all objections¡ªhe hadn''t come up with anything at all!


    This completely incensed the Magic Energy Research Institute and led to his expulsion, an event which marked the beginning of Orton''s continuous decline.


    After departing from the Magic Energy Research Institute, Orton consecutively visited the Kafka Empire as well as the Sky Alliance. He had been to all three major forces, and each time he was turned away for the same reason¡ªhis research was just too unrestrained.


    Consequently, over the years, Orton moved from one force to another, never staying long anywhere. This nomadic lifestyle naturally dragged down his research. To this day, Orton hasn''t produced any research of practical or academic value for years.


    As for the second reason for his unpopularity, it was Orton''s terrible temper, something even Rocky¡ªwho had only had a few interactions with him¡ªcould feel. As a scholar in the field of research, besides professional expertise, interpersonal skills are also incredibly important. After all, a scholar with only technical knowledge but no funding means having to rely on others for support.


    A lack of social acumen was definitely out of the question.


    However, Orton''s intelligence in this regard was in the negative. As proficient as he was in magic energy, he was equally bad at social interactions. One of the reasons he was repeatedly driven away by the forces he joined was precisely this. Otherwise, how could a master like him have to look for work in a place like the Technician Guild?


    So, to sum up, Orton could be described in two words: academic nut. His eyes only saw research. For the sake of research, nothing else mattered to him. Everything else, in his view, was as irrelevant as garbage.


    Despite this, it cannot be denied that Orton''s academic capability and research strength were undeniable. It was this exceptional ability that made him notice Monte''s axe at first glance in the Technician Guild and immediately recognize its extraordinariness, leading to the events of today.


    Now, when Rocky was faced with his barrage of questions and was forced to remain silent, Orton just curled his lips dismissively.


    "Kid, I''m not interested in all that roundabout crap you''re thinking," Orton said, "I just want to know what these patterns you''ve drawn are, so stop beating around the bush like an old woman and tell me!"


    Every time he opened his mouth, Orton exemplified his flaws. He really didn''t know how to speak, but what he said was the plain truth. As an academic nut who only focused on research, he genuinely had no interest in fame, power, or influence. His only interest lay in knowledge.


    Just think, if he truly had ulterior motives regarding the mana runes, would he directly, and boldly, come to Rocky like this to demand answers?


    "These patterns... are called mana runes."


    Watching Orton, Rocky had pretty much figured him out, so after a slight hesitation, he disclosed the information about mana runes.


    "Mana runes... a good name, very fitting. Who invented it?"


    "It was a master named Winsel."


    "What!" The moment Rocky mentioned the name Winsel, Orton was taken aback, then immediately burst out excitedly, "You mean these mana runes were researched by Master Winsel! You''re not lying to me!"

 Chapter 141 To Carry Forward and Enhance!

    "You''re saying this is Senior Wensel''s research?! How did you know... you must have found the research notes, right?!"Upon hearing the name Wensel, Orton immediately became excited, and the fact that he referred to Wensel as a senior made it clear he was quite familiar with the person.


    Moreover, Orton was really smart. Just from a single sentence spoken by Rocky, he had deduced that Rocky had obtained Wensel''s research notes, which truly left Rocky in awe of his abilities.


    "Quick! Show me the research notes!" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By this time, Orton had already rushed over to Rocky''s side, demanding the research notes as if he were a creditor clamoring for his money.


    "This¡­"


    However, Rocky was still hesitant to comply with the request, for Wensel''s research notes were far too important. They were one of a kind; as long as this notebook existed, so did the Mana Runes technology. If anything were to happen to the notes, that epoch-making technology would be lost.


    "What are you waiting for! Hurry up and show me the notes! You can''t understand them anyway!"


    While Rocky was hesitating, Orton had become impatient, urging him on the side and his words grew increasingly unpleasant.


    In such a situation, Rocky finally decided to take out the research notes. He did this for two reasons: first, although Orton might seem detestable, he didn''t appear to be malicious or scheming. He seemed more obsessive, so it should be okay to let him take a look at the notes.


    Secondly, Rocky also wanted to use this opportunity to keep Orton by his side!


    The technology of Mana Runes was, after all, to be further developed and spread, but Rocky couldn''t achieve that alone. He needed help, specifically from an expert in the same field, and Orton was definitely a suitable candidate. If he could keep Orton in Thunderhawk City and have him focus on researching Mana Runes, the help it would provide Rocky would be immense.


    So, after that, he took out Wensel''s research notes.


    "Give it to me quickly!"


    No sooner had Rocky taken out the notes than Orton snatched them eagerly, immediately starting to flip through them.


    Orton''s temper was such that anyone who spent any amount of time with him would realize that he was a hotheaded old man with a rather unpleasant character. However, when he grabbed Wensel''s research notes and began reading them, his whole demeanor changed. He became like a kitten that had caught a fish, silently standing there, absorbed in the notes.


    And he read on like this for hours on end!


    The sky had already darkened when Rocky and Liliya had their meal, and after that, they had the commotion with Orton, so by the time several hours passed, it was close to dawn.


    It wasn''t until the early hours of the morning that Orton finished reading the entire notebook, and then... he began to cry bitterly while holding onto the notes...


    This display left Rocky and Liliya beside him stunned. In their eyes, Orton, having finished reading the notes, seemed like a child clutching his favorite toy, weeping so miserably that his cries could be heard throughout the City Lord''s Mansion.


    "Why... why did we find this notebook only now..."


    In his anguish, Orton, with tears streaming down his face, spoke intermittently, "Such a significant invention... why was it discovered only now..."


    "If... if these notes had been found fifty years earlier... no, even just twenty years earlier... we wouldn''t have suffered such a disastrous defeat in the last counter-offensive war..."


    "Trash! We are truly trash!"


    "The senior realized the drawbacks of Magic Stones a hundred years ago and had already pioneered a new approach, yet here we are... still clinging to Magic Stones, we are really a bunch of trash!"


    Clutching the research notes, Orton was crying and talking, talking and crying, leaving Rocky and Liliya utterly at a loss. They looked at each other, unsure of what to do until Rocky finally brought Orton a chair and managed to get him to sit down.


    Once seated, Orton finally stopped crying. He glanced at Rocky and, while casually handing back the research notes, asked, "Kid, do you know who Winsel is?"


    After crying, Orton''s fiery temper seemed to have cooled down quite a bit, and he spoke less aggressively. In response to his question, Rocky thought for a moment and then answered, "He''s a master of Mana research from Kohen Country, that''s all I know."


    Although Rocky had Winsel''s research notes, he didn''t know much about Winsel himself; he was aware that he was a master from the Land Era but didn''t know the specifics.


    "Yes... you''re right, Senior Winsel indeed was a master in the Magic Energy Domain."


    "I remember my teacher once said that when the concept of Sky City was first proposed, my teacher had invited him to collaborate on the research, but Senior Winsel had refused, indicating that he must have been working on his own research."


    "It''s just that I didn''t expect... didn''t expect that the senior''s research would only be discovered today... If it could have been found earlier..."


    In just a few simple sentences, Aodu clarified who Winsel was and even revealed his own background. It was evident from his words that Winsel''s status was unimaginably high, as he had even been invited to contribute to the epoch-making invention of Sky City!


    At the same time, it became apparent from Orton''s words that his own background was no less impressive¡ªhe clearly stated that his teacher was one of the great people who invented Sky City!


    At that moment, Orton sighed and then looked at Rocky, "Kid, the reason you wanted to find a teacher was to learn about Mana Runes, right?"


    "Yes. I''ve discovered Mana Runes, but my foundation in this area is too weak, so I need a teacher to help me."


    "Hmm..." Hearing this, Orton nodded and said, "Your dedication is commendable. The senior''s research must be passed down. Since you have discovered it, it is natural that you should be the one to continue the legacy."


    "Kid, let me ask you, do you plan to publicize the Mana Runes?"


    Looking at Rocky with his red, swollen eyes, Orton suddenly threw a very sharp question!


    Mana Runes as a technology could undoubtedly be described as ''great,'' so once revealed, it would surely benefit the whole world. However, it was easy to talk about sharing such a significant discovery, but doing it in practice was challenging. How could anyone who discovered such a profound technology willingly share it with others?


    Yet, to this question, Rocky had no hesitation in answering, "Of course I will make it public, just not right now."


    As he spoke, he shared his thoughts with Orton.


    He had long decided on this matter: Mana Runes were definitely going to be revealed, but not immediately. He wanted to wait until he had fully mastered them before making them public. After all, Rocky was no saint; he had his own desires, and this was the best solution he could think of.


    After Rocky finished sharing his plans, and without any interruption during the process, Orton nodded:


    "As a City Lord, it is normal for you to think this way. So be it, from now on you are my student. I will teach you about Mana, and together as master and student, we will further develop the technology of Mana Runes!"

 Chapter 142 Rune Application!

    Orton thus stayed in Thunderhawk City, becoming Rocky''s teacher.This turn of events was completely unexpected to everyone, but on second thought, it seemed to make sense.


    Orton was an academic fanatic, despite his age, his pursuit of academic knowledge had never ceased, so when he learned of the existence of Mana Runes that completely overlapped with his field of expertise, he was absolutely unable to let go.


    At the same time, since he was only focused on research, he didn''t value the immense power and prestige that Mana Runes could bring, in Orton''s eyes, money, fame, rights, and status were all external matters, and he didn''t care about them at all.


    Yes, if Orton cared about these things, he wouldn''t have ended up in the predicament he was in today.


    Therefore, his decision to stay in Thunderhawk City, although surprising at a glance, was actually quite reasonable upon reflection.


    Orton thus remained in Thunderhawk City, and became a core member of Rocky''s entourage, and with his stay, Rocky''s academic life officially began.


    By this time, Rocky had already arranged everything that could be prepared before the great battle, one could say that everything was ready except for the arrival of Baron Wolin, which paradoxically left him with more spare time to follow Orton and study the knowledge related to Mana earnestly.


    As for having a master in the field of Magic Energy to instruct him, Rocky was naturally very pleased, which no doubt greatly helped him in learning Mana Runes, however... he only realized after he actually started studying with Orton that, indeed, Orton was a master, but not a good teacher...


    "How many levels of Rune have you mastered now?"


    On the first day of studying with Orton, this was his first question.


    "First Level."


    Rocky answered truthfully.


    "Waste! You''ve had the research notes for over half a year, what have you been doing!"


    The moment he heard about Rocky''s progress, Orton''s eyes widened immediately, and he started berating him!


    "Do you even need to learn First Level Runes! Anyone who isn''t an idiot, even if they used their feet, could learn them quickly. Tell me, have you been looking at the notes with your feet this past half year?"


    With bulging eyes, Orton scolded Rocky without sparing any of his dignity, causing Rocky''s face to turn red. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Teacher, my Magic Power is only Second Level, so I can only learn First Level Runes..."


    Bowing his head, Rocky offered a soft defense, but it might have been better if he hadn''t. His retort fully ignited Orton as if he were a powder keg.


    "You dare to argue back! Why don''t you work hard to raise your level of Magic Power? What have you been doing every day?!"


    With a glare, Orton glanced at Rocky and grumbled discontentedly, "I don''t even know what''s so busy about being the lord of your little broken city, really..."


    After finishing this remark, he quickly wrote something on a piece of paper, and in no time, he drafted a training plan, then threw it at Rocky, "Starting from today, you train your Magic Power according to the steps here. Within a month, you''ll reach Third Level Mage. Then start learning Second-Level Runes immediately, do you hear me!"


    Handing over the training plan to Rocky, Orton continued, "Even though you only know First Level Runes, you can still learn about the mainstream Magic Energy Technology of today, and you must, because Magic Energy Technology relates to all sorts of applications of Mana, a point which doesn''t change whether it''s applied to Magic Stones or Runes."


    "Start with the Mana Energy Conduction Technique, this is the foundation of Mana applications..."


    After a good deal of roaring, Orton finally began to impart some useful knowledge to Rocky.


    It had to be admitted that Orton had many glaring faults that could not be overlooked, but academically, there was nothing about him that could be criticized.


    In just one day, Rocky felt as if a skylight had been opened in his mind, suddenly revealing to him an array of new things, all thanks to Orton''s instruction.


    Although on the first day he only briefly covered the basics of Magic Energy Conduction, even this proved to be incredibly beneficial. Many things Rocky had previously read about in books became crystal clear.


    Thus began the days of studying under Orton.


    To better his studies, Rocky carefully devised a study plan. He scheduled two-hour mini-lessons with Orton on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and a full-day''s lesson on Sundays, making his schedule quite packed indeed.


    Yet even this was begrudgingly accepted by Orton who would have preferred Rocky to study with him every single day, all day long, preferably without even stopping for meals. In order to achieve this, they argued at least three times.


    But this was utterly impossible. After all, Rocky''s identity was not that of a mere student; he was the City Lord and had many matters to attend to every day. The amount of time he could spare for studying was already at its limit.


    And so, a week passed by in the blink of an eye. During this time, Rocky had attended three mini lessons and one major lesson with Orton. His understanding of mana had advanced by leaps and bounds, and as he became more familiar with Rocky, Orton also presented him with new demands.


    He needed a research lab of his own.


    Even for a master like Orton, Mana Runes were ultimately a foreign technology. So, if he wanted to apply these runes practically, continuous research and experimentation were necessary; therefore, having a lab was indispensable.


    In response to this, Rocky readily agreed and immediately instructed Old Jack to start construction next to the City Lord''s Mansion, intending to build a new lab for Orton. Until the new lab was completed, Orton was temporarily based in the City Lord''s Mansion''s research lab.


    "What did you say? You want to use runes to enhance the Void Magic Armor and Floating Warships?"


    One day, Rocky sought out Orton in the research lab and proposed his idea, hoping that he could use runes to enhance his own Void Magic Armor and the Floating Warships of Thunderhawk City!


    With the battle against Baron Wolin possibly starting at any time, Rocky wanted to seize the moment to become even stronger.


    "Hmm... that''s not a problem, it just so happens I have some ideas I''d like to try out."


    Upon hearing Rocky''s request, Orton stroked his chin thoughtfully, then not only readily agreed but also eagerly said, "Kid, bring over your Void Magic Armor, and the little girl''s armor too, I''ll enhance them for you."


    "This... let''s start with the Magic Cannons on the Floating Warships, shall we?"


    Seeing Orton so eager to get started, Rocky secretly swallowed hard and then cheerfully suggested.


    Having spent so much time with Orton, Rocky had become well acquainted with some of his ''glorious'' deeds - not through deliberate probing, but because Orton had eagerly recounted them all to Rocky himself.


    One project alone had destroyed a total of seven Super Crystals! This left a deep impression on Rocky, so when Orton asked him to bring his and Liliya''s Void Magic Armor for enhancements, Rocky firmly refused, suggesting they start with the Magic Cannons instead.


    After all, if the cannons were ruined, it wouldn''t be a huge loss, but if the Void Magic Armor was destroyed, Rocky would have nowhere to turn to mourn the loss.


    "Tch! Look at you, being all timid!"


    Rocky''s cautious attitude did not escape Orton''s notice. However, Orton probably knew all too well the extent of his destructive capabilities, aware that if he went all out, the entirety of Thunderhawk City wouldn''t suffice as a playground for his research, so he didn''t say much more and simply rose from his seat.


    "Kid, take me to the Skyport. Let''s see how I can give those junk of yours a decent enhancement!"

 Chapter 143 The Destroyer (Part 1)

    ```Rocky''s request was not rejected by Orton, as he indeed needed an opportunity to apply runes practically, and enhancing the Skyship and Void Magic Armor was just such an opportunity.


    However, Rocky was quite shrewd; he did not let Orton start by enhancing the Void Magic Armor. Instead, he had him first practice on an old-model Skyship from Thunderhawk City, a decision that proved to be very astute...


    Taking a carriage to the Skyport of Thunderhawk City, Orton immediately had Rocky clear the area, ordering everyone, including the guards, to leave. This was a well-considered move, as they were about to use Mana Runes to strengthen the Skyship and couldn''t let outsiders witness it.


    "Teacher, let''s start with the Magic Cannon,"


    Once all unrelated individuals had left, Rocky suggested.


    On the way there, Orton was quite excited and rambled on with many ideas. According to his plan, he intended to retrofit all of Thunderhawk City''s Skyships with Mana Runes, not just the Magic Cannons on board, but also the mana supply system of the Skyships. If these retrofits were successful, there would be a significant improvement in all aspects of Thunderhawk City''s Skyships.


    For Rocky, of course, this was very good news, so much so that after the Skyport had been cleared, he was eager to get started.


    Afterward, the two boarded a first-generation Reconnaissance Ship and officially began the rune enhancement of the ship''s Magic Cannons.


    "To apply the runes practically, we must utilize Magic Energy Conduction Technique. In this aspect, runes and Magic Stones are no different..."


    Standing in front of a Magic Cannon, Orton began to disassemble it with Rocky while explaining the application of the Magic Energy Conduction Technique, and Rocky listened attentively.


    He had been learning from Orton for a week, focusing on Magic Energy Conduction Technique, and after a week of study, Rocky had essentially mastered the basics of the technique. So now was also a good opportunity for him to put theory into practice.


    After the two had disassembled the Magic Cannon from the ship, Orton continued explaining while starting to use runes to strengthen the Magic Cannon.


    It must be said that Orton was truly a master. How long had he known about the existence of Mana Runes? At most a week, yet when he began inscribing runes on the Magic Cannon, he was able to draw Third-level Runes effortlessly!


    Orton was incredibly proficient in the domain of Magic Energy. Having only glanced at the research notes once, he had completely understood the Third-level Rune and was even studying Fourth and Fifth-level Runes. This level of comprehension was beyond the reach of most people. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the other hand, Orton''s high level of Magic Power also played a significant role in his rune research. He himself was a Ninth-level Grand Magus, not just a Level 9 Mage, but a Ninth-level Grand Magus. This rank was already the limit that an ordinary person could reach in the field of magic, and one step further would make him an Archmage.


    However, since Orton was a research-oriented Mage, his Magic Power was great, but his combat ability was mediocre. After all, one''s experience is limited.


    But it was precisely because of his high level of Magic Power that he could draw Third-level Runes with a flick of his wrist, which would usually require a Sixth-Level Mage. To a grand magus like him, Third-level Runes were hardly a challenge.


    As Orton inscribed runes on the Magic Cannon and established Magic Energy Conduction connections, he did not forget to explain everything he did so that Rocky, standing by his side, could understand what was happening. During this time, Rocky became a student, listening and observing Orton''s every move with great attention.


    "Like this... then like this... Utilize your own Magic Power to connect the two, and the mana contained in the runes will be able to conduct..."


    ```


    Orton''s seemingly casual steps connected the runes on the magic cannon, and then the runes were activated without any external force, indicating that he successfully used the mana runes to replace the magic stone, allowing the magic cannon before them to operate using the mana provided by the runes from now on!


    Witnessing the runes on the magic cannon light up on their own, Rocky couldn''t help but marvel. A master is indeed a master¡ªthe task that he had tried and failed to accomplish time and again, Orton completed with ease, without showing any sign of difficulty. It was truly unbelievable.


    However, just as he couldn''t help but admire the feat, the activated runes began to glow brighter and brighter. In just the time it took to blink a few times, the light emitted by the runes became blinding!


    "Teacher, is this... is this normal?"


    Realizing something was amiss with the runes on the magic cannon, Rocky quickly turned to Orton.


    Orton had clearly noticed the anomaly as well, but as a master, he did not panic like Rocky. Instead, he furrowed his brows and stroked his chin, seemingly pondering something.


    "I see now!"


    A moment later, as if suddenly enlightened, Orton exclaimed, "The magic cannons on the first-generation reconnaissance ships are old models with too low a threshold for mana intensity. Directly using third-level runes for enhancement, the cannon bodies surely cannot withstand it."


    "Can''t withstand it?"


    Rocky heard Orton''s mutterings loud and clear, which made him immediately aware of some very bad news. He hastily looked at the magic cannon, and upon doing so, his face turned utterly pale!


    For in the short duration of a few sentences, the runes on the magic cannon had become not only dazzlingly bright, but the cannon body had also turned a deep red, as if covered in a layer of scorching lava.


    It was about to explode!


    Seeing this scene, even without Orton''s warning, Rocky knew this was a prelude to an explosion!


    Just as Rocky realized this, Orton grabbed him by the collar and instantly enveloped them both in a visible magic barrier. At the same time, Orton, holding on to Rocky, jumped directly beneath the skyship, turning to run without a word.


    Right after they left, a massive explosion suddenly erupted behind them, and their former skyship burst into an ascending flame!


    The sudden explosion formed a small black cloud above the blast, and the shockwave that swept down instantly blew Orton and Rocky away. If not for the magic barrier''s protection, if not for Orton being an archmage himself, the two, even though they had avoided the explosion''s epicenter, would have been killed by the powerful blast!


    By the time Rocky staggered to his feet, he was completely dumbstruck, unable to believe what he had just seen.


    As he looked in the direction of the skyport, flames reached for the sky. Three first-generation reconnaissance ships¡ªyes, not one, but three¡ªwere completely engulfed by the explosion!

 Chapter 144 The Destroyer (Part 2)

    Watching the roaring fires at the skyport and the three reconnaissance ships engulfed by the flames, Rocky was stunned...The power of the explosion had been too strong. Not only were the reconnaissance ships at the center of the explosion obliterated directly, but even the two ships on either side were affected and swallowed by the blast!


    Rocky had never anticipated such a scenario, although he had heard Orton mention his own ''glorious deeds'', he never thought such a thing would happen to him!


    Compared to the dumbfounded Rocky, Orton, standing beside him, was much calmer.


    Orton had seen major events. Not just a small reconnaissance ship''s explosion; he had even witnessed the explosion of a super crystal, so this minor event in front of him hardly counted as something noteworthy.


    Therefore, while Rocky was flabbergasted, Orton was stroking his chin, apparently already considering how to make improvements during the next enhancement.


    "Orton! What''s going on here!"


    Time passed for a while, and the stupefied Rocky finally came to his senses, then rushed over to Orton and grabbed him by the collar, unable to control his roaring.


    Those were three reconnaissance ships! Just blasted to pieces like that, how could Rocky not feel pained? Even though those three reconnaissance ships were old models from Thunderhawk City, they couldn''t withstand such waste!


    In response to his roar, Orton simply glanced at him indifferently, "What''s there to make a fuss about? I just drew twenty third-level runes on the magic cannon. Considering that each third-level rune contains 200 mana points, twenty third-level runes make 4000 mana points. Such a scale of explosion is quite normal."


    No wonder the explosion had been so huge, the magic energy involved had actually reached 4000 points!


    What does 4000 magic energy points mean? The main cannon on an escort ship has a power of only 1300 points. This means that the power of the explosion was equivalent to three main cannons of an escort ship attacking the same target simultaneously!


    As for Orton''s indifferent attitude, Rocky was at a loss for words. He finally understood why this old man had been expelled by the three great forces consecutively; his destructive power was simply too astonishing.


    "What are you still dawdling for? Get someone to clean this place up quick!"


    Just as Rocky felt completely overwhelmed, Orton urged him on the side, and by this time, people attracted by the explosion had arrived. Liliya had even donned her Void Magic Armor, bringing the entire Guard Corps with her, thinking Thunderhawk City was under attack.


    Yet, facing the crowd that had rushed over, Rocky didn''t even have the energy to explain; he merely ordered the guards to extinguish the fire and briefly clean up the three destroyed reconnaissance ships, then let the people go back first.


    However, once everything was cleaned up, Rocky noticed something odd about Orton''s gaze; he kept staring at the Thunderhawk!


    "What, what are you going to do!"


    When Orton suddenly took an interest in the Thunderhawk, Rocky rushed to confront him.


    "Kid, your flagship looks pretty good, a flagship version of the Third Generation Escort Ship. Whether it''s the hull itself or the Magic Cannon on it, both are much stronger than the First Generation Reconnaissance Ship we had before. Using this warship to test the runes will definitely not cause any trouble."


    "Don''t even think about it! If you dare touch the Thunderhawk, I''ll fight you!"


    Realizing that Orton indeed had his sights set on his own flagship, Rocky immediately became like a rooster protecting its chicks, blocking him and absolutely not letting him get half a step closer to the Thunderhawk.


    Although the loss of the three reconnaissance ships had saddened Rocky, they were, after all, old reconnaissance ships from Thunderhawk City, and although their destruction was regrettable, it wasn''t enough to cripple the only fleet of Thunderhawk City. However, if Orton were to blow up the Thunderhawk as well, Rocky felt like he would truly be heartbroken.


    Moreover, just by enhancing one Magic Cannon, three reconnaissance ships were directly destroyed. If Orton tampered with the Thunderhawk, wouldn''t he ultimately blow up Thunderhawk City? The risk was just too high, and Rocky could not afford it.


    So, at Rocky''s repeated requests, Orton eventually could only look at the Thunderhawk frustratedly and give up, then boarded the old reconnaissance ship again. Not only that, but Rocky also demanded that he no longer use Third-level Runes to enhance the Magic Cannon, and instead use Second-Level Rune from the First Level.


    Actually, even the Second-level Rune contained enough mana for the Magic Cannon. Moreover, there were already Magic Stones on the Magic Cannon itself, so it wasn''t necessary to completely switch to runes for the output of mana. It was entirely feasible to combine the Magic Stones and runes together for use.


    As for his demands, Orton was of course very unwilling, but perhaps he also knew that Thunderhawk City was too small to withstand his endless experimentation, so he reluctantly agreed to Rocky''s demands in the end.


    With that, the enhancement of the Skyships finally began, and once Orton toned down, his true capabilities ¨Cor rather his normal side¨C started to show. In just one day, he had completed the enhancement of the Magic Cannons on three Skyships, including one old reconnaissance ship from Thunderhawk City and two Airship Model 6 Reconnaissance Ships.


    Since time was pressing, Orton only enhanced the Magic Cannons on the three warships. Although he would have liked to upgrade the warships'' mana supply systems as well, Rocky desperately stopped him. Rocky simply couldn''t afford any more losses.


    However, even so, after the enhancement, the Magic Cannons on the two Airship Model 6 Reconnaissance Ships received a significant boost. The power of the Magic Cannons jumped from 400 to 600 points!


    This increase might not seem large in numeric terms, but when calculated as a percentage, the increase was more than fifty percent, elevating the firepower of the Magic Cannons on the Airship Model 6 Reconnaissance Ships to be on par with the secondary cannons of the Escort Ships.


    At this rate, it might take less than half a month for Orton to enhance all the Magic Cannons on every Skyship in Thunderhawk City with runes, thereby lifting the entire fleet to another level of firepower!


    This project was indeed vast and could only be accomplished by Orton alone. Perhaps Rocky and others could help with loading and unloading the Magic Cannons, but the crucial tasks such as rune drawing and mana conduction could only be done by Orton. No one else possessed the technical skills required.


    Though it was strenuous work, Orton was brimming with enthusiasm. After a full day of busy work and having survived a major explosion, he still returned to the City Lord''s Mansion full of energy, clamoring for Rocky to bring him the Blood Pattern Mark II and the Fire Guard Type 5 Armor so he could continue to enhance the Void Magic Armor!


    But faced with such a request, Rocky hesitated¡­


    S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 145 The Last Week

    Orton took the initiative to offer his help in enhancing the Void Magic Armor, which was certainly a good thing, especially at this point in time.Baron Wolin could arrive with his fleet at any moment, and according to Cyril''s intelligence, Baron Wolin himself was a seasoned Void Magic Warrior with quite advanced Blood Pattern Mark II Armor. Under these circumstances, if Orton could enhance both Rocky''s and Liliya''s armors, it would undoubtedly ease the pressure on the two of them when they confronted Baron Wolin.


    However, faced with such a favorable turn of events, Rocky hesitated¡­


    Yes, he hesitated out of fear that Orton might ruin his Blood Pattern Mark II and Liliya''s Fire Guard Type 5!


    It must be said, the major explosion at the Skyport earlier that day had left a severe psychological shadow on Rocky. He feared Orton might destroy his only two sets of Void Magic Armor¡ªthat is, he really didn''t quite trust Orton with this matter.


    It wasn''t a question of doubting Orton''s capabilities, but rather one of not feeling confident about his mindset!


    The explosion at the Skyport during the day appeared to be an accident, but upon closer consideration, was it really an accident?


    What level of master was Orton?


    When he was enhancing the magic cannon, could he really have forgotten that the gun''s body couldn''t withstand the Rune? If anyone really thought so, they''d be grossly underestimating him. Orton definitely wouldn''t make such a rookie mistake; he likely went ahead with the enhancement, knowing that the gun''s body couldn''t withstand a Third-level Rune, leading to the explosion!


    This was quite understandable because Mana Runes were a brand-new technology to this world. Although they had a lot in common with certain modern technologies, and some of today''s theories could be directly applied, they were still just theories. How could there be no verification?


    And Orton might have caused the major explosion during the day just to carry out this kind of verification, directly wrecking three reconnaissance ships!


    His strict attitude towards scholarship was certainly commendable, but Rocky couldn''t afford to indulge him! If Orton were to conduct another risky verification during the enhancement of the Void Magic Armor and end up destroying it, who would Rocky turn to for explanations? Who would then confront Baron Wolin, also clad in Void Magic Armor?


    Moreover, although today''s enhancement of the Magic Cannon was very successful, there were indeed some problems discovered during the process. These issues indicated that Mana Runes were still somewhat unstable in practical application and required a multitude of experiments before they could be applied steadily.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky was even more reluctant to let Orton enhance the Void Magic Armor, after all, the wearers were him and Liliya.


    So, after much hesitation, Rocky ultimately rejected Orton''s proposal. He felt it was better to let Orton gain more experience by first working on enhancing the Magic Cannons, even if it involved performing some experiments. It would be safer to wait until the technology was mature before enhancing the Void Magic Armor.


    However¡­ Rocky had underestimated old man Orton¡­


    On the third day after his refusal, Orton took advantage of the opportunity when Rocky was busy with administrative affairs and sneaked into his room, stealing the Void Magic Armor!


    And when Rocky discovered that his Void Magic Armor was missing and immediately thought of Orton and went to find him, Orton had already finished enhancing the Blood Pattern Mark II¡­


    "How cool is that? Are you surprised? Are you thrilled?"


    Trapped in the laboratory, Orton was not at all embarrassed or showed any intention of admitting the crime; instead, he proudly boasted to Rocky about the Blood Pattern Mark II Armor he had stolen.


    "You! You! You!"


    Facing Orton, who was no different from a rogue, Rocky was utterly infuriated, and then he yelled at Orton without considering his age, even cursing him out.


    Unfortunately, Orton completely ignored the outburst, treating it as though it just brushed past his ears, leaving Rocky stamping his feet in anger but unable to do anything to the old man.


    That being said, although Orton had stolen the Blood Pattern Mark II and enhanced it on his own, he certainly hadn''t ruined it. In fact, after his enhancement, the Blood Pattern Mark II was far stronger than before!


    "Kid, do you know by how much I''ve enhanced this armor?"


    As Rocky cursed and ranted until he was out of breath, Orton acted as if stealing the armor never happened, still brimming with pride, "Kid, after my enhancement, the Mana of this Blood Pattern Mark II Armor has reached 900 points!"


    "What?"


    Upon hearing this, Rocky, still furious, paused in astonishment and then looked toward the Blood Pattern Mark II Armor on the experimental table.


    "You''re saying... the armor''s Mana has been boosted to 900 points?"


    Rocky certainly knew the Blood Pattern Mark II inside out. He was well aware that its own Mana was only 300 points, quite a low level indeed.


    Even with his Rune work, the Mana had not exceeded 500 points, and his previous enhancements were superficial, having used only the principle of Magic Energy Equipment for a simple enhancement, which meant that the additional 200 points of Mana were also quite inflated.


    "Humph, stopped scolding?"


    Seeing Rocky''s attention get diverted, Orton snorted and then used his chin to gesture at him as he spoke, "Now you realize how formidable I am, don''t you?"


    After saying this, he walked over to the experimental platform, patted the Blood Pattern Generation 2 Armor that lay there quietly with his hand, and then continued, "The runes you drew on this set of armor have all been erased by me.


    I''ve redrawn them with Second-Level Runes and connected them with the armor for Magic Energy Conduction, boosting its mana directly from 300 points to 900 points, doubling it entirely."


    "Now that this set of armor has been enhanced, it has completely surpassed the limits of Generation 1 armor, reaching the level of the Second Generation Void Magic Armor, impressive, right? Surprising? Exciting?"


    Having said all this with self-satisfaction, Orton looked like an old child seeking praise.


    Upon hearing everything he said, Rocky couldn''t help but open his mouth wide in surprise; he hadn''t expected that Orton would truly succeed in enhancing the armor. No, that wasn''t the right way to put it¡ªhe hadn''t expected that Orton, while succeeding in the enhancement, did not ruin his armor!


    "Alright, don''t just stand there, hurry up and put it on, let me see how it performs after being enhanced¡ªthis is important data."


    Seeing Rocky still stunned, Orton urged him impatiently to hurry up and try on the armor to see its actual effect after strengthening.


    At that moment, Rocky was naturally eager to try it out. After all, according to Orton, the Blood Pattern Mark II, after being enhanced, was equivalent to becoming a new set of armor. But just as he was about to put on the armor, Rocky suddenly turned his gaze sharply towards Orton.


    "Teacher, I''m not going to explode as soon as I put on this armor, am I?"


    "What kind of nonsense is that!" As soon as Orton heard this, he got agitated on the spot and then spoke in a fluster, "How would we know if it will explode without trying it? Hurry up and try it!"


    ......


    ......


    While Rocky was being hassled by the pesky old Orton, Baron Wolin had already begun his journey with his fleet!


    Since the families would not intervene in the affair between him and Rocky, Baron Wolin had to rely on his own strength to assume his post in Thunderhawk City. But for him, this was not an issue. With an entire fleet at his command, he did not take Rocky seriously at all. In his view, the biggest challenge was not whether he could take office smoothly in Thunderhawk City, but rather how to get there.


    The sky was not like the land; although skyships could sail through the skies, their range was limited. Without the power of his family, Baron Wolin must find his own way to Thunderhawk City. The reason he had not departed sooner was precisely because of this issue.


    But now, things were looking up. He had used his connections to find the City Lord of a small Sky City who was willing to transport him to Thunderhawk City!


    So, Baron Wolin could finally set off!


    "Lord of Matu City, I really owe you big for this!"


    "Oh, it''s nothing, just a small matter, all small matters."


    Matu City, a small Sky City named after its City Lord, with a population of around three thousand people, was willing to transport Baron Wolin to Thunderhawk City¡ªit was this Sky City''s Lord who had agreed to the favor.


    When Baron Wolin led his fleet to Matu City, the City Lord Matu was incredibly welcoming, even holding a dance party for him that very day. After all, Baron Wolin was a member of a great family and was about to become the lord of his own city, and it was only right to receive him warmly.


    During the party, Baron Wolin naturally became the center of attention. But as the moment of his arrival in Thunderhawk City approached, Baron Wolin started to grow nervous and impatient, asking Lord Matu several times when he would be able to reach Thunderhawk City during the party.


    "Rest assured, City Lord Wolin, the coordinates you gave me are not far from us. One week¡ªI guarantee I will have you seated on the City Lord''s Throne of Thunderhawk City within a week!"


    Facing the somewhat anxious Baron Wolin, Lord Matu patted his chest, guaranteeing that he would get the Baron to Thunderhawk City and on its City Lord''s Throne within a week!


    PS: To coincide with the book launch, I''ve kept to daily updates for this past week, and I sincerely apologize to you, my dear readers. But now, things are looking up. The book will officially launch tomorrow, and I will immediately make up for any missed updates from this week! The update schedule will also return to at least two chapters a day!


    I''d also like to thank you all for your continued support. This book hasn''t been heavily promoted, so its current success is already beyond satisfying, and I thank you all for that.


    After the launch, I will continue to work hard. The story is about to get even more exciting, especially with the upcoming air battle which I assure you has been crafted with care and will be well worth your anticipation!


    Finally, I hope you continue to support the book after its launch so that it achieves great results. Your support is the biggest motivation for this humble detective! sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 146 Enemy Situation!!

    By the time Baron Wolin had set out, Rocky had already brought Thunderhawk City to a halt, otherwise Baron Wolin wouldn''t have been able to locate Thunderhawk City with such precision.However, Rocky''s choice of where to stop Thunderhawk City was not ideal. He positioned the city above a dead lake, which caused the airspace to be shrouded in thick clouds all year round due to the lake below. Consequently, Thunderhawk City was always enveloped in these clouds.


    And the clouds that shrouded Thunderhawk City resembled the shadow of war, casting a repressive atmosphere over the entire city.


    "Felly, how is the fleet''s training going?"


    In the City Lord''s Hall, Rocky surveyed the crowd below and eventually fixed his gaze on Felly.


    Since Felly had been promoted by Rocky to command the First Fleet of Thunderhawk City and reported directly to him, he was eligible to enter the City Lord''s Hall to discuss matters.


    "City Lord, the fleet has conducted four large-scale training exercises, and the crew members are all ready for battle. Please be assured!"


    Facing Rocky, Felly spoke with meticulous precision.


    He was clever and knew that even though he had made it into the City Lord''s Hall and could be considered a senior officer of Thunderhawk City, Felly was aware that he had the least seniority among those there and therefore conducted himself with utmost caution.


    "Have the reconnaissance ships been dispatched?"


    "Lord, in accordance with your instructions, five reconnaissance ships are sent out daily to scout."


    "Very good."


    After asking Felly a few more questions, Rocky then turned to Old Jack, "Lord Jack, I don''t want any incidents in Thunderhawk City during the war, so please, take extra care."


    With the impending battle, Rocky intended to focus all his energy on the war, firmly unwilling to allow any problems within Thunderhawk City itself during this process, nor would he permit any issues to arise.


    "Rest assured, Lord. I will strengthen the guard with Captain Liliya, and there will definitely be no troubles."


    "Very good..."


    Nodding, Rocky let out a sigh and then addressed everyone, "Gentlemen, Baron Wolin should be arriving soon, so please be extra cautious. We cannot afford any mistakes in this battle."


    "Yes!"


    "Please be assured, Lord!"


    After giving some instructions, Rocky dismissed everyone and returned to his room with Liliya''s company, but even back in his room, there was no smile on his face.


    He couldn''t smile.


    Just as Rocky mentioned earlier, they had left Eternal City almost a month ago, meaning Baron Wolin could arrive at any moment or might even already be on his way. Thus, Rocky grew more anxious by the day.


    He had to be anxious. The looming battle with Baron Wolin would directly determine the fate of Thunderhawk City. If he won, he would remain the City Lord of Thunderhawk City; but if he lost, he would have to relinquish his position as City Lord.


    Therefore, to win this battle, Rocky did everything he could to prepare. Not only did he have the fleet conduct several training exercises, but he also had Orton enhance all the magic cannons on the third-generation reconnaissance ships and the two escort ships with rune enhancement.


    At the same time, he and Liliya also practiced every day wearing their Void Magic Armor, aiming to be as fully prepared as possible.


    Yet, even so, Rocky''s nervousness grew, for as time ticked by, he felt an inexplicable and yet increasingly intense premonition: Baron Wolin was coming soon!


    This ominous hunch led him to dispatch at least five reconnaissance ships daily to patrol around Thunderhawk City, striving to detect Baron Wolin''s movements at the earliest opportunity.


    ......


    ```


    ......


    Time passed, day by day, and Thunderhawk City had long been prepared for war. Everything was ready, they were just waiting for Baron Wolin''s arrival.


    And this wait did not last too long!


    One day, on a reconnaissance ship patrolling around Thunderhawk City, several crew members were chatting on the deck, appearing quite relaxed.


    But this relaxation was actually a facade, after all, everyone knew that a great battle was imminent, having prepared for it for a month. How could they really be relaxed?


    "Uncle Wil, what exactly is air combat like?"


    A young sailor standing on the deck casually asked an older sailor.


    The elder sailor chuckled in response, "Air combat is certainly intense, Floating Warships blasting each other with Magic Cannons. You''ve definitely never seen anything like it."


    "Tch! Uncle, don''t underestimate us. We''ve fought against hundreds of Demons while accompanying the City Lord to the land!"


    Another young man on the deck spoke up, seeming a little unconvinced. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The elder sailor, Uncle Wil, was an old sailor hired from Eternal City by Rocky. He had been through several air battles, while the young men around him were Thunderhawk City''s own sailors, who had all participated in the mission at Backhill Village.


    "You youngsters don''t understand anything, hehe," Wil, who was in his forties or fifties, responded with a chuckle, "The battle on land is different from the battle in the sky. Only those who have truly experienced air combat can understand what it''s like. There''s no way to make you understand right now."


    "Uncle, didn''t you say you''ve been through several air battles? Tell us about it."


    "Hehe, you''ve asked the right person. I''m not bragging, but in those air battles I participated in..."


    As Wil started to speak about his experiences, his face full of pride, he suddenly froze in mid-sentence, his triumphant expression solidifying on his face!


    "Uncle, go on and tell us!"


    "Yeah, come on, keep talking!"


    Seeing him stop talking halfway through, the young sailors around became particularly anxious, urging him on.


    But at that moment, Wil''s eyes widened as he pointed towards the bow of the ship and suddenly shouted, "It''s Sky City!"


    Following his shout, everyone immediately turned their heads, and their eyes, passing over the bow, saw through the thick clouds a colossal structure slowly approaching...


    Sky City!


    A Sky City!


    Seeing this massive structure appear before them, they all immediately realized what it was, Sky City! The sudden appearance of a Sky City at such a remote location, clearly heading in the direction of Thunderhawk City, even a fool could understand what that meant.


    So, after a moment of stunned silence, Uncle Wil proved himself as an elder sailor, taking the lead to respond!


    "Quick! Contact Thunderhawk City, inform them of the enemy sighting!"


    After yelling at a young man close by, he then instructed the others, "Turn the ship around immediately, don''t let the enemy spot us, we need to get back to Thunderhawk City right away!"


    PS: This is the first release, bursting out today, five chapters!


    ```

 Chapter 147 Envoy

    "All warships, take off!"Within the Skyport of Matu City, Baron Wolin, clad in the fourth-generation Eagle Claw Type 3 Armor, stood on his flagship and issued the command to set sail to the entire fleet!


    With his order, dozens of Floating Warships within the Skyport all took off, majestically flying out from the defense network of the Skyport towards the distant Thunderhawk City!


    As soon as Thunderhawk City discovered Matu City, Matu City likewise spotted Thunderhawk City. The eager Baron Wolin immediately set off, leading his entire fleet to sail straight for the city that belonged to "himself."


    The information that Cyril had given to Rocky previously had not been exaggerated in the slightest; Baron Wolin''s private fleet indeed comprised more than thirty Floating Warships, exactly thirty-two to be precise, including thirty-one third-generation Cheetah Type 2 Reconnaissance Ships and one flagship version of a third-generation Watcher-type Escort Ship!


    Yes, within Baron Wolin''s fleet there was also a flagship, and it was the same class as Rocky''s Scavenger Type 1 Flagship, which Baron Wolin had named the Baron Number!


    "This Wolin... is indeed strong..."


    Also within the Skyport, City Lord Matu watched as Baron Wolin led his fleet to slowly ascend, a sense of admiration welling up within him. Was this the power of the great families? To think that a noble serving a great family possessed such a formidable private army, which left Matu, himself a City Lord, utterly impressed.


    His admiration was not a sign of undue humility; in fact, Matu, as the City Lord, could see even more clearly than most. The scale and quality of Baron Wolin''s fleet were more formidable than the air forces of some small Sky Cities, to say nothing of others. Even Matu''s own Sky City, though it had a fleet, could not compare in scale or quality to Baron Wolin''s private army!


    Every time he considered that his own military forces, despite his status as City Lord, were not as strong as Wolin''s private army, Matu felt quite bitter¡ªthat was also why he treated Baron Wolin with such enthusiasm. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, after moving beyond the defense network of Matu City, Baron Wolin quickly vanished into the thick cloud layer. Although the clouds in this airspace were heavy, they did not impede the fleet''s voyage, and under full-speed acceleration, the fleet soon approached Thunderhawk City.


    When within a dozen miles of Thunderhawk City, Baron Wolin ordered the fleet to halt its advance, and then spoke a few words to his deputy. The deputy quickly went below deck and, within moments, a Reconnaissance Ship detached from the fleet, flying solo through the clouds towards Thunderhawk City.


    On board the departing Reconnaissance Ship was the emissary sent by Baron Wolin to Thunderhawk City to call on Rocky to leave!


    Although he had led his fleet mightily close to Thunderhawk City, Baron Wolin still believed it best to avoid battle if possible, and this line of thought naturally had nothing to do with Rocky. The reason for his consideration was that he had already come to view Thunderhawk City as his own.


    In Baron Wolin''s view, engaging in a grand sky battle near the vicinity of Thunderhawk City posed a risk; what if it affected Thunderhawk City? That was his own city. Even if all of Rocky''s resistance were futile, any damage to the city from the battle would ultimately be his loss. Therefore, Baron Wolin still hoped to take over Thunderhawk City peacefully.


    A dozen miles was a mere blink for a Skyship, especially a Reconnaissance Ship, so within about fifteen minutes, the Reconnaissance Ship sent by Baron Wolin approached Thunderhawk City and landed in its Skyport without any obstruction.


    Once the ship landed smoothly, the Guards escorted a middle-aged man down from the Skyship.


    "This Rocky, still unaware of the calamity upon him... Truly foolish..."


    Escorted by several guards, the middle-aged man stood in the Skyport and looked around.


    Being one of Baron Wolin''s subordinates, he had long regarded Thunderhawk City as his own and immediately began to survey his surroundings upon disembarking, nodding his head as if quite pleased with what he saw.


    While he surveyed his territory with the eyes of an owner, one of the Guards approached him, but before the Guard could speak, the middle-aged man stated with righteous indignation, "I am an emissary from the Mairente Family. The family commands that Rocky see me immediately."


    With his head held high, almost looking at the Guard with his chin, the middle-aged man declared in a loud voice.


    It was clear that the man had never seen Rocky as someone worth considering; he even called him by name without appending the title ''City Lord.'' It was as if, in his eyes, the moment the Mairente Family issued an order, Rocky was expected to obediently comply and pack his things to leave immediately.


    However, no sooner had he spoken than the soldier opposite not only did not show the slightest surprise but actually smiled!


    "My lord, our City Lord was hoping to see you as well."


    "You say what..."


    The soldier''s reply stupefied the middle-aged man, but before he could grasp what was happening, several figures suddenly dashed out from around him!


    The middle-aged man''s guards reacted quickly, protecting him by placing him in the center as they turned to draw their swords.


    Unfortunately, they were still half a step too slow. The moment they went to draw their swords, they felt a burning sensation in their chests. Looking down, they saw long swords had pierced through their torsos!


    "My lord...quick...ambush..."


    A guard managed to squeeze out a few strained words through clenched teeth before collapsing, making the middle-aged man realize he had fallen into an ambush. He immediately tried to run back to the Reconnaissance Ship, but it was too late. The guard he had looked down upon with his chin thrust out had stepped forward and grabbed his collar, pressing him to the ground without ado!


    Meanwhile, the remaining soldiers aboard the Reconnaissance Ship noticed something was amiss. These men reacted somewhat swiftly, attempting to make the ship take off immediately, only for a fiery red figure to descend from the sky, rendering their escape plans futile.


    "Nobody move!"


    As she spoke, Liliya, clad in her flaming red Armor, fired a Magic Bullet that blasted a huge hole through a soldier''s chest, stunning everyone aboard the ship!


    In an instant, really just a split second, the Reconnaissance Ship that had come to drive Rocky away was subdued. All the soldiers on board, controlled by Liliya in her Void Magic Armor, gave up resisting and laid down on the ground, while the middle-aged man, who had been so arrogant just moments ago, was now dragged in front of Rocky by two Guards.


    Having discovered Matu City a step ahead, Rocky had been well-prepared. Hence, after the middle-aged man was subdued, Rocky appeared at the Skyport, flanked by Monte and Lin Feng, directly in front of the middle-aged man.


    "Rocky! Do you know what you''re doing!"


    Pinned firmly on the ground by the Guards, the middle-aged man was still roaring incessantly. He strenuously lifted his head to look at Rocky and shouted, "Rocky! I am here to deliver an order from the Family! How dare you treat me like this¡ªdo you wish to rebel?"


    But to his roaring, Rocky responded with just a cold smile, followed by a slow hand gesture. Monte, understanding the signal, stepped forward towards the middle-aged man, all the while revealing his Broadaxe!


    "What are you going to do! What...what do you want!"


    The chill from the axe''s gleam struck the middle-aged man''s eyes, and he panicked. He looked at Monte in disbelief, then turned his gaze to Rocky''s emotionless face, feeling completely undone.


    "Rocky...you... don''t be rash...we can talk things over..."


    The middle-aged man''s plea was cut short as Monte''s axe came crashing down!


    PS: Second update! Three more to go!

 Chapter 148 On the Verge

    ```plaintextThe axe fell, and with it tumbled the head!


    Baron Wolin''s envoy didn''t even have a chance to utter his name before Rocky killed him!


    After executing the envoy, Rocky immediately ordered the soldiers he''d brought to disembark, and these soldiers, already terrified by the sight of the falling head, feared they might share the same fate of being dismembered, so they obediently left the ship without any resistance.


    However, Rocky didn''t kill these soldiers afterward. He just confiscated their reconnaissance ship and then put them on an old-fashioned skyship from Thunderhawk City, sending them back with the middle-aged man''s head.


    By doing this, Rocky intended to send Baron Wolin a message, a message that didn''t require any words yet was enough to convey his resolve!


    "When do we set out?"


    After Baron Wolin''s soldiers departed on the old-fashioned reconnaissance ship, Liliya approached Rocky.


    "No rush, let''s wait for Baron Wolin''s fleet to get a bit closer," he replied, glancing at Liliya, and they then boarded the Thunderhawk.


    It didn''t take long for the soldiers fleeing Thunderhawk City to return to Baron Wolin''s fleet, and seeing the skyship return so quickly, and not the same one at that, Baron Wolin, standing on the bow of his flagship, furrowed his brows.


    But as soon as he saw the returned head, he was instantly consumed with rage, thunderous and furious! He had never imagined Rocky would be so audacious as to kill his own people!


    "Bastard!"


    With a curse, Baron Wolin violently slapped the soldier who presented the head, and then bellowed menacingly, "Order the entire fleet to attack, and bring that Rocky back to me! I will personally execute him!"


    As his roar echoed, over thirty warships stirred into motion, forming a massive, cloudlike formation that bore down on Thunderhawk City!


    Since Baron Wolin''s fleet wasn''t far from Thunderhawk City, it took only a few minutes for the city''s residents to see a dark, dense fleet approaching. At the same time, Rocky''s Thunderhawk took off slowly, leading the rest of the warships up into the sky.


    An aeronautical battle was on the brink of erupting!


    Upon leaving the skyport, Rocky didn''t rashly depart from Thunderhawk City''s defensive net; instead, he stationed the fleet within it, waiting for Baron Wolin''s fleet to draw near.


    After a short while, Baron Wolin''s fleet approached, facing off against Rocky in the defensive net across the void!


    "How does he have... a flagship!?"


    As the two sides were now in close proximity, Baron Wolin could clearly see the fleet within the defensive net, and he was immediately shocked to see the Thunderhawk, resplendent in presence!


    In his view, the Thunderhawk was strikingly prominent, its more than one hundred fifty meter-long hull resembling a steel monster, fiercely confronting his own Baron Number within the defensive net!


    This scene completely exceeded Baron Wolin''s expectations.


    Never in his wildest dreams did he expect Rocky to actually commission a flagship of his own, how could this be?


    However, as Baron Wolin observed the Thunderhawk''s surroundings and noted that it was only modestly guarded by a few pitiful reconnaissance ships, his anxiety subsided, for a quick count revealed that there were even fewer than ten warships defending the flagship.


    Less than ten warships to guard one''s flagship?


    ```


    ```


    Baron Wolin, who had participated in at least two space battles, suddenly found himself amused at how nervous he had been because of Thunderhawk. In his view, Rocky might have just stumbled into acquiring a flagship by some fluke, but he surely didn''t know how to use it.


    The number of warships he used to protect his flagship was too few, weren''t less than ten warships to protect a flagship essentially making it a sitting duck?


    While Baron Wolin was easing his worries, Rocky had already led his fleet out of the Defensive Net.


    As Rocky led his fleet slowly closer, Baron Wolin demonstrated the demeanor of a great commander. Clad in Void Magic Armor, he leapt up and flew into the air, moving to the very forefront of his fleet alone.


    Firstly, he did this to have a discussion with Rocky. As a man who also possessed a flagship, Baron Wolin clearly knew how powerful a flagship''s firepower could be. With Rocky having a flagship of his own, warfare would inevitably lead to losses on both sides. It didn''t matter to him if Rocky died, but he didn''t want his own fleet to suffer any losses.


    Secondly, he wanted to seize the opportunity to intimidate Rocky, to let him know that he was facing not only a massive fleet but also himself in his Void Magic Armor!


    In any space battle, the combat power that the Void Magic Armor could unleash was enough to rival, or even surpass, warships. Take for instance the fourth-generation Armor Baron Wolin was wearing; its combat power in space battles was certainly no less than that of an Escort Ship, and with his personal strength, he could easily take down a Reconnaissance Ship!


    Baron Wolin wanted Rocky to realize the strong opponent he was facing!


    However, to his utter shock, Rocky, who he had imagined would timidly approach in a Reconnaissance Ship, trembling at the sight of him in Void Magic Armor, also flew to the forefront of the fleet relying on Void Magic Armor. Not only that, but he was also accompanied by another Void Magic Warrior!


    What in the world was going on!


    Watching as Rocky approached, flanked by Liliya, Baron Wolin felt utterly disconcerted. How did Rocky not only have a flagship but also Void Magic Armor, and two sets at that!


    From the envoy''s assassination to the appearance of the flagship and now the Void Magic Armor, everything had taken Baron Wolin completely by surprise, so much so that he suddenly felt a twinge of unease. He began to realize... Had he underestimated Rocky...?


    Impossible!


    After a brief moment of unease, Baron Wolin immediately adjusted his mindset. He looked coldly toward Rocky, noticing that although Rocky was wearing Void Magic Armor, it was the outdated Blood Pattern Mark II, and the woman beside him was only wearing a third-generation Armor. Baron Wolin''s mood gradually stabilized.


    Even if Rocky had a flagship, his own fleet was larger, and he would surely prevail in battle; even if Rocky and the woman beside him were both clad in Void Magic Armor, their Armors could not compare to his, and once the battle began, he could even potentially slay them outright!


    With such a tremendous advantage, what was there to fear?!


    With these thoughts, Baron Wolin slowly regained his confidence and then moved a certain distance closer towards Rocky just like him.


    When the two parties were about a hundred meters apart, they stopped simultaneously.


    "Baron Wolin, go back,"


    Baron Wolin, who had just been about to spew a few harsh words, hadn''t even opened his mouth when Rocky spoke up first, stunning him into silence.


    How did he know his name?


    Looking at Rocky with slight surprise, Baron Wolin was puzzled. He was certain that neither of them had known each other before this, so how did Rocky know him?


    While he was still surprised, Rocky continued, "Baron Wolin, I know what you''ve come for, and I advise you to head back quickly."


    "Otherwise, you might not be able to return at all...!"


    PS: Third update, two more tonight!


    ``` S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 149 Ambush? Sneak Attack!

    Hearing Rocky''s words, Baron Wolin''s face turned from red to green, becoming extremely ugly!Even a fool could sense the implicit meaning in Rocky''s words. Obviously, Rocky had already known about the family''s decision and had prepared for it!


    Damn it!


    Who the hell was feeding information to Rocky!


    Thinking that someone must have been giving Rocky information, Baron Wolin felt an itch in his teeth with anger. In his view, taking over Thunderhawk City was supposed to be a matter that could be resolved without any battle, but now, Rocky was prepared, and what should have been a peaceful resolution now required action.


    However, because he figured this out, Baron Wolin''s mindset had become better than before. Initially, he had always hoped to drive Rocky out of Thunderhawk City without resorting to violence.


    He''d sent people to notify him and even met him in person before the battle, but now, he would rely on the simplest and most brutal means, which he was best at, to drive Rocky away, and this made Baron Wolin much more relaxed.


    So, moments later, Baron Wolin smirked viciously at Rocky and began to speak:


    "Rocky, since you''re seeking death..."


    He had only just started speaking when suddenly, a barrage of fierce artillery fire interrupted him!


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!


    The artillery fire, roaring as if in anger, erupted without any warning, not only cutting off Baron Wolin''s words but also startling him greatly!


    His first reaction was that Rocky''s fleet was firing at him, but when he looked behind Rocky, he saw that Rocky''s fleet, especially the flagship he was wary of, hadn''t fired.


    Was it his own side that fired?


    Thinking this, Baron Wolin turned his head to look back, only to find that his own fleet hadn''t fired either. This was odd...


    But Baron Wolin didn''t remain puzzled for long, because just as he turned his head back, he spotted the source of the gunfire.


    Moments after the gunfire erupted, another fleet burst out from the thick clouds on the left side of Baron Wolin''s fleet!


    This fleet was considerably large, not only sporting fifteen Airship Model 6 Reconnaissance Ships but also a Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship, and it began bombarding Baron Wolin''s fleet fiercely as soon as it appeared!


    The sudden appearance of this fleet shocked Baron Wolin, but anyone who understood Rocky''s real strength could see that this fleet was made up of other warships from Thunderhawk City!


    It was only then that the true purpose of Rocky positioning Thunderhawk City in such a cloudy area became clear. He intended to use the thick clouds in this area to launch an ambush and stealth attack!


    Since the reconnaissance ships had discovered Matu City earlier, Rocky had plenty of time to prepare. Therefore, before the envoy arrived, he had ordered Felly to lead an escort ship and fifteen Airship Model 6 Reconnaissance Ships away from Thunderhawk City and hide them in the thick clouds surrounding it.


    It was precisely because the main force was lying in ambush that Rocky and Baron Wolin only brought the Thunderhawk and a few old reconnaissance ships when they met. Additionally, Rocky''s goal during this meeting was not truly to persuade the Baron or deliver threats but to capture Wolin''s attention!


    The end result was a complete success: Baron Wolin and his fleet were caught utterly off guard!


    The warships bursting from the clouds unleashed their furious volleys at this moment, each blast resembling a roar toward the sky, not only deafening but also sending chills down the spine.


    It''s well-known that in any air battle, the side that fires first usually gains some advantage, and that''s exactly what happened here. The main force, led by the escort ships, suddenly emerged from the flank, not only catching Baron Wolin''s fleet unprepared but also sinking three reconnaissance ships after the first round of fire!


    One escort ship along with fifteen reconnaissance ships opened fire simultaneously, delivering a ferocious barrage. Under such fierce firepower, the outermost two reconnaissance ships in Baron Wolin''s fleet took several hits, and their defensive net failed quickly, getting sunk within moments.


    Another reconnaissance ship was even less fortunate, as it was hit directly by the main cannon of the escort ship and disintegrated in mid-air before anyone could blink!


    The main cannon of the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship had only two barrels, but its mana energy power reached 1300 points. After Orton''s rune enhancement, the mana energy power of these two main cannons soared to an impressive 1700 points!


    In Baron Wolin''s fleet, the reconnaissance ships were all of the Cheetah Type 2, which performed fairly well in both offense and defense. However, they stood no chance against a main cannon attack with 1700 mana energy power, as their defensive net was as fragile as paper mache, instantly shattered and causing the reconnaissance ships themselves to explode upon impact.


    So when Baron Wolin turned his head, he just happened to witness the three reconnaissance ships exploding one after another, and he also saw the fleet led by the escort ship, like a wild beast, charging out of the clouds, attacking from the side of his own fleet.


    This revelation made him realize he had walked into an ambush! He had been sneak attacked!


    However, Baron Wolin was a battle-hardened veteran. Upon realizing he had fallen into an ambush, he promptly turned to leave without hesitation.


    He knew very well that the situation was extremely unfavorable for his fleet. Rocky had split his forces into two, with the Thunderhawk at the forefront drawing attention, while the other, led by the escort ship, emerged suddenly from the flank; this pincer movement by the two fleets encircled Baron Wolin''s ships.


    In such circumstances, Wolin had no time to ponder why Rocky had such a massive fleet. He knew that if he did not react immediately, his fleet would certainly suffer heavy damage, and as the fleet''s commander, he had to return immediately.


    Unfortunately, his thoughts were not mistaken, but how could Rocky and Liliya let it go so easily?


    As Baron Wolin decisively turned to leave, Rocky and Liliya suddenly launched their attack, clad in Void Magic Armor. They streaked through the sky, resembling two arrows shot from a bow, one from the left and one from the right, charging towards Baron Wolin!


    Rocky was well aware of what the enemy intended to do, and naturally, he could not let Baron Wolin return so easily. Not only that, he had an even bolder idea!


    When Wolin first saw Rocky in Void Magic Armor, he had contemplated decapitating him as soon as the battle began, but he had to abandon this thought and retreat to his fleet because he realized they were ambushed. However, what he did not know was that, as soon as he appeared before Rocky, Rocky had the same idea!


    Together with Liliya, he also aimed to execute Baron Wolin on the spot! S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, moments later, Rocky and Liliya caught up with Baron Wolin. From the left and right, both brandished their swords, one targeting the Baron''s neck and the other striking at his waist, with such ferocity that it was unimaginable and clearly showing no intent to spare Baron Wolin''s life!


    PS: The fourth update! Another one coming soon!

 Chapter 150 Armor vs Armor!

    When Rocky learned of the family''s decision from Cyril, he had no intention of "negotiating nicely" with Baron Wolin!He was determined to use the toughest measures to give an answer to Baron Wolin¡ªno, to the Mairente Family: no one was allowed to bully him anymore!


    Therefore, facing Baron Wolin, Rocky showed no mercy. With every move he made, he aimed to kill, and Liliya, who had always been on his side, was even more ruthless.


    Interestingly enough, it wasn''t just Rocky and Liliya who wanted to kill Baron Wolin. Orton had also specifically instructed Rocky before his departure to make sure to kill Baron Wolin if possible.


    Of course, Orton had no personal grudge against Baron Wolin¡ªthere wasn''t even the slightest interaction between the two. Orton''s request for Rocky to commit murder was purely for his research. Orton had a few theories regarding the relationship between Mana Runes and Void Magic Armor that he urgently needed to test and he required Armor of the fourth generation or above for his experiments.


    So, he asked Rocky to go for the kill if he could, even if it meant cutting off an arm or a leg, as long as he could get his hands on the fourth generation Armor...


    Under such circumstances, Rocky and Liliya attacked with a decisive lethal blow, hoping to catch Baron Wolin off guard and kill him on the spot!


    However, as good as their intentions were, and as well as they seized the opportunity, even their execution was flawless¡ªthe only problem was that Baron Wolin was not an easy opponent!


    Indeed, Baron Wolin was just a titular noble, but don''t forget he had served the Mairente Family for over thirty years. During these thirty years, he participated in countless battles, his experience was so vast and his strength so formidable, far surpassing both Rocky and Liliya.


    So, when the two swung their long swords with the intention of delivering a fatal blow to kill Baron Wolin on the spot, they heard two bangs. The Baron, who had been facing away from them, seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He spun around in mid-air, his left hand up, right hand down, blocking both their attacks at once!


    At the same time he blocked the attacks, two Mana Swords appeared in Baron Wolin''s hands. These weren''t long swords enhanced with Magic Stones, but swords entirely materialized from Mana!


    His Void Magic Armor was the purest form of Assault Type Armor, the Eagle Claw Type 3. The main feature of this Armor was its powerful attack capabilities and a variety of offensive methods. Its signature trait lay in the two Magic Energy Solidifiers mounted on the knuckle of each hand, which could solidify Mana into immensely powerful long swords!


    The two Mana Swords that blocked Rocky and Liliya''s attacks were created by the Magic Energy Solidifiers; made entirely of Mana and gleaming brightly, they effortlessly warded off the assault!


    "You two... are seeking death!" Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As an experienced Void Magic Warrior, Baron Wolin could sense the murderous intent of Rocky and Liliya, forcing him to abandon the idea of returning to command the Fleet and engage them in battle instead.


    As the fight began, his formidable strength was immediately evident. After blocking their attacks, with a roar, Baron Wolin repelled both swords with his own and leaped into the air, emerging from the encirclement. After sprinting towards the sky for a moment, he suddenly reversed direction, diving down directly at Rocky!


    As a fourth generation Armor, the Eagle Claw Type 3 had 2700 points of Mana. Coupled with the fact that it was specifically designed for assault, the speed was astoundingly fast. From the moment he broke out of the encirclement to his dive towards Rocky, this series of actions was completed in mere blinks of an eye.


    By the time Rocky realized it, Baron Wolin was already above him, both Mana Swords chopping down in unison!


    Faced with this mountain-crushing attack, all Rocky could do was immediately raise his long sword to barely block the strike.


    While this strike was momentarily resisted, Baron Wolin didn''t cease his offensive but suddenly increased the propulsion power of his Armor, immediately pressuring Rocky into a continuous descent. At the same time, the Mana Swords in his hands shone even brighter, clearly enhancing their Mana power.


    Clearly, in a comparison of strength between Armors, Rocky was at an absolute disadvantage. This was not surprising, as the Blood Pattern Mark II could be called a real antique, and even though it was enhanced by Orton with Rune enhancement, it only reached the level of a second-generation Armor.


    On the other hand, Baron Wolin''s Eagle Claw Type 3 was a fourth-generation Armor, superior in Mana, technology, and offensive capabilities to Rocky''s Blood Pattern Mark II. Coupled with Baron Wolin''s exceptionally rich combat experience, he completely overwhelmed Rocky in their first encounter.


    Though this first engagement sounds complex, it took place in an instant, so much so that by the time Rocky was suppressed to the point of being unable to lift his head, Liliya had barely arrived.


    "Get lost!"


    Noticing Liliya charging in from the side, Baron Wolin continued to restrain Rocky with one hand while sweeping his Mana Sword with the other, not only easily blocking Liliya''s attack but also forcing her to retreat!


    But Liliya was not one to give up easily, as she regained her footing and charged at an even faster speed towards Baron Wolin.


    "Hmph!"


    Catching a glimpse of Liliya charging at him out of the corner of his eye, Baron Wolin let out a cold laugh, then suddenly leaped up, dodging her just as she was about to reach him.


    Damn!


    Liliya panicked for a moment, not expecting her opponent to suddenly dodge, for now, the target she faced was Rocky!


    During the time Rocky was being suppressed by Baron Wolin, he had been struggling fervently, with the Armor''s thrusters running at maximum. So when Baron Wolin backed off, the previously countering Rocky shot upward abruptly, meeting Liliya head-on!


    It must be said that Baron Wolin''s combat experience was just too vast. Facing the pincer attack from Rocky and Liliya, he was calm and composed, skillfully playing them off against each other!


    At this moment, it was too late for Liliya to react. Even if her mind caught up, her body could not, leaving her with no choice but to collide with Rocky head-on.


    Thankfully, thankfully, Rocky was no amateur. His numerous battles with Demons had already qualified him as a competent Void Magic Warrior. In the split second that counted, he made the correct decision: swiftly turning his body mid-air, he kept his propulsion direction unchanged. Relying on the adjustment of his posture, he converted his movement into a downward dash, narrowly missing Liliya!


    In an instant, Liliya and Rocky crossed paths, each narrowly avoiding the other with great peril.


    "Liliya! Go after the warship!"


    After brushing past Liliya, Rocky made another decision, which was to have Liliya give up the fight with Baron Wolin and instead go after the Floating Warship.


    The moment he said this, Liliya''s eyes hidden behind the helmet instantly reddened, because she had never imagined that one day, she would become a burden to Rocky...


    What Liliya might never realize is how wise Rocky''s decision was, perhaps the wisest decision of his life. Because of it, he saved both their lives!


    PS: Five chapters delivered! Hope everyone likes them, five more coming tomorrow!

 Chapter 151 Target the Flagship!

    Following Rocky''s orders, Liliya no longer entangled herself with Baron Wolin and instead flew toward the engaged fleet, setting her sights on a Floating Warship.She had to leave because, from their brief clash, she realized the vast gap between herself and Baron Wolin. It was so great that staying would not only fail to help Rocky but would also become a burden. Reluctantly, Liliya knew she had to leave.


    But even Liliya herself did not know how fortunate her departure was because if she had stayed, there would have been only one outcome¡ªdeath!


    She simply couldn''t match up. As a seasoned Void Magic Warrior, Baron Wolin''s skills and experience far surpassed Liliya''s, who was wearing Void Magic Armor in battle for the first time. It was no exaggeration to say that if they faced off directly, Liliya would have lost her life within ten rounds!


    Therefore, Liliya''s departure was undeniably right, as it saved her life.


    However, this put all the pressure from Baron Wolin squarely on Rocky. As the commanders of their respective sides, neither Rocky nor Baron Wolin would let the other retreat easily to command their fleet.


    Rocky wouldn''t let Baron Wolin go. If Wolin returned to command his troops, he would greatly pressure Rocky''s own fleet. Similarly, Baron Wolin would not let Rocky escape because he was confident he could kill him, and once Rocky was dead, the battle would be over.


    In such a situation, the two quickly became entangled in a fierce battle, a true fight to the death and a clash of Void Magic Armor against Void Magic Armor, where no one else could intervene!


    Meanwhile, as Rocky and Baron Wolin were locked in combat, their fleets had already begun engaging directly.


    Above the sky, more than fifty warships were participating in an intensely fierce battle.


    Rocky''s fleet was divided into two groups: one was lead by the Thunderhawk flagship, assisted by seven old-style Reconnaissance Ships, and the other by an Escort Ship, supported by fifteen Reconnaissance Ships. The two fleets encircled Baron Wolin''s fleet from the front and flank, advancing clockwise while opening fierce fire.


    Simply put, they were attacking by surrounding Baron Wolin''s fleet.


    After suffering the initial strike, Baron Wolin''s fleet quickly retaliated. Although Baron Wolin himself was not with his fleet, his trusted subordinates were no ordinary soldiers. After the initial surprise, they launched a counterattack.


    For a while, the fire from the Magic Cannons shone like stars in the sky, and the continuous sound of cannonfire did not cease, echoing non-stop throughout the airspace. Amidst the fire and noise, Floating Warships were disintegrating and exploding one after another, turning into beautiful fireworks dotting the battlefield.


    Uncle Wil once said that air combat is different from land combat. Those who have never participated in air battles can never imagine how shocking they are. Many of the guards in Thunderhawk City did not believe it at the time, but now it seemed utterly true.


    The scene of over fifty warships bombarding each other with Magic Cannons could indeed be described as electrifying. And this was just the beginning of the battle. Both fleets were still maintaining a distance of hundreds of meters, making their hit rate not very high. But once the distance closed to a close-combat range, the spectacle of the battle would be even more breathtaking and far bloodier.


    However, from the current situation, it seemed that Rocky''s side had gained a slight advantage. The constant attacks by the two fleets, large and small, revolving around Baron Wolin''s fleet, created significant pressure on the enemy. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although Rocky''s fleet was split into two groups, and numerically did not seem superior, the presence of a large warship in each group meant that despite their small numbers, their firepower was formidable.


    For example, the small fleet led by the Thunderhawk, although paired with the first-generation old reconnaissance ships and having only seven, the Thunderhawk itself had very powerful firepower. Four main cannons enhanced by runes, plus twenty similarly enhanced secondary cannons. The firepower of this single flagship was equivalent to seven to ten reconnaissance ships!


    "Fellows! Fire away! Don''t aim, just keep firing!"


    On the deck of the Thunderhawk, Uncle Wil was shouting vigorously, constantly urging the young crew.


    Uncle Wil was not only an experienced old sailor but also a sly old fox. He was well aware that in any space battle, the flagship was the safest, so he had volunteered to become a crew member of the Thunderhawk.


    However crafty he might have been, his experience was indeed plentiful. Once the battle started, he actively coordinated everyone on the deck.


    "Fellows, remember, no need to try hard aiming, just keep firing. Let the main cannons handle the aiming!"


    Standing on the deck, Uncle Wil shouted loudly, passing on his experience to the Thunderhawk''s gunners.


    He was absolutely right in his words. In space battles, it was impossible to make every shot hit. The only way to increase the hit rate was to rely on the number of shots, creating a net of firepower that made it impossible for the enemy covered by it to avoid, and naturally hitting the target.


    So, as the battle commenced, Uncle Wil kept urging the secondary cannon gunners not to aim precisely but rather to target a general direction. Owing to his demands, the Thunderhawk''s secondary cannons hardly ever stopped firing.


    The firepower net formed by the twenty secondary cannons was indeed mighty, and during the continuous barrage, two of Baron Wolin''s reconnaissance ships had already been hit.


    But don''t underestimate this achievement. Currently, both sides were at least a hundred meters apart, and at such a distance, the hit rate of the magic cannons was very low. Thus, for a single warship to have sunk two enemy ships was quite impressive.


    Although Rocky''s fleet was powerful, Baron Wolin''s fleet was also formidable. The opposing side, too, had a firepower-packed flagship and had a slight numerical advantage in terms of reconnaissance ships. Therefore, when the fleet launched a counterattack, its lethality was immediately evident.


    "Order all warships to charge and sink the flagship of Thunderhawk City!"


    With Baron Wolin absent, command of the fleet had fallen to his second-in-command, a man also over forty years old with many years of experience in battle following Baron Wolin. After stabilizing their positions, he made the most decisive and accurate judgment, which was to take down the Thunderhawk.


    Now, the situation on the battlefield seemed somewhat disadvantageous for Baron Wolin''s side as his fleet was surrounded. Facing the encirclement from two fleets on either side, even with a numerical advantage, Baron Wolin''s fleet inevitably had its firepower dispersed.


    But this apparent disadvantage was also relative. Although Rocky had split his fleet into two to encircle the enemy, this action also meant weakening his own forces, making it challenging for the divided fleets to face Baron Wolin''s fleet head-on!


    Baron Wolin''s second-in-command, having keenly perceived this, immediately ordered the entire fleet to launch an assault. They not only aimed to break through the encirclement but also to use their numerical advantage to devour the flagship, the Thunderhawk, in one fell swoop!


    PS: Continuing to burst out today, still five updates!

 Chapter 152 Division

    As the command was given, Baron Wolin''s fleet started to advance, heading straight for the Thunderhawk!"Damn it, catch up with them, fast! Catch up with them!"


    The massive fleet advanced in unison, a movement that was immediately detected. On the escort ship, Felly, responsible for commanding the main force, was quick to realize that their target was the Thunderhawk.


    Naturally, he couldn''t allow the enemy to have their way. The Thunderhawk, as the flagship of the entire fleet, could not afford any mishaps, not only because of its formidable combat strength but also because the status of a flagship did not tolerate any errors.


    Once the flagship was destroyed in battle, their own morale would undoubtedly suffer great damage, more severe than the loss of several warships.


    Therefore, under his command, the main force, led by the escort ships, immediately adjusted their formation. They no longer maneuvered around Baron Wolin''s fleet but instead pierced directly into the enemy''s formation at high speed, like a steel spike!


    At first glance, Felly''s approach seemed somewhat reckless, as it effectively provoked a close-range combat, plunging the battle into its most brutal phase right away.


    But battlefield situations have never been a certainty, so analyzing this decision in the context of the battlefield dynamics showed that Felly''s choice might not be mistaken.


    On one hand, after previous remote encirclements and several rounds of bombardment, Baron Wolin''s fleet had suffered significant losses; at least seven to eight reconnaissance ships were lost. In the process, Rocky''s fleet also suffered not insignificantly¡ªof the seven old-fashioned reconnaissance ships near the Thunderhawk, three were shot down and the remaining four were heavily damaged.


    Meanwhile, the main force led by Felly was in relatively better shape, although two reconnaissance vessels were shot down and Felly''s own escort ship was struck by several rounds.


    Overall, at this stage of the battle, the numerical advantage of the enemy was no longer as apparent.


    On the other hand, Felly did not actually intend to engage in a fierce battle with the enemy; he planned to use the speed advantage of the Airship Model 6 to disrupt the enemy''s formation, aiming to divide Baron Wolin''s fleet. If he could achieve this, the opponent''s intention to eliminate the Thunderhawk in one fell swoop would be impossible.


    The Thunderhawk was truly a behemoth; unless it was a flagship against a flagship, a handful of reconnaissance ships could not possibly take it down.


    Being able to come up with such a tactic on the battlefield to defuse the crisis, Felly truly was talented. Thus, led by the escort ship, the fleet primarily comprised of Airship Model 6 reconnaissance ships rapidly closed in on the enemy.


    In this process, the speed advantage of Airship Model 6 was fully utilized, rapidly closing a distance of hundreds of meters, and soon both sides entered into a tangled engagement.


    "Fire the cannons!"


    As Felly roared, the gunners on deck immediately directed their firepower towards the enemy. Having barged into Baron Wolin''s fleet, the nearest enemy ship was just a few meters away, allowing the powerful firepower of the escort ship to be truly demonstrated in that moment!


    Two main cannons and thirteen secondary cannons fired simultaneously, and the fierce firepower network instantly enveloped a reconnaissance ship, reducing it to pieces almost instantly, with no chance for it to retaliate before it exploded.


    "Advance quickly! Advance quickly..."


    While continuing to fire, Felly also didn''t forget to command the warship to advance rapidly. His goal was to tear through the enemy''s formation, not to be entangled with them, so while delivering a fierce bombardment, the fleet had to keep moving forward, or else they would be in trouble.


    But he had just shouted once when the deck suddenly shook violently, causing him to fall flat on his face.


    They were hit!


    The escort ship, having pushed into the enemy''s formation and unleashed its own firepower, had also become the main target of the enemy. Thus, while the flashes of the magic cannons lit up, the escort ship''s defensive net sparkled sporadically, indicating that it was under concentrated enemy fire.


    The Scavenger Type 1''s defensive net could withstand magic energy power of less than 500 from cannon attacks, and the enemy''s reconnaissance ships were all Cheetah Type 2, whose magic cannon''s power was only 450, just under 500. Thus, theoretically, unless the Scavenger Type 1''s magic energy was depleted, it was not supposed to get damaged.


    But please don''t forget, within Baron Wolin''s fleet, there is also a flagship!


    When Felly led the fleet straight into the enemy''s formation, the enemy''s flagship, Baron Number, also began to show its power!


    As a flagship, Baron Number was not inferior to Thunderhawk in any aspect. In fact, if rune enhancement was not considered, its firepower would be even stronger, with fifteen secondary cannons but a considerable five main cannons!


    So when Felly led the fleet directly into the enemy lines, planning to divide the enemy, Baron Number targeted all its cannons at the escort ship he was on, and after a round of volleys, Scavenger Type 1 was directly hit by a main cannon!


    The mightily powerful main cannon pierced through the defensive net and then heavily struck the hull of the ship, easily blasting a hole in the body of the escort ship!


    At the same time, reconnaissance ships from both sides also started to fire fiercely at each other, and in the brief moment they brushed past each other, ten warships were shot down from both sides!


    This is aerial combat, heart-shaking and incredibly brutal!


    The intertwined close-combat resulted in heavy losses for both fleets, but what came quickly also left quickly. Given that Felly''s troops had the advantage in speed, as soon as he broke through the enemy''s rear, he swiftly penetrated it. Although the losses were substantial, they ultimately achieved their tactical goal, successfully splitting Baron Wolin''s fleet in two!


    To accomplish this objective, the losses sustained by his main force could be described as enormous. When he led his fleet to traverse the enemy''s entire formation and burst out again, the reconnaissance ships that followed him had reduced from the original thirteen to eight!


    This means that in this incursion, he lost five reconnaissance ships! There was no helping it because Airship Model 6''s advantage was only in speed. Although its firepower had been fortified with runes by Orton, its defensive capabilities were still too weak, making it highly vulnerable in close-quarters combat.


    Meanwhile, Felly''s escort ship was also severely damaged; it had been hit by two main cannons from Baron Number, blowing a big hole in the body of the ship and another on the deck, even destroying three secondary cannons.


    In comparison, Baron Wolin''s fleet suffered less. They only lost three reconnaissance ships, and the flagship itself was undamaged.


    In this round of engagement, it was clear that Baron Wolin''s side had an absolute advantage.


    However, despite the heavy losses, Felly''s tactics were successful. He managed to split Baron Wolin''s fleet into two parts and held up ten reconnaissance ships, significantly reducing the enemies advancing towards Thunderhawk.


    "Damn it! Keep pushing forward! As long as we can destroy their flagship, we win!" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The middle-aged man in charge of command shouted this from Baron Number.


    At that moment, only seven reconnaissance ships remained around Baron Number. The rest were held back by Felly, forcing the middle-aged commander to make a desperate move, continuing to target Thunderhawk.


    This strategy was correct. After such a prolonged battle, both sides had suffered severe losses. At this point, it was a matter of whose large warships could endure to the end. Although Rocky''s fleet had two large warships, they were scattered, meaning that if Baron Wolin''s fleet could take down Thunderhawk, then Rocky''s main power would be reduced to one escort ship.


    One ordinary escort ship against a flagship clearly gave Baron Wolin''s side a greater chance of victory.


    So even though their forces were split, the enemy commander still decided to eliminate Thunderhawk first, knowing that once Thunderhawk was sunk, they could turn around and wipe out the remaining escort ship along with the other reconnaissance ships, and then they would win the battle!


    PS: Second update! The third update is coming soon!

 Chapter 153 Fire Dance Butterfly

    When Felly took a huge risk and split the enemy''s fleet in two, the enemy made the most correct and decisive decision: to continue their charge towards the Thunderhawk, striving to sink it in the shortest possible time!This decision was indeed correct. Although the entire fleet was divided, there were still five reconnaissance ships escorting the Baron Number around it. In contrast, there were hardly any ships left around the Thunderhawk, and the few reconnaissance ships that were there were all outdated first-generation models, practically useless in such intense combat.


    At the same time, in terms of individual combat capabilities, although both the Baron Number and the Thunderhawk were flagships, the Baron Number had somewhat more powerful firepower. Each of its five main cannons outmatched those of the Thunderhawk, so continuing to execute the previous strategic objective to sink the Thunderhawk was undoubtedly the right choice.


    Therefore, afterwards, the troops led by the Baron Number didn''t bother with Felly and chose to continue moving forward. At the same time, the Thunderhawk also made the same movement; the massive warship gradually adjusted its direction in the air, clearly prepared to meet the enemy head-on.


    Flagship VS Flagship!


    The collision that could decide the outcome of this aerial battle erupted!


    However, just a moment before the two flagships were about to exchange fire, something unexpected happened.


    A reconnaissance ship to the left side of the Baron Number suddenly malfunctioned at this time, an incident that occurred without any warning, resulting in the reconnaissance ship exploding directly in the air in the blink of an eye!


    "What happened!"


    The sudden explosion caught the commander on the Baron Number by surprise. The battlefield had been split in two: one where Felly and his main forces were battling against more than ten reconnaissance ships, and the other where it was flagship against flagship.


    Yet the two sides were still more than two hundred meters apart, not yet within the optimal range for inflicting maximum damage, and neither had opened fire.


    Under these circumstances, how could the reconnaissance ship by the Baron Number''s flank have exploded? Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Was there a malfunction?


    Following the direction of the explosion, the commander and the crew members immediately looked over, and then they saw a red figure flying out from the flames!


    Liliya!


    Leaping out from the blaze of the explosion, wearing the Fire Butterfly Armor, Liliya arced beautifully through the air, heading straight for another reconnaissance ship without stopping.


    "It''s a Void Magic Warrior!"


    As Liliya''s figure dashed towards another reconnaissance ship, the people on the Baron Number also spotted her. Many crew members let out screams like those of women, and even the commander on the deck had an extremely ugly look on his face.


    Void Magic Warriors, an existence both loved and hated by any commander. They were cherished because having a Void Magic Warrior on one''s side meant a commander could feel as though they held a trump card, for the incredible strength of a Void Magic Warrior could determine the outcome of a battle, or even a war.


    But if a Void Magic Warrior was on the enemy''s side, they became a detested nuisance, these warriors being so powerful that no one except themselves could match them.


    So when the commander of the Baron Number saw Liliya, his heart sank, and a foreboding feeling enveloped him.


    In fact, this ominous premonition would be realized very quickly, because just moments later, another reconnaissance ship was hit!


    Although Liliya''s strength was not yet enough to confront Baron Wolin, and she alone could not determine the outcome of the aerial battle, she could still play a disruptive role.


    With the advantage of the Void Magic Armor, she was as free as a bird in the sky. Apart from the flagship Baron Number, all other Reconnaissance Ships were her potential targets, and Liliya certainly wouldn''t pass up such an advantage.


    As she approached the third Skyship clad in the Fire Butterfly Armor, the armor suddenly accelerated. It felt as though she had transformed herself into a Magic Bullet, and moments later, she smashed through the Reconnaissance Ship''s Defensive Net, crashing into the vulnerable hull!


    The violent collision caused the entire Reconnaissance Ship to rock fiercely, and Liliya, like a cannonball, smashed a huge hole in the hull. Then, barging into the cabin, she used the Mana Launcher on her left hand to fire several Magic Bullets, sabotaging the ship from the inside!


    Time passed quickly, and the cabin of the Reconnaissance Ship was destroyed. Not only that, but the Medium Magic Stone that powered the ship was also shattered. After doing all this, Liliya leaped up, bursting through the deck and flying back into the midair.


    As she flew up, the severely damaged Reconnaissance Ship, with its Magic Stone destroyed, began to fall, crashing toward the ground in just a few blinks of an eye!


    Thus, Liliya destroyed another Reconnaissance Ship, and from the moment she rammed into the cabin like a bullet to when she broke through the deck and returned to the sky, it only took a few minutes!


    "Fire! Fire! Shoot her down for me!"


    Watching another Reconnaissance Ship being sunk, the Commander aboard Baron Number immediately issued orders to fire at will. Baron Number''s dozen secondary cannons, along with the remaining few Reconnaissance Ships'' Magic Cannons, all began to target Liliya and opened fire!


    Yet facing the bombardment of the Magic Cannons, Liliya danced in the sky like a butterfly. With a dive, she flew beneath Baron Number, effortlessly dodging all the attacks.


    This was, in fact, an inevitable outcome. The agility of the Void Magic Armor meant that it could easily outmaneuver the Magic Cannons. In truth, even if Liliya were to hover in midair, not moving at all, the Magic Cannons would still struggle to hit her because the target was too small; trying to hit a person in the sky with a Magic Cannon was no different than trying to shoot a bird from the sky.


    "Damn it!"


    As he watched helplessly Liliya escape beneath Baron Number, the Commander on deck cursed vehemently, knowing all too well this would be the outcome. The order to open fire was given in the faint hope for a miracle.


    But miracles don''t occur easily. Not only did it not happen, it reaffirmed a timeless truth: only Void Magic Armor can combat another Void Magic Armor!


    "Where is Baron Wolin... Why hasn''t he returned yet..."


    Feeling helpless against Liliya, the Commander on Baron Number thought of Baron Wolin, for he too was a Void Magic Warrior. If only Wolin could return, Liliya would no longer be so brazen. But considering the time, the battle had been ongoing for quite a while, so why hadn''t Baron Wolin returned yet?


    Indeed, why hadn''t Baron Wolin returned?


    Because he couldn''t return!


    At that moment, Baron Wolin was entangled by Rocky!


    This statement seemed utterly unbelievable. With his strength, combined with the advantage of his Armor, he should have been able to defeat Rocky after just a few exchanges. How could he possibly be tied down by him?


    But he was indeed entangled, and he was so ensnared that he couldn''t extricate himself at all!


    PS: The third update! The next two updates will come a bit later!

 Chapter 154 Thunderhawk VS Baron!

    Baron Wolin had not anticipated that his battle with Rocky would ultimately take this turn.In his expectations, he should have dispatched Rocky in no time at all, then returned to command the fleet and secure victory in the decisive battle for Thunderhawk City''s control!


    Unfortunately, though this thought was beautiful, reality veered sharply in the opposite direction.


    The fleet he relied on gained no advantage in the battle, leaving the aerial combat unresolved to this day, and he hadn''t dispatched Rocky as quickly as he''d planned¡ªinstead, Rocky''s persistent engagement was keeping him from returning to command the fleet.


    Such a turn of events was far beyond Baron Wolin''s expectations.


    "Damn it!"


    Liliya, relying on the advantage of her Armor, persistently consumed one Reconnaissance Ship after another, a movement that naturally did not escape Baron Wolin''s notice. As a Void Magic Warrior himself, he knew better than anyone the sheer destructive power an unrestrained Void Magic Warrior could wield in aerial combat, and he knew she must be controlled.


    This situation made him anxious to return to the flagship Baron Number, and as long as he could get back, Liliya would surely not dare continue her rampage.


    But how could Rocky possibly let him have his way? Baron Wolin had failed to return to his command previously, and this time it was even less likely that Rocky would let him go!


    So when Baron Wolin attempted to disengage, Rocky charged at full speed directly towards him!


    "Get out of my way!"


    Facing the sword strike from behind by Rocky, an infuriated sweep from Baron Wolin sent him flying, but the flung Rocky took advantage of the momentum to fire a series of Magic Bullets in retreat.


    The Magic Bullets he fired couldn''t injure Baron Wolin in terms of power, but they effectively prevented him from breaking away, because even Baron Wolin couldn''t ignore the relentless assault from Rocky at his back.


    Indeed, from the start of the battle, Rocky had consistently used this method to tie down Baron Wolin.


    Rocky wasn''t Liliya; since the first time he donned the Void Magic Armor half a year ago, he had always relied on the Armor in combat and had thus become extremely skilled in its use. Perhaps his techniques and experience still couldn''t compare to Baron Wolin''s, but managing to entangle the Baron was certainly within his capabilities.


    Especially after the mission in Backhill Village, the essence of restraint had become second nature to Rocky, as he had managed to hold back not just one Demon but dozens at a time, all on his own, earning him substantial experience in this aspect.


    Although Baron Wolin was strong, compared to the Demons in terms of ferocity and madness, he fell somewhat short, making restraining him not that difficult for Rocky.


    Of course, ''not that difficult'' is a relative term, and in truth, Rocky was constantly in grave danger while entangled with Baron Wolin, a fact revealed by the long sword scar on his chest.


    On Rocky''s breastplate, there was a huge sword scar, stretching from the left shoulder to the right waist, nearly cleaving the Blood Pattern Mark II''s chestplate in two!


    This fierce and terrifying sword scar was the handiwork of Baron Wolin!


    "Son of a bitch! This damned guy!"


    Seeing Rocky clinging to him as stubbornly as ever, like a cockroach that just won''t die, Baron Wolin couldn''t help but curse out loud and was forced once again into combat with him. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the result of this dogfight was no different from before. Rocky could be described as hit-and-run, provoking Baron Wolin before immediately beginning to flee, and his escape techniques were quite skilled. Darting and dodging in the air like an eel, he made it utterly impossible for Baron Wolin to catch him.


    Just like now, Baron Wolin, relying on the speed advantage of his armor, had finally caught up to him. Just as he was about to land a sword strike, Rocky suddenly changed direction, switching from moving forward to descending, sinking several meters in the air in an instant. Then, after a few harassing shots from his Magic Bullets, he immediately turned tail and fled.


    This was the combat style of the Void Magic Armor. Unlike traditional fighting methods, combat in the Void Magic Armor was not flat but three-dimensional, especially in the air, where there is space in every direction.


    And faced with Rocky''s escape, Baron Wolin naturally wouldn''t let him have his way. He quickly changed direction in an even more adept and skilled manner, chasing after him once again.


    Your adventure continues at empire


    In this way, both sides engaged in a deadly chase in the sky, and before long, time had passed...


    When Baron Wolin found himself unwittingly held up by Rocky, the most intense clash of the aerial battle finally began¡ªthe flagship of each party, Thunderhawk and Baron Number, finally encountered each other!


    These two massive flagships were the strongest firepower in their respective fleets, both spanning over one hundred fifty meters in length. Amidst the many reconnaissance ships, they were behemoths, and now, the two steel giants finally met face to face!


    At this very moment, Baron Number finally charged towards Thunderhawk, which had been lying in wait, ready for its opponent''s approach.


    After previous bouts of warfare, both flagships were left without extra reconnaissance ships for escorts. Most of the older models around Thunderhawk had been sunk, and the few remaining wisely kept their distance. As for the reconnaissance ships that had been with Baron Number, they had all been picked off by Liliya one after another.


    So, when the two flagships came face to face, each stood alone, free of any interference. This effectively allowed the two beasts to duke it out, to determine who would be the king of this aerial battle with one decisive fight!


    Two hundred meters...


    One hundred fifty meters...


    One hundred meters...!!


    When the distance between them closed in to less than a hundred meters, the two behemoths began to roar simultaneously!


    The Thunderhawk''s four main cannons and twenty secondary cannons fired at once, and Baron Number''s Magic Cannons were not a beat behind, bursting into flames simultaneously!


    For a moment, the sound of artillery formed a continuous barrage, especially the deafening boom of the main cannons, which was exceptionally piercing. The simultaneous fire from the main cannons of both flagships caused ear-ringing in the crews on their respective decks.


    However, because it was prepared, Thunderhawk gained some advantage in this round of cannonade since it had adjusted the warship''s position in advance, presenting its side towards Baron Number. This allowed all gun ports on the ship to aim and attack.


    Conversely, Baron Number, coming in with a charge, faced Thunderhawk with its bow, resulting in half of its Magic Cannons being unable to take aim. Even among the five main cannons, only the two located at the bow could fire.


    But similarly, because Baron Number was facing the barrage with its bow, the target area was smaller. Whereas Thunderhawk, presenting its broadside to Baron Number, had a larger target area and, in the first exchange, was actually hit first, struck by Baron Number''s main cannon!


    PS: Delivering the fourth update! The fifth one is up next!

 Chapter 155 Won?

    After the first round of cannon fire passed between the two flagships, the Baron Number was the first to hit the Thunderhawk!As ships of the same generation and tier, they generally shared similar configurations. However, there were some differences in detail, such as the fact that the firepower of the Baron Number was somewhat stronger than that of the Thunderhawk, especially its main cannon, which not only had one more gun, but also had greater power, reaching a formidable 1500 points!


    Being directly hit by such a powerful main cannon, even as a flagship, the Thunderhawk''s hull experienced violent shaking. With a power of 1500, the Magic Cannon, after piercing through the Defensive Net, still retained considerable force and struck directly at the hull!


    Fortunately, the Thunderhawk''s hallmark was its strong overall capabilities; although its main cannons'' quantity and original power were much lower than those of the Baron Number, its defensive power was much stronger. The Thunderhawk itself had a Defensive Net of 1000 points, and its thick hull armor allowed it to withstand Magic Cannon attacks of power 500 or less.


    The relationship between the Magic Cannons and the Defensive Net was one of mutual cancellation, meaning that a Magic Cannon with a power of 1500, after hitting a Defensive Net of 1000 strength, would have its power reduced by 1000 points; by the time it hit the hull, the power of the Magic Cannon would be only 500 points.


    As a result, even though the Thunderhawk was directly hit by the main cannon, it wasn''t critically damaged, thanks to its sufficiently thick armor, and the hull ultimately just sustained a large dent.


    Your next journey awaits at empire


    But don''t forget, this was only the first round of cannon fire!


    Following the long-distance cannon fire, the distance between the two ships continued to close rapidly, almost in the blink of an eye, drawing within one hundred meters, and that''s when the real brutal battle officially kicked off!


    Once they came within a hundred meters, the hit rate of their Magic Cannons soared dramatically¡ªthe closer the range, the higher the hit rate.


    "Turn the bow! Fire all Magic Cannons!"


    As the distance gradually closed, the Commander of the Baron Number issued the command, gradually turning the ship to align its sides, aiming all cannons at the Thunderhawk and ordering all Magic Cannons to fire simultaneously!


    At this moment, the Commander of the Baron Number was full of confidence, well aware of the kind of flagship the opponent had. Scavenger Type 1 Escort''s flagship had decent overall capabilities, but without any significant weaknesses, it also meant no particular strengths, whereas the Baron Number, on the other hand, had a major advantage¡ªit was significantly powerful in firepower!


    Five main cannons with a power of 1500 points each, fifteen secondary cannons with 1000 points each¡ªthe Baron Number might not have particularly many Magic Cannons in total, but the power of both its main and secondary cannons were incredibly strong, giving it a huge advantage in close-range bombardments.


    So, in the Baron Number Commander''s view, once they engaged the Thunderhawk in close combat, there was no doubt¡ªthey had already won this confrontation.


    "Lads! Victory hinges on this!"


    "Everyone, fire at will!"


    Similarly, the crew on the Thunderhawk couldn''t possibly beat a retreat at this time. Uncle Wil, in charge of the deck, not only shouted loudly to boost morale but also joined the battle himself, personally taking a seat in front of a Magic Cannon as a gunner.


    Shortly after, every Magic Cannon on both the Baron Number and Thunderhawk fired simultaneously!


    The cannon muzzles, erupting with flames, roared together at this instant¡ªthe spectacle of over forty Magic Cannons from the two flagships firing together at such close distance, how astonishing was that?


    The roar of over forty Magic Cannons was truly like thunder, not only causing a buzzing in the ears of all the crew members on both warships but even affecting the land below.


    The Demons on land were startled by this barrage and suddenly raised their heads to look toward the sky; in the air, Rocky and Baron Wolin, locked in a stalemate, tacitly pulled away from each other and looked in the same direction; even Felly and others still fiercely fighting their enemies directed their gazes toward the source of the cannon smoke at this moment.


    In the cannon fire that touched everyone, Mana Cannonballs formed from magic energy struck the opponents'' flagships instantly, and the Defensive Nets of both flagships suddenly lit up, then dimmed just as quickly.


    Helpless, the firepower output by the flagships at that instant was simply too overwhelming. Moreover, with both ships exceeding 150 meters in length and spaced less than a hundred meters apart, they were basically no different from targets, and thus their Magic Cannons nearly all hit their mark¡ªthe secondary cannons all hit, the main cannons all hit!


    In such circumstances, neither the defensive net of Baron Number nor that of Thunderhawk could withstand such intense concentrated attacks, and both exceeded their defensive load in a flash, going completely dark.


    Of course, the darkening of the defensive nets was only temporary. They could be reopened after recharging, but during this recharging period, both flagships were like naked girls, devoid of any external defensive power.


    So, when the defensive nets went down, the cannonballs, either partially neutralized or completely unaffected by any neutralizing force, fell onto the hulls of the ships!


    It must be said that the firepower of Baron Number was truly formidable, with just the secondary cannons reaching a power of 1,000 points. Thus, when the defensive net of Thunderhawk disappeared, several secondary cannons hit the hull cleanly, immediately sending fragments of heavy armor flying everywhere. Two of the shots landed close together, nearly punching a huge hole in Thunderhawk!


    This outcome was due to the fact that Thunderhawk was equipped with heavy armor. Had it not been for the armor on the hull, just the secondary cannons of Baron Number alone could have inflicted severe damage.


    Unfortunately, Baron Number''s fame didn''t rely on its secondary cannons but its main cannon! In the recent exchange of fire, all five of Baron Number''s main cannons fired at once, and all hit their target!


    Why was Thunderhawk''s defensive net shattered? It was because it was hit by four main cannon shots at the same time, each delivering a devastating 1,500 points of power. Thunderhawk''s defensive net couldn''t last even a second before breaking.


    However, after passing through the defensive net, the power of the four main cannon shots significantly decreased, and the impact on Thunderhawk was even less than that of the secondary cannons.


    But, as five main cannons fired simultaneously, while four of the shots were neutralized by the defensive net, one shot from the main cannon faced no interference and struck Thunderhawk with 100% of its power!


    This was a testament to the seasoned skills of Baron Number''s commander; he had deliberately ordered the gunner of one main cannon to fire a second later. That second allowed the four cannons that fired earlier to shatter the defensive net first, clearing the way for the last main cannon''s shot to hit unimpeded!


    What is a main cannon?


    It is the most formidable weapon, capable of destroying an enemy ship with a single shot, or at least severely damaging it!


    Thunderhawk, directly hit by the main cannon, immediately suffered severe damage. A large hole was blown right through the hull; the Magic Energy Cannonball, with a power of 1,500, penetrated from the left side of the ship and flew out the right, chillingly piercing Thunderhawk through and through!


    "We won!"


    Baron Wolin, who was not entangled with Rocky at the moment, exclaimed excitedly upon seeing this scene because he knew he had won!


    Although Thunderhawk, struck by the cannon, hadn''t sunk yet, it had already been severely damaged and couldn''t possibly withstand a second round of bombardment from Baron Number. This meant that when Baron Number launched its second volley of fire, the end of Thunderhawk was imminent! S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We won!"


    But just as he was bubbling with excitement, Rocky also let out a similarly excited shout!


    This shout puzzled Baron Wolin. His flagship was about to be sunk, what was he shouting for, to celebrate his own defeat?


    However, as Baron Wolin thought about this and glanced unintentionally at his own Baron Number, he was completely stunned...


    "How, how could this be!"


    Looking at his own Baron Number, Baron Wolin was utterly baffled...!


    PS: Here''s the fifth update! Ten updates in two days, Little Detective has really tried his best, I hope everyone will enjoy it!

 Chapter 156 Victory and Defeat

    Baron Wolin, who thought he had won, glanced at Baron Number inadvertently and then his eyes widened in shock.Because in his view, Baron Number was already tilting slowly in the air, seemingly about to be sunk!


    "What, what''s going on!"


    Seeing this scene, Baron Wolin was completely confounded on the spot. He couldn''t believe this was real, for anyone could see that Baron Number was about to be sunk!


    How could this be possible! Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he watched his flagship teetering on the brink of falling, Baron Wolin even rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was seeing things wrong due to eye problems caused by the prolonged battle?


    Baron Number and Thunderhawk were flagships of the same generation and class, so it was understandable that both would suffer losses after a round of artillery fire, but why was his own flagship about to be sunk?


    The two flagships were nearly identical in all aspects, so why could Thunderhawk sink the Baron Number with just one round of fire? Even if it were possible, it should be Baron Number, with its more powerful firepower and mightier main cannons, that would sink the Thunderhawk. How could it be the other way around?


    No wonder Baron Wolin had such thoughts, for it was indeed rare to see the outcome of a battle between flagships decided in a single round of firing. Under similar generation and class, it didn''t make sense to have such a one-sided result.


    But what Baron Wolin didn''t know was that this outcome was the one that made sense, sadly, it was a sense he did not understand.


    Indeed, Baron Number''s firepower was stronger than Thunderhawk''s, but that was in comparison to the original Thunderhawk without any enhancements. The present Thunderhawk had been enhanced by Orton with mana runes.


    Perhaps due to time and technical constraints, its defensive power hadn''t been reinforced in time, but the firepower of Thunderhawk had indeed been enhanced by runes, resulting in a significant increase!


    After rune enhancement, Thunderhawk''s firepower experienced an unprecedented boost, with the main cannon''s power increasing from the original 1300 to 1700 points! The twenty secondary cannons also saw a substantial increase from 700 to 1000 points in power!


    Continue your adventure at empire


    As a result, even though Thunderhawk had one less main cannon than Baron Number, its power was a full level higher. In addition, the rune-enhanced secondary cannons not only matched the power of Baron Number''s but exceeded it with five more cannons. This gave Thunderhawk an edge in the firepower contest, resulting in this unbelievable defeat.


    After both fired at each other, Baron Number also suffered a full blow as all of Thunderhawk''s magic energy cannon shells hit their target, including the four main cannons and twenty secondary ones.


    At this moment, the weakness of Baron Number was exposed: its defense was too weak!


    Baron Number''s defensive net had only 900 points, and the warship''s armor itself was not thick enough to block magic cannon attacks of more than 300 points in power. That level of defense might have been sufficient against the original Thunderhawk whose firepower was not particularly strong, but against the rune-enhanced Thunderhawk, it was far too fragile.


    Thus, after a round of firing, Baron Number''s defensive net was instantly destroyed, and even after the defensive net absorbed some of the impact, the shells from Thunderhawk''s four main cannons still had an equivalent power of 800, given that Baron Number''s defensive net had only 900 points.


    Shells with 800 power directly hitting the unprotected hull, which had only a thin layer of armor, had predictable consequences. Moreover, once the defensive net was breached, the advantage of Thunderhawk''s greater number of secondary cannons was also evident; despite some of the shells hitting the defensive net, a multitude managed to strike Baron Number''s hull after the net was broken.


    With the rune enhancement, Thunderhawk''s secondary cannon power was also a full 1000 points, and with sufficient numbers hitting the target, Baron Number withstood the main cannons but fell before the barrage of secondary cannons.


    Facing the 1000-power secondary cannons, just one round of firing resulted in six or seven gaping holes in the hull of Baron Number. Although it wasn''t blown through by a single shot, the actual damage inflicted was enormous!


    The Baron Number, severely damaged, listed sharply. Holes punched into its body began smoking, and even its speed slowed down, until it almost completely stopped, suspended in midair, motionless.


    In contrast, Thunderhawk, although also hit by a primary cannon, had only taken a single hit. While severely damaged was a certainty, it at least retained enough combat strength and maintained a certain speed.


    With that, the outcome became quite clear. The Baron Number, due to its listing, caused more than half of its magic cannons to be unable to aim properly, and with the main cannons recharging, its firepower dropped several notches instantaneously.


    Meanwhile, Thunderhawk capitalized on its own maneuverability to circle behind the Baron Number. With the enemy''s firepower already reduced, it successfully evaded part of the magic cannon''s aim, while its own magic cannons began a relentless bombardment.


    The bombardment this time wasn''t as loud and thunderous as before, because this assault was entirely one-sided, coming from Thunderhawk alone.


    Yet this bombardment was even more exhilarating!


    As the continuous barrage struck the Baron Number, it shattered into pieces, devoid of any power to fight back.


    But a flagship is a flagship after all, even motionlessly taking hits, Baron Number withstood the secondary cannons'' two rounds of attack, enduring until Thunderhawk''s four main cannons recharged. Finally, it was blasted in two amid the roaring cannons and plummeted down from the sky...


    Baron vs. Thunderhawk: Victory for Thunderhawk!


    "Brothers! The enemy''s flagship has been sunk, victory is within our grasp!"


    As the flagship Baron Number fell, the tipping point in this air battle finally emerged. The morale of all remaining airships on Rocky''s side surged; the crew on every warship seemed as if they were injected with new life.


    By stark contrast, Baron Wolin''s fleet descended into utter chaos. The few remaining reconnaissance ships began buzzing around aimlessly like headless flies, with one even rushing in front of an escort ship''s cannon and being directly blasted out of the sky.


    In such a state, the battle might still be ongoing, but the outcome of this air fight had already been decided. Rocky still had six or seven Airship Model 6 reconnaissance ships, and more importantly, both large warships were intact with considerable combat strength.


    Baron Wolin, however, had his flagship destroyed and only the same number of reconnaissance ships left, signaling that the tide had turned.


    "How could... this... happen..."


    Watching his flagship being destroyed, Baron Wolin was stunned, staring blankly into space for a long time.


    "Damn it!"


    It wasn''t long before he snapped out of his shock, and without caring whether Rocky was still engaging him, he drew an arc in the sky and rushed toward the few remaining reconnaissance ships.


    As for the fleeing Baron Wolin, Rocky chose not to pursue. Because he no longer needed to¡ªno, it wasn''t that he didn''t need to, but he would certainly not let Wolin escape.


    It was just that right now, he didn''t need to rely on his own strength to confront Wolin. What Rocky needed to do was to return to his flagship and use the remaining fleet to thoroughly ensnare Baron Wolin!

 Chapter 157 Pursuit!

    The sinking of his flagship threw Baron Wolin into complete disarray, and without further regard for whether Rocky continued to entangle him, he immediately returned to his fleet.However, at this time, Rocky did not relentlessly pursue; although he was not one to easily let Baron Wolin escape, he also understood that if he continued to tangle with the enemy, they would truly be forced into a desperate fight. Hence, he too chose to return to his fleet.


    The situation could now be said to be highly advantageous to Rocky; the destruction of "Baron Number" meant the enemy had lost their linchpin, and the remaining seven or eight reconnaissance ships could hardly cause any stir. On Rocky''s side, the number of reconnaissance ships had also dwindled to seven or eight, but two large warships remained intact and preserved considerable combat capacity.


    This, in fact, represented Rocky''s victory in this space battle!


    With this outcome, it was only natural for him to return to his "Thunderhawk," after which he ordered the "Thunderhawk" and the escort ship with Felly aboard to converge and jointly eliminate Baron Wolin''s remaining warships.


    Under such circumstances, although Baron Wolin had returned to a reconnaissance ship and finally took command, it was too late: his fleet, which had once grandly numbered over thirty ships, was decimated after an intense battle to a mere seven or eight, leaving Baron Wolin powerless, even as he resumed command.


    Therefore, he had no choice but to flee...


    Back aboard the reconnaissance ship, despite his heartache, Baron Wolin made a decisive retreat order, and the remaining reconnaissance ships immediately fled towards Matu City.


    "Damn it!"


    Standing on the deck of the reconnaissance ship, Baron Wolin''s eyes were filled with nothing but unwillingness, because even now, even with his fleet decimated, he still couldn''t understand how he could possibly have lost! Even when the "Thunderhawk" and "Baron Number" began their duel, he had always believed that he would ultimately be the one seated on the City Lord''s throne.


    Who could have imagined it would end up like this, with him having to beat a hasty retreat?


    Such an outcome, Baron Wolin could not accept.


    But whether he accepted it or not, the result couldn''t be changed. He had no chance of a comeback, and in reality, this defeat had been predetermined.


    Because in this battle, Baron Wolin had committed nearly every cardinal sin in warfare!


    Firstly, he was overconfident. From the moment he received the family''s orders, Baron Wolin never considered that Rocky might resist. In his view, Rocky should have simply fled upon seeing him, or rather, he should have fled immediately upon hearing the news. This belief persisted in his mind even as the two fleets faced off against each other.


    Secondly, he was unprepared.


    Due to his overconfidence, Baron Wolin had made no preparations for combat, both mentally and in his actions. Despite bringing his fleet, it was more akin to moving house; he transferred all his belongings to Thunderhawk City, turning the battle with Rocky into a classic case of the unprepared against the prepared.


    Lastly, Baron Wolin made critical errors in his battlefield decisions.


    To be fair, he had countless opportunities to win the battle because in terms of fleet size and quality, he was not inferior to Rocky. Moreover, in personal combat ability and command skills, he was far superior to Rocky, which should have been the basis for his victory.


    But what happened? From beginning to end, he never truly exploited these opportunities. Retreating ten thousand steps, even if he had avoided this space battle and returned to Matu City upon realizing that Rocky was prepared, waiting until he was ready to settle the score with Rocky, he would not have lost as miserably as now.


    But he did not do that.


    So, Baron Wolin lost with no sense of injustice, for his underestimation led to lack of preparedness, and that caused a series of mistakes. These factors compounded, ultimately leading to his defeat. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, it''s useless to talk about this now since Baron Wolin has already lost. All he could do now was to try and save his own life! Because Rocky wasn''t planning to let him go!


    As Baron Wolin commanded the remaining Reconnaissance Ships to retreat to Matu City, the Thunderhawk had already met up with the Escort Ships and then began a ferocious pursuit.


    The principle of not pursuing a defeated foe was no longer applicable. With two large warships at his disposal, Rocky held the absolute advantage. Even if Baron Wolin counterattacked, it would be futile. As a Void Magic Warrior himself, it was impossible for Baron Wolin to resist an entire fleet with his own strength. His Armor wasn''t formidable enough to take down a flagship.


    Moreover, Rocky and Liliya were also forces to be reckoned with.


    With no other choice, Baron Wolin was forced to flee desperately.


    Yet, Rocky didn''t want to let him live to fight another day. Firstly, he didn''t want to release the tiger back to its mountain, and secondly, he believed that only by killing Baron Wolin would the Mairente Family truly feel the pain and understand the consequences of bullying him, making them think twice before targeting him in the future.


    In such circumstances, Baron Wolin''s predicament was indescribably perilous. Throughout the ordeal, cannonballs exploded around his Reconnaissance Ship, leaving him terrified. But he was also somewhat lucky. Although his ship was continuously bombarded with main and secondary cannons from the two warships, it never got hit, allowing him to finally escape back to Matu City safely.


    "Quick! Open the Defensive Net!"


    Upon returning to Matu City, Baron Wolin, without waiting for the Reconnaissance Ship to land, flew ahead to the Skyport, then shouted at the soldiers there.


    "My lord, what, what are you talking about...?"


    The soldiers of Matu City were completely baffled by his words and did not react at all.


    "Enemies! Enemies are coming, open the Defensive Net quickly!"


    Grabbing the soldier''s collar in a grip, Baron Wolin bellowed, and at this point, the soldier finally understood and immediately ran off in haste.


    After a few minutes had passed, the Defensive Net of Matu City was deployed, a faintly visible shield slowly enveloping the entire floating city.


    Meanwhile, the Lord of Matu City, who had heard the news, also met Baron Wolin and was just as perplexed as the soldier had been.


    "City Lord Wolin, what, what''s happened to you?"


    Staring at the disheveled Baron Wolin, the Lord of Matu City gaped, dumbfounded for a moment, before managing to voice a rather inconsequential question.


    It wasn''t that Matu was too slow, but he simply couldn''t fathom Baron Wolin losing!


    But as soon as he asked the question, and before Baron Wolin could answer, one of the guards exclaimed: "City Lord! Enemies!"


    "What!"


    Hearing this, Matu abruptly looked up to find Rocky already positioning his fleet outside Matu City''s Defensive Net!

 Chapter 158 Venting Anger?

    Seeing Rocky''s fleet appear outside the Defensive Net, Matu was immediately bewildered, and after being confused for a moment, he grabbed Baron Wolin!"Wolin, what''s going on! Whose fleet are these!"


    "These... are... Rocky''s fleet..."


    Baron Wolin, who was grabbed by Matu, had lost the arrogance he had a few days ago and dejectedly gave the answer. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this answer, Matu''s eyes widened, and his surprised expression distorted his entire face!


    "Rocky''s fleet? The very Rocky that you were supposed to drive away?"


    While speaking, Matu looked outside the Defensive Net, towards the fleet stationed there.


    Even without Baron Wolin''s explanation, Matu could guess what was happening, but precisely because he guessed it, he found it even more unbelievable.


    He recalled Baron Wolin telling him that the City Lord of Thunderhawk City was nothing but a coward, not to speak of resisting, he would wet himself and scamper away at the sight of him, so how had it ended up with Baron Wolin coming back in such a disgraceful state?


    What was more important, what did Rocky intend to do by stopping his fleet outside his Sky City? Could it be... could it be that he intended to attack the city?


    Hearing the possibilities in his mind, Matu then heard the thundering sounds of cannon fire, and soon saw the fleet outside vigorously attacking the Defensive Net!


    Rocky was truly beginning the siege!


    "Order all warships, fire at will!"


    Accompanied by Liliya, Rocky stood on the bow of the Thunderhawk, coldly watching Matu City and the Defensive Net that stood between him and Matu City, and issued the command to commence firing!


    To siege!


    This command marked the start of a siege, but Rocky himself didn''t realize it because he never thought about whether he could take down Matu City. He simply didn''t want Baron Wolin to have an easy time, nor anyone else who helped bully him, just that simple!


    Following his command, the Thunderhawk, the Escort Ships, and the remaining few Airship Model 6 Reconnaissance Ships all aimed their cannons at Matu City!


    The deafening sound of cannons fired a second later, and numerous cannonballs soon landed on the expanded Defensive Net of Matu City, causing specks of light to continuously burst forth, almost like an umbrella under the barrage of raindrops.


    But the Defensive Net of Sky City was indeed strong, and even though each cannon shot from the warships hit accurately, it still did not shatter after several rounds of bombardment.


    But this was only temporary, as any Defensive Net has a limit, whether it''s enduring over the limit or overloading beyond its capacity, in any case, given enough time, any Defensive Net would be blown open.


    As the ruler, Matu of course knew this, so when Rocky began his offensive, he truly became nervous.


    Although Matu City had a population of three thousand, there were only fifteen warships, all third-generation Reconnaissance Ships, and not even a single large warship existed among them. These warships if sent out would be totally annihilated by the flagship and Escort Ships, unable to drive away Rocky, thus Matu could only vent his rage on Baron Wolin.


    "Wolin, what exactly is going on! Why is this Rocky attacking my city!"


    "My Lord, this Rocky..."


    Having just been defeated, the current Baron Wolin was like a deflated ball, not only devoid of his previous arrogance and confidence, but even when facing Matu he no longer presumed the identity of City Lord, instead directly addressing Matu as ''My Lord''.


    "Shut your mouth!"


    Before he could finish his sentence, Matu rudely interrupted him.


    With the situation reaching this stage and endangering his own comfort, how could Matu remain polite to Baron Wolin?


    Before, he had respected the Baron because of the latter''s imminent position as City Lord, his role in one of the great families, and the powerful fleet at his disposal. But now that Baron Wolin''s fleet had been destroyed and he was no longer going to become the City Lord, and most infuriatingly, he brought an enemy to Matu''s doorstep, how could Matu possibly show him any courtesy?


    "Wolin! I don''t care what grudges you have with Rocky, but you need to resolve this matter right now and not drag me into this!"


    Looking fiercely at Baron Wolin, Matu almost commanded him.


    Baron Wolin, however, had no choice but to speak humbly; under such circumstances, he had to bow his head, for if Matu really threw him out, then he would truly be finished.


    So, facing Matu''s menacing gaze, Baron Wolin immediately said in an extremely meek manner, "City Lord, please calm your anger, Rocky is just venting, he won''t stay long."


    "Nonsense! What if he keeps bombarding us? What if he actually breaches the Defensive Net! Go and resolve this issue right now!"


    "City Lord, please consider the Mairente Family''s sake, and on Lord Lexington''s account, help me this time, I will surely repay you generously in the future!"


    Faced with Matu clearly intending to hand him over, Baron Wolin had no choice but to bring up his family and his own master.


    His words did have an effect. At the mention of the Mairente Family and Lexington, Matu''s expression, though still grim, eased off and he said no more.


    The Mairente Family was not to be trifled with, as Matu couldn''t afford to provoke them, and Lexington was not only Baron Wolin''s direct superior but also a powerful figure within the Mairente Family, owning a vast Sky City, an existence too formidable for Matu to provoke.


    In this situation, Matu thought for a long time, cursed Baron Wolin as a "useless" and then walked away.


    About ten minutes later, Matu reappeared at the skyport, already clad in a suit of Void Magic Armor, and then boarded a reconnaissance ship, leading his entire fleet to ascend.


    It looked like he planned to resolve the matter himself.


    "Sir, someone is coming."


    Onboard the Thunderhawk, Rocky and his team observed Matu and over ten reconnaissance ships slowly approaching. Shortly thereafter, they arrived at the Defensive Net, and just like when Rocky confronted Baron Wolin, they faced off through the net.


    "Come on, let''s check it out."


    Seeing Matu and the ten-plus reconnaissance ships on the ships, Rocky showed no fear, lifted off with Liliya, and flew to the foremost part of the fleet.


    Matu inside the Defensive Net did the same, but he didn''t rely on his Void Magic Armor to fly over; instead, he took his own reconnaissance ship.


    This was not because Matu was cautious, but because he dared not come alone!


    Although Matu was considered a Void Magic Warrior and wore a Fifth Generation Armor worth hundreds of thousands of gold coins, he dared not face Rocky alone, because he had never engaged in any battle!


    His Void Magic Armor was solely for demonstrating his status, never having been used in combat, so not to mention facing Rocky and Liliya alone, he found it difficult even to fly from the ship to meet them.


    Similarly, his fleet had never participated in any major battles, whether in terms of experience, capability, or especially morale, they were incomparable to Rocky''s fleet.


    Whether a person has self-confidence or a sense of security is immediately noticeable, so when Rocky saw Matu approaching in his skyship, a sneer crossed his mind, and a previously unthought-of idea gradually formed in his brain!

 Chapter 159 One Thousand People!

    Standing at the bow, even though Lord of Matu City wore Void Magic Armor and was separated from Rocky by a Defensive Net, he still felt uneasy.This unease was not so much about whether Rocky could really hurt him, but more about Matu''s own lack of confidence.


    As a City Lord himself, he paled in comparison to Rocky; this was evident from the comparative strength of their respective aerial cities. Rocky''s Sky City had a population of barely two thousand, yet he had already established a formidable fleet. The city''s development was well-organized, and everything was thriving. Thus, he was able to defeat Baron Wolin, whose strength was slightly superior.


    While Matu''s Sky City had a population of three thousand, it was inferior in every aspect to Thunderhawk City, especially in military strength. Even though Rocky''s fleet had just been through a major battle, it was still stronger than Matu''s fleet.


    Matu was acutely aware of this substantial disparity in hard power, so despite having the same rank, his mindset could not help but be submissive when confronting Rocky, as he simply lacked the strength.


    But now that things had come to this, even though he was extremely reluctant, Matu had to face Rocky, who was bombarding his city.


    "Lord Rocky, what is the meaning of this?"


    Standing at the bow, behind the Defensive Net, Matu gathered his courage for quite a while before he finally shouted at Rocky, actually managing to sound somewhat authoritative.


    "How audacious! Who are you to speak to the City Lord like that?"


    Before Rocky could respond, Liliya, who was nearby, sternly rebuked him!


    It was a show of intimidation!


    Liliya could obviously tell that Matu was the ruler of the city they were facing, evident from his authoritative demeanor and the Void Magic Armor he wore, but she deliberately feigned ignorance in order to intimidate him.


    Matu, who had just been scolded by Liliya, instantly turned crimson with embarrassment. When had he, as a City Lord, ever been rebuked like this?


    Unfortunately, now in a situation where the enemy was stronger, Matu clenched his teeth and swallowed his anger, glaring fiercely at Liliya: "I am Lord Matu! Lord Rocky, by attacking my city without provocation, are you trying to provoke a war between cities?"


    "Unprovoked?"


    Hearing this, Rocky scoffed and then flew forward a distance, continuing until he was just a few meters away from the Skyship, stopping in front of the Defensive Net separating them.


    "Lord Matu, you aid and abet evil, helping Baron Wolin invade my Thunderhawk City and you dare claim it''s unprovoked?"


    After saying this, he didn''t waste any more words, and simply retreated back to Liliya''s side, slowly raising his left hand in the process.


    As he completely raised his left hand, the booming sound of cannons erupted, and the fleet behind him simultaneously opened fire, launching another fierce attack on the Defensive Net!


    "Ah!" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sudden barrage startled Matu into shouting. He hadn''t expected Rocky to open fire without more discussion, and if it hadn''t been for the guards by his side, he would have nearly collapsed onto the deck.


    Matu couldn''t be blamed, because even though protected by the Defensive Net, facing the simultaneous firing from dozens of Magic Cannons was enough to frighten anyone.


    Once the barrage ended, Rocky slowly lowered his hand, and the fleet behind him stopped shooting. After that, he flew up to the Defensive Net again.


    "Lord Matu, if you do not want your city to be destroyed, hand over a thousand people!"


    Hovering in midair in his Void Magic Armor, Rocky laid out his demand!


    For him to withdraw his troops, Matu would have to hand over a thousand people!


    "Impossible!"


    Hearing Rocky''s demand, Lord Matu, forgetting his fear, roared back as if his anger had been truly ignited!


    He had thought about Rocky making demands of him, for as things had progressed to this point, if he did not give up something, Rocky certainly wouldn''t give up easily. At the same time, unless he was a fool, he would definitely make demands.


    But Matu hadn''t expected Rocky to start off with such a massive demand, actually asking him for a whole thousand people!


    According to his original thoughts, if Rocky had asked him to hand over tens of thousands of gold coins, or even hundreds of thousands, he could have agreed to such terms. He could afford to pay this money, and after giving it to Rocky, the Mairente Family, if only for the sake of saving face, would surely reimburse him, so he wouldn''t lose out regardless.


    But Rocky had surprisingly not asked for gold coins but for people instead¡ªan unthinkable request for Matu. The population was the foundation of Sky City and absolutely could not be given away.


    So, after that, Matu roared at Rocky, "Rocky! Don''t be too full of yourself! With these few broken ships of yours, breaking through the defensive net is simply impossible! Don''t get too cocky!"


    Since Rocky was so ruthless, even targeting the population of Sky City, Matu refrained from being polite and started cursing without restraint.


    But he was right about one thing¡ªthe defensive net of Sky City indeed was very strong, and Rocky''s current weakened fleet could not possibly breach it.


    After the fierce battle with Baron Wolin, Rocky''s fleet, although still retaining its main force, had also suffered severe losses; only a few reconnaissance ships remained, along with two large warships. So with just this size of a fleet, the thought of breaking through Matu City''s defensive net...


    Was not impossible, but indeed highly time-consuming. It might take about ten days to half a month to accomplish.


    And Matu absolutely did not believe Rocky would spend a month entangled with him. Let''s not forget¡ªhe had defeated Baron Wolin, but that also meant that he had provoked the Mairente Family. There was no time to dawdle with him.


    In this situation, Matu felt secure and unafraid, he couldn''t possibly agree to Rocky''s demand.


    Right after his roaring had ended, Rocky just gave a cold laugh, said nothing, and flew back to the fleet with Liliya.


    After he returned, the fleet, led by the Thunderhawk, resumed intense bombardment, but a reconnaissance ship broke away from the formation and flew towards Thunderhawk City.


    "This guy... what exactly is he planning..."


    As the Magic Cannon continued its onslaught, Matu behind the defensive net furrowed his brows, not understanding what exactly Rocky was scheming.


    Did he really believe that with these few warships he could break open the defensive net? Or did he really want to engage with him for a month, ignoring the Mairente Family, just to get a thousand people?


    Matu really couldn''t understand what Rocky was planning and had no other choice but to hang on.


    Time passed in this way, much time. During this process, Rocky''s fleet continuously attacked the defensive net intermittently. Although the fire wasn''t as intense as at the beginning, it never ceased, feeling like intermittent rain.


    But as time went on, Matu''s nervous and panicky moods gradually stabilized. He felt that Rocky probably had no other options left; the fleet''s attacks were just venting their frustration, and they would likely retreat soon.


    This was not mere wishful thinking from Matu. He might not be very capable, but after all, he was a City Lord; he was smart enough. During Rocky''s departure, he had continuously pondered what Rocky might be planning, but he nearly thought through everything, yet couldn''t think of any possibility of breaching the defensive net.


    If the defensive net could not be breached, then no matter how powerful the fleet was, it would be unable to pose a threat to him.


    With this, Matu was no longer tense. Instead, he stayed calm on the Skyship, curious to see when Rocky would eventually retreat.


    But not long after this, a gigantic entity slowly burst through the cloud layer, appearing right in front of Matu City!


    Thunderhawk City!


    Seeing Thunderhawk City appear, Matu was stunned on the spot. Then he immediately cursed under his breath, feeling alarmed. His face, having just regained composure, turned extremely pale, even more ghastly than before!


    Because upon seeing Thunderhawk City, Matu suddenly realized what Rocky was planning!


    "He, he, he... could he possibly be planning to use... the City-Destroyer Cannon!!"


    As Thunderhawk City slowly drew closer, Matu became increasingly terrified.

 Chapter 160 City-Destroyer Cannon!

    Matu''s face changed dramatically the moment he realized that Rocky had brought Thunderhawk City over!In an instant, he figured out what Rocky was planning to do!


    As the ultimate creation in this world, Sky City inherently possesses extremely formidable combat capabilities. In terms of defense, the city''s Defensive Net is the most powerful of all types. Even a small Sky City''s Defensive Net can withstand the furious bombardment of an entire Fleet, which can be seen from the confrontation between Matu and Rocky.


    So, besides the Defensive Net, does Sky City have offensive capabilities?


    Indeed, it does!


    Sky City''s offensive means are limited to just one, but it''s the one known as the ultimate method¡ªthe City-Destroyer Cannon!


    Using Mana from the Super Crystal to form a Magic Energy Beam of tremendous power, it delivers a devastating blow to the target¡ªthat is the City-Destroyer Cannon, the world''s ultimate attack!


    Before the City-Destroyer Cannon, all defenses are useless. As the Cannon is powered by Mana from the Super Crystal, which is also Sky City''s driving core, the Mana contained within cannot be measured in numbers or points, making the power of the City-Destroyer Cannon beyond measure. After all, obliterating half a Sky City with one shot isn''t a problem.


    While the power of the City-Destroyer Cannon is immense, its side effects are evident. Once used, the Super Crystal that drives Sky City will lose ninety percent of its Mana and must recharge. During this recharge period, Sky City must descend to the land, and only after the recharge is complete can it soar into the sky again.


    This side effect greatly reduces the frequency at which the City-Destroyer Cannon can be used. The land is now occupied by Demons, and even a single person falling to the land would be attacked by Demons, let alone the result of an entire city landing there¡ªit would inevitably be destroyed by Demons.


    Hence, even though the City-Destroyer Cannon is without parallel in the world, no one dares to truly use it.


    As a City Lord, Matu was certainly aware of the existence of the City-Destroyer Cannon, but he never imagined Rocky would use it against him. Circumstances that mandate the use of the City-Destroyer Cannon are usually when both parties are already grievously injured and ready for mutual destruction. He and Rocky were obviously not at that point.


    But he had underestimated Rocky!


    In Matu''s vision, Thunderhawk City arrived and unfolded its Defensive Net, but soon the Mana of the Defensive Net began to gather upward, forming a gigantic Magic Energy Light Sphere above the city.


    Seeing this, Matu truly panicked because this was a precursor to firing the City-Destroyer Cannon! Rocky really planned to use it against him!


    "Mad... This Rocky is mad! What the hell does he want to do!"


    Watching Thunderhawk City ready the City-Destroyer Cannon, Matu screamed hysterically like a woman, but he didn''t feel that he was the one going mad¡ªclearly, it was Rocky!


    What was the magnitude of the issue between him and Rocky? Was it necessary to launch the City-Destroyer Cannon? Matu couldn''t comprehend Rocky''s extreme actions.


    And just then, Rocky, who had been absent for a long time, appeared before him once again, accompanied by Liliya.


    Just like before, he quickly flew close to the Defensive Net on his own.


    "Rocky! Have you lost your mind? Do you know what you''re doing!"


    As he approached the Defensive Net, before he could speak, Matu screamed hysterically again, "Rocky! Do you want your Sky City to be destroyed by Demons!"


    Matu didn''t stop shouting, not out of anger, but because he was truly frightened, by the City-Destroyer Cannon and by Rocky''s madness.


    "Hand over a thousand people, or be annihilated by the Cannon!"


    However, faced with his roar, Rocky didn''t waste any words and directly issued the ultimate ultimatum!


    "You!"


    "You madman! Madman!"


    Threat!


    This was a blatant threat!


    Matu wasn''t foolish; he too could guess that Rocky was threatening him with the City-Destroyer Cannon, but what of it? Even if Rocky was merely using the City-Destroyer Cannon as a threat, as long as there was a one percent, no, a one-thousandth percent chance that Rocky might actually fire, Matu couldn''t afford to gamble!


    Matu had never personally witnessed the power of the City-Destroyer Cannon, but he had heard of it. For a small Sky City like his, a single blast from the City-Destroyer Cannon would be enough to shoot it down. So even if there was a slight chance that Rocky might fire, he dared not take the risk.


    In such a situation, Matu, gritting his teeth, said, "Rocky, I don''t want to get involved in your affair with Baron Wolin. I can hand him over to you for you to deal with..."


    "He''s worthless, I want people! A thousand people!"


    Rocky, with an extremely tough refusal, cut off Matu before he could finish his sentence. He was no longer interested in his defeated subordinate, Baron Wolin; he was more interested in the population of Matu City!


    "Fine, fine, fine! Rocky, I''ll give you a thousand people!"


    Seeing that Rocky was immovable, Matu ultimately gritted his teeth and bellowed at him:


    "But you must get out of my sight immediately! Don''t let Sky City follow me, and don''t let the fleet harass me, otherwise, I''ll fight you to the end, I also have a City-Destroyer Cannon!"


    "No problem."


    Matu''s demands were naturally agreed to in one go by Rocky, because if he could get a thousand people, of course he would ''get lost'' obediently, with no spare time to waste with Matu.


    And after roaring at him, Matu directly led his fleet back to Sky City. Within about three to five hours, his dozen or so reconnaissance ships were loaded with people and flew out of the Defensive Net!


    Thus, Rocky''s fleet and Matu''s fleet conducted a midair handover. After two consecutive handovers, Rocky returned to Thunderhawk City with a full load of people!


    A thousand people!


    Such a huge gain was something even Rocky hadn''t anticipated, because he indeed was using the City-Destroyer Cannon to threaten Matu. He certainly would not actually fire, as even he couldn''t bear the massive side effects of the City-Destroyer Cannon.


    But such a threat was a sure win for him. If Matu didn''t agree, the most he would lose was face, without any actual loss. But if Matu was intimidated by the threat, Rocky would gain greatly! S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the actual outcome, Rocky certainly gained hugely!


    He not only won the war with Baron Wolin but also got a full thousand people from Matu, undoubtedly becoming the biggest winner in this series of confrontations.


    By contrast, Baron Wolin and Matu, having participated in this great war, naturally became the losers.


    But interestingly, in this whole series of confrontations, the most miserable wasn''t Baron Wolin, who had directly engaged with Rocky, but rather Matu, who had come to help. He simply ran an errand for Baron Wolin and ended up losing a thousand people, suffering a disaster out of the blue, and even making one feel somewhat sorry for him...

 Chapter 161 Financial Crisis

    For no apparent reason, a thousand people had been snatched away, and Matu would definitely not let this go. How he held a grudge against Rocky was one thing, but Baron Wolin was certainly someone he couldn''t spare!So on the very night that the war ended, Baron Wolin was promptly captured. In Matu''s view, he had to repay whatever he lost to Rocky, and if he couldn''t pay it back, he would pay with his life!


    And facing an angry Matu, Baron Wolin''s big backers were useless, because no matter how incapable Matu was, he was still a City Lord!


    On the other hand, Rocky, who had returned to Thunderhawk City, was naturally in high spirits. He had won the war and snatched away a full thousand people¡ªhow could he not be happy?


    But as City Lord, even if he was overjoyed, he couldn''t afford to be idle, especially now.


    After returning to Thunderhawk City, he immediately called Old Jack, who had stayed behind in the city, and asked him to take care of the new residents he brought back. Seeing the many people Rocky had brought with him, Old Jack was shocked and immediately got busy. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same time, Rocky once again activated Thunderhawk City''s flight mode, moving far away from the airspace where the great battle had just taken place.


    Although Rocky had won the great battle against Baron Wolin, it also meant that he and Thunderhawk City had completely fallen out with the Mairente Family. So, Rocky had to prepare for the worst, preventing the family from retaliating against him.


    The recent aerial battle had almost completely wiped out Baron Wolin''s fleet, with only a few reconnaissance ships escaping back to Matu City. It was an utter defeat; however, the victorious Rocky had also suffered severe losses.


    At the beginning of the battle, Rocky''s fleet consisted of twenty-seven warships, three of which were destroyed by Orton. That left twenty-four, but when he returned to Thunderhawk City after winning the battle, he brought back only nine warships. Aside from the flagship and the escort ships, only seven reconnaissance ships remained!


    In other words, Rocky won the battle, but his fleet lost more than two-thirds of its ships! Furthermore, from the flagship to the escort ships and down to the reconnaissance ships, each returned warship was badly damaged!


    The only consolation was that both the flagship and the escort ships were relatively intact. Although these two large warships were also severely damaged, with some repairs, they would be good as new.


    Another point was the comparatively fewer casualties on the Thunderhawk City side¡ªnote that it was not fewer casualties overall but fewer for Thunderhawk City''s crew.


    Right from the start of the battle, Rocky played it smart. He assigned the Thunderhawk City crew to the flagship and the escort ships, while the crew hired from Eternal City were placed on the reconnaissance ships. Therefore, when the battle ended, as the two large warships were still standing, Thunderhawk City''s crew had minimal losses, but the hired crew faced substantial losses.


    But that was unavoidable. Rocky didn''t want anyone to die, but if someone had to, he would rather sacrifice pawns to save the game, letting others take the fall.


    In summary, the battle resulted in heavy losses for Rocky, so facing possible retaliation from the Mairente Family, he could only choose to dodge their sharp edge, take a breather, and make long-term plans after recuperating.


    Three days passed quickly, and Thunderhawk City had long since left the previous airspace thanks to full-speed flight. Also, after three days, Old Jack had properly settled all the people Rocky had brought back.


    "My lord, this is the detailed information about the new residents. Please take a look,"


    In the City Lord''s Hall, Old Jack handed a thick stack of documents to Rocky, which were the data he had compiled after taking inventory of the new residents.


    Taking the document, Rocky flipped through it for a moment and couldn''t help but smile. He hadn''t expected the quality of the thousand people Matu had given him to be quite high, with a considerable number of young adults among them.


    To his surprise, he had anticipated that Matu would send him a thousand of the old, weak, sick, and disabled, but the reality was quite the opposite. Matu had provided a fair share of each demographic: the elderly, adults, and children.


    The truth wasn''t that Matu was being generous but rather that he had no choice.


    Of course, Matu had considered offloading the city''s old, weak, sick, and disabled to Rocky, but let''s not forget that the children of these people were strong and young. If Matu had taken away these individuals'' parents to give to Rocky, chaos would have inevitably broken out in Sky City. Therefore, Matu had no choice but to hand over the most useless and incompetent group of people to Rocky.


    However, this approach didn''t really concern Rocky. Thunderhawk City was at the beginning stages of development; whether people had skills didn''t matter as long as they were willing to work and learn, which made them valuable to Thunderhawk City.


    Nonetheless, every coin has two sides. While Rocky had acquired a considerable population this time, strengthening Thunderhawk City significantly, it also led to numerous problems.


    For example, Thunderhawk City had once again plunged into a financial crisis.


    "My Lord, we need to find ways to increase our fiscal revenue¡­"


    When Old Jack had finished reporting the administrative matters and the finance officer Aileen opened her mouth to speak, her expression had turned to one of worry. With the population continuously growing, the financial pressure on Thunderhawk City had become the primary concern.


    They had no choice, as Thunderhawk City''s population increase was simply too rapid. Just two or three months earlier, they had absorbed a thousand people from Backhill Village. To help these new residents settle down, Rocky not only started the second phase of training but also built factories.


    However, before these were even completed, another thousand people were added, which threw Thunderhawk City''s finances into severe crisis.


    Keep in mind that although Thunderhawk City''s population had grown, its income had not increased accordingly.


    The new leather factory was completed, but only a dozen people who had undergone the first phase of training could work there. It wasn''t until after the second phase of training that a large number of people could start working and the factory could begin full operations.


    Before that, Thunderhawk City''s main source of income was still the textile industry, but the people capable of weaving were still the city''s original residents, leading to a severe imbalance between income and expenditure.


    The revenue from the work of a little over a thousand people had to sustain a population of three thousand, which was completely unsustainable.


    "How long can the money in the treasury last?"


    Rocky was well aware of the financial pressure Thunderhawk City was facing and was also trying to find solutions.


    "Including the remaining funds in the treasury and the cloth exports for the next quarter, we can hold out for at most three months."


    "Only three months...?"


    Upon learning that, even with the remaining treasury funds and the income from the cloth sales for the next quarter, Thunderhawk City could only hold out for three months, Rocky involuntarily furrowed his brow because it meant that within three months, he must find a way to generate revenue, or Thunderhawk City would not be able to keep going...

 Chapter 162 The Retribution of the Families

    The sudden surge in population was naturally all benefit and no harm to the development of Thunderhawk City, but it also brought tremendous financial pressure to the city''s finances.This pressure made Rocky feel as if he was back to six months ago, when he spent every day worrying about money, and now was the same.


    "Aileen, can we take out fifty thousand gold coins from the treasury?"


    After the routine affairs had ended and everyone else had left, Rocky kept Aileen behind and then asked,


    "Fifty thousand gold coins? Sir, are you joking!?"


    But hearing Rocky''s words, Aileen''s eyes widened in disbelief. She had just finished saying the treasury was out of money; how could Rocky still be asking her for money?


    "I need money for warship repairs."


    Rocky actually had a general direction in mind on how to solve the financial crisis. At this stage, he knew that relying on Thunderhawk City to be self-sufficient was not a solution to the problem. He could only rely on completing Mercenary Guild missions or demon hunting to earn ''extra income'', which was the most viable method.


    Moreover, for him at that moment, whether it was completing Mercenary Guild missions or demon hunting, both had become much easier than before. A fleet led by two large warships was enough to rely on, and even the number of Void Magic Armors had increased from one to two. These were the guarantees that he could safely and smoothly complete various tasks.


    But there was a prerequisite: the fleet, which had just been through a great battle, needed to be repaired.


    As mentioned before, the remaining warships of Thunderhawk City were all damaged. Under these circumstances, it was very difficult to engage in the next battle and repairs were necessary, but repairs cost money, and not a small amount at that.


    "No!"


    However, right after Rocky had explained, Aileen pouted her lips and shook her head, instantly turning into a stringent housekeeper.


    "Come on, Aileen, I really need this money. How about forty thousand, even forty thousand gold coins will do."


    "No!" Her head shook like a rattle-drum, Aileen puffed her cheeks and said, "Sir, there''s not much money left in the treasury now, and so many new people have arrived. I must contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce to purchase food tomorrow, where would I find money for your warship repairs, no!"


    "...What about... thirty thousand will do..."


    "Thirty thousand?"


    Hearing this number, Aileen looked at Rocky, thought for a while, and finally said, "Only thirty thousand, not a penny more!"


    "Deal!"


    With a laugh, Rocky nodded in agreement.


    This conversation between the two seemed a bit off. How could Rocky, as the City Lord, be humbly asking Aileen for money?


    But if one thought that, they would be mistaken. Rocky was actually seeking Aileen''s opinion, for she was the person in control of the finance. Just think, if Aileen gave him the money as soon as he asked for it, how could Thunderhawk City function? Who would ensure that the city''s finances would operate normally?


    After this, Aileen also prepared to leave. With an additional thousand people in the city, as the finance officer, she had to immediately contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce to purchase food and other necessities. She was very busy.


    But watching Aileen leave, Rocky seemed to suddenly remember something and called out, "Aileen, have the Ruby Chamber of Commerce meet directly with us in Lingyu City!"


    "You are going to Lingyu City?"


    Hearing this, Liliya, who was beside Rocky, asked in surprise.


    "Yes, I can only go to Lingyu City now. The trade tax in Eternal City is too expensive, we need to save where we can. Additionally, going to Eternal City is too conspicuous, and it is easy for the people from the Mairente Family to find us."


    Rocky had considered his next move very carefully, not only thinking about the high trade tax in Eternal City that he couldn''t afford, but also taking into account possible retaliation by the Mairente Family. Hence, he set Lingyu City as his next target.


    Although Lingyu City was also a small Sky City, it was equally a city centered on trade. Its City Lord, Berg, had encountered Rocky a few times before, so going there to make repairs was the best choice.


    His line of thinking was clearly correct, for as he had anticipated, the Mairente Family had indeed begun preparations for retaliation!


    ......


    ......


    "Atted, why hasn''t the family dispatched troops yet? What are you still waiting for!"


    Inside the City Lord''s Mansion of Machine City, during a meeting of the Mairente Family Elders, Lexington angrily looked at Clan Leader Atted, questioning him about the delay in deploying the troops.


    Within the vast Mairente Family, there were a total of ten Elders. Among these ten, Lexington was indeed one of the most influential and powerful figures, whose authority and strength were even comparable to that of Clan Leader Atted himself.


    As such, the faction he represented was always in conflict with Atted''s faction, and even Atted, though the Clan Leader, had to be extremely cautious when dealing with him.


    But this time, facing the furious Lexington, Atted was confident. To Lexington''s aggressive questioning, he simply smiled and retorted, "Elder Lexington, why should the family dispatch troops?"


    "Of course, to punish the rebel! Rocky openly defied the family''s orders and even provoked internal strife within the family. As the Clan Leader, do you intend to sit back and ignore such rebellion!"


    Staring at Atted with eyes wide open, Lexington said angrily, referring naturally to the battle between Rocky and Baron Wolin.


    It had been a week since the end of this battle, and Baron Wolin had already returned to the family¡ªthough it was after paying a ransom.


    The heavily damaged Matu had captured Baron Wolin and held him hostage, demanding a ransom from his family as compensation, causing an uproar.


    And since Baron Wolin was an aristocrat, he naturally had his own small family. But faced with Matu''s exorbitant demands, his minor family could not afford the ransom. In the end, it still depended on the Mairente Family to settle the matter. They paid a full five hundred thousand gold coins to ransom Baron Wolin from Matu...


    This incident was a disgrace for the Mairente Family, and even more so for Lexington, because Baron Wolin was his subordinate. Wolin''s defeat in battle brought shame not only upon himself but also tarnished Lexington''s reputation.


    What''s more critical is that the five hundred thousand gold coins used to free Baron Wolin came from the Mairente Family on the surface, but in fact, it was Lexington who had paid!


    For Lexington, five hundred thousand gold coins might not be a significant sum, but he would not let the matter rest so easily. This had nothing to do with personal feelings; it was because if he didn''t regain his standing, it would affect his prestige throughout the entire family.


    But all of his thoughts could not escape Atted''s notice. As a party to the dispute, Atted would certainly not let things go Lexington''s way.


    "Lexington, Baron Wolin''s failure has already cost the family five hundred thousand gold coins. Do you want the rest of the family to suffer even more losses due to one man''s incompetence?"


    "I don''t need help from anyone else!"


    As if he had anticipated Atted''s attempt to evade responsibility, Lexington immediately replied, "I will send my own fleet to resolve this matter. I just need the family''s approval."


    No sooner had he finished speaking, the other Elders in attendance, and even Clan Leader Atted, cast deep glances at him. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even within the entire Mairente Family, Lexington could be considered a power player. He owned a large Sky City and commanded no fewer than five fleets, each consisting of over a hundred warships!


    Five fleets¡ªthat was over five hundred warships! And these five hundred warships were not mere Reconnaissance Ships. In Lexington''s fleets, the Reconnaissance Ships were used solely for scouting; the main force was comprised of real, large warships, and at the very least, Escort Ships!


    This was the strength of a large Sky City City Lord!


    Thus, once Lexington dispatched his fleets, even sending just one would be enough to obliterate Thunderhawk City to nothingness!


    PS: Today I replied to several readers'' comments. Those interested can take a look; you should be able to understand the direction of the book and some questions. Also, I am asking for recommendations! Please recommend!

 Chapter 163 Game of Strategy

    When Lexington made it clear that as long as the family agreed, he would have his fleet level Thunderhawk City, all the other Elders immediately looked toward Atted.Everyone knew about the rivalry between the two men and understood that Atted had been forced to award Thunderhawk City to Baron Wolin. Now that Baron Wolin had failed, they were certain Atted would not make it easy for Lexington.


    As expected, Atted fell silent afterwards, taking a while before he finally spoke:


    "I remember that half a year ago, Rocky was already expelled from the family. So to call him a family traitor now, I think, is somewhat inappropriate¡­"


    While speaking, Atted slowly turned his gaze toward Lexington.


    "Lexington, let the family consider this matter," he said.


    "There''s nothing to consider!"


    Lexington immediately retorted, "Since Rocky is no longer a member of the family, it''s perfect. I don''t need the family''s consent to act. I am expanding the family''s territory; nobody has objections to that, right?"


    Lexington was of course aware of what Atted was planning¡ªhe wanted to delay. Thus, he countered accordingly. Since Rocky was no longer part of the family, he could use the pretext of expansion to dispatch his troops without needing the family''s approval, considering he was using his own forces.


    The discussion initially centered around Rocky had now evidently turned into an internal confrontation within the Mairente Family, serving as a catalyst for the power struggle between Lexington and Atted.


    No sooner had Lexington finished speaking, Atted smiled and said, "You''re right, but since it''s for the family, we can''t let you fight alone. After all, Rocky is far stronger than we anticipated. We can''t afford more losses. I think we should dispatch troops in the name of the family. What does everyone think?" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Agreed."


    "Agreed."


    "Approved."


    Right after Atted proposed, more than half of the Elders present expressed their agreement, effectively approving the proposal.


    Lexington was naturally left fuming with rage.


    He had to be angry because, despite Atted''s persuasive speech agreeing to target Thunderhawk City for expansion, and even suggesting mobilizing in the family''s name, one must not forget that if Lexington acted independently, he could dispatch his fleet immediately after the meeting.


    But if it were a family decision to dispatch troops, the matter would become complicated. Who knows when Atted and his people would get the troops ready? A day? A month? Or even a year? No one knew.


    So despite seeming supportive, Atted was effectively stalling Lexington.


    And although Lexington was well aware of this, he had no other choice. His faction might have been powerful within the family, but Atted''s position as Clan Leader proved he had the majority''s support. Therefore, when Atted made such a decision in his capacity as Clan Leader, Lexington, despite his dissatisfaction, could only comply.


    In such a circumstance, Lexington left the meeting in a huff before it even concluded, but that did not mean he had given up.


    Just as Baron Wolin managed to find Matu to lend a hand, if Lexington were to ask, many City Lords outside the family would readily assist him. Thus, he planned to seek the aid of other City Lords to deal with Rocky!


    As he departed, the family meeting also came to an end. Atted, the Clan Leader, returned to his study, seeking some peace. But just as he had settled down, someone came looking for him.


    "Father."


    Standing at the threshold of the study, Cyril knocked on the door before entering the room.


    Looking at his daughter, Atted drew a deep breath and then closed the book he had just opened: "Are you here to see me about the Rocky matter?"


    "Yes."


    "Since when did such a large family start revolving around a castaway?"


    "Since the castaway had the power to disrupt the chess game," Cyril stated with a hint of pride, standing before her father.


    "Lexington''s retaliation has been held off by me," Atted glanced helplessly at Cyril, then relayed the decision of the meeting, "However, Rocky is still not safe, and Lexington will surely seek other City Lords to harass him, so you must prepare him for it."


    Atted, as a father, was well aware of the connection between Cyril and Rocky, but in his eyes, Rocky was far too insignificant to warrant his attention; to his surprise, that had now proved to be of use.


    However, after he finished speaking, Cyril did not pick up on his point; instead, she brought up another matter:


    "Father, I think the family should reconsider the decision made half a year ago."


    "Half a year ago? You mean... bringing Rocky back into the family?"


    "Exactly, in six months, a single person defeated Baron Wolin in The Abandoned City, proving he has the strength to occupy a place within the family."


    Actually, when Cyril learned that Rocky had defeated Baron Wolin, she was as incredulous as anyone else and hence thoroughly investigated the details of the great battle. The more she learned about the battle, the more astounded she became.


    A flagship at the helm of a fleet?


    Two sets of Void Magic Armor?


    And a city of two thousand people, no, now three thousand?


    All of this made Cyril think that there must be a mistake in the information she had received. Was this really talking about Rocky? Yet, faced with a string of investigative results, Cyril had to admit that she had underestimated Rocky previously.


    Before this, her reason for helping Rocky was largely due to guilt, but now it was different. Rocky had now used his own strength to make Cyril take him seriously.


    That''s why Cyril put forward the suggestion to Atted for Rocky to return to the family; it had nothing to do with personal feelings, but rather, she thought that bringing Rocky back into the family would be a win-win for both him and the family.


    "Impossible."


    As soon as she finished speaking, before she could even elaborate on her reasons, Atted shook his head and refused outright.


    "Father, why? Is it because of Lexington?"


    Cyril was very puzzled by Atted''s easy refusal.


    "Not because of Lexington..." Atted shook his head at his daughter and slowly said, "It''s because of Kelly."


    Upon hearing her father''s words, Cyril, who was somewhat confused and even resentful, immediately fell silent.


    The Mairente Family currently consisted of three factions: one led by Atted, another by Lexington, and the third by Kelly. Among these factions, those of Atted and Lexington were evenly matched in strength, always contending for the position of Clan Leader. In contrast, Kelly''s faction, while weaker, played the most crucial role.


    Since Atted''s and Lexington''s factions were nearly equal in every aspect, whoever gained the support of Kelly''s faction could rise to prominence. For example, the reason Atted could now sit in the position of Clan Leader was due to securing support from Kelly''s faction, and their reason for backing him was related to Rocky.


    "Cyril, you should know that Rocky''s medium-sized Sky City is already in Kelly''s hands. If we call him back to the family, what would he think? What would Kelly think? We can''t afford to lose Kelly''s support right now, so let''s not speak of this matter again in the future."


    "But, but Father, if we don''t support Rocky, there''s no way he can escape Lexington''s retribution!"


    "That may not necessarily be the case..."


    Looking at his daughter, who was obviously anxious, Atted rarely showed a smile: "Cyril, don''t you think that Lexington is being a bit too agitated this time?"


    "Agitated?"


    "Yes, his reaction is too excessive, it''s not normal," replied Atted.


    In the midst of conversation, Atted slowly stood up, then moved to stand in front of the window, gazing through it at the blue sky. He watched for a long time.


    Atted knew his old rival too well, so even the slightest abnormal behavior from the opponent would not escape his notice¡ªand this occasion was no exception.


    So, after looking at the sky for a while, Atted turned his head to look at Cyril, "I suspect... Lexington might know something we don''t, related either to Rocky or to Thunderhawk City. That''s why he''s so agitated."

 Chapter 164 Tyrant

    "Rocky! You''re finally here!"After deciding to head to Lingyu City, Rocky had contacted the City Lord of Lingyu City, Berg, with whom he had exchanged communicators when he left Eternal City, enabling them to keep in touch.


    So when Rocky truly arrived at Lingyu City, Berg was already at the port to welcome him.


    Seeing Berg, Rocky was naturally very enthusiastic, after all, the other party was a City Lord just like himself, and this time he was indeed asking a favor from Berg, so of course, he had to be polite.


    "Berg, your Lingyu City is much better than you described. I think it won''t be long before this place becomes a miniature Eternal City."


    "Hehe, whether it can become a mini Eternal City still depends on your care, please come in!"


    After a formal and friendly handshake with Rocky, Berg invited him onto a large carriage that had been prepared in advance and took him to his City Lord''s Mansion.


    "Rocky, you really fought a beautiful battle!"


    Sitting in the carriage, before Rocky could even speak, Berg excitedly said, "I heard you annihilated one of the Mairente Family''s fleets? That''s impressive!"


    "Berg, how are you always so well-informed?"


    Glancing at Berg, although not surprised that the other party knew about his affairs, Rocky still felt somewhat helpless.


    "You guy, after winning such a splendid battle, did you really think you could keep it hidden? Let me tell you, it''s not just me who knows about this, that fierce woman Karina and quite a few other City Lords have heard about it too!"


    "They know too? Through... the Shadow Alliance?"


    Rocky looked at Berg and tentatively asked.


    "Of course, who else could it be through?"


    With a laugh, Berg nodded his head.


    Rocky first heard about the Shadow Alliance from Karina, but because there were so many other matters, he hadn''t inquired further. Now it seemed that this Shadow Alliance really was powerful. The battle between him and Baron Wolin had only just ended, and it had already been uncovered and spread by this Shadow Alliance.


    In fact, that was indeed the case because the Shadow Alliance was the largest intelligence organization in the skies!


    This Alliance was different from organizations like the Mercenary Guild; although large, it wasn''t a public organization. Just like its shadowy name suggests, everyone knew of its existence, but couldn''t see or touch it. If one wanted to make contact, they could only do so through a specified method, and then the Shadow Alliance would proactively contact you, shrouded in mystery.


    However, the Shadow Alliance''s ability to gather information was truly powerful. As long as one paid ten thousand Gold Coins a month, any significant or minor event worth mentioning happening across the skies would generally be collected by them and relayed to all their clients.


    Under such circumstances, the great battle between Rocky and Baron Wolin was naturally also collected by the Shadow Alliance and passed on to various clients.


    Actually, Rocky still had too little contact with other cities in the skies, so he did not know what scale of battle his fight with Baron Wolin actually belonged to. In reality, their aerial battle was already considered an extremely rare large battle among the smaller sky cities.


    Typically, even if a conflict arose between two small Sky Cities, each would deploy only a few warships, and if the combined number of warships deployed by both sides exceeded twenty, it could be considered a major battle.


    However, a battle like the one between Rocky and Baron Wolin, where more than fifty warships were deployed at once, could even be considered a large-scale war among small Sky Cities!


    Such a scale of battle naturally would not be overlooked by the Shadow Alliance, so once everything settled down, the news spread quickly, including Rocky defeating Baron Wolin, and the incidents of him taking a thousand people from Matu City were all leaked.


    In the wake of this dissemination, Rocky became notorious without his knowledge. Many small Sky City Lords took note of his name and even categorized him as someone not to be provoked and unpopular.


    There was no helping it; his fleet made many weaker small City Lords apprehensive, and his actions towards Matu, especially the act of essentially robbing a thousand people from Matu, instilled fear in many of the weaker City Lords. Some of them had even begun to track his location and prepared to keep their distance from him.


    "Is it that serious?"


    "Haha, you didn''t expect that, did you?" S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Berg relayed this information to Rocky, Rocky himself was taken aback. He hadn''t expected that merely an air battle would suddenly make him famous, let alone infamous.


    He didn''t understand that many Sky City Lords, especially those of small Sky Cities, mostly were like Matu¡ªlacking ambition and wanting only to live their quiet little lives. City Lords like Rocky, who thought daily about how to build up their cities and how to increase their own strength, were actually in the minority. Thus, what seemed ordinary to him appeared abnormal to other City Lords.


    For example, the fact that he had taken a thousand people from Matu seemed perfectly justified to Rocky. Hadn''t Matu helped Baron Wolin attack him, and after losing, shouldn''t he be entitled to some war spoils?


    He thought this way was correct, yet in the eyes of other City Lords, this approach made him a significant war criminal because his strength and actions had greatly threatened them!


    This point was something Rocky hadn''t considered and found himself resigned to.


    "No wonder, no wonder Karina took a liking to you; it turns out you two are birds of a feather, huh!"


    As Rocky felt resigned, Berg laughed heartily at him and cheerfully said.


    This comment startled Rocky. How did the topic suddenly shift to Karina?


    Seeing his confusion, Berg had a sudden realization and slapped his forehead, "I forgot, you''ve only just met Karina and thus don''t know what kind of person she is, right?"


    "What kind of person? Isn''t she just a beauty?"


    Looking at Berg, Rocky shared his impression of Karina. He indeed found her to be quite beautiful, and not merely a pretty face. If one had to compare, she and Liliya seemed somewhat alike, both carrying a bold and wild charm.


    "You really dare to say it!" No sooner had he finished speaking than Berg widened his eyes in disbelief, "Rocky, keep those thoughts to yourself. If Karina hears them, she''d likely castrate you."


    He then patted Rocky''s shoulder gravely, "Rocky, take this as a brother''s warning, be careful."


    "I see there are plenty of beauties around you too, your guard, the finance officer, and that little Beastman are all quite something, so definitely don''t get any ideas about Karina. The Tyrant of Rose City isn''t called so for nothing; the thorns on this rose are too sharp for you to handle..."

 Chapter 165 Providing Timely Help

    Berg''s words left Rocky momentarily stunned ¨C the tyrant of Rose City?Was he talking about... Karina?


    Rocky had only seen Karina two or three times, and although she had made a deep impression on him, to say they understood each other would be a far stretch. Thus, Rocky was naturally surprised to hear Berg''s assessment of Karina.


    However, this surprise only amounted to astonishment and did not go any further, as even Rocky himself did not know when he would see Karina again, so there was no need to delve deeper.


    After this, he and Berg discussed the main issue at hand, which was the repair of the warship.


    Savvy as he was, Berg had actually guessed Rocky''s intention beforehand, and there indeed was a dock in Lingyu City that could undertake the overhaul of a warship. In such circumstances, the two hit it off right away, putting Rocky''s mind at ease.


    Upon learning that Lingyu City had a dock, Rocky led his fleet there for repairs, which would take about half a month. The cost was also reasonable; Berg personally negotiated with the dock owner and managed to reduce the repair fee from 50,000 to 35,000 gold coins. Although it was a bit more than what Aileen had given Rocky, it was still within Thunderhawk City''s budget.


    As for Berg''s eagerness to help Rocky, it was not due to a great friendship between them, but rather as a form of investment.


    In Berg''s eyes, although Rocky, like himself, was only the lord of a small Sky City, his potential was undoubtedly huge. In fact, after hearing about Rocky''s battle with Baron Wolin, Berg, like other city lords, obtained a detailed dossier on Rocky from the Shadow Alliance. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The dossier from the Shadow Alliance was quite comprehensive. It covered everything significant that had happened to Rocky from the moment he inherited his father''s medium-sized Sky City to his battle with Baron Wolin.


    This included his feud with the Mairente Family, his reclaiming of authority from former Captain of the Guards Eyer and administrative officer Perolo, the mission in Backhill Village, and even Orton''s matter was mentioned.


    So, despite having met Rocky on only two or three occasions, Berg knew much more about Rocky than Rocky might have imagined.


    Of course, even though the Shadow Alliance''s investigation was thorough, it did not touch on the Mana Rune. The discovery of the Mana Rune by Rocky was quite ordinary; to the uninitiated observer, it seemed he simply visited the land, a detail that even the Shadow Alliance would overlook without inside knowledge.


    Nevertheless, a smart person like Berg was still able to deduce some clues from Rocky''s trajectory of development - that Rocky''s growth was astonishingly fast!


    It was truly rapid!


    Starting from the elimination of Captain of the Guards Eyer and administrative officer Perolo and gaining full control of Thunderhawk City, in just half a year, Rocky developed the city from a mere population of one thousand to its current scale.


    Although Thunderhawk City was still weak at the moment, every aspect had begun to take form, resembling a well-laid foundation. With systematic development, without saying much more, becoming a standout among the small Sky Cities was just a matter of time.


    On the other hand, Rocky''s development of military power also commanded attention. In just six months, he managed to equip Thunderhawk City with its own fleet and, through one battle against Baron Wolin, successfully established his might, thoroughly showcasing his strength.


    Without exaggeration, the power displayed by Rocky in his battle with Baron Wolin had reached an above-average level among the smaller Sky Cities. This was the very reason other City Lords feared Rocky, as his displayed strength had indeed become a threat to everyone.


    In fact, the great battle with Baron Wolin only revealed the power of Rocky''s naval fleet. The strength of his Guard Corps had not yet been known to the world. But please, do not underestimate Rocky''s Guards, a force that had battled with hundreds of Demons and ultimately emerged victorious ¨C a force that nobody can or should overlook!


    Through a set of data that wasn''t particularly complicated, an ordinary person might just see it as a spectacle, but a clever one could discern much more, and Berg was this type of clever person. Thus, he immediately treated Rocky as someone to be wooed and befriended, just as he did with Karina.


    Berg was not a person adept at strife but he had his own goals. He hoped to develop Lingyu City into a trade city that could rival Eternal City. For this ambition, befriending various capable, yet not overwhelmingly powerful, City Lords became an important mission for him.


    Powerful City Lords equated to powerful customers, a point that needs little explanation. Eternal City became the trade center for all Sky Cities because countless City Lords chose to trade there.


    Besides, as the saying goes, "A hero needs three gangs of help." Berg, wishing to expand his city, was bound to encounter various obstacles and even dangers because any trade-oriented city spells money!


    Money makes the world go round, and money can also lead to the worst in people. Eternal City is one of the monsters in the sky that no one dares to challenge, but for a smaller Sky City like Lingyu, many would set their sights on it, from the Lords of other small Sky Cities to those of the larger ones.


    In such a situation, Berg needed allies, fellow City Lords to help him fend off those with ill intentions who viewed his city as ripe for the taking.


    Rocky was clearly one of the allies he had in mind. In Berg''s view, Rocky had potential but lacked backing, had enemies but few friends, which perfectly met his requirements. Therefore, if he could truly befriend Rocky, it would be all to his advantage and no harm.


    Rocky was certainly aware of Berg''s attitude and understood that Berg had the intention to befriend him; in fact, he was quite grateful for it.


    This was indeed a difficult period for Rocky, having just gone through a major battle. Although he won, his own losses were also heavy. Coupled with the financial crisis in Thunderhawk City and the constant need to prepare for the Mairente Family''s retaliation, all of this weighed heavily on Rocky.


    Berg''s offer of assistance at this critical moment, regardless of the motive, was like sending coal on a snowy day for Rocky and something he would remember.


    Between clever people, there is no need to spell everything out; understanding is simply understanding.


    Thus, Rocky temporarily anchored Thunderhawk City next to Lingyu City, both cities hanging side by side in the same airspace. This situation was expected to last for about half a month, as repairing all the warships would take at least that long.


    During this period, Rocky had thought he might have a few days of leisure to carefully plan for the future, but unfortunately, he didn''t have the chance. A series of events kept him so busy that he could not stop for a moment!

 Chapter 166 The Arrival of the Rose

    Rocky, who originally thought he could enjoy some leisure time, found no time to rest at all.First, there was Orton, the old man who constantly bothered him.


    The victory over Baron Wolin marked a conclusion all of Thunderhawk City was pleased to see, yet there was one old man who wasn''t happy, and that old man was Orton.


    Although Rocky had defeated Baron Wolin, he hadn''t killed him as expected or disabled him by amputating his limbs. Therefore, Orton didn''t lay hands on the fourth-generation Void Magic Armor he had hoped for, which immensely infuriated him!


    So, since Rocky had finished all his urgent tasks, Orton had been visiting him daily, bothering him incessantly as if Rocky owed him money, demanding the fourth-generation armor for experiments every day!


    "You brat! How long are you planning to drag this on? When will you give me the fourth-generation armor!"


    "Teacher, can we wait a bit? I''m out of money right now..."


    "What do you mean ''out of money''! You own such a huge city, can''t you muster a few hundred thousand gold coins!"


    "A few, a few hundred thousand gold coins!?"


    Hearing this, Rocky was stupefied. It seemed Orton didn''t just want the fourth-generation armor; he wanted the fourth-generation Special Armor! This scared Rocky so much that he turned around and ran without saying another word.


    The next day.


    "You brat, why didn''t you come to class today! Are you avoiding me!"


    "Teacher, didn''t I tell you? I''ve been really busy lately overseeing the warship repairs. If they notice any runes, it''ll cause trouble."


    Looking at the infuriated Orton, Rocky responded helplessly. He wasn''t lying because all of Thunderhawk City''s warships had been modified, though only the magic cannons wouldn''t be easy to detect, and he had to keep an eye on them during repairs. That''s why he had already dispatched Liliya and Monte to personally oversee them.


    However, his reluctance to meet Orton was genuine. Orton simply didn''t understand others; Thunderhawk City was barely getting by these days. Rocky had neither the leisure nor the capability to make the fourth-generation armor for experiments. Even if he had the desire, he didn''t have the money!


    So after a brief explanation, Rocky ran off again, leaving Orton stamping his feet in frustration. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Rocky hadn''t gotten far when he ran into Aileen, who had come to find him at the City Lord''s Mansion.


    "Ah..."


    Upon seeing Aileen, Rocky also felt a headache coming on; without a doubt, she was here about money again.


    And indeed, he was right.


    "My lord, I''ve met with the people from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. I''ve bought fabric for two quarters and then got credit for one quarter of grain."


    "Credit?"


    Hearing Aileen''s words, Rocky was slightly stunned, and Aileen nodded:


    "Yes, I''ve used all the money in the treasury to import fabric. This way, we can at least ensure the city has some revenue for the next two quarters. As for the grain, it''s on credit. We''ll settle it together next quarter. With this method, we can hold out for at least two more months."


    Thunderhawk City''s finances were already in crisis, and with Rocky having taken 35,000 gold coins for warship repairs, Aileen was wracking her brains, forced to use this credit system to survive the tough times. Depending on this method of crediting, she was trying to keep Thunderhawk City afloat a little longer.


    Aileen''s ability to get credit from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce was indeed thanks to Rocky''s current reputation. Given the comprehensive cooperative relationship between the Ruby Chamber of Commerce and Thunderhawk City, they naturally heard about the result of Rocky''s battle with Baron Wolin right away, as well as the incident where he snatched a thousand settlers from Matu''s hands.


    This made the Ruby Chamber of Commerce immediately pay more attention to Rocky and Thunderhawk City, as the population of Thunderhawk City had grown, the trade between the two sides would become larger, so when Aileen proposed the request for credit, the other side agreed in one go.


    However, after reporting all this, Aileen helplessly glanced at Rocky, "My Lord, the treasury is really out of money this time."


    "I understand..."


    Watching Aileen sigh deeply, Rocky patted her shoulder. With nothing else to instruct, he turned around and went back to his own room.


    Back in his room, he sat down on the bed, spaced out for a while, then took out the Mercenary Guild''s task receiver.


    Now that, Thunderhawk City''s treasury was completely empty, Rocky had to get money quickly. The most convenient and quickest way was to rely on the tasks from the Mercenary Association to earn money.


    As soon as the warships were fully repaired, Rocky would again possess a strong fleet. Even though it might not be as large as before after a major battle, with the two large warships remaining, the combat power was still very formidable. Rocky could completely rely on this fleet, which maintained sufficient combat power, to complete the tasks from the Mercenary Association.


    He had already decided, this time he would choose escort-type tasks as much as possible, such as escorting merchant caravans or goods. The first benefit of this type of task was that the commission was high enough; escort tasks generally had commissions ranging from 35,000 to 50,000 gold coins, which was among the highest in all task types.


    Of course, such high-commission tasks also implied high requirements, but with the fleet Rocky possessed, as long as he didn''t accept tasks that were too exaggerated, all the requirements could be met.


    Secondly, escort tasks were short in duration. An escort task often only required ten days or half a month to complete, which was naturally a good thing for Thunderhawk City''s ongoing gold coin turnover.


    In this situation, Rocky lied on the bed and began selecting tasks one by one using the task receiver.


    Since his strength was much stronger than before, he could choose from a larger number of tasks, which also took more time.


    Although Rocky was very anxious, he didn''t lose his composure because of it. He didn''t randomly choose tasks. In fact, he had time to slowly select tasks until the warships were completely repaired and he found the most suitable task to complete.


    But before he found the right task, someone proactively came looking for him!


    That day, to avoid Orton from bothering him, Rocky hid in the Guard Camp and trained with the guards, only to be suddenly approached with an urgent report!


    "Has someone from Sky City arrived?"


    Hearing the report from the Skyport guard, Rocky immediately furrowed his brows, and the first thought that came to his mind was that the Mairente family had sent someone to retaliate against him!


    This made Rocky immediately tense up because Thunderhawk City was not yet ready for another big battle!


    Before he could react, someone sent by Berg also arrived at the same time.


    At this time, Thunderhawk City and Lingyu City were very close, so even though Rocky was in Thunderhawk City, it was very easy for Berg to contact him.


    "Lord Rocky, Lord Berg of Berg City invites you to the City Lord''s Mansion for a banquet to welcome Lord Karina."


    "Karina, she has come?"


    Upon hearing this, Rocky was initially startled, then his anxious heart eased, and he asked, "That Sky City outside, is it Karina''s Rose City, right?"


    "Yes, it is indeed Lord Karina''s Rose City."


    "Good."


    Knowing that the Sky City outside was Rose City, Rocky was relieved, and without even going back to the City Lord''s Mansion, he directly went with Berg''s people to Lingyu City.

 Chapter 167 Taught a Lesson...

    Some things just happen to coincide, I recall when I first arrived in Lingyu City, Rocky and Berg had mentioned Karina, but at that time I felt that it wasn''t certain when I would see Karina again, so we didn''t delve into conversation. Unexpectedly, just a few days had passed when they met again.Although Rocky still didn''t understand Karina very well, from the bits and pieces Berg let slip, he could tell that Karina, despite also being the City Lord of a small Sky City, was considerably stronger than the average City Lord, undoubtedly a formidable figure.


    For such a person, given there was no conflict between them, Rocky naturally wanted to make acquaintance, so when he received Berg''s invitation he didn''t even return to the City Lord''s Mansion but went directly to Lingyu City, of course, a large part of the reason he didn''t return to the City Lord''s Mansion was that he didn''t want to see Orton, that old man was just too difficult to deal with.


    In such circumstances, it didn''t take long for Rocky to arrive at Berg''s City Lord''s Mansion and then he was directly taken to the banquet hall, where Berg and Karina were already waiting for him.


    Berg''s reception for Karina was quite high-collared, even higher than the one he''d held for Rocky, but since it was still daylight, Berg hadn''t thrown a dance party, instead, he''d organized a luncheon.


    "Haha! Rocky, you''ve finally arrived!"


    After Rocky had taken his seat, Berg, as the host, raised his glass proactively and said to him and Karina,


    "The two of you, we met in Eternal City, and today we''ve gathered here again in my place. Don''t you think this is a fate destined by the heavens? For this fateful meeting, we should drink a toast!"


    As a City Lord and a shrewd businessman, Berg''s conduct was impeccable and he was extremely good at setting the mood. Despite there being only three people seated and not that acquainted with each other, under his lead, the trio quickly engaged in warm conversation, avoiding any awkward silence.


    "Karina, you''ve heard, haven''t you? Rocky recently won a great battle. What do you think? Are you tempted?"


    In the circle of small Sky Cities, the battle between Rocky and Baron Wolin was the hottest topic, and with Rocky being the person involved present, the conversation naturally turned to this topic.


    However, what Rocky hadn''t expected was that Berg started playing matchmaker right off the bat, making it seem as if he was trying to set him up with Karina, and his face, unaccustomed to such a situation, turned red.


    Karina, on the other hand, didn''t care about it at all. Dressed in a red gown, she looked at Rocky with pride and then laughed,


    "Not quite there yet."


    "How is that not enough? I think it''s fine. Karina, if you keep this up, you''ll never get married."


    "Berg, you''re talking too much today."


    "Alright, alright, my mistake, won''t say anymore."


    After glancing sharply at Berg, Karina turned to look at an increasingly blushing Rocky and suddenly asked, "Are you feverish, why is your face red?"


    At this remark, Berg, who had just fallen silent, burst out laughing, and Rocky felt his cheeks grow even hotter, as anyone could tell that Karina was teasing him.


    This woman is really not someone to be trifled with...


    But after teasing Rocky, Karina spoke seriously, "Rocky, you''ve got some guts, daring to provoke the Mairente Family, a behemoth like that. Have you thought about the consequences?"


    "I haven''t."


    Rocky didn''t give it much thought before shaking his head with a smile and saying, "I just want the Mairente Family to realize that I''m not so easy to bully, it''s as simple as that."


    "Impressive!"


    Such an answer earned a thumbs-up from Berg, and even Karina laughed and softened her gaze towards him, then asked, "What are your plans for the future?"


    "I haven''t decided yet, but I expect the Mairente Family will try to get revenge, so I''m planning to lay low for a while."


    Rocky wasn''t lying with this statement; he did indeed plan to lay low for a while¡ªfirstly to avoid the Mairente Family''s revenge and secondly to give himself a respite. For now, he would wait until the financial crisis in Thunderhawk City had passed and everything returned to normal before considering his next move.


    No sooner had he finished than Karina shook her head, and Berg too shook his head repeatedly.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Seeing the two of them like this, Rocky felt a bit puzzled. Did he say something wrong?


    And soon, Karina gave him the answer:


    "You indeed should be worried about retaliation, but you shouldn''t worry about the Mairente Family."


    "Why not?"


    "Because the bigger they are, the slower they move, and the Mairente Family is just like that. Moreover, there''s a lot of infighting within the family. Anyone with even a slight understanding of the family knows that Baron Wolin belongs to the Lexington faction.


    If Lexington himself took action to retaliate against you, then it would be useless even if you fled to the ends of the earth ¨C they could easily annihilate you."


    "But you''re lucky that Lexington''s power is too strong. He has opponents within the family who won''t let him make moves recklessly."


    Despite being around the same age as Rocky, Karina had been a City Lord for much longer. Whether in terms of thinking or intelligence, she was far superior to Rocky, which is why she was able to analyze the situation with the Mairente Family so quickly, leaving Rocky with a furrowed brow.


    Rocky had to agree with what Karina said. He might not be too clear about the specifics of Lexington, but he remembered Cyril mentioning that she and her father did not want to see Baron Wolin take over Thunderhawk City, which indicated that Cyril''s faction was precisely Lexington''s opponent within the family.


    And if that were the case, if Lexington wanted to avenge Baron Wolin, Cyril''s faction would definitely not agree. Wouldn''t that mean... he was safe?


    With this in mind, Rocky directly asked Karina and Berg, "According to what you''re saying, don''t I not need to worry now?"


    "Rocky, don''t joke around. You have plenty to worry about right now."


    With a smile and a shake of his head, Berg said that and looked towards Karina, who then took over the conversation: "Berg''s right, you have plenty to worry about."


    "What do I need to worry about then?"


    "Obviously, you need to worry about Lexington''s retaliation. Even if Lexington, being such an important figure, is constrained by his family from dealing with you personally, with his connections and influence, there will be many people willing to help him wipe you out."


    "Lexington''s influence... is it really that great?"


    Glancing at Karina, Rocky understood her point but couldn''t quite believe it.


    "Hmph, you''re underestimating the great families." Shaking her head slightly, Karina imparted a lesson to Rocky: "Someone like Lexington, who himself is the City Lord of a major Sky City controlling a hundred thousand people, is also a leader of a faction within his family. Do you think his influence is great or not?


    Trust me, if Lexington wishes it, not only the lords of medium and small Sky Cities but even those of large Sky Cities would oblige him and casually eliminate you."


    "......"


    As Karina finished her explanation, Rocky''s brows had unknowingly knotted tightly.


    Before this, although he had thought about the Mairente Family taking revenge on him, he had only considered this superficially and hadn''t thought more deeply. Karina''s words made him immediately realize the seriousness of the problem. That is, if Lexington sought someone else to target him, what should he do?


    This question was incredibly important. If Lexington really did that, it would be like pushing Rocky into an extremely difficult situation, where he wouldn''t even know who to guard against, as anyone might become his enemy simply to curry favor with Lexington!


    "What do you think... I should do?"


    With that thought, Rocky couldn''t help but look to Berg and Karina. This was not the time to play aloof. In such a critical moment, he had to ask for advice where it was needed ¨C it was just sensible.


    His query, however, resulted in two starkly different answers:


    "Of course, you should enhance your own strength!" Looking at him, Karina spoke with pride: "If anyone dares to attack you, just annihilate them! Once you''ve wiped out two or three Sky Cities, those petty people won''t dare to trouble you." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hehe, Rocky, don''t listen to her." Karina had barely finished speaking when Berg chuckled towards Rocky: "Rocky, if you take my advice, then immediately find an Alliance to join. As the saying goes, ''it''s good to take shelter under a big tree!''"

 Chapter 168 Air Pirate Group

    When Rocky asked Berg and Karina for their opinions, both gave starkly different responses that were perfectly in line with their respective characters.Karina''s advice was simple¡ªshe told Rocky to go for it! To go all out!


    If anyone dared to attack him, he should dare to fight back, and ideally obliterate the opponent''s city, twice if necessary. After doing that a couple of times, surely no one would dare to provoke him lightly again.


    That suggestion... well, it was not only extremely characteristic of Karina but also made some sense.


    Anyone looking to side with Lexington against Rocky, whoever they might be, was probably just trying to curry favor with Lexington. But if the damage Rocky inflicted upon them far outweighed any benefits they could get from Lexington, naturally, these people would refrain from taking action.


    To tell the truth, Rocky really wanted to do just that. His personality might be different from Karina''s, but their attitudes toward this matter were completely aligned¡ªif someone bullied him, he would definitely hit back hard!


    But there was a practical problem with that approach¡ªRocky didn''t have the strength! How could he intimidate the petty if he did not possess the might to destroy a Sky City?


    As interesting as it sounded, Rocky simply couldn''t pull it off.


    Compared to Karina, Berg''s advice was much smoother. He suggested that Rocky join an alliance!


    This piece of advice did pique Rocky''s interest, as Berg had a point: there''s comfort in the shade of a big tree.


    Lexington was so influential not only because of his own considerable strength but also because he had the backing of powerful families. In fact, many supported him, not for his sake, but out of respect for the Mairente Family.


    So what if Rocky joined some force, too? Wouldn''t he have a backer himself?


    "Berg, are you suggesting that I join the Kafka Empire, Sky Alliance, or the Magic Energy Research Institute?" Rocky asked, aware even with his limited knowledge of the sky''s three major powers.


    "It doesn''t necessarily have to be one of these three major forces," Berg replied.


    As they delved into the topic, Berg became more talkative, shaking his head as he spoke, "Although the sky is currently dominated by these three forces, joining them isn''t easy¡ªthey have very high standards."


    "But don''t lose hope. There are many other forces in the sky, both big and small. They may not be on par with the big three, but some are not weak by any means."


    "Let me think... for instance, the Windrunner Alliance, the Racial Alliance, or the Blackwater War Alliance. These forces are as strong as the Mairente Family. If you could join one of them, even Lexington would have to think twice before trying to annihilate you. After all, the sky doesn''t revolve solely around the Mairente Family."


    "Moreover, if you join these forces, you''ll not only gain protection, but the development of Sky City will also accelerate. The resources that an alliance can share are definitely beyond what a single Sky City can muster."


    "That being the case..."


    Moved by Berg''s words, Rocky felt such a move could indeed be a good strategy. Joining a force would not only shield him from Lexington''s vengeance but also aid in the future development of Thunderhawk City.


    Therefore, he followed up with, "How can I get in touch with these forces?"


    "For that kind of thing, you''ll have to ask Karina. She''s received quite a few invitations from alliances," Berg answered.


    On this matter, Berg gestured towards Karina, indicating she knew better because she had previously been approached by other forces!


    But when Rocky turned to Karina, she simply pursed her lips and said dismissively, "Don''t ask me. They came to me, and I don''t know how to contact them. Besides, I haven''t joined any forces now."


    "This..."


    From Karina''s response and the expression on her face, it was clear that she held the idea of joining an alliance in utter contempt.


    Indeed, she soon gave Rocky a sidelong glance, "Instead of figuring out how to cling to someone powerful, you might as well think about how to make yourself stronger. This is what a man should do."


    Somehow, Karina''s mood seemed to have suddenly turned sour, becoming quite abrupt with Rocky. Even the expression she gave him had turned somewhat cold and angry.


    What was going on?


    Unsure of what had caused her sudden change, Rocky was a bit perplexed; he didn''t think he had said anything wrong!


    However, when he looked towards Berg somewhat puzzled, he noticed Berg was shaking his head slightly at him, and then he promptly changed the subject,


    "Alright, alright, the issue with Rocky isn''t something that can be resolved in a day or two. Since he isn''t busy right now, let''s focus on the matter at hand."


    After saying this, Berg looked towards Karina, "Karina, didn''t you say you were looking for Rocky for something?" S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "......"


    Still angry, Karina glowered as if she had heard nothing at all, with no response whatsoever.


    Seeing her like this, Berg didn''t mind and instead said to Rocky, "Rocky, Karina came here specifically to find you."


    "Oh?"


    Upon hearing that, Rocky looked at Karina in surprise, as he was completely unaware of this matter.


    "That''s right, I am indeed here to find you."


    After being looked at by Rocky for quite a while, Karina finally regained her composure before speaking, "Do you have any plans for the near future?"


    "Me? Nothing much, just to lie low for a while once the warship is fixed, and do some Mercenary Guild missions on the side for some extra cash."


    Having already had such an extensive chat with Berg and Karina, Rocky didn''t lie or hide anything from them, openly sharing his next steps.


    "Since you''re not occupied, come with me."


    However, after learning about Rocky''s plans, Karina offhandedly suggested.


    "Go with you? To do what?"


    "To find someone and fight a battle!"


    When Karina said this, Rocky was in the middle of drinking and ended up spitting out his drink. He had not expected that Karina was seeking him out for this reason?


    Could it be, in her eyes, he had become some sort of war merchant?


    "What, are you scared?"


    Facing Karina''s slightly relentless questioning, Rocky felt helpless. This woman''s personality was truly unique. So he wiped his mouth and asked, "Who are you planning to fight?"


    "The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group."


    Now it was Berg''s turn to spit out his drink. Before he could even wipe his mouth, he looked at Karina in shock, "Karina, have you lost your mind? You actually dare to provoke the Wild Horse Pirate Group!"

 Chapter 169 Do It Big!

    Air Pirate Group¡­The term "Air Pirate Group" originally stemmed from "Pirate Group". After the Demons occupied the land, the term "Pirate Group" vanished, because with the loss of the continent, there was no more ocean, and naturally, there were no more sea pirates either.


    However, as Pirate Groups disappeared, Air Pirate Groups emerged, directly replacing sea pirates as the robbers of the skies.


    During the Sky Era, all interactions between cities relied on skyships, especially for the Chambers of Commerce. These chambers could only transport goods to various Sky Cities by skyship, which naturally gave rise to Air Pirate Groups.


    Additionally, the sky is even more vast and boundless than the sea, making the Air Pirate Groups of today even more rampant and terrifying than the Pirate Groups of old; otherwise, the Mercenary Guild wouldn''t have so many escort-oriented missions, the purpose of which is to guard against these Air Pirate Groups.


    The reason Karina came to find Rocky was that she hoped he would join her in eradicating an Air Pirate Group!


    Rocky was surprised by her proposal, but after thinking it over, he realized there was nothing too unexpected about it, as it seemed very consistent with Karina''s character.


    What truly baffled Rocky, however, was Berg''s reaction. Given how well Berg and Karina knew each other, Berg should not have shown the slightest surprise at her idea.


    Could it be¡­ related to Karina''s target?


    Karina had made it clear that she wanted to eradicate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. Could it be that this Air Pirate Group was particularly troublesome to deal with?


    With this thought, Rocky glanced at Berg, who then provided him with an explanation:


    "The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡­ once robbed Karina''s goods¡­"


    "Not just the goods! But also a warship!"


    Karina became extremely agitated when it came to this matter, slamming the table as she corrected Berg: "I had just commissioned an Escort Ship and a shipment of goods, and on their way back to Rose City, they were all robbed by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. The goods and the brand-new warship, all destroyed by those bastards! They cost me hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins!"


    No wonder Karina was so worked up; the loss caused by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was indeed massive. A loss of hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins was a considerable sum for any small Sky City Lord.


    However, after Karina vented her frustration, Berg sighed and said, "Karina, that was two years ago. Why cling to it so¡­"


    "Even if ten more years pass, I won''t let them off the hook!"


    Karina gave Berg a fierce look, showing her undeniable resolve.


    While Rocky might not understand her intense reaction, Berg seemed to know some underlying details and didn''t continue the topic. Instead, he said to Rocky, "The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group is somewhat notorious. Relying on owning dozens of warships, they''ve done quite a bit of robbing in the skies. Of course, that''s not the most important thing.


    There are many Air Pirate Groups in the sky now, and in terms of sheer strength, Wild Horse doesn''t rank very high."


    "But what''s key is that this Air Pirate Group is backed by a Sky City!"


    While speaking, Berg glanced at Karina then continued explaining to Rocky: "The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group has a deep connection with Wild Horse City. Or rather, this Air Pirate Group is essentially raised by Wild Horse City. It''s specifically there to do the dirty work for Sky City and provide an additional income."


    "Wild Horse City?"


    "A medium-sized Sky City." As Berg looked at Rocky, he slowly said, "Wild Horse City is a medium-sized Sky City with a population of thirty thousand. The City Lord, Karlo, is a ruthless and tough character, quite a difficult opponent to deal with."


    By the time Berg explained this, Rocky had basically understood the situation.


    Two years ago, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had robbed Karina''s warship and cargo, causing a huge loss of several hundred thousand Gold Coins. Karina had always remembered this grudge. Although it might seem that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was just a bandit gang, they had the support of a medium-sized Sky City behind them. This was why Berg sighed heavily at Karina''s actions.


    Indeed, Karina''s move was rather risky. She was indeed powerful, which was evident from Berg''s attitude towards her and the confidence and pride she herself displayed. Someone without any real strength could not possess Karina''s confidence. However, no matter how confident she was, no matter how strong, she was still only the City Lord of a small Sky City.


    This status had essentially set a limit, signifying that Karina could only dominate within small Sky Cities. She was ultimately a small city''s City Lord, but what she was preparing to do was to provoke a medium-sized Sky City!


    This kind of act was unimaginable. A small Sky City should naturally steer clear of a medium-sized Sky City, let alone provoke one intentionally. Wasn''t that madness!


    Thus, it also made Rocky frown; he already had enough troubles, with the Mairente Family forcing him into hiding. If he went on to provoke a strong enemy now... it really wouldn''t be a wise choice.


    And Karina evidently saw what he was thinking as she then said, "Rocky, since the three of us are sitting here, let''s not beat around the bush. I know you need money now."


    As a City Lord who was extremely skilled in combat, Karina knew exactly what Rocky needed after a great battle because she had been through a similar situation herself. So she went on to say, "The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group is quite strong, and over the years, they have robbed quite a lot.


    So if we can take them down in one fell swoop, it will surely earn you more than any mission you could accept." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite Karina seeming a bit impulsive and even stubborn about this matter, she was actually very smart. With just a few words, she managed to move Rocky, prompting him to ask the following question:


    "How much can be made?"


    "People, money, goods; add them all up, and it should be at least over a million!"


    "A million?"


    Upon hearing this number, Rocky''s eyes widened, and he incredulously looked at Karina, then turned towards Berg.


    "If you two really manage to take down the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group in one go, indeed, you could make that much."


    Nodding at Rocky, Berg explained, "The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group has been rampant for several years, and although most of their stolen loot has been handed over to Wild Horse City, after so many years, they would have kept some surplus for themselves. They definitely have a wealth of a hundred or so million, no question about that."


    "But don''t forget who you are stirring up trouble with!"


    Although Berg was confident that Karina wasn''t lying, proving that if this operation succeeded, Rocky and Karina would indeed reap a huge reward, he still stressed afterwards, "The two of you, one to seek revenge for an old arrow wound, the other to make a sum of money, are trying to provoke a medium-sized Sky City. Do you think it''s worth it?"


    Frankly speaking, Berg was being quite sincere, earnestly advising Karina and Rocky not to act rashly because the people they were about to provoke were really not easy to deal with.


    However, despite his earnest advice, Karina simply ignored him. She looked at Rocky with her eyes:


    "Rocky, do you dare to join me in this heist or not!"

 Chapter 170 Join Forces!

    Karina''s proposal had put Rocky in a real bind...Objectively speaking, he was actually very tempted to join Karina on this venture. The prospect of earning millions was an enormous lure, especially at a time when Rocky needed money the most.


    On the other hand, the powerful backing behind the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group made him apprehensive. He already had one major enemy; if he managed to offend Wild Horse City, which was a medium-sized Sky City, life would undoubtedly become even more difficult...


    What to choose was indeed a difficult question.


    So, faced with Karina''s pressing question, Rocky chose to keep his cool and did not answer immediately. He took quite a while to ponder before raising his eyes and speaking, "Karina, why do you want to cooperate with me?"


    Instead of giving a direct answer, Rocky instead asked this question, which also echoed the doubts in his heart.


    He did not understand why Karina would want to cooperate with him. Logically, Karina should have been stronger; she might even have been able to take down the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group on her own, so why would she need to cooperate with others?


    And even if she did need a partner, there was no necessity to choose him, was there?


    "I need your troops."


    "The fleet?"


    "No, your soldiers."


    Looking at Rocky, Karina spoke outright without any hesitation or beating about the bush: "I don''t care about the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s fleet, but their ground base is quite troublesome. However, to completely annihilate this Air Pirate Group, destroying their base is essential."


    "Rocky, I know you''ve completed the mission at Backhill Village. Faced with the relentless attacks from over a hundred demons, your troops managed to emerge victorious¡ªthis is exactly the kind of strength I need. I need your troops to take over their base while I hold off their fleet!"


    Perhaps it was her personality that made Karina reveal her thoughts without any reservations. She was not interested in Rocky''s fleet, but his soldiers!


    It''s necessary to explain here that since entering the Sky Era, aerial forces had seen significant development and strengthening, leading to a qualitative change. However, the development of ground forces was limited, with little difference from what they had been during the Land Era.


    There are many reasons for this imbalance of strong aerial capabilities but weak ground forces. For example, as it was the trend of the times, with everyone living in the sky and people still fighting each other, it''s obvious that they would choose to develop air forces rather than ground forces.


    Not only this, but the majority of Sky City Lords have even given up on ground forces altogether. With the exception of a few guards to maintain order, there isn''t an organized army in the city; all their strength and resources are poured into developing the fleet.


    I remember Wensel once said in his will, that once people flee to the sky, they will never have a chance to take back the land. Perhaps he could foresee this situation which is why he made such a statement. And indeed, the fact that the two *** wars failed proves that this was directly related to the weakness of the soldiers.


    After all, floating warships might be strong, but they can only influence ground battles; to finish a ground battle, you still need soldiers.


    This was precisely why Karina chose to cooperate with Rocky. She was confident in facing the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s fleet, as she was one of the City Lords who only maintained an air force without a ground force. Consequently, the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was a tough challenge for her.


    By contrast, Rocky held an advantage in this aspect. Despite his Guard Corps consisting of only a little over three hundred people, these guards were all elite soldiers. The original guards of Thunderhawk City became experienced veterans after the mission at Backhill Village, while the troops from Backhill Village were hardened warriors who battled demons all year round.


    Combined, they made Rocky''s Guard Corps extremely formidable.


    "So..."


    After Karina''s response, Rocky nodded in understanding. He could tell she was not lying, so he continued to inquire:


    "How do you plan to divide the spoils of war?"


    "You can keep the money and the goods, but the people are mine."


    Without any hesitation, Karina gave her answer directly, the money and goods would belong to Rocky, but the people would be hers.


    This proposal was clearly something she had considered beforehand; it seemed simple and crude, yet it perfectly met the needs of both parties. Thunderhawk City, having already increased its population twice consecutively, didn''t need more people for the time being.


    Rocky needed money most of all, so Karina planned to give all the money to him; whereas Karina herself needed people desperately for her city''s development, so she chose the population.


    Regarding this distribution scheme, Rocky didn''t say much after hearing it because he was quite satisfied. There was no question of inferiority or superiority in this allocation; it was distributed based on need, providing both parties with what they needed most.


    After pondering briefly, he nodded and accepted Karina''s offer!


    "I haven''t misjudged you; you and I are cut from the same cloth."


    Seeing that Rocky finally nodded, Karina revealed a smile for the first time and raised the wine glass beside her to toast with him.


    "My God... you two reckless maniacs..."


    Unlike a smiling Karina, Berg slapped his forehead in resignation, his face full of helplessness. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, it was too late for any objections, and since Rocky and Karina had already decided to join forces for a venture, the three of them stopped making idle chit-chat and began discussing the matter at hand.


    "Karina, have you found the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group?"


    Looking at Karina, Berg asked.


    The Air Pirate Group, being the new era''s equivalent of pirates, naturally had their own base. Unlike the Mercenary Group which, being a formal organization, could have its base in Sky City, the Air Pirate Group, as a band of robbers, couldn''t be accommodated by Sky City; they had to build their base on the land, and even Wild Horse Sky Island, which had the support of Sky City, was no exception.


    But don''t forget, the land by now had been occupied by demons. For the Air Pirate Group to establish their base on the land required courage and was also exceedingly dangerous. Typically, the bases of air pirate groups would be in very secret locations that were easy to defend but hard to attack, so hidden that even the demons, let alone people, would have difficulty finding them.


    "I have found it."


    After taking a sip of wine, Karina nodded. Rocky''s response had put her in a very good mood, and a woman of her demeanor only became more striking when cheerful.


    "To find their base, I spent over a hundred thousand Gold Coins at the Shadow Alliance, but it was worth it."


    Putting down her wine glass, Karina spoke, clearly showing that she was hellbent on taking down the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group if she was willing to spend such a large sum just to locate their base.


    "Karina, how closely related are the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group and Wild Horse City? When we attack them, will Wild Horse City send reinforcements?"


    This time it was Rocky who spoke. Since he was about to join forces with Karina for a venture, he had to be fully prepared. Some things had to be clarified.


    "Wild Horse City? Hmph, it would be better if they come to support!"


    Mentioning Wild Horse City, Karina snorted coldly, her eyes flashing with a trace of murderous intent.

 Chapter 171 The Wine in the Cup

    Since Wild Horse City was the backer of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group and was itself a medium-sized Sky City, it naturally became an important target that needed attention.However, when Rocky mentioned Wild Horse City, Karina let out a cold snort filled with murderous intent. But she quickly added, "You don''t have to worry about that. I''ve already received news that Wild Horse City is going to war with Fire Elf City. When that time comes, they won''t have time to bother with us."


    "Fire Elf City?"


    "A city completely controlled by elves." Seeing that Rocky was clearly unfamiliar with Fire Elf City, Berg chimed in from the side, "This city has had a longstanding grudge with Wild Horse City, so they are often at war."


    "I see¡­"


    Berg''s explanation made Rocky nod and also feel much more at ease. If Wild Horse City wasn''t going to provide support, then the operation he and Karina were undertaking would undoubtedly be much easier.


    And so, the three of them chatted for a while longer until the evening gradually approached. Soon after, Karina left first. Since Rocky had already accepted her invitation, she naturally needed to make preparations posthaste.


    After she left, Rocky was also planning to depart as he needed to go back and get the Guard Corps ready. In at most a week, his fleet would be fully repaired and ready to set sail.


    But just as he was about to leave, Berg stopped him.


    "Rocky, don''t listen to Karina''s nonsense. She actually joined an Alliance before."


    After Karina left, only Rocky and Berg remained at the banquet. As soon as Berg spoke, Rocky froze, not understanding what he meant.


    However, Berg didn''t offer much explanation and continued on his own, "Three years ago, when she first became City Lord, she joined a small Alliance for self-protection. While the Alliance wasn''t large, made up of small Sky Cities, it at least provided shelter."


    "Back then, Karina was like many other City Lords now, without much ambition and even less belligerent than she is now. All she wanted was to work hard to develop the city and live a quiet, stable life. I even heard she wanted to find a Prince Charming to marry at that time. Rose City was her dowry."


    At this point, Berg laughed, and even Rocky, who didn''t grasp the meaning of his words, couldn''t help but smile. It was hard for anyone to imagine what a scenario of Karina wanting to marry would look like.


    After their laughter subsided, Berg continued, "At that time, she worked hard within the small Alliance for a year, barely earning enough money to buy a warship, only to have it hijacked by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group."


    "Oh¡­"


    Hearing this, Rocky finally gained a real understanding of the enmity between Karina and the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. He had been puzzled by her intense hatred toward the group because, generally speaking, being robbed by them once shouldn''t warrant such animosity. But now he understood the situation. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But it was clear Berg knew more, so he added, "You can imagine how difficult Karina''s situation became after being robbed by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. She had almost lost all her savings."


    "Didn''t she join an Alliance then? Didn''t the Alliance stand up for her?"


    "No."


    Shaking his head, Berg provided a brief and definitive answer. "Of course, Karina turned to the Alliance, but it was just a small one formed by small Sky Cities. They were afraid of provoking Wild Horse City, so they didn''t help her and even kicked her out."


    "That serious¡­?"


    Rocky looked at Berg in surprise, not expecting Karina to have gone through such an ordeal.


    At this, Berg could only let out a wry smile, "The incident dealt a heavy blow to Karina, and it was after that when she changed. She was no longer the girl who dreamed of marrying Prince Charming and living a peaceful life."


    "She became a true City Lord."


    "She waged constant wars, eliminated her opponents unrelentingly, took her revenge... and in this process, her talent for war was fully realized."


    "You know, Karina is a natural born warmonger; she instinctively knows how to win a war without anyone teaching her."


    "I remember telling you she was called the Tyrant of Rose City because in just one year''s time, with her own strength, she wiped out all the cities in the Alliance that had once expelled her. Since then, she''s earned the reputation of a Tyrant. No City Lord of any small Sky City dares to provoke her."


    "Women... they have such strong desires for revenge..."


    After saying this, Berg looked towards Rocky, "Rocky, about this alliance with Karina you''re forming..."


    "If you think you can''t eliminate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, I advise you to refuse Karina. Although she''s obsessed with this Air Pirate Group, she knows she can''t defeat them without your help and would choose to let it go for the time being."


    "But if you think you can collaborate with her to wipe out the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, I hope you''ll give it your all, because this matter is very important to Karina."


    "......"


    Berg''s words caused Rocky to frown slightly, staring at him for a long while before he half-jokingly asked, "Berg, you seem to care a lot about Karina?"


    From Berg''s speech just now, not only did Rocky gain a better understanding of Karina, but he could also clearly sense that Berg had an unusual relationship with Karina; otherwise, he wouldn''t have disclosed so much to him.


    Sure enough, when asked, Berg smiled and said, "I don''t just care about her, I owe her a debt of gratitude."


    "When I was at my most difficult time, Karina helped me a great deal. I''ve always remembered that favor, so I hope you can help her because in this regard, you are more capable than I am."


    "Additionally..."


    Suddenly, Berg paused, his expression changing slightly before he continued,


    "If anyone dares to stab her in the back, even though I''m not skilled in warfare, I can still crush them with my wealth."


    His eyes calmly fixed on Rocky, Berg showed a rare seriousness, making it clear he was not joking!


    And his last statement was not so much a warning as it was a threat, threatening Rocky not to scheme against Karina!


    However, Rocky was not angered by this, quite the opposite; he actually liked, or rather admired, this kind of behavior from Berg.


    At the level of a City Lord, intrigue and deception become the norm, and someone like Berg who could talk tough to protect Karina was truly rare among them.


    Therefore, Rocky soon smiled, said nothing more, and nothing more needed to be said. He simply picked up his wine glass and gave it a shake towards Berg, and with that, they both downed their drinks. Then Rocky put down his glass, stood up, and left...


    There wasn''t much need for words, a drink was enough.

 Chapter 172 Exploded Again

    ```After leaving the City Lord''s Mansion of Berg, Rocky sat in the carriage with an extremely good mood. This collaboration with Karina could be said to have solved a great problem for him because as long as they could wipe out the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, the crisis of Thunderhawk City would be resolved, and not only that, he could even make a fortune from it!


    Such an outcome naturally delighted Rocky. As for the potential consequences of provoking Wild Horse City, to be honest, he hadn''t thought much about it. The more lice you have, the less you itch; the more debts you have, the less you worry. Since he had already provoked the Mairente Family, he simply didn''t care about a Wild Horse City that was far inferior to the Mairente Family.


    In Rocky''s opinion, rather than being afraid of wolves ahead and tigers behind, worrying about this and that, it was better to go all out on one big gamble, which could at least solve the pressing crisis of Thunderhawk City.


    Therefore, when he returned to his own Thunderhawk City, he immediately gathered everyone in the City Lord''s Hall and spilled the news.


    "That''s great!"


    When Rocky declared that he would join hands with Karina and would mobilize the Guard Corps, Monte reacted strongly. He couldn''t help but jump up and shout, "Lord! We didn''t get to participate in the last big battle, and the brothers have been itching for action for a long time, so this time we''ll definitely go all out to wipe out that Air Pirate Group in one fell swoop!"


    The last big battle Monte referred to was naturally the one against Baron Wolin.


    Now, Thunderhawk City was not only stronger than before but had also improved by quite a margin. Thus, it no longer had to rely solely on a Guard Corps to handle everything. Under Rocky''s organization, Thunderhawk City''s Fleet had long been separated from the Guard Corps, becoming an independent force.


    In other words, the military forces of Thunderhawk City had been divided into the air force led by the First Fleet and the land force led by the Guard Corps, progressively moving towards regularization. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the great battle with Baron Wolin, Rocky had deployed the entire Fleet, and the Guard Corps had basically done nothing, which really frustrated Monte. The guards in the Corps were equally stifled, feeling both envious of the Fleet''s victory and a sense of crisis.


    It had been said before, in the skies, land forces were not highly regarded, and the air force was the favored child of the era. So much so that many Sky Cities didn''t even have ground troops.


    Therefore, when Rocky formed his own First Fleet and separated it from the Guard Corps, Monte and Lin Feng and the others had a foreboding feeling, fearing that Rocky, like other City Lords, would gradually abandon their Guard Corps.


    It was precisely because of this sense of crisis that Monte was so excited when he learned that the next target required the Guard Corps to be mobilized. Not only him but Lin Feng by his side felt the same. Both saw it as an opportunity, a chance to prove to Rocky that the Guard Corps was still useful.


    As for their reaction, Rocky could somewhat understand, but Monte and Lin Feng were thinking too much, for Rocky would never give up the Guard Corps. Regardless of how other City Lords might think, he had always believed that the land force was an indispensable and irreplaceable power, whether facing Demons or other Sky Cities, the land force would be of great use.


    "Carry out my orders."


    So after that, he issued a series of commands: "Effective immediately, Liliya is reinstated to her former position, continuing as my personal guard. The former Instructor of the Guard Corps, Lin Feng, is promoted to Deputy Captain of the Thunderhawk City Guard Corps, and former Deputy Captain Monte is promoted to Captain of the Thunderhawk City Guard Corps, commanding the Guard Corps.


    Prepare for battle at once."


    "Yes!"


    "Yes!"


    Under Rocky''s appointment, Liliya stepped down from the position of Captain of the Guard Corps and returned to being his personal guard. Monte, at last, became the Captain of the Guard Corps, and Lin Feng was also promoted one rank, from Instructor to Deputy Captain.


    This appointment was something Rocky had planned long ago. He had been planning to hand over the position of Captain of the Guard Corps to Monte but had held off until now because Monte''s prestige was not yet sufficient.


    Monte had already been in Thunderhawk City for over half a year and had established enough credibility within the Guard Corps, especially recently. Although Liliya seemed to still be the Captain lately, Monte had been basically handling all major and minor matters of the Guard Corps to ensure a smooth transition to the position of Captain.


    Although the appointment was anticipated, Monte was still quite excited when he was officially named Captain. However, he didn''t waste too much time on this matter, instead immediately returning to the Guard Corps with Lin Feng, planning to share the good news with the brothers in the Corps and get everyone to adjust their condition and prepare for battle as soon as possible.


    After the others had left the City Lord''s Hall, only Rocky and Liliya remained. Rocky then let out a sigh.


    ```


    "What''s wrong?"


    Glancing at the sighing Rocky, Liliya was somewhat puzzled.


    "Got to meet with Orton again..."


    Turning his head to look at Liliya, Rocky said listlessly.


    "You go ahead, I need to take the time to practice controlling the Armor a bit more."


    As soon as Liliya heard that Rocky was going to see Orton, she nodded in sudden realization, and then unexpectedly left him behind and ran off...


    If there was something that was causing Rocky the most headaches right now, it would definitely be the financial crisis of Thunderhawk City. But if there was someone who made him feel even more troubled, it was absolutely that old man Orton. And if Rocky compared the financial crisis with Orton, he could say with certainty that Orton gave him an even bigger headache!


    That old man was just too odd. His ideas, his character, his actions, were all extremely bizarre, to the point that Rocky now dared not meet with Orton.


    To avoid Orton, Rocky had already stopped attending his lessons for a whole week, not seeing him at all. There was no other way, as Orton would demand the fourth generation Armor every time they met, which had become completely unreasonable. Rocky couldn''t take it anymore and could only avoid him.


    Thankfully, the new research institute built for Orton was finally completed. With a separate location to carry out his research, Orton had become significantly quieter, otherwise, Rocky would have found it impossible to avoid him.


    But this time, he had to meet with Orton because Orton was currently fully invested in rune research, and Rocky needed his help to create rune equipment for the Guard Corps to use.


    In this situation, Rocky spent a long time alone in the City Lord''s Hall preparing before he finally set off for the Rune Research Institute.


    The new research that he had built for Orton was named by Orton as the Rune Research Institute. Of course, only a few people, including Rocky, knew this name. It was located next to the City Lord''s Mansion, and it took Rocky just over ten minutes to walk there after leaving the mansion.


    "Teacher...?"


    "Teacher, are you there, sir?"


    Walking into the institute and coming to the door of the research room Orton frequently used, Rocky knocked on the door, greeted with a pleasant expression, and asked cautiously.


    "I''m not in! Don''t bother me!"


    Orton''s irritable voice quickly came from the research room, and upon hearing this voice, Rocky nodded in relief.


    Enjoy more content from empire


    Orton had been in Thunderhawk City for quite some time, which allowed Rocky to get to know his temper. Thus, hearing this irritable response, he breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Orton''s mood was still not bad. So, he gently pushed the door open and walked in.


    The moment he barely opened the door, a loud boom along with a forceful blast blew him away...

 Chapter 173 Rune Improvement

    With a loud bang, Rocky was blasted away from the doorway, slamming hard against the wall of the corridor. Dizzy and disoriented, he felt completely bewildered."Who let you in!"


    As Rocky''s vision sparkled with stars, he saw Orton rush towards him, blurily, and help him up off the ground.


    "You little rascal, didn''t you know I was conducting an experiment? Are you hurt?"


    Orton grumbled and checked Rocky all over. Once he confirmed that the explosion hadn''t injured him, he said nothing more and fiercely punched him on the head, immediately conjuring a galaxy of stars before Rocky''s eyes.


    "You brat, already a Third Level Mage, and you can''t even cast a magic shield?"


    "How was I supposed to know what you were doing!"


    Shaking his head vigorously, it took a while for Rocky to recover from his dizziness, after which he cast an aggrieved glance at Orton.


    It was a month ago when Orton had personally taught him a method to practice his magic power. After over a month of practice, Rocky had indeed become a Third Level Mage and could actually cast a magic shield. But how could he have predicted that visiting Orton would require an active magic shield!


    "Tsk! You don''t know anything! What experiment doesn''t have risks?"


    Orton glanced at Rocky scornfully, dragged him into the research lab that had just exploded, and pointing to the disheveled room, said, "Hurry up and clean this up. I have another experiment to do!"


    Looking at the chaotic lab, Rocky paused for a moment before he sighed resignedly and began to help tidy up.


    Ordinarily, this sort of task would be fit for a maid, but since Orton''s research involved runes, outsiders couldn''t be privy to it. So, in fact, he was the only person in the research facility. Under normal circumstances, Orton would handle such tasks himself, but Rocky was just unlucky enough to have arrived at the time, and as the City Lord, he had no choice but to act as a laborer.


    "Teacher, what are you researching that caused another explosion?"


    As he lifted a fallen experimental table off the ground, Rocky asked curiously. Despite the considerable noise and impact of the explosion, it hadn''t actually caused much damage to the lab. Although the tables had been knocked over, they weren''t destroyed.


    "I''m improving the runes."


    "Improve what?"


    "Improvement! Did the explosion deafen you?"


    Orton glared at Rocky and said indignantly.


    Rocky certainly wasn''t deaf; he just couldn''t believe Orton could actually be improving runes! So after a brief moment of shock, he quickly asked:


    "Teacher, have you already mastered all the runes?"


    In Rocky''s view, improving runes wasn''t impossible, but the prerequisite was to have completely mastered them. This was what surprised him. It hadn''t been very long; how could Orton have already mastered all the runes?


    "Of course not."


    To this, Orton shook his head and replied, "I can only draw up to Fifth-level Runes at the moment. The highest, level six runes, I haven''t fully researched yet, but this doesn''t affect anything because I''ve already learned the entire structure of the rune system." S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That amazing?"


    "Amazing my foot! Stinky boy, Winsell''s research notes have detailed records about this, have you not looked carefully at them?"


    Orton hammered Rocky''s head with his fist, voicing his exasperation, and Rocky could only stick out his tongue apologetically.


    Indeed, Winsell''s research notes did contain detailed accounts on this matter, but for Rocky, this content might as well have been an arcane tome, so he hadn''t examined it closely; clearly, though, Orton had gone through them.


    Afterward, Orton continued, "Actually, in the last part of the notes, Winsell had made it very clear. Although he invented runes and established a whole system, due to limited time, he couldn''t perfect it. In fact, there is still great potential for the development of mana runes, and the improvements I was talking about start from this aspect."


    "So... did it work?"


    Truth be told, Orton''s explanation seemed easy to understand, but Rocky still didn''t quite get it and simply asked directly for the results.


    But when he asked this, Orton showed a look of distress and drew a rune in the air with magic power.


    Drawing runes in the air with magic power was a skill Rocky had once seen in the Magic Energy Images left by Winsell. This ability alone was enough to demonstrate that Orton''s research on runes had reached a considerable height; otherwise, it would not have been so effortless.


    Also, the rune Orton drew was quite different. What he drew this time was merely a first-level rune, but its color was extraordinary, a crystal clear snow-white. Rocky had never seen a rune of this color before.


    "Teacher, this rune...?"


    "This is an elemental rune."


    Looking at his own creation, Orton explained, "As everyone knows, mana is essentially magic power, and since magic power can have elemental attributes, mana can also possess attributes. Winsell had mentioned this in his research notes, but due to his limited time and energy, he only proposed a possible hypothesis and didn''t actually research it."


    "The improvement I made to the runes follows the trail left by our predecessor. That is, giving runes their own attributes. For example, this rune has been infused with ice attribute magic power by me. Once activated, it can emit the power of the ice attribute."


    As he spoke, Orton activated the rune he had drawn, and as the rune activated, a visible chill emanated from it!


    At this sight, Rocky''s eyes widened in amazement, then filled with curiosity, he approached the ice attribute rune and waved his hand around it, indeed feeling a touch of coldness!


    How incredible!


    Feeling the faint chill at his fingertips, Rocky became excited. He hadn''t expected Orton to have such ingenuity, not only daring to improve the runes but also succeeding!


    "Teacher! Congratulations, your improvement has taken rune development a huge step forward!" Read latest chapters on empire


    Regaining his composure, Rocky quickly congratulated Orton. He wasn''t just flattering; he was sincerely congratulating Orton.


    Unfortunately, no sooner had he spoken than Orton shook his head, not only erasing the rune but also speaking dejectedly, "What''s there to congratulate? This rune is practically useless. After gaining an attribute, the rune itself can no longer provide magic power. In other words, this rune is just for show, with no practical utility.


    Moreover, with my current ability, I can only draw first-level elemental runes and nothing higher."


    With that, Orton sighed, a gesture of deep disappointment.


    But this reaction of his was simply him being too hard on himself. In fact, this innovation in runes was already top-notch magical technology in today''s magic energy realm! Note, it''s not top-notch rune technology, but top-notch magic energy technology!

 Chapter 174 Breakthroughs in Technology

    Orton, though dissatisfied with his own improvements, did not necessarily mean that his rune enhancements were inadequate, but rather, this stemmed from his exceedingly high standards for himself.In fact, even discounting runes, his breakthroughs in the field of magic energy alone could be regarded as some of the finest in contemporary times!


    As Orton himself said, the essence of mana is magic power, and since magic power is elemental, it stands to reason that mana should possess elements, too. However, this is only a theoretical possibility, and no one has been able to realize it in practical application.


    Logically, the conversion of such elemental properties shouldn''t be so difficult, and indeed, it isn''t. The real technical challenge lies not in the conversion of attributes, but in the carrier¡ªnamely, the magic stone.


    It''s common knowledge that mana must be stored within magic stones, but how to store elemental mana within magic stones, or make the mana stored within the stones exhibit elements when used, that is the true challenge!


    Research in this area has been ongoing, and any breakthrough would undoubtedly have a profound impact on all things related to mana, especially on the Void Magic Armor which is closely associated with mana. There were even rumors that the primary focus of the 6th Generation Void Magic Armor was elemental.


    The enhancements Orton had made to runes were precisely in this area.


    Rocky did not believe it was a coincidence. As a master in the field of mana, Orton must have been aware of the current research directions in the domain of magic energy, which was why he exerted effort in this area, and more importantly, he had seen some initial success!


    Perhaps, as he himself had said, the elemental runes still possessed various flaws, and lacked true practicality, but this did not mean his research was anything short of top-notch. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was no exaggeration to say that, should Orton publicize his approach to crafting elemental runes¡ªeven without mentioning runes in detail¡ªit would be enough to cause a sensation across the entire field of magic energy!


    In light of this, Rocky naturally wanted to encourage him.


    "Teacher, you mustn''t lose heart. Elemental runes are still in the early stages of experimentation, and we''re exploring all aspects. It''s normal to encounter some flaws, but once we gain a deeper understanding, we can surely find ways to resolve these issues and shortcomings."


    "Hmph, you little brat, you''ve even learned to flatter now."


    Hearing this, Orton gave Rocky a sidelong glance, his lips pursed, but it was clear he was quite happy to listen, so he subsequently asked, "Speak up, you little brat, what are you here for? Did you bring me the 4th Generation Armor?"


    "Yes, yes, more or less."


    "What! Where is it, give it to me!"


    As soon as he heard Rocky mention bringing the 4th Generation Armor, Orton immediately became excited, seeming almost ready to pounce like a predator.


    "This... Teacher, just hear me out..."


    Seeing the eagerness in Orton''s eyes as if he were about to pounce, Rocky quickly gestured with his hands to stop him, then shared the collaboration he and Karina had undertaken.


    "Why are you telling me this? I don''t have time to design that shoddy equipment for you!"


    After Rocky excitedly shared his upcoming plans with Orton, Orton just looked at him askance for a long while before indifferently responding.


    Rocky intended for him to work together on crafting a set of rune equipment for the Guard Corps, as their effectiveness had been fully proven during the mission at Backhill Village. Thus, Rocky planned to equip the entire Guard Corps with rune equipment!


    Their target might have been the Air Pirate Group this time, not demons, but the level of danger was by no means lower than during the mission at Backhill Village¡ªin fact, it could be even more dangerous!


    Because the stronghold of the Air Pirate Group was on land, it was enough to prove that their strength must not be underestimated. In today''s age, anyone who can survive on the demon-infested land is not to be trifled with. It''s just like the soldiers from Backhill Village, each of them is formidable.


    The fact that the Air Pirate Group could establish a stronghold on the land is testament enough to their strength.


    In such circumstances, rune equipment became crucial for Rocky, and its importance might even affect whether he could take down the stronghold of the Air Pirate Group!


    Therefore, facing an Orton who seemed unconcerned, Rocky had no choice but to explain:


    "Teacher, if this job is done right, I''ll have money! And once I have money, can''t I buy you the 4th Generation Armor? So, of course this matter concerns you!"


    "Bullshit, you have to buy me the 4th Generation Armor whether you have money or not!"


    "......"


    Such an unreasonable response nearly left Rocky gasping for breath, but it was in line with Orton''s character, so Rocky had no choice but to cajole him persistently, even beginning to deceive and coax him by all means. Read exclusive chapters at empire


    "Teacher! Think about it, didn''t you just develop the Elemental Rune? Now''s the chance! You can absolutely take advantage of the opportunity of making rune equipment to test out the practicality of the Elemental Rune!"


    "Test? I need to test to know whether these runes are useful or not?"


    Orton gave Rocky a disdainful glance and snorted coldly, appearing extremely arrogant.


    That''s normal since even though the idea of Elemental Runes was mentioned in Winsel''s notes, it was Orton who actually turned the concept into reality, so he really didn''t need an experiment to verify the quality of Elemental Runes.


    However, after this, Orton still said impatiently, "Alright, enough bothering me. It''s just a few hundred pieces of equipment. Let''s start now, the sooner it''s done, the sooner I''ll have peace!"


    After saying this, he didn''t wait for Rocky to express his joy and immediately led him to another research lab.


    During his last visit to Eternal City, Rocky had actually bought a large number of ''counterfeit'' Magic Energy Equipment, intending to equip the entire Guard Corps with rune equipment, but it had been delayed due to being too busy.


    Now, all these pieces were stored in the Rune Research Institute, available for Orton''s experimentation at any time. When Orton led Rocky into another research lab, Rocky saw the hundreds of pieces of equipment piled up inside.


    "These dozens of pieces of equipment have already been enhanced by me with runes. When the time comes, you can just take them away," said Orton nonchalantly, pointing at a pile of equipment stacked in the corner after leading Rocky into the lab filled with equipment.


    These were casually enhanced by him recently, a good dozen in number, all of high quality, yet tossed aside in the corner as if they were junk.


    Seeing these pieces, Rocky immediately nodded in agreement. They were all valuable items, certainly stronger than the rune equipment he had made, so he quickly began moving the gear out of the lab one by one.


    Having no other choice, as Orton''s behavior was too rough, who knew what racket he might make while inscribing runes on the equipment. To prevent these finished products from being destroyed, Rocky had to place them in a safe spot.


    Afterward, he and Orton, like a father-and-son duo, dove into the pile of equipment and began producing rune equipment for the Guard Corps.

 Chapter 175 Further Progress

    "How is your practice with the Second-Level Rune going?"After casually throwing a piece of equipment to Rocky, Orton asked offhandedly.


    "It''s okay, the success rate of drawing runes has already surpassed 80 percent."


    "80 percent and you say it''s okay? Don''t ever say that I taught you runes!"


    After glaring at Rocky, Orton showed a face full of disregard, obviously dissatisfied with Rocky''s low self-standards.


    But Rocky''s self-standards were not low at all, as an 80 percent success rate was already quite high.


    Moreover, don''t forget, it had only been a month since he became a Third Level Mage. That is to say, in just one month, Rocky had not only mastered Second-Level Runes but also managed to keep the success rate above 80 percent. This was enough to show his talent in this area and that he had worked hard on it.


    Actually, Orton knew this too. His display of disregard was largely due to his bad temper. After nagging for a while, he said, "This time enhance the equipment with Second-Level Runes."


    "Teacher, using Second-Level Runes everywhere... isn''t that a waste of time?"


    Rocky seemed somewhat troubled by Orton''s request. Although he could now draw Second-Level Runes, the process was far from being as refined as with First-Level Runes. This would undoubtedly slow down the speed of making rune equipment, and Rocky didn''t have so much time.


    In a week, his fleet would be fully repaired, and then he would be departing with Karina.


    Unfortunately, Orton seemed not to see his difficulty, and even bluntly sat down:


    "Second-Level Runes aren''t much harder than First-Level Runes. If you think it''s too slow, that''s your own problem. If you don''t use Second-Level Runes, I won''t help."


    "And even if I help you, I can only help you with a hundred pieces of equipment per day. Any more than that, and I won''t have the time. You''ll have to manage on your own."


    After saying this, Orton picked up a piece of equipment and began drawing runes on it without any further attention to Rocky.


    Seeing this, what could Rocky say? He could only sigh to himself, then honestly picked up a piece of equipment and began drawing Second-Level Runes on it.


    He knew that Orton was doing this to help him become familiar with Second-Level Runes, letting him gradually get accustomed to them through practice.


    But Rocky was really in a hurry!


    The last time he bought equipment from Eternal City, it wasn''t just one or two pieces, but hundreds!


    At that time, since Rocky was quite wealthy, he decided to replace all the Guard Corps'' equipment with rune equipment, so he didn''t buy just a few pieces, but a full three hundred sets of equipment!


    The current organization of the Guard Corps was three hundred people, so Rocky bought three hundred sets of equipment, each set including Armor, shield, and standard longsword as the three major pieces, and Helmet, wrist guard, shin guard as three minor pieces, meaning each set contained six pieces, totaling one thousand eight hundred pieces!


    To make all this equipment into rune equipment was definitely a massive undertaking, which is exactly why Rocky wanted to use First-Level Runes, fearing he wouldn''t have enough time.


    Unfortunately, Orton didn''t care about these issues at all. He made it clear that if Rocky didn''t use Second-Level Runes, he wouldn''t help. Knowing Orton''s character, he was definitely capable of doing such a thing, and Rocky had no choice but to comply.


    "Drawing four Second-Level Runes on these pieces of equipment will reach the strength of One-star Magic Energy Gear."


    Orton casually made a piece of equipment into rune equipment and, after treating it like trash and tossing it aside, he said to Rocky.


    Continue your adventure with empire


    "Teacher, can''t I draw a few more?"


    Having put down his Magic Energy Pen, Rocky looked up and asked. He obviously knew the conversion ratio between Runes and Magic Stones¡ªfour Second-Level Runes contained just a bit more Mana than a small Magic Stone¡ªbut he wanted to draw more Second-Level Runes on the equipment. That would surely make the equipment more powerful.


    "No."


    As soon as he had finished speaking, Orton shook his head, "The material of this batch of equipment is too poor, it can only withstand the Mana of One-star Magic Energy Gear; any more would ruin it. If you have time, you could draw five Second-Level Runes on the longsword¡ªthat''s the limit."


    "Oh¡­"


    Nodding, Rocky then understood what Orton meant. It appeared that Orton had already thoroughly grasped the strength of the equipment at hand through experiments; otherwise, he wouldn''t have said so.


    In such a scenario, there was naturally no point for Rocky to question further. He simply began diligently drawing Runes on the equipment.


    Thus, the lengthy production process began.


    Over the following week, Rocky devoted almost all his time to creating rune equipment, handcrafting a large amount each day. In the process, his mastery of Second-Level Runes naturally improved dramatically, as did his understanding of Runes.


    Getting more proficient with Second-Level Runes was undoubtedly thanks to Rocky''s own talents. It seemed as if it was destined¡ªhe indeed had a gift for Runes, something even Orton had to admit.


    However, when it came to his understanding of Runes, it was entirely due to Orton''s teachings.


    Though Orton constantly said he had no time and could only make a hundred pieces of rune equipment each day, in reality, he didn''t leave after finishing the equipment. Instead, he stayed by Rocky''s side and guided him¡ªplainly speaking, through his rather annoying incessant chatter.


    Indeed, under Orton''s continuous guidance, Rocky learned more in that one week than he had from a whole month of classes. Of course, this was not surprising since Rocky spent every day with Orton, constantly learning.


    After a full week, the major project was finally completed. Rocky, together with Orton, managed to turn all three hundred sets of equipment into rune equipment!


    Simultaneously, the day after the rune equipment was completed, Rocky''s fleet was also refurbished. Two large warships and seven Reconnaissance Ships were fully repaired, taking off from the dock as if brand new.


    With that, the equipment and warships were all ready, and Rocky met with Karina once more.


    This time, the two met at the City Lord''s Mansion in Thunderhawk City.


    "Your city is nice."


    Sitting opposite Rocky, Karina said as she sipped some fine red tea.


    Since both parties were preparing to collaborate, Rocky also showed considerable sincerity. He had invited Karina to his City Lord''s Mansion and had even given her a tour of the city area beforehand.


    "You''re too kind. Everything is still developing. I definitely must visit your Rose City whenever I get the chance." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "As long as we can eliminate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, there will be plenty of opportunities later," Karina said slowly, looking at Rocky.


    Her implications were clear; she was informing Rocky that if this collaboration were successful, the relationship between him and her, and between Thunderhawk City and Rose City, would further deepen.


    So then, Karina directly asked, "How is everything, all ready?"


    "We can depart at any time."


    "Great!" Hearing this, Karina burst into a smile, revealing her eagerness, "Let''s set off tomorrow!"

 Chapter 176 Twin Cities Strike!

    After setting the schedule for departure, Rocky and Karina visited Lingyu City that very evening to bid farewell to Berg.For this occasion, Berg specifically hosted an extraordinarily grand ball, inviting all the prominent figures from the three cities to send them off. At the same time, he used the opportunity of the send-off to facilitate a deeper understanding and interaction between the cities, which could be considered killing two birds with one stone. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next day, Rocky''s Thunderhawk City and Karina''s Rose City activated their flight mode and left the airspace of Lingyu City together, heading for the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group!


    Two Sky Cities flying side by side in the sky was a rare and magnificent sight.


    Unfortunately, the land was now occupied by demons, and no one could appreciate this grand scene. A few demons did see it, but they only roared at the sky a couple of times and that was all.


    "Have your troops been well arranged?"


    Standing on the deck of the Thunderhawk alongside Rocky, Karina asked.


    Although the two cities were flying side by side at the moment, shuttling between them was not very convenient. Thus, under these circumstances, Rocky simply offered the Thunderhawk as a platform for him and Karina to meet.


    "You needn''t worry about my troops..." Glancing at Karina, Rocky smiled, "Karina, you''re a bit too nervous."


    Indeed, Karina was quite nervous at the moment, but it was understandable. After all, Berg had said that in the eyes of others, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group might just be a gang of bandits, but to Karina, they meant much more; the group was like a knot in her heart¡ªan existence she had always intended to erase.


    "I just don''t want any accidents to happen."


    Looking back at Rocky, Karina said expressionlessly.


    "Don''t worry, no accidents will happen here,"


    Rocky chuckled, full of confidence.


    He had great faith in his Guard Corps for a couple of reasons. Firstly, he had distributed all three hundred sets of newly crafted Mana Equipment to the guards, giving each of them a brand-new set which would undoubtedly improve the overall strength of the Guard Corps by a large margin.


    Moreover, despite the guards disappearing from public view after the mission in Backhill Village with no battle credits or participation in any fights, they had not slacked off. On the contrary, under the leadership of Monte and Lin Feng, the Guard Corps had been training intensively during this downtime. The young men were eager and more than ready for a proper battle.


    Therefore, not only did Karina have high hopes for the Guard Corps, but Rocky himself was also filled with anticipation for them!


    With that being the case, Rocky naturally felt confident.


    This confidence was something Karina could sense as well, and so she did not pursue the matter further. Instead, she began to discuss the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.


    "The base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group is hidden in the Traceless Battlefield."


    "The Traceless Battlefield... the location of the Battle of Traceless?"


    When Karina mentioned where the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was hidden, Rocky first blinked in surprise and then his eyes widened, while Karina simply nodded in confirmation.


    Seeing Karina nod, Rocky inhaled sharply¡ªthe Wild Horse Air Pirate Group sure had guts to hide out in the Traceless Battlefield!


    What kind of place was the Traceless Battlefield?


    To clarify this matter, one has to mention the Battle of Traceless, a battle so famous that literate or not, everyone would certainly know of it.


    For this battle was the very first grand war waged by the people of this world against the Demons!


    Over a hundred years ago, the Demons suddenly descended from the Otherworld and quickly occupied vast stretches of land¡ªand indeed, this is true. Yet, this statement might give the false impression that the people put up no resistance at all, which couldn''t be further from the truth.


    In fact, during the Demons'' occupation of the land, the people not only resisted but also engaged in an immensely massive battle.


    That battle was the Battle of Traceless.


    Since this is a history of more than a hundred years ago, the various accounts of this battle have long since become legend, their accuracy difficult to ascertain.


    Yet, while the details of the events might be hard to verify, the data regarding this battle has been completely preserved. And just through these lifeless figures, it''s possible to understand the scale of that monumental battle.


    The battle lasted an entire three months, with a staggering participation of three and a half million people, which included humans, Elves, Beastmen, Dwarves, and many other races. It could be said that for this battle, all races of the world united, forming an unprecedentedly massive Allied Forces.


    During those three months of warfare, the Allied Forces clashed with the Demons almost daily. According to records, even the smallest scale engagement involved more than ten thousand participants¡ªand that was just on the Allied Forces'' side.


    Larger battles with over a hundred thousand participants were common, and when the final decisive battle came, the number of troops deployed by the Allies reached a staggering one million!


    A battle of this magnitude was unprecedented and remains unmatched, arguably the largest-scale conflict in the history of this world.


    And it was at this very location that is now known as the Traceless Battlefield.


    Today, a hundred years later, the Traceless Battlefield has become a name for a place, and the name of a dead land at that. This is because the battle of that year was too fierce, completely damaging the landscape and rendering the battlefield''s environment extremely harsh. Not only has it become an uninhabited area, but even the Demons are reluctant to venture there.


    "To actually hide in such a dangerous place¡­"


    Rocky frowned deeply and couldn''t help but glance at Karina, "If I remember correctly, Sky City flight is prohibited over the Traceless Battlefield. How are we supposed to get in?"


    Having read some material about the Traceless Battlefield in books, Rocky remembered that the weather conditions of this dead land were very bad, preventing Sky City from entering. So how would they get in?


    "Sky City certainly won''t work, but a Skyship can," Karina replied to his concerns as if she had already considered them, then explained further: "The weather at the Traceless Battlefield is indeed severe, but if the Skyship maintains low-altitude flight, it can still get through. We''ll just have to park Sky City on the outskirts of the battlefield then."


    "Are you sure?" Experience more content on empire


    "Certain."


    Karina nodded with conviction, appearing quite confident, yet she gave Rocky a look, "Rocky, it would be best to inform your Guard Corps about this and get them mentally prepared. After all, the weather over the Traceless Battlefield may be severe, but the conditions on the ground are even worse¡­"


    PS: Another lengthy section begins! Soliciting recommendations! Soliciting recommendations!

 Chapter 177 Land of Erasure (Part 1)

    The headquarters of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was unexpectedly hidden in the Traceless Battlefield, which somewhat troubled Rocky.The environment of the Traceless Battlefield was so harsh that even without having been there, Rocky had heard enough about it. Thus, upon returning to Thunderhawk City, he immediately summoned Monte and Lin Feng to his side.


    "Sir, the Traceless Battlefield... I haven''t been there either."


    "You haven''t been either?"


    "No..."


    Shaking his head, Monte showed a helpless expression. His knowledge of the Traceless Battlefield was also limited to rumors, as he had never been there personally. Although once a Demon Hunter who had roamed from south to north, he was a loner who also had a daughter to consider.


    He would never venture into dangerous areas like the Traceless Battlefield, especially since it wasn''t heavily populated by demons, so what business would a Demon Hunter have there?


    This now troubled Rocky, who had assumed Monte had been to the Traceless Battlefield so that they could at least get some prior knowledge of the area, but this assumption had fallen through.


    "Sir, I have been to the Traceless Battlefield before."


    Just as Rocky felt a headache coming on, Lin Feng suddenly spoke up from the side, telling Rocky he had been to the Traceless Battlefield!


    "You have been?"


    Looking at Lin Feng with surprise, Rocky felt unforeseen; had he really been to the Traceless Battlefield? Wasn''t he always in Backhill Village?


    "Sir, although the environment of the Traceless Battlefield is very harsh, demons are quite rare, so there are still some people living around the battlefield. A few years ago, I went through the battlefield to visit a village."


    Lin Feng''s words were both surprising and reassuring for Rocky¡ªsurprising because he had always thought Lin Feng had never left Backhill Village; reassuring because, since Lin Feng had been to the Traceless Battlefield, they could at least get some preliminary understanding of the area.


    "Lin Feng, is the environment of the Traceless Battlefield really as the rumors describe?"


    "No, sir."


    Facing Rocky''s question, Lin Feng directly shook his head: "The environment of the Traceless Battlefield is even more severe than the rumors suggest."


    ''''Sir, a hundred years ago, that great battle left behind an indelible Magical Energy Storm which makes it impossible for Sky City to enter. Even demons are reluctant to go there, but even so, the Traceless Battlefield remains extremely dangerous. Anyone walking on the battlefield could at any moment be caught up by the Magical Energy Storm, with a very high mortality rate."


    "Furthermore, that battlefield is very sinister..."


    "Sinister?"


    Hearing these words, Rocky exchanged glances with Monte, then they both looked towards Lin Feng, obviously not understanding what he meant.


    ''''Sir, I''m not very clear on the details, but the last time I went to the battlefield, a lot of strange things happened during the process and several of our group died for no apparent reason."


    "I see..."


    Lin Feng''s ambiguous explanation not only failed to clarify anything for Rocky, but it also left him even more confused. However, from Lin Feng''s brief description, Rocky at least understood one thing: the Traceless Battlefield was definitely not a good place.


    This outcome undoubtedly cast a shadow over the upcoming operation, so Rocky immediately instructed Monte and Lin Feng to return to the Guard Corps and explain everything that they might encounter to the guards, to better prepare them.


    So, three days passed, and after these three days, the two cities flying side by side in the sky finally came to a halt, because they had reached their destination!


    The Traceless Battlefield, they had arrived!


    According to Karina''s plan, upon reaching the outskirts of the Traceless Battlefield, everyone was to leave Sky City and board skyships to enter the battlefield.


    Since this arrangement had been made long ago, when Sky City stopped, Rocky had gathered the Guard Corps at the Skyport early on.


    "Sir, that is a Magical Energy Storm,"


    standing next to Rocky, Lin Feng pointed towards the distance.


    Actually, even without his reminder, Rocky had already noticed the Magical Energy Storm he was referring to.


    Following Rocky''s gaze, one could see a massive dark cloud in the distant sky. The cloud covered the sun, immensely thick, and even from a great distance, Rocky could clearly see bolts of lightning and balls of fire moving within the cloud, as if the cloud were some living creature!


    This giant cloud was the Magical Energy Storm Lin Feng referred to, the main culprit that turned the Traceless Battlefield into a barren wasteland.


    Over a hundred years ago, the unprecedented war involved not only numerous participants but also unmatched quality. According to the data that could be accessed, there were thousands of archmages within the Allied Forces, and dozens of mages, almost god-like in prowess!


    The Magical Energy Storm before Rocky was the ultimate magic conjured by the mages together!


    In the decisive battle of the Traceless Battlefield, knowing that defeat was inevitable, the Allied Forces had more than ten mages create this Magical Energy Storm, hoping this ultimate magic powerful enough to destroy heavens and earth would halt the Demons'' advance. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the efforts of these mages, the Allied Forces'' plan succeeded. Unfortunately, the Demons were not delayed for long; they eventually defeated the Allied Forces and conquered the land. Ironically, the Magic Storm that should have blocked the Demons remained permanently on the battlefield until today, never dissipating.


    Because of this terrifying storm, the airspace above the Traceless Battlefield had become a no-fly zone; Sky City couldn''t come close without being destroyed!


    However, fortunately, even though the Magical Energy Storm still existed after so many years, it no longer possessed the devastating power it once had. Although the high altitudes were still dangerous, the lower altitudes were relatively safe; at least, skyships could fly.


    "All hands, board the ships!"


    Standing on the Skyport, Rocky stared at the Magical Energy Storm for a while before snapping back to reality and issuing the command!


    Now that they had arrived at the Traceless Battlefield and were about to set off, worrying was useless. Even if they had to do it reluctantly, they had to move forward!


    Explore more stories with empire


    Following his command, the well-prepared Guard Corps immediately boarded the Thunderhawk and two escort ships. Once all members were onboard, the two large warships took off from the Skyport and flew out of the Defensive Net.


    Since the main role this time was the Guard Corps, Rocky did not bring his entire fleet, only deploying two warships for troop transport and air cover. The rest was handled by Karina.


    Meanwhile, as Thunderhawk and the escort Ships sequentially exited Thunderhawk City''s Defensive Net, Karina''s fleet also emerged in the sky and slowly began to join with Rocky''s fleet.


    "...This Karina... really has some strength..."


    Standing with Rocky on the bow of the Thunderhawk, Liliya, clad in Void Magic Armor, couldn''t help but comment upon seeing Karina''s fleet approaching, obviously impressed by the scale of the opponent''s fleet.


    In fact, not only her, but Rocky too, felt surprised after seeing Karina''s true capabilities!


    The fleet coming from Rose City and gradually approaching them consisted of two divisions.


    Each division had exactly twenty ships, each consisting of one flagship, three escort ships, and sixteen reconnaissance ships; more importantly, every warship in these two divisions was a 4th generation craft!


    This was Karina''s strength, the top capability within the smaller Sky Cities!


    PS: Seeking recommendations! Continue seeking recommendations!

 Chapter 178 Land of Erasure (Part 2)

    Seeing Karina deploy her entire fleet, Rocky couldn''t help but give a thumbs-up in his mind, he had to admit, Karina was incredibly strong! S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.He remembered how Berg had said back in Lingyu City that Karina was known as the Tyrant of Rose City, her formidable strength such that other smaller Sky City Lords kept a respectful distance, not daring to provoke her. At the time, Rocky hadn''t paid much attention to it, thinking that even if Karina was strong, she was still just at the level of a smaller Sky City. How strong could she really be?


    But now, he realized he had underestimated the Tyrant of Rose City because the strength displayed by these two fleets alone was enough to sweep away most other smaller Sky Cities without any problem.


    That was over forty 4th generation warships, including two flagships and six escort ships! With such strength, no wonder Karina had boasted she could defeat the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s fleet.


    "What''s with all the fuss? If you let me go all out on remodeling, your Thunderhawk wouldn''t be much inferior to the flagship over there."


    As Rocky and the others were continuously praising Karina''s fleet, a smug voice came out, it was Orton, who was traveling with the ship.


    Orton insisted on coming along after learning that Rocky was heading to the Traceless Battlefield, and Rocky couldn''t dissuade him, so he let him board the ship. After all, Orton was an archmage, and whether or not he could be of help, at least no one else needed to look after him.


    At that moment, Orton also came up to the bow, standing in line with Rocky, looking at Karina''s fleet, then he scoffed and said, "Just a few dozen scrap ships, you all seem like you''ve never seen the world."


    After uttering those words, he then turned to look at Rocky, "Kid, when are you going to get me a 4th generation flagship? I have some ideas I want to test out..."


    "Teacher, I need to go meet with Lord Karina, I''ll be off!"


    The moment Orton actually asked for a 4th generation flagship, Rocky, scared, quickly leaped off the Thunderhawk and ran towards Karina''s flagship.


    Once on board Karina''s Code Rose, the two discussed briefly and decided not to delay, to descend immediately and enter the Traceless Battlefield.


    Shortly after, the gathered fleet of over forty warships slowly decreased their altitude and then flew into the Traceless Battlefield!


    To avoid the Magical Energy Storm as much as possible, the forty-odd warships descended to an altitude of only a hundred meters above the land.


    Flying at this height, the impact of the Magical Energy Storm on the warships was greatly reduced, but even so, all the warships still spread out their Defensive Nets, because although the impact was minor, there was still a possibility they could be affected by the Mana leaking from the Magical Energy Storm.


    As the fleet slowly entered the Traceless Battlefield, everyone felt the surroundings suddenly darken, as if the sky had promptly turned black.


    This was normal, as the Traceless Battlefield was constantly enveloped by a Magical Energy Storm above, blocking out the sunlight and leaving the entire battlefield in a state without distinction between day and night.


    "Rocky, look!"


    After Rocky returned to the Thunderhawk, he and Liliya stayed on the bow and thus witnessed many unusual sights they wouldn''t normally see.


    For instance, right now, following the direction of Liliya''s pointing finger, Rocky saw a tornado forming in the distance, which left him a bit surprised.


    He had certainly seen tornadoes before, but he was sure that just a moment ago, he had looked in the same direction twice and had not seen this tornado. That is to say, this tornado, sweeping up countless amounts of dust, had just formed¡ªin a matter of seconds!


    But suddenly, right before Rocky''s eyes, the tornado dispersed without any warning, vanishing in the blink of an eye as if it had never existed.


    Such a scene made Rocky slightly gape, as he turned his head to glance at Liliya and found her expression to be quite similar to his own.


    While the two were in astonishment, a blinding light suddenly flashed, and from the high skies, a bolt of lightning struck down straight through the Mana Energy Storm, hitting the Defensive Net of the Thunderhawk!


    Following that was a crackling sound, as the lightning burst upon hitting the Defensive Net, illuminating the Thunderhawk''s Defensive Net with a halo of light.


    "Good lord..."


    Watching the glow on the Defensive Net fade away, Rocky had a fleeting sense of alarm. The environment of the Traceless Battlefield was indeed as the rumors described, no, it was even more severe than the rumors.


    In such circumstances, to avoid unnecessary losses, he had to consult with Karina again, and then they decided to slow down the speed of the Fleet, to avoid being affected by the Magical Energy Storm due to flying too fast.


    This caution on their part was naturally not misplaced, but they still underestimated the Traceless Battlefield. At this moment, they had only just entered the periphery of the Traceless Battlefield, and everything they encountered so far was merely child''s play. The real danger was still lying ahead, waiting for them.


    Indeed, about half a day later, a sudden Lightning Storm descended from above the Traceless Battlefield, bringing Rocky and Liliya a harsh lesson without any warning!


    Bolts of lightning, as thick as arms, unexpectedly fell from the sky in countless numbers. Every lightning bolt seemed to have eyes of its own, striking the warships with such precision!


    This Lightning Storm was like a downpour, washing over Karina''s two fleets and Rocky''s two warships. The scene was simply indescribable.


    Fortunately, all of Karina''s warships were of the fourth generation, and even the Reconnaissance Ship maintained a considerable strength in its Defensive Net, while Rocky''s two warships were both large types, allowing them to escape unharmed from this sudden storm.


    However, not long after the Lightning Storm ended, before everyone could recover, a rain of fire suddenly descended!


    Fireballs large as washbasins fell from the high skies of the Magical Energy Storm, each aimed directly at the warships, lighting up the Defence Nets with speckles of light and the bombardment lasted for a full half-hour!


    To tell the truth, even though they had braced themselves, after being subjected to both the Lightning Storm and the fire rain, everyone felt a bit scared. They also understood why even Demons dared not to enter the Traceless Battlefield, this land of death; the place was simply too terrifying. Experience tales at empire


    Right after the fire rain ceased, Karina took advantage of her Void Magic Armor and flew to the Thunderhawk, finding Rocky.


    "Is the Guard Corps alright?"


    After experiencing the Lightning Storm and the fire rain, Karina''s biggest concern was for Rocky''s two warships, as both of them were only third-generation warships, and it would be normal if they could not hold up under such relentless assault.


    But fortunately, both the Thunderhawk and the Escort Ship were without major damage, so Rocky shook his head and then asked, "Karina, are you certain the Shadow Alliance''s intelligence is not mistaken?"


    "What do you mean?"


    Karina frowned at Rocky''s question, and afterwards he directly said, "This Traceless Battlefield is such a frightening place. Are you sure the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group would hide their base here?"


    After a series of strikes, Rocky couldn''t help but voice this doubt. He now strongly questioned whether Karina was wrong. Such a dreadful place, the Traceless Battlefield, could the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group really have their base hidden here?

 Chapter 179 According to the Ground

    ```Having entered the Traceless Battlefield for less than half a day, Rocky had already realized how terrifying it was¡ªthis battlefield may have been devoid of Demons, yet it was far more dreadful than facing them!


    And this gave rise to a question in Rocky''s mind: had Karina been deceived?


    The intelligence she purchased from the Shadow Alliance claimed that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had hidden their base in the Traceless Battlefield, but with such dangers lurking here, could the Air Pirate Group be mad enough to actually reside in such a place?


    "The Shadow Alliance would never sell false intelligence."


    However, before Karina could respond to his doubts, Orton''s voice came from behind Rocky, and as he spoke, he walked up to the two of them.


    "Rocky, who is this¡­?"


    As Karina had never seen Orton before, she turned to Rocky.


    "This is my teacher, Master Orton."


    "Orton... could it be, could it be the Master Orton?"


    At the mention of Orton''s name, Karina pondered for a moment before turning sharply towards Rocky, clearly having realized something.


    To this, Rocky simply nodded in confirmation.


    Upon seeing his nod, Karina was taken aback, clearly not expecting such a distinguished individual to be at Rocky''s side. After her moment of surprise, she promptly turned to Orton, showing rare courtesy.


    "I am Karina, City Lord of Rose City, honored to meet you, senior."


    "Hmm, very good, very good."


    As Karina treated him with such politeness, Orton seemed as if his vanity was gratified, nodding incessantly. Then, he unabashedly rebuked Rocky, "Stinky kid, look at this young lady, how polite she is! And then look at you, not showing an ounce of respect for your teacher!"


    "I, I... I didn''t!"


    Flushed with embarrassment from Orton''s accusation, Rocky protested. He had always respected Orton!


    Unfortunately for him, Orton didn''t give him the chance to argue, and directly addressed the pair, "If the Shadow Alliance says that Air Pirate Group''s base is here, it''s definitely here, no mistake."


    "But teacher, this environment is simply uninhabitable!"


    Rocky couldn''t help but question Orton''s assertion, as an Air Pirate Group''s base wasn''t just a simple warehouse. In fact, it served as the robbers'' stronghold, akin to their home, where they would hide when not out raiding.


    But how could anyone live in a place like the Traceless Battlefield!?


    Find your next adventure on empire


    No sooner had he voiced this than Orton landed a punch on Rocky''s head and said without a hint of politeness, "Stinky kid, if only you''d read more books. The first half of the Traceless Battlefield is indeed very dangerous, but the latter half is relatively much safer. Young lady, is the Air Pirate Group''s base located in the latter half of the Traceless Battlefield?"


    "Yes!"


    Hearing Orton''s explanation, Karina quickly assented and promptly took out a map, pointing to it, "Master Orton, the intelligence from the Shadow Alliance did indeed specify that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s base is hidden in the latter half, right here..."


    "That''s correct."


    After a brief glance at the map, Orton nodded, "When the Allied Forces decided to unleash the Magical Energy Storm, they already knew defeat was inevitable. Thus, they positioned the storm on their side of the encampment to block the Demons'' pursuit."


    "And our current location is right near where the Allied Forces camped back then, so as long as we get through this area, the impact and reach of the Magical Energy Storm will lessen."


    "Master, is there a way to safely traverse the storm?"


    "Hmm..." Pondering Karina''s question for a while, Orton finally reopened the discussion, "Let the fleet accelerate, push through with full force!"


    "What?"


    Upon hearing his suggestion, both Rocky and Karina showed expressions of surprise and confusion.


    "You don''t understand..."


    Facing their bafflement, Orton shook his head and elaborated, "The Magical Energy Storm attacks indiscriminately any target that passes through it with magic attacks¡ªjust like the lightning and fireball you recently encountered. However, the storm''s contained mana has significantly weakened over time, and it now requires a long duration to accumulate energy for each attack."


    "So, by advancing at your leisurely pace now, you are essentially giving the Magical Energy Storm time to gather energy."


    So that was it!


    With Orton''s clarification, Rocky and Karina immediately grasped his point. Their earlier choice to deliberately slow down for caution''s sake had played right into the hands of the Magical Energy Storm!


    "Thank you for the reminder, Master!"


    ```


    So after that, Karina bowed deeply to Orton and turned to fly back to her own fleet, immediately ordering the fleet to advance at full speed.


    As per Karina''s command, the entire fleet''s speed quickly picked up, and just as Orton had said, after the Lightning Storm and rain of fire, there indeed wasn''t any attack from the Magical Energy Storm for quite some time.


    About half a day passed, and the fleet finally made it through the core area of the Magical Energy Storm, reaching the latter half of the Traceless Battlefield.


    Although the fleet suffered two more strikes from the Magical Energy Storm during this process, they ultimately made it through, and once they entered the latter half of the battlefield, they really didn''t encounter any more large-scale attacks.


    But similarly, after the fleet entered the latter half of the battlefield, it also meant that they were closer to the stronghold of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group!


    In fact, the stronghold of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was easier to find than everyone imagined because, after entering the latter half of the Traceless Battlefield, they soon saw the ruins of a city!


    "Hongcheng Ruins... this is the place!"


    Upon seeing the city ruins, Karina immediately looked down at the map given to her by the Shadow Alliance, and then her eyes shone brightly because according to the map and intelligence provided by the Shadow Alliance, the stronghold of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was these ruins!


    However, as Karina discovered the stronghold of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, the patrolling robbers on the towers of Hongcheng Ruins also spotted her fleet!


    ...... sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ......


    In Hongcheng Ruins, inside a building that was clearly newly constructed, the leader of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was cuddling a woman, drinking and making merry with his gang of robbers.


    The leader of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was named Kilov, a man in his forties, with a rugged face and a towering, muscular physique.


    A life of banditry had left deep marks on Kilov, both physically and mentally. He had three knife scars on his face, each one crossing at least half his face, making him look extremely fierce and terrifying.


    The aura he exuded was also extraordinary, to the extent that a mere glance was enough to tell that he was a desperado!


    "Beauty, come! Have some meat!"


    Pulling the woman in his arms closer, Kilov carelessly cut off a piece of half-raw beef with a knife, then stabbed it with the knife''s tip and brought it to the woman''s lips.


    But the woman he held was already scared silly, trembling too much to even open her mouth.


    "Damn it! When I tell you to eat, you eat!"


    Seeing the woman''s pale face refusing to open her mouth, Kilov cursed viciously and kicked the woman away with one foot, sending her tumbling far off.


    "Boss, go easy on her! You just snatched this woman, she''s not well-trained yet, don''t kill her."


    "She''s yours now, you train her well!"


    Glancing at the robber who spoke, Kilov waved his hand nonchalantly, and the other immediately grinned, tossing aside the meat he was about to eat and ran over to the woman, picking her up and walking off, and no one knew what he was going to do¡ªor rather, everyone knew exactly what he was going to do.


    "Boss, we got a message from Wild Horse City, they want us to set out immediately. We can''t let any merchant ships headed to Fire Elf City go, destroy them all without exception."


    "Hmm, got it."


    Upon hearing this, Kilov nodded and then started to eat the half-raw beef he had intended to feed the woman.


    Just then, someone came rushing in, flustered and panicked.


    "Boss! There''s an enemy!"


    "Enemy?"


    Upon hearing this, Kilov glanced at the robber who had come in with the news and sneered, "You must be mistaken, who would come up here to find us?"


    "Sir, it''s¡ªit''s a fleet from Rose City..."


    "Fuck!"


    Hearing the words "Rose City," Kilov immediately stood up and then asked with widened eyes, "How many ships do they have?"


    "Thirty, forty..."


    "Motherfucker! That bitch actually found her way here..."


    Learning about the number of ships, Kilov cursed through clenched teeth, then shouted to the crowd of robbers around him: "Brothers! Suit up in your Armor, get all the warships in the air, and bring me that little bitch Karina!"

 Chapter 180 Take Action Immediately!

    Karina and the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s grudge wasn''t something that started a day or two ago. They had clashed many times, and their grievances deepened with each encounter.So as soon as Kilov heard that Karina was coming with her fleet, he immediately gave the order, and one Floating Warship after another started rising within the ruins of Hongcheng!


    Almost at the same time, Rocky on the Thunderhawk also gave an order, commanding his two warships to lower their altitude once again.


    This was a tactic he and Karina had discussed before as part of the operation to eliminate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. Karina was responsible for the enemy''s fleet, while Rocky would take control of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s base from the ground, attacking from both sides to wipe out the pirates completely.


    Therefore, when the fleet of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group kept taking off, Rocky quietly had his two ships reduce their altitude, cleverly hiding beneath the main force.


    After that, Rocky began to observe the approaching Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.


    It must be said, although the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was just a band of robbers, their strength was not to be underestimated. Leaving aside the rest, just the sheer number of warships that the pirate group possessed was enough to surprise Rocky.


    In his sight, Floating Battleships took off one after another from the ruins of Hongcheng. At first, they were only Reconnaissance Ships, but soon after, several large warships ascended one after the other. By the time Rocky looked up again, he saw more than fifty warships floating above the ruins of Hongcheng, including a full seven large warships!


    Such a massive fleet size not only exceeded Rocky''s expectations but also surpassed Karina''s fleet!


    "This Wild Horse Air Pirate Group... is really a tough bone to crack..."


    Standing at the bow of the Thunderhawk, even if Rocky didn''t want to admit it, he had to acknowledge that the strength of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group far exceeded his imagination. In fact, if talking solely about the scale and strength of the fleet, the pirate group was even stronger than his Thunderhawk City!


    This inevitably made Rocky wonder, how could a mere band of robbers be so formidable?


    What he didn''t know was that while the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was indeed just a band of robbers, one shouldn''t forget that their backing was Sky City, a medium-sized city. With the covert support of Wild Horse City, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group naturally had much more strength than the average pirate group.


    At the same time, one should not forget that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group wasn''t newly established. Backed by Wild Horse City, these robbers had been domineering in the skies for many years, and over those years, they had accumulated wealth. Even though most of it had been given to Wild Horse City, a considerable amount remained, undoubtedly further strengthening the pirate group.


    No wonder, no wonder Karina wanted to join forces with me...


    Having seen the fleet of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group with his own eyes, Rocky understood why Karina had to join forces with him and dared to eliminate the enemy only with the help of his Guard Corps. In terms of fleet strength, Karina''s power was actually comparable to their opponents.


    Perhaps Karina could have a slight advantage with the superiority of her entire 4th-generation warship fleet, but the advantage was very limited. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under such circumstances, should a dogfight erupt, even if Karina were to win in the end, it would undoubtedly be a pyrrhic victory. "First success, then decline, and the third time, exhaustion," she certainly would not have the strength to eradicate the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group afterwards. This was why Karina needed to form an alliance with Rocky.


    "Rocky, look..." Read new chapters at empire


    Just as Rocky was thinking this, Liliya''s voice brought him back to reality, and following the direction of her outstretched finger, he saw Karina, accompanied by four guards, flying away from Code Rose.


    As a one percent ruler and also a typical warmonger, Karina naturally was a Void Magic Warrior, and her Void Magic Armor was not only of the 4th generation but also a Special Armor of the 4th generation!


    At the same time, she also had a Void Magic squad, not a squad, but a small squad because this Void Magic Squad consisted only of four members.


    But one must not underestimate this small Void Magic Squad. Karina had equipped them with 4th-generation Mass Production Type Armor, so their combat effectiveness was guaranteed. If you add her own 4th-generation Special Armor, then the combat power of this squad could be described as formidable.


    It was precisely because of this formidable strength that, after the two fleets encountered each other, Karina, escorted by four Void Magic Warriors, flew to the very front of the fleet.


    Similarly, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group also had Void Magic Warriors fly out, and not just one, but five!


    "Damn... these bandits actually have five Void Magic Warriors?"


    Seeing the five Void Magic Warriors standing mid-air, Rocky couldn''t help but swallow hard and had to reassess the strength of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.


    But just as he was silently shocked, the situation on the battlefield suddenly changed. It seemed that Karina had said something, or perhaps nothing at all, but in the blink of an eye, she charged towards the opponents!


    No nonsense, she went straight into action!


    Out of the blue, Karina engaged with the enemy, and as the commander, once she made a move, the four Void Magic Warriors behind her naturally followed suit. In just the blink of an eye, the ten Void Magic Warriors from both sides were locked in combat in the sky!


    And as the Void Magic Warriors fought fiercely in the air, the thunderous boom of cannon fire also rang out. Simultaneously, the fleets of both sides began a violent bombardment, commencing the air battle!


    "Rocky, shall we...?"


    "Don''t rush, wait a little longer."


    The prelude to the battle had opened so quickly, somewhat beyond Rocky''s expectations, but upon reflection, this was actually quite in line with Karina''s personality.


    However, Rocky wasn''t thrown off by the sudden onset of the battle; he didn''t hastily order his two warships to head towards the Hongcheng Ruins, because it wasn''t time yet.


    The battle had just begun, and both fleets not only maintained a considerable distance but even restrained themselves. In such a scenario, if he rashly advanced towards the Hongcheng Ruins, it would surely alert the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. Then, the enemy wouldn''t even need to send out all their forces; only two escort ships sent to harass would cause heavy casualties to his Guard Corps.


    So, Rocky planned to wait a bit longer until the fleets from both sides were thoroughly entangled. That would be the chance for him to make a move.


    "Begin firing the main guns."


    Under the circumstances, Rocky gave the direct order to start firing the main guns, allowing the Thunderhawk and the escort ship to contribute to the air battle with their bombardment.


    However, since the two warships were positioned at the very rear¡ªand lowest part¡ªof the entire fleet, several rounds of continuous fire from the main guns failed to hit any target. But that wasn''t important, as Rocky never intended to play a major role in this air battle; the ground was his true battlefield.


    And the opportunity he was waiting for came quickly. After several rounds of bombardment, Karina took the lead. Her fleet gradually adjusted their formation amidst the firing, creating an arc, and then started to press forward, as if intending to envelop the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s fleet in a large net.


    Subsequently, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group also immediately responded. Over fifty warships split into two groups in the air, like two sharp cones, charging head-on towards Karina''s fleet, appearing to intend to break through and disperse Karina''s fleet and then defeat them one by one.


    "Command issued, target Hongcheng Ruins, full speed ahead!"


    As the clashing sides began their charge towards each other, Rocky knew his opportunity had arrived, so he immediately issued the command for the two warships to advance at full speed, heading straight for the Hongcheng Ruins¡ªthe base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group!

 Chapter 181 Landing! Kill them all!

    The fleets of both sides were completely engaged in an intense battle, exactly the opportunity that Rocky had been waiting for, so he immediately ordered the Thunderhawk and the Escort Ship to make a full-speed advance straight towards the ruins of Hongcheng.The two large warships accelerated at full power and soon flew beneath the battlefield, approaching Hongcheng at a high speed while maintaining only tens of meters above the ground, and due to the fierce air battle, no one in the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s fleet even noticed their presence.


    This oversight was clearly fatal for the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, but for Rocky, it was a good thing, as the Thunderhawk and the Escort Ship almost encountered no obstacles as they approached the ruins of Hongcheng.


    "Descend! Prepare the Guard Corps!"


    As they neared the ruins of Hongcheng, Rocky ordered the Thunderhawk and the Escort Ship to further decrease their altitude and prepared for the Guard Corps to land.


    But just as the Thunderhawk was about to descend, and the guards who had been waiting aboard for a long time had just reached the deck, the sound of the Magic Cannon suddenly erupted! Your next journey awaits at empire


    The unexpected booming of cannons was shockingly close, as if right by one''s ear, and right after the sound appeared, the Thunderhawk''s Defensive Net lit up.


    They''ve been hit?!


    Upon realizing that the Thunderhawk had been hit, Rocky, who was at the bow of the ship, quickly looked outside and then saw that on the broken walls and ruins of Hongcheng, there were more than a dozen Magic Cannons firing at them!


    As mentioned before, the base of the Air Pirate Group is like these bandits'' home; they would fortify their base just like they''re constructing their own home. In a sense, it''s just like how Rocky constructed Thunderhawk City, so even though the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was nothing but ruins, it was quite well built from the inside.


    In this situation, Rocky had no choice but to halt the Thunderhawk''s descent, and the Guard Corps, which had been ready to land, also had to wait, because forcibly descending at this time and insisting on landing would certainly not be a wise choice.


    Confronted with the dozens of Magic Cannons on the city walls, half of the Guard Corps would be dead before they even could rush into the ruins!


    Honestly, Rocky hadn''t expected that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group would have installed dozens of Magic Cannons in the ruins, so he immediately issued a new order:


    "Old Jack, blast those walls for me!"


    "Got it!"


    With a shout, Old Jack on the deck immediately bellowed at the gunners: "Lads! Did you hear the City Lord''s command? Let these bandits witness our might!"


    Under his command, more than twenty Magic Cannons, main and secondary, on the Thunderhawk all aimed at the walls, and with that came deafening cannon roars.


    The walls were immobile like a Skyship, consequently, the barrage from the Thunderhawk hit almost all the targets, and although the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had repaired the walls, the main cannon''s power on the Thunderhawk was too great; thus, after just one round of firing, the entire stretch of the wall had collapsed, and the Magic Cannons on them were also destroyed along with the falling walls.


    "Quick! Quick! Descend!"


    Seeing that all the Magic Cannons on the walls were destroyed, Rocky gave the command for the Thunderhawk to descend once more.


    Their time was actually very tight. The battle in the sky was still raging, and no victor had been decided yet, so this was the best opportunity for them to attack the base. If they missed this chance and the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s fleet reacted and dispatched warships for support, it could be a catastrophic blow for the Guard Corps.


    Under Rocky''s constant urging, the Thunderhawk and its escort ships finally landed on the ground. Once they had landed, the Guard Corps leaped off the ship and formed up their ranks within minutes.


    But at the same time, a large number of bandits surged out from the ruins of Hongcheng!


    "Ascend immediately, Felly is in charge of command, cover the Guard Corps!"


    Having handed over command of Thunderhawk''s escort ships to Felly, Rocky and Liliya jumped from the bow, and as they left, the Thunderhawk and the escort ships immediately took off, preparing to cover the Guard Corps as Rocky had instructed.


    However, as soon as the two warships had just taken off, several reconnaissance ships and one escort ship broke away from the formation of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, which was engaged in the aerial battle, and flew at high speed towards the direction of the Hongcheng Ruins!


    They had still been discovered...


    Upon realizing that warships were approaching overhead, Rocky sighed to himself, though it seemed that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had indeed discovered their presence and sent warships in response.


    This wasn''t surprising, since Rocky''s target was the enemy''s base after all. Moreover, they had made quite a commotion in blowing up the city walls, so being discovered was to be expected. However, this meant that the Thunderhawk and its escort ships could no longer cover the Guard Corps; the two warships had to intercept the enemy''s warships in the sky.


    But fortunately, the Guard Corps had already successfully landed, which allowed the two large warships to disengage and tangle with the enemy. Otherwise, if they had been a bit later, Rocky and the Guard Corps might not even have disembarked before being entangled by the enemy, which would have been the worst-case scenario.


    So, after that, Rocky waved to Felly at the bow and pointed at the approaching enemy ships. Felly immediately understood his intent, and the Thunderhawk and its escort ships increased their altitude and flew towards the incoming enemy ships.


    "Guards! It''s your time to shine!"


    As the Thunderhawk gradually moved away, Rocky turned to look at the Guard Corps. Without any need for a pep talk, he could already see the excitement and desire in the eyes of the guards, so he wasted no words and flew into the air. After that, the Guard Corps, already lined up in neat squares, started to advance towards the Hongcheng Ruins!


    "Brothers, slaughter them all!" S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was at the same time Rocky led the Guard Corps closer to the Hongcheng Ruins that the bandits, who had been waiting for a long time within the ruins, also charged out!


    The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was an extremely large bandit group with numerous members. Unlike regular troops, with their clear divisions of labor¡ªcrew for sailing, soldiers for fighting¡ªthe bandits differed: on a ship, they were crew members, and with a blade in hand, they were butchers who slaughtered without blinking. They might be a bunch of scoundrels, but they were also versatile fighters.


    So, as soon as the Guard Corps landed, the bandits of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group were ready to fight. They had not dared to burst out earlier due to fear of bombardment from the Thunderhawk and escort ships.


    But now, with the Thunderhawk and escort ships ascending to high altitudes to intercept the enemy ships dispatched by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, the ground battle was entirely in the hands of the soldiers.


    Under these circumstances, the bandits of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group no longer had any reservations. Each wielding their weapons, they surged over the destroyed city wall like a horde of wild beasts, crazily breaking out from the ruins of Hongcheng!


    PS: Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations!

 Chapter 182 Blood! Roar!

    "Forward, everyone!"Against the raiders that pounced like mad dogs, Monte, the Captain of the Guard, raised his broadaxe and issued the forward command with a robust voice. He immediately took a step along with the guards behind him.


    By this time, the Guard Corps had already formed a large square formation. Three hundred guards, fifty in a row, constituted six rows of a formation. The front three rows were close-combat soldiers, the fourth row were mages, and the last two rows were archers.


    So when Monte issued the forward command, the first three rows of guards stepped forward with him, taking firm and steady steps towards the approaching raiders!


    Simultaneously, the remote unit in the back three rows also readied themselves. All mages activated their magic, fireballs appeared in their hands, leaping continuously between their palms, while the archers all drew their bows, pulling the strings to the fullest, aiming the arrow tips up to the sky.


    It was evident that after several months of training, the quality of the Guard Corps had improved beyond comparison. Describing them as well-trained was not an exaggeration; one could say that, save for slightly fewer numbers, the Guard Corps were almost no different from a formal military unit in terms of overall quality.


    In contrast to the disciplined guards, the raiders charging head-on were much more disorganized. Those raiders bursting out from the ruins had no formation to speak of and resembled scattered sand; calling them warriors would be a stretch¡ªthey appeared more like a pack of wild beasts.


    However, the raiders also had their advantage: they were numerous. At least five hundred people emerged from the wreckage, nearly doubling the number of the Guard Corps!


    Honestly, when Rocky saw so many raiders rushing out, he was also taken aback; he hadn''t expected the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group to be so large. Counting these raiders and the crew operating the fleet, the numbers in the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group should be close to a thousand!


    What Rocky didn''t know was that groups like the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group didn''t just target goods during their raids. They didn''t spare the merchant ships themselves, nor the people aboard.


    These raiders took everything, and with the backing of a mid-sized city in the sky, Wild Horse City would secretly hand over the city''s criminals and prisoners of war to the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, thereby replenishing their numbers regularly.


    That''s why the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had so many people, which may seem abnormal, but upon closer consideration, it wasn''t all that surprising.


    Despite this, Rocky still wasn''t overly worried. Even though the raiders were vastly outnumbered, he still had great confidence in his own Guard Corps.


    The Guard Corps also didn''t betray his trust. Once the raider beasts approached within a hundred meters of the guard formation, a furious roar came from the remote unit in the back!


    "Archers! Release arrows!"


    The leader of the Archer Troops was named Chu Dong. He came from Backhill Village and had been Lin Feng''s right-hand man back in the village. He was also the leader of the Archer Troops, so naturally, after joining Thunderhawk City''s Guard Corps, he took up the same position.


    Following Chu Dong''s roar, a hundred archers simultaneously released their fully drawn bowstrings. Shortly after, a rustling noise filled the air as a hundred arrows flew upwards. They drew an arc in the sky before turning downwards, plunging fiercely towards the raiders below!


    "Draw bows!"


    After the first volley of arrows, Chu Dong shouted again. The archers, following his command, uniformly drew new arrows from behind and drew their bows again, aiming towards the sky.


    "Release!"


    After the command, another volley of arrows shot forth.


    "Draw bows!"


    "Release!"


    "Draw the bow!"


    "Release!"


    Under Chu Dong''s constant command, the Archer Troops mechanically repeated the series of actions: nocking, drawing, and releasing the arrows. It was through these repetitive actions that wave after wave of arrow rain was shot into the sky, descending like raindrops!


    The bandits madly charging toward the Guard Corps suffered greatly under the continuous arrow rain.


    Those bandits with shields could barely guarantee their safety amidst the successive waves of arrows, but the unlucky ones without shields had no way to deal with it. With nowhere to hide or take cover, their only option was to rely on luck. If they were lucky, they would escape unscathed; if not, they would be riddled with arrows and turned into sieves.


    The bandits who had managed to withstand the relentless arrow rain and approached the main formation of the Guard Corps¡ªafter covering a distance of a hundred meters¡ªhad already lost nearly a hundred men.


    Some were shot dead by arrows, others lost their ability to charge due to being wounded, collapsing to the ground and crying out in agony; all in all, nearly a hundred lost their fighting capability.


    But even after enduring the onslaught of arrow rain, the bandits who had just reached the Guard Corps'' main line had no time to catch their breath before a series of fireballs flew over the front lines and smashed into them!


    Continue your adventure at empire


    Compared to arrows, magic had a shorter range but possessed much greater power. Any bandit hit by a fireball would be burned by the flames and severely injured, even if they had shields or wore armor.


    Even so, this was not the worst for the bandits. What was more disastrous was that after taking hits from both the arrow rain and magic, the steadily advancing Guards suddenly accelerated and charged toward them!


    "Brothers! Charge with me!"


    Monte, the Captain of the Guard, roared and raised his broadaxe high, becoming the first to charge at the bandits and initiating the battle!


    "Roar!"


    In two strides, Monte reached a bandit and, with a roar, swung his broadaxe in a horizontal sweep. The massive axe head surged toward the bandit''s waist, all the while radiating the light of mana! S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The axe Monte wielded was specially purchased for him by Rocky. Whether in terms of material or forging, it was far superior to the weapons used by regular guards. Consequently, this axe was also the prime choice for Orton''s experimental enhancements, and after being empowered by Orton, its power had surpassed that of a Two-Star Mana Weapon!


    A Two-Star Mana Weapon was considered quite powerful already, commanding a market price of at least several thousand Gold Coins. Naturally, one could imagine its formidable power.


    So when Monte''s axe swept across the bandit''s waist, the bandit was cut in half, transforming into two pieces!


    Blood, lots of blood, sprayed out from the bisected body of the bandit a moment later, reaching up to the sky and then falling down like rain, splattering onto Monte.


    As he was drenched in blood, Monte felt a wave of irritability mixed with an incomparable excitement and let out an earth-shattering roar!


    His roar shook the entire battlefield, and the bandits who were charging toward him immediately turned tail and ran, because everyone knew never to provoke a Beastman stimulated by blood. Such a foe was not to be trifled with!


    That roar also fully unveiled the prelude to the ground battle. With this roar as the starting signal, more and more guards and bandits encountered each other, clashed, and then killed their opponents!

 Chapter 183 Street Fight! Void Magic Warrior!

    ```The fierce battle officially began!


    The onrushing brigands, like predatory beasts, charged at the Guard Corps with an insanity of having lost all reason, while the guards also lifted their longswords and met the brigands head-on without a hint of fear.


    In terms of numbers, the brigands had a clear advantage. Even after having suffered several rounds of long-range attacks, their numbers were still around four hundred, which was more than the guards. And don''t forget, out of the three hundred members of the Guard Corps, a full half were ranged units.


    In other words, there were only one hundred and fifty soldiers responsible for close combat, while all of the brigands charging at them were warriors. So, strictly speaking, the Guard Corps was using one hundred and fifty men to fight against more than four hundred brigands!


    The numerical disparity was indeed significant.


    Frankly speaking, if it were a regular unit, there would be no hope of victory given such a disparity in numbers. The brigands were numerous and individually strong fighters. As desperados, they had a relentless ferocity that could easily give them an absolute advantage in a fight.


    Unfortunately for the brigands, they were facing Rocky''s Guard Corps!


    The Guard Corps under Rocky''s command hadn''t really fought with humans much, their only experience in combat was fighting Demons!


    The brigands were indeed fierce and ruthless, but when compared to the ferocity and terror of Demons, it really was a case of the minor leagues meeting the majors. Thus, even though they were fewer in number, it was the Guard Corps who managed to exhibit an even more aggressive momentum facing the many vicious brigands!


    "Die, you little devil!"


    A brigand bellowed as he brought his steel blade down fiercely, with the cold gleam of the blade aiming straight for Sandro''s forehead.


    However, facing this ferocious strike, Sandro remained extremely composed, even eerily so. He gave off the impression that instead of being on a chaotic battlefield, he was engaged in one-on-one combat with the brigand before him.


    Confronting the descending blade, he calmly raised his left hand''s shield. After a blink of an eye, a clang was heard, and the Magic Energy Shield effortlessly deflected the blade. It was at the very moment the steel knife was repelled that Sandro suddenly stepped forward and thrust out his longsword.


    Thump!


    The Magic Energy Longsword pierced through the brigand''s chest, and this ferocious brigand quickly turned into a corpse.


    Having switched to a full set of rune equipment, the guards had a significant advantage in equipment. Take Sandro''s longsword for example; originally just a standard issue longsword, it had gained the power of a One-Star Magic Energy Weapon after rune enhancement.


    Slicing through regular Leather Armor was like cutting through paper, and even if faced with Armor forged of steel, as long as the wielder was strong enough, it could be easily penetrated.


    Your adventure continues at empire


    Sandro was clearly a very capable warrior.


    After striking down this brigand, Sandro set his sights on the next target, then with shield in hand, he advanced unhurriedly, leaving behind at least four brigand corpses in his wake.


    His current performance was, in fact, a microcosm of the whole Guard Corps. Facing the mad and frenzied brigands, the Guard Corps showed chilling steadiness. Faced with a vast number of exceedingly fierce enemies, not a single guard showed panic. Furthermore, they maintained an impressive formation during the intense fight.


    Being able to do this was all thanks to the soldiers from Backhill Village, as after incorporating the soldiers from Backhill Village, the Guard Corps had greatly improved in formation coordination.


    Lin Feng and the soldiers from Backhill Village, due to their years of combat against Demons, had a wealth of experience in this regard, which naturally had been spread throughout the entire Guard Corps.


    As a result, even though the brigands had more people, when close combat truly began, and as time went on, the advantages of the Guard Corps came to the fore. In contrast to the brigands who started fiercely but became weaker as the battle progressed, the Guard Corps only grew stronger in combat, and their momentum continued to rise.


    Finally, when the number of brigand corpses on the battlefield surpassed two hundred, some of the surviving brigands began to run. And with the appearance of the first deserter, more and more brigands followed suit, completely falling into a rout!


    "Pursue!"


    ```


    As Rocky noticed more and more brigands running towards the ruins, he pointed his broadaxe in the direction of Hongcheng and then led the Guards in pursuit. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let''s go."


    In midair, Rocky and Liliya watched the fleeing brigands exchange glances before following the Guard Corps flying towards the Hongcheng Ruins.


    During the recent battle, neither of them had engaged in combat. Firstly, there was no need, and secondly, Rocky also wanted to use this opportunity to assess the true strength of the Guard Corps.


    After the fight, he was quite satisfied. Compared to the mission at Backhill Village, the overall strength of the Guard Corps had clearly improved significantly.


    However, the battle was far from over. It was too early to draw any conclusions since the brigands seemed to be losing, but they were merely escaping to their stronghold. This meant that not only was more fighting imminent, but it would also be much more dangerous urban warfare!


    Indeed, that was the case. Although the brigands who had been defeated on the frontal battlefield were fleeing, their spirits were revived once they returned to the Hongcheng Ruins, their base of operations.


    As the captain and vice-captain, Monte and Lin Feng were well aware that street fighting was the most dangerous, so upon reaching the vicinity of the city walls, they ordered the Guard Corps to disperse into small squads, each led by its own squad leader into the ruins.


    Street fighting was simply like this: once the three-hundred-member Guard Corps entered the ruins in a large formation, they were bound to face guerrilla tactics from the brigands. This would not only result in heavy casualties but could also lead to an awkward situation where they could neither advance nor retreat.


    Soon after, the warriors of the Guard Corps were divided into more than a dozen squads and entered the ruins. As for the ranged forces, they quickly took control of high ground in the ruins, serving both as sentries and being ready to provide immediate support when combat was detected.


    "Stay alert! Watch out for sneak attacks!"


    Robin, armed with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, led his squad through the ruins with extreme caution and at a very slow pace.


    Although Hongcheng Ruins was the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group and had been rebuilt by the brigands, it was, after all, a city with a vast area. Therefore, the place was full of ruined houses and broken walls. Enemies could be hiding in any part of these ruins. Lack of caution was definitely not an option, and reckless advancement was out of the question.


    Indeed, just as Robin led his squad through a section of the ruins, seven or eight brigands suddenly rushed out, and the two sides immediately clashed!


    "Quick, there''s a fight over there! Go check it out!"


    When Robin''s squad engaged with the brigands, a Guard squad located two streets away heard the sound of the fight. The squad leader didn''t think twice before leading his men towards the source of the noise.


    However, they failed to notice the malicious eyes watching them from a dilapidated house on the street side. As the squad rushed past this house unwittingly, suddenly, a person charged at them from within the house!


    Yes, only one person rushed out.


    But this person was a Void Magic Warrior!


    In an instant, the Void Magic Warrior charged up to a Guard, who didn''t even have time to shout before a sword viciously pierced his chest, running him through. Following that, the Void Magic Warrior leaped up and landed beside another Guard, swinging his sword and cleanly decapitating him!


    It was only at that moment, after two Guards had already perished, that the rest of the squad realized they were under attack by a Void Magic Warrior...!

 Chapter 184 Murder! Butcher!

    Clearly, the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was not so easily taken down, for it was guarded by Void Magic Warriors!The guard squad was caught off guard by the sudden rush of Void Magic Warriors, and in an instant, two guards were killed!


    At this time, the Guard Corps had already switched to brand new rune equipment. Not just one or two pieces, but every guard had donned a full set of rune equipment. Thus, whether in offense or defense, their strength had been greatly enhanced¡ªa fact that became evident in previous battles, where the Guard Corps had an absolute advantage in equipment when facing bandits.


    Yet, this advantage was still insufficient against the Void Magic Armor!


    The rune equipment was powerful, but at this stage it had only reached the level of mana equipment. After all, Orton was still conducting in-depth research on runes, and the true advantage of the runes had not been fully realized.


    So, just after a single exchange, the Void Magic Warrior from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had killed two warriors, not only efficiently but also leaving the guards powerless to resist.


    "It''s a Void Magic Warrior!"


    "Launch the signal!"


    After two people had died in succession, the small guard squad finally reacted. Upon realizing that they were facing a Void Magic Warrior, the squad captain let out a yell and immediately cast a Magic Flash.


    Unfortunately, before he could raise his hand, the Void Magic Warrior instantly accelerated towards him, and then, just like he killed the previous two, he struck down fiercely with his sword. The sharp longsword slashed into the captain''s shoulder, cleaving through his chest almost without resistance!


    Another one dead!


    "..."


    After killing the squad captain, the Void Magic Warrior momentarily paused his assault. Then he sneered, raising the longsword to his mouth and licking the fresh blood off the blade with his tongue before curling his lips into a smirk.


    "Blood..."


    In his sneer, the Void Magic Warrior spat out the blood in his mouth and then gazed at the remaining seven soldiers with an almost psychopathic look.


    However, at the same moment he turned his gaze towards the guards, a flare suddenly lit up above everyone''s heads!


    Clearly, as the squad captain was killed, one of the other guards had reacted swiftly, launching a Magic Flash into the sky.


    This was a universal signal for the Guard Corps. Whenever a squad encountered an unbeatable enemy, like demons or the Void Magic Warrior before them, they could use Magic Flash to call for support.


    "......"


    Looking up at the burst of Magic Flash overhead, the Void Magic Warrior from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group slightly furrowed his brow, and within a few breaths, a figure flew down from the sky and landed heavily a moment later!


    Rocky!


    After the Guard Corps dispersed into the Hongcheng Ruins, Rocky and Liliya had been patrolling in the air, ready to provide support at any time. Liliya had already gone to support another squad, so when Rocky saw the flare in the sky, he immediately rushed over.


    "A Void Magic Warrior?"


    Upon landing, Rocky naturally caught sight of the enemy standing by the bodies first thing, making him somewhat surprised.


    The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group... still had Void Magic Warriors!?


    The man before him was undoubtedly a bandit from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, which meant... this Air Pirate Group actually had as many as six Void Magic Warriors, five of whom were engaged in battle with Karina, while the remaining one had stayed back at the base!


    Experience new tales on empire S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This truly shocked Rocky. He had not expected the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group to be so deeply rooted, not only possessing a massive fleet but also a substantial number of Void Magic Warriors. No wonder these bandits had been roaming the skies unchecked for so many years¡ªthey truly had strength.


    But when Rocky shifted his gaze from the Void Magic Warriors and looked at the three corpses in the pool of blood, his expression turned ugly.


    "These people... did you kill them?"


    Looking at the bodies on the ground, Rocky slowly lifted his head, his tone suddenly turning cold.


    "What, are you the leader of this trash?"


    Faced with his question, the Void Magic Warrior standing beside the Guard corpses curled his lips into a sneer and carelessly kicked a corpse with his foot, as if he was dealing with a pile of garbage.


    This action immediately made Rocky lift his head, and his eyes unconsciously narrowed into slits.


    "Good."


    As the words fell, he charged towards his opponent!


    Rocky had no intention of going easy on the man who slaughtered his Guards. Without wasting any words, he not only took action but also raised his Rune Longsword and slashed down while sprinting!


    However, facing his sword strike, the opponent revealed a ferocious smile. An already aberrant look in his eyes suddenly filled with bloodthirsty madness; he didn''t dodge but instead charged straight towards him.


    A clanging sound echoed as the two Mana Weapons collided mid-air, creating a flash of light, and then the two figures in the sky each drew back some distance!


    "Your Armor... has it been modified?"


    After clashing head-on with Rocky, the Void Magic Warrior of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group furrowed his brow.


    An evenly matched outcome was unexpected to this Void Magic Warrior since he wore the second-generation Armor, the Madman Model 4, with a magic energy value of 1100. In contrast, Rocky was wearing first-generation Armor, which, to his knowledge, did not exceed a magic energy value of 500. How could their clash have been a draw?


    But the reaction of this Void Magic Warrior was rather quick as he immediately realized that Rocky''s Armor must have been modified.


    Unfortunately for him, Rocky had no intention of answering his question. Stopping his retreat, he immediately accelerated at full power, lifting his Rune Longsword to launch another charge!


    "Hmph!"


    Seeing Rocky act without any discussion, the opposing Void Magic Warrior sneered ferociously and, without any sign of fear, directly met his charge!


    This Void Magic Warrior named Toss had the nickname "The Butcher" within the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. He had an abnormal personality, harboring an obsessive fascination with slaughter and bloodshed. While others turned to piracy out of desperation or greed, he joined purely for the convenience of killing.


    Even Kilov, the leader of the Air Pirate Group, was troubled by Toss''s character, as he was too aberrant. At times, even Kilov couldn''t stand it, making Toss not very popular within the Bandit Group.


    However, his strength was truly formidable, and it was precisely because of this that Kilov reluctantly gave him a set of Void Magic Armor, although only the second generation. Most of the time, Kilov would not keep Toss close by; he couldn''t stand that man''s twisted gaze.


    Now, facing another attack from Rocky, Toss revealed that loathsome look that even a desperado like Kilov would dislike, chuckling weirdly and screaming as he met Rocky''s advance!


    "Even if your Armor has been modified, it''s still junk!"


    Getting ahead by striking after Rocky, Toss raised his longsword and hacked down!

 Chapter 185 Thunderous Double Cannons!

    For Toss, it didn''t matter who Rocky was; what he cared about was the thrill of killing!The attack by the Guard Corps had exhilarated Toss; he didn''t care if the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group would fall, because to him, these guards were delicious dishes, a feast to satisfy his murderous desires!


    And the main dish among them was Rocky and Liliya! S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stationed at the base, Toss hadn''t participated in the earlier battle, but he had silently observed the entire fight from within the city, which had stirred his lust for slaughtering early on.


    Thus, when the Guard Corps dispersed into the ruins, he, like a venomous snake, hid among the shattered walls and patiently waited for his food to come to him.


    However, Toss was slightly disappointed that Rocky had discovered him so quickly; he had initially planned to wipe out all the guards of the Guard Corps before finally dealing with Rocky and Liliya.


    Indeed, that was Toss''s original plan¡ªto kill all the guards of the Guard Corps single-handedly!


    Though the idea sounded insane, considering Toss''s personality, his strength, and most importantly his Void Magic Armor, it really seemed possible.


    Unfortunately, the Guard Corps was already prepared for this, leading to his early appearance, where he had only killed three guards before encountering Rocky.


    Even so, Toss didn''t care, because, to him, whether it was the guards or Rocky himself, they were all his prey; it was merely a difference between the main dish and the side dish; the order in which he ate them didn''t matter.


    Thus, after confronting Rocky, Toss bent his body in midair, dodging the sweeping sword coming at him, and then let his Void Magic Armor suddenly accelerate, circling halfway around Rocky and arriving behind him, swiftly striking down with his sword.


    As a second-generation Void Magic Armor, the Madman Type-4''s energy value reached a staggering eleven hundred points, and the higher the magic energy value, the stronger the overall performance of the armor, including attack, defense, and the speed of sudden bursts.


    So, in Toss''s view, facing his own strike, Rocky, who was in the first generation armor, couldn''t react in time, and even if he managed some reaction, the Blood Pattern Mark II wouldn''t be able to respond; therefore, this strike alone could determine the outcome.


    When he confidently made his move, he heard a clang as his sword heavily struck the tip of the Rune Longsword, bursting into a bright light just like before.


    Despite being attacked from behind, Rocky turned around extremely quickly, appearing to narrowly block the strike, but in reality, he easily parried it!


    Continuing without pause after blocking the strike, he leaped up in midair, raising his stature dramatically so that he was half a body length above Toss, then from a higher position he fiercely cleaved downward!


    As mentioned earlier, the fighting style of the Void Magic Armor isn''t a flat-surface battle but a three-dimensional spatial one, making it incredibly flexible and versatile.


    So when the sword came down, Toss was forced to horizontally lift his sword to block; barely had he done so when an extremely strong force suddenly pressed down from above, crushing him from midair to the ground!


    Such incredible force naturally came from Rocky, no, to be exact, from the Blood Pattern Mark II Armor he wore, a move he had stealthily learned from Baron Wolin.


    In the previous aerial battle with Baron Wolin, Rocky won the war but lost the fight with Baron Wolin; there was simply too great a gap in strength between them. Surviving Wolin''s hands was already a miracle for Rocky, let alone dreaming of victory.


    Yet, although he lost to Baron Wolin, Rocky learned a lot during their confrontation, and it''s no exaggeration to say that his concepts of combat had significantly improved after facing Wolin, and he also picked up several highly practical tricks.


    Take, for example, now, his reason for elevating his position to attack from a high vantage point was to create the kind of suppression he was currently applying.


    In his bouts with Baron Wolin, Rocky had been suppressed numerous times by the advantage of the Baron''s armor, always pressed to the point of not being able to lift his head, and now Rocky intended to use the same method to suppress Toss.


    This move was incredibly effective. The sudden, powerful thrust caught Toss off guard, and within the blink of an eye, he was pressed down more than ten meters. Before he could react, he heard a loud bang, accompanied by a cloud of dust rising; he had actually hit the ground...


    Read latest stories on empire


    Oh no!


    Realizing he had been pressed back to the ground, Toss cursed under his breath and immediately dodged to the side, narrowly escaping Rocky''s downward slash.


    Awkwardly evading the attack, Toss hurried to take off, but Rocky had already preemptively reached above him. As Toss prepared to ascend, Rocky struck down with another sword blow, forcefully pressing him back down just as he was about to rise!


    Using the advantage of high ground against low ground, Rocky instantly took control of the confrontation, then began a relentless assault from above, while Toss, even though equipped with the Void Magic Armor, was constantly suppressed on the ground with no strategy against Rocky in the air.


    "How could this be!"


    After being beaten down three times consecutively while attempting to ascend, the sinister smile on Toss''s face and the murderous look in his eyes both disappeared, replaced by stress and confusion.


    He couldn''t understand why, wearing the Blood Pattern Mark II Armor, he was being suppressed by the older Void Magic Armor?!


    This truly alarmed Toss. With his rich combat experience, he knew very well that once suppressed like this, his chances and opportunities to strike back would diminish. Therefore, left with no other choice, he decisively abandoned the idea of flying upward and instead began to rapidly skid on the ground, trying to create distance from Rocky above him and regain the skies.


    At full speed, he raced across the ground in a straight line, covering over ten meters in just a few blinks. However, when he looked up, he saw Rocky was still right above him!


    "Damn it!"


    Glancing up at the tenacious Rocky, Toss cursed and found himself needing to accelerate again, dashing forward another ten-plus meters.


    But Rocky, who had already anticipated his plan, naturally wouldn''t be easily shaken off and quickly pursued him.


    However, just as Rocky had barely caught up with Toss, maintaining his position of suppression, the relentlessly charging Toss suddenly turned around and extended both hands towards Rocky!


    "Thunderous Double Cannons!"


    With his palms aimed at Rocky, a sinister smile crossed Toss''s face again. At the moment the smile appeared, his raised palms burst into intense light, followed by two Magic Energy Cannon blasts firing fiercely towards Rocky!


    The Thunderous Double Cannons, the proudest weapon of the Madman Type-4 Armor, utilized Mana Launchers in the palms to create powerful Mana Cannonballs. The combined force of the twin blasts reached an energy value of 300, powerful enough to rival a real Magic Energy Cannon!


    A moment later, two booming explosions were heard, and Rocky, unable to react in mid-air, was directly hit by the twin cannonballs!


    The powerful Magic Energy Bullets exploded in the air, kicking up a cloud of smoke. However, before the smoke could clear, a figure fell from the sky and crashed heavily onto the ground¡ªit was Rocky, struck by the Thunderous Double Cannons!


    "Hmph...!"


    Watching Rocky fall from the sky, Toss no longer needed to flee in disarray since there was no need to run anymore. In his view, Rocky, who had been directly hit by the Thunderous Double Cannons, couldn''t possibly survive and was undoubtedly doomed.


    Thus, amidst a sinister laugh, he skidded forward a distance, landed, and then looked down at Rocky lying on the ground facing upwards. Immediately, he raised the Rune Longsword in his hand, aimed at Rocky''s chest, and thrust down heavily!

 Chapter 186 Counterkill!

    Gliding to Rocky''s side, Toss looked at him with a sneer."Quite tough to deal with¡­ huh!"


    After sneering twice, he raised the longsword in his hand and aimed for Rocky''s chest, a twisted expression reemerging on his face.


    Although the exchange with Rocky had put unexpected pressure on Toss, the more pressure he felt, even danger, from his opponent, the more he relished it¡ªnot the battle with a strong adversary, but the thrill of killing one!


    Therefore, when the moment to kill Rocky came, he felt an immense excitement. Indeed, Rocky was a feast that he enjoyed to the fullest!


    In just the span of a breath, Toss thrust his longsword viciously towards Rocky''s chest!


    With a clink, the longsword hit the ground, and the immense force drove it half a foot into the earth, but¡­ it did not hit Rocky!


    In the instant the longsword was descending, Rocky, who had been lying on the ground almost indistinguishable from the dead, suddenly rolled to the side, causing the longsword to miss its mark!


    "Wha¡­"


    Toss was shocked that Rocky still had the energy to dodge, and it was during his moment of stupefaction that Rocky, who had evaded the lethal strike, suddenly burst up from the ground like a panther pouncing on its prey and lunged at him.


    At the same time, Rocky''s rune longsword swung into action, its tip glowing with rune light as it traced a perfect arc, slashing across Toss''s neck in an instant!


    With a swoosh, the longsword swept by, and Rocky stopped right in front of Toss. Then came a gurgling sound as Toss''s head rolled off his neck and landed at Rocky''s feet, tumbling there.


    In the Air Pirate Group, Toss, known as the Butcher with a twisted killing desire, was dead!


    As the head fell to the ground, Toss''s body slowly toppled and with a thud knelt on the ground, with a large amount of fresh blood spurting from the bowl-sized wound on his neck moments later.


    For some reason, an unusual amount of blood gushed from Toss''s neck, shooting up two to three meters high. It looked like a fountain, and when the blood dispersed and fell, it completely turned into a blood rain. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The blood rain scattered, and Rocky, standing underneath, was drenched. Although it felt disgusting, he had to admit that the ecstasy brought on by slaughter was incomparable to anything else¡ªeven he felt a tinge of excitement at that moment.


    Thankfully, Rocky quickly suppressed that hint of excitement, and then he looked down to see Toss''s head lying at his feet¡ªno, Toss''s head.


    Even in death, Toss''s face still wore a look of surprise and confusion, which with the end of his life became eternal.


    To his dying moment, Toss could not fathom one thing: how he died? Stay tuned to empire


    How could Rocky, stricken by two Thunder Cannons, possibly have the ability to counter-kill? He was only wearing first-generation armor! The power of the Thunder Cannon was almost equal to a standard Magic Energy Cannon, and a direct hit should have, at least, severely wounded and knocked out Rocky on the spot.


    So Toss died without ever understanding what happened; he just couldn''t grasp how Rocky had reversed the situation on him.


    But his bewilderment was natural, for Toss could never have known that Rocky''s Armor, after being rune-enhanced, had reached a magic energy value of 900 points. This value was already on par with the average of second-generation armors. Therefore, in terms of magic energy value, Rocky was not at a significant disadvantage, and although injured by the Thunder Cannon, he was far from incapacitated.


    Moreover, Toss had underestimated Rocky, thinking that wearing first-generation armor meant he didn''t warrant serious attention. He didn''t realize that it was with this very armor that Rocky had fought and survived encounters with great warriors like Baron Wolin!


    Thus, Toss might have thought he had the upper hand over Rocky in terms of armor and strength, but in reality, he was not much superior in either aspect. Consequently, being counter-killed by Rocky was a logical outcome; Toss deserved to die with his eyes closed.


    "Rocky!"


    Just as Rocky was bending down to pick up Toss''s head and remove the helmet of his Void Magic Armor, Liliya''s voice came from above, and then a red figure landed beside him.


    "Are you okay?"


    Looking at the sorry state of Rocky and then at the body of Toss lying in a pool of blood, Liliya immediately understood what had happened and hurriedly asked.


    "It''s fine," Rocky said with a slight smile, shaking the severed head and helmet in his hand. "Look, my arms and legs are all intact."


    "What do you mean, ''fine''!"


    Liliya was no fool; she had hurried over precisely because she heard the booming of the Thunder Cannon, so Rocky''s nonchalant attitude immediately angered her.


    "Why didn''t you call me for help!"


    Glaring at Rocky, Liliya was genuinely angry this time, so much so that she didn''t wait for him to retort and rattled on like a machine gun, "I''m your guard, and I should be the one to deal with the enemy! Why do you always do this, never considering my feelings! If this continues, let''s just switch roles, so I don''t have to worry about you all the time!"


    "Fine, from now on, you be the City Lord, and I''ll be your guard,"


    Faced with Liliya''s imposing anger, Rocky chuckled and started to play dumb...


    "You!"


    Liliya was so infuriated by his shenanigans that she stomped her foot and, in a huff, just flew off.


    "Monte and Lin Feng have already found the Air Pirate Group''s headquarters, come if you want!"


    After taking to the air, Liliya shouted at Rocky in a huff, then accelerated and flew away. Upon hearing her words, Rocky was delighted and quickly followed Liliya after instructing the surrounding guards to remove the Void Magic Armor from Toss and stash it away.


    Following close behind Liliya, it didn''t take long for him to see a horde of guards besieging a three-story building.


    This building was obviously constructed by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, erected anew on the foundation of an abandoned site and turned into the group''s headquarters.


    At this moment, over a hundred guards were laying siege to the three-story building. Under Monte''s command, warriors from the Guard Corps formed a line, each one holding up their shield high to defend against arrows and magic flying out from the building; meanwhile, the Guard Corps'' archers and mages were constantly striking at the bandits inside from afar.


    After the previous street battle, the bandits had indeed exerted some pressure and caused injuries to the Guard Corps, but they were still gradually forced back into their headquarters, signifying a lost cause. Nonetheless, the bandits were stubbornly resisting, making it difficult for the guard to break into their base for the time being.


    In this situation, Monte chose a relatively secure tactic, which was to wear down the enemy, given the Guard Corps had a real ranged unit and wouldn''t be at a disadvantage when exchanging arrow volleys and magic.


    And it was at this moment that Rocky and Liliya arrived.


    "How''s it going?"


    Rocky landed next to Monte and Lin Feng and immediately asked.


    "Sir, these guys refuse to surrender; it seems they are waiting for a warship to come to their rescue," Monte replied, having already figured out the reason behind the bandits'' stubborn resistance: they were simply hoping that Kilov could secure a victory in the aerial battle and come back to save them.


    "Understood,"


    Rocky nodded at Monte''s explanation and then flew into the sky.


    "You!"


    Seeing him taking off on his own again, Liliya stomped her foot in exasperation, unable to do anything but hastily follow him.


    However, once in the air, Rocky shouted at the bandits inside the building!


    "You! Who knows this man?"


    After the shout, Rocky raised the head of Toss!

 Chapter 187 Surrender! Or Die!

    "You! Who recognizes him?"Hovering mid-air, Rocky bellowed as he lifted the severed head in his hand!


    His shout instantly halted the chaotic battle; the Guard Corps stopped attacking, and the robbers in the building paused for a moment at the sudden appearance of this Void Magic Warrior. And when these robbers saw whose head was in Rocky''s hand, they all showed looks of panic!


    The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had thousands of robbers, but when it came to fame, Toss was at the top. Almost every robber in the Air Pirate Group knew this murderous butcher, so when Rocky lifted Toss''s head, the stubbornly resisting robbers panicked on the spot!


    In the eyes of these robbers, Toss was not only a high-profile figure but also an incredibly powerful Void Magic Warrior. Hence, seeing that even Toss had been beheaded, their morale instantly collapsed.


    "I give you one minute!"


    As the robbers were thrown into disarray by the sight of Toss''s head, Rocky''s voice echoed once more in their ears, "Surrender within a minute, and you can live! After a minute, those who dare resist will meet the same fate as him!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, Rocky tossed Toss''s head into the air and followed up with a Magic Bullet spell. In the blink of an eye, the head was blown to pieces!


    "I¨CI surrender!"


    As the shattered remains of the head fell like raindrops, cries for surrender immediately echoed from the building, and then a robber, holding his bow, stood up from a window.


    "I surrender too, don''t kill me!"


    "I surrender!"


    "We''ve surrendered, don''t kill us!"


    After the first robber openly surrendered, more and more robbers started to stand up at the windows. They each raised their weapons high, shouting loudly at Rocky.


    Clearly, under Rocky''s intimidation, these robbers completely gave up resistance. In fact, they had no choice but to surrender, because they had managed to hold out against the Guard Corps for so long only because Monte didn''t want to cause any unnecessary casualties, opting not to press a hard attack.


    Another reason was the robbers'' advantage of terrain, allowing them to use the cover of the building to hold off the Guard Corps.


    But now that both Rocky and Liliya had arrived, against the two Void Magic Warriors, the robbers, mere mortals, stood no chance. Remember how Toss killed three Guards? If Rocky and Liliya were to charge into the building, the robbers would face the same end.


    So, faced with Rocky''s ultimatum, the robbers didn''t even consider for a full minute before choosing to surrender.


    "Everyone drop your weapons and come out in a line from inside! Anyone daring to make a rash move will be killed on the spot!"


    Yelling out to the surrendering robbers, Rocky gave the order, and the robbers obediently raised their hands, lining up to exit the building.


    "Monte, tie all these people up and have them watched,"


    "Understood!"


    With a confirmation, Monte led the Guards to tie up the surrendering robbers one by one and then gathered them all together for collective custody.


    Indeed, the number of robbers who had been resisting inside the building wasn''t small; Monte roughly counted the number and discovered there were actually over one hundred and fifty!


    ```


    This number is not small, and because these people are all robbers who naturally possess quite considerable combat abilities, those more than 150 individuals need only some additional training and discipline to directly form a troop.


    Of course, these robbers were all spoils of war belonging to Karina, and Rocky and Karina had already agreed that all captives from this operation would belong to Karina, while all valuables that could be sold would go to Rocky.


    With the surrender of the more than 150 robbers, it also meant that the stronghold of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had been thoroughly captured by Rocky!


    However, this did not mean that the battle was over, as the skies were still ablaze with gunfire, and the aerial battle led by Karina was still ongoing. Only when the air combat had a victor could this fight truly be considered concluded.


    In this situation, Rocky subsequently said to Monte, "I''m heading back to the Thunderhawk to take command now. You keep an eye on these robbers here, but also be ready to retreat at any time. If Karina is defeated, I''ll come to pick you up, and by then you must be prepared."


    "Understood, my lord. Rest assured."


    Seeing Monte nod heavily, Rocky did not say more and promptly took Liliya with him, flying towards the sky, toward the Thunderhawk that was engaged in combat with the enemy.


    When Rocky led the Guard Corps to attack Hongcheng Ruins, Felly had also been constantly commanding two warships to fend off the enemy, so when Rocky and Liliya flew towards the Thunderhawk, it was still entangled with the enemy.


    However, compared to the last aerial battle with Baron Wolin, the opponents that the Thunderhawk had to face this time were much weaker. After all, this front was not the main battlefield. The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, facing the large forces of Karina, could only send a limited number of warships to harass and bind, even though they sent some over for diversion.


    Under the immense pressure from Karina and her fleet, Kilov had sent only one Escort Ship and five Reconnaissance Ships, a clearly limited number, but this was all he could dispatch. If he sent more warships to deal with Rocky, he would not be able to withstand Karina''s onslaught on the main battlefield.


    But the warships Kilov sent did not pose any threat to Rocky and the Guard Corps, as all these warships were intercepted by the Thunderhawk and the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship.


    Facing the enemy, the Thunderhawk and Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship lined up side by side, forming a wall of iron and bronze that completely blocked the enemies outside of the Hongcheng Ruins.


    Facing such behemoths, the enemy''s Reconnaissance Ships did not dare to approach, knowing fully well that if they did, the dozens of Magic Cannons on the two warships could immediately blast them to smithereens.


    Even the opponent''s Escort Ship was the same, unable to gain any advantage in a two versus one situation, and might even risk being sunk by the warships'' main cannons in the first round of fire.


    So even as time passed, both sides only exchanged Magic Bullet cannon fire at a safe distance, and no particularly intense engagement occurred.


    This situation was naturally what Felly wanted to see. He believed that under Rocky''s leadership, the Guard Corps was bound to win, so his job was to block any enemy ships attempting to provide support to Hongcheng Ruins. Doing just that would be enough.


    However, this stalemate situation came to a swift end with Rocky''s arrival.


    "My lord!"


    As Rocky and Liliya landed on the deck of the Thunderhawk, Felly hurried over with evident hope in his eyes, and in that hope, he saw Rocky nod at him.


    "That''s great!" S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Your next chapter awaits on empire


    Seeing Rocky nod, Felly knew that the stronghold of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had been occupied, which meant they had secured half the victory in this great battle!


    "Don''t celebrate too soon. We only claim true victory when the aerial battle is won."


    Patting Felly on the shoulder, Rocky then looked towards the opposing warships, "Felly, order a full-speed advance; we''re going to assist Karina!"


    "Yes!"


    ```

 Chapter 188 The Focus of Everyone

    Under Rocky''s command, the Thunderhawk and the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship began to gradually turn their hulls and then accelerated at full force, closing in on the warships of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group!"Boys, fire! Fire! Hit them hard!"


    As the Thunderhawk closed in on the enemy, Old Jack, who was in charge of deck command, roared at the gunners, but his voice was soon drowned out by a series of cannon fire¡ªthe Thunderhawk''s main and secondary guns fired simultaneously!


    Since they were facing the enemy head-on, only half of the magic cannons on both warships could take aim, but even so, the firepower remained strong enough that a reconnaissance ship was sunk in an instant as soon as they opened fire!


    Meanwhile, as the Thunderhawk and the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship approached, the escort ships of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group hurriedly turned tail, choosing to flee without daring to resist!


    Their actions were evidently correct, for if one were to talk about comprehensive strength, the escort ship could not even defeat a single warship like the Thunderhawk, let alone when it also had to face the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship. So, when Rocky commanded his two warships to advance, the enemy chose to flee without firing a single shot.


    "The escort ship stays behind to protect the Guard Corps, Thunderhawk joins the battlefield."


    Easily driving back the enemy, Rocky issued a new order for the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship to stay behind and protect the guards below. Otherwise, once he joined the battlefield, if the enemy sent warships to harass, even reconnaissance ships could pose a threat to the Guard Corps.


    After that, Rocky directed the Thunderhawk towards the main battlefield in the sky!


    ......


    ......


    By the time Rocky commanded the Thunderhawk to join the aerial combat, the large-scale battle had been raging for quite some time.


    And after such a prolonged period of fighting, both Liliya''s fleet and the fleet of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had clashed intensely, losing their respective formations and beginning the most brutal of melees.


    In this situation, Rocky didn''t hesitate to lead the Thunderhawk into the fray!


    Interestingly enough, when Rocky and Liliya stood on the deck leading the Thunderhawk into battle, they happened to fly past Void Magic Warriors engaged in fierce combat, making them visible to all of the opposing Void Magic Warriors.


    After so much time had passed, with the fleets locked in fierce gunfire and their respective Void Magic Warriors engaged in a deadly fight which resulted in casualties, one of Karina''s four guards had been killed, and Kilov had similarly lost one companion, turning the original battle of ten Void Magic Warriors into a clash of four against four.


    Clearly, neither side wanted the other''s Void Magic Warriors to join in the fleet''s battle since the quality of the armor worn by both sides'' Void Magic Warriors was extremely high¡ªconsisting entirely of fourth-generation models. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In such a situation, if anyone from either side disengaged from combat, no, even if just one person withdrew to join the fleet''s engagement, it could become a significant threat affecting the entire battle.


    So despite the air combat having lasted so long, both sides'' Void Magic Warriors were constantly tangled up with their opponents. Among them, Karina and Kilov were the most active; both were bent on killing each other, both were trying hard to stop the other, and both were looking for ways to break free from the fight quickly to assist their fleets.


    Regrettably, neither could achieve this because their opponents were paying them special attention.


    Especially Karina, she was the only one among them wearing Special Armor. While Kilov''s strength and experience were evidently superior, his armor was a fourth-generation Mass Production Type. Perhaps Kilov''s armor stood out among the mass-produced versions, but it still couldn''t compare to the true Special Armor.


    In contrast, while Karina was indeed a bit inferior to Kilov in terms of strength, her Special Armor was truly amazing. The armor, a fourth-generation Special Type, boasted a magic energy value of 6000 points! Its power was so formidable that it could take on a large warship single-handedly!


    Such a formidable armor made Karina the target of everyone''s arrows, as all the enemy''s Void Magic Warriors circled around her, like a swarm of bees around a rose.


    And it was amid such intense clashing that Rocky arrived.


    Once he appeared, he attracted the attention of everyone present, becoming the focal point of eight Void Magic Warriors.


    In the eyes of these warriors, Rocky stood alone on the bow of the Thunderhawk, with Liliya at his side. The two seemed relaxed and at ease, and when they noticed everyone else, Rocky even smiled and waved at them!


    This scene stunned all eight Void Magic Warriors, all clad in fourth-generation armors, as they were taken aback by Rocky, who wore merely a Blood Pattern Mark II.


    But after a brief shock and surprise, they each had different reactions.


    For Karina''s side, of course, there was excitement because the appearance of Rocky and Liliya undoubtedly signified that the ground battle had ended, meaning the lair of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had been occupied by them!


    Such an outcome was naturally what Karina most wished to see, so morale immediately soared.


    Similarly, Kilov also had a notable reaction upon seeing Rocky and Liliya, but it was not excitement he felt; instead, his heart sank.


    He might not know who these two people were, but he did know that the person in front of him, donning only a Blood Pattern Mark II, was the very same who had led an attack on his base earlier. And upon seeing Rocky, he also immediately realized that his base might have fallen.


    However, that wasn''t what concerned Kilov the most, because even if his base had been captured, as long as they could win the ongoing air battle, the base would eventually be retaken. After all, ground troops, no matter how strong, couldn''t possibly match the air force.


    So what truly worried Kilov wasn''t his base, but rather Rocky and Liliya, and the Thunderhawk they commanded!


    At this moment, the battle in the skies had entered its most dogged phase. While both fleets had been entangled in a melee for a while, no clear winner had emerged yet. Under such circumstances, the entry of a main warship and two Void Magic Warriors into battle would undoubtedly greatly influence the outcome¡ªan outcome Kilov did not wish to see!


    "Stop them!"


    Thinking of the severe consequences that would follow Rocky and the Thunderhawk joining the battle, Kilov immediately shouted out and, without waiting for others to act, he charged towards the Thunderhawk with all his might!


    Kilov was donning a fourth-generation armor, which was the best-performing one of the Mass Production Type, so he accelerated instantly. Almost before his voice had faded, he was already flying towards the Thunderhawk.


    Facing Kilov''s rapidly approaching figure, Liliya took off but was blocked by Rocky, who stood at the bow. Then, instead of letting Liliya fly out to engage, Rocky even waved at the speeding Kilov, as if saying goodbye.


    This gesture infuriated Kilov, who, in a roar of rage, cranked up the speed of his armor to its limit, moving even faster.


    Find your next adventure on empire


    However, just as he increased his speed, Karina''s figure caught up with him at a pace too fast for the naked eye to follow, instantly blocking his way!

 Chapter 189 Breakout!

    She made a move to intercept Kilov and raised her left hand towards him¡­Oh no!


    Realizing Liliya was aiming her arm at him, Kilov was instantly horrified and dodged without a second thought, completely forgetting about Rocky.


    When he had hastily retreated several dozen meters, he realized Liliya hadn''t actually done anything to him; she was merely feinting.


    I''ve been tricked!


    Upon realizing he''d been duped, Kilov quickly looked towards Rocky and noticed that the Thunderhawk had already moved away¡­


    "Damn it!"


    As he watched the Thunderhawk slowly get away, Kilov was not willing to let it go but he didn''t have a way to pursue. He and Liliya had clashed before, and he was well aware of her tactics. Therefore, when he saw Liliya aiming her hand at him, he had to dodge even though he knew she was just trying to scare him; it was her most lethal move, capable of killing him in one strike!


    So after cursing reluctantly, Kilov once again faced Liliya. As Rocky led the Thunderhawk into the fray, the situation began to tilt against the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. Kilov had to keep Liliya occupied and prevent her from joining the battle as well.


    Some might wonder, in such a large-scale aerial battle with nearly a hundred ships from both fleets combined, could the involvement of just Rocky, Liliya, and the Thunderhawk influence the outcome of the battle?


    Indeed, it could. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the forces were evenly matched, any small addition of external force could break the balance and influence the outcome of the great battle, even if that force was just two people and a single ship. This demonstrates the last-straw principle.


    "Full speed ahead!"


    Having moved away from the group of Void Magic Warriors, Rocky ordered the Thunderhawk to charge at full speed into the battlefield!


    Under his command, the Thunderhawk charged like a ferocious tiger straight towards the heart of the battle.


    However, as soon as the Thunderhawk violently entered the fray, the fleet of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group also immediately reacted. Numerous reconnaissance ships began to surround it.


    In the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, there were many commanders with extensive experience. Noticing the flagship joining the battle, they immediately realized the severity of the situation and quickly responded.


    To the Thunderhawk, the threat posed by reconnaissance ships was virtually nil, because even the magic cannons of fifth-generation reconnaissance ships couldn''t penetrate the Thunderhawk''s defensive net, let alone those of the Pirates'' fleet, which were only fourth generation at best, and many even third and second generation. Facing these ships, the Thunderhawk didn''t feel threatened at all.


    But don''t forget, the reconnaissance ships had a numerical advantage.


    One-on-one, they were no match for the Thunderhawk, but what about ten against one? If there were ten, or even twenty reconnaissance ships surrounding the Thunderhawk, even if they couldn''t damage it, trapping it within their midst was certainly feasible!


    So, within a few breaths'' time, numerous reconnaissance ships had surrounded the Thunderhawk, encircling it completely.


    "Fire! Fire!"


    "Fire with all your might! Dammit, not the main cannon! You''re using a sledgehammer to crack a nut; use the secondary guns, hit them hard with the secondary guns!"


    When a large number of reconnaissance ships began encircling the Thunderhawk, the magic cannons on the Thunderhawk also started to fire fiercely.


    As the flagship, the firepower of the Thunderhawk was unquestionable. Being a flagship, its firepower configuration was already higher than that of similar types of escort ships, and after Orton''s rune enhancement, the firepower of the Thunderhawk had already surpassed most third-generation flagships.


    However, the enemy ships surrounding them were simply too many. The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had clearly gone all out, sending over twenty reconnaissance ships to completely surround the Thunderhawk.


    Looking around, the number of reconnaissance ships even exceeded the number of magic cannons on the Thunderhawk, and with problems like hit rates, the Thunderhawk simply had no way to break out in a short time.


    "My Lord! We are trapped!"


    As more and more reconnaissance ships gathered around, Felly quickly ran to Rocky''s side, indicating that they were surrounded and could not move.


    "Ignore these reconnaissance ships, break through directly!"


    Frowning, Rocky glanced at Felly and repeated his order.


    "But, but my lord¡­ If we force a breakout, we will collide¡­"


    Enjoy new stories from empire


    Stared at by Rocky, Felly was somewhat afraid, but still insisted.


    He was not wrong. The Thunderhawk was already surrounded; the only result of forcing a breakout would be colliding with the reconnaissance ships blocking the path!


    Although the Thunderhawk was a large warship and a flagship, colliding with one or two reconnaissance ships would not be an issue, but this time there weren''t just one or two ships blocking their progress! If the Thunderhawk forced a breakthrough and collided with several reconnaissance ships in succession, the consequences would be unimaginable!


    "Pass my order, full speed ahead!"


    However, despite Felly''s objections, Rocky was still issuing the same command, ordering the Thunderhawk to forcefully break through the encirclement!


    After issuing this order, Rocky and Liliya exchanged a glance next to him, and then both of them leapt from the bow and flew into the air, splitting in two directions, rushing towards the reconnaissance ships blocking the way of the Thunderhawk!


    Watching Rocky and Liliya fly from the bow into the air, Felly was momentarily stunned but then caught on, immediately yelling to the sailors behind him, "Full speed ahead, break through the encirclement!"


    Following Felly''s order, the previously halted Thunderhawk began moving forward again, while Rocky, who had flown into the air, had already accelerated towards a reconnaissance ship, which was exactly blocking the Thunderhawk''s path.


    With a full-power sprint, Rocky instantly shattered the defensive net of the reconnaissance ship, landed heavily on the deck after a blink, and facing him, the pirates on deck were stunned on the spot, completely unable to react.


    Rocky ignored these pirates. After landing, he stretched out his hand and released a series of Magic Bullets at the deck beneath his feet, blasting a hole in the deck, and then jumped down.


    By the time he jumped into the cabin, only a moment had passed when suddenly, with a loud bang, Rocky burst through the hull and flew away.


    Until he gradually flew away, the pirates on the reconnaissance ship still did not understand what had happened, all still dazed. But just at that moment, when these people were staring blankly, not understanding the situation, a loud shout suddenly came from inside the ship: "The mana drive is going to explode! Run! Quic¡­"


    Before the pirates in the cabin could finish shouting, the reconnaissance ship exploded, directly turning into a fireball in the air.


    Shortly thereafter, another nearby reconnaissance ship also made a loud noise and similarly exploded into a fireball...

 Chapter 190 The Final Battle!

    Before the light from the explosions of two reconnaissance ships had even dissipated, the Thunderhawk, like a ferocious beast accelerating with all its might, completely scattered the blaze in midair.At the same time, the reconnaissance ships blocking the Thunderhawk''s path began to explode one by one into fireballs. Within just a few minutes, five or six reconnaissance ships had successively blown up, becoming stepping stones for the Thunderhawk''s breakout!


    Such a quick succession of explosions among the reconnaissance ships immediately drew everyone''s attention.


    As the warring parties saw the Thunderhawk crushing fireballs and breaking through the encirclement, different reactions emerged from each side.


    Karina''s fleet, upon sighting the Thunderhawk, was instantly morale-boosted, recognizing it as their own reinforcement. Amongst Karina''s crew were many veterans who, upon seeing the Thunderhawk, realized the decisive moment in this aerial battle had come. The captains of the escort ships, including the commander of the flagship Code Rose, all began to converge towards the Thunderhawk.


    The members of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group also noticed the presence of the Thunderhawk. In contrast to their opponents'' soaring morale, the pirates responded equally actively and swiftly, with a large number of warships, including escort ships, heading straight for the Thunderhawk.


    This development broke the momentary stalemate that had been maintained in the chaos, and both sides began a decisive battle around the Thunderhawk!


    This truly was a case of one stone stirring a thousand waves!


    To be honest, Rocky hadn''t expected his arrival to trigger a battle between the two sides, but this turned out to be very advantageous for him.


    There were no large warships around the Thunderhawk, so when both sides started to approach at the same time, the Thunderhawk''s firepower superiority became evident. Before the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s large warships could arrive, the Thunderhawk was invincible.


    In this situation, Felly, who was in charge of commanding, decidedly gave up waiting where he was and instead launched an attack, charging towards the enemy!


    In order to avoid unnecessary casualties, the nearest escort ship of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had no choice but to accelerate and meet the Thunderhawk head-on.


    Both large warships accelerated towards each other, and within minutes they entered each other''s firing range. Immediately they opened fire, unleashing the fiercest of artillery barrages on one another!


    "Fire! Fire!"


    "Lads, aim carefully and hit them hard. It''s just an escort ship, take it down!"


    "Fire! Fire! Hit them brutally hard, let these bastards know our strength! Take down that flagship!"


    "Quick! Quick! Aim and fire!"


    As the two warships began to exchange cannon fire, commanders on their respective decks urged their gunners to fire as many rounds as possible in the shortest time.


    In the deafening roar of gunfire, the first round of cannon fire quickly ended, followed by the second round, and then the third. And with each round of cannon fire, the two warships drew ever closer.


    However, as the distance between them decreased and the rounds of cannon fire increased, the advantage of the Thunderhawk gradually became apparent.


    As the flagship, the combat power of the Thunderhawk was inherently stronger than that of an ordinary escort ship, be it the defensive net or the number and firepower of the main and secondary cannons. When you add that all of the Thunderhawk''s magic cannons had been rune-enhanced, their power was much greater than other flagships of the same class.


    Therefore, as the two sides drew closer and the hit rate increased, the escort ships of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group gradually couldn''t withstand the onslaught.


    By the time the Thunderhawk completed its third round of cannon fire, an escort ship of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had already been directly hit by two main cannon shots, blasting two large holes through the hull. Not long after the commencement of the fourth round, that escort ship was directly sunk!


    Meanwhile, the fleets of both sides had also gradually approached. The Thunderhawk, having just sunk an enemy escort ship, naturally became the vanguard of its side. With the momentum of a recent victory, it led the many warships behind it into the decisive battle against the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group!


    The decisive battle erupted with nonstop cannon fire, the sound of simultaneous salvoes from both fleets'' warships even drowning out the thunder of the magical energy storms within the Traceless Battlefield!


    "Kilov, your Wild Horse Air Pirate Group is finished!"


    As the two fleets engaged in the decisive battle, Karina, who had been constantly entangled with Kilov, deliberately widened the distance between them and then sneered coldly at Kilov. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet faced with her words, Kilov, looking exceedingly haggard, was at a loss for words, because what Karina had said was true¡ªhis Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was finished... Find exclusive content at empire


    Once Rocky''s Thunderhawk joined the fray and directly triggered the final engagement of this space battle, the inevitability of defeat had already been looming.


    In terms of strength, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group might have had a slightly larger fleet, but that was mainly due to the additional reconnaissance ships. In the count of large warships, the sides were actually even. However, in the quality of their warships, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was at a disadvantage.


    Karina''s fleet, from the flagship to the escort ships and down to the reconnaissance ships, was uniformly of the fourth generation. The entire fleet was at the fourth-generation standard, a level of power comparable to a medium-sized Sky City; in contrast, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s fleet varied greatly in quality, with a mix of fourth, third, and even second generation warships.


    It was impressive that they had managed to hold on up to this point.


    This was precisely why the participation of the Thunderhawk was extremely important. It disrupted the balance of the battlefield, directly leading to Karina''s side gaining a lead in the number of large warships and even leading by an additional flagship. Secondly, it significantly boosted the morale of Karina''s side.


    Otherwise, they wouldn''t have commenced the decisive battle immediately upon the Thunderhawk''s arrival on the battlefield.


    What''s more, the decisive battle had only just begun, and the Thunderhawk had already taken the lead by sinking one of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s escort ships. This was absolutely pivotal. The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s large warships were already one ship down with the joining of the Thunderhawk, and before the battle had even formally kicked off, another one had sunk.


    With such disparity in the naval quality and also at a disadvantage in numbers, how could they win this decisive battle?


    All of this Kilov knew all too well, so he had no way to refute Karina''s mockery.


    However, after this, Kilov looked at Karina with a ferocious smile, and with madness bellowed:


    "You bitch! My air pirate group is finished, but you won''t fare any better!"


    With a frenzied roar, the shoulders of the Void Magic Armor Kilov was wearing suddenly opened up, revealing two mana launchers hidden within!


    "You bitch, go to hell too!"

 Chapter 191 Killing Move!

    "My Air Pirate Group is finished, and you won''t fare any better!" S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Seeing his fleet doomed in the space battle, with defeat being only a matter of time, Kilov viciously roared at Karina, and then the shoulders of the Void Magic Armor he was wearing suddenly opened, revealing the Mana Launchers hidden inside!


    "Annihilation Cannon!"


    Accompanied by Kilov''s roar, the Mana Launchers on his shoulders burst into a dazzling light, and immediately two mana energy beams shot fiercely towards Karina!


    Kilov''s Armor''s ultimate move was the Annihilation Cannon. As one of the elite among the fourth-generation mass-produced Armors, its magic energy value reached 3900 points. The Annihilation Cannon, as its most powerful move, had a power of an astounding 1000 points. Its power was not only on par with Magic Cannons but even reached the level of a warship''s main guns!


    In fact, the Annihilation Cannon was not meant to be used against Void Magic Warriors but designed to directly counter large warships.


    Unfortunately, Kilov had already gone mad, directly using the Annihilation Cannon against Karina.


    To be honest, Karina had not expected him to use such a move as the Annihilation Cannon against her. She was wearing fourth-generation Special Armor, which had an extremely obvious speed advantage, so a weapon like the Annihilation Cannon, meant for ship combat, should not have been able to hit her at all.


    However, it was exactly because of this thought that Karina became complacent, and so when Kilov fired the Annihilation Cannon, not only were they extremely close in distance, but she was also half a beat too slow in reacting, missing the optimal opportunity to dodge.


    And so, after a single breath''s time had passed, the two mana energy beams of the Annihilation Cannon struck Karina!


    In an instant, truly just an instant, Karina was engulfed by the light produced by the mana explosion. The scope of the blast that resulted from the hit was so large that, with Karina at its center, it covered a radius of dozens of meters. The scorching wave of explosion in mid-air looked like a miniature sun¡ªterrifying and blinding!


    The sudden explosion even drew the attention of both fleets. Rocky, who had just destroyed a Reconnaissance Ship, stopped mid-air as soon as he heard the loud noise and hurriedly looked in Karina''s direction.


    As his gaze followed, the sun-like fireball remained for more than ten seconds before gradually receding. And as the flames and light slowly faded, a circular Defensive Net appeared in front of everyone, with Karina floating in its center!


    If Kilov had been facing a regular Void Magic Warrior wearing just a standard Armor, then without a doubt, he would have won by now. The immense power of the Annihilation Cannon would have been enough to instantly obliterate the enemy to the point of leaving no trace. Unfortunately for him, he was facing Karina, and Karina was wearing the fourth-generation Special Armor!


    In the moment before she was hit, she had timely activated the Armor''s Defensive Net, barely managing to block the strike!


    "Kilov!"


    After the explosion''s smoke cleared, Karina shouted angrily in mid-air, but by the time she looked in Kilov''s direction, she found that he had vanished...


    Kilov had run away!


    "Damn it!"


    Realizing that Kilov was nowhere to be seen, Karina immediately figured out that she had been tricked.


    Indeed, she had indeed been duped by Kilov.


    As mentioned before, Kilov had faced Karina more than once and knew very well that he couldn''t gain any advantage in Armor combat. So, while it seemed like he had fallen into madness out of desperation, he was actually planning his escape, using the Annihilation Cannon as a smokescreen.


    From the moment Karina was hit by the Annihilation Cannon to the complete dispersion of the explosive smoke, more than ten seconds had passed. That amount of time might not seem like much, but for Kilov, wearing a fourth-generation Armor, it was more than enough, at least plenty to make his escape.


    In fact, when Karina realized she had been deceived, Kilov had already taken a low-altitude route across half the battlefield at full throttle, and within minutes, he had returned to his flagship!


    "Run! Run now!"


    Upon returning to the flagship, Kilov didn''t say a second word and instantly ordered the flagship to turn around and flee.


    Read new chapters at empire


    Here it must be mentioned, though the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was just a bandit group, the core members had considerable synergy. For instance, the commander on the flagship knew the moment Rocky joined the battle that the tide had turned.


    Thus, while the other warships in the fleet moved towards the Thunderhawk and prepared for the decisive battle, the flagship of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group lingered slowly at the back, evidently ready to escape.


    In such a situation, when Rocky, Karina, and the others noticed Kilov had fled back to his flagship, the ship had already accelerated away from the battlefield...


    Watching Kilov escape, Karina felt somewhat unwilling to let him go but kept her cool. She didn''t chase after just one man and a warship. Instead, she had her team of Void Magic Warriors continue to engage the enemy as she swiftly flew towards the battlefield where the two fleets were locked in combat.


    In the blink of an eye, Karina entered the battlefield, but she didn''t return to her flagship; instead, she headed straight for an Escort Ship of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.


    Instantly arriving in front of the Escort Ship, Karina raised her left hand without a word!


    Raising her left hand, there was a crisp sound as the Armor on her left hand sprang open like a blooming flower petal. All the magic energy in her body then gathered in her left hand.


    "Sun Slash!"


    Seconds passed as the magic energy finished gathering. With her right hand supporting her left arm, Karina then fiercely unleashed a huge magic energy beam!


    This beam, half a meter in diameter and shining like sunlight, shot towards the Escort Ship!


    An instant later, the beam hit the Escort Ship''s Defensive Net, shattering it in a moment, then landed on the bow''s armor. Unhindered, the beam, capable of withstanding bombardments from Magic Cannons, pierced through the armor as if it were made of paper. In a brief moment, the beam ran the entire Escort Ship through, leaving it devastatingly penetrated from end to end!


    Sun Slash, the ultimate ability of Karina''s Special Armor, which could only be used twice in each battle. Every activation could unleash a magic energy power of 2000 points!


    This was a truly devastating move, one that required Kilov to flee at the mere sight of Karina raising her left hand in preparation. It was also a move that could instantly obliterate an Escort Ship!


    After the Sun Slash had pierced the Escort Ship from bow to stern, the hundred-meter-long warship slowly tilted in the air, then exploded and disintegrated as it fell, becoming a hundred-meter-wide fireball in the sky...


    The explosion''s glow cast upon the face of everyone on the battlefield, painting their faces blood-red!


    At that moment, the gunfire stopped, and the roaring ceased; the entire battlefield fell silent.


    And in this silence, Karina, floating in the air, slowly raised her left hand again, aiming at another Escort Ship. Then she yelled with a woman''s distinctive scolding voice:


    "Surrender!"


    "Or die!"


    PS: A reminder that there has been confusion with the chapter numbers, but it''s only the chapter numbers that are mixed up¡ªnot the story itself. This was a mistake on Little Detective''s part, and I apologize for any inconvenience this caused to the readers during their reading.

 Chapter 200 Victory!

    After merely one strike that destroyed an escort ship, Karina and Rocky claimed victory in this great battle!Faced with Karina''s blunt yet straightforward final ultimatum, the bandits chose to surrender when even their chief and flagship had fled.


    The bandits weren''t fools; they understood there was no possibility of victory on their side. In this decisive battle, the addition of the Thunderhawk had already put the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group at a disadvantage with one less major warship, and before the battle commenced, the Thunderhawk sank another escort ship, bringing the tally of major warships to 5:8.


    5:8.


    With only five major warships, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was up against eight warships from Rocky and Karina''s fleet¡ªthe disadvantage was so obvious it didn''t need stating. Moreover, the fleeing Kilov took with him one warship, which happened to be the strongest flagship of the entire fleet.


    As a result, the number of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s major warships was reduced by one more, from five to four, and then Karina personally destroyed another as soon as she joined the battle, instantaneously reducing their major warships to three!


    How could they possibly hope to confront the enemy''s eight warships with only three escort ships and a bunch of reconnaissance ships?


    The bandits might not have been highly educated, but they were not stupid; they wouldn''t do something as insane as hitting a stone with an egg. So, when Karina issued her forceful ultimatum, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s warships ceased resisting and chose to surrender!


    With Kilov''s escape, the fleet''s surrender, and their base seized early on, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, this bandit group that had roamed the skies for many years, was utterly annihilated¡­


    "All warships, land at Hongcheng Ruins, and behead any who resist!"


    Upon the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s fleet surrendering, Karina immediately issued the order for all the surrendered warships to land near Hongcheng Ruins, where they would be kept under watch together with the captured bandits inside Hongcheng.


    Clearly, receiving prisoners was a major undertaking because, although they had lost the aerial battle, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s fleet still had three escort ships and more than twenty reconnaissance ships. Although ships are inanimate objects that can''t rebel, there were still six to seven hundred bandits aboard these vessels who needed proper handling to prevent trouble.


    Fortunately, with Karina and Rocky''s forces combined, they were not short on personnel, and with the elite Guard Corps among them, the bandits who had become prisoners were relatively submissive.


    It wasn''t until all the arrangements were made and all her subordinates had started their busy work that Karina finally met with Rocky.


    "Rocky."


    "Karina."


    In the headquarters of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, as others busied themselves with gathering prisoners or purging the pirate group''s base, only Rocky and Karina were left inside.


    "We won."


    Standing face to face with Karina, Rocky revealed a smile.


    "Yes, we won." Continue your journey on empire


    In response, Karina also smiled slightly, seemingly as calm as Rocky.


    But although both appeared very calm on the surface, they could each see the suppressed excitement hiding in the other''s eyes!


    Indeed, on the outside, they both seemed normal, but inside they were both bursting with joy!


    Rocky needn''t be mentioned at this point, as Liliya was currently leading her team through the Hongcheng Ruins to confiscate everything valuable that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had plundered over the years¡ªall of which were his spoils of war from this battle!


    Although it was still unknown exactly how much the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had hidden in their base, there was no doubt there was a significant amount, because after Rocky''s departure, Monte and Lin Feng, having nothing else to do, began to interrogate the bandits one by one, asking where Kilov had hidden the warehouses.


    Perhaps Monte and Lin Feng were indeed very idle, or maybe they were considering the information Rocky would need upon his return; in any case, the two men thoroughly interrogated the captive bandits. They also cross-checked the information these bandits revealed, and liars were promptly executed¡ªeventually, they managed to extract the details about everything!


    According to the information they elicited, there were several large warehouses within the Hongcheng Ruins. The goods looted by the Air Pirate Group were stored there, and the gold coins obtained from selling the goods were also placed inside.


    And with the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group now annihilated, all these things had become Rocky''s spoils of war.


    And his spoils of war from this conquest were far from just that!


    Because the fleet of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was also Rocky''s!


    According to the agreement made previously with Lord Karina, she had claimed only the personnel. Beyond the people, everything else was Rocky''s spoils of war, so everything within the Air Pirate Group''s base was Rocky''s¡ªand there''s no need to say more about it, including the surrendered fleet!


    This income was also enormously significant and crucial for Rocky because, although the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s fleet had suffered substantial losses in the aerial battle, there were still plenty of warships that survived. About twenty reconnaissance ships and the remaining three escort ships had been preserved!


    Those were three escort ships!


    Admittedly, the escort ships of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group were third-generation warships, and the only fourth-generation flagship had been fled on by Kilov. Nonetheless, even so, this was still an incredible treasure. Once Rocky incorporated these warships into his fleet, its combat power would instantly be restored to its peak¡ªand not just that, it would be even more formidable than before.


    Including the three escort ships of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, the number of large warships at his disposal would reach five!


    Besides, please don''t forget that among the five Void Magic Warriors of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, one had died in battle, Kilov himself had fled, but there were still three remaining!


    These three Void Magic Warriors, along with their fleet, chose to surrender. After surrendering, they naturally divided between Rocky and Karina. The people were Karina''s, while the armors became Rocky''s!


    Three sets of fourth-generation mass-production type armors¡ªall Rocky''s now!


    What did that mean? It meant that including these three sets of Void Magic Armor, Rocky now had five sets of Void Magic Armor¡ªenough for half a Void Magic Squad!


    With such a massive haul, how could Rocky not be excited? sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And similarly, Karina was extremely thrilled. The elimination of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had unraveled a heavy burden that had oppressed her for years; that alone was more important than any amount of money. In addition, like Rocky, she too had gained tremendously from this battle¡ªthe captured bandits were her spoils.


    After the great battle, aside from the bandits who had either died or escaped, the number of bandits who had joined the aerial battle with the fleet was as many as six or seven hundred. Coupled with those caught by the Guard Corps, the total was nearly a thousand!


    These nearly one thousand bandits would all become Karina''s prisoners of war, and if her methods were harsh enough, then these almost one thousand bandits would doubtlessly become a powerful force under her command!


    A win-win!


    When Lord Karina had first sought Rocky out and proposed a partnership, she had said that this cooperative effort would be a win-win for both of them; looking at the outcome now, Karina had not lied. With the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group vanquished, both had indeed obtained everything they wanted¡ªit was truly a win-win!


    "Rocky, Lord Karina."


    Just then, Liliya entered the room, and after saluting Karina, she said to Rocky, "We''ve found the warehouses of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group."

 Chapter 201 Warehouse? Treasury?

    "My lord, the Air Pirate Group''s warehouse has been found."As Rocky and Karina felt a tingling excitement over their victory, Liliya brought them good news: the warehouse of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had been located.


    Upon hearing the news, Rocky and Karina exchanged glances, then they left the room together with Liliya without hesitation and headed straight for the warehouse!


    Although according to the agreement, everything in the warehouse belonged to Rocky, Karina was also somewhat curious. She wondered what exactly the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group''s warehouse contained, just how much wealth was hidden there.


    Under these circumstances, the three of them left the headquarters of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group and walked through the ruins of a vast city before they finally reached the location of the warehouse.


    "Good heavens..."


    Upon arriving at the warehouse, Rocky couldn''t help but open his mouth wide in awe at the sight before him. There were three huge storehouses! Each storehouse was built on the foundation of the ruins, varying in sizes, with two of them being slightly smaller and one particularly large, covering at least a hundred meters in area!


    The three storehouses in front of them were where the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group stored all their possessions!


    When Rocky and the others arrived, the Guard Corps was on watch next to the storerooms, and the doors to the warehouses hadn''t even been opened.


    This was, of course, intentional; the locked doors were waiting for Rocky to be the one to open them.


    Find exclusive stories on empire


    "Someone, open the gates!"


    Standing before the door of one of the smaller storehouses, Rocky glanced at the iron chains and padlocks on the door, then shouted.


    "Coming!"


    After his command, Monte immediately stepped forward from behind him. Without a word, he raised his broadaxe and brought it down on the padlocks.


    With a crack, the basin-sized lock was shattered by the broadaxe, and immediately Monte and a few guards pulled away the chains and together, they slowly pulled open the doors...


    Creak... creak creak... creak...!


    Through the combined effort of Monte and the guards, the doors of the warehouse were gradually pried open.


    Clatter clatter clatter!


    And as the doors were progressively opened, a crisp, pleasant sound emanated, followed by the sight of gold coins tumbling out from the widening gap in the door!


    The Traceless Battlefield was a place devoid of sunlight year-round, but even so, as gold coins poured from the opened door of the warehouse, everyone was still dazzled by the brilliant light. And when the door was fully open, they heard a whoosh as even more Gold Coins rolled out...


    This seemingly not-so-large warehouse was filled entirely with Gold Coins!


    The vast amount of Gold Coins were dazzling, so much so that the onlookers outside were stunned, the sound of numerous gulps occurred simultaneously, leaving everyone agog.


    It was commonly known that the warehouse of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was bound to contain goodies, as they were a Bandit Group with a natural habit of hoarding. But no one had imagined that they would be so brazen as to accumulate an entire storehouse of Gold Coins!


    This was no mere warehouse; it was clearly a treasure trove!


    "Hahaha! Men, load everything onto the ship!"


    While everyone was blinded by the glare from the warehouse''s gold, Rocky was the first to come to his senses. He laughed heartily and then said to Monte, who was nearby, to immediately organize people to transport the Gold Coins to the ship!


    "Yes!"


    Monte quickly deployed several guards around him, instructing them to go and call for help immediately.


    The warehouse filled with Gold Coins might not look very large, but it was still a storehouse, presumably holding hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins. Definitely not a job for one or two people, a large crew was necessary.


    Fortunately, by this time, the Guard Corps had already completed the handover with Karina''s troop, and the captive bandits were thus left in the care of Karina''s troop, so the Guard Corps was well-staffed.


    When Monte began leading the guards in their busy work, Rocky and Karina arrived at the second warehouse.


    This warehouse was about the same size as the one filled with Gold Coins, and its big door was also locked with a huge padlock.


    "Lin Feng! Open the door!"


    "Got it!"


    Now that Monte was directing the Guard Corps to transport the Gold Coins, Rocky directly called for Lin Feng. The summoned Lin Feng immediately strode to the warehouse and, raising his long sword, he slashed down viciously, shattering the padlock on the door. Then, just like before, he and a few guards worked together to pull open the door of the warehouse.


    This time, as the door was pulled open, there was no glittering gold coins tumbling to the ground. Once the door was completely open and everyone looked inside, they discovered the warehouse was packed with wooden boxes, one after another.


    "What is this¡­"


    Looking at a warehouse full of wooden boxes, Rocky was a bit stunned and also somewhat disappointed. The previous warehouse full of Gold Coins had been so shocking that it had raised his expectations¡ªso when he saw the boxes in this warehouse, he knew they were definitely goods.


    However, after a brief disappointment, he perked up again. After all, goods were valuable too, easily convertible into glittering money with a simple transaction.


    "Take them all out, let''s see what they are!"


    Having adjusted his attitude, Rocky nodded at Lin Feng. Afterward, Lin Feng led a few guards into the warehouse, and each brought out a box.


    "Open it."


    Watching Lin Feng and the guards place several wooden boxes before him, Rocky immediately ordered them to be opened, and then the guards used their weapons to knock open the boxes one by one.


    "This is¡­"


    "Sir! It''s Demon Cores! Demon Cores!"


    When the guards pried open the first wooden box, the guard was directly stunned, and immediately started shouting at Rocky!


    "What?"


    The guard was so excited that his voice was very loud, causing everyone nearby to hear it. Then, everyone started looking at him, including the other guards who were also prying open boxes.


    What did this guy just shout?


    Was it Demon Cores?


    At this moment, both Rocky and Karina felt they hadn''t heard clearly. After a brief pause, they looked at each other and then quickly walked over to the shouting guard. Bending down to look, they indeed found a whole box full of Demon Cores at his feet!


    In the small wooden box, neatly arranged Demon Cores of various colors, some as big as fists, were stacked¡ªdozens of them.


    "Don''t just stand there, pry open the other boxes too!"


    Facing a box of Demon Cores, Rocky was only startled for an instant before he promptly told the other guards, who had also snapped out of their surprise by now and hurriedly began prying open their own boxes¡­ S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s demon bones, sir!"


    "This box I have is Demon Skin!"


    "Sir! This box is all demon spines!"


    "Sir, this box is also Demon Cores!"

 Chapter 202 Return with a Full Load

    As one wooden crate after another was pried open, everyone finally figured out what was stored in the second warehouse. Experience new stories with empireDemons.


    This warehouse was filled with items derived from demons: immensely valuable demon cores, widely used demon skins, and even demon bones¡ªin short, anything derived from a demon''s body could be found here!


    Without a doubt, the contents of this warehouse were far more valuable than the gold coins from the previous one!


    "Excellent."


    Gazing at crate after crate of goods, Rocky couldn''t help but reveal a broad smile on his face, despite making an effort to restrain himself. He hadn''t been able to contain it and had burst out laughing.


    His mood was so indescribably good now. Karina had said before that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had roamed the skies for so many years, building a substantial reserve, so this heist alone could potentially yield loot valued at over a million.


    However, although she had said that, Rocky hadn''t taken it too seriously; he had thought that a harvest of a few hundred thousand would be quite impressive. But now, it seemed that Karina hadn''t lied¡ªthe Wild Horse Air Pirate Group indeed had a very substantial stash!


    "It looks like Kilov had a fair bit of private loot as well."


    As the guards began to move all the crates out of the warehouse, Karina commented at Rocky''s side:


    "Oh?"


    Hearing this, Rocky gave her a glance, somewhat perplexed.


    "The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group could swagger around for so many years, all relying on the support of Wild Horse City, but such support comes at a cost."


    With a slight smile towards Rocky, Karina explained, "As far as I know, Kilov''s agreement with Karlo was that Wild Horse City would provide protection for the Air Pirate Group, and in return, the Air Pirate Group had to hand over seventy percent of the loot from each raid to Wild Horse City and be at the city''s command and disposal at any time."


    "But now it seems that Kilov was quite selfish. Otherwise, he would not have been able to save much, having to feed so many robbers and give tributes to Wild Horse City."


    Glancing at a soldier passing by and the crates in the soldier''s arms, Karina then added:


    Even for someone as experienced as her, she had to admit, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had more stashed away than she had expected, and it was obvious to anyone that whether it was the gold coins from the former warehouse or the demonic items from this one, they were all accumulations over many years of the Air Pirate Group''s operations.


    In fact, that was indeed the case. As a robber, Kilov clearly couldn''t simply play by the rules of Wild Horse City. While they seemed united, at the core, they were merely using each other. Therefore, Kilov didn''t entirely rely on Wild Horse City.


    Thinking ahead, he had been preparing for a potential fallout with Wild Horse City for years, stockpiling his private stash to ensure his survival should conflicts arise.


    Unfortunately, before any issues with Wild Horse City could surface, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was annihilated, and all the goods Kilov had cautiously amassed wound up enriched Rocky.


    "Karina, these goods..."


    "They are all yours; I only want the people."


    Turning to look at Rocky, Karina preempted what he was going to say, interrupting his words and indicating that the agreement they had reached earlier still stood¡ªprofits from sales were his, she only wanted the people.


    It was no wonder Rocky was overthinking. The wealth hidden by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was indeed substantial. It wasn''t just beyond his expectations, but certainly beyond Karina''s as well. And when the stakes were so large, some things could begin to take root in one''s heart.


    Fortunately, Karina was not blinded by wealth and insisted that the spoils be shared as previously agreed upon.


    "Alright..."


    Rocky nodded slightly and didn''t say anything more, but his esteem for Karina had risen yet another level in his heart.


    After that, the group arrived in front of the third warehouse.


    The third warehouse, not only was it the last warehouse of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, but also the largest one among the three. Just the warehouse door was seven or eight meters wide. This time, when they arrived in front of the warehouse door, Liliya took the initiative without waiting for Rocky''s order. With a wave of her hand, she cut off the lock and iron chain on the door.


    Then, enhanced by the Void Magic Armor, she opened the door single-handedly!


    As the door was gradually opened, everyone looked inside and let out a gasp of surprise.


    "So much goods?"


    In this third and largest warehouse, everything packed was cargo, all sorts of goods.


    Looking around, the crowd soon spotted piles of ore, boxes of Magic Stones, Armor, weapons, silk, fabrics, various daily necessities, and some raw materials and parts and so on that were unnamable.


    Clearly, these items were all loot that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had robbed. By the looks of it, they had been stolen not too long ago, with no time to hand over to Wild Horse City or to sell off, hence they were all stockpiled in the warehouse. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just how many merchant ships did this Wild Horse Air Pirate Group raid to have gathered so many goods?"


    Seeing the mountainous pile of goods in the warehouse, Rocky couldn''t help but widen his eyes.


    Although the items in this warehouse didn''t look as valuable as those before, in reality, their worth was not a bit lower, possibly even higher! Because these goods were the actual commodities, ready to be sold on the market. And clearly, they were all robbed by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.


    This was precisely what made Rocky''s eyes pop; he couldn''t figure out just how many merchant ships the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group could have raided to acquire such a huge amount of goods!


    "It''s not as exaggerated as you think,"


    Seeing Rocky making such a fuss, Karina commented, "With the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group being so large, they would definitely split into several teams when they go out. They could raid multiple merchant ships in one operation. Moreover, these goods are certainly not from a single heist; it''s possible that the looted goods of the past quarter are stored here, and you just happened to come along."


    "So you''re saying I''m quite lucky?"


    "Exceptionally lucky."


    Rocky and Karina exchanged smiles, and Rocky laughed heartily, his mood becoming even more joyous.


    This time his gains were simply too great. He had acquired not only a fleet, Void Magic Armor, but also so many goods. Adding up everything from the three warehouses, their value was at least one million Gold Coins, maybe even more. Therefore, with this fortune, the economic crisis of Thunderhawk City would be considered completely resolved. He guessed Aileen would be ecstatic.


    In such high spirits, Rocky ordered the Guard Corps to get busily to work. Although the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had been utterly annihilated, this place was still the Traceless Battlefield after all. Neither Karina nor Rocky wanted to linger in such a place, so the Guard Corps immediately began loading the goods onto the warships. To speed things up, even Karina allocated some manpower to help.


    Everyone kept busy for several hours before all the contents of the three warehouses were finally loaded onto the warships, filling up four full Escort Ships!


    After this, the huge fleet slowly took off. After thoroughly bombing the ruins of Hongcheng to utterly destroy the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Rocky and Karina led the laden fleet back home.


    Standing at the prow of Thunderhawk, as Rocky looked out at the distance, he found even the Magical Energy Storm before him not as fearsome anymore. His thoughts were no longer here. Suddenly, he thought of the Mairente Family and Lexington. To be honest, for a fleeting moment, he wished Lexington''s revenge would come swiftly!


    Lexington surely couldn''t imagine he had acquired such a tremendous fortune, so when his revenge arrived, Rocky believed he would certainly give him a big surprise!

 Chapter 203 Sudden Change!

    With a significantly rich harvest, Rocky and Liliya left the Hongcheng Ruins, and before they departed, they completely bombarded the century-old ruins, turning them into a pile of bricks and tiles.However, once the entire fleet had ascended, they didn''t return via the original route. Rocky and Karina discussed for a while and then summoned Orton. In the end, they decided to leave the Traceless Battlefield directly from the direction of the Hongcheng Ruins and then circle back to Sky City outside the battlefield.


    This route naturally added much distance to their journey and would delay them by at least two or three days. Since the Hongcheng Ruins were located in the latter half of the Traceless Battlefield and they had entered from the first half, it meant that after leaving from the latter half, they would have to circle around the entire Traceless Battlefield to return to their own Sky City.


    However, the advantage of doing so was increased safety.


    If they were to return along the original route, the fleet would have to pass again through the area engulfed by the Magical Energy Storm. No doubt they would endure the baptism of the Magical Energy Storm just like on their way there, and in the wake of a major battle, no one knew if the fleet could withstand the storm''s assault.


    Therefore, for safety''s sake, everyone ultimately decided to take the longer route.


    Thus, after taking off, the fleet moved forward along the direction of Hongcheng Ruins and quickly flew out of the Traceless Battlefield. They then started to navigate along the edge of the battlefield, preparing to return to Sky City.


    The scope of Traceless Battlefield was very vast; although called a battlefield, it was actually a complete territory, and circling around it would take at least two to three days.


    However, this amount of time was clearly negligible to everyone in high spirits. Having achieved a great victory and captured immense spoils of war worth millions, Rocky and the others were completely willing to spend some time to ensure safety.


    Yet some things just couldn''t be avoided...


    When the fleet left the Traceless Battlefield, it was already evening. The massive fleet sailed slowly through the night sky, neither fast nor slow, since there was no rush.


    On the Thunderhawk, Rocky and Liliya stood together at the bow, enjoying the night view.


    "Rocky, you..."


    Standing by Rocky''s side, Liliya, who had been silently watching the starry sky, suddenly spoke.


    "What''s up?"


    "You and Lord Karina... seem to... get along very well..."


    Standing by Rocky, Liliya, still clad in her Void Magic Armor, maybe because the helmet muffled her voice, made it very soft and almost inaudible.


    But Rocky heard her clearly, yet when he heard these words, he was momentarily stunned, then nodded.


    "Yes, I really admire Karina for developing Rose City into something so powerful. It''s absolutely not an exaggeration to call her a heroine among women."


    "Oh..."


    Hearing Rocky say this, Liliya nodded and then fell silent, her expressions obscured by the helmet.


    "Hahaha!"


    But after this, Rocky laughed out loud and suddenly extended his arm, pulling Liliya into his embrace!


    "You, what are you doing!"


    Startled by Rocky''s sudden embrace, Liliya instantly became flustered; she seemed like she wanted to break free but didn''t use much force.


    At this, Rocky''s laughter became even more joyful.


    "What, are you jealous of Karina?"


    He placed his hand on Liliya''s slender yet powerful waist and cheerfully asked.


    "I, I am not!"


    When asked this, Liliya''s cheeks flushed, red as a juicy apple, so evident that it could be seen even beneath her helmet.


    And this look only made Rocky laugh even more joyfully.


    "Look, look! Look what the City Lord and the captain are doing!"


    "Quiet! Do you want to die!"


    While Rocky and Karina were flirting on the bow of the ship, the guards on deck had gathered at a distance, enthusiastically watching their every move.


    "You rascals, what are you all doing!"


    Just as the guards were snickering at Rocky, Old Jack suddenly appeared and gave each of them a kick from behind.


    "A bunch of kids, don''t look at what you shouldn''t see, watch out for eye burns! Disperse, quickly!"


    After shouting at the guards, Old Jack forcibly drove them away and then glanced at Rocky and Liliya on the bow, smiled slightly, and returned to the cabin.


    Rocky, of course, heard the commotion behind him, but he didn''t care because nearly everyone in Thunderhawk City knew that he and Liliya were childhood sweethearts, and already considered them a couple. So, Rocky wasn''t afraid of being seen. Besides, as the City Lord, who could control him?


    Just then, as Rocky was flirtatiously embarrassing Liliya, making her face turn red in disarray, suddenly, a fierce roar erupted!


    "Roar! Roar!!"


    This sudden roar reverberated through the sky; once it appeared, it spread throughout the entire fleet, causing every person in the fleet to hear it. Soldiers who were deep in sleep were instantly awakened, and those not asleep were startled by the roar.


    At the same time, the roar seemed to possess some kind of magic power, making anyone who heard it uncontrollably feel chills, as if scared out of their wits.


    Rocky and Liliya, who were at the bow, naturally also heard this terrifying roar, and the moment they heard it, both thought of the same thing.


    High-level demons!


    This was the roar of a high-level demon!


    Rocky remembered the first time he had fought a demon, when he killed a Grayrock Demon, he and Liliya had heard the roar of a high-level demon. Therefore, the two were very familiar with the sound of high-level demons and instantly identified its source.


    Could there be a high-level demon nearby?


    At the thought of this possibility, Rocky''s face turned deathly pale. If it was true, they were in big trouble!


    Despite Rocky having an entire fleet with him, boasting forty to fifty battleships, and including six Void Magic Warriors with him in the fleet, all these were nothing before a high-level demon!


    The formidable nature of high-level demons was indescribable. Although these formidable creatures were also demons, they were not at all like normal demons. Even if Rocky and his team encountered just one high-level demon, the outcome would surely be annihilation!


    Under these circumstances, he immediately ordered the Thunderhawk to increase altitude and move away from the ground. Then he and Liliya both left the bow to go outside and see what was really happening.


    As they flew out of the Thunderhawk, Karina, along with three Void Magic Armor, flew out of Code Rose.


    "Karina, this is the sound of a high-level demon!"


    The six Void Magic Warriors met in the air, and Rocky hurriedly said.


    "I recognized it." S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Karina nodded in response to his reminder and said, "I have already instructed the fleet to increase altitude as much as possible to stay away from the ground, so don''t worry too much. High-level demons capable of flying are few..."


    Karina intended to comfort Rocky, reminding him not to be overly worried. After all, the number of high-level demons among demons is extremely scarce, and among these scarce high-level demons, even fewer could fly. This meant that if they did actually encounter a high-level demon, as long as the fleet maintained sufficient altitude and moved away quickly, they should not face much danger.


    But before she could finish her sentence, the roar sounded again!


    "Roar! Roar!! Roar!!!"


    The roar, louder than thunder, once again came through, causing intense pain in everyone''s heads and ears, even creating a moment of dizziness.


    When the roar had subsided, everyone''s expression changed, for they suddenly realized through this roar that the terrifying sound was not coming from the ground but from above!


    "Look quickly!"


    Just as everyone became aware of this, Liliya suddenly pointed towards the distance and shrieked.


    Rocky and the others hurriedly looked in the direction she was pointing, and then it seemed like they saw something even more terrifying than a high-level demon, their faces instantly turning white...

 Chapter 204 Magic Dragon Destroys the City...

    Looking in the direction Liliya pointed, the faces of Rocky and others instantly turned pale!In their line of sight, an immense Sky City loomed at the horizon, so large that even from a great distance, Rocky and Karina could tell that it must be a major Sky City with a population exceeding one hundred thousand! S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, although large Sky Cities weren''t particularly numerous, they also weren''t rare; at least Rocky had seen many on his way to Eternal City. So, this wasn''t what shocked him; what drained the color from his face was the sight of the large Sky City being besieged by dozens of Magic Dragons!


    Magic Dragons, high-level demons, and among them, one of the most terrifying known to exist!


    These high-level demons were hundreds of meters in body length, varying in size; adult Magic Dragons could grow longer than three hundred meters, with the smaller ones surpassing one hundred and fifty meters. In other words, a single Magic Dragon was equivalent in size to an Escort Ship.


    More importantly, Magic Dragons were among the few high-level demons capable of flight!


    There were many types of demons, but not many could fly; over ninety percent of demons were confined to the ground, with only a rare few able to soar through the sky. Magic Dragons were one of these rare species, and among them, the most dangerous.


    Don''t be fooled by the Magic Dragon''s massive body; once airborne, it became incredibly agile. Coupled with the robust physique of a high-level demon, a casual swipe of its claw, or a flick of its tail, could easily destroy a large warship. But these were merely the most basic attack methods.


    The most threatening attack from a Magic Dragon was its fireballs¡ªjust one breath could unleash a fireball more destructive than the main cannon of a warship, and a single fireball could easily obliterate a warship!


    As high-level demons, the scale armor of Magic Dragons was much thicker than that of ordinary demons, such that even the main cannon of a warship striking them would feel like a tickle. Simply put, unless faced with an attack exceeding the strength of 5000, any hit on a Magic Dragon would likely go unnoticed by the massive beast because it was too light.


    With its overwhelming destructive power and nearly invincible defensive power, the Magic Dragon had become a name that struck fear into hearts. It was even said that if a thousand Magic Dragons suddenly emerged among the demons, half the Sky Cities would disappear; if the number exceeded ten thousand, the sky itself would be overrun by demons!


    Thankfully, such terrifying creatures were not numerous. According to known records, Magic Dragons had never exceeded five hundred in number over the last hundred years. When spread across the whole world, they were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Unless one was particularly unlucky, a lifetime might pass without encountering one.


    However, this time, Rocky, Karina, and the others were extraordinarily unlucky¡ªthey not only encountered the rare Magic Dragons, but dozens of them all at once!


    What did it mean to face dozens of Magic Dragons?


    Sorry, there were no precedent events in known history to draw upon, so there was no concept to describe it!


    And what did it mean for dozens of Magic Dragons to besiege a large Sky City together?


    Sorry, but that notion was so fantastical that even those with the wildest imaginations had never considered it.


    Yet today, Rocky and Karina witnessed this once-in-a-century spectacle!


    They saw, on the distant horizon, dozens of Magic Dragons continuously circling the large Sky City, opening their massive jaws to emit deafening roars while spewing giant fireballs. These fireballs crashed into the Sky City''s Defensive Net like meteors, lighting it up with flashes of brilliant colors.


    The Defensive Net of the large Sky City was the only thing that could withstand such a fierce assault. If it were a smaller Sky City, like Thunderhawk City or Rose City, there was no need to think about it¡ªthe Defensive Net would shatter instantly under such an intense barrage.


    But even a large Sky City would have no issues facing the attack of one Magic Dragon, or even two; however, facing a fierce onslaught from dozens of Magic Dragons like now, it could only hold for a brief moment, and certainly couldn''t withstand it indefinitely.


    Thus, not long after, Rocky and the rest saw countless tiny black dots flying out from the Defensive Net.


    These black dots were warships!


    Because the distance was too great, the warships over a hundred meters long became mere dots in the eyes of Rocky and his party. Although it wasn''t easy to make out the details, they knew those dots must represent the fleet of the finest warships.


    Given the strength of a large Sky City, its fleet would surely not be mainly composed of Reconnaissance Ships. Even the basic ships would be Escort Ships at least, and the quality of the fleet would not be below the third generation. No, even an ordinary large Sky City''s fleet would be entirely formed of fifth-generation warships!


    As for the quantity of the fleet, there was even less to say. Due to the great distance, Rocky and the others could clearly see that the black dots flying out from the Defensive Net quickly surpassed a hundred, then two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, five hundred, six hundred, seven hundred, eight hundred, nine hundred¡­!


    In just a few minutes, more than a thousand warships had flown out from the Defensive Net!


    Without a doubt, this unnamed Sky City was also not to be trifled with, because even among large Sky Cities, those that could muster a fleet of over a thousand ships were formidable, and could even be described as behemoths. This Sky City was one such giant.


    And when over a thousand warships flew out of the Defensive Net, the battle between the two sides immediately commenced with gunfire!


    From that moment on, the sky was continually ablaze with flashes of light, which were not from the Magic Cannons but the light of warships disintegrating and exploding in mid-air after being destroyed!


    There was no helping it; the number of Magic Dragons was too great. If there were only one Magic Dragon, no matter how enormous it might claim to be, a fleet of a thousand warships could turn it into a sieve. But now, there were dozens of Magic Dragons rampaging across the sky, unstoppable. Thus, the battle had barely begun when the fleet suffered heavy losses.


    ```


    However, one should not underestimate the power of these thousands of warships; although the fleet continued to be destroyed as the battle began, under the fierce bombardment of over a thousand warships, the Magic Dragons couldn''t possibly remain unscathed forever.


    In fact, after about ten minutes of combat, the first Magic Dragon was shot down from the sky, followed shortly by the second, the third, the fourth, and more and more Magic Dragons started being downed during the fight.


    "Is that¡­"


    When another Magic Dragon was shot down, Rocky was stunned. He couldn''t quite understand how that Magic Dragon died. In his eyes, it clearly tried to escape due to severe injuries and had already left the combat zone, but it fell straight to the ground while in mid-flight without any warning.


    "It''s the Void Magic Warriors."


    At this moment, Karina commented from beside him, and Rocky suddenly realized that it could indeed be the work of Void Magic Warriors, as they were too far from the battlefield. In everyone''s eyes, even the hundreds of meters long warships were just tiny dots, making the Void Magic Warriors completely invisible.


    But thinking that a Void Magic Warrior had killed the Magic Dragon, Rocky found it somewhat unbelievable¡ªthat was a Magic Dragon, after all! So he turned his head to glance at Karina.


    "Void Magic Warriors... can they kill a Magic Dragon?"


    "Yes."


    Nodding, Karina stated with certainty, "If they''re wearing the 5th generation top Special Armor and have plenty of experience, it''s entirely possible for a Void Magic Warrior to fight and kill a Magic Dragon alone."


    "......"


    Hearing this, Rocky nodded and then took a deep breath before turning his gaze back to the battlefield.


    At this point, the battlefield had entered a deadlock phase, with Magic Dragons being killed one after another and the fleet suffering equally massive losses. In just a short few dozen minutes of battle, the fleet sent from Sky City had already lost hundreds of warships.


    Despite the heavy losses, the fleet gradually took control of the situation, and it seemed only a matter of time before the remaining Magic Dragons were completely driven away.


    But at that moment, a series of roars came once again from the distance, followed by a new wave of Magic Dragons flying in from the far horizon and joining the siege on Sky City!


    "My God¡­ this, this...!"


    As a new group of Magic Dragons appeared, with their number still amounting to dozens, Rocky, Karina, and everyone else nearby took a collective sharp intake of breath!


    What in the world was happening?


    Were all the Magic Dragons in the world gathering together tonight to besiege this very Sky City?


    Why a large number of Magic Dragons had appeared and why they had targeted this Sky City were questions that Rocky and the others couldn''t answer. They only knew that as soon as the second wave of Magic Dragons appeared and instantly joined the battlefield, they completely lost control of the situation.


    With the second wave of Magic Dragons joining the fray, a series of explosions lit up the sky as countless warships were destroyed under the assault of the Magic Dragons. In just minutes, the fleet that had once numbered in the five to six hundreds was nearly wiped out, and then dozens of Magic Dragons began attacking the large Sky City together!


    So many Magic Dragons launching an attack at once caused the Sky City''s Defensive Net, the key to its survival, to hold out for only a few minutes before being breached. With this last barrier gone, the Magic Dragons swiftly flew above Sky City, unleashing fireballs at will.


    In an instant, Sky City was ablaze with fire, and although far away, Rocky and the others felt as if they could hear the screams of the city''s residents. Unrelated as they were, the thought of a hundred thousand residents dying under the attack of Magic Dragons caused them an indescribable pain in their hearts.


    It was over...


    This Sky City... was finished...


    Following the breach of the Defensive Net, this large Sky City was doomed. It might still be floating in the sky for the moment, but once the city''s center Super Crystal was destroyed, the Sky City would plummet from the sky, a fate that was only a matter of time.


    In reality, that time did not drag on for long. Twenty minutes? No, it was probably just a dozen minutes later that this large Sky City, with at least a hundred thousand residents, began to tilt slowly in mid-air and then plunged directly from the sky...!


    A Sky City, a large Sky City with a hundred thousand residents, was destroyed under the siege of dozens of Magic Dragons!


    And after the destruction of Sky City, the dozens of gathered Magic Dragons dispersed into the air, each flying away in different directions.


    "This is bad!"


    The sight of Sky City''s destruction was so shocking that Rocky and the others were left stunned, but as the Magic Dragons scattered, the dazed crowd finally snapped back to reality, and immediately realized that something terrible was unfolding!


    Among the many Magic Dragons flying off in different directions, three of them were headed straight for their location!


    ```

 Chapter 205 A Matter of Life and Death!

    Discovering that among the scattered Magic Dragons, three were flying in their direction, Rocky and Karina and the others immediately panicked and the six Void Magic Warriors instantly flew out in two directions.Karina led her guards to fly towards Code Rose, while Rocky and Liliya headed to the Thunderhawk!


    At this moment, they were flying at their fastest speed, even faster than when Rocky faced Baron Wolin or when Karina faced Kilov, as if they were exerting all their primal strength to return to their respective flagships.


    "Descend! Descend! Fast! Quick!"


    The moment he landed on the deck of the Thunderhawk, Rocky immediately shouted at the crew to make the Thunderhawk descend immediately.


    At his roar, the crew was stunned because just moments ago, they were still trying to gain altitude with the Thunderhawk, why suddenly start descending?


    Fortunately, Felly reacted quickly, snapping back to his senses almost instantly. He then loudly urged the crew to act, stopping the Thunderhawk from ascending and starting its rapid descent.


    Meanwhile, Karina, who had returned to the Code Rose, was giving the same command, ordering the entire fleet to stop ascending and descend immediately.


    Having witnessed a large Sky City get destroyed, Rocky and Karina deeply realized how terrifying Magic Dragons could be. Under such circumstances, how could they dare to let the fleet stay in the air? The only thing they could do was to have the fleet descend immediately, reduce the altitude, and then hope that the Magic Dragons didn''t have sharp enough vision to notice them.


    Within a few minutes, the warships that were ascending constantly all descended to just mere tens of meters above the ground, already at the limit of how low they could go without actually landing.


    In an unfortunate stroke of luck, the battlefield where the Magic Dragons and the large Sky City clashed was almost at the end of what everyone could see, so when the three Magic Dragons flew toward them, it would still take some time to get close, undoubtedly providing everyone a chance to hide.


    And once the fleet had descended to low altitude, over a thousand people hid inside the cabins and were strictly ordered to maintain silence, forbidden to make any noise at all.


    After that, a long wait began. The Guards and crew hiding in the cabins might not have witnessed the earlier devastating battle, but none of them were fools. They knew that whatever had terrified Rocky and Karina to such an extent must be a high-level demon, so everyone in the cabins remained silent, some even praying silently in their hearts, hoping that lady luck would favor them just a little.


    In theory, given the speed of the Magic Dragons, it would take only about fifteen minutes for them to reach the fleet''s location, so whether it was life or death would be decided in just that short time. But perhaps because of too much tension and fear, these mere minutes felt longer than entire days.


    "Captain¡­ has it¡­ has it passed already¡­?"


    After what felt like an eternity hidden in the cabin, a Guard could no longer bear it; the immense psychological pressure made him sweat profusely, and he looked at his squad leader Sandro as he spoke.


    "Don''t talk!"


    Though he was also under great pressure and fear, Sandro still managed to remain relatively calm compared to others, glaring fiercely at the Guard who spoke, making him immediately shut up.


    At this moment, a violent shaking suddenly occurred within the cabin, causing everyone inside to stagger and tumble as if in the midst of a great storm.


    The Magic Dragons, they had arrived!


    Although it felt like a long time to the people in the cabin, this was only their perception; in reality, it had only been a few minutes, and the Magic Dragons flying from a distance had just reached the airspace above the fleet!


    At this instant, three enormous Magic Dragons hovered above the fleet, beating their wings slowly as they passed. Two were in front and one was behind, each over three hundred meters in length, their massive wings blotting out the sky, each flap causing gusts of wind.


    The flying altitude of these three Magic Dragons wasn''t particularly high, only about three to five hundred meters above the ground, and they weren''t flying particularly fast, almost leisurely.


    Because of this, as these three huge creatures slowly flew over the fleet, the hurricanes stirred by their wings immediately affected the ships below, buffeting the many warships that were suspended at a low altitude.


    This was bad news!


    At this time, the fleet was only a few dozen meters above the ground, and the strong wind blew, causing some warships to struggle to maintain stability, even showing signs of making an emergency landing!


    "Don''t land... don''t land... please don''t land at this time!"


    Even those inside the cabin, as soon as some seasoned old crew members felt the ship start to sway, understood what was happening, but regretfully, there was nothing they could do at the moment, other than pray ceaselessly in their hearts, praying that no warship would land at this time.


    Falling from several dozen meters in the air, naturally, the warship wouldn''t sustain too much damage, but the noise generated could attract the attention of the Magic Dragons, and that would mean their end!


    Fortunately, this time it seemed that Lady Luck had indeed cast a favorable glance their way, because amidst the hurricane, the few reconnaissance ships that appeared to be in extreme danger managed to maintain their stability, and the three Magic Dragons that flew over the fleet took no notice of them, and after a few moments had passed, they flew away...


    "We''re safe..."


    Rocky, hiding inside the captain''s cabin of the Thunderhawk, because of the wide field of view, was the first to see the Magic Dragons flying off into the distance, and he only breathed a long sigh of relief after the massive creatures had gradually moved away.


    "Tell the crew we''re safe, but no one should make any loud noises."


    After heaving a sigh of relief, Rocky instructed Felly, who was next to him, then left the captain''s cabin with Liliya and flew out of the Thunderhawk''s defensive net.


    As soon as the two flew out of the defensive net, Karina had already been waiting in mid-air, accompanied by her guard.


    Clearly, due to this unexpected accident, their previous plans had been completely disrupted, and they had to decide, and do so immediately, what to do next.


    Before this, they had planned to leisurely circle around the Traceless Battlefield and fly back to their own Sky City, but it seemed they couldn''t be so leisurely now. The dozens of Magic Dragons had just scattered, and if they continued to circle the Traceless Battlefield, they might encounter them again, even if the odds were only one percent, they couldn''t bear such serious consequences.


    And don''t forget that Thunderhawk City and Rose City were located near the Traceless Battlefield! If the dispersed Magic Dragons accidentally ran into the two sky cities, it would be an unbearable disaster for Rocky and Karina, so they had to return to their cities as quickly as possible and leave this terrible place.


    "Let''s go through the Traceless Battlefield; it''s the only safe place right now." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Agreed, the Traceless Battlefield has Magical Energy Storms, and the Magic Dragons wouldn''t dare to enter."


    After some discussion, Rocky and Liliya decided to lead the fleet back into the Traceless Battlefield. Returning via the battlefield was the quickest shortcut, and because of the Magical Energy Storms within it, the Magic Dragons definitely wouldn''t dare to enter, which made this route relatively the safest.


    After making this decision, both parties returned to their respective flagships, preparing for the fleet to turn around and re-enter the Traceless Battlefield.


    But at that moment, just as Rocky and Liliya had just returned to the deck, Felly, who was there to greet them, hadn''t even started to speak when she suddenly opened her eyes wide in surprise and pointed emphatically behind them!


    "What''s wrong?"


    Seeing Felly''s strange expression, Rocky quickly turned around and then saw a figure approaching rapidly from the distance.


    In the blink of an eye, the figure that appeared out of nowhere was now above the Thunderhawk, and following that, it crashed heavily onto the deck...!


    As they watched the figure fall onto the deck from the air, Rocky and the others rushed over without a moment of surprise, only to discover that the person was a Void Magic Warrior!


    "Quick... go and notify the Sky Alliance... Tulip City... has been overrun!"


    When Rocky and the others reached the Void Magic Warrior who had appeared so suddenly and helped him up from the deck, the severely injured Void Magic Armor managed to speak with a weak voice before he passed out.


    In Sky Era, Year 117, October, a world-shocking event occurred ¡ª Tulip City, one of the last three cities on the land, had fallen!

 Chapter 206 Big Event!

    Sky Era, Year 117, October, a shocking incident occurred that stunned the world, Tulip City, one of the last three cities on land, fell!Today, a hundred years after demons occupied the land, only three places can still be called cities, Gesya City, Tulip City, and Mount Wanshan City. These cities stood unyielding for a century, becoming humanity''s last bastions on land, and were collectively revered as The Three Holy Cities.


    But in October of Sky Era Year 117, Tulip City, one of The Three Holy Cities, fell.


    To the people, it was simply unimaginable, because after the demons had occupied the land for a hundred years, the survival of these three cities was not due to luck but because of their indestructible strength.


    Gesya City, with a population of several hundreds of thousands, located at the heart of the Karina Great Swamp, is surrounded by vast swamps on all sides making it impossible for demons to cross, and even if high-level demons fly over the swamp, nearly ten thousand warships and thousands of Void Magic Warriors are there to slay them.


    Mount Wanshan City, with a population of over a hundred thousand, situated atop the world''s highest peak, Mount Wanshan, with the entire city built among the clouds, making it unassailable to demons.


    Tulip City, with the largest population among the three cities, nearing a million residents, was located in Cliff Canyon, relying on mountain cliffs for protection and facing a hundred-mile deep valley as a barrier, which prevented demons from breaching the city for a century.


    The three cities were not only powerful but also occupied uniquely advantageous locations, which allowed them to stand for a hundred years.


    Yet now, Tulip City had been breached!


    The fall of Tulip City was not just a piece of terrible news but a blow to the entire world! As long as these three cities stood, it meant that the land had not entirely fallen, that people still had strongholds on land, and those in the sky could coordinate with these cities at any time to launch a counterattack war against the land.


    Therefore, these three cities on land were not only symbolic but also of strategic importance, irreplaceable to everyone.


    Bearing such significance, for many years, everyone in both the sky and on land had painstakingly maintained these cities, and to keep them secure, The Three Great Alliances from the skies even launched the Second Counterattack War! This demonstrates how crucial these cities were.


    But now, Tulip City had fallen, an event that not only significantly impacted the whole world but also subsequently sparked off the Third Counterattack War!


    Of course, these are all matters for later, as aside from Rocky and others, no one in the skies knew yet that Tulip City had fallen. Even Rocky and his group harbored doubts about the news.


    Certainly, Rocky knew what Tulip City was, but like everyone else, he was skeptical about the news of its fall. Because of this, he immediately had the unconscious Void Magic Warrior carried to his cabin and then once more gathered everyone, including Karina and Orton together.


    It must be said that the operation to eliminate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was full of unexpected twists. The annihilation of the Air Pirate Group itself wasn''t surprising, but ever since they were wiped out, a series of unforeseen events unfolded one after another.


    First was witnessing the rare sight of a Magic Dragon destroying a city, followed by the sudden appearance of a severely wounded Void Magic Warrior who then told everyone that Tulip City, which stood unvanquished on the land for a hundred years, had actually fallen?


    All of these entirely unexpected events left Rocky and the others somewhat at a loss.


    "Who is this guy, exactly?"


    Everyone Rocky had summoned gathered in his cabin, looking at the stranger lying on the bed.


    "Who he is doesn''t matter. What''s important is the message he brings. Tulip City has been taken? Do you believe it?"


    "You''re joking, right? How could Tulip City possibly fall?"


    "Exactly, this guy must be confused because of his severe injuries¡­"


    Standing around the sickbed, everyone chimed in one after another, barely believing what the man had said.


    "He said, it might be true."


    However, at this moment, Orton''s voice attracted everyone''s attention, prompting them to turn their gazes toward him.


    "Teacher¡­"


    Looking at Orton, Rocky found him holding a piece of Void Magic Armor in his hands, seemingly engrossed in studying it closely.


    The Void Magic Armor he held was indeed the armor worn by the stranger. After the man had fainted and was carried to the cabin, Rocky ordered his men to remove the armor to treat his injuries.


    "Do you know what kind of armor this is?"


    Glancing at the crowd looking at him, Orton then pointed to the armor in his hand and asked.


    "It should be a fifth generation armor, right?"


    After a glance at the complete set of armor laid out on the table, Rocky spoke. Although he did not recognize the specific model of the armor, he could tell that it was definitely a fifth generation armor!


    "You''re only half right," Orton shook his head and corrected him, "This is indeed fifth generation armor, but it''s not just any fifth generation armor. It is a fifth generation Special Armor, and it has been custom-made."


    "What?"


    "That''s impossible!"


    Hearing his words, everyone in the room was stunned, then hurriedly approached Orton, fixating on the armor in his hands.


    The fifth generation armor was the most advanced armor of the time, and the Special Armor within it was even more top-notch. It could be said to be the strongest class among all armors. However, this particular set of armor seemed even more formidable because it was custom-made!


    Custom-made armor was a technology unique to the fifth generation armor, meaning it was crafted to fit the user''s bodily functions and personal needs. This type of armor could only be used by one specific person and was extremely expensive to produce.


    But since it was tailor-made according to the user''s specifications and requirements, its combat power was incredibly powerful, often far surpassing Special Armor. It was the pinnacle among the top!


    Rocky and Karina had only heard of this kind of custom-made armor and had never seen it. That was not odd because the level of custom-made armor was higher than that of Special Armor, and only fifth-generation armors could be customized. They simply couldn''t afford it.


    So, when everyone learned that this seemingly unremarkable set of armor was in actuality a custom-made armor, they couldn''t help but come over to watch in awe.


    "Master Orton, you really can''t be kept in the dark about anything¡­"


    Just as Rocky and the others were captivated by this top-tier armor, the Void Magic Warrior, who had been unconscious on the bed, suddenly spoke!


    The voice from behind startled everyone, prompting them to quickly turn around, only to discover that the Void Magic Warrior lying in bed had already sat up.


    Facing the now-awake Void Magic Warrior, Orton set aside the armor in his hands and said cheerfully, "The technology of custom-made armor was something I was involved in. Naturally, you can''t hide it from me. And if I''m not mistaken, this set of custom-made armor is called Holy Knight Armor, isn''t it?"


    Continue reading stories on empire


    "Holy Knight¡­ Armor¡­?"


    Upon hearing Orton''s words, Rocky and Karina felt a moment of shock because the name sounded familiar. As the thought struck them, a name emerged simultaneously in everyone''s minds: Holy Knight Wilton?


    The instant they thought of the name, all eyes turned to the Void Magic Warrior on the bed, and their faces showed a look of surprise. Could this person before them be the renowned Holy Knight?!


    Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 207 Legend of the Holy Knight

    In the struggle against demons, both past and present, many heroes have been born.Holy Knight Wilton is such a hero!


    Wilton is not yet fifty years old today, he has an ordinary appearance, and an ordinary physique. If not for wearing the Void Magic Armor, he would seem no different from an ordinary person. Yet, this ordinary man is like a legendary figure!


    Tales of Wilton''s deeds have been circulating in the sky for many years. It is said that he was but a commoner by birth, yet a born Void Magic Warrior. He obtained his very first set of Armor at the age of fifteen, soon started to stand out, and made a name for himself in the Second Counterattack War.


    In that war, Wilton killed countless Normal Demons, and even was able to slay thirteen high-level demons all by himself! This feat made him the Void Magic Warrior with the most high-level demons killed in the entire war, thus making him a true hero of the Second Counterattack.


    Becoming a war hero did not stop Wilton from continuing to craft his illustrious legacy. His deeds are too numerous to count, but one of the most celebrated was when he led his Void Magic Squad to help relocate an entire village''s population¡ªa tremendous feat.


    This relocation process took half a month to complete, was entirely over land, covered more than a hundred kilometers, lacked any protection from Sky City, without warship support, with only Wilton and his Void Magic Squad.


    During this half-month, they protected the villagers while killing every demon that attacked along the way, totaling over a thousand demons slain, and ultimately successfully escorted the villagers to Gesya City. Upon their arrival in Gesya City, not a single villager they escorted had been harmed!


    This act granted Wilton the name Holy Knight and his fame spread throughout the lands.


    As such a renowned figure, Rocky and Karina naturally heard of him. The reason was simple, for the deeds of Holy Knight Wilton had been inscribed in books. Even those who had never seen him would surely have read of his deeds.


    So when everyone learned that the grievously injured Void Magic Warrior before them was none other than Holy Knight Wilton, they were all dumbfounded!


    For a moment, everyone in front of Wilton became helpless and unsure of what to do.


    "Everyone, I hope you can send me to the Sky Alliance immediately."


    And just when Rocky and the others did not know what to do, Wilton directly spoke up.


    "Tulip City has been breached, and this information must be conveyed to the Sky Alliance as quickly as possible. That''s why I hope you can hurry and take me to the Alliance''s airspace. When we arrive, I will surely reward you greatly!"


    "This..."


    Find adventures on empire


    Hearing Wilton''s words, Rocky and Karina looked at each other. Could it be true that Tulip City, which had stood unbreached for a hundred years, had actually fallen?


    If this news came from somebody else, Rocky and the others would likely be dubious, just as they were before, not believing it at all. But if these words came from Holy Knight Wilton himself, that changed everything.


    So afterward, everyone unanimously turned their gaze to the same direction¡ªOrton.


    Wilton and Orton both were great personages, and it was clear that they knew each other. Some matters were simply more convenient for Orton to address.


    At this time, Orton had already stepped forward and came before Wilton: "Wilton, there''s no need to worry for now. We are in the process of returning to Sky City. Even if we wish to send you to the Sky Alliance, we must get back to Sky City first."


    "So it is. Then I''ll have to trouble you all."


    Hearing Orton''s words, Wilton finally calmed down. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Orton continued to ask, "Wilton, the Sky City that was just destroyed by the Magic Dragon, that was your city, wasn''t it?"


    "Yes..."


    Mentioning the Sky City that had just been torn apart by the Magic Dragon immediately brought a downtrodden look to Wilton''s face, obviously touching upon his distress.


    "We still have time, tell us in detail what''s going on."


    Taking a chair, Aodu sat down opposite him while speaking, obviously very interested in everything that had just happened, as well as the matters he was talking about.


    Upon hearing these words, Wilton glanced at Orton, then looked at Rocky and the others, and immediately began to recount the events.


    The three cities on the land had close associations with The Three Great Alliances in the sky. Each of The Three Great Alliances was directly in contact with one city; in particular, the Sky Alliance was responsible for supporting Tulip City.


    Three days ago, all communication between Tulip City and the Sky Alliance suddenly broke off, which gave the Sky Alliance a bad feeling. They immediately dispatched Sky City, where Wilton was, which was the very one that had just been destroyed, to check on the situation in Tulip City and to investigate.


    However, when Wilton arrived at Cliff Canyon, he found that Tulip City, which had lost contact for only three days, had already been overrun by demons!


    This turn of events took him completely by surprise. But before he could figure out what was going on, a large number of Magic Dragons suddenly appeared and launched a fierce attack on Sky City.


    To avoid the brunt of their attack, Sky City where Wilton was promptly withdrew from the vicinity of Tulip City, hoping to shake off the attackers, but it turned out to be impossible. Dozens of Magic Dragons relentlessly pursued and attacked Sky City, chasing it for a full day and night until Sky City had no choice but to engage them in battle.


    During the battle, Wilton displayed extraordinary strength unparalleled by others, single-handedly slaying three Magic Dragons! Unfortunately, there were too many Magic Dragons. He might have been able to contend with the Magic Dragons by relying on his strength, but the other Void Magic Warriors, as well as the fleet, simply couldn''t withstand the Dragons¡­


    What happened next need not be mentioned, as Rocky and the others had witnessed it with their own eyes: Sky City was destroyed, the fleet and all the Void Magic Warriors fell in battle, leaving only Wilton who barely escaped to the Thunderhawk.


    In just a few words, Wilton summarized the entire incident for everyone present, and while the matter was straightforward without any twists and turns, it shocked every person who heard it!


    Tulip City, as solid as iron and occupying a strategically impregnable position, had been taken in such a confusing manner?


    How could this be possible!


    Everyone present knew what the fall of Tulip City implied. Not only did it mean one less city on the land, but what was even more serious was that Tulip City had stood unbreached for a hundred years on land, yet now had inexplicably fallen in just a few days. This certainly indicated that the demons were showing an activity beyond everyone''s imagination!


    This change could potentially affect everyone!


    No wonder Welsh was so eager to relay this message back to the Sky Alliance; the matter was indeed too significant!


    "Welsh, you should rest well now. After we return to Sky City, we will help you contact the Sky Alliance as soon as possible," said Orton to him after Wilton had finished speaking. He then gave Rocky a look, and everyone followed him out of the cabin.


    "Teacher..."


    Having left the cabin and returned to the deck, Rocky and Karina both looked at Orton, understanding that he had something to say to them.


    "What do you two think should be done about this matter?"


    Despite Orton''s usually quirky demeanor, he was decisive in critical moments. He didn''t make decisions for Rocky and Karina. Instead, he asked for their opinions.


    "Of course, we have to deliver Wilton to the Sky Alliance. The fall of Tulip City is too grave a matter; we can''t ignore it, nor can we delay!"


    To this question, Rocky immediately gave his answer, which was naturally to help Wilton.


    But to his surprise, after he finished speaking, Karina spoke up from beside him, "Sorry, I won''t be involved in this matter."

 Chapter 208 Testing the Waters

    "Sorry, I won''t be involved in this matter."After Rocky had actively expressed his stance like a patriotic young man, Karina spoke up too, but her attitude was the direct opposite of Rocky''s. She clearly stated that she had no interest in the matter and did not plan to get involved at all.


    "Karina?"


    Rocky was somewhat surprised by her stance, because the fall of Tulip City was no small matter. It was truly a major event. It is no exaggeration to say that if this were mishandled and the situation worsened, it could potentially affect every person in the world!


    In such a case, how could one just stand by and do nothing?


    "I am not the only City Lord in the world. Even if I do not get involved, naturally, there will be others who will handle it. Moreover, I am not interested in any Alliance, nor do I wish to have any contact with one," she stated.


    From Rocky''s puzzled gaze, Karina could tell what he was thinking, but she did not care in the slightest.


    "Besides, there''s you."


    With a slight smile toward Rocky, Karina casually pushed the entire matter onto him...


    "This¡­ Okay then¡­"


    Rocky could somewhat understand Karina''s decision, knowing her past and how she had once been abandoned by the Alliance. It was natural for her to have some aversion to sending Wilton to the Sky Alliance.


    "Let''s do it this way then, after we return to Sky City, I will directly contact the Sky Alliance. Once everything is settled, I''ll head to Lingyu City, and we can meet there."


    Since Karina wanted no involvement with Wilton or the Sky Alliance, Rocky did not press further, and he then voiced his own suggestion. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright, let''s do as you say. We''ll meet in Lingyu City."


    With a nod, Karina gave Rocky a slight smile, then she and her guards left the Thunderhawk and returned to her flagship.


    Not long after, the fleet reentered the Traceless Battlefield. Although there was now a distinguished guest on board, both Rocky, who was headed to the Sky Alliance, and Karina, who was headed to Lingyu City, had to return to their respective Sky Cities, so the fleet still had to pass through the Traceless Battlefield.


    While this route avoided the threat of the Magic Dragon, it also faced the threat of the Magical Energy Storm, so the level of danger was still considerable, and everyone was somewhat on edge.


    However, once the fleet entered the Magical Energy Storm, Holy Knight Wilton showed everyone what he could do!


    Having awakened, upon learning the fleet intended to traverse the Magical Energy Storm, he donned his Holy Knight Armor and flew alone into the sky!


    "My heavens... what is he doing...!"


    Rocky was unaware of Wil''s actions. When he found out and hurried to the deck, he was shocked by Wil''s actions!


    This is the range of the Magical Energy Storm!


    Orton had previously mentioned that the Magical Energy Storm could automatically target and attack within its range. Therefore, all targets within its enveloped airspace were in danger, especially aerial targets. That''s why the fleet dared not fly at high altitudes but only at low altitudes, even though they still had to endure the storm''s onslaught.


    But Wil, after having flown out of the Thunderhawk, had risen directly to the high altitudes!


    What was he trying to do?


    Was he challenging the Magical Energy Storm!


    Such audacious, or might as well say suicidal, action stunned everyone in the fleet, whether it was Rocky, Karina, or the crew members on each warship. At this moment, they all came out on the deck, and each of them looked up at Welsh in the sky as if they were looking at a madman.


    However, the next scene left everyone gasping in surprise!


    Explore more at empire


    In the sky, Welsh, unsurprisingly, suffered the onslaught of the Magical Energy Storm. Dozens of lightning bolts flashed out from the huge dark clouds encompassing the entire battlefield. Each lightning bolt seemed alive, clawing and snarling as it shot straight towards Wilton!


    But faced with these numerous attacks, Wilton in the air raised his long sword and then furiously slashed at the lightning bolts barreling towards him!


    The long sword equipped with the Holy Knight Armor was vastly different from the standard long swords. The biggest difference was that it was larger, wider, and longer, and naturally, it was heavier. Therefore, it was more appropriate to call it a two-handed great sword.


    Yet this great sword, handled by Wilton, seemed to have no weight at all as it swung extremely smoothly. It might not look very fast, but every slash would hit the lightning precisely and shatter it with a single strike!


    It took only a few blinks of an eye, and dozens of lightning bolts had been shattered by Wilton with his great sword, while he himself remained unharmed!


    Experts are known from the moment they act. As Wilton demonstrated his skills in front of everyone like slicing through butter, warriors like Rocky and Karina were utterly convinced. Those were lightning bolts!


    To slash at the lightning with a great sword required incredibly quick reactions, precise movements, and tremendous strength. Wilton managed to do this and made it look easy!


    Of course, his ability to perform such a feat, aside from his personal strength, was also greatly aided by his custom-grade Armor.


    It is important to know the attacks of the Magical Energy Storm are not just scratching an itch¡ª those are genuinely deadly attacks. To withstand them, Wilton''s Holy Knight Armor must possess extremely high magic energy, for only with a magic energy value of the same intensity could he use his great sword to cleave through lightning; otherwise, it would be suicidal.


    After this, Rocky couldn''t help but turn to Orton beside him.


    "Teacher, how high is the magic energy value of this Holy Knight Armor?"


    Since Wilton was wearing the top-of-the-line custom-level Armor, its contained magic energy could not be judged by the standards of regular Armor. Thus, Rocky could only ask Orton, who, as a Magic Energy Master involved in the development of customized technology, must be able to estimate the magic energy of the Holy Knight Armor.


    But when Rocky looked at Orton, he found Orton was frowning at Wilton, as if deep in thought.


    "Teacher?"


    Seeing that Orton didn''t respond for a long while, Rocky asked again.


    This time Orton finally came back to his senses, but he did not answer Rocky''s question and instead glanced at him.


    "It''s time..."


    Without responding to the query, Orton turned and left the deck, heading back to his own cabin, leaving a bewildered Rocky behind...


    PS: Please recommend! Please recommend! Please recommend! The story is about to enter a new chapter soon, a bigger stage, more opponents, and Rocky will soon make a significant mark on the world. We ask for your support!

 Chapter 209 Invitation

    "It''s time..."After glancing at Rocky, Orton said something off-topic and then turned back to the cabin, leaving a bewildered Rocky behind...


    Rocky was naturally puzzled by Orton''s strange behavior, but he was used to it. So, after scratching his head a bit, he didn''t think much of it and turned back to look at the sky. Explore more at empire


    In the sky, Wilton was still continuously resisting the mana storm, and after the first round of lightning attacks, the storm''s assault had become significantly more fierce and more frequent. Yet, facing such fierce attacks, Wilton, high above, remained composed, showing no signs of pressure.


    As a result, the fleet''s pressure was greatly reduced because the mana storm focused its attention on Wilton. Thus, the fleet immediately increased its speed to the maximum, swiftly passing through the area affected by the mana storm.


    In this way, Wilton, with his own strength, drew the attention of the mana storm, allowing the entire fleet to smoothly leave the Traceless Battlefield and successfully return to Sky City!


    Having successfully returned to Sky City, Rocky and Karina followed the prior arrangements, with Karina going directly to Lingyu City for adjustments, while Rocky headed to the Sky Alliance, and the two parted ways.


    Setting aside how Karina went to Lingyu City for a moment, let''s talk about Rocky.


    Having returned to his own Thunderhawk City, Rocky entrusted all matters regarding the spoils of war and such to Aileen, while he personally escorted Wilton to the City Lord''s Mansion, then he proceeded to establish contact with the Sky Alliance.


    However, there were some slight issues with this matter.


    Rocky had certainly heard of the Sky Alliance, but only in passing, and he didn''t have a clear understanding of what this alliance was about. So, when he attempted to contact the Sky Alliance, he found he had no means whatsoever to reach them...


    Fortunately, Wilton was there, and it was through Wilton''s introduction that Rocky finally gained some understanding of the Sky Alliance.


    As one of the three top powers in the sky, the Sky Alliance could certainly be described as colossal. It included thousands of participating cities, and ninety percent of these cities were of medium or large scale. Of course, the most astonishing part was that the Sky Alliance contained three God Cities!


    In the entire sky, there were only ten God Cities, and the Sky Alliance monopolized three of them! Just this point alone was enough to imagine how powerful this alliance was.


    According to Wilton''s introduction, members of the Sky Alliance were categorized as core members and peripheral members, with the vast majority being peripheral members. Only after making certain contributions to the alliance could one be promoted to a core member.


    Even as a peripheral member, one could still enjoy the basic benefits of the alliance. For example, one could request support from the alliance when their city faced an attack or when initiating a war. Or, one could get certain discounts when trading with a Chamber of Commerce belonging to the alliance, among other perks available to peripheral members.


    Once one became a core member of the alliance, the benefits were even greater. In addition to doubling the benefits available to peripheral members, one could also station their Sky City permanently in the airspace controlled by the alliance!


    The alliance''s airspace refers to the airspace completely controlled by the Sky Alliance. All the cities within this airspace are core members of the alliance and are also where the three God Cities are located. No outsider is allowed entry, making it a hundred percent safe place!


    "Lord Rocky, if you could just put me in contact with a member of the Sky Alliance, even a peripheral member would do. The alliance will naturally send someone to pick me up,"


    After briefly introducing the Sky Alliance to Rocky, Wilton said he didn''t need Rocky to send him to the airspace controlled by the alliance, as it was too far away. He just needed Rocky''s help to contact other alliance members, and naturally, someone would come to fetch him.


    This made things much easier for Rocky. He immediately contacted Berg and asked him to use the Shadow Alliance''s resources to find any members of the Sky Alliance in a Sky City close to his location.


    Berg quickly replied that there was a Sky City to the east of Thunderhawk City which was a member of the Sky Alliance. The journey would take about three days, which wasn''t too far.


    Upon receiving this news, Rocky immediately put Thunderhawk City into flight mode and headed straight for the coordinates.


    "Lord Rocky, did you and Lord Karina go to eliminate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group this time?"


    Since the journey required three days, during this period, Rocky and Wilton naturally came into contact with each other. Thus, when Rocky went to visit him to check on his injuries one day, Wilton casually broached the subject while chatting.


    "...Sir, how did you...?"


    This question made Rocky frown. He remembered that he had never mentioned anything about the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. How did Wilton know about it?


    "Haha, Lord Rocky, I wasn''t intentionally prying into your affairs. It''s just that I know the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group is located within the Traceless Battlefield, and I also saw the spoils on the warship, so it wasn''t hard to guess."


    With a slight smile, Wilton explained.


    "Have you also heard about the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group?"


    "I''ve heard a bit." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nodding, Wilton said, "This air pirate group has robbed the Alliance''s goods, and the Alliance had planned to eliminate them, but various issues have delayed the matter."


    "So your actions with Lord Karina have indeed done a good deed for everyone."


    Looking at Rocky, Wilton spoke with evident approval.


    He was right. Regarding the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, the Sky Alliance indeed had planned to deploy troops to eradicate them. In the face of the Sky Alliance, air pirate groups and Wild Horse City were but ants, trivial for the Alliance to annihilate with a flick of a finger.


    However, it was precisely because the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group seemed so insignificant in the eyes of the Alliance that, through a series of mishaps, the issue got postponed. Moreover, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had a keen instinct to disappear without a trace for a long time, resulting in the matter no longer being brought up within the Sky Alliance.


    But as one of the prominent figures in the Sky Alliance, Wilton remembered.


    Then, following this, Wilton asked Rocky:


    "Lord Rocky, would you and Lord Karina be interested in joining the Sky Alliance?"


    "Hmm?"


    Perhaps Wilton''s question was too sudden, catching Rocky off guard, as he had never considered the possibility of joining such a top force and was completely unprepared for it.


    So, after reflecting for a while, Rocky asked in confusion:


    "Sir, am I qualified to join the Alliance?"


    He remembered Berg had said that joining the top forces was not an easy matter; it not only required meeting certain criteria, but at the very least one had to attain the scale of a mid-sized Sky City¡ªThunderhawk City was simply not up to par.


    "There are always exceptions."


    Addressing this doubt, Wilton laughed heartily, "Indeed, the Alliance has requirements for applicants wishing to join, but there are always exceptions. Even a small Sky City may join if it has huge potential for development or has made a significant contribution to the Alliance."


    "The tyrant of Rose City, Lord Karina''s reputation is well-known to the Alliance; she already possesses the qualifications to join. Since Lord Rocky has been able to cooperate with Lord Karina on equal footing and even saved my life, he naturally also qualifies."


    "So Lord Rocky, what do you think?"

 Chapter 210 Sky Alliance

    Wil remembered Wilton once saying that if Rocky helped him make contact with the Sky Alliance, there would certainly be a generous reward. Now it seemed that this "generous reward" was an invitation for him and Karina to join the Sky Alliance!Of course, this was just one aspect of Wilton''s invitation. On the other hand, he truly saw potential in both Rocky and Karina.


    Karina, needless to say, had a reputation that was far greater than what most would imagine. With her standout strength among the smaller Sky Cities, Karina had long been in the sights of The Three Great Alliances and had been observed for quite some time.


    As for Rocky, although Wilton had not heard of him before, he was quite satisfied with what he had observed of Rocky throughout their journey.


    Firstly, Wilton quite recognized Rocky''s strength. His Excellency the Holy Knight, having seen much of the world, knew well what the average strength of a small Sky City looked like. In his view, Rocky''s current strength not only met the average standard of small Sky Cities but greatly exceeded it.


    Secondly, it was the ambition Rocky displayed that Wilton found very satisfying.


    In today''s world, there is a common understanding about the City Lords: being content with poverty means being mediocre! A City Lord without ambition will not see any development. In this era, in order to grow strong and earn respect, one must forge ahead against the current, constantly developing and expanding. Only then can one become a regional hegemon and be admired by others.


    And this was precisely what Wilton saw in Rocky.


    He dared to collaborate with someone like Karina and to challenge the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. This undeniably proved that Rocky was not a man content with little. The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group might be seen as a mere ant in the eyes of the Sky Alliance, but for small Sky Cities, their strength was incredibly formidable, even stronger than that of some small Sky Cities.


    The fact that Rocky and Karina dared to challenge such a foe, regardless of whether it was for personal vendetta or fame and fortune, was not what mattered. The important thing was that they dared to take action! That was enough.


    Therefore, the invitation from Wilton to Rocky was partly to repay him and partly because he truly saw potential in him.


    "This¡­"


    However, when faced with his invitation, Rocky found himself at a loss for how to respond.


    It wasn''t hesitation; he was simply unprepared due to the surprise.


    The idea of joining an Alliance had crossed his mind as early as when Berg mentioned it, but after learning of Karina''s experiences, Rocky became less confident in the reliability of such Alliances. The Alliances of the past had abandoned Karina, so if Rocky were to join one, they might very well abandon him too¡ªespecially since his opponent was not just anyone, but the infamous giant crocodile of the skies, the Mairente Family. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was because of this that Rocky had put the idea of joining an Alliance aside, without giving it much thought. So when faced with Wilton''s sudden invitation, he felt somewhat at a loss.


    "Wilton, if you want Rocky to join the Sky Alliance, you should first ask his mentor,"


    Just as Rocky was at a loss and unsure how to respond to Wilton, Orton suddenly pushed open the door and walked in.


    "Mentor!"


    "Master Orton."


    Seeing Orton suddenly appear, Rocky''s anxious feelings immediately eased, because Orton''s arrival at this time was obviously to help him.


    And indeed, right after this, Orton, without any reservation, took a seat directly opposite Wilton and then righteously asked:


    "Wilton, tell me, do you want Rocky to join the Alliance because you found out about my research in Thunderhawk City, and then you plan to monopolize my research findings?"


    "Ah?"


    As soon as Orton finished speaking, Wilton was immediately stunned, and His Excellency the Holy Knight was left speechless with shock.


    "Master, your words¡ªdon''t accuse me wrongly! I¡ªI¡ªI would never harbor such intentions!"


    Wilton, gaping at Orton, struggled even to speak clearly: "Master, you have cooperated with the Alliance before, so you should know that the Sky Alliance never monopolizes any possessions of its members, including technology,"


    After saying this, Wilton hurriedly turned to Rocky: "City Lord Rocky, although the Sky Alliance encourages members to make contributions to the Alliance, including technology, it never resorts to forceful plundering. Anyone who submits technology to the Alliance will receive an award of equal value, and once the Alliance puts the technology into practical use, the contributor will also have priority rights to its use."


    It must be said that experience truly counts, as Master Orton was very aware of what City Lord Rocky was most concerned about. Thus, by starting off with such a direct and unreasonable questioning of Wilton, he immediately befuddled him.


    In order to explain things clearly to City Lord Rocky, Wilton simply went over the benefits of joining the Alliance as well as the obligatory duties in detail.


    As one of the largest forces in the sky, the Sky Alliance had a complete management system.


    Any Sky City that joined the Alliance would initially only be a peripheral member. As peripheral members, they would be under the protection of the Alliance, but this protection was not endless. The Alliance would only provide unconditional support to peripheral members once a year, whether in offense or defense, and would only send troops once.


    If multiple assists from the Alliance were desired, the corresponding Contribution Points would need to be paid, which brought into play an important system within the Sky Alliance: the Contribution Points System.


    The Sky Alliance was not a retirement home; it did not support idlers. Thus, any member who joined, whether a peripheral or core member, had to make a corresponding contribution to the Alliance each year to continue their membership. And to better demonstrate each member''s contribution, the Contribution Points System was born.


    In this system, all contributions made to the Alliance by members would be converted into tangible Contribution Points. The more one contributed to the Alliance, the more Contribution Points they would accumulate. More Contribution Points would lead to a higher status within the Alliance and access to more benefits.


    Even more importantly, Contribution Points functioned as currency. All commodities sold within the Alliance had to be purchased with Contribution Points, and to encourage members to contribute more, all goods sold by the Alliance were rare and not available on the open market. This included high-level Armors, high-grade warships, and scarce resources, all valuable items unattainable elsewhere that could only be traded with Contribution Points.


    So, how could one earn Contribution Points in the Sky Alliance?


    In fact, there were many ways to earn Contribution Points within the Sky Alliance, mainly divided into three categories. One way was to complete tasks issued by the Alliance, similar to those from the Mercenary Guild: the Sky Alliance would issue tasks to various members and compensate them with Contribution Points upon completion.


    The second method of earning Contribution Points was to participate in Alliance wars.


    While the Sky Alliance might already be one of the dominant powers in the sky, it was still only one of them, and wars with other forces happened from time to time. Moreover, as a dominant force, the Sky Alliance was constantly launching attacks on the land-dwelling Demons, striving to carve out a stronghold for itself on land.


    Along with battles to protect resources like mines, assist members in combat, and so on, there was almost daily warfare within the Alliance, and participation would yield Contribution Points regardless of victory or defeat.


    The last method of earning contribution involved providing the Alliance with various technological products. This included new technologies developed by different Sky Cities, new types of Armor and warships, and even turning over lost technologies discovered in the Lost Research Institutes to the Alliance, which could garner substantial amounts of Contribution Points.


    These were the main ways to earn Contribution Points within the Sky Alliance, and with them, survival within the Alliance wasn''t only easier, but one could live quite well.


    After giving City Lord Rocky a basic introduction to the Sky Alliance, Wilton breathed a sigh of relief. He then glanced at Orton as if to say, "See, I had no intention of forceful seizure."


    Once Rocky listened to the explanation, he pondered for a moment and then turned to Orton.


    Thanks to Wilton''s detailed introduction, Rocky came to understand the Sky Alliance more profoundly and realized that some of his concerns did not seem to be an issue within the Alliance.


    For instance, his biggest worry, the Mana Runes, seemed unlikely to be forcibly taken even if the Alliance discovered them, which certainly set Rocky''s mind at ease.


    In fact, Rocky really could rest assured, just as Wilton said. The Alliance indeed didn''t indulge in such aggressive seizures because it simply wasn''t necessary.


    With the Alliance''s immensely strong research and development capabilities, many technologies, including many top-tier ones, had been developed by the Sky Alliance. Even if the Mana Runes that Rocky mastered were exceptionally advanced, the Alliance had no need to seize them forcefully but could instead share them through exchange.


    Furthermore, the Alliance would not restrict its members'' freedom, which was also a major concern for Rocky. He feared that once he joined the Sky Alliance, such a large force, his and Thunderhawk City''s freedom would be interfered with¡ªa scenario Rocky definitely wanted to avoid. Continue reading on empire


    However, based on everything Wilton had said, the Sky Alliance did not seem to interfere with the freedom of its members. Peripheral members aside, even core members would not face any interference from the Alliance regarding the development of their own Sky Cities.


    These two points were of utmost concern to Rocky, but it appeared that the Sky Alliance had neither issue, so he directly looked at Orton and saw that Orton was also looking at him, nodding gently towards him.


    Clearly, Orton also agreed with Rocky joining the Sky Alliance.


    Therefore, following that, Rocky said to Wilton, "Your Excellency, I am willing to join the Sky Alliance!"


    PS: Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! We''re about to enter a grander stage soon, seeking recommendations!

 Chapter 211 Starlight City

    In the beginning of October, Sky Era, Year 117, Rocky made a decision that was extremely important both to himself and the entire world¡ªhe agreed to Wilton''s invitation and joined the Sky Alliance!At that time, Rocky didn''t realize how significant his decision was; even Wilton didn''t know. Wilton had simply made the invitation to repay a favor, unaware of the profound implications it would have. If it weren''t for his invitation, Rocky and the Sky Alliance might have ended up looking completely different in the future.


    Of course, these are all matters for later; for the present Rocky, he hadn''t thought that far ahead¡ªhis concern was still focused on the immediate situation.


    To him, the decision to join the Sky Alliance meant not only enjoying the many benefits of the Alliance but, more importantly, finding a powerful backer.


    Rocky hadn''t forgotten how perilous his current situation was. The vengeance of the Mairente Family was like a thorn in his side, and he didn''t know when it might strike. By annihilating the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group with Karina, he had provoked Wild Horse City, undeniably making another enemy.


    So now, Rocky had two enemies: one, a powerful family, and the other, a mid-sized Sky City several times stronger than himself. Any one of these foes was not to be taken lightly, let alone both together, which was why Rocky chose to join the Sky Alliance.


    To put it bluntly, Rocky wasn''t concerned about the contribution points system of the Sky Alliance or any of those other benefits; what mattered most to him was the annual support he could request from the Alliance after joining¡ªthat was crucial!


    For Rocky, who faced two formidable adversaries, this support from the Alliance was pivotal. Should Wild Horse City or the Mairente Family launch an overwhelming attack on Thunderhawk City, this support from the Alliance could help him avert a deadly crisis!


    It was with this consideration that Rocky chose to join the Sky Alliance, without overthinking other matters.


    After accepting Wilton''s invitation, Rocky didn''t celebrate alone but immediately contacted Karina because Wilton had made it clear that he wasinviting both Rocky and Karina to join the Alliance.


    When he reached Karina and conveyed Wilton''s invitation, she refused outright without a second thought... Explore more at empire


    How should I put it, Rocky found her refusal simultaneously unexpected and yet, upon reflection, quite reasonable. After all, due to her own experiences, Karina harbored a deep aversion to alliances, viewing all of them as products of self-interest and untrustworthy, even the Sky Alliance.


    Rocky naturally expressed understanding and then delicately conveyed Karina''s decision to Wilton, who, although not angry, was regretful. After all, he had a higher opinion of Karina and had hoped that she would join the Alliance.


    Once everything was dealt with, three days passed, and Thunderhawk City finally made contact with Starlight City.


    Starlight City, a mid-sized Sky City, was the closest member of the Sky Alliance to Thunderhawk City. After flying for three days, Thunderhawk City finally arrived in the airspace of Starlight City and established contact, only to be met with a cold shoulder...


    As a member of the Sky Alliance, even if only an outer member, Starlight City and its City Lord possessed considerable pride. The reason was simple¡ªbeing a mid-sized Sky City, even without considering the status of an Alliance member, Starlight City was a colossal presence in front of Thunderhawk City. So, when Rocky sent out a Reconnaissance Ship to make contact, Starlight City didn''t even bother responding, and Rocky''s ship couldn''t get through Starlight City''s Defensive Net.


    To make matters worse, they sent out a Fleet that included four Escort Ships and twenty Reconnaissance Ships, intending to expel Rocky and Thunderhawk City without explanation!


    Truth be told, Rocky was quite dissatisfied with such an arrogant attitude, and perhaps due to long contact with the war-loving Karina, his temper had also become more volatile. Accordingly, he took advantage of escorting Wilton to meet with them and dispatched all of Thunderhawk City''s warships!


    Having captured the warships of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Thunderhawk City''s Fleet had been significantly reinforced: not only did the number of Reconnaissance Ships once again exceed thirty, but more importantly, the number of large warships in the Fleet had increased from the original two to five!


    With four Escort Ships plus a flagship, and over thirty Reconnaissance Ships, Thunderhawk City''s Fleet exceeded that of Starlight City in scale. So, when Rocky led his impressive Fleet, emerging from within the Defensive Net of Thunderhawk City and coming face to face with Starlight City''s Fleet, the enemy Commander was left in complete shock!


    Such a vast Fleet was a rare sight within a small Sky City, which left Starlight City''s Fleet Commander at a loss as to Rocky''s intentions. Was this small Sky City actually preparing to attack Starlight City? sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In such a situation, the opposition immediately went on high alert, even preparing to call back to Starlight City for reinforcements, but just then, Wilton, clad in Holy Knight Armor, timely appeared between the two Fleets.

 Chapter 211 Starlight City_2

    "is that... lord wilton?"when wilton arrived at the front line with rocky and liliya, the opposing side immediately sent out a void magic squad, and they had to admit that the strength of a medium-sized sky city indeed was not something a small-sized sky city could match.


    take, for instance, the fleet from starlight city before them, which had dispatched a full squad of ten void magic warriors to escort the fleet commander to the front; this clearly wasn''t the entirety of starlight city''s void magic warriors, just this detail alone revealed the considerable strength of the opponent!


    however, the attitude of the other side changed instantly upon seeing wilton.


    as a member of the sky alliance, starry sky city''s commander naturally recognized a personage like wilton and immediately identified him.


    unfortunately, wilton didn''t know the commander, but since the latter was a member of the alliance, wilton didn''t hold back and directly said,


    "have the city lord come see me immediately."


    in front of starry sky city''s fleet commander, wilton spoke as though issuing a command.


    under normal circumstances, wilton would not have done so, but he was indeed in a great hurry at the moment, so he didn''t consider his tone too much.


    as a result, as soon as he finished speaking, the opposing commander was immediately frightened, with cold sweat trickling down the face hidden behind the helmet...


    in the eyes of this commander, wilton appeared to be clearly angry, and with his excellency the holy knight''s strength, as well as his status within the alliance, if he truly became angry, starlight city would definitely not be able to withstand it!


    the commander before them was terrified, and even wondered whether their action of dispatching a fleet to intercept rocky had displeased his excellency the holy knight?


    in such a situation, he dared not linger any longer, and instead of sending someone, he went back to starlight city to find the city lord personally...


    not long after this commander had departed, another warship flew out from the defensive net of starlight city; and it was not just any warship, but a flagship!


    this flagship, over two hundred meters in size, was immense and incredibly beautiful, clearly one of the most top-tier warships of the day.


    "moon goddess flagship... turns out the city lord of starlight city is quite wealthy," wilton said to rocky after glancing at the flagship that emerged from the defensive net. "this flagship is the flagship version of the moon goddess type 3, a 5th generation destroyer. it''s very expensive, and of course, its firepower and defensive power are among the best in its class."


    seeing that rocky did not recognize the flagship, wilton casually introduced the vessel before them, and upon hearing this, rocky had a realization¡ªno wonder this flagship looked much bigger than the thunderhawk; this was not only a 5th generation warship but also a destroyer that was a higher tier than an escort ship.


    by glimpsing a part you may see the whole: just seeing this flagship let rocky make a rough assessment of the strength of a medium-sized sky city.


    without a doubt, the strength of a medium-sized sky city was indeed much stronger than that of a small-sized one. for example, the fleet sent out by starlight city at the moment was certainly not their entirety and might not even be their main forces, yet just this was already comparable to, no, stronger than the fleet strength of thunderhawk city.


    this naturally made rocky think of wild horse city, also a medium-sized sky city. their strength should be similar, right? s§×ar?h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    considering wild horse city might have such strength, rocky couldn''t help but feel secretly relieved, glad that he had agreed to wilton''s invitation to join the sky alliance, otherwise dealing with wild horse city''s retaliation would have indeed been problematic.


    as he lamented inwardly, lamenting the strength of the medium-sized sky city should indeed not be underestimated, the flagship that had flown out from within the defensive net of starlight city had already approached. wilton, taking no time to wait for the delegation from the ship, flew directly towards it with rocky.


    "lord wilton!"


    having landed on the flagship''s deck without any obstruction, rocky hadn''t had the chance to take a clear look around when a voice filled with joy and excitement reached his ears. following the voice, he saw the city lord of starlight city.


    of course, rocky had never met this city lord, but he recognized him solely by the entourage, with a man in his forties hurriedly walking towards wilton in a manner that was characteristic of a city lord.


    indeed, this middle-aged man surrounded by a crowd was none other than diego, the city lord of starlight city.


    "lord wilton, i hadn''t expected it to be you!"


    approaching wilton hastily with a group, diego spoke with boundless enthusiasm and then took the initiative to grasp wilton''s hand, looking extremely emotional, "my lord, i truly didn''t know it was you who had come, that misunderstanding just now was such an offense, my apologies!"


    while holding wilton''s hand, diego continued speaking without pause, and even glanced at rocky, showing not only politeness but also a full sense of apology with a nod of his head.


    enjoy new stories from empire


    it was clear that the commander who had gone back had already informed the city lord of everything that had happened, and had added some speculations of his own, which instantly gave diego a headache. after all, as a hero, wilton was highly respected within the sky alliance and held considerable power. wasn''t that the kind of person diego, a mere peripheral member of the alliance, should not provoke?


    if he did indeed provoke wilton and made him unhappy, all wilton had to do was to make a few complaints to the other big figures upon returning, and starlight city would find it too much to bear. therefore, as soon as they met, diego hurried to apologize for the earlier incident.


    unfortunately, diego had clearly misunderstood, but wilton, now eager to establish contact with the alliance, didn''t explain further and directly stated his purpose.


    under such circumstances, how could diego afford to slight him in the slightest? he immediately sent people to handle the issue.


    as a member of the alliance, even if just a peripheral one, starry sky city could contact the alliance anytime, anywhere. therefore, diego immediately had the personnel remaining in the city contact the sky alliance.


    after everything was handled, wilton turned to rocky:


    "city lord rocky, thank you for taking care of me along the way. once i return to the alliance, i will surely report your and lord karina''s assistance to me in full detail. the alliance will send an envoy to you to further discuss the details of joining the alliance."


    "good, i will await your good news, my lord."


    with a slight smile, rocky knew this was wilton saying goodbye to him. it was quite normal considering that starlight city was a true alliance member, and moreover, a medium-sized sky city. once wilton arrived here, he would be as good as home, waiting for the alliance people to come for him. this also meant that rocky''s mission had come to a close.


    as for the matter of joining the sky alliance, it was clearly not something that could be settled with just a few words. for a large force with a clear management system like the sky alliance, the addition of any member had to follow procedures and protocols. even with wilton speaking out, it had to be done according to the process.


    of course, since his excellency the holy knight had made a request, he would certainly not fail to deliver, so rocky didn''t need to worry about anything. he just needed to wait for the news.


    after that, he and liliya left the flagship of starlight city and returned to thunderhawk city with their own fleet.


    honestly, rocky was quite happy to see wilton leave. it was not that he didn''t want wilton to stay in thunderhawk city for longer, but as long as he was here, rocky, out of face and respect, always felt obligated to accompany him. it was too much of a distraction because, having just eradicated the wild horse air pirate group, he had quite a lot of things to handle. like, for instance... tallying the spoils of war!


    ever since returning from the traceless battlefield, rocky had been accompanying wilton, and now that wilton had finally been sent off, he finally had time to properly count the spoils of war he had obtained!

 Chapter 212 Millionaire!

    how wilton returned to the alliance after staying in starlight city, and how he reported the fall of tulip city to the alliance, i will not mention for now, but let us talk about rocky, who had returned to thunderhawk city.after safely delivering wilton to starlight city, rocky who returned to thunderhawk city could finally do what he desired most: count the war spoils!


    since he encountered wilton on the way, rocky had entrusted the task of counting the war spoils to aileen after returning to thunderhawk city, and had stayed with his excellency the holy knight at all times. now that wilton had finally been sent off, he had time to properly calculate his gains from this venture!


    this kind of minor thought was not because rocky was greedy, but simply because he was in dire need of money. before annihilating the wild horse air pirate group, the treasury of thunderhawk city was already empty. to help the city survive this difficult time, aileen even went so far as to obtain food on credit from the ruby chamber of commerce, which only highlighted the dire straits of thunderhawk city''s situation, making monetary concerns something rocky couldn''t ignore.


    fortunately, the loot from this expedition was incredibly substantial. although he did not know the exact amounts yet, in the past few days, whenever rocky met aileen, he could feel a happiness radiating from her akin to that of a newly married woman still soaking in love, which meant the spoils must have been significant.


    indeed, when rocky called aileen over and inquired in detail, aileen gave him an answer that was very satisfying and even beyond his expectations.


    "my lord, the counting of the war spoils is complete," she said.


    standing before rocky, aileen''s face beamed with happiness, then she reported, "my lord, you have captured a total of twenty-three warships, including twenty reconnaissance ships of the 4th generation and below, and three 3rd generation escort ships."


    "additionally, you also captured four sets of the 4th generation mass-produced void magic armor. just these two items alone bring our gains close to a million gold coins," she added.


    speaking of war spoils, perhaps some only think of money and goods, forgetting that captured warships and void magic armor are also part of the spoils, and they represent a considerable value.


    the warships captured by rocky may not be high in quality, but their quantity was considerable; twenty reconnaissance ships might not be very valuable, but three escort ships and four sets of armor were quite precious.


    even if the escort ships of the wild horse air pirate group were only of the 3rd generation, the market price for such ships hovered around two hundred thousand gold coins each, even second-hand ones fetched a price of several tens of thousands of gold coins.


    the value of the four sets of void magic armor goes without saying. though the most advanced armors nowadays are the 5th generation, the 4th generation armors have not been phased out. in fact, most void magic squads in the sky cities use the 4th generation armor as their main equipment. based on market prices, even the mass-produced 4th generation armor averaged between fifty thousand to one hundred thousand gold coins each. thus, these four sets of armor alone were worth at least three hundred thousand gold coins!


    each escort ship was valued at a minimum of one hundred thousand gold coins, making three add up to three hundred thousand gold coins; the four sets of armor were also valued at about three hundred thousand, totaling six hundred thousand gold coins. adding the twenty reconnaissance ships, valued at an average of fifteen thousand gold coins each, that another three hundred thousand, so aileen''s estimate was spot on. among the spoils rocky obtained this time, just the warships and armor alone were close to a million!


    perhaps this nearly one million in value couldn''t be directly converted into gold coins, but conversely, with these fleets and armors captured, wouldn''t the money rocky used to replenish his troops be significantly saved?


    in other words, whatever the warships and armor were worth, that was exactly how much rocky had saved for himself!


    that''s why aileen was so excited, because with this batch of warships and armor, rocky''s expenses naturally decreased, and with fewer expenses, he no longer needed to withdraw money from the treasury, which was the most critical part for aileen.


    following that, aileen continued, saying:


    "my lord, besides the warships, the gold coins you captured from the wild horse air pirate group have also been fully accounted for," she added.


    "the gold coins you brought back from the wild horse air pirate group totaled one hundred and fifty thousand and have all been placed in the treasury for the daily expenses of thunderhawk city."


    while she didn''t say it directly, aileen made her stance very clear ¡ª the gold coins that rocky brought back from the wild horse air pirate group had already been locked in the treasury and were not to be taken out again!


    "besides the gold coins, there are also demon materials and goods."


    "in terms of demon materials, we have a total of fifteen boxes of various demon cores, numbering one hundred and fifty; one hundred thirty-three pieces of various demon skins; one hundred eleven different types of demon bone spurs; plus nearly three hundred various demon bones."


    "the quantity of these demon materials is too great, and with the variety, their pricing isn''t easy to estimate; the actual value will be calculated once we arrive at eternal city," she explained.


    regarding the batch of captured demon materials, aileen didn''t specify how much money it was worth, but the more this was the case, the happier rocky became!


    because based on his understanding of aileen, she was excellent at estimation and never falsified accounts or made reckless claims in his presence. if she thought something was worth one hundred thousand gold coins, then it would only ever be more than that estimate, never less; she was extremely accurate.


    if she said she couldn''t estimate their value, that only meant one thing: the value of this batch of demon materials was so immense that even aileen dared not speculate! naturally, this was great news for rocky!


    just as he could hardly contain his joy, aileen continued:


    "i have also cataloged the goods you brought back according to their classification."


    this time, rocky brought back war spoils that were divided into four major categories: captured warships and armor, gold coins, demon materials, and goods.


    among these four categories, the quantity of goods was by far the largest.


    so, when aileen mentioned the goods, rocky focused his attention, knowing that the batch of goods he had brought back must also be of significant value.


    sure enough, aileen then said,


    "the goods you brought this time... how should i put this, are quite diverse, divided into forty-two kinds, so i won''t go into specifics."


    aileen was right, the goods that rocky had brought back were all plundered by the wild horse air pirate group, and not in just one raid, making the variety particularly chaotic, with all kinds of items that took aileen quite some time to inventory.


    in this situation, she didn''t introduce each item to rocky one by one, but rather mentioned a figure: "i have contacted the ruby chamber of commerce, and discussed the types of goods with them. they offered 800,000 gold coins, hoping that we could sell all the goods to them."


    "800,000 gold coins?!"


    upon hearing this figure, rocky involuntarily took a deep breath and nearly rose from the city lord''s seat! stay tuned for updates on empire


    800,000... gold coins!


    that amount of money... was really... a lot!


    this figure was completely beyond rocky''s expectations; he had originally thought that if the total value of all the war loot combined could reach one million gold coins, it would be quite remarkable. yet, the goods alone were selling for 800,000 gold coins! s§×ar?h the novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    and let''s not forget, this did not include the similarly valuable demon materials. if the profits from the demon materials were also counted, wouldn''t rocky''s earnings this time exceed 1.2 million?


    could it be...


    had he become a millionaire?


    from a pauper who used to buy on credit to becoming a magnate with millions of gold coins, this dramatic change was something rocky found difficult to adjust to. so when aileen announced the figure of 800,000 gold coins, rocky was stunned on the spot and took a long time to recover.


    "sir?"


    with a smile, aileen called out to rocky and could understand his reaction; a month ago, they were still worrying about money and didn''t even have enough to buy food. who could have imagined that a month later, they would be laden with millions in wealth?


    "whew..."


    it took a while, but rocky gradually came to his senses, and then let out a long sigh. with the exhale, it was as though he had expelled all the pressure within his body, suddenly feeling a wave of relief.


    finally, they no longer had to worry about money!


    without the pressure of finances, rocky immediately felt a huge burden lifted from his shoulders, and not only that, he now had money!


    and in this world, having money equaled having strength!


    recalling the last mission in backhill village, rocky had earned more than 500,000 gold coins, which he used to establish thunderhawk city''s first fleet and with it defeated the menacing baron wolin.


    this time, he had nearly a million gold coins, doubling his last earnings! this didn''t even count the profits from the demon materials. if he sold all the demon materials, rocky''s wealth would be even greater, amounting to millions!


    what level of enhancement could this amount of money bring to thunderhawk city''s strength?


    honestly, rocky couldn''t even imagine the answer to that question. he only knew that after elevating thunderhawk city''s strength to another level, combined with the backing of the sky alliance, whether it was retaliation from wild horse city or the mairente family, not only was he confident in defending against them, but he was also confident in standing toe-to-toe with them!


    ps: please recommend! please recommend! please recommend! important things said three times!

 Chapter 213 Frustrated Berg

    upon learning that he was soon to become a millionaire, rocky was naturally quite excited, but he quickly contained his excitement and immediately set thunderhawk city back into flying mode, heading straight for gale city.he had already agreed with karina that after sending wilton to the sky alliance, they would meet in lingyu city. at the same time, considering his friendship with berg, rocky decided to set the location for the trade with the ruby chamber of commerce in lingyu city, ensuring that lingyu city would earn a significant transaction tax.


    without conversation, a full week passed, and rocky once again came to the airspace where lingyu city was located, directly finding both lingyu city and rose city among the clouded sky, indicating that karina had been waiting there all along.


    as he took the skyship down to the skyport of lingyu city, no sooner had he disembarked than he saw berg, brimming with enthusiasm and with a smile reaching all the way to his ears.


    "rocky! rocky, the great financier! i finally waited for your arrival!"


    as soon as berg saw rocky disembarking, he burst into laughter and came up to meet him, then grabbed rocky''s arm, "rocky, i finally waited for your arrival!"


    "are you waiting for me or the cargo on my ship?"


    due to their heart-to-heart conversation last time, rocky was very familiar with berg and wasn''t surprised by his exaggerated performance at all, even jokingly asked back.


    unfortunately, berg didn''t care about the joke at all, and instead laughed heartily, "both the same, both the same! you arrive, the goods arrive, the goods arrive, the money comes, so it''s all the same!"


    during this conversation, he pulled rocky into the carriage that had been prepared beforehand and headed directly to his city lord''s mansion.


    "has karina arrived?"


    "she arrived, long ago."


    in the carriage, rocky naturally asked about karina only to find berg showing a pained expression. not only that, but his frown also bore deep resentment as he almost gritted his teeth, "that woman arrived a week ago!"


    "what happened?"


    noticing berg''s aggrieved look, though rocky had no idea what was going on, he couldn''t help but find it funny and quickly asked, very curious.


    once asked such, berg opened up and began to complain indignantly: "rocky! tell me, isn''t karina too much? after she arrived, i treated her well, worshipped her like an ancestor, i almost sent some male pets to serve her, and guess what? this woman didn''t consider me one of her own at all!"


    "all i did was ask her to share some of the captured robbers with me. can you believe it? she turned against me on the spot and nearly drew a sword on me. if it weren''t for the fact that i had several void magic warriors as guards around me, you might not see me at all now. can you believe how infuriating that is?"


    sitting across from rocky, berg gestured with his hands while speaking, vividly describing how karina bullied him, with great animation and expressive detail.


    unfortunately, as soon as he finished speaking, rocky burst into loud laughter, leaning back and forth, his stomach beginning to hurt from it.


    in this shrill laughter, berg''s expression grew even more unpleasant, and his facial expression became gloomier, eventually unable to restrain himself from breaking into rocky''s laughter.


    "what''s so funny!"


    with a gloomy shout, berg rounded his eyes at rocky, not understanding at all what was so funny about his plight and why it would make rocky laugh like that.


    however, in rocky''s view, he was clearly feigning ignorance!


    he actually dared to ask karina for a share of the captured robbers?


    to be honest, after pulling a stunt like that, it''s nothing short of a miracle that berg hadn''t been chopped to pieces by karina. in the operation to annihilate the wild horse air pirate group, karina''s only gains, aside from resolving her personal issues, were the captured bandits. also, it goes without saying how important population is to a city lord, right? sear?h the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    in such a situation, berg actually had the audacity to ask karina to share some of the bandits with him. isn''t that like trying to pull a tooth from a tiger''s mouth? it''s no wonder karina wanted to kill him.


    clearly understanding how outrageous his request was, berg wasn''t really trying to get rocky to judge the fairness of his actions, but rather, to drag rocky into it; hence, he pitifully said afterward:


    "rocky, tell me, isn''t karina being too unreasonable? you wouldn''t do the same, right?"


    "what do you mean by that?"


    after giving berg a glance, rocky raised an eyebrow, and instantly, berg changed his demeanor, chuckling, "rocky, i heard from karina that you got quite some good stuff from the wild horse air pirate group''s base, so you surely wouldn''t forget about me, right?"


    "of course."


    with a slight smile, rocky nodded directly.


    "that''s fantastic!"


    hearing this, berg immediately beamed with joy and then eagerly asked, "rocky! i heard you got a lot of demon materials from the wild horse air pirate group? that''s really great; i urgently need such scarce resources right now!"


    "this... you better not think about it."


    seeing berg so excited, rocky really didn''t have the heart to let him down, but he had to share his plans. he planned to sell the demon materials in eternal city; as for other goods, he had already promised the ruby chamber of commerce to sell it all to them, and berg''s lingyu city could only get the transaction tax from this deal.


    "you, you guys! how could you do this!"


    when rocky had finished explaining his plans, berg''s eyes widened in disbelief: "how could you do the same as karina! rocky, you can''t be like this. being a person, you must not be ungrateful!"


    "where have i been ungrateful?"


    berg''s accusation was one rocky was not willing to shoulder. he certainly hadn''t been ungrateful. for instance, his current decision involved trading the goods taken from the wild horse air pirate group at the ruby chamber of commerce, yet he chose lingyu city as the venue. this meant that lingyu city could receive transaction tax for doing nothing ¨C wasn''t that his way of repaying them? discover more content at empire


    back when rocky had no money, berg personally took him to the city''s skyport to haggle prices, enabling rocky to refurbish his fleet with limited funds. rocky hadn''t forgotten this kindness, hence his decision. otherwise, he could have let the ruby chamber of commerce trade directly in his thunderhawk city without spending a penny, and still collect a transaction tax.


    however, berg clearly didn''t see it that way. subsequently, he looked at rocky with a sulky face, grumbling, "ungrateful wretches! both you and karina are ungrateful! have you forgotten my contribution to defeating the wild horse air pirate group too!"


    "what contribution did you make?"


    upon hearing this, rocky laughed, as defeating the wild horse air pirate group really had nothing to do with berg.


    "i offered you advice and strategies!"


    "no, you were just drinking the whole time; it was karina and i who discussed everything."


    "i, i... i cheered you on! isn''t moral support also a form of support!"

 Chapter 214 Unexpected!

    under berg''s incessant pestering, rocky really couldn''t stand his harassment any longer and finally agreed to make a deal with him, agreeing to sell a portion of his demon materials to the chamber of commerce within lingyu city.this made berg ecstatic!


    as everyone knows, demon materials have always been the most sought after resource, equivalent to gold coins in value, only appreciating and never depreciating. as soon as rocky would part with even a small portion of the demon materials he had acquired, it would immediately enhance the reputation of lingyu city, attracting more customers.


    so when berg finally managed to coax rocky into agreeing to his request, the gloom on his face vanished, and he decided on the spot to hold a dance. he summoned all the merchants in the city so that rocky could pick and choose whom to trade with as if selecting a woman.


    not long thereafter, a carriage arrived at the city lord''s mansion, and soon after in the same banquet hall, at the same table, the same three people gathered once more.


    a few weeks before, it was here that the three of them had set the plan to annihilate the wild horse air pirate group. today, they reconvened, but the wild horse air pirate group was no more.


    "my esteemed colleagues, let me toast to you both! to our great victory!"


    after the three took their seats with berg as the host, he was the first to raise his glass, and both rocky and karina did the same, downing their drinks in unison.


    "rocky, karina, you might not know it yet, but the news of the eradication of the wild horse air pirate group has already spread."


    after emptying his glass, berg eagerly opened the conversation, not waiting for the maid to refill his drink before hastily informing rocky and karina.


    "not surprising."


    upon hearing this, karina raised an eyebrow, seemingly unsurprised by such news, and the same was true for rocky. after all, with the presence of the shadow alliance and considering the notoriety of the wild horse air pirate group, it was only natural that their defeat had become widely known.


    "look at you, a single victory and you''re already full of yourselves! see how arrogant you both are!"


    seeing their indifferent reactions, berg snorted, "have you forgotten who was backing the wild horse air pirate group? that''s the wild horse city itself!"


    "i''m telling you, the city lord karlo of wild horse city is aware of the good deeds you two have done, and he has vowed to annihilate both of you!"


    having said that, berg raised his glass again, laughing as he watched the expressions on their faces.


    at this moment, the expressions on rocky''s and karina''s faces were indeed different. karina casually scoffed, her face full of disdain, clearly not taking the threat from wild horse city seriously.


    however, rocky frowned and then asked, "has wild horse city taken any specific action?"


    "this¡­ well, i haven''t heard anything about that yet¡­"


    caught off guard by the question, berg awkwardly shook his head, indicating he had no news regarding that matter.


    "karlo has no time to bother with us right now; it would be good enough if he could manage his own affairs."


    at this, karina let out a cold laugh and said, "wild horse city is currently at war with fire elf city, and with the wild horse air pirate group eliminated, karlo himself is too preoccupied to even focus on threatening us. does he think i am so easily intimidated?"


    after sipping her wine, karina concluded with a smirk.


    as a battle-hardened city lord, karina''s perspective and control over the bigger picture were indeed much stronger than the average person. and just as she said, even though city lord karlo of wild horse city had made tough declarations, he was actually too busy tackling his own problems to manage taking action against them.


    in comparison to wild horse city, the wild horse air pirate group was naturally insignificant in strength, but the role it played for wild horse city was substantial, especially the role it played during warfare, which was irreplaceable.


    the wars of small sky cities were usually decided in a single battle, as one fight could determine the outcome between two cities. because small sky cities generally had weak strength and smaller military sizes, the losing side was typically left without the capability to fight again after a battle, leading to the war''s conclusion.


    however, when the scale of sky city reached medium or above, warfare became a different matter.


    the strength of medium sky cities was several times, even a dozen times, higher than that of small sky cities, and their military power could be significantly greater. this meant that warfare between medium sky cities could never be resolved quickly. the fleets would clash back and forth incessantly, in a constant tug-of-war with battles occurring one after the other. wars could last a few months at their shortest, and some could go on for a year or two. s§×ar?h the n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    this made resources a key factor, as wars were essentially a battle of resources. in a prolonged conflict that could last months or even years, the resources within the cities alone were simply not enough to sustain the demands of the war; external supply lines were imperative. and this was where the wild horse air pirate group became crucial.


    firstly, the wild horse air pirate group, being a band of brigands, could hand over various loot to wild horse city to support its wartime expenditures, and they could even select targets to rob based on wild horse city''s needs.


    secondly, the wild horse air pirate group could act as an independent raiding force, striking at the enemy''s supplies with agility.


    take, for example, the ongoing war between wild horse city and fire elf city. the two have been long-standing rivals, engaging in conflict that could last months at a stretch. in these numerous encounters, wild horse city often came out ahead. why? both were of medium sky city scale with comparable strength, so why had wild horse city consistently gained the upper hand?


    it was because of the assistance of the wild horse air pirate group!


    throughout the prolonged conflicts between wild horse city and fire elf city, the wild horse air pirate group would always strike at the enemy''s supply lines, robbing the chamber of commerce that was supplying fire elf city. even if the robbery failed, they could still tie down a substantial amount of the enemy''s forces, leaving fire elf city stretched too thin to effectively respond.


    indeed, just before rocky and karina exterminated the wild horse air pirate group, kilov had received an order from wild horse city, instructing them to attack by all means the merchant ships trading with fire elf city.


    in such a situation, the sudden extermination of the wild horse air pirate group was definitely a blow to wild horse city. it not only deprived wild horse city of a trump card in the war against fire elf city but also caught them off guard during the combat, throwing all their plans into chaos.


    and it was precisely because she knew these circumstances that karina didn''t care about karlo''s threats at all.


    after listening to her explanation, rocky was also able to put his mind at ease.


    "hehe."


    however, at this moment, berg chuckled twice and then said, "latest news, wild horse city and fire elf city have already ceased fighting."


    "what!"


    upon hearing this, karina instantly turned towards berg, her brows furrowing into knots!


    "i''m not lying to you. the shadow alliance just delivered the intelligence this morning; wild horse city and fire elf city have ceased fighting."


    "this..."


    berg''s statement plunged karina into deep thought, and it took her a while before she spoke again, filled with bewilderment, "how is that possible? fire elf city and wild horse city have been fighting for so many years, and now is an excellent opportunity to inflict heavy damage on the other side, why would they cease fighting?"


    the ceasefire between wild horse city and fire elf city not only surprised karina but also left her perplexed. with the wild horse air pirate group eradicated and wild horse city caught off guard, this was an excellent opportunity for fire elf city to deal a heavy blow. was the city lord of fire elf city a fool? to pass up such an opportunity and agree to a ceasefire!


    "i don''t know about that. i only heard that it was wild horse city that actively proposed the ceasefire, but fire elf city agreed to it very quickly, clearly indicating some kind of deal or agreement was reached..."


    as he spoke, berg glanced at rocky.


    turning towards rocky, berg noticed something off about his expression. there wasn''t much surprise on his face, rather he seemed distracted, as if he hadn''t listened to what he and karina had been discussing.


    "rocky, what''s wrong with you?"


    seeing rocky''s abnormal behavior, berg called out to him.


    "did you just say... that wild horse city and fire elf city may have reached some agreement, and that''s why they stopped fighting?"


    called back to reality, rocky looked at berg and asked.


    "certainly, that must be the case. and the price paid must have been significant; otherwise, why would fire elf city give up such a good opportunity."


    berg nodded decisively as he spoke.


    although the shadow alliance didn''t provide this part of the intelligence, everyone was a city lord, so they were all very clear about the nuances involved. fire elf city would not be passing up a great opportunity to attack unless wild horse city had offered a price for this outcome.


    "i think... i know why fire elf city agreed to wild horse city''s ceasefire request."


    after hearing berg''s words, rocky sighed and then spoke up.


    find more chapters on empire


    "why?"


    "you know?"


    as soon as he finished his statement, both berg and karina turned their gaze toward him.


    facing both of their puzzled looks, rocky shook his head with a wry smile and said:


    "the mairente family."


    as he spoke, he let out a long sigh, "just as we eradicated the wild horse air pirate group, wild horse city issued threats and also ceased fighting with fire elf city. this clearly shows an intention to act against us."


    "but doesn''t it seem strange to you? wild horse city is willing to pay a great price to fire elf city to stop fighting, just to deal with us. is it worth it? that''s why i think there''s definitely something fishy going on... it''s very possible that the mairente family intervened."


    "are you saying... the mairente family approached wild horse city to come after you?"


    when rocky said this, karina asked with a frown, which clearly was also berg''s question.


    and to her question, rocky nodded helplessly... it was very possible!

 Chapter 215 Revenge Alliance

    "you''re saying... it''s really possible..."both berg and karina, after careful consideration, nodded repeatedly, finding rocky''s speculation to be very reasonable!


    the annihilation of the wild horse air pirate group was indeed a blow to wild horse city, but this kind of blow was not serious enough to cripple the city. there was absolutely no need for them to cease hostilities with fire elf city because of this. read exclusive chapters at empire


    therefore, wild horse city''s initiative to stop fighting with fire elf city was not due to defeat, but rather due to other matters that very likely involved rocky and the mairente family. s~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the mairente family, or to be more precise, one of the big shots in the family, lexington, had always been looking for ways to exact revenge on rocky. however, he had been unable to act personally due to the clan leader atted''s interference. but lexington had his own methods. he had been planning to make contact outside the family with sky city to retaliate against rocky. rocky was aware of these developments, so when he learned that wild horse city had suddenly ceased hostilities with fire elf city, he immediately thought of the mairente family.


    "let''s do this, i will ask the shadow alliance. they must know the specifics."


    "okay, just tell me how much money you need,"


    rocky nodded and said.


    this matter was closely related to him, and he was naturally willing to spend money to obtain important intelligence and figure out what was really going on.


    afterward, the three of them chatted for a while and then left separately, as they still had to prepare for the evening''s ball.


    as evening arrived, rocky brought his people from his city, especially aileen as promised, to berg''s city lord''s mansion. likewise, karina brought her own people. a grand and lively ball was held with individuals from the three sky cities at berg''s city lord''s mansion.


    "rocky, i have some bad news for you."


    as the main figures of the evening, rocky, berg, and karina naturally took the spotlight. after the ball had been going on for a while, berg drew rocky and karina aside.


    "the shadow alliance has already sent back a message."


    "that fast?"


    surprised, rocky looked at berg. he was really taken aback by the shadow alliance''s efficiency¡ªthey had only decided to buy intelligence that morning, and the information was already in hand by evening?


    "what''s so surprising about that? you don''t think the shadow alliance got this intelligence today, do you? they''ve had this information in hand for a while now, just waiting for us to buy it."


    berg briefly explained, then his expression turned serious. he looked at rocky and said, "rocky, congratulations. all your previous speculations hit the bullseye."


    "......"


    "according to the shadow alliance''s intelligence, the reason wild horse city and fire elf city were able to cease hostilities smoothly is indeed because of the mairente family."


    "one of the big shots of the mairente family, lexington, is said to have personally made a visit to fire elf city and then went to wild horse city, meeting with each city lord individually. subsequently, the two cities signed a ceasefire agreement, and furthermore..."


    "furthermore, lexington has reached an agreement with wild horse city, and your city is their next target."


    as he spoke, berg looked at rocky and let out a helpless sigh.


    unfortunately, intelligence from the shadow alliance confirmed that rocky''s previous speculations were all correct; wild horse city had indeed made contact with the mairente family, no, to be more precise, with lexington of the mairente family. both had set their sights on rocky!


    to tell the truth, this outcome left berg quite puzzled, for as a powerful figure within the mairente family and the city lord of a large sky city, lexington wouldn''t typically make such a move. in his view, wild horse city and fire elf city combined weren''t even worth a word from him. yet this time, he personally intervened, not only brokering a ceasefire between the two cities but also aligning with wild horse city to deal with rocky¡ªto berg, this was utterly abnormal!


    so, after giving rocky a glance, he couldn''t help but ask, "rocky, what on earth have you done to provoke lexington into such a massive retaliation? a big shot like him wouldn''t bother unless it''s necessary. you... you haven''t slept with his daughter, have you?"


    "slept with who? i have blood ties with his family!"


    after giving berg a glare, rocky retorted irritably, indicating that he also had no clue why lexington was targeting him so personally.


    "anyways, you need to be careful. now that lexington has teamed up with wild horse city, the family''s restraint on him is no longer effective. he can fully utilize wild horse city to retaliate against you, so..."


    berg sighed and did not continue.


    without needing berg to say it, rocky was well aware of the gravity of the situation. clearly, his two enemies had now formed an alliance. lexington, wanting revenge, had approached wild horse city, which harbored grudges against rocky. whether their partnership was a perfect match or the result of some deal, they had formed a revenge alliance aimed at him!


    that meant... their retaliation would be upon him very soon!


    "when can you join the sky alliance?"


    just when rocky was furrowing his brows, karina suddenly asked from the side.


    while the wild horse air pirate group had been vanquished by both rocky and karina, wild horse city had targeted rocky as their primary enemy due to lexington''s influence. consequently, karina faced no imminent danger. but she wasn''t just watching idly; she was actively thinking of ways to help rocky and quickly thought of the sky alliance.


    that rocky was planning to join the sky alliance was something karina was well aware of. berg had also heard about it, so when karina brought it up, berg nodded repeatedly and turned his gaze to rocky.


    unfortunately, under their watchful eyes, rocky shook his head vigorously...


    "wilton has already spoken to me about joining the sky alliance. we have to wait until he returns to the alliance and reports everything before it can be finalized. so, it''s not possible to join right away."


    "so that''s how it is..."


    upon hearing what rocky said, berg and karina understood that joining the sky alliance wouldn''t provide an immediate solution to rocky''s urgent crisis.


    with that, the three of them fell into silence, each one with knitted brows.


    lexington''s sudden intervention disrupted everyone''s previous plans. according to their initial assumption, wild horse city, constrained by fire elf city, would be unable to extricate itself, which meant rocky and karina would have had plenty of time to grow their own strength or even hide away. in short, there were many ways to avoid wild horse city''s reprisal.


    but now the situation had become troublesome. lexington, by brokering a ceasefire between wild horse city and fire elf city, had enabled wild horse city to shake off the shackles of war and focus entirely on dealing with rocky.


    being the sole focus of a medium-sized sky city''s full efforts... the pressure from that could definitely be described as enormous...


    "there is another way that could help you avoid disaster for the time being."


    after a period of mutual silence, berg suddenly spoke up and then suggested to rocky, "you could hide in eternal city."

 Chapter 216 You Chase, I Run

    "you can hide in eternal city."berg looked at rocky and offered a solution.


    even now, although rocky could make a qualitative leap in strength with the profits from exterminating the wild horse air pirate group, he still couldn''t contend with wild horse city unless he joined the sky alliance.


    as long as he could successfully join the sky alliance and gain the protection it offered, wild horse city would have to consider the alliance''s reinforcements before attempting to move against him again, which would undoubtedly create many hesitations for them and thereby significantly reduce the pressure on rocky.


    however, there was no telling when wilton would settle this matter, and how to survive the undetermined waiting period had become the key issue.


    the solution berg had come up with was for rocky to hide in eternal city.


    don''t forget, eternal city is not only the largest trading city in the sky but also a neutral sky city. within the airspace of eternal city, no sky city is allowed to engage in battle, otherwise, it would be a provocation to god city!


    in any era, not just today, neutrality is not so easily achieved, because being neutral means not only that you do not attack others but also that others do not attack you, which is a difficult stance. controlling oneself may be easy, but controlling others is far from simple.


    therefore, any city that has been able to maintain its neutrality over a long period must have exceedingly strong forces of its own. it is precisely because of their formidable strength that others may be deterred from violating them, otherwise, neutrality would be impossible to discuss.


    eternal city is such a city. within its airspace, all sky cities must refrain from combat. any that violate this rule will be forcefully expelled, and should any resist during this process, regardless of whether they are large sky cities or not, they will be utterly destroyed!


    this rule is effective for everyone, even the three major forces must abide by it, so if rocky could hide within the airspace of eternal city, then wild horse city would be powerless even if they located him.


    "it''s a good idea."


    explore more stories with empire


    when berg proposed this solution, karina nodded vigorously, because it was indeed a good idea.


    in fact, many sky cities choose to flee to the airspace of eternal city when faced with crises to take cover. if others can do it, so can rocky.


    "however, if you want to do this, it''s going to cost you a lot of money."


    seeing rocky nodding his head in agreement at this point, berg reminded him: "the highest committee of eternal city is a group of merchants even shrewder than hairy monkeys, knowing that many sky cities hide within the airspace of eternal city to escape danger, they have set a rule."


    "what rule?"


    rocky was very curious.


    "what else could a group of merchants come up with, it''s nothing but to pay a fee."


    berg scoffed and said, "any sky city staying in the airspace of eternal city gets the first month free, but from the second month on, they''ll have to pay protection money, and it gets more expensive each month. if you can''t afford to pay, you''ll be expelled without any mercy."


    "can they really do that?"


    "that''s how it is." berg nodded and continued to explain, "according to the rules set by eternal city, a small sky city has to pay a protection fee of 50,000 gold coins for the first month, 100,000 for the second month, 200,000 for the third month, 400,000 for the fourth month, 800,000 for the fifth month, and 1.6 million for the sixth month, and so on."


    "that''s so expensive!"


    hearing the prices berg mentioned, rocky''s eyes widened on the spot, and his face showed an expression of disbelief. that price was exceedingly high! this wasn''t charging a protection fee; it was outright robbery!


    berg, however, curled his lip in disdain, "is that expensive? that''s just the rate for a small sky city. if it were a medium-sized one, you''d have to pay five hundred thousand gold coins in the first month and the amount would exceed one million from the second month on!"


    "my heavens..."


    upon hearing this, rocky couldn''t help but rub his temples; he hadn''t expected hiding in eternal city to be so costly!


    "what are you afraid of? you don''t have to hide forever, just until you join the sky alliance. then you won''t have to hide anymore."


    seeing rocky looking so distressed before even spending any money, karina rolled her eyes at him.


    she was right. rocky only needed to hide temporarily, not for a lifetime, but he still felt a pang of pain. after all, every cent he''d earned was the result of his hard work¡ªhow could he willingly let it be snatched away for no reason?


    regrettably, his current predicament left him little choice, so after grinding his teeth, he looked towards berg and karina, "then it''s decided. once everything here is settled, i''ll head straight to eternal city."


    "the sooner the better. wild horse city will definitely think of eternal city, too, so you must be fast; it would be troublesome if they catch you en route."


    "exactly, go as fast as you can."


    rocky had thought he could rest for a while this time, contemplating future plans, but reality gave him no chance to breathe. here he was, on his first day in lingyu city, already in a rush to depart.


    perhaps this was the best illustration that plans can''t keep up with change.


    thus, on the second day, rocky immediately had aileen start trading with the ruby chamber of commerce, and he personally dealt with a small portion of the demon materials with the chamber of commerce of lingyu city.


    because time was of the essence, neither the ruby chamber of commerce nor the chamber of commerce of lingyu city could provide the payment in gold coins immediately. the magnitude of rocky''s transactions was incredibly large, amounting to over a million when combined. fortunately, both parties had a good foundation of trust, so rocky decided they could pay part of the sum first, and the rest could be paid in full once he arrived in eternal city.


    once everything was settled, he bid farewell to karina and berg overnight and made a beeline for eternal city, narrowly escaping another disaster.


    why had he escaped a disaster?


    because on the day after he left lingyu city, berg received a message from the shadow alliance that wild horse city was on its way to their airspace! that meant if rocky had left a day later, he could have been caught by wild horse city en route!


    upon receiving this news, berg and karina also left immediately, so by the time wild horse city reached the airspace of lingyu city, there was nothing there but clouds.


    "damn it!"


    discovering everyone had fled, karlo, the city lord of wild horse city, was so furious he was ready to explode, but there was nothing he could do.


    "someone, set course for eternal city at once!"


    as the city lord of a medium-sized sky city, karlo was an experienced player in the game. quickly putting two and two together after finding his target missing, he guessed where rocky might have gone and immediately directed wild horse city toward eternal city, hoping to intercept him mid-journey.


    the information provided by the shadow alliance was not at all incorrect; wild horse city''s lord karlo had indeed teamed up with lexington, intending to join forces to take out rocky!


    for karlo, this partnership was somewhat unbelievable¡ªlexington was a major player, and here he was, making such a big fuss over a small thunderhawk city, over a small sky city lord, which karlo found perplexing. s§×ar?h the n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    but karlo didn''t need to understand these things; all he knew was that rocky, in cahoots with karina, had destroyed the air pirate group he had managed for years. this single act was enough for him to act to eradicate them both, not to mention lexington, a big shot, had opened his mouth, even promising a hefty reward should karlo capture rocky. in such circumstances, naturally, karlo set his sights entirely on making rocky his top priority!

 Chapter 217 Consecutive Calamities!

    "father, karlo has already started to act."qiming city, a large sky city owned by lexington, boasting a population of one hundred and fifty thousand, it was also a prominent presence among the large sky cities.


    while rocky and karlo were engaged in a life-and-death chase in which they jockeyed for position, the instigator of it all, sat in his study discussing the matter with his son.


    "baron wolin, are you certain you haven''t mistaken something? did that rocky really master a new technology?"


    standing before lexington, his son abraham turned his head after reporting karlo''s movements to look to the side at baron wolin.


    "young master, i would never make a mistake."


    faced with such direct skepticism, baron wolin took a deep breath and then nodded vigorously.


    several months had passed since his last failure; baron wolin, who had fallen seriously ill upon his return, had long recovered, but he looked more than ten years older than before. what used to be a few white hairs at his temples had turned into a full head of white hair, making him look like a man in his twilight years.


    the previous failure had dealt an immense blow to baron wolin, not only emotionally but also because it had wiped out all his wealth!


    as a member of the mairente family, the private army led by baron wolin had been painstakingly built up through his numerous campaigns over the past decade. however, they had been completely wiped out in the previous battle. he could not accept such a loss, and the consequences of the failure were also unbearable to him.


    although the forces lost in defeat were solely baron wolin''s own, the law of survival in their great family was to advance or retreat. once baron rocky had lost all his assets, his standing in the family plummeted accordingly.


    for instance, his relationship with lexington. apart from a single visit when baron wolin fell ill, they hadn''t seen each other for an entire month. the implications of such estrangement were self-evident.


    hence, now faced with abraham''s skepticism, baron wolin not only nodded repeatedly but also quickly turned toward lexington.


    "my lord, i am absolutely not lying; rocky must have mastered a new technology. otherwise, it''s impossible for him to have defeated me!"


    "wolin, i believe you."


    seeing baron wolin''s urgency, lexington smiled, "abraham doesn''t know what you''ve told me, so don''t blame him. this is a good opportunity; explain it to him in detail."


    "yes!"


    having agreed, baron wolin turned back to abraham, took a deep breath, and then started, "young master, what you don''t know is that rocky''s void magic armor has been greatly enhanced, far exceeding normal levels. although i didn''t have a magic energy detector with me at the time, i can confidently say that his armor''s magic energy value must have reached at least 1000 points, and he''s wearing the first-generation armor!"


    "1000 points? the first-generation armor?"


    hearing this, abraham raised an eyebrow. as a void magic warrior, he was well aware of the capabilities of different generations of armor, and he knew that the limit for the magic energy value of the first-generation armor was about 500 points. to reach 1000 was simply impossible¡ªsuch figures were only attainable by second-generation armor.


    "and his warship was also modified, especially the flagship."


    as abraham furrowed his brows, baron wolin continued, "young master, you should know my baron number is the firepower-focused watcher model, whereas rocky''s flagship is the balanced scavenger model. in terms of firepower, my flagship clearly has the advantage. yet, when our flagships exchanged fire, my flagship was completely outgunned, and within three volleys, it was sunk by the enemy!"


    "young master, you have personally combated our family''s enemies and know full well how incredible this is. a watcher model flagship, in close-range combat, was instantly sunk by a scavenger model. is this feasible?"


    "so i think there must be something fishy going on! rocky must have mastered a new technology, one that can be applied to both warships and armor, for him to be so powerful!"


    "moreover, according to my investigation over the recent period, i''ve discovered that there''s a big shot hiding within thunderhawk city."


    "a big shot... who?"


    "the authority in the magic energy domain, orton!" looking at abraham, baron wolin shared the information he had uncovered: "young master, orton is an authority in the magic energy domain, and he has served the three great alliances. such an important figure staying in the modest thunderhawk city¡ªdoesn''t this suggest something?"


    "this..."


    after baron wolin had said his piece, abraham''s brows knotted tighter. although what baron wolin said was speculative, it made a lot of sense, especially because abraham knew very well that while baron wolin might not be exceptionally strong, he wasn''t that weak either. logically, he really shouldn''t have lost to rocky, and the mention of orton only bolstered the credibility of his claims.


    following this, abraham turned to his father, and at that moment, lexington spoke up, "wolin, you''re right. i will handle this matter with caution. you are dismissed for now."


    "yes."


    with that response, baron wolin exited the study, and once he was gone, lexington turned to his son.


    "abraham, what do you think of this matter?"


    "i believe..." when asked by lexington, abraham did not immediately respond, but furrowed his brow and pondered for a moment before speaking, "father, i think there''s a certain credibility to what baron wolin said; it''s indeed possible that rocky has mastered some new technology..."


    "just new technology?"


    without waiting for his son to finish, lexington abruptly interrupted him, then smiled and said, "wolin''s vision is still too narrow..."


    "it has been less than a year since rocky took over thunderhawk city, even if he had started developing new technology with orton from day one, is it possible he could have developed something in less than a year?"


    "this¡­" confronted with such a question from lexington, abraham was stunned, "father, do you mean..."


    "lost technology."


    with a gleam in his eye, lexington looked at his son and gave the most accurate answer!


    "lost technology... father, how is that possible!?"


    "why not?"


    faced with his son''s disbelief, lexington chuckled, "although lost technology comes from the land era, each technology is quite mature and can be directly used with a little research upon discovery."


    "after rocky got his hands on thunderhawk city, there was not much initially, but in the last six months, there have been continuous big moves; first subduing backhill village, then defeating wolin, and now he has joined forces with that crazy girl karina to annihilate the wild horse air pirate group. all these are things he has done in the recent six months, and behind all this must be some kind of lost technology."


    "only technology of this level could attract an authority in the magic energy domain like orton to his side."


    lexington was indeed shrewd and tough; even without a single meeting with rocky, just by relying on baron wolin''s conjectures and some intelligence, he accurately deduced the truth!


    hearing his father''s words, abraham took a deep breath and hurriedly said, "father, if that''s the case, we should personally capture rocky! how can we let karlo, that robber, make a move? it''s too unsafe!"


    abraham certainly knew how valuable a piece of lost technology was, and he had no doubt about his father''s judgment, so he immediately felt letting karlo deal with rocky was not an appropriate approach.


    the relationship between karlo and the wild horse air pirate group was well known to many, so in the eyes of other city lords, karlo and the robbers were no different. abraham felt letting such a person deal with rocky was far too unsafe, especially since it concerned lost technology!


    however, when he expressed his concerns, lexington shook his head, "abraham, you are still too young..."


    "if i were to take matters into my own hands, rocky and thunderhawk city would naturally be easily captured, but don''t forget, within our family, how many eyes are watching my every move? once i personally take action, people like atted and kelly must notice, and what i can discern, they will not fail to see either."


    "moreover... do you think karlo is capable of handling rocky?"


    this question from lexington made abraham pause, unclear as to what he meant.


    "abraham, don''t overestimate karlo, nor underestimate your cousin; he is about to join the sky alliance."


    "what!"


    this time, abraham was genuinely surprised. as lexington''s son, his perspective was far broader than that of ordinary people, even broader than that of ordinary city lords, so he was very clear how difficult it was to join the sky alliance and how tough they were to deal with!


    but compared to his surprise, lexington''s face remained smiling, seemingly not too concerned about it.


    "you don''t need to inquire why he can join the sky alliance, but i have already made contact with the sky alliance through my connections. therefore, rocky won''t be able to enter the alliance for half a year. in this situation, he has only one way to avoid karlo."


    "eternal city?" s~ea??h the nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    when lexington got to this point, abraham had already thought of the outcome. continue reading stories on empire


    "exactly, eternal city," lexington said with satisfaction, continuing, "rocky will definitely go to eternal city, but with his finances, he won''t be able to stay long; at most, six months, or as little as two, he must come out. therefore, i need you to take your private army there."


    "if karlo captures him by that time, then eliminate karlo and bring rocky back."


    "if karlo fails, then you directly capture rocky and bring him back. do you understand?"


    "rest assured, father!"

 Chapter 218 Adding Trouble?

    the secret of mana runes, unless locked in a box and untouched, once used, even with extreme caution, can still be discovered by those who are intent on doing so. lexington was one such individual, a shrewd man who accurately guessed that rocky possessed technology from a lost era!the only consolation was that he did not know the lost technology rocky possessed was the extremely important mana rune, capable of changing the world. plus, his excessive greed meant he was afraid of others in his family learning of this, which is what allowed rocky to narrowly escape a life-and-death crisis. otherwise, had lexington personally intervened, rocky and thunderhawk city would have been destroyed by now.


    even so, lexington still made ample preparations. he reached out to wild horse city and even the sky alliance, using his influence to interfere as much as possible with rocky''s integration into the alliance. more importantly, he had sent out his son, ready to stage a play where the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.


    and at this time, rocky was completely unaware of it...


    rocky was now making his full effort to rush to eternal city.


    they say people have a sixth sense, a feeling that often transcends the other five senses and can preemptively sense certain things. rocky now had such a premonition, feeling as though he had been cursed by the goddess of bad luck, surrounded by crises now and in the future. this sensation chilled him to the bone, making him restless and uneasy.


    in such a state, he repeatedly pushed thunderhawk city to accelerate, unwilling to settle even when they had reached the speed limit of sky city. had orton not forcefully intervened, landing several hard punches on his head, rocky''s reckless actions might have caused irreversible and severe damage to thunderhawk city''s super crystal.


    however, his excessive actions due to nervousness were clearly correct, for soon after, he received a communication from berg, telling him that wild horse city was in pursuit!


    on hearing this news, rocky breathed a sigh of relief because by the time he received this message, eternal city was already within reach!


    that''s right, he had already arrived at eternal city!


    by leaving two full days ahead of wild horse city and maintaining thunderhawk city''s maximum speed during the journey, they greatly shortened the travel time to eternal city. even though karlo immediately gave chase after failing to find them, he was still too late. s§×ar?h the novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    upon entering the airspace of eternal city, rocky''s anxious heart finally eased a bit. however, he did not rush to god city but instead gathered everyone in the city. after all, they might stay in eternal city for several months, and some matters had to be properly arranged.


    "aileen, once we get to eternal city, immediately get the details of the refuge from city officials, and calculate how long we can hold out here."


    "understood."


    "lord jack, the second series of training classes is about to end. arrange for the workers to start their jobs in the factories quickly. if we take refuge in eternal city for a long time, the expenditures will undoubtedly surge, so the leather factory needs to start operating as soon as possible to alleviate some of the burden on the city."


    "alright."


    "monte, lin feng, and felly, work hard to train the troops. whether we join the sky alliance or not, a battle with wild horse city is inevitable, so be prepared. also, pass the word to award the guards who perform best in training with the fourth-generation void magic armor; exemplary crew members in the fleet will have a chance to be promoted to captain of an escort ship."


    "also, felly, please tell old jack that if their crews are willing to stay in thunderhawk city, they can continue to enjoy the same treatment as the thunderhawk city crew."


    "yes!"


    "yes!"


    "yes!"


    upon receiving rocky''s series of orders, everyone immediately nodded, then dispersed to carry out their tasks.


    after everyone had left, rocky leaned back in the city lord''s seat and let out a sigh, suddenly finding the position of city lord uncomfortable no matter how he sat.


    "we''re going to make it through this."


    as rocky struggled to get comfortable in his seat, finding that no position seemed to ease the discomfort, liliya patted him on the shoulder beside him, calming his restlessness.


    "let''s hope so..."


    grasping liliya''s hand on his shoulder, rocky suddenly realized it wasn''t that the seat was uncomfortable, but rather there was a problem with his own mindset.


    and at that moment, the doors to the city lord''s hall were suddenly pushed open, and orton walked in.


    orton''s abrupt entrance made liliya hastily withdraw her small hand from rocky''s shoulder, and rocky also quickly stood up. their expressions were like those of young lovers caught by parents for the first time.


    unfortunately, orton didn''t pay any attention to what the two were doing before, or perhaps he chose to ignore it. in any case, he sauntered up to rocky soon after.


    "kid, i need research funding."


    read the latest on empire


    speaking directly, orton said this as he approached rocky.


    "oh... sure."


    hearing this, rocky was first taken aback, but then he nodded his head quickly.


    although thunderhawk city was facing many crises and taking refuge in eternal city required a large amount of money, rocky had just completed two transactions in lingyu city, and their combined earnings had already exceeded one million. so, it was feasible for him to take out tens of thousands of gold coins to fund orton''s research.


    so, after nodding his head, he asked, "teacher, how much do you need?"


    "one million gold coins, and the four sets of void magic armor you captured."


    after orton said these words, rocky almost spat out a mouthful of blood! one million for research and four sets of fourth-generation void magic armor?


    it wasn''t just about money; it was as if he was asking for rocky''s life!


    from the two transactions he conducted in lingyu city, rocky had earned a total of one million and eighty thousand gold coins. rounding up, let''s say he made one hundred and ten thousand gold coins. but as substantial as this amount was, it simply wasn''t enough to cover all expenses.


    rocky had to seek shelter in eternal city to avoid retaliation from wild horse city. according to berg, aside from the first month which thunderhawk city could dock for free, protection fees must be paid to eternal city each month thereafter for continued refuge.


    starting from the month they began paying, the first month''s protection fee was fifty thousand gold coins, then it doubled to one hundred thousand for the second month and doubled again to two hundred thousand for the third month. each subsequent month, the fees would double.


    in other words, the cost of taking refuge in eternal city was potentially limitless, and rocky''s million gold coins wouldn''t last long!


    and that was just the money needed to pay fees. aside from that, rocky had to provide for over three thousand people living in the city, which also required hundreds of thousands of gold coins.


    furthermore, as he had mentioned earlier, whether or not he could successfully join the sky alliance, there was bound to be a big battle with wild horse city. aside from the soldiers'' training, just the repairs on the fleet would take up a considerable sum.


    since wiping out the wild horse air pirate group, rocky had been traveling non-stop. the warships captured from the air pirate group had no time for repairs and had been seized only after engaging in battle with karina''s fleet¡ªeach ship bore some damage, especially the three escort ships. therefore, these warships needed fixing before they could fight again, and it would cost at least two hundred thousand gold coins to do so!


    after calculating everything, rocky would have practically nothing left of his million-plus gold coins. that he could scrape together tens of thousands for orton''s research under such severe financial strain was already quite the feat, but he had never imagined that orton would have the gall to demand a million in research funds!


    he was just making things worse!


    but before rocky had a chance to refuse, orton spoke first.


    when orton had finished explaining his thoughts, both rocky and the nearby liliya were stunned. their faces, initially filled with surprise, slowly turned grave.


    after a while, rocky clenched his teeth and nodded, telling orton, "teacher, i''ll give you a million!"

 Chapter 219 Rune Armor Project!

    as night fell, rocky brought the four sets of void magic armor that he had just seized to orton''s research institute and met orton, who had still not rested."teacher¡­"


    upon entering the laboratory, rocky found orton still standing at the experiment table and quietly uttered a word.


    "sit down."


    without looking back, orton casually spoke as he continued working without pause.


    an hour and more passed in this manner before he finished his work and finally turned around to glance at rocky.


    "young man, you seem to be weighed down with worries."


    after taking a look at rocky, orton picked up a chair and sat down next to the experiment table.


    and hearing his words, rocky could only give a wry smile; of course, he was weighed down with worries!


    right now, thunderhawk city was facing a life-and-death crisis, and yet orton had asked him to come up with one million gold coins for research. the pressure this placed on rocky was immense, not to mention that he could not refuse the reasons orton had given. under such circumstances, he naturally seemed heavily preoccupied.


    it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that in just half a day, rocky was so worried that the corners of his mouth had developed blisters!


    so, after a wry smile, he looked at orton and felt compelled to ask again, "teacher, were all those things you said true?"


    that morning in the city lord''s hall, orton had had a serious talk with rocky, primarily about the fall of tulip city.


    in orton''s eyes, the fall of tulip city was a very dangerous sign, indicating that the delicate balance that had been maintained between humans and demons for nearly a century had been broken!


    demons occupied the land, and humans lived in the skies; this situation had been ongoing for nearly a hundred years. although during this time humans had made more than one attempt to fight back, even launching two large-scale wars of resistance, the situation had ultimately remained unchanged.


    in fact, this nearly century-long status quo had formed a delicate balance. in this balance, both sides were doing quite well¡ªdisregarding the quality of life of the demons, at least the people living in the skies were not doing poorly. s§×arch* the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    however, with the fall of tulip city, this balance had been disrupted!


    in the eyes of the average person, the fall of tulip city might not signify much. after all, there were still two other cities on the land. even if the other two were lost as well, the sky and the land were completely separate realms; it would be impossible for demons to threaten those living above.


    for an average person to have such a thought was normal, but in the eyes of someone with a broader perspective like orton, the fall of tulip city represented far more. especially since orton had witnessed the annihilation of a city by a magic dragon firsthand, this made him all the more aware of the severity of the issue.


    the demons that had been dormant for a century were on the move!


    this was orton''s judgment. he had arrived at this conclusion through the fall of tulip city and the obliteration of the city by a magic dragon¡ªthat the demons were about to take action!


    was his judgment correct?


    it was!


    in fact, as early as six months before, there had been noticeable unrest among the demons, coinciding oddly with the time rocky had become troubled!


    as rocky discovered the mana runes, he began to gradually establish his reputation, especially after eradicating the wild horse air pirate group. many city lords were already familiar with his name. but the beginning of it all, can be traced back to the mission to protect backhill village.


    in that mission at backhill village, rocky had noticed the peculiar increase in demons, although at that time he didn''t give it much thought. the fact was, the unusual activities of demons had started back then, and rocky was unaware that, while he was determinedly defending backhill village, the far-off gesya city was undergoing a massive siege by demons!


    therefore, the abnormal activities of demons had already been manifesting six months ago, and the fall of tulip city was merely a result that arose from these movements.


    at the same time, in orton''s view, the consequences of these movements weren''t as simple as just the fall of tulip city. he believed that the unusual activities of demons would have a profound impact on the entire world!


    explore new worlds at empire


    in light of these circumstances, he felt he could no longer wait.


    in line with his previous thinking, he had planned to dedicate one to two years to thoroughly research the mana runes and then move on to their practical development. this approach might seem slow, but was actually the quickest because the longer the research on runes took, the fewer detours would have to be navigated once applied in practice.


    but now, as demons started to stir, orton felt there was no time for a leisurely pace anymore. he could wait, but the demons would not; who knows when they might all grow wings and launch an attack on the skies.


    so orton decided to immediately put the runes into practical use!


    and his first plan was the runification of the void magic armor ¨C the rune armor project!


    orton decided to apply runes to the void magic armor as a priority, to alter the current situation where the armor could only rely on a magic stone as its power core, by creating a new technology driven by runes. it was precisely because he was undertaking this epoch-making research that he had asked rocky to provide him with one million gold coins in funding.


    when orton shared his plan with rocky, who had originally intended to flatly refuse him, he ultimately agreed.


    he had no choice but to agree. whether orton''s plan would benefit the world or not, rocky did not know; what he did know was that he would certainly reap immense benefits from it!


    should the rune armor project succeed, then rocky would become the owner of this top-notch technology and also of the first set of rune armor. the benefits that these could bring him were immeasurable!


    therefore, even if rocky had to grit his teeth and tighten his belt, facing such challenging circumstances, he still agreed to orton''s request!


    however, even though he agreed, he could not help but worry, and that was precisely the reason for his visit to orton today.


    "teacher, do you think the rune armor project can succeed?"


    sitting opposite orton, rocky couldn''t help but voice his concern. a million gold coins was not something he couldn''t afford, but it was all he had, and given his already challenging situation, if anything went wrong with orton''s research, he would be completely ruined. so, his worry was inevitable.


    "brat! don''t you trust me?"


    but as soon as he asked, orton immediately rounded his eyes in surprise.


    "teacher, it''s not that i don''t trust you, but i think... even with just you and myself, can we really create the rune armor?"


    rocky wasn''t so much worried about orton''s abilities; he was concerned about whether just the two of them could successfully complete the project. he had another unspoken worry: orton was, indeed, a master in the field of magic energy, but what they were about to work on was armor! while armor and magic energy were inseparably linked, armor nonetheless had its own unique technologies, in which orton was not well-versed.


    after rocky asked his question, orton simply smiled and countered with a question of his own, "brat, when did i ever say that this project involves only the two of us?"

 Chapter 220 Major Events and Minor Sentiments

    ```facing rocky''s concerns, orton laughed aloud, "kid, when did i ever say that only the two of us are involved in this plan?"


    "what?"


    orton''s words stunned rocky on the spot and he couldn''t react for a moment.


    "i''ve contacted a few old friends to come here and conduct the research together with us."


    in the face of rocky''s bewilderment, orton casually explained.


    it turned out he had never planned to complete the rune armor project alone; he had already gotten others involved!


    but as soon as he finished speaking, rocky jumped up!


    "teacher, when did this happen?"


    "just a few days ago." s§×ar?h the nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "why didn''t you tell me!"


    "forgot."


    while idly picking his nose, orton said nonchalantly and then gave rocky a look, "kid, look at that unimpressive expression on your face! what, in your eyes is everyone a thief, all scheming to steal your mana runes?"


    "that... i... i didn''t mean that..."


    with orton putting it that way, rocky''s face turned red in an instant because orton was right, he was indeed worried about more people finding out about the mana runes.


    "sigh... when will you, kid, be able to see the bigger picture?"


    facing the flushed-faced rocky, orton sighed helplessly, "kid, you must understand that not everyone in this world is corrupted by self-interest. my old friends might not be as formidable as me, but they have their merits. most importantly, they are a group genuinely dedicated to academia, so you can rest assured."


    "moreover, don''t forget that the content in the research notes is just the rune foundation left by the late master winzel. only by further researching this foundation can runes truly flourish. i remember you once said that you ultimately want to share the technology of mana runes with the whole world. so, before sharing it, don''t you plan to conduct further research?"


    "don''t you intend to thoroughly research the runes before sharing them, ensuring that even if others know about the existence of the mana runes and master the basics, they will always be one step behind you?"


    after saying this, orton patted rocky on the shoulder, "kid, possessing the mana runes gives you an edge over others, so it''s time to broaden your horizons and think more deeply."


    "......"


    orton''s guidance was an epiphany for rocky, leaving him utterly dumbfounded.


    ```


    clearly, after having associated with rocky for so long, orton had discovered his shortcomings, namely that his perspective was too narrow and his vision too limited. of course, this wasn''t his fault. after all, how profound could the insights of a small sky city''s city lord be? how broad could his vision possibly extend?


    in fact, this problem wasn''t unique to him; it was common among many of the small sky city city lords. but orton made it clear that rocky was different from the others. those city lords might spend their entire lives ruling over only a small sky city, but rocky, with his command of the cutting-edge technology of mana runes, had a future that was boundless. under such a premise, he had to broaden his horizons and deepened his vision. he couldn''t always display such a petty mentality.


    of course, this was not something that could be achieved overnight, so after this conversation, orton called him to the small blackboard in the research room, beginning to share some thoughts about rune armor in advance, lest when the other masters arrived, rocky would not even understand what everyone was discussing.


    ......


    ......


    many events transpired in october of the year 117 of the sky era, some of which people came to know very quickly, while others only became known to them many years later.


    for instance, the fall of tulip city. upon learning of this through holy knight wilton''s report, the sky alliance initially intended to conceal the news, which was also the intent of the other two of the three great alliances. they even contacted the shadow alliance for this purpose because tulip city, which had stood for less than a hundred years, had already become a symbol in people''s hearts. if the news of its fall spread, it would inevitably cause a certain degree of panic.


    unfortunately, the matter was too significant to be concealed. even if the shadow alliance didn''t actively spread the news, any sky city that happened to fly over tulip city could find out, so as time went on, despite the deliberate concealment by the three great alliances, many people learned of the fall of tulip city through various channels.


    as the three great alliances had anticipated, once the news spread, it immediately caused a sensation across the entire sky, making the people living above grow restless. under these circumstances, the sky alliance had no choice but to issue a statement to the whole world, including through the shadow alliance, to calm the situation.


    in this statement, the sky alliance not only confirmed the fall of tulip city but also assured everyone that they had mobilized a large military force and that holy knight wilton would command it to retake tulip city as soon as possible.


    it was only after this statement was issued that the people living in the sky finally calmed down.


    however, this was only for the general populace. some individuals with deeper foresight were not fooled by this declaration. to them it was evident that if the impregnable tulip city could be breached, how could it be so easily retaken?


    moreover, the city was already broken. even if they recaptured it, what good would it do? by the time the sky alliance released its statement, an entire month had passed since the fall of tulip city. during this long month, all the residents within the city had already been slain by the demons. so even if wilton managed to recapture tulip city, what was the use of an empty city!


    indeed, those with a keen eye realized that the statement from the sky alliance was only meant to pacify the populace, and what they were truly concerned about wasn''t the city itself, but rather what the fall of tulip city represented. that was the crux of the matter.


    so when the sky alliance published its statement, it seemed as though the incident with tulip city had been settled. but in reality, undercurrents began to surge throughout the sky.


    the first was a series of actions from the other two powers among the three great alliances, the kafka empire and the magic energy research society. both sent a large number of sky cities to two other cities on the land, namely gesya city and mount wanshan city, clearly not wanting the downfall that befell tulip city to be repeated there.


    on the other hand, the sky alliance did as it said it would. in the second month after issuing the statement, a grand troop was dispatched straight to tulip city!


    this force consisted of three large sky cities and five medium-sized sky cities, with wilton himself taking command, and the fleets under the control of these eight cities amounted to thousands of ships! they set out for tulip city in a magnificent formation!


    the deployment of such a large force naturally drew the world''s attention. everyone''s eyes turned to this force, eager to see if they could indeed retake tulip city.


    yet, at the same time, a nearly unnoticed event was also unfolding. during this period, thunderhawk city saw an unusual influx of visitors. find your next adventure on empire


    those "old friends" orton mentioned, one after another, arrived during this time!

 Chapter 221 Masters Gather!

    in order to support the rune armor project, rocky had to bring in aileen and make some adjustments to the original arrangements.as one of rocky''s confidantes, aileen was already aware of the existence of runes, so rocky relayed orton''s plan to her directly. although aileen might not be a researcher, she was in charge of finances, and the funding for orton''s research had to be allocated by her. it was imperative that she knew about this matter.


    in response to this, aileen offered rocky her utmost support. not only did she not hinder him in any way, but she also took the initiative to help plan for him and then got to work immediately.


    first, they contacted the ruby chamber of commerce and several other chambers of commerce with whom they had conducted transactions in lingyu city, settling all payments from the previous dealings. this provided rocky with over a million gold coins in cash.


    with this cash in hand, aileen first deducted five hundred thousand for a protection fee and other expenses, which would cover approximately three months; the remaining half a million was left entirely to rocky for funding orton''s research.


    after that, aileen set off for eternal city and began moving between the various chambers of commerce, intending to sell off all the remaining demon materials. once this inventory was sold, they could at least make another four to five hundred thousand gold coins. in this way, the one million gold coins that orton requested would be secured, and at the same time, the expenses for the next three months in thunderhawk city would also be accounted for.


    meanwhile, as all this was happening, those old friends mentioned by orton were arriving one after another!


    on this day, thunderhawk city saw the rare arrival of a passenger ship.


    passenger ships are the most basic means of transport between sky cities, different from merchant ships and warships. they are specifically designed to transport people. smaller passenger ships can ferry a few hundred people, while larger ones can carry thousands. to draw a comparison, passenger ships are somewhat akin to cruise liners.


    the passenger ship that arrived in thunderhawk city was a large one capable of carrying over a thousand people. however, when this huge vessel slowly landed at the skyport, only one person disembarked, and he was a dwarf.


    "what kind of lousy place is this?"


    the short dwarf, slightly over one meter tall with whiskers on his cheeks, stepped off the ship, looked around, and then grumbled his dissatisfaction.


    "where''s orton? that fellow orton, why didn''t he come to greet me himself?"


    after looking around and not finding orton, the little dwarf casually called over a guard and asked with a huff.


    "excuse me... are you master hammerfire?"


    the person he had casually stopped was none other than rocky, who had been waiting at the skyport for quite some time. so upon being approached by the dwarf, rocky immediately asked.


    "that''s me, what''s up?"


    seemingly surprised that rocky knew his name, the dwarf, just over one meter tall, tilted his head back and squinted his eyes¡ªsmall as soybeans¡ªto take a good look at him.


    "master hammerfire, i am a student of orton''s and also the lord of sky city. my teacher is currently engaged in research, so he sent me to pick you up."


    facing the dwarf in front of him, rocky was extremely respectful and courteous, even a bit nervous!


    one should not underestimate this dwarf based on his stature, for the dwarf before you is a master smith of the void magic armor!


    as a dwarf, hammerfire was over fifty years old this year, but according to traditional dwarf concepts, a hundred and fifty years was merely the age of maturity. so, despite hammerfire looking like a sturdy old man, he was quite young in reality.


    and as dwarves, this race has an inherent intense talent and interest for smithing, a trait that has taken root deeply in their genes. during the land era, the dwarf race produced many master crafters of mana equipment. with the advent of the sky era and the emergence of void magic armor, which took over as the mainstream while the traditional mana equipment faded into the background, this change had no effect on the dwarves, who continued to have masters in the crafting of void magic armor.


    hammerfire was such a master.


    at over a hundred and fifty years old, not only had hammerfire witnessed the birth of the void magic armor, he had also personally experienced its development over the decades. during these long years, hammerfire had gradually become one of the most recognized masters in the field.


    his achievements in the domain of void magic armor were second to none compared to orton in the field of magic energy, even surpassing him by a notable margin. among the many models of the fourth-generation void magic armor, one of the armors bore hammerfire''s name, known as the illustrious hammerfire armor!


    since the fifth-generation armors had been out for some time, people had already formed definitive opinions about the numerous fourth-generation armors, even including various rankings. in all these diverse, authorship varied, and even purpose varied rankings, the hammerfire armor, developed under hammerfire''s personal direction, always ranked first!


    the hammerfire armor was hailed as the most perfect fourth-generation armor, without parallel!


    this armor, from its initial concept, to later design, and then to actual development, was all led by hammerfire! just this alone is enough to prove his formidable strength in the domain of armor crafting.


    unfortunately, as the void magic armor reached its fifth generation, hammerfire, the master who created the most perfect fourth-generation armor, suddenly vanished. he had also led the development of a few fifth-generation armors, but only one was a success, and the rest ended in failure. even the successful fifth-generation armor did not cause much of a stir, causing hammerfire''s name to gradually fade from people''s sight over the years.


    perhaps it was due to nearly identical experiences, or perhaps their areas of expertise greatly aligned, or even possible similarities in temperament, that hammerfire and orton became good friends. therefore, when orton was preparing to start the rune armor project, the first person he thought of was hammerfire and he was the first one he contacted.


    however, orton did not share many details with hammerfire, only asking him to come to thunderhawk city to participate in his project. that''s why, after arriving, hammerfire was so eager to meet orton.


    and when hammerfire heard that orton did not come to meet him in person and had sent rocky instead, his wrinkled face showed an expression of discontent.


    "hmph! that old man! let''s see how i''ll deal with him!"


    having said that, hammerfire ignored rocky and went straight toward the carriage parked not far away...


    three days after hammerfire arrived in thunderhawk city, still at the skyport, a passenger ship arrived, carrying a human mage who was of a similar age to orton or, rather, even much older than orton.


    this time, it was not only rocky waiting to greet them. orton also came in person, even hammerfire came himself, and as soon as he saw the other party disembark, orton hurriedly approached.


    without his usual defiant demeanor, orton respectfully bowed his head upon reaching the other person, "senior brother."


    "master aniye."


    just like orton, hammerfire also respectfully bowed his head to the human mage and called out, "master."


    the human mage in front of them, named aniye, was also a master-level figure in the magic energy domain. moreover, he was orton''s senior brother.


    many people hadn''t heard of aniye''s name because he was not as famous as orton and hammerfire, but in the academic world, his name was known to all. there was a simple reason for this: in his youth, aniye had participated in the development of sky city alongside his teacher!


    just this achievement alone was enough to immortalize him in the history books.


    three days after aniye''s arrival, the last of orton''s old friends, whom he had summoned, also arrived, but this last friend of orton was indeed a lady.


    actually, to call her a lady wasn''t quite right, for orton was already over eighty years old this year. had it not been for his breakthrough in magic power to the level of an archmage, which kept him fairly robust, he would have been an old man in his twilight years. and this female friend he had invited, maybe she wasn''t as old as him, but she was in her sixties or seventies, so instead of calling her a lady, it would be more accurate to say she was an old woman.


    however, when rocky followed orton and the others to meet this old woman at the skyport, he was startled, for she looked to be only in her forties and not at all like an old woman.


    "you rascal, how could you also bring your old flame here!" stay updated with empire


    standing next to orton, hammerfire gave orton a hard kick upon seeing who the last person was and mockingly said.


    "shut up."


    after glaring fiercely at hammerfire, orton took a deep breath and straightened his clothes, before finally stepping forward toward the person. s~ea??h the novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "pelaya, it''s been a long time."


    bringing rocky to the person, orton tried to show a smile that was not too awkward.


    "indeed, how come you seem to be getting older?"


    no sooner had he finished speaking than pelaya, who had just come down from the ship, raised an eyebrow at him and then spoke.


    as an expert in the mana framework field, don''t let pelaya''s real age fool you; she may look to be in her forties, possibly due to some special method, so when she raised her brow at orton, she still had the charm of her youth, and orton''s face instantly reddened.


    this scene left rocky stunned; he had never seen orton blush like that before.


    "come on, tell me what you''ve summoned me here for this time, acting all mysterious."


    pelaya immediately asked with a laugh, having made orton''s face turn red with just a flick of her curved eyebrows.


    "let''s talk about it at the research institute; i have something important to show you."


    before this, although hammerfire and aniye had arrived much earlier, orton had only settled them in at rocky''s city lord''s mansion and hadn''t said much to them, clearly waiting for everyone to arrive before explaining in detail.


    now that pelaya had arrived, all the old friends orton had gathered were finally assembled. although counting orton himself there were only four people, each one of them was a master in their own domain, each capable of leading an entire project on their own. yet, now, they had been convened together!


    honestly, if this news were to leak out, one might not dare to say much else, but at the very least, it would cause a sensation in the academic world, because any project that required the participation of so many masters was without exception one of the world''s most cutting-edge projects!


    and now that everyone had arrived, they took a carriage from the skyport, not going to the city lord''s mansion but directly to orton''s research institute.


    "orton, what exactly are you up to? it''s been so many days, and you haven''t said anything."


    upon arriving at the research institute and going to orton''s lab together, hammerfire complained dissatisfiedly. he had been the first to arrive in thunderhawk city, but it had almost been a week, and orton still hadn''t said anything to him. this secretive behavior didn''t sit well with the straightforward dwarf.


    not just hammerfire, even aniye and the newly arrived pelaya were also very curious, as their relationship with orton was surely closer, yet they too were unaware of why orton had summoned them.


    however, faced with hammerfire''s questioning and the curiosity of aniye and pelaya, orton merely smiled slightly, offering no explanation or further words, only effortlessly drawing a mana rune in front of everyone with his magic power!


    "this...!"


    the moment the mana rune was drawn, aniye stood up from his seat, followed by both pelaya and hammerfire doing the same.


    "this, what kind of rune is this! it can actually store magic energy!"


    ps: the cross-era development of rune armor is about to begin, but not only does it need the support of gold coins, it also needs your recommendation support! so please, recommend it!

 Chapter 222 Joint Deliberation

    the first time they saw a mana rune, aniye, pelaya, and hammerfire were all stunned. when orton drew a rune in front of them using magic power, the three almost simultaneously jumped up from their seats."what is this thing, and how does it contain mana?"


    "although the content isn''t high, it indeed contains mana, but... how is this possible!"


    "it''s new technology!"


    all three were top figures in their respective fields. perhaps they had never seen a mana rune before, but with their profound knowledge, a single glance was enough to see the significance.


    so after that, the three of them gathered around the rune that orton had drawn.


    "indeed, this is definitely new technology. it uses magic power to directly construct a symbol, and the symbol directly stores mana. i''ve never heard of this technology before, heavens! this idea is simply fantastic!"


    pelaya, with her focus on the mana framework field, was amazed by the mana rune in front of her because she saw the rune differently than others did.


    but after the initial astonishment, pelaya glanced at orton: "orton, you didn''t invent this technology, did you?"


    "do i even need to say it? how could he possibly invent such advanced technology!"


    before orton could answer, hammerfire, who was next to him, took the initiative to speak, then waved to rocky nearby: "city lord kid, come give me a hug so i can see it more clearly."


    it might have been unintentional or deliberate; in any case, when orton was drawing the rune with magic power, he purposefully set it very high. even aniye and pelaya had to look up to see it clearly, but it troubled hammerfire. the dwarf, barely over a meter tall, couldn''t see the rune clearly even when he approached it and raised his head; he ultimately had to have rocky pick him up.


    hearing this, rocky hurriedly ran to hammerfire''s side and, with his hands around the dwarf''s barrel waist, hoisted him high up so that hammerfire could get a clear view of the rune.


    "this is truly a master''s work..."


    being held high by rocky, hammerfire couldn''t help but exclaim after seeing the full scope of the rune, and then he confidently looked at pelaya: "no need to think about it, this definitely wasn''t researched by orton."


    "you! what nonsense are you talking about!"


    constantly being mocked by hammerfire, especially in front of pelaya, orton''s face started to lose its composure. his eyes rounded in disbelief: "why couldn''t i have researched it!"


    "you just couldn''t!"


    "i could!"


    "stop lying, you couldn''t."


    this time, it was pelaya who spoke. her attention had always been on the rune, and she smiled as she glanced at orton, speaking the truth.


    when pelaya said that, orton''s face instantly turned the color of an eggplant, while hammerfire burst into loud laughter.


    "alright, stop fighting, especially in front of the kid. show some dignity befitting your seniority."


    seeing that the three were about to argue, aniye, who held the highest status and position among them, shook his head helplessly to stop their quarrel and then said, "orton, this must be lost technology preserved from the land era, right?"


    find more to read at empire


    "right..."


    when his senior brother asked him that, orton no longer argued and honestly nodded his head.


    "see, i told you it wasn''t your research!"


    as orton admitted the truth, hammerfire became the happiest person. high up in rocky''s arms, he pointed at orton and burst into laughter.


    "which predecessor researched it out?"


    at that time, pelaya asked.


    "you''ll have to ask him that."


    facing this question, orton didn''t answer but looked towards rocky.


    as his gaze shifted to rocky, aniye and pelaya also turned their attention to him, yet hammerfire, who was lifted high up, was startled; he thought everyone expected him to explain.


    "city lord, kid, put me down and talk. what is this thing and where did you find it?"


    once rocky set him down, hammerfire looked up and asked.


    feeling posed with such a question, rocky actually became a bit nervous.


    he indeed was very tense, for each of the individuals before him was a prominent figure who had made significant contributions to the advancement of the world. in their presence, rocky truly felt just as aniye had said, like a mere child.


    so, under everyone''s watchful eyes, rocky took a deep breath before slowly beginning, "esteemed seniors, this technology was discovered in a lost research institute and was left behind by a predecessor named wensel..."


    just like when he first explained runes to orton, rocky didn''t take long to recount the matter of the mana rune and then took out wensel''s research notes.


    "it is actually... predecessor wensel..."


    after rocky finished telling the whole story of acquiring the rune and took out wensel''s research notes, aniye and hammerfire exchanged a glance and realized their eyes were reddening...


    among those present, aniye and hammerfire were the oldest in age and the most senior in experience. both were more than a hundred years old, that is, they had lived during the land era and thus had a far greater understanding of who wensel was than most people.


    so after composing themselves a bit, aniye took the research notes from rocky''s hand and started examining them along with hammerfire and pelaya.


    it wasn''t long before the trio had skimmed through the notes, afterward wearing faces of astonishment, the three master craftsmen standing still as if stupefied in place.


    it was only after quite some time that they finally came back to their senses and then turned to look at orton and rocky together.


    "the two of you, your purpose in calling us here is...?"


    the three of them could be considered among the smartest in the world today, and upon understanding the mana rune, they immediately grasped the reason orton had summoned them, surely encompassing a grand plan requiring their involvement.


    and indeed, as they had envisioned, orton subsequently laid out his rune armor project.


    in front of his three old friends, orton held nothing back and fully articulated his thoughts, even sharing his own perspective on the fall of tulip city.


    after he had laid out all his thoughts, he looked at the three somewhat anxiously, seemingly waiting for their reaction.


    "i think... it''s feasible."


    "since the mana rune is meant to replace the magic stone, the difference between rune and magic stone in terms of framework and conduction is very small. although integrating runes into armor indeed requires a new conduction system, there shouldn''t be too many technical hurdles."


    pelaya, an expert in the mana framework field, spoke first among the three. she believed orton''s idea was entirely feasible, at least within the domain of her expertise, where there were no technical barriers.


    "i think it''s possible too."


    at this moment, hammerfire also nodded in agreement, "using runes to replace magic stones... there might be some technical challenges, but it''s definitely achievable, and the idea is simply fantastic! if we can apply runes to armor, then the limitations of armor in terms of mana will be broken through, and the future of armor will undergo earth-shaking changes!" s§×ar?h the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "senior brother, what do you think?"


    with the other two expressing their opinions, orton then looked towards aniye. although aniye wasn''t well-known in the outside world, he was a true authority in the academic field, having participated in research on sky city, thus his view was critical. if he found the plan unfeasible, then in all likelihood, it meant that there was a fundamental flaw preventing its implementation.


    as such, orton was most eager to hear his thoughts.


    however, unlike the others, aniye wasn''t in a hurry to voice his opinion, instead frowning and thinking hard for a long while, and only after a considerable time did he glance at orton.


    "orton, your idea... it''s excellent!"

 Chapter 223 New Style Armor!

    "your idea... it''s great!"after saying that, aniye walked right over to the small blackboard in the research lab, took a quick glance at the contents, then turned to orton and the others: "this idea is very good, but the first issue we need to tackle is how the runes will fit with the armor..."


    without a doubt, orton''s idea had already been accepted by everyone. not only that, but as soon as aniye and the others acknowledged his idea, they didn''t waste even a minute before they started to implement it!


    in sky era, year 117, october, in a small city that almost no one was aware of, within a research institute that didn''t even have an official name yet, a research project began that could change the world! enjoy new adventures from empire


    and just as orton had said, the old friends he''d brought in were truly masters who threw themselves into their research. with their status and positions, they didn''t bring up any demands before starting the research, a spirit that truly moved rocky and even left him in awe.


    with four master-class figures conducting the research together, their vast experience, and solid abilities, naturally, the progress of the research was extremely rapid.


    once the research started, aniye was elected by orton and the others as the leader of the research. having participated in the sky city project, he had an extremely rich experience with projects of this magnitude, and aniye did not shy away. under his leadership, the research quickly progressed beyond the initial theoretical deductions and entered the phase of practical operations.


    some might wonder here if the progress is too fast?


    indeed, in the initial stages of the research, everyone''s progress was very fast, mainly because the initial task was to conduct theoretical deductions, which is to determine the feasibility of the rune armor plan theoretically. this could be a significant problem for most people, given how vast and complex the theoretical knowledge involved is, way beyond what the average person can imagine.


    but for these four master-class individuals, this step was the simplest part. their knowledge was simply too rich; not only did they know all the theoretical knowledge related to rune armor by heart, but some of them were the very founders of certain theories. under these circumstances, the theoretical deductions were quickly completed, and the research thus moved into the practical operations phase.


    the so-called practical operations was the phase of applying the mana runes to the armor in practice.


    however, as the research entered this phase, problems emerged, and they were so serious that they caused a direct disagreement among the four, and research they were conducting had to be put on hold!


    "no, orton, i disagree with your idea, i strongly disagree because it''s simply not feasible!" sear?h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    being rather short, hammerfire had to stand on a chair to take part in the discussion, so at this moment, he was shaking his head and speaking while standing on a chair.


    "why isn''t it feasible?"


    frowning, orton''s eyes widened in apparent dissatisfaction with hammerfire''s rejection, and he went on to say, "the goal of the rune armor plan is a technological breakthrough! as long as we can research the technology to apply runes to armor, the plan will be a success. why can''t we experiment on the old armor?"


    the disagreement among them stemmed from orton''s idea. according to his plan, once the research entered the practical operations stage, they would apply the runes directly to the four sets of armor rocky had captured for experimentation¡ªtime-saving and efficient. wasn''t that great?


    but hammerfire rejected this approach!


    "it''s impossible!"


    facing orton''s challenges, hammerfire blew his beard, glared, and started to shout, "you''ve never made armor; you don''t understand the structure of the old armor. the old armor was driven by magic stones from the outset, even from the design phase - the concept was to be centered around the magic stone. it''s not as simple as you think; you can''t just remove the magic stone and reuse the rest easily."


    "once the magic stone is removed from the old armor, it essentially becomes no better than a heap of scrap metal. the technology contained in the armor cannot be used again; it''s entirely unsuitable for experiments. if we follow your approach for the research, even if we succeed, our end product won''t be rune armor but merely rune equipment!"


    ```


    "nonsense! i''ve upgraded magic cannons with runes before, and it was a success. why can''t i modify armor the same way?"


    "are the technologies contained in magic cannons and void magic armor the same? are they on the same level technically?"


    "well, i''ve also used runes to upgrade armor before, and this kid''s blood pattern mark ii is my work, and it functions just fine!"


    "all you did was use runes to bolster the magic energy value; the armor itself still relies on magic stones to operate. this is not at all the same as using runes to directly output mana to power armor!"


    with his eyes wide, hammerfire then turned to pelaya, "pelaya, you''re the expert in this field, tell this old fool orton whether i''m right or not!"


    as soon as he finished speaking, everyone''s gaze turned towards pelaya, who was an expert in the mana framework field and the most knowledgeable in this area.


    confronted with everyone''s gaze, pelaya helplessly nodded, then looked at orton, "hammerfire is correct. if you take off the magic stones from the old-fashioned armor, then it becomes nothing more than ordinary armor. the technology contained within cannot be directly applied to runes."


    after pelaya''s words, orton''s complexion turned somewhat unsightly because clearly, his previous ideas had been too simplistic.


    the research they were set to undertake wasn''t about rune enhancement of armor, but about replacing magic stones with runes to make them the core of the armor''s operation. this concept was fundamentally different from orton''s previous enhancements.


    after all, the old-fashioned armor was designed from the very beginning, even at the early stages of design, around the magic stones as the core. the technology within might be adaptable to runes after some improvements, but it wasn''t as simple as just swapping the magic stones for runes and expecting it to work; the issues involved were quite complex.


    thus all of orton''s previous ideas had fallen through...


    "what do you suggest we do then?"


    feeling helpless, orton had no choice but to ask.


    "isn''t it obvious? we need to design a set of new armor! start with runes as the core right from the design phase, employ brand new technology, brand new concepts, and instantly outclass the current generation 5 armor!"


    when it came to this matter, hammerfire naturally had the most authority to speak. he didn''t even need to think before providing an answer¡ªthey needed to design a completely new concept of void magic armor with runes at the core!


    "um..."


    upon hearing hammerfire''s answer, orton hummed thoughtfully, then looked towards rocky.


    as the four were engaged in a heated discussion, rocky had been quietly listening in as a bystander. although he didn''t understand most of it, he felt an inexplicable sense of awe and had listened so intently that he was practically enthralled.


    now, caught by orton''s gaze, he snapped back to reality, then cautiously asked hammerfire, "master hammerfire, how much would it cost to develop a new armor?"


    "hmm... let me think..."


    upon being asked how much it would cost to design new armor, hammerfire actually took the question seriously and thought for a while before giving an answer, "fifty million gold coins should be enough to produce a set of prototype armor."


    ```

 Chapter 224 Code Name White Demon!

    "what are you all looking at me for?"when hammerfire mentioned the figure of fifty million gold coins, not to mention rocky''s reaction, even aniye and pelaya turned to look at him, leaving hammerfire baffled because he didn''t think the number was exaggerated at all.


    in fact, it indeed wasn''t, as hammerfire had just clarified: he intended to design brand-new technology, a whole new concept of armor that would be capable of instantly overpowering the fifth level armor once completed. given this premise, investing fifty million gold coins in research and development was not only reasonable but actually quite conservative!


    unfortunately, as soon as he mentioned this figure, aniye and pelaya realized that rocky simply couldn''t afford it.


    that''s why, after that, orton simply punched hammerfire in the head, nearly knocking him off the chair.


    perhaps because of the punch, hammerfire seemed to have been stirred up emotionally, and he turned to look directly at rocky, "city lord kid, you can''t come up with the money?"


    "i can''t, i can''t..."


    shaking his head as if he were a rattle-drum, rocky immediately responded. fifty million gold coins¡ªhe couldn''t come up with that amount even if he sold thunderhawk city!


    "what are we going to do now..."


    seeing rocky shake his head energetically, hammerfire also felt dejected.


    however, at the moment when rocky''s face turned pale, and hammerfire was also feeling glum, aniye spoke up, "how about this."


    as he spoke, he looked at rocky, "city lord rocky, how much money can you come up with right now?"


    "five hundred thousand, and i can come up with another five hundred thousand after one month."


    rocky answered the question truthfully¡ªone million gold coins was the limit he could invest in this research at present.


    "one million... that''s enough..."


    upon hearing this amount, aniye nodded with a smile and looked at hammerfire, "hammerfire, your idea is correct. to apply runes to armor, we indeed need to design a whole new armor."


    "but, there''s no need to design something so advanced just yet. i think as long as it''s adequate, that will be fine."


    "but, but... master aniye, although our goal is indeed to apply runes to armor, we can''t ignore the other technological aspects of armor! once rune armor becomes successful, it will inevitably replace the old-style armor, and many technologies currently applied to armor¡ªwe surely can''t just neglect them, can we?"


    facing aniye, hammerfire felt compelled to explain his thoughts, which were actually quite simple: he wanted the top-notch technology of runes to be fully applied to armor. this included using runes as the core to drive armor, as well as to drive other technologies related to armor.


    "of course, we need to do research."


    but hearing this, aniye merely smiled and then said, "we will certainly conduct this research, but we cannot achieve everything all at once. the runification of armor is a major project, it''s not something that can be accomplished just by designing a new concept of armor. we need to do it step by step and ensure each step is solid. only then can we truly bring out the full potential of runes."


    "so i think, indeed, we need to design a new armor, but the level doesn''t need to be very high. i think basing it on the fourth level armor would suffice."


    "can''t it be fifth level...?"


    upon hearing that he should design a new armor based only on the fourth level, hammerfire became like a child, pleading gloomily.


    "no."


    unfortunately, aniye shook his head in the face of hammerfire''s pleas and subsequently provided his reasoning: "the most advanced armor may be the fifth level now, but in terms of both manufacturing maturity and technological completeness, the fourth level armor remains the most perfected. even today, fourth level armor still possesses considerable combat capability."


    "besides, you said it yourself¡ªto fully apply runes to armor, it''s imperative to include the other technologies related to armor. the fourth level armor''s technologies in all aspects have long matured. you can completely incorporate these technologies right from the start of the design, and then we can work together on improvements. this will not only save time and effort but also won''t be excessively expensive."


    there was a reason why everyone favored aniye to lead this project¡ªhis control over the big picture of the research was indeed stronger than anyone else''s.


    just like everything he was saying now, which was clearly the result of careful consideration. it was helpful for the research and also took into account rocky''s situation, leading everyone to nod in agreement and fully concur.


    "alright! i''ll start drawing the design now!"


    with the decision to research an armor specially designed for runes, hammerfire, an expert in this field, promptly got to work, ready to begin drawing the designs.


    such task was naturally his forte, and don''t forget¡ªit was going to be based on the fourth level armor, the most perfect of which had come from hammerfire''s own hands, so designing this new armor was virtually effortless for him.


    furthermore, orton and others would also participate in this design process, as they were experts in various fields. their involvement wouldn''t complicate hammerfire''s work; on the contrary, it would provide tremendous help.


    under these circumstances, it took around three days for hammerfire and the team to finalize the concept for the new armor!


    this new armor, specially designed around mana runes, was codenamed white demon. the design template was based on the hammerfire armor¡ªthe most perfect fourth level armor.


    following aniye''s instructions, hammerfire didn''t load the white demon armor with too many high-tech features. this new armor would adopt all the mature technologies from the fourth level armor. additionally, since it will utilize runes for operation, after much deliberation the team decided to use third level, fourth level, and fifth level, making it a total of three different rune levels, for mana output.


    the primary reason for this was to test the full range of rune applicability. after all, the purpose of designing this new armor was to utilize runes; however, considering rocky''s limited funds, applying multiple levels of runes on a single armor became the best solution.


    on the other hand, while the new armor was being detailed in design, rocky was also getting busy. he was responsible for procuring the necessities for manufacturing the new armor!


    hammerfire gave rocky a list detailing dozens of essentials for making armor, including equipment, materials, components, and so on. all these were items rocky had to acquire, and only with these in hand could the new armor be truly crafted by hammerstone. sear?h the n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the time had come to spend money.


    up until this point, although orton and the others had been researching for nearly a month, the research had stayed in the theoretical phase, and virtually no money had been spent. in other words, from now on, the real expenditure began! continue your story on empire

 Chapter 225 Enemies Meet!

    "boss, i need one hundred kilograms of kolmar fine steel.""of course! of course!"


    in the shop, rocky, holding a hammerfire, used the list provided to purchase the essentials needed for creating the new model of armor.


    "also, fifty grams of xin gold, three hundred grams of guma demon blood silver, and..."


    to ensure smooth progress in research, although the new model of armor was designed based on the fourth generation, its grade was that of special armor first level. therefore, the materials required for forging were not only diverse but also incredibly valuable.


    given this situation, by the time rocky had read part of the list, the shopkeeper in front of him had already beamed with joy and immediately instructed his workers to get busy.


    "my lord, the items you''ve requested total seventy-eight thousand gold coins."


    while rubbing his hands together, the shopkeeper said to rocky with a face as bright as a blooming chrysanthemum.


    hearing this amount, rocky sighed helplessly and had aileen handle the payment.


    seventy-eight thousand gold coins...


    this number might not seem particularly high, but remember, this was merely the cost of the raw materials needed for the armor. the expenses for the necessary machinery and various miscellaneous items hadn''t even been included yet! s§×arch* the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    rocky had once shown hammerfire''s list to aileen and, according to her estimates, purchasing everything on the list would cost at least two hundred to two hundred fifty thousand gold coins!


    this meant that just this single expenditure had already consumed a quarter of the one million gold coins designated for research.


    "let''s go..."


    after aileen had paid the gold coins and arranged for the materials to be delivered to thunderhawk city, rocky led the group out of the shop with a sigh, returning to star of the sky.


    "aileen, did you manage to arrange things with eternal city?"


    seated in the carriage on their way back to star of the sky, rocky asked.


    as the city lord, he needed to consider orton''s research as well as the entirety of sky city. now, a month had passed since they came to eternal city, which meant thunderhawk city''s time of free stay in this airspace had ended. to continue taking refuge here, they had to pay a protection fee.


    "it''s been taken care of, the fifty thousand gold coins needed for the first month have already been given to eternal city."


    aileen nodded her head, not particularly enthusiastic, but relieved that this matter was already settled.


    hearing this, rocky felt relieved as it meant thunderhawk city wouldn''t face danger for the next month. then, he turned to liliya.


    "liliya, did you manage to get in touch with the shadow alliance?"


    "i did."


    nodding, liliya said: "as per your instructions, i''ve paid the fees for the next three months. so, for these coming three months, the shadow alliance will regularly provide us with various types of intelligence and news from across the continent. however, if we want specific information about a particular city or person, that would require additional payment."


    this trip to eternal city was not only for rocky to purchase the materials listed but also to establish contact with the shadow alliance.


    as his own power grew, rocky could no longer afford to remain isolated in thunderhawk city as he had been in the past. he needed to increase his contacts with the outside world for both his and thunderhawk city''s future development. under these circumstances, establishing a connection with the shadow alliance became a priority.


    in this relatively isolated communication world, only the shadow alliance had the capacity to gather significant events happening globally every day and relay this information to all associated forces or individuals. thus, to stay informed about external affairs, they were reliant on them. discover more stories at empire


    on the other hand, rocky now had two major enemies: wild horse city and lexington from the mairente family. both opponents had the capability to endanger thunderhawk city. therefore, when necessary, using the shadows to gather intelligence on their movements and intentions was essential.


    thus, upon arriving in eternal city, rocky asked liliya to make contact with the shadow alliance.


    "here, the material provided by the shadow alliance this week."


    while speaking, liliya handed a thick stack of documents to rocky, which indeed consisted of the information gathered by the shadow alliance that week.


    after glancing through the thick documents, rocky smiled, realizing it was essentially a weekly report.


    the shadow alliance was indeed the world''s largest media outlet, even producing weekly reports.


    since it was his first time receiving intelligence from the shadow alliance, rocky then began to read the ''newspaper'' with curiosity.


    "sky alliance triumphs!"


    upon opening the first page of the documents, that was the headline rocky saw.


    "on october 27 of sky era year 117, the sky alliance army, personally led by sir wilton, the holy knight, reached tulip city, marking the official start of the counterattack in tulip."


    "his excellency the holy knight led the alliance army in a fierce battle with the demons that lasted five days, eventually achieving a remarkable victory by killing over ten thousand normal demons, thirty-seven high-level demons, and fifteen magic dragons; however, based on reliable information, tulip city has completely fallen, and the number of demons gathering within the city is incalculable. whether sir wilton can successfully reclaim tulip city remains unknown."


    the biggest and most eye-catching news this month was certainly the incident of sir wilton leading the sky alliance army to take back tulip city. when the sky alliance decided to send a large force to reclaim tulip city from the demons, the entire world''s attention was focused on the troop led by wilton, closely following his and his troops'' every move.


    for this reason, the shadow alliance extensively covered the event, and two-thirds of the dense documents rocky was holding were detailed reports on this incident. it was so comprehensive it was astounding, and by the time rocky finished reading all the documents, it felt as though he had experienced the great battle himself!


    besides this event, the documents also contained many minor incidents, none of which were directly relevant to rocky, so he just skimmed over them before setting the documents aside.


    "hmm¡­"


    after placing down the material provided by the shadow alliance, rocky pondered for a moment, his expression becoming somewhat distressed.


    the shadow alliance''s counterattack on tulip had made rocky realize one thing, that before wilton ended this big battle, he might not even be able to join the sky alliance at all. after all, in the eyes of the alliance, his joining was insignificant compared to the retaking of tulip city.


    this was certainly not good news for rocky. if he couldn''t join the sky alliance, how would he deal with wild horse city and safeguard thunderhawk city?


    thinking this, he looked over the list in his hands. if he couldn''t join the sky alliance in time, then he would have to depend on orton''s rune armor plan. if orton and the others could successfully develop a new type of armor, he might still stand a chance in combat against wild horse city; otherwise...


    shaking his head, rocky did not wish to think further, for if he did, he might truly be overwhelmed with anxiety.


    not long after, the carriage arrived at star of the sky.


    the list hammerfire gave rocky had many items, far too many to be sold in one day. rocky had to stay in eternal city for several days to manage everything. for him, the owner of thunderhawk city, star of the sky naturally was the best place to stay, and importantly, staying here was free.


    since it wasn''t his first time staying at star of the sky, when rocky arrived once again, aileen naturally headed straight for the front desk in the lobby to check in.


    but just at that moment, when aileen was about to process the check-in, suddenly a dozen guards-looking men burst into the lobby and quickly surrounded rocky and his companions!


    "what are you doing!"


    seeing that they were suddenly surrounded, liliya immediately shielded rocky, and monte on the side roared angrily!


    "no need to be so tense; i just wanted to get to know who rocky is."


    after rocky and his group were surrounded, a voice emerged from within the lobby, and when the group followed the sound, they saw a middle-aged man slowly approaching, surrounded by a group of guards.


    the moment rocky saw this middle-aged man, he squinted slightly. he certainly didn''t recognize who this person was, but he did recognize one of the guards next to the man!


    this guard had a fierce countenance, with three ghastly scars on his face, unmistakably the bandit leader of the wild horse air pirate group, kilov!


    having recognized kilov, when rocky looked again at the man next to him, it wasn''t hard to guess who this man was¡ªnone other than the city lord of wild horse city, karlo!

 Chapter 226 Assassination!

    as soon as they arrived at star of the sky, rocky and his companions were inexplicably surrounded, and when rocky saw clearly who these people were, he recognized a familiar figure among them.kilov!


    there, circled around them, he saw kilov!


    upon seeing kilov, rocky immediately turned his gaze to the middle-aged man beside him. this man appeared to be in his forties, of average build, and his features were not particularly outstanding, but he carried a ruthless pride that made it clear he was no ordinary person.


    of course, everyone who could come to star of the sky was a city lord, so this middle-aged man with the ruthless pride was surely a city lord, and specifically, the city lord of wild horse city!


    "you are rocky?"


    with kilov and others slowly walking out from the hall, karlo approached rocky. at the same time, rocky patted liliya and monte on the shoulders, signaling for them to step aside and guard him, then he stepped towards karlo. sea??h th§× n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "if i''m not mistaken, you must be karlo, right?"


    faced with karlo, rocky showed no hint of fear, because he didn''t need to be frightened. this wasn''t wild horse city; this was eternal city, star of the sky to be exact, reserved only for city lords. here, no one dared to make a move, so rocky had no reason to fear the other party.


    "hahaha!"


    however, once he finished speaking, karlo across from him burst into laughter, laughing heartily for quite a while before suddenly stopping, then glared at him fiercely: "rocky, you really have guts!"


    "no wonder, no wonder you dare to touch my people. i thought you were just bewitched by karina, but it seems i thought too much."


    "very good! this is very good!"


    while speaking, karlo took a step forward, coming near rocky as if to stand together: "kid, don''t think you can hide in eternal city forever. it won''t be long before you are driven out, and then... i''ll take good care of you on the outside."


    "let''s go!"


    having said that, karlo waved his hand, and the guards who had surrounded rocky and his companions dispersed in an instant, then they followed karlo out.


    before turning to leave, however, kilov standing beside karlo sneered at rocky and, with a swift motion, drew his hand across his neck, making a throat-slitting gesture.


    soon after, karlo and his entourage left, leaving only rocky and a few others in the hall. no, not just them. other city lords who were stunned by the scene also remained. when karlo had come in a threatening manner to encircle rocky, there had been other city lords coming in and out of the hall.


    even though the hall was filled with city lords, they were all shocked by the confrontation they had just witnessed, as such direct confrontations between city lords were extremely rare.


    so when karlo left, all eyes naturally turned towards rocky.


    unconcerned by the gazes focused on him, rocky glanced at liliya and monte, who were looking particularly uncomfortable, then smiled at aileen, who was clearly still frightened, and went to the counter as if nothing had happened to begin the check-in process.


    it wasn''t until he approached the front desk that liliya and the others shook off their shock and hurriedly followed him, then the group left the hall together.


    the hall immediately erupted into a buzz of discussion as karlo and rocky left, resembling a bustling marketplace.


    "who were those two just now?"


    "karlo! wild horse city''s karlo, don''t you even recognize him?"


    "and the other one?"


    "don''t know..."


    "the other one is rocky."


    "rocky?"


    hearing this name, many city lords showed puzzled expressions, evidently not familiar with it.


    "you guys, don''t you keep up with current affairs? the wild horse air pirate group was annihilated last month, haven''t you heard?"


    "heard of it, yes! but wasn''t that karina''s doing? that crazy woman really is something, not putting karlo in her eyes at all..."


    "your information is outdated. according to the latest news from the shadow alliance, it wasn''t just karina who annihilated the wild horse air pirate group; she was collaborating with this rocky, the city lord of thunderhawk city."


    "ah, i see... no wonder! no wonder karlo went to such lengths to find trouble with him; so that''s what it was all about."


    with this explanation, the many city lords in the hall suddenly understood, and then they all looked in the direction rocky had disappeared, showing various expressions.


    while the others were busy discussing the recent events, rocky had already returned to his room.


    "aileen, we''ll act separately tomorrow. you go and buy the rest of the items on the list, and i''ll purchase the equipment."


    "huh? oh, okay... okay..."


    aileen''s reaction was delayed after rocky''s words ended, and then she just nodded blankly.


    "what''s wrong with you all?"


    seeing that aileen was clearly off, rocky looked at the others and noticed that they too seemed uneasy.


    but as soon as he finished asking, monte sprang to his feet!


    "sir! i''m going back to the city to bring lin feng and the guard corps. if that karlo wants to start something, we''ll finish him!"


    bursting from his seat, monte roared immediately. the beastman, known for his fiery temper, wasn''t used to being suppressed as they had been just a moment ago.


    in fact, if it hadn''t been for the fact that only he and liliya were there, and he worried about rocky''s safety in a fight, monte''s disposition would have led him to clash head-on with karlo right there and then!


    no sooner had he spoken than rocky glanced at him: "sit down."


    enjoy new stories from empire


    rebuked with a cold glance from rocky, monte pursed his lips and begrudgingly sat back down, but he was clearly still seething.

 Chapter 226 Assassination!_2

    it wasn''t until he sat down did rocky look towards aileen and liliya, and of course, included monte in his smile, "what is the matter with you? are you still angry about what just happened?""it''s not anger, it''s concern for your safety."


    after giving rocky a glance, liliya spoke up. she didn''t have the same temper as monte, but she was very worried about rocky.


    "my safety is the least of our worries right now."


    yet, rocky seemed completely unconcerned about her worries, "just think about it, why would karlo put on such a show to meet me today if he wasn''t out of options? because he is out of options, that''s why he''s trying to scare us, right?"


    "besides, don''t forget this is the star of the sky, it''s the place in eternal city specifically prepared for the city lords. even if karlo was foolish, he definitely wouldn''t dare to lay a hand here, otherwise he would have done it during the day."


    "so, relax, there''s nothing to worry about."


    waving his hand at everyone, rocky spoke with a cheerful laugh, and what he said wasn''t just to comfort the others, but the truth.


    after all, this was the star of the sky, one of the most noble places in eternal city. karlo might be stronger than rocky outside, but here at the star of the sky, he was just one of the many city lords. in fact, there were many more powerful figures here than karlo¡ªhe definitely wouldn''t dare to make trouble here.


    indeed, karlo''s behavior today seemed hostile, but he didn''t actually harm rocky, because, like rocky said, this place was the star of the sky, one of the most important locations in eternal city. even if karlo really wanted to attack rocky here, it wouldn''t be possible, he didn''t dare!


    so after one night passed, rocky and the others who resided within the star of the sky remained unharmed, with no issues arising.


    the peaceful night reassured everyone, and upon reflection, it also seemed logical. this was eternal city, and even if karlo wanted to deal with rocky, he wouldn''t be foolish enough to do it within the neutral god city, otherwise he''d definitely be the one to suffer in the end.


    under these circumstances, the following day everyone split into two groups as rocky instructed: aileen and monte as one group, rocky and liliya as another. both groups went to purchase items from the shopping list, striving to get everything as quickly as possible.


    "do you really plan to fight a battle with wild horse city?"


    the carriage sped along the street, and rocky chatted intermittently with liliya who was sitting with him.


    "it depends. if we can join the sky alliance, karlo probably wouldn''t dare to touch us. but if we can''t join the alliance, then a fight might be necessary; otherwise, karlo won''t let it go."


    "are you confident?"


    as rocky''s most important confidant, none other, liliya shared his concern for thunderhawk city, because the city''s future was already tied to rocky. to care about thunderhawk city was to care about rocky.


    "that depends on the research of the teachers..."


    looking at liliya, rocky shared his thoughts.


    the two inside the carriage were chatting slowly, and at this moment, their carriage was gradually approaching a crossroad. however, at the same time, three other carriages from different directions were also heading towards the intersection, and these three carriages were moving at a very high speed. the coachmen, as if their lives didn''t matter, were frantically whipping their horses, which were running as if they were trying to take flight from the painful lashes!


    in a moment, rocky''s leisurely carriage reached the centre of the crossroad, and at the same time, the carriages rushing from the other three directions arrived as well!


    at that moment, the coachmen of the three carriages leaped off their seats, and immediately, the three speeding carriages crashed into rocky''s carriage from the front, left, and right directions!


    boom!!


    a loud crash could be heard as the carriage charging head-on collided with rocky''s, and the four large horses collided in their stride, instantly tumbling over each other, the connecting carriage overturning as a result.


    at the same moment the carriage flipped, the carriages from both sides reached the spot!


    with a loud clang, the two galloping horses from the left rammed their heads into the carriage, immediately bursting their brains and dying on impact, while the carriage they hit flew into the air and directly towards the rushing carriage from the right.


    faced with the oncoming carriage, the two galloping horses on the right let out a howl and lifted their front hooves, then they viciously stomped on the carriage! explore more at empire


    crackling noises continued as the hooves fiercely stamped on the carriage but due to the carriage''s high rate of speed, it flipped the horses over, causing the two large and tall horses to crash down violently onto the carriage...


    such a severe carriage accident instantly caused chaos on the street, and not only that, since four carriages had collided together, not only the carriage that rocky was in was flipped, but the others were as well. the four carriages were like four balls scattered across the spacious street, and not to mention the fate of those inside the carriages, the pedestrians on the street also suffered countless deaths and injuries!


    to avoid accidental harm, the vast majority of pedestrians had taken refuge dozens of meters away, watching the accident unfold with faces full of panic.


    it was only several minutes later that the aftermath of the accident finally settled, and it was not until then that the onlookers began to breathe a sigh of relief. s§×ar?h the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    even so, they dared not get too close to the carriage, because with the accident being so severe, the people inside the carriage were definitely dead, and nobody was interested in the gruesome sight of dead bodies. therefore, even though everyone was curious, nervous, and even somewhat worried, they did not dare to approach.


    however, not long after, there suddenly came some movement from the almost completely shattered carriage. following that, the thoroughly battered carriage was kicked open from the inside, and a person staggered to their feet.


    rocky!


    as he stood up from the carriage, his face already covered in blood, rocky was completely dazed. he numbly looked around at the pointing and murmuring pedestrians, his mind a blank as if he had been stunned by the collision, completely clueless about what had happened.


    it took more than ten seconds for his brain to gradually clear up, and the ringing in his ears also slowly faded away, and only then did he realize what had happened.


    "liliya!"


    as soon as he regained consciousness, rocky immediately kicked off the hanging wooden planks from the carriage, then helped liliya to her feet, who was just as dazed and bloodied as he was.


    their luck had been incredibly good!


    in such a terrible accident, where four carriages collided, and their carriage was thrown dozens of meters away, both of them hadn''t died!


    although they were both seriously injured, the two of them were indeed alive, which was nothing short of a miracle of life!


    "you...you''re alright... alright..."


    liliya, supported by rocky, also finally came to her senses.


    at the same time, seeing that there were people still alive, four or five youths from the crowd hurriedly ran out.


    "how is it! how is it!"


    "are you okay!"


    "can you still hold on?"


    while shouting, four or five people ran to rocky and liliya''s side, quickly stepping forward to support the two, who were on the verge of collapsing.


    but just at that moment, just when a few people were about to step forward to support rocky, liliya suddenly pushed rocky away, then with a burst of effort, she narrowly dodged the dagger of one of the men!


    these four or five youths were not there to save people but to murder!


    having been on the battlefield, having even killed demons, liliya, despite her severe injuries, still managed to grab the wrist of the man with the dagger after dodging, and with a forceful twist, she redirected the sharp blade and plunged the dagger into the man''s chest with her own hands!


    but as she killed an assassin in an instant, rocky, who had been pushed away, had already collapsed!


    there was no helping it; rocky''s warrior level was not as high as liliya''s. plus, with such severe injuries, he completely fainted from the force of liliya''s push. although he had fainted, the remaining assassins took this opportunity to pounce on rocky, who was down on the ground!

 Chapter 227 Give an Explanation!

    ```"liliya!"


    rocky suddenly awoke to find himself lying on a large bed, and as he looked around, he realized he was in a hospital room.


    having just regained consciousness, he was clearly perplexed for a moment before attempting to sit up from the bed; however, the moment he tried to exert force, he felt a pain in his chest and back that made it impossible for him to rise. s~ea??h the n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "don''t move, your wounds haven''t healed."


    it was then that liliya''s voice reached him. rocky quickly looked in the direction of the sound and saw liliya sitting by his side, keeping vigil.


    it was not until then that he noticed not only liliya, but monte, aileen, and others were also present in the room.


    "where is this? what has happened since i passed out?"


    relieved to see everyone safe, rocky exhaled deeply before turning to liliya and asking.


    by now, he had fully come to his senses but had no idea where he was, as rocky''s memory stopped at the moment the carriage overturned and several assassins emerged to try to kill him. beyond that point, he knew nothing.


    "this is the hospital in eternal city..."


    noticing that rocky was still confused, liliya recounted what had transpired after he lost consciousness.


    the present time was four days after rocky''s assassination attempt, meaning he had been unconscious for a whole four days!


    in the assassination attempt four days prior, after rocky collapsed due to severe injuries, liliya, who was also severely injured, was unable to stop the assassins. despite her condition, liliya managed to kill two of the five assailants. however, the remaining three went straight for rocky, slashing him brutally several times.


    your journey continues at empire


    logically, rocky''s fate should have been sealed. he had already lost consciousness, and liliya, wounded as she was, could not possibly eliminate all the assailants on her own. even one surviving assassin would have sufficed to seal rocky''s doom.


    but at that critical juncture, the guard corps of eternal city arrived!


    in eternal city, even the most common guard is equipped with fifth generation mass-produced armors. so when the guard corps arrived, they instantly killed the remaining three assassins. the situation was certainly one of them being saved by a hair''s breadth, and thus the lives of both rocky and liliya were spared.


    subsequently, they were rushed to the hospital, and when the guard corps identified rocky''s status as a city lord, they promptly transferred him, taking him and liliya to the best, largest, and most exclusive hospital in eternal city, accessible only to the nobility.


    meanwhile, aileen and monte, who had been operating separately, quickly received the news. on one hand, they went to the hospital, and on the other, they notified thunderhawk city, and master orton arrived shortly afterwards.


    "i see..."


    after listening to liliya''s account of the events that transpired during his unconsciousness, rocky nodded on his hospital bed and then asked, "have the culprits been apprehended?"


    although the event had taken rocky by surprise, he was no fool. not only did he realize that he had been the target of an assassination, but he even had an idea who had orchestrated it¡ªkarlo! besides him, nobody else would want rocky dead.


    "no..."


    to his disappointment, as soon as he finished speaking, liliya helplessly shook her head: "after master orton arrived, he immediately contacted eternal city. eternal city did not shy away from the incident, launching an investigation on the same day, but they found no useful leads."


    liliya''s words were true; the assassination of rocky was taken very seriously by eternal city. once they learned of rocky''s status as a city lord, they initiated an investigation without a minute''s delay.


    as a neutral trading city, eternal city attracts countless dignitaries every day. the number of city lords residing there was in the hundreds. thus, how to ensure the safety of these city lords had always been one of the most important concerns for eternal city.


    the skies were beautiful but far from peaceful. conflicts, frictions, and wars among sky cities never ceased, making it common for city lords to have grudges against each other. hence, if someone''s neighbor in the star of the sky happened to be their archenemy, it would not be at all surprising; it was quite normal.


    therefore, eternal city placed high importance on the safety of city lords. after all, as a trading city, every city lord was a major client. if city lords could not trade and spend safely in the city, wouldn''t eternal city suffer losses?


    for this reason, eternal city had strict regulations: no private fights were allowed within the god city. violators, including the city lord and their cities, would be expelled from the god city''s airspace at once and barred from entering again for a certain period.


    under such stringent rules, the city lords within eternal city generally behaved, maintaining etiquette. if there were any grievances, the antagonists would at most avoid each other, or if they did meet, it would result in minor scuffles¡ªall well within controllable limits.


    but eternal city could never have anticipated that someone would dare to assassinate a city lord under such strict regulations.


    the city viewed the incident as not only a blow to its own reputation, but once word spread, it could also negatively impact the reputation of the god city. after all, even if rocky was just a small sky city''s city lord, he was still a city lord with the potential to make an impact!


    ```

 Chapter 227 Give an Explanation!_2

    thus, after the incident occurred, eternal city immediately initiated an investigation, but unfortunately, it yielded no results.at the time of the assassination attempt on rocky, liliya killed two assassins, and the guards killed three, leaving no survivors.


    there was no one in the three carriages that caused the accident, and the three coachmen who drove the carriages were found on the evening of that day, but they had already been turned into three corpses. according to the time of death, they were silenced right after the accident unfolded.


    with this, all participants involved in the assassination were dead, and the trail was thus cut off.


    during this investigation, eternal city naturally traced the matter back to karlo''s head. the elimination of the wild horse air pirate group had made it to the weekly report provided by the shadow alliance; it was easy to verify. at the same time, karlo''s confrontation with rocky in the star of the sky the day before the assassination could not be concealed. thus, it was clear to everyone that karlo was the mastermind behind the assassination.


    but what good was knowing that?


    was there evidence?


    without evidence, even eternal city couldn''t do anything to karlo. rocky was a city lord, and karlo was also a city lord of a medium-sized sky city. without solid evidence, eternal city was not in a position to take drastic actions against a city lord of a medium-sized sky city.


    what''s more, the night before the assassination, right after meeting rocky in the star of the sky, karlo left with his men, directly returning to wild horse city, completely distancing himself from the incident.


    all these investigations were declared closed the day after the assassination occurred, and the result of the investigation was that there was no result...


    "sigh..."


    upon hearing all this, rocky, lying on the hospital bed, sighed, obviously feeling somewhat helpless.


    one had to admit, karlo was incredibly cunning.


    looking back, his dramatic confrontation with rocky, presenting a readiness to fight on the spot, was merely a diversion, designed to focus rocky''s attention on himself. yet, karlo''s real deadly move was employing the assassins; he played it brilliantly!


    but perhaps some might wonder, considering the power balance between rocky and karlo, where karlo was stronger in almost every aspect, was there really a need for him to risk assassinating rocky?


    indeed, there was! at least rocky felt there was a reason for karlo to want him dead, and that reason was time!


    he couldn''t wait any longer.


    was this really the case?


    it indeed was!


    as is well known, karlo had already teamed up with lexington, which was bad news for rocky, but it wasn''t necessarily good for karlo either. since he could not afford to offend a personage like lexington, once karlo promised lexington he would eliminate rocky, he had to follow through, or else trouble would fall on him.


    the problem was that rocky was now hiding within eternal city''s airspace; inside god city''s airspace, not only could karlo not make a move, but even lexington wouldn''t dare to act. in this world, no one could provoke god city.


    this meant that if karlo wanted to obey lexington''s instructions to eliminate rocky, he had to wait for rocky to leave eternal city''s airspace himself, and only then could he make his move.


    while others might not know how long rocky could stay in eternal city, karlo knew because he was very aware of how much assets the wild horse air pirate group had. according to his estimates, he believed that rocky could hide in eternal city for at least three to six months.


    for him, that duration was far too long.


    to eliminate rocky, he had to wait for him to leave eternal city''s airspace, which meant that rocky''s stay dictated how long karlo had to wait outside¡ª if rocky stayed a month, he had to wait a month; if rocky stayed half a year, he had to wait half a year!


    but don''t forget, karlo was also a city lord; he had an entire sky city to sustain as well! unlike thunderhawk city, karlo''s sky city was a medium-sized one, housing as many as fifteen thousand residents¡ªthat''s fifteen thousand mouths to feed, all relying on the sky city!


    in such circumstances, he was not willing to keep stalling with rocky. the scale of a medium-sized sky city is not to be compared with that of a small-sized one, and as the city lord, karlo had far too many concerns to really afford spending several months to half a year dragging things out with rocky.


    so, to resolve the matter swiftly, he thought of assassination.


    if rocky himself could be killed, wouldn''t this problem be solved once and for all? although karlo could see that the enmity between rocky and lexington was unusual, in his view, what did their feud have to do with him? initially, he had agreed with lexington to annihilate thunderhawk city, and if rocky were to die, wouldn''t that mean thunderhawk city was effectively destroyed?


    so he arranged this assassination, and he must admit, it was a beautiful attempt. it was so close, just barely, that rocky almost died.


    even though the assassination ultimately failed, karlo suffered no loss.


    the assassins he sent were survivors from the wild horse air pirate group; dead or alive, it was better if they were dead, to avoid leaving any witnesses. moreover, karlo himself had left eternal city before the assassination began, completely distancing himself from the matter so that whether the assassination succeeded or not, he wouldn''t have to pay any price.


    rocky, being a city lord himself, quickly understood these things. hence, when liliya reported the results of eternal city''s investigation, he sighed, resigned to his fate this time.


    but just then, liliya spoke up, "you don''t need to worry, this matter won''t end like this."


    "hmm?"


    enjoy new adventures from empire


    rocky was puzzled upon hearing liliya, it won''t end like this?


    what did she mean by that?


    according to what liliya had just mentioned, eternal city had indeed made an effort in this matter, launching an investigation immediately and quickly obtaining results. unfortunately, karlo had clearly distanced himself so effectively from the assassination that eternal city could do nothing about him.


    if so, this matter would surely fade away, unless there was still a chance?


    thinking of this, rocky suddenly asked, "liliya, where is the master?"


    he suddenly realized something, that since he had woken up, he hadn''t seen orton!


    liliya had said that, since rocky and she were both seriously injured, orton had taken charge of the big picture in thunderhawk city and had rushed to eternal city first. but where was orton?


    could it be... the turnaround liliya mentioned was related to orton?


    indeed, that was the case!


    eternal city wanted to let this incident slide, but orton absolutely refused.


    liliya then spoke, "master orton has gone to meet with the councilor of eternal city."


    "ah?"


    upon hearing this, rocky''s eyes widened!


    as a god city, and also as a neutral city, eternal city has no city lord. the highest governing body of this god city is the god city council.


    the council consists of eleven members, ten councilors and one speaker. the ten councilors are elected by the residents of god city for a term of ten years, while the speaker is selected by the ten councilors and serves a one-year term.


    this was why rocky was surprised, for the councilors of eternal city were considered much more prestigious than ordinary city lords. orton had actually gone to meet with a councilor?


    indeed, orton had gone to meet with a councilor!


    upon learning of rocky''s assassination attempt, orton immediately dropped his research and rushed to eternal city. at first, he did not do much, since eternal city also took the matter seriously and was conducting an investigation.


    however, as the investigation ended and eternal city planned to let the matter drop, orton objected! s§×ar?h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    on the very day the investigation results were released, he stormed the administrative office of eternal city, ranting at anyone he met for over an hour, and still refused to give up. he insisted that eternal city must provide a resolution for rocky, or else the matter would not be closed!

 Chapter 228 Seeking Justice!

    when rocky felt that this time he was indeed out of luck, liliya told him that the matter was not yet finished.originally, when the investigation in eternal city ended and they planned to leave the matter at that, orton refused to accept it!


    knowing that the outcome of eternal city''s investigation was inconclusive, orton immediately ran to the eternal city hall. the old man was truly determined; he ranted in the city hall all day, forcing the administrative officer to call a councilman.


    it was inevitable, after all, orton was no ordinary old man; he was a master in the academic world, a well-known scholar with outstanding achievements in the magic energy domain. so, despite the fact he had no money or power, and his relationship with rocky wasn''t exactly legitimate, eternal city still had to treat him with respect.


    but although eternal city treated orton politely, they were also quite firm, emphasizing from the start that the investigation into the matter had concluded, and insisting that all the assassins were dead, they planned to leave the matter at that.


    this attitude did not change even after the councilman arrived; instead, it became even harder. although the councilman was very polite to orton, he did not agree to any of his requests, maintaining from beginning to end that the investigation concerning this matter had ended, and so had the matter itself.


    in fact, the side of eternal city also knew what orton wanted, which was simply compensation, and orton didn''t hide his motives, making it clear from the beginning that he wanted compensation for rocky from eternal city, since the assassination had occurred there, and they could not completely disassociate themselves from it.


    however, this idea of orton''s was something eternal city would never agree to, not because they were unwilling to compensate, but because if they compensated rocky, wouldn''t that mean that the responsibility for the assassination would fall on eternal city?


    such responsibility, whether true or not, eternal city could never bear, so they would not offer any compensation to rocky.


    logically speaking, at this point, the matter should have nearly concluded; after all, the arm is no match for the thigh, and orton could hardly confront eternal city with just his own strength.


    but the matter did not end there; instead, it got even bigger! because on the third day after the investigation ended, the day rocky woke up, orton directly sought aniye to pressure eternal city! s~ea??h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    now, eternal city really had a headache.


    because to ordinary people aniye might sound like a stranger, but anyone of status knew who he was, a pioneer involved in the sky city project was nearly no different from a great man, not knowing him would make one the subject of ridicule.


    compared to the emotionally unintelligent orton, who only knew how to rant recklessly, aniye was obviously much more cunning. being in a transcendent position, he naturally would not engage in mutual slander but firmly seized the point that rocky''s identity was not only that of a city lord but also a student of orton and him. by treating rocky superficially, eternal city was neglecting orton and him.


    "exactly! do you know what rocky is researching with us! do you know how important rocky is in the research! he is now injured, do you know what that means for the research?"


    experience new tales on empire


    "councilman huson, you''re adopting such an attitude toward such a severe issue, this is disrespect to all scholars!"


    when aniye raised this point, orton finally got it, blabbering and starting to argue with the councilman, speaking as if rocky was involved in a groundbreaking major project.


    to huson, the councilman from eternal city, orton''s words seemed like complete nonsense. even if rocky was a disciple of orton and aniye, given his age, how much could he have learned, what projects could he participate in? talking about how important he was in research was pure nonsense!


    but even though huson knew that orton was talking nonsense, he couldn''t expose him, because aniye was still sitting there.


    dealing with orton, huson, as a councilman, might remain superficially polite, not really taking him seriously. orton''s achievements in academia were undeniable, but he was insignificant in other aspects, having no money or influence and lacking his former glory in recent years; huson really didn''t care about him.


    however, facing aniye was different. aniye was a leading figure in academia. although not well-known externally, in terms of reputation, status, and connections, he was incomparable to orton and someone huson did not want to offend.


    in this situation, even though huson was well aware that orton was talking nonsense and everything he said was sheer gibberish, as long as aniye did not deny it, huson, being a congressman, had no choice but to wear a forced smile.


    "master orton, you are gravely misunderstanding us!"


    as a congressman, what huson did every day was interact with all kinds of important figures. he then said with an innocent face, "master orton, we take the matter regarding city lord rocky very seriously and will certainly provide an explanation, but you must wait for us to thoroughly investigate the matter before making a decision, right?"


    "currently, the whole matter is still under investigation, and i really can''t make an immediate decision."


    just a day earlier, huson had insisted that the investigation was over and the matter was closed. however, with aniye''s arrival, he immediately changed his statement.


    from his current statement, it seemed he intended to drag the matter out, after all, he mentioned waiting until the investigation was over, but those involved in the assassination were already buried underground¡ªwhere could he investigate?


    "nonsense!"


    however, facing such a statement, orton slammed the table immediately!


    he might not have high emotional intelligence, but his intellect was certainly not lacking! he also deduced that the other party intended to drag the matter out.


    "huson! stop spouting rubbish here¡ªthe investigation regarding this matter had long since finished. eternal city failed not only in protecting my apprentice but also in finding the real culprit! so, i don''t need any more worthless investigations from you. i want results! results!"


    "master orton, please calm down, let''s discuss this slowly¡­"


    just as huson was about to argue further with orton, aniye, who had been sitting silently at the side since the beginning, coughed lightly. at his voice, both orton and huson fell silent and turned their attention towards him.


    "orton, do not be disrespectful. after so many years, how have you not yet cured your habit of foul speech?"


    aniye, having resumed speaking, did not say anything to huson but glared at orton first.


    his words were quite effective. orton pouted his lips but dared not speak a word.


    only after this did aniye turn to huson: "since congressman huson has already stated that we will investigate this matter, i assume eternal city will certainly give us an explanation, right?"


    "yes! yes! master, you are absolutely right. we will definitely ensure a thorough investigation of this matter and provide a satisfactory explanation to city lord rocky."


    "that''s good¡­"


    after nodding, aniye seemed to genuinely believe huson''s words. he then stood up and said with a smile, "congressman huson, since that''s the case, we leave this matter entirely in your hands. i still have to meet with the people from the shadow alliance and clarify this situation. therefore, i won''t disturb you any further."


    after saying these words, aniye turned and left. angrily following behind was orton, who, just before leaving, roared at huson, "just you wait! if eternal city does not provide an explanation for my apprentice, i will go to the shadow alliance. i''ll let everyone judge! let''s see if you can cover the sky with one hand!"

 Chapter 229 Applying Pressure

    "teacher, master aniye, maybe... we should just let it go..."from the hospital bed, rocky looked at orton and aniye, speaking with some difficulty.


    he was already aware of what orton and aniye were doing, as well as the stance of eternal city''s councilor huson, which also put him in a tough spot.


    to be honest, rocky felt angry about eternal city''s intention to sweep the matter under the rug, especially since he and liliya had nearly been killed. if he wasn''t upset about that, his temperament would truly be too good.


    discover hidden stories at empire


    but as the city lord, rocky also knew that sometimes, an arm could never twist a thigh, and faced with a sky monster like eternal city, what could he, a mere city lord of thunderhawk city, do?


    to put it bluntly, he didn''t even have the right to raise his voice in front of eternal city!


    this time, if orton hadn''t been there, and later on brought the even more renowned master aniye, the matter would''ve probably been concluded long ago, and rocky might have even been kicked out of the hospital he now lay in.


    in such a situation, rocky didn''t want to make things too stiff. although he now had orton and master aniye supporting him, eternal city was merely showing him courtesy due to their fame and academic status. if he really pushed them too far, it was uncertain how they might react.


    "how can that be acceptable!? we can''t let this end like this!"


    no sooner had he finished speaking than orton disagreed, staring at rocky with widened eyes, very dissatisfied with his attitude on the matter, "you brat! we two old men have been helping you so much, and you''re thinking of backing out now?"


    puffing up his cheeks and glaring at rocky, orton spoke irritably. were it not for rocky''s incomplete recovery, he might have been tempted to punch him on the head already.


    "rocky, don''t be afraid." s§×ar?h the novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    at this point, aniye spoke up.


    unlike orton, aniye had always conveyed a sense of calm and composure, which was normal given that he was over a hundred years old and had weathered many storms, accustomed to remaining unflustered in the face of most things.


    so aniye followed up saying to rocky, "in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures are necessary. we understand the difficulties you''re facing. at times like these, you must fight for what you can to ensure your survival, which is of the utmost importance."


    "this..."


    such words left rocky stunned; he, of course, understood what they meant.


    the difficulties aniye referred to were clearly rocky''s current predicaments, facing strong adversaries while having to conduct immensely taxing research. the pressure from both fronts made it a struggle for rocky to keep up, without any assurance of holding on.


    in such a situation, surviving was indeed his most crucial goal; where would he find the spare thought for other matters?


    aniye''s words made a lot of sense. in fact, the reason he came all the way here with orton was to help rocky as much as possible. otherwise, given aniye''s status and age, why would he stoop to such embarrassing affairs?


    but this was exactly where aniye far surpassed others; having lived through the land era, he had witnessed too much. precisely because of this, he knew what was most important in any given circumstance.


    and with aniye''s words, what could rocky still say? orton and aniye were already helping him so much; if he backed out now, how would he be any different from the spineless person he used to be?


    so after that, he gave a nod and asked, "teacher, master aniye, what should i do?"


    "you don''t need to do anything, just lay honestly in bed."


    hearing this, aniye chuckled and then said, "i''ve already contacted the shadow alliance. they will send someone, and when they arrive, just recount your experiences truthfully to them."


    the only asset rocky and his group now had to oppose eternal city was the shadow alliance. as a city lord, being assassinated in eternal city was an incident that, no matter how you looked at it, reflected negatively on eternal city. and such incidents were precisely what the shadow alliance relished most.


    as the largest intelligence organization in the world, the primary duty of the shadow alliance was naturally to provide information to clients. but apart from intelligence, the shadow alliance also offered news services, a wide variety of news, including gossip.


    and aniye seized this point and proactively reached out to the shadow alliance, using this method to put pressure on eternal city.


    "and you! you little brat!"


    at this moment, orton also spoke up, but it was to liliya that he was addressing.


    as soon as orton finished his sentence, he glared at liliya, who was standing by rocky''s side: "you little brat, what are you hopping around for? get back to bed and lie down! you are a patient now, understand? a patient!"


    "ah? oh, okay..."


    when orton said this, liliya was momentarily stunned, then numbly nodded her head and immediately ran out of the room like a frightened little rabbit, back to her own sickroom.


    liliya was injured as well, having been in the same car accident as rocky, but on one hand liliya was strong, and on the other hand, she was not hurt by the assassins that followed, so although she was not yet fully healed, she was able to get out of bed to take care of rocky.


    however, it was clear that orton was not pleased with her behavior, because her lively and jumping appearance created an illusion, as if rocky''s injuries were not serious.


    liliya obviously understood orton''s intent, so she obediently returned to her own bed to lay down.


    and the day after that, the shadow alliance indeed sent someone!


    however, when the person from the shadow alliance arrived, aniye did something incomprehensible; he did not let them meet rocky directly but instead had them meet with liliya first.


    this action puzzled orton and also left him unsatisfied.


    "senior brother! why not let them meet rocky directly? what''s the use of interviewing liliya? she''s just a bodyguard, lacking persuasiveness!"


    standing beside aniye, orton anxiously said.


    "sigh..."


    aniye rubbed his temple, feeling helpless about his fellow apprentice brother. he wanted to explain but knew it was futile because in this regard, orton was like an idiot. so in the end, he could only sigh and say, "you wouldn''t understand..."


    just as he finished speaking and orton was about to question further, the door to rocky''s sickroom was knocked. following a series of knocks, the door was pushed open, and councilman huson walked in!

 Chapter 230 Compensation and Being Too Clever by Half

    when the person who entered turned out to be councilor huson, everyone in the room was stunned.as a councilor of eternal city, huson''s status and position were so high that even surpassed that of the city lord of a major sky city. therefore, when he entered, rocky immediately sat up from his bed.


    before he had even managed to sit up fully, councilor huson had already reached the bedside and asked with concern,


    "city lord rocky, how are your injuries? lie down, lie down, no need to be so formal."


    "city lord rocky, i''ve been investigating the assassin these days, so i haven''t visited you. i hope you don''t mind."


    "sit, sit, everyone sit, i am here on behalf of eternal city to visit city lord rocky, no need to be so formal."


    upon reaching the sickbed, councilor huson began inquiring warmly, completely baffling rocky who, unable to grasp the situation, could only look towards orton, only to find orton as confused as he was.


    at this moment, everyone present was bewildered by councilor huson''s behavior, unclear about what role he was playing, except for aniye, who smiled quietly, as if everything was within his expectations.


    indeed, councilor huson''s appearance had been anticipated by aniye!


    aniye had previously said that their only way to pressure eternal city now was to contact the shadow alliance, to have the assassination attempt on rocky reported by the shadow alliance, thereby creating a negative impact on eternal city, so that they might be prompted to comply.


    aniye thought so and acted accordingly, in fact, the members of the shadow alliance were in the next room, currently interviewing liliya.


    this indeed was the brilliance of aniye, bringing in the shadow alliance but not interviewing rocky directly was a masterstroke.


    aniye was very clear about the purpose of bringing the shadow alliance, not to report the incident but to pressure eternal city. as long as enough pressure was applied, eternal city would react and eventually make compromises and concessions.


    because he always knew what the goal was, aniye did not let the shadow alliance interview rocky, because if he had done so, and actually allowed the shadow alliance to report it, then there would be no room for maneuver between rocky and eternal city, and it was unpredictable what extreme reactions eternal city would have.


    but now, he had liliya take the interview first, which not only pressured eternal city but also gave them room to maneuver. aniye believed that, with councilor huson''s shrewdness, he would surely grasp his intentions.


    and so it was. upon learning of the incident, councilor huson, while feeling a headache, hurried over and began inquiring warmly as soon as he saw rocky.


    after greeting rocky, councilor huson turned to look at aniye, then with a smile, he said to rocky, "city lord rocky, sorry to keep you waiting. we have already cleared up the matter of your assassination attempt." s~ea??h the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "oh?"


    when he heard this, rocky blinked in surprise, remembering that just yesterday orton had mentioned to him that eternal city planned to use the ongoing investigation as an excuse to delay, and now the investigation had concluded?


    "councilor, that''s really great news."


    while rocky was unclear about the situation, aniye spoke up, approaching the sickbed with a concerned expression and asking, "councilor, please tell us, what exactly happened?"


    "ah... what else could it be, it must be the work of karlo, the city lord of wild horse city!"


    explore new worlds at empire


    questioned by aniye like this, huson showed a face full of anger, indignantly saying, "although all those involved in the assassination were either killed on the spot or silenced afterwards, our investigations these days have revealed that karlo was deeply involved."


    "however, karlo is cunning. not only did he silence all those involved in the assassination, but he also left the day before the assassination occurred, and has now returned to his own sky city. we can''t catch him."


    at this point, huson sighed, showing a look of deep regret. but as soon as he finished speaking, orton was not pleased, because to orton, this was stating the obvious!


    the mastermind behind rocky''s assassination was karlo, was there even a need for an investigation? that was a conclusion anyone could reach without thinking! what use were huson''s words?


    but just as orton was about to erupt, he was sternly glanced at by aniye, and frighteningly backed down, only to see aniye, frowning, query, "councilor huson, what next?"


    "oh, right, right."


    prompted by aniye, huson hurriedly told rocky, "city lord rocky, although the mastermind behind this incident must be karlo, eternal city also truly bears some responsibility, so the council has made the following decisions."


    "first, elevate the level of city lord rocky''s guest status to that of an important guest."


    "second, the council has learned that city lord rocky had already applied for asylum, and to compensate for our oversight this time, the council has decided to extend the asylum period for thunderhawk city by three months."


    "third, although karlo has fled, his actions have seriously violated the rules of eternal city, which is a blatant provocation to god city. therefore, the council has decided to severely punish him! for one year, karlo and wild horse city are banned from entering the airspace of eternal city, and during this period, all transactions with him by any chamber of commerce within god city are forbidden!"

 Chapter 230 Compensation and Being Too Clever by Half_2

    "city lord rocky, are you satisfied with these decisions of the council?"after finishing the statement about the compensation the council decided upon for the assassination attempt on rocky, huson asked with a smile. yet, although he appeared to be asking rocky, his eyes were actually on aniye!


    because huson was very clear that all of this had been orchestrated by aniye, so only with aniye''s nod could this messy affair finally be considered settled.


    indeed, for huson, the assassination attempt on rocky was truly a troublesome matter.


    the incident itself was not significant, but its impact on eternal city was undeniably negative. on the other hand, the people involved also gave him a headache. orton alone was annoying enough, but now there was an even more difficult aniye to deal with. compared to the bumbling orton, aniye was clearly much more cunning and shrewd, so all huson wanted now was to end this affair as quickly as possible¡ªthe quicker, the better.


    it was precisely because of this thinking that he offered the above terms.


    and it must be admitted, the terms huson offered were not only good but also very, very favorable!


    the first compensation he gave rocky was to elevate his status in eternal city to that of an important guest!


    do not underestimate this promotion because once someone becomes an important guest of eternal city, all of rocky''s transactions there would enjoy a 5% discount!


    a 5% discount might not sound very high, but think about it carefully: as a city lord, any single transaction in eternal city could easily amount to hundreds of thousands, if not millions. under this premise, the savings from a 5% discount could amount to tens of thousands of gold coins!


    the second compensation huson offered to rocky was even more substantial, as eternal city decided to extend thunderhawk city''s refuge period!


    "refuge period" is an official term that translates quite simply to extending thunderhawk city''s free refuge time in the airspace for an additional three months!


    this compensation was absolutely genuine because seeking refuge within the airspace of eternal city required a protection fee: fifty thousand for the first month, one hundred thousand for the second, and two hundred thousand for the third.


    thus, extending the refuge period by three months for free amounted to saving rocky three hundred thousand gold coins!


    for rocky, who was extremely tight on funds, this was like a timely rain after a long drought, a delightful surprise that significantly eased his burdens!


    the third compensation huson offered rocky was not a benefit but rather a punishment, a punishment for karlo!


    according to huson, karlo and wild horse city would be banned from entering the airspace of eternal city for the next year. not only that, but the chamber of commerce within god city was also ordered to halt any transactions with wild horse city!


    this punishment might not mean much to rocky, but for karlo it was severe!


    because karlo too was a city lord, and the lord of a medium-sized sky city at that, his relationship with eternal city was much tighter than rocky''s. many resources needed by his city, as well as many goods produced there, had to be traded in eternal city, and being banned from entering eternal city and especially from trading with the city''s chamber of commerce would be a massive loss for karlo.


    although there are other trade cities in the sky, and not all chambers of commerce are in eternal city, karlo could potentially conduct business in other cities with other chambers of commerce, seeming to suffer no loss.


    but in reality, that is not the case. as the largest trade city in the sky, eternal city offers an array of chambers of commerce, a complete variety of goods, and fair prices, unmatched by any other city or chamber of commerce. karlo could indeed trade in other cities with other chambers of commerce, but he would inevitably have to pay a higher price.


    just as said earlier, transactions at a city level could easily reach hundreds of thousands or millions of gold coins. even if karlo only had to pay a little extra, it would amount to spending tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands more gold coins. and with this ban lasting a year, how much more would karlo have to spend?


    it must be said, the punishment imposed by eternal city on karlo was indeed severe.


    but this punishment was necessary for eternal city to give, because regardless of rocky''s situation, karlo''s actions had already caused immense dissatisfaction within eternal city. moreover, with the issue involving rocky, it prompted eternal city to decide on making an example of karlo to warn other city lords that they must not act recklessly in eternal city, or they would face consequences.


    "city lord rocky, what do you think?"


    after laying out his terms, huson asked rocky while glancing towards aniye, implying quite clearly, "i''ve given what you wanted, can we consider this matter resolved now?"


    and when aniye was looked at in such a way, he just smiled and then nodded at rocky.


    "haha, good, good, good!"


    seeing that aniye finally nodded, huson laughed heartily a couple of times, then said to rocky, "city lord rocky, you take care of yourself and heal up in the city. i have other matters, so i''ll be taking my leave now."


    after saying those words, huson left; his purpose for coming this time was to negotiate terms, and now that the terms were settled, what reason did he have to stay?


    once he had gone, the people in the hospital immediately burst into laughter!


    this event had finally been resolved satisfactorily, not only resolved, but rocky had also turned his misfortune into fortune, securing a substantial benefit from the hands of eternal city, which greatly alleviated his own pressure. such good fortune, of course, was a reason for everyone to be cheerful.


    ...


    ...


    with some rejoicing here, naturally, there were worries elsewhere. rocky had turned misfortune into fortune due to this assassination attempt, not only reaping tangible benefits but also significantly reducing his pressure. on the other hand, karlo had outsmarted himself, stirring up a host of troubles.


    karlo had attempted to assassinate rocky because he didn''t want to keep dragging things out and sought a swift resolution. little did he think that not only would the assassination fail, but it also granted rocky a three-month sanctuary, allowing him more time to hide in eternal city.


    originally, even if rocky had to bankrupt himself, he could only stay in eternal city''s airspace for six months, after which he would be driven out for failing to pay protection fees, and whether he liked it or not, he would have to face wild horse city directly.


    but now, rocky could easily stay in eternal city for six months, and even manage a small year if he economized!


    for karlo, what was even more frustrating was the ban from eternal city.


    after huson and rocky had come to an agreement, the very next day, wild horse city received the ban issued by eternal city, and upon seeing this document, karlo was infuriated on the spot!


    "useless trash!"


    violently slamming the decree from eternal city onto the ground, karlo roared at everyone in the city lord''s hall, "a bunch of useless trash!"


    facing the people below, karlo was so angry that his face turned crimson, his gaze sweeping over every face until it finally settled on kilov. sea??h th§× n?velfire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    looking at kilov, who was silent with his head bowed, karlo slowly stood up and walked over to him.


    "kilov, didn''t you say that you would definitely kill rocky this time?"


    the assassination of rocky had been instructed by karlo and executed by kilov, with the participants all being members of the wild horse air pirate group. so when the operation failed and also caused so much trouble, naturally, karlo had to confront kilov.


    "city lord, i..."


    before kilov could even speak, karlo slapped him across the face! discover stories at empire


    with a smack, the sound echoed through the city lord''s hall, and kilov, struck by karlo''s slap, was immediately knocked to the ground; when he looked up again, his mouth was already bloody.


    karlo was not a pampered fool; being a city lord who dared employ a bandit group for his service, he was inherently ruthless¡ªin plainer terms, he was basically a bandit leader!


    so, after slapping kilov, karlo roared at everyone in the city lord''s hall, "everyone, keep a close watch on rocky! the moment he steps out of eternal city, i want him wiped out! and his thunderhawk city, wipe that out too! anyone who dares help him, that karina, that berg, wipe them all out too!"

 Chapter 231 Orderly and Methodical

    when karlo roared within wild horse city, rocky had already left the hospital of eternal city and returned to his own thunderhawk city.the time now was one week after the assassination attempt, but due to the severity of his injuries, rocky could only rest in bed after returning to thunderhawk city, incapable of even attending the lectures at the institute.


    however, this was perhaps for the best, as throughout the year and more of being city lord, rocky had always been busy and had never truly rested¡ªnow, at last, he had the opportunity.


    even though he was recuperating, thunderhawk city was still developing in an orderly manner.


    firstly, as more than a month had passed, the second cohort of trainees in leather manufacturing had graduated, and with their graduation, the leather manufacturing factory that had been built months ago finally began operations!


    this was a major event for thunderhawk city as it was thunderhawk city''s own factory, thus its significance was extraordinary. during the opening ceremony on the first day of operation, rocky, despite his injuries, was in attendance.


    at the opening ceremony, the moment rocky appeared, he received a warmth that far exceeded his expectations. residents who came to the event chanted his name, tossing countless flowers into the air for him, and numerous young girls screamed his name without end.


    this kind of response from the residents was not planned but stemmed from their genuine affection for rocky, the city lord. the reason behind their fondness was simple¡ªrocky took good care of them. read new chapters at empire


    upon reflection, one could hardly fault such sentiments, as, after becoming the city lord of thunderhawk city, rocky had constantly been working hard for the city''s development.


    he once ventured to kill demons so the residents could have grain to survive the winter. later, in order to set the city''s economy on the right track, he provided training to the residents for free and even built the first factory in thunderhawk city. moreover, to improve the living conditions of the residents, he also established shops in the city, which likewise were the first true stores within the city.


    rocky indeed did many things for thunderhawk city, and everything he did was witnessed by its residents. although they seldom saw rocky, they definitely knew who treated them well.


    especially the older generation of thunderhawk city residents, who had lived in the city when it still belonged to the mairente family, had seen one city lord after another, but none had done as much for them as rocky had.


    past city lords, upon taking office, would first raise taxes, and once war broke out, they would ask the residents for donations or even forcibly conscript them to serve. otherwise, how could thunderhawk city, with the capacity to house five thousand people, end up with only a population of one thousand? it was these actions that had driven people away!


    yet rocky had never done any of these things. since becoming city lord, not only had he not increased taxes, but he was also continuously finding ways to improve the lives of the residents. during the several big battles fought, he never asked the residents for money, nor did he conscript soldiers.


    people have hearts of flesh, and the residents could feel all of rocky''s efforts. thus, taking advantage of the rare opportunity provided by the opening ceremony, they were overjoyed to see rocky.


    meanwhile, rocky was deeply moved by the residents'' enthusiasm. it at least let him know that his efforts were not in vain and made him vividly aware of thunderhawk city improving and growing stronger step by step. for a city lord, isn''t that the best outcome? sear?h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    in such joy and emotion, thunderhawk city''s first factory began operations, which not only meant that the economic reforms rocky had initiated half a year ago were making concrete progress and achieving results but also signified that, from now on, aside from textiles, thunderhawk city would have a new commodity to offer the outside world¡ªsomething hugely significant for the city, especially at this time.


    of course, although the factory started operations, it would take at least a quarter before it could truly generate revenue, and because there was only one factory with limited output, the profit might not be substantial. but it was at least a good start, and in times like these, even a small increase in revenue was a boon for thunderhawk city.


    at the same time, the rune armor project had also made new progress!


    although rocky had been the target of an assassination, orton and aniye had been preoccupied with the matter for some time, but the rune armor project had not stalled and was continuing as planned.


    when rocky was attacked, most of the materials needed to construct the void magic armor had already been purchased; only a few pieces of equipment were missing. so, while rocky was hospitalized, with orton overseeing everything, he and aniye managed to acquire the last few necessary components on one hand and demanded compensation from eternal city on the other.


    thus, when rocky returned to thunderhawk city, hammerfire and pelaya visited him and briefly updated him on the progress of the rune armor project.


    as of now, the new armor, codenamed white demon, had been designed!


    hammerfire, as a master in the field of armor domain, certainly lived up to his reputation. despite not having any noteworthy works since the fifth generation of armor, his skill had not diminished, and since the new armor was based on the fourth generation¡ªhammerfire''s area of expertise¡ªhe managed to complete the design of the new armor in just a few weeks!


    which meant that the new white demon armor, centered around the rune core, could now begin production!


    "city lord, kiddo, you''d better heal up quickly. once you''ve recovered, we''ll need your help testing the armor," hammerfire said, sitting in a chair taller than himself, twirling his beard in his hand as he spoke to rocky.


    since the white demon armor was designed from the start with the rune core at its heart, during the process of making the armor, orton and others would incorporate various technologies related to runes into it.


    this was, of course, a relatively long process since all existing technologies, without exception, operated with mana provided by a magic stone at their core. to transition to a rune core required certain adaptations. but given that masters were undertaking this project, and with the technologies nearing maturity, the process wouldn''t be significantly delayed. in fact, once orton and aniye returned to thunderhawk city with rocky, they continuously researched this area.


    in such circumstances, once the white demon armor was completed, the rune armor project would smoothly move to the next phase, the experimental stage.


    the main goal of this stage was to test the operation of the armor with the rune core. as the true owner of the mana rune, rocky was undoubtedly the best choice to participate in the experiment. he would have the privilege of being the world''s first person to wear rune armor, participating in all aspects of the armor''s testing!

 Chapter 232 Sky Era Year 118

    While Rocky was healing in Thunderhawk City, significant events continued to unfold in the skies. Your journey continues on empireThe time had now reached the end of November, Sky Era Year 117. With just a little over a month left, the year 117 was drawing to a close. Unfortunately, as the year-end approached, the world became increasingly unsettled, and several significant events occurred from the end of November to December of Year 117!


    First and foremost was the much-watched Sky Alliance Army.


    Commanded by Holy Knight Wilton, the Sky Alliance Army had long since reached Tulip City and engaged the demons in a fierce battle, which they ultimately won. However, as time progressed, the victories led by Wilton and his Sky Alliance Army against the demons were minimal, and they failed to reclaim the fallen Tulip City.


    In this situation, Wilton had no choice but to slow down the offensive. He had to hold his ground against the demons who occupied Tulip City and simultaneously call for continued reinforcements from the Sky Alliance.


    As many ''informed individuals'' had anticipated, Tulip City was not easy to recapture. Even though the revered hero Wilton personally led the army, they only won a few battles, and Tulip City remained in the hands of the demons, hardly a significant victory.


    In fact, to many, even the few victories Wilton claimed were seen as inflated. It''s not that Wilton was lying about his achievements¡ªhe definitely won those battles¡ªthat was not in question. However, what was the cost of these minor victories for the Sky Alliance Army?


    Regarding this, the Shadow Alliance did not mention any numbers, but for some battle-hardened bigwigs, even without these figures, just by estimating the demons'' casualties, one could gauge the Sky Alliance Army''s losses.


    According to their estimates, the losses the Sky Alliance Army incurred for these few victories must have been substantial! This speculation was evident from Wilton halting his offensive by the end of November and allowing the Alliance to continue sending more troops to Sky City.


    And this was precisely what puzzled people.


    As the saying goes, outsiders see the spectacle, experts see the path. While ordinary residents of Sky City might be excited about these victories, for some of the real power figures, the actions of the Sky Alliance and Wilton were baffling. Was it worth it to deploy such a massive force and suffer such heavy losses for a few inconsequential victories?


    Clearly, the Sky Alliance had another plan. Otherwise, with the astuteness of the Alliance''s think-tank and Wilton''s experience, they would never have made such a foolish move. However, what exactly the Sky Alliance was calculating remained a mystery to everyone.


    While everyone was speculating about the deep meaning behind the actions of the Sky Alliance, another significant event occurred in early December of Year 117!


    The Three Great Saint Cities¡ªno, now it should be said, two, as Gesya City, one of the remaining Saint Cities on the land, came under siege by demons!


    Following the sudden fall of Tulip City, Gesya City, one of the last two Saint Cities on land, also faced an attack by demons. And with the assault on Gesya City, the world finally understood the mystery behind the fall of Tulip City.


    It had been said before that Tulip City had fallen suddenly without any signs. The only hint was when it suddenly lost contact with the Sky Alliance. Right after Wilton immediately went to Tulip City to investigate, the city had already fallen. Everyone found it unbelievable and completely unclear how a city that stood for nearly a century could fall in just a few days.


    This question had puzzled people for months, but with the attack on Gesya City, the puzzle was finally solved.


    Sneak attack.


    This was the real reason behind the fall of Tulip City¡ªsimple, brutal, and unbelievable.


    When the Shadow Alliance broadcast this news to the whole world, many people found it unbelievable that Saint City, which had stood for less than a century, had fallen due to a surprise attack. Was this a joke?


    However, after carefully reviewing the materials provided by the Shadow Alliance, they suddenly realized and finally understood what had happened.


    On December 1 of Sky Era Year 117, the first day of the last month of the year, a massive horde of demons, numbering in the millions, suddenly appeared around Gesya City!


    The millions of demons appeared out of nowhere and immediately surrounded the swamps encircling Gesya City, layering them inside and out. The demons then paved a road with their bodies, one after another jumping into the swamp. At the cost of the lives of hundreds of thousands of demons, they managed to pave a ''road of corpses'' across the swamp in less than two days!


    Following this road of corpses, countless demons launched a fierce attack on Gesya City!


    The sudden emergence of millions of demons to launch an attack, sacrificing hundreds of thousands of their own, was the demons'' surprise attack!


    Once the people of the world witnessed how the demons attacked Gesya City, they also understood the mystery behind the fall of Tulip City. Clearly, the demons used the same method when they attacked Tulip City. Millions of demons appeared at once and then launched a relentless assault on Tulip City, which, unprepared, couldn''t hold out for even a few days and fell immediately.


    But fortunately, Gesya City did not repeat Tulip City''s fate and withstood the demons'' assault.


    All this was thanks to the timely response of The Three Great Alliances after the fall of Tulip City. Apart from the Sky Alliance, the other two alliances, the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute, reinforced the remaining two holy cities as soon as they received the news of the fall of Tulip City. It was precisely because of this significant reinforcement that Gesya City managed to escape catastrophe.


    And it was the Kafka Empire that helped Gesya City withstand the demons'' attack.


    As the name suggests, the Kafka Empire is not an alliance or federation, but a nation, the only true nation still existing in the skies.


    With the emergence of Sky City, the concepts of local and central became increasingly blurred. The idea that all must centralize and follow sage governance ceased to exist. With Sky City in hand, every City Lord had the capital to declare themselves king, effectively making each holder of a city a ruler. In such conditions, the concept of nationhood quickly vanished.


    However, there was one exception¡ªthe Kafka Empire. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The history of this empire dates back to the Land Era. When the era transitioned to the Sky Era, other nations quickly disintegrated under the tides of time, but the Kafka Empire persisted. Not only that, but it also gradually developed into one of the most powerful forces in the skies, owning over a thousand different Sky Cities. In terms of the number of Sky Cities, the Kafka Empire possesses the most among the three major forces!


    It was precisely because of the strong backing from the Kafka Empire that Gesya City was able to withstand the assault from the millions of demons.


    Of course, the intensity of this battle was also considered the most horrific in the last decade. Both Kafka Empire and Gesya City, although they withstood the demons'' attack, suffered tremendous losses. Gesya City as a battlefield goes without saying, but even the supporting Kafka Empire lost tens of thousands of warships and several times more Void Magic Warriors!


    As the news of this battle was spread by the Shadow Alliance to the whole world, a shadow enveloped the entire sky, because by this time, even the most dim-witted could see that this world was no longer at peace...


    Thus, with heavy hearts, bewilderment, and worry, December of Sky Era Year 117 passed, and a new year arrived...

 Chapter 233 Spend Money! Spend Money! Spend Money!

    In January of the Sky Era Year 118, it should have been a day worth celebrating. Yet due to the fall of Tulip City and the subsequent siege on Gesya City, such significant events had left everyone devoid of festive spirits.This included Rocky as well.


    Of course, he wasn''t worrying about Gesya City¡ªthat wasn''t his concern. His worries were about the development of new Armor. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After Rocky returned to Thunderhawk City, the new Armor designed by Hammerfire entered its manufacturing phase, and at the same time, Orton and others began to modify and improve Armor Technology. This dual approach was pushing forward the Rune Armor project.


    It was after this that Rocky''s troubles began¡ªthe problem was simple, yet it consisted of just one thing: spending money.


    The development of the new Armor was much more complicated and difficult than Rocky had imagined. In fact, by the end of December 117, Hammerfire had already produced the first version of the White Demon Armor and then conducted the first trial.


    Rocky did not participate in this trial. On one hand, he was recovering from injuries, and on the other hand, it was just a preliminary test. The main purpose was to check the strength of the Armor because the Mana Runes had to be directly inscribed on the Armor itself. Furthermore, it provides much more Mana than traditional old-fashioned Armor. In such cases, whether the Armor made with traditional craftsmanship could withstand the Runes, and whether it could handle the vast amount of Mana provided by the Runes, all had to be tested.


    And the result of the test ended in failure.


    According to the initial design, the White Demon Armor was supposed to have three levels of Runes inscribed: twenty Level Five Runes, fifty Level Four Runes, and one hundred Third-level Runes. That was what everyone thought and did. However, as soon as the Runes were inscribed on the Armor and activated, the Armor failed because it could not withstand the vast Mana the Runes provided and was rendered useless...


    This failure was undoubtedly significant for the Rune Armor project. Before this, including Orton, who was most knowledgeable about Runes, most of the planning was theoretical. Many ideas were merely possible in theory, so through this failed trial, everyone inevitably gained a deeper and more thorough understanding of Runes.


    However, this meant that the Armor had to be remade.


    With no other choice, Aileen made another trip to Eternal City, spending nearly three hundred thousand Gold Coins to purchase materials sufficient to produce at least two sets of Armor for Hammerfire.


    With the new materials, the second version of the White Demon Armor was quickly produced, and then it exploded...


    The second version of the White Demon Armor also ended in failure after the trial, but this time, the failure was not due to the Armor unable to withstand Mana. In fact, after the first version of the White Demon Armor failed, Hammerfire and Orton and others improved the Armor''s design, both in terms of the raw materials used and by reducing the number of Runes inscribed on the Armor. Thus, when the second version of the White Demon Armor was produced, it not only withstood the Mana provided by the Runes but was also able to operate normally with the Runes as its driving core.


    But even so, the new Armor was not yet a success. Although the new Armor could now fully rely on Runes for operation, at best it was only a set of Rune Armor, far from being a true Armor. To transform it into a real Armor, it was necessary to mount Armor Technology on it to meet combat requirements.


    It was precisely at this step that another problem arose.


    As previously mentioned, the new Armor was designed based on the Fourth Generation Armor, and the technology it carried was also an improved version of the mature technology of the Fourth Generation Armor. But when the Armor truly started operating with Runes as its core, Orton and others discovered that the Mana provided by the Runes far exceeded the maximum capacity of the old Fourth Generation Armor.


    This brought about two issues.


    Discover hidden content at empire


    First, the technologies applicable to Fourth Generation Armor, now supported by a more abundant Mana, would undoubtedly possess greater power, and could even extend to some new technologies that previously existed only in theory but were difficult to realize. However, the same abundant Mana also made the previously presumed mature technologies very unstable.


    Second, if they wanted to stabilize the improved technology, it was actually quite simple: they needed to control the Mana output of the Armor, which to Orton and his team was so easy it could be solved with a flick of their fingers. But once the Mana output was reduced, although stability was achieved, it meant wasting the abundant Mana provided by the Runes.


    Finding a balance that would allow the technologies carried by the Armor to perform to their utmost potential while remaining stable became a challenging task that required repeated trials.


    Through trial after trial, the second version of the Armor was quickly scrapped. The third and fourth versions of the Armor also failed one after the other, and only after the fifth version of the improved Armor was produced did the trials make some progress.


    However, by that time, after five versions of Armor had been continuously produced, the one million Gold Coins Rocky had provided for research funding were completely spent...


    There was no helping it, the research was just too expensive, no, not just expensive¡ªit was burning money!


    Rocky once had Aileen calculate the cost. Excluding the equipment for Armor production, just the materials alone for the first version of the White Demon Armor cost ninety thousand Gold Coins¡ªmeaning ninety thousand Gold Coins worth of materials were needed to produce a single set of White Demon Armor.


    And that was just the cost for the first version of the Armor. In reality, after the first version failed, Hammerfire made all-around improvements to the Armor, particularly in the materials used, which caused the cost of the raw materials for the second version of the White Demon Armor to skyrocket to one hundred and ten thousand Gold Coins.


    The third and fourth versions of the Armor also underwent various degrees of improvement, with the cost of production continuously rising. By the time the fifth version of the Armor was produced, the research effort that everyone had painstakingly poured their hearts and souls into, if we just considered the raw materials required, had already reached two hundred thousand Gold Coins!!


    What does two hundred thousand Gold Coins represent?


    The most expensive Mass Production Type among the Fifth Generation Armor only cost around one hundred and seventy to one hundred and eighty thousand Gold Coins, and the price of Specialized Armor from the Fourth Generation was generally around two hundred thousand Gold Coins. And these were retail prices¡ªif calculated by production cost, even the top Special Armor of the Fourth Generation had not exceeded two hundred thousand Gold Coins to make!


    Such an enormous expenditure had completely exceeded Rocky''s imagination and more importantly, his capacity to afford it, because even though Hammerfire had already manufactured the fifth version of the Armor, the research was still not over. After a series of experiments, he had started improving for the sixth version.


    But at this point, Rocky could no longer afford any more money...

 Chapter 234 Ran out of money...

    The cost of developing the new armor had completely exceeded Rocky''s imagination, and it even surpassed the maximum financial burden he could bear!When Hammerfire produced the fifth version of the improved armor and started to work on a comprehensive upgrade to the next version, the one million Gold Coins provided by Rocky were entirely spent... S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To the average person, such spending would be unimaginable because only a few months had passed since the beginning of the Rune Armor project. Yet they had already spent over a million Gold Coins in such a short period, burning cash even faster than indulging in eating, drinking, and gambling.


    But this was the reality, and not only was it a fact, but in the eyes of people like Orton, it wasn''t even surprising because even a few million Gold Coins being spent on the research process of ordinary technology or techniques would be considered quite normal, let alone their research on Rune technology, which was of the topmost tier.


    In fact, knowing that Rocky had limited funds, Orton and his team had been trying to be as frugal as possible throughout the research process. For instance, despite Hammerfire manufacturing exactly five versions of armor, in order to save funding, only one set of each version was made. Under normal circumstances, for experiments of this level, at least a dozen sets of experimental battle armor would be needed.


    Moreover, with only one set of armor available for testing, Orton and his team could only conduct repeat experiments on this sole set of armor. They wouldn''t design and produce the next version until they had completely worn out and scrapped the current set of armor after combining the experimental results. It was a level of frugality that couldn''t possibly be further stretched.


    Yet even under such constrained research conditions, the progress made by the several masters was quite remarkable. After the fifth version of armor testing concluded, most of the technology used for the armor had been successfully improved through incessant trials. This meant that by the time the sixth version of the armor was manufactured, the new White Demon Armor would be fundamentally finalized!


    Once the armor was final, it meant that the theoretical part of the research was completely finished, and the study would officially enter the practical operation stage.


    During this phase, the White Demon Armor, driven by Rune technology, would undergo a series of experiments under Rocky''s operation, while Orton and his team would use the data from these experiments to make further adjustments to the armor.


    This meant that the research on the Rune Armor project had reached mid-course and was taking a significant step towards success!


    But, just at this moment, the research funding provided by Rocky had run out, and they couldn''t produce the sixth version of the armor...


    For everyone involved, this was a significant setback, yet there was nothing they could do about it. After all, research depended on money to continue, and without it, regardless of the ideas, nothing could be researched. Money was necessary for ideas to be realized.


    This situation caused immense anxiety for Orton and his team, and Rocky was just as anxious.


    Orton and his team were anxious because they were top masters of their era, who had come together to research tirelessly for months, and just as the armor they had painstakingly developed was about to enter practical operation, they had to stop research due to lack of funding ¨C how could they be content with that?


    Rocky was anxious too because he was the one truly spending the money, and one million Gold Coins had been exhausted, yet all he had to show for it were a pile of data ¨C wasn''t this equivalent to one million Gold Coins just drifting away like water!


    In this situation, both Orton''s team and Rocky wanted the research to continue, but where would the money come for that?


    To solve this problem, they had no choice but to come together to discuss strategies.


    "Aileen, how much money can we still draw from the city''s funds?"


    After Orton and his colleagues arrived at Rocky''s study, Rocky immediately asked Aileen.


    "At most three hundred thousand, that''s the limit I can manage. If we use any more, the city simply won''t be able to cope,"


    As the finance officer of Thunderhawk City, Aileen was clearer than anyone about how much money was in Thunderhawk City''s treasury and how much was needed to maintain city operations. Therefore, without even needing to think, she immediately answered that Rocky could only contribute an additional three hundred thousand Gold Coins to the research.


    However, upon hearing this number, Orton and his colleagues shook their heads again and again, and even Rocky sighed, knowing all too well that three hundred thousand Gold Coins was simply not enough.


    But this was the limit Thunderhawk City could offer, and even these 300,000 gold coins were only available thanks to the fortunate circumstances following Rocky''s assassination attempt. According to Aileen''s original plan, these 300,000 gold coins were meant to pay the protection fee. However, due to Rocky''s assassination attempt, Eternal City waived Thunderhawk City''s protection fee for three months, which is why this sum was available. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have had even these 300,000 gold coins.


    As a result, everyone began to discuss countermeasures, looking for ways to gather enough research funds.


    After much discussion, they could only think of two methods.


    The first was for everyone to pool their money together. Rocky could still contribute 300,000 gold coins, and other researchers like Orton were masters in their field. Although they owned no industries, it was still not a problem for each of them to contribute hundreds of thousands of gold coins. Thus, by pooling together, they could raise another million gold coins for research. If they had an additional million in funds, according to Orton and others'' estimates, they might not be able to achieve much, but they could complete this phase of the research.


    But this method had one problem: it was not sustainable.


    The research on Rune Armor was not something that could be finished in a day or two, a month or two. Even if the new White Demon Armor was fully successful, it wouldn''t mark the end of the project. Far from it, in fact¡ªit would just be the beginning! The successful development of the White Demon Armor would signify the opening of a new field in Rune Armor, revealing many aspects to delve into deeper. Only then would the Rune Armor project really commence!


    As the research deepened, funding would be consumed like a bottomless pit. What would Rocky and his colleagues do then?


    Would they tighten their belts and pool money together again? Even if they were willing, they wouldn''t be able to raise the funds!


    So this method could only temporarily alleviate the urgent problems but wouldn''t solve the issue completely.


    As for the second method everyone thought of, it was to seek investors.


    Perhaps by approaching businessmen like the Chambers of Commerce or current Armor manufacturers or by turning to City Lords, whether ordinary ones or alliances like the Sky Alliance. In short, they needed to find wealthy individuals to invest in the Rune Armor project. With their support, the financial issue would be resolved permanently.


    In fact, more than ninety percent of current research is carried out in this manner, with one party providing funds while the other conducts the research.


    Discover hidden tales at empire


    However, there was also a significant issue with this approach, that is, the necessity to share the research results with the investors.


    The project Rocky and Orton were working on was their private venture, meaning that any successful outcomes belonged to them alone. But once they sought investments for their research, even if funding was no longer an issue, the results would no longer belong solely to Rocky; they would have to be shared with the investors.


    This was clearly not what Rocky wanted to see. It wasn''t because he was stingy and wanted to hide and hoard the runes as treasures; the research they were conducting was just too important to him.


    Once the research on Rune Armor succeeded, it would become the core technology in the field of runes. And as long as he held this core technology, even if Rocky publicized Mana Runes to the world, allowing everyone to know of their existence and start researching them, he would still maintain a leading position because he had the core technology!


    In the realm of technology, the principle of staying a step ahead is immutable. If you control core technology, you will inevitably lead the competitive research race, and the Rune Armor research represented such core technology.


    In this scenario, once outsiders entered and had access to their research results, Rocky would lose his advantage completely.


    With that, the group found themselves at an impasse, unable to think of a solution that would meet both needs.


    However, it was at this moment that Hammerfire suddenly spoke up.


    "City Lord, lad, I might have a way to alleviate the financial strain temporarily, although this method is quite dangerous..."

 Chapter 235 Arena

    Just when everyone was at their wits'' end over the financial issue, unable to come up with a perfect solution, Hammerfire suddenly spoke up."I do have a method," he said.


    At these words, all eyes fell on him, and Hammerfire looked at Rocky: "It''s just that this method might be somewhat dangerous for you."


    "Master Hammerfire, please feel free to speak your mind," Rocky said.


    "Come on, Hammerfire, stop beating around the bush and tell us what it is!" Orton immediately asked, showing the urgency the group felt.


    And thereafter, Hammerfire continued:


    "The Arena."


    With the utterance of these three simple words, everyone present was momentarily stunned, then various expressions quickly spread across their faces. Explore more at empire


    "Hammerfire, make yourself clear, what do you mean? Are you suggesting that Rocky participates in the Arena?" Orton furrowed his brows tightly, his complexion turning sour upon hearing the word "Arena."


    "Yes, that''s exactly what I''m suggesting, for Rocky to participate in the Arena," Hammerfire nodded in confirmation and elaborated: "Eternal City''s Arena holds a league every quarter. Any contestant who wins can earn an immensely generous prize money..."


    "No! Absolutely not!" Orton didn''t let Hammerfire finish his sentence and abruptly cut him off, his eyes widening as he shouted: "Rocky is the honorable City Lord! How can he compete in the Arena? Besides, the Arena battles are to the death. What if something happens to him, what if he loses an arm or a leg; would you take responsibility?"


    Orton was visibly upset with Hammerfire''s suggestion, the objection clear in his wide-eyed glare.


    The Arena was essentially a place of entertainment that capitalized on the spectacle of Void Magic Warriors battling each other to the death for the audience''s pleasure; a concept not to be underestimated. In God City, the Arena was one of the biggest entertainment events, with continual matches throughout the year, and without exception, all the contestants were Void Magic Warriors!


    However, although the Arena served as an entertainment venue for spectators, it was utterly brutal for the participants, because the Arena''s matches were real combats to the death, with the slightest mistake potentially costing a fighter their life.


    But correspondingly, the high risk of competition was matched by high rewards. Every Void Magic Armor warrior that won in the Arena could earn substantial rewards. The most basic rewards were Gold Coins, but if the level of the match was higher, the rewards would be more valuable than Gold Coins. Indeed, if one could become the champion at the triennial Sky Combat Skills Convention, they would be granted a whole Sky City as the ultimate prize!


    Because the rewards were so lavish, despite the inherent dangers, there were still many who chose to compete in the Arena.


    Nevertheless, even so, the number of Void Magic Armor warriors remained limited; after all, their status was far higher than regular soldiers, and not everyone was willing to risk their lives. Therefore, to attract more participants, the Arena provided Void Magic Armors free of cost to some contestants who lacked the means, drawing in more regular soldiers to compete.


    And it was because of the Arena''s provision of Armor for free that the number of contestants participating was always high, ensuring that matches took place throughout the year.


    Moreover, since the quality of the participants varied greatly, both genuine and fake Void Magic Warriors were present, which further intensified the bloodiness of the competition. Once a real Void Magic Warrior faced an imposter, it was almost certain that lives would be lost. Yet, the bloodier the matches, the more they drew spectators, increasing the earnings of the Arena.


    This was the Arena, an event that entertained people through bloodshed.


    Hammerstone had come up with the idea in hopes that Rocky would compete in the Arena to earn money. By doing so, not only would they secure the needed funding for their research, but they would also prevent the research outcomes from falling into the hands of others¡ªa solution that solved two problems at once.


    "Hammerfire, although there''s prize money for winning Arena matches, surely that''s not enough to support our research, right?" At this point, Pelaya spoke up. She didn''t outright reject the idea, like Orton did, but she did voice her doubts.


    In Pelaya''s view, while the prize money from the Arena might seem significant for the average person, what would tens or even hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins mean for the research of Rune Armor? S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But no sooner had she finished speaking than Hammerfire immediately replied: "Pelaya, you''re not aware, the Arena''s competitions are tiered. The prize money is naturally low for the lower tiers, but it''s different for the higher tiers. It''s quite normal to win over a hundred thousand Gold Coins in one competition. Moreover, my suggestion for Rocky to enter the competition isn''t for the prize money, but for the gambling outside the Arena!"


    "You think the Arena just earns money from ticket sales? That''s not the case. Each time there''s a match in the Arena, the officials set up betting pools outside, offering odds for both sides, then let everyone place their bets. That''s the real source of the Arena''s income."


    "So, as long as Rocky competes, we bet on him from the outside. And as long as he keeps winning, we continue to win money on the outside, multiplying our winnings manyfold. This way, wouldn''t the research funds be taken care of?"

 Chapter 235 Arena_2

    Until that moment, Master Hammerfire finally revealed his true purpose. He wanted Rocky to participate in the Arena competition, not for the prize money which was minuscule for their research, but for the gambling outside the Arena!This idea was absolutely brilliant!


    Because, as Pelaya said, the prize money offered by the Arena might be substantial for the average person, but it was nowhere near enough for their research. However, the gambling was different; the more you bet, the more you could earn, potentially multiplying your investment many times over. The money earned from gambling could indeed support the research for the Rune Armor! S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, it''s still too dangerous."


    Unfortunately, after Master Hammerfire had explained all his thoughts, Orton still shook his head like a bobblehead, firmly disagreeing.


    And his reason was simple: the Arena was too dangerous.


    This reason really left everyone speechless. Everyone had heard of the Arena, and most had seen some Arena competitions, so they understood very well the cruelty and bloodiness of the matches.


    The Arena was a dog-eat-dog place where no one cared about your identity or would befriend you. Almost everyone who participated did so with the same goal¡ªto eliminate their opponents and win the desired prize money in this ''simple'' manner. Under such straightforward objectives, every match in the Arena was extremely dangerous. To put it bluntly, Rocky participating in these competitions would likely be dead within three matches!


    "My lord, let me go!"


    Just then, Monte, who had been quietly listening, suddenly stood up. The towering Beastman spoke to Rocky, Orton, and the others: "My lords, masters, let me participate in the Arena! I was once a Demon Hunter, and I have experience fighting Demons. I will have no problem in the Arena!"


    Monte, of course, couldn''t understand the academic content, but he understood Master Hammerfire''s idea perfectly. Being one of Rocky''s most trusted aides, Monte also knew how difficult Rocky''s current situation was, and he wanted to help but couldn''t. So, when he heard that participating in the Arena could make money, he volunteered immediately.


    In Monte''s view, Master Hammerfire''s plan was tailor-made for him. After all, in the entire Thunderhawk City, who could be more suitable to participate in the Arena than a former Demon Hunter like himself?


    "You can''t."


    However, just as Monte had stood up, Master Hammerfire shook his head.


    "Master Hammerfire, why!"


    Monte was utterly confused as Master Hammerfire rejected him outright without a second thought, but Hammerfire''s next words made him fall silent.


    "The White Demon Armor isn''t designed for you."


    Glancing at Monte, Hammerfire turned to Orton and Rocky: "Orton, I know you are worried about the safety of the City Lord''s lad, but I never said he should enter the competition wearing his own shoddy armor, did I? My plan is for him to wear the White Demon Armor and participate in the Arena!"


    "What?"


    "Hammerfire, are you saying..."


    As Master Hammerfire finished his sentence, Orton, Pelaya, and Aniye were simultaneously stunned, and the three of them fell into deep thought.


    While they were lost in thought, Hammerfire continued: "Gentlemen, the White Demon Armor was developed together by us. You know very well the level of combat capability this armor can achieve. Don''t you trust your own research?"


    "Once Rocky wears the White Demon Armor, do you still need to worry about his safety? Remember, he''s only participating in a seasonal match, not the triennial Sky Combat Grand Tournament, so there will be no problems."


    After saying this, Hammerfire fell silent, and soon after, Aniye and Pelaya came back to their senses and nodded to Rocky at the same time.


    "If he wears the White Demon Armor, then indeed there would be no problem with his safety."


    "Exactly, and moreover, this way, we can also directly collect real combat data of the armor."


    When Aniye and Pelaya nodded one after another, agreeing that Master Hammerfire''s suggestion was feasible, everyone present simultaneously turned their gaze toward Orton and Rocky.


    Finding everyone looking at him, Orton glanced at Rocky, "Kid, what do you think? I can tell you, the Arena is every bit as dangerous as the battlefield, even more so. Your opponents might resort to any means to win, so don''t take this lightly."


    "However, Master Hammerfire is also right; if you wear the White Demon Armor to the competition, you can be reassured that nothing will go wrong with that armor."


    "So, the final decision is still up to you."


    Clearly, upon learning that Master Hammerfire planned to have Rocky wear the White Demon Armor to the Arena, Orton, who had initially opposed the idea, was swayed because he had great confidence in the White Demon Armor, which he had helped to design.


    Even so, he left the decision entirely up to Rocky.


    With that, all eyes were once again on Rocky.


    "I have no problem with it."


    Contrary to what everyone expected, Rocky showed no hesitation and agreed immediately.


    Ever since Master Hammerfire had explained his idea to everyone, Rocky had been considering it. In fact, for him, there wasn''t much to consider as his current circumstances left him with few alternatives. Wearing the White Demon Armor or even the Blood Pattern Mark II to the competition was a necessity given his situation! Stay tuned for updates on empire


    So Rocky had already decided¡ªwhy not the Arena? He would go!


    "Good!"


    Seeing Rocky nod in agreement, Master Hammerfire was the first to jump up and then said to Orton and the others, "Gentlemen, the City Lord''s kid has already decided to give his all for this research; we old folks can''t let a kid show us up! What are we waiting for? Let''s get moving and show the world the prowess of the White Demon!"


    Thus, once Rocky decided to participate in the Arena, everyone got busy once more.


    Thereafter, Rocky took out the last three hundred thousand gold coins he had, and Master Hammerfire and others used this final sum to create the sixth version of the White Demon Armor over half a month.


    This version''s development cycle was the longest of all versions, because after countless experiments, this version of the armor had been perfected in every aspect, at least theoretically flawless. Hence, this version was called the Prototype Armor of the White Demon by Master Hammerfire; once all tests on this version were successful, all Rune Armors in the foreseeable future would be designed based on this prototype, hence the name.


    However, after creating the Prototype Armor of the White Demon, Rocky did not immediately participate in the Arena; he still had to undergo a series of tests. Partly it was to familiarize himself with the new armor, and partly it was for Orton and others to verify the Armor''s practicality. Only once it was confirmed that the armor was indeed suitable for actual combat could Rocky enter the Arena.


    ...


    ...


    Half a month later, Rocky arrived early at the laboratory with Liliya, Aileen, and Monte and others, only to find Orton and his group who had long been waiting.


    "Kid, are you ready?"


    In the backyard of the laboratory, upon seeing Rocky, Orton asked.


    "I am ready."


    To Orton''s question, Rocky took a deep breath, then nodded his head.


    "Come then, it is yours."


    Seeing him nod, Orton and Master Hammerfire smiled slightly and then stepped aside, revealing the White Demon Armor behind them!

 Chapter 236 Top Demons!

    Since Rocky had been healing from injuries previously, although he knew that the White Demon Armor had been manufactured and there had been multiple versions of it, he had not seen it with his own eyes. Today, he saw this legendary armor for the first time.As his gaze followed, a suit of immaculate white Void Magic Armor appeared before him, precisely the White Demon Armor that Orton and others had painstakingly researched!


    Beautiful!


    At the first sight of this armor, both Rocky and Liliya beside him couldn''t help but gasp because it was simply too beautiful!


    The all-white paint and full-coverage style made the armor look like a snow sculpture in the sunlight. At the same time, it had an angular design giving every part of the armor clear, sharp lines without any ambiguity; one could feel the simplicity and directness of its beauty at first glance.


    This wasn''t just any armor; it was a piece of art!


    At the first sight of this armor, Rocky fell in love with it and couldn''t help but admire Hammerfire''s mastery because, although Orton and three others had collaborated on the design, the main body and style of the armor were solely Hammerfire''s work. From the current masterpiece, it was clear that Hammerfire''s skills as an armor master hadn''t lessened with age!


    In fact, far from lessening, in order to design this White Demon Armor, Hammerfire had really put a lot of effort into it. Although the armor was based on the fourth generation, Hammerfire had incorporated many concepts from the fifth generation of armors. In some ways, he had achieved his goal; he truly created a brand-new concept and form of armor.


    "City Lord kid, stop standing there dumbfounded, quickly proceed with the mana matching!"


    When Rocky was stunned by the stunning White Demon Armor, Hammerfire snapped him back to reality.


    "Mana matching?"


    Upon hearing Hammerfire''s words, the awakened Rocky was puzzled as he had never heard of this technology; wasn''t armor usually just worn directly? Why was matching required?


    In response to his confusion, Hammerfire smiled and then glanced at Orton beside him: "City Lord kid, mana matching is a technology only for custom armors which means this set was tailor-made for you from the beginning."


    When Hammerfire finished speaking, Rocky looked at Orton in surprise, then saw Orton also looking at him, his face carrying a kind smile.


    Custom fitting technology was one of today''s top technologies; this technology could maximize the compatibility between the user and the armor, thereby unleashing its maximum strength. The Holy Knight Armor worn by Wilton utilized this technology, and Orton was one of the top researchers of this cutting-edge technology, so naturally, the White Demon Armor owning it was credited to Orton.


    "Kid, stop staring; hurry up!"


    Noticing Rocky staring at him, almost to the point of tearing up, Orton scolded with a laugh and then led him to the White Demon Armor.


    Since it employed custom fitting technology, the White Demon Armor was naturally designed for exclusive personal use. Although it was Rocky''s, he had to undergo mana matching with the armor before it could truly be his.


    The matching process was not complicated; with Orton guiding him, it soon came to an end.


    After that, Rocky officially donned the White Demon Armor!


    "Kid, how does it feel?"


    Once Rocky had fully donned the White Demon Armor, Orton''s voice reached his ears, surprising him since the voice didn''t come from outside, but directly inside the all-covering helmet.


    "Teacher, this is..."


    "Don''t act so surprised; it''s just an in-built magic energy communicator."


    At that moment, Orton and the other three were each wearing a communicator powered by magic energy. This allowed them to directly communicate and talk to Rocky without shouting outside, especially since the White Demon was fully-covering, making it hard to hear external sounds clearly.


    "Kid, listen up, I''m going to introduce you to the basic functions of the White Demon Armor."


    "I''ll do it! Let me do it! You didn''t design this armor; you know nothing!"


    Just when Orton was about to introduce each function of the White Demon Armor to Rocky to give him a basic understanding, Hammerfire started clamoring from the side.


    About this, Orton immediately widened his eyes but eventually nodded, letting Hammerfire take over the task.


    "City Lord kid, can you hear my voice?"


    "Yes."


    "Great." After getting a response, Hammerfire said, "This armor, since it uses rune-driven power, operates a bit differently from old-style armors. Now, follow my instructions to activate the runes..."


    Although the White Demon Armor essentially still used magic energy, its carrier had changed from magic stones to runes. While functionally similar, there were substantial differences in certain details, which made the operation of the White Demon Armor somewhat different from older armors.


    Thus, Hammerfire explained to Rocky how to activate the runes. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "City Lord kid, did you get all that?"


    Your journey continues with empire


    "Got it."


    "Great, now just like I told you, start by activating the Third-level Rune."

 Chapter 236 Top Demons!_2

    ```"Understood." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With an acknowledgment, Rocky activated the Third-level Rune inside the Armor, just as Hammerstone had instructed.


    During this process, people like Orton outside were each holding a magic energy detector, aiming all the detectors at Rocky.


    "Rocky, how do you feel?"


    This time, it was Aniye who spoke.


    "Nothing out of the ordinary."


    Nodding, Rocky indicated that he didn''t notice any issues.


    At this moment, Orton and the others outside had gathered around the testing table that had been moved out of the laboratory earlier, now they were looking at the various values provided by the instruments on the table.


    "Magic energy peak 2900 points, just as expected."


    "Magic energy flow is smooth, everything is normal."


    "Armor pressure is normal, no danger."


    The various data displayed on the instruments made Orton and the others exchange glances and smile at each other, their tense emotions finally beginning to relax because from this stage, everything seemed normal with the White Demon Armor''s operation.


    Although the White Demon Armor had undergone many tests before, most of those were to verify the basic endurance of the Armor and the operation of the technology it carried, which is a different concept from actually being used by someone. Only when Rocky put on the Armor and successfully activated it could they prove that the Armor was faultless.


    "Kid, now activate the Level Four Runes of the Armor."


    "Alright."


    Hearing Orton''s voice by his ear, Rocky activated the Level Four Runes of the Armor using the previous method.


    And as the Level Four Runes were activated, the Mana value of the White Demon Armor soared even more, instantly rising to 6700 points!


    6700 Mana points!


    This level of Mana already matched the highest range achievable by the fourth-generation Void Magic Armors, and even the magic energy value of the most top-notch specialized armors from the fourth generation did not exceed this standard! This meant that with the activation of the Level Four Runes, the White Demon Armor had at least reached the pinnacle of the fourth-generation armors in terms of Mana attributes!


    But that was not the limit of the White Demon Armor.


    Because the Armor was equipped with Runes of three differing levels, besides the Third-level and Fourth-level Runes, it also came with Fifth-level Runes.


    Therefore, as White Demon Armor''s Mana value climbed to 6900 points and all data showed normal operation, Orton let Rocky activate the Fifth-level Rune on the Armor.


    Responding from inside the Armor, Rocky activated all the Fifth-level Runes on the White Demon Armor!


    After a moment, all the Fifth-level Runes were activated, and the Mana value of the White Demon Armor gradually reached its limit, hitting an astonishing 10000 points!


    "Hahaha! We did it! We did it! We did it!"


    When the Mana value of the White Demon Armor hit that stunning figure of 10000 points, Hammerfire, standing on a large chair, jumped up with joy! Because with the Mana value reaching 10000 points, it meant the White Demon Armor had officially entered the ranks of today''s top armors!


    In the present Armor Domain, 10000 Mana points represent a watershed, an important benchmark; in all armors to date, be they mass production or specialized, fourth or fifth generation, if they don''t meet this standard, no matter how well-designed or excellent, they still can''t be considered top armor. Only when an Armor''s Mana value reaches or surpasses the 10000-point benchmark can it be deemed truly top-notch!


    And although the White Demon Armor was based merely on fourth-generation design, by employing Runes, it had completely overcome the barrier related to Mana storage, propelling this Armor to the top-tier ranks.


    Indeed, the White Demon Armor has many deficiencies in other areas, with many technologies used not being the most cutting-edge of current times.


    Indeed, in the field of Armor today, a 10000 Mana point value is not the ultimate limit; certain even more top-notch armors in terms of Mana attributes have reached several tens of thousands of points, a more astonishing figure.


    But don''t forget, the White Demon is just the first Armor powered by Runes at its core, and the fact that the first-ever Armor has reached such high standards already means one can only imagine how high Rune Armor will rise after more in-depth study and exploration in the future¡ªit''s simply unimaginable!


    Therefore, when the White Demon Armor activated the Fifth-level Runes, causing its Mana value to hit 10000 points, and all data and indicators showed no problems, not just Hammerfire, but also Orton, Pelaya, and Aniye standing by, all had excited expressions on their faces.


    These top academic masters of our time had poured months of research into crafting this Armor, and it had finally not disappointed them!


    ```


    "Kid, feel the strength of this Armor! Circle around Thunderhawk City, full throttle, fly around!"


    After the brief excitement, Orton and the others forcibly suppressed their own excitement and refocused their attention on the test.


    "Teacher, may I?"


    When the White Demon Armor''s magic energy value reached 10,000 points, Rocky was also extremely excited and shocked; he had never imagined the Armor could be so powerful that it scared him. So, after coming to his senses, he subconsciously asked.


    "Why not, of course you can! Hurry up and fly, we still need to collect data."


    "Alright."


    Rocky nodded and looked up at the sky, but just when he was about to take off, he turned to look at Orton.


    "Teacher, this Armor... it''s not going to explode mid-flight, is it?"


    "Stop talking nonsense! Just fly!"


    Hearing Rocky''s words, Orton immediately roared, and Rocky laughed before bending his knees, squatting down, and then leaping up into the sky!


    Before everyone''s eyes, he disappeared with a whoosh like an arrow released from its bow, and when the spectators found him again, he was already hovering a hundred meters in the air!


    Fast!


    It was really too fast!


    From the ground to a hundred meters up in the air, covering the distance in but an instant!


    The sight had Liliya and Monte''s eyes wide open in disbelief, especially Liliya. As a Void Magic Warrior with Void Magic Armor herself, she knew all too well how incredible it was to fly from the ground to a hundred meters up in the air in just an instant. Her Fire Guard Type 5 Armor certainly couldn''t do that.


    In fact, not just the onlookers below, but even Rocky himself hadn''t expected the White Demon Armor to be so powerful. Therefore, when he stopped in the air, he too was almost dumbfounded.


    "Kid, how does it feel?"


    "Teacher, it''s too fast! This Armor is amazing!"


    "Don''t get excited just yet, your task now is to fly at full throttle. Let me see the data on the Armor''s performance in this regard."


    "Got it!"


    After a brief exchange with Orton, Rocky let out a long howl in the sky and instantly pushed the Armor''s speed to its limit, disappearing in the blink of an eye.


    Clearly, he had flown off, at such a high speed that the naked eye couldn''t even catch him.


    As he flew further away, Orton and the others nodded with a smile, as if the performance of the White Demon was exactly as they had expected.


    Indeed, it was exactly that. They had designed the Armor together, so they had a good estimate of what the Armor could achieve. Therefore, when Rocky instantly flew a hundred meters into the air, Orton and the others weren''t surprised, but they were very pleased.


    Afterward, Orton and the others gathered around the testing platform again, observing a series of data on it.


    "The flight speed is very fast, even better than expected."


    "Hmm, how about the magic energy supply system?"


    "No problems, everything is normal."


    "And the consumption?"


    "Within controllable limits, just as expected."


    "Is the Armor''s endurance normal?"


    "Very stable."


    Watching a series of readings on various instruments, Orton and the others continually monitored the White Demon Armor, and the results made them very satisfied. From the current performance, the Armor was doing extremely well!

 Chapter 237 Weapon System

    All data for the White Demon Armor was performing normally, allowing Orton and others to finally relax.Although numerous tests had been conducted before, wearing the armor in reality was a completely different matter from just testing. Therefore, even with high confidence in the White Demon Armor, everyone was still somewhat apprehensive when Rocky put it on and began a series of tests.


    Now it seemed, Orton and his team''s efforts weren''t in vain. They had invested a lot of Gold Coins and sheer hard work to develop this new model of armor, and it was quite successful.


    Of course, this success was only in terms of basic functions, meaning the armor could fly, move, and its Magic Energy operated without issues. But to truly validate a new armor model, many other aspects needed to be checked, such as its critical combat capabilities!


    While there are indeed some who treat Void Magic Armor as mere showy props, the true purpose of such armors is still combat. Therefore, to verify whether an armor is up to standard or even exceptional, its combat ability is of utmost importance!


    And in this regard, the White Demon Armor was naturally no slouch.


    Thanks to the powerful Magic Energy support, Orton and his team had included a rich array of weapon systems in the armor, most of which were modifications from the old fourth-generation armor weapon systems. Additionally, a smaller part consisted of new weapons developed through their original technology. In any case, Orton and his team had fitted all the weapons they could currently equip onto the White Demon Armor!


    So after about fifteen minutes, when Rocky flew around Thunderhawk City and returned to the research facility, the testing for this part began!


    The testing of the weapon systems was naturally more complicated than basic testing because of the many factors involved, from the operation of the weapons to their strength and power, and even the armor''s application of these weapons in actual combat scenarios were part of the test items.


    Because it was too complex, Orton and his team decided to first let Rocky familiarize himself with the White Demon Armor''s weapon systems and initially test each weapon''s operating conditions. Specific data and such would be saved for his participation in Arena matches later, where further observations would be made. After all, weapons are meant for real combat, and testing them in actual combat scenarios is also the most effective way to see results.


    "Kid, how does it feel?"


    When Rocky, clad in the White Demon Armor, returned, Orton asked him via the Magic Energy Communicator.


    "Thrilling!"


    "Awesome!"


    "Super fast!"


    After the question, Rocky''s incredibly excited voice came through the communicator, clearly showing how thrilled he was from his recent flight around Thunderhawk City!


    Indeed, Rocky truly felt exceptionally thrilled right now, as before this he had only worn the Blood Pattern Mark II Armor, which, even after several enhancements, had a magic energy value that never exceeded 1000. So, when he put on the White Demon Armor, which had a magic energy value of 10,000, the feeling was absolutely mind-blowing.


    "City Lord, kid, don''t get too excited yet. We''ve hardly just begun,"


    Seeing Rocky so thrilled, Hammerfire laughed and chided him, then said, "Now let''s test the weapon systems, and then you can get excited."


    "Alright!"


    Hearing they were about to test weapons, Rocky naturally became even more excited.


    The Blood Pattern Mark II Armor, which he previously wore, was the most outdated model, so its weapon system was hardly worth mentioning; aside from a standard regulation sword, the whole armor had only one Mana Launcher, which could only fire Magic Energy Bullets as effectively as scratching an itch. Because of this, Rocky was full of anticipation for the White Demon Armor''s weapon system.


    "City Lord, the White Demon''s melee weapon is on your left leg. Let me teach you how to use it¡­"


    "Left leg?"


    Hearing Hammerfire, Rocky looked down at the armor''s left leg and then tried Hammerfire''s method. Click - a handle popped out from the position of the left leg bracer.


    Holding the hilt in his hand, Rocky activated the magic energy runes on it, and the sword formed gradually from the magic energy materialization!


    "This is a Mana Sword driven by magic energy provided by the runes, and your right bracer can unfold a matching Magic Energy Shield," said Hammerfire.


    As Hammerfire had described, Rocky then raised his right arm, and upon activating the magic energy, a shield formed from the magic energy materialization appeared.


    "The Mana Sword and Magic Energy Shield are White Demon Armor''s melee weapons. The magic energy consumed by both is independently accounted for by the runes. However, if needed, additional magic energy can be supplied by the armor to increase the attack and defense strength," Hammerfire explained.


    "Besides the melee weapons, the armor''s right hand is also equipped with a triple-fire Mana Launcher capable of firing a Magic Energy Cannon with a power of 200 points."


    "You can try it," Hammerfire suggested.


    While they were speaking, Hammerfire pointed towards a large rock in the courtyard. Rocky turned around and lifted his right arm to aim at the rock.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Under Rocky''s operation, the Mana Launcher on his right arm immediately shot out three Magic Energy Bullets. Just after two sets of consecutive shots, the targeted rock was shattered into pieces.


    "Very good," Hammerfire remarked, nodding in approval of the power, before continuing, "Besides the arm''s Mana Launcher, the White Demon Armor''s shoulders can also fire Magic Bullets to aid in close-range attacks."


    "Additionally, there''s a small Magic Energy Beam Cannon on the waist of the armor. It can perform long-range attacks when fired concentrated, or disrupt nearby enemies with scattering beams if dispersed," Hammerfire added.


    "Moreover, six Smoke Grenades are hidden inside the backplate of the armor; they can be used for cover when necessary, but don''t try it now; it produces too much smoke," he advised. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "In terms of defense, apart from the Magic Energy Shield, you can also deploy a three-meter diameter Defensive Net capable of withstanding any attacks below 3000 magic energy points. Attacks exceeding this value will also have a similar magnitude of their power negated," he explained.


    "As for the ultimate weapon of this armor, it is the high-powered Magic Energy Beam Cannon hidden inside the chest plate¡­"


    "Oh?"


    Upon hearing Hammerfire''s words, driven by curiosity, Rocky immediately activated the high-powered Magic Energy Beam Cannon, a weapon he not only heard of but also witnessed in action. During the elimination of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Karina had destroyed an Escort Ship with a single shot from this weapon!


    Suddenly, the front of the White Demon Armor opened, revealing a huge cannon hidden within the chest plate!


    At the same time, the magic energy inside the chest plate began to rapidly gather towards the cannon mouth.


    "Stop! Damn kid, stop!"


    Just then, Orton''s voice suddenly appeared as he shouted into the Magic Energy Communicator, "This beam cannon is too powerful and is still being adjusted. You mustn''t use it, or you''ll blow up the research facility itself!"


    Upon hearing Orton''s words, Rocky was startled and quickly canceled the magic energy beam cannon that was about to fire.


    Only when the chest plate of the White Demon Armor closed again did Orton and the others breathe a sigh of relief. They had indeed been scared. As Orton mentioned, all other weapon systems of the White Demon Armor had been verified and adjusted and were generally safe. The only exception was the large-caliber Magic Energy Beam Cannon, because it was simply too powerful!


    PS: I am truly sorry for the late update today; please forgive me. Another chapter is coming soon.

 Chapter 238 Register to Compete!

    "Kid, these are basically the weapon systems of the White Demon Armor. Your next task is to keep operating these weapons. On one hand, it will help you become familiar with the armor, and on the other hand, it will allow us to collect various data.""Once you have mastered these basics, only then will you be able to participate in the Arena matches. Understand?"


    After Rocky had put away the high-powered Magic Energy Beam Cannon, Orton breathed a sigh of relief and then said to Rocky.


    The basic tests of the White Demon Armor were temporarily concluded now, and the results made everyone very satisfied. However, this was just the beginning. The purpose of these tests was merely to prove that the White Demon Armor operated normally. Whether it could be combat-effective would only be determined after Rocky participated in the Arena matches.


    But before that, Rocky had to familiarize himself with the armor. After all, the White Demon Armor was too advanced for him, completely on a different level from the Blood Pattern Mark II. Thus, if he wanted to compete in the Arena with the White Demon Armor and win, Rocky indeed needed a lot of preparation, just as Liliya once did with the Fire Guard Type 5.


    Consequently, for the next half month, Rocky visited the research lab almost daily, donning the White Demon Armor every day to familiarize himself with its various operations, while also fulfilling the various demands of Orton and others, providing them with all sorts of data about the armor.


    In the beginning, Rocky indeed seemed quite unfamiliar with operating the White Demon Armor. Firstly, because this armor was a huge leap from the ones he had previously used, making it necessary for him to learn from scratch; secondly, the core drive had changed to runes, resulting in some operational changes in the armor that he also needed to adapt to.


    Therefore, in the first few days, Rocky did not perform very well in using the White Demon Armor, which inevitably caused Orton and the others some concern.


    Before this, everyone had already decided that once Rocky adapted and became familiar with the White Demon Armor, they would let him participate in the Arena competitions. This would not only help fund their research but also provide real battle data, a perfect win-win.


    But when everyone saw Rocky''s performance, they began to hesitate. The White Demon Armor was definitely capable of competing in the Arena, but what about Rocky? In his current state, could he compete?


    It''s known that even the strongest and most superb armor ultimately relies on the person operating it. If the skill of the Void Magic Warrior is not up to the mark, then even the strongest armor won''t perform to its potential. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And the impression Rocky had given everyone over the previous few days was just that¡ªhe seemed too mediocre.


    However, as days passed, everyone began to realize they might have been mistaken.


    After all, Rocky was a tested Void Magic Warrior. From the first time he donned a Void Magic Suit, he had used the armor in battle, from discovering Mana Runes to his recent annihilation of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. He had relied on the Void Magic Armor in battle and often led the charges against formidable foes.


    So aside from being the City Lord, Rocky was actually a truly seasoned and experienced Void Magic Warrior.


    In this context, as he spent more and more time in the White Demon Armor, he adapted better and better. And this change was not gradual; it was by leaps and bounds!


    What does leaps and bounds mean?


    It means that one day Rocky might still have troubles with some operations of the armor, but by the next day, he not only fully mastered these operations but even performed them exceedingly well, as if he had undergone long-term training!


    This was precisely Rocky''s learning style. Initially lukewarm, but as time went on, his progress accelerated, as if he was building a foundation at first, and then erupting later on.


    As his progress surged, Orton and the others finally felt reassured, and they eventually completed all the basic tests of the White Demon Armor after half a month.


    Next, what Rocky needed to do was to participate in the Arena, to fight in real battles!


    ......


    ......


    That day, Rocky, accompanied by Liliya and others, arrived at Eternal City and headed straight for the biggest entertainment district in the city.


    As one of the most popular entertainment venues in Eternal City, the Arena was located right at the heart of the entertainment district. Due to its immense popularity, the Arena was vast, even larger than a ordinary city block, featuring a huge oval arena besides the main platform and eight smaller stages. As for the audience it could accommodate, the number was a staggering one hundred thousand people!


    An arena could accommodate an audience comparable to the population of a large Sky City, which speaks volumes about the grandeur of this place.


    "Over here, this is the registration desk."


    After some searching, Rocky and his companions found the place where competitors were registered, only to see a long line!


    As previously mentioned, although both parties in the arena must be Void Magic Warriors, the arena itself provides Armor to the competitors. This allows many soldiers, martial artists, and even ordinary people without Armor to have a chance to compete, especially with the generous rewards of the competition, making the number of registrants very high.


    "How long will we have to wait?"


    Facing a line that had at least a hundred people, Rocky was puzzled; he hadn''t expected so many to register for the competition.


    Hadn''t Orton and the others said that the arena''s competitions were extremely dangerous and brutal, where a slight mishap could result in death on the field? Rocky''s confusion stemmed from wondering whether all these hundred competitors were famed Void Magic Armor users.


    The answer to this question was, of course, no, but as the old saying goes, "People die for wealth as birds die for food." In the face of immense benefits, some people are willing to risk their lives.


    "My Lord, why don''t you rest for a while? I''ll wait here in line," Monte suggested, standing to the side.


    Hearing this, Rocky nodded, then took Liliya and Aileen to a nearby shop and ordered some food.


    After about two full hours, it was finally Monte''s turn in the registration line, and Rocky was able to successfully register for the arena.


    What somewhat surprised him was the simplicity of the arena''s registration procedure, which was frustratingly minimal.


    "Would you like to use your real name?"


    Rocky stood in front of the registration desk, but the beautiful woman inside the counter did not even glance at him before she directly asked.


    "No."


    "Then we''ll just use a number for you, your number is 1021."


    "Will you bring your own Void Magic Armor, or do you need one provided by the tournament?"


    "My own."


    It wasn''t until Rocky finished this sentence that the woman at the counter looked up at him, and then handed over a contract.


    "Place your handprint here to indicate that you agree that the arena is not responsible for any accidents that occur during the match."


    Rocky took the contract and handed it directly to Aileen standing beside him. After Aileen had read it and nodded, he then placed his handprint on it.


    This contract was indeed a life-and-death agreement as mentioned; once you placed your handprint, it meant that you had signed the contract, and the arena would not be responsible for your life or death during the competition.


    After handing over the contract to the beautiful woman at the counter, Rocky received a tag engraved with the number 1021 and also obtained a book of rules for the arena.


    "The preliminaries are in three days. Just bring your tag to participate then. Next!"

 Chapter 239 The Great Melee!

    After waiting in line for several hours, Rocky only took a few minutes to successfully register for the Arena competition, meaning he could participate in just three days!Although he had long been prepared, when he actually registered for the competition, Rocky still felt somewhat nervous.


    As the City Lord, he had fought more than once, facing opponents ranging from Demons to Void Magic Warriors, and even warships, and each battle was a matter of life and death. Logically, his experience should have been sufficient.


    However, the battles Rocky had experienced were different from the competitions in the Arena. Just as Orton had once warned him, one must never underestimate the battles in the Arena. After all, no one risks their life frivolously, so every opponent who steps into the arena is formidable and at least prepared to die.


    In such a situation, after completing the registration, Rocky returned to the Star of the Sky. He seemed to revert to his old self, like the first time he went to hunt Demons, using this last bit of time to diligently adjust his mindset.


    Meanwhile, Liliya, Aileen, Monte, and Orton were helping Rocky study the Arena''s competition rules.


    Although all of them had heard of the Arena and some had even watched its competitions, they had only been spectators at the time, and the matches were just entertainment for them. However, now that Rocky was competing, the roles of Liliya and the others had changed. They needed to ensure everything besides the competition itself was taken care of so that Rocky could compete with peace of mind.


    It must be said, this was the advantage of being the City Lord. If it were an ordinary contestant, they would have to do everything themselves. Who else would help? But Rocky was different. As the City Lord, he had a group of highly capable confidants to handle everything, allowing him to concentrate solely on the competition.


    As for matters outside the competition itself, there were only three points worth noting.


    Firstly, the competition rules.


    Although it was a competition, even one where life and death hung in the balance, there were still rules. However, the Arena''s competitions, designed to entertain the audience, simplified the rules as much as possible.


    The competition arena was a thirty-meter by thirty-meter square ring. The match officially began the moment both competitors stepped onto the ring. There were no referees, no restrictions on weapons, and no limits on tactics, meaning any means, fair or foul, could be freely used as long as one could win the match.


    During the battle, if one side died, surrendered, or fell off the ring, then the match was declared over.


    However, it was important to note that if an opponent surrendered or fell off the ring, the victor must not continue to attack; doing so would result in a loss due to foul play.


    This meant that if one faced an opponent so formidable that defeat seemed inevitable or even life-threatening, surrendering or jumping off the ring would be the best way to preserve one''s life. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The victor of the match would directly receive the competition rewards and also gain points.


    Speaking of points in the Arena competitions, this brings us to the second point worth noting, the schedule.


    The Arena''s competitions were not a progression system but rather a rank system. After winning the initial qualifying match, not only could the victorious contestants advance to the official competition and receive rewards, but they would also be assigned a Combat Skill Rank by the Arena.


    The Combat Skill Rank was crucial for Arena competitions and arguably the most important factor, as the level of the rank affected both the rewards and the strength of the opponents.


    Once one had a Combat Skill Rank, each victory would earn corresponding points. Accumulating sufficient points would elevate one''s rank, and with each rank increase, the rewards after winning a match would also increase. However, the opponents would also upgrade to competitors of the same rank.


    Additionally, because of the ranking system, even if a contestant lost a match, it was not a big concern. Losing a match essentially just meant losing points, and the most severe penalty for losing multiple matches was a demotion in rank. Ultimately, one could still continue to participate in the matches.


    Of course, this assumes one crucial premise: surviving the lost matches. As long as one survived, even losing a hundred matches in a row would be acceptable.


    This system had given rise to a group of contestants who frequented the Arena year-round, relying on its competitions for their livelihood. Each of them was a top expert, some even famous throughout the skies and extremely difficult to handle.


    These perennial Arena contestants were what Liliya and the others were most worried about because they were too familiar with the competition. To outsiders, the ring might appear dangerous and brutal, but to these veterans, it was like home. Thus, Liliya and the others were very reluctant for Rocky to encounter such competitors, as even with the White Demon Armor, he might not gain any advantage and could even face mortal danger.


    Fortunately, the chances of encountering these ''veterans'' of the Arena were actually not high, at least for Rocky. Since these perennial contestants all had higher ranks, Rocky, being a typical newcomer to the Arena, was unlikely to face them directly.


    In fact, what Rocky should be most concerned about right now was not his future opponents, but the upcoming qualifying match.


    When Liliya and the others learned what the qualifying match involved, their hearts sank because this match was not going to be easy...


    The qualifying match Rocky was to participate in was not a one-on-one competition, but a free-for-all!


    Ten Void Magic Warriors fighting on one ring, facing a brutal battle where nine were eliminated and only one could advance. That was the nature of the qualifying match!


    In a ten-man free-for-all, where one advances, the difficulty was no joke. On a ring with ten competitors, everyone else was an opponent, truly making the qualifying match a one versus nine battle!


    What''s more, such matches were greatly unpredictable. Even the strongest contenders could inadvertently perish in the chaos. For Rocky, this was particularly true.


    So, upon learning that the qualifying match was a ten-person free-for-all, Liliya immediately sought out Rocky not only to inform him but also to help him prepare.

 Chapter 240 Attracting Attention

    "What''s there to worry about? Just use the White Demon to blast everyone off the platform and that''s it!"As everyone discussed how they could win the preliminary round, Hammerfire spoke up disdainfully from the side.


    In his view, unless the opponent was wearing fifth-generation Special Armor or custom-made Armor, no other Armor stood a chance against the White Demon Armor; so why not just use brute force in this melee and kill all the opponents?


    "Impossible,"


    No sooner had he finished his sentence than Liliya shook her head, "According to the Arena''s rules, if the contestants don''t have their own Void Magic Armor, the Arena will provide fourth-generation Mass Production Type Armor for contestants to use. This means that all participants of the preliminary selection will be wearing at least fourth-generation Mass-Produced Armor. The White Demon isn''t that powerful, is it?"


    It had been mentioned previously that the Arena would offer Armor to contestants who didn''t have the means, and the Armor provided by the Arena was the fourth-generation Mass Production Type Armor!


    If it were a one-on-one battle, the White Demon Armor could naturally suppress any fourth-generation Armor by 100%, not to mention the Mass-Produced Type, even the Special Armor wouldn''t be a match for the White Demon; but don''t forget, the preliminary round was a ten-person melee!


    Since the Arena provided fourth-generation Mass Production Type Armor, it meant in the ten-person melee, the opponents Rocky would face at the very least would be wearing fourth-generation Mass-Produced Armor. The White Demon was indeed strong, but it still wasn''t dominant enough to easily take on nine at once.


    Therefore, hoping that Rocky could rely on the advantage of his Armor to dominate and defeat all the opponents was a very slim possibility, or to put it bluntly, downright impossible.


    This only made everyone even more worried because, in a one-on-nine situation, even the White Demon Armor might not be able to suppress the opponents 100%... Didn''t this imply that Rocky had no surefire assurance of victory in the preliminary round?


    Could it be that he couldn''t even get past the preliminary selection?


    "Don''t worry about me, I''ll be fine,"


    Just as everyone was worrying about Rocky''s first match, Rocky himself appeared quite relaxed. Without a hint of nervousness or concern, he simply spoke these words and then went straight back to his room, leaving the bewildered others behind.


    "This kid, he doesn''t actually think that if he gets eliminated in the preliminary round, he can still continue fighting, does he?"


    As they watched Rocky''s retreating figure, Orton muttered with a sneer.


    Although the Arena competition adopted a Rank system, which meant as long as one was alive, one could keep competing, this premise required one to first win the preliminary round. Only by winning the preliminary round could one earn a Rank.


    "Enough, you don''t need to worry blindly,"


    Just as everyone was puzzled by Rocky''s calm and composed demeanor, Aniye spoke up from the side, "Don''t treat Rocky as though he''s a novice. Not only is he a City Lord, but he has also participated in numerous battles. So, he must be more aware of what''s at stake than us. Rest assured."


    ......


    ......


    Three days had passed in the blink of an eye, and before long, the day of the preliminary round arrived.


    Early that morning, Rocky arrived at the Arena and successfully entered the backstage area using the number plate he had obtained during registration.


    According to the Arena''s schedule, there would be six preliminary round battles today, three in the morning and three in the afternoon. This meant that just for today''s competition alone, there would be as many as sixty contestants!


    Although Rocky''s match wasn''t until the afternoon, he arrived early because he wanted to watch the morning''s matches in advance, so he would know what to expect when it was his turn to compete.


    Many other competitors had the same idea, so when he arrived at the participants'' lounge, he was met with a sea of people¡ªthe lounge was packed with over a hundred individuals!


    With sixty competitors in the event, why were there over a hundred people in the lounge?


    Because many competitors came with their ''support groups,'' like Rocky...


    Ever since the last assassination attempt, Rocky had been relatively safe in Thunderhawk City, but outside, especially in Eternal City, Liliya and Monte had become inseparable from him. Therefore, even though Rocky wasn''t too keen on it, Liliya and Monte didn''t give him a choice and simply came along for this competition.


    "You don''t have to do this... didn''t teacher say that we should keep a low profile as much as possible¡­"


    Looking at the two who were always by his side, and then at the majority of the competitors in the lounge who had arrived alone, Rocky felt somewhat awkward.


    However, Liliya and Monte didn''t care about his awkwardness at all, and the same went for the glances from others.


    In fact, as soon as Rocky and his companions entered the lounge, they attracted the attention of many competitors.


    Helpless to stop it, the three of them were quite conspicuous among the crowd of competitors. Liliya stood out for sure; in a lounge full of men with very few women, her striking presence was bound to draw eyes.


    Monte was similarly noticeable; his towering stature made him stick out like a sore thumb among the humans, hard to miss by anyone''s standards.


    As for Rocky, there was even less need to mention how he couldn''t help but become the center of everyone''s attention when flanked by two such noticeable companions. Moreover, as the City Lord, Rocky''s aura was already distinct from ordinary people, and no sooner had he appeared than countless gazes fixed on him.


    In such a situation, Rocky had no choice but to find a corner to sit down. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By doing this, he evidently wanted to keep a low profile; after all, Rocky didn''t want to attract too much attention. However, this idea, although good in theory, was impossible to achieve. Having already attracted attention upon entry, even sitting in a corner, he still became a subject of speculation.


    "Who''s that guy?"


    "Do you even have to ask? Definitely some noble''s son. Ugh! These shameless folks!"


    Some competitors who had come to participate glanced at Rocky in the corner and said disapprovingly.


    Among the numerous competitors in the Arena, the majority were commoners or ordinary soldiers. However, there were also those of much higher status.


    These high-status participants, including renowned Void Magic Warriors or noble heirs, would often choose to enter the competition anonymously, each with their own reasons, whether to temper themselves or simply for the thrill, among other possible motives.


    To the other competitors in the lounge, Rocky was clearly one such individual.


    Yet, towards such individuals, other competitors naturally had an antipathy, especially during the preliminaries, for any high-born competitor was sure to have high-grade Armor. In the eyes of the others, this was viewed as an unfair advantage, with no one fond of having a much stronger opponent.


    So as Rocky sat in the corner accompanied by Liliya and Monte, not only were there whispers among other competitors, but some began to talk to each other in hushed tones, seemingly conspiring about something...

 Chapter 241 Conflict

    Regarding the whispers and conspiratorial exchanges of the other contestants, Rocky didn''t pay much attention. He knew they were discussing him and even understood that some might be plotting something, but none of that mattered to him. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Rocky was well aware of why he had come to compete in the Arena. He wasn''t there to make friends or engage in idle gossip; he had three clear objectives for his participation.


    First was to earn money. Whether through the competition''s rewards or the betting around it, as long as he could win the matches, he could earn a substantial amount of money.


    Second was to test the combat abilities of the White Demon Armor. The basic tests for the White Demon Armor were already completed and its performance was quite satisfactory. The next step was to verify the Armor''s combat abilities through real and intense competition.


    Third was to hone his own skills. The competitions in the Arena were brutal and dangerous, but they also presented a great opportunity to refine his abilities. Thus, besides earning money and testing the Armor, Rocky hoped to strengthen his own capabilities through the competition.


    These three goals outlined his purpose for participating in the competition. Beyond these, he didn''t need to consider anything else. As for how others viewed him, he cared even less; he simply preferred to keep a low profile.


    In this situation, Rocky quietly stayed in the resting hall, avoiding any contact with other competitors, resembling a proud eagle perched atop a tree branch.


    Unlike him, Liliya and Monte were constantly looking around, keenly observing the other contestants in the hall.


    Their vigilance was partly for Rocky''s safety. Following a previous assassination attempt, each time they went out, Liliya and Monte would be on high alert, always ready for someone who might dare to make a reckless move.


    Additionally, they were helping Rocky to scope out his opponents in advance.


    As mentioned before, as the City Lord, Rocky didn''t need to handle everything personally. Liliya and the others would take care of many things for him, such as collecting intelligence on the opponents beforehand.


    Upon learning that the format of the preliminary competition was a melee, although Rocky seemed unconcerned, Liliya and the others didn''t idle because of his calmness. On the contrary, they continued gathering information on the opponents through various channels. Therefore, Rocky already knew which nine competitors he would face in the preliminaries, thanks to Liliya''s efforts.


    Following her gaze, Liliya soon spotted a towering brute in the crowd.


    This towering brute was extremely noticeable among the contestants because his physique was so formidable, almost matching Monte''s beastly size as a Beastman, which was hard not to draw attention.


    Known as Powerful Peter, he was one of Rocky''s opponents in the preliminary contest.


    Powerful Peter was just an ordinary resident of Eternal City, but he possessed natural monstrous strength. It was said that without wearing any Void Magic Armor, he could defeat ordinary warriors easily, so his abilities were somewhat formidable. More importantly, this was his third time participating in the preliminary contests of the Arena!


    The Arena''s preliminary contests were held quarterly. The victor would gain a Rank and qualify for the rank competitions, while the losers would be eliminated and could only sign up again for the next preliminary contest, provided they survived the match.


    And Powerful Peter was a contestant who had participated in multiple preliminary contests. But one shouldn''t underestimate him just because he had been eliminated several times before.


    According to information Liliya gathered from various sources, Powerful Peter persisted in participating in the preliminaries and faced elimination repeatedly. Partly because he was a civilian lacking his own Void Magic Armor¡ªthough the Arena provided Armor, it couldn''t be operated as efficiently as by a true Void Magic Warrior¡ªleading to his successive defeats; another reason was simply bad luck. Every time he participated in the preliminaries, Powerful Peter found himself pitted against very strong opponents. These opponents were so formidable that after defeating him, they ascended to high Ranks.


    All things considered, Powerful Peter was definitely an opponent worth noting. Having participated in numerous preliminaries, he had become quite familiar with operating the Armor. Combined with his experience from previous competitions, he would definitely pose a threat to Rocky.


    After glancing at Powerful Peter, Liliya turned her head towards another side and immediately noticed three men.


    From their posture, demeanor, and the aura they exuded, it was clear they were trained warriors or soldiers. Interestingly, these three men looked almost identical!


    Triples brothers!


    Jeff, Jerry, and Jess were not only triplet brothers but also soldiers from a Sky City. However, their city had fallen, and they had since moved to Eternal City, currently working as guards for a local nobleman.


    They were also Rocky''s competitors, deserving more attention than Powerful Peter because they were experienced soldiers with far stronger combat abilities than ordinary people. Moreover, in a melee, the three collaborating would undoubtedly have a higher chance of winning than others. Even Rocky, if facing their combined attack, would struggle to prevail.

 Chapter 241 Conflict_2

    Powerful Peter, along with the triplets, were Rocky''s most notable opponents in the preliminary competition, as for the others, according to Liliya''s investigation, they didn''t pose much of a problem, being merely small-time characters not worth mentioning.After observing the triplets, Liliya had planned to turn back, but then she inadvertently noticed another group of people.


    As mentioned before, there were only sixty competitors in the preliminary competition, but the resting lounge housed over a hundred people, many of whom weren''t competitors but rather the competitors'' "support groups".


    For instance, Rocky, who was accompanied by Liliya and Monte, and the group Liliya noticed now was no exception, even more exaggerated than Rocky''s!


    Following her gaze, one could see a young master surrounded by a crowd; this young master looked only a year or two older than Rocky, but he was surrounded by more than a dozen people, both men and women, giving off the feeling of a large family on vacation.


    Being pampered by the crowd, the young master was undoubtedly comfortable, with people bringing him tea and water, a beauty massaging his back, and two muscular men guarding him nearby, roughly pushing away other competitors who tried to approach or merely pass by, creating a perimeter of several meters around the group where no one else was present.


    Clearly, this young master was no ordinary person; being able to show such grandeur in the resting lounge of the Arena, if he were outside, wouldn''t he be transported in a palanquin?


    Interestingly, just as Liliya noticed this young master, he also happened to see her, and the moment he saw Liliya, his eyes lit up!


    His eyes gleaming with a sharp light towards Liliya, the young master immediately shrugged off the beauty who had been massaging his shoulders, stood up, and headed straight towards Liliya!


    As he moved, the dozen or so attendants around him also moved, with the two muscular men clearing the way ahead, pushing away small groups of competitors along the path.


    In no time at all, the young master, along with his entourage, came to the corner where Rocky was.


    Upon reaching Rocky and the others, he first glanced at Liliya, then turned towards Rocky.


    "Brother, is she your guard?"


    Having sized up Rocky, the young master started speaking cheerfully, and while talking, glanced at Liliya again.


    "Yes."


    Sitting on a long bench, Rocky looked at him but did not stand up or show much emotion, simply answering with a single word.


    "Our young master is speaking to you, stand up!"


    "Disrespectful fool! Stand up when you speak!"


    Rocky''s refusal to stand up immediately aroused dissatisfaction among the group of servants, including the young master who frowned. However, he soon gestured with his hand, stopping the loud shouts of the servants.


    "Brother, this guard of yours is really not bad, let me have her, let''s be friends."


    After this, the young master straightforwardly asked Rocky for Liliya!


    He had come over because he was attracted to Liliya from the first moment he saw her.


    This was normal, as Liliya was beautiful, but not just a pretty face¡ªunapproachable and delicate¡ªher beauty was the kind with an enticing charm beneath the surface.


    Her battlefield experiences gave her an air of valiant elegance, a trait rare among ordinary women, so much so that almost everyone who saw her couldn''t help but take a second look, including the other competitors in the resting lounge who couldn''t resist stealing a few glances.


    The young master in front of her was also captivated by Liliya, but his intentions were not just to steal glances; he wanted to possess Liliya directly!


    The moment he finished speaking, Rocky, who was sitting on the bench, just gave him a look.


    Experience exclusive tales on empire


    "Leave."


    After a brief glance at the young master, Rocky responded concisely with one word!


    His response immediately changed the young master''s expression; clearly, he hadn''t expected Rocky to treat him that way.


    As his expression changed, the people behind immediately understood, and one of the butler-looking men signaled to the two muscular men; upon receiving the signal, they stepped towards Rocky.


    The two muscular men, one headed toward Rocky, the other toward Liliya¡ªit was clear they intended to teach Rocky a lesson while directly seizing Liliya!


    Unfortunately for the man headed towards Rocky, he hadn''t even got close when a hand much larger than his head clasped his neck, and then the man suddenly found himself lifted off the ground!


    "What are you doing so close?"


    With one hand, Monte lifted the burly man and roared in a deep voice, then flung his hand, and the man he had lifted was thrown towards a group of young masters like he was just a sack.


    The other contestants were stupefied by this scene. Good lord, was he using a person as a sandbag?


    Meanwhile, just as everyone was still reeling from Monte''s action, a scream erupted. Hearing the scream, everyone hurriedly turned their heads only to see the man who had tried to grab Liliya kneeling in a pool of blood, howling continuously while reaching for the ground.


    Reaching for what?


    For his hand that Liliya had chopped off!


    When this man had tried to grab Liliya, he had barely reached out his hand when a flash of cold light streaked by, and Liliya had chopped off his outstretched hand with one swing of her sword!


    "You guys!"


    This outcome was obviously beyond everyone''s expectations. The already grim-faced young master looked even more displeased after seeing Monte and Liliya''s actions, and then glared fiercely at Rocky.


    "Brother, for a woman, you don''t even care about your own life. Is it worth it?"


    Staring intently at Rocky, the young master said coldly.


    Rocky, however, remained as steady as Mount Tai, sitting on the bench. After a while, he turned his head to look at the other man and slightly smiled, "Worth it."


    "Good!"


    Hearing this, instead of getting angry, the young master laughed out of frustration, but the laughter was filled with ferocity, "Very well! Since that''s the case, I''ll see you in the ring!"


    After saying this, the young master didn''t bother with the two burly men on the ground and turned to leave, and once he left, the crowd behind him didn''t dare to stay and followed suit.


    From there, the lounge regained its calm, truly calm this time. After the sequence of events, the remaining contestants in the hall seemed to have been frightened, with noticeably fewer chatting and talking, nobody daring to speak loud. All eyes were fixed on Rocky and the young master.


    "Hey, who is that guy in the corner daring to provoke Xia Nai?"


    "Xia Nai? Who is Xia Nai?"


    Although no one dared to be loud in the hall anymore, whispers had noticeably increased, and naturally, they were all about Rocky and the young master.


    "Xia Nai is that young master, the son of the Marquis of the Kafka Empire."


    "Oh... no wonder..."


    Hearing this, many contestants looked over at Xia Nai, their expressions revealing sudden realization. No wonder the young master was so ostentatious and domineering, he was the son of the Kafka Empire''s Marquis.


    In today''s world, nobles are not rare, but the vast majority are just titular nobles, meaning they have titles without real power. However, the nobles of the Kafka Empire are different. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Kafka Empire is not only one of the three major forces in the sky but also the only state among them. In this state, all the nobles have real power and territories.


    In the sky, what is a territory?


    It''s naturally Sky City!


    Therefore, the nobles of the Kafka Empire, each one possessing real power over a Sky City, which explains why the young master like Xia Nai had such a behavior and the performance earlier since his father is indeed the lord of a city.


    "I didn''t expect this guy to have such a background, the other guy might be in trouble."


    After glancing at Xia Nai, the contestants turned their gazes towards Rocky, with many of them shaking their heads. They could see that Rocky''s status must be extraordinary, but they felt that even if his status was high, it couldn''t compare to Xia Nai, whose father was the lord of a city!


    "Attention everyone! The morning matches are about to begin. Those participating in the first, second, and third preliminary matches, proceed immediately to the preparation rooms of Arena one, three, and five to get ready!"


    As everyone was discussing the conflict between Rocky and Xia Nai, an Arena staff member appeared and announced that the morning matches were about to start!

 Chapter 242 The Preliminary Contest!

    Rocky and Xia Nai''s conflict had just ended when the preliminary competition began. Following the staff''s announcement, half of the players in the rest area headed to their respective arenas, including Xia Nai."Let''s go too, to watch the other players'' matches," Rocky said as he stood up from the bench and spoke to Liliya and Monte, after all the competitors had left.


    His reason for coming to the Arena so early was to watch the other players'' matches, to get a concrete idea of the competition. So, as the players for the morning''s three preliminary matches took their positions, Rocky left the rest area, seemingly unaffected by the earlier altercation.


    Since he was a competitor, he enjoyed certain conveniences when watching the matches. The Arena had a special viewing area for competitors, where they could watch the action up close. However, if multiple matches were happening at once, they would need to choose which to watch.


    In this regard, Rocky didn''t hesitate. He randomly picked the third platform''s match to watch because he simply wanted to see what the preliminary matches were like, without having any particular player he wanted to follow.


    It wasn''t long after he entered the viewing area that the preliminary matches officially began!


    "Ladies and gentlemen! The first quarter preliminary competition of the Sky Era Year 118 is about to officially commence!"


    As mentioned before, the Arena is essentially for entertainment. So, when the preliminary matches were about to start, the announcer''s passionate voice resonated throughout, and cheers erupted from the stands. Clearly, the audience was growing impatient.


    "There''s quite a crowd..." Rocky couldn''t help but remark as he looked back at the audience from the viewing area. The stands around the third platform were practically full, with several thousand spectators at least, indicating the immense popularity of the Arena. Otherwise, so many wouldn''t attend just a preliminary match.


    "This isn''t even a big crowd yet," said Liliya as Rocky marveled. "These are only the preliminary matches, with a few thousand people. Once the rank matches start, that''s when you see larger crowds. I''ve heard that some high-rank matches can attract tens of thousands per match."


    "Really, that many people?" Rocky replied, turning to look at Liliya in surprise, but after a thought, it seemed reasonable since this was the Eternal City after all.


    "Ladies and gentlemen! The match at platform three will now begin! Please welcome the combatants to the stage!"


    While Rocky and Liliya were talking, the announcer''s exhilarated voice rang out again: "The first player to enter the stage is contestant number 997, who has chosen to remain anonymous!" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the announcement was made, one of the ten gates around the platform slowly opened, and a warrior wearing the fourth-generation Mass Production Type Armor appeared before the crowd. His image was simultaneously broadcast on the large screen within the Arena.


    However, the entrance of this first contestant didn''t incite much enthusiasm from the audience, for a simple reason. It was clear at a glance that the contestant was using the tournament-provided Armor, indicating average ability. And for an average competitor, the audience wasn''t generous with applause.


    Read new chapters at empire


    "And now, please welcome the second contestant!"


    As soon as the first contestant entered, the second gate opened, and another warrior in Void Magic Armor walked out, also sporting a fourth-generation Mass Production Type Armor. However, upon entering, he raised his longsword high, striking a rather cool pose.


    This display earned cheers from the crowd, evidently giving this second warrior a more enthusiastic reception than the previous one based on vigor.


    Afterwards, as the announcer kept introducing the participants, the ten players for this preliminary match entered the stage one after another. Interestingly, or perhaps coincidentally, none of the ten players in this preliminary round were true Void Magic Warriors, as all ten were wearing the fourth-generation Mass Production Type Armor provided by the Arena.


    This setup, whether intentional or not, left the audience quite dissatisfied. If all ten lacked their own Armor, it implied that none were genuine Void Magic Warriors, and therefore the quality of the preliminary match would likely be low. Since viewers paid to watch the match, they naturally felt discontent and responded with a resounding chorus of boos.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, please be patient..."


    "Do not underestimate these competitors or the Void Magic Armor provided by the tournament. Every contestant participating is one in a hundred, an outstanding warrior, and the Armor provided by the tournament is among the best of the fourth-generation, the Firepower 4-Type Armor. It is one of the most renowned in the fourth-generation Assault Armor series. With such skilled warriors and exceptional Armor, they are sure to deliver an exceptionally exciting match!"


    Facing the jeers of the audience, the announcer had no choice but to confidently explain away their concerns, swiftly followed by announcing: "Competitors, please step onto the platform and begin the preliminary match!"


    As soon as the announcer finished speaking, the ten contestants, who were already gathered around the platform, all jumped onto the stage together.

 Chapter 242 The Preliminary Contest! _2

    "The preliminary competition, officially begins!"All the competitors climbed onto the platform, and the announcer loudly declared the start of the competition, accompanied by a burst of cheers from the audience.


    However, even after the cheers from the audience had died down, the ten competitors who had stepped onto the platform still hadn''t moved. The ten competitors, each wearing Void Magic Armor, were evenly distributed across ten spots on the platform, but not a single one made a hasty move.


    From a professional point of view, the ten competitors had made the right choice. This was a melee. Each person''s opponents were the other nine people, and if someone had acted rashly, they would have easily been attacked by the others.


    It seemed the announcer hadn''t lied before. The competitors who could come to participate in the preliminary rounds, even if they weren''t Void Magic Warriors, were all experienced soldiers with quite high personal quality.


    However, although the competitors'' cautiousness was understandable, the audience didn''t accept it. Noticing the competitors not engaging in battle for an extended period, boos and some sporadic urging cries emerged from the audience seats, even some cursing.


    The audience''s reaction undoubtedly put great psychological pressure on the competitors. After all, not everyone can remain unaffected by external disturbances, whether outside or inside the arena.


    So, when the booing from the audience became intense, one of the competitors on the platform finally couldn''t withstand the pressure and took the lead in making a move.


    In this stalemate situation, once someone made the first move, the originally balanced situation was completely disrupted. Thus, when the first competitor acted, all the others followed suit!


    In an instant, the ten previously stationary individuals burst into a chaotic brawl!


    Simultaneously, as the brawl unfolded, the audience''s boos transformed directly into cheers, because for these spectators, the real competition had just begun at this moment.


    At this time, Rocky, who was in the spectator area, also focused his attention and carefully observed the platform.


    In his view, the ten competitors on the platform were thoroughly engaged in combat¡ªsome were fighting one-on-one, others two or three against one, and some were even fleeing across the sky when they were overpowered. The small platform was abuzz with activity.


    From Rocky''s professional perspective, none of the people on the platform were genuine Void Magic Warriors. Their handling of the Void Magic Armor was extremely clumsy, even worse than his first experience with the White Demon.


    Accordingly, the level of excitement of the competition could be imagined. Describing it as a brawl was fitting because it was indeed chaotic.


    But chaotic as it might be, the intensity was undeniable. The ten individuals on the platform fought fiercely; each one seemed to be fighting for their life, trying every means to knock their opponent off the platform.


    Indeed, due to its intensity, the spectators'' cheers and shouts hadn''t stopped since the fight had begun; everyone was incredibly excited.


    "Some of these people must have placed bets outside,"


    Hearing the crowd''s cheers, Liliya looked back at the audience seats and quickly noticed a few who were exceptionally excited. Then she said to Rocky,


    As mentioned before, combat in the Arena involved external betting¡ªeveryone, including the competitors themselves, could place bets on the matches and this was what made the Arena especially appealing, its allure even surpassing the competition itself.


    At this moment, there must be people among the cheering spectators who had placed bets on this competition; otherwise, they wouldn''t be so excited.


    "Did you guys bet on my match?"


    Since Liliya brought up the topic, Rocky asked casually. He had been focusing on adjusting his condition these days, so he hadn''t paid attention to this matter.


    "Of course, Aileen has already handled it,"


    "How much?"


    "Ten thousand Gold Coins."


    "That''s... too little, isn''t it?"


    Hearing the number Liliya mentioned, Rocky looked at her puzzledly because ten thousand Gold Coins indeed seemed too little.


    In response to his confusion, Liliya quickly provided an answer: "Aileen said it''s better to earn less than to lose more."


    "..."


    This response made Rocky suddenly feel a burst of depression. Did everyone really have so little faith in him?


    Feeling depressed, he turned to look at the arena. Experience tales with empire


    At that moment, the situation in the arena had reached a heated stage. Ten contestants were fighting fiercely. Unfortunately, since their abilities were quite similar, no winner had emerged, and not even one contestant had been eliminated.


    "Kang Ni seems to be out of strength! Could he be the first one to be eliminated?"


    As the contestants fought fiercely in the arena, the announcer outside was doing his best to commentate on the match. His voice was the loudest in the entire venue: "Contestant number 997 looks extremely strong! But now, he''s being attacked by two other contestants. Could such a strong contestant really be about to meet his end here?"


    "Everyone! Kang Ni is about to go down! He''s been pushed to the edge of the arena..."


    Just as the announcer was energetically explaining the match, suddenly, a deafening explosion sounded! The noise was so loud that it immediately interrupted the announcer''s voice and even the cheering of the audience. The contestants in the arena even stopped their movements!


    "What happened?"


    "What''s going on..."


    "Was that an explosion? It sounded like one!"


    The loud explosion startled everyone, and immediately after, a commotion arose. Everyone turned their heads in unison towards the source of the sound. They quickly realized that the explosion had come from another arena hosting preliminaries. Unfortunately, since the two arenas were in different venues, they could only hear the sound, with no idea of what had happened.


    However, just as everyone was feeling puzzled and confused, the announcer excitedly shouted: "Ladies and gentlemen! According to the latest news, the preliminary in Arena One has already ended!"


    "What?!" S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How is that possible!"


    "Isn''t that too fast?"


    As soon as the announcer finished speaking, the audience erupted into noise, everyone was incredulous. The match at Arena Three had just started, and the one at Arena One had already finished?


    That was too fast!


    Like the audience, upon hearing the announcer''s words, Rocky and others in the viewing area, and even the ten contestants in the arena, were equally surprised. It was a grand melee with ten participants! Even if a contestant was very strong, it was impossible to defeat the other nine in such a short time!


    Just when everyone was astounded, the Arena seemed to have anticipated this reaction and immediately switched the big screen to show Arena One, prompting everyone to look up.


    Upon looking, everyone gasped in unison!


    The image on the screen showed that Arena One was thoroughly devastated! As for the contestants, they were scattered across the broken arena, some groaning in pain while others were silent, obviously dead.


    At that moment, the image shifted, turning towards a Void Magic Warrior hovering midair, obviously the victor of Arena One.


    "My goodness! It''s the 5th generation armor!"


    "Idiot, look carefully before you speak, that''s the 5th generation Special Armor!"


    As the camera focused on the Void Magic Warrior, some sharp-eyed viewers recognized that he was wearing the 5th generation Special Armor!


    And as if he knew the camera was filming him, the Void Magic Warrior hanging in midair immediately took off his helmet, revealing a face like that of a playboy...


    Xia Nai!


    This Void Magic Warrior wearing the 5th generation Special Armor was none other than Xia Nai, who had had a conflict with Rocky!


    PS: Please recommend! Please recommend! Please recommend!

 Chapter 243 Target of All Arrows

    The preliminary round at Arena Three had just begun, but the match at Arena One had already come to a crushing end, and the victor was none other than Xia Nai!When Xia Nai took off his helmet, his princely face appeared on the mana screen for all to see.


    "So it''s him... no wonder..."


    Upon discovering that the victor was Xia Nai, many of the competitors in the viewing area with Rocky sighed, no longer surprised or incredulous, but resigned instead.


    To these competitors, the outcome was too predictable. As the son of the Marquis of Kafka Empire, Xia Nai had too great an advantage. Even setting aside his personal strength, just his 5th generation Special Armor was enough to sweep through the other competitors in the preliminary round.


    Meanwhile, after a collective sigh, many competitors turned their gaze toward Rocky because they had all witnessed his conflict with Xia Nai in the resting lounge. Now, since Xia Nai had won the preliminary round with undeniable dominance, their looks toward Rocky carried a slightly different nuance.


    Among these gazes, there were those gloating over misfortune, those resigned, and even some looking at Rocky with pity, clearly believing that Rocky had provoked an adversary he shouldn''t have. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was in for trouble.


    As for those looks, Rocky of course did not care one bit, and in truth, he wasn''t very concerned about Xia Nai either.


    Rocky had overheard some of the other competitors'' discussions and knew that Xia Nai was the son of a Marquis from the Kafka Empire, but what of it? Being a City Lord himself, if it were the Marquis himself, Rocky might have been somewhat apprehensive, but Xia Nai was just the Marquis''s son after all. Their statuses were not at all equivalent, and if Rocky were to be afraid, then he would not be worthy of his title as City Lord.


    So after that, Rocky turned his attention toward Arena Three.


    At that moment, the competitors at Arena Three also snapped back to reality, and as if inspired by Xia Nai''s victorious instance, they resumed the match with even more intense and brutal combat than before.


    In just a few minutes, the first elimination occurred; a competitor named Kang Ni was the first to be ousted and, at the same time, was the first to die on the arena!


    Kang Ni''s strength was the weakest among all the competitors, and after the match restarted, he was trapped by two opponents. A few exchanges later, not only did he lose, but he was also stabbed through the heart and died as he was eliminated...


    "Good!"


    "Good!! Well played!"


    "Splendid!"


    His death did not elicit any mourning; instead, it sparked waves of cheers from the audience, some of whom were so excited that they stood up.


    In the midst of this cheering, the other competitors, also stimulated by the bloodshed and sensing the threat to their lives, naturally fought even more fiercely.


    After the battle continued for over ten minutes, the preliminary round at Arena Three finally came to an end. The inconspicuous contestant No. 997 emerged victorious, but the victory came at a high cost: of the ten who had participated in the match, only four came out unscathed, while among the remaining six, three were dead and three were severely injured.


    "Let''s go."


    When the match result was decided and the announcer began to loudly declare the victor, Rocky, who had watched the entire match, said to Liliya and Monte before turning away from the viewing area and heading back to the resting lounge.


    "How do you feel?"


    Back in the resting lounge, still in the same corner, Liliya asked.


    "It''s alright, pretty much what I expected."


    With a slight smile towards her, Rocky remained composed and calm, indicating that the previous matches hadn''t strayed too far from his expectations.


    This wasn''t Rocky feigning composure, it was what he truly thought.


    In the past three days, Rocky had been making adjustments for this preliminary competition, both physically and mentally. With such thorough preparation, the intensity and brutality of the preliminaries hadn''t exceeded his expectations.


    "Promise me, don''t try to be a hero."


    Yet even with Rocky''s confident demeanor, Liliya felt both reassured and worried. Knowing him well, she was aware that if Rocky dared to speak such words, he must be confident. After all, his personality was such that he would plan carefully before taking action; he wouldn''t act rashly or pretend to be more capable than he truly was.


    But even so, Liliya couldn''t help but worry. A competition is full of uncertainties, anything could happen; therefore, despite making thorough preparations, accidents could still occur. That''s why Liliya hoped that Rocky wouldn''t try to be a hero. If he truly couldn''t win, preserving his life was the most important thing.


    "Don''t worry."


    Rocky flashed a grin and nodded. It wasn''t clear whether he had really taken her words to heart or if he was just trying to comfort Liliya.


    As they chatted, other contestants who were watching the matches gradually returned to the rest hall.


    However, once everyone had returned, the atmosphere in the rest hall felt much more oppressive than before, clearly reflecting the tension from the recent matches.


    Of the three matches that had taken place earlier, Rocky had only watched one. In that single match, three contestants had died.


    Unfortunately, by the end of all three matches, the number of contestants who had died wasn''t limited to three. In reality, once all three matches were over, fifteen contestants had perished!


    Out of thirty contestants, only half survived when the matches concluded!


    Of the three matches, the one with the fewest casualties was the one which Rocky had watched. In one of the other matches, four contestants died, while the one with the most casualties had eight fatalities¡ªit was the match Xia Nai participated in!


    "It''s horrifying¡­ truly horrifying¡­"


    The contestants who had watched Xia Nai''s match came back with pale faces. When asked by others, they spoke with dread: "You didn''t see it; Xia Nai was like a demon, not giving anyone a chance to surrender before he blew up the arena! Except for one lucky person, everyone else was blown to death!"


    "Alas..." After this person finished speaking, another contestant who had gone to watch the match sighed: "Too strong, the 5th generation Special Armor is just too powerful. The Armor provided by the Arena is practically paper-thin compared to this High-Level Armor, offering no chance of resistance."


    "Don''t worry, this time there should be only one ruthless person like Xia Nai. There wouldn''t be a second set of Special Armor... right?"


    As a contestant finished saying this, everyone paused for a moment, then they all turned their gazes toward a corner of the rest hall, looking in Rocky''s direction!


    Everyone knew that Rocky was no ordinary contender. Observing the two guards by his side, and recalling how he faced Head-to-Head with Xia Nai, it was clear he must be a tough opponent. So if there was anyone among the contestants who most likely possessed Special Armor, aside from Xia Nai, it would have to be Rocky!


    In the moment they looked at Rocky, everyone thought of this possibility. Some sighed with relief, as they weren''t in the same group as him, but others furrowed their brows, their expressions growing grim, because they were in the same group as Rocky and would have to compete with him for a chance to win a spot!


    "Contestants, the afternoon matches are about to begin. Everyone, please prepare."


    At that moment, an Arena staff member appeared again in the rest area, announcing that the afternoon matches were about to start!

 Chapter 244 Rocky Appears!

    With the conclusion of the three morning matches, the afternoon competitions began after the lunch break.The audience for the afternoon matches gradually entered the venue at this time, including Orton and others.


    "Which arena is Rocky in?"


    "Arena number two."


    "Have the tickets been purchased?"


    "They''re all bought, and all in the front row."


    As Orton queued up for ticket inspection and entry, his unrelated questions to Rocky revealed the old man''s evident nervousness.


    In fact, not only him, but also others who came along, such as Aniye, Hammerfire, Pelaya, and Aileen, Lin Feng, were all very nervous.


    "It''s too risky for the Lord to do this. Monte and I should be the ones participating in such competitions."


    Following a few elders, Lin Feng couldn''t help but express his complaints to Aileen.


    Lin Feng was unaware of the Rune matter, but he knew that Orton and others had developed new Armor for Rocky and roughly why Rocky was participating in the Arena. Nevertheless, he considered such action too hasty. After all, Rocky was the master of Thunderhawk City¡ªmore than three thousand people depended on him! How could he undertake such dangerous acts?


    "Alright, the Lord knows what he''s doing, you needn''t worry."


    After glancing at Lin Feng, Aileen couldn''t elaborate further and could only offer consolation.


    Not long after, Orton and the others entered the venue and took their seats in the front row.


    Meanwhile, Rocky had already arrived at the changing room reserved for competitors.


    Since participants were to wear the Void Magic Armor, each one would go from the relaxation hall to the designated changing room to get ready, and upon being prepared, they could proceed directly to the Arena.


    When Rocky entered the changing room, Monte opened a box he''d been carrying all along. Inside was the White Demon Armor!


    "Be cautious in everything."


    "I know."


    "Lord, you must pay attention to safety."


    "I know, I know."


    "Don''t try to show off..."


    "Alright, alright!"


    Rocky looked at Liliya and Monte helplessly. He didn''t know what to say in response to their excessive concern.


    Fortuitously, he had already donned the White Demon Armor, so he quickly put on the helmet, flashed a thumbs-up at Liliya and Monte, and then stepped out of the changing room.


    Leaving the changing room, Rocky saw a long corridor before him, with a large door tightly shut at the end. This corridor led straight to the competition scene, and the firmly locked door was the entrance to the stage.


    At this point, Liliya and Monte could not follow him any longer. Once a participant stepped onto the corridor outside the changing room, it signaled their imminent entry into the Arena, and no one else was allowed to follow; otherwise, the participant''s qualification would be immediately revoked.


    A person walked down the corridor, and as Rocky got closer to the entrance, he could faintly hear the sounds from outside; there were cheers from the spectators and the announcer''s voice.


    "Ladies and gentlemen! The second round of preliminary contests is about to begin! Let''s give our warmest applause to the ten contestants who are about to make their appearance!"


    Under the announcer''s prompting, a wave of cheers and applause soon erupted from the stands.


    "Now, please welcome the first contestant!"


    As the announcer spoke, the big screen switched to the entrance gate. Following that, the gate in the image slowly opened, and a towering Void Magic Warrior stepped out.


    "The first contestant in this preliminary round, having competed many times and with a wealth of experience, is none other than Powerful Peter!"


    "Roarrr!!!"


    With the announcer''s introduction, Peter, the first to appear, immediately raised his long sword and shield, roaring at the spectators!


    "Ladies and gentlemen, as you may already know, this is Peter''s third time participating in the preliminary contests. In previous competitions, he has contributed time and again to thrilling duels, but has always been a hair''s breadth away from victory. Surely, Peter must have prepared thoroughly this time, ready to once again charge towards victory!"


    Indeed, a considerable number of the audience knew Peter, so when the announcer finished the introduction, the venue immediately resounded with applause.


    "Next, please welcome the second, third, and fourth contestants!"


    Amidst the applause, the announcer introduced three contestants in one breath, which stopped the cheers of the audience¡ªthey hadn''t expected this approach.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the reason we''re introducing three contestants consecutively is that these three are brothers! Please welcome Jeff, Jerry, and Jess!"


    Following the announcer''s introduction, the second, third, and fourth entrance gates opened simultaneously, and the triplet brothers in their Void Magic Armor walked out!


    "As the old saying goes, ''Brothers in arms are like tigers, and fathers and sons in battle are strong.'' Since Jeff, Jerry, and Jess are brothers from the same mother, they will surely not give their opponents any opportunities on the battlefield. Could one of these three brothers emerge as the winner of this preliminary contest? Let''s wait and see!"


    "Good! Very good!"


    "Brothers, you must win!"


    "Come on! You can do it!"


    When the three brothers appeared, the spectators gave them even more applause and cheers than Peter, because everyone knew that in such a melee, unity among three was certainly stronger than fighting solo. The announcer was not wrong; the three brothers were indeed the favorites to win this contest. The audience naturally favored such a popular contestant.


    "Coming up next, please welcome the fifth contestant to the stage!"


    Following the announcer''s introduction, the contestants of this preliminary contest appeared one after another. Some contestants received detailed introductions, like Powerful Peter and the three brothers, while other contestants were briefly mentioned by name and then quickly surpassed.


    About fifteen minutes later, the first nine contestants of this preliminary contest had all made their appearance, leaving only the last one.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the next person to take the stage is the last contestant of this preliminary contest!"


    "This contestant did not reveal his name before the competition, so we refer to him as Contestant #1021, but don''t underestimate him. Contestant #1021 is the only person in this preliminary contest who has brought his own Void Magic Armor, a true warrior!"


    "Please welcome Contestant #1021! Please welcome this real Void Magic Warrior to the stage!" sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the words of the announcer came to an end, the gate of entrance ten slowly opened, and following it, Rocky, clad in his White Demon Armor, stepped out, and his figure was also displayed on the big screen in the arena, coming into view of everyone!

 Chapter 245 Thorough Arrangement!

    As the announcer''s voice settled, the doors of the gateway number ten slowly opened, and Rocky, clad in the White Demon Armor, slowly walked onto the field, his image simultaneously appearing on the big screen!"My god, what kind of armor is that?"


    "It''s so beautiful!"


    "Which generation of armor is this? Is it specialized?"


    When Rocky''s figure appeared on the big screen, the majority of the audience gasped in unison, completely stunned by the brilliance of the White Demon Armor!


    Shortly thereafter, as the spectators regained their senses from the stunning impression left by the White Demon Armor, excited cheers erupted!


    "Amazing! It must be Special Armor!"


    "Right! This match is going to be worth watching!"


    "Nine against one! This match is definitely nine against one!"


    "Nine against one!"


    "Nine against one!"


    "Nine against one!!"


    In the midst of the rising cheers, someone took the lead in shouting the slogan "nine against one," and soon, this chant echoed continuously, every spectator shouting in excited unison.


    However, amidst these deafening cheers, a group of people had extremely grim faces. While the entire audience was thrilled, only this group was gloomy.


    This group was none other than Orton and his companions.


    Listening to the deafening shouts around them, Orton and his companions looked towards the arena with grim faces. They then dismally realized that among the ten participants in this preliminary match, except for Rocky, the other nine competitors were wearing the Arena''s fourth-generation Mass-Produced Armor.


    The fourth-generation Mass-Produced Armor versus the White Demon Armor naturally wasn''t an equal match, yet the greater the disparity in strength, the more problematic it became. In a chaotic battle where strengths were so uneven, eliminating the strongest competitor first became the primary strategy for victory or even survival.


    This was why the spectators were shouting "nine against one." And if even the spectators outside the arena could see what was obvious, how could the competitors not? sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Damn, it''s a setup!"


    Hammerfire muttered gloomily as he noticed that Rocky had instantly become the target of everyone.


    And he was right!


    The arrangement of this preliminary match was meticulously planned by the Arena¡ªfrom the competitors'' entry, their order of appearance, and everything else, all designed to create the current scenario!


    Of course, this wasn''t the Arena deliberately targeting Rocky. In fact, the Arena didn''t care who Rocky was; they only cared about whether the match was exciting. To make each match thrilling, the Arena meticulously arranged every aspect.


    With the aim to please as many spectators as possible, the Arena would go to great lengths to enhance the appeal of the matches. They might, for instance, arrange matches between competitors of similar skills if the matches were high-Rank, or even set up matches between competitors with personal grievances to settle their differences in the arena. If the matches were low-Rank, the Arena might arrange uneven matchups or pit veterans against newcomers, all to add excitement in various ways.


    Besides finding focal points from the competitors themselves, the Arena also put great effort into the format of the competitions. The ten-person brawl of the preliminary match was one example. Other formats included Triple Threat matches, Four Corners matches, Gauntlet matches, Cage matches, and Hardcore matches, provide a variety of styles.


    Rocky''s match was meticulously orchestrated by the Arena to create an additional spectacle outside of the melee, deliberately setting up a scenario where he was outnumbered nine to one!


    The audience''s cheers were deafening, and the competitors in the field could naturally hear them too. So when Rocky looked at the other competitors who had already entered the arena, he noticed that they were also watching him. Not only that, each of the glances held either ferocity or resolve; it was clear that they had all made the same determined decision!


    Realizing he had become the target of everyone even before stepping onto the platform, Rocky couldn''t help but sigh internally, feeling incredibly unlucky.


    From the audience''s perspective, he was facing a challenge of nine against one, but as a competitor, Rocky understood all too well that his problem was not just about being outnumbered. It was that all nine were desperate to fight for their lives against him!


    Why say this?


    Because of Xia Nai''s match!


    In the three preliminary matches that morning, the one Xia Nai participated in had the highest casualty rate, with eight people dead in just one match. Given this precedent, the opponents Rocky now faced were not just targeting him for victory¡ªthey were doing it to survive!


    Given this, one could imagine Rocky''s predicament. The preliminary match hadn''t even started yet, and it had already turned into a life-or-death struggle!


    "Ladies and gentlemen! I can assure you all with certainty that this match will be the most intense and spectacular of this round of preliminaries. Are you¡ªready?!"


    As Rocky sighed to himself, the announcer''s voice sounded again, and with his words, a wave of cheers erupted from the stands. Everyone was eagerly anticipating this match!


    Amidst the cheering, the commentator turned to look at the ten contestants: "Contestants, are you ready?!"


    "Come on! Come on! Come on!"


    "Roar! Roar! Roar!!"


    "Go for it!"


    "Kill him!"


    At this questioning, all contestants except Rocky immediately responded with roars that sounded as if they were all on a frenzy, excited but also unusually aggressive.


    "The match¡ªbegins!"


    As the announcer declared the official start of the match, the contestants who had long been waiting around the ring couldn''t wait any longer and one by one jumped onto the platform!


    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!


    In the blink of an eye, the first nine contestants had climbed onto the platform, and seeing the others spring into action, Rocky took a deep breath and leaped up as well, standing on the platform a moment later.


    Like the previous matches, ten contestants occupied their spots upon ascending the platform, dividing it into ten equally like slicing a cake. However, just like before, once everyone was up, all eyes uniformly turned to the same spot¡ªthey looked at Rocky.


    Indeed, as soon as the match officially started, all the contestants, without needing to discuss anything, intuitively teamed up together, planning to collectively take down Rocky!


    In this situation, there was no standoff, no caution, and no hesitation at all¡ªas soon as Rocky stepped onto the platform, the other nine contestants simultaneously charged at him!


    "Take him down!"

 Chapter 246 Nine Against One!

    There was no standoff, no caution, and certainly no hesitation. As soon as Rocky stepped onto the platform, his telepathically coordinated opponents instantly sprang into action.Nine opponents, like nine wild beasts, charged ferociously at Rocky!


    "Damn it!"


    Although he had been psychologically prepared, Rocky couldn''t help but curse when everyone lunged at him at once. Without a second thought, he leaped into the air.


    No sooner had he flown up than several of his opponents also jumped into the air and accelerated directly towards him.


    One competitor accelerated towards Rocky, roaring as he raised his long sword and viciously slashed at him, exhibiting a ferocity and viciousness not typical of a competition but rather of a fight to the death!


    Indeed, these competitors were fighting for their lives. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In their eyes, facing an opponent like Rocky who wore Special Armor, if they didn''t fight with all their might, their fate would be the same as Xia Nai''s opponent, undoubtedly fatal. Therefore, for them, the outcome of the preliminary competition had already taken a backseat. Their main goal was to take Rocky down to avoid meeting a grim end in the arena.


    Thus, as soon as the match began, they all exhibited desperate ferocity. Their moves were killing blows without any hesitation!


    Facing such vicious attacks, Rocky in mid-air quickly dodged to the side, not only evading the strike but also cleverly maneuvering to the side and kicking his opponent in the ribs, sending him flying several meters away.


    "Beautiful! Contestant 1021 easily dodged the attack and countered at the same time. That strike was so precise, truly smooth as flowing water, a real Void Magic Warrior! His control of the Armor is incomparable!"


    After Rocky seamlessly dodged and counterattacked, the commentator outside the arena shouted excitedly. Clearly, the commentator had keen eyesight, for Rocky''s series of dodges and counterattacks were very quick, completed in a flowing motion that the average person couldn''t clearly see, but the commentator captured every move.


    Logically, the audience should have cheered by now because a real expert reveals himself upon taking action. Although Rocky had only exchanged one move with his opponent, the difference in strength was immediately apparent.


    However, at this moment, the stands were eerily silent, not because the audience was dissatisfied with Rocky''s performance, but because they simply had no time to cheer!


    Just as Rocky kicked his opponent away and was about to press his advantage, two more enemies, one on each side, rushed at him, their gleaming long swords slashing directly at him from both sides!


    In this situation, all Rocky could do was elevate his position again, soaring up another two or three meters. Then he heard a clang as the two long swords aimed at him collided with each other.


    "Get down!"


    Seeing the two swords miss, Rocky, from a higher position, instantly plunged down. Utilizing the speed and weight of his descent, he stomped with both feet on one opponent, pushing him straight down to the platform while also using this action to return to his original position. Then, without hesitation, he delivered a spinning kick, striking another competitor precisely on the head and sending him flying!


    This series of dodges and attacks was spectacular, fully showcasing the strength of a Void Magic Warrior. Unfortunately, after that, Rocky didn''t even get a chance to catch his breath. After one spinning kick, he barely had time to adjust his stance before he hurriedly darted several meters to the side. Just as he had dodged, another competitor surged upwards from the position he had just vacated.


    After dodging this attack, Rocky finally had a chance to stabilize his stance. But when he looked around again, he discovered that he, positioned mid-air, was surrounded!


    All around him were enemies. The nine competitors in this match had all risen into the air and completely encircled him!


    Find your next read at empire


    This was melee combat!


    This was a one against nine battle!


    If it had been a one-on-one match, Rocky would have already won by now. The White Demon Armor, coupled with his own strength, made it impossible for any opponent to last three rounds against him. Unfortunately, this was a melee battle, and Rocky not only had to face one opponent, he had to face nine.


    In this entirely unfair and unequal fight, even though his power surpassed everyone else''s, and his Armor was superior to everyone else''s, it was difficult for him to gain any advantage.


    "All at once!"


    After surrounding Rocky, someone had shouted, and nine people charged at him together!


    "Contestant number 1021 is surrounded! He is being attacked by everyone!"


    As the nine opponents rushed at Rocky, the external announcer shouted excitedly!


    "Ladies and gentlemen, contestant number 1021 is now being attacked by nine contestants. Can he survive this onslaught?!"


    "Incredible, he dodged it! Contestant number 1021 dodged the triple team from the brothers!"


    "Contestant number 911''s surprise attack also failed, and he was even knocked off the arena!"


    "It''s over, Malin''s long sword has been taken away, his weapon was actually stolen, it''s embarrassing, really embarrassing!"


    "Goodness, goodness, goodness! Powerful Peter didn''t gain any advantage in a head-to-head confrontation. Contestant 1021''s control over his Armor is simply miraculous. He managed to offset most of the force when Peter struck him, giving Peter a thunderous counterattack in return. Peter missed his best opportunity to inflict heavy damage on him."


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the joint attack of nine people has not managed to defeat contestant number 1021. This is truly incredible, ladies and gentlemen, please do not skimp on your applause and cheers, alright!"


    Provoked by the announcer, the audience immediately responded with cheers and applause, all obviously for Rocky. Just as the announcer had described, in the nine-person onslaught, Rocky was still undefeated!


    Facing the attack of nine people, Rocky in mid-air kept dodging and counterattacking, managing again and again to break the encirclement thanks to his Armor''s advantages and his own experience, seizing every opportunity to counterstrike, and inflicting heavy damage on his opponents whenever he dodged.


    Clearly, this was why he had remained calm and composed before the match.


    In the eyes of outsiders, a melee might be a tough affair, and fighting multiple opponents even more daunting, but to him, it wasn''t the case. When he defended Backhill Village, he had faced numbers more than ten times his own numerous times. Hence, whether it was a melee or one against many, Rocky had abundant experience, and thus, he was not at all afraid of this preliminary match.


    As the result showed, he really pulled it off. Facing the encirclement of nine opponents, he had used his experience and the power of the White Demon Armor to repel all opponents, denying them any chance to prevail.


    However, just then, Powerful Peter, who had been repelled, suddenly shouted, "Don''t engage him in aerial combat! We can''t beat him that way, force him to land!"


    As soon as Peter finished shouting, he was the first to descend to the arena, and then he raised his arms. With a snap, two Mana Launchers popped out of his arm Armor!


    Seeing his action, the other contestants quickly understood and descended back to the arena, raising their hands like Peter did.


    "Bombard him!"


    With Peter''s roar, all nine contestants fired together, sending countless Magic Bullets towards Rocky in mid-air!

 Chapter 247 Counterattack

    Rocky was able to stand undefeated in the midst of an onslaught from nine others not just because of his own skill or because of his Armor, but also because he chose aerial combat.The combat of the Void Magic Armor is distinct from traditional fights. If one doesn''t understand how to use the Armor, especially how to take advantage of its aerial combat superiority, then there isn''t much difference between a Void Magic Armor and a regular Armor.


    The opponents Rocky faced were just like this.


    Whether it was the triplet brothers, or Powerful Peter, or the others, none of them were true Void Magic Warriors. Their use of the Armor was still at a basic level, barely able to utilize all of the Armor''s functions, let alone leverage its aerial advantages. It was simply beyond them.


    That''s why, despite their numbers, they were no match for Rocky in the air.


    This was also why Rocky stayed in mid-air right from the start¡ªhe intended to use his strengths to target their weaknesses!


    However, Rocky wasn''t the only smart one present. Powerful Peter, who had participated in the preliminaries many times before, was also experienced; after being repelled in the air, he quickly realized the key issue that all of them together could not beat Rocky in the air.


    Therefore, he immediately urged everyone to give up aerial combat and to decide the battle within the confines of the Arena''s platform.


    But how could they make Rocky return to the platform?


    Simple, they just needed to blast him down!


    After they all descended, the competitors simultaneously raised their arms, activated the Mana Launchers on their forearms, and bombarded Rocky with a series of Magic Bullets!


    The Armor provided by the Arena was the Firepower Type-4 Assault Armor. Although it was the fourth generation of Mass-Produced Armor, it must be admitted that within the realm of Mass-Produced Armor, the Firepower 4-Type was one of the best, with a magic energy value reaching 3100 points and an arsenal of weapons, especially rich in long-range weaponry.


    In an instant, countless Magic Bullets hurtled toward Rocky, and a series of small explosions combined into a massive one that swallowed Rocky, who was mid-air. That wasn''t all; possibly feeling that it wasn''t safe enough or simply because it was unsatisfying, several competitors lowered their arms, opened their chest plates, and revealed two large cannon muzzles hidden inside.


    Mini Magic Energy Cannons!


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Flaunting the Firepower 4-Type Armor''s most powerful weapon, several competitors aimed the muzzles of the Mini Magic Energy Cannons at the sky and fired repeatedly!


    Even though they were mini, they were still Magic Energy Cannons, so their power was beyond doubt. The Magic Energy Cannons exploded directly in the air; a dozen shells firing at once linked the explosions, turning the sky into a blazing inferno!


    With such intense attacks, even the spectators were stunned. Nobody expected just a preliminary fight to be fought so fiercely.


    Orton and others, sitting in the front row of the spectator seats, also looked grim. Liliya and Monte had already joined the crowd, watching Rocky''s match together.


    When they saw Rocky subjected to such a fierce assault, they all felt their hearts tighten. Liliya, Monte, and even Lin Feng unconsciously clenched their fists, extremely nervous. Aileen simply hid in Liliya''s embrace, too scared to watch.


    Only Orton and the other three remained relatively calm because they knew that the White Demon Armor could spread out a Defensive Net, and as long as Rocky was quick enough, these attacks wouldn''t be able to harm him.


    But... he couldn''t have failed to react in time, could he...?


    Several minutes later, after the furious bombardment from the nine competitors had finally concluded, everyone looked towards the sky, towards the smoke that filled the air. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, everyone, whether they were competitors or spectators, or even the broadcaster who had been commentary the match, fell silent. They were all doing the same thing¡ªsearching for Rocky''s figure in the smoke.


    As time ticked away, the smoke that filled the sky gradually dissipated, followed by a sudden shout from a spectator!


    "There!"


    The unexpected shout drew everyone''s attention, and as the smoke slowly cleared, they saw Rocky''s figure!


    As the smoke faded, Rocky reappeared before their eyes, his hands raised level, with a circular Defensive Net unfolded around him!


    Indeed, he had managed to use the Defensive Net to fend off all the attacks!


    A deafening cheer erupted instantly; at that moment, the entire audience gave him their most fervent shout of support!


    "Phew..."


    Seeing that Rocky had deployed the Defensive Net in time, Orton and the others breathed a sigh of relief, visibly more relaxed.


    "Damn it..."


    However, as Orton and the others relaxed, the contestants on the field became tense again, for by this time, they had deeply realized the gap between them.


    Whether it was personal quality or the strength of their armors, Rocky was far superior to them, especially in terms of armor strength. The gap between them in this aspect was simply irreparable. Not to mention the plethora of other advantages, the defensive net that could only be deployed by special armors had already made Rocky unbeatable. As long as the defensive net was there, nobody else could harm him!


    This disparity left many contestants feeling disheartened...


    But just then, Rocky made a surprising move!


    He retracted the defensive net and then... slowly descended onto the arena!


    "Contestant number 1021 has landed!"


    Watching Rocky land, the announcer immediately shouted, "What is he planning to do?! Could it be... Could it be that contestant number 1021 has decided to give up aerial combat and is preparing to engage in a head-to-head battle with the other contestants!"


    And say what you will, but not only did this announcer have good insight, his experience was also quite rich because he was right¡ªRocky was indeed planning to engage in a head-to-head battle with the other contestants!


    As mentioned before, Rocky had three reasons for participating in the arena: one was to earn money, another was to test his armor, and the third was to hone himself.


    And in his eyes, the current match was an excellent opportunity for self-improvement, so he voluntarily gave up aerial combat to engage in ground combat with these opponents!


    "Kid, you want to go head-to-head with them and that''s fine, but don''t be too overconfident. Activate some more runes on the armor!"


    As Rocky landed in the arena, Orton, sitting in the stands, had no choice but to contact him through the communicator, conveying that going head-to-head was fine and honing himself was fine, but activate all the runes on the armor first!


    That''s right, at this point Rocky had not activated all the runes on the White Demon Armor!


    From the beginning of the match till now, Rocky had actually activated only half of the runes, and the magic energy value of the White Demon Armor was maintained at around 5,000 points. In other words, the combat power of the White Demon had only been activated by half!


    This was something everyone had agreed on beforehand because they did not want the White Demon Armor to draw too much attention by showing its full prowess, which could bring unnecessary trouble. So, they always disguised the White Demon as a fourth-generation special armor, keeping the magic energy value at the peak level that a fourth-generation armor could reach, thus avoiding drawing too much attention.


    But now that Rocky had decided to go head-to-head with all the opponents, Orton felt that at least a part of the magic energy should be further activated, raising it from 5,000 to about 7,000. This would be somewhat safer.


    No sooner had he finished speaking when Rocky replied:


    "Teacher, 5,000 magic energy is enough."


    The moment he finished this sentence, Rocky suddenly charged out on the platform. He transformed into a white blur, and before all the opponents could react, he dashed past them in an instant, swooping by like a meteor.


    "Ah!"


    Right after the blink of an eye, one of the nine contestants suddenly let out a scream!


    This person was originally at the very back of the others, the farthest away from Rocky. But now he found Rocky had bypassed all the others, streaking across the entire arena like a shooting star, heading straight for him!


    Fast!


    Rocky''s speed was extremely fast!


    By the time this contestant realized he was being charged at, it was already too late to react, because Rocky was upon him!


    On the contrary, it was Rocky who raised his right arm and deployed the Magic Energy Shield as he approached, followed by a muffled thud as he slammed the Magic Energy Shield hard against the contestant''s body!


    With the force of a cannonball, the contestant was blasted away and flew out of the arena in an instant, crashing heavily to the ground...!


    "Eight left." Find exclusive stories on empire


    Eliminating one contestant with a single strike, Rocky slowly turned around and, while looking at the remaining eight, he popped open the armor on his left leg and drew his Mana Sword!


    The counterattack begins!

 Chapter 248 One Against Nine!

    "Eight left."Rocky turned to face the remaining eight competitors. He activated his Magic Energy Shield in his right hand and drew out his Mana Sword with his left, switching his White Demon Armor to melee mode!


    "So... so terrifying..." Experience new stories on empire


    In the face of his counterattack, at least three of the remaining eight competitors couldn''t help but take two steps back!


    Just as these three competitors were muttering, Rocky at this moment was truly terrifying! S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t his appearance that was so frightening but the strength he had burst forth within an instant...


    Although Rocky had only eliminated one competitor, think about how he had done so. He had crossed the entire arena at an extremely high speed and then, relying solely on the impact, flung his target out of the ring.


    During this process, none of the competitors on the stage had time to react. They only saw a white blur fly past their eyes, that was all. By the time they came to their senses, the unfortunate individual Rocky had targeted was already out of the arena...


    What did this mean?


    It meant the gap between them was too vast!


    Although it wasn''t clear what generation of Armor Rocky was wearing, that moment on the stage made one thing clear to all the competitors¡ªthey were no match for Rocky in aerial combat due to differences in experience and control, but on the ground, the drastic difference in Armor also made it impossible for them to contend with Rocky!


    So when Rocky revealed his melee weapons, many competitors were afraid, truly afraid.


    But this time, Rocky didn''t give anyone a chance. He suddenly burst forward, charging towards another competitor with great ferocity!


    "Damn it!"


    Realizing that Rocky had targeted him this time, Powerful Peter quickly positioned his shield in front of his chest, steadying himself for defense.


    It must be said, among these people, if one were to speak of individual strength and experience, besides Rocky, Peter was the strongest. He had, after all, participated in the preliminary rounds multiple times and clashed with true masters¡ªhis reactions and countermeasures were much faster than the average person.


    Just as Peter had just set himself in a defensive position, ready to withstand Rocky''s charge, a scream came from behind him!


    Indeed, Rocky had targeted Peter, but it was merely a feint. His real target was someone hiding behind Peter.


    He remembered this guy¡ªhe had been trying to sneak attack Rocky during the aerial combat, almost succeeding several times. Now he was cleverly hidden behind Peter''s large frame, surely looking for another opportunity to sneak attack. Rocky naturally couldn''t ignore such a person.


    So as he charged at Peter and in the instant he got to him, Rocky leaped into the air, flipped over Peter, and then accelerated once more. Just like before, he slammed into his target with his Magic Energy Shield, sending them flying!


    With just this move, Rocky demonstrated his exceptional control over the Armor and the superior performance of the White Demon Armor to perfection. Keep in mind, he was at top speed when charging at Peter. At such a high velocity, not only did he manage to change direction abruptly, but he also exerted force again after the change of direction. These actions required a lot from both himself and the Armor¡ªmost people or ordinary Armors simply couldn''t execute such maneuvers!


    "Seven left!"


    After eliminating another opponent, Rocky didn''t pause for a moment, but turned and aimed at a third target. Accelerating around a bend, he charged toward the nearest contestant, then raised his Magic Energy Shield just as before, obviously intending to ram this person off the stage as well.


    But this time, the opponent''s reaction was also very quick. Noticing Rocky charging towards him, and just as Rocky was about to reach him, he leaped into the air.


    However, just as the opponent had barely reached midair and before he had a chance to take a breath, he found his ankle was grabbed!


    Yes, as soon as this contestant leaped into the air, Rocky followed suit, leaping up and grabbing the man''s ankle, then whirling around in the air several times, and like throwing a shot put, he hurled his opponent out.


    There was a thunderous crash as the thrown contestant, unable to adjust in midair, slammed into the spectator''s Defensive Net. Not only was he knocked unconscious, but he also suffered a disappointing elimination.


    "Six left!"


    Having dispatched another opponent, Rocky pressed on without missing a beat, diving towards his next target!


    "You wish!"


    However, at that moment, Powerful Peter roared and charged up from the ground, interrupting Rocky''s momentum with a downward slash of his sword.


    "What are you standing around for? Do you want him to knock you off one by one?"


    After intercepting Rocky, Powerful Peter swung his sword and shouted at the remaining contestants. Clearly, while others were getting cold feet, Peter showed no signs of backing down.


    He had entered the preliminary matches too many times; he desired victory too keenly.


    Reminded by his shout, the three brothers were the first to react, converging from three different directions, and the other two did the same.


    In truth, like Peter, those daring to participate in the Arena''s contests did not come to play games with their lives at stake. While each contestant had different motivations for competing, they all sought the same outcome: victory!


    In such a situation, regardless of Rocky''s display of formidable strength, his opponents were just as unwilling to give up!


    There was a clang as Peter''s sword struck down, hitting Rocky''s Magic Energy Shield. Rocky had to take two steps back; Peter''s brute strength was indeed frightening, and it wasn''t easy to handle when caught off guard.


    As Rocky retreated two steps and before he could steady himself, long swords thrust at him from both sides, wielded by two of the brothers who had already surrounded him.


    It must be said that the strength of these three brothers was also quite remarkable. The simultaneous thrusts from the left and right were not actually simultaneous ¨C there was a sequence. If Rocky thought he could dodge both swords at the same time, he''d be sorely mistaken; if he tried, he''d undoubtedly be hit by one of them.


    Fortunately, Rocky didn''t make such a move. Facing two accurately angled and sequentially timed thrusts, he deftly ducked and, using his Armor for reverse propulsion, shot backwards a meter, avoiding the encirclement.


    It was a pity that just as he had escaped the brothers'' joint attack, he sensed danger from behind. Another contestant viciously swung a long sword at his back, forcing Rocky to quickly somersault on the spot, flipping midair to evade the strike.


    "Absolutely thrilling! This is just spectacular!"


    As Rocky and the other contestants engaged in close combat, the announcer outside the Arena couldn''t contain his excitement, shouting loudly. The series of offensive and defensive maneuvers were indeed spectacular, not solely because of Rocky''s performance. The others who were attacking him were also impressing, which is why the announcer stood up in his excitement, as if only by doing so could he thoroughly commentate on such an exciting match!

 Chapter 249 A Man Should Be Head-to-Head!

    The lightning-fast offense and defense battle had the commentator shouting excitedly, and even more thrilled than the commentator were the spectators themselves.The cheers and shouts from the audience could be described as explosive, and even Orton and the others watching from outside the venue were no different, their collective cheers even drowning out the voice of the commentator.


    "This kid actually has some skill."


    Seeing Rocky handling the attacks from several opponents with ease, Orton and the others could finally relax a bit. However, still being older, they were somewhat restrained in their excitement. In contrast, Liliya and her companions were much more animated.


    From the start of the match until now, Liliya and the others had been anxious for Rocky, so when he launched his counterattack, swiftly eliminating his opponents one after another, their suppressed emotions finally exploded with delight.


    At this moment, Liliya, Monte, Lin Feng, and Aileen had long since risen from their seats, shouting loudly like everyone else, continuously cheering for Rocky.


    At this very moment, Rocky himself was also extremely excited, as if he were enjoying the spectacle just like the spectators. As a competitor, he too found the combat extremely thrilling!


    The persistence of his opponents not only put great pressure on him but also ignited his fighting spirit, giving him a feeling he had never experienced on the battlefield before. It was an indescribable feeling that made Rocky very excited, very comfortable, and thoroughly enjoying himself.


    So, after weathering a round of attacks from his opponents, he immediately launched a counteroffensive!


    The moment he landed from a flip, he didn''t even think before propelling his Armor backward, and in the blink of an eye, he collided with an opponent who had tried to sneak up behind him. Caught off guard, his opponent staggered, and without paying more attention to this person, Rocky went from retreat to advance in an instant, rushing towards another opponent.


    Charging at his target, Rocky leaped into the air and raised the Mana Sword, the first time he had truly swung it in the match. Earlier, he had either blocked with the sword or simply struck with the shield, having never truly used the Mana Sword.


    And this time, as he lifted the Mana Sword high and brought it down with force, the opponent beneath the blade panicked.


    In terms of weapon class, ordinary weapons were the worst, Magic Energy Enhanced Weapons were intermediate, and Magic Energy Materialized Weapons were the strongest¡ªthis was common knowledge. Rocky''s Mana Sword, solidified from pure Magic Energy, was a typical Magic Energy Materialized Weapon, and compared to it, the long sword equipped with the Firepower 4-Type Armor was somewhat inferior in every aspect. If the two were to clash directly, the long sword might well be cut in half!


    The opponent was clearly aware of this, so he quickly raised both shield and sword, pressing the sword against the shield in an attempt to block the attack.


    But in the blink of an eye, Rocky, who had leaped high and slashed downward, suddenly maneuvered the Armor to change direction in mid-air, circling behind with a tight arc, then struck hard on the back of the opponent''s head with the hilt of his sword.


    Although the opponent was wearing a Helmet, the Magic Energy of the White Demon Armor was higher. Higher Magic Energy meant greater strength augmentation, so Rocky''s strike dazed his opponent, after which Rocky grabbed his shoulder, spun around, and flung him off the platform.


    "Five left."


    Having eliminated another contestant, Rocky immediately turned his attention to the others. At this moment, there were only five left on the platform, aside from himself!


    Just as he looked towards his opponents, Powerful Peter took the initiative and charged at him. But instead of facing the attack head-on, Rocky used the agility and speed of his Armor to sidestep him and headed straight for the three brothers.


    His next targets were the three brothers!


    "Surround him!"


    As Rocky charged straight at them, the three brothers reacted quite swiftly, encircling him from three directions, and immediately launched a joint attack.


    It must be said that the three brothers did indeed have some skill. They were soldiers who had seen battle, and each of them was quite strong. Plus, with their unity, their strategic coordination was many times stronger than ordinary people. Under such circumstances, even Rocky found it difficult to gain an advantage. In their previous encounters, facing the encirclement of the three brothers, Rocky had chosen to dodge their sharp edges, without a better way to respond.


    But this time, he changed his tactics. When surrounded by the three brothers, he didn''t choose to retreat but decided to go head-to-head!


    Facing the sword slashing straight at him, Rocky didn''t dodge or flinch but used the Magic Energy Shield to block with force. With a loud clang, the sword was not only stopped by the shield, but the eldest brother who struck the blow was also shaken back two steps.


    The disparity in the Armor was too evident; the Firepower 4-Type Armor''s Magic Energy was only 3100 points, whereas the White Demon Armor, even when only half-activated, had a Magic Energy Value of 5000 points¡ªa nearly twofold difference!


    With such a vast gap, even if the brothers were stronger than Rocky, the enhancement the White Demon provided was enough to compensate for all disparities and far surpass the opposition.


    This was why Rocky chose to confront the three brothers head-on. His plan was to use the Armor''s advantage to power through their tactics and completely break them down. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After deflecting the eldest brother''s attack with the Magic Energy Shield, Rocky swiftly turned to face the youngest of the three brothers. Their swords clashed, and with a flash of the Magic Energy Sword, it sliced straight through the opponent''s long sword!

 Chapter 249 A Man Should Be Head-to-Head!_2

    The longsword was cleaved in two, stunning the opponent momentarily as he clearly hadn''t anticipated such an outcome; however, Rocky didn''t give him a chance to react. He landed a direct kick to the chest and neatly booted him off the platform.With one man down, the trio of brothers'' encirclement was broken. The remaining two were quickly laid out on the ground by Rocky, who defeated them in quick succession and knocked them off the arena, eliminating them.


    "Two left."


    After defeating the three brothers, Rocky then turned towards the only two remaining on the platform, setting his sights on Peter, the strongest of them all!


    "Bring it on! Bring it on!"


    Seeing Rocky look his way, Peter roared twice and, raising his shield, began a full-power sprint, while Rocky, not to be outdone, likewise hoisted his shield and met him head-on, Armor propulsion at full throttle!


    The two rushing towards each other were like two bulls charging or two meteors colliding; moments later, they collided head-to-head!


    With a loud boom, the immense force of their collision at full speed even generated a shockwave that swept across the arena; in this all-out crash, Rocky took several steps back before he could barely stop himself, and Peter did the same.


    It must be said, Peter truly had natural superhuman strength. Even with Armor that was a level weaker, his method of simple and brutal head-to-head confrontation with Rocky didn''t put him at a disadvantage. It was definitely not the Armor doing the work, but his own monstrous strength.


    But the more such head-to-head confrontations occurred, sometimes the more ferocity they brought out!


    How does that saying go?


    A man, must face things head-on!


    "Again!"


    After one collision, Rocky and Peter almost simultaneously roared, then raised their shields again and sprinted full force towards each other!


    With another loud boom!


    After a blink, the two collided once again, and like before, the massive force created a shockwave that swept across the arena. The two men, slamming into each other fiercely, both inexorably staggered back, even further this time, clearly indicating that the impact was even greater than before.


    Once they had both regained their footing, just like before, they raised their shields and sprinted towards each other again!


    Rocky and Peter thus engaged in the most primitive of contests, devoid of technique, devoid of tactics, only comparing the most brutal form of physical power. They collided time after time on the arena, separated, and then charged again.


    "Oh...!"


    "Oh...!!" S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh...!!!"


    In this series of fierce collisions, the cheers of the spectators ceased, everyone gawking dumbfoundedly as the two on the platform clashed repeatedly, each collision eliciting an involuntary exclamation of awe as if everyone had lost their minds.


    Indeed, all the spectators had lost their wits at this moment. They had never seen a match like this. The combat arena preliminaries happened every season with all sorts of chaos: nine against one, one against nine, cunning ploys, various scenarios. But they had never seen a contest like the present one, which stunned every spectator and even left the commentator, specifically tasked with narrating the match, speechless and gawking at the platform, unable to utter a word.


    With another loud bang following another collision, Rocky and Peter again separated, staggering back for a long while before stopping. However, this time, instead of rushing towards each other like before, they stood panting on opposite sides of the arena.


    The continuous collisions, though wildly entertaining to watch, imposed a tremendous burden on them both. Peter, it goes without saying, was relying entirely on his monstrous strength to compete with Rocky, while Rocky, though supported by the White Demon Armor which could withstand the force of the collisions, was still heavily impacted by each crash.


    In this state, both had clearly reached their limits.


    Though the limit had been reached, a winner still had to be decided; thus, after a brief moment to catch their breath, Rocky and Peter looked at each other once more.


    One last time, to decide the winner!


    Looking at each other, even through their helmets, they both knew this was their last collision, in which they had to determine a victor.


    Then, instead of sprinting immediately, they adjusted their Armor''s propulsion while on the spot. Once the propulsion of the Armor was maxed out, they suddenly dashed forward!


    In an instant, Rocky and Peter transformed into two streaks of light and shadow, crossing the intervening distance in the blink of an eye and colliding in the center of the arena.


    A loud bang erupted as the two collided, but this time there was no shockwave, and the colliding figures did not separate...


    They were grappling!


    The two, shield against shield upon collision, neither retreated nor shrank back, both continuously exerting force through their Armor.


    Who could win...


    Who would it be...


    As the two continued to grapple, the same question popped into the minds of all the spectators, including Orton, wondering who would ultimately win.


    Logically, Rocky should have easily won this preliminary match because of his strength and the advantage provided by his Armor, but he had forsaken these advantages for a blood-boiling yet perilous method of facing Peter: a contest of strength in the most primitive and brutal form.


    As a result, his experience, his skills, even the advantages of the White Demon Armor, were all greatly reduced, so no one would be surprised even if he lost, since strength was never Rocky''s forte, nor was it the White Demon Armor''s strong suit.


    Thus, at this final moment, the arena fell silent, and everyone held their breath, fixating on the two competitors on the stage. Not just Orton and Liliya, but all spectators, including the commentators, clenched their fists.


    Just then, a crisp sound suddenly rang out!


    Crack...


    In the profound silence of the arena, this crisp sound was eerily clear, and then people located the source of the sound¡ªPeter''s shield!


    In this enduring grapple, it was the Firepower 4-Type Armor that first gave in, unable to withstand the force of the contest between the two, the shield of the Armor cracked first...


    Along with the sound of cracking, a spider web of fractures rapidly spread across the shield in Peter''s hand, followed by a crack, the entire shield shattered completely.


    The sudden shattering of the shield caused Peter to lose his leverage point, and before he could react, he was struck hard in the chest by Rocky''s Magic Energy Shield, sending him flying backward while spewing a mouthful of blood!


    With a thunderous crash, Peter landed heavily below the stage...eliminated!


    "He won!"


    "Beautiful!"


    "Thrilling! It was so thrilling!"


    "This match was incredible!"


    When Peter was eliminated in that final contest, the audience, which had been quiet for a long while, finally erupted, everyone stood up, everyone started cheering for Rocky with both arms raised.


    "This, this is just fantastic, the match was truly incredible, contestant number 1021 defeated Peter, defeated his opponent in his own strongest area, it''s just fantastic!"


    A clever commentator, at this moment seemed to run out of words, continuously repeating the same phrase to describe the confrontation between Rocky and Peter, that it was incredible.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, with the three hot favorites and Peter successively eliminated, contestant number 1021 has undoubtedly secured...watch out!"


    Just as the commentator excitedly wanted to announce that Rocky had secured the victory, he suddenly let out a loud cry, and simultaneously, a wave of gasps arose from the spectators!


    Because just at that moment, someone suddenly appeared behind Rocky!


    The final contestant on the stage!


    While Rocky and Peter were competing, there wasn''t just the two of them on the stage; in fact, there was one more contestant present, but the duel between them was so riveting that everyone had ignored the existence of this contestant.


    But now, just as Rocky had just eliminated Peter and the entire audience hadn''t even fully expressed their excitement, this last contestant suddenly appeared behind Rocky, swinging a brilliantly shining long sword, viciously aiming for his neck!

 Chapter 250 First Victory!

    When Rocky clashed passionately with Peter, there was actually another contestant on the stage¡ªonly, everyone''s attention was focused on Rocky and Peter, completely overlooking the third.But now, just as Rocky had barely eliminated Peter from the match, not even having a chance to catch his breath, this final contestant seized the opportunity for a rare sneak attack on Rocky!


    No one noticed how this person had managed to creep up behind Rocky. In any case, he did, and then suddenly burst forth, slashing with the razor-sharp longsword in his hand, aiming a horizontal strike directly at Rocky''s neck!


    Brutal!


    Too brutal!


    From this single strike alone, it was clear how malicious this contestant was¡ªhe wasn''t just trying to defeat Rocky, he was trying to kill him!


    Facing such a sudden sneak attack, everyone in the arena let out a gasp, with many covering their mouths in shock. Some young girls even covered their eyes, daring not to watch what happened next.


    Could it be, could Rocky be defeated just like that?


    After delivering such an exciting duel, was he to die from a sneak attack?


    Under everyone''s astonished gazes, the sword from behind landed heavily on Rocky''s neck...


    Clang!


    A light sound rang out as the longsword struck the White Demon Armor...


    "Blocked! Contestant number 1021''s armor blocked the sword strike!"


    Realizing that his strike had failed, the announcer immediately roared, "Despicable! Absolutely despicable! Contestant Boff, in such a thrilling match, resorted to a sneak attack and even failed¡ªshameless! What a waste!"


    Idiot.


    As the announcer fervently shouted, Orton and Hammerfire, the two old men, had faces full of disregard, as they both snorted simultaneously.


    Joking aside, the White Demon Armor was a top-tier set forged for 300,000 Gold Coins! To accommodate the powerful Mana of the Rune, the raw materials used for the armor were on par with those of the fifth generation of Special Armor. How could it be damaged by such an ordinary sneak attack? If that had happened, Rocky''s fate would be put aside for a moment, as Hammerfire would definitely be the first to take his own life.


    "How... how is this possible..."


    The contestant named Boff struck Rocky with his sword, found it had no effect, and was utterly dumbfounded, especially as Rocky turned around to face him, causing him to panic and stumble backwards.


    But facing an opponent who sneak-attacked him, Rocky was hardly going to show mercy. Even though he was exhausted from the confrontation with Peter, dealing with this type of character was still easy for him.


    With a single kick to the opponent''s chest, he sent him flying. Throughout the process, Rocky quickly accelerated and caught the other''s ankle before they hit the ground. Then he flew straight upward into the air, spun around twice in the air to maximize the force, and then threw the opponent out!


    "Contestant Boff is eliminated!"


    As Rocky threw the last opponent out of the ring, the announcer finally proclaimed with a loud voice, "Ladies and gentlemen! The final victor of this preliminary match has emerged! He is contestant number 1021!"


    "Well done!"


    "What an amazing match!"


    "Keep it up in the future!"


    As the announcer declared Rocky the ultimate winner of the preliminaries, the audience all stood up, lavishing him with the warmest applause.


    Amidst the thunderous applause, Rocky slowly descended onto the stage and graciously bowed to the entire audience before hopping down and heading back to the changing room through the exit.


    As he left, the audience who had watched the entire match continued to applaud, their faces showing lingering excitement. The match had indeed been thrilling, where every contestant had given their all and used every means possible¡ªfrom honorable to underhanded¡ªkeeping every moment filled with suspense.


    Such a match naturally made the audience remember Rocky''s name, contestant 1021. Some had even made plans that the next time Rocky participated in a Rank match, they would definitely come to watch.


    Actually, not only did the audience immensely enjoy the match, but Rocky was also quite satisfied with it. If he had to describe it in one word, it would be "thrilling." He had never had so much fun fighting as he did in this match, unlike the desperate battling in wars. In the arena, he didn''t need to consider so many things; he only needed to enjoy the match itself. This feeling was something Rocky had never experienced before, so when the match truly ended, he felt somewhat reluctant to leave.


    The problem of what to do next was easily solved because, after Rocky won the preliminary contest, he not only received the match''s reward but also obtained a Combat Skill Rank. With the rank, he could participate in higher quality, richer rewarded, and more dangerous rank matches.


    It''s the rank matches that are the real competition in the arena, so if Rocky felt unsatisfied, there were plenty of matches he could fight in.


    "Are you okay? Were you hurt?" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sir, let me get that for you!"


    "Sir, please sit down and rest."


    After Rocky changed into casual clothes in the changing room, as soon as he returned to the rest lounge, he saw Liliya and the others and was immediately surrounded by them.


    Even though he enjoyed the match greatly, Liliya and the others who watched were constantly worried. Therefore, as soon as they saw Rocky return, they immediately surrounded him and started to fuss over him.


    "Is contestant number 1021 here?"


    Just as Rocky was engulfed by Liliya and the others, almost to the point of being carried back to Thunderhawk City, a middle-aged man around thirty walked into the rest lounge and called out his contestant number.


    "Over here."


    Waving his hand amid the crowd, Rocky indicated that he was still there.


    Seeing this, the middle-aged man hurriedly walked up to him with a smile.


    "Hello, my name is Howard, the contact person for the Arena rank matches. Contestant number 1021, congratulations on winning the preliminary contest, this is your reward."


    After introducing himself to Rocky, Howard handed over a Gold Card: "Contestant number 1021, this Gold Card is the Arena''s reward card. Each time you win a match, you can collect your rewards with this card. The five-thousand Gold Coin prize for the preliminary contest is ready for you, and you can collect it anytime."


    "Furthermore, since you''ve won the preliminary contest, you''ve also obtained a Combat Skill Rank. Your current rank is the initial Level Fifteen, with zero points. If you continue to win rank matches, you will gain points, and the more points you have, the higher your rank will become."


    "As for myself, I am your contact person. If you want to compete in rank matches in the future, you can contact me directly. If you have any requests about the match, such as time or format, you can talk to me, and I will try to make the arrangements."


    "This is my Mana Communicator, you can contact me anytime."


    After handing the Gold Card to Rocky, Howard told him many things, the gist of which was quite simple: if Rocky wanted to compete in the future, he could contact him directly, as he''ll be the responsible person for Rocky''s matches in the Arena.


    This was the rule of the Arena: every contestant who obtained rank qualification would be assigned a dedicated contact person, to facilitate arranging matches for the contestants easily, saving them the trouble of queuing up to register. Howard was the contact person assigned to Rocky.


    "Understood, thank you."


    Rocky handed the Gold Card casually to Aileen and then said to Howard, "So, you mean if I want to fight a match in the future, I just need to contact you?"


    "Exactly."


    "Great, I plan to fight another match in three days. Can you arrange it for me?"


    "Of course!"


    As soon as Howard heard Rocky plan to continue competing, a smile instantly appeared on his face. After all, as a contact person, much like an agent, he depended on the contestants earning money. The more often his assigned contestants fought and won, the higher his income would be. Therefore, Rocky''s request to continue fighting was naturally pleasing to Howard, and having watched the recent match, he had high hopes for Rocky as well.


    As for Rocky himself, he felt that he was in good form in today''s match and intended to keep it up to see what a real rank match was like.


    But what he didn''t know was that his decision, made without much thought, was going to inadvertently trigger a major conflict!


    A major conflict between the new style of armors!

 Chapter 251 Sigma

    Eternal City.In the meeting room of Sigma Armor Corporation, Tom Sigma, the third-generation leader of the company, was furiously slamming his hand on the table as he roared.


    "Why hasn''t the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor been manufactured yet!"


    "What exactly are you doing!"


    The roar echoed continuously in the meeting room, but in the face of his outburst, everyone sitting opposite Tom lowered their heads.


    These individuals included executives and heads of research and development; in short, all were top-tier personnel within the company, yet none dared even breathe heavily in front of Tom.


    In today''s Armor Domain, there were two giants, Uranus Corporation and Sigma Corporation. These two dominated the field of Armor development, production, and sales, occupying nearly half of the market. In the Armor Domain, they were absolutely dominant, with no one able to compete against them.


    As such a giant in the field, Sigma Corporation had naturally been working on the research and development of the new generation of Armor, the 6th Generation Armor, for several years. However, judging by Tom''s current irritability, things were not going smoothly.


    Indeed, the development of the 6th Generation Armor at Sigma Corporation was quite problematic.


    The company had been working on the new generation of Armor for five years, and the initial progress was quite promising, having quickly established the concept and theoretical foundations of the new generation of Armor. However, when they attempted to put these theories into practice, difficulties arose, and the progress of development was repeatedly delayed. After five years had passed, not only had the Prototype Armor not been manufactured, but not even an Armor for experimental use had been produced.


    Such results were intolerable for Tom as the leader of the company. Thus, almost every monthly routine meeting, he expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progress of the 6th Generation Armor, especially this time when Tom seemed exceptionally irritable.


    "Your Excellency, please give us some more time..."


    "How much time have I already given you!" Tom roared furiously, glaring at the head of research and development.


    "Uranus Corporation has already manufactured the 6th Generation Prototype Armor, and you still ask for more time?"


    Glaring fiercely at the head of research and development, Tom''s gaze was murderous. His increased irritability wasn''t without reason; it was because their rival, Uranus Corporation, who also occupied half of the Armor Domain, had already produced the 6th Generation Prototype Armor!


    This meant that their biggest and only competitor had already achieved a significant breakthrough in the research and development of the 6th Generation Armor, while Sigma Corporation was completely falling behind.


    This was a situation that Tom could not tolerate because the 6th Generation Armor was too important for the company.


    Sigma Corporation was among the earliest Armor manufacturers, but it rose to prominence during the era of the Fourth Generation Armor when Sigma Corporation was the first among its competitors to develop the Fourth Generation Void Magic Armor, thereby seizing the majority of the market share. It was precisely because of this that the company stood out among numerous competitors and quickly became the leader in the Armor Domain.


    However, after being the first to develop the Fourth Generation Armor, they made a critical mistake in the direction of their research for the Fifth Generation Armor, resulting in falling completely behind their competitor, Uranus Corporation, in the development of the Fifth Generation Armor.


    The most advanced Fifth Generation Armor was first successfully developed by Uranus Corporation.


    As a result, Tom Sigma, the third-generation leader of the company, had started the development of the Sixth Generation Armor early, hoping to regain an advantage with the 6th Generation Armor. However, even though they had acted earlier than their competitor, they were still lagging in development progress.


    No wonder Tom was so furious today.


    But facing his irascibility, the people in the company were at a loss for words; the head of research and development wanted to say something but merely opened his mouth without speaking.


    Thus, the entire meeting room fell silent, leaving only Tom''s heavy breathing.


    After a long silence, a young woman sitting to Tom''s left glanced at everyone, then pointed to the documents everyone was holding and gestured with her hands.


    Seeing the woman''s gesture, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and, following that, left all the documents they were prepared to report on the table and hurried out en masse.


    Only after everyone had left did the woman who stayed in the conference room stand up and walk to each person''s seat, gathering the documents they had left behind.


    "Father."


    Clutching a thick stack of documents, the woman returned to Tom''s side and, while reviewing the documents, said, "Everyone is also anxious about the development of the Sixth-Generation Armor¡­"


    "Hmph! Anxious? I didn''t see that!"


    Experience new tales on empire


    Tom replied grumpily and then stood up and walked over to the liquor cabinet to pour himself a drink.


    "Father, you should know... it''s because of financial constraints that the development department is progressing so slowly¡­"


    Tam''s daughter, Denise Sigma, looked at him with resignation and slowly conveyed the concerns that the research director had prepared but dared not voice, revealing them to her father.


    "Financial constraints?"


    Upon hearing this, Tom scoffed and then, sitting back down, looked at his daughter and asked, "Denise, do you know how much funding the research department has used up over these five years?"


    "The funds they''ve used could have built a God City!"


    "But what''s the result?"


    Tom''s words might have been an exaggeration, but they were indeed true; the investment in the development of the 6th Generation Armor had reached astronomical figures.


    As the development of the latest generation of armor, whether in terms of human resources, materials, or time, the investment was enormous, especially the financial aspect.


    The funding required for the development of new armor couldn''t be measured in numbers, and if one must describe it in words... probably only ''bottomless pit'' would be most fitting. That is to say, the investment in new armor development is unlimited. It only ends when the research succeeds; otherwise, the investment must continue endlessly.


    This is completely different from what Rocky and his team are doing, as they have also created a new generation of armor, but everything for them is ready-made.


    The Mana Runes were developed by Wensel, and Orton and others only needed to learn them, saving a significant amount of investment. Similarly, the design foundation of the White Demon is based on the Fourth-Generation Armor and doesn''t require any investment. Even the various technologies installed are mature and can be used after modifications. Even people like Orton don''t need salaries.


    When calculated this way, the investment in the White Demon Armor''s development seems to have only included material and equipment costs, with everything else being ready-made, hence the lower funding needed. Yet, even so, it took over a million to produce just one set of White Demon Armor, and it is still in the testing phase.


    However, the development of the 6th Generation Armor by Sigma Corporation is clearly not going to be as economical because it is, after all, the sixth-generation Armor!


    The so-called new generation of armor means making a completely new breakthrough based on old armor, with no experience to follow, no example to draw upon, not even a direction; everything must start from scratch. What does this equate to? It''s akin to asking Orton and his team to develop Mana Runes from nothing!


    The investment in this is simply too great; therefore, just as Denise said, in the recent half year, the company''s investment in the Sixth-Generation Armor has indeed been significantly less than before, because for such a bottomless consumption, Sigma Corporation is somewhat unable to bear it. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Father, I think we should continue to increase the research funding. We have been conducting research for so long and invested so much; we cannot give up halfway through," Denise said, looking at Tom.


    "Increase?" But hearing his daughter''s words, Tom could only laugh helplessly, "Increase by how much? How much more money do I need to give these incompetents to get the results I want? I need results!"


    Having spoken, Tom casually handed a document in front of him to his daughter.


    "Take a look at this. If this continues, Sigma Corporation will be ruined by these incompetents!"

 Chapter 252 Holy Angel

    As they were speaking, Tom handed a document to his daughter, and Denise, after only a glance, furrowed her delicate brows."Father, the Kafka Empire... how could they..."


    Having read through the document, Denise looked puzzledly at her father.


    The document in her hands was straightforward; it stated that the Kafka Empire, which had always had a long-standing cooperation with the Sigma Corporation, had decided to cancel this quarter''s Armor order.


    For Sigma Corporation, this was a very rare occurrence.


    The Empire, being a top-tier force, had a tremendous demand for Armors. With the three big forces frequently in friction and both the skies and the lands being unruly, for an entity like the Kafka Empire, Armors were as expendable as consumables¡ªevery quarter, they would place large orders for Armors from Sigma Corporation to replenish their war expenses. This cooperation had started since the fourth generation of Armors and remained unchanged over the years.


    It was precisely for this reason that both Tom and Denise took this matter so seriously. The loss of an order for a quarter wasn''t the issue; it was that such a move by the Kafka Empire made them feel ill at ease.


    "Father, why has this happened? Is it because the Uranus Corporation has developed the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor?"


    As Sigma Corporation''s future Sect Leader, Denise had long become Tom''s right-hand-person; with a bit of thought, she pinpointed the crux of the issue!


    The sudden cancellation of the order by the Kafka Empire, which had always maintained a good partnership, was surely related to their competitors, Uranus Corporation, successfully developing the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor.


    In fact, this was indeed the case, as Tom then nodded.


    "Of course it''s because of this."


    After saying that, Tom smiled with a touch of bitterness, "Although this news hasn''t spread widely yet, a force like the Kafka Empire would naturally know about it the first time around. They must have already made contact with the Uranus Corporation..."


    "Father, does the Kafka Empire plan to directly equip the Sixth-Generation Armors?"


    No sooner had Tom finished speaking than Denise, furrowing her brows, said, "But that''s impossible. They should know that even if the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor is successfully developed, it would take years or even longer to be combat-ready. Doesn''t the Kafka Empire plan to... I understand now..."


    Denise hadn''t even finished her sentence when she noticed her father looking at her; then it dawned on her, and her face showed a look of annoyance.


    "I get it now. To be able to secure the Sixth-Generation Armors first, the Kafka Empire must have already signed a contract with Uranus Corporation and will order Armors from them in the future..."


    Reaching this realization, Denise finally understood why her father was so furious today¡ªfor with their competitors breaking through in the new generation Armor development, they had directly lost a major client!


    Even for Sigma Corporation, losing such a major client like the Kafka Empire was a tremendous, and potentially unbearable, loss!


    "How could this happen..."


    Upon understanding all of this, Denise slumped weakly into her chair.


    Discover stories with empire


    Being Tom''s daughter, Denise was absolutely a beauty of the highest order. Despite her young age, coupled with maturity and composure beyond her years and a temperament cultivated from growing up in high society, she always seemed different from ordinary people.


    But now, Denise seemed like a deflated ball, slumped in her chair, appearing totally listless.


    "Actually... the situation is not as serious as you imagine."


    However, when she showed signs of defeat, Tom at her side suddenly smiled and said, "The issue with the Kafka Empire can actually be easily resolved. As long as we catch up with our competitors in the development of the Sixth-Generation Armor as soon as possible, given our many years of cooperation with the Kafka Empire, it should be easy to win them back."


    "So the real problem still lies with the Sixth-Generation Armor."


    As the third-generation Sect Leader of Sigma Corporation, Tom had been in this position for thirty years. He had seen many significant issues and had developed a keen insight, pinpointing the crux of the matter with a single statement!


    At the end of the day, all problems boiled down to the development of the Sixth-Generation Armor! If they could create the Prototype Armor of the Sixth-Generation just like their competitors, then everything would return to the right track.


    But achieving this was enormously difficult. They had been working on the development of the Sixth-Generation Armor for five years without any significant progress, so how could they possibly create the Prototype Armor now?


    This was precisely the dilemma that Tom found unsolvable.


    However, soon after, Denise, who was helplessly leaning on her chair, seemed to have thought of something and suddenly said, "Father, I have a solution."


    "Oh?"


    Upon hearing this, Tom turned to look at her and then asked with a smile, "What solution?"


    "Confidence."


    Looking at her father, Denise spoke with conviction and without hesitation, "We need to restore our clients'' confidence in us now. Kafka Empire''s defection to Uranus Corporation is a very dangerous sign. It shows that in the development of the new generation Armor, our clients have lost confidence in us. We must regain their trust!"


    "I understand, but how do we do that?"


    "With the new generation Armor!"


    "Denise, I''ve just said that those good-for-nothings in the R&D department simply cannot..."


    "No, Father, I''m not talking about the Sixth-Generation Armor."


    Denise interrupted Tom before he could finish, then she ran out and called her secretary, giving a few instructions.


    Shortly after, the secretary reappeared, bringing a small Magic Energy Projector. Denise hurriedly placed the projector in front of her father, pressed a button, and an image of an Armor appeared before Tom''s eyes.


    "What is this...?"


    Seeing the image of the Armor in front of him, Tom furrowed his brows. After a while, he looked at Denise, "What Armor is this, and why does it look like that?"


    The Armor that appeared before Tom indeed looked different. It was clearly a female model, employing the most popular streamlined design in women''s Armors. However, what set this Armor apart was that there were eight conical or cylindrical objects floating behind it, giving the appearance of wings on the back. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tom had never seen such Armor before and for him this was simply inconceivable.


    Yet, Denise wasn''t surprised by her father''s reaction at all. She smiled and explained:


    "Father, this is a new kind of Armor independently developed by my own team. I call it ¡ª the Holy Angel Armor."

 Chapter 253 Interception!

    "Father, this is the new Armor that my own team has developed independently. I have named it¡ªthe Holy Angel Armor."Denise said this with undisguised pride as she glanced at the Magic Energy Image of the Armor.


    "Your team developed this independently?"


    "Yes."


    "Oh..." Tom was not too surprised by this news, knowing that as the future Sect Leader of Sigma Corporation, Denise had a strong interest in Armor development¡ªa necessary one at that. Therefore, she always had her own development team, which Tom not only knew about but also greatly supported.


    So after nodding his head, Tom asked, "Is this the Sixth-Generation Armor?"


    Even though he knew it was unlikely, he still asked the question since everything Denise had said suggested she planned to use the Holy Angel Armor to restore customer confidence in the company. And in a situation where competitors had already developed the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor, only another sixth-generation model could achieve this.


    Unfortunately, the Holy Angel Armor was not of the sixth generation, as Denise shook her head right after.


    Such a result was expected, yet Tom couldn''t help but sigh. It was at this moment, however, that Denise spoke up.


    "Father, while the Holy Angel is not a Sixth-Generation Armor, it is neither Fifth-Generation."


    "Oh?"


    "Father, this Armor employs a Magic Stone external system. Do you see the eight wings floating behind the Armor? Those are actually eight polished Magic Stones encased in Armor."


    "A Magic Stone external system... Wasn''t that plan a failure?"


    A moment after Denise mentioned this, Tom looked at the Magic Energy Image of the Armor and then asked.


    Tom had heard of the Magic Stone external system before, as it was a project of Sigma Corporation. The goal was to increase the amount of Magic Stones in an Armor using an external attachment, thereby bypassing the limitations on the use of Magic Stones. This would allow the Armor to harness more Mana through the attached Magic Stones, creating a breakthrough in total Mana capacity. Unfortunately, the project had later failed.


    "It was a failure at first, but later I had the team improve on the original design. Although the effect was several times lower than initially intended, the system was indeed successful and significantly enhanced the Armor''s Mana," Denise quickly explained in response to Tom''s doubt.


    "With the addition of the Magic Stone external system, the Mana peak value of the Holy Angel Armor has greatly increased. Just this system alone has enabled the Armor to reach a Mana peak value of 15,000 points. It''s comparable to Special Armor that uses the Mana Matrix System and is powered by Super Crystals, and the external system doesn''t reject the other two technologies. That means..."


    At this point, Denise looked at her father, "That means, once the Holy Angel is fitted with the Mana Matrix System, and the Magic Stones inside are replaced by Super Crystals, then the Mana peak value of the Armor will easily exceed 20,000 points, completely breaking the standard limits of a Fifth-Generation Armor. If coupled with the most advanced technology, then this Armor will become the most sophisticated Fifth and a Half Generation Armor!"


    After saying this, Denise paused as if giving Tom time to think, and after a short while, she continued:


    "Uranus Corporation may have developed the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor, but it''s nothing more than an illusion. A true implementation would take several more years to complete, and we might not be able to compete with a Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor, but the Holy Angel Armor is already complete."


    "Father, with the Holy Angel Armor, we can utterly defeat the illusions of Uranus Corporation. Not only can we provide our clients with immediately deployable Armor, but we can also restore their faith in the company. With this, we''ll have more time to develop the Sixth-Generation Armor!"


    "......"


    When Denise finished her speech, she looked at her father, and Tom did not immediately respond. His eyes were still fixed on the Magic Energy Image of the Holy Angel Armor. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t until a good while later that Tom''s gaze shifted to Denise and a smile finally appeared on his face.


    With a smile, he patted Denise''s hand and then let out a long, emotional sigh, "At a critical moment, I still need to rely on my little princess..."


    "You tell me when you want the press conference, and I''ll arrange it."


    Looking at Denise, Tom immediately asked, clearly agreeing to her plan.


    However, Denise shook her head in response, "Father, press conferences are too clich¨¦."


    Shaking her head, Denise smiled, clearly having her own ideas.


    Sure enough, she then said, "Father, I plan to participate in the Arena with the Holy Angel Armor."


    "Why?"


    "Because if I can rely on the Holy Angel Armor to win a quarterly championship, I believe customers will have absolute confidence in this armor!"


    One must admit, Denise was indeed clever, not just clever, but her thinking was more acute, even more fashionable than that of the older generation like Tom.


    The purpose of releasing the Holy Angel Armor was to counter Uranus Corporation''s Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor. Even though the Holy Angel''s capabilities surpassed the existing Fifth Generation Armor, reaching the standard of the Fifth and a Half Generation, it still wasn''t as attractive as the Sixth-Generation Armor, which was its inherent disadvantage.


    However, this armor also had advantages that the Sixth-Generation could not compare with, such as the fact that this armor had already been developed! Discover exclusive tales on empire


    Even if the Sixth-Generation Armor was stronger, more powerful, and more formidable, after all, it remained at the theoretical stage. Yet the Holy Angel Armor was different; it could be put into production right now and could be directly issued to the troops.


    Therefore, as long as the formidable combat power of the Holy Angel Armor could be demonstrated at a suitable event, it would undoubtedly receive a great welcome. After all, before the true development success of the Sixth-Generation Armor, this Fifth and a Half Generation armor would be the strongest!


    That was why Denise planned to participate in the arena; she intended to treat the arena as the launch event for the Holy Angel Armor, using concrete combat achievements to safeguard the release of the Holy Angel Armor!


    ......


    ......


    "Denise... she plans to participate in the arena?"


    When Denise decided to use the arena as her launch event, almost the next day, this news was passed to Uranus Corporation, reaching the ears of the fourth-generation Sect Leader.


    Unlike Tom, the current Sect Leader of Uranus Corporation was a young man about Denise''s age, named Kashu Uranus. If one were to consider seniority, Kashu and Denise would be of the same generation, so their ages were similar.


    In the boardroom, Kashu slightly frowned when he learned of Denise''s plans to participate in the arena.


    "Your Excellency, is this some sort of strategy from Sigma Corporation?"


    "Of course, it certainly is."


    Looking at the puzzled company executives, Kashu smiled and nodded his head, then closed his eyes.


    As he closed his eyes, the entire boardroom fell into utter silence because everyone knew this signaled Kashu thinking. If anyone dared to speak or even cough at this moment, it was certain they would never enter this boardroom again. So, during this time of contemplation, no one even dared breathe loudly. A few executives with naturally heavy breathing simply held their breath.


    Fortunately, Kashu didn''t take long to think; within minutes, he reopened his eyes and said with a smile:


    "Gentlemen, it seems Sigma Corporation is preparing to fight a turning battle."


    "Denise participating personally in the arena clearly aims to use the opportunity to launch a new style of armor to block us."


    "A new style of armor? Your Excellency, have they made a breakthrough in the development of the Sixth-Generation Armor?"


    Upon hearing this, someone immediately asked with disbelief.


    However, Kashu shook his head in response: "No, that''s not possible. If I''m not mistaken, Denise must be preparing to launch a new type of Fifth Generation Armor. No, it should be an armor that surpasses the Fifth Generation¡ªit''s the Fifth and a Half Generation Armor."


    One has to say, Kashu was simply too clever! With just the fact of Denise''s participation in the arena, he almost completely guessed the entire situation!


    "This¡­"


    But after he finished speaking, the others in the boardroom all frowned, for everyone present was clever, at least shrewd enough to understand what kind of impact it would have on them if Denise released a Fifth and a Half Generation Armor.


    Comparison to these people, Kashu was not worried at all, his smile undiminished as he looked towards the research and development director not far away.


    "Sahir, I remember before the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor was manufactured, you created several experimental armors, right?"


    "Oh, yes, we made five of them."


    "Good, take one of those, send someone to join the arena, and as long as we can defeat Denise in the arena, the issue will be resolved."

 Chapter 254 Rookie Killer

    The research and release of the new generation of Armors have always been a war, and the frontline battle of this war will kick off in the Arena!However, at this time, neither the Sigma Corporation nor the Uranus Corporation anticipated the involvement of a third party in this battle that was supposed to be solely theirs.


    Your journey continues on empire


    Actually, not to mention them, even the third party themselves didn''t know that things would turn out this way.


    After finishing the preliminary competition, Rocky didn''t rest but immediately began preparations for the next match in earnest.


    Having won the preliminary competition and secured a Combat Skill Rank, his next match would be a rank match, which is where the real competition in the Arena takes place.


    To prepare for this match, everyone became busy. Orton and others were tuning the White Demon Armor based on the performance in the preliminary competition, and Rocky was also preparing for battle, as were Liliya and the others too.


    The busiest among them were Liliya and her team.


    The rank match is the true competition of the Arena. Although the format is mostly one-on-one, the danger level is no less than that of the melee preliminary competition, no, it is definitely higher than the preliminary competition because every participant who qualifies for the rank match is a winner of the preliminary competition, which means any opponent Rocky encounters in the rank match is capable of taking on nine opponents single-handedly!


    In such a situation, it was natural for Liliya and her team to prepare in advance. The most important task was to understand the opponents ahead of time so Rocky could know his enemies as well as himself.


    Fortunately, the Arena was very considerate in this aspect. The day after Rocky decided to continue in the competition, Howard, who was responsible for scheduling the matches, sent news. Not only had the match schedule been arranged, but the data of the opponents were also delivered to Rocky''s hands.


    Rocky''s first rank match, according to his own request, was set for three days after the end of the preliminary competition, in the traditional one-on-one format. The opponent he had to face was a Fourteen-rank player¡ªOber.


    Every winner of the preliminary competition has a minimum of Fifteen-rank. Although Rocky had performed exceptionally well in the preliminary competition, he still had to follow the rules, and normally, a contestant with Fifteen-rank, especially in their first rank match, would be matched with an opponent of the same rank. But this time, Rocky''s opponent was an entire rank higher than him.


    "An entire rank higher?"


    Upon learning that his opponent was Fourteen-rank, Rocky glanced at Liliya and then asked, "According to the Arena''s ranking rules, how many matches must a Fifteen-rank win to advance in rank?"


    "Winning two consecutive matches allows direct advancement in rank, but even if you can''t win consecutively, accumulating three victories guarantees advancement in rank."


    Having thoroughly studied the various rules of the Arena, Liliya was able to provide the answer immediately.


    Advancing in rank at the Arena isn''t as difficult as one might think, at least not at the lower ranks. For example, to advance from Fifteen-rank to Fourteen-rank, one needs to win two consecutive matches or accumulate three victories in total.


    "Then there''s nothing to worry about."


    Hearing Liliya''s response, Rocky smiled, "Although the opponent''s rank is higher than mine, it just means they''ve fought a few more matches than me. It''s no big deal."


    Rocky''s reasoning wasn''t without merit, for indeed the level of rank does measure an opponent''s strength. For instance, the gap between a One-rank player and a Fifteen-rank player will be obvious, but the difference between Fifteen-rank and Fourteen-rank isn''t that significant ¡ª after all, advancing from Fifteen-rank to Fourteen-rank just requires two or three victories.


    However, no sooner had Rocky finished speaking than Liliya shook her head and then sat across from him.


    "What''s the matter?"


    Seeing Liliya''s serious demeanor, Rocky felt a bit puzzled ¡ª was there something wrong with what he said?


    Indeed, he was mistaken.


    "Rocky, your thought isn''t wrong, but this time''s opponent is different," said Liliya, shaking her head with resignation. She then handed a file to him, "Your opponent''s name is Ober, and he''s no insignificant figure."


    "Oh?"


    Upon hearing this, Rocky looked curiously at the information in his hand, first noticing a photograph.


    In the photo was a man in his thirties, with a buzz cut, a square face, and the corners of his mouth turned slightly upward, revealing an uncomfortable smile. This man was his opponent, Ober, who was thirty-three years old and had a fourth-generation Special Armor. He had officially begun participating in Arena matches a year ago and had participated in at least three to five matches every month since winning the preliminary competition.


    As mentioned before, due to the point-based Rank system used by the Arena, contestants can keep participating in matches regardless of winning or losing, which led to the emergence of a considerable number of players who live off Arena matches. Clearly, Ober was one of them.


    However, when Rocky saw Ober''s information, he couldn''t help but frown. Something seemed off about these details, right?


    According to the data, Ober started participating in Arena competitions a year ago and has been competing in at least three to five matches per month. That means he must have participated in at least thirty to fifty Rank matches!


    Having competed in so many matches, how is he only Fourteen-rank?


    Liliya had just finished explaining that advancing in Ranks in the Arena isn''t as difficult as imagined, especially at the lower Ranks. As long as one can maintain a win rate of 50%, no, even just over 40%, thirty to fifty matches should be enough to elevate a contestant to around Ten-rank. So, what''s the deal with Ober? How could his Rank remain so low after participating in so many competitions?


    With this thought, Rocky realized something was amiss and immediately looked further into the document. This further examination left him even more puzzled.


    The information Liliya had given him had cost five hundred gold coins from the Shadow Alliance and was therefore highly detailed. It included not just the number of matches Ober participated in but also his win rate.


    But the baffling part lay exactly there¡ªOber''s win rate was astonishingly high! S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had taken part in fifty-six matches and won forty-nine of them, losing only seven. This brought his win rate to an impressive 87%!


    This fact struck Rocky as incredibly strange. With such a high win rate, why was Ober''s Rank only Fourteen-rank?


    "What''s going on here?"


    At this point, Rocky couldn''t help but look up and turn to Liliya.


    "It''s because of cheating."


    "What?"


    "Ober could win the majority of his matches with absolute superiority, but whenever his opponents surrendered, he would kill them," Liliya explained.


    "Kill the opponents after they surrendered? Aren''t such actions forbidden in the Arena?"


    Rocky asked, his eyebrows furrowing as he turned to Liliya.


    "Indeed they are forbidden. If someone does that, not only will their victory points be deducted, but their reward will also be halved, and they will be disqualified from competing for the seasonal championship," she replied with a nod.


    But then she spoke helplessly,


    "However, Ober clearly doesn''t care about these penalties. He''s deliberately using rule-breaking to suppress his Rank, allowing him to stay in the competitions for lower Ranks. In this way, he can not only continuously face lower-level opponents but his prize money isn''t much affected either. After all, even if he only wins half the prize money per match, if the number of wins is high enough, it''s still a significant amount."


    "So Ober is quite notorious in the Arena and even has a widely known nickname..."


    "The Rookie Killer¡ªOber!"

 Chapter 255 I beg you, kill him!

    "Rookie Killer..."After hearing Liliya''s explanation, Rocky furrowed his brows and glanced at the information in his hand, then looked at Ober''s photo.


    A while later, he lifted his head again, "So, you''re saying that Ober''s true strength is far beyond his rank?"


    "Exactly, based on his win rate, he should at least be a ten-rank player, so you absolutely cannot take him lightly."


    Liliya nodded solemnly, her face full of concern as she spoke.


    Indeed, she was worried because no one expected Rocky''s first ranked match opponent to be an ''Old Gunner'' who had trawled through the Arena for dozens of matches. Such an arrangement made it impossible for her not to worry.


    However, that was the nature of the Arena; every match had its exciting points, and the reason Rocky encountered such a strong opponent from the start was clearly related to his performance in the preliminary selections.


    In fact, that was exactly the case. The Arena had its own assessment for each contestant, which directly determined the strength of their opponents, and in the eyes of the Arena, Rocky was considerably stronger than the average player, which is why they had arranged a formidable opponent for him from the start.


    Such an arrangement naturally made the match more exciting, but it also placed Rocky in a precarious situation.


    As for his opponent, Rocky could not afford to take him lightly. After all, Ober was not simply a rookie who had won a few matches. He was a seasoned player who exploited the rules of the game, specializing in winning rewards by killing newcomers. Rocky had to take such a person seriously.


    So, after a brief silence, he looked at Liliya.


    "Go tell Aileen to bet more on the outside bets for this match."


    Rocky said to Liliya with a slight smile, which made her roll her eyes, unsure whether Rocky was serious or not.


    Of course, Rocky was serious. The fact that he asked Aileen to bet more on the next match showed that he was serious about the contest.


    Naturally, another reason was that Aileen''s decision to bet only ten thousand Gold Coin in the preliminary selections had irritated Rocky, which was why he said that.


    Afterward, he took Liliya to the Research Institute, planning to try out the newly-tuned White Demon Armor together. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Winning the preliminary selection had relied in no small part on the performance of the White Demon Armor, which not only satisfied Rocky but also pleased people like Orton. However, their standards were clearly higher, and they had identified some minor issues with the White Demon Armor during the match. These issues were not critical enough to affect the use of the armor but still needed to be adjusted.


    Under these circumstances, Orton and the others immediately made fine-tuning adjustments to the White Demon Armor after returning to Thunderhawk City, striving to perfect the armor.


    As the user of the armor, it was essential for Rocky to adapt to these adjustments in advance. His feedback on these adjustments was also valuable data. Therefore, after arriving at the Research Institute with Liliya, they both donned their respective armors and began sparring, using this method to validate the adjustments made to the White Demon Armor.


    Thus, three days went by swiftly, and after those three days, Rocky once again headed to the Arena.


    But on the same day that he was heading to the Arena, Denise also signed up for the Arena''s matches with her Holy Angel Armor.


    At the same time, the three major forces from the Sky Alliance, Kafka Empire, and Magic Energy Research Institute sent their representatives. Moreover, numerous Chambers of Commerce along with representatives of many families converged in Eternal City, all to witness the spectacle of the Holy Angel Armor.


    Of course, to counter Denise''s Holy Angel Armor, the Uranus Corporation also had contestants sign up for the Arena''s matches, using none other than the sixth-generation experimental battle armor!


    The first direct confrontation between the two titans of the Armor Domain over the new generation of armors made the Arena of Eternal City suddenly come alive. Ordinary people might not understand what was happening, but the upper echelons of various forces had already turned their attention here.


    Everyone was anticipating the outcome of the confrontation between Sigma Corporation and Uranus Corporation. If Denise''s Holy Angel Armor were to win, then there''s no doubt that Sigma Corporation would not only restore customer confidence but also prove that its research and development strength was still top-notch, and that their sixth-generation armor was still worth the anticipation.


    Your next read is at empire


    Conversely, if Uranus Corporation emerged victorious in this confrontation, then without a doubt it would incredibly boost everyone''s confidence in their sixth-generation armor, and even more customers might switch their allegiance to their company.


    And until this moment, no one had noticed the presence of the White Demon.


    But¡­ it won''t be long now...


    ......


    ......


    Just like last time, surrounded by a crowd, Rocky came to the Arena and then the group split in two directions: Orton''s party went directly into the venue, while Rocky went to the changing room for competitors accompanied by Liliya and Lin Feng.


    Since he was participating in a rank match, Rocky didn''t need to wait for his match in the common lounge with the others, and he had his own changing room. However, during the process of heading to the changing room, a bit of a situation arose.


    "Please move along, don''t make it hard for me."


    "I beg you, I just want to say one sentence to competitor number 1021, just one sentence."


    "Please leave quickly, if the liaison sees this, I''ll lose my job."


    As soon as Rocky arrived at the waiting area entrance, he saw a middle-aged couple standing at the doorway, pleading with the guard.


    And just as he appeared, even before he could understand what was going on, the couple begging the guard noticed him and, ignoring the obstruction, ran over immediately. Seeing the couple charging towards Rocky, the guard hurriedly followed.


    "Sir! Sir!"


    The couple, who looked to be in their forties, appeared ordinary. The woman had the look of a housewife and was limping severely as she ran, needing the support of her husband to walk with difficulty.


    "Stop right there!"


    As the couple approached, Lin Feng had to step forward to scold and stop them. Although it seemed that they were not assassins, as a guard, Lin Feng had to do so.


    Stunned by Lin Feng''s scolding, the middle-aged couple clearly faltered, probably having never encountered such a situation before and thus were frightened. At the same time, the guard also came running over and promptly apologized to Rocky.


    "I''m sorry, so sorry, I''ll send them away right now, very sorry¡­"


    In the Arena, Rocky''s identity might only be that of a competitor, but anyone with eyes can see that his true identity was definitely not ordinary, so the guard bowed continuously upon seeing him and then unceremoniously planned to drag the middle-aged couple away.


    However, at that moment, the middle-aged couple who had been stopped in front of Rocky suddenly made a shocking move, both kneeling down in front of him!


    "Sir! We beg you, please kill Ober!"

 Chapter 256 Lets Go Watch the Game

    "Rookie Killer" for Ober was no mere nickname; it was more like his personal creed.He wasn''t just called a Rookie Killer, he acted like one too!


    Before becoming a ranked player in the Arena, Ober was once a mercenary who had spent a considerable amount of time with a Mercenary Group. Years of mercenary contracts not only gave him strength far beyond the ordinary but also taught him how to survive.


    So when he saved enough money and bought a set of Void Magic Armor for himself, he left the Mercenary Group and started participating in the Arena competitions.


    In theory, given Ober''s strength and experience, plus a fourth-generation Special Armor, he could have easily advanced in the Arena. While reaching the very top might be unattainable, getting to around Ten-rank was definitely within his reach.


    But Ober didn''t do that. No, it would be more accurate to say that he had tried. Everyone starts with a goal, and Ober was no exception. He had managed to reach Ninth Rank on his own strength, a considerable achievement.


    However, after that, everything changed.


    In the Arena, Ten-rank is a watershed; matches below this level are all considered low-end, only those above are deemed high-end competitions. When Ober pushed his rank to Ninth, he moved into the high-end matches, but that''s when things started to shift.


    Failure.


    Defeat after defeat.


    An unending string of failures.


    Upon starting the high-end matches, Ober experienced a series of losses. One match almost cost him his life. These defeats battered his body and demolished his spirit to the point that, after suffering a particularly devastating loss¡­ Ober changed.


    That painful defeat had left Ober in a sickbed for two months. By the time he recovered, a different Ober was born, one who would stop at nothing to win, to survive. Explore more adventures at empire


    The transformed Ober quickly found a loophole in the Arena rules and made exploiting this loophole his means of livelihood, becoming the feared Rookie Killer, a name that struck terror in many first-time contestants.


    In the process, naturally, he had to kill and did so after his opponents surrendered because only then could he utilize the rules'' loophole to claim his reward without accruing any points.


    Agatha, a young man, was just one of the many rookies he had killed.


    Agatha grew up orphaned and was raised by his sister and brother-in-law. As an adult, he became a guard for a noble within Eternal City. Given that nobles in Eternal City were either rich or influential, Agatha soon acquired his own Void Magic Armor and displayed considerable talent as a Void Magic Warrior. To hone his skills and win some prize money for his family, he decided to join the Arena.


    Everything went smoothly at first. He won the preliminary round, and his first Rank match opponent wasn''t very strong, but during his second registration for a match, he encountered Ober.


    The outcome of their match goes without saying. Even with his significant potential, Agatha was still a rookie and stood no chance against Ober; he quickly chose to surrender, and then¡­ he was killed.


    Upon learning of her brother''s death, Agatha''s sister and brother-in-law obviously couldn''t let it go, especially since Agatha had already surrendered before he was killed¡ªOber''s actions were clearly against the rules.


    But what could a couple from an ordinary family do?


    They approached the Arena, and the Arena''s response was simple: they had already punished Ober according to the rules.


    They then sought out the noble for whom Agatha had worked, hoping he would stand up for them. But even the noble didn''t want to provoke someone like Ober, who could fight in high-end Arena matches. To start a conflict with such a ruthless character over a mere guard? No noble would make such a foolish move.


    With no other options, Agatha''s sister even sought out Ober directly behind her husband''s back, and now she''s ended up like this, barely able to walk, supported only by her husband.


    But to avenge her brother and seek justice for him, his sister never gave up. Thus, whenever Ober had a match, she would have her husband support her as she waited outside the changing room of Ober''s opponent. Even the guards assigned to watch over the place had come to recognize them.


    However, Ober was once a competitor who had reached high-level matches. Perhaps he had suffered a crushing defeat in a high-level match, but who could rival him in a low-level match? There might be some, but the chance of encountering them was slim. After all, the Arena needed a figure like Ober to enhance the excitement of the matches.


    So, although Agatha''s sister appeared time after time at the changing room door, pleading with each of Ober''s opponents in hopes that one day someone would avenge her brother, Ober continued to live well.


    Until Rocky appeared.


    As usual, upon learning that Ober was going to compete again, Agatha''s sister and brother-in-law arrived at the Arena before dawn, even earlier than the guards, just to see Rocky.


    And indeed, they did meet Rocky, but unfortunately, just after they saw him, and before they could even speak a second sentence, Howard, the Arena official who arranged the matches for Rocky, appeared. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as Howard arrived, he unceremoniously ordered the guards to drive the couple away, not giving them a chance to speak with Rocky.


    However, some coincidences are just too perfect; though Agatha''s sister and brother-in-law were chased away, Rocky, out of curiosity, learned about their family''s ordeal from the guard.


    As mentioned before, to seek justice for her brother, the sister and brother-in-law had shown up countless times in front of Ober''s opponents'' doors, hoping someone would help them, and their story was so well-known that even the guards were aware of it. Perhaps out of pity, or simply because they were talkative, the guard told Rocky everything they knew in great detail when he inquired about it.


    This might have been a mere coincidence, but perhaps it was fate''s design, for even Agatha''s sister and brother-in-law didn''t know that, after they were driven away, Rocky heard about their plight in even more detail.


    "You may leave."


    After hearing everything from the guard, Rocky nodded and gestured for the guard to go.


    "Rocky, it''s time,"


    Just as the guard left, Liliya made a reminder from the side that it was time for the match.


    Upon hearing this, Rocky nodded, then began to change into his Armor. Once he had donned the Armor, he left the changing room alone, ready to make his appearance.


    But as he left the changing room, Lin Feng also left. He quickly made his way outside of the Arena and, without much effort, found the couple who had been driven away.


    When Lin Feng found the couple, they were standing in a corner, seemingly in prayer.


    "You... you are... "


    Seeing Lin Feng walking over, Agatha''s sister was taken aback. She certainly remembered Lin Feng, for she had just seen him, but for that very reason, she was also somewhat at a loss when she saw him again.


    But at that moment, Lin Feng handed two Arena tickets to the couple.


    "These are for you, from the master. Go watch the match."


    Having said this, Lin Feng turned and left; he had completed the task Rocky had given him.


    Upon receiving the tickets, the couple stood there, stunned for a moment, then supported each other as they hurried toward the Arena...


    PS: Taking a short break today, only one release.

 Chapter 257 Rank Match!

    At ten o''clock in the morning, the Rank matches at the Arena commenced punctually!In the venue, the eight sub-arenas and one main arena were all hosting matches simultaneously, with each competition ground filled to capacity with spectators.


    The sub-arena where Rocky was competing was located at the southeast side of the venue at the number three platform, and as the match time drew near, the venue gradually filled with people. The audience count exceeded that of the preliminary selection by more than double, easily numbering four to five thousand.


    Four to five thousand spectators represented the entire audience for the Rank matches because, be it in terms of quality, highlights, excitement, or even the level of bloodiness, the Rank matches were a notch above the preliminary selection, and so naturally, the audience for the Rank matches far outnumbered those from the preliminaries.


    "Ladies and gentlemen! The first round of today''s Rank matches is about to begin! Let''s cheer!"


    Before the contestants made their entrance, the announcer at the side of the field had already begun to warm up the crowd, who, in turn, responded with cheers and even started doing the wave for their own amusement.


    Meanwhile, Agatha''s sister and brother-in-law had also arrived inside the venue and, following their seat numbers, found places at the very front row of the competition ground, right next to Monte and the others.


    Sitting in the front row, the couple noticeably felt out of place, as the tickets for these seats would cost no less than a hundred Gold Coins each; they had never watched a match from such close proximity, especially not next to towering Beastmen.


    Therefore, while the entire audience was amusing themselves with the wave, the couple sat quietly, creating a stark contrast with the people around them, and stood out awkwardly.


    Shortly afterward, the time for the match to start arrived, and the announcer cleared his throat:


    "Ladies and gentlemen!"


    "Now, please welcome the two contestants of this Rank match!"


    Amid the announcer''s loud and excited voice, the large screen shifted to the contestants'' entrance, and then the doors to the entrance slowly opened.


    "First to enter, the contestant who just won in the preliminary selection, number 1021, please welcome player number 1021!"


    Accompanied by the announcer''s introduction, Rocky, clad in the White Demon Armor, stepped out from the entrance.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the contestant who has presented the most spectacular preliminary selection match in recent years, overcoming all opponents and achieving a resounding victory, contestant number 1021!"


    "The Armor worn by contestant number 1021 is the White Demon Armor, modified from the Fourth Generation Hammer Fire Special Armor. This Armor had an outstanding performance in the preliminary selection, assisting contestant number 1021 in defeating one opponent after another, and ultimately winning. So today, on this arena stage, can he transform into a Demon that strikes fear into his opponents'' hearts?"


    "Are you all looking forward to it?"


    Howard had previously appeared in the changing room for the purpose of having Rocky provide some Armor information briefly, so it would be convenient to introduce him during his entrance. Otherwise, just introducing a name would be too monotonous and fail to excite the audience.


    For this, Rocky was well-prepared, and he relayed the prepared commentary directly to Howard, which led to the announcer''s introduction.


    However, the regrettable part was that after the announcer''s passionate introduction of Rocky, the entire arena fell silent, with no applause or cheers coming forth¡­


    Despite the presence of three to four thousand spectators in the arena, not one of them recognized Rocky, nor had any of them come specifically to watch him compete. Thus, when the announcer''s introduction ended, the atmosphere in the arena turned awkward.


    The announcer seemed to have anticipated this and, after only a few seconds, his voice rang out again: Enjoy more content from empire


    "And now, please welcome the other contestant of this match: Ober!"


    With the announcer''s deliberately drawn-out introduction, the large screen''s display switched from Rocky to a grand doorway. As the doors leisurely opened, a warrior clad in Armor, the Void Magic Warrior, appeared on the screen¡ªit was Rocky''s opponent in this match, Ober! sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Ober''s image appeared on the big screen, the couple seated next to Monte clenched their fists tightly. They stared furiously at the screen, faces contorted with a fierce and pained expression.


    In stark contrast, the entire place erupted with cheers!


    As soon as Ober made his appearance, all three to four thousand spectators began to shout in unison, with quite a few standing up. Some raised their arms high, while others even waved vigorously at Ober, welcoming him like a hero.


    Clearly, Ober completely eclipsed Rocky in terms of popularity. Rocky''s entrance had gone unnoticed, but Ober''s was met with an explosive roar of approval.


    Some might wonder why Ober, a killer who relied on exploiting loopholes in the rules through murder, would receive such cheers?


    Such thoughts would never cross the minds of Arena spectators because, to them, Ober''s matches were always exciting and bloody. Every match he fought resulted in death, every time he left his opponents facing certain doom, and that was enough. It was, after all, the very reason people came to the Arena.


    As long as he could fulfill this expectation, Ober was a star in the eyes of the audience and beloved!


    Amidst the thunderous applause, the announcer''s voice came through once more:


    "This contestant hardly needs an introduction, does he? He is none other than the Rookie Killer¡ªOber! Where is your applause, where are your cheers, where is your enthusiasm!!"


    The already thunderous cheers grew even more fervent under the announcer''s lead.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, although you are already very familiar with contestant Ober, I must still introduce him as a mark of my respect."


    "Since obtaining his Rank, Ober has participated in fifty-six matches with a win rate exceeding eighty percent. In his most recent thirty matches, he has achieved an impressive thirty consecutive victories. Of course, for some well-known reasons, these records are not officially listed."


    At this point, laughter spread through the crowd, and only after it subsided did the announcer continue:


    "The key to Ober''s impressive record, aside from his wealth of experience, is inseparable from the Armor he wears."


    "Contestant Ober wears the Berserker Type Special Armor. As the only fourth-generation Special Armor that can compete with the Hammer Fire, the Berserker Armor''s performance in all aspects is unparalleled, reaching the pinnacle of fourth-generation Special Armors. But let''s not forget that Ober isn''t just a superb warrior; he''s also an outstanding modding master. With his modifications, the Berserker Armor''s combat power has taken a qualitative leap!"


    "Ladies and gentlemen, this match is really one to watch, truly one to watch! Both contestants are equipped with fourth-generation Special Armors, both have been modified; this is truly a clash of titans!"


    "So... let''s cut the chit-chat and immediately invite both contestants to the stage to begin the match!"

 Chapter 258 Mana Suppression!

    When the announcer finished the introduction, the competition began!Ober, clad in Berserker Armor, was the first to jump onto the platform, closely followed by Rocky who also leapt up to stand on it.


    "Kid,"


    "¡­you are pretty good."


    Both of them had boarded the platform, officially starting the match, but Ober did not immediately make a move. Instead, he slowly stepped along the edge of the platform, strolling leisurely as he spoke, "I heard about your previous preliminary matches, they were beautiful so¡­"


    Moving slowly along the edge, Ober continued, "So I''m giving you an opportunity, surrender now, and I might spare your life."


    Like Ober, at this moment, Rocky was also not rushing into action. As Ober slowly approached him along the edge, he also paced along the platform''s edge, keeping the same direction and almost the same stepping frequency as Ober. Thus, although both were shifting their positions, the distance between them remained unchanged.


    When Ober''s words concluded, Rocky chuckled, "Is that so?"


    "Of course¡­!"


    The moment he uttered these two words, Ober suddenly burst forward, his Armor pushing at full force as he charged at Rocky!


    Clearly, his previous words were merely a probe, testing Rocky''s psychological state; once the probing was over, he immediately took action.


    In an instant, Ober had closed the distance to Rocky, followed by a furious flurry from his Mana Sword!


    Enjoy more content from empire


    The quality of a Rank match was evident from this one attack alone!


    Ober''s charge at Rocky was so swift, it reached the limits of what the naked eye could capture. To all the spectators, he seemed to transform into a shadow, without needing any preparation or superfluous movements, he instantly appeared in front of Rocky.


    Such a fierce attack was absolutely unseen in the preliminary matches but was the norm in these rank matches.


    But Rocky was also well-prepared; he knew that Rank matches were not on the same level as preliminary matches, so ever since stepping onto the platform, he had been extremely vigilant. Thus, facing Ober who had swiftly charged up to him, especially as the Mana Sword swooped down, he simply raised his right arm and deployed the Magic Energy Shield on his forearm.


    With a clang, the forcefully descending Mana Sword heavily struck the Magic Energy Shield, the impact causing Rocky''s right arm to involuntarily sink downward.


    "It''s started, ladies and gentlemen! The battle has begun!"


    After a brief ''exchange of pleasantries'', the two contestants on the platform commenced their fight, and the announcer also started shouting from the sidelines, "Ladies and gentlemen, look at the magic energy values on the screen!"


    Following the announcer''s voice, the audience immediately focused their attention on the big screen.


    At this moment, not only did the main venue''s screen show the ongoing battle between the two, but also displayed two numbers on the left and right sides.


    These two numbers, measured by the magic energy meter within the arena, showed the magic energy values of the White Demon Armor and Berserker Armor in the most direct way to everyone.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, contestant number 1021, wearing the White Demon Armor, has a magic energy value reaching up to 5000, which has already exceeded most of the fourth-generation Special Armor. It''s quite exceptional! As for Ober''s Berserker Armor¡­ my goodness! The magic energy value of the Berserker Armor has reached a whopping 6200 points!"


    "Good heavens! This value is absolutely astounding. Just how much has Ober enhanced his Armor for it to achieve such a high magic energy level?"


    When the announcer revealed the magic energy value of Ober''s armor, the audience collectively gasped, unable to restrain a wave of amazed murmurs.


    It was no wonder the audience reacted like this because a magic energy value of 6200 points was indeed high enough to be shocking.


    According to the average standards of the fourth-generation Special Armor, most Special Armor hover around 4500 points. They usually don''t go much lower, nor do they exceed by much.


    Therefore, in many people''s eyes, the White Demon Armor''s 5000 points were already considered very high. However, Ober''s Berserker Armor not only surpassed White Demon but reached an astonishing 6200 points!


    What concept is this?


    A standard Berserker Armor without any modifications has a magic energy value of 4700, which is relatively high among the many fourth-generation Special Armors. However, the Berserker Armor worn by Ober has a magic energy value of 6200, indicating that he enhanced his own armor by 1500 magic energy points!


    To increase an armor''s magic energy by thirty percent clearly shows that Ober really put effort into his armor.


    This was something even Orton and others had to admit.


    When Rocky and Ober dueled, Orton and the others furrowed their brows.


    "This armor has been heavily modified,"


    Staring at Ober''s Berserker Armor, Hammerfire, an authority in the field, said, "This guy must have installed a large number of Magic Stones into the armor; otherwise, the Berserker model could not have reached such a high magic energy value."


    "The material of the armor must have also been improved, or else it would have issues bearing the load,"


    Aniye then spoke up.


    "And the conduction system. If the conduction system has been improved, then the weapon system of this armor must have been upgraded as well,"


    Pelaya said at the same time.


    "Indeed it''s been upgraded. Notice the arms and shoulders of this armor. They are different from the regular Berserker Armor, clearly equipped with additional weapons,"


    Nodding, Hammerfire pointed out the special features of Ober''s armor, then looked towards Orton.


    "Tell Rocky to be careful, activate all runes if necessary. After all, we''ve already thought of contingency plans, so it doesn''t matter if they are discovered."


    "Don''t rush him, let him decide. My disciple isn''t a fool; he knows what to do,"


    Ober dismissed Hammerfire''s words with a wave of his hand and then focused intently on the arena.


    Up on the stage, the duel between Rocky and Ober continued.


    Since the beginning of their duel, the two had been entangled in a fierce combat, seemingly testing each other.


    Yet, in this testing phase, it was clear that Ober had the upper hand.


    It wasn''t surprising, for like in the preliminary rounds, Rocky had only activated half of the runes, maintaining the magic energy value of the White Demon Armor at 5000, hence lagging behind his opponent in terms of magic energy.


    White Demon Armor now had a magic energy of 5000, while Berserker Armor had 6200¡ªa twenty percent disparity! This twenty percent disparity highlighted that the Berserker Armor''s enhancement for Ober was twenty percent higher than that of the White Demon Armor for Rocky!


    This disparity in enhancement was evident from the first moment of the duel, their blows reciprocating, but Ober''s attacks were clearly heavier, his speed slightly faster, and even his reactions seemed sharper, all indicating a more significant enhancement for Ober''s armor.


    In such a scenario, Rocky naturally fell into a passive stance, which might not be evident to the audience, but both combatants on the stage felt it.


    As a sword struck down, although blocked by Rocky''s Mana Sword, Ober continued wrestling while stepping forward half a step, closing the distance to Rocky.


    "Is that all?"


    Even with his helmet on, Rocky could imagine a cold sneer on Ober''s face as he spoke, followed by a sudden retreat, deliberately widening the distance between him and Rocky.


    Clearly, in Ober''s view, the testing phase was over!


    S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 259 Relentless Bombardment

    After a probing attempt, Ober decided it was unnecessary to continue, so although he was dominating in the engagement, he surprisingly retreated, creating a distance between himself and Rocky."Ober is voluntarily creating distance with his opponent. What is he planning to do? Is he giving his opponent a chance to surrender?"


    As soon as Ober had retreated, the announcer shouted loudly, and his words also elicited laughter from the audience. The most notable thing about Ober was that he often killed his surrendering opponents. The announcer''s comment obviously meant he was preparing to kill!


    And it was indeed so!


    Just after creating distance, Ober made another puzzling move¡ªhe charged towards Rocky again!


    This time, however, his sprint was much faster, clearly having maxed out the thrust of his armor, so in just a blink of an eye, he was right in front of Rocky, and then suddenly changed direction and leaped into the air.


    Behind him! Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Ober rushed forward, Rocky had already prepared to block, but the opponent did not launch a frontal attack, instead, he suddenly leaped into the air, which made Rocky immediately realize that Ober''s target was behind him.


    This tactic, Rocky had used during the preliminary selection, employing the sudden directional change of the armor to alter the intent of the attack, disrupting the enemy''s defense. Therefore, he immediately turned around.


    But when Rocky turned around as fast as possible, he heard a gasp from the audience, and then saw that there was no one behind him!


    Not behind anymore?


    Realizing that there was no one behind him, Rocky was momentarily stunned, then quickly raised his head.


    As he looked up sharply, he saw Ober hovering above his head!


    And just as Rocky noticed Ober, Ober suddenly plummeted, fiercely stomping down on him!


    Then, there was a loud crash. Ober, falling like a ton weight, fiercely stomped on Rocky and pinned him under his feet!


    This scene immediately elicited cheers from the audience.


    "Stomp him to death!"


    "Beautiful! Well-hit!"


    "Don''t hit too hard! He hasn''t surrendered yet! Haha!" Your next journey awaits at empire


    "Yeah! Give him a chance to surrender!"


    Ober''s successful move immediately excited the audience, and countless people were shouting loudly.


    Among these shouts, Ober, standing on Rocky, leaped up and flew straight into mid-air, then raised both hands towards the arena.


    "Here it comes, ladies and gentlemen! Ober is about to use his eight-burst bombardment!"


    As previously mentioned, Ober had participated in more than fifty rank matches, and having fought so many times not only gave him considerable renown, but his commonly used tactics had also become well-known. For instance, now, as he raised both hands towards the arena, the announcer shouted out loudly.


    Sure enough, right after that, Ober''s arm armor sprung open, revealing four mana launchers on each arm, totaling eight mana launchers!


    At the beginning of the match, Hammerfire had mentioned that the arm and shoulder armor of Ober''s suit was noticeably unusual. Now it seems Hammerfire was right, as the arms of this armor were indeed modified.


    Ober had installed six additional Mana Launchers on the arms of his Armor, bringing the original two up to eight!


    And once he revealed the Mana Launchers on his arms, a series of Magic Bullets were fired!


    With eight Mana Launchers firing simultaneously, he could launch eight Magic Energy Bullets at once, meaning Ober''s firepower alone almost matched that of a Magic Energy Squad.


    Under such formidable firepower, the arena was immediately blasted open, and Rocky, who couldn''t even scramble to his feet, was quickly overwhelmed by the relentless bombardment.


    The thunderous explosions drowned out all other sounds¡ª the cheers of the spectators, the shouts of the announcer, and everything else. At that moment, the stadium was filled with just one overpowering noise.


    It took nearly five minutes before Ober finally ceased firing the Magic Energy Bullets. When he stopped, the eight Mana Launchers on his arms had turned red, a testament to the sheer number of Magic Energy Bullets he had fired.


    In the midst of such fierce bombardment, Rocky... It should be noted that before being engulfed by the bombardment, he hadn''t activated his Defensive Net!


    To almost everyone, facing such intense bombardment without a Defensive Net for protection meant Rocky''s fate was sealed. If not outright killed, he would have no capacity to retaliate...


    "No, he couldn''t have been blown to death, could he?"


    Because the bombardment was so intense, the arena was still filled with smoke afterward, and the spectators couldn''t clearly see Rocky''s condition. Was he dead? Crippled? What had happened to him?


    So, as they waited for the smoke to clear, many in the audience were beating their chests, not out of concern for Rocky, but fearing that he might have been instantly killed, thus losing the chance to surrender. And if Rocky didn''t get a chance to surrender, they would miss Ober''s signature move of making his opponents surrender before killing them!


    "Impossible, Ober knows what he''s doing; surely he''s not dead."


    "Exactly, definitely not dead, but must have been badly mangled, haha, there''s a good show to watch now!"


    "Right, there''s definitely a good show."


    As the smoke gradually cleared, a buzz of discussion broke out among the spectators, but these discussions soon ceased. As the seconds ticked by, the lingering smoke finally dispersed completely.


    When everything had cleared, everyone could finally see the arena clearly.


    At that moment, the arena was a mess, particularly where Rocky had been standing. The spot was almost blown into a crater, with debris and rubble everywhere, looking almost like a ruin.


    However, just as the spectators gasped and buzzed with excitement at this sight, they suddenly noticed a person standing in the ''ruins''...


    Rocky!


    As the smoke dispersed, Rocky quickly appeared in everyone''s view. He stood on the arena, his Armor still as white as snow, footing firm on the devastated battleground, looking upwards!


    "Is this real? Ladies and gentlemen, did you see that?"


    "Contestant number 1021 is actually, actually unscathed?!"


    Seeing Rocky''s figure on the arena, the announcer shouted as if he had seen a ghost, because this scene was nothing like what he had expected.


    In the announcer''s expectation, or rather in almost everyone''s expectation, Rocky should have been lying weakly on the arena by now. After all, he had just endured such intense bombardment and seemingly hadn''t deployed any defensive measures. How could he possibly still be standing?


    In fact, not only the announcer and the spectators seemed surprised to see Rocky standing, but Ober, hovering midair, also furrowed his brow. How could this be possible?

 Chapter 260 Inconceivable

    ```How is this possible?


    Seeing that Rocky was completely unharmed, Ober, with his face hidden behind the helmet, showed a look of confusion.


    Find your next adventure on empire


    As everyone had seen, he had made numerous modifications to his Berserker Armor, one of the key upgrades being the eight Mana Launchers on each arm, whose power Ober had also maximized.


    The Magic Energy Bullets fired from his modified Mana Launchers were extremely powerful, with each capable of causing significant damage to any fourth-generation Armor without its Defensive Net activated¡ªeven a single hit would suffice.


    Under these circumstances, how could Rocky have emerged without a scratch?


    This outcome was a complete surprise to Ober, and he couldn''t understand why it was happening.


    Actually, his inability to grasp the result was normal, because he had no knowledge of the true level of the White Demon Armor that Rocky was wearing.


    In Ober''s view, the White Demon Armor, like his own Berserker Armor, was modified from a fourth-generation Special Armor, but was that really the case?


    Clearly not.


    Although the design foundation of the White Demon Armor originated from the fourth-generation Armor, it didn''t mean it was a fourth-generation Armor. In reality, as a new type of Armor centered around Runes, the White Demon could not be measured by traditional generational standards.


    While most of the technology on the White Demon Armor was from the fourth generation, its magic energy value far exceeded the highest standard of the fourth-generation Armor, reaching the level of the fifth-generation Special Armor. Moreover, the materials used to make the Armor were top-notch. In these two aspects, the White Demon Armor met the standards of a fifth-generation Special Armor.


    Therefore, if one must classify the White Demon Armor, it should be called the first generation¡ªthe first generation of Rune Armor!


    And as the first generation of Rune Armor, forged from the finest materials, the White Demon Armor possessed an extremely strong defense. Even without activating a Defensive Net, it could withstand massive damage. Unless faced with a direct attack of over a thousand points in magic energy power, it was virtually impossible to compromise the Armor''s inherent defense.


    It was precisely because of this that Ober''s previous bombardment, which seemed fierce, actually caused only limited damage to the White Demon Armor; in fact, the only thing destroyed by his barrage was the platform. As for Rocky and the White Demon Armor itself, the damage was not significant.


    Of course, neither Ober nor the audience knew any of this, still believing the White Demon Armor to be merely a fourth-generation Special Armor, and were in quite a shock.


    It was in the midst of the audience''s shocked exclamations that Rocky leaped up and flew to mid-air.


    "Is that all you''ve got?"


    As Rocky rose to the same height as Ober in mid-air, he looked at him through the full-coverage helmet and laughed, "Or are you... giving me a chance to surrender, and then you''ll kill me?"


    "My God! My God! Ladies and gentlemen! Did you hear what contestant number 1021 just said?!"


    "He... he is clearly provoking his opponent! After just undergoing a brutal barrage, he actually dares to taunt his opponent?!"


    When the announcer heard what Rocky said, he immediately began to shout incredulously.


    Ober too, upon hearing these words, visibly froze and then, without a word, charged at Rocky, clearly infuriated!


    "Boy! You are too arrogant!"


    With a roar, Ober quickly closed the distance to Rocky and raised his Mana Sword to strike down.


    But just as the Mana Sword seemed poised to hit, Ober suddenly changed tactics, sidestepping to Rocky''s flank¡ªthe Mana Sword finally came slashing down!


    It was clear that, although provoked by Rocky''s taunts, Ober had not lost his rationality and still knew to utilize skilled maneuvers like feints to launch an attack.


    However, as he brought down his Mana Sword, he hit nothing...


    As he changed direction during the charge, Rocky also turned around, evading a step ahead of Ober''s move...


    "How, how is this..."


    Ober, having swung at empty air, was filled with disbelief, as in his mind, such a dodge by Rocky was simply impossible.


    ```


    Had he seen through my attack?


    Rocky''s action shocked Ober immensely, but Rocky himself seemed nonchalant, having already retreated a few meters. Staring at Ober with a Mana Sword in his left hand and a Magic Energy Shield in his right, he showed no intention of attacking; instead, he spoke up,


    "Ober, I''ve always had a question for you¡­"


    "Do you actually enjoy killing people?"


    "You''ll find out soon enough!"


    Ober didn''t bother answering the question and simply raised an arm. Four Mana Launchers targeted and fired a volley of Magic Energy Bullets at Rocky. At the same time, Ober charged forward again.


    But faced with the barrage of Magic Bullets, Rocky seemed to sprout wings as he retreated rapidly through the air, nimbly dodging and easily evading every single one of the Magic Bullets.


    However, while dodging the Magic Bullets, Ober took the opportunity to close the distance, transforming into a human sword as he slashed towards Rocky!


    Yet, facing the strike, Rocky merely sidestepped lightly, casually brushing past and avoiding the attack!


    Afterwards, he turned to glance at Ober, who had halted his charge and was hastily turning around.


    "Have you ever thought¡­ one day, those people you''ve killed might come to take revenge on you?"


    Staring coldly at Ober, Rocky spoke in an unruffled tone, "Have you ever thought that one day, someone will end your farce in the arena..."


    "Shut up!"


    Ober seemed truly angered now, whether it was by Rocky''s words or by his own successive failed attacks. With a roar, the Armor on his shoulders opened up to reveal the small Magic Energy Cannons within!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Ober, without a second thought, unleashed a series of blasts from the small Magic Energy Cannons at Rocky, and explosions immediately engulfed him!


    "Die!"


    While continuously bombarding with the small Magic Energy Cannons, Ober bellowed in rage, not believing that he still could not kill his opponent this time!


    The roar of the cannons and the smoke from the explosions once again dominated the arena, but very soon the blasts and the smoke ceased and cleared. Then, when Ober looked back at where Rocky had been, he saw him still standing midair...!


    "How is this possible!"


    Seeing Rocky unharmed before him, Ober let out a cry of disbelief that wasn''t characteristic of him.


    But as he cried out in astonishment, Orton and others in the stands nodded at the same time.


    "Orton, this kid''s not bad."


    Glancing at Orton, Pelaya said with approval, "It seems he''s already found the problem."


    "Of course, he''s my apprentice!"


    Hearing this, Orton raised his chin proudly, without a hint of modesty.


    Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 261 No One Can Surrender!

    After a round of bombardment with the small Magic Cannon, Rocky was still unharmed, a result that surprised Ober before he could even react, as the announcer had already exclaimed aloud!"Incredible! Absolutely incredible! Can anyone tell me what happened!?"


    "Ladies and gentlemen, did you see that? What exactly did contestant number 1021 do to emerge unscathed from the bombardment once again? To avoid the opponent''s lethal strikes twice in a row! Is this even real!?"


    Clearly, the announcer was also shocked by the outcome, though he was obviously a bit over the top. Ober''s two rounds of bombardment were strong, but they weren''t at the level of a deathblow, yet as the announcer mentioned, Rocky remained unharmed in both rounds of bombings, which indeed seemed unbelievable to most people.


    "How is this... possible...?" Continue reading on empire


    Watching Rocky still standing midair after the smoke cleared, Ober was truly stunned. Like everyone else, he couldn''t understand why Rocky could withstand such fierce attacks.


    Did he deploy a Defensive Net?


    Or was it that the Armor he wore had such incredible defensive power that he didn''t need to deploy a Defensive Net to withstand the hits of the small Magic Cannon?


    Unable to figure it out, Ober really couldn''t understand what was going on.


    Meanwhile, as he was puzzled, Rocky slowly flew towards him, speaking as he flew:


    "Even though I''m behind a Helmet, I can feel... you seem quite baffled?"


    "Why do you talk so much nonsense!"


    Ober was momentarily stunned by such obvious mockery and then roared in anger as he charged fiercely towards Rocky, launching a vicious attack.


    Rushing to Rocky''s front at the highest speed, Ober didn''t play any tricks and slashed downwards with his sword!


    With a slight sidestep, Rocky dodged the sword, then took a small step back in midair, avoiding Ober''s sweep, and quickly shifted to the left, dodging the opponent''s charge.


    Ober''s series of attacks were ferocious, but Rocky dodged each one, leaving the spectators below dumbstruck. Thousands of spectators silently stared at the sky, their eyes even becoming a little vacant, never imagining such a scene.


    In everyone''s eyes, Rocky dodged every attack with precise timing, and he did so with an ease that brought a touch of elegance, making it look as if he was dancing in the air.


    To the audience, it seemed unimaginable, especially since just a short while ago, Rocky and Ober had been testing each other in the arena for quite a while, with Ober clearly having the upper hand then. But how was it that now in the air, in real combat, he couldn''t even touch Rocky?


    Such a huge contrast silenced those who had been cheering for Ober, and the entire battlefield fell quiet.


    "Why!"


    "Why can''t I hit you!"


    Another attack missing its mark made Ober roar in frustration, and he then raised his arm, aiming the four Mana Launchers at Rocky and firing a series of Magic Bullets.


    However, this time, facing another bombardment, Rocky did not even dodge; he simply moved back by about fifteen meters and watched as the Magic Bullets flew past him, exploding into blooms behind him.


    "How, how can this be..."


    Ober was completely dumbfounded on the spot, as he could clearly see that Rocky hadn''t dodged his attack at all; he had merely increased the distance, just enough to make all the Magic Bullets miss?


    How did he do that?


    Was it some kind of invisible stance?


    Or some new technology?


    "You... how did you do this..." S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ober couldn''t hold back his massive doubts and finally asked.


    Yet faced with his question, Rocky just laughed lightly, slowly opening his mouth to say, "You''ve fought too many low-level contestants, so much so that you''ve forgotten how to battle against the strong!"


    As he finished speaking, he suddenly sprinted, instantly appearing in front of Ober!


    The Mana Sword struck directly down!


    In the blink of an eye, Rocky decisively slashed his sword as Ober hurriedly raised his to defend. The two Mana Swords collided heavily in an instant!


    "Wondering why you can''t hit me?"


    While grappling with Ober using the Mana Sword, Rocky said, "Don''t you understand the impact of stability on Armor?"


    After finishing the sentence, he suddenly let up on his force and in an instant accelerated his Armor, quickly maneuvering to Ober''s side, and delivered a clean, direct kick to his rib, sending him flying!


    "The Berserker Armor was designed with only two Mana Launchers on the arms for a reason, and that reason is to ensure the stable targeting of Magic Bullets!"


    After kicking Ober away, Rocky continued speaking while raising his arm. Following that, a triple Mana Launcher popped up on his arm.


    With three bangs, three Magic Bullets were fired consecutively, and in everyone''s view, the bullets formed a straight line in the air, which then accurately hit Ober, with such precision that the impact points were identical, blasting him several meters away.

 Chapter 261 No One Can Surrender!_2

    Rocky, unharmed by Ober''s repeated bombings, left everyone astonished. However, Orton and his company were not surprised because they knew Rocky had discovered the deadly flaw in the Berserker Armor.Yes, though Ober had heavily modified his Berserker Armor to be very strong, it had a fatal flaw!


    That flaw was discovered by Rocky!


    First, it was the over-enhancement of the weapon systems. As Rocky had just mentioned, every Armor is designed with careful and strict considerations. Every original design has its rationale, and the Berserker Armor was no exception.


    Ober had equipped the Armor''s arms with multiple Mana Launchers. While this modification did indeed provide formidable firepower, it also sacrificed the accuracy of the Magic Bullets because the Mana Launchers were fired from the arms. When multiple launchers fired at once, it became impossible for the user''s arms to remain stable, resulting in significant deviation after the Magic Bullets were fired.


    Just look at the bombarded arena to understand this; under Ober''s barrage, the entire arena was affected. Was this intentional? No, it was due to the inability of the Mana Launchers to maintain stability, causing the majority of Magic Bullets to miss their target.


    Ober''s bombardment hardly hit Rocky; even if a few Magic Bullets did hit, they inflicted no damage against the defensive power of the White Demon Armor.


    The modification of the small Magic Cannons on the shoulders followed the same principle. The original Berserker Armor was not equipped with small Magic Cannons, as it was an Assault Type Armor, not suited for heavy weapons support. The Armor''s stability fell short of the requirements for using small Magic Cannons, so when Ober bombarded Rocky, it looked dramatic, but not a single shot hit.


    That''s why Rocky remained unscathed after round after round of bombardment¡ªfirst, because the defensive power of the White Demon Armor was strong enough, and second, because Ober''s shots hardly hit their target.


    It must be said, Rocky''s progress in the past few months had been remarkably evident. He had been able to identify the flaws in Ober''s Armor solely because of his mastery of Armor knowledge, which he had acquired from Hammerfire and others in recent months.


    Perhaps in terms of strength or experience, Ober was superior to Rocky. However, in armor strength, and more importantly, understanding of the Armor, Ober fell far behind Rocky. There was no helping it; Rocky''s environment had been far too superior to Ober''s. In the past few months, being in daily contact with masters like Orton and Hammerfire, he had learned tremendously.


    By then, Rocky had already caught up with Ober, who had been hit by a Magic Bullet, and began the pursuit!


    After catching up to Ober, he raised his hand and swept it across. He did not hold back at all; his Mana Sword aimed directly for the waist. If this strike connected, it could, at least, disembowel Ober, and at most, cut him in half.


    Experience tales at empire


    But Ober, being a seasoned contestant, urgently adjusted his stance, stepping back a meter just in time to narrowly dodge.


    "I told you, your farce will end today."


    However, just then, before Ober could even regain his bearings, he heard Rocky''s voice beside his ear!


    This voice made Ober''s hair stand on end. He hurriedly turned around, only to see a shadow of Rocky, because just as he turned, Rocky had moved to his side.


    Seeing Rocky at his side, Ober immediately turned again, only to catch another shadow, as Rocky had changed direction yet again.


    Thus, Ober began adjusting his body at maximum speed continuously, but each time Rocky was one step ahead getting to his side, meaning that in terms of absolute speed of the Armor, Ober was thoroughly outpaced.


    "Why is this happening!!!"


    Trying repeatedly to locate Rocky, and failing each time, instilled a deep fear in Ober. Each time Rocky moved to his side, he could have attacked, but chose not to. This constant threat triggered immense panic in Ober, indicating that Rocky was completely toying with him.


    Under such circumstances, it wasn''t long before Ober, terrified, screamed and dashed forward recklessly, not stopping until he was dozens of meters away.


    "Why is this happening... why is this happening..."


    When he stopped, he gasped heavily in midair, a sign of utter exhaustion. Even now, he couldn''t understand why he was being toyed with so miserably.


    While Rocky had explained why the Magic Bullets and Magic Cannons could not hit, he had not explained why he was so much faster than Ober, which was beyond Ober''s understanding, especially since that hadn''t been the case during their initial encounters on the arena!


    "Haven''t you understood yet?"


    From a distance of several meters, Rocky sneered at Ober and then sprinted again, reaching him with a speed that Ober couldn''t possibly dodge!


    "Your armor, it''s been modified too poorly."


    As he spoke these words, Rocky instantly moved behind Ober, and this time, he finally made his move!


    The Mana Sword, powered solely by runes, swung down fiercely, striking hard at Ober''s back.


    Ober tried his best to turn around and block, but he was still half a beat too slow, and that half beat cost him his life!


    A flash of cold light passed, and the powerful Mana Sword heavily struck the shoulder guard of the armor, piercing through and hitting Ober''s shoulder,


    With a scream of agony, the intense pain caused Ober to lose control of his armor, and then he began to fall towards the arena.


    A few seconds later, there was a loud crash as Ober, falling from the sky, heavily landed in the arena; although the armor protected him from death, the fall was certainly not light.


    Just as he tried to rise, a figure suddenly fell, heavily stepping on him!


    Rocky!


    Just like when Ober had once beaten him down to the ground, now their positions were completely reversed, with Ober lying on the ground and Rocky stepping on him.


    "You''ve made the weapons system of the armor too exaggerated."


    Glancing at Ober under his foot, Rocky slowly shook his head, "The more weapons, the more mana needed. Although you boosted the mana of the armor to 6200 points, you used it all to support the weapons system, and the improvement to other aspects of the armor is actually not substantial."


    "Especially in the air."


    Looking down at Ober, Rocky finally revealed the answer he had been pondering. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ober''s modifications to the armor focused on two aspects: mana and the weapon system. However, his obsession with strengthening the weapons led to an exaggerated enhancement of the system, thereby consuming a large amount of mana.


    This created a fatal issue: with limited mana available, other performances of the armor, such as speed, defensive power, and sensitivity, all had to make way for the weapons, resulting in a significant increase in mana but not in the overall performance of the armor.


    This drawback wasn''t very obvious in land battles, but in aerial combat, it became a fatal flaw, because maintaining flight and combat in the air requires a substantial amount of mana. With mana already limited, some had to be used in aerial combat and more to maintain the weapon system, leaving very little for the other systems.


    This is why once Rocky took action, Ober obviously couldn''t keep up; his modified armor was far inferior in overall capability compared to the White Demon Armor!


    "I... I want to surrender... "


    Hearing Rocky''s words, Ober under his foot finally lost all hope, then he used the last bit of his strength to slowly lift his arm.


    But just then, Rocky stepped on his hand just as he was about to raise it!


    "Sorry..."


    With a foot on Ober''s raised arm, Rocky shook his head!


    "Today... no one can surrender!"

 Chapter 262 Hardship

    "Today... no one can surrender!"Stepping brutally on Ober''s arm, Rocky stepped over him, bent down, and grabbed Ober''s neck, lifting him from the ground.


    With the enhancement of his armor, Rocky easily lifted Ober high and then reached out to remove his helmet.


    First falling from the sky, then trampled on fiercely by Rocky, Ober was severely injured, so when the helmet was taken off, Rocky saw him constantly vomiting blood.


    "Why... why..."


    Hanging in the air, Ober weakly looked at Rocky and asked with all his strength.


    He didn''t understand.


    He didn''t understand why Rocky would treat him this way, just as Liliya had researched Ober''s information before the match, Ober had also looked up Rocky before the match. Although he didn''t find much, he at least knew that Rocky was a player of considerable status.


    Just knowing this was enough for Ober, it was enough to assure him that there was no enmity between him and Rocky. That''s why he couldn''t understand, couldn''t fathom why Rocky was so relentless. They had no feud at all!


    "Actually... I don''t care about whether you live or die."


    "Not only do I not care about your life or death, what you might have done before doesn''t really concern me either."


    Even though Ober had only managed to speak in broken sentences, Rocky understood completely and provided an answer.


    What he said was absolutely true. He genuinely didn''t pay special mind to Ober''s life or death.


    Rocky had a legitimate job, he wasn''t merely roaming in the arena; he was a City Lord. With such a status, he really didn''t concern himself with the life or death of these competitors in the arena. How could a City Lord, with so many issues to deal with every day, spare the time to care about such minor characters? Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    However, after saying this, Rocky took a different turn:


    "However..."


    At this point, Rocky paused briefly, then turned his head towards the audience.


    Looking towards the audience, he quickly noticed the couple sitting next to Monte, clearly seeing the couple crying in pain.


    After glancing at the couple, he turned his head back and looked at Ober: "However, before this, someone had asked me to... kill you."


    "Who..."


    Ober hadn''t had time to parse what that meant when he felt a burning sensation in his chest, and when he looked down, he saw Rocky had already thrust the Mana Sword through his chest!


    Already severely injured and now pierced through the chest by the Mana Sword, Ober only struggled for a few seconds before breathing his last.


    With a clang, Rocky threw Ober''s body onto the Arena floor, while glancing again at the audience, seeing the couple holding their heads and crying.


    Looking at the crying couple for a while, he then viewed the other spectators, noticing that the entire Arena had fallen silent, with every spectator seemingly dumbstruck, watching him.


    Clearly, even though Ober had died, the audience was yet to recover from the shock. They hadn''t expected this outcome¡ªOber, known as the Rookie Killer, dying like this, defeated by a newcomer in his first rank competition?


    In fact, not just the audience, even the commentator outside the Arena responsible for narrating the match had become speechless. Not just at this moment, but since Rocky had begun to actively attack, the voice of the commentator had not been heard for a while.


    Now, with Ober dead, Rocky''s victory didn''t need anyone to declare. He himself wasn''t interested in waiting for someone to announce that he had won, so after this, he flew down from the Arena and went back to the changing room.


    It was only after he left that the audience gradually snapped back to reality, but as they did, a portion of them showed signs of depression. The reason was simple, these people had placed bets outside the Arena, and their bets had all been on Ober.


    But now Ober had lost, meaning their wagered money was all gone. Nobody likes the feeling of losing a bet, especially those who had bet large amounts.


    However, in stark contrast to them, when Rocky won the match, Aileen sitting next to Liliya jumped up! S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We won! We won! Made a killing! A big haul!"


    As Rocky''s finance officer, Aileen naturally had to bet on Rocky winning. So, when Rocky did indeed win the match, Aileen was the happiest.


    Thus, Rocky''s first rank competition concluded, and while it might have seemed somewhat perilous, he had actually won cleanly and decisively.


    And the opponent he eliminated was no mere minor player. Amid the many competitors in the Combat Skills Arena, the Rookie Killer Ober might not have been the strongest, but he had a renowned reputation. So although this victory for Rocky was just another win, for others, it was much more significant.


    The day after the match ended, his fight became a topic of discussion among many people, as the Arena was quite popular in Eternal City, with many people following its developments.


    "Did you hear? Ober was wiped out by a newcomer."


    "Is that true? Wasn''t that guy specialized in killing newcomers?"


    "Of course it''s true. This time Ober met a tough opponent. The other side didn''t give him a chance to surrender, just killed him right on the spot."

 Chapter 262 Arduous Effort_2

    "This vicious?""Sure, it looks like there''s going to be some great drama this season."


    "Yeah, I heard there is a newcomer named Xia Nai, apparently a noble from the Kafka Empire. Wearing special Fifth Generation Armor, she''s also a tough character, having killed her opponent in the first rank match too."


    "This season''s matches are going to be worth watching. It''s just a matter of when the Arena will put these two together for a fight."


    "It''s bound to happen sooner or later. You know how the Arena operates."


    When Rocky returned to Thunderhawk city, his match had already sparked a lot of discussion. It was only just one rank match, but due to the high profile of his opponent, Rocky made a name for himself with this single victory.


    Interestingly, whenever people talked about Rocky, they almost always brought up another person, Xia Nai.


    Like Rocky, Xia Nai had also become a new focus of attention, and in terms of the degree of attention, she was even more popular than Rocky, simply because Xia Nai was strong enough!


    By the time Rocky had completed his first rank match and secured victory, Xia Nai had already fought two matches, and, unsurprisingly, had claimed two consecutive victories, elevating her rank to Fourteen-Rank.


    In her two consecutive victories, Xia Nai exhibited such dominance that she quickly became the center of attention; her performance was simply too strong.


    The two matches she fought took a total of only fifteen minutes, including the time for the entrance introductions, so the actual combat time Xia Nai spent was far less than fifteen minutes.


    What does such a short match time signify?


    It means both victories were instantaneous!


    Indeed, in both rank matches that Xia Nai fought, she secured victories in an overwhelmingly dominant manner, executing her opponents as soon as the matches started, without dragging things out, making for an exceptionally simple win.


    For this reason, after only two matches, she was already hailed as the strongest newcomer this season, even becoming a top contender for the season championship. Thus, whenever someone brought up Rocky''s match, they would also mention Xia Nai, and vice versa. Then, everyone would compare the two and anticipate their eventual meeting.


    Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Of course, this was only the opinion of ordinary viewers. For some other people, particularly those with very noble or special status, they didn''t truly care about the performance of Rocky and Xia Nai. What these people with noble or special identities were really concerned about were Denise and another player, because the performance of these two represented the current rivalry at the pinnacle of Armor combat!


    January of Sky Era Year 118 had passed in this way, and it seemed like nothing had happened. But in reality, whether in the sky, or on land, or even in the Arena, undercurrents were stirring, brewing not just one, but many major storms!


    At this time, Rocky, however, did not realize that he had unwittingly become the center of a brewing storm. He was still busy being the City Lord and dealing with his own affairs.


    After winning the match against Ober and returning to Thunderhawk City, Rocky looked for Aileen right away.


    The last time he took part in the preliminary selection, although Aileen had bet on him, she had only wagered ten thousand Gold Coins, which kind of irked Rocky. Betting so little, even if he won, he wouldn''t make much money.


    In fact, he hadn''t earned much. The prize money for the preliminary selection was only five thousand Gold Coins. He had won the outside bets, but because the odds were low, and the stake was small, he had only earned a meager twenty thousand Gold Coins. This amount was not even enough for his expenses in Eternal City, including food, clothing, lodging, transport, and buying Arena tickets.


    Therefore, when he had Aileen come over, he couldn''t wait to ask, "How much did we make?"


    Since he had won the match, as long as Aileen had placed a bet outside the Arena, it was certain she had made money. The question was how much she had earned¡ªthat was the key.


    Facing his question, Aileen simply raised four fingers.


    "Forty thousand? That''s it?"


    Seeing the four delicate fingers that Aileen raised, they did indeed look lovely, but wasn''t that too little?


    Fighting tooth and nail on the arena, how did I only make such a small sum of money? This isn''t enough for anything!


    "My lord, it''s four hundred thousand."


    Just as Rocky''s face showed his disappointment, Aileen spoke with a beaming smile, revealing the true earnings!


    "Four hundred thousand Gold Coins? Really?"


    Upon hearing this, Rocky''s impending look of despondence vanished in an instant, resembling a child adept at changing expressions, suddenly bursting with joy.


    To Aileen, there was naturally no need for him to put on an inscrutable front. He showed his feelings as they were, very real, and Aileen, who had long been used to his ''child-like'' innocence, found it nothing unusual. She then continued:


    "To be exact, sir, the earnings this time are four hundred and twenty thousand. We won four hundred thousand from the side bets, and there is a bonus of twenty thousand."


    "You won four hundred thousand from the side bets? How much did you wager?"


    Rocky had always been hung up on how Aileen had only bet ten thousand Gold Coins last time; it felt to him like a child eager to show off not getting the recognition he deserved, so he was particularly fixated on this matter.


    In response, Aileen couldn''t help but laugh helplessly, then said, "This time I wagered fifty thousand Gold Coins. The odds were one to eight, so we made four hundred thousand Gold Coins."


    "Good!"


    Hearing this, especially upon learning that they''ve made over four hundred thousand Gold Coins, Rocky''s mood instantly improved. As he thought about how to allocate the money, he didn''t forget to remind Aileen, "Bet more next time, I''m sure to win again."


    To Rocky, fifty thousand Gold Coins still seemed too little, so he wanted Aileen to bet more in the next match; that way, he would earn even more, wouldn''t he?


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Aileen pursed her lips, "Sir, you said this was entirely up to me, that you wouldn''t interfere with my decisions." Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Leave these matters be, let Aileen handle them."


    When Aileen pursed her lips in complaint, Liliya also spoke up on the side, leaving Rocky baffled; he didn''t think his request was that unreasonable!


    But since both Aileen and Liliya said so, he didn''t feel it was right to argue further and resignedly nodded, then he went off to study the matter.


    After he left, Aileen and Liliya exchanged a glance and sighed deeply.


    Rocky didn''t know that Aileen never wagered a lot each time was actually for his benefit!


    Rocky''s fundamental reason for participating in the Arena was to use it to make money, which in itself was fine. However, if he started treating the side betting of the Arena as a fool, as a cash machine, that would be a huge mistake!


    If the Arena dared to offer side bets, it allowed people to win money, but it would absolutely not tolerate being treated as idiots.


    So if Aileen made a large bet on Rocky and he continued to win matches, then without a doubt, the Arena would ensure Rocky faced extremely dangerous opponents. Remember, the Arena was the dealer, the one making the real big money, and by then, Rocky would have nowhere to cry.


    And so, every match Rocky fought in, how much to bet, and how to bet it, was something Aileen carefully calculated with much thought. Only this meticulous planning could ensure they made money while not provoking the Arena, otherwise, why would the Arena let Rocky walk away with the cash so easily!


    Thankfully, Rocky never interfered much in this regard. He trusted Aileen and handed all the authority to her. Aileen, in turn, silently used her talents and abilities to assist Rocky so that some things simply didn''t need to be spoken.

 Chapter 263 War Reserve

    After the match with Ober, Rocky didn''t immediately go on to the next match. First, he needed some rest, and second, there were matters of Thunderhawk City that required his attention.Recently, Rocky had devoted most of his energy and time to the research and development of Armor and the Arena matches, but let''s not forget that his most important identity was still that of the City Lord, so Thunderhawk City was always his top priority.


    Therefore, once the match was over and he had returned to Thunderhawk City, he quickly became busy, addressing both major and minor issues concerning the city.


    Fortunately, even though Rocky had focused the majority of his efforts on other areas over the past few months, Thunderhawk City hadn''t encountered any significant problems. Aileen was in charge of the finances and Old Jack looked after civil affairs, so there was no need for Rocky to worry excessively.


    Not only that, but there was also pleasing news: the leather manufacturing plant had produced its first batch of goods and had already successfully completed its first leather trade with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce.


    This was definitely good news for Rocky, as it meant that the new industry of Thunderhawk City was finally showing signs of growth. The city would no longer have to rely solely on the textile industry for survival.


    Moreover, the successful establishment of the new industry also increased Thunderhawk City''s income. After completing the transaction with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, Thunderhawk City received a hundred thousand Gold Coins. After deducting the initial investment for raw materials and expenses like workers'' wages, at least half of the hundred thousand Gold Coins was profit, that is, around fifty thousand Gold Coins.


    Although this amount of money wasn''t enough to solve the major problems for Thunderhawk City, it represented a promising start. And while fifty thousand Gold Coins might not seem like much, this extra income had nearly doubled the city''s original income!


    Previously, Thunderhawk City''s income per quarter relied on only one source, which was the sale of cloth. Initially, the city could earn about fifty thousand Gold Coins per quarter from this. Later, as the population increased and mass production of cloth rose, the revenue increased to about sixty thousand Gold Coins.


    Besides this revenue, the shops opened in the city could also provide Rocky with some income. However, due to the generally low standard of living among the residents of Thunderhawk City and the insufficient population, the internal demand was not significant, so the pure profit from the shops was just over ten thousand Gold Coins per quarter, and sometimes it could even be less than ten thousand.


    Combining these two sources of income, the city could only generate about seventy thousand Gold Coins per quarter.


    This amount of money really wasn''t much¡ªno, it should be said it was very little because after deducting various expenses, it was hard for Thunderhawk City''s treasury to have any surplus left. More often than not, there wasn''t even enough money, which is why Thunderhawk City had managed to stay afloat in the past six months entirely thanks to Rocky''s efforts and the money he had obtained from ''stirring things up'' outside to support the city.


    It was precisely because of this that Rocky was extremely pleased when the leather manufacturing plant produced its first batch of goods and successfully completed the transaction with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. Thunderhawk City''s income had significantly increased. According to Aileen''s projections, with the output from both cloth and leather, Thunderhawk City could now assure a revenue of over a hundred thousand Gold Coins per quarter, an amount sufficient for the city''s normal operation.


    Naturally, this made Rocky very happy, because not only had the burden on his shoulders lightened, Thunderhawk City had also grown stronger than before.


    For this reason, he hosted a dance for the first time in Thunderhawk City to celebrate.


    And the day after the celebration ended, Rocky began contemplating the next steps for Thunderhawk City''s development.


    With the official operation of the leather manufacturing factory, the reforms he had previously undertaken were showing results; the increase in income was the best proof. However, in Rocky''s view, this was clearly not enough.


    Although the income of Thunderhawk City had increased considerably, it was only a moderate improvement on its original basis, and the actual total increase was not high. Rocky and Berg had attended many balls together and had discussed this issue, so Rocky was well aware that in terms of the economy, Thunderhawk City was among the lower ranks, even among small Sky Cities.


    According to Berg, a small Sky City with a population of three to five thousand should have a quarterly income of no less than five hundred thousand Gold Coins to sustain itself in the long run. Without delving into details, the cost of war alone could be enough to drag a Sky City down.


    The skies were far from peaceful now, with war potentially breaking out anytime and anywhere. You might not provoke others, but they might provoke you. And without a strong economy to rely on, bluntly put, if there was no money in the treasury, then in the event of war, regardless of victory or defeat, the city would pretty much be done for.


    This was something Rocky understood all too well.


    The battle with Baron Wolin left Rocky without even the money to repair his warship. He had to ask Berg to help resolve the matter and also teamed up with Karina to set their sights on the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. After eliminating the Air Pirate Group, he did gain over a million in rewards, but it also drew the powerful enemy of Wild Horse City. To confront Wild Horse City, the earned millions of Gold Coins almost vanished instantly. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All these experiences made it crystal clear to Rocky how terrifying the cost of war could be. It was precisely because of this deep understanding that he desired even more to rapidly develop Thunderhawk City, especially its economy.


    Unfortunately, such developments couldn''t be achieved overnight, especially now. Although Rocky wanted to focus on economic development, the situation did not allow for it.


    Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Currently, he was facing the significant and tangible threat of Wild Horse City. In fact, Wild Horse City was waiting just outside the airspace of Eternal City for him. To deal with this formidable enemy, he truly had no choice but to invest every single penny into the military, ensuring that he could survive after leaving Eternal City. Survival was the most important thing.


    So after a brief moment of excitement and joy, Rocky began his next step of planning.


    The contest with Ober earned him over four hundred thousand Gold Coins, and the leather trade brought in another hundred thousand, meaning he now had another five hundred thousand Gold Coins in hand.


    Out of these five hundred thousand Gold Coins, fifty thousand were left in Thunderhawk City for emergencies, one hundred thousand were given to Aileen for gambling stakes, and two hundred fifty thousand were handed to Orton to sustain the costs of research. As for the remaining one hundred thousand, Rocky used them as reserves for war.


    A battle between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City was inevitable in the near future, and it was clear to anyone that Thunderhawk City currently didn''t stand a chance against Wild Horse City. Therefore, Rocky had to expand his military forces, whether it be warships or Armor. Only by doing so could he ensure his survival against the opposition.


    But this required Gold Coins, and a significant amount at that. Hence, he had to start preparing for the upcoming great war from now, ensuring he had enough Gold Coins in reserve to expand his forces when necessary.


    To earn more money, Rocky had to continue participating in Arena contests. After all, the rewards and betting associated with the Arena could provide him with significant income in a short period, even though it was fraught with danger. But it was a shortcut to earning Gold Coins.


    And so, after setting up everything in Thunderhawk City, he reached out to Howard, ready to begin his next Rank match.

 Chapter 264 Odds

    After handling all aspects of Thunderhawk City and making short-term plans, Rocky got in touch with Howard to prepare for his next rank match.As one of the most popular entertainment events in Eternal City, the Arena had a well-developed system. Whether it was the matches or the contestants, everything had a standardized process. So, when Rocky reached out to Howard, Howard immediately started arranging the match. By the next day, everything was set, and on the third day, Rocky stepped onto the stage!


    The speed surprised Rocky, and he couldn''t help but admire the efficiency of the Arena, but what he didn''t know was that the Arena had already planned his match.


    To make the matches exciting and visually appealing, the Arena monitored every contestant. This attention started from the preliminary selections, and Rocky was clearly one of their focal points.


    Inside the Arena, Rocky had already been tagged as a seeded contestant, meaning that, in the eyes of the Arena, he had the strength to vie for the championship title at the end of the season. For such potential contestants, the Arena always had special arrangements.


    Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    For instance, Rocky''s opponent in his first rank match, Ober, was a result of such arrangements. To the general audience, Ober might have had a considerable reputation, but in the eyes of the Arena, he wasn''t as significant. The reason the Arena allowed Ober to keep winning almost by cheating was not that they couldn''t intervene, but because they chose not to.


    They were indulging Ober to "cultivate" him into a contestant with appeal and a certain reputation, then they "used" him against Rocky. This allowed Rocky to prove his strength and gain fame in just one match, making his upcoming matches instantly popular.


    Indeed, that was the case. The audience for Rocky''s second match was significantly larger than the previous one, with at least a thousand more spectators, who were clearly drawn by the tales of his match against Ober.


    Correspondingly, the opponent in Rocky''s next match...


    His opponent in the second rank match was also a newcomer, also of the fifteenth rank, even wearing a Mass Production Type Armor provided by the Arena. Facing such an opponent, Rocky himself found it unbelievable. Wasn''t this just handing out points?


    Indeed, it was exactly that¡ªhanding out points¡ªand it was also the strategy of the Arena. Their goal was to continuously boost Rocky''s fame, making him more and more appealing, thereby cultivating the audience''s anticipation.


    But to achieve this, one match was certainly not enough. Hence, in the following four matches, Rocky''s opponents were all rather average, allowing him to raise his rank from the fifteenth to the thirteenth and achieving a five-win streak in rank matches, thus becoming even more famous. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, the Arena didn''t treat only Rocky in this manner. At least four to five other contestants this season received the same treatment. They were all newcomers highly favored by the Arena, and naturally, Xia Nai, who had always been compared to Rocky, was among them.


    Compared to others, the Arena valued Xia Nai more. By the time Rocky achieved a five-win streak, Xia Nai had already fought eight matches, winning each one. Her rank had also increased to the eleventh in this process, making her the highest-ranked and most famous newcomer of the season. Compared to her, Rocky and others merely complemented her achievements.


    However, for the Arena, whether it was Rocky or Xia Nai, their matches were really just trivial matters. They were only part of some routine arrangements that occurred every season. What truly captivated the Arena and consumed all their attention were Denise''s matches!


    Representing Sigma Corporation, Denise would debut the new generation of Armor at the Arena. This news had already spread widely. With Sigma Corporation ready to unveil a new generation of Armor, a significant event in the Armor Domain, it was something that attracted widespread attention and was eagerly anticipated. Consequently, as time progressed, more and more prominent figures gathered in Eternal City, all waiting for Denise''s first match at the Arena.


    In such circumstances, Denise''s series of matches were bound to capture the attention of the entire Sky Era, making it the top priority for the Arena, which they were constantly busy preparing for.


    Two weeks after Denise arrived in Eternal City, her match was finally set!


    Sky Era Year 118, February 8.


    On this day, Denise''s first match would take place at the Arena, where the new generation of Armor would also make its debut before the world!


    ......


    ......


    During this period, Rocky''s mood wasn''t great.


    Although he had achieved a five-win streak in the rank matches, and his fame was growing, with increasingly more people discussing and paying attention to him, Rocky was still discontent, for a very simple reason: the earnings were too low.


    Despite the Arena consistently setting him up against relatively average opponents, allowing him consecutive victories, correspondingly, the odds on Rocky in the external betting pools were getting lower. In his most recent match, the odds between him and his opponent were 1.3 to 7, with the opponent at 7 and only 1.3 for him.


    What did 1.3 mean?


    In Rocky''s last match, as usual, Aileen placed fifty thousand Gold Coin on him, and he won. However, he only earned sixty-five thousand Gold Coin. Subtracting the fifty thousand principal, he only profited fifteen thousand Gold Coin!


    While this amount might seem not too little, remember that Rocky''s rank was now the thirteenth. With the rank advancement, his prize money for each match also increased. Now, he could earn twenty-four thousand Gold Coin for every victory. That meant the money he earned from betting fifty thousand Gold Coin was even less than the prize money from winning the match...


    So even though Rocky had won four consecutive matches, the Gold Coin he earned was pitifully little, totaling around a hundred thousand in prize money and about one hundred and fifty thousand from bets. Added together, it was only about two hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coin, barely enough for anything.


    Naturally, Rocky wasn''t pleased with these results. He wasn''t competing for fun; his ultimate goal in participating in the Arena was to make money.


    But given the current situation, there wasn''t much he could do. The only thing he could do was wait for the Arena to arrange stronger opponents for him, preferably ones who appeared significantly stronger than him. Only then could he potentially make a substantial profit.


    However, according to Hammerfire, that opportunity should be coming soon...!

 Chapter 265 Heavens Will

    Rocky was aware of what was happening outside but did not care much, as the events, big or small, occurring outside had little relation to him and Thunderhawk City. What he was most concerned about now was his upcoming combat skills competition in the Arena.When would he finally encounter a worthy opponent, someone who could really help him make a significant profit? That was Rocky''s primary concern.


    Since the last assassination attempt had occurred just over two months ago, which meant Thunderhawk City''s free refuge period was about to run out. Once this period was over, Thunderhawk City would have to face a significant increase in expenses, which Rocky could not ignore.


    "City Lord kid, no need to look so downcast, there are plenty of tough fights ahead for you."


    "Master Hammerfire, what do you mean by that?"


    When Rocky went to the laboratory with a worried expression on his face, it was lunchtime, and Hammerfire chatted with him for a bit.


    According to Hammerfire, Rocky should not worry about the lack of tough fights. On the contrary, he would have many skilled opponents to measure up against in the future.


    Rocky was somewhat puzzled by this assertion. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "City Lord kid, you don''t understand. This is just the usual pattern of the Arena, nothing extraordinary."


    Seeing Rocky''s confusion, Hammerfire continued to explain the ins and outs of the Arena while they ate lunch.


    According to Hammerfire, the reason Rocky had only encountered weak opponents recently was entirely due to the deliberate arrangement of the Arena.


    "Master, I know this is arranged by the Arena, but why?"


    Rocky did not wait for Hammerfire to finish speaking. He, of course, knew his opponents were arranged by the Arena, but why? Why were such weak opponents arranged for him? That was the question Rocky could not figure out.


    "Because they are preparing for future matches."


    As soon as he voiced his question, Hammerfire already had an answer for him.


    As a master in the Armor Domain, Hammerfire paid more attention to the Arena matches than most. The Arena was a battlefield for Void Magic Warriors, where real and serious competitions took place, making it the perfect stage to assess the strength of different armors. As a domain master, Hammerfire always took the opportunity to watch the matches to gain a comprehensive understanding of various armors.


    Since he paid more attention, he knew more about the Arena, especially about the twists and turns of the matches, and he explained it to Rocky:


    "To make the matches more exciting, the Arena will ensure that each match has its highlights. If there aren''t any, they will create some. Right now, you are a highlight they have created."


    "Your performance in the preliminary selection has caught the attention of the Arena. They have identified you as a key ''development'' target. Your match against Ober, and these recent matches, are all the Arena''s deliberate attempts to nurture you. They want you to adapt, to improve your rank with consecutive victories, and to build your fame."


    "Of course, they are not just nurturing you alone; many others are also their targets for development."


    "Once they have successfully nurtured you and other competitors like you¡ªwhether it''s in terms of understanding the matches, rank, or fame¡ªthe Arena will then start arranging truly dangerous matches for you."


    "At that time, you will be heavily promoted, sensational topics will be created, and you will face much stronger opponents, like those who have been nurtured along with you. When the time comes, the Arena will bring you all together to create a match with explosive topics and highlights."


    At this point, Hammerfire paused, then continued, "You''ve heard about the struggle between the Sigma and Uranus Corporations for the new generation of armor, right?"


    "Yes, I''ve heard."


    Asked this way by Hammerfire, although Rocky was not clear why he suddenly shifted the topic to this, he still nodded.


    Seeing his nod, Hammerfire continued, "Good to know. You must pay more attention to the matches they participate in, because, if I''m not mistaken, sooner or later the Arena will arrange for you and other nurtured competitors to compete against people from these two corporations. If that happens, you should know what to do, right?"


    "What to do?"


    Hammerfire''s question indeed stumped Rocky; he had never really thought about this possibility. Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    As he had mentioned earlier, he had heard somewhat about Sigma and Uranus Corporations, given his collaboration with the Shadow Alliance, which provided him with weekly intelligence. In the recent month, the intelligence from the Shadow Alliance had included these two corporations and the new generation of armor. It would be hard for Rocky not to be aware of it.


    Yet, he had never considered that this matter would involve him.


    Although people like Orton were also developing new generation armor, their research was not being conducted openly but rather covertly, and so far, no one else knew about it. Under such circumstances, Rocky did not think that he had any connection with these two giants in the armor field, even though they were all engaged in the same activity and participating in the same Arena matches.


    However, just because he did not think so did not mean things would not develop in that direction. In fact, from the moment Denise decided to debut her developed armor in the Arena, and Uranus Corporation decided to combat her there, Rocky had already become entangled with these two giants.


    This intersection was unforeseeable and unavoidable because it had been predetermined from the beginning. If one were to trace it back, it could even be traced to the moment Rocky discovered the Mana Rune. From the moment he discovered the Mana Rune, all these events were destined to occur, utterly unavoidable.


    What is this called?


    This is called fate.


    Unfortunately, Rocky had yet to realize this fate. If it were not for Hammerfire''s reminder, he still would not believe that he would have any connection with Denise representing Sigma Corporation or another competitor representing Uranus Corporation. Therefore, facing Hammerfire''s question, he simply could not respond.


    "What else is there to think about? Obviously, you wipe them out!"


    Just as Rocky was unable to respond, Orton''s voice suddenly appeared, and he punched Rocky hard on the head while speaking.


    "Kid, when you encounter them, teach them a harsh lesson and show these guys what the new generation of armor is all about!"


    Sitting next to Rocky, Orton spoke with an unabashed expression.


    Unfortunately, hearing Orton''s words, Rocky just rolled his eyes at him and retorted irritably, "Teacher, what am I supposed to use to teach them a lesson? The White Demon isn''t strong enough to beat them, is it?"


    "That..."


    Faced with Rocky''s question, the always arrogant and dismissive Orton was stumped, unable to find words for a long while...

 Chapter 266 February 8th

    "Teacher, it seems the White Demon can''t beat the opponent, can it?"After Orton had fiercely knocked on Rocky''s head, Rocky gave him a blank look and then said sharply.


    And after he finished his sentence, Orton, who was always arrogant and almost looked down on everyone, was at a loss for words and didn''t speak for a long time.


    It was not just Orton; even Hammerfire was silent.


    They were not afraid of the White Demon Armor being exposed in the competition because as soon as Rocky started participating in the preliminary rounds, Orton and the others had already discussed and devised a contingency plan. That''s why Orton had just said what he did, assuring Rocky to go ahead boldly and try to take down all the new armors from Sigma and Uranus corporations.


    But, easier said than done, right?


    As the first-generation Rune Armor, the White Demon''s strength was unquestionably outstanding¡ªcertainly beyond comparison with the 4th-generation armors. If one were to make a comparison, the White Demon Armor''s strength should be on par with the 5th-generation armors, even ranking in the upper-middle tier within its generation.


    Such strength was enough to make the White Demon Armor look down on most of its opponents, but it was not enough to contend with the new generation of armor.


    Regarding the new armors to be showcased by Sigma and Uranus corporations at the arena, Orton and others, being masters in their fields, had a good grasp of the situation. They knew very well that the new generation armors presented by both sides were definitely not the 6th generation, as the prototype armors of the 6th generation had just been made, and the final products were not yet developed.


    Since it was not the 6th-generation armor and yet indeed a new generation of armor, it was not difficult to guess the so-called new armor''s level¡ªas it was weaker than the 6th but stronger than the 5th, it was naturally considered the fifth and a half generation.


    Although they had not yet seen what the new generation armor looked like, Orton and his colleagues had already made a relatively accurate judgment of its level, for they were all masters.


    So the question arises, facing the upcoming fifth and a half generation armor, does the White Demon stand a chance?


    The answer is clearly no.


    The White Demon Armor, as the first generation Rune Armor, inherently contained a significant experimental component. This armor served more as a foundation for the Rune Armor project. Compared to the 5th-generation armors, the White Demon still wasn''t the top of the line, and the gap with the fifth and a half generation was even more evident.


    In this situation, when faced with Rocky''s question, neither Orton nor Hammerfire could answer.


    "Have you forgotten our original intention?"


    Just as the two were at a loss for words, Aniye''s voice emerged, and then she and Pelaya walked over together.


    Approaching them, Aniye looked at Rocky and then turned her gaze towards Orton and Hammerfire.


    "Gentlemen, has the Rune Armor project been completed?"


    "No, it hasn''t..."


    "I see, I thought the project was already finished."


    With a smile, Aniye took a seat and continued, "The White Demon Armor is not the ultimate product of the Rune Armor project. In fact, this armor is simply the first one we''ve created. There is absolutely no need to vie for fleeting glory."


    Looking at Orton and Hammerfire, Aniye emphasized again the original purpose of developing the White Demon Armor. The White Demon Armor was meant to serve the Rune Armor project; it wasn''t the ultimate product, just the first finished one, and that was it. So there was no need to compete for any spotlight.


    However, after saying this, Aniye abruptly changed the subject.


    Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    "But, if we could confront the latest generation of Armor face-to-face in the arena, verify the combat capability of the White Demon Armor, and take the opportunity to witness the strength of the new generation of Armor and the gap that exists between us, that would be good too," Aniye said.


    "So..."


    At this point, Aniye looked towards Rocky.


    "City Lord Rocky, Hammerfire was right, you are bound to encounter the new generation of Armor in the Arena, so you must prepare yourself mentally in advance," Aniye advised.


    As soon as Aniye finished speaking, Rocky was about to respond, but Aniye waved his hand dismissively and added, "As for the Armor, leave that to us. The White Demon is still undergoing testing, and there is still considerable room for improvement. We few old fellows will continue to perfect the Armor during this time, so you don''t have to worry about that." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What you need to do is to make adequate preparations, like for tomorrow."


    "Tomorrow?"


    Rocky blinked, clearly unsure of what was significant about the next day.


    "Tomorrow is the day of Denise''s first match. The new generation of Armor developed by Sigma Corporation to counter Uranus Corporation will make its debut, and we all want to see it," Aniye explained.


    Seeing the look of confusion on Rocky''s face, Aniye elaborated, and Rocky suddenly realized¡ªof course, tomorrow was February 8th, indeed the day of Denise''s first match.


    The announcement for Denise''s first match had begun half a month earlier, and almost everyone in Eternal City had heard about the upcoming event. Apart from the Arena''s publicity, Sigma Corporation also launched a major marketing campaign, not targeting the general populace, but rather various Alliances, Chambers of Commerce, powerful families, and influential City Lords.


    These individuals constituted the most powerful group in the skies, and only they could afford the latest generation of Armor, which was why Sigma Corporation had reached out to them well in advance.


    With Denise''s first match approaching, many influential figures who learned of the event arrived in Eternal City. Representatives of The Three Great Alliances came, family leaders of the highest rank were present, Chambers of Commerce followed suit, and the City Lords of various Sky Cities arrived in droves, all waiting for the new generation of Armor to make its first appearance in the Arena.


    Such an important event was, of course, known to Rocky. Not just him, Aniye and others had also been informed, and given that they were in the midst of testing the White Demon Armor, they naturally had an interest in it.


    Though according to Aniye and his colleagues'' assessment, the new Armor should be of the fifth and a half generation, until the true 6th Generation Armor was unveiled, the fifth and a half generation of Armor would indeed be considered the most advanced currently available, something they had to witness for themselves.


    Therefore, by the next day, though the match was not set to start until close to noon, Rocky and his companions set off early in the morning. However, upon arriving at the Arena, they discovered they were far from the first to arrive; long queues had already formed around the Arena, with countless people arriving early to line up and wait for entry. What was more astonishing to Rocky was that among the queueing crowd, he spotted several City Lords who also resided at Star of the Sky!


    Even personages like City Lords had to queue for entry?


    To Rocky, this was simply unimaginable, as Arena bouts usually had VIP boxes for those with status such as City Lords. If a City Lord wanted to watch a match, they could simply reserve a VIP box and enter directly through the VIP entrance, without needing to queue outside.


    Ordinary matches indeed operated that way, but not today''s match, which was too popular and drew too much attention, attracting countless important figures to personally witness the event.


    It wasn''t that there were no VIP boxes; instead, all the VIP boxes had been reserved by these important figures. A City Lord? Sorry, unless one was a City Lord on the level of an Alliance leader, they had no chance of reserving a VIP box!


    This was precisely why ordinary City Lords who wanted to watch Denise''s first match had to properly queue outside!

 Chapter 267 Angel Descends!

    ```On February 8th, the Arena was overflowing with people. Countless individuals had arrived early to witness the grandeur of the new generation of Armor with their own eyes.


    In such a situation, lines had formed early outside the Arena, with even prominent figures of the City Lord''s stature queuing up. But this was still manageable, as it at least meant those City Lords had secured their tickets in advance. As for those unlucky enough not to have purchased their tickets for this match in advance, they were out of luck.


    Such a sensational event naturally attracted scores of scalpers, who drove the prices of already expensive tickets through the roof. A ticket for a standard seat cost at least one thousand Gold Coins, and for a prime seat in the front rows, one wouldn''t be able to get their hands on one without forking out at least five thousand Gold Coins. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The fiery scene greatly exceeded Rocky''s expectations because he hadn''t planned on attending this match and thus hadn''t prepared in advance. As a result, when they arrived at the Arena with great fanfare, they were taken aback.


    Fortunately, though Rocky hadn''t prepared, Aniye had done so well in advance. Upon their arrival at the Arena, Aniye promptly led Rocky and the others through the VIP passage directly to the VIP box.


    "Master, did you reserve this in advance?"


    Having followed Aniye to the VIP box, Rocky asked somewhat sheepishly, as such arrangements should have been his responsibility.


    Aniye, however, smiled and waved her hand, "It wasn''t me who booked this, but the Sigma Corporation who invited me to watch the match. They arranged everything."


    With a smile, Aniye''s casually delivered response left Rocky stunned for a moment before he nodded and couldn''t help but give a mental thumbs up. Aniye, as a master in the academic field, enjoyed a unique status; even the Sigma Corporation had personally requested her presence at such an important event, a privilege not extended to just anyone.


    The VIP box at the Arena was spacious, with one box able to comfortably seat over a dozen people. The box featured floor-to-ceiling windows facing the field, granting an unobstructed view of the entire match. Additionally, the box was well-equipped with various amenities, including a mini bar stocked with beverages and more.


    To watch the match from such a box was naturally a pleasure; hence, even though there was some time to go before the start, Rocky and the others chatted leisurely as they awaited the beginning of the match without feeling bored.


    Meanwhile, not long after they had taken their places in the box, other VIPs who had come to watch the match arrived one after another.


    Representatives from the Sky Alliance arrived, followed by delegates from the Magic Energy Research Institute, and then the Kafka Empire''s envoys. The Three Great Alliances had all sent representatives for the match, each one a powerful figure within their Alliance.


    Beyond the Three Great Alliances, the War Alliance, the Illuminati, the Racial Alliance, the Counterattack Alliance, and other major forces with resounding names in the skies had also sent their representatives.


    In addition, the Kenny Family, the Huluo Family, the Wilby Family, the Mairente Family, the royal Elf households, and other significant families were all present.


    The various Chambers of Commerce, as well as the powerful lords of large Sky Cities who were not part of the Alliances or families, had also arrived.


    It was hard to imagine a single Arena match gathering so many influential figures together, but this was precisely the allure of the Void Magic Armor. As the most powerful individual weapon of the present day, the release of each new generation of Void Magic Armor captured the attention of the world, as it was a matter that concerned everyone and could even alter the landscape of the skies. Unless one''s status was insufficient, it was an event that demanded attention.


    Time flew by, and to Rocky and the others in the box, it felt like no time at all before 10 o''clock approached. As the commencement of the match drew near, they stopped their chit-chat and collectively moved to stand in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out onto the field.


    This important match was naturally scheduled for the main field of the Arena. The Arena was divided into nine fields, with eight being secondary fields accommodating no more than ten thousand spectators each. The primary field, capable of hosting a full fifty thousand people, was now completely filled as Rocky looked out the window and saw that there were no empty seats to be seen.


    "Ladies and gentlemen!"


    As the time for the match drew near, the commentator picked up the microphone and addressed all the spectators, "Welcome everyone, to today''s match!"


    Following this remark, the Arena erupted with a roar like a tidal wave of cheers, not because of what the commentator had said, but because it signified the imminent start of the match.


    Amidst this overwhelming roar, the commentator continued, "Ladies and gentlemen, I know why you are so enthusiastic. I too am excited just like you."


    "Today''s match is highly anticipated because we will witness the debut of the brand-new generation of Void Magic Armor! This will be a proud moment for each of us! And this glory, along with this match, will be recorded in history!"


    The commentator''s stirring words triggered another explosive round of applause.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, I know you do not wish to hear any more of my ramblings, so... let''s welcome the competitors to the stage!"


    ``` Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 267 Angel Descends!_2

    ```It was as if to prove that he really didn''t want to hear any nonsense, the moment the announcer finished saying that, the cheers of the audience once again erupted, even louder than before.


    "Next, please welcome today''s contestants to the stage!"


    In the midst of the enthusiastic cheers, the announcer began introducing the contestants with the loudest voice: "First to enter is the star among stars in the Arena, the strong among the strong, contestant Mishael!"


    As the announcer introduced him, the entrance at the side of the stage slowly opened, and even before the crowd could see the person, they heard a series of heavy footsteps.


    Thud...


    Thud...


    Thud...


    Accompanied by the incredibly heavy footsteps, contestant Mishael slowly came into view.


    But it was precisely at the moment of his appearance that a gasp arose from the arena, with many spectators wide-eyed.


    "What, what kind of Armor is that?"


    Not just the audience, but even Rocky in the VIP box was surprised, his mouth agape not at Mishael, but at the Armor Mishael was wearing.


    The Armor that Mishael wore looked incredibly bulky, as though there was another layer of Armor over an already thick set, making his whole figure resemble a moving hill, not only massive in size but also quite intimidating.


    "Master Hammerfire, what kind of Armor is this? It''s so huge?"


    Since Rocky had never seen this type of Armor that Mishael was wearing, he quickly turned to Hammerfire for answers. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    "This is the fourth-generation land Special Armor, Mobile Fortress Type 2."


    As a master in the Armor Domain, there was no Armor that Hammerfire didn''t recognize, and he quickly provided an answer.


    The Armor that Mishael wore was uncommon but very famous; although it was a fourth-generation Special Armor, it was specifically designed for land combat.


    It had been said before that people of the sky twice launched large-scale counter-offensives on the land, but both wars ended in failure, with a key reason being the inadequate ground combat power. To change this situation, Uranus Corporation designed this Special Armor specifically for ground warfare.


    This Armor nearly abandoned aerial combat capabilities, only capable of slow, low-altitude flight, but in losing aerial combat prowess, its thick Armor provided formidable defensive power. Its defenses were so strong that not only were they unrivalled among fourth-generation Armors, even fifth-generation Armors couldn''t compare. Furthermore, this Armor boasted immense firepower, especially in stationary output, a highlight of its capabilities. "Moving Fortress" was not merely the model designation of this Armor, but also the most direct representation of its essence.


    However, as this Armor was specialized for land combat, many people hadn''t seen it before, but its strength as an Armor was undoubtedly formidable.


    "Ladies and gentlemen! The contestant appearing before you has attained the Eighth Rank in Combat Skills ¡ª Mishael!"


    As Rocky came to understand exactly what Armor Mishael was wearing, the announcer''s voice was heard once again:


    "Ladies and gentlemen, contestant Mishael surely needs no further introduction from me. As of today, he has participated in one hundred and thirty-three rank matches and emerged victorious in one hundred and nineteen of them, having lost only fourteen matches in his entire competitive career. Such an impressive record has made him a true star in the Arena."


    Following the announcer''s introduction, Mishael, clad in his bulky Armor, took heavy steps and slowly approached the stage.


    ```


    Although nearly everyone who came to watch the match today was there for Denise and the new generation of Armor, most people didn''t care much about who her opponent was. Even so, when Mishael made his appearance, there was still a strong cheer from the stands.


    Actually, Mishael was a bona fide celebrity fighter, his Eighth Rank in Combat Skills and record of over a hundred victories being the best testimony to his star quality.


    You see, once a Combat Skill Rank reaches Ten-rank, high-end matches ensue, and while the Arena does set up matches to foster fighters or create highlights, this only applies to low-end events. In high-end competitions, no fiddling occurs, simply because it''s unnecessary. High-end matches are inherently a clash of the strong against the strong, brimming with enticing moments.


    Therefore, Mishael''s record was all earned in earnest combat, his strength devoid of any watered-down elements.


    Meanwhile, as Mishael slowly made his way to the front of the stage, the announcer continued to introduce:


    "Today, for this historic match, fighter Mishael has specially donned a brand-new Armor, the fourth generation land combat Special Armor, Mobile Fortress Type 2!"


    "This Armor might be unfamiliar to many of you, but it is definitely a..."


    It didn''t take long for the announcer to introduce the Mobile Fortress Type 2 Armor to the audience and then he said, "As everyone can probably tell, even with the experience of over a hundred matches and victories, player Mishael is under a lot of pressure for today''s match and has made ample preparations. But I can assure you all, this is absolutely the right approach, because the opponent he faces today is undoubtedly worthy of such attention!"


    At this point, the announcer raised his voice, "Now, please welcome the other competitor in this match!"


    "Please welcome¡ªfighter Denise!"


    With the announcer''s resonant voice, the entire audience stood up and looked in the same direction, all the distinguished guests in the boxes also stopped what they were doing or their small talk, and, like everyone else, turned to look the same way.


    Under such a myriad of gazes, the entrance on the other side of the stage slowly opened. As the gates parted inch by inch, the entire venue also became silent, everyone focusing intently on the scene before them.


    However, as everyone watched the entrance without blinking, and the doors gradually opened, they saw only a pitch-black corridor without a glimpse of Denise.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Where is she?"


    "Why is there no one?"


    As they gazed into the dark passage, murmurs immediately rose from the seats, but just at the moment when the murmurs began, a flash of gold suddenly flew out of the pitch-black tunnel!


    This golden light appeared so suddenly and swiftly that by the time people noticed, it had already whooshed up above the stage. When everyone followed the tail of the light, they finally saw Denise, clad in golden Armor.


    Wearing the latest generation of Armor, Denise was hovering above the stage at that moment, looking down on everyone in the venue!


    Her Armor, painted in gold, shone brilliantly yet wasn''t at all ostentatious but rather exuded a sense of solemnity. Its streamlined design also made the Armor look sleek and fluid.


    The design of the Armor''s Helmet was also quite ingenious, not employing a fully covered type but rather a half-covered one, meaning that it protected only the upper part of the head, leaving Denise''s delicately pointed chin exposed. This not only made the Armor seem less cold but also added a touch of soft beauty, clearly a thoughtful and possibly bespoke design for Denise. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, these were just the finer details. What truly caught everyone''s attention and left them speechless was the eight cone-shaped devices floating behind the Armor.


    These eight devices, known as external Magic Conduction Machines, were at the core of the Holy Angel Armor. The Magic Conduction Machines housed Super Crystals, providing the Armor with abundant Mana in an external attachment form. Visually, these eight Magic Conduction Machines were like two pairs of wings floating behind the Armor, earning the Holy Angel Armor its name.


    Hovering above the stage, Denise looked around and saw every person in the venue, from the audience to the announcer, to the multitude of distinguished guests in the boxes, all staring dumbfounded at her. This outcome clearly pleased her greatly, so after her lips curved into a beautiful arch, she began to descend slowly and gracefully to the stage floor like an Angel descending to the mortal world!

 Chapter 268 Instant Kill!

    "Ladies and gentlemen...audience!""Ladies and gentlemen! What now appears before your eyes is the latest generation of Armor developed by the Sigma Corporation! The Holy Angel Armor!"


    "So beautiful! It''s absolutely gorgeous! This Armor is just like a real Angel!"


    As everyone stared at Denise''s arrival in the ring with stunned expressions, the announcer was the first to snap back to reality and then began to shout hoarsely.


    And with his shouting, the audience too came to their senses, soon followed by a tsunami of cheers.


    Having the chance to witness the debut of a new generation of Armor firsthand, all the spectators were extremely excited, and so they erupted into the most enthusiastic shouting and cheering as they recovered from their initial shock.


    Meanwhile, in the VIP box, the important figures present showed various reactions, some with looks of surprise, while others furrowed their brows, everyone deep in thought.


    "What technology is this?"


    After Holy Angel made such a conspicuous entrance, people like Aniye and the others in the VIP box naturally focused all their attention on this model of Armor. Unlike most of the others who were just there for the spectacle, they, being experts, were looking at the details and immediately saw the key point¡ªthe Magic Conduction Machine floating behind the Holy Angel Armor.


    With the eyesight of these masters, it was clear that this unknown device was the core of the Armor, but even they had no idea what the device actually was.


    This was not surprising; although the Holy Angel Armor was developed by Denise''s own team, she and her group were part of the Sigma Corporation after all, so of course, the secrecy was very tight. It was impossible for outsiders to know any technical details regarding the Holy Angel Armor.


    So when Aniye, Orton, Hammerfire, and Pelaya saw the Holy Angel Armor, they looked at each other in bewilderment.


    In fact, like them, there were many who, although they knew the Holy Angel was a new generation of Armor, didn''t know much about the specific configurations and actual combat power of this Armor. Given this situation, everyone became even more attentive, all wanting to see what was so special about this Armor touted as the latest generation?


    Without a doubt, Holy Angel''s entrance was extremely successful because it sparked everyone''s curiosity and anticipation, which is precisely what Denise wanted.


    So when she landed in the ring, she turned to look at the announcer with a clear message in her eyes, which was basically to cut the chatter and start the match!


    In fact, not just her, after Holy Angel''s appearance, everyone present, from every ordinary spectator in the bleachers to every VIP in the boxes, didn''t want to hear any more idle talk. They all just wanted to see the match, to witness firsthand how formidable the Holy Angel Armor truly was.


    The announcer clearly felt everyone''s ardent gaze, so he stopped beating around the bush and directly announced the start of the match!


    "The competition¡ªbegins!!" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the announcer''s drawn-out voice, this highly anticipated match finally got underway.


    As the match started, Mishael, who had been waiting by the ring for some time, rose slowly and then descended gradually onto the platform.


    During the process of stepping onto the ring, Mishael''s movements were unusually clumsy and slow, because that''s just how the Moving Fortress Type 2 Armor was designed. From the outset, this model of Armor sacrificed agility focusing entirely on heavy armor and formidable firepower. Still, don''t underestimate this Armor just because of its lack of nimbleness; despite its poor maneuverability, its defensive power and offensive capability were extremely strong, just like its namesake¡ªa Moving Fortress!


    Upon reaching the ring, Mishael was the first to take action!


    Wearing the heavy Armor, as soon as he stepped onto the platform, he activated his Defensive Net.


    An observable magic energy defense net was deployed in an instant, and not just one, but three in succession!


    "Oh...!!"


    Even though everyone''s focus was on Denise and the Holy Angel Armor, the sight of Mishael deploying three Defensive Nets in a row still drew a gasp from the audience.


    The Mobile Fortress Type 2 Armor, which stands out the most for its defensive power, was designed from the outset to combat Demons. Therefore, it made significant strides in defense capabilities, not only equipped with armor several times thicker than the standard Armor but also installed with several Defensive Nets. Once all the Defensive Nets were deployed, it was virtually impossible for the Armor to take any damage.


    Clearly, Mishael came prepared this time. Facing Denise and the latest generation of Holy Angel Armor, he evidently planned to adopt a defensive stance and rely on the formidable defensive power of the Mobile Fortress Type 2 to battle with Denise.


    Of course, he never really thought he could actually defeat Denise. What Mishael truly wanted was to hold her off. To put it more bluntly, if he could just make Denise feel embarrassed, then he would achieve his goal.


    Why?


    Why did Mishael want to embarrass Denise?


    It''s simple, because that''s what Uranus Corporation wanted him to do!


    Denise''s intent to showcase the new generation of Armor to the world in the Arena and thereby restore faith in Sigma Corporation was no secret. As Sigma''s biggest competitor, Uranus Corporation naturally wouldn''t let things go her way. They sent their own warriors to intercept her and planned to thwart Denise''s plans from every angle.


    So, when Denise''s first opponent was confirmed, Uranus Corporation approached Mishael, offering tempting terms and providing him with the Mobile Fortress Type 2 Armor.


    Yes, the Mobile Fortress Type 2 Armor that Mishael was wearing was supplied by Uranus Corporation, and before handing it over, they further modified and strengthened the Armor''s defensive capabilities to an extent that made it even more formidable than the original.


    Thus, do not underestimate the Mobile Fortress Type 2 Armor simply because it''s only a fourth-generation Special Armor. That would be a huge mistake. After further modifications and enhancements, its defensive power, without discussing any other aspects, has far exceeded that of fourth-generation standards, and is not inferior even when compared to the fifth-generation Special Armors!


    In such circumstances, if Denise was even slightly careless, the debut of the Holy Angel Armor would be ruined!


    Having already calculated his strategy, Mishael ceased to act after deploying his Defensive Net. He knew that launching an attack was futile and that he couldn''t defeat his opponent. His job was to wait for Denise to attack, and as long as she couldn''t breach his defense, the Holy Angel''s first match would be a flop, and his mission would be complete.


    Similarly, the audience at the scene also turned their eyes to Denise and her Holy Angel Armor, waiting for her to make a move.


    "Come on..."


    "Hurry up and come at me..."


    Enclosed within the Armor, Mishael muttered softly to himself while nervously sweating.


    As if heeding his murmurs, Denise indeed made her move shortly after.


    However, Denise herself did not move; she remained as gracefully poised in the ring as ever, but the eight conical Magic Conduction Machines hovering behind her Armor suddenly sprang into action!


    The eight conical Magic Conduction Machines all unfolded and then aimed at Mishael like eight spikes.


    What was she planning to do?


    Seeing this, everyone in the audience was stunned. No one knew what Magic Conduction Machines were, so they had no idea what Denise was up to.


    But at that moment, when everyone was looking at each other in confusion, eight beams of Magic Energy shot out without warning from the tips of the Magic Conduction Machines. Then, with a massive blast, Mishael, who had made all the preparations, was blown out of the ring!


    With a thunderous crash, Mishael, who had been flung away, smashed into the wall of the Arena. The three Defensive Nets he had deployed were all shattered through, and his thick armor was pulverized!


    Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Instant kill!


    Denise only needed one strike to instantly take down her opponent!

 Chapter 269 Enemies Meet

    The first match that Denise participated in with the Holy Angel Armor had just begun when it suddenly ended, as she eliminated her opponent instantly!Although the match ended unusually quickly, taking only two minutes from start to finish, it caused a huge sensation, simply because the performance of the Holy Angel Armor was too impressive.


    Wearing the Holy Angel Armor, Denise needed only one strike to instantly defeat the Mobile Fortress Type 2, whose defensive power was reputed to be the best among the fourth generation armors. This achievement could certainly be described as jaw-dropping.


    Don''t assume that the Mobile Fortress Type 2, as a fourth-generation armor, is weak. In fact, this is far from the case. The fourth-generation armors, especially the Special Armors, have not been phased out even today. Although they cannot compare with the fifth-generation of the same type, even the fifth-generation Special Armors would find it difficult to defeat them instantly. If there is any, it''s because of the gap between the Void Magic Warriors, not the armors themselves.


    It was because of this that, with just a two-minute match, Denise let the world see the terrifying power of the Holy Angel Armor¡ªa single, ordinary strike was all it took to eliminate a top defensive fourth-generation Special Armor, the Mobile Fortress Type 2, proving just how formidable the new generation of armor was.


    Thus, after the match ended, everyone''s attention was focused on the brand-new Holy Angel Armor.


    This outcome was precisely what Denise and Sigma Corporation wanted to see. However, they weren''t in a rush to do anything because, in their view, the showcasing of the Holy Angel Armor was far from over. It was just the beginning. Denise planned through match after match to fully build up the momentum of the Holy Angel Armor, which was necessary to compete with Uranus Company.


    To achieve this, Denise and Sigma Corporation had put in great effort. Not only did they invite numerous dignitaries before the match started, but they also hosted a grand ball on the evening of the first match, inviting all the eminent figures in Eternal City to further promote the Holy Angel Armor and to win people''s hearts.


    Eternal City always had balls; one could say they were ceaseless throughout the seasons. Yet, even so, the ball hosted by Sigma Corporation could be described as exceptional.


    The caliber of the guests at this ball was indeed terrifying.


    After Denise''s match ended, Sigma Corporation sent invitations to every guest who watched the match in the VIP boxes. We''ve already mentioned who attended the match¡ªthese were all notable figures in the entire sky. Apart from them, some other prominent figures who didn''t watch the match also received invitations.


    What surprised Rocky was that he also received an invitation. Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    "It seems... this time I''m benefiting from my teachers'' prestige..."


    When Sigma Corporation''s representative delivered the invitation to Rocky, he was naturally surprised. After all, a ball of such scale and level would not normally extend an invitation to him, as he was just the lord of a small Sky City.


    But as soon as he opened the invitation, he immediately understood what was going on. It was clear that the invitation wasn''t just for him; it invited Orton, Aniye, Hammerfire, Pelaya, and himself to attend the ball together. Note, the names of the other four were listed before his.


    With this, it was clear that inviting Rocky was just an afterthought by Sigma Corporation; their real aim was to invite Orton and the others.


    Indeed, this was the case. Although Sigma Corporation invited many dignitaries to the ball, its ultimate purpose was business. As such, the affair inevitably seemed a bit mercenary. Therefore, balls of this kind always included some invitees unrelated to business but who possessed significant status and position, thereby enhancing the event''s appearance and making it seem more tasteful.


    So after receiving the invitation, Rocky headed to the research institute. Since Sigma Corporation truly intended to invite Orton and his team, and he was merely included by association, Rocky could not decide on his own whether to attend or not; he had to ask for Orton and the others'' opinions.


    When Rocky arrived at the research institute and met Orton and the others, the masters were deeply engrossed in a fierce discussion, which naturally centered on the Holy Angel Armor. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It cannot be denied, the Holy Angel Armor''s debut was indeed stunning enough to astonish these masters, so after returning to Thunderhawk City, they began their research. On one hand, they studied the Holy Angel Armor; on the other, they were also looking into whether studying the Holy Angel could lead to enhancements to the White Demon Armor¡ªcould the stone from other hills be used to polish jade?


    By the time Rocky handed the invitation to Orton, Orton accepted without a second thought.


    "Go! Of course, we must go! I really want to ask those guys at Sigma Corporation what technology the Holy Angel Armor uses."


    Given Orton''s personality, he was usually quite averse to such balls, typically not even giving them a moment''s consideration, but this time was different. The impression the Holy Angel Armor left on him was profound, prompting Orton to also want to inquire what technology the other party had employed. The others were thinking similarly.


    Thus, the group made a decision to attend the ball hosted by Sigma Corporation together.


    Before long, it turned to evening, and Rocky and his group arrived at the Eternal City. Sigma Corporation had arranged everything thoroughly, having dispatched people to wait at the Skyport already. Thus, as soon as Rocky and his company disembarked from the Skyship, they directly got into a carriage and headed straight for the ball venue.


    The carriage ride was silent, and about half an hour later, they reached the venue.


    When Rocky and his group arrived, the ball had just started, so there were many people entering, and they followed the crowd inside which was not unusual.


    However, what Rocky failed to notice was that as he and the others were lining up ready to enter the venue, other carriages continued to arrive, and one of these carriages stopped, and after the passengers disembarked, someone immediately recognized him!


    "Is this guy here too?"


    After glancing at Rocky, who was lining up to enter, Xia Nai frowned and then waved over the servant following her.


    "Find out who this guy is, why he is here, and what his story is."


    "All right."


    With that, the servant immediately left, soon disappearing from sight.


    After the servant had left, Xia Nai looked coldly at Rocky from behind, especially glancing at Liliya who was beside him, then sneered and joined the queue to enter amidst a crowd of people.

 Chapter 270 Meeting Xia Nai Again!

    Xia Nai was unaware that she was queuing to enter right behind him, and it didn''t take long before he made his way into the dance party venue.Even though Rocky had attended more than one dance party before, he still got startled by the grand gesture of the Sigma Corporation when he entered the venue; the place was decorated too beautifully.


    The huge venue had two floors and could easily accommodate several hundred people. The interior decorations and arrangements were of the highest quality, which didn''t need to be specified, and even the waitstaff looked noble, evidently having undergone strict training.


    At the same time, there was a massive stage inside the venue, where a full band was playing music non-stop. Amid the melodious music, guests were either dancing with their partners or chatting in small clusters, creating a lively atmosphere.


    "Master Aniye."


    Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire


    Not long after Rocky and the others had just stepped into the venue, Denise, dressed in a magnificent outfit, came over and approached the group.


    Although they would meet many times in the future, now was the first time Rocky was seeing Denise, and even he had to admit that she was different from ordinary women. Denise seemed to combine the best qualities of Liliya and Aileen; she exuded a knightly spirit and nobility''s elegance, making her extremely eye-catching.


    "City Lord Rocky."


    Denise nodded politely to Rocky as a greeting when she approached the group and then turned to Aniye and the others: "Master Aniye, it is our honor to have you here."


    "Master Hammerfire, you''re still as robust as ever."


    "Aunt Pelaya, it''s been a long time."


    "And Master Orton, my father always mentions you to me..."


    After giving a simple nod to Rocky, Denise enthusiastically started greeting Orton and the others. She was not only warm but also seemed particularly familiar with them.


    In fact, Denise wasn''t that close to Orton and the others, but they had indeed met before and recognized each other. With her status, it was not unusual for her to have attended various events and met various distinguished figures to know Orton and the others.


    And after exchanging pleasantries with the masters for a while, Denise asked inopportunely, "Masters, what do you think of today''s competition?" S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clearly, Denise was very adept at networking. For example, her question provided a common topic for everyone and also served as an asset for her own conversation bank.


    Orton and the others were all academic masters deeply involved in Armor development, so if she could get them to praise the Holy Angel Armor, whether out of politeness or not, Denise would have something to talk about with others.


    Moreover, Denise was clever. When discussing the competition, she only spoke about the competition itself and mentioned the Holy Angel Armor sparingly, making it hard for Orton to find the opportunity to ask questions.


    Of course, she treated not only Orton this way but also all the attendees that day. While everyone present came for the Holy Angel Armor, Denise, when chatting with them, hardly overemphasized the Armor itself.


    Why was she doing this?


    Of course, it was to keep them on tenterhooks!


    Everyone who had come to the dance party was here for the Holy Angel Armor. If they got what they wanted too soon, how could she create a buzz? It''s like a woman undressing¡ªthe act is most enticing when it happens gradually. If she strips down all at once, it loses its appeal.


    So in face of everyone at the party, Denise was proactive and enthusiastic in conversation, but regarding the Holy Angel Armor, she only gave them a taste and then steered the conversation to other matters.


    For example, now, facing the continuous questioning of Orton and others, Denise, while smiling deceitfully, deflected the conversation and said to everyone, "Gentlemen, my father is also here, and he surely has many things he would like to discuss with you all. Please, come with me."


    At today''s dance, Denise''s father, Tom, who is also the Sect Leader of Sigma Corporation, was present. So, facing the increasingly sharp questions from Orton and the others, Denise brought up her father, effortlessly shifting the conversation before leading Orton and his group to meet Tom.


    After they had left, City Lord Rocky, who was left behind, glanced at Liliya and displayed a wry smile.


    He could see that at this dance, he really was just an accessory. If it weren''t for learning about Orton''s presence in Thunderhawk City, Denise certainly wouldn''t have sent him an invitation. Indeed, in such a setting, his presence was hardly necessary.


    However, Rocky didn''t care much about this. He was clear in his mind that the only reason he had come to the dance was to accompany Orton and his party. As long as Orton and his friends were having fun, that was all that mattered to him.


    So, when Denise took Orton and the others away, Rocky and Liliya casually strolled through the venue together.


    The two chatted as they walked, appearing much more leisurely than the others, and in the process, they were not entirely alone, for they quickly encountered two acquaintances: a steward from the Green Apple Chamber of Commerce and the Guild President of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. Since Rocky had business dealings with both, he was familiar with them, and they had a cheerful conversation when they met.


    In summary, although Rocky wasn''t the center of attention, he was content to relax at the dance, and when the music started later on, he even asked Liliya for a dance. Holding Liliya''s slender waist, he felt the evening was well worth it.


    "How was it? My dancing is not too bad, right?"


    After the dance ended, Rocky took two glasses of red wine from a waiter, handed one to Liliya, and asked.


    "I don''t know... I can''t dance..."


    Taking the exquisite glass from Rocky, Liliya shook her head with a blush, because she really couldn''t dance. Her mind was a complete blank while she was dancing with Rocky, almost entirely stepping on his feet, which resulted in her face still being red.


    Seeing Liliya''s flushed face, Rocky smiled and then glanced unintentionally at the venue, and in that glance, he froze slightly.


    But just as Rocky was slightly stunned, a voice came from another direction.


    "City Lord Rocky, we meet again."


    This sudden voice was not soft. Not only did Rocky hear it, but many nearby people did as well, and when Rocky looked in the direction of the voice, he couldn''t help but frown.


    Xia Nai.


    When Rocky followed the sound, he saw Xia Nai approaching him with a grin that barely hid his scorn, and he wasn''t alone; he was accompanied by several others of similar age, dressed in a way that clearly marked them as guests.


    It didn''t take long for Xia Nai to bring the group to Rocky, and then he cheerfully said to those around him:


    "Ladies and gentlemen, this is City Lord Rocky whom I mentioned to you all."


    "Him? Impossible!"


    As soon as Xia Nai finished speaking, a lady with an air of nobility made an exaggerated expression, asking in surprise, "Isn''t he the City Lord of a small Sky City? How did he manage to get into an event like this?"

 Chapter 271 Wheres Your Dad?

    Standing next to Xia Nai, the woman glanced at Rocky and burst out in an exaggerated exclamation, "How did someone like the owner of a small Sky City mix in here?!"This exclamation was not quiet. Not only did Rocky hear it, but many of the surrounding guests did as well, and they all turned their heads to look at Rocky.


    It is no wonder that people reacted this way, given today''s ball had such high standards. All the invited guests were renowned big shots, so there were certainly no minor characters.


    What counts as a minor character?


    At least at today''s ball, even the lords of medium-sized Sky Cities are minor characters! This means that among the city lords attending today''s ball, the least influential were from large Sky Cities!


    That was why, when people heard that Rocky was the lord of a small Sky City, they were all very surprised, especially since the woman next to Xia Nai emphasized that Rocky had ''sneaked'' in, inevitably leading others to speculate.


    Clearly, this woman did it on purpose to make Rocky feel uncomfortable!


    After that, a group of people around Xia Nai burst into raucous laughter.


    You should know that at such a ball, everyone chats quietly. After all, this is a ball, not a marketplace, and the attendees are dignified guests, not vegetable shoppers. They are expected to maintain a certain standard of behavior.


    Therefore, their laughter immediately caught the attention of even more people.


    But it was clear that they did it on purpose, for right after that, Xia Nai said to Rocky in a raised voice,


    "City Lord Rocky, why are you still attending the ball? Don''t you need to prepare for the competition?"


    "Competition, Xia Nai? What competition?"


    As soon as Xia Nai finished speaking, someone immediately asked, coordinating perfectly.


    "Of course, the Arena competition."


    "Oh? So City Lord Rocky is also participating in the Arena competition?"


    Seeing Xia Nai mention the Arena competition, those around him displayed a realization, and the extravagant woman looked at Rocky, "So like Xia Nai, City Lord Rocky is also going to the Arena to train?"


    "How can that be?"


    No sooner had she finished speaking, before Rocky could even answer, someone said, "I''ve heard of City Lord Rocky''s deeds; he provoked Wild Horse City and came here for refuge. So in my opinion, it''s likely that City Lord Rocky is participating in the Arena competition to make money, given that taking refuge in Eternal City costs quite a bit."


    "City Lord Rocky, is that true?"


    Hearing this, the woman who spoke earlier blinked at Rocky with a mocking expression.


    These people spoke so loudly that their voices carried and all the nearby guests heard them, so they all looked toward Rocky.


    As for how these people knew about this, it was simple, Xia Nai had just found out.


    Rocky was far more famous than he had imagined. During his initial battle with Baron Wolin, he first appeared in the Shadow Alliance weekly. Later, when he and Karina wiped out the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, he was mentioned again in the Shadow Alliance weekly, and about two or three months ago, his assassination in Eternal City, although not heavily publicized by the Shadow Alliance, was also mentioned in their weekly report.


    In such circumstances, it was quite easy to inquire about his situation. The only difficult part was the Arena competition ¨C nobody knew he had participated, and even the competitors had no idea who he was, but Xia Nai managed to keep it from being concealed. After all, Xia Nai was a competitor and had met Rocky before.


    So when he saw Rocky entering, he immediately sent someone to find out the specifics about Rocky and, with a bit of deduction, figured out what was going on, leading to the current scene.


    The previous conflict with Rocky had always bothered Xia Nai. As the son of the Marquis of the Kafka Empire, he had never been rejected by anyone. Everyone welcomed him with smiles, unlike how Rocky treated him.


    Xia Nai couldn''t swallow his pride, and he hadn''t expected to run into Rocky again today. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was here because he had received an invitation; after all, Xia Nai was the son of the Marquis of Kafka Empire. Although his father wasn''t present, it was still customary for Sigma Corporation to extend an invitation, meaning he was attending the ball on behalf of his father.


    So when he discovered that Rocky was also attending the ball, he had already made up his mind that he would not make things easy for Rocky!


    Regarding this idea of Xia Nai, his companions naturally understood him well, and they kept trying to find ways to embarrass Rocky.


    "Lord Rocky, are you conceding?"


    Seeing that Rocky had not responded for a long time, the woman beside Xia Nai glanced at him with contempt, "Ah... I thought I was meeting an impressive City Lord, but it turns out to be a pauper who has to make money by fighting in the arena, it''s really..."


    Halfway through her sentence, she shook her head and then displayed a look of resignation.


    "Meiling, there''s no need to be disappointed with such a person, he''s just that kind of trash."


    "Exactly, and besides, you already have Xia Nai, hehe."


    "Indeed, Xia Nai is the capable one."


    During their conversation, the woman named Meiling linked her arm through Xia Nai''s, while also casting a glance at Liliya.


    "Lord Rocky, don''t you have anything to say?"


    With his arm linked by Meiling, Xia Nai wore a proud expression on his face, then he grinned at Rocky, seemingly waiting for him to explode in anger.


    But he was disappointed.


    In reality, while others were babbling, Rocky hadn''t said a word. He just held his wine glass, sipping the red wine while observing the bickering around him as if watching a lively scene.


    However, faced with Xia Nai''s remark, he slowly curved his lips into a smile. Stepping forward, he stood right across from him."


    "Where''s your dad?"


    With a smile, Rocky glanced at Xia Nai, his words freezing Xia Nai''s smile on his face!


    "What, what did you say?"


    Clearly, Xia Nai was staggered by the question, taking quite a while to respond. Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire


    "I''m asking about your dad, tell him to come here, I have business with him," Rocky said sternly, looking directly at Xia Nai.


    "What, what do you want?"


    "Adult''s business, kid, don''t ask too many questions," Rocky said, glancing at Xia Nai and shooing him with his hand.


    As soon as he finished speaking, Xia Nai''s complexion changed drastically, turning a ghastly pale, while a round of subdued laughter spread among the bystanders.

 Chapter 272 Slanderous Accusations

    In order to embarrass Rocky, Xia Nai and his group spoke very loudly, causing many guests around them to hear and drawing the attention of many, so when Rocky finished his remark, quite a few guests chuckled softly.Anyone could clearly understand the meaning of his words, he was telling Xia Nai, "You are not even qualified to speak to me; your father has to come if you want to say something. Only a City Lord is qualified to talk to another City Lord as an equal."


    "What did you say! Do you know who Xia Nai''s father is! How dare you speak like that!"


    When Xia Nai''s face turned livid with anger, the people beside him snapped to their senses, and immediately someone jumped out, pointing at Rocky and exclaimed.


    "Who are you?"


    Glancing at the man, Rocky casually asked.


    "I am¡­"


    "Are you the City Lord?"


    "I, I..."


    "If not, go stand aside!"


    Not letting the other party finish, Rocky rudely interrupted, leaving the man stuttering and unable to open his mouth.


    The people following Xia Nai were naturally either wealthy or noble; all were offspring of nobility with significant status. Despite their wealth and nobility, they couldn''t match Rocky in terms of presence, as Rocky was after all the City Lord, with a status and an aura that ordinary people couldn''t compare with.


    So when he finished this statement, the other party''s face turned beet red, and he could not utter a single word, because although he was a noble, anyone knew that a noble without the title of a City Lord was nothing in front of a real City Lord.


    "How, how can you be so tyrannical! Just because you are a City Lord!"


    When Rocky managed to leave Xia Nai''s entourage at a loss for words with a single sentence, Meiling, who was clutching Xia Nai''s arm, spoke up indignantly.


    "Tongue-wagging."


    Upon hearing this, Rocky turned his head to look at her and then scoffed; "Silence her!"


    After this, Liliya promptly stepped forward and without another word, a sharp slap sound was heard as a slap landed on the woman''s face!


    In dealing with these people, Liliya showed no mercy. A slap hit Meiling''s face, spinning her around on the spot, and she fell to the ground with a thud.


    A pampered noblewoman unaccustomed to such treatment, Meiling then covered half of her face with her hand, looking at Rocky and Liliya, utterly stunned.


    "You! You dare to hit someone!"


    Seeing Liliya lay a hand on someone, someone from Xia Nai''s side immediately protested, and others hurried to help her up, while another tall man strode towards Liliya.


    "You dare to strike a noble, you really have some nerve!"


    As he spoke, the man reached Liliya and raised his hand to strike her!


    But no sooner had he raised his hand halfway than he felt a fierce kick in his ribs, landing right on his soft ribs, causing him pain that made him kneel on the ground clutching his ribs.


    That kick was delivered by Rocky, who, even though he knew Liliya couldn''t be defeated, couldn''t stand by and watch someone lay a hand on her.


    Thus, the situation began to spiral out of control, which was no surprise at a formal dance of this caliber¡ªsuch direct physical confrontation had never occurred before. Therefore, it immediately drew the attention of many people.


    But while it caught everyone''s attention, there was no disturbance, as all the attendees were significant figures who were used to grand events; they were merely curious, looking at Rocky, wondering who he was, given his boldness and temper.


    "Everyone, stop!"


    Meanwhile, sensing something was amiss, the guards quickly parted the crowd and approached Rocky and his group. A few guards hurried to assist the man who had fallen to the ground, while another guard, who appeared to be a captain, frowned as he looked at Rocky and Xia Nai.


    "You two, what are you doing!"


    These guards were from the Sigma Corporation, so they were very assertive and asked with an unfriendly expression.


    "It''s nothing serious."


    No sooner had the Captain of the Guards asked this than Rocky smiled and spoke, glancing at Xia Nai, whose face had turned ashen, and said, "This man and woman attempted to assassinate, you''ve arrived just in time. Arrest them."


    "What, what did you say!"


    "You''re talking nonsense!"


    "It was you who struck first!"


    After Rocky said this, not just others but even Xia Nai was about to explode. Wasn''t this a blatant lie, making false accusations with eyes wide open! They had not attempted any assassination!


    Like Xia Nai''s reaction, the Captain of the Guards was also stunned upon hearing this and then his expression turned ugly.


    He was no fool and could easily tell that Rocky was spouting nonsense, but even though he knew it, he was unable to argue.


    In such an important setting, remembering every guest''s identity was the most basic duty of the guards, so he knew Rocky''s identity as the City Lord. And if a City Lord claimed there was an assassination attempt, then, even if he knew it was nonsense, it had to be taken seriously.


    Thus, the Captain of the Guards glared fiercely at the people around Xia Nai, thinking, "Are these people out of their minds? It''s one thing for Xia Nai to confront Rocky, as after all, he has his father the City Lord to back him up. But what role do these people think they are playing? Is this something they should meddle in?"


    "Who attempted to assassinate my apprentice?"


    As the Captain of the Guards was glaring at the nobles surrounding Xia Nai while feeling troubled, someone shouted. Turning around, the crowd saw Orton, Pelaya, and Hammerfire approaching swiftly.


    Upon seeing these three, everyone quickly made way, as many present knew they were master scholars and held them in high regard.


    "Who attempted to assassinate my apprentice? Again?"


    Orton hastily reached where Rocky was, his eyes wide, looking seriously at Xia Nai and the crowd around him.


    "Master Orton, don''t rush, this is surely a misunderstanding."


    As Orton and others approached, Denise''s voice was also heard, and when everyone followed the sound, they saw Denise, Aniye, and a manager from the Continental Commerce Chamber, among others, walking toward them.


    Clearly, the commotion had alerted the hosts of the banquet, compelling Denise to come over. As she did, the focus of the entire hall naturally shifted with her.


    Dressed in elegant attire, Denise parted the crowd and approached Rocky and Orton. She nodded at Orton and then turned to Rocky.


    "City Lord Rocky, don''t rush. I think this might be a misunderstanding."


    Although Denise''s face still wore an elegant smile, even her concerted effort to maintain composure could not hide a trace of displeasure in her elegant smile.


    No wonder, as today''s banquet was specifically organized by Denise and the Sigma Corporation to promote the new generation of Armor, both Denise and the Sigma Corporation hoped the event would proceed smoothly without any issues. Yet this incident had erupted¡ªhow could she be pleased? S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Indeed, this must be a misunderstanding."


    Hardly had she finished speaking, and before Rocky could respond, Hammerfire spoke up first. Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Young Lord, these people definitely weren''t here to assassinate you, you misunderstood."


    After saying this, Hammerfire then turned to Denise, "Young lady, as I see it, these folks were definitely here to snoop around for information about the New Armor! You should thoroughly investigate them!"

 Chapter 273 Letter from an Acquaintance

    Given Hammerfire''s status, he could speak bluntly at any time and any occasion, so when he referred to Denise directly as "girl," considering Hammerfire''s age, the term was not inappropriate."Girl," Hammerfire said, "I think you''d better be careful with these people; they might be here to spy on the information about the New Armor!"


    Hammerfire, who stood a little over a meter tall, spoke while looking up at Xia Nai and the group around him, causing their faces to turn instantly pale and ashen.


    What exactly pale and ashen looks like, no one knew, but it was certainly not a good look.


    Indeed, when these people heard what Hammerfire had said, their faces turned extremely unpleasant and even cold sweat broke out. Rocky had already accused them of plotting an assassination, which was defamatory in itself; now Hammerfire went further, dropping a huge accusation of corporate espionage on them¡ªan accusation they could hardly bear!


    Denise, who heard this too, secretly sighed. She knew full well Hammerfire was making it up. It wasn''t that she didn''t believe someone might spy on the Holy Angel Armor''s information¡ªactually, quite a few would like to do that; she simply didn''t believe these individuals around Xia Nai dared to do such a thing.


    Clearly, Hammerfire spoke deliberately. The hundred-year-old Hammerfire perfectly embodied the adage "old but cunning." He was well aware that under Denise''s intervention, Rocky wouldn''t stand a chance if Denise declared his conflict with Xia Nai a misunderstanding¡ªeven if reluctantly, Rocky would have to agree it was merely a misunderstanding.


    That''s why he spoke out, forcibly labeling them corporate spies. With his status, Denise was now unable to claim it was a misunderstanding without others questioning her and Sigma Corporation.


    Thus, after this, Denise gave Meiling and the others a dark look but remained silent, merely signaling the Captain of the Guards, who immediately took the cue and then issued an order: "Arrest them all!"


    At his command, several guards rushed forward, seizing all the nobles around Xia Nai and escorting them out of the venue!


    After these individuals were taken away, Denise managed to squeeze a smile on her face, nodded at Hammerfire, and walked away without so much as a glance at Rocky. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    It was evident that after this commotion, Denise''s impression of Rocky was not likely to improve.


    "City Lord, don''t worry," Hammerfire said.


    As Denise and others left, Hammerfire patted Rocky''s thigh, reaching only as high as his thigh: "Just eat, drink, and forget about it."


    After saying this, Hammerfire and Orton left as well because they had encountered many acquaintances at the party and needed to mingle.


    Once everyone had left, only Rocky and Xia Nai remained.


    When the guards took the others away, they had not dared touch Xia Nai; after all, given his status as the son of the Marquis of Kafka Empire, he was the future Marquis¡ªa person hardly anyone besides Rocky would provoke.


    At this moment, Xia Nai''s face was beyond ugly¡ªit was horrendously so! He had never expected things to turn out this way. Initially, he had only intended to embarrass Rocky but ended up shooting himself in the foot, becoming the most humiliated one of them all.


    So, when everyone had dispersed and only Rocky was left facing him, Xia Nai looked at Rocky through gritted teeth and, after a long while, nodded fiercely:


    "City Lord Rocky, you''ve got me!"


    Gritting his teeth and glaring at Rocky, Xia Nai said menacingly, "Next time, we''ll meet in the ring, and then we''ll see who can help you!"


    After those words, Xia Nai turned and left, unwilling to stay a moment longer, leaving the party!


    "Trouble again..."


    Watching Xia Nai turn to leave, Rocky turned to Liliya and asked helplessly, "Did I cause more trouble again?"


    "Yes."


    With a snort of laughter, Liliya nodded her head while laughing, but then said, "The Mairente Family, Wild Horse City, you''ve already stirred up a lot of trouble, so what''s adding a Marquis of the Kafka Empire to the mix?"


    "I love hearing that. There are many who want to kill me; Xia Nai is just one of them," Rocky replied.


    Laughing heartily, Rocky continued talking to Liliya as they walked, "If that''s the case, would it be more troublesome if I killed him in the arena?"


    "It wouldn''t, because things are already very troublesome."


    "That''s good then."


    Rocky glanced at Liliya and chuckled.


    Despite the recent conflict, Rocky followed Hammerfire''s advice at the ball: he ate and drank without restraint. After all, with Aniye and Orton around, nobody could do much about it.


    Indeed, after the conflict, Rocky had actually gained more attention¡ªnot that Denise paid him any attention; she hadn''t looked him in the eye since.


    But aside from Denise, others present at the ball began to actively seek Rocky out for conversation.


    It must be noted that the guests attending the ball were either famed or powerful, each a significant figure. They were intrigued to talk to Rocky¡ªcurious about a City Lord of a small Sky City daring to confront Xia Nai and his close ties with people like Aniye.


    Of course, these VIPs only had brief chats with Rocky, often just exchanging introductions. But even that was no small feat. Many people yearned for the opportunity to say a word or two in front of these luminaries, even just to mention their own names, which was usually impossible. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, during the event, Rocky was continuously searching for someone, but after a full round, he couldn''t find them.


    "Who are you looking for?"


    Noticing Rocky aimlessly wandering around the ballroom, seemingly in search of someone, Liliya couldn''t help but ask.


    "Oh, I thought I saw someone familiar..."


    Rocky had seen someone at the ball, which made him pause, but before he could get a clear view, Xia Nai arrived. However, after dealing with Xia Nai''s matter, when he wanted to find that person again, he couldn''t.


    "Never mind, I might have been mistaken..."


    Shaking his head, Rocky withdrew his gaze.


    Thus, the ball proceeded as usual, lasting until after two in the morning, after which Rocky and his party left the venue and went back to the Star of the Sky.


    But just as he had returned to the Star of the Sky, a servant brought him a letter.


    "Who gave this to you?"


    As Rocky took the envelope from the servant, he asked casually.


    "City Lord, it was Miss Cyril from the Mairente Family who gave it to me."


    Hearing this, Rocky nodded his head without much surprise because the familiar person he had seen at the ball was his cousin Cyril!

 Chapter 274 Making Trouble!

    As a prominent family in the skies, the Mairente Family naturally received an invitation from Sigma Corporation, not only sending someone to watch the first performance of the Holy Angel Armor but also to participate in the subsequent ball, which included Rocky''s cousin, Cyril.As the woman who was the clan leader of her family, Cyril''s status need not be detailed; she often represented the family at various events, and this time was no exception. The family had sent her to attend the ball hosted by Sigma Corporation.


    At the ball, Cyril also saw Rocky, and even observed his conflict with Xia Nai, but she didn''t intervene, simply because other family members were present.


    The matter between Rocky and Baron Wolin was well-known within the Mairente Family. Although Clan Leader Atted and Cyril had helped him covertly, or it could be said, for mutual benefits, Rocky was definitely not welcomed by the family publicly. With other family members around, Cyril had no way to interact with Rocky; her position didn''t allow it.


    However, after the ball concluded, she left a letter for Rocky.


    Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire


    Upon receiving this letter, Rocky was somewhat moved. He had no fondness for the Mairente Family, but he did not dislike his cousin, Cyril, who had helped him more than once. This assistance made it difficult for Rocky to harbor significant resentment toward her.


    When Rocky returned to his room and opened the envelope to see the contents inside, his brow furrowed into a bundle.


    "Hmm..."


    inside the room, after reading the letter, his brow locked in concern, he didn''t go to bed to sleep but instead sat alone on a chair, seemingly deep in thought, a position he held the entire night.


    The next day, he immediately returned to Thunderhawk City, then called Aileen, Monte, and Orton among others to the City Lord''s Mansion.


    "My lord, what''s the matter?"


    Once everyone had gathered, especially after seeing Rocky, they were all somewhat puzzled since Rocky, who had not slept all night, looked considerably worn. Yet, seeing the people he had summoned, all of whom were his confidants, everyone knew something significant was up for discussion.


    Indeed, it was the case.


    "Everyone, yesterday I received a letter."


    Looking at his group of close associates, Rocky spoke while taking out the letter Cyril had given him and then handed it to Orton.


    Taking the envelope, Orton and three others grouped together to read it, and then afterwards, it was passed to Aileen and Monte. After they had finished reading, it was finally handed over to Liliya, who put it away.


    After everyone had looked at the letter, not very positive expressions emerged on their faces.


    At this point, Rocky spoke again, "This letter was given to me by Cyril; you all know about my issues with the Mairente Family, so I believe the contents of this letter to be credible."


    "Sir, are you saying Lexington is sabotaging our efforts to join the Sky Alliance?"


    "Yes."


    Glancing at Monte, Rocky nodded.


    The content of the letter Cyril gave to Rocky was actually quite straightforward. She only mentioned two things: one was to inform Rocky that his failure to hear back about joining the Sky Alliance was because Lexington had been interfering.


    According to Cyril, Holy Knight Wilton had spoken to the Alliance about Rocky''s membership, and the Alliance had agreed. However, Wilton was immediately dispatched on military campaigns which left him no time to inquire personally about this matter.


    Thus, Lexington saw his opportunity. He reached out to his contacts within the Sky Alliance and successfully stifled the process. With Lexington''s connections and influence, accomplishing this was all too easy since many within the Alliance knew him, but none knew Rocky.


    This was precisely why Rocky had been unable to join the Sky Alliance, and he might not manage it before Wilton''s return. It was even conceivable that Wilton might forget about him entirely.


    Cyril''s revelations solved a big mystery for Rocky as he had been pondering why there was no news from the Sky Alliance. Until now, he could only suspect that Wilton hadn''t had the time, but after reading the letter, Rocky finally understood the truth behind the scenes¡ªit was Lexington''s sabotage.


    As to the second matter Cyril mentioned in the letter, she had a suggestion for Rocky!


    As Cyril stated in the letter, there was no way for Rocky to join the Sky Alliance before Wilton''s return; he was simply too outmatched by Lexington. However, for him, securing membership in the Alliance was the only way out. Otherwise, he would continuously find himself seeking refuge in Eternal City, facing Wild Horse City and Lexington¡ªa non-viable option.


    Thus, Cyril proposed a method to assist him.


    The method was simple: it was to attract the attention of the Sky Alliance!


    Wilton had already spoken to the Alliance about Rocky, and the Alliance had agreed to his joining, it was just that due to interference from below it had not been executed. One shouldn''t underestimate these individuals; as a top force, the Sky Alliance didn''t have the time to worry about a minor issue like Rocky''s membership. Therefore, unless someone explicitly blocked it from happening, Rocky would be unable to join the Alliance.


    S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 274 Making Trouble!_2

    In this situation, he only had one method to resolve the matter, which was to actively draw the Alliance''s attention. As long as he could achieve this, joining the Alliance would be settled.Put more bluntly, he needed the Alliance to remember he existed and, preferably, to regard him with a certain level of importance. That way, his accession to the Alliance would be secured; after all, due to Wilton''s reason, the Alliance had already agreed to his joining, and the path ahead was paved.


    The reason why Rocky had summoned everyone today was exactly for this matter.


    Previously, because he did not know what Lexington had done, he could only wait when it came to the Sky Alliance, unable to do anything.


    But now it was different. Now that he knew the ins and outs of the situation, he could come up with targeted solutions or even take the initiative to strike.


    "That''s the situation. If anyone has any thoughts, feel free to speak," he said after sharing his thoughts, and Rocky stopped talking. Instead, he turned to look at everyone. Whether or not he could join the Sky Alliance was vital for him, even a matter of life and death for him and Thunderhawk City, so he had to hear everyone''s opinions.


    "Strength and potential," Pelaya said, opening her mouth and breaking the silence with this succinct remark as Rocky looked towards the group.


    "Master, what do you mean...?" Rocky quickly turned to Pelaya with a trace of confusion, not entirely understanding the meaning behind her words.


    In response, Pelaya smiled and then elaborated, "To draw the attention of a behemoth like the Sky Alliance, what''s most important is potential and strength."


    You have to show the Alliance your potential and make them understand that your joining is beneficial for the future of the Alliance. Only then will you be taken seriously."


    "But potential alone isn''t enough; the Alliance doesn''t have the time to nurture you slowly, so you must also have strength. You need to prove to the Alliance that you not only have potential for the future but also possess current strength. If you can achieve these two points, joining the Alliance won''t be difficult."


    Among the four from Orton, Pelaya had the highest emotional intelligence. Aside from Aniye, the grandmaster, Pelaya mingled better than both Orton and Hammerfire. Describing her as thriving wasn''t an overstatement. A significant reason for this naturally stemmed from Pelaya''s expertise in the field of Magic Energy Conduction, where she was a renowned master. But equally, her high emotional intelligence was an important contributing factor.


    As soon as she spoke, she revealed the essence of the issue. How to attract the attention of the Sky Alliance? Simple. Just demonstrate that you have potential and strength; that''s it.


    "So, you''re saying it''s time to stir things up?" Rocky pondered for a moment after listening to Pelaya''s explanation, then remarked.


    He wasn''t joking with his statement. To prove his potential and strength to the Sky Alliance, he couldn''t just stay holed up in Thunderhawk City. To prove these two points, he simply had to make something happen, and, preferably, something big!


    But exactly what should he stir up?


    Before Rocky could think of something, Orton spoke up, "Isn''t that easy? Doesn''t the White Demon alone suffice to prove your potential?"


    "Haven''t we already planned for this? As soon as someone notices something odd about the White Demon, we''ll publicly announce that the White Demon Armor is equipped with new technologies researched by all of us. I think this time we can be more proactive, not wait for others to notice; we should go ahead and announce it ourselves. By doing so, the Sky Alliance can''t possibly ignore us."


    As mentioned before, if anyone were to discover something abnormal with the Mana Rune, Orton and the others had already prepared a backup plan. According to the plan, they would publicly claim that the White Demon Armor was equipped with new technologies developed by the group in order to shift focus. The world''s attention would be directed onto the fictitious new technologies, thereby overlooking the crucial Runes¡ªthe proverbial darkness under the lamp.


    Now, if Rocky wanted to stir things up, why not just go ahead with the announcement?


    Once the news was released, it might not cause as much of a sensation as the launch of a new generation of Armor, but given the academic status and the personal strengths of Orton and the others, it would definitely pique the interest of many, including the Sky Alliance.


    "That''s right,"


    After he had finished speaking, Hammerfire nodded in agreement, then added, "Not only can we strike proactively, but we can also take advantage of the momentum."


    "Take advantage of momentum?"


    "Yes, take advantage of the momentum created by Sigma Corporation''s recent activities." As Hammerfire spoke, he glanced at Rocky: "City Lord kid, Sigma Corporation''s girl has turned the arena into the focus of the whole world for their new generation of armor. You can completely ride this momentum to fight a few impressive battles. It would be best if you could fight Denise."


    "If you could fight Denise and perform well enough, perhaps even defeat her, then we could claim to be researching new technology in the wake of the event, couldn''t we?"


    "Like this..."


    After hearing Hammerfire''s words, Rocky frowned and pondered carefully. At that moment, Liliya also spoke up, "Masters, I actually think there''s no need for such complications."


    "Oh?"


    Upon hearing Liliya''s remark, Rocky looked over at her, and then Liliya said, "In fact, there''s no need to specifically fight Denise. We can draw the Alliance''s attention by fighting other strong competitors, like Xia Nai, for instance."


    "We''ve already got trouble with Xia Nai anyway, might as well make use of it."


    "If we can have a match with Xia Nai and win, we can then choose an unsuitable time to declare that we''ve researched new technology. It will be enough to attract the Alliance''s attention as well. This would also create anticipation among everyone, the anticipation for the collision of new technology and new armor, the anticipation for the clash of the White Demon and the Holy Angel."


    "But I can''t beat Denise''s new armor."


    As Liliya finished speaking, Rocky nodded his head; he found both Liliya and Hammerfire''s suggestions sensible. However, this brought them back to the core problem¡ªWhite Demon Armor currently could not compete with Holy Angel Armor.


    No sooner had he said this than Liliya smiled: "I didn''t say you actually had to fight Denise. Isn''t creating anticipation more significant than just determining the winner?" Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    This was Liliya''s real intention. She never wanted Rocky to actually face off with Denise because, in her eyes, it was too risky. Who knew whether Rocky or Denise would come out alive if they both stepped onto the stage? She didn''t care whether Denise lived or died, but Rocky could not die, so Liliya had come up with this plan.


    "Good! Smart girl, your plan is safer, and I agree!"


    At this juncture, Orton and Hammerfire among others nodded their heads, indicating that Liliya''s method was good, even better than theirs.


    "My lord, I, I also have something to say..."


    Just as everyone was nodding in agreement, Monte, who rarely spoke up in such gatherings, suddenly raised his hand.


    "Speak."


    After looking at Monte, Rocky was somewhat surprised but then nodded.


    "My lord, I don''t quite understand this leveraging momentum," Monte scratched his head, sounding embarrassed. He really couldn''t grasp all the convoluted ideas that Rocky and the others discussed, but he continued, "But I remember you said that we will eventually have a battle with Wild Horse City."


    "Since we''re bound to fight eventually, all we need to do is defeat Wild Horse City. Even if we just win one battle, I believe that will be enough to prove your and Thunderhawk City''s strength." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Scratching his head, Monte continued, "What Rocky and the others were discussing previously was all about potential, and it was all related to Mana Runes and new armor, which Monte couldn''t quite understand. However, he knew that proving Rocky''s and Thunderhawk City''s potential might be complicated, but proving their strength was simple¡ªjust win a battle!"

 Chapter 275 Duel

    Although Rocky was loath to admit it, he indeed had a knack for stirring things up. In the past six months, whether on his own or in cahoots with others, he had definitely caused more than one incident worthy of making the weekly reports of the Shadow Alliance.And now, in order to capture the attention of the Sky Alliance and remind them of his existence, Rocky was preparing to create a series of incidents!


    First, he would make his mark in the Arena!


    Just as Hammerfire had said, if one wanted to prove their potential to the Alliance, the Arena was the best platform, especially now with Sigma Corporation hyping up their new generation of Armors, having already turned the Arena into a focal point for the entire world. If someone could put on a spectacular or even unexpected match on such a stage, it would inevitably attract widespread attention.


    In such a situation, Rocky decided to stage a noteworthy match in the Arena, and he had already picked his target, Xia Nai!


    This season in the Arena''s events, aside from Denise and another participant representing Uranus Corporation, Xia Nai was the most noticeable.


    Through strong performances in the matches and an extraordinary identity, plus deliberate cultivation by the Arena, Xia Nai had long become the center of attention. If Rocky wanted to draw attention to himself in the Arena, Xia Nai was undoubtedly the best stepping stone.


    Therefore, after making this decision, he immediately contacted Howard.


    "I have seen the City Lord..."


    When Rocky had summoned Howard to Thunderhawk City and met with him at the City Lord''s Mansion, Howard was somewhat surprised.


    He wasn''t surprised by the identity of City Lord Rocky, as he had known about it far in advance. The Arena might not care about who Rocky really was, but that didn''t mean they were unaware of Rocky''s identity. What truly surprised Howard was that Rocky would meet him in the capacity of City Lord.


    According to the Arena''s reasoning, Rocky was supposed to keep his identity hidden; it was precisely because of this presumption that the Arena had not made an issue of it. After all, a City Lord is still a City Lord, and respect is due.


    In light of this circumstance, when Howard met Rocky, he immediately realized something might be amiss¡ªRocky''s meeting with him was definitely not just to arrange a match.


    As expected, Rocky got straight to the point, "I want a match with Xia Nai." Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    "What, what?"


    Hearing this, Howard was clearly stunned, and then he cautiously asked, "City Lord, are you saying... you want to compete with Xia Nai in the Arena?"


    "Exactly."


    "Then... as what identity?"


    Seeing Rocky nod, Howard''s eyes darted around before he tentatively asked.


    As the person responsible for liaising with the contestants, Howard was extremely shrewd; he immediately understood the significance of Rocky calling him to meet in his own city today.


    Just as he had hoped, Rocky then smiled, "It doesn''t matter under what identity¡ªas anything. I just want a match with Xia Nai, no other competitions."


    "This..."


    After Rocky finished speaking, Howard couldn''t help but frown.


    This request was clearly beyond his expectations; he could hear that Rocky had his reasons for such a demand, but he didn''t know what those reasons were. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Similarly, he could tell that Rocky was not joking¡ªthey were in the City Lord''s Hall, a place where a City Lord would never make light-hearted remarks, a place reserved for serious business.


    So, Howard did not immediately answer, but frowned and thought for a while, displaying a very troubled demeanor.


    Indeed, to Howard, Rocky''s request seemed quite difficult.


    Because it had already been stated more than once that the Arena had an internal assessment for each contestant, and it was precisely this kind of assessment that led to Rocky and Xia Nai being chosen as training targets. However, in the Arena''s internal assessment, Rocky and Xia Nai were not on the same level.


    In the eyes of the Arena, Rocky''s strength was very good. If he had to be given a level, he could definitely be rated as excellent, and any player rated as excellent had the potential to advance to the playoffs.


    Yet the Arena''s evaluation of Xia Nai was that of a seed-level contestant!


    What does a seed-level contestant mean?


    It means not only being able to easily enter the playoffs but also having the strength to contend for the season championship!


    Only those who reached such strength would be rated as seed-level by the Arena, and Xia Nai had received this kind of evaluation.


    So, despite both Rocky and Xia Nai being the Arena''s main focus for intensive training and promotion, in the Arena''s view, Rocky was simply not a match for Xia Nai, because they were not on the same level at all!


    As one associated with the Arena, Howard certainly knew what kind of assessment these two had internally, which is why he thought for a long time before finally looking up at the high and mighty City Lord Rocky.


    "My Lord, if that''s the case... I hope you can give me some time to prepare."


    Although he did not believe that Rocky could really beat Xia Nai and did not understand why he would seek such a challenge, since Rocky had put it so solemnly, Howard ultimately agreed to his request.


    This kind of situation where someone is nominated for a match might be rather rare, but it was not entirely unheard of in the Arena. It was possible to make arrangements, but it required some preparatory work.


    What preparation?


    Naturally, it meant building hype for the match!


    In the eyes of the Arena, Rocky might not be as excellent as Xia Nai, but he was much stronger than the average contestant, so a match between them would definitely be a significant duel. Combined with their identities and, more importantly, their rivalry, these were all talking points for the match!


    Faced with such favorable talking points, how could the Arena not exploit them?


    Therefore, just as Howard said, arranging a match between Rocky and Xia Nai was possible, but it needed time for preparation, and this preparation was to build up the event, allowing the Arena to maximize benefits from the match.


    "No problem, but you need to give me an approximate timeframe. I don''t want to delay it too much."


    "One month, City Lord, give me one month to prepare."


    "Alright."


    Rocky smiled and nodded in agreement to Howard''s request. One month was not a long time. He could wait, and it was also an opportune time for Orton and the others to make further improvements to the White Demon Armor.


    After they had agreed on this matter, Howard immediately left Thunderhawk City to return to the Arena to prepare.


    And once he had left, Rocky went straight to the research facility. He took his upcoming match with Xia Nai very seriously, and he did not have absolute confidence in victory; thus, he also needed to make adequate preparations. On the other hand, as City Lord, he had other matters to attend to, which in some ways were even more important than his match with Xia Nai!

 Chapter 276 Void Magic Squad (Part 1)

    "Teacher, the arena has scheduled my match with Xia Nai a month from now. Will there be enough time?"Having arrived at the research institute and met with Orton and others, Rocky discussed his upcoming match with Xia Nai. Hearing the timeline, Orton nodded, "That''s enough time. One month is sufficient for us to further improve the White Demon Armor."


    It was common knowledge that Xia Nai wore the fifth generation of Special Armor, one of the top tiers within its rank. In this case, if Rocky wanted to compete and win against her, it was essential that the White Demon Armor undergo enhancements; otherwise, it wouldn''t be fit for the match.


    Fortunately, after such an extensive period of testing, Orton and his team already had ideas for further enhancements to the White Demon, so it wouldn''t take too long.


    After finishing this topic, Rocky then inquired, "Teacher, are those other suits of Armor ready?"


    "They''ve been completed, they''re all outside. Go take a look yourself."


    Orton, who stood in front of a research bench, didn''t even turn his head, casually waving his hand before resuming his discussion with Hammerfire.


    Relieved by this news, Rocky didn''t linger any longer and left the laboratory. He looked around the institute and finally found what he was looking for in a storeroom.


    Four sets of Void Magic Armor!


    Seeing the four suits of Armor stored in the storeroom, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief and then checked each of them in turn.


    These four sets of Void Magic Armor were precisely the ones he had confiscated from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.


    Within the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, there were six members with Void Magic Armor, including the leader Kilov. Of these six, Kilov had escaped, one was killed by Rocky, and the remaining four were taken captive; the prisoners were handed over to Karina, but their Armor was claimed by Rocky. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Initially, Rocky planned to use these four sets of Armor for Orton''s research. Unfortunately, plans do not always keep up with changes. After the annihilation of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Orton embarked on the Rune Armor project and then hastily researched and created the White Demon Armor. Consequently, these four suits had been in Orton''s possession but never used.


    Now, they would finally be put to use.


    If Rocky wished to draw the attention of the Alliance, he needed to demonstrate his potential and strength. To do so, he decided to create a significant event. On the one hand, he would use the combat arena as a platform to showcase the ''new technology'' researched by Orton and others, displaying his potential for future development to catch the eye of the Sky Alliance.


    On the other hand, he planned to stage a massive battle with Wild Horse City to prove his strength.


    A great battle between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City was inevitable due to their deep-seated grudges. For Karlo, the City Lord of Wild Horse City, Rocky was one of the main culprits behind the demise of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. Coupled with external forces like Lexington, he was determined to eliminate Rocky no matter what.


    The feeling was mutual for Rocky. Especially after the last assassination attempt, he knew his feud with Karlo was set in stone. Even if Karlo were to stand down, Rocky wouldn''t. He would never tolerate anyone who wished him dead.


    ```


    Therefore, Rocky had been preparing for this battle long ago, only that due to certain changes, he had to accelerate these preparations.


    At first, he planned to slowly make money using the Arena, hoping to drag it out until the Sky Alliance took the initiative to contact him. However, after receiving Cyril''s letter, he knew that such passive waiting was no longer possible, and he had to take the initiative to strike. That''s why he was eager to challenge Xia Nai to a duel, and the battle with Wild Horse City was also moved up the schedule.


    In this situation, not only did Rocky reclaim the four idle sets of Armor from Orton, but he also had Monte select two people from the Guard Corps. Then, led by Liliya, along with Monte and Lin Feng, they formed Thunderhawk City''s first Void Magic Squad!


    This matter was actually something Rocky had been planning for a while. As soon as he eradicated the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, he had Monte look for candidates in the Guard Corps. But as the saying goes, plans can''t keep up with changes, and a series of unforeseen events had delayed it.


    But now, with the battle against Wild Horse City officially on the schedule, the formation of the Void Magic Squad became urgent.


    As a medium-sized Sky City, Wild Horse City certainly had its own Void Magic Squad, and under these circumstances, Rocky needed to have a Void Magic Squad to counter it, or else there would be no chance of victory in battle.


    So, after thoroughly checking all four sets of Armor, Rocky went to the Guard Corps with Liliya, bringing the four sets of Void Magic Armor with them.


    "Everyone stand in place!" Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    With all the recent busyness, Rocky hadn''t visited the Guard Corps for some time, so when he arrived, the Guards were excited because they knew that Rocky had brought the Void Magic Armor with him. Although it was already decided which lucky few would become the first Void Magic Warriors of Thunderhawk City, the Guards were still thrilled.


    The development space of Thunderhawk City, especially in the military aspect, was still very large. The city''s military strength would continue to grow stronger, and there would certainly be more people who could become Void Magic Warriors in the future. The Guards thought, even if they weren''t chosen this time, there would always be a next time. As long as they had the opportunity, wouldn''t hope always be there?


    But perhaps due to their overexcitement, their formation was a bit disorganized after assembling, which made Monte quite unsatisfied, and he immediately shouted at them.


    As the captain of the Guard Corps, his shout was definitely effective, and it immediately quieted the troops. But even so, the Guards'' faces were still full of joy, as they had already seen the four sets of Armor that Rocky had brought!


    These four sets of Armor, although they were captured from the enemy, were of good quality. All four sets were the same model, the fourth-generation Jumper 5 mass-produced Armor, with each set having a magic energy value of 3600 points. Even amongst all fourth-generation mass-produced Armor, this energy value was quite high.


    What''s more important was that these four sets of Armor had already been modified by Orton and others!


    After being modified by Orton and his team, the magic energy value of the four sets of Armor had significantly increased to 4600 points, an increase of a full 1000 points. What was even more critical was that these four sets of Armor had been specifically enhanced according to the user''s situation. That is to say, Orton and his team, during the process of modifying and strengthening these four sets of Armor, had also incorporated some customized technology!


    This was rather extravagant, as customized technology represented the most cutting-edge science of the time. Any Armor that employed this technology could be deemed the top Armor of its age, such as Wilton''s Holy Knight Armor, Rocky''s White Demon Armor, and Denise''s Holy Angel Armor. These top Armors all employed customized technology.


    The four sets of Armor captured by Rocky had some customized technology integrated during their modification process. Although the inherent level of the Armor limited how much of this technology could be incorporated by Orton and his team, which was only a smidgeon in relation to complete customization, it was enough. Just this little bit of technology was sufficient to make these four sets of Armor fundamentally different from other mass-produced Armors!


    ```

 Chapter 277 Void Magic Squad (Part 2)

    Watching as Rocky brought the four sets of Void Magic Armor, the guards'' eyes sparkled with excitement that was clearly written on their faces. Under their gaze, Rocky stepped forward and stood in front of the squad.In front of all the guards, he didn''t say much, because the selection for the Void Magic Warriors had been ongoing for some time and no more needed to be said; thus, he immediately called out the names.


    "Monte!"


    "Yes!"


    After the call, Monte, who was at the front of the troop, stepped forward and quickly jogged to Rocky''s front.


    As the captain of the Guard Corps, managing the most important military force of Thunderhawk City, Monte was naturally Rocky''s confidant. He was the first to know many of Rocky''s important decisions and even had the privilege to participate in and discuss them. Even so, when he stood in front of Rocky, he could hardly hide his inner excitement.


    In his excited gaze, Rocky waved his hand, and Liliya then brought a set of Void Magic Armor to hand over to him!


    "Thank you, Lord!"


    Taking the Void Magic Armor from Liliya, Monte shouted loudly, then stood aside.


    "Lin Feng!"


    "Present!"


    After handing the first set of Void Magic Armor to Monte, Rocky called Lin Feng''s name, who then quickly approached him.


    Just like before, after looking at Lin Feng, Rocky asked Liliya to bring the second set of Void Magic Armor.


    "Thank you, Lord!"


    After receiving the Void Magic Armor, Lin Feng took a deep breath, then moved aside, standing next to Monte.


    Just as everyone imagined, both Monte and Lin Feng received the Void Magic Armor, becoming the first batch of Void Magic Warriors of Thunderhawk City. This was not surprising to the crowd, as these two were not only the main and deputy captains of the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad but also the strongest among the guards. Their becoming Void Magic Warriors was completely expected.


    "Dusa!"


    After distributing two sets of Void Magic Armor to Monte and Lin Feng, Rocky then called out Dusa''s name.


    "Here! Here I am!"


    Upon hearing her name, Dusa, who was towards the back of the troop, waved her hands and bounced a couple of times, then sprinted to Rocky''s front.


    Dear Lord! I''m here!"


    Upon reaching Rocky, Dusa looked up at him with great excitement, her eyes full of anticipation.


    "This is yours."


    Seeing the always energetic Dusa, Rocky smiled, then asked Liliya to hand over the third set of Void Magic Armor.


    "Little one, don''t disappoint me, and don''t disappoint your father either."


    As Liliya handed over the Void Magic Armor, Rocky personally handed it to Dusa, also giving her a piece of advice.


    Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Yes! Yes! Yes!"


    Receiving the armor from Rocky''s hands, Dusa nodded her head like a pecking chick, then ran over to stand next to her father, even proudly flaunting the armor to Monte. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Behave!"


    Seeing Dusa acting this way, Monte, unable to contain his annoyance, had to admonish her in a low voice.


    Meanwhile, Rocky had already called out the fourth person''s name.


    "Sandro!"


    After surveying everyone, Rocky then called out the last name, Sandro, one of the Guard Squad''s team leaders!


    As one of the oldest warriors in the Guard Corps, Sandro''s personal strength was outstanding, and his combat experience was also exceptionally rich. Since Rocky became City Lord, Sandro had participated in every battle involving the Guard Corps, and his performance had always been excellent. Most importantly, his loyalty was absolutely reliable.


    Loyalty is one of the most important criteria for selecting Void Magic Warriors, even surpassing strength and talent in its importance.


    The individual power of a Void Magic Warrior was too strong. If loyalty couldn''t be ensured, then any Void Magic Warrior could be as dangerous as a time bomb. For this reason, in deciding who would become the first batch of Void Magic Warriors of Thunderhawk City, Rocky and others took great efforts, finally settling on these four individuals.


    Monte and Lin Feng, of course, need no further mention while Dusa, on the one hand, had superb archery skills and, on the other, benefited from being Monte''s daughter, which made Rocky very assured about her.


    As for Sandro, it was his consistent performance that had won everyone''s approval, including Rocky''s. Whether it was strength or reliability, Sandro''s performance in both respects was impeccable, hence his selection as one of the chosen.


    At this time, the called Sandro had already left the ranks, walking firmly to Rocky''s front.


    "Lord!"


    Standing in front of Rocky and facing the Void Magic Armor he handed over, Sandro saluted respectfully, then reached out to take it.


    "Thank you, Lord!"


    Holding the last set of Void Magic Armor in his hands, Sandro''s expression remained as stern as usual, but he couldn''t help his eyes from getting moist. The reason was simple, because he knew how difficult it was for someone of his standing to receive such armor.


    In any Sky City, the Void Magic Warriors were the most elite forces, so only the soldiers most trusted by the City Lord had the qualifications and opportunities to become one. That was why Rocky chose Monte, Lin Feng, and Lisa, either because they were his confidants or had a deep relationship with him. Only such individuals could be appropriately utilized.


    Compared to them, however, Sandro was just an ordinary soldier, having almost no personal relationship with Rocky beyond their professional hierarchy. Under such circumstances, for him to become one of the Void Magic Warriors was truly not easy; it was all earned through his repeated life-risking efforts on the battlefield!

 Chapter 277 Void Magic Squad (Part 2)_2

    So, even though he restrained himself, when Sandro actually took the Void Magic Armor from Rocky''s hands, he couldn''t control himself, and his eyes instantly reddened."This is what you deserve."


    Looking at Sandro''s reddened eyes, Rocky patted his shoulder. He certainly understood how hard it had been for someone like Sandro, who came from no noteworthy background, to get to this point. But equally, his hardships had paid off¡ªthe Void Magic Armor in his hands was the best proof of that.


    Thus, when Sandro stood alongside Monte and the others, Rocky turned to the guards and said:


    "Guards!"


    "The Void Magic Squad of Thunderhawk City is officially established today!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, the guards in front of Rocky couldn''t contain themselves and let out a roar, some even waving their fists!


    The guards were indeed excited, not only because the Void Magic Squad had been officially formed, which meant that each of them could potentially become a member in the future, but also because it represented an elevation in Thunderhawk City''s strength.


    These guards were not only soldiers but also citizens of Thunderhawk City, with their wives, children, siblings all living there. So, even if some of them never became Void Magic Warriors, they would still rejoice at the squad''s formation. The reason was simple: the safer Thunderhawk City was, the safer their families were.


    And only after the guards'' excited shouting subsided, letting out all their enthusiasm, did Rocky continue: "Today, the Void Magic Squad is formed, but it''s not yet a complete team. We still need more members, and in the near future, Thunderhawk City will establish even more Void Magic Squads."


    "Guards! Every single one of you has the chance to become a Void Magic Warrior, to become a member of the squad, so..."


    "Don''t let me down, and don''t let your families down. As long as you are excellent enough, as long as you are loyal enough, you all have the chance to become Void Magic Warriors! Understand?"


    "Understood!"


    "Understood!"


    "Understood!"


    As Rocky spoke these words, the guards roared loudly, as if they believed they would be the next Void Magic Warriors. And this was exactly the effect that Rocky had intended.


    As the Lord of the city, he needed to constantly instill confidence in every person in the city, whether soldier or civilian, to inspire everyone, all the time. Only with this could the city have cohesion and the drive to develop. And now, it seemed he was doing rather well in this respect.


    After a round of motivation, Rocky left with Liliya, knowing that his presence would make the guards feel constrained, so he didn''t linger.


    In fact, as soon as he left, the Guard Corps exploded into chaos, with several hundred guards swarming around Monte and the other three, clamoring for them to suit up in their Armor and let everyone have a good look.


    Such behavior from the guards was normal, as in their eyes, Void Magic Warriors already belonged to an invincible rank. They had witnessed Rocky''s valor on the battlefield more than once. Now that they had the chance to see the Armor up close, how could they not be excited? Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    In truth, not only the ordinary soldiers but also Monte and the others were very excited. Therefore, with everyone''s encouragement, Monte nodded, allowing Dusa and Sandro to don their Armor, but he and Lin Feng did not, since they were the team leaders and it wouldn''t be fitting for them to join in the ruckus with the guards.


    However, the guards'' raucousness didn''t last too long because, by the next day, Rocky had called Monte and the others, including Liliya, to the research institute for intensive training.


    Rocky had to form the Void Magic Squad for two main reasons. On the one hand, it was a necessity for growth. If Thunderhawk City wanted to become powerful, its military forces must be formidable, and the Void Magic Squad was the most elite and strongest among them¡ªits formation was inevitable. On the other hand, Rocky had no choice due to the pressing situation; the battle with Wild Horse City was imminent, and he needed his own Void Magic Squad to face the enemy.


    In such a situation, Rocky had to accelerate the training of Monte and the others. According to his estimation, it would be at least a month, at most three months, before he would leave Eternal City. The day he left Thunderhawk City would be the day the war with Wild Horse City began. Therefore, he must train Monte and his team within this time frame, or they would merely be lambs to the slaughter on the battlefield.


    Monte and the others were fully aware of this and had made thorough preparations. When they stood before Rocky, they were already neatly dressed in their armor.


    The four of them standing together in their armor truly looked different, especially since each of their four sets of armor was distinct.


    As mentioned before, after the modifications by Orton and others, the four sets of originally standardized armor underwent considerable changes after the incorporation of custom-made technology. These changes included both performance and appearance.


    For example, Monte''s armor had to be significantly adjusted in size by Hammerfire to fit his Beastman stature¡ªhe was much taller and more robust than the average human.


    Considering the Beastmen''s brave fighting style, Hammerfire lowered some of the speed and mobility of the armor, instead focusing on enhancing its strength and defensive power. Moreover, because Monte was missing his left hand, Hammerfire completely transformed the left hand of the armor into a small Magic Cannon to increase its firepower.


    Besides Monte''s armor, the remaining three sets also underwent different modifications.


    Lin Feng''s armor didn''t change much in appearance, but besides adjusting the defensive power to make it stronger, the biggest change was the great sword Hammerfire specially crafted for him.


    Lin Feng was originally a sword warrior, already using a longsword larger than average. The sword Hammerfire made for him was even larger, much wider than the width of a hand. It was etched with numerous Runes, greatly magnifying the great sword''s power.


    Sandro''s armor had also been transformed, considering his defensive and counterattacking combat style. The armor''s defensive power was significantly enhanced, and its speed and agility were not reduced. However, some weapon components were eliminated¡ªthere''s only so much Mana available in the fourth-generation Mass-Produced Armor, so something had to give.


    In contrast, Hammerfire used Runes to greatly boost the armor''s close-quarters weaponry¡ªthe One-handed Sword and shield were inscribed with many Runes that independently provided Mana, ensuring the armor''s melee capabilities.


    Among the four sets of armor, the one with the most modifications belonged to Dusa.


    Since Dusa was Monte''s daughter, Rocky couldn''t neglect her, so he tasked Hammerfire with putting extra effort into her armor. Thus, when Hammerfire completed the modifications, Dusa''s armor had almost completely transformed.


    For this set of armor, Hammerfire somewhat weakened the defensive power and reduced the armor but significantly increased the armor''s speed and agility to their limits. As an Archer who became a Void Magic Warrior, Dusa didn''t need to charge into battle.


    As an Archer, she needed to use precise, long-range strikes to eliminate opponents. But how fast are Void Magic Warriors? Maintaining distance was challenging, so Hammerfire chose to forsake the armor''s defensive power to drastically enhance its speed and agility, ensuring Dusa could evade pursuit.


    Furthermore, Pelaya specially modified the armor''s Magic Energy Conduction System, and with this system, Hammerfire crafted a War Bow exclusive to the armor. This allowed Dusa to shoot Magic Energy Arrow Feathers with power and precision far exceeding Magic Bullets and even small Magic Cannons, ensuring the armor''s long-range offensive capacity.


    As for the modifications to these four sets of armor, Hammerfire and the others put in a great deal of effort and applied many improved new technologies, making these sets of armor in no way inferior to the White Demon Armor but certainly much stronger than other armors of the same class.


    Therefore, when the four of them appeared before Rocky in their armor, each one looked very spirited. Leaving other aspects aside, just from appearances, they were indeed impressive.


    However, across from them stood Rocky, who was also clad in his White Demon Armor. Upon seeing the four, he didn''t waste any words, simply gesturing at them with a hooked finger.


    "You four, all at once!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, Rocky unhesitatingly charged at the group!

 Chapter 278 Pre-Competition Warm-Up

    "Too stiff!"With Rocky''s shout, Monte felt his abdomen tighten, a punch sent him tumbling to the ground, and as he lay there, unable to get up, all members of the newly formed Void Magic Squad were sprawled on the ground as well.


    "How long do you plan to lie there!"


    Glancing at the others he had sequentially knocked down, Rocky chided them, and under his scolding, Monte, Lin Feng, Dusa, and Sandro had no choice but to stagger to their feet and stand before Rocky once more.


    Ten minutes ago, Rocky had asked the four of them to attack together, to fight him simultaneously, but just after ten minutes, all four were knocked to the ground, utterly defeated.


    This was, of course, to be expected; Rocky had been a qualified Void Magic Warrior all along, and his strength had significantly increased after competing in the Arena, not to mention the enhancement provided by the White Demon Armor, which made his combat power extremely formidable.


    In contrast, Monte and the others were fighting in Void Magic Armor for the first time, not accustomed to many aspects, thus they were swiftly brought down by Rocky.


    Logically, Rocky shouldn''t have engaged Monte and the others in combat right from the start, due to the substantial disparity between them; their falling down was an inevitable outcome. However, he had to do this.


    Rocky did want them to gradually adapt to the Armor, starting with operating it, then learning to fly, and after mastering these fundamental elements, to slowly adapt to the Armor''s combat mode. Unfortunately, he didn''t have the time!


    After his match with Xia Nai, he was set to leave Eternal City and then face a battle against Wild Horse City. At that time, Monte and the others would be the main force in battle, their strategic position even more critical than the Fleet''s.


    Under such circumstances, they had to adapt to their Armor quickly, no, not just adapt, but learn to wield it effectively. To achieve this as soon as possible, Rocky could only be harsh on them, employing the strictest and even the most uncompassionate and unreasonable methods of training.


    "Monte, Lin Feng, you need to quickly adapt to the pace of aerial combat. Remember, the strength of Void Magic Armor always lies in the sky. You must learn to harness your advantage and develop your own style of fighting in the air,"


    "And Sandro..."


    After addressing Monte and Lin Feng, Rocky glanced at Sandro, "Your style is defensive counter-attacking, which isn''t wrong, but you must realize that combat between Void Magic Warriors changes in the blink of an eye, and the enemy won''t cooperate with you to slowly find opportunities. Give it some serious thought."


    "Dusa! Come here!"


    After addressing the other three, Rocky looked at Dusa, who was avoiding him from a distance, and sternly called her over. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What were you doing just now, did you even shoot an arrow? Why did you rush up to engage me in hand-to-hand combat right off the bat!"


    Looking at Dusa, Rocky was extremely serious, even a bit angry as he rebuked her for a long time, causing Dusa to almost lower her head to her chest, not daring to talk back.


    Rocky''s anger towards Dusa was very rare since after Monte joined Thunderhawk City, Dusa had become very close to Rocky and the others. Plus, they were of similar age, so Rocky always treated her like a sister. But this time, he was truly angry.


    This was because, in the practice fight just now, Dusa was the first to be knocked down. She rushed up to Rocky''s face straight away, which even surprised Rocky.


    You must understand that Dusa was an archer, meant to strike from a distance, and to enable her to do so, Hammerfire had put the most effort into her Armor,w nearly revamping the entire set. Yet Dusa, in her excitement, forgot to make use of this advantage, how could this be acceptable?


    If this had been on the battlefield, Dusa would have been dead long ago, which is why Rocky was the hardest on her.


    "I''m giving you an hour to adapt. If you have any questions, ask Liliya. We''ll train again in an hour, and this time I won''t be holding back,"


    Having said this, Rocky turned and walked away towards Orton and the others who had been watching the skirmish.


    "Kid, how do you feel?"


    As Rocky approached, Orton asked.


    "Not bad, the speed has indeed increased noticeably."


    While speaking, Rocky removed his helmet and then said to Orton and the others, "But I feel like the propulsion system is a bit clunky when turning, and the Magic Energy Conduction doesn''t seem to be that smooth."


    As he finished speaking, Pelaya thought for a moment, then commented:


    "This could be due to the installation of new Runes, causing an overload of Magic Energy and overburdening the conduction system."


    While Rocky was training Monte and the others, he was also testing the White Demon Armor because Orton and his team had made new modifications to the Armor in preparation for the upcoming match with Xia Nai. They loaded new Runes onto the White Demon to maximally increase the Mana limit, thus comprehensively enhancing the Armor''s reinforcement for Rocky.


    Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire


    However, these improvements required ongoing detection and tweaking to achieve optimal performance, so when Rocky''s training session was over, he immediately shared his personal experience with Orton and the others.


    And regarding everything he said, Orton and his team took notes, preparing to make further adjustments when the time came.


    The hour passed swiftly, and when the time was up, Rocky did as he said, returning to Monte and the others and began another round of live combat with them.

 Chapter 278 Pre-Competition Warm-Up_2

    Just like that, time passed day by day, and Monte and his companions went punctually to the research institute every day to receive Rocky''s training. On one hand, Rocky conducted combat training and guidance for them; on the other, he adapted to the newly modified New Armor. If the Armor was being modified, he would wear the Blood Pattern Mark II to engage in one-on-one combat with Monte and the others.Although the Blood Pattern Mark II was at a considerable disadvantage in many respects compared to the Armors of Monte and his comrades, Rocky''s combat experience was enough to compensate for these disadvantages. Thus, even when wearing the Blood Pattern Mark II, Monte and the others could not defeat him in one-on-one battles.


    However, while Monte and his companions still could not defeat Rocky, their progress was evident to all. After a long period of continuous and brutal training, the four of them had significantly improved their control over their Armors.


    There was no need to mention Monte and Lin Feng; the two of them were experienced warriors and the strongest warriors in Thunderhawk City. Even though they were not very used to the Armors at the beginning, as time went on, they quickly mastered various key points. Their adaptation speed was so fast that it far exceeded Rocky''s expectations. Eventually, they could even manage a near even fight against Rocky clad in the Blood Pattern Mark II.


    Dusa, after undergoing intense training from Rocky and being particularly ''attended to'' by him during sparring sessions, gradually grasped the essentials of aerial combat and avoided direct confrontations.


    Once she achieved this, her advantage as a natural Sharpshooter immediately became apparent. With the enhancement of the Armor, her long-range attacks were not only incredibly accurate but also immensely powerful. This allowed her to achieve a remarkable feat¡ªdefeating Rocky in one-on-one sparring!


    Against Rocky wearing the Blood Pattern Mark II, Dusa fully utilized her speed advantage. Wearing specially modified Armor, Dusa''s speed was such that Rocky, clad in the Blood Pattern Mark II, could not keep up and was forced to take hits passively, to the point where he couldn''t raise his head from the barrage of Magic Energy Arrows and had to surrender.


    This victory not only proved Dusa''s potential but also boosted her confidence, making the young girl return to her lively self and start bouncing around in front of everyone again.


    All three of them improved remarkably throughout the uninterrupted training, which made Rocky quite relieved because if this trend continued, all three would be fully capable of participating in the battle against Wild Horse City.


    The only one Rocky was worried about was Sandro.


    In the constant training, Sandro''s performance was not bad. In fact, if effort were measured, he was the most hardworking of all, because Sandro knew that in terms of strength, he was not as good as Monte and Lin Feng, and in terms of talent, he could not compare with Dusa. Thus, he could only rely on constant effort to ensure he didn''t fall behind.


    Frankly speaking, Sandro''s improvement was also significant, but his combat style became a stumbling block to his progress. As Rocky had initially stated, Sandro''s cautious character made him very good at defense and counterattack. This style was not wrong in itself, but in battles among Void Magic Warriors, it was very difficult to utilize effectively. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As battles among Void Magic Warriors were extremely dynamic, with offense and defense shifting in an instant, although defense and counterattack were possible, discerning a good opportunity and seizing those fleeting moments demanded high requirements from Void Magic Warriors, which was still somewhat difficult for Sandro.


    Because of this, although he improved during training, he always lacked something. Frankly, he had not fully adapted to the combat mode of the Void Magic Armor and had not managed to integrate his style with the Armor''s combat mode, which worried Rocky.


    Overall, the training progressed quite smoothly, and Orton and the others also essentially completed the improvements on the White Demon Armor, which meant that for the bout with Xia Nai, Rocky was basically ready, just waiting for the notification from the Arena.


    Indeed, during this busy time, the Arena was not idle either; moreover, quite a few things happened there during this period.


    At the forefront was Denise competing again!


    Although the debut of the Holy Angel Armor was quite perfect and successfully drew attention from many quarters, for Denise and Sigma Corporation, this attention was still not enough to fill others with confidence in Sigma Corporation. Thus, they naturally continued to participate in competitions to further promote the Holy Angel Armor.


    During this period, Denise had participated in three consecutive matches, with each opponent gradually getting stronger, and through these matches, Denise further showcased the prowess of the Holy Angel Armor to the world.


    Meanwhile, the Arena was actively preparing for the match between Rocky and Xia Nai.


    The Arena thought that while the focus of the entire world was indeed on them, if they only let people pay attention to Denise''s matches, wouldn''t they be at a great loss? Therefore, the Arena wanted to seize this opportunity to divert public attention to other events as well, in order to gain more benefits.


    So, upon learning Rocky''s request, the Arena immediately realized this was a great opportunity. Both Rocky and Xia Nai were strong and had topics between them that could become highlights worth hyping up. In this context, the Arena immediately placed this match at an extremely important position and made a series of arrangements.


    To attract more attention to this match, especially to draw those who focused only on Denise''s matches, the Arena put in a lot of effort. Publicly, they continuously arranged matches for Xia Nai, but the opponents were very weak. Consequently, Xia Nai achieved ten consecutive wins within a month, becoming the rookie with the most consecutive wins of the season.


    In the Arena, consecutive wins were always the best gimmick, so as Xia Nai''s winning streak increased, it immediately drew public attention. At the same time, some insider information was also inadvertently leaked by the Arena.


    One piece of news was that Rocky''s identity had been exposed, and now everyone knew that the player who had previously performed excellently in the Arena under number 1021 was a City Lord.


    Another piece was that with Rocky''s identity exposure, the conflicts between him and Xia Nai also spread. These ranged from a fight the two had in the resting lounge to their tearing at each other at a dance party, and all of these details leaked inadvertently.


    Clearly, these insider scoops were not leaked by accident; all of these so-called insider scoops were deliberately spread by the Arena.


    Thus, with the foundation of Xia Nai''s consecutive wins and the continuous spread of insider rumors, public emotion and curiosity were stirred up, leading them to discuss the affairs between Rocky and Xia Nai besides focusing on Denise and the Holy Angel Armor.


    It was in these circumstances that the Arena announced the schedule for their match!


    Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    On March 15, Rocky and Xia Nai would have a one-on-one rank match!


    Due to the extensive pre-match hype, the announcement immediately garnered much attention. Rocky and Xia Nai''s abilities were already highly regarded by many, and with the rumors about their personal grudges, this match became the most attention-grabbing event next to Denise''s.


    Regarding the schedule arrangement, both Rocky and Xia Nai naturally knew about it earlier than everyone else. Not only did the audience look forward to this match, but both of them were also very eager for this confrontation. Rocky hoped to use this match to capture the attention of the Sky Alliance and pave his way into the Alliance. As for Xia Nai, he was even more eager for this match, determined to reclaim all the insults Rocky had given him on the stage!

 Chapter 279 The Final Battle

    Regarding the match with Xia Nai, Rocky had already made all the necessary preparations.The White Demon Armor had been modified, and Rocky''s own condition had long been adjusted; even the betting money on the sidelines had been prepared.


    There was no doubt that after this match, it would be a while before Rocky could return to the Arena, because if everything went smoothly, it wouldn''t be long before he could join the Sky Alliance. Then, there would be no time for him to compete.


    But precisely because of this, the match with Xia Nai had become Rocky''s last combat at the Arena, so he had to seize this opportunity to make a huge profit!


    For this purpose, Aileen had pulled together everything Thunderhawk City could offer. The funds earmarked for Rune Armor research and the city''s daily expenses were mobilized, including Rocky''s own war reserves, and even the funds for next quarter''s food, imported leather, and yarn purchases had been diverted. In short, Aileen went all out, betting everything on the external gambling of this match.


    Previously, because Rocky had planned to fight an entire season at the Arena, Aileen had always been conservative in her bets¡ªnot because she feared losing, but to avoid drawing too much attention and not jeopardize Rocky''s position at the Arena. However, this time was different. Rocky made it clear this was probably his last Arena match, so naturally, Aileen had no further reservations.


    Thus, after scraping everything together, Aileen had managed to amass more than 700,000 gold coins and placed them all on Rocky!


    If they won this time, they would truly make a fortune. This wasn''t just because Aileen had placed a heavy bet, but also because the betting odds for this match were incredibly high.


    As the match schedule had been announced well in advance, the external betting odds for Rocky and Xia Nai''s match were given early: 7.5 to 2.3, Rocky at 7.5, Xia Nai at 2.3. The difference was extremely great, which indirectly indicated that the Arena was not optimistic about Rocky''s chances; otherwise, they wouldn''t have set his odds so high. However, equally, if Rocky won, they would make a huge profit¡ªan over sevenfold return!


    With Aileen betting heavily on this match, Rocky and Xia Nai''s competition had become even more complex. It concerned not only whether the Sky Alliance would notice Rocky but also Thunderhawk City''s treasury¡ªwhether it would be empty or overflowing depended entirely on this battle.


    For this reason, Aileen, very unusually, went to see Rocky and made him promise that he must win the match, or else... Thunderhawk City would be left with not a single gold coin.


    With everything ready, all Rocky had to do next was wait for the day of the match to officially arrive.


    Time quickly passed, and a week ago, Rocky received the notice of the match, arriving two days early at the Star of the Sky to prepare. Today, March 15, he arrived early at the Arena with his team.


    "Kid, it''s all on you."


    When Rocky arrived at the Arena with Liliya and headed to the dressing room, Orton patted his shoulder, "Make this match spectacular and show everyone what a bunch of soon-to-be outdated armors¡ªwhat those fifth and a half generation and sixth generation armors¡ªlook like against the future!"


    Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Sir, you must win!"


    After Orton finished speaking, Aileen, with a heart full of nerves, reminded Rocky again, insisting he must win!


    "Sir, please be careful."


    The others also constantly reminded Rocky. Initially, Rocky wasn''t much pressured, but their insistence made him feel the weight, such that when he and Liliya finally reached the dressing room, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Phew..."


    Since they had arrived early, there was no rush to go on stage, and Rocky sat down in the dressing room.


    "So much pressure..."


    Glancing at Liliya, he joked about the situation.


    Upon hearing this, Liliya simply smiled, but just as she was about to speak, Rocky interrupted her.


    "I know, I know. I''ll be cautious."


    Waving his hand at Liliya, Rocky then laughed, knowing exactly what she was about to say.


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Liliya shook her head, then sat down beside him, "You must win this time, no matter what."


    "Hm?"


    Upon hearing this, Rocky was momentarily stunned because this was clearly not Liliya''s style! In the past, whenever Rocky competed, Liliya would always remind him to be careful, even saying that surrendering was fine. So, when he heard Liliya insisting that he must win no matter what, he was somewhat unaccustomed to it.


    "This competition is too important. Only by winning can you and Thunderhawk City find a way out, so you must win this time, no matter what."


    "No problem."


    Hearing that, Rocky immediately sat up straight, then gave Liliya a thumbs up to show he was absolutely fine.


    Time passed by the minute, and after chatting in the changing room for a while, the time for the competition drew near. As the competition approached, Rocky changed into his White Demon Armor, glanced at Liliya, and then left the changing room to head towards the entrance tunnel.


    Walking alone in the tunnel, Rocky continuously took deep breaths to calm his nerves.


    Despite appearing relaxed in front of Liliya and the others, he was actually very nervous about the competition, even more so than anyone else.


    It couldn''t be helped; the competition was indeed too important for him. This wasn''t only his last battle in the Arena, but his performance in this competition would determine whether he caught the attention of the Sky Alliance. Even the future livelihood of Thunderhawk City was directly connected to this competition, making it impossible for Rocky not to be nervous. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In such a situation, even as he reached the entrance, Rocky hadn''t completely calmed his emotions.


    Fortunately, even though it was time for the match, there was still a little while before he officially entered the arena. After all, to elevate the mood of the spectators, the announcer would spend quite some time energizing the crowd to ensure they were sufficiently enthusiastic when watching the match.


    Using this time, Rocky gradually adjusted his mood until the loudspeaker in the tunnel began broadcasting.


    "Contestant number 1021, prepare to enter."


    "Five."


    "Four."


    "Three."


    "Two."


    As the countdown ended, the gates of the entrance slowly began to open. Just a crack was enough for Rocky to hear the cheers of the audience. When the gates fully opened, he saw the vast arena outside and took a step out!

 Chapter 280 The Gap in Armor

    With one step, Rocky entered the venue and was immediately greeted by a sound as loud as a tsunami, and following it, he quickly spotted the fully occupied spectator stands.The Arena''s pre-match hype for this competition was evidently successful, for when Rocky glanced toward the spectator stands, he found that not a single seat was empty, every spot was filled.


    Moreover, seeing the audience''s reaction to him, Rocky knew that they had already learned of his identity.


    Indeed, due to a ''slight mishap'' at the Arena, the audience had learned of Rocky''s true identity. While it wasn''t rare for nobles'' offspring to participate in the competition, there were very few contestants like him, participating under the identity of a City Lord. Sometimes, several years would pass without encountering one, so the audience was naturally very intrigued by him.


    Similarly, under the intentional dispersal by the Arena, the audience was also well aware of the grievances between Rocky and Xia Nai, which greatly enhanced the attraction of the match, making the audience extremely excited¡ªthe prospect of a feud hinted at possible deadly duels.


    Therefore, as soon as Rocky appeared, the audience erupted into enthusiastic cheers, even more excited than Rocky himself.


    Amid the thunderous applause, the announcer naturally put in great effort to introduce, but unfortunately, the surrounding noise was too loud, and Rocky could not hear exactly what was being said, nor did he care what the announcer had said.


    And when the announcer''s voice briefly paused, Rocky noticed that the image on the big screen had changed.


    It looked like it was Xia Nai''s turn to make an entrance after he had made the first move.


    As expected, shortly after, another entrance on the opposite side of the stage slowly opened, and Xia Nai flew out from it!


    That''s right, Xia Nai flew out, and upon entering the arena, she directly headed to hover above the stage, completing a full 360-degree turn, before ending this sequence of her entrance.


    This entrance was clearly an imitation of Denise''s first debut, but it had to be admitted that it was indeed very stylish, and the audience loved this kind of show, immediately bursting into boisterous cheers.


    Rocky had thought that the cheering for his own entrance was already loud, but he had not expected that after Xia Nai entered, the audience''s cheers escalated to an even higher level, so loud that they were indescribable.


    This was not surprising, for compared to Rocky, Xia Nai certainly had a higher level of fame. Although Rocky''s initial performance had garnered him considerable attention, he had not participated in any competitions over the last month. If it were not for the Arena''s effort in promoting him through various means, the audience might have nearly forgotten who he was.


    On the other hand, Xia Nai was entirely different. From the preliminary rounds, she had been participating in competitions continually and kept securing victories, naturally attracting higher attention. In fact, if it were not for Denise''s presence, Xia Nai should have been the most followed contestant this season. Even with Denise''s sudden emergence, the attention she received was by no means low.


    This level of attention naturally elicited even more cheers.


    As Xia Nai made her entrance, the announcer, just like before, made an energetic introduction, but this time not only did Rocky ignore these introductions, even the audience couldn''t wait, resulting in a burst of booing.


    Under these circumstances, the announcer hurriedly wrapped up the opening remarks, then loudly declared the start of the match!


    "The match¡ªbegins!"


    With that declaration, Xia Nai, who was already hovering above the stage, landed directly on it, and Rocky also leapt up onto the stage.


    The long-anticipated match finally began!


    "Hmph..."


    Standing in the very center of the stage, Xia Nai glanced at Rocky and then at the big screen, before scoffing.


    Like other matches, as soon as the players mounted the stage, the big screen displayed the magic energy values of their armors, so when Xia Nai looked towards the screen, she easily spotted two numbers.


    13000. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    5000.


    These two numbers represented the magic energy values of the armors worn by Xia Nai and Rocky, respectively. Rocky''s White Demon Armor still had a magic energy value of 5000, but the armor worn by Xia Nai reached an astonishing 13000 magic energy points!


    As previously mentioned, once the magic energy value of armor exceeded the ten-thousand-point threshold, it belonged to the top armors, and Xia Nai''s armor clearly fell into this top-tier category.


    The fifth generation Windwalker Special Armor!


    The armor worn by Xia Nai was not just any special armor; even among all the fifth generation special armors, it was a remarkable presence. Whether in terms of performance, magic energy value, weaponry, or defensive power, the Windwalker was at the forefront among the fifth generation special armors and was indeed a top level armor.


    It was precisely because of such an outstanding armor that Xia Nai had been able to eliminate nine competitors with a single move in the preliminary contest and had continued to win fight after fight in the subsequent matches. All this could be said to be thanks to the Windwalker Armor.


    Now, as he and Rocky stepped onto the arena platform and their respective armor''s magic energy values were revealed, not only did Xia Nai sneer, but the ringside announcer also shouted out loud.


    "This gap... it''s just too huge!"


    With a loud shout, the announcer spoke very quickly, "Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, contestant 1021''s armor still has a magic energy value of 5000, which is quite exceptional for the fourth generation of armor. But please take a look at contestant Xinai''s armor!"


    "Xinai''s armor has an incredible 13000 magic energy points! My goodness, even among the fifth generation special armors, this is still one of the top!"


    After saying this, the announcer sighed deeply, "Ladies and gentlemen, I know you must be as excited as I am for this match, but we have to admit, the gap between contestant 1021 and Xia Nai is just too big..."


    "Such a huge gap makes me wonder..."


    "Could this be a match that ends in an instant knockout? Can Xinai eliminate his opponent in just one strike?!"


    Although the announcer''s tone was quite solemn, as soon as he finished speaking, the stadium immediately erupted in excited cheers! It felt as if everyone was hoping for such an outcome!


    Indeed, the vast majority of the audience indeed hoped for this scenario, and the reason was simple. It wasn''t because an instantly decisive match was particularly entertaining, but because the vast majority of the audience had placed heavy bets, and their bets were unanimously on Xia Nai!


    Although Xia Nai''s odds were only 2.3, compared to Rocky''s high odds of 7.5, even so, there were few who bet on Rocky winning, because the discrepancy in odds alone showed how huge the disparity was. So, even with high odds for Rocky, no one wanted their money to go to waste, and they all bet on Xia Nai instead.


    This way, everyone who placed their bets on Xia Nai naturally hoped to see him easily win the match.


    "City Lord Rocky."


    At that moment, among the cheering and shouting of the audience, Xia Nai, who was on the arena platform, opened his mouth and addressed Rocky, "Aren''t you going to say something?"


    "Say what?"


    "Your last words, of course."


    Looking at Rocky, Xia Nai said coldly!


    Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire


    Unfortunately for him, Rocky just chuckled and then stretched out his hand, gesturing towards him with a beckoning finger.


    "Courting death! See who will come to your aid this time!"


    Faced with such provocation, Xia Nai roared in anger and immediately charged at Rocky!

 Chapter 281 Clash of the Titans!

    Facing Rocky''s provocation, Xia Nai roared angrily and charged directly at him!In his Fifth Generation Special Armor, with a mana value exceeding ten thousand, all of these elements made his speed far surpass anyone''s imagination. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that in just the blink of an eye, he had charged in front of Rocky and then, without any explanation, slashed down with his sword!


    As the Special Armor of the Fifth Generation, the Side Sword of the Windwalker was naturally a purely materialized Mana Sword. With the enormous mana enhancement, the power of this Mana Sword far exceeded what ordinary people could imagine. Unless it was against another Special Armor of the same class, lower-tier Armors simply couldn''t withstand it.


    It was clear that Xia Nai, just as everyone had anticipated, did not plan to entangle with Rocky for long. He aimed to utilize the advantage of his armor to instantly kill him, a real instant kill, leaving no chance of survival!


    The moment his sword fell, Rocky immediately raised his right arm and then opened the Magic Energy Shield, accurately blocking the strike.


    The sound of the Mana Sword heavily striking the Magic Energy Shield was so powerful that it even emitted a burst of bright light. Because this strike was too fast, it wasn''t until this moment that the audience in the arena finally reacted, bursting into exclamations.


    "How, how can this be..."


    "Blocked it?"


    "How is it possible that he blocked it!?"


    The audience exclaimed in unison for good reason, for when they finally saw Xia Nai''s figure clearly, they saw his overwhelmingly powerful strike had been firmly blocked by Rocky''s Magic Energy Shield!


    Many people in the arena had seen Xia Nai compete before, so they had witnessed the terrifying power of the Mana Sword in his hands. Thus, in their view, with a sword strike that powerful, Rocky, with a mere 5000 mana value, should have had his shield destroyed and been killed even if he had used the Magic Energy Shield to block it. How could it possibly have been blocked?


    But the actual situation was that Rocky had blocked the sword strike, and it appeared rather effortless.


    This also greatly surprised Xia Nai, leaving him astonished.


    As the saying goes, laymen watch the excitement while experts watch for the technique. Xia Nai, obviously an expert, knew very well that a Fourth Generation Armor with only 5000 mana value should by no means be able to block his strike, no matter what method was used or what modifications were made, so there must be something tricky about Rocky''s armor!


    Just as he was stunned by the surprise, the armor on Rocky''s left leg suddenly sprung open, and immediately after, the hilt of the Mana Sword was grasped in his hand.


    Holding his own Mana Sword, Rocky appeared to have no intention of sparing Xia Nai either, delivering a sweeping waist cut!


    Facing this sword strike, Xia Nai initially planned to block it directly with his arm, not out of carelessness, but because he was very clear about the strength of his Windwalker Armor, which could easily withstand an attack from a Mana Sword.


    However, just as he was about to do this, an alarm suddenly sounded inside the helmet of his armor. This sound startled Xia Nai, and without thinking, he quickly backed away, dodging the attack.


    "How, how is this possible? Ladies and gentlemen, did you see that? Facing the attack from contestant number 1021, Xia Nai actually chose to dodge it?! Why, why would he do that!"


    As Xia Nai hurriedly retreated to dodge the sweep, the announcer outside the arena cried out in disbelief.


    Indeed, to outsiders, this scene was somewhat incomprehensible. With Xia Nai''s formidable strength, why would he need to dodge Rocky''s attack, when he could simply rely on the superiority of the armor to block it?


    But obviously, that was just the opinion of the others; only Xia Nai himself knew the actual situation¡ªhe simply couldn''t block that attack with just his armor!


    In fact, as soon as Xia Nai had retreated, he immediately activated the magic energy detector built into his armor. Then, when he looked back at Rocky, he couldn''t help but frown.


    In his line of sight, Rocky''s White Demon Armor still showed a mana value of 5000, but the Mana Sword in his hand now possessed an incredible power of 2000 points! With such a powerful Mana Sword, Xia Nai simply couldn''t withstand it with his armor alone; he could only dodge.


    And that was precisely why he was frowning.


    With just a Mana Sword possessing such high mana, it definitely couldn''t be powered by the armor. So there was only one answer left¡ªRocky''s Mana Sword was powered by its own separate mana supply! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But how could that be?


    A mere Mana Sword, what kind of technology was used to independently generate 2000 points of mana?! That was almost catching up to the entire mana supply of an armor set!


    "What have you done to this sword of yours!"


    Staring at the Mana Sword in Rocky''s hand, Xia Nai''s face couldn''t be seen behind his helmet, but his tone was very grim, clearly indicating that he had realized something was off about Rocky''s armor.


    "Are you concerned only about the Mana Sword?"


    True enough, right after he had said this, Rocky gave a slight smile. Then, in the blink of an eye, he activated all the runes built into the White Demon Armor!


    Full status!


    For the first time, Rocky showed the full status of the White Demon Armor on the Arena''s stage!


    In full status, faint white light illuminated the entire White Demon Armor, making it look as if it were bathed in a soft holy light, completely changing its impression.


    And it was right after activating all the runes in the armor that the announcer at the edge of the arena screamed like someone was slaughtering a pig, "Ladies and gentlemen! Look at the big screen! Look at the big screen!"

 Chapter 281 Clash of the Titans!_2

    As the announcer''s scream that resembled the squeal of a slaughtered pig echoed, the audience, still confused about what was happening, immediately turned their gazes to the big screen and then simultaneously dropped their jaws. On the big screen, the magic energy value of the White Demon had undergone a revolutionary change!Following everyone''s gaze, the magic energy value of the White Demon had escalated from a mere 5000 points directly to 10000 points!


    This change caused everyone in the arena to gape in disbelief because the transformation was so drastic, it was somewhat unbearable.


    In the battles at the Arena, it was common to enhance the Armor''s magic energy mid-fight. Many fighters kept this tactic up their sleeves to catch their enemies off guard, but usually, such enhancements would only increase by a few hundred magic energy points, with one or two thousand being the maximum limit. Who had ever seen anyone like Rocky, doubling the magic energy value in one go?!


    And don''t forget, in everyone''s minds, Rocky was only supposed to be wearing the fourth-generation Armor! Though it was Special Armor, it was still fourth-generation. Who had ever heard of a fourth-generation Armor breaking the ten thousand points threshold?


    "This is impossible... impossible... Contestant number 1021''s Armor, it''s not fourth-generation!!"


    "Ladies and gentlemen, we have been deceived! Deceived! Contestant number 1021''s Armor is definitely not fourth-generation!"


    Just as the entire audience was dumbfounded by the transformation of the White Demon Armor, the announcer was the first to recover and revealed the truth!


    As the announcer laid bare the truth, the audience finally came to their senses, and the venue immediately erupted!


    At this very moment, on the stage, Xia Nai didn''t even have to look at the big screen, nor did he need to hear what the announcer was saying. He already knew the White Demon wasn''t wearing fourth-generation Armor, as his own Armor was equipped with a magic energy detector that clearly showed the White Demon''s magic energy value.


    But like everyone else, Xia Nai was stunned when he saw the White Demon Armor''s magic energy reach ten thousand points, which was also beyond his expectations.


    And just as he was stunned, Rocky''s voice came through:


    "Do you have anything to say?"


    "Perhaps... any last words?"


    Having shown the full capacity of the White Demon Armor, Rocky then looked at Xia Nai and, without waiting for him to react, charged forward with full acceleration.


    After displaying the full capacity of the White Demon Armor, Rocky no longer had any significant disadvantages in his Armor. So, as he rushed towards Xia Nai, whether it was speed or impact, he was just as swift as Xia Nai before and reached him in an instant. His speed was so fast that every audience member in the arena couldn''t see clearly, and right after that, Rocky swung his sword down!


    With a sound of impact, sparks flew, and Xia Nai firmly blocked the strike with his sword.


    "Don''t think you can win just because you hid some tricks!"


    After saying that, Xia Nai''s other hand executed a sweeping strike, during which he flicked out another Mana Sword hidden in his wrist!


    Smal and Big Sword!


    Xia Nai''s Windwalker Armor had also undergone numerous modifications, not half-hearted ones like Ober''s, but professionally tailored renovations, including the Smal and Big Sword. One long sword for main attacks and a shorter sword for assistance, not only immensely lethal but also exceedingly unexpected when used.


    Caught off guard by such a sudden attack, Rocky was naturally startled and swiftly dodged to the side, allowing the short sword to graze past his shoulder Armor.


    However, as he dodged, he wasn''t idle and instead manipulated his Armor to speed up, swiftly maneuvering behind Xia Nai, and then brought his sword down again!


    In the blink of an eye, the two were entangled in battle, instantly causing bursts of intense light to flare up in the arena.


    This light was naturally the result of clashing Mana Swords, and to the audience present, this faint luminosity was all they could discern. As for the two individuals entangled on the stage, honestly, no one could see them clearly. Hence, despite the intensely fierce combat, the event was eerily silent.


    This was quite normal. The magic energy values of both the White Demon and Windwalker were either at or beyond ten thousand, meaning both sets of Armor were top-tier. The enhancements provided by top-tier Armor to its wearer were beyond what ordinary people could imagine, so unless one was truly knowledgeable, most could not even discern their movements.


    However, it wouldn''t be correct to say that all spectators were just watching the excitement; some could indeed see through the tactics. Not to mention others, Liliya and her companions could clearly observe the battle process.


    Even so, just like everyone else, Liliya and her companions were agape. The clearer they saw, the more incredible it seemed. They, being Void Magic Warriors themselves, couldn''t imagine that a fight between their ranks could turn out like this!


    After dodging an attack from Rocky with a sidestep, Xia Nai immediately lunged forward with a sword aimed straight at his throat. Rocky quickly retreated half a step, but was then forced to swiftly push his Armor backward as the second sword thrust followed quickly after.


    But Xia Nai was relentless and chased after him in an instant.


    Seeing Xia Nai catching up from the front, Rocky immediately opened up his shoulder Armor, revealing two Mana Launchers, and instantly fired a series of Magic Bullets to stop the pursuit.


    However, facing the barrage of Magic Bullets, Xia Nai didn''t dodge or flinch but instead accelerated further, adopting a serpentine sprint that quickly closed the distance to Rocky!


    "Die!"


    In a blink, as Xia Nai closed in, he thrust his sword toward Rocky''s chest, but stabbed empty air. For in that moment, Rocky had drastically increased his Armor''s propulsion, circling in a tiny arc to appear beside him, and likewise slashing down with his sword.


    In order to dodge this attack, Xia Nai chose to leap into the air, then with both hands raised aimed at Rocky, and fired off a series of thunderous Magic Energy Cannons!


    Note that what he fired were not Magic Bullets but exceedingly powerful Magic Energy Cannons! S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a fifth-generation Special Armor, the Skywalker excelled in weapon configuration and power, completely beyond the league of fourth-generation Armors, even its standard armament was as formidable as the Magic Energy Cannon.


    Upon realizing Xia Nai had taken to the sky with arms raised, Rocky hurriedly dashed to the side. Just as he moved away, an explosive sound rang out, blasting a huge crater where he had just been standing!


    The accuracy and immense power of the Windwalker''s Magic Energy Cannon meant it could strike precisely where aimed!


    Under such conditions, Xia Nai gave Rocky no chance to take flight, bombarding continuously from mid-air, while Rocky on the arena floor kept darting rapidly, leaving the bombardment trailing behind him.


    In the midst of such violent bombing, the arena quickly turned pockmarked and smoke-filled.


    And when the entire arena was shrouded in smoke, Xia Nai finally ceased his attack and immediately shut down the magic energy detector, instead activating the built-in Mana Tracker within his Armor to search for Rocky''s position through the smoke.


    No sooner had the Mana Tracker been activated and before Xia Nai could take a closer look, a Magic Energy Beam shot through the smoke!


    With a whoosh, the beam swept past Xia Nai''s waist, startling him into a cold sweat. Had it not been for his quick reflexes to shift half a body width, he would have been hit.


    But before he could exhale in relief, another Magic Energy Beam shot from the smoke, followed by countless more!


    PS: It''s been a while since I asked for recommendations. Little Detective truly exerted great effort in this final match of the Combat Arena. I wonder if everyone likes it; if so, I''d appreciate some recommendations!

 Chapter 282 The Alliances Attention

    Rocky and Xia Nai''s successive exchanges had the audience dumbstruck. It wasn''t just because their fighting was too fast, but also because their combat was simply too exhilarating!In the eyes of the majority of the audience, the duel between the two could only be described as a blur, as no one could clearly see their movements; they could only witness the lightning-fast collisions on the stage. Even so, it was enough to satisfy most of the audience.


    However, for a minority of the viewers, the battle between the two was not just a blur¡ªit was absolutely thrilling!


    This small group of viewers, who could keep up with their pace and see every move, were even more astonished. Before this, no one had expected the match to be this spectacular!


    Although the Arena had been building up to this match for a whole month, attracting many eyes, it''s undeniable that most people were drawn in by the spectacle of the event.


    The Sky City Lord, the son of the Kafka Empire Marquis, two nobles appearing in the ring at the same time, a grudge match¡ªthese gimmicks certainly drew the majority of attention, such that not many truly believed the match would be this beautiful.


    To everyone''s surprise, Xia Nai was incredibly powerful. Everyone had thought his string of victories was solely due to the suppression by his Armor, but they never imagined that when facing an opponent also wearing top-tier Armor, he would not be at a disadvantage.


    Similarly, no one could have imagined that Rocky would showcase the true power of his Armor in this match, which also belonged to the top ranks.


    It was precisely because of so many unexpected factors that when they started their real fight, everyone was stupefied. Everyone was amazed that a match filled with gimmicks could have such high quality!


    Let alone others, even Monte and his companions were left agape after seeing such fierce exchanges. During the past month, Rocky had been training them, so they thought they fully understood Rocky''s strength. However, once they saw the fight between Rocky and Xia Nai, they realized they had been utterly wrong.


    Rocky had not been using his full strength when training them!


    Apart from Monte and his companions, there were others who were shocked by the match¡ªthese were not ordinary spectators, but the big-wigs in the VIP rooms!


    Due to the Holy Angel Armor, many important figures had gathered in Eternal City. These people had been commuting to and fro from the Arena recently because Denise had been competing during this time. Naturally, those who came for the Holy Angel Armor wouldn''t miss her matches.


    In theory, although these individuals frequented the Arena, their focus was always on the Holy Angel Armor. No matter how much hype the Arena had created, it wasn''t possible for these people to watch Rocky''s match¡ªhow could such petty tricks deceive or attract them?


    But the reality was different. Rocky''s match not only drew a large number of ordinary viewers but also a significant number of big-wigs.


    Why was that?


    Why did these important figures suddenly appear in the VIP boxes of this match? The answer is simple: when the Arena was preparing for this match, Aniye and others were also busy!


    As previously mentioned, the focus of the battle between Rocky and Xia Nai was not on Xia Nai, but on using the battle as a precursor to introduce ''new technology,'' thereby catching the Sky Alliance''s attention. This was Rocky''s true purpose.


    To achieve this, during this month, the four masters: Aniye, Orton, Hammerfire, and Pelaya were busy too. On one hand, they were continuously improving the White Demon Armor, on the other hand, they utilized their networks to ''seemingly'' inadvertently spread some rumors that they were developing new Armor Technology.


    Although among the four, only Aniye and Pelaya were well-liked, Orton and Hammerfire not so much, it''s undeniable that each of the four were renowned scholars, with standing in the academic community that wouldn''t falter due to their personality or temperament. Once the news that the four were jointly developing new-generation Armor Technology spread, it immediately caught the attention of many.


    Aniye, Orton, Hammerfire, and Pelaya, each of these masters could lead a project on their own. Now, these four had united?


    What exactly were they up to?


    This question inevitably prompted deep thought and curiosity. Thus, when Aniye sent out invitations in his name, inviting acquaintances to watch Rocky''s match, the invited big-wigs immediately agreed. Just like the first performance of the Holy Angel, they all arrived at the Arena. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under such wide focus, Rocky''s performance in the match indeed dazzled everyone. No, to be more precise, it should be said that the performance of the White Demon Armor made everyone take notice!

 Chapter 282 The Alliances Attention_2

    "Master Aniye, is this the new generation Armor?"In the VIP box, Aniye was watching Rocky''s match with a group of people. At first, everyone was relatively restrained, but when Rocky raised the Mana of the White Demon Armor to ten thousand points and fought Xia Nai to a standstill, someone finally couldn''t restrain themselves anymore.


    "This White Demon Armor was merely based on the Fourth Generation Armor and was casually designed by Hammerfire, so it doesn''t count as a new generation Armor. However, this Armor is indeed equipped with the new technology we are currently developing."


    Wearing a smile, Aniye said this lightly; however, despite his casual tone, his words thrilled everyone who heard him!


    What did that mean?


    Did it mean that the Armor itself wasn''t the point, but the focus was on the new technology it was equipped with!?


    But what kind of technology could be so powerful that it allowed an Armor, designed based on the Fourth Generation, to have a magic energy value of ten thousand?


    If this so-called new technology had been mentioned by someone else, no one would believe it, some might even scoff at it, but these words came from Aniye, and that made a world of difference.


    Given Aniye''s status and abilities, he would never speak without foundation. Moreover, everyone had already heard rumors about the new technology Aniye mentioned, knowing it wasn''t something he developed on his own but something he, along with Orton, Hammerfire, and Pelaya, had worked on, which further increased the credibility of everything Aniye said.


    Because of this, when Aniye finished speaking, the people present even felt a chill down their spines because if this technology could make a Fourth Generation Armor break through the ten thousand magic energy value, what would happen if it were applied to a Fifth Generation Armor... it would be incredible!


    "Master Aniye, is this new technology... related to Mana?"


    So even though they knew asking wouldn''t yield any results and might even invite displeasure, someone still couldn''t help but ask, driven by overwhelming curiosity and interest in this new technology!


    The outcome was as expected; Aniye just smiled without saying a word but instead addressed someone beside him:


    "His Excellency Farey, what do you think of this new technology?"


    The person Aniye addressed, Farey, appeared to be in his fifties or sixties, and he was the representative sent by the Sky Alliance, also a member of the Elders Council of the Sky Alliance.


    As a premier force in the skies, the Sky Alliance doesn''t belong to any one person, with its management and operations entirely overseen by the Elders Council. Naturally, the Alliance placed great importance on the new generation Armor released by the Sigma Corporation, sending Farey, a member of the Elders Council, directly. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In fact, Farey wasn''t the only person from the Sky Alliance in this VIP box; everyone here belonged to the Sky Alliance, but among these people, Farey had the highest status and position.


    "Stunning, utterly stunning."


    Called out by Aniye, Farey nodded his head noncommittally.


    This wasn''t just politeness but his most genuine thought and feeling.


    The prowess displayed by the White Demon Armor might not match the Holy Angel Armor, but remember, the level of the Holy Angel Armor was Fifth and a Half Generation. Its impressive performance was expected. However, the White Demon Armor was different. In the eyes of Farey and the others, the White Demon Armor was merely Fourth Generation Armor, yet its performance was so remarkable that it could contend on equal terms with the very top Fifth Generation Special Armor. This impact was even greater than what the Holy Angel brought, truly deserving of the word "stunning."


    Upon hearing such an assessment from Farey, Aniye just smiled, then casually shifted the conversation, "For this new technology, City Lord Rocky has invested quite a lot."


    "Rocky...?"


    Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire


    After Aniye finished speaking, Farey and the others were momentarily stunned before they realized who Rocky was and turned to look at the arena.


    No wonder, as a member of the Elders Council of the Sky Alliance, Farey was indeed a significant figure, and such a figure wouldn''t know who Rocky was. It took them a good while to remember him.


    But although it took them a while to recall who Rocky was, it didn''t prevent them from reacting very quickly, as Farey soon added:


    "Master Aniye, the Sky Alliance is very willing to support such cross-era research..."


    As one of the Elders of the Sky Alliance, Farey''s thinking was exceptionally sharp. When Aniye mentioned Rocky, especially his investment in research, Farey immediately understood what he meant and quickly expressed his desire to provide financial support.


    But did he really understand Aniye''s meaning?


    Obviously not, for he hadn''t finished speaking when Aniye interrupted him and then smiled:


    "Speaking of which, City Lord Rocky and the Sky Alliance have some history."


    "Oh?"


    Upon hearing this, Farey clearly didn''t catch on and immediately asked, "Master, what do you mean...?"


    "Originally, it was City Lord Rocky who picked up Lord Wilton and escorted him back to the Alliance. If you put it that way, he still owes you a favor, and I remember Rocky told me that in gratitude, Wilton promised he would ensure his entry into the Alliance."


    Aniye spoke slowly and looked at Farey with a smile, asking,


    "Lord Farey, have you heard about this matter?"


    "This..."


    With this question, Farey was completely caught off guard!


    As one of the Elders of the Sky Alliance, it wasn''t his responsibility to oversee which Sky City joined the Alliance; this was handled by subordinates, so he had never heard of this matter.


    However, Farey reacted quickly and immediately said, "Since His Excellency the Holy Knight promised, there will certainly be no mistakes, and I believe It won''t be long..."


    "I hope so."


    Just like before, before Farey could finish his sentence, Aniye interrupted him again, but this time, he did not wear a smile on his face!


    Afterward, Aniye turned and left the VIP box...


    Watching his stern departure, everyone in the box exchanged glances, wondering, ''Wasn''t everything going well just now? Why did the old man suddenly leave so abruptly?''


    "Get to the bottom of this!"


    While everyone was confused and unsure of the situation, Farey suddenly shouted at the others!


    "Send someone to notify the Alliance immediately and thoroughly investigate the matter between Rocky and Wilton!"


    Staring intensely at the people in the box, Farey roared furiously.


    Others might not know why Aniye left, but he did.


    Clearly, every sentence Aniye had said was a reminder to Farey, reminding him that Rocky should have joined the Sky Alliance, but you haven''t done it yet.


    But based on Farey''s understanding of Wilton, if he really had been saved by Rocky, he would certainly have followed through, and thus Rocky should have already joined the Sky Alliance. And if Rocky had already joined the Sky Alliance, wouldn''t Aniye''s new technology research be theirs?


    However, the current situation didn''t reflect this; for some reason, Rocky had not joined the Alliance, yet with his funding, Aniye and others had managed to develop the new technology!


    With this development, the situation had changed because Rocky would instantly become highly sought after¡ªnot just by the Sky Alliance but also by the other two major alliances who would clamor for his allegiance. Smaller alliances, equally strong, would also scramble to have him join; if Rocky actually joined another alliance, the loss for the Sky Alliance would be tremendous¡ªit would be like letting a cooked duck fly away!


    Therefore, Farey was so enraged, and immediately sent people to the Alliance to thoroughly investigate the matter!

 Chapter 283 Each Has Their Strengths!

    While Aniye and the others were negotiating with the big shots, Rocky was still fiercely fighting in the arena.At this point, he and Xia Nai had moved from the main stage to mid-air, and after reaching mid-air, the battle became even more intense.


    Both were wearing top-tier Armor, each supported by tens of thousands of magic energy points, so when they reached mid-air, the main battlefield for the Void Magic Armor, they began to use deadly moves without any hesitation. The battle not only became fierce but each attack was lethal, such that a single misstep by either could seal the outcome of the entire match.


    Suspended in mid-air, Rocky rushed toward Xia Nai at maximum speed. During the sprint, the Mana Launchers on his shoulders continuously fired a series of Magic Bullets which exploded midway because Xia Nai was persistently attacking from a distance to prevent him from getting close. Their attacks met in mid-air and exploded into a wall of fire.


    But just after the wall of fire appeared, Rocky suddenly burst through it and reached Xia Nai in an instant, followed by a series of fierce attacks! S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Facing Rocky''s aggressive assault, Xia Nai reacted swiftly. Apart from initially being somewhat passive, he quickly regained his disadvantage, but this was precisely when Rocky began to accelerate, taking advantage of the agility of his armor to start circling around Xia Nai.


    The White Demon Armor originally boasted comprehensive strength, supported by a large amount of mana which balanced its overall capabilities. This was in the past.


    After Rocky had used the White Demon Armor in several matches, Hammerfire and others identified a new direction for the next enhancement of the armor, which was mobility.


    The White Demon Armor''s magic energy value could reach up to ten thousand points, but how to utilize such a vast amount of energy effectively was always a problem for Hammerfire and his team to solve.


    Because the technology equipped the White Demon Armor was ultimately that of the fourth-generation armor technology. Despite improvements, the limitation of the fourth-generation technology persisted. Without working on this aspect, the White Demon Armor would end up being a defective product, powerful in mana but unable to utilize its full potential, which was not what Hammerfire and his team wanted to see.


    Therefore, Hammerfire and his team significantly strengthened the mobility of the White Demon Armor. After all, the mobility of an armor always consumes a lot of mana but, likewise, powerful support from mana can result in significantly noticeable effects.


    So, after the enhancements, the mobility of the White Demon Armor had significantly increased compared to before, making it incomparable to its previous state. Hence, when Rocky accelerated to full speed and started attacking Xia Nai using the mobility of the White Demon Armor, Xia Nai immediately felt the pressure.


    He found that he could hardly keep up with Rocky''s speed!


    In his eyes, Rocky appeared in various directions around him at an unimaginably fast speed. He could only barely catch Rocky''s position and defend himself; countering was utterly impossible, for after every blocked attack, Rocky would immediately move away and appear in another position, continuously guerrilla fighting.


    In this situation, Xia Nai soon realized that he was in trouble because once he had the speed advantage, Rocky would eventually find his weakness, and once that weakness appeared, the match would be over!


    So, after several continuous defenses, Xia Nai had no choice but to increase his altitude, hoping to break away from the engagement.


    But how could Rocky let him get his way? As Xia Nai increased altitude, Rocky relentlessly pursued him.


    This led to an astonishing scene; the two chased each other in mid-air, clashing after each short flight, repeatedly maneuvering swiftly.


    To the average eye, the two were intensely grappling, unable to shake each other off, but to those in the know, this indicated that Xia Nai was at a disadvantage because clearly he wanted to shake off Rocky but was caught up each time, resulting in this scene. Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Moreover, many experts felt that if Xia Nai kept being chased like this, he could be in trouble since in a clash of this caliber, a single mistake could decide the outcome. Under continuous passive defense, it was hard for Xia Nai to ensure a flawless performance.


    "Enough!"


    Just as Rocky was relentlessly advancing, and Peter Shane was starting to panic, Xia Nai suddenly roared and activated the Defensive Net!


    Simultaneously, as the Defensive Net opened, Rocky slashed with his sword but not only failed to break through the net, he was also repelled a great distance backward.


    The White Demon Armor has a magic energy value of 10,000, while the Windwalker Armor has 13,000. Both values indicate top-tier armors, yet there is still a noticeable difference between the two¡ªa slight, albeit significant gap.


    However, from the current performance, Rocky, with less magic energy, unexpectedly took the initiative in the combat, while Xia Nai, possessing more magic energy, ended up in a passive position being hit, which was clearly abnormal.


    In reality, this was not the case, as there was indeed a difference between the two armors; it just hadn''t manifested yet.


    Following further enhancements, the White Demon Armor''s key feature was its mobility, whereas the prominent feature of the Windwalker Armor wasn''t mobility but its attack and defensive power!


    Now, when Xia Nai activated the Windwalker''s Defensive Net, his 3,000 point advantage in magic energy became apparent!


    Against the falling Mana Sword, the Defensive Net not only easily resisted it but also repelled Rocky directly. And when Rocky, using the momentum of the repulsion, retreated while firing a series of three Magic Bullets, all of them that hit the Defensive Net were easily blocked without even causing a ripple.


    After this, Xia Nai''s counterattack began!


    He charged straight at Rocky immediately after deploying the Defensive Net. Facing Rocky''s series of blockades, he didn''t dodge at all, not needing to, as no matter how the Magic Bullets and Magic Energy Beam attacked, the Defensive Net remained impenetrable!


    Then, in the blink of an eye, he charged right in front of Rocky, too quick to launch an attack and instead slammed directly into him using his momentum!


    The Windwalker''s Defensive Net, featuring unique technology, could be used defensively and, if used correctly, as a weapon, just like now.


    A dull thud was heard as the Defensive Net forcefully slammed Rocky towards the arena!


    "Oh!!"


    At the moment Rocky fell to the arena, the audience, which had been silent for a while, managed to let out a gasp of surprise; it was the first time they saw such a clear flaw exposed in the duel between the two.


    "Oh!!!"


    But that gasp had hardly faded when the audience let out an even more exaggerated cry of astonishment. In their eyes, Xia Nai, who had sent Rocky flying, didn''t pursue him but instead raised his arms, revealing the Magic Energy Cannons on each, while the armor on his chest and shoulders also opened, showing the built-in cannon ports. More critically, a shoulder-mounted Magic Energy Launcher extended from his back!


    In an instant, Xia Nai had activated all of Windwalker''s weapons and aimed them at Rocky!

 Chapter 284 Full Barrage!

    When Rocky fell from the arena that instant, Xia Nai had all the weapons on his armor light up and fire simultaneously!This move had never been used by him in previous competitions, simply because none of his enemies before were worth such an attack.


    But now, he had aimed every cannon on his body at Rocky!


    It was evident that after the aerial combat that had just occurred, Xia Nai was pushed to the brink, forcing him to make such a desperate move. However, given the weapon configuration and attack power of the Windwalker Armor, this full barrage attack was undoubtedly immensely powerful.


    One second later, countless cannons bombarded Rocky at the same time!


    It must be said again how formidable Xia Nai was; his performance in this match had truly exceeded the expectations of most people. With his brilliant offense and defense, he proved that not only was his armor powerful, but he himself was a real powerhouse. Whether it was reaction, on-the-spot adaptation, or judgment, Xia Nai was nearly flawless in these aspects, and had almost made no mistakes in such fierce combat.


    This was why he was able to exploit such a huge flaw in Rocky and decisively seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to launch a fatal attack!


    Similarly, it was because his reaction was so quick and his decision so resolute, that when all the cannons on the armor lit up, Rocky, who was falling from the arena, could not manage any countermeasures!


    There was no way around it; everything happened too quickly, so that Rocky completely failed to adjust his position to face this lethal attack. The only thing he could do was to deploy his Defensive Net and hold up the Magic Energy Shield in front of his chest.


    Right after he had made these two moves, the countless cannon fires arrived!


    In an instant, Rocky was hit by numerous cannon fires, and under the bombardment, numerous ripples instantly appeared on the Defensive Net he had deployed. Moreover, when he was struck, he felt his falling speed further increase, making him even less able to control his descent.


    The greatest feature of the Windwalker Armor lay in its very powerful offensive and defensive capabilities. On the defensive side, the Windwalker possessed unique Defensive Net technology. Supported by this exclusive technology, its Defensive Net was not only highly defensive against almost all attacks but also possessed considerable offensive force, and Rocky being knocked out of the arena was the best proof of this.


    Regarding the offensive capabilities, the Windwalker Armor had an exceptionally rich weapon configuration; this hardly needs much explanation. Just take a look at the current full firepower of the Windwalker to understand. Additionally, this armor not only had powerful firepower but also had outstanding attack power, whether it was its arms, shoulders, or chest. The power of the Magic Energy Cannons at these locations were all at least over a thousand points, and truthfully, with such a rich firepower setup and such strong attack capabilities, the Windwalker Armor''s attacking strength was comparable to a main battle warship!


    Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    With such firepower and attack capability as support, one could imagine the might of the Windwalker''s full barrage; certainly, even if facing the 4th generation Special Armor or even the 5th generation Mass-Produced Armor, the Windwalker''s full barrage could reduce the opponent to dust.


    However, the White Demon wasn''t any of the previous two generations of armor!


    Although the White Demon wasn''t renowned for its defensive power, as a first generation Rune Armor with a Magic Energy of 10000 points provided by the Rune, the White Demon''s own Defensive Net had significant strength, and the ripples that appeared on the Defensive Net after being struck were the best proof of this.


    The ripples that appeared on the Defensive Net at this moment were all due to the attacks being neutralized, meaning that even the attacks with at least a thousand points of power landing on the Defensive Net, while they looked fierce, did not actually break through the Defensive Net. As long as the Defensive Net did not break, Rocky would only be subjected to some impact force and essentially no injuries.


    However, even so, Rocky was still in extreme danger, even to the extent of being in a life-threatening crisis! S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because a single Magic Energy Cannon might have struggled to shatter the Defense Net, but what about many shots falling together? It is known that even the large warship Defense Nets or the gigantic ones used by Sky City have load limits¡ªnot to mention Armor, which definitely has its limits too!


    The defensive power of the White Demon''s Defense Net might have been strong, but if it endured multiple attacks, especially continuous ones, once the load surpassed the limit, it would shatter just as well!


    That was exactly the situation Rocky faced now,


    Xia Nai''s full barrage was not just a single round of shooting but a continuous, relentless attack!


    Therefore, once the attack began, a scene beyond everyone''s imagination and common sense unfolded¡ªbetween Xia Nai, who was mid-air, and Rocky, who had already fallen to the arena, a line formed!


    This line tightly linked the two together, and what comprised this line was the unending barrage of firepower!


    What does "barrage bombardment" mean?


    This was true barrage bombardment!


    By now, Rocky had long been bombarded off the arena, and during this process, he tried more than once to get up and then, relying on White Demon''s mobility, tried to shake off the bombardment but failed time and again.


    The continuous bombardment brought not just damage but also tremendous impact. Under such force, he felt as if a hurricane was pressing down on his body; moving was absolutely impossible.


    Similarly, under such fierce bombardment that even getting up was impossible, the White Demon''s Defense Net¡­ shattered¡­


    It probably lasted only a dozen seconds¡ªRocky''s Defense Net, having reached its load limit, instantaneously shattered, and once the Defense Net disappeared, the relentless gunfire hit him directly.


    But luckily, luckily Rocky still had a Magic Energy Shield to use. He had preemptively placed the Magic Energy Shield in front of his chest while opening the Defense Net, so once the Defense Net disappeared, the Magic Energy Shield became his barrier. He also immediately channeled the Armor''s mana into the Magic Energy Shield.


    As mentioned before, the close-combat configuration of the White Demon Armor, which includes the Mana Sword and Magic Energy Shield, outputs mana individually. Under normal circumstances, they are powered by the runes they carry, but they can also be powered by the Armor''s mana when needed. Combining the two can further increase power and defensive capability.


    Now Rocky was using this method to further strengthen the Magic Energy Shield''s defensive power and area. Therefore, when the Magic Energy Shield received the mana from the Armor, its area immediately doubled, protecting Rocky completely behind the shield.


    But it was clear to anyone that this was merely a temporary measure¡ªwhile the Magic Energy Shield could protect Rocky for the moment, could it protect him forever?


    In fact, not to mention forever, even with the support of the Armor''s mana, the Magic Energy Shield lasted only a dozen seconds more than the Defense Net, and then with a crack, the shield materialized from mana completely shattered!


    And as the Magic Energy Shield also declared its breakage, the last barrier vanished, and countless charges of gunfire truly hit Rocky¡­!

 Chapter 285 No Bones Left...

    The intense barrage of fire from the full salvo shattered the White Demon''s Defensive Net and Magic Energy Shield, finally unleashing its force on Rocky!The moment the Magic Energy Shield broke, everyone inwardly sighed, "It''s over..."


    Now, everyone had the same thought: being hit directly by such fierce gunfire, Rocky was surely doomed. There was no doubt he would die!


    But just as this thought formed in everyone''s minds, the relentless bombardment that had lasted for nearly a minute suddenly came to an end.


    The Windwalker''s full salvo was over.


    Some might wonder, having finally broken through all of Rocky''s defenses, why had the attack stopped so abruptly?


    It wasn''t that Xia Nai deliberately stopped the attack; he had to stop.


    The power of a full salvo was incredibly strong, but so too was its consumption exceptionally tremendous. From the start until now, the full salvo had lasted almost a minute, during which Xia Nai had nearly depleted the Windwalker Armor''s Mana!


    Therefore, he had to stop the attack, but even so, the outcome was already determined.


    Although the full salvo had rained on Rocky for only a few seconds, even in such a short time, the firepower Rocky endured was unimaginably intense, still sufficient to doom him!


    After stopping the attack, Xia Nai hovered half in the air, continuously gasping for air while staring intently at the arena.


    Operating under full salvo, he too had to bear tremendous pressure. Not to mention, just controlling the armor to remain stable during the bombardment was enough to cause serious discomfort, so when the attack ceased, Xia Nai seemed even more exhausted and strained than during the fray.


    At the same time, he didn''t relax just because he had the upper hand. On the contrary, he kept a vigilant watch on the arena from mid-air, observing for any signs of activity from Rocky amidst the smoke.


    Like him, the entire audience was also fixated on the arena, each person looking with an indescribable gaze at the battle below because at this moment in the match, it was hard for the audience to decide whom to support. The competition was so thrilling that it had captivated everyone present, turning almost all spectators into supporters of both competitors.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, has contestant number 1021 already ¡­" S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As everyone focused on the arena, the announcer, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up. His voice sounded dry, clearly parched by the intensity of the match, lacking his usual booming presence.


    The announcer, while speaking and looking at the arena like everyone else, unfortunately could see nothing. After the relentless bombardment, the arena was left with a huge crater, and Rocky had long fallen into it, hidden from view.


    "Ladies and gentlemen... having endured such intense bombardment, I think contestant number 1021... I think he''s already... he''s still alive! Contestant 1021 is still alive!"


    Just as the announcer was about to declare that Rocky had failed and Xia Nai had won, suddenly, he raised his voice sharply and shouted again!


    Rocky was still alive!


    With his shout, the audience immediately erupted into an uproar, and those who reacted quicker turned their eyes toward the big screen.


    Sure enough, the image of Rocky now appeared on the big screen.


    After enduring the ferocious firepower of the full salvo, the White Demon Armor had lost its pristine white color, appearing dusty and damaged in several places. To say it was battered might be an exaggeration, but it certainly looked very shabby.


    But even so, Rocky had not died!


    When the crowd looked at the big screen and saw Rocky, they just caught sight of the chest plate of the White Demon Armor¡­ slowly opening!


    Although Rocky in the footage did not move, the fact that the armor could still be operated meant he was not dead, not only was he alive, but he also had not given up!


    Because everyone could clearly see, as the chest plate of the White Demon Armor was opened, a huge cannon muzzle inside was revealed!


    What followed was before the crowd could react or cry out, the severely damaged White Demon Armor suddenly burst back into light, the light erupted from within the armor, and then quickly gathered at the chest like flowing water, making the chest of the White Demon shine immensely bright, just like a small sun.


    "Dammit!"


    When the entire audience saw that Rocky was still alive, Xia Nai, who was half-suspended, also saw it, and like everyone else, he also saw the chest of the White Demon Armor open to reveal the huge cannon muzzle hidden within!


    Seeing this, Xia Nai cursed through clenched teeth and then directed all the remaining mana in the armor into the Defensive Net.


    The process of the White Demon Armor revealing its built-in cannon muzzle and gathering mana might sound lengthy, but it was actually a very short process, so short that by the time the crowd saw it, the mana had already been fully gathered!


    So when Xia Nai witnessed this scene, he had absolutely no time to dodge; the only thing he could do was input all the mana into the Defensive Net, enhancing its defensive power to the maximum since anyone could see that the attack Rocky was about to launch was no joking matter.


    It was at this same moment that a gigantic Magic Energy Beam shot from the chest of the White Demon into the sky! Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    "My God..."


    "What is this..."


    "It''s so terrifying..."


    The moment this Magic Energy Beam appeared, it frightened everyone, causing the entire audience to open their mouths in shock, because the beam was so extraordinarily large that it was more appropriate to call it a pillar of light than a beam.


    And just as this pillar of light shot into the sky, Xia Nai, who was half-suspended, was engulfed by it, his entire body enveloped within the pillar!


    Demon Annihilation Cannon.


    The most lethal weapon of the White Demon Armor, also a top weapon developed by Orton and four others through their combined efforts.


    The design of this weapon was inspired by the City-Destroyer Cannon, and even its principles bore some resemblance to those of the City-Destroyer Cannon.


    To activate the Demon Annihilation Cannon, one also needed to gather all the mana of the armor, and besides the armor''s own mana, Orton painted numerous Fifth-level Runes on it.


    The 10,000 points of mana inherent in the White Demon Armor, even if fully utilized, were not enough to launch the Demon Annihilation Cannon; to initiate a normal launch and firing, it required a significantly greater amount of mana, which is why Orton crafted a large number of Fifth-level Runes on it specifically to provide additional mana.


    This explained why a weapon with only 10,000 points of mana could deliver such a terrifying blow, and illustrated the immense power of the weapon.


    According to Orton and the others'' estimation, the effects of the Demon Annihilation Cannon, once deployed, would be identical to those of the City-Destroyer Cannon!


    In fact, when the Demon Annihilation Cannon was actually used, the effect was far more exaggerated than Orton and the others had anticipated, because just as the pillar of light from the Demon Annihilation Cannon enveloped Xia Nai, within just two or three seconds, the huge pillar disappeared, and all the mana in the White Demon Armor had been exhausted in those two or three seconds.


    But as the Demon Annihilation Cannon vanished, Xia Nai, who was shrouded within it¡­ also disappeared¡­

 Chapter 286 Sensation!

    Nothing left but ashes¡­When the Demon Annihilation Cannon struck Xia Nai, he disappeared instantly within the massive column of light, both he himself and his Armor were gone!


    Throughout the match, Xia Nai''s performance was impeccable, but he made a mistake at the last moment, which resulted in his complete obliteration.


    He should not have tried to directly receive the blow from the Demon Annihilation Cannon!


    Orton and others hadn''t developed the Demon Annihilation Cannon for Armor fighting, this massively destructive weapon was intended to be used against fleets. According to their initial idea, with the powerful attack of the Demon Annihilation Cannon, a shot would obliterate all warships in a straight line, which was its real purpose.


    In Armor combat, however, the practicality of the Demon Annihilation Cannon was extremely low. After all, although the preparation and actual firing might not be considered slow, it was not flexible enough. Even a mere one or two seconds of preparation time would absolutely not be adequate to hit any Void Magic Warrior, and thus Xia Nai made a fatal mistake in trying to catch such a terrifying attack.


    Of course, it wasn''t entirely his fault. If Xia Nai had known how terrifying the Demon Annihilation Cannon was, he would have definitely avoided it at all costs. Unfortunately, he didn''t know.


    That''s why he was hovering mid-air, observing Rocky. If he could have landed in the ring, then he would have won the match because Rocky was left powerless after enduring the full barrage. Even if Xia Nai had chosen to dodge fully instead of bolstering his Defensive Net before the cannon fired, there might have been a slim chance to avoid it, considering Rocky was already immobilized with only one angle to shoot from.


    Unfortunately, perhaps it was fate¡ªbut Xia Nai performed flawlessly throughout the match without a single error, only to make one at the very last moment, not only causing him to lose the match but his life as well...


    As Xia Nai was obliterated, leaving nothing but ashes, it took a long, long time for the crowd to realize what had happened. There was no cheering, nor screaming, just some individuals stood up amidst sparse applause.


    It wasn''t long before the sparse applause turned into scattered clapping. As the process unfolded, more and more spectators stood up, applauding for Rocky, eventually leading the whole audience to give a standing ovation!


    While the applause filled the arena, the announcer loudly declared Rocky as the winner of the match!


    However, at this time, Rocky heard nothing because he had lost consciousness right after deploying the Demon Annihilation Cannon. Thus, whether the cannon hit its target, how Xia Nai fared, and whether he won the final victory or not were all unknown to him.


    Fortunately, as soon as the announcer declared the match over and Rocky as the final victor, medical staff immediately carried him out of the ring.


    This way, the compelling match finally drew to a close. No one expected it to be so intense or so splendid, nor did anyone foresee such an outcome. The previously underestimated Rocky had won, while Xia Nai, who almost everyone favored, not only lost but was obliterated to ashes. This complete turn of events was beyond anyone''s predictions, even the Arena''s.


    So once the match concluded, the victorious Rocky naturally became the focus of discussions. However, compared to that, another bigger and more eye-catching center of attention emerged, the new technology that helped him win the match!


    Although Rocky had won, to many people, the outcome of the match was not as important as the demonstration of a brand new technology that had never been heard of before shown to the world through this match!


    This, by far, outweighed the importance of the match itself, causing an immediate and immense sensation, a stir comparable to when the Sigma Corporation released a new generation of Armor.


    Shortly after, more and more people heard about the news¡ªas Aniye, Orton, Hammerfire, and Pelaya developed a new technology that greatly enhanced the Mana of Armor, significantly increasing its Mana and breaking through its previous limits.


    What''s more, this technology was already well-developed to the extent that it could be deployed in real combat, as demonstrated by Rocky and Xia Nai''s match.


    This news was explosive enough to set Eternal City abuzz, as it was filled with many important figures, all originally congregated for the Holy Angel Armor but ended up witnessing this unexpected development! sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And as the buzz spread, Aniye and others immediately rode the wave to hold a press conference in Thunderhawk City.


    At the press conference, Aniye, Orton, Hammerfire, and Pelaya, along with Rocky, all attended, formally confirming various rumors that had been circulating, affirming their ongoing development of the new technology under Thunderhawk City''s support, and indeed related to Mana.


    With this, all those interested in the matter were relieved, for everything known prior to the official press conference had merely been rumors, no matter how true they sounded, there was always an element of uncertainty. But once the press conference commenced, all doubts were dispelled.


    The only disappointment was that although the conference was held, and Aniye and others confirmed the previous rumors, they did not discuss what the new technology was specifically.


    However, that was hardly a concern, since relying on the reputation of Aniye and others, even though many details of the new technology were not disclosed, the public was still filled with curiosity and confidence, knowing that these master-level figures would not treat such a project frivolously, and more importantly, this unnamed new technology was already operational on Armor.


    Thus, the successful hosting of the press conference not only focused attention on the new Armor, but another focal point also emerged, which was Thunderhawk City.


    Since the confirmation of the new technology, more and more people headed towards Thunderhawk City, all with the same objective: one was to understand exactly what the new technology was about, hoping to learn some information; the other was to see if they could make contact with Rocky and explore potential cooperation opportunities in furthering this research! Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 287 Reactions from All Sides

    "Father, what do you think about this?"In his office at Sigma Corporation, Tom was discussing with his daughter Denise the new technology announced by Aniye and others.


    The sudden emergence of this new technology caught both of them off guard, as the announcement was incredibly abrupt. From the emergence of rumors to the actual press conference, it took merely a month, leaving everyone unprepared, including Denise and Tom.


    However, unlike others, the new technology researched by Aniye and his team had a crucial connection to Denise, Tom, and even Sigma Corporation.


    If this new technology was just ordinary, its impact might not be significant. Despite its current popularity, the excitement would likely fade soon. However, if the technology represented a trans-era research, the scenario would be utterly different.


    If the new technology that Aniye and his team had researched truly had trans-era significance, it could potentially change the entire landscape of the Armor Domain. As one of the giants in the Armor Domain, Sigma Corporation couldn''t afford to ignore this.


    That''s why Denise and Tom were treating this matter with such caution. What made them feel even more pressed was that, based on Rocky''s performance in the competition, this technology not only already had practicality, but also displayed all the signs of being trans-era!


    This wasn''t mere speculation, but the result of thorough analysis.


    Once Rocky''s competition was over, Denise immediately had their R&D team analyze the competition, and the conclusion they reached was that the Magic Energy Technology mounted on the White Demon Armor was indeed unprecedented!


    It''s like laymen watch the excitement while the experts see the way through. Just like when Aniye and others first noticed the Magic Conduction System on the Holy Angel Armor, when Sigma Corporation''s R&D team repeatedly studied Rocky''s competition videos, they too pinpointed what was critical ¡ª while they didn''t find any runes, they noticed that the Magic Energy System of the White Demon Armor was extraordinarily unusual, possibly of a trans-era nature!


    Thus, Denise and Tom were confronted with a dilemma about how to deal with this new technology. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sigma Corporation is a giant in the Armor Domain. Whenever there''s new technology related to Armor, they immediately respond, either by acquiring it to use in their own armor development; or by immediately starting reverse research to decode and develop it on their own. In short, they must react immediately, or else they let others gain the upper hand.


    So, for this matter, Denise and Tom not only valued it highly but also had discussed it many times.


    Today, the preliminary research report on the White Demon Armor was ready, and the two had to make a decision.


    "Father, these are the development department''s preliminary evaluations of the White Demon Armor. What do you think?"


    "A bunch of crap." Tom said dismissively as he tossed the report aside, "What could these guys possibly figure out? The company spent five years and gave them unlimited investment, and what have they accomplished?"


    "A small City Lord in Sky City conjured up a trans-era technology within a year, and these guys have the audacity to write a report? Do they even understand it?"


    Due to multiple setbacks in the development of the 6th Generation Armor by the company''s R&D team, Tom had already lost confidence in this team, especially now, learning that Aniye among four in a small Sky City, had developed a new technology with trans-era potential, which was already likely viable for actual combat, his dissatisfaction with his own team intensified.


    Thus, for the research report Denise submitted to him, Tom didn''t even look at it before tossing it aside, then said, "Make contact, immediately start making contact, strive to reach an agreement with them to jointly develop this technology."


    In a single sentence, Tom made his intentions clear, that they must secure this new technology, a technology that could potentially break through the existing limits of Magic Energy, not just in the Armor Domain but in any field it would be crucial, and anyone realizing this would not miss this opportunity. Therefore, Sigma Corporation must act immediately and not lose this advantage.


    Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Okay."


    Upon hearing Tom''s words, Denise nodded, "I will immediately send someone to contact Aniye."


    "Not Aniye, you need to talk to Rocky."


    Looking at his daughter, Tom sighed helplessly, while Denise was startled by his words.


    Clearly, Denise did not understand Tom''s intention, as in her view, Rocky was just a small City Lord of Sky City who had been pushed into the limelight solely because he funded Aniye and others'' research. However, many viewed this funding as fragile and even trivial.


    In the eyes of many, as long as the money was sufficient, Rocky would surely withdraw from the research, since such a high-level study wasn''t something a small City Lord could participate in, making many believe that the real decision-makers on who qualified to participate in the research were not Rocky, but Aniye and his team. They just have to nod, what could Rocky do?

 Chapter 287 Reactions from All Sides_2

    Like everyone else, Denise also held this sentiment about new technologies, and yet Rocky had no part in her considerations.Therefore, when she heard Tom''s words, she was puzzled and blurted out, "Father, why?"


    "Yes, you really should think about why."


    After glancing at his daughter, Tom, with a rare hint of disappointment, said, "Denise, you should really think about why Aniye and Orton gathered in Thunderhawk City, why they conducted research under Rocky''s sponsorship."


    "With just the capabilities of these four individuals, with their reputations, couldn''t they find a better sponsor? If they approached the Three Great Alliances, or even came to us, would we refuse them?"


    After several statements, Tom left Denise speechless, as she evidently hadn''t considered any of this before!


    No, it''s not right to say she hadn''t considered it¡ªit''s that Denise, like many others, had noticed but either ignored it or casually found excuses not to take it seriously.


    But Tom had thought of the same issues and took them very seriously; he saw right through the surface and grasped the essence. It has to be said, experience does come with age!


    Of course, it wasn''t just Sigma Corporation that considered this new technology critical to them; others were also paying great attention and had consequently responded.


    Take the Sky Alliance, for example.


    If the announcement of Aniye and the others developing new technologies caught many off guard, the Sky Alliance, upon learning this news, felt not only unprepared but filled with regret!


    During Rocky''s competition, Farey had already sent people to investigate him and Wilton''s involvement with the Sky Alliance, and just as coincidentally, the investigation concluded right after Aniye''s press conference.


    As one of the Elders of the Sky Alliance, Farey''s status needs no further mention; therefore, at his command, everything about Rocky and Wilton, and all subsequent events, was thoroughly investigated and presented to Farey in a detailed report.


    Having received this extremely detailed report, Farey could be said to understand everything, even more clearly than Rocky himself, which can only suggest how infuriated Farey was about the situation!


    "Issue the order..."


    Squinting and with a grim expression, Farey glanced at his subordinates and then methodically said, "All individuals in the Alliance involved in this matter are to be stripped of all positions, immediately apprehend the main conspirator who had direct contact with Lexington, seize control of Sky City, and recall all awards previously given to these individuals by the Alliance."


    Calmly and methodically, Farey imposed punishments on all those in the Alliance involved in this matter. The severity of the punishments far exceeded everyone''s expectations.


    Logically speaking, with the Sky Alliance being so large, it''s impossible for everyone to uphold the law impartially; inevitably, some would exploit their official privileges for personal gain through small schemes and tactics. The Alliance knew this and would turn a blind eye, as it''s impossible to keep everything squeaky clean.


    However, Rocky''s case was different.


    First and foremost, it involved the relationship between the Alliance and Rocky. Farey could see that Rocky was indeed willing to join the Sky Alliance; otherwise, Aniye wouldn''t have hinted at it during the competition.


    Farey found Rocky''s intention not only normal but also reasonable. Among the Three Great Alliances, the Sky Alliance was indeed perceived a bit more positively than the other two; it was more liberal in its requirements for members, which is a characteristic of the Sky Alliance. Hence, Farey wouldn''t find it strange that Rocky wanted to join the Alliance.


    This also means that the Sky Alliance still has room for maneuver in this matter.


    This might sound laughable, but such a large Sky Alliance actually needs a small Sky City Lord to provide an opportunity. Under normal circumstances, this would be laughable, but the current situation is just so, because Rocky has now become the most sought-after figure.


    It''s as if there are some things Denise can''t see, but Tom can. Farey clearly understands the relationship between Rocky and Aniye and three others, as well as the new technology they developed together.


    Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fairly speaking, Farey hadn''t understood why Rocky received such substantial attention from Aniye and the others, but this reason isn''t too important. What is important is the result. The result is that if you want the new technology, you must pass through Rocky, and that is the key.


    Therefore, Farey must punish everyone involved in obstructing Rocky''s joining the Alliance. Only by doing so can he provide an explanation to Rocky and discuss the subsequent issues.


    Of course, this is just one of the reasons. Another reason is that Farey plans to make an example of this!


    Now that the investigation into why Rocky failed to join the Alliance is clear, Farey knows for certain that Lexington was the one meddling behind the scenes, fueling his outrage even more!


    Farey knows who Lexington is, but he doesn''t know since when the Mairente Family had the privilege to meddle in the affairs of the Alliance?


    If this information were to leak out, wouldn''t outsiders think that the Sky Alliance was controlled by a minor family? Where would the Alliance''s face be then?


    So, afterwards, Farey continued with an expressionless face, "Issue the order that, effective immediately, the Sky Alliance will sever all ties with the Mairente Family. All Alliance members and Chamber of Commerce must not have any dealings with the Mairente Family.


    "Effective immediately, the Mairente Family is added to the unwelcome list, and if they enter any territory under the Alliance''s jurisdiction, they are to be immediately expelled!"


    With just a few words, Farey made a series of decisions, intent on teaching the Mairente Family a lesson and ensuring they understood that many issues in this sky were not their concern!


    After making these series of decisions, Farey paused for a moment, then continued, "Send a letter to Lord Wilton, letting him rest assured to lead the troops, as the Alliance will handle this matter properly and will certainly explain everything to him."


    After saying this, Farey paused for a moment, then shook his head, "Never mind... I''ll contact him personally after everything is settled."


    The most troublesome aspect of this whole affair for Farey was not so much the punishment of the involved parties, nor the Mairente Family, nor even Rocky. It was Holy Knight Wilton.


    As the Alliance investigated this series of events, Wilton, who was commanding troops abroad, naturally came to know the full story. Learning of this, especially that the Alliance had not fulfilled his request to include Rocky, and that Rocky had now developed new technology, His Excellency the Holy Knight was rarely seen in such a fury!


    The reason Wilton could be called a Holy Knight wasn''t made up; he truly earned it, whether in character or actions. He had never been one to misspeak or break trust in his lifetime. Yet, such a severe issue arose with Rocky, coupled with the significant news Rocky had made, how could His Excellency the Holy Knight not be angry?


    If, just if, the new technology Rocky supported turned out to be a trans-era great research, and he for that reason did not join the Alliance, then in the eyes of outsiders unaware of the internal details, Wilton would appear to have botched this matter. He would not only become a criminal of the Alliance but also a laughingstock worldwide!


    Such a huge blame, His Excellency the Holy Knight would not bear! Thus, upon learning of this, he directly contacted the Elders'' Council of the Alliance, demanding that this matter be handled seriously and that an explanation be given to him and Rocky, otherwise he would never agree.


    This was why Farey felt such a headache and decided to contact Wilton personally after everything was settled to explain the situation.


    Once everything was settled, Farey immediately took his people and left Eternal City headed for Thunderhawk City, ready to have a thorough talk with Rocky about joining the Alliance.

 Chapter 288 The Attractive Bun

    While others were having various reactions and responses to the new technology, Rocky of Thunderhawk City was quite at ease.He had won the competition against Xia Nai, and the new technology was smoothly released, and from the reactions of all parties, it seemed to be very successful. More and more people from Eternal City were coming to visit him, each showing great interest in the new technology¡ªa result that obviously pleased Rocky very much.


    All of this indicated that his previous plans had worked out, even better than he had originally anticipated!


    Initially, Rocky only wanted to use the new technology to attract the attention of the Sky Alliance, and then prove his strength through a battle with Wild Horse City, in order to join the Sky Alliance, which is to say, he thought he would need two steps to achieve his goal.


    But now it seemed that the purpose had been achieved with just the first step, as Rocky had become a true hot commodity.


    Take the Sky Alliance he had been concerned about, for instance, just the day before yesterday, Farey had come to Thunderhawk City with a group of people. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rocky was no stranger to Farey; in fact, they had met once before at a ball hosted by Sigma Corporation. At that time, Rocky had thought about approaching Farey to inquire about joining the Alliance, but unfortunately, he had found no opportunity. As one of the Elders of the Sky Alliance, Farey was a true person of importance, constantly surrounded by people during the ball, and Rocky, with his status, simply had no chance to engage with him.


    But now things had changed, Rocky didn''t have to make the approach, as Farey had come to him.


    And when the two of them met this time, they had a very formal and in-depth conversation.


    This discussion was very formal. At the beginning of their talk, Farey proactively expressed an apology to Rocky, then went on to describe the investigations regarding his joining the Alliance, and finally, he conveyed the Alliance''s decision on the matter to Rocky.


    In the eyes of outsiders, it might seem as if Farey was somewhat lowering his status by doing this, as after all, he was an Elder representing the Sky Alliance, and Rocky, despite being sought after, was just the City Lord of a small Sky City, even if he possessed cutting-edge technology, the Alliance had no need to treat him this way.


    But this was precisely where Farey was astute; his approach, while seemingly diminishing his own status, actually expressed sincerity right from the start and pre-empted any argument from Rocky: "The Sky Alliance is already being this polite to you, what more do you want?"


    Indeed, from the end of his speech until the conclusion of their conversation, Rocky didn''t bring up the issue again, as he really couldn''t find the words.


    However, Rocky was no longer the na?ve young man he used to be; he had been a City Lord for over a year, not only had he acquired the demeanor of a City Lord, but he also knew how to handle these types of conversations.


    So, although he did not mention all the previous matters, he also did not explicitly reveal his attitude, which is to say, he had not yet made a decision about whether or not to join the Alliance!


    Here, some might wonder, hasn''t Rocky always wanted to join the Sky Alliance? How come now that it''s all set up, he''s hesitating?


    Of course, he wasn''t hesitating, and he still wanted to join the Alliance, but the situation had changed; previously, he wanted to join the Alliance and was pleading for their acceptance, willing to join without any conditions, but now it was different!


    Enjoy new adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    Now Rocky held a very significant bargaining chip in his hand, which he could use to secure better benefits for himself when joining the Alliance. As a City Lord, how could he possibly let such an opportunity slip by?


    Therefore, although he made it clear to Farey that he was excited about the possibility of joining the Alliance, he did not make clear whether he really wanted to become a member of the Alliance.


    As a result, when their meeting concluded, they hadn''t finalized any concrete outcomes.


    But while it seemed that no results had been achieved, at the end of their conversation, both had gotten everything they wanted.


    Through this talk, Rocky understood that the Sky Alliance was very keen on having him join, and under these circumstances, he could certainly negotiate more benefits for himself.


    It was the same for Farey. Through this conversation, he could see that joining the Sky Alliance was still Rocky''s first choice, and the only reason he hadn''t made a decision yet was to gain more advantages for himself, which was naturally not a problem, as long as Rocky''s demands were reasonable. Given his current standing, he indeed had the right to negotiate some terms for himself.


    So, with an understanding between them, after their meeting, both were very satisfied, and what followed would be discussions of the specific terms.


    Of course, apart from interacting with the Sky Alliance, during this period, Rocky had also been in touch with many other forces, including not only the Magic Energy Research Institute, one of the three major forces, but also various other large and small powers; in short, he saw a lot of people.


    All these forces that came to contact him also generally expressed their desire to invite him to join them. Despite these forces perhaps not being as large as the Sky Alliance, many were massive entities, prominent presences in the sky.


    As for these invitations from the forces, Rocky didn''t outright reject any of them. After all, he wanted to keep his options open, and this was also a reason he felt bold enough to negotiate with the Sky Alliance¡ªhe already had plenty of alternatives!

 Chapter 288 Sweet Bun_2

    Aside from those who invited him to join their forces, there were also people who approached Rocky for other matters, such as wanting to invest in his research.Most individuals hoping to invest in new technology research were either Chambers of Commerce or companies. Due to their respective positioning, they were not able to invite Rocky directly like the Sky Alliance did. However, they still didn''t want to miss this opportunity, so they all expressed their intention to invest.


    Headed by the Continental Commerce Chamber, a group of Chambers of Commerce, and led by Sigma Corporation and Uranus Corporation, a group of armor manufacturers, all wished to participate in Aniye''s research. Whether it was contributing funds, manpower, or effort, it didn''t matter; they just wanted to be involved in the research.


    However, Rocky clearly refused these requests because he did not yet want to make the Mana Runes public. Therefore, it was utterly impossible for these people to get involved in the research.


    His refusal wasn''t too surprising for anyone; after all, no one would want outsiders to interfere with such striking research. So when Rocky clearly stated his refusal, those from either the Chamber of Commerce or companies, including those from Uranus Corporation, all left.


    Admittedly, Uranus Corporation was quite confident in their own R&D capabilities. As one of the giants in the Armor Domain, they couldn''t neglect the new technology that Rocky had developed. However, they did not make excessive demands, evidently believing they could develop a similar project on their own.


    While Uranus Corporation may have left, representatives from Sigma Corporation didn''t leave. They were the complete opposite of Uranus Corporation; they desperately needed the new technology that Rocky was researching!


    Despite Sigma Corporation''s current prominence due to the Holy Angel, the Holy Angel Armor was actually released out of necessity, not choice. Given that the sixth generation Prototype Armor had already been successfully developed, the Holy Angel Armor, no matter how powerful, would ultimately be phased out. If Sigma Corporation couldn''t produce their own sixth generation armor when that happened, this titan in the Armor Domain that held sway over half the industry would be finished.


    In such a scenario, Sigma Corporation placed far more value on and needed the new technology Rocky was working on; they had to obtain it at all costs.


    Unfortunately, their trip to Thunderhawk City was not particularly smooth because Sigma Corporation''s representatives didn''t even get to meet Rocky.


    This was quite normal since both parties weren''t familiar with each other, and, during the previous ball, Denise and Rocky hadn''t left a good impression on one another.


    In the conflict with Xia Nai, it was clear that Denise was more inclined towards Xia Nai. Had Hammerfire not stood up for Rocky, she definitively would not have apprehended Xia Nai''s surrounding people. This caused Denise to completely ignore Rocky during the latter half of the ball, and although Rocky didn''t really care, it didn''t mean he was unaware.


    Thus, when he gained the upper hand, regardless of whether others said he was smug, Rocky did not pay much attention to Sigma Corporation''s representatives and did not show them much courtesy.


    Compared to Sigma Corporation, who didn''t get to meet Rocky, and the numerous Chambers of Commerce that faced direct rejection, two Chambers of Commerce aroused much envy, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce and the Apple Tree Corporation.


    These two Chambers of Commerce rushed to Thunderhawk City immediately after the press conference ended, and they met with Rocky earlier than anyone else. However, that wasn''t the factor that made others green with envy. When the two Chambers of Commerce, like everyone else, expressed their desire to invest, Rocky did not immediately reject them.


    Why?


    Because, in Rocky''s eyes, these two Chambers of Commerce were indeed different from the others.


    There''s no need to mention the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. Rocky''s first cooperation with them was when he arrived at Eternal City, and their partnership became increasingly close afterwards. Even when Thunderhawk City fell into economic crises, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce lent a hand by either deferring the delivery of goods or payment of goods, essentially helping Thunderhawk City out a great deal. This relationship naturally made Rocky''s attitude towards the Ruby Chamber of Commerce quite unique.


    So when Amanred, namely the Guild President of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, came to Thunderhawk City again, Rocky was not only enthusiastic, but the two also had a very harmonious discussion about further cooperation.


    Amanred was definitely a highly capable and self-aware Guild President. She was fully aware that her Chamber of Commerce was not yet large enough to fund a research project, and even if she wished to, she simply couldn''t afford to put out that kind of money. Therefore, her goal was to reach some trade agreements with Rocky, such as purchasing all the necessary materials for the research from her, or obtaining some sales rights for the products once the research was successful, among others.


    After all, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce was a new player and hadn''t grown very large. If strength alone were to be considered, there were some deals they simply wouldn''t be privy to; they could only expand their business by means like this.


    And that precisely showcased Amanred''s cleverness, as she skillfully avoided sensitive areas and sought benefits in matters of lesser consequence. Coupled with her long-standing good relationship with Rocky, the talks were very pleasant, and naturally, she gained more than other Chambers of Commerce.


    Besides the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, there had also been a substantially meaningful meeting between the Apple Tree Corporation and Rocky.


    The Apple Tree Corporation, as a prominent Chamber of Commerce within Eternal City, was primarily engaged in warship manufacturing, a rare business that could develop, produce, and sell independently. Rocky had already had two transactions with them, so the two parties were also familiar with each other.


    Like the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, the Apple Tree Corporation was not in search of investing in research either; they had approached Rocky for a different purpose.


    This purpose was Armor manufacturing!


    As previously mentioned, although the main business of the Apple Tree Corporation was warships, in recent years they had been actively expanding their scope of business, eager to break ground in other domains. They had invested a great deal of financial resources into this endeavor. The Scavenger Model Escort Ships, which still represented one of the mainstays of Thunderhawk City''s fleet, were presented by the Apple Tree Corporation in order to make Rocky sell them the Demon Materials.


    Hence, while everyone was focused on the new technology Rocky had developed, the Apple Tree Corporation''s attention was elsewhere¡ªthey were far more interested in the White Demon Armor equipped with the new technology!


    Although Aniye and the others kept emphasizing that the White Demon Armor was just an experimental armor created to test new technologies, the Apple Tree Corporation did not share this view. They believed that the White Demon already qualified as a new generation of Armor, ready for production and sales!


    They approached Rocky with this in mind, hoping that if he wanted to mass-produce the White Demon Armor, he would consider partnering with them.


    And this proposal was very tempting to Rocky!


    With the ongoing progress of the Rune Armor project, and with Runes at its core, the new generation of Armor would inevitably become more refined, eventually becoming a mainstream choice, maybe even completely replacing the old-fashioned Magic Stone-powered Armor. In this scenario, Rocky would have an edge over others¡ªhe could not only be the first to develop Rune Armor but could also manufacture and profit from this next-generation Armor!


    Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    Although discussing these matters now may seem premature¡ªafter all, Orton and his team had only developed one White Demon Armor prototype, and considering the high cost of production for the White Demon, mass production was definitely not feasible, nor could it be sold at that price point.


    But what about the future? sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the Rune Armor project progressed, more and more types of Armor would be researched and developed. At that time, Rocky would have the capital to claim a stake in the Armor Domain!

 Chapter 289 Buying Another Warship

    The proposal from Apple Tree Company deeply moved Rocky, instantly showing him a new path forward.With his mastery of runes and advanced research in the runification of armor, Rocky certainly had the opportunity to carve out a place for himself in the Armor Domain!


    The proposal from Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce greatly interested Rocky. Thus, he met with their representatives three times, and eventually expressed his eagerness to collaborate, indicating that, if the timing was right, they could certainly work together further.


    This was not a decision made on a whim; in fact, it was the result of careful deliberation by Rocky, who finally chose to partner with them.


    In Rocky''s view, if he truly wanted to venture into armor manufacturing, the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce was undoubtedly his best choice. Their financial strength was formidable, as a typical example of self-sufficiency in the warship domain with cash to spare. They had the full capability to complete the collaboration.


    Secondly, they had always been looking to expand their business scope, which included armor manufacturing, to the extent that they had already built two factories in Eternal City.


    Unfortunately, being inexperienced in a new field can be like a mountainous barrier. Though Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce thrived in the warship domain, with the ability to construct warships and powerful R&D capabilities, they lacked a strong foundation in the Armor Domain. As a result, even though they built the factories, the lack of their own products and orders meant the facilities remained semi-idle.


    This made Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce the perfect partner for Rocky''s entry into the Armor Domain¡ªwith the required strength and willingness, it was a natural fit for both parties.


    Finally, another important reason Rocky chose to collaborate with them was that Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce''s primary business involved warships.


    Although Void Magic Armor was known to be the strongest of individual soldiers, Floating Battleships were just as essential in aerial combat. Only the combination of warships and armors could create truly formidable combat forces. For Rocky to become stronger, he needed warships as much as he needed armor. Partnering in-depth with Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, a giant in the warship field, was naturally advantageous for Rocky.


    In fact, this was indeed the case; shortly afterward, Rocky completed a multimillion gold coin deal with Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce!


    As previously mentioned, Rocky''s fight against Xia Nai would be his last competition in the Arena, so he had gambled everything he had, wagering all the money Thunderhawk City could muster on the external betting pool.


    Now, having won the match, he naturally reclaimed all the money he had gambled, winning a hefty sum!


    Aileen had scraped together over seventy thousand gold coins for this bet, plunging it all into the wager. At the time, the odds between Rocky and Xia Nai were 7.5 to 2.3, meaning a single gold coin bet on Rocky would yield seven and a half gold coins if he won the final match!


    Rocky did indeed win! So, when the competition concluded, he had won over five million gold coins!


    Over five million gold coins! S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Where had Rocky ever seen so much money? When Aileen told him the figure, he nearly fainted with uncharacteristic glee...


    This meant Rocky no longer had to worry about money.


    Wasn''t the very reason he continuously participated in Arena battles because he lacked funds? Didn''t he hide from Wild Horse City in the airspace of Eternal City because he lacked money? Wasn''t his eagerness to find a backer and join the Sky Alliance also driven by his financial needs?


    If he had tens of millions of gold coins, Rocky would never have come to this! Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    But now, he was finally wealthy, not just a little wealthy, but five million gold coins wealthy!


    With so much money in hand, Rocky made a bold move by allocating one million to Orton and others for research, another million to Aileen to be securely stored in the vaults of Thunderhawk City for daily expenditures, and the remaining three million he took directly to Eternal City, to the Apple Tree Corporation, to bolster the military might of Thunderhawk City!


    After the news of the new technology was released, Rocky indeed became eligible to join the Sky Alliance, but that did not affect his upcoming battle with Wild Horse City, for their feud had run deep and could only be resolved through war. Whether Rocky liked it or not, this battle had to be fought, and the same was true for Karlo!


    At the same time, Rocky hoped to use this battle to prove his strength. That way, when he negotiated with Farey, he could be all the more assertive, right?


    So, half a month after the release of the new technology, Rocky gradually took care of related matters. Those who needed to stay, stayed; those who had to go, went. Then, with over a million in funds, he went to the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce to start purchasing warships in large quantities!


    "City Lord Rocky! City Lord Rocky, how we''ve been longing for your arrival!"


    Upon arriving at the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, just as Rocky stepped out of his carriage, Zhang Heng, who had met him a few times before, came forth, obviously having waited for a long time.


    "City Lord Rocky, it has been such a long time."


    Upon seeing Rocky, Zhang Heng immediately greeted him warmly, as if seeing a relative.


    This was not surprising, because after speaking with Rocky, the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce had already marked him as one of their most important clients. Rocky had also mentioned his plan to purchase a fleet of warships, so Zhang Heng wasn''t exaggerating. He had indeed been waiting for Rocky.


    "Steward Zhang, it has been a long time; how have you been lately?"


    With such enthusiasm from the other party, Rocky naturally had to exchange pleasantries. Following this, the two of them talked while making their way to the dockyard.


    Knowing that Rocky would be coming, Zhang Heng had already prepared in advance and didn''t beat around the bush, leading him straight to the largest dockyard.


    Throughout this process, Zhang Heng was extremely enthusiastic, continually chatting with Rocky, while Rocky engaged in small talk and couldn''t help feeling impressed.


    For him, the Apple Tree Corporation was not unfamiliar. The last time he had come here to buy warships, Zhang Heng had been the one receiving him, but the level of warmth was far from what it was this time. Upon seeing him this time, Zhang Heng''s enthusiasm was like someone about to bite.


    Also, on his last visit, although Rocky had spent a significant amount, it was only three hundred and forty thousand gold coins, and the warships he bought were mainly reconnaissance ships. Strictly speaking, reconnaissance ships might not even be considered warships.


    But this time it was different. Not only had he brought ten times the gold coins he had previously, but he also didn''t plan on buying any more reconnaissance ships. This time, he was here to buy real warships!

 Chapter 290 Battleship!

    This time, Rocky was not planning to mess around with just adding reconnaissance ships to his fleet anymore; this time, he intended to purchase a real fleet of warships!As for his thinking, Zhang Heng was well aware, since Rocky was currently a highly sought-after figure, and his background had already been thoroughly investigated. Many people knew about his deep grudge with Wild Horse City, and under such circumstances, his purpose for buying Armor was self-evident¡ªhe was going to war.


    So, after taking Rocky to the largest dock, Zhang Heng asked, "City Lord, what kind of warships do you intend to purchase this time?" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Fifth Generation warships."


    Walking into the dock, Rocky, while looking at the giant warships around him, gave his answer. This time, he intended to acquire Fifth Generation warships, which were the most advanced warships available!


    "Good, good, my Lord, rest assured, you will definitely find the warships you like here."


    Upon hearing this, Zhang Heng immediately showed a smile, then continued to inquire, "My Lord, what class of Fifth Generation warships do you intend to acquire? Do you have any specific requirements?"


    The classification of large warships varied greatly, with the smallest being the Escort Ship, and moving upwards were the destroyer, patrol cruiser, battleship, and the largest, the floating mothership. Up to the Third Generation, the highest calibre of warships were destroyers, but starting from the Fourth Generation, patrol cruisers and destroyers became available, and among all warships, the most enormous¡ª the floating mothership¡ªwas unique to the Fifth Generation.


    Since Rocky intended to buy a Fifth Generation warship, naturally, he had a wider range of types to choose from. Excluding the largest floating mothership which he couldn''t afford, theoretically, he had the capability to choose any type of warship; the only difference was whether to buy one or ten.


    However, to be honest, Rocky didn''t quite understand all these matters because, prior to this, he had only ever bought one large warship and didn''t quite know how to build a fleet centered entirely around large warships, so afterwards he glanced at Zhang Heng.


    Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Steward Zhang, this calls for your help once more."


    As the steward of the Apple Tree Corporation, Zhang Heng''s capabilities naturally needed no further mention, so he definitely knew how to select and pair up ships to assemble a fleet.


    Indeed this was the case, so after Rocky finished his statement, Zhang Heng smiled and then began to speak:


    "City Lord, since you trust me, I''ll take the liberty to offer some suggestions..."


    "To build a regular fleet, what you first need to choose is the core of the fleet, centered around one or several main warships and additionally escorted by several small to medium-sized warships to form a battle group. Only by this can the warships unleash their maximum power in aerial combat."


    While saying this, Zhang Heng had already brought Rocky next to a giant warship, then he pointed at the warship behind him and said, "Sir, this warship, is our Chamber of Commerce''s independently developed and manufactured Fifth Generation Dominator Type 2 battleship."


    "Battleship...?"


    Hearing this, Rocky looked towards the warship Zhang Heng was pointing at, then couldn''t help but take two steps back, because the warship was so large that he couldn''t see its entirety without stepping back!


    And only after he had stepped back two or three steps did he finally see the warship in its entirety. Well, the warship was at least three hundred meters long, truly a behemoth. Its body was dark and shiny, reflecting a metallic luster unique to metal, making the entire warship appear almost like a small mountain.


    Is this... a battleship?


    Battleship, the true dominator of the skies!


    Rocky had naturally heard of such a renowned name, but this was his first time seeing what a battleship looked like. They were said to be flying fortresses in the sky, and now it seemed it was indeed true. Not to mention the firepower of this warship, just its size alone was enough to justify the term "fortress". Compared to it, escort ships, which were about a hundred meters in length, looked like tiny shrimps.


    "Steward Zhang, are you suggesting I buy this battleship?"


    "Indeed."


    Noticing Rocky looking at him, Zhang Heng nodded affirmatively, "City Lord, since you wish to form a powerful fleet, then this Dominator Type 2 battleship can definitely serve as the core of the fleet and will absolutely satisfy you."


    While speaking, Zhang Heng also stepped back two steps, standing with Rocky, both of them looking up at the mentioned battleship:


    "City Lord, the Dominator Type 2 battleship is three hundred and ten meters long, equipped with three layers of reinforced armor. Even without deploying the defensive net, it can withstand magic energy power of less than 2000 from main cannon attacks, and with the defensive net deployed, any attack below 7000 can be easily resisted."


    "The Dominator Type 2 is also equipped with the most advanced mana tracking radar today. Even in poor weather conditions, it can accurately scan the number and location of enemies, thus gaining the upper hand in battle; this warship also carries our Chamber of Commerce''s exclusive early-warning technology, which can detect in advance if it has been locked onto by an enemy''s main cannon, allowing for preemptive evasion. And if evasion isn''t quick enough, there''s no need to worry, because this warship is also equipped with an interference system, which can use magical energy to disrupt the enemy''s aim."


    Since it''s a fifth-generation warship, and a battleship at that, the equipment of the Dominator Type 2 naturally far surpasses that of third-generation escort ships. This warship is not only massive in size, but the technology it carries is also the most advanced today, so much so that Rocky was somewhat unable to understand.


    Aim?


    Lock-on?


    He had never even heard these words before.


    As he was somewhat confused, Zhang Heng continued to introduce, "City Lord, what I''ve just mentioned are only some features of this warship, but as a battleship known as a flying fortress, its powerful firepower is its greatest strength."


    "The reason I suggest you use this warship as the core of the fleet is precisely because the firepower of the Dominator Type 2 is indeed formidable. This warship is equipped with a total of fifty magic cannons."


    Fifty magic cannons!


    When Zhang Heng mentioned this number, Rocky was startled. How could a warship carry so many magic cannons?


    To his incredulity, Zhang Heng just smiled slightly and then began to explain in detail, "Among these fifty magic cannons, there are twenty magic cannons with magic energy power of 1500, and twenty rapid-fire magic cannons with a magic power of 1000 points. Their power might not be very high, but they excel in firing speed, averaging two shots per minute, which can quickly suppress the enemy with firepower during combat."


    "What''s even more important, all of the above magic cannons are equipped with the latest generation of aiming systems. With the help of the aiming system, the accuracy will increase exponentially."


    "Besides, the Dominator Type 2 also carries nine secondary cannons with magic energy power reaching 5000 points, of course, also equipped with aiming systems. As for the battleship''s main cannon..."


    At this point, Zhang Heng paused for a moment, then his face revealed a proud smile:


    "Although the Dominator Type 2''s main cannon is only one, it is one of the most powerful main cannons of today, known as the Sky-piercing Cannon, with magic energy power reaching ten thousand points!"

 Chapter 291 Reorganize the Fleet!

    "Although the Dominator Type 2 only has one main gun, this main gun is one of the most powerful in the world today, known as the Sky-piercing Cannon, with a magic energy power reaching ten thousand points!"Standing next to Rocky, watching the Dominator Type 2 battleship, Zhang Heng couldn''t help but say proudly.


    Hearing this, Rocky gasped. The main gun of this battleship reached ten thousand?


    To Rocky, that number seemed absolutely incredible!


    Although he found it unbelievable, Rocky also knew that this figure was entirely possible. Given the massive size of a battleship, the larger the volume, the more Magic Stones it could carry, and the more Magic Stones, the more Mana, thus achieving ten thousand points of magic energy power was absolutely achievable.


    "Are all these things you''re saying true?"


    Looking at the colossal Dominator Type 2 battleship, after staring for a good while, Rocky turned his head toward Zhang Heng and asked, frowning. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My lord, it is absolutely true. You are our chamber''s most esteemed guest, how would I dare to speak recklessly about such important matters."


    Looking at Rocky, Zhang Heng nodded vigorously, indicating that everything he had introduced was true, without any falsehoods.


    In fact, it was indeed so; Zhang Heng had not exaggerated; his previous introduction was entirely true.


    If it had been someone else standing before him, Zhang Heng''s introduction might contain some exaggeration, but he dared not do so with Rocky, as Rocky was one of the most important customers of the Apple Tree Corporation. The corporation was trying to foster a closer relationship through this transaction, so Zhang Heng wouldn''t dare to speak without consideration.


    He introduced the Dominator Type 2 battleship as an exceptional model among the fifth-generation battleships, whether it was its thick armor, the many technologies mounted on the warship, or more importantly, its powerful firepower, it was top among the various models of battleships.


    That was also why he suggested Rocky to build his fleet around this warship as the core.


    "..."


    At this moment, after looking Zhang Heng in the eye again, Rocky turned back to behold the massive ship before him, and after a long moment, he finally opened his mouth to ask:


    "How much does this warship cost?"


    Of course, he was very satisfied with the Dominator Type 2 battleship; to him, this was the kind of warship his fleet should be equipped with. Only such powerful, high-level warships could contend with Wild Horse City, so naturally, he was interested.


    Only, Rocky also knew that a state-of-the-art battleship like this wouldn''t come cheap. While he had previously bought some warships, those he acquired were reconnaissance ships, with the most expensive being an escort ship, and these were all from previous generations. Both in terms of class and generational status, they couldn''t compare to the Dominator Type 2, so the price difference would be enormous.


    And he was right, as Zhang Heng subsequently held up two fingers.


    "My lord, this battleship''s selling price is two million gold coins."


    Two million gold coins each!


    Hearing this price, even though Rocky was mentally prepared, he couldn''t help but feel shocked inside!


    This price... was too expensive!


    Rocky had just over three million gold coins in his possession, and he initially thought that this money would be sufficient to assemble a fleet composed entirely of large battleships¡ªperhaps not more than that, but surely ten or eight battleships could be purchased?


    Thus, he had aimed directly at the fifth-generation warships from the start, but to his surprise, these were incredibly expensive, costing two million gold coins per battleship!


    However, as he pondered this in shock, Zhang Heng smiled again and spoke, "But rest assured, Lord, the Guild President has already stated that since you are our most honored customer, all the warships purchased will be sold at the factory price; we absolutely won''t overcharge you by a penny."


    For a deeper cooperation with Rocky, the Apple Tree Corporation was willing to sell the warships at the cost price!


    For Rocky, this was an incredible deal because everyone knows the cost price and selling price are vastly different!


    "Then..."


    So, upon hearing this, Rocky immediately addressed Zhang Heng, who then promptly stated another price, "One million two hundred thousand gold coins, Lord, that''s the cost price for the Dominator Type 2, and we haven''t hidden a penny from you."


    "I''ll take it."


    Hearing this price, Rocky didn''t even hesitate and immediately decided to purchase the Dominator Type 2 battleship in front of him!


    Although one million two hundred thousand gold coins wasn''t cheap, one must not forget that this was the most advanced fifth-generation battleship, and moreover, it was touted as a flying fortress! To buy such a class of warship at this price, Rocky felt it was a great deal.


    And after deciding to purchase this battleship, Rocky then asked, "Steward Zhang, besides this flagship, what other warships do I need to buy to complement it?"


    Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Zhang Heng had already mentioned that the Dominator Type 2 battleship was meant to serve as the core of the fleet, so in addition to this colossal ship, other warships were needed to support it, for the fleet to truly take shape and form a combat-effective force.


    So, having bought the Dominator Type 2 battleship, Rocky needed to purchase additional warships.


    "Lord, I recommend that you also pair it with a patrol cruiser, and add several destroyers and escort ships because although the battleship has thick armor and potent firepower, its mobility is quite poor. Without a fleet escort, it can easily become a target, so it is essential to accompany it with destroyers and escort ships."

 Chapter 291 Reorganize the Fleet!_2

    "At the same time, it would be even better if we could pair it with an air cruiser, because compared to a battleship, the firepower and defensive power of an air cruiser are slightly weaker, but it still far surpasses other classes of warships and can form a dual-core with the battleship, one main and one auxiliary. The speed of an air cruiser is also very advantageous when compared to a battleship. With such a warship in existence, the fleet''s mobility would be much stronger.""Okay, take me to see it."


    When Zhang Heng had finished speaking, Rocky didn''t hesitate; he immediately nodded in agreement and was then taken to an air cruiser.


    "City Lord, this is a Fifth Generation Fire God Type 3 Air Cruiser..."


    It didn''t take long for Zhang Heng to bring Rocky to an air cruiser and then, just like before, gave him a detailed introduction.


    The warship he recommended to Rocky was a bit shorter in length than the battleship they had seen before but wider. Even though the air cruiser was slightly smaller, its firepower was still very formidable. For example, this air cruiser that Zhang Heng introduced had more than thirty magic cannons on board. The power of its main cannon might not reach the exaggerated 10,000 points, but it was as high as 7,000 points, thus definitely qualifying it as a main force-level warship.


    The price of this air cruiser was 14.5 million gold coins, but its manufacturing cost was only 800,000 gold coins.


    In such a situation, Rocky also didn''t hesitate and quickly bought the Fire God Type 3 air cruiser.


    Afterward, the two looked at several models of destroyers and escort ships, and Rocky ultimately bought four Cavalryman Type 1 Destroyers for a price of 250,000 gold coins each.


    He didn''t purchase any escort ships because Thunderhawk City already had six escort ships. Combined with the newly bought four destroyers, this was already sufficient to fulfill escort duties.


    In this way, when Rocky left the Apple Tree Corporation, the more than three million gold coins he had brought were almost all spent, but at the same time, after all the money was gone, he had also created a very powerful fleet for Thunderhawk City!


    This fleet was completely different from Thunderhawk City''s previous fleets. Even though Thunderhawk City had also assembled a fleet before, with more than thirty warships, most of them were reconnaissance ships. There were only six large warships, and even the most core major ship was just an enhanced version of an escort ship.


    Such a fleet might be fine for skirmishes with Baron Wolin or tussles with air pirate groups, but if it went to engage in a real war with Wild Horse City, it would be too much of a joke. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wild Horse City is a medium-sized sky city, two to three times larger than Thunderhawk City, and its fleet''s strength is absolutely incomparable to any of Rocky''s previous adversaries. To battle with such a level of adversary, there can be no tricks or shortcuts; one can only rely on raw power.


    That''s why Rocky spent three million gold coins in one day to create a top-tier fleet comprised entirely of large warships, powerful enough to face Wild Horse City head-on.


    ...


    ...


    Three days later, the Apple Tree Corporation delivered the goods.


    A Dominator Type 2 battleship.


    A Fire God Type 3 air cruiser.


    Four Cavalryman Type 1 destroyers.


    Even though the news had already been received, when these six warships really appeared at the skyport of Thunderhawk City, descending from the sky, Felly and a group of guards were still so shocked that they were left staring and speechless.


    As the Fleet Commander of Thunderhawk City, Felly knew that Rocky had spent a lot of money to purchase a batch of the latest warships, including battleships, the very top class of massive vessels. But seeing these warships with his own eyes still made him somewhat incredulous, because he had never seen such huge warships before, and he was extremely excited.


    It was precisely because of his excitement that when he took delivery of all the new warships and reported to Rocky, Felly showed a rare lapse in front of Rocky.


    "Sir! City Lord! New warships! New warships have arrived!"


    For the first time, Felly burst into Rocky''s study without knocking, and because he was too brash, he almost got knocked down by Liliya, who was in the room.


    "Sir... New, new warships have arrived! They''ve been inspected according to your orders and are now docked at the skyport!"


    Faced with Liliya''s angry gaze, Felly shrank back in fear, then quickly stood to attention in front of Rocky and saluted before speaking.


    "Good."


    Unfazed by Felly''s impetuosity, Rocky nodded at his report and then went to the skyport with Liliya.


    Upon arriving at the skyport and seeing one warship after another docked within, Rocky finally let out a sigh of relief in private, because with these warships, the fleet of Thunderhawk City finally took shape - no, it was not just taking shape, but had undergone a complete transformation!


    With this batch of new warships, the number of large warships in Thunderhawk City had reached twelve, including one battleship, one cruiser, four destroyers, and six escort ships.


    Subsequently, Rocky reorganized the fleet configuration of Thunderhawk City, replacing the old warships of the First Fleet with the Dominator Type 2 battleship as the lead, supplemented by the Fire God Type 3 Air Cruiser, four destroyers, and four escort ships, forming the new First Fleet of Thunderhawk City with these ten large warships. The remaining two escort ships and the reconnaissance ship then formed the Second Fleet of Thunderhawk City.


    After reconfiguration, the combat power of the Thunderhawk City First Fleet would undergo a drastic transformation. To put it bluntly, the combat power of this fleet had completely surpassed the level a small sky city should possess. Not just any ordinary small sky city, even Karina, a war fanatic, could not match the strength of her single fleet against Rocky''s handpicked one!


    Later, Rocky sent Aileen to Eternal City''s Technician Guild to hire a large number of sailors, and then he started overtime training for the fleet, allowing Thunderhawk City''s original sailors and the newly hired sailors to quickly familiarize themselves with the new warships.


    Clearly, as Rocky finished configuring the new warships, the war between him and Karlo, between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City, was on the countdown!


    The news of the impending war was not only heard throughout Thunderhawk City but even outsiders began to notice it.


    Since Rocky was currently in the limelight, his every move, as well as that of Thunderhawk City, was closely watched by everyone. Thus, people who were paying attention to him and Thunderhawk City could easily guess what his purchase of warships and hiring of sailors was all about.


    But this was also what made everybody puzzled. Everyone knew Rocky was preparing to wage war, with the obvious target being Wild Horse City, which had been camped outside of God City for half a year.


    But... was it really necessary to declare war on Wild Horse City?


    This question arose in the minds of many. Was it truly necessary for Rocky to engage in a major battle with Wild Horse City?


    He was currently in vogue, and could easily join a powerful alliance. By doing so, even with a hundred times the courage, Karlo wouldn''t dare to move against him. As a medium-sized sky city''s City Lord, Karlo had too many adversaries he couldn''t afford to provoke.


    However, Rocky didn''t join any forces as everyone expected. Instead, he actively prepared for war, obviously intending to initiate the conflict!


    This approach of going it alone made many people incomprehensible, and some even thought that only a fool would do what he was doing. No, not even a fool would do such a thing, only a madman would!


    But Rocky was clearly not mad, or rather, even if he were mad, there was a good reason for it. It''s just that outsiders didn''t know it, only he and the Sky Alliance did!


    PS: War is coming! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations!

 Chapter 292 The Reason for Madness

    In the eyes of many, Rocky''s decision to start a war with Wild Horse City was simply madness.However, in Rocky''s view, his action was not mad, and even if it was, he had a mad reason for it, a reason that outsiders would definitely not know, only he and the Sky Alliance knew.


    Currently, nearly a month had passed since Rocky and Xia Nai''s competition ended. During this nearly one-month period, because there had been no further news about new technologies, everyone''s attention to the matter had gradually cooled. Many who initially came to visit Rocky had also left during this process, so now there were few people left in Thunderhawk City.


    But those who still remained in the city were all representatives who hoped Rocky would join their forces.


    Among them was Farey and his group.


    This period had been exhausting for Farey, as an Elder of the Sky Alliance, he had been constantly shuttling between Thunderhawk City and Eternal City; Aniye and others'' new technology in Thunderhawk City, Sigma Corporation''s New Armor in Eternal City, and whether it was new technology or New Armor, the Sky Alliance was very interested, causing Farey to have to travel back and forth between the two places.


    During this time, Farey had already met with Rocky three times, and Rocky had taken these meetings as opportunities to propose his conditions for joining the Sky Alliance.


    The conditions could be generally summarized into two:


    Rocky''s first condition was since he was bringing new technology into the Alliance, and would inevitably share it with the Alliance once the technology development succeeded, he felt the Alliance should reward him with something, such as Contribution Points.


    As mentioned before, the operation of the Sky Alliance was entirely based on a Contribution Points system. The more Contribution Points a member had, the better their treatment would be. They could even be upgraded from an external member to a core member. Moreover, within the Alliance, Contribution Points also served as a form of currency, enabling the purchase of many items that were hard or even impossible to buy outside.


    Since Contribution Points were so important, obtaining them within the Alliance would not be an easy task. Though the Alliance provided various channels for members to earn Contribution Points, they either required a lot of time or simply involved fighting wars for the Alliance. In short, there was no such thing as a free lunch.


    Put simply, Rocky wanted to directly receive a significant number of Contribution Points upon joining the Alliance, thus saving a lot of time in his development within the Alliance.


    As for his second condition, he hoped that upon joining, the Alliance could allocate him a piece of mineral resources.


    Although land was now occupied by Demons, a behemoth like the Sky Alliance still had the capability to carve out some scattered territories on land. Of course, these territories were not wastelands; instead, they were areas like mines, forests, and lakes that possessed rich resources. After all, for such a vast entity as the Sky Alliance to operate normally, it required a large amount of resources, and the resources captured on land were key to its operation.


    Rocky''s second condition was his hope for the Alliance to allocate such resources to him, preferably mineral resources.


    Of course, by allocation, it didn''t mean he wanted an exclusive piece from the Alliance''s resources; instead, he would manage it. In reality, the majority of the output would still be handed over to the Alliance. However, as a manager, Rocky could also retain a portion. Perhaps this portion would not be large, but it would be sufficient for Thunderhawk City. Additionally, acting as a manager would equate to making contributions to the Alliance, so he would continuously accumulate Contribution Points.


    Rocky had presented these two conditions to Farey, but the two parties had talked three times without coming to an agreement.


    Regarding the first condition, as soon as Rocky expressed his intent, Farey nodded in agreement. After all, Contribution Points, which were not a big deal for the Sky Alliance and Rocky''s request was not high, just asking the Alliance to give him 1000 points.


    Each year, the number of Contribution Points a member could earn was clearly calculated by the Sky Alliance, according to Alliance statistics. An external member could earn about 500 Contribution Points on average per year, while a core member could earn about 2000 Contribution Points annually. By this standard, Rocky''s request was not excessive; it was merely asking for two years'' worth of Contribution Points in advance, a trivial matter. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, regarding his second request, Farey had consistently refused to agree.


    Now that land was occupied by Demons, although people relied on Sky City to survive in the air, resources were extremely scarce. Therefore, any resource, especially those produced only on land, were extremely important and valuable. The only distinction between various resources was between important and more important, valuable and more valuable.


    So even the Sky Alliance, which took this matter very seriously, was never ready to compromise easily. Thus, facing Rocky''s demand in this regard, Farey had been quite firm, consistently disagreeing.


    Of course, he also had his clear reasons, which was that Rocky was too weak.


    This reason might sound like a cop-out, but it was a solid truth, because Rocky wanted land resources, specifically mineral resources. And everyone knew that mineral resources were not only among the most valuable and important resources but also the most difficult to obtain and even harder to protect.

 Chapter 292 The Reason for Madness_2

    Because mining takes excavation.This represents the need to station people in mining areas long-term. Do you understand how dangerous this is? The land has been occupied by demons for a long time now, and any mining site, no matter whose jurisdiction it falls under, could face the threat of demons at any moment!


    Just consider, if the Alliance really agreed to Rocky''s request and allotted him a mine, it would not only mean that Rocky would have to manage and mine this site but also that he needs to defend it against the threat of demons!


    In Elder Farey''s view, Rocky clearly didn''t have this capability, because the attacks of demons were never minor skirmishes. A gathering of dozens of demons was merely a scratch, hundreds appearing together was the norm, and even thousands emerging at once were not unheard of.


    Facing such immense threats that could arise at any time, the Alliance was extremely cautious when dispatching personnel to guard mines. Those sent were always strong and fierce individuals, and Rocky obviously had not yet reached that level of strength. It was for this reason that Elder Farey had consistently declined his request.


    However, Rocky wasn''t in too much of a rush about it; he was well aware of what he was asking for¡ªa mining site! Not just the Sky Alliance, but any force would not easily agree to such a request, so he understood this matter had to be approached slowly.


    Therefore, although Elder Farey had repeatedly made it clear that the Alliance would not refuse another condition, suggesting to change the request to something else and to forget about the mine, Rocky still didn''t give up.


    Not only did he not give up, but he immediately went to the Eternal City to buy a new warship and started to hastily train with it, as if he had shifted his focus from negotiating with Elder Farey to preparing for war with Wild Horse City.


    Amidst such urgent preparations, Rocky still found time to meet with Elder Farey.


    "Elder Farey."


    This time, Rocky personally went to Elder Farey''s residence to meet with him.


    "City Lord Rocky, please have a seat."


    Since this wasn''t their first meeting, their interaction was no longer as awkward as it had been at the beginning. Upon seeing Rocky, Elder Farey invited him to sit opposite himself.


    "City Lord Rocky, you''ve been quite busy lately!"


    Once Rocky sat down, Elder Farey looked at him and said with a smile.


    Of course, his remark referred to all of Rocky''s recent activities: purchasing warships, hiring sailors, training troops. With such high levels of attention, all his actions were clearly observed by others.


    "They are just minor matters, not worth mentioning."


    Rocky smiled faintly, took a sip from his teacup, and then said, "Elder Farey, I''m not sure if you have heard of Backhill Village."


    "Backhill Village?"


    Hearing this name, Elder Farey''s eyes showed a trace of puzzlement.


    Elder Farey wasn''t surprised by Rocky''s visit, as he had even guessed what Rocky intended to discuss¡ªnamely, joining the Alliance. This was exactly why Elder Farey was caught off guard when Rocky suddenly mentioned Backhill Village, leaving him confused and unsure of Rocky''s intentions.


    As for Backhill Village, Elder Farey certainly hadn''t heard of it. The world was too vast for him to be acquainted with every place.


    Seeing Elder Farey shake his head, Rocky smiled and explained, "Backhill Village is a small village I have visited before..."


    In just a few words, he briefly described the situation of Backhill Village to Elder Farey and then said, "Elder Farey, as I''ve said, Backhill Village is connected to a mining vein. Though the vein isn''t very large, it''s enough to sustain the village''s livelihood. However, it was eventually abandoned due to demonic unrest."


    "Oh?"


    After hearing Rocky''s words, Elder Farey frowned slightly, realizing that Rocky''s emphasis wasn''t on Backhill Village but on the mining vein it possessed!


    This piqued Elder Farey''s interest because, regardless of the vein''s size, it was still a vein! Such an important resource naturally aroused the interest of Elder Farey of the Sky Alliance. At this juncture, he also had some inkling of Rocky''s intentions.


    Therefore, he smiled and asked, "City Lord Rocky, does this mean you know the location of Backhill Village?"


    The land had been occupied by demons for a hundred years, and consequently, people had become somewhat unfamiliar with it, given that they had not returned to land for so long. Even the Sky Alliance did not have complete knowledge of the land, and many places were unknown to them, such as Backhill Village.


    "After Backhill Village was attacked by the demons, I took in all the villagers," Rocky replied, evidently knowing the exact location of Backhill Village.


    Following this statement, he continued, "Elder Farey, if I remember correctly, the rules of the Alliance state that if a resource is discovered by an Alliance member, they may manage it independently, right?"


    Although not yet a member of the Sky Alliance, Rocky had already thoroughly researched the Alliance''s rules. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Elder Farey was momentarily stunned at this comment and, although he nodded in agreement, he added, "Indeed, that''s the rule... but the prerequisite for independent management is the ability to defend that resource. Otherwise, the Alliance will still send people to guard it. If not, the Alliance will not offer protection or award Contribution Points."


    "Good," Rocky nodded with a smile upon hearing this, then chose not to continue.


    Even though he had fallen silent, Elder Farey had grasped his intention. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The reason the two had not agreed on terms was that Rocky wanted to manage a mining property, but the Alliance disagreed on this point. Considering his recent series of actions, it was easy to understand what Rocky intended.


    He was proposing a new plan to Elder Farey, which involved offering up a mining property of his own in exchange for the right to manage it himself.


    If Elder Farey still doubted Rocky''s capabilities, then the upcoming major battle with Wild Horse City would surely prove whether Rocky was qualified to manage the resource he was bringing.


    Many thought Rocky was mad to initiate a battle with Wild Horse City, but he certainly hadn''t lost his mind. His actions were calculated, aiming to use the battle as leverage for securing greater benefits!


    Indeed, Rocky had been hatching such a scheme since his first meeting with Elder Farey had ended. He had never forgotten about the mining vein in Backhill Village, a critical resource he lacked the power to claim before.


    But with the backing of the Sky Alliance after joining, he would have that power. So, his target had always been the mining vein in Backhill Village. He didn''t bring it up immediately to Farey to maneuver strategically.


    Now, with everything in place, Rocky finally presented his true request as if revealing the dagger at the end of the scheme. If Elder Farey still disagreed, it would be a lack of sincerity.


    So when Rocky left, Elder Farey shook his head with a smile at the departing figure. He had felt something amiss with Rocky''s request and now fully understood Rocky''s cunning.


    To Elder Farey, these were simple tricks, but he liked them, even admired them. Considering Rocky''s current status and strength, how else should he vie for a chance to survive without such cunning? It was unrealistic to expect him to consider the entire scope of the Sky Alliance''s situation!


    "This guy..."


    So after Rocky left, Elder Farey took a sip of his tea with a chuckle, knowing that all he needed to do was wait for the battle between Rocky and Wild Horse City to unfold and then see if Rocky truly held the strength he claimed.


    Elder Farey was quite looking forward to it!

 Chapter 293 The War Horn!

    "Damn it!"Karlo slammed the intelligence he held heavily onto the ground and cursed viciously.


    This intelligence was what he had just purchased from the Shadow Alliance, and it was entirely about Rocky''s affairs.


    At this moment, Karlo had been staking out outside Eternal City for nearly half a year, waiting for Rocky to come out, especially in the past one or two months because according to his estimation, Rocky, after hiding in Eternal City for so long, should soon be unable to afford the costly protection fee, which means he would have to leave soon, and Karlo had been waiting for this moment!


    For half a year, Karlo had been waiting for this moment. His hatred for Rocky had reached an unbearable level. First, Rocky had wiped out his painstakingly-built Air Pirate Group, and then made him suffer a setback in Eternal City, to the extent that he couldn''t even enter the city now. These two things combined had caused Karlo immeasurable losses, and he absolutely despised Rocky. Even without Lexington''s instigation, he would never let things go.


    However, just when Karlo was fully on guard and ready to make Rocky''s death certain once he appeared, a piece of big news suddenly reached his ears¡ªnaturally, it was about the new technology Aniye and the others had come up with.


    After the last assassination attempt had failed, Karlo couldn''t enter Eternal City but at least he was still well-informed. So when Aniye and the others finished their press conference, he got the message immediately, and then he was completely confounded...


    No matter what, Karlo had not expected Rocky to cause such a big stir!


    And after learning this news, Karlo immediately panicked. Having been a City Lord for many years, he was all too aware of the change this would bring about for Rocky. Rocky would inevitably be favored by various major forces, and as long as he wasn''t a fool, he would surely join one of them.


    This meant that Karlo himself was in trouble!


    Because once Rocky joined a force, any action Karlo took against Rocky would face massive risks. No, it wasn''t about risk¡ªit would be impossible to lay a hand on him. Rocky was now the center of attention, the darling in everyone''s eyes. If Karlo acted against him at this time, it would be tantamount to provoking those beings he couldn''t afford to offend.


    But Karlo had already wasted half a year in his efforts to deal with Rocky, even offending Eternal City in the process. If he were to just let things go... Honestly, Karlo himself was unwilling.


    That wasn''t even the most important part. What made Karlo even more vexed was that, once Rocky joined a certain force, he would essentially be under powerful protection, and then it was not just about whether Karlo could touch him, but whether Rocky might retaliate against him! Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire


    The situation had changed so drastically and so suddenly that Karlo was caught off guard, which is why he immediately sent someone to buy intelligence from the Shadow Alliance¡ªthe very report he had just thrown on the ground.


    And according to the intelligence provided by the Shadow Alliance, the situation was indeed as he had anticipated. Rocky had become a highly sought-after figure. Many top-tier forces, including the Sky Alliance, had extended invitations to him. Although Rocky had not yet made it clear which side he would join, it was only a matter of time.


    Honestly, upon seeing this intelligence, Karlo began to think about retreating. As a City Lord, he was no fool. The reason he had been fixated on Rocky was that Karlo was very clear that Rocky was no match for him, that his own fleet could decimate Rocky''s fleet with ease, that he could crush Rocky like squashing a bug. Rocky, once targeted by him, was as good as dead.


    But now things were different. If Rocky joined a major force, it would be like he had a huge backer. In this situation, Karlo wouldn''t provoke him, especially since he had no such backer to support himself.


    So at this time, Karlo no longer wanted to continue this grudge with Rocky. It wasn''t a vendetta for a murdered father; there was no need for him to invite such trouble.


    However, as previously mentioned, a battle between him and Rocky was inevitable. When Rocky didn''t want to fight, Karlo wouldn''t let him go; conversely, now that Karlo was thinking of withdrawing, Rocky wouldn''t let him slip away easily!


    Thus, on this day, Karlo sat in his study drinking tea and flipping through a book, but his thoughts were not on its contents. Instead, he was considering whether he should move Wild Horse City out of the way to avoid Rocky''s edge.


    But just then, just as Karlo was feeling troubled about this matter, the door to the study was suddenly barged open!


    "My Lord! My Lord!"


    As the door was forced open, a Guard rushed in from outside, panting heavily in front of Karlo.


    "You fool! Don''t you have any manners?!"


    Karlo, startled, immediately scolded the Guard, his face showing instant anger.


    "My Lord, no, it''s bad!"


    However, facing his reprimand, the Guard didn''t have time to apologize and hurriedly said, "My Lord, Thunderhawk City''s fleet has appeared!"


    "What?!"


    Upon hearing this, Karlo was at first stunned, then disbelief spread across his expression. He rose from his seat at once, "How many warships?"


    "There are..." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the Guard began to speak, another one burst into the study!

 Chapter 293 The War Horn!_2

    "Sir! Sir! Please, take a look at this..."The second Guard who burst into the study couldn''t even finish his sentence before he handed a letter to Karlo. As Karlo took the letter with a puzzled look, he was completely dumbfounded.


    "A Declaration of War from Thunderhawk City against Wild Horse City!"


    Looking down at the letter in his hand, Karlo immediately saw the bold words¡ªit was indeed a declaration of war handed to him by Rocky!


    Seeing this declaration, Karlo''s mind buzzed and exploded. What was going on?


    Just three days ago, he had purchased intelligence from the Shadow Alliance, which clearly stated that Rocky had not joined any alliance or organization. Therefore, although Karlo was worried, he felt that he at least had time to think things through. After all, before joining an alliance, Rocky wouldn''t have the strength to provoke him.


    But what was happening now?


    How had Rocky suddenly declared war on him? Could it be that he had joined some alliance within these three days?


    Impossible, Karlo quickly dismissed the possibility. He had already made arrangements with the Shadow Alliance and even paid them. If Rocky had joined an alliance, the Shadow Alliance would have informed him at once. Since there was no news from them, it meant that Rocky had not joined any alliance.


    This only made the situation more puzzling for Karlo. Just then, a distant, deep sound came from the far horizon...


    Boom...


    Boom...


    Boom, boom...


    The sound of cannon fire!


    The thunderous sound of the cannons appeared unexpectedly, the noise flowing through the study''s window and directly into Karlo''s ears...


    It was at that moment that the third Guard rushed into the study!


    "Sir! The Thunderhawk City Fleet is firing at us!"


    "Shut up! Head to the Skyport at once!"


    Kicking the Guard blocking his path, Karlo rushed out of the study and headed straight for the carriage to the Wild Horse City Skyport!


    ...


    ...


    Time rewinds to this morning.


    This morning, having stayed within the airspace of Eternal City for half a year, Thunderhawk City suddenly activated its flight mode and then slowly flew out of Eternal City''s airspace, heading straight for the airspace above Wild Horse City, which was stationed outside.


    Meanwhile, inside the Skyport of Thunderhawk City, the entire First Fleet of Thunderhawk City was ready. Following Rocky''s command, ten large warships ascended one after another.


    After a long preparation, Rocky had finally readied everything, which meant that the war between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City was set to commence today!


    "Pass my orders, maintain formation, and advance at full speed towards Wild Horse City!"


    Standing on the deck of War Steed, clad in White Demon Armor, Rocky waved his hand and issued the command to advance at full speed. With his order, the fleet slowly flew out of the Defensive Net and headed towards the nearby Wild Horse City.


    After more than a month of training, the sailors of Thunderhawk City had become fully familiar with the new warships. With Rocky''s consent, they also had christened new names for the new warships.


    With the approval of Thunderhawk City''s fleet, sanctioned by Rocky, the Dominator Type 2 battleship was named War Steed, the Fire God Type 3 Air Cruiser was named Hunter, and the four destroyers were named Guardians No. 1 to No. 4. Along with the already-named Thunderhawk and other escort ships, each of the large warships of Thunderhawk City now had its own name.


    After being reorganized, the First Fleet of Thunderhawk City appeared to comprise only ten warships¡ªa seemingly small number. Yet, when this fleet actually took to the skies and left the Defensive Net, it was immensely formidable.


    This was not surprising, because just one battleship was over three hundred meters long, air cruisers were over two hundred meters, and even the smallest destroyers and escort ships were around one hundred meters each. A fleet consisting of such numerous large warships flying in the sky looked like a terrifying black cloud!


    And with such a massive fleet soaring majestically, Wild Horse City could not have missed it. As a medium-sized Sky City, constantly engaged in battles, it naturally had early warning systems. So, as soon as Rocky led the fleet into the visual range of Wild Horse City, they were spotted, and the duty fleet immediately took to the skies¡ªwhich was when the first Guard rushed to report to Karlo.


    However, due to the suddenness of the event, the fleet sent out from Wild Horse City was not very large, comprising only five escort ships and twenty reconnaissance ships, which certainly was not the full strength of Wild Horse City; this was just an emergency airborne alert force.


    Thus, the two fleets soon encountered each other, and then Rocky had Lin Feng deliver a declaration of war to them, which was immediately sent into the city by their personnel as well.


    But after delivering the declaration of war, and before Wild Horse City could react, Rocky unhesitatingly ordered to fire! Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Fire!!"


    "Fire!"


    "Fire!!!"


    At Rocky''s command, all warships received the order through the magic energy communicator, and then the muzzles of over a hundred magic cannons simultaneously burst into flames, sounding the horn of war.


    The deafening sound of cannons erupted at that moment, and a net of firepower composed of mana cannonballs instantly enveloped the fleet of Wild Horse City, sinking more than ten reconnaissance ships and one escort ship in an instant!


    You should know that Wild Horse City''s fleet was no pushover; the quality of their warships was high, including the reconnaissance ships. Their main fleet was even composed entirely of fifth-generation warships.


    Moreover, Wild Horse City''s fleet could be said to be battle-hardened; they had constant disputes with Fire Elf City, and in those ongoing battles, from commander to soldier, their experience was extremely rich. In fact, they were already in tight formation and prepared for combat even before Rocky ordered to fire.


    But unfortunately, the gap between the two sides was too great...


    Due to the hasty ascent, the warships dispatched by Wild Horse City did not even make up a complete fleet; though numerous, most were reconnaissance ships. But in the face of a combat group led by battleships, what could reconnaissance ships do besides scout?


    Therefore, just after one round of cannon fire, more than half of the reconnaissance ships were decimated!


    In the process, the only five escort ships that Wild Horse City had tried to deploy their defensive nets immediately, but Rocky''s side had overwhelming firepower. Under such powerful firepower, the defensive nets of the escort ships were just not up to the task and were immediately sunk.


    After just one exchange of fire, they lost over ten reconnaissance ships and one escort ship, which made the opposing commander dare not linger and immediately ordered to turn the ships around to retreat toward Wild Horse City. But how could Rocky give them a chance?


    When the enemy was preparing to retreat, an earth-shattering boom suddenly echoed from the War Steed, followed by an immensely huge column of light! S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Sky-piercing Cannon, boasting ten thousand points of power¡ªfired!


    Under Rocky''s command, the main cannon of the War Steed fired!


    The noise from the cannon was so loud that even Rocky, protected by his armor, felt his ears buzzing. The tremendous impact knocked down a group of guards on deck, and after the shot, when they looked toward the enemy again, they saw two escort ships simultaneously disintegrating in the air!


    One shot split two!


    With just one shot, the Sky-piercing Cannon proved its unmatched power by sinking two escort ships!


    Although it was anticipated, when Rocky personally witnessed two escort ships disintegrate in the air at the same time, he still couldn''t help but gasp¡ªit was simply too powerful.


    And with that, there was nothing more to say about the battle. With just two rounds of firing, three of Wild Horse City''s five escort ships were sunk, and all twenty reconnaissance ships were destroyed. As for the remaining two escort ships, they didn''t last a few minutes before they exploded under intense firepower.


    Thus, the alert force sent from Wild Horse City was completely annihilated!


    But although the opponent''s forces were wiped out instantly, Rocky didn''t relax at all. He immediately ordered the fleet to adjust formation and commanded Liliya and Monte with their Void Magic Armors to get ready for combat!


    Rocky was well aware that what had just been destroyed was only a small detachment of Wild Horse City. The enemy''s truly formidable fleet had not shown itself yet, which meant the battle was far from over; in fact, it had hardly even begun!


    He was not wrong, because soon after, from the direction of Wild Horse City came a fleet comparable to theirs in strength, also composed entirely of large warships and similarly immense!


    Wild Horse City''s main force had finally appeared!

 Chapter 294 Command Confrontation!

    Under the heavy firepower, the early warning forces of Wild Horse City were quickly obliterated. But before Rocky could celebrate, the enemy''s main force emerged!Although the previous battle ended swiftly, it still took time. It was with this time that the main force of Wild Horse City was able to mobilize.


    For Wild Horse City, a veteran in warfare, this kind of emergency was not new. They were constantly at war with Fire Elf City and often experienced similar stealth attacks, so their response was extremely fast. By the time Karlo reached the military port as quickly as possible, the main force of Wild Horse City had also set out.


    "There''s no need to rush. Adjust the formation properly. All warships spread out."


    Standing on the deck of the flagship, a veteran general over fifty years old was issuing orders in an orderly fashion, appearing unhurried as if he wasn''t engaged in battle.


    The fleet dispatched by Wild Horse City was not commanded by Karlo. As the City Lord of a medium-sized Sky City, Karlo would not easily mobilize. This wasn''t a matter of courage but of status, so someone else commanded the fleet before us.


    This man, named Madison, was very tall, a good head taller than the sailors on the deck. Although over fifty, his spirit was full, and he carried an imposing military air about him.


    As a medium-sized Sky City, Wild Horse City had four regular fleets. Madison was one of the Commanders of these fleets. Born in Wild Horse City, he had been in the military for over thirty years. He joined the air force of Wild Horse City in his early twenties, starting from the lowest rank as a sailor and working his way up to the position of Commander, in charge of the Third Fleet of Wild Horse City, which was now slowly approaching Rocky.


    Madison, a veteran of over thirty years in the military, had experienced countless air battles, big and small. Therefore, even if Rocky''s arrival was sudden and the attack was swift, even obliterating Wild Horse City''s vanguard in the blink of an eye, Madison remained calm and not the least bit flustered. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As already mentioned, Wild Horse City had abundant warfare experience. Although they were somewhat unprepared for this battle, their reaction was quite fast. Hence, when Madison led his Third Fleet into the sky, Rocky hadn''t entirely wiped out the vanguard.


    That meant if Madison had accelerated at full speed immediately after departure, Rocky might not have had any time to adjust and would have been forced into combat.


    But as the Commander of this battle, after Madison led the fleet away from Wild Horse City''s Defensive Net, he didn''t rush into the fight. Rather, he stopped the fleet just outside Wild Horse City, using this time to carefully observe the enemy, namely Rocky and his fleet.


    This was where Madison''s experience shone!


    Being battle-hardened, he knew he couldn''t rescue the vanguard. The battlefield wasn''t at the doorstep of Wild Horse City. Although it looked close, by the time he led his fleet there, his own forces would have already been annihilated.


    Secondly, due to the suddenness of the situation, Madison did not even know who the enemy was before taking off. Although he heard that Thunderhawk City was initiating the attack, he didn''t know the enemy''s force strength or configuration. Under these circumstances, he was even less likely to rush forward blindly.


    Therefore, not only did Madison refrain from rescuing his forces, but he also used the opportunity of the vanguard engaging in combat to closely observe Rocky. It was only after the battle had completely ended that he ordered his fleet to slowly approach Rocky.


    While slowly closing in on Rocky, Madison ordered the fleet to disperse, causing the entire fleet to gradually form a line in the sky. Each warship was spaced very far apart. Once the fleet approached Rocky in this formation, Madison gave the order to fire!


    "Use the main cannons to attack."


    Standing on the deck, Madison calmly looked through his binoculars for a moment, then relayed the command.


    His order was swiftly carried out by the different warships, and then the main cannons of each vessel discharged flames.


    The Third Fleet of Wild Horse City comprised twelve warships in total: two patrol cruisers, six destroyers, and four escort ships, all of which were of the fourth generation. Each warship was equipped with several main cannons, with the patrol cruisers boasting as many as eight!


    Thus, when these twelve warships collectively aimed their main cannons at Rocky''s fleet and fired simultaneously, although the gunfire was not dense, it was still impressive, feeling like a series of loud but spaced thunderclaps in the sky.


    "Deploy the Defensive Net! Spread out! Immediately, all units spread out!"


    Facing this barrage of attacks from the main cannons, Rocky immediately ordered his fleet to deploy defenses and to disperse at once.


    "Hmph..."


    Watching Rocky''s fleet scatter under his bombardment, Madison on the deck just let out a small laugh, as if everything was under his control...


    "Order the fleet to continue firing. If they won''t come to us, there''s no need for us to go to them,"


    Madison said with a slight smile to his adjutant, who then quickly ran off to communicate the command.


    Without a doubt, when it came to the experience in air combat, especially the experience of commanding large fleet battles, Rocky still had a long way to go when compared to Madison! Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 294 Command Confrontation!_2

    Rocky was not without experience. He had personally commanded the fights against Baron Wolin and the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, and these battles had allowed him to amass quite a bit of experience. Thus, he had immediately adjusted his formation after the first battle to prepare for an even larger conflict¡ªa decision that clearly stemmed from experiential judgment.However, his experience, while perhaps rich compared to some, paled in comparison to that of Madison, a veteran of many battles. This gap led to Rocky''s relatively superficial understanding of aerial combat, his immature grasp of the situation, and incorrect judgments on the spot. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Take the present situation, for instance.


    Earlier, after Madison had led his fleet in observing from a distance, he had in fact given Rocky ample time to prepare. Indeed, Rocky had taken this opportunity to adjust his formation, so, in theory, he should have been the one waiting at ease in this battle because he was already prepared and just waiting for the enemies to approach.


    However, faced with Rocky''s well-prepared defenses, Madison chose to respond with long-range artillery strikes.


    It must be said that Madison''s command capabilities were demonstrated in this single decision alone!


    The fleet sent out by Wild Horse City, though numerically superior, had only two additional destroyers and its core comprised two patrol cruisers; on the other hand, Rocky''s fleet, though numbering only ten ships, was formed around a battleship and a patrol cruiser as its core. This clearly outlined the disparity in the actual strength between the two fleets.


    The firepower of a battleship was undoubtedly stronger than that of a patrol cruiser, so a battleship paired with a patrol cruiser was definitely stronger than two patrol cruisers. Furthermore, Rocky''s fleet consisted entirely of the most advanced fifth-generation ships, whereas Madison''s fleet was a generation behind, with fourth-generation ships. Although Madison had two more ships, a comprehensive comparison still showed Rocky''s fleet to be more formidable.


    This disparity was calculated by Madison after he had a clear view of Rocky''s setup. Hence, he ordered his fleet to attack from a distance using their main guns, knowing that his fleet''s overall firepower was definitely inferior to his opponent''s, especially since Rocky had a battleship. If they had exchanged fire directly, particularly when the opponent was all set and waiting in anticipation, he would definitely not come out on top.


    But since his fleet had more ships and therefore more main guns, he ordered them to use the range advantage of their main guns to strike from a distance. This way, they wouldn''t need to compete with the enemy''s firepower directly, ensuring more safety for his own side and causing significant damage.


    The formidable power of the main guns on large warships, coupled with the targeting systems on the ships Madison commanded, ensured a degree of accuracy that was crucial. More importantly, as Rocky had already adjusted his formation, all warships were quite concentrated, making them even more likely to be hit.


    Consequently, the well-prepared Rocky was forced to disperse his fleet, as he dared not let his ships endure the bombardment directly. The battleship and patrol cruisers might have held up, but the destroyers and escort ships certainly could not withstand the bombardment from the main guns of patrol cruisers; particularly the escort ships, which would sink after two hits.


    However, from the moment he ordered his fleet to disperse, he lost the advantage of being prepared in advance and waiting for the enemy to enter into his fire network.


    Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire


    Indeed, if Rocky could have judged more accurately and made a more decisive decision, he should not have let the fleet disperse, but rather should have charged forward despite the attack.


    Because while Madison''s offensive looked frightening, the main guns, though strong in their attack, fired slowly and couldn''t form an effective and sustained fire network. This meant that if Rocky could withstand the first round of attacks, he might have been able to get close to the enemy before the second round began. At that point, it would be the enemy covered by the fire network.


    Unfortunately, the battlefield does not entertain ''what ifs,'' so in this initial exchange, Madison was clearly more adept.


    Of course, Rocky was not going to sit idly by; as he ordered his fleet to disperse, he also commanded all warships to immediately strike back with their main guns.


    Thus, the battlefield saw both fleets attacking each other with their main guns from a great distance, the deafening sounds of gunfire echoing continuously¡ªa truly spectacular scene.


    "Thunderhawk City is going to lose..."


    "The gap between the two commanders is too obvious."


    "Who is commanding at Wild Horse City? Quite shrewd, aren''t they?"


    When Rocky and Madison were staging a great battle in the sky, more than ten Sky Cities were spectating around the battlefield; as the fight continued, these spectators each had different reactions.


    Outside the airspace of Eternal City, there were always dozens or hundreds of Sky Cities docked, so when Rocky suddenly launched an attack on Wild Horse City, many nearby Sky Cities were startled, causing many of their fleets to urgently take off, and it wasn''t until they confirmed that Rocky was not attacking them that the City Lords of these Sky Cities felt relieved.


    Meanwhile, these City Lords developed an intense interest in this great battle. Disputes openly fought under so many watchful eyes were exceedingly rare, so even royal figures couldn''t resist their curiosity and turned into eager onlookers, starting to enjoy the spectacle.


    Among those watching the battle were many seasoned war experts who could immediately discern the strengths and weaknesses, pointing out the disparity between the commanders.


    Not only that, but they were also the first to spot the danger Rocky was facing; even in their view, Rocky was already teetering on the edge of defeat¡ªif he didn''t react soon, he would lose!


    In fact, it was indeed so!


    Fortunately, shortly thereafter Rocky made a response, because after several rounds of cannon fire, he finally recognized the problem!


    After several rounds of cannon fire, Rocky realized something was amiss.


    First, in the process of the main cannons firing at each other, he found that he was not gaining any advantage at all. His side was already short by two warships, but more importantly, because the Dominator Type 2 battleship''s main cannon was extremely powerful, it only had one cannon and it took a long time to charge after each fire. This meant that his strongest battleship couldn''t do much in the fight, which made the number of main cannons on his side even fewer and completely unable to compete with the opponent in terms of firepower.


    Secondly, the opponent''s formation was too dispersed, making it very difficult to hit them.


    Rocky''s side was already short on main cannons, and coupled with the enemy spreading out too widely, they had even more space to avoid being hit. Thus, after a long exchange of fire, not a single shot hit them, while two of his own Escort Ships had already been hit and had to hide behind the battleship.


    With this, who was advantaged and who was disadvantaged became very clear.


    Only at this point did Rocky realize the severity of the problem, finally understanding why the opponent had their Fleet in such a dispersed, straight line formation, and realizing that he had fallen into the enemy''s trap!


    So, after realizing this, he immediately issued a new command!


    "Order the Fleet to adjust formation, with War Steed and Hunter as the vanguard, the Escort Fleet behind, quickly close in on the enemy!"


    Realizing that continuing the battle this way was too disadvantageous, Rocky immediately ordered an adjustment of his Fleet''s formation to have the battleship and patrol cruiser with the highest defensive power lead the forefront, to withstand the enemy''s attacks while quickly closing in on them.


    Although somewhat slow to catch on, Rocky finally reacted and decidedly made the most appropriate response.


    However, facing his response, especially facing the advancing battleship-led Fleet, Madison was calm and composed, as he had already anticipated that Rocky would make such a move¡ªthis reaction was precisely what Madison had hoped to see!


    PS: It''s Monday, a new week, seek recommendations! Seek recommendations! Seek recommendations!

 Chapter 295 Riding the Winds and Breaking the Waves!

    Having realized that his side was entirely at a disadvantage in the exchange of main gun fire, Rocky immediately changed strategies and led the entire fleet in a charge!Under his command, the battleships and cruisers, which should have been protected, became the vanguard of the fleet, while the destroyers and escort ships, with slightly weaker defensive power, hid behind the two larger ships, and then the entire fleet began a full-speed assault.


    "Maximize the Defensive Net!"


    Standing at the bow of the War Steed, Rocky watched the distant enemy forces as he issued commands. At his order, the power of the War Steed''s Defensive Net was immediately boosted to its maximum, causing a visible layer of light to shine around the warship.


    At the same moment, a main gun shell from the enemy struck the Defensive Net! Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    With a thunderous boom, the Defensive Net, struck directly by the enemy''s main gun, burst into brilliant light, and the War Steed''s hull also experienced a certain degree of shaking; however, when the light and shaking dissipated in turn, the War Steed had not sustained any damage and continued to close in on the enemy at high speed.


    "Roar!!"


    "Yoho!!!"


    Discovering that the warship was completely undamaged, the crew on deck could not help but burst into cheers. Standing at the bow, Rocky also slightly curled up the corners of his mouth. This was the battleship, not only called an air fortress because of its formidable firepower but also because its defensive power was a strong suit of battleships!


    "Gunners ready, attack as soon as the enemy comes into range!"


    "Yes!"


    Since the main gun attack was completely ineffective, Rocky was relieved and immediately issued a new order; following this, Uncle Wil hurriedly ran to the gun deck, shouting at the gunners:


    "Lads! It''s your time to show what you''re made of! Let the enemy see your might!"


    "Understood!"


    "Don''t worry, Uncle, we''ll sink them all!"


    "Finally, we can fire!"


    Having played virtually no role in the earlier long-range artillery fire, the gunners on the War Steed were already frustrated, so when they heard the command to prepare to fire, they roared with excitement.


    Meanwhile, on the deck of the Hunter, the patrol cruiser, Felly, who was in charge, also kept issuing commands.


    "Keep close to War Steed, not too fast!"


    Since the speed of the patrol cruiser was faster than that of the battleship, Felly had to slow down the warship a bit to ensure that the War Steed led the vanguard, the Hunter followed, and the rest of the warships trailed behind.


    "When we get close to the enemy, ignore the escort ships, stick with the City Lord, and go straight for the enemy''s patrol cruisers; no one is allowed to screw this up!"


    "Yes!"


    "Yes!"


    As the Fleet Commander of Thunderhawk City, Felly also possessed considerable prestige, and after several aerial battles, he had gained considerable experience. His on-the-spot commanding was quite impressive.


    Thus, under the leadership of battleships and patrol cruisers, Rocky''s Fleet quickly approached the Third Fleet led by Madison.


    During this process, Wild Horse City''s fleet did not cease their attack. Twelve warships heated their main cannons to glowing red, venting their gunfire as much as possible.


    However, as previously mentioned, although the firepower of the warship main cannons was immense, their firing rate was too low. Dominator Type 2 battleships needed more than fifteen minutes to recharge their main cannon before firing again. The recharge time for the main cannons of patrol cruisers, destroyers, and escort ships may not have been that long, but it still took several minutes, even five or six, to fire again, making it essentially impossible to form an effective net of firepower.


    Therefore, facing the constantly approaching enemy fleet, Wild Horse City''s fleet, despite firing as much as possible and hitting their targets, hardly managed to act as a deterrent because the battleships'' defensive power was too strong. It''s no exaggeration to say that unless all of Wild Horse City''s warships could hit the War Steed with their main cannons simultaneously, causing the War Steed''s Defensive Net to overload and break in an instant, sporadic cannon fire would have no effect.


    In this manner, the unstoppable War Steed, like a ship cutting through waves, led the fleet closer to the enemy. In the blink of an eye, they were within firing range, and once within range, the War Steed was bound to strike fiercely!


    Similarly, facing the enemy that approached like a ship cutting through waves, Madison did not hurry or panic but quickly issued several orders.


    Under his command, Wild Horse City''s fleet quickly began to close ranks, forming a ''concave'' formation, clearly planning to use the extra two warships'' advantage to surround Rocky once he got closer.


    And minutes later, both sides had entered each other''s firing range!


    "Fire! Aim at the opponent''s flagship and hit them hard!" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as they entered the shooting range, Rocky issued the command to fire. The eager gunners quickly aimed all cannons at one of the enemy''s patrol cruisers and fired simultaneously!


    Not just the War Steed initiated the attack, once in range, Felly''s controlled Hunter also began its barrage!


    A battleship and a patrol cruiser, just these two warships alone with their firepower, equated to half a fleet. Therefore, when these two warships fired together, the sky suddenly erupted in gunfire, countless shells raining down like drops of rain toward the enemy warships!


    However, just then, as the War Steed and Hunter targeted the enemy''s two main warships and unleashed their firepower, Madison''s ''concave'' formation began to close.


    The escort ships on the wings of the formation quickly moved towards each other and merged successfully in no time. The originally ''concave'' formation thus transformed into a ''box'' formation, enclosing Rocky''s fleet within a pocket formation!


    As the encirclement was successfully executed, Wild Horse City''s fleet also opened fire in unison, launching a fierce barrage from all around toward Rocky''s fleet. Similarly, Rocky''s destroyers and escort ships counterattacked immediately, plunging the battle into its most brutal phase.


    By enclosing the enemy in a pocket formation, Madison''s intentions were clearly to annihilate Rocky completely, but this move puzzled many because it simply wasn''t feasible!


    It''s pertinent to note that although Madison''s fleet had more ships, it was only by two destroyers. This advantage was definitely not enough to annihilate the enemy. More importantly, his main warships were not as strong as Rocky''s. The two patrol cruisers in a head-on confrontation surely could not defeat the combination of a battleship and a patrol cruiser. Therefore, even if Madison encircled Rocky in a pocket formation, once his own two patrol cruisers were sunk, the pocket formation would break, and with the silence of the main warships, the outcome of the battle would no longer be in doubt!


    Madison, a veteran of many battles, surely hadn''t overlooked this point. How could he make such a mistake?!


    Experienced and savvy as he was, Madison certainly did not make this mistake. In fact, he had other plans!


    As soon as the pocket formation was formed, Madison waved his hand and issued an order:


    "Deploy the Void Magic Squad. Don''t worry about the enemy''s battleships and patrol cruisers, just obliterate their escort fleet!"

 Chapter 296 Squad VS Squad!

    Madison, of course, knew his fleet could not contain Rocky, but he also knew he held a trump card far mightier than his fleet ¨C the Void Magic Squad!So when Rocky entered the pocket formation, he immediately ordered the Void Magic Squad to strike, targeting the escort ships and destroyers directly.


    Madison was truly cunning and calculating. From the beginning, he knew that if he wanted to win this battle, he could only rely on the power of the Void Magic Squad. That''s why he initially opted for long-range bombardment, to force Rocky closer to him. After that, he used the pocket formation to trap Rocky, ensuring he couldn''t escape, and finally deployed the Void Magic Squad to annihilate Rocky''s escort fleet.


    Once accomplished, Rocky''s battleships and patrol cruisers would no longer be a threat. A single log cannot prop up a failing sky city; without the protection of the escort fleet, could the battleships and patrol cruisers still stand against the entire fleet? Obviously not!


    So, at his command, ten Void Magic Warriors from the fully organized squad were deployed!


    In an instant, ten Void Magic Warriors soared from the two patrol cruisers. After flying out of the defensive net, they immediately dispersed, pairing off and heading straight for Rocky''s escort fleet.


    As a mid-sized sky city, Wild Horse City not only possessed a Void Magic Squad, but the quality of its squad was exceptionally high. For instance, the current squad consisted of ten Void Magic Warriors, with the squad leader wearing Fifth Generation Special Armor, while the rest donned uniform Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armors.


    This armor configuration was considered high-end, capable of inflicting massive damage on any foe on the battlefield. Needless to say, with Special Armor, the squad leader could single-handedly take on any large warship except for a battleship, and although those in Mass-Produced Armor might not be able to destroy a large warship one-on-one, pairing up made it easy to eliminate an escort ship or destroyer.


    Such a high-end configured Void Magic Squad was indeed Madison''s ace in the hole!


    "Launch smoke grenades, entangle their flagship and patrol cruisers, and buy time for the Void Magic Squad to annihilate the escort fleet."


    After dispatching the Void Magic Squad, Madison issued another order. Immediately, two patrol cruisers fired twice into the sky, but the fired shells were not Magic Energy Bullets; they were physical shells that exploded after flying out of the defensive net, turning into billows of smoke.


    As the smoke grenades continued to be fired, the smoke merged into one mass, resembling a thin cloud, enveloping the two patrol cruisers within it!


    Furthermore, the two patrol cruisers not only released smoke grenades around themselves but also towards the War Steed and the Hunter, causing all four warships to be engulfed in fog within minutes!


    In these layers of fog, the huge silhouettes of the warships flickered in and out of view. Although one could still discern their exact locations, their targeting systems failed because the surrounding fog primarily served to disrupt the warships'' targeting systems. Once the warships'' targeting systems were impaired, they had no choice but to rely on sight for targeting, which naturally significantly reduced their accuracy.


    Under this disruption, the roles of the War Steed and the Hunter were undoubtedly greatly reduced. Although Wild Horse City''s two patrol cruisers were also unable to fight at full capacity, Madison didn''t care. In his view, as long as he could impair the enemy''s effectiveness, he had already won the battle, for he still had the Void Magic Squad!


    It must be said, Madison''s plan was indeed one loop within another, like a series of connected traps leading Rocky by the nose, ultimately luring him step by step into his own snare.


    However, at that moment, Madison received a report from his deputy.


    "Sir, the Void Magic Squad has sent a message..." Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire


    "What''s the situation?"


    "The enemy''s Void Magic Squad has also been deployed!"


    Standing before Madison, the aide hurriedly reported the message from their own Void Magic Squad ¨C they had encountered resistance from the enemy!


    When Madison deployed his own Void Magic Squad, Rocky naturally didn''t just sit by passively so he immediately took action with Liliya, Monte, Lin Feng, Sandro, and Dusa to intercept the enemy!


    "Oh?"


    On hearing these words, Madison slightly furrowed his brow and then asked, "How many?"


    "It seems there are only six people, not even a full squad, and their commander is among them."


    "In that case..." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing the adjutant''s report, Madison pondered for a moment, then immediately said, "Change the squad''s objective, kill the opposing commander!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    With that, the adjutant hurried into the cabin and conveyed Madison''s orders to their Void Magic Squad through the Magic Energy Communicator.


    "All members, be advised, change of combat objective, focus on killing the enemy Void Magic Warrior!"


    After receiving the command, the captain of the Wild Horse City Void Magic Squad relayed the orders to all team members, "Herman, Bodhati, Civic, Domiir, the four of you come with me to eliminate the enemy commander, the rest of you are free to choose your targets, remember, we need a swift and decisive victory!"


    "Understood!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    With the change in battle strategy, the Void Magic Squad from Wild Horse City promptly shifted their focus to Rocky and his team, and what''s more, Rocky as the commander received special attention, not only was he targeted by the captain wearing Special Fifth-Generation Armor, but the captain also called four other members to ensure his elimination!


    With this, the face-off between the Void Magic Squads had officially begun!


    "This little guy is mine, roar!"


    Gila, a member of the Void Magic Squad, had initially been nearing an escort ship on Rocky''s side when, after receiving the orders, he turned back only to spot a figure in the distance.


    On spotting the enemy, Gila let out an excited shout through the communicator, then immediately kicked his armor into high gear and dashed towards his target!


    And the target he had spotted was Dusa!


    Dusa, wearing armor in battle for the first time, was excited yet incredibly nervous. After separating from Rocky and the others, she was actually the first to spot Gila. However, due to her excessive nervousness, she hesitated and missed the prime moment to attack. By the time she decided to draw her bow, she had already been spotted by her opponent.


    As she saw the enemy charging toward her, Dusa panicked and quickly shot an arrow, then turned to flee without looking back!


    Before the battle had begun, Rocky, Liliya, Monte, Lin Feng, and even including Sandro, had all repeatedly instructed her that if she were targeted by an enemy in battle, she shouldn''t think of anything but to turn around and run, and Dusa firmly remembered this, turning to run immediately upon being discovered by the enemy.


    "Trying to run? Hmph, you won''t get away!"


    However, Gila, who had already caught up, was not about to let her escape. The speed of his Fifth-Generation Mass-Produced Armor was instantly maxed out as he chased after her!

 Chapter 297 Captain, we need support!

    Seeing Dusa turn tail and run, Gila couldn''t help but let out a snort of mingled laughter and disapproval."People from small cities are just trash, and even armored up, you''re still trash."


    "Cut the chatter and deal with the enemy."


    "Got it, got it."


    After responding over the Magic Energy Communicator, Gila heard the team leader''s voice and carelessly gave chase after acknowledging.


    Although he was clad in a Mass Production Type Armor, it was after all the fifth generation, and the performance of the Armor in every aspect was still very much guaranteed. Therefore, when Gila began to accelerate at full force, he zipped through the air with a whoosh, pursuing Dusa as she fled.


    Noticing her enemy in pursuit, Dusa didn''t dare to pause for a moment and immediately accelerated, dodging back and forth in the air like a bird evading a hunting eagle.


    "Running quite fast..." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chasing closely after Dusa, Gila dived downwards to reach under a warship, instantly flew beneath the hull, and immediately soared up, quickly discerning Dusa''s figure before following her towards another warship.


    "Damn it! What''s she up to!"


    Gila, relentlessly pursuing and circling half a warship, couldn''t help but curse; he could distinctly feel the enemy trying to shake him off. That wasn''t the problem, but what frustrated and even baffled Gila was that he was in fact being left increasingly behind!


    To him, this was utterly inconceivable. As a Void Magic Warrior, Gila had an unparalleled understanding of Armor and had identified the type of Armor Dusa was wearing the moment he laid eyes on her.


    The Fourth Generation Jumper Model 5 Mass-Produced Armor, assault type, with a Mana capacity of 3600 points.


    How could such an Armor outpace his own?


    With his thorough knowledge of Armor, Gila realized something was wrong when he couldn''t catch up to Dusa. The two of them may both be in Mass-Produced Armor, but there was a whole generation between them, a gap that should have enabled Gila to easily catch up to Dusa. Yet, this wasn''t the case. As they continued their chase, Gila found himself being left further and further behind; especially now, Dusa was nearly out of his line of sight!


    This turn of events was entirely beyond Gila''s expectations and even seemed impossible to him.


    However, the most incredulous moment was yet to come.


    As Gila realized he was being left far behind, so did Dusa, and this naturally allowed her to breathe a sigh of relief and finally relax her tense mindset. In doing so, she recovered the state she was supposed to be in.


    It wasn''t the first time Dusa had fought in her Armor. More than a month prior, she had been sparring in her Armor with Rocky and was the only person who had ever beaten him during their practice matches.


    So, once her mindset stabilized, Dusa accelerated once more, instantly pushing her Armor''s speed to its limits!


    With her speed maximized, Dusa became like an arrow released from a bowstring, vanishing from Gila''s sight in the blink of an eye!


    "This, this... how is this possible!"


    As Gila watched Dusa disappear instantaneously with no trace left on the battlefield, he was stupefied. He hastily ceased his pursuit, hovering midair and scanning around, but Dusa was nowhere to be found. Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    The battlefield sky was not only occupied by the two of them; there were dozens of large warships exchanging fire. So, when Dusa''s figure was lost, Gila couldn''t find her despite his efforts. To his eyes, the surroundings were crowded with warships stacked one after another, with no sign of Dusa.


    "Gila, did you take out the enemy? Come support me immediately, I''m in trouble!"


    As he searched for Dusa, Gila heard a comrade''s voice through the communicator, seemingly summoning him for support.


    What''s happening?


    Were the others in the squad also in trouble?!


    "I''ve been thrown off by the enemy, Jialin, where are you? I''m on my way..."


    Since he couldn''t find Dusa, Gila naturally wouldn''t waste more time here. After all, this was a battlefield, and as a Void Magic Warrior, he had to fulfill his role. Therefore, Gila immediately replied, planning to go and support his teammate.


    But just at that moment, as he was slightly distracted during the communication with his teammate, a Magic Energy Arrow flew at him from behind!


    "Ah!"


    Facing this sudden sneak attack, Gila, who was mid-conversation, had no time to react. Mid-sentence, he felt a surge of impact from behind and then screamed as he was blasted away!


    With a loud explosion, Gila was sent flying as though he had been hit by a Magic Energy Cannon, traveling several meters in the air before he managed to gather his wits and stabilize his position.


    As a seasoned Void Magic Warrior from Wild Horse City, Gila recovered quickly from the surprise. Upon stabilizing, he immediately spread out his Defensive Net and looked in the direction of the ambush.


    As he turned around, however, he saw only one of his own warships, with nothing else in sight.


    Had they fled?


    That fast?


    Looking at the friendly Escort Ship, Gila quickly realized the attacker had fled, but how could they have escaped so swiftly?


    Just then, another arrow flew in from the side!


    Another loud explosion reverberated as the suddenly appearing Magic Energy Arrow struck the Defensive Net and exploded outside it. Although Gila was not hit directly, the force of the explosion uncontrollably knocked him back several meters.

 Chapter 297 Captain, we need support!_2

    Before he could steady his form in retreat, a series of Mana Arrows flew one after another, each hitting the Defensive Net accurately and exploding upon impact, quickly causing a series of explosions.In this barrage of explosions, Gila was knocked around like an uncontrollable kite, but that wasn''t the most crucial part. The crucial part was that the Mana Arrows didn''t stop thereafter. From the first explosion, they kept coming, hitting the Defensive Net with unerring accuracy.


    This is bad!


    With continuous attacks, Gila''s helmet soon began sounding an alarm, indicating that the Defensive Net had reached its maximum capacity. If this continued, the Defensive Net was bound to break!


    Under these circumstances, Gila, unable to steady himself, was forced to accelerate suddenly and finally managed to dodge the barrage of Mana Arrows, then began to flee at top speed!


    Yes, flee!


    He had realized just how dangerous his situation was and needed to escape immediately. If he could only get out of his opponent''s attack range and break their attack rhythm, he might have a chance to counterattack.


    But what he didn''t know was that, even as he was making his all-out effort to escape, Dusa, who had been hiding under a destroyer, was once again pulling back her bow!


    Draw the bow.


    Aim.


    Gather the Mana in the Armor.


    Release the arrow!


    These actions flowed smoothly for Dusa, and then she fired.


    With a whoosh, the released Mana Arrow tore through the air, leaving a glaring trail of light as if ripping a gash in the sky, heading straight for the fleeing Gila!


    But now Gila was not flying leisurely; he had already pushed his Armor to its limits, even faster than when he was chasing Dusa. Yet this speed was useless against Dusa''s arrow. In the blink of an eye, the Mana Arrow hit the Defensive Net accurately once again!


    Just like before, the Mana Arrow exploded upon striking the Defensive Net, but unlike before, this explosion was much more violent, so violent that it shattered the Defensive Net completely!


    "It''s over..."


    The force of the explosion interrupted Gila''s sprint, sending him flying through the air like a kite blown away by the wind, and in this moment, he knew he was doomed.


    He could not have imagined the enemy possessing such precision in shooting that it could hit him even at full sprint, and now that the Defensive Net was shattered, an enemy with such precise shooting would surely seize this opportunity to put him to death!


    Gila was indeed experienced, and his thoughts were not wrong; Dusa indeed did not miss this chance to make a kill shot!


    Without the protection of the Defensive Net, and even before he could regain his composure, Gila was hit by another arrow, followed by a second, then a third!


    Monte, Lingfeng, Dusa, and Sandro''s Special Armors had all undergone Rune modifications. Among them, Dusa''s Armor had undergone the most extensive modifications. Hammerfire had maximally weakened its defensive power but had enhanced its mobility to the utmost, and Pelaya had added a new transmission system to the Armor, increasing the power of Dusa''s Mana Arrows.


    After being hit by three consecutive arrows, the unprotected Armor was blasted apart, showing large cracks, and Gila was already unconscious from the explosion. So after the three arrows, he plummeted straight down from the sky and soon disappeared from view...


    "Yo-ho! We won!"


    Watching the enemy fall from afar, Dusa from underneath the destroyer cheered joyfully, then swiftly ran off, obviously going to support her teammates.


    ...


    ...


    "Gila! Gila, respond!"


    Jialin, who had asked Gila for support earlier, yelled twice into the communicator but got no response, sinking his heart instantly. He then immediately raised his long sword to block, and with a clang, stopped the descending axe.


    Although he blocked the axe, Jialin felt his wrist go numb, as if it was about to break!


    Glancing at the huge figure in front of him, his heart felt incredibly bitter.


    He was fighting none other than Monte at this moment!


    As a Beastman, Monte was naturally tall and burly, towering over everyone by at least a head in any situation, and after donning the Void Magic Armor, his size had grown even larger, like a giant!


    Facing the giant-like Monte, Jialin was incessantly lamenting. He had never expected this behemoth to be so ferocious. From the moment they met, Monte charged at him without dodging, took several Magic Bullets head-on and still managed to confront him up close, swinging his axe.


    Then, his nightmare began!


    Monte''s style had always been fierce, and thus Hammerfire had significantly enhanced both the offensive and defensive capabilities of his armor. As a result, Jialin simply could not withstand the axe swings from Monte. After several head-to-head clashes, Jialin felt his wrists were nearly broken.


    Theoretically, he could have utilized his ranged advantage to combat Monte, as the Void Magic Armor had powerful long-range capabilities. While Monte''s armor was remarkable in both attack and defense, it lacked mobility and speed.


    Not only did Jialin think this, but he also acted on it, finding, however, that this tactic was utterly futile against Monte, who simply shrugged off his long-range attacks. It''s not that the attacks were ineffective; they definitely were, but Monte was undeterred! Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    And let''s not forget, Monte''s armor also had long-range weaponry. Since his left arm was severed, his armor''s left arm was replaced with a powerful Magic Energy Cannon, so Monte was not afraid of exchanging fire.


    Sure enough, Jialin soon found himself overwhelmed. Just as he saw Gila chasing an enemy from a distance, he hurriedly called for him to come and support him, only to realize that Gila had died a moment before him.


    "Captain! I need support! Send someone to help me!"


    Dodging Monte''s incoming axe with a sidestep, Jialin retreated while launching a series of shoulder-mounted Magic Bullets and shouting loudly into the communicator. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The volley of Magic Bullets went straight for Monte, hitting him instantly. Some were blocked by the small shield Monte had raised, while others hit him directly. Yet, just like before, Monte charged forward, ruggedly resisting the hits and getting up close to Jialin again. Then he raised his Magic Energy Cannon in his left hand and fired it right next to Jialin''s face!


    Faced with this blast, Jialin was so frightened that he immediately dropped down, and before he could even use Magic Bullets or a Magic Energy Cannon to block Monte, he fled in panic, constantly shouting into the communicator during his escape.


    "Captain! I need support, what are you doing!"


    However, no matter how much he shouted, he received no reply from the captain, simply because their captain had no time to respond!


    Schneider, the captain of this Void Magic Squad and one of the five captains of Wild Horse City''s Void Magic Squads, this 30-year-old, who had been a Void Magic Warrior for five years, possessed both strong skills and rich experience. Otherwise, Karlo wouldn''t have chosen him as a captain, nor would he have been given the most advanced Fifth Generation Special Armor.


    But now, as Schneider faced Rocky, his hands could not stop trembling!


    Five minutes.


    Just five minutes earlier, he and four other team members had surrounded Rocky, planning to kill him, but five minutes later, only he was left facing Rocky alone!


    PS: Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! Important things must be said three times!

 Chapter 298 White Demon!

    Time rewound to five minutes earlier.Upon receiving the order, Schneider immediately took his men and surrounded Rocky. There was no helping it; Rocky was too easily recognizable in the White Demon Armor, even though Schneider had never seen him before. Once he saw the White Demon Armor, he guessed that he was the commander.


    Also, to ensure his elimination and thereby cement victory in this battle, Schneider also specifically called for four squad members, making a total of five people to encircle Rocky!


    "Surround him!"


    When Schneider discovered Rocky, he immediately led his four squad members to form a tight encirclement from above, below, left, and right, then, without a second word, they attacked! S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the leader of the Void Magic Squad, Schneider was not only powerful but also had a considerable sense of strategy. He was very clear on how important his squad was in this battle and that they were the key to victory.


    For this reason, regardless of whether Rocky was the commander or not, Schneider treated him as a target that must be eliminated. As long as he and the other Void Magic Warriors were wiped out, Wild Horse City would win the battle. Therefore, after surrounding Rocky, he didn''t waste any words and chose to take action, clearly intending to fight a quick battle.


    However, to everyone''s surprise, before they could make a move, Rocky charged at them first!


    Of course, Rocky would strike first, as his thoughts were exactly like Schneider''s: he also wanted to fight a quick battle.


    Rocky was well aware of the enemy''s plan to rely on the Void Magic Warriors to decide the outcome of the battle. As the opponent, as the enemy, he naturally wouldn''t let them succeed. Not only could he not allow them to succeed, but Rocky also wanted to fight a quick battle and then rely on his own Void Magic Warriors to determine the outcome of the combat!


    So, after being completely surrounded, he didn''t give the enemies a chance to take the first move. He instantly activated all the runes on the White Demon Armor, boosting the armor''s magic energy value to the 10000-point limit in an instant, and then he charged toward the nearest enemy!


    "Herman! Dodge quickly!"


    The moment Rocky charged out, Schneider shouted loudly and charged out as well.


    His suit, the Special Armor of the Fifth Generation, was equipped with a Mana Tracker. So, when Rocky activated all the runes and raised the magic energy of the White Demon Armor to 10000 points, Schneider immediately noticed and shouted to his team members. He knew that they wouldn''t be able to withstand an enemy of this caliber.


    Unfortunately, although his reaction was quick, it wasn''t as fast as the White Demon''s speed!


    The full-powered White Demon Armor was incredibly fast, even the Windwalker, another top armor, couldn''t catch up. So, as Schneider shouted, Rocky had already reached the squad member named Herman, and without giving the latter any chance to react, he swung the Mana Sword in a horizontal slash!


    With a swoosh of the sword light, the Mana Sword cut across Herman''s neck, and Herman''s head was swept away as if it had been kicked like a ball...


    The first Void Magic Warrior, dead!


    "Everyone, get out of the way! You can''t handle him!"


    Watching his subordinate''s head being sliced off, Schneider shouted and immediately accelerated, rushing towards Rocky, and in the process, he ordered the other squad members to retreat. Those in the Mass-Produced Armor, in front of Rocky, were simply there to be instantly killed, without even the chance to engage in a few exchanges.


    However, Schneider''s intentions, though well-meant, were unrealistic. It was easy for them to encircle Rocky because he allowed it, but scatter? Rocky wouldn''t permit such a thing!


    So, as he charged at Rocky, Rocky raised his hand to block the attack, and at the same moment, fired the Smoke Grenades mounted on his back.


    With several muffled sounds, the launched Smoke Grenades exploded directly around everyone, and the spreading smoke quickly dispersed into the air, enveloping everyone like a murky dome.


    This is bad! Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Seeing Rocky release the vision-impairing Smoke Grenade, Schneider cursed inwardly, because this type of Smoke Grenade was not as sophisticated as ship-boarded smoke bombs; it only served to block the line of sight and was almost ineffective against him. The Special Armor was equipped with a Mana Tracker which, like thermal imaging, could directly detect the magic energy emitted by the armor, so blocking the line of sight was futile.


    But while his armor was equipped with a tracker, the other squad members'' armors weren''t!


    The reason why the Mass Production Type armors were named so was that they were simplified in various aspects compared to Special Armors. Even the Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armors, except for very few models, did not have a Mana Tracker.


    This was exactly why Rocky released the Smoke Grenade. In fact, he was even more eager to end the battle quickly than Schneider, for if these squad members escaped, Liliya and the others would face greater threats.


    So, after deploying the Smoke Grenade, Rocky used the speed of the White Demon Armor to instantly shake off Schneider and directly rushed toward the squad member closest to him.


    In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind this squad member and, without a second thought, stabbed the Mana Sword into the squad member''s heart from behind. By the time he pulled out the Mana Sword, the squad member had already fallen straight down from the sky, dead without understanding what had happened.

 Chapter 298 White Demon!_2

    The second Void Magic Warrior died just like that...Although he had killed another person, Rocky had no time to rest; he immediately aimed for the next target because the others had already reacted and had started to scatter in different directions.


    Without a doubt, the team members'' combat experience was rich. They all understood how big the gap was between themselves and Rocky, so they made the best decision, which was to flee!


    Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    However, accurate as their judgment was, their speed was not fast enough. The Mass Production Type Armor was inferior in all aspects to the Special Armor, not to mention the White Demon Armor had greatly enhanced its speed and maneuverability after the second modification, so these team members, even though they chose to run immediately, couldn''t escape at all!


    With just one burst of speed, Rocky had caught up to another person, quickly closed the distance, and within the blink of an eye was right behind him.


    "Captain! He, he''s behind me! Run!"


    The fleeing team member looked back once, and because of the smoke, he couldn''t see Rocky clearly, but he saw a pair of blood-red eyes through the smoke, feeling as if a monster in the fog had already set its sights on him!


    It must be said, this team member was highly aware. From the moment he saw Rocky, he knew he was doomed, so he didn''t futilely continue to run but instead turned around, activated all weapons on his armor during the process, and unleashed all his firepower on Rocky!


    It was a full barrage again!


    In the competition with Xia Nai, Rocky had already suffered from a full barrage, nearly losing his life in the arena, so he was wary of this move.


    However, this time''s full barrage was incomparable to Xia Nai''s, as the difference between their armors was more than just one grade. Thus, facing the fierce bombardment towards him, Rocky, still sprinting, did not even deploy a Defensive Net or dodge but simply relied on the native defensive power of the White Demon, taking the bombardment head-on and still rushing forward at undiminished speed right up to his opponent!


    "Die!"


    In immense fear, the team member let out a hysterical scream while swinging his long sword at Rocky, who similarly raised his Mana Sword and slashed at the opponent.


    In the blink of an eye, both had struck each other with their weapons almost at the same moment.


    However, the outcome of their mutual strike was completely different; the opponent''s long sword only left a dent on the White Demon Armor, but Rocky''s Mana Sword, after striking the opponent, cleaved through the armor and embedded deep from the opponent''s shoulder into his chest!


    The third Void Magic Warrior, dead!


    This is the battlefield, completely different from the arena matches. In the Arena but, even though the fighters are also battling to the death, it is still a competition with its unique rhythm such as probing, concealing, and counterattacking.


    Yet on the real battlefield, the rules are not so; the only rule on the battlefield is to kill the enemy and secure victory! Under this rule, probing, hiding, and desperate counterattacking are all nonsense. Soldiers on the battlefield must give their all from the start to kill the enemy; otherwise, they will be killed by the enemy.


    Rocky was just like this, giving his all from the start!


    "Bodhati!!"


    While Rocky had killed three team members in a flash, Schneider had not been idle; he had been trying to stop Rocky, but helplessly, Rocky was too fast in short-range movements, especially since he was very good at such swift maneuvers, so Schneider couldn''t catch up with him at all.


    It was only when Rocky had killed the third team member that Schneider finally managed to rush up from behind and, in a roaring slash, struck!


    With a clang, facing Schneider''s strike, Rocky easily blocked it with his sword, not only effortlessly parried but also used the force of the powerful strike to drop several meters and then suddenly accelerated, darting away from beneath his feet!


    "Domiir! Run!"


    Realizing that Rocky had flown away again with his own attack, Schneider couldn''t even begin to chase before he started shouting into his communicator.


    The four members who had surrounded Rocky with him were now reduced to just one survivor, the other three were dead!


    But it was precisely because the other three had been killed that this last member finally managed to escape the range of the smoke.


    "Damn it! Why did this happen...why did this happen!"


    Using the opportunity created when Rocky went to kill the others, this last member, known as Domiir in Schneider''s shout, finally managed to escape the smoke. Yet, even then, he didn''t dare to stop and kept running at full speed, knowing death was still on his heels!


    At the same time, Domiir couldn''t understand why things had turned out this way. Just a few minutes ago, they were five men surrounding their enemy. What had happened in these few minutes that they ended up fleeing head over heels?


    Why had things turned out this way?


    Domiir couldn''t understand the result, but just then, he suddenly felt a chill at heart and immediately turned to look back!


    Years of battle had honed Domiir''s highly sensitive instincts, which were almost akin to a sixth sense, giving him a premonition of impending danger. But just as he sensed the danger and instinctively turned back, he noticed a flash of light and immediately felt a heat in his chest before plummeting headfirst toward the ground!


    As he began to fall, Rocky also burst out of the smoke and at top speed, caught up with the falling body, grabbing the Mana Sword that had pierced the corpse''s back and pulled it out.


    Since this last member had flown out of the smoke, Rocky had feared he wouldn''t catch up if Schneider entangled him, so he threw the Mana Sword like a javelin during the chase, striking his opponent in the back and completing the four kills!


    Once he held the Mana Sword in his hand again, Rocky finally took a deep breath of relief, for with these four kills, the number of enemies was equal to his side''s, and in a one-on-one situation, Rocky believed that even if Liliya and the others couldn''t win, running was always an option. He didn''t need to worry about the others and could focus on dealing with the remaining commander. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was at this time that the fog in the sky gradually cleared, and when it had completely dispersed, Rocky and Schneider were once again standing face-to-face!


    The last time they had faced each other was five minutes earlier when Schneider had led his four members to encircle Rocky. But now, just five minutes later, only Schneider remained to confront Rocky.


    This outcome caused Schneider''s hands to tremble uncontrollably!


    Just like the recently deceased Domiir, Schneider didn''t know what had happened. Having faced countless aerial battles, he had never encountered such a situation. He couldn''t believe this was real, viewing the recent events as nothing short of a nightmare!


    So, when he saw Rocky''s figure again, he was scared...


    He felt a long-forgotten sensation that had first emerged when he confronted a Demon, a deep-seated fear of monsters!


    It had been many years since Schneider had felt this kind of fear, especially since he became a Void Magic Warrior and leader of the Void Magic Squad. That bone-chilling fear had never surfaced again.


    But today, this terrifying sensation that made his hands tremble returned once more.


    Under this fear, the Rocky standing before him seemed transformed, no longer merely a Void Magic Warrior in White Demon Armor; he was simply a White Demon!

 Chapter 299 Encirclement (Part 1)

    In Schneider''s eyes, Rocky had transformed into a white demon, invoking the deepest fears inside him.Right after, before he could calm his inner fear, Rocky had already charged at him!


    On the battlefront where every second counts, no one had time to think, and the enemy wouldn''t give you that time either. The situation was just like this, Rocky would not give Schneider time to think, let alone time to fear!


    In the blink of an eye, Rocky had sprinted to right in front of Schneider and delivered a slash that felt like it could split him in two.


    Facing this attack, Schneider panicked and dodged hurriedly, then rapidly retreated to create distance while firing a flurry of Magic Bullets to block Rocky''s pursuit.


    However, an attack of this level could hardly stop Rocky. After a quick change of movement, Rocky continued the chase and raised his right hand during the pursuit, firing a trio of Magic Bullets in succession.


    A barrage of Magic Bullets followed. Schneider used his shield to block it momentarily, then suddenly leaped into the air before Rocky could close in, adjusted his posture at a higher position, and took control of the high ground, then began a long-range exchange of fire!


    Though fear arose, Schneider was, after all, a seasoned warrior. He quickly adjusted his mindset, focused all his attention on the combat, and suppressed his fear through this method.


    With his state adjusted, his battlefield experience began to show itself.


    Soaring into the sky, he preemptively took control of the high ground, then utilized the advantage of striking from above to continuously and precisely attack Rocky with dual Magic Energy Beams from his shoulders.


    The Armor Schneider wore was the Fifth Generation Eagle Eye Special Armor, which had average performance in all aspects. Its most significant feature was the high-precision aiming system, the Eagle Eye Aiming System. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Eagle Eye Aiming System is one of the most advanced aiming systems available today, and thanks to this advanced system, the weapons equipped on the Aurora Armor, especially long-range weapons which are essentially Magic Energy Beams, are incredibly fast and precise. Combined with the advanced aiming system, to say it could hit the target with every shot might be an exaggeration, but it was almost there.


    Dodging an attack with a quick maneuver, Rocky immediately sped up his ascent, trying to close in on Schneider to reverse the disadvantage of being hit passively. However, as he had just risen a few meters, a barrage of incredibly precise attacks arrived, forcing him to stop his sprint and start dodging left and right. But with the aid of the Eagle Eye Aiming System, Schneider''s attacks were so accurate that Rocky had to deploy his Defensive Net after several dodges.


    With the Defensive Net deployed, the pressure was significantly reduced, and then Rocky quickly resumed his sprint, approaching Schneider rapidly despite the attacks.


    At this moment, Schneider wasn''t just standing still; he also activated reverse thrusters. While continuing his attacks, he kept retreating, not giving Rocky any chance to get close.


    Although resentful that his teammates had been slaughtered by Rocky, Schneider had to admit that their deaths had provided him with significant help.


    As Rocky slaughtered the rest of the team, Schneider watched everything, clearly understanding Rocky''s strengths. Rocky''s strengths lay in his speed, agility, and his Mana Sword, which when combined, made him exceptionally skilled at close combat. Thus, Schneider decisively chose long-range combat, resolutely keeping him at bay.


    Because he knew that if Rocky got close to him, he would not be able to win the fight!


    Although Schneider was wearing the Fifth Generation Special Armor, this Special Armor was not considered top-tier. In fact, the magic energy of the Eagle Eye Armor was only 9000. Although this was not low, it still did not qualify as top-tier armor, making it impossible for him to trade blows with Rocky the way Xia Nai could have from a distance in the past.


    However, even though the strength of his armor was not on par with Xia Nai''s past capabilities, Schneider''s combat experience far surpassed that of Xia Nai and Rocky combined. He quickly assessed his own strengths and weaknesses against the enemy and began to use his strengths to attack the enemy''s weaknesses!


    It must be said, this tactic was very effective. Although the Eagle Eye Armor was slightly inferior to the White Demon Armor, it was still a Fifth Generation Special Armor. Fully accelerating, Rocky indeed could not immediately catch up to him. Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    Moreover, this was not a ring with boundaries, which would limit how far one could run even at full speed. The battlefield was boundless. If Schneider focused on keeping his distance from Rocky, there was plenty of space to maneuver.


    While not simply running away, Schneider was continuously retreating while still facing Rocky head-on, constantly attacking Rocky with precise strikes using his long-range weapons. Although his attacks might not have been able to break through the White Demon''s Defensive Net in one go, affecting his pursuit speed was not a problem at all.


    So, even though Rocky was chasing with all his might, as soon as he would nearly close the distance, he would be met with a barrage of intense attacks from Schneider. This forced him to slow down, and Schneider would use each opportunity to increase their distance, making it impossible for Rocky to catch up in a short time.


    But at this moment, while Schneider was effectively keeping Rocky at bay, he failed to notice that from a far distance, Dusa had already aimed her bow at him, and then she shot an arrow!


    For Schneider, the appearance of Dusa''s arrow was completely unexpected and struck him in an instant!


    With a bang, the Magic Energy Arrow exploded upon hitting the Eagle Eye Armor but unfortunately did not cause significant damage. Being a Special Armor, the Eagle Eye Armor''s defensive power was quite strong, even without deploying the Defensive Net.


    However, even though the strike did not cause significant damage, it affected his speed and, more importantly, his ability to attack, causing him to cease his attacks for a few moments following the hit.


    Although the interruption lasted only a brief moment, it was enough!


    How could Rocky, who had been relentlessly pursuing him, miss this great opportunity? He immediately seized it to close the gap between them!


    In just the blink of an eye, Rocky, who had been at least fifty or sixty meters away from Schneider, had closed the distance to within ten meters!


    Bad news!


    Realizing that Rocky had taken advantage of the lapse to close in, Schneider immediately cursed under his breath. Without time to look for the attacking Dusa, he turned his Armor''s thrusters on full and fled.


    But just as he turned to retreat, he realized a Void Magic Warrior appeared right in front of him and before he could see who it was, the figure charged at him!

 Chapter 300 Encirclement (Part 2)

    The Void Magic Warrior charging at Schneider was none other than Liliya, who had just dealt with the enemy!Like Dusa and the others, Liliya''s armor had also been modified, significantly so, because Rocky and Hammerfire had insisted that Liliya''s armor could be modified in any way necessary as long as it guaranteed her survival on the battlefield, even if it meant crafting a completely new set from scratch.


    There was no time to produce a completely new set of armor, but for Liliya''s Fire Guard Type 5 Armor, Hammerfire and his team spared no effort. They installed new technology and even replaced some of the armor''s crucial components. Thus, once the modification was complete, the originally third-generation Fire Guard Type 5 Armor had been elevated several classes, nearly reaching the strength of special armor, though it definitely matched the strength of a fifth-generation mass-produced armor.


    It was precisely with this significantly modified new armor that Liliya had managed, without much danger, to overcome her adversary and then promptly came to support Rocky.


    "Get out of my way!"


    However, facing Liliya who was charging at him, an anxious Schneider barely had the time to pay heed, stepping forward instead of back to meet Liliya''s charge, his preemptive horizontal strike landing squarely on the swung Sword Peak.


    A resounding clang was heard, and under this heavy and powerful blow, Liliya was swept away like a kite with its string cut!


    Luckily, Schneider was now desperate to get rid of Rocky, otherwise, this single strike would have been enough to give him the chance to kill Liliya.


    Regrettably, Rocky was hot on his heels, forcing Schneider, after sending Liliya flying, to continue his escape without a moment to spare.


    He hadn''t rushed out but a few meters, his speed not yet fully gathered, when he saw two figures rapidly approaching from both left and right, recklessly charging at him!


    Monte!


    Lin Feng!


    The ones rushing towards Schneider from both sides were none other than Monte and Lin Feng, both of whom had also dealt with their respective opponents and had come to support Rocky!


    "Damn it!"


    Faced with the two converging on him, Schneider cursed. He had never anticipated being encircled, and this encirclement meant that his team had been defeated, because otherwise the enemy would not have been free to engage him.


    What was more critical now was that he had no way to escape the pincer attack of Monte and Lin Feng. Since a moment ago, he had been hit by an arrow from Dusa, causing Rocky to close the gap during that opening, and then he encountered Liliya. Although it was just a brief clash, his speed had to be reduced, so when Monte and Lin Feng charged, he couldn''t manage to shake them off.


    In such a situation, in just a few moments, Monte and Lin Feng had reached his flanks, left and right, and immediately their axe and sword simultaneously struck down!


    With two clangs, Monte''s axe chopped onto Schneider''s Mana Sword, and Lin Feng''s great sword was even caught in Schneider''s palm, then before they could react, Monte took a kick to the chest and Lin Feng was hit by a series of Magic Bullets, both sent flying as they reached Schneider''s front!


    In just a few bouts, Schneider, as the leader of the Magic Energy Squad, demonstrated his strength, and it was no exaggeration to say that without Rocky chasing him, relying on his Eagle Eye Armor, he truly had the power to become a nightmare for Liliya and the others, potentially killing them in minutes!


    Unfortunately, the greatest crisis he now faced was not Liliya and the others, but the relentlessly pursuing Rocky behind him.


    And soon enough, that threat materialized!


    Although Schneider had given Liliya and the others a lesson with his absolute strength, the ever-persistent Rocky, following right behind him, also finally took this opportunity to confront him directly!


    At last, he charged in front of the enemy, and Rocky struck with his sword!


    With the power of Rocky''s Mana Sword, once it hit Schneider''s armor, even if it couldn''t cut it in half, it was enough to damage the armor itself. Given the existing gap between their armors, if the armor was compromised, causing some functions to fail, then Schneider was doomed.


    Therefore, facing this sword strike, he dared not be the slightest bit careless, immediately raising his sword to block. A moment later, the two Mana Swords collided fiercely, emitting a burst of bright light.


    Blocking this strike, Schneider immediately used the force to back away, not planning to entangle with Rocky.


    But at that moment, Rocky suddenly accelerated, circling with an extremely tight radius to appear behind him, and followed up with another sword strike!


    Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Another burst of bright light flared as Schneider, in a critical moment, turned around, raising his Mana Sword above his head like a blazing inferno to block the attack.


    After this, Rocky followed the same formula, accelerating again to wrap around half a circle to his side, then raised his leg for a sweeping kick aimed directly at Schneider''s head!


    Utilizing the speed and mobility of the White Demon Armor, Rocky started to dart around Schneider with incredible speed within a small range, unleashing ferocious attacks. This was his most proficient form of attack, and he had never been defeated in it before¡ªnot even the superior-armored Xia Nai could gain the upper hand in such combat.


    Seeing as even Xia Nai, with better armor, could not benefit, Schneider was even less likely to.


    Facing the rapidly moving Rocky, Schneider was initially able to hold his ground, but after a few exchanges, he fell into a disadvantage, gradually unable to keep up with Rocky''s speed.


    When Rocky appeared behind him once again, Schneider was half a beat too slow to turn around, only to find Rocky had already vanished. Before he could react, Rocky had already moved behind him again and struck down with his sword, hitting right on Schneider''s back!


    This sword strike was powerful and heavy, and combined with Schneider''s complete lack of guard, immediately forced him downward while also leaving a large sword mark on his armor''s back.


    Having succeeded with that move, Rocky gave no chance for escape, immediately speeding up to catch up with the falling Schneider, seizing the moment he hadn''t stabilized his form to launch a series of fierce attacks, and finally thrusting his sword through his chest to finish him off!


    With this, the Void Magic Squad sent from Wild Horse City to resolve the battle, including the captain and the majority of its members, had been eliminated, with only one of the ten Void Magic Warriors remaining and fighting Sandro, barely making any impact.


    After killing the toughest Schneider, Rocky and Liliya and the others gathered together, and Rocky then issued new orders, "Liliya, you go support Sandro. Monte, Lin Feng, Aileen, you attack the enemy''s escort ships and destroyers."


    "Yes!"


    Upon agreeing, the recently gathered Liliya and others immediately dispersed, having eliminated all the enemy''s Void Magic Warriors. The skies were now theirs without any further concern. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, just at that moment, when Liliya and the others were acting on orders and Rocky was preparing to join the battle at the warship, Felly suddenly transmitted a message.


    "City Lord!"


    "What''s happened?"


    "The enemy has begun to retreat!"

 Chapter 301 First Victory!

    Rocky had just dealt with the Void Magic Squad from Wild Horse City and was preparing to leverage his advantage in Void Magic Warriors to end the battle when Felly suddenly reported that the enemy had begun to retreat!Up until this point, Rocky and the others had been engaged in combat and were unaware of the overall progress of the battle; in fact, as they fought the enemy, neither of the fleets had been idle, exchanging continuous artillery fire.


    However, since both fleets were composed of large warships, the continuous barrage had resulted in relatively few casualties.


    Rocky''s fleet had suffered more severe casualties because it was surrounded, losing an escort ship and two destroyers which had their defensive nets shattered and subsequently sustained heavy damage.


    As for the fleet from Wild Horse City, although none of its warships were directly sunk, three of them had their defensive nets broken and were severely damaged in the bombardment, leading them to retreat from the battlefield early.


    In principle, the losses on both sides could be considered even, with Wild Horse City even having a slight advantage as they originally had more warships. Even though four of their heavily damaged warships had left the battlefield early, the fact that Rocky''s side also had one warship sunk and two others rendered combat-ineffective meant the advantage was even clearer on their side.


    Yet, under these circumstances, Madison ordered a retreat.


    The reason for the retreat was simple: Wild Horse City had already lost the battle!


    Madison''s original plan was to rely on the Void Magic Squad''s trump card to secure victory. If the Void Magic Squad could destroy the enemy''s escort fleet, Wild Horse City would win.


    But to his utter surprise, the Void Magic Squad he had dispatched not only failed to clinch victory but was completely obliterated after Rocky executed Schneider in midair; thus, what reason did Madison have to continue the fight?


    Now, Wild Horse City''s fleet seemed to hold a slight advantage, but once Rocky''s Void Magic Squad joined the fight, the situation on the battlefield would be instantly reversed. Moreover, as time passed, the interference smoke cloaking the battleships was about to dissipate, meaning the previously ineffective battleships were soon to join the combat. Adding these two factors together, Wild Horse City''s defeat was inevitable, leaving Madison with no hesitation in issuing the retreat command!


    Upon the issuance of the retreat order, the first to withdraw were the two patrol cruisers, which were the fleet''s main force. The loss of even one, let alone damage to the entire fleet, would be devastating not just for the fleet but also for Wild Horse City, as the cost of over a million for a single patrol cruiser was a burden for Wild Horse City.


    And after the patrol cruisers withdrew first from the battlefield, the remaining destroyers and escort ships also began retreating towards Wild Horse City while continuing to fire.


    "Chase them! Chase them immediately!"


    However, Rocky was not willing to let the enemy withdraw so easily. He knew that this battle was not only the first confrontation with Wild Horse City but also possibly the only chance to win against them. After all, the overall strength difference between the two cities was too great¡ªif a full-scale war broke out, he was bound to lose.


    So Rocky would not let this opportunity slip. He had to inflict severe damage on Wild Horse City in this battle and thus immediately issued the order to chase to Felly. He then sped up, charging directly towards the nearest enemy warship.


    Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Felly reacted swiftly to the chase order, commanding the War Steed and the Hunter, which he was aboard, to accelerate. The goal was not to catch up to the enemy''s patrol cruisers but to position the two warships, already at the forefront, to block the escape routes of the remaining enemy warships!


    Previously, it was mentioned that Madison had encircled Rocky''s fleet with a pocket formation. While this formation held an advantage in offense, it made retreat difficult¡ªalthough the two patrol cruisers nearer to Wild Horse City could leave easily, it was not the same for the other warships.


    Felly seized on this difficulty of the enemy''s retreat, sending both the War Steed and the Hunter to strike first, blocking the path between the battlefield and Wild Horse City. Thus, aside from the two patrol cruisers that had escaped early, any other warships attempting to retreat towards Wild Horse City had to face the War Steed and the Hunter!


    The actual situation was almost exactly as Felly had anticipated. No sooner had the War Steed and the Hunter taken position than the retreating enemy warships came directly towards them.


    "Fire! Fire fiercely! No one is allowed to hold back!!"


    On the deck of the War Steed, Wil kept urging the gunners, who, spurred by his encouragement, fired relentlessly, turning the surroundings of the warship into a blaze of artillery fire. In particular, the ship''s twenty rapid-fire cannons¡ªthe rapid-fire cannons that could shoot twice a minute¡ªstood out prominently at this time when firepower needed to be unleashed, spewing projectiles in a continuous stream that turned the War Steed into a veritable aerial artillery platform.


    The Hunter, though slightly inferior in firepower, leveraged its speed advantage, which allowed for more convenient pursuit of the enemy. Its greater maneuverability made it easier to intercept any fleeing enemy ships.


    Therefore, in just a short while, two retreating enemy destroyers were successively sunk. Meanwhile, Rocky''s other warships had also engaged the enemy, and more importantly, Rocky, Liliya, and other Void Magic Warriors had joined the fight. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a result, the battle did not last long. With the War Steed and the Hunter blocking the escape route, and aided by Rocky and Liliya''s Void Magic Warriors, Wild Horse City''s remaining fleet was quickly annihilated, sinking some and capturing others who surrendered. The great battle, which had drawn the eyes of dozens of Sky Cities, gradually came to a close.

 Chapter 301 Initial Victory!_2

    "This guy... actually won...""The new technology researched by Aniye is indeed terrifying." Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Thunderhawk City is going to thrive..."


    As the great battle drew to a close, the various City Lords who had been spectating also began to depart. However, when they returned to their respective Sky Cities, their hearts were filled with complex emotions.


    These spectating City Lords had witnessed every detail of the battle, especially the entire process of Rocky''s aerial combat. It was precisely because they saw his fighting that their hearts were filled with such complex emotions.


    For anyone could see that Rocky had won the battle, and the key to victory lay in his Void Magic Armor.


    If it wasn''t for Rocky''s advantage with his Armor, his ability to single-handedly slay five enemy Void Magic Warriors, including cutting down the captain clad in Fifth Generation Special Armor, the battle would have definitely had a different outcome.


    And that was precisely what was so frightening!


    Although these City Lords had heard about the new technology that Aniye had researched, the vast majority had only heard the news, and almost none had seen the strength of the White Demon Armor equipped with the new technology firsthand. But after this battle, they finally got to see it.


    Rumors... indeed were not false!


    After watching the entire battle of Rocky clad in the White Demon Armor, a similar thought emerged in all of these City Lords'' minds: the rumors were indeed true!


    The new technology that Aniye had researched indeed possessed combat capability and, just as the rumors had said, it could greatly enhance the mana of Armor, elevating their combat ability to a new level. This was not only reflected in the White Demon Armor but also validated by the performance of people like Liliya.


    So when the battle ended and the City Lords each returned to their Sky Cities, they had to inscribe the names of Rocky and Thunderhawk City in their minds. With Rocky and Thunderhawk City having top-notch technology, there was bound to be significant development! They had to reassess such a Sky City, one that they absolutely could not treat lightly anymore.


    How other City Lords regarded him, Rocky did not know, nor did he have the time to care because as soon as the first victory was swift, he immediately became busy upon his return to Thunderhawk City.


    First and foremost was the post-battle tally. On the night of his return to Thunderhawk City, Rocky received the post-battle statistics.


    In his first battle against Wild Horse City, Rocky naturally achieved victory, and the post-battle statistics indicated that it was a resounding success, a complete victory!


    Following this battle, his side''s losses amounted to one Escort Ship sunk, two Escort Ships, and two destroyers heavily damaged and rendered combat ineffective, needing extensive repairs before they could rejoin the fight.


    Securing such a victory at this cost was definitely cause for excitement!


    In such a large-scale aerial battle, suffering only the loss of one Escort Ship, with four more warships heavily damaged, was incredibly light damage. In fact, in a direct confrontation between two Fleets, it was normal to lose half a Fleet, let alone one warship. So, the losses incurred by Rocky in this battle, whether considered superficially or in practical terms, were minimal, almost negligible.


    On the other hand, the losses incurred by Wild Horse City in this battle were significant.


    Due to Rocky''s surprise attack, the hastily mobilized alert forces were completely annihilated. The loss of Reconnaissance Ships could be ignored, but the sinking of five Escort Ships couldn''t possibly be brushed aside, could it? Even for a medium-sized Sky City like Wild Horse City, the sinking of Escort Ships couldn''t be taken lightly. So, this loss alone was considerable.


    Furthermore, after the battle ended, although the defeated Madison retreated, only two patrol cruisers managed to successfully break away from the conflict. There were also three destroyers that had been heavily damaged and thus withdrew from the battlefield early. Wild Horse City only managed to retreat with these five warships.


    As for the other seven warships, five were sunk, and two chose to surrender and were captured, none returning to Wild Horse City!


    With this accounting, more than fifty percent of Wild Horse City''s Third Fleet was lost in this encounter. Out of twelve warships, only five returned, and of those five, three were heavily damaged, leaving Wild Horse City''s Third Fleet in name only, unable to partake in any battles for the foreseeable future.


    For Rocky, this was naturally a huge boon; in one stroke, he had crippled an entire enemy fleet¡ªan accomplishment he had never imagined before, and it also allowed him to finally vent his pent-up frustration.


    However, after this, he didn''t sit idle; he was even less inclined to relax and immediately made a string of arrangements.


    "Felly, dispatch the Second Fleet immediately, maintain vigilance around Sky City at all times."


    In the City Lord''s Hall, after reviewing the post-battle statistics, Rocky issued a new order to Felly.


    There were two fleets within Thunderhawk City at present: the First Fleet was the main force, while the Second Fleet consisted of two escort ships and several reconnaissance ships; such an arrangement wouldn''t suffice for city raids but deploying reconnaissance ships for early warning was certainly enough.


    "Yes!"


    Upon hearing the order, Felly immediately responded, and then Rocky turned to Monte.


    "Monte, immediately detain the surrendered crew members, and don''t let them cause any trouble."


    "Understood."


    In the previous encounter, two enemy destroyers had chosen to surrender; this was a matter that required prompt attention. Although the warships were now under Rocky''s control, the ship''s crew needed to be handled with care¡ªthat was several hundred people, after all. Thus, Rocky decided to detain these surrendered prisoners first and gradually "re-educate" them after the conflict with Wild Horse City was resolved.


    "Lord Jack, make sure the wounded are properly taken care of, without any mistakes."


    "And Aileen, prepare the compensation for the soldiers who died in battle. If they were hired from Eternal City, send the money to the Technician Guild. If they were crew from Thunderhawk City, it needs to be dealt with even more carefully. We can''t let the residents lose heart."


    "Understood."


    "Don''t worry, my lord."


    It didn''t take long for Rocky to make a series of arrangements. Once everything was properly set, he dismissed everyone and then returned alone to his bedroom.


    Having been through today''s battle, especially having personally faced the enemy''s Void Magic Warriors, Rocky was utterly exhausted, but upon reaching his bedroom, he didn''t rest right away. Instead, he lay on his bed and carefully recalled the details of the battle, continually reflecting on them.


    Reflect on what?


    Naturally, he was reflecting on the various mistakes made during the battle.


    Despite Rocky''s victory today¡ªand a significant one at that¡ªhe knew very well that the battle was won by a stroke of luck, and for a very simple reason: he won because the enemy did not fully understand his capabilities.


    He could tell that Wild Horse City was unaware of just how powerful his armor was, which is why the enemy commander decided to gamble the outcome on the Void Magic Squad, leading to their loss of the entire battle. However, what if the enemy had not staked their victory on the Void Magic Squad?


    If the Void Magic Squad were removed from the equation, Rocky felt that he might not have won the battle. He could also see that there was a gap between his and the enemy commander''s abilities; this discrepancy meant that he gained no advantage at the command level. Therefore, Rocky was reflecting¡ªreflecting on his various mistakes in command.


    Just like that, the night quickly passed. When the next day arrived, no sooner had Rocky gotten up and before he even had breakfast, Liliya, clad in her Void Magic Armor, came rushing to him.


    "Rocky, the enemy is here!"


    Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 302 The Army Descends!

    Early the next morning, Rocky had just woken up when Liliya, clad in her Void Magic Armor, hurried over to him."The enemy is here!"


    "How many?"


    Upon hearing this, Rocky immediately asked. He had anticipated that Wild Horse City would certainly attack today, but he hadn''t expected them to come so early.


    "Two main fleets, at least thirty large warships,"


    Liliya said, her face looking troubled as she regarded Rocky.


    At this figure, Rocky couldn''t help but take a sharp breath. They had sent so many fleets?


    Before waging war on Wild Horse City, Rocky had naturally conducted investigations through the Shadow Alliance. Although his estimates weren''t particularly detailed, he at least knew that Karlo commanded four major fleets. The First Fleet of Wild Horse City had the strongest configuration, boasting over twenty large warships, while the other three fleets were similar in strength to his own fleet. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, knowing that Karlo had dispatched more than thirty warships to attack, Rocky realized that the enemy must have been driven mad by yesterday''s battle. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have emptied the nest and sent out two fleets at once.


    After that, he immediately suited up in his White Demon Armor and, along with Liliya, he hurriedly flew towards the Skyport, asking in mid-air, "Has the Defensive Net been deployed?"


    "It''s been up for a while. Felly has already led the fleet into the sky, and Monte and Lin Feng have gone with them too,"


    Read the latest on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Good."


    After hearing Liliya''s report, Rocky felt slightly relieved. He had long suspected that Karlo wouldn''t let matters rest. Karlo would either launch a night raid or mount a fierce attack the next day, so Rocky had prepared in advance.


    Thunderhawk City wasn''t very large; it didn''t take long for Rocky, flying in his armor to the Skyport, to arrive. However, before he could even land, he heard the sound of cannons firing!


    Clearly, the fleet from Wild Horse City had already begun its attack!


    In such circumstances, he immediately accelerated. Moments later, he arrived above the Skyport and flew directly onto the deck of the already-ascended War Steed without touching the ground.


    After landing on the deck of the War Steed with Liliya, Rocky looked into the distance. Through the faintly shimmering Defensive Net, he quickly saw a dark mass of enemy ships firing furiously!


    Just as Liliya had reported, Wild Horse City had dispatched over thirty warships for the attack, all large warships, including even three battleships!


    As a mid-sized Sky City, Wild Horse City''s fleet naturally had battleships, but not many. Two were part of the First Fleet, one in the Second Fleet, and the other two fleets were not equipped with any.


    Just as Rocky had previously thought, Karlo had been infuriated by the previous day''s battle; he could neither fathom nor accept the outcome where Rocky had defeated him in a head-to-head combat. Such a result was both unexpected and unacceptable to him.


    Therefore, after yesterday''s battle ended, Madison, who was in charge of the command, was demoted. The Third Fleet had already been crippled, and as the commander, he couldn''t escape the blame. Following some preparation, Karlo personally led the First and Second Fleets of Wild Horse City to launch an attack on Thunderhawk City!


    Wild Horse City''s First Fleet, totaling twenty warships.


    Wild Horse City''s Second Fleet, totaling eleven warships.


    Plus the two patrol cruisers of the Third Fleet.


    Altogether, there were thirty-three large warships outside the Defensive Net of Thunderhawk City at this moment!


    An army consisting of over thirty warships could already be described as quite a substantial force. Without overstating, it was at least more than enough to flatten a small-sized Sky City, such as Thunderhawk City!


    Indeed, Karlo who pressed on to Thunderhawk City did not give Rocky a chance to come out and engage in battle. Directly beneath the city, he ordered an attack on the Defensive Net, and the thirty-odd large warships fired simultaneously. The chief and auxiliary guns took turns shooting. This spectacle was enough to be described as magnificent - not only was it impressive, but the firepower created was so intense that it made the Defensive Net of Thunderhawk City surge and wave, as if it would shatter at any moment.


    When Rocky arrived, this was exactly the scene he witnessed.


    "Return fire immediately."


    Descending to the deck, Rocky looked through the Defensive Net at the size of the opposing fleet and especially after seeing the reaction of the Defensive Net, he immediately issued an order for his fleet to strike back!


    The Defensive Net of Sky City was strong, undoubtedly, but facing the continuous bombardment of over thirty large warships, even the strongest Defense Net would one day be breached, so Rocky simply could not let the bombardment continue without retaliation; he had to fight back.


    And this was precisely the defensive side''s advantage in a siege, because the Defensive Net provided one-way protection. It could block enemy fire from outside, but not impede attacks from within. This meant that during a siege, those on defense could counter-attack from within the Defensive Net, gaining a significant defensive advantage.


    With Rocky''s command, the War Steed, already on standby, was the first to power up the Sky-piercing Cannon, and then fired a shot. Amidst the thunderous blast, a massive column of light passed through the Defensive Net and sped directly toward the enemy battleship!


    Unfortunately, this shot did not hit its target. Instead, it brushed past the hull of the battleship, but even so, it easily shattered the Defensive Net of the vessel!


    This sudden heavy cannon shot instantly caused everyone from Wild Horse City to break into a cold sweat, especially Karlo because the battleship targeted by the War Steed was the one he was aboard!


    As the Sky-piercing Cannon flew past in front of him, Karlo felt as if all other sounds had vanished, and all he could hear was his own heartbeat. By the time he snapped back to reality, he found that his clothes had been soaked with cold sweat in that brief moment.


    Meanwhile, as Karlo was taken aback by the War Steed''s cannon shot, more intense cannon fire reached his ears because, following the main gun of the War Steed, the rest of Thunderhawk City''s warships also fired their cannons, launching their counter-attack without restraint from within the Defensive Net.


    Both sides'' warships fired at the same time, turning the skies around Thunderhawk City into a barrage of artillery fire. Under these circumstances, Karlo had no choice but to order his fleet to begin falling back. With the Defensive Net blocking their shots, no matter how much his fleet fired, they hit the Defensive Net, while Rocky''s side could directly hit them. Even though Karlo had numerous ships at his disposal, it was not a viable option to simply take hits passively, so he had to temporarily halt the offensive and have his fleet emergency retreat.


    The Wild Horse City fleet retreated until they were outside the range of Thunderhawk City Fleet''s ordinary magic cannons, then they resumed their attack.


    Thereafter, both sides began to exchange cannon fire over the Defensive Net. The main guns of the two fleets fired relentlessly, and incredibly powerful Mana Cannonballs crisscrossed in midair. A battle of offense and defense revolving around Thunderhawk City thus began!


    PS: Taking a day off, there will only be one update today.

 Chapter 303 Destroy the City!

    Just as Rocky had imagined, after the initial defeat, Karlo wasted no time in attacking Thunderhawk City!This attack showcased the strength and depth of a medium-sized Sky City. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Personally commanded by Karlo, over thirty warships approached Thunderhawk City, not only encircling half of the city but also launching a fierce attack without further ado.


    Faced with such a barrage from numerous warships, even the Defensive Net of Thunderhawk City was struggling to hold up. To alleviate the pressure on the Defensive Net, Rocky immediately led all the city''s warships to take off, using the defender''s natural advantage to counterattack.


    Leading the Fleet from behind the Defensive Net, Rocky had his own warships bombard the enemy as much as possible, which finally managed to push the enemy back slightly.


    But please note, it was merely a push back. Karlo did not withdraw. In fact, after pulling his fleet back beyond the range of a standard Magic Cannon, he utilized his numerical superiority to disperse his massive fleet and surround Thunderhawk City, continuing to bombard the Defensive Net with the main cannons of his warships while at the same time dispersing defensive forces.


    This strategy was undoubtedly correct. As the attacker, Karlo appeared to lack the geographical advantages of the defender, but he held the initiative in the war. Faced with the massive Defensive Net, having the initiative meant he could attack however he wished, since he was bound to hit the Defensive Net. In contrast, Rocky was forced to engage in passive responses.


    This is the true nature of a battlefield. In such a battlefield, there are no absolute advantages¡ªeach side only holds relative advantages, and how to effectively utilize these relative advantages is key to determining victory or defeat.


    As an experienced City Lord, Karlo clearly understood how to conduct a siege, and even more so, how to carry out such a battle.


    Under his command, the siege surrounding Thunderhawk City began early in the morning and continued until evening, only concluding after nightfall.


    After a full day of battle, Rocky gained no trophies, having not sunk a single enemy ship. Likewise, because of the Defensive Net, Karlo was naturally unable to hit Rocky''s fleet, so neither side had any achievements for the day.


    However, the great battle surrounding Thunderhawk City was clearly not going to end in a single day, so on the second day, just like the day before, the Fleet of Wild Horse City appeared around Thunderhawk City early in the morning, and a new round of attack and defense began.


    This tactic is a standard siege process. The attacking side, holding a significant advantage, will continually assault the Sky City. The attack might last for days or even months, depending on whether the defenders retaliate and how strong the Defensive Net is. In any case, the monotonous battle will only conclude once all of the Defensive Net''s mana has been depleted.


    Once this type of battle concludes, it leads to the final confrontation between the combating sides. If the defenders do not surrender after the Defensive Net is shattered, the attacker''s fleet will fly directly into the Sky City and commence extensive bombardment of the city. Either the city will be completely subdued into surrendering, or the Drive Crystal of the Sky City will be shattered, destroying the entire Sky City. Only then will the battle truly end.


    Clearly, Karlo intended to obliterate Thunderhawk City!


    Indeed, that was his plan, and that was what he did. For the next three days, he sent his fleet to attack each day, battling from morning to night without pausing.


    But even so, Karlo seemed unsatisfied, so when the siege had reached its fourth day, the number of warships sent by Wild Horse City for the attack suddenly decreased by almost ten from over thirty. It was also from this day that Wild Horse City didn''t spare even the nights!


    During the day, they would send over twenty warships to attack, and after a day''s battle had ended, Wild Horse City would send another twenty or so warships to relieve the daytime forces and then continue the assault throughout the night, bombarding Thunderhawk City 24 hours a day.


    The sudden increase in Wild Horse City''s offensive pace made everyone in Thunderhawk City quite anxious, because if this trend continued, Sky City''s mana would soon be exhausted!


    The defensive net of Sky City was powered directly by the drive crystals that supply mana, and although drive crystals can recharge automatically, under constant attack¡ªespecially 24-hour nonstop bombardment¡ªthe rate of mana replenishment definitely couldn''t keep up with the rate of consumption. This meant that soon, the drive crystals'' mana would no longer suffice to sustain the defensive net. What then?


    Thunderhawk City could still rely on the defensive net to block the enemy, but once the defensive net disappeared, what would they use to fend off Wild Horse City''s attack?


    Could they rely on the fleet in Rocky''s hands?


    Although the First Fleet of Thunderhawk City was very strong, even far exceeding the standard for a small Sky City, it was still considerably weaker compared to Wild Horse City''s fleet. Not to mention the numbers, the two just weren''t on the same level. Therefore, once the defensive net disappeared, facing thirty to forty warships from Wild Horse City, Thunderhawk City would absolutely be unable to resist.


    It was only then that people really began to realize how vast the gap between a small Sky City and a medium Sky City was, as in this battle, the rich resources of Wild Horse City, being a medium Sky City, were fully demonstrated.


    You see, warships also have their consumption. After each battle, the warships that participated must replenish their mana to continue flying, much like refueling. Therefore, each Sky City has a large amount of magic stones stored to supply mana when needed.


    In this respect alone, the gap between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City became evident. For this great battle, Rocky had naturally prepared a large amount of magic stones to ensure that his fleet could enter the battle at any time, but facing the relentless attacks from Wild Horse City, his reserve of magic stones was quickly depleted. Now, the reason the warships could still ascend was entirely because they were using the mana provided by the Sky City''s drive crystals. By doing this, they were effectively reducing the lifespan of the defensive net, after all, even though the content of mana in drive crystals was immense, it was limited.


    In contrast, Wild Horse City not only had more warships but also attacked 24 hours nonstop. Their consumption was necessarily enormous, yet Wild Horse City seemed not to care at all; they acted as if they could keep attacking endlessly like this forever, demonstrating how abundant their war reserves were.


    At this point, everyone in Thunderhawk City was extremely anxious because now they truly felt the danger of annihilation.


    But when everyone else was anxious, Rocky alone was not. He was not only calm but also confident.


    The calmness he displayed puzzled many. Outsiders couldn''t understand, and even those close to him couldn''t grasp what plans or contingencies Rocky might have. Just when everyone was anxious and confused about Rocky''s intentions or his backup plans, the situation of the war suddenly took a drastic 180-degree turn!


    A huge, third-party fleet suddenly appeared! Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 304 Alliance Army!

    As Wild Horse City gradually demonstrated the strength and foundation of a midsize Sky City, everyone knew¡­ Thunderhawk City was doomed.After all, a small Sky City is just that¡ªsmall. No matter how powerful it was among its peers, the gap between it and a midsize Sky City was enormous. This disparity wasn''t something that could be bridged overnight, nor could it be leveled by monopolizing certain technology alone. It was precisely this gap that plunged Thunderhawk City into a crisis of potential obliteration!


    Just then, at the moment when Thunderhawk City was barely holding on, an even larger third-party fleet suddenly appeared!


    As this fleet arrived, Karlo was attacking Thunderhawk City with his forces as usual, and Rocky was also stationed on the War Steed, leading his fleet in a tenacious resistance.


    A whole week had passed since the first skirmish between the two sides. During this week of continuous assaults, Wild Horse City had lost seven warships one after another. However, Thunderhawk City''s mana had been nearly depleted. If the battle were to continue like this, Rocky was doomed to fail!


    Yet, on this day, an immensely large fleet suddenly appeared, and its arrival captured everyone''s attention.


    The size of this fleet surpassed the combined forces of both Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City! Over fifty large warships, all of which were the latest Fifth Generation, when such a large fleet grandly appeared on the battlefield, it shocked everyone present!


    You must know that at this time, two Sky Cities were engaged in battle. Even though the battle site was on the outskirts of Eternal City, and even though there were many other Sky Cities, big and small, around, no one dared to send out even one skyship. This was because everybody understood that whoever dared to dispatch a warship at such a time was effectively declaring their participation in the conflict. So, all the surrounding Sky Cities were watching the battle from a safe distance, not daring to provoke either side.


    It was because of this that when such a massive fleet suddenly emerged, everyone was perplexed, not understanding what was going on.


    A third party, perhaps?


    Was someone planning to take advantage of the fight, hoping to benefit as an opportunistic bystander? No one knew what this suddenly appearing fleet intended to do.


    But unlike these people, when Rocky and Karlo saw this fleet, they had completely different reactions.


    When Karlo saw this incredibly large fleet appear, his heart sank, because he knew that his last chance had slipped away.


    In contrast, when Rocky saw this fleet, his heart finally settled down.


    Not long afterward, as the large, suddenly appearing fleet slowly approached Thunderhawk City, everyone finally understood where this fleet hailed from. As the fleet drew nearer, people could clearly see a large and distinct insignia on each warship, a triangle formed by three Sky Cities as its points.


    This insignia was that of the Sky Alliance!


    The fleet bearing this insignia was none other than the Alliance Army of the Sky Alliance!


    Just when Thunderhawk City was faltering in the face of the assault, the Sky Alliance sent out its Alliance Army to intervene in the battle!


    Such a turn of events surprised everyone, yet upon reflection, it seemed to make perfect sense.


    Everyone knew that even before this battle, Rocky had been a highly coveted figure by all the major alliances, who were vying for him to join their ranks. Therefore, the appearance of the Alliance Army at this juncture seemed baffling at first, but upon further thought, it felt logical and justified.


    Because of the appearance of the Alliance Army, it naturally represented another matter¡ªthat Rocky had already joined the Sky Alliance!


    Is that so?


    It''s exactly like that!


    The outsiders were never quite clear about Rocky''s purpose in launching this war. The reason he fought with Wild Horse City was partly due to the deep-seated enmity between them, but a more important reason was that Rocky needed to prove to the Sky Alliance that he had strength¡ªspecifically, the strength to hold onto a city with mineral resources.


    Therefore, whether he won or lost, triumphed or failed, in the war with Wild Horse City was not important. What was crucial was whether his performance in the battle was up to standard.


    And now, it appeared that Farey, who had always been watching this war, had indeed approved of his performance and thus dispatched the Alliance Army.


    The reality was indeed so. As soon as Rocky won the first battle, Farey was already very pleased. With the scarce resources owned by a small Sky City, yet managing to win a head-to-head confrontation with a medium-sized Sky City, the performance could be described as exceptional. In addition, with the impressive performance of technologies such as the Armor, including the White Demon, in the battles, the potential of new technologies was once again proven. All these factors combined naturally made Farey hesitate no longer, immediately agreeing to all of Rocky''s demands and allowing him to join the Sky Alliance! S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, a few days earlier, Farey had already sent someone to call in a large Sky City, planning to end this war forcefully in the name of the Sky Alliance. However, the Shadow Alliance got wind of this news and sold it to Karlo.


    This was why Karlo had suddenly accelerated his offensive in the latter stages, initiating fierce attacks day and night. He, too, had his own calculations.


    Although he did not know why Rocky had initiated the conflict, since the war had already broken out, he might as well go all in. He planned to capture Thunderhawk City before the Alliance Army arrived. That way, even if he couldn''t completely destroy Thunderhawk City, Karlo could still gain some advantages, and might even lay his hands on Rocky''s new technologies, right?


    But he didn''t manage to do that. Rocky ultimately withstood the fierce attacks and successfully awaited the Alliance Army.


    The Alliance Army descended from the sky, and the great battle between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City thus came to an end. Even if Karlo was hot-headed, he wouldn''t dare to directly confront a behemoth like the Sky Alliance. So without the need for the other side to make a real move, he stopped the week-long offensive and led his fleet back to Wild Horse City.


    With Karlo leading the fleet back to Wild Horse City, Thunderhawk City could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Following this, the entire city erupted in overwhelmingly joyful cheers, celebrating the victory of this battle.


    "We won! The City Lord has won!"


    "Mom, the cannon fire has stopped, the City Lord has won!"


    "Yes, the City Lord has won, he chased away the bad guys!"


    Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire


    As the fleet from Wild Horse City retreated and the cannon fire that continued for a week finally ceased, all the residents of Thunderhawk City rushed out of their homes, celebrating this victory in the streets.


    Indeed, no matter how outsiders viewed this great war, at least in the eyes of everyone in Thunderhawk City, they were the definite winners. This belief was not Thunderhawk City''s populace deluding themselves, because even in the eyes of outsiders, the battle between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City was a victory for them.


    Perhaps some might dispute this, asserting that if the Alliance Army had not appeared in time, it would have taken only two to three days, at most five to six days, for Thunderhawk City to be captured by Wild Horse City. Hence, they would argue that the battle can''t be counted as a victory for Thunderhawk City.


    Although that sounds reasonable, one must not forget that the appearance of the Alliance Army wasn''t an accident or a coincidence; it was within Rocky''s expectations from the start. Furthermore, when the war came to an end, all of Rocky''s objectives were also achieved. If one were to consider this, the battlefield victory between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City was indeed won by Thunderhawk City!

 Chapter 305 Wish Fulfilled

    With the appearance of the Alliance Army, the great war between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City also came to an end. Everyone might have different opinions about the outcome of this war, but those opinions were of no importance to Rocky because, not long after, he left Eternal City where he had been stationed for over half a year, escorted by the Alliance Army, to head for another city.Dawn City.


    Summoned by Farey, it was Dawn City that came to meet Rocky. This was a large Sky City with a population of 150,000 people. The area of Sky City was several times larger than that of Thunderhawk City. Even amongst all the cities in the Sky Alliance, it was considered a city of considerable strength. Furthermore, Dawn City was not just a member of the Alliance; it was also a Contact City established by the Sky Alliance.


    The sky is vast and limitless. Even though the Sky Alliance had its own airspace, it occupied only a small part of the sky. Therefore, the Alliance would station some of its members across various locations in the sky to form a network, enabling members to get in touch with the Alliance anytime, anywhere.


    Dawn City was such a city, so under Farey''s dispatch, the city managed to arrive in time.


    When Rocky brought Thunderhawk City near Dawn City, which was several times larger, he and Farey went into the city together. Not only did he meet the Lord of Dawn City, but also under the lord''s witness, he formally joined the Sky Alliance!


    Yes, Rocky had finally joined the Sky Alliance!


    Logically, joining the Sky Alliance was an occasion requiring a certain ceremony. After all, for any Sky City, this was no small matter, and hence, the process should be conducted with a sense of ceremony to convey solemnity. In fact, to achieve this effect, the Sky Alliance would choose a specific time each year for new members to join.


    However, Rocky''s joining was far from complicated. This was mainly because his membership was so sudden, and there had been no preparation for it. Furthermore, neither the Sky Alliance nor Rocky himself wanted to waste too much time on this matter. The Sky Alliance wanted Rocky to join quickly, and he wanted to join the Alliance just as fast, so neither party dwelled too much on the issue.


    Under these circumstances, the membership was quickly settled. After joining, Farey also fulfilled all the conditions Rocky had previously proposed.


    The first was Contribution Points.


    With Rocky''s official entry into the Alliance, he also received the thousand Contribution Points he had requested before, which he and Farey had arranged beforehand. Farey had kept his word; the thousand contribution points had already been added to Rocky''s contribution record in the Alliance, and he could even use them right now.


    The second was the matter of the mines.


    After officially joining the Alliance, Farey informed Rocky that as long as he could keep the mines of Backhill Village under his control, he could manage them himself. However, he had to surrender seventy percent of the mined resources. As long as he could do this, not only would the mines be under his management, but he would also receive a considerable amount of Contribution Points every month as a management reward. Additionally, the Alliance would dispatch troops to reinforce him in case of an attack.


    After settling these two matters, Rocky had finally taken care of a major concern. He had gotten his wish!


    To celebrate this joyous occasion, everyone in Thunderhawk City, from the ordinary residents to officials like Liliya, celebrated for three whole days.


    It''s no wonder everyone was so happy. As one of the largest forces in the entire sky, there were far too many cities that wanted to join the Sky Alliance, yet only a few ever managed to. Many Sky Cities did not qualify, but Thunderhawk City had succeeded, which naturally was a cause for the entire city to rejoice.


    In fact, not only were others happy, but Rocky himself was also very pleased because this was what really mattered to him. After all, he was the City Lord of Thunderhawk City!


    In Rocky''s view, joining the Sky Alliance was an important turning point for him in this sky. The development of Thunderhawk City, his own development, and the research of Runes, among other things, would all take a significant turn with the Alliance membership. It was an unequivocally firm step he had taken. And, with this step done, the path ahead would be much smoother.


    For this reason, Rocky specifically purchased a large amount of goods from within Dawn City, allowing the city''s residents to truly enjoy the occasion.


    Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    However, while everyone else was celebrating, Rocky only joined in the revelry with everyone for the first day. For the next few days, he was too busy to relax, constantly occupied with various tasks.


    There was no helping it; having officially joined the Alliance, Rocky now had many more matters to attend to.


    Joining the Alliance was like taking the first step, but how to proceed thereafter was for Rocky to consider. Of course, he already had plans for what to do next.


    The first thing he planned to do was to spend his Contribution Points! S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As mentioned before, within the Sky Alliance, Contribution Points were akin to a currency that could be exchanged for many valuable items unavailable elsewhere. Rocky''s reason for asking Farey for a thousand Contribution Points was to skip the time required to accumulate them, allowing Thunderhawk City to advance significantly with the help of the points.


    Now that he had joined the Sky Alliance and received all the Contribution Points, his next step was to spend them all, as holding onto them wouldn''t increase their amount.

 Chapter 305 As One Wishes_2

    So, in the days that followed, he pondered what he should buy and how exactly to spend all his Contribution Points.Initially, Rocky didn''t think this would be a difficult task. After all, it was no different from spending money, and as the City Lord, he may not boast extravagance, but he was certainly capable of spending money,


    However, as much as Rocky thought so, when he used the Magic Energy Receiver he obtained after joining the Alliance to check what exactly the Contribution Points could exchange for, he was in for quite a shock; there were just so many things that Contribution Points could be used for!


    For Contribution Points, the Sky Alliance had an entire exchange system in place, and the items available for exchange were broadly categorized into three major classes.


    The first class was supplies, starting from the most basic of foodstuffs, to everything needed for the city''s development¡ªall inclusive for exchange. The variety was so vast that one could hardly take them all in at once, with resources being the most important. Using Contribution Points, one could exchange for various resources within the Sky Alliance, from minerals, to medicine, to various materials. Virtually any resource could be obtained.


    The second class was military equipment, which was self-explanatory. From the standard equipment used by ordinary soldiers, to Void Magic Armor, up to large warships, all military hardware available for exchange with Contribution Points was at your disposal, and indeed, some items, as rumored, were unobtainable elsewhere.


    It''s just that these hard-to-acquire pieces of military equipment, although available for exchange within the Alliance using Contribution Points, were not at all cheap. They required thousands, if not tens of thousands, and even up to several tens of thousands of Contribution Points to acquire¡ªan expensive deal indeed.


    Besides supplies and military equipment, the third class of items that could be exchanged with Contribution Points was quite special, known as construction.


    The so-called construction exchange didn''t refer to a specific item but rather the use of Contribution Points to develop and construct cities. For example, if a city needed to expand its size, one could choose the expansion option in the construction category. Once Contribution Points were paid, the Sky Alliance would dispatch people to carry out the city expansion. Similarly, if a city needed to build a certain type of factory, Contribution Points could facilitate the Sky Alliance to send help.


    Even the population could be exchanged with Contribution Points!


    Rocky was truly startled when he found out that Contribution Points could be used to exchange for the population. As everyone knows, population is too important for any Sky City, so much so that when gauging the size of a Sky City, it''s not by the city''s scale, economy, or military might, but strictly by its population. This emphasized just how crucial the population is for a city. Never had he expected that in the Sky Alliance, the population could be exchanged using Contribution Points.


    For Rocky, this was really an unexpectedly pleasant surprise, yet before he could even rejoice, he saw the price for exchanging the population: 100 Contribution Points for 1 person...


    Upon seeing this exchange rate, his excitement promptly dwindled, considering his 1,000 Contribution Points could only exchange for 10 people...


    Population is crucial, but it requires a significant base number to be effective. Take Thunderhawk City, for instance; currently, its population is around 3,000. If one more person were added, the population would indeed increase, but would that one person make a difference to the grand development of Thunderhawk City?


    Definitely not. Thunderhawk City would need a sudden increase of a thousand people; otherwise, an addition of dozens or even hundreds would be as good as none.


    And with just a bit of calculation, it''s clear that relying on Contribution Points to increase the population was a costly endeavor: one person required a hundred points, ten people would be a thousand points, a hundred people would mean ten thousand points, and a thousand individuals¡ªa staggering hundred thousand Contribution Points!


    Spending a hundred thousand Contribution Points just to increase the population by a thousand¡ªa question truly worth pondering whether it was a loss or a gain.


    But in any case, the array of items available for exchange within the Sky Alliance was vast, ranging from food to population; as long as there were Contribution Points, everything was up for grabs.


    After roughly understanding what Contribution Points could be exchanged for, Rocky couldn''t help but feel one thing: it wasn''t enough!


    No wonder Farey had agreed so readily to his request; it was only now that Rocky realized he had asked for too few Contribution Points. In the Sky Alliance''s contribution system, a thousand points were definitely not a lot. For rare items only available through the Sky Alliance, these thousand points would undoubtedly be insufficient.


    Although he felt his initial request was somewhat lacking, there was nothing Rocky could do now except bite the bullet and not go back to Farey to ask for more. Instead of dwelling on his excessive caution, he decided it was key to first use these thousand points to exchange for some items to enhance his strength.


    Faced with so many options for exchange, deciding what to get with his Contribution Points became an important matter. After all, there were only a thousand points in his hand, and once spent, they would be gone.


    So in this situation, Rocky spent a great deal of time making his choice.


    Firstly, he ruled out city development, although it was an important aspect. Later on, when Thunderhawk City would need to expand from a small sky city to a medium one, the Alliance''s help would definitely be necessary, but for now, Thunderhawk City hadn''t developed to the point of needing the Sky Alliance''s help.


    Secondly, he excluded resources like supplies. After the competition with Xia Nai had ended, Rocky had amassed over five million Gold Coins. Allocating a whole million to replenish the city treasury, Thunderhawk City still had some money left¡ªenough to be self-sufficient for the time being, minimizing the need to waste Contribution Points on everyday supplies.


    As for mining resources, Orton''s research could make use of them, but not in a large quantity. The smallest unit of exchange for any kind of mineral resource also needed to be more than a hundred pounds, so this option was likewise unnecessary. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    Thus, after all the considerations, the item that Rocky should¡ªand indeed could¡ªexchange for was quite obvious: military equipment. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This category was precisely what Rocky intended to replenish, as it was closely related to what he had to do next!


    Since he had proposed to the Sky Alliance to manage the Backhill Village Mine on his own, it indicated that he had already targeted the mine in Backhill Village for his next objective.


    Indeed, having control over a mining resource would bring tremendous benefits to the city''s future development. Hence, as soon as he had saved Wilton and learned that he might have the chance to join the Sky Alliance, he set his sights on the mining resources of Backhill Village, planning to reclaim the mines from the demons'' grip!


    However, this task was not as simple as just saying it could be done. After Tulip City fell, everyone knew that the demons had become restless. Therefore, the land was bound to be even more dangerous than before.


    For Rocky, if he wanted to acquire the Backhill Village Mine, he would need to not only retake the mine but also defend it. Accomplishing this was no small feat¡ªit required not just a strong fleet and city but also powerful soldiers, much like when he had to defend Backhill Village, where people had to physically stand their ground.


    And at this juncture, Contribution Points came into their own.


    The military hardware that could be exchanged with Contribution Points included not only high-end Void Magic Armor and large warships but also standard-issue equipment and weapons for the common soldiers. And since Contribution Points were more precious than Gold Coins, a small amount of them could exchange for a large quantity of equipment, which was precisely what Rocky needed.


    The Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City was already strong, and after incorporating the numerous warriors from Backhill Village, their strength was even more formidable. This was evident from their battle to eradicate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, where even a war fanatic like Karina had to admit the strength of Thunderhawk City''s troops.


    In this context, equipping the troops with excellent gear would undoubtedly further increase the Guard Corps'' strength. With the support of the aerial fleet added to that, defending the mine didn''t seem like such a difficult task anymore!

 Chapter 306 The Use of Exchange Points

    Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library EmpireIn order to regain control of the mining fields in Backhill Village, Rocky knew he had to strengthen his Guard Corps, only by doing this could he recapture the mines and hold them as well. He was very familiar with Backhill Village, after all, and knew that starting mining operations there would attract a large number of Dark Demons, so he had to rely on land forces for defense.


    Because of this, the use of contribution points was quite straightforward¡ªclearly, they were to be exchanged for soldier equipment!


    Once he had made this decision, he immediately took action and began to search through the extensive exchange list.


    Although everyone knew that Void Magic Armor was the strongest individual weapon, its prohibitive cost had always prevented it from truly being mass-produced and popularized. Even though people managed to develop mass production type armor, it could only equip a small portion of warriors; it was far from being enough to equip every individual.


    And so, even though Void Magic Armor had advanced to the Fifth Generation, and the Sixth Generation armor was being developed, the equipment for ordinary soldiers had not been phased out. Instead, it had continued to develop over the years. The exchange list of Sky Alliance included a large amount of such equipment.


    The quality of these pieces varied, strong or weak, the range of choices was very broad, so after Rocky roughly reviewed the types and prices, he had a general idea in mind.


    In the Alliance''s exchange list, the most basic equipment, which was also the cheapest, could be obtained for just one contribution point per full set.


    A "full set" referred to the three major components: weapon, shield, and armor. One contribution point could exchange for a full set, which was quite inexpensive. Considering the number of people in the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad, even fully equipping them would only require a few hundred contribution points.


    However, although the prices of ordinary equipment were low, the quality failed to meet Rocky''s standards. He had personally led the defense of Backhill Village, so he knew very well how intense and terrifying battle with Demons could be.


    Fighting Demons was akin to dancing with death; no matter how strong a warrior was, even a slight mistake could lead to instant death without any chance for recovery, and ordinary equipment simply couldn''t meet this level of combat requirement.


    In such a situation, if the Guard Corps were to have any chance against the Demons, or even defeat them, efforts had to be made from two fronts.


    One was to improve the overall quality of the Guard Corps, and the other was to enhance the quality of their equipment.


    As the old saying goes, "To forge iron, one must be strong themselves." If they were strong enough, their chances of surviving against Demons increased, and they might even defeat them. Monte and Lin Feng were prime examples of this.


    As the strongest warriors in Thunderhawk City, even if Monte and Lin Feng only used the most ordinary long swords and broadaxes, they were capable of killing Demons on their own. This was the result of their formidable personal strength. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, making every member of the Guard Corps as formidable as them was simply impossible, although the Guard had never ceased their training, even intensifying it. The personal quality of the guards had significantly increased compared to when they were tasked with Backhill Village, but they still couldn''t face Demons alone.


    As far as Rocky knew, besides Monte and Lin Feng, only about the squad leaders in Thunderhawk City''s Guard Corps could confront a Demon head-on, but even that was just holding their ground; it was still difficult to say whether they could kill a low-level demon on their own,


    Hence, the only way for the Guard Corps to stand against Demons was the second method: improving the level of the equipment.


    Rocky was very experienced in this area. The reason he had been able to lead the Guard Corps in defending Backhill Village was because they relied on sufficiently superior equipment. He had personally made Rune equipment for every warrior in the Guard Corps, and it was with the enhancement from the rune equipment that they withstood multiple attacks from the Demons.


    So this time, when Rocky prepared to use the contribution points to exchange for equipment, he directly dismissed the cheapest ordinary equipment and set his sights on the more expensive, but also higher quality, Magic Energy Equipment.


    As an advanced product of ordinary equipment, Magic Energy Equipment had been very popular since its inception, and as it had been developed long before the land was overrun, it had evolved and matured in various aspects over the many years.


    The current Magic Energy Equipment was divided into six levels, each level denoted by one star, each star representing a different amount of Magic Energy.


    One-star Magic Energy Gear was the most common and basic type of Magic Energy Equipment, providing about 50 to 80 points of Magic Energy; the exact value depending on the manufacturing craft and technology, which could vary slightly.


    Two-star Magic Energy Gear was considered premium equipment, providing about 80 to 200 points of Magic Energy, already capable of considerably enhancing the soldiers on both offensive and defensive ends.


    Three-star Magic Energy Armor was typically high-grade equipment, each set offering at least 200 to 400 points of Magic Energy. In terms of Magic Energy alone, Three-star Magic Energy Armor provided a level of Magic Energy comparable to the earlier models ofVoid Magic Armor. Of course, apart from Magic Energy, theVoid Magic Armor also incorporated many technologies, so no matter how powerfulthe Magic Energy Equipment was, it couldn''t be compared to the Void Magic Armor.

 Chapter 306 The Use of Exchange Points_2

    As for the more advanced four-star, five-star, and even the top-tier six-star Magic Energy Equipment, the mana they provided was even more substantial, reaching up to thousands of points at most. However, the price of these levels of gear was also sky-high, unaffordable for most people.Therefore, after carefully examining the exchange chart, Rocky quickly made his choice¡ªhe planned to purchase Two-Star Magic Energy Equipment.


    Having had experience fighting demons, especially battles against large numbers of demons, Rocky was well aware that One-Star Magic Energy Gear wasn''t very effective against demons. The only difference it made was whether one died immediately or survived just long enough for a second blow, so he immediately ruled out this option.


    Although Three-Star Magic Energy Equipment was powerful, its price was too high¡ªa set of Three-Star Magic Energy Equipment, not even the top-tier kind, cost 50 Contribution Points for a set.


    This price was too steep for Rocky. Fifty Contribution Points were not a small sum. In the Alliance''s exchange system, a set of standard Third Generation Void Magic Armor only cost 300 Contribution Points. Moreover, Rocky needed to exchange for hundreds of sets of equipment to be sufficient, and he had only a thousand Contribution Points, which wouldn''t be enough to purchase Three-Star Magic Energy Equipment.


    In contrast, although the power of Two-Star Magic Energy Equipment was somewhat lower, it was much more affordable¡ªthe cheapest Two-Star Magic Energy Equipment could be exchanged for just 4 Contribution Points per set, and the most expensive was only 20 points. Rocky found this price acceptable.


    Therefore, he quickly picked out a set among dozens of Two-Star Magic Energy Equipment options.


    Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    The set he chose was named the Guardian Set, which could provide warriors with 150 points of mana, a substantial amount within the Two-Star Magic Energy Equipment, and its exchange price was very cheap, only requiring 4 Contribution Points per set.


    Such a low price, of course, had its reasons. As the name suggests, the Guardian Set was a set of equipment focused on defense. The gear itself was heavy armor, making the warriors very inflexible when wearing it. The mana''s enhancement was also primarily in defensive power, with somewhat less offensive capability, which was why this set was so inexpensive.


    Logically speaking, the Guardian Set had clear flaws. Although defensive power was important in combat against demons, having only defensive capabilities was insufficient. Magic Energy Equipment was still just Magic Energy Equipment, not true Void Magic Armor, so flexibility was also crucial. The Guardian Set was precisely lacking in this aspect.


    However, this set of equipment was very suitable for Rocky. What he needed was this type of equipment with strong defensive capabilities because in potential future defensive battles, although Thunderhawk City''s Guard Corps would resist the demons, they wouldn''t be the main force eliminating them.


    Compared to the time they took on the Backhill Village mission, Thunderhawk City''s strength had improved significantly. Now, they possessed a powerful fleet and the Void Magic Squad¡ªthese top-tier forces were the main forces eliminating the demons. The Guard Corps only needed to defend well against the demons'' attacks, giving the fleet and Void Magic Squad time to annihilate the demons, and that would be enough.


    Moreover, Rocky didn''t forget that after purchasing these sets, he could still personally perform further rune enhancements. Once enhanced, the Guardian Set''s mana would inevitably be strengthened, and by then, the defensive power would be even greater. Once the defensive strength reached a certain qualitative change, then the impact of this set of equipment would be even more significant.


    Therefore, without hesitation, Rocky chose the Guardian Set, and immediately bought two hundred sets.


    The Guard Corps now had over three hundred people, but among them, one hundred were part of the Archer Troops, while the warriors numbered just over two hundred, so two hundred sets of the Guardian Set were already sufficient.


    At the same time, Rocky didn''t forget the Archer Troops. In the process of battling the demons, the Archer Troops could also play a certain role, and their reliance on equipment was even stronger. The better the equipment, the more significant the impact the Archer Troops could make.


    So, after purchasing the two hundred sets of Guardian Set, spending eight hundred Contribution Points, Rocky allocated the remaining two hundred Contribution Points entirely to the equipment for the Archer Troops.


    He chose a strong bow named Gale for his Archer Troops. This bow was embedded with Magic Stones and could use Mana to enhance its bow strength, significantly increasing the power of the Arrow Feathers shot from it. According to the description, even using the most common Arrow Feathers, the Gale Strongbow could split a rock with a single arrow and was quite effective against the tough-skinned Demons.


    Of course, such a powerful strong bow was also very expensive. One Contribution Point could only exchange for one bow, meaning the price of a single Gale Strongbow was equivalent to a full set of standard equipment. Therefore, Rocky didn''t buy many, purchasing just fifty, which was just enough for one set per person in the Archer Troops!


    Additionally, he bought fifty Charging Staves at the same price. These staves, embedded with several Magic Stones, could support Mages in continuing their Magic spells when their Magic Power was depleted, thereby extending their combat duration.


    Fifty Gale Strongbows plus fifty Charging Staves added up to exactly one hundred Contribution Points.


    As for the remaining one hundred Contribution Points, Rocky didn''t keep any of them. In his view, hoarding them was a waste, so he used thirty Contribution Points to exchange for three hundred quality steel arrows to strengthen the Archer Troops, and the remaining seventy Contribution Points were all used to exchange for Magic Stones. Since the entire Guard Corps were equipped with Magic Energy Equipment, replenishing Mana had become an essential issue, and it was necessary to stock up on a large amount of Magic Stones for this purpose.


    After making all the selections, Rocky went to Dawn City and met an official stationed by the Sky Alliance there, handing over his exchange list.


    "City Lord Rocky, is this what you want to exchange? Do you need to change anything?"


    As a Contact City for the Sky Alliance, Dawn City had a special residence for the Alliance, and the staff there was polite upon seeing Rocky. News about Rocky had already spread within the Sky Alliance, and many did not dare to underestimate him, a City Lord who joined the Alliance without following the usual procedures.


    "That''s correct."


    Nodding his head, Rocky confirmed that these were exactly what he wanted. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright, if that is the case, we will have someone deliver them to you in three days. Also, after the equipment is delivered, we will deduct a thousand Contribution Points from your account."


    Since Dawn City was not only a large Sky City but also a Contact City for the Sky Alliance, it had a considerable inventory by itself. Moreover, the items Rocky exchanged were not many, so everything could be arranged within a few days. He just needed to wait in the city to receive the goods.


    After leaving the Alliance residence, however, Rocky did not head straight back to Thunderhawk City. Instead, he went to the commercial street of Dawn City with Liliya, Aileen, Orton, and Hammerfire.


    This time, he didn''t come to Dawn City alone; besides Liliya, he had also brought Aileen, Orton, and Hammerfire. One reason for coming to Dawn City was to exchange equipment with the Alliance, and another was to purchase a batch of research materials.


    It had been over half a year since the Rune Armor project had started. During this half-year, Orton and his team had not only produced a set of White Demon Armor but also continued their research on Runes, achieving significant successes and making Rune enhancements to many existing technologies, although at a theoretical stage needing further experimentation.


    This was exactly why Rocky came to Dawn City this time. Previously, due to lack of funds, although Orton and his team had been researching, all research had remained on paper. However, after winning the final match in the Arena, Rocky had provided one million Gold Coins in research funds, enabling them to purchase a new batch of research materials and equipment.


    At the same time, there was another more important matter, which was that Rocky also needed to purchase materials for manufacturing Armor as he hoped that Orton and his team could craft two more sets of new Armor for him!

 Chapter 307 New Goal

    This time, besides purchasing the necessary supplies for research, Rocky also wanted to buy some materials used in the production of armor because he wanted to make two more sets of armor!Thunderhawk City now had its own Void Magic Squad. Although there weren''t many members yet, at least they could already contribute in real battles, as had been shown in their first fight against Wild Horse City. However, for Rocky, this was far from enough.


    His next goal was to take control of the Backhill Village Mine and keep it firmly in his hands. Achieving this would naturally require the strength of the Void Magic Warriors. Thus, a problem arose, which was that there weren''t enough Void Magic Warriors under Rocky''s command.


    Counting himself, there were only six Void Magic Warriors in Thunderhawk City, which, on the face of it, could barely form a squad, but in reality, it was only half a squad¡ªobviously too few.


    Void Magic Warriors were people too; they needed rest, they got injured, and they required recuperation. So even if Rocky could forever guard the mine, six Void Magic Warriors were entirely insufficient for rotation. Moreover, it was impossible for him to stay at the mine forever.


    In this situation, he hoped to use the remaining money in his hand to make two additional sets of armor to enhance the combat power of his Void Magic Warriors. He had even decided on the type: it was the land-combat Special Armor that had once been showcased in the Arena.


    The Holy Angel Armor had made its debut in the Arena, and the opponent was wearing the fourth generation of the land-combat Special Armor; it was the first time Rocky had seen armor specifically designed for land combat. He had then taken the opportunity to learn more about it from Hammerfire, and now he wanted to make new armor of this kind.


    Since it was for defending the mine, the land-combat Special Armor was more than suitable. The greatest advantage of this type of armor was its strong defensive power combined with extremely powerful offensive capabilities; on land, it could be used as a mobile artillery. If Thunderhawk City could possess several sets of such armor, securing the Backhill Village mine would naturally become much more feasible.


    To this end, Rocky had specifically consulted with Orton and others, who readily agreed and were even delighted, as they had already done lots of theoretical research and were in need of practical verification, so this was a perfect opportunity.


    Therefore, after Rocky had arrived in Dawn City and settled his Contribution Points, he and the others went to purchase a significant amount of research and armor-manufacturing supplies.


    The specific process of purchasing supplies doesn''t need lengthy mention. Although this was not Eternal City where, as the City Lord, Rocky could enjoy discounts, still, as a member of the Sky Alliance, shopping in Dawn City, particularly within the Alliance''s Chamber of Commerce, he could still enjoy the discounts exclusive to Alliance members.


    So after two continuous days of shopping, Rocky had spent over 800,000 Gold Coins, finally managing to procure everything he needed.


    While the money spent this time was significant, fundamentally it was all research funding¡ªThunderhawk City''s funds for everyday expenses had hardly been touched. Also, after this round of shopping, the research materials needed for a considerable period in the future had all been purchased.


    Afterward, he returned to his Thunderhawk City. Barely a day later, the equipment he had exchanged for also arrived.


    Two hundred Guardian Sets, fifty Gale Strongbows, fifty Charging Staffs, along with several Arrow Feathers and Magic Stones, all were delivered to Thunderhawk City. Once this batch of materials had also arrived, Rocky bid farewell to the City Lord of Dawn City and activated Thunderhawk City''s flight mode, heading straight towards his next target!


    Backhill Village!


    Backhill Village was a place Rocky was incredibly familiar with and likewise very important to him. He had defended it for a whole month and had engaged in multiple battles with demons there. One could say his first real experience of commanding troops in war was at Backhill Village.


    It was also due to the mission in Backhill Village that he had acquired his first substantial sum of money necessary for development. He not only absorbed over a thousand villagers into Thunderhawk City but also obtained a large amount of supplies. With money earned from selling these supplies, he purchased numerous warships led by the Thunderhawk, thereby defeating the formidable Baron Wolin. This led to his and Thunderhawk City''s subsequent series of developments, culminating in everything today.


    If one were to say Rocky had indeed made his wealth, then the starting point of his wealth was Backhill Village!


    Thus, this time heading to Backhill Village, Rocky was quite excited about it, and not just him alone; the original residents of Backhill Village, led by Lin Feng and Old Jack, were also looking forward to it.


    Although Lin Feng and the others had been living in Thunderhawk City for almost a year and had long since adapted to the peaceful life in the city, Backhill Village was after all their birthplace, and their emotional attachment was undoubtedly there. So when they learned of Rocky''s plan to retake Backhill Village, everyone was quite excited.


    In such circumstances, Thunderhawk City, which had been silent for over half a year, once again started up, slowly flying towards Backhill Village.


    ...


    ...


    While Rocky was heading towards his next destination, a meeting was also taking place inside Machine City, an internal meeting of the Mairente Family.


    As a major family, the Mairente Family held regular family meetings every quarter to deal with various family affairs and discuss the overall development direction of the family. However, this particular meeting was different from usual regular meetings.


    One difference was that it wasn''t the regular time for the meeting. In fact, the quarterly meeting for this season had just ended over a month ago, so this was an emergency meeting. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Another difference was the attendance at this emergency meeting, which was unusually complete. It wasn''t common to have all members present, including all Elders headed by Clan Leader Atted and even the new generation members like Cyril, who didn''t normally qualify for every meeting.


    Clearly, this meeting was not trivial; otherwise, the Mairente Family wouldn''t have mobilized so extensively.


    Indeed, it was the case. This emergency meeting was crucial for the Mairente Family¡ªit''s no exaggeration to say that in recent years, even in the past decade, there has not been such a significant issue that required a meeting of this level within the Mairente Family.


    And the main subject of this meeting was Rocky!


    Just when Rocky had just defeated Baron Wolin, the Mairente Family had already held a small-scale discussion on how to handle the matter. After the meeting, Atted told his daughter Cyril that it was unbelievable how a huge family could be run around by a Rocky.


    When Atted said this, ninety percent was in jest, and ten percent was self-mockery, but he could never have imagined that his casual remark would actually come true¡ªthis time, their entire Mairente Family really was being run around by Rocky!

 Chapter 308 Gratitude, Resentment, Love, and Hatred

    The entire Mairente Family gathered to discuss a matter that was precisely related to Rocky!"Elders¡­ what are your thoughts on this issue?"


    Sitting in the Clan Leader''s position, Atted surveyed the room with an incredibly composed expression before opening his mouth to speak.


    But after he finished his statement, there was silence.


    "What is it? Does nobody have anything to say on this matter?"


    After waiting for a moment and seeing that no one spoke up, Atted asked again.


    "Clan Leader."


    Finally, someone spoke up; however, when everyone followed the direction of the voice, they realized that the speaker was not any of the Elders at the meeting but a young man sitting against the wall.


    As previously mentioned, this meeting included not only the Mairente Family''s Elders but also the younger generation who had already become involved in the family''s affairs. The person now speaking was one of the younger generation, and it was none other than Lexington''s son: Abraham.


    Abraham, about the same age and generation as Cyril, belonged to the family''s young generation and was already involved in managing family affairs alongside his father, and therefore, he also attended this meeting.


    Noticing that everyone, including Atted, had turned their attention to him, Abraham stood up and swiftly said, "Clan Leader, Elders, regarding the matter of Rocky, I think our family should no longer show leniency. While he has not yet fully spread his wings, we should eradicate him swiftly!"


    Abraham spoke these words with such conviction that it seemed as if Rocky had already become the family''s greatest enemy.


    His performance wasn''t entirely an act, because whether or not Rocky was the entire family''s greatest enemy remained to be seen, but he had definitely become the greatest enemy of his father, Lexington.


    It had been over two months since the competition between Rocky and Xia Nai ended, and the Mairente Family was already aware of the Sky Alliance''s sanctions, specifically the inclusion of the Mairente Family on the unwelcome list. This meant Lexington''s series of actions targeted at Rocky were also known to Rocky.


    And if anyone still remembered Lexington''s original plan, they would know that during the battle between Rocky and Wild Horse City, Abraham was supposed to swoop in like a yellow sparrow and seize Thunderhawk City, thereby acquiring the technology in Rocky''s possession.


    Lexington arranged it this way, and Abraham was indeed prepared to act accordingly. So, when the battle between Rocky and Wild Horse City was taking place and many City Lords were spectating, Abraham was among them. Yet, before he had a chance to make his move, the Alliance Army appeared, and facing the formidable Alliance Army, Abraham, who had long been prepared, ultimately decided to stand down.


    Nevertheless, having witnessed the entire battle between Rocky and Wild Horse City firsthand, Abraham realized that Rocky was certainly not an easy opponent. Now already the City Lord of a minor Sky City, Rocky had boldly declared war on Wild Horse City. If he were allowed to grow and gain strength, would his father, who had repeatedly targeted him, still have good days ahead?


    Thus, saying that Rocky had become Lexington''s greatest enemy was not an exaggeration at all!


    Therefore, Abraham suggested that the family continue targeting Rocky, trying to turn the personal grudge between Rocky and Lexington into a grudge against the entire family. This was not just his own opinion but represented the stance of Lexington''s faction, though it was voiced through Abraham.


    No sooner had his words left his mouth than Sister Cyril beside him said, "Abraham, do you mean to suggest that our family should go to war with the Sky Alliance?"


    Casting a glancing look at Abraham, Cyril also rose to her feet, "Clan Leader, Elders, now that Rocky has joined the Sky Alliance, I believe this is rather a good thing for our entire family."


    "Oh?"


    Hearing her daughter''s words, Atted, seated in the Clan Leader''s position, glanced at her and then nodded with a smile, "Go on, elaborate."


    "Yes."


    After acknowledging with a word, Cyril continued, "Rocky has greatly changed from before. Not only has he joined the Sky Alliance, but he also possesses the most cutting-edge Armor Technology today, which is the key point. His potential for development is substantial, and I think everyone should be well aware of it."


    "Although it seems he has some conflict with the Mairente family, it''s not actually the case. He only has issues with certain individuals in the family. These are personal grudges and not related to the family as a whole. Moreover, let''s not forget that he has the blood of our family. No matter what, he is still a member of our family. Therefore, I believe the family should let bygones be bygones and take the initiative to ease our relationship with him. Only in this way can it be beneficial for both parties."


    As a woman who was the Clan Leader, Cyril was accustomed to the ways of the world. Even in such a high-level family meeting, her demeanor was not at all timid, and she articulated her ideas clearly and concisely in just a few words.


    When she had finished speaking, many in the hall appeared to be deep in thought. As the Clan Leader, Cyril''s opinion essentially represented Atted''s, indicating that on the matter of how to handle Rocky, Atted wished for reconciliation.


    Moreover, it must be acknowledged that Cyril''s words held some truth. Rocky indeed was no longer the person he used to be¡ªnow backed by the Sky Alliance and holding genuine new technology in his hands, whether one liked it or not, it was necessary to see him in a new light. In this context, the question of whether to oppose him or maintain a good relationship with him was obviously not a matter for debate.


    Unfortunately, as reasonable as Cyril''s idea was, there were definitely those who would not agree.


    "Hmph!"


    As soon as she finished speaking, Abraham let out a cold laugh.


    "Sister Cyril, I think you are putting too much personal emotion into this matter. Last time, you secretly informed Rocky about the family''s decision to reclaim Thunderhawk City. What now, are you planning to do the same thing again?"


    "Or is it that you have already informed him of the matters of this meeting in advance?"


    With a sneer and a look toward Cyril, Abraham spoke in a mocking tone, instantly causing Cyril''s expression to turn extremely unpleasant.


    The fact that Rocky managed to defeat Baron Wolin had indeed been related to Cyril''s heads-up, a matter which in itself wasn''t an issue, and Baron Wolin''s defeat could not be blamed on Cyril. However, Abraham''s mention of these events at this juncture put Cyril on the defensive¡ªshe had just vigorously asserted her concern for the family''s interests, and Abraham''s insinuation now made it seem as though she had ulterior motives.


    Following that, Abraham turned to the rest and said:


    "Everyone, the conflict between Rocky and our family is not merely with one individual; he detests the entire Mairente family! He is just like his father, who betrayed the family for a woman, despising the entire family!" S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Abraham glared, bitterly voicing this piece of the past that few people now spoke of.


    Where did the relationship between Rocky and the Mairente family originate? Naturally, it stemmed from his father, who was a member of the Mairente family and also Atted''s brother, which made Rocky and Cyril cousins.


    The complicated relationship between Rocky and the Mairente family was precisely because his father had left the family, with the reason being a woman¡ªhis mother.


    In fact, there wasn''t much to tell about this tale. Both Rocky''s father and mother were born into prominent families, but the two families were adversaries. Hence, when the couple fell in love, they both left their respective families. Naturally, the process was incredibly complex and involved much entanglement, yet the story itself was quite simple.


    In summary, Rocky''s father turned his back on the entire family to be with his mother. After his death, the family, coveting the inheritance he left behind¡ªspecifically, a medium-sized Sky City¡ªsought out Rocky, leading to everything that happened afterward.


    Now, Abraham had brought up the subject again and followed up without mercy, "Clan Leader, Elders, think about it. Can we possibly reconcile with someone filled with hatred for the family? Should we keep him, fostering a tiger that could become a danger, waiting for the day he seeks revenge on us?"

 Chapter 309 Impending Disaster

    How exactly should we treat Rocky? Within the Mairente Family, there clearly exist differing opinions.Those aligned with Clan Leader Atted, notably, intend to reconcile with Rocky, and this stance is epitomized by Cyril, who has had significant dealings with him.


    Given Cyril''s interactions with Rocky, it''s impossible to claim there are no personal feelings involved, but that''s secondary. As a member of the family and also the daughter of the Clan Leader, Cyril is primarily considering the family''s interests in this matter.


    As she stated, Rocky is no longer the pitiful figure who was deceived by the family into losing the medium-sized Sky City and was then expelled over a year ago. He has considerably evolved since becoming a member of the Sky Alliance and gaining access to the latest Armor Technology. All of this proves that the family must change its attitude toward him.


    Hence, Cyril hopes the family will take the initiative to make amends with Rocky, which would be beneficial for both sides. She also pointed out that Rocky''s conflict is only with ''certain individuals'' in the family, not with the family as a whole, suggesting there''s still hope for reconciliation.


    This idea, naturally, is not accepted by the faction led by Lexington because the ''certain individuals'' Cyril referred to are Lexington and his group¡ªthey''re the ones embroiled in deep conflict with Rocky!


    First was Baron Wolin''s failed attempt to forcibly take Thunderhawk City, followed by collusion with Wild Horse City to cause trouble for Rocky. They even nearly thwarted his efforts to join the Sky Alliance. It could be said that all significant troubles Rocky faced as a City Lord were related to Lexington and his cohorts.


    Had he remained a mediocre City Lord for life, no one would have cared about a minor character. Unfortunately for them, he was far from insignificant ¨C in fact, he achieved a great deal!


    Consider the short time Rocky has been a City Lord, he managed to join the Sky Alliance as a minor Sky City Lord and astonished everyone with groundbreaking new technology, making himself one of the hottest commodities of the current time.


    Therefore, Lexington and the others had no choice but to take him seriously. Assuming Rocky is not a fool, he certainly won''t forget what they did to him. Rather than waiting passively for Rocky to grow stronger and seek revenge, they preferred to take the offensive, aiming to eliminate him before he could fully spread his wings!


    Under these circumstances, a fierce dispute naturally arose between Cyril and Abraham. Cyril tried to clarify to everyone that Rocky''s conflict was with an individual within the family, namely the group led by Lexington¡ªit wasn''t with the family as a whole and reconciliation was possible. Abraham, on the contrary, emphasized that Rocky harbored hatred for the entire family, even involving his origins to persuade others that keeping him around would lead to disaster.


    "Enough!"


    As Abraham finished speaking and Cyril was about to respond, Lexington, seated firmly at the conference table, suddenly interjected, cutting off Cyril''s unspoken words and forcing them back down her throat.


    As the most powerful Elder in the family, Lexington still held considerable authority. After pre-empting Cyril''s comment, he glared in her direction, "A bunch of juniors, is it your place to express opinions here?"


    "And what gives you the right to speak?"


    When Lexington spoke up, Clan Leader Atted also chimed in. He gave Lexington a cold look, "Lexington, it''s because of your unilateral actions that the Sky Alliance sanctioned us. Do you realize how much pressure that put on our family? What right do you have to speak on this matter!"


    Rarely showing such anger, Atted was genuinely upset. The Sky Alliance''s sanctions were indeed severe for the Mairente Family. Losing face was the least of their problems; the attitude of the Alliance was a significant concern, given its power. For a family as influential as the Mairente, enemies both overt and covert abounded, making them vulnerable to attack now that they had been blacklisted by the Alliance. As a result, Atted had been under tremendous pressure lately. If Lexington''s influence within the family hadn''t been so substantial, Atted would have already removed him from his Elder position. Nevertheless, Lexington had also faced punishment from the family, leaving him quite passive.


    But Lexington was still Lexington. Even in the face of such a pointed question from Atted, he merely sneered and then spoke up, "My actions against Rocky were for the good of the family!"


    "Do you really think the dispute between Rocky and our family arises solely because of my actions? Have you forgotten who decided to take back that Sky City from him?"


    As Lexington spoke these words, he glanced at Atted, because the person who had made the decision to reclaim the medium-sized Sky City that had been left to Rocky by his father was none other than Atted, who was not yet the Clan Leader at the time!


    "Haven''t you all forgotten whose hands that Sky City is in now!"


    After giving Atted a look, Lexington turned his gaze to another person among the Elders, a woman.


    This woman appeared to be in her forties, yet she still carried her charm, embodying the allure of a mature woman. However, after being stared at by Lexington, especially after hearing what he said, she slightly furrowed her brows.


    This woman was Kelly.


    Just like Atted and Lexington, Kelly was also a leader of a family faction, and it was she who currently had in her hands the medium-sized Sky City taken back from Rocky. It was precisely because she obtained possession of this Sky City that she had supported Atted, helping him ascend to the position of Clan Leader of the Mairente Family!


    Glancing at Atted and then at Kelly, the implication in Lexington''s words was already quite clear: if there was a conflict between Rocky and the Mairente Family, then everyone in the family was involved, and no one could claim innocence in the matter!


    Thereby, the entire conference hall fell into silence, because all were well aware that considering Rocky''s current momentum and his displayed potential, the best outcome would be to reconcile with him, or even to have him rejoin the family. But as Lexington pointed out, no one could detach themselves from the discord between Rocky and the family.


    Yet, the problem was that he had already joined the Sky Alliance, and in order to have him join, the Sky Alliance had gone so far as to sanction the entire Mairente Family. They had made their stance very clear: at such a time, whoever dared to harm Rocky would be provoking the Sky Alliance! In this world, no one dared openly challenge the Sky Alliance so brazenly!


    This was also why the question of how to deal with Rocky had become vexing. No one could easily make a decision, and even if one was made, it wouldn''t satisfy everyone.


    However, just at that moment, Kelly, who had not spoken until then, suddenly spoke up.


    "The Sky Alliance is interested in Rocky because of the new technology he controls... So, as far as the Sky Alliance is concerned, it doesn''t matter who has the new technology. As long as they have a share in it, that''s enough."


    "Am I right?"


    After saying this, Kelly looked around the room, eventually setting her gaze on Atted, and then turned to look at Lexington, "I agree with Lexington''s approach. The feud between Rocky and the family is too deep, it must be dealt with swiftly. As for the Sky Alliance, when the time comes, we just have to hand over the new technology that Rocky controls. And on this matter, we can''t give Rocky any chance to retaliate. No one in the family can cause issues with this, or else they are an enemy of the family!"


    "This is inappropriate!"


    As soon as Kelly succinctly expressed her perspective, Atted immediately voiced his opposition. However, even though he was the Clan Leader, he could not dictate everything within the family. Hence, as he objected, Lexington and Kelly immediately initiated an Elder vote, and Kelly''s proposal passed with a majority!


    In turn, with the passing of Kelly''s proposal, the Mairente Family''s final stance toward Rocky was established: they would send troops to attack Thunderhawk City!


    This resolution was not to be taken lightly. Although the Mairente Family had targeted Rocky before, those were mostly personal actions rather than family-involved. But this time was different! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, the decision was made jointly by the two major family factions, and not even Atted, the Clan Leader, could stop it. This meant that the decision was not just an individual''s idea, but represented the whole family''s resolution. The entire Mairente Family was preparing to campaign against Rocky!


    Moreover, to avoid repeating past mistakes, the family strictly forbade all members from tipping off Rocky...!

 Chapter 310 Personally Designed

    When the Mairente Family made the decision to subdue Rocky, Rocky was flying in the sky.


    After departing from Dawn City, he had activated Thunderhawk City''s flight mode, heading straight for Broken Mountain Peak where Backhill Village was located, preparing to reclaim the village from the demons.


    Although Thunderhawk City had already begun its flight towards Broken Mountain Peak, it would take quite a long time to arrive, after all, the distance between Thunderhawk City and Broken Mountain Peak was vast, and the flight speed of Sky City was not considered fast, so it would take at least a month to get there.


    And this just gave Rocky ample preparation time.


    The last time he went to Backhill Village was a year and a half ago, when the village was conquered by demons due to their movements, and now after such a long time, no one was clear what the state of the village was.


    On the bright side, the village might have become a ruin, but on the darker side, it could have become a stronghold for the demons, completely occupied by them, and in this case, Rocky must prepare well.


    On one hand, he needed to get the Guard Corps to step up training; whether it was reclaiming the village or defending it, the Guard Corps was an indispensable force, plus, Rocky had just exchanged a large batch of new equipment, and the Guard Corps had to adapt quickly.


    For this reason, Rocky had been frequently inspecting the Guard Corps in the past few days, both to urge the young men to train hard and to take a look at how good the new equipment really was.


    And speaking of which, the batch of equipment exchanged from the Sky Alliance was really quite impressive, at least the response from the Guard Corps was very satisfying.


    "Form up!!"


    Following Monte''s command, soldiers lined up fifty in a row, a total of four columns, all raised their huge shields in unison, neatly forming a square formation.


    By now, all the guards had donned the Guardian Set, and the thick heavy armor made each guard look formidable, while the large shields they held in front of them were eye-catching; the shields were as tall as a man and, when raised, completely covered the guards behind them, and when rows and columns of guards raised their shields in unison, it instantly formed a wall of iron as impenetrable as a steel fortress.


    "Advance!!"


    As the guards formed their square, Monte gave the order again, and immediately, the guards in formation began to march forward with heavy, synchronized footsteps. With each one hoisting a shield high, it looked as if a wall was moving.


    Seeing the performance of the guards, Rocky, who was standing next to Monte, nodded in approval, because even he felt pressure and awe in the face of this column of guards clad in heavy armor, shields raised, marching in step towards him, which pleased Rocky greatly.


    After that, he walked with Liliya to the other side of the training ground.


    The training ground of the Guard Corps'' camp was divided into two halves, one half led by Monte for soldiers to train in formations, while the other half was managed by Lin Feng, who was responsible for training the ranged units.


    So after Rocky inspected the soldiers'' formations, he came over to the half of the training ground where Lin Feng was with Liliya, planning to check on the performance of the ranged units.


    Although he hadn''t exchanged armor for the ranged units, Rocky had eventually gotten strong bows and magic wands for the archers and mages. With suitable weapons in hand, the ranged units could naturally play a much bigger role. So when he and Liliya arrived, the ranged units were practicing with great enthusiasm.


    The mages had adapted quite well and rather quickly to the new magic wands. On a spacious patch of land, a row of mages continually unleashed low-level magic spells at targets tens of meters away. Though the magic was elementary, there was a variety¡ªFireballs, Lightning Chains, Ice Blades¡ªand their accuracy was quite good. Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    Compared to the mage troops, the archers, having just switched to the Gale Strongbows, were all very excited but needed more time to get used to their new weapons. The bow strength of the Gale Strongbows was much stronger than that of the bows they were previously used to, causing many archers to struggle with the adjustment at first. Though the arrow feathers they shot had enough power, their accuracy significantly decreased.


    Under such circumstances, the archers were much more diligent than the mages. When Rocky arrived, fifty archers were divided into several rows, constantly aiming at targets tens of meters away and releasing their arrows.


    This included Dusa. Although she was now a Void Magic Warrior, her fondness for archery hadn''t changed. So when the Gale Strongbows arrived, she immediately took to practicing with zeal. It must be admitted that Dusa truly was a born sharpshooter. Whilst others were still striving to adapt to the Gale Strongbows, she was already achieving perfect accuracy with every shot.


    After inspecting the entire camp of the Guard Corps, Rocky left, thoroughly satisfied. The performance of everyone pleased him enormously; none had slackened, and each person was excited about the upcoming battle. The morale was high, which was what made Rocky the happiest. There was always the fear that even with ready equipment, the guards might lack the fighting spirit¡ªa sure loss in battle. Evidently, the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City had no such problem.


    By the time Rocky left the Guard Corps'' camp, it was already noon. He returned to the City Lord''s Mansion, eating something in haste before rushing off to the research institute, as there were even more important matters awaiting him.


    As mentioned earlier, he had plans for Hammerfire and others to make two more sets of Void Magic Armor, to supplement Thunderhawk City''s shortfall of Void Magic Warriors. For this task, Rocky was even more invested than before, because this time, he would personally participate in the design of the new armor!


    Counting the time, Rocky had been Orton''s apprentice for nearly a year. In that year, he had learned so much from Orton, especially after the Rune Armor project began, his knowledge expanded even further.


    While Aniye and others never explicitly took him as a disciple, Rocky could always sit in on the masters'' discussions and seek advice from anyone at any time. This enabled him not only to learn about mana but also to acquire a vast range of other knowledge.


    So this time, when he suggested the masters create two more sets of armor, Orton and the rest not only agreed but also decided to involve him in the process. After all, having studied with them for so long, it was time to test the fruits of his learning.


    About his personal involvement in designing the armor, Rocky felt an unusual nervousness, akin to facing a pop quiz. Yet, he was also extremely excited and eager to try. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because one must not forget an important fact¡ªthat Rocky was not from this world; he was a transmigrator!


    As a transmigrator, his thought processes and ideas were very different from the people of this world, and that difference actually represented a kind of advantage. Previously, his limited personal ability had prevented its full expression, but now, now he had learned what he needed to learn and understood what he needed to understand, finally having the opportunity to leverage his unique perspective. So for this new armor, not only was he eager to try, but he also had quite an impressive idea already in mind!

 Chapter 311 Dissatisfied

    Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    Being personally involved in the design of the New Armor, Rocky was incredibly excited despite the tension, so he immediately went to the research institute after a hasty lunch.


    When he arrived at the research institute, Orton and others were already waiting for him.


    "City Lord kid, are you planning to design a piece of Land Combat Special Armor?"


    Upon Rocky''s arrival, Master Hammerfire didn''t waste any words and went straight to the point.


    "Yes."


    "Good, take a look at this blueprint and see if it satisfies you."


    Hearing his words, Master Hammerfire nodded and then handed over a well-drawn design blueprint to Rocky.


    Designing Armor was Master Hammerfire''s strong suit, so when Rocky expressed his intention to design a new set of Armor, it didn''t take long for the design to be sketched out.


    After receiving the blueprint, Rocky spread it out on the research table and began examining it closely.


    Although it was just a blueprint, the content included not just the Armor''s shape, it also marked all kinds of technology that the Armor would be equipped with, allowing Rocky to imagine what the New Armor would be like even just from the blueprint.


    The new design for the Land Combat Special Armor by Master Hammerfire, like the previous White Demon, was a new type of Armor that operated with Runes as its core. Since it was designed for land combat, its primary purpose was naturally to confront Demons on the ground, hence thick armor had become an essential element, making the new Armor''s appearance somewhat similar to the Moving Fortress Type 2 that Rocky had seen before. The Armor was massive, resembling a small mountain.


    Besides its heavy armor, the New Armor was also equipped with a very strong Defensive Net, aiming for the maximum enhancement of defensive power, providing a margin of self-preservation even when directly confronting swarms of Demons.


    Of course, merely protecting oneself was not enough when facing Demons, so in addition to its powerful defense, the New Armor also came with enough firepower to kill Demons. Master Hammerfire clearly put a lot of effort into this aspect; he added at least a dozen weapons to the New Armor, turning it into a veritable arsenal once all its firepower was deployed!


    As for the most special aspect of the New Armor, it was the significantly enhanced mobility!


    As is well known, the advantage of Land Combat Special Armor lies in its strong defensive power and firepower, but its downside is extremely poor mobility, virtually non-existent, not even capable of high-altitude flight, a flaw that becomes a fatal weakness of Land Combat Special Armor.


    But the New Armor designed by Master Hammerfire improved this flaw to the greatest extent. Since it was powered by Mana provided by Runes, the total Mana of the Armor increased significantly, thus more Mana was available to ensure a degree of flexibility for the Armor. Although it still couldn''t reach the agility of regular Armor due to its heavy gear, it was much stronger than the old-style Land Combat Armor led by the Moving Fortress Type 2.


    Without a doubt, for the New Special Land Combat Armor that Rocky requested, Master Hammerfire spared no effort in the design process, and the final product was quite outstanding; even he was quite satisfied with it.


    It must be said that after getting involved in the Rune Armor project, research into this new field revived Master Hammerfire''s passion from years past. In fact, after designing the perfect Hammerfire Armor, it wasn''t because Master Hammerfire lacked the talent to design New Armor, but rather he had lost the passion to do so, leading to years without producing new work.


    Yet now, with his study into the brand-new field of Runes, Master Hammerfire had rediscovered that passion, and the Armor he designed was getting better and better, clearly returning him to his peak form.


    "City Lord kid, what do you think? This Armor satisfies you, doesn''t it?"


    Standing beside Rocky, Master Hammerfire looked up to see Rocky closely inspecting the blueprint, with a beard-covered chin held high with pride, his wrinkled face full of smug satisfaction. He was convinced that the Armor he designed would leave everyone content.


    However, after a moment, when Rocky had finished reviewing all the content on the blueprint and looked down at Master Hammerfire, he shook his head helplessly.


    Noticing Rocky''s embarrassed expression as he shook his head, Master Hammerfire was stunned for a second, then his eyes bulged in shock!


    "City Lord kid, what do you mean?"


    "This..."


    Pressed by the glaring, bearded glare of Master Hammerfire, Rocky became even more embarrassed. He knew Rocky wouldn''t want to hear what he was about to say, but he had to say it, "Master Hammerfire, the Armor you designed... I, I am not quite satisfied with it..."


    Scratching his head, Rocky reluctantly spoke the truth. Regarding the new design of Land Combat Special Armor by Master Hammerfire, he was not satisfied, no, to say he was very unsatisfied!


    "What!"


    And no sooner had he finished speaking, Master Hammerfire exploded as expected! Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "City Lord kid, you didn''t understand the blueprint I drew, did you? This Armor is more than ten times stronger than the current Land Combat Armor! Tenfold! Do you understand?!"


    With his head held high, eyes widened, Master Hammerfire roared as he waved his small fists, frenzied with emotion.


    "You little man, what''s all this shouting about? If your own Armor design isn''t up to scratch, can''t others say so?"


    While Master Hammerfire was staring at Rocky indignantly, Orton chuckled deviously and walked over to Rocky''s side, leaning down to glance at the design blueprint on the table.

 Chapter 311 Dissatisfaction_2

    However, after looking at the design drawings, Orton furrowed his brow and, following that, didn''t say much else. Instead, he called Aniye and Pelaya over to take a look at the designs as well.


    Once Aniye and Pelaya had finished reviewing the drawings, expressions similar to Orton''s appeared on their faces.


    "How is it! There''s nothing wrong with the Armor I designed, right!"


    Seeing that Orton and the others had finished looking at his design drawings, Master Hammerfire couldn''t help but demand an answer in a disgruntled tone, almost as if he was asking the three of them to make a fair judgment.


    This time, even Orton was not joking anymore because he too thought that the design of this new Land Combat Special Armor was quite impressive. It not only drastically improved the combat capabilities of the Land Combat Armor but also ameliorated certain flaws to a degree; indeed, it was a rather excellent piece of work. Aniye and Pelaya shared this sentiment, finding no issues with the Armor.


    So after that, all four of them turned their eyes to Rocky.


    "Rocky, what do you find unsatisfactory about this Armor?"


    This time, it was Aniye who spoke. He certainly wasn''t glaring and snorting at Rocky like Hammerfire, but rather asked out of genuine curiosity.


    As far as he knew, Rocky was not the kind of City Lord who was ignorant and would make trouble without reason. He had been among them for over half a year and understood many aspects better than the average scholar. If he could express dissatisfaction, there must be a reason, and Aniye was very curious to know what that reason was.


    "Exactly, tell us what you''re not satisfied with! If you can''t explain it, I won''t let you off!"


    At this point, Hammerfire also nodded repeatedly on the side as if he was determined to get to the bottom of this with Rocky.


    "This..."


    At Aniye''s question, Rocky glanced at Hammerfire and then at Orton and the other two, scratching his head while he said, "I think... the design concept of this Armor is too conservative..."


    "Conservative?"


    Hearing this, Orton, Hammerfire, Pelaya, and Aniye were slightly taken aback. They clearly did not expect such an answer, so after exchanging glances with each other, they all looked at Rocky again with very strange expressions on their faces. Enjoy new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Their expressions contained a hint of amusement, a hint of puzzlement, but most of all, curiosity.


    "Rocky, share your thoughts, elaborate on them."


    After giving him a look, Aniye continued to inquire.


    "This..." Looking at the four of them, Rocky took a deep breath and then began, "Then I''ll speak."


    "Master Hammerfire''s design for this Armor itself is not problematic. The reason why I am not satisfied is not that I am dissatisfied with this new Armor, but rather with all the current Land Combat Special Armors."


    Once Rocky finished this sentence, Orton and the others couldn''t help but widen their eyes, because once again, Rocky''s words had taken them by surprise and intensified the curiosity in their gazes.


    At this time, Rocky continued to say, "In my opinion, the design philosophy behind the current Land Combat Special Armors is entirely wrong!"


    Saying that, Rocky glanced at Hammerfire, "I remember Master Hammerfire once said that Void Magic Armors are designed in a humanoid shape for two reasons: one is for ease of operation, and the other is because humanoid Armors tend to be balanced in all aspects, allowing the Armor, once manufactured, to possess strength, defense, mobility, and so on."


    "But because land combat armor has a very specific use, it inevitably has to break the balance. In order to fight demons, especially swarms of them, the land combat armor is forced to reinforce its armor time and again while also cramming in as many weapons as possible to ensure both defensive power and firepower. As a result, the armor has to give up mobility."


    "If this design philosophy in itself isn''t wrong, then why must it still maintain a humanoid form after having given up on mobility?" Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having said that, Rocky looked toward Orton and the other three, noticing that their expressions changed upon hearing his statement, their brows furrowing deeply.


    "Keep going, say it in more detail. Speak your mind without holding back."


    Seeing that Rocky had paused, Aniye, with his brows still deeply furrowed, nodded at him, encouraging him to voice all his thoughts without any reservations.


    Since Aniye had asked, and judging from the reaction of the four, Rocky knew his line of thought was probably right, so he hesitated no more. Right or wrong, he expressed all his ideas.


    "I think the reason why land combat armor hasn''t become widespread is largely due to its continued reliance on traditional design philosophy, leading to its deformity. Just imagine, an armor as bulky as a small hill¡ª is it really suitable for fighting demons?"


    "Such a cumbersome and giant armor, what can it do in battle other than being an immobile turret? Forget about mobility; if it gets knocked over by demons in combat, it would struggle even to stand up."


    In front of the four masters, Rocky presented an overly simpli?ed example, but though the words were crude, the logic was solid. This straightforward example precisely highlighted the current flaws of the land combat armor.


    Research on the land combat armor started as far back as the fourth generation, but even now with the fifth generation being mainstream and the sixth under development, it still hasn''t become widespread. The reason lies in the armor''s poor practicality.


    Just like the example Rocky gave, how could such a clumsy and massive armor possibly be practical in real combat when it couldn''t even stand up after falling over?


    After giving this example, Rocky continued, "So, I believe the overall design philosophy behind the land combat armor isn''t wrong. Using strong defensive power and firepower to combat demons is not a bad idea, but there''s no need to be fixatin on traditional design paths."


    "Take Master Hammerfire''s design for the new armor, for instance. Even though it has been significantly improved in all aspects compared to the current land combat armor, it ultimately doesn''t address the fundamental flaw. Since such an armor can''t guarantee performance in real combat, it would be better to completely abandon the existing design concept and create a wholly new, specialized armor designed for land combat¡ªone unlike any other."


    In a stream of consciousness, Rocky articulated all his ideas, then eagerly looked at the four, only to find Orton and the others gazing back at him with curious expressions.


    For a while, they just stared at each other, no one speaking until Rocky, feeling the atmosphere growing awkward, felt compelled to add,


    "I... I''ve finished speaking..."


    When he awkwardly indicated that he had finished, Orton and the others burst into laughter.


    "Kid, didn''t expect you to actually have some real thoughts in there."


    Orton walked up to Rocky, laughing heartily and clapping him on the shoulder as he turned to address Hammerfire and the others, "See? This is a disciple I''ve taught, all taught by me!"


    "You haven''t taught him squat! What''s it got to do with you?"


    Giving Orton a disdainful glance, Hammerfire stopped looking fierce and indignant and, instead, climbed onto a stool beside him. He then perched on the table via the stool and turned to Rocky, "City Lord, those points you just made are good, but since you think there''s something fundamentally wrong with the traditional design concept of the land combat armor, what kind of design philosophy do you think should be applied to the new generation of armor?"


    "Indeed." When Hammerfire finished his question, Aniye nodded and looked at Rocky, "Rocky, since you find faults with the traditional armor design, you must have some new ideas, right?"

 Chapter 312 Tank Type 1

    Rocky''s ideas had quite a surprise for Orton and the rest.


    Firstly, they had not expected Rocky to have such a unique perspective on Armor design. His insights might not be considered profound, but they were indeed completely different from the usual train of thought.


    Secondly, everything Rocky said was very inspiring to Orton and the others. For instance, he believed that the current approach to Land Combat Armor design was too conservative, or rather, too rigid. On reflection, it seemed he might be onto something.


    The Land Combat Armor was, after all, designed for ground combat. If its sole purpose was land warfare, then the design philosophy should, and could, be different from that of regular Void Magic Armor. Yet, all models of Land Combat Armor had failed to achieve this distinction.


    Todays''s Land Combat Armor still followed the same design concepts as regular Armor, with the only differences being additional armor and more weapons. This resulted in a bulky hybrid that could neither move freely and flexibly in air and land like regular Armor, nor offer true combat effectiveness on land, which explained why it had not become widespread over the years.


    On this matter, Rocky''s words were like a revelation to Orton and the others, immediately opening up new avenues of thought.


    Although they had opened up to new ideas, they could also see that since Rocky had made such unique observations, he must have his own ideas about what Land Combat Armor should be.


    Afterward, Hammerfire and Aniye asked him in succession.


    And when they did, Rocky indeed nodded his head, for he did have a vision for what a new type of Armor should be like!


    However, now facing a group of masters, each an authority in their field, he inevitably felt a bit nervous and restrained. After pondering for a while, he finally spoke:


    "I think, since it''s Special Armor for land combat, we might as well just remove the flight systems."


    "What?"


    "Can you speak up, I didn''t quite hear you?"


    As Rocky finished his statement, Orton and the others'' eyes widened in succession, not from shock but disbelief!


    Indeed, Rocky''s idea was too shocking and inconceivable for the people of this world, because a large part of what made Void Magic Armor the strongest personal weapon was its ability to fly. Without a flight capability, could it still be called Void Magic Armor at all?!


    After Rocky spoke, Orton and the others were flabbergasted, finding it hard to comprehend his thinking.


    Rocky had anticipated their reaction. It was understandable, as since the inception of Void Magic Armor, it was equipped with the ability to fly, and it could even be said that the driving force behind the development of Void Magic Armor was to enable aerial flight and combat. Thus, the belief that Void Magic Armor must have flight capabilities had become an entrenched way of thinking, a traditional notion that Rocky''s ideas were now challenging.


    But neither ingrained thought processes nor traditional notions were necessarily correct.


    Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    Therefore, facing Orton and the others'' misunderstanding, Rocky didn''t bother to explain further, as it wasn''t necessary. He simply counter-asked:


    "Is a flight system really essential for Land Combat Armor?"


    Who were those present, after all? The collective intelligence of Orton''s group was nearly astronomical, so there was no need for lengthy explanations. A simple question was enough to make them understand what Rocky was getting at.


    In fact, if you think about it, is a flight system really necessary for Land Combat Armor?


    This was like the current Land Combat Armor which retained flight capabilities but could neither fly high, far, nor fast. And for any Void Magic Armor, the flight system was the most mana-consuming. So, the current Land Combat Armor was effectively wasting a vast amount of mana without providing any real practical use.


    Moreover, since it''s Special Armor for land warfare, designed to engage land targets, why would it need the ability to fly? If the aim of flight was to enhance maneuverability, then other methods such as gliding and jumping could also achieve the same effect by improving these capabilities in the Armor!


    Hence, Rocky believed that if designed to his specifications, the Land Combat Armor should first eliminate the flight system. This change alone would save a significant amount of mana that could be used to enhance other aspects of the Armor.


    "Keep going..."


    After his question, Orton and the others fell into deep thought, their minds rapidly turning over countless possibilities. Therefore, they remained silent until, after a while, Aniye gestured impatiently for Rocky to continue.


    Seeing that Orton and the rest had recollected their thoughts, Rocky went on to say:


    "In addition to removing the flight system, I also want to change the way the Land Combat Armor moves. I''d keep the humanoid upper body, but the lower half would be redesigned with a chassis design."


    "A chassis? Like a carriage, using wheels to move?"


    Upon hearing Rocky''s suggestion, Hammerfire frowned and asked. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 312 Tank Type 1_2

    "You can think of it that way, but it''s not exactly right, because this design doesn''t use wheels for direct movement, but tracks instead,"


    "Tracks?" Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    When Rocky mentioned such an unfamiliar term, not only was Hammerfire stunned; Orton, Aniye, and Pelaya were equally taken aback. All four of them turned their gaze to him in unison.


    In response, Rocky didn''t elaborate much but simply walked over to the small blackboard in the research lab. After erasing the various formulas that had been written there, he took a piece of chalk and sketched a track, saying:


    "This is a track, just a simple concept I had in mind. It''s essentially a flexible chain loop driven by several wheels."


    "This thing..."


    As Rocky roughly sketched the shape of a track, Hammerfire hopped down from the table, walked up to the blackboard, and climbed his special little ladder, looking closely.


    After a while, he took the chalk from Rocky''s hand and briskly sketched a detailed diagram of the track''s structure!


    "You mean like this, right?"


    "Yes! Yes! Just like that!"


    Hammerfire''s intelligence was unexpected; Rocky had barely explained the structure and purpose of tracks, and yet Hammerfire immediately understood and even figured out the design, prompting Rocky to nod enthusiastically and add, "If these tracks are installed on a chassis and driven by mana, they could replace wheels, allowing for rapid movement on flat ground, mountainous terrain, or even in sandy areas."


    "That''s exactly the kind of setup I was thinking of..."


    Worried Hammerfire might not grasp his meaning, Rocky hurriedly explained as he sketched his ideas on the blackboard. His drawing skills were naturally poor, so the result wasn''t much to look at, not even particularly illustrative, but the general idea came across.


    What he had drawn was a New Armor with a tank-like base and a humanoid upper half. Well, it wasn''t exactly humanoid as much as it seemed to be, because Rocky had turned the Armor''s arms into cannon barrels, reminiscent of the Magic Energy Cannons on Monte''s Armor''s left hand, and similarly, two more barrels were mounted on the shoulders.


    Once he finished the sketch, Orton and the others gathered around to listen as Rocky explained:


    "The next generation of specialized Land Combat Armor I envision looks like this. The advantage of this design is manifold. First, it offers improved maneuverability; with mana as a power source, the speed of track movement can far exceed that of a horse-drawn carriage. Today''s Land Combat Armor can''t even compare to it, resolving the issue of mobility."


    "Additionally, since the flight system has been removed, a large portion of the mana could be saved and used for the defense system, creating a more powerful Defensive Net. As a result, it wouldn''t be necessary to equip excessively heavy armor."


    "At the same time, I think this Armor doesn''t need to be fitted with too many weapons. As long as the power of the weapons is sufficient, it only needs to be armed with three types of highly practical weapons for long, medium, and close range combat. For example, this shoulder-mounted Magic Energy Cannon is for long-range bombardment, while the hand-held Mana Launcher is for hand-to-hand combat. Eventually, one more medium-range weapon will complete the set."


    "Using this Armor in conjunction with soldiers, whether advancing or defending, would be like having a real mobile artillery platform on the battlefield, capable of rapidly moving and providing timely firepower support, making it much more practical than the current Land Combat Armor."


    In just a few words, Rocky conveyed all his ideas, then looked towards Orton and the rest.


    However, when he looked at Orton and the others, he found them all frowning deeply, none paying her any attention, their eyes fixed on the small blackboard.


    After a while, Hammerfire spoke up, "With your design, how would a Void Magic Warrior operate it?"


    "They would just sit inside."


    As he spoke, Rocky drew a little figure sitting down on the blackboard, indicating that the Void Magic Warrior would only need to sit inside the Armor to operate it. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What about the emptying capability?"


    At this moment, Orton also spoke up and asked.


    "We can forgo the anti-aircraft capability because this is Land Combat Special Armor. If there are enemies in the air, they can be handled by the regular Void Magic Armor. If that''s really not feasible, we can also equip anti-aircraft weapons. Since this type of Armor can''t be too small¡ªit needs a stable base¡ªthere is still room to equip it with anti-aircraft weapons."


    "What about the mana requirements?"


    "The mana requirements won''t be too high because..."


    Clearly, Rocky''s proposal had greatly piqued the interest of Orton and the others. Following this, they gathered around him and the small blackboard, continuously asking questions. Rocky had answers prepared for some of the questions while others, which were too technical, he couldn''t answer. However, even for the questions he couldn''t answer, Orton and the others would inadvertently find solutions themselves, and thus a discussion centered on Rocky''s idea for the New Armor began.


    They discussed his concept for the New Armor for a long time, essentially covering all possible issues from every angle, because they were genuinely intrigued by the proposal. As the discussion progressed, they even delved into many other related issues.


    "I think this Armor could be used in conjunction with normal Armor."


    After glancing at the small blackboard, Pelaya said, "Rocky''s earlier ideas were great. Since it''s Land Combat Special Armor, we can indeed abandon the ability to fly. So why not modify the normal Armor to specialized land combat? The combination with this kind of large Armor would surely have a better effect."


    "Exactly, this Armor can be considered a mobile artillery, providing continuous fire support during battles."


    "Not only that, but we can also design various models. Some could focus on close combat, some on long-range strikes, and even some specifically for air defense."


    "Right, right! We can''t be too narrow-minded. We need to think boldly!"


    Around the concept of the New Armor proposed by Rocky, the four masters had a lengthy and intense discussion. As mentioned before, Rocky''s idea had opened a door for them, instantly liberating their fixed ways of thinking. With this, their thoughts became as wild as unruly horses, whether plausible, implausible, feasible, or entirely unfeasible¡ªall kinds of ideas surfaced.


    As the discussion went on, time quickly slipped into the late night, and it wasn''t until then that they finally brought the conversation back to Rocky''s concept for the New Armor.


    "City Lord, lad, your concept is excellent! It''s better than any I''ve designed before!"


    After a series of discussions, Hammerfire no longer glowered at Rocky and instead praised him warmly, then said:


    "The New Armor will be designed based on your ideas. Come over tomorrow, and we''ll both draft the design blueprints together!"


    "Great!"


    Hearing this from Hammerfire, Rocky immediately nodded in excitement. After discussing with the others for a while, they left the laboratory.


    Though Rocky had left the lab, Orton and the others continued their discussion, but this time it wasn''t about wild concepts. They focused on how to turn Rocky''s idea into reality. So, by the next day, when Rocky returned to the lab, Hammerfire and the others had everything about the New Armor concept figured out.


    "City Lord, lad, since this Armor is your concept, you have the right to name it. Have you thought of a name?"


    The next day, when Rocky came to the lab and began to draft the New Armor design with Hammerfire, Hammerfire asked him.


    "I''ve thought of one." Rocky said with a smile and nodded, then spontaneously said, "Let''s call it the Land Combat Tank Type 1 Armor."

 Chapter 313 Driving a Tank on the Street

    "Tank... what a strange name... but suit yourself,"


    For Hammerfire, the name ''Tank'' was not only unfamiliar, but also rather bizarre. However, it was just a name after all, so after nodding, he called Rocky over to the drafting table where they immediately began drafting the design for the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    Drawing blueprints was a first for Rocky, and he basically knew nothing about it, but it was fortunate to have Hammerfire by his side.


    As a master who had designed several Armors, Hammerfire was well-versed in bringing an Armor from concept to reality. He did not withhold anything from Rocky and started teaching him how to design an Armor step by step, starting with how to hold a pen.


    Thus, the design of the new generation of land combat armor officially began.


    A week flew by in no time, and during those seven days, Rocky spent nearly every day in the research facility, collaborating with Hammerfire and others on the Tank Type 1 Armor. Thanks to the team''s effort, they finally completed the preliminary design scheme for the armor.


    Designing a new kind of Armor in such a short time was exceedingly rare in the field of Armor design.


    You see, designing an Armor is not as simple as drawing; it involves a complex array of elements. Even with Hammerfire''s capability and the assistance from Orton and others, designing a new type of Armor typically takes months.


    But as logical as that was, time waits for no one. According to Rocky''s plan, he hoped to have the Tank Type 1 Armor constructed before they reached Backhill Village, meaning Hammerfire and his team had only a little over a month to design and manufacture the Tank Type 1 Armor¡ªan admittedly tight deadline.


    To meet this deadline, Hammerfire, four others, and Rocky resorted to a compromise; they settled on a basic design scheme first, then proceeded to create an experimental armor that Rocky could use in the process of reclaiming Backhill Village Mine. In the meantime, Hammerfire and his team would further perfect the Armor.


    So as soon as the preliminary designs were ready, Hammerfire immediately began manufacturing the Armor. However, this time he couldn''t complete the entire set by himself as he had with the White Demon Armor, because the Tank Type 1 Armor that Rocky participated in designing was far bigger than anyone had imagined.


    The initially designed Tank Type 1 Armor had a chassis that was two meters wide and three meters long. If you added the Armor''s upper body that sat on the chassis, its height would also exceed three meters. This type of build was not only several times bigger than a normal Armor, but also much larger than the current land combat Armor.


    Initially, Hammerfire and others opposed this massive design, doubting such a large design could maintain maneuverability in combat and potentially repeating the flaws of today''s land combat Armors.


    But Rocky, who was involved in the design, insisted on his stance. He asked everyone a crucial question: amongst the demons, are there any that are over three meters tall?


    The answer to this question was obvious; demons taller than three meters were quite common¡ªnot to mention those five, ten meters tall, or even those whose lengths or heights exceeded ten meters.


    This was why Rocky insisted on making the Tank Type 1 Armor larger. In his view, facing generally large-sized demons without considerable size and weight would be disastrous because the demons could knock or even toss the Armors at first contact. How could anyone fight like that?


    Therefore, Rocky and Orton debated with others all day long, and ultimately convinced everyone of his viewpoint.


    To manufacture such a gigantic Armor, relying solely on Hammerfire was definitely insufficient. Thus, the Guard Corps was enlisted, and under Monte''s leadership, dozens of guards worked alongside Hammerfire for a full half month, finally managing to produce the initial model of the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    Compared to regular Armors, the Tank Type 1 Armor was naturally much larger. When this behemoth was finally assembled, the Guards who had been busy for half a month alongside Hammerfire were astounded; when had they ever seen something so massive?


    The manufactured Tank Type 1 Armor was almost exactly what Rocky had envisioned: its lower half moved on caterpillar tracks making up a thick chassis, while its upper half retained a humanoid shape with shoulders mounted with two one-meter-long guns, hands transformed into rapid-firing Magic Energy Bullet Emitters, and hips flanked with Magic Energy Beam Emitters.


    "Is this the New Armor designed by the City Lord?" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Captain? Is this the New Armor?"


    Although they had been working with Hammerfire for half a month, the Guards involved in the manufacturing were mostly following orders without really understanding what or why they were doing what they did, hence their stunned expressions.


    "It should be... I guess..."


    Standing in front of the Tank Type 1 Armor, Monte lifted his head, gazing at the giant before him, gawking like the guards beside him. Faced with the guards'' barrage of questions, the still dazed Monte simply nodded in bewilderment. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "The City Lord is here!"


    Just then, a Guard shouted, and everyone immediately turned their heads to see Rocky, accompanied by Liliya, approaching them.

 Chapter 313 Drive a Tank on the Street_2

    "Everyone, stand ready!"


    Seeing Rocky coming their way, Captain Monte immediately yelled out and, along with all the Guards, stood in front of the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    "At ease."


    After telling Captain Monte and the Guards to relax, Rocky, together with Liliya, looked up at the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    "Can this thing really work?"


    Gazing at the enormous object before her, Liliya, like everyone else, maintained a certain degree of skepticism about its combat capability. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rocky wasn''t surprised by this. The world originally had no concept of tanks, so it was normal to harbor doubts about them, just as when real tanks first appeared before the world, nobody believed they could fight.


    "City Lord kid, what do you think? Are you satisfied or not?"


    At that moment, Hammerfire, along with Orton and others, came out of the research institute and approached, looking at the Tank Type 1 Armor just like Rocky did, while speaking at the same time.


    "Satisfied, very satisfied."


    Nodding repeatedly at Hammerfire and the others, a broad smile bloomed on Rocky''s face. Then, without a word, he leapt up and directly jumped onto the Armor!


    "My lord!"


    Seeing Rocky actually jump onto the Armor, Liliya and Captain Monte were both startled and hurriedly tried to stop him, but Rocky''s actions were much faster than theirs; he directly opened the Armor''s cockpit and sat down inside!


    "Everyone, follow me to the Guard Camp to test the new Armor!"


    After addressing everyone, Rocky closed the cockpit hatch and immediately started the Tank Type 1 Armor''s operating system!


    Having personally participated in the entire design of the Armor, Rocky was naturally quite familiar with the operating system. Since the system itself had been led and assisted by Pelaya in its design, even though the new Armor had just been built, Rocky had no trouble operating it and quickly set it in motion!


    Under his control, the Tank Type 1 Armor''s treads began to slowly turn, steering towards the City Lord''s Mansion.


    "It''s moving! It''s really moving!"


    Watching the Tank Type 1 Armor start up, the Guards, who had already retreated to a distance, couldn''t help but shout in amazement. For them, seeing such a massive object move was a first in their lives. They all widened their eyes, displaying expressions of disbelief.


    But what was even more unbelievable for them was yet to come, because as soon as Rocky got the Tank Type 1 Armor moving, he quickly picked up speed, making it faster than a fully accelerated carriage. In no time at all, he left everyone behind and rushed alone to the entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion.


    For the sake of secrecy and safety, the research institute''s location was built beside the City Lord''s Mansion, with both of their backyards connected. Therefore, when Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 Armor from the backyard to the main entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion, the Guards on duty were scared out of their wits.


    "Who goes there!"


    "What is that!"


    As the Tank Type 1 Armor stopped right in front of them, the four Guards at the gate were startled, drawing their longswords in unison, yet unsure of what to do next.


    "It''s me."


    At that moment, Rocky opened the Armor''s hatch and poked out to talk to the Guards: "Go prepare a carriage quickly, Master Orton and the others will be here soon."


    "Oh, yes, right away!"


    Following Rocky''s command, the lead Guard immediately sent someone to prepare a carriage, and then cautiously glanced at the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    "My lord, what exactly is this thing?"


    "New-style armor, how is it, scary, isn''t it?"


    With a slight smile towards the guards, Rocky simply climbed out of the cockpit and stood on the base of the Tank Type 1 Armor, patting its upper half while asking.


    "Scary! You just scared the daylights out of us, we almost fired a signal flare to call the Void Magic Squad over!"


    And when he asked them this, several of the guards standing guard nodded like pecking chickens, confirming they were indeed scared out of their wits just now.


    Rocky hadn''t chatted with the guards for more than a few sentences when Orton and the others, along with Liliya and her group, caught up, still wearing expressions of surprise on their faces as they approached.


    Previously, regarding Rocky''s insistence on designing the Tank Type 1 so large, Orton and the others were skeptical, even Liliya felt the same, doubting that such a massive thing could have any mobility.


    But when Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 up to the City Lord''s Mansion''s gate, Orton and the others were shocked; they truly hadn''t anticipated that the giant could indeed move so rapidly, its speed indeed not a bit slower than a horse-drawn carriage!


    So, when they finally caught up with Rocky, they were still wearing expressions of disbelief.


    As for this, Rocky had no real explanation, simply letting Orton and the others get on a carriage, then he let Captain Monte lead the guards to clear the way while he personally drove the Tank Type 1 straight to the Guard Camp.


    To go from the City Lord''s Mansion directly to the Guard Camp, one needed to pass through the city quarters, so when Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 onto the streets of Thunderhawk City, he immediately attracted a crowd!


    "What is this thing!"


    The population of Thunderhawk City had already doubled from its original size, and the city quarters were no longer desolate, the streets might not have been bustling, but there was still a number of pedestrians around, and when these residents saw the Tank Type 1 appear on the main street, they were dumbfounded!


    "Mommy, look! It''s a monster! A big monster!"


    "Captain Monte, what is this thing?"


    Although Monte led the guards to clear the way and had the residents step aside, their curiosity could not be stopped, resulting in more and more onlookers, and since Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 very slowly, before they even made it out of two streets, the crowd following them had grown to over a hundred people.


    The common folk had never seen such a sight, so they kept following Rocky and his group, all the while trying to figure out what the thing actually was.


    Among the following crowd were not just Thunderhawk City''s own residents but also some others.


    These were spies planted in Thunderhawk City by various forces, including the Sky Alliance, after all, Thunderhawk City had drawn the attention of many, with numerous people keeping an eye on every move made by the city, thus they stationed their agents there, both openly and covertly.


    So when Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 Armor onto the street, causing a sensation, these agents emerged from their dwellings, and upon laying their eyes on the Tank Type 1 Armor, they were all agape!


    What on earth was this thing?


    New-style armor?


    These planted agents in Thunderhawk City were not ordinary folk; calling them spies might be an exaggeration since many had remained in Thunderhawk City with Rocky''s permission, but at the very least, they were worldly, whereas the other residents might not understand what the Tank Type 1 was, they could tell at a glance it was definitely new-style armor, and it was precisely because of this that they were even more astonished!


    Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Wasn''t it said that Rocky was only involved in Armor Technology research? How did he suddenly come up with a new style of armor?!


    This news had to be reported immediately!


    Almost sharing the same thought, once they had followed Rocky right up to the entrance of the Guard Camp and had been stopped by the guards, these agents all returned to where they lived and promptly transmitted the news back to their respective forces.


    "Quick! Go inform Lord Glan!"


    While others were preparing to secretly pass on the news, the Sky Alliance''s embassy stationed in Thunderhawk City didn''t need to be sneaky, for they were official envoys and had an embassy in Thunderhawk City. Nevertheless, they took the matter just as seriously, even more so than anyone else, so as soon as Rocky and his group entered the Guard Camp, the people from the Sky Alliance immediately ran back to the embassy to inform the Sky Alliance envoy stationed in Thunderhawk City!


    PS: It''s Monday, seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations!

 Chapter 314 Public Testing

    "What?!"


    As soon as his subordinate reported the scene he had witnessed on the streets, Lord Glan, the Sky Alliance ambassador stationed in Thunderhawk City, immediately rose from behind his desk!


    After standing up excitedly, the forty-something-year-old Glan, with his square face, furrowed his brows in thought and then promptly ordered, "Prepare the carriage at once, take me to the Guard Camp!"


    Having said this, he left the office directly.


    Although the Sky Alliance does not forcibly intervene in the development of its members, it still sends an ambassador to every member in Sky City, ostensibly to facilitate contact and communication. In reality, there is also an element of surveillance involved to prevent certain members from undertaking double-dealing actions. That''s why, once Thunderhawk City officially joined the Alliance, Glan took up residence there.


    Glan had just turned forty this year. He had been an ambassador abroad for the Alliance for the past ten years, having stayed in three different Sky Cities, which speaks to his immense experience.


    Logically speaking, experienced ambassadors like him would typically be assigned to large Sky Cities, as the larger and stronger the city, the closer its relationship with the Alliance, which would mean more issues for the ambassador to handle, coordinate, and communicate. Thus, the more capable ambassadors would usually be dispatched to larger Sky Cities.


    But this time, Glan had been sent to Thunderhawk City. He was well aware of the reason for his assignment; even though Thunderhawk City couldn''t compare to larger Sky Cities in aspects such as basic food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, he knew the importance of his stay here¡ªin some ways, much more significant than being in a larger Sky City.


    Because his presence in Thunderhawk City wasn''t just to handle the communications between the city and the Alliance but also to understand and even monitor the development of new technology!


    Though the Sky Alliance repeatedly claims not to forcefully demand members to surrender any technology they develop or discover, this does not apply to Rocky.


    Firstly, it was only because of the new technology Rocky had at his disposal that he was even qualified to join the Alliance. So, even if the new technology had not been successfully developed yet, the Alliance pretty much owned half of it. This meant that while they wouldn''t forcibly intervene, it wouldn''t be considered overstepping to have someone keep an eye on things, right?


    Secondly, the Sky Alliance placed considerable value on this new technology. They believed that the new technology being spearheaded by Aniye was highly significant. If this technology was successfully developed, then Rocky''s fulfillment of the agreement would naturally settle all concerns. However, if he tried to weasel out of it at that time, the Alliance would never allow it. Thus, they also needed someone as experienced as Glan to monitor and deal with Rocky''s duplicity.


    So when Glan heard, "What? Rocky has come up with a new type of Armor?" and based on the descriptions from his subordinates, it was an Armor design never seen before, he couldn''t sit still.


    As an ambassador of the Sky Alliance, he absolutely needed to be informed about such matters, which is why, regardless of whether Rocky wished it or not, he had to visit the Guard Corps to take a look; otherwise, it would be neglect of duty, which could leave him unable to explain himself if the Alliance asked.


    Under such circumstances, a carriage was quickly prepared. Glan promptly headed straight for the Guard Camp, taking less than half an hour to get there.


    Once he arrived at the Guard Camp, he was initially worried about being obstructed and had even prepared his excuses, but to his surprise, Rocky had already sent someone to wait for him at the gate!


    "Lord Glan."


    Stepping down from the carriage, Glan saw Liliya, who had obviously been waiting for some time, and then heard her say, "Lord Glan, the City Lord was just about to send me to invite you." Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Miss Liliya, I''ve heard that City Lord Rocky has developed a new type of Armor. Hahaha, such important news¡ªI couldn''t sit still upon hearing it, so I took the liberty of coming uninvited. I hope City Lord Rocky won''t mind."


    "There is no offense, my lord, this way please."


    With a slight smile towards Glan, Liliya did not engage in further conversation and led him straight into the Guard Camp.


    The Guard Camp, being one of the most critical areas in Thunderhawk City, was off-limits to the general public, and Glan was naturally visiting it for the first time. However, after spending ten years as an ambassador and having visited military camps in large Sky Cities, this event didn''t strike him as particularly grand.


    But when Liliya led him onto the training field of the camp, Glan, despite being a seasoned individual, was stunned on the spot.


    Clearly, he had laid eyes on the Tank Type 1 Armor!


    Just like what Liliya had mentioned earlier, Rocky had been waiting for Glan''s arrival. Why did he show off the Tank Type 1 Armor on the main streets? Surely not just to boast. In reality, his demonstration was meant for the spies left in the city by various forces to witness.


    Rocky was well aware that he was starting to draw attention, and among those watching him, some were just observers, while others had ulterior motives. He believed that a portion of these watchers did not have good intentions, which meant he could no longer afford to keep everything under wraps. It was necessary to demonstrate his power, even if it involved some bluster. Otherwise, those harboring evil thoughts would truly become fearless.


    In this regard, he was clear that news of the Tank Type 1 Armor would be spread instantly. He also knew that Glan, the ambassador sent by the Sky Alliance, would arrive at the first opportunity, so after driving the Tank Type 1 Armor back to the Guard Camp, he simply waited for Glan to come.

 Chapter 314 Public Test_2

    Of course, during the waiting period, Rocky hadn''t been idling around; he had the guards clear the entire drill ground, and set up a large number of targets at varying distances, far, middle, and near, for a good testing session later with the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    Now that Lord Glan had arrived, Rocky didn''t wait any longer; without greeting him, he just nodded from a distance and climbed into the cockpit of the Tank Type 1 Armor!


    With the closing of the cockpit, the Tank Type 1 Armor, which had been parked on the drill ground for over half an hour, was started up once again!


    "It''s moving! Look, it''s moving!"


    "It''s really moving!"


    "That''s amazing...!"


    When the Tank Type 1 Armor started up, the already assembled Guard Corps was stirred and could not help but burst out in exclamations.


    As early as when Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 Armor over, the guards were filled with curiosity about this huge machine, not just curious but extremely excited because this was a new type of armor! As soldiers, no one would dislike armor, even if the Tank Type 1 Armor was vastly different from regular armors, the guards were still quite thrilled, and they had grown impatient during the time before Lord Glan''s arrival,


    So when the Tank Type 1 Armor was truly activated, the long-awaiting guards all stared with wide eyes, focusing intently on the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    In fact, not only the guards but also Orton and the others felt the same because this was the first trial of the Tank Type 1 Armor. They naturally wouldn''t speak of anything going wrong, but they were quite excited to see what the armor was really like.


    As for Lord Glan who had just rushed over, there was no need to mention him; he didn''t even fully understand what was happening yet, but his attention was already completely focused on the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    In this manner, under everyone''s watchful eyes, Rocky began to slowly drive the Tank Type 1 Armor, initially at a very slow pace, but soon he picked up speed and then started to accelerate fully.


    "So fast, it''s almost catching up with a carriage!"


    "Such a large size, yet it can move at this speed, the City Lord is truly a genius!"


    "Stop talking! Watch carefully!"


    When Rocky picked up the speed, there was another burst of discussion among the Guard Corps, everyone was amazed at how such a large Tank Type 1 Armor could achieve a speed no less than that of a carriage.


    While everyone was discussing, Rocky had already driven the Tank Type 1 Armor around the drill ground several times, then he took it towards a line of wooden stakes.


    These wooden stakes had been set up in a straight line as he had instructed, with each one about twenty meters apart from the next, and as Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 Armor over, he began to weave swiftly around the stakes.


    "So agile..."


    "This big guy is really impressive!"


    "No kidding, this was designed by the City Lord and several masters; it would be odd if it weren''t good!"


    As Rocky snaked past all the wooden stakes, the chatter among the guards grew louder, and Orton and the others also glanced at each other, smiling and nodding; it looked like Rocky was right, despite the large size of the Tank Type 1 Armor, it was still agile, and from its current performance, it seemed to have no problem following soldiers into combat.


    Even Rocky, who was driving the Tank Type 1 Armor, was pleased with its performance, although he hit two or three stakes during the process, it couldn''t be denied that the maneuverability and flexibility of the Tank Type 1 Armor were pretty good, basically meeting his expectations.


    So thereafter, he began to reverse the armor, quickly backing up the Tank Type 1 Armor to the center of the drill ground, then spinning in place to aim at a cleared area.


    On this targeted cleared area stood targets at three distances, the farthest being beyond two hundred meters, the middle distance was at one hundred meters, and the near distance ranged from fifty to ten meters, filled with various sized sandbags.


    Under Rocky''s control, the two large cannon barrels carried on the Tank Type 1 Armor''s shoulders began to slowly rise, followed by a loud boom, two Magic Energy Bullets were fired! Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    Moments later, a series of explosions was heard from over two hundred meters away, two bullets landed consecutively, blasting two large pits around the targets on the cleared ground. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After firing those two shots, the Tank Type 1 Armor moved several meters to the side, its chassis angled towards the target while its upper body rotated ninety degrees to face the target directly and fired two more shots with a boom. Following that, Rocky performed the same maneuver to the opposite direction and fired another two shots!


    These last two shots finally hit the target, blasting the target two hundred meters away into ashes.


    "Good! Hit it!"


    "Amazing!"


    "Mighty, my lord!"


    When Rocky finally hit the target, the guards burst into cheers, and people like Orton nodded in approval.


    Having fired three times and hit once, the hit rate was quite impressive, considering Rocky''s target was not two meters away, but two hundred meters away. Achieving a one-third hit rate at such a distance was remarkably high, especially since ranged attacks were meant for bombardment, and hitting the general area was sufficient to inflict damage.


    "Master Aniye, this armor is..."


    While others were nodding repeatedly, Glan approached Aniye and cautiously asked.


    He couldn''t help himself and had to know what exactly was going on with the armor Rocky was operating!


    "Oh, Lord Glan, this armor is a new generation of land combat special armor that Rocky led the design of..."


    Facing Glan''s insatiable curiosity, Aniye revealed all about the Tank Type 1 Armor without teasing any further.


    After hearing Aniye''s brief introduction, Glan blinked and took a while to snap back to reality, "Master Aniye, are you saying this armor is specifically meant for combating demons on land?"


    "Exactly."


    Nodding, Aniye explained while looking towards the Tank Type 1 Armor, "According to Rocky''s idea, this armor should be adaptable to three different ranges of combat. What you just witnessed was long-range attack; the power of each of the twin shoulder-mounted Magic Energy Cannons reached 1500 points. Though it might not seem impressive when fired singly, the effect would be significantly amplified if five or ten armors bombed simultaneously."


    "So that''s how it is... that''s how it is..."


    Glan nodded blankly and turned his head towards the training ground, looking at the Tank Type 1 Armor driven by Rocky.


    Just then, as he turned around, Rocky had the armor target a mid-range target, and the Magic Energy Beam installed at the waist of the armor fired.


    Two beams shot out, hitting a target a hundred meters away and immediately causing it to explode. Rocky then continuously fired, quickly blowing up all ten medium-range targets!


    "This is the mid-range rapid-fire Magic Energy Beam, each shot has a power of 800 points. Although not extremely powerful, it can fire six shots per minute, and with the aiming system developed by Pelaya, the hit rate is quite good," Aniye explained proactively before Glan could ask.


    Meanwhile, Rocky had driven the Tank Type 1 Armor close to the short-range targets and without a word began firing Magic Energy Bullets!


    In an instant, countless Magic Energy Bullets, each larger than a fist, were shot out. As both hands of the Tank Type 1 Armor had been completely transformed into rapid-fire Mana Launchers, each with five launchers, a barrage of Magic Energy Bullets was unleashed the moment it began firing, instantly creating a smoky scene around and blowing up one target after another in this intense bombardment!


    The barrage lasted for several minutes, and then Rocky stopped firing and drove the Tank Type 1 Armor out of the smoke, slowly moving towards where everyone was.


    At this point, both the guards and a stunned Glan thought Rocky had finished his demonstration and even prepared to cheer loudly.


    But just then, Monte, Lin Feng, and Sandro, all donned in Void Magic Armor, suddenly took off into the air and immediately activated all weapons systems of their armors, targeting the Tank Type 1 Armor!

 Chapter 315 Roadside Cabbage

    After all the close-range targets were blasted away, Rocky slowly emerged from the gun smoke in his Tank Type 1 Armor, but just at that moment, Monte, Lin Feng, and Sandro, clad in Void Magic Armor, suddenly leaped into the air and activated all weapons on their Armor!


    This sudden development startled everyone, especially Lord Glan who had only recently arrived at Thunderhawk City. When he saw Monte and the others suddenly lashing out, his first thought was assassination!


    In various Sky Cities, there had been incidents of generals or ministers suddenly attempting to assassinate the City Lord. The actions of Monte and the others bore a striking resemblance to such situations, which alarmed Glan immediately.


    As his heart tensed up, Monte and the others had already unleashed a barrage of firepower on Rocky''s Tank Type 1 Armor, with all sorts of long-range weapons raining down in an instant.


    Facing this fusillade, Rocky rapidly retreated while expanding the Defensive Net of his Armor, seemingly trying to dodge the attack as much as possible.


    However, the Void Magic Armor worn by Monte and the others was after all more agile than the Tank Type 1, and even as Rocky tried his best to evade their onslaught, they always managed to catch up to him.


    Fortunately, he had timely expanded the Defensive Net, and the sturdiness of the Tank Type 1''s Defensive Net was indeed astonishing. Despite the continuous attacks from the three Void Magic Warriors, the Net did not break, standing resolutely.


    Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    In this way, the assault by Monte and the others lasted for a few minutes before they finally ceased and slowly descended back into the ranks.


    Only at this point did Lord Glan, who was initially surprised and anxious, realize that this was not an assassination but a test of the Armor''s defensive capabilities. Upon this realization, he turned his gaze to the now stationary Tank Type 1 Armor.


    From the initial movement exercises to the subsequent shooting and then the defense test that had just occurred, Glan had witnessed the entire debut of the Tank Type 1 Armor. It was precisely because of this that he was profoundly shocked, for everything the Tank Type 1 Armor showed was, just like its appearance, so different from traditional Armor that Glan didn''t even know how to describe this Armor.


    But one thing he did know was that this new type of Land Combat Armor already had the potential to render all other armors of its class obsolete!


    Although Glan was not a Void Magic Warrior and lacked detailed knowledge about Void Magic Armor, even as a layman, he could see how outstanding the Tank Type 1 was. Its demonstrated mobility, firepower, and defensive power, among other qualities, had already surpassed the bulky but ineffective Land Combat Armors. Once this Armor was fully developed, it would certainly change the landscape of Land Combat Armor!


    To be honest, Glan never expected to witness such a thing, because neither the Sky Alliance nor he himself believed that Rocky''s success was largely due to luck, even somewhat undeserved.


    Although under Rocky''s governance Thunderhawk City had developed quite well, it was far from the top among small Sky Cities. There were many stronger small City Lords than him. His entrance into the Sky Alliance was purely a stroke of luck, entirely based on the new technologies developed by Aniye and others in his city, and nothing more.


    This opinion had been shared by many since Rocky had joined the Sky Alliance, but now it seemed they were all wrong!


    Consider this: could a City Lord who relied on luck really develop such a unique Armor through luck alone? The answer was obvious, definitely not!


    So when Glan saw Rocky crawl out of the Tank Type 1 Armor, he couldn''t help but narrow his profound eyes. He understood that he must reassess the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, not just him, perhaps even the Sky Alliance needed to recalibrate their view of Rocky!


    Just as Glan was pondering these thoughts, he noticed Rocky walking over to him. His somewhat distracted gaze quickly refocused, and a smile spread across his face as well.


    "Lord Glan, how do you feel about this New Armor?"


    "It''s breathtaking! Truly breathtaking!"


    In the face of Rocky, Glan kept praising the myriad performances of the Tank Type 1 while asking a few key questions, both overtly and subtly.


    For instance, whether the new armor was equipped with the latest technology developed by Aniye and others, what the cost of this armor was, and whether Rocky had any interest in sharing this New Armor with the Alliance.


    One should know that although Rocky had joined the Alliance, it didn''t mean that the Tank Type 1 Armor belonged to the Alliance. In fact, if Rocky did not wish to, then the Tank Type 1 Armor had nothing to do with the Sky Alliance, unless he was willing to share it with them.


    Indeed, when Glan asked these questions, even he found it incredulous. Sharing technology or armor with the Alliance was extremely rare since new technologies and armors were not easy to come by, not like cabbages by the roadside.


    Yet, with Rocky, such events seemed to become the norm. Less than a month earlier, he had joined the Alliance thanks to a breakthrough technology, and now he had developed a new type of armor. In his case, new technologies and armors appeared as common as cabbages by the roadside, seemingly effortless to obtain.


    However, Rocky didn''t answer any of his questions directly, as he hadn''t yet decided on them. His priority was to take back the mines of Backhill Village. Other than that, he hadn''t thought too much about anything else.


    In this situation, after exchanging pleasantries with Rocky, Glan did not linger too long and quickly left, evidently eager to report the matter of the Tank Type 1 to the Alliance.


    How he would report to the Alliance is a subject for another time, but speaking of Rocky alone,


    After Glan left, Rocky began to arrange a series of tasks. First and foremost, according to the original plan, he had Hammerfire build another Tank Type 1 Armor. Before reaching Backhill Village, Rocky hoped to have at least two Tank Type 1 Armors in his possession to be able to present a formidable combat force; having just one would be too weak and vulnerable.


    Next was the selection of new Void Magic Warriors. Although the Tank Type 1 Armor was different from traditional armors, it was still armor and required Void Magic Warriors to operate it, so this work had to be carried out as well.


    Of course, Rocky didn''t need to personally oversee this matter, as the Guard Corps had just recently selected a group of Void Magic Warriors. Thus, Liliya, Monte, and Lin Feng would naturally put together a suitable list of candidates. Rocky just needed to approve the selection. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once all this was properly arranged, Rocky finally managed to get a few days'' rest, but it was only a mere few days. After that short period, more issues, particularly those beyond his expectations, continuously came to him!

 Chapter 316 Occupied?

    Although the Tank Type 1 Armor was manufactured only after a preliminary design due to the time crunch, both Rocky and Hammerfire, among others, were very satisfied with the rushed production of this new Land Combat Armor.


    Undeniably, the Tank Type 1, from a design and manufacturing standpoint, had substantial room for improvement, but even so, its performance was already impressive. Presumably, once further testing was completed, confirming that there were no major flaws or defects, it could be deployed in actual combat.


    Therefore, after a rare few days of rest, Rocky immediately began a series of tests on the Tank Type 1.


    This time, the testers were not him personally but two newly selected Void Magic Warriors from the Guard Corps.


    After the first Tank Type 1 was produced, Liliya and Monte had drawn up a list of candidates for Void Magic Warriors and handed it over to Rocky, who quickly selected two individuals from it.


    The two he chose were named Caryus and Raphael, both of whom had joined the Guard Corps after Rocky became City Lord, with Raphael even coming from Backhill Village.


    Rocky''s choice of these two as the new batch of Void Magic Warriors somewhat puzzled Monte and Liliya, as they had not considered these two at all when compiling the candidate list.


    It wasn''t that Caryus and Raphael weren''t qualified to be Void Magic Warriors; in fact, whether in terms of background or competence, they were on par with the other candidates. However, both men were somewhat older, with each being over thirty years of age.


    Theoretically, the age requirement for Void Magic Warriors was not too stringent, but it had to be acknowledged that younger individuals held considerable advantages in terms of reaction time and physical prowess.


    But Rocky didn''t see it that way; he rather thought that being older had its own benefits, such as being more steady and calm in battle, which were precisely the qualities necessary for piloting Tank Type 1 Armor.


    Another reason he chose Caryus and Raphael was their experience.


    Before joining the Guard Corps, both happened to have worked as coachmen. Caryus''s father was a coachman in Thunderhawk City, and he also spent time in that role until he was twenty-five, while Raphael did the same when he was in Backhill Village, driving horse-drawn carriages to transport goods.


    In Rocky''s view, this constituted experience.


    Some might wonder, can driving a horse carriage be equated with piloting Armor? How could that be considered experience? S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Indeed, driving a horse carriage was not the same as piloting Armor, but let''s not forget that the Tank Type 1 Armor wasn''t traditional Armor. A key requirement for piloting the Tank Type 1 was a strong sense of direction, which Caryus and Raphael, with their coachman backgrounds, had in abundance over most people.


    After confirming these two would be responsible for driving the Tank Type 1, Rocky took it upon himself to teach them personally how to operate the Tank Type 1 Armor, conducting a series of tests on the Armor while the two familiarized themselves with its controls.


    Time quickly passed, and another half-month went by. During this period, although Caryus and Raphael shared an Armor, their learning pace was unimpeded, and they had essentially mastered all the operational techniques of the Tank Type 1.


    Moreover, as the two gradually mastered the operation of the Tank Type 1, the series of tests on the Armor also came to an end. There were certainly minor issues and inherent design flaws, but there were no major problems, which meant that the Tank Type 1 could soon engage in real combat.


    At the same time, the second Tank Type 1 Armor was also completed during this period.


    With that, all the preparations for reclaiming Backhill Village were in place. Once Thunderhawk City reached Skybreaker Peak, the operation could commence!


    By Rocky''s calculations, since activating Thunderhawk City''s flight mode, more than a month had passed. After such a lengthy flight, the city was now not too far from Skybreaker Peak, and reaching it meant Backhill Village was close at hand.


    Therefore, in the following days, instead of getting involved in other matters, Rocky focused entirely on planning for the battle to reclaim Backhill Village Mine and his strategies for managing the mine once reclaimed.


    Time flew by, and three days later, Thunderhawk City, which had been flying for over a month, finally arrived at its destination!


    After lowering Thunderhawk City slightly, Rocky stood on the Skyport and easily spotted the towering mountain peak not far away, thrusting into the clouds with its summit swallowed completely by the clouds, known as Skybreaker Peak!


    "Felly, send someone to scout out the area and check the current situation of Backhill Village."


    Standing on the Skyport and looking towards Broken Mountain Peak for a while, Rocky said to Felly.


    Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    "Yes!"


    With an affirmative response, Felly immediately went to make arrangements. Soon after, three Reconnaissance Ships took off slowly from the Skyport, flying out of the range of Thunderhawk City towards Skybreaker Peak.


    After watching the three Reconnaissance Ships gradually disappear from view, Rocky returned to his own City Lord''s Mansion. After all, it would take some time for the Reconnaissance Ships to return, and he did not plan to make a move before getting a clear picture of the situation in Backhill Village.


    It had been a year and a half since his last visit here, so Rocky had no idea about the current situation in Backhill Village. Therefore, although he was prepared for battle, he had to wait to clarify the situation before taking action¡ªhe would never fight an uncertain battle.


    However, what he hadn''t expected was that the return of the Reconnaissance Ships would be much sooner than he had anticipated!


    It was only two to three hours after the Reconnaissance Ships had been dispatched early in the morning, not even lunchtime yet, when the three Reconnaissance Ships returned, bringing with them a result that Rocky had not at all expected.


    "Already occupied?"


    Looking at the few crew members standing beside Felly, Rocky''s brows gradually furrowed, and after a moment, he asked again:


    "Are you saying that Backhill Village has already been occupied by someone?"


    "Yes, yes, City Lord, that''s right..."


    Bowing his head and cautiously glancing at Rocky, one of the crew members standing beside Felly promptly replied.


    This response made Rocky lean back in his seat of the City Lord, and his expression gradually darkened!


    Had someone beaten him to the punch and already occupied Backhill Village and the mine within the village?


    This outcome was certainly far beyond Rocky''s expectations, even catching him off guard. He had originally thought that Backhill Village, destroyed by the Demons, was an assured prize for him, but unexpectedly, it had been seized by someone else first.


    This was truly... unacceptable to him!


    So, after a brief moment of contemplation, Rocky looked towards the several crew members beside Felly.


    "What exactly happened, tell me everything you saw in detail without leaving out any details."

 Chapter 317 Proud Dragon Commerce Guild

    In the City Lord''s Hall, a crew member, who had followed the Reconnaissance Ship on its scouting mission, was earnestly recounting everything he had discovered to Rocky.


    According to this crew member, after leaving Thunderhawk City, the three reconnaissance ships soon approached Skybreaker Peak. Additionally, since there were crew members from Backhill Village on board, the group had no trouble finding the village at the foot of Skybreaker Peak.


    However, upon their arrival at Backhill Village, they noticed something was amiss. From a distance, Backhill Village seemed largely unchanged, the iconic tall city walls were still in place, and even the towers on either side of the wall remained.


    This scene puzzled the crew members because, when Rocky was defending this location, the village walls had collapsed during the Demons'' last attack. Now, so much time had passed; how had the walls rebuilt themselves?


    In light of this situation, the Commander in charge of the scouting mission immediately ordered the reconnaissance ships to accelerate, planning to get closer and investigate what exactly was going on.


    The moment they drew near, several reconnaissance ships similarly rose from behind the city walls! It was only then that the crew members realized that someone had beaten them to the punch and had already occupied Backhill Village!


    "Did the opposing reconnaissance ships have any distinctive features, like military flags or ship emblems?"


    After the crew members had narrated the events, Rocky furrowed his brows and thought for a moment before asking.


    "Yes!"


    Upon his inquiry, several crew members nodded in unison!


    "City Lord, we actually made contact with the opposing side already," said the same crew member, continuing in response to Rocky''s question. "When we intended to approach Backhill Village, their reconnaissance ships aggressively moved towards us, a total of five ships, which intercepted us mid-air."


    "After that, their Void Magic Warriors appeared and shouted at us a few times, claiming that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had occupied this area and forbade us from approaching, then we had no choice but to return¡­"


    Looking up at Rocky, the crew member finally clarified everything.


    "Proud Dragon Commerce Guild?"


    But when Rocky heard the name Proud Dragon Commerce Guild from the crew member, he couldn''t help but turn his head to look at Old Jack and Lin Feng standing below, then he clearly saw their expressions change slightly upon hearing the name of the guild.


    Rocky was familiar with the name Proud Dragon Commerce Guild because before Backhill Village was destroyed by the Demons, they had been trading minerals with this guild. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this, Rocky understood the whole sequence of events.


    Apparently, he wasn''t the only one aware of Backhill Village''s existence, especially the mine it concealed. The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, which had extensive dealings with the village, also knew this. Hence, after the entire village had relocated to Thunderhawk City, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild seized the opportunity to take over the village, no, to be precise, to occupy the village''s mine!


    "......"


    Having easily figured everything out, Rocky fell into silence.


    The turn of events was indeed beyond his expectation, but on reflection, it seemed quite normal given that mineral resources were incredibly precious in the current world. Knowing about the minerals in Backhill Village and the fact that the whole village had been destroyed, it was inevitable for the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild to seize this opportunity to take over.


    What''s more important, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild hadn''t just occupied Backhill Village; the intelligence brought back by the reconnaissance ships indicated that the Guild had reconstructed the destroyed village and even deployed troops for defense.


    The returning crew member just mentioned, didn''t he? They hadn''t even gotten close when the opposing reconnaissance ships intercepted them, and they had also encountered the enemy''s Void Magic Warriors!


    Reconstructing walls, deploying troops, stationing Void Magic Warriors¡ªall these actions highlighted the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s significance towards Backhill Village. Clearly, they were managing and building up Backhill Village as if it were their own property.


    Such being the case, it seemed somewhat troublesome...


    "My Lord."


    Just as Rocky was frowning, carefully considering how he should handle the matter, Old Jack suddenly stepped forward, seemingly having something to say.


    "Lord Jack, what would you like to say?"


    Looking at Old Jack, Rocky asked.


    "My Lord, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had many years of cooperation with Backhill Village before, so I''m quite familiar with this guild. I hope you can give me a chance to talk with them..."


    Standing before Rocky, Old Jack lowered his head and expressed his thoughts. He hoped to talk with the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild and resolve the matter peacefully if possible.


    As the administrative officer of Thunderhawk City, Old Jack was well aware that Rocky was determined to obtain the mine of Backhill Village. Rocky had not only prepared for battle but had even arranged the necessary tools and workers for mining, and it was Old Jack who had arranged all these matters.


    In such circumstances, even though the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had already preemptively occupied Backhill Village, Rocky would not simply back down. He would take back Backhill Village, even if it meant driving the other party away.


    This was exactly why Old Jack wanted to talk with them first, to see if the matter could be settled peacefully.


    Firstly, as he just mentioned, he had some connections with the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild. These connections made Old Jack reluctant to see them clash violently with Rocky.


    Secondly, he was also considering for Rocky''s benefit. The crew members who had returned reported that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had developed Backhill Village considerably well. So if they could peacefully persuade the guild to withdraw, wouldn''t Rocky stand to gain a lot? Otherwise, once a battle ensued, and Thunderhawk City''s fleet was deployed, then the newly rebuilt village would be destroyed again.


    This was why Old Jack made this suggestion.


    After he finished speaking, Rocky thought for a while and then nodded, "Alright, you leave tomorrow. Let Lin Feng escort you there."


    "Thank you, My Lord!"


    Seeing Rocky nod in agreement with his idea, Old Jack quickly bowed in gratitude. Since Old Jack planned to persuade the other side, it was not suitable for Rocky to make further arrangements immediately, so he then dismissed everyone.


    However, in the evening, he called Lin Feng to the City Lord''s Mansion alone.


    "Tomorrow you will escort Lord Jack to Backhill Village, you must ensure his safety."


    In the study, Rocky sat beside the bookshelf, closed the book in his hands, and glanced at Lin Feng.


    "Rest assured, My Lord, I will do my best!"


    Standing before Rocky, Lin Feng immediately assured, but then he cautiously asked, "My Lord, is there anything else?"


    To tell the truth, Lin Feng was somewhat puzzled by Rocky''s action of specially calling him to the City Lord''s Mansion. Protecting Old Jack was undoubtedly a matter that didn''t require special instructions; Lin Feng would naturally give his best, so he felt that Rocky must have another reason for calling him.


    Sure enough, Rocky then sighed, "I can understand Lord Jack''s good intentions, but..."


    As he spoke, Rocky smiled and shook his head, then looked towards Lin Feng, "But the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild has invested so much in Backhill Village. How could they possibly be sent away with just a few words? Therefore, on this matter, it''s enough for Lord Jack to do his best; no need to force anything else. The most important thing is for both of you to return safely, understand?"

 Chapter 318 What is there to talk about!

    Old Jack''s idea was good, and Rocky understood that, but he also knew that such an idea was simply impossible to realize.


    Since the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had taken possession of such an important resource as the mines, it was clear that they would never give it up.


    However, since Old Jack wanted to give it a try, Rocky didn''t explain too much and let him go. However, he instructed Lin Feng to ensure Old Jack''s safe return, as Thunderhawk City still needed this experienced administrative officer.


    So, the next day, Old Jack and Lin Feng set off together aboard the Thunderhawk.


    After they had left, Rocky immediately ordered the Guard Corps and the Fleet to be ready for action. In his view, once Old Jack returned, the battle would begin!


    Just as Old Jack had thought previously, Rocky was determined to take back Backhill Village at any cost. Regardless of the intentions and attitudes of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, he would retake Backhill Village, even if it meant launching a major war.


    So when Old Jack left, Rocky immediately sprung into action.


    Actually, Old Jack returned much faster than everyone had anticipated because the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had not even allowed him to enter Backhill Village...


    Just like the encounter with the reconnaissance ship before, when the Thunderhawk appeared near Backhill Village, the opposition sent out an Escort Ship to stop them, intercepting the Thunderhawk in mid-air.


    Afterwards, Old Jack did meet with the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s manager, as the other party was on the ship. The two talked for a while after their meeting. No one knew what exactly was discussed, but the result was just as Rocky had anticipated¡ªthe Proud Dragon Commerce Guild paid no heed to Old Jack''s suggestions.


    This outcome had Old Jack returning to Thunderhawk City with his head hung low. Upon seeing Rocky, his old face turned red with embarrassment. After arriving back at the skyport, he saw the fully prepared Guard Corps and Fleet, immediately understanding that Rocky had known what the outcome would be all along.


    And next, there was no need for further pointless talk. Rocky subsequently had the entire Guard Corps board the warships, and then the huge Fleet, led by the War Steed, took off one after another, majestically flying away from Thunderhawk City toward Backhill Village!


    As the Fleet slowly descended into low altitude, Rocky, standing at the prow of the ship, once again saw the desolate terrain. He had some memory of the landscape near Backhill Village. He was unsure if it was due to the influence of Demons or if the place was naturally so barren. In any case, the area around Backhill Village was desolate, with hard ground like a turtle''s shell, almost devoid of any vegetation.


    Perhaps it was because he had been in the sky too long, but even with the desolation below, Rocky standing at the prow, looking toward the land, felt a deep sense of fondness from the bottom of his heart.


    Not long after, they approached the base of Skybreaker Peak, and Backhill Village subsequently came into view.


    Just as Rocky and his companions caught sight of the outline of Backhill Village, several warships appeared around the village!


    Ten reconnaissance ships.


    Three escort ships.


    As Rocky led the Fleet closer, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s Fleet stationed at Backhill Village also took to the sky! Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire


    Just as Rocky had surmised before, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild indeed treated Backhill Village as their home, fortifying it and stationing a considerable military presence there.


    The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s headquarters were situated within a medium-sized Sky City, not particularly large, roughly on par with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. Hence, the mines of Backhill Village were of utmost importance to them. The guild planned not just to mine the site, but even intended to shift the entire focus of their operations to this mine.


    In light of this, they rebuilt the village''s walls, making them wider, thicker, and stronger, and dispatched a formidable military presence to guard the area against demon attacks. As unexpected to Rocky as someone else occupying Backhill Village before him, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild also never anticipated that others knew of Backhill Village''s secret and would come to contest it.


    Therefore, as soon as Rocky sent the first Reconnaissance Ship for surveillance, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild grew anxious, immediately reporting the situation to the guild and preparing for battle well in advance.


    "Thunderhawk City..."


    Standing on the deck of an Escort Ship, Nelson, the manager of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild and the person in charge of Backhill Village, had an expression as bitter as a gourd, for even from a great distance, he could clearly see the colossal Fleet led by Rocky, which inexorably made his heart sink.


    Being in Backhill Village, with news hard to come by, Nelson hadn''t heard of the big news Rocky had recently made, but even without any knowledge of Rocky, just seeing the massive fleet before him was enough.


    A fleet led by battleships and wholly composed of large warships appearing suddenly was alarming enough. Even if Nelson hadn''t met Old Jack and learned that Thunderhawk City was targeting Backhill Village, he would have understood what the presence of such a vast fleet implied. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mineral resources have always been hotly contested by military powers. Except for The Forsaken People, whoever has the stronger fist claims ownership; there''s no logic in who arrived first.


    So Nelson clearly understood Rocky''s intentions.


    What he couldn''t comprehend was that, having previously extracted information from Old Jack, he knew that Backhill Village had been absorbed into a small Sky City, Thunderhawk City, but how could such a small Sky City possess such a vast and formidable fleet?


    Surely a fleet led by a battleship was something that only a medium-sized Sky City should be able to maintain?


    The reality he saw with his eyes and what he had anticipated in his mind were so far apart that Nelson on the deck was filled with conflict.


    Even so, he still wanted to try and see if he could intimidate the opposition into retreat with the reputation of Proud Dragon City.


    As mentioned before, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s headquarters was located in a medium-sized Sky City, which was Proud Dragon City, and Nelson thought that since the other party was from a small Sky City, even if they didn''t give face to the guild, they should at least respect a medium-sized Sky City, right?


    It was with such a notion that he led all of Backhill Village''s fleet to ascend, just as Old Jack had earlier, for Nelson also wanted to have a talk with Rocky.


    Thus, the fleets of both sides soon met mid-air, and simultaneously, Nelson had already prepared what he would say to the City Lord once they met; however, just as he was waiting for the two sides to approach, the sound of cannon fire, like distant thunder, suddenly erupted!


    The moment Nelson''s fleet came within range, Rocky chose to open fire without hesitation!


    Have a talk?


    What talk? From the beginning, Rocky never planned to resolve this matter through ''negotiation.'' If it hadn''t been for taking into account Old Jack''s good intentions, which made it improper to outright refuse, he would have brought his forces to Backhill Village long ago, not waiting until now!


    So as soon as the enemy entered range, he gave the order to fire immediately!

 Chapter 319 Figure It Out Yourself

    Facing the warships of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Rocky didn''t hesitate and ordered to fire as soon as the enemy came within range!


    This action terrified Nelson!


    Though the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had stationed troops in Backhill Village, how many troops can a commerce guild have? Therefore, Backhill Village only had a dozen reconnaissance ships and three escort ships, which might suffice against Demons but were clearly not enough for a large-scale aerial battle.


    In this situation, Nelson immediately ordered the warship to turn around, then led the fleet back to Backhill Village as if he were mad.


    Luckily, they had just come into range when Rocky ordered to fire, and the distance was still great; the hit rate of the Magic Cannons wasn''t very high. So, when Nelson ordered the retreat, although the fleet looked ragged, they ultimately made it back to Backhill Village without harm. If they had been any closer, Nelson''s small fleet wouldn''t have sufficed for even a single volley from Rocky''s side.


    As for the fleeing Nelson, Rocky didn''t order a pursuit. The enemy had only two choices, either to flee back to Backhill Village or to escape directly; if they fled back to Backhill Village, they would be trapped like turtles in a jar, and escaping directly would actually save trouble. Rocky didn''t care about the outcome either way.


    Thus, after this, Rocky calmly ordered the fleet to slowly advance, slowly flying towards Backhill Village.


    About an hour later, the outline of Backhill Village gradually became clear, and Rocky''s fleet finally reached the village.


    "Hmm¡­"


    Standing at the bow of the War Steed, Rocky looked carefully through a telescope for a while, then said to Liliya beside him, "The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild has done a nice job with the village; it now seems even stronger than it was before."


    "Really?"


    Curiously taking the telescope, Liliya also looked towards Backhill Village and found, just as Rocky had said, that the village had not only remained undestroyed but had actually improved under the auspices of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild!


    The most distinctive feature of Backhill Village was the tall wall at the village entrance. Since the village was located in a fissure at Skybreaker Peak, Old Jack and others had originally built a huge wall at the entrance. The wall was connected to Skybreaker Peak on both sides, relying on the terrain to form a semi-natural shield that protected the entire village within it.


    However, during a previous attack by the Demons, the wall was severely damaged and was no longer usable. But now that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had occupied the village, they had rebuilt the wall not only stronger but also wider and thicker, and had also installed several Magic Cannons on it. It looked not only defensively robust but also significantly strong in offense.


    Although the tall wall obstructed the view, Liliya couldn''t see inside the village, but just from this wall alone, the current Backhill Village was certainly better than before, at least stronger in terms of defensive power.


    "Monte, Lin Feng, come take a look."


    After Liliya put down the telescope, Rocky casually called Monte and Lin Feng over, asking them to take a look through the telescope as well.


    "Sir, leave it to us!"


    Holding the telescope and observing for a while, after putting it down, Monte slapped his chest and said, "Sir, this wall won''t stop the Guard Corps. Just let the fleet blast an opening in the wall, and we can lead the Guard Corps¡­"


    "Nonsense, such a good wall, what a waste it would be to destroy it!"


    Not waiting for Monte to finish, Rocky glared at him.


    The wall built by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild was indeed solid, but with the firepower of Rocky''s fleet under his command, destroying such a wall would be too easy. After all, no matter how thick, a wall is just stones stacked together, not requiring a barrage of all cannons; a shot from the Sky-piercing Cannon would obliterate it. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But what a waste that would be!


    Rocky''s purpose in coming here was not to destroy Backhill Village, but to occupy it. That is, he planned to take control of the village after driving out the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild.


    Rocky had been worried about how to defend the village after its capture, and he even prepared to spend months building fortifications. But now, although the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild got there first and occupied Backhill Village, they also did him a favor by constructing the defense works.


    In this case, why would Rocky let the fleet bombard it?


    So, after glaring at Monte, he issued a direct command, "Do not destroy the city walls. Two Tank Type 1 Armors, along with Dusa and Sandro, are at your disposal. As for how to break in and occupy the village, the Guard Corps will figure out their own way."


    After issuing such an order, Rocky had the War Steed slowly descend about three to four hundred meters away from Backhill Village and deployed the Guard Corps to the ground. Then, he ordered the War Steed to fly back into the sky.


    Clearly, although Rocky held command over a massive fleet and possessed an absolute advantage in the air, he did not plan to use it. Otherwise, once the fleet began to bombard, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s painstakingly built Backhill Village, along with its numerous defensive fortifications, would be destroyed, which was definitely not the outcome he wished to see.


    Thus, he planned to deploy the Guard Corps to capture Backhill Village with minimal destruction.


    However, this time he did not personally command the Guard Corps. He felt it was time to let Monte and Lin Feng gain some experience because there would be frequent battles with the Demons in the future. He could not possibly command every battle personally, so he let Monte and Lin Feng figure out how to occupy Backhill Village on their own. He would not intervene.


    In this situation, Monte and Lingfeng quickly gathered the Guard Corps, and soon began advancing towards Backhill Village.


    Although the number of over three hundred guards might not seem large, each one either wore brand-new Mana Armor Suits or wielded brand-new weapons, making them look quite imposing and formidable.


    "Stop!"


    When they were a little over a hundred meters away from the city walls of Backhill Village, Monte shouted loudly, halting the guards in their tracks.


    "Stand by! All squad leaders, assemble here!"


    While ordering the soldiers to wait on the spot, Monte called all the squad leaders of the Guard Corps to his side, including Lin Feng, Dusa, Sandro, Caryus, and Raphael.


    "Tell me, how should we approach this battle? Any ideas?"


    After gathering everyone, Monte directly asked.


    Just when Monte had the Guard Corps stop and began discussing how to attack Backhill Village, Nelson, who had already returned to the village ahead of them, climbed the city walls and was now watching the Guard Corps from afar.


    "Chief, what should we do now?"


    Seeing Nelson on the city walls, an officer asked with a pale face.


    No wonder the officer was pale. Outside of Backhill Village, there was not only a not-so-large but superbly equipped Guard Corps but also a more frighteningly large and high-quality fleet in the sky. Such an imposing enemy made not just this officer but all the soldiers responsible for defending Backhill Village feel terrified!


    Unlike these terrified soldiers, Nelson, although looking a bit grim, remained relatively calm. After observing the movements of the Guard Corps for a while, he spoke:


    "It seems that they don''t want to destroy the city walls, which is why the fleet hasn''t attacked. This is our opportunity!"


    "Opportunity?"


    Upon hearing this, the officer beside him was stunned.


    "Yes, opportunity!"


    Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    Glancing at the officer, Nelson, slightly excited, said, "I''ve already contacted the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber will soon send troops to reinforce us. All we need to do is hold out until the reinforcements from the Chamber arrive."


    "But can we hold them off? With so many warships..."


    "What is there to fear?!" Glaring at the officer, Nelson said, "Since they don''t wish to destroy the city walls and the village, the fleet is just for show. Our defenses are so solid, the enemy definitely won''t be able to break through. If the enemy dares to charge, just blast them with the Magic Cannon!"

 Chapter 320 Tanks Roll Out!

    "Quick! Aim at everything outside the city walls!"


    Seeing that Rocky''s fleet only lingered in the sky but did not launch an attack on the city walls, Nelson guessed his intent and understood that Rocky did not wish to destroy the walls of Backhill Village. Although this infuriated Nelson, as it seemed as though Backhill Village was already in Rocky''s pocket, it also presented him with a rare opportunity!


    In Nelson''s view, as long as Rocky had reservations, his fleet was effectively decoration. If Rocky wanted to capture Backhill Village intact, he would have to rely on the ground forces, which played right into Nelson''s hands!


    After all, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had fortified the walls of Backhill Village so robustly not just for show but to withstand Demons. It had been almost half a year since the Guild occupied Backhill Village, and during that time, they had relied on the thick walls to repel Demons time and again, solidly proving the defensive power of the walls.


    In this situation, Nelson did not believe the troops several hundred meters away had the capacity to breach the walls. As long as the walls stayed intact, their chance would come, for Nelson had already made contact with the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce was to send reinforcements as soon as possible, and Nelson believed that their arrival would turn the tide.


    Hence, as Monte and others were discussing their attack strategy, the soldiers of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild stationed at Backhill Village were summoned to the city walls. They neatly organized into three rows on the walls, each soldier armed with a bow and arrows.


    Apart from the Archers, all of the Magic Energy Cannons on the city walls were also activated. Nelson''s plan was simple: if the enemy troops dared to come close to the walls, the Magic Cannons and Archers would launch an attack together, annihilating the enemy on the spot!


    "It seems they are planning to hold out to the last,"


    Liliya said, putting down her binoculars on the deck of War Steed.


    "He''s planning on waiting for reinforcements, stubbornly so."


    Every one of Nelson''s maneuvers was observed by Rocky from the sky, who simply scoffed coldly at such actions, hardly considering them significant.


    Monte and his group, stationed a hundred meters away from Backhill Village, also noticed Nelson''s movements.


    "A direct assault seems impossible. They have a substantial defensive force, and most importantly, there are Magic Cannons on the walls; our troop wouldn''t be able to break through,"


    Monte muttered after observing the wall''s setup through a telescope.


    "Captain, don''t forget they also have warships,"


    "The warships needn''t worry us," said Lin Feng, glancing at Robin who reminded Monte, and before Monte could explain, he added, "Our Fleet is in the air, they definitely wouldn''t dare to let their warships take off. If they dare to bring their warships into the air, our lord will surely sink them, so we need not fear the threat of their warships."


    "The real issue is how to breach the city walls."


    While speaking, Lin Feng glanced at Monte and saw that his brow was furrowed.


    Rocky had said earlier that to preserve the sturdy walls of Backhill Village, he would not bombard them with the fleet, so how to infiltrate the village was left to the Guard Corps to figure out.


    But now the Guard Corps faced a dilemma, as Monte said. With the threat of Archers and Magic Cannons, a direct assault was impossible. The enemy''s firepower was too fierce, and even if the Guard Corps were equipped with new gears and weapons, they could not withstand the bombardment and volley of Arrow Feathers and Magic Cannons. And if they couldn''t even approach the walls, how could they break through?


    "Let Dusa and me do it,"


    At that moment, Sandro spoke up, glancing at Dusa, then said to Monte, "Captain, Dusa and I can fly over and destroy the Magic Cannons on the walls. Then the troops can storm the walls."


    As a Void Magic Warrior, Sandro naturally wanted to use the advantages of Void Magic Warriors to aid the Guard Corps, and his idea was not without merit. As top-tier elite forces, Void Magic Warriors indeed had the capability to destroy the city''s Magic Cannons. Once the Magic Cannons were out of commission, the threat to the Guard Corps would be greatly reduced.


    Consequently, after he finished speaking, Dusa nodded vehemently at his side, seemingly very much in agreement with the plan.


    However, Monte simply waved his hand dismissively and then turned his gaze to Caryus and Raphael.


    Although Monte had called Caryus and Raphael when summoning everyone for the meeting, the two of them remained silent throughout the discussion. This wasn''t surprising, after all, they were newly minted Void Magic Warriors, having been just ordinary Guards before. With neither the experience nor the abilities to match those of Monte and the others, neither of the men, both over thirty years old, attempted to show off at this time.


    Looking at the two men, Monte asked, "Caryus, Raphael, what is the maximum range of the shoulder-fired Mana Cannons on the Tank Type 1 Armor?"


    "Captain, the maximum range is 230 meters."


    Facing Monte''s question, the two men first looked startled but then simultaneously gave the answer.


    Void Magic Warriors not only need to operate Armor, but they must also know their Armor inside out. Otherwise, how could they use Armor to fight?


    So, even though Caryus and Raphael had become Void Magic Warriors just half a month ago, during that time they not only learned how to operate the Tank Type 1 Armor but also had committed all its parameters to memory. Hence, when faced with Monte''s question, they had no issues providing the answer.


    "What about the range for mid-range burst beams?"


    "110 meters."


    "Very good."


    Having received the answers, Monte nodded and then said, "The two of you will now use the Armor to start bombarding the village wall. Try not to hit the wall itself; aim for the Magic Cannons on the wall, and flatten all the Magic Cannons on the wall for me."


    "Yes, sir!" Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After Monte issued the command, Caryus and Raphael first stood dumbfounded, unable to believe their ears. After snapping back to reality, they promptly saluted him military-style and then turned to run toward the two Tank Type 1 Armors parked behind the troop.


    After a moment, both men had climbed into the cockpits, and the two Tank Type 1 Armors began to move, soon passing through the path that had been cleared by the main force and heading towards the walls of Backhill Village! Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    "Chief! Something is coming over here!"


    As the two Tank Type 1 Armors slowly approached the walls of Backhill Village, everyone who had been ready and waiting on the wall saw them approaching, including Nelson and the officer beside him.


    "What... what are those things?"


    Looking at the approaching Tank Type 1 Armors, everyone on the wall, including Nelson, exchanged glances of confusion. None of them had ever seen Tank Type 1 Armors before and had no idea what they were.


    "Never mind that, as soon as those things get close, bombard them with the Magic Cannon!"


    After staring for a long time without understanding what the Tank Type 1 Armors were, Nelson decided not to delve further and simply ordered the officer beside him.


    No sooner had he finished speaking, the officer beside him pointed outside the wall, "Sir, they''ve stopped!"


    "They''ve stopped?"


    Turning quickly to look, Nelson indeed saw, as the officer had said, that the two Tank Type 1 Armors had come to a halt.


    "Fire the cannons already! Why aren''t you firing?"


    Seeing the enemy stop outside the wall but the Magic Cannons on the wall showing no sign of firing, Nelson was very dissatisfied.


    However, faced with his questioning, the officer beside him could only shake his head in frustration, "Sir, our Magic Cannons are short-range. They can''t reach that far..."

 Chapter 321 Destroy Them!

    "Damn... As soon as they get close, fire at will!" Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    After hearing the officer''s explanation, Nelson clenched his teeth and glared outside the city wall, and spat out a sentence fiercely.


    Just as the officer had said, the magic cannons mounted on the walls of Backhill Village indeed had ranges of only a hundred meters or so, being short-ranged cannons. These were originally meant for fighting demons, to bombard them all at once when they amassed beneath the city walls, so they were useless against distant targets.


    Nevertheless, Nelson wasn''t too worried, because their magic cannons couldn''t reach the Tank Type 1, and similarly, the Tank Type 1 couldn''t reach them either. Thus, he simply ordered the gunners to shoot immediately when the enemy approached any closer.


    But just as he had finished giving this order, the two Tank Type 1s stopped a hundred meters away from the city wall suddenly moved¡ªboth the armors lifted the long barrel guns on their shoulders!


    "What are they doing..."


    As Nelson watched the armors raise the gun barrels on their shoulders, he was taken aback. Before he could react, two loud booms of artillery fire reached them!


    And it was in the instant after the cannon sounds that two of the wall merlons were blown away one after another!


    "Enemy attack!"


    "Quick, save them! People have been injured by the blast!"


    With the merlons blasted away, the city wall immediately descended into chaos. At that time, the wall wasn''t vacant¡ªon the contrary, to effectively stop the enemy from getting close, Nelson had already stationed rows of archers, with not just a single line but three rows amounting to over a hundred people!


    Under such circumstances, when the Tank Type 1 fired their cannons and blew away the merlons, they also inflicted injuries on the archers on the wall.


    In the explosion, over a dozen archers were injured, several of whom were immediately struck dead by the flying debris that hit them¡ªsome on the head, others in the chest.


    "Damn..."


    While chaos reigned on the city walls, Caryus and Raphael inside the Tank Type 1 Armor were also talking.


    "Raphael, did you hit the target?"


    "No... The angle of aim was too high, the shells flew off."


    "Same here, only hit the merlons, not the cannon emplacements. When you aim next time, lower the angle a bit. The City Lord is watching from above; we can''t keep firing blanks."


    "Understood."


    Agreeing with a nod, Raphael then readjusted the angle of his shoulder-mounted Magic Energy Cannon and began to aim. After a good while, he finally pulled the trigger.


    With the pulling of the trigger, a thunderous roar followed, and the huge recoil of the magic cannon caused a significant shake in Raphael''s cockpit. Then he immediately looked towards the distant city wall and saw that this time, he had finally hit the target!


    Just like before, his shot struck the top of the city wall, blasting the large stone blocks from the parapet into the air, affecting quite a few people as well.


    Unfortunately, he still did not hit the turret, but he was very close¡ªthe explosion had sent wall debris flying to within just one meter of the turret.


    Raphael was still not satisfied with this because Rocky had said to try not to damage the city walls as much as possible, yet his cannon fire, far from destroying the turret, had flattened the battlements instead. If Rocky were to blame him for this, he couldn''t bear it, so he quickly got in touch with Caryus.


    "Caryus, try the Magic Energy Beam," Raphael said.


    "I''ll give it a shot."


    After agreeing, Caryus activated the Magic Energy Beam Emitter and took aim before pulling the trigger.


    Unlike the Magic Energy Cannon, when the Magic Energy Beam was fired, it did not produce a loud noise, but only a whooshing sound as a half-meter-long beam shot out instantly and, indeed, hit one of the magic cannons on the wall!


    Although the Magic Energy Beam was not as powerful as the Magic Energy Cannon, destroying an unprotected Magic Cannon was still a straightforward task, so when the beam hit the Magic Energy Cannon, it directly blasted the cannon off the turret. The barrel was sent flying over a meter high before falling outside the city wall.


    "Use the Magic Energy Beam design, Raphael. It''s more accurate and causes less damage to the wall," said Caryus.


    "Alright!"


    Realizing that the Magic Energy Beam was significantly more precise than the Magic Energy Cannon, the two immediately abandoned the cannon and started a continuous assault with the beam.


    "Quick! Pull everyone back!"


    Just as the two had found their target and began bombarding the city walls with the less powerful, but more accurate, Magic Energy Beams, Nelson on the wall was ordering the archers to quickly withdraw. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had not anticipated that the enemy would have such weaponry, capable of bombing the wall from a hundred meters away¡ªa veritable mobile artillery. Under these circumstances, he had no choice but to pull out all the archers from the wall to avoid unnecessary casualties.


    At the same time, Nelson also noted that the two Tank Type 1 Armors were clearly aiming for the turrets on the wall, so he immediately gathered two Void Magic Warriors left in the village by the Chamber of Commerce.


    "Quick! Go and destroy those things!" Nelson shouted to the two Void Magic Warriors, pointing at the Tank Type 1 outside the wall. Understanding the urgency, the two warriors exchanged a glance and then immediately flew up and out over the wall.


    Although the Tank Type 1 was more than a hundred meters away from the wall, this distance was trivial for Void Magic Warriors, who could cross it in the blink of an eye. So, in just a moment, the two warriors flew above the two Tank Type 1s.


    "Destroy these things!"


    Like Nelson, the two Void Magic Warriors did not know exactly what the Tank Type 1 was, but without pondering on this issue, they launched an attack as soon as they were in range.


    Faced with the attack from the Void Magic Warriors, Caryus and Raphael naturally did not dare delay and immediately deployed the Defensive Net. They then controlled their armors to retreat while firing a barrage of Magic Energy Bullets into the air.


    Rocky had specifically stressed to them during their training that Tank Type 1 was designed for land combat. It had no flying capabilities, let alone anti-air measures, and could at best use Magic Energy Bullets to disrupt aerial enemies. Thus, if they encountered Void Magic Warriors, they had to deploy the Defensive Net and retreat from the battlefield immediately, without engaging in a fight.


    Caryus and Raphael certainly took this advice to heart, so as soon as they saw that the enemy had dispatched the Void Magic Warriors, they didn''t hesitate to retreat toward the Guard Corps, knowing that their own side also had Void Magic Warriors¡ªand four of them!

 Chapter 322 Attack the City!

    ```


    The power of the Tank Type 1 Armor had clearly exceeded Nelson''s expectations, its ability to threaten the city walls from a hundred meters away caused considerable damage.


    Although a few rounds of shelling had not caused much damage to the walls themselves, merely blowing off a few battlements, the number of soldiers injured by the explosion was not small. More importantly, with the continued shelling, three Magic Cannons had already been destroyed!


    On the newly repaired walls of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, a total of twenty close-range Magic Cannons had been installed, each with a power around 800 points, serving as a critical weapon to fend off demon attacks, and simultaneously the strongest barrier to obstruct the Guard Corps'' advance.


    Under such circumstances, Nelson naturally couldn''t let the Tank Type 1 Armor continue its bombardment. Although he wasn''t a formal general, he at least knew he shouldn''t just stand there taking hits, so he quickly dispatched Backhill Village''s only two Void Magic Warriors, planning to use their formidable strength to destroy the two Tank Type 1 Armors.


    His response was obviously the right one, given the situation at the time, only the Void Magic Warriors had the capability to destroy the Tank Type 1 Armor, otherwise, he would have had to open the gates and send his troops to a sure defeat.


    And when the two Void Magic Warriors rapidly closed in on the Tank Type 1 Armor and commenced their attack, Caryus and Raphael indeed quickly withdrew, clearly frightened.


    Nelson breathed a sigh of relief at this sight, but then things took a one hundred and eighty degree turn!


    Just as the two Void Magic Warriors were preparing to pursue the retreating Tank Type 1 Armors, four more Void Magic Warriors flew out from the direction of the Guard Corps and charged straight at them!


    This led to the beginning of the battle between the Void Magic Warriors.


    The two Void Magic Warriors of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild were both wearing Fifth Generation Mass Production Type Armors. Unlike the soldiers stationed in Backhill Village, who were conscripted by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild itself, these two were not from the Guild. They were akin to mercenaries, employed by the Guild from the Mercenary Guild.


    Despite not being formal military, the two Void Magic Warriors were strong and experienced mercenaries. When they saw Monte, Lin Feng, Dusa, and Sandro rushing towards them, they chose not to engage and instead maneuvered dexterously in the air, trying to continue attacking the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    Their plan was clear: destroy the Tank Type 1 Armor first, and then immediately retreat.


    But how easy would it be to achieve this?


    On one hand, there was Monte and his companions'' pursuit and interference in the air, and on the other, the defensive power of the Tank Type 1 Armor greatly surpassed their expectations. No matter how they attacked with their long-range weapons, they were easily deflected by the Defensive Net deployed by the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    In this situation, the two Void Magic Warriors did not linger long, and quickly shamefully fled back to Backhill Village.


    Once the Void Magic Warriors had gone, all threats from the Tank Type 1 Armor were thoroughly eradicated.


    Nelson had only two ways to threaten the Tank Type 1 Armor. The first was with his Fleet¡ªif the fleet took to the air, then with the bombings from the Escort Ships, the Tank Type 1 Armor would inevitably be destroyed; but if he dared let his own fleet take to the air, then Rocky, who was lurking in the skies just outside the city walls, would sink all the airborne warships in an instant. The second way was to deploy Void Magic Warriors, but as seen, with Monte and his companions'' protection, along with the Tank Type 1 Armor''s own defensive power, it was impossible to destroy the Tank Type 1 Armor with just two Void Magic Warriors.


    As such, once the two Void Magic Warriors withdrew, Caryus and Raphael once again steered the Tank Type 1 Armor towards the walls, and then, just like before, continued with the distant shelling.


    ```


    "Not bad, it seems they''ve found a way."


    At the bow of the War Steed, Rocky and Liliya were watching the battle below. Since the fleet led by the War Steed was not too high above the ground, only a few dozen meters, they could clearly see everything happening below.


    When Rocky saw Monte and Lin Feng send out the Tank Type 1 for long-range strikes, he knew the two had found the trick, and when he saw the enemy deploy Void Magic Warriors and then retreat after being repelled, he knew he had already won this battle.


    As long as they had the Tank Type 1, the magic cannons on the walls were not a problem, and would eventually be blown to pieces one by one. Once there were no more magic cannons to rely on, the tall walls would be just walls. Even if they were filled with archers, they wouldn''t be able to stop the advance of the Guard Corps equipped with magic energy equipment. And let''s not forget that after nearing the walls, the magic energy bullets from the Tank Type 1 could also sweep across them. By then, with the support of his own archers and mages from a distance, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild simply wouldn''t be able to withstand the walls.


    Rocky had said before that it seemed somewhat difficult to recapture Backhill Village without destroying the walls, but in reality, it was not difficult at all. The reason lay in the two Tank Type 1 Armors he had. With these two armors, no matter what the enemy did, they were sure to win!


    The actual development of the battle also turned out to be very much as Rocky had imagined. Though there were only two Tank Type 1s, which made the firepower somewhat sparse, after more than half an hour of bombardment, the magic cannons on the walls were ultimately all destroyed.


    It was precisely when the magic cannons had been completely destroyed that Monte led the awaiting Guard Corps to advance on Backhill Village!


    Over two hundred soldiers in brand-new magic energy equipment formed a formation of fifty men per row, four rows in total, and began heading towards the walls, with the archer and mage troops behind this formation. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hurry! Get everyone ready!"


    "No one is allowed to retreat! The Chamber of Commerce feeds you for battle! Whoever dares to desert will be killed by me!"


    Atop the walls, Nelson shouted loudly, urging them on, and once again had to order the archers to the top of the walls.


    With the artillery all destroyed and the warship unable to take off, the archers were the only force in Nelson''s hands capable of stopping the Guard Corps. Even knowing that sending the archer troops to the walls was dangerous, Nelson had no choice but to do so.


    Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    Under his command and urging, the archers, who had just recently retreated from the walls, once again climbed up, and though each looked somewhat grim and even fearful, they still took their places as ordered by Nelson.


    However, just as the archer troops had just reached the walls and hadn''t even had the time to get into formation, Caryus and Raphael, driving the Tank Type 1s, opened fire again!


    But this time, their target wasn''t the archers on the wall tops but the gate of the city walls!


    The two Tank Type 1 Armors fired in unison, and after several shots, the sturdy and thick gate of the walls was blown open, creating a path for the Guard Corps to the village.


    At the same time, the square formation of the Guard Corps had already pressed forward!

 Chapter 323 Not Willing to Give Up!

    "Fire the arrows, quickly fire the arrows!"


    Seeing the Guard Corps'' formation drawing closer, Nelson and the officers beside him began to shout. Immediately, hundreds of Archers let loose their Arrow Feathers in unison!


    In an instant, hundreds of Arrow Feathers fell like rain towards the Guard Corps below, creating an impressive scene.


    "Raise the shields!"


    Facing the dense rain of Arrow Feathers, the shield formation led by Monte didn''t halt their advance. At his command, all Guards raised their huge shields resembling doors, and with shields lifted, they braved the arrow storm, their steps not faltering as they continued toward the blasted open gate!


    While the Guard Corps advanced amidst the arrow storm, the ranged units following them came to a stop, as the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s Archers began their assault, and the Thunderhawk City''s Archers also readied themselves to unleash their power.


    "Everyone, draw your bows!"


    Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire


    Standing at the front of the Archers, Chu Dong, the captain of Thunderhawk City''s Archer Troops, bellowed, and then all Archers raised their Gale Strongbows high, aiming at the city walls.


    "Fire the arrows!"


    After the command, fifty Archers released the bowstrings that had been drawn tight, whooshing their Arrow Feathers through the air!


    Compared to the enemy, the number of Archers from Thunderhawk City was naturally fewer; when both sides exchanged volleys, their arrows were quickly overwhelmed by those shot by their opponents. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But despite their smaller numbers, the arrows shot by Thunderhawk City''s Archer Troops were more powerful. Most of their arrows hit the city walls, exploding on impact, which showed the sheer force behind them. The few arrows that hit the enemy managed to shoot in from the front and exit from the back with ease.


    As the Guard Corps gradually approached the wall, two Tank Type 1 Armors started moving forward, accompanying the Guards toward the wall. Once they reached a certain distance, they began firing Magic Energy Bullets at the top of the wall!


    Compared to the limited number of Archers, the close-range sweeping fire of the Tank Type 1 was far more effective. Countless Magic Energy Bullets scattered like a shower towards the city walls, quickly suppressing the Archers so they couldn''t even lift their heads.


    "You two, hurry, go stop them!"


    Seeing that the Archers on the city wall were not only failing to stop the enemy but were actually being suppressed by their firepower, Nelson immediately called over the two Void Magic Warriors from before, ordering them to mobilize at once.


    Clearly, only the Void Magic Warriors had the power to turn the tide now.


    But when faced with his request, the two Void Magic Warriors exchanged glances and then shook their heads!


    "Commander Nelson, our agreement was to defend Backhill Village from the Demons. Your current request exceeds the scope of our agreement," they said coldly after shaking their heads.


    They were not soldiers bred by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild; they were mercenaries. According to the contract signed between both parties, they had indeed only agreed to help Proud Dragon Commerce Guild ward off the Demonic invasion. Since it was clear that it was not the Demons attacking Backhill Village, they indeed had the right to refuse to battle.


    "You, you!"


    Upon hearing what the two of them said, Nelson''s face turned colors with rage, and although he pointed at the two with his hand for a long while, he ultimately failed to utter a single word.


    By this time, Nelson naturally knew that his cause was lost, that he absolutely couldn''t resist Rocky''s assault. In fact, he had understood this point long ago; Nelson was no fool. With the enemy''s large army pressing down, the massive fleet hanging in midair, and the elite ground forces advancing, how could he possibly hold Backhill Village against such foes?


    The reason he still obstinately resisted was simply that he couldn''t bear to give in!


    When the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild first discovered that Backhill Village had fallen to the Demons, the whole village had already been destroyed, reduced to nothing but a pile of rubble. Under these circumstances, the Guild had spent over half a year''s time, used several million Gold Coins, and employed over a thousand people to rebuild the village from the ruins into what it was now. Considering such massive investment, how could Nelson readily hand it over to Rocky?


    Unfortunately, such is the law of survival in the world. There may be laws from above in the sky, but on the land, there are none. Everything regarding the land has always been a matter of who has the larger fist is the one with reason, and what more when the target of the contention is a precious mine?


    Therefore, face to face with Rocky, who was determined to win, Nelson''s resistance, no matter how stout, was futile. Let alone he was just a superintendent, even if the Guild President of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild personally appeared, the outcome would be the same¡ªRocky wouldn''t accord any face at all.


    Under such circumstances, the footsteps of the Guard Corps proved unstoppable, and soon after, they arrived at the base of the city walls, then crossed the blown-open city gates to storm into the village.


    Inside Backhill Village, there were still some soldiers stationed, about one to two hundred in number. At the beginning, there was some resistance, but with the arrival of two Tank Type 1 Armors and Rocky and Liliya themselves following soon after, faced with six Void Magic Warriors and two Tank Type 1 Armors, everyone gave up resistance.


    With that, Rocky successfully captured Backhill Village!


    "Confiscate all the soldiers'' weapons, and detain them all," he commanded.


    After occupying Backhill Village, Rocky didn''t idle but immediately began arranging for the subsequent tasks.


    Although he had won the prior battle, in actuality, not many had died on either side. On Rocky''s side, not a single person had died, only a dozen soldiers had been hit by Arrow Feathers and sustained minor injuries, while the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild side had lost several dozen Archers and soldiers, but casualties were still very light.


    As a result, with Rocky''s occupation of Backhill Village, a large number of prisoners of war emerged¡ªthese POWs could not be left unattended. So, the first thing Rocky did after occupying the village was to confiscate the weapons of the POWs and lock them up in the mines.


    "What about Nelson, how should he be dealt with?" Liliya asked after Rocky had finished dealing with the prisoners.


    "Give him a reconnaissance ship to go back, and then send out the rest of the reconnaissance ships to prevent any reinforcements from the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild from coming," Rocky said after giving it a brief thought.


    "Release the Void Magic Warriors too," he added. "These people are of no use staying here."


    "Release the Void Magic Warriors as well?"


    Liliya wasn''t too concerned about how to deal with Nelson Liliya, since the fight was already over, and whether he was released or killed wouldn''t change anything. However, she found it somewhat incomprehensible that Rocky intended to release the two Void Magic Warriors.


    "They are mercenaries, and mercenaries have their own code. Let''s not break it unless it''s absolutely necessary. Release them," Rocky explained, glancing at Liliya.


    He was surely aware that keeping the two Void Magic Warriors could benefit him, but as he said, they were mercenaries, and there was a distinct set of rules for dealing with mercenaries in this world. Rocky didn''t want to break such rules unless it was unavoidable, for provoking the Mercenary Association could cause significant trouble for both him and Thunderhawk City.

 Chapter 324 Bountiful Harvest

    After releasing Nelson and two Void Magic Warriors, Rocky had completely occupied Backhill Village. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having recaptured the village, he didn''t dare to relax even a bit, immediately ordering the Guard Corps to station within the village and he mounted the city walls, after all, this was land, and it was possible to encounter Demons'' attacks at any time. It was also possible that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild might launch a counterattack, so he had to be prepared.


    Even so, after occupying the village, he still took Liliya and others for a walk around the village.


    It must be said, after the reconstruction by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Backhill Village had indeed become much better than before.


    Because the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild not only rebuilt the city walls and the mines, but they also constructed numerous residential houses for the miners to live in. They also built a barracks of considerable size for troops to garrison.


    What astonished Rocky even more, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had even carved out platforms on the cliffs on both sides of Backhill Village, for docking warships and cargo ships!


    "No wonder, no wonder so many Escort Ships were able to come out from the village, they were stationed here..."


    Standing inside the village, Rocky looked towards the cliffs on both sides, noticing one platform after another for docking warships and cargo ships. These platforms were very large and were all carved out from the cliffs, obviously involving a great deal of effort.


    "Not bad, really not bad, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild really helped us save a lot of trouble."


    After withdrawing his gaze, Rocky glanced at the people around him, then laughed heartily.


    Indeed, as he said, the reconstruction of Backhill Village by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had indeed saved him a lot of effort. Whether it was rebuilding the city walls and mines or constructing houses and barracks, these were all tasks Rocky needed to handle. But now, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had already done it for him. Not only had they completed it, but they also did it better than he could have, how could Rocky not be happy?


    Of course, this was not what made Rocky the happiest. What truly excited him were the gains he achieved after occupying Backhill Village!


    Therefore, after inspecting the village and returning to the mansion that originally belonged to Nelson for residence and office, Rocky asked:


    "Have the prisoners of war, warships, and materials all been accounted for?"


    "They have all been accounted for."


    Asked by him, Aileen, who had already arrived at the village with the warship, spoke up, "The captured prisoners of war total five hundred and thirty-nine persons, of which two hundred sixty-three are soldiers of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild stationed in the village, another two hundred seventy are miners, and the few remaining are cooks."


    After Backhill Village was occupied, though Rocky had released the general manager of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, he did not release any of the soldiers or miners stationed in the village from the guild. These were even more precious than the mine itself, Rocky was too eager to have them, how could he possibly return them to the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild?


    So, hearing Aileen''s words, Rocky let out a sigh of relief, and his face couldn''t help but show a smile.


    Over five hundred people!


    He had never imagined that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild would leave him such a big gift! If these five hundred people were absorbed into Thunderhawk City, then the population of Thunderhawk City could be increased substantially!


    However, as happy as Rocky was, he was also clearly aware that the big gift left by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild was actually a double-edged sword.


    The importance of these 500 people naturally goes without saying, and these 500 people are not ordinary either; they are either trained soldiers or skilled miners. If Thunderhawk City acquired such a group, its strength would immediately rise a notch.


    However, similarly, if this group were not handled properly, Thunderhawk City could also face significant troubles.


    This group differed from the previous two population increases of Thunderhawk City. In the former instances, Thunderhawk City had absorbed the entirety of Backhill Village and pilfered a thousand people from Matu City. Although those groups were larger, they arrived with their families, so for them, moving to Thunderhawk City was essentially just a change of living place, not a substantial transformation.


    The 500 left by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild were different; their relatives, friends, and families were not in Backhill Village, so making these people become obedient members of Thunderhawk City was definitely not an easy task¡ªthere was a high risk of chaos!


    In such a situation, Rocky smiled and then turned serious before saying to Liliya, "You are personally responsible for this. First, send these people to Thunderhawk City in batches, keep them under guard, tally them up, and see where they all come from. Then, I will slowly figure out a solution. Make sure they don''t cause any trouble."


    Unsure of how to handle such a large number of prisoners, Rocky decided to first send them to Thunderhawk City to be detained, especially since he had already gathered his own miners from Thunderhawk City early on to develop the mines in Backhill Village, and the Guard Corps was stronger than the soldiers left by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild. They were not needed here.


    "Understood."


    Liliya nodded and agreed.


    After this, Rocky then turned to Aileen, as besides the people, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had left other things behind, and he continued to inquire, "What about the materials?"


    "The materials mainly consist of food, equipment, and warships, and of course, the ores that weren''t shipped in time."


    When asked about materials, Aileen simply took out a list and read from it, "The weapons and armor left here by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild include 200 longswords, 150 sets of standard armor, 200 shields, 100 standard longbows, 8,000 arrows, and 5,000 pounds of food. The rest are minerals."


    "I had someone check earlier, and the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild transports minerals every quarter. They were just here last month, so there isn''t a particularly large amount of minerals left in the village¡ªabout 1,500 pounds."


    "Lastly are the warships. We''ve captured a total of eleven Reconnaissance Ships and three Escort Ships, all fourth-generation. That''s about it."


    "Very good."


    After hearing Aileen''s report, Rocky nodded. Compared to the 500 people, there wasn''t much in the way of materials, though the warships were quite valuable. As the saying goes, ''even a grasshopper is meat''¡ªthe materials left by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, although not voluminous, were better than nothing, especially the three fourth-generation Escort Ships, which were quite valuable.


    "Aileen, leave the matter of weapons and armor to Monte. Let him keep what the Guard Corps needs and send the rest back to Thunderhawk City. As for the minerals, transport them directly. Calculate the food supply; if it''s sufficient, use it first. If not, continue transporting from the city."


    "Okay."


    After Aileen nodded, Rocky turned to Felly, "Is there any update from the Reconnaissance Ships we dispatched?"


    "No."


    "Have them keep a close watch. Losing 500 people, along with so many warships and materials, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild might not let this go easily. So, disperse the Reconnaissance Ships we brought, and notify me immediately if the enemy is spotted."


    "Also, tomorrow we will be near Thunderhawk City. I plan to incorporate the captured three warships into the Second Fleet. Later, I will have the First Fleet and the Second Fleet take turns defending the village. Prepare everyone mentally for this. Understood?"

 Chapter 325 Land Base (Part 1)

    Having successfully occupied Backhill Village, Rocky immediately started arranging various tasks to take complete control of the area as quickly as possible. He knew he did not have much time to prepare because, on one hand, the land was restless with Demons possibly attacking at any moment, and on the other hand, he was concerned about the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild and feared that they would not give up easily.


    Thus, at his instruction, everyone around him immediately got busy.


    Liliya began to handle the transfer of prisoners of war to Thunderhawk City in batches, so as not to let these captives stir up trouble in the village. Monte and Lin Feng, meanwhile, commanded the Guard Corps to repair the damaged walls from the battles and prepared themselves for potential conflicts with Demons.


    Meanwhile, following this development, Thunderhawk City also started flying toward Backhill Village and arrived above the village the next day.


    When Thunderhawk City arrived, Rocky boarded the captured Fleet and made a trip back to the city, and as he had said, he reorganized the Second Fleet of Thunderhawk City.


    After driving away the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Rocky had captured three fourth-generation Escort Ships and eleven Reconnaissance Ships. With these, and including two warships captured from Wild Horse City, Rocky now had a total of five large warships, consisting of four Escort Ships and one destroyer.


    Of these five warships, the single destroyer was added to the First Fleet. In the first battle against Wild Horse City, the First Fleet of Thunderhawk City had suffered minimal losses but had a Escort Ship sunk. Therefore, Rocky added the captured destroyer to the First Fleet, maintaining its fleet size at ten warships.


    As for the remaining four Escort Ships, he incorporated them into the Second Fleet. With this, the Second Fleet of Thunderhawk City now had six Escort Ships along with several dozen Reconnaissance Ships, which constituted a considerable force, at least sufficient to be effective in battles against Demons.


    At the same time, he met again with Glan, owing to matters concerning the mines of Backhill Village, in which the Sky Alliance also had a stake. After securing the mining operations, Rocky met with Glan to report the situation to the Alliance and request an inspection to confirm the status, and to discuss issues concerning the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild as well.


    If this had been before, Rocky would have had to face these issues alone, but now it was different. As a member of the Sky Alliance, the Alliance was his backing. Not only did the Sky Alliance have a share in the mines of Backhill Village, but they would also support him in such matters, so naturally, Rocky needed to inform Glan about it.


    "Oh? Is that so?"


    When Rocky finished detailing the situation, Glan frowned and then his face turned angry.


    "The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild really has the audacity! How dare they target the Alliance?!" Glan glared at Rocky and huffed, "City Lord Rocky, rest assured, I will report this to the Alliance immediately. If the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild dares to cause trouble at the mine, I will join you in confronting them, and we''ll see what they dare to do!" S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "With your words, I am relieved,"


    Nodding slightly to Glan, Rocky also showed a smile. Although he was not afraid to take on the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, using the might of the Sky Alliance to coerce without fighting was certainly the best strategy. Thus, Glan''s stance truly eased his mind.


    And due to the lingering issues in Backhill Village, the day after next, once Glan had reported the matters of Backhill Village to the Alliance, Rocky took him to leave Thunderhawk City, and the two returned to the mine together.


    When Rocky returned to the mine, it was already the third day after the occupation. In these three days, all prisoners of war had been transported back to Thunderhawk City under Liliya''s personal arrangement. The previously damaged city wall had also been repaired diligently and was now complete. Therefore, when Rocky arrived on a warship, Thunderhawk City''s guards were already stationed atop the wall.


    "Not bad, this place is really nice..."


    After disembarking from the warship with Rocky and touring Backhill Village, Glan couldn''t help but say, "City Lord Rocky, no wonder the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild wanted to occupy this place. You have indeed found a great location!"


    After the two returned to the mansion within Backhill Village and sat down, Glan said with a smile to Rocky, "This Backhill Village has a strategic advantage, with walls outside for defense and mines inside for mining. It''s truly a great place. If you can build this into your own stronghold on land, then upgrading Thunderhawk City to a mid-sized Sky City is just a matter of time!"


    Watching Rocky, Glan seemed very excited as he spoke these words.


    "Heh heh, I''ll take your auspicious words then."


    Facing Glan''s statement, Rocky laughed heartily, not bothering with false modesty or courtesy because this was indeed what he had in mind!


    Backhill Village was definitely a great place, and its advantages were not limited to mining alone. What truly made it enviable was that not only were there mines to exploit, but the location itself was easy to defend and difficult to attack¡ªa place ripe for greater development!


    In today''s world on land, there are many occupied resources, but places like Backhill Village, naturally safeguarded by terrain, are extremely rare.


    Currently on land, most resources are isolated; for instance, mines in certain mountainous areas can also produce minerals but are just solitary mines. Easy to occupy, they are hard to keep under the constant threat of demons. Numerous Sky Cities have invested astronomical amounts to hold onto such isolated ventures, and even then, sometimes they fail to hold them.


    But this issue doesn''t exist in Backhill Village; because it was originally a village, and mining is just a part of the village, it has a unique advantage. Not to mention the tall walls at the village entrance, fortified by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡ªjust these walls alone could resist the assault of hundreds of demons.


    It is because of such unique advantages, merely exploiting Backhill Village as a standalone mine would be excessively wasteful. This place can not only produce minerals, but it also has the potential to be developed into a terrestrial base!


    After visiting Backhill Village, Glan clearly saw its potential, and that''s why he made his earlier statement, believing that if Rocky could develop this place well, then using it as the foundation on land to upgrade Thunderhawk City into a mid-sized Sky City is inevitable.


    In fact, after occupying Backhill Village, Rocky had also realized this point. Not just him, undoubtedly, the ousted Proud Dragon Commerce Guild thought the same, or else they wouldn''t have both constructed walls and buildings, and even carved platforms on the cliffs on either side of the village to dock skyships¡ªevidently, they too aimed to build it into their own land base!

 Chapter 326 Land Base (Part 2)

    Rocky had heard of establishing a land base, but he never considered it feasible since he felt certain he lacked the conditions and capabilities required for such a significant undertaking.


    However, after occupying Backhill Village, he felt that he could consider this matter now!


    The resources in the sky were extremely scarce¡ªit could be said there was nothing but sunlight. However, land was different. It had minerals, forests, crops, and even countless Demons¡ªall of which were resources. In order to obtain these resources to develop and expand Sky City, the idea of a land base was thus conceived.


    The purpose of this idea was to establish a base on land that belonged to him, turning it into a dual-core setup alongside Sky City, and then continually supply resources to Sky City, allowing it to grow and develop incessantly.


    And for the current world, this was no longer merely an idea. Many cities in the sky had turned this idea into reality, possessing their own land bases. The most typical examples were The Three Great Alliances and The Three Holy Cities.


    As mentioned before, the relationship between The Three Great Alliances and The Three Holy Cities was incredibly close, and to some extent, The Three Holy Cities were the land bases of The Three Great Alliances! Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire


    Although The Three Great Alliances and The Three Holy Cities were not in a direct subordinate relationship, The Three Great Alliances were responsible for protecting The Three Holy Cities, which in turn survived and developed on land under this protection, thereby continuously providing resources to The Three Great Alliances, enabling their development and expansion. So to some extent, The Three Holy Cities were indeed the land bases of The Three Great Alliances.


    That was why when Tulip City fell, the Sky Alliance immediately dispatched troops, because Tulip City was not only a Saint City but also a land base of the Sky Alliance, which was indispensable to the Alliance.


    Besides The Three Great Alliances, other alliances and some powerful large Sky Cities also established their own land bases on the ground. Some of them followed the example of The Three Great Alliances and built connections with The Forsaken People, while others simply carved out a small territory on land and constructed their bases. In any case, these bases established various connections with the ground to continuously supply resources to Sky Cities.


    Of course, although this idea sounds wonderful, making it a reality was not so easy, because establishing a land base was not something that could be accomplished simply.


    After all, Demons had long occupied the land, so establishing a base on land was essentially confronting Demons head-on. Just this point alone was not something ordinary Sky Cities could achieve. Apart from this, it also required substantial financial support and strong military forces to ensure security, as well as finding a suitable location and other conditions, all of which were extremely difficult to meet yet indispensable.


    Thus, in summary, while land bases had many advantages, the conditions and requirements for their establishment were extraordinarily stringent. Therefore, even though some Sky Cities had established their own bases on land, these were either alliances or large Sky Cities, as ordinary Sky Cities simply did not possess the capability.


    Rocky, as a City Lord, had heard of these matters, but he had never considered them, because he never thought he and Thunderhawk City had the capabilities. However, after occupying Backhill Village, he thought this matter could be considered.


    Because Backhill Village was naturally a land base!


    First of all, it had natural defensive advantages. Originally, Backhill Village, with its village militia and rudimentary weapons, had resisted the Demons for decades. Now, with the backing of Thunderhawk City and the substantial protection of the airborne Fleet, the village was even more impregnable.


    Secondly, Backhill Village had a mine within it. Although geographically desolate, the mineral resources alone could provide a steady income for Thunderhawk City. Moreover, let''s not forget the countless Demons here.


    While Demons were extremely dangerous, they were also considered resources. As long as the defenses were maintained, the endless Demons equated to endless resources! Thus, relying just on mineral resources and Demon Materials, Backhill Village could bring infinite profits to Thunderhawk City.


    Last of all, it was the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild that had immensely helped Rocky.


    If it were not for the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild having occupied Backhill Village ahead of time and transformed it during their occupation, Rocky would not have conceived the idea of turning it into a land base, because he absolutely could not afford to spend hundreds of millions of Gold Coins to rebuild it. Even if he wanted to, he didn''t have that kind of money.


    However, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had already laid the groundwork for him before Rocky took over Backhill Village. The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had already built Backhill Village into a respectable shape. Although it was still a distance from becoming a true land base, it was a good start. This allowed Rocky to simply continue expanding on this foundation.


    Thinking of this, Rocky could not help but repeat to Glan,


    "Lord Glan, regarding the matters of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, we will need more of your and the Alliance''s attention. I think they definitely won''t let things go easily."


    The more he felt good about Backhill Village, the more Rocky believed that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild would not easily relent. Such a fine place, with so much invested in it, probably would not back down easily, even if Lord Glan himself were to intervene, just because of a few words about the Sky Alliance.


    Thus, he had to mention this matter to Glan again.


    "Yes, there is indeed that possibility."


    Hearing this from Rocky, Glan also showed a serious expression because he not only saw how important Backhill Village was but also recognized the investment of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild. From the outer walls to the platforms on the cliffs, to the mansion they were in at the moment, everything was built by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild. With so much invested here, even if the opponent were a small commerce guild, it could not be dismissed easily with just a few words.


    However, after a moment of gravity, Glan smiled again, and quickly said, "City Lord Rocky, rest assured, the Alliance has already sent people here. They will arrive in a few days, and once the Alliance Army arrives, this matter will be resolved, hehe."


    Even though he knew the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild wouldn''t just give up and would certainly strike back, Glan did not care, because he had already reported the matter of the Backhill Village Mine to the Alliance. The Alliance would definitely send people immediately to verify this. In this process, the Alliance Army would certainly be involved, so as long as the Alliance Army arrived, the matter would be resolved. Otherwise, if the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild dared attack the Alliance Army, it would be tantamount to declaring war on the Alliance, and the Alliance would crush this small commerce guild like a bug.


    Therefore, Glan was not worried at all, and this was precisely his confidence as a member of the Alliance.


    Yet, just when Rocky had finished hearing Glan''s words and had not even had the chance to breathe a sigh of relief, Felly suddenly rushed in from outside!


    "My Lord!"


    Hastily approaching Rocky, Felly appeared very anxious, but after glancing at Glan, he didn''t speak.


    "Lord Glan is one of us, there''s no harm in speaking frankly."


    Glancing at Felly, Rocky frowned because among all his subordinates, Felly was the most rule-abiding. Since he came rushing directly to him without notice, it must mean there was something urgent. Therefore, he allowed him to report directly.


    "My Lord, we have just lost contact with three reconnaissance ships!"


    Seeing that Rocky allowed him to speak, Felly no longer hesitated and promptly reported to him. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Earlier, to prevent a counterattack from the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Rocky had dispatched all reconnaissance ships from Thunderhawk City. Just moments ago, three of those ships suddenly lost contact with them!

 Chapter 327 Counterattack

    What you worry about always seems to come true!


    Just moments ago, Rocky had been discussing with Glan, worried about a possible retaliation from the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, and reaffirming the Sky Alliance''s stance on the matter. Yet, no sooner had the two finished their conversation than the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild arrived!


    The reconnaissance ships he had deployed for surveillance had three suddenly lose contact. Although it was not yet certain that this was related to the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, even a guess made with one''s feet would point to them as the culprits!


    It had to be said, the enemy''s response was indeed swift. Mere days, fully counted, had passed since Rocky had occupied Backhill Village, and the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild was already on its way.


    Upon receiving this news, Rocky naturally couldn''t continue chatting. He immediately stood up and left with Felly, and seeing him hastily departing, Glan followed without delay.


    Thus, the three quickly left the mansion and without pausing for breath, boarded the War Steed that was parked inside the village.


    "Have the reconnaissance ships outside search at full capacity, and report back immediately if anything is discovered!" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Order the Void Magic Squad to board, have the First Fleet take off, the Second Fleet to take over the defense of the village, and stand by in alert status, ready to support at any moment the battle breaks out!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    Having already prepared for the arrival of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Rocky, upon boarding the War Steed, didn''t hesitate to issue a string of commands one after another.


    Felly did not dare to delay for a moment and immediately relayed the orders, and the Void Magic Warriors, including Liliya, quickly boarded the War Steed. The six Void Magic Warriors gathered swiftly, and before long, the formidable fleet, led by the War Steed, ascended one after another from Backhill Village into the sky like a looming black cloud drifting away from the village.


    Soon after Rocky''s First Fleet left the village, the Second Fleet from Thunderhawk City arrived. Six escort ships gently descended from the sky, halting over the village as per Rocky''s orders to enter a state of alert, ready to support at any moment.


    Having commanded the fleet out of Backhill Village, Rocky had it stop not far from the village. He only knew that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s fleet had arrived but lacked details about the situation. Therefore, instead of acting rashly, he prudently waited for further news from the reconnaissance ships.


    "My lord! There''s a message from the reconnaissance ship!"


    After waiting just a little while longer, Felly ran to Rocky again ¨C the reconnaissance ship had indeed sent the latest intelligence!


    "Speak."


    "Reconnaissance ships seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen report that they have spotted the enemy fleet to the southeast. The enemy is confirmed to be the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, and there are many, at least a dozen large warships approaching the direction of Backhill Village."


    The total number of reconnaissance ships for Thunderhawk City is roughly forty, and they always operate in teams of three when scouting.


    "Understood."


    Rocky nodded after receiving the update, but didn''t issue new orders immediately. Instead, he furrowed his brow and pondered for a moment.


    It seemed that the situation was unfolding just as he had anticipated. The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had not given up, and not only that, they had deployed a substantial fleet aiming, clearly intending to take back Backhill Village.


    With this in mind, he said to Felly, "Have the reconnaissance ships keep monitoring the enemy''s movements, don''t let the other reconnaissance ships slack off, and search the surroundings thoroughly to prevent a potential ambush. Then, command the fleet to move towards the southeast."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Felly left with an acknowledgment, and before long, the fleet with War Steed at its lead adjusted its course, beginning to move slowly in the southeast direction.


    "Lord Glan, what do you plan to do later...?"


    As the fleet began to gradually move southeast, Rocky turned to Glan beside him.


    "City Lord Rocky, I will go and talk to them first," Glan replied with a slight smile, displaying no sign of fear, as if the imminent battle was of no concern to him. He seemed rather interested in the armor Rocky was currently wearing, examining it up and down as he spoke.


    Standing before him, Rocky had already donned the White Demon Armor, transforming from a city lord into a Void Magic Warrior. His entire demeanor and presence had changed significantly from before.


    For Glan, it was the first time he had laid eyes on the White Demon Armor, a suit of top-tier armor equipped with new technology that he had long heard of. He was well aware of the White Demon''s various exploits; it was no exaggeration to say that Rocky had joined the Sky Alliance thanks to this armor. Naturally, he couldn''t help but take a closer look. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    As for how much Glan cared about his armor, Rocky wasn''t concerned. What truly mattered to him was whether Glan would stand up for him on behalf of the Sky Alliance. So, upon hearing Glan''s affirmative response, he finally felt at ease inside and said, "Thank you, Lord. I will join you in meeting with them later."


    "Heh, the pleasure is mine, City Lord," Glan responded.


    After a brief exchange with Glan, Rocky turned his gaze to the sky.


    The time was just around noon, the sun at its most intense. Even though they were midair and wearing Void Magic Armor to shield them, Rocky could still feel the scorching heat from the sun. So much so, that when he looked towards the southeast, he could hardly see anything under the fierce sunlight.

 Chapter 327 Counterattack_2

    Under the fierce sunlight, another fleet of a similar scale, even larger than that of Rocky''s side, slowly appeared!


    Facing the fierce sunlight, Rocky looked afar and saw a dense mass of warships appearing on the southeastern horizon. Although they were still far away, the sheer size of this mass suggested that the number of ships was not only more than ten but could possibly reach as many as twenty!


    The enemy had appeared!


    "Bring me the telescope."


    Upon noticing the enemy on the distant horizon, Rocky extended his hand while speaking, and immediately a crew member handed him the telescope, which he then used to peer at the enemy.


    Cruisers...


    Looking through the telescope at the enemy, Rocky''s first glimpse was of the opposing flagship, a cruiser, and judging by its size and specifications, it was a Fifth Generation cruiser!


    Surrounding this cruiser were numerous large warships.


    Thirteen Fifth Generation destroyers.


    Eight Fifth Generation escort ships.


    Along with one flagship, the enemy''s warship count totaled twenty-two!


    "Not a small number..."


    Slowly putting down the telescope, Rocky couldn''t help but mutter.


    Although the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild was just a commerce guild, it had to be acknowledged that its armed forces were by no means weak. Of course, this was normal, as the skies were not very peaceful nowadays, and threats such as air pirate groups, who mainly targeted the merchant ships of commerce guilds, were common.


    In such circumstances, unless they were particularly small, commerce guilds had to rely on mercenaries to protect their merchant ships. However, slightly larger guilds had their own armed forces. Moreover, don''t forget, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild planned to turn Backhill Village into a terrestrial base. To achieve this, armed force was a fundamental assurance. Furthermore, the guild was wealthy, so assembling such a large fleet was not difficult.


    "Command the fleet to move closer to the enemy."


    Seeing so many warships before him, Rocky squinted after putting down the telescope, and then he ordered the fleet to close in on the enemy! S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Faced with so many enemies, and with an aggressive approach, he did not show the slightest fear. Rocky was no longer the inexperienced na?ve man he once was; he had not only witnessed many grand scenes but had also personally experienced countless major encounters. For instance, the battle with Wild Horse City had greatly contributed to Rocky''s growth.


    Although the war with Wild Horse City had lasted only a week, during that time, Rocky had seen firsthand the potential of a medium-sized sky city. A huge fleet composed of forty to fifty large warships launched continuous attacks on Thunderhawk City twenty-four hours a day. Such scenes were not ordinary, but for Rocky, they had become commonplace.


    It was precisely because of his experience in battling Wild Horse City that when Rocky saw the more than twenty warships before him, although he acknowledged that the enemy had many ships, he did not feel overly concerned. In his view, a fleet of this size was nothing special, and they might not even be a match for his fleet in a real combat situation!


    Thus, he did not hesitate to order his fleet to press towards the enemy!


    ...


    ...


    Just as Rocky saw the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s fleet and began to slowly approach them, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, coming majestically from the southeast, also spotted them.


    "Guild President! It''s them! They are the fleet from Thunderhawk City!"


    From afar, Nelson on the deck quickly spoke to a middle-aged man beside him, his words tinged with a hint of gritting his teeth.


    The middle-aged man standing beside him looked quite young, about in his thirties. His physique and appearance were ordinary, even a bit corpulent, clearly not a soldier or crew member. Indeed, he was neither¡ªa soldier nor a crew member, this middle-aged man was none other than the Guild President of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡ªLeopold.


    As the Guild President of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Leopold had, upon receiving Nelson''s message, immediately led all the armed forces of the guild to come here. Moreover, he even borrowed a significant part of the battle fleet from the Proud Dragon City, where the guild''s headquarters were located, to increase his own strength, all for the sake of recapturing Backhill Village.


    Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire


    Because, just as Rocky had previously thought, the investment of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild in Backhill Village was really enormous. To rebuild Backhill Village from ruins, the guild not only invested millions of Gold Coins but even lost hundreds to thousands of lives!


    You must know that Backhill Village was not built in a day. In fact, to pick the village up again, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild spent a full half-year. During this time of rebuilding, they were attacked by Demons countless times, resulting in innumerable deaths and injuries. Hundreds to thousands of soldiers and laborers were killed by Demons in this half-year, finally managing to give some scale to the reconstruction of Backhill Village.


    In such a situation, the investment of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild in Backhill Village really couldn''t be measured merely in Gold Coins anymore. The guild''s investment in the village was so immense that it simply couldn''t be measured, so how could they possibly let Backhill Village easily fall into others'' hands? If that were the case, the loss the guild would need to bear could cripple the entire Chamber of Commerce!


    "Is this the fleet from Thunderhawk City?"


    Turning to look at Nelson, Leopold asked.


    "Guild President, it''s them!"


    "Indeed, just like the rumors... Hand me the telescope."


    Seeing Nelson nod, Leopold muttered and took the telescope from a crew member''s hand, then he carefully looked in Rocky''s direction. When he finally put down the telescope, his brows were tightly furrowed.


    "Guild President, we must show Thunderhawk City the strength of our guild! A mere small Sky City dares to be so brazen; we absolutely cannot let these people go!"


    When Leopold put down the telescope, Nelson spoke again, clearly harboring deep hatred towards Rocky.


    Indeed, Nelson had truly come to despise Rocky. The reason was obvious¡ªit was because Rocky had stolen Backhill Village. Although the money for constructing Backhill Village was provided by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Nelson personally managed all the specifics, so in his view, Rocky taking Backhill Village was like stealing his own home, making Nelson''s hatred towards Rocky bone-deep!


    Unexpectedly, just as he finished speaking, Leopold turned and gave him a stern look, and with hardly suppressed anger, he chided, "Shut up!"


    After giving Nelson a look, Leopold chided him again with hardly suppressed anger, leaving Nelson completely bewildered.


    He subconsciously thought that it was because he had failed to defend Backhill Village that Leopold treated him this way, which made Nelson secretly feel wronged, as the enemy''s strength was there, he simply couldn''t defend it.


    But in reality, he was mistaken. Leopold was indeed dissatisfied with him, but it was not because he had lost Backhill Village. Rather, after seeing the scale of Rocky''s fleet, Leopold also knew that with only the fleet Nelson had, defending Backhill Village against such a powerful enemy was simply impossible, so he did not blame him for that.


    The real reason Leopold was dissatisfied with Nelson was because he had delayed military intelligence!


    When Nelson initially reported the occupation of Backhill Village to Leopold, he did not mention who the enemy was, making Leopold believe the enemy was merely some nameless nobody. It was not until he encountered Nelson en route that Leopold learned the occupier of Backhill Village was Rocky, which was what truly dissatisfied him!


    Because, unlike Nelson, Leopold was very aware of who Rocky was!

 Chapter 328 Utterly Unreasonable (Part 1)

    Seeing Rocky''s fleet, Leopold furrowed his brows tightly.


    Nelson had been staying in Backhill Village for the past few months, so he wasn''t aware of the major events that had taken place in the outside world; Leopold, however, was different. As the president of the Chamber of Commerce, he was remarkably well-informed, thus fully aware of Rocky and the affairs of Thunderhawk City.


    In the recent months, Rocky and Thunderhawk City had become the focus of the entire world. First, they announced the newest technology developed under the leadership of Aniye; then Rocky killed the son of a Marquis of Kafka Empire in the Arena; and finally, the most sensational news of all was that he, being the City Lord of a small Sky City, actually declared war on Wild Horse City and initiated the conflict.


    This series of events had made Rocky the undisputed person of interest in recent months, attracting the attention of countless people. So much so that even if one didn''t want to know about him, it would be difficult not to, as he was the headliner in all the news for a while.


    Under these circumstances, it was natural for Leopold to know what kind of character Rocky was and that he had already joined the Sky Alliance. So when he met Nelson on the way and learned that it was Rocky who had taken Backhill Village, his heart sank.


    Previously, when Nelson sent a message to Leopold calling for aid, he didn''t mention who the enemy was. This wasn''t due to negligence, but rather because Nelson himself didn''t know who the enemy was. Thus, without a second thought, Leopold had come to their aid.


    However, upon discovering that the enemy was the currently prominent Rocky, Leopold felt this matter was going to be problematic.


    Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire


    Just think about it, since Rocky dared to declare war on Wild Horse City, a medium-sized Sky City, would such a man care about the threats from the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild? Or even the city behind the guild, Proud Dragon City?


    Clearly, he wouldn''t.


    The reason Rocky had a fallout with Wild Horse City was precisely because he wiped out the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group! So, Leopold knew very well that it was absolutely impossible to scare Rocky away with just his commerce guild or even the city behind it.


    Moreover, let''s not forget that Rocky isn''t a lone wolf; he has joined the Sky Alliance. The Alliance Army intervened to stop the conflict between him and Wild Horse City, which shows how much they value him!


    In this situation, Leopold was at a loss.


    If they take a gentle approach, Rocky definitely wouldn''t be afraid of threats.


    If they take a forceful approach, Rocky has the backing of the Sky Alliance.


    Faced with an enemy who wouldn''t yield to either approach, what was he to do?


    After all, he was just the president of a Chamber of Commerce. Although wealthy, he was not the lord of a city and couldn''t really stand toe to toe with a Sky City, let alone oppose a massive entity like the Sky Alliance.


    With these thoughts in mind, Leopold couldn''t help but turn back and glare at Nelson fiercely, growing increasingly angry the more he looked at him.


    If Nelson had informed him sooner that the enemy was the sought-after Rocky, then Leopold would definitely have chosen a more moderate approach to resolve the situation. Even if the worst result was that Backhill Village couldn''t be held, they could still have evacuated the more than five hundred people in the village, along with the warships, supplies, and other materials, couldn''t they? How did it come to a situation where he lost both his wife and soldiers...


    But now, there was no turning back. His own Chamber of Commerce''s fleet, as well as the Proud Dragon City''s fleet, had already arrived¡ªit was like an arrow on the string that must be shot.


    After that, Leopold took a deep breath and prepared himself. Even if this time they couldn''t take Backhill Village back, he wanted to at least rescue the more than five hundred people and the remaining supplies, aiming to minimize the losses for his guild. He believed that with the strength on his side, achieving this was still possible.


    "President, they are sending a ship over!"


    As Leopold was contemplating this, the fleet''s commander had already come to his side and then pointed into the distance while speaking.


    Following the direction of the Commander''s finger, Leopold soon saw a gigantic battleship that had broken from the formation and was flying toward his direction.


    "All Void Magic Warriors to your positions, order the warship to approach the opponent."


    After ensuring that all the Void Magic Warriors aboard the warship were in their places, Leopold also had his flagship leave the fleet and head toward the War Steed.


    He had positioned the Void Magic Warriors, not with the intention of doing something upon meeting the other party, but simply to protect himself.


    In the battle against Wild Horse City, City Lord Rocky had made a name for himself with a remarkable feat of five consecutive kills, earning him the moniker ''the flying Demon'', which made Leopold quite prudent about meeting Rocky without any precautions.


    Flanked by no less than six Void Magic Warriors, Leopold''s flagship quickly drew near the War Steed, and the two massive warships interlocked their hulls upon close approach, soon bringing each other clearly into view.


    "Are you City Lord Rocky?"


    Standing at the ship''s rail, Leopold shouted as he looked at Rocky clad in White Demon Armor. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, Rocky did not respond to his call, instead, it was Glan by his side who spoke up.


    "Who are you to dare invade the territory of the Sky Alliance!" Glan bellowed beside Rocky.


    Upon hearing his words, Leopold was momentarily stunned, before he turned his gaze to Glan. "I am Leopold, Guild President of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild. May I inquire who you are?"


    "Alliance Ambassador, Glan."


    Holding his head high, Glan declared his identity, and upon completion of his introduction, Leopold furrowed his brows.


    Leopold certainly knew the meaning of the title Alliance Ambassador - an official stationed within a Sky City belonging to the Alliance, responsible for the liaison between its members and the Alliance. The position might not hold vast power, but it was of great importance, especially in situations like the present, because in such matters, the stance of the Alliance Ambassador represented the stance of the Alliance, making it a pivotal role.


    And from Glan''s earlier words, Leopold had already sensed something was amiss. The other party had not questioned him about why he intended to invade Thunderhawk City or Backhill Village, but had directly challenged him on invading the territory of the Alliance.


    Dealing with someone like Glan, it was vital to hear the unspoken implication in his words. Thus, Leopold had already discerned the Alliance''s position from Glan''s statement - Backhill Village... now belonged to the Sky Alliance...!


    "..."


    With furrowed brows in contemplation, Leopold knew the situation was becoming increasingly difficult. Still, he steeled himself and shouted, "Lord Glan, Backhill Village has belonged to the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild for half a year..."


    "Guild President, please hold your tongue!"


    Just as Leopold was about to explain, Glan interrupted him. "Guild President, you are invading the territory of the Alliance and threatening its members with military force. What do you intend to do? Do you wish to become enemies with the Sky Alliance?"


    "Guild President Leopold, command your fleet to retreat, or else I will report this matter to the Alliance Army and then do not blame us for deploying troops against Proud Dragon City!"

 Chapter 329 Utterly Unreasonable (Part 2)

    Facing Leopold, Glan adopted an entirely scolding demeanor, not even giving him the chance to speak, wholly commanding him to leave.


    Frankly, when Rocky heard these words, he felt somewhat frightened because to his ears, Glan''s attitude could only be described as overbearing and unreasonable.


    Indeed, prior to this, Rocky had reflected on the matters concerning the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild and Backhill Village. His thoughts were simple: if the other side turned tough, such as threatening him under the name of the commerce guild or Proud Dragon City, or even declaring war outright, he certainly wouldn''t back down. After all, it wouldn''t be the first battle he''d fought.


    But this was ultimately a last resort. In reality, if the other party softened their stance and acknowledged that Backhill Village was his, he would even consider their demands if they requested the return of the spoils of war he had gained.


    After all, Rocky had already taken control of Backhill Village. Before obtaining it, he could employ unscrupulous means, including war, but since he now had the village, even if he adopted some gentler methods to deal with the trouble of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild and prevent them from harassing Backhill Village again, it wasn''t out of the question.


    As the lord of a city, Rocky''s thoughts were undoubtedly correct. Depending on different situations and positions, he chose different methods to respond, rather than stubbornly pursuing aggression and confrontation. That''s the mark of a mature city lord.


    However, he had not anticipated that Glan would order the other party to retreat immediately or face annihilation. This was even more unreasonable than his own thoughts.


    Yes, Glan was indeed unreasonable in this matter, but such unreasonableness didn''t stem from his personality. It was dictated by strength and status. In the balance of power between the Sky Alliance and the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Glan didn''t need to be reasonable when facing Leopold!


    Like Rocky, Leopold also didn''t expect Glan to be so overbearing, so when he heard his words, he was left speechless for a long while. When he finally did react, his face turned alternately green and white, looking extremely unpleasant.


    Without a doubt, Glan''s words had infuriated him!


    But what could he do about it, even if he was furious?


    It must be known that Glan''s attitude wasn''t personal but represented the Sky Alliance! As an experienced ambassador, he wouldn''t resort to heavy-handedness lightly. Once he did, it meant he had absolute confidence!


    Discover hidden stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Under these circumstances, no matter how angry Leopold became, in the end, he still didn''t dare to speak out. The reason was simple: because Glan represented the Sky Alliance, and neither he nor his Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, nor even Proud Dragon City behind it, could afford to offend the Sky Alliance!


    So, after taking several deep breaths with an extremely ugly expression, Leopold furiously stomped his foot towards Glan, "Lord Glan, does the Sky Alliance really act so unreasonably!"


    "Hmph."


    With a cold snort, Glan didn''t bother to answer. It wasn''t that the Alliance was unreasonable, nor was he; but reason was applicable when the strength of both parties was equal. If there was a large gap in strength, there was truly no need for it.


    "Fine, fine, fine! You, you just wait!"


    Seeing that Glan was completely disregarding him, Leopold, fuming with anger, ended up dropping empty threats before ordering his flagship to rejoin his fleet, which then, indeed, withdrew...


    Watching Leopold''s fleet slowly retreat, Rocky finally breathed a sigh of relief and then turned to Glan at his side.


    "Lord Glan, I really owe you for stepping in this time. Otherwise, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild definitely wouldn''t have given up so easily."


    Although he didn''t quite agree with Glan''s approach, the outcome was nonetheless favorable. The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, who came with aggressive might, ultimately submitted to the might of the Sky Alliance and withdrew with their tails between their legs. For Rocky, this was clearly a good outcome and he wasn''t too concerned about the specific process.


    "City Lord Rocky, what are you talking about? As members of the Alliance, the Alliance will naturally offer full protection; it''s all part of our duties," Glan retorted with a laugh and then swept his gaze to the horizon, watching the retreating enemy.


    To be honest, he hadn''t expected that they would actually retreat just like that, but that wasn''t important. Even if Leopold was still insisting now, once the Alliance Army arrived in two days, he''d have to retreat obediently anyway. So, in Glan''s view, regardless of his choice, the outcome would be the same, so he didn''t care too much.


    But while he didn''t care, Rocky was still very vigilant. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Glan, he called Felly over:


    "Have the Reconnaissance Ships continue to patrol the vicinity. The enemy may have retreated, but we still need to be wary. We mustn''t relax our vigilance."


    "Understood."


    After acknowledging the order, Felly communicated Rocky''s command down the line, and then the Fleet took a group of people and flew back to Backhill Village.


    ......


    ......


    When Rocky and the others returned to Backhill Village, Leopold, who had led the large Fleet to retreat, also had the Fleet stop. Although they had left the area of Backhill Village, they had not yet left Skybreaker Peak and could still see the towering mountain range right before their eyes.


    "..."


    "..." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "..."


    After Leopold had the Fleet stop, everyone on board exchanged puzzled glances, not understanding his intentions. Everyone silently turned their gaze towards him.


    The conversation between Leopold and Glan had been seen and heard by everyone on the ship. They didn''t think there was anything shameful about being driven away by the Sky Alliance. After all, showing submissiveness to the Sky Alliance was not a disgrace, but at the same time, everyone knew that Leopold must be in a foul mood, because his retreat meant that Backhill Village, along with the people and resources remaining there, could not be reclaimed.


    In such a case, although everyone didn''t understand why Leopold had suddenly ordered the Fleet to stop, no one dared to challenge this bad luck. Everyone silently waited.


    After a long wait, Leopold suddenly looked towards Nelson and then asked, "Nelson, you''ve been in Backhill Village for so long, do you know the terrain around here?"


    "This... I do have some understanding..."


    Nelson, taken aback by the question, nodded. Since he had always been in charge of Backhill Village, he was indeed familiar with the surrounding terrain, but he did not understand why Leopold was suddenly asking this.


    "Good."


    Hearing his reply, Leopold gritted his teeth and nodded, then said, "Tell me, where nearby are the Demons most numerous?"


    "The Demons most numerous? Guild President, do you mean..."


    Blinking, Nelson''s response was quick, and he promptly realized a possibility, which made him involuntarily widen his eyes.


    Then, he saw a fierce expression appear on Leopold''s face: "If the Sky Alliance is unreasonable, then don''t blame me for being ruthless. If we can''t have Backhill Village, then they can''t have it either!"

 Chapter 330 Stirring Up a Hornets Nest (Part 1)

    "We can''t get Backhill Village, neither can they!"


    Clasping his teeth, Leopold suddenly shouted at Nelson, "Tell me, where are the most demons!"


    Guild President... sir..."


    Startled by Leopold''s shout, Nelson immediately shivered and then unconsciously pointed in a direction.


    "Order the fleet to advance, bombard at the sight of demons, draw all the demons out for me!"


    Guild President, Guild President... please wait, please wait!"


    Hearing Leopold''s order, Nelson rushed to his side, "Guild President, Guild President! If you do this, the Sky Alliance will..."


    "Will what?"


    Turning around and glaring at Nelson with widened eyes, Leopold sneered, "Will what? Is it my fault that demons attacked Backhill Village?"


    Having said that, he ignored Nelson and walked straight toward the bow...


    Afterward, under his command, the entire fleet dispersed in all directions, and before long, sporadic cannon fire rang out!


    Following Leopold''s instructions, the scattered warships, upon sighting demons, would bombard them with the Magic Cannon, not firing all weapons at once, but using a single Magic Cannon to harass them. They didn''t aim to kill the demons but merely to disturb them.


    You must understand that the demons on the land are endless. Normally, they might not seem omnipresent, but that''s only because demons have their own congregations, typically staying within their lairs or territories. However, once disturbed, they come out en masse like wasps from a poked nest.


    What Leopold was doing now was poking at a wasps'' nest!


    Driven away rudely by Glan and not daring to provoke the Sky Alliance, but also unable to swallow the insult, he decided on a mutual destruction; if his Chamber of Commerce couldn''t have Backhill Village, then neither Rocky nor the Sky Alliance would get it. He intended to let the demons destroy the village!


    Thus, under his command, the dispersed fleet continuously bombarded the ground, and before long, they had alarmed a vast number of demons. Once demons are agitated, calming them down again becomes difficult, and these creatures inevitably seek targets to vent their rage. Since they couldn''t reach the warships in the sky, the demons naturally shifted their focus.


    Under these circumstances, after roaring at the sky for a while, the agitated demons quickly turned their focus toward Backhill Village, not too far from Skybreaker Peak because, near the Peak, Backhill Village was the only place not under demonic dominion.


    Soon, dozens of demons charged toward Backhill Village like mad dogs. However, Leopold knew this was not sufficient. He was aware of how robust the village walls were; dozens of demons couldn''t breach them, and they would be completely annihilated before even touching a corner of the wall. Thus, he needed to attract even more demons.


    With this in mind, he directed the fleet to expand the area of operation and continue to harass more demons.


    "There are demons over there! Bombard them! Hurry, bombard!"


    To fulfill Leopold''s order, an Escort Ship lowered its height significantly, and while flying over a barren forest, it spotted a few demons wandering there. Hence, the Captain immediately ordered to open fire.


    Under the captain''s orders, the warship''s two magic cannons fired simultaneously, blasting magic cannon shells onto the ground below. Not only did the explosion throw a demon into the air, but it also struck a bare, withered tree.


    That spelled trouble. Moments after the explosion, a series of shrill roars erupted from the withered woodland. Demons surged from every direction towards the blast site like a tidal wave. Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    "My God..."


    Standing by the ship''s railing, the crew of the escort ship had not anticipated drawing out so many demons. They felt a tingling sensation on their scalps even though they knew they were high up in the sky and beyond the demons'' reach. Yet, seeing the swarm of demons, black as locusts, before their eyes, they couldn''t help but feel their legs go weak.


    "Ascend... let''s ascend a bit higher..."


    Like the crew, upon seeing at least a hundred demons emerge below, the captain of the escort ship immediately had the warship ascend further up to feel secure.


    However, just as the escort ship had ascended a few meters into the sky, from the deepest part of the desolate forest came a piercing scream!


    This scream was unbearably shrill, as if sound itself were a blade, making this shriek the sharpest edge among all sounds, sharp enough to physically cut those who heard it. This was not a metaphor, but a fact!


    Because upon hearing this unbearable scream, all the sailors on the warship simultaneously clutched their ears in agony, but to no avail. The sound unstoppablely pierced their ears and ruptured their eardrums in an instant, causing everyone''s ears to bleed!


    Simultaneously, not only did the crew of the escort ship suffer from the sound, but the hundreds of demons in the forest could not withstand the scream either. The moment the sound erupted, all the demons collapsed to the ground, trembling incessantly!


    This horrendous sound lasted for about ten seconds, but even though it was brief, to those who experienced it, it felt longer than an hour.


    Eventually, when the dreadful sound finally ceased, the entire withered forest became silent. It wasn''t just the crew on the warship; even the hundreds of demons in the forest were utterly quiet, creating an extremely eerie atmosphere¡­


    "What happened... just now... what was that...?"


    "Where did that sound come from?"


    "Stop talking, it''s too frightening..."


    When the sound completely disappeared, the crew members exchanged looks of confusion and helplessness, uncertain of what had just occurred.


    "Look there!" S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just when everyone was confused, a crew member suddenly pointed towards the depths of the forest, and everyone, including the captain, looked in that direction.


    In everyone''s view, something seemed amiss at the deepest part of the forest. Several bare trees fell without warning, and before anyone could react, more and more withered trees began to fall, giving the impression that something was rampaging through the forest, charging towards the direction of the warship!


    "Quick... ascend quickly! It''s a high-level demon! Ascend!"


    Realizing that the fallen trees were forming a straight line heading their way, the captain was the first to react, screaming as if possessed!

 Chapter 331 Stirring Up a Hornets Nest (Part 2)

    "Quick, ascend now! It''s a high-level demon! It''s a high-level demon!"


    After detecting unusual movements in the forest, the other crew members were still confused about what was happening, but the captain of the Escort Ship reacted first and immediately ordered the crew to ascend because such a disturbance sure signified a high-level demon!


    Indeed, one does not become captain of a ship by being mediocre; from reactions to judgments, this captain was spot on.


    This time, they truly had stirred up a hornet''s nest, provoking trouble they shouldn''t have! Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire


    Though the captain reacted quickly, the warship could not move as fast as he did; even as the crew immediately started to lift the warship upon receiving the orders, the trees that had collapsed in swathes had already spread close by, followed by a dark shadow leaping from the forest into midair, heading straight for the Escort Ship!


    Although the Escort Ship had descended fairly low, it was still about fifty or sixty meters above the ground, yet that height seemed insubstantial for the shadow as it swooped up with a speed that no one could clearly see and landed on the deck!


    Only when this shadow landed on the deck did the crew see clearly what it was...


    Demons!


    The shadow before them was undoubtedly a demon; however, unlike the tremendous commotion it caused, its stature was not particularly large, roughly the same as an average human''s height. Its body was covered in shiny black fur, its head resembling that of a large fox, eyes curved like crescents, and most strikingly, the pair of huge scythes in its hands.


    This demon''s hands, where a pair of huge scythes grew, no, it should be said that this demon had no hands, just scythes at the ends of its forearms.


    These two scythes were as shiny as steel, enormous in size, almost as tall as the demon itself, and merely by hanging motionless to the ground, they had already sliced through the deck, proving their sharpness!


    High-level demon!


    This was clearly a high-level demon!


    The ability to jump from the ground onto the deck in one leap, along with its bizarre appearance, made it clear that this demon was not a normal demon, but the most fearsome type of high-level demon!


    "Help, help... help..."


    Seeing the appearance of the high-level demon, the crew member nearest to it immediately went weak at the knees, terrified, and thudded down onto the deck, but in the moment he collapsed, the high-level demon suddenly moved!


    In a blur of motion, the demon vanished from its spot, appearing behind the collapsed crew member in the blink of an eye, even before he had fully settled onto the ground.


    Fast!


    It was unbelievably fast!


    The speed of this demon was astoundingly unreal!


    But that wasn''t what made the high-level demon terrifying, because in the blink of an eye after that, as the crew member who fell from weak legs was just touching the deck with his buttocks, his entire body was reduced to countless chunks of flesh... scattered all over the deck...


    In that instant, the high-level demon had not merely moved from in front of the crew member to behind him but had also used the scythes in its hands to slice the man to pieces.


    With a crew member dead, the high-level demon then screamed into the sky and immediately charged at the other crew members...


    "Guild President! Guild President! We''ve lost contact with Escort Ship Number Five!"


    "What?!"


    While the other warships went to attract the demons, Leopold did not proceed, he merely ordered the flagship to hover mid-air, waiting for the rest of the warships to complete their mission and return.


    However, during the wait, a crew member suddenly reported to him that an Escort Ship had unexpectedly lost contact with the fleet.


    Upon hearing this report, Leopold''s first reaction was to think that Rocky had discovered his intentions and was obstructing them, but he quickly dismissed this thought since even if the warships he had sent were sunk by Rocky, they would at least be able to send back some message.


    "This is bad...!"


    After dismissing his first thought, Leopold immediately realized a much graver issue and, without time to explain, he grabbed a nearby crew member and shouted, "Quick! Order the warships to ascend, all warships must retreat immediately!"


    ........


    ........


    While Leopold was stirring up hornets nests and finally poked a hornets nest he couldn''t handle, Rocky had already led the fleet back to Backhill Village.


    This return to Backhill Village uplifted his spirits greatly compared to before and brought much relaxation because, although the handling of the situation with the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild turned out differently from what he had anticipated, the outcome was still good¡ªthe trouble had finally been resolved.


    Although Glan''s approach was somewhat irrational, he ultimately scared the opponents away, and for this alone, regardless of whether Rocky liked the method or not, he had to thank Glan. Therefore, on the way back, the two of them had an enjoyable conversation; however, since Backhill Village had just been occupied, Rocky really did not have much time, and Glan, understanding this, parted ways upon their arrival at the village¡ªRocky staying within the village while Glan returned to Thunderhawk City.


    Once he had left, Rocky began arranging for people to enter the mine for exploration.


    Although Backhill Village had the potential to become a terrestrial base and had even started to take shape, Rocky did not yet have the capability to develop it in that direction. His current focus regarding the development of Backhill Village still centered on mining; once the mining revenue started coming in, he would have the capability to consider turning it into a real terrestrial base.


    And since the focus was on mining, it was critical to clarify how much production the village''s mines had and their reserves, so Rocky had long ago asked Old Jack to bring back those who had been responsible for the mines in the village. With these professionals around, figuring all this out was not a difficult task.


    However, just when he had arranged everything and was preparing to visit the mine with everyone, Monte and Felly both arrived.


    "My lord, the reconnaissance ship has reported a situation, a large number of demons are approaching the village!"


    When they met with Rocky in the mansion, Felly relayed the latest situation from the reconnaissance ship.


    "Oh, how many?"


    "It seems not just a few; the reconnaissance ship says approximately dozens."


    "Oh." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this number, Rocky did not get too anxious but merely looked at Monte, "Can the Guard Corps handle it?"


    "Rest assured, my lord, leave it to the Guard Corps!"


    Monte, without any fear, patted his chest and declared.

 Chapter 332 Demons Attack

    Although the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild''s Fleet had retreated, Rocky did not recall the Reconnaissance Ships that had been scattered about. First, it was to prevent the enemy from playing any tricks, such as a surprise counterattack, and second, it was to surveil the movement of the Demons, so that Backhill Village could be prepared when the Demons attacked.


    This experience was something Rocky had learned during his time defending Backhill Village, and now it seemed to be truly effective. The Reconnaissance Ships had indeed brought news about the movements of the Demons.


    However, for Rocky, a few dozen Demons were still child''s play. With the current Guard Corps, the walls of Backhill Village, and the power of the warships at their disposal, a few dozen Demons could not pose any threat at all.


    Therefore, he did not pay too much attention to this matter and simply handed it over to Monte and the Guard Corps to deal with. After Monte and Felly had left, he continued to lead his people towards the mines.


    But before they had taken a few steps, Felly came running back again.


    "My lord! The Reconnaissance Ships have spotted another group of Demons!"


    "..."


    Seeing Felly once more, and hearing the same report again, Rocky furrowed his brow, "How many this time?"


    "Still looks like several dozens."


    "Hmm... have the Thunderhawk take off to assist Monte in defense."


    Frowning in thought, Rocky made the arrangements.


    "Yes!"


    After acknowledging the order, Felly immediately turned and left, but Rocky did not hurry to depart. Instead, he told the others to go ahead to the mine while he stayed put, with Liliya accompanying him.


    At this time, Rocky also felt that something was amiss. Although he still didn''t know what was happening, he had a vague sense of foreboding. After all, the land-based Demons were stirring¡ªa fact known to everyone¡ªso it was impossible for him, who was also on land, not to remain vigilant about the movement of the Demons.


    And his intuition was correct because, not long after Felly had turned to leave, barely out of Rocky''s sight, a messenger hurried to intercept him. After hearing a few words, Felly quickly turned back and ran to Rocky once more.


    "My lord..."


    "Just say it, how many this time?"


    Rocky interrupted Felly before he could finish speaking, asking directly.


    "At least a hundred Demons are approaching Backhill Village!"


    Standing before Rocky, Felly spoke with a distressed expression, revealing the latest intelligence that at least a hundred Demons were rapidly closing in on Backhill Village!


    "Have all Guardian Unit Four take off, and conduct a preemptive bombardment of the Demons together with the Thunderhawk."


    Hearing this number, Rocky immediately issued a response. Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    If it had been just a few dozen demons, there would have been no need for warships to move out; Monte could have defended with just the Guard Corps and the city walls. However, the number of demons now attacking far exceeded a few dozen. Even if we don''t count those that the reconnaissance ship failed to spot, the three waves we did see may combine to over two hundred demons. If so many demons were to charge at the walls together, even the sturdy walls of Backhill Village wouldn''t hold up.


    Therefore, Rocky acted very quickly, dispatching the fleet right away and having the warship bombard the incoming demons first. This greatly reduced the pressure on both the Guard Corps and the city walls.


    After making these arrangements, he called for Liliya to bring the White Demon Armor and went to the city walls himself, still somewhat uneasy.


    When he arrived on the city walls, the Archer Troops and Mage Troops were already in position, while Monte had long since led the Guard Corps outside the walls to form a square formation. At the same time, Sandro and Dusa had donned the Void Magic Armor and were floating above the heads of the Guard Corps. Everything was ready, just waiting for the demons to arrive.


    This wait did not last long, only about a dozen minutes later, the first wave of demons arrived! Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Standing on the city walls, Rocky quickly saw a cloud of dust rising in the distance and faintly heard the rumble of the earth. He then saw groups of demons appearing in his line of sight!


    The number of demons in the first wave was just as the reconnaissance ship had reported: around twenty or so, and they were all Black-eyed Demons.


    Black-eyed Demons were the most common types around Backhill Village and were numerous and extremely sensitive to sound, which meant they were often attracted in large numbers whenever the village started mining operations.


    Although these demons were numerous and easily disturbed, their strength was on the weaker side among demons. The Guard Corps had already defeated them in the past when manpower and resources were scarce. Now, with both a greater number of guards and better equipped than before, dealing with these Black-eyed Demons should be a piece of cake.


    The actual result was just as Rocky had expected: when the twenty-odd Black-eyed Demons charged towards Backhill Village, they first encountered a barrage from the warships overhead. Although the bombardment only lasted for one round, it still killed at least half of the demons, and the survivors were scattered due to the bombing.


    Then as these demons broke through the bombardment of the warship and continued to advance toward the Guard Corps, Dusa and Sandro took the lead and charged out. The two of them, taking advantage of the Void Magic Armor, tangled with several demons.


    By the time the Black-eyed Demons actually reached the vicinity of the Guard Corps, there were only a few left from the original twenty. The Guard Corps, which had already arranged themselves into a square formation, quickly eliminated these few remaining demons without much effort.


    The twenty-odd Black-eyed Demons, from appearance to annihilation, took only about a dozen minutes, posing no threat to Backhill Village whatsoever, just as Rocky had anticipated.


    But this was merely an appetizer, as the number of demons now surging toward Backhill Village was far more than just the twenty-odd. In fact, shortly after the first wave was wiped out, dust rose again in the distance, and the second wave of demons arrived quickly.


    "All hands, be ready to fight!"


    Monte shouted as he reformed the ranks, then looked towards the distance. The dust cloud that had risen was clearly much larger than before, indicating that the second wave of demons was significantly more numerous.


    Indeed, it wasn''t long before the news came from the warships above the battlefield that they had spotted a second wave of demons numbering over a hundred!


    Obviously, the report from the reconnaissance ship had been off: the second wave of demons was much larger than what had been seen. Of course, this wasn''t a big deal; after all, the demons detected by the reconnaissance ships were likely to have joined forces with others on their way to the village, multiplying their numbers several times over.


    Facing hundreds of demons, no one dared to take it lightly now. The five warships in the air started a ferocious bombardment as soon as the demons came within range. Nearly a hundred Magic Cannons from the five warships fired simultaneously, devastating the approaching demons almost instantly.


    "Hmm..."


    Standing on the city walls, Rocky watched this scene from afar and felt a great relief. It seemed that the Fleet and the Guard Corps could fully withstand the demon attack, and perhaps his earlier concerns had been somewhat unfounded...

 Chapter 333 Terror Approaches!

    Clearly, the number of demons on land had increased due to the disturbances, as evidenced at Backhill Village; over a year ago when Rocky defended here, a few dozen demons were considered a lot, and even at the very end, there were only about a hundred demons.


    But now, the number of demons here had markedly risen, and scenes with dozens of demons appearing at once had become the norm, with hundreds showing up at the same time no longer a rare occurrence.


    Nevertheless, as the numbers of demons increased, so too did Rocky''s strength, ensuring that even against a larger number of demons, the safety of Backhill Village remained secure.


    However, just as Rocky breathed a sigh of relief, his brow furrowed again, because right after the warship completed its bombardment, allowing only a sparse dozen to charge towards the Guard Corps, the third wave of demons had arrived!


    So fast...! S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So many...!


    Upon spotting this third wave of demons appearing so swiftly, Rocky couldn''t help but frown, for the demons had come too quickly, wave after wave, without giving them a moment to catch their breath.


    At the same time, the number of demons was too great; the first wave had only about twenty demons, the second had reached hundreds, and upon seeing the third wave, even Rocky had to take a sharp breath¡ªthere were actually two to three hundred demons!


    One must understand that because demons by nature are so formidable, even a slight increase in number can lead to a qualitative change; two demons are definitely several times more dangerous than one, dozens of demons are exponentially more perilous than a few, and two to three hundred demons, compared to a little over a hundred, represent a risk that could only be described as earth-shattering.


    So, realizing there were so many in the third wave, Rocky glanced at Liliya and then the two, already donned in Void Magic Armor, leaped down from the city wall together and flew above the Guard Corps.


    "Sandro, Dusa, Liliya, follow me and we''ll break the demons'' formation," Rocky called out. "Monte, Lin Feng, you two take command of the Guard Corps!"


    Owing to the overwhelming number of demons, Rocky had to take over command of the battle himself, issuing a string of orders right away.


    It was just as he finished giving these orders that the remnants of the second wave of demons, having survived the fleet''s bombardment, charged towards them.


    "Charge with me!"


    Although only around twenty or thirty of the second wave demons were left, Rocky didn''t relax his vigilance and immediately led Liliya, Sandro, and Dusa into the fray.


    From past experience defending Backhill Village, once demons began to surge in waves like now, the warship''s bombardment from the skies wouldn''t prevent the numbers from piling up¡ªbecause even the most powerful bombardment can''t kill all the demons, there will always be some that slip through. And, as the number of demons seemed virtually endless, even a small number surviving each bombardment would accumulate to an unbearable level.


    This situation had to be avoided at all costs!


    "Die!"


    With a sweeping strike, the razor-sharp Mana Sword sliced across a Black-eyed Demon''s neck, cleanly severing its head from its body, and without waiting for the demon to hit the ground, Rocky sped towards another, plunging his Mana Sword into it before leaping back into the air.


    ```


    But just as he was beginning to fly upward, a demon suddenly pounced from the side. With its formidable physique, the demon leaped over three meters high and reached out its claws towards Rocky''s ankle.


    Unfortunately for the demon, just as it was about to grasp Rocky, whoosh, Dusa, who had been waiting in mid-air, shot an arrow straight into its head, and with a bang, the demon''s head burst open.


    With its head blown off, the headless corpse immediately fell and, by sheer coincidence, landed on another demon, heavily pinning it to the ground. Before the pinned demon could get up, it was pierced through by Liliya with her sword, killing it outright.


    After dispatching the demon at her feet, Liliya immediately raised her arm and fired a series of Magic Energy Bullets, blasting a demon''s chest into a mass of flesh and blood. Yet, demonstrating their incredible vitality, the demon didn''t die despite its chest being nearly blown open, and instead turned to charge at Liliya.


    However, the demon hadn''t taken two steps before Sandro, gliding along the ground, flew past it. Using his momentum, Sandro cleaved the demon in two with his sword, then immediately accelerated, slamming his shield hard into another demon.


    Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    Empowered by the Void Magic Armor, and moving at high speed, Sandro sent the large demon flying, and it crashed to the ground after traveling more than ten meters, conveniently landing at Rocky''s feet. Rocky lifted his foot and crushed its head underfoot.


    Faced with twenty or thirty demons, Rocky and the others went on a killing spree. Bolstered by the Void Magic Armor, they slaughtered most of them in a blink of an eye. However, even so, the number of demons didn''t seem to decrease, because as they were fiercely battling, the third wave of demons had already charged through the warship''s bombardment range!


    The third wave consisted of several hundred demons; despite the mid-air warships unleashing their full firepower and killing the majority, forty or fifty demons still survived the barrage and rapidly charged towards the Guard Corps.


    This was why Rocky and his team, despite cutting down demons as if they were chopping vegetables, saw no reduction in their numbers: as soon as they finished off the first wave, the next was already upon them, with many demons having already broken through their lines and started to fight with the Guard Corps!


    But that wasn''t the worst part¡ªthe worst was yet another wave of demons had appeared!


    In such a situation, Rocky had no choice but to fly higher and then urgently contact Felly, who was stationed in the city.


    "Felly! Send out the War Steed and the Hunter!"


    Facing wave after wave of ever-increasing demons, Rocky had to call in more warships, thereby extending the range and intensity of the bombardment in an effort to reduce the number of demons as much as possible.


    But just as he had given the orders and rejoined the battle, suddenly, without any warning, a destroyer that had been bombarding from a distance fell from the sky!


    With a thunderous boom, the hundred-meter-long destroyer crashed from the sky to the land, followed by a massive explosion, creating a huge ball of firelight!


    "What, what happened...!"


    The sudden explosion stunned everyone on the spot. Rocky and all others couldn''t believe what they were seeing and had no idea what had happened.


    "There''s something! Something is coming!"


    Just then, Dusa, who was hovering in mid-air, suddenly shouted. She saw a dark figure rushing out from the firelight of the explosion!


    ```

 Chapter 334 Nightmare Descends!

    A destroyer suddenly fell from the sky, leaving everyone on the battlefield stunned. No one had anticipated such an event. In the battle against demons, warships were always the safest; how could one possibly crash?


    While everyone was confused and unsure of the situation, Dusa suddenly shouted!


    "There''s something! Something is coming out of the flames!"


    As a natural Sharpshooter, Dusa''s vision was far more sensitive than that of the average person. Thus, while the others were still dazed, she had already keenly spotted a dark figure bursting out of the pile of flames caused by the explosion!


    Faced with this sudden shadow, Dusa reacted with extreme swiftness. She almost instinctively drew her bow and without thinking, released three arrows in rapid succession.


    However, after she had fired those three arrows, Dusa was stunned because all three missed their target!


    The dark figure that had charged out of the flames evaded with extraordinary speed, dodging all three of the arrows she had shot with ease!


    Such a scene was a first for Dusa; she had always been unfailingly accurate, especially after donning the Void Magic Armor. Even Rocky might not have been able to evade her Magic Energy Arrows.


    But this was the reality, the shadow that emerged from the flames really had avoided all the arrows she had fired. Not only that, but while dodging, it also advanced towards her at a speed unimaginable to most people!


    In this situation, Dusa hurriedly continued to draw her bow, but she was a step too slow. Just as she was pulling the bowstring back, that shadow had already reached her...


    Unimaginable speed!


    Keep in mind the distance from where the warship had crashed to where Dusa was standing was no less than two hundred meters. Yet that vast distance had been crossed by the shadow in an instant.


    It wasn''t until the shadow was up close that Dusa finally saw its true form. She saw a creature with shiny black fur, a pair of crescent-shaped eyes, and a head resembling that of a fox. Most importantly, as Dusa recognized the demon, she also saw the Scythe it was swinging down!


    Facing the incoming Scythe, Dusa felt as if time had slowed down, slowed to the point where she could clearly see the cold light shimmering off the blade...


    It is said that when a person is near death, they enter an indescribable state where everything seems to come to a standstill, everything appears to be frozen, including time. Dusa was now trapped in this state!


    "Dodge!"


    But at that moment, just as Dusa felt everything slowing down, a familiar voice suddenly reached her ears. And before she could even react, she felt herself being forcefully pushed aside!


    Monte!


    Just as Dusa was about to be horrifically slain by the high-level demon''s Scythe, Monte rammed his daughter with his shoulder, taking her place, and then faced the demon''s descending Scythe by raising his left hand in an attempt to block it.


    A flash of cold light passed by, and Monte''s left arm, which he had used to block the demon''s Scythe, was sliced in half!


    The Void Magic Armor stood before the high-level demon''s scythe, as if made of paper!


    "Knife Fox... Damn!"


    Even as the demon cut off his left hand, Monte did not shrink back; instead, he bit down hard on his teeth and raised the ax in his right hand, swinging it down with full force!


    At this time, Monte''s previous profession saved his life. As a Demon Hunter, he was all too familiar with demons, and thus, he recognized at a glance what demon he was facing¡ªthis was the infamous high-level demon, Knife Fox Nightmare!


    This type of demon, looking strikingly similar to a fox and named for the pair of scythes on its hands, was a high-level demon, a naturally dangerous being. Its defining characteristics were its incredible speed and the exceptionally sharp pair of scythes; typical armor stood no chance against it, providing virtually no protection.


    It was precisely because he recognized the Knife Fox that Monte was able to save Dusa in the nick of time and smartly used his left hand to block, since it was already disabled; so what the Knife Fox Demon chopped off was not his arm, but the Magic Energy Cannon installed on it.


    At the same time, after narrowly escaping death, Monte did not turn to run, for he knew turning his back to a high-level demon was akin to courting death¡ªespecially when facing the Knife Fox Demon, renowned for its speed. That''s why he counterattacked with his ax.


    This move saved his own life!


    Had Monte turned to flee, he would truly have been killed in the blink of an eye because the Knife Fox Demon was too fast. Instead, his desperate counterattack resulted in the demon cutting the ax in two with its scythes, but that also meant both its hands were swinging the scythes, leaving it with no choice but to kick Monte in the chest and send him flying!


    He was saved...


    In the instant he was kicked by the Knife Fox Demon, Monte had this thought, then fainted from the immense force.


    Though the characteristics of the Knife Fox are its speed and the scythes on its hands, one must not forget that it''s still a high-level demon. So when Monte was kicked, he was sent flying like a cannonball shot from a barrel, nearly a hundred meters until he crashed hard against the wall of the city and came to a stop!


    The mightiest warrior of Thunderhawk City stood powerless before a high-level demon, unable to withstand even a single blow!


    And while all this seemed to take a long time to describe, in reality, from the moment Dusa shot her three arrows to Monte being kicked away, all of this happened in but a brief encounter¡ªand while suspended in midair, meaning the Knife Fox Demon hadn''t even touched the ground when it completed everything and nearly killed two Void Magic Warriors...


    Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    It was only after this that the Knife Fox Demon finally landed on the ground.


    With its firm landing, the entire battlefield fell silent. The black-eyed demons that were frenziedly pouncing toward the village halted, and the Guard Corps, who had been forcefully resisting the demons'' assault, also stopped. Every person, every demon, ceased their motion, uncontrollably turning their attention to the one presence on the battlefield.


    And just as all eyes fell upon the Knife Fox Demon, it suddenly let out a piercing scream towards Backhill Village!


    This scream instantly spread throughout Backhill Village, causing all within it¡ªwhether the villagers inside or the guards outside, even the surrounding demons¡ªto fall to the ground in agony from the scream, utterly unable to resist...


    Clearly, the Knife Fox Demon was using this supreme, dominating howl to announce its arrival! S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 335 Like Death!

    Facing the high-level demon that descended from the sky, no one was prepared.


    In the midst of piercing screams, everyone suffered severe damage; the guards in heavy armor were struck down en masse, and even Dusa and Sandro, hovering mid-air, couldn''t withstand the screech and started to falter, plummeting to the ground¡­


    This was the power of a high-level demon¡ªjust a single scream was enough to paralyze an entire troop!


    After the proclamation-like scream ended, the Knife Fox Demon slowly turned its head, its crescent-like eyes directly fixating on Dusa, who had fallen from the sky!


    Towards this target who had attempted to attack it, the Knife Fox Demon clearly hadn''t forgotten, so within the next second, it vanished from its original spot!


    In an instant, Dusa could only sense a streak of black light speeding toward her, its velocity so fast that she couldn''t dodge it, nor could she react in time, so after merely a moment of distraction, a figure appeared before her eyes.


    However, this figure was not black but white!


    In the nick of time, Rocky threw himself in front of Dusa. At the same moment he appeared, a loud clang sounded, and the scythe that was mid-swing struck heavily upon the Mana Sword that Rocky held above his head!


    The scene unfolded so quickly that to onlookers, Rocky and the Knife Fox Demon almost seemed to appear in front of Dusa simultaneously, and from the moment they emerged, it was a clash of offense and defense, with nobody able to discern how they had made their moves.


    "Retreat! Everyone retreat!"


    After blocking the Knife Fox Demon''s scythe, Rocky roared, commanding everyone to immediately retreat.


    Although he didn''t know the Knife Fox Demon''s name at this point, he understood that this was certainly one of the high-level demons of legend, capable of destroying a destroyer single-handedly, a fearsome being that could lay low the strongest warrior of Thunderhawk City in an encounter.


    Facing such an extreme menace, the Guard Corps could not stand against it. With the strength of a high-level demon, it could potentially slaughter the entire Guard Corps in passing. Dusa, Sandro, Liliya, and Lin Feng also couldn''t stand against it, for Monte had already tried and in a mere encounter, the Knife Fox Demon had managed to cripple him, despite Monte''s experience as a Demon Hunter. Otherwise, had it been any other Void Magic Warrior, they might have perished in an encounter.


    Thus, the only one left who could stand against this monstrous creature was Rocky.


    So, after thwarting the Knife Fox Demon''s ambush, Rocky immediately yelled, instructing everyone to flee at once; otherwise, he had no ability to protect them.


    Hearing his shout, Liliya reacted the fastest. She practically didn''t think before she dragged Dusa and Sandro back toward the city wall. Lin Feng, who had been with the guards, also realized what was happening and quickly ordered all the guards to retreat immediately.


    In the blink of an eye, a scene of total rout erupted in front of Backhill Village''s wall. Liliya, with Dusa and Sandro in tow, flew towards the wall, while all members of the Guard Corps, led by Lin Feng, frantically fled in the direction of the wall. The originally intact formation disintegrated instantly amidst the panic, and all anyone could think about was making a dash back to the village.


    From an observer''s perspective, the behavior of the Guard Corps and the likes of Liliya would seem disgraceful, with phrases like a headless flight and disorganized retreat not being an exaggeration. However, only Liliya and the guards knew they had to flee as swiftly as possible, for this was the only chance Rocky had secured for them. If they dared waste any time now, the opportunity that Rocky, the City Lord, had risked his life to win for them, would be lost.


    In such circumstances, their headlong flight was nothing to be ashamed of!


    Indeed, that was the case. This moment was Liliya''s, the guards'', and her only chance to escape because as they fled, Rocky, who had been holding back the Knife Fox Demon, suddenly knelt on one knee to the ground with a thud!


    In the struggle against the Knife Fox Demon, he was defeated, forced to his knees by the opponent''s scythe!


    "Damn it..."


    Clutching the Mana Sword with both hands, Rocky exerted all his strength to ward off the Knife Fox Demon''s Scythe, but even so, his arms still bent slowly under the pressure, with the scythe raised above his head inching down bit by bit. He could clearly see the sharp blade nearing, about to fall upon his head...


    I can''t hold on anymore...


    As the Scythe descended bit by bit, Rocky knew he couldn''t hold on any longer. So when the tip of the Scythe was less than an inch from his head, he violently cranked his Armor''s propulsion system to its maximum, and then, like a compressed spring, shot backwards!


    With a bang, as Rocky flashed back over ten meters, the Scythe, losing its leverage, heavily struck the ground. The sharp blade not only plunged into the earth instantly, but the immense force also created a large crater in the ground!


    Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire


    This was the power of a high-level demon, the Knife Fox Demon, not known for its strength, could still, with just a one-handed strike, cause such destruction to the landscape...


    Staring intensely at the large crater made by the Knife Fox Demon on the ground, Rocky gasped for air while suspended midair in his Armor, already drenched in sweat, but he had no chance or time to wipe it off because at that moment, the Knife Fox Demon had already raised its head, looking over with crescent-moon-like eyes!


    In an instant, Rocky and the Knife Fox Demon locked eyes.


    Looking into the Knife Fox Demon''s eyes, Rocky suddenly felt a wave of ill omen, an untraceable sense of crisis enveloping him, causing every single hair on his head to stand in terror in the blink of an eye.


    Danger.


    The danger of death!


    The moment Rocky saw the Knife Fox Demon''s crescent eyes, he had the illusion that he had died, that he was already slain by the opponent''s Scythe! S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Such feeling was so real, real enough to make Rocky feel as though he truly had died, and that he was now merely a soul. Of course, this was impossible. Rocky knew this very well, he even understood why he was having such an illusion.


    The gap between them was too great!


    The disparity between him and the Knife Fox Demon was so vast that just being glanced at by the opponent almost scared him to death.


    Although these thoughts felt long, they actually transpired in just a fleeting moment. If it had to be measured in time, it probably wasn''t even a second, no, not even half a second. Therefore, Rocky snapped out of his illusion quickly. But when he regained his senses, he noticed something immensely terrifying¡ªthe Knife Fox Demon on the ground... had disappeared...

 Chapter 336 Despair...

    No one expected a high-level demon to descend.


    And anyone familiar with high-level demons knew one thing, their appearance meant a deadly battle!


    This was now the case for Rocky. He had to stop the Knife Fox Demon because if he failed, it would be the end of Backhill Village, not just the village but the Guard Corps, Liliya, and everyone and everything would ultimately be destroyed by the scythe of the Knife Fox Demon.


    But how difficult it was to achieve this!


    If high-level demons could be stopped just by saying so, how could they become the stuff of terrifying legends?


    Rocky had merely exchanged a glance with the Knife Fox and already deeply felt the gap between them¡ªhe was simply not on the same level as the Knife Fox Demon. The disparity was so great that just one look nearly scared him to death.


    This was not because Rocky was cowardly. Anyone who dared confront a high-level demon could be called brave. His fear was solely due to the overwhelming difference in strength, which instinctively triggered his terror.


    Indeed, a moment later, Rocky had snapped out of his fear, but when he looked down to the ground again, he discovered that the Knife Fox Demon was gone... S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bad news!


    The moment he noticed the Knife Fox Demon had disappeared from its original position, Rocky felt a sense of doom and, without thinking, immediately leaped upward, flying higher.


    At the same time as he soared into the air, the Knife Fox Demon appeared in midair, right in front of him, swinging its scythe down!


    Fortunately, Rocky had reacted preemptively. By making the right choice the moment he noticed the opponent''s disappearance, when the Knife Fox Demon swung its scythe, he had just rushed upward, allowing the scythe to miss by scraping past his toes.


    However, after this miss, the Knife Fox Demon did not fall but instead kicked powerfully twice in midair, propelling itself several meters upwards as if it were stepping on the ground.


    Double jump!


    Logically, the Knife Fox Demon was not capable of flying, but due to its extreme speed and the excessive power in its legs, this demon could easily jump to heights of forty to fifty meters, or even more, and its strong leg muscles allowed it to perform consecutive jumps in midair. Therefore, while the Knife Fox Demon could not fly freely like a Magic Dragon or reach high altitudes, its ability to jump repeatedly in low-altitude combat presented no problem at all.


    Now was such a time; when Rocky had evaded an attack by increasing his altitude, the Knife Fox Demon immediately jumped up and appeared before him again!


    "Ah!"


    Rocky exclaimed, startled that the opponent could perform consecutive jumps in midair. He immediately responded with the fastest reaction and speed, moving from up to down, beginning to descend.


    Unfortunately, although his reaction was quick and there was no problem with his armor operation, he was still a step too slow. Although he did not give the Knife Fox Demon the chance to swing its unstoppable scythe, in the process of their crossing paths, he was stepped on by the demon.


    One step from the Knife Fox Demon on his shoulder made Rocky feel as if he had been struck by a mountain, completely out of control, plummeting straight toward the ground!


    Then, in the blink of an eye, there was a booming sound as Rocky fell vertically from midair to the ground.


    "How¡­is that¡­possible¡­"


    "My lord¡­"


    As Rocky heavily fell from the sky, everyone on the city walls gaping widely, whether they were archers or Liliya and the others who had made it back to the walls, at that moment, despair appeared in their eyes.


    In everyone''s minds, Rocky was the strongest warrior of Thunderhawk City and, in the eyes of many soldiers, was invincible. In fact, he almost was, whether it was his first demon hunt when he was younger or his later mission defending Backhill Village, or even in the combat arena¡ªit was always so, and in the battle against Wild Horse City, he even performed a one-man pentakill, slaying five Void Magic Warriors.


    Such an outstanding record had made everyone in Thunderhawk City feel that as long as Rocky was there, they would never be defeated, and indeed that had been the case¡ªRocky led them in every battle, and they had never lost.


    But this time, they dared not think so, because anyone could see that in the confrontation with the high-level demon, Rocky was at an absolute disadvantage!


    And if even he couldn''t stand against the high-level demon, who else could protect them?


    "Quick! Contact Thunderhawk City, seek out Master Orton!"


    Watching Rocky fall from the sky, Liliya wished she could rush out to help immediately, but she knew she shouldn''t because with her strength she couldn''t truly aid Rocky, and if she did go, she would only distract him.


    Hence, after realizing Rocky was no match for the high-level demon, Liliya immediately thought of Orton and the others; they were all archmages, and they could definitely help.


    At that moment, the place where Rocky had fallen was stirring up a billowing cloud of dust, quickly obscuring the sight of the people who couldn''t tell what had happened to Rocky.


    Yet before anyone could grasp what was happening, another dark shadow fell from the sky!


    The Knife Fox Demon had followed!


    Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    With a loud bang, the Knife Fox Demon that fell straight from the sky plunged into the dust, causing everyone''s hearts to clench because nobody knew Rocky''s condition. If he wasn''t ready, then with the Knife Fox Demon''s arrival, his end might very well be at hand.


    However, fortunately, just a few seconds after the Knife Fox Demon crashed into the swirling dust, a figure dashed out¡ªit was Rocky!


    Emerging from the swirling dust, Rocky had already maxed out his Armor''s speed and while retreating, he opened his shoulder and waist Magic Energy Beam Emitters, and along with the Magic Energy Bullet Emitter on his arm, he unleashed all his firepower in a fierce bombardment towards the dust.


    Under this attack, the dust-covered area soon echoed with a series of explosions, and amidst the continuous blasts, the dust was completely dispersed, allowing everyone to see the Knife Fox Demon again.


    Facing Rocky''s attack, the Knife Fox Demon dodged left and right with extreme speed, as if teleporting. One moment it appeared on Rocky''s left, the next second it flashed to his right, avoiding both the Magic Bullets and the Magic Energy Beams.


    In this situation, within just a few seconds, the Knife Fox Demon, dodging and weaving, had caught up to Rocky and stood before him!


    "Squeak, squeak, squeak!!"


    Appearing before Rocky, the Knife Fox Demon, amidst its screeching, raised the two scythes in its hands, hacking down in a cross formation¡­!

 Chapter 337 Ultimate!

    Two scythes, crossed over, slashed towards Rocky!


    In an instant, two flashes of cold light passed by, landing steadfastly on Rocky''s body¡­


    Crack¡­


    The Magic Energy Shield that Rocky held in front of him shattered in the moment those two flashes of cold light passed, first breaking into four pieces before they reverted back to mana and vanished from sight.


    It was precisely at the moment when the Magic Energy Shield was easily shattered that, with a swoosh, Rocky, who had barely blocked the attack with his shield, flashed to the side of the Knife Fox Demon and swung his sword down!


    This time, he didn''t choose to run, but instead chose to counterattack!


    This wasn''t because Rocky had found a way to deal with the Knife Fox Demon; in fact, in his view, he simply couldn''t stand up to a high-level demon. His daring counterattack wasn''t because he truly could kill his opponent, but solely for the sake of self-preservation!


    Running away had already been attempted to no avail. The White Demon Armor wasn''t adept at accelerating for extended periods, utterly incapable of shaking off the Knife Fox Demon. Moreover, let''s not forget that Backhill Village lay behind him. Even if he could shake off the Knife Fox Demon, where could he flee to?


    Back to Thunderhawk City?


    With the White Demon Armor, he might be able to make it, but even if he did escape back there, what about the people left in Backhill Village? They absolutely wouldn''t have time to run away, and once everyone in Backhill Village died, even if Rocky successfully made it back to Thunderhawk City, he would be nothing but a lone individual, having lost everything!


    So, he had no choice but to fight, even though he knew full well that he couldn''t defeat the formidable high-level demon.


    In a flicker, Rocky appeared at the Knife Fox Demon''s side and didn''t hesitate to chop down with his sword, only to hear a clang¡ªthe Mana Sword, already reinforced by the armor''s mana, was directly blocked by the scythe!


    An expected turn of events.


    The strike being blocked was no surprise to Rocky, who immediately accelerated his armor and appeared on the other side in the blink of an eye.


    The series of exchanges he had previously had with the Knife Fox Demon had given Rocky a rough understanding of this type of demon. He already knew the speed of the Knife Fox Demon, and that its scythe was its biggest advantage. Its strength was also far superior; although it couldn''t fly, it could leap continuously in the air, which meant that for Rocky, the demon was practically unbeatable.


    In such a situation, he had tried running, to no effect; he had also tried ranged attacks, but the opponent''s speed had long surpassed that of the Magic Energy Bullets and the Magic Energy Beams, so they couldn''t hit him. As for the Demon Annihilation Cannon¡­ perhaps its power was sufficient to kill or severely injure the enemy, but it took at least three seconds to initiate the Demon Annihilation Cannon, and in that time, the Knife Fox Demon would have enough time to kill him dozens of times over. Therefore, the only method of fighting back was close-quarters combat.


    In a small-scale close combat scenario, Rocky could push the speed of the Void Magic Armor to its absolute limit. At this extreme, he was confident he wouldn''t lose to the enemy in speed. Once he could keep up, he would find opportunities to attack, which in turn meant that the enemy''s chances to attack would decrease, and his own likelihood of surviving would greatly increase!


    In an instant, after making a swift 180-degree turn, Rocky appeared on the other side of the Knife Fox Demon and executed a sweep aimed directly at its waist.


    Yet again, there was a clang as the sweeping Mana Sword was firmly blocked by the scythe, but Rocky promptly withdrew and, after a quick ninety-degree turn, appeared behind the Knife Fox Demon and raised his Mana Sword to chop down. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this time, just as he had raised his Mana Sword, no, merely halfway up, the Knife Fox Demon turned around with unimaginable speed, preempting his move!


    This¡­


    How is that possible!!


    ```


    Rocky watched in disbelief as the Knife Fox Demon turned around, experiencing a moment of distraction, for he thought it was utterly impossible!


    In such close-range combat, the speed and agility of the White Demon Armor were the best of the best, presumably only surpassed by more advanced custom Armors. No other Special Armor could boast superiority in this aspect over the White Demon, so he was confident that he wouldn''t be outpaced by the opponent in such a skirmish.


    But he was wrong, and the Knife Fox Demon''s effortless turn before his eyes was proof of this!


    And in that brief moment of distraction, the Knife Fox Demon, having fully turned around, raised the Scythe in its left hand...


    In an instant, Rocky saw a flash of cold light!


    That''s right, not a single flash, but a sweep of cold lights!


    One slash?


    Two slashes?


    Three slashes?


    Or four?


    It was simply too fast!


    In the blink of an eye as the Knife Fox raised its hand, Rocky couldn''t make out how many times the Scythe had been swung. He saw at least three slashes in that instant but felt certain there were more than three, certain that he must have missed some...


    "Ah! My lord, the lord he...!"


    When Rocky and the Knife Fox Demon clashed blades, the people of Backhill Village didn''t flee; instead, they stood atop the city walls, witnessing everything.


    Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    These people knew they couldn''t leave; in front of a high-level demon, they would be struck down even before a warship could take off. Their only hope was Rocky, hoping that he would emerge victorious.


    So, as Rocky and the Knife Fox Demon engaged in their blade fight, everyone watched, though to their eyes, Rocky and the Knife Fox Demon were merely shades of black and white darting about at high speed, impossible to make out clearly. Yet, they all clenched their fists, silently cheering Rocky on.


    But at that moment, the white silhouette representing Rocky was suddenly sent flying backwards!


    With a loud bang, Rocky was sent flying dozens of meters before crashing heavily to the ground, and his Armor was now marred with no fewer than six slashes!


    The Scarred Demon had swung its Scythe six times in the span of raising its hand! And each slash had landed firmly on Rocky''s breastplate, nearly shredding the chest of the White Demon Armor...


    But fortunately, the White Demon Armor had been designed with a powerful Demon Annihilation Cannon hidden within its chest plate. The chest plate was not only thick but also had the strongest defensive power. When the sharp edge of the Scythe hit the breastplate, it fortunately only shattered the protective layer, sparing Rocky any harm.


    It must be said that the White Demon Armor saved Rocky''s life this time. Had the White Demon Armor not been forged from the best materials, then even with a protective layer and an internal Demon Annihilation Cannon as a buffer, the sharpness of the Knife Fox Demon''s Scythe would have been enough to cleave both the Armor and Rocky to pieces.


    However, the material of the White Demon Armor could save him once but not a second time, after striking Rocky and sending him flying, the Knife Fox Demon leaped up above him, then, quickly turning in mid-air and aiming headfirst downward, completed a powerful double jump with a forceful push from its hind legs, rushing towards him at extreme speed. During the charge, the pair of Scythes in its hands already aimed at his head!


    ```

 Chapter 338 Archmage!

    He leapt high, quickly descending!


    The Knife Fox Demon aimed its scythes at Rocky''s head, stabbing down without hesitation!


    It''s over...


    Seeing this scene, everyone on the city wall knew it was over. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In his battle with the high-level demon, Rocky had been thoroughly defeated; even with such powerful armor, he had no way to compete. He had been bested within just a few exchanges and was about to lose his life.


    I''m going to die...


    Lying on the ground, Rocky saw the demon descending from above, saw the approaching blade tip getting closer and closer, and similarly came to a realization¡ªa realization called death.


    He knew he was about to die. At this moment, this feeling was so clear, and he finally understood the true meaning of the phrase "death cannot be resisted." Facing the imminent death, he wanted to struggle, to dodge, to resist, but he simply couldn''t.


    The only thing he could do now was to wait, to wait for the death that would arrive between breaths.


    How fast was the Knife Fox Demon?


    A moment later, the falling scythe neared Rocky''s head, and then... it stopped...


    Yes, just as the scythe tip had completely descended and even pierced the helmet of the White Demon Armor, it suddenly halted!


    "How, how...!"


    "What''s going on!"


    Just as Rocky was about to meet his end, the guards on the city wall had already fallen into despair, while Liliya and Monte, along with other Void Magic Warriors, had pushed their armor''s speed to the limit, intending to rush out and save Rocky¡ªalthough they were very aware it was a futile hope.


    But at that moment, just as the guards had given up hope and Liliya, Monte and the others had just leaped up, not even having the time to fly over the city wall, they saw the Knife Fox Demon stop its attack.


    What was happening?


    As they saw the Knife Fox Demon come to a halt, everyone froze for a moment, unable to understand what was happening. Could it be... could it be that the Knife Fox Demon had developed a conscience?


    "Look! Look up in the sky!"


    Suddenly, just as everyone was still dazed, someone shouted out loud.


    This shout brought everyone back to their senses, and they all looked up towards the sky together.


    Following the gaze of the crowd, one could see that three figures had appeared hanging in the air outside the city wall!


    Orton.


    Pelaya.


    Aniye.


    Three archmages were levitating in mid-air, controlling the Knife Fox Demon with their surging magic power, imprisoning it in suspended animation!


    Since ancient times, the profession of mage has existed, reaching its zenith during the Continental Era. In the Land Era, mages essentially represented the strongest profession and the ultimate martial force, to the extent that a single archmage could easily crush an entire army.


    But today, the profession finds itself in a most awkward position. Theoretically, anyone could be called a mage today, as long as they have learned magic, can communicate with magic power, and are able to activate and use equipment such as the Void Magic Armor.


    Yet, precisely because of the prevalence and application of mana technology, even though everyone now possesses magic power, nobody wants to delve deeply into or learn magic anymore, because there''s simply no need. Everyone is content with just enough magic power to activate mana equipment or items¡ªwhy bother enhancing one''s own magic power continuously?


    Furthermore, with the invention and spread of the Void Magic Armor, the role of mages in combat has significantly diminished. Therefore, in today''s world, true high-level mages have become increasingly rare. Even if someone diligently studies, it''s often not for the sake of combat but for other aspects, like how Orton needed to enhance his magic power for research purposes.


    Despite this, it must be acknowledged that the combat power of a high-level mage is still very formidable, as is the case right now.


    When Liliya realized Rocky definitely couldn''t match a high-level demon, she immediately sent word to Orton and others in Thunderhawk City. Upon receiving the news, they rushed over without delay.


    Among the four, aside from Hammerfire who wasn''t adept in magic power, Orton, Pelaya, and Aniye were all Ninth-level Grand Magi. The three of them didn''t even take the skyship, directly using their Levitation Skill to fly out of Thunderhawk City, rushing to Backhill Village with the greatest speed!


    And when the three arrived at Backhill Village, they happened to witness the Knife Fox Demon about to deal a deadly blow to Rocky.


    The three masters'' knowledge was profound; they recognized the Knife Fox Demon at first glance and were deeply shocked.


    They weren''t shocked by the presence of the Knife Fox Demon¡ªencountering any type of demon of any level anywhere on the land wasn''t strange. What truly surprised them was that Rocky could tangle with the Knife Fox Demon for so long.


    The terror of a high-level demon was well understood by the three archmages, far more than the average person, so they were very clear on the Knife Fox Demon''s strengths and advantages. To some extent, the Knife Fox Demon''s strong points overlapped with those of the White Demon Armor; both possessed immense speed and agility, but the Knife Fox Demon was clearly superior. Therefore, Orton and the others found it hard to imagine how Rocky could persist under such absolute disadvantage.


    Regardless, by the time the three arrived, Rocky was imminently in peril, so Orton and his companions hastily intervened, controlling the Knife Fox Demon at the very last moment.


    The combined force of the three mages confidentially confined the Knife Fox Demon amid the air, and Rocky, who thought he was doomed, also came to his senses, turning his head to see Orton and the others suspended in mid-air.


    "I''m saved..."


    Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    Upon seeing Orton and the others, he instantly understood the situation and then lay on the ground, heaving a sigh of relief.


    "You brat! Use the Demon Annihilation Cannon! We can''t control it for long!"


    Just as Rocky was letting out a sigh of relief, Orton suddenly yelled out.


    At that moment, Orton was drenched in sweat, and so was Pelaya beside him. Only Aniye seemed to fare slightly better. It appeared that even for archmages, confining a high-level demon was a daunting task. Moreover, don''t forget that even though the levels of Orton and his companions were archmages, their magic power was predominantly used to aid research; combat was certainly not their forte.


    In fact, at the same time Orton shouted, the imprisoned Knife Fox Demon let out a piercing scream. Amidst this ear-piercing screech, Rocky suddenly noticed that the pair of scythes hovering above his head moved!


    Orton wasn''t lying¡ªthe three of them couldn''t control the Knife Fox Demon forever, and the controlled demon was indeed fighting back!


    In such a situation, Rocky dared not waste any more time. He immediately channeled all of the armor''s mana to his chest, and upon receiving the mana, the exposed Demon Annihilation Cannon gradually lit up¡­!

 Chapter 339 Destroy the Demon!

    ```


    Orton and his two companions arrived in time to save Rocky''s life, but it was only a temporary measure.


    Even under the restraint of the three, the Knife Fox Demon was still resisting. Firmly bound in midair, the demon let out piercing screams while struggling violently. In just a second or two, the pair of scythes hovering over Rocky''s head moved slightly.


    Clearly, the restraint imposed by Orton and his two companions began to loosen after just a few seconds.


    This is what makes a high-level demon, a terribly fearsome monster!


    In such a situation, Rocky had no time to delay. He immediately gathered all the mana of his armor at his chest and activated the Demon Annihilation Cannon.


    During his previous encounter with the Knife Fox Demon, Rocky had thought of using the Demon Annihilation Cannon. He had always known that only the Demon Annihilation Cannon could counter a high-level demon, but he never had the chance to use this trump card, for a very simple reason: he just didn''t have the opportunity.


    Although the power of the Demon Annihilation Cannon was immense, the time required to prepare for firing was equally long. It needed at least three seconds of charging before the Demon Annihilation Cannon could be used, but would the Knife Fox Demon give him those three seconds?


    Even if Rocky had those three seconds, even if he completed charging the Demon Annihilation Cannon, could he hit the incredibly fast Knife Fox Demon?


    The answer was definitive. He certainly couldn''t hit the target, which was why he had not used this move until now.


    But now he had an opportunity. Orton and the other two used their magic power to restrain the Knife Fox Demon, making this terrible creature unable to move or escape, turning it into a live target. This gave Rocky the chance to use the Demon Annihilation Cannon to finish it off!


    So, realizing that Orton and the others could not hold on for much longer, Rocky immediately activated the Demon Annihilation Cannon.


    But at the same moment the mana was being gathered at his chest, the restrained Knife Fox Demon began to resist even more fiercely, clearly sensing the impending danger. The sounds coming from its throat became even more piercing, and its struggles grew more violent. Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    Since it was so close, Rocky could see every detail of the Knife Fox Demon''s reaction with perfect clarity. He could see every hair on the demon''s body stand on end at this moment, and its eyes, previously curved like crescent moons, were now as round and terrifying as full moons.


    One second...


    When Rocky noticed this change in the Knife Fox Demon, only a single second had passed.


    Two seconds...


    And by the time two seconds had gone by, the Demon Annihilation Cannon at his chest was more than halfway charged, and blinding brightness had already begun to emerge from the massive muzzle.


    Meanwhile, the Knife Fox Demon''s resistance also intensified. The screams from its throat had reached an indescribably shrill level, and its body, although restrained, was noticeably trembling. In particular, the pair of scythes had descended further, the sharp tips now completely penetrating Rocky''s helmet with ease!


    Three seconds!


    The three-second charging time was finally up. Rocky didn''t waste a fraction of a moment and instantly fired the Demon Annihilation Cannon!


    A massive column of light shot from his chest straight into the sky, engulfing the Knife Fox Demon that was only inches away. Yet even so, when the demon''s entire body was swallowed by the light column, its piercing screams did not stop!


    What did this mean...


    It meant that the monster was not yet dead!


    Everyone was stunned to discover that the Knife Fox Demon, hit directly by the Demon Annihilation Cannon, was still screaming. At that moment, everyone''s mind went blank. This was true for the guards on the city walls, for Liliya and Monte in midair, for Rocky on the ground, and even for Orton and his companions.


    If even the Demon Annihilation Cannon couldn''t kill the Knife Fox Demon, what on earth could...


    Despair set in.


    ```


    At this moment, listening to the Knife Fox Demon''s scream after being struck by the Demon Annihilation Cannon, everyone felt disheartened.


    But just then, everyone suddenly realized that something was amiss.


    The piercing scream seemed to have changed?


    The previous screams from the Knife Fox Demon were unpleasant and piercing, almost having a tangible lethality to them, affecting every listener or demon severely; the weaker ones could even lose their ability to fight on the spot.


    But now, everyone found out that while the Knife Fox Demon''s voice was still unpleasant and piercing, it lacked the original lethality. It sounded as if it were no longer a scream, but had become¡­ a wail!


    Yes, the Knife Fox Demon was wailing!


    After being hit directly by the Demon Annihilation Cannon, the Knife Fox Demon let out a piercing wail. This wailing then grew weaker, until it finally stopped altogether.


    And it was precisely when the wail of the Knife Fox Demon completely vanished that the light beam of the Demon Annihilation Cannon also disappeared, followed by the sound of a clang, as the scythe in the hand of the Knife Fox Demon dropped to the ground.


    All this happened very quickly, but in reality, it only took a few short seconds. As those seconds passed, when people looked towards Rocky again, they found no trace of the Knife Fox Demon, leaving only the scythe lying on the ground.


    The Knife Fox Demon, dead!


    Lying on the ground, Rocky turned his head and glanced at the scythe beside him, before he finally took a long breath out. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had survived.


    And won!


    After confirming that all of it was real, and not a dream, Rocky got up from the ground. But just as he had barely gotten to his feet, he saw a figure throw herself directly into his arms.


    "Rocky!"


    Being tightly embraced by Liliya, Rocky immediately felt a surge of acute pain throughout his body, but he had no time to worry about that, as he quickly looked down at Liliya to find her already sobbing inconsolably in his arms.


    "It''s alright¡­ it''s alright¡­"


    Gently patting Liliya''s back, Rocky said with a smile to comfort her. When he looked to the side, he saw Monte, Dusa, Lin Feng, and Sandro had all arrived. Dusa, like Liliya, was crying raining tears, while the eyes of the other few were red-rimmed as they looked at him.


    "I''m fine¡­"


    Glancing at them, Rocky then turned to look towards the city walls, where he saw a host of Guards, and then waved at them.


    "City Lord is mighty!"


    "City Lord is mighty!"


    "City Lord is mighty!"


    As Rocky waved at the Guards, a chorus of cheers erupted from the city walls. Everyone raised their weapons high, excitedly shouting Rocky''s name.


    Facing this wave after wave of loud shouts, Rocky smiled. He then turned his head towards the opposite side and saw that the demons, which had previously approached fiercely, had now retreated completely.


    This was indeed a rare occurrence; after all, in people''s minds, demons are never known to retreat. But now it seemed, that belief was not correct, because even monsters know fear!

 Chapter 340 Major Loss......

    It turns out, demons can be afraid too.


    After the Knife Fox Demon was killed, the many demons that had been gathering at the entrance of Backhill Village scattered in a frenzy. Watching the demons disperse, Rocky finally breathed a sigh of relief. He didn''t send the warship to pursue them, but instead, with Liliya''s support, he returned to Backhill Village.


    The previous battle could be said to have resulted in heavy losses for Rocky''s side. At first, everyone thought it was just a small group of demons attacking and didn''t worry too much, after all, Backhill Village now had high walls and a strong defense, too powerful for a small group of demons to pose any threat.


    Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    But unexpectedly, what started as an attack by a small group of demons quickly escalated into an assault by several hundred demons, and ultimately, it attracted a terrifyingly powerful high-level demon, leading to substantial losses for Rocky.


    If the sinking of a destroyer by a high-level demon didn''t count as a serious loss, then the severe damage suffered by the White Demon Armor in the battle against the demons certainly couldn''t be overlooked.


    Yes, after the Knife Fox Demon was eliminated, Rocky''s White Demon Armor was severely damaged. Facing the sharp scythe of the Knife Fox Demon, the White Demon Armor sustained unprecedented heavy destruction.


    Taking off the White Demon Armor from his body and looking at the severely damaged armor, Rocky was incredibly distressed. After an inspection by Master Hammerfire, it was confirmed that the White Demon Armor could no longer be used...


    This outcome was a significant loss not only for Rocky personally but also for Backhill Village and even for Thunderhawk City, because compared to the massive Fleet, the White Demon Armor was the real trump card in Rocky''s hand. And now, after the battle with the high-level demon, this strongest trump card was gone.


    The only consolation for Rocky was that the Guard Corps had suffered relatively minor losses in the battle. Thanks to a timely retreat, the Guard Corps did not suffer any casualties, with only a few guards sustaining minor injuries in combat with Normal Demons. This result allowed Rocky to heave a sigh of relief, as the Guard Corps was an indispensable force in defending Backhill Village. As long as the unit had not been severely damaged, the village''s defenses wouldn''t have too many issues.


    After returning to his residence in Backhill Village, Rocky was immediately taken to bed. He lay there receiving treatment from the doctor while issuing orders for the aftermath.


    "Monte, send someone to clean up the battlefield, collect all usable Demon Corpses, Demon Cores, and the like."


    While the focus of the previous battle was on the high-level demon, let''s not forget that before its appearance, Rocky''s side had already eliminated hundreds of Normal Demons. The battle might be over, but the corpses of the demons destroyed by the warship and Guard Corps still remained on the battlefield. These corpses should not be wasted; they are valuable Demon Materials that can be sold for money after being collected.


    So upon returning to his residence, the first thing Rocky thought of was to have Monte collect the demon corpses outside.


    "Aileen, contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce and have them deliver a batch of Magic Energy Cannons, Armor materials, and medical supplies as soon as possible. Find out exactly what''s needed by consulting with Monte and Master Orton, and have them draw up a list for you."


    After arranging tasks for Outer Monte, Rocky called over Aileen and asked her to contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce immediately to secure a timely replenishment.


    Having gone through the recent battle, Rocky had reclaimed the feeling of his past days, his current feeling was exactly the same as when he was carrying out defense tasks in Backhill Village years ago, always on edge, facing demons that could attack at any moment.


    Especially after clashing with high-level demons, he realized something even more clearly: the land was now far more dangerous than it had been two years ago.


    Back then, when he was defending Backhill Village, although it was dangerous, the number of demons he faced wasn''t large. At most, a few would attack the village, maybe a dozen or so, and at the very most, about a hundred. But now, it was evidently different. If the demons surrounding Backhill Village were to mount an offense, they would easily number in the twenties or thirties and more, sometimes even exceeding a hundred. What was more important was the appearance of unequaled high-level demons.


    In such circumstances, Rocky couldn''t afford to take anything lightly. The idea that he could easily fend off demons with just the Fleet and the Guard Corps was clearly mistaken. To ensure the village was completely safe, he had to strengthen its defenses.


    First and foremost was to promptly repair the Magic Energy Cannons on the town walls. The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had originally installed twenty Magic Energy Cannons on the walls of Backhill Village, but unfortunately, they were all destroyed during the battle to take the village. Hence, Rocky planned to repair these magic energy cannons as soon as possible to enhance the village''s defensive capabilities.


    Next was to have Orton and others repair the White Demon Armor quickly. The threat Backhill Village now faced was not as simple as just ordinary demons; there might be other high-level demons lurking around. And as it had been proven, only the White Demon Armor could barely contend with high-level demons, so it was imperative to repair the armor urgently.


    However, due to limited funds and having never anticipated that the White Demon Armor would suffer such severe damage, Orton and the others didn''t have spare materials to perform major repairs. This left Rocky with no choice but to have the Ruby Chamber of Commerce urgently deliver a batch of raw materials for the repairs. Only in this way could the White Demon Armor be restored. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All these plans, of course, depended on the support of Gold Coins. Fortunately, the treasury of Thunderhawk City still had some funds left, and with the Demon Materials that could be obtained after the battles, Rocky didn''t have to worry too much about money.


    With his arrangements in place, everyone became busy once again. Monte led the Guard Corps to sort out the Demon Materials; Aileen was in a hurry to contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, and the rest were repairing the walls or mining as needed.


    And so, time quickly passed by three days.


    In these three days, Backhill Village gradually got back on track. The mine had started operating, the city walls had been completely repaired, and now they were just waiting for the Ruby Chamber of Commerce to deliver the Magic Energy Cannons for installation. Also, after three days of bed rest, Rocky had more or less recovered, and then he immediately went to meet with Orton and the others.


    After the previous battle ended, to prevent high-level demons from appearing again, Orton and his team stayed in Backhill Village, and simply moved part of the research lab equipment into the village. They were now constantly conducting research there.


    Rocky, of course, was grateful for this, but he was more concerned about something else¡ªthe White Demon Armor. So as soon as he recovered, he went straight to where Orton and his team were stationed.


    "Master Hammerfire, when can the White Demon Armor be repaired? Whatever you need, just speak directly to Aileen, and she will purchase it for you."


    Upon seeing Orton and his team, Rocky immediately asked this question, indicating that as long as the White Demon Armor could be repaired quickly, anything would be manageable.


    Unfortunately, facing his words, none of Orton''s team responded. In the end, it was Master Hammerfire who shook his head first, "City Lord, young man, the White Demon Armor... is completely beyond repair..."

 Chapter 341 Redesign!

    "Scrapped...?"


    Upon hearing Hammerfire''s words, Rocky froze on the spot.


    "The damage to the White Demon Armor is too severe. If we were to repair it, the cost would be almost as high as manufacturing a new set of armor; therefore, we believe there is no longer any necessity to repair it."


    While Rocky was stunned, Orton also opened his mouth, offering an explanation to Rocky.


    After the fight with the Knife Fox Demon, the White Demon Armor had suffered severe damage. It wasn''t that there was absolutely no hope of full repair, but as Orton said, the time and cost involved in repairing the current White Demon Armor were as high as making a new set of armor, so there was no longer any necessity to repair it.


    "But teacher, without the White Demon Armor, I..."


    After being dazed for a moment, Rocky regained his senses, and his face immediately showed an ugly expression.


    He certainly knew how severely damaged the White Demon Armor was in the battle and understood the intention of Orton and others, but without the White Demon Armor, it was no exaggeration to say that Rocky''s strength would immediately drop a notch!


    Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    The White Demon Armor was too important to him, especially now!


    "Kid, don''t worry."


    Noticing Rocky''s sour face, Orton then smiled and said, "We know how much you need the White Demon Armor, but the set is indeed too badly damaged. However, don''t rush; we have already begun designing a new generation of White Demon Armor."


    "Redesign...?"


    Upon hearing Orton''s words, Rocky was stunned again, then his face showed an incredulous expression, "Teacher, are you saying you''re redesigning the White Demon Armor?"


    "That''s right."


    This time, Hammerfire was the one speaking, "It''s a pity the White Demon Armor is scrapped, but this is also a good opportunity for us. We can take this chance to redesign it entirely, incorporating the new technologies we''ve recently improved and developed."


    In reality, although it was a pity that the White Demon Armor was scrapped, they could just make a new set¡ªafter all, the White Demon Armor was originally made by Hammerfire, so making a new set of armor shouldn''t be a challenge for him.


    But clearly, Hammerfire and Orton were not planning to do just that.


    Considering the time, the White Demon Armor was a creation from six months ago; during this period, Orton and his colleagues were not idle. The four of them had been continuously conducting in-depth research on runes, constantly improving and innovating the current armor technology, and had made significant breakthroughs in this area.


    That is to say, Orton and his colleagues now had a batch of new technologies ready to be used and implemented.


    However, since the design of the White Demon Armor was relatively early, the armor''s framework and technology were essentially fixed. Even though Orton and his colleagues had now mastered more advanced rune technology, they couldn''t drastically improve the already finalized design of the new type of White Demon Armor.


    But now that the White Demon Armor was scrapped and a remake was necessary anyway, they could completely redesign the original armor.


    "That''s great!"


    Having heard Hammerfire''s explanation and knowing that they were redesigning the White Demon Armor, Rocky excitedly waved his fists and hurriedly said, "Teacher, masters, are the design drawings ready? Can I take a look?"


    With eyes full of excitement and anticipation, Rocky looked at the four of them, his gaze so pure it was like that of a child yearning for a toy, unable to wait any longer.


    As for his reaction, Orton and the others were not surprised at all, so they soon brought him to the test stand and then Hammerfire took out the design drawing of the new generation of White Demon Armor.


    This design drawing was not something Hammerfire had drawn up temporarily, for they had been planning to manufacture the new generation of White Demon Armor a few months ago, so Hammerfire had already started designing based on the original White Demon Armor several months prior.


    Under these circumstances, the design drawing Rocky saw, although not yet one hundred percent complete, already had the rudiments of the new generation White Demon Armor.


    Having previously participated in the design of Tank Model 1, Rocky was already quite familiar with design drawings, so a few minutes after seeing this drawing, his eyes gradually widened! S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This, this is..."


    Looking at the annotations on the design drawing, Rocky slowly opened his mouth and then quickly pointed at the diagram, looking towards Orton and the others, "Teacher, is this, could this possibly be..."


    "You''ve figured it out?"


    As Rocky looked over with his mouth agape, Orton simply smiled, his face also revealing an expression of pride.


    "Teacher, could this possibly be the Knife Fox Demon''s scythe?"


    Pointing at the design drawing of the new generation White Demon Armor, Rocky was astounded, for he had noticed the new weapon in the White Demon Armor at the very first glance of the design drawing¡ªthe weapon was actually a scythe!


    Looking at the scythe on the design drawing, no matter how Rocky looked, it appeared familiar, and then he suddenly realized, wasn''t this the very scythe of the Knife Fox Demon!


    In a previous battle, although the Knife Fox Demon had been completely reduced to ashes by the direct hit of the Demon Annihilation Cannon, its most characteristic pair of scythes had been left behind. Even under such powerful force of the Demon Annihilation Cannon that turned the Knife Fox Demon itself to ashes, this pair of scythes was left unscathed!


    What Rocky did not know was that when Monte led people to retrieve Demon Materials, these two scythes were not only successfully recovered but also taken advantage of by Orton and others, who planned to use them as raw materials to create a top melee weapon!


    Knowing that Orton and his team had this idea, Rocky was naturally the happiest, for he knew very well how formidable these two scythes were. It was with these two scythes that the Knife Fox Demon easily shredded the Magic Energy Shield of the White Demon, and it was also because of these two scythes that the White Demon Armor was completely scrapped. Therefore, if Orton and his team could turn these two scythes into weapons, the melee strength of the new generation White Demon Armor would undoubtedly increase significantly!


    "Right!"


    Just as Rocky recalled the usage of these two scythes, he suddenly remembered another matter, something he had forgotten for a long time, and then quickly looked towards Orton and the others, "Teacher, masters, I think I have a high-level demon tooth too."


    "What?"


    Hearing his words, Orton and the others were all taken aback, and the four people almost turned their heads to look at him at the same time.


    "City Lord kid, don''t talk nonsense. You''ve seen how difficult it is to deal with high-level demons. How could you possibly have such a creature''s tooth?"


    Hammerfire shook his head as he looked at Rocky, for items from a high-level demon were exceedingly precious, something even they could not obtain; thus, Hammerfire simply did not believe Rocky would have one.


    "Really, I do have one!"


    Seeing that several people did not believe him, Rocky said this while asking Liliya to immediately return to Thunderhawk City to fetch that unknown tooth from the City Lord''s Mansion.


    Following his instructions, Liliya promptly left and, watching Liliya depart, Orton and the others frowned, exchanging dubious looks. Could it be that Rocky actually had a high-level demon''s tooth?

 Chapter 342 The Only Existence

    Upon learning that Orton and others had retrieved the scythe of the Knife Fox Demon and planned to turn it into a weapon, Rocky suddenly remembered another thing ¡ª he still had a tooth from a high-level demon in his possession!


    He recalled that during his first trip to Eternal City, in order to sell the ores left behind by a Grayrock Demon, he once visited the Hunting Exchange and bought a tooth there.


    At that time, he intended to use this tooth as a close combat weapon, but unfortunately, it soon revealed a serious problem. It wasn''t until Monte joined him that Rocky found out the tooth he had bought for only a few hundred Gold Coins might have come from a high-level demon!


    This revelation had scared Rocky out of his wits. He never thought he would encounter such a stroke of accidental fortune. Sadly, back then his abilities were too limited to know how to use it, even if the tooth might be worth a fortune. So he had no choice but to set it aside, and as time passed, he forgot about it... until now, when he finally remembered.


    However, to Rocky''s claims, Orton and the others were skeptical. It was not that they didn''t believe Rocky, but rather they simply couldn''t fathom that such good fortune could really exist in this world!


    That was a high-level demon''s tooth! To casually find one in the market and buy it for only a few hundred Gold Coins seemed like a joke!


    So when Rocky shared this story, Orton and the others did not believe it.


    Because of this, Rocky had no choice but to ask Liliya to fetch the tooth from Thunderhawk City to prove he was not lying.


    Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    Since Thunderhawk City was hovering above Backhill Village at the time, going back and forth on a Reconnaissance Ship did not take much time. In about an hour or so, Liliya returned before everyone and handed a wooden box over to Orton upon her arrival.


    Taking the wooden box brought back by Liliya, Orton, Hammerfire, Pelaya, and Aniye curiously formed a circle and slowly opened the lid of the box...


    As the wooden box was gradually opened, a faint blue light began to emanate from within. Upon seeing this blue light, or more accurately the tooth emitting the blue light, Orton and the others were dumbstruck!


    Holding the wooden box, Orton first held his breath, then started to breathe rapidly. As he breathed quickly, he looked around at the others and saw that whether it was Hammerfire, Pelaya, or the most experienced Aniye, all of them, like him, not only had rapid breathing but were also staring intently at the blue light inside the box.


    "This is..."


    "Could this really be..."


    "Yes, it must be."


    "Heavens, it''s simply unbelievable!"


    They carefully lifted the azure tooth out of the wooden box, treating it as if it were a priceless treasure. They examined it carefully while talking to each other in words that bystanders couldn''t understand.


    It wasn''t until a good while later that they finally snapped out of it and all turned to look at Rocky.


    Being stared at by four people as if he were some kind of monster, Rocky suddenly felt a chill down his spine, even feeling an impulse to run away. And before he could even react, Orton and the others had surrounded him!


    "Kid, tell us the truth, where exactly did you get this tooth from?" Orton could not help but ask as he looked at Rocky.


    This question baffled Rocky, for he had just explained in detail how he had come by the tooth.


    "It was really bought by me."


    "Young City Lord, are you treating us like outsiders? Tell us, is this something your parents left for you?"


    "The things my parents left were swindled away long ago, this was really bought by me."


    Looking at the group, Rocky was truly at a loss for words. He had previously said that he had bought a tooth from a high-level demon and they didn''t believe him; now he had brought the tooth and they still doubted him.


    "It was really bought?"


    Seeing Rocky almost in tears, Orton and the others exchanged glances before incredulity spread across their faces.


    "This is really... really... incredibly lucky..."


    "Unimaginable, truly unimaginable."


    "Such luck... there''s simply no way to describe it..."


    "It could also be a case where even a blind cat runs into a dead mouse every now and then, maybe this kid did hit upon a pie falling from the sky."


    After sharing a look, Orton and his companions couldn''t help but comment.


    Their reactions left Rocky completely baffled, but before he could ask any questions, Aniye was the first to speak.


    "Rocky, do you know which demon this tooth came from?"


    "I don''t know."


    Turning toward Aniye, Rocky shook his head vigorously like a rattle-drum, truly unaware of the tooth''s origin. Not only him, even Monte, who was a Demon Hunter, only suspected the tooth might belong to a high-level demon, but knew nothing more.


    As he shook his head repeatedly, Aniye smiled and then explained, "This tooth indeed comes from a high-level demon, no, that''s not quite right..."


    "This tooth is called the Azure Fang and comes from a demon named Leviathan. Of course, whether it''s the name of the tooth or that of the demon, there are very few who would recognize them."


    "I''ve never heard of it..."


    When Aniye revealed the name of the tooth and then mentioned the demon Leviathan, Rocky thought carefully and then nodded repeatedly. He had a fair knowledge of demons from frequent chats with Monte, the Demon Hunter, but these two names he had never come across.


    Moreover, after hearing these two names, Rocky felt something strange.


    The name Azure Fang was quite ordinary and fitting, given that the tooth naturally emanated a faint blue light; using ''azure'' to describe it didn''t seem over the top. However, the name Leviathan was a bit odd...


    "What, you think the name is odd, do you?"


    As if he had seen through Rocky''s thoughts, Aniye posed the question just as Rocky had begun to puzzle over the name Leviathan.


    "Yes." Rocky nodded in response to the question: "It doesn''t sound like the name of a demon."


    "Hehehe..." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this, Aniye laughed softly, then nodded while saying, "You''re right, Leviathan doesn''t sound like the name of a demon. In fact, the very reason people gave the demon such a name was to distinguish it from ordinary demons."


    "Distinguish? Why?"


    "Because the demon Leviathan is the only one of its kind."


    "The only one...?"


    Looking dazedly at Aniye, Rocky blinked and licked his lips, suddenly feeling a bit confused. He felt he didn''t quite understand the meaning behind Aniye''s words.


    The only one?


    What did it mean by ''the only one''?

 Chapter 343 The Thirty-three Great Demons

    "The sole Demon..."


    Such an explanation from Aniye not only failed to clarify things for Rocky, but instead confused him even more. All he could do was to try to understand the statement literally, "Master, are you saying that this Demon named Leviathan, there''s only one in the world?"


    "That''s correct."


    Aniye nodded, indicating that Rocky''s literal interpretation was entirely correct¡ªthe Demon named Leviathan was indeed a singular existence in the world! Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire


    "Can there really be... such a thing?!"


    Faced with Aniye''s affirmative answer, Rocky was stupefied because this answer obviously overturned his common knowledge about Demons!


    What does ''unique'' mean?


    Only an independent entity could be described as unique, just like humans; each person is unique to some extent. Rocky and Aniye are both humans, but you can''t find a second Rocky in this world, nor can you find a second Aniye, that''s what ''unique'' means.


    But how could you describe a Demon as ''unique''?


    As everyone knows, there are myriad types of Demons, and almost each type exists in endless numbers. How could there be a ''unique'' existence?


    Yet, the fact is just so¡ªthe Demon named Leviathan is indeed a unique existence!


    This Demon is unlike any other, the only one in the whole world.


    "Leviathan, this Demon, is the first special Demon we discovered. We found that it is completely different from other Demons in every aspect. This Demon is almost no different from us, so if other Demons are called Normal Demons, then Leviathan would be a special Demon."


    "No different from us...?"


    "That''s right, no different from us."


    Looking at Rocky, who was agape, Aniye, while feeling helpless, couldn''t deny this fact.


    Perhaps Normal Demons are but a horde of creatures without a shred of intelligence or sense, but the Demon Leviathan is different¡ªit''s almost indistinguishable from humans!


    And as Aniye nodded helplessly, Rocky was completely astounded; Aniye''s few words had utterly upended his worldview!


    But what was more revolutionary for his cognition actually lay ahead.


    Just as Rocky stood agape, Aniye was about to reveal an even more explosive secret!


    All he said next was:


    "Moreover... there are more special Demons in the world similar to Leviathan, not just one."


    "Ah!"


    Rocky, who hadn''t fully grasped this concept, couldn''t help but exclaim and his face showed an expression of utter disbelief.


    "In this world, a total of The Thirty-three Great Demons have been discovered, each one like Leviathan, a unique existence in the world. Among all Demons, these thirty-three are akin to emperors; they possess immense wisdom and strength, and Normal Demons are like ants before them, even high-level Demons are under their control."


    As a result, people also refer to these thirty-three special Demons as The Thirty-three Great Demons."


    Speaking of which, Aniye glanced at Rocky, "Have you heard of the forbidden zones?"


    "I... I''ve heard," Rocky stammered, quickly nodding his head, "The Traceless Battlefield is one of those forbidden zones, isn''t it?"


    Taken aback by Aniye''s sudden question, Rocky blinked before hastily nodding. He indeed knew that there were several forbidden zones on the land, like the Traceless Battlefield he and Karina had visited, which was one of these zones.


    "That''s right, the Traceless Battlefield is indeed a forbidden zone, but it''s just one of the safer ones. In reality, there are dozens of large and small forbidden zones on land today. Some zones are prohibited from entry by any Sky City, with violators subjected to annihilation. Among these zones, the most dangerous areas are the territories ruled by The Thirty-three Great Demons."


    "My God... How have I never heard of these things before!"


    Everything Aniye had said left Rocky in utter shock; he had never even heard about these matters!


    Among the Demons, there actually existed beings like Demon Kings, who could control other demons and even occupy territories on the land. All of this was too incredible for him. If these words had not come from Aniye''s mouth, Rocky might have doubted they were anything more than the stuff of fiction.


    But precisely because these words came from Aniye, there was no need for any doubt!


    "Of course, you wouldn''t have heard."


    Seeing Rocky''s reaction, Aniye wasn''t surprised in the slightest. He then asked with a slight smile, "Rocky, how do you feel after knowing all of this?"


    "I..."


    When asked about his feelings, Rocky opened his mouth and, after a moment''s hesitation, replied, "I... feel despair..."


    Yes, despair was what Rocky felt after hearing Aniye''s words! S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He suddenly understood why it had taken a hundred years for people to not return to the land. Clearly, the Demon''s occupation of the land, driving everyone to the skies, was far from simple; it was filled with too many secrets unknown to the people.


    As for his reaction, Nelson nodded in agreement. That was the very reason why everything he had said was not known to the world. If he shared all of this information with everyone, without question, each person would feel the same profound despair that Rocky did. Therefore, what Aniye had revealed was the highest level of secret in this world, something ordinary people could never expect to learn in their lifetimes.


    Afterwards, Aniye did not say much else. Although there were still many secrets about this world and about demons that he was aware of, he felt he had said enough for the day. If he said more, Aniye feared that Rocky might genuinely collapse...


    So, once Rocky had gradually come to terms with everything he had been told, Aniye returned his attention to the Azure Fang.


    "According to the records, Leviathan''s appearance is that of a massive serpent that feeds on energy, able to consume and expel energy in any form. Furthermore, it sheds its skin every ten years, doubling in size and strength with each molt."


    "The tooth you have must have been shed during Leviathan''s molting. If I remember correctly, this tooth can absorb Mana, right?"


    "Yes! Yes! And it becomes extremely unstable after absorbing Mana!"


    Hearing Aniye''s words, Rocky nodded continually, affirming that he was completely correct.


    "I thought as much."


    Aniye couldn''t help but show a hint of admiration as he looked at the Azure Fang in his hand, "I never imagined, truly never imagined, such a precious thing would end up in your hands. You should know, this is something money can''t measure..."


    After muttering to himself, he turned his head towards Pelaya, "Pelaya, can you make use of this tooth?"


    "Of course!"


    Looking at the Azure Fang in Aniye''s hands, Pelaya''s eyes already shone with eagerness, evidently already contemplating how to incorporate this immensely precious Azure Fang into the next generation of the White Demon Armor!

 Chapter 344 Shared Technology

    After a long discussion with Aniye and others, Rocky gained a new understanding of the world and the Demons, which shocked him.


    It turned out that the Demons who occupied the land were not as simple as people imagined. Demons were not just monsters; among them were not only terrifying high-level demons but also existences even more dreadful than high-level demons. These were all things Rocky had never known before, but now he was aware of them.


    Truth be told, after learning these secrets, he suddenly felt a pressure weigh on him, making it hard for him to breathe.


    Although he was clear that it was just psychological, Aniye had said these things actually had nothing to do with someone minor like himself, Rocky still felt very suppressed.


    However, he felt excitement as well, naturally because of the new generation of White Demon Armor!


    After taking out the Azure Fang, Orton and the others decided to use it in the new generation of White Demon Armor. With that, not to mention how many new technologies the new White Demon Armor incorporated, just the materials from the high-level demon alone were already twofold.


    One of the materials was the Knife Fox Demon''s scythe, which Orton and his team planned to make into a weapon. The other was even more precious, even countless times more valuable than the Knife Fox Demon''s scythe ¡ª the Azure Fang. Rocky was not yet clear on where and how it would be used, but however it was used, it would definitely make the new White Demon Armor much more powerful, of that he was certain.


    In such circumstances, Rocky was not only happy but a weight was also lifted from his heart. Although the design and manufacturing process of the new armor would leave Backhill Village vulnerable, it was only temporary, because, as Orton had said, it would take at least a month or two, or at most four to five months, for the new White Demon Armor to be completed.


    Once the new White Demon Armor was completed, Rocky''s strength would naturally recover and he would become even stronger than before. Right now, all he needed to do was ensure that Backhill Village got through this period smoothly, and then his great work would be accomplished.


    Regarding this matter, Rocky soon had a plan, which naturally involved leveraging the Sky Alliance.


    For this purpose, he returned to Thunderhawk City and met Lord Glan once again.


    "City Lord Rocky, have your injuries healed? Please, have a seat, have a seat..."


    Seeing Rocky, Glan immediately showed considerable warmth. He had visited Backhill Village when Rocky was injured, so he was surprised that Rocky had recovered so quickly and had started taking charge once again. Among the many city lords Glan had seen, Rocky could be considered one of the most diligent.


    "Lord Glan, when can we expect the Alliance officials to arrive?"


    After exchanging brief pleasantries with Glan, Rocky got straight to the point.


    Since the Sky Alliance also had a share in the mines at Backhill Village, it would naturally send people to participate in the mining, as a considerable portion of the mined ore was due to be handed over to the Alliance. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Soon, I confirmed just yesterday, they will arrive within three days."


    "Good, that puts my mind at ease." Rocky nodded and glanced at Glan, then slowly asked, "Lord Glan, have you mentioned the Tank Type 1 Armor to the Alliance?"


    "Oh?"


    Taken aback by the sudden mention, Glan was initially startled but soon smiled!


    Clearly, Glan understood what Rocky meant; it seemed he was looking to share the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance.


    It must be said, Glan was quite perceptive because, indeed, Rocky intended to share the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance.


    Now that the White Demon Armor was destroyed and a new generation was in production, though it would be completed soon, it still required a few months. During this time, Rocky''s overall strength would undoubtedly be significantly reduced due to the absence of the White Demon Armor. Even more inconveniently, he had just taken over Backhill Village, a situation that could be described as extremely dangerous.


    Therefore, to ensure both Thunderhawk City and Backhill Village were completely secure, Rocky decided to request protection from the Alliance.


    As a member of the Alliance, such protection was quite common; the Alliance itself had corresponding policies, allowing each member to apply once a year for military support without conditions.


    However, this support was not what Rocky could utilize now, because the Alliance''s free support merely involved sending Alliance troops to help or cooperate with a member in a battle; after the battle, the troops would withdraw. Rocky needed the Alliance troops to help defend Backhill Village for a period until the new White Demon Armor was completed.


    Of course, this request was not a difficult one for the Alliance, but getting the Alliance troops to do so was not a free lunch; a certain cost had to be paid. Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire


    This cost was definitely not Gold Coins, but Contribution Points.


    Spending Contribution Points to seek Alliance troops was a very important part of the Contribution Point system, as this practice encouraged members to actively contribute to the Alliance, so the Alliance had very detailed divisions regarding this.


    Spending one hundred Contribution Points could get the Alliance to dispatch a Fifth Generation Escort Ship.


    Spending three hundred Contribution Points could get the Alliance to dispatch a Fifth Generation Destroyer.

 Chapter 344 Shared Technology_2

    Spending a thousand Contribution Points allows the Alliance to dispatch a Fifth-Generation Patrol Airship.


    Spending five thousand Contribution Points allows the Alliance to dispatch a Fifth-Generation Battleship.


    Spending ten thousand Contribution Points allows the Alliance to dispatch a Fifth-Generation Floating Mothership.


    If one wishes for the Alliance to send additional Void Magic Warriors along with the fleet, that is also possible.


    Spending five hundred Contribution Points allows the Alliance to dispatch a Void Magic Warrior equipped with Fifth-Generation Mass-Produced Armor.


    Spending ten thousand Contribution Points allows the Alliance to dispatch a complete formation of a Void Magic Squad, with all members equipped with Fifth-Generation Mass-Produced Armor.


    Similarly, spending ten thousand Contribution Points could allow the Alliance to dispatch a top-notch Void Magic Warrior equipped with Fifth-Generation Special Armor.


    Under this detailed classification, requesting troops from the Alliance¡ªhow many troops and what kind¡ªis crystal clear, and as long as members have Contribution Points, they can have the Alliance dispatch troops anytime and anywhere, which is very convenient.


    City Lord Rocky''s idea was to rely on Contribution Points to have the Alliance dispatch a fleet to ensure the safety of Backhill Village and help him overcome the current period when his strength was in a vacuum.


    However, the prerequisite for doing so was having enough Contribution Points. The more Contribution Points one had, the more the Alliance Army would mobilize, and the longer they would stay. Unfortunately, Rocky had none left, and that''s why he planned to share the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance. Discover hidden stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    He believed that as soon as Lord Glan reported the Tank Type 1 Armor to the Alliance, they would certainly show great interest. After all, compared to those flashy but impractical Land Combat Armors of the present, the Tank Type 1 excelled in both practicality and combat capability by a wide margin.


    It is also worth remembering that Rocky designed the Tank Type 1 Armor for the defense of Backhill Village. Although he could use it himself, with his strength, the applications of the Land Combat Armor like Tank Type 1 were ultimately limited, given that he didn''t have a large territory.


    But the Sky Alliance was different.


    For a colossal entity like the Sky Alliance, not counting members with individual territories like Rocky, the territories belonging directly to the Alliance alone were extensive. All these territories under the Alliance needed defense, so in terms of demand, the Sky Alliance also had a significant need for the Tank Type 1 Armor. Under such circumstances, Rocky did not believe the Alliance would be uninterested in Tank Type 1. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So he consulted with Orton and others, inquiring whether it would be challenging to alter the Tank Type 1 to be powered by traditional Magic Stones instead of Mana. He then received an affirmative response.


    The current version of the Tank Type 1, strictly speaking, was still an experimental model. Although it was also powered by Runes, the overall technological content was not very high, making a switch to Magic Stone power completely straightforward.


    With this in mind, Rocky had a plan. He intended to share the Tank Type 1 with the Alliance and then exchange the Contribution Points received for the protection of the Alliance Army, thus overcoming the current difficulties.


    And in this matter, the Alliance''s thoughts were in complete harmony with his own.


    After receiving Lord Glan''s report, the Alliance was shocked on the one hand and attached great importance to it on the other.


    The shock, naturally, was because it was unexpected.


    The White Demon Armor could already be described as sensational, and the Alliance had never imagined that Rocky could come up with a New Armor in such a short time. Just how strong was Thunderhawk City''s research and development capacity?


    Given that Lord Glan had witnessed all the experiments of Tank Type 1, he communicated everything he saw to the Alliance in his report. Glan might have been a layman, but there were plenty of experts on Void Magic Armor in the Alliance. These experts immediately judged that the Tank Type 1 Armor was a unique and highly practical Armor.


    After receiving such an assessment, the Alliance immediately contacted Lord Glan, urging him to do his best to persuade Rocky to share the Tank Type 1 with the Alliance.


    Therefore, as Rocky had imagined, the Alliance was indeed very interested in the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    However, during this time, Lord Glan had not taken the initiative to discuss the matter with him because when the Alliance conveyed this message, Rocky was in the midst of planning to take over Backhill Village. By the time he had occupied the village, a series of events had taken place, and Lord Glan had not found the opportunity to bring it up. Unexpectedly, Rocky took the initiative to mention it.


    Naturally, this pleased Lord Glan, who immediately said, "City Lord Rocky, I reported the matter of the Tank Type 1 Armor to the Alliance long ago, and the Alliance has nothing but praise for this new armor, saying a great deal of good about it."


    After saying this, he leaned forward slightly and continued, "City Lord Rocky, the Alliance is quite interested in this armor and has been pressing me to ask if you would be willing to share the design blueprints of the armor with the Alliance. Of course, such sharing would definitely be compensated; the Alliance will surely offer a large number of Contribution Points as a reward."


    "That is exactly my intention."


    With a slight smile at Lord Glan, Rocky did not play coy and nodded directly.


    In this matter, he didn''t need any scheming or haggling because the Alliance had detailed regulations for such affairs.


    Sharing technology or new armor¡ªsuch things could not be taken lightly by anyone, and the Sky Alliance valued them greatly. Therefore, whenever similar situations arose, the Alliance would send personnel to strictly evaluate the shared technology or technique. Then, based on the evaluation, they would determine the level and award Contribution Points to the sharing members according to this level. In this aspect, there were no personal favors to discuss; everything had to be done according to regulations.


    Therefore, Rocky didn''t need to worry too much about this.


    Meanwhile, seeing that Rocky indeed had this intention, Lord Glan''s smile immediately brightened. But before he could speak, Rocky spoke up again.


    "Lord Glan, I have no objections to contributing the Tank Type 1 Armor to the Alliance, but I have a request."


    "Oh? Let''s hear it."


    "I need the Alliance to immediately carry out a series of inspections and evaluations; I''m very short on time."


    Rocky was willing to share the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance because he wanted to smoothly get through the coming months. Therefore, it was essential to act quickly; if the process dragged on for months, he would no longer need the Alliance Army''s protection.


    "This way..."


    Not expecting Rocky to be in such a hurry, Lord Glan furrowed his brow in thought, then after a moment, nodded and said, "City Lord Rocky, I will report this to the Alliance right away. Rest assured."


    "Hmm, in addition, I may also need the Alliance Army..."


    After nodding, Rocky shared his plan to spend Contribution Points to have the Alliance Army defend Backhill Village with Lord Glan, then entrusted him with ensuring that the Alliance would handle the matter as quickly as possible.


    Following Rocky''s departure, Lord Glan immediately reported the series of events to the Alliance. Upon receiving the news, the Alliance quickly responded by sending personnel to meet Rocky while also immediately contacting Contact City, the nearest to Backhill Village, to rush to the village.


    Thus, three days swiftly passed, and as Rocky had anticipated, Backhill Village had become increasingly dangerous because, in just these short three days, the village had suffered another large-scale demon attack!


    This time there were two waves of demons, the first consisting of over fifty creatures, and the second wave numbering over a hundred. Fortunately, no high-level demons appeared during these attacks, which was a relief to everyone.


    On the second day after the attack, the Sky Alliance personnel assigned to supervise the mines arrived. Under the arrangement of Lord Glan, they met with Rocky and then started their work. Another three days passed, and the personnel who came to inspect and evaluate the Tank Type 1 Armor also arrived.

 Chapter 345 The Expedition Begins!

    Glan''s ability to get things done was indeed strong. After learning that Rocky intended to share the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance, he immediately made contact with the Alliance, and within just a few days, had the inspection and assessment personnel arrive at Thunderhawk City.


    To achieve this was not easy, after all, sky travel was not convenient, and it was impossible to have the related personnel arrive so quickly without expending significant effort, but Glan and the Sky Alliance managed it.


    Of course, Rocky wasn''t idle during this process. After meeting with Glan, he immediately took Hammerfire back to Thunderhawk City, then worked overtime to manufacture, and finally, before the Alliance personnel arrived, used the remaining materials to produce the third Tank Type 1 Armor.


    This Tank Type 1 Armor, in terms of functionality, was almost identical to the previous two. The only difference was in its driving method: the first two were powered by runes, whereas the third one used traditional Magic Stones to supply mana, ensuring that even if this Armor and its blueprints were handed over to the Sky Alliance, Rocky wouldn''t suffer any loss.


    So it went that by the time the Sky Alliance''s inspectors reached Thunderhawk City, the process of testing and assessment started immediately.


    "City Lord Rocky."


    On the training field inside the Guard Camp, an elderly man with graying hair nodded slightly at Rocky, exhibiting neither submissiveness nor arrogance.


    This elder was named Higgins, a researcher directly affiliated with the internal structure of the Sky Alliance. He had personally led the development of two Fourth Generation Special Armors and two Fifth Generation Special Armors and was a prominent figure in the Armor Domain, highly esteemed.


    Of course, the Sky Alliance didn''t send just Higgins; after all, this was regarding the major matter of a new type of Armor. In reality, the Alliance dispatched an entire inspection and assessment team of fifteen people, with Higgins as the leader.


    After offering Rocky an unaffected greeting, Higgins turned and, smiling, led the entire team towards Orton and the others.


    "Hammerfire, I hear this New Armor was designed by you?"


    Approaching Orton and the others, Higgins first nodded politely at Pelaya and then turned to look down at Hammerfire with a smile, "I heard you weren''t designing Armors anymore, were you?"


    "Hmph, this kind of Armor doesn''t need my personal design; it''s City Lord Rocky''s initiative, I just offered some minor pointers," Hammerfire said, lifting his chin and looking askance at Higgins as he spoke with a curled lip.


    There is a saying that professionals are rivals, and there could be no better example than Higgins and Hammerfire, whose fields of expertise were identical, both masters in their domain, with relations as sharp as needle points against wheat awns.


    Back when the Fourth Generation Armors were in vogue, Hammerfire was a sought-after celebrity, having designed the near-perfect Hammerfire Armor, reaching the zenith of his fame. In comparison, although Higgins also led the design of two Special Armors, neither he nor the Armors approached Hammerfire''s renown. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But fortunes change. By the fifth-generation Armor era, Hammerfire had nearly vanished from the scene, while Higgins shone brilliantly with his led designs of the ''Chosen Warrior'' and ''Fury Cannon'' Special Armors, earning accolades within and outside the industry, becoming one of the hottest figures in the Armor Domain.


    Under such circumstances, with Higgins and Hammerstone in the same place, no reason was necessary for a friction to ignite between them.


    "Higgins, as I remember, you once said that add-on technology was unfeasible, so how did Sigma Corporation manage to produce the Holy Angel Armor? Tell me, did they or did they not use add-on technology?"


    Glancing sideways at Higgins, Hammerfire chuckled as he brought up the Holy Angel Armor, causing Higgins''s expression to instantly change.


    As previously mentioned, the Magic Conduction Technology used in the Holy Angel was actually derived from improvements made to the initially problematic add-on technology. At the time, Higgins publicly stated his belief that the so-called add-on technology was utterly unfeasible, which, although not the sole reason for the halt in the development of add-on technology, contributed its part to the decision.


    Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    However, now the unveiling of the Holy Angel Armor had proven the viability of add-on technology, and Hammerfire''s reminder was clearly a slap in Higgins''s face.


    Nevertheless, after a slight change in expression, Higgins refrained from pursuing the topic and instead turned to address Aniye.


    "Senior, the last time we met was two years ago; you''re still as robust as ever."


    Although Higgins was currently a hot figure in the Armor Domain, facing a scholar of Aniye''s stature, akin to a paragon in academia, he showed considerable respect.


    After briefly chatting with Aniye and introducing the other team members to him, Higgins nodded at Orton, then turned to Rocky.


    "City Lord Rocky, is this the Tank Type 1 Armor you mentioned?"


    Looking at the Tank Type 1 in the center of the playground, Higgins asked.


    "Yes, this is the design blueprint for the Armor, along with the operating manual," Rocky responded, nodding as he produced the design and operating manual for the Tank Type 1 Armor. Of course, this was the new diagram he had drawn with Hammerfire, keeping the original design, which used runes as its core, away from the Sky Alliance.

 Chapter 345 The Campaign Begins!_2

    Higgins took the design blueprint and looked it over with the others by his side, and it didn''t take them long to finish.


    However, after roughly going through the design blueprint again, he and the people around him exchanged glances, showing a hint of disappointment in their eyes.


    They were indeed disappointed.


    In fact, thinking about it, it was somewhat an overkill for the Sky Alliance to send Higgins'' team to test and evaluate the Tank Type 1 Armor; this team''s capabilities not only extended to testing and evaluating, but they could also easily participate in the research and development of the White Demon Armor. Therefore, anyone could see that the Sky Alliance had ulterior motives beyond the task at hand.


    And in reality, that was the case. The Sky Alliance was indeed very interested in the Tank Type 1 Armor and wanted it, but what they were more concerned about was another new technology that Aniye and others were researching¡ªthe same one that, despite having been announced at a press conference, was still partially veiled in secrecy.


    The Alliance''s idea was quite simple; since the Tank Type 1 Armor was also developed by Aniye and his team, would they have incorporated some of this new technology? Even if the new technology was not fully applied to the Tank Type 1, but merely certain concepts were used, the Sky Alliance was very keen to acquire it.


    Because of this notion, the Alliance had dispatched Higgins'' team, trusting that with Higgins'' ability, as long as the Tank Type 1 Armor incorporated any of the new technology, even if it was just the idea of it, he would surely discover it.


    Unfortunately, the Alliance''s thinking was too simplistic in this matter. Even though Rocky had promised to share the runes with the Alliance in the future, at this stage, he was still holding onto the runes tightly. After all, he was still too weak; only by maintaining a firm grasp on the critical runes would the Alliance take him seriously, so he would not let his guard down over this matter.


    Therefore, the design blueprint he gave to the Alliance, while indeed for the Tank Type 1, contained none of the new technology. Moreover, the Tank Type 1 wasn''t particularly high-tech; its only notable feature was the Rune System, and by replacing this system with a traditional Magic Stone to provide Mana, the Tank Type 1 would be no different from any other armor. Even Higgins'' team wouldn''t find any flaw because there simply was none to find.


    Detecting the disappointment in Higgins and his team''s eyes, Rocky, Hammerfire, Orton, and the others exchanged looks, their eyes brimming with a hint of amusement. When it came to technology, even if Rocky was not thorough in his considerations, cunning old foxes like Orton had already covered all bases, and even Aniye would pitch in with ideas. Stealing or tricking the Rune Technology out of their hands was nothing short of a pipe dream.


    However, though slightly disappointed, Higgins and his team did not forget their primary duties and promptly conducted a series of tests on the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    These tests could not be completed in a day, but in just two to three days, or at most a week, they would conclude, and then Rocky could receive a significant amount of Contribution Points. Since he had already shared his plans with Glan, Glan had also contacted the nearby Contact City. It wouldn''t be long before they arrived, and then Rocky could use his Contribution Points to have the Alliance Army defend Backhill Village.


    Everything was progressing smoothly.


    ...


    Read exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    ...


    Everything was progressing smoothly.


    "Father, is there really no possibility of stopping it now..."


    Machine City, inside the City Lord''s Mansion. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Through the huge French window of Atted''s study, Cyril could clearly see a fleet that had already ascended; this massive fleet, comprised entirely of large warships, numbered over fifty vessels, with battleships alone accounting for ten of them, and even had a floating mothership as its flagship!


    This fleet would represent Machine City in the war against Rocky!


    Two months had passed since the last family meeting concluded. At that meeting two months ago, the Mairente Family, with the vast majority of the Elders'' approval, decided to wage war against Rocky. Now, the campaign was finally set in motion!


    Although it may seem inefficient for a decision made two months ago to only be implemented today, the reality was quite the contrary. For a large family like the Mairente, the longer the preparation time, the more fearsome they were!


    For example, during these two months, everyone in the Mairente Family was busy; on one hand, they investigated all sorts of information related to Rocky, while on the other, they were mobilizing the family''s forces to the fullest.


    Also, since this was an action taken by the entire family, even though Atted expressed the greatest degree of opposition, it was futile, and as the Clan Leader, he was required to deploy troops.


    Although Atted did everything he could to resist the orders to deploy, sending less than half of the troops compared to Lexington and Kelly, don''t forget that he was the Lord of Machine City, a top-tier large Sky City. Any fleet from within Machine City would be impressive by any standard.


    Compared to the passive Atted, it was Lexington and Kelly who were the most proactive in the campaign against Rocky. Not only did they deploy fleets of massive number and scale, but each also mobilized a mid-sized Sky City!


    The sky is boundless and vast, and to wage a war over such long distances, it''s absolutely impossible without the support of a Sky City. Therefore, Lexington and Kelly each sent out a mid-sized Sky City to ensure the smooth progression of the campaign.


    As far as Cyril knew, in addition to the two mid-sized Sky Cities, the total number of warships dispatched by the Mairente Family reached over four hundred. As for the commander-in-chief of this expedition, it was none other than Lexington''s son, Abraham!


    Without a doubt, the Mairente Family was resolute in leaving no avenue of survival for Rocky this time!


    "Father, is there no possibility of stopping?"


    Seeing that her father didn''t respond, Cyril turned her head and looked at Atted''s back and asked again.


    Unfortunately, she still didn''t hear an answer, only Atted''s sigh.


    "How long will it take to reach Backhill Village from the family''s location?"


    After a sigh, Atted asked a question.


    "At most one month''s time."


    As she spoke, Cyril had already moved in front of Atted and, seeing her father''s face had aged significantly more than it had two months before, she felt an inexplicable pang of heartache.


    As if he had read Cyril''s thoughts, Atted smiled and waved his hand, "I''m fine... It''s just that whether the family can remain untroubled like now after a month is uncertain..."


    With that, Atted leaned back into his chair, sighing again.


    "Father, what... what do you mean?"


    But Cyril clearly didn''t understand what he meant.


    "I''m asking you." Seeing the puzzled look on Cyril''s face, Atted leaned forward, resting his hands on the desk, "How many fleets are there in Rocky''s Thunderhawk City?"


    "According to intelligence, there won''t be more than twenty large warships. The strongest of these is likely a Fifth-Generation Battleship. As for Void Magic Warriors, there should only be a small squad, with the strongest naturally being Rocky himself and his White Demon Armor."


    Having prepared their intelligence work in advance, the Mairente Family had a clear picture of Rocky''s current strength.


    Hearing her words, Atted then said, "Given this, have you ever considered why the family would deploy two mid-sized Sky Cities and over four hundred warships to eliminate him?"


    "That..."


    "Lexington and Kelly, they are playing with fire..."


    Before Cyril could gather her thoughts, Atted said helplessly.


    "Cyril, how long has it been since you last saw Athena?"


    "What?"


    Shaking his head helplessly, Atted closed his eyes wearily and murmured, "Go and talk with her, see if she can think of something to help you."

 Chapter 346 Mysterious Woman

    Machine City, as the main city of the Mairente Family, was always stationed in a fixed airspace, which from the heavens to the earth below belonged to the Mairente Family, and no other Sky City was allowed entry.


    Not far from the airspace occupied by the Mairente Family, there was, in fact, another huge airspace that contained three Sky Cities, one large and two medium. The largest of these, known as Glory City, had a population of over two hundred thousand and was considered a major city in the skies.


    Since the two territories were quite close to each other, it only took Cyril an afternoon to reach the port of Glory City after she had left Machine City.


    Although dusk had already fallen and the sun had set below the horizon by the time she disembarked from the Skyship, Cyril immediately stepped into a carriage and headed straight from the Skyport to the city district.


    As a large Sky City with a population exceeding two hundred thousand, Glory City was very extensive, so by the time Cyril, riding in the carriage, reached the city district and finally stopped next to a secluded street, darkness had already set in.


    After getting off the carriage, Cyril glanced across the street and soon spotted a large mansion.


    This mansion, even by Glory City standards, was large. It had three floors and occupied nearly the entire street with its vast courtyard; calling it a mansion was an understatement¡ªit was more like a manor located in the city district.


    After observing the mansion, Cyril ran across the street, had the guards at the gate notify the inhabitants, and then entered the mansion.


    Guided by a servant, Cyril ascended the staircase all the way to the third floor and entered a study.


    In the study sat two girls about her age. One of them, dressed in a refined and opulent noble outfit, had a cute and likable face, the kind that one would take to immediately. She was idly sitting by the bookshelf. In contrast, the other girl looked quite ordinary and sat quietly in the room, lazily reading a book.


    "Sister Cyril."


    Upon seeing Cyril being led in by a servant, the girl reading the book smiled and said, before taking a bookmark and placing it in the book, then setting the book aside.


    Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Sister Cyril, what brought you here so suddenly? I would have sent someone to pick you up if you had informed me."


    After closing the book, the girl quickly pulled Cyril into the study, then said to the other, bored noble girl, "Anya, you remember Sister Cyril, right? You''ve met her once before." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course, I remember."


    Giving Cyril a polite nod, the girl named Anya didn''t say much more and then tactfully left the study, leaving just the two of them.


    "Athena, how have you been lately?"


    Sitting across from the girl, Cyril asked with a smile.


    The girl in front of her was the very Athena referred to by Atted.


    "Sister Cyril, you must have come here because something urgent has come up, right?"


    Sitting down beside Cyril, Athena, instead of indulging in small talk, got straight to the point.


    Clearly, she had already guessed Cyril''s intentions, which was normal for someone of Cyril''s stature who had hurriedly come for a visit without any urgent matter¡ªit would indeed be strange otherwise.


    Since Athena had broached the subject, Cyril dispensed with further pleasantries and immediately spoke, "Athena, have you heard about the recent events affecting our family?"


    "Oh, I''ve heard a bit..."


    Nodding, Athena turned to look at a bookshelf, then pulled out a notebook and glanced through it: "Your family is preparing to move against Rocky, the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, aren''t they?"


    "You''ve mobilized over four hundred warships and two medium-sized Sky Cities, and you''re set to depart in a few days, right?"


    Looking at Cyril, Athena spoke in the same somewhat languid manner she had used while reading.


    But despite her seemingly relaxed demeanor, the information she shared stunned Cyril, because everything Athena mentioned was exactly right, down to the finest detail¡ªthe entire Mairente Family''s moves had been grasped by her, more than even Cyril could comprehend!


    Thus, upon hearing everything she said, Cyril''s mouth hung open in shock for a good while without speaking.


    Athena, a girl who shared her name with the goddess of war and wisdom, was not only similar to the deity in name but nearly matched the goddess in capability!


    This girl, unaffiliated with any forces, was respected by all because she was incredibly intelligent, so much so that it was difficult to describe. Her brilliant mind could turn desperate situations around or foil certain victories. She was truly a remarkable woman of the skies.


    Interestingly, Athena enjoyed strategizing for others; as long as something piqued her interest, countless battles were planned by her hand. Some lived because of her, and some died because of her, making her identity always dual in people''s eyes; she was either an angel or a demon.


    "You..."


    Facing the languid Athena, Cyril opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words, eventually sighing, "You''re still as fearsome as ever, even more thorough than the Shadow Alliance''s intelligence, right?"


    "They do indeed come to me for information." Laughing nonchalantly, Athena looked at Cyril: "Sister Cyril, did you come here to inquire about this? About your family deploying troops?"

 Chapter 346 The Mysterious Woman_2

    ```


    "Yes."


    "You should know more about this matter than I do, shouldn''t you?"


    "All I know is the surface, I want to know everything."


    After a conversation with her father, Cyril realized that her family''s campaign against Rocky was not as simple as it appeared on the surface, and since her father had sent her to inquire of Athena and ask for her opinion, there was clearly a reason for it. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That''s why she asked in such a way.


    After listening to her, Athena pondered for a moment, then, just like before, took out several books from the bookshelf beside her and began to flip through them, one by one.


    After about a few minutes, she closed the books and put them back in the distance, then looked back at Cyril.


    "Does your family have any relation with the Kafka Empire?"


    "Huh?"


    Startled by the question, Cyril was momentarily stunned before she shook her head, "We have little contact with the Kafka Empire; our interaction is minimal."


    "I see..."


    Nodding her head, Athena glanced at Cyril and after a moment, she spoke, "Sister Cyril, if I''m not mistaken, the Kafka Empire''s influence lurks behind your family''s actions this time."


    "The Kafka... Empire?"


    Athena''s words made Cyril''s eyes widen in shock; the conclusion was too startling and incredible. How could the Kafka Empire be involved in her family''s campaign against Rocky?


    "Athena, could you be mistaken? Our family has little to do with the Kafka Empire; moreover, this campaign against Rocky has nothing to do with them. How could they possibly be involved?"


    After regaining her composure, Cyril asked with a frown. She admitted that Athena was a remarkable woman, incomparably more capable than herself, but she couldn''t believe Athena''s current conclusion.


    "How do I make you understand..."


    Athena wasn''t surprised by Cyril''s reaction and didn''t argue with her. After thinking for a while, she began to say, "Sister Cyril, you know about the fall of Tulip City, don''t you?"


    "I do... What does that have to do with what we''re talking about?"


    Cyril certainly knew about the significant event of Tulip City''s fall, but she didn''t understand how it was related to what she came to inquire about.


    "It''s related, and significantly so."


    With a slight smile, Athena continued, "You should be very aware of the relationship between the three Saint Cities on land and The Three Great Alliances. From a certain perspective, the Saint Cities serve as the land bases for The Three Great Alliances, with both being nearly inseparable."


    "Because of this inseparable relationship, the fall of Tulip City is a colossal blow to the Sky Alliance. Outsiders might not see it, but those who know the details understand that it''s severe enough to cripple the Sky Alliance."


    "This is why the Alliance had Wilton immediately lead troops to strike. Their goal isn''t to take back Tulip City; what the Alliance truly wants is to find the next suitable land base."


    "However, in this process, the Sky Alliance''s power is already at a disadvantage compared to the other two major forces. This is not only clear to many, but it has also stirred many who are eager to test the waters and see if they can shake this behemoth at its most vulnerable¡ªthat''s the first point."


    "Second, as far as I know, during the combat skill competition in the Arena of Eternal City, Rocky killed a competitor named Xia Nai who was the son of an Imperial Marquis of the Kafka Empire." Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Third, according to the information I''ve gathered, in the span of two months, your family''s Lexington and Kelly have met with the Kafka Empire''s envoys several times..."


    "What!"


    ```


    This piece of intelligence almost made Cyril stand up from her seat!


    How could such a thing occur?!


    Lexington and Kelly had multiple contacts with the envoys of the Kafka Empire... How come she didn''t know about it? No, it wasn''t surprising that she was unaware, but did her father, the Clan Leader, know?!


    Being too unexpected, Cyril''s mind became somewhat jumbled for a while before she regained her senses.


    "Athena, what exactly is the purpose of Lexington and Kelly''s contact with the Kafka Empire?"


    "It must be to seek protection," Athena replied after glancing at Cyril. "After all, Rocky joined the Sky Alliance. Lexington and Kelly, for safety''s sake, apparently plan to collaborate with the Kafka Empire, to make the Alliance think twice; it''s also a good opportunity for the Kafka Empire."


    "Rocky killed the son of an Imperial Marquis, so it''s only logical for the Empire to take part in the punitive action against him. The key point is, the Empire can use your family''s power to test the waters of the Sky Alliance, and that is the real purpose of the Kafka Empire."


    "So... that''s why our family mobilized so many troops..."


    After Athena finished speaking, Cyril froze, murmuring to herself.


    Having had this explanation, she finally understood the true reason behind her family''s campaign against Rocky; she finally grasped why they sent out such a force to punish him. She had thought it was just a precaution, but now it seemed that was not the case!


    The campaign against Rocky was merely a pretext; on the surface, it was about punishing him, but in reality, her family was teaming up with the Kafka Empire to probe the Sky Alliance!


    It was because of such a factor that the Kafka Empire''s shadow appeared in the midst of this...


    No wonder, no wonder her father had previously said Lexington and Kelly were playing with fire. Cyril finally understood the meaning of his words.


    After making sense of all this, Cyril''s eyes gradually lost their luster. She couldn''t comprehend how things could have turned out this way.


    This was the Sky Alliance, after all!


    Had Lexington and Kelly lost their minds? Did they really think they could provoke the Sky Alliance with their family''s power? Even if the Alliance was severely weakened due to the fall of Tulip City, it was still the Sky Alliance, not something anyone could challenge on a whim!


    "Sister Cyril, you needn''t worry too much," Athena said, noticing Cyril lost in thought. "What if your family wins? If you could extinguish Rocky under the protection of the Sky Alliance, the entire world''s power dynamics might change because of it."


    "Are you saying... we could win?"


    Hearing this, Cyril immediately snapped back to attention and eagerly looked at Athena.


    Unfortunately, in response to her question, Athena just lazily shook her head. "Of course not, that''s impossible. Right now, the Sky Alliance''s biggest concern is someone challenging them. To the Alliance, Rocky''s life and death are trivial, their dignity is paramount. Your family sticking its neck out at this time, especially with the Kafka Empire behind it, the Alliance will definitely not let you off. Your family will inevitably face the Alliance''s destructive strike. Without a doubt, the two medium Sky Cities and all the troops your family sent to punish Rocky will be ruthlessly wiped out by the Alliance Army. Then the Alliance will come to punish your family, and for self-preservation, your family will have no choice but to join the Kafka Empire, after which the Kafka Empire will formally declare war on the Alliance. No matter who wins or loses this battle, the dynamics of the skies will change because of it."


    "In the end, that should be the outcome. However, during this process, Rocky and his Thunderhawk City will certainly be annihilated; that much you can be certain of."


    When Athena finished speaking these words with nonchalance, Cyril couldn''t help but feel a chill down her spine, her hair standing on end!


    Could things really turn out this way?!


    PS: Please recommend! Please recommend! Please recommend!

 Chapter 347 Offering Strategies and Suggestions

    The Mairente Family''s Sky City and troops will be utterly annihilated.


    Rocky and Thunderhawk City will also be completely eradicated.


    The Sky Alliance will make an example of the family in a show of force.


    As a result, the family will have no choice but to seek refuge with the Kafka Empire.


    In the end, Kafka will declare war on the Sky Alliance, and the entire aerial landscape will be irreversibly altered...


    Listening to this series of consequences left Cyril dumbfounded; she could never have imagined that what was originally just an internal conflict within the family could evolve to such an extent!


    Although all of this was mere conjecture, do not forget that it was Athena who had drawn these conclusions! She was always able to detect the hidden thread among seemingly unrelated events and connect them all, then using her extraordinary foresight to accurately anticipate the resulting outcomes. This was where she was ''remarkable''.


    So, upon hearing Athena''s words, Cyril became entirely dejected, feeling as though she had already witnessed the downfall of her entire family, draining her of all vitality.


    Time passed without her knowing how long until Cyril abruptly stood up and went over to Athena, taking her hand and pleading, "Athena, help me! Tell me what to do, what must I do to avoid all this!"


    "This..."


    Glancing at her hand firmly gripped by Cyril, Athena hesitated for a moment before speaking reluctantly, "Sister Cyril, you don''t have the power to stop this, and neither does your father."


    "The Mairente Family has already been drawn into this storm, no one can stop it, you don''t have the power."


    "No, Athena, there must be a way. You must have a way. Please, help me!"


    Shaking her head resolutely, Cyril was certain as she spoke. She was convinced that Athena must have a means to prevent all this!


    Indeed, after her desperate pleas, Athena blinked and then a smile appeared on her face, "Sister Cyril, there is a way to save your family, it''s just that..."


    "That method will plunge your family into an even more terrifying abyss. Are you willing?"


    Facing Cyril, Athena said this while displaying a pure smile. Yet, the innocence of her smile starkly contrasted with her words, which made Cyril shudder!


    The reason people associate Athena with both an angel and a demon is not unfounded.


    "Sister Cyril, don''t worry, if you follow my method, at least you and your father will have a chance to survive. Trust me."


    As Cyril felt this chilling sensation, Athena cheerfully said, the feeling akin to a demon tempting a human soul.


    "Tell me..."


    Looking at Athena''s face, aglow with pure smiles, Cyril eventually nodded.


    Seeing her nod, Athena became excited, her previous languor swept away in an instant, followed by an excited flurry of words.


    "Sister Cyril, first you need to..."


    "What?!"


    "Don''t be shocked, that''s just the first step, then you need to get your father to..."


    "This..."


    "By achieving these two points, your branch of the family will inevitably... and Rocky will also..."


    "As a result, Rocky''s treatment of you will..."


    "Really? You think he could actually..."


    "Trust me!"


    With hands clasped together, Athena went through her plan with Cyril in great detail, down to each step to take and each word to speak. The more Cyril listened attentively, the wider her eyes opened and the more incredulous she found it!


    Thus, more than half an hour passed, and it was only then that Athena concluded everything, saying cheerfully, "Sister Cyril, as long as you do as I say, the matter will be handled."


    "I..."


    Staring blankly at Athena, Cyril couldn''t react for a long time because what she had just heard was simply too incredible.


    "Alright, Sister Cyril, it''s getting late, and I need to rest..."


    "Oh, okay... I''ll leave right now..."


    Suddenly snapping back to reality, Cyril stood up, somewhat absentmindedly embraced Athena, and then turned to leave the study, departing the mansion as she had arrived, guided by a servant.


    And as soon as she left, the door was opened once more, and Anya, who had left earlier, appeared at the doorway and came in.


    Back in the study, Anya plopped down next to Athena and pouted her lips, "What did you talk about for such a long time?"


    "Nothing much, just a very interesting little matter."


    "Is it related to Glory City?"


    Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    "No, it involves the Mairente Family and an interesting fellow."


    In the midst of speaking, Athena rose to her feet and walked leisurely to a bookshelf. With a casual movement of two books on the shelf, the bookcase slowly began to slide, revealing a hidden blackboard behind it.


    This blackboard was densely covered with dozens of photographs, which layered upon layer formed a pyramid shape. The bottom row had more than twenty people, but as it neared the apex, there were fewer and fewer photographs until only one remained at the top.


    "A new target?"


    At this time, Anya also came behind Athena and happened to see her remove a photograph from the bottom of the pyramid and then stick a new one in its place.


    The photograph she took away was of Cyril, who had just left!


    And the new photo she placed in Cyril''s spot was that of Rocky!


    "Athena, why are you still doing this when the most suitable candidate has already been chosen?"


    Anya frowned and pointed to the single photo at the very top of the pyramid, "The City Lord of Glory City, Alas, isn''t he the most suitable choice? He''s young and capable, turning this place from a small Sky City into a large one with a population of two hundred thousand in just five to six years. Why aren''t you choosing him?"


    "I''m not saying I won''t choose him; it''s just that the timing isn''t right yet."


    Turning to give Anya a smile, Athena pulled her back to their seats, but no sooner had they sat down than Anya stood up again, "It''s getting late; you should rest early; I''m leaving."


    "Alright."


    Nodding, Athena took Anya''s hand and escorted her to the study doorway.


    "Oh, right." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as she reached the door, Anya suddenly turned back and asked, "Have you heard that Glory City is preparing to go to war with Star City?"


    "I have heard."


    "Can they win?"


    "Definitely, Star City doesn''t stand a chance."


    "Phew... that''s good, otherwise we would have to move again, I''m leaving."


    After saying this, Anya bade farewell to Athena and, led by a servant, left the mansion. Outside, a splendid carriage was already waiting for her.


    "To the City Lord''s Mansion."


    Upon reaching the carriage, Anya spoke to the coachman and then directly boarded the carriage.


    It didn''t take long for the speeding carriage to disappear at the end of the street, and Athena, who had been watching from the study window, only sighed and turned back to the dark room after the carriage was completely out of sight.


    Looking at the blackboard plastered with photographs, Athena shook her head in resignation, casually took down the photo at the top of the pyramid - the photograph of the City Lord of Glory City - and tossed it aside. Only then did she close the dark room.

 Chapter 348 The Mercenary Alliance Army

    The testing and evaluation work for the Tank Type 1 Armor was finally completed five days after the arrival of the Higgins team.


    Since it was Rocky''s first time sharing technology with the Alliance, he didn''t know whether the time taken was long or short, nor did he know if Higgins was deliberately making things difficult for him, but in any case, after five days, the testing and evaluation work was thoroughly done.


    As for the final results of this test and evaluation, they were satisfactory.


    When Rocky heard the words "satisfactory" from Higgins, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although he was confident in the Tank Type 1, being scrutinized like this was still nerve-wracking.


    Actually, Rocky could have been rest assured about this matter. After all, with people like Aniye around, even if Higgins really wanted to make things difficult for Rocky by deliberately finding issues with the Tank Type 1 Armor, he wouldn''t have the guts.


    At the same time, after the testing confirmed its qualification, Higgins also gave the Tank Type 1 Armor a rating: Intermediate to Lower Level.


    The Sky Alliance''s rating system is extremely stringent. Taking armor as an example, ordinary mass-produced armor is generally Lower Level, even if it is a more advanced mass-produced armor made by renowned creators, it could at most be classified as Intermediate Level.


    If it is Special Armor, the worst rating it could get would be Upper-Middle Level. If it could reach the common standard of current Special Armor, it would be enough to be rated as Top Level. If the Armor''s performance could exceed the general standard, it could be rated as Upper Top Level. Of course, aside from Upper Top Level, there is another higher rating, which is Top Level, but to get such a high evaluation from the Alliance, the Armor would have to have a cross-generational standard; otherwise, it would never receive such a high rating.


    So when Higgins rated the Tank Type 1 Armor as Intermediate to Lower Level, it meant that, in his eyes, the Tank Type 1 barely met the standards of a high-end Mass-Produced Armor.


    In fact, after giving such a rating, he also provided the reasons for his evaluation.


    In his view, the design philosophy of the Tank Type 1 Armor was its biggest advantage, which had reached the standard necessary to obtain an Intermediate Rating. However, the technology content of the Tank Type 1 was too low. At the same time, the Armor itself still had many imperfections, without a doubt dragging down the overall standard of the Armor, hence the Intermediate to Lower Level rating.


    It must be said, Higgins did have some real skill. After some testing, he found that the Tank Type 1 was still an experimental machine that wasn''t one hundred percent complete. There were many flaws in the design of the Armor itself, and it was precisely because he uncovered this that he gave the current rating.


    But even though this rating wasn''t very high, and Hammerfire was somewhat indignant upon hearing it, Rocky was still able to accept it. After all, what Higgins said was not wrong. The Tank Type 1 was indeed an incomplete product with many defects yet to be perfected. To receive such a rating was already very satisfying.


    Besides, even with just an Intermediate to Lower Level rating, according to the Alliance''s rules, Rocky could still receive a large sum of Contribution Points as a reward!


    The Alliance''s rating system was not only indicative of the strength of an Armor but was also directly linked to rewards:


    Armor rated as Lower Level, when shared with the Alliance, would receive a minimum reward of five thousand and a maximum reward of ten thousand Contribution Points.


    Armor rated as Intermediate Level, when shared with the Alliance, would receive a minimum reward of twenty thousand and a maximum reward of one hundred thousand Contribution Points.


    Armor rated as Top Level, when contributed to the Alliance, would receive a minimum reward of two hundred thousand and a maximum reward of seven hundred thousand Contribution Points.


    The rewards for the three ratings of Intermediate to Lower, Intermediate to High, and Upper Top Level would take the median of their respective reward ranges, with specific rewards depending on the situation. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That is to say, by sharing the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance, Rocky would at least receive the minimum reward for an intermediate evaluation, which is twenty thousand Contribution Points!


    Even if he only received the minimum contribution reward, it was already enough to mobilize the Alliance Army, so Rocky was very satisfied with this contribution. In actuality, Higgins''s final evaluation was even higher than expected¡ªRocky ended up with thirty thousand Contribution Points!


    The minimum reward for an intermediate evaluation is twenty thousand Contribution Points, and the maximum does not exceed one hundred thousand. For the intermediate to lower level to receive thirty thousand points is very reasonable; one could say that Higgins completely adhered to the rules of the Alliance in this matter.


    After handling all this, Higgins left Thunderhawk City with the newly created Tank Type 1 Armor and its designs, along with other members of his team. Clearly, once back with the Alliance, he would further refine the Tank Type 1 Armor before officially putting it into production for the Alliance''s use.


    As for the contribution reward given by the Alliance, it was quickly transferred after Higgins and his people left. At the same time, Contact City had arrived near Skybreaker Peak, so Rocky wasted no time and immediately went there.


    The Contact City coming this time was not Dawn City, since Dawn City was responsible for the Eternal City region. The Contact City that arrived was called Sirius City, which also had a population of one hundred thousand and was a large sky city.


    Upon arriving at Sirius City with Glan, Rocky first met with the City Lord of Sirius City and then immediately began his main task¡ªhiring the Mercenary Alliance Army.


    It must be clarified here that although the Sky Alliance is a relatively loose alliance, it itself possesses extremely strong military forces. By military forces, this does not refer to the troops of peripheral members like Rocky, but to the Alliance''s own army, which is the Alliance Army.


    It goes without saying how powerful the Alliance Army is. Being one of the strongest forces of today, the Alliance Army is also the mightiest in the skies, with Holy Knight Wilton belonging to this force; at the same time, the Alliance Army does not belong to any one Alliance member, but only to the Alliance itself and can only be mobilized by the Alliance, no individual has the right to command it privately.


    In ordinary times, part of the Alliance Army is stationed within the airspace ruled by the Alliance, while another part is dispersed across various Contact Cities, to facilitate immediate deployment and availability for Alliance members to use, just like in the current situation.


    Having obtained thirty thousand Contribution Points, Rocky thought for a moment, then quickly made a list and handed it to Glan. Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    According to the standards of the Alliance, he hired ten Escort Ships, each costing a hundred Contribution Points, totaling one thousand points.


    Ten destroyers, each costing three hundred Contribution Points, totaling three thousand points.


    One patrol cruiser costing one thousand Contribution Points, totaling one thousand points.


    One battleship costing five thousand Contribution Points, totaling five thousand points. The total cost of all the warships was exactly ten thousand Contribution Points.


    In addition, he spent another ten thousand Contribution Points to hire a full squad, that is, a ten-member Void Magic Squad, and then spent another ten thousand Contribution Points to hire one Void Magic Warrior equipped with a Fifth Generation Special Armor.


    One could say that in the blink of an eye, he had spent the entire thirty thousand Contribution Points that he had just acquired. However, after these Contribution Points were squandered, he had acquired a fleet that was extremely powerful in both number and quality, as well as a whole Void Magic Squad, and a top Void Magic Warrior whose combat prowess was not inferior to his own.


    With this, he could finally feel at ease.

 Chapter 349 The Calm Before the Storm

    ```


    Having completed all the procedures and paid out the thirty thousand Contribution Points just obtained, the Alliance Army stationed within Sirius City immediately set off and swiftly arrived above Backhill Village, successfully taking over the village''s defense task. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn''t until this moment that City Lord Rocky finally felt at ease.


    "City Lord Rocky, leave this place to us," the commander said.


    After the Alliance Army arrived at Backhill Village, Rocky had a meeting with the unit''s commander.


    Although he had hired the Alliance Army, it was commanded by its own officers, which meant that this contingent of the Alliance Army, albeit directly subordinated to Rocky and obeying his orders, was not under his direct command.


    The commander of the troops was named Te Nong, a veteran soldier in his fifties. Introduced by Glan, this man had extraordinarily rich battle experience, having participated in dozens of air battles both large and small, whether against demons or the hostile forces of the skies¡ªand his abilities were very strong.


    For such a person, Rocky naturally held in high regard, and so he was very polite when they met.


    "Commander Te Nong, you have my thanks for your efforts on this occasion. If you have any requests, just let me know. As long as the village is secured, all is negotiable," Rocky said, sitting face to face with Te Nong.


    Having paid such a high price this time, his only goal was to ensure that Backhill Village was definitely secure, so as far as defensive matters were concerned, everything was open for discussion on his end.


    However, Rocky continued, "Commander Te Nong, there is something I must tell you, there are high-level demons near Skybreaker Peak..."


    Since he was entrusting the heavy responsibility of the village''s defense to Te Nong and his commanded Alliance Army, naturally, Rocky needed to clarify everything about the village, especially the matter concerning the high-level demons.


    The reason he had spent a full twenty thousand Contribution Points to hire an entire Void Magic Squad and a Fifth Generation Void Magic Warrior was to prevent another encounter with a high-level demon. Despite that, Rocky still felt somewhat uneasy and felt obliged to prepare Te Nong psychologically.


    In just a few words, he succinctly described the situation of Backhill Village to Te Nong, who nodded frequently in response to everything said, showing no disdain and appeared very serious.


    This response pleased Rocky greatly. His biggest fear was that Te Nong, being an officer of the Alliance Army, would be arrogant and conceited, but now it seemed the man was indeed a professional soldier whose conduct was flawlessly suited to the role, clearly reflecting the high quality of the Alliance Army.


    And after he had explained everything, Te Nong''s Alliance Army officially took over the defense of Backhill Village, and Rocky at last had some free time.


    It must be said, the affair of taking over Backhill Village truly was full of twists and turns¡ªfirst encountering the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, then running into a high-level demon, forcing Rocky to share the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance and to hire a large number of Alliance troops, an ordeal that could accurately be described as fraught with difficulties.


    But while the process was full of complexities, the outcome was ultimately satisfying.


    At this point, Backhill Village was completely under Rocky''s control. Although his strength had declined somewhat due to the White Demon Armor being rendered unusable, with the support of the Alliance Army, defense capabilities likely didn''t require too much concern anymore.


    ```


    Meanwhile, the mine in the village also officially started operations, with the workers beginning to mine a few days ago. As long as the mine can operate continuously and provide a steady supply of mineral resources, the development of Thunderhawk City would surely soar to new heights.


    Currently, Thunderhawk City was maintaining its traditional textile industry while its leather manufacturing factory was also thriving. In recent months, it had produced several batches of goods, all sold to the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber was not only satisfied but even placed several orders. While they were not large orders, it at least signified that the leather manufacturing factory was on the right track.


    In fact, since the start of the leather factory, Thunderhawk City''s economy had significantly improved in the past few months. With the income from textiles and leather, the city could now break even, meaning City Lord Rocky no longer needed to find additional ways to support Thunderhawk City; it could sustain itself.


    In such circumstances, if mining income was also included, Thunderhawk City''s economic gains would increase substantially!


    After all, mining, such a precious resource, never lacks demand in the market. Even though most of the output from Backhill Village Mine had to be given to the Sky Alliance, the remaining minerals would still be enough for City Lord Rocky to make a handsome profit.


    According to Aileen''s calculations, if the mine could extract resources steadily each month, Thunderhawk City''s future income was conservatively estimated to double. At the moment, the city''s quarterly income was around three hundred thousand Gold Coins. If it could double, that would be six hundred thousand Gold Coins!


    Once Thunderhawk City''s income doubled, the city''s development would enter a new phase, possibly even an accelerated period. Rocky had even made plans; after selling the first batch of minerals, he intended to immediately build a second and perhaps a third factory in the city to expand the scale of the leather manufacturing industry.


    Also, if possible, he planned to attract the Chamber of Commerce to open shops in the city, which on the one hand would improve the residents'' quality of life and, on the other hand, increase tax revenue.


    Once all this was done, he could consider how to attract more people to further strengthen Thunderhawk City. Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    How the city should develop next had always been a top priority for Rocky. Therefore, not only did he often think about it on his own, but he also frequently discussed it with Aileen, Old Jack, and others, ensuring a clear direction for future planning.


    However, development ultimately takes time. Even though Rocky had a clear direction for the future, he still needed to take things step by step. Thus, after handing over the task of defending Backhill Village to the Alliance Army, he returned to Thunderhawk City, along with Orton and others.


    Rocky''s primary task now was naturally to create the new generation of White Demon Armor as soon as possible. Only after perfecting the new White Demon Armor would he be able to take on the next set of tasks. Otherwise, he would not feel secure.


    But this task was not something that could be easily completed, especially after Rocky brought out the Azure Fang. On one hand, Pelaya needed to thoroughly research the Azure Fang to determine its usage, and on the other hand, Hammerfire''s original design plans had to be altered because of it, which undoubtedly would slow down the completion of the new White Demon Armor.


    Luckily, Rocky had already arranged everything that needed to be arranged, so even if the new White Demon Armor took longer to finish than expected, he was willing to accept that.


    During this time, he was not idle. Although Orton and his team had shifted their research focus to the new White Demon Armor, they still assigned Rocky a task: to continue improving the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    The Tank Type 1 Armor was a design that was not yet fully complete, which everyone was well aware of, including Higgins. Since Rocky could not assist in the development of the new White Demon Armor, Orton and the others handed over the task of perfecting the Tank Type 1 Armor to him, as a form of practice.


    So upon returning to Thunderhawk City, Rocky became busy once again.


    It was not until this point that he was unaware that he was about to be caught in a massive storm. He was still living his ordinary life, but soon, he would come to know...

 Chapter 350 The Second Letter

    After handing the defense of Backhill Village over to the Alliance Army, time blinked past--half a month had gone by.


    In that half-month, the demons had launched an attack on Backhill Village almost every four or five days, with the largest assault involving more than four hundred demons at one time; however, every attack was successfully repelled by the Alliance Army.


    Rocky was both pleased and a little smug about the performance of the Alliance Army, because when he had initially spent all 30,000 Contribution Points to hire the army, Liliya had advised him not to hire so many troops. After all, even without the White Demon Armor, Thunderhawk City still had its own warship fleet.


    But looking at the results, Rocky''s choice had clearly been the right one. The Alliance Army had managed to repel the demons without once needing Rocky to lift a finger, which undoubtedly greatly relieved the pressure on both him and Thunderhawk City, of course, it was a good thing.


    Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    Moreover, let''s not forget that, once the invading demons were eliminated, Rocky would easily gain a great deal of Demon Materials!


    Although most of the demons had been blown to bits by the relentless barrage of the warships, there were still a considerable number of demons that could be salvaged. The Demon Materials recovered could easily be converted into income for Thunderhawk City, which made Rocky even happier.


    Of course, Rocky didn''t hog all the recovered Demon Materials for himself but gave half of them to Te Nong and his commanding unit, as additional earnings for the Alliance Army''s mission this time, leaving both parties quite satisfied with the happy outcome.


    Meanwhile, during this time, the research on the new generation of White Demon Armor was also progressing smoothly. According to Rocky, Pelaya had initially figured out the principle of how Azure Fang absorbed and released mana. This meant that it wouldn''t be long before the design plans for the new generation of White Demon Armor could be finalized.


    As for the Tank Model 1 that Rocky himself was researching, progress was relatively slow. After all, he was new to this field. However, neither he nor Orton and his colleagues ever expected him to fully perfect the Tank Model 1. What Rocky really needed to do with this improvement was to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the design and manufacturing of armor. As long as he could achieve that, it would be sufficient.


    So all in all, Rocky had a very comfortable half month. Not only were there no unexpected mishaps, but everything was also going according to his expectations. Under these circumstances, time quickly moved into April of the year 118.


    After becoming the center of attention in February and March, Rocky vanished from the public eye. But as he disappeared, another person returned to the spotlight: Denise of Sigma Corporation, and her Holy Angel Armor.


    After three months of competition, the Arena''s first quarter season ended successfully, and the eight players with the best performance and highest points advanced to the playoffs, including both Denise and her Holy Angel Armor and the player sent by Uranus Corporation, along with the trial mecha of the sixth-generation Void Magic Armor.


    It was because of these two contestants in the playoffs that the entire focus of April was on the Arena playoffs, and Denise, along with the player from Uranus Corporation, advanced as expected from their respective upper and lower brackets, eventually meeting in the finals where they fought an all-out battle!


    The attention this match received was so immense that it was almost beyond description, and people had numerous speculations about the outcome. Some believed that the Holy Angel Armor from Sigma Corporation would win, as, even though it was a Fifth and a Half Generation armor, it was already a completed product and could not fail.


    But others thought the winner would be the trial mech from Uranus Corporation. These people felt that even though Uranus had only sent a trial mech, it was still a trial mech of the sixth-generation armor, which represented such advanced technology that it was considered revolutionary. So the final victory would surely belong to Uranus Corporation.


    Amidst the various speculations, the match officially started, and it lasted an entire day before concluding. In the end, the victory went to Denise and the Holy Angel Armor!


    With her win, Sigma Corporation and the Holy Angel Armor instantly became the focus of the world, finally bringing some of its former glory back to the long-silent Sigma Corporation. Everything naturally was attributed to Denise; she didn''t let her father down and successfully made Sigma Corporation stand out in front of its competitors with the Holy Angel Armor she had developed.


    Following this victory, Sigma Corporation didn''t waste the excellent opportunity, promptly announcing the price and other information regarding the Holy Angel Armor, starting to officially accept pre-orders.


    As the strongest armor of the present day and also a Special Armor, Holy Angel''s price soared to a staggering 990,000 Gold Coins, which could be said to be the sky-high price of Special Armor. However, that did not dampen people''s enthusiasm, as The Three Great Alliances all pre-ordered more than ten sets, and other alliances and families also made their pre-orders, to varying extents.


    Not to mention them, even Orton and his colleagues were tempted upon hearing this news. They wanted Rocky to buy a set for research. Holy Angel was the most advanced armor of its time and indeed was equipped with a lot of extremely advanced technology; Orton and his colleagues couldn''t help but be interested.


    In response, while Rocky was quite interested, the price was simply too steep, so he had to delay the matter for discussion at another time.


    April of the year 118 passed by like this, with the first half of the month being unusually quiet following the Holy Angel Armor''s championship victory, without any significant events occurring until this day.


    On this day, just as he had been in the previous few days, Rocky was in the study of the City Lord''s Mansion, pondering over how to perfect the Tank Model 1.


    Perfecting the Tank Model 1 had given Rocky quite a headache since it was his first time independently undertaking such a task and could almost be described as completely clueless. After more than half a month of research, he had managed to improve the tracks of the armor, making travel over land much smoother. However, since making this change, he had been at a loss for new ideas and directions.


    "Rocky."


    "Hmm?"


    Startled from his reverie while staring at the design plans, Rocky abruptly turned around and saw Liliya standing at the doorway of the study.


    "What is it?"


    Standing up from his seat and taking a sip of water, he casually asked.


    "Your letter."


    As she spoke, Liliya approached him and handed him an envelope.


    "A letter?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing the envelope Liliya handed to him, Rocky was momentarily taken aback, and immediately, a certain person came to mind--the last time he received a letter, it was from that person.

 Chapter 351 The Storm Arrives!

    As he received the envelope from Liliya, Rocky furrowed his brow, involuntarily thinking of the last time.


    When he opened the envelope and saw its contents, he found the letter was indeed written by Cyril again.


    "It''s from Cyril again?" S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Knowing Rocky well, Liliya could almost guess who had written the letter from the expression on his face.


    "Yes."


    "What did she write?"


    "See for yourself."


    Nodding, Rocky handed the envelope to Liliya and sat down, his brow slightly furrowed.


    "She wants to see you?"


    It didn''t take long for Liliya to finish reading the content of the letter, and a look of puzzlement appeared on her face.


    The letter wasn''t lengthy, containing just a few lines. Essentially, it merely stated that Cyril hoped Rocky could reach a certain coordinate before April 25, where she would be waiting for him.


    Such a terse letter puzzled Rocky, as he couldn''t understand why Cyril suddenly wanted to see him.


    "Could it be related to the Mairente Family?"


    Sitting next to Rocky, Liliya speculated.


    In her view, since almost all interactions between Cyril and Rocky had revolved around the Mairente Family, her wanting to meet him this time likely had something to do with them.


    "Probably not, right?"


    But hearing this, Rocky shook his head then looked at Liliya, "When I joined the Alliance, they had already clearly punished and warned the Mairente Family. Even if they hate me, they wouldn''t risk infuriating the Sky Alliance just to keep troubling me, right?"


    Being unaware of the series of events within the family after joining the Alliance, Rocky always believed that his feud with the Mairente Family ended with his alliance membership. Why would they risk a fallout with the Sky Alliance to target him further?


    In this case, he always felt that his disputes with the Mairente Family were already resolved.


    However, though he felt this way, Cyril''s letter made him somewhat uncertain now.


    Because, as Liliya thought, all his interactions with Cyril had been about the Mairente Family, and now that Cyril had contacted him again, much as he didn''t want to, he had to consider that possibility.


    So after shaking his head, he glanced at Liliya, "Let''s not speculate anymore; we''ll just meet her when it''s time."


    "Today is April 20, we have five days to reach the coordinates, and then we''ll know exactly what Cyril intends to do."


    "But don''t be careless, even though Cyril has helped us before, we still need to be cautious¡­"


    "I know." Nodding, Rocky said, "Inform Te Nong to be extra vigilant during our absence, and make sure nothing goes awry. Also, call back both the first and second fleets to the city."


    "Alright."


    With an agreement, Liliya left the laboratory.


    After she had left, Rocky thought for a while and then picked up the envelope again to take another look, the more he read, the more furrowed his brow became!


    Liliya had continuously been concerned about why Cyril wanted this from him, which was indeed the biggest question, but through the brief content of this letter, Rocky noticed another matter, a matter that was extremely easy to overlook yet extremely important.


    How did Cyril know he was near Skybreaker Peak?


    This time Cyril had arranged to meet Rocky and left a complete set of coordinates, meaning she wanted Rocky to meet her there, and the location of these coordinates was right near Skybreaker Peak. This made Rocky wonder, how did Cyril know of his whereabouts? And why would she investigate where he was?


    Another point also struck Rocky as odd, and that was the time Cyril had set, April 25th, why insist on him arriving on this particular date? Did this day hold any special significance?


    All these questions not only puzzled him but also gave him a most ominous feeling, making him vaguely realize that this meeting between the two would definitely not be a simple chat. There might be another big mess brewing!


    Although Rocky still knew nothing up to this point, he had been the City Lord for a while now, and he had experienced quite a few big and small events during this time, which naturally honed his keen senses.


    In such a circumstance, he did everything possible to prepare, on one hand, he notified the Alliance Army, asking them to defend Backhill Village well during his absence, on the other hand, he recalled the entire fleet of Thunderhawk City. Although he did not believe that Cyril had set a trap, Rocky still wanted to be fully prepared, just in case something unexpected happened and he found himself in dire straits.


    By the next day, Thunderhawk City had activated its flight mode and slowly flew towards the coordinates specified by Cyril.


    Since he had departed the day after receiving the letter, and also because the coordinates left by Cyril were not far from Skybreaker Peak, Rocky activated Thunderhawk City''s flight mode on the 21st, and by the 24th, he had already arrived at the coordinates.


    The meeting place designated by Cyril was nothing special. Since it was near Skybreaker Peak, the land was desolate with nothing in sight, and not a single cloud in the sky, which was blue like a vast mirror.


    Upon arriving in such an area, Rocky dispatched all reconnaissance ships, but they found nothing.


    This meant he could only wait there for a day until the next day, which was the 25th of April, the date agreed with Cyril, when the dispatched reconnaissance ships finally brought back news.


    The reconnaissance ships discovered a medium-sized Sky City slowly approaching Thunderhawk City.


    "A medium-sized Sky City?"


    Hearing this news, Rocky was stunned and then muttered to himself, "Could it be that Cyril has brought her own Sky City here?"


    According to his knowledge, as a Clan Leader''s daughter and a city lord herself, Cyril also owned her own Sky City, which was exactly a medium-sized Sky City.


    While Rocky was still unclear about what exactly Cyril wanted to do, Cyril took the initiative and came to Thunderhawk City!


    Around noon, Cyril slowly landed at the Skyport of Thunderhawk City aboard a warship and met Rocky, who had been waiting for a long time.


    Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Haven''t you heard yet?"


    Upon seeing Rocky, the first thing Cyril said left him baffled.


    "Heard what?"


    "You will know soon."


    Sighing helplessly, Cyril showed no intention of explaining and said nothing more as she got into the carriage prepared by Rocky¡­


    PS: There''s only one update today as I''m taking a day off. Please be understanding, let the Little Detective rest a bit.

 Chapter 352 Capture!

    What''s going on...?


    Watching Cyril directly board the carriage, Rocky furrowed his brows, wondering what exactly was happening?


    Rocky completely failed to understand the purpose of Cyril''s visit and was even more baffled by the words she had just spoken; his mind was filled with questions. However, now was certainly not the time to ask; he would have to wait until they returned to the City Lord''s Mansion.


    With that thought, he had no choice but to also board the carriage and then rode back to the City Lord''s Mansion with Cyril.


    Sitting face to face in the same carriage, neither spoke a word, and the entire carriage was so silent it seemed as though even breathing sounds had disappeared.


    During the ride, Rocky kept looking at Cyril, who was constantly gazing out the window. The two did not even make eye contact for a moment. Fortunately, Thunderhawk City wasn''t very large, so the distance from the Skyport to the City Lord''s Mansion wasn''t particularly long, and they arrived in no time.


    Upon reaching the City Lord''s Mansion, Cyril, stepping down from the carriage, saw Liliya and Monte among others, standing at the entrance of the mansion to receive her.


    Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire


    Although Cyril was Rocky''s cousin by blood, one must not forget that she was not only the daughter of the Mairente Clan Leader but also a City Lord herself. Thus, Rocky had prepared a very formal reception, treating her entirely as a City Lord.


    After that, surrounded by a group of people, Cyril followed Rocky into the City Lord''s Hall.


    "Rocky, I''d like to talk to you alone."


    Once they arrived at the City Lord''s Hall, Cyril cut straight to the chase without any superfluous chatter.


    In response, Rocky thought for a moment, then nodded to Liliya, and everyone else left the hall, leaving only Cyril and him.


    But when everyone had left, Rocky had originally thought Cyril truly had something urgent to discuss, and was ready to listen attentively, only to find that she fell silent again.


    The silence descended once more, neither spoke, a scene reminiscent of their ride in the carriage. Rocky watched Cyril, who now had her head down, neither looking at him nor speaking, making the City Lord''s Hall, with just the two of them, feel even emptier.


    Time passed by the minute, and before long, a half hour had slipped by, then an hour of complete quietness elapsed, yet Cyril still showed no signs of speaking.


    This thoroughly confused Rocky; he could tell that Cyril definitely had something important to discuss, but why wasn''t she speaking? He couldn''t figure it out.


    During this process, he attempted several times to ask, only to stop each time, uncertain of what exactly to ask.


    Forget it, let''s just wait for her to initiate the conversation.


    Watching Cyril, Rocky silently sighed, deciding to wait.


    But just then, as another half hour passed, a series of urgent knocking suddenly erupted!


    The unexpected knocking abruptly broke the prolonged silence, startling Rocky, but before he could gather his senses, Liliya burst through the hall doors, hurrying to his side.


    "Rocky, something bad has happened!"


    "What happened?"


    Giving Cyril a sidelong glance, Rocky turned his gaze to Liliya, his eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.


    "Te Nong has sent word, the Mairente family is preparing to attack Backhill Village, their army has already arrived!"


    "What!"


    Upon hearing this from Liliya, Rocky immediately stood up from the City Lord''s seat, followed by a buzzing noise in his head, leaving him in a daze.


    The Mairente family, attacking Backhill Village?


    This was completely beyond his expectations, so much so that he found it difficult to accept for a moment. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What exactly is going on?


    "How did such a thing suddenly arise?"


    Due to the suddenness and unexpectedness of the situation, Rocky''s mind inevitably became somewhat confused, but he quickly suppressed the confusion and turned his gaze to Cyril!


    And this time when he looked at Cyril, he found that Cyril was also looking at her!


    Ever since it was just the two of them left in the City Lord''s Hall, this was the first time their eyes had met, and it was this eye contact that helped Rocky understand at least one thing¡ªthat the thing Cyril had mentioned when she first saw him was indeed this matter!


    "Bring someone! Arrest her", he ordered.


    After glancing at Cyril, Rocky didn''t have time to think further, immediately called the guards outside, and had Cyril detained within the hall; then, he left the City Lord''s Hall with Liliya.


    The incident had happened too suddenly, so sudden that Rocky barely had time to understand the cause and could only deal with the outcome immediately.


    After leaving the City Lord''s Hall, he went to his study and then summoned Monte and others.


    "Who received the message?"


    Sitting in his study, Rocky looked around and asked.


    "My Lord, it was I,"


    Upon his question, Felly immediately stood up. As the commander of the Thunderhawk City fleet, Felly often collaborated with Te Nong, which is why he had received the message from Te Nong.


    "What did Te Nong say? Are you sure it was the Mairente Family?"


    "Sure, and according to Te Nong, the Mairente Family has dispatched two mid-sized Sky Cities this time, with at least a few hundred warships; they have already surrounded Backhill Village completely."


    "When did this happen?"


    "Just now."


    "What else did he say?"


    "Te Nong also said..." Felly paused slightly and looked at Rocky before continuing, "Te Nong also said that the Mairente Family has demanded that you be handed over, otherwise, they will launch an attack..."


    As soon as Felly finished speaking, everyone in the study turned to look at Rocky, and they noticed that he had already closed his eyes and furrowed his brows.


    Clearly, like everyone else, he was completely stunned by this sudden attack; none of them had anticipated that the Mairente Family would suddenly drop from the sky, nor that they would bring such a numerous force.


    Two mid-sized Sky Cities.


    At least a few hundred warships.


    This was clearly a rhythm meant to annihilate them!


    So when Felly finished speaking, everyone watched Rocky, no one daring to speak carelessly on such a significant matter.


    While everyone watched, Rocky remained silent for a long time as he tried to clear his thoughts as much as possible, striving to understand what exactly was happening, unfortunately without any clue.


    In this state, several minutes passed before he finally reopened his eyes and then announced, "Immediately order Thunderhawk City to fly back to Backhill Village."


    Having said this, he stood up and walked out; he had finally understood why Cyril had come to see him¡ªit was obviously about this matter!


    However, just as he had just reached the door of the study, and before stepping out, he suddenly paused, then turned back to Liliya and said, "Do not move Sky City yet, wait for my return before doing anything."


    Having changed his command, he then left the study and headed straight for the City Lord''s Hall.

 Chapter 353 Falling into the Trap

    After giving the order to temporarily hold their positions, Rocky returned to the City Lord''s Hall.


    Back in the City Lord''s Hall, he saw Cyril again, and during the time he had been away, Cyril had done nothing. She quietly sat in the hall under the watch of several guards, just as she had been before.


    "You may all leave."


    With a wave of his hand at the guards, Rocky ordered all the others to depart, leaving just the two of them in the hall.


    "Have you heard everything?"


    Facing Rocky once more, Cyril took the initiative to speak, casting a glance at him and then posing the question.


    "Did you come to see me just because of this matter?"


    Rocky didn''t return to his seat; instead, he stood in front of Cyril with furrowed brows, looking at her intently.


    "That''s right."


    "Why? Why does my family still target me?"


    "Because they are afraid you''ll seek retaliation."


    Sitting in her chair, Cyril looked up at Rocky and smiled, "You have risen too swiftly, so swiftly that some in the family are scared. Therefore, they plan to completely eradicate you before you can truly threaten the family."


    "Just for that? Just for that reason, you''re willing to offend the Sky Alliance?"


    "Yes."


    Staring directly at Rocky, Cyril nodded, but she did not disclose the complete truth.


    "Mad...absolutely mad! Your whole family is insane!"


    Rocky was so infuriated by Cyril''s response that he hardly knew how to express his feelings, unable to believe the Mairente family would go to such crazy lengths to target him.


    Cyril said nothing in response to his outburst, only watching quietly because Athena had explicitly told her not to reveal the entire truth to Rocky. Thus, Cyril mentioned only her family and omitted to mention the myriad issues between the Kafka Empire and the Sky Alliance.


    Clearly, Rocky also had not considered such a profound level; he took Cyril''s words at face value, believing the Mairente family''s actions were solely aimed at him.


    After pacing furiously in front of Cyril, Rocky suddenly stopped and looked back at her, "Why did you save me this time?"


    From what Cyril had said, Rocky now knew the gist of the situation: the Mairente family planned to eradicate him, a future trouble, even if it meant offending the Sky Alliance. That explained the troops that arrived at Backhill Village.


    Now that he understood what had happened, Rocky also knew why Cyril wanted to meet with him - she was clearly trying to save him.


    Because of their meeting, the Mairente family troops approaching Backhill Village hadn''t captured him; otherwise, he would have been trapped in Backhill Village like a turtle in a jar, and he could well imagine his fate at that point. By now, he, Thunderhawk City, and Backhill Village might have been annihilated under the fire of hundreds of warships.


    Therefore, the meeting Cyril proposed had evidently saved his life once again.


    But that was precisely what puzzled Rocky: why did Cyril want to save him again?


    He counted, and this was already the third time she had saved him. The first was the matter with Baron Wolin when she had helped him out of guilt; the second was the Lexington incident, as Lexington was the political enemy of Cyril''s father, so she helped him again. But what was her reason for helping him this time?


    Rocky couldn''t figure it out.


    "I have my reasons."


    Cyril glanced at him and spoke in a very calm manner.


    Hearing such a response, Rocky naturally did not understand, but he did not wish to delve deeper, so he sighed and then called over the guard at the door.


    "Take City Lord Cyril to the guest room to rest and ensure her safety."


    "Yes!"


    With an affirmative response, several guards strode over to Cyril''s side, and upon hearing Rocky''s arrangements, Cyril stood up willingly, said nothing more, and followed the guards directly, quickly being led out of the City Lord''s Hall.


    Of course, Cyril understood perfectly well, what Rocky called protecting her was in fact tantamount to placing her under house arrest within the City Lord''s Mansion!


    Indeed, that was exactly what Rocky had in mind!


    In his view, the current affair was far too grave; the Mairente Family was not merely causing minor trouble this time, but aimed to completely annihilate him!


    As the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, he must devise every possible means to prevent such an outcome, so he could not simply let Cyril leave.


    Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire


    After that, Rocky summoned everyone to the City Lord''s Hall.


    "What is Cyril planning to do?"


    As soon as Rocky gathered everyone, Liliya quickly asked.


    "I''m not sure; she has her plans." Shaking his head, Rocky admitted his own confusion about Cyril''s intentions. "Let''s not rush to discuss her problems for now. Right now, I want to ask you all, what shall we do about the situation in Backhill Village?"


    Although the Mairente Family intended to mobilize their forces to eliminate Rocky, the situation had changed and deviated due to Cyril''s preliminary selection.


    The current situation was such that Rocky and Thunderhawk City, for the time being, were not in great danger. However, Backhill Village was now surrounded by the Mairente Family''s troops, which was the most critical issue. Even though the village was defended by the Alliance Army, everyone knew that their numbers were too small to properly defend the village.


    The importance of Backhill Village to Rocky went without saying, and if possible, he still wanted to save the village.


    "Going back is out of the question; it''s too dangerous."


    Unfortunately, in response to his question, Liliya simply stated, "With the Mairente Family''s troops bearing down, going back now would be like falling into a trap. The priority right now is to immediately contact the Sky Alliance and let them deal with this matter. After all, half of the mines in Backhill Village belong to the Alliance and theoretically are part of the Alliance''s property." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sir, I agree with Liliya''s view."


    At that moment, Felly also spoke up: "With the current military strength of Thunderhawk City, even adding the Alliance Army garrisoned in the village, we wouldn''t stand a chance against the enemy. Going back, we can''t defend the village."


    "Sir, I think leaving the village is actually to our advantage."


    After Liliya and Felly had spoken, Monte added his voice to the mix: "If the Mairente Family''s target is us, then if we are not in Backhill Village, even if they surround the village, they may not dare to truly attack. After all, the village is defended by the Alliance Army, and attacking it would mean directly challenging the Sky Alliance. Therefore, our absence might be a good thing; it might even enable us to hold the village."


    "Exactly, Monte is right."


    "I agree with his thinking."


    In the City Lord''s Hall, everyone voiced their opinions one after another, all essentially expressing the same viewpoint¡ªthat they did not wish for Rocky to return to Backhill Village.


    Because everyone could discern the thoughts in his heart and understood that he did not want to give up Backhill Village. However, as everyone had said, if they did not go back now, the Mairente Family might be deterred by the Sky Alliance and hesitate to strike the village. Yet, once they returned, it would be walking into a trap!


    However, faced with everyone''s explicit or implicit dissuasion, Rocky, after pondering for a long while, shook his head.


    "There is another way to make the Mairente Family retreat."


    "You all seem to forget that Cyril is still with us."

 Chapter 354 Hostage!

    "Don''t forget, Cyril is still in the city."


    After pondering for a moment, Rocky glanced at everyone and spoke slowly.


    "Let''s talk about this tomorrow, you go and inform Glan right away, and have him relay the matter to the Alliance as soon as possible."


    On the matter of Backhill Village, Rocky clearly had his own ideas, but he still planned to follow Liliya''s suggestion and inform the Alliance first. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After that, he dismissed everyone, not even keeping Liliya, remaining alone in the City Lord''s Hall. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    A day passed quickly, and before long, it was the next day.


    The next day, Te Nong brought the latest news.


    According to Te Nong, the Mairente Family had completely surrounded them, but in Rocky''s absence, they seemed hesitant to launch an attack on the village, so Backhill Village was still under the control of the Alliance Army.


    Upon hearing this news, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Monte''s speculation the day before had come true¡ªthe Mairente Family, although determined to annihilate Rocky and Thunderhawk City, would not dare to attack the Alliance Army without his presence.


    This allowed Rocky to breathe a sigh of relief, but it was a small comfort, seeing as no one knew how the situation might develop next.


    On the same day, Rocky went to see Cyril again.


    Earlier, under his arrangement, Cyril had already moved into the guestroom of the City Lord''s Mansion, but with heavy guards stationed outside, it was essentially house arrest. Cyril, as though having anticipated this, did not resist at all. She didn''t even utter unnecessary words, completely resigned to her fate.


    In fact, when Rocky saw her again, she appeared untroubled, quietly reading a book in her room.


    Seeing Rocky at the door, Cyril casually put aside the book and then smiled at him.


    "I thought you would have come back yesterday."


    With a slight smile, Cyril said casually.


    Yet her words weighed heavily on Rocky''s heart...


    "Did you know I was coming to find you?"


    Walking into the room, Rocky took a chair and sat opposite Cyril, looking into her eyes as he asked.


    "Of course I knew, but don''t bother, it''s not going to happen."


    "What?"


    Her unexpected remark left Rocky frozen on the spot.


    While he was stunned, Cyril chuckled and shook her head, "You came to tell me that you plan to use me as a hostage, to force my family to withdraw their troops, didn''t you?"


    Looking into Rocky''s eyes, Cyril spoke word by word.


    "......."


    Her remark not only brought Rocky back to his senses but also plunged him into silence... because Cyril was absolutely right!


    Rocky indeed planned to use her as a hostage to pressure the Mairente family to retreat!


    He had spent the entire previous night considering how to resolve the crisis, but the options he could think of were very few.


    The vast disparity in strength left Rocky completely at a loss. This time the Mairente Family had sent not just a few or a dozen warships; they had dispatched two medium-sized Sky Cities and several hundred warships!


    Such formidable military power gave Rocky no chance of retaliation in the face of his foes. It remained the same resolute fact¡ªif it weren''t for Cyril luring him away in advance, both he and Thunderhawk City would have been annihilated amidst such an overwhelming force. This vast difference in strength had entrapped Rocky in a dilemma, leaving him with only one option.


    That option was Cyril.


    Cyril was a member of the Mairente family, but not just any member¡ªher father was the Clan Leader of the entire family, and she herself was a key figure, already involved in the management of her family''s affairs. Therefore, for the Mairente family, Cyril carried significant weight.


    Now that Cyril was in his hands, Rocky naturally thought of leveraging her as a hostage to threaten the Mairente family into withdrawing their troops.


    In Rocky''s view, even if other members of the family did not care about Cyril, like Lexington and others, surely Cyril''s father, who was also the Clan Leader Atted, had to care about his own daughter, right? And don''t forget, Cyril was not alone; she had also brought her own Sky City, which further increased the value of the bargaining chip in Rocky''s hand. He believed that Cyril and her medium-sized Sky City were enough to sway the Mairente Family, at least to sway Atted.


    This was the only method Rocky could think of, but it left him conflicted all night long.


    Cyril was not just anybody; she was Rocky''s cousin and had helped him more than once. Thus, using her as a hostage to threaten the Mairente Family was something Rocky ultimately found difficult to bear; he couldn''t get it over this emotional hurdle.


    However, in the end, he made up his mind because this was the only method he could think of.


    To everyone''s surprise, before Rocky could even express this idea, Cyril guessed it herself...


    This outcome somewhat disoriented Rocky; it felt as if someone had preempted his move in a chess game.


    But his reaction was fairly quick. After a brief moment of bewilderment, he immediately regained his composure and looked at Cyril.


    "You mean to say, your father will not compromise for you?"


    With a bitter smile and a shake of her head, Cyril glanced at Rocky and did not answer his question. Instead, she countered, "Rocky, if my father does not agree to your demands, would you kill me?"


    "......"


    This counter-question once again plunged Rocky into silence.


    Because he had never considered this question; in his view, as long as he kept Cyril under house arrest and presented his demands to the Mairente Family, would Atted actually gamble with his daughter''s life?


    Obviously not. If not, Rocky naturally did not have to contemplate the necessity of actually killing Cyril, because there was simply no need.


    "Rocky, don''t underestimate the family."


    Seeing Rocky fall silent, Cyril sighed, "In front of the family, no individual is worth compromising for, neither you nor I; even my father can''t change that."


    As she spoke, her gaze grew dimmer, evidently thinking about other matters.


    Yet, her words made Rocky frown.


    "Cyril, I''m not joking with you!"


    After looking at Cyril for quite some time, Rocky suddenly shouted out loud!


    "Contact your father immediately, tell him to withdraw his troops, or I will really kill you! To save Thunderhawk City, I will not be soft-hearted!"


    His eyes wide, perhaps because he hadn''t slept all night or because his eyes were truly bloodshot, Rocky''s eyes had turned red at that moment, looking extremely frightening.


    However, facing his anger, Cyril remained unmoved and even turned her head away.


    "Cyril! Don''t push me!"


    Seeing that Cyril still displayed no reaction, Rocky shouted again, truly appearing angry this time; his temples ballooned and veins bulged on his forehead.


    With this furious shout, Cyril slowly turned around, her eyes devoid of any sparkle as she looked at him.


    "It''s useless..."


    "If you contact the family now, they will only be too pleased to have you kill me..."


    "I have already..."


    "Severed ties with the family..."


    With lifeless eyes, Cyril said these words haltingly, and by the end of it, her eyes were completely red, a tear after whirling around her eyes uncontrollably flowed down.


    "What..."


    Upon hearing these words, Rocky was stunned, standing still as if turned to wood...

 Chapter 355 Family Turmoil

    Cyril actually... left the Mairente Family?


    This was too unexpected that even Rocky was stunned.


    Standing before Cyril, staring at her, Rocky took a long time to come to his senses, because to him, this was simply incredible, no, it was utterly unreasonable! Why would Cyril want to leave the family?


    What exactly was she planning to do?


    In fact, since the meeting with Cyril the day before, Rocky had realized that Cyril must have had her own plans in helping him, which didn''t bother him much. He even thought he had guessed the reason for her assistance¡ªit was all related to the internal struggles of the family, so he wasn''t too concerned about it.


    But now it seemed he was wrong, Cyril clearly had some undisclosed plans.


    Is that so?


    Of course it is. In reality, the news of Cyril leaving the family, not only was it beyond Rocky''s expectations, but also Atted, her father, and the entire Mairente Family had not seen it coming!


    At the end of April in Sky Era Year 118, a series of shocking events occurred within the Mairente Family, beginning with the sudden, unannounced departure of Clan Leader Atted''s only daughter, Cyril.


    This incident shook the whole family, catching everyone off guard and even causing considerable chaos.


    As Rocky had thought before, Cyril was not an ordinary family member. Despite being just a part of the younger generation of the family, involved in managing minor matters, one must not forget¡ªshe was, after all, Atted''s daughter.


    This status gave Cyril an extraordinary position among the younger members of her generation. Everyone understood that in a few years, when Atted stepped back, she would inevitably become a prominent figure who could stand on her own in the family, and might even become a strong contender for the Clan Leader position, just like her father!


    In such a scenario, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say that Cyril represented the core strength of the Mairente Family''s future, or even that she was the spokesperson for the younger generation. Her sudden departure from the family was inherently unfathomable and a severe blow for the Mairente Family.


    Therefore, at the same time as Cyril and Rocky''s meeting, the Mairente Family had no choice but to convene an emergency meeting once again¡ªjust like the one a few months prior, gathering all members of the family together.


    "Atted! What is Cyril doing!" S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this meeting, Clan Leader Atted faced furious attacks and accusations from everyone, with all questioning what exactly was going on and why Cyril would suddenly leave the family.


    "Atted, as the Clan Leader, can''t you even control your own daughter?"


    At the conference table, Lexington looked coldly at Atted, sneering and questioning him.


    "This time, Cyril is too disregarding of the bigger picture."


    Sitting opposite Lexington, Kelly spoke in an equally unfriendly tone.


    "......"


    Glancing at these two, Atted didn''t speak, as he had realized that since the decision to subdue Rocky, Lexington and Kelly had formed a united front. Now the two were entirely ganging up against him.


    ```


    This outcome couldn''t help but amuse Atted a bit, just a few months ago, Kelly had been on his side, helping him suppress Lexington. But unexpectedly, in a blink of an eye, the situation had reversed.


    However, Atted didn''t blame Kelly. Was this not just the way of the Tian Family, lacking familial affection?


    So, faced with the questioning from both people, Atted said nothing. He neither wished to speak nor had anything to say.


    Because, even he had been unaware of Cyril''s plans beforehand, he had learned of the matter at the same time as everyone else.


    Athena...


    Thinking of his daughter''s actions, the first person that came to Atted''s mind was Athena. He had sent Cyril to meet Athena, so Cyril''s conduct was undoubtedly influenced by Athena''s instructions!


    And upon recalling Athena, Atted sighed inwardly. Even he couldn''t understand her, let alone fathom her thoughts. ''Unfathomable'' was the only word to describe this woman.


    However, there was one thing he could be certain of, and that was no matter what Athena had suggested, Cyril would never intentionally harm the family. Atted had absolute trust in this respect. And as long as this was certain, the matter became simpler.


    There must be a deeper reason behind Cyril''s departure from the family, a reason perhaps only known to Cyril and Athena. But whatever it was, it would be for the family''s good. Therefore, Atted harbored no blame for Cyril''s actions.


    Unfortunately, while he might understand Cyril, others would not necessarily feel the same.


    For with Cyril''s split from the family, many of the family''s plans had seriously deviated from their original forecasts!


    Take the campaign against Rocky, for example.


    Just as Athena had thought, the Mairente Family indeed planned to use the campaign against Rocky as a pretext to probe the Sky Alliance!


    The Sky Alliance was certainly a behemoth in the sky, and it wasn''t an exaggeration to say it was already at the pinnacle. However, precisely because it stood so high, the various forces it trampled upon were even more eager to bring it down.


    Which force didn''t want to grow stronger? Which family didn''t wish to dominate the sky? From the perspective of these forces and families, the Sky Alliance hogged too many resources. As long as it existed, they would never have a chance to reach the top.


    So, when Tulip City fell, many forces and families began to stir, all very eager to bite off a piece of the Alliance. Naturally, this included the Mairente Family.


    However, the Alliance was still the Alliance. Many wished to bite it hard when it showed weakness, but a wounded tiger was still a tiger. Although ideas abounded, no one wanted to be the first to provoke the old beast.


    This situation had persisted from the time Tulip City had fallen, continuing up to a few months before, until the Kafka Empire took the first step!


    As another colossal entity in the sky, if anyone had the strength to shake the Sky Alliance and the most desire to do so, it was the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute, the other two great forces.


    The Magic Energy Research Institute was focused on Mana Technology research and, while powerful, rarely took part in the struggle for the sky. The Kafka Empire, on the other hand, had always aspired to swallow the other two forces and unify the sky.


    Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    Thus, after half a year of silence, the Kafka Empire finally made its move.


    ```

 Chapter 356 Domino Effect

    Atted had sent Cyril to seek out Athena because, although he was unaware that Lexington and Kelly had already colluded with the Kafka Empire, he sensed something was amiss. In this matter, Athena clearly had a deeper understanding, and she subsequently elucidated the whole situation to Cyril in clear detail.


    However, Athena got one thing wrong.


    That was, the collusion between Lexington and Kelly with the Kafka Empire didn''t happen after the decision to subdue Rocky, but before!


    In other words, before the family meeting had decided to subdue Rocky, Lexington and Kelly had already established secret contacts with the Kafka Empire, having decided to strike at the Sky Alliance together.


    It was because of this prior arrangement that Lexington and Kelly were so adamant about subduing Rocky¡ªtheir actions were all in preparation for a bigger plan.


    Some might wonder why such a significant affair was arranged with Lexington and Kelly instead of going through Atted, the Clan Leader.


    It''s simple¡ªthe matter was too significant. As the head of a clan, how could Atted easily agree to it?


    Moreover, the Mairente Family was a well-known large family, and the Empire was well aware of this. It was evident from Atted''s actions that he was of the conservative dove faction and would never lightly allow his family to engage in such dangerous affairs. Thus, the Empire simply bypassed him and directly sought the more radical Lexington and Kelly.


    Some might again wonder, could the Mairente Family alone shake the Sky Alliance by fully mobilizing?


    Of course not. The Mairente Family was significant, but it was still too small compared to the Sky Alliance. However, the Kafka Empire hadn''t just sought out the Mairente Family for collaboration; in fact, the Empire had secretly contacted several families and forces and had devised a vast and comprehensive plan.


    The first step of this plan was to be executed by the Mairente Family, which was the subjugation of Rocky.


    But what no one expected was that this first move would go seriously awry, a deviation caused by Cyril.


    Because Cyril had left the family and gone to meet Rocky, the aggressively advancing family came up empty-handed. Although they reached Backhill Village, they didn''t find Rocky; instead, they encountered the Alliance Army stationed in the village head-on.


    Read the latest on My Virtual Library Empire


    This might seem like a minor accident, seemingly insignificant, since Rocky was merely a decoy, and the real target was actually the Sky Alliance behind him.


    But if anyone truly thought that way, they would be gravely mistaken!


    In many people''s eyes, Rocky might seem insignificant, but he was the fuse of the whole plan. Although a fuse is ultimately consumed by the fire it starts and seems unimportant, let''s not forget that without this fuse, no matter how powerful the explosives, they can''t be detonated!


    It can be said that no one expected a mistake to occur right at the first step, and this put Abraham, who was leading the troops at Backhill Village in a standoff with the Alliance Army, in a very difficult position.


    As the son of Lexington, Abraham''s abilities could be said to be on par with Cyril''s, yet in this matter, he dared not make a decision lightly, so he quickly reported the situation to Lexington. However, Lexington faced the same predicament as Abraham; such a significant issue was beyond his authority to decide alone, so he in turn reported it to the Kafka Empire.


    This back and forth took up a day or two, and the eventual result was that reinforcements from the Alliance had already arrived!


    Indeed, while Atted and others were holding this family meeting discussing Cyril''s matter, the Sky Alliance''s reinforcements had already reached Backhill Village and officially started a standoff against the army led by Abraham, a scenario the Kafka Empire least wanted to see!


    Who could have imagined that a minor deviation would eventually lead to a consequence that affected the entire plan of the Kafka Empire? Probably no one could have thought of it, and even if someone did, they certainly wouldn''t believe it.


    But if Rocky knew all this, he would understand that in a series of interconnected events, a tiny initial change would generate a series of chain reactions, ultimately altering the entire event¡ªthis is the classic domino effect, isn''t it? S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this incident, Cyril''s departure from the family was that tiny initial change, and the domino effect it triggered eventually affected the entire plan of the Kafka Empire. Moreover, the impact was even greater than that, as the chain reactions this incident generated were much larger than imagined.


    For instance, a series of changes within the Mairente Family.


    The final decision of the family meeting defined Cyril''s departure as an act of defection, and internally, Cyril was labeled a fugitive just like Rocky, wanted by all members within the family.


    That wasn''t all. As Cyril''s father, Atted was to bear full responsibility and thus was stripped of his dual roles as Clan Leader and Elder, becoming just an ordinary member of the family thereafter.


    During this process, there were even proposals to strip Atted of his Machine City and expel him from the family!


    However, this proposal was quickly rejected because both Lexington and Kelly knew that exploiting Cyril''s situation to remove Atted from his position as Clan Leader was already pushing the limits. If they dared to target his Machine City as well, the incident would ultimately lead to a split within the entire family.


    But even so, Atted ultimately lost his dual status as Clan Leader and Elder. If anything remained, it was only Machine City. As he was deposed from his role as Clan Leader, the faction he represented also completely lost power within the Mairente Family, causing a major shift in the family''s power structure.


    The consequences of this shift were not limited to the Mairente Family alone; they extended to many outsiders. After all, the Mairente Family was a large family with intricately complex relationships with many other forces and families within Sky City and beyond. Thus, this internal power shift would undoubtedly bring profound changes to these relationships.


    Logically speaking, such significant changes in the top-level authority of a prominent family like the Mairente Family should have become the focus of everybody''s attention, and without doubt, it would be reported by the Shadow Alliance. However, in April of the year 118, this incident nearly went unnoticed because at the same time, a much bigger and more serious event occurred that not only affected a handful of people but the entire sky¡ª


    Numerous forces and families simultaneously challenged the Sky Alliance, sparking off a great war that engulfed the entire sky!

 Chapter 357 Where to Go

    Time rewound to a few days earlier.


    When Rocky learned that Cyril had done something as radical as leaving the Mairente Family, he was bewildered, truly bewildered, and it only made him even more confused about what Cyril was up to.


    For a fleeting moment, he even wondered if Cyril had left the family because of him, but this thought was fleeting and quickly dismissed. The reason was simple: the relationship between Rocky and Cyril obviously wasn''t that good yet.


    At the same time, the only idea he had for saving Backhill Village also became ineffective. Since Cyril had left the family, using her as a hostage to threaten the family was useless now. Just as Cyril herself had said, the Mairente Family might even be hoping that he would kill her now.


    Suddenly, Rocky found himself completely trapped in a helpless plight, and he didn''t know what to do.


    Backhill Village was surrounded; there was no way back, but if he didn''t return to Backhill Village, where could he and Thunderhawk City go? He had already made plans to focus on the development around Backhill Village for the coming years, but all those plans had now been dashed.


    Where would he and Thunderhawk City go next? Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire


    Almost at the same moment that Cyril revealed her departure from the family, Rocky had thought of this question, but he had no answer...


    Stunned into immobility for a long time, Rocky finally came to his senses, but at that moment, his entire demeanor had changed. In that instant, he seemed to have become ten times more despondent and aged, his spirit utterly deflated.


    "You may leave..."


    Sitting limply in the chair, Rocky gave Cyril a glance and then waved his hand, releasing her.


    Upon this, Cyril did not say much and simply stood up, walking slowly toward the door.


    "What are your plans for the future?"


    Just as she was about to reach the door, Rocky''s voice suddenly filled the room.


    At the sound of his voice, Cyril, who had reached the doorway, stopped in her tracks. After a moment of thought, she shook her head: "I don''t know..."


    Rocky didn''t know where he was headed, and neither did Cyril. In fact, she was even more bewildered than Rocky.


    Cyril was undoubtedly competent, but it was important to remember that all her abilities were built on the foundation of having the support of the Mairente Family. Thus, although Cyril was also a City Lord, she was not like Rocky, who had to fend for himself in the skies.


    But now, Cyril had left the family, and without the family''s backing, how she would survive in this sky was the greatest challenge facing her. Not to mention, whether she could sustain a medium-sized Sky City on her own was a question mark.


    "Leave me your contact information, if you run into any trouble, I''ll help you," Rocky sighed and spoke as Cyril shook her head.


    Upon hearing this, Cyril showed a bitter smile. Before leaving the family, such a statement would have been a joke to her. Who was she? Did she need Rocky''s help? Don''t be ridiculous.


    But now, she knew it wasn''t a joke, for in terms of the ability to survive alone in the skies, she was not as capable as Rocky.


    So she didn''t put on airs and swiftly exchanged communicator codes with Rocky, allowing them to keep in contact with each other. Following that, Cyril left Thunderhawk City and returned to her own Sky City. She activated flight mode that very day and slowly flew away from the Skybreaker Peak region.


    After her departure, Rocky fell into desolation...


    "What''s happened to the master?"


    On the third day of Backhill Village being besieged, when Felly reported the latest news of the village to Rocky, he didn''t say a word. He just waved his hand casually and made him leave his study, leaving Felly bewildered.


    Because this clearly didn''t match Rocky''s character at all!


    ```


    If it had been any other day, Rocky would have issued a series of commands upon receiving similar news, making a series of responses in light of the latest situation. But what was wrong today?


    Could it be that the news he reported was not important?


    Felly couldn''t help but think this, but he realized that was not the case. The news he reported today was actually quite significant.


    Three days after the Mairente Family''s forces approached Backhill Village, the Sky Alliance had already made its response upon receiving messages from both Glan and Te Nong. Being the closest and having just visited recently, Sirius City was now urgently mobilized, and along with another mid-sized Sky City, was speeding towards Backhill Village. If nothing unexpected happened, they should arrive within one to two days.


    The message Felly reported to Rocky was exactly this, and regarding this matter, Rocky shouldn''t have been indifferent!


    Standing at the door of the study, Felly couldn''t understand what was wrong with Rocky. Just then, Liliya arrived and he couldn''t help but ask, "Captain, what''s wrong with the Lord? He seems to be in a bad state..."


    Although Liliya was no longer the captain of the Guard Corps and Felly was no longer part of it, Felly still habitually called her captain when he saw her in private, finding it more intimate.


    And as the person who understood Rocky best, Liliya had naturally noticed the abnormality that Felly saw.


    "It''s nothing, the Lord has just been too tired these past few days, don''t worry."


    Sighing, Liliya said this to Felly and then asked him to leave.


    Once Felly had left, Liliya then entered the study.


    As soon as she entered the study, she saw Rocky sitting listlessly on the large sofa, his eyes blankly staring at the ceiling.


    "Are you feeling unwell?"


    Sighing inwardly, Liliya walked over to him.


    "Come, sit down."


    Upon hearing her voice, Rocky seemed to come back to his senses, then asked Liliya to sit beside him. Once she was seated, he lay down on the sofa using Liliya''s thigh as a pillow.


    "What''s wrong with you..."


    Looking at Rocky lying on her lap, Liliya gently arranged his hair with her hand as she asked.


    "Tired."


    Closing his eyes, Rocky replied weakly.


    "I heard the Alliance has dispatched reinforcements and they should reach the village in a few days, then..." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s no use."


    Lying on Liliya''s lap with his eyes closed, Rocky cut her off before she could finish speaking.


    "No use? What do you mean?"


    "Ah..."


    Rocky let out a long sigh, finally opened his eyes, and then looked at Liliya with a lifeless gaze, "Just wait and see, in a couple of days you''ll understand. It''s no use even if the Alliance sends reinforcements..."


    ```

 Chapter 358 A Change in the Weather...

    Lying on Liliya''s legs, Rocky spoke weakly and, after finishing his sentence, did not speak again, feeling as though he had fallen asleep. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing his words, Liliya frowned and thought for a long time, but ultimately she couldn''t understand...


    Thus, a day passed.


    By the next day, which was the fourth day since the Mairente Family''s troops approached Backhill Village, Felly received the latest news and thus appeared before Rocky again.


    "My Lord! The Sky Alliance has arrived! The troops of the Sky Alliance have arrived!"


    Hurrying into Rocky''s study room, Felly entered the door and excitedly announced.


    He had just received the latest information from Te Nong that Sirius City, the closest to Backhill Village, had arrived, bringing with it more than two hundred warships!


    After all, Sirius City was a major Sky City with its own fleet of over one hundred and fifty vessels, and as a Contact City, it also had Alliance Army stationed there permanently. Although a considerable number had been sent on missions, at least fifty to sixty warships remained.


    Thus, the total number of troops from Sirius City was less than the Mairente Family, but their arrival at Backhill Village at least gave the village some defensive capability. And don''t forget, besides Sirius City, another medium-sized Sky City was also en route to Backhill Village. Once this city arrived, the military strength at Backhill Village would further increase, making it even harder for the Mairente Family to take over the village.


    Undeniably, the response of the Sky Alliance to this matter was very quick, taking just four short days to react.


    "My Lord! Backhill Village is saved!"


    After conveying this news to Rocky, Felly spoke excitedly.


    He knew that Rocky had been worried about Backhill Village recently, to the point of being in a terrible state, so Felly felt certain that hearing this news would excite Rocky.


    But he was mistaken, Rocky did not show any excitement or joy.


    "I know."


    Nonchalantly nodding his head, Rocky, just like yesterday, said nothing else, then dismissed Felly.


    Such a bland response was not at all what Felly had expected; he stood in the study staring at Rocky, then turned to glance at Liliya, who was also sitting in the study.


    "You can leave, arrange your own tasks, my Lord."


    Just nodding her head, Liliya had nothing else to say, so she allowed Felly to leave first.


    However, once Felly had left, she turned to look at Rocky, her brows furrowing as well.


    "Rocky, you can''t keep going on like this."


    Honestly, Liliya did not understand why Rocky was in such bad shape these past few days; initially, she thought it was related to the attack on Backhill Village, but now it seemed not to be the case.


    Regardless of the reason, she knew this could not continue; after all, he was the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, and several thousand people in the city were waiting for him!


    "Rocky, now that the reinforcements from the Sky Alliance have arrived, and more troops are coming in a few days, we also need to take action."


    Looking at Rocky, Liliya said.


    Now that the allied forces had arrived at Backhill Village, although their total military strength was still less than that of the Mairente Family''s troops, they were at least capable of resistance. At this point, Rocky could completely and should indeed lead Thunderhawk City into action.


    Regrettably, despite Liliya''s words, Rocky remained in his usual despondent state, and it took him a long time before he finally spoke: "Let''s wait till tomorrow..."


    After saying that, he spoke no more and simply lay down on the sofa and fell asleep.


    Seeing Rocky like this, Liliya felt helpless and even a bit scared, because his behavior suddenly reminded her of the past.


    Back when Rocky had been deceived by the Mairente Family and driven to Thunderhawk City, he had been just like this, as if he had collapsed completely, doing nothing and spending all day in the City Lord''s Mansion. How similar it was to now?


    "Rocky..."


    Fearful that Rocky might revert to his former state, Liliya couldn''t help coming over to him, but before she could speak, she saw Rocky on the sofa wave his hand, obviously wanting to hear nothing and say nothing.


    Seeing this, Liliya could only sigh and then leave the study. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Time passed like this for another day.


    The next day, which was the fifth day since the Mairente Family''s troops approached Backhill Village.


    That day, no more news came from Backhill Village; once Sirius City had arrived, the Alliance Army clashed formally with the Mairente Family''s troops. The alliance side was led by a large Sky City, supported by over two hundred warships and several Void Magic Squads.


    The Mairente Family''s side was led by two medium-sized Sky Cities, with over four hundred warships and several times more Void Magic Squads than their opponents.


    The two sides arranged their formations in the sky above Backhill Village. Although they had not yet started fighting, they had reached a point where tension was running high, and a major battle could break out at any moment.


    It was also on this day that the intelligence from the Shadow Alliance arrived.


    Since making contact with the Shadow Alliance in Eternal City, Rocky had been paying them ten thousand gold coins every month, thus receiving weekly intelligence updates from them, which included information on major and minor events occurring in the sky. The news of Denise winning the Combat Skills Arena season championship with the Holy Angel Armor had also come through this kind of intelligence.


    Today, the latest intelligence from the Shadow Alliance arrived again.

 Chapter 358 A Change in the Sky..._2

    Unlike the previous few days, Rocky seemed much more interested in this intelligence report. Early in the morning, he had sent people to the port to await the delivery from the Shadow Alliance.


    Normally, the Shadow Alliance would send someone to deliver the intelligence to Thunderhawk City''s port early in the morning, but there was a problem today. The delivery was exceptionally late. It did not arrive in the morning, nor by noon, and only in the evening did the Shadow Alliance finally get the intelligence to Thunderhawk City.


    Having waited the entire day, Rocky began to read the report as soon as he received it.


    "Hmm..."


    Holding the report, Rocky read through it, furrowing his brows tighter and tighter. After going over it back and forth three times, he finally handed it to Liliya.


    "What does it say?" Receiving the report, Liliya glanced at Rocky and began to unfold it, "It says here that Backhill Village..." Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She was only halfway through her sentence when Liliya froze. Then, her eyes widened as she continued to read, and by the time she had finished, her mouth had formed a perfect ''O'' shape.


    "They''ve, they''ve started a war...?"


    Slowly lifting her gaze from the report, Liliya turned to look at Rocky,


    The information provided by the Shadow Alliance contained only one main point: during the past week, numerous forces had launched an attack on the Sky Alliance!


    On April 25, 118, the Mairente Family approached Backhill Village, taking the initiative to trouble the Alliance.


    Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    On April 26, 118, the Xiso Family sent troops to launch a surprise attack on Alliance member Windwalker City, resulting in fierce battle.


    On April 27, 118, the War Alliance and Domination Alliance declared war on the Sky Alliance together, and attacked Alliance members on the same day.


    On April 28, 118, Alliance member Windwalker City was destroyed by the Xiso Family. On the same day, the Racial Alliance declared war on the Sky Alliance and dispatched troops to attack the nearest Alliance member.


    On April 29, 118, the Sky Alliance urgently sent troops to support the various battlefronts but were ambushed by scattered Independent Sky Cities along the way.


    As of April 30, 118, a total of the Seven Great Alliances, the Nine Great Families, as well as a large number of large and medium-sized Independent Sky Cities had declared war on the Sky Alliance!


    This was the main content of the intelligence report sent by the Shadow Alliance.


    After reading through this, Liliya was shocked. She could never have imagined such a situation occurring, with so many forces launching an attack on the Sky Alliance in just a few days. It was simply beyond belief.


    Indeed, a sudden storm had swept across the entire sky. Not just Liliya, but almost everyone in the sky, including most of the cunning and shrewd City Lords, had not anticipated such a terrifying turn of events. With the Demons on the land already restless in these troubled times, who would have thought that such a severe conflict would be stirred up in the sky!?


    Once Liliya had finally recovered from her shock, she immediately looked to Rocky.


    "Rocky, did you already know about this?"


    Looking at Rocky, Liliya asked with furrowed brows. She remembered clearly that over the past few days, no matter what she reported to Rocky, he had responded indifferently, replying with the same phrase every time: "In a few days, we will know." She had always used this phrase.


    Initially, Liliya thought he was merely fobbing everyone off, but looking at it now, it seemed that might not be the case, as Rocky was no longer the same as he had been a few days ago.


    At this moment, he was no longer listless as he had been a few days ago; instead, his expression was serious, his brows tightly furrowed, as if he was deeply in thought. He didn''t snap out of it until Liliya addressed him.


    "Yes, I''ve thought of something."


    Nodding to Liliya, Rocky didn''t deny it; indeed, he had anticipated that such a situation might arise!


    These past few days, Rocky had been doing more than just wallowing in despair. He had been reflecting on the entire course of events. No, to put it more accurately, it was precisely because he had understood the ins and outs of the whole situation that he had ended up in that state of utter despondency.


    Actually, ever since Cyril had left, he had been pondering one question: why was the Mairente Family so relentlessly pursuing him?


    According to Cyril''s explanation, it was the fear of him seeking revenge on the family once he gained full strength. At first glance, this reason might seem plausible. After all, with Rune technology in his grasp and the backing of the Sky Alliance, Rocky certainly had the potential to grow stronger. And once he did, the Mairente Family would have reason to fear.


    But was that really it?


    Would the Mairente Family really risk alienating the Sky Alliance just to preemptively eliminate him as a threat? Rocky was well aware that his relationship with the Sky Alliance was in its honeymoon phase. Reasonably, the Sky Alliance couldn''t possibly neglect him; thus, for the Mairente Family to attack him was akin to provoking the Alliance''s bottom line. Were they truly willing to take such a risk?


    Rocky felt there were only two possibilities that could lead the Mairente Family to take such an action.


    The first possibility was that every member of this family had gone mad! In his view, only if the Mairente clanspeople were insane, would they offend the Sky Alliance because of him.


    Rocky had always known his worth but also possessed self-awareness. He never thought his potential was so significant that the Mairente Family would antagonize the Sky Alliance and subject their entire clan to catastrophe, just because of him. He wasn''t that important.


    The second possibility was that the Mairente Family''s campaign against him hid some ulterior motive!


    Upon considering this possibility, Rocky immediately realized he might have found the right direction. After delving deeper into this thought, he conjectured the Mairente Family''s real target might not even be him but the Sky Alliance itself.


    When this idea first came to him, even he found it hard to believe. After all, the disparity in strength between the Mairente Family and the Sky Alliance was clear as day. How could the Mairente Family possibly dare to act against the Sky Alliance? Did they not value their lives?


    But soon, he recognized his thoughts were too narrow and one-sided. Expanding his perspective, he realized that while the Mairente Family alone might not be able to shake the Sky Alliance, what would the situation be like if forces similar to the Mairente Family united against the Alliance?


    With that realization, Rocky understood the gravity of the situation; he suddenly found that the sky was about to change!


    He had unwittingly been sucked into an immense storm!


    That was precisely why he had been so despondent recently. Though he had understood the situation, he was equally unsure of where to go or what to do next, because the more clarity he gained about the entire situation, the more powerlessness he felt.


    Until now, he had always thought the Mairente Family''s actions were solely targeting him, yet even with that assumption, Rocky felt helpless. And now, he realized the situation was far more exaggerated than he had imagined. He wasn''t merely tangled in a small squabble between a family or a Sky City; he was caught in a storm that could engulf the entire sky!


    In such a scenario, what could he do? Where should he go?


    He hadn''t found an answer to that question, which had troubled him for several days.


    Now, with the latest intelligence disclosed by the Shadow Alliance, it had been proven that Rocky''s previous speculations were correct. Over a dozen great families and alliances, plus a significant number of independent Sky Cities, had launched an assault on the Alliance. Given these circumstances, the Alliance couldn''t even think about protecting Thunderhawk City or Backhill Village; the Sky Alliance was struggling to manage itself!


    And now that his speculation had been confirmed, Rocky was forced to confront the question he had never found an answer to: what should he do, where should he go?

 Chapter 359 Joining the Battle!

    ```


    On the last day of April in Sky Era Year 118, the entire sky was plunged into panic, for war was coming!


    More than ten large forces and families, along with numerous Independent Sky Cities, launched attacks on the Sky Alliance during the final days of April, a message spread by the Shadow Alliance to every corner of the sky, not only letting everyone know that war was coming, but also filling each person with a sense of personal danger.


    Although since the beginning of the Sky Era, the sky had never been at peace¡ªold eras had been phased out, and old systems had crumbled, propelling the world into a new era and causing constant warfare in the sky¡ªthese conflicts were usually very limited, mostly between a few Sky Cities or among certain forces, hardly affecting the entire sky. Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire


    But this time was different, for this time the one being attacked was the Sky Alliance!


    As one of the three major powers, the Sky Alliance comprised over a thousand Sky Cities¡ªover a thousand Sky Cities! Once such a massive force entered war mode, the consequences were unimaginable.


    The other side of the war, the forces that actively attacked the Alliance, were not weak either. According to the Shadow Alliance''s statistics, up to now, seven Great Alliances and the Nine Great Families, totaling sixteen large powers, had declared war on the Sky Alliance. These forces might not be comparable to the Sky Alliance when alone, but when combined, the total number of their Sky Cities also exceeded two hundred!


    Besides these families and forces, many more Independent Sky Cities joined the storm. According to rough estimates by the Shadow Alliance, so far, at least forty medium or large Sky Cities have launched attacks on the Alliance, or have intercepted the Alliance''s troops¡ªand that''s just for now. As the war continues, the number of Sky Cities joining the battle could multiply.


    Adding up, the number of Sky Cities involved in this war had reached an astonishing level, not exaggerating to call it the most widespread war since the Sky Era began.


    And don''t forget, the true instigator behind all this, the Kafka Empire, had not even made a move yet!


    When many City Lords received intelligence of this great war through the Shadow Alliance, quite a few saw through the true nature of the conflict. In their view, the forces challenging the Alliance at this moment were merely the vanguard; the real mastermind had yet to take action!


    In fact, not just others, but the Sky Alliance itself was well aware of this.


    As the whole world learned of the outbreak of war, and felt entangled by it, the interior of the Sky Alliance¡ªone party in the war¡ªwas far from as tense as outsiders imagined.


    Why?


    The reason was simple, because it was far from the time for the Sky Alliance to be tense!


    Even though it was a sudden attack without any preparation, resulting in the loss of quite a few members in just a few days into the outbreak of the war, looking like a heavy blow, in reality, such losses were nothing much to the Sky Alliance...


    Nut.


    The name of the Sky Goddess, but in this world, it represented a God City, namely Nut God City, the headquarters of the Sky Alliance.


    At this moment, within Nut God City''s Alliance Administrative Council, the Elder Council of Eleven, the Alliance''s top administrative body responsible for managing the entire Sky Alliance, was seated around the council chamber.


    The eleven Elders, representing the highest power of the Sky Alliance, sat around a huge round table. These Elders included men and women, even members of other races, and contrary to what people might imagine, not all were old folks; the youngest of the eleven Elders was just over forty, and of course, the oldest was nearly a contemporary of Aniye, a true elder indeed.


    "In five days'' time, sixteen medium Sky Cities, and twenty-one small Sky Cities have been attacked; eleven have been taken, nine destroyed, and the rest are in combat."


    In the silent conference hall, filled with dim lighting that made the faces of the eleven Elders a bit blurry¡ªletting one hear their voices but not clearly see their faces¡ªan Elder slowly spoke up, adding an aura of mysterious dignity to their presence. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Sky Alliance indeed does not easily admit small Sky Cities as members, but don''t forget that Alliance members themselves also continuously develop. Some members, after growing and strengthening, will build new Sky Cities. Thereby, the Alliance also has no shortage of small Sky Cities.


    In this great war, naturally, these small Sky Cities were the first to suffer.


    "What do you think of this?"


    After this Elder finished speaking, they looked towards the other Elders.


    Just a few days'' time was enough for the Sky Alliance to lose and have destroyed twenty Sky Cities, enough to imagine the enemy''s offensive was incredibly fierce!


    However, after the Elder''s words faded away, a moment passed and another Elder spoke:


    "These losses are within our capacity to bear."


    "Insignificant."


    "Do we need to counterattack? If we start now, we could probably crush the enemy within a month."


    ```

 Chapter 359 Joining the Battle!_2

    ```


    "Wait a minute."


    "Agreed, the Kafka Empire hasn''t made a move yet, they are the key."


    "If the Alliance acts now, can they prevent the Empire from launching its next attack?"


    "No, the Empire has been waiting for this opportunity for many years."


    "Then let''s wait and see, and respond after the Empire makes its move."


    "Exactly, the Empire is the real enemy of the Alliance."


    "Since that''s the case, we won''t dispatch our main forces for now and let the members handle this matter themselves. After all, what''s emerged is nothing more than a bunch of jumping clowns."


    ...


    ...


    May of the year 118.


    Since the war broke out a few days ago, the world has become restless, and as Alliance members are scattered throughout the entire sky, conflicts of various sizes have erupted around the world after various forces and Sky Cities declared war on the Alliance. It is fair to say that the whole sky is ablaze with battle now.


    However, what was shocking was that the Mairente Family, which was the first to trouble the Alliance, did not engage in formal combat with the Sky Alliance at this time.


    This was really unexpected. Logically, the Mairente Family was the vanguard in this series of attacks, being the first to approach Backhill Village and aggressively set up their formation, showing a stance of battling to the death with the Alliance.


    But after a week had passed, while other forces had already clashed with the Sky Alliance, the Mairente Family''s troops were still in a deadlock with the Alliance Army, which was a bit puzzling.


    In fact, there was nothing confusing about it, the Mairente Family''s troops did not attack the Alliance first because their plan had gone awry.


    The deviation was the disappearance of the catalyst, Rocky.


    As previously mentioned, in this war involving the Sky Alliance, the Kafka Empire, many smaller forces, and the Independent Sky Cities, even though Rocky was a trivial character, he was the spark that ignited the entire incident. Without this spark, certain things could not be accomplished.


    For instance, according to the original plan of the Mairente Family, as soon as their forces reached Backhill Village, they were to quickly eliminate Rocky. At the same time, the Alliance would certainly send reinforcements, and the nearest Sky City to provide support would undoubtedly be Sirius City. This way, the Mairente Family could join hands with the War Alliance to encircle and annihilate the reinforcements coming from Sirius City.


    But things went wrong precisely on this point. Rocky had already left by the time the Mairente Family arrived at Backhill Village. Under these circumstances, Abraham, the commander of the troops, immediately reported the situation to Lexington, who then immediately got in touch with the Kafka Empire.


    Although the Kafka Empire reacted swiftly, adjusting their plans at once and ordering the Xiso Family to launch the attack first, and the War Alliance, originally cooperating with the Mairente Family, was diverted to split their forces in two routes against the dominating Alliance. However, while these arrangements were being made, Backhill Village had already received support from Sirius City, and on the second night of their arrival, they received additional backup from another medium-sized Sky City, Gulov City.


    This put the Mairente Family in a stalemate at Backhill Village, unable to advance or retreat.


    Some may find it odd, didn''t the intelligence from the Shadow Alliance mention that after the war broke out, the support troops from the Sky Alliance were severely hindered? How did Sirius City and Gulov City manage to safely reach Backhill Village?


    This primarily concerned an issue of timing.


    On the day the Mairente Family approached Backhill Village, the Sky Alliance received the news and dispatched Sirius City and Gulov City. By the time these two Sky Cities had already started heading to Backhill Village, other forces and the Independent Sky Cities launched their attacks on the Alliance. In other words, just one day''s difference in timing allowed both a large and a medium-sized Sky City to reach Backhill Village successfully.


    Although it may not seem like a big deal, it actually had significant implications.


    First, Sirius City, which was supposed to be surrounded and destroyed, was not wiped out.


    ```


    Sirius City, as a large Sky City, might not play a significant role in wars of this scale, but don''t forget that this city serves as the Contact City for the Sky Alliance. It essentially acts as a hub for the Alliance''s operations in the skies, meaning as long as Sirius City stands, the Alliance members within its airspace can be organized, which can indeed have a sufficient impact on the situation of the war.


    Secondly, when Sirius City and Gulov City both reached Backhill Village, the previously aggressively advancing Mairente Family no longer held a significant advantage in troop strength. Perhaps they still outnumbered the opposition, but the margin was no longer overwhelming, making it impossible for the Mairente Family to destroy Sirius City on their own.


    This is precisely why, while other regions were engaged in battle, the Mairente Family, the ones who initially provoked the incident, had yet to make a move. Abraham, who led the troops, was simply unable to act. He knew all too well that if he rashly engaged with Sirius City, even if he won, the heavy forces sent by his family would be left decimated. This was not the outcome he or his family wished to see.


    For this reason, Abraham adopted a relatively safe approach¡ªa stand-off. His plan was clear; as long as he could temporarily isolate Sirius City at Backhill Village, preventing it from uniting with other Alliance members, it would be a significant achievement. After that, he could wait for reinforcements to arrive, and then naturally, Sirius City could be eradicated.


    Thus, the situation in Backhill Village became relatively peaceful compared to other places in the sky. Although both armies were on high alert, it seemed like neither was willing to strike first, leading to a stalemate. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same time, Rocky''s Thunderhawk City finally made a move!


    On the 2nd of May, year 118, the day after receiving intelligence from the Shadow Alliance, Rocky finally stepped out of his study and sat once again in the City Lord''s Hall, taking his place as the representative of the City Lord!


    After several days of despair and decadence, he had finally come to a realization. Since he was living through chaotic times and had even become involved in the biggest storm of these times, it had become impossible for him to extricate himself from it.


    He had been considering where he should go, thinking entirely about how to withdraw from the storm, but now he understood that path was impassable. Anyone caught in this storm would not be able to escape, and once he realized this, he knew what he had to do.


    The only thing he could do now was to become a part of the storm!


    If this was a storm, then he had to become the tornado within it; if it was a tsunami, he would be the surging wave. Only by doing so could he survive the tempest.


    So, after a night of thought, he had figured out what he needed to do. Therefore, when he reappeared in the City Lord''s Hall, the signs of despair on his face and the sense of powerlessness in his heart were gone. Not only had he returned to his former state, but he also seemed even more resolute than before!


    "Aileen, how much money is left in the treasury?"


    "Around half a million Gold Coins, plus some Demon Materials,"


    Aileen immediately responded when asked by Rocky.


    "Go contact the Shadow Alliance now, use the money to get a detailed dossier on the Mairente Family."


    "Understood."


    "Monte, go find Glan later and ask him to come to the City Lord''s Mansion. I have something to discuss with him."


    After saying this, Rocky looked at everyone, paused for a moment, and then continued, "Ladies and gentlemen, the major forces have now declared war on the Alliance. As members of the Alliance, this war is inevitable, so get ready. We''re joining this war!"


    "Yes!"


    "Yes!"


    When Rocky said these words, whether it was Monte, Lin Feng, Felly, or even including Aileen and Old Jack, everyone responded loudly, their eyes alight with eager anticipation. Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    "My lord, what is our target this time..."


    Seeing Rocky regain his former vigor, Monte couldn''t contain his excitement and, after agreeing, couldn''t help but ask.


    Hearing his question, Rocky smiled at everyone: "Of course, it''s the Mairente Family."

 Chapter 1 - 1 - 1, 2 Defects and Whispers (Combined Chapters)

    Chapter 1 ¨C 1, Chapter 2 Defects and Whispers (Combined Chapters)


    ¡°`


    ¡°This is just¡­ thinking about it is so frustrating!¡±


    Sitting in his own room, Rocky had a gloomy expression on his face.


    As a transmigrator, he had been in this world for a month now. He went from initial fear to wandering uncertainty, and finally, he slowly adapted to the new environment. Yet no matter what, he could not adapt to this new body.


    His new body was named Rocky. It originally belonged to a second-generation rich kid with a substantial family background. The personality was decent too¡ªperhaps not exactly a great person but not too bad either, so his future ought to have been bright.


    Unfortunately, the otherwise quite capable Rocky had a fatal flaw: he was a pushover.


    This defect was truly terrifying because if you¡¯re a pushover, even dogs might bully you!


    ...


    The Rocky before the transmigration was such a pushover, and to an extent that nobody would believe if told. He actually let someone snatch a Sky City right out of his own hands!


    The so-called Sky City is a type of city capable of flight, high above the ground. To clarify this fairy-tale-like notion involves delving into the history of this world.


    This world is called Sanibo, meaning ¡¯land blessed by the gods,¡¯ a world where both sword and magic, as well as magic technology, are highly developed.


    Regrettably, although the world¡¯s name sounds idyllic, the gods have shown little to no favor here. Instead, they have mercilessly punished this place.


    A hundred years ago, demons invaded from the Different Dimension, seizing two-thirds of the land in an instant. Every race on the land suddenly faced the danger of annihilation, but thankfully, humans then invented Sky City and used this invention to relocate all races to the sky, ushering in the Sky Era.


    In the hundred years that followed, people continuously thrived in the sky, hoping that one day they would be able to reclaim the land. The number of Sky Cities grew from the initial one to ten, and from ten to a hundred. Nowadays, the amount of Sky Cities in the sky is beyond count.


    And Rocky owned one such Sky City!


    His Sky City was an inheritance from his father, who was originally a noble from the Mairente Family. Although he left the family after starting his own, with his efforts alone he carved out a medium-sized Sky City with a population of thirty thousand.


    However, a few years after giving birth to Rocky, his mother passed away. The loss of his wife left the once valiant and capable father listless and morose. Eventually, he passed away a year ago.


    The successive deaths of his parents meant that Rocky, as their only son, naturally inherited his father¡¯s Sky City, becoming the lord of an entire city. Everything seemed so wonderful.


    But this beauty was only fleeting, as disaster struck not long after.


    ¡°Ah¡­ why am I so unlucky¡­¡±


    Remembering the events that had befallen ¡¯him,¡¯ Rocky in his room couldn¡¯t help but sigh, feeling a sense of ruefulness.


    The trouble began half a year ago when members of the Mairente Family, the family his father originally belonged to, suddenly appeared. They claimed that as a descendant of the Mairente Family, they hoped he would return to the fold and listed a plethora of benefits that would come with his return.


    This should have been a good thing. Even though Rocky didn¡¯t understand why his father had left the family, the Mairente Family was a major house after all. He felt that returning to such a family might not be a loss, so he agreed.


    But that agreement was a mistake!


    He did return to the family, but as soon as he did, Rocky was immediately informed: as a member of the Mairente Family, all assets owned by Rocky¡­ now belonged to the family!


    These weren¡¯t just empty words. The Mairente Family really did confiscate all his assets, including the medium-sized Sky City with a population of thirty thousand; it was all taken by the Mairente Family.


    After taking everything Rocky had, the Mairente Family then suddenly notified him that since his father had left the family, the family council did not recognize his status.


    Just like that, he was expelled from the family again!


    Of course, when the Mairente Family banished Rocky, they didn¡¯t leave him with nothing. Perhaps because they knew they had gone too far, in sending Rocky away they also gave him a small Sky City, one with merely a thousand residents¡­


    Which means, in the course of returning to the family, not only did Rocky not get anything beneficial, but he also lost all his property¡ªit all ended with him still being a city lord, but his Sky City had shrunk from a medium-sized one with a population of thirty thousand to a tiny, rundown city of just a thousand.


    Others might feel furious just hearing about such incidents, wouldn¡¯t they? For this was clearly robbery! sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And even though he knew this was outright robbery, the Rocky before the transmigration had no way of objecting. His weak nature forced him to swallow the insult and bear it until he transmigrated.


    After transmigration, Rocky had even less chance to correct the situation; in fact, not only did he have no chance, but he also had to clean up the mess left behind by the ¡¯former him.¡¯


    This mess was the Sky City he owned.


    The Sky City Rocky now owned was called Thunderhawk City. The name sounded impressive, but it was nothing more than a tiny city with a population of just a thousand, more fitting to be called a village than a city.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 2 - 2 - 1, 2 Defects and Whispers (Combined Chapters) _2

    Chapter 2 ¨C 1, Chapter 2 Defects and Whispers (Combined Chapters) _2


    And just the thought of Thunderhawk City worsened Rocky¡¯s already sour mood.


    The city was simply too small and dreadfully poor; being the City Lord of such a Sky City was a headache just to think about.


    ¡°City Lord, Captain Eyer has returned and is waiting for you in the hall,¡±


    Just as Rocky was feeling a headache coming on, a knock suddenly sounded and someone pushed the door open and entered the room.


    The newcomer was a young woman with beautiful black hair, dressed in exquisite leather armor, and equipped with a silver-white long sword at her waist, looking both dashing and charming.


    This striking woman was named Liliya, Rocky¡¯s bodyguard and the only confidante who followed him to Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°Okay,¡±


    ...


    After agreeing, Rocky walked towards the doorway.


    He naturally liked Liliya; it wasn¡¯t out of lust but because the original Rocky had been very close to Liliya.


    The woman before him was not just an ordinary bodyguard; she had been Rocky¡¯s playmate since childhood, holding a significant place in the original Rocky¡¯s heart, filled with trust and some admiration.


    Approaching Liliya, Rocky glanced at her and immediately felt a surge of wild vigor, so he casually said, ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you before, just call me by my name, no need for ¡¯City Lord,¡¯ it sounds so distant.¡±


    ¡°Calling you City Lord makes others respect you,¡±


    Liliya replied coldly, her face expressionless, making Rocky feel somewhat embarrassed.


    He had just made a casual remark, intending it as a joke, but Liliya took it seriously.


    Of course, Rocky understood why Liliya would do so; the original him, although a city lord, was indeed too feeble, to the extent that no one took him seriously¡ªnot to mention outsiders, even the officials and nobles of Thunderhawk City lacked respect for him as their City Lord.


    It was precisely because of this that Liliya treated him with such ¡¯seriousness,¡¯ otherwise, no one would take him seriously at all.


    In all of Thunderhawk City, probably only Liliya truly respected him.


    Thinking of this, Rocky inwardly sighed, but it wasn¡¯t appropriate to explain too much; he couldn¡¯t just tell Liliya the original him had died and that he was an entirely new person.


    Nevertheless, Rocky believed that even if he didn¡¯t say it, Liliya could sense the differences.


    ¡°Captain Eyer left half a month ago, right?¡±


    To ease the awkwardness, Rocky changed the topic.


    ¡°Yes,¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What exactly did he go to the land for?¡±


    But just as he changed the topic, Rocky felt even more embarrassed because he had forgotten why Captain Eyer had gone to the land.


    The Eyer they spoke of was the captain of the Guard Corps of Sparrowhawk City, commanding the city¡¯s guards.


    Half a month ago, he suddenly requested to lead a team back to the land; at the time, Rocky had just arrived and was still adjusting to the changes around him, so he agreed without asking much, leading to his complete forgetfulness about the reason for the other¡¯s return to the land.


    ¡°He heard that there might be a mine nearby, so he led a team to search for it,¡±


    Liliya looked at Rocky, disappointment undisguised in her gaze but still provided the answer.


    Rocky avoided Liliya¡¯s gaze, nodded, and started to recall.


    When the world entered the Sky Era, many things changed, such as resources becoming more precious, especially mineral resources.


    The sky was vast and boundless but lacked even a single piece of ore; ironically, minerals are essential for development, so to obtain them, one must return to the land to mine.


    The land was rich in mineral resources, but don¡¯t forget, the land had long become the territory of Demons! Therefore, going back to the land to mine was very dangerous, and among miners, there was even a saying: every piece of ore represents the life of a miner.


    This danger, in turn, made minerals even more precious.


    This time, Captain Eyer went to the land to search for a mine, perhaps an undiscovered new vein or an old mine from the Land Era, Rocky wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°Hope Captain Eyer makes some discoveries,¡±


    Liliya said by his side, seemingly hopeful of Captain Eyer¡¯s mission.


    ¡°Who knows¡­ Let¡¯s hope he finds something,¡±


    Rocky didn¡¯t argue with Liliya, but deep down, he didn¡¯t believe Eyer would succeed.


    Mineral resources were too precious, and most of the veins and old mines on the land were already controlled by influential figures; nowadays, not to mention finding a new vein, even discovering an old mine from the Land Era seemed less likely than a blind cat running into a dead rat.


    Besides, even if they found it, so what?


    With Thunderhawk City¡¯s capabilities, it simply lacked the workforce to mine and a sufficient military force to protect miners, so even with coordinates of a vein, they could only sell them, nothing more.


    As these thoughts crossed his mind, Rocky had already arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Hall and then pushed open the door to enter.


    Upon entering the hall, he saw a middle-aged man sitting inside, who stood up when he entered.


    ¡°City Lord,¡±


    When Rocky settled in the City Lord¡¯s seat, the middle-aged man nodded slightly to him as a form of salute.


    This man was Captain Eyer, around thirty years old with a scar on his face, emanating a faint aura of fierceness. He had been the city¡¯s captain of the Guard Corps even before Rocky came to Thunderhawk City, an old-timer of the city.

 Chapter 3 - 3 - 1, 2 Defects and Whispers (Combined Chapters)_3

    Chapter 3 ¨C 1, Chapter 2 Defects and Whispers (Combined Chapters)_3


    However, Rocky didn¡¯t like this person; in his memory, Eyer had once deceived his former self. When he had just taken over Thunderhawk City, Eyer had lied about military expenses and embezzled a large sum of money.


    Rocky knew all these things from before, but due to many concerns, he chose to step back, yet his stepping back was seen as weakness in the eyes of others, causing them to care less and less about him.


    And obviously, among those who didn¡¯t care about Rocky was Eyer.


    ¡°Captain Eyer, have you found anything?¡±


    Putting aside his dissatisfaction with Eyer, Rocky asked with a smile, believing that in time Eyer would start respecting him again, as he was no longer the person he used to be.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, City Lord, to disappoint you, but this time I haven¡¯t found any new veins.¡±


    Standing in front of Rocky, Eyer spoke as though he hadn¡¯t found anything, yet he behaved as if he had won a great victory, puffing out his chest and lifting his head in pride.


    ...


    God, does this man have no shame?


    Seeing that Eyer had clearly made a futile trip yet assumed such an arrogant demeanor, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but get angry.


    Considering that returning from Sky City to land consumed a lot of resources, and Thunderhawk City being a small city with scarce resources, could hardly afford such waste.


    Thinking of this, Rocky¡¯s expression turned sour, but he still suppressed his dissatisfaction and then asked, ¡°There were no casualties, right?¡±


    The population of Thunderhawk City was only a little over a thousand, with no army of its own, just two hundred guards barely maintaining order in the city. Rocky remembered that Eyer had taken thirty guards with him. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But when he asked this, Eyer¡¯s face changed, ¡°My Lord, we were attacked by Demons on the way back, and more than twenty of our brothers died¡­¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Upon hearing Eyer¡¯s words, Rocky slammed his hand down on the table and stood up!


    More than twenty people died?


    There are only two hundred guards in Thunderhawk City. These two hundred people normally act as police, and in times of trouble, as soldiers, they are the city¡¯s only armed force, yet Eyer had just lost a tenth of them!


    This time, even if Rocky wanted to endure, he couldn¡¯t hold back, his anger flaring as he questioned Eyer, ¡°Captain Eyer, what exactly happened! Why was there such a great loss!¡±


    ¡°City Lord, as I said earlier, we encountered a Demon attack on the way back. This loss is quite reasonable.¡±


    However, faced with his questioning, Eyer seemed fearless, appearing utterly indifferent, simply repeating what he had said before.


    His opponent¡¯s demeanor infuriated Rocky, his face turning crimson, his eyes glaring at Eyer as if he wanted to kill him.


    He stared intensely at Eyer, and Eyer likewise looked back at him; the two of them stood in silence, plunging the entire hall into quietness.


    It was a while before Rocky¡¯s face improved slightly, it seemed he had managed to suppress his rage, then he waved his hand as if giving up.


    Seeing him wave his hand in resignation, Eyer inwardly sneered, just a useless coward. Even if he had learned to glare, he was still a coward!


    In Eyer¡¯s view, this new city lord didn¡¯t even count as being tough on the outside but soft on the inside; he was simply a fish on the chopping board, utterly without fear, knowing well that Rocky didn¡¯t have the guts to touch him.


    As for why there had been such heavy losses this time, of course, there was a reason, but it was a reason he had no intention of telling Rocky.


    But just as Eyer was sneering inwardly, Rocky had already whispered something to Liliya.


    When Rocky finished speaking, Liliya looked surprised, even asking incredulously, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Rocky nodded, ¡°Are you confident about it?¡±


    In disbelief, Liliya smiled after a moment and said confidently, ¡°Almost certain.¡±


    Having said that, she walked towards the exit of the hall, passing by Eyer without a sideways glance.


    But just as Liliya brushed past Eyer, she suddenly lashed out, kicking his knee with such force that it snapped with a crack! The next second she had Eyer pinned to the ground, her sword pressed against his throat.


    ¡°You! What are you doing! City Lord!¡±


    Captured without any chance to react, Eyer endured the severe pain in his knee, his eyes wide with disbelief as he looked at Rocky.


    This worthless Rocky, dared to treat him like this!?


    PS: It¡¯s not easy starting a new book; the content will become increasingly exciting. I hope for everyone¡¯s support, and most importantly, please make sure to add this to your favorites! Thank you all!

 Chapter 4 - 4 - 3: Void Magic Armor

    Chapter 4 ¨C 3: Void Magic Armor


    ¡°Release me! You scoundrel, how dare you treat me like this!¡±


    Pinned to the ground, Eyer cursed and struggled, only to realize he could not break free from Liliya¡¯s restraint, so he could only turn to Rocky, ¡°City Lord, what do you intend to do!¡±


    Looking at Rocky sitting in the City Lord¡¯s seat, Eyer couldn¡¯t believe what was happening.


    This cowardly Rocky, the one who didn¡¯t dare to resist even when his father¡¯s Sky City was taken from him, dared to lay a hand on him! Was he not afraid that Eyer would lead the city guards in rebellion!


    Before Rocky had taken over Thunderhawk City, Eyer had been the Captain of the Guards, relying on this as his greatest support; therefore, Eyer was certain that Rocky would not dare to touch him. If Rocky dared to act against him, he would not hesitate to lead the Guard Corps to oust Rocky from his position!


    Unfortunately, Eyer didn¡¯t know that the Rocky he was dealing with was not the same as before.


    The current Rocky had no intention of being a pushover any longer!


    ...


    ¡°Captain Eyer¡­¡±


    Ignoring Eyer¡¯s shouting, Rocky reclined in the City Lord¡¯s seat and coldly watched him, ¡°What exactly did you go back to the land for this time, and what did you discover?¡±


    ¡°City Lord, what, what are you talking about¡­ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying¡­¡±


    No sooner had Rocky finished asking that question than the expression on Eyer¡¯s face changed, becoming extremely uneasy.


    This change was not lost on Rocky, and it eased his mind somewhat. It seemed his guess was likely on the mark.


    Actually, while locking eyes with Eyer in anger, he had been thinking, and eventually, he came to a clear realization about something: that Eyer was deceiving him!


    Without a doubt, Eyer was not loyal to him, which was evident from the other¡¯s attitude and actions.


    So, would a Captain of the Guards who was disloyal to the City Lord go searching for a mine for Thunderhawk City, or for Rocky¡¯s sake? Especially when there was a chance of encountering demons.


    The answer was clearly no.


    Yet Eyer had gone, and during the process, he had indeed encountered danger and lost more than twenty men.


    Why? Why would Eyer take such a great risk to return to the land?


    The answer was actually quite simple: His return to the land wasn¡¯t for the purpose of finding a mine, but rather, he had a different objective. The mission was extremely dangerous, causing the deaths of over twenty guards, but Eyer had gone anyway, and must have gained something from it. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have returned so cocky and arrogant!


    That was the answer Rocky had come up with, and judging by Eyer¡¯s recent reaction, this speculation was almost certainly correct.


    Regrettably, Eyer had no intention of confessing. He stared fiercely at Rocky and resolutely said,


    ¡°City Lord, I don¡¯t understand what you are saying!¡±


    ¡°My Lord, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve heard, but my trip to the land was truly for¡ªAhh!!¡±


    Eyer¡¯s halfway attempt at deception was cut short by a scream, as Liliya, holding him down, viciously struck his knee, immediately causing him to wail in pain.


    Good teammate!


    Liliya¡¯s action earned her a surreptitious thumbs-up from Rocky, grateful for such an understanding girl.


    It was only after Eyer¡¯s screaming ceased that Rocky continued, ¡°Tell me, what exactly did you find when you returned to the land?¡±


    ¡°I, I didn¡¯t find anything¡­¡±


    At that moment, because of the intense pain, Eyer¡¯s face turned pale, and the beads of sweat on his forehead grew larger than beans. He could no longer roar as he had before, yet he still tried to talk tough.


    But the tougher he talked, the more it hinted at a great secret, and the less likely Rocky was to give up.


    So, Rocky waved his hand, signaling Liliya, who looked like she was about to deal another harsh blow to Eyer, to stop.


    ¡°Rocky, he¡¯s not telling the truth!¡±


    Seeing Rocky restrain her, Liliya urgently called out his name, fearing that Rocky might believe Eyer¡¯s slippery defenses.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Flashing a grin at Liliya, Rocky, of course, knew Eyer was stubbornly lying, and so he stood up from his seat.


    He walked slowly over to Eyer, towering above him, ¡°Captain Eyer, even the greatest secrets require a life to enjoy. I am very curious, what secret is worth risking your life to protect?¡±


    ¡°You dare to kill me?¡±


    Suddenly raising his head, Eyer stared at Rocky with a pair of eyes and burst into laughter, ¡°You dare to kill me? Rocky, you better think this through. If you kill me, the brothers in the Guard Corps won¡¯t let me die in vain!¡±


    The City Guards within the city were Eyer¡¯s greatest reliance, all of whom he had personally trained. Therefore, if he died, the Guard Corps would definitely not obey Rocky.


    However, Rocky had already considered this issue. He looked at Eyer coldly and slowly began to speak, ¡°Captain Eyer, are you sure that after your death, the Guard Corps will seek revenge for a dead man?¡±


    ¡°Will they confront the Void Magic Armor for your sake?¡±


    ¡°Void, Void¡­¡±


    ¡°You actually have Void Magic Armor?!¡±


    Eyer, who was previously full of arrogance, suddenly changed his demeanor upon hearing the words ¡¯Void Magic Armor¡¯, his eyes widening in shock as he looked at Rocky, never expecting him to utter those words. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This Rocky¡­ actually possesses a set of Void Magic Armor?!


    After the world entered the Sky Era, the way warfare was conducted underwent a complete transformation.


    Warfare in the skies was no longer about soldiers engaging in hand-to-hand combat, but rather battles between Floating Warships, and the key to determining the outcome of the war was the Void Magic Armor!


    Void Magic Armor, second only to the magnificent invention of a Sky City, revolutionized the method of warfare. Soldiers clad in Void Magic Armor not only gained the ability to fly but also a significant increase in combat power. Regardless of whether they had learned magic or not, they could rely on the armor to launch magical attacks.


    Take Rocky, for example; currently a Second Level Warrior and a First Level Mage, he would just be considered average. But once he donned his Void Magic Armor, the armor¡¯s augmentation would transform him into a Fourth Level Warrior and a Third Level Mage!


    And imagine, when soldiers wearing such armor appeared in the skies in formation, what kind of scene that would be and what terrifying combat power they would represent.


    Rocky had such a set of Void Magic Armor, left to him by his father.


    Although the previous Rocky was quite feeble and had suffered terribly because of it, no matter what threats or temptations he faced, even if it meant giving away an entire Sky City, he never surrendered the Void Magic Armor left by his father, ultimately benefiting the current Rocky by giving him an ace up his sleeve!


    In the entirety of Thunderhawk City, no one knew about this except for Liliya; hence when Eyer learned that Rocky actually had a set of Void Magic Armor, he truly felt fear.


    Though Eyer was merely a captain of the guards, he had seen a fair bit of the world and was fully aware of how formidable a soldier wearing Void Magic Armor could be. It was simply not something average people could contend with, not even Floating Warships. The only thing that could contend with Void Magic Armor was another Void Magic Armor!


    What¡¯s more, he didn¡¯t believe Rocky was lying. Rocky might be feeble, but he was undoubtedly a true rich second generation, and it was entirely possible that he had some hidden assets.


    This realization deflated Eyer like a punctured balloon, transforming him as if he was a different person, no longer resistant or defiant, and at last he spilled the truth.


    ¡°My Lord, my trip to the land¡­ actually, it was to complete a transaction¡­¡±


    ¡°What transaction?¡±


    ¡°Trafficking¡­ trafficking the people of the city¡­¡±


    ¡°What! You actually dared to traffic the people of the city!¡±


    This time, before Rocky could even speak, Liliya couldn¡¯t hold back any longer!


    You must understand that Thunderhawk City only had about a thousand inhabitants, which was already the minimum standard for a Sky City to operate normally. If the population were to decrease further, Thunderhawk City would become a ghost city, even without outsiders conquering it!


    But here was Eyer, secretly trafficking the people of the city. His actions were utterly destructive to Thunderhawk City!


    Not only Liliya, but Rocky was also seething with anger.


    A month of acclimatization had given him a full understanding of this world, and he was well aware of the consequences Eyer¡¯s actions could bring. He was sucking the blood of Thunderhawk City! At the same time, Rocky felt genuinely relieved, grateful that his rebellion today was so correct; otherwise, he might not have known about this matter for who knows how long.


    ¡°My Lord! My Lord, please hear me out, this is the first time I¡¯m doing something like this, truly!¡±


    Knowing that Rocky possessed Void Magic Armor, Eyer understood that the Guard Corps was no longer his reliance, and as soon as he noticed a change in Rocky¡¯s expression, he began to plead.


    ¡°Keep talking!¡±


    Rocky, with a grim expression, looked at Eyer and said through clenched teeth.


    ¡°Y-yes, my Lord, I did make an important discovery this time! A very important discovery!¡±


    Queried by Rocky, Eyer clung to that question like a lifeline, immediately saying, ¡°My Lord, when I returned to the land, I discovered an institution from the Land Era!¡±

 Chapter 5 - 5 - 4: Decision

    Chapter 5 ¨C 4: Decision


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Eyer¡¯s words made Rocky furrow his brows in an instant, even doubting if he had heard wrong.


    ¡°It¡¯s true! My lord, I really did discover a research institute from the Land Era, a Lost Research Institute¡ªwe were attacked by demons at that time!¡±


    Fearing that Rocky wouldn¡¯t believe him, Eyer very affirmatively repeated his statement; he truly had found a Lost Research Institute on the land!


    A hundred years ago, demons invaded from Different Dimension and drove all races on the continent up into the sky, seizing the land in one fell swoop.


    During that time, people tried to resist, but the strength of the demons far exceeded their imaginations. Hence, although the resistance war was brutally fought, it only lasted a few years before ending in failure, forcing humans to flee into the sky.


    However, although the resistance failed, the war spurred Magic Technology to advance by leaps and bounds. This led to the birth of countless new technologies and equipment, and ultimately the invention of Sky City, the ultimate creation.


    ...


    The birth of Sky City undoubtedly saved everyone, but in actuality, other Magic Technology was being developed at the same time. These technologies were also revolutionary inventions of their age. It¡¯s regrettable that¡­


    Regrettably, by the end of the resistance war, large areas of land had fallen, and as people hurried to fly to the sky in Sky Cities, a great escape that involved everyone ensued. Those equally great inventions were either discontinued or abandoned in the process, and even some completed ones never had the chance to be revealed to the world.


    And these unfinished yet equally great inventions mostly lay forgotten in research institutes across the land!


    In order to resist the demon invasion, during the resistance war, numerous countries established many labs to develop new weapons and equipment. But as the great escape began, due to the urgency, many research institutes were closed in haste, leaving their contents behind without a chance to be moved!


    These unemptied research institutes, possibly hiding great inventions, were then known as¡ªLost Research Institutes!


    Eyer¡¯s words made Rocky furrow his brows tightly. Could it be that right beneath Thunderhawk City lay a Lost Research Institute?


    Such an outcome was far beyond his expectations, and it even made it hard for him to breathe steadily. For if it were true, it would be a major discovery, perhaps even more significant than finding a new vein of ore!


    But¡­ could it be possible? Could Eyer be so lucky?


    At this thought, Rocky steadied his breathing and asked with a still icy face, ¡°Eyer, if you think you can save your life with such a lie, you¡¯re very foolish.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°No! My lord, I¡¯m not lying to you! I truly found a Lost Research Institute, I swear!¡±


    Eyer bit his lip, as if making a grave decision, before speaking, ¡°My lord, actually, the demon attack only killed about a dozen people. But I feared this secret might be leaked. So, I killed those I couldn¡¯t trust, leaving only a few confidants¡­¡±


    Desperate to make Rocky believe him, Eyer had told the ultimate truth.


    Eyer was indeed ruthless! On the one hand, he used the Guard Corps as his support, but on the other, when faced with truly valuable interests, he did not hesitate to get rid of these same guards!


    However, by saying so, he indeed added some credence to his previous words.


    The value of the Lost Research Institute was exceptionally great; after all, it might contain high-end Magic Technology. What was a few lives in the face of such immense interest?


    ¡°Rocky, what do you plan¡­¡±


    Unconsciously, Liliya had stopped calling Rocky ¡°city lord.¡± At this moment, she looked up at Rocky, wanting to know his next move.


    Eyer had spilled everything he knew. Now, the next course of action was up to Rocky, the city lord.


    At this moment, Rocky was already deep in thought.


    If there truly was a Lost Research Institute beneath Thunderhawk City, as the city lord, he faced two choices: either sell the location of the institute or personally investigate it.


    Since the Lost Research Institute could potentially contain high-end Magic Technology, many people¡ªespecially the city lords of many large Sky Cities¡ªwould be willing to pay a hefty sum for the coordinates of the institute, even if such a venture might yield nothing.


    But it was like gambling on stones, even if a hundred stones were useless, as long as one stone contained a beautiful jade, the previous investments were all worth it. And even if a hundred research institutes yielded nothing, finding advanced magic technology within one institute would likewise make it all worthwhile.


    Therefore, if Rocky sold the coordinates of the Lost Research Institute, he was sure to fetch a good price, and this money would significantly benefit Thunderhawk City, enough for the city to operate for a very long time.


    The other option was to personally visit the institute to see for himself. If he really found something inside the institute¡­ his good days would be coming!


    However, this approach involved huge risks. Eyer had mentioned before, there were demons near the institute.


    There were only two hundred men in the entire Thunderhawk City Guard Corps, and they could barely manage to deal with two or three demons; facing a large horde of demons¡­ haha, there wouldn¡¯t be enough of them even to stick between a demon¡¯s teeth.


    Moreover, even if we set aside the demons, what if Rocky located the institute, successfully got inside, and found nothing?


    If he entered the institute only to discover it was empty, then the institute would be a waste, of no value to Thunderhawk City, and even the coordinates wouldn¡¯t sell.


    Those big shots who spent money on coordinates didn¡¯t want second-hand goods, and besides, these people were the true predators of the sky, not easily fooled. Otherwise, they could easily dispatch a force of Void Magic Armor troops larger than the population of Thunderhawk City and wipe Rocky out with a flick of their wrist!


    To sell the coordinates for a sure sum of money or to take the risk? The choice was up to Rocky to make.


    ¡°You keep an eye on him; I¡¯m going to change into my armor,¡±


    After careful consideration for a moment, Rocky told Liliya, already determined in his heart!


    He was going to take the risk!


    In just a short time, Rocky thought about a lot. He was well aware that Eyer had likely intended to secretly sell the coordinates to walk away with a huge sum of money, but he couldn¡¯t do that.


    Because Eyer was someone who was satisfied as long as he himself was full, not caring about others. But Rocky was different; he had to think about Thunderhawk City.


    In this world, the importance of a Sky City was beyond words, with countless people dreaming their whole lives of owning one. Luckily, Rocky, who had crossed over, immediately became the lord of a city, a chance given by fate!


    He couldn¡¯t let this opportunity slip away, no matter who he was in his past life or what he had done. What was important now was to develop and strengthen Thunderhawk City. Only by doing so could he survive in this unfamiliar world.


    So he decided to take the risk, planning to use the Void Magic Armor to personally visit the research institute!


    He demonstrated remarkable decisiveness on this matter, driven as well by necessity. After observing for nearly a month, he deeply comprehended the weakness of Thunderhawk City.


    Thunderhawk City was already a struggling small city on the verge of a crisis. Now, with him as the new city lord, many others began to harbor ulterior motives, with Eyer being a prime example.


    Didn¡¯t Eyer know that trafficking people was destroying Thunderhawk City?


    Of course, he knew, but he did it anyway, clearly hoping to make a fortune and then take off, abandoning Thunderhawk City altogether. And there were definitely more than one person in the city with the same thought.


    This was the situation that Rocky faced, fraught with internal strife and external threats, leaving him with no choice but to take a gamble.


    While Liliya watched over Eyer in the hall, Rocky quickly returned to his own bedroom.


    Although he was the lord of Thunderhawk City, his bedroom was not luxurious. This wasn¡¯t because he preferred simplicity, but rather because he had no means for luxury.


    Once inside the bedroom, Rocky closed the door behind him and then pulled out a large leather trunk from under the bed.


    This large leather trunk had been sitting under the bed for a long time, covered in dust, but no one could imagine that such an inconspicuous trunk contained the most valuable thing in Thunderhawk City: Void Magic Armor!


    Gently dusting off the trunk, Rocky felt a surge of excitement. Though he knew from memories that he owned a set of Void Magic Armor, he had never seen it or worn it before, so at this moment, he was filled with anticipation!

 Chapter 6 - 6 - 5 Shock! (Part 1)

    Chapter 6 ¨C 5 Shock! (Part 1)


    For the current Rocky, Thunderhawk City was the foundation of his survival in this world, and the Void Magic Armor left by his father was the support he could rely on for survival! S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, with an excited heart, he slowly opened the leather case.


    ¡°What, what is this¡­? What is this?¡±


    The excitement he felt suddenly vanished after opening the case; he didn¡¯t see the dazzlingly colorful golden helmet and armor he envisioned, but a pile of scrap metal instead?!


    Indeed, there was a set of armor inside the box, but it was covered in rust, barely looking any different from a heap of discarded metal.


    This, this is the Void Magic Armor left by my father?


    He picked up the armor and inspected it closely, finding a bracer in his hands. It wasn¡¯t particularly light, but it was covered in grime and seemed even inferior to common armor, let alone the legendary Void Magic Armor.


    ...


    ¡°Why does it even smell? Is it moldy?¡±


    Looking at the bracer in his hand, Rocky suddenly detected an unpleasant smell. Could it be that it smelled because it had been left to sit for too long and had grown moldy?


    With this thought, he sniffed it carefully, and after a moment he was shocked!


    How could there be a smell of blood!?


    Closely sniffing the bracer, Rocky indeed smelled blood. Upon closer inspection of the bracer, he realized that the so-called grime was actually bloodstains that had seeped into the armor!


    This discovery made him immediately take out the rest of the armor pieces from the case and inspect them, only to realize he was mistaken earlier. The supposed rust on the armor was in fact bloodstains that had soaked into the armor!


    Such a result completely shocked him.


    How many battles must it have been through for the enemies¡¯ blood to have permeated into the armor!


    This astonishing discovery inevitably made Rocky think of his father.


    Since he came from another time, he was not familiar with his father, knowing only through memories that his father was a melancholy man, his gloominess naturally stemming from missing his mother.


    However, he was also very aware that before becoming melancholic, his father must have been an impressive person; otherwise, he couldn¡¯t have established a family on his own, and even more so, gained power to become the lord of a mid-sized Sky City ¡ª a feat that ordinary people could not accomplish.


    The Void Magic Armor before him, especially the bloodstains branded on it, seemed like a book, a blood-written book recording his father¡¯s countless battles.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Rocky cast aside the disrespect and dissatisfaction in his heart, and then took out every piece of armor from the case.


    In just a moment, a complete set of Void Magic Armor lay before Rocky, and he then recalled the method of donning it.


    The greatness of Void Magic Armor lies in the fact that it is entirely different from ordinary armor, which is essentially just clothing with strong defensive power. But Void Magic Armor is not like that. It is embedded with Magic Stones and driven by Mana, providing all-around enhancement and support to the wearer.


    It is exactly for this reason that the method of donning Void Magic Armor is different from regular armor¡ªit needs to be activated first.


    With his eyes closed, Rocky recalled the activation method of the Void Magic Armor several times, then opened his eyes and reached out to the armor on the ground with his left hand.


    ¡°Void Magic¡­ Armament!¡±


    Channeling the Magic Power within his body according to the method from his memories, Rocky immediately felt a connection with the Void Magic Armor. Then he heard a whoosh as the armor¡¯s gauntlet suddenly flew up and fit itself onto his hand in the blink of an eye, followed by other parts of the armor flying up and equipping themselves on him without waiting for a reaction!


    In the blink of an eye, Rocky had fully donned the Void Magic Armor!


    ¡°This¡­ This is just too cool¡­¡±


    Although he had long known that this world followed the path of Magic Technology, when Rocky personally experienced its marvel, he was left astonished and speechless.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite lightweight and flexible too¡­¡±


    Having put on the entire set of Void Magic Armor, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but move his body around, finding the armor that felt so heavy in his hands now surprisingly light and far more flexible than imagined when worn on his body, without any discomfort at all.


    He then couldn¡¯t resist walking in front of a mirror to look at his own reflection.


    ¡°My God¡­ This, this is just too cool!¡±


    Looking into the mirror, Rocky could hardly believe his eyes. Was that incredibly cool figure in the mirror really him?


    The Void Magic Armor he wore was actually an old model from forty or fifty years ago ¨C after all, it was his father¡¯s armor. By rights, it should have been outdated, but it still looked incredibly formidable.


    Compared to ordinary armor, the design of Void Magic Armor was much more exaggerated, but it was precisely this exaggeration that made Rocky, clad in the armor, appear imposing and majestic, leaving him stunned.


    Next, Rocky attempted to control the armor¡¯s movement and found himself surprisingly floating bit by bit into the air!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°Liliya! I order you to let go of Captain Eyer! Immediately!¡±


    While Rocky gushed over the merits of the Void Magic Armor, a change had occurred in the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    Liliya, who had been waiting here, now held Eyer up like a shield before her, confronting a group of people opposite her.


    The leader of this group was a fat man who appeared to be about fifty years old, bald and with a face full of fat, looking every bit the cunning fat pig.


    The man¡¯s name was Perolo, an administrative officer of Thunderhawk City. He was currently yelling furiously at Liliya, ordering her to release Captain Eyer.


    To the left and right of Perolo stood two guards, swords drawn and tips pointing straight at Liliya!


    ¡°Liliya, are you deaf? I said to let go of Captain Eyer this instant!¡±


    Glaring venomously at Liliya, Perolo was beside himself with rage, his mind a whirl of chaos.


    Earlier, Eyer had confided that his true purpose for returning to the surface was to traffic humans, and his accomplice in this crime was none other than Perolo!


    As an administrative officer of Thunderhawk City, Perolo had little to do, for the city was too small, but he was the one who knew the population distribution of the city best.


    Perolo knew well which people in the city were untouchable and which could disappear without anyone caring. With his help, Eyer had managed to capture people for trafficking and sold them off.


    According to the plan between the two, Eyer should have gone to find Perolo to split the loot after reporting to Rocky. But Eyer hadn¡¯t returned after meeting with Rocky, and Perolo, wracked by guilt, suspected something was amiss and decided to find out, leading to the current scene.


    In truth, when Perolo arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Hall and saw Eyer injured, he realized that their misdeeds might have been exposed, throwing him into utmost disarray.


    In any Sky City, human trafficking is a capital offense, punishable by death¡ªa rule that Thunderhawk City was no exception to.


    Logically, once their human trafficking was exposed, Perolo should have fled immediately; otherwise, death was certain. Yet he did not, and the reason was simple: Rocky was the City Lord of Thunderhawk City!


    In Perolo¡¯s eyes, Rocky was young and inexperienced in governance and moreover, weak and easily bullied. Perolo believed that if he could just rescue Eyer, there might still be a chance to turn things around, especially since Eyer was the Captain of the Guards, with the entire Guard Corps at his command.


    For insurance, he had also sent someone to notify the finance officer, planning to pressure Rocky into submission by teaming up with the officers when the time came.


    ¡°Perolo, do you even realize what you are doing?¡±


    Sword in one hand and supporting Eyer with the other, Liliya retreated under the encirclement of the four guards, while coldly addressing Perolo: ¡°Perolo, Captain Eyer is under arrest by order of the City Lord. By asking me to release him, are you suggesting rebellion?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! The City Lord would never issue such an order!¡±


    Of course, Perolo knew it must be Rocky¡¯s command, but he could not admit it and instead had to turn the tables, cursing Liliya internally.


    If it weren¡¯t for Liliya¡¯s Third Level warrior strength, even stronger than Eyer himself, he would have already attacked.


    That wretch! Given the chance, he would mount her and torture her to death!


    As these thoughts filled his mind, he was about to speak again when the main doors of the hall burst open and an elderly man with white hair slowly entered.


    ¡°Lord Voss!¡±


    Upon seeing the elder, Perolo felt a surge of elation and hurriedly approached him, speaking anxiously: ¡°Lord Voss, this Liliya is attempting a revolt, she has attacked Captain Eyer!¡±


    This elder was none other than the financial officer of Thunderhawk City.


    Different from the murderous Eyer and the fat-faced Perolo, the elderly Voss, though advanced in years, bore a much more spirited look, exuding a pure aristocratic aura.


    For instance, now, as Eyer was held captive by Liliya and Perolo was in a state of urgency, Voss entered with a calm smile, and after seeing everything around him, his face still held that calm smile, as if the tense standoff in the hall did not exist to him.


    So after Perolo finished speaking, Voss looked toward Liliya.


    ¡°Miss Liliya, may I ask if the order to capture Captain Eyer came from the City Lord himself?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Liliya replied to Voss, succinct and clear.


    ¡°I see,¡± Voss nodded and continued, ¡°In that case, may we see the City Lord to have him explain what exactly is going on?¡±


    Voss spoke with no sign of urgency.


    However, just as he finished speaking, the doors were flung open again, and Rocky, clad in Void Magic Armor, flew in!


    Indeed, he flew in, directly over the heads of Perolo and Voss, landing in front of Liliya!


    ¡°Lord Voss, what is it that you would like me to explain?¡±


    Standing firmly in front of Liliya, Rocky smiled triumphantly at her, then turned to look at Voss and Perolo, his expression turning grim.

 Chapter 7 - 7 - 6 Shock! (Part 2)

    Chapter 7 ¨C 6 Shock! (Part 2)


    Rocky had never imagined that in the short while he was away, the situation would have evolved into this.


    Perolo and Voss, along with Eyer who had been captured, all the officials of Thunderhawk City were present. What were they planning to do? And those four guards pointing their swords at Liliya, what were they doing¡ªstaging a coup or rebelling!?


    The scenes unfolding before his eyes filled Rocky with fury, and he shifted his gaze from Voss and Perolo to the four guards pointing their long swords at Liliya.


    ¡°What are you trying to do, rebel?¡±


    Before the guards before him could even react, Rocky aimed his palm at one of them, and immediately gathered a Magic Bullet, firing it in an instant!


    The Magic Bullet, the most basic magical attack of the Void Magic Armor, uses Mana to form a pure Magic Sphere that can be fired like a cannonball and has the power equivalent to one.


    With a loud bang, the Magic Bullet hit the chest of one of the guards, and the struck guard was sent flying out before he even had the chance to scream!


    ...


    Clang clang clang¡­


    This spectacle made the remaining three guards quickly drop their swords like hot potatoes and kneel before Rocky.


    ¡°City Lord, spare our lives! It wasn¡¯t us trying to rebel; it was Perolo who instructed us to do this!¡±


    ¡°My Lord, it was Perolo who told us to do it. It¡¯s not our fault!¡±


    Kneeling before Rocky, the three guards begged for mercy non-stop, immediately pinning the blame on Perolo as if fearing that if they were too slow, Rocky would fire another Magic Bullet at them.


    As for Perolo, mentioned by the guards, he had already been frightened out of his wits by this point, staring dazedly at Rocky with eyes bulging as wide as cowbells, nearly dropping to the ground.


    ¡°Void Magic Armor¡­ Void Magic Armor¡­ How is this possible¡­¡±


    Seeing Rocky clad in a set of Void Magic Armor and having knocked down a guard right off the bat, Perolo was so frightened that his legs trembled, and he almost sat down on the floor.


    He had never anticipated such an outcome. How could Rocky possess a set of Void Magic Armor?


    In contrast to the terrified Perolo, Voss beside him remained much calmer. Yet even he was slightly startled upon seeing Rocky, the smile that had been constant on his face freezing for a moment, but soon he regained his composure.


    All these reactions were keenly observed by Rocky, and they perfectly matched his impression of the two men: Perolo was a dumb pig, while Voss was as sly as a fox.


    So Rocky didn¡¯t bother with Perolo at all but instead changed his grim expression to a smile, looking at Voss, ¡°Lord Voss, what was it that you wanted me to explain just now?¡± S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My Lord, please don¡¯t misunderstand; that was my indiscretion.¡±


    Hearing Rocky¡¯s words, Voss bowed to him with an unchanged expression, and then spoke calmly, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare ask my Lord to explain anything. I¡¯m just very curious to know what crime Captain Eyer has actually committed?¡±


    Voss spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly, showing respect to Rocky while also getting his question across. Unless Rocky wanted to find fault deliberately, there seemed to be no flaw in his words.


    However, there was no need to find fault with Eyer¡¯s case. Rocky directly said, ¡°Captain Eyer has been unlawfully trafficking the population of Thunderhawk City, so I detained him for further interrogation. Any problems with that?¡±


    Sitting back in the City Lord¡¯s position, Rocky spoke casually, and Voss did not inquire further.


    Seeing Voss remaining silent, Rocky then turned to Perolo and asked coldly, ¡°Perolo, was it you who ordered these guards to threaten Liliya?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, have mercy! This is a misunderstanding. I, I was just, I wanted to¡­¡±


    Thumping to his knees on the ground, Perolo continuously begged for mercy, yet he couldn¡¯t come up with any excuse and could only sneak glances at Voss, as if hoping Voss would intercede on his behalf.


    Interestingly, at this moment, Rocky also looked at Voss, and even added, ¡°Lord Voss, Captain Eyer is trafficking people, Perolo is insubordinate; what do you think should be done with these two?¡±


    Rocky¡¯s question seemed casual, but in reality, he was probing Voss¡¯s attitude, because in his mind, Voss was the one person to be wary of!


    In Rocky¡¯s eyes, Eyer and Perolo were not of much concern; neither of them needed him to employ any strategies¡ªa set of Void Magic Armor was more than enough to deal with them, and indeed, that was the case.


    But Voss was different because among the three, he was the only one with real power, and this power, even Rocky couldn¡¯t shake!


    Thunderhawk City was very small, so small that there was virtually no industry to speak of. The over one thousand residents living in the city could only rely on two means for their livelihood: farming and textiles.


    Typically, each Sky City is surrounded by vast tracts of farmland to solve the food problem; Thunderhawk City was no different, with most of the city¡¯s residents living off the land around the city. However, being a small Sky City, even with farmland, it was not enough to feed all the residents.


    This gave rise to the city¡¯s second industry: textiles.


    Importing yarn from other Sky Cities, and then having the women of the city spin it into cloth before selling it, they would use the income from selling the cloth to buy food. This was how the residents of Thunderhawk City made a living.


    As the Financial Officer of the city, not only did Voss control the city¡¯s finances, but more importantly, he had close connections with all the Chambers of Commerce involved in importing yarn!


    So it¡¯s no exaggeration to say that if Thunderhawk City were to lose Voss the Financial Officer, then the city¡¯s textile industry would immediately fall into paralysis and those residents who relied on textiles for their living would starve to death!


    The reason Voss was feared lay exactly in this: Rocky could deal with Eyer and Perolo with thunderous methods, but he could not treat Voss the same because this man was too important to Thunderhawk City.


    Therefore, Rocky asked Voss for his opinion at this time to gauge his attitude towards himself.


    But somewhat unexpectedly, Voss¡¯s response came quickly, as if he had been well-prepared:


    ¡°My Lord, trafficking in people is a serious crime, with the mastermind being executed and the family members and other participants being expelled from the city, banished to the land.¡±


    ¡°Rebellion against one¡¯s superiors is equally a grave offense, where the death penalty may be spared but not the punishment. The main culprits and their families should all be expelled from the city, banished to the land.¡±


    Facing Rocky¡¯s question, Voss didn¡¯t show the slightest change in expression and began to speak.


    ¡°You! You!¡±


    His words not only stunned Rocky but also left Perolo, who was expecting him to plead on his behalf, pale-faced and so furious he couldn¡¯t speak.


    This old fox¡­ was too decisive, wasn¡¯t he?


    Such an answer left Rocky feeling a chill down his spine. He remembered clearly that while Voss had not deceived him like Eyer had, there was certainly no respect shown towards him; there was more of an ignoring, disregarding himself as the City Lord.


    Yet from Voss¡¯s stance earlier, it was clear he was drawing a line between himself and Eyer and Perolo¡ªalmost as if he was helping Eyer eliminate the two of them!


    Was it possible that Voss had now acknowledged him as the City Lord?


    Looking at Voss, who stood with his hands hanging at his sides, Rocky couldn¡¯t fathom the old fox¡¯s thoughts. But since the other party had already taken the initiative to speak for him, he certainly didn¡¯t need to be reserved or cautious and said directly:


    ¡°In that case¡­¡±


    While speaking, he looked at the three Guards kneeling on the ground: ¡°From today on, you will be under Liliya¡¯s command. Now, take Perolo to the prison to await further handling, and if anything happens during this process, I¡¯ll hold you responsible!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ Thank you, my Lord!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, City Lord!¡±


    The three Guards, without a second thought, immediately seized Perolo; mere moments before they had been his Guards, but now they were the ones taking him to prison.


    After Perolo was taken away, Rocky turned to look at Voss:


    ¡°Lord Voss, if there¡¯s nothing else, you may go now.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After agreeing, Voss gave Rocky a slight bow and left the City Lord¡¯s Hall. He was the same as when he had come, as if nothing had happened at all.


    Watching his figure leave the hall, Rocky finally let out a long sigh of relief. He truly hadn¡¯t expected things to turn out this way. It was just as well that Voss had not challenged him because, given his status and importance, Voss would not have been an easy adversary.


    However, it was also thanks to what had just happened that the two cancers, Eyer and Perolo, were suddenly removed. This was indeed an unexpected blessing for Rocky, saving him quite a bit of trouble.


    ¡°How was it? I did quite well just now, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Pleased with the outcome, Rocky turned to Liliya and posed the question, looking like a child seeking praise and completely lacking the imposing air he had just moments before.


    His action caught Liliya off guard, but she nodded and then looked at Rocky: ¡°You seem¡­ you seem different¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m different, and I¡¯ll keep getting better.¡±


    Laughing heartily, Rocky instructed Liliya: ¡°Gather fifty Guards and arrest everyone who returned with Eyer. Deal with any who dare to resist as you see fit, then take your men to meet me at the Skyport.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After she agreed, Liliya handed Eyer over to Rocky and hurried out of the hall.


    Once Liliya had left, Rocky turned his glance to Eyer, his face beaming with a smile, ¡°Captain Eyer, let us make another trip to the land, shall we?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ I¡¯ll follow your lead, my Lord¡­¡±


    Having witnessed everything that had just transpired, Eyer no longer had the courage to refuse. He now profoundly understood that Thunderhawk City was about to see a change in the tides.

 Chapter 8 - 8 - 7 Skyship

    Chapter 8 ¨C 7 Skyship


    Having left the City Lord¡¯s Hall with Eyer, Rocky came to Thunderhawk City.


    As a small Sky City with just over a thousand residents, Thunderhawk City was naturally not large. Standing on the high steps and looking out, Rocky could easily see the entire cityscape at a glance.


    His eyes swept over the city and soon fixed on the square at the city center where a Magic Crystal, over ten meters tall, hovered, looking incredibly eye-catching.


    This huge Magic Crystal, known as a Drive Crystal, was not just a decoration but the core of the entire Sky City. The power that allowed the city to fly through the air was all provided by this Drive Crystal.


    At the same time, the Drive Crystal spread out an invisible Defensive Net above the city, like a giant umbrella enveloping the city, which could defend against external attacks during wartime and block high winds during regular times.


    When the Sky City was first invented, the Drive Crystal had to be manually charged. After nearly a century of development, the Drive Crystal no longer required manual charging, it could now be self-sufficient relying on solar and wind energy, which not only eliminated much hassle but also saved a vast amount of resources.


    ¡°Truly spectacular¡­¡±


    ...


    Although it wasn¡¯t his first time leaving the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, every time he saw the huge Drive Crystal, Rocky would still be struck by awe. The grandeur and wonder of Magic Technology struck him afresh each time.


    It was only after a while that he took Eyer and boarded a carriage, heading straight for Thunderhawk City¡¯s Skyport.


    Since the onset of the Sky Era, carriages had become the means of transport within cities. To travel beyond Sky City, one had to take a Skyship, similar to how sea voyages were made in the past, only that the ports had turned into skyports now.


    Leaving the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, the carriage sped away, all residents deliberately making way, and upon seeing that it was Rocky sitting inside the carriage, some even voluntarily saluted him.


    The behavior of the residents was even slightly unsettling for Rocky.


    But this was not surprising. Although in the eyes of people like Eyer and Perolo, Rocky might seem like a weak City Lord, the ordinary residents of Thunderhawk City were unaware of these matters. They only knew Rocky as the City Lord, who had the authority over life and death for everyone in the city, so they both respected and feared him.


    Under these circumstances, the carriage naturally had an unobstructed path, quickly arriving at the Skyport.


    Since the Skyport was used to dock Skyships, it covered a vast area. Upon arriving, Rocky hadn¡¯t even alighted when, through the carriage window, he saw ten docked Skyships in the harbor.


    These Skyships were slightly larger than fishing boats, equipped with a Magic Cannon at both the bow and stern, capable of carrying twenty people. They were early models of reconnaissance Skyships, constituting the entire aerial force of Thunderhawk City.


    Over a thousand residents, two hundred guards, and ten reconnaissance Skyships, plus a set of Void Magic Armor and a Liliya ¡ª this was the entirety of Rocky¡¯s assets.


    ¡°City, City Lord!¡±


    ¡°City Lord!¡±


    Rocky, along with Eyer, alighted from the carriage, and the guards at the Skyport immediately ran up to him.


    The guards had not expected the sudden appearance of Rocky, their City Lord. It was surprising enough, and even more startling was the fact that Rocky was dressed in a suit of Void Magic Armor. Thus, the expression on their faces when they saw Rocky was not just surprise but outright fear!


    They also saw Eyer, who looked like a prisoner. The guards weren¡¯t fools and kept their mouths shut at this time.


    ¡°Who is in charge here?¡±


    Looking at the group of guards before him, Rocky asked.


    ¡°City Lord! It¡¯s me!¡±


    A young man, looking about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, dressed in Leather Armor, spoke up, looking quite spirited.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Rocky asked after looking over the young man.


    ¡°City Lord, I, I¡¯m Felly, Felly!¡±


    Perhaps it was because it was his first time facing the City Lord, Felly was incredibly nervous, and even his name didn¡¯t come out fluently.


    His response somewhat pleased Rocky, finally giving him a bit of the sense of being the lord of the city. After the pleasured moment, he said with a smile, ¡°Felly, I need five Skyships to be ready for lift-off as soon as possible. You arrange it.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Rocky saluted, and Felly immediately called a Guard nearby and then led a group of men away.


    Due to the sudden development, it took some time to get the Skyship off the ground, but this process coincided with Liliya¡¯s arrival.


    Following Rocky¡¯s previous orders, she went to the Guard Corps¡¯ camp and gathered fifty guards, and then personally arrested everyone who had returned with Eyer.


    ¡°Everyone is here?¡±


    Looking at the six guards tied up tightly, Rocky asked.


    ¡°There was one who tried to resist, he¡¯s already dead.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Rocky nodded, which was not unexpected.


    The guards who followed Eyer to engage in human trafficking and were still alive were naturally his confidants. These people would definitely understand what was happening when they heard Liliya was going to arrest them. It¡¯s not surprising that they tried to resist, as trafficking humans is a capital crime, and being caught means execution.


    This was why Rocky had sent Liliya to arrest them. Liliya, being a Third-Level Warrior, was the strongest in the Guard Corps, where the strongest was only Second Level; thus, resistance would be futile.


    The outcome was just as expected.


    Rocky glanced over the six men brought before him, then looked at the guards behind Liliya, but said nothing.


    However, the less he spoke, the more fearsome he seemed, especially to the fifty guards assembled there.


    These guards might not be Eyer¡¯s closest aides but were still part of the Guard Corps. They had heard, more or less, about Eyer¡¯s deeds and some had even heard Eyer mocking Rocky, calling him a weak and incompetent City Lord.


    But now, it seemed, this City Lord was far from weak!


    In these soldiers¡¯ eyes, not only was Rocky not incompetent, but he also appeared quite imposing. Looking at him clad in Void Magic Armor and then at Eyer, whose legs had been broken, made clear who the superior was!


    Undoubtedly, Rocky, dressed in Void Magic Armor, had left these guards in awe. This awe inadvertently cemented their recognition of him as the City Lord. Even if Eyer were to incite a rebellion at this moment, these guards would not follow him and might even arrest him voluntarily.


    And this was naturally the result Rocky wanted to see.


    ¡°Sir! City Lord! The Skyships are ready, already ready!¡±


    Felly, who had previously led the men away, quickly returned. He saluted before Rocky, then reported breathlessly that five Skyships were prepared for takeoff and could launch at any moment.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Turning around, Rocky shouted to the guards behind him, ¡°Everyone, listen to the command!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    His shout caused all the guards to instinctively straighten up, staring straight at him.


    ¡°Groups of ten, board the ship immediately!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The guards shouted in unison at the end of Rocky¡¯s command, then quickly rushed toward the five Skyships prepared for takeoff.


    Watching the guards spring into action without delay, Rocky was somewhat surprised; he hadn¡¯t expected Eyer to have trained these soldiers so well. Perhaps they were not on par with the regular army, but at least they were disciplined.


    ¡°Felly, take these men and put them on the ship too.¡±


    After instructing Felly to take the six tied-up men to the ship, Rocky boarded the Skyship with Liliya. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a command from Rocky as he boarded, the five Skyships slowly took off, and once they had flown out of Thunderhawk City¡¯s Defensive Net, they turned their bows downward and flew toward the land¡­

 Chapter 9 - 9 - 8 Land

    Chapter 9 ¨C 8 Land


    Standing at the bow of the skyship, Rocky could only see thick clouds, but even so, he was still very excited.


    This was his first time riding a skyship away from Thunderhawk City, and also his first time heading to the land below, so he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little thrilled.


    The land had been occupied by demons, which was the first thing Rocky learned after coming to this world, but what then?


    Was the demon-occupied land now devastated and unrecognizable, damaged beyond repair?


    Had all the other creatures on the land died out?


    And those who hadn¡¯t managed to reach Sky City all those years ago, could they have survived after so many years?


    Rocky had no answers to these questions, but he was about to see for himself.


    ...


    ¡°Sir¡­ please come back to the cabin¡­ outside¡­ the wind is too strong.¡±


    As Rocky stood alone in his excitement, Liliya¡¯s voice came from behind him. Turning around, he saw Liliya struggling through the strong wind.


    Traveling at an altitude of tens of thousands of meters, one could imagine the strength of the winds outside the skyship. Even Liliya, a Third-Level Warrior, was having trouble keeping her eyes open and found it difficult to speak on the deck, which was despite the fact that the skyship had its Defensive Net spread out to block the winds.


    Without the protection of the Defensive Net, a gust of wind could easily have blown Liliya away.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine; I¡¯m just getting used to the Void Magic Armor.¡±


    Compared to Liliya, who was struggling to walk on the deck, Rocky seemed unaffected by the strong wind, a feat naturally credited to the Void Magic Armor.


    Designed specifically for aerial combat, the Void Magic Armor was covered with an energy shield from top to bottom. This energy shield acted like a miniature Defensive Net, not only increasing defensive power but also blocking the vicious wind, offering protection to its wearer even during high-speed flight. That¡¯s why Rocky, standing at the bow, didn¡¯t feel the strong wind at all.


    But Liliya was a stubborn girl. She didn¡¯t turn around and leave; instead, she bravely stood by Rocky¡¯s side, despite the howling wind.


    ¡°Sir, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Just call me Rocky, it sounds less awkward.¡±


    Turning to glance at Liliya, Rocky repeated his request with a smile.


    This time, Liliya didn¡¯t respond with the cold reply she had given before. Biting her lip, she eventually nodded, ¡°Rocky¡­¡±


    Hearing his name from Liliya¡¯s mouth made Rocky inexplicably feel a wave of relief, much more comfortable than when others called him City Lord.


    ¡°Rocky, do you really plan to personally explore the research institute?¡±


    While Rocky was basking in that moment, Liliya brought up her question.


    At that time, the skyship was en route to the land. Amidst the strong winds, aside from Rocky, clad in Void Magic Armor, and Liliya, a Third-Level Warrior, no one else dared to come to the deck, which made their conversation private, with no chance of being overheard. Liliya took this opportunity to ask.


    ¡°Yes, I want to go there myself.¡±


    Nodding, Rocky didn¡¯t hide his intentions.


    ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s too risky¡­ I think we should just confirm the exact location of the research institute and sell the coordinates. We would still make a lot of money from that, money enough to support Thunderhawk City for a long time.¡±


    Standing behind Rocky, Liliya voiced her thoughts.


    But in response to his words, Rocky simply shook his head. ¡°Thunderhawk City needs more than just a sum of money; just a sum of money can¡¯t change Thunderhawk City¡­¡±


    After finishing his statement, he turned around. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me. Even if I really encounter demons, I can retreat unharmed with the help of the Void Magic Armor, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t rely too much on the armor.¡±


    However, the intended comfort from Rocky had the opposite effect, invoking Liliya¡¯s dissatisfaction. ¡°You¡¯re only a Second Level Warrior, with no actual combat experience. You can¡¯t exert the power of the armor like the old master did. Over-reliance on the armor could cost you your life.¡±


    The ¡¯old master¡¯ Liliya referred to was naturally Rocky¡¯s father. She had fought alongside him and had witnessed his gallant form donning the Void Magic Armor. Therefore, in Liliya¡¯s eyes, though Rocky might be wearing the Void Magic Armor now, he was still a far cry from his father.


    That left Rocky with no choice but to roll his eyes. Must she be so blunt? What about respect?


    Unfortunately, even though he grumbled inwardly, he couldn¡¯t refute her because what Liliya said was true. His own strength was indeed too average. Even with the enhancement of the Void Magic Armor, he couldn¡¯t afford to be careless, especially since the foes he would face were not like Eyer.


    Left with no other option, Rocky had to play hardball. He verbally agreed to all of Liliya¡¯s demands but didn¡¯t budge in his actions, eventually frustrating Liliya to the point that she simply walked away.


    Watching Liliya¡¯s retreating back, Rocky shook his head with a wry smile, then stopped pondering other matters and began to adjust his own state.


    Liliya¡¯s admonitions had not fallen on deaf ears. On the contrary, they had sounded a warning bell for him.


    He must not become complacent just because he had the Void Magic Armor, for he might be facing demons this time!


    The Void Magic Armor was indeed strong, beyond doubt. Yet even so, there was no certainty of victory when facing demons. Otherwise, after the invention of the Void Magic Armor, people would have counterattacked the land long ago. Instead, they remained adrift in the sky, and so Rocky continually reminded himself not to be careless.


    Not long after he adjusted his state alone, the speed of the skyship began to decrease gradually, and the gusts of wind surrounding them started to weaken, transitioning from the initial howling gales to a gentle breeze.


    Clearly, they had arrived at land.


    Standing at the bow and looking down, Rocky no longer saw thick clouds beneath him but the silhouette of land.


    A stretch of green¡­


    When Rocky looked towards the land, he didn¡¯t see the devastation or scarring he had imagined. Instead, he saw a verdant and beautiful vista.


    ¡°This¡­ is this really the land¡­¡±


    Looking at the lush forests beneath the skyship, Rocky was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected the land to look like this.


    Hadn¡¯t they said the land was occupied by demons? Hadn¡¯t they said the demons had destroyed the land? S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet why was this forest before his eyes so beautiful?


    ¡°Rocky, prepare for landing.¡±


    Just as Rocky was astounded by the sight before him, Liliya emerged from the cabin and informed him that the skyship was ready to land.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He nodded and followed Liliya back into the cabin, after which the five skyships began to descend slowly.


    And when the five skyships landed smoothly, Rocky disembarked with the guards, stepping firmly onto the land that had been occupied by demons.

 Chapter 10 - 10 - 9: Searching for the Research Institute

    Chapter 10 ¨C 9: Searching for the Research Institute


    Having left the cabin and arrived on land, everyone, including Rocky, couldn¡¯t help but let out a gasp of surprise and admiration.


    Because the scenery before them was simply too beautiful! So beautiful that not only was Rocky surprised, but even the guards behind him felt the same way.


    In fact, it was not only Rocky¡¯s first time returning to land, but many of the guards behind him were also experiencing this for the first time, so these guards, like Rocky, were filled with novelty and curiosity about everything they saw.


    The Skyship had landed just on the edge of the forest, so as everyone looked ahead, they saw a dense forest, and behind them, an endless prairie. Everything looked immensely beautiful, with no trace of ruin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be deceived by what you see,¡±


    As everyone marveled at the beautiful scene before them, Liliya spoke up, addressing the guards, ¡°The land has long been occupied by demons, so don¡¯t be fooled by what you see. Behind this beautiful scenery, there could be demons ready to tear you apart. So, all of you, be on alert!¡±


    Such a speech made all the guards come to their senses, as everyone quickly diverted their gaze and instinctively lowered their heads.


    ...


    It had to be said that Liliya held a significant position in the hearts of these guards, primarily due to her status as a Third-Level Warrior, and, unlike these inexperienced guards, Liliya had accompanied Rocky¡¯s father in multiple battles, not only gaining experience in leading troops but also visiting the surface several times, hence her understanding of the land far exceeded others.


    Therefore, even Rocky took her words seriously and swiftly diverted his gaze as well.


    ¡°Bring Eyer, and then you lead the guard squad here and wait for me,¡±


    Calming his excited emotions, Rocky then said to Liliya beside him, now was indeed not the time to admire the scenery; he had to attend to important matters.


    Although the land was not as devastated as imagined, even quite scenic, it did not change anything. The fact that the land was occupied by demons was an ironclad reality. In such circumstances, Rocky did not want to waste time¡ªthe more time they delayed, the greater the chance they would encounter demons.


    Following his instructions, Liliya quickly brought Eyer, but did not hand him over to Rocky.


    ¡°I¡¯m going with you,¡± S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After bringing Eyer, Liliya told Rocky that she intended to join him in searching for the institute.


    ¡°No,¡±


    But to her request, Rocky rejected it outright without even thinking.


    ¡°I outrank you and have experience fighting demons! I can help you!¡±


    Rocky¡¯s abrupt refusal caught Liliya off guard as he seemed more resolute, reflecting his determination on this matter.


    As expected, Rocky was very steadfast, shaking his head, ¡°I can rest easy knowing you are here guarding.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts.¡±


    Not wanting to argue further, Rocky then took Eyer, who had his hands bound, from Liliya¡¯s hands, and then slowly levitated, carrying Eyer towards the distant forest.


    Seeing him fly away like this, Liliya stomped her foot fiercely and immediately said to the guards behind her, ¡°Everyone, be ready to fight! The Skyship should be ready to take off at any moment. As soon as the City Lord returns, we¡¯ll leave immediately!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    At her command, the guards immediately sprang into action, knowing well the dangers of the land. A moment¡¯s laxity could mean death by a demon¡¯s attack, so no one dared to slack off.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Liliya should be left out of the conversation for now, Rocky had already taken Eyer soaring into the sky above the forest.


    ¡°Captain Eyer, tell me the exact location of the institute,¡± Rocky said.


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s too, too high. I can¡¯t confirm¡­¡±


    Being carried in the air by Rocky, Eyer trembled all over in fear, but he did not lie; from the air, he truly couldn¡¯t pinpoint the location of the institute.


    With this, Rocky had no choice but to descend slowly and land in the forest.


    As he landed in the forest, Rocky noticed that the vegetation was incredibly dense, almost overly so. It was filled with unnamed green plants, looking much like a tropical rainforest.


    ¡°Sir, if you keep going in this direction, you should find the institute,¡± Eyer said.


    Upon landing on the ground, Eyer breathed a sigh of relief. Being in the air had terrified him, as he was not the one wearing the Void Magic Armor, but rather it was Rocky. If Rocky had let go, he would have been smashed to death.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    As Rocky turned around, he frowned, because as he looked in the direction Eyer had indicated, he suddenly felt a pang of distress.


    This sensation was quite peculiar; all he saw before him was a forest, no Demons or other threats, yet Rocky still felt this way, and even¡­ he felt somewhat scared?!


    ¡°Sir, you, you felt it too, right? Is that it?¡±


    Just as Rocky furrowed his brows, Eyer suddenly said, ¡°Sir, I also felt something was off initially, which is why I went to check, and then I discovered the institute.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    This intrigued Rocky, so he immediately asked, ¡°So, it is the Demons who are emitting this feeling?¡±


    Eyer had previously mentioned that after discovering the institute, he was attacked by Demons. So, could this distressing sensation be emitted by the Demons?


    But Eyer¡¯s next reply surprised Rocky, as he shook his head repeatedly: ¡°Sir, Demons don¡¯t have that ability. I think it might be some kind of equipment in the institute that¡¯s emitting it to keep the Demons at bay.¡±


    ¡°Where could there be such equipment; that¡¯s just ridiculous¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but laugh. There couldn¡¯t possibly be the kind of equipment Eyer described; Demons aren¡¯t mosquitoes that one could simply fend off with a mosquito coil. Eyer had clearly mythologized the Lost Research Institute.


    Thus, after shaking his head, Rocky didn¡¯t ask further and simply led Eyer deeper into the forest.


    The forest was truly dense, not just thick with bushes but with many other forms of vegetation as well. Coupled with Eyer, who had a limp leg, this made Rocky¡¯s pace extremely slow.


    Fortunately, they encountered no Demons along the way, so although the journey was long, it was safe.


    After an indeterminate amount of time had passed, Rocky stopped in his tracks because there was a corpse in front of him, a Guard¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°Sir¡­ we¡¯ve arrived¡­¡±


    Looking at the body lying on the ground, Eyer stammered out, and the guard now turned into a corpse was one of those he had silenced!


    And finding these guards meant that the Lost Research Institute was nearby!

 Chapter 11 - 11 - 10: Lost Research Institute!

    Chapter 11 ¨C 10: Lost Research Institute!


    Since they had found the guard who was silenced, it was clear that the Lost Research Institute was not far away.


    ¡°Did you kill these people?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡±


    Faced with Rocky¡¯s icy gaze, Eyer quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet his eyes.


    ¡°How many people did you kill, do you remember?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Suddenly asked about this, Eyer was stunned; he really didn¡¯t remember how many guards he had killed to keep the secrets of the institute, because all he wanted back then was to keep a tight lid on the secrets, so he killed everyone he couldn¡¯t trust.


    ...


    ¡°Think hard!¡±


    Seeing Eyer stammering and unable to answer, Rocky shouted at him, making Eyer shiver all over.


    ¡°Sir, it should be eight people¡­¡±


    ¡°Eight people? But there are only five corpses here.¡±


    As Rocky spoke, he looked down at the corpses on the ground. Indeed, as he said, there were only five corpses. If Eyer was not mistaken, that meant three corpses were missing!


    When he mentioned this, Eyer also looked down at the corpses on the ground, noticing indeed that there were fewer than when he had left. This realization made his face turn pale as he quickly looked up at Rocky:


    ¡°It¡¯s demons! Sir, it must be the demons that ate the corpses!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s possible¡­¡±


    This time, Rocky didn¡¯t counter Eyer but simply nodded in agreement.


    Although he had never seen a demon with his own eyes, remember that the original Rocky was a proper nobleman, educated at a higher level. So, through what was recorded in books, he knew quite a bit about demons.


    One thing he remembered the most was that, according to the books, demons ate humans!


    This was not just a rumor; it was a fact written into textbooks, so it should be correct. If demons indeed ate humans, then it assured that demons truly existed nearby! They were the ones who had taken the three missing corpses!


    ¡°Sir, let¡¯s, let¡¯s leave¡­ It¡¯s too, too dangerous here with demons around¡­¡±


    Thinking of possibly encountering demons again, Eyer was terrified. Although he had encountered a demon once before, at that time he was accompanied by thirty guards. By sheer force of numbers, they had managed to escape the demon¡¯s attack, yet even then, more than ten had died.


    And¡­ Eyer only encountered one demon last time!


    Just one demon, and thirty armed and trained guards fled in total disarray!


    So, when Eyer realized there were still demons nearby, he was utterly panicked. Now, there were just the two of them, Rocky and himself. Rocky might rely on Void Magic Armor, but he was a cripple and would surely die if they encountered a demon!


    But how could Rocky listen to him? He continued forwards without even bothering to respond, leaving a terrified Eyer to hurry after him, not daring to stay alone in that place.


    So, the two walked another hundred meters through the forest, then once again found corpses on the ground.


    Just like before, numerous guards¡¯ corpses lay haphazardly on the ground, only this time, there were obvious signs of battle; some corpses were even torn apart, creating a very gruesome scene.


    ¡°Were you attacked by demons here?¡±


    This time, without needing Eyer¡¯s explanation, Rocky already figured out what had happened.


    ¡°Yes, we were attacked here. The entrance to the research institute¡­ it¡¯s behind that huge rock¡­¡±


    Nodding, Eyer pointed with his hand toward a huge rock in the distance.


    Following the direction of his hand, Rocky indeed saw a huge rock nearby, its size like that of a small hill, standing out prominently in the forest.


    At last, they had found it!


    Seeing the huge rock, a surge of excitement filled Rocky¡¯s heart, and he grabbed Eyer and leaped into the air, flying directly towards it.


    Moments later, he landed steadily in front of the huge rock and truly saw a large door on the rock wall!


    It looked like Eyer hadn¡¯t lied to him after all! There really was a Lost Research Institute here!


    Setting Eyer aside, Rocky quickly walked up to the stone gate and noticed a pattern imprinted on the thick door.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    After brushing all the dust off the stone gate, the pattern revealed its true form, looking like a crest¡­


    ¡°This seems like¡­ seems like a national emblem¡­ I must have seen it somewhere¡­¡±


    At a moment like this, his past memories served him well. The old Rocky might have been timid, but he loved to read, and had read a variety of books, so the pattern on the stone gate seemed familiar, as if he had seen it in one of those books before.


    ¡°I remember now! This is the emblem of Kohen Country!¡±


    After careful thought, he recalled seeing this pattern in a book about the history of the Land Era. This was the national emblem of Kohen Country!


    Kohen Country was a massive nation during the Land Era, with extensive territories and strong military and economic prowess, rightfully considered a global powerhouse at the time.


    This powerhouse nation, a stalwart during war periods, had established numerous research institutes to develop new weapons and equipment; it seems like the institute before them was indeed one established by Kohen Country then.


    ¡°Wait here for me,¡±


    After confirming that this was a research institute left by Kohen Country, Rocky turned to look at Eyer, clearly planning to enter the research institute alone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t leave me here! My lord! Please!¡±


    However, upon hearing this, Eyer panicked immediately, as he dared not stay in this place alone!


    But Rocky completely ignored his plea and directly pushed the stone gate with his hands.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    As Rocky pushed the stone gate with his hand, it felt as though he was pushing a mountain, and the stone gate did not budge at all.


    He then placed both hands on the stone gate and exerted force fiercely, but still, the gate did not open.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­¡±


    This result made him frown. With the augmentation of Void Magic Armor, he had reached the level of a Fourth Level Warrior, far surpassing ordinary people. How could he possibly not push open this stone gate?


    ¡°There must be a mechanism!¡±


    A moment later, he realized, the reason the stone gate could not be opened by brute force was definitely that there was a mechanism.


    Thinking this, he began to search around.


    But after feeling up and down the stone gate, even walking around the massive stone twice, he found absolutely no mechanism.


    ¡°What should I do now¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe, keep thinking¡­¡±


    Seeing Rocky blocked, Eyer could not help but sneer inwardly.


    He too had tried to open the stone gate when he discovered this place, but all methods had been useless, so he knew Rocky would definitely also fail.


    The inability to open it was for the best, so Eyer did not have to stay here alone, he thought gleefully.


    ¡°Right! I should use magic power!¡±


    But just as Eyer was reveling in misfortune, Rocky suddenly slapped his forehead, having finally thought of something.


    He then placed his hand on the national emblem of Kohen Country and started channeling the magic power within his body towards the stone gate.


    Subsequently, a thunderous boom was heard, and the stone gate in front of him began to vibrate violently, then slowly opened!


    It worked!


    Watching the stone gate slowly opening, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief, turned back to look at the bewildered Eyer, smiled slightly, and walked through the stone gate.


    ¡°My Lord! Wait for me, take me with you!¡±


    Seeing that Rocky truly opened the stone gate and was actually leaving him behind alone, Eyer hurriedly rushed over.


    Unfortunately, being lame, he was not quick on his feet, and before he had taken two steps, the stone gate slowly closed¡­


    Ignoring the cries and screams of Eyer left outside, Rocky discovered upon entering the stone gate a tunnel that led underground, indicating that the research institute was built underground.


    This was a clever decision, for with the strength of the Demons, if the institute had been built on the land¡¯s surface, it would undoubtedly be easily destroyed; building it underground was different.


    ¡°I hope this time I really find something¡­¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Rocky, with a trace of anticipation, started walking towards the depths of the tunnel.


    However, he had barely taken a few steps when lights appeared before him, and the magic lamps on the tunnel walls lit up all at once!


    ¡°There¡¯s¡­ there¡¯s still mana here?!¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking at the magic lamps lighting up the tunnel, Rocky was somewhat surprised. This research institute had existed for nearly a hundred years; how could there still be a mana reserve?


    Truly miraculous.


    No wonder the lords of the major Sky Cities were willing to pay a large sum for the coordinates of the Lost Research Institute. This place was indeed extraordinary.


    Being immediately stunned upon arrival at the institute undoubtedly bolstered Rocky¡¯s confidence, so he immediately continued walking towards the deeper parts of the tunnel.


    Yet, just like earlier, as soon as he attempted to move, the situation occurred once again!


    This time, a voice came from the depths of the tunnel!


    ¡°Someone has finally found this place¡­¡±


    ¡°Who!¡±


    Hearing someone speaking, and moreover speaking to him, not only was Rocky shocked, but he was also frightened!


    ¡°Come¡­ come quickly¡­ I do not know who you are, but I have been waiting here too long, so hurry.¡±


    The voice coming from the depths of the tunnel paid no heed to Rocky, continuing to speak, seemingly eager for him to come quickly¡­!

 Chapter 12 - 12 - 11 Magic Energy Image!

    Chapter 12 ¨C 11 Magic Energy Image!


    ¡°`


    The voice coming from the depths of the tunnel sent shivers down Rocky¡¯s spine¡­


    ¡°Could it be¡­ this place is haunted¡­¡±


    You see, when people fled to the sky, each nation urgently shut down their research institutes and evacuated all their staff, so there really shouldn¡¯t be anyone here.


    So what was with that voice just now? Truly haunted?


    Shaking his head, Rocky cast aside the absurd idea and bravely trod down the tunnel, step by step.


    No matter whether it was haunted or something else, he had come this far and couldn¡¯t return without achieving anything; it was crucial to figure out the situation here, both for himself and Thunderhawk City.


    ...


    Thus, he quickly adjusted his mood and focused intensely as he began to walk deeper into the tunnel.


    The length of this tunnel far exceeded his imagination; Rocky had walked downwards for a long time without reaching the end, feeling as if the tunnel had no end at all, which gave an idea of how profoundly deep the research institute was situated underground.


    However, this was rather normal, just like the stone gate outside; these were safety measures designed to prevent demons from destroying the institute.


    Finally, after descending nearly a kilometer, Rocky finally arrived at the end of the tunnel, where he faced another stone gate.


    Having walked such a distance without encountering any other strangeness and without that previous voice reappearing, Rocky¡¯s mood had stabilized greatly. Coupled with his prior experience, he placed his hand on the stone gate at the end of the tunnel and channeled his magic power.


    What followed was a rumbling sound as the stone gate rose slowly from the bottom up, and Rocky stepped through.


    Behind the stone gate was a vast laboratory with dozens of research stations, each covered with various research equipment.


    ¡°Just like the rumors¡­¡±


    Walking through the stone gate and surveying the room, Rocky approached the nearest research station and looked down to find a magic stone and an unfamiliar instrument covered in a thick layer of dust.


    It seemed that when everyone fled to the sky, they indeed did so in haste, not even having time to take the equipment from the institute, just evacuating the personnel.


    Thinking this, Rocky picked up the magic stone from the research table and discovered, to his surprise, that the magic stone still contained an ample amount of mana.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that, I can keep these magic stones for my own use.¡±


    ¡°And I should take this equipment too; it would be good to sell it as antiques!¡±


    Realizing that the magic stones still held mana, Rocky took out a large cloth bag, placed the magic stone inside and then lifted the equipment from the table, clearly planning to take everything with him.


    These things could fetch some money!


    As City Lord, Rocky knew all too well how tight the finances of Thunderhawk City were. The city couldn¡¯t even sustain itself, so what income could it generate? Hence, he planned to take whatever he could from this place; if nothing else turned up later, selling these items would be enough to break even.


    ¡°You¡¯ve finally come¡­¡±


    But just as he was busily packing the devices into the cloth bag, that eerie voice appeared again!


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The sudden voice startled Rocky so much that he trembled, and a piece of equipment fell to the ground, causing him great distress.


    When he looked toward the source of the voice, he found someone standing at the deepest part of the laboratory!


    He really saw a ghost!


    Seeing someone inside the lab surprised Rocky greatly, even filling him with a sense of horror.


    But when he looked closer at the person, he realized it wasn¡¯t a person at all but a magic energy image!


    My goodness! There¡¯s a magic energy image here?!


    Realizing that the figure in the laboratory was just an image formed by magic energy, Rocky¡¯s eyes widened, for as far as he knew, magic energy images were not exactly cutting-edge technology but had only been invented around fifty or sixty years ago!


    ¡°`


    Why did Magic Technology, which wouldn¡¯t be invented for another fifty or sixty years, appear in a research institute that was nearly a hundred years old?


    The answer to this question wasn¡¯t hard to guess, but when Rocky thought of it, he couldn¡¯t help but take a sharp breath!


    Could it be¡­ that the person in this lab had invented the Magic Energy Image all by themselves?


    This realization made Rocky¡¯s breathing quicken because if it was true, did it not mean the research in this laboratory was fifty or sixty years ahead of its time?!


    ¡°Impossible, it must be impossible. Perhaps someone came here before me¡­¡±


    Feeling his guess was too bold, Rocky shook his head to warn himself not to think wildly and not to harbor too many hopes, or else he might collapse from disappointment.


    Meanwhile, he also arrived in front of the Magic Energy Image.


    Standing before the Magic Energy Image, he looked closely and noticed that the image was of an old man, whose aged appearance seemed to be in his eighties or nineties. The old man was dressed in a Magic Robe from the Land Era, suggesting he was from the Land Era.


    ¡°I¡¯ve finally waited for you¡­¡±


    As if sensing Rocky¡¯s approach, the Magic Energy Image spoke again:


    ¡°My name is Wensel, and I am the head of this research institute. This image is my last will and testament¡­¡±


    By this time, Rocky had somewhat understood. There must have been some sensing mechanism within the research institute; once the stone gate outside was opened, the Magic Energy Image would activate, leading to everything he was seeing.


    But what puzzled him was that if this Wensel was the head of the research institute, then he must be an extraordinary figure. So why would he leave his image here? Figures of his stature should have been taken to Sky City long ago, right?


    As Rocky was puzzled, the Magic Energy Image in front of him, or more precisely the image left by Wensel, continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know when you or you all will find this testament, and I don¡¯t even know who you are, but I assume you must have already implemented the Sky City plan.¡±


    ¡°But believe me, the Sky City plan is destroying everyone!¡±


    All of a sudden, Wensel¡¯s image became agitated and angrily said, ¡°Fleeing to the sky is the same as handing over the land to the Demons; it¡¯s an act equal to surrender! No more surrendering to the Demons!¡±


    ¡°The direction of this plan is completely wrong; Sky City cannot take everyone away. People won¡¯t find a chance to fight back for the land in the sky¡ªit¡¯s completely a death wish!¡±


    My heavens!


    Wensel¡¯s words shocked Rocky to his core!


    How could this old man start by railing against Sky City, which had saved everyone? Who on earth was he to be so presumptuous?


    Meanwhile, Wensel¡¯s image paused for a long time, and it took a while before a sigh came through:


    ¡°Forget it¡­¡±


    ¡°Talking about this now is pointless since you¡¯re seeing this image. It means I am already dead, and the Sky City plan has been carried out, so everything is too late¡­¡±


    After a long sigh, Wensel¡¯s image continued:


    ¡°You might be wondering why you¡¯re seeing my image left here. It¡¯s simple because I didn¡¯t evacuate. When those cowards chose to flee, I preferred to stay here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised; there are many who share my sentiments. And we¡¯re not staying here to die; we¡¯re continuing our research.¡±


    Research!


    Research!


    When the image left by Wensel uttered this word, Rocky¡¯s breath almost stopped!


    This Wensel had not fled to the sky, and he was still in the research institute continuing with his own research. What did this imply?


    It meant that the research institute should hold his inventions!


    And it looked like¡­ Rocky might be the first person to come to this research institute!


    This possibility made him forget to breathe¡­


    sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 13 - 13 - 12 Great Invention?

    Chapter 13 ¨C 12 Great Invention?


    Wensel¡¯s last words sent Rocky¡¯s heartbeat racing!


    Could it be, could it really be that this research institute contained Magic Technology from the Continental Era!?


    This possibility made Rocky hold his breath, not daring to think of anything else, listening very carefully to Wensel¡¯s last words.


    ¡°When the cowards chose to flee, I, like many others, chose to stay and continue my research,¡±


    The image of Wensel continued to speak, recounting a piece of unknown history:


    ¡°The arrival of the demons was so sudden that people were utterly unprepared, leading to the creation of numerous research institutes and thereby many great inventions.¡±


    ¡°Sky City was such an invention, but even the greatest inventions become scrap metal in the hands of fools; those cowards who only thought of fleeing wasted such a marvelous invention.¡±


    ...


    ¡°In contrast, the Flying Armor project that the Wins Dynasty was undertaking was more practical¡ª they wanted to create an armor that allowed the wearer to fly and greatly enhanced their combat capabilities. Once developed, it would significantly increase the wearer¡¯s combat ability.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, although the idea of Flying Armor was good, it came too late. If it had come ten years earlier, perhaps we would not have been so utterly powerless before the demons. I hope, I hope they can make this project successful one day¡­¡±


    Wensel¡¯s words completely shocked Rocky! That so-called Flying Armor project, it was clearly the Void Magic Armor!


    As far as Rocky knew, the earliest concept of the Void Magic Armor indeed emerged towards the end of the resistance war, but at that time, since they had already lost much of the land, it was too late to realize this idea, and the first true Void Magic Armor was only developed after everyone had completely relocated to the sky.


    Good heavens¡­


    Who exactly was this Wensel?


    He even knew about the Void Magic Armor, and from his tone, even such a great invention that was second only to Sky City was simply a nice idea in his eyes?


    Is this not a bit too arrogant?


    Or could it be¡­


    that Wensel had been working on something as great as the Void Magic Armor!?


    At this moment, the image of Wensel continued to speak:


    ¡°The idea of Flying Armor is good, and Sky City is a great invention, but the research I am conducting is no less significant than theirs!¡±


    Following that, the image of Wensel spoke very proudly:


    ¡°Unlike them, my approach is different. They just think about developing new technology, about using new technology to defeat the demons, but these people forget one thing¡ªthat there is neither time nor resources!¡±


    ¡°The demons have occupied a vast amount of land, leaving us with little time and fewer resources. How easy is it to invent new equipment to resist demons under these conditions?¡±


    ¡°Even if it really succeeds, what can a single new weapon or new armor do in the face of completely occupied lands?¡±


    ¡°So all these people are wrong!¡±


    ¡°What we truly should do is to enhance the existing equipment! That is the purpose of my research!¡±


    Here comes the important part!


    When Wensel¡¯s image finished saying this, it paused for a moment before continuing:


    ¡°Mana Runes, this is my invention.¡±


    ¡°My life¡¯s work, a great invention that, compared to it, even Sky City pales slightly!¡±


    While speaking, Wensel¡¯s image waved its hand, and a symbol Rocky couldn¡¯t understand appeared in front of it.


    ¡°This is the Mana Rune, a magical symbol containing energy, functioning like a Magic Stone, which can provide a magic power source, and will completely replace Magic Stones from now on.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s¡­ just this¡­ thing¡­?¡±


    When Wensel¡¯s image proudly revealed his invention, Rocky felt somewhat disappointed¡­


    Because Wensel had made it clear that the Mana Rune he invented was merely a substitute for Magic Stones.


    In a world reliant on Magic Technology, mana had become an indispensable resource. From something as large as Sky City to as small as the Void Magic Armor, all relied on mana to function properly, with Magic Stones serving as the containers for storing mana.


    Do you remember the Drive Crystal inside Thunderhawk City? That huge crystal is essentially a super-sized Magic Stone, and even the Void Magic Armor that Rocky currently wore was embedded with Magic Stones to provide the necessary mana for the armor.


    What Wensel invented was a substitute for Magic Stones.


    But so what?


    Today¡¯s technological level had already solved the issue of charging Magic Stones, making it possible for them to be reused, thus becoming a renewable resource. Hence, they weren¡¯t as precious as before. Under these circumstances¡­ what use could Mana Runes possibly serve?


    A replacement for Magic Stones? But Magic Stones don¡¯t even need replacing!


    Wensel indeed left behind his invention, which might have had some uses a hundred years ago, but today, a hundred years later, it was utterly useless¡­


    This outcome couldn¡¯t help but make Rocky feel disappointed.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s still an invention, maybe it can still be utilized somehow, so it¡¯s not a complete loss.¡±


    Heaving a deep sigh, Rocky had no choice but to console himself and adjust his mood.


    He had actually been looking forward to making a truly significant discovery this time, hoping to use it to reverse the downturn of Thunderhawk City, but he also knew that one should not be too greedy, and he was not that lucky either.


    Just then, Winsel¡¯s voice continued to transmit, ¡°The method to draw mana runes and my research materials are all here, and there are also some experimental items I used during my research. These items will help you better understand mana runes.¡±


    As Winsel finished saying these words, the presence he left began to blur a bit, as if it was about to disappear.


    ¡°Make good use of this great invention¡­ drive demons off the land¡­¡±


    After saying this last sentence, Winsel¡¯s image completely disappeared.


    But at the very moment the image vanished, the wall behind it slowly opened, revealing a secret room!


    Seeing the secret room slowly open in front of him, Rocky immediately walked over. Even though the invention of mana runes might not have much practicality today, it was still an invention after all. If used well, it could potentially generate considerable profits, so although Rocky might be disappointed, he still walked into the secret room immediately.


    The secret room behind the wall wasn¡¯t very large and contained only a table and a few large chests.


    As Rocky walked in and looked down at the table, he saw a yellowed notebook on it, clearly titled: Research Notes on Mana Runes.


    ¡°It seems that Winsel has written everything about mana runes in this notebook.¡±


    Rocky carefully collected the notebook, then turned toward the chests in the room.


    These chests were covered in dust, resembling treasure chests that had been sealed for many years.


    Winsel had mentioned earlier that these chests contained experimental items.


    ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s any treasure¡­¡±


    Seeing these chests, Rocky¡¯s spirits lifted again because although Winsel¡¯s invention might be mediocre, such masters often have considerable value. If there were one or two treasures among these experimental items left by Winsel, Rocky would consider his journey worthwhile.


    So he eagerly opened the nearest chest.


    As the lid opened, Rocky saw two long swords inside, and he randomly picked one to inspect. A sparkle flashed through his eyes instantly!


    ¡°Good stuff!¡±


    As he grasped the long sword in his hand, Rocky instantly knew it was a top-notch weapon!


    Theoretically, this long sword should have been sealed for nearly a hundred years, yet it still glowed brightly, with a coldness emanating from its tip, looking murderous.


    More importantly, the hilt of the long sword was embedded with two magic stones!


    This was a piece of magic energy equipment!


    By using a special technique to embed magic stones into equipment, it is possible to create magic energy equipment, whose power, although not comparable to that of Void Magic Armor, is much greater than ordinary weapons. Additionally, due to the much lower cost compared to Void Magic Armor, magic energy equipment is extremely popular.


    The long sword before him was a mana sword, and it was also embedded with two magic stones. The mana contained in the two magic stones would undoubtedly greatly enhance the sword¡¯s power and significantly increase the value of the sword.


    ¡°Scored big!¡±


    Swinging the long sword a couple of times in his hand, Rocky was overjoyed. According to what he knew, such a mana weapon was worth quite a bit of money. If sold, it could at least earn him several hundred gold coins, nearly matching the monthly fiscal income of Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°Hopefully the other items here are also this valuable.¡±


    Reluctantly setting the mana sword aside, Rocky reached into the chest to pull out the second long sword.


    This second long sword was almost identical to the mana sword he had just examined, the only difference being that this long sword did not have magic stones embedded. Instead, strange patterns were inscribed on the blade.


    Holding the long sword, Rocky scrutinized the patterns and soon discovered that the patterns on the sword were all composed of weird runes!


    ¡°These must be mana runes, no wonder there are no magic stones embedded.¡±


    Mana runes themselves act as substitutes for magic stones, so while this long sword did not have magic stones embedded, because it was covered in mana runes, it still classified as magic energy equipment and also was a valuable item.


    But then¡­ S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking at the rune sword in his hand and then at the mana sword on the table, Rocky suddenly had a curious thought¡ªbetween the two swords, one embedded with magic stones and the other covered in magic patterns, which one had greater power?


    Thinking this, he couldn¡¯t help but feel curious and somewhat eager to test them!


    ¡°Let¡¯s see which of you is sharper!¡±


    Driven by curiosity, Rocky held the rune sword in his left hand and the mana sword in his right hand. He activated their magic power simultaneously, causing both swords to radiate light. Following that, he swung both swords together, letting them clash against each other.


    However, instead of hearing the expected clashing sound, Rocky only felt a swish as his hands crossed paths. When he looked at the swords in his hands again, he found that the magic sword in his right hand had been cut in half!


    The magic sword in his hand¡­ had broken into two pieces!


    ¡°How is this possible!¡±


    Staring at the two halves of the magic sword, Rocky was dumbfounded¡­

 Chapter 14 - 14 - 13: Big Harvest! (Please Favorite!)

    Chapter 14 ¨C 13: Big Harvest! (Please Favorite!)


    Staring at the Mana Sword, broken into two pieces in his hand, Rocky was stunned¡­


    What had he just done¡­ to destroy such a valuable weapon, it was simply wasteful¡­ No, that¡¯s not the point!


    The point was, how could a Mana Sword embedded with two Magic Stones be so easily severed!


    This outcome made Rocky scarcely believe his own eyes because even the powerful Void Magic Armor could not so easily destroy a Mana Weapon!


    Could it be¡­ could it be¡­


    Thinking this far, he suddenly looked towards his left hand, no, towards the Rune Sword he was holding in his left hand!


    Could it be that the power of this Rune Sword was so great that it instantly cut through the Magic Sword?


    ...


    At this thought, he couldn¡¯t help but inhale sharply and felt somewhat dizzy.


    Because this simply shouldn¡¯t be happening!


    Previously, Winsel had already mentioned that Mana Runes were merely substitutes for Magic Stones, and aside from one being a rune and the other a stone, there was essentially no difference between them.


    So the Mana Sword he was holding should not have been severed by the Rune Sword! S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This result completely baffled Rocky.


    Unable to solve this puzzle, he then brought the broken Mana Sword up to his eyes to inspect it, finding nothing unusual, and then he carefully examined the Rune Sword he held, noticing nothing different besides the pattern made up of runes on the blade¡­


    No, wait!


    Looking closely at the runes on the Rune Sword, Rocky suddenly realized something!


    There was indeed one difference between the two swords, which was that the Mana Sword had only two Magic Stones embedded, but the Rune Sword was densely covered with runes!


    This discovery led him to a crucial question!


    ¡°Could it be¡­ could it be because there are more runes than Magic Stones, so the power of the Rune Sword greatly surpassed that of the Mana Sword¡­?¡±


    No sooner had this thought emerged than Rocky gasped. He suddenly had a feeling as if his train of thought had been opened by a massive door.


    Yes, that must be the reason. The Rune Sword could so easily bisect the Mana Sword because the amount of Mana contained in each was vastly different!


    Although the Mana Sword was embedded with two Magic Stones, it had only those two; however, looking at the runes on the Rune Sword, there were so many that they formed a complete pattern!


    Which meant that although both were Mana Weapons, there was no difference in quality, but there was a vast difference in quantity, and this was likely the root cause of the Mana Sword being easily slashed in two.


    And if that really was the case, it was terrifying because this might suggest that Mana Runes, as Winsel himself claimed, were an invention no less great than Sky City and Void Magic Armor!


    The reason for this, Rocky realized swiftly, was his own Magic Armor!


    As everyone knows, the Void Magic Armor is powered by Mana, which naturally comes from the Magic Stones embedded within the armor. However, like the broken Magic Sword, the stone nature of the Magic Stones places many restrictions on embedding, and this material limitation indirectly restricts the power of the Magic Armor.


    But what if¡­ what if the Magic Stones in the Void Magic Armor were replaced with smaller, more convenient Mana Runes? Would this not break the limitations? With more Mana, would not the same set of Void Magic Armor be more powerful than before?


    And once Void Magic Armor broke through the limits of Mana, could it not open up even greater development possibilities!?


    A series of speculations burst from Rocky¡¯s mind, instantly clarifying the true use of Magic Runes for him, and he finally understood why Winsel had devoted his life to researching this invention, because clearly, this invention truly was grand enough!


    ¡°Made it, made it, this time I really made it!¡±


    Having understood the real purpose of Mana Runes, Rocky felt his heart might jump out of his chest because this time he really had made a breakthrough!


    Although he still knew very little about Mana Runes and had no idea how to draw them, don¡¯t forget, he had already obtained Winsel¡¯s research notes, and as long as he could learn everything from the notes once he got back, then he could truly master this grand invention!


    So this time, he really had made a fortune, and indeed, he had made it big!


    ¡°Fantastic!¡±


    Waving his fists vigorously, Rocky was extremely excited. He knew that given some time to fully master the technology of Mana Runes, both he and Thunderhawk City would undergo transformative changes!


    ¡°Stay calm, stay calm, I¡¯m the City Lord, don¡¯t act like someone who hasn¡¯t seen the world¡­¡±


    After the excitement had died down, Rocky forced himself to calm down and then looked towards the other chests in the secret room, quickly opening each one to find them filled with a variety of weapons and armor.


    By now, he had understood why Wensel had left these things in the secret room. They were left for him to use as references while studying Mana Runes.


    What a thoughtful old man.


    After taking out the equipment marked with Mana Runes from the chests, Rocky packed them into his cloth bag, and then, carrying the bag, he returned to the laboratory and took everything that could be taken¡­


    It wasn¡¯t that Rocky was greedy, but because he was too poor now. Not only him, but Thunderhawk City was also too poor, so it was necessary.


    Although the technology of Mana Runes was great and had already fallen into his hands, remember, just learning how to draw Mana Runes would take quite some time, let alone producing real benefits could be an even longer wait.


    Therefore, although Rocky¡¯s future was full of hope, at this moment, he was still a poor and destitute City Lord. That was the harsh reality.


    In such circumstances, he couldn¡¯t overlook anything in the laboratory. Whatever could help him study Mana Runes he kept, and what couldn¡¯t be used was to be sold. Nothing could be wasted by just lying there.


    So, after that, he started a frantic search in the laboratory, disregarding the image of a City Lord¡­


    ¡°There should be nothing left to take.¡±


    Wiping the sweat from his forehead with his hand, Rocky finally stopped and looked very satisfied.


    After his raid, he had taken away everything that could be taken from the laboratory, and when he was sure there was nothing left to take, he carried the cloth bag in one hand and several tied-up chests in the other, leaving the laboratory with his full harvest.


    Exiting the laboratory¡¯s main door and passing through the long tunnel, when the stone gate opened again, he finally returned to the forest above ground.


    Back in the forest, Rocky was naturally in an excellent mood, given his enormous gains this time.


    ¡°Is something¡­ missing?¡±


    Although Rocky was in a good mood back in the forest, he felt vaguely that something wasn¡¯t right, as if something were missing¡­


    ¡°Could it be something I didn¡¯t take?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I checked several times¡­¡±


    ¡°Eyer!¡±


    Furrowing his brow in thought, he suddenly realized what was missing. Eyer, whom he had left outside, was gone!


    ¡°Did this guy¡­ run off by himself?¡±


    Realizing Eyer was nowhere to be seen, Rocky looked around and then confirmed that Eyer really had run off.


    However, Rocky didn¡¯t search too thoroughly because he had originally planned to banish Eyer to the land. In this situation, if Eyer had run off, let him be, as there was really no need to bother about such people.


    So, he did not pay attention to the fleeing Eyer and simply began to slowly ascend, preparing to leave the forest.


    But just at that moment, just as he had lifted off the ground, a sudden noise came from within the forest.


    ¡°Help! Help! Help!!¡±


    The sudden cries for help immediately caused Rocky to turn his head, and then he saw someone limping from deeper within the forest towards him¡­


    Eyer!


    The person coming towards him was none other than Eyer!


    As Rocky saw Eyer, Eyer also saw him and immediately shouted loudly, ¡°My lord! Save me! Save me! It¡¯s¡­¡±


    Eyer hadn¡¯t finished speaking when suddenly a large hand stretched out from the shadows behind him, grabbed him, and dragged him deeper into the forest in the next instant!


    Everything had happened so suddenly that not only had Rocky not reacted, but even Eyer himself had not managed to scream.


    But a moment later, realizing the danger, Rocky cursed inwardly and without another word quickly flew up into the air.


    Demons!


    The ones who had taken Eyer away had to be demons!!

 Chapter 15 - 15 - 14: Good Girl! (Please Favorite!)

    Chapter 15 ¨C 14: Good Girl! (Please Favorite!)


    Damned!


    We¡¯ve run into demons!


    Seeing Eyer being dragged into the forest by a huge hand, Rocky knew that the owner of that hand must be a demon!


    This left him no choice but to not even consider staying to inspect closely; he immediately took to the skies and flew towards the edge of the forest!


    Rocky was now completely different from when he had arrived; he had come to this part of the forest empty-handed, but now he possessed the hugely important discovery of the Mana Rune¡ªhe did not want to engage with a demon under these circumstances.


    Rocky had just seen a glimmer of hope for the future; he couldn¡¯t just die cluelessly at the hands of a demon.


    Moreover, he was currently holding a large cloth bag in his left hand and a box on his right shoulder; how could he fight?


    ...


    But fortunately, he was wearing the Void Magic Armor, and the greatest advantage of the armor was its ability to fly. As long as he could fly, he was relatively safe, so Rocky immediately took to the air.


    However, just as he had risen into the air, a furious roar suddenly emanated from the forest below.


    ¡°ROAR ROAR ROAR!! ROAR ROAR ROAR!!¡±


    The sudden roar was like a thunderclap, making Rocky¡¯s head buzz and even causing him to experience ringing in his ears.


    ¡°What is that¡­ Could this be a demon¡­¡±


    Turning his head to look down at the forest, Rocky was utterly shocked.


    Just one roar had given him a splitting headache; it was unimaginable to Rocky how such a terrifying scream could come from any creature. How powerful must a monster be to emit such a dreadful sound?


    Is this the strength of a demon?


    Rocky had never actually seen a demon, so his understanding of demons was still limited to what he¡¯d read in books. This made him suddenly remember Liliya¡¯s words; that is, a demon¡¯s terror was far beyond imagination and one must never be careless, even when wearing the Void Magic Armor.


    Now, it seemed he knew too little about demons and, although he had been mentally prepared, this preparation was clearly insufficient.


    He must leave immediately! Right now!


    If demons were truly this powerful, Rocky knew he couldn¡¯t linger in this forest; even wearing the Void Magic Armor might not save his life.


    Thus, he didn¡¯t hesitate to increase the speed of his Void Magic Armor and quickly flew towards the perimeter of the forest. Once he reached where the skyship was stationed, he could return to Thunderhawk City.


    However, to Rocky¡¯s surprise, as he rapidly escaped through the air, another roar boomed from the forest below, followed by a large swath of trees continuously falling over.


    ¡°Is it catching up?¡±


    As he flew at high speed towards the outer edge of the forest, Rocky looked down at his feet; he soon saw that the trees below were continuously toppling. Although he was too high to see clearly, he could still make out a massive figure chasing after him.


    This figure was immensely huge, roaring furiously and charging wildly, causing the trees in its path to fall like wheat!


    Without a doubt, this massive figure was a demon, and not only was it chasing Rocky, but its speed was also no slower than his!


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    Realizing that the demon below was chasing him and that its speed was no slower than his, Rocky became frantic, because this development meant that even if he successfully escaped the forest and met up with Liliya, the demon would still catch up!


    At that time, he could rely on the Void Magic Armor to hide in the air, but what about Liliya and the others? Facing such a terrifying demon, the five skyships might be destroyed before they could even take off!


    ¡°I must shake off this monster!¡±


    With this thought, he gritted his teeth and directly increased the speed of the Void Magic Armor to the maximum.


    In an instant, the speed of the Void Magic Armor¡¯s flight in the air sharply increased, finally creating some distance from the demon chasing through the forest.


    But just then, the demon in the forest roared angrily again, and a large tree suddenly flew up into the air like a javelin!


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    While flying at high speed, Rocky only felt a gust of wind from behind. Turning around, he saw the large tree flying towards him and quickly rolled to the side in the air, barely dodging it.


    ¡°That was close¡­¡±


    Watching the thrown tree fly past him, Rocky felt a chill, realizing he had narrowly escaped being hit.


    Yet, no sooner had he breathed a sigh of relief than more trees from the forest below soared into the air, one after another, like javelins aiming directly at him!


    It turned out that after Rocky accelerated, the demon below did not give up. This fearsome creature not only continued the chase but also tried to knock him down from the sky.


    In such a situation, Rocky did not even have a moment to breathe; dodging another tree, he immediately flew towards the edge of the forest without looking back. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, he was flying in the air at full speed, so even though the demon relentlessly pursued him and kept throwing ¡¯javelins¡¯ at him, he gradually managed to increase the distance between them.


    Seeing the demon getting farther and farther away, Rocky finally allowed himself to relax. Although he never saw the true face of the demon, he fully understood how terrifying this creature was.


    However, just when he thought he had escaped the danger, something unexpected happened!


    Without any warning, his speed, which had been very fast, suddenly slowed down¡­


    ¡°Not good!¡±


    Sensing a steep drop in the speed of the armor, Rocky was stunned for a moment, then cursed silently, realizing he had overlooked a critical problem.


    The mana of the Void Magic Armor was almost depleted!


    To shake off the demon, he had maintained the fastest possible speed of the Void Magic Armor, which had helped him distance himself from the demon. However, this high-speed flying had also accelerated the consumption of mana, and just a short time later, the armor¡¯s mana was critically low, nearly out of energy!


    It was totally unexpected that the Void Magic Armor would run out of mana. Rocky suddenly realized he might really be doomed.


    He was still far from the edge of the forest, and even if he managed to fly out of the forest at a slow pace, Liliya and the guards would have no chance against the demon relentlessly chasing him¡­


    In an instant, Rocky felt utterly despairing.


    He suddenly remembered something Liliya had once told him: ¡°Relying too much on the Void Magic Armor could get you killed!¡±


    At this moment, Rocky finally understood what Liliya meant. He knew far too little about the Void Magic Armor, not even knowing how to manage its mana, which led to this embarrassing and fundamental mistake.


    At the same time, Rocky felt a deep malice from this world.


    Because the mana rune he had discovered was precisely an invention that could break through the limitations of the magic stone, increasing the capacity of mana. Yet here he was, about to die due to a lack of mana in the Void Magic Armor, which felt like a cruel joke and made Rocky all the more unwilling to accept it!


    He had just acquired this great invention of the mana rune, had just started adapting to this new world, and had just improved his relationship with Liliya!


    Why was he so unlucky!


    However, just when he was overwhelmed with frustration, a cannon sound suddenly came from afar, followed by a burst of explosions lighting up the forest below!


    ¡°What is¡­¡±


    Watching the shells burst into flames in the forest, Rocky quickly looked into the distance, then saw a scene that moved him to tears.


    Five skyships were slowly approaching him in the air, relentlessly bombarding the forest below!


    Liliya!


    Seeing Liliya standing on the bow of one of the skyships, Rocky truly felt moved to tears, grateful for the girl¡¯s timely arrival!

 Chapter 16 - 16 - 15 Return Voyage and Night Talk

    Chapter 16 ¨C 15 Return Voyage and Night Talk


    Upon seeing that Liliya had dispatched five skyships to pick him up, a disheartened Rocky no longer dared to delay and immediately flew towards the skyship.


    At the same time, Liliya, at the bow of the ship, also breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing him, her previous tension finally easing.


    What Rocky hadn¡¯t noticed was that he had stayed in the institute much longer than he had imagined, and Liliya, who had been waiting on the outskirts of the forest, was already frantic with worry.


    To others, Rocky in his Void Magic Armor might seem invincible, and Rocky himself thought the same, but only Liliya knew this wasn¡¯t the case. Although the Void Magic Armor was strong, it wasn¡¯t invincible, especially for a novice like Rocky, so her worry for his safety was inevitable.


    Fortunately, Liliya¡¯s battle experience was incredibly vast. When the first roar of the demons echoed from the forest, she instantly realized Rocky might be in danger. This feeling, though baseless, was a unique intuition held by those who had experienced warfare, prompting her to immediately order the skyships to take to the air and meet Rocky above.


    As it happened, not long after the skyships ascended, Liliya saw Rocky in the air, flying unusually slowly, and more crucially, she spotted the demons relentlessly pursuing him through the forest.


    This quickly made Liliya grasp the peril Rocky was in, so she had the skyships close in while ordering a bombardment on the demons in the forest!


    ...


    Although the skyships of Thunderhawk City were all reconnaissance ships with weak combat capabilities, the magic cannons at the bow and stern still proved somewhat useful when bombarding land targets.


    Besides, Liliya wasn¡¯t aiming to kill the demons, just to provide Rocky with an opening in case he fell at that moment, which led to the sequence of events that followed.


    Shortly thereafter, Rocky finally arrived above the skyship where Liliya was located, but before he could land safely, he crashed onto the deck! His Void Magic Armor¡¯s mana was completely depleted just then!


    It was a close call, a very close call indeed. Had he been any later, he would have fallen in the forest and been devoured by demons.


    ¡°Roar, roar, roar! Roar, roar, roar!¡±


    As if noticing Rocky¡¯s safe boarding, an angry roar suddenly bellowed from the forest being bombarded by the magic cannons. This roar was not only deafening but also carried a deep frustration, a fury about prey that was on the verge of being caught yet escaped at the last moment!


    Such a terrifying outcry immediately terrified the guards on the skyship, particularly the gunners responsible for the cannons, who even forgot to continue firing. Even the well-versed Liliya frowned at that moment.


    However, Rocky¡¯s reaction at this time was completely different from theirs; having crashed onto the deck, he flipped over and stood up, his expression not showing the slightest fear but instead bursting into loud laughter!


    This caused both the demon¡¯s roars and his laughter to simultaneously echo through the skies and the land.


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s reaction, all the guards looked on in disbelief. Faced with such a terrifying demon, this city lord was not only able to laugh but did so with such excitement?


    It was utterly incredible!


    The guards on the ship were once again stunned by Rocky, not because of his Void Magic Armor this time, but by the bravery and madness he exhibited in that moment.


    Indeed, in these guards¡¯ eyes, laughing in the face of such a terrifying demon was surely an act of bravery, or perhaps even madness.


    But they thought too much; Rocky¡¯s laughter was simply the result of the joy from having narrowly escaped death, nothing more¡­


    It wasn¡¯t his fault, considering the circumstances were too perilous not a moment ago; had Liliya not arrived in time, he truly might have died in that forest, so how could Rocky not laugh joyously?


    When he stopped laughing, he went straight to Liliya and gave her a big, tight hug.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    The sudden hug took Liliya by surprise, turning her little face into a red apple in an instant.


    ¡°Thank goodness you were here, otherwise I would have died out there.¡±


    Holding her tightly, Rocky sincerely said, considering Liliya¡¯s arrival to be incredibly timely.


    ¡°You¡­ you don¡¯t need to do this¡­ it¡¯s what I should do¡­¡±


    After a moment, the blushing Liliya finally responded, but the usually assertive woman stuttered at this time.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing that should! If it¡¯s good, it¡¯s good!¡±


    Having finally let go of Liliya, Rocky laughed heartily and then turned to the guards on the deck, saying, ¡°Stop the bombing, let all the skyships ascend and head back immediately!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon receiving the order, the guards immediately relayed Rocky¡¯s command, and soon the five skyships stopped bombing the forest and began to slowly ascend, preparing to return.


    Only when the skyship gradually climbed into the high sky did Rocky say to Liliya, ¡°Have someone move these items into the cabin, and don¡¯t let others touch them.¡±


    ¡°These are¡­¡±


    Actually, when Rocky crashed onto the deck, Liliya had already noticed the large cloth bag and several boxes he brought back, but she hadn¡¯t had the chance to ask about them until now, and since Rocky had brought it up, she looked at these items and asked with anticipation.


    ¡°Our good days are coming.¡±


    The response might be unintelligible to outsiders, but Liliya knew exactly what it meant. Thus, her eyes immediately lit up, followed by no further questions as she took the cloth bag in one hand and lifted the case with the other, personally delivering these items into the cabin where she stayed and guarded them herself.


    It was only after watching Liliya enter the cabin that Rocky could finally relax. Then, just as before, he stayed alone on the deck.


    He wasn¡¯t trying to act cool; he was planning for his and Thunderhawk City¡¯s future!


    Discovering the Mana Rune would undoubtedly completely change his life and equally transform Thunderhawk City, perhaps even the entire world. However, how to utilize the Mana Rune and the specifics of its operation were problems Rocky couldn¡¯t ignore.


    Such a monumental invention, if handled well, could drastically elevate someone¡¯s status. Yet if mismanaged, it could lead to utter ruin, since ¡°the innocent bearing a treasure invites trouble.¡± Rocky was well aware of this.


    He certainly did not want the Mana Rune he painstakingly found to end up benefiting someone else or, worse, be the death of him¡ªsuch a scenario was absolutely unacceptable.


    Therefore, after returning to Thunderhawk City, Rocky had to carefully consider his next steps.


    Unfortunately, he had not thought for long before he found staying on the deck unbearable. As the Skyship ascended higher, the winds on the deck grew stronger, yet without mana, the Void Magic Armor could no longer provide protection, so he had no choice but to return to the cabin.


    Back in the cabin, Rocky found Liliya in his room, guarding the place.


    ¡°By the way, where are the other six people?¡±


    Upon seeing Liliya, Rocky suddenly remembered and casually asked.


    Previously, apart from bringing Eyer, Rocky had also brought Eyer¡¯s six confidants. However, he hadn¡¯t seen them on the ship just now.


    ¡°I left them on land due to the emergency when I went to pick you up.¡±


    After stealing a glance at Rocky, Liliya gave her reply, and Rocky, in response, gave her a thumbs up.


    This was actually Rocky¡¯s original intention as well. He had no intention of letting Eyer or his subordinates off the hook but felt that killing them would be too severe a punishment. It¡¯s not that he was soft-hearted; rather, he believed that the act of killing should be reserved as a last resort and the most severe punishment, to retain its deterrent power.


    Hence, he had planned to leave Eyer and the others on land from the start.


    Liliya clearly saw through his intentions, thus not bringing them aboard.


    Afterwards, the Skyship ascended continuously until it grew darker, and they finally returned to Thunderhawk City.


    Upon successfully returning to Thunderhawk City, Rocky sent the guards back to the Guard Corps and then went with Liliya, along with their numerous gains, to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. However, instead of rushing to research the Mana Rune, he took a good night¡¯s sleep.


    After all, Rocky¡¯s identity was the city lord, and with Thunderhawk City undergoing major changes, with troublemakers like Eyer and Perolo eliminated, he had fewer troubles to deal with. However, he also faced many new challenges, such as new personnel appointments.


    Combining the issues of the Mana Rune and future developments, these were matters he needed to consider and would not be resolved overnight.


    Thus, after returning to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, he decided to rest well first, to clear his mind and make decisions for the future.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    While Rocky, content with his vast gains, dozed off upon returning to Thunderhawk City, some people in the city were far from sleep, like Voss.


    Thunderhawk City had just over a thousand residents, among whom there were few nobles, Voss being the most prominent among them.


    At this moment, Voss was sitting in his study, still the epitome of a nobleman, with a person sitting opposite him ¡ª a noble girl about seventeen or eighteen years old, very pretty with a distinct noble demeanor, and sharing some resemblance with Voss.


    ¡°Grandfather, did the city lord really capture Eyer and Perolo?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Voss, maintaining his usual faint smile, nodded as he looked at his granddaughter.


    ¡°What is he planning to do?¡±


    ¡°Eradicate the toxic tumors.¡±


    Voss¡¯s answer was simple and clear.


    This response, however, made the girl across from him frown, thinking for a while before speaking, ¡°But I heard this new city lord is timid and indecisive. Perolo is one thing, but how could he dare move against Captain Eyer?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important. What matters is that he has already made his move.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ will he come after us?¡±


    The girl¡¯s words made Voss pause, then he smiled and shook his head, ¡°Aileen, do you also see your grandfather as a toxic tumor?¡±


    His words startled Aileen, but she quickly flashed a cunning smile, ¡°Grandfather, that¡¯s not important. What¡¯s important is how the city lord sees you.¡±


    This reply made Voss laugh even more heartily and he was very pleased.

 Chapter 17 - 17 - 16 New Finance Officer

    Chapter 17 ¨C 16 New Finance Officer


    ¡°You are absolutely right,¡±


    Aileen¡¯s response greatly pleased Voss, and he nodded with a smile. However, he quickly added, ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry; the City Lord won¡¯t lay a hand on us.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Shrugging indifferently, Aileen glanced at Voss, ¡°Grandfather holds significant influence over the import of yarn, so unless the City Lord is a fool, he wouldn¡¯t dare meddle with us.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the reason.¡±


    This time, Voss shook his head, clearly feeling that his granddaughter had missed the main point.


    Aileen was surprised, and looked at Voss quizzically, not understanding where her thoughts had gone wrong.


    ...


    But Voss soon offered an explanation:


    ¡°Merchants are profit-driven, so even without us, as long as the City Lord can offer money, he would still manage to find another Chamber of Commerce to import yarn. Therefore, that¡¯s not our real safeguard.¡±


    ¡°Then what is our safeguard?¡±


    ¡°That depends on what we can offer this City Lord.¡± He paused for a moment, then revealed the answer, ¡°Thunderhawk City is too small, small enough that only we can assist him, and that is why he won¡¯t touch us.¡±


    ¡°Ha, I doubt that.¡±


    Challenging Voss¡¯s assertion, Aileen pursed her lips, ¡°Grandfather, our City Lord hardly seems like a man of great ambitions; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up in his current predicament. So, he might not even need us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important.¡±


    At that moment, Voss smiled slightly, then looked at his granddaughter, ¡°Aileen, whether the City Lord has great ambitions is not for us to consider. I just want you to understand one thing¡ªif we are clear about our own value, only then can we survive.¡±


    After saying this, Voss handed Aileen a letter.


    ¡°Take this letter to the City Lord tomorrow.¡±


    As she took the envelope and looked at it, Aileen immediately showed a surprised expression, and turned her eyes towards Voss:


    ¡°Grandfather, why¡­¡±,


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    The next morning, Rocky rose early, having slept more soundly that night than ever since his arrival, without even dreaming, and woke up feeling refreshed, all his fatigue gone.


    But he didn¡¯t laze around upon rising early; as the City Lord, he had many duties to attend to, like appointing the new Captain of the Guards and the new administrative officer.


    Regarding this matter, Rocky had made a plan yesterday; he intended to have Liliya temporarily take over as Captain of the Guard Corps.


    The Guard Corps was the only military force in Thunderhawk City, hence it couldn¡¯t be left unmanaged. With the severe shortage of personnel, it could only be handled by Liliya, and given her sufficient prestige and strength, this wouldn¡¯t be too difficult for her.


    As for the new administrative officer, Rocky decided to take over for the time being himself since Thunderhawk City was rather small and the role of the administrative officer was basically symbolic; he believed he could handle it.


    This arrangement was naturally out of necessity, for apart from Liliya, Rocky had no one else he could rely on, so he had to opt for this temporary solution and consider slowly cultivating his own team later.


    However, just as he had finished breakfast and was about to inform Liliya of his decision, Liliya informed him first¡ªthat Aileen had arrived.


    ¡°Aileen? Who is she?¡±


    Rocky was unfamiliar with the name Aileen and had no idea who she was.


    ¡°She¡¯s Voss¡¯s granddaughter.¡±


    ¡°Voss¡¯s¡­ granddaughter?¡±


    This response surprised Rocky, wondering if Voss wanted to see him. But if Voss had something to discuss, he should have come himself; why send his granddaughter?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s see what this is about.¡±


    Always wary of the shrewd Voss, Rocky stopped pondering and simply took Liliya with him to the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    Before long, he met Aileen who was already waiting there in the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    ¡°City Lord, this is a letter from my grandfather.¡±


    After briefly introducing herself, Aileen didn¡¯t beat around the bush and directly handed over the letter her grandfather had asked her to deliver the previous night.


    As Rocky took the envelope from Aileen, he looked at her, then at the envelope in his hand, his mind filled with questions.


    But as he opened the envelope and saw the contents of the letter, he frowned immediately!


    Having held the letter for a long time, Rocky finally turned his gaze back to Aileen and asked, ¡°Is Lord Voss ill?¡±


    ¡°Yes, grandfather felt unwell yesterday and is now resting in bed.¡±


    ¡°So he sent you to take over the position of finance officer?¡±


    ¡°No, grandfather only suggested it, everything still depends on the arrangements of the City Lord.¡±


    Aileen not only looked somewhat similar to Voss, but her tone and demeanor were also much like his, facing Rocky with the same unassuming yet confident manner, and her words were meticulously chosen.


    Her words, however, plunged Rocky into deep thought.


    The letter Voss had given him was actually a leave request, basically stating that he was not feeling well and needed some time to recuperate. Of course, all of this was nonsense; he was fine just yesterday, and now he was too sick to work in just one night? Rocky could hardly believe it.


    The most important content of the letter was just one thing: Voss was recommending his granddaughter to fill in for his position as finance officer.


    What was this old fox thinking?


    Looking once at the youthful Aileen, Rocky couldn¡¯t comprehend Voss¡¯s intentions. Why suddenly push his granddaughter forward?


    At the same time, he felt helpless because it was clear that Voss intended for Aileen to succeed him. Rocky¡¯s only options in this matter were to agree or disagree.


    But in reality, he had no choice. If he disagreed with Voss¡¯s suggestion and did not let Aileen take over as the finance officer, then who would fill the position?


    He was even struggling to find someone for the nominal position of administrative officer, let alone the indispensable role of finance officer. If not Aileen, then who?


    So, although it seemed a bit irregular, after frowning and thinking for a while, Rocky nodded at Aileen and said,


    ¡°Aileen, the finances of Thunderhawk City will be in your hands. I hope you will not disappoint Lord Voss¡¯s recommendation.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, City Lord.¡±


    ¡°Please quickly summarize the city¡¯s financial status and the financial revenues of the last three quarters and bring them to me.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    By agreeing to Aileen becoming the new finance officer, Rocky also gave her a task to summarize the financial situation of Thunderhawk City and present it to him.


    Following that, Aileen responded with a nod, deeply bowed to Rocky, and turned to leave. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only after she had left did Liliya turn to Rocky.


    ¡°Rocky, what exactly is Voss planning?¡±


    ¡°Who knows¡­¡±


    Shaking his head, Rocky couldn¡¯t figure out Voss¡¯s thoughts, but he felt that Voss¡¯s actions were in his own favor. Now that the original team of Thunderhawk City was completely gone, Rocky¡¯s control over the city would further increase, which was undoubtedly a good thing.


    Therefore, he didn¡¯t ponder this issue much; rather, he turned to Liliya:


    ¡°Liliya, I¡¯d like you to temporarily take charge of the Guard Corps. It¡¯s only temporary until I find suitable personnel for other appointments.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Liliya didn¡¯t refuse his request; she clearly understood the importance of controlling the Guard Corps herself, and that such power should not fall into the hands of outsiders.


    After that, things were easy to manage. Liliya went to take charge of the Guard Corps, and Rocky summoned all the personnel that had once belonged to Perolo to the City Lord¡¯s Hall. He met with them and also arranged for them to compile detailed data of Thunderhawk City, including population, industry, and material reserves, and bring it to him.


    As the lord of the city, Rocky had to have a comprehensive understanding of his city.


    After arranging all this, he finally reached a brief respite in his work.


    However, rather than resting, Rocky returned to his room and then took out the research notes left by Winsair!


    The notebook detailed various aspects of Mana Runes, representing a huge wealth. Rocky had to learn everything within and master the Mana Runes completely.


    ¡°Come on¡­¡±


    Holding the notebook in his hands, he took a deep breath and then slowly began to flip through it, diving into the content.


    He was completely immersed, and by the time he stopped, it was already late at night!


    ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡±


    Closing the notebook slowly, Rocky struggled to calm himself but couldn¡¯t manage it.


    Because the content he saw in this research notebook was simply too shocking!

 Chapter 18 - 18: 17 Research Notes

    Chapter 18: 17 Research Notes


    The research notes left by Winsel meticulously recorded various contents about Mana Runes, from the initial research ideas, through the research process, to the methods of drawing runes, and finally the uses of the runes, everything was documented therein.


    It was only after reading this notebook that Rocky came to truly understand Mana Runes.


    This was indeed a great invention!


    As for Winsel, he was a true genius!


    Not only had Winsel invented Mana Runes, but he had also perfected the entire system of Mana Runes on his own, and even classified the runes into levels.


    According to his classification, Mana Runes were divided into six levels, with the First Level being the lowest and the Sixth Level the highest. As the levels increased, the capacity of the runes also continuously rose.


    This classification of levels corresponded exactly to the sizes of Magic Stones, which were similarly divided into micro, small, medium, large, extra-large, and a special category.


    ...


    According to Winsel¡¯s calculations, a First-Level Rune corresponded to a Micro Magic Stone, but it contained only half the Mana of a Micro Magic Stone, meaning that it took two First-Level Runes to equal one Micro Magic Stone.


    Second-Level Runes corresponded to Small Magic Stones, and similarly, it took three Second-Level Runes to equal one Small Magic Stone.


    The Third-Level, Fourth-Level, and Fifth-Level Runes all had similar conversion methods.


    From this conversion, it was evident that a single rune could not compete in capacity with a Magic Stone of the same level, a point that Winsel also mentioned in his notes.


    But he also emphasized in his notes that the advantage of Mana Runes was not in their capacity, but in their size!


    The essence of a Magic Stone was after all a stone. This essential nature gifted Magic Stones with a massive flaw, that being their large size.


    Even the smallest Micro Magic Stone had to be the size of a bottle cap, which was the smallest size achievable for Magic Stones. Any smaller and they couldn¡¯t contain Mana, becoming just a useless rock.


    But what could a Micro Magic Stone do? Sorry, it could only be used in daily life, such as powering Magic Energy Lamps, and beyond that, it was incapable of much else. The Mana contained within a Micro Magic Stone was too little to be used in manufacturing Mana Equipment, let alone embedding it in Void Magic Armor.


    To manufacture Mana Equipment, at least a Small Magic Stone was needed, but how big was a Small Magic Stone?


    The size of an egg!


    Each Small Magic Stone was equivalent to a stone the size of an egg, so imagine, on a piece of equipment, even large items like shields or Plate Armor, how many Small Magic Stones could be embedded?


    As for Medium and Large Magic Stones, it goes without saying: they were simply too large to be used in manufacturing equipment. Rocky knew that only a complete set of Void Magic Armor could barely integrate a Medium Magic Stone; no other equipment could accommodate such a large stone.


    Therefore, even though Medium and larger Magic Stones contained a large amount of Magic Power, their excessively large size meant they could only be used in Magic Cannons or Skyships.


    This was the inherent flaw of Magic Stones: they were too large.


    This is where the advantage of Mana Runes came in.


    And what is a Rune? It¡¯s just a symbol!


    How big are runes? Runes don¡¯t have a volume at all!


    As long as there is space on the target, runes can be drawn on it, and any number can be drawn; it can be said that using mana runes has almost no limitations!


    This is why Rocky was able to sever a mana sword with a rune sword in the first place.


    Although the severed mana sword was also embedded with micro magic stones, due to their large size, only two micro magic stones were embedded in the hilt of the long sword, naturally limiting its power within a certain range.


    In contrast, the rune sword left by Winsel had no such limitation. Winsel specifically mentioned that rune sword in his notes and emphasized that all the runes drawn on the rune sword were first-level runes!


    It is known that the magic energy of two first-level runes is only equivalent to one micro magic stone, while two micro magic stones were embedded in the mana sword.


    Even so, when the amount of first-level runes with such low magic energy content reached a certain number, the power they unleashed already surpassed that of two micro magic stones.


    This was exactly Winsel¡¯s initial intention in researching mana runes, using quantitative changes to bring about qualitative changes!


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    As Rocky closed the research notebook and organized the content he had seen, he couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath.


    It was through reading the contents of the notebook that he finally understood the greatness and subtlety of mana runes, and he also developed deep respect for Winsel.


    Winsel was definitely a master; this was not only evident in his ability but also in his determination to resist demons. His determination even led him to give up the opportunity to flee to Sky City. You should know that a master like him would have certainly been among the first to be sent to Sky City in those days, yet Winsel did not leave.


    But it was this stubbornness that led him to invent mana runes. It¡¯s detailed in his notes that he continued his research alone in the institute for ten years after everyone else had fled to Sky City, finally succeeding in his research of mana runes.


    That was a whole ten years! What kind of persistence was required for Winsel to endure ten years and finally complete his great invention?


    This kind of persistence couldn¡¯t help but impress Rocky.


    Now, the mana runes had finally seen the light of day again, and had landed in Rocky¡¯s hands. So, not just for himself, but also for Winsel, Rocky had to promote the use of mana runes.


    As for the technique of drawing runes, Winsel also recorded it in detail in the notes. To draw mana runes, one must use magic power, and the higher the level of the rune, the greater the requirement for magic power.


    According to the notes, a first-level magic energy rune is very simple; a first-level mage could complete it once they grasped the method. But as the level of the runes reached second-level, the requirement for magic power was relatively high, needing at least a third-level mage to complete it.


    As for more capacity-demanding third-level runes, at least a sixth-level mage was needed to successfully draw them.


    The strict requirements in terms of magic power did give Rocky a bit of a headache, since he was just a first-level mage.


    Fortunately, this thing wasn¡¯t absolute; he was just a first-level mage now but could level up in the future! Even if he couldn¡¯t reach the highest level, he could still hire someone to draw the runes.


    So while this was somewhat stressful for him, he wasn¡¯t too worried; after all, he could already learn first-level runes, which was enough for now.


    He had to learn first-level runes as quickly as possible! sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After reading through the research notes, Rocky now had a clear goal about what he needed to do next¡ªlearn first-level magic energy runes as soon as possible!

 Chapter 19 - 19 - 18: Great Crisis

    Chapter 19 ¨C 18: Great Crisis


    By the next day, Rocky had someone prepare a room in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion early in the morning to serve as his own study.


    Since he had the ability to draw First Level Magic Energy Runes, he naturally planned to devote his time to learning how to make them.


    However, it was best to have a separate study for these kinds of activities. Fortunately, the City Lord¡¯s Mansion had numerous rooms available, and it was just a matter of arranging one to be cleared out. Later on, the equipment scavenged from the research institute could be moved in, and the study would be complete.


    But what Rocky hadn¡¯t anticipated was that Aileen, whom he had met the day before, arrived even before the room had been readied.


    ¡°Is it ready already?¡±


    With a stack of thick papers in hand, Rocky found it hard to believe because this stack contained the financial summaries of Thunderhawk City for the last three quarters.


    The day before, Rocky had indeed asked Aileen to prepare this information and hand it to him, but he hadn¡¯t expected her to compile so much data so quickly¡ªit had only been one day.


    ...


    Looking at the documents in his hand and then at Aileen standing before him, Rocky found it hard to believe.


    In his eyes, Aileen was just a delicate girl, approximately seventeen or eighteen years old, seemingly younger than him, yet he hadn¡¯t anticipated her capability in handling matters to be so strong.


    It would be one thing if Voss had helped organize these documents, but if Aileen had done it alone, then this seemingly youthful girl was truly extraordinary.


    Thinking this, Rocky tentatively asked, ¡°Aileen, have you looked over all the financial documents regarding Thunderhawk City?¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± she replied, her face devoid of much expression.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, do you have anything you want to tell me?¡±


    Seeing her nod, Rocky asked again.


    ¡°Yes, I hope the City Lord can be prepared.¡±


    Facing Rocky¡¯s casual query, Aileen indeed nodded, then stated, ¡°I just received news that the price of imported yarn next month might be much higher than before.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Rocky hadn¡¯t expected Aileen to bring up the matter of yarn, and he furrowed his brow.


    As mentioned before, textiles were the only industry of Thunderhawk City; men in the city took care of farming while the women worked on weaving at home. Thus, every quarter, the City Lord¡¯s Mansion had to import yarn from cooperating chambers of commerce to ensure that the residents could produce fabric.


    Aileen¡¯s words suddenly made Rocky realize it was already August, and September was the last month of the third quarter. As City Lord, he indeed needed to prepare the yarn required for the fourth quarter.


    However, he was puzzled as to why Aileen would suddenly tell him about the rise in yarn prices.


    This matter couldn¡¯t be taken lightly by Rocky, as it was extremely significant, directly affecting the financial income of Thunderhawk City and the well-being of its residents. Thus, he immediately set aside his concerns about Magic Pattern Runes and regarded Aileen solemnly.


    ¡°Aileen, what exactly is going on? Is there a problem with the Azure Commerce Guild?¡±


    There were two chambers of commerce working with Thunderhawk City. The Azure Commerce Guild, mentioned by Rocky, was one of them, primarily responsible for supplying the city with yarn and food; the fabric produced was then sold to another chamber of commerce.


    Confronted with his question, Aileen directly responded,


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s not that there¡¯s a problem with the Azure Commerce Guild, but Canglang City is engaged in warfare.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying¡­ Canglang City has gone to war?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the information is very reliable.¡±


    Facing Rocky¡¯s slightly surprised look, Aileen nodded, then fixed her gaze on his face, observing his reaction closely.


    Despite her calm demeanor in front of the City Lord, Aileen was actually quite intrigued.


    Previously, when Voss handed over the position of finance officer to her, Aileen always wondered what her grandfather meant by this. Of course, with her intelligence, she could understand that her grandfather wanted her to start building a relationship with the City Lord from scratch, yet Aileen didn¡¯t see the reason for doing so.


    The City Lord in front of her appeared quite ordinary, and his reputation was notably feeble. Was he really worth building a relationship with?


    Aileen couldn¡¯t figure it out, but she agreed to her grandfather¡¯s approach and grew curious about Rocky.


    Just like she had just mentioned, she did indeed receive this news today, but the reason she told Rocky was not out of loyalty, but because Aileen wanted to seize the opportunity to see how the City Lord would react.


    Was this City Lord truly as incompetent and pathetic as rumors suggested, or did he actually possess some extraordinary qualities?


    Of course, at this moment Rocky was unaware of what Aileen was thinking because he was considering a more critical issue.


    Shortly after, he sighed and then glanced at Aileen, ¡°So, does this mean there might be problems with the food supply for the winter as well?¡±


    They were clearly discussing the rising prices of yarn, yet Rocky suddenly mentioned the food supply for the winter, which was completely off-topic.


    But it was precisely this remark that made Aileen¡¯s eyes light up!


    This City Lord was quite impressive!


    Aileen stared intently at Rocky and a slight, barely noticeable smile appeared on her face.


    It seemed that this City Lord wasn¡¯t particularly incompetent; at least he was thinking clearly.


    Because, indeed, the rising prices of yarn were related to the food issue in Thunderhawk City! sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These two matters seemed unrelated but were actually closely connected.


    It was well known that the textile industry was the sole industry in Thunderhawk City, and the revenue from exported textiles was the only source of income; the use of this money was even more important as it was meant for buying food.


    Thunderhawk City¡¯s own food production was far from enough to feed everyone, and it was necessary to purchase additional food to meet the needs of the residents.


    But now, as the price of yarn, a raw material, increased, the profit from exported textiles would decrease, naturally reducing the money available to buy food.


    Perhaps some might wonder why not just increase the price of the textiles as well? If both were raised, wouldn¡¯t it solve the problem?


    This idea might sound reasonable, but that¡¯s all it was¡ªreasonable sounding; the actual situation was nowhere near that simple.


    After all, the reason Thunderhawk City¡¯s textiles were able to sell was because they were cheap!


    In the skies, there were not just one but multiple cities producing textiles like Sky City, compared to which Thunderhawk City¡¯s textiles were neither substantial in quantity nor quality. Their only advantage was the lower price, which attracted Chambers of Commerce to purchase in large quantities; but once Rocky raised the textile prices, no Chamber of Commerce would trade with them.


    In this matter, Thunderhawk City utterly lacked bargaining power.


    So, at the root of it all was the rising price of yarn.


    Regarding the price increase of yarn, Aileen had already provided a reason: Canglang City was engaged in a war!


    Canglang City, a large Sky City with a population of over one hundred thousand, housed the headquarters of the Azure Commerce Guild, which collaborated with Thunderhawk City.


    The reason the Azure Commerce Guild could sell large quantities of yarn was because Canglang City produced a lot of cotton, which enabled the Guild to conduct yarn business.


    But now, as Canglang City was at war, this would inevitably lead to a rise in local prices, and the Azure Commerce Guild would certainly seize the opportunity to increase the price of the yarn sold to Thunderhawk City.


    And more importantly, Thunderhawk City not only needed to import yarn from the Azure Commerce Guild but also the food necessary for winter.


    As the headquarters were located in Canglang City, a large Sky City, the Azure Commerce Guild could access a large amount of food; however, with the start of military conflicts, securing more food would become challenging, and the prices offered by the Azure Commerce Guild would rise as a result.


    With the increase in yarn prices and the decline in textile income, not only would the money for food decrease, but the food prices might also surge significantly. Between the two, the pressure on Thunderhawk City was enormous!


    Therefore, Aileen had urged Rocky to be prepared, because given Thunderhawk City¡¯s current financial situation, it might be impossible to buy enough food for the winter, and if there was a food shortage, many people in the city would starve to death!


    If such a situation truly arose, it would be a real crisis for Thunderhawk City, and as the City Lord, Rocky naturally had to be prepared to face this crisis.


    In fact, Aileen had initially thought that Rocky wouldn¡¯t be able to foresee such a far-reaching issue, considering the complexity and the non-obviousness of the connections. People with slow reactions or less capable minds would never think that a problem with yarn could trigger such a massive crisis, but Rocky indeed had thought of it, which was interesting.


    Since Rocky now understood the severity of the situation, Aileen was very curious to know how, exactly, this City Lord planned to help Thunderhawk City get through this difficult time.


    Yes, how exactly would Thunderhawk City overcome this difficult time? That was a question Rocky was also pondering.


    At this moment, Rocky felt both helpless and powerless. The discovery of Mana Runes should have promised him a bright future, but before he had even mastered a single rune, Thunderhawk City was faced with such a big problem, and if not handled carefully, it could lead to serious chaos!


    So, how exactly could Thunderhawk City overcome this difficult time? Rocky indeed was thinking hard¡­

 Chapter 20 - 20 - 19 A Whole New Level of Respect

    Chapter 20 ¨C 19 A Whole New Level of Respect


    Sitting in the City Lord¡¯s seat, Rocky pondered for a long time, but no matter how much he thought, he couldn¡¯t come up with a suitable solution.


    Time was too pressing.


    The current time was August, and in a few months, winter would come. In such a short time, he simply couldn¡¯t raise the money! Without money, there might not be enough to pay for the grain, and then the residents of the city would suffer.


    What should be done¡­


    After a long while, Rocky could only sigh helplessly and then looked to Aileen, ¡°Aileen, please ask Lord Voss to step in and negotiate with the Azure Commerce Guild.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Alright, I will convey the message to grandfather.¡±


    Nodding her head, Aileen wasn¡¯t surprised by the request, as she was the finance officer of Thunderhawk City and knew the city¡¯s financial situation better than anyone; she was well aware that Rocky could probably only think of such an ineffective method.


    ...


    Unfortunately, this method would not work at all. The Azure Commerce Guild might not be a dominant Chamber of Commerce, but it was not small in scale. A Chamber of Commerce of such caliber only looked at profits, not relationships, and even if relationships were to be considered, they wouldn¡¯t with Thunderhawk City, so even with her grandfather intervening, it wouldn¡¯t be very effective.


    This could not help but make Aileen a bit disappointed; she thought that Rocky might come up with some practical solutions.


    But then, Rocky spoke again:


    ¡°Also, can you get in touch with merchants who specialize in trading Magic Stones?¡±


    ¡°Magic Stones?¡±


    Aileen furrowed her brows at Rocky¡¯s words, but nodded, ¡°I can. I will contact them as soon as possible. But are you planning to¡­?¡±


    ¡°I was lucky during my last trip to the land and found some items, among which are a few Medium Magic Stones that could sell for a good sum. So, I plan to sell all these Magic Stones. This should alleviate some of the city¡¯s financial pressure.¡±


    Rocky knew what Aileen wanted to ask, so he provided an answer before she could finish her question.


    And this answer was the only solution he could think of now.


    The biggest problem Thunderhawk City faced was, in fact, a single one: the lack of money!


    This problem could not be solved in a day or two, and for Rocky to come up with a solution right now was utterly unrealistic, but if it was just about easing the immediate urgency, he felt he could manage it.


    Like selling some items.


    Last time he visited the research facility, not only did Rocky obtain research notes on Mana Runes, but he also scavenged a bunch of items from the labs. Although many of them were useful to him, some could be sold, like the Magic Stones.


    In the lab, he found quite a few Magic Stones, all containing ample Mana, among which were several Medium Magic Stones.


    Medium Magic Stones, being too large for use in equipment, were not typically used to manufacture gear but could provide Mana for Skyships and be embedded in Magic Cannons, making them very valuable and worth a considerable amount of money when sold.


    With this money, the financial pressure on Thunderhawk City could be alleviated to some extent.


    Under such pressing circumstances, Rocky could only rely on this method to help Thunderhawk City overcome its difficulties.


    After he finished speaking, Aileen across from him nodded slightly, without further questioning.


    However, in her heart, Aileen was somewhat surprised by his words.


    She really hadn¡¯t expected Rocky to be hiding so much ¡°private stash.¡±


    What was even more unexpected to her was that, for the sake of the Thunderhawk City residents to survive the winter, Rocky was willing to sell off his belongings. This action did make her see him in a new light.


    Because as Aileen knew, not every City Lord of Sky City was fond of their citizens, and in fact, the vast majority of City Lords didn¡¯t care much about the lives of the residents, or they completely regarded the residents as their personal property. To get these City Lords to sell their belongings for the sake of the city¡¯s citizens was fundamentally impossible.


    But Rocky had done it. His solution might not be very clever, but it still made Aileen look at him with newfound respect.


    Clearly, Rocky¡¯s actions had made a good impression on Aileen, so she decided to seriously discuss with her grandfather and see if they could get the Azure Commerce Guild to compromise on the prices of yarn and grain.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    By around noon, Aileen had left the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, and when she was gone, Rocky returned to his own room, not long after which the empty room he had ordered to be prepared was ready.


    After surveying the tidied room, Rocky was very satisfied and dismissed everyone, only then did he move all the equipment he¡¯d scavenged from the research institute into the room, transforming the bare room into a fully equipped laboratory with his arrangement.


    Once everything was in order, he took out his research notes.


    ¡°Looks like I need to hurry up¡­¡±


    Holding the research notes in his hands, he couldn¡¯t help but feel the urgency of time.


    The previous conversation with Aileen not only made him aware that Thunderhawk City was facing a major problem, but also made him realize that he didn¡¯t have much time.


    The weakness of Thunderhawk City didn¡¯t allow him any luxury of time; he had to learn Mana Runes as quickly as possible and make them valuable fast, otherwise, even if he could wait, Thunderhawk City could not!


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Standing in front of a desk, Rocky opened his research notes to the section on Rune drafting and studied it over and over.


    As the most basic Mana Runes, First Level Runes could be drafted by a First Level Mage, but this was only in terms of Magic Power requirements. As for technical skill, even First Level Runes required a high level of expertise to be successfully drafted.


    And it was this skill that Rocky needed to master.


    Of course, mastering the First Level Runes couldn¡¯t be achieved simply by rote memorization of the methods in the research notes; extensive practice was also necessary.


    Before long, there was a knock on the door, and then Liliya, carrying a large box, arrived in the laboratory.


    ¡°This is the equipment you asked for.¡±


    Liliya set the large box on the floor and came up beside Rocky, noticing he was intently studying the research notes. She didn¡¯t disturb him and silently stood by his side.


    After a few minutes had passed, Rocky finally took his attention away from the research notes and looked at Liliya.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    ¡°No problem, have you already learned all the Mana Runes?¡±


    Glancing at the research notes set aside, Liliya appeared very curious.


    ¡°How could it be so fast? I¡¯ve just started learning.¡±


    Seeing Liliya¡¯s curious expression and her blinking big eyes, Rocky suddenly discovered she had such an adorable side and almost couldn¡¯t resist pinching her cheek.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll take my leave then.¡±


    Completely oblivious to how cute she had been just a moment ago, Liliya then nodded understandingly, not quite getting it, and turned to leave the room.


    However, just as she reached the door, she suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°Rocky¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What is it?¡±


    ¡°The Guard Corps¡¯ equipment is so worn it can¡¯t be used anymore, and there¡¯s hardly any spare gear left. Now that we¡¯ve brought you so much, it¡¯s time you considered getting new equipment for the Guard Corps.¡±


    After saying that, Liliya then left the laboratory.


    But as soon as the door closed, Rocky in the lab went crazy. He hadn¡¯t resolved the issue of having no money for supplies, and now the Guard Corps¡¯ equipment needed replacing too¡ªhow was he supposed to survive this!

 Chapter 21 - 21 - 20 Difficulty of Runes

    Chapter 21 ¨C 20 Difficulty of Runes


    ¡°I just can¡¯t live like this anymore.¡±


    With a long sigh, Rocky tried to calm himself and avoid thinking about the affairs of Thunderhawk City.


    The current state of Thunderhawk City was simply deplorable, lacking in both clothing and food. Being the City Lord under such conditions, Rocky couldn¡¯t feel the slightest joy of his position.


    To change the plight of Thunderhawk City, there seemed to be only one method, and that was Mana Runes! If Rocky could learn Mana Runes and utilize them well, Thunderhawk City would surely be transformed.


    The greatest use of Mana Runes was to provide unlimited mana to equipment, significantly enhancing the power of Mana Equipment. This was something Wen Seer specifically mentioned in his research notes, and he hoped to empower people to fight against demons with this method.


    However, there was something Wen Seer didn¡¯t anticipate, that shortly after his death, the project of Flying Armor he mentioned in his last words was developed successfully. It produced the Void Magic Armor, which was far more powerful than Mana Equipment!


    If Wen Seer had known about this, he would have been extraordinarily excited, and with his intelligence, he would have immediately realized something¡ªthat the Mana Runes he invented were the perfect match for the Void Magic Armor!


    ...


    Once the Magic Stone inside the Void Magic Armor was replaced with Mana Runes that had fewer restrictions and could provide more energy, the combat capability of the Void Magic Armor would instantly break through existing limits and reach heights unimaginable to anyone. It could even open a new door, allowing the Void Magic Armor to evolve again!


    All of these possibilities were the future of Mana Runes and the future of Rocky. When he had mastered all of this, would he still worry about Thunderhawk City running out of food for the winter? Would he still fret over the Guard Corps not having equipment?


    Certainly not!


    By then, he would have become one of the most formidable individuals under this sky! Rocky firmly believed in this.


    And to be awesome in the future, he had to work hard now, starting with learning how to draw runes.


    So he quickly put his worries aside and focused all his attention on his studies.


    Having calmed himself, Rocky took out a piece of equipment from the box full of them, a wrist guard, and then picked up a pen.


    But the pen in his hand was no ordinary pen. It was the Magic Energy Pen, an important tool for inscribing Mana Runes, specially modified for this purpose.


    The function of the Magic Energy Pen was to turn magic power into marks left on an item. To put it plainly, it used magic power as ink, and only with this Magic Energy Pen could one draw runes that would be considered Mana Runes.


    After getting a hold of the Magic Energy Pen, Rocky activated his magic power and slowly drew a strange symbol on the wrist guard.


    This strange symbol was a Mana Rune, more precisely, a First Level Mana Rune. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The principle of the Mana Runes was using magic power in the form of symbols to sustain energy. The crucial point was that the Rune had to be drawn without a single mistake in order to be effective; otherwise, it was just a useless symbol.


    According to the research notes, a First Level Mana Rune was not too complicated, but even so, Rocky drew very slowly. This was not only because he was drawing for the first time but also because he knew he couldn¡¯t rush in this matter. Otherwise, even a slight deviation would lead to a failed inscription.


    But the more he thought about being careful, the less his hand seemed to obey him, and an inadvertent jitter caused the nearly completed rune to instantly vanish into nothing.


    ¡°Huff¡­¡±


    Watching the half-finished rune disappear from the bracer, Rocky took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    In just a short amount of time, he was drenched in sweat. This was due to the tension of his first rune drawing and also because the task was much more difficult than he had imagined, nowhere near as simple as the notes made it seem.


    As for the failure, it was something Rocky had anticipated. He wasn¡¯t the least bit discouraged. It would have been surprising if he had succeeded on his first try.


    Taking another deep breath to steady his hand, he began to draw the rune on the wrist guard once again¡­


    As time ticked by, Rocky¡¯s second attempt at drawing also failed quickly, followed by a third try, then the fourth, fifth, sixth. He kept trying over and over again, only to meet with failure repeatedly, as if stuck in an endless loop.


    Through these numerous failures, Rocky gradually came to understand the difficulty of inscribing runes. It was a hundred times harder than he had ever imagined!


    Regarding the methods of drawing First Level Runes, the research notes were very detailed, and they looked not too difficult. Rocky had memorized everything in a short amount of time, but it wasn¡¯t until he started drawing them himself that he realized the difficulty was entirely different from what he had imagined.


    Continuous failure even led him to reopen the research notes, wondering if he had remembered the methods incorrectly. The results proved his memory was fine; everything was difficult simply because creating a successful Mana Rune was really hard.


    And it wasn¡¯t until the evening that he finally stopped, not because he was tired or frustrated, but because his Magic Power had been completely drained.


    The amount of Magic Power required to draw First Level Runes was minimal, after all, the Mana they could bear was also very limited, but still, his Magic Power was consumed in the repeated failures until he had no choice but to stop.


    However, although the process was filled with failures, Rocky felt not the slightest bit discouraged when he stopped; on the contrary, he was quite pleased.


    Because when he had used up all of his Magic Power, although he still had not managed to draw a successful Rune, at least he could now draw the Rune in one go. Perhaps the flaws in the details made the Rune he drew useless, but it was much better than his first attempt at drawing. This was progress!


    With progress, there was hope!


    So after he stopped, Rocky was actually very satisfied with his performance today, and he felt that if this momentum continued, he may well be able to draw a successful Rune very soon.


    This anticipation filled him with confidence, and then he decided that tonight he had to get a good night¡¯s sleep to recover his Magic Power and rejuvenate his spirit for continuing tomorrow.


    ¡°Liliya?¡±


    Leaving the study, Rocky saw Liliya standing at the door, which surprised him, ¡°Have you been waiting here for me the whole time?¡±


    ¡°Not waiting for you, protecting you.¡±


    Looking at him, Liliya spoke meticulously, ¡°Although I am now also the captain of the Guard Corps, I am still your protector.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯ve worked hard¡­¡±


    Liliya¡¯s words warmed Rocky¡¯s heart; clearly, not only was he busy working hard in Thunderhawk City, so were others.


    ¡°Your complexion¡­ doesn¡¯t look very good.¡±


    As Rocky was reflecting, Liliya looked at him with some concern.


    To this, Rocky casually waved his hand, telling her not to worry, that he was only drained of Magic Power. But upon hearing this, Liliya nodded, ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s a good thing. Continuous use of Magic Power can greatly improve your control over it. If you keep this up, you¡¯ll become a Level Two Mage very soon.¡±


    ¡°Spare me, I just want to eat now.¡±


    New n????vel chapters are published on .c¦Ò?.


    Rocky really couldn¡¯t stand Liliya¡¯s habit of getting serious at the drop of a hat, so he quickly interrupted.


    But he was truly getting hungry. When he was focusing all his attention on drawing Runes, he hadn¡¯t felt it, but the moment he stopped, he was starving, especially since he hadn¡¯t eaten all day.


    ¡°Dinner has already been prepared for you. I had someone place it in your bedroom.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! You¡¯re the most thoughtful!¡±


    Giving Liliya a thumbs-up, Rocky hurried back to his bedroom.


    Watching his famished retreat, Liliya sighed.


    ¡°Thoughtful¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only because you¡¯re someone who needs to be taken care of¡­¡±

 Chapter 22 - 22 - 21: When Conditions Are Right, Success Will Follow

    Chapter 22 ¨C 21: When Conditions Are Right, Success Will Follow


    In the following half-month, Rocky day after day did the same thing: he drew Mana Runes.


    On one hand, this was because the situation in Thunderhawk City required him to master Mana Runes in the shortest time possible, which was the only way he could proceed with his next plans.


    On the other hand, it was because during the process of drawing runes, Rocky was surprised to find that he didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit bored!


    Though he kept encountering failures, he could find pleasure in every failure by identifying his problems and trying to avoid them in the next attempt. This turned what was originally a tedious repetition not only into something that did not bore him but actually seemed quite interesting¡­


    Finding joy in it, perhaps only these words could describe his current state.


    Indeed, in failure after failure, not only did he not feel bored, but he also found pleasure; he truly found joy in it.


    However, precisely because of this, he became even more immersed in it, almost as if he were possessed.


    ...


    Fortunately, there was nothing pressing in Thunderhawk City during this time, and his obsession only made him stay in the laboratory all day without affecting others or anything else.


    Days passed by uneventfully, each day progressing smoothly and tranquilly to a degree that felt pleasant.


    However, whether it was Rocky, Liliya, or Aileen, they all knew that the current calm was just superficial, the real crisis was actually right before them.


    The people from the Azure Commerce Guild were about to arrive!


    The arrival of the Azure Commerce Guild would signify the increase in the prices of yarn, which would then trigger a series of chain reactions, eventually leading to a significant crisis within Thunderhawk City!


    Facing this major crisis, everyone was thinking of solutions, not only Rocky, the City Lord, but Aileen as well.


    ¡°Grandpa, the merchant ships from the Azure Commerce Guild will be arriving in a few days, have you greeted them yet?¡±


    Sitting in her home, Aileen asked somewhat anxiously.


    After her last meeting with Rocky, Aileen had been busy. She not only told Voss that Rocky wanted him to negotiate with the Chamber on his behalf but also informed Voss about Rocky¡¯s plan to sell off private assets to subsidize the finances.


    Perhaps Aileen didn¡¯t even notice it herself, but in the process, although she didn¡¯t say much, her stance in her conversation with Voss had been made clear¡ªshe did not want to stand idly by on this matter.


    Aileen herself didn¡¯t notice this show of involvement, but Voss did. He never expected his granddaughter to be so earnest about this matter, so he certainly did not neglect it, having contacted the Azure Commerce Guild as early as a week before.


    In this situation, facing an anxious Aileen, Voss showed a bitter smile, ¡°Little girl, are you starting to doubt grandpa¡¯s abilities now?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m not doubting you!¡±


    Being addressed this way, Aileen pouted in front of Voss, uncharacteristically becoming more childlike.


    ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ve already spoken to Chief Steward Mar. He mentioned that some accommodations could be made, but the specifics need to be discussed in person, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Looking at Aileen, Voss said smilingly.


    ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re amazing!¡±


    Hearing her grandpa say this, Aileen finally smiled, significantly relieved.


    The Chief Steward Mar mentioned by Voss was in charge of the trade with Thunderhawk City on behalf of the Azure Commerce Guild, and as Aileen knew, her grandpa had an old acquaintance with him. Therefore, since he said that accommodations could be made, it meant the price issue could be negotiated, which made things much easier.


    If they could keep the yarn prices from rising too much, and then when the Magic Stone buyers arrived, sell them at a high price, this back-and-forth could greatly reduce the pressure on Thunderhawk City.


    Her grandpa¡¯s words completely eased Aileen¡¯s mind, and she started planning the next steps.


    In the days that followed, Thunderhawk City remained peaceful, with everyone busy with their affairs.


    During this time, Rocky continued drawing runes non-stop.


    Counting the days, he had already spent nearly a month in the lab, an endeavor that even Liliya couldn¡¯t help but admire for his persistence.


    What a tedious and boring month it had been! Not only was he repeating the same thing every day, but the result was also always a failure. Not to mention the patience required, but just the fact that Rocky could maintain his composure throughout the continuous failures, never losing faith in himself, was something ordinary people couldn¡¯t achieve. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, it was precisely because of Rocky¡¯s unyielding spirit that, after countless failures, he finally had a breakthrough.


    He had succeeded!


    Without any warning, Rocky almost habitually drew a rune on his bracer, and then he succeeded¡­


    After one failure after another, he finally successfully depicted a First Level Mana Rune!


    ¡°Finally¡­ succeeded¡­?¡±


    Holding the wrist guard up to his face and taking a closer look, Rocky blinked his eyes, hardly believing it.


    Because he didn¡¯t feel that the rune he drew this time was any different from the previous ones.


    ¡°You, you succeeded?!¡±


    As Rocky was lost in thought, Liliya¡¯s voice rang out, and compared to him, Liliya sounded even more excited.


    Coming to his senses, Rocky glanced at her and then at the wrist guard in his hands, finally letting a smile spread across his face.


    It all came together naturally.


    This idiom was the perfect summary of his success. After persistent practice, Rocky had naturally mastered the First Level Rune.


    Do not underestimate this, because not only was this rune the first one Rocky had successfully depicted, but it was also the first Mana Rune to appear in the world since the beginning of the Sky Era!


    Although besides Rocky, only Liliya saw the rune, it was still a historic moment. From that moment on, the whole sky would start to change because of the successful depiction of this rune!


    ¡°Congratulations, you finally did it¡­¡±


    Looking at Rocky¡¯s smiling face, Lilia sincerely congratulated him.


    She had witnessed Rocky¡¯s efforts over nearly a month and understood better than anyone the struggles he had undergone to depict the rune before him.


    As for Liliya¡¯s congratulations, Rocky just smiled. He knew very well that during this time, Liliya had been instrumental. Although she may not have helped him with the runes themselves, she stayed by his side throughout, so that Rocky could feel her silent support every day.


    So, after glancing at Liliya, Rocky gathered his courage and gave her a hug.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Clearly, Liliya had not expected Rocky to suddenly hug her, caught off guard, she even let out a slight exclamation while being held.


    As for Rocky, who was hugging her at that moment, he was enjoying it, savoring the fragrance of Liliya¡¯s hair and feeling her body, strong yet delicate.


    Time passed by, minute by minute, for a long, long time.


    ¡°How long are you planning to hold me¡­¡±


    After who knows how long, Rocky, completely engrossed in Liliya¡¯s embrace, was suddenly asked by her, but then with a playful shake of his head, he replied, ¡°A bit longer.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s enough now.¡±


    Amused by Rocky¡¯s response, Liliya didn¡¯t indulge him any longer, she broke free from his embrace, and then asked:


    ¡°Rocky, now that you can depict runes, what are you planning to do next? Are these runes really useful?¡±

 Chapter 23 - 23 - 22 Caught Off Guard

    Chapter 23 ¨C 22 Caught Off Guard


    Rocky finally succeeded in drawing the Rune, and even though it was only a First Level Rune, it was still a cause for joy, so much so that even Liliya couldn¡¯t help but feel happy for him.


    But even though the Rune drawing was successful, what next?


    Rocky was now able to make Runes, but what did that represent? Could it mean that from now on, he and Thunderhawk City could soar to great heights and transform from a sparrow into a phoenix?


    Liliya didn¡¯t think so, which was why she couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    However, Rocky obviously had a plan in mind, so he immediately gave his answer, ¡°I plan to produce a batch of rune equipment.¡±


    ¡°Produce rune equipment?¡±


    Upon hearing this answer, Liliya frowned, ¡°Are you planning to start trading rune equipment?¡±


    ...


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Rocky, you absolutely cannot do this!¡±


    Before Rocky could speak, Liliya interrupted him and said very seriously, ¡°Rocky, you absolutely cannot sell rune equipment before you have the power to protect yourself, and you can¡¯t even let others know about it! Mana Runes are too important, important enough to change the entire structure of the skies.


    If others come to know that you possess such terrifying technology, it would be a disaster for us!¡±


    Liliya looked at Rocky seriously and expressed the concerns that she had harbored for a long time.


    Even though Liliya didn¡¯t know much about Mana Runes, she was not a fool. She had understood how terrifying they could be just by a rough understanding of the potential applications of the Runes.


    If outsiders were to learn that Rocky had such important technology, the outcome would not be beneficial for Thunderhawk City or him. Instead, it would bring disaster upon them, a disaster so severe that it could leave him and Thunderhawk City with nowhere to bury their dead!


    Thus, as soon as Rocky was able to draw Runes, Liliya spoke out her concerns, truly afraid that Rocky might not realize this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve thought about all of this already.¡±


    Liliya was right to be worried, but she underestimated Rocky. All the possibilities she mentioned had already been considered by Rocky.


    No one understood better than Rocky how important Mana Runes were and how they could change the world. The moment the Mana Runes were exposed, he and Thunderhawk City would become targets. Those behemoths roaming the skies, those true leviathans, would immediately come after him, and they would stop at nothing for Mana Runes!


    This was a case of ¡¯the innocent man burdens himself with the guilt of his jade treasure.¡¯


    Mana Runes were the jade treasure, and Rocky was the man burdened with it. Almost all those he faced harbored malicious intentions toward the Mana Runes!


    Given such circumstances, how could he possibly be foolish enough to expose the Mana Runes so soon? The Mana Runes might eventually become known to the world, but it definitely wasn¡¯t the time yet.


    Rocky¡¯s intention to produce a batch of rune equipment was actually part of a different plan.


    After Rocky explained simply, Liliya¡¯s worries dissipated. In fact, no matter what Rocky intended to do, she would support him in everything except for watching him head toward self-destruction.


    ¡°By the way, Aileen came by earlier.¡±


    ¡°She wanted me to tell you that people from the Azure Commerce Guild will arrive tomorrow, but she said you shouldn¡¯t worry too much. Voss has already spoken with the Azure Commerce Guild, and from the hints they¡¯ve dropped, it seems that the matter regarding the price increase of the thread is negotiable.¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having finished talking about the Mana Runes, Liliya remembered the main matter at hand and hurriedly conveyed Aileen¡¯s words to Rocky.


    Aileen had visited earlier that day, but at the time Rocky was engrossed in studying Mana Runes, so Liliya turned her away. Nevertheless, she conveyed Aileen¡¯s message to Rocky without omitting a single word.


    Upon hearing this, a look of joy spread across Rocky¡¯s face, even greater than the joy of successfully drawing the Mana Rune!


    The issue of the yarn price hike was what truly concerned Rocky and gave him a headache; it was not only imminent, but any mishandling could lead to great chaos.


    ¡°Did Aileen say that Voss has already notified the Azure Commerce Guild?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what she said.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ that¡¯s such a relief!¡±


    After asking Liliya once more and receiving a positive response, Rocky finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the price of yarn could be controlled, even if it was bound to rise, if the increase could be kept to a minimum, the pressure on Thunderhawk City would be significantly reduced, and future matters would be much easier to handle.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we need to prepare. Aileen has already taken care of what she can, and we cannot afford any hitches on our part tomorrow.¡±


    Having said this, Rocky left the study with Liliya to prepare for the next day¡¯s meeting with the Chief Steward of the Azure Commerce Guild.


    A day passed by quickly, and soon it was the next morning.


    ¡°Grandpa, the merchant ship has arrived!¡±


    The next morning, to welcome the Azure Commerce Guild¡¯s skyship, Aileen and Voss made a special trip to the port of Thunderhawk City.


    In theory, there was no need for such formality, but this time, Thunderhawk City was the one asking for favors, so not only did Aileen, the finance officer, come, but Voss was there too, showing utmost respect.


    At that moment, Aileen and her grandfather stood next to a carriage, looking in the same direction, when they saw a huge skyship entering Thunderhawk City¡¯s Defensive Net and slowly approaching the port for landing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just perform normally and you¡¯ll be more than capable of handling it.¡±


    As the skyship gently descended, Voss noticed that Aileen was a bit nervous and spoke to comfort her.


    ¡°Yes, since Grandpa has arranged everything, I won¡¯t mess it up.¡±


    With a deep breath, Aileen nodded and then calmed herself down.


    Since Voss had previously greeted Chief Steward Mar, who was in charge of the trade, the negotiations with the Chamber of Commerce would be assisted by Aileen alongside Rocky, and Voss was not going to be involved. This fact had made Aileen somewhat nervous.


    However, since Grandpa had already made arrangements, Aileen felt that if she still couldn¡¯t handle the matter well, it would be rather incompetent of her. So she quickly let go of her undue anxiety, and confidence began to emerge in her eyes.


    Soon after, the merchant ship landed smoothly at the port, and in no time, a group of people disembarked and headed straight toward the carriage where Aileen and Voss were.


    These were the people from the Azure Commerce Guild.


    ¡°Grandpa! What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Yet, as the people from the Azure Commerce Guild gradually approached, Aileen, who had stopped being nervous and was even full of confidence, suddenly panicked!


    Because upon seeing these people, she realized that the person leading them was not Chief Steward Mar, who had always dealt with the transactions with Thunderhawk City, but a middle-aged man she didn¡¯t recognize!


    What was happening?!


    Hadn¡¯t Grandpa already liaised with Chief Steward Mar? Wasn¡¯t it agreed to discuss the details after they met? Why was it not Chief Steward Mar who came this time?


    This was bad!


    Taken by surprise, Aileen quickly looked at Voss, but found that he still wore a faint smile, as if none of this was unexpected to him¡­

 Chapter 24 - 24 - 23 Deceived

    Chapter 24 ¨C 23 Deceived


    The sudden turn of events caught Aileen, who had made meticulous preparations, completely off guard!


    She had assumed that Chief Steward Mar would be the one coming, and had prepared thoroughly for that.


    Not only did Chief Steward Mar have a good relationship with her grandfather, but he had also hinted beforehand that although the price of yarn was bound to rise, the extent of the increase was negotiable.


    Isn¡¯t the implication clear? Simply put, as long as one can offer enough benefits, Chief Steward Mar could use his positional advantage to give Thunderhawk City a little price concession.


    As someone in charge of trading with a city, he certainly had that authority.


    Thus, Aileen had already figured out how to deal with Chief Steward Mar and had even notified Rocky in advance.


    But what was happening now? Why hadn¡¯t Chief Steward Mar, who had readily agreed with her grandfather, shown up, and why had someone else come to trade with Thunderhawk City?


    ...


    This unexpected change left Aileen at a loss, even uncertain about how to respond for a moment.


    Fortunately, Voss was right by her side!


    ¡°Is it Senior Voss?¡±


    The group from the Azure Commerce Guild had just approached when their leader spoke up first.


    ¡°Indeed, may I know who I have the pleasure of speaking with¡­?¡±


    ¡°I am Jia Xi, the newly appointed overseer of the Azure Commerce Guild.¡±


    The man speaking was named Jia Xi, who appeared to be around forty years old, but his temples were already slightly graying, and his complexion didn¡¯t look very good. However, he maintained a smiling face throughout the conversation.


    ¡°Senior Voss, I have heard much about your exploits from Chief Steward Mar. You were quite an influential figure back in the day!¡±


    After a brief self-introduction, the new Overseer Jia Xi struck up a conversation with Voss, who effortlessly responded with wit and humor. Judging by their demeanor at that moment, one couldn¡¯t tell that it was their first meeting; instead, they seemed like old friends.


    After exchanging pleasantries, Voss, Jia Xi, and a perplexed Aileen all boarded the same carriage and headed straight for the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°Senior Voss, please put in good words for us during this transaction in front of the City Lord.¡±


    While riding in the carriage to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Jia Xi and Voss talked continuously, quickly getting onto the topic of the transaction.


    But hearing this, Voss just smiled and shook his head, saying, ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t interfere this time. I¡¯m no longer the finance officer of Thunderhawk City.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Jia Xi was startled, clearly unaware of this fact, then inquired:


    ¡°Senior Voss, who is Thunderhawk City¡¯s current finance officer¡­?¡±


    While speaking, Voss glanced at Aileen.


    ¡°Aileen, come and greet Overseer Jia Xi.¡±


    ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, hello.¡±


    Called upon by Voss, Aileen finally snapped back to reality and hastily greeted Jia Xi.


    In fact, from the very beginning, Aileen had been somewhat distracted. She kept wondering why? Why had the person coming to trade with Thunderhawk City suddenly changed?


    Was it an accident?


    Aileen didn¡¯t think so; at the critical juncture of rising yarn prices, such an accident seemed improbable.


    Was it a coincidence?


    Was it just a coincidence that the Azure Commerce Guild decided to have Jia Xi handle the trade with Thunderhawk City and that it was completely unrelated to the increased price of yarn?


    Aileen felt that was equally impossible. Thunderhawk City might be small, but it was still a Sky City, and it had to be managed by an overseer-level individual. Therefore, the Azure Commerce Guild wouldn¡¯t change its representative lightly.


    Furthermore, Chief Steward Mar had already made contact with Grandfather before; if he knew he was going to be replaced, why would he have readily agreed to all of Grandfather¡¯s requests?


    Therefore, after much thought, Aileen could only come to one conclusion¡ªGrandfather had been deceived!


    Even though Chief Steward Mar had readily agreed to Grandfather¡¯s requests before, in reality it was all a deception. The other party likely knew in advance that it wasn¡¯t him coming to Thunderhawk City for the trade, but he didn¡¯t inform Grandfather, leading to today¡¯s scene!


    This outcome was indeed difficult for Aileen to accept. She had never imagined that her grandfather, who had always been so astute, would be tripped up over such a matter and played by a mere steward.


    With this in mind, she couldn¡¯t help but glance at Voss, only to find her grandfather looking as composed as ever, still jovially chatting with Jia Xi.


    At this moment, Voss was introducing Aileen to Jia Xi:


    ¡°This is my granddaughter, and she is now the finance officer of Thunderhawk City.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Voss¡¯s words made Jia Xi reveal an expression of sudden realization, and then he turned to look at Aileen.


    After examining Aileen, Jia Xi nodded with a smile. Although he didn¡¯t say much, there was an involuntary flash of something in his gaze.


    At the same time, Aileen subconsciously frowned because the thing that flashed through Jia Xi¡¯s eyes while appraising her suddenly made her feel somewhat disgusted.


    However, everyone present was clever; the sly and crafty Jia Xi soon started chatting with Voss again, and Aileen returned to her normal demeanor.


    During the journey, Jia Xi and Voss were always chatting idly, looking very much like long-time acquaintances. After learning that all the previous preparations had been void, Aileen began trying her best to join in the conversation, attempting several times to steer it towards the yarn trade.


    She wanted to use this opportunity to sound out Jia Xi¡¯s stance, to better prepare for the negotiations to come.


    But for some reason, after discovering that Voss was not the finance officer, Jia Xi, who had originally brought up the matter actively, now refused to discuss it. Even when Aileen brought it up several times on her own, he only casually acknowledged her a few times before changing the subject to other matters.


    The journey from the port to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion was not short, but it had to end eventually. So by the time the carriage stopped, Aileen¡¯s efforts had been unsuccessful; she hadn¡¯t been able to discern Jia Xi¡¯s stance.


    This result made Aileen more and more uneasy, because based on her experience, Jia Xi¡¯s behavior was not a good sign.


    And after the carriage arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Aileen led Jia Xi to meet Rocky, while Voss, just as he had said earlier, did not follow.


    ¡°City Lord, this is the Overseer of the Azure Commerce Guild, Overseer Jia Xi.¡±


    Having brought Jia Xi to the City Lord¡¯s Hall, Aileen was greeted by Rocky who had already been waiting there for some time.


    However, when Aileen finished introducing Jia Xi and then looked towards Rocky, she discovered, just as she had imagined, that Rocky¡¯s face was filled with surprise and confusion.


    Clearly, Rocky had been just as baffled by Jia Xi¡¯s appearance as Aileen had been, because like Aileen, he had expected Chief Steward Mar to arrive, as Chief Steward Mar had represented the Azure Commerce Guild in dealings with Thunderhawk City for a long time. So why was there suddenly someone else today?


    Now this was troublesome¡­ S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Glancing at Jia Xi standing in front of him and then at Aileen, whose expression was slightly embarrassed, Rocky knew that there might have been some changes in the situation!


    But his response was also quite fast; the surprise and confusion on his face quickly disappeared, replaced instead by a smile as he said to Overseer Jia Xi, ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, you¡¯ve had a long journey.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kind concern, City Lord.¡±


    With a slight bow to Rocky, Jia Xi clearly was a man accustomed to significant events and knew very well how to behave in the presence of a City Lord.


    After that, Rocky exchanged a few pleasantries with Jia Xi, and then they moved on to the main topic.


    ¡°City Lord, the price of yarn this time will increase by thirty percent.¡±


    The real business between Jia Xi and Rocky was, of course, the yarn trade, and Jia Xi got straight to the point, informing Rocky that not only would the price of yarn go up, but it would be by as much as thirty percent!


    Thirty percent!


    At these words, Rocky involuntarily took a sharp breath!


    The increase was not just far beyond his expectations, it even exceeded the limit that Thunderhawk City could withstand!

 Chapter 25 - 25 - 24 Negotiations

    Chapter 25 ¨C 24 Negotiations


    ¡°`


    The price of yarn is going to increase by thirty percent!?


    Even though Rocky had known about this, when he heard about the thirty percent increase, he still involuntarily gasped, because this increase not only far exceeded his expectation, but also directly surpassed Thunderhawk City¡¯s limit of affordability!


    Such a significant price hike disrupted his original plan.


    According to his initial idea, he hoped to sell all the Medium Magic Stones that had been found in the research institute, then use that income to offset the yarn price increase, maintaining the quarterly balance of income and expenditure.


    Based on Rocky¡¯s rough estimate, if he sold all the Magic Stones he had, he could earn at least two thousand Gold Coins.


    Thunderhawk City¡¯s expenditure on yarn each quarter was around twenty thousand Gold Coins, which means that even if the price of yarn increased by a full ten percent, he could still balance it out with the income from selling the Magic Stones, thereby relieving some of the financial pressure on Thunderhawk City.


    ...


    However, he never expected that the Azure Commerce Guild would actually raise the price of yarn by as much as thirty percent in one go! This meant that instead of spending twenty thousand Gold Coins on yarn, Thunderhawk City would now need to spend twenty-six thousand Gold Coins!


    An extra six thousand Gold Coins!


    Such a large sum of money, let alone selling a few Magic Stones, even if Rocky himself was sold, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to cover the cost!


    So after Overseer Jia Xi finished speaking, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but frown, and his expression became increasingly grim.


    ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, why has the price of yarn increased by so much?¡±


    As Rocky¡¯s brows were tightly knitted, Aileen, who had brought Jia Xi and was standing beside him, opened her mouth to speak. Aileen¡¯s role was that of the finance officer of Thunderhawk City, and it was indeed her responsibility to handle negotiations with the Chamber of Commerce.


    ¡°City Lord, in this matter, our Chamber of Commerce is also compelled,¡± replied Jia Xi, glancing at Aileen and wearing an innocent expression before turning to Rocky: ¡°City Lord, you may have heard that Canglang City is at war, and all resources in the city are being controlled.¡±


    ¡°Frankly, to ensure the timely delivery of yarn, our Chamber of Commerce had to exert great effort within Canglang City, so City Lord, this price really isn¡¯t within our control.¡±


    In the face of Rocky, Jia Xi presented an innocent facade. However, upon closer examination, his words seemed to hold some merit yet were ultimately nonsensical.


    It was true that Canglang City was at war, but even if war necessitated the control of resources, it was unlikely to extend to yarn, which was not a strategic material. Moreover, the Azure Commerce Guild was not merely ordinary citizens¡ªit was a Chamber of Commerce. Could it be that they would stop doing business simply because the war was occurring in the city where their headquarters were located?


    That, undoubtedly, was even less plausible.


    So while the war might indeed have caused an increase in the price of yarn, the increase could surely not be so substantial. In essence, the Azure Commerce Guild was using the war as an excuse to intentionally hike the prices! sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This fact was something Aileen understood all too well, thus she spoke again: ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, we¡¯re aware of the war in Canglang City, but this price is too high for us to accept.¡±


    ¡°Miss Aileen, this is not something our Chamber of Commerce can decide, we truly have no choice¡­¡±


    Following that, a verbal duel ensued between Aileen and Jia Xi as they debated non-stop about the extent of the price increase.


    In the meantime, Rocky remained silent, quietly seated in the City Lord¡¯s position, clearly becoming an observer.


    As the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, haggling was not his job. He only needed to wait for Aileen to reach a conclusion with Jia Xi and then give a nod or a shake of his head.


    Throughout the process of observation, Rocky gained a deeper impression of Aileen; the seemingly seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl made him have to secretly give her a thumbs up.


    Despite Aileen¡¯s young age, she was not at all timid during negotiations, demonstrating considerable skill. She wisely avoided wasting time on whether the price should increase at all, instead bargaining over the amount of the increase.


    Based on Jia Xi¡¯s demeanor, it was apparent that the Azure Commerce Guild was set on raising the yarn prices; therefore, Aileen focused on negotiating the extent of the increase, with the goal of reducing it as much as possible.


    Clearly, she had a concise and clear objective for the negotiation.


    However, Aileen¡¯s adversary was no easy opponent. Jia Xi was an extremely cunning merchant with impeccable negotiation skills, and he held fast to one crucial point¡ªthe Azure Commerce Guild, between itself and Thunderhawk City, was the stronger party, and Thunderhawk City had to purchase yarn and food from them!


    It was precisely because he held onto this key point that, no matter how hard Aileen tried, Jia Xi wouldn¡¯t budge an inch.


    ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, a five percent increase in the price of yarn is the absolute limit we can accept,¡± said Aileen, her brows furrowed as she looked at Jia Xi, stating Thunderhawk City¡¯s bottom line.


    Although that¡¯s what she claimed, she wasn¡¯t telling the whole truth, for as much as she knew, Rocky¡¯s acceptable bottom line was ten percent. This meant that she was still leaving room for further negotiation with Jia Xi.


    This is the art of negotiation¡ªit¡¯s not about arguing, but about giving. You give me a step, I give you one, and only then is there something to talk about. Aileen clearly understood this principle.


    Unfortunately, after she finished speaking, Jia Xi simply shook his head: ¡°City Lord, Miss Aileen, raising the price of yarn by thirty percent is already the bottom line for our Chamber of Commerce, I truly have no leeway.¡±


    ¡°Overseer Jia Xi!¡±


    ¡°`


    Jia Xi¡¯s attitude had finally pushed Aileen to her limit; she couldn¡¯t believe the other party was so stubbornly refusing to budge, clearly showing no desire to negotiate!


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    Just as Aileen was about to speak again, Rocky, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke up. He glanced at Aileen, signaling her to stop, and then turned his gaze to Jia Xi.


    ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, you must be weary from your journey. Let¡¯s end today¡¯s discussions here.¡±


    After saying this, Rocky spoke to Aileen, ¡°Aileen, escort Overseer Jia Xi to rest, and do not neglect your duties.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    With a response, Aileen left the City Lord¡¯s Hall with Jia Xi.


    Watching the two leave, Rocky waited until the doors of the City Lord¡¯s Hall were closed before he sighed,


    He had purposefully halted the negotiation because he had realized that facing the unyielding Jia Xi, Aileen was at a loss, so he let Jia Xi rest, thus giving Aileen time to regroup and think about how to handle her opponent.


    However, Rocky was well aware that even if Aileen thought of a strategy, she might not come up with anything effective. The reasoning was simple: Thunderhawk City simply didn¡¯t have enough bargaining chips.


    Even a clever cook can¡¯t prepare a meal without rice. No matter how skilled Aileen was at negotiating, without sufficient leverage, she would never get Jia Xi to give in. And Jia Xi knew this, which was exactly why he was so uncompromising.


    This was the dilemma Thunderhawk City now faced.


    In such a situation, Rocky felt that he should start making other plans¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, is there really no room for discussion on this matter?¡±


    On the way to see Jia Xi out of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Aileen was still trying, but this time, she was less aggressive and seemed more like she was just chatting with Jia Xi.


    ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, as you know, Thunderhawk City isn¡¯t large, and with the price of silk skyrocketing so much, I¡¯m afraid the City Lord won¡¯t accept it. So please, would you speak kindly of us to the Chamber of Commerce? If you could really come to an agreement, the City Lord would surely not treat you unfairly.¡±


    Now that they were in private, Aileen spoke of matters that could only be discussed behind closed doors, such as personal benefits.


    However, hearing her words, Jia Xi just shook his head and smiled, ¡°Miss Aileen, just have the carriage take me back to the port. I¡¯m accustomed to staying on the merchant ships.¡±


    He looked at Aileen without any intention of acknowledging her suggestions.


    ¡°This¡­ well then¡­¡±


    Jia Xi¡¯s reaction made Aileen frown. Could it be that Jia Xi really had no personal desires?


    Or was it that he had other plans, or simply wanted more from playing hard to get?


    Uncertain of Jia Xi¡¯s intentions, Aileen chose not to say more and proceeded to escort him out of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    It was only upon leaving the City Lord, just as Jia Xi was about to board the carriage, that he suddenly turned to Aileen and said,


    ¡°Miss Aileen, if you¡­¡±


    He caught Aileen¡¯s hand mid-sentence, gently stroking the back of her hand while he continued,


    ¡°If you really want to talk, you can come to the merchant ship for a detailed discussion¡­¡±


    ¡°Overseer Jia Xi! Please conduct yourself with dignity!¡±


    Jia Xi¡¯s move caught Aileen off guard, and she immediately pulled her hand back from his grasp like a startled rabbit, glaring furiously at Jia Xi.


    ¡°Overseer Jia Xi! What are you intending to do!¡±


    Staring fiercely at Jia Xi, Aileen was so angry she was on the verge of tears; she had never encountered such a situation before.


    But facing her angry stare, Jia Xi appeared completely indifferent, saying as he got into the carriage, ¡°Miss Aileen, the price of silk is negotiable. Whenever you are ready, you can come and find me.¡±


    With those words, he closed the carriage door and rode away¡­

 Chapter 26 - 26 - 25 New Ideas

    Chapter 26 ¨C 25 New Ideas


    What happened with Aileen after Jia Xi left, Rocky did not know, as he had returned to the laboratory after the two had departed.


    Although he hadn¡¯t lost hope in the negotiations, Rocky knew he couldn¡¯t solely rely on them. He needed a backup plan, which naturally involved the Mana Rune.


    So, after returning to the laboratory, he had Liliya bring over his Void Magic Armor!


    ¡°Do you really intend to do this? Isn¡¯t it too soon¡­¡±


    Not long after waiting in the laboratory, Liliya brought over the Void Magic Armor, albeit somewhat reluctantly when handing it over to Rocky.


    Because Rocky had already told her what he intended to do¡ªhe was planning to inscribe runes on the Void Magic Armor!


    This decision surprised Liliya, as Rocky had only just learned about runes!


    ...


    Though using runes on the Void Magic Armor was an inevitable trend, wasn¡¯t it too soon for Rocky to proceed? Especially considering he only had this set of Void Magic Armor, and if anything went wrong, there was nowhere to turn.


    ¡°I just want to experiment, and besides, even if the runes fail, there are no side effects. It will merely consume some Magic Power; the Void Magic Armor will definitely be safe.¡±


    Though he spoke in such a manner, Rocky had no confidence inside, yet he had to proceed.


    How important the Void Magic Armor was to him, Rocky knew better than anyone. It had always been his prized possession; how could he not cherish it? Unfortunately, due to the circumstances, he had no choice but to risk using the Void Magic Armor.


    His only asset now was the Mana Rune, but given Thunderhawk City¡¯s current strength, he couldn¡¯t let outsiders know about the existence of runes. Thus, Rocky¡¯s options were limited, leaving him essentially with one choice¡ªto use the runes to enhance his own strength.


    Either he would apply the runes to ordinary equipment, turning it into rune equipment, or he would apply them to the Void Magic Armor to make it even stronger.


    And for Rocky, who already possessed the Void Magic Armor, he naturally chose to apply the runes there. It wouldn¡¯t make sense to forsake the more powerful Void Magic Armor in favor of wearing rune equipment.


    So he had to take this risk.


    However, Liliya found Rocky¡¯s decision not only rash but also pointless. In her view, even if Rocky became stronger, what use would it be?


    Nevertheless, she could see that Rocky seemed to have his own plans, so she ultimately did not stop him and even left the laboratory for fear of disturbing his rune drawing.


    Afterward, the laboratory was left with only Rocky, a pen, and a set of Void Magic Armor.


    Placing the chest piece of the Void Magic Armor on the lab table, Rocky did not immediately start inscribing runes on it but carefully studied it inside and out.


    The reason why the Void Magic Armor was considered the strongest personal equipment was not merely because it was embedded with Magic Stones. The technology contained within a set of Void Magic Armor far exceeded the imagination; therefore, even if Rocky had mastered the First Level Mana Rune, he couldn¡¯t simply apply runes to the armor.


    If he wanted to use runes to strengthen the Void Magic Armor, he first needed to understand the armor¡¯s Mana driving system, then connect this system with the runes so that the armor could utilize the Mana provided by the runes.


    The technology and expertise involved were so complex and advanced that unless one was a professional armor maker, no one could understand it, let alone Rocky.


    But despite the difficulty, he still planned to give it a try.


    It wasn¡¯t that he was overestimating his capabilities, but because he had a different idea.


    Rocky didn¡¯t want to drastically overhaul the Void Magic Armor. He knew he didn¡¯t have the capacity to do so, not just him, even the most experienced armor maker couldn¡¯t, especially since Mana Runes were a new technology.


    Without going through research and experimentation, no one could replace the Magic Stones in the Void Magic Armor directly with runes; the involved technology was too numerous and complex.


    So his real idea was to treat the Void Magic Armor like ordinary equipment and then turn it into rune equipment!


    Simply put, he wanted to inscribe runes on the Void Magic Armor. By ensuring the original combat capabilities remained unchanged, he aimed to add a layer of rune equipment¡¯s power, using this method to indirectly strengthen the armor!


    This was a plan only Rocky could think of, no, it was a new idea that only he could conceive of!


    Before the advent of Mana Runes, whether it was Void Magic Armor or Magic Energy Equipment, both relied on Magic Stones to provide Mana, making it impossible for a piece of equipment to be both Void Magic Armor and Magic Energy Equipment at the same time; they couldn¡¯t coexist.


    But now with the emergence of Mana Runes, which could substitute for Magic Stones and coexist with them, Rocky thought of this method to strengthen his own Void Magic Armor, aiming to let his Void Magic Armor maintain its original power while also becoming a set of rune equipment! S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This idea perfectly circumvented the high-end technology involved with the Void Magic Armor, requiring only that the armor be treated as regular equipment, which could then be made into rune equipment.


    Though creating rune equipment wasn¡¯t a simple task, do not forget that Rocky still had a research notebook in his hands.


    Wenzel initially developed Mana Runes hoping they could replace Magic Stones and thereby transform Mana Equipment into rune equipment, significantly enhancing its power. Thus, his notes contained detailed instructions on how to use runes to make equipment.


    With this notebook, Rocky could fully create rune equipment!


    And if he succeeded, the enhanced Void Magic Armor would undoubtedly see an upgrade in combat effectiveness! Then he could proceed with the next steps in his plan!


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin¡­¡±


    After observing the chest plate of the Void Magic Armor set for a long time, Rocky was ready to begin.


    He picked up the Magic Energy Pen and drew a rune on the inner lining of the chest plate.


    Not wanting anyone to notice anything suspicious, he fully utilized the convenience of the runes, drawing directly on the inner lining of the armor. This method would not affect the rune¡¯s effectiveness nor reveal anything unusual about his armor.


    As he finished the stroke, a rune was drawn and emitted a faint light.


    This indicated the rune was successfully created, and it now contained Mana. However, that was not all; a First Level Rune held very little Magic Power, far less even than a Micro Magic Stone. To unleash its true power, it would rely on quantity.


    According to Rocky¡¯s estimation, he needed to draw at least a hundred First Level Runes on the chest plate to truly enhance its defensive power, a monumental task.


    So, after successfully drawing one rune, he immediately drew a second, then a third¡­


    Half a day passed in this manner, and by evening, Rocky left the lab with all his Magic Power depleted.


    The next morning, Jia Xi came seeking an audience with Rocky, seemingly eager to finalize the transaction involving the yarn as soon as possible.


    This was somewhat unexpected to him as he had planned to delay, but since Jia Xi was so proactive, he had no choice but to call for Aileen.


    By the time Aileen arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Hall, a new round of negotiations began.


    The morning flew by, and the outcome of the negotiations remained the same as the day before, almost no progress was made, with Jia Xi standing firm on increasing the price by thirty percent without budging.


    On the contrary, Aileen seemed somewhat off today; whereas yesterday she could stand toe-to-toe with Jia Xi, today she was visibly distracted, which was a significant reason why the negotiations failed.


    Having no other choice, Rocky had to find an excuse to forcibly halt the negotiations, planning to give Aileen some time to think of a solution, but Jia Xi did not give Rocky that opportunity.


    ¡°City Lord!¡±


    ¡°Yesterday, the Chamber of Commerce sent an urgent notice. I am summoned back to headquarters for important matters, so I can only stay here for one more day. I hope the City Lord can provide a definitive answer tomorrow to finalize this matter quickly,¡± said Jia Xi before he turned and left¡­


    His words clearly meant he was no longer willing to delay and was pushing Rocky to make a decision quickly!


    ¡°Sir, I will also take my leave¡­¡±


    After Jia Xi left, Rocky initially wanted to discuss with Aileen what to do next, as they couldn¡¯t afford to delay any longer, but to his surprise, Aileen left without saying a word.


    ¡°Rocky, Aileen was a bit off today.¡±


    After Aileen left, Liliya said to Rocky, noticing that Aileen had been acting strangely.


    ¡°There is something off¡­¡± He nodded, equally puzzled, not understanding what was wrong with Aileen.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go ask her.¡±


    After saying this, Liliya didn¡¯t wait for Rocky¡¯s response and immediately chased out of the City Lord¡¯s Hall.

 Chapter 27 - 27 - 26 Liliyas Experience

    Chapter 27 ¨C 26 Liliyas Experience


    ¡°`


    Looking at Liliya chasing after Aileen, Rocky helplessly shook his head. He was relieved to have Liliya around; otherwise, he truly didn¡¯t know what to do in such a situation.


    Actually, Rocky could also tell that Aileen wasn¡¯t quite herself, but he didn¡¯t know how to broach the subject. After all, the two of them didn¡¯t share any personal relationship but were merely in a subordinate one.


    Setting that aside for now, Liliya, who had left the City Lord¡¯s Hall, quickly caught up with Aileen.


    ¡°Aileen, wait a moment.¡±


    By the time Liliya had caught up with Aileen, she was already preparing to board a carriage. Called to a halt, she turned back and saw Liliya approaching.


    ¡°Captain Liliya.¡±


    ...


    Seeing Liliya, Aileen didn¡¯t dare to neglect her manners, promptly nodding to her as a sign of politeness.


    Now, Liliya was the Captain of the Guard Corps, holding a position equivalent to Aileen¡¯s, and what was more important, she was one of Rocky¡¯s confidants. Thus, even though Aileen wasn¡¯t very familiar with Liliya, she still showed her due respect.


    ¡°Captain Liliya, does the City Lord have any instructions?¡±


    Knowing her departure was somewhat abrupt, Aileen quickly asked when Liliya approached.


    ¡°Nothing from the City Lord, I just wanted to talk to you.¡± Glancing at Aileen, Liliya smiled and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t have any matters to attend to, why don¡¯t you take a walk with me?¡±


    After saying this, Liliya didn¡¯t even wait for Aileen¡¯s response before she walked ahead, causing Aileen to have no choice but to follow.


    So, the two women walked side by side out of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, a carriage trailing behind them, looking just like two noble ladies taking a leisurely afternoon stroll.


    ¡°How has Lord Voss been recently?¡±


    ¡°Grandfather is doing well.¡±


    Ambling through the streets, Liliya casually asked, and Aileen casually answered. However, Aileen¡¯s mind was somewhat perplexed, for she couldn¡¯t make out Liliya¡¯s intentions.


    With her intelligence, Aileen naturally understood that Liliya coming to find her was not for small talk; there must be another reason. Yet, she couldn¡¯t fathom what it could be. Could it be that Rocky had sent Liliya to see her?


    Impossible. If it were Rocky¡¯s instructions, then he would have simply directed her to see him directly, no need for Liliya to be involved.


    ¡°Aileen, have you encountered any troubles?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    As Aileen was musing, Liliya¡¯s question took her aback, and she quickly shook her head: ¡°I don¡¯t have any troubles.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Liliya looked at her skeptically: ¡°It¡¯s not just me who noticed you weren¡¯t quite yourself today, the City Lord also saw it, which is why he asked me to come and check on you.¡±


    ¡°I truly appreciate the City Lord¡¯s concern, but I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Continuing to shake her head, Aileen said nothing more.


    Seeing that she had no intention of opening up, Liliya suddenly laughed, which bewildered Aileen.


    ¡°Do you remember Perolo?¡±


    After her laugh, Liliya suddenly asked.


    ¡°Perolo? I remember.¡±


    Although Aileen did not understand why Liliya brought up that person, she nodded her head. Of course, she remembered the former administrative officer.


    ¡°What do you think of Perolo?¡±


    ¡°A waste.¡±


    Without a second thought, Aileen voiced her opinion of Perolo. In her eyes, Perolo was nothing but a waste, and she even found it an insult for her grandfather to have to work with such a person.


    And Liliya, in response to that answer, nodded and added: ¡°Perolo is not only a waste but also a scumbag who can¡¯t control himself around women.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°When I first came to Thunderhawk City, Perolo harbored improper thoughts towards me, and he didn¡¯t let go of them until he was caught by the City Lord.¡±


    Liliya¡¯s words staggered Aileen; she couldn¡¯t believe the other woman would share such a thing with her, someone who was hardly even a friend!


    Yet those very words struck a chord with Aileen.


    Deep down, Aileen was painfully aware of how badly she had behaved today, and the reason for that was the incident that occurred with Jia Xi.


    The previous day¡¯s events had a significant impact on her, scaring her thoroughly.


    But Aileen was strong ¨C so strong that she was stubborn. She hadn¡¯t mentioned yesterday¡¯s events to anyone, not even to her grandfather Voss, intending to bear the burden alone.


    However, she never expected Liliya to have noticed!


    As bright as she was, Aileen immediately realized why Liliya had sought her out. After a moment, she looked at Liliya and, biting her lip, asked, ¡°What happened afterwards?¡±


    Liliya has just said that Perolo had unsavory intentions towards her, so what happened next? How did it end?


    ¡°Afterwards¡­¡± Liliya gave a slight smile towards Aileen and patted her side sword: ¡°Well, when I was ready to chop off his head, he ran away.¡±


    This answer astonished Aileen, and it wasn¡¯t until she snapped back to reality that she looked at Liliya with newfound admiration in her eyes. She imagined a scene where Liliya, with her sword at the ready, pointed it straight at a terrified Perolo, scaring him out of his wits.


    ¡°`


    If only I could muster the grace and imposing presence of Liliya, and point my sword at Jia Xi, I wonder if that old bastard would still dare to touch my hand! Would he still harbor inappropriate thoughts about me!


    Unfortunately, I am not Liliya.


    With that thought, Aileen couldn¡¯t help but sigh¡­


    However, she suddenly thought of something and blurted out, ¡°Does the City Lord know about this?¡±


    ¡°He¡­doesn¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Liliya shook her head upon hearing this and sighed, ¡°I haven¡¯t told him about this matter, and even if he had known at the time, there was nothing he could have done.¡±


    As Liliya thought about it, she felt a sense of helplessness, much like how Rocky regarded her as someone closest to him. In Liliya¡¯s heart, Rocky was also the person she trusted the most. It was just that Rocky at the time was really¡­


    But then she turned to Aileen with a smile, ¡°But if it were now, I would tell the City Lord about it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because the City Lord would help me, he would back me up,¡± Liliya said with certainty as she looked at Aileen.


    Her words were no lie. Indeed, Rocky used to be too timid, a fact even Liliya admitted. But now, Rocky had changed, and although she didn¡¯t know why he had changed, he had undoubtedly become better than he was before.


    So if a similar situation were to occur again, Liliya would definitely tell Rocky, and Rocky would absolutely back her up!


    Aileen was stunned by her words. She of course understood what Liliya meant, but after a moment she still let out a wry smile, ¡°Yes¡­the City Lord would indeed back you up¡­¡±


    Aileen believed Liliya¡¯s words, but let¡¯s not forget that the one speaking was Liliya herself! She was Rocky¡¯s confidante, possibly even his lover, whereas Aileen didn¡¯t share such a connection with Rocky.


    Aileen was well aware of her place, knowing she was merely the finance officer recommended to Rocky by her grandfather.


    ¡°No, he would help you too.¡±


    Just as Aileen was privately sighing, Liliya suddenly took her hand and looked into her eyes, ¡°You might not quite understand Rocky yet. Whether in the past or now, he¡¯s a good person. As long as you can support him well, he will never let you down.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ Rocky is also worthy of your trust. His achievements in the future will be boundless.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, Aileen also gazed intently at Liliya, her eyes suddenly filled with curiosity, ¡°Does the City Lord have such aspirations?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not aspiration, but an inevitable outcome.¡±


    Liliya was very clear about the future that awaited Rocky once he mastered the Mana Runes. Without exaggeration, as long as he could get through the current difficult period and had enough time, Rocky was destined to become a prominent figure in this sky!


    This was the reason Liliya had so much confidence in Rocky.


    Unfortunately, Aileen was not aware of this, so after listening to Liliya, she just smiled, ¡°Perhaps, but Captain Liliya, you should know that the City Lord won¡¯t only be dealing with the likes of Perolo.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all the same.¡±


    Aileen¡¯s skepticism didn¡¯t surprise Liliya, mainly because Aileen was still unaware that Rocky had mastered the top technology of Mana Runes. Therefore, she didn¡¯t argue further but said with full confidence:


    ¡°Be it Perolo or Jia Xi, they¡¯re just clowns who can only strut around for a while. In front of Rocky, the current Jia Xi is no different from the former Perolo.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    By the time Liliya returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and saw Rocky in the laboratory, it was already the afternoon. She and Aileen had chatted for a long time, almost seeing Aileen all the way home before coming back.


    ¡°You¡¯re back, what took you so long?¡±


    In the lab, Rocky was still busy inscribing Runes for the Void Magic Armor. At least thirty First Level Runes had been etched inside the lining of the chest plate of the Armor. However, as soon as he saw Liliya return, he put down his pen.


    ¡°I had a chat with Aileen, so I got a bit held up,¡± she said.


    ¡°Oh? Did you find out why she¡¯s been off her game?¡±


    Rocky was curious to hear Liliya mention this, so he couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of Jia Xi.¡±


    After taking a sip of water, Liliya recounted the matter to Rocky.


    Rocky frowned upon hearing it.


    ¡°That old bastard is really trying to play the dirty old man¡­and I haven¡¯t had my chance with her yet¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still green yourself, so quit thinking about tender grass,¡± Liliya unexpectedly heard his muttering and Rocky, startled, quickly retracted his head and hurriedly said, ¡°I got it, I¡¯ll handle this matter.¡±


    After saying that, he picked up the Magic Energy Pen again, seemingly ready to continue inscribing Runes, but then he seemed to remember something and turned to look at Liliya again.


    ¡°Liliya, it seems like you had noticed something between Aileen and Jia Xi long ago, right?¡±


    ¡°Did you ever encounter something similar?¡±


    Rocky might have been a bit slow on the uptake with this issue, but he was not a fool and immediately sensed there was more to it.


    However, Liliya responded with a faint smile and, heading towards the door, said, ¡°Of course not. If anything like that had happened, I¡¯d have told you.¡±

 Chapter 28 - 28 - 27 God City

    Chapter 28 ¨C 27 God City


    ¡°Why does everything seem so strange today?¡±


    Watching Liliya turn around and leave, with an impish smile still on her face, Rocky was utterly confused. What was going on today? It was one thing that Aileen was acting out of sorts, but why did Liliya also seem off?


    ¡°Women, truly baffling¡­¡±


    Shaking his head, Rocky put this intricate issue, one even the saints might not understand, to the back of his mind and continued with the Magic Energy Pen.


    The situation Aileen found herself in, to be honest, had relieved him of concern.


    Because it meant he didn¡¯t need to hold onto any hope for the negotiations; he just had to focus wholeheartedly on thinking of other methods. As for the matter of the rising yarn prices, and that shameless Jia Xi who wanted to use it to blackmail either him or Aileen, he naturally had ways to cope.


    But the precondition was, he must successfully turn his Void Magic Armor into rune equipment, so as to further enhance its power!


    ...


    So Rocky quickly cast all concerns aside and started to focus on drawing runes on the Armor.


    A day passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was the next morning.


    The following morning, not waiting for Overseer Jia Xi to come to him, Rocky took the lead and called both him and Aileen to the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    ¡°City Lord, have you made up your mind regarding this trade?¡±


    Upon seeing Rocky, Jia Xi still wore the same polite smile as the previous two days, his demeanor courteous, radiating confidence.


    ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, the terms you¡¯ve proposed¡­¡±


    Just as Jia Xi was awaiting Rocky¡¯s reply, Aileen, who was standing next to Rocky, spoke first.


    After a thorough conversation with Liliya, Aileen had evidently readjusted herself and was ready for a rematch with Jia Xi!


    But just as she was about to speak, Rocky, from his position as the City Lord, gestured with his hand, interrupting her, and looked towards Jia Xi, ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, about the price of yarn¡­¡±


    ¡°We accept.¡±


    Rocky said expressionlessly as he looked at Jia Xi.


    ¡°My Lord!¡±


    Not only did Aileen, who was ready to challenge Jia Xi, freeze in shock upon hearing this, but Jia Xi himself also abruptly raised his head, looking incredulously at Rocky!


    ¡°My Lord¡­¡±


    At this moment, Aileen couldn¡¯t worry about formalities and leaned close to Rocky¡¯s ear to say, ¡°My Lord, I¡¯ve thought of a way to deal with Jia Xi, please give me another chance¡­¡±


    Aileen wasn¡¯t just making empty talk or being boastful this time, because after Liliya sent her home the day before, she adjusted her state and thought of a method to handle Jia Xi!


    Jia Xi¡¯s unwillingness to budge in the negotiations, and his brazen confidence, were rooted in his belief that Thunderhawk City could only import yarn from the Azure Commerce Guild. However, if the Guild insisted on raising the yarn prices so much, Thunderhawk City could simply purchase the yarn at the same high prices from other Chambers of Commerce!


    This approach might not benefit Thunderhawk City, as they would still need to spend more money to acquire yarn, but for the Azure Commerce Guild, it meant losing a client in Thunderhawk City!


    And for Jia Xi, who had come for these negotiations, it would signify his failure. If he caused the loss of Thunderhawk City as a long-term and stable client, wouldn¡¯t that count as a failure?


    This was exactly the bargaining chip Thunderhawk City needed!


    And once she had this chip in hand, Aileen believed she could definitely drive the yarn prices down. Not to overpromise, but reducing the increased rate to within twenty percent was absolutely feasible!


    Only, she never expected Rocky to suddenly agree to the other party¡¯s proposal, not planning to let her negotiate further. This was totally beyond her expectations, which was why she couldn¡¯t help but whisper to Rocky.


    But in response to her whisper, Rocky simply smiled with an air of confidence, subtly shaking his head at Aileen before turning his gaze back to Jia Xi.


    ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, we¡¯ll go with the yarn price you¡¯ve mentioned. Please, have your merchant ships offload the goods as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Looking up at Rocky, Jia Xi hastily affirmed.


    However, his expression at that moment contained no joy whatsoever.


    Logically, this outcome was precisely what he wanted. Although he didn¡¯t manage to get Aileen, he was, after all, a merchant. Having successfully concluded the deal, he should feel delighted regardless of the circumstances.


    But Jia Xi could not bring himself to feel happy, as when his gaze fell upon Rocky, he experienced an unexplained pang in his heart!


    In his sight, Rocky sat firmly in the City Lord¡¯s position, looking down on him with an expressionless face. This made Jia Xi extremely uncomfortable.


    He had been in big situations before and had even personally dealt with City Lords of some medium-sized Sky Cities¡ªindividuals who were tycoons in these skies. The feeling Rocky gave him now was exactly the same as those giants! S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was why Jia Xi couldn¡¯t feel happy. He even thought¡­ thought that maybe in this matter, he had gone a bit¡­ too far?


    Even though the negotiation concluded in his favor, had he possibly upset the City Lord before him?


    ¡°Just a lord of a broken little city, what do I have to fear!¡±


    As soon as these thoughts emerged, Jia Xi quickly consoled himself. Rocky was nothing but the lord of a minor Sky City, struggling to protect himself. What was there to fear? Even if the City Lord remembered this with resentment, what could he do?


    So, after a moment of self-reassurance, Jia Xi bowed to Rocky and left the City Lord¡¯s Hall to arrange for the cargo ships to be unloaded.


    Once he had departed, Aileen, who couldn¡¯t understand at all why Rocky would behave this way, couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and finally blurted out:


    ¡°My Lord, why did you agree to his demands? I¡­ I could have continued to negotiate with him¡­¡±


    Aileen was originally very angry about Rocky¡¯s decision, which she found not only rash but also quite thoughtless. However, when she recalled her own performance the past couple of days, her confidence waned.


    She even suspected that Rocky¡¯s impatience might be due to a lost hope in her¡­


    However, Rocky¡¯s following words left Aileen stunned.


    Rocky then smiled and said, ¡°Aileen, I know of course you could have found a way, but for someone like Jia Xi, there¡¯s no need for my finance officer to go through such trouble. Just let him be.¡±


    After expressing his indifference, he switched topics and asked, ¡°How are the arrangements for the Magic Stones coming along?¡±


    ¡°The merchants have already been contacted, and they will arrive within the next few days.¡±


    ¡°Pay close attention to the sale of textiles as well.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Another thing¡­¡±


    After giving Aileen a few instructions, Rocky suddenly changed the subject,¡±I plan to send Thunderhawk City to the Eternal City, so prepare yourself¡ªyou¡¯re the one I¡¯ll be counting on when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°The¡­ Eternal City?¡±


    The mention of Eternal City by Rocky made Aileen freeze, not understanding his intentions.


    The Eternal City Rocky referred to was also a Sky City, but no ordinary Sky City. It was one of the biggest cities in the skies, known for being a God City!


    The hierarchy of Sky Cities had been widely recognized many years ago.


    Cities like Thunderhawk City, with populations under ten thousand, are all classified as small Sky Cities. Only when the population exceeds ten thousand do they qualify as medium-sized Sky Cities.


    The population ceiling for medium-sized Sky Cities is one hundred thousand. Once the population exceeds one hundred thousand, it becomes a large Sky City. Canglang City, where the headquarters of Azure Commerce Guild is located, just barely exceeds the threshold with a population over one hundred thousand, making it a large Sky City.


    But above the large Sky Cities is another level: the Divine Cities!


    The so-called Divine Cities are the super-large cities with populations above one million.


    In the whole sky, there are only ten Divine Cities, known as the Top Ten Divine Cities. These ten God Cities are the true behemoths of the skies, and the forces they represent are the most elite tycoons in the skies, dividing and ruling the sky among themselves.


    Even among the Top Ten Divine Cities, the Eternal City mentioned by Rocky was the most special, as it is a neutral city open to all, belonging to no particular power, and also the largest trade center in the entire sky.


    What puzzled Aileen was exactly this: Eternal City is a neutral city, to which Thunderhawk City could certainly go, but what for?


    As the biggest trade city in the entire sky, those who go to the Eternal City either go for business or for leisure and enjoyment. But neither has anything to do with Rocky or Thunderhawk City!


    Try as she might, Aileen couldn¡¯t fathom why Rocky wanted to go to the Eternal City, so she asked:


    ¡°My Lord, you want to go to the Eternal City¡­ for what purpose?¡±


    ¡°Of course, to make money,¡± he said.


    Rocky looked at Aileen with a chuckle, ¡°You¡¯ll know when the time comes.¡±

 Chapter 29 - 29 - 28: Carried Away by Success

    Chapter 29 ¨C 28: Carried Away by Success


    ¡°What exactly have you planned?¡±


    After Aileen left with deep confusion, Liliya couldn¡¯t help but ask Rocky.


    Now, even she was a bit puzzled by what was going through Rocky¡¯s mind, and she was equally curious as to why he wanted to go to Eternal City.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll know when the time comes.¡±


    Rocky gave her a confident smirk and then asked, ¡°Liliya, how long do you estimate it will take Thunderhawk City to fly to Eternal City?¡±


    One of the biggest differences between Sky City and cities on land is their ability to fly in the air, meaning they can go anywhere they want, albeit slowly, so when Rocky mentioned going to Eternal City, he wasn¡¯t suggesting taking a skyship, but flying the whole of Thunderhawk City there!


    ¡°Well¡­ at least a month, I guess. Eternal City seldom moves, and from our current position, it should not be too far.¡±


    ...


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± Rocky nodded upon hearing the time estimation and then left the City Lord¡¯s Hall, diving into his research room as usual.


    A month was not too long, nor too short, but he had to finish the runification of the Void Magic Armor within this period, or else the following matters would be troublesome.


    So after returning to his research room, he immediately picked up his Magic Energy Pen and continued drawing runes on the breastplate of the Void Magic Armor.


    With days of effort, he had successfully drawn nearly a hundred First Level Runes on the breastplate, but even so, it was still not enough.


    The Void Magic Armor itself already had extremely high defensive power, and to further enhance it with runes on that basis required a massive amount of runes to provide mana support. Therefore, by Rocky¡¯s conservative estimation, he needed to draw over two hundred runes on the breastplate to truly make an effect.


    This was a massive project, which not only consumed magic power but also drained his energy, and was by no means a task that could be completed casually.


    Consequently, in the days that followed, he never stepped out of his research room, sometimes even choosing to sleep there.


    After three whole days, he finally managed to draw a total of two hundred mana runes on the breastplate! S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Phew¡­ it is finally complete!¡±


    Looking at his work, completed day and night, Rocky took a long breath of relief and immediately moved on to the wrist guard of the Void Magic Armor on the research table without stopping.


    Yes, simply drawing runes on the breastplate was far from enough for him; he intended to draw runes on the entire set of Void Magic Armor to undergo a comprehensive enhancement!


    The reason he called it enhancement rather than modification was because everything he was doing now did not cause any fundamental changes to the Void Magic Armor, it was merely an enhancement using runes.


    Frankly speaking, his usage of runes was truly an underapplication, for the potential and changes that mana runes could bring about were far beyond simple enhancement.


    But the predicament was that the current Rocky indeed lacked the conditions and capability to bring out the true potential of the runes, and this method of using them to enhance the Void Magic Armor was already his limit.


    However, even if his method ¡¯wronged¡¯ the mana runes, should it succeed, it would still be considered a pioneering act!


    Time went on, day by day, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye. During this period, Rocky spent almost every day in his research room, and the set of Void Magic Armor he owned was gradually filled with runes, one piece after another.


    As time progressed, Rocky¡¯s speed in drawing runes visibly increased. This was partly due to his increasingly proficient technique and partly because, apart from the breastplate, the other parts of the Void Magic Armor were smaller, hence accommodating fewer runes.


    While Rocky was wholeheartedly enhancing the Void Magic Armor, two things happened within Thunderhawk City. The first was the arrival of people from the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber.


    As mentioned before, there were only two Chambers of Commerce that had trade relations with Thunderhawk City: Azure Commerce Guild was responsible for selling yarn and food to the city, while the cloth produced by Thunderhawk City would be sold to the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber.


    Compared to the Azure Commerce Guild, backed by Canglang City, the cloth-buying Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber was much smaller. The Chamber¡¯s headquarters were in a mid-sized Sky City, and it was a standard organization with average strength; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have come to purchase cloth from Thunderhawk City for a bargain.


    Fortunately, despite its small size, the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber had a good reputation, so this transaction went smoothly, and Thunderhawk City managed to sell all its cloth without any trouble.


    The second event that occurred during this period also involved a transaction¡ªit was the arrival of the Magic Stone merchants contacted by Aileen.


    Since Rocky had only a few Medium Magic Stones, the Chamber of Commerce would not make a special appearance for this, and only a few merchants came to Thunderhawk City.


    However, due to the previous failed negotiations with the Azure Commerce Guild, Aileen felt very guilty, believing her own incompetence led to the failure. So when dealing with the few Magic Stone merchants, she really put her heart into it.


    Who knows what method she used, but when Aileen sold all the magic stones that Rocky had handed over to her, she actually fetched a price of a full three thousand gold coins!


    This price greatly exceeded Rocky¡¯s expectations!


    He may not be a businessman, nor was he familiar with the market, but he still had some understanding of the approximate price of a medium magic stone; a fully charged medium magic stone typically valued around five hundred gold coins, and since Rocky initially only found four medium magic stones from the research institute, he estimated that these four magic stones could sell for two thousand gold coins at best.


    However, he never expected Aileen to be so amazing, managing to increase the final price by a thousand gold coins. That was equivalent to a fifty percent increase!


    ¡°Aileen, how exactly did you do it?¡±


    When Aileen told Rocky the result, even he, who wasn¡¯t much interested in trading, couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°My Lord, I just took advantage of the other party¡¯s mindset,¡± she said.


    Looking at the ever curious Rocky, the frustration that had been weighing on Aileen¡¯s chest these past few days finally relieved itself quite a bit.


    Her last negotiation with the Azure Commerce Guild had cost her several sleepless nights; she had never thought she would lose so miserably. Even though Rocky hadn¡¯t complained about her at all over this matter, Aileen couldn¡¯t get past it herself.


    Her resilience, and her pride, couldn¡¯t accept such a crushing defeat, so she was very driven in the trade of the magic stones, determined to perform well in front of Rocky.


    It wasn¡¯t that Aileen valued Rocky¡¯s opinion of her too highly, but rather she didn¡¯t allow anyone to look down on her!


    ¡°Hehe, it seems that Lord Voss¡¯s recommendation was indeed correct,¡± Rocky said.


    Seeing Aileen¡¯s confident demeanor, returning to the proud noble young lady she once was, Rocky was reassured. As for the specifics of the deal and exactly what methods Aileen used, he actually didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°By the way, how much money do we have in the city now?¡±


    Thinking about the recent sale of the city¡¯s fabrics and now the sale of the magic stones, Rocky felt like he should have quite a bit of money by now, right?


    ¡°My Lord, there are roughly sixty-seven thousand gold coins in the city,¡± Aileen, the finance officer, naturally knew Thunderhawk City¡¯s financial details like the back of her hand, and so she gave him an exact figure on the spot.


    However, after giving this number, the previously somewhat exuberant Aileen lost her smile, and her expression turned serious, ¡°My Lord, winter is approaching, you should consider purchasing grain.¡±


    ¡°Our last trade with the Azure Commerce Guild made it clear they intend to take advantage of the Canglang City war to hike their prices, and as a result the price of yarn has gone up. In a few days, the price they sell us grain will also rise.¡±


    ¡°And ¡­ the increase won¡¯t be small.¡±


    The saying that one falling leaf foretells the coming of autumn was evident through the increase in yarn prices by the Azure Commerce Guild. It could be inferred that the price of grain they would sell to us would not be at the original price either; it was bound to rise as well.


    What was more important was that Rocky had easily accepted the price of the yarn before, which undoubtedly signaled to the Azure Commerce Guild that Thunderhawk City had money! So, not only would they hike the price of grain, but the increase would certainly not be small.


    As the finance officer, Aileen understood this matter better than anyone, so she had to remind Rocky, warning him not to think that a few tens of thousands of gold coins made Thunderhawk City secure. When the need arose, those sixty or seventy thousand gold coins might not be enough at all!


    ¡°I know, how could I possibly forget something like that.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I have a plan in my mind, and you¡¯ll see when we get to Eternal City.¡±


    However, faced with Aileen¡¯s warning, Rocky dismissed it with nonchalance and didn¡¯t wait for Aileen to continue before sending her away, which caused her considerable consternation. She even felt that Rocky had become arrogant due to having some money.


    It wasn¡¯t just her who thought so; even Liliya, who was beside Rocky, frowned after the event and couldn¡¯t help but say to him:


    ¡°You should have let Aileen finish speaking; she was indeed looking out for you this time.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Rocky replied.


    After glancing at the furrowed brow of Liliya, Rocky smiled faintly and then, unexpectedly, made a proposal:


    ¡°Liliya, would you be interested in joining me for some martial technique practice?¡±

 Chapter 30 - 30 - 29: Strengthening Armor! (Part 1)

    Chapter 30 ¨C 29: Strengthening Armor! (Part 1)


    ¡°What do you want to do with me?¡±


    Rocky¡¯s words made Liliya question if there was something wrong with her ears. They were clearly discussing important matters concerning Thunderhawk City; how did the conversation suddenly shift to this topic?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I should practice more? I¡¯m free today, so I thought I¡¯d seek your guidance.¡±


    With a hearty laugh, Rocky didn¡¯t give Liliya any time to respond and pulled her away from the City Lord¡¯s Hall, heading straight to the garden behind the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    The so-called garden behind the City Lord¡¯s Mansion was actually just a relatively large grassy area. Logically, this was where Rocky practiced his martial techniques, but he hadn¡¯t been there since his arrival from another world.


    ¡°Rocky, do you really want to practice martial techniques with me?¡±


    Having been forcefully dragged to the garden, Liliya was still somewhat disbelieving. She had indeed urged Rocky to spend more time on martial techniques and magic, but Rocky had never listened; what was different today that he was so proactive?


    ...


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Facing Liliya¡¯s disbelief, Rocky appeared very confident, clearly not joking.


    But then, he quickly added, ¡°However, you are much higher in level than me, so I need to wear the Void Magic Armor.¡±


    ¡°Void Magic Armor?¡±


    ¡°You, you¡¯ve already successfully modified the Void Magic Armor?!¡±


    Liliya, being very intelligent and aware that Rocky had been working on modifying the Void Magic Armor using runes, immediately thought of this when he mentioned it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a modification, just an enhancement.¡±


    Liliya¡¯s words made Rocky unable to resist showing a proud smile because, as Liliya had said, after many days of effort, he had finally succeeded in enhancing the Void Magic Armor using runes!


    That¡¯s why he had sought out Liliya to try his hand and see what kind of power the enhanced Void Magic Armor could unleash!


    ¡°You, you really did it?!¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s proud face, Liliya was also extremely delighted, because whether it was an enhancement or a modification using runes, it was a pioneering act!


    Thus, Liliya too became excited and was very interested in the enhanced Void Magic Armor.


    Afterward, Rocky returned to his room, put on the Void Magic Armor, and didn¡¯t leave through the door. Instead, he flew directly out the window to the garden.


    ¡°Really¡­¡±


    Seeing his somewhat ostentatious entrance, Liliya shook her head helplessly, thinking that at times Rocky really did seem like a child who had never grown up. However, she quickly turned her attention to the Void Magic Armor, eager to see what the enhanced armor looked like.


    Unfortunately, when she looked at Rocky, she found that the Void Magic Armor he wore still looked the same. While it still appeared impressive, there was no change in its shape, and there wasn¡¯t even a rune visible.


    This wasn¡¯t surprising, because Rocky, in order to avoid drawing attention, had specifically drawn the runes inside the lining of the Void Magic Armor; thus, the real change in the armor was internal.


    After making a stylish entry, Rocky looked up at Liliya with confidence and said, ¡°Should I go easy on you?¡±


    ¡°Go easy on me?¡±


    This comment made Liliya laugh out loud. The Void Magic Armor might be strong, but its effectiveness depended largely on the person wearing it. With Rocky¡¯s limited abilities, even in the Void Magic Armor, Liliya was not worried.


    So, without saying anything further, Liliya drew her side sword from her waist and pointed the tip at Rocky:


    ¡°You better be careful; I won¡¯t hold back.¡±


    The moment her words hit the air, she suddenly lunged forward, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye, and then swept her sword toward his chest!


    Curious about the power of the enhanced Void Magic Armor, Liliya went all out from the start, not holding back at all, knowing that with the armor¡¯s protection, Rocky was unlikely to get hurt; she didn¡¯t need to worry.


    It must be said that Liliya was definitely not just for show. Not only did she possess the strength of a Third-Level Warrior, she had also experienced the carnage of the battlefield firsthand, truly qualifying her as a genuine warrior. Therefore, even when faced with Rocky wearing the enhanced Void Magic Armor, which brought him up to the level of a Fourth Level Warrior, she was not afraid at all!


    In the blink of an eye, Rocky hadn¡¯t even fully grasped Liliya¡¯s movements when he felt the sword light at his chest. Then, he heard a clang as the sword struck directly upon his chest. Although it didn¡¯t injure him, the immense force still pushed him back several steps!


    This is the ¡­ enhanced Void Magic Armor?


    Unexpectedly, with one strike, Liliya forced Rocky into a retreat. She paused, totally not anticipating this outcome; the enhanced Void Magic Armor seemed no different from before.


    Rocky, equally surprised by this result, stabilized himself after retreating four or five steps and was utterly astonished. He had not expected Liliya to strike as quickly as she did, nor did he anticipate such immense power!


    And just as he was secretly amazed, Liliya appeared in front of him again.


    ¡°Wait¡­!¡±


    Seeing Liliya charge at him again, Rocky was just about to speak when he realized that Liliya had only feinted an attack before disappearing from his view.


    By the time he relocated Liliya, he had already been fiercely kicked, following her feint which had allowed her to move behind him and kick him off balance!


    ¡°Wait a second¡­¡±


    In just a few rounds of engagement, Rocky was already thoroughly disoriented and hurriedly tried to call a halt. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, Liliya didn¡¯t give him a chance to speak. Her figure blurred once more as she charged at him again, forcing him to leap into the air and fly up.


    ¡°Liliya, wait, wait a minute¡­¡±


    Having escaped into mid-air, Rocky tried to continue speaking, but then saw Liliya on the ground raising her hand toward him.


    This gesture immediately made Rocky¡¯s skin crawl, followed by a foreboding exclamation, but it was already too late!


    Because afterwards, Liliya sent three fireballs hurling towards him with whooshing sounds!


    Liliya was not only a Third-Level Warrior but also a Level Two Mage!


    Facing the three fireballs flying towards him, Rocky hurriedly dodged. Just when he barely managed to avoid them, he spotted a figure leaping from the ground out of the corner of his eye, then felt himself being powerfully kicked and sent crashing towards the ground!


    With a boom, Rocky slammed into the ground like a shot-down cannonball, creating a huge crater in the grass¡­


    For a moment, dust was thrown up, completely covering the spot where he landed, making it impossible to see the situation inside.


    It wasn¡¯t until a while later that the dust finally settled, revealing Rocky¡¯s disheveled figure.


    At that moment, Rocky was a complete mess, his Void Magic Armor covered in mud, looking like a soldier who had just fled a lost battle.


    Seeing his disheveled state, Liliya also opened her mouth awkwardly, and it took her a long while to finally say:


    ¡°Rocky, is this your enhanced Void Magic Armor? It seems¡­ it seems no different from before¡­¡±


    Although she didn¡¯t want to demoralize Rocky, Liliya couldn¡¯t help but speak her true thoughts. She really couldn¡¯t see any difference in the Void Magic Armor!


    Defeating Rocky without him being able to resist was exactly the expected outcome, because Rocky lacked actual combat experience and had only mediocre fundamentals. Thus, even with the Void Magic Armor, he couldn¡¯t win against Liliya, a fact known to both of them.


    Liliya had initially thought that after being enhanced by runes, the Void Magic Armor would greatly increase Rocky¡¯s capabilities, at least making him not so inadequate against her, but now it seemed not to be the case at all, as if the enhancement of the Void Magic Armor did nothing.


    However, just as she finished speaking, Rocky, crawling up from the ground, started to roar!


    ¡°What do you mean no difference! Who asked you to move so quickly, I, I haven¡¯t even activated the rune¡¯s mana yet!¡±


    Now, Rocky was infuriated. Because Liliya had acted too quickly, he had absolutely no time to activate the rune¡¯s mana¡­

 Chapter 31 - 31 - 30: Strengthening Armor! (Part 2)

    Chapter 31 ¨C 30: Strengthening Armor! (Part 2)


    ¡°I¡¯m so pissed! Why couldn¡¯t you wait until I was ready before attacking?¡±


    After climbing up from the ground in a disheveled state, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but roar at Liliya.


    It turned out that Liliya had acted too quickly just now, and Rocky hadn¡¯t been prepared at all; he had been flattened before he could even activate the runes on his armor¡­


    This outcome had nearly infuriated Rocky to death!


    The reason he had challenged Liliya to a spar was partly to test how powerful the enhanced Void Magic Armor was after its upgrade; he knew Liliya was the highest-ranked and most experienced warrior in Thunderhawk City, and only by fighting her could he truly evaluate the strength of the enhanced Void Magic Armor.


    On the other hand, Rocky actually wanted to show off in front of Liliya.


    In Rocky¡¯s view, Liliya was perfect in every way; if he had to point out a flaw, it was that she was too dominant. Not only was her personality assertive, but her strength was formidable as well. Having such a strong woman by his side all the time almost constantly bruised his ego, so he also wanted to prove himself in front of Liliya, even if it meant wearing the Void Magic Armor.


    ...


    But the result¡­ turned out to be a thorough thrashing from the get-go, which was nothing like what Rocky had anticipated!


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Hearing his words, Liliya showed a rare expression of embarrassment; she genuinely hadn¡¯t expected things to turn out this way. Looking at Rocky, who seemed to have suffered a great injustice, she had no idea what to say.


    ¡°Wait until I¡¯m ready before you attack this time!¡±


    After muttering sulkily, Rocky tried to calm himself down. Then he began to harness his magic power to connect with the runes on the Void Magic Armor, activating the mana within them and truly enhancing the armor in the intended way.


    Time ticked away second by second. During this process, Liliya didn¡¯t dare to move an inch, afraid of disturbing Rocky, and remained standing opposite him.


    After a while, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you, are you ready yet?¡±


    ¡°Ready!¡±


    This time, Rocky finally nodded his head. Now he had connected to every rune on the Void Magic Armor with his own magic power, fully activating them all!


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Seeing him nod, Liliya still hesitated to act because she didn¡¯t notice any change in the Void Magic Armor from before.


    Although Rocky claimed to be ready now, he still looked as disheveled as before, making Liliya reluctant to make her move. She didn¡¯t want to hurt Rocky¡¯s pride again.


    ¡°Come on!¡±


    Seemingly discerning her hesitancy, Rocky was significantly more confident than before, nodding firmly at Liliya.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Sure, come on!¡±


    Seeing how certain Rocky was, Liliya took a deep breath, and when she looked at him again, her eyes were razor-sharp!


    Liliya¡¯s nature was such that once she got serious, she would show no mercy. Since Rocky claimed he was genuinely prepared this time, she gripped her longsword tightly and dashed toward him like an arrow!


    In the blink of an eye, she reached Rocky and swung her sword in a sweeping strike aimed directly at his chest.


    Previously, it was this very strike that had forced Rocky to retreat, and she used the same move this time, with undiminished strength.


    Faced with the same attack as before, Rocky didn¡¯t react in time, or for some other reason, he didn¡¯t dodge, allowing the sword to land on him!


    A loud clang resounded as the longsword struck heavily against the armor!


    ¡°How, how could this be¡­!¡±


    Having struck Rocky with her sword, Liliya was stunned because the strike, which was identical in technique and force to the previous one, resulted in a completely different outcome!


    Before, her single strike had made Rocky retreat uncontrollably, backing up four or five steps before stopping.


    But this time, Rocky, having been hit, didn¡¯t budge an inch, not even a sway!


    How could there be such a big difference?!


    This result, far beyond Liliya¡¯s expectations, left her astonished, as she knew her strike was without reservation, a genuine full-force attack. How could it have no effect? It wasn¡¯t like this before!


    The astonishment on Liliya¡¯s face finally brought a smile to Rocky¡¯s lips, his heart swelling with pride.


    He had deliberately not dodged just now, wanting to see what kind of defensive power the combination of Void Magic Armor and mana runes could produce.


    The result was unexpectedly good, easily blocking Liliya¡¯s attack, which meant that Rocky¡¯s enhancement of the Void Magic Armor had been a success!


    He had successfully used mana runes to enhance the Void Magic Armor, significantly increasing its defensive power, convincingly proving its ability to withstand Liliya¡¯s attack without budging!


    ¡°Unimaginable¡­¡±


    While Rocky could hardly contain his triumph, Liliya couldn¡¯t help but marvel. She truly hadn¡¯t expected the enhanced Void Magic Armor to improve so much.


    Normally, Rocky¡¯s set of Void Magic Armor would only raise his strength to the level of a fourth-level warrior and a third-level mage, but Liliya¡¯s own strength was already at the pinnacle of a third-level warrior.


    Combined with her rich combat experience, her fighting power wasn¡¯t much different from that of a fourth-level warrior, which was why she had been able to suppress Rocky wearing the Void Magic Armor before.


    But now, Rocky¡¯s Void Magic Armor had clearly been upgraded a notch in terms of defense. Liliya had extensive combat experience and knew well enough that even a fourth-level warrior couldn¡¯t effortlessly withstand her full-force strike, yet Rocky had done just that, and he hadn¡¯t even defended actively; it was the Void Magic Armor¡¯s own defensive power that had blocked her complete strike!


    What did this indicate?


    It meant that the enhanced Void Magic Armor had definitely surpassed the defensive level of a fourth-level warrior and might even have reached fifth-level capability!


    This enhancement was a qualitative leap!


    Perhaps even Rocky hadn¡¯t expected the Void Magic Armor, once enhanced by runes, would receive such an astonishing improvement!


    To verify this possibility, Liliya flashed behind Rocky¡¯s back in an instant, delivering a ferocious kick to his back before he could react.


    With a thud, Liliya put all her strength into the kick that squarely hit Rocky¡¯s back, yet he remained immovable as a mountain!


    The enhanced Void Magic Armor had once again perfectly blocked her attack!


    ¡°How is it? Impressive, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Slowly turning around, Rocky was like a child eager for praise, impatiently asking.


    Facing his demeanor, Liliya couldn¡¯t help but feel both helpless and fond, yet she seriously nodded, ¡°It¡¯s very strong.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Seeing Rocky¡¯s excitement, Liliya honestly said, ¡°With the Void Magic Armor and the rune¡¯s reinforcement, your defensive power has reached the level of a fifth-level warrior. My attacks can no longer defeat you.¡±


    ¡°It has reached the level of a fifth-level warrior? That¡¯s incredible. I didn¡¯t expect the enhancement effect to be so apparent.¡±


    Hearing Liliya¡¯s words, Rocky was surprised as well. He had truly not anticipated such a huge improvement in the Void Magic Armor after its enhancement.


    ¡°Attack me.¡±


    And just as Rocky was also amazed by the enhanced Void Magic Armor, Liliya took a step back to create some distance and then said to him:


    ¡°Attack me. Let me see if the Void Magic Armor has also reached the offensive power of a fifth-level warrior.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Nodding, Rocky gripped his sword tightly and then charged towards Liliya with large strides!


    Before the rune enhancement, the Void Magic Armor could bring Rocky up to the standard of a fourth-level warrior, so his speed was by no means slow. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Liliya, swinging his sword down!


    ¡°So fast!¡±


    As Rocky charged towards her, Liliya didn¡¯t dare to slack and quickly raised her sword to block. But in the next second, she inwardly cursed and gracefully dodged the strike.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, no need to continue¡­¡±


    Seeing Liliya dodge the attack, Rocky originally intended to keep on the offensive, but Liliya immediately called a halt.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Not expecting Liliya to stop the fight, Rocky was a bit taken aback.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to continue. The dual reinforcement of the Void Magic Armor and the rune has brought your offensive power to the level of a fifth-level warrior, too. I simply can¡¯t withstand it, and given that you have a rune on your sword, my ordinary sword would be sliced in two if it were to block.¡±


    As she spoke, Liliya helplessly shook her head. The dual reinforcement from the Void Magic Armor and the rune had brought Rocky up to the level of a fifth-level warrior both offensively and defensively, creating a gap that could no longer be bridged by experience and skill, so there was no point in continuing the fight. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°That¡¯s great! That means my enhancement was a complete success!¡±


    Liliya¡¯s assessment finally put Rocky at ease, as it confirmed the complete and even beyond expected success of his enchantment on the Void Magic Armor.


    ¡°Rocky.¡±


    However, just as Rocky was reveling in joy, Liliya walked up to him, and couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°I have something I want to ask you.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Why the rush to enhance the Void Magic Armor?¡±


    Looking into Rocky¡¯s eyes, Liliya voiced the question that had been on her mind for a while. She¡¯d been curious why Rocky was so hasty in enhancing the Void Magic Armor.


    It was something she couldn¡¯t figure out. The study of mana runes was indeed important, and Liliya admitted that, but let¡¯s not forget Rocky wasn¡¯t a researcher, he was the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, which was facing a significant crisis at the moment!


    Winter was fast approaching, and they had yet to secure food for the season, which should be the top priority for a City Lord!


    Yet, rather than focusing on these matters, Rocky had been devoting all his attention to enhancing the Void Magic Armor, something Liliya couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Because¡­¡±


    Rocky was well aware of Liliya¡¯s doubt. He hadn¡¯t explained in detail before because even he wasn¡¯t sure if his ideas would work, but now he could share his thoughts since he had completed the most crucial step.


    So Rocky went on to say:


    ¡°I was in a hurry to enhance the Void Magic Armor because only in this way can we make money, money to buy food.¡±


    ¡°Making money from enhancing the Void Magic Armor? How do you plan to make money?¡±


    Liliya was even more confused by Rocky¡¯s explanation.


    ¡°I plan to¡­ hunt demons!¡±


    Looking at Liliya, Rocky revealed his long-held idea!

 Chapter 32 - 32 - 31 Were Together!

    Chapter 32 ¨C 31 Were Together!


    ¡°What, what did you say?¡±


    Rocky¡¯s words had stunned Liliya!


    And a moment later, having regained her senses, she rushed to Rocky¡¯s front, ¡°No! Rocky, you mustn¡¯t think like this, don¡¯t consider targeting the demons!¡±


    Rocky had anticipated Liliya¡¯s reaction, so he just sighed helplessly and looked back at her with a question, ¡°Other than targeting the demons, do we have any other choice?¡±


    His counter-question was filled with helplessness but left Liliya speechless.


    As Liliya had said earlier, Thunderhawk City was facing a significant crisis. Winter was approaching, and the city lacked the food reserves for the cold months. The Azure Commerce Guild had also chosen this time to hike up the trade prices, leaving Thunderhawk City unable to afford enough food.


    How would they overcome this difficulty?


    ...


    This was the dilemma that had troubled everyone for the past month. Liliya was worried, Aileen was anxious, but no one was as desperate as Rocky, for Thunderhawk City was his! He was the City Lord!


    If something went wrong with the city, as the City Lord, wouldn¡¯t Rocky be doomed too? Therefore, he was actually the most anxious of all.


    So while Rocky would spend each day in his laboratory tinkering with runes, at night, when everyone else in the city had fallen into a deep sleep, he would think about how to get Thunderhawk City through the winter, how to ensure the city¡¯s residents had food to eat.


    Ultimately, he thought of a method: hunting demons!


    After so long familiarizing himself with this world, Rocky knew very well that demons were not just everyone¡¯s enemies but also a resource!


    Demons were valuable!


    Ever since demons began to invade the land, people discovered that these creatures from the Different Dimension, despite being terrifying, were treasures all over!


    Their skin, as hard as steel yet as flexible as cloth, was the perfect material for making soft armor.


    The blood of demons was a prime magical ingredient, even capable of enhancing magic stones.


    The most valuable part of a demon was the Demon Core, equivalent to the heart of a demon, containing energy far surpassing that of any magic stone, a very precious item that many were researching to uncover the secrets of the Demon Core and locate the demons¡¯ weakness.


    In short, a demon¡¯s body was full of treasures. Therefore, whether it was the governments represented by the various Sky Cities or individuals aiming to make money, many were hunting demons all year round, and it had even led to the emergence of a new profession: Demon Hunter.


    And the method Rocky thought of was to hunt demons.


    If he could successfully kill a demon, he could easily earn close to ten thousand gold coins!


    This price was not exaggerated at all, for although demons were everywhere, unless a formal military force was deployed for a large-scale hunt, killing a demon with an individual¡¯s power was very difficult, hence the high price.


    This was why Rocky was heading Thunderhawk City towards Eternal City; it was the largest trade city in the skies. With demons in hand, once he reached Eternal City, he would not have to worry about being unable to sell them, nor fetching a high price.


    At the same time, this was also why he had been relentlessly strengthening his Void Magic Armor day and night. To hunt demons, he would have to act personally, as only the Void Magic Armor could contend with demons. However, Rocky knew his abilities were too mediocre, and his Void Magic Armor too outdated; thus, it was essential to enhance it with runes to have a chance at success!


    And now, having completed the enhancement of the Void Magic Armor, his next plan was to return to land, hunt demons, and then sell them. Thus, naturally, Thunderhawk City would overcome its crisis.


    In Rocky¡¯s view, this was the only way to save Thunderhawk City!


    ¡°No! You absolutely cannot go!¡±


    However, Liliya firmly disagreed with his idea.


    ¡°Rocky, last time you already witnessed how terrifying demons are, they are monstrous creatures that only an army can contend with, not something you can handle alone.¡±


    At this moment, Liliya showed an unprecedented level of agitation, because, in her view, Rocky¡¯s idea was simply suicidal! She could rely on Rocky, could support him unconditionally, but she would never watch him go to his death. This was Liliya¡¯s bottom line, so she firmly opposed Rocky¡¯s method.


    ¡°Liliya, this is the only way to save Thunderhawk City, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if this city is destroyed, I want you to live!¡±


    Standing in front of Rocky, staring intently into his eyes, Liliya resolutely said!


    Her words stunned Rocky, he looked at Liliya¡¯s eyes with some disbelief, seeing only determination in her eyes, which let Rocky know that Liliya wasn¡¯t deceiving him, she would rather see Thunderhawk City fall than let him get hurt¡­


    So, Rocky smiled, smiled and placed his hands on Liliya¡¯s shoulders, then he said, ¡°Thunderhawk City won¡¯t be destroyed, and I won¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t plan to hunt demons alone, so why are you in such a hurry.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to lie to me!¡±, Liliya glared at Rocky, dismissing his words, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m the Captain of the Guard in Thunderhawk City, none of the city¡¯s guards and skyships can help you in this matter, they are no match for demons.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wanted their help.¡±


    Shaking his head at Liliya, Rocky became serious, ¡°I want you to come with me, the two of us together, to hunt demons!¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Liliya was stunned, she stared blankly at Rocky for a long while before letting out a bitter smile, ¡°Sorry¡­ I cannot help you this time¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­ am too weak¡­¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Liliya¡¯s voice was filled with bitterness, ¡°Unless I reach the strength of a fifth-level warrior, I wouldn¡¯t even withstand a single blow from even the weakest demon, but I¡¯m only a third level, this strength is not even enough to buy you some time in case of a demon encounter, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    As she spoke these words, Liliya felt extremely distressed, she indeed wanted to help Rocky, but as she had said, even to face the weakest demon, one would need the strength of a fifth-level warrior!


    This was experience that far too many had paid for with their lives, yet she was only third level.


    ¡°No, you can, and only you can.¡±


    However, just as she had finished speaking, Rocky shook his head and then smilingly reminded her, ¡°Liliya, have you forgotten what I found at the research institute? It wasn¡¯t just research notes and a few magic stones I found, but also several pieces of rune equipment!¡±


    ¡°Those rune equipments are all personally crafted by Winsor! And as long as you wear the rune equipment, together, we can definitely hunt down the demons!¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 33 - 33 - 32: New Adventure!

    Chapter 33 ¨C 32: New Adventure!


    Rocky indeed wanted to earn money by hunting demons but he never thought of completing this task alone, because he knew he couldn¡¯t do it, even if his Void Magic Armor was successfully enhanced, he still couldn¡¯t do it.


    So, his initial idea was to team up with Liliya!


    ¡°Are you saying¡­ let me wear the rune equipment left by Winsel?¡±


    After hearing Rocky¡¯s explanation, Liliya didn¡¯t dismiss it immediately, but instead frowned and fell into thought.


    She had figured out that Rocky had made thorough preparations for this plan. Not only had he made arrangements for Thunderhawk City, but he had even taken helping her into consideration, which was very comprehensive, but¡­ would his preparations be useful?


    If she wore the rune equipment left by Winsel, could she really fight the demons¡­?


    At this thought, Liliya glanced at Rocky and then asked, ¡°Rocky, how powerful is the equipment left by Winsel? Tell me the truth.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Each piece of rune equipment is at least as strong as my Void Magic Armor!¡±


    Rocky quickly provided the answer to this question and didn¡¯t exaggerate at all!


    The equipment he found from the research institute was indeed very powerful, those items were not ordinary, and they all had runes drawn by Winsel himself on them!


    This was the most important thing!


    Winsel was a top master who invented the mana runes; calling him the ultimate genius of this world was not an exaggeration. Thus, the rune equipment made by his own hands was absolutely no less powerful than the Void Magic Armor, and there was no doubt about that.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    This answer made Liliya furrow her brow even tighter, her facial expression became quite intriguing in an instant, somewhat worried, yet also anticipative, eager to try while simultaneously filled with hesitation, clearly caught in a dilemma.


    Indeed, Liliya was conflicted because if Rocky hadn¡¯t exaggerated, then relying on the rune equipment left by Winsel, she too started feeling eager to try hunting the demons.


    But she was also worried about Rocky¡¯s reassurance; after all, equipment was just external aid, and hunting demons was like dancing on the edge of a knife¡ªany slight mistake could mean death, so Liliya was somewhat hesitant.


    ¡°Liliya, it¡¯s settled then, you and I will hunt demons together!¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªWhat! I haven¡¯t¡­¡±


    Just as Liliya was indecisive, Rocky had already made the decision for her! sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Liliya, I trust you, as long as you¡¯re by my side, I¡¯m sure nothing will happen to me.¡±


    After saying this, Rocky leapt into the sky and flew towards the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°Rocky! What, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get your equipment, you are going to train me right away, we don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    Just as Liliya thought, Rocky had indeed made thorough preparations for hunting the demons, not only had he enhanced his Void Magic Armor, but he also planned to have Liliya train him!


    Hunting demons was very dangerous, Rocky knew this better than anyone; he obviously didn¡¯t want to die doing this, so apart from the external preparations, he also hoped to improve himself. Although time was pressing, even a slight improvement before heading out could increase the success rate, and he did not intend to give up even this small chance of success.


    So once he had successfully persuaded Liliya, he immediately started sparring with her, and this time it was a real sparring session.


    After that, Liliya began a week-long intensive training for Rocky!


    During this week, Rocky never went back to the research lab, because a week¡¯s time wasn¡¯t long, it was actually very short. If he wanted to improve during such a short time, he needed to devote all his energy to training, without any distractions.


    Liliya was naturally very pleased with his actions, and to ensure Rocky could see results in such a short time, she became quite tough on him, sparing no mercy, truly putting him through a hellish training.


    Time passed day by day, and the week was over in the blink of an eye.


    That day, Thunderhawk City, gradually hovering in the sky, slowed to a stop, and the entire city floated high in the air.


    ¡°City Lord, you¡­ must be careful¡­¡±


    At this moment, within the Skyport of Thunderhawk City, a skyship had already prepared for takeoff, and both Rocky and Liliya were also ready to board.


    Seeing the two fully prepared, Aileen, who had come to see them off, could think of nothing else to say but to remind them to be careful.


    She had only learned a few days ago about their plans, and when she heard Rocky¡¯s intentions, she was genuinely frightened and instinctively wanted to stop them, but it was to no avail. The only thing Aileen could do was to take good care of Thunderhawk City while Rocky was away.


    ¡°We will be fine.¡±


    With a laugh towards Aileen, Rocky appeared quite relaxed: ¡°The city is in your hands now. Remember to keep the guards and the skyships on standby. The moment you see the signal, come to pick us up immediately.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Since the mission involved hunting demons, it would be impractical to take all ten skyships of the city, as that would be too conspicuous and might attract a multitude of demons.


    Therefore, this time Rocky sent only one skyship, and upon landing with Liliya, they would send the skyship back and signal Aileen when they wanted to return to the city. Upon seeing the signal, Aileen would dispatch a skyship to pick them up.


    This arrangement was so bold that even Aileen could hardly believe it, for it meant that Rocky was entrusting his life into her hands!


    Why would Rocky trust her so much?


    That question, even Aileen herself did not know. All she knew was that when Rocky informed her, she felt disbelief as well as a touch of emotion.


    ¡°We are leaving now; make sure to watch for the signal!¡±


    As Aileen reminisced about the scenes from a few days ago, Rocky and Liliya had already boarded the skyship. They waved at her before the skyship gradually ascended and quickly flew towards the land.


    ¡°Felly, keep all the skyships ready for takeoff, and keep an eye out for the City Lord¡¯s signal.¡±


    As the skyship gradually disappeared into the clouds, Aileen turned to a guard standing nearby and instructed.


    This guard was none other than Felly, who had initially welcomed Rocky at the Skyport. He had since been promoted by Liliya to one of the deputy captains of the Guard Corps, specifically in charge of managing the skyships at the Skyport.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With a response, Felly saluted Aileen militarily and then went to make preparations with his team.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Leaving the people on standby in Thunderhawk City aside for now, Rocky, who was en route to the land on the skyship, was already seated in the cabin, seemingly resting with his eyes closed.


    This was his second return to the land, and he found it quite amusing, as his memories recalled that the former him had never set foot on land in his entire life. Yet now, he had made repeated trips to the land within just a month or two, the frequency of which was indeed a bit too rapid.


    Having recently been to the land, Rocky felt less excitement this time and no longer stood at the bow facing the wind like last time; instead, he sat quietly in the cabin.


    ¡°Once we reach the land, follow my lead. You must not act on your own.¡±


    As Rocky inwardly mused whether his return to the land was overly frequent, Liliya was cautioning him.


    By now, Liliya had donned a new set of equipment, specifically the rune equipment left by Wensel. Not only were these pieces exquisite, but they also featured patterns composed of runes, making Liliya look completely renewed.


    Even though she was equipped with more powerful gear, Liliya remained cautious and continued to remind Rocky that he must not act independently once they reached their destination.


    Among the two, only she had encountered real demons. Rocky¡¯s knowledge of demons was still only theoretical, so they had agreed beforehand that Liliya would take the lead once they got to the land.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Rocky gave Liliya a serious look and nodded without jest.

 Chapter 34 - 34 - 33: Crows Mouth(crows cawing could bring people bad luck)

    Chapter 34 ¨C 33: Crows Mouth(crows cawing could bring people bad luck)


    The journey back to the land from Sky City didn¡¯t take long. After staying in the cabin for a few hours, Rocky felt the Skyship¡¯s speed slow down, which clearly meant they were nearing the land.


    So he and Liliya left the cabin together and stood at the bow looking down, just in time to see another vast forest below them.


    ¡°Lucky us, another forest.¡±


    Discovering their landing spot was a forest made Liliya sigh with relief, for the terrain was ideal for their operation. Escaping danger would be easier in the woods than if they had landed in a large plain or desert, where they wouldn¡¯t have a place to hide.


    ¡°Steer the ship to the edge of the forest, then we can land.¡±


    Liliya turned to the guard accompanying them and issued an instruction before turning to look at Rocky, only to find him unusually quiet and solemn.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, you nervous?¡±


    ...


    Seeing Rocky acting differently from before, Liliya asked with a smile.


    ¡°Yeah, a bit nervous.¡±


    Glancing at her, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath and nodded.


    He hadn¡¯t felt the slightest bit nervous when imagining all this before, nor when he was in the cabin, but now, as the Skyship was about to land, he couldn¡¯t help feeling tense.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal to be nervous. After all, demon hunting is no game. One careless move and we both might not make it back.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t seem to be nervous¡­¡±


    Looking at Liliya, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but admire her, as he couldn¡¯t sense any nervousness coming from her.


    ¡°Between the two of us, you handle the nerves, I¡¯ll handle the calm.¡±


    Curving her lips into a smile, Liliya cracked a rare joke.


    The joke finally drew a smile from Rocky, but he knew in his heart that Liliya¡¯s extensive experience allowed her to be calm and composed at critical moments, a skill he completely lacked. He still had much to learn.


    ¡°We¡¯re about to land.¡±


    Just then, Liliya¡¯s voice brought him back to the present, and he saw the Skyship hovering at the edge of the forest, making its descent.


    Soon after, the Skyship settled steadily onto a grassland on the forest¡¯s outskirts. Rocky and Liliya disembarked and headed straight for the forest. As they ventured further away, the Skyship slowly ascended and flew back to Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°Now we¡¯re truly on our own¡­¡±


    As he walked toward the forest with Liliya, Rocky looked back just in time to see the Skyship climb slowly, muttering to himself.


    Although this had been his own decision, the reality of being left on land made Rocky feel uneasy, or perhaps¡­ scared?


    ¡°What do you mean ¡¯on our own¡¯? You still have me.¡±


    Liliya rolled her eyes at him and said, ¡°Stop fretting, let¡¯s get into the forest. We need to find the demons before they find us, otherwise we¡¯ll be at a disadvantage.¡± S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After saying that, she quickened her pace, and after taking a deep breath, Rocky followed closely. It wasn¡¯t long before the two of them vanished into the woods.


    This forest was different from the one Rocky had visited last time. The vegetation here was sparse and the trees were not lush, making it hard to feel a sense of verdancy. Instead, the whole forest exuded an aura as if it were on the verge of decay.


    And when Rocky and Liliya truly entered the forest, they gradually slowed down and became more cautious.


    ¡°Do you remember what I told you?¡±


    Liliya, leading the way, casually chopped off a branch blocking their path with her sword without looking back at Rocky.


    ¡°I remember, if we encounter a high-level demon, we run as fast as we can.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    In this world, demons were ranked in tiers, with a great variety of species. The strength gap between different types and levels of demons could be tremendous.


    The strongest were, naturally, the high-level demons. Regardless of species, high-level demons were formidable. Warriors and mages stood no chance against them. Only a great warrior or an archmage, especially when equipped with Void Magic Armor, could fight a high-level demon, otherwise, it meant certain death.


    In comparison, low-level demons were much weaker, though their danger depended on the species. Some species might be classified as low-level, but their strength was still formidable, making them equally perilous entities.


    Over the past several days, Liliya had told Rocky much about the types of demons and the hierarchy of their levels, so he could be prepared and clear about their target for this mission.


    So, while Liliya didn¡¯t look back as she led the way, she continued, ¡°Our target this time is low-level demons, the lower the better. Hence, if we run into high-level demons or more than two low-level demons, we¡¯ll run immediately.¡±


    ¡°Got it, we probably won¡¯t be that unlucky to run into high-level demons right off the bat.¡±


    Though Liliya¡¯s words were true, Rocky felt it wouldn¡¯t be so unfortunate for them to encounter high-level demons right away. They weren¡¯t as common as cabbages on the roadside, surely they wouldn¡¯t stumble upon one so soon?


    He had just finished speaking when suddenly a roar came from a distance, and at the same time, the ground beneath him and Liliya began to tremble continuously.


    ¡°This, this is¡­¡±


    ¡°Jinx!¡±


    This sudden, but ear-splitting roar, along with the trembling of the ground, undoubtedly signified great danger!


    So after giving Rocky a fierce glare, Liliya immediately dragged him behind a large tree for cover.


    In fact, both of them could tell that the roar did not come from the forest they were in; rather, it came from a very distant place, which only made it more evident how terrifying the source of that roar was. Liliya was afraid that the roar would disturb the demons in the forest, and naturally, they had to hide just in case.


    And if just a single roar could affect such a vast distance, one could imagine that the demon emitting the roar must be a high-level demon!


    They waited until the roar had completely subsided before Liliya and Rocky emerged from behind the tree where they had been hiding and finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Liliya, what exactly happened just now?¡±


    Turning his head towards the direction from which the roar came, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s likely that someone provoked a high-level demon. The two sides must be fighting.¡±


    Just like Rocky, Liliya also turned to glance in that direction but her answer was not certain.


    ¡°Could there be others like us, hunting demons as well?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Shaking her head, Liliya sighed, ¡°We¡¯re better off minding our own business. Even if the others are hunting demons, their target is a high-level demon. Do you really want to encounter such a person?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Rocky opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing. Those who targeted high-level demons¡ªwhat kind of beings were they? Indeed, it was best to avoid provoking them, better yet, not to meet them at all.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about this anymore.¡± Withdrawing her gaze, Liliya stepped forward to continue their progress, ¡°Stay alert. If there are demons in this forest, they surely have been disturbed by that roar. We need to be cautious.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Agreeing, Rocky followed Liliya, his alertness heightened.


    The two of them cautiously made their way deeper into the forest, walking and stopping intermittently, always ready to halt at the slightest rustle of leaves or grass, prepared for combat.


    But despite their caution, they still hadn¡¯t encountered any demons, a fact even Rocky found unusual.


    So, as night fell and Liliya decided they should stop to spend the night in the forest, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but ask,


    ¡°Liliya, what exactly is going on? Where have all the demons gone?¡±


    Sitting by the flickering campfire, looking at Liliya who sat opposite him, Rocky was somewhat agitated. It was beyond him how they had traveled the entire day without encountering a single demon; the phenomenon was just too abnormal.


    There¡¯s an old saying¡ªabnormal occurrences often spell trouble; this was clearly not a good sign!


    ¡°Something isn¡¯t right¡­¡±


    Even Rocky had noticed something amiss, so how could Liliya, with her more extensive experience, not realize there was a problem?


    But she was also at a loss to understand what was happening.


    Initially, Liliya¡¯s biggest concern was that the two of them would face a swarm of demons or even bump into a high-level demon, leaving them no chance to escape. Yet, after traveling through the forest for a whole day, they hadn¡¯t met any demons at all.


    Could it be that, by some coincidence, there were no demons in this forest?


    This possibility was quickly dismissed. The land had been occupied by demons for over a century; they were everywhere. How could there be no demons in this particular forest?


    However, no matter the reason, Liliya couldn¡¯t figure it out. She could only be certain of one thing¡ªthere was definitely a problem!


    ¡°Maybe something happened that we¡¯re unaware of. Anyway, be extra vigilant tonight. It should be fine.¡±


    After thinking for a long time without reaching any conclusion, Liliya gave up and then started to discuss the night watch with Rocky. They hadn¡¯t encountered any demons during the day, but that did not mean they would not encounter any at night, so someone had to keep watch.


    But just at that moment, while Liliya was getting ready to rest and Rocky was bracing himself for the night vigil, a furious roar suddenly erupted from within the forest!


    This roar startled them both because they could tell that this time the call wasn¡¯t from a distance; it originated from within the forest, and it was very close to them!


    Finally, the demons had come!

 Chapter 35 - 35 - 34: Unlucky? Lucky?

    Chapter 35 ¨C 34: Unlucky? Lucky?


    ¡°They¡¯re finally here!¡±


    Hearing the roar from the forest, Rocky immediately stood up, tense yet also faintly excited.


    He had finally encountered a demon!


    This time he had come to hunt demons, and if he had to return empty-handed because he was defeated, that could be forgiven. But if he had to go back because he hadn¡¯t encountered any demons, it would drive him mad with frustration.


    However, in today¡¯s world, not coming across demons was almost impossible. Even if none were found during the daytime, there were always encounters at night.


    Liliya, who had just lain down, also stood up at this moment. She looked in the direction of the roar and listened carefully before saying to Rocky, ¡°Not far from us, let¡¯s go!¡±


    After saying this, the two rushed toward the direction of the roaring noise.


    ...


    ¡°Remember, if there¡¯s any danger, you run first.¡±


    Though they were speeding through the forest, Liliya did not forget to remind Rocky to flee if danger arose. Rocky, who was closely following her, nodded at her words, though it was unclear if he agreed.


    Afterward, the two advanced quickly through the forest, one after the other. Liliya was known for her agility, which allowed her to move freely through the forest, and Rocky, relying on the enhancement provided by his Void Magic Armor, moved with ease as well. In such a manner, they soon traversed hundreds of meters into the forest as if walking on flat ground.


    At the same time, the demon¡¯s roars continued unabated, serving as invisible coordinates, continuously reminding Rocky and Liliya that they were getting closer and closer to their target.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Once they heard the demon¡¯s roar again, Liliya suddenly halted, realizing from the sound that they were very close to the demon. It was not wise to continue sprinting at this point, as it could lead to running straight into the demon¡¯s embrace.


    Seeing her stop, Rocky, who had always been following her, also halted and then drew the side sword from his Void Magic Armor, readying himself for battle!


    ¡°The demon is in that direction, go!¡±


    Using her experience, Liliya quickly identified a direction and, after informing Rocky, briskly headed that way.


    However, just as they were about to search for the demon, having barely taken a step, a loud noise suddenly erupted from the distant forest, followed instantly by a black shadow shooting out like a cannonball!


    Had they been discovered?!


    Seeing a black shadow fly out from the forest, both Liliya and Rocky were startled, their first thought being that the demon had spotted them.


    But a moment later, they realized that this was not the case. The black shadow that flew out from afar crashed into a large tree while still a good distance from them and let out a miserable scream as it hit the ground.


    Not a demon?


    This unexpected outcome left Rocky stunned. When he took a closer look at the shadow, he found that it wasn¡¯t a demon at all, but a person!


    No, that was not quite accurate; to be precise, the shadow was a Beastman¡ªa towering Beastman, more than two meters tall!


    What was happening?!


    The scene before him confused Rocky. He had expected a demon to rush out, but instead, it was a Beastman, and judging by the way the Beastman had landed, he seemed to have been sent flying?


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there like an idiot!¡± Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While Rocky was dazed, Liliya reacted swiftly and pulled him behind a huge rock to take cover.


    Just as they had hidden, the demon¡¯s roar sounded again, accompanied by the sound of heavy footsteps.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The heavy footsteps grew closer and soon caused the ground beneath Rocky to tremble, indicating something was approaching.


    The severe shaking of the ground made Rocky, hiding behind the rock, unable to resist peering out to take a look. Soon enough, he saw the distant forest ambiguously reveal a massive figure!


    The sheer size of the figure was astoundingly large by any measure, and with each step, the earth trembled along. And while its strides didn¡¯t seem swift, it had covered the distance in merely a few paces!


    ¡°My God, what on earth is that thing!¡±


    As he watched the enormous figure step out of the shadows, Rocky¡¯s eyes grew wider and his face gradually paled!


    Because in his view, the creature that emerged from the forest was unmistakably a monster!


    This monster stood over three meters tall, resembling a humanoid rock. Every inch of it was made of stone, and its massive stone fists were as big as its head; the only things relatively normal about it were its eyes. However, in comparison to its huge stature, its eyes were as small as soybeans, just two little dots on its enormous head.


    What was this thing?


    ¡°Demons¡­¡±


    While Rocky was utterly dumbfounded by the monster before him, Liliya inhaled sharply next to him, for while Rocky didn¡¯t know what the monster was, Liliya did¡ªit was the demon they were hunting!


    ¡°It¡¯s the Greyrock Demon¡­ Damn it!¡±


    After one glance at the demon, Liliya clenched her teeth fiercely. Hearing this, Rocky quickly retreated and asked softly, ¡°Is that a demon? You recognize it?¡±


    Liliya nodded, a worried look crossing her face.


    ¡°Is it a high-level demon?¡±


    Rocky certainly noticed Liliya¡¯s concern and quickly pressed for answers. They couldn¡¯t really be so unlucky as to encounter a high-level demon right away, could they?


    Fortunately, Liliya shook her head after a moment, indicating they weren¡¯t that unlucky.


    But after shaking her head, Liliya followed up saying, ¡°This type of demon is called the Greyrock Demon. Although it¡¯s a low-level demon, it¡¯s very tough to handle.¡±


    ¡°Greyrock Demons have no flesh and blood; they are entirely composed of stone. This thing is extremely strong, and its body is harder than diamond¡ª not even a magic cannon can shatter it, which makes it really tough to deal with.¡±


    Liliya was absolutely right. At that moment, what they had encountered was indeed a Greyrock Demon, whose biggest characteristic was its toughness¡ªso tough that even standing still and taking a direct hit from a magic cannon didn¡¯t bother it!


    However, the value of a Greyrock Demon was also extremely high. Despite lacking flesh, once killed, a Greyrock Demon¡¯s body would disintegrate into Greyrock Stone chunks. Once refined, these chunks could be turned into incredibly sturdy Grayrock Steel, making it one of the most top-notch materials, more valuable than an equivalent amount of gold!


    In just a few words, Liliya explained the situation regarding the Greyrock Demon to Rocky, leaving it unclear whether they were unlucky or fortunate to have encountered such a difficult yet valuable Greyrock Demon.


    ¡°I see¡­ So what do we do now? Do we take action?¡±


    After understanding the basics about the Greyrock Demon, Rocky asked.


    ¡°Wait a moment, let¡¯s see how things unfold first,¡±


    Liliya waved her hand and was not ready to act immediately, instead peering out to observe.


    At this time, the Greyrock Demon once again took a step, but its heavy footsteps were not heading towards Rocky and Liliya. Instead, it was heading towards the Beastman who had previously crashed into the ground with a thud!


    Meanwhile, the Beastman also got up.


    The Beastman stood there bare-chested, his muscles sculpted and well-defined, and he wielded a broadaxe in his hand. He showed no fear in the face of the approaching Greyrock Demon. In fact, he even thumped his chest, full of fighting spirit!


    ¡°Who is this guy?¡±


    Hiding behind a rock, Rocky glanced at the Greyrock Demon and then at the Beastman, utterly confused; he still hadn¡¯t figured out what was going on.


    However, Liliya next to him quickly provided an answer.


    After looking at the Beastman, she turned to Rocky and said, ¡°This Beastman, just like us, is here to hunt demons.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a Demon Hunter!¡±

 Chapter 36 - 36 - 35 Demon Hunter

    Chapter 36 ¨C 35 Demon Hunter


    ¡°This Beastman¡­ is a Demon Hunter?¡±


    Liliya¡¯s words made Rocky gasp sharply and he hurriedly leaned forward to look at the Beastman.


    In his gaze, the bare-chested Beastman was confronting a Grayrock Demon. Although the Grayrock Demon had a gigantic body, the Beastman was also a hulking figure, standing well over two meters tall with muscles that seemed sculpted by axes and cleavers. Just this impressive appearance alone made him no less formidable than the Grayrock Demon.


    What was even more crucial was the strong fighting spirit exhibited by the Beastman. He had clearly been thrown here, but when he got up from the ground, he showed no fear facing the advancing Grayrock Demon.


    Was this the Demon Hunter?


    It had been said before that because demons were of great value, this had given rise to the profession of Demon Hunter, those who hunted demons specifically to sell them and thereby sustain their livelihood.


    Generally speaking, Demon Hunters were extremely wealthy, given the immense value of demons. A Demon Hunter, if he hunted just one demon a year, could earn enough to live comfortably without worries for the entire year.


    ...


    But equally, while this profession was lucrative, it also had a high mortality rate. After all, the targets they hunted were terrifying, leading to a frequent reversal of roles between hunter and hunted, to the extent that the vast majority of Demon Hunters ultimately died during their hunts, turning into the quarry of the demons.


    Yet even so, there were still a great number of people who pursued this profession. After all, demons were valuable, and among the Demon Hunters, there were indeed skilled individuals; some even made a name for themselves and became significant figures that shook the entire sky.


    Rocky had not expected that his first demon hunt would bring him face to face with a Demon Hunter; he couldn¡¯t tell if this was bad luck or good fortune.


    ¡°They¡¯re fighting!¡±


    Just as Rocky was inwardly reflecting, the Beastman and the Grayrock Demon had already started clashing fiercely!


    The first to make a move was not the Grayrock Demon but the Beastman!


    The Beastman let out a furious roar and charged towards the Grayrock Demon, his entire form like a moving mountain. Moments later, he slammed ferociously into the Grayrock Demon¡¯s chest, forcing the massive opponent to stumble back several steps.


    And that was not the end. As the Grayrock Demon staggered back from the powerful impact, the Beastman leaped up, hoisted the Broadaxe in his hands, and chopped down fiercely.


    A sound rang out as the Broadaxe struck squarely on the Grayrock Demon¡¯s head, but it produced a metallic clashing noise, and then¡­ nothing further happened, the Grayrock Demon was unharmed!


    Seeing this scene, Rocky finally understood what Liliya had said earlier; the Grayrock Demon¡¯s body was exceedingly tough, impervious to ordinary weapons.


    After being struck by the axe, the Grayrock Demon was clearly enraged, and a crack then opened on its stone-like head, soon followed by roars emanating from the crack.


    Amid the roars, the Grayrock Demon raised its huge fist, and slammed it down hard at the Beastman!


    ¡°Bring it on!!¡±


    Faced with the descending fist, not only did the Beastman not dodge, but he also let out a shout and then hoisted the Broadaxe with both hands as if he were holding up the fiery sky, attempting to block the strike outright!


    A moment later, a dull thud sounded; the Grayrock Demon¡¯s fist landed heavily, exactly on the Beastman¡¯s Broadaxe.


    And yet¡­ he actually blocked it!


    The Beastman below the fist was gritting his teeth, veins bulging on his arms as he held the Grayrock Demon¡¯s fist at bay with the Broadaxe, successfully withstanding the blow.


    Then, amidst his roaring, the Beastman¡¯s arms burst with force, swiftly knocking aside the fist overhead, and as he leaped up, he landed another axe blow on the Grayrock Demon¡¯s head!


    ¡°My goodness¡­¡±


    Rocky, hiding behind a rock, was completely stunned by the battle unfolding before him. He had never imagined the Beastman could be so formidable, daring to fight a demon one-on-one, and not falling behind in the least!


    This was utterly unbelievable!


    Yet, as shocked as he was, and as much as he admired it, he hadn¡¯t forgotten his main task ¡ª he too was here to hunt demons!


    So, Rocky hesitated, unsure of what to do. The Beastman before him was so formidable; should he just stand by and watch the highly valuable Grayrock Demon be defeated and let this big catch slip away?


    Thinking this, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but glance at Liliya, then noticed that Liliya¡¯s brows were also tightly knit.


    ¡°Liliya, can this Beastman win?¡±


    ¡°Hard to say¡­¡±


    Liliya shook her head, her expression serious, ¡°This Beastman is very powerful, I estimate he¡¯s at least a fifth-level warrior, maybe even sixth, and he has a lot of experience. Did you notice? Each of his attacks specifically targets the Grayrock Demon¡¯s head because that¡¯s the only weak spot, where the Demon Core is located.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s not going to be easy for this Beastman to defeat the Grayrock Demon.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already on par with the Grayrock Demon, how is it not easy?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough, we¡¯re not at the critical moment yet.¡±


    Without further explanation, Liliya continued to watch the battlefield.


    At this moment, the Beastman was fiercely tangled in a death battle with the Grayrock Demon, and he was indeed formidable. Facing a Grayrock Demon that was significantly larger than himself, he did not fall behind at all; in fact, due to his relatively greater agility, he even managed to gain the upper hand at times!


    This result made Rocky extremely anxious, because, at this rate, the Grayrock Demon might really end up in the Beastman¡¯s bag!


    But just as he was about to lose control, an unexpected situation suddenly arose!


    The Beastman struck the Grayrock Demon¡¯s head with his Broadaxe once again, a move he had repeated countless times without effect. But this time, when the Broadaxe fell, something different happened¡ª there was a cracking sound, and a crack finally appeared in the rock-like head of the Grayrock Demon!


    According to Liliya, the head was the only weak point of the Grayrock Demon, so although the Beastman hadn¡¯t completely shattered its head, this strike gave him hope that a few more blows might finish the Grayrock Demon off.


    But at that moment, the heavily damaged Grayrock Demon let out a deafening roar and went completely berserk, launching an aggressive attack on the Beastman.


    In an instant, their positions of advantage were completely reversed; the Beastman, who had been slightly on top, was immediately outmatched after the Grayrock Demon went mad and soon fell into a significant disadvantage.


    Facing the fists of the Grayrock Demon, the Beastman no longer dared to resist head-on and could only dodge awkwardly. At first, he managed to barely evade the attacks, but as time wore on, his greater disadvantage became evident¡ªhis stamina was failing!


    Considering the duration, they had been fighting for quite some time. The prolonged battle caused the Beastman¡¯s stamina to steadily decline. In contrast, the Grayrock Demon remained as strong as ever. So, when the Grayrock Demon began its frenzied assault, and the intensity of the fight escalated, the Beastman gradually couldn¡¯t keep up.


    After dodging several attacks consecutively, the Beastman was ultimately, and carelessly, struck by a punch and knocked down to the ground!


    With one punch, the Beastman was flattened to the ground, and the Grayrock Demon then lifted its foot and, roaring furiously, slammed it down, attempting to crush the Beastman with one stomp.


    In that instant, the Beastman felt the threat of death and hurriedly rolled to the side before he could get up.


    Immediately after, there was a loud boom¡ªthe Grayrock Demon¡¯s foot slammed down, and the ground erupted in a cloud of smoke¡­


    ¡°Aaaaah!!!¡±


    From within the enveloping smoke came a sudden scream. Hidden behind a rock, Rocky and Liliya quickly looked over, but it was not until the smoke cleared that they saw that one of the Beastman¡¯s arms was pinned under the foot of the Grayrock Demon!


    Amid the screams, the Beastman struggled fiercely to pull his arm free, but to no avail. The Grayrock Demon¡¯s body was even more massive than his and made entirely of stone, making it unimaginably heavy.


    While the Beastman struggled to escape, the Grayrock Demon, instead of lifting its foot, raised its fist high and aimed directly down at the Beastman!


    Boom!


    A loud crash sounded as the Grayrock Demon¡¯s fist smashed into the ground, and at the same time, the Beastman¡¯s screams abruptly stopped¡­


    Had he been, had he been smashed to death?


    No longer hearing the Beastman¡¯s screams, Rocky, hidden behind a rock, felt a chill run down his spine. Could it be that the Beastman had just been smashed to death?


    But no!


    Just as he thought the Beastman had been killed, he suddenly saw a disheveled figure appear not far away¡ªit was the Beastman!


    He was alive! And he had escaped?


    Seeing the Beastman reappear, Rocky was shocked. However, as he looked closely at the Beastman, he was stunned.


    The Broadaxe in the Beastman¡¯s hand was dripping with blood, and his other arm was severed cleanly!


    In a desperate bid to save his life, the Beastman had amputated his own arm that was pinned down, thus narrowly escaping death.


    That was ruthless¡­ S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking at the still-bleeding stump, Rocky felt his face must have turned pale, realizing just how dangerous it was to deal with Demons¡ªthat life and death could hinge on an instant.


    ¡°Oh no!¡±


    As Rocky was somewhat dazed, Liliya suddenly shouted, snapping him out of his stupor.


    Oh no!


    Recovering his senses, Rocky silently cursed as the Beastman who had just narrowly escaped death was charging in their direction, where he and Liliya were hiding!


    This wasn¡¯t to say that the Beastman had spotted them, but rather, having lost an arm, he knew he couldn¡¯t win and so decided to flee. Coincidentally, the direction of his escape was precisely where Rocky and Liliya were hiding.


    As he attempted to flee, the berserk Grayrock Demon showed no signs of stopping. The frenzied demon not only caught up with the Beastman but also raised its fist and smashed down, forcing the Beastman to use every last bit of his strength to barely dodge.


    Although he dodged, the Grayrock Demon¡¯s fist smashed directly onto a large rock¡ªthe very rock behind which Rocky and Liliya were hiding!


    As the rock shattered, the two of them sprang out, appearing before the Beastman and the Grayrock Demon¡­


    In an instant, the whole forest fell silent, as neither the Beastman nor the Grayrock Demon expected others to be present.


    Similarly, Rocky and Liliya were caught off guard, never having imagined they would expose themselves like this.


    But as the Beastman, Grayrock Demon, and Rocky all froze, Liliya was the first to react, and she shouted at Rocky,


    ¡°Take action!!¡±

 Chapter 37 - 37 - 36: Take Action!

    Chapter 37 ¨C 36: Take Action!


    ¡°`


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    While everyone else was stunned, Liliya reacted the fastest, she shouted at Rocky and then, with shield in hand and longsword gripped tight, she charged directly at the Grayrock Demon!


    Rocky and the Beastmen quickly caught up, with the Beastmen¡¯s reaction slightly faster. He didn¡¯t get entangled in who Rocky and Liliya were, instead taking the opportunity to dash into the forest, directly running away.


    As for Rocky, he took to the air and then dove down at the Grayrock Demon from midair!


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold it off, you look for a chance to attack its head!¡±


    Holding up her shield as she approached the Grayrock Demon, Liliya shouted while swinging her longsword heavily toward the Grayrock Demon¡¯s lower leg.


    ...


    The Grayrock Demon stood over three meters tall, and even the similarly large Beastmen only came up to its chest when facing it, so Liliya, who was even shorter than the Beastmen, had no way to compare with such a massive creature. In front of this gigantic monster, Liliya was like a tiny speck.


    But don¡¯t underestimate this small figure, because Liliya was now fully equipped with rune-enhanced gear personally strengthened by Winsail. With the power of this rune equipment, her strength had skyrocketed, already nearing the level of a fifth-level warrior.


    So when Liliya¡¯s sword struck the Grayrock Demon, a crack followed by scattering of stone shards showed she had actually injured the Grayrock Demon!


    This was simply incredible!


    The rock-solid Grayrock Demon, so easily hurt!?


    If the Beastman from before had seen this scene, he would have dropped his jaw in shock, for he had fought desperately for a long time, striking the same spot countless times, only to barely make a crack on the Grayrock Demon¡¯s head. Yet Liliya¡¯s single strike knocked off several chunks of stone from the body of the Grayrock Demon, the difference was simply too great.


    Of course, this did not mean Liliya was stronger than the Beastmen, in actuality, the real difference in absolute strength was still in the Beastmen¡¯s favor. The real gap was in the equipment¡ªthe Beastmen¡¯s broadaxe couldn¡¯t compare with Liliya¡¯s full set of rune equipment.


    Especially the longsword in Liliya¡¯s hand, which Rocky had found in the research institute. Winsail had inscribed several hundred first-level runes on this longsword, the contained mana even surpassing that of the Side Sword of the Void Magic Armor.


    As the saying goes, a fine horse deserves a good saddle; the reason Liliya could injure the Grayrock Demon with one strike was because her weapon was good enough.


    At this moment, the Grayrock Demon, having been struck, was clearly in pain and immediately swung its fist down at Liliya.


    ¡°Opportunity!¡±


    Seeing the Grayrock Demon focus on Liliya, Rocky immediately seized this opportunity, quickly flying over the Grayrock Demon¡¯s head from midair and slashing viciously at its head!


    With a clang, Rocky¡¯s longsword landed heavily on the Grayrock Demon¡¯s head, followed by a cracking sound that made the fissure cut by the Beastmen even larger!


    Rocky was wearing the Void Magic Armor, and the longsword in his hand was naturally embedded with magic stones and inscribed with many runes, so its power was immense.


    Moreover, the Grayrock Demon¡¯s head had already been attacked countless times by the Beastmen and had shown weaknesses, so Rocky¡¯s sword strike immediately had an effect.


    At this moment, the Grayrock Demon clearly had suffered a heavy blow, its huge form even swaying and nearly losing its balance.


    But similarly, the heavily injured Grayrock Demon became even more furious after regaining its footing!


    You could see it roaring in anger as it raised both arms and then tried to crush Rocky on its head with a powerful blow.


    In such a situation, even Rocky, who wanted to follow up with a second strike, couldn¡¯t react in time and hurriedly flew higher instead. Just as he flew out of the reach of the Grayrock Demon¡¯s attack, a muffled thud sounded as the demon¡¯s raised arms slapped together with such force that it even cracked its palms!


    Seeing this, Rocky broke out in a cold sweat and felt thankful he hadn¡¯t been rash in seeking quick success, for if such a heavy blow had hit him, he would have been heavily injured, if not dead.


    Seeing Rocky escape its attack range, the Grayrock Demon on the ground roared at him non-stop, madly waving its arms to hit him out of the air, but to no avail.


    However, suddenly during its wild arm swinging, the Grayrock Demon tilted and its huge body fell down without warning.


    It turned out that while Rocky had drawn the Grayrock Demon¡¯s attention, Liliya took the opportunity to circle behind it and, seizing the moment, slashed at the Grayrock Demon¡¯s knee with all her strength. Adding the inherent power of her longsword, she managed to make the Grayrock Demon lose its balance and half-kneel to the ground.


    At the same time, Rocky in the air dove down again, striking the Grayrock Demon¡¯s head once more.


    In this way, Rocky and Liliya, one in the air and the other on the ground, began to engage with the Grayrock Demon.


    Although Rocky and Liliya had less absolute strength compared to the Beastmen, one was wearing rune-enhanced Void Magic Armor and the other rune equipment. With their tacit cooperation, their combined strength resulted in a qualitative change, leaving the enraged Grayrock Demon no chance against them.


    Facing the agile Liliya and the freely flying Rocky, the Grayrock Demon was played like a puppet, each time it targeted one of them, the other would launch a stealth attack, and with both of their weapons so powerful, the duet gradually left the Grayrock Demon battered and bruised.


    What¡¯s more important, during these repeated attacks, the Grayrock Demon¡¯s head became the main target, enduring countless hits!


    ¡°Die!¡±


    ¡°`


    When the Grayrock Demon was once again lured by Liliya, Rocky charged above its head and brought down another sword strike, directly severing half of its brain, even exposing the Demon Core within!


    Finally, they saw results!


    Seeing his strike sever half of the demon¡¯s brain and expose the Demon Core, Rocky was overjoyed¡ªit meant they were about to succeed. If the next strike could hit the Demon Core, it would be enough to completely annihilate the monster before them!


    But just as Rocky basked in his triumph, the Grayrock Demon went completely berserk. The threat of death made the monster let out an ear-shattering roar, and it suddenly changed direction, charging into the forest.


    This was¡­


    Trying to flee?


    The actions of the Grayrock Demon left both Rocky and Liliya stunned; they never expected the monster to know how to flee?


    However, they quickly realized their mistake, for demons do not flee, and that was what made them most terrifying.


    The crazed Grayrock Demon wasn¡¯t running away but instead made it to a large tree. It hugged the tree trunk, yanking the great tree from its roots, then swung it like a broom toward Liliya!


    ¡°Ah!!¡±


    Faced with the sweeping tree, Liliya had nowhere to escape despite her agility. All she could do was shield herself with a shield before the tree trunk struck her fiercely, sending her flying¡­


    ¡°Liliya!¡±


    Seeing Liliya sent flying, Rocky, who was in mid-air, panicked. But he was the next to suffer, as the Grayrock Demon, after sweeping Liliya away, raised the tree and took aim at him!


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Rocky, who initially was about to dive down to rescue Liliya, had to halt his descent and, with a nimble sidestep, circled in the air, narrowly avoiding the attack.


    ¡°Use magic!¡±


    Just then, Liliya¡¯s voice called out from below. Although she had been struck head-on, the protection of her rune equipment and the timely use of her shield meant her injuries weren¡¯t severe; she even had the strength to remind Rocky. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rocky immediately took her advice and began to fly around the Grayrock Demon, with his palm opened he shot out a series of Magic Bullets!


    The sounds of ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡± followed, as a barrage of Magic Bullets rained down from the sky.


    However, due to the high-speed flight, the hit rate of the Magic Bullets wasn¡¯t high; only a small portion hit the Grayrock Demon, with the vast majority missing. Even the hits did not do much damage, for Rocky, empowered by the Void Magic Armor, only reached the level of a Third Level Mage. His Magic Bullets were too weak to harm the Grayrock Demon.


    Yet the unstruck Magic Bullets had a noticeable effect, as they kicked up dust upon impacting the ground, quickly enveloping the battlefield in smoke, with the Grayrock Demon, Rocky, and Liliya all lost within it.


    This was Rocky¡¯s true intention!


    Amid the billows of smoke, the large frame of the Grayrock Demon remained clearly visible, but it was different for Rocky and Liliya. After being engulfed by the smoke, they completely vanished, leaving the Grayrock Demon unable to find them.


    For a moment, the battlefield fell silent, save for the Grayrock Demon¡¯s roars and heavy footsteps. No matter how much it bellowed, Rocky and Liliya did not appear¡ªthey seemed to have vanished.


    ¡°Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar!¡±


    Unable to find the pair, the Grayrock Demon¡¯s roars grew louder, and it swung the tree in its hands blindly, making several rounds in the surrounding area.


    As the tree continued to sweep, the smoke gradually cleared, revealing everything that had been covered¡­


    ¡°Die!¡±


    But just as the smoke started to clear, Liliya, who had been out of sight for a while, suddenly fell from above the Grayrock Demon, her Rune Longsword aiming straight for its head!


    With a clang, Liliya struck!


    Her sword harshly hit the Grayrock Demon¡¯s¡­ arm!


    In a critical moment, the Grayrock Demon dropped the tree and raised its arm to protect its head, successfully fending off the lethal blow¡­


    However, at the very moment Liliya¡¯s strike was blocked, the Grayrock Demon¡¯s head was penetrated!


    A Rune Longsword entered through the back of the Grayrock Demon¡¯s skull, piercing the Demon Core within, then emerged through the mouth, which resembled a gap!


    Dressed in Void Magic Armor, Rocky floated behind the Grayrock Demon and struck it down!

 Chapter 38 - 38 - 37 Meeting Again

    Chapter 38 ¨C 37 Meeting Again


    Rocky thrust his sword through the Demon Core of the Grayrock Demon from behind, completely killing the fearsome creature¡­!


    A thunderous boom echoed as the Demon Core was pierced, and the Grayrock Demon¡¯s colossal body collapsed with a crash, breaking into variably sized rocks, which turned into the Greyrock Stones that Liliya had mentioned before.


    The hunt¡ªsuccessful!


    As they witnessed the Grayrock Demon crumble into rubble, Rocky and Liliya exchanged a glance and smiles spread across their faces simultaneously.


    They had won!


    They had truly slain the Grayrock Demon!


    The tough and perilous battle had exhausted them both, so as soon as the Grayrock Demon hit the ground, they were immediately overwhelmed by an immense fatigue and couldn¡¯t help but sit down on the ground to catch their breath.


    ...


    To be honest, even though Rocky had made ample preparations beforehand and had even undertaken an intensive week of training with Liliya, the real encounter with the Demon, especially the combat, made him understand the kind of pressure one had to bear in the face of a Demon.


    Therefore, even though the Grayrock Demon had become nothing more than real stones, the memory of the recent fight still left Rocky with lingering palpitations.


    ¡°That was really close, just now¡­¡±


    Leaning against what had become a boulder¡ªthe Grayrock Demon¡ªRocky couldn¡¯t help but express his amazement.


    Although he and Liliya weren¡¯t gravely injured, it didn¡¯t mean the battle hadn¡¯t been dangerous. In fact, had they not been together, had their equipment not been sufficiently good, or had the Beastmen not fought a vanguard role prior, they might not have won at all.


    ¡°You did well,¡±


    said Liliya, seated next to Rocky, as she glanced at him and revealed a knowing smile.


    Rocky¡¯s performance had far exceeded her expectations. It was, frankly, unexpectedly good.


    Because Liliya knew Rocky best, she knew he hadn¡¯t really fought before; at most, he had engaged in some inconsequential training with her. But no matter how much training one does, it could never compare to real combat.


    Therefore, before this point, including during the battle, Liliya had been worried that Rocky wouldn¡¯t be able to endure¡ªnot physically, but mentally. Intense and dangerous battles can easily crush the unstable at heart, yet Rocky had managed, and he had done quite well.


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    Hearing Liliya¡¯s praise, Rocky laughed heartily, naturally feeling especially pleased.


    As they joked and laughed, they alleviated the fatigue from the fight, but they soon got busy with a pressing task.


    Though they had slain the Grayrock Demon, one mustn¡¯t forget they were still in the midst of the forest, still on land.


    In this day and age, land was undoubtedly the most dangerous place in the world, so after achieving their objective, they didn¡¯t dare to relax and immediately set about collecting the body of the Grayrock Demon, which was the Greyrock Stones scattered about.


    These Greyrock Stones were their spoils of war, and extremely valuable at that. These seemingly ordinary stones would instantly sell out once put on the market, bringing a steady flow of wealth to Rocky and Thunderhawk City!


    Under these circumstances, Rocky took out the bags he had prepared beforehand and, together with Liliya, gathered up all the Greyrock Stones, not leaving a single scrap behind.


    Rocky had done something similar at the research institute before, so he was quite experienced.


    ¡°Liliya, how much do you think these Greyrock Stones will sell for?¡±


    asked Rocky as he collected the stones from the ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s hard to say. We¡¯ll know when we ask Aileen back home, but as far as I know, Grayrock Steel is one of the best steel materials and it sells by the gram on the market, so we¡¯re definitely going to make a good amount of money this time,¡±


    replied Liliya.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, hehe!¡±


    Rocky felt much relieved by Liliya¡¯s words. After all, he had risked his life hunting Demons to earn money.


    But just as he was gleefully stuffing the Greyrock Stones into the large sacks, Liliya suddenly stopped and stood up, clutching her Longsword.


    ¡°Liliya, what¡¯s¡­¡±


    After glancing at Liliya, Rocky found her staring intently behind him and quickly turned around, only to see a person standing in the forest behind him! sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This person had only one arm¡­ it was the Beastman from before!


    This guy hasn¡¯t run away yet?!


    Surprised to see the Beastman again, Rocky immediately gripped his side sword.


    Was this fellow planning to swoop in like a mantis stalking a cicada, with the oriole following, to steal the spoils of battle?


    It was no wonder Rocky thought this, for strictly speaking, the Grayrock Demon was actually the Beastman¡¯s prey. Not only had the Beastman discovered it first, but he had also fought with it for a long time, and during this fight, the Beastman had even cracked the Grayrock Demon¡¯s skull. The relatively easy victory Liliya and Rocky had over the Grayrock Demon owed much to the Beastman¡¯s efforts.


    Because of this, it was not impossible for the Beastman to want a share of the spoils or even to attempt to snatch them by force.


    And when both Rocky and Liliya had turned their attention to the Beastman, who, despite having lost an arm, still held a broadaxe in his other hand, he also took a step forward, walking toward them.


    ¡°Stop, don¡¯t come any closer.¡±


    When the Beastman came within a dozen meters of Rocky, Liliya stepped forward to shield Rocky behind her, her long sword pointed directly at the Beastman, ordering him not to come any closer.


    Liliya knew all too well how strong the Beastman was; even with a severed arm, he was by no means an easy opponent, so she couldn¡¯t allow him to get too close.


    However, to the surprise of both Rocky and Liliya, the Beastman actually stopped in his tracks. Not only that, he then raised his broadaxe and slowly loosened his grip, letting the broadaxe fall to the ground.


    In the culture of the Beastmen, laying down one¡¯s weapon in front of an opponent was equivalent to surrendering!


    ¡°You two, I mean no harm.¡±


    After setting down his broadaxe, the Beastman spoke up.


    His voice was somewhat muffled yet very loud, giving the impression of distant thunder.


    ¡°If you have something to say, you can say it from there.¡±


    Liliya, though the Beastman had laid down his weapon, didn¡¯t relax her guard one bit. She still gripped her long sword tightly, not allowing the Beastman to come any nearer.


    The Beastman seemed a little helpless at her intense caution and began to regard Rocky with even greater importance since he could clearly sense that Liliya was protecting him. Not to mention, Rocky¡¯s Void Magic Armor made it obvious that he was no ordinary individual.


    Thus, standing still, the Beastman inquired, ¡°My lord, you are not Demon Hunters, are you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Realizing the Beastman was addressing him, Rocky nodded.


    ¡°My lord, are you from Sky City?¡±


    Once the Beastman was certain that he and Rocky were not of the same profession, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and followed up with his question.


    ¡°Yes, what do you want with that?¡±


    ¡°My lord, I hope you could take me to Sky City, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Need treatment.¡±


    It was only when the Beastman spoke these words that Rocky remembered the other was severely injured!


    Despite appearing still majestic, the Beastman¡¯s left arm was completely gone, the stump tied roughly with hemp rope to stem the bleeding, and the injury was evidently very severe.


    This was indeed the real reason why the Beastman had returned. Although he had initially fled taking advantage of the fight between Rocky, Liliya, and the Demon, such a serious injury was beyond him to handle, so after a simple dressing, he was compelled to come back, resulting in the scene before them.


    And upon hearing his words, before Rocky could even respond, Liliya suddenly turned around and whispered in his ear, ¡°Take him back with us and try to keep him in the city!¡±

 Chapter 39 - 39 - 38 The Unexpected Guest

    Chapter 39 ¨C 38 The Unexpected Guest


    Upon learning that the Beastmen actually wanted them to take him back to Sky City for treatment of his injuries, Liliya reacted swiftly and immediately whispered to Rocky, ¡°Take him back and try to keep him.¡±


    The words took Rocky by surprise. Although he was astonished by Liliya¡¯s change of attitude, he quickly understood her intention¡ªwas she planning to have him subjugate the Beastman before them?!


    Once he grasped Liliya¡¯s intent, Rocky immediately felt it was feasible!


    Despite the Beastman having lost an arm, which made him appear gravely injured, his inherent strength was unmistakable. Even with one arm missing, his power was not to be underestimated. Unfortunately, in his current state, it was impossible for him to continue as a Demon Hunter. Slaying demons single-handedly, the Beastman had not reached such a monstrous level of strength.


    But this presented Rocky with an opportunity. If he could retain the Beastman who could no longer hunt demons under his command, it would surely be a significant asset. Whether it was the Beastman¡¯s strength or his experience and insight, it would all be of immense help to Rocky!


    Thinking this, he gave Liliya a slight nod to show that he understood her message, then turned to the Beastman and said,


    ¡°I can take you to Sky City.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Thank you so much!¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s nod of agreement, the Beastman appeared very excited, and the nerves he had been straining relaxed, causing his massive body to sway uncontrollably thereafter.


    His injuries were actually much more severe than they appeared. The reason he had maintained his imposing demeanor was largely due to sheer tenacity; now that he had relaxed, he was clearly struggling to keep up.


    This guy, he¡¯s quite clever¡­


    Noticing the Beastman¡¯s complexion worsen, Rocky naturally understood that his just prior appearance was feigned. This didn¡¯t surprise him. After all, neither party knew the other, and it wasn¡¯t wrong for the Beastman to maintain a strong front, at least to appear capable of fighting, otherwise no one could ensure that he wouldn¡¯t become another hunting target.


    This kind of thing was not uncommon on land.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    And so, Rocky, Liliya, and the Beastman left the forest together, beginning their journey towards the edge of the woodland.


    As they walked, Rocky asked.


    ¡°Monte.¡±


    The Beastman glanced at Rocky, looking past Liliya who was between them, and in a deep, resonant voice, he stated his name.


    Although the three of them were walking together towards the outskirts of the forest at this time, they still maintained a considerable distance from one another. Liliya and Rocky walked side by side, deliberately keeping the Beastman apart from Rocky, clearly still on guard.


    Liliya didn¡¯t see a problem with this caution. Although she was keen on having Rocky subdue the Beastman, until they fully understood his background and character, it was prudent to remain guarded; otherwise, it might be too late if anything went wrong.


    The Beastman also noticed Liliya¡¯s thoughts and consciously maintained a fair distance from Rocky. It was fortunate his voice was naturally loud, otherwise they might have struggled to hear each other while talking.


    ¡°My name is Rocky, and this is my guard, Liliya. We are from Thunderhawk City.¡±


    After Monte introduced himself, Rocky also briefly introduced themselves, and with that, they were acquainted.


    ¡°How do you plan on returning to Sky City? You can use my Skyship if you want.¡±


    Continuing towards the edge of the forest, Monte asked.


    ¡°No need, someone will come to pick us up.¡±


    ¡°You have a Skyship?¡±


    Liliya declined Monte¡¯s offer, but Rocky¡¯s face showed surprise and curiosity. He knew that Monte was a Demon Hunter, but he was unaware that the other man also possessed a Skyship. Skyships were not cheap; most people simply could not afford one.


    They say Demon Hunters are wealthy, and it seems to be true.


    ¡°Just a small, worn vessel barely good enough to get by, not worth much.¡±


    As for Rocky¡¯s surprise and curiosity, Monte wasn¡¯t taken aback.


    As a Demon Hunter, Monte had traveled far and wide, and he could immediately tell that Rocky, although of no ordinary status, was ignorant about many things, such as his current reaction, which showed that he didn¡¯t have much understanding of Demon Hunters.


    For a true Demon Hunter like Monte, owning a Skyship was not out of the ordinary; in fact, his home was on the Skyship.


    Because of their constant hunting of demons, Demon Hunters spent more time on land than in Sky City. Furthermore, since Sky City could fly, it could move to different locations after a certain period. Therefore, for Demon Hunters, a profession that required extended periods on land, it was common to be without a fixed abode and to set up their homes directly on their own Skyships.


    Monte was such a Demon Hunter who not only had his own skyship but also lived on it with his daughter.


    Thinking of his daughter waiting for his return, Monte sighed silently to himself. He had never anticipated falling prey to a Grayrock Demon. Although his life was spared, one of his hands had been crippled, which made it impossible for him to continue hunting demons.


    It seemed he needed to start making plans early, Monte couldn¡¯t help but think.


    Without realizing it, the three of them had walked out of the forest and at the same time, a hint of dawn had risen at the edge of the sky, day had broken.


    Upon exiting the forest, whether it was Liliya, Rocky, or Monte, all three sighed in relief at the same time. Then Liliya took out a signal disc and sent a signal to Thunderhawk City.


    Monte was startled when he saw the signal disc in Liliya¡¯s hands. He recognized the object, and he knew that such a signal disc was not something ordinary people could use. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same time, he also took out a signal flare, lit it, and held it up to the sky. This was the way ordinary people sent signals. Liliya¡¯s method of contacting Sky City directly with a signal disc was a practice reserved for the nobility.


    Of course, there were more advanced methods, such as using Mana to directly transmit sound or images, which were certainly not something the average person could afford.


    Shortly after the signals were sent, a skyship slowly approached from a distance and began to land after it neared Rocky and his group.


    This skyship was naturally not from Thunderhawk City, as it was clearly a small civilian skyship, even smaller than the scout ships of Thunderhawk City. It looked somewhat dated, and a young Female Beastman stood on the prow of the ship.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading back first. I¡¯ll go to Sky City with your skyship later,¡±


    After greeting Rocky, Monte walked towards his own skyship. Although his figure was still towering, it couldn¡¯t help but look somewhat lonely.


    Watching his figure recede into the distance, Rocky and Liliya almost simultaneously let out sighs.


    Although Monte hadn¡¯t said much along the way, they could hear a hint of helplessness and worry in his few words, especially when they saw the young Female Beastman standing on the skyship, they understood Monte¡¯s feelings even better.


    ¡°Is that his daughter?¡±


    ¡°It looks to be about the right age,¡± Liliya nodded and said helplessly, ¡°That¡¯s the life of a Demon Hunter. These people deal with demons on a regular basis and few end well. Monte is already lucky to have survived.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Rocky didn¡¯t know what to say in response to Liliya¡¯s words, as this was probably the fate of a Demon Hunter. These individuals danced on the edge of the knife every day and eventually died by that same blade.


    ¡°When will our skyship arrive?¡±


    For some reason, Rocky suddenly felt the wait was too long. He was eager to return to Thunderhawk City. Perhaps he longed for the City Lord¡¯s seat, or maybe he just wanted Monte to receive treatment as soon as possible. He wasn¡¯t sure himself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Aileen has received the signal. We should arrive in another hour or two,¡±


    Liliya glanced at the signal disc in her hand, which had received a signal from Aileen. This indicated that Aileen inside Sky City had sent a skyship.


    Hearing this, Rocky nodded, knowing that it was no use being anxious about such matters and began the long wait with Liliya.


    In principle, waiting for two hours wasn¡¯t a very long time, but because they were carrying a lot of Greyrock Stones, and with Monte¡¯s presence, both Rocky and Liliya wanted to return to Thunderhawk City quickly to feel at ease.


    However, before their skyship arrived, they encountered an unwelcome surprise!


    The surprise visitors were not Demons, but other humans!


    Just as the two hours were almost up, a group of people suddenly flew in from the sky!


    A Void Magic Squad had suddenly appeared!


    The so-called Void Magic Squad was a troop composed of Void Magic Armor soldiers, the most elite troops across the skies.


    The squad that appeared in Rocky and Liliya¡¯s view was about ten strong, each member clad in the latest model of Void Magic Armor.


    ¡°How did we run into a Void Magic Squad?¡±


    Seeing the Void Magic Squad flying overhead, Rocky and Liliya were both stunned, having not expected to encounter such a high-end team.


    And as they spotted the group, the Void Magic Squad in mid-air also noticed them, with the leader even halting in place!


    This is bad!


    Seeing the others notice them and halt, both Rocky and Liliya were struck with panic, worrying they might not be able to return this time¡­!

 Chapter 40 - 40 - 39 Mana Energy Value

    Chapter 40 ¨C 39 Mana Energy Value


    When Rocky and Liliya noticed the Void Magic Squad in mid-air had spotted them, they both inwardly cursed, ¡°Damn it!¡±


    After all, this is the land!


    In the current world, there exists an unwritten rule that everyone abides by, which stipulates that everything that happens on land is the work of demons.


    Killed on land? Definitely the work of demons.


    Robbed on land? Also definitely the work of demons.


    In short, no matter what happens on land, the culprits are always demons, as this has become a common understanding among the people, because the law can only govern the skies and has long ceased to govern the land.


    And it¡¯s precisely because of this that dangers are omnipresent on land; these dangers do indeed come from demons, but sometimes they do not.


    ...


    So when Rocky and Liliya saw the Void Magic Squad appear and realized they had been noticed, they both had a moment of dread, not because they feared the squad was after the Greyrock Stone, but because they feared the squad would discover their secrets!


    Rocky¡¯s current attire, the Void Magic Armor, had been enhanced with runes, while Liliya was dressed in full rune equipment. If the squad were to detect anything off about them, they were as good as dead.


    In an instant, their hearts leaped into their throats!


    But thankfully, after a brief pause, the Void Magic Squad in mid-air resumed their flight and soon headed towards the horizon, disappearing from view.


    Only when the squad had completely vanished from sight did Rocky and Liliya finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    They hadn¡¯t been discovered.


    That was indeed too lucky.


    After exchanging glances, Rocky and Liliya saw in each other¡¯s faces the look of having survived a great peril, because at that very moment, their tension had even surpassed that of facing demons.


    In the face of demons, they might have had a chance to flee, but facing that Void Magic Squad moments before, there would have been no opportunity to escape had a fight ensued.


    The sudden unexpected encounter came quickly and left just as swiftly. And not long after the Void Magic Squad disappeared, the Skyship of Thunderhawk City arrived. Ten Skyships slowly emerged above Rocky¡¯s head and gradually descended.


    ¡°It¡¯s finally over¡­¡±


    Seeing the Skyships from Thunderhawk City, Rocky finally let out a breath of relief, his mind at ease, but immediately felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him.


    His mission this time, though not lengthy¡ªmerely a day and a night¡ªhad been filled with too many incidents. Not only did he encounter demons, but he also met Demon Hunters, and even a Void Magic Squad right when he was about to return home. The constant surprises had nearly overwhelmed him.


    Despite the numerous unplanned events, he ultimately achieved his goal and successfully returned to Thunderhawk City, which was a joyous outcome for everyone.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°Jialuo, what model of Void Magic Armor was that person wearing?¡±


    While Rocky successfully boarded the Skyship and began his return to Thunderhawk City, the Void Magic Squad he had encountered continued to ascend to high altitudes, seemingly on their way back as well.


    During the ascent, the leader of the squad suddenly asked.


    This person was clad in a suit of sharp-edged, silvery-white armor, obviously not the regular kind of Void Magic Armor, and although his face was obscured by the armor, his voice sounded very young, indicating he was likely not very old.


    The person he referred to was naturally Rocky, and it was indeed Rocky¡¯s Void Magic Armor that he was asking about!


    ¡°Young Master, that¡¯s the Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor, from the first generation of Void Magic Armor, which has long been phased out. It¡¯s normal that you haven¡¯t seen it before,¡± another person flew up beside him and promptly gave an accurate answer.


    The Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor, the Void Magic Armor that Rocky was wearing, to tell the truth, even he himself had no idea about it, but it was seen through at a glance by a man named Jialuo.


    Upon hearing this answer, the young master first fell silent for a while, and then said, ¡°It seems I have not misrecognized it, that indeed is the Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor, but something seems off to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Young Master, is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Jialuo, do you remember what the magic energy value of the Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor is?¡±


    Glancing at the person flying beside him, the young master asked again.


    ¡°If I remember correctly, the official data states it at 300 magic energy value.¡±


    The magic energy value the two were discussing is an important indicator for measuring the combat strength of Void Magic Armor.


    As is well known, the power source of Void Magic Armor is mana, therefore its strength is directly linked to mana, making the magic energy value the best indicator of the merits of a particular Void Magic Armor. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And the magic energy value of the Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor just happened to be 300.


    ¡°Only 300 for the magic energy value¡­¡±


    Upon hearing Jialuo¡¯s words, the young master clad in silver-white armor furrowed his brows and then said with confusion, ¡°But I¡¯ve just noticed that the Void Magic Armor the man is wearing far exceeds this number in terms of magic energy value!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Jialuo was also startled: ¡°Young Master, what value did you see?¡±


    ¡°500.¡±


    ¡°500? Young Master, that¡¯s simply impossible.¡±


    Laughing with a ¡¯haha,¡¯ Jialuo, who was flying beside the young master, said, ¡°Young Master, the magic energy detector must be faulty. The model of the Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor is too old, the latest magic energy detectors may experience detection issues.¡±


    ¡°Why would you say that?¡±


    Seeing that Jialuo totally disbelieved him, the young master was somewhat puzzled.


    ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, but the Blood-patterned Second Generation Armor simply cannot reach a magic energy value of 500.¡± Jialuo then started explaining to the young master: ¡°The Blood-patterned Armor was the first generation of Void Magic Armor.


    Back then, armor had just been invented not long ago, and the technology in all aspects was immature, so the first generation of Void Magic Armor not only had generally low magic energy values but also provided very limited enhancement to the wearer.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s more important is that the Blood-patterned Armor itself had design flaws, so this series of armor was completely phased out by the fourth generation, but even the Blood-patterned Fourth Generation Armor did not exceed a magic energy value of 600, so that man, even if he modified his armor, couldn¡¯t have possibly brought a second-generation armor up to the level of the fourth generation; that is simply impossible.¡±


    ¡°What you¡¯re saying¡­ does make some sense, maybe the magic energy detector really is faulty.¡±


    Jialuo¡¯s words made the young master nod his head, and then he stopped thinking about Rocky¡¯s matter.


    Not leaving after this, Jialuo instead continued to ask, ¡°Young Master, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°The new model of armor.¡±


    While speaking, Jialuo pointed to a few people behind them, or more accurately at the Void Magic Armor they were wearing: ¡°This batch of new model armor, how do you feel it performs in actual combat, Young Master?¡±


    ¡°Average.¡± After a glance at the few people behind him, the young master casually remarked, ¡°They claim the magic energy value reaches 5700, but in actual combat, they can¡¯t even put out a magic energy value of 4500. If I hadn¡¯t been there this time, they would have all died at the hands of high-level demons.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Seemingly not expecting the young master to rate the new armor so poorly, Jialuo felt a bit embarrassed and only spoke after quite a while: ¡°Young Master, these are general-purpose armors, they cannot be compared with your special armor.¡±


    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t hold up in actual combat, then talking about it is pointless. I will not recommend to the king to purchase this batch of armor.¡±

 Chapter 41 - 41 - 40 Flattery

    Chapter 41 ¨C 40 Flattery


    ¡°City Lord!¡±


    When Rocky arrived back at the Skyport in Thunderhawk City aboard the skyship, Aileen and a group of guards, including Voss himself, were already waiting for him. It was only after they saw him emerge unscathed from the cabin that everyone breathed a sigh of relief, especially Aileen.


    Regarding Rocky¡¯s mission this time, Aileen had not been optimistic. Although she admitted Rocky¡¯s ideas were right, she did not believe he could succeed. In her opinion, Rocky¡¯s safe return was already the best outcome.


    But precisely because her expectations were not high, Aileen was completely stunned when she saw four bags full of Greyrock Stones being carried off the ship!


    ¡°My Lord, is this, could this be¡­¡±


    With a fist-sized Greyrock Stone in her hand, Aileen could hardly believe her own eyes. She confirmed it over and over, even glancing back at Voss before speaking dryly, ¡°Could this be Greyrock Stone?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ...


    Her reaction did not surprise Rocky. Not only did Aileen hold little hope for the mission, but even he himself did not have much confidence.


    Nevertheless, Rocky had ultimately succeeded. Thus, when he saw the incredulous look on Aileen¡¯s face, although he might not have shown it on the surface, he was truly thrilled inside!


    ¡°Congratulations to the City Lord for the great success! Hunting down the Grayrock Demon, your military fortune is vast and enduring!¡±


    While Aileen was still dumbstruck and Rocky was secretly reveling in the moment, Voss, who had been standing to the side, suddenly stepped forward, bowed deeply to Rocky with great respect, and spoke out loud.


    His words took everyone present by surprise.


    Rocky was also taken aback. He did not expect Voss to say such things at this moment; it was blatant flattery!


    That did not seem to be Voss¡¯s style at all.


    At the same time, the other people present, especially the guards, were also stunned upon hearing this.


    Voss¡¯s words caused all the guards to reveal surprised expressions. These men had no idea what Rocky had been doing on land, so when they learned he had actually killed a demon, their view of Rocky changed instantly!


    To these ordinary guards, the demons that had occupied the land for nearly a century were undefeatable monsters. Any person capable of killing demons was someone to be revered. As soon as they heard Voss¡¯s words, the guards looked at Rocky with immense respect, astonished by their own City Lord¡¯s prowess!


    Unintentionally, the soldiers stood even more erect and dared not act casually in Rocky¡¯s presence.


    The unconscious change in the guards did not escape Rocky¡¯s eyes, and he immediately understood Voss¡¯s intention. What Voss had just said seemed like sucking up, but it was actually meant for the guards to hear!


    Old fox!


    Rocky nodded his head with a smile toward Voss, admiring the old man even more.


    ¡°What are you standing around for?¡±


    At that moment, Liliya stepped forward and addressed the guards, ¡°Take these things to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and then assign someone to guard them rigorously, not allowing for any mishaps!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Although Liliya had not been Captain of the Guards for long, she had already managed the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City extremely efficiently. The guards had a great deal of respect for her. As soon as Liliya finished speaking, the guards immediately started moving the four bags of Greyrock Stones.


    The four bags of Greyrock Stones that Rocky and Liliya had brought back required three or four guards to barely move one bag; after all, they were filled with Greyrock Stone, not cotton, and both Rocky and Liliya had managed to bring them back with the help of Void Magic Armor and their own strength, respectively.


    And once the guards had gradually moved all the Greyrock Stones away, Aileen looked at Rocky with a bit of curiosity: ¡°City Lord, aren¡¯t you planning to go back?¡±


    The Greyrock Stones had been moved, but Rocky had shown no intention of leaving, which puzzled Liliya.


    ¡°Wait for me for a moment, someone else is coming,¡±


    While saying this, Rocky turned to Voss, ¡°Lord Voss, please stay as well.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡±


    Voss nodded with a smile and didn¡¯t ask any further questions before staying at the skyport.


    Not long after that, another skyship emerged from the clouds and slowly flew above the skyport.


    ¡°My Lord, what is this¡­?¡±


    Aileen looked surprised as she watched the unfamiliar skyship approach because in Thunderhawk City, such a small city, it wasn¡¯t common for people to visit. Other than the Chamber of Commerce coming at fixed times for trade, it was unlikely for anyone else to come back even once a year. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°This is a friend I met on the land,¡±


    Rocky explained casually with a slight smile, and at the same time, Felly, who was in charge of the skyport, ran up to him, ¡°City Lord, this skyship¡­ How should it be arranged?¡±


    Standing in front of Rocky, Felly was respectful but seemed somewhat at a loss,


    Under normal circumstances, skyships wanting to dock at Sky City have regulations to follow. Unless it¡¯s a skyship from the city itself, all foreign skyships have to first declare their purpose. Upon landing, they are also required to pay a certain skyport tax before being officially allowed in.


    But at this moment, the skyship preparing to land was clearly the one Rocky was waiting for, leaving Felly unsure whether to proceed with the usual procedure or not, so he decided to come over and ask.


    ¡°Everything should follow the rules,¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Felly saluted Rocky and then quickly left.


    Under his command, Monte¡¯s skyship began docking and slowly descended into the skyport.


    Once the skyship had landed safely, Monte, accompanied by his daughter, a young female Beastman, exited his skyship. After paying the tax to the guards, they headed straight for Rocky.


    Shortly after, Monte and his daughter arrived in front of Rocky and the others.


    By now, Monte¡¯s complexion had improved a lot compared to before, and the arm that had been severed was now simply bandaged, probably tended by his daughter.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, thank you for your help,¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, thank you for saving my father,¡±


    As they approached Rocky, Monte said this while giving a deep bow in gratitude, and his daughter likewise bowed her head to Rocky.


    Such a display of gratitude from them wasn¡¯t at all excessive, even though Rocky had only brought Monte to Thunderhawk City. But this simple gesture was enough to be considered a lifesaving favor.


    Monte¡¯s injuries were clearly not something he and his daughter could handle alone; they needed to find a professional doctor in Sky City for treatment. With the sky being so vast, it¡¯s not easy to just come across Sky City.


    If it weren¡¯t for Rocky, the only option for the father and daughter would have been to seek treatment in one of the large sky cities that floated at a fixed coordinate all year round. But by then, it was uncertain if Monte would still be saveable.


    So, Rocky¡¯s seemingly simple action actually amounted to saving Monte¡¯s life.


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, just a helping hand,¡±


    Facing the father and daughter who bowed and expressed their thanks to him, Rocky smiled lightly and wasn¡¯t too concerned. However, he then addressed Monte, ¡°We should get to know each other anew, the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, Rocky.¡±

 Chapter 42 - 42 - 41 Ambition

    Chapter 42 ¨C 41 Ambition


    ¡°You, you are actually¡­!¡±


    Rocky¡¯s new self-introduction, though brief, had truly shocked Monte!


    Monte had long noticed that Rocky was no ordinary person, but he had never imagined that Rocky was a city lord! He had originally thought that Rocky might be a noble of not insignificant status, but he never expected that Rocky¡¯s rank was far above that of a noble, so much so that he owned the city beneath their feet!


    Therefore, after a brief pause, Monte promptly pulled his daughter to kneel on one knee: ¡°City Lord, please forgive our previous disrespect!¡±


    As a Demon Hunter, Monte wasn¡¯t just well-traveled and knowledgeable, but also much smarter than the average Beastman. Upon learning that Rocky was the master of Sky City, he immediately changed his attitude.


    He was very aware that he was on Rocky¡¯s territory, and while on land it might not matter as much, inside Sky City no one could contend with the city lord. He did not want to displease the City Lord over a matter of etiquette, bringing unnecessary trouble upon himself and his daughter.


    ¡°No need to be so formal, get up.¡±


    ...


    With a casual wave of his hand, Rocky let Monte and his daughter stand up, then he turned to Liliya and said, ¡°Arrange for a guard to take them to the city district, and have them treated as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Nodding, Liliya summoned a guard and arranged for him to lead Monte and his daughter away.


    It was only after the father and daughter had walked some distance away that Rocky turned to look at Aileen and Voss standing nearby. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Aileen, Lord Voss, what do you think of this man?¡±


    ¡°My lord, this Beastman is¡­¡±


    Rocky¡¯s question momentarily caught Aileen off guard because she did not know who the other person was and thus did not understand Rocky¡¯s point.


    After that, Rocky recounted the events that had taken place on land, and only then did Aileen learn who Monte was, as well as finally grasping the reason Rocky had kept her and her grandfather behind.


    Rocky wanted them to help assess whether Monte could be of use to him!


    Although Aileen understood Rocky¡¯s intention, she did not speak recklessly, but instead looked at her grandfather.


    Then Voss nodded at Rocky, ¡°My lord, this man is of use.¡±


    Though Voss¡¯s words were simple, they gave Rocky considerable relief. Rocky had asked Voss to stay precisely because he knew of Voss¡¯s vast experience, especially when it came to judging people; his gaze was not only clear-sighted but also keen.


    Soon after that, Rocky left the Skyport with everyone else.


    He was indeed eager to recruit Monte, but such matters could not be rushed, nor was there any need to hurry. Considering the severity of Monte¡¯s injuries, he would not stay in Thunderhawk City for just a day or two.


    Furthermore, Rocky himself was quite busy. Now that he had obtained the Greyrock Stone, the next step was to make his way to Eternal City as quickly as possible. Only in Eternal City could he sell the Greyrock Stone, possibly for a high price, which was his top priority at the moment.


    Therefore, the next day, he called Aileen to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°Aileen, how much do you think this batch of Greyrock Stone can sell for? Is it enough for Thunderhawk City¡¯s grain sales?¡±


    The issue of having no money to buy grain had always been a major problem for Rocky and Thunderhawk City, a pressing issue at hand. Everything Rocky had done thus far was meant to resolve this matter.


    Now he had made all the efforts he could, and it was time to see the results.


    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s enough.¡±


    Aileen¡¯s answer was straightforward, yet it made Rocky breathe a long sigh of relief.


    ¡°Are you certain?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely certain.¡± With a slight smile, Aileen said, ¡°City Lord, the current market price of Greyrock Stone is around fifteen Gold Coins per kilogram, and based on the weight you brought back this time, we can earn over ten thousand Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°That money, added to Thunderhawk City¡¯s reserves, will be enough to purchase winter provisions, even from the Azure Commerce Guild, no matter how much they raise the price, and we¡¯ll still have some left over.¡±


    As the finance officer of Thunderhawk City, Aileen naturally had the most authority on this matter.


    Once Rocky returned with a full load of Greyrock Stone, she hadn¡¯t rested for almost an entire night, spending the whole evening gathering market information on Greyrock Stone through various means. Therefore, everything she had just told Rocky was not off-the-cuff, but the result of careful calculation.


    And upon hearing her say this, Rocky finally felt at ease; the difficulty Thunderhawk City faced could finally be smoothly overcome.


    However, after this, he posed another question.


    ¡°Aileen, must we import food from the Azure Commerce Guild?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    Aileen paused slightly, but quickly grasped Rocky¡¯s meaning and fell deep into thought.


    Rocky¡¯s question clearly indicated his dissatisfaction with the Azure Commerce Guild and his intention to seek cooperation with other Chambers of Commerce.


    This, of course, was not surprising. After all, although the last transaction of yarn was ultimately successful, the process was anything but pleasant. The straightforward reason was that the Azure Commerce Guild had taken too much advantage of Thunderhawk City with their pricing.


    The reason the previous trade was successful was not that it satisfied both parties, but rather it was a result of being left with no other choice.


    This lack of choice referred solely to Thunderhawk City.


    In this context, it was logical for Rocky to want to change trading partners, especially now that they had money.


    Having money granted them the right to choose.


    Therefore, Aileen did not answer immediately, instead, she thought carefully before speaking after a while:


    ¡°If you truly wish to change our trading partner, City Lord, this trip to Eternal City is a good opportunity. Eternal City is the largest trading hub in the skies, with branches of Chambers of Commerce, big and small; we could start by getting to know the situation before making any plans.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I was thinking.¡±


    Aileen¡¯s words made Rocky nod in agreement, for he had the same thoughts.


    His reason for visiting Eternal City this time was partly to sell the Demons, and another was to explore the possibility of finding new business partners.


    The performance of the Azure Commerce Guild last time had been a huge disappointment for Rocky. It was clear that they had deliberately raised their prices because they saw Thunderhawk City as a small town, and combined with Jia Xi¡¯s behavior, Rocky had long been considering finding a new Commerce Guild to collaborate with.


    And now that he had money, he could buy food anywhere; why should he continue to cooperate with the Azure Commerce Guild and suffer their exploitation?


    However, Aileen then added, ¡°City Lord, if we really cease cooperation with the Azure Commerce Guild, we must not only find a new Commerce Guild for buying food but also for importing yarn.¡±


    The scale of the Azure Commerce Guild was not insignificant. It was only because Thunderhawk City agreed to their demand to import both yarn and food from them that they consented to long-term trade. If Rocky decided not to import food from the Azure Commerce Guild, he would need to find another company to import yarn as well.


    Aileen felt it was her duty to remind Rocky of this.


    But Rocky was well aware of this. His willingness to end collaboration with the Azure Commerce Guild had already taken this into account.


    Moreover, Rocky¡¯s ambition was actually greater. He didn¡¯t just want to use this opportunity to break away from the Azure Commerce Guild and find a new partner; he even felt that Thunderhawk City should seize this chance to undergo some changes!

 Chapter 43 - 43 - 42 Urban Reform

    Chapter 43 ¨C 42 Urban Reform


    Thunderhawk City, it was time for some changes, Rocky thought.


    Regarding his identity as the City Lord, Rocky was filled with contradictions. Although this status provided him with a better starting point than others, it also brought him immense pressure, and being the City Lord of Thunderhawk City only increased that burden substantially.


    The frailty of Thunderhawk City was evident to anyone. A small city with merely a thousand inhabitants, it lacked virtually everything¡ªindustry, commerce, military, and so on. If there were such a thing as a development index in this world, Thunderhawk City¡¯s would undoubtedly be zero!


    Under such circumstances, Rocky believed that it was essential for Thunderhawk City to change!


    Now, with the unique technology of Mana Runes at his disposal, Rocky¡¯s potential was boundless. Therefore, he had to ensure the development and strengthening of Thunderhawk City. Only with a powerful Thunderhawk City could he truly take advantage of the benefits of Mana Runes.


    But how exactly could he strengthen Thunderhawk City?


    Rocky pondered this question for a long time and finally arrived at an answer: the economy.


    ...


    The economy was the key!


    For a city to develop, whether it was Sky City or any city on land, the economy was paramount because it was the foundation of everything. Without it, all else was empty talk.


    So, if Rocky wanted to make Thunderhawk City strong, he naturally had to focus on the economy first.


    The first thing he thought of was that Thunderhawk City could no longer rely solely on the textile industry for its livelihood.


    The city had a small population and no real factories; the so-called textile industry was entirely based on manual labor. The idea that a Sky City¡¯s economic lifeline was handwoven fabric was laughably absurd.


    Rocky believed that the economic lifeline of Thunderhawk City must shift to other industries, or even directly to the market. Only then could the city¡¯s economy improve.


    Next, it was imperative to change the economic model of Thunderhawk City.


    At present, Thunderhawk City was still functioning under a planned economy, with all resource allocation decisions being made and distributed by the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Take the textile industry, for example.


    Each quarter, the City Lord¡¯s Mansion would decide how much yarn to import. Then, they would sell the yarn to the residents at a set price. Once the residents weaved the yarn into fabric, the City Lord¡¯s Mansion bought it back at a predetermined price and sold the fabric to the Chamber of Commerce.


    In this process, the City Lord¡¯s Mansion was in charge of everything, and the residents only had to labor and earn a margin to make an income. This was a classic example of a planned economy.


    This economic model had too many drawbacks. Without shifting to a free market economy, Thunderhawk City could never develop.


    Rocky saw his upcoming trip to Eternal City as an opportunity and hoped to use it to kickstart the reforms for Thunderhawk City.


    With this in mind, he summoned Aileen the day after and shared his thoughts with her. After all, as the Financial Officer of Thunderhawk City, she understood economic matters far better than Rocky did.


    ¡°My Lord, I think I understand what you mean¡­¡±


    After Rocky laid out his thoughts to Aileen, she fell into deep contemplation. After a while, she finally spoke, ¡°My Lord, your ideas are indeed excellent, and Thunderhawk City does need to change. It¡¯s just that¡­¡±


    ¡°Just what?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t rush things.¡±


    After looking at Rocky, Aileen said, ¡°My Lord, the residents of Thunderhawk City have already become accustomed to the ¡¯economic model¡¯ you mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Planned economy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, the planned economy.¡± Aileen felt that the term was very accurate. ¡°The residents are already accustomed to the planned economy you mentioned. If you suddenly change this model and connect Thunderhawk City¡¯s market with the external markets, the residents won¡¯t be able to withstand the impact, and that could lead to significant turmoil.¡±


    ¡°So what do you suggest?¡±


    Aileen¡¯s words were entirely correct and also what Rocky was worried about. Although changes were necessary for Thunderhawk City, Rocky was afraid that the residents wouldn¡¯t be able to accept them. This was precisely why he sought Aileen¡¯s counsel. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My Lord, we can take it slowly, allowing the residents to gradually adapt.¡±


    Aileen was sharp. After hearing Rocky¡¯s ideas, she quickly grasped the key points and thought of a solution¡ªto let the residents of Thunderhawk City gradually adapt.


    It may have sounded like an obvious statement, but it wasn¡¯t.


    This was because the population of Thunderhawk City was too small. But with a small population, adapting to changes could be swift. If Thunderhawk City had a population not of one thousand but of one hundred thousand, adapting to new changes would prove challenging. Fortunately, with only about a thousand residents, adapting them to new changes would be much simpler.


    After saying this, Aileen laid out her thoughts to Rocky one by one. In the following days, the two of them discussed the matter extensively, deliberating on how to initiate change in Thunderhawk City and help its residents adapt to these changes.


    As a result, a week passed quickly, and by the end of it, Rocky and Aileen had crafted a fairly comprehensive plan for the economic reforms of Thunderhawk City, ready to be implemented upon arrival in Eternal City.


    Following this, Liliya sought out Rocky and informed him that Monte had been discharged from the hospital.


    Since he had been busy preparing for the economic reforms of Thunderhawk City, Rocky had almost forgotten about the Beastmen. It was only after Liliya¡¯s reminder that he remembered.


    ¡°Has his injury already healed?¡±


    ¡°Is it possible to recover that quickly? He¡¯s broken an arm. It won¡¯t heal for three to five months,¡± Liliya said with a shake of her head and an exasperated look before suggesting, ¡°Shall I go talk to him?¡±


    Both Rocky and Liliya valued the Beastman Monte highly, despite his current disability. They still saw him as talented, at least the talent Thunderhawk City needed.


    His strength and his experience were valuable assets in Thunderhawk City. Hence, if they could recruit him, it would only benefit Rocky.


    However, with Monte healing and Rocky occupied, they had not had a chance to meet. Now that Monte was not only out of the hospital but they were also about to arrive in Eternal City, there was little time left to speak with him before he potentially left.


    After contemplating for a moment, Rocky shook his head, stood up, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to him myself. It shows more sincerity that way.¡±

 Chapter 44 - 44 - 43 Give Me Some Time

    Chapter 44 ¨C 43 Give Me Some Time


    Rocky planned to personally meet with Monte to see if he could persuade the beastman to stay under his command.


    As for his approach, Liliya naturally gave her full support.


    Since their goal was to recruit Monte, it was undoubtedly a sign of sincere commitment for Rocky, the Lord of one city, to meet with Monte himself, which was certainly much more effective than having someone else make the visit.


    Thus, shortly after, Rocky and Liliya left the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and took a carriage to the city district.


    Monte had not met with Rocky since coming to Thunderhawk City, but Rocky was well aware of his movements. First, because Thunderhawk City wasn¡¯t large, and Monte had few places to go; and second, because Liliya had already instructed the patrolling guards to pay close attention to his whereabouts.


    So after leaving the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, they rode the carriage directly to the inn where Monte was staying and arrived shortly after.


    ¡°City Lord, you, how come you¡¯re here¡­¡±


    ...


    When Monte opened the door to his inn room and saw Rocky standing before him, the tall beastman was completely stunned, clearly not expecting to see the City Lord again.


    ¡°What, not pleased to see me?¡±


    Observing the dumbfounded Monte, Rocky jokingly remarked.


    Unfortunately, he forgot the status difference between himself and Monte, for the beastman¡¯s face turned sour in an instant upon hearing his words, ¡°My Lord, I beg forgiveness, I didn¡¯t mean it like that!¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the midst of speaking, Monte hurriedly moved aside his towering figure and invited Rocky and Liliya into the room.


    ¡°City Lord! Hello!¡±


    As Rocky entered the room, he immediately heard an exceedingly crisp greeting. Looking towards the source, he saw Monte¡¯s daughter, the young female beastman.


    Monte¡¯s daughter seemed to be only about fourteen or fifteen years old, but because she was a beastman, her appearance and figure were almost on par with Liliya; she now greeted Rocky with enthusiasm.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Rocky nodded slightly to Monte¡¯s daughter and smiled.


    ¡°Dusa! Stop fooling around!¡±


    Monte, following behind Rocky, scolded his daughter for her lack of manners: ¡°Go back to your room, don¡¯t bother the City Lord here!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Scolded by her father, Dusa pouted, lowered her head, and then reluctantly returned to her room. Though she closed the door, she still left a crack open and peeked out at the outside.


    ¡°Monte, no need to be so nervous, I just came to check on your injuries.¡±


    Ignoring Dusa¡¯s little antics, Rocky glanced at Monte and then said with a smile.


    ¡°City Lord, please have a seat.¡±


    However, no matter how much Rocky said to relax, Monte couldn¡¯t possibly do so. He hurriedly offered Rocky a seat and stood without sitting himself.


    ¡°You sit too, no need to be so formal.¡±


    Only after Rocky¡¯s repeated requests did Monte finally take a seat opposite him, still appearing quite constrained.


    ¡°How are your injuries?¡±


    Seeing that Monte remained tense, Rocky couldn¡¯t take it anymore and simply started to chat with him.


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, my Lord, my injuries are no longer a concern.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky nodded and then glanced at Monte¡¯s severed arm, which had been bandaged up and clearly received professional medical treatment; it indeed seemed no longer to be a major issue.


    Rocky then shifted his gaze back to Monte¡¯s face, looked at him for a moment, and asked, ¡°Monte, do you still plan to continue being a Demon Hunter?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Monte was taken aback by Rocky¡¯s sudden question, then he gave a wry smile and shook his head, ¡°My Lord, in my current state, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to hunt Demons anymore.¡±


    As he spoke, he unconsciously touched his severed arm and sighed.


    His arm had been severed, and although he received timely treatment and would heal after a period of rest, he could no longer be a Demon Hunter.


    ¡°What are your plans for the future?¡±


    Monte¡¯s answer was entirely within Rocky¡¯s expectations, so after a slight pause, he spoke again.


    At this question, Monte, who had previously been somewhat confused, immediately understood why Rocky had come to see him and why he was asking these questions.


    Thus, after thinking for a while, Monte spoke again, ¡°My Lord, my daughter and I have some savings, so I haven¡¯t made any plans for now.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ would you be interested in staying with me?¡±


    At this point in the conversation, Rocky stopped beating around the bush and directly entered the main topic, plainly stating his purpose in coming.


    ¡°My Lord, I haven¡¯t considered that,¡± Monte replied, looking at Rocky, his response was very tactful.


    This answer was effectively giving Rocky a response¡ªthat he did not plan to stay in Thunderhawk City.


    This truly reflected Monte¡¯s thoughts; he had been living in Thunderhawk City for several days, and although he spent most of that time in the hospital, he had already learned a lot about the city and knew exactly what it was like.


    Monte felt that such a city was too small for him.


    Indeed, just as Liliya had estimated before, Monte was a Fifth Level, or even on the verge of breaking through to Sixth Level warrior before his injury. Even now, with only one arm, he still had the strength of at least a Fourth Level Warrior, which was not considered low.


    With such strength, Monte might not be able to hunt Demons, but he could certainly find a job in any Sky City to support his family, and that was absolutely not a problem.


    If that was the case, why should he live in such a small city as Thunderhawk City?


    Monte, who had traveled far and wide, had visited many medium and large Sky Cities. In those cities, he could ensure a good life for himself and his daughter without any need to stay in Thunderhawk City.


    However, that was just what he thought internally; he couldn¡¯t say it out loud. After all, even though Rocky was just the Lord of a small city, he was still the City Lord, and the difference in status made Monte express his thoughts as tactfully as possible.


    ¡°That¡¯s roughly what I was thinking¡­¡±


    What Monte didn¡¯t expect was that Rocky, upon hearing his tactful response, did not show displeasure but smiled as if he had anticipated it.


    Following this, Rocky opened his mouth to say, ¡°Monte, you think Thunderhawk City is too small, right?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, I absolutely did not¡­¡± Monte quickly shook his head in denial. If he agreed now, he would really be a fool.


    However, Rocky simply waved his hand to interrupt him, then said, ¡°Monte, is that the only ambition you have for your future?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think that now, you can only serve as a guard for some minor noble, or find a menial job in a guild, and that¡¯s it?¡±


    Rocky¡¯s words stunned Monte on the spot; he couldn¡¯t speak for a long time because most of his thoughts were precisely what Rocky had articulated!


    When he said he hadn¡¯t made any plans for the future, it was just to brush off Rocky. How could Monte not plan for his future, especially since he was also a father?


    His plans were indeed as Rocky said: intending to head to a large Sky City, then become the guard for some noble there. With his abilities, achieving this would not be difficult, even with one arm lost.


    He believed that with his current conditions, if he could live such a life, that would be fairly good. The earnings from being a guard would be enough to support him and his daughter, with some left over to save for the future. When his daughter reached adulthood, he could find a good family for her to marry into, and that would complete his life.


    Those were Monte¡¯s thoughts: no lofty ambitions, just solid and realistic ones.


    Clearly, Rocky didn¡¯t see it that way, so he then said, ¡°Monte, you indeed cannot go hunting Demons anymore, but this might not be a bad thing. Rather, it could be an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°I hope you can stay here with me. Believe me, following me will be much better than serving some minor noble.¡±


    ¡°My Lord, I¡­ I really haven¡¯t made up my mind,¡± Monte replied.


    Rocky¡¯s words were straightforward but also sincere, a sentiment Monte could feel. He even felt slightly persuaded, but this was, after all, a significant matter, and he needed to consider it carefully.


    ¡°No problem, I hope you think it over and give me your answer later.¡± Rocky said with a slight smile, not seeming to rush, ¡°We will arrive at Eternal City in two more days; you can leave at any time, and I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    ¡°But I hope you can wait and give me some time because you will soon witness the transformation of Thunderhawk City. Once that happens, it won¡¯t be too late to make your decision.¡±

 Chapter 45 - 45 - 44: Grateful Heart

    Chapter 45 ¨C 44: Grateful Heart


    After his chat with Monte, Rocky brought Liliya back to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    In his view, this meeting with Monte had been a success, because he had said all he could, and it was apparent that Monte had been touched; Rocky felt that was enough.


    However, in the eyes of some, his meeting with Monte had not been successful at all, and it had yielded nothing, since he had not convinced Monte to become his subordinate.


    The reason was quite simple: what Rocky could offer now was just too little.


    Even so, Rocky still believed he had moved Monte, because he had seen reluctance in Monte¡¯s eyes. Although this Beastman had lost an arm and repeatedly said he would be content to live a peaceful life, his gaze was still filled with unwillingness.


    This reluctance made Rocky feel that there was still something to discuss with Monte.


    His thought was correct.


    ...


    Because Monte was indeed very reluctant, and it was this reluctance that made him not immediately reject Rocky.


    This was actually quite easy to understand. Monte had been a warrior on the verge of breaking through to the Sixth Level, a strength already considered very formidable, and this was precisely why he had chosen the dangerous profession of a Demon Hunter.


    Under such circumstances, how could Monte, having lost an arm, be willing to lead an inconsequential life?


    So, although he did not agree to Rocky¡¯s proposal immediately, Monte also did not refuse him. Moreover, he did not plan to leave Thunderhawk City immediately, since Rocky had mentioned that Thunderhawk City would soon undergo changes. Monte wanted to stay and see what the city would become, then make his decision when the time came.


    Therefore, overall, the conversation between Rocky and Monte went quite smoothly. Rocky ultimately convinced Monte to stay in Thunderhawk City, and as long as Monte stayed, he believed that with the Beastman¡¯s insight and experience, Monte would definitely make the right choice after witnessing the forthcoming changes in Thunderhawk City.


    Following this, upon returning to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Rocky immediately became busy again: they were about to reach Eternal City, and there were still many things he needed to prepare.


    Two days passed in the blink of an eye. After slowly flying through the sky for more than a month, Thunderhawk City finally arrived at its destination: Eternal City!


    Rocky had long heard of this God City, so he was excited to go to the Skyport early in the morning with Liliya and Aileen.


    ¡°This is¡­ Eternal City¡­¡±


    Standing on the Skyport platform, initially prepared to board a Skyship directly to Eternal City, Rocky was stunned. Just by standing on the platform of the Skyport, he had already clearly seen Eternal City in the distance and was utterly astonished.


    How could this city be so large!?


    Standing in the Skyport of Thunderhawk City and gazing into the distance, Rocky could see a giant city floating in the sky. The scale of this city was so immense it almost filled his entire field of vision. Considering that Thunderhawk City was not actually close to Eternal City, being separated by several thousand meters at least!


    From such a distance, and yet Eternal City was still so massive; one could only imagine how magnificent this city was.


    God City, truly as legendary as its name!


    Standing in the Skyport and looking for a while, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but inwardly exclaim; the name God City truly wasn¡¯t for naught; the city before his eyes indeed qualified as a colossal entity.


    ¡°Have all the goods been loaded onto the ship?¡±


    Gradually coming back to his senses, Rocky turned to look at Aileen and then asked.


    ¡°Everything is ready.¡±


    Rocky¡¯s main purpose for traveling to Eternal City this time was for trade. On the one hand, he wanted to sell the Greyrock Stone he possessed, and on the other hand, he needed to find a Chamber of Commerce that could supply food to Thunderhawk City, along with some other minor affairs. Thus, Aileen became crucial for this trip, with all trading matters being her responsibility.


    ¡°Board the ship, to Eternal City!¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing that everything was in order, Rocky waved his hand excitedly and then led everyone onto the skyship, preparing to head to Eternal City!


    ¡°My lord! Please wait a moment!¡±


    Just at that moment, just after Rocky had boarded the skyship and before it could take off, a thunderous shout came across. It immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention.


    Following the direction of the voice, it didn¡¯t take long for them to see a tall figure appearing at the Skyport¡ªit was the Beastman Monte!


    It didn¡¯t take much longer for Monte to sprint over to Rocky¡¯s skyship, and then he called out, ¡°My lord, are you going to trade Greyrock Stone this time?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    ¡°My lord, I have been to Eternal City many times and am very familiar with it. I can help you.¡±


    ¡°Really? That would be great!¡±


    Having Monte come to him proactively was something Rocky hadn¡¯t anticipated at all, and naturally, he was very pleased.


    Actually, Rocky had thought about asking Monte for help earlier because, being a certified Demon Hunter, Monte was surely more familiar with demon-related trades than Aileen was. Having his assistance would make things much easier. However, considering Monte¡¯s injuries, Rocky had ultimately refrained from asking, yet here the Beastman was, coming forward of his own accord.


    It must be said that Monte the Beastman was indeed impressive. Despite having traveled far and wide and witnessed much of the world, he had not forgotten the simple honesty typical of Beastmen. This made his respect and gratitude for Rocky not only that of a commoner towards a City Lord but also deeper and more personal.


    In Monte¡¯s view, no matter Rocky¡¯s status, he had once saved his life¡ªan act of kindness Monte always remembered. So even if Rocky wasn¡¯t a lord, Monte¡¯s attitude towards him would not change much, and he would definitely repay the favor.


    Although Rocky was delighted by Monte¡¯s initiative, thinking about his injuries still made him unavoidably concerned.


    ¡°Are your injuries all right?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re mostly healed.¡±


    Swinging his half-arm bandaged up, the Beastman laughed heartily, indicating that there were no problems at all.


    The physical resilience of Beastmen was indeed formidable. If a human had suffered injuries as severe as his, it would typically take months to recover. However, Monte had rested for only a week and was already quite healed.


    Seeing this, Rocky simply nodded and then waved to Monte, ¡°Come aboard!¡±


    And so, Monte also boarded the skyship, and once he was aboard, Rocky ordered the skyship to slowly ascend and flew toward Eternal City!


    PS: Please recommend and bookmark the new book. Every recommendation and bookmark you give is the greatest encouragement to Little Detective. We hope for your extensive support! Extensive support! Extensive support!

 Chapter 46 - 46 - 45: Eternal City

    Chapter 46 ¨C 45: Eternal City


    The skyship ascended and slowly flew out of Thunderhawk City¡¯s Defensive Net, then headed towards the distant Eternal City.


    ¡°Liliya, look over there!¡±


    Standing at the bow, Rocky was once again just as excited as the first time he¡¯d taken a skyship.


    But who could blame him, for in just this short journey he had seen so many sights he¡¯d never experienced before.


    For instance, at this very moment, he was pointing astoundedly at a vast Sky City in the distance.


    This Sky City was not the Eternal City, but rather it was smaller in scale than the Eternal City, yet significantly larger than Thunderhawk City, and it was not far from Thunderhawk City at all, with roughly a kilometer separating the two.


    And as Rocky looked out, he realized that there were dozens of Sky Cities stationed several thousand kilometers around the Eternal City!


    ...


    These Sky Cities varied in size; the smallest were similar to Thunderhawk City, but most were medium to large sky cities.


    Such an astonishing sight was something Rocky had never seen before, so it was no wonder he was exclaiming excitedly at the bow.


    Not just him, even Liliya and Aileen had their mouths wide open, displaying expressions of disbelief at the scene before them.


    Out of the group, only Monte appeared relatively composed, for Rocky, Liliya, and Aileen had only heard of the great name of the Eternal City but were visiting for the first time, whereas Monte was not. He had visited many times before, so the sight before him was nothing unusual.


    ¡°Monte, are all these Sky Cities here to trade with the Eternal City like us?¡±


    Seeing Monte standing there calmly, Rocky quickly asked him since he knew much more about the Eternal City than Rocky did.


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    Monte nodded and then explained in detail to Rocky, ¡°My lord, sky cities like these are always present around the Eternal City at every moment, and this is even not the busiest time. During certain important days, the surrounding area of the Eternal City might see over a hundred sky cities, and the scene is truly magnificent.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that extravagant¡­¡±


    Monte¡¯s words made Rocky take a deep breath. He tried to imagine, but ultimately, he simply couldn¡¯t picture what it would be like with over a hundred Sky Cities around the Eternal City¡ªit was beyond his imagination.


    Meanwhile, as the skyship gradually neared the Eternal City, more and more skyships appeared in the sky.


    These skyships came in various sizes, and there were civilian ships, merchant vessels, and even warships, bustling in the sky like lively fish, some flying far away, others heading to the nearby Sky Cities, all very busy.


    Just as Rocky was being amazed by this spectacle, a small skyship, no, a hoverboat, approached them.


    There were only two people on the hoverboat, but both were wearing Void Magic Armor!


    As Rocky noticed the hoverboat drawing near, it had already approached closely, and then he saw one of the people on the boat use their Floating Armor to fly up into the air and gently float alongside Rocky¡¯s skyship.


    ¡°Good morning, sirs and madam. I am a Patrol Officer from the Eternal City. May I ask if you are here for trade?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    The Patrol Officer¡¯s question stumped Rocky as it was his first visit to the Eternal City, and he was still unclear about the local rules and regulations.


    What was even more important was that when the Patrol Officer approached, Rocky¡¯s attention was completely captivated by the Void Magic Armor he was wearing!


    He had never imagined that someone who was merely a Patrol Officer would be equipped with Void Magic Armor, much less armor that was clearly superior to his own set!


    Heavens¡­ S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The financial strength of Eternal City was simply too much, being able to supply such high-quality Void Magic Armor to a mere Patrol Officer. With such lavish spending, even Rocky, a City Lord himself, was left speechless.


    ¡°We are visiting Eternal City for the first time,¡± asked Aileen, ¡°are there any differences for trade?¡±


    As Rocky¡¯s pride was deeply wounded by the seemingly insignificant Patrol Officer, Aileen beside him asked the officer, as they indeed didn¡¯t quite understand what the other party had just mentioned.


    ¡°Oh, if you¡¯re here for trade, then please dock your Skyship at the trade port. If not, head to the general port. The port entry taxes are different for each, and only Skyships docked at the trade port are allowed to load cargo. General ports do not permit this. If anyone is found breaking these rules, they will be treated as smuggling and subject to heavy fines.


    Please comply with the regulations of Eternal City.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±


    After hearing the Patrol Officer¡¯s explanation, Aileen glanced at Monte, and only after seeing him nod slightly to her did she feel assured.


    ¡°We are here for trade.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Upon hearing Aileen¡¯s response, the Patrol Officer immediately said, ¡°The trade tax in Eternal City is fifty Gold Coins per day for each small Skyship. The total tax is to be paid upon departure. Please steer your Skyship to these coordinates to queue for entry.¡±


    While speaking, the Patrol Officer clad in Floating Armor gave Aileen a set of coordinates and then flew away without looking back.


    ¡°Why is the entry tax so expensive?¡±


    After passing the coordinates to the Guard on the ship, Aileen pouted unhappily, her face showing clear distress¡ªevidently finding the entry tax exorbitant.


    A port entry tax of fifty Gold Coins a day¡ªif they were to stay for ten days, that would amount to five hundred gold coins in taxes! That was just too expensive!


    ¡°City Lord, it looks like we can¡¯t afford to waste any time¡­¡±


    The steep entry tax forced Aileen to turn to Rocky, as they certainly couldn¡¯t afford a long stay in Eternal City.


    ¡°Oh, alright.¡±


    A shaken Rocky finally snapped back to his senses, then nodded.


    Not long after that, their Skyship slowly flew toward the Patrol Officer¡¯s given coordinates and began to queue for entry.


    Upon reaching the Skyport of Eternal City, Rocky and the others were once again astounded, as the Skyport of Eternal City was simply too vast!


    ¡°My heavens¡­ This port is even bigger than Thunderhawk City¡¯s entire district!¡±


    As the Skyship slowly descended, Rocky, standing at the bow, couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in shock because the scale of Eternal City¡¯s Skyport was overwhelming¡ªsurpassing even the district size of Thunderhawk City!


    In this enormous Skyport, there were hundreds of Skyships docked, with dozens or even hundreds taking off or landing in the port at any given moment, making the entire area extremely busy.


    Such a scale of Skyport thoroughly stunned Rocky. Thunderhawk City also had a Skyport, but compared to Eternal City¡¯s Skyport, Thunderhawk¡¯s was nothing more than a small platform¡ªthere was absolutely no comparison.


    Is this the might of a God City?


    Seeing just a glimpse of Eternal City¡¯s Skyport was enough for Rocky to understand the tremendous power of Eternal City. No wonder this city had become the largest trade center in the skies, and no wonder the Top Ten Divine Cities positioned alongside Eternal City were known as the ten monsters of the sky¡ªtheir strength was simply staggering!

 Chapter 47 - 47 - 46 Exchanges

    Chapter 47 ¨C 46 Exchanges


    After the skyship landed at the skyport of Eternal City, Rocky and his companions found a carriage and then headed to the city district of Eternal City.


    Since it was a trading city, the skyport of Eternal City was very close to the city district, and a half-hour carriage ride brought them inside the city area.


    Upon arriving in the city district, Rocky¡¯s first impression was of its bustling activity. It was indeed a super metropolis with a population of millions, where the streets and alleys were filled with throngs of people making it extraordinarily lively.


    And the second impression it left him with was its prosperity.


    The prosperity of Eternal City far exceeded Rocky¡¯s imagination; he even saw seven- or eight-story buildings for the first time here. You must know that in Thunderhawk City, the tallest building was his City Lord¡¯s Mansion, which is merely a two-story castle.


    But in this place, structures bigger and more luxurious than Rocky¡¯s City Lord¡¯s Mansion were everywhere, with some restaurants almost rivaling the scale of his Mansion!


    Such a vibrant and colorful sight gave Rocky a huge shock, suddenly making him feel like a country bumpkin who had finally arrived in the big city for the first time, having never seen anything like it.


    ...


    In fact, his thinking was a bit too self-deprecating. Eternal City was indeed very prosperous, and this prosperity was indeed something Thunderhawk City could not compare with, but this was only limited to a comparison between Thunderhawk City and Eternal City.


    In reality, the level of prosperity in Eternal City was among the top throughout the entire Sky. Not to mention the feeble Thunderhawk City, other Sky Cities could not compare to it either, including the large Sky Cities, which also could not compete with Eternal City in terms of prosperity.


    ¡°One day, I will make Thunderhawk City like this!¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sitting in the carriage, watching the bustle of the street traffic, Rocky felt not only envy but also made a secret resolution. He was determined to build his Thunderhawk City to be just like this, no, even more prosperous than Eternal City!


    In this manner, the carriage moved on. After entering the city district, it didn¡¯t take long before they arrived at their destination, a reasonably sized hotel.


    This hotel was recommended by Monte, not too expensive and very close to the trade center within the city district. Monte would stay here every time he came to Eternal City.


    Regarding where to stay, be it Rocky, Liliya, or even Aileen, none of them were particularly concerned, because they were well aware that they didn¡¯t come to Eternal City for pleasure, even though it was also the best entertainment city in the entire Sky.


    ¡°Monte, would you mind taking us to the Hunting Exchange now?¡±


    After selecting two rooms at the hotel, Rocky said to Monte, asking him to take them directly to the Hunters Guild.


    The so-called Hunting Exchange was actually a large market specializing in Demon trades. All buying and selling activities regarding Demons took place there, with numerous sellers and buyers making transactions very convenient.


    ¡°My lord, don¡¯t you want to rest for a bit?¡±


    Glancing at Rocky, Monte did not expect him to be in such a hurry.


    Indeed, Rocky was in a rush!


    You must understand that for every day they stayed in the city district, the skyship parked at the skyport had to pay a docking fee of fifty Gold Coins, a substantial amount for the cash-strapped Rocky, so he had no intention of wasting any time here.


    Under these circumstances, soon after arriving at the hotel, the group almost immediately left again, and then they took the carriage straight to the Hunting Exchange.


    You have to say, the hotel recommended by Monte might not look fancy, but its location was really good. They arrived at their destination in just about fifteen minutes.


    ¡°My lord, this is the Hunting Exchange.¡±


    ¡°`


    After getting off the carriage, Monte pointed across the street, and Rocky and his companions crossed the bustling thoroughfare to see a trading house five stories high and twice the size of Rocky¡¯s City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°Good heavens, this place is really massive.¡±


    Having glanced at the trading house, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue, not having expected it to be so grand.


    ¡°My lord, this is Eternal City, where all demon hunters under the entire sky, if able, choose to conduct their business, because there are also the most buyers here. Moreover, any transaction is supervised and guaranteed by Eternal City, and any issues will be handled by Eternal City as well. Therefore, the trading house here is naturally quite large.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    After listening to Monte¡¯s explanation, Rocky nodded and then led his group across the wide street, heading straight for the trading house.


    Upon entering the trading house¡¯s lobby, what first came into view was a mana notice board so large one had to tilt their head back to see it all ¨C it was over ten meters in size, with dense, scrolling notices, which, upon closer inspection as Rocky and his company drew near, turned out to be all transaction information.


    ¡Á¡Á Chamber of Commerce is offering a high price for Sky Antelope Demon Horn, interested parties please contact the Chamber¡¯s representative ¡Á¡Á¡Á, price negotiable.


    ¡Á¡Á Chamber of Commerce is buying various demon cores in bulk, fair price assured, interested parties are welcome to discuss details at trading house¡¯s second floor in ¡Á¡Á shop.


    A large quantity of Earth Dragon Demon Skin for sale, for price inquiries, please contact ¡Á¡Á¡Á¡Á.


    Long-term purchase of Greyrock Stone, price negotiable, interested parties are welcome to the second floor of the trading house to discuss in shop ¡Á¡Á¡Á.


    The scrolling notices on the board were all about demon-related transactions, including postings from buyers and sellers alike, their number so great it was dizzying to behold.


    And beneath the notice board there were also many people, like Rocky and his allies, looking up at it attentively. It was clear from the way these individuals were dressed that they were unmistakably not merchants, and if not merchants, then they must naturally be demon hunters here for business.


    ¡°The trading house is too big, so this notice board was set up to facilitate trading for everyone.¡±


    While Rocky was dazzled by the contents of the notice board, Monte at his side explained, ¡°These messages are being updated every moment. Hunters who come here to sell demons need only follow this information to find merchants to quickly complete transactions, which is very convenient.¡±


    ¡°Monte, none of the information on here specifies prices. Do all merchants operate this way?¡±


    At that moment, Aileen turned her head and inquired of Monte.


    ¡°That¡­ should be the case¡­¡±


    But Monte awkwardly scratched his big head when asked, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not too sure either. Each time I come here to trade, I go directly to the merchants based on the information on the notice board, so I¡¯ve never paid much attention.¡±


    Although Monte was much smarter than the average beastman, he still retained some typical characteristics of beastmen such as being very straightforward and finding calculative affairs bothersome, like the question Aileen had just posed ¨C a matter he had never considered before.


    In Monte¡¯s eyes, as long as he could sell the demons he hunted, what did it matter if the price was a little higher or lower? After all, he was earning either way.


    After hearing his response, Aileen nodded and then looked at Rocky, ¡°Lord, please wait here for a moment, I want to check the trading information.¡±


    Having said this, Aileen no longer paid heed to the others and took out a small notebook from her pocket. She stood under the notice board, swiftly browsing through the ceaselessly scrolling information and incessantly jotting something down in her notebook.


    It was evident that upon arriving, Aileen was somewhat excited, and now she was preparing to make her move!


    ¡°`

 Chapter 48 - 48 - 47: Horns and Fangs

    Chapter 48 ¨C 47: Horns and Fangs


    Aileen was indeed very excited now for she had an innate sensitivity to all transactions; after asking Monte a few questions, she began to take action.


    However, this meant that Rocky and his companions had nothing to do, and even Monte was in the same situation. Although he was familiar with the place, he was far inferior to Aileen, the business expert, and was of no help at all.


    In this situation, Rocky made a suggestion:


    ¡°Monte, could you show us around? Besides purchasing demons, the merchants here should also sell them, right?¡±


    ¡°My lord, yes,¡± Monte nodded, then said, ¡°This exchange almost gathers all buyers and sellers pertaining to demons. If my lord needs anything, you will definitely find it here.¡±


    During their conversation, he led Rocky and Liliya deeper into the hall and then up the stairs to the second floor of the exchange.


    The Hunting Exchange was five stories tall; the first-floor hall mainly handled information dissemination and account settlements, while from the second floor onward, there were independent storefronts of various merchants. Just as Monte said, there were both buyers and sellers within this exchange. Besides Demon Hunters who came here to sell demons, many also came here to buy demons.


    ...


    Of course, those who came to buy demons would not purchase a whole demon but certain parts, such as the Demon¡¯s Horn, demon skin, or the Demon Core, and so on.


    In this state of affairs, when Rocky entered the second floor under Monte¡¯s guidance, he quickly saw the separate storefronts, which instantly gave him the feeling of browsing through a shopping mall, and it felt like a luxury shopping mall at that.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Rocky entered a shop casually and immediately noticed a long horn displayed inside the counter. The horn was grey-white in color, nearly one and a half meters in length, but straight as a ruler, which was quite unusual.


    So after looking at it for a while at the counter, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°My lord, this is a horn from a Wild Poison Demon, extremely hard. With just simple polishing, it can be directly made into a weapon, or even inlaid with Magic Stones to become a Mana Weapon,¡± Monte explained.


    ¡°The hunter is correct,¡± said a man who walked out of the shop. Judging by his dress, he appeared to be the owner. Approaching Rocky, the man continued, ¡°My lord, this indeed is the Horn of the Wild Poison. The most valuable part of the Wild Poison Demon is this very horn. It is a top choice for making Magic Energy Weapons.¡±


    As a merchant, the owner naturally had an eye for judging people, so he recognized at first glance that Rocky was no ordinary individual; therefore, he was very enthusiastic.


    However, that was normal; although Rocky¡¯s attire wasn¡¯t particularly lavish, he was after all the City Lord, and he did have several high-end noble garments. Additionally, being the lord of a city, his natural demeanor set him apart from common folk, so it was not surprising for his extraordinary status to be noticed.


    ¡°Why is this horn particularly suitable for making Mana Weapons?¡±


    Rocky, evidently intrigued by the owner¡¯s pitch, couldn¡¯t help but inquire further.


    Hearing his question, the owner became even more certain of Rocky¡¯s uncommon status, for the more noble one¡¯s identity, the less they knew about demons.


    Subsequently, the owner said, ¡°My lord, the Horn of the Wild Poison has the strongest adaptability to Mana among low-level demons, with excellent conductivity. Thus, Mana Weapons made from this horn are at least ten percent more powerful than ordinary Mana Weapons.¡±


    ¡°It has such an effect? How much is this horn?¡± Rocky nodded, asking casually about the price of the Horn of the Wild Poison.


    ¡°Fifteen thousand Gold Coins.¡±


    Seeing that Rocky had inquired about the price, the shop owner cheerfully put forth a figure.


    However, that number nearly gave Rocky a scare!


    Just one horn, and it costs fifteen thousand Gold Coins!?


    Such a high price was far beyond Rocky¡¯s expectations and even left him at a loss for words.


    Luckily, at that moment, there was a heavy sigh from behind, followed by Monte¡¯s voice, ¡°My lord, perhaps we should look in other shops.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Upon hearing Monte¡¯s suggestion, Rocky promptly agreed and then walked away without looking back, his decisiveness catching the shop owner off guard¡­


    Actually, he genuinely took an interest in the Horn of the Wild Poison. Since the horn provided a boost to the Mana from Magic Stones, he wondered if it would also enhance Mana Runes. So he wanted to purchase the horn for experimentation, but he never expected it to be so expensive.


    He had assumed that the horn would cost around a thousand Gold Coins, which, even though not cheap for him, was still affordable if he tightened his belt. To his surprise, the price of the Horn of the Wild Poison exceeded his estimate by more than tenfold!


    Splurging thousands of Gold Coins on such a demon horn was simply beyond what Rocky could afford, so he left using Monte¡¯s interjection as an opportunity.


    ¡°Monte, was that Horn of the Wild Poison really worth fifteen thousand Gold Coins?¡± Rocky asked, still somewhat reluctant to let it go; he really wanted to get his hands on it.


    After leaving the aforementioned shop, a slightly discontented Rocky questioned Monte ¨C he was indeed very interested in purchasing the Horn of the Wild Poison.


    ¡°My lord, the Horn of the Wild Poison is indeed a fine material for crafting mana weapons, but it¡¯s not worth that much,¡± the shopkeeper said. ¡°The store owner must have sensed your noble status and purposely quoted a high price. In fact, if you really want it, you could find it for no more than eight thousand Gold Coins.¡±


    Eight thousand Gold Coins¡­ S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This number crushed Rocky¡¯s hopes entirely.


    Although eight thousand Gold Coins was nearly half the price of fifteen thousand Gold Coins, it was still well beyond Rocky¡¯s budget. Of course, he could produce eight thousand Gold Coins, but he would never spend so much for a single Demon¡¯s Horn.


    So, with no other option, Rocky had to completely give up on the Horn of the Wild Poison and then walked into another store.


    Afterward, he, Liliya, and Monte started browsing through the Hunting Exchange, stopping at different stores along the way. They may not have bought much, but the experience gave Rocky a general idea of the market prices for demon trades and exposed him to a wide range of goods.


    It must be said, all trades related to demons were incredibly lucrative. Items like the Horn of the Wild Poison were commonplace here, each commanding prices upwards of ten thousand Gold Coins, and even the more common ones cost several thousand Gold Coins.


    For Rocky, who wished to purchase something here, such steep prices were both a good and a bad thing.


    He did not have tens of thousands of Gold Coins to spend on these items. Rocky had set a maximum spending limit for himself of just one thousand Gold Coins¡ªthat was the limit he could afford.


    Actually, one thousand Gold Coins was not a small sum; it could even buy a piece of top-quality magic energy equipment, but sadly, it was nowhere nearly enough here.


    However, since items related to demons could be sold at such exorbitant prices, Rocky was filled with anticipation about how much he could sell his Greyrock Stone for.


    Previously, Aileen had conservatively estimated that the Greyrock Stone could be sold for more than ten thousand Gold Coins, but this was just a forecast based on what she heard from other merchants. The actual price would depend on the market at the Hunting Exchange.


    This filled Rocky with anticipation, so even though he couldn¡¯t afford anything here, he remained cheerful and, before he knew it, he had unconsciously wandered up to the third floor of the Exchange.


    According to Monte, the items sold in the Exchange became progressively more expensive and high-end with each floor. By the time one reached the fifth floor, it was all about high-level demon items, where any random item could fetch a price of over a hundred thousand Gold Coins!


    However, even though that was the case, the moment Rocky stepped into the first store on the third floor, he was immediately attracted to an item.


    ¡°Is this a demon tooth?¡±


    With a casual glance, Rocky noticed a tooth displayed in the showcase. The tooth was about a foot long, and its grey appearance was quite unremarkable compared to the other items in the showcase, but it caught Rocky¡¯s attention immediately.


    ¡°This¡­ I¡¯m not quite sure.¡±


    Monte approached the showcase for a closer look but still couldn¡¯t identify which demon the tooth belonged to after a long while.


    ¡°Shopkeeper, what kind of demon tooth is this?¡±


    Seeing that even Monte couldn¡¯t recognize it, Rocky grew even more curious and decided to ask the store owner directly.


    ¡°My lord, to be honest, we also don¡¯t know which demon this tooth comes from.¡±


    When asked by Rocky, a hint of embarrassment appeared on the owner¡¯s face: ¡°This tooth has been in our inventory for several years now, and the initial records are long gone, so I¡¯m not entirely sure which demon it belonged to.¡±


    ¡°But rest assured, there is absolutely no problem with the quality of this tooth, and its size is perfect for crafting into a dagger. Even if used to make a mana weapon, it would be much superior to ordinary materials.¡±


    ¡°How much for this tooth?¡±


    After the owner finished speaking, Rocky immediately inquired.


    ¡°One thousand two hundred Gold Coins.¡±


    It was clear the shopkeeper wanted to sell this unidentified demon tooth, so the quoted price wasn¡¯t too high.


    Rocky¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing the price¡ªit was acceptable to him. Although the tooth¡¯s origin was unknown, Rocky intended to buy it for experimentation, so he didn¡¯t need it to be of the highest grade.


    With that thought, he turned to look at Liliya: ¡°Go and call Aileen.¡±


    Although the tooth wasn¡¯t very expensive, Rocky felt there might be room to negotiate the price, so he decided to have Aileen come over, as no one among them was better at bargaining than her.


    Soon after, Liliya returned with Aileen in tow.


    ¡°My lord! Why are you spending money recklessly again?¡±


    As soon as Liliya found her, Aileen confronted Rocky with a pout and an unhappy face. She didn¡¯t even give Rocky a chance to speak before she blurted out, ¡°Why bother buying such things, my lord? I¡¯ve already made arrangements with the Continental Commerce Chamber. After this trade is completed, they will gift us ten Man-Eating Demon teeth.¡±


    ¡°My lord, please go back. Don¡¯t cause me any more trouble here.¡±


    Pouting, Aileen complained to Rocky, and as soon as she finished speaking, everyone present was taken aback.

 Chapter 49 - 49 - 48 Mercenary Guild

    Chapter 49 ¨C 48 Mercenary Guild


    Aileen¡¯s words left everyone stunned!


    Especially the storeowner, who was even frightened by her statement!


    The Continental Commerce Chamber that Aileen mentioned is one of the most powerful chambers in the entire Sky City.


    What kind of background do these people have to be doing business with the Continental Commerce Chamber?


    And Aileen also said that the other party would gift ten ogre teeth, which was even more unbelievable to the storeowner. It¡¯s not that such a thing had never happened, but because even the purchase price of a Man-Eating Demon¡¯s tooth would be around two thousand gold coins. How big a deal had they discussed with the Continental Commerce Chamber to receive such valuable items as gifts?


    Due to the shock, when the storeowner looked at Rocky again, his expression had changed from before, clearly unable to figure out Rocky and his companions¡¯ backgrounds.


    It was no wonder that the storeowner was frightened because even Rocky was startled when he heard Aileen¡¯s words; he knew best what they were there to sell, which was nowhere near as exaggerated as Aileen had described!


    ...


    However, since Rocky had been with Aileen for quite a while, he quickly regained his composure and then coughed twice, ¡°Aileen, don¡¯t talk about me for now, look at this tooth, I think it¡¯s pretty good.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, what good things could there be on the third floor of the exchange?¡±


    During the conversation, they approached the counter. Aileen pursed her lips and examined the teeth in the counter, then she looked at the owner, ¡°Boss, how much for this?¡±


    ¡°One thousand two hundred¡­ gold coins¡­¡±


    It must be said, Aileen¡¯s series of actions after coming here genuinely shocked the storeowner, so when she asked him like this, the storeowner responded somewhat falteringly, looking very guilty.


    ¡°Tch!¡±


    Aileen glanced at the owner impatiently, ¡°This thing, my family likes it. Your fortune is selling it to us, five hundred gold coins at most, otherwise, I won¡¯t let them buy it.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    The storeowner immediately showed a troubled expression; five hundred gold coins was indeed too low a price.


    However, he didn¡¯t immediately refuse because, conversely, he really wanted to quickly sell the tooth Rocky was interested in.


    In fact, regarding this tooth, the owner hadn¡¯t told a single lie; the tooth had indeed been stored in their warehouse for many years, for some reason kept in a corner unnoticed, unrecognized, and under such circumstances, the owner also wanted to quickly sell it off to avoid being stuck with it.


    Moreover, since Aileen had been acting like money was no issue from start to finish, the owner didn¡¯t want to offend Rocky and the others. So, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, he finally bit the bullet and sold the unidentified Demon Tooth to Rocky.


    Just like that, with a little cunning, Aileen managed to slash the price of the Demon Tooth by more than half and successfully purchased the unknown tooth.


    Actually, Rocky and the others were well aware that everything Aileen had said earlier was just to scare the storeowner. It was all about ¡°waving the big flag to beef up their appearance.¡±


    And logically speaking, the storeowner should not have been frightened by such tricks, but since Rocky was indeed a City Lord, he didn¡¯t seem like an ordinary person. Furthermore, Aileen¡¯s bluff was big enough, involving things like the Continental Commerce Chamber and the teeth of Man-Eating Demons, making the storeowner not even dare to doubt, thus he was duped.


    ¡°Aileen, how did it go, did you find a buyer?¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After leaving the store and securely storing the Demon¡¯s Tooth, Rocky looked at Aileen, eager to know how her negotiations regarding the Greyrock Stone went.


    ¡°My lord, don¡¯t worry, these things take time. I¡¯ve already roughly talked with a few Chambers of Commerce and want to ask a few more, so we might not finish the discussions today.¡±


    Aileen¡¯s idea was clearly right, so Rocky thought for a moment before saying, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s split up. You keep looking for suitable buyers here, no rush, and I¡¯ll go check out the leather and technicians.¡±


    ¡°That works.¡±


    Nodding, Aileen then split up from Rocky and continued to look for Chambers of Commerce to discuss the Greyrock Stone affair.


    As Rocky had stated, he quickly left the Hunting Exchange with Liliya and Monte.


    His visit to Eternal City was not just to sell Greyrock Stone; there were many matters Rocky needed to handle, among which the most important were those he had just mentioned: buying leather and hiring technicians.


    Previously, he had prepared to reform the economy of Thunderhawk City, for which he and Aileen had discussed for several days and successfully formulated a detailed plan, termed ¡°Thunderhawk City¡¯s Two Economic Reform Plan,¡± or the Dual Reform Plan for short.


    The so-called dual reform referred to both economic model and economic focus¡ªgradually transitioning Thunderhawk City from a planned economy to a free market economy and shifting the economic focus from low-margin textiles to higher-cost, but likewise highly profitable, leather manufacturing.


    The decision to choose leather manufacturing was a mutual decision between Rocky and Aileen after careful consideration.


    Because leather production shared some similarities with textiles, it would be easier for the residents of Thunderhawk City to adapt. Furthermore, the leather industry had good market prospects, covering everything from military to daily uses, which suited a small city like Thunderhawk with a low population that needed an industry that, despite low output, didn¡¯t worry about sales and profits.


    To ensure success, Rocky was considering using the opportunity of his visit to Eternal City to hire a few technicians to teach in Thunderhawk City, so the local residents could learn leather manufacturing techniques and then gradually develop this industry in the city.


    So, after splitting up with Aileen, he followed Monte¡¯s lead towards the Technician Guild, ready to hire some technicians.


    However, they hadn¡¯t reached the Technician Guild when another guild caught Rocky¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Monte, what is this Mercenary Guild?¡±


    Stopping in his tracks, Rocky pointed at a building not far away and asked.


    ¡°My lord, that is where various Sky Cities congregate to distribute missions,¡± Monte glanced at the building Rocky mentioned and provided an answer.


    ¡°There¡¯s actually a place like this? Let¡¯s check it out!¡±


    Monte¡¯s explanation immediately piqued Rocky¡¯s interest, and without another word, he headed straight for the Mercenary Guild.


    However, just as he had taken a few steps, Liliya stopped him.


    ¡°Rocky, what are you planning to do now?¡±


    Stopping Rocky, Liliya looked at him disapprovingly, as if she could see right through him.


    ¡°Heh, I¡¯m just going to take a look, I promise not to do anything rash.¡±


    With a chuckle to Liliya, Rocky said this but his feet didn¡¯t stop, heading directly towards the Mercenary Guild.

 Chapter 50 - 50: Dangerous Ideas

    Chapter 50: Dangerous Ideas


    Full of curiosity about the Mercenary Guild he had chanced upon, Rocky had disregarded Liliya¡¯s protests and walked straight into the guild.


    Unlike the previous exchange he visited, the Mercenary Guild was housed within a two-story building, yet its scale was much more grand, giving an immediate impression of magnificence. Moreover, it was bustling with people coming and going in large numbers.


    As soon as Rocky entered the Mercenary Guild, he found it extraordinarily lively.


    The people here far outnumbered those at the exchange, and they varied widely in appearance. For instance, just as Rocky walked through the door, he brushed past an elf whose beauty rivaled that of women, and then, after just a few steps, bumped into a dwarf who reached only up to his waist.


    ¡°Goodness¡­ the variety of races gathered here is enormous¡­¡±


    Seeing so many different races for the first time, Rocky was clearly unaccustomed to it, and when he looked past the crowd into the main hall, he immediately noticed a mana board similar to the one in the exchange.


    There was also a notice board in the hall of the Mercenary Guild, even bigger than the one in the exchange, constantly scrolling with various kinds of information.


    ...


    ¡Á¡Á Sky City offers a high-priced hiring of a Mercenary Group to help defend the mine, requiring a group size of over five hundred members, with an average strength not below the fourth level, offering a commission of thirty thousand gold coins per month.


    ¡Á¡Á Chamber of Commerce offers a high-priced hiring of Void Magic Warriors to escort merchant ships, seeking thirty individuals, paying two thousand gold coins daily per person.


    ¡Á¡Á Sky City offers a high-priced employment for a powerful Mercenary Group to collaborate in wiping out demons, requiring a group size of over three hundred, to coordinate with the Void Magic Squad, price negotiable.


    Beneath the notice board, Rocky looked intently at the rolling information and found that the content matched what Monte had described, all being commissions issued by chambers of commerce and Sky City, predominantly for combat missions.


    To be honest, it was the first time he had heard of such activities, so he couldn¡¯t help asking Monte, ¡°Why does Sky City publish commissions to hire Mercenary Groups for combat?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­,¡± Monte looked at Rocky, opened his mouth, and after a long pause finally said, ¡°My lord, not every Sky City has strong capabilities, so the weaker ones, especially when they face troubles related to combat, typically post missions here to hire others to resolve their issues.¡±


    ¡°And even some fairly powerful Sky Cities sometimes post tasks here, though these tend to be more dangerous. That¡¯s because the city lords don¡¯t want their own people to die.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I see¡­¡±


    Monte¡¯s explanation made Rocky immediately understand, then his eyes lit up and he asked, ¡°To accept tasks here, do we have to form a Mercenary Group?¡±


    ¡°Rocky, what are you planning?¡±


    Before Monte could reply to Rocky¡¯s question, Liliya, who was beside them, spoke angrily as she had already guessed what Rocky was thinking.


    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m just asking, getting to know the situation doesn¡¯t pose any danger, right?¡±


    With a sly smile towards Liliya, Rocky turned back to Monte, awaiting his answer.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not necessary. For posting a task, one just needs to sign up, and it¡¯s similar for accepting tasks. As long as you meet the employer¡¯s requirements, the guild handles everything else; it doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be through a Mercenary Group.¡±


    ¡°So, what types of tasks are generally available here?¡±


    ¡°Usually, they are protection-related, but they almost always involve combat, and nine times out of ten it¡¯s combating demons. That¡¯s why there are very few tasks for individuals here.¡±


    With Monte¡¯s explanation, a grin spread across Rocky¡¯s face because for him, the Mercenary Guild was obviously a perfect place to make a fortune!


    Thunderhawk City was about to undergo a reform, which undoubtedly needed substantial investments for smooth progression, so now more than ever, Rocky needed a lot of money, a great deal of it.


    But the finances alone from Thunderhawk City were far from sufficient to cover these reform costs, thus Rocky had to think of other methods.


    Originally, his plan was to immediately go hunting a few demons to sell their parts for money to support the reform after he left.


    But now it seemed that the various tasks offered by the Mercenary Guild were clearly a better option, with commissions easily reaching tens or even several tens of thousands of gold coins!


    As the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, Rocky had not only a set of Void Magic Armor but also two hundred guards and ten military floating ships under his command! Such a setup wouldn¡¯t count for much in Sky City, but in the mercenary world, it definitely reached the scale of a Mercenary Group and was sufficient to meet the requirements of many tasks!


    So after thinking it over carefully, Rocky felt this idea was very feasible, and then he asked:


    ¡°Monte, does the Mercenary Guild have any communication facilities that would allow me to check for tasks anytime, anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Of course, there are.¡±


    Nodding, Monte said, ¡°The Mercenary Guild has a task receiver that uses mana for transmission; it can check task information anytime and anywhere and can also contact the guild to hand over tasks, very convenient.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Monte!¡±


    As Monte was explaining in detail to Rocky, Liliya on the side became unhappy, glaring at Monte fiercely, scaring the large Beastman into immediately shutting up, and then Liliya glared at Rocky with the same ferocity.


    Liliya knew Rocky too well; she knew from the start what little schemes he was plotting.


    Unlike Rocky, she had heard about the Mercenary Guild long ago and was well aware that although the tasks offered here seemed to have high commissions, they were also extremely dangerous, and in some respects, even more dangerous than hunting demons!


    So naturally, Liliya didn¡¯t want Rocky to stay here any longer because once Rocky understood the situation here, who knows what absurd and dangerous ideas would come out of his head.


    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m just asking casually¡­¡±


    However, facing Liliya¡¯s obstacle, Rocky was as usual, acting spoilt while looking at Monte, ¡°Monte, do you think the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City, along with the ten floating ships in the city, have the capability to undertake the tasks here?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    The question from Rocky somewhat bewildered Monte. Despite Liliya¡¯s repeated interruptions, Monte really hadn¡¯t expected Rocky to aim for these tasks, considering he was a city lord! Was it really necessary to partake in such dangerous activities?


    Moreover, considering the strength of Thunderhawk City¡­ Monte¡¯s face showed a troubled expression.


    ¡°No worries, you can say anything.¡±


    Seeing the troubled look on Monte¡¯s face, Rocky waved his hand, encouraging him to speak frankly.


    Seeing his persistence, the candid Monte thought for a moment before finally saying:


    ¡°Sir, the ten floating ships of Thunderhawk City are definitely a major force, which the vast majority of mercenary groups simply cannot compare with, and the strength of the City Lord and Miss Liliya naturally goes without saying.¡±


    ¡°However, the Guard Corps in the city¡­ they really aren¡¯t suited for combat¡­¡±


    Shaking his head, Monte finally spoke the truth, in his eyes, the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City was merely for show, completely lacking combat capability!


    ¡°Hmm¡­ it¡¯s almost as I thought.¡±


    Having heard his words, Rocky was not at all angered but instead nodded in agreement and then further asked, ¡°Monte, if you were to train the Guard Corps, how long do you think it would take for the Guard Corps to become capable of actual combat?¡±

 Chapter 51 - 51 - 50: The City Lords Embrace

    Chapter 51 ¨C 50: The City Lords Embrace


    After glancing at Monte, Rocky asked, ¡°If you were to train the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City, how long do you think it would take before the Guard Corps is capable of actual combat?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, I¡­¡±


    Caught off guard by the sudden question, Monte was at a loss for words and simply stood there stupefied.


    However, Rocky did not press him and soon looked around before walking over to the service counter in the hall to purchase a task receiver.


    The Mercenary Guild¡¯s task receiver was indeed a very convenient gadget, not only could it check task information anytime and anywhere, but it also allowed for constant contact with the Guild to complete the handover of tasks. The only issue was that it was not cheap; a palm-sized receiver cost a whopping five hundred gold coins, which really made Rocky wince.


    But despite the pain, Rocky still bought one, believing that the investment of five hundred gold coins would definitely bring him a return several times over.


    After that, he left with Liliya and Monte and finally made their way to the Technician Guild. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    There was not much to say about the journey to the Technician Guild. Once there, Rocky easily found two technicians willing to accompany him to Thunderhawk City. After negotiating the commission and signing a contract under the Guild¡¯s notarization, the matter was settled.


    But that wasn¡¯t all. After leaving the Technician Guild, he hurriedly went to the largest trade market in Eternal City and ordered five hundred pieces of leather there.


    These leathers were mainly for the residents to use in learning skills, the demand was not very high, and the cost was not too steep, so Rocky directly negotiated a deal with the seller and didn¡¯t bother Aileen.


    Only after attending to all of this did Rocky finally end his day¡¯s itinerary and returned to the hotel.


    However, when he returned to the hotel, Aileen had already come back earlier and brought back some good news: the trade for Greyrock Stone was complete!


    ¡°It¡¯s already done? So soon?¡±


    Rocky looked at Aileen in surprise, hardly believing it; he had thought that such things would take several days to finalize.


    ¡°We were quite lucky this time.¡±


    Seeing the skeptical expression on Rocky¡¯s face, Aileen went on to explain, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be concluded so quickly either, but it turns out that a newly established small Chamber of Commerce was in urgent need of a batch of Greyrock Stone, so the deal was made.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ What price did they offer?¡±


    More than which Chamber of Commerce had bought the Greyrock Stone, Rocky cared about how much money it was sold for, as this sum was too important to him.


    ¡°Nineteen gold coins per kilogram, nine hundred kilograms of Greyrock Stone, the total transaction price is seventeen thousand gold coins, and they also promised to gift a piece of Blue Rat Demon Skin, we can complete the handover tomorrow.¡±


    With a slight smile towards Rocky, Aileen couldn¡¯t hide her pride as she announced the outcome.


    And when Rocky and the others heard this result, they were all stunned.


    Because this outcome was far beyond their expectations, unexpectedly good!


    Before coming here, Rocky and Aileen had already made an estimate of the Greyrock Stone trade. Based on the market information that Aileen had at the time, they believed that the Greyrock Stone could be sold for at least ten thousand Gold Coins. As long as they hit this target, the money from selling grain in Thunderhawk City would be sufficient, and there might even be some surplus.


    So when Rocky found out that Aileen had actually sold the Greyrock Stone for seventeen thousand Gold Coins, and also got a piece of Demon Skin thrown into the deal, he was so delighted he nearly jumped for joy!


    This price was way beyond his previous expectations!


    It was definitely an occasion for everyone to celebrate. Perhaps for other cities in the sky, the extra seven thousand Gold Coins might not seem like much, but for Thunderhawk City, not only was this amount not insignificant, it was also of paramount importance!


    With this money, Rocky could do so many, many things that he didn¡¯t even know how best to praise Aileen. So, he simply gave her a hug from the City Lord, which was the best way he could think of to express his gratitude.


    The hug from the City Lord caught Aileen off guard. When Rocky embraced her, she froze like ice, and even after Rocky let go, she hadn¡¯t thawed out.


    ¡°Fantastic, with this money, I can replace all the equipment for the Guard Corps!¡±


    Rocky didn¡¯t notice Aileen¡¯s reaction and began to excitedly pace around the room, muttering something under his breath.


    It wasn¡¯t until then that Aileen barely snapped back to reality and stared blankly at Rocky for a while before speaking.


    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s best to save and be sparing with this extra money¡­¡±


    Seeing that Rocky had already started to plan how to use the money, Aileen felt the need to remind him.


    Although the Greyrock Stone trade had exceeded their expectations, yielding a considerable windfall profit, Aileen had to remind Rocky that with Thunderhawk City¡¯s current situation, it was wiser not to spend money recklessly since they simply did not have the capital to squander.


    Such worries were not without merit. Rocky naturally knew this too, but in his opinion, Gold Coins stored in the warehouse would not breed smaller Gold Coins. On the contrary, sometimes spending all the money could actually lead to making even more money.


    Take the Guard Corps that he just mentioned, for example. After one visit to the Mercenary Guild, Rocky was considering becoming a ¡¯mercenary¡¯, not meaning that he planned to abandon his role as City Lord to become a mercenary, but rather he wanted to complete the tasks assigned by the Mercenary Guild.


    To Rocky, the tasks posted by the Mercenary Guild were undoubtedly a good way to earn money, and a substantial amount at that. Those tasks typically offered commissions in the tens of thousands of Gold Coins, which was not a small sum and would be of great help to Thunderhawk City.


    However, the tasks from the Mercenary Guild could not be done alone; they required a squad that met the task requirements. So, once he knew that the income from Greyrock Stone far exceeded his expectations, he immediately thought of buying a batch of equipment for the Guard Corps.


    With new equipment, plus proper training, Thunderhawk City¡¯s Guard Corps would be like turning from matchlocks to cannons, ready to be truly useful!


    ¡°This is great! Truly great! I need to think about how to use this money¡­¡±


    The excited Rocky paced around the room while muttering to himself, pondering in his mind about the best way to utilize the money Aileen had earned.


    He looked just like a child. Liliya, who had seen his antics multiple times, was unsurprised, but Aileen and Monte, who had never seen him like this, were both dumbfounded. They had never imagined that their City Lord could act in such a way.


    And so, everyone¡¯s first day in Eternal City passed by. On this day, Rocky and others accomplished many things, but equally, there were many more tasks awaiting them, no matter if it was in Eternal City or Thunderhawk City.


    Therefore, on the second day, Rocky and Aileen continued on their separate tasks. Aileen went off to find the Chamber of Commerce to negotiate a grain trade deal, and after an excited night of planning, Rocky decided to take Liliya and Monte with him to purchase a batch of new equipment!

 Chapter 52 - 52 - 51: Whats Going On?

    Chapter 52 ¨C 51: Whats Going On?


    The sky was far from peaceful now, war erupted at every moment, either against demons on the land or in major battles between the cities in the sky. In any case, the warfare never ceased.


    Under such circumstances, trade related to warfare naturally flourished, and as a trade city, Eternal City was never short of transactions related to war. It was even the largest weapon market in the entire sky.


    So when Monte brought Rocky to the weapon market of Eternal City, Rocky was immediately captivated by the dazzling array of weapons before him. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The weapon market in Eternal City wasn¡¯t some small fair composed of roadside stalls; the market¡¯s scale was immense, stretching across more than a dozen streets, a giant marketplace with several hundred shops ranging from simple soldier¡¯s weapons and armor to Floating Warships, from cheap whetstones to the latest models of Void Magic Armor¡ªeverything was available!


    Upon arriving here, Rocky had turned into a big kid, excited beyond measure by the countless ¡°toys¡± before him, and almost immediately dived eagerly into a shop.


    ¡°Hello, welcome.¡±


    As he walked into a shop with Liliya and Monte, a young and pretty female shop assistant greeted him with a smile as soon as he entered, ¡°What would you like to buy?¡±


    ...


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Rocky nodded at the shop assistant and looked around the shop, noticing that it was a reasonably sized weapon store with various weapons and armor hanging on the walls, and the same was true for the counters. Furthermore, all the weapons did not look ordinary at all.


    Rocky then began to browse through the shop, and the shop assistant followed him closely, offering just the right amount of information whenever Rocky stopped or showed interest in a particular weapon.


    ¡°Sir, this Backstab Sword is forged from Fine Steel, coming from King Ding Mountain City, exceptionally sharp, and can easily pierce through regular armor.¡±


    ¡°This is a standard military shield, with a large defensive area and moderate weight, extremely agile to use.¡±


    ¡°This is a set of heavy armor with very strong defensive power, even capable of withstanding an attack from a Blue Rat Demon head-on.¡±


    When Rocky paused and his eyes fell on an entire set of armor, the shop assistant beside him hurriedly introduced it.


    The shop assistant presented everything well, but Rocky wasn¡¯t really interested in these items, only slightly curious as he had not seen them before. So, he soon turned back to look at the shop assistant, ¡°Do you have Mana Weapons here?¡±


    The reason Rocky had come to the weapon market this time was to buy equipment, and not just one or two pieces, but a large amount of gear because his goal was to arm the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City.


    However, what he wanted to buy wasn¡¯t ordinary equipment, but Mana Equipment!


    ¡°Yes, we do!¡±


    As soon as she heard his question, the shop assistant¡¯s face lit up with a radiant smile. It was well-known that Mana Weapons were far more expensive than ordinary weapons, with profits several times higher naturally, so when the shop assistant heard that Rocky was interested in Mana Weapons, she became even more enthusiastic.


    She quickly led Rocky to a row of counters and then, pointing to them, she said, ¡°Sir, these are the Mana Weapons you¡¯re looking for.¡±


    Standing in front of the counter and looking down, Rocky saw that this row indeed contained all Mana Weapons¡ªthere were longswords and daggers embedded with Magic Stones and Armor and Shields with Magic Stones in them. Although the quantity wasn¡¯t particularly extensive, the variety was quite complete.


    ¡°Let me take a look at that shield.¡±


    After browsing for a while, he pointed at a shield, and the shop assistant immediately retrieved the indicated shield from the counter and handed it over to Rocky.


    This was an oval, steel shield with a slight curvature on its surface, as smooth as a mirror. It also featured a three-star pattern, and when Rocky flipped it over to look at the inside, he saw that it was embedded with three Micro Magic Stones!


    There was no doubt that this was a Magic Energy Shield of quite good quality, both in material and craftsmanship, and particularly because the shield had three Micro Magic Stones embedded into it, the defensive power of the shield soared, easily enough to withstand a head-on assault from a Fourth Level Warrior.


    ¡°Sir, this magic energy shield is crafted from fine steel and a small amount of mithril. The arc of the shield¡¯s surface has been specially designed to effectively reduce the impact force when defending against attacks. Moreover, as a three-star magic energy equipment, its magic energy value exceeds 150 points.


    The powerful mana ensures that it can easily withstand the heavy strikes of a fifth-level warrior.¡±


    As Rocky carefully examined the magic energy shield in his hands, the female sales clerk thoroughly introduced the advantages of the shield to him.


    What she referred to as three-star magic energy equipment actually meant that the shield was embedded with three magic stones, one magic stone representing one star.


    However, her description was clearly exaggerated. Although Rocky might not know much about the material and craftsmanship of the shield, his mastery of mana runes meant he understood magic energy values much more deeply than most people.


    In his view, the craftsmanship and material of the shield were indeed very good, but the magic energy value definitely did not reach 150 points. A micro magic stone could only provide 40 points of mana, and three micro magic stones made 120 points. While some special techniques after processing could increase this value, the shield in front of him did not feature such technology.


    Not only did the magic energy value of this shield not reaching 150 points, it didn¡¯t even reach 120 points. Without additional technical enhancement, it was impossible for three micro magic stones to fully unleash their contained magic energy.


    According to Rocky¡¯s estimation, the magic energy value of this shield was at most around 100 points. It should be fine for defending against the attacks of a fourth-level warrior, but it definitely couldn¡¯t withstand the assault of a fifth-level warrior, let alone their heavy strikes.


    But he wasn¡¯t interested in quibbling with the female sales clerk. Instead, he followed up with the question, ¡°How much is this shield?¡±


    ¡°Sir, eight hundred gold coins.¡±


    Eight hundred gold coins¡­ For Rocky, the price was undoubtedly too expensive.


    So he asked afterward, ¡°Do you have something a little less expensive?¡±


    ¡°Cheaper¡­¡±


    The sales clerk didn¡¯t look down on Rocky after hearing his request; instead, she lowered her head and rummaged through the counter. She soon found another shield.


    ¡°Sir, this shield is made from top-grade black iron. Although it¡¯s only a one-star shield, it still has a magic energy value of 50 points, and the price is much lower, only three hundred gold coins.¡±


    While speaking, the sales clerk handed the shield she was holding to Rocky.


    But to her surprise, Rocky didn¡¯t even look at the shield and asked again, ¡°Still too pricey, do you have anything even cheaper?¡±


    ¡°Even cheaper?¡±


    The sales clerk, holding the shield up in mid-air, was stunned. After a moment, she smiled somewhat awkwardly, ¡°Sir, if you¡¯re looking for something cheaper, I¡¯m afraid we only have ordinary shields.¡±


    ¡°No, I want magic energy equipment, but it doesn¡¯t need to be embedded with micro magic stones¡ªeven equipment with even smaller stones would do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we don¡¯t sell that kind of equipment.¡±


    When Rocky said this, the previously friendly sales clerk instantly changed her expression. She frowned at Rocky and then said irritably, ¡°Sir, this is a legitimate weapon shop. We don¡¯t sell the kind of equipment you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    After saying that, the sales clerk no longer paid any attention to Rocky. She rolled her eyes at him and returned to her position behind the counter.


    What was going on?


    The sudden change in the sales clerk¡¯s demeanor caught Rocky completely off-guard, and he was puzzled by what had just happened. Had he said something wrong?

 Chapter 53 - 53 - 52 Montes Dissatisfaction

    Chapter 53 ¨C 52 Montes Dissatisfaction


    In the frustrated gaze of the female clerk, Rocky helplessly left the shop, still puzzled about the situation even after he had stepped outside.


    Had he said something wrong just now?


    Shaking his head in confusion, he didn¡¯t dwell on it much and directly headed for the second shop.


    Upon entering the second shop, Rocky did the same as before, inquiring about the prices of magical equipment and once again asked if there was any cheapest magical equipment available, the cheaper, the better, even if it wasn¡¯t inlaid with a micro magic stone instead of a small magic stone.


    As soon as he made this request, the clerk hurriedly shook his head. While he wasn¡¯t as disdainful as the previous female clerk, he nevertheless began to ignore Rocky soon after.


    What Rocky didn¡¯t know was that those who worked in weapon shops were experts, and they all knew one basic fact, that the minimum standard for mana equipment was to have one small magic stone inlaid. Only equipment with at least one small magic stone could be called mana equipment, and anything below this standard could not be considered as such.


    The request Rocky had made clearly fell below this minimum standard, hence he naturally came back empty-handed.


    ...


    Yet, having hit a wall twice in a row, Rocky was all the more persistent, asking at each shop he visited just as he had at the first two, thus, he went through seven or eight shops in a row without any intention of stopping.


    Perseverance paid off, as after visiting more than a dozen shops and traversing several streets, he finally found what he was looking for in a secluded little store!


    ¡°Yes! Sir, we have what you are looking for right here!¡±


    Enjoy new tales from .com


    As soon as the thin-faced shopkeeper with a monkey-like expression heard Rocky¡¯s request, he immediately showed a smile, ¡°Sir, please give me a moment right here.¡±


    After saying that, the shopkeeper turned and went into the back room of the shop, and not long after, he came out holding a round shield.


    Holding the round shield close to Rocky, the shopkeeper said with a beaming smile, ¡°Sir, this is the magic energy equipment you wanted. It¡¯s impossible to tell anything from its workmanship or material. It looks just like normal magic energy equipment, and moreover¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, the shopkeeper turned the shield over, pointing at the magic stone inlaid on the back, ¡°And look, this magic stone can only provide the mana of a micro magic stone, but its appearance and size are exactly like that of a small magic stone, absolutely indistinguishable from the real thing!¡±


    After saying this, the shopkeeper laughed heartily at Rocky, with an expression that said ¡¯you know what I mean¡¯.


    From the shopkeeper¡¯s various behaviors, it was clear that he mistook Rocky for a swindler who dealt in fake magic energy equipment!


    Indeed, the magic energy shield he was introducing to Rocky was a counterfeit!


    This shield, although inlaid with a magic stone, only had a micro magic stone, which could indeed provide mana, but the amount it provided was insufficient for battle, making it a genuinely fake piece of magic energy equipment.


    This was also the very reason that Rocky kept facing rejection in the previous shops because to those clerks, his description of mana equipment was simply akin to seeking a fake!


    For legitimate weapon shops, selling poor-quality weapons and equipment was strictly forbidden since it directly affected the shop¡¯s reputation, even touching on the most fundamental ethical bottomline.


    What is the purpose of weapons and equipment?


    They are for battle!


    Therefore, if there¡¯s any issue with the quality of weapons and equipment, it could be a matter of life and death, and no weapon shop would dare to play tricks on this issue, as it could mean the end for the shop if something went wrong. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, there are always exceptions, for when the forest grows, all kinds of birds will fly into it. Knowing that selling substandard weapons and equipment was unethical, there were still some unscrupulous merchants who engaged in such business in the shadows, much like the shopkeeper now.


    Before this, Rocky certainly had no knowledge of these matters, but when he saw the expression on the boss¡¯s face as he faced him, he pretty much understood what was going on.


    Yet, after that, not only did he say nothing, but he also took the fake Magic Energy Shield, looked it over, and then nodded his head in satisfaction, as though the shield was exactly to his liking!


    ¡°Sir, may I have a word with you?¡±


    At that moment, as Rocky was nodding incessantly at the shield in his hand, Monte, who had followed him for a day, could no longer hold back and called him aside.


    ¡°Sir, are you planning to buy equipment for the Guard Corps?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what about it?¡±


    Rocky glanced at Monte with an unconscious look of surprise, as if Monte was asking something he already knew.


    Indeed, Monte was asking a question to which he already knew the answer because, since Rocky had brought him to Eternal City, he had never treated Monte like an outsider and had not done anything without including him. So, Monte was indeed aware of Rocky¡¯s intentions.


    But it was precisely because he knew what Rocky intended to do that Monte asked the question¡ªhe meant to remind Rocky!


    Seeing that Rocky completely missed his point, Monte felt he had to elaborate: ¡°Sir, are you planning to equip the Thunderhawk City Guard Corps with new gear and then lead them on Mercenary Guild missions?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Sir, if you really intend to do so, this kind of shield simply won¡¯t do. After all, the majority of the Mercenary Guild¡¯s missions involve facing demons,¡± Monte said straightforwardly after looking Rocky in the eye.


    Although he had only been with Rocky for two days, Monte had already understood the City Lord¡¯s financial situation¡ªit wasn¡¯t wealthy, but that didn¡¯t make Monte think less of Rocky. In fact, it was quite the opposite; it made him respect Rocky even more.


    Monte had observed every action of Rocky¡¯s since his arrival in Eternal City, noting that he didn¡¯t lead a life of debauchery like other City Lords or nobles. Rocky certainly had the means to do so; even though he wasn¡¯t rich, he could still come up with tens of thousands of Gold Coins, enough to enjoy several days in Eternal City.


    But Rocky didn¡¯t do that; he saved almost all of his money and never spent it frivolously¡ªall his expenditures had clear purposes.


    And this series of actions had left a very good impression on Monte, even making him consider staying at Rocky¡¯s side. If he could follow a City Lord like that, Monte felt it wouldn¡¯t be too bad.


    However, Rocky¡¯s actions today greatly disappointed Monte!


    Monte knew Rocky was planning to buy equipment for the Guard Corps and that Rocky wasn¡¯t rich, but even so, one should not purchase such shoddily made fake Magic Energy Shields for one¡¯s own guards, should they?


    This behavior had surpassed the limit of what Monte could tolerate!


    If Rocky was planning to take on Mercenary Guild tasks, it meant that he would be leading his guards into land combat, into battle with demons on land!


    And once the battle ensued, could one even imagine what would become of the Thunderhawk City guards relying on these fake Magic Energy Shields? If soldiers were sent into combat with demons wielding such fake shields, wasn¡¯t Rocky essentially making a joke out of his subordinates¡¯ lives?


    So, Monte could no longer hold back.


    He felt he must remind Rocky because such behavior was no longer fitting of a person, not even the coldest-hearted or most frugal City Lord would do such a thing!

 Chapter 54 - 54 - 53: Misunderstandings Beyond Explanation

    Chapter 54 ¨C 53: Misunderstandings Beyond Explanation


    ¡°Sir, I suggest you not to buy this batch of equipment¡­¡±


    Looking at Rocky, the towering beastman said most cautiously.


    However, despite his earnest persuasion, Rocky, although exasperated, still shook his head, ¡°Monte, you should know, I don¡¯t have much money.¡±


    After saying this, he ignored Monte¡¯s reaction and directly turned to the shop owner, ¡°Owner, give me a hundred of these shields.¡±


    And after saying this, he even asked, ¡°Do you have more armor like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes!¡±


    The sly-smiling owner quickly nodded and, just like before, went to the back of the shop and brought out another set of armor.


    ...


    This armor, just like the previous shields, were counterfeit magical equipment. They looked no different from regular magic armor, but in actuality, they were embedded with micro magic stones that had no effect whatsoever.


    This type of armor, as well as the prior shields, seemed like magical equipment, but were actually equivalent to ordinary equipment; however, these items had one advantage¡ªthey were cheap!


    A hundred sets of armor and a hundred shields together cost only six thousand gold coins, and after some bargaining, Rocky actually spent only five thousand gold coins to buy all two hundred pieces.


    Without a doubt, this price was incredibly cheap, because if the same five thousand gold coins were used to buy real magic energy equipment, even the lowest one-star magic energy gear, he could only buy at most twenty pieces. That is to say, the price difference between the real and fake items was more than tenfold!


    It didn¡¯t take much time for Rocky to complete this transaction. He also arranged with the owner that early next morning, he would have all the equipment he purchased delivered to the skyship, where they would settle the payment.


    And throughout all this, Rocky did not try to avoid Monte, so his various actions were all seen by Monte, making Monte even more disappointed.


    Thus, after Rocky finished the transaction and left the shop, Monte, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke up.


    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m heading back first.¡±


    After saying this to Rocky and even without waiting for Rocky¡¯s response, Monte turned and left right away. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clearly, though he didn¡¯t say much, his behavior spoke volumes; Monte obviously left filled with anger.


    And watching his receding figure, Liliya glanced at Rocky, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to explain to him?¡±


    Discover exclusive content at .com


    ¡°Explain what?¡±


    Turning to Liliya, Rocky¡¯s expression was helpless, ¡°In front of everyone, should I tell him about the mana runes?¡±


    After saying this, Rocky looked in the direction Monte had left, not worried but rather nodding in satisfaction.


    He certainly knew that Monte was disappointed with him because of the recent incident, but he wasn¡¯t in a hurry, because it was clearly a misunderstanding.


    Rocky hadn¡¯t gone to great lengths to purchase a batch of fake Mana Equipment because he truly wanted to save money at the expense of his guards¡¯ lives. Indeed, it wasn¡¯t Monte who cared the most about the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad, but Rocky himself!


    That was the only armed force under his command, which was bound to play a significant role now and in the future. How could Rocky possibly joke about their lives? He would never engage in such self-destructive behavior.


    In fact, he had bought the counterfeit Mana Equipment precisely to increase the survival chances of the Thunderhawk City guards in future battles.


    Because only with such fake Mana Equipment could the real Mana Runes function effectively!


    As he had said many times before, with the current strength of Rocky and Thunderhawk City, the Mana Runes could not be exposed carelessly. Hence, Rocky had to devise a way to maximize their effect without revealing them.


    That was the rationale behind the transaction just now. Although the Mana Equipment he had just purchased was fake and couldn¡¯t exert the power of genuine Mana Equipment, the problem would be solved if Rocky drew Mana Runes on this gear!


    Once runes were inscribed on these fake pieces of Mana Equipment, they would become authentic rune equipment!


    And why had Rocky specifically chosen to buy shields and Armor? Among all the types of equipment, these two were the most expensive. If he had merely wanted to economize, he could have simply bought wrist guards or even helmets, which are far cheaper.


    Yet Rocky did not do so. He specifically chose Armor and shields because more Mana Runes could be drawn on these two items. He estimated that at least fifty First Level Runes could be applied to the Armor and shields, enough to bring their defensive power to the level of One Star Magic Energy Gear!


    More importantly, this approach wouldn¡¯t allow the Mana Runes to be easily exposed. No one would suspect that these pieces of Mana Equipment were embedded only with Micro Magic Stones, while the actual source of Mana was the Runes.


    This solution was the best Rocky could conceive at this stage. It would not expose the top-tier technology of the Mana Runes, while subtly allowing the Mana Runes to unleash their effects. Indeed, it was a strategy that killed two birds with one stone.


    Unfortunately, the only person who understood his intentions was Liliya. Others, such as Monte, would completely misunderstand him.


    However, Rocky wasn¡¯t worried about Monte¡¯s misunderstanding. Instead, he felt that this incident had allowed him to understand Monte better.


    Although he had always wanted to recruit Monte to his side, the two had known each other for such a short time that Rocky had always been apprehensive about Monte¡¯s character. He wasn¡¯t recruiting Monte just to work under him; he wanted to build his own team!


    Monte¡¯s behavior today, however, gave Rocky a deeper understanding of him. Moreover, the straightforward nature displayed by the Beastmen greatly appealed to Rocky.


    So, although Monte had left in a huff, this reaction was instead seen as a validation by Rocky. He also believed that once he explained everything, the Beastman would surely understand him.


    Under these circumstances, he didn¡¯t chase after Monte. Instead, he soon went on a leisurely walk through the weapon market with Liliya, and they didn¡¯t return to their hotel until evening.


    The day had not only resulted in a successful deal but also exposed him to much of the world. The weapon market in Eternal City was extremely vast and offered an array of equipment, including Floating Warships and Void Magic Armor.


    After Monte left, Rocky and Liliya focused their attention on the Void Magic Armor and Skyships. They visited several large stores in succession, not returning until their legs were weak. This round of exploration made Rocky feel that he was finally on track with the world.


    For he had not realized until he saw for himself; up to now, he had been a frog at the bottom of a well. The age had left Thunderhawk City far, far behind¡­

 Chapter 55 - 55 - 54 Do you know me?

    Chapter 55 ¨C 54 Do you know me?


    Although demons had occupied the land for a hundred years, people did not stop their strides after fleeing to the sky. In fact, during these hundred years, the entire world had developed and progressed, and the steps were quite significant.


    However, the sky was too vast and boundless, and communication between the scattered Sky Cities was extremely poor. Coupled with the imbalance in human resources, material resources, financial resources, etc., the development of each Sky City was very uneven.


    Strong Sky Cities, such as the Top Ten Divine Cities of Monster-level magnitude, had long surpassed the top cities of the Land Era in splendor, reaching new heights that the predecessors could never have imagined.


    Beyond the Top Ten Divine Cities, some large Sky Cities had also developed very rapidly. These large Sky Cities might not be comparable to the Top Ten Divine Cities, but their scale had surpassed cities from the Land Era.


    As for the weaker Sky Cities, such as some large Sky Cities and the vast majority of medium-sized Sky Cities, the scale of the cities had at least returned to the level of the Land Era, and in all aspects, there was no difference from the cities of the Land Era.


    The weakest batch of cities in the sky were the small-sized ones like Thunderhawk City. No matter from which angle, these small Sky Cities fell behind other cities by more than an entire era!


    Your next chapter is on .com


    ...


    Rocky was previously unaware of this because he had been staying in Thunderhawk City since crossing over. Although he knew Thunderhawk City was weak, he did not understand to what extent and what level it held in the entire sky, due to a lack of horizontal comparison.


    However, after staying in Eternal City for two days, especially after browsing through the weapon market, Rocky realized just how backward Thunderhawk City was.


    Why did he suddenly understand?


    Because in any world, weapons are a ruler that can measure everyone¡¯s strength and weakness.


    Take a simple example: in Thunderhawk City, Rocky was already the strongest person, after all, he was the only one who possessed a Void Magic Armor, and the whole city only had one set of Void Magic Armor. But in Eternal City, even a mere Air Patrol Officer was equipped with Void Magic Armor!


    The strength and weakness of the two cities were immediately apparent through this mere fact.


    The ability to equip a humble Patrol Officer with Void Magic Armor amply illustrated the economic prowess of Eternal City and proved the military might of Eternal City. Economic and military strength combined represented the significant role of Eternal City among all Sky Cities.


    This was all that could be measured with the ruler of weapons.


    So, after touring the weapon market, particularly after seeing the latest model of Void Magic Armor, Rocky essentially knew where Thunderhawk City ranked in the current world, and he also gained a more comprehensive understanding of the Void Magic Armor.


    Rocky possessed a set of Void Magic Armor, but his Armor was too outdated. After a tour in the weapon market, he realized that his Void Magic Armor belonged to the first generation, while the latest was already the Fifth Generation!


    This gap gave Rocky quite a shock.


    So for the next several days, instead of continuing to wander idly, he buried himself in the library of Eternal City.


    It must be said that after coming to Eternal City, Rocky¡¯s insights soared dramatically, and his vision and goals for the future became gradually clearer. Under these circumstances, merely using Mana Runes to enhance weapons and equipment was no longer enough for him; he planned to use Mana Runes in more areas and maximize the value of Runes.


    This kind of idea naturally required a vast amount of knowledge to realize, so for the next several days, Rocky would leave early and return late, spending all his time in the library.


    Just like that, time flew by for three days. During this period, Liliya had already found a Chamber of Commerce willing to trade with Thunderhawk City, and everything was settled. They could have left already, but they ended up staying in Eternal City entirely because of Rocky.


    Since he started frequenting the library, Rocky became unstoppable, completely drowning in the sea of knowledge, which led to them lingering many days in Eternal City.


    Today would be Rocky¡¯s last visit to the library, as Aileen had given him an ultimatum. Their mere food and lodging expenses in Eternal City had already exceeded five hundred gold coins, and with the departure tax, their expenditure had long surpassed a thousand. This cost greatly exceeded Aileen¡¯s prior estimate, and they had to leave.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky had to hurry and find all the books he needed in the library, then buy them all in one go, planning to study them slowly after returning to Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°This book will be needed too¡­¡±


    After flipping through a few pages of a book titled ¡°Principles of Magic Cannon Construction¡±, Rocky handed it over to Liliya, intending to buy it later.


    But just at that moment, a young woman happened to pass by him. Rocky did not think much of it, his attention was on the book, but the woman turned her head to look at him subsequently. After looking at him for a while, she couldn¡¯t help but speak:


    ¡°Rocky, is that you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Hearing someone calling him, Rocky stopped and turned around to look, just in time to see the woman looking back at him.


    Regarding the young woman who had called out his name, Rocky appeared quite puzzled, ¡°Are you calling me?¡±


    He pointed to himself and asked uncertainly, as he did not recognize the other party at all.


    ¡°Rocky, don¡¯t you recognize me?¡±


    At this moment, the young woman had walked up to him, looking at him with an expression that was hard to describe.


    ¡°Do I know you?¡± sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The woman¡¯s words prompted Rocky to take a closer look. He noticed she was very beautiful and dressed meticulously, giving off an air of similarity to Aileen, evidently someone of noble background. But he was certain he did not know this person.


    Seeing Rocky failing to recognize her for quite some time, the woman¡¯s expression became even more peculiar, but she eventually said, ¡°Rocky, I¡¯m Cyril, we met a year ago in Mairente City¡­¡±


    ¡°Mairente City¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this name, Rocky suddenly felt as though he remembered something, then it suddenly dawned on him¡ªhis father¡¯s family was the Mairente Family, and the Sky City where this family resided was called Mairente City!


    With this realization, Rocky immediately remembered who the woman before him was, and he exclaimed in astonishment, ¡°Cousin?!¡±

 Chapter 56 - 56 - 55 The Result of the Struggle

    Chapter 56 ¨C 55 The Result of the Struggle


    His eyes gradually widened, and Rocky couldn¡¯t help but cry out loud; he finally remembered who this woman named Cyril was¡ªshe was his cousin!


    So-called cousins naturally referred to relatives of his father¡¯s generation, which is to say, Cyril was from the Mairente Family!


    Rocky¡¯s father came from the Mairente Family, and after his father¡¯s death, the people from this family took away everything that Rocky had inherited, even including a medium-sized Sky City with a population of thirty thousand!


    This incident, whether for Rocky before he traveled through time or the current Rocky, was etched deeply into his bones!


    Initially, Rocky thought he would never have anything to do with the Mairente Family in this lifetime, because he was no longer who he used to be, yet he hadn¡¯t expected to encounter someone from the Mairente Family today; this truly surprised him.


    However, after a brief moment of surprise, he calmed his emotions, neither displaying great anger nor the joy of seeing a relative. He simply nodded to Cyril as if he was looking at a stranger, and then he turned and walked away.


    As for the various events before Rocky traveled through time, he actually didn¡¯t care much. Similarly, he had no fondness for the Mairente Family. Under such circumstances, he didn¡¯t want anything to do with the family, including any of its members.


    ...


    As for his cousin Cyril, he had even less of an impression. Perhaps it was true that they had met once, as she said, but due to his dislike and deliberate distance from the Mairente Family, Rocky had no intention of clinging to kinship. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    Watching Rocky turn to leave with an expressionless face, Cyril instinctively wanted to call out to him, but stopped herself at the last moment. The words that had reached her lips remained unspoken, and in the end, she could only sigh as she watched Rocky¡¯s retreating figure.


    Cyril was not surprised by Rocky¡¯s reaction, although it left her feeling helpless, because she knew all too well what the family had done to Rocky. After all, once Rocky¡¯s father had passed away, the family took everything he was supposed to inherit.


    Obviously, such an action could not possibly gain Rocky¡¯s favor. It was even more unfair to him, yet there was nothing that could be done about it.


    The Mairente Family was a powerful and immense family with a long history, controlling over ten Sky Cities, and holding a prestigious reputation throughout the heavens. In such a gigantic family, intense internal struggles were inevitable, and it was for this reason that Rocky¡¯s father had left the family.


    But how could one cleanly break away from such a massive family?


    That¡¯s why after his death, the family took everything from Rocky, a result also caused by the family struggles.


    Cyril, who was already involved in the management of the family, was well aware of these matters. She had even been part of the decision to take away everything Rocky had inherited!


    That¡¯s why her expression was so strange after she recognized Rocky. She knew that Rocky lived in Thunderhawk City, and while she had never been there herself, one could imagine the conditions of a city that the family had intended to give up.


    So when Cyril recognized Rocky, she felt somewhat guilty.


    ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Find adventures at


    Just as Cyril was staring at Rocky¡¯s disappearing figure in a daze, a young man about her age came over. While speaking, he glanced in the direction where Rocky had disappeared, catching sight of Rocky¡¯s fading figure.


    ¡°Sister, who is that person?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s your cousin, Rocky.¡±


    Coming back to his senses, Cyril let out a sigh.


    ¡°Rocky¡­¡± Hearing this name, the young man thought for a moment before an expression of realization dawned on his face, ¡°Oh, I remember now.¡±


    While speaking, the young man looked in the direction Rocky had left, ¡°Sis, is he the one who had his inheritance taken away by the family? I heard this guy is pretty spineless. When the family was taking away his Sky City, he didn¡¯t even dare say a word¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! He¡¯s your cousin!¡±


    Turning her head to glare at her little brother, Cyril was quite displeased.


    But the young man just shrugged, showing a carefree expression, ¡°Tch! I don¡¯t want a cousin who¡¯s such a loser.¡±


    After saying that, something suddenly occurred to the young man, and he then said, ¡°Sis, didn¡¯t the family give Thunderhawk City to this guy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what about it?¡±


    ¡°I think I overheard father mentioning Thunderhawk City the other day, that¡­ what¡¯s his name¡­ Baron Wolin, right, Baron Wolin recently secured a large mine for the family. Although it wasn¡¯t some grand achievement, father and the others couldn¡¯t not reward him, so it seemed they were also planning to grant Thunderhawk City to Baron Wolin.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Cyril immediately looked at her brother, and her complexion changed on the spot.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Rocky was unaware of what had transpired with Cyril after he left the library, because although he recognized her, and it brought up some unpleasant memories, he didn¡¯t take it to heart. In fact, as soon as he left the library, he had left Cyril and all matters related to the Mairente Family behind.


    Upon returning to the hotel, everyone started to pack up, and then, with a full harvest, they finally left Eternal City.


    For Rocky and his group, the trip to Eternal City was highly rewarding. Not only did they sell Greyrock Stone at a high price, but they also found a new Chamber of Commerce to partner with, hired a Technician, and even purchased new equipment for the Guard Corps. They hadn¡¯t just accomplished all the goals set before they left but had exceeded them.


    With this in mind, Rocky was in a very good mood on the way back to Thunderhawk City, completely unaffected by everything that had happened in the library. In fact, once he got back to Thunderhawk City, he slept soundly to adjust his mental state, after which he was ready to make big moves!


    Because after returning from Eternal City, Rocky had already prepared everything he needed. Next, he would carry out economic reforms in Thunderhawk City!


    This was a significant event both for him and for Thunderhawk City. Rocky had even invited two Technicians from Eternal City for this purpose and had bought a batch of leather to ensure the smooth progress of the economic reforms in Thunderhawk City.


    However, before the reforms in Thunderhawk City had officially begun the next day, a new piece of news arrived first.


    The Azure Commerce Guild had sent someone at this time to inquire when Thunderhawk City would purchase grain and how much they would buy.


    Upon learning of this, Rocky was momentarily stunned, and then a sly smile spread across his face¡­

 Chapter 57 - 57 - 56: Naive

    Chapter 57 ¨C 56: Naive


    Rocky really hadn¡¯t expected that just after his return to Thunderhawk City, he would receive a message from the Azure Commerce Guild, especially one inquiring about how much food he wanted to buy.


    This couldn¡¯t help but amuse Rocky a bit. It seemed the Azure Commerce Guild still had no awareness; after that last unpleasant trade, did they really think they had Thunderhawk City under their thumb?


    In reality, Thunderhawk City no longer needed to conduct any trade with the Azure Commerce Guild, because Aileen had already negotiated a deal with another chamber in Eternal City long before.


    This chamber was called the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, a newly established business with its headquarters in Eternal City. Although smaller in scale compared to the Azure Commerce Guild, precisely because of this, they wouldn¡¯t bully their clients.


    Also, being newly established, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce also urgently needed a steady, major client like Thunderhawk City. In the eyes of the Azure Commerce Guild, Thunderhawk was just a minor client, but to the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, Thunderhawk could be considered a major client.


    Therefore, when Aileen approached them, they agreed to her terms right away, not only agreeing to supply the necessary food and yarn steadily but also at a much more favorable price than the Azure Commerce Guild.


    With this in place, there was absolutely no need for Thunderhawk City to cooperate with the Azure Commerce Guild anymore. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    However, Rocky did not do so.


    ¡°Aileen,¡± he said, ¡°tell the people from the Azure Commerce Guild that we need the food supply as per the previous years¡¯ amounts, and the sooner the better. As for the price, we¡¯ll discuss it later; just get the food here quickly.¡±


    ¡°My lord, what did you say?¡±


    Blinking at Rocky, Aileen doubted if she had heard correctly. ¡°My lord, we have already settled with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. They will deliver this year¡¯s food supply in three days, and I have already paid the deposit.¡±


    Although Thunderhawk City had returned to the vicinity of Eternal City, the city did not immediately leave, the reason being that in a few days, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce would be delivering the food. Therefore, Aileen couldn¡¯t understand why Rocky still wanted the Azure Commerce Guild to transport food.


    ¡°I know, I just want to see what the Azure Commerce Guild¡¯s food supply looks like this year.¡±


    With a sly grin, Rocky told her not to ask too much and just do as he said.


    Aileen, being exceedingly clever, immediately understood what Rocky was up to and subsequently shook her head helplessly, the words ¡°childish¡­¡± popping into her mind.


    Although in her thoughts she found Rocky¡¯s approach quite childish, her heart was brimming with glee because she too was eager to see the expression on Jia Xi¡¯s face¡ªthe old pervert who tried to take advantage of them¡ªwhen he arrived in Thunderhawk City laden with food.


    Having discussed the matter with the Azure Commerce Guild, Aileen didn¡¯t leave right away, because what she had to talk about next was more serious.


    ¡°My lord, the notice for the training class has been posted.¡±


    ¡°Oh? How has the response been?¡±


    Upon hearing this from Aileen, Rocky immediately asked.


    Previously, he had already hired two technicians from the Technician Guild, and he had them start teaching in Thunderhawk City. He had introduced this training class for the residents to learn leather-making skills, which is what Aileen was referring to.


    Early this morning, Rocky had people post notices throughout the urban areas of Thunderhawk City, hoping the residents would eagerly sign up to learn new skills, and all courses were free of charge.


    Yet faced with his eager expectations, Aileen indeed looked at him helplessly and then shook her head. ¡°My lord, the residents¡¯ response¡­ isn¡¯t too enthusiastic.¡± Experience new tales on


    Looking at Rocky, Aileen, though reluctant to dampen his enthusiasm, still had to tell the truth, because the reality was as she said ¨C the response to the notice posted by the City Lord¡¯s Mansion was lukewarm, and no one had signed up all morning.


    This was actually to be expected, as the residents of Thunderhawk City had long been accustomed to a lifestyle of men plowing fields and women weaving at home, and no one thought there was anything wrong with this way of living, so no one was willing to attend any training classes.


    ¡°Sir, I think you should just issue an order directly, commanding the town¡¯s residents to attend the training classes, as this would be more effective,¡± he said.


    Looking at Rocky, Aileen expressed her thoughts.


    Setting up training classes was not a problem, after all, leather manufacturing was a new technology for Thunderhawk City, and the residents indeed needed to learn to master it, but Aileen never understood why registration had to be voluntary?


    As the City Lord, Rocky could simply issue an order about what he wanted the residents to do, and who in the town would dare to disobey the City Lord¡¯s command? One must remember, in this era, the residents of Sky City do not look up and see the sky, it is the City Lord of Sky City who is their sky!


    Yet, Rocky did not do so, he insisted on having the residents sign up voluntarily, a practice Aileen could not understand.


    ¡°A twisted melon is not sweet¡­¡±


    Aileen¡¯s misunderstanding was something that Rocky actually understood quite well; in fact, he really could make everyone in the city learn the new technology with a single command, but he did not wish to do so.


    It was not because of kindness, but because he had a longer-term plan in mind.


    He hoped to use this reform to cultivate the residents¡¯ initiative, allowing them to voluntarily accept and even proactively seek reform, as that would make future matters easier to handle.


    So, after pondering for a moment, Rocky said to Aileen, ¡°Aileen, immediately send someone to change the announcement. Tell the residents that the deadline for this training session is one week from now. After this time, they will have to wait for the next session.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ Sir, are you sure we should do this?¡±


    Rocky¡¯s words caused Aileen¡¯s eyes to widen in disbelief.


    The current situation was that no one was willing to attend the training classes. Under such circumstances, setting a registration deadline would only reduce attendance even more, Aileen thought, finding herself increasingly unable to understand Rocky¡¯s ideas.


    Yet, faced with her confusion, Rocky did not offer much of an explanation. He only asked Aileen to follow his instructions, believing that it would not take long, at most after the first training session, for the residents of Thunderhawk City to change their minds about the training.


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    Just then, as Rocky and Aileen were discussing the training class, Liliya hurried over.


    ¡°Liliya, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Seeing Liliya hurrying towards him, Rocky frowned. She should be with the Guard Corps at this time, so why had she suddenly come to him?


    By now, Liliya had reached Rocky, and then she said to him with a smile, ¡°Sir, Monte is leaving¡­¡±


    PS: New book seeking recommendation, seeking collection, each of your recommendation tickets, each collection is the biggest encouragement for Little Detective, hope everyone supports more! More support! More support!

 Chapter 58 - 58 - 57 Help Me

    Chapter 58 ¨C 57 Help Me


    Since the last misunderstanding occurred, Monte and Rocky began to drift apart, despite Rocky not leaving Eternal City ahead of time, but in the following days, he didn¡¯t continue to follow Rocky. From then on, the two of them barely spoke to each other anymore.


    And as soon as he returned to Thunderhawk City, Monte went to find Liliya and told her he was leaving.


    It was clear that the previous incident had greatly disappointed Monte with Rocky, to the point where he even cast aside the thought of observing Thunderhawk City for a while, and he planned to take his leave as soon as he returned.


    Although Liliya was well aware that Monte had misunderstood the weapon, she couldn¡¯t explain it to him, so she had no choice but to go to Rocky.


    ¡°You go bring Monte to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, come directly to the lab to see me.¡±


    ¡°Research¡­ Rocky, are you going to?¡±


    Upon hearing Rocky¡¯s words, Liliya was slightly taken aback because she was the only one who could understand the meaning of his words.


    ...


    ¡°Go, I have it figured out.¡±


    Without giving Liliya a detailed explanation, Rocky simply told her to bring Monte according to his instructions.


    Monte¡¯s departure wasn¡¯t a surprise to anyone, at least not to Rocky, for Monte¡¯s character was easy to predict. As a Beastman, he had no interest in beating around the bush: it was perfectly normal for him to part ways when their paths no longer aligned.


    However, regarding the misunderstanding between the two, Rocky naturally had a way to clear it up. After instructing Liliya, he also turned to Aileen.


    ¡°Aileen, don¡¯t leave just yet. Come with me to the lab; I have something to tell both of you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay¡­¡±


    At this time, Aileen had been ready to leave since she still had work to do. But, after hearing what Rocky said, she too decided to stay, feeling somewhat curious.


    When had a research lab appeared in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion? This was the first Liliya had heard of it, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel curious.


    Afterward, Liliya went to find Monte, while Rocky took Aileen to his own lab ahead of them.


    It didn¡¯t take long before he brought Aileen into the lab, and just as they stepped through the door, Aileen was stunned by everything she saw!


    Rocky¡¯s lab was filled with various research instruments, which wouldn¡¯t have been unusual, but as a shrewd merchant with vision far beyond ordinary people, Aileen realized at a glance that these instruments didn¡¯t belong to the current era¡ªthey were all from the Land Era!


    This discovery took Aileen aback, and as she inspected more closely, she noticed that the room also contained numerous weapons and pieces of equipment that seemed to be used for research purposes¡ªeven Rocky¡¯s Void Magic Armor was displayed in the room.


    Even the Void Magic Armor was being used; what on earth was Rocky researching¡­


    The scenes before her were astonishing to Aileen, and how astute was she? After a brief moment of shock, she quickly understood why Rocky had brought her here.


    And just thinking about what Rocky might be about to do made Aileen¡¯s heart start to pound furiously. She felt that a significant event was about to unfold today, one that could deeply affect her!


    ¡°Take a seat wherever you like.¡±


    At this moment, Rocky, who had brought her to the lab, didn¡¯t say much, just telling Aileen to take a seat anywhere, clearly intending to speak once everyone had arrived.


    Not long after, the door to the lab was pushed open again; Liliya arrived with Monte.


    Unlike Aileen, who was meticulous and extremely smart, Monte, brought by Liliya, did not notice the extraordinariness of the lab. He merely glanced at Rocky upon entering the lab and then silently stood aside.


    ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s here¡­¡±


    Once Monte was brought in, Rocky stood opposite the few of them. Without any pleasantries, he picked up the Rune Longsword and slowly began, ¡°This longsword, I found it at a Lost Research Institute on the land.¡±


    With just this simple sentence, Aileen and Monte facing him were both stunned!


    ¡°This longsword has no name, but I think it can be called a Rune Sword because those patterns on the sword are called Mana Runes¡­¡±


    Rocky ignored the stunned looks on both Aileen and Monte¡¯s faces and, as he spoke, activated the Mana Runes on the sword. In an instant, the longsword in his hand shone brightly, and at the same time, with a gentle flick of his wrist, a slash of sword light appeared before everyone.


    ¡°These Mana Runes were invented by a master named Wensel during the Land Era to replace Magic Stones.¡±


    After saying this, Rocky finally turned to look at Aileen and Monte, just in time to see their faces as they gasped in shock.


    In fact, from the moment Rocky began speaking, Both of them had been stunned. And when Rocky mentioned the Mana Runes, both the anticipating Aileen and the utterly unprepared Monte couldn¡¯t help but gasp!


    Mana Runes¡­ Could it be top-notch Magic Technology from the Lost Research Institute?!


    That was what Rocky had just meant, right? They hadn¡¯t misunderstood, had they?!


    Thinking back on everything Rocky had just said, although the information was succinct, it left them both stunned for a long while, even doubting their own understanding.


    And if they had understood correctly, then this was too shocking for both Aileen and Monte.


    The two of them, one a supremely intelligent merchant and the other an experienced Demon Hunter, did not need Rocky to explain in detail the uses of Mana Runes; they had already realized the immense potential of this technology.


    So when Rocky looked at them, they also looked back at him, faces full of disbelief. They had never imagined that Rocky would possess such a potent technology with such potential!


    They were even more astonished that Rocky would so casually disclose this to them, knowing well that if such a thing were made known, it could cause a stir across the entire sky!


    At that moment, Rocky continued to speak, explaining in detail the various potential uses of the Mana Runes to Aileen and Monte.


    And when he finished, the Aileen and Monte standing opposite him were completely dumbfounded, standing still as if they had crashed, their minds a blank slate.


    ¡°My lord, you¡­ shouldn¡¯t have told us this¡­¡±


    Aileen whispered uncontrollably. She not only felt Rocky shouldn¡¯t have disclosed this, but even thought she shouldn¡¯t have heard it, because even hearing it could bring disaster upon oneself!


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Aileen¡¯s whispered words, however, were heard by Rocky. He showed a face full of helplessness and said with great self-mockery, ¡°Such top-notch technology, falling into the hands of a city lord like me, does seem like a bad thing indeed.¡±


    With a self-deprecating smile, Rocky then looked at Aileen and Monte: S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I also know that if this gets out, it¡¯s over for me and Thunderhawk City. I¡¯ve even thought more than once about just selling the Mana Runes as a commodity. At least that way, I could save my life.¡±


    ¡°But every time I think about it, I feel¡ªunwilling!!¡±


    As he spoke, the expression on Rocky¡¯s face changed; the helplessness and self-mockery disappeared in an instant: ¡°I¡¯m unwilling to forever be a small city¡¯s City Lord, I¡¯m unwilling to let my city be forever bullied, I¡¯m unwilling to live such a mediocre life!¡±


    ¡°So, I want to take a gamble!¡±


    ¡°I want to take a gamble with the Mana Runes, I want to use the Mana Runes to let Thunderhawk City soar in the sky, I want to stand shoulder to shoulder with the giant beasts in the sky, with the demons on the land!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Experience tales at


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it, not alone¡­¡±


    Having said this, Rocky looked towards Aileen and Monte.


    ¡°Therefore, I¡¯ve decided to tell you everything, without holding anything back.¡±


    ¡°I hope, you will help me!¡±

 Chapter 59 - 59 - 58: Oath

    Chapter 59 ¨C 58: Oath


    On this day, Rocky did something extremely dangerous, the risk level of which far surpassed that of hunting Demons, and also exceeded all missions of the Mercenary Guild, which was sharing the secret of the Mana Rune with Aileen and Monte!


    His actions were, to say the least, unexpected by everyone, even Aileen and Monte themselves had not anticipated hearing such explosive news. It was an action of extreme danger, because if either of the two were to leak everything they had heard, there would only be three words to describe the fate of Rocky and Thunderhawk City: utter annihilation!


    Yet, at the same time, this move was within reason, because Rocky needed his own foundation!


    Only with his own foundation could he then freely develop and become stronger, and the foundation he chose was Liliya, Aileen, and Monte.


    There was no need to mention Liliya; Rocky absolutely trusted her, so that was beyond question. As for Aileen and Monte, after interacting with them for a period of time, Rocky also deemed them trustworthy.


    This was precisely where his audacity lay because in Rocky¡¯s eyes, although Aileen and Monte were trustworthy, they did not reach the level of absolute trust he had in Liliya.


    Still, he shared his greatest secret with the two of them, because Rocky knew one thing: excessive caution is tantamount to groundless suspicion, and once you fall into that vicious cycle, there is no one left to trust.


    ...


    In this situation, he decided to take a gamble; he bet that he had not misjudged these two people, and that his trust had not been misplaced!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    The silence in the research room had become profound at some point; after Rocky had finished speaking, he did not continue, merely watching Aileen and Monte as if waiting for them to digest everything they had heard,


    Indeed, Aileen and Monte truly needed time to process everything in their minds, and with their intelligence and experience, they had understood Rocky¡¯s intentions as soon as he finished speaking.


    However, this was a matter they had to consider very carefully, because once they made their choice, it could potentially affect the rest of their lives. Therefore, neither spoke up immediately, falling into silence together.


    As time ticked by, after more than ten minutes had passed, Monte was the first to make his choice. He looked at Rocky, then slowly knelt on one knee before him!


    ¡°City Lord, Beastman Monte swears loyalty to you. I am willing to be the spear in your hand, or the shield. I vow to follow you and never betray you!¡±


    Beastman Monte swore loyalty to Rocky!


    And after he made his oath, Aileen also made her choice. She too knelt on one knee before Rocky like Monte did and pronounced her vow, ¡°City Lord, Aileen wishes to swear loyalty to you. Your ambitions are my goals, your dreams my desires. I will follow you, never to leave or forsake you.¡±


    Aileen, swore loyalty to Rocky!


    ¡°City Lord, Liliya swears loyalty to you. I am willing to be by your side forever, to follow your footsteps ceaselessly.¡±


    After Aileen and Monte had consecutively sworn loyalty to Rocky, Liliya also knelt before him and spoke her vow.


    With this, Liliya, Aileen, and Monte, all three had sworn loyalty to Rocky. They were henceforth known as the most valiant, astute, and loyal trio under the Master of Runes, and at this moment, their legend was born.


    At the same time, these three giants would not know that many years later, the vows they made today would come to be known as the Oath of Spear and Shield, the Oath of Heart and Desire, and the Eternal Oath, and would spread to every corner of the skies, becoming the standard for all pledges.


    Of course, all of this would happen many years from now, and at the moment, not the three of them, nor Rocky, who would be later honored as the Master of Runes, knew what the future would hold for them.


    The current Rocky was simply elated, very much so!


    So, he then helped the three who were kneeling before him to their feet, and in turn, gave each one of them an embrace from the City Lord.


    ¡°Alright, now it¡¯s time to talk about serious matters.¡±


    After giving each of the three a big hug, Rocky opened up his floodgates of speech.


    He actually had many ideas about their future development, including Thunderhawk City, how they were going to survive in the skies, and even the Mana Rune, in short, Rocky had many thoughts. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But before this, he could only confide in Liliya alone. However, everyone has their expertise, and even though Liliya understood Rocky well, she was not adept at everything, so she couldn¡¯t always help Rocky.


    But now, things had gotten better; not only did Rocky have Liliya by his side, but he also had Aileen and Monte, so he could share many of his ideas with them.


    Therefore, following this, the four of them held a candid conversation in the research lab, without any secrets or schemes, talking from day to night about all sorts of things ¡ª immediate plans and long-term goals alike; they chatted about a great many topics.


    After this in-depth conversation, Rocky became much clearer about what he needed to do next and how he was going to do it; at the same time, his relationship with Aileen and Monte grew much closer because of the talk.


    So when the next day arrived, it might have seemed like nothing had changed in Thunderhawk City, but in fact, changes were silently taking place ¡ª for instance, the Guard Corps had a new instructor.


    This instructor, naturally, was Monte.


    Actually, Rocky¡¯s idea was to have Monte take over Liliya¡¯s position and become the new Captain of the Guards, which was also what Liliya hoped for, but this needed to happen gradually.


    Monte was different from Liliya; while Liliya was the personal guard of the City Lord and her status naturally earned her everyone¡¯s respect, coupled with her strength and beauty, which had facilitated a smooth transition when she took over the Guard Corps.


    Monte, however, arrived in Thunderhawk City as an outsider. Even though he was stronger than Liliya, he couldn¡¯t come close to her in terms of prestige. Appointing him directly as the Captain of the Guards would have caused unnecessary trouble for Monte.


    So, Rocky came up with a solution: he let Monte start as an instructor for the Guard Corps. This way, while training the guards, he could simultaneously establish his own prestige in their hearts, paving a natural way for his eventual promotion to Captain.


    Meanwhile, as Monte became the new instructor for the Thunderhawk City guards and began training the Guard Corps, the training classes finally started to gain some traction.


    Strangely enough, despite the lack of initial interest in the training classes, once Rocky set a registration deadline, people began signing up. Although the number wasn¡¯t large, with only a dozen or so participants, the result was still far beyond Aileen¡¯s expectations and left her puzzled.


    ¡°You could think of this tactic as like a sale.¡±


    When Aileen voiced her confusion to Rocky, he responded, ¡°Imagine this: if a product permanently drops in price, people won¡¯t rush to buy it because the sale is forever, right? They can buy it any time when they really need it.¡±


    ¡°But if a product is on a limited-time sale, people¡¯s desire to purchase intensifies, because if they don¡¯t buy now, they might not get the chance later.¡±


    ¡°The same principle applies to the training classes; setting a deadline for registration naturally boosts the residents¡¯ desire to sign up.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it works¡­ Why didn¡¯t I think of that before.¡±


    After Rocky explained, Aileen understood the situation and nodded thoughtfully.


    ¡°How are things going with the food?¡±


    At this point, Rocky inquired.


    ¡°Oh, everything has been taken care of. We¡¯ll start selling food to the residents next month, with the same prices as before. Once all the food is sold to the residents, funds will flow back, and we should have enough money for buying yarn for the next quarter.¡±


    A week had passed since they left Eternal City, and the Ruby Chamber of Commerce had already delivered the food to the city, while Aileen had managed all these matters properly.


    ¡°Excellent.¡±


    Upon hearing Aileen¡¯s report, Rocky nodded in satisfaction. Although he had initiated reforms in Thunderhawk City, it would take time to see actual results, so in the meantime, the city needed to continue operating in the old way without any mishaps.


    ¡°By the way¡­¡± Rocky nodded, then suddenly remembered another matter, ¡°Any news from the Azure Commerce Guild? They should be arriving soon, right?¡±


    ¡°Soon.¡±


    Upon mentioning the Azure Commerce Guild, a smile appeared on Aileen¡¯s face, ¡°They¡¯ve already sent word; they should arrive with the food in a week, and the one leading the team is that Jia Xi.¡± Experience tales at


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll leave this matter to you then.¡±


    After looking at Aileen, Rocky chuckled.

 Chapter 60 - 60 - 59: Lord Steward, please don’t be angry

    Chapter 60 ¨C 59: Lord Steward, please don¡¯t be angry


    After leaving the Eternal City, everything in Thunderhawk City returned to normal, and everything was running smoothly and orderly.


    However, in reality, subtle changes were quietly taking place in Thunderhawk City, changes that were unnoticed by many because they were too minor; probably only those who were driving these changes could perceive everything that was happening, but these changes were indeed occurring.


    Monte, who had sworn loyalty to Rocky, had taken up his post successfully. He became the new instructor of the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad and began targeted training of the Guard Corps with Liliya¡¯s help.


    At the same time, the leather crafting training class had also started. When the registration for the training class ended, the number of participants in the first session stopped at thirteen, which meant that, in a city with a population of one thousand, only about one percent of the population participated in the training.


    This number was obviously much lower than what Rocky and Aileen had expected, but even so, the training class started as scheduled, and the first step in the economic reform of Thunderhawk City was taken. Perhaps this step seemed small, but it was taken nonetheless.


    Thunderhawk City was changing silently like this, a change that might not seem effective now, but it would be enough to affect everyone soon enough.


    As for Rocky, the City Lord, he was quite busy these days. Although everything in the city was running smoothly, he was still very busy because he was preparing for his next goal.


    ...


    Just as he had meticulously prepared for the successful hunting of Demons before, Rocky now set his next goal on the tasks of the Mercenary Guild. The training Monte was conducting for the Guard Corps was for this purpose, and he too was swamped with work because of it.


    He had to draw up a batch of rune equipment for the city¡¯s Guard Corps by himself!


    As mentioned before, Rocky had spent thousands of Gold Coins buying a large amount of fake Magic Energy Equipment, to use these fake items to cover the truth, taking the opportunity to utilize the function of the Mana Runes.


    And what he had to do was to inscribe True Runes onto the fake Magic Energy Equipment.


    But¡­ that¡¯s over a hundred pieces of equipment!


    One hundred shields, plus one hundred sets of Armor, Rocky had to inscribe Runes on all two hundred pieces of equipment; and not just one or two Runes per item, he needed to inscribe a significant number of Runes on each piece of equipment to make them truly effective.


    According to the conversion of Mana Points, a small Magic Stone contains Mana equivalent to 40 Energy Value points, while a First Level Magic Energy Rune has an Energy Value of only 1 point. This means if one wants to make a piece of rune equipment reach the effect of One-Star, they must inscribe at least 40 First Level Runes on it.


    This is a huge undertaking, indeed. One piece of equipment needs 40 Runes, ten pieces would need 400, a hundred pieces would be 4,000, and two hundred pieces of equipment would be 8,000¡­


    The thought of having to inscribe so many Runes made Rocky¡¯s head spin, and he acutely realized the limitations of First Level Runes, which was that they contained too little Mana.


    If Rocky had mastered the Level Two Mana Runes now, his task would be much simpler, as the Energy Value contained in a Level Two Mana Rune is 15 points. This means he would only need to inscribe three Level Two Runes on the equipment to achieve the effect of One-star Magic Energy Gear.


    Unfortunately, Rocky was not yet able to learn Second-Level Runes. His magic level was too low, and only Third Level Mages could inscribe Level Two Mana Runes, while Rocky was still a First Level Mage.


    In this situation, he had no shortcuts to take and had to honestly stay in the laboratory, inscribing Runes day and night.


    But fortunately, there was nothing in Thunderhawk City that needed his worries at the moment, and with the help of Liliya, Aileen, and Monte, he didn¡¯t need to concern himself with the minor affairs of the city, allowing him to work in peace as a diligent little worker.


    And as time passed day by day, a week went by in the blink of an eye.


    A week later, Thunderhawk City¡¯s Skyport was suddenly graced with the arrival of five skyships, all of them merchant vessels.


    After making their appearance, these five merchant ships slowly descended within the Skyport. Shortly thereafter, a man disembarked, surrounded by a crowd¡­ This man was none other than Jia Xi! And these five ships were the very grain transport vessels from the Azure Commerce Guild!


    In fact, as soon as Rocky returned from Eternal City, he had already received news of the Azure Commerce Guild¡¯s arrival. No, it would be more accurate to say he had actively arranged for the Azure Commerce Guild to transport the grain, even though Aileen had already purchased all the grain from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce by the time he made this decision.


    Still, Rocky let the people from the Azure Commerce Guild come. As for why¡ªit didn¡¯t seem to be too important, at least that¡¯s what Rocky believed.


    As he got off the merchant ship, with a crowd escorting him, Jia Xi¡¯s smile froze and he looked around bewildered.


    He had disembarked to find the place empty¡ªnot a soul to welcome him!


    This scene left Jia Xi both dumbfounded and utterly unprepared.


    According to his estimation, upon his arrival in Thunderhawk City, the reception ought to have been even more grandiose than the last time, even expecting Rocky, the City Lord himself, to come in person.


    After all, he was bringing grain this time! Was there anything in this world more important, more deserving of attention than grain?


    Moreover, after the last negotiation, Jia Xi felt that the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, provided he was not a fool, would have guessed that following the rise in yarn prices, the price of grain was bound to increase. Shouldn¡¯t the City Lord understand then how crucial it was to curry favor with him?


    After all, with just a word from him, Thunderhawk City could potentially save tens of thousands of Gold Coins!


    For this reason, Jia Xi had employed a little trick¡ªhe deliberately delayed his arrival by a few days to make Thunderhawk City anxious, thus gaining more bargaining power upon his arrival.


    But to his astonishment, the reception at Thunderhawk City was so lackluster; there wasn¡¯t even a person to meet him!


    Find your next adventure on


    ¡°Hey! You, come here!¡±


    After a moment of stunned silence, Jia Xi shouted angrily for a guard, then furiously asked, ¡°Where is your City Lord! And what about that Aileen! Why aren¡¯t they here to welcome me!¡±


    The guard he called over was none other than Felly, who was in charge of the Skyport. Facing Jia Xi¡¯s intimidating presence, Felly quickly tried to appease him with a nervous smile, ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, please don¡¯t be angry. The City Lord and the finance officer were really tied up with matters today, that¡¯s why they couldn¡¯t come to meet you.¡±


    ¡°However, the Lord has arranged for a carriage and ordered us to take you to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion as soon as you arrived.¡±


    As he spoke, a carriage indeed pulled up in front of Jia Xi, clearly having been waiting there for him.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Seeing the carriage before him, Jia Xi huffed coldly. Although he was very angry, he knew he was here for business, so he boarded the carriage with an air of displeasure.


    However, once he was inside the carriage, he had already made up his mind. He decided to raise the price of grain by another ten percent, to give Rocky a shock¡ªthat would be the only way to appease his anger! S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 61 - 61 - 60: The City Lord is Busy

    Chapter 61 ¨C 60: The City Lord is Busy


    While sitting in the carriage leaving the Skyport, Jia Xi was pondering how to embarrass Rocky upon meeting him, as that was the only way he could feel relieved.


    At the same time, Jia Xi also thought of Aileen, and just thinking about her made him feel much better.


    Though he had met Aileen only a few times and those occasions were several months ago, even so, the mere thought of Aileen made Jia Xi¡¯s heart itch.


    This was actually quite normal because despite Aileen being the finance officer of Thunderhawk City, she was only seventeen or eighteen years old, a young age full of potential, and moreover, she came from a noble family and was full of spirit. How could such a girl not be likable?


    Thus, thinking of Aileen, Jia Xi felt much better, directly pushing Rocky to the back of his mind and figuring out how to win Aileen over this time.


    Actually, the last time he had tried to get Aileen, but Rocky had not given him the opportunity. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jia Xi couldn¡¯t believe that Rocky, as the City Lord, did not understand what he wanted; he rather thought that Rocky was deliberately feigning ignorance because he had an affair with Aileen and could not bear to part with her.


    ...


    In Jia Xi¡¯s view, such things were too common in high society. This also made him more determined to possess Aileen because in his eyes, Aileen was the City Lord¡¯s woman. If he could have her, he thought, it would not only possibly be enjoyable, but it would also make him feel very content inside.


    You must understand that although Jia Xi was a chief in the Azure Commerce Guild, in a guild of this size, there were several dozen chiefs. Besides, being a chief, no matter how significant, still could not compare to being a City Lord, so having the City Lord¡¯s woman would surely be a brag-worthy achievement for Jia Xi.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t we arrived yet?¡±


    Sitting in the carriage, fantasizing for quite some time, Jia Xi was getting thirsty, but he realized they still hadn¡¯t reached the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Why was it so slow?


    Having been to Thunderhawk City once a few months ago, Jia Xi knew that the distance from the Skyport to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion wasn¡¯t particularly far, but he felt that he had been sitting in the carriage for a long time.


    Thinking this, Jia Xi subconsciously glanced out of the carriage window to see where they were, only to be shocked by the scene outside. How had he been brought into the district of Thunderhawk City?


    The carriage was now traveling on the streets of Thunderhawk City¡¯s district, completely devoid of heading towards the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°Hey! What¡¯s going on; why did you bring the carriage into the city district?¡±


    Realizing he had been brought into the district, Jia Xi could not care about his status anymore and quickly poked his head out of the window, shouting at the carriage driver.


    ¡°Sir, the road from the Skyport to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion is under repair, so we have to divert through the city district. Don¡¯t worry, sir, we will be there soon,¡±


    the driver said, while waving his whip, then slightly sped up.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Jia Xi could not say much more and could only sit back inside the carriage, silently cursing Thunderhawk City and Rocky countless times in his heart.


    It wasn¡¯t until more than an hour later that the carriage finally arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, and when Jia Xi stepped down from the carriage, his legs were numb.


    However, having finally reached the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, he still did not see Rocky or Aileen. A maid led him to the City Lord¡¯s Hall, but there was no one inside.


    ¡°Where is your City Lord?¡±


    ¡°Sir, the City Lord is attending to urgent matters. Please wait a moment,¡±


    the maid who had brought Jia Xi to the hall said with a slight smile before turning and leaving. Soon, someone brought tea and snacks, and Jia Xi had no choice but to patiently wait in the City Lord¡¯s Hall for Rocky to arrive.


    This wait lasted another hour¡­


    After a long and tedious hour, the previous maid appeared again and then told Jia Xi that Rocky¡¯s matters were not yet resolved and that he could only meet him tomorrow.


    By this time, Jia Xi had completely collapsed, driven mad with anger, but he had nowhere to vent it. Surely he couldn¡¯t lash out at a lowly maid, could he?


    So in the end, he had no choice but to leave the City Lord¡¯s Mansion with a bellyful of pent-up frustration, and once again took a carriage, circling around Thunderhawk City¡¯s district extensively before finally returning to the merchant ship at the Skyport.


    He had arrived in Thunderhawk City in the morning, but by the time he returned to his merchant ship, it was already dark!


    For the better part of the day, Jia Xi had wandered around Thunderhawk City¡¯s district twice, achieving nothing and not even catching a glimpse of Rocky or Aileen¡­


    This left Jia Xi utterly furious upon returning to the merchant ship. In his rage, he decided that he definitely wouldn¡¯t go to see Rocky tomorrow. Rocky must come to see him in person!


    But the next day, Rocky didn¡¯t show up to meet him at all. Not only did Rocky, the City Lord, not come, but even Aileen, the finance officer, didn¡¯t appear. Jia Xi, who had waited agonizingly all day on the merchant ship, ended up waiting for nothing.


    Jia Xi, having waited bitterly for a whole day, was furious beyond measure, vowing that unless Rocky came personally to apologize, he absolutely wouldn¡¯t go to meet Rocky. He wanted to see who could afford to wait longer; Rocky, who had a city¡¯s population to support, or himself! Continue your journey at


    However¡­


    Just three days after making this vow, Jia Xi was forced to leave his merchant ship and visit the City Lord¡¯s Mansion once again.


    During these three days, Rocky showed absolutely no intention of meeting him, and not even a message came. Jia Xi simply waited in vain on his merchant ship for three whole days, achieving nothing.


    Therefore, he had no choice but to take the initiative to find Rocky. After all, he hadn¡¯t come to Thunderhawk City to hold a grudge, but to conduct business. Therefore, reluctant as he was, he had to meet with Rocky, or the business deal would fall through.


    So, although he had cursed Rocky countless times in his heart, he still took a carriage just like three days before, circled the district extensively, and then headed to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Meanwhile, Rocky was sitting in his study, sipping tea and chatting with Liliya, looking quite at ease.


    Actually, he had been very busy these past few days. In order to quickly turn the batch of equipment he had bought into rune equipment, he had been drawing hundreds of runes by hand every day. It was quite laborious, so much so that even Liliya felt pity for him and had forced him to rest for two hours every day, or else she wouldn¡¯t allow him into the study.


    ¡°How is the Guard Corps adjusting to Monte¡¯s training?¡± Rocky asked after taking a sip of black tea.


    ¡°Monte¡¯s training is very intense, so it¡¯s quite a stretch for them to adapt. However, hearing that those who excel can receive Magic Energy Equipment has motivated everyone greatly, so there are no major issues,¡± Liliya replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, but don¡¯t let Monte be too harsh. If the guards develop resentment towards him, he¡¯ll have trouble managing them later.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Liliya said, nodding. ¡°Why don¡¯t you visit the Guard Corps in a few days? As the City Lord, if you personally check on the Guard Corps, it would greatly boost their morale.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Rocky considered it for a moment and felt that Liliya made a lot of sense, so he agreed right away.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Liliya seemed to recall something at that moment and casually mentioned, ¡°I think I just saw Jia Xi outside.¡±


    ¡°Oh? He came today?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he seems to have been waiting in the City Lord¡¯s Hall.¡±


    ¡°Then let him wait; I¡¯m very busy,¡± Rocky said, taking another sip of his black tea.

 Chapter 62 - 62 - 61 The Cornerstone of the Future

    Chapter 62 ¨C 61 The Cornerstone of the Future


    Three days later, just as he said, Rocky took a day off to visit the Guard Corps in the city for an inspection.


    The Guard Camp of Thunderhawk City was adjacent to the urban district, but quite far from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, mainly for safety considerations. So although Rocky had set out from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion early in the morning, by the time he arrived at the camp by carriage, it was already past ten in the morning.


    Upon his arrival at the camp, Liliya immediately took him straight to the training ground. Since Monte became the new instructor of the Guard Corps, apart from those who must patrol within the city, the rest of the guards were kept on the training ground by him from morning till night.


    As Rocky approached the training ground under Liliya¡¯s guidance, he hadn¡¯t yet seen anyone, but he could hear Monte¡¯s voice booming like thunder.


    ¡°Run faster! Haven¡¯t you eaten breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Hurry up! If anyone falls behind, everyone will have to run as punishment!¡±


    Looking in the direction of the voice, Rocky quickly spotted Monte, the Beastman standing in the center of the training ground, shirtless and holding a Teaching Whip, shouting at the guards like an evil foreman.


    ...


    As for the guards being constantly yelled at, they were running laps around the training ground in formation.


    Rocky took a quick glance and noticed that there were over a hundred guards participating in the training¡ªapparently, all of the guards except those patrolling the city were here. They were also shirtless just like Monte, soaked in sweat, their beads of perspiration glistening under the sunlight.


    ¡°Look, there, isn¡¯t that¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the City Lord!¡±


    ¡°What? Where?¡±


    ¡°Let me see!¡±


    When Rocky approached the training ground led by Liliya, the guards running around the ground immediately spotted him, which caused some commotion.


    It was no wonder, for in the eyes of Thunderhawk City¡¯s residents, Rocky was the highest existence in Sky City, respected by everyone and rarely seen.


    So, when they caught sight of him, many exclaimed in surprise, even coming to a standstill.


    There weren¡¯t many guards who had actually seen Rocky¡ªaside from a small number responsible for the Skyport, almost no one had truly met the City Lord. But the guards had heard many rumors about their City Lord.


    Among the Guard Corps, there were quite a few rumors about Rocky, with the earliest even dating back to the times when Eyer was still the Captain.


    Captain Eyer, the one who had discovered the Lost Research Institute through hard work, only to end up aiding Rocky¡¯s fortune, had spoken ill of Rocky back when he was the Captain of the Guard, even describing Rocky as a complete loser.


    His words couldn¡¯t be said to be entirely negative, as Rocky indeed used to be quite inadequate. However, because of Eyer¡¯s gossip, the guards inevitably held the impression that their City Lord was ineffectual.


    Yet soon, the situation in Thunderhawk City turned upside down; Captain Eyer and the administrative officer Perolo were exiled one after another, and Rocky had even donned his Void Magic Armor. This series of news astounded the guards.


    Shortly thereafter, the news that the City Lord and Captain Liliya had gone to the land to hunt Demons shook the guards even more intensely. Suddenly no guard dared call their City Lord a loser anymore.


    However, the guards may no longer consider Rocky a loser, but what kind of City Lord he truly was remained a mystery to them. They had seen too little of Rocky, and the rumors about him varied so greatly that it was impossible to form a coherent image of him in their minds.


    So when Rocky personally came to the camp, the guards became exceptionally excited, eager to catch a glimpse of what the City Lord really looked like.


    ¡°What are you idiots doing? Who told you to stop!¡±


    But just as the running troops stopped because of Rocky, Monte¡¯s roar filled the air again, ¡°The City Lord has come to inspect your training, and you dare slack off! Are you trying to disgrace me on purpose!¡±


    Monte stormed towards the troops while bellowing, and at the same time, he raised the Teaching Whip in his hand.


    This scene sent the guards scurrying for cover, immediately swarming back onto the track to run, even faster than before. Explore new worlds at


    ¡°City Lord.¡±


    Having set the guards in motion again with his Teaching Whip, Monte smoothly made his way to Rocky¡¯s side.


    ¡°How¡¯s the hand?¡±


    Glancing at Monte, Rocky asked about his injury while inwardly marveling, how did the Beastman sculpt such muscular build?


    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s already healed.¡±


    Flashing Rocky a grin, Monte shook his half-severed arm, which by now had no longer been bandaged, clearly healed, and it seemed Monte had already adapted to living with one arm.


    This reassured Rocky quite a bit, so he then turned to look at the running guards, ¡°How are these guys doing?¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Turning his head towards the track as well, Monte commented, ¡°These guards might have a weak foundation, but with proper training, they¡¯ll certainly be fit for battle. Moreover, a few of them are promising recruits. With focused development, they could achieve great things.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Monte¡¯s words made Rocky nod in agreement, his expectations rising because he had high hopes for Thunderhawk City¡¯s Guard Corps.


    Thunderhawk City would eventually grow and expand. In time, the city¡¯s Guard Corps would not only increase in size but would also have a true military force. By then, the role of the current Guard Corps would become exceptionally important.


    Because by that time, these guards would have become seasoned veterans, serving as an essential cornerstone of Thunderhawk City¡¯s armed forces!


    With this in mind, Rocky glanced at Monte:


    ¡°Train these guards well, but don¡¯t be too harsh. I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯t be able to handle it.¡±


    Although it was only his first glimpse of Monte¡¯s training method, even so, Rocky could imagine how Monte trained the guards¡ªit must be both straightforward and brutal.


    Such rudimentary methods were fine, for steel isn¡¯t steel without being tempered, and jade isn¡¯t jade without being polished, but Rocky was afraid Monte might be too rough in his tempering and polishing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my lord, I know my limits.¡±


    With a hearty laugh, Monte thumped his chest, assuring Rocky, then continued to roar and wave his Teaching Whip, heading back towards the guards.

 Chapter 63 - 63 - 62: Restless Magic Power

    Chapter 63 ¨C 62: Restless Magic Power


    Rocky stayed with the Guard Corps until the afternoon before he returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, and he was very pleased when he left.


    He had spent almost the entire day with the guards and witnessed their whole day of training.


    It must be said that although Monte¡¯s training was somewhat harsh, it was incredibly systematic. After running, came a series of physical exercises, and after lunch, they moved on to group combat practice. Monte had arranged each training segment very appropriately.


    For the guards, even though the training was arduous and even painful, it brought significant benefits, especially since they would soon be accompanying Rocky to the land to complete a series of missions assigned by the Mercenary Guild. In such cases, intensive training became a necessity, and it was the only way the guards could survive the battles against the demons.


    Seeing how hard the guards worked, Rocky did not dare slack off himself. So, upon returning, he went straight into the workshop and began to inscribe runes on one piece of equipment after another, working until late into the night.


    Late at night, after a busy day, Rocky finally returned to his bedroom. Even then, he didn¡¯t rest immediately. Although he lay in bed, he took out the Demon¡¯s Fang he had bought earlier.


    Holding the Demon¡¯s Fang in his hand and continuously fiddling with it, Rocky examined its patterns while carefully feeling it, almost unable to let it go.


    ...


    He indeed liked the Demon¡¯s Fang very much. Although he didn¡¯t know which demon it had come from, Rocky was fond of it to the extent that he had bought it for experimentation but had not yet inscribed even a single rune on it after so much time.


    Because Rocky was somewhat reluctant, he did not want to waste the Demon¡¯s Fang in haste. He wanted to wait until he could make it into a dagger, then it wouldn¡¯t be too late to inscribe runes on it. Moreover, if given enhancement, he even considered inscribing a Second-Level Rune directly on it.


    It was because of this idea that he played with the Demon¡¯s Fang every night before sleep, carefully feeling it and becoming familiar with it so that he would be more proficient when he actually began to inscribe runes on it.


    Thus, Rocky played with the Demon¡¯s Fang for quite a while before preparing to sleep.


    However, just as he had lain down and before he could even close his eyes, something unexpected happened. Rocky suddenly felt his magic power stir inexplicably within him.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°A breakthrough?!¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Feeling the agitation of his magic power, the just-lying-down Rocky quickly sat up, and a look of joy appeared on his face.


    Although he was only a First Level Mage and didn¡¯t know too much about magic power, he at least knew that such sudden agitation typically indicated a breakthrough, which meant he was about to become a Level Two Mage!


    This was definitely an unexpected surprise, but it did not surprise Rocky.


    That was because Liliya had once said that the best way to achieve continuous breakthroughs in magic power was to use it continuously and preferably to exhaust it every time. Every time the magic power was exhausted and subsequently recovered, it would increase a bit on its existing basis. Over time, this would naturally push the magic power beyond its previous limits.


    Explore hidden tales at


    Since learning the Mana Rune, Rocky¡¯s magic power had often been depleted because of his frequent inscription of runes, especially in recent days when he had inscribed hundreds of runes on several pieces of equipment every day until his magic power was exhausted. Perhaps it was this high-intensity consumption that had caused Rocky¡¯s magic power to break through!


    Realizing that he was about to break through, Rocky quickly sat up from the bed, then focused his mind and began to consciously control the magic power within him.


    He had to do this because magic power became extremely unstable during a breakthrough. One had to actively control it to stabilize it, otherwise the uncontrolled magic power could easily rebound and injure Rocky.


    However, this task was easier said than done. Though Rocky tried hard to suppress his magic power and calm it down, the more he actively suppressed it, the more obvious the resistance within his body became, until eventually he could not suppress it at all!


    ¡°Why is this happening¡­¡±


    Time and again, he tried to control the magic power within him, but to no avail, causing Rocky to furrow his brows in frustration.


    This situation was clearly not normal. He had already spent a long time drawing runes, and there should have been hardly any magic power left in his body. How could he possibly be unable to control such a small amount of magic power?


    However, the impossible had happened. The scant amount of magic power remaining in his body not only became difficult to control but also grew increasingly agitated, to the point where even Rocky could hardly bear it any longer.


    This was troublesome!


    Being just a First Level Mage, Rocky had little knowledge of magic power and encountered a situation he had never heard of before, making him unsure of what to do.


    Although he panicked, the magic power inside his body continued to churn violently, and what Rocky couldn¡¯t see was that his skin had already turned an intense red. It felt as if fierce flames were burning beneath his skin, scorching him so intensely that he felt he might explode at any moment!


    This made Rocky immediately realize the gravity of the situation and hurriedly tried to find Liliya for help, fearing something disastrous would happen!


    No sooner had he risen from his bed than he collapsed weakly onto the floor with a thud!


    ¡°Some¡­ some¡­¡±


    ¡°Somebody¡­!¡±


    Lying on the floor, Rocky struggled to open his mouth, but he could only make a very faint sound. When he tried to crawl toward the door, he found he couldn¡¯t muster any strength at all¡­


    Why was this happening, what was this situation!


    Powerless, lying on the floor, Rocky wanted to shout but couldn¡¯t make a sound, wanted to crawl to the door but couldn¡¯t exert any force, causing him to completely break down. He even thought he might just die in such a bewildered state.


    But just then, just when Rocky really might have perished confusedly in his room, there was a clattering sound as the Demon¡¯s Fang, which he had carelessly placed on the bedside, fell to the ground.


    Before the powerless and helpless gaze of Rocky, the Demon¡¯s Fang that had fallen to the ground seemed to be drawn by some attraction, rolling toward him until it stopped by his side.


    Immediately after, a tremendous suction emerged from the Demon¡¯s Fang, suddenly enveloping Rocky¡¯s whole body, and sucked away all the agitated magic power inside him¡­

 Chapter 64 - 64 - 63 Congratulations, my Lord!

    Chapter 64 ¨C 63 Congratulations, my Lord!


    The Demon¡¯s Fang that rolled to Rocky¡¯s side instantly sucked away all the magic power about to explode within him, leaving him completely drained!


    Once his magic was empty, Rocky, who had been lying on the ground unable to move or cry out, felt as light as a feather, as if all his burdens had vanished along with the magic power. Shortly after, he slowly got to his feet.


    After he rose from the ground, he gasped for breath several times, then realized that his entire body was soaked with sweat, almost as if he had taken a bath with his clothes on.


    But, at the same time, he had also become a Level Two Mage.


    After the perilous experience just now, he had successfully leveled up to a Level Two Mage!


    However, after the breakthrough, Rocky did not seem very happy. Instead, he was more concerned about something else, so he hastily picked up the Demon¡¯s Fang from the ground as soon as he stood up.


    What on earth just happened?


    ...


    Picking up the Demon¡¯s Fang and inspecting it, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but think about the recent events and feel a sense of fear.


    After careful recollection, he understood that something must have gone wrong during his breakthrough, causing the magic power in his body to riot and nearly costing him his life. If not for the miraculous performance of the Demon¡¯s Fang in his hand, he would probably have died without understanding how.


    But why would this mysterious Demon¡¯s Fang suck away all his magic power?


    Looking down at the Demon¡¯s Fang in his hand, Rocky was utterly perplexed.


    His knowledge about the Demon¡¯s Fang he had purchased was actually very limited; he didn¡¯t even know which high-level demon the tooth came from. But now it seemed that this tooth was anything but ordinary!


    Could it be¡­ a treasure?


    With that thought, he brought the Demon¡¯s Fang closer for a detailed examination, hoping to detect some clues.


    But just then, there was a crisp cracking noise, and Rocky found that a crack had appeared on the Demon¡¯s Fang he held, followed by the crack spreading across the entire tooth, causing it to show a web of large fissures!


    ¡°It¡¯s cracked? Cracked?¡±


    Watching the Demon¡¯s Fang in his hand cracking into pieces, Rocky was stunned on the spot. Was it just breaking apart like this?


    No, the Demon¡¯s Fang had not fallen to pieces. Though its surface cracked all over, it was only shedding its outer layer.


    After the fragments had peeled off, the true form of the Demon¡¯s Fang was revealed!


    Now significantly smaller than before, the Demon¡¯s Fang had shrunk to the size of a palm. More importantly, the tooth became as clear and sparkling as crystal, emitting a faint blue light, looking just like an exquisitely carved piece of art, stunning in its beauty! Find more to read at


    ¡°This, this¡­¡±


    As he saw the Demon¡¯s Fang transform before his eyes, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but widen his own, his face a mixture of disbelief and utter confusion.


    Was this the true form of the Demon¡¯s Fang?


    Loading at the artistic Demon¡¯s Fang in his hand, the only thing on his mind was what exactly had he bought?


    This item might indeed be a Demon¡¯s Fang, but it was clearly not from any ordinary demon!


    ¡°Fantastic!¡±


    Realizing the extraordinary nature of the Demon¡¯s Fang, Rocky yelled out in excitement; it was obvious that he had stumbled upon a treasure!


    But perhaps due to the overwhelming excitement, he unintentionally waved his arm, and as he did, his arm clutched in his hand shot out a beam of blue light. Right after, there was a thunderous boom, and a huge hole was blasted in the bedroom wall!


    This outcome caused the jubilant Rocky to suddenly freeze, staring blankly at the hole blasted in the wall, completely dumbfounded¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°`


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°To think such a thing happened, are you injured?¡±


    Liliya looked at Rocky with an anxious face, full of concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    He waved his hand at her to show that he was not seriously harmed, then asked, ¡°What do you all make of this? What exactly is this thing?¡±


    As he spoke, he took out the Demon¡¯s Fang, which had become crystal-like, and then turned his gaze to Liliya, Aileen, and Monte.


    It was now early in the morning of the next day. After the events of last night, Rocky had called Liliya and the others to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion first thing in the morning and recounted his experiences from the previous night.


    After hearing his story, all three of them were stunned. None had expected that Rocky had encountered such a dangerous situation the night before.


    The most worried, naturally, was Liliya. Even when Rocky took the Demon¡¯s Fang in his hand to show her, she snatched it away and threw it aside: ¡°This thing is too dangerous, don¡¯t hold onto it.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Watching the Demon¡¯s Fang being discarded like trash, Rocky was somewhat dumbfounded, but fortunately, Monte went over and picked it up.


    ¡°My Lord, are you saying this tooth absorbed all your magic power?¡±


    After picking the Demon¡¯s Fang back up, Monte looked at it and asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Rocky nodded confidently.


    At that moment, Aileen and Liliya also gathered around Monte, and the three of them carefully examined the strange tooth together.


    After studying it for a while, Liliya finally said, ¡°This thing looks quite dangerous¡­¡±


    At the same time, Aileen also spoke:


    ¡°This thing looks quite valuable¡­¡±


    The two women examined the Demon¡¯s Fang from all angles, each expressing her own thoughts.


    Clearly, their thoughts were very much in line with their personalities, and both were correct. The unidentifiable Demon¡¯s Fang was indeed dangerous. If anyone doubted it, they only needed to look at the gaping hole in the wall of Rocky¡¯s bedroom.


    At the same time, the Demon¡¯s Fang was, as Aileen said, likely worth a good deal of money. Even setting aside its potential powers, its appearance alone, like that of a piece of fine art, would fetch a high price on the market.


    Unfortunately, although their thoughts were not wrong, they were of no practical use. Therefore, Rocky turned to Monte, who had been silent this entire time.


    As a former Demon Hunter, even if Monte could not recognize which high-level demon the tooth came from, he should at least be able to make a rough judgment, right?


    Indeed, after an even more meticulous study than anyone else had undertaken, Monte finally raised his head slowly and, while handing the Demon¡¯s Fang back to Rocky, said solemnly, ¡°Congratulations, my Lord!¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Caught off guard by the unexpected remark, Rocky was taken aback, not quite understanding.


    Monte then continued: S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My Lord, if I¡¯m not mistaken, this should be a tooth from a high-level demon!¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 65 - 65 - 64 Dangerous Thing!

    Chapter 65 ¨C 64 Dangerous Thing!


    ¡°My lord, if I¡¯m not mistaken, this Demon¡¯s Fang likely comes from a high-level demon,¡± Monte said as he handed the Demon¡¯s Fang back to Rocky. Experience tales at


    As these words left his mouth, everyone present, including Rocky, was shocked and, in the next second, their gazes uniformly fixated on the Demon¡¯s Fang in Rocky¡¯s hand.


    This Demon¡¯s Fang¡­ could it actually be from a high-level demon?!


    The conclusion was so frightening that everyone was stunned for a long time before Rocky, after taking a deep breath, asked Monte, ¡°Monte, how did you figure it out?¡±


    If this Demon¡¯s Fang truly were from a high-level demon, then it would definitely be considered a treasure, possibly even more valuable than Rocky¡¯s set of Void Magic Armor, but this was contingent on Monte not being mistaken, otherwise, a big misunderstanding could occur.


    ¡°I believe I have not mistaken it.¡±


    However, in response to Rocky¡¯s inquiry, Monte confidently stated, ¡°My lord, although I have never actually hunted a high-level demon, I have seen some items from high-level demons at the Demon Exchange, so I do have some understanding of them.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Although there are only high-level and low-level categories for demons, the gap between these two levels is immense. Hence, any item from a high-level demon, whether it be teeth, horns, or skin, is fundamentally different from those of low-level demons.¡±


    ¡°This difference stems from their essence. Take this tooth, for example. It is clearly a Demon¡¯s Fang, yet it can absorb magic power.


    Just from this point alone, we can prove it definitely doesn¡¯t come from a low-level demon since even the most powerful low-level demon doesn¡¯t possess such an ability, and even if they did, the ability would vanish after their death, but that¡¯s not the case with high-level demons.¡±


    ¡°High-level demons are all terrifying beings with immense strength, and almost all of them have special abilities that usually remain after their deaths, just like this tooth. This is also why the market value of high-level demons is far greater than that of low-level demons, by over tenfold.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±


    After Monte¡¯s explanation, Rocky and the others finally understood the situation and felt that what Monte said made a lot of sense.


    They had recently visited the Demon Exchange and, though they only browsed the first three floors, they indeed did not see any items from low-level demons that had any special abilities. It appeared that, as Monte mentioned, only items from high-level demons possessed special abilities; low-level demons did not.


    If that was the case, then the Demon¡¯s Fang that Rocky had acquired could indeed be from a high-level demon!


    With this realization, Rocky had struck it rich!


    You must know that he had purchased this Demon¡¯s Fang for only five hundred gold coins, a price that was already quite cheap. And if the Demon¡¯s Fang truly came from a high-level demon, then Rocky would have made a fortune!


    ¡°This is truly great! And if it really is as such, I must thoroughly investigate what special ability this tooth possesses!¡±


    Upon learning that the Demon¡¯s Fang in his hand might come from a high-level demon, Rocky grew even more attached to it and immediately planned to investigate it further.


    He now knew that the Demon¡¯s Fang could absorb magic power, but he was still unclear about the specific effects and the precise conditions for activation, among other things¡ªknowledge that was essential for maximizing the use of the tooth.


    Afterward, Aileen and Monte both left the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, while only Liliya stayed behind.


    No choice, seeing Rocky¡¯s excited expression, Liliya knew he was definitely going to do something reckless again, so she had no choice but to stay by his side, to prevent another incident like last night.


    And to avoid unnecessary danger, the two of them went to the back garden of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, and for safety¡¯s sake, Rocky even put on his Void Magic Armor, just in case any accidents occurred.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    In the back garden of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Rocky and Liliya stood together, both looking at the Demon¡¯s Fang that Rocky held in his hand.


    ¡°This tooth, it seems like it can absorb mana¡­¡±


    Holding the crystal-like Demon¡¯s Fang in his hand, Rocky felt it for a moment, but didn¡¯t feel the sucking force from yesterday, and his magic power wasn¡¯t being absorbed directly either.


    ¡°Try touching it with your magic power and see if there¡¯s any effect,¡±


    Liliya reminded him from the side at this moment.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Agreeing, Rocky mobilized the magic power inside his body, controlling it to surge towards the tooth in his hand. The moment they made contact, a huge suction force emerged from within the Demon¡¯s Fang, as if a giant maw instantaneously sucked all the magic power out of Rocky¡¯s body.


    No, it wasn¡¯t just the magic power within Rocky¡¯s body that was being drained, even the magic power contained in the runes on his Void Magic Armor was being sapped!


    All of this happened in the blink of an eye, so instantaneously that Rocky had no time to react. By the time he did react, the Demon¡¯s Fang he held in his hand was already emitting bursts of blue light, just as beautiful as it had been the night before.


    ¡°Rocky, throw it away!¡±


    But at that moment, Liliya suddenly shouted and, without waiting for Rocky to react, kicked his hand. The force wasn¡¯t great, but it was enough to send the Demon¡¯s Fang flying from his grasp.


    It was exactly at the moment that Liliya¡¯s kick sent the tooth flying when a blue light suddenly shot out from the Fang. In the blink of an eye, there was a thunderous explosion, and a large tree struck by the blue light was completely blasted into the air. The massive trunk flew for a while before crashing down heavily onto the ground, landing right in front of Rocky¡­


    The scene that occurred in the blink of an eye left both Rocky and Liliya stunned on the spot, neither of them had expected such a result!


    What was this blue light that shot out from the Demon¡¯s Fang? It possessed such immense power that it exceeded even the might of a magic cannon!


    And if it weren¡¯t for Liliya¡¯s quick response in kicking the Demon¡¯s Fang away, the blue light might have exploded right in Rocky¡¯s hands, and the consequences of that were simply unimaginable.


    You have to understand that his Void Magic Armor and the Mana Rune on it were already drained of mana. Without the support of mana, the Void Magic Armor is just an ordinary suit of armor, unable to withstand an explosion of that magnitude.


    With a light clink, the Demon¡¯s Fang that had been kicked into the air now gently fell to the ground and, as if alive, rolled towards Rocky¡¯s feet. But at this moment, Rocky was already too scared to pick it up¡­


    This thing is too dangerous!

 Chapter 66 - 66 - 65: Haven’t Left Yet?

    Chapter 66 ¨C 65: Haven¡¯t Left Yet?


    Watching the Demon¡¯s Fang fall at his feet, Rocky didn¡¯t dare to pick it up right away because it was simply too dangerous!


    Only after a good while did he carefully bend over and gingerly picked up the Demon¡¯s Fang from the ground.


    And when he picked up the Demon¡¯s Fang, nothing happened.


    That¡¯s what made Rocky breathe a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, the magic power absorbed by this thing must have been depleted, it should be safe now.¡±


    Liliya looked at Rocky with a bit of amusement before approaching and glancing at the Demon¡¯s Fang in his hand.


    ¡°Was the situation you encountered last night the same as just now?¡±


    ...


    ¡°Yes, it was the same last night. In the blink of an eye, my bedroom was blasted, but the power was definitely not as strong as just now.¡±


    Having confirmed that there was no danger, Rocky finally relaxed and then explained to Liliya, simultaneously glancing at the large tree that had been blown to his feet. He couldn¡¯t help feeling scared. If last night¡¯s explosion in his bedroom had been as powerful as the one just now, his bedroom would have been more than just a hole in the wall; the whole room would have been leveled.


    ¡°So, this Demon¡¯s Fang can not only absorb magic power but also emit the absorbed magic power afterward?¡±


    As Rocky was still feeling shocked, Liliya opened her mouth.


    Her words made sense, for the blue light shot out from the Demon¡¯s Fang was clearly mana, which meant that the Demon¡¯s Fang could not only absorb mana but also release it exactly as it had absorbed.


    As for why the explosion was stronger than last night, it¡¯s actually quite simple. This time, the Demon¡¯s Fang had absorbed more mana.


    Last night, it had only absorbed Rocky¡¯s magic power, but just now, it had absorbed not only Rocky¡¯s magic power but also the mana contained in the Void Magic Armor and Mana Rune, which naturally made the emitted mana much more massive and the effect more astonishing.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±


    After Liliya explained this, Rocky understood and then looked down and thought for a while. After quite some time, he looked up again and began to distance himself from Liliya while saying, ¡°Liliya, attack me with magic.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Liliya was slightly taken aback by this request, not understanding his intention.


    ¡°I want to see if this tooth can absorb not only mana but also magic.¡±


    Mana, magic power, and magic, although named differently, are essentially the same force; the only difference is in their form of manifestation. So, if the Demon¡¯s Fang could absorb mana and magic power, could it also absorb magic that was transformed from magic power?


    Rocky really wanted to know, which is why he made such a request to Liliya.


    Liliya understood his reasoning after his explanation, and although hesitant, she eventually nodded.


    Beyond being a Third-Level Warrior, Liliya was also a Level Two Mage. Her control over magic power might not be exquisite but was still decent. Following that, she took two steps back and then shot a Magic Bullet at Rocky.


    A Magic Bullet is a First-Level Magic that is half as powerful as the Fireball Technique; even if it hit Rocky, it wouldn¡¯t cause much harm.


    Facing the magic bullet flying towards him, Rocky didn¡¯t dodge or flinch but instead raised the Demon¡¯s Fang in his hand.


    In the blink of an eye, there was a loud bang, and Rocky was knocked back several steps by the magic bullet¡­


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Not expecting Rocky to actually be hit by the magic bullet, Liliya rushed over and then saw that he was not seriously hurt; the magic bullet had just hit his breastplate. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Can¡¯t this thing absorb magic?¡±


    Seeing that Rocky was alright, Liliya glanced at the Demon¡¯s Fang in his hand.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t aim it properly¡­¡±


    Shaking his head at Liliya, Rocky¡¯s expression was somewhat embarrassed. It wasn¡¯t that the Demon¡¯s Fang hadn¡¯t absorbed the magic bullet; it was because he hadn¡¯t aimed the Demon¡¯s Fang at the magic bullet correctly, so he was hit¡­


    ¡°`


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it one more time.¡±


    Rolling her eyes at Rocky, Liliya walked farther away than before, because the greater the distance, the longer the trajectory of the magic bullet and the more reaction time Rocky naturally had.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    In this manner, Rocky and Liliya started to experiment with the Demon¡¯s Fang in various ways in the back garden of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and during these days, the two of them spent every day in the back garden of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. They came up with all sorts of ways to tinker with the Demon¡¯s Fang, feeling as though they had both turned into mischievous children.


    However, it was because of their relentless experimentation that they finally managed to understand the effects of the Demon¡¯s Fang thoroughly!


    The Demon¡¯s Fang displayed several characteristics:


    First, the Demon¡¯s Fang could indeed absorb mana, magic power, and even magic itself. The specific upper limit of its absorption remained unknown.


    Second, whether it was mana, magic power, or various types of magic absorbed by the Demon¡¯s Fang, it would all be converted into pure energy and stored within the Demon¡¯s Fang.


    Third, the energy converted by the Demon¡¯s Fang was highly unstable. Even a slight vibration, or a mere touch, would cause the Demon¡¯s Fang to release the accumulated energy all at once without reservation.


    Fourth, and most importantly, the Demon¡¯s Fang could only absorb energy with which it came into direct contact; otherwise, it had no effect whatsoever.


    These four findings were the result of Rocky and Liliya¡¯s several days of consecutive experimentation and personal experiences. Not only did they clarify the effects of the Demon¡¯s Fang, but they also gave Rocky new ideas about its potential uses.


    At first, he intended to craft it into a rune dagger, but now it seemed impossible.


    Because the Demon¡¯s Fang could absorb all mana it came into contact with, it was impossible to inscribe runes on it. If one tried to activate the runes, the Demon¡¯s Fang would absorb all the mana contained within the runes, even the user¡¯s mana, rendering it unusable as a rune weapon.


    Although his initial idea was no longer feasible, Rocky had come up with another method to utilize the Demon¡¯s Fang. He thought of using it as a defensive measure, relying on its ability to absorb energy to fend off magic or magic energy attacks!


    If used this way, wouldn¡¯t the Demon¡¯s Fang become a top-tier defensive item?


    This new idea made him decide to embed the Demon¡¯s Fang into his own Void Magic Armor. By doing so, his Void Magic Armor would have a powerful defensive measure against magic or mana attacks, wouldn¡¯t it?!


    Of course, he couldn¡¯t implement this idea right away, as he had been too busy recently. Besides, this kind of modification wasn¡¯t easy to achieve, especially figuring out how to allow the Demon¡¯s Fang to function without absorbing the mana of the Void Magic Armor itself, which Rocky hadn¡¯t yet found a solution to. Thus, he could only wait until he had time in the future to undertake this task.


    And in order to fully understand the effects of the Demon¡¯s Fang, Rocky had neglected several days¡¯ worth of work. After clarifying its effects, he busy himself trying to catch up on the progress of his enchanting work for equipment.


    Just as Rocky had begun to immerse himself in his primary duties, Aileen sought him out.


    ¡°Sir, what do you plan to do about Jia Xi?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    Holding the magic energy pen, Rocky looked up at Aileen in confusion and asked.


    ¡°Jia Xi, the overseer of the Azure Commerce Guild.¡±


    Seeing the blank look on Rocky¡¯s face, Aileen had to remind him.


    Your next chapter is on


    After her reminder, Rocky suddenly recalled the matter and his eyes widened.


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t left yet?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, no, he hasn¡¯t.¡±


    With a slight smile towards Rocky, Aileen cheerily updated him about Jia Xi¡¯s situation.


    Although neither she nor Rocky had seen Jia Xi during these past days, with Rocky even forgetting the incident, Aileen had not. She had been keeping a close watch on every move Jia Xi made; whatever he did, Aileen knew all about it!


    ¡°`

 Chapter 67 - 67 - 66 Voss’s Plea

    Chapter 67 ¨C 66 Voss¡¯s Plea sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jia Xi had not been having a good time these days ¨C no, it should be said he had been having a very bad time. He had already been in Thunderhawk City for over half a month, but he still had not met either Rocky or Aileen, a situation that was driving him to the brink of desperation.


    He had come to Thunderhawk City this time on behalf of the Azure Commerce Guild to conduct business, but how was he supposed to negotiate a deal when he couldn¡¯t even meet anyone!


    So these days had left him extremely anxious, and he had even stopped staying on the merchant ship, moving directly into the residential area of Thunderhawk City in order to be more accessible.


    After moving into Thunderhawk City, he practically ran to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion every day, using every possible means in hopes of seeing Rocky as soon as possible.


    Over the course of half a month, he had been to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion more than a dozen times. His previous pride had long vanished under such torment. Making Rocky look bad, Aileen ¨C none of those mattered to him anymore. Now he only had one thing on his mind, and that was to meet Rocky as soon as possible, conclude the trade, and then he never wanted to come to Thunderhawk City again.


    Alas, he could not even achieve this, as neither Rocky nor Aileen would see him. Even though he ran to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion every day, each time he would be politely taken to the City Lord¡¯s Hall, where after waiting for two to three hours, someone would come to tell him that the City Lord did not have time and asked him to return the next day.


    This lack of audience was driving Jia Xi mad, and let¡¯s not forget that he had not come alone this time, he was accompanied by no less than five ships full of grain!


    ...


    For every extra day Jia Xi stayed in Thunderhawk City, the grain on the merchant ships would also need to be stored for an additional day. While it is true that grains can be stored for a very long time, they can¡¯t last nearly as long in the dark, damp hold of a ship.


    If stored for a short time it would be fine, but should it be too long and the grain begins to mold and spoil, then there would be real trouble!


    Thus, he was burning with impatience yet had no solution.


    In fact, with Jia Xi¡¯s intelligence, he may not have realized it at first, but by now he had generally figured it out; he could guess that Rocky and Aileen were deliberately avoiding him and dragging their feet in not meeting him, and the reason was certainly due to the last trade deal.


    Continue your story on


    In the initial days, although Jia Xi understood what was happening, he was still not ready to give up; he still wanted to stand up to Rocky, believing that as long as Rocky needed the grain in his possession, he would ultimately compromise, and Jia Xi would be the one to emerge victorious.


    But now he had changed his mind; he simply could not afford to wait any longer.


    After being ignored so many times, Jia Xi had completely given in; he had finally understood one thing, that he truly could not compete with the City Lord of Sky City, and he had genuinely relented.


    Once he had relented, Jia Xi¡¯s mind became more agile, and he soon turned to Voss.


    Voss and the Azure Commerce Guild had quite a good relationship.


    The reason the Azure Commerce Guild began doing business with Thunderhawk City was largely due to Voss¡¯s efforts as a liaison, and given that Voss had also once served as the finance officer within Thunderhawk City, Jia Xi felt that if he could get Voss to pass on a message or make an introduction, he would definitely be able to meet Rocky.


    And what pleased him to no end was that when he sought out Voss and explained his purpose, Voss readily agreed, promising that he would talk to Aileen!


    This delighted Jia Xi immensely! In his view, as long as he could meet Aileen, then everything would become much easier. So he not only thanked Voss profusely but also presented him with a generous gift, then returned home filled with expectation to wait for news.


    As for Voss, who had accepted a generous gift, he indeed kept his word and really did have a talk with Aileen.


    ¡°Grandpa, didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯t interfere with my affairs? Why have you gotten involved again? Tell me, did you accept a gift from that man?¡±


    Seeing that Voss had actually brought up Jia Xi, Aileen puffed up with anger.


    Leaving Jia Xi to fend for himself was a deliberate choice by her and Rocky, meant to discipline the Overseer and make him realize who truly ruled over Thunderhawk City. So, regarding her grandfather¡¯s words, Aileen shook her head as vigorously as a rattle-drum, firmly disagreeing.


    ¡°Aileen, you should meet with Jia Xi,¡± Voss insisted.


    With a faint smile on his face, Voss explained to Aileen in a kindly manner, ¡°You and the City Lord have been neglecting this matter for too long, which is really not good. What if you drive people to desperation, and they end up leaving once and for all? How would you handle that?¡±


    ¡°So, you should listen to Grandpa¡¯s advice, go meet with Jia Xi, appease him properly, and let him calm down. Doing this will bring only benefits and no disadvantages.¡±


    Having said that, Voss looked at Aileen, noticing that she was looking at him with a face full of surprise.


    It was not until a good while later that Aileen finally spoke:


    ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re the craftiest.¡±


    Giving Voss a thumbs up, Aileen had clearly understood what her grandfather meant.


    ¡°Nonsense!¡±


    With his eyes wide, Voss put on an angry face, but Aileen was not the least bit scared. She quickly bounced away toward the exit, calling back, ¡°I got it, I¡¯ll see Jia Xi tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush. Wait three days before you meet him.¡±


    Watching Aileen bounce away, Voss shook his head and reminded her.


    Three days later, just as she had said, Aileen did indeed go to meet with Jia Xi.


    Upon seeing that Aileen had finally come, Jia Xi was overjoyed. The arrogance he had shown last time was gone, and he quickly apologized to Aileen right after meeting her, saying that he had offended her during the last encounter with the City Lord and that he hadn¡¯t wanted to, but it was the Chamber of Commerce¡¯s orders, and so on. In short, he said a lot of things to ingratiate himself.


    Of course, Aileen was well aware of such tricks. After all, how could one believe the words that come so easily from a merchant¡¯s mouth? However, she did not call him out on it. In fact, she did not show the slightest displeasure towards Jia Xi, but instead spoke to him earnestly.


    ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, to be frank, the City Lord has been very dissatisfied after the last transaction, and he has not just once but multiple times requested that I seek cooperation with other Chambers of Commerce,¡± Aileen said, her face a picture of helplessness.


    ¡°So, if it were not for me and Grandpa pleading on your behalf in front of the City Lord, this deal might not have happened at all.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I understand. I am very grateful to the senior Voss and to Miss Aileen. I will certainly remember this favor, but regarding the current situation¡­¡±


    Like Aileen before him, Jia Xi did not believe a word she said, but he verbally agreed to everything nonetheless.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this, I¡¯ll go speak with the City Lord.¡±


    As if she had made a great resolution, Aileen stood up while she spoke and then looked at Jia Xi, ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, please wait here. I¡¯ll go see the City Lord right now, but you can¡¯t behave as you did last time. Otherwise, I really won¡¯t be able to help.¡±


    ¡°Good, good, Miss Aileen, rest assured, I know what I should do.¡±


    Seeing that Aileen was going to see Rocky right away, Jia Xi quickly thanked her, and a weight lifted from his heart. At this point, he didn¡¯t ask for anything more, just to finish this transaction as soon as possible would be a blessing.

 Chapter 68 - 68 - 67: Inspecting the Guards

    Chapter 68 ¨C 67: Inspecting the Guards


    Read latest chapters on


    After speaking with Aileen, Jia Xi courteously and respectfully saw her to her carriage, not daring to take any inappropriate actions or even harbor inappropriate thoughts throughout the process.


    While not exactly an upright person, Jia Xi, who seemed respectable on the surface, had done many underhand things in the shadows. However, he wasn¡¯t someone controlled by basal desires. He was very aware that he was asking Aileen for help, so he dared not entertain any improper thoughts or actions.


    One might wonder, was Jia Xi being too cautious?


    Since he already knew that Rocky was intentionally avoiding him, why then did he linger in Thunderhawk City? Why didn¡¯t he just leave?


    This thought was not wrong, but Jia Xi couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it because he had already missed the opportunity to leave.


    If he had wanted to leave during the first three days after arriving in Thunderhawk City, then leaving would have led to no loss, despite the failed negotiations. But now, having stayed in Thunderhawk City for over a month, if he were to leave dejectedly, the losses would be substantial.


    ...


    The entire five ships of grain he had brought were now exposed to the elements at the skyport. If he were to leave now, to whom would he sell this grain?


    If he couldn¡¯t sell this batch of grain, how would he explain it to the Chamber of Commerce?


    So, it wasn¡¯t that Jia Xi didn¡¯t want to leave; it was that he simply couldn¡¯t. He had to sell this batch of grain to Thunderhawk City, otherwise, the trouble would be even greater.


    In such a situation, Jia Xi could only place his hopes on Aileen, hoping she could quickly convince Rocky and expedite the deal so he could leave. Moreover, Jia Xi had already decided that once this transaction was completed, he would swear never to come to Thunderhawk City again.


    However, while Jia Xi sat waiting for good news from Aileen with great anticipation, the carriage-carrying Aileen headed straight to her training class. She didn¡¯t have time to specifically look for Rocky for Jia Xi¡¯s sake; she had many other matters to attend to.


    The training class had already been running for a month. Aileen went to check on the progress of the residents who had enrolled, which was truly what concerned her heart.


    On the other hand, Rocky in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion was still buried in his study. After his extended efforts, the hundred shields bought from Eternal City had all been converted into runic shields, and the majority of the hundred pieces of armor had also been crafted into runic armor. That meant Rocky just needed to finish the last few pieces of armor to finally complete this major undertaking!


    In this situation, he was highly motivated, continuing to work hard despite extreme fatigue and many days without proper rest.


    Once this major project was completed, it would signify a fresh start. Soon, over half of the guards in Thunderhawk City would be equipped with the newly crafted runic equipment. Combined with Monte¡¯s intense recent training, the Guard Corps would undergo a revolutionary transformation in strength. With that, Rocky could then lead them to undertake missions from the Mercenary Guild!


    This was something Rocky had to do, as it directly concerned whether the treasury of Thunderhawk City could be replenished. Only with secured funding could he move to the next phase of development and planning.


    So, it was right for Aileen not to come to him. Rocky didn¡¯t have the time to deal with Jia Xi¡¯s predicament; his focus was entirely on crafting rune equipment.


    After another four or five days, Rocky finally inscribed runes on all the equipment he had purchased, transforming these imitation magic energy equipment into genuine rune equipment!


    The smooth completion of this major project brought Rocky a sense of relief. So much so that after drawing the final rune on the last piece of armor, he simply fell asleep in his study¡ªand slept for a whole day and night. The next day, he only woke up because he was too hungry; otherwise, he might have slept even longer.


    No wonder, considering it had been over two months since Rocky returned from Eternal City. That meant he had been tirelessly working alone on the batch of rune equipment for two months, which explains why he fell asleep as soon as he finished the last piece of armor.


    However, for Rocky now, rest was always a luxurious indulgence. It was just the beginning of the development of Thunderhawk City, and there were too many tasks waiting for him to tackle. Therefore, after briefly resting for a day, he went to the Guard Corps with the newly crafted rune equipment! S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The equipment laboriously produced was intended for the guards, but due to Thunderhawk City¡¯s limited finances, only one hundred guards could be equipped with the new gear. This meant that only half of Thunderhawk City¡¯s Guard Corps could don the new equipment.


    This was something Rocky had carefully considered beforehand. In fact, if he had chosen to purchase only shields or only armor, it would have sufficed for the entire Guard Corps. However, he did not do so.


    In Rocky¡¯s view, guards equipped with only one piece of rune equipment would see very limited improvement in strength. Rather than that, he preferred a strategy of ¡®fewer but finer,¡¯ allowing a select few of the more capable guards to wear more powerful gear. This elite strategy proved more effective.


    Moreover, although most of the Guard Corps participated in tasks from the Mercenary Guild, not every member was required to fight tooth and nail, as Thunderhawk City had more than the Guard Corps¡ªit also had ten skyships.


    Skyships needed to be piloted, and the magic cannons on board also required operators. Thus, some of the guards were needed to pilot the skyships and operate the magic cannons. Given this, the actual number of guards required to fight alongside Rocky was not extensive. One hundred sets of equipment sufficed to arm these guards.


    The guards, in fact, had already been informed of this. During their training, Monte had told them that the City Lord had acquired a batch of powerful ¡®Magic Energy Equipment,¡¯ but only the top one hundred guards would have the privilege to wear this gear.


    That was precisely why, under Monte¡¯s grueling training, the guards were tremendously motivated. Everyone¡¯s goal was to be among the top one hundred to receive the ¡®Magic Energy Equipment¡¯ prepared by the City Lord.


    ¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­..


    Today, rather than training as usual on the parade ground, the soldiers stood in neat rows, as if they were ready for an inspection.


    In fact, they were indeed being inspected, for word had spread that the City Lord would bring one hundred sets of Magic Energy Equipment to evaluate their training results. From amongst them, the one hundred most outstanding individuals would earn the reward of a Magic Energy Shield and Mana Armor.


    At that moment, Rocky stood before these members of the Guard Corps, clad in Void Magic Armor, radiating an imposing aura. Beside him stood Liliya and Aileen, and even Aileen¡¯s grandfather, Voss, was present.


    For this inspection, Rocky took it significantly seriously; he was not only dressed in full military regalia himself but had also brought along all the notable figures of Thunderhawk City. Although the gathering was not large, it was indeed the grandest assembly within the city.


    The scenario made the guards extremely tense, as in their eyes, whether it was Rocky or Liliya, or even Aileen and Voss, these figures were immensely high and unreachable.


    ¡°All units¡­attention!¡±


    Just as the guards were extremely nervous, Monte¡¯s voice, like rolling thunder, suddenly erupted. Following his command, the entire Guard Corps instantly stood up straight, chests out and eyes forward.


    Soon after, the neatly dressed Monte ran to the front of the formation and then loudly called out to Rocky:


    ¡°City Lord! The Thunderhawk City Guard Squad is ready for your inspection!¡±


    ¡°Ready for the City Lord¡¯s inspection!!¡±


    As Monte¡¯s words fell, the Guard Squad behind him echoed in unison. Their voices booming, instantly reverberated across the entire parade ground.


    This scene made Rocky continually nod his head, not to speak of the actual strength of the Guard Corps, but merely the morale and fervor they displayed were already beyond comparison to before!

 Chapter 69 - 69 - 68: The Harsh Assessment

    Chapter 69 ¨C 68: The Harsh Assessment


    The morale and enthusiasm displayed by the Guard Corps greatly satisfied Rocky, so he stepped forward to face the crowd. After nodding at Monte, he turned his gaze towards the guards.


    At such a time, his duty as the City Lord naturally required him to speak a few words. For this reason, Rocky was also quite nervous, for he had never addressed hundreds of people before; this was a first for him.


    While observing the Guard Corps, he pondered what to say. Yet, throughout this process, he managed himself well, exuding authority despite the intense pounding in his chest, giving the guards the impression that the City Lord was assessing them all.


    After a short while, Rocky began to speak: Your journey continues at


    ¡°Guards, do you know why I am here today?¡±


    ¡°We do!¡±


    After Rocky finished his sentence, the neatly arranged guards before him answered in unison.


    ...


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    With that response, Rocky nodded his head and swept his hand, signaling Liliya who immediately understood and took out a runic shield, no, a ¡®Magic Energy Shield¡¯ from a row of boxes behind her.


    Holding the shield, Liliya turned towards Rocky and, upon seeing him nod slightly, she activated the shield¡¯s magic energy.


    In an instant, the shield in Liliya¡¯s hands emitted a faint glow, making the otherwise ordinary shield seem extraordinary.


    Such a scene immediately energized the gathered guards, their eyes sparkling with excitement.


    For these guards, mana weapons were considered treasures. Until now, not only had they never had the chance to use one, but they also had never even seen real magic energy equipment, nor had they ever imagined they would be able to use such high-grade gear.


    Therefore, when Liliya took out the runic shield, no, the Magic Energy Shield, and activated its power, how could the guards not be thrilled?


    However, as excited as everyone was, they also knew that these pieces of equipment were not for everyone. Only the most outstanding amongst them would receive them, which only served to increase everyone¡¯s determination to demonstrate their readiness for battle.


    And this very excitement was exactly what Rocky wanted to see.


    He felt that nothing he could say at this moment would be as effective as simply presenting the real deal, and indeed, the outcome was just as he had expected, immediately motivating the guards.


    Consequently, he cleared his throat and loudly announced, ¡°Today, I will conduct an assessment to test the results of your training!¡±


    ¡°And those who perform excellently in the assessment will be rewarded with a One-Star Magic Energy Shield and a piece of One-Star Mana Armor. Have I made myself clear?¡±


    ¡°Clear!¡±


    Once Rocky finished speaking, the guards in front of him puffed out their chests and shouted with full vigor.


    ¡°Very well, maintain this spirit and show me your true performance in the assessment!¡±


    Having said this, Rocky then turned to Monte, who immediately stepped forward and addressed the guards: ¡°Attention, everyone! I will now announce the details of the assessment¡­¡±


    Regarding this assessment, Rocky had already discussed it with Monte beforehand. The content was straightforward combat: the guards would pair off and engage in one-on-one battles, with their performance during the fight determining their assessment. Only those who excelled in actual combat would receive the equipment.


    This assessment might seem simple, yet it¡¯s the best way to determine the strength of the guards. After all, these individuals would soon follow Rocky to execute tasks for the Mercenary Guild, and absolute competence in combat is essential.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Monte to explain the rules of the assessment to the guards. While everyone had already anticipated them, learning they had to engage in one-on-one battles and only those who performed exceptionally could receive Mana Equipment did cause their expressions to change to some extent.


    Some guards became even more nervous after this, with a few of them turning pale, but others showed complete confidence. Far from being tense, these few unconsciously curved their lips into a smile, appearing utterly determined to succeed.


    Monte then brought over a box, specially prepared for this assessment. It contained slips of paper with the guard¡¯s names written on them, and who would face whom was to be decided entirely by drawing lots to ensure the fairness of the assessment.


    ¡°My lord, please.¡±


    Presenting the box of lots to Rocky, Monte clearly intended for him to draw the first pairing for the assessment.


    At that moment, Rocky too felt a bit of excitement and immediately plunged his hand into the box, rummaging around for a good while before pulling out two slips of paper.


    ¡°Lamiro, Mario.¡±


    Glancing at the slips, he read the names written on them aloud.


    As his voice rang out, the guards¡¯ gaze swiftly shifted en masse, settling on the two individuals in the ranks, naturally Lamiro and Mario, whose names were called.


    Both men were around thirty years old, but perhaps they didn¡¯t expect to be picked first¡ªwhether that was lucky or unlucky¡ªboth appeared somewhat disconcerted. It took them a good while to nervously step out from the formation.


    ¡°Snap to it! Show the level you have in training, and don¡¯t embarrass me!¡±


    Perhaps sensing their nervousness, Monte shouted encouragingly as Lamiro and Mario stepped out of the ranks and stood facing each other.


    His shout sounded fierce, but perhaps due to being accustomed to his loud voice during training, Lamiro and Mario relaxed significantly.


    Then, following Monte¡¯s command, their battle commenced.


    The fight went on for over ten minutes before finally coming to an end, with Mario emerging victorious over Lamiro.


    However, the triumphant Mario didn¡¯t receive the Magic Energy Shield and Mana Armor, for although he had won, the performance of both combatants was rather ordinary. To put it bluntly, apart from showing good vigor, the battle had no shining moments. Such a display won neither Rocky¡¯s nor Liliya¡¯s approval, nor Monte¡¯s.


    Both the victor Mario and the defeated Lamiro were clearly aware of their dismal performance. Being overly nervous, they failed to show their best in the fight, not even managing to demonstrate half of the strength they exhibited during training. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was precisely their issue: after all, Rocky isn¡¯t going to bite. If they are so nervous in front of him that they can¡¯t perform properly, how will they handle facing Demons?


    Against real Demons, even an above-average performance may not suffice to save one¡¯s life. How could they expect to survive if their performance was subpar?


    So, under these circumstances, neither Lamiro nor Mario received the coveted Mana Equipment. They could only return to their ranks dejectedly.


    As they rejoined the ranks, many among the troops began to understand. They finally grasped that the assessment wasn¡¯t something that could be easily completed. Simply winning wasn¡¯t enough to earn the Mana Equipment; they had to perform exceptionally well, which undoubtedly increased the difficulty of the assessment significantly.


    As a result, the atmosphere became even more tense and somber¡­

 Chapter 70 - 70 - 69 Bad Performance

    Chapter 70 ¨C 69 Bad Performance


    The first assessment had ended, but neither participating party received rewards, as neither side¡¯s performance had satisfied Rocky.


    This outcome undoubtedly conveyed to the Guards that this assessment was no child¡¯s play, and it significantly increased their psychological pressure.


    Not long after, the second assessment began. However, this time Monte took over the task of drawing lots instead of Rocky. With two hundred participants undergoing assessment and pairs being matched, that meant a hundred rounds of lot drawing, a laborious task that naturally fell to Monte. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Monte called out the names of two Guards, the named pair stepped out of the lineup.


    At the command, the second assessment officially began.


    Perhaps the outcome of the first assessment had put too much pressure on the Guards because those participating in the second round performed not better but noticeably worse.


    The second assessment dragged on for a full fifteen minutes, comically ending with neither party daring to make the first move for almost half the time, creating an exceedingly unsightly scene.


    ...


    In such a scenario, when the victor was finally declared, the two participating Guards dejectedly returned to their formation, clearly aware of their subpar performances, knowing that such a poor showing would surely exclude them from receiving Mana Equipment.


    What they didn¡¯t realize, however, was that they were not the only ones to be denied Mana Equipment; indeed, after several subsequent group assessments, not a single person received Mana Equipment!


    And as yet another pair of Guards returned to their ranks, dejected, the morale of the entire group plummeted to rock bottom. Originally full of energy, one by one, they deflated like punctured balls. Even Monte, standing beside Rocky, began to look visibly displeased at this time.


    Monte placed great importance on this series of assessments as well, because they were a test not just for the Guards but for him personally.


    If the Guards performed well, his credit as their trainer would be greatest. However, if they performed poorly, it would inevitably demonstrate his incompetence. With no one interfering in his training methods, Monte didn¡¯t even have the option to shirk responsibility.


    So as the performance of the Guards deteriorated, Monte¡¯s expression became increasingly grim.


    To be honest, he hadn¡¯t expected things to turn out this way at all. The Guards had performed far better in training than they were now showing. He had never imagined they¡¯d display such poor performance in front of Rocky, and he was caught off guard by this outcome.


    Read latest chapters on .com


    Fortunately, although the Guards were performing poorly, Rocky didn¡¯t seem displeased.


    Rocky indeed wasn¡¯t displeased at all because he understood it was normal for the Guards to perform this way. After all, Monte had had too little time to train them. Counting from the first day Monte became their trainer to now, it had only been two months. For him to get the Guards to their current level in such a short time was quite an achievement.


    So, after another group assessment had ended, Rocky nodded at Monte just as he had done before, signaling that Monte could start the next round of assessment.


    With Rocky¡¯s signal, Monte once again began drawing lots.


    This time, however, when he saw the names written on the slip of paper, he silently heaved a sigh of relief and then called out loud, ¡°Robin! Sandro!¡±


    As Monte called out these two names, a buzz suddenly erupted within the demoralized ranks of the Guard Corps, with many Guards looking in the same direction.


    This naturally caught Rocky¡¯s attention, making him curiously follow the Guards¡¯ gazes. He then saw a young man step out of the formation.


    The young man appeared to be just over twenty, with nothing remarkable about his features, but with well-proportioned facial traits and a very stern expression, as if he did not know how to smile.


    As he stepped out of the formation, he immediately held his square shield in front of his chest and a long sword tight against the shield, slightly crouching to ready himself for combat.


    ¡°Is that posture correct?¡±


    After taking a look at the stance the young man adopted, Rocky nodded. That combat posture was typical of a soldier, not something easily assumed by ordinary people.


    ¡°His name is Sandro, twenty-one years old today. His grandfather once served as a soldier in another Sky City, so he began training Sandro from a young age. As a result, his strength is one of the best within the Guard Corps,¡± Liliya explained quietly beside Rocky, who was watching with interest.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    After hearing Liliya¡¯s explanation, Rocky nodded, his interest in Sandro growing.


    Rocky then exchanged a look with Monte and, with Rocky¡¯s cue, Monte immediately commenced the assessment.


    As the assessment started, Sandro, armed with a shield and long sword, began advancing towards his opponent step by step. His pace was not fast, but each step was solid and menacing.


    At the same time, he kept his shield up in front of him, nearly completely covered behind it, revealing only his eyes and the cold edge of his sword. This kept him in a state from which he could launch an attack or mount a defense at any moment.


    Within three to five steps, Sandro closed in on his opponent, who, pressed relentlessly, was left with no escape, forced to strike. However, such a desperate attack naturally lacked any threat. When the opponent swung his long sword down, Sandro easily blocked it with his shield, and nearly at the same instant, he thrust his own long sword forward!


    A slash of cold light flashed. In a panic, Sandro¡¯s opponent hurriedly brought up his shield to block, narrowly parrying the blow. Sandro then made a sudden lunging step, kicking his opponent¡¯s shield away, and immediately afterward, he slammed his own shield hard against his opponent!


    A dull sound echoed, and Sandro¡¯s opponent fell to the ground, thus concluding the assessment¡­


    No one had expected such a decisive outcome, so swift it was almost unimaginable!


    Yet, the battle was also exceedingly spectacular! Sandro defeated his opponent with overwhelming force, turning the assessment into his own personal showcase, and he did it with great flair!


    This fantastic bout took Rocky by surprise, but it also left him extremely satisfied, so afterward, he glanced at Liliya, ready to have her bring over the prepared Magic Energy Shield and Mana Armor to reward Sandro.


    But just at that moment, Sandro¡¯s opponent suddenly rose from the ground, an unyielding look on his face, and shouted to Rocky, ¡°City Lord, I can still fight!¡±

 Chapter 71 - 71 - 70 Sandro and Robin

    Chapter 71 ¨C 70 Sandro and Robin


    Sandro¡¯s performance not only satisfied everyone, but also greatly exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations, to the extent that even Rocky couldn¡¯t help but cheer for him.


    In such a situation, Rocky naturally wasn¡¯t stingy at all and handed over the Magic Energy Shield and Mana Armor to him.


    But just at that moment, before Rocky could have Liliya hand over the Void Magic Armor to Sandro, the opponent whom Sandro had decisively defeated suddenly leaped up from the ground and shouted loudly at Rocky, ¡°City Lord! I can still fight!¡±


    This outcry immediately attracted everyone¡¯s attention, and many from the Guard Corps laughed upon hearing it.


    At this moment, Rocky naturally turned his attention toward this bristly fellow. Previously, his attention had been on Sandro, and he hadn¡¯t paid much notice to Sandro¡¯s opponent. But when he took a closer look, he realized that Sandro¡¯s opponent was actually a youngster, only seventeen or eighteen years old.


    ¡°His name is Robin. He¡¯s only eighteen today and has just joined the Guard Corps recently.¡±


    The Guard Corps had a roster of two hundred people. Although every one of them knew Rocky, Rocky did not recognize them. So when Rocky looked at the youngster scrambling from the ground, Liliya gave a simple introduction at his side.


    ...


    This guard named Robin was only eighteen, clearly a naive and confused young man. After rising from the ground, he didn¡¯t admit defeat; instead, he was hopping and jumping, his youthful face full of dissatisfaction.


    ¡°City Lord, I can still fight! I really can still fight!¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Noticing that Rocky was only looking at him with a smile and not speaking, Robin became even more anxious and kept shouting.


    Seeing his eager demeanor, Rocky, while chuckling, turned to look at Sandro and then asked, ¡°Sandro, your opponent thinks he can still fight. How about you?¡±


    ¡°I can!¡±


    Sandro, who had already put away his longsword and shield, didn¡¯t say much. He simply answered and once again took his shield and longsword in hand, immediately getting ready for the battle.


    Thus, the second match of the same assessment between Sandro and Robin began.


    ¡°Sandro! I won¡¯t go easy on you this time!¡±


    Gripping his longsword with both hands, Robin, full of resentment, yelled at Sandro and then charged at him with large strides.


    He reached Sandro in no more than two steps and immediately lifted his longsword with both hands, slashing down ferociously!


    One strike!


    Two strikes!


    Three strikes!


    Robin swung his arms, striking thrice, but each swing landed on Sandro¡¯s raised shield. Not only that, Sandro, who was fending off these three strikes, did not even budge.


    This outcome was not because Robin lacked strength; in fact, he was giving it his all. Unfortunately, Sandro¡¯s defense was too solid. Facing the continuous assault, his defense was like a hill, steadfast and giving no opportunity to Robin.


    And after Robin¡¯s three strikes, Sandro directly kicked him in the knee, immediately knocking Robin down.


    Similar to before, it didn¡¯t take long for the second bout between the two to be decided, and the victor and loser did not change.


    ¡°I can still fight!¡±


    Yet after being knocked down once more, Robin immediately got up and charged toward Sandro again!


    And so, their struggle began.


    As Liliya had mentioned, since Robin had only recently joined the Guard Corps and had no foundation to speak of, he could only be considered a Level One Warrior at most. With such determination, alas, both his foundation and technique were still lacking by a large margin.


    In contrast, Sandro was entirely different. Although he was just a Second Level Warrior, his foundations were solid and he was extremely adept at defense. The shield in his hands was like a thick wall, capable of fending off all attacks.


    Under such circumstances, the outcome of their exchanges was all too predictable; Robin was simply being overwhelmed.


    Yet, whether it was due to his stubbornness or foolishness, Robin, who kept getting knocked down, seemed like an indestructible roach, or like a Weeble that wouldn¡¯t fall down. Despite being continuously knocked down, he was always able to stand back up!


    ¡°I can still fight!¡±


    ¡°I can still fight!¡±


    ¡°I can still fight!!¡±


    Time and again, he got up from the ground, each time shouting his slogan. Although he was quickly knocked down again, he still loudly proclaimed his determination to stand up anew. Discover stories with .com


    For a moment, the entire field was filled with one voice, a voice that seemed to cast a spell, drawing everyone¡¯s gaze involuntarily from Sandro to Robin.


    ¡°I can still¡­¡±


    After knocking Robin down once more, before he could stand up again, Sandro directly pinned him down with the tip of his sword to his forehead, then slowly spoke, ¡°Robin, you can¡¯t defeat me. Surrender.¡±


    ¡°No! I can still fight!¡±


    Ignoring the sword above him, Robin suddenly lifted his head, roaring with resolve, ¡°I must receive the City Lord¡¯s gifted equipment! I¡¯ve already promised my mother!¡±


    As he roared these words, he suddenly leaped forward and slammed into Sandro¡¯s chest, pushing Sandro back several steps and nearly unbalancing him.


    ¡°Robin¡¯s father died early, leaving only his mother to care for him,¡±


    As the two of them became locked in combat again, Liliya explained to Rocky. As the captain of the Guard Corps, she was well-acquainted with her guards.


    She then went on to say:


    ¡°I heard that Robin¡¯s mother has poor eyesight and can¡¯t weave. The whole family relies on Robin¡¯s income from the Guard Corps. He¡¯s been noisy about becoming the captain since his first day, saying that captains earn more and he could then give his mother a better life.¡±


    In this world, the lives of commoners and nobles are as different as heaven and earth. Take Rocky, for example, who, although he always seems worried about money, never had to fret over food and drink as the City Lord. In fact, if he hadn¡¯t been as driven as he is now, he could have lived his entire life without a care as the City Lord.


    But ordinary people¡¯s lives are not the same. Take the residents of Thunderhawk City, for example. Even though Thunderhawk City employs a planned economic model to ensure everyone has food, some people still live in great hardship due to various reasons ¨C Robin is one such case.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±


    Understanding dawned on Rocky as he nodded at Liliya¡¯s explanation, then turned his attention back to the two fighters still in battle.


    By the time Liliya had finished telling Rocky about Robin¡¯s situation, Sandro and Robin were already fiercely engaged in combat.


    Sandro, who repeatedly knocked Robin down yet failed to win, was visibly growing annoyed. His brow was furrowed tightly, and his eyes gradually became colder, while Robin, as always, picked himself off the ground time and time again, with a more evident determination in his eyes.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    However, at that moment, Rocky suddenly called for a halt, prompting the two, who had been fighting earnestly, to cease their combat.


    Both fighters turned to Rocky, who was approaching them.


    ¡°Sandro, your performance was very good, far exceeding my expectations. I¡¯m quite pleased,¡±


    Rocky said as he approached Sandro, handing over a shield and armor he had crafted himself.


    His words were sincere ¨C Sandro¡¯s performance had indeed won Rocky¡¯s approval.


    ¡°Thank you, my lord!¡±


    Taking the shield and armor from Rocky, the always-serious Sandro finally smiled, and immediately knelt on one knee before him.


    ¡°Stand up.¡±


    Rocky helped Sandro to his feet and nodded at him, then turned his gaze to Robin, who stood aside.


    ¡°Robin.¡±


    ¡°City Lord, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, I know you can still fight,¡± Rocky said with a shake of his head and a smile, full of appreciation, ¡°But you don¡¯t have to continue. Your perseverance has already earned my respect, and I am equally satisfied.¡±


    Having said that, Rocky handed Robin a shield and a piece of armor.


    ¡°Thank you, City Lord!¡±


    Upon receiving the shield and armor, Robin jumped for joy, hopping around on the spot for a while before remembering to thank Rocky.


    Afterward, the two returned to the ranks, their spirits high. Barely a moment passed before they were inundated with envious gazes ¨C they were the first to receive Magic Energy Equipment after such a lengthy examination process.


    The success of the two also greatly encouraged the other guards. The men, whose morale had been low due to poor performances in previous rounds, became excited again after witnessing the achievements of Sandro and Robin.


    Emboldened and invigorated once more, the participants recovered their normal performance in the subsequent assessments. Perhaps inspired by Robin, each guard entered the fray with renewed determination, making the event increasingly engaging. Under these circumstances, the equipment Rocky brought was finally distributed, one piece after the other.


    And so, the assessment continued, one round after another, and quickly it was evening. As the sky gradually darkened, the assessment was finally drawing to a close.


    When the last round ended, nearly all the hundred sets of equipment Rocky had brought had been handed out to the guards. However, not all were accounted for ¨C one set remained undistributed by the end.


    The remaining set was naturally not going to be kept. So when everyone¡¯s assessment concluded, Monte addressed those guards who had not received equipment: ¡°Who among you would like to vie for this set of equipment?¡±


    Upon hearing there was still a chance to compete, the guards who had failed the assessment perked up, eager to try their luck.


    ¡°City Lord! Me! I want to try!¡±


    A crisp shout suddenly rang out, catching everyone off guard as the voice didn¡¯t come from a member of the Guard Corps. As everyone turned to locate the source, they saw a young Female Beastman waving at Rocky from a distance, running towards the group as she waved.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Dusa?¡±


    Recognizing the young Female Beastman at first glance, Rocky identified her ¨C it was none other than Monte¡¯s daughter!


    Upon recognizing Dusa, Rocky turned to look at Monte and instantly saw that his expression was far from happy.


    But by then, Dusa had already raced over and, full of enthusiasm, asked Rocky, ¡°City Lord, may I try?¡±

 Chapter 72 - 72 - 71 Dusa’s Talent

    Chapter 72 ¨C 71 Dusa¡¯s Talent


    ¡°Dusa! What are you doing here, stop causing trouble!¡±


    Seeing his daughter had actually come, Monte¡¯s face immediately turned livid as he angrily scolded her.


    But facing her father¡¯s scolding, Dusa, although somewhat scared, acted stubbornly. She didn¡¯t look at her father, her eyes filled with eagerness as she looked at Rocky.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Now Rocky was in a difficult position. He of course could tell that Monte did not want his daughter to come, a thought clearly written on his livid face. However, Dusa¡¯s eagerness made it hard for Rocky to refuse.


    Thus, caught between a rock and a hard place, Rocky had no choice but to ask, ¡°Dusa, what can you do?¡±


    ¡°I can shoot arrows! I can shoot arrows!¡±


    ...


    Asked by Rocky, Dusa raised her hand as if a student answering a teacher¡¯s question.


    It was then that Rocky noticed Dusa was indeed carrying a longbow and a quiver bag. She had come fully prepared.


    Seeing Dusa¡¯s fully equipped appearance made Rocky realize that her presence here was no accident, but rather something she had planned in advance, or else she wouldn¡¯t have been so thoroughly prepared.


    In this situation, he could only give Monte a look. It was then that Monte quickly said, ¡°City Lord, you don¡¯t need to bother with her. Dusa is just causing trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°Father! I¡¯m not causing trouble. I am very formidable, at least more than them!¡±


    Monte hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Dusa unhappily interrupted him, then turned to Rocky, dissatisfied, saying, ¡°City Lord, I am quite formidable. None of these guards can best me. Please let me try!¡±


    ¡°Dusa, stop causing trouble and go home!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not causing trouble!¡±


    Seeing the father and daughter arguing just like that, Rocky reluctantly stepped between the two, ¡°Enough with the arguing¡­¡±


    After stopping their argument, he looked towards Dusa, and her puffy, angry face immediately brightened when she saw him look her way. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Dusa, do you want this last set of Magic Energy Equipment?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°What do you want this equipment for?¡±


    ¡°I want to join the fight alongside my father!¡±


    Stay tuned for updates on


    To Rocky¡¯s series of questions, Dusa answered without hesitation. She wanted to wear the new equipment and fight alongside her father.


    This indeed was Dusa¡¯s true intent, as Beastmen, regardless of gender, are natural warriors. They not only possess innate abilities for combat but also crave battle deep in their bones; however, this is exactly where the conflict between Monte and Dusa lay.


    Monte did not want his daughter to end up like himself. He only wished her to live a peaceful life, thus he never involved her in his affairs. Yet, Dusa was a typical Beastman, innately craving to join her father on the battlefield, just as Monte had when he was a Demon Hunter and even now. This issue had often led to conflicts between father and daughter.


    ¡°So that¡¯s it¡­¡±


    Facing Dusa¡¯s straightforward answer, Rocky just smiled and then said, ¡°Dusa, I can let you try, but as you can see, anyone who gets the Magic Energy Equipment definitely needs real skill, do you have that confidence?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With her big eyes looking at Rocky, Dusa nodded without hesitation.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After saying that, Rocky casually picked up a stone from the ground, about the size of a fist, weighed it in his hand, and then looked towards Dusa.


    ¡°Dusa, if you can hit this stone with one arrow, I will give you the last set of Magic Energy Equipment!¡±


    As his words fell, Rocky threw the stone into the air.


    This was the best solution he could think of. Monte did not want his daughter to be exposed to any danger or be involved in his affairs, and Rocky certainly would not defy his wishes, so he presented Dusa with this difficult challenge.


    It was already dark, and the stone he threw into the air was only fist-sized; those with poor eyesight couldn¡¯t see it clearly at all, let alone hit it with an arrow. In this way, though Dusa would fail, she would not blame her father for not giving her a chance. It was absolutely a perfect solution in every respect, at least that¡¯s what Rocky thought.


    However, what he hadn¡¯t expected was that at the very moment he threw the stone, Dusa immediately grabbed the longbow from her back, bent it, fitted an arrow, and shot it out with a swoosh!


    Right after, a whooshing sound was heard as the fled arrow drew an arc in front of everyone, and then with a snap, it hit the stone in mid-air!


    In an instant, the entire place fell silent¡­


    ¡°Is that even possible?¡±


    Watching as Dusa fluidly hit the stone he had thrown with one arrow, Rocky¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    He had never imagined Dusa would have such skill!


    Dusa¡¯s archery was so superb?


    ¡°Hit it! Hit it! City Lord, am I great?¡±


    While everyone was stunned by Dusa¡¯s exquisite archery, Dusa herself cheered gleefully like a magpie, not even waiting for Rocky to speak before she ran to Liliya¡¯s side and took away the last set of Magic Energy Equipment¡­


    No one had expected that Rocky¡¯s inspection of the Guard Corps would end with Dusa taking the last set of equipment¡­


    However, this inspection was clearly a success. Rocky not only handed over a hundred sets of personally crafted equipment to the guards, but he also witnessed the training achievements of the Guard Corps over this period.


    After two months of training, the guards¡¯ strength had clearly grown considerably stronger. Notable talents like Sandro and Robin had emerged, which was definitely joyous for Rocky, as these individuals could potentially become the backbone of Rocky and Thunderhawk City in future.


    Of course, Dusa¡¯s performance was an unexpected delight. Her archery skills completely surpassed everyone¡¯s expectations, and even Monte was unaware of his daughter¡¯s prowess, which naturally made Rocky interested in her talent.


    However, he was not in a hurry about this matter; indeed, if Monte was not willing to let his daughter follow him, Rocky would certainly not insist.


    Also, after today¡¯s review, Rocky now had a comprehensive understanding of the Guard Corps¡¯ strength. This understanding was very important and necessary for him, as he was soon going to lead these guards to accomplish the tasks assigned by the Mercenary Guild!


    Yes, Rocky had already prepared everything, so it was time to accept the task from the Mercenary Guild!

 Chapter 73 - 73 - 72: The Tricks of the Task

    Chapter 73 ¨C 72: The Tricks of the Task


    Now, the food problem in Thunderhawk City was solved, and there was some surplus money in the treasury, enough at least to buy the next batch of yarn. After two months of training, the Guard Corps was fully prepared, both physically and equipment-wise. Finally, Rocky could focus on the next step of his plan.


    His next plan was naturally the mission from the Mercenary Guild!


    Since he had returned from Eternal City two months ago, he had been working hard toward this goal, and now everything was finally in place to take on missions from the Mercenary Guild.


    So, after returning to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Rocky didn¡¯t go to sleep right away but eagerly took out the mission receiver.


    This mission receiver, which he had bought from the Mercenary Guild for five hundred Gold Coins, allowed him to easily review all the missions from the Mercenary Guild and directly contact them to receive missions.


    The mission receiver wasn¡¯t large, about the size of a palm, and looked like a dish embedded with a Magic Stone, equipped with several buttons. When Rocky turned it on, a beam of light shot out from it and transformed into an image right before his eyes.


    ¡°Damn! That scared me!¡±


    ...


    Startled by the image projected from the receiver, Rocky immediately thought of a term not of this world: holographic projection.


    This mission receiver was just like a holographic projector!


    When he looked more closely at the image, he saw rows and rows of information, all related to missions.


    Rocky¡¯s interest was piqued, and he quickly selected one of the messages, pressing the buttons on the receiver to read the details closely.


    Type: Merchant ship escort.


    Requirement: A Void Magic Squad of more than ten people.


    Duration: Three days.


    Mission Objective: Accompany the merchant ship from Baili City and escort it to Hundred Beasts City, making a land stop for resupply. The mission is completed once the merchant ship successfully reaches its destination.


    Commission: Thirty thousand Gold Coins.


    Mission Issuer: ¡Á¡Á Chamber of Commerce.


    Unlike the bulletin board inside the Mercenary Guild, the task information displayed on the mission receiver was very detailed, clear at a glance, and very convenient.


    When Rocky saw the detailed information of the randomly selected task, he couldn¡¯t help but lick his lips.


    ¡°Goodness, a three-day escort mission can earn thirty thousand gold coins¡­ That¡¯s quite generous.¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I just wonder what kind of valuable goods the issuing Chamber of Commerce is transporting to hire a Void Magic Squad for such a high price.¡±


    Although surprised by the high commission of the mission, Rocky quickly moved on to other information because he couldn¡¯t take this mission.


    Shortly after, another piece of information caught his eye.


    Type: Demons extermination.


    Requirement: A Mercenary Group of over one-hundred people.


    Duration: ¡ª¡ª


    Mission Objective: Head to the forest farm owned by the Mengma Commerce Guild in the Jialin Mountain Range, exterminate the demons within. Estimated number of demons is over thirty, specific types unknown, no high-level demons, and the mission is completed once all demons are exterminated.


    Commission: Forty thousand Gold Coins.


    Mission Issuer: Mengma Commerce Guild.


    Unlike the previous escort mission, what attracted Rocky¡¯s attention was an extermination mission, and the commission for this task was very high, a total of forty thousand Gold Coins!


    Furthermore, the requirements for this mission completely matched Rocky¡¯s capabilities, even exceeding them, meaning that he could definitely take on this mission.


    But Rocky didn¡¯t act rashly because after carefully reading through the mission information, he realized that although the commission was high, it was also extremely dangerous.


    The objective of the mission was to clean out the demons that had occupied the forest farm, and according to the information, the number of demons inside was over thirty! That number was a bit too much!


    Thirty demons!


    Although Rocky hadn¡¯t engaged in large-scale combat with demons before, he knew that such a number and scale of demons could only be confronted by a Void Magic Squad; ordinary soldiers, let alone a Mercenary Group of over one hundred people, even a five-hundred-person mercenary group might not be able to handle them!


    So, despite the very high commission for this task, Rocky wasn¡¯t blinded by the amount of money at stake. He indeed wanted to earn money by completing tasks, but he wasn¡¯t about to risk his life for it.


    Also, precisely because he maintained his rationality, the more Rocky looked at this task, the stranger it seemed to him.


    If this task truly required exterminating at least thirty demons to be completed, then why would the Mengma Commerce Guild need to hire a mercenary group of more than a hundred people? You should know the commission they were offering was a whopping forty thousand gold coins, a sum sufficient even for a mercenary group larger than five hundred members.


    This is really strange¡­


    Shaking his head, although Rocky couldn¡¯t figure out the answer, he still felt that the task released by the Mengma Commerce Guild, despite its high commission, was too dangerous and there seemed to be something off about it. It was a task he wouldn¡¯t accept.


    Fortunately, there were many tasks available at the Mercenary Guild, and there was a vast array to choose from. Thus, even if this particular task wasn¡¯t suitable, there were other tasks to consider.


    In this way, Rocky soon began to look up information about various tasks one after the other and noted down the ones he was interested in.


    Before he knew it, he had spent most of the evening looking and, by the time he realized it, it was nearly dawn.


    The next day, he called Liliya, Aileen, and Monte into his room.


    The tasks from the Mercenary Guild were definitely to be taken, but they couldn¡¯t be accepted recklessly, or else he might end up spending all they had, which was not something Rocky wanted to see happen. Thus, for the sake of safety, they needed to discuss which task to take as a group.


    Once everyone had arrived, Rocky took out the task receiver and showed everyone the tasks he had selected the previous night. He believed these tasks were within their capability, but which one to actually take still required everyone¡¯s opinions to make a decision.


    However, before that, he first brought up that extermination task again, because he always felt there was something peculiar about it.


    ¡°Look at this task,¡± he said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem problematic to you? I just feel there¡¯s something odd.¡±


    After bringing up the detailed information of the extermination task, Rocky spoke.


    On being asked, Liliya, Aileen, and Monte all looked towards the task information.


    ¡°My lord, is it the requirements of this extermination task that you find problematic?¡±


    Aileen was the first to speak, having just glanced at it briefly.


    This was somewhat unexpected for Rocky, as he thought perhaps Liliya or Monte would be the first to notice something amiss, but he quickly nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Exactly, I don¡¯t understand why the Mengma Commerce Guild would spend forty thousand gold coins yet only hire a mercenary group of more than a hundred members. Logically, a task of this difficulty would require a group of at least five hundred members to complete, you know¡­¡±


    ¡°The Mengma Commerce Guild did it on purpose.¡±


    Even before Rocky could finish articulating his doubts, Aileen had an answer for him, continuing to say, ¡°The reason the Mengma Commerce Guild set the task¡¯s requirements so low is actually to attract those mercenaries whose capabilities are clearly insufficient but are blinded by the prospect of money.¡±


    ¡°Because if a mercenary group with insufficient strength took this task, even if they couldn¡¯t complete it, they could still indirectly lower the difficulty of it ¡ª after all, a group of more than a hundred might not be able to exterminate all thirty demons, but could probably kill at least one or two, right?¡±


    ¡°But if only one or two demons are killed, the Mengma Commerce Guild definitely won¡¯t pay the commission, yet the difficulty of the task would have been reduced. Then, the Mengma Commerce Guild could immediately lower the commission and raise the requirements, allowing a competent mercenary group to quickly finish the task. This method guarantees them a no-loss situation,¡± Aileen explained.


    In just a few words, Aileen had clearly explained all of Rocky¡¯s doubts, leaving him completely dumbfounded!


    ¡°I never thought it could be done this way¡­¡±


    It took a good while for Rocky to regain his composure after Aileen¡¯s explanation, after which he frowned. Although he had felt this extermination task was fishy, he hadn¡¯t realized there were so many twists to it, and the Mengma Commerce Guild¡¯s tactic was utterly devious!


    Seeing through Rocky¡¯s thoughts, Aileen then said, ¡°My lord, these are just small tricks of merchants, quite normal. We just need to be more cautious.¡±


    When Rocky couldn¡¯t help but feel the Mengma Commerce Guild was too sly, Aileen appeared unconcerned.


    Enjoy new adventures at


    Remember, Aileen was a merchant too!


    For a merchant, profits are always the top priority. To achieve their goals while minimizing expenses, such little tricks are nothing.


    Moreover, though the task seemed sly, it was up to the volunteers. If those mercenary groups, clearly lacking in strength but hoping to make a fortune, ended up annihilated, whom could they blame?


    Therefore, to Aileen, such tricks were nothing much at all.


    Upon hearing Aileen¡¯s words, Rocky, while reluctant to admit it, couldn¡¯t help but nod. He also privately felt fortunate that calling everyone together to discuss this had been the right move, because clearly, what seemed simple in the Mercenary Guild¡¯s tasks often had many underlying complications¡ªone misstep could lead to unwittingly benefiting others.


    So afterward, he laid out the tasks he had picked the day before, discussing with everyone which task they should take.

 Chapter 74 - 74 - 73: Three Tasks

    Chapter 74 ¨C 73: Three Tasks


    After spending much of the night selecting, Rocky had looked at dozens of task information and finally chose three of them.


    He believed these three tasks suited him well in various aspects, so after Liliya and the others had gathered, he pulled up the detailed information for these three tasks.


    The first task chosen by Rocky was an escort mission.


    Type: Escort caravan.


    Requirement: Mercenary Group of over one hundred.


    Duration: Seven days.


    Task Objective: Escort the caravan from Deep Valley Mine, protect it through the entire journey as it passes Deep Gorge Canyon onward to the Great Drought Highlands to wait for the Skyship pickup. The task is completed once the Skyship finishes transporting the goods.


    ...


    Commission: Ten thousand Gold Coins.


    Posted by: Drake Commerce.


    Rocky felt this escort mission was quite good for a start, as the time was not too long, and secondly, the commission was quite decent. And from the description, he felt there weren¡¯t significant dangers involved. Leading the Guard Corps and adding ten Skyships, completing this task should not pose any problems.


    The second task he chose was a demon extermination mission:


    Type: Demon Extermination.


    Requirement: Mercenary Group of over two hundred, those with Floating Battleships given priority.


    Duration: ¡ª¡ª


    Task Objective: Clear out the demons on the Rhein Plains, killing at least twenty demons to complete the task.


    Commission: Five thousand Gold Coins; spoils of battle belong to the Mercenary Group.


    Posted by: Libra City.


    Rocky was interested in this mission mainly because of the high commission. Although it was only five thousand Gold Coins, the spoils of battle belonged to the Mercenary Group. As a demon extermination mission, naturally, the spoils were the slain demons!


    By this calculation, the mission¡¯s commission was worth far more than a mere five thousand Gold Coins, because the mission requirement was to kill at least twenty demons for it to be completed. This meant that Rocky could earn not only the five thousand Gold Coins but also at least twenty Demon Corpses.


    And if he were to sell these Demon Corpses, even if each sold for just one thousand Gold Coins, he could earn at least twenty thousand Gold Coins!


    Such a generous reward truly tempted Rocky, so he kept this mission.


    The third task he chose was a coordinated defense mission.


    Type: Coordinated Defense.


    Requirement: Mercenary Group of over one hundred.


    Duration: 30 days.


    Task Objective: Cooperatively defend the mining outpost, withstand demon attacks together, and successfully defend for 30 days to complete the task.


    Commission: Ten thousand Gold Coins; spoils of battle belong to the Mercenary Group; five hundred kilograms of Yellow Scale Ore.


    Posted by: The Forsaken People.


    The last task chosen by Rocky, to be honest, was filler, because apart from the high commission, many details were unclear to him, such as the nature of The Forsaken People who posted the task. However, the commission was indeed very high, so he kept it.


    It didn¡¯t take long after that for Liliya and the others to review the detailed information of the above three tasks thoroughly, then turned their gaze to Rocky.


    ¡°What do you think? Which task do you feel is suitable?¡±


    Seeing that the three had finished reviewing all the task information, Rocky quickly asked.


    ¡°My lord, the first task is definitely not acceptable.¡±


    This time, it was still Aileen who spoke first. Your journey continues with


    However, her words caused Rocky to be slightly taken aback, and even Monte¡¯s expression showed some change.


    Because the task Aileen was referring to was the escorting of the cargo, which was the very task that Rocky particularly liked. He felt that this task met his requirements in terms of commission and difficulty level.


    Monte shared the same thoughts as Rocky, so his expression changed when Aileen spoke up.


    ¡°Aileen, is there a problem with this task?¡±


    Given Aileen¡¯s previous performance, Rocky did not dare to ignore her opinion, so he asked immediately afterward.


    Facing his question, Aileen directly responded, ¡°My lord, the information about this task is too vague. Escorting the cargo through the canyon sounds simple, but what kind of attacks will we encounter along the way? Will it be an attack by demons or humans? None of this is clarified.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, the client has stated that the task will only be considered complete after the skyship has transported all the goods. How long will this take, will it be completed in one trip, or will it require ten? Whether there will be attacks during this time is also not mentioned in the task details, so I think this mission is not very reliable.¡±


    We must not underestimate Aileen just because she does not fight. To others, tasks published by the Mercenary Guild may seem like just tasks, but to Aileen, they are all business, and she knows business well!


    In such a scenario, she analyzed the task so thoroughly in just a few words that Rocky was left staring in amazement and even blushed from embarrassment because many of the issues raised by Aileen were ones he had not thought of before.


    What¡¯s more important is that Aileen¡¯s analysis sounded very reasonable, and even after listening to her, Rocky himself also began to feel that the task was unreliable.


    As a result, he sought the opinions of Liliya and Monte, then eliminated the first task.


    ¡°If the first task is no good, what about the second one?¡±


    Having eliminated his preferred task, Rocky could only compromise and focus on the second task at hand, which was the demon eradication mission.


    But as soon as he finished his question, Monte shook his head, ¡°My lord, this task is absolutely unacceptable.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Why?!¡±


    Turning to look at Monte, Rocky didn¡¯t know what to say. Why couldn¡¯t they accept this task either?


    ¡°My lord, I¡¯ve been to the Rhein Plains mentioned in the task. It¡¯s a true great plain as far as the eye can see, riddled with demons, including high-level demons that appear frequently. We absolutely cannot go to such a dangerous place.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Monte¡¯s words left Rocky stunned, and he sighed inwardly, having never expected that the tasks he had worked so hard to find were all unfeasible.


    Yet, Rocky could not refute the reasons given by Monte. Monte had been a Demon Hunter and had traveled more than anyone else. If he said the Rhein Plains were off limits, then they certainly were.


    With no other choice, Rocky reluctantly had to reject the second task he found and then turned his attention to the third task.


    Glancing at the last task, Rocky felt there was no need to consider it, as it was only chosen to make up the numbers.


    To his surprise, facing this task that was meant just to fill the list, Liliya, Aileen, and Monte all fell silent¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡±


    Noticing everyone¡¯s silence regarding the last task, Rocky blinked his large eyes innocently and asked.


    ¡°My lord, about the task issued by The Forsaken People, you surely know what that entails, right?¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s naive expression, Aileen looked at him in slight surprise.


    However, facing Aileen¡¯s astonishment, Rocky shook his head like a rattle. Indeed, he did not know anything about The Forsaken People.

 Chapter 75 - 75 - 74 The Forsaken People

    Chapter 75 ¨C 74 The Forsaken People


    ¡°`


    Looking at Aileen, Rocky blinked his large eyes, a look of confusion on his face because he truly did not know what The Forsaken People was all about.


    Seeing that he was actually unaware of this matter, Monte, who was beside him, spoke up:


    ¡°My lord, The Forsaken People is the term we use to refer to those who still live on the land.¡±


    Explore more at


    ¡°What?¡±


    Upon hearing Monte¡¯s words, Rocky was so surprised that his mouth hung open in amazement.


    ...


    Of course, one couldn¡¯t blame him, for he was, after all, a traveler from another world. Although he was very familiar with this world, his understanding was limited only to what he could come in contact with. As for some matters he had never encountered since his arrival, Rocky knew very little, and The Forsaken People was one such issue.


    Over a hundred years ago, people built Sky City and fled to the sky to escape the Demons, a fact known to all. But the situation back then was far from simple.


    In reality, when humans had constructed the first Sky City and were ready for a large-scale migration to the skies, a significant portion opposed the idea. This opposition is mentioned in Wensel¡¯s will, and at the same time, the capacity of Sky City to hold people was very limited.


    This led to many people either voluntarily or involarily staying on the land during the initial stages of the move to the sky.


    Later on, as more Sky Cities were constructed, people truly began migrating in earnest. Yet even then, there was still a significant number of individuals who chose to stay on the land to continue the fight against the Demons.


    And it was these people who decided to stay on the land that became known as The Forsaken People.


    The Forsaken People called those who fled to the sky traitors, seeing their actions as a cowardly escape, as a surrender of the land that had nurtured them. Therefore, The Forsaken People would rather stay and battle the Demons on the land than flee to the sky.


    This divergence of opinions caused the two groups to split into two major camps at the beginning of the Sky Era, leading to endless disputes. One side accused the other of stubbornness, while the other called them cowards. Eventually, things escalated to the point of complete hostility, cutting off all relations between them.


    This state of affairs continued for decades until the last few years, especially after the First Counter Offensive War began, that the relationship between the two sides started to ease up.


    Today, interactions between the two groups have grown increasingly frequent. Take, for instance, the last task that Rocky had found¡ªthe person who posted the task came from the land!


    ¡°I really had no idea that such things were going on¡­¡±


    After listening to Monte¡¯s explanation, Rocky slowly nodded in a daze and couldn¡¯t help but think back to the Magic Energy Image Wensel left in the Lost Research Institute. Now, giving it some thought, Wensel¡¯s will did indeed mention that he was not the only one who stayed on the land, that many others, like him, chose to remain and continue the fight against the Demons.


    And now that he knew people still lived on the land and were continuously fighting the Demons, Rocky suddenly thought of something else: If people were still on the land and resisting the Demons, didn¡¯t that mean the land hadn¡¯t been completely occupied?


    ¡°No, the land has long been occupied¡­¡±


    However, facing this question of his, whether it was Monte, Aileen, or Liliya, they all shook their heads. This time, Liliya was the one who spoke, saying afterward, ¡°Although those who stayed on the land have continuously fought against the Demons, they have not succeeded.¡±


    ¡°When Sky City had just been invented, the Demons had occupied about two-thirds of the land. But by the early stages of the Sky Era, in just a short span of ten-plus years, the land was completely lost.


    Nearly all cities were destroyed by the Demons, and although the people remaining on the land fought valiantly, in the end, they could only hide in places less frequently visited by the Demons and barely manage to survive.¡±


    ¡°As for now, there are only three cities on the land that are truly under human control, and the reason these three cities have remained is due to the two counter offensive wars we launched; otherwise, not a single city would have been left on the land.¡±


    ¡°So it is¡­¡±


    With Liliya¡¯s explanation, Rocky took a deep breath, for it was not difficult to hear from her words that life was hard for the people who remained on the land. But that was not surprising; staying on the land meant confronting the Demons daily and facing such terrifying creatures. It would have been strange if their lives had been easy.


    As for the counteroffensive wars that Liliya mentioned, Rocky did have some recollection. The so-called counteroffensive wars referred to the people in the sky uniting all Sky Cities in a major counteroffensive campaign to retake the land. The wars occurred twice and were respectively known as the First and Second Counteroffensive Wars.


    The scale of these two wars were unprecedented, with each war mobilizing nearly all Sky Cities. The fighting was ferociously intense, with close to a million soldiers dead or injured, and dozens of Sky Cities destroyed, including the destruction of several major ones.


    Yet despite all this, the land remained in the hands of the Demons, and the outcome of both wars ended in failure.


    All of these matters were in textbooks, so Rocky remembered them. However, from what Liliya had just said, although both counteroffensive wars had failed, they seemed to have been not entirely fruitless, as the land¡¯s three cities at least managed to survive because of them.


    As Rocky pondered this, Aileen then spoke, ¡°But don¡¯t underestimate The Forsaken People; despite their harsh life on the land, they are very wealthy.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Why is that?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky was slightly startled, evidently not understanding.


    The people on the land were wealthy? How could that be possible when they lived at risk of being killed by Demons every day¡ªhow could they possibly be wealthy?


    ¡°My lord, don¡¯t forget that the resources on the land are much more abundant than in the sky.¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s confusion, Aileen elaborated, ¡°Although those on the land live under the shadow of Demons, because of the land¡¯s abundant resources and the improved relations with us, there is often trade between the two sides. Take, for example, the task that my lord has chosen.¡±


    ¡°The goal of this task is to assist in defending a mine, and if I¡¯m not mistaken, this mine should belong to The Forsaken People.¡± S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My lord, you don¡¯t need me to elaborate on the immense value a mine can generate, do you?¡±


    Aileen¡¯s explanation led to an epiphany for Rocky, as it was true just as she said¡ªthe people on the land sat upon countless resources, and by selling these resources to Sky City, it would mean a continuous flow of wealth!


    And since the conversation had come full circle back to the task at hand, Rocky then asked, ¡°Given this, what do you think¡ªshould we take on this task or not?¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 76 - 76 - 75 It’s it!

    Chapter 76 ¨C 75 It¡¯s it!


    After a lengthy discussion, everyone¡¯s focus finally circled back to the initial topic: whether to accept the task from The Forsaken People or not?


    After a lesson for Rocky, he became even more confused, so he had no choice but to look towards Liliya and the others.


    ¡°My lord, if we speak solely of profit, this task is acceptable.¡±


    It was Aileen who spoke first this time: ¡°The commission for this task is ten thousand Gold Coins, and any spoils of war are ours to keep. That means any Demons killed in battle belong to us, and on top of that, they will pay us five hundred kilograms of Yellow Scale Mine. If we calculate this¡­¡±


    ¡°We could earn at least thirty to fifty thousand Gold Coins if we can complete this task!¡±


    Such a huge profit honestly tempted Aileen, and that was exactly why she thought the task was acceptable. However, she also didn¡¯t forget to remind them:


    ¡°Just please remember, my lord, the profit of a task is directly proportional to its danger. If there is such a large profit to be made from this task, then its difficulty will inevitably be very high.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Rocky nodded and fell into deep thought.


    The reminder from Aileen made a lot of sense to him. According to her calculation, the profit of the task was indeed enormous, but let¡¯s not forget: the Mercenary Guild is not a charity. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Hence, the greater the profit of a task, the higher and potentially even greater the risk.


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure¡­¡±


    But at that moment, Liliya spoke up, and it seemed she didn¡¯t quite agree with Aileen¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°Rocky, I think that if we take on this task, there will definitely be danger, but the difficulty might not be higher than the previous two tasks.¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Liliya¡¯s words turned everyone¡¯s attention toward her, and Rocky felt extremely surprised.


    He knew Liliya¡¯s personality better than anyone, and that was exactly why he was surprised. From his point of view, it would have been normal for Liliya to strongly oppose such a dangerous task.


    Then Liliya looked at him and said, ¡°Have you forgotten? I once followed the old master to land to fight, so I have had the experience of joining forces with The Forsaken People.¡±


    ¡°You may have overlooked something: although the people living on land are always threatened by Demons, it has also made them brave and skilled in battle. Almost everyone, even the women, possesses great strength, otherwise, they couldn¡¯t possibly survive on the land today.¡±


    ¡°The goal of this task is to assist The Forsaken People in defending the mine, which means we don¡¯t have to bear the defense¡¯s burden alone. The Forsaken People will share a lot of the pressure, as the minerals are theirs. They will be the ones who are most diligent and committed in this task.¡±


    ¡°So I think this task will indeed be very dangerous, but if we talk about the ratio of reward to risk, it might actually be the highest of the three tasks.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ that does make sense¡­¡±


    Having listened to all this, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but nod his head. He found Liliya¡¯s points very reasonable. After all, the mineral resources they were supposed to defend belonged to The Forsaken People, who would surely be more dedicated and committed than himself.


    And if The Forsaken People¡¯s fighting capability was as formidable as Liliya said, it would definitely alleviate some of their own pressure.


    ¡°My lord, I also agree with Liliya¡¯s opinion. We can take on this task.¡±


    As Rocky nodded repeatedly, Monte also expressed his opinion at this time.


    And if even he said so, it meant that Liliya, Aileen, and Monte all affirmed the task concerning The Forsaken People.


    ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s take on this task!¡±


    With this, Rocky felt assured. Without any hesitation, he used the task receiver to contact the Mercenary Guild and successfully accepted the task!


    The process of accepting the task was very simple; it didn¡¯t even require verification of the ¡®Mercenary Group¡¯ size that Rocky claimed, because after he met with The Forsaken People, they would confirm with the Mercenary Guild. If Rocky had lied, they wouldn¡¯t have confirmed his eligibility.


    After successfully taking on the task, Rocky was given a set of coordinates. He had to meet with The Forsaken People within a week at those coordinates, or the task would automatically be considered a failure.


    This wasn¡¯t a difficult matter for Rocky, since Sky City itself could fly. Therefore, he adjusted the flight direction of Sky City and headed directly to the location of the coordinates.


    Once everything was in order, everyone began their final preparations. Rocky started tuning his Void Magic Armor, Liliya was organizing her rune equipment, and Monte went to the Guard Corps to inform everyone of this news; everything was carried out in an orderly fashion.


    However, during this process, Aileen told Rocky something¡ªthat Jia Xi had already left.


    Jia Xi had left Thunderhawk City in a rage. Unfortunately, on the day he left, Rocky happened to be leading everyone to a review at the Guard Corps, so nobody knew he had left, and his departure only reached Aileen¡¯s ears the day after. By the time Rocky learned of it, Jia Xi had been gone for several days.


    ¡°Did he say anything when he left?¡±


    Upon learning that Jia Xi had finally left, Rocky asked with a chuckle.


    ¡°I heard from Felly, who¡¯s in charge of the Skyport, that he left cursing and swearing, not seeming to say anything useful.¡±


    Aileen slightly curled her lips in a smirk when she mentioned Jia Xi, as if speaking of a joke.


    Jia Xi had indeed become a joke this time, having spent a month and a half in Thunderhawk City without accomplishing anything. Not only that, but the five ships of food he had brought ended up being mostly wasted.


    So when Aileen said that Jia Xi kept cursing as he left, her words couldn¡¯t be truer¡ªin fact, Jia Xi was not just cursing; he even felt the urge to kill!


    With his intelligence, how could he not realize that he had been played like a monkey for over a month by Rocky and his team? So when he left, not only was he cursing, but he also threatened that the Azure Commerce Guild would not let this matter slide!


    Unfortunately, Rocky couldn¡¯t care less about such threats¡ªnot because he didn¡¯t care about the Azure Commerce Guild, but because he didn¡¯t care about Jia Xi.


    The Azure Commerce Guild was indeed a large Chamber of Commerce, there was no doubt about that, but would they really attack Thunderhawk City over this matter? Just for Jia Xi and five ships of food?


    Certainly not.


    In fact, Rocky felt that Jia Xi should be worrying not about how to take revenge on him, but rather about how to explain himself to the Chamber of Commerce upon his return. He spent a month and a half and failed to close a deal, moreover, he lost a sizable amount of food. The responsibility and loss would surely not fall on Thunderhawk City; Jia Xi would have to bear it.


    So as far as Rocky was concerned, Jia Xi¡¯s departure was his problem. Rocky had no time to bother with such matters; he needed to focus on preparing for the upcoming task¡ªthat was the top priority!

 Chapter 77 - 77 - 76: The Loyal Guard

    Chapter 77 ¨C 76: The Loyal Guard


    The mission from the Mercenary Guild was now Rocky¡¯s top priority, and he permitted no errors on this matter. Thus, during the flight towards Thunderhawk City¡¯s coordinates, not only did he fine-tune his Void Magic Armor to ensure it functioned flawlessly in battle, but he also preemptively considered any potential issues they might encounter.


    As for the coordinates they were headed to, they were not too far from Thunderhawk City. The mission required that they arrive within seven days, but Thunderhawk City had reached the target area above in just three days!


    ¡°Attention!¡±


    Inside the skyport of Thunderhawk City, the neatly arranged guards stood before Rocky. Upon Monte¡¯s command, they all puffed out their chests and stood up straight.


    By this moment, the guards were already briefed about the mission. They harbored no complaints for they understood clearly that they were the guards of Thunderhawk City, which belonged to Rocky, thus they would do whatever Rocky ordered without question.


    However, even with mental preparation, everyone couldn¡¯t help feeling tense at the moment of departure, a tension that was almost visibly written on each person¡¯s face.


    Of course, this was to be expected since these guards had never experienced any combat before, so this mission could be considered their very first.


    ...


    In such a scenario, being the City Lord, Rocky naturally needed to boost everyone¡¯s morale.


    At that moment, Rocky, dressed in his Void Magic Armor, stood in front of everyone. His gaze swept across each face, capturing every guard¡¯s expression, then he spoke,


    ¡°Guards, do you know what we are here to do?¡±


    ¡°Yes! To complete the mission for the City Lord!¡±


    At the end of Rocky¡¯s words, the guards responded in unison.


    ¡°Wrong!¡±


    However, Rocky suddenly shouted in anger, startling everyone.


    ¡°You are not here just to complete a mission, you are here to fight!¡±


    ¡°As guards of Thunderhawk City, combat is your sworn duty, and this time you will fulfill that duty by following me into battle against the demons!¡±


    After raising his voice to make this proclamation, Rocky paused for a moment. Only after scanning the crowd with his gaze did he continue in a more even tone,


    ¡°Guards, are you afraid to fight the demons?¡±


    ¡°You! Are you frightened?¡±


    Before the guards could respond, Rocky pointed at one of them and asked directly.


    ¡°I, I¡­ City Lord, I¡­¡±


    Suddenly singled out by Rocky, this guard was clearly unprepared and struggled to speak.


    Therefore, Rocky interrupted him, ¡°You are scared, I can see it.¡±


    After saying that, he addressed everyone, ¡°You don¡¯t need to answer my previous question because I¡¯ve already seen the answer on your faces. I know you are nervous, even frightened!¡±


    ¡°But that is normal.¡±


    ¡°Even I was filled with nerves and just as scared as you during my first battle against the demons. If it weren¡¯t for my most loyal guard, Liliya, constantly protecting me, I might have already died!¡±


    ¡°So, I don¡¯t blame you¡­ however, I want you to know something!¡±


    ¡°Demons are not invincible! There is absolutely no need for you to be afraid. Your comrades are right beside you, and I, your City Lord, will be at the forefront of the battle!¡±


    ¡°I, your City Lord, will be your most loyal guard in the battle!¡±


    ¡°Guards, tell me, are you afraid!¡±


    ¡°No fear!¡±


    ¡°No fear!¡±


    ¡°No fear!!!¡±


    Under Rocky¡¯s encouragement, the guards suddenly became spirited, letting out a deafening roar, and in that roar, the tension on their faces and the fear in their eyes were swept away!


    ¡°Everyone on board! Prepare to depart!¡±


    After the three roars, Rocky issued the order to board, and all the guards in attendance promptly boarded the pre-prepared skyships!


    As soon as the guards were all aboard, Rocky also boarded the ship, accompanied by Liliya and Monte, and following his command, exactly ten skyships ascended, slowly flying out of Thunderhawk City¡¯s Defensive Net, heading towards the land!


    This time, Rocky had truly pulled out all the stops, deploying all the skyships in the city and taking a full 180 members of the 200-strong Guard Corps, leaving only twenty guards stationed in the city. At the same time, he brought Liliya and Monte with him, while Aileen stayed in Thunderhawk City to coordinate.


    For this mission, Rocky had indeed put all his available resources on the line, all to ensure the successful completion of this mission!


    Afterward, the skyships departed from Thunderhawk City, flying downwards toward the land, with Rocky, Liliya, and Monte making final discussions and preparations in the cabin.


    ¡°Liliya, if there is a large-scale battle this time, you will command the Guard Corps,¡±


    Inside the cabin, Rocky glanced at Liliya, then said.


    Among them, Monte¡¯s power was undoubtedly the strongest, but his strength was personal. As a former Demon Hunter, Monte lacked experience in command, an area in which only Liliya was experienced.


    Since Liliya had previously gone to war with Rocky¡¯s father and knew what real combat was like, Rocky decided to let her command the Guard Corps.


    ¡°Okay,¡±


    Liliya nodded without any hesitation to take on this important responsibility.


    ¡°Monte, if we engage the Demons in battle, you must obey Liliya¡¯s commands, and also lead the guards. This task is yours now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my Lord!¡±


    After nodding, Monte looked at Liliya, ¡°Miss Liliya, my life is in your command.¡±


    ¡°As for me¡­¡±


    After arranging for Liliya and Monte, Rocky spoke about himself, ¡°Once the battle starts, I will act alone, dealing with the strongest Demons on one hand and commanding the Floating Warship on the other.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but be very careful, and don¡¯t try to overdo it,¡±


    Instead of stopping Rocky¡¯s arrangements, Liliya accepted them because in large-scale combat situations where they faced a large number of Demons, Rocky, with his Void Magic Armor, would be the most crucial asset in combat. He indeed needed to tackle the strongest Demons and was the only one capable of commanding the skyships during the battle due to his ability to fly.


    ¡°City Lord!¡±


    Just as Rocky had finished making these arrangements, the door to the cabin suddenly opened, and Felly entered.


    Felly, standing at the door, saluted Rocky, then reported, ¡°City Lord, we have reached the land and are advancing towards the coordinates!¡±


    ¡°Good, I¡¯m aware.¡±


    After hearing this, Rocky nodded, then looked at Liliya and Monte, ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time to meet our employer.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With that, he left the cabin with the two of them.


    PS: After such a long time of peace, it¡¯s time for a real battle. Please cast your votes for Rocky to boost his morale!

 Chapter 78 - 78 - 77 Thunderhawk Mercenary Group

    Chapter 78 ¨C 77 Thunderhawk Mercenary Group


    Accompanying Liliya and Monte, Rocky exited the cabin and stood on the deck of the skyship, looking out over a barren expanse.


    By now, the skyship had reached land and was slowly flying just dozens of meters above the ground, arriving at a desolate landmass.


    Not a single tree or blade of grass adorned this barren land, just rust-like yellow soil covered the ground. Occasionally, whirlwinds swept up gusts of dust, creating an air of desolation.


    Standing at the bow of the skyship, looking down at the bleak landscape, Rocky found the sight difficult to adjust to.


    He had been to the land twice before, but each time he witnessed lush forests and verdant grasslands, never the desolation he was seeing now.


    Despite the bleak appearance, he felt this might be more apt for the current state of the land, at least, that¡¯s what Rocky believed.


    Afterward, the skyship continued towards the coordinates of their mission, and before long, a steep mountain appeared before their eyes!


    ...


    ¡°What, what mountain is this¡­!¡±


    As they gazed at the distant peak, Rocky could not help but gape, and even Liliya and Monte gasped at the sight.


    The mountain soared into the clouds, blocking the skyship¡¯s path and its exceedingly steep surfaces, almost as if cut by axes, gave it a sharp look.


    ¡°Felly! What¡¯s going on, why aren¡¯t we turning!¡±


    The towering mountain blocked their way, yet the skyship was still heading straight towards it, prompting Rocky to urgently summon Felly.


    ¡°Sir, the coordinates you gave us are indeed this mountain¡­¡±


    Felly, looking aggrieved, because the mission coordinates Rocky had given were for this mountain!


    Hearing this, Rocky was stunned; clearly, he hadn¡¯t anticipated such a result.


    By this time, the skyship had drawn very close to the mountain, and as they approached, the true enormity of the mountain was revealed, far beyond Rocky¡¯s imagination.


    Initially, the mountain had merely been shocking from a distance, but now up close, he felt not just shock but a tinge of fear!


    For the mountain not only reached into the clouds but obstructed the sun as if a colossal wall stood upon the land, its immense presence causing an oppressive feeling that suffocated anyone nearby!


    This was the mission location, in such a place?


    ¡°Sir! There are people below!¡±


    At that moment, Monte suddenly pointed ahead, and when Rocky followed the direction of his finger, he saw a group of people waving at them from the foot of the mountain. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing these people, Rocky knew the coordinates were correct, so he immediately ordered all the skyships to head there.


    In no time, ten skyships had safely landed, and as Rocky and the Guard Corps disembarked, the group that had been waving came over.


    Looking at the approaching people, Rocky knew they must be The Forsaken People, those who lived on the land because their attire was markedly different from those living in the sky; to say they were dressed shabbily might be impolite, but their attire certainly couldn¡¯t compare to that of the sky dwellers.


    Soon after, The Forsaken People came closer, and then the leader gestured for the others to stop, approaching Rocky and his group alone.


    ¡°Excuse me, are you the Thunderhawk Mercenary Group?¡±


    The Thunderhawk Mercenary Group was a name Rocky came up with when he needed to provide a name for easy contact while accepting missions at the Mercenary Guild.


    ¡°Yes, I am the leader.¡±


    With that confirmation, Rocky also stepped forward, walking towards the other party.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Lin Feng. I am the Soldier Captain of Backhill Village. Welcome to our village.¡±


    When Rocky approached, the leader among The Forsaken People smiled and said.


    This robust man, named Lin Feng, was about thirty years old, dressed in clothes sewn from beast hides, and had a very sturdy figure, giving off a highly reliable impression at first glance.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Rocky. I am the leader of the Thunderhawk Mercenary Group.¡±


    Nodding at Lin Feng, Rocky also gave a brief introduction of himself.


    During his introduction, Lin Feng appraised him from top to bottom, continuously nodding his head.


    Rocky was not surprised by this behavior since he was wearing an impressive Void Magic Armor, which explained Lin Feng¡¯s thorough looking over.


    However, Lin Feng then could hardly hide his excitement as he said, ¡°Leader, I did not expect you to have ten Floating Warships. Now I am relieved.¡±


    ¡­So he wasn¡¯t looking at him at all¡­


    Rocky felt awkward as it turned out that Lin Feng was not looking at him but the ten Skyships behind him, and was only satisfied with the Skyships.


    Of course, this was not surprising. The biggest reliance for Rocky to complete this mission was neither his Void Magic Armor nor the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City, but precisely these ten Floating Warships!


    In any battle against demons, the Floating Warship played an extremely important role because the Magic Cannons on the Skyships were immensely powerful. Thus, with a sufficient number of warships, even demons couldn¡¯t withstand the barrage of Magic Cannons.


    So, seeing that Rocky had brought ten Floating Warships, Lin Feng was naturally overjoyed, to the extent that he overlooked Rocky¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Leader, follow me to the village. The Village Chief is waiting for you,¡± Lin Feng said.


    After a brief introduction, Lin Feng wasted no time directing Rocky and his group towards Backhill Village, as that was the real location of their mission.


    As they made their way to Backhill Village, they talked while walking, and through this conversation, Rocky also learned about the region they had come to.


    The place they were currently in was called Carlson Wasteland. The towering peak that took everyone¡¯s breath away was known as Skybreaker Peak, and Lin Feng¡¯s village lived at the foot of that mountain.


    Rocky was actually very curious about Backhill Village, as mentioned by Lin Feng. Since crossing over, he had always lived in Sky City and had never seen how people on the land lived.


    However, when he finally saw Backhill Village under Lin Feng¡¯s guidance, he was completely dumbfounded, for this was no ordinary village but more like a small fortress!


    PS: There are no recommendations this week, so please ask for recommendation tickets and save this spot, there will be another update later today!

 Chapter 79 - 79 - 78 Backhill Village

    Chapter 79 ¨C 78 Backhill Village


    The location of Backhill Village is not actually at the base of the mountain, but inside Skybreaker Peak.


    As mentioned before, Skybreaker Peak does not only tower into the clouds but the entire mountain is made up of cliffs, giving it a sharp appearance. However, at the base of Broken Mountain Peak, there is a huge crack which splits the steep cliff walls in two from bottom to top, and Backhill Village is situated within this crack.


    The village in the rift is surrounded by mountains on three sides with only one entrance and exit, which essentially serves as a natural barrier. Furthermore, they built a high wall at the crack in the cliff, making it feel as if the crack had been patched up.


    As a result, Backhill Village became a settlement completely hidden within Skybreaker Peak. Unless the demons could break through the high walls at the entrance, they wouldn¡¯t be able to harm the villagers.


    This natural terrain allowed Backhill Village to exist for over a hundred years. The village was not only there before the demon invasion but also survived the hundred years after demons occupied the land.


    So, when Lin Feng arrived at the entrance of the village with Rocky and the others, they saw a high wall over ten meters tall made of stone, flanked by two tower structures, manned by villagers.


    As they approached the wall, Lin Feng shouted to the people above, ¡°Open the gate! The Thunderhawk Mercenary Group has arrived!¡±


    ...


    Following his call, the gates in the high wall slowly opened, and Rocky and his party finally entered Backhill Village.


    Walking into the village, Rocky immediately noticed rows and rows of simple houses. These modest dwellings were all no more than two stories tall. The better ones were made of stone, but most were wooden structures¡ªnot only plain but also seemingly very frail. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°These houses were built a few months ago.¡±


    Noticing Rocky¡¯s gaze and sensing his confusion, Lin Feng explained, ¡°Despite being surrounded by mountains and having high walls for defense, we often suffer demon attacks. That¡¯s why we use wood to build our houses¡ªthey can be quickly reconstructed even if destroyed.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Lin Feng¡¯s explanation made Rocky nod, and he couldn¡¯t help but look back at the high wall they had passed, indeed noticing that the colors of the stones on the wall were different, clearly the result of multiple repairs.


    This meant that even with its natural terrain and fortifications akin to a small fortress, Backhill Village still could not hold back the demons¡¯ onslaught. No wonder they spent money to hire a mercenary group for assistance in defense.


    ¡°Come, I¡¯ll take you to meet the village elder, then take your people to the camp so we can discuss defense strategies.¡±


    After saying this, Lin Feng strode forward, and Rocky told Liliya and the others to wait in the village while he followed Lin Feng alone.


    The village elder¡¯s residence was in the very center of the village, yet it was nothing special and seemed no different from the other villagers¡¯ homes.


    As for the elder himself, he was quite old, looking to be around seventy or eighty with wrinkles on his face that told of the many hardships he had endured.


    ¡°Commander, I¡¯m very pleased to meet you.¡±


    Upon meeting Rocky, the village elder was extremely cordial, even personally pouring him a glass of water.


    ¡°You are too kind, village elder. Please, just call me Rocky,¡± Rocky said as he took the glass of water from the elder and sat down with him and Lin Feng.


    ¡°Commander Rocky, no need for formalities with me, just call me Old Jack,¡± the elder said with a smile, waving his hand at Rocky after a brief self-introduction, and then asking, ¡°May I ask how many people you¡¯ve brought with you this time?¡±


    Old Jack went straight to the point without much small talk.


    ¡°Ten floating battleships, one hundred and eighty warriors, with an average level of Second Level among the warriors. This includes one Third-Level Warrior and one Fifth-Level Warrior, plus myself,¡± Rocky replied without any concealment, aware that Old Jack was confirming whether his force met their requirements for verification with the Mercenary Guild.


    Sure enough, after hearing Rocky¡¯s words, Old Jack glanced at Lin Feng, and upon seeing Lin Feng¡¯s slight nod, he broke into a smile.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Commander Rocky completely meets our requirements, I¡¯ll confirm with the Mercenary Guild right now.¡±


    After Lin Feng confirmed that Rocky wasn¡¯t lying, Old Jack made the confirmation with the Mercenary Guild right in front of him.


    And as Old Jack finished confirming with the Mercenary Guild, it also signified that Rocky¡¯s mission had officially begun!


    ¡°Lin Feng, you take Commander Rocky to the encampment,¡± Old Jack said after confirming the task, then he turned to Rocky, ¡°Commander Rocky, your team members will be staying at the encampment these days, then discuss with Lin Feng as soon as possible on how to defend.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Having agreed, Rocky left Old Jack¡¯s residence with Lin Feng and promptly led everyone to the encampment within the village.


    Actually, calling it an encampment was a bit of a stretch; it was really just an open space. There was a row of crude tents on the open ground, clearly prepared as accommodations for Rocky and his team.


    For such a simple living arrangement, Rocky naturally wouldn¡¯t mind, as he could see that Backhill Village had very limited conditions, and being able to arrange such a place for them was already very good. Besides, they weren¡¯t here to stay for long; they could endure it for a month.


    Upon arriving at the encampment, Rocky gave some instructions to the guards, and once everything was mostly settled, he took Liliya and Monte with Lin Feng to his home to discuss the details of the mission.


    Rocky¡¯s main task this time was to coordinate with the villagers of Backhill Village in their defense¡ªdefense against what? Naturally, it was to protect against the attacks of demons.


    According to Lin Feng, the main source of income for Backhill Village was mining. There was a vein inside Skybreaker Peak, and every quarter the villagers would delve into the vein to mine.


    It was precisely because of the need to mine that Backhill Village required Rocky and others to assist in defense.


    The number of demons around Skybreaker Peak wasn¡¯t very high, and also due to the location where Backhill Village itself was situated, it was generally safe. However, troubles arose every time the villagers began mining, because there was a type of demon around Broken Mountain Peak that always attacked Backhill Village during the villagers¡¯ mining activities.


    ¡°Is it the Black-eyed Demon?¡±


    At Lin Feng¡¯s home, after Lin Feng briefly explained the mission from start to finish, when he mentioned that demons attacked each time the villagers began mining, Monte interjected from the side.


    ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s the Black-eyed Demon.¡±


    Looking at Monte with slight surprise, Lin Feng nodded, indicating that what Monte said was completely accurate.


    ¡°The Black-eyed Demon is a kind of low-level demon, named for its entirely black eyes. However, these demons actually lack vision. They perceive the outside world entirely through vibrations, especially vibrations from the ground. These demons can even detect through these vibrations if someone has walked dozens of miles away.¡±


    ¡°That powerful?¡±


    Monte¡¯s explanation made Rocky widen his eyes in disbelief.


    ¡°Captain Monte hasn¡¯t exaggerated in the slightest,¡±


    Lin Feng then spoke up, ¡°The terrifying aspect of the Black-eyed Demons lies in their sensory abilities. Thus, while we may not feel the noise of mining, to the Black-eyed Demons, it¡¯s like thunder, which is why mining always attracts these demons.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s the case¡­ Then how strong are the Black-eyed Demons?¡±


    Since their main target this time was the Black-eyed Demons, the strength of these demons naturally became a focal point.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    But upon hearing Rocky¡¯s question, Lin Feng hesitated for a moment before finally providing an answer, ¡°Well, in terms of strength, the Black-eyed Demons are relatively weak among the low-level demons, but¡­¡±


    ¡°These demons are gregarious¡­¡±

 Chapter 80 - 80 - 79: Taking Turns on Defense

    Chapter 80 ¨C 79: Taking Turns on Defense


    ¡°Black-eyed Demons are social creatures¡­¡±


    Upon hearing these words from Lin Feng, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow, aware even he knew how terrifying it could be once the demons reached a certain number.


    After that, Lin Feng continued:


    ¡°Initially, Backhill Village could still fend off the demon attacks on its own. Although mining always attracted the Black-eyed Demons, their numbers were not too great, at most about ten, and we could defend ourselves with the village¡¯s high walls.¡±


    ¡°But starting half a year ago, for some unknown reason, the number of Black-eyed Demons suddenly increased. We were overwhelmed unprepared and our walls were breached, with catastrophic losses. The same thing happened last quarter during mining, with the number of Dark Demons increasing dramatically, and the walls were breached again.¡±


    ¡°The continuous breaching of the walls over several months led to severe casualties in the village. Originally, we had over two thousand villagers and six to seven hundred soldiers to protect the village, but now¡­¡±


    At this point, Lin Feng sighed helplessly, the village having suffered repeated breaches by the demons. Now, only a little over a thousand villagers remained and the number of soldiers had drastically decreased from the original six to seven hundred to now barely two hundred. The extent of the casualties was indescribable.


    ...


    His words caused Rocky, Liliya, and Monte to exchange heavy glances.


    It appeared that this mission was as difficult as they had anticipated and certainly not something that could be easily accomplished.


    Fortunately, prior to this, Rocky and his group had already assessed the risks of the mission, so although their mood was heavy, they were not frightened by it.


    Afterward, Lin Feng introduced the situation of Backhill Village to them. With the village repeatedly breached by the demons, its strength had significantly weakened, which was why they had requested Rocky¡¯s help. Even so, the village still had two hundred soldiers.


    Among these two hundred, there were one hundred warriors, with an average strength around the Second Level. Lin Feng, serving as the captain, was the highest ranked ¨C the only Level Six Warrior in the village, even a level higher than Monte!


    Besides Lin Feng¡¯s hundred warriors, Backhill Village also had fifty archers and fifty mages, who comprised the remote forces.


    From these arrangements, it was clear that although the village did not have a large number of soldiers, its overall strength was still quite formidable, even stronger than Thunderhawk City if one discounted the Skyship. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Commander Rocky, how many from your Mercenary Group can participate in direct combat?¡±


    ¡°A hundred.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Rocky¡¯s answer made Lin Feng nod, not surprised since Rocky had brought a hundred eighty people. However, due to the Skyship, quite a few were tasked with piloting, so having a hundred people available for combat was already significant.


    Thus, counting the soldiers from Backhill Village, both sides together had three hundred troops ready for combat against the demons, including two hundred warriors, fifty archers, and fifty mages.


    Calculated this way, even combined, the forces were not very large and normally would be insufficient to contend with the demons. However, Backhill Village had a unique geographical advantage and, with the high walls providing a blockade, this gave them a significant strategic benefit, making the battle relatively easier.


    Also, one must not forget the ten Skyships brought by Rocky!


    These ten Skyships were crucial in the fight, especially when facing large numbers of demons. The wide-area bombardment from the Magic Cannons could effectively reduce the number of demons.


    ¡°Regarding the Skyships, I have two questions.¡±


    When the topic turned to Skyships, Liliya, who had been mostly silent, spoke up. She glanced at Lin Feng, ¡°Where exactly will the Skyships be docked? They are currently outside the village, but obviously, they can¡¯t stay out there indefinitely, as they would be prime targets for the demons. However, I don¡¯t see any space within the village to dock them.¡±


    Liliya¡¯s question was indeed sharp, as Rocky and the others had indeed arrived in Backhill Village and had found places to live, but ten skyships were still parked outside the village!


    Since the skyships were an important combat force, they couldn¡¯t always be parked outside. Just beyond Backhill Village was a vast wasteland, where the skyships would become the primary targets if demons appeared.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Faced with her question, Lin Feng also furrowed his brow; he indeed hadn¡¯t considered this, simply because he had never expected Rocky to bring so many skyships, and naturally, he hadn¡¯t prepared a docking space for them.


    ¡°Here¡¯s an idea.¡± After furrowing his brow in thought for a while, Lin Feng finally spoke, ¡°There¡¯s an open space on the mountainside. When we trade with the Chamber of Commerce from Sky City, they park their skyships there. The area is quite large, large enough for ten skyships, but with this arrangement, it would significantly slow the skyships¡¯ speed to come to our aid¡­¡±


    Although he had thought of a suitable place for the skyships to dock, the location was relatively far from Backhill Village, making the skyships¡¯ involvement in battles much slower.


    However, this was unavoidable. It was better to have the skyships parked further away than to have them targeted by demons just outside the village.


    ¡°The second issue is that the mana of the skyships is limited; they can¡¯t support every battle, so please, Captain Lin Feng, prepare yourself mentally for this.¡±


    After addressing where to dock the skyships, Liliya raised a second issue: although the skyships were an important combat force, they couldn¡¯t rely solely on them for every battle since their mana was finite.


    Liliya had realized that Lin Feng¡¯s cordiality and satisfaction were largely because they had brought ten skyships.


    This was understandable, as in any battle against demons, the role of skyships was always secondary to that of the Void Magic Squad but far surpassed that of ordinary soldiers, so Lin Feng¡¯s interest in these ten skyships was expected.


    But Liliya had to remind him that these ten skyships couldn¡¯t be deployed in every battle to bombard; their mana was ultimately limited, and once depleted, they¡¯d be no more than useless scrap. So, while they could rely on skyships, they could not be dependent on them.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    In response to Liliya¡¯s caution, Lin Feng directly said, ¡°The skyships are our most precious asset this time, I will not use them indiscriminately; rest assured on that point.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, if the skyships are damaged in battle, Backhill Village can take responsibility and provide compensation. I can assure this. However, I also hope Commander Rocky won¡¯t be stingy.¡±


    Glancing at Liliya, Lin Feng then addressed Rocky, claiming that Backhill Village could bear and compensate for any loss to the skyships in battle, but Rocky should not be parsimonious with his skyships and must not hesitate to commit them when crucial.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem.¡±


    Rocky naturally agreed to this request.


    With that, everyone had a general understanding of each other¡¯s situation, and then they began discussing the specific details of the defense.


    ¡°Commander Rocky, I suggest we take turns defending.¡±


    When it came to the specifics of defense, Lin Feng was the first to make a suggestion.


    ¡°I suggest that our forces take turns defending Backhill Village. I will lead the soldiers in defending for one day, then you lead the Mercenary Group the next day. This way, we can jointly alleviate the pressure on both parties.¡±


    ¡°Of course, when one party is defending, the other must also be on alert, ready to support if something goes wrong. If the number of attacking demons is too great, then we move out together. Do you think this is acceptable?¡±

 Chapter 81 - 81 - 80 A Little Surprise

    Chapter 81 ¨C 80 A Little Surprise


    Regarding the specifics of the defense, Lin Feng suggested that both sides take turns defending Backhill Village. Doing so would allow each to get ample rest, and if one side encountered danger, the other could promptly provide support.


    He had clearly considered this matter beforehand, so after speaking he looked toward Rocky.


    However, Rocky did not immediately give a response. Instead, he turned his head to glance at Liliya, wanting to see her opinion on the matter.


    Among Rocky¡¯s people, only Liliya had experience commanding troops, thus before this discussion, Rocky had entrusted the command of his forces to Liliya. Now, naturally, the decision would be influenced by her.


    ¡°It¡¯s agreeable.¡±


    When Rocky looked her way, Liliya nodded her head, showing agreement with Lin Feng¡¯s method, but she added, ¡°Captain Lin Feng, the suggestion to alternate defense is good, but I hope you¡¯re not planning to play any tricks. When reinforcement is needed, our commander doesn¡¯t want to see any accidents.¡±


    Liliya said this to Lin Feng, enunciating every word.


    ...


    Liliya¡¯s impression of Lin Feng was rather favorable; the robust man indeed seemed honest and reliable. However, she hadn¡¯t forgotten one thing: her side and Backhill Village had no substantial ties, and there was even less trust to speak of between them.


    In such a situation, Liliya certainly did not wish for Rocky to be used as a pawn, nor did she want the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City to be treated as expendable in blocking the Demons!


    ¡°About that ¡­¡±


    Seemingly caught off guard by Liliya¡¯s forthrightness, Lin Feng appeared stunned for a moment but soon gave a wry smile, ¡°Rest assured, Miss Liliya. We would never stab you in the back. In the same way, I hope Commander Rocky will do his utmost.¡±


    As he spoke, Lin Feng looked at Rocky, clearly sharing the same concerns as Liliya.


    Subsequently, both parties communicated the specifics of the defense. By the time Rocky returned to the camp with Liliya and Monte, night had already fallen.


    ¡°Liliya, is it really good to alternate defenses?¡±


    On the way back to camp, Rocky walked and questioned Liliya, his mind full of doubts. Though he had limited understanding of military affairs, he felt that combining their forces, totalling only three hundred troops, would be stronger. Why deliberately separate them?


    ¡°No, it¡¯s easier to keep them separate.¡±


    Yet to his query, Liliya shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s true that combining our forces could make the group larger, but it wouldn¡¯t necessarily make us stronger.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because of cooperation, because of trust, and also because of our different combat styles.¡±


    Liliya apparently knew a great deal about commanding troops, she continued, ¡°Our relationship with Backhill Village is purely based on the mission; not only is there no trust between us, but to some extent, we are both on guard against each other. Under these circumstances, merging our troops won¡¯t enhance our combat power.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, we have never cooperated before, and once the troops combine, not only will there be no coordination, but it will also hinder individual command, turning the soldiers into a disorganized group. It is better to remain separate in such a situation.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is ¡­¡±


    Hearing Liliya¡¯s explanation, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but nod. He realized that leading troops wasn¡¯t an easy task; everything he had thought before was clearly too simple and na?ve.


    Thus, Rocky, Liliya, and Monte chatted as they walked, discussing the details of defense preparation while Monte filled them in on various aspects of the Black-eyed Demons. Before long, they had returned to the camp.


    Back at the camp, Rocky didn¡¯t arrange any other tasks for the team, instead instructing everyone to rest well. After all, the mission was to officially begin tomorrow!


    After parting ways with Rocky, Liliya returned to her own tent, which had been specially prepared for her by Rocky. Since she was the only woman among all those Rocky brought, it was natural for her to have a tent to herself. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As she stepped into the tent, Liliya let out a sigh, suddenly feeling extremely tired.


    The command responsibility of the mission was entrusted to her by Rocky. This not only represented trust and authority but also meant she was accountable for the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City! And this was obviously an immeasurable pressure because Thunderhawk City had only this Guard Corps. If any mistake occurred during the mission, she would bear the responsibility and thereby ruin Rocky.


    Thus, Liliya had kept her mind tight and focused from the outset, only allowing herself some relaxation now that she was back in her tent.


    As she relaxed, she walked over to the bed and began to undo her leather armor, and after taking it off, she proceeded to remove her side sword.


    However, just as she was about to take the side sword from her waist, she suddenly drew the sword and without hesitation stabbed behind her!


    Liliya sensed someone behind her!


    ¡°Sister Liliya! It¡¯s me! Stop, please!¡±


    The moment Liliya sensed someone behind her, and without a second thought turned around and thrust her sword, a panicked and alarmed voice came from behind her!


    Hearing this voice, Liliya was at first taken aback, then promptly flicked her wrist to the side to change the direction of her sword thrust, and then saw her sword graze past Dusa¡¯s neck!


    Yes, standing behind her wasn¡¯t any malefactor, it was Dusa!


    ¡°Dusa? What are you doing here!¡±


    Realizing that it was Dusa behind her, Liliya was taken aback and quickly sheathed her sword: ¡°I didn¡¯t hurt you, did I?¡±


    ¡°No, but you scared me to death¡­huff¡­¡±


    Standing dazed in front of Liliya, Dusa¡¯s face was covered in cold sweat. Only after Liliya put her sword away did she take a breath of relief and patted her chest.


    Ever since Monte had sworn allegiance to Rocky, his daughter Dusa had become one of them. Although they had not told her about the Mana Rune, the relationship between Dusa, Liliya, and Aileen had become extremely close. Dusa even held a sense of admiration towards the valiant Liliya.


    Of course, that wasn¡¯t the main point. The main point was, why was she in Backhill Village?


    Liliya clearly remembered that Monte hadn¡¯t brought Dusa with him when he left Thunderhawk City!


    At this thought, she frowned at Dusa, ¡°Little girl, did you sneak out here on your own?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ um¡­ I don¡¯t know! I woke up and found myself here!¡±


    Facing Liliya¡¯s stern questioning, Dusa¡¯s big eyes darted around a few times, then she responded with an innocent face¡­

 Chapter 82 - 82 - 81 Mission Begins!

    Chapter 82 ¨C 81 Mission Begins!


    Dusa¡¯s response left Liliya patting her forehead, feeling utterly helpless.


    ¡°Liliya sister, please, you mustn¡¯t tell my father, or he will scold me again¡­¡±


    Just as Liliya was feeling helpless, Dusa began to plead with her not to tell Monte about her sneaking away.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    But this request really put Liliya in a difficult position. After all, Dusa was different from others; she was Monte¡¯s daughter. If she kept this from Monte and something happened to Dusa in the process, who would bear the responsibility?


    Liliya and Rocky couldn¡¯t bear that responsibility! Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, after a glance at Dusa, Liliya made a decision, ¡°Little girl, you wait here for me and don¡¯t go anywhere!¡±


    ...


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Realizing Liliya was somewhat angry, Dusa obediently nodded her head, then sat down demurely on the bed while Liliya immediately left the tent.


    After leaving the tent, she didn¡¯t go to find Monte but went to find Rocky instead; she herself couldn¡¯t handle this matter, so she had to let Rocky take care of it.


    Shortly after, she brought Rocky back to her tent, and upon entering, Rocky was stunned the moment he saw Dusa. He was incredibly surprised to find Dusa in the tent and felt a bit disappointed¡­


    ¡°Dusa, how did you get here? Didn¡¯t your dad lock you up?¡±


    ¡°I, I¡­ I sneaked out¡­¡±


    Facing Rocky, Dusa didn¡¯t dare to lie anymore, so she told the truth.


    After learning that Dusa had sneaked away, Rocky also began to feel troubled.


    Just as Liliya had thought, Dusa was Monte¡¯s daughter. How could Rocky keep this from him? If something happened, wouldn¡¯t Monte blame him fiercely?


    But faced with Dusa¡¯s desperate plea, he found it hard to remain unswayed, for he could imagine Monte¡¯s reaction upon learning of this¡ªno Beastman was known for their temper.


    Therefore, feeling helpless, Rocky had no choice but to agree to Dusa¡¯s request, but he strictly ordered her not to leave the tent, or she would face the consequences if Monte discovered her, and neither he nor Liliya would intercede on her behalf.


    ¡°Okay! I promise! City Lord!¡±


    Seeing Rocky agree to help keep it a secret from her father, Dusa readily agreed to all his conditions and even assured him fervently that she wouldn¡¯t cause trouble, although Rocky found it hard to believe such a guarantee.


    And so, Dusa stayed in Liliya¡¯s tent, and Rocky left with a feeling of resignation.


    Although Dusa¡¯s appearance made him feel helpless, her disturbance somewhat lightened the tension of the mission, allowing Rocky to quickly fall asleep as soon as he returned to his own tent.


    When he woke up, it was already daylight, and Rocky got up early and prepared himself because from now on, the mission truly began!


    Early in the morning, Old Jack, the chief of Backhill Village, led a large group of villagers to the mine at the end of the village to start mining ores. At the same time, Rocky and Lin Feng also officially put their troops on alert.


    According to Lin Feng, the first few days of mining were relatively safe, because even though the mining noise might attract the Black-eyed Demons, these demons¡¯ gathering places were quite far, so they couldn¡¯t arrive immediately.


    However, once the first Black-eyed Demon appeared, more and more demons would start to emerge in an unending stream, and that¡¯s when the real danger would begin.


    As previously arranged, Lin Feng would take charge of the first day¡¯s defense with the soldiers from Backhill Village, and on the second day, Rocky with the Guard Corps would take over, and then they would alternate in this order.


    So, on the first day of the mission, Rocky and the others weren¡¯t too tense. Although the guards were on high alert, they didn¡¯t need to fight, and only Rocky, Liliya, and Monte got up early and joined Lin Feng on the high wall for the vigil.


    ¡°You all don¡¯t need to come over, take the time to rest. The hard times are still ahead.¡±


    Seeing that Rocky followed him up onto the high wall, Lin Feng couldn¡¯t help but speak.


    Rocky understood his good intentions, but he also had his own thoughts, albeit somewhat selfish.


    In his heart, Rocky really hoped that Lin Feng and his people would confront the demons first. That way, he could observe how they fought and be better prepared himself, considering he had never led over a hundred people in battle, nor had he ever faced more than one demon. Thus, Rocky wanted to learn first.


    However, he couldn¡¯t control such matters. In fact, as Lin Feng had mentioned, there was no danger on the first day of mining, and Rocky had stood on the high wall for a whole day without seeing a shadow of any demons.


    A day had passed in the blink of an eye with no battles occurring.


    By the next day, the defense responsibilities had been handed over to Rocky.


    Early the next morning, Rocky led the Guard Corps to gather around the high wall, leaving Monte behind to lead the Guard Corps and stay on alert while he and Liliya climbed to the top of the wall.


    This was his second time standing on the high walls of Backhill Village. He had stood there with Lin Feng for a day yesterday, but today, standing on the high wall again, he felt even more nervous than the first time.


    Because yesterday he was more of an observer, but today his mindset was completely different since it was his responsibility to protect the village and the wall behind him!


    This pressure inevitably made Rocky somewhat nervous, and after standing on the high wall for a while, he began to pace back and forth.


    ¡°Maybe I should fly out and check. If we can spot the demons early, we can prepare earlier,¡± he said after pacing back and forth on the wall a few times.


    ¡°No, the Void Magic Armor¡¯s mana is limited, and we didn¡¯t bring many magic stones this time. You can only recharge a few times, so you can¡¯t waste your mana indiscriminately,¡± Liliya immediately rejected the idea. The Void Magic Armor was one of their most critical assets, but its mana was limited, so it shouldn¡¯t be used unless necessary for battle.


    After rejecting Rocky¡¯s suggestion, Liliya looked at him and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be too nervous. We have prepared for this mission for two months. Nothing will go wrong, and further, the villagers only started mining yesterday. The Black-eyed Demons won¡¯t attack so soon.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ Maybe I am just too nervous.¡±


    Rocky nodded, took a deep breath to calm himself down, and then stood next to Liliya. The two quietly looked out over the endless wasteland.


    The next day passed just like that.


    Although Rocky stayed vigilant all day, just like yesterday, no danger happened.


    And when the third day came, the defense duty was handed back to Lin Feng.


    But having the experience of the past two days, Rocky didn¡¯t join Lin Feng on the high wall again. It had already been proven that there really was no danger these days, so there was no need for him to make himself nervous every day.


    So, on the third day, Rocky went to train with the guards instead.


    After training all morning with the guards, although he was a bit tired, his mood had relaxed quite a bit, and at midday, Rocky had lunch with the guards, which brought them significantly closer to him.


    But just when everyone was having lunch at the food stall, a piercing bell suddenly rang out!


    ¡°What¡¯s happening!¡±


    Rocky, who was sitting with the guards, immediately stood up when he heard the bell and hurriedly looked toward the source of the sound. He saw soldiers frantically ringing the bell on the towers beside the high wall.


    ¡°The demons are attacking? How is this possible!¡±


    Seeing that the bell came from the towers, Rocky was profoundly shocked, as this meant the demons had appeared!


    PS: The mission has finally officially begun. A fierce battle is about to arrive, ask for recommendations! Ask for favorites!

 Chapter 83 - 83 - 82: Formation and Attack!

    Chapter 83 ¨C 82: Formation and Attack!


    The bell signaling the enemy attack rang out, causing Rocky, who was initially having a good time with the guards, to immediately rush towards the high wall with Monte!


    ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡±


    At this moment, Liliya also rushed out from her tent and quickly asked upon seeing Rocky.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; it seems like the demons have arrived.¡±


    Lin Feng had said that once the alarm bell on the tower rang, it meant that demons were approaching, and this was undoubtedly true.


    But this wasn¡¯t right! Because Lin Feng had also said that it would take the Black-eyed Demons several days to reach Backhill Village, and even yesterday during the handover, he told Rocky to be prepared, informing him that the battle would start in three to five days, yet today the demons had arrived?


    How could they arrive this quickly?


    ...


    Carrying deep doubts, Rocky and Liliya quickly ascended the high wall and happened to meet Lin Feng, who was coming down from it.


    ¡°Captain Lin Feng, what¡¯s with the bell?¡±


    ¡°The demons have arrived!¡±


    Without offering much explanation to Rocky, Lin Feng responded and then brushed past him, heading off the high wall towards the already prepared troops, loudly shouting at them, ¡°Everyone, prepare for battle!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    At Lin Feng¡¯s command, the troops of Backhill Village immediately arranged themselves neatly and stood ready, and soon after, the large gate of the high wall slowly opened. This hundred-warrior troop then swiftly and orderly charged out.


    As the troops charged out, Rocky and Liliya also climbed onto the high wall, where it was already crowded with people holding bows and arrows and others holding magic wands ¡ª they were the archers and mages of Backhill Village.


    Standing on the crowded high wall, Rocky looked outside and soon spotted Lin Feng leading the troops. Lin Feng, who was leading the troops out, was continuously issuing orders, and following each of his orders, the troops from Backhill Village split into three square formations.


    Three square formations, each formed by two rows of soldiers, fifteen in each row. The soldiers in the front row held up shields without weapons, while those in the back row wielded long spears without carrying shields.


    Although Rocky, who was still unfamiliar with tactics, couldn¡¯t see the purpose of these formations, he could tell that the troops of Backhill Village, although not large in number, were well-trained. Faced with such a sudden situation, not a single soldier showed any sign of panic, and everyone moved smoothly and orderly into formation.


    After this, when Rocky shifted his gaze towards the distance, he saw three figures looming on the barren land!


    Three demons!


    Although the three figures were still far away, at least a hundred meters or so, Rocky could instantly tell that they were demons!


    In his line of sight, these three demons were quickly approaching, in just a few blinks, they had already come much closer.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Black-eyed Demons!¡±


    As the demons continued to approach, Monte¡¯s voice came from beside Rocky, and hearing this, Rocky looked even more carefully at the three demons.


    These three demons, each over two meters tall, walked upright like giants, but they resembled giant lizards. They not only had large lizard-like heads and beast-like sturdy limbs but also had exceptionally rough skin covered with dense bumps, which was revolting to look at.


    And accordingly to their name, they possessed a pair of pure black eyes. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So these were the Black-eyed Demons?


    Watching the three demons steadily approaching, Rocky took a deep breath and then looked again down at Lin Feng and others below the high wall.


    ¡°Can these people handle three demons at once?¡±


    Having never experienced such a battle, Rocky had no concept of the fight unfolding before him, so he couldn¡¯t help but worry.


    By contrast, Lin Feng, who was outside the high walls, seemed much more relaxed and calm. As the three black-eyed demons kept closing in, he continuously issued orders.


    ¡°Everyone, maintain formation!¡±


    ¡°Maintain formation!¡±


    ¡°Maintain formation!¡±


    With Lin Feng¡¯s voice echoing, the captains of the three formations also kept shouting loudly, ensuring their formations stayed intact despite the demons¡¯ approach.


    ¡°Everyone! Advance!¡±


    Soon after, as the rapidly approaching demons and the troops of Backhill Village were only tens of meters apart, Lin Feng suddenly gave the order to advance!


    At his command, the soldiers of the three formations stepped forward, maintaining their cohesive formation as they advanced. Though not very fast, their approach exerted immense pressure on the demons.


    ¡°Hiss, hiss, hiss! Hiss, hiss!¡±


    As Lin Feng led the troops forward, the three lizard-like black-eyed demons suddenly stopped. Then, facing the troops, they emitted a series of harsh, raspy cries before abruptly charging forward.


    The demons¡¯ charge came without warning and was extremely fast; it felt like three whirlwinds instantaneously crossed the distance of tens of meters and reached Lin Feng and his men!


    Confronting the rushing demons, Lin Feng strode forward and collided head-on with the foremost one. Not waiting for the demon¡¯s attack, his long sword came crashing down furiously, flipping the demon onto the ground. He then followed up with several more slashes, pummeling the demon into rolling all over the ground.


    Of course, such an outcome was not surprising¡ªLin Feng was a Level Six Warrior, and the black-eyed demons were not particularly strong, so naturally, they were outmatched.


    However, the real focus of this battle was not on Lin Feng. Even if he were made of iron, could he beat a single nail? The key lay with the troops behind him.


    While Lin Feng tied down one demon with his own strength, the other two black-eyed demons swiftly sprinted past him and, in a few moments, rushed up to the front of the three formations!


    Seeing the black-eyed demons charging at them, all three formations halted, and every soldier in the front rows raised their shields.


    ¡°Hiss, hiss, hiss!¡±


    The black-eyed demon that rapidly reached the front of a formation let out a roar and viciously swung its claws at the front-line soldiers!


    Afterwards, a series of sounds followed as the demon¡¯s sweeping strike hit four or five soldiers but struck only their raised shields, causing no casualties.


    But at that moment, soldiers from the back rows, gripping their spears tightly, suddenly surged forward and fiercely thrust their spears out!


    In an instant, more than a dozen spears pierced from the formation, all aimed at the black-eyed demon!


    Among these attacks, some missed, and some hit but failed to penetrate the black-eyed demon¡¯s skin; yet still, two spears thrust fiercely into the demon¡¯s body, causing it to issue a piercing scream and forcing it to leap backward.


    ¡°They can actually push them back like this¡­¡±


    Standing atop the high wall, Rocky watched the battle clearly, and as he saw the troops of Backhill Village using this method to repel the demons, his mouth fell slightly agape.


    PS: Please recommend! Please collect!

 Chapter 84 - 84 - 83 Something is wrong...

    Chapter 84 ¨C 83 Something is wrong¡­


    ¡°So it can actually be done this way¡­¡±


    Standing atop the high wall, Rocky watched as the Backhill Village troops not only successfully resisted the Demon¡¯s onslaught but also managed to repel them, and couldn¡¯t help but feel astonished.


    These troops accomplished this feat not with Lin Feng¡¯s help or by relying on strong equipment, but purely through the advantage of their formation.


    For Rocky, who had never been on a battlefield, this was simply inconceivable.


    In his mind, the formidable nature of Demons was something ordinary people simply couldn¡¯t contend with, unless they were high-level warriors or soldiers clad in Void Magic Armor; otherwise, no one could match a Demon, but today, this notion had been shattered.


    The troop¡¯s average level from Backhill Village wasn¡¯t high, mainly around Second Level, with few Level Three Warriors, and their weapons and equipment were even more common; no, to be accurate, they were rudimentary. Their gear was even comparable to the earlier equipment of the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad.


    Yet such a group had managed to defend against the Demons¡¯ attack with the power of their formations and their excellent cooperation, even injuring the Demons. Although they faced only one, achieving this was no small feat.


    ... S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This outcome filled Rocky with amazement.


    While Rocky was in awe, the battle outside the high walls continued.


    Lin Feng, entangled with a Black-eyed Demon one-on-one, showcased the prowess of a Level Six Warrior in full splendor. To ordinary people, the demon, monstrous in their eyes, was utterly defenseless against him, only able to take hits, and if Lin Feng had wielded a Mana Weapon, the victor might have been decided much sooner.


    On the other front, the other two Demons that charged at the three formations also bit off more than they could chew. Despite their relentless onslaught against the formations, each charge was futile, and after each rush, they would end up with several bloody holes from the spears!


    The formation of the troops from Backhill Village was clearly aimed at countering the Demons. The front-line soldiers had given up their weapons, but the large shields they held with both hands could effectively withstand the Black-eyed Demons¡¯ charges. Once they successfully resisted the assault, the soldiers in the rear would immediately thrust their spears forward.


    Perhaps not every jab would hit or injure a Demon, but even if only one or two connected each time, the small amounts would accumulate, eventually killing the Demons through attrition.


    Thus, the battle swiftly moved towards its conclusion. When the two Demons, repeatedly charging at the formations, no longer had the strength to attack, the formations sprang into motion again. The three formations, like three moving walls, not only blocked the path of retreat but also forced the two Demons into continuous retreat.


    The soldiers in the front rank of the formations strode forward steadily. As soon as they closed in on the Demons, the soldiers in the back rank would thrust out their spears. In this manner, while pushing forward tens of meters, the two Demons finally collapsed powerlessly to the ground!


    Meanwhile, Lin Feng on the other side had also concluded his battle. He beheaded the Black-eyed Demon with a single sword strike and lifted the severed head high off the ground, joining the soldiers behind him in a victorious roar!


    In the deafening roar of triumph, the battle finally ended, with all three Demons eliminated and no casualties among the Backhill Village troops.


    To be fair, the scale of the battle was not large, in fact, it was quite small, with only a hundred Backhill Village troops and three Demons. But it still excited Rocky, who had watched the entire battle from the high walls.


    However, he felt a twinge of nervousness amidst his excitement, for tomorrow it was his turn to lead the troops in defense.


    ¡°Black-eyed Demons are nothing to be afraid of,¡±


    Liliya¡¯s voice came at that moment, and when Rocky turned to her upon hearing her, he saw that Liliya was looking at him: ¡°If the troops from Backhill Village could withstand these Demons, so can we.¡±


    ¡°Right, our guards won¡¯t be any worse than them,¡±


    Monte also said from the side.


    Encouraged by Liliya and Monte¡¯s words, Rocky nodded, and then the three of them descended from the high wall together.


    By this time, Lin Feng had already led his troops back, so the trio who came down from the high walls soon encountered them. Rocky had intended to step forward with congratulations, for despite the small significance, victory was still a victory.


    Unfortunately, before he could speak, Lin Feng, with a grave expression, took the initiative.


    ¡°Commander Rocky, something doesn¡¯t seem quite right,¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Lin Feng¡¯s words made Rocky furrow his brows in slight astonishment.


    ¡°The demons came too quickly this time; they shouldn¡¯t have come so soon.¡±


    Even though they had just won against the demons, there was not a trace of joy on Lin Feng¡¯s face. Instead, he appeared deeply worried as he said, ¡°In normal circumstances, the first wave of the Black-eyed would appear two to three days later, but this time they came too quickly, and their numbers were greater.¡±


    ¡°Greater numbers?¡±


    ¡°Yes, previously the first wave of demons would be just one, at most two, but today three appeared. This indicates there will be even more demons appearing later¡­ So¡­¡±


    At this point, he glanced at Rocky, ¡°So it¡¯s possible that tomorrow we might face even more demons. Commander Rocky must be very cautious. I will also arrange for archers and mages to provide support from atop the high walls.¡±


    Once Lin Feng had finished speaking, the look on Rocky¡¯s face turned sour, and his previous excitement and good mood vanished completely.


    He thought hard with his brows furrowed for a good while before speaking, ¡°Rest assured, Captain Lin Feng, I will be cautious.¡±


    With those words, he returned to the camp with Liliya and Monte.


    For the rest of the day, the demons did not appear again, but because of the previous battle, it was clear that the demons had arrived. Therefore, neither the troops from Backhill Village nor people like Rocky dared to take it lightly, particularly at night. Lin Feng left half of his troops to keep watch on the high walls, fearing any unexpected incidents.


    However, the night passed by peacefully without any demon attacking.


    This was naturally good news for Backhill Village, but for Rocky, the opposite might be true, because it meant that the demons might launch their attack during the following day when it was his turn to guard!


    So when the next day came, and it was still dark, he got up early and began checking his Void Magic Armor, making sure there would be no issues with the armor during combat.


    As dawn broke, Rocky took over the defense duties from Lin Feng, leading his own troops for the handover.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    When Rocky stepped onto the high walls, Lin Feng and his troops started their rest. But as the captain, Lin Feng gathered with a few of the squad leaders.


    They intended to discuss the defenses going forward, but as soon as the topic started, the conversation turned to Rocky.


    ¡°Captain, can we rely on these people?¡±


    ¡°I doubt it; their soldiers are too nervous. A clear sign they¡¯re greenhorns with no experience in big battles.¡±


    Before Lin Feng could say a word, one squad leader beside him who was roughly the same age and had commanded a phalanx in yesterday¡¯s battle, bluntly made that comment, showing his substantial standing among Lin Feng¡¯s subordinates.


    ¡°These soldiers from the Thunderhawk Mercenary Group¡­ are indeed average, but at least they have ten Floating Warships, and that¡¯s enough,¡± Lin Feng responded.


    Lin Feng wasn¡¯t too impressed with the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad, but what he cared about the most were the ten Floating Warships Rocky brought with him.


    So afterward he said, ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about them; think about what we¡¯re going to do next. The demons have come so suddenly, I¡¯m afraid the events of half a year ago might repeat themselves¡­¡±


    Half a year ago, Backhill Village¡¯s high walls were directly breached by a large number of demons, leading to heavy casualties in the village. At that time, Lin Feng wasn¡¯t commanding a force of two hundred, but a force of seven hundred!


    And yet, despite that, the high walls were breached. With hundreds of Black-eyed Demons besieging them, both his troops and the village walls were as fragile as paper¡­


    Lin Feng feared that the current situation might unfold just like it did half a year ago!

 Chapter 85 - 85 - 84: Leading the Charge!

    Chapter 85 ¨C 84: Leading the Charge!


    Lin Feng and his troops were discussing something, but Rocky had no idea what it was, nor did he have the luxury of minding other people¡¯s business.


    At this moment, Rocky stood on the high walls of Backhill Village and had been standing there the entire morning.


    Having witnessed yesterday¡¯s battle with his own eyes, today¡¯s Rocky dared not take anything lightly, especially since according to Lin Feng¡¯s words, demons would start appearing endlessly from the moment the first batch emerged. So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, demons would attack today as well!


    How he wished for some accident to occur¡­


    Standing on the high wall, Rocky hoped more than once for some accident that would prevent the demons from coming. Although this thought might seem cowardly, it is a natural human sentiment, as nobody in their right mind would want to fight demons unless they were mad.


    However, his prayers went unanswered. What was destined to come, after all, arrived.


    As noon approached and Rocky, who had been on high alert all morning, was about to grab some food and rest, the bell on the tower suddenly rang out!


    ...


    The sudden tolling of the bell immediately tensed everyone¡¯s nerves. Rocky, who had just started eating, hurried to the edge of the high wall and when he looked beyond it, he couldn¡¯t help but gasp!


    One, two, three, four, five¡­


    As he cast his gaze beyond the high wall, he immediately spotted a group of figures ¡ª not just one, but a whole crowd!


    These figures were, of course, the attacking demons, and in an instant, a total of eight appeared!


    Oh, heavens¡­


    Seeing the eight demons outside the high wall, Rocky¡¯s heart sank to the bottom!


    Even though Lin Feng had cautioned him yesterday that the demons were coming too quickly this time and that their numbers could be greater than before, the sight of eight demons appearing before his eyes still made Rocky inhale sharply!


    But at that moment, he had no time for surprise. After seeing the number of demons, he immediately rushed down from the high wall.


    ¡°Everyone, prepare for battle!¡±


    Descending from the high wall, Rocky arrived in front of the Guard Corps and shouted loudly.


    And by this time, the guards were already aware of the demons¡¯ arrival due to the bell and had readied themselves for battle under Monte¡¯s leadership.


    However, despite this, most of the guards within the Guard Corps couldn¡¯t hide their nervousness, especially after Rocky appeared.


    The expressions of the crowd were all taken in by Rocky, but unfortunately, with time pressing, he had no time to rally everyone again, so he could only shout, ¡°Does everyone remember what I said before we set off?!¡±


    ¡°We remember!¡± Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before the mission, Rocky had told these guards that as their City Lord, he would lead the charge in battle; as their City Lord, he would become everyone¡¯s most loyal guardian!


    Recalling Rocky¡¯s words, the guards¡¯ performance improved significantly, and they then followed Rocky out over the high wall, led by Liliya.


    Once outside the high wall, Liliya, the overall commander, gave the order, ¡°Everyone, spread out by squads!¡±


    At her command, the hundred-strong Guard Corps instantly split into ten squads, ten people each, led by a squad leader, and then dispersed in front of the high wall.


    Fighting in squads was a tactic that Rocky, Liliya, and Monte had formulated the day before.


    After witnessing how Backhill Village¡¯s troops fought, Rocky sought Liliya and Monte¡¯s opinions. He wanted the Guard Corps to employ formations similar to Backhill Village¡¯s troops to combat the demons.


    Because even though Backhill Village had two hundred troops, half of them were archers and mages, and the warriors confronting the demons head-on were only about a hundred strong¡ªexactly equal to the Guard Corps. This led Rocky to believe that if the other side could rely on that two-row formation to combat the demons, then his Guard Corps should be able to as well.


    The ideas he had were immediately vetoed by Liliya and Monte.


    The Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City had never undergone such training and therefore couldn¡¯t possibly form formations. It¡¯s important to understand that formations aren¡¯t just for show; they require the soldiers to be in tacit harmony with each other. Such harmony can only come from long-term training and repeated battles, abilities that the Guard Corps currently lacked.


    However, after rejecting Rocky¡¯s suggestion, Liliya also put forward her own idea; she planned to divide the Guard Corps into small squads for combat.


    Compared to the troops from Backhill Village, Thunderhawk City¡¯s Guard Corps was inferior in terms of experience, quality, and training. Therefore, it was impossible to adopt the same combat methods as their counterparts. But the Guard Corps did have one advantage¡ªequipment!


    Each of the one hundred Guards participating in the battle was equipped with two pieces of rune equipment. This was the greatest advantage of the Guard Corps. The defensive power provided by the two pieces of rune equipment was enough to elevate the strengths of the Guard Corps by a notch.


    By splitting the Guards into small squads and using this method to divide the demons, they could create a local advantage where one squad would face one demon. This strategy would allow them to leverage their strengths and avoid their weaknesses. As long as there weren¡¯t too many demons, they would be able to fight back.


    It was because they were already prepared that, upon Liliya¡¯s command, the Guards immediately divided into ten squads under the leadership of their respective captains.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡±


    At this moment, Lin Feng, who had heard the bell, also led the people from Backhill Village up to the high wall. Just like Rocky the day before, they looked down upon the battle below from their vantage point.


    But when they saw Liliya ordering her troops to split into ten separate squads, someone immediately furrowed their brows.


    ¡°Captain, do these people even know how to fight? They dare to scatter themselves against the demons. Do they think that a small squad of ten can hold off a demon?¡±


    Clearly, to the people of Backhill Village, Liliya¡¯s tactics seemed like folly. Her idea might not have been wrong, but it was overly naive. While the dispersed formation could indeed create numerical advantage, one must not forget they were up against demons!


    Imagining that ten people could hold off or kill a demon seemed like a joke! And if they failed to do so, the situation would quickly reverse, turning into a horrific scenario where the demons would defeat the small squads one by one.


    Therefore, the people of Backhill Village were entirely dismissive of Liliya¡¯s approach, considering it foolishness.


    Even Lin Feng frowned at this moment, and he promptly instructed those around him to have the Archers and Mages on the high walls ready for long-range support while also preparing his own troops.


    From these arrangements, it was clear that Lin Feng was also doubtful about Rocky and his team¡¯s chances in the battle.


    However, even as these thoughts crossed their minds, Rocky and his companions were already in a state of serious readiness because, as they were dividing into squads, the approaching demons had already neared!


    Just like the previous day, the ones that appeared were still all Black-eyed Demons, and after emerging, they quickly closed in, reaching only a few dozen meters away in no time.


    ¡°Everyone, hold your positions and wait for the demons to charge!¡±


    Liliya, who was leading a squad herself, held her Runic Shield and Rune Longsword in her hands. As she saw the demons getting closer, she ordered everyone to wait for the demons to rush in first.


    Her command was quickly relayed by the captains of each squad, ensuring that all Guards remained stationary.


    But just as Liliya issued her order, the Black-eyed Demons made their move!


    The eight Black-eyed Demons suddenly accelerated and charged toward the assembled warriors!


    Although there were only eight demons, they must not be underestimated for they were true monsters!


    Each of these formidable beasts stood over two meters tall. With each step, the ground would quake, and their charging speed was incredibly fast, so the impact and shock from just eight demons mimicked the charge of an army of thousands!


    Faced with such a staggering charge, everyone on the battlefield was extremely tense, except for one person¡ªRocky!


    As the eight Black-eyed Demons charged forward, Rocky, dressed in the Void Magic Armor, lifted off the ground. Gradually ascending, he then suddenly sped up, shooting towards the demons like an arrow released from a bow!


    True to the words he spoke before he departed, as the City Lord, he was to lead the charge in the battle against the demons!


    PS: The battle has begun! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations!

 Chapter 86 - 86 - 85 Mana Sparkle

    Chapter 86 ¨C 85 Mana Sparkle


    They both charged at each other at the same time, Rocky and the demon moving so fast that it only took a few blinks of an eye for the two to crash into each other fiercely!


    Like an arrow released from the string, Rocky collided head-on with the demon at the forefront. This wasn¡¯t just a figure of speech, he had literally slammed right into the demon. The tremendous force of the impact had flipped over the two-meter-tall black-eyed demon!


    Having flipped the demon over, Rocky didn¡¯t engage with it any further. Instead, he soared into the air, and once he was midair, he immediately dove down, targeting another demon. This demon was his actual target.


    The demon chosen by Rocky was over two and a half meters tall, the largest and most ferocious of the eight demons!


    With demons, the saying ¡°all bark, no bite¡± didn¡¯t apply. The bigger and more horrifying a demon looked, the more formidable it would be! And Rocky, wearing the Void Magic Armor, naturally chose the most formidable demon as his target.


    He dove onto the largest black-eyed demon, and taking advantage of the momentum, Rocky swung his sword down in one fluid motion, striking the shoulder of the black-eyed demon.


    However, the demon¡¯s skin was too thick. Faced with a side sword that had been enhanced with runes, which was at least close to two stars in power, the sword came crashing down only to leave a small wound on the demon¡¯s shoulder.


    ...


    This strike didn¡¯t seriously injure the demon; instead, it enraged the black-eyed demon, which let out a hoarse roar and immediately clawed at Rocky¡¯s chest, scratching him twice in an instant!


    If it had been an ordinary soldier who was clawed by the demon, they would have definitely died, but Rocky was wearing the Void Magic Armor and had rune enhancement, so even though he was sent flying, he wasn¡¯t seriously injured. Taking advantage of the momentum, he soared into the air again and dived towards the giant demon!


    ¡°This commander¡­ is quite brave¡­¡±


    Rocky, who was the first to engage the demon, naturally caught everyone¡¯s attention, especially the people from Backhill Village on the high wall.


    And as they watched Rocky battle with the biggest black-eyed demon, they internally gave him a thumbs up for his bravery!


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s because he¡¯s wearing the Void Magic Armor.¡±


    As they watched Rocky and the demon fight time and again, the people around Lin Feng felt somewhat envious. They were familiar with the reputation of the Void Magic Armor, but unfortunately, Backhill Village couldn¡¯t afford such expensive equipment, so watching Rocky clad in the Void Magic Armor fighting the demon made these people extremely envious.


    ¡°Stop the idle talk and get the archers and mages ready!¡±


    While others were focused on Rocky, Lin Feng had a serious expression. He didn¡¯t need to watch Rocky because there was no danger to him in the Void Magic Armor. He was truly focused on the troops behind Rocky!


    While everyone was chatting, other demons had already charged toward the troops behind Rocky!


    These black-eyed demons seemed to have no brains, or maybe they just didn¡¯t understand the concept of teamwork. Yesterday, when Lin Feng fought a demon one-on-one, the others charged at the troops, and today they did the same; while Rocky engaged the strongest black-eyed demon, the remaining seven demons charged recklessly at the troops behind him.


    And only then did the real battle begin!


    ¡°Everyone, stay calm! Follow the command!¡±


    Leading her own small team at the very front, Liliya was shouting loudly while intently watching the demon closest to her team. This demon might not be as huge as the one tangled with Rocky, but it was still big, and from the direction it was coming from, it looked like it was targeting her team.


    As the demon drew nearer, Liliya raised her shield and ordered her team, ¡°Shields up!¡±


    At a command, the rest of the squad raised their shields and simultaneously activated the mana in both their shields and armor, enveloping the otherwise ordinary shields and armor in a halo of light!


    Just a few seconds after the guards raised their shields, the black-eyed demon charged forward and swept its claw without warning!


    There were two thudding sounds as the demon¡¯s sweeping attack hit four guards in succession, knocking two of them over with its immense force, while the other two were also pushed back several steps.


    But because they had all raised their shields in time, and more importantly, activated the mana in their shields and armor, they looked somewhat disheveled but did not sustain any real damage.


    ¡°Surround it!¡±


    Ignoring the guards who had been knocked down and pushed back, after the black-eyed demon¡¯s strike, Liliya immediately yelled out and led the rest to encircle the demon. The guards who had been knocked down and pushed back also got up and joined the encirclement.


    Thus, Liliya led her squad and completely surrounded the demon.


    ¡°Others, look for an opportunity to attack!¡±


    Having said that, Liliya rushed toward the encircled demon and leaped high in the air, slashing it with her sword, creating a foot-long gash across the chest of the black-eyed demon!


    Liliya¡¯s rune sword was even better than the side sword of the Void Magic Armor. If evaluated by today¡¯s standards, this rune longsword would easily be considered a three-star weapon. Even the tough hide of the black-eyed demon couldn¡¯t withstand such a slash, and blood immediately sprayed from the large gash across its chest.


    ¡°Chi chi chi! Chi!¡±


    The severely injured black-eyed demon let out a scream and mindlessly swiped its claw at the nearest guard.


    There was a loud bang as the claw hit the guard, sending him flying several meters, but it did not kill him because his runic armor absorbed most of the force, allowing him to rise from the ground soon after and then rejoin the encirclement!


    ¡°Raise your shields! Raise all your shields!¡±


    ¡°Raise shields! Activate the mana! Everyone stay orderly!¡±


    While Liliya was leading her squad to encircle a demon and fight it fiercely, calls for action and mana activation also continuously came from behind her, indicating that other squads were also engaging the demons in battle. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because everyone had begun fighting, nearly in an instant, the battlefield was filled with a blaze of light.


    This scene left everyone on the high wall dumbstruck!


    ¡°My goodness ¡­ how do they have such good equipment?¡±


    ¡°Are these soldiers all wearing magic energy equipment?¡±


    As they watched the guards activating their magic energy equipment, everyone from Backhill Village was gaping, their faces filled with disbelief.

 Chapter 87 - 87 - 86 Accident!

    Chapter 87 ¨C 86 Accident!


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this Thunderhawk Mercenary Group? They even provided their soldiers with Mana Equipment?!¡±


    When Rocky led his Guard Corps into battle against the demons, Lin Feng and the others, who were closely watching the battle from atop the high walls, were completely dumbfounded, their faces filled with astonishment.


    Before this, they hadn¡¯t had high hopes for Rocky and his troops¡ªin the eyes of those in Backhill Village who constantly fought against demons, Rocky¡¯s troops were nothing more than greenhorns. So much so that Lin Feng had already arranged for his own men to be ready to charge to their rescue at a moment¡¯s notice the instant Rocky¡¯s forces couldn¡¯t hold out.


    But to their greatest surprise, the troops led by Rocky were all outfitted in Mana Equipment, which made all their previous judgments meaningless.


    Take the current situation, for instance. Lin Feng and the others, with their commanding view from the high wall, could see every corner of the battlefield.


    In their eyes, the situation on the battlefield was utterly chaotic; at first glance, it seemed no different from a scattered mess. This wasn¡¯t surprising, as Liliya¡¯s tactics involved dividing the troops into small teams to isolate and pick off the demons one by one. Plainly spoken, the tactic was nothing more than a bunch of people ganging up on one demon.


    Naturally, the battlefield looked disorganized, even chaotic, unlike the ordered battle formations Lin Feng and the others were accustomed to.


    ...


    For this very reason, the people of Backhill Village weren¡¯t optimistic about the battle. They believed Rocky was bound to fail, and might even crumble at the first blow.


    However, once the battle truly commenced, the expected outcome did not occur.


    Contrary to what Lin Feng and the others had imagined, when Rocky¡¯s troops began to divide and surround the demons in small team formations, not only did these small teams not crumble under the claws of the demons, but they also managed to pin down their respective demons!


    Such an outcome was, of course, thanks to the Guard Corps¡¯ Mana Equipment!


    If the quality of Thunderhawk City¡¯s Guard Corps was considered on its own, it was indeed quite average. Faced with the attacks of demons, most guards would be knocked back instantly, some even blasted away. But because they were wearing two pieces of Mana Equipment, even though these guards couldn¡¯t withstand the attacks, they also sustained no casualties.


    Those who were knocked back or flung away would simply get back up from the ground and rejoin the fight.


    Meanwhile, even though the overall quality of the Guard Corps wasn¡¯t top-notch, some individuals shone particularly bright. There was no need to mention Rocky, clad in his Void Magic Armor. Besides him, the performances of Liliya and Monte also took the people of Backhill Village by surprise.


    Liliya on the battlefield was like a dazzling rose among a group of men, her presence as imposing as any. In terms of prowess and bravery, she was second to none, and she even took on a demon by herself with merely Third Level strength!


    And the reason Liliya could challenge a demon alone was, naturally, due to her full set of Rune Equipment, which made the people of Backhill Village envious.


    Of course, Lin Feng and the others did not know that Liliya was wearing Rune Equipment. They all thought it was a set of Mana Equipment, and they were incredibly envious. It was an entire set of Mana Equipment, after all! In terms of equipment quality, if Rocky¡¯s Void Magic Armor was ranked first, then Liliya¡¯s set of Mana Equipment must be second.


    Therefore, from the beginning of the battle, Liliya became the center of everyone¡¯s attention, even more so than Rocky. After all, who wouldn¡¯t enjoy casting their eyes upon a beautiful woman shining brightly?


    Another focus of the crowd¡¯s attention was Monte.


    The people of Backhill Village felt conflicted about Monte. They recognized his strength, but let¡¯s not forget that Monte was missing a hand, making him, in their eyes, essentially disabled.


    That had led to plenty of behind-the-scenes talk. They really couldn¡¯t understand why Rocky would put a disabled person in charge of his team.


    But after the battle with the demons started, those with such thoughts, especially those who saw Monte as a disabled man, were all silenced because Monte was incredibly fierce on the battlefield!


    Being a Beastman, Monte also stood well over two meters tall, a height comparable to that of the Black-eyed Demons, making it so their encounters resulted in a fight beyond ordinary people¡¯s imagination.


    The towering Beastman faced the Black-eyed Demon without backing down, going Head-to-Head with brute force. In particular, his Broadaxe, which was larger than a basin and etched with runes, combined with Monte¡¯s inherent strength as a fifth-level warrior, allowed him to knock the ferocious Black-eyed Demon flat in their first clash, completely befuddling it.


    ¡°Looks like we don¡¯t need to make a move¡­¡±


    Assessing the situation of the battlefield, Lin Feng let out a sigh of relief and said with a smile to the people around him, who also nodded in agreement.


    Lin Feng¡¯s assessment was correct. At that moment, Rocky and the others were still engaged in fierce battle, but such fighting wouldn¡¯t last long. As soon as either Rocky, Monte, or Liliya managed to defeat the demon they were facing, the other teams would receive their support.


    That would significantly increase the speed at which demons were killed, and the battle would swiftly come to its concluding phase.


    In fact, Monte and Liliya had already overwhelmed their respective demons and would soon eliminate them. Under these circumstances, indeed, there was no need for Lin Feng and his group to provide support.


    ¡°Make way! Make way! Let me see¡±


    ¡°Step aside, don¡¯t block the way!¡±


    Just as Lin Feng eased up, convinced that the battle was well in hand and he needn¡¯t lift a finger, a crisp voice suddenly emerged atop the high wall. A figure promptly pushed through the crowd and ran to the edge of the wall, peering excitedly down at the scene unfolding below.


    This person¡­ was naturally Dusa.


    Having hidden in Liliya¡¯s tent, Dusa had stayed inside all this time, so she was quite stifled these past few days. As soon as she heard the battle had begun, she couldn¡¯t contain her boredom any longer and dashed out.


    Dusa pushed through the crowd on the high wall and then looked toward the battlefield, immediately spotting her father.


    At that moment, Monte was locked in intense combat with the Black-eyed Demon, beating it back soundly. Seeing this, Dusa became ecstatic. She jumped up and down with joy and said to those around her, ¡°Did you see that? That¡¯s my father! That¡¯s my father!¡±


    After saying this, she couldn¡¯t contain her excitement and shouted toward the battlefield, ¡°Dad! Go for it! Go for it!¡±


    Damn it!


    Lin Feng immediately cursed inwardly, realizing too late that Dusa had the audacity to shout in such a way!


    Dusa¡¯s voice might have been ignored by others on the battlefield or not heard at all, but Monte did hear it!


    Monte, who was pressing the demon hard in battle, suddenly heard his daughter¡¯s voice. He looked back in surprise, quickly spotting Dusa on the wall gesturing towards him¡ªa sight that left him utterly shocked.


    In that moment of astonishment, the Black-eyed Demon he had been beating back fiercely launched an attack and swept its claw towards Monte¡¯s head! sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Feeling the rush of wind, Monte, regaining his wits, dodged just in time to avoid a blow to the head, but his shoulder was struck hard by the demon¡¯s claw. Not only was he sent staggering backward, but his shoulder was also torn open, revealing flesh and blood.


    Simultaneously, Liliya also heard Dusa¡¯s voice, prompting her to glance unconsciously at the high wall and then towards Monte. She witnessed the very moment Monte was hit but was blindsided by an immense object charging at her. Liliya didn¡¯t even grasp what was happening before being sent tumbling away!


    In an instant, just an instant, the formerly orderly battlefield descended into chaos!


    PS: Little Dusa has caused trouble, seeking everyone¡¯s support! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations!

 Chapter 88 - 88 - 87: The Mainstay

    Chapter 88 ¨C 87: The Mainstay


    ¡°Captain! Captain!¡±


    ¡°Instructor!¡±


    Monte and Liliya had been knocked down by demons one after another, causing their squads to fall into disarray in an instant, and this chaos undoubtedly gave demons the chance to break through the encirclement in a blink of an eye!


    The two squads, which had originally been the most promising to kill the demons first, had their ranks scattered first at that moment!


    At this time, the other squads also noticed the situation here, and when the guards saw that the squads led by Liliya and Monte were scattered, and that Liliya and Monte were knocked down, the biggest weakness of the new soldiers was exposed!


    The Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City had never seen the battlefield, hence regardless of age, all guards were new soldiers, and one of the most fatal flaws of new soldiers is the inability to fight a battle against the odds.


    The reason the guards had been able to hold back the demons on the battlefield was firstly because Rocky, the City Lord, charging at the front had greatly boosted morale, making everyone feel high-spirited; secondly, it was because Rocky, Liliya, and Monte were the backbone of the guards, and everyone felt that as long as the three of them were there, the battle could surely be won.


    ...


    This thought might have been somewhat naive, but it was the basic motivation that kept everyone willing to confront the demons, and when the actual battle started, the situation indeed matched everyone¡¯s expectations.


    Rocky, Liliya, or Monte all fought with extraordinary bravery, the demons which seemed like monsters to others were completely suppressed by the trio, further inspiring the guards¡¯ morale, and letting everyone hold their ground no matter what under the attack of the demons.


    But now, due to Dusa¡¯s appearance, Monte and Liliya had both faced accidents consecutively, and two of the three backbones had fallen in an instant, which was a huge blow to the guards¡¯ psyches. The squads they led were the first to fall into chaos, and this chaos quickly spread to the other squads, throwing the entire situation into disarray.


    Although there is a reason for this, and although the downed Monte and Liliya actually stood up again very quickly, don¡¯t forget that this is a battlefield, and most people do not know what exactly has happened; everyone only knows that both backbone figures like Monte and Liliya had been struck down by demons, and the previously soaring morale suddenly plummeted.


    This is the most common problem with new soldiers on the battlefield. Due to a lack of experience, they cannot judge the situation on their own, coupled with a lack of mental fortitude, often resulting in extreme displays of either excessive morale or complete despondency.


    The guards of Thunderhawk City are now in such a state.


    And when morale plummeted, the guards fell completely into chaos, and as chaos broke out, the situation on the battlefield also changed immediately!


    The demons, which had been tightly encircled, started slaughtering in all directions as soon as the guards began to panic, and in the wake of the demons¡¯ wilful rampage, the solid encirclement was breached, and as soon as the circle was broken, casualties followed. Guards were injured by the claws of demons for failing to dodge in time, and some even fell never to rise again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic! Hold your ground! Captain Liliya is fine!¡±


    ¡°Everybody, don¡¯t panic! Stay calm!¡±


    ¡°Instructor Monte is fine, don¡¯t let the chaos get to you!¡±


    As chaos began to spread on the battlefield, the captains of each squad still tried to remain calm, doing their utmost to stabilize others, but it had no effect, and the chaos continued unabated.


    Almost in an instant, the tide of the battle had completely turned!


    ¡°How¡­ How could this¡­ How could this happen¡­¡±


    The battlefield became chaotic in an instant, leaving the previously elated Dusa stunned, the naive girl having no idea what had happened; everything was fine just moments ago, so how did it all change so suddenly?


    ¡°Someone! Get her out of here!¡±


    At that moment, Lin Feng also furrowed his brows deeply. At his command, the dazed Dusa was hurriedly sent down the tall wall, and then he quickly turned his attention to the battlefield.


    Actually, based on Dusa¡¯s behavior just now, Lin Feng had already figured out her identity, and with his experience, he could tell from Monte¡¯s surprised expression the ins and outs of the situation; this also filled him with a profound sense of helplessness.


    Since ancient times, there has been a rule that soldiers going off to war can¡¯t bring their wives and children. Why can¡¯t soldiers take their wives and children into battle? Just look at Monte¡¯s behavior just now, and you will understand.


    Once soldiers are on the battlefield facing the enemy, if their hearts are still tied to their loved ones at home, they will become deserters if they don¡¯t die in battle! Dusa¡¯s appearance was clearly a violation of this taboo!


    However, it was too late to say anything now. Although Dusa had been driven down from the tall wall, the battlefield was already in chaos, and a trend of defeat had become apparent. Lin Feng immediately gave the order for the Backhill Village troops to prepare to strike; he wanted to lead the charge and support them. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But just at this moment, as the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City had already become hopelessly disorganized, and the trend of defeat was inevitable, Lin Feng was just about to lead the Backhill Village troops to support them when a miserable wail that pierced the entire sky suddenly came.


    ¡°Ssshh ssshh ssshh! Ssshh ssshh!!¡±


    The wailing was ear-piercingly loud, so tragic that it made one¡¯s blood run cold. It not only rang through the entire sky but also reached the ears of everyone as soon as it appeared. People on the battlefield heard it, those on the tall walls heard it, even the villagers of Backhill Village heard it!


    This terrible wailing made everyone, whether on the battlefield, on the high walls, or the Demons wreaking havoc everywhere, look in one direction at the same moment: the source of the sound.


    In fact, the source of the wailing was not far from everyone¡ªit was at the edge of the battlefield, exactly where Rocky was!


    Due to the previously rapid change in the situation, many people had overlooked Rocky¡¯s presence and had even forgotten him. But, when they paid attention to him once more, they were met with an incredibly shocking scene.


    At this very moment, Rocky, with his long sword in hand, was stabbing towards the Black-eyed Demon. He thrust his sword fiercely into the demon¡¯s chest, then out its back, impaling the massive Black-eyed Demon clear through!


    The Black-eyed Demon, pierced through the chest by the sword, kept wailing mournfully. The sound was eerie, and with a resentful flailing of its claws, it seemed as though it wanted to drag Rocky down with it to death.


    But it had no chance for that, as after impaling it with his sword, Rocky pressed down on the hilt with both hands and with a swift slash, split the Black-eyed Demon open from its chest!


    ¡°My God¡­¡±


    ¡°What did he just do¡­¡±


    This bloody scene left everyone stunned, and some even felt a wave of nausea churning in their stomachs.


    After cleaving the Demon in two, Rocky slowly turned around, holding his blood-drenched sword as he looked back over the battlefield.


    At that moment, he seemed like a God of Slaughter himself, not only shocking everyone present but also stunning the remaining Demons!


    Seeing the battlefield in utter disarray, Rocky didn¡¯t hesitate as he leaped into the air and then flew towards the center of the combat zone!


    The cornerstone of the Guard Corps had finally arrived!


    ps: Seeking recommendations!

 Chapter 89 - 89 - 88 Reversal!

    Chapter 89 ¨C 88 Reversal!


    When Rocky parachuted onto the battlefield, the guards and demons hadn¡¯t even snapped out of the shock from the previous moment.


    And it wasn¡¯t Rocky who finally brought everyone back to their senses, but another scream!


    Rocky, who had parachuted into the fray, targeted a dazed demon and, after knocking it down with a sword, he slashed at the demon three times with his long sword, drawing continuous screams from the creature.


    However, it must be admitted that demons are truly monstrous in nature. Even after being sliced by Rocky three times in a row, this demon still didn¡¯t die until Rocky used all his strength to deliver a fourth blow, finally severing the demon¡¯s head!


    With the beheading of the demon, everyone on the battlefield finally snapped back to reality.


    The Guard Corps, now reinvigorated, were completely different from before; just moments ago on the verge of collapse, they now surged with morale, changing the dynamics of the battlefield once again.


    The chaotic battlefield seemed to stabilize instantly; with the direction of various squad leaders, the guards once again surrounded the demons completely, and all the previous chaos seemed as if it had never occurred¡ªaside from the dead demons and injured guards.


    ...


    At this point, it¡¯s worth mentioning the leaders assigned by Liliya to the squads. These were truly the elite of the Guard Corps.


    When all the guards were in disarray, leaders like Sandro didn¡¯t lose their footing. They still tried to control the situation, and although they had little effect, their efforts were undoubtedly commendable.


    Indeed, it was thanks to them that, with Rocky joining the fray, the guards quickly encircled the demons again. Monte and Liliya also took this opportunity to recover and joined Rocky in a counterattack.


    The situation, which was on the verge of collapse, turned around just like that, and the catalyst for this change was clearly Rocky.


    Killing the demon he was entangled with was a very common occurrence for Rocky, so common that no one bothered to pay attention. However, the timing of his kill was critical.


    The moment he killed the demon coincided precisely with the Guard Corps¡¯ descent into chaos and the brink of defeat. This timing was pivotal, and combined with his God of Slaughter-like descent onto the battlefield and swift elimination of a demon, he steadied the hearts of the bewildered guards, allowing them to regain their pillar of support.


    Rocky was that pillar of support for the guards!


    In their eyes, Rocky¡¯s status was irreplaceable. He was not only the City Lord in their hearts but also the mightiest warrior they looked up to.


    Interestingly, after Rocky joined the fight, not only did the morale of the guards swell because of his presence, but even the demons were affected!


    Perhaps it was because he had killed their ¡®boss¡¯, the surrounded demons no longer displayed the same arrogance. When Rocky set his sights on them, these demons actually began to wail mournfully, and their pitch-black eyes revealed fear.


    Given this, the outcome of the subsequent battle was self-evident. Rocky, Liliya, and Monte began picking off the surrounded demons one by one. The demons were quickly laid out on the ground, and in no time, all were slain!


    ¡°We won! We won! We won!¡±


    ¡°We won! Haha! We won!¡±


    ¡°We won!¡±


    When the last demon was pinned under Rocky¡¯s foot, and his long sword pierced its head, it wasn¡¯t clear which guard started the victorious chant, but soon that cry connected into a chorus, becoming waves of cheers. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Amidst the cheering, Rocky pulled his sword out of the demon¡¯s skull and turned to face the incessant cheers of the guards.


    As he slowly turned around, the cheering of the guards came to a sudden halt. Everyone was looking at him, watching as Rocky slowly raised his long sword, watching as a smile spread across his face streaked with demon blood.


    ¡°We¡­ won!!!¡±


    Facing his own Guard Corps, Rocky raised his blood-drenched sword high and declared victory!


    As he finished his statement, the guards all lifted their weapons, erupting into even louder cheers!


    They had won!


    ¡°You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡±


    In the midst of deafening cheers, Liliya approached Rocky, eyeing his bloody figure, and asked with concern.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s all demon blood.¡±


    While shaking his head, Rocky reached out to wipe the blood off Liliya¡¯s cheek, causing her to blush, but he promptly said, ¡°Take the injured into the village immediately, and see to Monte. Dress his wounds as quickly as possible.¡±


    The recent chaos had left many among the Guard Corps wounded, especially Monte, whose injuries were severe. Without wasting time on further conversation with Liliya, Rocky sent her to tend to the wounded, then called over Sandro.


    ¡°Ci¡­ Commander!¡±


    Seeing Rocky wave for him, Sandro quickly ran to his side with a face full of joy¡ªit was unclear whether his happiness derived from their recent victory or from Rocky calling out to him.


    ¡°Sandro, take some men and carry the demons¡¯ bodies into the village,¡± Rocky ordered. ¡°Freeze them with Ice Magic. These are our spoils of war, understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord. Rest assured!¡± Sandro responded.


    With his agreement, Sandro ran into the cheering crowd and called several guards to start cleaning up the battlefield.


    Although the battle had been fierce and they had ultimately won, Rocky hadn¡¯t let success cloud his judgment¡ªhe still remembered to seize their rightful spoils of war, the bodies of eight demons, which, even if some were damaged, could be sold for a substantial sum of money!


    Once everything was taken care of, he led his people back to Backhill Village.


    As they passed through the tall gates, the victorious Rocky and his troops were greeted by Lin Feng and others, who had been waiting for some time.


    ¡°Commander Rocky, that was a splendid victory.¡±


    Approaching Rocky with large strides, Lin Feng couldn¡¯t help but say.


    His words were no flattery; the battle had indeed been thrilling. The situation on the battlefield had shifted several times, keeping Lin Feng on edge as he watched, but in the end, Rocky and his men won¡ªand won handsomely, with minimal casualties.


    ¡°Thank you, Captain Lin Feng. Please make sure that our wounded are well cared for by the villagers,¡± Rocky replied.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the injured will be taken care of by the villagers,¡± Lin Feng assured him.


    The two had already discussed the matter of the wounded, with Backhill Village villagers being responsible for them, so Lin Feng simply nodded in agreement.


    After that, Rocky didn¡¯t chat much with Lin Feng and immediately began preparing for the next battle.


    Although they had achieved victory, the day wasn¡¯t over. What if more demons came? Rocky had to be vigilant.


    And so, Rocky and the Guard Corps, rather than resting immediately after their victory, continued to remain on alert in case of another demon attack, all the way until the night. Once Rocky had arranged for the night watch, everyone could finally rest.


    Even so, Rocky didn¡¯t rest. He went straight away to check on the wounded.


    Although no one had died in the recent battle, many had been injured¡ªnine guards in total. Naturally, Rocky wanted to check on them, and after seeing to everyone else, he brought Liliya to Monte¡¯s tent.


    Among all the injured, Monte¡¯s condition was the most severe. Upon entering the tent, Rocky saw Monte with thick bandages around his shoulder.


    ¡°Monte, rest and recover in peace. Liliya and I will take care of the upcoming battles,¡± Rocky assured him.


    Rocky was naturally most concerned about Monte¡¯s injuries and urged him to heal without worry.


    However, Monte¡¯s reply had nothing to do with the troops, with Rocky, or with anyone else.


    ¡°City Lord, how is Dusa doing?¡± he asked.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Taken aback by Monte¡¯s question, Rocky didn¡¯t know how to answer and simply looked at Liliya, who, understanding the situation, stepped out of the tent. When she returned, Dusa was with her.


    Dusa at that moment seemed like a completely different person. The vibrant young girl now appeared wilted, especially her swollen eyes¡ªit was clear she had been crying for a long time.


    ¡°Father¡­ I¡­ I was wrong¡­¡± she said tremblingly, approaching Monte¡¯s bedside and unable to stop her tears from flowing.


    Rocky and Liliya had guessed that Monte would probably roar in anger at this point, especially since Dusa had indeed caused a big problem this time.


    Unexpectedly, rather than erupting in anger, Monte just looked at his daughter and sighed, turning his gaze toward Rocky.


    ¡°City Lord, Dusa has caused serious trouble. Don¡¯t hesitate to punish or discipline her as needed, but¡­¡± he said.


    ¡°Please let me bear the burden in her stead.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Rocky was initially taken aback and then sighed helplessly, as the situation was indeed a difficult one to handle.

 Chapter 90 - 90 - 89 You Must Be Strong

    Chapter 90 ¨C 89 You Must Be Strong


    Monte¡¯s words put Rocky in a difficult position.


    This time, Dusa had indeed caused a huge disaster. If it weren¡¯t for her, the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City should have won the previous battle in a splendid fashion, and there would have even been no casualties. But it was because of Dusa that the battle nearly ended in failure, and many guards were injured as a result!


    Facing such serious consequences, it wouldn¡¯t be excessive to charge Dusa with the crime of disrupting the military¡¯s morale, and punishment was certain because not punishing her would not suffice to steady the military¡¯s heart!


    But what made Rocky feel troubled was that although Dusa was at fault, she had no malicious intent; she caused this disaster simply out of ignorance, so the principle ¡°the ignorant are not guilty¡± could apply to her. Secondly, the main reason for the Guard Corps¡¯ chaos was actually Monte and Liliya, so the blame couldn¡¯t be entirely placed on Dusa¡ªthey both bore responsibility too.


    And the final point was that Dusa was Monte¡¯s daughter!


    To treat Monte, Rocky naturally couldn¡¯t act the same as he would with others. After all, Monte was his valued aide. How could he bear to punish Dusa in such a situation?


    Thus, Rocky did indeed find the situation difficult. The guards in the Guard Corps were already injured because of this matter. If he let it slide without any resolution, the guards would likely become discontented. But if he were to actually punish Dusa, Rocky couldn¡¯t bear to do it. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    According to the laws of Thunderhawk City, Dusa had to be whipped for committing such a mistake!


    ¡°City Lord, this was Dusa¡¯s mistake. The brothers in the Guard Corps almost died on the battlefield because of her, so we must give everyone an explanation,¡± Monte said, having noticed Rocky¡¯s hesitance. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hesitate. Do what needs to be done. I will bear all the consequences.¡±


    Seeing Rocky undecided, Monte spoke up again.


    He knew Rocky was in a dilemma, but Monte was even clearer that they had to give the Guard Corps an explanation, or there would surely be guards who harbored ill feelings. Such discontent would be very detrimental to both him and Rocky.


    ¡°How about this? Let¡¯s just make a note of this incident for now. Once the mission is complete and we return to Thunderhawk City, we will make a decision then,¡± Liliya suggested from the side, offering a provisional solution.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do; such matters cannot be delayed!¡± Monte immediately replied, even before Rocky could agree or not: ¡°The battle has just begun, and now is the time when unity is most needed. If we don¡¯t deal with this matter, we won¡¯t be able to fight in future battles!¡±


    Monte¡¯s words hit the nail on the head. The fight had just started, and it was unknown how many more battles would follow. This was precisely the time to unite everyone¡¯s hearts and make them cooperate. If the Guard Corps started harboring resentment now, it could indeed lead to big trouble.


    ¡°City Lord¡­¡±


    As Rocky was torn, Dusa, who had been silent with her head down since entering the tent, suddenly spoke up. She looked at Rocky with her eyes still wet from tears and said while biting her lip, ¡°City Lord, father is right. I caused a major disaster and should be punished. Please do not show mercy on my account.¡±


    ¡°But please promise me one thing,¡± Dusa continued, glancing at Monte before turning back to Rocky. ¡°I can bear the consequences of the disaster I caused, my father doesn¡¯t have to bear them for me.¡±


    ¡­


    Upon hearing Dusa speak so bravely, Rocky was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected the girl-like Dusa to have such courage, especially because if she were punished, she would be whipped!


    Monte, too, was surprised by his daughter¡¯s words but then showed a proud smile. This was his daughter!


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    With that, Rocky could only nod, then he patted Dusa on the head: ¡°Young lady, you¡¯ve grown up.¡±


    After saying that, he left Dusa in Monte¡¯s tent. Now that everyone knew Dusa had come, there was no need for her to hide anymore. It was best for her to stay and take care of Monte. Immediately afterward, Rocky left with Liliya.


    And after Rocky and Liliya had left, Dusa sat beside Monte¡¯s bed and, after a long while, still biting her lip, she asked:


    ¡°Father, does the whipping hurt¡­?¡±


    ¡°It hurts.¡± Monte replied after looking at his daughter. ¡°But you have to be strong.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    The night passed without words, and in the blink of an eye, it was the next day.


    Early in the morning, after completing the handover with Lin Feng, Rocky led the Guard Corps back to camp, but did not immediately dismiss the troops. To everyone¡¯s confusion, upon entering the camp, they saw Monte, bandaged up, standing with Dusa beside him.


    Rocky stopped the troops and stood before all of them.


    ¡°In yesterday¡¯s battle, all of you performed extremely well!¡± Rocky said loudly to the guards: ¡°Your bravery made the Demons tremble, and your strength shocked the Demons. I am proud of you!¡±


    Rocky¡¯s words came straight from the heart because yesterday¡¯s victory had indeed filled him with pride. The guards, hearing this, puffed out their chests, feeling proud of themselves as well.


    But then, Rocky¡¯s tone suddenly changed, his expression turning serious: ¡°However, yesterday some made a fatal mistake! This mistake caused many brothers to be injured, and it nearly resulted in our downfall!¡±


    ¡°I will not tolerate such incidents!¡±


    With that, Rocky waved his hand, and Monte brought Dusa forward.


    ¡°Monte, you are everyone¡¯s instructor, and Dusa is your daughter. Tell us, how should this be dealt with?¡±


    After glancing at Monte, then at Dusa, Rocky asked in a cold tone.


    ¡°My lord, Dusa attempted to disrupt the army¡¯s morale during wartime and should be subjected to the whip.¡±


    ¡°How many lashes?¡±


    ¡°Six lashes!¡±


    Standing straight in front of Rocky, Monte said loudly.


    As soon as he spoke, the guards all drew in a sharp breath¡ªsix lashes! Dusa was just a girl; how could she endure such severe punishment!


    Under these circumstances, someone from the Guard Corps immediately shouted, ¡°My lord, please spare Dusa. She didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! My Lord, please let little Dusa go.¡±


    ¡°Please show mercy, my Lord!¡±


    Over two months of grueling training had forged a bond between the guards and their instructor Monte. Since Dusa often appeared during the training sessions, everyone was not only familiar with her but had also grown fond of the little girl, who was always hopping and bouncing around.


    Therefore, upon hearing that Dusa was to be whipped, the guards immediately cried out loudly for clemency on her behalf.


    However, in response to the pleadings of the crowd, Rocky simply waved his hand and then turned to look at Monte.


    ¡°Monte, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°My lord, please enforce the law impartially!¡± Monte replied without hesitation.


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Rocky nodded at this response, which caused a pang in the hearts of the watching guards. But then Rocky spoke, ¡°The mistake that Dusa has committed cannot be taken lightly, but considering that it was an unintentional fault, and she is not a member of the Guard Corps, therefore¡­ let the punishment be halved.¡±


    After saying this, Rocky glanced at Dusa, and she, somewhat timid but also resilient, nodded her head and stepped toward a large wooden stake in the camp.


    The stake had been erected by Liliya early that morning, specifically for the execution of Dusa¡¯s whipping. So when Dusa approached the stake and embraced it, Liliya, who had been waiting nearby with a whip in hand, handed her a small wooden stick.


    ¡°Bite down on this.¡±


    As Dusa bit down on the wooden stick, Liliya tied her securely to the stake and whispered softly, ¡°Endure it, it will be over soon.¡±


    Thus, it wasn¡¯t long before Dusa was bound to the stake, after which Liliya retreated to a distance.


    ¡°Carry out the punishment!¡±


    At Rocky¡¯s command, Liliya, standing behind Dusa, swung the whip, and with a loud crack, the lash struck Dusa¡¯s back!


    The strike tore a bloody gash across Dusa¡¯s back, prompting many in the Guard Corps to turn away, unable to bear such a cruel sight.


    Even Rocky, at that moment, instinctively turned his head away.


    Rocky was quite fond of Dusa, and since she was close with Liliya, he often saw the vivacious little girl bouncing around at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. He would not have allowed her this suffering if it weren¡¯t absolutely necessary, if not for the exigencies of the situation.


    As for Dusa herself, after that first lash, she let out a whimpering cry, and tears streamed down her face.


    But the person who felt the most pain wasn¡¯t Dusa; in fact, it was Monte. As her father, who could feel more heartache than him? But as Monte had said the night before, Dusa had committed a serious error at a critical moment, and this was the punishment she had to endure, lest it leave behind a grave hazard.


    While everyone felt sorrow for Dusa, another crack sounded as Liliya delivered the second and then the third lash!


    After three consecutive lashes, the execution was complete.


    Although the procedure was very brief, it felt longer than a whole day to those present. After delivering the third lash with her own hands, Liliya rushed to the stake to untie Dusa, only to find the girl had passed out¡­


    In that situation, Liliya quickly took Dusa for treatment, and an anxious Monte followed at Rocky¡¯s gesture.


    Only after they had departed did Rocky turn his gaze back to those assembled.


    ¡°I want everyone to remember what happened here!¡±


    Rocky¡¯s expression was stern as he addressed the crowd, his tone serious and his demeanor solemn: ¡°Here with me, no matter who you are, rewards come with achievement, and mistakes carry penalties. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Standing straight before him, the guards of the Guard Corps shouted in unison.

 Chapter 91 - 91 - 90 Silence?

    Chapter 91 ¨C 90 Silence?


    The flogging Dusa endured was not only heart-wrenching but also made the guards understand the true meaning of the saying ¡°law enforcement is as immovable as mountains.¡±


    This was precisely why Monte insisted that Rocky punish Dusa.


    Because through this flogging, not only would the Guard Corps hold no grudges against Dusa and Monte, since the whip had already been cracked, but they would also develop a sense of fear, a fear that stemmed not from any person, but from military law itself!


    This was the most critical matter; once military law and military might were established, it would be infinitely beneficial for the entire Guard Corps.


    At the same time, Rocky¡¯s actions were also observed by the people of Backhill Village and in no time had reached Lin Feng¡¯s ears.


    Upon learning of this on the high wall, Lin Feng was first stunned, then smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Commander, this Rocky is really ruthless, showing no mercy at all,¡± someone said.


    ...


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s too cruel,¡± another agreed.


    The residents of Backhill Village were well aware of Dusa¡¯s situation, as they all had been present the day before, so when they learnt that Rocky had dealt with the matter so promptly and had punished Dusa so severely, they all sighed.


    ¡°This Commander Rocky does have some guts; it seems we underestimated this Mercenary Group before,¡± commented someone.


    After nodding with a smile, Lin Feng also spoke.


    As the leader of his own unit, Lin Feng naturally understood why Rocky had dealt with Dusa¡¯s situation so swiftly, and although it wasn¡¯t of much concern to him, Lin Feng was, after all, collaborating with Rocky to combat the demons. Calling them allies was by no means inappropriate.


    In such a scenario, if Rocky could manage his own unit well, it would be advantageous and harmless for Lin Feng.


    ¡°Ensure that the village¡¯s doctor takes good care of the wounded from the Thunderhawk Mercenary Group; they should not be neglected,¡± he commanded.


    After giving the instruction, Lin Feng put the matter aside and turned his gaze towards the exterior of the high wall.


    Although he appeared no different than usual, he was very tense inside, perhaps even more so than Rocky.


    With years of experience combating demons, Lin Feng had detected that there was something different about the demons attacking Backhill Village this time, with the greatest difference being in their numbers.


    The demons attacking Backhill Village this time were too numerous!


    This statement might seem a bit off, as, upon careful consideration, the demons attacking Backhill Village totaled only eleven and had attacked over the span of two days, which didn¡¯t seem excessive.


    In reality, it was the opposite, given that the mining in Backhill Village would continue for an entire month. During this time, more demons would be continually attracted, and their numbers would gradually increase. This meant that within this month, the number of demons attacking Backhill Village would consistently rise.


    This was precisely why Lin Feng was worried. If the second wave of demons amounted to eight, then what about the third? How many would appear in the third wave, and would it exceed ten? As for the fourth and fifth waves, how many demons would there be?


    One must know that demons were not only individually powerful but also numerous in number. The appearance of a swarm of demons would inevitably lead to a disaster.


    So while the initial two waves of demonic assaults had been repelled, this did nothing to alleviate Lin Feng¡¯s concerns. After all, the number of demons in the previous two encounters had been below ten, which was still manageable. But when their numbers reached double digits, the battle would move to another level entirely.


    This was what worried Lin Feng and the cause of his nervousness.


    He had encountered a similar situation six months earlier. Back then, Backhill Village was much stronger than it was now, but it nevertheless fell to the greatly numbered demons. Whether they were his soldiers or the villagers of Backhill, there had been heavy casualties. Therefore, Lin Feng truly did not wish for a repeat of the scenes from six months ago.


    ¡°Everyone, stay sharp!¡±


    With these thoughts in his mind, he couldn¡¯t help but shout at everyone on the wall, leaving them bewildered. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, after carrying out the flogging and assigning Monte to take care of Dusa, Rocky summoned Liliya, Sandro, Robin, and the other squad leaders to his tent.


    Although they had won the battle the day before, it also exposed many issues, such as the Guard Corps falling into disarray at a critical moment. If it weren¡¯t for Rocky¡¯s decisive action, the outcome might have been completely different.


    The blame for this incident was ultimately placed on Dusa, but that was just on the surface. The real issue lay within the Guard Corps itself. If their discipline had been stronger, if the guards¡¯ mental fortitude had been higher, perhaps the chaos that ensued would not have occurred.


    It was normal for there to be problems during the Guard Corps¡¯ first actual combat, but this was no excuse to ignore the issues. Thus, while the other guards were resting, Rocky had called the squad leaders to his tent to hold a meeting, or rather a post-battle summary, to discuss the lessons learned.


    But as everyone sat down in the tent and before Rocky had a chance to speak, Liliya couldn¡¯t hold back any longer.


    Standing in front of the squad leaders with a solemn expression, she asked, ¡°Do you think that the reason the previous battle went so poorly was all because of Dusa?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Perhaps because of the recent flogging, Liliya was in a bad mood, and her ominous expression looked particularly intimidating.


    Faced with her dour countenance, the squad leaders in the tent looked at each other and then all lowered their heads, with none daring to answer.


    Seeing no one respond, Liliya singled someone out: ¡°Aga, you speak.¡±


    The man named by her, Aga, was a middle-aged man, already thirty-five years old this year. Among the Guard Corps, he was the oldest and the most mature and steady. Hence, Liliya had appointed him as the leader of a small squad.


    However, after being named by her, Aga looked at her and awkwardly grinned.


    ¡°Sandro, what do you think?¡±


    Seeing that Aga didn¡¯t open his mouth, Liliya turned her spearhead toward Sandro, but just like before, Sandro, whose name was called, also hung his head.


    ¡°Hmph, why aren¡¯t any of you speaking!¡±


    When no one opened their mouths, Liliya snorted coldly and then said, ¡°That¡¯s right, having a young girl take responsibility for you, you really don¡¯t have much to say.¡±


    Giving a cold look at the crowd, Liliya was ruthless, immediately rendering a whole bunch of grown men blushing intensely.


    ¡°You all should be well aware that the mess in the previous battle wasn¡¯t Dusa¡¯s fault, but because you didn¡¯t do what you were supposed to!¡±


    ¡°Commander, we did our best¡­ but when we saw both you and the instructor were taken down, the brothers really panicked at that moment¡­¡±


    After being severely scolded by Liliya, a squad leader next to Sandro said with a sense of grievance.


    His words were not wrong, because though the guards were in chaos, these squad leaders attending hadn¡¯t descended into panic alongside them; they were all trying their best to control the situation.


    ¡°You dare to argue!¡±


    As a result, the words of the squad leader directly inflamed Liliya. She glared with round eyes and said annoyedly, ¡°When the people in your squad panic, isn¡¯t that exactly when they need you! Otherwise, why would I appoint you as squad leaders!¡±


    After this remark, no squad leader dared to retort, for Liliya was absolutely right¡ªthey indeed hadn¡¯t managed the members of their squads well during that time.


    So, the scene fell silent, until after quite some time had passed, Sandro, who had remained silent all along, suddenly stood up from his seat.


    ¡°Commander, it is indeed our dereliction of duty.¡±


    Looking at Liliya, Sandro¡¯s expression was resolute, and then he turned to Rocky: ¡°City Lord, as squad leaders, we failed to fulfill our responsibilities. Please punish us as you see fit, City Lord!¡±


    After finishing his speech, Sandro stood up straight before Rocky, and at the same time, the other squad leaders around him also stood up. They seemed to be waiting for Rocky¡¯s reprimand just like him.


    But how could Rocky continue to scold them? Liliya had already done all the scolding previously, so he then said, ¡°Sit down, all of you.¡±


    After Sandro and the others had resumed their seats, Rocky began to speak, ¡°What Liliya just said wasn¡¯t wrong. As squad leaders, you indeed didn¡¯t organize your guards well, but there¡¯s a reason for this.¡±


    ¡°However, remember, for any military unit, discipline is the most important thing. Without discipline, even the strongest forces are no more than a scattered mob. As leaders, it is your responsibility to ensure on the battlefield that your squad is not thrown into disarray.¡±


    ¡°You may not be able to do this now, but you can¡¯t forever be unable to do so. If that¡¯s the case, then I will have to find replacements. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°Good, now, let¡¯s talk about your feelings. Facing demons for the first time, engaging in direct confrontation with demons for the first time, how do you all feel?¡±


    After making a summary speech, Rocky began to let everyone share their feelings about confronting the demons. This was also one of the reasons he had gathered them¡ªto collectively exchange and sum up experiences so that they could perform better in future battles.


    Time passed like this for quite a while. When the squad leaders came out of Rocky¡¯s tent, the sky had already turned dark; they had actually talked for an entire day inside the tent!


    ¡°Strange¡­¡±


    Observing the dark sky, Sandro, who walked out of the tent, couldn¡¯t help but frown, then turned to Aga beside him, ¡°Big brother Aga, did you hear the bell?¡±


    ¡°The bell? I didn¡¯t hear it¡­¡±


    Aga shook his head, indicating he hadn¡¯t heard the bell that signalled the attack of demons.


    ¡°It¡¯s already dark?¡±


    At that moment, Rocky and Liliya also exited the tent, and they too were stunned to discover the night had fallen. Then they looked at each other.


    ¡°The demons didn¡¯t come today?¡±


    Both reacted quickly. Seeing that it was dark, they knew that throughout the whole day, the demons hadn¡¯t launched an attack. However, this didn¡¯t bring them the slightest joy but instead made their expressions change.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go have a look!¡±


    After these words, Rocky rushed towards the high walls!


    The demons not attacking for an entire day was too abnormal!

 Chapter 92 - 92 - 91 Where Did the Demons Go!

    Chapter 92 ¨C 91 Where Did the Demons Go!


    The demons didn¡¯t attack all day?


    This situation was so abnormal that it made Rocky immediately ascend the high wall.


    Upon reaching the top, he quickly spotted Lin Feng, who had been on guard there all day.


    ¡°Captain Lin Feng, no demons appeared today?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ none¡­¡±


    Obviously, the quiet day had also left Lin Feng feeling uneasy. He frowned and glanced at Rocky, ¡°No, not even a shadow of a demon all day.¡±


    ¡°Is this¡­ a good thing or a bad thing?¡±


    ...


    As someone new to Backhill Village, Rocky wasn¡¯t sure if this was normal or an anomaly, so he could only ask Lin Feng.


    But Lin Feng¡¯s next response made his heart tighten.


    ¡°This has never happened before¡­¡± Turning to him, Lin Feng said with concern, ¡°Normally, as soon as the village starts mining, demons begin appearing one after the other. From the first demon, the attacks continue nonstop until the mining ends, and sometimes even longer.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve never encountered this before.¡± After saying this, Lin Feng sighed, and it took him a while to muster a smile, ¡°But you don¡¯t need to worry. Maybe the demons will show up tonight, it¡¯s quite common.¡±


    Although demons previously appeared without interruption, they did not necessarily attack only during the day; sometimes, they started their assaults at night.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have the troops ready at all times. If you need support, send someone to notify us immediately.¡±


    Since Lin Feng had said so, Rocky could only nod, tell him that he would keep the troops ready to assist at any moment, and then he left.


    Upon returning to camp, Rocky had no choice but to summon all the squad leaders, telling them to keep the guards alert at night in case the demons attacked.


    Once he had arranged everything, he finally managed to return to his own tent.


    After the battle yesterday and discussions with the various squad leaders all day, Rocky was completely exhausted. No sooner had he lain down on his bed than his eyelids began to droop.


    However, he couldn¡¯t allow himself to fall asleep; he was worried something might happen during the night.


    Even though Lin Feng said the demons were likely to attack at night, Rocky was still very uneasy. After all, what if the demons didn¡¯t attack during the night?


    Wouldn¡¯t that mean when it was his turn to defend tomorrow, a bunch of demons would suddenly appear?


    If that were the case, it would be terrible because Rocky knew that a major reason they had won yesterday¡¯s battle was due to good luck and because the number of demons wasn¡¯t particularly high, staying in the single digits.


    If it were his turn to defend tomorrow and more than ten demons appeared all at once, that would be troublesome, something Rocky had to consider seriously.


    As he thought about it, he fell asleep¡­


    There was no helping it; Rocky was just too tired. Not only had the battle taken a heavy toll on his body, but the myriad concerns had also drained him mentally. Thus, once he lay on his bed, he fell asleep and slept soundly until dawn.


    After a solid night¡¯s sleep, Rocky awoke and immediately cursed himself for his uselessness, rushing out of the tent. There, he saw the already prepared Guard Corps, everyone waiting for him.


    ¡°Liliya, how was last night? Did the demons come?¡±


    While leading the Guard Corps towards the high wall to relieve Lin Feng, Rocky inquired about Liliya¡¯s situation last night.


    But to his question, Liliya shook her head with a troubled expression, ¡°Last night¡­ nothing happened.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Such an answer immediately furrowed Rocky¡¯s brows, because if the demons hadn¡¯t appeared yesterday, they were definitely going to appear today!


    This was troublesome, as the Guard Corps had just battled the day before yesterday. Although they had rested for a day and were in better condition, continuing the fight with the demons might still be too much for them.


    Moreover, the injured from the last battle had not yet recovered, leading to an incomplete roster in the Guard Corps. A few missing regular guards could be overlooked, but the absence of Monte, a key member, undoubtedly weakened Rocky¡¯s side significantly. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    More importantly, since the demons didn¡¯t show up yesterday, the number appearing today would definitely be especially high, easily exceeding ten, and possibly even more!


    This made Rocky very worried about whether he and the Guard Corps could hold the high wall¡­


    It seemed very likely that they would need the support of Lin Feng¡¯s team today.


    Worried sick, Rocky and Liliya climbed up to the high wall and began their day-long duty of defense.


    An entire day went by consumed with his worries!


    Yes, an entire day passed peacefully, and the demons still did not appear!


    When evening came, Rocky, worried that the demons might appear at night, didn¡¯t let the Guard Corps return to the camp to sleep, but had them rest right at the gate of the high wall, ready to fight at any moment.


    But just like during the day, although everyone was very alert all night, it was a night tensely spent in vain, as the demons still did not show!


    What in the world was happening?


    Two consecutive days of tranquility increasingly worried Rocky, because it was unusually quiet to a frightening extent!


    In fact, Lin Feng was feeling the same way at this time.


    When Rocky personally led his troops to guard the high wall all night, Lin Feng also stayed awake all night. Surprisingly, he really hoped for the demons to appear that night because that was the only way he would feel at ease.


    But his hope did not materialize, as the demons did not show up.


    And when Rocky and Lin Feng again swapped their defensive duties, this heavy burden now lay on Lin Feng¡¯s shoulders!


    Taking over the duty of defense, he was just as deeply troubled as Rocky and stood on the high wall for a whole day and night, yet still did not encounter the demons that should have appeared.


    Not only that, but after another three whole days, the demons still did not show up!


    To calculate it carefully, it had been a whole six days since the demons had appeared, as if these creatures had vanished without a trace.


    However, this situation was highly unusual for Backhill Village, because even when there wasn¡¯t any mining happening, the demons would visit every now and then, albeit in smaller numbers. There had never been a memory of not seeing any signs of demons for six consecutive days.


    Now everyone was getting anxious, wondering, where are the demons?


    Where have the demons gone?!

 Chapter 93 - 93 - 92: The Bell Rings Again!

    Chapter 93 ¨C 92: The Bell Rings Again!


    The demons disappeared¡­


    For six continuous days, the demons vanished without a trace, leaving everyone in great unease.


    This might sound strange¡ªaren¡¯t the demons disappearing a good thing?


    No, it absolutely isn¡¯t a good thing!


    Please don¡¯t forget, the demons had occupied the land for a century now, every corner of the land bore the trace of demons, the only difference being in their numbers. Under such circumstances, their omnipresence was the norm, and their sudden disappearance was abnormal.


    This was especially true for Backhill Village at the moment.


    Both the group from Backhill Village led by Lin Feng and the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad commanded by Rocky couldn¡¯t help but worry.


    ...


    They had prepared for continuous attacks from the demons, and according to past experience, once the mining began at Backhill Village, it always ended up this way without exception.


    But the exception occurred, with no attacks from the demons on the village for six straight days, nor even a sighting of a shadow, which immediately made everyone tense.


    Where did the demons go?


    No one knew the answer to this question.


    But in order to find out the answer, Rocky and Lin Feng didn¡¯t spare any efforts, eventually deciding unanimously to dispatch a skyship for reconnaissance!


    Before this, the skyship had remained docked at Skybreaker Peak and hadn¡¯t been deployed since the previous two battles were too minor to necessitate its use. However, the extended absence of the demons troubled both Lin Feng and Rocky profoundly, compelling them to send out the skyship for reconnaissance to be better prepared should any situation arise.


    On the other hand, the sudden disappearance of the demons, though unsettling for everyone, also had a silver lining for Rocky and his team¡ªit allowed many days for recuperation, and the soldiers led by Monte were mostly healed from their injuries.


    This was definitely good news worth celebrating for Rocky, particularly Monte¡¯s recovery, which restored the former strength of the Guard Corps, allowing them to fight against the demons with full force once again.


    Moreover, Dusa, who had been whipped three times, had also nearly recovered. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her quick recovery was partly due to the robust constitution of Beastmen; despite being a young girl, as a Beastman, her recovery was much more robust than that of a regular human.


    Plus, credit must also go to Liliya who administered the whipping.


    The reason Liliya personally carried out the whipping was to set an example and to protect Dusa.


    Being a Third-Level Warrior, Liliya¡¯s control over her strength was naturally much greater than an ordinary guard¡¯s; thus, although her whipping looked severe, the lashes inflicted on Dusa weren¡¯t very heavy, undoubtedly alleviating much of Dusa¡¯s suffering.


    Since her recovery, Dusa had learned from this ordeal and had become obedient and well-behaved, now only moving within the camp boundaries, daring not to run around anymore.


    However, the young girl¡¯s nature was inherently lively, so even though she had become much more obedient and well-behaved than before, she still couldn¡¯t stay idle.


    Take today, for example.


    Today, as Lin Feng was responsible for the defense duties, the recovered Monte continued to lead the Guard Corps in training. Once her father left the tent, Dusa sneaked out, carrying her own bow and arrows.


    With her own bow and arrows, Dusa arrived alone in front of the post where she was once punished, then stood a hundred steps from it and immediately proceeded to draw her bow and nock her arrow.


    Although Dusa had become much more obedient in recent days, deep down, she still wished to fight alongside Monte and hadn¡¯t forgotten to diligently practice.


    And it must be admitted that Dusa¡¯s archery skills were indeed exquisite, claiming her to be a talent in archery wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. Because Monte, who didn¡¯t want his daughter to suffer any harm, never taught her archery, yet Dusa had managed to master the skill of Endless Bullseye through self-learning.


    Standing a hundred steps away from the post, Dusa pulled open her longbow and took a brief aim before shooting an arrow, and in the blink of an eye, a whooshing sound was heard as the arrow accurately struck the post!


    Afterward, Dusa began to shoot arrows continuously at a rapid pace. Although the speed slightly affected her accuracy, it was only a minor impact, and all the arrows she shot still hit the wooden stakes.


    ¡°Hee hee!¡±


    Seeing that all the arrows she shot had hit their targets, Dusa giggled proudly, flashing her small canine teeth, then gleefully ran up to the stakes and plucked each arrow out one by one.


    But just as she had removed all the arrows from the stakes and was skipping back to resume her practice, the sudden jarring sound of a bell rang out!


    ¡°The demons are here!¡±


    Hearing the bell from the tower, Dusa was startled at first but then she understood what was happening. The demons that had disappeared for so many days had finally appeared?!


    As she heard the bell, Rocky¡¯s figure appeared above the camp. Hearing the bell, he used the Void Magic Armor to fly up into the air and then quickly headed toward the high wall. Soon after he left, Liliya and Monte also rushed out from within the camp, running toward the location of the high wall.


    ¡°Dusa! Stay put in the camp!¡±


    As Monte was rushing toward the high wall, he brushed past Dusa in the camp and shouted loudly.


    Hearing this, Dusa pursed her lips, clearly reluctant, but she suppressed the urge to join in and stayed obediently in the camp.


    With the demons finally appearing, Dusa no longer had the heart to practice archery and simply jumped onto a nearby stake, standing on a pole to look toward the high wall, but she couldn¡¯t see anything.


    Looking left and right and seeing nothing, Dusa jumped off the stake disheartened and glumly returned to her tent.


    ¡°Damn it, everyone treats me like a child. It¡¯s infuriating!¡±


    Back in her tent, Dusa sat on her bed, pouting and very dissatisfied.


    ¡°I¡¯m already fifteen years old. My father had already joined the army at my age, but they won¡¯t let me join the Guard Corps. It¡¯s so annoying!¡±


    Sitting on the bed, Dusa complained while angrily punching the mattress, making it thump loudly.


    After complaining for a while, perhaps feeling tired, she simply lay down on the bed, muttering to herself about how boring it was, and imagining herself in battle, shooting flawlessly.


    In this daydream, she didn¡¯t know how much time had passed until she sleepily opened her eyes, having unknowingly fallen asleep.


    However, as soon as she opened her eyes, still dazed and not fully awake, she suddenly heard a voice outside the tent.


    She knew this voice all too well¡ªit was her father¡¯s voice!


    ¡°Everyone! Get ready for battle! Prepare to support the troops at Backhill Village!¡±


    Hearing this, Dusa abruptly sat up from her bed and ran outside the tent.


    As soon as she stepped out of the tent, she saw the Guard Corps hurrying past her.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? What happened?¡±


    After looking for her father to no avail, the confused Dusa had no choice but to grab a guard and ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it seems the number of demons is too great, and the troops at Backhill Village are almost overwhelmed.¡±


    After saying this, the guard she had grabbed quickly left, joining the main force heading toward the high wall. In the blink of an eye, the entire camp was left with only Dusa alone¡­

 Chapter 94 - 94 - 93: Wounded Soldier

    Chapter 94 ¨C 93: Wounded Soldier


    Before she could react, the entire campsite seemed to have emptied, leaving her alone. Dusa had just woken from a nap and hadn¡¯t quite grasped the situation yet.


    Stunned for quite some time, Dusa finally looked up to see the sun still high in the sky, indicating that she hadn¡¯t slept long¡ªjust a quick nap, at most.


    Having spent so many days at the camp, she had already figured out the defense rotation between Rocky and Lin Feng, and how they supported each other.


    It was Lin Feng¡¯s turn to be on defense duty today, but the Guard Corps had suddenly been deployed. Could it be that the troops from Backhill Village couldn¡¯t hold their ground?


    This seemed unbelievable to Dusa, as she had heard Monte praise the troops of Backhill Village, stating they were highly skilled. If they were to face off directly against the guards of Thunderhawk City, the latter would likely lose.


    Could it be that even such skilled troops couldn¡¯t withstand the demon¡¯s assault and needed support from the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City?


    Just how many demons had attacked this time?


    ...


    This made Dusa unavoidably worried, especially since Monte was also on the battlefield; she couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious.


    Standing alone in the campsite, she then looked toward the tall walls, but they were too far to see anything, not even the sounds of battle could be heard, which only exacerbated her anxiety.


    Yet worry was futile. Although she thought of running up to the wall to see for herself, remembering the trouble she caused last time, she had no choice but to suppress such thoughts.


    With no other options, Dusa reluctantly returned to her tent to pick up her bow and arrows, deciding to try to calm her nerves with some archery practice.


    So, in a short while, she was in front of the wooden stakes again, continuously shooting arrows. Perhaps due to her worry, her aim was off, and many arrows missed their target.


    Instead of easing her anxiety, this only made her more upset. With nothing else to do, she pouted and irritably went to collect the Arrow Feathers one by one.


    Boom!


    Boom, boom!


    Just as Dusa was irritably gathering up all the Arrow Feathers, a sudden barrage of thunderous cannon fire reached her ears, and she quickly turned to look toward the walls.


    ¡°Is that¡­ the sound of Magic Energy Cannons?¡±


    Upon hearing the cannon fire, Dusa immediately realized it was the sound of Magic Energy Cannons.


    Could it be that the Skyships had been deployed?


    A small village like Backhill Village didn¡¯t have Magic Cannons. The tall walls at the entrance looked impressive, but there were only two defense towers on either side, and no Magic Cannons on top of the walls. Therefore, the only option left to use Magic Cannons for bombardment was the Skyship.


    This meant that the sound of cannons signified the deployment of the Skyships!


    ¡°What exactly is happening outside¡­¡±


    The roaring cannons filled Dusa with immense urgency. She hadn¡¯t expected, after so many days had passed, that the demon attacks would become so fierce that not only had Lin Feng and Rocky taken their respective troops out one after another, but the Skyships had also joined the battlefield.


    Only now did Dusa understand why Rocky and her father had looked so worried over the past few days. It seemed that after lying dormant for so long, the demons had indeed launched a severe attack!


    But what kind of demonic force had arrived, strong enough that both the troops of Backhill Village and the guards of Thunderhawk City couldn¡¯t hold, forcing the use of Skyships to bomb them?


    Being in the campsite, Dusa naturally couldn¡¯t know the answer, but the less she knew about a situation, the more she wanted to investigate it. Thus, she was caught in a dilemma, debating whether she should run up to the wall to check for herself.


    Furrowing her brows, Dusa thought to herself: If she could sneak to the wall without anyone noticing, would there be no problem?


    Even if someone did discover her, she could just say that being alone in the campsite was too frightening. That way, her father wouldn¡¯t get angry, right? At least the City Lord wouldn¡¯t blame her, right?


    After pondering for quite some time, Dusa felt her idea was feasible¡­


    However, just as she was nodding to herself, believing her plan to be flawless, suddenly a group of people came running from the direction of the walls.


    ¡°What¡¯s this¡­¡±


    Recognizing the approaching group as the Guard Corps, Dusa realized that the guards were heading her way!


    Has the battle ended?


    Seeing the guards returning, Dusa immediately smiled, thinking that the battle must have ended.


    However, when she looked closely at these guards, she realized that there was a small squad of them, and they were carrying stretchers two by two, bearing the wounded on them!


    The battle hadn¡¯t ended after all; these guards were returning to transport the injured!


    Seeing the guards carrying a stretcher towards the camp, Dusa hurried over to meet them.


    ¡°Uncle Aga, has the battle not ended yet?¡±


    As she approached the guard carrying the stretcher, Dusa recognized the leader as Aga and hurriedly helped carry the stretcher while asking.


    At the same time, she glanced at the stretcher and, with that look, her whole being was stunned, no, shocked!


    ¡°Sister Liliya!¡±


    Among those being carried on the stretcher back to camp was Liliya herself!


    Seeing Liliya on the stretcher, Dusa was instantly dumbfounded; she had never imagined that Liliya would be carried back on a stretcher.


    However, fortunately, Liliya¡¯s injuries didn¡¯t seem too severe, as Dusa saw her struggling to get off the stretcher when she looked her way.


    Unfortunately, her struggles were stopped by the surrounding guards.


    ¡°What are you doing! Let me go!¡±


    Seeing the guards pressing down on her, preventing her from getting off, Liliya shouted loudly, but this time no one listened to her.


    New n????vel chapters are published on .c¦Ò?.


    ¡°Captain, bringing you back is a command from the City Lord, we can¡¯t obey you!¡±


    ¡°Let me go, you bunch of¡­ Dusa?¡±


    Liliya, who had been struggling incessantly, caught sight of Dusa by chance.


    ¡°Sister Liliya, what¡¯s happened to you, how could you be so badly injured¡­¡±


    Helping to carry the stretcher, Dusa looked towards Liliya with an anxious face, her eyes already brimming with tears.


    Seeing Dusa, Liliya, who had been ceaselessly striving to get off the stretcher, calmed down a bit and then smiled at Dusa: ¡°Little girl, sister is fine, it¡¯s just a minor injury from being careless.¡±


    Dusa couldn¡¯t possibly believe those obviously comforting words; besides, she wasn¡¯t blind. Liliya¡¯s body was covered in blood, and although most of it wasn¡¯t her own, a bloody wound on her arm couldn¡¯t be hidden from anyone.


    Liliya was injured, and the injuries were far from light!


    Therefore, afterward, Dusa didn¡¯t ask any more questions and, together with the guards, carried Liliya and the other injured back to the camp.


    After settling Liliya and the others, the leading Aga called Dusa to his side.


    ¡°Little girl, the City Lord has an order for you.¡±


    ¡°Ah? What order?¡±


    Hearing Aga¡¯s words, Dusa froze.


    ¡°The City Lord ordered you to keep an eye on Captain Liliya; no matter what, she must not leave the camp. Also, the village doctor will soon come over with others. I will leave two people here; when the time comes, you need to help out, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    She nodded emphatically and agreed. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After saying this, Aga left two guards who had also sustained minor injuries, and then hurriedly led the others away.


    Seeing Aga leading the people away in a hurry, Dusa suddenly remembered something and called out:


    ¡°Uncle Aga, what about my father? How is he doing?¡±


    ¡°The Instructor is fine, don¡¯t worry!¡±


    Shouting back, Aga left the camp with his men, and hearing his answer, Dusa was also much relieved.


    However, no sooner had she calmed down than she turned to see Liliya¡¯s figure.


    ¡°That bastard Rocky¡­ he¡¯s really infuriating!¡±


    Standing behind Dusa, Liliya muttered and then strode towards the exit of the camp, obviously intending to return to the battlefield!

 Chapter 95 - 95 - 94: Died

    Chapter 95 ¨C 94: Died


    ¡°Liliya, sister! You can¡¯t go!¡±


    Seeing Liliya trying to return to the battlefield, Dusa thought of Rocky¡¯s instructions and hurriedly spread her arms like an eagle catching a chick, blocking her way.


    ¡°Dusa, stop messing around!¡±


    Liliya glanced at Dusa and, without another word, walked around her. But as soon as she took a step, Dusa stepped across and stood in front of her again.


    ¡°Sister Liliya, the City Lord has instructed me to keep an eye on you, so I won¡¯t let you pass!¡±


    Biting her lip, Dusa was stubbornly unyielding, showing no sign of backing down.


    Her stubbornness frustrated Liliya. If it had been anyone else from the Guard Corps obstructing her, Liliya would have already knocked them down. However, she couldn¡¯t do that to Dusa, so she just sighed.


    ...


    As she sighed, she suddenly felt dizzy. If Dusa hadn¡¯t quickly supported her, Liliya would have almost collapsed.


    Liliya¡¯s injuries were not light at all!


    Although she might not have suffered severe external injuries, the cut the demons made on her arm caused her to lose too much blood, making her unfit for further battle, which was precisely why Rocky had ordered her to withdraw to the village.


    Feeling almost faint, Liliya had no choice but to return to the tent with Dusa¡¯s support and rest with the other injured brought back.


    Not long after, the village doctor arrived with the villagers and began treating the injured.


    Dusa naturally helped a lot during the treatment. Monte used to get injured often when he was still a Demon Hunter, so Dusa was quite experienced with such matters.


    But precisely because of this, when Dusa saw the wounds on the guards, she couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.


    The guards brought back had very severe injuries!


    Although there had been casualties in previous battles, the guards had only sustained minor injuries and had recovered after a few days of rest, including Monte, who was the most severely injured. But this time, the guards¡¯ injuries were much more serious.


    Among the guards who were brought back with Liliya, one had his chest torn open, a vast wound even tearing through his runic armor. When Dusa and the doctor were treating him, the guard was screaming nonstop. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he was relatively lucky compared to the other four who were brought back with him; their injuries were even more severe, and they had all fallen into a coma!


    How fierce was the battle still raging outside?


    All the guards involved in the direct combat were equipped with rune equipment!


    Although the rune equipment crafted by Rocky might not compare to Wensel¡¯s creations, it still packed some power. The combination of a runic shield and runic armor could significantly boost their defensive power, and normally, not even a black-eyed demon could severely injure a guard with a single blow.


    Yet here, all these guards were severely injured, even comatose!


    What did that imply?


    It implied they weren¡¯t just injured by a single strike from a demon; they must have been struck countless times to have such severe injuries!


    Just how many demons had come this time?!


    This question popped up in Dusa¡¯s mind once again, and evidently, the only one who knew the answer was Liliya.


    So after she finished helping the doctor with the wounded, she ran over to Liliya.


    Now it seemed that among those carried back, Liliya was the least injured, as she was still conscious at least.


    But if you thought that, you would be gravely mistaken.


    Because Liliya was wearing a full set of rune equipment crafted by Wensel. The fact that she was injured even with such gear meant one could only imagine how severe the strikes she endured in battle were!


    ¡°Sister Liliya, you¡­ you should drink some water first¡­¡±


    Seeing Liliya¡¯s cracked lips, a somewhat clueless Dusa hurriedly got her a cup of water, then sat beside her.


    ¡°Sister Liliya, how many demons have come outside, and how could everyone be injured like this?¡±


    ¡°Outside¡­¡±


    Facing Dusa¡¯s question, Liliya had just started to speak when another bout of chaotic footsteps came from outside the tent, and soon soldiers rushed into the tent carrying stretchers.


    More wounded had been carried in!


    Seeing more wounded being brought in, Dusa and Liliya naturally couldn¡¯t continue their casual chat. Dusa immediately went to help, and after Liliya gulped down the water in her cup, she also stood up resolutely and went to assist.


    The wounded brought back this time were from the troops of Backhill Village, and the number of injured soldiers was over a dozen. In order to help these wounded soldiers, everyone was frantically busy, not even having time to speak.


    Compared to the injuries of the Guard Corps, the soldiers from Backhill Village were more severely injured. They did not have rune equipment to protect themselves; wearing only regular equipment, they relied mainly on experience when facing the attacks of Demons, and basically had no external forces to rely on, so once injured, it was bound to be serious.


    In such a situation, every soldier brought back had severe wounds. The worst among them had a leg brutally torn off by a Demon, and his screams filled the tent upon being brought in, but not long after, the screams disappeared¡­


    He died.


    The battle against the Demons had finally begun to claim lives¡­


    As the deceased soldier was carried out of the tent, everyone inside fell silent, even the busy doctor spoke softer when directing others, as if he was whispering.


    An invisible gloom shrouded everyone.


    Under this oppressive gloom, after who knows how long of hustle, they finally managed to settle the new batch of the wounded, and then the tent fell into a deathly silence.


    In this deathly silence, the wounded soldiers either lay on beds or on the ground, each with a vacant look, not knowing what they were staring at, while the doctors and villagers of Backhill Village all remained silent, some silently shedding tears.


    Their village was not large, and everyone recognized each other, so even though not all the deceased guards were their relatives, it left the villagers feeling sorrowful nonetheless.


    This mood also affected Dusa, who likewise seemed drained of energy. She stopped talking and just sat next to Liliya, starting to zone out as if worried about something.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    Seeing Dusa zoning out by herself, Liliya wrapped an arm around her and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, Monte will be alright. At least, he had no problems when I was pulled back.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Dusa immediately turned her head, her face showing much less concern.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Why would I lie to you.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ what about the City Lord?¡±


    ¡°The City Lord¡­ that fool should be okay, I suppose¡­¡±


    Thinking of Rocky, Liliya felt a surge of anger. How could she have been injured if not for him?


    Unfortunately, not knowing what had happened, Dusa nodded upon hearing this and said with full conviction, ¡°Right! The City Lord is so powerful, he certainly won¡¯t have any problems!¡±


    After learning that both her father and Rocky were alright, Dusa¡¯s oppressed mood improved, and she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Sister Liliya, exactly how many Demons came this time?¡±


    ¡°Ten.¡±


    Liliya glanced at Dusa and immediately gave the answer.


    However, her reply not only shocked Dusa but also made the villagers of Backhill Village look at her, disbelief in each of their eyes.


    Ten Demons?


    How could that be possible!


    The forces of Backhill Village combined with Rocky¡¯s Guard Corps, how could these two forces suffer such severe losses against an attack of just ten Demons!


    But as everyone was incredulous, Liliya continued to say, ¡°At first there were only ten Demons, then another ten came, and then another ten, and then another, until when I was pulled back, another ten had arrived.¡±

 Chapter 96 - 96 - 95 Continuous!

    Chapter 96 ¨C 95 Continuous!


    Ten demons, then another ten, and then another ten, and then another ten, finally another ten!?


    Liliya¡¯s words left Dusa and the others momentarily unable to respond. They weren¡¯t sure if they hadn¡¯t heard clearly or hadn¡¯t counted properly, but they simply didn¡¯t grasp how many demons there actually were.


    But without a doubt, there were a lot of demons attacking this time!


    Indeed, that was the case.


    After hiding for so many days, the demons not only reappeared but did so like a relentless tide!


    The first wave of demons that appeared was indeed only ten, and this number had initially greatly relieved Lin Feng, who was in charge of the defense, because in his view, ten demons might not be few, but the troops of Backhill Village were definitely capable of repelling them.


    Not just him, even Rocky, who had rushed to the high wall first, relaxed, believing that Lin Feng would surely be able to hold them off.


    ...


    The actual situation was similar to what both had imagined. When Lin Feng led the troops of Backhill Village out beyond the high walls and engaged the ten demons, they quickly gained the upper hand, but at that moment, the second wave of demons appeared!


    The second wave of demons was also precisely ten in number. However, Lin Feng¡¯s troops had only just killed three from the first wave, so when the two groups of demons combined their forces, their numbers reached seventeen!


    Faced with these seventeen demons, Lin Feng and his troops instantly lost all their advantages!


    The Backhill Village troops numbered two hundred, but half of them were Archers and Mages, equipped for ranged combat. Only a hundred warriors could directly confront the demons, which meant each warrior was faced with the task of taking on nearly two demons, instantly multiplying the pressure on Lin Feng and his troops.


    Fortunately, Rocky responded quickly enough. Almost at the same time the second wave of demons appeared, he had Monte mobilize the Guard Corps, and immediately thereafter, he led the Guards out over the high wall.


    Rocky¡¯s timely support greatly reduced the pressure on Lin Feng and his troops, and with the help of the ranged units, they managed to steady the battle.


    But then, an unexpected turn of events occurred as the third wave of demons suddenly entered their field of vision!


    This third wave was also ten strong and charged directly into the battlefield on arrival!


    By the time this third wave appeared, Lin Feng and his troops along with Rocky and the Guard Corps had only just killed six demons, which meant that as the third wave joined the battle, the number of demons swelled to twenty-one!


    If one thought that twenty-one demons weren¡¯t enough, then the following fourth wave of demons completely threw everyone into panic.


    Shortly after the third wave entered the battlefield, the fourth wave appeared, also ten in number, and quickly joined the fray, imposing an almost mountainous pressure on both Rocky¡¯s and Lin Feng¡¯s troops as soon as they entered.


    At this moment, Rocky made a quick decision. He flew into the air and released a massive Magic Flash, signaling the Skyship troops!


    Facing such a multitude of demons, relying solely on their troops was no longer viable, so he decisively called for the Skyship.


    About ten minutes after the signal was sent, the Skyship arrived with utmost speed, and then followed the scene Dusa witnessed with the sound of cannons.


    The timely arrival of the Skyship relieved much of the pressure on everyone, but the tide of battle did not turn in their favor because the Skyship had arrived too late.


    The greatest function of the skyship was to take advantage of aerial superiority to bombard demons with the enormous power of magic cannons which could deal heavy damage to demons.


    However, in this battle by the time the skyship arrived at the battlefield, Rocky and Lin Feng had already led their troops into close combat with the demons, with both sides entangled with each other, making it impossible for the skyship to conduct a wide range of bombardment, after all, magic cannons do not discriminate.


    In such a situation, the arriving skyships could only bombard isolated demons as best as they could, and although this had a certain effect, it was very limited, which is why Dusa heard only sporadic sounds of cannon fire.


    Thus, the battlefield entered the most brutal phase where Rocky and Lin Feng, leading their respective troops, were thoroughly entwined in combat with the demons, engaging at close quarters. And as the battle continued, casualties started to mount.


    This led to the scene where Liliya was injured and carried back to the village.


    With her strength, Liliya should not have been injured so easily. Clad in her runic armor, her defense was second only to Rocky, and she would normally not be harmed.


    The real reason she was injured was not that she couldn¡¯t defeat the demons, but because she was protecting Rocky!


    In this battle, Rocky, wearing the Void Magic Armor, naturally became the primary force, because he could fly!


    The advantage of being able to fight in the air made him even more valuable on the battlefield than Lin Feng who had the highest rank, and Rocky himself was well aware of this. Therefore, he fought extremely bravely in combat, managing to entangle three demons by himself!


    To hold off three demons single-handedly was an act of courage that would make everyone give a thumbs-up. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But such an act was clearly beyond his capacity.


    Rocky was indeed strong with the enhancement from the Void Magic Armor. If the combat power of everyone was ranked, he would only be second to Lin Feng, even stronger than Monte who only had one hand left.


    But please don¡¯t forget, this strength came solely from the boost provided by the Void Magic Armor, and Rocky himself did not possess this kind of power.


    If the Void Magic Armor could provide a boost in raw power, when it came to combat experience, Rocky was severely lacking.


    He had participated in too few battles, which led to his serious lack of experience. This deficiency might not show when facing a small number of demons, but once the number exceeded a certain threshold, he simply could not cope.


    And so, as the battle went on, Rocky, who was holding off three demons, started to face increasingly dangerous situations. Multiple times he fell into extreme peril, often being snatched from midair by the demons he couldn¡¯t dodge in time, and it was to protect him that Liliya got injured.


    By the time Liliya was injured and carried back to the village, she didn¡¯t know what happened on the battlefield afterward, but she was certain that by the time she was evacuated, the fifth wave of demons had appeared!


    Yes, when Liliya was carried away, the fifth wave of demons arrived!


    Since Liliya was forcefully put on a stretcher when the fifth wave of demons appeared, she did not see the exact number of demons, but based on the previous situation, it could be inferred that there were no fewer than ten demons in the fifth wave!


    This is why she wanted to rush back to the battlefield as soon as she reached the camp. Liliya knew very well that once the fifth wave of demons joined the fight, the pressure on Rocky and Lin Feng would become even more enormous!


    This fact had actually been confirmed. The wounded soldiers who were carried back in succession were the best proof, with the increasing number of casualties clearly indicating that the pressure on the battlefield had reached unimaginable levels.


    In such circumstances, although Liliya kept comforting Dusa, she was far more worried than Dusa, equally eager to know the situation on the battlefield after her departure, wondering if a sixth or even a seventh wave of demons had appeared after the arrival of the fifth wave?


    PS: These chapters have been describing the battlefield indirectly; they might not be very dramatic, but don¡¯t worry, a real big battle with the demons is coming soon!

 Chapter 97 - 97 - 96 Tragic Victory...

    Chapter 97 ¨C 96 Tragic Victory¡­


    Compared to others, Liliya was actually even more worried about the situation on the battlefield, but unfortunately, just like everyone else, she could only wait in silence now. The only thing she could probably do was pray, praying that the gods would bestow their blessings.


    Regrettably, such prayers seemed futile, as more and more wounded soldiers were continuously brought back in the time that followed, undoubtedly proving that the battle was still ongoing and had become even more brutal.


    Time slipped away minute by minute, and the sky went from broad daylight to sunset. During this process, the number of wounded steadily increased, with soldiers from the Guard Corps and Backhill Village, amounting to dozens of people.


    In this situation, Liliya and Dusa didn¡¯t even have time to worry anymore. They did all they could to treat the wounded, which was the most they were able to do.


    ¡°Sister Liliya, listen¡­¡±


    After an indeterminate amount of time, just after she finished bandaging a wounded soldier, Dusa suddenly lifted her head. She looked towards the outside of the tent and said to Liliya, ¡°Sister Liliya, the artillery fire has stopped¡­¡±


    ¡°The artillery fire¡­¡±


    ...


    Dusa¡¯s words made Liliya listen carefully, realizing indeed, just as she said, the constant bombardment that was heard before had unknowingly ceased!


    The cessation of artillery fire¡ªcould it be that the battle was over?


    With this thought, Liliya quickly put aside everything in her hands and hurried out of the tent.


    Upon leaving the tent, she immediately ran toward the high wall, but after only a few steps, she faintly heard a series of noises coming from beyond the wall¡ªthat sound¡­ it was cheering!


    Cheering¡­ had they won? Could it be that Rocky and the others had already won?


    The faint cheering from the other side of the wall made Liliya pause for a moment before rushing toward the wall!


    But just as she arrived in front of the wall, before she could climb up, the gates of the wall were opened, and soon after, people appeared, carrying a large number of stretchers.


    It looked like the battle had indeed ended, and as soon as it did, the casualties from the battlefield were immediately brought back to the village.


    Under normal circumstances, this would all be expected, but when Liliya saw those carrying the wounded appear before her, she panicked because among these people was Monte!


    Monte was not lying on a stretcher; he was actually carrying one!


    Who could be injured that would make Monte personally carry a stretcher?


    The answer was self-evident!


    So Liliya immediately rushed toward Monte, and when she reached the stretcher he was carrying, she saw the scene she least wanted to witness¡ªRocky, clad in Void Magic Armor, was lying on the stretcher!


    ¡°Rocky!¡±


    At that moment, Rocky, who lay on the stretcher, was covered in blood, his face as pale as paper, which left Liliya completely stunned. Even in times when she had been seriously wounded without as much as furrowing her brow, she now suddenly burst into tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    As Liliya uncontrollably started crying, Rocky on the stretcher lifted his arm and slowly grabbed her small hand, then he revealed a smile.


    It was evident that Rocky was trying to make his smile appear as manly as possible, but given his current condition and pale face, his smile wasn¡¯t reassurance for Liliya, but rather it increased her heartache.


    So, without waiting for Rocky to finish speaking, Liliya eagerly asked, ¡°Where are you injured?¡±


    ¡°Do you still recognize who I am?¡±


    ¡°Where does it hurt on your body?¡±


    ¡°Can you move your leg?¡±


    As she ran alongside the stretcher toward the camp, Liliya bombarded him with questions in rapid succession, so quickly that Rocky simply couldn¡¯t keep up with the replies.


    Left with no choice, Rocky had to muster all his strength to make a stopping gesture to her, and only then did the incessantly questioning Liliya pause, and at last Rocky had the chance to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m not injured¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ It¡¯s just that the Void Magic Armor is out of mana¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to¡­ worry¡­¡±


    Although it was a short sentence, Rocky spoke in fits and starts, indicating that he had no energy left even to speak.


    But he was not lying. Even though he lay on a stretcher being carried, he was indeed uninjured; the reason he was on a stretcher was entirely due to exhaustion, and on top of that, the Void Magic Armor had run out of mana.


    The battle that had just ended had drained all of Rocky¡¯s strength, so as soon as it was over, he collapsed completely, unable to even stand.


    At the same time, the Void Magic Armor had also depleted its mana during the fight, and once the mana was gone, the full weight of the armor immediately pressed down on Rocky¡¯s body, making the already exhausted warrior feel as though he wore a small mountain, and leaving him no choice but to be carried back on a stretcher.


    This explanation did not come from Rocky himself, as he lacked the energy to explain, but from Monte, who told Liliya. After hearing Monter¡¯s words, Liliya¡¯s breakdown eased, and she ran back to the camp alongside the stretcher.


    The troops outside the city walls returned to the village in succession shortly thereafter, and the outcome of the battle was self-evident¡ªthey had won!


    However, Liliya did not know how exactly they had won. Having returned to the village early, she had not had time to ask before she joined the ranks of those treating the injured.


    In fact, even though the troops led by Rocky and Lin Feng had won, the victory had come at a colossal cost. The casualties of the battle were staggeringly high, leaving those who heard about it dumbfounded.


    In this battle, Rocky and Lin Feng had led their respective units into the fray; a total of 300 warriors had entered the battle, but by the end, the number of those either wounded or killed was as high as 63, with 45 injured and 18 dead!


    With 300 joining the fight, 63 had become casualties, a ratio of one in five!


    But even this high casualty rate was not accurate, for out of the 300 who participated, a full 100 were part of a ranged unit. This means that these 100 supported the fight but did not engage in direct combat with the demons, leaving only 200 warriors who truly fought hand-to-hand with the demons!


    So, if we talk about the casualty rate among the warriors in this battle, the number would be even more staggering, exceeding one in four! That is to say, after the battle, on average, one out of every four warriors was injured, and out of every ten, a warrior was killed by the demons!


    The battle against the demons was just that brutal! sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A hundred years ago, there was a reason why the demons swept across the continent as soon as they appeared; that reason was that they were too powerful, so mighty that human strength could hardly compete.


    And today¡¯s battle served as the best proof of this. And please do not forget, the number of demons Rocky and Lin Feng faced today did not exceed a hundred!


    So when the battle was over, there was no time to revel in the joy of victory. Treating the wounded, reorganizing the troops, and other matters awaited their attention because no one knew if the demons would attack again tomorrow, and everyone needed to continue preparations for the next battle.


    That night, no one in Backhill Village got any sleep; they were busy until dawn, when they finally got a brief moment to rest.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    Sitting beside Rocky¡¯s bed, Liliya saw that he had woken up and handed him a glass of water while asking with concern.


    Since Rocky was carried back, Liliya stopped attending to others, devoting all her attention to caring for him, and Rocky had fallen into a deep slumber upon his return, sleeping through the whole night before waking.


    ¡°Much better¡­¡± Taking a sip of water, Rocky looked at Liliya and noticed she looked haggard, obviously having not slept all night.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to take such care of me, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Seeing that Liliya had been taking care of him, Rocky felt a pang of discomfort, but at the same time, his heart was warmed. Even though he knew his words would likely be in vain, he still hoped that Liliya would take some rest.


    As he had anticipated, Liliya gave him an indifferent look. ¡°I¡¯m not seriously affected.¡±


    After saying this, she eagerly asked, ¡°What happened after I left yesterday¡¯s battle? Did more demons come?¡±


    Liliya had been very concerned about yesterday¡¯s fight, even now that the battle was over, she still wanted to understand what had happened.


    Hearing her question, Rocky simply nodded. ¡°They did.¡±


    At this point, he took another sip of water and then continued, ¡°After you left yesterday, the fifth wave of demons arrived, followed by another, making it a total of six waves of demons.¡±

 Chapter 98 - 98 - 97: Mission Change

    Chapter 98 ¨C 97: Mission Change


    ¡°In yesterday¡¯s battle, a total of six waves of Demons came,¡±


    Rocky said flatly.


    But his matter-of-fact tone did nothing to reduce the impact of his words, and upon hearing this, Liliya couldn¡¯t help but gasp.


    ¡°¡­Six waves of Demons?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, during yesterday¡¯s battle, sixty Demons came in total¡­¡± While speaking, Rocky glanced at Liliya and then, without warning, flashed a grin. ¡°Heh, I killed four Demons in the fight! Pretty impressive, huh?¡±


    ¡°Impressive my foot!¡±


    Seeing Rocky suddenly adopt a teasing and smiling demeanor, Liliya couldn¡¯t restrain herself and, raising her fist, thumped him on the head!


    ...


    Didn¡¯t he realize how worried everyone was?


    Struck on the head by Liliya¡¯s fist, Rocky chuckled twice, and Liliya, helpless at his reaction, rolled her eyes before pressing on, ¡°Since another wave of Demons came after I left, how on earth did you win?¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With six waves of Demons in total, that made sixty of them! Although the Demons were being killed off during the process, it was not as fast as their arrival, which meant the number of Demons they faced kept increasing.


    Honestly, Liliya couldn¡¯t comprehend how Rocky and the others could have possibly won such a battle; she clearly remembered that when she was carried back to the village, the forces on the battlefield had already been pushed to their limits and simply couldn¡¯t withstand any more assaults from the Demons.


    ¡°It was all thanks to the Skyships.¡±


    Yet, faced with her question, Rocky directly provided the answer.


    The reason why they managed to win yesterday¡¯s battle was that the Skyships played a crucial role!


    Although the Skyships joined the battlefield late, arriving when the fourth wave of Demons had not only already arrived but were entangled in combat with the soldiers, this caused the Skyships to fail to exert their full power, and their effect was extremely limited on the battlefield.


    However, as the fifth and sixth waves of Demons appeared one after the other, the significance of the Skyships became evident.


    When the fifth wave of Demons appeared, the Skyships directly bombarded them with fierce firepower. Ten Skyships firing in unison blew away more than half of this wave before they could join the battle.


    And by the time the sixth wave of Demons appeared, the Skyships followed suit, resulting in numerous casualties under their bombardment as well.


    Therefore, although two more waves of Demons arrived after Liliya had returned to the village, thanks to the Skyships, these waves did not exert too much pressure on Rocky and Lin Feng, at least not fatal pressure. It was for this reason that they finally achieved victory.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it was¡­¡±


    Listening to Rocky¡¯s brief account of the battlefield situation after her departure, Liliya contemplated as she nodded, then looked at him.


    ¡°Rocky, what do you plan to do next?¡±


    Although they had won yesterday¡¯s battle, the mission was far from over. Less than half of the month had passed, meaning the Demons would continue their assaults, and Rocky would have to keep defending.


    But after yesterday¡¯s fierce battle, both the Guard Corps and the Backhill Village forces had suffered heavy losses. The Guard Corps had over ten injured and three fatalities; the number who could participate in the next battle would not exceed eighty.


    Compared to that, the losses of Backhill Village were even more severe. Due to the poor equipment of the soldiers from Backhill Village, over twenty were injured in the battle and more than ten died on the battlefield, greatly diminishing their strength.


    Because of this, it became impossible for either Rocky or Lin Feng to continue to fight the Demons with their own troops separately. Moreover, from the last battle, it was clear that there would be no more minor skirmishes against just a few Demons. Each battle from now on was bound to be a bitter struggle!


    So, how to defend became the current priority.


    And regarding this matter, Rocky had already made some plans, so he directly said, ¡°From now on, both sides must defend together; otherwise, we will definitely not be able to withstand the Demons. I will lead the Guard Corps, and Lin Feng will lead the troops from Backhill Village. Each of us will command our own forces; there is no other way.¡±


    It was quite coincidental that just as Rocky had finished speaking, someone entered his tent, and it was none other than Lin Feng.


    ¡°Commander Rocky, how are you feeling?¡±


    As Lin Feng walked into the tent, he nodded to Liliya and then came over to Rocky¡¯s bedside, asking with concern.


    ¡°Much better, I reckon I¡¯ll be fine after resting for one more day.¡±


    With a slight smile, Rocky sat up from the bed and said, ¡°Captain Lin Feng, you¡¯ve come about merging our troops together, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Lin Feng¡¯s arrival was not unexpected, much like Liliya was concerned about how to cope with the upcoming battles, Lin Feng would naturally think of this too.


    ¡°Right, I wanted to ask for your opinion.¡±


    Indeed, Lin Feng nodded directly, indicating that he was indeed there for this reason.


    Afterward, Rocky discussed the matter with him. They had no objections to merging their forces because both had mentioned this point at the start of the mission, and everyone had been prepared for it early on.


    So the issue was quickly settled after a brief discussion, with both sides agreeing to lead their troops together in the coming battles, each commanding their own teams.


    At the same time, the Skyships could not continue to remain idle above Break-Sky Mountain. The location where the Skyships were docked was a bit too far from Backhill Village. Although it would only take about ten minutes to get there, in the rapidly changing battlefield, this time was enough to determine the outcome of a battle.


    In fact, in the previous battle, if the Skyships had arrived earlier, the casualties of the troops would certainly not have been so great.


    Therefore, Rocky decided to dispatch two Skyships for patrol every day; on one hand, to provide early warning, and on the other hand, to allow these two Skyships to quickly join the Armor in suppressing the battlefield as soon as the battle started, before the other Skyships arrived.


    After they had finished discussing this matter, Lin Feng told Rocky about another issue.


    He indeed had other matters to discuss with Rocky.


    ¡°Commander Rocky, I discussed with the village chief yesterday. The number of Demons is too great this time. If we continue fighting, I estimate that it will be difficult for us to last a month, so it¡¯s been decided to shorten the mining schedule to twenty days.¡±


    ¡°Reducing the mining period means that your mission time is now twenty days instead of a month. But rest assured, Commander Rocky, the commission for the mission will still be paid as we previously agreed, and all the Demons killed in battle, including those we kill, will belong to you.¡±


    ¡°Commander Rocky, what do you think?¡±


    Having said that, Lin Feng looked at Rocky, seemingly waiting for his response.


    It was exceptionally rare, but in Lin Feng¡¯s gaze, there was also a hint of nervousness, as if he feared that Rocky would refuse his proposition.

 Chapter 99 - 99 - 98: Huge Profits

    Chapter 99 ¨C 98: Huge Profits


    Watching Rocky, Lin Feng felt an unusual sense of nervousness, fearing that Rocky might refuse him.


    For the real purpose of his visit was exactly this matter.


    Just as he had mentioned earlier, the mining had indeed attracted too many demons, far beyond Lin Feng¡¯s expectations, forcing him and the village chief to decide to end the mining early. Otherwise, Backhill Village would definitely not last a month.


    Another reason for this decision was that Lin Feng and the village chief hoped it would make Rocky stay! S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn¡¯t about having him lead his troops to stay in Backhill Village forever, but to stay until the task was completed, which was the most crucial matter for Backhill Village.


    The battle yesterday had devastated the village¡¯s forces, not only were many injured, but many had died, greatly weakening their strength. Under such circumstances, the primary defense naturally shifted to Rocky and his led Mercenary Group, also known as the Guard Corps.


    Although the Guard Corps also suffered casualties in yesterday¡¯s fight, the proportion was not very high, and they still maintained a considerable fighting strength.


    ...


    At the same time, the performance of the Skyships during yesterday¡¯s battle was also impressive. Had it not been for the ten Skyships blocking the fifth and sixth waves of demons at a critical moment, the outcome of yesterday¡¯s battle might have been different.


    Considering all these factors, Rocky and his Guard Corps had now become the main defense force of Backhill Village. Whether Backhill Village could withstand the next demon attack completely depended on Rocky, the Guard Corps, and the performance of the Skyships.


    This was why Lin Feng and the people of Backhill Village were very worried, worried that Rocky might leave before the task was finished.


    After experiencing the great battle yesterday, even a fool could understand that the next battle would be even more terrible. Therefore, it was normal for Rocky to leave early, especially since the survival of Backhill Village had nothing to do with him; he was just there to complete a mission, and that was all.


    Once Rocky led his troops away, especially taking the ten Skyships with him, there would be no doubt that Backhill Village would be overrun in the demons¡¯ next attack, just like it had been six months ago.


    However, unlike six months ago, this time Backhill Village didn¡¯t have six or seven hundred soldiers to resist the demons!


    In such a situation, to retain Rocky and his troops, Lin Feng and Old Jack had jointly decided to reduce the mining period to twenty days. By shortening the mining time, Rocky¡¯s defensive task would naturally be alleviated.


    Additionally, Backhill Village increased the commission significantly, hoping this would encourage Rocky to stay.


    Perhaps some might find it odd, as the commission for this mission hadn¡¯t seemed to increase, had it? Lin Feng had merely stated that Rocky could take all the demon corpses, and that was it.


    Indeed, Lin Feng had only made that brief statement, which might seem trivial, but the difference was actually huge!


    In this mission, the commission involving gold coins and minerals was actually minor; the real value lay in the spoils of the battle, which were the demon corpses!


    It¡¯s worth noting that the corpses of Sky Demons were highly valuable, selling for at least a few thousand gold coins each, and it wasn¡¯t unusual for them to fetch tens of thousands. Thus, the more demon corpses Rocky acquired, the more money he could earn.


    But according to the previous agreement, only the demons killed by Rocky and the Guard Corps were considered their spoils and could be taken; those killed by Lin Feng and other people from Backhill Village were not theirs to touch, as those belonged to the village¡¯s spoils.


    However, in order to retain Rocky, the people of Backhill Village decided to give up their share of the spoils and hand them all over to Rocky.


    For Rocky, this was absolutely a huge gain!


    From the start of the mission to now, between Rocky and Lin Feng, they had eliminated at least seventy demons together. This meant that if the mission ended now, Rocky would have gotten at least seventy Black-eyed Demon corpses!


    Perhaps the Black-eyed Demons were not particularly powerful, and their corpses might not fetch a high price, but they could surely be sold for at least a thousand Gold Coins each, right?


    Seventy corpses, even if each only sold for a thousand Gold Coins, that was seventy thousand Gold Coins!


    Moreover, the corpses of the Black-eyed Demons were definitely worth more than a thousand Gold Coins. The actual price would certainly be much higher, and the money Rocky could earn would definitely exceed seventy thousand Gold Coins.


    And let¡¯s not forget, the mission hadn¡¯t ended yet!


    In the upcoming tasks, battles were bound to continue and more demons were sure to come, so Rocky would obtain even more Black-eyed Demon corpses, meaning that when the mission ended successfully, it was no exaggeration to say that Rocky could obtain at least a hundred demon corpses!


    A hundred demon corpses, all converted into Gold Coins, how much money would that be!


    Even if Rocky wasn¡¯t as sensitive to Gold Coins and numbers as Aileen, he knew this was definitely a substantial gain, so large that it could fill the entire treasury of Thunderhawk City!


    So when Lin Feng finished speaking, Rocky furrowed his brows and couldn¡¯t help but fall into deep thought.


    To say he had never thought of giving up the mission would be impossible, especially since the level of danger had already exceeded his expectations, particularly after the end of yesterday¡¯s battle when Rocky indeed had thoughts of giving up.


    But, he hesitated.


    This hesitation stemmed from wondering what would happen to Thunderhawk City if he abandoned the mission.


    In Backhill Village, Rocky¡¯s identity was just that of a Mercenary Group Leader, but if he truly were just a commander, it would be fine, but alas, he was not; his true identity was the lord of a city.


    As the lord of a city, Rocky had too many things to consider, such as how, without the commission from this mission, Thunderhawk City would fall into the same financial straits as before, and then what?


    Giving up the mission was easy, but getting Thunderhawk City through another crisis was difficult.


    It was because of these concerns that when Lin Feng increased the commission to retain Rocky, Rocky had to carefully consider whether to stay for this substantial amount of commission or to prioritize safety and leave early¡­?


    Two choices, each with its pros and cons, it was up to Rocky to weigh them.


    However, surprisingly, Rocky made his choice almost without any hesitation. He then stretched out his palm and said, ¡°Captain Lin Feng, let¡¯s do as you said, we will definitely persist until the end of this mission.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡±


    Hearing his words, Lin Feng let out a big sigh of relief, showed a smile on his face, and extended his own palm, tightly clasping it with Rocky¡¯s!

 Chapter 100 - 100 - 99: Trouble Again!

    Chapter 100 ¨C 99: Trouble Again!


    After everything with Rocky was settled, Lin Feng left, and with the day having fully dawned and Rocky needing recuperation, the entire defense of the village fell on Lin Feng alone, which meant he couldn¡¯t afford to stay for long.


    After Lin Feng had left, Rocky assigned Liliya a new task, asking her to check on the mood of the Guard Corps. At such a critical moment, it would be very troubling if there were any issues among the Guard Corps.


    This task would normally have been done by Rocky himself, because even though Liliya and Monte were highly regarded in the hearts of the guards, they still couldn¡¯t compare to Rocky. In the eyes of the guards, Rocky was not only their City Lord but also their idol. His personal presence would have definitely boosted their morale considerably.


    Regrettably, it wasn¡¯t that Rocky didn¡¯t want to go, but his body simply didn¡¯t allow it. The previous battle had completely drained him, and he couldn¡¯t get out of bed without a day¡¯s rest. If he had gone to the Guard Corps in his frail condition, it likely would not have boosted their morale, but instead, might have demoralized them even further.


    Therefore, this task could only be entrusted to Liliya to first check on the spirits of the guards.


    And once Liliya had also left the tent, the bedridden Rocky quietly lay on his bed, pondering how to defend next while he waited for time to slowly pass.


    A day slowly went by, and it was yet another uneventful day¡­


    ...


    As for today¡¯s calm, whether it was Rocky, Lin Feng, or anyone else, they all had expected it, since a similar situation had just happened recently.


    The recurrence of similar conditions had given everyone experience; they all knew this moment of calm was just the quiet before the next storm arrived.


    Yet likewise, this foreboding also increased everyone¡¯s stress, because it implied that when the demons appeared next time, a fierce battle would erupt again!


    Facing this imminent fierce battle, no one could prevent it; everyone could only wait behind the small high walls, waiting for what was inevitable to gradually arrive.


    However, this calm wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing for Backhill Village now; at the very least, it allowed the soldiers who had just fought in the dreadful battle to fully rest and the injured soldiers to take the chance to heal.


    Just like that, the next day arrived in the blink of an eye.


    The bedridden Rocky was finally able to get out of bed. After he left his bed, he moved around to stretch his muscles and found that although there was still a sensation of soreness, it was essentially manageable; participating in the next battle would absolutely not be a problem.


    With that, he immediately went to the Guard Corps.


    The day before, Rocky had arranged for Liliya to check on the guards, but the news Liliya brought back wasn¡¯t good. After the previous dreadful battle, the morale of the guards was very low, almost as if they had been through a devastating defeat.


    This worried Rocky a lot, because in the upcoming battle, the Guard Corps would be the main defense force. If there were issues with their mindset, then the battle could not be fought. So the moment Rocky recovered, he hurried to the Guard Corps.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Rocky arrived at the small training field of the camp. The guards had just finished their routine training and were resting.


    ¡°My lord!¡±


    ¡°My lord!¡±


    ¡°My lord, you¡¯ve come!¡±


    The guards, who were resting on the spot, quickly stood up at the sight of Rocky and instinctively began to form ranks.


    ¡°No need to form ranks; I just came to see how you all are. Please, sit down.¡±


    Waving his hand at everyone, Rocky not only dispensed with formalities but also sat down on the ground with them.


    ¡°How are you holding up?¡±


    Sitting in a circle with the guards, Rocky didn¡¯t give a speech but instead started chatting with them.


    Through this mission, especially after several consecutive battles, Rocky had become very familiar with these guards, and now he could accurately name each person in the Guard Corps.


    Similarly, the guards had become more familiar with him than before. At this point, although they still respected Rocky greatly, they no longer felt he was so unapproachable, but rather more affable.


    However, even so, when Rocky finished speaking, everyone still fell into silence, their heads lowered, none responding to his question, which made the atmosphere turn tense.


    ¡°I heard from Liliya that you are not in a good state?¡±


    In this tense atmosphere, Rocky spoke again.


    Unfortunately, no one answered him this time either.


    ¡°Are you¡­ afraid of battle?¡± Rocky asked calmly as he looked at the silent guards, ¡°Or is it that¡­ you are afraid of dying?¡±


    When he finished these words, some of the silent guards raised their heads, some even with tears in their eyes.


    Death, a common occurrence on battlefields, is something no one wants to accept or even mention. Yet, in the last battle, although the casualties within the Guard Corps were fewer than those of Backhill Village¡¯s troops, people still died on the battlefield, an unprecedented occurrence for everyone, leaving them unsure of how to cope.


    ¡°Lord¡­ Uncle Reed died¡­ he died¡­¡±


    At that moment, a young figure suddenly stood up and looked at Rocky.


    ¡°Robin¡­¡±


    The one who stood up was none other than Robin, the youngest member of the Guard Corps. He looked at Rocky while tears streamed down his face, appearing overwhelmingly distressed.


    As for Reed, whom he mentioned, Rocky knew him well. Reed was a naively honest uncle, just a year younger than Aga, and was considered an elder in the Guard Corps. He usually took good care of everyone and was particularly protective of Robin, the youngest. Therefore, the two had a very good relationship and emotional connection.


    However, during the last battle, Reed did not survive; he was pierced in the chest by a demon and died instantly.


    This incident had deeply affected Robin. Therefore, when Rocky mentioned death, Robin thought of Reed, and his emotions instantly became uncontrollable, bursting into tears and sobs.


    Rocky had a profound impression of Robin. He still remembered how this tiger-headed young man looked during the assessment, and through their interactions over this period, he understood that Robin was entirely driven by emotions.


    Following that, Rocky beckoned to Robin, signaling him to come over.


    ¡°Robin, are you scared? Scared of dying on the battlefield like Reed?¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not scared! I want to avenge Uncle Reed!¡±


    Asked thus by Rocky, Robin immediately lifted his head, his assertion unwavering.


    This response made Rocky nod and then he turned to the other guards, asking the same question.


    ¡°Are you scared? Are you scared of dying on the battlefield like Reed?¡±


    The same question, yet there were different answers. Some guards shook their heads, others lowered theirs, everyone reacted differently.


    ¡°Sir¡­ aren¡¯t you¡­ aren¡¯t you scared? Aren¡¯t you afraid of dying¡­¡±


    It was unclear who suddenly asked Rocky in return, directing everyone¡¯s gaze towards him.


    ¡°Not scared.¡±


    Without the slightest hesitation, Rocky shook his head: ¡°I am not afraid, because I have all of you.¡±


    Such a reply stunned all the guards, but Rocky did not elaborate further. He promptly stood up: ¡°Everyone, buck up! We will definitely make it back alive this time!¡±


    After saying this, he left the drill ground and headed straight for his tent, moving very hurriedly.


    He was indeed in a hurry because while he was chatting with the guards, he saw Monte arriving at the camp with Felly, and Monte soon gave him a meaningful glance from afar, indicating they go inside the tent first.


    Given the circumstances, Rocky had to abruptly end the conversation, as clearly something was up!


    In this mission, Felly had not stayed in Backhill Village to participate in the frontal combat but had been assigned by Rocky as the Commander of the Skyship, in charge of directing ten skyships to support the battlefield.


    After the last battle, Rocky had ordered the skyships to patrol in groups of two around Backhill Village daily, and to immediately report any demon sightings; Felly was responsible for this task.


    Therefore, in principle, Felly should not have appeared at the camp; he should have been commanding the skyships from the sky!


    Back in the tent, Rocky saw Felly and Monte already waiting for him.


    ¡°Felly, what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    As soon as he saw Felly, Rocky immediately asked.


    ¡°Sir, I spotted demons while patrolling!¡±


    Without wasting any time, Felly directly said, and upon hearing this, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath. The demons came so soon? S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°How many demons did you see? When are they likely to attack?¡±


    As he spoke, Rocky was ready to leave the tent and lead his troops out to strike.


    But at that moment, Felly stopped him: ¡°Sir, please don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve scattered the demons, but I came back to report because something seemed off.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Rocky sharply turned towards Felly, not understanding his meaning.

 Chapter 101 - 101 - 100: Ridiculous Idea

    Chapter 101 ¨C 100: Ridiculous Idea


    ¡°Demons¡­ you scattered them?¡±


    Looking at Felly, Rocky clearly did not understand what he meant, so he asked, ¡°Tell me exactly what happened.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Felly responded and said, ¡°Sir, when I was leading two skyships on patrol, we happened to see a few demons all moving in the same direction. I thought they were about to attack Backhill Village, so I immediately ordered the skyships to follow them.¡±


    ¡°But then I discovered that the demons were not heading to attack Backhill Village; instead, they were gathering together.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    After Felly finished speaking, Rocky was startled and asked, ¡°What do you mean the demons were gathering together?¡±


    ¡°Demons from all directions were converging on one place. By the time we discovered them, more than twenty demons had already gathered. Fearing they might attack Backhill Village, I ordered the skyships to bombard them, scattering the gathered demons.¡±


    ...


    In just a few words, Felly had summarized the situation to Rocky, and although his words were brief, they caused both Rocky and Monte to furrow their brows after hearing them!


    Demons, gathering together?


    This discovery was extremely important! But how could this be possible?


    Rocky had never heard of such a thing before, so he looked to Monte, who had once been a Demon Hunter and was most knowledgeable about demon behavior.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never encountered anything like this either, but if it¡¯s the Black-eyed Demon, it might be unusual, yet not impossible. After all, Black-eyed Demons are communal creatures.¡±


    Seeing Rocky looking at him, Monte spoke up. Although he had never personally witnessed a similar situation, given the communal nature of Black-eyed Demons, it was not beyond the realm of possibility that they would gather and act together.


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Felly interjected, ¡°Sir, it wasn¡¯t just Black-eyed Demons that were gathering; there were other types of demons as well.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    With Felly¡¯s words, Monte was immediately taken aback and quickly followed up with, ¡°Felly, are you absolutely certain you weren¡¯t mistaken?¡±


    ¡°Instructor, I¡¯m absolutely sure because the other demons with the Black-eyed Demons had distinct features: they had two horns on their heads and their heads looked like those of cows; they also had Scale Armor. When I ordered the skyships to bombard, the Black-eyed Demons were quickly dispersed, but these types of demons kept charging into the sky, so I definitely could not have been mistaken.¡±


    ¡°The armored bull demons¡­¡±


    Upon hearing Felly¡¯s description, Monte immediately recognized what type of demon he had seen, and his expression changed.


    ¡°Sir! Something isn¡¯t right here!¡±


    Turning his head, Monte immediately said to Rocky, ¡°Sir, if it were just Black-eyed Demons gathering together, perhaps it could be explained, but the presence of armored bull demons as well is very suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because armored bull demons are solitary creatures. They are extremely territorial, and typically, there¡¯s only one armored bull demon per territory, never exceeding two.¡±


    ¡°¡­Felly, how many armored bull demons did you see?¡±


    After hearing Monte¡¯s explanation, Rocky asked Felly.


    ¡°At least three, I¡¯m absolutely certain I wasn¡¯t mistaken.¡±


    When faced with this question, Felly was very certain in his response.


    This made things clear; different types of Demons had gathered together for some unknown reason¡ªthis was the intelligence Felly had brought back.


    This was extremely important intelligence! Because if nothing unexpected happened, these gathered Demons were most likely targeting Backhill Village!


    As this possibility emerged in his mind, Rocky could no longer remain calm. He hurriedly sent Monte to call Lin Feng and Liliya over because they also needed to know about this.


    Not long after, Lin Feng and Liliya arrived at Rocky¡¯s tent, and Felly repeated what he had said before. Once he finished, Lin Feng and Liliya also fell into deep thought.


    ¡°Captain Lin Feng, have you encountered this kind of situation before?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Shaking his head at Rocky, Lin Feng frowned deeply, ¡°In the past during our mining, the attracted Demons would immediately attack the village. They never gathered together like this.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that the Demons are gathering this time because they are organized?¡±


    Realizing that Lin Feng had also never encountered such a situation, Rocky voiced his own thoughts. He believed that since different types of Demons had gathered, including both solitary and social ones, their gathering must not be spontaneous but organized!


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    ¡°Rocky, it won¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°Right, how could Demons possibly be organized.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No sooner had he finished speaking than he faced unanimous opposition from everyone, whether it was Lin Feng or Liliya, or even Monte. They all shook their heads as if they were spinning drums, indicating that he was completely wrong.


    This left Rocky somewhat bewildered; he didn¡¯t think he had said anything incorrect!


    His thought wasn¡¯t just blind conjecture; it had occurred to him right after the last battle.


    The reason the last battle had been so fierce was because there were too many Demons. But why had the number of Demons suddenly increased so much? Naturally, it was because of the lurking in the previous days!


    Before the battle occurred, the Demons had completely disappeared for six days, and then suddenly appeared, continuing to emerge in six waves one after another. Could there be no connection between these two events?


    Rocky believed there must be a connection. It was precisely because the scattered Demons had gathered together during those six days that the attack was so fierce.


    Not only did Rocky believe that the Demons were organized, but he also thought they were commanded, otherwise why would the exact count of ten appear in each of the six waves of Demons?


    So, he was perplexed as to where he had spoken incorrectly to face such unanimous rebuttal.


    Unfortunately, even after he shared his thoughts and rationale, Lin Feng, Liliya, and Monte still continuously shook their heads.


    ¡°Rocky, the things you¡¯re thinking about simply aren¡¯t possible. Demons can¡¯t be organized, much less commanded.¡±


    Even as Rocky tried his best to explain his ideas, Liliya still said, ¡°Demons have occupied the land for a century, and since the very first day they appeared, these beasts have acted purely on instinct, regardless of whether they are high-level or low-level Demons.¡±


    ¡°Miss Liliya is correct.¡± After Liliya finished speaking, Lin Feng also said, ¡°Commander Rocky, I¡¯ve lived in Backhill Village since I was born, but I¡¯ve never heard of Demons being organized. Moreover, if Demons could be organized to act collectively, our Backhill Village would have been annihilated long ago, right?¡±


    ¡°More than just Backhill Village, if Demons could be organized and obey commands, I¡¯m afraid these beasts wouldn¡¯t only occupy the land; they would have taken to the skies long ago.¡±


    As Liliya, Lin Feng, and Monte spoke, they shook their heads; not one of them thought Rocky¡¯s idea was correct, even going so far as to find it somewhat ludicrous¡­

 Chapter 102 - 102 - 101: Taking the Initiative

    Chapter 102 ¨C 101: Taking the Initiative


    ¡°`


    Regarding Rocky¡¯s idea, Liliya and others repeatedly shook their heads, which made him very distressed.


    However, the reason why Liliya and the others did this was not because they were obstinate, but because demons had been around for a hundred years, and in that time, people had thoroughly researched them. This in-depth study was evident from the fact that demon corpses could be used as resources.


    Under such thorough research, there was no evidence to suggest that demons possessed organizational abilities.


    Demons were undoubtedly powerful, but they also had their weaknesses. For example, their intelligence was very low. They were essentially monsters driven entirely by instinct, which means that beneath their formidable bodies lay not-so-bright brains.


    That is also why people were still able to live in the sky after losing the land. If demons were not solely driven by instinct and had become organized and strategic, then these monsters would have already attacked the sky, and the world would have been completely occupied by them. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because of this clear understanding, Liliya and the others simply laughed off Rocky¡¯s idea.


    ...


    ¡°So why do you think the demons are starting to gather?¡±


    Rocky was naturally dissatisfied with everyone¡¯s attitude. As a transmigrator, he didn¡¯t hold any preconceived notions. He felt that both the previous battles and the intelligence brought back by Felly were proving that the demons were launching organized attacks on Backhill Village, but why wouldn¡¯t anyone believe it?


    Indeed, it¡¯s possible that the demons were just a group of mindless monsters for a hundred years, but even if they were monsters, couldn¡¯t they evolve?


    Could it be that monsters couldn¡¯t gradually evolve intelligence?


    After all, it has been a hundred years since the demons appeared! In such a long time, any species could undergo fundamental changes, even demons!


    ¡°Commander Rocky, let¡¯s not dwell on this issue,¡±


    Seeing Rocky being persistent, Lin Feng spoke up to mediate, then said, ¡°I think we can put the discussion about why the demons are gathering near the village aside for now. Let¡¯s discuss how to deal with these gathered demons first.¡±


    Although he did not agree with Rocky¡¯s idea, Lin Feng¡¯s words hit the nail on the head. For Backhill Village at present, the reason behind the demons¡¯ gathering was not important. What mattered was how they should handle it if the gathered demons began to attack.


    Following Lin Feng¡¯s redirection, the focus of the conversation shifted to this issue.


    Then Rocky turned to look at Felly:


    ¡°Felly, how far are those demons from the village?¡±


    ¡°About a dozen miles away.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Captain Lin Feng, do you think it¡¯s possible that the demons¡¯ target is not Backhill Village?¡±


    After hearing Felly¡¯s answer, Rocky turned his gaze back to Lin Feng.


    Unfortunately, Lin Feng just shook his head: ¡°To the north of Break-Sky Mountain, there is only our village; no other places are inhabited, so the demons¡¯ target is definitely here. There should be no mistake about that.¡±


    ¡°In that case¡­ the primary question now is exactly how many demons there are.¡± When Lin Feng finished speaking, Liliya opened her mouth: ¡°If there are only twenty or thirty demons gathered together, then even if stronger armored bull demons join them, we can still hold the village with the advantage of the high walls and skyships, even withstand several waves of attack.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ If the number of gathered demons is too large, for instance, like last time, reaching fifty or sixty, or even a hundred, then it would be difficult for us to defend.¡±


    Liliya¡¯s words made everyone nod in agreement.


    ¡°`


    The most critical issue now is indeed the number. If there aren¡¯t many demons, it¡¯s manageable, but once their numbers grow, say, they appear in groups of fifty or sixty demons, or even more, then what should be done for defense becomes the key issue!


    This question caused everyone in the tent to lower their heads, all sinking into deep thought, earnestly contemplating countermeasures.


    After a good while, Lin Feng was the first to lift his head, but he did not speak. Instead, he turned his gaze to Rocky.


    ¡°Commander Rocky, what do you think we should do?¡±


    Seeing that Lin Feng was asking for his opinion, Rocky thought for a moment and then said, ¡°The best method¡­ is probably to dispatch the skyships on the offensive, to find the demons gathered together and then bomb them. This way, we can not only disperse them, but also reduce their numbers.¡±


    ¡°Good! I agree with Commander Rocky¡¯s idea!¡±


    Just as Rocky finished speaking, Lin Feng immediately seconded the motion, leaving Rocky feeling a bit helpless.


    Lin Feng agreed with the plan without even thinking about it, indicating that he had also come up with it long ago but inquired Rocky¡¯s opinion out of respect, as the skyships were not under his command. Otherwise, given Lin Feng¡¯s cautious nature, he definitely would not have reacted as such.


    Of course, there was no need for Rocky to point this out, so he then instructed Felly, ¡°Notify the other skyships immediately that from now on all skyships are to go on patrol. As soon as they encounter demons attempting to gather, they must report it right away, and then all the skyships will carry out bombing together.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Also, you came back in a skyship this time, right?¡±


    As Felly saluted and prepared to carry out the orders, Rocky asked him another question.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Felly nodded blankly. Of course, he had come back in a skyship.


    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll join you on patrol.¡±


    Seeing Felly nod, Rocky directly stated that he would join Felly on patrol!


    ¡°No!¡±


    However, no sooner had he finished speaking than Liliya expressed her opposition.


    Unfortunately for her, Rocky¡¯s mind was already made up, and her objection was evidently ineffective. Rocky remained undeterred from his initial idea, believing there must be a reason for the demons¡¯ concerted efforts to gather. Since others doubted his convictions, he resolved to see for himself.


    That¡¯s just the kind of person Rocky was. He seemed easygoing, yet he possessed a stubbornness that far exceeded that of ordinary people. Once he made a decision, it was very difficult to sway, even by Liliya.


    So, after giving a few instructions to Liliya and Monte, he boarded the skyship with Felly, and soon they slowly left Backhill Village.


    ¡°Felly, take the skyship straight to where you discovered the demons.¡±


    As the skyship gradually flew away from Backhill Village, Rocky ordered Felly to head to the site of the incident, the place where the demons had been spotted before. He wanted to see for himself what was going on, to find out what exactly had caused the demons to be gathered together!


    ps: Please recommend! Please add to your favorites!

 Chapter 103 - 103 - 102: Gather in Groups!

    Chapter 103 ¨C 102: Gather in Groups!


    The Skyship¡¯s patrol radius wasn¡¯t far, because the purpose of the patrol was to provide early warning. In the absence of comprehensive communication equipment, too large a radius would mean that even if demons were spotted, there would be no way to report it in time.


    Therefore, when Rocky left Backhill Village aboard a Skyship, it didn¡¯t take long to reach the destination, the demon gathering site.


    Upon arrival, Rocky ordered the Skyship to lower its altitude, then stood at the bow and looked down carefully.


    At this moment, their location was still a desolate land, but the ground was riddled with several large pits, clearly the result of magic cannon bombardment. Looking closely, one could see some bodies around these large pits, the bodies of demons, which undoubtedly confirmed that Felly hadn¡¯t lied. Previously, demons had indeed gathered here and had been bombed.


    After confirming this, Rocky issued a new order.


    ¡°Felly, inform the other Skyships to thoroughly search the vicinity. We must find the traces of the remaining demons.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ...


    With an affirmative reply, Felly immediately used the communication equipment on the Skyship to convey Rocky¡¯s command.


    Rocky had just carefully counted and found that there were only two or three demons that had been killed by the bombing, which was quite normal since Felly had only brought two Skyships at that time, each equipped with only four magic cannons. Achieving such a result was already quite good.


    But if there had really been more than twenty demons gathered together at that time, a problem arose. Where were the other demons scattered by the bombing?


    Where had the other demons, scattered by the magic cannons, run off to?


    Rocky was determined to find these fleeing demons; otherwise, once they regrouped, Backhill Village would be in danger!


    Under these circumstances, ten Skyships began to act separately, like a huge net cast in the sky, searching for prey on the ground.


    Time went by, and the blazing sun overhead moved slowly from east to west in this process, finally being swallowed by the horizon, and nightfall came soon after.


    Strangely enough, after almost a day of spread-out patrolling, the ten Skyships failed to find any trace of demons. Not a sign of a large group, nor even scattered demons could be found.


    This was obviously very abnormal because the area around Heavensplit Mountain was an unending wasteland with no forests or similar places for concealment. The dispersed demons, even if scattered, should have appeared sporadically on the wasteland rather than disappearing without a trace.


    In light of this, Rocky did not skimp on the mana for the Skyships; instead, he ordered the expansion of the reconnaissance area to continue until traces of demons were found!


    Meanwhile, he did not return to Backhill Village but joined the Skyships in the reconnaissance, wanting to see where these demons were hiding.


    Thus the night deepened, and Rocky, persuaded by Felly, returned to his cabin. But just as he was about to rest, Felly came to him again.


    ¡°My lord! We¡¯ve found the demons!¡±


    ¡°Where?!¡±


    The moment Rocky, who had just lain down on his bed, heard this, he sat up. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s the third Skyship that spotted the target, five kilometers away from us.¡±


    ¡°How many are there?¡±


    ¡°The report says¡­ at least thirty¡­¡±


    Thirty¡­?!


    Hearing this number, Rocky involuntarily took a sharp breath, thought for a moment, and then immediately ordered, ¡°Command the third ship to monitor the demons¡¯ movements on the spot, and report immediately if there is any movement.¡±


    ¡°Have the other Skyships immediately converge on the third ship, but before I arrive, no one is to engage in an attack!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With his order received, Felly immediately turned and left, and Rocky had no more intent to rest.


    Now, he wasn¡¯t thinking about anything because the demons¡¯ actions had clearly gone beyond common sense. In such a situation, any prediction made in advance was unreliable and could even lead to misleading conclusions. Therefore, he decided to wait until he saw the demons with his own eyes before making any decisions.


    A distance of five kilometers was not far for a Skyship flying in the sky. In just over ten minutes, Rocky was called to the deck; they had already met up with the third Skyship, and in addition, three other Skyships had already arrived.


    As soon as Rocky stepped out of the cabin, he heard a cacophony of hissing roars!


    Having clashed with the Demons multiple times, he immediately recognized the sounds and hurried to the bow of the Skyship to look down.


    With that single glance, his heart sank.


    The Skyship was not too high above the ground, about forty to fifty meters, allowing him to clearly see everything below from the bow.


    Looking down from the bow, Rocky saw a dense throng of Demons beneath the Skyship, bunched together in large numbers, at least thirty strong!


    At the same time, the Demons clustered on the ground were roaring at the Skyships, their combined cries not only deafening but also unbearably cacophonous.


    What¡¯s more, some Demons were picking up huge stones from the ground and hurling them at the Skyships, each stone flung to a height of over ten meters!


    Fortunately, with the Skyship being forty to fifty meters above the ground, the stones thrown into the sky couldn¡¯t reach it, which allowed Rocky to observe these Demons more safely and carefully.


    ¡°Black-eyed Demons¡­¡±


    ¡°Bull-horned Demons¡­¡±


    ¡°This kind of Demon¡­ I don¡¯t recognize¡­¡±


    Carefully observing the thirty-odd Demons below, Rocky found that the most numerous were the Black-eyed Demons, with about twenty or more; next were the armored bull demons, covered with scales and with bull-like horns on their heads, but not just the three that Felly had mentioned¡ªthere were five!


    In addition to these two types of Demons, there was one more kind that Rocky had never seen before, with only three present.


    In other words, the group of thirty-plus Demons now had not only increased in number from the daytime, but the variety had also grown!


    This undoubtedly proved Rocky¡¯s earlier thought: the Demons near Break-Sky Mountain had been gathering together!


    ¡°Sir, shall we open fire?¡±


    As he furrowed his brow, Felly couldn¡¯t help but ask beside him, his tone and voice betraying his fear.


    ¡°How many Skyships have arrived now?¡±


    ¡°Six.¡±


    While Rocky was observing the Demons, another Skyship had arrived.


    ¡°Wait a bit longer, let¡¯s bombard them when all the Skyships have assembled.¡±


    The Skyships Rocky commanded, though all outfitted with Magic Cannons, were old models of Reconnaissance Ships, each with only two cannons on board, so a single ship¡¯s combat power was not strong. Only when a sufficient number converged for a collective bombardment would they achieve the best effect.


    So he had to wait until all ships were present to launch the attack.


    In the time that followed, Skyships arrived one after the other, but during this same process, the number of Demons also grew!


    Yes, as the Skyships arrived one by one, scattered Demons also emerged from all directions, one after the other.


    And by the time ten Skyships had finally assembled, the number of Demons gathered together had swollen to over forty!


    The rate of this increase was chilling to Rocky¡¯s spine! He didn¡¯t dare to imagine how many Demons would have gathered if they hadn¡¯t been discovered today, and how many there would be after a night had passed.


    Fifty?


    Or a hundred?


    Or even more!


    So when all the Skyships had assembled, he immediately gave the order for the ten Skyships to carry out free bombardment on the Demons below!

 Chapter 104 - 104 - 103 Demon Evolution Theory

    Chapter 104 ¨C 103 Demon Evolution Theory


    Following Rocky¡¯s command, the ten skyships encircling the demons in the sky immediately started a barrage of indiscriminate bombardment!


    Each skyship¡¯s magic cannons numbered only two, and even with relentless firing, the destructive power was quite limited. However, twenty magic cannons from ten skyships firing continuously made for a vastly different effect and scene.


    From the first boom of the cannon, the sounds of the magic cannons seamlessly merged into one relentless roar.


    Under such intense bombardment, the ground below was instantly riddled with a succession of dense explosions, dealing a heavy blow to the clusters of demons.


    In theory, the hit rate of magic cannons wasn¡¯t very high, especially considering the older models on Rocky¡¯s ships, which relied solely on sight for aiming. As a result, accuracy was as one might expect. However, due to the dense clustering of the demons, the gunners didn¡¯t need to aim precisely; they simply had to fire within a general area.


    Under this unrelenting onslaught, the grouped demons were initially roaring at the sky, but it didn¡¯t take long before they started to scatter and flee.


    Given the demons¡¯ strong physiques, they fled quickly. From the first demon¡¯s escape, in just a few minutes, the clustered demons scattered in all directions, vanishing without a trace.


    ...


    ¡°Cease fire.¡±


    Seeing that the demons had mostly fled from the smoky aftermath of the artillery, Rocky ordered a cease-fire. After all, mana for the magic cannons wasn¡¯t infinite and shouldn¡¯t be wasted.


    On his command, the ten skyships stopped shooting one after another. After some ten minutes had passed, the smoke from the gunfire finally began to settle, revealing a pockmarked terrain.


    Standing at the bow of the ship, Rocky looked down to see not only the chaotic and blown-up terrain but also some demon corpses.


    One, two, three¡­ He counted roughly and saw that more than a dozen demons had been directly killed by this round of bombardment, a quite significant victory.


    But such favorable results still failed to ease Rocky¡¯s furrowed brow.


    ¡°Felly¡­¡±


    Turning his gaze away, Rocky called over Felly, ¡°I remember you saying that the last time we bombarded these demons, the armored bull demons seemed very agitated?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Not quite understanding why Rocky was asking this, but Felly still nodded and affirmatively said, ¡°Sir, I clearly remember that during the last bombardment, an armored bull demon was howling at the skyship amidst the artillery fire, and they only reluctantly left after all the black-eyed demons had run away.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ How far are we from Backhill Village now?¡±


    After hearing this reply, Rocky posed another question.


    ¡°Around eight kilometers.¡±


    ¡°Eight kilometers¡­¡±


    Felly¡¯s answer caused Rocky to nod continually while his brow furrowed even more deeply.


    He was frowning for a simple reason: this time, while observing the bombardment, he noticed that the armored bull demons didn¡¯t show any ¡¯bone essence¡¯; not long after the bombardment started, they ran off following the black-eyed demons¡­


    What did this imply?


    Had the armored bull demons grown fearful?


    Rocky was convinced that was definitely not the case¡ªthe bombardment from ten skyships had not left even a single body of an armored bull, proving this type of demon was very robust.


    This could only mean that the armored bull demons had become smarter!


    Or, in other words¡­ they were following some sort of command, knowing they should immediately flee once the skyships commenced their assault! S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Also, the two occasions the demons had gathered were different locations¡ªwhat did this suggest?


    These questions left Rocky deep in thought for a long while before he issued a new order.


    ¡°Order all skyships to continue reconnaissance. If demons that have gathered together are found, notify the other skyships immediately, and carry out the bombardment once everyone is assembled,¡± he commanded.


    After issuing the order, he had Felly steer their skyship back to Backhill Village.


    This personal reconnaissance confirmed Rocky¡¯s previous suspicions¡ªthe organized clustering of demons was definitely orchestrated, and the reason for their organization was to follow commands!


    If this were true, it was incredibly frightening. Demons that previously acted on instinct alone were now organized and following orders, leading to unthinkable consequences. Therefore, he must inform everyone in Backhill Village, whether they believed it or not.


    Thus, as dawn broke, Rocky returned to Backhill Village and immediately summoned Lin Feng, Liliya, Monte, and all others!


    ¡°Everyone, this is everything I discovered yesterday.¡±


    Standing before a whiteboard, Rocky faced not only Lin Feng, Liliya, and Monte, but also Old Jack, the elder of Backhill Village, and the squad leaders of both troops who had also been called over.


    Facing so many people, Rocky recounted the situation he had reconnoitered the day before, and when he finished speaking, everyone was stunned, as his point of view was somewhat difficult for the crowd to accept.


    Demons being organized?


    These monsters beginning to follow commands?


    Was this some kind of fantasy tale?


    No, even for a fantasy tale, it seemed too far-fetched!


    ¡°Commander Rocky, could everything you found¡­possibly, possibly just be a coincidence?¡±


    The oldest among all present was Elder Old Jack, who although not versed in warfare, had the most extensive experience dealing with demons out of everyone there. Yet even he had never encountered such an occurrence.


    ¡°Elder Sir, I believe none of this is a coincidence.¡±


    While speaking, Rocky drew a circle on the whiteboard behind him: ¡°This location represents Backhill Village.¡±


    He then drew a smaller circle in front of the one representing Backhill Village: ¡°Here is the spot where the Felly demons first gathered, and this is the location of the demons¡¯ second gathering.¡±


    After drawing a third circle on the whiteboard, Rocky said, ¡°As you can all see, the first gathering spot of the demons was about five kilometers from Backhill Village, but it was soon discovered by a skyship.¡±


    ¡°However, by the time the skyship discovered demons gathering for the second time, it was eight kilometers away from Backhill Village.¡±


    ¡°If demons gathering in one place could be considered a coincidence, that might be one thing, but what if it happens twice within a single day? And what if the second gathering consists of even more demons, of a greater variety? Could that still be a coincidence? I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°And consider this; the first gathering spot was five kilometers from Backhill Village, but the second gathering was even farther away. What do you think that means?¡±


    ¡°Could it be¡­ could it be that these gathered demons are hiding from us?¡±


    As soon as Rocky finished speaking, Liliya spoke out in surprise.


    ¡°Not hiding from us, but from the skyship¡­¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Feng, whose brows were already knotted with concern, said that the demons weren¡¯t hiding from Backhill Village, but rather from the skyship bombing them!


    ¡°Exactly, I believe the demons are indeed avoiding the skyship.¡±


    At this moment, Rocky nodded and then proceeded to describe the different reactions of the armored bull demons during the two bombings.


    And when he had finished explaining all of this, the more than ten people in the tent simultaneously let out a collective gasp of astonishment.


    Demons¡­evolving?!


    How could that be possible!


    Despite being utterly incredulous about these events, everything Rocky had just described was logical and irrefutable, leaving everyone at a loss to rebut. Moreover, arguing about it was pointless because regardless of whether Rocky¡¯s conjecture was true or false, one fact couldn¡¯t be changed: Backhill Village was in danger!


    In just one day, more than forty demons had gathered without any sign of stopping. So when these demons finally launch an assault on Backhill Village, just how numerous will they become?


    That is the most pressing issue!


    ¡°What are we to do¡­¡±


    Old Jack, who had been the village elder for decades, showed panic on his aged face. He was truly scared, and he had every reason to be.


    ¡°Elder Sir.¡±


    Just when Old Jack seemed at a loss, Rocky addressed him: ¡°Elder Sir, since we have taken on this mission, we will see it through to the end. Captain Lin Feng and I will coordinate on this matter.¡±


    ¡°So, Sir, please don¡¯t worry about this aspect, but¡­¡±


    After saying that, he paused before continuing, ¡°Perhaps I am not the one who should say this, but as the village elder, I hope you will make plans for the future of Backhill Village. Demons have now changed from before, and if you and the villagers continue to stay here¡­¡±


    After glancing at Old Jack, Rocky sighed deeply and did not continue.

 Chapter 105 - 105 - 104: A Sudden Turn

    Chapter 105 ¨C 104: A Sudden Turn


    Rocky¡¯s final comment was, indeed, just as he himself had said, not fitting for him to make.


    In Thunderhawk City, he might be the lord of a city, but in Backhill Village, he was merely an outsider. Decisions on how to protect themselves from the demons¡¯ attacks were to be made by the villagers themselves, and it was not his place as a foreigner to be dictating what they should do.


    So, when he had finished speaking, whether it was Lin Feng, Old Jack, or any other person from Backhill Village, all frowned to different extents. If it were not for the fact that Rocky currently commanded a formidable force, they might have already expressed their dissatisfaction with his meddling.


    The reactions of Lin Feng and the others did not surprise Rocky. He even knew that he should not have said those things, but they were things he had to say!


    Because Rocky had his own plans: he wanted to absorb the people of Backhill Village into Thunderhawk City!


    In the skies, population was the most valuable resource. Backhill Village had more than a thousand inhabitants, their number even surpassing that of Thunderhawk City¡¯s residents. If he could bring all these people back to Thunderhawk City, the population of his city would immediately double!


    To Rocky, that was where the real treasure lay, of a value so immense that it couldn¡¯t be measured by any amount of Gold Coins.


    ...


    So, there were things he had to say!


    Actually, before this, Rocky had never entertained the delusion of taking away all the people of Backhill Village. There was a reason these people chose to live on the land and would not be swayed by a few words from an outsider like him, so Rocky had never considered this possibility.


    But now, he had this thought, because the situation had changed!


    This change was the unusual movement of the Demons!


    Since the mission had started, the behavior of the demons had repeatedly caught everyone by surprise, something that even Rocky didn¡¯t need to remind Lin Feng and Old Jack of, as they could feel it themselves.


    And as the situation continued to evolve, Backhill Village found itself in an increasingly dangerous position. For instance, at the current moment, the demons began to gather outside the village¡ªa very dangerous sign. Perhaps this time Rocky could stay to help them defend, but what about once he left?


    What could Backhill Village use to fend off future demon attacks once he had gone, without the Guard Corps, without the Skyships?


    The people of Backhill Village might face death without flinching for the sake of their homeland, but knowing it to be futile and still waiting for death was not the same thing. For Rocky, this presented a perfect opportunity!


    That¡¯s why he had spoken those words earlier¡ªto remind the people of Backhill Village that they had to consider what would come ¡°afterward.¡±


    This mission, for Rocky, might truly be described by the saying ¡°good fortune lies within bad, and bad fortune lurks within good.¡± The abnormal behavior of the demons had plunged him into a situation far more dangerous than he had anticipated, but likewise, if he could turn this disaster into an opportunity to absorb all of Backhill Village¡¯s residents, it would become a great stroke of fortune!


    However, these matters were not something Rocky could speak too plainly of just yet. As conditions continued to develop, he had to wait until the situation was desperate before making his move to maximize his chances of success.


    In fact, events unfolded far quicker than he had imagined, for just half a day later, a Skyship returned to Backhill Village, and then Felly appeared before Rocky once again.


    ¡°My Lord, we¡¯ve spotted demons again,¡±


    Felly immediately reported the latest news upon seeing Rocky and the others.


    After escorting Rocky back to Backhill Village, Felly, following his orders, led ten Skyships on a sweep-style patrol and quickly found another gathering point of demons!


    The demons that had been scattered not long ago had regrouped in a short time, and compared to the previous two times, there were even more of them this time¡ªover fifty had been gathered when discovered!


    Obeying Rocky¡¯s command, the ten Skyships immediately converged and bombarded the demons fiercely.


    The bombing was highly effective, killing nearly twenty demons, while the rest dispersed in the chaos.


    Having reported the latest intelligence, Felly hurriedly left. After hearing the latest developments, Lin Feng and the rest of Backhill Village fell into silence.


    The fresh reports once again proved Rocky right. If the gathering of demons was just a coincidence, then when these creatures gathered three times in succession, such a coincidence no longer existed.


    Moreover, let¡¯s not forget that every time the demons gathered, they were scattered by the Skyships, yet time after time they regrouped, undoubtedly proving that their actions were organized.


    What¡¯s more important is that although the Skyship dispersed the swarming Demons with each bombing and killed at least thirty of them, the number of Demons gathering in swarms was still increasing!


    The first time a Demon gathering site was discovered, there were more than twenty Demons, but by the second the number had soared to thirty or forty, and according to the latest intelligence brought back by Felly, the third gathering of Demons had reached more than fifty!


    In other words, even though each bombing by the Skyship was a significant triumph, it seemed to have no impact on the Demons at all¡­


    At this time, even without Rocky¡¯s reminder, Lin Feng and the people of Backhill Village had begun to consider a question, namely, what they were going to do in the future.


    The most important reason why Backhill Village could survive at the foot of Break-Sky Mountain for so many years was the scarcity of Demons there, plus the geographical advantages of the village, which allowed the people to barely survive.


    But now the situation had clearly changed, with the number of Demons increasing sharply; the geographical advantage of Backhill Village had vanished against their numbers, and the high walls at the entrance of the village were utterly useless against hordes of Demons.


    This situation gave the people of Backhill Village an enormous headache.


    Yet what caused them an even bigger headache came later, as Felly, who had left during the day, returned after nightfall, bringing with him the latest intelligence!


    The Skyship on patrol had discovered the Demon gathering site for the fourth time!


    The Demons that had just been dispersed during the day had regathered in less than half a day¡¯s time, and this time the Demons had a new change in tactic: When the first Skyship discovered them, they dispersed before any others could arrive. By the time other Skyships hurried over upon hearing the news, the Demons had long since vanished without a trace¡­


    ¡°How, how could this be?!¡±


    After hearing Felly¡¯s report, not only Lin Feng, Liliya, and Monte, but even Rocky was surprised, his mouth agape!


    Without a doubt, the rapid development of the situation had far exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations; describing it as a drastic turn for the worse was no exaggeration.


    ¡°Felly, order all the Skyships to return,¡±


    After a brief moment of astonishment, Rocky issued a new command to Felly, ordering all the Skyships to return!


    No sooner had this command been given than the surrounding onlookers turned their gaze upon him, all wearing incredulous looks.


    ¡°Commander Rocky, why retreat the Skyships?¡± sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The first person to not understand or to accept the order was Lin Feng.


    Since it was now clear that the Demons were continually gathering; it was only because the Skyships were able to scatter them each time that they hadn¡¯t launched an attack on Backhill Village yet.


    Therefore, if the Skyships were retreated, the Demons would face no threat at all, could rapidly gather sufficient numbers, and would soon launch an attack on Backhill Village!


    However, facing Lin Feng¡¯s confusion, Rocky shook his head helplessly before explaining, ¡°Keeping the Skyships out there is pointless now.¡±


    ¡°The Demons are obviously becoming smarter. Continuing to let the Skyships patrol outside is of no use, doing nothing but depleting Mana unnecessarily.¡±


    ¡°But, but¡­¡±


    Rocky¡¯s words stumped Lin Feng, leaving him unable to retort, for based on the latest intelligence brought back by Felly, the Demons had indeed become smarter. With the scattered patrolling of the Skyships, even if they did find a Demon gathering, the Demons dispersed before any reinforcements could arrive, greatly diminishing the effect of the Skyships.


    Yet similarly, if the Skyships were retreated, wouldn¡¯t Backhill Village be in danger?


    Consequently, Lin Feng had no choice but to ask:


    ¡°Commander Rocky, after recalling all the Skyships, what do you plan to do?¡±


    ¡°What to do?¡± Looking at Lin Feng, Rocky calmly provided the answer, ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll wait for the Demons to initiate an attack.¡±

 Chapter 106 - 106 - 105: The Final Battle

    Chapter 106 ¨C 105: The Final Battle


    Perhaps no one had noticed something, which was that at some point, Rocky had become the leader of this mission.


    At the beginning of the mission, everything related to it was determined by Lin Feng and Liliya, with Rocky more of a bystander. But now, both Liliya and Lin Feng had begun to follow his commands unconsciously.


    Liliya might be understandable, but it was quite abnormal for Lin Feng, because in terms of strength, experience, and even capabilities Lin Feng should have been far superior to Rocky. Yet, Lin Feng kept asking Rocky what to do, as he was doing now.


    And when the speech had ended, everyone immediately frowned, because the implication was clear, they were planning to give up using the Skyship to harass the demons, and instead let the demons attack proactively!? Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Commander Rocky, are you planning to defend with all your might?¡±


    Lin Feng, with his vast experience, instantly understood Rocky¡¯s intention, understanding that he planned to use all their strength to defend against the next demonic attack.


    But¡­could they hold?


    ...


    True, the high wall at the entrance of the village could serve as a barrier against the demons, but anyone could tell from the growing number of demons that their next attack would be on an unprecedented scale! Against such a huge number of demons, the high wall would be utterly useless.


    And if even the high wall couldn¡¯t stop the demons, how could the troops of Backhill Village and Rocky¡¯s Guard Corps withstand them with their mere flesh and blood?


    The answer seemed glaringly obvious¡ªit was impossible to hold!


    ¡°I think we can.¡±


    However, in face of the doubts of Lin Feng and others, Rocky seemed very confident, ¡°I think we can hold. At least, I am confident we can hold the next attack.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    His confidence was not only incomprehensible to Lin Feng but even Liliya was somewhat puzzled.


    ¡°Because the number of demons won¡¯t be that many, at least not as many as you all imagine.¡±


    After saying this, he glanced at Felly, ¡°Felly, according to the latest intelligence, how many demons have you found?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ about fifty or so.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Hearing this response, Rocky nodded his head and then said to everyone, ¡°According to the current situation, it is true that the demons are being organized and brought together, but their numbers are limited.¡±


    ¡°Captain Lin Feng, I remember you said that the demons around Break-Sky Mountain are actually very rare, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Lin Feng could only nod in response to this question, because it was true that there weren¡¯t many demons around Break-Sky Mountain.


    After Lin Feng had nodded, Rocky continued, ¡°Everyone, think about it. Since the demons around Break-Sky Mountain are few, even if they are organized and brought together, their number must have a limit, right?¡±


    This assumption left no room for rebuttal from the crowd.


    Seeing no one contest his point, Rocky then said:


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s consider this. From the beginning of the mission to now, how many demons have we eliminated? If I remember correctly, counting the achievements of the Skyship these past two days, we¡¯ve killed at least a hundred demons. With this in mind, how many can be left surrounding Backhill Village?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there can¡¯t be that many left.¡±


    ¡°So, I believe that although the demons¡¯ next attack will surely be huge in number, it definitely won¡¯t be astronomical, at most around a hundred. That should be all the demons that can be gathered from around Break-Sky Mountain in the short term.¡±


    ¡°Facing around a hundred demons, we have the advantage of the high wall, the soldiers, and the bombardment from ten Skyships; there¡¯s no reason we can¡¯t withstand the next attack.¡±


    Having said this, he paused for a moment, scanned the room, then continued:


    ¡°However, if we continue to send Skyships to harass them, the situation will be completely different, and even become much worse.¡±


    ¡°The harassment from the skyships can indeed delay the demonic assault, but this delay is also very beneficial for the demons, because the longer it drags on, the more demons will arrive from all around. By then, we won¡¯t just be facing the demons from around Break-Sky Mountain; even demons from the surrounding areas may be gathered.¡±


    ¡°By that time, not only will there be over a hundred demons, but there might even be over a thousand!¡±


    ¡°Captain Lin Feng, facing over a thousand demons, do you have confidence in defending against their attack?¡±


    After saying this, Commander Rocky threw the final question at Lin Feng.


    At this last question, Lin Feng opened his mouth several times but said nothing¡­


    Could Backhill Village withstand an attack from over a thousand demons?


    Was this even a question?


    Facing an attack from over a thousand demons, not to mention Backhill Village, even a city would be leveled to the ground, wouldn¡¯t it?


    So then Rocky continued, ¡°Captain Lin Feng, let¡¯s prepare for defense next. For our Thunderhawk Mercenary Group, this will likely be the last battle of this mission. I and my troops will not shrink from this battle, rest assured on that account. It¡¯s just the matter afterwards¡­¡±


    Rocky stopped talking there because he was right. Considering the timeline of the mission, the next battle indeed should be the last one for him and the Guard Corps in Backhill Village. Once this battle was over, the mission period would also be nearly up. However, once he led his troops away, Backhill Village would¡­


    Have to fend for themselves¡­


    Of course, Backhill Village still had one way out, and that was to leave with Rocky, but at this moment Rocky had not yet expressed this idea, because he could see that the people of Backhill Village were not yet desperate enough. Only when they were utterly desperate, with no way out, would Rocky put forth his suggestion.


    After the conversation, Felly was the first to leave the tent. He went to recall all the skyships outside to prepare for the final battle of this mission.


    Lin Feng also left with the people of Backhill Village, his face filled with worry. It was unclear whether he was worried about the next battle or the future of Backhill Village, but their expressions were one more unsightly than the next.


    Once all the outsiders had left the tent, Rocky shared his plan with Liliya and Monte.


    ¡°Good idea!¡±


    After hearing his thoughts, Liliya was the first to agree. If they could absorb all the people from Backhill Village into Thunderhawk City, the city¡¯s strength would immediately double. It was undoubtedly a situation where there were only benefits and no drawbacks.


    At the same time, Liliya started to see Rocky in a new light. During this mission, Rocky¡¯s growth rate was astonishingly fast; he was becoming more and more like a true City Lord, just like his father.


    At this point, it was decided what everyone should do next: prepare for battle with all their might!


    So, when dawn broke, the troops from Backhill Village and Rocky¡¯s Guard Corps were completely integrated, with Liliya and Lin Feng discussing and taking responsibility for the command.


    The skyships that had been dispatched earlier also returned that day, but instead of docking at Break-Sky Mountain, they stopped outside the high walls. Additionally, a skyship patrolled outside the village every day, constantly observing the demons¡¯ movements. Should there be any sign of a demonic attack, all the skyships outside the high wall would take to the skies.


    In the midst of these intense preparations, a day quickly passed, followed by another day.


    When the sun rose on the third day, the skyship that was patrolling around the village suddenly returned, bringing back news that everyone had anticipated: the demons had arrived!


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    As he hurried out of the tent, Rocky¡¯s first sight was Felly, to whom he posed the question.


    ¡°Sir, the scouting skyship has spotted a large number of demons heading towards Backhill Village.¡±


    ¡°How far away are they?¡±


    ¡°Two kilometers.¡±


    ¡°How many are there?¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Felly swallowed hard before laboriously saying, ¡°At least¡­ at least more than a hundred¡­!¡±

 Chapter 107 - 107 - 106: Demon Army!

    Chapter 107 ¨C 106: Demon Army!


    What was destined to come, eventually arrived without the slightest surprise.


    As soon as Rocky received the report from the skyship, he immediately went to the high wall with Liliya, Lin Feng, and others in tow.


    Upon mounting the high wall, everyone looked out into the distance together, but while the demons themselves were nowhere to be seen, the party did witness billowing sand dust rising from afar.


    In their line of sight, a sandstorm appeared several kilometers away, the vast dust cloud sweeping towards them like the gaping maw of some beast, and there was no question that the culprits behind this tempest were the demons.


    But this was hardly a surprise, given that the skyship¡¯s report indicated that more than a hundred demons were surging towards Backhill Village. It was only logical that such a number could stir up a storm of this magnitude.


    What was destined to come, indeed, had arrived.


    ¡°Captain Lin Feng, Liliya, take your troops out,¡±


    ...


    Rocky turned to glance at Lin Feng and Liliya before continuing. Now that the demons had arrived, they had to take action as well.


    Upon hearing this, Lin Feng and Liliya each nodded and then descended the high wall.


    As the two of them left, Rocky certainly wasn¡¯t going to sit idle, either. Donning the Void Magic Armor, he took flight, soaring toward the skyship stationed outside the high wall and ordered it to lift off immediately.


    Soon thereafter, the ten skyships outside the high wall gradually rose into the air, and following them, the gates of the high wall were flung open as Lin Feng and Liliya led their respective troops outside.


    The two detachments struck out together but were not intermixed directly, each forming separate, independent squares led by Lin Feng and Liliya.


    After two full days of preparing for battle, Lin Feng and Liliya were fully ready for the fight, so as soon as their troops appeared, they immediately adjusted their formations, positioning the troops into two identical squares.


    Meanwhile, archers and mages stationed on the high wall were also in place, ready to play a vital role in the battle according to the plan previously devised by Rocky, Lin Feng, and others.


    Dusa¡¯s figure also appeared conspicuously among the archer unit, her bow and arrows at the ready as she stood alongside her fellow archers at the crenelated battlements, her face equally tense.


    This time, Dusa wasn¡¯t sneaking out to join the fray. Given that this could be considered their final battle, Monte had finally granted his daughter¡¯s wish, allowing her to join the fight as an archer alongside him.


    With skyships, ground troops, and the ranged combat unit all prepped, Backhill Village¡¯s entire force was ready for action, merely waiting for the demons to arrive.


    On this front, the demons surely didn¡¯t disappoint. In just a few short minutes, the sandstorm whipped up by the demons drew near to Backhill Village.


    As the demons closed in, Dusa noticed small stones on the crenelations start to dance about, the pebbles of around the size of soybeans hopping and jumping on the battlements as if enchanted.


    But, of course, this was not the effect of magic, rather that the demons were drawing close, causing even the high wall itself to tremble!


    If those atop the high wall could feel such distinct trembling, the sensation was far more pronounced for the troops outside the wall. The units arrayed outside were acutely aware of the ground shaking beneath their feet, feeling very much like the onset of an earthquake.


    With more than a hundred demons charging towards them, even the Earth itself trembled in alarm!


    In the midst of the continuous tremors, the demons neared Backhill Village. The troops on the wall and on the ground might not yet see the fiends, but Rocky, positioned mid-air with the skyship, could already see the demons clearly.


    Through the swirling dust clouds, herds of demons came into his view, their numbers indeed surpassing a hundred. They seemed like a pack of hungry beasts lunging for food, madly surging towards Backhill Village.


    Demon Army¡­


    Facing these groups of demons, the term ¡°Demon Army¡± emerged in Rocky¡¯s mind, and indeed, the demons he was confronted with this time could truly be described by that term.


    At the same time, he was constantly calculating the distance between the demons and Backhill Village.


    One thousand meters¡­


    Eight hundred meters¡­


    Seven hundred meters¡­


    The demons¡¯ speed was just too fast; in the span of a few minutes, the Demon Army, which had been a kilometer away, had already closed in to about seven hundred meters.


    However, at this moment, Rocky, suspended in midair, suddenly raised his arm and then pointed fiercely towards the demons.


    Following his gesture, the ten skyships that had already ascended immediately flew headlong towards the Demon Army.


    And after the skyships took flight, it didn¡¯t take long for the oncoming Demon Army to enter the firing range of the Magic Cannons.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    As soon as the first demon entered the range of the Magic Cannons, Felly, who was responsible for commanding the ten skyships, used the communicator to order all the skyships to open fire, and a series of cannon roars immediately followed!


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The deafening sounds of bombardment instantly merged into one, and the ground being bombarded was shrouded in smoke and flying debris. The demons within range naturally suffered the consequences; in the relentless shelling, some were even blasted into the sky, and the less fortunate were hit directly by the Magic Cannons and torn to shreds!


    Without a doubt, the advantage of the skyships and Magic Cannons was fully exhibited at this moment; the ferocious attack from the skies left the demons powerless to retaliate, allowing the skyships to bombard them and causing significant casualties.


    But let¡¯s not forget, demons are not mere targets. These monsters may not be able to counter the bombardment of the skyships, but they could use their speed to rush out of the bombing range. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In fact, after only two rounds of bombing, demons had already dashed beneath the skyships, completely escaping the bombardment zone.


    There was no help for it, the demons were too robust; despite the continuous cannon fire, apart from a few unlucky ones struck head-on, the rest could swiftly exit the bombardment area unafraid of the artillery. Once they were out of the skyships¡¯ bombardment range, they only faced the troops beyond the tall walls.


    In this situation, the captains of the various skyships began to bellow at the gunners, ordering them to fire as many cannons as possible and to bombard more before the demons could fully escape the attack zone.


    But even so, even though the barrels of the Magic Cannons had become glowing red from overuse, the Demon Army still charged out of the bombardment range and towards the high walls!


    Thus, the only thing the skyships could do was to immediately turn around, follow the footsteps of the Demon Army, and try to fire a few more shots at the demons before the battle transitioned to close combat¡ª that was all they could do.


    Meanwhile, Rocky, floating in midair, had everything in his sight. He watched demon after demon rush out of the bombardment range and towards the troops outside the walls, yet a smile slowly began to appear on his lips at this moment.


    Very good, everything is going according to plan!


    PS: The intense battle for this mission has started, asking for recommendations! Requesting for recommendations!

 Chapter 108 - 108 - 107: The Baptism of Death!

    Chapter 108 ¨C 107: The Baptism of Death!


    The bombing from the skyship was highly effective; had it not been for the demons¡¯ speed, the damage dealt to them would have certainly been significant.


    Unfortunately, there are no ¡°ifs¡± in battle, and the demons had swiftly moved out of the bombing range, charging straight towards the troops under the high wall!


    All of this was watched by Rocky from mid-air; however, faced with the Demon Army that hadn¡¯t suffered heavy casualties, he didn¡¯t show the slightest hint of panic. Instead, a smile curled up at the corner of his mouth.


    Yes, he had anticipated this outcome.


    The skyship could only be effective at the beginning against the charging demons. Once the demons broke through the bombing range of the Magic Cannons and started engaging in close combat with the ground troops, the skyships¡¯ impact would become much less noticeable¡ªa fact that Rocky had already taken into account.


    That¡¯s why he had sent out the skyships when the Demon Army was about seven hundred meters from Backhill Village, striking at this distance. Coupled with the demons¡¯ charging speed, they were meant to encounter each other at roughly five hundred meters from the high wall, causing the Demon Army to suffer the first round of bombing.


    This first round of bombing served two purposes: the first, naturally, was to strike the demons with an initial round of fire from the Magic Cannons. No matter how fast the demons were, casualties were inevitable under the relentless onslaught of twenty Magic Cannons.


    ...


    In reality, that¡¯s exactly what happened. When the demons moved beyond the range of the Magic Cannons, there were no longer one hundred of them. This meant that, in the recent bombing, at least a dozen or twenty demons had been killed.


    The second purpose of this round of bombing was to disrupt the formation of the demons, using sustained bombing to slow their charge.


    Under the continuous bombardment, the Demon Army could be said to have been completely baptized by the cannon fire from start to finish. Setting aside how many demons were killed, the dense formation was certainly scattered. The once ferocious Demon Army dispersed completely after charging out of the bombing area.


    That was the true significance of the first round of bombing!


    The group formations of the demons were unstoppable.


    If they were allowed to maintain their speed and dense formation all the way to the high wall, not only would the troops led by Lin Feng and Liliya be instantly overwhelmed, but even the tall wall standing at the entrance to the village could be easily breached¡ªa situation Lin Feng was all too familiar with, as half a year ago Backhill Village¡¯s high wall was breached in such a manner.


    It was precisely because of the experience from the previous incident that Lin Feng and Rocky formulated this battle strategy, to have the skyships launch furious bombings at the demons. They weren¡¯t aiming to kill as many demons as possible, but definitely to scatter them.


    Looking at the results, the plan was very successful. Although a large number of demons still broke through the bombing area, not only was their speed significantly slowed down from before, but their formation was also broken.


    However, once the Demon Army broke out of the bombing range, they were only three to four hundred meters away from the high wall¡ªpractically within striking distance.


    At that moment, Rocky, positioned in mid-air, once again raised his arm!


    As he raised his arm once more, his gaze was firmly fixed on the Demon Army that continued to approach.


    Four hundred meters¡­


    Three hundred meters¡­


    Two hundred meters¡­!


    As the Demon Army charged to less than two hundred meters from the high wall, Rocky suddenly dropped his arm.


    Right after that, a continuous wooshing sound could be heard, as countless arrows were fired into the sky. After tracing a nearly perfect parabola, they all fell like raindrops!


    The archers from atop the high wall began their attack!


    The ranged forces from Backhill Village were an extremely crucial power, having played a very important role in the last fight, and even more so in this battle.


    Benefiting from the advantage given by the high wall, paired with the longbow¡¯s own range, the archers easily launched attacks at targets two hundred meters away. At that distance, the Demons could do nothing but take the hits. Although the power of the arrows was quite limited, they would definitely cause damage upon striking the Demons, and that was enough.


    Including Dusa, all the archers on the high wall repeatedly drew their longbows, then one after another they let the Arrow Feathers fly.


    Any archer engaging targets one to two hundred meters away didn¡¯t need to aim; what they needed was to shoot as quickly as possible, turning the released arrows into a true arrow rain. This form of intensive firing naturally meant that targets would be hit.


    Under the deluge of Arrow Feathers, the Demons, who had just suffered from the bombardment of the Magic Cannons, were struck again. Perhaps this blow wasn¡¯t particularly massive¡ªhardly any Demons were shot dead¡ªbut their speed and formation were inevitably affected. This resulted in their charge towards the high wall slowing once more, and their ranks becoming even more disordered.


    But was that the end?


    No, it was far from over!


    As the Demon Army continued to advance beneath the rain of arrows towards the troops below the high wall, the Mages on top of the high wall unleashed the third round of attacks!


    One by one, searing Fireballs were hurled by the Mages from the high wall at that moment!


    In theory, a Mage¡¯s magic would not be able to reach a hundred-meter range, but Backhill Village¡¯s high wall was more than ten meters tall. This elevation difference greatly extended the range of the magic, enabling them to hit targets nearly a hundred meters away.


    Similarly, to the archers, at such a distance, there was no need to aim. The Mages simply had to cast their spells as quickly as they could. Against the Demons, the most convenient magic was the Fireball Technique. This magic was not only low in consumption but also had clear effects. Even if the Demons had thick skins, they couldn¡¯t possibly be completely unafraid of fire, right?


    Indeed, that was the case. The damage caused by magic to the Demons was significantly greater than that of arrows. In fact, two or three Demons that had already been wounded by the blasts were struck down by the Fireballs, unable to get up again.


    Having accounted for the Mages¡¯ assault, the Demon Army had now faced three consecutive strikes. First came the bombardment from the Magic Cannons, then the Arrow Rain from the archers, and now the Mages¡¯ magic. This round after round of assault was like a baptism from the angel of death, and even if the Demons¡¯ bodies were strong, they couldn¡¯t possibly remain unharmed.


    There¡¯s a saying: ¡°First we muster the energy, then we begin to flag, and at the third attempt, we are exhausted.¡± After enduring three consecutive rounds of attacks, the Demon Army¡¯s momentum had clearly diminished, far from what it was initially. The sandstorm they raised was long blocked by the smoke raised from the Magic Cannons and was hundreds of meters away. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Also, under the attack of Arrow Rain and magic, their speed and formation had already dispersed, lacking the imposing manner they initially possessed.


    And at that moment, the two square formations that had been waiting outside the high wall sprang into action!


    Liliya and Lin Feng issued consecutive commands. Under their orders, each of the formations they led stepped forward in unison, taking the initiative to advance towards the Demon Army!


    PS: The great battle erupts! Little Detective has some confidence in depicting scenes of warfare. As the grandest battle in this mission, I guarantee it will be written splendidly. So, as always, I ask for your recommendation! Please recommend! Please recommend!

 Chapter 109 - 109 - 108: Battlefield Ghost

    Chapter 109 ¨C 108: Battlefield Ghost


    Though the arrow reaches its limit, it cannot pierce the strong armor.


    First strike with vigor, weaken on the second, exhaust on the third.


    After three successive rounds of long-range salvo, the Demon Army had lost its initial fierce momentum, nearly halving its speed compared to before, and its formation was in disarray, looking like a scattering of sand.


    It was at this time that the two square formations waiting outside the high wall started moving!


    Following the commands issued by Liliya and Lin Feng, the troops in both square formations took a step forward!


    Looking at the two formations now, one would notice a different configuration from before. At this moment, Liliya and Lin Feng did not arrange their troops in a single line but instead formed them into a Cone Formation.


    The so-called Cone Formation is characterized by a small group at the front as the vanguard and a larger force on the two flanks.


    ...


    This formation allows the vanguard troops at the front to break through swiftly, piercing the enemy¡¯s line like a cone, thereafter tearing apart the enemy¡¯s formation, allowing the large forces on the flanks to expand on their achievements.


    The reason for choosing this formation was its focus on the vanguard; if the troops in the front could withstand the demons¡¯ onslaught, the large forces on the wings would have significantly less pressure, which was the most suitable option for everyone.


    Thus, looking closely at the two formations, one would find Lin Feng positioned at the very front in the formation composed of Backhill Village troops, with various squad leaders behind him. The situation was similar on the Guard Corps¡¯ side, with Liliya and Monte at the forefront, followed closely by squad leaders like Sandro and Aga, and then the rest of the Guards trailing behind.


    As the two formations began to move, the Mages and Archers on the high wall also commenced their final onslaught.


    At that moment, the distance between the Demon Army and the two formations was less than a hundred meters. Considering the speed of both sides, they would collide within minutes. Once they clashed, the battle would turn into hand-to-hand combat, significantly limiting the Archers¡¯ and Mages¡¯ opportunities.


    Therefore, during this brief period when the two sides were about to encounter each other but had not yet met, it became the best and last opportunity for the long-range troops.


    Archers on the high wall relentlessly fired arrows as if cost-free, spraying out Arrow Feathers, and the Mages did likewise, casting magic non-stop into the area beyond the high wall, utterly disregarding whether they had exhausted their Magic Power.


    In this situation, Arrow Feathers and Magic rained down on the Demon Army like droplets.


    Meanwhile, the booming sound of the Magic Cannons continued. The ten Skyships were also tightly chasing the tail of the Demon Army, seizing this last chance to bombard.


    For a while, the barren land in front of the two formations was shrouded in gunsmoke; the sounds of cannon fire, magic, and the swish of Arrow Feathers managed to overshadow the demons¡¯ roars at this moment!


    Fairly speaking, the series of strikes delivered by Backhill Village were extremely effective and forceful. Had it been only a few dozen demons attacking, they may have been bombarded to death before even engaging with the two formations.


    Regrettably, this time they were facing hundreds of demons!


    Although they had undergone three successive baptisms and were at their last breath, demons are still demons, monstrous creatures!


    So, as the Mages, Archers, and Skyships just raised the screen of gunsmoke, the first demon fiercely burst out from it! Then came the second, the third, the fourth¡­ and then countless demons surged out of the smoke!


    In that instant, the Demon Army collided with the soldiers of the two formations!


    ¡°Roar, roar, roar!!!¡±


    Amidst roaring, Monte, at the forefront of the formation, swept a Black-eyed Demon flying away with a strike from his Broadaxe. He then took two steps forward, facing another demon charging at him and swinging his axe again, making it stagger.


    However, Monte could not pursue, because he simply did not have the time. The third demon was already upon him, and all he could do was swing his axe at the demon fiercely.


    Liliya, almost side by side with him, was also facing a similar situation. Adorned in rune equipment, she was equally valiant, her Rune Longsword shining in the smoke and causing severe damage with every strike, but alas, there were too many demons. By the time she cut down one demon, she barely had time to strike again before another would leap at her.


    On the other front, Lin Feng¡¯s troops were facing a similar situation, and Lin Feng was particularly unlucky. After chopping down several Black-eyed Demons in succession, he encountered an armored bull demon and was immediately engulfed in a fierce battle.


    This is characteristic of the Cone Formation. The advantage is that the vanguard troops are incredibly sharp. Correspondingly, the first-line troops also bear enormous pressure, just like Monte, Liliya, and Lin Feng at this moment. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stationed at the forefront, they became the prime targets of the Demon Army as soon as the fight started. Countless demons were emerging, one after another; no sooner had they hacked one down than another would strike, and had their personal strength not been exceptional, they would have likely been crushed into pulp during the initial onslaught.


    However, the valiant efforts of the vanguard ensured that the two square formations were not scattered during the head-on collision with the demons and even slaughtered many demons.


    The demons, struck down by the vanguard before they could even rise, were immediately surrounded by a large number of soldiers converging from the flanks. No matter how tough the demons¡¯ hide, facing five or six soldiers wildly hacking with longswords proved too much; many demons died this way.


    Meanwhile, Rocky¡¯s figure had also appeared on the battlefield, and upon his arrival, he instantly became the most active participant there.


    This time he chose not to engage the demons with his personal strength alone, as it would have been futile.


    Faced with hundreds of demons, could Rocky even make a difference if he restrained two or three of them, much less ten by himself?


    Clearly not.


    In a battle of this magnitude, individual power was insignificant. Therefore, before the battle began, Liliya had clearly instructed him to focus on two tasks. The first was to command the distant troops before the melee began and the second was to slay demons with utmost speed once the melee had started!


    These two tasks were all Rocky was meant to do in this battle, and he executed them precisely.


    In mid-air, he dove toward the ground and, using the momentum of his landing, kicked a Black-eyed Demon in the chest. The force and inertia of the dive sent the demon tumbling, and seizing the opportunity, Rocky strode forward, raising his longsword and repeatedly stabbing the Black-eyed Demon in the chest!


    After several strikes, the Black-eyed Demon was thoroughly vanquished. Next, Rocky took a large step forward, gliding five or six meters across the ground assisted by the flying capability of his Void Magic Armor, and reached a demon who was overpowering a soldier. He swung his sword at its neck!


    It must be said, Rocky, clad in Void Magic Armor, performed incomparably on the battlefield. First, because his Void Magic Armor was extraordinarily powerful, strengthened by both armor and runes, he could kill an ordinary demon in three to five slashes; second, he was very agile.


    After so many battles, Rocky had mastered the control of his Void Magic Armor, allowing him to quickly maneuver through various spots on the battlefield. Only he chased demons, as they couldn¡¯t catch up to him at all.


    This made him seem like a ghost independent of the battlefield, continually seeking prey and steadily increasing his achievements.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    Flying low and fast, Rocky held his longsword horizontally, using the speed of flight and the sharpness of the sword to slice past a demon. By the time he landed, the demon¡¯s neck was spraying blood, and it thudded to the ground.


    ¡°The fifth¡­¡±


    Glancing at the demon that lay motionless, Rocky gasped for breath and said, this was already the fifth demon he had slain!


    The continuous slaughter boosted Rocky¡¯s morale; not only that, but he even felt that if things continued this way, they would surely win the battle.


    However, at that moment, he heard a grumbling sound, and something rolled to his feet. When Rocky instinctively looked down, he saw a human head at his feet!


    ¡°Aga¡­¡±


    ¡°Aga!!¡±


    Seeing the head, Rocky immediately widened his eyes, for it was none other than Aga, the squad leader of the Guard Corps!


    PS: The great battle is underway, please recommend, continue to recommend!

 Chapter 110 - 110 - 109: Father and Daughter

    Chapter 110 ¨C 109: Father and Daughter


    When Rocky, donned in his Void Magic Armor, became a phantom of the battlefield, not only did he wreak havoc but he was also brimming with confidence. However, the overall situation on the battlefield was far from as favorable as he imagined; in fact, ¡°not optimistic¡± would be a more accurate description.


    Not every soldier on the battlefield wore Void Magic Armor!


    Those without Void Magic Armor were as fragile as paper in front of the Demons, only managing to hold off a Demon when several soldiers worked together.


    Especially when the fight turned into a melee, once the frontline troops and the wings inevitably engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the Demons, the advantage of the Demons became markedly evident. Not to mention the troops from Backhill Village, even the Guard Corps equipped with rune equipment also fell into a tough fight.


    There was no helping it; this time, there were simply too many Demons. Over a hundred Demons charged them, and even after three rounds of ranged attacks, seventy to eighty Demons still remained. With the soldiers¡¯ ratio at two or three to one, could two or three soldiers combat a Demon? The answer was obviously no.


    The time shifted to a few minutes earlier.


    Determined to avenge Reed, Robin, who had joined the battle, truly lived up to his words. He displayed exceptional bravery in combat and, once the melee started, together with a few other Guards, managed to engage a Demon.


    ...


    However, this time the Guards were not facing a mere eight Demons but at least eighty! On such a large-scale battlefield, forming an encirclement was impossible. Robin and four or five others had just surrounded a Demon when they were immediately scattered by other Demons, leaving Robin to face a Demon alone.


    Even so, Robin did not retreat. He charged at the Demon with a shout. Admirable in courage, but the outcome was predictable ¡ª he was immediately smacked away by the Demon.


    Thrown about like a kite, Robin¡¯s shield and longsword fell to the ground. Although he quickly got up, before he could steady himself, another Demon appeared out of nowhere and swiped at his head!


    Just at this critical moment, Robin, utterly defenseless, was knocked aside.


    The one who knocked him away was none other than Aga.


    But after knocking him away, the Demon¡¯s claw harshly struck Aga, sending his head flying like a ball¡­


    There was no fierce battle.


    There was no back-and-forth confrontation either.


    Dying on the battlefield was a matter of an instant, even¡­ quite simple.


    Witnessing all of this, Robin completely blanked out. He sat dumbfounded on the ground, the only thing he could do was stupidly watch as Aga¡¯s headless body slowly fell, comprehensively shocked.


    While he was stunned, the Demons were not. After one swipe killed Aga, the Demon immediately targeted Robin.


    Facing the Demon that was getting closer with each step, Robin continued to daydream, seemingly turning into a statue.


    But just then, whoosh! An Arrow Feather, from nowhere, whizzed past the Demon¡¯s neck. Although it missed, it drew the Demon¡¯s attention momentarily, and it was in this brief moment that Robin finally snapped out of it!


    Regaining his senses, he hurriedly rolled to the side, picked up the longsword and shield that had fallen to the ground, and by the time he stood up, two more soldiers had arrived. So, he roared and charged at the Demon with the other two.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Standing before the battlements, Dusa cursed herself fiercely. The arrow that had saved Robin was the one she had shot.


    When the battle had escalated to close-quarters combat, Archers and Mages were still providing support to the battlefield as much as they could. Though they couldn¡¯t unleash Magic and Arrow Feathers as before, they still aimed at their targets whenever possible.


    Dusa was naturally the most active one, but including the arrow just now, she had already continuously shot five arrows, yet not a single arrow had hit its target.


    This was simply unimaginable because anyone who had seen Dusa practicing archery would describe her in three words: sharpshooter. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Dusa knew that the reason every arrow missed was because her hands were shaking!


    Standing on the high wall, Dusa could see the battlefield exceptionally clearly, but what she saw was not victory, only blood and death, of demons, and soldiers, but mostly of soldiers.


    For her, who was on the battlefield for the first time, the scene was too cruel, completely different from the battles she had imagined and longed for, causing Dusa to feel scared.


    In such a situation, her hands shook every time she drew the bowstring, and arrows shot with such trembling hands naturally couldn¡¯t hit any target; in fact, the arrow shot at Robin just then was already Dusa¡¯s most reliable shot, the rest she didn¡¯t even know where they had gone.


    This caused Dusa a great deal of distress, and she even kept cursing herself as useless in her heart, but the more she did so, the more her hands trembled and she couldn¡¯t aim at any target at all.


    Until¡­ she saw her father on the high wall.


    Standing on the high wall, shaking hands forced Dusa to put down her drawn bow because she knew she could no longer shoot any arrow feather, but just then, she suddenly saw Monte¡¯s figure on the battlefield!


    ¡°Father¡­¡±


    Seeing her father¡¯s figure, Dusa¡¯s feelings of depression and fear improved a lot because, in her eyes, her father was always a valiant warrior, her lifelong idol, but when she looked closely at Monte, her heart tightened!


    At that moment, Monte was in a very bad situation!


    In an army composed entirely of humans, Monte, a beastman, naturally stood out tremendously, not only to other soldiers but also to demons, especially since Monte himself was extraordinarily brave, making him the prime target for demons as soon as the battle entered close quarters.


    Therefore, when Dusa noticed Monte, he was being surrounded and attacked by four demons! What was even more terrifying was that among these four demons, only three were black-eyed demons, and the other one was the even more dangerous armored bull demon!


    Facing the attack of so many demons, Monte, with only one hand, simply couldn¡¯t resist; it was extremely perilous, and he had been knocked down to the ground several times. If not for his indeed strong strength and abundant experience, he might have died several times over already.


    With her father in such grave danger, it was impossible for Dusa to just stand by. She hurriedly picked up her longbow, drew, and aimed it, and shot an arrow.


    However, once the arrow was shot, she didn¡¯t know where it had flown. Monte on the battlefield, instead of receiving any support, was actually knocked down by the charge of the armored bull demon, rolling and crawling on the ground to barely avoid the follow-up attacks of the other demons.


    ¡°Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!¡±


    Dusa on the high wall kept cursing herself, clenched her fists, and fiercely pounded the wall twice, then picked up another arrow feather, drew her longbow again, and aimed at the demon that was pursuing her father.


    ¡°Huff¡­¡±


    ¡°Huff¡­¡±


    ¡°Huff¡­¡±


    After breathing deeply three times, Dusa loosened her fingers, and with a whoosh, she shot out the arrow feather!

 Chapter 111 - 111 - 110: Blowing for a Year!

    Chapter 111 ¨C 110: Blowing for a Year!


    Struggling to control her trembling hands, Dusa took careful aim and finally loosed the arrow!


    With a whoosh, the arrow feather shot forth with a sharp piercing whistle, and in a blink, struck the demon in the shoulder!


    Hit!


    Seeing that she had finally hit her target, Dusa almost cried out in joy, but she quickly suppressed her delight because she saw clearly that her father still received no support from her shot. The demon, struck in the shoulder by an arrow, seemed utterly unaffected and continued its fierce pursuit.


    In such circumstances, Dusa immediately drew another arrow feather from behind her, nocked it onto her longbow, aimed, and released another arrow.


    With a whoosh, this arrow feather hit the demon¡¯s chest, followed swiftly by Dusa shooting a third arrow, which also struck the demon!


    She¡¯s got her groove back!


    ...


    Three successive, accurately aimed shots let Dusa gradually regain her usual form and restored the confidence she had lost for a moment. She continued to draw and release arrows, targeting the demon relentlessly pursuing her father.


    Undeniably, as part of the ranged troops, archers are a force that cannot be ignored in any battle, even against demons. However, due to the demons¡¯ incredibly tough, thick skins, ordinary archers find it hard to inflict real damage.


    To enable archers to play their role effectively in combat against demons, people had already greatly improved arrow feathers through continuous battles.


    Today, the most powerful arrow feathers aren¡¯t made of wood but are crafted from the spines of Hundred-thorn Demons. Resembling huge hedgehogs, these demons have hundreds of spines that are harder than steel but amazingly light, making them the best material for making arrow feathers.


    These arrow feathers crafted from spines are known as Piercing Arrows, allowing even the most ordinary archer to wound a demon.


    Regrettably, any equipment made using demon parts is extremely expensive, and Piercing Arrows are no exception. One Piercing Arrow costs a whole Gold Coin, a price too steep for the archers from Backhill Village, and Dusa couldn¡¯t afford them either; they could only use ordinary wooden arrow feathers.


    In this case, even though Dusa hit the demon with five or six arrows consecutively, the damage inflicted was very limited, only causing the demon to cry out in pain twice.


    But don¡¯t forget, in such fierce battles, life and death are decided in an instant. Thus, when the demon, relentlessly pursuing Monte, cried out in pain from the consecutive hits, Monte seized the opportunity to raise his broadaxe and chopped at the demon¡¯s neck, instantly causing blood to spurt from the wound.


    Monte, having escaped danger, was unaware that it was his daughter¡¯s support that had saved him. He had barely caught his breath after slaying the demon before he rushed off in another direction where three soldiers were being attacked by another demon¡ªhe wanted to help out.


    Seeing her father out of danger, Dusa also breathed a sigh of relief, but she soon shifted her target and aimed her bow and arrows at another demon.


    This time, her target was an armored bull demon!


    Equal in might to the Grayrock Demons, the combat power of the armored bull demons was significantly stronger than that of the Black-eyed Demons. Their horns, which topped their heads, were the perfect weapons, capable of penetrating even shields once they charged, added to the scale armor that covered their bodies, making them nearly unstoppable once they began their assault.


    In this assault, there were about a dozen armored bull demons among the hundreds, not a high proportion, but still, they were among the most dangerous creatures on the battlefield. Aside from Rocky, Lin Feng, Liliya, and Monte, the strongest warriors, ordinary soldiers targeted by these demons were inevitably either killed or severely wounded.


    As Monte¡¯s daughter, Dusa¡¯s understanding of demons was naturally far superior to that of ordinary people. Thus, once she had regained her composure and adapted to the brutality of the battlefield, she focused on the biggest threat out there!


    Having set her sights on the armored bull demon, Dusa slowly drew her longbow, not releasing the arrow feather immediately as she usually did, but taking good aim for a while before gently loosening the bowstring in her hand.


    An arrow shot forth, and after a blink, it accurately struck the neck of the armored bull demon, immediately causing it to bellow in pain!


    The armored bull demon was covered in scale armor from its feet all the way to its neck mane. Hence, combating such a demon required breaking through the scale armor with immense strength, or else targeting the neck and head, which were not covered in scales.


    Particularly the neck of the armored bull demon; though it was covered in thick mane, it was the most vulnerable part of its body. Dusa¡¯s arrow targeted precisely this spot and pierced directly through the mane into its neck!


    Unfortunately, as the saying goes, the power of wooden arrow feathers is extremely limited. Even though Dusa had so precisely struck the armored bull demon¡¯s weak spot, the damage inflicted was minuscule.


    But it seemed Dusa already knew this would be the case. No sooner had she released one arrow than she pulled out a second arrow feather, drew her bow, aimed, and fired just like before! S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Another arrow struck its mark, the armored bull demon cried out in pain again, but before its cries could end, a third arrow arrived in the blink of an eye and hit its neck once more.


    After this, the fourth, fifth, and sixth arrows followed in quick succession, each striking the armored bull demon¡¯s neck with unwavering accuracy!


    The impact of one arrow feather was indeed small for the armored bull demon, even if it hit a vital area, but what about two arrows? Five? Ten? Fifteen?


    If a vital spot was hit repeatedly by a dozen arrows, even the armored bull demon couldn¡¯t bear it, could it?


    When the neck was struck by another arrow, the unlucky armored bull demon turned and roared furiously at Dusa on the high wall, as if bellowing for Dusa to come down and face her death.


    Clearly, the armored bull demon had no concept of what a Sharpshooter was, and it didn¡¯t realize how ridiculous it was to roar in anger towards the target of a Sharpshooter.


    So as the armored bull demon kept roaring, Dusa¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t help but curl up slightly, and she nonchalantly pulled out another arrow feather, slowly drawing her longbow.


    The constant drawing of the bow had caused Dusa¡¯s shoulders to ache unbearably, and her delicate fingertips were raw and bloody from pulling the bowstring repeatedly, each draw causing excruciating pain.


    But when she drew the longbow yet again, she didn¡¯t even furrow her eyebrows as she immediately released another arrow!


    This arrow, as if alive or endowed with awareness, flew straight from the bowstring towards the roaring demon and in a split second pierced through the armored bull demon¡¯s eye, half of the arrow feather instantly penetrating into its brain!


    The roar stopped abruptly, and the massive body of the armored bull demon fell to the ground with a thud, raising a cloud of dust¡­


    With just her own strength, Dusa had actually killed an armored bull demon!


    This result was simply unbelievable. Considering the formidable strength of the armored bull demon, even a dozen normal soldiers might not be a match for it, and even if Lin Feng and Rocky wanted to kill it, it would have been exceedingly difficult. Yet Dusa achieved it, using her astonishingly exceptional archery skills to kill an armored bull demon!


    Such a feat, without exaggeration, was enough for her to boast about for a year!


    However, although Dusa was gradually regaining her form and achieving impressive results, as previously stated, in battles of this scale and level, the power of one person could hardly sway the outcome of the battle, not even Rocky clad in Void Magic Armor could achieve that.


    As Dusa was gradually regaining her form and earning impressive results, Rocky too was continuously killing demons. At this time, although he had not kept an exact count, he had killed at least seven or eight demons.


    But what of it?


    ¡°Die!¡±


    A sword chopped onto the neck of a Black-eyed Demon, and Rocky, with bloodshot eyes, immediately decapitated the demon, but he didn¡¯t even have time to breathe before quickly sliding away eight meters using the mobility of the Void Magic Armor.


    ¡°No!¡±


    Using the rapid slide of the Void Magic Armor, Rocky roared but could only watch helplessly as a Black-eyed Demon bit into a soldier¡¯s shoulder and then violently jerked its neck upwards, tossing the bitten soldier into the air. By the time Rocky arrived with utmost speed, the soldier had already fallen to the ground, dead¡­


    In anger, Rocky then ruthlessly thrust his sword into the chest of the Black-eyed Demon. When the first stab didn¡¯t penetrate, he thrust a second time. The second stab didn¡¯t penetrate either, so he thrust a third time, finally skewering the Black-eyed Demon through and through.


    After killing this demon, he immediately soared into the sky, and from his aerial perspective overlooking the entire battlefield, his heart sank completely¡­

 Chapter 112 - 112 - 111: The Last Barrier

    Chapter 112 ¨C 111: The Last Barrier


    Rocky¡¯s personal combat power in this battle could indeed be described as unrivaled. With the augmentation of the Void Magic Armor, he even killed more demons than the Level Six Warrior, Lin Feng. Yet, this still could not change the tide of the battlefield.


    When Rocky flew midway into the sky and looked over the entire battlefield, his heart turned cold because even he, a novice who had only participated in a few battles, could tell that the situation was quite disadvantageous for his side!


    His spree of killings did nothing to shift the overall unfavorable situation. In fact, ever since the battle had escalated to close combat, the situation had steadily tilted toward the Demon Army.


    This scenario was not because the soldiers weren¡¯t fighting desperately; on the contrary, from his vantage point in the sky, Rocky could clearly see every soldier on the battlefield fiercely battling the demons.


    Not just the soldiers, but the archers and mages on the high walls were also doing their utmost to support the fighting, and even the Skyships, which were less effective in the melee, were trying their best to contribute.


    The ten Skyships repeatedly lowered their altitude, now down to just over ten meters above the ground. Only at this height could the gunners improve their accuracy enough to strike at the demons without mistakenly hitting their own forces in the melee.


    Yet even with everyone¡¯s bravery, the Demon Army still held an absolute advantage¡­


    ...


    As the fighting reached a phase of intense intricacy, the soldiers¡¯ formations were completely disrupted. Without the protection and balance of their formations, the soldiers couldn¡¯t confront the demons with their individual strength.


    On the other hand, as soon as the battle turned into close combat, particularly during the intensely heated deadlock phase, the monstrous nature of the Demon Army became apparent. The demons, with their robust bodies, immense strength, and seemingly endless stamina, had their advantages increasingly amplified on the heated battlefield.


    Although the troops from Backhill Village also had some standout moments during this process, such as Lin Feng, the Level Six Warrior who was unmatched on the battlefield. Not to mention the Black-Eyed Demons, even more formidable were the Armored Bull Demons, two of which were killed by Lin Feng alone!


    Liliya and Monte¡¯s performances were equally remarkable. Liliya leading a small team of guards killed at least four demons, and although Monte wasn¡¯t leading a team, his personal strength also achieved nearly the same results. In addition, Dusa had also killed an Armored Bull Demon, making their accomplishments quite outstanding.


    One could say that in localized skirmishes, the forces from Backhill Village did indeed have commendable performances, but looking at the entire battlefield presented a different picture altogether.


    Across the entire battlefield, except for a few individuals, the vast majority of soldiers who were combating the demons were being steadily pushed back. Not to mention killing many demons, it was considered lucky if they could save their own lives under the demon strikes. Yet even this low standard was met by only a few. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In such circumstances, one could only imagine the casualties of the troops. When Rocky surveyed the entire battlefield, he saw more bodies than living people. The desolate land was littered with corpses lying in every direction, the blood seeping from their bodies staining the ground in spots.


    Among these corpses, some belonged to demons and others to soldiers, but Rocky did not know exactly how many were soldiers¡¯ bodies. Ten? Twenty? Or fifty? He couldn¡¯t count. He just knew they could not continue fighting like this!


    This battle could not continue this way any longer because if it did, the victor was sure to be the demons!


    Thinking this, he released a Magic Flash towards the sky, instantly illuminating the entire battlefield sky!


    Seeing the radiant light, soldiers fighting the demons quickly began retreating toward the high wall behind them, as if obeying a certain order.


    It was indeed a command, a command for a full retreat!


    In the two days waiting for the demon attack, Rocky and the others had been studying the tactics for this battle, covering every possible scenario and formulating various plans.


    One of those plans was to retreat behind the high walls and use them as a final barrier for defense when the situation turned extremely unfavorable.


    The decision of which plan to use and when to execute it was left to Rocky¡¯s discretion, as only he could move freely across the battlefield with the advantage of the Void Magic Armor and oversee the entire situation from the air.


    Now, Rocky felt it was time to implement this final plan!


    After signaling for retreat to everyone on the battlefield, Rocky did not retreat with the others. Instead, he dove back into the battlefield, fighting the demons alone while everyone else fought as they retreated.


    This was not because Rocky had lost his mind¡ªit was a pre-planned strategy!


    Once he issued the retreat signal, it meant the battle had entered a highly unfavorable stage, and retreating under such circumstances would not be easy, especially since the demons were not fools who would simply allow everyone to withdraw behind the walls.


    So it had already been planned that once Rocky signaled the retreat, all squad leader-level individuals in the two units would hold off the demons as long as possible to allow more troops to reach the safety of the high wall. Then, the squad leaders would retreat, followed by Lin Feng, Liliya, Monte, and others, with Rocky being the last to withdraw.


    Because of these well-prepared arrangements, although the situation on the battlefield was highly unfavorable for Rocky and his team, the retreat process did not degenerate into a chaotic rout. As the retreat began, both ordinary soldiers and guards, whether acquainted or not, immediately grouped and started falling back slowly.


    Meanwhile, squad leaders from the two units quickly gathered around Lin Feng, Liliya, and the others, blocking the demons under their lead.


    In this, Rocky¡¯s courage was paramount as he returned to the battlefield and once again chose to personally contain the demons.


    What worked at one time may not at another. Initially, containing the demons had little effect, but now, as the main forces began retreating toward the high wall, the significance of containing the demons became apparent. If Rocky could hold off even one or two demons, the pursuing demon forces would be reduced accordingly.


    Moreover, after such a prolonged battle, although the human side had suffered heavy casualties, the Demon Army was not unscathed. The earlier counterattack by the long-range units had killed a dozen or twenty demons, and ensued by the fierce combat, now there were probably less than fifty demons left, likely only about thirty to forty.


    This was why Rocky chose this moment to retreat. Thirty to forty demons could still exert terrifying combat power on the battlefield, but against a high wall, they might not be able to cause much trouble.


    In other words, as long as the remaining forces could retreat behind the high wall and make their last stand with the wall as their backing, there was still hope for victory in this battle, the only hope for their success!

 Chapter 113 - 113 - 112: By One’s Own Strength!

    Chapter 113 ¨C 112: By One¡¯s Own Strength!


    As long as the troops on the battlefield could return to the high wall, the advantage of the wall would be enough to drive back the remaining demons. This was Rocky¡¯s only hope of winning the battle.


    And to achieve this, to allow as many troops as possible to retreat, Rocky naturally took the lead to become the vanguard blocking the demons!


    While the other soldiers retreated towards the high wall, he charged at the demons, constantly drawing their attention with the advantage of the Void Magic Armor.


    Gliding instantly to a demon, Rocky raised his hand for a slash, immediately slid to the side, and struck another demon with his sword, then retreated after the blow and targeted other demons.


    With the agility of the Void Magic Armor, Rocky continued to harass the demons through relentless repetition. His goal wasn¡¯t to kill a large number of demons, but to attract their attention to the fullest, keeping the monsters focused on him.


    He had done the same thing in the last battle, so he had experience on how to attract demons and how to entangle with multiple demons at once. It did not take long before at least six demons were enraged, directing their spears at him.


    ¡°Come on¡­ come on¡­ all of you, come here¡­¡±


    ...


    To ensure that the demons always followed him, Rocky did not fly into the air. If he flew away, the demons would target others, so he always used the Void Magic Armor to glide close to the ground, slashing at any demon he encountered to draw in more of them.


    At the same time, he absolutely did not engage in a drawn-out battle with the demons. Last time, he had put himself in danger by doing so, and Liliya ended up getting hurt trying to protect him. So, this time Rocky had learned his lesson. He wouldn¡¯t entangle with the demons and would simply use the Void Magic Armor to soar into the sky and shake off any pursuing demon, nothing more.


    Without a doubt, Rocky had grown a lot through ceaseless battles. Before this mission, he hardly had any encounters with demons, and the only time he did, he cooperated with Liliya. Now, due to this mission, he had rapidly grown into a qualified warrior, whether in skills, experience, or on-the-spot judgment.


    In such a situation, an astonishing scene occurred on the battlefield. A large number of human soldiers were retreating toward the high wall, and the gate had already opened. The first group of soldiers had even made it back, but the demons did not take advantage of the situation to pursue a victory. At this critical opportunity, over half of them were distracted by one person.


    That person was naturally Rocky!


    From up high on the wall, one could see Rocky weaving through the battlefield alone, with a long tail of demons relentlessly chasing him, uttering furious roars. Over twenty demons were chasing Rocky at that moment, resembling a pack of hungry wolves pursuing a fleeing rabbit.


    These hungry wolves were frenzied, baring their teeth and slashing their claws as they chased. It was easy to imagine that once they caught their prey, they would unquestionably tear it to shreds.


    However, the pursued rabbit was quite clever. Despite being in constant flight amidst dangers, it always managed to escape from the gaping jaws of the hungry wolves, even taking the chance to attract more during the chase!


    Thus, the situation on the battlefield underwent yet another change.


    At this moment, there were fewer than forty demons left on the battlefield, and there were still about a hundred soldiers with combat capabilities. With this ratio, if they continued to fight head-on, Backhill Village would be undoubtedly defeated. Even if the troops started retreating, the demons would certainly not give them this chance.


    But it was because of Rocky¡¯s successful diversion, that more than half of the demons had their attention fixed on him. He led them around the battlefield as if walking dogs, drastically reducing the pressure on the others.


    Under the cover provided by Lin Feng, Liliya, Monte, and a host of other squad leaders, along with the support of Archers and Mages on the high walls, even the demons that Rocky hadn¡¯t drawn away were blocked from chasing down their victory, allowing more and more troops to make it back inside the high walls.


    Once the bulk of the troops had safely returned, Lin Feng, Liliya, and the others also led the various squad leaders in a fighting retreat, eventually making it back to the high walls under the cover of Archers and Mages!


    ¡°Hold it! Everyone, help me hold the gate!¡±


    Retreating to the gate of the high walls, Lin Feng grabbed a shield from someone unknown and took the lead in front of the gate, together with Liliya and the other squad leaders, they all became the most solid barricade, blocking the demons that were attempting to storm the high walls with them outside.


    Meanwhile, noticing that everyone on the battlefield had managed to retreat, an utterly exhausted Rocky leaped into the air and soared towards the nearest Skyship, bellowing, ¡°Fire! All hands, open fire!¡±


    At his roar, the nearest Skyship immediately started bombarding the battlefield, followed by other Skyships unleashing their cannons, turning the battlefield outside the high walls into a field of explosions almost in the blink of an eye.


    At the same time, the Archers and Mages on the high walls once again began to unleash their fury, sending a barrage of Arrow Feathers and Magic beyond the walls.


    Obviously, now that all the troops had retreated behind the high walls, the ranged units had another opportunity to come into play, an opportunity that was incredibly precious, especially for the Skyships. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That¡¯s because once the demons started to attack the high walls, the Magic Cannons couldn¡¯t fire anymore¡ªotherwise, the cannons themselves would be sufficient to bring down the walls without waiting for the demon assault.


    In this situation, the gunners aboard the Skyships didn¡¯t have the time to aim. They used the Magic Cannons to bombard wildly, firing until the barrels glowed red hot, firing until there wasn¡¯t a speck of Mana left in the Magic Cannons.


    At the same time, Rocky had already flown back to the high walls, but he didn¡¯t stay on top; instead, he flew directly toward the camp.


    After the intense fighting just now, especially the last stage where he single-handedly held off half of the demons, the Mana in his Void Magic Armor was almost depleted. Whether he liked it or not, Rocky had to recharge his Void Magic Armor.


    Until the Void Magic Armor was fully charged and Rocky could return to the front, the troops that had retreated back to the high walls had to rely on themselves.


    Fortunately, with the bombardment from the Skyships, not only did Lin Feng and the others withstand the demon¡¯s onslaught at the gate, but they also managed to close it successfully.


    ¡°Barricade the gate! Quick! Use whatever you can find!¡±


    The moment the gate closed tightly, a massive bolt, which took several soldiers to lift, was thrust across it, yet this was clearly not enough; a single bolt could not withstand the following assaults of the demons. Therefore, Lin Feng immediately ordered to bring all the heavy objects they could find to thoroughly block the gate.


    Under his command, carts, barrels, and even large grindstones from the village were moved over, completely sealing the gate shut.


    After that, Lin Feng, Liliya, and the others charged up to the high walls.


    However, the moment they reached the top, the deafening sound of the bombardment stopped, immediately sinking their hearts. They quickly leaned on the battlements to look down, only to see that the demons had gathered below the high walls and started assaulting the walls with their strong bodies!

 Chapter 114 - 114 - 113: Turning the Tide!

    Chapter 114 ¨C 113: Turning the Tide!


    When Lin Feng and Liliya were peering down from the top of the wall, they discovered that the demons had already begun to charge the high wall!


    After another round of cannon fire, the number of demons had significantly decreased, but there were still nearly thirty. All the demons that survived the cannon fire rushed to the base of the wall!


    Unlike the sieges conducted between humans, the demons¡¯ method of attacking the wall was hardly admirable; this group of monsters could only rely on their robust bodies to launch a direct and brutal assault on the wall.


    This crude form of assault lacked any aesthetic value but was undeniably effective. Take the armored bull demon, for example, it charged at the wall, and its hard horns easily shattered a large portion of the wall, yet it was unscathed itself.


    Compared to the formidable armored bull demons, the black-eyed demons were much weaker in all aspects, but they were also a lot more agile. The few black-eyed demons that survived the bombardment jumped up as they reached the wall, clinging to it with their sharp claws and climbing up swiftly like geckos.


    The extremely hard wall seemed like tofu under the claws of the black-eyed demons, not only failing to stop them but rather providing these monsters with the perfect foothold. When Lin Feng and Liliya looked outside the wall, the fastest black-eyed demon had already climbed up five or six meters!


    ¡°Archers and mages, fall back, soldiers, forward!¡±


    ...


    Seeing the demons attacking the wall, particularly the black-eyed demons crawling up, Lin Feng immediately issued orders.


    This was where his abundant experience came into play. Had a novice been in command, they would surely have used this opportunity to let the archers and mages launch an attack, which would undoubtedly be the case.


    However, this approach, while seemingly logical, was utterly impractical. After such a prolonged battle, the archers and mages were already exhausted, with both their arrows and magical power nearly depleted. At this point, letting the ranged troops continue to attack would have limited effect.


    Moreover, given the not-so-great height of Backhill Village¡¯s walls, it wouldn¡¯t take long for the black-eyed demons climbing up to reach the top, and even if only one made it up, it would spell sure disaster for both archers and mages!


    In these circumstances, the ranged troops on the wall were immediately withdrawn, with the few remaining soldiers taking their places. However, no sooner had the soldiers positioned themselves than the first demon arrived!


    The first black-eyed demon to climb over the wall leaped onto the walkway, but before it could land, the quick-reacting Liliya stabbed it in the chest with her sword, causing the demon to scream and fall back down.


    But after that, more demons leaped onto the wall one after another. At first, the soldiers could still slash or kick them down like Liliya had, but once a demon firmly made it onto the wall, the situation quickly deteriorated.


    The first demon that secured a foothold on the wall swept through three soldiers with one swipe of its claw and then leaped towards further soldiers, throwing everyone into disarray. With the soldiers panicked, more demons made it onto the wall.


    Thus, the battle on the wall began!


    After the bitter struggle beforehand, the soldiers still standing on the wall were fewer than a hundred, and each one was exhausted and wounded. Although the number of demons had also significantly reduced to a few dozen, the soldiers were still unable to hold their ground.


    Even Lin Feng and Monte, the two mightiest warriors, were beginning to falter.


    Facing a swipe from a black-eyed demon, Lin Feng steadied himself with his longsword, but he was pushed back two steps by the strike before he could stop¡ªa scenario unimaginable for him as a level six warrior. Under normal conditions, he should have been able to make the black-eyed demon recoil with a single stroke.


    But that was the reality. Even someone as strong as Lin Feng was drained of his strength during the battle, and he was forced to give ground under the demon¡¯s assault, making the situation worse for everyone else.


    So, when the battle on the wall started, the demons jumping onto the wall gradually gained the upper hand, forcing the soldiers into a relentless retreat without any chance to fight back.


    With a heavy crash, Liliya quickly rolled to the side, and then a loud thump followed as the giant foot of the armored bull demon stamped down hard where she had just been.


    But at that moment, Liliya had no time for fear; she leapt up from the ground and struck the shoulder of the armored bull demon with her sword, the force of which surprisingly shattered the demon¡¯s scale armor and sank into half its chest.


    This was trouble!


    Given the demons¡¯ tenacious vitality, the only way to effectively kill them was to cleave them in twain with a single blow; failing that, even grievous wounds could allow a dying demon to launch a fierce counterattack. That was exactly Liliya¡¯s situation now!


    Her sword, having sunk into the armored bull demon¡¯s shoulder and chest, did not deal a killing blow, but instead got stuck!


    And just as Liliya struggled to pull her sword out, the badly wounded armored bull demon roared and pounced at her!


    What immense strength does an armored bull demon have?


    And how narrow is the walkway on the wall?


    Embraced fully by the armored bull demon, Liliya almost in an instant crossed over the battlements, falling outside the high wall¡­


    ¡°Liliya!¡±


    ¡°No!!¡±


    ¡°Captain!¡±


    The moment Liliya fell outside the wall was witnessed by many. Lin Feng shouted, Monte sprinted towards the battlements, and the guards beside Liliya were simply stunned.


    No one could have anticipated such a turn of events. How could Liliya die?


    She was wearing equipment second only to Void Magic Armor! She had been leading everyone in battle until now! How could she possibly die like this!?


    ¡°Captain!¡±


    Not only the soldiers on the high walls found it hard to accept such a scene, but even the guards on the skyships surrounding the walls saw Liliya fall from the wall. Felly, who was in charge of command, burst into tears. He rushed to the bow and yelled for his captain, but couldn¡¯t do anything. He could only watch helplessly as Liliya and the demon fell together from the wall¡­


    But just at that moment, a figure flew in from nowhere. It soared like a swallow, leaping down along the high wall and just a few seconds later, the figure rose back into mid-air.


    Rocky!


    The figure hovering in mid-air, naturally, was Rocky clad in Void Magic Armor, and in his arms, he held Liliya!


    ¡°It¡¯s the City Lord!¡±


    ¡°The City Lord has arrived!¡±


    ¡°The Lord has arrived!!¡±


    Watching Rocky rise slowly from outside the high wall and having also rescued the almost certainly doomed Liliya, the guards atop the wall were the first to burst into cheers. Excited, they had forgotten that they should call Rocky the captain here, for they only knew their leader had arrived!


    In fact, not just the Guard Corps, but also the soldiers from Backhill Village unconsciously let out shouts. Although these soldiers were not under Rocky¡¯s command, and were not even familiar with Rocky, his performance in two consecutive battles had already conquered them.


    Soldiers worship the strong, just as the soldiers from Backhill Village respect Lin Feng. Rocky¡¯s leadership in battle and the formidable strength he showed with the Void Magic Armor had impacted the soldiers of Backhill Village greatly, earning their deep respect. Therefore, when he appeared, Backhill Village too seemed to see their savior and shouted excitedly!


    Among the soldiers¡¯ loud shouts, Rocky placed Liliya on the high wall and then handed her his side sword.


    ¡°Use my sword for now.¡±


    Having said that, he once again leaped down the high wall and when he returned shortly after, he already had in his hand Liliya¡¯s longsword which she had left on the demon.


    This longsword was crucial not to lose, for it was a Rune Longsword personally made by Winsel, its power even greater than the side sword of Void Magic Armor.


    ¡°Warriors!¡±


    Having retrieved the Rune Longsword, Rocky, hovering in mid-air, bellowed, ¡°For Backhill Village! For our families! And for ourselves! Kill these demons!!¡±


    In his roar, hovering in mid-air, he flew straight at a demon. With a swing of his sword, he cleaved the demon in half!


    One sword strike to kill a demon!


    The power of the Rune Longsword was finally unleashed to its fullest extent in that moment!


    Following that sword strike, the guards who had been continuously retreating on the high wall suddenly surged in morale, and inspired by him, engaged the demons in combat once more!


    It¡¯s strange how things work. Before Rocky¡¯s appearance, the soldiers were nearly overwhelmed by the demon¡¯s onslaught. No, not nearly¡ªthey were indeed overwhelmed. But after his arrival, they seemed to regain their full strength, charged with boosted morale, and courageously fought against the demons once again.


    It was not only the soldiers; even Lin Feng and others, upon seeing Rocky re-enter the fray, seemed to shed all their exhaustion and once again gained the upper hand against the demons.


    At the same time, Rocky¡¯s presence brought not just morale but also a significant enhancement to everyone¡¯s strength!


    In his hands, the true power of the Rune Longsword was finally unleashed. With the enhancement of the Void Magic Armor, Rocky now possessed the strength of a Level Four Warrior. Under this powerful influence, the Rune Longsword left no challenger standing!


    The Black-eyed Demons were thick-skinned and tough, and ordinary weapons found it hard to fatally wound them. However, the Rune Longsword, personally forged by Winsel, was no ordinary weapon. Its power even surpassed regular Mana Weapons, making each of Rocky¡¯s strikes deadly to a demon.


    Even the stronger Armored Bull Demons found no advantage under the Rune Longsword; their scale armor could not withstand its strikes, often succumbing within two or three slashes. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, the situation on the battlefield changed once again.


    One, Two, Three¡­


    Rocky sliced through the demons, charging into any that appeared in front of him.


    Four, Five, Six¡­


    After slicing down a demon, he immediately turned and charged another direction.


    Seven, Eight, Nine¡­


    With a sweeping strike, he decapitated a demon. Rocky immediately turned back, then in surprise, he realized there were no more demons on the high wall¡­


    The demons attempting to climb the high wall had been killed off without anyone realizing!


    PS: The biggest battle till now has finally ended. I hope everyone liked it? With this battle over, Rocky is about to return to Sky City and he¡¯s bringing massive gains with him. So, as I always say, the upcoming chapters will be even more exciting. Please recommend! Please recommend!


    Please recommend!

 Chapter 115 - 115 - 114 The Terrible Cost

    Chapter 115 ¨C 114 The Terrible Cost


    ¡°`


    Unbeknownst to them, the demons¡­ had all been killed?!


    Rocky, who was scanning the high walls left and right, could hardly believe the outcome, but sure enough, as he looked around, he found that all the demons on the walls were lying on the ground, indeed there were no living demons left!


    They¡­ had actually won?


    This battle, they had won!


    ¡°We¡¯ve won!!!¡±


    After confirming that there were no living demons left, Rocky finally roared towards the sky!


    ...


    With his roar, all the soldiers who were still standing on the walls, even those barely breathing, let out a cheer together! Many of them shed tears in their cheer.


    They truly had reason to cheer, they had every right to shed tears for the victory of this battle, because it was all well-deserved!


    With a force totaling no more than three hundred people, plus ten skyships, they faced off against more than a hundred demons and ultimately achieved victory. Such a military feat was something to be proud of no matter where they went or who they mentioned it to.


    In the battles of humankind against demons, numerous fights involved more troops than theirs facing fewer demons, yet resulted in defeat, not to mention those were not few in number, but this time Rocky and his comrades had won. Perhaps this victory could not be considered unprecedented, but it certainly qualified as a splendid and outstanding triumph!


    ¡°All able-bodied men, immediately tend to the wounded!¡±


    After the cheering and shouting had subsided, Lin Feng immediately gave the order. The final outcome of the battle was their victory, but the number of wounded soldiers was also countless. So, after a brief moment of joy, everyone began the urgent work of treating the wounded.


    Rocky, who had performed exceptionally well in this battle, exhausted his last ounce of strength in the cheering, and finally collapsed on the ground due to exhaustion, just as he had done previously. He was placed on a stretcher and urgently carried back to camp.


    The reason Rocky was able to return to the battlefield so quickly, rescue Liliya at the critical moment, was not because his Void Magic Armor was fully recharged. In fact, when he returned to the battlefield, the Void Magic Armor had only replenished a third of its mana. Therefore, in the final stages of the battle, the Armor¡¯s mana was already depleted.


    This meant that the Void Magic Armor was effectively useless during the last stages of the fight!


    After this mission, he had reflected carefully on the situation and still had no answer; he didn¡¯t know how he had managed to fight to the end in his heavy armor.


    But now none of that mattered because they had won this crucial battle, and that was enough!


    Completely exhausted, Rocky fell into a deep sleep as soon as he was placed on the stretcher. He didn¡¯t even know how he was carried back to the tent. Fortunately, all post-battle operations were managed by Lin Feng and others, so it was no big deal that he slept through it all.


    He slept straight through to the next day, and only then did he wake up from his deep slumber and, unsurprisingly, saw Liliya.


    ¡°Has the casualty count been tallied?¡±


    As soon as Rocky opened his eyes and saw Liliya, his first question was about the casualty count because he knew that although they had won the battle, the victory must have been incredibly harsh. He wanted to know how many soldiers of the Guard Corps were left.


    Liliya, who had been joyful at Rocky¡¯s awakening, saw her smile fade away by half at that moment, then she sat by Rocky¡¯s bed and nodded at him: ¡°It has been tallied, the losses of both units are very severe¡­¡±


    Then, Liliya went on to relay the casualties after the great battle to Rocky.


    In this battle, not including the skyships and the guards on them, a total of 267 people from Backhill Village and the Guard Corps participated in combat, of which there were 100 ranged troops, and 167 soldiers engaged the demons in direct confrontation.


    ¡°`


    But when the battle ended, only 178 soldiers were left alive, among whom only 92 soldiers who had directly participated in the combat survived, with 75 casualties!


    Also, during the battle at the tall wall, two demons had broken into the village, resulting in 14 deaths among the 100 ranged troops that had been withdrawn.


    In other words, after the battle, Backhill Village and the Guard Corps combined suffered 89 deaths, a casualty rate of nearly forty percent!


    And this was only the death toll. The number of injured soldiers was beyond counting, because there wasn¡¯t a need to¡ªevery soldier who survived the battle was injured, with the only difference being the severity of their wounds.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Although he had anticipated it, Rocky still fell into silence after hearing everything Liliya had to say.


    Casualties were an inevitable price of war, especially in the war against demons. In fact, if judged solely on the scale and outcome of this battle, a forty percent casualty rate was not only not high, it was actually quite low! Facing a battle against hundreds of demons, not just a forty percent, but even a fifty percent death rate, or even total annihilation, would not have been surprising!


    Yet such heavy losses were still hard for Rocky to accept, so after a brief silence, he asked,


    ¡°How about the casualties of the Guard Corps?¡±


    ¡°The Guard Corps¡­ they are¡­ not too bad, I guess¡­¡±


    With a sigh, Liliya replied to the question, ¡°The Guard Corps lost 32 people in combat, and among those injured, another 13 will never be able to serve as guards again¡­¡±


    ¡°Sigh¡­ the casualties are so heavy¡­¡±


    After hearing Liliya¡¯s report, Rocky let out a long sigh. Previously, nearly ten guards had died in the successive attacks by demons, and now 32 more had perished in this battle. All in all, of the hundred guards Rocky had brought to Backhill Village, nearly half had died, and among the remaining half, many had completely lost their fighting ability and could no longer serve as guards¡­


    Saddened by such a grim outcome, Rocky didn¡¯t know what to say. He sat on his bed, lost in thought for a long time, then suddenly seemed to remember something and hurriedly asked, ¡°What about Monte? And Dusa, is the little girl alright?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ that¡¯s good¡­¡±


    Monte, Dusa, and Liliya had not met with any accidents in the battle, which was probably the only thing that could make Rocky feel happy and relieved. So after this, he got up from the bed.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    Seeing him rising to leave, Liliya quickly asked because his condition wasn¡¯t good, and he should continue to rest.


    ¡°I need to see Lin Feng and Old Jack, it¡¯s time for them to make a choice,¡± Rocky responded.


    Although the losses of the battle pained Rocky deeply, it was exactly because of such a painful cost that he felt it was time to reveal his identity and purpose to Lin Feng and the village elder, Old Jack. They either had to follow him and leave, or stay here and wait for death, but Rocky was absolutely not going to take care of them anymore!


    PS: Three chapters today, ask for recommendations! S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 116 - 116 - 115: The Great Migration (Part 1)

    Chapter 116 ¨C 115: The Great Migration (Part 1) sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The battle that had just ended had fulfilled Commander Rocky¡¯s mission, so he did not plan to stay here a minute longer. However, there were two things he had to take care of before leaving.


    The first was to collect his rightful reimbursement, consisting of ten thousand Gold Coins, five hundred pounds of Yellow Scale Mine, and all the bodies of the Demons. These were Rocky¡¯s dues, and the very reason he had undertaken this mission, so he had to take these items with him before departing.


    The second matter was Rocky¡¯s plan to reveal his identity to Lin Feng and Old Jack and to persuade them to lead the villagers of Backhill Village to leave with him.


    Thus, upon leaving the camp, he went directly to meet Lin Feng. However, as he just arrived at Lin Feng¡¯s residence, he saw several carts of ore parked outside the house, which indicated that Lin Feng had already prepared the reimbursement without needing a reminder.


    Indeed, that was the case. When Rocky entered Lin Feng¡¯s residence, he not only met Lin Feng but also Old Jack.


    ¡°Commander Rocky.¡±


    Upon seeing Rocky, Old Jack was the first to stand up and warmly thanked him, then said, ¡°Commander Sir, we have prepared the commission for this mission, ten thousand Gold Coins and five hundred pounds of Yellow Scale Mine all loaded onto carts.


    ...


    As for the bodies of the Demons, I had Captain Lin Feng send people beyond the high wall to retrieve them as much as possible, and it should be ready by tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, village chief.¡±


    Rocky nodded and did not offer thanks because these were his entitlements, earned through the blood and lives of he and the Guard Corps, no thanks owed to anyone.


    After that, he cut short any further pleasantries and directly asked, ¡°Village chief, and Captain Lin Feng, do you have any plans for the future?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, both Old Jack and Lin Feng furrowed their brows, and then Old Jack said with a laugh, ¡°We are still considering it. Anyway, we truly thank you, Commander Rocky, as without your cooperation against the Demons, our village would not have known how to survive this ordeal.¡±


    Old Jack was indeed a wily old man, skillfully bringing the topic to a close without any fuss.


    This was actually quite normal, for the affairs of Backhill Village were really not something Rocky, a foreigner, should be concerned or meddling with. However, he had asked about it twice now, and if not for him and the Guard Corps indeed helping Backhill Village resist the Demon attacks, Old Jack and Lin Feng would certainly not have been courteous to him.


    Yet, it seemed as if Rocky did not understand Old Jack¡¯s hint and continued, ¡°Gentlemen, do you really think you can withstand another attack from the Demons after I leave?¡±


    With these words, Old Jack and Lin Feng¡¯s expressions indeed began to sour¡ªfirstly because Rocky¡¯s repeated probing annoyed them, and secondly, because what Rocky said was absolutely true!


    It didn¡¯t matter whether he was entitled to meddle, but his point was undeniable¡ªthat once he and his troops left, could Backhill Village withstand another attack from the Demons?


    The answer was clearly no. After a series of brutal battles, Backhill Village had suffered much more than the Guard Corps, not only were there more injured soldiers, there were also many more deaths and even the high walls were riddled with holes.


    The high wall had sustained severe damage during the Demons¡¯ assault, especially during the initial charge by the armored bull demon, which caused extensive cracks in the wall. Had the battle not ended when it did, the wall might have collapsed!


    So when Rocky led the troops away, Backhill Village could hardly gather effective defensive forces in a short period of time. It would take at least one to two months, or even up to six months, for them to possibly recover. However, in such a prolonged period, the demons would certainly not remain inactive and even a single attack by the demons could wipe out Backhill Village!


    This matter also troubled Old Jack and Lin Feng. So, when Rocky made this issue clear, both their faces looked incredibly grim.


    Even so, facing Rocky, an outsider, Old Jack still forced a smile and bared his teeth, ¡°Commander Rocky, we naturally have¡­¡±


    ¡°Village chief, I actually have a suggestion.¡±


    Not waiting for Old Jack to finish his words, Rocky interrupted, ¡°Village chief, and Captain Lin Feng, my identity is not merely that of a Mercenary Group commander, or rather, I am not really a commander at all.¡±


    Looking at Old Jack and Lin Feng, Rocky slowly said, ¡°In fact, I am the City Lord of a Sky City.¡±


    Just as expected, when Rocky revealed his identity, both Old Jack and Lin Feng gasped!


    The two had indeed harbored doubts about Rocky¡¯s identity before because as a City Lord, Rocky exuded a demeanor unlike ordinary people. Backhill Village had not hired mercenaries for the first time to help with defense, and they could naturally spot that this ¡¯Commander¡¯ was different from other commanders.


    However, the limit of their imagination was to think of him as a noble who had concealed his identity, but they had never imagined that he was the owner of a Sky City!


    No wonder this was the case, for during the Sky Era, the status of a Sky City Lord was regarded as the most noble rank. No matter how noble you were or how long the suffix title of your nobility was, without being a City Lord, it was all nonsense!


    Therefore, no matter how hard Old Jack and Lin Feng racked their brains, they could never have imagined that a City Lord would lead troops to carry out such a dangerous task! Were they insane?


    In this context, the way they looked at Rocky changed, and it had to change, for the gap between them was far too great.


    It was only after Old Jack and Lin Feng had regained their composure that Rocky continued to speak, ¡°Gentlemen, I think you are well aware of the situation in Backhill Village. If the demons launch another attack, you definitely won¡¯t be able to withstand it.¡±


    ¡°I understand that you have your own reasons to remain living on the land, and even your own beliefs, which I deeply respect. It is precisely your fearlessness in fighting the demons that has preserved the last sanctuary for people on the land and prevented the demons from completely overtaking it.¡±


    ¡°However, I think not fearing death and waiting for death are not the same thing. What do you think?¡±


    While speaking, Rocky looked at Old Jack and Lin Feng, waiting for them to absorb everything he had said before he continued, ¡°Therefore, I hope you carefully consider the suggestion I am about to make for the sake of all the villagers in Backhill Village.¡±


    ¡°I suggest¡­ moving all the people of Backhill Village to my Sky City.¡±


    Looking at Old Jack and Lin Feng, Rocky slowly stated.


    Upon hearing his words, both Old Jack and Lin Feng furrowed their brows tightly and simultaneously fell into silence.

 Chapter 117 - 117 - 116: The Great Migration (Part 2)

    Chapter 117 ¨C 116: The Great Migration (Part 2)


    Continue your adventure with empire


    Actually, as soon as Rocky had made his identity known, Old Jack and Lin Feng had already anticipated the suggestion he might make, so when he finally voiced it, neither of them showed much surprise; instead, they both fell into silence.


    This reaction was certainly a good sign for Rocky since their hesitation to immediately refuse meant they were considering it.


    In fact, this was indeed the case; Old Jack and Lin Feng were seriously considering Rocky¡¯s suggestion, not because it was particularly good but because Backhill Village had very few options left.


    If they disregarded Rocky, then Backhill Village would inevitably face the next wave of attacks from the demons, and no matter how quickly the village tried to repair or even hire other mercenary groups to help, nothing could guarantee the village¡¯s survival from the next wave of demon attacks.


    However, if they agreed to Rocky¡¯s proposal, it would mean that everyone in Backhill Village must give up their homeland and move to an entirely unfamiliar environment to live, and in this strange environment, they could no longer dictate their own terms, which posed a great challenge to the people of Backhill Village.


    Therefore, making a choice was indeed a significant dilemma.


    ...


    ¡°Commander Rocky¡­ rather, Lord Rocky, could you give us some time to think¡­¡±


    After a moment of contemplation, Old Jack glanced at Rocky.


    However, Rocky shook his head, ¡°Village Chief, we don¡¯t have much time. I only have ten skyships; if you really wish to relocate, then we must hurry as no one knows when the demons might attack.¡±


    Rocky¡¯s words were not untrue; Backhill Village had over a thousand villagers, but he only had ten skyships. So even if they didn¡¯t bring anything else, just transporting these villagers to Thunderhawk City would take two or three days, indeed leaving no spare time to overthink.


    Moreover, Rocky harbored his own motives; now was when Backhill Village was most helpless and desperate. Under such circumstances, Old Jack and Lin Feng were highly likely to agree to his proposal. But if they delayed too long and the two of them thought of another solution, then Rocky¡¯s attempt to take all the villagers to Thunderhawk City would become difficult.


    Thus, from the beginning, he had not planned to give Old Jack and Lin Feng much time to think; they had to make a decision immediately and stick to it.


    Under these circumstances, Old Jack thought for a long time and even whispered with Lin Feng for a while before they finally came to a decision.


    ¡°Alright, Lord Rocky, we agree to your suggestion¡­¡±


    With a hint of reluctance, Old Jack delivered the final answer; he agreed to relocate all the villagers of Backhill Village to Thunderhawk City!


    Excellent!


    Hearing this answer, Rocky merely nodded outwardly, but internally he shouted in triumph!


    If it weren¡¯t for the presence of these two men, he would have loved to fiercely swing his fist right now, for this would mean the population of Thunderhawk City could potentially double!


    A doubled population!


    In today¡¯s age, the size of a Sky City¡¯s population directly determined its rank. This was not without reason, for the larger the population, the greater the productivity, and the greater the productivity, the stronger the Sky City would become; also, a larger population could form a bigger army, and a larger army naturally meant greater strength¡ªit was a simple fact.


    And thus, the population has always been the scarcest resource. Although there could be population movements among the Sky Cities, a small city like Thunderhawk had no chance of attracting new inhabitants from other cities. For Thunderhawk, not to mention doubling the population, even increasing it by ten percent was extremely difficult!


    But now, once the villagers from Backhill Village were relocated to Thunderhawk City, the city¡¯s population would instantly double, which would undoubtedly play an enormous role in the city¡¯s future development.


    So, having confirmed this matter, Rocky immediately set to work on arranging the relocation, acting as though he feared Old Jack might have a change of heart.


    On one hand, he had Old Jack and Lin Feng explain the situation to the villagers, while on the other, he personally oversaw the task of organizing the skyships for transportation.


    Just like that, the day after the great war had just ended, Backhill Village became busy.


    Old Jack and Lin Feng gathered all the villagers, including Rocky, introduced Rocky¡¯s new identity to everyone, and also explained the situation facing Backhill Village, thereby mentioning that everyone would be relocated to Sky City. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this news, the villagers were naturally filled with astonishment, and some were even unwilling. Therefore, Rocky delivered a speech, which was almost identical to what he had used to persuade Old Jack and Lin Feng.


    With the clear outline of the pros and cons, and with the assistance of Old Jack and Lin Feng by his side, the villagers of Backhill Village had eventually accepted the result.


    After that, the great migration kicked off in full swing!


    Under the arrangement of Rocky, ten skyships began transporting villagers to Thunderhawk City continuously. Although these ten skyships were strictly speaking warships, and also small-sized scout ships, with a carrying capacity incomparable to cargo ships, each skyship carrying twenty villagers was still achievable.


    Thus, ten skyships could transport two hundred villagers at a time, and going back and forth five or six times was enough to move all the people of Backhill Village.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t just the villagers who were to be transported; other items from the village, like the warehouse of Backhill Village, were also to be moved.


    In the warehouse of Backhill Village were not only food supplies but also Gold Coins, and even demon cores from Demons! Could Rocky possibly give those up? Of course not!


    Furthermore, the necessities of life needed by the villagers were to be transported as much as possible. Thunderhawk City originally had just over a thousand inhabitants, and now that number had suddenly doubled, which made accommodating the additional people a big issue.


    Next were the spoils of this mission. Although after the migration began, Rocky¡¯s biggest gain from this mission became the populace, he did not want to forsake the commission that was rightfully his, especially the bodies of hundreds of Demons, and several thousand pounds of Yellow Scale Ore!


    There¡¯s no need to mention the bodies of the Demons, after having gone through two major wars, the number of killed demons had reached into the hundreds, and the majority of these bodies had been recovered inside the village. Rocky definitely wanted to take as many as possible.


    As for the Yellow Scale Ore, normally Rocky, after completing a mission, could only take away five hundred pounds of Yellow Scale Ore. But now, with the villagers of Backhill Village following him, the freshly mined ore naturally belonged to him as well.


    You should know that even if mining in Backhill Village had only been conducted for twenty days, the excavated Yellow Scale Ore amounted to several thousand pounds. These ores could be sold to any Chamber of Commerce for tens of thousands of Gold Coins. How could Rocky possibly give them up?


    Given the circumstances, he had to make arrangements as efficiently as possible, first using the skyships to transport the villagers, then the spoils and items from the Backhill Village warehouse, and finally the necessities of daily life, in that order.


    However, the relocation of over a thousand people was definitely a major project. Though simple to arrange, serious difficulties arose when it actually came time to act, so Rocky promptly had Voss come down after the first batch of villagers had been transported, hoping to utilize his experience to help with the migration.


    Upon arriving at Backhill Village, Voss didn¡¯t disappoint Rocky¡¯s hopes; always based in Thunderhawk City, he might not have known what had happened, but after quickly understanding the situation, he immediately took over the coordination work from Rocky. Under his command, the speed of the migration improved significantly.


    Time passed by day by day, and on the third day after the start of the migration, all the people of Backhill Village were successfully transported to Thunderhawk City, where Aileen, who was stationed there, was responsible for settling them in.


    Then, within three more days, the bodies of hundreds of Demons, several thousand pounds of Yellow Scale Ore, and the warehouse of Backhill Village were also emptied.


    Meanwhile, during these days, the Demons did not appear, it seems they were just as Rocky had previously thought. The Demons, already scarce around Break-Sky Mountain, had been exhausted in the last fight. Although it wouldn¡¯t be long before more Demons would appear, at least before the completion of the migration, the Demons would not come.


    Thus, the work of migration was nearing its conclusion. Three days later, the necessities of life packed by the villagers were also transported to Thunderhawk City by skyship, trip by trip. By the time the skyship came to Backhill Village for the last time and took Rocky and others away, Backhill Village had already become an empty village!


    In the whole village, besides the houses that could not be moved, everything that could be taken was taken by Rocky!


    After that, Rocky left Backhill Village with the last trip of the skyship. Standing at the prow of the skyship, watching as the village became increasingly tiny in his sight and now completely empty, he couldn¡¯t have been more satisfied!


    PS: Three updates delivered! Please recommend!!

 Chapter 118 - 118 - 117 Gesya City

    Chapter 118 ¨C 117 Gesya City


    With a brimful of gains, Rocky took the last skyship out of Backhill Village and returned to his own Thunderhawk City.


    Standing at the bow of the skyship, Rocky was in high spirits, or rather, his mood had to be good, for the rewards from this mission were simply too great!


    The original commission for this mission was merely ten thousand Gold Coins and five hundred pounds of Yellow Scale Ore, plus a portion of Demon Corpses. If all these commissions were converted to Gold Coins, the total sum would definitely not exceed one hundred thousand Gold Coins. Of course, for Rocky and Thunderhawk City, this was already considered a huge amount of money.


    But now, when Rocky truly left Backhill Village, the gains he acquired far exceeded his expectations.


    Let¡¯s not talk about his commission which initially belonged to him, nor the over a hundred Demon Corpses, or even the thousands of pounds of Yellow Scale Ore¡ªit goes without saying. Even excluding these, Rocky still had other gains.


    For example, everything in the storage of Backhill Village!


    The warehouse of Backhill Village was not particularly large, but it was completely equipped, containing not only Gold Coins and food but also over a hundred Demon Cores!


    ...


    Long before this mission began, Aileen had mentioned that The Forsaken People were very wealthy since they not only possessed the resources of the land but also those of the Demons. Backhill Village was just such a case.


    Years of battling with Demons had allowed Backhill Village to accumulate a large number of Demon Cores. Whenever the village encountered an emergency, the villagers would sell these cores to the Chamber of Commerce of Sky City in exchange for needed resources. Now, with Rocky having emptied the whole of Backhill Village, these Demon Cores, accumulated over years, belonged to him!


    Continue your journey with empire sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Demon Cores, ah!


    There were at least a hundred of them accumulated by Backhill Village, and once these cores were sold, how much money would that be?


    So, counting this profit, this time, he¡¯s probably going to earn over several hundred thousand Gold Coins!


    Several hundred thousand Gold Coins!


    My God, even thinking about that number made Rocky drool. He, who had been troubled about money since traversing to this world, had never seen so much Gold!


    And all these earnings were still those that could be measured in numbers. In reality, his most significant gain from this time was precisely what could not be calculated with numbers or Gold Coins, which was the population of Backhill Village!


    The more than one thousand villagers of Backhill Village would henceforth be residents of Thunderhawk City. Two months ago, Rocky had just started economic reforms in Thunderhawk City; new industries were waiting for manpower to be developed and constructed.


    At such a critical period, the sudden increase of more than a thousand people was self-explanatory in terms of what it meant for Thunderhawk City, right?


    At the same time, among these more than a thousand people, several hundred were experienced soldiers who would undoubtedly greatly strengthen Thunderhawk City¡¯s power. After all, the troops of Backhill Village were not rookies; they were veterans who had fought against Demons for countless years!


    A single mission, with so many tangible and intangible gains, how could Rocky not feel elated.


    And with such a tremendous gain, what would the future hold for him and Thunderhawk City?


    It would undoubtedly be on the rise!


    So, if it weren¡¯t for the presence of outsiders, Rocky really wanted to dance and laugh out loud just to express the joy in his heart.


    At this point, some might ask, the rewards from this mission were indeed huge, but let¡¯s not forget, how many people died for this mission! Since human life cannot be measured in money, is the profit earned at the cost of so many lives truly worth it?


    Rocky didn¡¯t know the answer to that question. He only knew one thing: If so many had died and nothing was gained, that would be the true loss!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    And so, Rocky left Backhill Village with his full gains, leaving in high spirits, and he really should be glad, for his gains from this time were enormous indeed.


    But as the saying goes, joy for some often means sorrow for others. When Rocky happily returned to Thunderhawk City, on the other side of the continent, someone was worrying.


    Gesya.


    In this world, Gesya is known as the God of the Earth, said to be the one who nurtured the land and bestowed life upon all creatures dwelling on it. Legend has it that he, along with the God of the Sky, gave birth to the seas, making him the father of the Sea God. In the mythological system of this world, Gesya holds an exceptionally important position.


    But now, people no longer believed in such myths and legends, because no one was blind. When Demons began to invade the land, the deities of the myths were nowhere to be seen. Gesya, the so-called God of the Earth, was missing without a trace, letting Demons occupy the land. Under such circumstances, who would continue to worship him?


    For the people of today, Gesya no longer represented the God of the Earth; instead, it denoted a city.


    One of only three remaining cities on land is called Gesya City!


    Today, after demons have occupied the land for a hundred years, there are only three places left on land where people still live and can be called cities, and Gesya City is one of them.


    This city is located on a vast plain, almost as large in area as the Top Ten Divine Cities in the sky, and is home to hundreds of thousands of people. It can be said to be one of the last strongholds on land.


    However, anyone who has personally visited this city would be incredibly surprised because Gesya City is situated on a plain surrounded by expansive grasslands, with no naturally defensible terrain. How could such a city hold out so long against the attacks of demons?


    If someone thought this way, they would be terribly mistaken, or rather, anyone who had such thoughts obviously had not seen the full picture of Gesya City. Indeed, the city is located on a plain and one can see endless land all around the city, but if one looked farther, they would see the true face of the city.


    A hundred li away from Gesya City lies a swamp nearly a thousand kilometers wide. This vast swamp encircles the city like a giant serpent, protecting Gesya City from the approach of demons. Even high-level demons, faced with a swamp nearly a thousand kilometers wide and fathomless, are at a loss.


    The swamp is known as the Karina Great Swamp, meaning ¡°insurmountable,¡± and it is precisely because of this insurmountable swamp that Gesya City remains one of the only three cities left on land!


    Only now, the situation seems to have changed a bit¡­


    Above the vast swamp, there appeared a fleet of skyships numbering in the hundreds. Each warship in this fleet is of the latest model, especially the flagship of the fleet, which is over two hundred meters long, equipped with nearly a hundred newest type magic cannons, and carries thousands of crew members and hundreds of soldiers donning Void Magic Armor!


    The highest officer of this flagship, who is also the supreme commander of Gesya City¡ªSiberius¡ªis currently wearing Void Magic Armor, floating in midair, and surveying the opposite shore of the swamp under the protection of a Void Magic Squad.


    Following Siberius¡¯s gaze to the other side of the swamp, one would find it completely covered with demons!


    At this moment, the number of demons gathered on the other side of the swamp is unimaginably high, so much so that one couldn¡¯t even begin to count them.


    Are there ten thousand demons?


    No.


    Fifty thousand demons?


    No.


    One hundred thousand demons?


    No!


    The demons surrounding the swamp are easily in the millions!


    Millions of demons are packed around the Karina Great Swamp, thoroughly surrounding Gesya City both inside and out, making it impenetrable, a scene that even Siberius, who had led Gesya City through the Second Counteroffensive War, couldn¡¯t help but be startled by.


    ¡°What on earth is going on¡­¡±


    Hovering in midair with the aid of the Void Magic Armor, Siberius looked upon the endless horde of demons, his brow knotted in deep concern. A month ago, demons began congregating around the swamp; in just a short month¡¯s time, their numbers grew from a few hundred or thousands to the scale it had reached now, and it appeared that their numbers were still increasing.


    Who is Siberius?


    Being the commander of one of humanity¡¯s last three cities on land, his strength and abilities have reached an unrivaled level, but even he had never faced a situation like the one before him.


    However, drawing on his lifetime of experience fighting demons, he could tell that something major was about to happen, a catastrophe!


    Therefore, he swiftly called his lieutenant, ¡°Inform the Kafka Empire, the Sky Alliance, and the Magic Energy Research Institute about our situation here. Ask them to send large Sky Cities to eliminate the demons as soon as possible, and also contact the other two cities to see if they too have encountered similar situations.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    With a quick response, the lieutenant immediately returned to the flagship and relayed Siberius¡¯s orders.


    The Kafka Empire, the Sky Alliance, and the Magic Energy Research Institute that Siberius mentioned are the three superpowers in the sky. Over eighty percent of the Sky Cities are dependent on these three forces for survival, and even the monstrous Top Ten Divine Cities have seven of them divided among these three powers!


    Clearly, Siberius felt that the abnormal behavior of the demons in the recent month was serious enough that the three superpowers must be informed!


    PS: It¡¯s still three updates today! So continue to ask for recommendations!

 Chapter 119 - 119 - 118: Astronomical Numbers!

    Chapter 119 ¨C 118: Astronomical Numbers!


    ¡°Finally¡­ I¡¯m back!¡±


    Rocky had no way of knowing what was happening on the other side of the land, but now that he had returned to Thunderhawk City, he stood at the Skyport, arms wide open as he took deep breaths, because he was finally back, finally home! Experience new tales on empire


    Although this mission had lasted only a month¡ªno, in fact just over twenty days¡ªthe ordeal felt like a lifetime to Rocky. Each day of the mission dragged on endlessly, every battle seemed like it could be the last. This relentless pressure made Rocky long for Thunderhawk City and the days when he was the City Lord.


    Being City Lord is really the best¡­


    It was only after facing the hardships and dangers of the mission that Rocky truly appreciated how blissful it was to be City Lord.


    ¡°My Lord! Welcome back!¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Rocky was musing to himself, Aileen, who had been managing Thunderhawk City during his absence, had already approached him, clearly having waited for some time.


    ...


    Aileen¡¯s face was likewise adorned with a joyful smile, showing her happiness upon seeing Rocky. It was evident that during Rocky¡¯s absence, Aileen had missed him, even if just a little.


    ¡°Hahaha, Aileen, you¡¯ve worked hard during this time!¡±


    Seeing Aileen made Rocky burst into laughter, then, without further discussion or allowing for refusal, he gave her a big hug.


    Another hug from the City Lord.


    To his peculiar habits, Aileen seemed to have grown accustomed, so she did not resist being embraced by Rocky.


    After the embrace, Rocky led the group that had returned with him onto a carriage and headed straight for the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°My Lord, the villagers from Backhill Village have all been settled,¡± Aileen reported to Rocky, who hadn¡¯t even waited until they reached the City Lord¡¯s Mansion to start briefing him.


    This wasn¡¯t because she was impatient, but rather because the treasures Rocky brought back were astonishingly numerous, so much so that Aileen could hardly imagine it. Naturally, this made her extremely excited, hence she had been busy without pause ever since the great migration began, and she wasn¡¯t done yet.


    Of all her tasks, the most crucial was settling the over one thousand villagers who had come from Backhill Village, a number roughly equal to the existing population of Thunderhawk City! To accommodate these villagers, Aileen had been incredibly busy.


    Thankfully, Thunderhawk City was big enough; even with an additional thousand people, there was still enough housing available.


    Some might wonder how a small Sky City like Thunderhawk could be considered ¡¯big.¡¯


    That question would only be asked by someone unfamiliar with the matter. Although Thunderhawk City¡¯s population was just over a thousand, it didn¡¯t mean that the city could only accommodate a thousand people.


    In fact, the standard housing capacity for any small Sky City is around five thousand, so with a population of just one thousand, there were plenty of vacant houses and lots of unused land in Thunderhawk City.


    Under these conditions, the villagers from Backhill Village were quickly housed within the city and given residences as soon as they arrived. The process was complex and time-consuming, but with the cooperation of Old Jack, Lin Feng, and others, there were no incidents.


    Once they had a place to live, the migration could be considered more than halfway done, so when Rocky returned to Thunderhawk City, the one thousand plus villagers from Backhill Village were almost all settled.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard,¡± Rocky said after listening to Aileen¡¯s report, letting out a sigh of relief. He had to admit that Aileen¡¯s competence was truly remarkable. Though her official role was finance officer and resettling people wasn¡¯t her forte, Aileen had managed everything perfectly, saving Rocky a lot of trouble, since he was, in fact, the city¡¯s administrative officer!


    After nodding at Aileen, Rocky asked, ¡°Aileen, have you finished inventorying the spoils of war?¡±


    ¡°Yes! The inventory is complete!¡±


    At the mention of the spoils he brought back, Aileen¡¯s eyes immediately sparkled, and the tiredness on her face vanished, replaced by radiance and vitality.


    ¡°My Lord, not only have I completed the inventory of the treasures from Backhill Village, but I¡¯ve also divided them into three categories,¡± she excitedly reported.


    ¡°Firstly, there¡¯s everything from the storehouse of Backhill Village. After inventorying, there were a total of fifty-two thousand three hundred and twenty-one Gold Coins, which have now all been deposited into the treasury of Thunderhawk City.


    Including our existing surplus and the forty thousand gold coins in Commission, there are now a total of seventy-four thousand eight hundred and thirty-three Gold Coins in the city. This amount is sufficient for purchasing next quarter¡¯s food supplies or importing yarn and leather; it¡¯s enough to last us through the year.¡±


    Whenever money was mentioned, Aileen¡¯s spirits soared, and she even calculated down to the very last Gold Coin!


    ¡°And the second major item among the spoils is ore.¡±


    No sooner had Aileen finished counting the Gold Coins in Thunderhawk City¡¯s treasury than she continued without giving Rocky the chance to ask any questions: ¡°From Backhill Village, you brought back 3999 pounds of Yellow Scale Ore, all of which have now been stored in the storeroom.¡±


    ¡°I asked around a few days ago, and the market price for Yellow Scale Ore is approximately eight to ten Gold Coins per kilogram, so if we were to sell all of this Yellow Scale Ore, we could fetch at least thirty to forty thousand Gold Coins.¡±


    Thirty to forty thousand Gold Coins¡­ This wasn¡¯t a small sum either, especially for Thunderhawk City.


    However, among the spoils Rocky had acquired this time, the ore was still the lesser part; the real bulk of the loot was yet to come.


    Demon Corpses and Demon Cores!


    This was the greatest gain from Rocky¡¯s venture!


    So, after discussing the Yellow Scale Ore, Aileen naturally brought up the Demon Corpses and Demon Cores, and her little face was so flushed with excitement as she spoke about them.


    ¡°My lord, the most important spoils you brought back this time are the Demon Corpses. I¡¯ve counted them, and you brought back a total of one hundred and thirty-five Demon Corpses, among which there are one hundred and twenty-two Black-eyed Demons, and thirteen armored bull demon corpses.¡±


    ¡°Out of these one hundred and thirty-five corpses, ninety-nine are complete Demon Corpses, the rest are either incomplete or are corpses pieced together from various limbs, but this is not a problem, even these corpses can be sold for money.¡±


    ¡°As for the price of these Demon Corpses, I asked Monte, and he said that the corpses of Black-eyed Demons might fetch about three to five thousand Gold Coins apiece, depending mainly on the demand from buyers.


    And the price of an armored bull demon is particularly high, worth at least ten thousand Gold Coins each, and if it¡¯s in perfect condition, with horns and Scale Armor intact, the price could be even higher.¡±


    ¡°By this estimate, just by selling all the Demon Corpses, we could make over two hundred thousand Gold Coins!¡±


    ¡°That much?! Can we really sell them for over two hundred thousand Gold Coins?¡±


    Aileen¡¯s estimate made Rocky¡¯s eyes widen in disbelief!


    Two hundred thousand Gold Coins¡­ The Demon Corpses he brought back could actually be sold for so much money?!


    For Rocky, who had been poor since his arrival in this world, two hundred thousand Gold Coins were an astronomical figure. He didn¡¯t even comprehend what that amount could signify!


    ¡°My lord, I¡¯m not lying to you. The Demon Corpses you¡¯ve brought back can indeed be sold for over two hundred thousand Gold Coins, and¡­¡± Aileen glanced at Rocky as she spoke, smiling broadly, and very happily, because she then went on to say, ¡°And this two hundred thousand Gold Coins¡¯ worth of income doesn¡¯t even include the Demon Cores.¡±


    Don¡¯t forget, apart from a large number of Demon Corpses, Rocky also brought back a substantial number of Demon Cores!


    So Aileen continued:


    ¡°This time, you brought back a total of two hundred and thirty-one Demon Cores, all from Black-eyed Demons. I¡¯ve already asked Monte, and he said the Demon Cores from Black-eyed Demons are not that valuable¡­¡±


    ¡°But even if they aren¡¯t worth much, each Demon Core can still be sold for at least one thousand Gold Coins. Thus, if we sell all these Demon Cores, then earning over two hundred thousand Gold Coins will still be easy for us.¡±


    ¡°Another two hundred thousand¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this number, Rocky was completely flabbergasted!


    It suddenly seemed to him that he couldn¡¯t quite keep up; the Demon Corpses could earn two hundred thousand Gold Coins, and the Demon Cores could also earn two hundred thousand Gold Coins. How much was that when added together?


    Four hundred thousand!


    So, if he sold both the Demon Corpses and the Demon Cores, Rocky could make four hundred thousand Gold Coins!?


    Four hundred thousand¡­ The number had a staggering impact on him. For Rocky, it was simply an astronomical sum!


    PS: The second update! Please continue to recommend!

 Chapter 120 - 120 - 119: Not Enough to Spend?

    Chapter 120 ¨C 119: Not Enough to Spend?


    Four hundred thousand Gold Coins¡­ For Rocky, that was absolutely an astronomical sum!


    For a moment, Rocky even felt his breathing become rapid, experiencing a tension and excitement he had never known before!


    With so much money, how should he spend it?


    Money, naturally, is to be spent, and the purpose of making money is to spend it. Hence, after accepting this astronomical sum, the first thing Rocky thought of was how to use this money to develop Thunderhawk City.


    Unfortunately, he who had always been worried about money suddenly couldn¡¯t think of a way to spend it!


    Because now the coffers of Thunderhawk City were quite substantial; as its City Lord, he no longer had to worry about food, yarn, and such. But suddenly not having to worry about these things left Rocky feeling at a loss¡ª if he wasn¡¯t worrying about these things, what should he worry about?


    After much thought, Rocky finally clarified his ideas; he wanted to use this money to develop Thunderhawk City and expand his strength!


    ...


    Firstly, he would use the money to accelerate the pace of Thunderhawk City¡¯s economic reforms, then make another trip to Eternal City, hire more technicians, and have more people start learning leather manufacturing techniques. At the same time, he would also build a leather manufacturing factory in Thunderhawk City, setting the city¡¯s manufacturing industry on the right track.


    This was something he had never considered before because he didn¡¯t have the money to build a factory. In Rocky¡¯s original plan, even if the residents of Thunderhawk City learned leather manufacturing techniques, they would still, just as now, do manual production at home. Thinking about building a factory was a plan far in the future.


    But now he had money, so to take out tens of thousands or even a hundred thousand Gold Coins to develop Thunderhawk City had become easy. Under these circumstances, previously unfeasible ideas could now be realized!


    Besides the development of Thunderhawk City itself, he would also use this money to enhance Thunderhawk City¡¯s military strength. If the economy was the soft power, then the military naturally was the hard power.


    The mission to Backhill Village not only allowed Rocky to genuinely experience a war against Demons but also to understand many things. For instance, through continuous battle, he increasingly realized the importance of the Void Magic Armor.


    In this mission, he was the only one who possessed Void Magic Armor, yet the combat power displayed by just this single set of armor was enough to rival an entire squad of soldiers, no, even more exaggeratedly so. Because judging from battle achievements alone, Rocky had killed more Demons in various battles than an entire squad of soldiers.


    And if he could have a fully-composed Void Magic Squad, how much would Thunderhawk City¡¯s strength be enhanced?


    Unfortunately, a fully-formed Void Magic Squad would require ten people, and considering the exorbitant cost of Void Magic Armor, even Rocky with his four hundred thousand Gold Coins couldn¡¯t form such a squad all at once. However, he could start by buying one or two sets of Void Magic Armor!


    Not to mention much else, once he sold the Demon Corpses, Demon Cores, and ores, he would definitely have enough to purchase two sets of Void Magic Armor. When the time came, giving one set to Liliya and another to Monte or Lin Feng, even like this, Thunderhawk City¡¯s strength would see a significant increase.


    And then there was the Skyship, something Rocky absolutely mustn¡¯t forget.


    In this mission, the Skyship had played a far greater role than Rocky had anticipated, giving him a completely new perspective on Skyships.


    Having started with his own Void Magic Armor and then extremely fortuitously discovering Mana Runes, a top-tier technology, Rocky hadn¡¯t paid much attention to Skyships, even thinking that in front of Void Magic Armor, Skyships would be of no use.


    However, this mission changed that ingrained idea; Void Magic Armor was indeed strong, but Skyships were by no means weak, especially in aerial combat where, in some respects, their role could even surpass that of the Void Magic Armor.


    Furthermore, the price of Skyships was substantially cheaper compared to Void Magic Armor, which was a crucial factor.


    Take the latest Fifth Generation Void Magic Armor, for instance, the cheapest model on the market ranged from 80,000 to 100,000 Gold Coins, and the price could double, or even triple, for some of the more powerful models.


    But the latest models of Floating Warships, especially the small ones, were significantly cheaper by a large margin. Rocky remembered the last time he saw a new model Reconnaissance Ship on the weapon market in Eternal City; it was priced at only 50,000 Gold Coins. And if it were an older model or a second-hand Floating Warship, then the price would be even cheaper.


    In such circumstances, Rocky felt that he should also purchase a few Skyships. Currently, Thunderhawk City only had ten Skyships, all outdated Reconnaissance Ships, and it was time to expand the fleet.


    After all, when facing demons, he could send the soldiers into battle, but between Sky Cities, the combat was dominated by Void Magic Armor and Skyships¡ªordinary soldiers simply couldn¡¯t play a significant role.


    In addition to the Void Magic Armor and Skyships, it was naturally necessary to provide benefits for the soldiers, such as new equipment.


    In this mission, the power and utility of rune equipment were fully demonstrated. The casualty rate of the Guard Corps equipped with rune equipment was at least half that of the Backhill Village troops in ordinary gear.


    This was despite the fact that the Guard Corps consisted of new recruits with little battle experience, while Backhill Village¡¯s troops were veterans with substantial combat experience.


    If the Guard Corps were to undertake the same mission again, Rocky believed that with the protection of rune equipment, the casualty rate among the Guards would be even lower!


    That was the role rune equipment played on the battlefield, and Rocky felt it was essential to replace all the Guard Corps¡¯ gear with rune equipment!


    And lastly, there were the Mana Runes.


    As the ace of aces and a secret among secrets in his hands, Rocky thought that once he had money, he should further expand the applications of rune equipment. Currently, he had only used Mana Runes on equipment, but could runes be used on Skyships or Magic Cannons as well?


    Both Skyships and Magic Cannons relied on Mana for flight and firing. Since Mana was being used, Mana Runes certainly had a role to play. It was just that Rocky currently lacked the technical expertise in this area.


    In fact, Rocky had this idea for a while but, being a transmigrator, his understanding of Magic Energy Technology was limited. Although he had specifically purchased many books on his last trip to Eternal City, his learning progress was very slow.


    Therefore, he felt that he should hire a real teacher, preferably an expert in the Magic Energy Domain, to improve his skills in this area as quickly as possible.


    In light of this, Rocky had a rough direction on how to spend the 400,000 Gold Coins.


    Part of the money would be used for the construction of Thunderhawk City, a rough estimate would be about 100,000 Gold Coins; combined with the current treasury of Thunderhawk City, it would definitely be sufficient. The remaining 300,000 Gold Coins would be allocated for purchasing Void Magic Armors, Floating Warship battleships, and also weaponry and equipment for the soldiers. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And if there was any surplus afterward, Rocky would hire a teacher for himself so that he could learn all about Magic Energy as quickly as possible and maximize the effectiveness of Mana Runes.


    Heavens¡­ after making these plans, Rocky roughly tallied up the budget and found that the 400,000 Gold Coins were almost entirely allocated, and even¡­ might not be enough?!


    PS: Third release! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations!

 Chapter 121 - 121 - 120: Domestic Affairs (Part 1)

    Chapter 121 ¨C 120: Domestic Affairs (Part 1)


    Rocky had never imagined that the staggering sum of 400,000 Gold Coins, which he had casually allocated, would suddenly become insufficient to cover the expenses.


    This money¡­ was it really that easy to spend? Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t that the money was easy to spend, but rather that Rocky had too many places to spend it. If an ordinary person had 400,000 Gold Coins, they could live a life of daily luxury and squander it all, and still have enough to last a lifetime.


    However, Rocky was using this money to develop his own city and expand his army. In front of a city, in front of an army, what was 400,000 Gold Coins? No, it was not much at all; this amount could only be considered a mere trifle, something that could be spent with a mere flick of the fingers!


    By this time, the carriage had already arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, finally returning home, and Rocky could put aside the matter of money, as there were still many other issues waiting for his attention.


    Now, Thunderhawk City, having absorbed the entire Backhill Village, had too many decisions waiting for him as the City Lord to make, and so, upon returning to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, he didn¡¯t even have time to rest before heading straight to the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    In the City Lord¡¯s Hall, he met Liliya and Monte, who had returned just before him; he also encountered Lin Feng and the distant elder of Backhill Village, Old Jack.


    ...


    ¡°City Lord, welcome back!¡±


    Once Rocky sat down in the City Lord¡¯s designated seat in the hall, Liliya, leading the group from Thunderhawk City, immediately greeted him with a bow.


    Seeing the way Liliya and the others acted, Lin Feng and Old Jack also bowed to Rocky shortly afterward and also started addressing him as City Lord.


    Clearly, Lin Feng and Old Jack were still not accustomed to this; having always lived on land, they were obviously not yet adapted to the customs of Sky City, but there were certain rules they had no choice but to adapt to, such as recognizing the change in Rocky¡¯s status.


    In Backhill Village, Rocky¡¯s role might have been just the leader of a Mercenary Group, at most on par with Lin Feng, or even lower than Old Jack, but now Backhill Village was no more, and in Thunderhawk City, there was only one authority, and that was City Lord Rocky!


    So when these two men met Rocky again, regardless of what thoughts they had, they had to respectfully call him City Lord and bow, otherwise, it would be considered rebellious.


    ¡°Lord Jack, Lin Feng, are you two adapting well to life in Thunderhawk City?¡±


    After everyone had bowed, Rocky asked with a smile to Old Jack and Lin Feng, who had returned several days before him and had already been living in Thunderhawk City for some time.


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, City Lord. Everything has been well arranged, and everyone, including myself, is very satisfied,¡± Old Jack replied with all his usual tact, having a wealth of experience and being able to choose his words carefully, even though he was still somewhat unfamiliar with the customs of Sky City.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    This response pleased Rocky greatly because Old Jack cleverly included the over a thousand villagers from Backhill Village in the term ¡¯everyone,¡¯ which made it sound comfortable to Rocky; here was Thunderhawk City, and every person here was a resident of Thunderhawk City¡ªthere was no concept of Backhill Village here anymore!


    So, nodding his head, Rocky then said to everyone, ¡°Everyone, you have all worked hard on this mission; on behalf of the over two thousand residents of Thunderhawk City, I thank you.¡±


    After saying this, he then turned to Old Jack, ¡°Lord Jack, do you have any suggestions for the development of Thunderhawk City?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? This¡­¡±


    Faced with Rocky¡¯s sudden question, Old Jack was clearly taken aback, unsure of how to respond, and what puzzled him even more was why Rocky would ask him such a question.


    After everyone from Backhill Village had relocated to Thunderhawk City, the so-called village chief¡¯s role lost its significance¡ªafter all, he had no voice in Thunderhawk City!


    Just when Old Jack was at a loss, Rocky smiled and said, ¡°Lord Jack, the previous administrative officer of Thunderhawk City was banished by me six months ago, so the position has been vacant. I wonder if you¡¯re willing to take on this role?¡±


    So it turned out that Rocky wanted Old Jack to be the administrative officer of Thunderhawk City!


    This was something he had been considering for the past few days. He felt that Old Jack, as the village chief of Backhill Village, definitely had more experience in administration than anyone else, and since Thunderhawk City had already absorbed Backhill Village, Old Jack obviously couldn¡¯t continue as the village chief.


    However, he could take on the role of administrative officer, which would also relieve Rocky himself.


    As for Rocky¡¯s proposal, Old Jack took a while to react but soon agreed!


    In Old Jack¡¯s eyes, this was naturally a great opportunity! Frankly, he was quite afraid that the villagers might be bullied after arriving in Thunderhawk City, as they were outsiders and had no say here. Even if Rocky, the City Lord, did not target them, it would be unbearable if other city dwellers bullied them!


    But if he could hold a minor official position in Thunderhawk City, the situation would be much better. He could at least speak with Rocky, the City Lord, ensuring that the days of Backhill Village¡¯s residents in Thunderhawk City would not be too dreadful.


    With this in mind, Old Jack agreed to Rocky¡¯s request without a second thought, thus becoming the new administrative officer of Thunderhawk City.


    After arranging things for Old Jack, Rocky then turned his attention to Lin Feng, asking, ¡°Lin Feng, are you interested in serving in the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City?¡±


    Rocky naturally liked Lin Feng even more because he was an absolute talent!


    Not only was Lin Feng personally powerful, being a rare Level Six Warrior, but what was even more valuable was his rich experience in both combat and command¡ªexactly the kind of talent Thunderhawk City needed.


    So, after arranging things for Old Jack, Rocky turned to Lin Feng.


    To his invitation, Lin Feng also nodded without hesitation!


    Indeed, even before Rocky returned, Lin Feng had already decided on this. He was somewhat confident in his own ability, knowing there was a good chance Rocky would want him to join the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City, and he had no objections to it.


    In his view, since Backhill Village no longer existed, he had to live in Thunderhawk City next, and with a family to support, securing a position in the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City would obviously be the outcome Lin Feng hoped for.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Lin Feng¡¯s painful nod made Rocky very pleased; thus, he then said to everyone, ¡°Starting tomorrow, Lord Jack will assume the role of administrative officer of Thunderhawk City, and Lin Feng will join the Guard Corps, taking the role of instructor. The previous instructor, Monte, will be promoted to deputy commander of the Guard Corps, both under the command of Liliya.¡±


    ¡°Aileen, tomorrow, take Lord Jack around Thunderhawk City to familiarize him with the environment and help him adapt quickly.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Aileen nodded in agreement and responded.


    ¡°Liliya¡­¡± After making the arrangements, Rocky turned to Liliya and instructed, ¡°Order Thunderhawk City to set sail immediately, flying towards Eternal City!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    PS: It¡¯s off to Eternal City again, but this time Rocky is very different from before. What will happen in Eternal City this time? Just thinking about it is quite exciting!

 Chapter 122 - 122 - 121: Domestic Affairs (Part 1)

    Chapter 122 ¨C 121: Domestic Affairs (Part 1)


    After appointing Old Jack and Lin Feng, Rocky ordered Thunderhawk City to head for Eternal City once again!


    The decision met with no objections, for after such a great haul, the most appropriate action for Rocky was to immediately make for Eternal City, to convert all the spoils of war into Gold Coins at the largest trading city in the skies, and then use those Gold Coins to enhance his own strength as well as that of his city.


    So, at his command, Thunderhawk City, which had been docked near Break-Sky Mountain for nearly a month, slowly began to move, and then it headed towards the coordinates of Eternal City.


    After making all these arrangements, Rocky finally had the chance to rest well, which resulted in him sleeping for a full two days in his room!


    There was no helping it; the mission had been extremely exhausting. The continuous battles had left him worn out in both body and mind, so once he was finally back in his city, Rocky completely relaxed and was able to sleep soundly, peacefully, and, most importantly, safely for a good long time.


    A week went by just like that, and after a week had passed, a fully rejuvenated Rocky once again summoned his officials to the City Lord¡¯s Hall, resuming his regular duties as a City Lord.


    ¡°During this time, there hasn¡¯t been any conflict among the residents, has there?¡±


    ...


    The sudden doubling of Thunderhawk City¡¯s population, especially with newcomers, naturally led to busier civic affairs. Although the specific details and operations did not require Rocky, the City Lord, to involve himself, he still had to control the general direction.


    What he was now most concerned about was the fear of conflicts arising between the original residents of Thunderhawk City and the newly arrived villagers.


    The influx of so many people into the city meant that the original residents of Leying City might feel some resentment, and the same could go for the people from Backhill Village. As outsiders, they would naturally be nervous about the unfamiliar environment, making it very easy for conflicts to erupt between the two groups.


    ¡°City Lord, please rest assured, everyone is integrating well and there hasn¡¯t been any conflict,¡± Old Jack, the newly appointed administrative officer, hastened to say at this time, while Liliya, Captain of the Guard, also nodded at Rocky: ¡°My Lord, the Guard Corps has not received any reports regarding such issues.¡±


    Neither Old Jack nor Liliya was lying; ever since the villagers from Backhill Village had moved into Thunderhawk City, there had indeed been no conflicts with the residents. Instead, there was more curiosity between them, and as both residents of Thunderhawk City and Backhill Village were relatively simple and honest folks, there had been peace all along.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear¡­¡±


    Upon receiving this response, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief but then he cautioned, ¡°Lord Jack, you must mediate the relationship between the two groups well so that everyone can integrate quickly. Our Thunderhawk City may be small, but unity is of the utmost importance.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±


    After giving instructions to Old Jack, Rocky turned to Liliya: ¡°Liliya, keep the Guard Corps vigilant at all times, and should any anomaly arise, act swiftly to suppress it. But ensure that law enforcement is just and does not favor any individual. If need be, employing stern measures as a warning example is permissible.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    It was, of course, good that there were no problems, but they could not afford to lower their guard simply because there were none at present. Preparations had to remain thorough.


    Once that matter was settled, Rocky then turned to Aileen: S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Aileen, after we reach Eternal City, I plan to build a leather factory in Thunderhawk City, as well as a large store, so you and Lord Jack will need to select two suitable locations within the city. Once we¡¯re in Eternal City, you should conduct some research in that regard as well.¡±


    Having secured a substantial sum of funds from his trip to Eternal City, Rocky had long made new plans for the development of Thunderhawk City. In addition to the planned leather factory, he had decided to build a large store.


    The quality of life for residents in Thunderhawk City was far too low, with hardly any shops to be found; the necessary goods of life were supplied by the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. Hence, with ample funds now available, Rocky had decided to improve residents¡¯ quality of life by constructing a large store for everyone.


    And to Rocky¡¯s plans, Aileen naturally had no objections and subsequently nodded in agreement.


    ¡°That settles it then. Is there anything else?¡±


    After arranging these matters, Rocky looked around the group, giving off a vibe of ¡¯report if there¡¯s business, withdraw if there isn¡¯t¡¯.


    ¡°My lord, please take a look at these items.¡±


    While no one else had any issues, Aileen was an exception. Right then, she produced a package and handed it over to Rocky, and when Rocky opened it, he found it full of leather trinkets and other small baubles.


    ¡°My lord, these were made by the students of the training program.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky immediately started examining a bag full of leather trinkets with care, noticing the craftsmanship was quite satisfactory. Although he wasn¡¯t particularly knowledgeable in this field, he could still discern whether the workmanship was exquisite and the quality good.


    At the same time, he also asked:


    ¡°Does this mean that the first training session has concluded?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it ended half a month ago.¡±


    ¡°Very well, let¡¯s start the second session immediately.¡±


    After setting down the leather trinkets, Rocky said to Aileen, ¡°Post notices as soon as possible, informing everyone about the schedule for the second training program. Additionally, tell everyone about the upcoming leather factory.¡±


    ¡°Inform all the townspeople that, once the factory starts operating, only those who have attended the training program and completed all of its courses will be eligible for employment at the factory. The first batch of trainees from the training program will be employed without the need for tests, while the rest will be selected based on merit. You¡¯ll handle the details regarding wages.¡±


    ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll take care of it right away. Also¡­¡± Aileen agreed, then hesitated, which surprised Rocky¡ª he had not expected Aileen to have so many matters to address.


    ¡°My lord, there has been a slight complication with the cloth exports.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What happened?¡±


    Rocky quickly asked, concerned.


    Most of Thunderhawk City¡¯s administrative affairs were trifles, and only three matters could be considered significant: grain imports, yarn imports, and cloth sales. Upon hearing that there was a problem with cloth sales, Rocky naturally took it very seriously.


    Although he wanted to transform Thunderhawk City¡¯s economy, such a goal wasn¡¯t achievable overnight. Therefore, at least until the leather factory was up and running, Thunderhawk City would still need to rely on cloth sales for its income.


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s concern, Aileen hastened to say, ¡°My lord, the situation isn¡¯t particularly serious. Half a month ago, the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber was supposed to come to Thunderhawk City for trade, but they couldn¡¯t reach the vicinity of Break-Sky Mountain as quickly as planned due to issues with their skyship¡¯s voyage.


    They hope to postpone this trade and prefer conducting it in Eternal City if possible.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Hearing Liliya¡¯s explanation, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief¡ªit seemed there wasn¡¯t a significant problem after all.


    It was strange that the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber couldn¡¯t complete the trade on time, but for Thunderhawk City at the moment, selling the cloth a few days later wasn¡¯t a major concern. Furthermore, trading in Eternal City aligned with his destination plans, which hardly posed an inconvenience.


    He thus instructed Aileen to contact the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber and inform them of his approximate arrival time in Eternal City, adding that they could complete the trade directly at the Eternal City Skyport.

 Chapter 123 - 123 - 122 Family Resolution

    Chapter 123 ¨C 122 Family Resolution


    After arranging a series of governmental affairs, Rocky could relax for a while, and then he just needed to wait, becoming busy again only after arriving at Eternal City.


    But his leisure time was not spent idly; he took this opportunity to read several books thoroughly.


    Last time he visited Eternal City, he had brought back a large collection of books about mana, and Rocky¡¯s purpose in purchasing these books was naturally to better utilize Mana Runes. After all, though both runes and magic stones could provide mana, they differed significantly in their usage.


    Replacing the magic stones in equipment with runes was relatively simple, partly because Wensel¡¯s research notes contained relevant records, and partly because the technology involved in Mana Weapons was not very advanced, thus Rocky could manage it.


    However, increasing the scope of rune application proved more challenging for him.


    To mention not only the highly sophisticated Void Magic Armor but even the Magic Cannon had stumped Rocky.


    According to his original plan, he had hoped to apply runes to the Magic Cannons, as using runes either to replace magic stones or to work alongside them to generate mana could significantly enhance the power of the Magic Cannons.


    ...


    His idea was undoubtedly correct, but he encountered problems in practice, because operating the Magic Cannon wasn¡¯t as simple as just embedding magic stones or drawing on runes; it involved many conduction technologies that were beyond Rocky¡¯s comprehension, and only after understanding these technologies could he apply runes to the Magic Cannon.


    For this reason, he had specifically purchased a large quantity of books and had finished quite a few, but unfortunately, the results were far from ideal.


    Though Rocky had gained some understanding of Magic Energy Conduction through the books, his knowledge was far from sufficient for practical application, which was why he planned to use this trip to Eternal City as an opportunity to find himself a teacher, realizing that some things indeed required teacher¡¯s instruction.


    Even though he had decided to hire a teacher, he was still making the most of his free time to study, hoping to master some of the fundamentals. By doing so, once the teacher arrived, he could move directly to practical application.


    However, while Rocky leisurely read his book, he was unaware that, on the distant horizon, an event was unfolding that could impact both him and Thunderhawk City!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    In the skies far from Thunderhawk City, there was a magnificent Sky City by the name of Machine City, which was a large Sky City with a population of one hundred and fifty thousand.


    At this moment, inside the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Machine City, a conversation was taking place that could potentially alter the destinies of Rocky and Thunderhawk City!


    ¡°Father! Why would the elders agree to such a thing!¡±


    Standing behind a middle-aged man, Cyril, Rocky¡¯s cousin, was very agitated.


    Upon hearing her words, the middle-aged man with his back to Cyril slowly turned around and glanced at his daughter.


    This man appeared around forty, tall and broad-shouldered, with a high stature and a chiseled face that made him appear very resolute. Named Atted, he was Cyril¡¯s father, Rocky¡¯s paternal uncle, and also held an extremely important role: the current Clan Leader of the Mairente Family!


    ¡°Which matter are you referring to?¡±


    Turning around to look at his daughter, Atted responded with a serious tone.


    It wasn¡¯t that he was deliberately being stern; rather, Atted was a naturally serious person, embodying all the qualities of a superior leader.


    ¡°Father, I am talking about Thunderhawk City. Why would the elders grant Thunderhawk City to Baron Wolin?¡±


    ¡°That is a decision of the family. Baron Wolin has performed a great service for the family and should be rewarded,¡±


    ¡°But, but Thunderhawk City was given to Rocky half a year ago. Have the Elders forgotten?¡±


    Cyril was baffled and even furious at her father¡¯s words. As he spoke, it seemed as though Rocky, the current City Lord of Thunderhawk City, didn¡¯t exist, as if there were no City Lord in Thunderhawk City at all!


    However, what Cyril hadn¡¯t expected was that Atted then coldly said:


    ¡°Things given away by the family can always be taken back. Do I need to remind you of that?¡±


    ¡°But, but¡­¡±


    Facing her father¡¯s words, Cyril suddenly found herself at a loss for words, unsure how to respond.


    While she was at a loss, Atted had already sat down and then suddenly asked, ¡°Cyril, are you feeling guilty about what happened six months ago, hence wanting to help Rocky?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Cyril looked her father in the eyes. ¡°Father, if it hadn¡¯t been for Rocky¡¯s medium-sized Sky City, it would have been difficult to say whether you could have received Auntie Kelly¡¯s support and succeeded in becoming Clan Leader. So, I feel that we indeed owe Rocky a great deal.¡±


    ¡°Moreover¡­¡± This time, without waiting for her father to speak, Cyril continued, ¡°Even if we disregard Rocky, I still think the decision to hand over Thunderhawk City to Baron Wolin is exceedingly ill-considered.¡±


    ¡°I believe you are aware, Father, that Baron Wolin is a man of Lexington, and his faction has never been satisfied with you becoming Clan Leader. Handing Thunderhawk City over to Baron Wolin would only embolden Lexington¡¯s group further, offering no benefit to us.¡±


    As Cyril had long been involved in the family affairs, she had a deep understanding of the various factions and branches within the Mairente family, just as she had thought when first meeting Rocky. In families as powerful and with as many branches as Mairente, there were not only conflicts amongst them but also ceaseless struggles.


    In such circumstances, Cyril wasn¡¯t merely arguing over Thunderhawk City with her father because she felt indebted to Rocky; she was also considering her own faction¡¯s position.


    However, facing this series of arguments from Cyril, Atted rarely smiled, but he immediately said, ¡°Cyril, since you know the people of Lexington have long harbored dissatisfaction towards me, you should not have tried to stop me from giving Thunderhawk City to them.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because it gives them an opportunity.¡± From a smile to a frown, Atted¡¯s expression changed rapidly. ¡°The people of Lexington have always been looking for troubles with our family, and now that Baron Wolin has secured a mine for the family, establishing a great merit, if I don¡¯t reward him accordingly, I would merely give Lexington a chance to criticize.¡±


    ¡°So I decided to give them Thunderhawk City. This city was already one the family planned to abandon, not only is it small, but it also has a low population. I remember when I handed it to Rocky, there were just over a thousand people, and now there might not even be that many left, it might already be a deserted city.¡±


    ¡°Giving such a city as a reward to Baron Wolin not only won¡¯t increase his power but will instead become a burden; Cyril, don¡¯t you understand such simple logic?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Father¡­¡±


    ¡°I met Rocky a few months ago, and he seemed to be managing Thunderhawk City quite well, so it probably isn¡¯t a deserted city yet¡­¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unable to come up with any argument to respond to her father¡¯s words, Cyril could only blurt out.


    Her words were indeed said in desperation, for the last time she had seen Rocky was in a library. How could she possibly know how Thunderhawk City had developed?


    She would have been better off not saying anything at all; as soon as she finished speaking, Atted snorted coldly, ¡°Since Rocky is developing Thunderhawk City well, then you don¡¯t need to worry about it. This time, the family will not intervene in this matter. I believe Rocky should have the strength to hold off Baron Wolin after all, as the Baron only has one fleet.¡±


    After saying this, Atted waved his hand, denying Cyril any chance to speak further and immediately made her leave the study.


    Visibly infuriated, Cyril left her father¡¯s study, thought for a moment, and then immediately summoned her assistant: ¡°Find out the exact location of Thunderhawk City immediately!¡±

 Chapter 124 - 124 - 123: Making Things Difficult? Revenge!

    Chapter 124 ¨C 123: Making Things Difficult? Revenge!


    Rocky had no idea what was happening on the distant horizon, for his attention was now wholly focused on the Gold Coins that were practically in his grasp!


    After a half-month of prolonged flight, Thunderhawk City was once again approaching Eternal City!


    Several months had passed since Rocky¡¯s last visit to this magnificent Super Sky City, yet he was just as awestruck as he had been during his first time here, overwhelmed by the splendor of Eternal City.


    However, armed with the experience from his last visit, he was well versed in the entire process of heading to Eternal City, so he quickly set off with his people.


    This time, as a large amount of trade was to be conducted, Rocky brought out ten Skyships in one go, three of which were loaded with fabric because Aileen had already arranged with the Steward of the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber to trade directly at the trading port.


    As for the other seven Skyships, they were filled with Demon Corpses; after all, next to Eternal City¡¯s trading port was a vast array of warehouses, storing a hundred or so corpses was a trivial matter.


    The ten Skyships reached the trading port of Eternal City after a brief flight, and after queuing for a short while, they smoothly landed.


    ...


    Once Rocky led all ten Skyships to land, he met the Steward of the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber, who was responsible for the trade with Thunderhawk City, just as they had agreed to wait there for the transaction.


    ¡°Steward Maima, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    Upon seeing the Steward of the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber, Rocky was very courteous and then asked Aileen to arrange for the fabric to be moved off the ship.


    Just as Aileen was about to handle this matter, the fifty-something Steward Maima suddenly stopped her and, grinning at Rocky, said, ¡°City Lord, before we trade, I¡¯d like to inspect the goods first.¡±


    An inspection? Maima¡¯s request left both Rocky and Aileen taken aback.


    The fabric trades between Thunderhawk City and the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber had been ongoing for more than just a day or two. Long before Rocky had become City Lord, the two sides had been trading. Was there really a need for inspection? Could it be that Thunderhawk City was capable of deceit?


    Although he furrowed his brows, Rocky didn¡¯t make much of Maima¡¯s request and simply nodded, allowing Aileen to have a few boxes of fabric carried down from the Skyship. Maima also promptly had his accompanying helper begin the inspection.


    A dozen minutes passed, and the helper finished inspecting several boxes of fabric, then hurried over to whisper to Maima.


    Rocky and Aileen found the entire sequence of actions perplexing. Was there such a need for formality?


    However, while they were puzzling over it, Maima shook his head and said to Rocky, ¡°City Lord, the Chamber of Commerce has new quality requirements for fabric. Therefore, the batch you have provided doesn¡¯t meet the standards.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    At his words, Rocky was dumbstruck. He hadn¡¯t anticipated such an issue! sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Steward Maima, what do you mean? We¡¯ve been cooperating with your Chamber of Commerce for years, and the quality of the fabric has always been the same. How can it suddenly be substandard?¡±


    This matter naturally fell within Aileen¡¯s domain, so before Rocky could speak, she challenged Maima with displeasure in her voice.


    Indeed, if quality were to be mentioned, the fabric from Thunderhawk City was indeed very ordinary, a fact Aileen acknowledged. But don¡¯t forget, it was exactly because of its ordinary quality that the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber traded with Thunderhawk City! Because ordinary quality meant lower prices, and the Chamber was buying fabric from Thunderhawk City precisely to save costs.


    In Aileen¡¯s view, this so-called lack of quality was laughably absurd!


    In response to Aileen¡¯s objection, Maima still greeted her with a smile and said, ¡°Miss Aileen, these are the requirements set by the Chamber; I have no authority to question it.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh! Isn¡¯t this the finance officer of Thunderhawk City?¡±


    Just as Aileen intended to continue, a voice she found somewhat familiar suddenly appeared. When she looked towards its source, she indeed saw a familiar figure.


    Jia Xi!


    The person who had unexpectedly emerged was none other than the Steward of the Azure Commerce Guild, Jia Xi!


    ¡°Aileen, what a coincidence to meet here,¡± said Jia Xi as he approached them with a stance that seemed both smug and taunting, ¡°We meet again at this place.¡±


    After saying this, Jia Xi glanced behind Aileen and naturally caught sight of Rocky.


    ¡°Oh! Isn¡¯t this the City Lord of Thunderhawk City? Seeing you is truly a rare pleasure!¡±


    Upon seeing Rocky, Jia Xi raised his voice, and the remark clearly had an undercurrent, since Rocky had previously made him wait for over a month in Thunderhawk City without granting an audience.


    Honestly, Jia Xi¡¯s sudden appearance came as a surprise to Rocky and the others. Was this coincidence too good to be true?


    Of course, it was no coincidence! For right after that, Jia Xi casually stationed himself beside Maima, and the two began chatting and laughing together!


    ¡°Old buddy, it¡¯s been a while since we last saw each other.¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed, how long has it been? How have you been recently?¡±


    ¡°Not bad, just running errands for the Chamber of Commerce¡­¡±


    In the presence of Rocky, Aileen, and others, the two chatted away as if they were old friends who hadn¡¯t seen each other in years.


    By this time, even a fool could understand what was happening. Everything that had occurred before, whether it was the supposedly poor quality of Thunderhawk City¡¯s cloth, was clearly nothing but Jia Xi and Maima colluding to deliberately make things difficult!


    This Jia Xi truly was a persistent ghost. Despite being played by Rocky last time, not only did he not become more honest, he actually came back for more!


    By now, Jia Xi and Maima had been chatting for a while before Jia Xi suddenly slapped his own head as if he¡¯d just realized something, ¡°Oh my, Maima, you were in the middle of negotiating with the City Lord. Look at that, I¡¯ve interrupted your important business. Please, continue, continue.¡±


    As he spoke, he retreated behind Maima, then put on a cold smile as he looked towards Rocky and Aileen.


    Afterward, Maima still had a beaming smile, but when he turned to Rocky, he actually showed a hint of apology on his face, ¡°City Lord, I¡¯m truly sorry. Jia Xi is an old friend of mine. Let¡¯s continue.¡±


    After saying these words, Maima glanced at the few boxes of cloth on the ground, then turned to Rocky, ¡°City Lord, the quality of your goods really is subpar. However, if you really wish to sell them, we¡¯re not unwilling to purchase them, but the price cannot be the original one.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Rocky looked at Maima and then at Jia Xi standing behind him. He was far from angry because, in his eyes, these two were merely a joke. The only thing on his mind was whether he should play along and pretend to be furious, given they had gone to such lengths to retaliate against him.


    Unfortunately, Rocky simply couldn¡¯t bring himself to do that; the most he could do without bursting into laughter was to ask, ¡°Steward Maima, how much do you intend to offer for these goods?¡±


    ¡°Twenty percent of the original price.¡±


    Maima, with chin held high and flashing two fingers in front of Rocky, set his price, then didn¡¯t forget to add, ¡°City Lord, if you think the price is too low, feel free to try elsewhere in the city. There are plenty of Chambers of Commerce in Eternal City.¡±


    After Maima finished his sentence, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but let out a laugh. Did Maima really think him a fool?


    To purchase the cloth at twenty percent of the original price would lead Thunderhawk City to its financial demise!


    And as for what he had added, suggesting that they could try at other Chambers of Commerce in the city?


    Without even checking, Rocky knew it was most surely a set-up, and in all likelihood, Jia Xi had already notified many Chambers of Commerce to ensure the cloth couldn¡¯t be sold anywhere.


    As the steward of the Azure Commerce Guild, Jia Xi had that level of influence. It wasn¡¯t that he wielded monumental power, but rather, to many Chambers of Commerce, Thunderhawk City was simply too insignificant to warrant making an enemy out of the steward of a major Chamber of Commerce. Instead, they would prefer to curry favor with him by offering a convenient gesture of goodwill.


    Unfortunately¡­


    ¡°Steward Maima, if that¡¯s the case, then we won¡¯t be selling the goods.¡±


    Rocky looked at Maima and said.


    As if Maima had been eagerly anticipating this reply, he immediately shook his head with regret, ¡°City Lord, that is truly regrettable. Next time, next time we might have the opportunity to collaborate.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to wait for next time.¡±


    Just as Maima turned to leave, Rocky suddenly called out to him, ¡°Steward Maima, I have another batch of goods here. Would you be interested in taking a look?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Such words made both Maima and Jia Xi pause, bewildered, then both revealed sly looks. What was Rocky thinking, being unable to see the situation for what it was, yet still intending to do business with them?


    But for Jia Xi, who relished the opportunity to further humiliate Rocky, it was a chance not to be missed, so he nodded his head at Maima. After understanding the gesture, Maima stayed behind with a grin.


    Seeing that neither had left, Rocky was relieved. He had indeed been worried that the two clowns might just walk away!


    ¡°Aileen, have everyone unload the other batch of goods.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With a firm response, Aileen cast a glance at Jia Xi and Maima, then ordered the guards, who were already fuming with contained rage, to unload the goods from the other seven skyships.


    All that had happened was witnessed by the aboard Guards, and it had left them seething with anger.


    It was evident that Maima and Jia Xi were purposely making things difficult for Rocky, something the Thunderhawk City Guard Corps could not tolerate. What was more intolerable to them was Maima¡¯s claim about the cloth¡¯s substandard quality.


    The cloth meant for trading was personally woven by the wives and children of the guards!


    Claiming that its quality was subpar was tantamount to insulting the labor of the guards¡¯ families!


    Could the guards stand for that? Had it not been for Rocky¡¯s presence, they might have already rushed forward to beat these two infuriating old fools to death.


    So, when Aileen ordered them to unload, the guards on the ship swiftly got to work, and soon after, one after another, Demon Corpses were being carried off the ship!

 Chapter 125 - 125 - 124: Regretting the Past

    Chapter 125 ¨C 124: Regretting the Past


    One after another, Demon Corpses were quickly moved down from the Skyship by the Guards, and at the same time, Aileen had dispatched Guards to contact the Skyport dispatcher, who immediately rented a warehouse.


    Once the warehouse was rented, the Skyport dispatcher sent over several horse carriages, and then the Guards began transporting the Demon Corpses to the carriages one by one.


    Moving more than a hundred corpses from the Skyship was certainly a major project; not only was it laborious, but it was also quite time-consuming. However, Rocky was not in a hurry at all, for he had entertainment to watch¡ªJia Xi and Maima were his greatest sources of amusement.


    From the moment the first Demon Corpse was moved off the Skyship, Jia Xi and Maima both furrowed their brows; indeed, they had not expected Rocky to show them something like this.


    As Commerce Association Managers at the First Level, Jia Xi and Maima certainly knew the immense value of Demon Corpses¡ªgoods that were perpetually in short supply on the market. Even if there was only one, most Chambers of Commerce would not pass up the opportunity. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, even knowing the value of the Demon Corpses, the expressions on their faces didn¡¯t change significantly, for they were both Managers of various Chambers of Commerce and had overseen large trades involving dozens of Demon Corpses; a couple of corpses were not enough to frighten them.


    Even when Jia Xi saw Guards carrying corpses walking past him, he scoffed indifferently.


    ...


    However, his indifference quickly turned to shock, as with each passing second, not only did the Guards not stop passing by, but they also started moving even more Demon Corpses from the Skyship!


    Initially, Jia Xi and Maima thought that Rocky could only produce one or two, at most four or five, Demon Corpses. But the reality was entirely different. In just half an hour, an entire ship¡¯s load of Demon Corpses had been moved out, filling two whole carriages, yet the Guards still didn¡¯t stop and swiftly began unloading from a second Skyship!


    By this time, Jia Xi and Maima¡¯s faces had completely changed, as they watched at least twenty Demon Corpses being loaded onto the carriages¡­ Twenty corpses of Demons!


    For any Chamber of Commerce, a transaction involving twenty Demon Corpses would be termed as a large transaction, the sum of which would often amount to tens or even hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins, a concise reason no Chamber of Commerce would miss such an opportunity.


    So, when Jia Xi and Maima saw that Rocky possessed so many Demon Corpses, and as the Guards continued moving them down from the Skyship, their expressions changed as well. Jia Xi¡¯s face turned red with anger, flabbergasted that Rocky could produce so many Demon Corpses.


    However, even more ghastly was the look on Maima¡¯s face, which had turned a deathly pale blue, for strictly speaking, the conflict between Rocky and Jia Xi had nothing to do with him!


    He had been innocently dragged into this, never imagining Rocky would possess so many Demon Corpses. Had he known this would be the case, he wouldn¡¯t have sided with Jia Xi against Rocky but would have tried to curry favor with him instead.


    Regrettably, it was too late for regrets now, and as their faces grew increasingly ugly, the second Skyship had also been emptied, and the Guards immediately began unloading corpses from a third Skyship.


    By then, the number of Demon Corpses moved had already surpassed fifty! Seeing so many Demon Corpses being unloaded, and given that there seemed to be more to come, the Skyport dispatcher immediately called for more horse carriages and began treating Rocky and his group with even greater courtesy.


    As more and more Demon Corpses were moved down from the Skyship, other people on the Skyport also took notice of the scene. It is known that the Skyport in Eternal City is extremely bustling, with hundreds of Skyships landing and offloading at every moment, frequented by people from various Sky Cities and Chambers of Commerce.


    But even in such a bustling Skyport, it was very rare to see so many Demon Corpses being unloaded at once, which is why many onlookers turned their gaze towards Rocky¡¯s group.


    Another hour passed, and five Skyships had been emptied, the Demon Corpses amounting to over a hundred!


    Now in front of Rocky, there were about fifteen or sixteen horse carriages, loaded with Demon Corpses, while around the carriages, a crowd had gathered, appearing to enjoy the spectacle. However, judging by their attire and bearing, these people were clearly wealthy and noble, definitely not idle bystanders.


    As for Jia Xi and Maima, by this time they were already stupefied. No matter how they had thought or guessed beforehand, they had never expected Rocky to bring out so many demon corpses!


    The number exceeded one hundred demon corpses¡­ if all were sold, what a tremendous trade that would be! Such a huge transaction is something any Chamber of Commerce would fight tooth and nail to secure!


    Regret over past deeds!


    Now, Jia Xi despised Rocky so much that he gritted his teeth, but even though he hated him, he felt somewhat regretful in his heart.


    His Azure Commerce Guild might be a large Chamber of Commerce, but what of it? Did large Chambers of Commerce not do business?


    On the contrary, the larger the Chamber of Commerce, the more they would want to engage in big business, like this one involving the trade of one hundred demon corpses!


    So when more than a hundred demon corpses were moved off the skyship, Jia Xi started to regret how if he hadn¡¯t caused all sorts of disputes with Rocky, relying on the strength of the Azure Commerce Guild and its longstanding cooperative relationship with Thunderhawk City, they could have likely secured this deal!


    Like him, Maima also felt immense regret, and if Jia Xi was regretting the past, then Maima was regretting ¡¯just now.¡¯


    Because just an hour or two ago, his Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber still had an excellent cooperative relationship with Thunderhawk City, and his relationship with Rocky, the City Lord, was also very harmonious.


    Therefore, if it were possible to turn back time by an hour or two, even if the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber could not swallow this huge transaction whole, they could have at least gotten a piece of the action!


    Considering that the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber was much smaller compared to the Azure Commerce Guild, even a transaction involving only twenty demon corpses, no, even ten, would be considered a big deal for them and would have brought in a hefty profit for the Chamber.


    Unfortunately, all of this was now impossible, because Maima had already offended Rocky!


    Thinking this, Maima fiercely glared at Jia Xi and with a cold snort, stepped aside, deliberately distancing himself from him.


    The one he hated the most now was Jia Xi. If it weren¡¯t for him encouraging his own actions, how could he possibly have antagonized Rocky or made things difficult for him over the fabric issue? If none of this had happened, he could definitely have bought several demon corpses from Rocky¡¯s hands no matter how much he talked.


    In fact, Maima was not wrong, because if it hadn¡¯t been for the previous issues, Rocky would indeed have possibly sold him a few corpses, ten corpses for certain, as after so many years of cooperation with Thunderhawk City, Rocky would even be willing to do a favor.


    ¡°Esteemed Sir¡­¡±


    Just as Jia Xi and Maima were amidst their regrets, the Skyport dispatcher ran up to Rocky, then, with a smile on his face, asked, ¡°Esteemed Sir, do you need more carriages? If not, I¡¯ll let the carriages leave first, since right now¡­¡±


    While speaking, the dispatcher glanced around. At this time, the surrounding area was crowded with onlookers, and the gathering of so many people was severely disrupting the order at the Skyport.


    ¡°Sorry, we might need to wait a bit longer. You¡¯d better send over some more carriages. The corpses coming later are bigger in size, and additionally¡­¡± After smiling, Rocky whispered a few words to the dispatcher.


    His voice was very low, so no one heard what he said, but everyone noticed that after Rocky finished speaking, the dispatcher¡¯s eyes lit up, and then he nodded repeatedly at Rocky and turned to run off.


    This inevitably made the onlookers curious. What on earth had Rocky said to make the dispatcher so excited?

 Chapter 126 - 126 - 125 Can’t Help It Anymore

    Chapter 126 ¨C 125 Can¡¯t Help It Anymore


    The dispatcher at the skyport had barely left when a dozen more carriages were sent over, and once the carriages arrived, the guards boarded the last two skyships.


    Initially, what was unloaded from these two skyships were still demon corpses, but different from the ones before, this time the size of the corpses were bigger. Previously, two guards were enough to carry a corpse, but now it required four people!


    ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s armored bull demon corpses!¡±


    When it took four guards to barely carry down a corpse from the skyship, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted out, causing others to immediately turn towards the corpse. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Look at those horns, and the scales on its body, it truly is an armored bull demon!¡±


    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s an armored bull demon!¡±


    As said before, the onlookers at this time were not idle bystanders, many among them were knowledgeable and had sharp eyes, and someone immediately recognized these corpses as those of armored bull demons!


    ...


    This immediately caused a stir among the crowd because while the previous batch of over a hundred demon corpses might have seemed impressive in quantity, their quality was ordinary. Everyone knew they were just black-eyed demons, which weren¡¯t particularly valuable, but armored bull demons were a different story!


    In the Hunting Exchange of Eternal City, a well-preserved armored bull demon corpse could easily sell for over ten thousand gold coins. The horns and scale armor of the armored bull demons were particularly valuable, ensuring that these demon corpses always had buyers clamoring for them, some shops even offered higher prices for exclusive purchasing rights.


    So, when the guards emerged onto the skyport carrying thirteen armored bull demon corpses, it indeed caused a small sensation. Thirteen armored bull demon corpses, calculated at a minimum of ten thousand gold coins per corpse, that totaled to a whopping one hundred thirty thousand gold coins!


    By this time, people in the crowd finally could not hold back, and a man in his thirties stepped out from the group, then approached Rocky with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Sir, my name is Laight, I am from the Klein Chamber of Commerce, and this is our business card,¡±


    While speaking, the middle-aged man named Laight handed over a business card to Rocky, then continued, ¡°Sir, if you would like to sell this batch of demon corpses, Klein Chamber of Commerce is fully willing to take them off your hands. I don¡¯t know if you have heard of us, but we have a wide array of channels for demon sales and guarantee your satisfaction¡­¡±


    Clearly, this Laight was representing his chamber of commerce to do business with Rocky, and he wasn¡¯t the only one with this idea, as more people from various chambers of commerce began approaching Rocky, each handing over their business cards, hoping to have a good talk with Rocky.


    Among these people was also Maima!


    After the guards carried out the armored bull demon corpses, a previously pale Maima, who had already distanced himself from Jia Xi, couldn¡¯t help but try to negotiate with Rocky regarding such valuable goods.


    Then, everyone saw what it meant for someone to turn their face faster than flipping a book. The previously pale-faced Maima instantly plastered a flattering smile on his face. After the other chambers of commerce people gradually moved away, he rushed up to Rocky.


    ¡°City Lord, you¡­ look¡­ see how senile I¡¯ve become, what was I even saying just now, when can I transport the cloths?¡±


    Approaching Rocky, Maima was all smiles, not mentioning the demon corpses at all, but just wanting to transport the cloths away as if nothing had happened just before.


    Rocky merely glanced sideways at him and said directly,


    ¡°Steward Maima, you should take your medication,¡±


    Rocky truly had never seen someone as shameless as Maima, daring to talk to him after behaving like that, insane.


    Meanwhile, he also looked at Jia Xi, whose complexion was extremely ugly, seeming like he could die of anger at any moment, then he just smiled, ¡°Overseer Jia Xi, you really should take your medication.¡±


    These words were indeed no joke, as Jia Xi, who watched helplessly as each demon corpse was carried off the ship, appeared as if he was truly having an attack, so agitated he couldn¡¯t even speak. If he didn¡¯t take some medicine quickly, he really might die of rage.


    So after Rocky finished talking, Jia Xi was so infuriated that he almost passed out on the spot. He staggered a bit before barely steadying himself, then clenched his teeth and walked away with a dejected Maima.


    Unfortunately, the departure of the two went unnoticed as people continued to approach Rocky, hoping to discuss potential trades with him.


    ¡°What are you all gathering here for? Disperse!¡±


    Just then, a loud voice suddenly rang out, followed by a group of Guards dressed in armor carving a path through the crowd.


    After the crowd was parted, a squad captain, fully clad in Magic Energy Armor, led a team similarly equipped to appear before everyone, accompanied by the dispatcher who had left earlier.


    The dispatcher who led the Guards quickly approached Rocky, said a few words to him, and with a wave of Rocky¡¯s hand, the Guards who had already moved the Demon Corpses boarded the last Skyship and began to move boxes of cargo down one after another.


    New n????vel chapters are published on .c¦Ò?.


    Meanwhile, the brought-over Guards started to disperse the crowd, asking the onlookers to back away.


    Regrettably, the Guards¡¯ efforts to disperse the crowd were ineffective. The dispersed people merely moved a bit farther away, as these were merchants who regularly dealt with Eternal City and were well aware of what kind of people these Guards were.


    These Guards belonged to the Skyport Security Team, tasked partly with managing the security of the Skyport and partly with escorting valuable cargoes!


    Eternal City is a trade city where countless goods are moved daily, including naturally luxurious goods. To ensure the safety of these items, even in a city where no one dares cause trouble, the God City still assigns a Security Team for escort duties.


    Well aware of the Security Team¡¯s responsibilities, the crowd was even less willing to disperse. It was clear to everyone that there was no security issue here. Given that, the reason why a squad of Guards appeared was easily understood¡ªthey were here to escort valuable cargo!


    In this situation, the surrounding crowd was unwilling to disperse. Everyone wanted to see just what valuable goods Rocky had that required the escort of the Security Team?


    During this curious process, the Guards had moved boxes off the Skyship and placed them on a cart. Clearly, these were the cargoes that needed to be escorted by the Security Team, but exactly what they were remained unknown, as they were all packed in boxes.


    ¡°Sir, the boxes contain Demon Cores.¡±


    Among the curious crowd, a middle-aged man in his forties whispered to an old man beside him, revealing the mystery!


    At that moment, the boxes that the Guards had methodically loaded onto the cart indeed contained Demon Cores!


    ¡°To think that there are so many boxes of Demon Cores¡­¡± Overhearing the middle-aged man¡¯s words, the elder beside him couldn¡¯t help but look towards Rocky: ¡°Who exactly is this City Lord? How did he manage to procure so many Demon Corpses and Demon Cores.¡±


    Muttering to himself, the old man then instructed the middle-aged man next to him: ¡°Send someone to check this City Lord¡¯s background, and also find out where they are staying so we can pay a visit later.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    With that, the middle-aged man turned and walked away. Coincidentally, as he left the crowd, several other individuals also departed with similar intentions to investigate Rocky¡¯s identity!


    Earlier, when the armored bull demons were being offloaded, quite a few Chambers of Commerce eagerly approached Rocky to talk, but there were also a significant number of people who remained calm. These people also came from various Chambers of Commerce, but they were in no hurry.


    Because they understood that any deal involving over a hundred Demon Corpses could potentially be worth four to five hundred thousand Gold Coins, and such a large transaction could not possibly be settled in a place like the Skyport. Hence, they only needed to note Rocky¡¯s identity and where he was staying, and they could negotiate slowly later on.


    So it wasn¡¯t until Rocky began moving out the Demon Cores that these individuals finally sent their subordinates into action. Yet even so, a few people in the crowd remained stationary, although it wasn¡¯t clear if these few were truly just onlookers or were genuinely capable of keeping their composure¡­

 Chapter 127 - 127 - 126 City Lords!

    Chapter 127 ¨C 126 City Lords!


    When Rocky truly left the skyport, it was already nearing dusk, which meant he had spent almost an entire day at the skyport.


    But there was nothing he could do about it. This time, he brought so much with him, including demon corpses and demon cores, as well as fabrics. Besides, he had several thousands of pounds of ore to sell. So, when the demon corpses and demon cores had been unloaded from the ship, the skyship had to return to Thunderhawk City to transport the ores to the skyport, naturally causing significant delays.


    Luckily, unlike last time, Rocky was in no hurry at all. Even though he had spent a whole day at the skyport, he was still in a great mood; he didn¡¯t even worry about the fabrics.


    Because the fabric, indeed, wasn¡¯t something worth worrying about. The fabric from Thunderhawk City was bound to sell, and considering the many deals he was about to negotiate, any chamber of commerce would likely purchase these fabrics while trading with him.


    At the same time, what surprised him more was that when he left the skyport this time, the treatment he received was significantly different.


    The last time Rocky left the skyport, he had hired his own carriage and stayed at a small inn recommended by Monte, but this time, he had a car reserved just for him!


    Looking at the large carriage that had been waiting for a long time, Rocky was completely baffled, not knowing who had sent it. After much inquiry, he finally understood the situation.


    ...


    It turned out that in Eternal City, any City Lord from a Sky City was entitled to certain privileges, such as car transfers and accommodations specifically prepared for the city lords within the city.


    This was the first time Rocky had learned of this, but after detailed inquiries, he understood the reason. It seemed that this was a tactic by Eternal City to attract city lords to conduct trade.


    One should know that city lords of this rank, when they made their move, it resulted invariably in large-scale transactions: a few hundred thousand gold coins were a trivial amount, while transactions worth millions of gold coins were commonplace, and even transactions amounting to tens of millions of gold coins were not new to the city lords of large Sky Cities.


    Such massive transactions naturally brought in equally substantial tax revenues for Eternal City. So, in order to attract the city lords from various Sky Cities, Eternal City devised several methods.


    They not only allowed the city lords to enjoy the privileged treatments of a city lord but also offered them certain privileges that increased with their trade volume, much like the VIP systems of various chambers of commerce.


    This was naturally good news for Rocky, who was also a Sky City lord. Thus, upon learning about this, he immediately registered with Eternal City authorities. From then on, not only could he enjoy the treatment accorded to city lords here, but as his trading volume in this place accumulated, he would also gain certain privileges.


    In such circumstances, when Rocky and his people left the skyport, they boarded a carriage exclusively reserved for city lords and were directly sent to the accommodations prepared specifically for them.


    The accommodation prepared for the city lords in Eternal City was a large hotel called Star of the Sky, which stood nine stories tall.


    Even in Eternal City, a building of nine stories was quite rare, and this place, along with the hotel¡¯s name, certainly underscored the prestigious status of the city lords from every aspect.


    When the carriage delivered Rocky and his company to the entrance of Star of the Sky, looking at the nine-story tall hotel, Rocky, visiting this place for the first time, seemed somewhat nervous.


    This was not surprising, considering that this was no ordinary place. It housed only the City Lords of Sky Cities! A slight mishap could trigger a major war among Sky Cities!


    Fortunately, as soon as Rocky and his group entered the lobby on the first floor of Star of the Sky, a waiter immediately led them to handle various procedures, barely requiring any effort on their part. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And once the procedures were smoothly handled, Rocky and his group were assigned to three rooms on the second floor, where they could comfortably settle in.


    In the Star of the Sky hotel, which floor one resided on was a matter of great significance. Small Sky City lords could only stay on the second or third floors, medium Sky City lords could reside on the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors, while only the lords of large Sky Cities were eligible to live on the seventh and eighth floors.


    The highest ninth floor was reserved for those city lords in Eternal City wanting special privileges.


    This rule meant that Rocky, who had just registered his status in Eternal City, could only stay on the second floor and was not eligible for the third floor. Although the third floor was also for Small Sky City lords, it was reserved for those who had achieved a certain amount of trade, which Rocky had not yet achieved.


    Rocky didn¡¯t particularly mind this; he was satisfied enough to stay in such a fine hotel for free, and whether he was on the second floor or the third didn¡¯t really matter to him.


    However, just as he had finished processing his paperwork and was about to turn away, he noticed a young man of his own age, surrounded by several guards, coming straight toward him.


    ¡°Hello, are you City Lord Rocky?¡±


    Walking straight up to Rocky, the young man of similar age to him asked with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me. And you are¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Berg, the City Lord of Lingyu City.¡±


    A simple self-introduction had forced Rocky to take serious notice of Berg, who was around the same age and also a City Lord of a Sky City!


    Honestly, this was Rocky¡¯s first time meeting another City Lord of a Sky City, which somewhat caught him off guard. Fortunately, Berg soon initiated the conversation.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, my Lingyu City is also a trade city, so I hope you can visit when you have time, and you are very welcome to come to Lingyu City for trade,¡± Berg said.


    While speaking, Berg stepped closer to Rocky and lowered his voice, ¡°The trade tax in Eternal City is really high, and although my Lingyu City is small, there are quite a few chambers of commerce. City Lord Rocky, if you visit, you will surely be satisfied.¡±


    After saying this, Berg nodded at Rocky, giving off an air of ¡¯you know what I mean,¡¯ and then exchanged a few pleasantries before leading his guards away.


    It wasn¡¯t until Berg and his guards had disappeared from view that Rocky finally caught on; this guy was trying to woo him to trade in his city!


    This somewhat surprised Rocky; a City Lord personally soliciting business for his Sky City was incredibly proactive of Berg.


    In reality, he shouldn¡¯t have been surprised, as he too had led charges against Demons for the sake of Thunderhawk City. Otherwise, where would all those Demon Corpses have come from?


    This little episode ended with Berg¡¯s departure, and then Rocky and his group were finally led by the servants to the elevator leading to the second level.


    Yes, an elevator, or rather, it should be called a Magic Elevator here, but its function and mechanism were just like those of a regular elevator, capable of moving straight up and down.


    This was Rocky¡¯s first encounter with such a device, yet he wasn¡¯t surprised. In a world where cities could fly in the sky, an elevator hardly seemed complicated.


    On the way to the second level, Rocky met four or five groups of people, each moving in different directions, some alone and some flanked by attendants. The only commonality was that all these individuals were City Lords!


    Being a City Lord himself, Rocky could tell who among them were his peers, marking the first time he had seen so many City Lords together.


    In today¡¯s day and age, although there were thousands of Sky Cities, the sky itself was vast. In comparison to the entire sky, thousands of Sky Cities still amounted to a tiny number.


    Moreover, since City Lords usually stayed within their own cities, opportunities to meet each other were rare. Some City Lords didn¡¯t even wish to interact with other City Lords, preferring to live comfortably in their own cities.


    Thus, the appearance of five or six City Lords together was a scene Rocky had never encountered before, making him both nervous and a bit excited.


    Not long after, they were led by the servants to the front of the Magic Elevator, stood waiting for a little while, and then the doors slowly opened, revealing a group of people stepping out.


    Among this group, the most eye-catching was a young woman surrounded like the star among the moon. She was dressed in a fiery red gown with beautiful curly red hair, making her look like a blooming red rose.


    Undoubtedly, she was another City Lord. Rocky knew her identity at just a glance. However, as he passed by this rose-like woman, she seemed to remember something and involuntarily looked back at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one named Rocky, right?¡±


    ¡°Um? ¡­ Yes, that¡¯s me ¡­¡±


    It was Rocky¡¯s first time realizing how well-known he had become; everyone seemed to know his name.


    This response made the rose-like woman examine him with great interest, up and down, until Rocky felt somewhat uneasy, and then she smiled while moving her red lips, ¡°I¡¯m Karina, City Lord of Rose City. I heard about what happened today at the Skyport. Did you kill those Demons?¡±


    ¡°Well ¡­ yes ¡­¡±


    Rocky was surprised at how quickly the day¡¯s events had spread, even among the City Lords of Star of the Sky.


    Upon hearing his confirmation, Karina revealed a sly smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so capable, given your small frame. But that¡¯s great; we might have a chance to collaborate because ¡­ I also love hunting!¡±


    PS: More City Lords are appearing, and a bigger story is about to begin. This trip to Eternal City is extremely important for Rocky, as he will officially enter the grand stage of the sky after this ¡­ so of course, I¡¯m still requesting recommendations!

 Chapter 128 - 128 - 127: Fire Butterfly Armor! (Part 1)

    Chapter 128 ¨C 127: Fire Butterfly Armor! (Part 1)


    Karina left, vanishing in front of everyone in a flash of red, and only after she had gone did Rocky somewhat confusedly enter the Magic Elevator.


    The City Lord of Rose City made a lasting impression on Rocky, not because of her beauty, but rather because Karina gave off a peculiar aura, and her words were intriguing. It sounded as though she wanted to collaborate with Rocky?


    Shaking his head, Rocky couldn¡¯t figure out what the woman was really after and didn¡¯t pursue the matter further. Perhaps her words were just a polite gesture, and there was no need to take them too seriously.


    However, Karina¡¯s appearance did broaden Rocky¡¯s horizons since, including her, he had met five or six City Lords along the way. Based on the behavior displayed by Karina and the previously met Berg, it was clear that each City Lord of the Sky Cities had their unique personality.


    Although he had met quite a few City Lords and was acquainted with two of them, Rocky had no intention of befriending these people, not because he was arrogant, but because the time was not right.


    Currently, Thunderhawk City was still weak, and hastily engaging with other Sky Cities was not a wise move when his own strength was not solid enough. After all, the others were also City Lords, and who knows if they would view Thunderhawk City as their next expansion target.


    Moreover, Rocky possessed the secret of the Mana Rune, and too much contact with the well-informed City Lords might let them catch a hint of this secret, which would only bring trouble upon himself.


    ...


    Therefore, after checking into his room, Rocky summoned everyone to his room and conveyed his new orders: keep a low profile.


    Whether it was on the Star of the Sky or outside, he wanted everyone to remain discreet and not be ostentatious. After all, they had come here to make and spend money, and attracting other troubles was the last thing they needed.


    This request was naturally unopposed by the others, who were also busy with many tasks in the Eternal City and had no time to show off even if they wanted to.


    However, unfortunately, while Rocky¡¯s intention might have been good, the events that followed ensured his low-profile strategy was doomed from the start, as the commotion he¡¯d caused at the Skyport made it impossible to stay under the radar any longer.


    In fact, just overnight, by the next day, visitors were queuing up at his door.


    The dispatch of over a hundred Demon Corpses, several boxes of Demon Cores, and thousands of pounds of ore at the port was widely known the next day thanks to those with an interest in spreading the word, which drew a lot of attention. Otherwise, how could City Lords like Berg and Karina, who had never met Rocky, recognize him at first sight?


    Besides these well-informed City Lords, the ones paying more attention to Rocky were the merchants from various Chambers of Commerce.


    After all, he had in his possession over a hundred Demon Corpses, several boxes of Demon Cores, and thousands of pounds of ore. He surely hadn¡¯t brought all of these items to the God City just for show; they were meant for trade, and any Chamber of Commerce wouldn¡¯t refuse such an opportunity; they would even take the initiative to knock on his door.


    So, on the next day, the knock on Rocky¡¯s door came, and one Chamber of Commerce after another sent representatives to connect with him, hoping to strike a deal. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unprepared for this turn of events, Rocky, who had intended to be discreet, never expected to attract so much attention. Could it be¡­ could it be because he was too outstanding?


    Quickly discarding this absurd thought, Rocky immediately called for Aileen and irresponsibly handed all these matters to her, as she was supposed to be in charge of them anyway.


    As for himself, he then took Liliya, Monte, and Lin Feng and left¡­


    As a result, Aileen was completely confined to the room on the Star of the Sky, as there were many Chambers of Commerce planning to negotiate with Rocky. Three groups of people arrived early in the morning, followed by another three in the afternoon, keeping Aileen indoors all day long.


    However, these visits weren¡¯t entirely a bad thing since Aileen did need to sell all the goods she had. Since the Chambers of Commerce took the initiative to come to her, it saved her the trouble of going out.


    On the other hand, having left the Star of the Sky, Rocky headed straight for the weapon market.


    He had many tasks to accomplish in the God City, but among them, the two most important were the purchase of Void Magic Armor and a Skyship. These two matters were not only directly related to the strength of Thunderhawk City but also accounted for a substantial part of the expenses, necessitating extra attention from Rocky.


    Once they reached the weapon market, Rocky led Liliya and the others straight to a store specializing in Void Magic Armor.


    He intended to buy a set of Void Magic Armor for Liliya!


    After the last mission, especially the final battle in that mission, Rocky made a decision. Liliya had nearly lost her life under a high wall during that battle. If it hadn¡¯t been for his timely arrival, Liliya might have been buried in the ground by now.


    This was something Rocky absolutely could not accept. Since coming to this world, Liliya had always stayed by his side, caring for and protecting him. Rocky might not care even if he lost a Sky City, but he could not afford to lose Liliya. Therefore, he planned to arm Liliya with the Void Magic Armor!


    Besides, he was now wealthy and didn¡¯t need to count every penny anymore, so he could afford this.


    With this in mind, it wasn¡¯t long before he led everyone into a decently-sized Void Magic Armor specialty store. The three-story building wasn¡¯t small, and as soon as they entered, the attendants immediately came with a warm greeting. However, they did not rush to recommend Armor but instead invited everyone to sit down and served tea and fruit.


    ¡°Sir, what is this¡­¡±


    Lin Feng, who had never experienced such a scene, looked at Rocky with a puzzled expression as he sat down.


    ¡°Brother Lin Feng, don¡¯t be nervous, this is just the protocol,¡±


    Such a matter naturally did not need Rocky to explain, so Monte spoke up instead, ¡°The shops that sell Void Magic Armors are quite different from ordinary weapon stores. After all, a set of Void Magic Armor can cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins.


    Thus, the service here is exceptionally comprehensive, and there will be a specialized attendant to accompany and introduce the products.¡±


    As if to prove Monte¡¯s words, no sooner had he finished explaining than a young and beautiful woman gracefully approached them.


    This young woman looked to be only about twenty years old. Not only was she exceptionally attractive, but she also had an impressive demeanor. She approached the group and, instead of speaking right away, she smiled and looked around before resting her gaze on Rocky.


    ¡°Sir, my name is Zi Feng. How may I assist you?¡±


    With a slight bow in front of Rocky, Zi Feng spoke slowly, clearly recognizing Rocky¡¯s status among the group.


    She was the specialized attendant that Monte mentioned, responsible for helping customers select their Void Magic Armor.


    ¡°I want a set of women¡¯s Void Magic Armor,¡±


    Looking at Zi Feng, Rocky said directly.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Zi Feng nodded upon hearing this and glanced at Liliya, naturally understanding that the women¡¯s Armor Rocky spoke of was intended for her. She then quickly followed up with a question, ¡°Sir, which generation or model of Armor would you like, and do you have any specific requirements?¡±


    ¡°No. The third or fourth generation is fine. Preferably the guardian type,¡±


    Rocky had already decided on the type of Armor that would be best for Liliya. It had to be the guardian type with strong defense and didn¡¯t need to be anything too advanced like the latest fifth-generation Armor¡ªwhich they couldn¡¯t utilize at the moment anyway.


    Additionally, Rocky felt that there was no need to show off between him and Liliya; a third or fourth generation Armor sufficient for their current use would suffice.


    ¡°Very well, sir, please follow me to the second floor,¡±


    Having heard Rocky¡¯s preferences, Zi Feng now had a clear understanding of his requirements and led the group to the second floor of the store.


    As mentioned before, the store spanned three floors and had a considerable size. So when Rocky and his party were taken to the second floor, they were instantly met with display stands lined up one after the other, each containing a complete set of Void Magic Armor!


    The entire second floor housed dozens of display stands, meaning there were dozens of sets of Void Magic Armor of various models!


    ¡°Sir, this way please,¡±


    While the array of Void Magic Armors left Rocky and his companions dazzled, Zi Feng led them to one of the display stands.


    ¡°Sir, this is the third generation Void Magic Armor, the Fire Butterfly ¨C Guard Type 5.¡±


    Having brought Rocky and the others to the stand, Zi Feng looked at the Armor within and slowly began her introduction, ¡°The Fire Butterfly series is a line of Void Magic Armor custom-tailored for women by the renowned Armor manufacturer, Mag Industry. It comes in assault and guardian types, and the Fire Guard Type 5 is a classic among them.¡±


    As Zi Feng continued her introduction, the gazes of Rocky and the others were fixed on the Fire Butterfly Armor.


    The Armor was designed specifically for women, distinguishing it significantly in many ways from the Armor Rocky wore. It was notably more compact and delicate in design. As its name suggested, the Armor was a fiery red color, sleek and streamlined, and it resembled a form-fitting bodysuit.


    Even the heels were crafted with high-heel-like construction, which gave the entire suit the appearance of a gracefully dancing lady.


    The Armor was also equipped with a small shield and a standard-issue longsword, and the forearm of the left arm featured a protrusion that seemed to be some sort of special equipment.


    While Rocky and his companions gazed intently at the Armor, Zi Feng continued to elaborate:


    ¡°Although this Fire Guard Type 5 Armor is only a third-generation model, its magic energy value reaches 1800. Furthermore, it incorporates Magic Energy Semi-Control Technology and Magic Energy Flow Technology, allowing the wearer to freely distribute half of the Armor¡¯s mana during combat for ease in both offense and defense,¡±


    ¡°As a guardian-type Armor, the Fire Guard 5¡¯s defensive ability is naturally exceptional. In addition to its standard Magic Energy Shield, it is also equipped with an operational Defensive Net that, even to this day, remains the mainstream.


    Once this Defensive Net is deployed, it can block attacks from all angles, even withstanding direct hits from Magic Cannons with a power of 1000 magic energy points ¨C a fact supported by real battle data,¡±


    ¡°On the offensive side, the performance of this Armor is also quite impressive. Beyond the standard-issue Mana Sword, the left arm is equipped with a Magic Energy Bullet Emitter.


    It can channel the Armor¡¯s magic energy to fire powerful Magic Energy Bullets with a force exceeding that of a Sixth-Level Mage¡¯s energy bullets, allowing the wearer to engage in combat without being distracted by casting spells,¡±


    Zi Feng¡¯s string of highly professional introductions left Rocky and the others gaping, as beside Lin Feng, none of them knew much about Void Magic Armors. They all understood that Void Magic Armors were powerful, but the precise details, the technology that set them apart from ordinary equipment were unknown to them.


    Among the group, probably only Lin Feng had some understanding, and to tell the truth, after Zi Feng finished introducing this Armor, Lin Feng was quite tempted!

 Chapter 129 - 129 - 128: Fire Butterfly Armor! (Part 2)

    Chapter 129 ¨C 128: Fire Butterfly Armor! (Part 2)


    Zi Feng¡¯s introduction had indeed piqued Rocky¡¯s interest in the Fire Butterfly Armor.


    Since he was an educated man, he had understood most of what Zi Feng had introduced, and it was exactly for this reason that he was moved by this Armor.


    Firstly, as a 3rd generation Armor, the Fire Guard Type 5 had a magic energy value of 1800 points. This magic energy value might seem low compared to the latest 5th generation Armors, but it was relatively high among the 3rd generation Armors. When compared to Rocky¡¯s 1st generation Armor, it was significantly higher!


    Rocky¡¯s Blood Pattern Generation 2 Armor, being a 1st generation Void Magic Armor, had a meager magic energy value of 300 points, which, even after rune enhancement, reached only around 500 points. In contrast, the magic energy of the Fire Guard Type 5 was several times higher!


    Zi Feng also mentioned two technologies, Magic Energy Semi-Control and Magic Energy Conduction, both of which were among the top technologies of the Void Magic Armor. The Magic Energy Semi-Control Technology allowed the wearer to autonomously allocate a portion of the Armor¡¯s magic energy, while the conduction technology allowed the magic energy to be freely transmitted to every part of the Armor.


    These two technologies complemented each other, enabling the wearer to autonomously allocate magic energy during combat ¨C focusing it on attack when offensive and using all of it for defense when needed, greatly expanding the wearer¡¯s operational capacity.


    With a magic energy value of 1800 points, plus two cutting-edge techniques that are still top-tier today, as well as its own defensive net and other configurations, all these factors combined indeed made the Void Magic Armor seem quite impressive to Rocky.


    ...


    So, he subsequently inquired about the price of this Armor.


    ¡°My lord, this Armor is priced at forty-eight thousand Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°That expensive?¡±


    Upon hearing Zi Feng¡¯s quote, Rocky slightly frowned. It wasn¡¯t because he was unwilling to spend; in fact, the price did not exceed his expectations. However, he remembered from his visit to the weapons market with Liliya a few months ago that this price seemed somewhat high.


    The Fire Guard Type 5 was only a 3rd generation Armor, but according to what Rocky knew, even some Mass-Produced 4th generation Armors were priced at around forty thousand gold coins. This meant that the price of the Armor Zi Feng recommended was higher than that of the Mass-Produced 4th generation Armors.


    ¡°My lord, this price is actually not high because the concept of Mass Production Type arose only with the 4th generation Armor. It was also from the 4th generation that Armors began to be differentiated into Mass Production and Specialized types with varying configurations. Before that, all Armors were of the highest configuration.¡±


    ¡°In other words, although the Fire Guard Type 5 is only a 3rd generation Armor, it is equivalent to Special Armor, so its price is naturally higher than that of the 4th generation Mass-Produced type; my lord, I can even assure you, despite the Fire Guard Type 5 being a 3rd generation Armor, in terms of combat capability, those flashy but impractical 4th generation Mass-Produced Armors that deliberately reduce combat power to lower prices are incomparable to it.¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As if seeing through Rocky¡¯s doubts without waiting for his questions, Zi Feng offered a perfect explanation.


    Faced with her rationale, Rocky indeed had no grounds to argue, because she wasn¡¯t wrong.


    After so many years of development, Void Magic Armor technology had matured in all aspects, leading to more detailed classifications. Apart from being categorized by application into types such as Assault and Guardian, they were further divided into configurations like Mass-Produced and Special.


    The so-called Mass-Produced type refers to low-end configuration Armors, which feature standard or even lower configurations within their generation. Despite the Mass-Produced type¡¯s modest configuration, they are quite popular due to their very affordable prices.


    In contrast to the Mass-Produced type is the high-end configuration of the Special Armor. Special Armors aim to reach the highest standards within their class and generation, and can even be custom-made for users, which makes their combat strength terrifyingly potent ¨C to the point that their combat capabilities are several times higher than those of Mass-Produced Armors!


    However, with formidable combat strength comes a correspondingly high price; Special Armors are definitely expensive, and even describing them as exorbitantly priced would not be an exaggeration. Prices that are considered cheap are in the tens of thousands of Gold Coins, while normal prices are in the hundreds of thousands. There are even custom-made Armors that cost over a million Gold Coins!


    As per Zi Feng¡¯s explanation, the Fire Butterfly ¨C Guard Type 5 Armor was indeed, in a way, equivalent to Special Armor, considering that the distinction between Mass-Produced and Special types began with the 4th generation Armors; while the Fire Butterfly ¨C Guard Type 5, as a 3rd generation Armor, might have gaps in various aspects, it still wasn¡¯t inaccurate to classify it as Special Armor.


    In light of this, Rocky didn¡¯t say much more and simply asked Zi Feng to continue introducing other Armors.


    ¡°`


    Although Rocky was satisfied with the Fire Butterfly-Guard Type 5 Armor, there were still so many armors to choose from that he didn¡¯t need to rush his decision. Besides, he was only there to look; even if he wanted to buy, he¡¯d have to wait until Aileen finished negotiating all the trades before he could get the money.


    In this situation, Zi Feng introduced several other armors to Rocky, including not only third-generation armors but also a number of fourth-generation mass-produced armors.


    Afterward, Rocky left the store and headed to other shops.


    The day quickly passed by, and when Rocky and his party left, they not only had spent the entire day at the weapon market but had also visited seven or eight exclusive Void Magic Armor stores, seeing at least dozens of different suits of armor.


    ¡°So, have you taken a liking to any?¡±


    On the way back to the Star of the Sky, Rocky and Liliya sat by themselves in a carriage, chatting while they rested.


    After a day of browsing, Rocky had indeed taken a liking to a few sets, but since this time it was about buying a Void Magic Armor for Liliya, her opinion was the most important.


    ¡°They are all fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I think that Iron Guard Type 3 isn¡¯t bad¡­¡±


    Liliya said, after thinking with her head bowed.


    ¡°Iron Guard Type 3?¡±


    Since they had seen so many armors that day, it took Rocky a while to remember which one Liliya was referring to: ¡°Are you talking about that fourth-generation mass-produced armor?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Liliya nodded, but Rocky kept shaking his head: ¡°No, no, that one¡¯s mana is only 1700 points, and it doesn¡¯t have any particularly high-end technology either. It simply doesn¡¯t live up to the title of a fourth-generation armor.¡±


    ¡°But I think it¡¯s enough. We don¡¯t need to engage in particularly dangerous battles right now, we don¡¯t need such high specifications, and 1700 magic energy points are enough. Besides¡­¡±


    ¡°Besides, that Iron Guard Type 3 is the cheapest one of all the armors we saw today, right?¡±


    Rocky finished her sentence for her, without waiting for Liliya to do so. How could he not understand Liliya¡¯s thoughts?


    The Iron Guard Type 3 Armor, as Liliya mentioned, was indeed the cheapest of all the armors they had seen. Although it was a fourth-generation armor, its price was only thirty-eight thousand gold coins¡ªunbelievably cheap, given that it was a fourth-generation armor.


    It was precisely for this reason that Liliya had taken a liking to this particular suit of armor.


    Unfortunately, Rocky didn¡¯t see it that way. Liliya was a good girl; she chose the Iron Guard Type 3 to save a substantial amount of money, but she had forgotten the principle that cheap goods aren¡¯t good, and good goods aren¡¯t cheap.


    Whether this saying applies elsewhere is uncertain, but it certainly applies to Void Magic Armor. The cheaper the armor, the worse the quality¡ªthat has been the case since the invention of Void Magic Armor.


    There must be a reason why the Iron Guard Type 3, a fourth-generation armor, is so cheap, and Rocky was certainly not willing to let Liliya find out why.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 130 - 130 - 129 Ruby Chamber of Commerce

    Chapter 130 ¨C 129 Ruby Chamber of Commerce


    When Rocky and the others returned to the Star of the Sky, it was already quite late, yet no sooner had he returned to his room than Aileen sought him out.


    Despite Rocky spending the whole day out, Aileen, who stayed behind at the Star of the Sky, was even busier than he was, having received seven or eight waves of visitors from various Chambers of Commerce throughout the day.


    So, the moment Rocky came back, she hurried over to report the situation.


    ¡°My Lord, these are the price offers from the various Chambers of Commerce.¡±


    Upon seeing Rocky, Aileen handed over a pricing sheet she had compiled to him. It listed all the offers from the different Chambers of Commerce for the Black-eyed Demon and the armored bull demon corpses.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard¡­¡±


    Giving Aileen a nod, Rocky then turned his gaze to the pricing sheet.


    ...


    The pricing list Aileen had created was very detailed, with clear pricing. On the whole, the offers from the various Chambers of Commerce were not much different. Most were priced around two thousand gold coins for the body of a Black-eyed Demon, the lowest being one thousand eight hundred gold coins, and the highest only slightly more at two thousand one hundred.


    Overall, the figures were quite close.


    The prices that varied the most were for the armored bull demons.


    Unlike the relatively cheaper Black-eyed Demons, prices stated by the Chambers of Commerce for armored bull demons all exceeded ten thousand gold coins, with the lowest bid at eleven thousand gold coins for a corpse, and the highest bid going up to sixteen thousand gold coins from the same Chamber of Commerce that had offered the lowest price for the Black-eyed Demons.


    Generally speaking, these prices were within the expectations of Rocky and Aileen. If there was anything surprising, it was that the figures were better than they had anticipated. However, what puzzled Rocky was that the pricing list only included the prices for the demon corpses and omitted the prices for the Demon Cores.


    ¡°Aileen, didn¡¯t you mention the Demon Cores to these Chambers of Commerce?¡±


    At this, Rocky asked, puzzled.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Aileen shook her head firmly before stating, ¡°The Chambers of Commerce that came today are all very well-informed. They had already heard about the Demon Cores, but I did not go into details with them.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    This approach surprised Rocky since they had over two hundred Demon Cores. Even if they were all Black-eyed Demon cores, they could still fetch a price of two hundred thousand gold coins, which was a significant deal. Why would Aileen not mention it to these Chambers of Commerce?


    ¡°My Lord, I think we can wait a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°There were many Chambers of Commerce that came today, but they were all relatively unknown smaller Chambers. The renowned larger Chambers have yet to make a move.¡±


    Despite being exhausted from a whole day¡¯s work, Aileen¡¯s mind was still sharp. As she pointed out, even though several Chambers had sent representatives today, their overall scale was average at best. Not one of the large and prestigious Chambers, famous throughout Eternal City and the entire Sky, had made an appearance.


    ¡°Surely the larger Chambers won¡¯t go out of their way to approach us for such a small deal, right?¡±


    Rocky of course understood Aileen¡¯s point. Larger Chambers of Commerce guarantee more secure transactions, and compared to smaller ones, they might offer higher prices. After all, they deal in volume, and as long as the amount is significant, the price is always negotiable.


    However, even with over a hundred demon corpses and two hundred Demon Cores, it might be a considerable transaction for a smaller Chamber, but for a larger Chamber, it would be just a routine trade. It seemed unlikely that they would personally seek them out for this reason.


    After Rocky finished speaking, Aileen shook her head and then said, ¡°My Lord, I thought so too at first, but today I received word from the Continental Commerce Chamber. They plan to visit you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°The Continental Commerce Chamber? They want to come?¡±


    At the mention of the Continental Commerce Chamber, Rocky showed a look of surprise because this Chamber was definitely well-known. Among all the Chambers of Commerce across the expanse of the Sky, the Continental Commerce Chamber ranked comfortably within the top three, a true behemoth!


    Rocky had never imagined that this trade would attract the attention of such a titan, and that they would even proactively send someone?


    ¡°My Lord, not only the Continental Commerce Chamber but the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce and the Dalmor Chamber of Commerce have also sent representatives. They all hope to arrange a suitable time to meet with you.¡±


    ¡°They want to come as well¡­?¡±


    After Aileen finished speaking, Rocky was completely stunned because the two Chambers of Commerce that Aileen mentioned were also prominent ones in the sky, with the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce and the Continental Commerce Chamber being peers in terms of strength, while the Dalmor Chamber of Commerce was one of the oldest, with a history that could be traced back to the Land Era.


    To be honest, Rocky was somewhat scared, and he couldn¡¯t understand why these famous Chambers of Commerce would come to find him.


    This was his own issue, as Rocky was still thinking from the perspective of an ordinary person; in reality, if he had thought from the perspective of a City Lord, he wouldn¡¯t have been surprised at all. Wasn¡¯t it normal for a Chamber of Commerce to discuss business with the City Lord of a Sky City?


    After all, if the deal went well, it could develop into a long-term collaboration, and which Chamber of Commerce wouldn¡¯t want to add a City Lord to their list of clients?


    ¡°Additionally, there¡¯s news from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce that their Guild President will personally visit tomorrow,¡± Aileen continued as Rocky was somewhat dazed.


    Upon hearing that the Ruby Chamber of Commerce would also come, and it was the Guild President who would personally visit, Rocky smiled after a slight pause, giving the impression that the other party was also impatient to proceed.


    After ceasing all transactions with the Azure Commerce Guild, Aileen found a new partnership in Eternal City with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce.


    The Ruby Chamber of Commerce was a recently established Chamber of Commerce, in urgent need of a stable client like Thunderhawk City, so both sides hit it off immediately, and the several transactions that followed went very smoothly, giving Rocky a good impression of this Chamber of Commerce.


    He had already anticipated that the Ruby Chamber of Commerce would send someone to find him, especially since he brought so many Demon Corpses and Demon Cores this time, and other Chambers of Commerce had caught wind of it.


    Situated in Eternal City and already collaborating with Thunderhawk City, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce surely couldn¡¯t miss the news, but he hadn¡¯t expected their Guild President to personally come.


    But upon further thought, this made sense. After all, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce was a new organization, not particularly strong, so it was only right they show the necessary respect if they wanted a share of the deals from Rocky.


    Given the situation, Rocky sighed, ¡°It looks like I won¡¯t be able to go out tomorrow¡­¡±


    Originally, he had planned to examine the Skyship tomorrow, but it seemed he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to go now, especially since he had to personally meet with the Guild Presidents of both the Continental Commerce Chamber and the Ruby Chamber of Commerce.


    ¡°My lord, let¡¯s wait on spending money, we haven¡¯t earned any yet,¡± Aileen said, puffing up her cheeks in a somewhat annoyed manner, noting that Rocky looked reluctant. She had been working all day without complaining!


    Seeing Aileen¡¯s puffed-up cheeks, Rocky gave an awkward smile and couldn¡¯t say much more.


    The next day, Rocky didn¡¯t go anywhere and just stayed at the Star of the Sky. He didn¡¯t wait long because the Guild President of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce came in the morning.


    To Rocky¡¯s surprise, the Guild President of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce was a young woman only a few years older than Aileen, which he found astonishing, yet he didn¡¯t dare take her lightly.


    Despite being a newly established and small Chamber of Commerce, one should not forget that it¡¯s impossible to set up a Chamber of Commerce in a place like Eternal City without strength, background, or connections.


    Therefore, Rocky treated her with the utmost respect,


    The young Guild President¡¯s name was Amanred, an odd name but very talkative, making the meeting with Rocky quite pleasant.


    As Rocky had thought, Amanred¡¯s primary purpose for visiting in person was to purchase some of the Demon Corpses, and if possible, she even hoped to acquire some Demon Cores and Ore, which meant she was interested in everything Rocky had brought for trade.


    But she held the reins well in this matter. Amanred didn¡¯t plan to take all the Demon Corpses, Cores, or even Ores, but rather hoped Rocky would sell her a portion, considering the Ruby Chamber of Commerce was newly established and in urgent need of high-grade goods to showcase the Chamber¡¯s capabilities.


    Rocky naturally didn¡¯t refuse.


    As he had said before, if Maima hadn¡¯t sabotaged herself, he would have even sold a portion of the Demon Corpses to the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber, so when faced with Amery¡¯s request, he not only agreed to part with twenty Black-eyed Demons and four Armored Bull Demons, along with twenty Demon Cores, but also agreed to sell all the Yellow Scale Ore to the Ruby Chamber of Commerce!


    In return, Amanred offered the highest market price for the goods: each Black-eyed Demon¡¯s corpse was priced at two thousand one hundred Gold Coins, the Armored Bull Demon at the market¡¯s highest of seventeen thousand Gold Coins, and even the Demon Cores and Yellow Scale Ore were priced at the top of the market.


    Beyond this, Amanred also purchased all the cloth produced by Thunderhawk City this quarter and promised Rocky that the Ruby Chamber of Commerce would buy all cloth and leather produced by Thunderhawk City in the future.


    Thus, once the deal was struck, Rocky suddenly had over a hundred thousand gold coins in his hands!


    The three thousand plus pounds of Yellow Scale Ore sold for the full forty thousand Gold Coins, and the twenty-four Demon Corpses sold for one hundred and ten thousand Gold Coins. Alongside the cloth, he earned another thirty thousand plus Gold Coins, bringing his total to one hundred and eighty thousand gold coins after the transaction was completed!


    One hundred and eighty thousand Gold Coins!


    Such a large sum of money could even allow him to immediately buy a set of Void Magic Armor for Liliya!

 Chapter 131 - 131 - 130: Floating Escort Ship!

    Chapter 131 ¨C 130: Floating Escort Ship!


    Rocky made a profit of one hundred and eighty thousand gold coins from the deal, an occurrence never before experienced by him¡ªhe was naturally very satisfied!


    Indeed, not just he, the trade deal actually satisfied both parties. Rocky earned the much-needed money, and Amery acquired the goods she desired, which were particularly crucial for Amanred and her Ruby Chamber of Commerce to secure the deal.


    For a Chamber of Commerce, the level of products it can offer to its clients is key. Should a Chamber fail to present commodities like Demon Corpses, Demon Cores, or ores¡ªgoods that are highly sought after in any market¡ªits strength would surely be questioned.


    But such hot commodities, which one is easy to come by, and which doesn¡¯t require risking one¡¯s life to obtain?


    It is exactly for this reason that upon learning of Rocky¡¯s arrival with a large amount of valuable goods, Amanred personally came, hoping to acquire some from him.


    As for the final result, it pleased Amanred greatly. Despite the fact she spent eighteen thousand gold coins, once these goods were in the Chamber¡¯s hands, not only could they be resold effortlessly at a profit easily twice the amount, but they also showcased the Chamber¡¯s strength and channels, killing two birds with one stone.


    Meanwhile, the completion of this transaction also signified the start of a comprehensive partnership between Thunderhawk City and the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. From now on, all of Thunderhawk City¡¯s grain imports, yarn, fabrics, and future leather goods manufacturing, would be handled by the Ruby Chamber of Commerce.


    ...


    This partnership was desired by all. Thunderhawk City needed a stable supply channel to ensure its development, and as a new Chamber of Commerce, the Ruby Chamber needed stable clients, especially big ones. Thunderhawk City was their perfect target.


    So when Amanred finally left the Star of the Sky, her face was blooming with joy, as if she had just achieved a certain satisfaction.


    After her departure, Rocky soon met with his second important visitor: the manager from the Continental Commerce Chamber.


    Unlike other Chambers of Commerce that sent their general managers, the Continental Commerce Chamber sent just a manager to meet Rocky. However, never underestimate this manager¡ªdue to the difference in scale of various Chambers, the same position might hold vastly different power and status.


    In a top Chamber of Commerce like the Continental, their manager¡¯s power and status could be much more significant than a general manager¡¯s in an average Chamber.


    Thus, in this regard, the Continental Commerce Chamber did not come off as discourteous, and Rocky¡¯s meeting with their representative was quite pleasant. Naturally, the main topic of their conversation centered on trade, but unfortunately, the Continental Commerce Chamber did not offer an outstandingly surprising price.


    For the price of Demon Corpses and Demon Cores, the Continental Commerce Chamber basically offered the market rate¡ªnot a penny more nor less.


    They did, however, offer a highly tempting condition: once the trade was complete, Rocky would enjoy the privilege of a VIP membership in the Continental Commerce Chamber, allowing him to receive a ten percent discount on most transactions conducted within the Chamber.


    This was an enticing offer. The Continental Commerce Chamber covered almost every single field of business, selling everything from the latest Void Magic Armor to the top Floating Warships¡ªa ten percent discount is quite a lot.


    However, Rocky and Aileen both felt a bit helpless about this condition because to obtain the VIP status, they must conduct transactions with the Continental Commerce Chamber. But remember, the VIP status offered by the Chamber was only valid within the Continental Commerce Chamber itself, meaning Rocky could enjoy the discount only if he spent money with them.


    What did this imply?


    It meant that the gold coins Rocky would get from the Continental Commerce Chamber would ultimately end up back in their pocket!


    Such a business deal was astoundingly shrewd.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky naturally would not make an immediate decision, so after briefly discussing it with the manager, he saw off the guest.


    Over the following three days, he did not leave the Star of the Sky, and at an average pace of two visitors per day, he met with several managers from major Chambers of Commerce, finalizing the business deals.


    The Chamber of Commerce Rocky ultimately chose was neither the renowned Continental nor the equally esteemed Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce, but instead, a Chamber called the Apple Tree Corporation.


    Although the Apple Tree Corporation might not be as renowned as Continental and Blue Sky Chambers of Commerce, it is still a well-established and respected Chamber within Eternal City. Rocky didn¡¯t choose to trade with them because of their fame, but rather because of the terms they offered.


    In terms of trading price, the Apple Tree Corporation offered a rate that was essentially equivalent to the market price¡ªnothing outstanding. However, apart from that, they also put forth a condition¡ªthat once Rocky completed the transaction with them, they would give him a third-generation Floating Escort Ship for free!


    Yes, you read that correctly¡ªa Floating¡ªEscort Ship!


    In the classification of floating warships, the lowest level was the reconnaissance ship. Among all warships with combat capabilities, reconnaissance ships were the smallest in size, had the least mana, and the weakest combat ability. Their only advantage was speed, which was fair given their scouting purpose.


    A step above the reconnaissance ship was the escort ship. And starting from the escort ship level, warships would change their classification to battleships. Ship or battleship¡ªthough there¡¯s only a one-word difference, the combat capability is several times greater, if not more! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some might ask, has the Apple Tree Corporation gone mad? To offer an escort ship, which is a third-generation warship that hasn¡¯t been phased out, just for a trade worth four to five hundred thousand gold coins?


    This question leads us back to the Apple Tree Corporation itself.


    They were originally a corporation that specialized in the business of floating battleships and had their own shipyard, allowing them to manufacture and sell independently, resulting in significant business.


    But six months ago, the corporation suddenly got a new Guild President. Upon taking office, the new president drastically changed the corporation¡¯s guideline of only dealing in floating battleships and started to diversify their business ventures, including dealing in Void Magic Armor among various other products.


    However, easier said than done. Not only were customers unfamiliar with their other businesses, but other Chambers of Commerce also fiercely suppressed them. To improve the corporation¡¯s new business as quickly as possible, the new president made a bold decision:


    Any non-warship business transaction with the Apple Tree Corporation exceeding five hundred thousand gold coins would come with a floating warship as a gift. The grade of the gifted warship was directly linked to the transaction amount¡ªthe higher the amount, the better the warship gifted!


    And according to the price offered by them, the sum of demon corpses and Demon Cores that Rocky had meant that the transaction amount just exceeded five hundred thousand gold coins!


    Rocky now had one hundred and two Black-eyed Demon corpses, nine armored bull demon corpses, and two hundred and eleven Demon Cores left. According to the price offered by the Apple Tree Corporation, Black-eyed Demon corpses would sell for two thousand gold coins each, armored bull demon corpses for twelve thousand gold coins each, and each Demon Core for a thousand gold coins.


    Calculating this, the Black-eyed Demon corpses would bring in two hundred and forty thousand gold coins, the armored bull demons one hundred and eight thousand gold coins, and the two hundred and eleven Demon Cores a total of two hundred and eleven thousand gold coins.


    Summing up all three brings the total to five hundred and fifty-nine thousand gold coins¡ªjust above the Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s standard for gifting a warship.


    This was the reason Rocky ultimately chose to trade with them. By trading with this Chamber, he could get an escort ship for free!


    For Rocky, this escort ship was of great importance. After all, one of his objectives in coming to God City was to purchase floating warships. In his original plan, he didn¡¯t intend to buy the costly escort ships, just a few newer reconnaissance ships.


    But now, with this trade deal from the Apple Tree Corporation, Rocky could get a battleship for free¡ªand an escort ship at that! How could he possibly miss out on such a good deal? So, he immediately had Aileen negotiate the trade details with the Apple Tree Corporation and completed the transaction without the slightest hesitation.


    After completing the transaction, Rocky was ecstatic to find that not only had he gotten an escort ship for free, he had ended up with more gold coins than he had anticipated!


    The transaction with the Apple Tree Corporation, along with the trade with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, brought the total combined transaction amount to seven hundred and thirty thousand eight hundred gold coins!


    This figure was a whole three hundred thousand more than the anticipated four hundred thousand gold coins!


    Now possessing over seven hundred thousand gold coins, Rocky was truly wealthy. The only thing left for him to do was summed up in two words: Spend money! Spend money! Spend money! It¡¯s worth repeating three times!

 Chapter 132 - 132 - 131: The Invitation

    Chapter 132 ¨C 131: The Invitation


    After completing all transactions, Rocky suddenly had more than seven hundred thousand Gold Coins in hand, a sum much greater than he had anticipated, finally enabling him to spend money liberally.


    However, regarding how exactly to spend this money, Rocky still needed to carefully plan, after all, good steel must be used on the blade edge.


    ¡°Once all the trades are completed, take out one hundred thousand Gold Coins to build factories and shops, as well as to purchase leather materials and stock the shops, all from this one hundred thousand Gold Coins. Do you think that¡¯s enough?¡±


    Early one day, Rocky gathered everyone in his room to discuss the next steps of the plan.


    Now that all transactions had been settled, and the continuous stream of visitors was gone, Rocky finally had time to arrange how to spend this considerable amount of money. It wasn¡¯t a trivial matter, because while spending money is easy, making each coin count is not, and Rocky had to maximize the benefits of the seven hundred thousand Gold Coins in his hand.


    It didn¡¯t matter if they were all spent, but after spending, it was necessary to ensure that the strength of Thunderhawk City was raised a notch.


    And since the acquired Gold Coins were much more than anticipated, the plans Rocky had previously considered would have to change slightly. However, the money originally slated for the development of Thunderhawk City remained unchanged.


    ...


    Aileen and Old Jack had already chosen a location in the city; the house was ready to move in, only requiring some modifications to be usable, so the main expenses would be on factory equipment and raw materials, as well as importing goods for the stores. Rocky felt one hundred thousand Gold Coins was sufficient for these needs.


    ¡°One hundred thousand Gold Coins is enough. The Ruby Chamber of Commerce can supply us with the leather materials and goods needed for the stores. As for the factory equipment, I will handle that with Lord Jack tomorrow.¡±


    Indeed, Aileen stated that one hundred thousand Gold Coins was enough and assured that she and Old Jack would handle the matter, freeing Rocky from concern.


    With that settled, Rocky continued,


    ¡°The remaining money, I think, should be spent according to the original plan, on purchasing Void Magic Armors and expanding the fleet of Skyships, as well as upgrading the soldiers¡¯ equipment. Only now, we can increase and improve the quantity and quality.¡±


    When Rocky finished speaking, both Monte and Lin Feng¡¯s eyes lit up, as if Rocky¡¯s men were to be divided into administrative and military roles, Monte and Lin Feng clearly belonged to the military side. So when they heard Rocky planned to enhance the military strength of Thunderhawk City, they were naturally excited.


    At this moment, Rocky turned to Aileen, ¡°Aileen, when exactly can the Ruby Chamber of Commerce and Apple Tree Corporation complete the transactions?¡±


    ¡°In the next few days. I¡¯ve already started the handover of goods with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. If everything goes well, they will make the payment tomorrow, and then we¡¯ll proceed with the handover with the Apple Tree Corporation. In three days at most, all transactions should be completed.¡±


    ¡°Good, once the transactions are completed, I¡¯ll go purchase the Void Magic Armors and Skyships.¡± S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having arranged everything, everyone finally relaxed a little. Now they had nothing to do but wait for how they would spend the money later.


    The three days passed quickly. To be honest, everyone was a bit nervous during this time as it was their first time handling such a big business deal, and they all feared any unexpected events that might cause problems.


    But fortunately, such a stroke of bad luck did not occur. All the transactions over these three days had gone smoothly, resulting not only in over seven hundred thousand Gold Coins in hand but also the Escort Ship gifted by the Apple Tree Corporation had been delivered!


    Upon learning that the gifted Escort Ship had arrived, Rocky made a special trip to the Skyport to lay eyes on what was truly a warship.


    When he got to the Skyport and saw the Escort Ship, he couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in his heart that this was indeed a real warship!


    Although among all Floating Battleships, the level of the Escort Ship was relatively lower, only one level higher than a Reconnaissance Ship, it ultimately met the warship standard, far surpassing the Reconnaissance Ship in many aspects.


    Take, for example, the Escort Ship given by the Apple Tree Corporation, which was one hundred ten meters long, greater in size even than two Reconnaissance Ships placed side by side.


    The entire warship was powered by twenty-five Medium Magic Stones, which provided not only propulsion but also a magic energy defense net, with defensive power enough to withstand attacks from Magic Cannons with a magic energy value of below 500.


    Just this characteristic alone ensured the Escort Ship an invincible position against Reconnaissance Ships, at least when facing those from Thunderhawk City.


    That¡¯s because Thunderhawk City¡¯s Reconnaissance Ships were all first-generation, equipped with only two Magic Cannons, and the power of their magic energy was merely 300 points. In other words, against an Escort Ship, Thunderhawk City¡¯s Reconnaissance Ships could blast away to no avail, their 300-point Magic Cannons unable to breach the opponent¡¯s Defensive Net.


    Because of the warship¡¯s enormous size, it also required more crew members, with a full complement capable of carrying one hundred fifty personnel. Additionally, the warship was armed with no less than fifteen Magic Cannons, including two main cannons powered by Medium Magic Stones alone, reaching a magic energy power of 1300, and thirteen auxiliary cannons with a power of 700.


    Not just in defensive power, but also in firepower, this Escort Ship left the Reconnaissance Ships of Thunderhawk City far behind. Compared to Thunderhawk City¡¯s vessels, the firepower of this Escort Ship could only be described as terrifying!


    In fact, this was rather a sad affair, as it indirectly showed how weak Thunderhawk City¡¯s military strength was. While fifth-generation warships were already commanding the skies, Thunderhawk City still relied on first-generation Skyships to protect its city.


    But now things were different.


    Rocky now finally owned a true warship, albeit a third-generation one, but it was still countless times stronger than those outdated Reconnaissance Ships of Thunderhawk City. And third-generation warships weren¡¯t completely obsolete from the historical stage; many average-strength Sky Cities still relied on this generation of warships as their main force.


    Therefore, Rocky was one hundred percent satisfied with this Escort Ship.


    With the warship delivered and the transaction payment settled, the deal between Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation was officially concluded. However, to Rocky¡¯s slight surprise, after finalizing the trade, the other party also presented him with an invitation to a ball, asking him to attend a dance hosted by the Chamber of Commerce in three days.


    Eternal City, a behemoth in the sky, naturally saw a constant gathering of important figures year-round. With nobles commonplace and City Lords ubiquitous, balls served as the best platform for interaction among nobility and prominent figures, making them a staple in Eternal City, where dances occurred daily throughout the year.


    For most people, especially the nobility or small City Lords eager to climb the social ladder, the frequent balls in Eternal City provided excellent opportunities. Being invited to these balls signified wealth or nobility, and making connections there was obviously beneficial for advancement.


    However, Rocky, also a small City Lord, felt rather indifferent upon receiving the ball invitation. He thought that the pressing matter at hand was to spend the money he had. Where could he find the time for such dances?

 Chapter 133 - 133 - 132 The Ball

    Chapter 133 ¨C 132 The Ball


    ¡°Of course you should go, such a ball will be beneficial to you.¡±


    When Rocky handed the ball invitation to Liliya, he had not anticipated that she would strongly urge him to attend.


    ¡°The Apple Tree Corporation is an old-established Chamber of Commerce in Eternal City, with extensive connections. The ball they host will surely be attended by many important figures, and getting to know these people could be advantageous for us,¡± Liliya explained slowly, sitting across from Rocky.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of not making any useful connections but instead drawing unwanted attention¡­¡± Rocky sighed while sitting across from her, looking somewhat helpless.


    He certainly understood Liliya¡¯s reasoning. Attending such a ball was naturally beneficial, but benefits and risks always coexist. Thus, nobody could guarantee that, after the ball, Thunderhawk City and he as its City Lord wouldn¡¯t end up on someone¡¯s blacklist after mingling with the VIPs, becoming the next target for takeover.


    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating,¡± Liliya laughed upon hearing this. ¡°Just go. It¡¯s ultimately good for you to make more connections with other City Lords at the ball for your future development.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­ It seems the trip to the weapons market will have to be postponed again¡­¡±


    ...


    Convinced by Liliya¡¯s persuasion, Rocky finally nodded and agreed to attend the ball. But, as he mentioned, since he decided to attend, the plan to go to the weapons market to buy Void Magic Armor and Skyships would have to be delayed.


    Some might find it odd¡ªwasn¡¯t the ball starting in three days? There should still be time to browse the weapons market.


    Those who say such a thing must have forgotten one detail: can you wear casual clothes to such a ball? To attend, you must dress up; hence, Rocky must now prepare for this aspect. Moreover, he won¡¯t be going alone, so these kinds of preparations will definitely take more than a day or two to complete.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to delay it for two days. We don¡¯t have much else going on lately. It won¡¯t matter if we go to the weapons market after the ball,¡± Liliya assuaged.


    ¡°Alright then, tomorrow you, Aileen, and Monte should come with me to buy clothes. If we¡¯re going, we must dress to impress.¡±


    Having decided to attend the ball, Rocky certainly didn¡¯t want to embarrass himself, so the next day he took Liliya, Aileen, and Monte to the biggest shopping center in Eternal City to start purchasing formal attire for the ball.


    In the past, Rocky would never have dared to do such a thing because the formal wear required for the ball wasn¡¯t something the poor could afford¡ªa single piece of clothing could cost hundreds or even thousands of Gold Coins, which was far too stressful for the old him.


    But now, with hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins in his possession, he no longer had to worry. Allocating a few thousand, or even tens of thousands of Gold Coins to choose suitable attire for himself and others to attend the ball seemed worth it to Rocky.


    Just as he anticipated, it was an extremely time-consuming task. This time he had to choose clothes not only for himself and Monte but also for Liliya and Aileen. Once women were involved in such matters, it became an endless pursuit.


    In the end, by the time Rocky had everything ready, it was the day of the ball. After spending three days at the shopping center and shelling out over five thousand Gold Coins¡ªto the extent that Aileen even sought the help of a designer for advice¡ªthey finally settled on what to wear to the ball.


    So when Rocky, accompanied by Liliya and Aileen as his dates and Monte as his escort, went to the ball, he was close to breaking down.


    However, considering the caliber of the ball, his preparations were clearly justified. The Apple Tree Corporation, as a prominent Chamber of Commerce in Eternal City, organized a ball that was impeccable both in quality and standard, truly deserving the wholehearted preparation of those attending.


    The venue was at the Guild President¡¯s private residence; in other words, this was a private ball. And of course, the guests invited to the ball need not be mentioned¡ªthe attendees included plenty of individuals of City Lord status or higher, apart from the City Lords themselves, there were also influential figures from various Sky Cities.


    Therefore, when Rocky arrived at the venue with Liliya and the others, they were quickly swallowed up by the crowd. It couldn¡¯t be helped, there were twenty to thirty City Lords attending the ball, and Rocky didn¡¯t stand out much among them.


    Rocky was quite happy with this lack of attention; he had never been interested in such balls in the first place and had reluctantly spent several days at the shopping center. With no expectations for the ball itself, he headed for a corner as soon as he entered the venue and started to focus on the food provided at the ball.


    However, just like how he couldn¡¯t stay low profile when he wanted to previously, the events Rocky encountered at the ball definitely exceeded his imagination.


    Firstly, he saw Karina again.


    The Lord of Rose City also attended the ball. Dressed in her formal attire, Karina still resembled a fiery red rose, and unlike the unnoticed Rocky, she seemed to have a wide network¡ªalmost everyone at the ball knew her.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, you¡¯ve come as expected,¡± Karina approached him proactively while he was enjoying the exquisite food at the ball, accompanied by the two beauties.


    Rocky had actually spotted her earlier in the venue. The Red Rose, Karina, truly stood out, but given the young City Lords surrounding her all the time, Rocky didn¡¯t approach her.


    To his surprise, Karina had noticed him too and took the initiative to come over.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, you¡¯ve been quite the figure of note lately.¡±


    Carrying a wine glass, Karina walked up to Rocky and glanced at him with a smile, speaking casually as if the two of them had known each other for a long time.


    ¡°Oh, how come I didn¡¯t know that?¡±


    Rocky responded with a slight smile, genuinely unaware of when he had ever had such glory.


    ¡°You made a deal directly with the Apple Tree Corporation for over five hundred thousand Gold Coins, isn¡¯t that glamorous enough? For a small Sky City, that¡¯s not a small amount.¡±


    ¡°Lord Karina, may I ask a question?¡±


    Upon hearing Karina¡¯s words, Rocky frowned and then asked.


    ¡°Of course, you can.¡± S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°How did you find out about these things concerning me?¡±


    Although Rocky wasn¡¯t surprised that she knew about his affairs, he was still very curious about how she had come to know them.


    ¡°Shadow Alliance, just pay ten thousand Gold Coins a month, and they will provide you with all the information you want.¡±


    With a soft smile towards him, Karina casually provided the answer.


    There was such an organization?


    This response did startle Rocky for a moment, and then he silently took note of the Shadow Alliance. It seemed to be an information organization, which might come in handy for himself as well.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that City Lord Rocky? And Lord Karina, so you two know each other!¡±


    Just then, another familiar voice reached Rocky¡¯s ears, and as he and Karina turned to look, they saw Berg, the City Lord of Lingyu City, approaching them.


    ¡°What are you two talking about? If it¡¯s business-related, you must include me.¡±


    Arriving at Rocky and Karina¡¯s side, Berg spoke as if he were an old friend, without any hint of feeling like an outsider.


    However, faced with Berg¡¯s familiarity, Karina simply rolled her eyes: ¡°Look who¡¯s here, Money City Lord.¡±


    ¡°Money City Lord?¡±


    Rocky¡¯s expression was that of a curious baby upon hearing Karina¡¯s nickname for Berg.


    ¡°A City Lord whose eyes see only money, that¡¯s exactly what a Money City Lord is.¡±


    ¡°Karina, you often do business at my place too, there¡¯s no need to talk about me like this in front of City Lord Rocky, right?¡±


    Berg didn¡¯t seem upset by Karina¡¯s mockery, and soon turned to Rocky: ¡°City Lord Rocky, you¡¯ve made quite the big deal recently! Next time, you must come and support my Lingyu City, where our Chamber of Commerce offers nothing but quality goods at fair prices¡­¡±


    ¡°A bunch of heartless traders still have the nerve to talk about quality and fair prices.¡±


    As Berg boasted, Karina interjected with disdain, forcing Berg to laugh awkwardly and then continue chatting with Rocky as if nothing happened: ¡°City Lord Rocky, you, me, and Karina are all City Lords of small Sky Cities. We occupy the lowest status in this sky, and only by helping each other can we survive better. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Berg indeed acted very much like a merchant, extremely talkative, but it was precisely because of his gregarious nature that Rocky, Karina, and he enjoyed their conversation a lot. Berg would later introduce Rocky to several other City Lords.


    However, just as Rocky got into conversation with these newly met City Lords, another person in the ball noticed him and hurried over.


    ¡°Rocky, what are you doing here?¡±


    Rocky turned around when he heard his name called and then saw a person he wasn¡¯t very eager to see: Cyril.


    Cyril¡¯s appearance left Rocky extremely astonished; he never expected such a coincidence that on both of his visits to Eternal City, he would encounter this cousin.


    Just as surprised as he was Cyril. Actually, her purpose in coming to Eternal City was to find Rocky, but she had never imagined that the two would meet in such a setting.

 Chapter 134 - 134 - 133 Cyril’s Advice

    Chapter 134 ¨C 133 Cyril¡¯s Advice


    Rocky and Cyril were both momentarily stunned upon seeing each other again; neither had expected to encounter the other at such an event.


    It was Cyril who reacted first, quickly pulling Rocky away from the group of City Lords and into a corner.


    This move naturally caused dissatisfaction among the City Lords, but they were all well aware of Cyril¡¯s status and thus hesitant to provoke her easily.


    After taking Rocky to the corner of the dance, Cyril looked him up and down a few times before asking incredulously, ¡°Rocky, how come you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here?¡±


    Rocky, hearing this, was not pleased at all. What did that mean? Was he supposed to just stay in Thunderhawk City forever?


    Frowning slightly as he looked at Cyril, Rocky also asked a question:


    ...


    ¡°And why are you here?¡±


    ¡°The Chamber of Commerce invited me.¡±


    ¡°They invited me too.¡±


    ¡°The Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce¡­ invited¡­ you?¡±


    Cyril blinked her eyes for several seconds, her face filled with disbelief at Rocky¡¯s words.


    The Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce held such dances not without purpose; in fact, the aim of these dances was very clear: to expand the business scope of the Chamber through the City Lords. And, due to this goal, anyone invited by the Chamber was seen as an exceedingly important client.


    Cyril had also just arrived in the Eternal City yesterday and received the invitation immediately upon arrival. Given that the Mairente Family had some business dealings with the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, she had come.


    Accustomed to such affairs, Cyril, being the daughter of the Mairente Clan Leader and a City Lord of a Sky City herself, was always a person of honor wherever she went. Moreover, her own status made many people eager to maintain good relations with her.


    Still, Cyril hadn¡¯t expected that the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce would also extend an invitation to Rocky, which was somewhat of a surprise to her.


    Afterward, she couldn¡¯t help but scrutinize Rocky thoroughly, her gaze growing more complex the longer she looked.


    Being invited by the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce signified that Rocky was seen as an important client in their eyes. Just a few months had passed since they last met ¨C what had he done to gain such a status?


    ¡°What kind of business have you done with the Chamber?¡±


    Considering this, Cyril couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Nothing much.¡± After glancing at her, Rocky kept his expression neutral: ¡°Cyril, what do you want? If there¡¯s nothing important, I am leaving.¡±


    Having said that, he turned around and was ready to leave without hesitation.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    Seeing that Rocky was indeed about to leave, Cyril, feeling helpless, had no choice but to call out to stop him: ¡°Rocky, I have something important to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°Is it about the family?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I have no relation to the Mairente Family anymore.¡±


    With his back to Cyril, Rocky walked away while speaking coldly; ever since his father¡¯s Sky City had been taken by the Mairente Family, he had indeed severed all ties with that family.


    But just as he had taken a couple of steps, Cyril¡¯s voice came from behind him again.


    ¡°The family wants to take back Thunderhawk City.¡±


    That simple sentence forced Rocky to halt in his tracks!


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Stopping, Rocky let out a soft sigh and then turned to look back at Cyril: ¡°What did you say¡­?¡±


    ¡°The family¡­ is planning to take back Thunderhawk City¡­¡±


    Gazing into his eyes, Cyril repeated the sentence helplessly once again.


    It was only after Cyril had repeated these words that Rocky furrowed his brows and thought carefully, taking several minutes before lifting his eyes again.


    ¡°The news you have for me is just this? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ I don¡¯t want the family to take back Thunderhawk City. It¡¯s not good for you or for me, and besides¡­ this is what the family owes you¡­¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Cyril bit her lip and spoke haltingly.


    At this moment, Rocky had returned to Cyril¡¯s side. He looked down at Cyril, who was shorter than himself, feeling torn inside.


    Because he could see that Cyril felt some remorse towards him. The reasons for her remorse need not be stated, but the current Rocky truly wanted nothing to do with the Mairente Family. The last incident had made him see the family for what it truly was.


    However, Cyril¡¯s words just now meant that Rocky couldn¡¯t simply walk away carefree; even if he was reluctant, he had to ask what was going on before he could leave.


    On the other hand, seeing Rocky return to her side, Cyril began to speak: ¡°Rocky, the family isn¡¯t deliberately targeting you¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s stick to the main topic.¡±


    Rocky interrupted Cyril¡¯s words with a wave of his hand and asked directly, ¡°You just said the family wants to take back Thunderhawk City. What exactly is going on?¡±


    ¡°Yes, because¡­¡±


    In a few words, Cyril explained the family¡¯s decision regarding Thunderhawk City and the situation with Baron Wolin to Rocky. The matter was simple, just a straightforward decision by the family, so it didn¡¯t take long to describe.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And after Cyril had finished explaining everything, Rocky nodded while his brows were furrowed deep in thought.


    Despite his calm demeanor, the news was as sudden and shocking as a bolt from the blue for him. He had not expected that just as things were starting to look up for him, he would encounter such misfortune.


    But now it was too late for any regrets, whether cursing his own bad luck or hating the Mairente Family. The urgent matter at hand was how to survive this looming crisis.


    If Thunderhawk City were taken back, Rocky could definitely not agree to it. The Mairente Family had already taken away a medium-sized Sky City he was supposed to inherit, and Rocky would never allow such a thing to happen again.


    So after a brief silence, he lifted his head again.


    ¡°You just mentioned that the family won¡¯t help Baron Wolin take action, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Cyril nodded affirmatively and said, ¡°In fact, both my father and I would prefer not to see Baron Wolin¡¯s faction grow, but individual wishes can¡¯t sway the family¡¯s decisions. The only thing I can do is ensure the family stays out of this matter, and you can be assured of that.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, how does Baron Wolin plan to take Thunderhawk City from me?¡±


    Such a response made Rocky somewhat surprised. If the family wasn¡¯t going to intervene, how could Baron Wolin manage to take his Thunderhawk City? Surely he didn¡¯t intend to drive Rocky out of Thunderhawk City himself?


    ¡°How to take it back? Naturally, by bringing the fleet to drive you away.¡±


    Cyril gave Rocky a glance, appearing astonished. Wasn¡¯t the answer to this question obvious?


    ¡°Drive, drive me away?¡±


    Rocky was wholly taken aback by the correctness of his guess; it took him a good while to regain his composure before he couldn¡¯t help but ask another question:


    ¡°How large is Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t fathom just how powerful Baron Wolin had become, to the point where he even aimed to forcefully remove Rocky from Thunderhawk City. Such audacity!


    ¡°Although Baron Wolin is not yet a City Lord, he is still considered a veteran in the family. As for his fleet¡­ it comprises at least thirty Floating Warships.¡±


    ¡°Thirty¡­¡±


    Hearing this number, Rocky¡¯s face revealed a strange expression. Then he fell silent, as if calculating something.

 Chapter 135 - 135 - 134: Then Fight!

    Chapter 135 ¨C 134: Then Fight!


    Rocky¡¯s reaction greatly surprised Cyril, who had expected an angry explosion but instead, saw no trace of fear on his face when he learnt the size of Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet; rather, his expression turned oddly serene.


    This left Cyril somewhat perplexed. Had he not made himself clear?


    That was a fleet composed of thirty Floating Warships!


    Cyril felt that Rocky hadn¡¯t yet grasped the full implications of what thirty Floating Warships meant, so he felt compelled to explain it again: ¡°Rocky, that¡¯s thirty Floating Warships!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know.¡±


    Brought back to attention by Cyril¡¯s voice, Rocky nodded casually and then asked, ¡°Cyril, what kind of warships make up Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet?¡±


    The type of warship varied greatly in combat capability, so it was difficult to judge the combat strength of a fleet merely by its numbers; the quality factor also needed to be considered to truly gauge a fleet¡¯s strength.


    ...


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    This question made Cyril think for a while before he spoke: ¡°Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet is his private military, so I don¡¯t know much about it. However, considering his status and standing within the families, the fleet¡¯s quality should be fairly decent, at least comprised of third-generation Floating Warships.


    However, its major components should be third-generation Reconnaissance Ships, because large warships are too expensive, and Baron Wolin, not being a City Lord, cannot afford them.¡±


    ¡°Also, Baron Wolin is a Void Magic Warrior and owns a suit of fourth-generation Void Magic Armor.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is it a mass-production type or a specialized type?¡±


    ¡°The mass-production type. I¡¯ve seen him wearing it, I remember it being the Eagle Claw Type 3.¡±


    ¡°Eagle Claw Type 3¡­¡±


    Rocky nodded and recalled the specifications of the Eagle Claw Type 3 Armor in his mind.


    A few days ago, while he was shopping for armor for Liliya, he had spent an entire day at the weapons market in Eternal City, looking at dozens of armors, substantially enhancing his understanding of Void Magic Armor.


    And the Eagle Claw Type 3 that Cyril had mentioned, Rocky had just happened to see.


    This was an assault type armor, known for its speed and versatile attack capabilities. Although it was a mass-production model, its combat performance was excellent, thus its price was much higher than that of typical mass-production fourth-generation armors. Rocky remembered that it cost at least sixty thousand Gold Coins.


    This meant that Baron Wolin not only owned a fleet of thirty warships but was also a Void Magic Warrior; this really did pose a bit of a challenge for Rocky.


    However, it was just a challenge, not a cause for despair.


    Let¡¯s not forget that he also had several hundred thousand Gold Coins unspent! If he were to spend all that money, then the power at Rocky¡¯s disposal would be no less than that of Baron Wolin!


    So after a brief moment of thought, Rocky turned to look at Cyril. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Cyril, the information you¡¯ve shared with me is very important, thank you for telling me all of this.¡±


    Even though he was indifferent towards the members of the Mairente Family, Rocky had to acknowledge the extreme importance of the information Cyril had provided. With this intelligence, he wouldn¡¯t be engaging in an unprepared battle, and instead, could make sufficient preparations to face Baron Wolin before his arrival. He had to thank Cyril.


    But after expressing his gratitude, he changed his tone, ¡°Cyril, I can tell you¡¯re a decent person, you at least recognize some of the wrongful practices of your family. But, as you said, there are some matters beyond both our controls, so¡­¡±


    ¡°You no longer need to feel any guilt towards me, let¡¯s consider the matter between us settled.¡±


    After saying this, Rocky turned and walked away, not just straying slightly, but leaving the ballroom with Liliya and others and heading back to Star of the Sky.


    Just as he had said earlier, he did indeed feel some gratitude towards Cyril, but as he had also mentioned, there were certain things they simply could not change, such as the Mairente Family¡¯s attitude toward Rocky and Rocky¡¯s perception of the Mairente Family. These matters were not something Cyril or Rocky could control by themselves, no matter how much they tried.


    Therefore, for both her benefit and his own, Rocky believed it was better to clearly define boundaries between them. Otherwise, when Rocky stood on the opposing side of the Mairente Family, things would become very troublesome!


    Yes, that was Rocky¡¯s decision; he was prepared to stand against the Mairente Family!


    This was a choice made out of desperation, yet it was his only choice. Perhaps, in the eyes of the Mairente Family, he and Thunderhawk City were merely parts of the family to be manipulated at will, but Rocky did not see it that way.


    Now, he would no longer let any person or family dictate his fate, and if anyone still wished to treat him that way, they had better be prepared to lose a piece of flesh!


    So if the Mairente Family wanted a battle, then let there be a battle!


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, when Cyril gazed at the receding figure of Rocky, he sighed with a sense of melancholy. He hadn¡¯t expected things to turn out this way.


    In fact, he had many things he wanted to say to Rocky, like advising him to use the flying capabilities of Sky City to escape as far as possible, as that was the only way to avoid Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet. As for expecting Rocky to defeat Baron Wolin by sheer strength, Cyril had never even contemplated such a fantasy, as he saw it as utterly impossible.


    Baron Wolin might just be a nominal noble without a Sky City, but don¡¯t forget he was still a member of the Mairente family. This status gave him access to more resources than an ordinary city lord, otherwise how could he possibly afford to maintain a private army?


    Thus, although the family would not officially intervene this time, Baron Wolin alone had enough strength to forcibly take over Thunderhawk City. It was precisely because of this strength and confidence that his faction agreed with the family¡¯s decision not to intervene.


    Unfortunately, Cyril hadn¡¯t yet managed to express these thoughts before Rocky had already left¡­


    Elsewhere, after Rocky had left the ball, he went straight back to the Star of the Sky and called everyone to his room.


    ¡°¡­The situation is as I have described. I¡¯d like to hear your opinions.¡±


    Since the conversation between Cyril and Rocky had been private, even Liliya and others who had attended the ball did not know what had happened until Rocky gathered everyone together and repeated everything that Cyril had told him. Only then did everyone understand the situation.


    ¡°My lord! Of course we strike back!¡±


    Upon understanding the whole backstory, Monte was the first to jump up, ¡°My lord! Thunderhawk City must not be bullied like this; it¡¯s too much! Let that certain baron come, and we¡¯ll kill him!¡±


    The naturally hot-tempered Beastman roared as he waved one hand, seemingly ready to engage in battle at any moment.


    ¡°My lord, Thunderhawk City is not what it used to be. I think if we prepare adequately, we indeed can fight a battle.¡±


    At this moment, Aileen also spoke up. She wasn¡¯t as impulsive as Monte, but while maintaining her composure, she still suggested a battle.


    ¡°What do you think? Can we fight a battle?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all up to you.¡±


    Glancing at Rocky who was seeking her opinion, Liliya smiled slightly, showing complete indifference; she really didn¡¯t care much and would definitely stand by him in any action he decided on.


    ¡°Lin Feng, Lord Jack, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll follow the lord¡¯s lead.¡±


    When asked for their opinions, Lin Feng and Old Jack immediately bowed their heads. Both were well aware that in such a time, they definitely should not speak out of turn, as it would surely bring them no good, especially since they were far from being Rocky¡¯s confidants.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case¡­¡± Rocky surveyed the room, then let out a smile, and slowly said, ¡°We need to begin preparations now. If we¡¯re to fight, we must not only fight beautifully but must also ensure we win!¡±

 Chapter 136 - 136 - 135: Buying a Warship

    Chapter 136 ¨C 135: Buying a Warship


    The news that Thunderhawk City was to be taken away caused everyone¡¯s nerves to tighten once again.


    As for the decision made by the Mairente Family, Rocky planned to respond in the simplest and most direct way, which was to deal a heavy blow to Baron Wolin, sending him packing!


    That is to say, he planned to launch a massive sky battle!


    For this reason, everyone began preparations for war the next day, with their first task being to purchase floating warships!


    To wage a sky war, it was absolutely essential to have skyships, and relying solely on the existing skyships of Thunderhawk City was also insufficient. Thunderhawk City had only ten first-generation reconnaissance ships, and even including an escort ship gifted by the Apple Tree Corporation, their overall strength was still too weak.


    Cyril made it clear that Baron Wolin¡¯s private military comprised a fleet of thirty warships, a fleet of this scale, even if all its main forces were third-generation reconnaissance ships, possessed considerable combat strength, given their number. So, to match such a fleet, Thunderhawk City also needed to increase the number of its skyships.


    Therefore, early the next morning, Rocky led everyone to the weapon¡¯s market, but he did not go directly to buy warships; instead, he first visited the Armor Store and purchased the Fire Butterfly ¨C Guard Type 5 Armor, which he had long favored, for Liliya!


    ...


    The upcoming great battle was obviously of great importance to Rocky, but he did not pour all resources into the fight blindly; he not only planned to buy the Void Magic Armor for Liliya as originally planned, but also continued the development and construction of Thunderhawk City.


    The war was meant to improve the development of Thunderhawk City, not to drag it down, and this point had to be made clear.


    However, Liliya had some objections to his decision; she believed that the money spent on the Void Magic Armor could be enough to buy a third-generation reconnaissance ship, and even two if they were to buy used reconnaissance ships!


    Unfortunately, in this matter, Rocky¡¯s attitude was uncompromising, and Liliya had no say in the decision.


    After purchasing the Void Magic Armor, Rocky then led the group to select floating warships.


    Since they had already cooperated with the Apple Tree Corporation once, and the main business of the latter was indeed floating warships, and it had both considerable scale and reputation, Rocky did not shop around as he did for the armor but took everyone directly to the dockyard of the Apple Tree Corporation.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, welcome, welcome!¡±


    When the group arrived at the dockyard, a steward of the Apple Tree Corporation, who had been waiting there for a long time, immediately came forward to greet them.


    ¡°Steward Zhang, sorry to have kept you waiting.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, no need for apologies, I just arrived as well,¡± said Steward Zhang, who seemed to be in his forties, with a hearty laugh. This man was Zhang Heng, who had represented the Apple Tree Corporation in the previous transaction with Rocky, so he was here to greet Rocky and his party this time.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, what do you need this time? Our chamber of commerce¡¯s floating warships are well renowned, and I am sure they will satisfy you,¡± said Zhang Heng with a chuckling smile, standing in front of Rocky.


    ¡°This time, I¡¯d like to buy some used floating warships. Does your chamber have any?¡± asked Rocky directly, revealing his purpose for this visit, as he intended to buy used warships.


    The advantage of second-hand warships is that they are cheap enough, and cheaper prices mean more quantity, which is exactly what Rocky now needs. Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet boasts over thirty skyships. To compete with a fleet of that scale, ensuring sufficient numbers is a must.


    ¡°Yes! Of course! And I guarantee you will be satisfied.¡±


    Given Rocky¡¯s straightforward approach, Steward Zhang showed neither contempt nor negligence. After all, he brokered their last transaction and knew exactly how much money Rocky had. As long as it was about money, there was no difference between buying new warships and second-hand ones, as long as the money was spent at his Chamber of Commerce.


    After that, Zhang Heng led Rocky and the others to the front of a shipyard.


    The gate of the shipyard bore a large ¡¯5¡¯, indicating it was Dock 5, and also the largest among all the docks, with dozens of floating warships docked inside!


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, may I ask what scale of fleet you are looking to form? Not to boast, but I do have some experience in this area,¡±


    Leading everyone into Dock 5, Zhang Heng asked as they walked.


    His words were indeed true, as someone in the business of floating warships, he naturally knew how to assemble a fleet; otherwise, how could he recommend warships to clients?


    ¡°I want a fleet with reconnaissance ships as the main force, preferably all from the 3rd generation.¡±


    ¡°Can do, can do¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Zhang Heng nodded, thought for a moment, and then took Rocky to a reconnaissance ship nearby.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, what do you think of this reconnaissance ship?¡±


    Pointing with his hand at the reconnaissance ship behind him, Zhang Heng introduced, ¡°This Cheetah Type 2 reconnaissance ship is the best-selling model among the 3rd generation reconnaissance ships.


    It is fifty-one meters long, powered by two medium magic stones, can carry a full crew of thirty-five people, and is also equipped with five magic cannons with a magic energy power of 450, making its firepower very formidable.¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The most acclaimed feature of this reconnaissance ship is its very thick armor, equipped with an independently-operated defensive net. The defensive net is powered by a single medium magic stone and can withstand magic cannon attacks with a magic energy power of less than 400, making this reconnaissance ship extremely excellent in both offense and defense.


    Many Sky Cities are still using this model as their main warship.¡±


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°Thirty-eight thousand gold coins each, we have twenty here, and all are 80% new. I can guarantee that with my reputation.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    This price made Rocky slightly silent for a while. The Cheetah Type 2 reconnaissance ship Zhang Heng introduced seemed really nice, but the price was a bit high.


    After deducting the funds for the development of Thunderhawk City and subtracting the money spent on buying Void Magic Armor for Liliya, Rocky had less than six hundred thousand gold coins left, only five hundred eighty-nine thousand. In this situation, if he bought ten Cheetah Type 2 reconnaissance ships, it would cost him three hundred eighty thousand gold coins.


    Perhaps after some bargaining, it could be cheaper, but it was still too much as he wanted more than ten ships.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, don¡¯t rush, we still have many other warships you can choose from.¡±


    Seeing the hesitation in Rocky¡¯s mind, Zhang Heng immediately spoke, and then led him to another skyship nearby.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, if you are not satisfied with the Cheetah Type 2, then what do you think about this one¡­¡±

 Chapter 137 - 137 - 136: Flagship!

    Chapter 137 ¨C 136: Flagship!


    Under the recommendation of Zhang Heng, City Lord Rocky looked at at least six or seven reconnaissance ship models before finally making a decision.


    ¡°Airship Model 6, let¡¯s go with this one.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, you really do have a good eye!¡±


    Seeing Rocky finally make a decision, Zhang Heng immediately praised him. His compliments were, of course, mostly flattery, but a small part of them was sincere. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That¡¯s because the Airship Model 6 reconnaissance ship that Rocky ultimately chose indeed had very distinctive features among the third-generation reconnaissance ships.


    As the smallest class with the weakest combat capability, reconnaissance ships didn¡¯t have many advantages to offer. Their only notable advantage was their decent speed, and the Airship Model 6 reconnaissance ship that Rocky chose was the very embodiment of maximizing speed advantage.


    The Airship series had a ringing reputation in the large category of reconnaissance ships, with its greatest characteristic being its speed.


    ...


    When set to full speed, the reconnaissance ships in this series could reach one and a half times the speed of regular reconnaissance ships. After several generations of development and improvements, the series had already become quite perfected by the fifth model. As for the Model 6 chosen by Rocky, it was the ultimate model of this series among the third-generation warships.


    The Model 7 would then belong to the fourth generation.


    The reason Rocky chose this model was precisely because of its fast speed. He believed it was foolish to overemphasize firepower and defensive power in reconnaissance ships, as the type itself restricted these capabilities. Even though each shipyard attempted to enhance these areas, even the latest fifth-generation reconnaissance ships still didn¡¯t make much of a breakthrough.


    It made more sense to focus on speed because in aerial combat, speed was also a core element. The faster the speed, the more agile the ship, and the harder it was to be hit by magic cannons; this was an easy concept to grasp.


    However, although the Airship Model 6 was very fast, its firepower and defensive power were indeed quite deficient. This model of reconnaissance ship was only equipped with four magic cannons with a magic energy power of 400, and the defensive net it was outfitted with was the most basic kind.


    It not only did not utilize independent magic stones for mana but also had a defensive power of only 300 points, which was quite pitiful.


    But likewise, the price for the Airship Model 6 was very affordable. Zhang Heng quoted a price of twenty-eight thousand gold coins per ship, and they were ninety percent new. The attractive price was also a key reason that swayed Rocky.


    At twenty-eight thousand gold coins per reconnaissance ship, Rocky planned to buy fifteen ships outright. This would leave him with about one hundred and fifty thousand gold coins, enough to buy another warship!


    Yes, Rocky was not only planning to buy a few reconnaissance ships and be done with it; he also intended to buy a proper warship, a real big one!


    Thus, after finalizing the reconnaissance ship deal with Zhang Heng, Rocky disclosed his plans to him, and naturally, Zhang Heng was more than willing.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, you see, I was just boasting in front of you just a moment ago, not realizing you had already thoroughly considered everything. Pairing reconnaissance ships with a large warship is the most fashionable fleet configuration nowadays.¡±


    ¡°Are you planning to get a flagship kind of warship?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ Is there a difference?¡±


    Rocky¡¯s knowledge about warships was not as extensive as it was for Void Magic Armor. After all, he had only started to pay attention to floating battleships after his last mission ended, so Zhang Heng¡¯s remark left him somewhat perplexed.


    Rocky, of course, knew what a flagship meant, but judging by Zhang Heng¡¯s manner, the flagship he mentioned seemed to be different from what Rocky imagined.


    And indeed, it was different.


    Zhang Heng then explained, ¡°City Lord Rocky, you might not be aware, but as a commanding vessel, a flagship plays a core role in any fleet. This makes the flagship an easy target for enemy attacks. To address this issue, every shipyard designs a flagship version aside from the standard models when they design large warships.¡±


    As he spoke, Zhang Heng led Rocky to the side of a huge warship, ¡°City Lord Rocky, do you remember the escort ship provided by the Chamber of Commerce as a gift?¡±


    ¡°The Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship, what about it?¡±


    Rocky certainly remembered the escort ship gifted by the Apple Tree Corporation; he even recalled the exact model number.


    Impressed by his accurate response, Zhang Heng just smiled and pointed to the warship beside them: ¡°My lord, this warship here is the flagship version of the Defender Type 1.¡±


    ¡°This warship? No way¡­¡±


    Subconsciously, he looked up at the warship beside him, and Rocky¡¯s mouth gradually widened in awe.


    The Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship gifted by Apple Tree Corporation was very much to Rocky¡¯s liking, so not only did he personally go to see it upon delivery, but he also boarded the warship himself before piloting it back to Thunderhawk City. In his plans, this Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship was to be his future flagship, and he had even thought of a name for it: the Thunderhawk.


    This fondness meant that Rocky was highly familiar with the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship. However, the escort ship that Zhang Heng was introducing to him now was completely different from the Scavenger Type 1. To begin with, the warship in question was larger in size, measuring up to one hundred and thirty meters in length¡ªover twenty meters longer than the Scavenger Type 1.


    Additionally, this escort ship was equipped with an even greater number of magic cannons, no less than twenty!


    This enormous difference made it difficult for Rocky to believe that the escort ship before him was a Scavenger Type 1.


    But just as Zhang Heng had introduced, this indeed was a Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship, the difference being that this was the flagship version.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, as a flagship, this warship naturally differs from a standard Scavenger Type 1. As you can see, the body of this warship is larger, and it is fitted with more magic cannons. It has two additional main cannons and seven auxiliary cannons, bringing the total number of magic cannons to twenty-four, making its firepower extremely potent.¡±


    ¡°At the same time, the armor of this warship is also much thicker. Even without deploying the defensive net, the hull can withstand magic cannon attacks with a magic energy power of up to 500. And if the defensive net is deployed, then magic cannons with magic energy power below 1000 cannot even scratch this big guy.¡±


    ¡°How much for this warship? I¡¯ll take it!¡±


    With Zhang Heng¡¯s introduction, Rocky immediately fell for the flagship version of the Scavenger Type 1 and decided on the spot to purchase it!


    In his view, this flagship was simply too fantastic, with both powerful firepower and impressive defensive capabilities. Being the lord of a city, he should command battles from such a colossal vessel!


    Of course, the desire to buy this warship was not entirely an impulse; he had also taken into consideration the upcoming battle with Baron Wolin.


    In Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet, the main force was also constituted of reconnaissance ships, and Zhang Heng¡¯s various introductions had already given Rocky a very comprehensive understanding of them. He knew very well that even the latest fifth-generation reconnaissance ships had limited firepower and could not possibly be equipped with magic cannons with a magic energy power over 1000.


    This meant that if he purchased this big guy before him, wouldn¡¯t it be tantamount to holding an indefeasible position in the battle against Baron Wolin?


    This was the crux of his considerations.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, you have an excellent eye!¡±


    Seeing how eagerly Rocky desired this warship, Zhang Heng¡¯s face immediately lit up with a brilliant smile: ¡°My lord, the price of this warship is 150,000 Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°150,000? The price of a new ship?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s the price for a second-hand ship, eighty percent new.¡±


    The initially enthusiastic Rocky felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over him when he heard the price because it was simply too expensive!


    He had already ordered fifteen reconnaissance ships and had spent more than half of his Gold Coins. Now, he had only about 150,000 Gold Coins left, so if he were to buy this flagship, he would be left with not a single Gold Coin¡­


    ¡°Aileen, you talk to Steward Zhang about this.¡±


    After gritting his teeth, Rocky finally decided to purchase the flagship. Although the price of the warship was exorbitant, and the same amount of money could buy five reconnaissance ships, the combat capabilities of such a flagship far exceeded that of five reconnaissance ships! So Rocky was determined to make the purchase.


    However, he did not need to handle such matters himself. He had Aileen, who was more professional, to represent him.


    And as soon as Rocky called Aileen to his side, Zhang Heng¡¯s face stiffened, having previously negotiated with her. Zhang Heng knew all too well how formidable this seemingly young lady was.


    In contrast, Aileen, who had been called forward, smiled at Zhang Heng. It was as if she had set her sights on some prey, making Zhang Heng break out in a cold sweat¡­

 Chapter 138 - 138 - 137: The Eccentric Master

    Chapter 138 ¨C 137: The Eccentric Master


    When Rocky finally left the docks with his companions, a wide smile was plastered on his face, and Aileen beside him was just as beaming with happiness. Only Zhang Heng, who accompanied them, had a less than pleased expression.


    Naturally, the deal had gone through, and it was a big one at that. Rocky had bought a total of fifteen Airship Model 6 reconnaissance ships and a Scavenger Type 1 flagship edition escort ship. Although both were second-hand, such a transaction, even for the Apple Tree Corporation, was considered a major deal.


    The sheer size of the transaction was naturally extremely substantial. Rocky had spent five hundred thousand Gold Coins. It may sound like a lot, but if you consider Zhang Heng¡¯s original asking price, the actual sum should have been five hundred seventy thousand Gold Coins. This meant that after Aileen¡¯s negotiations, Rocky saved a total of seventy thousand Gold Coins!


    That was the reason for Zhang Heng¡¯s displeasure. Even though the corporation still made a huge profit from the deal, they had earned seventy thousand Gold Coins less than expected. For a businessman who considers not picking up money on the ground as a loss, it was almost akin to taking a loss.


    Therefore, when Zhang Heng finally signed the trade agreement with Rocky, he couldn¡¯t stop praising Aileen. Without her, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to ¡°accompany¡± such a substantial amount.


    With the completion of this transaction, Rocky¡¯s most significant reason for coming to Eternal City had been sorted out. This didn¡¯t just mean that he had spent most of his Gold Coins, but also that Thunderhawk City¡¯s military strength had increased several times over!


    Once the fleet was delivered, Thunderhawk City¡¯s aerial combat force would transform from its original fleet of ten first-generation reconnaissance ships to an imposing fleet comprised of the ten original ships, fifteen third-generation reconnaissance ships, one third-generation escort ship, and a third-generation flagship.


    ...


    This fleet, made up of twenty-seven Skyships, now had a scale in terms of numbers, and it didn¡¯t fall short even when compared to other small Sky Cities.


    Moreover, the quality of this new fleet was also quite satisfying. Although the main force was still reconnaissance ships, the two third-generation escort ships significantly enhanced the overall strength of the fleet, especially the flagship.


    With its firepower and defensive power, this flagship would be considered an excellent warship even among the fleets of some large Sky Cities, not just in Thunderhawk City.


    Such a formidable fleet substantially increased Thunderhawk City¡¯s military capability, bolstering Rocky¡¯s confidence for the upcoming battles!


    With the warship situation handled, Rocky¡¯s remaining tasks in Eternal City were few. After careful consideration, there were roughly three left.


    The first task was to get Aileen and Old Jack to finalize the leather factory equipment. Although war was imminent, the city¡¯s development and construction couldn¡¯t stop.


    The second task was to have Liliya and Lin Feng purchase a batch of equipment for the soldiers, with the same requirements as before, which Liliya was already familiar with.


    The last task was to hire teachers and recruit crew members.


    Due to the purchase of a large number of warships, Thunderhawk City was facing a severe shortage of crew members, particularly since both escort ships required over a hundred crew members to be operational. This made it necessary for Rocky to recruit a batch of crew members to bridge the gap, or else the newly purchased warships would only serve as decorations.


    Fortunately, in Eternal City, there was a dedicated Technician Guild where a large number of crew members could be hired.


    As for hiring teachers, it was something Rocky had planned for a while. After several personal attempts, he had to admit that it was not feasible without a teacher. Although he had the research notes left by Wensel, due to his own insufficient foundation, much of the content in the notes was incomprehensible to him, which undoubtedly made learning Runes more challenging.


    In this situation, everyone started to act separately. Aileen and Old Jack took care of one task, Liliya and Lin Feng another, and Rocky himself, accompanied by Monte, took charge of hiring crew members and recruiting teachers.


    Last time he came to Eternal City, he had already hired technicians specializing in leather manufacturing, so when everyone split up to tackle their respective tasks, Rocky went straight to the Technician Guild with Monte.


    Just like the Mercenary Guild, the Technician Guild was bustling with people, but those here didn¡¯t carry the same heavy air of murder about them and looked more refined.


    ¡°Hello, how may I assist you?¡±


    Approaching the service desk of the Technician Guild, the attendant greeted Rocky with a professional smile.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hire a group of crew members, about three hundred people.¡±


    ¡°Sure, do you have any specific requirements?¡±


    ¡°The requirements are that they must be proficient in operating reconnaissance ships and escort ships.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After knowing Rocky¡¯s request, the waiter handed him a slip of paper and told him that in three days, someone at the port would lead the crew members he needed, waiting for him¡ªit was all that simple.


    And after hiring the crew, Rocky then made another request to the waiter, to hire a teacher.


    ¡°What kind of teacher would you like to hire?¡±


    ¡°Mana. Preferably a master in mana.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Upon hearing Rocky¡¯s request, while the waiter began to search, suddenly someone at the side shouted!


    ¡°Me! Kiddo, I¡¯ll be your teacher!¡±


    That shout startled everyone, and both Rocky and Monte quickly turned their heads, only to see an old man with white hair striding towards them.


    The old man was certainly not young, with white hair and beard, sporting a pair of sharp, triangular eyes, and a face riddled with wrinkles¡ªeasily in his seventies or eighties. Despite his age, he exuded vitality, brimming with energy, almost resembling a young lad.


    The old man covered the distance in just a few steps and arrived in front of Rocky, then began to size him up, not only observing Rocky but also not sparing Monte, checking him out for quite a while, even taking in the axe tied to his waist.


    After looking them up and down for a while, the oldster finally spoke: ¡°Kiddo, didn¡¯t you want to hire a teacher? I¡¯m here!¡±


    Having said that, the old man didn¡¯t wait for Rocky¡¯s consent and approached the service counter. He then said to the waiter inside: ¡°Quickly, quickly, hurry up and give me a contract.¡±


    The old man¡¯s anxious appearance baffled everyone, not just Rocky and Monte, but even the waiter¡¯s eyes bulged in utter confusion.


    ¡°What are you dazing for? Hurry up!¡±


    Seeing the waiter still unresponsive after quite some time, the impatient old man slammed his hand on the service counter, jolting the waiter awake.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Master Orton, this gentleman just wants to hire a teacher, you¡­¡±


    ¡°What, can¡¯t I, Orton, be a teacher?¡±


    The waiter¡¯s words made the so-called Orton, the old man, immediately widen his eyes, then he turned to face a bewildered Rocky, pulling him close.


    ¡°Kiddo, are you looking for a teacher in mana?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Yes¡­¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Preferably a master in mana, right?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    ¡°That settles it, I am a master.¡±


    After saying this, Orton pushed him back and then looked at the waiter: ¡°See? This little guy has agreed to hire me as his teacher, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and get me the contract!¡±

 Chapter 139 - 139 - 138 City Lord and Baron

    Chapter 139 ¨C 138 City Lord and Baron


    Confused as it was, almost akin to a forceful transaction, Rocky hired Orton to be his teacher, and it wasn¡¯t until he left the Technician Guild that he actually realized what had happened. It felt as though he had been dreaming, unwittingly becoming Orton¡¯s student.


    Although the event seemed quite dramatic, Orton was indeed a genuine Magic Energy Master. Rocky was still confused when signing the contract, but he had asked the waiter thoroughly about Orton, and the waiter was certain that he was a real Magic Energy Master.


    Since that was confirmed, Rocky didn¡¯t mind other details. Perhaps Orton¡¯s personality was a bit eccentric, but as long as he was genuinely skilled, that was enough.


    Thus, Orton followed Rocky back to the Star of the Sky, and about a week later, most other matters had been settled. Aileen and Old Jack had purchased all the necessary equipment for the leather factory and imported a batch of goods from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, thus solving most of the issues concerning the leather factory and the store.


    At the same time, Liliya and Lin Feng sold the equipment and returned. With Rocky having sorted out the crew and his teacher, everyone had finished their business in Eternal City and could safely return to Thunderhawk City.


    However, on the day before departure, Rocky decided to visit Karina and Berg once more. Through the previous ball, Rocky had become quite familiar with these two City Lords and felt that they were quite amiable, so he made a point to say goodbye before leaving.


    The next day, the group left Eternal City¡¯s Skyport with substantial gains and successfully returned to Thunderhawk City.


    ...


    Rocky¡¯s trip to Eternal City was immensely fruitful, but upon his return to Thunderhawk City, he couldn¡¯t rest at all because a great battle was looming over him and Thunderhawk City.


    Under these circumstances, as soon as he returned to Thunderhawk City, he immediately began preparations.


    First, he decided to let Thunderhawk City fly far away, preferably to a place where no one could find them. This would not only effectively delay the time Baron Wolin could find them but also give himself more time to prepare.


    This was crucial because Cyril only mentioned that Baron Wolin would come with his Fleet, but did not specify when they would arrive. The timing might be tomorrow, or next year, and it was possible that Baron Wolin had already set off while they were leaving Eternal City.


    Therefore, Rocky must find a way to buy more time to prepare, otherwise Cyril¡¯s information would be meaningless.


    On another front, the newly formed Fleet also needed urgent training and coordination. Rocky named this new fleet the First Fleet of Thunderhawk City, with Thunderhawk as the flagship, and Felly was appointed as the Commander of the First Fleet, henceforth independent from the Guard Corps and directly under Rocky¡¯s command.


    This appointment elated Felly, who had never dreamt of one day commanding such a large fleet, and he was so thrilled that for several days he literally slept on the Thunderhawk.


    Rocky¡¯s first order to Felly was to train the Fleet quickly and thoroughly because no one knew when Baron Wolin might appear. Felly must ensure the Fleet had sufficient combat power before the opponent showed up.


    Simultaneously, he had Old Jack post a notice to recruit a hundred new crew members citywide. Depending solely on hired crew to operate the Fleet was only a temporary solution, and ultimately, Thunderhawk City had to rely on its own crew to run the Fleet.


    However, since Thunderhawk City¡¯s population was still too small, with a population of two thousand and over three hundred in the Guard Corps alone, making the military-civilian ratio over one-tenth, which was well above the normal standard.


    Thus, Rocky could only recruit a hundred people; recruiting more would completely distort the city¡¯s military-civilian ratio, which was not something he wanted to see happen.


    Besides organizing the Fleet¡¯s training, Rocky didn¡¯t neglect the construction of the city. Thunderhawk City¡¯s first leather manufacturing plant and the first store had already started renovations, and the second training class had officially begun, with everything proceeding in an orderly manner.


    Rocky was relieved to see that when the notice for the second training class was released, the number of applicants increased several times over. The first training class had only a dozen registrants, but by the time the second training class started, the number of participants had surged to several hundred! Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The enthusiastic registration was for two main reasons. Many wanted to work at the newly established leather factory, as Aileen had announced the factory¡¯s wages¡ªthirty Gold Coins per month with two days of rest each week¡ªa very enticing offer for the residents of Thunderhawk City.


    Especially the women who usually weaved at home; their monthly output of fabric could never earn thirty Gold Coins. Such generous wages prompted many women from Thunderhawk City to eagerly sign up for the training class.


    Another reason for the active participation in the training class was the addition of the residents from Backhill Village. The villagers from Backhill Village had generally integrated into the life of Thunderhawk City without any major issues, but one thing continued to trouble them.


    They couldn¡¯t find things to do in Thunderhawk City.


    The native residents of Thunderhawk City could live off weaving and farming, but these newly joined villagers lacked such skills. The cultivable land in Thunderhawk City had already been taken, and the villagers didn¡¯t know how to do the skilled work of weaving, which worried all the residents of Backhill Village.


    They were concerned that although Rocky might be able to support them now, what would happen in the future?


    With the announcement of the training class, residents from Backhill Village flocked to register. If it wasn¡¯t for the inability to train too many people at once, the size of this training session could have exceeded a thousand!


    Everyone¡¯s enthusiastic participation in the training naturally pleased Rocky, as it signified that the first step of Thunderhawk City¡¯s economic reform had successfully been taken.


    Thus, although a great battle was imminent, the overall situation in Thunderhawk City had not changed drastically. Development was ongoing, military strength was improving, and everything was progressively getting on the right track, moving forward methodically.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    While Thunderhawk City was equally focusing on development and military, far across the horizon, another protagonist of the looming grand war, Baron Wolin, was also busy.


    Unlike Rocky, Baron Wolin was just a noble in name only; it was precisely because of that, he was desperately eager to own a Sky City. And who in today¡¯s world wouldn¡¯t want to be a City Lord?


    To achieve this goal, many had strived their entire lives, and Baron Wolin was among the best of them.


    Today, Baron Wolin was over fifty. He had joined the Mairente Family in his twenties, and after nearly thirty years of dedicated service, he had finally achieved his long-awaited dream during his destined year, being bestowed by the family as a City Lord!


    Although everyone knew that Thunderhawk City was only a small Sky City, it was still a Sky City! And everyone understood that no matter how small a City Lord was, he was still a City Lord. The status and level of importance could not be compared to that of ordinary people.


    So, since receiving the appointment from the family, Baron Wolin had been shuttling between parties hosted by various colleagues. There was no help for it; as a City Lord, his status and position had drastically changed. Those who were once his peers were now eagerly flattering him, leading to constant invitations, a feeling Baron Wolin greatly enjoyed.


    ¡°Baron Wolin, congratulations! No, I should not call you a baron anymore, now it should be City Lord Wolin.¡±


    At the ball, wherever Baron Wolin went, he became the focus of everyone, and people tirelessly came forward to pay compliments. Baron Wolin, having maneuvered in these circles for decades, was no longer surprised and handled them with ease.


    ¡°Count Kexins, you shouldn¡¯t say that. It¡¯s all thanks to the family¡¯s recognition, nothing to do with me personally.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Wolin, you are far too modest. Everyone knows you were given this honor by the family for your great merits, so don¡¯t be so modest.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, exactly. Now that you will become a City Lord, your status is different. Don¡¯t forget about us, your colleagues!¡±


    ¡°Sir Chalgold, what are you saying? Am I the type who would be ungrateful and forget favors?¡±


    Surrounded by a group of nobles, Baron Wolin looked very happy and enjoyed himself immensely.


    ¡°City Lord Wolin, when do you plan to take office?¡±


    At that moment, someone suddenly asked, and everyone turned their attention to Baron Wolin. After all, he had only received the family¡¯s appointment and had not yet assumed office.


    ¡°Right, City Lord Wolin, I heard that the family wouldn¡¯t intervene directly this time and that you need to go to Thunderhawk City to assume office yourself. Will there be any troubles? If you need anything, just say the word, and we will surely help.¡±


    Since they all served the Mairente Family, this was not a secret, so everyone knew that Baron Wolin needed to personally take office.


    ¡°I appreciate your kindness, I¡¯ve already sent people to scout the location of Thunderhawk City.¡±


    ¡°As for taking office, don¡¯t worry about it. Currently, the City Lord of Thunderhawk City is just a young boy. Even if the family does not intervene, just a visit with the fleet will make him hand over the position willingly, right? What else could he do?¡±


    Looking up at the crowd, Baron Wolin said with utmost confidence, and as soon as he finished, there came an immediate shower of agreeable noises.


    ¡°Hahaha! City Lord Wolin is indeed confident as always. Indeed, there¡¯s nothing for us to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, just a young lad. What could he possibly do when City Lord Wolin arrives with the fleet, challenge you to a battle?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, if that kid really dares to do so, it would become this year¡¯s most amusing joke!¡±


    PS: The novel ¡¯Sky City Lord¡¯ should be able to launch next week, so the update pace will slow down a bit. But don¡¯t worry, once it¡¯s launched, it will burst out explosively, and we will make up for the slow pace now with double the content!¡±

 Chapter 140 - 140 - 139: Secrets Exposed?!

    Chapter 140 ¨C 139: Secrets Exposed?!


    ¡°Speed it up a bit!¡±


    Utilizing the flight capability of the Void Magic Armor, Rocky instantly circled to Liliya¡¯s back and followed up with a fierce shoulder slam that sent Liliya flying out.


    The sent Liliya stumbled a few steps on the ground, flew a short distance in the air, and then barely managed to land and stabilize herself.


    ¡°You¡­!¡±


    Barely managing to stabilize on the ground, Liliya looked at Rocky with a hint of anger in her eyes, her expression as if she had been bullied, which instantly intoxicated Rocky.


    At this moment, Rocky and Liliya were practicing against each other, but this time both were wearing their respective Void Magic Armor, with Rocky clad in Blood Pattern Mark II, while Liliya was in the brand-new Fire Butterfly ¨C Guard Type 5.


    As the strongest individual weapons, Void Magic Armor could become the main force on any battlefield, especially in aerial combat. Therefore, in the looming battle against Baron Wolin, Rocky and Liliya would surely become extremely important forces. This made them dare not slack off at all, particularly Liliya.


    ...


    Don¡¯t be fooled by her being a Fourth Level Warrior now. Yes, after the last mission, Liliya had raised her level by one and had become a Fourth Level Warrior. However, even so, among the Void Magic Warriors, she was still a rookie, and she was well aware of this. Hence, as soon as Rocky was done with all his matters, Liliya had requested to practice, leading to the scene just now.


    Remember, half a year ago, whenever Rocky and Liliya practiced against each other, it was always Rocky who was defeated¡ªeven though he was wearing his Void Magic Armor. But today, half a year later, when both wore their Void Magic Armor, the results were quite different.


    Both wearing Void Magic Armor, and Liliya¡¯s being a much superior new-generation model in every aspect, she was still completely at a disadvantage in the practice. To say she was being beaten without the power to fight back by Rocky might sound exaggerated, but it was almost the case.


    If not for this, how could Liliya¡¯s face show such a pouting expression? Such an adorable expression is rarely seen on her face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a break.¡±


    Seeing Liliya¡¯s pouting look, the nearly smitten Rocky laughed and gestured with his hand, then took off his helmet to signal for a pause.


    ¡°Why? Why can¡¯t I beat you when I¡¯m wearing the Void Magic Armor?¡±


    Also taking off her helmet, Liliya asked with a serious face. She couldn¡¯t understand how she could possibly not be a match for Rocky after putting on the Void Magic Armor?


    In terms of absolute strength, she was two levels higher than Rocky; in terms of the fighting power of armor, her Fire Guard 5 was two generations ahead of Rocky¡¯s Blood Pattern Mark II. By all accounts, she should have had the advantage!


    ¡°You¡¯re too anxious.¡±


    Looking at the earnest Liliya, Rocky shook his head helplessly and motioned for her to sit beside him. Only after she sat down did he continue, ¡°The combat style of the Void Magic Armor is entirely different from traditional fighting methods, and you have not adapted yet.¡±


    ¡°But why were you able to master it so quickly? I remember when you first put on the armor, you were able to spar with me right away, performing much better than I am now.¡±


    Liliya said, not quite willing to accept it. She still remembered the scene when Rocky first wore the Void Magic Armor and practiced against her. Although he ended up being defeated at the time, his performance was much better than hers now.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m a genius!¡±


    Looking at Liliya, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but laugh heartily with pride.


    Only when he was with Liliya did he completely relax, able to make jokes without restraint and without having to worry about his status as the City Lord.


    However, after a joke, Rocky seriously explained, ¡°I¡¯m different from you. I have absolutely no clue about ordinary combat, and my thinking hasn¡¯t been fixed, so I could quickly adapt to the combat style of the Void Magic Armor. But you¡¯ve been accustomed to ordinary combat for so long that even with the Void Magic Armor on, your mind hasn¡¯t adjusted.


    When you manage to change that fixed thinking, that¡¯s when you will adapt to the Void Magic Armor.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As someone who had relied on the Void Magic Armor to fight demons to the death, Rocky¡¯s words held a lot of persuasions and made Liliya stand up by herself after being silent for a while, ¡°I will practice a bit on my own.¡±


    After saying that, she slowly flew into the air and then danced like a red butterfly in the sky, clearly adapting to the Void Magic Armor. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing her so earnest, Rocky shook his head and simply lay down on the grass, watching Liliya fluttering in the sky while enjoying this rare moment of relaxation.


    However, both Rocky and Liliya failed to notice something: as the two were sparring in the backyard of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, a pair of eyes from a window in the mansion was watching them.


    These eyes had been observing their every move since the very first moment of their sparring, from daylight to evening, and stayed on them until they returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion at sunset.


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡±


    Orton, the Magic Energy teacher who Rocky had hired in a rather muddled fashion, moved his gaze away from the window and revealed a strange smile on his face before striding out of the room with big steps!


    At this time, Rocky and Liliya were having dinner together, having practiced almost the entire day they were indeed exhausted, so as soon as they returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, they began eating at once, wolfing down the food.


    But just at that moment, as he was wolfing down his food, Rocky suddenly heard a commotion outside the door, which sounded like the voice of a maid, and before he could react, the door to the room was kicked open!


    The door being kicked open startled Rocky slightly, this was his own City Lord¡¯s Mansion! Who dared to be so bold?!


    Reacting even quicker than him was Liliya; the moment the door was kicked open, she who had been sitting opposite Rocky, stood up instantly, grabbed the Rune Longsword beside her, and stood protectively by Rocky¡¯s side.


    However, when they both looked towards the door, they frowned, because the one who had broken in was none other than Orton, the Magic Energy Master they had invited!


    Seeing that the intruder was the old man Orton, Rocky was taken aback. He had been back in Thunderhawk City for several days and, due to being busy with official duties, hadn¡¯t yet had the chance to formally study magic energy with Orton.


    However, he had treated the Magic Energy Master with great respect, having directly arranged for him to stay in his own mansion, and was quite courteous in their interactions.


    But now, Rocky frowned, because what Orton was doing was entirely unacceptable!


    Yet, Orton, who had barged in, showed no self-awareness at all; after rushing into the room and glancing at Rocky, and then at Liliya who pointed the sword directly at him, he was not afraid at all and instead shut the door behind him with a bang.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I have some questions to ask you.¡±


    Before Rocky could demand an explanation, Orton took the initiative to speak first. He glanced at the longsword in Liliya¡¯s hand, then looked at Rocky, ¡°City Lord Rocky, that girl¡¯s longsword, the Beastman¡¯s axe, and your Blood Pattern Generation 2 Armor ¨C where did they come from?¡±


    This string of questions left Rocky somewhat bewildered, but his face turned very ugly in an instant!


    Because the items Orton mentioned¡ªwhether Liliya¡¯s longsword, Monte¡¯s axe, or his own Void Magic Armor¡ªall shared a common feature, they were all rune equipment!


    This Orton¡­ could it be he discovered the secret of the Mana Runes?!

 Chapter 141 - 141 - 140 Master Orton

    Chapter 141 ¨C 140 Master Orton


    Orton¡¯s barrage of questions initially baffled Rocky, but he soon realized that all the inquiries pertained to Mana Runes!


    With this revelation, Rocky¡¯s complexion immediately shifted! S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The secrecy of the Mana Runes, his greatest secret, could not be discovered by others, for such knowledge was too dangerous. The slightest exposure would invariably attract endless calamities. The moment Rocky realized Orton might be privy to this secret, his mind buzzed explosively.


    Still, his reaction was swift, making a sign with his eyes to Liliya across the room. Though she did not fully grasp the situation, she instinctively moved to block the doorway, sealing Orton¡¯s exit.


    The secret of the Mana Runes could not leak out, a line that must never be crossed. So when it became apparent that Orton was aware, or even just potentially aware of this secret, Rocky felt an immediate surge of murderous intent!


    ¡°Teacher Orton, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡±


    Rocky continued to feign ignorance from his seat, only after Liliya had blocked Orton did he speak.


    ...


    Unfortunately, this evasion only provoked wry laughter from Orton.


    ¡°Young man, there¡¯s no need to play dumb with me here.¡±


    As he spoke, Orton glanced at Liliya blocking the doorway, waved his hand, and a powerful burst of magic power instantly erupted from him. Liliya couldn¡¯t even react in time as her Rune Longsword flew out of her grasp, landing straight into Orton¡¯s hands!


    To Rocky, this scene was completely astonishing, and he inwardly cursed himself for being foolish!


    If Orton was a master in the realm of Magic Energy, then he must be a Mage as well, and a high-level one at that. This was evident from the burst of magic power he had just released. Now the situation was problematic, could he and Liliya actually stop him? Neither of them was wearing their Void Magic Armor!


    While Rocky was in the midst of his silent self-reproach, Orton meticulously inspected the Rune Longsword, activating it with his magic power. The runes on the sword glowed intensely once activated.


    ¡°This is truly¡­ truly incredible¡­¡±


    Gazing intently at the Rune Longsword, Orton¡¯s eyes shone brightly, incessantly marveling, ¡°This is unbelievable. There is not a single Magic Stone embedded in the sword, yet the patterns alone comprise over two hundred points of mana, this is¡­ simply miraculous!¡±


    After admiring the Mana Rune on the sword for quite some time, Orton deactivated the magic power and casually threw it back to Liliya.


    ¡°Young fellow, you didn¡¯t draw the patterns on this sword, did you?¡±


    Having returned the Rune Longsword to Liliya, Orton turned to Rocky with the question, but he didn¡¯t wait for an answer, instead starting to muse to himself: ¡°Right, it couldn¡¯t have been you. The patterns on the sword clearly come from the hand of a master.¡±


    ¡°However, the patterns on the axe wielded by the Beastmen, those were drawn by you, weren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Young man, this technology, you found it in the Lost Research Institute, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Orton¡¯s mixture of soliloquy and interrogation left Rocky dumbfounded because what he said¡­ was spot on!


    Through Orton¡¯s words, another matter also became clear, the reason he eagerly volunteered to be Rocky¡¯s mentor at the Technician Guild. It was simple¡ªOrton had discovered the axe worn by Monte!


    The axe Monte carried was also created by Rocky as rune equipment, and it was through Monte¡¯s axe that Orton had become aware of the Mana Rune secret!


    The exposure of the Mana Runes in such a manner not only surprised Rocky but was closely related to him, as he had evidently been somewhat negligent.


    Considering the timeline, Rocky had been safeguarding the secret of the Mana Runes for half a year, always careful to prevent it from being discovered. Yet the six months of undisturbed peace had led him to lower his guard, leading him to believe that even if someone saw the Mana Runes, they wouldn¡¯t recognize what they were and would just consider them regular patterns.


    While this line of thought wasn¡¯t wrong, since the Mana Runes were a technology unknown to anyone else and would likely be seen merely as decorative patterns by most, there was one thing he had forgotten¡­


    In this world, there are many people who have profound research into magic energy!


    Take Orton for example¡ªhe is one of such people!


    Orton truly was a master in the field of magic energy. If one were to consider research ability and technical skill, his contributions to magic energy could even be ranked amongst the top few of the contemporary world. However, this master was not exactly in everyone¡¯s good graces¡­


    There were two reasons why he wasn¡¯t liked. First, he had no restraint. As a master in magic energy research, Orton started off very popular. The first institution he served was none other than one of the three greatest forces in the Sky¡ªthe Magic Energy Research Institute, also touted as a paradise for scholars.


    Even among the populous, highly respected scholarship of the Magic Energy Research Institute, Orton was held in high esteem. Unfortunately, his unrestrained research would be his downfall.


    Seven years ago, Orton began research on a new generation of magic energy technology under the sponsorship of the Magic Energy Research Institute. However, during the two years of the project, he completely destroyed seven Super Crystals!


    What are Super Crystals?


    The giant magic stones that make Sky City soar in the heavens are known as Super Crystals. In just two short years, Orton, for the needs of his research, had destroyed seven Super Crystals. What did this amount to? It was akin to obliterating seven whole Sky Cities!


    Such vast consumption, even for one of the three greatest forces like the Magic Energy Research Institute, was just too much to bear. What the Institute found even more intolerable was that after destroying so many Super Crystals, Orton brazenly announced the termination of his research project against all objections¡ªhe hadn¡¯t come up with anything at all!


    This completely incensed the Magic Energy Research Institute and led to his expulsion, an event which marked the beginning of Orton¡¯s continuous decline.


    After departing from the Magic Energy Research Institute, Orton consecutively visited the Kafka Empire as well as the Sky Alliance. He had been to all three major forces, and each time he was turned away for the same reason¡ªhis research was just too unrestrained.


    Consequently, over the years, Orton moved from one force to another, never staying long anywhere. This nomadic lifestyle naturally dragged down his research. To this day, Orton hasn¡¯t produced any research of practical or academic value for years.


    As for the second reason for his unpopularity, it was Orton¡¯s terrible temper, something even Rocky¡ªwho had only had a few interactions with him¡ªcould feel. As a scholar in the field of research, besides professional expertise, interpersonal skills are also incredibly important. After all, a scholar with only technical knowledge but no funding means having to rely on others for support.


    A lack of social acumen was definitely out of the question.


    However, Orton¡¯s intelligence in this regard was in the negative. As proficient as he was in magic energy, he was equally bad at social interactions. One of the reasons he was repeatedly driven away by the forces he joined was precisely this. Otherwise, how could a master like him have to look for work in a place like the Technician Guild?


    So, to sum up, Orton could be described in two words: academic nut. His eyes only saw research. For the sake of research, nothing else mattered to him. Everything else, in his view, was as irrelevant as garbage.


    Despite this, it cannot be denied that Orton¡¯s academic capability and research strength were undeniable. It was this exceptional ability that made him notice Monte¡¯s axe at first glance in the Technician Guild and immediately recognize its extraordinariness, leading to the events of today.


    Now, when Rocky was faced with his barrage of questions and was forced to remain silent, Orton just curled his lips dismissively.


    ¡°Kid, I¡¯m not interested in all that roundabout crap you¡¯re thinking,¡± Orton said, ¡°I just want to know what these patterns you¡¯ve drawn are, so stop beating around the bush like an old woman and tell me!¡±


    Every time he opened his mouth, Orton exemplified his flaws. He really didn¡¯t know how to speak, but what he said was the plain truth. As an academic nut who only focused on research, he genuinely had no interest in fame, power, or influence. His only interest lay in knowledge.


    Just think, if he truly had ulterior motives regarding the mana runes, would he directly, and boldly, come to Rocky like this to demand answers?


    ¡°These patterns¡­ are called mana runes.¡±


    Watching Orton, Rocky had pretty much figured him out, so after a slight hesitation, he disclosed the information about mana runes.


    ¡°Mana runes¡­ a good name, very fitting. Who invented it?¡±


    ¡°It was a master named Winsel.¡±


    ¡°What!¡± The moment Rocky mentioned the name Winsel, Orton was taken aback, then immediately burst out excitedly, ¡°You mean these mana runes were researched by Master Winsel! You¡¯re not lying to me!¡±

 Chapter 142 - 142 - 141: To Carry Forward and Enhance!

    Chapter 142 ¨C 141: To Carry Forward and Enhance!


    ¡°You¡¯re saying this is Senior Wensel¡¯s research?! How did you know¡­ you must have found the research notes, right?!¡±


    Upon hearing the name Wensel, Orton immediately became excited, and the fact that he referred to Wensel as a senior made it clear he was quite familiar with the person.


    Moreover, Orton was really smart. Just from a single sentence spoken by Rocky, he had deduced that Rocky had obtained Wensel¡¯s research notes, which truly left Rocky in awe of his abilities.


    ¡°Quick! Show me the research notes!¡±


    By this time, Orton had already rushed over to Rocky¡¯s side, demanding the research notes as if he were a creditor clamoring for his money.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    However, Rocky was still hesitant to comply with the request, for Wensel¡¯s research notes were far too important. They were one of a kind; as long as this notebook existed, so did the Mana Runes technology. If anything were to happen to the notes, that epoch-making technology would be lost.


    ...


    ¡°What are you waiting for! Hurry up and show me the notes! You can¡¯t understand them anyway!¡±


    While Rocky was hesitating, Orton had become impatient, urging him on the side and his words grew increasingly unpleasant.


    In such a situation, Rocky finally decided to take out the research notes. He did this for two reasons: first, although Orton might seem detestable, he didn¡¯t appear to be malicious or scheming. He seemed more obsessive, so it should be okay to let him take a look at the notes.


    Secondly, Rocky also wanted to use this opportunity to keep Orton by his side!


    The technology of Mana Runes was, after all, to be further developed and spread, but Rocky couldn¡¯t achieve that alone. He needed help, specifically from an expert in the same field, and Orton was definitely a suitable candidate. If he could keep Orton in Thunderhawk City and have him focus on researching Mana Runes, the help it would provide Rocky would be immense.


    So, after that, he took out Wensel¡¯s research notes.


    ¡°Give it to me quickly!¡±


    No sooner had Rocky taken out the notes than Orton snatched them eagerly, immediately starting to flip through them.


    Orton¡¯s temper was such that anyone who spent any amount of time with him would realize that he was a hotheaded old man with a rather unpleasant character. However, when he grabbed Wensel¡¯s research notes and began reading them, his whole demeanor changed. He became like a kitten that had caught a fish, silently standing there, absorbed in the notes.


    And he read on like this for hours on end!


    The sky had already darkened when Rocky and Liliya had their meal, and after that, they had the commotion with Orton, so by the time several hours passed, it was close to dawn.


    It wasn¡¯t until the early hours of the morning that Orton finished reading the entire notebook, and then¡­ he began to cry bitterly while holding onto the notes¡­


    This display left Rocky and Liliya beside him stunned. In their eyes, Orton, having finished reading the notes, seemed like a child clutching his favorite toy, weeping so miserably that his cries could be heard throughout the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°Why¡­ why did we find this notebook only now¡­¡±


    In his anguish, Orton, with tears streaming down his face, spoke intermittently, ¡°Such a significant invention¡­ why was it discovered only now¡­¡±


    ¡°If¡­ if these notes had been found fifty years earlier¡­ no, even just twenty years earlier¡­ we wouldn¡¯t have suffered such a disastrous defeat in the last counter-offensive war¡­¡±


    ¡°Trash! We are truly trash!¡±


    ¡°The senior realized the drawbacks of Magic Stones a hundred years ago and had already pioneered a new approach, yet here we are¡­ still clinging to Magic Stones, we are really a bunch of trash!¡±


    Clutching the research notes, Orton was crying and talking, talking and crying, leaving Rocky and Liliya utterly at a loss. They looked at each other, unsure of what to do until Rocky finally brought Orton a chair and managed to get him to sit down.


    Once seated, Orton finally stopped crying. He glanced at Rocky and, while casually handing back the research notes, asked, ¡°Kid, do you know who Winsel is?¡±


    After crying, Orton¡¯s fiery temper seemed to have cooled down quite a bit, and he spoke less aggressively. In response to his question, Rocky thought for a moment and then answered, ¡°He¡¯s a master of Mana research from Kohen Country, that¡¯s all I know.¡±


    Although Rocky had Winsel¡¯s research notes, he didn¡¯t know much about Winsel himself; he was aware that he was a master from the Land Era but didn¡¯t know the specifics.


    ¡°Yes¡­ you¡¯re right, Senior Winsel indeed was a master in the Magic Energy Domain.¡±


    ¡°I remember my teacher once said that when the concept of Sky City was first proposed, my teacher had invited him to collaborate on the research, but Senior Winsel had refused, indicating that he must have been working on his own research.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t expect¡­ didn¡¯t expect that the senior¡¯s research would only be discovered today¡­ If it could have been found earlier¡­¡±


    In just a few simple sentences, Aodu clarified who Winsel was and even revealed his own background. It was evident from his words that Winsel¡¯s status was unimaginably high, as he had even been invited to contribute to the epoch-making invention of Sky City!


    At the same time, it became apparent from Orton¡¯s words that his own background was no less impressive¡ªhe clearly stated that his teacher was one of the great people who invented Sky City!


    At that moment, Orton sighed and then looked at Rocky, ¡°Kid, the reason you wanted to find a teacher was to learn about Mana Runes, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve discovered Mana Runes, but my foundation in this area is too weak, so I need a teacher to help me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Hearing this, Orton nodded and said, ¡°Your dedication is commendable. The senior¡¯s research must be passed down. Since you have discovered it, it is natural that you should be the one to continue the legacy.¡±


    ¡°Kid, let me ask you, do you plan to publicize the Mana Runes?¡±


    Looking at Rocky with his red, swollen eyes, Orton suddenly threw a very sharp question! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mana Runes as a technology could undoubtedly be described as ¡¯great,¡¯ so once revealed, it would surely benefit the whole world. However, it was easy to talk about sharing such a significant discovery, but doing it in practice was challenging. How could anyone who discovered such a profound technology willingly share it with others?


    Yet, to this question, Rocky had no hesitation in answering, ¡°Of course I will make it public, just not right now.¡±


    As he spoke, he shared his thoughts with Orton.


    He had long decided on this matter: Mana Runes were definitely going to be revealed, but not immediately. He wanted to wait until he had fully mastered them before making them public. After all, Rocky was no saint; he had his own desires, and this was the best solution he could think of.


    After Rocky finished sharing his plans, and without any interruption during the process, Orton nodded:


    ¡°As a City Lord, it is normal for you to think this way. So be it, from now on you are my student. I will teach you about Mana, and together as master and student, we will further develop the technology of Mana Runes!¡±

 Chapter 143 - 143 - 142 Rune Application!

    Chapter 143 ¨C 142 Rune Application!


    Orton thus stayed in Thunderhawk City, becoming Rocky¡¯s teacher.


    This turn of events was completely unexpected to everyone, but on second thought, it seemed to make sense.


    Orton was an academic fanatic, despite his age, his pursuit of academic knowledge had never ceased, so when he learned of the existence of Mana Runes that completely overlapped with his field of expertise, he was absolutely unable to let go.


    At the same time, since he was only focused on research, he didn¡¯t value the immense power and prestige that Mana Runes could bring, in Orton¡¯s eyes, money, fame, rights, and status were all external matters, and he didn¡¯t care about them at all.


    Yes, if Orton cared about these things, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up in the predicament he was in today.


    Therefore, his decision to stay in Thunderhawk City, although surprising at a glance, was actually quite reasonable upon reflection.


    Orton thus remained in Thunderhawk City, and became a core member of Rocky¡¯s entourage, and with his stay, Rocky¡¯s academic life officially began.


    ...


    By this time, Rocky had already arranged everything that could be prepared before the great battle, one could say that everything was ready except for the arrival of Baron Wolin, which paradoxically left him with more spare time to follow Orton and study the knowledge related to Mana earnestly.


    As for having a master in the field of Magic Energy to instruct him, Rocky was naturally very pleased, which no doubt greatly helped him in learning Mana Runes, however¡­ he only realized after he actually started studying with Orton that, indeed, Orton was a master, but not a good teacher¡­


    ¡°How many levels of Rune have you mastered now?¡±


    On the first day of studying with Orton, this was his first question.


    ¡°First Level.¡±


    Rocky answered truthfully.


    ¡°Waste! You¡¯ve had the research notes for over half a year, what have you been doing!¡±


    The moment he heard about Rocky¡¯s progress, Orton¡¯s eyes widened immediately, and he started berating him!


    ¡°Do you even need to learn First Level Runes! Anyone who isn¡¯t an idiot, even if they used their feet, could learn them quickly. Tell me, have you been looking at the notes with your feet this past half year?¡±


    With bulging eyes, Orton scolded Rocky without sparing any of his dignity, causing Rocky¡¯s face to turn red.


    ¡°Teacher, my Magic Power is only Second Level, so I can only learn First Level Runes¡­¡±


    Bowing his head, Rocky offered a soft defense, but it might have been better if he hadn¡¯t. His retort fully ignited Orton as if he were a powder keg.


    ¡°You dare to argue back! Why don¡¯t you work hard to raise your level of Magic Power? What have you been doing every day?!¡±


    With a glare, Orton glanced at Rocky and grumbled discontentedly, ¡°I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s so busy about being the lord of your little broken city, really¡­¡±


    After finishing this remark, he quickly wrote something on a piece of paper, and in no time, he drafted a training plan, then threw it at Rocky, ¡°Starting from today, you train your Magic Power according to the steps here. Within a month, you¡¯ll reach Third Level Mage. Then start learning Second-Level Runes immediately, do you hear me!¡±


    Handing over the training plan to Rocky, Orton continued, ¡°Even though you only know First Level Runes, you can still learn about the mainstream Magic Energy Technology of today, and you must, because Magic Energy Technology relates to all sorts of applications of Mana, a point which doesn¡¯t change whether it¡¯s applied to Magic Stones or Runes.¡±


    ¡°Start with the Mana Energy Conduction Technique, this is the foundation of Mana applications¡­¡±


    After a good deal of roaring, Orton finally began to impart some useful knowledge to Rocky.


    It had to be admitted that Orton had many glaring faults that could not be overlooked, but academically, there was nothing about him that could be criticized.


    In just one day, Rocky felt as if a skylight had been opened in his mind, suddenly revealing to him an array of new things, all thanks to Orton¡¯s instruction.


    Although on the first day he only briefly covered the basics of Magic Energy Conduction, even this proved to be incredibly beneficial. Many things Rocky had previously read about in books became crystal clear.


    Thus began the days of studying under Orton.


    To better his studies, Rocky carefully devised a study plan. He scheduled two-hour mini-lessons with Orton on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and a full-day¡¯s lesson on Sundays, making his schedule quite packed indeed.


    Yet even this was begrudgingly accepted by Orton who would have preferred Rocky to study with him every single day, all day long, preferably without even stopping for meals. In order to achieve this, they argued at least three times.


    But this was utterly impossible. After all, Rocky¡¯s identity was not that of a mere student; he was the City Lord and had many matters to attend to every day. The amount of time he could spare for studying was already at its limit.


    And so, a week passed by in the blink of an eye. During this time, Rocky had attended three mini lessons and one major lesson with Orton. His understanding of mana had advanced by leaps and bounds, and as he became more familiar with Rocky, Orton also presented him with new demands.


    He needed a research lab of his own.


    Even for a master like Orton, Mana Runes were ultimately a foreign technology. So, if he wanted to apply these runes practically, continuous research and experimentation were necessary; therefore, having a lab was indispensable.


    In response to this, Rocky readily agreed and immediately instructed Old Jack to start construction next to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, intending to build a new lab for Orton. Until the new lab was completed, Orton was temporarily based in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion¡¯s research lab.


    ¡°What did you say? You want to use runes to enhance the Void Magic Armor and Floating Warships?¡±


    One day, Rocky sought out Orton in the research lab and proposed his idea, hoping that he could use runes to enhance his own Void Magic Armor and the Floating Warships of Thunderhawk City!


    With the battle against Baron Wolin possibly starting at any time, Rocky wanted to seize the moment to become even stronger.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s not a problem, it just so happens I have some ideas I¡¯d like to try out.¡± S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing Rocky¡¯s request, Orton stroked his chin thoughtfully, then not only readily agreed but also eagerly said, ¡°Kid, bring over your Void Magic Armor, and the little girl¡¯s armor too, I¡¯ll enhance them for you.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ let¡¯s start with the Magic Cannons on the Floating Warships, shall we?¡±


    Seeing Orton so eager to get started, Rocky secretly swallowed hard and then cheerfully suggested.


    Having spent so much time with Orton, Rocky had become well acquainted with some of his ¡¯glorious¡¯ deeds ¨C not through deliberate probing, but because Orton had eagerly recounted them all to Rocky himself.


    One project alone had destroyed a total of seven Super Crystals! This left a deep impression on Rocky, so when Orton asked him to bring his and Liliya¡¯s Void Magic Armor for enhancements, Rocky firmly refused, suggesting they start with the Magic Cannons instead.


    After all, if the cannons were ruined, it wouldn¡¯t be a huge loss, but if the Void Magic Armor was destroyed, Rocky would have nowhere to turn to mourn the loss.


    ¡°Tch! Look at you, being all timid!¡±


    Rocky¡¯s cautious attitude did not escape Orton¡¯s notice. However, Orton probably knew all too well the extent of his destructive capabilities, aware that if he went all out, the entirety of Thunderhawk City wouldn¡¯t suffice as a playground for his research, so he didn¡¯t say much more and simply rose from his seat.


    ¡°Kid, take me to the Skyport. Let¡¯s see how I can give those junk of yours a decent enhancement!¡±

 Chapter 144 - 144 - 143: The Destroyer (Part 1)

    Chapter 144 ¨C 143: The Destroyer (Part 1)


    ¡°`


    Rocky¡¯s request was not rejected by Orton, as he indeed needed an opportunity to apply runes practically, and enhancing the Skyship and Void Magic Armor was just such an opportunity.


    However, Rocky was quite shrewd; he did not let Orton start by enhancing the Void Magic Armor. Instead, he had him first practice on an old-model Skyship from Thunderhawk City, a decision that proved to be very astute¡­


    Taking a carriage to the Skyport of Thunderhawk City, Orton immediately had Rocky clear the area, ordering everyone, including the guards, to leave. This was a well-considered move, as they were about to use Mana Runes to strengthen the Skyship and couldn¡¯t let outsiders witness it.


    ¡°Teacher, let¡¯s start with the Magic Cannon,¡±


    Once all unrelated individuals had left, Rocky suggested.


    On the way there, Orton was quite excited and rambled on with many ideas. According to his plan, he intended to retrofit all of Thunderhawk City¡¯s Skyships with Mana Runes, not just the Magic Cannons on board, but also the mana supply system of the Skyships. If these retrofits were successful, there would be a significant improvement in all aspects of Thunderhawk City¡¯s Skyships.


    ...


    For Rocky, of course, this was very good news, so much so that after the Skyport had been cleared, he was eager to get started.


    Afterward, the two boarded a first-generation Reconnaissance Ship and officially began the rune enhancement of the ship¡¯s Magic Cannons. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°To apply the runes practically, we must utilize Magic Energy Conduction Technique. In this aspect, runes and Magic Stones are no different¡­¡±


    Standing in front of a Magic Cannon, Orton began to disassemble it with Rocky while explaining the application of the Magic Energy Conduction Technique, and Rocky listened attentively.


    He had been learning from Orton for a week, focusing on Magic Energy Conduction Technique, and after a week of study, Rocky had essentially mastered the basics of the technique. So now was also a good opportunity for him to put theory into practice.


    After the two had disassembled the Magic Cannon from the ship, Orton continued explaining while starting to use runes to strengthen the Magic Cannon.


    It must be said that Orton was truly a master. How long had he known about the existence of Mana Runes? At most a week, yet when he began inscribing runes on the Magic Cannon, he was able to draw Third-level Runes effortlessly!


    Orton was incredibly proficient in the domain of Magic Energy. Having only glanced at the research notes once, he had completely understood the Third-level Rune and was even studying Fourth and Fifth-level Runes. This level of comprehension was beyond the reach of most people.


    On the other hand, Orton¡¯s high level of Magic Power also played a significant role in his rune research. He himself was a Ninth-level Grand Magus, not just a Level 9 Mage, but a Ninth-level Grand Magus. This rank was already the limit that an ordinary person could reach in the field of magic, and one step further would make him an Archmage.


    However, since Orton was a research-oriented Mage, his Magic Power was great, but his combat ability was mediocre. After all, one¡¯s experience is limited.


    But it was precisely because of his high level of Magic Power that he could draw Third-level Runes with a flick of his wrist, which would usually require a Sixth-Level Mage. To a grand magus like him, Third-level Runes were hardly a challenge.


    As Orton inscribed runes on the Magic Cannon and established Magic Energy Conduction connections, he did not forget to explain everything he did so that Rocky, standing by his side, could understand what was happening. During this time, Rocky became a student, listening and observing Orton¡¯s every move with great attention.


    ¡°Like this¡­ then like this¡­ Utilize your own Magic Power to connect the two, and the mana contained in the runes will be able to conduct¡­¡±


    ¡°`


    Orton¡¯s seemingly casual steps connected the runes on the magic cannon, and then the runes were activated without any external force, indicating that he successfully used the mana runes to replace the magic stone, allowing the magic cannon before them to operate using the mana provided by the runes from now on!


    Witnessing the runes on the magic cannon light up on their own, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but marvel. A master is indeed a master¡ªthe task that he had tried and failed to accomplish time and again, Orton completed with ease, without showing any sign of difficulty. It was truly unbelievable.


    However, just as he couldn¡¯t help but admire the feat, the activated runes began to glow brighter and brighter. In just the time it took to blink a few times, the light emitted by the runes became blinding!


    ¡°Teacher, is this¡­ is this normal?¡±


    Realizing something was amiss with the runes on the magic cannon, Rocky quickly turned to Orton.


    Orton had clearly noticed the anomaly as well, but as a master, he did not panic like Rocky. Instead, he furrowed his brows and stroked his chin, seemingly pondering something.


    ¡°I see now!¡±


    A moment later, as if suddenly enlightened, Orton exclaimed, ¡°The magic cannons on the first-generation reconnaissance ships are old models with too low a threshold for mana intensity. Directly using third-level runes for enhancement, the cannon bodies surely cannot withstand it.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t withstand it?¡±


    Rocky heard Orton¡¯s mutterings loud and clear, which made him immediately aware of some very bad news. He hastily looked at the magic cannon, and upon doing so, his face turned utterly pale!


    For in the short duration of a few sentences, the runes on the magic cannon had become not only dazzlingly bright, but the cannon body had also turned a deep red, as if covered in a layer of scorching lava.


    It was about to explode!


    Seeing this scene, even without Orton¡¯s warning, Rocky knew this was a prelude to an explosion!


    Just as Rocky realized this, Orton grabbed him by the collar and instantly enveloped them both in a visible magic barrier. At the same time, Orton, holding on to Rocky, jumped directly beneath the skyship, turning to run without a word.


    Right after they left, a massive explosion suddenly erupted behind them, and their former skyship burst into an ascending flame!


    The sudden explosion formed a small black cloud above the blast, and the shockwave that swept down instantly blew Orton and Rocky away. If not for the magic barrier¡¯s protection, if not for Orton being an archmage himself, the two, even though they had avoided the explosion¡¯s epicenter, would have been killed by the powerful blast!


    By the time Rocky staggered to his feet, he was completely dumbstruck, unable to believe what he had just seen.


    As he looked in the direction of the skyport, flames reached for the sky. Three first-generation reconnaissance ships¡ªyes, not one, but three¡ªwere completely engulfed by the explosion!

 Chapter 145 - 145 - 144: The Destroyer (Part 2)

    Chapter 145 ¨C 144: The Destroyer (Part 2)


    Watching the roaring fires at the skyport and the three reconnaissance ships engulfed by the flames, Rocky was stunned¡­


    The power of the explosion had been too strong. Not only were the reconnaissance ships at the center of the explosion obliterated directly, but even the two ships on either side were affected and swallowed by the blast!


    Rocky had never anticipated such a scenario, although he had heard Orton mention his own ¡¯glorious deeds¡¯, he never thought such a thing would happen to him!


    Compared to the dumbfounded Rocky, Orton, standing beside him, was much calmer.


    Orton had seen major events. Not just a small reconnaissance ship¡¯s explosion; he had even witnessed the explosion of a super crystal, so this minor event in front of him hardly counted as something noteworthy.


    Therefore, while Rocky was flabbergasted, Orton was stroking his chin, apparently already considering how to make improvements during the next enhancement.


    ¡°Orton! What¡¯s going on here!¡±


    ...


    Time passed for a while, and the stupefied Rocky finally came to his senses, then rushed over to Orton and grabbed him by the collar, unable to control his roaring.


    Those were three reconnaissance ships! Just blasted to pieces like that, how could Rocky not feel pained? Even though those three reconnaissance ships were old models from Thunderhawk City, they couldn¡¯t withstand such waste!


    In response to his roar, Orton simply glanced at him indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s there to make a fuss about? I just drew twenty third-level runes on the magic cannon. Considering that each third-level rune contains 200 mana points, twenty third-level runes make 4000 mana points. Such a scale of explosion is quite normal.¡±


    No wonder the explosion had been so huge, the magic energy involved had actually reached 4000 points!


    What does 4000 magic energy points mean? The main cannon on an escort ship has a power of only 1300 points. This means that the power of the explosion was equivalent to three main cannons of an escort ship attacking the same target simultaneously!


    As for Orton¡¯s indifferent attitude, Rocky was at a loss for words. He finally understood why this old man had been expelled by the three great forces consecutively; his destructive power was simply too astonishing.


    ¡°What are you still dawdling for? Get someone to clean this place up quick!¡±


    Just as Rocky felt completely overwhelmed, Orton urged him on the side, and by this time, people attracted by the explosion had arrived. Liliya had even donned her Void Magic Armor, bringing the entire Guard Corps with her, thinking Thunderhawk City was under attack.


    Yet, facing the crowd that had rushed over, Rocky didn¡¯t even have the energy to explain; he merely ordered the guards to extinguish the fire and briefly clean up the three destroyed reconnaissance ships, then let the people go back first. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, once everything was cleaned up, Rocky noticed something odd about Orton¡¯s gaze; he kept staring at the Thunderhawk!


    ¡°What, what are you going to do!¡±


    When Orton suddenly took an interest in the Thunderhawk, Rocky rushed to confront him.


    ¡°Kid, your flagship looks pretty good, a flagship version of the Third Generation Escort Ship. Whether it¡¯s the hull itself or the Magic Cannon on it, both are much stronger than the First Generation Reconnaissance Ship we had before. Using this warship to test the runes will definitely not cause any trouble.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it! If you dare touch the Thunderhawk, I¡¯ll fight you!¡±


    Realizing that Orton indeed had his sights set on his own flagship, Rocky immediately became like a rooster protecting its chicks, blocking him and absolutely not letting him get half a step closer to the Thunderhawk.


    Although the loss of the three reconnaissance ships had saddened Rocky, they were, after all, old reconnaissance ships from Thunderhawk City, and although their destruction was regrettable, it wasn¡¯t enough to cripple the only fleet of Thunderhawk City. However, if Orton were to blow up the Thunderhawk as well, Rocky felt like he would truly be heartbroken.


    Moreover, just by enhancing one Magic Cannon, three reconnaissance ships were directly destroyed. If Orton tampered with the Thunderhawk, wouldn¡¯t he ultimately blow up Thunderhawk City? The risk was just too high, and Rocky could not afford it.


    So, at Rocky¡¯s repeated requests, Orton eventually could only look at the Thunderhawk frustratedly and give up, then boarded the old reconnaissance ship again. Not only that, but Rocky also demanded that he no longer use Third-level Runes to enhance the Magic Cannon, and instead use Second-Level Rune from the First Level.


    Actually, even the Second-level Rune contained enough mana for the Magic Cannon. Moreover, there were already Magic Stones on the Magic Cannon itself, so it wasn¡¯t necessary to completely switch to runes for the output of mana. It was entirely feasible to combine the Magic Stones and runes together for use.


    As for his demands, Orton was of course very unwilling, but perhaps he also knew that Thunderhawk City was too small to withstand his endless experimentation, so he reluctantly agreed to Rocky¡¯s demands in the end.


    With that, the enhancement of the Skyships finally began, and once Orton toned down, his true capabilities ¨Cor rather his normal side¨C started to show. In just one day, he had completed the enhancement of the Magic Cannons on three Skyships, including one old reconnaissance ship from Thunderhawk City and two Airship Model 6 Reconnaissance Ships.


    Since time was pressing, Orton only enhanced the Magic Cannons on the three warships. Although he would have liked to upgrade the warships¡¯ mana supply systems as well, Rocky desperately stopped him. Rocky simply couldn¡¯t afford any more losses.


    However, even so, after the enhancement, the Magic Cannons on the two Airship Model 6 Reconnaissance Ships received a significant boost. The power of the Magic Cannons jumped from 400 to 600 points!


    This increase might not seem large in numeric terms, but when calculated as a percentage, the increase was more than fifty percent, elevating the firepower of the Magic Cannons on the Airship Model 6 Reconnaissance Ships to be on par with the secondary cannons of the Escort Ships.


    At this rate, it might take less than half a month for Orton to enhance all the Magic Cannons on every Skyship in Thunderhawk City with runes, thereby lifting the entire fleet to another level of firepower!


    This project was indeed vast and could only be accomplished by Orton alone. Perhaps Rocky and others could help with loading and unloading the Magic Cannons, but the crucial tasks such as rune drawing and mana conduction could only be done by Orton. No one else possessed the technical skills required.


    Though it was strenuous work, Orton was brimming with enthusiasm. After a full day of busy work and having survived a major explosion, he still returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion full of energy, clamoring for Rocky to bring him the Blood Pattern Mark II and the Fire Guard Type 5 Armor so he could continue to enhance the Void Magic Armor!


    But faced with such a request, Rocky hesitated¡­

 Chapter 146 - 146 - 145: The Last Week

    Chapter 146 ¨C 145: The Last Week


    Orton took the initiative to offer his help in enhancing the Void Magic Armor, which was certainly a good thing, especially at this point in time.


    Baron Wolin could arrive with his fleet at any moment, and according to Cyril¡¯s intelligence, Baron Wolin himself was a seasoned Void Magic Warrior with quite advanced Blood Pattern Mark II Armor. Under these circumstances, if Orton could enhance both Rocky¡¯s and Liliya¡¯s armors, it would undoubtedly ease the pressure on the two of them when they confronted Baron Wolin.


    However, faced with such a favorable turn of events, Rocky hesitated¡­


    Yes, he hesitated out of fear that Orton might ruin his Blood Pattern Mark II and Liliya¡¯s Fire Guard Type 5!


    It must be said, the major explosion at the Skyport earlier that day had left a severe psychological shadow on Rocky. He feared Orton might destroy his only two sets of Void Magic Armor¡ªthat is, he really didn¡¯t quite trust Orton with this matter.


    It wasn¡¯t a question of doubting Orton¡¯s capabilities, but rather one of not feeling confident about his mindset!


    The explosion at the Skyport during the day appeared to be an accident, but upon closer consideration, was it really an accident?


    ...


    What level of master was Orton?


    When he was enhancing the magic cannon, could he really have forgotten that the gun¡¯s body couldn¡¯t withstand the Rune? If anyone really thought so, they¡¯d be grossly underestimating him. Orton definitely wouldn¡¯t make such a rookie mistake; he likely went ahead with the enhancement, knowing that the gun¡¯s body couldn¡¯t withstand a Third-level Rune, leading to the explosion!


    This was quite understandable because Mana Runes were a brand-new technology to this world. Although they had a lot in common with certain modern technologies, and some of today¡¯s theories could be directly applied, they were still just theories. How could there be no verification?


    And Orton might have caused the major explosion during the day just to carry out this kind of verification, directly wrecking three reconnaissance ships!


    His strict attitude towards scholarship was certainly commendable, but Rocky couldn¡¯t afford to indulge him! If Orton were to conduct another risky verification during the enhancement of the Void Magic Armor and end up destroying it, who would Rocky turn to for explanations? Who would then confront Baron Wolin, also clad in Void Magic Armor?


    Moreover, although today¡¯s enhancement of the Magic Cannon was very successful, there were indeed some problems discovered during the process. These issues indicated that Mana Runes were still somewhat unstable in practical application and required a multitude of experiments before they could be applied steadily.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky was even more reluctant to let Orton enhance the Void Magic Armor, after all, the wearers were him and Liliya.


    So, after much hesitation, Rocky ultimately rejected Orton¡¯s proposal. He felt it was better to let Orton gain more experience by first working on enhancing the Magic Cannons, even if it involved performing some experiments. It would be safer to wait until the technology was mature before enhancing the Void Magic Armor.


    However¡­ Rocky had underestimated old man Orton¡­


    On the third day after his refusal, Orton took advantage of the opportunity when Rocky was busy with administrative affairs and sneaked into his room, stealing the Void Magic Armor!


    And when Rocky discovered that his Void Magic Armor was missing and immediately thought of Orton and went to find him, Orton had already finished enhancing the Blood Pattern Mark II¡­


    ¡°How cool is that? Are you surprised? Are you thrilled?¡±


    Trapped in the laboratory, Orton was not at all embarrassed or showed any intention of admitting the crime; instead, he proudly boasted to Rocky about the Blood Pattern Mark II Armor he had stolen. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You! You! You!¡±


    Facing Orton, who was no different from a rogue, Rocky was utterly infuriated, and then he yelled at Orton without considering his age, even cursing him out.


    Unfortunately, Orton completely ignored the outburst, treating it as though it just brushed past his ears, leaving Rocky stamping his feet in anger but unable to do anything to the old man.


    That being said, although Orton had stolen the Blood Pattern Mark II and enhanced it on his own, he certainly hadn¡¯t ruined it. In fact, after his enhancement, the Blood Pattern Mark II was far stronger than before!


    ¡°Kid, do you know by how much I¡¯ve enhanced this armor?¡±


    As Rocky cursed and ranted until he was out of breath, Orton acted as if stealing the armor never happened, still brimming with pride, ¡°Kid, after my enhancement, the Mana of this Blood Pattern Mark II Armor has reached 900 points!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky, still furious, paused in astonishment and then looked toward the Blood Pattern Mark II Armor on the experimental table.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­ the armor¡¯s Mana has been boosted to 900 points?¡±


    Rocky certainly knew the Blood Pattern Mark II inside out. He was well aware that its own Mana was only 300 points, quite a low level indeed.


    Even with his Rune work, the Mana had not exceeded 500 points, and his previous enhancements were superficial, having used only the principle of Magic Energy Equipment for a simple enhancement, which meant that the additional 200 points of Mana were also quite inflated.


    ¡°Humph, stopped scolding?¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s attention get diverted, Orton snorted and then used his chin to gesture at him as he spoke, ¡°Now you realize how formidable I am, don¡¯t you?¡±


    After saying this, he walked over to the experimental platform, patted the Blood Pattern Generation 2 Armor that lay there quietly with his hand, and then continued, ¡°The runes you drew on this set of armor have all been erased by me.


    I¡¯ve redrawn them with Second-Level Runes and connected them with the armor for Magic Energy Conduction, boosting its mana directly from 300 points to 900 points, doubling it entirely.¡±


    ¡°Now that this set of armor has been enhanced, it has completely surpassed the limits of Generation 1 armor, reaching the level of the Second Generation Void Magic Armor, impressive, right? Surprising? Exciting?¡±


    Having said all this with self-satisfaction, Orton looked like an old child seeking praise.


    Upon hearing everything he said, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but open his mouth wide in surprise; he hadn¡¯t expected that Orton would truly succeed in enhancing the armor. No, that wasn¡¯t the right way to put it¡ªhe hadn¡¯t expected that Orton, while succeeding in the enhancement, did not ruin his armor!


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t just stand there, hurry up and put it on, let me see how it performs after being enhanced¡ªthis is important data.¡±


    Seeing Rocky still stunned, Orton urged him impatiently to hurry up and try on the armor to see its actual effect after strengthening.


    At that moment, Rocky was naturally eager to try it out. After all, according to Orton, the Blood Pattern Mark II, after being enhanced, was equivalent to becoming a new set of armor. But just as he was about to put on the armor, Rocky suddenly turned his gaze sharply towards Orton.


    ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m not going to explode as soon as I put on this armor, am I?¡±


    ¡°What kind of nonsense is that!¡± As soon as Orton heard this, he got agitated on the spot and then spoke in a fluster, ¡°How would we know if it will explode without trying it? Hurry up and try it!¡±


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    While Rocky was being hassled by the pesky old Orton, Baron Wolin had already begun his journey with his fleet!


    Since the families would not intervene in the affair between him and Rocky, Baron Wolin had to rely on his own strength to assume his post in Thunderhawk City. But for him, this was not an issue. With an entire fleet at his command, he did not take Rocky seriously at all. In his view, the biggest challenge was not whether he could take office smoothly in Thunderhawk City, but rather how to get there.


    The sky was not like the land; although skyships could sail through the skies, their range was limited. Without the power of his family, Baron Wolin must find his own way to Thunderhawk City. The reason he had not departed sooner was precisely because of this issue.


    But now, things were looking up. He had used his connections to find the City Lord of a small Sky City who was willing to transport him to Thunderhawk City!


    So, Baron Wolin could finally set off!


    ¡°Lord of Matu City, I really owe you big for this!¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, just a small matter, all small matters.¡±


    Matu City, a small Sky City named after its City Lord, with a population of around three thousand people, was willing to transport Baron Wolin to Thunderhawk City¡ªit was this Sky City¡¯s Lord who had agreed to the favor.


    When Baron Wolin led his fleet to Matu City, the City Lord Matu was incredibly welcoming, even holding a dance party for him that very day. After all, Baron Wolin was a member of a great family and was about to become the lord of his own city, and it was only right to receive him warmly.


    During the party, Baron Wolin naturally became the center of attention. But as the moment of his arrival in Thunderhawk City approached, Baron Wolin started to grow nervous and impatient, asking Lord Matu several times when he would be able to reach Thunderhawk City during the party.


    ¡°Rest assured, City Lord Wolin, the coordinates you gave me are not far from us. One week¡ªI guarantee I will have you seated on the City Lord¡¯s Throne of Thunderhawk City within a week!¡±


    Facing the somewhat anxious Baron Wolin, Lord Matu patted his chest, guaranteeing that he would get the Baron to Thunderhawk City and on its City Lord¡¯s Throne within a week!


    PS: To coincide with the book launch, I¡¯ve kept to daily updates for this past week, and I sincerely apologize to you, my dear readers. But now, things are looking up. The book will officially launch tomorrow, and I will immediately make up for any missed updates from this week! The update schedule will also return to at least two chapters a day!


    I¡¯d also like to thank you all for your continued support. This book hasn¡¯t been heavily promoted, so its current success is already beyond satisfying, and I thank you all for that.


    After the launch, I will continue to work hard. The story is about to get even more exciting, especially with the upcoming air battle which I assure you has been crafted with care and will be well worth your anticipation!


    Finally, I hope you continue to support the book after its launch so that it achieves great results. Your support is the biggest motivation for this humble detective!

 Chapter 147 - 147 - 146 Enemy Situation!!

    Chapter 147 ¨C 146 Enemy Situation!!


    By the time Baron Wolin had set out, Rocky had already brought Thunderhawk City to a halt, otherwise Baron Wolin wouldn¡¯t have been able to locate Thunderhawk City with such precision.


    However, Rocky¡¯s choice of where to stop Thunderhawk City was not ideal. He positioned the city above a dead lake, which caused the airspace to be shrouded in thick clouds all year round due to the lake below. Consequently, Thunderhawk City was always enveloped in these clouds.


    And the clouds that shrouded Thunderhawk City resembled the shadow of war, casting a repressive atmosphere over the entire city.


    ¡°Felly, how is the fleet¡¯s training going?¡±


    In the City Lord¡¯s Hall, Rocky surveyed the crowd below and eventually fixed his gaze on Felly.


    Since Felly had been promoted by Rocky to command the First Fleet of Thunderhawk City and reported directly to him, he was eligible to enter the City Lord¡¯s Hall to discuss matters.


    ¡°City Lord, the fleet has conducted four large-scale training exercises, and the crew members are all ready for battle. Please be assured!¡±


    ...


    Facing Rocky, Felly spoke with meticulous precision.


    He was clever and knew that even though he had made it into the City Lord¡¯s Hall and could be considered a senior officer of Thunderhawk City, Felly was aware that he had the least seniority among those there and therefore conducted himself with utmost caution.


    ¡°Have the reconnaissance ships been dispatched?¡±


    ¡°Lord, in accordance with your instructions, five reconnaissance ships are sent out daily to scout.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    After asking Felly a few more questions, Rocky then turned to Old Jack, ¡°Lord Jack, I don¡¯t want any incidents in Thunderhawk City during the war, so please, take extra care.¡±


    With the impending battle, Rocky intended to focus all his energy on the war, firmly unwilling to allow any problems within Thunderhawk City itself during this process, nor would he permit any issues to arise.


    ¡°Rest assured, Lord. I will strengthen the guard with Captain Liliya, and there will definitely be no troubles.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Very good¡­¡±


    Nodding, Rocky let out a sigh and then addressed everyone, ¡°Gentlemen, Baron Wolin should be arriving soon, so please be extra cautious. We cannot afford any mistakes in this battle.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Please be assured, Lord!¡±


    After giving some instructions, Rocky dismissed everyone and returned to his room with Liliya¡¯s company, but even back in his room, there was no smile on his face.


    He couldn¡¯t smile.


    Just as Rocky mentioned earlier, they had left Eternal City almost a month ago, meaning Baron Wolin could arrive at any moment or might even already be on his way. Thus, Rocky grew more anxious by the day.


    He had to be anxious. The looming battle with Baron Wolin would directly determine the fate of Thunderhawk City. If he won, he would remain the City Lord of Thunderhawk City; but if he lost, he would have to relinquish his position as City Lord.


    Therefore, to win this battle, Rocky did everything he could to prepare. Not only did he have the fleet conduct several training exercises, but he also had Orton enhance all the magic cannons on the third-generation reconnaissance ships and the two escort ships with rune enhancement.


    At the same time, he and Liliya also practiced every day wearing their Void Magic Armor, aiming to be as fully prepared as possible.


    Yet, even so, Rocky¡¯s nervousness grew, for as time ticked by, he felt an inexplicable and yet increasingly intense premonition: Baron Wolin was coming soon!


    This ominous hunch led him to dispatch at least five reconnaissance ships daily to patrol around Thunderhawk City, striving to detect Baron Wolin¡¯s movements at the earliest opportunity.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°`


    ¡­¡­


    Time passed, day by day, and Thunderhawk City had long been prepared for war. Everything was ready, they were just waiting for Baron Wolin¡¯s arrival.


    And this wait did not last too long!


    One day, on a reconnaissance ship patrolling around Thunderhawk City, several crew members were chatting on the deck, appearing quite relaxed.


    But this relaxation was actually a facade, after all, everyone knew that a great battle was imminent, having prepared for it for a month. How could they really be relaxed?


    ¡°Uncle Wil, what exactly is air combat like?¡±


    A young sailor standing on the deck casually asked an older sailor.


    The elder sailor chuckled in response, ¡°Air combat is certainly intense, Floating Warships blasting each other with Magic Cannons. You¡¯ve definitely never seen anything like it.¡±


    ¡°Tch! Uncle, don¡¯t underestimate us. We¡¯ve fought against hundreds of Demons while accompanying the City Lord to the land!¡±


    Another young man on the deck spoke up, seeming a little unconvinced.


    The elder sailor, Uncle Wil, was an old sailor hired from Eternal City by Rocky. He had been through several air battles, while the young men around him were Thunderhawk City¡¯s own sailors, who had all participated in the mission at Backhill Village.


    ¡°You youngsters don¡¯t understand anything, hehe,¡± Wil, who was in his forties or fifties, responded with a chuckle, ¡°The battle on land is different from the battle in the sky. Only those who have truly experienced air combat can understand what it¡¯s like. There¡¯s no way to make you understand right now.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ve been through several air battles? Tell us about it.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, you¡¯ve asked the right person. I¡¯m not bragging, but in those air battles I participated in¡­¡±


    As Wil started to speak about his experiences, his face full of pride, he suddenly froze in mid-sentence, his triumphant expression solidifying on his face!


    ¡°Uncle, go on and tell us!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, come on, keep talking!¡±


    Seeing him stop talking halfway through, the young sailors around became particularly anxious, urging him on.


    But at that moment, Wil¡¯s eyes widened as he pointed towards the bow of the ship and suddenly shouted, ¡°It¡¯s Sky City!¡±


    Following his shout, everyone immediately turned their heads, and their eyes, passing over the bow, saw through the thick clouds a colossal structure slowly approaching¡­


    Sky City!


    A Sky City!


    Seeing this massive structure appear before them, they all immediately realized what it was, Sky City! The sudden appearance of a Sky City at such a remote location, clearly heading in the direction of Thunderhawk City, even a fool could understand what that meant.


    So, after a moment of stunned silence, Uncle Wil proved himself as an elder sailor, taking the lead to respond!


    ¡°Quick! Contact Thunderhawk City, inform them of the enemy sighting!¡±


    After yelling at a young man close by, he then instructed the others, ¡°Turn the ship around immediately, don¡¯t let the enemy spot us, we need to get back to Thunderhawk City right away!¡±


    PS: This is the first release, bursting out today, five chapters!


    ¡°`

 Chapter 148 - 148 - 147 Envoy

    Chapter 148 ¨C 147 Envoy


    ¡°All warships, take off!¡±


    Within the Skyport of Matu City, Baron Wolin, clad in the fourth-generation Eagle Claw Type 3 Armor, stood on his flagship and issued the command to set sail to the entire fleet!


    With his order, dozens of Floating Warships within the Skyport all took off, majestically flying out from the defense network of the Skyport towards the distant Thunderhawk City!


    As soon as Thunderhawk City discovered Matu City, Matu City likewise spotted Thunderhawk City. The eager Baron Wolin immediately set off, leading his entire fleet to sail straight for the city that belonged to ¡°himself.¡±


    The information that Cyril had given to Rocky previously had not been exaggerated in the slightest; Baron Wolin¡¯s private fleet indeed comprised more than thirty Floating Warships, exactly thirty-two to be precise, including thirty-one third-generation Cheetah Type 2 Reconnaissance Ships and one flagship version of a third-generation Watcher-type Escort Ship!


    Yes, within Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet there was also a flagship, and it was the same class as Rocky¡¯s Scavenger Type 1 Flagship, which Baron Wolin had named the Baron Number!


    ¡°This Wolin¡­ is indeed strong¡­¡±


    ...


    Also within the Skyport, City Lord Matu watched as Baron Wolin led his fleet to slowly ascend, a sense of admiration welling up within him. Was this the power of the great families? To think that a noble serving a great family possessed such a formidable private army, which left Matu, himself a City Lord, utterly impressed.


    His admiration was not a sign of undue humility; in fact, Matu, as the City Lord, could see even more clearly than most. The scale and quality of Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet were more formidable than the air forces of some small Sky Cities, to say nothing of others. Even Matu¡¯s own Sky City, though it had a fleet, could not compare in scale or quality to Baron Wolin¡¯s private army!


    Every time he considered that his own military forces, despite his status as City Lord, were not as strong as Wolin¡¯s private army, Matu felt quite bitter¡ªthat was also why he treated Baron Wolin with such enthusiasm.


    Meanwhile, after moving beyond the defense network of Matu City, Baron Wolin quickly vanished into the thick cloud layer. Although the clouds in this airspace were heavy, they did not impede the fleet¡¯s voyage, and under full-speed acceleration, the fleet soon approached Thunderhawk City.


    When within a dozen miles of Thunderhawk City, Baron Wolin ordered the fleet to halt its advance, and then spoke a few words to his deputy. The deputy quickly went below deck and, within moments, a Reconnaissance Ship detached from the fleet, flying solo through the clouds towards Thunderhawk City.


    On board the departing Reconnaissance Ship was the emissary sent by Baron Wolin to Thunderhawk City to call on Rocky to leave!


    Although he had led his fleet mightily close to Thunderhawk City, Baron Wolin still believed it best to avoid battle if possible, and this line of thought naturally had nothing to do with Rocky. The reason for his consideration was that he had already come to view Thunderhawk City as his own.


    In Baron Wolin¡¯s view, engaging in a grand sky battle near the vicinity of Thunderhawk City posed a risk; what if it affected Thunderhawk City? That was his own city. Even if all of Rocky¡¯s resistance were futile, any damage to the city from the battle would ultimately be his loss. Therefore, Baron Wolin still hoped to take over Thunderhawk City peacefully.


    A dozen miles was a mere blink for a Skyship, especially a Reconnaissance Ship, so within about fifteen minutes, the Reconnaissance Ship sent by Baron Wolin approached Thunderhawk City and landed in its Skyport without any obstruction.


    Once the ship landed smoothly, the Guards escorted a middle-aged man down from the Skyship.


    ¡°This Rocky, still unaware of the calamity upon him¡­ Truly foolish¡­¡±


    Escorted by several guards, the middle-aged man stood in the Skyport and looked around.


    Being one of Baron Wolin¡¯s subordinates, he had long regarded Thunderhawk City as his own and immediately began to survey his surroundings upon disembarking, nodding his head as if quite pleased with what he saw.


    While he surveyed his territory with the eyes of an owner, one of the Guards approached him, but before the Guard could speak, the middle-aged man stated with righteous indignation, ¡°I am an emissary from the Mairente Family. The family commands that Rocky see me immediately.¡±


    With his head held high, almost looking at the Guard with his chin, the middle-aged man declared in a loud voice.


    It was clear that the man had never seen Rocky as someone worth considering; he even called him by name without appending the title ¡¯City Lord.¡¯ It was as if, in his eyes, the moment the Mairente Family issued an order, Rocky was expected to obediently comply and pack his things to leave immediately.


    However, no sooner had he spoken than the soldier opposite not only did not show the slightest surprise but actually smiled!


    ¡°My lord, our City Lord was hoping to see you as well.¡±


    ¡°You say what¡­¡±


    The soldier¡¯s reply stupefied the middle-aged man, but before he could grasp what was happening, several figures suddenly dashed out from around him!


    The middle-aged man¡¯s guards reacted quickly, protecting him by placing him in the center as they turned to draw their swords. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, they were still half a step too slow. The moment they went to draw their swords, they felt a burning sensation in their chests. Looking down, they saw long swords had pierced through their torsos!


    ¡°My lord¡­quick¡­ambush¡­¡±


    A guard managed to squeeze out a few strained words through clenched teeth before collapsing, making the middle-aged man realize he had fallen into an ambush. He immediately tried to run back to the Reconnaissance Ship, but it was too late. The guard he had looked down upon with his chin thrust out had stepped forward and grabbed his collar, pressing him to the ground without ado!


    Meanwhile, the remaining soldiers aboard the Reconnaissance Ship noticed something was amiss. These men reacted somewhat swiftly, attempting to make the ship take off immediately, only for a fiery red figure to descend from the sky, rendering their escape plans futile.


    ¡°Nobody move!¡±


    As she spoke, Liliya, clad in her flaming red Armor, fired a Magic Bullet that blasted a huge hole through a soldier¡¯s chest, stunning everyone aboard the ship!


    In an instant, really just a split second, the Reconnaissance Ship that had come to drive Rocky away was subdued. All the soldiers on board, controlled by Liliya in her Void Magic Armor, gave up resisting and laid down on the ground, while the middle-aged man, who had been so arrogant just moments ago, was now dragged in front of Rocky by two Guards.


    Having discovered Matu City a step ahead, Rocky had been well-prepared. Hence, after the middle-aged man was subdued, Rocky appeared at the Skyport, flanked by Monte and Lin Feng, directly in front of the middle-aged man.


    ¡°Rocky! Do you know what you¡¯re doing!¡±


    Pinned firmly on the ground by the Guards, the middle-aged man was still roaring incessantly. He strenuously lifted his head to look at Rocky and shouted, ¡°Rocky! I am here to deliver an order from the Family! How dare you treat me like this¡ªdo you wish to rebel?¡±


    But to his roaring, Rocky responded with just a cold smile, followed by a slow hand gesture. Monte, understanding the signal, stepped forward towards the middle-aged man, all the while revealing his Broadaxe!


    ¡°What are you going to do! What¡­what do you want!¡±


    The chill from the axe¡¯s gleam struck the middle-aged man¡¯s eyes, and he panicked. He looked at Monte in disbelief, then turned his gaze to Rocky¡¯s emotionless face, feeling completely undone.


    ¡°Rocky¡­you¡­ don¡¯t be rash¡­we can talk things over¡­¡±


    The middle-aged man¡¯s plea was cut short as Monte¡¯s axe came crashing down!


    PS: Second update! Three more to go!

 Chapter 149 - 149 - 148: On the Verge

    Chapter 149 ¨C 148: On the Verge


    ¡°`plaintext


    The axe fell, and with it tumbled the head!


    Baron Wolin¡¯s envoy didn¡¯t even have a chance to utter his name before Rocky killed him!


    After executing the envoy, Rocky immediately ordered the soldiers he¡¯d brought to disembark, and these soldiers, already terrified by the sight of the falling head, feared they might share the same fate of being dismembered, so they obediently left the ship without any resistance.


    However, Rocky didn¡¯t kill these soldiers afterward. He just confiscated their reconnaissance ship and then put them on an old-fashioned skyship from Thunderhawk City, sending them back with the middle-aged man¡¯s head.


    By doing this, Rocky intended to send Baron Wolin a message, a message that didn¡¯t require any words yet was enough to convey his resolve!


    ¡°When do we set out?¡±


    ...


    After Baron Wolin¡¯s soldiers departed on the old-fashioned reconnaissance ship, Liliya approached Rocky.


    ¡°No rush, let¡¯s wait for Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet to get a bit closer,¡± he replied, glancing at Liliya, and they then boarded the Thunderhawk.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the soldiers fleeing Thunderhawk City to return to Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet, and seeing the skyship return so quickly, and not the same one at that, Baron Wolin, standing on the bow of his flagship, furrowed his brows.


    But as soon as he saw the returned head, he was instantly consumed with rage, thunderous and furious! He had never imagined Rocky would be so audacious as to kill his own people!


    ¡°Bastard!¡±


    With a curse, Baron Wolin violently slapped the soldier who presented the head, and then bellowed menacingly, ¡°Order the entire fleet to attack, and bring that Rocky back to me! I will personally execute him!¡±


    As his roar echoed, over thirty warships stirred into motion, forming a massive, cloudlike formation that bore down on Thunderhawk City!


    Since Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet wasn¡¯t far from Thunderhawk City, it took only a few minutes for the city¡¯s residents to see a dark, dense fleet approaching. At the same time, Rocky¡¯s Thunderhawk took off slowly, leading the rest of the warships up into the sky.


    An aeronautical battle was on the brink of erupting!


    Upon leaving the skyport, Rocky didn¡¯t rashly depart from Thunderhawk City¡¯s defensive net; instead, he stationed the fleet within it, waiting for Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet to draw near.


    After a short while, Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet approached, facing off against Rocky in the defensive net across the void!


    ¡°How does he have¡­ a flagship!?¡±


    As the two sides were now in close proximity, Baron Wolin could clearly see the fleet within the defensive net, and he was immediately shocked to see the Thunderhawk, resplendent in presence!


    In his view, the Thunderhawk was strikingly prominent, its more than one hundred fifty meter-long hull resembling a steel monster, fiercely confronting his own Baron Number within the defensive net!


    This scene completely exceeded Baron Wolin¡¯s expectations.


    Never in his wildest dreams did he expect Rocky to actually commission a flagship of his own, how could this be?


    However, as Baron Wolin observed the Thunderhawk¡¯s surroundings and noted that it was only modestly guarded by a few pitiful reconnaissance ships, his anxiety subsided, for a quick count revealed that there were even fewer than ten warships defending the flagship. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Less than ten warships to guard one¡¯s flagship?


    ¡°`


    ¡°`


    Baron Wolin, who had participated in at least two space battles, suddenly found himself amused at how nervous he had been because of Thunderhawk. In his view, Rocky might have just stumbled into acquiring a flagship by some fluke, but he surely didn¡¯t know how to use it.


    The number of warships he used to protect his flagship was too few, weren¡¯t less than ten warships to protect a flagship essentially making it a sitting duck?


    While Baron Wolin was easing his worries, Rocky had already led his fleet out of the Defensive Net.


    As Rocky led his fleet slowly closer, Baron Wolin demonstrated the demeanor of a great commander. Clad in Void Magic Armor, he leapt up and flew into the air, moving to the very forefront of his fleet alone.


    Firstly, he did this to have a discussion with Rocky. As a man who also possessed a flagship, Baron Wolin clearly knew how powerful a flagship¡¯s firepower could be. With Rocky having a flagship of his own, warfare would inevitably lead to losses on both sides. It didn¡¯t matter to him if Rocky died, but he didn¡¯t want his own fleet to suffer any losses.


    Secondly, he wanted to seize the opportunity to intimidate Rocky, to let him know that he was facing not only a massive fleet but also himself in his Void Magic Armor!


    In any space battle, the combat power that the Void Magic Armor could unleash was enough to rival, or even surpass, warships. Take for instance the fourth-generation Armor Baron Wolin was wearing; its combat power in space battles was certainly no less than that of an Escort Ship, and with his personal strength, he could easily take down a Reconnaissance Ship!


    Baron Wolin wanted Rocky to realize the strong opponent he was facing!


    However, to his utter shock, Rocky, who he had imagined would timidly approach in a Reconnaissance Ship, trembling at the sight of him in Void Magic Armor, also flew to the forefront of the fleet relying on Void Magic Armor. Not only that, but he was also accompanied by another Void Magic Warrior!


    What in the world was going on!


    Watching as Rocky approached, flanked by Liliya, Baron Wolin felt utterly disconcerted. How did Rocky not only have a flagship but also Void Magic Armor, and two sets at that!


    From the envoy¡¯s assassination to the appearance of the flagship and now the Void Magic Armor, everything had taken Baron Wolin completely by surprise, so much so that he suddenly felt a twinge of unease. He began to realize¡­ Had he underestimated Rocky¡­?


    Impossible!


    After a brief moment of unease, Baron Wolin immediately adjusted his mindset. He looked coldly toward Rocky, noticing that although Rocky was wearing Void Magic Armor, it was the outdated Blood Pattern Mark II, and the woman beside him was only wearing a third-generation Armor. Baron Wolin¡¯s mood gradually stabilized.


    Even if Rocky had a flagship, his own fleet was larger, and he would surely prevail in battle; even if Rocky and the woman beside him were both clad in Void Magic Armor, their Armors could not compare to his, and once the battle began, he could even potentially slay them outright!


    With such a tremendous advantage, what was there to fear?!


    With these thoughts, Baron Wolin slowly regained his confidence and then moved a certain distance closer towards Rocky just like him.


    When the two parties were about a hundred meters apart, they stopped simultaneously.


    ¡°Baron Wolin, go back,¡±


    Baron Wolin, who had just been about to spew a few harsh words, hadn¡¯t even opened his mouth when Rocky spoke up first, stunning him into silence.


    How did he know his name?


    Looking at Rocky with slight surprise, Baron Wolin was puzzled. He was certain that neither of them had known each other before this, so how did Rocky know him?


    While he was still surprised, Rocky continued, ¡°Baron Wolin, I know what you¡¯ve come for, and I advise you to head back quickly.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, you might not be able to return at all¡­!¡±


    PS: Third update, two more tonight!


    ¡°`

 Chapter 150 - 150 - 149 Ambush? Sneak Attack!

    Chapter 150 ¨C 149 Ambush? Sneak Attack!


    Hearing Rocky¡¯s words, Baron Wolin¡¯s face turned from red to green, becoming extremely ugly!


    Even a fool could sense the implicit meaning in Rocky¡¯s words. Obviously, Rocky had already known about the family¡¯s decision and had prepared for it!


    Damn it!


    Who the hell was feeding information to Rocky!


    Thinking that someone must have been giving Rocky information, Baron Wolin felt an itch in his teeth with anger. In his view, taking over Thunderhawk City was supposed to be a matter that could be resolved without any battle, but now, Rocky was prepared, and what should have been a peaceful resolution now required action.


    However, because he figured this out, Baron Wolin¡¯s mindset had become better than before. Initially, he had always hoped to drive Rocky out of Thunderhawk City without resorting to violence.


    He¡¯d sent people to notify him and even met him in person before the battle, but now, he would rely on the simplest and most brutal means, which he was best at, to drive Rocky away, and this made Baron Wolin much more relaxed.


    ...


    So, moments later, Baron Wolin smirked viciously at Rocky and began to speak:


    ¡°Rocky, since you¡¯re seeking death¡­¡±


    He had only just started speaking when suddenly, a barrage of fierce artillery fire interrupted him!


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!


    The artillery fire, roaring as if in anger, erupted without any warning, not only cutting off Baron Wolin¡¯s words but also startling him greatly!


    His first reaction was that Rocky¡¯s fleet was firing at him, but when he looked behind Rocky, he saw that Rocky¡¯s fleet, especially the flagship he was wary of, hadn¡¯t fired.


    Was it his own side that fired?


    Thinking this, Baron Wolin turned his head to look back, only to find that his own fleet hadn¡¯t fired either. This was odd¡­


    But Baron Wolin didn¡¯t remain puzzled for long, because just as he turned his head back, he spotted the source of the gunfire.


    Moments after the gunfire erupted, another fleet burst out from the thick clouds on the left side of Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet!


    This fleet was considerably large, not only sporting fifteen Airship Model 6 Reconnaissance Ships but also a Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship, and it began bombarding Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet fiercely as soon as it appeared!


    The sudden appearance of this fleet shocked Baron Wolin, but anyone who understood Rocky¡¯s real strength could see that this fleet was made up of other warships from Thunderhawk City!


    It was only then that the true purpose of Rocky positioning Thunderhawk City in such a cloudy area became clear. He intended to use the thick clouds in this area to launch an ambush and stealth attack!


    Since the reconnaissance ships had discovered Matu City earlier, Rocky had plenty of time to prepare. Therefore, before the envoy arrived, he had ordered Felly to lead an escort ship and fifteen Airship Model 6 Reconnaissance Ships away from Thunderhawk City and hide them in the thick clouds surrounding it.


    It was precisely because the main force was lying in ambush that Rocky and Baron Wolin only brought the Thunderhawk and a few old reconnaissance ships when they met. Additionally, Rocky¡¯s goal during this meeting was not truly to persuade the Baron or deliver threats but to capture Wolin¡¯s attention!


    The end result was a complete success: Baron Wolin and his fleet were caught utterly off guard!


    The warships bursting from the clouds unleashed their furious volleys at this moment, each blast resembling a roar toward the sky, not only deafening but also sending chills down the spine.


    It¡¯s well-known that in any air battle, the side that fires first usually gains some advantage, and that¡¯s exactly what happened here. The main force, led by the escort ships, suddenly emerged from the flank, not only catching Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet unprepared but also sinking three reconnaissance ships after the first round of fire!


    One escort ship along with fifteen reconnaissance ships opened fire simultaneously, delivering a ferocious barrage. Under such fierce firepower, the outermost two reconnaissance ships in Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet took several hits, and their defensive net failed quickly, getting sunk within moments. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Another reconnaissance ship was even less fortunate, as it was hit directly by the main cannon of the escort ship and disintegrated in mid-air before anyone could blink!


    The main cannon of the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship had only two barrels, but its mana energy power reached 1300 points. After Orton¡¯s rune enhancement, the mana energy power of these two main cannons soared to an impressive 1700 points!


    In Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet, the reconnaissance ships were all of the Cheetah Type 2, which performed fairly well in both offense and defense. However, they stood no chance against a main cannon attack with 1700 mana energy power, as their defensive net was as fragile as paper mache, instantly shattered and causing the reconnaissance ships themselves to explode upon impact.


    So when Baron Wolin turned his head, he just happened to witness the three reconnaissance ships exploding one after another, and he also saw the fleet led by the escort ship, like a wild beast, charging out of the clouds, attacking from the side of his own fleet.


    This revelation made him realize he had walked into an ambush! He had been sneak attacked!


    However, Baron Wolin was a battle-hardened veteran. Upon realizing he had fallen into an ambush, he promptly turned to leave without hesitation.


    He knew very well that the situation was extremely unfavorable for his fleet. Rocky had split his forces into two, with the Thunderhawk at the forefront drawing attention, while the other, led by the escort ship, emerged suddenly from the flank; this pincer movement by the two fleets encircled Baron Wolin¡¯s ships.


    In such circumstances, Wolin had no time to ponder why Rocky had such a massive fleet. He knew that if he did not react immediately, his fleet would certainly suffer heavy damage, and as the fleet¡¯s commander, he had to return immediately.


    Unfortunately, his thoughts were not mistaken, but how could Rocky and Liliya let it go so easily?


    As Baron Wolin decisively turned to leave, Rocky and Liliya suddenly launched their attack, clad in Void Magic Armor. They streaked through the sky, resembling two arrows shot from a bow, one from the left and one from the right, charging towards Baron Wolin!


    Rocky was well aware of what the enemy intended to do, and naturally, he could not let Baron Wolin return so easily. Not only that, he had an even bolder idea!


    When Wolin first saw Rocky in Void Magic Armor, he had contemplated decapitating him as soon as the battle began, but he had to abandon this thought and retreat to his fleet because he realized they were ambushed. However, what he did not know was that, as soon as he appeared before Rocky, Rocky had the same idea!


    Together with Liliya, he also aimed to execute Baron Wolin on the spot!


    So, moments later, Rocky and Liliya caught up with Baron Wolin. From the left and right, both brandished their swords, one targeting the Baron¡¯s neck and the other striking at his waist, with such ferocity that it was unimaginable and clearly showing no intent to spare Baron Wolin¡¯s life!


    PS: The fourth update! Another one coming soon!

 Chapter 151 - 151 - 150: Armor vs Armor!

    Chapter 151 ¨C 150: Armor vs Armor!


    When Rocky learned of the family¡¯s decision from Cyril, he had no intention of ¡°negotiating nicely¡± with Baron Wolin!


    He was determined to use the toughest measures to give an answer to Baron Wolin¡ªno, to the Mairente Family: no one was allowed to bully him anymore!


    Therefore, facing Baron Wolin, Rocky showed no mercy. With every move he made, he aimed to kill, and Liliya, who had always been on his side, was even more ruthless.


    Interestingly enough, it wasn¡¯t just Rocky and Liliya who wanted to kill Baron Wolin. Orton had also specifically instructed Rocky before his departure to make sure to kill Baron Wolin if possible.


    Of course, Orton had no personal grudge against Baron Wolin¡ªthere wasn¡¯t even the slightest interaction between the two. Orton¡¯s request for Rocky to commit murder was purely for his research. Orton had a few theories regarding the relationship between Mana Runes and Void Magic Armor that he urgently needed to test and he required Armor of the fourth generation or above for his experiments.


    So, he asked Rocky to go for the kill if he could, even if it meant cutting off an arm or a leg, as long as he could get his hands on the fourth generation Armor¡­


    Under such circumstances, Rocky and Liliya attacked with a decisive lethal blow, hoping to catch Baron Wolin off guard and kill him on the spot!


    ...


    However, as good as their intentions were, and as well as they seized the opportunity, even their execution was flawless¡ªthe only problem was that Baron Wolin was not an easy opponent!


    Indeed, Baron Wolin was just a titular noble, but don¡¯t forget he had served the Mairente Family for over thirty years. During these thirty years, he participated in countless battles, his experience was so vast and his strength so formidable, far surpassing both Rocky and Liliya.


    So, when the two swung their long swords with the intention of delivering a fatal blow to kill Baron Wolin on the spot, they heard two bangs. The Baron, who had been facing away from them, seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He spun around in mid-air, his left hand up, right hand down, blocking both their attacks at once!


    At the same time he blocked the attacks, two Mana Swords appeared in Baron Wolin¡¯s hands. These weren¡¯t long swords enhanced with Magic Stones, but swords entirely materialized from Mana!


    His Void Magic Armor was the purest form of Assault Type Armor, the Eagle Claw Type 3. The main feature of this Armor was its powerful attack capabilities and a variety of offensive methods. Its signature trait lay in the two Magic Energy Solidifiers mounted on the knuckle of each hand, which could solidify Mana into immensely powerful long swords!


    The two Mana Swords that blocked Rocky and Liliya¡¯s attacks were created by the Magic Energy Solidifiers; made entirely of Mana and gleaming brightly, they effortlessly warded off the assault!


    ¡°You two¡­ are seeking death!¡±


    As an experienced Void Magic Warrior, Baron Wolin could sense the murderous intent of Rocky and Liliya, forcing him to abandon the idea of returning to command the Fleet and engage them in battle instead.


    As the fight began, his formidable strength was immediately evident. After blocking their attacks, with a roar, Baron Wolin repelled both swords with his own and leaped into the air, emerging from the encirclement. After sprinting towards the sky for a moment, he suddenly reversed direction, diving down directly at Rocky!


    As a fourth generation Armor, the Eagle Claw Type 3 had 2700 points of Mana. Coupled with the fact that it was specifically designed for assault, the speed was astoundingly fast. From the moment he broke out of the encirclement to his dive towards Rocky, this series of actions was completed in mere blinks of an eye.


    By the time Rocky realized it, Baron Wolin was already above him, both Mana Swords chopping down in unison!


    Faced with this mountain-crushing attack, all Rocky could do was immediately raise his long sword to barely block the strike.


    While this strike was momentarily resisted, Baron Wolin didn¡¯t cease his offensive but suddenly increased the propulsion power of his Armor, immediately pressuring Rocky into a continuous descent. At the same time, the Mana Swords in his hands shone even brighter, clearly enhancing their Mana power.


    Clearly, in a comparison of strength between Armors, Rocky was at an absolute disadvantage. This was not surprising, as the Blood Pattern Mark II could be called a real antique, and even though it was enhanced by Orton with Rune enhancement, it only reached the level of a second-generation Armor.


    On the other hand, Baron Wolin¡¯s Eagle Claw Type 3 was a fourth-generation Armor, superior in Mana, technology, and offensive capabilities to Rocky¡¯s Blood Pattern Mark II. Coupled with Baron Wolin¡¯s exceptionally rich combat experience, he completely overwhelmed Rocky in their first encounter.


    Though this first engagement sounds complex, it took place in an instant, so much so that by the time Rocky was suppressed to the point of being unable to lift his head, Liliya had barely arrived.


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Noticing Liliya charging in from the side, Baron Wolin continued to restrain Rocky with one hand while sweeping his Mana Sword with the other, not only easily blocking Liliya¡¯s attack but also forcing her to retreat!


    But Liliya was not one to give up easily, as she regained her footing and charged at an even faster speed towards Baron Wolin.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Catching a glimpse of Liliya charging at him out of the corner of his eye, Baron Wolin let out a cold laugh, then suddenly leaped up, dodging her just as she was about to reach him.


    Damn!


    Liliya panicked for a moment, not expecting her opponent to suddenly dodge, for now, the target she faced was Rocky!


    During the time Rocky was being suppressed by Baron Wolin, he had been struggling fervently, with the Armor¡¯s thrusters running at maximum. So when Baron Wolin backed off, the previously countering Rocky shot upward abruptly, meeting Liliya head-on!


    It must be said that Baron Wolin¡¯s combat experience was just too vast. Facing the pincer attack from Rocky and Liliya, he was calm and composed, skillfully playing them off against each other!


    At this moment, it was too late for Liliya to react. Even if her mind caught up, her body could not, leaving her with no choice but to collide with Rocky head-on. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thankfully, thankfully, Rocky was no amateur. His numerous battles with Demons had already qualified him as a competent Void Magic Warrior. In the split second that counted, he made the correct decision: swiftly turning his body mid-air, he kept his propulsion direction unchanged. Relying on the adjustment of his posture, he converted his movement into a downward dash, narrowly missing Liliya!


    In an instant, Liliya and Rocky crossed paths, each narrowly avoiding the other with great peril.


    ¡°Liliya! Go after the warship!¡±


    After brushing past Liliya, Rocky made another decision, which was to have Liliya give up the fight with Baron Wolin and instead go after the Floating Warship.


    The moment he said this, Liliya¡¯s eyes hidden behind the helmet instantly reddened, because she had never imagined that one day, she would become a burden to Rocky¡­


    What Liliya might never realize is how wise Rocky¡¯s decision was, perhaps the wisest decision of his life. Because of it, he saved both their lives!


    PS: Five chapters delivered! Hope everyone likes them, five more coming tomorrow!

 Chapter 152 - 152 - 151: Target the Flagship!

    Chapter 152 ¨C 151: Target the Flagship!


    Following Rocky¡¯s orders, Liliya no longer entangled herself with Baron Wolin and instead flew toward the engaged fleet, setting her sights on a Floating Warship.


    She had to leave because, from their brief clash, she realized the vast gap between herself and Baron Wolin. It was so great that staying would not only fail to help Rocky but would also become a burden. Reluctantly, Liliya knew she had to leave.


    But even Liliya herself did not know how fortunate her departure was because if she had stayed, there would have been only one outcome¡ªdeath!


    She simply couldn¡¯t match up. As a seasoned Void Magic Warrior, Baron Wolin¡¯s skills and experience far surpassed Liliya¡¯s, who was wearing Void Magic Armor in battle for the first time. It was no exaggeration to say that if they faced off directly, Liliya would have lost her life within ten rounds!


    Therefore, Liliya¡¯s departure was undeniably right, as it saved her life.


    However, this put all the pressure from Baron Wolin squarely on Rocky. As the commanders of their respective sides, neither Rocky nor Baron Wolin would let the other retreat easily to command their fleet.


    Rocky wouldn¡¯t let Baron Wolin go. If Wolin returned to command his troops, he would greatly pressure Rocky¡¯s own fleet. Similarly, Baron Wolin would not let Rocky escape because he was confident he could kill him, and once Rocky was dead, the battle would be over.


    ...


    In such a situation, the two quickly became entangled in a fierce battle, a true fight to the death and a clash of Void Magic Armor against Void Magic Armor, where no one else could intervene!


    Meanwhile, as Rocky and Baron Wolin were locked in combat, their fleets had already begun engaging directly.


    Above the sky, more than fifty warships were participating in an intensely fierce battle.


    Rocky¡¯s fleet was divided into two groups: one was lead by the Thunderhawk flagship, assisted by seven old-style Reconnaissance Ships, and the other by an Escort Ship, supported by fifteen Reconnaissance Ships. The two fleets encircled Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet from the front and flank, advancing clockwise while opening fierce fire.


    Simply put, they were attacking by surrounding Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet.


    After suffering the initial strike, Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet quickly retaliated. Although Baron Wolin himself was not with his fleet, his trusted subordinates were no ordinary soldiers. After the initial surprise, they launched a counterattack.


    For a while, the fire from the Magic Cannons shone like stars in the sky, and the continuous sound of cannonfire did not cease, echoing non-stop throughout the airspace. Amidst the fire and noise, Floating Warships were disintegrating and exploding one after another, turning into beautiful fireworks dotting the battlefield.


    Uncle Wil once said that air combat is different from land combat. Those who have never participated in air battles can never imagine how shocking they are. Many of the guards in Thunderhawk City did not believe it at the time, but now it seemed utterly true.


    The scene of over fifty warships bombarding each other with Magic Cannons could indeed be described as electrifying. And this was just the beginning of the battle. Both fleets were still maintaining a distance of hundreds of meters, making their hit rate not very high. But once the distance closed to a close-combat range, the spectacle of the battle would be even more breathtaking and far bloodier.


    However, from the current situation, it seemed that Rocky¡¯s side had gained a slight advantage. The constant attacks by the two fleets, large and small, revolving around Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet, created significant pressure on the enemy.


    Although Rocky¡¯s fleet was split into two groups, and numerically did not seem superior, the presence of a large warship in each group meant that despite their small numbers, their firepower was formidable.


    For example, the small fleet led by the Thunderhawk, although paired with the first-generation old reconnaissance ships and having only seven, the Thunderhawk itself had very powerful firepower. Four main cannons enhanced by runes, plus twenty similarly enhanced secondary cannons. The firepower of this single flagship was equivalent to seven to ten reconnaissance ships!


    ¡°Fellows! Fire away! Don¡¯t aim, just keep firing!¡±


    On the deck of the Thunderhawk, Uncle Wil was shouting vigorously, constantly urging the young crew.


    Uncle Wil was not only an experienced old sailor but also a sly old fox. He was well aware that in any space battle, the flagship was the safest, so he had volunteered to become a crew member of the Thunderhawk.


    However crafty he might have been, his experience was indeed plentiful. Once the battle started, he actively coordinated everyone on the deck.


    ¡°Fellows, remember, no need to try hard aiming, just keep firing. Let the main cannons handle the aiming!¡±


    Standing on the deck, Uncle Wil shouted loudly, passing on his experience to the Thunderhawk¡¯s gunners.


    He was absolutely right in his words. In space battles, it was impossible to make every shot hit. The only way to increase the hit rate was to rely on the number of shots, creating a net of firepower that made it impossible for the enemy covered by it to avoid, and naturally hitting the target.


    So, as the battle commenced, Uncle Wil kept urging the secondary cannon gunners not to aim precisely but rather to target a general direction. Owing to his demands, the Thunderhawk¡¯s secondary cannons hardly ever stopped firing.


    The firepower net formed by the twenty secondary cannons was indeed mighty, and during the continuous barrage, two of Baron Wolin¡¯s reconnaissance ships had already been hit.


    But don¡¯t underestimate this achievement. Currently, both sides were at least a hundred meters apart, and at such a distance, the hit rate of the magic cannons was very low. Thus, for a single warship to have sunk two enemy ships was quite impressive.


    Although Rocky¡¯s fleet was powerful, Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet was also formidable. The opposing side, too, had a firepower-packed flagship and had a slight numerical advantage in terms of reconnaissance ships. Therefore, when the fleet launched a counterattack, its lethality was immediately evident.


    ¡°Order all warships to charge and sink the flagship of Thunderhawk City!¡± Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With Baron Wolin absent, command of the fleet had fallen to his second-in-command, a man also over forty years old with many years of experience in battle following Baron Wolin. After stabilizing their positions, he made the most decisive and accurate judgment, which was to take down the Thunderhawk.


    Now, the situation on the battlefield seemed somewhat disadvantageous for Baron Wolin¡¯s side as his fleet was surrounded. Facing the encirclement from two fleets on either side, even with a numerical advantage, Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet inevitably had its firepower dispersed.


    But this apparent disadvantage was also relative. Although Rocky had split his fleet into two to encircle the enemy, this action also meant weakening his own forces, making it challenging for the divided fleets to face Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet head-on!


    Baron Wolin¡¯s second-in-command, having keenly perceived this, immediately ordered the entire fleet to launch an assault. They not only aimed to break through the encirclement but also to use their numerical advantage to devour the flagship, the Thunderhawk, in one fell swoop!


    PS: Continuing to burst out today, still five updates!

 Chapter 153 - 153 - 152: Division

    Chapter 153 ¨C 152: Division


    As the command was given, Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet started to advance, heading straight for the Thunderhawk!


    ¡°Damn it, catch up with them, fast! Catch up with them!¡±


    The massive fleet advanced in unison, a movement that was immediately detected. On the escort ship, Felly, responsible for commanding the main force, was quick to realize that their target was the Thunderhawk.


    Naturally, he couldn¡¯t allow the enemy to have their way. The Thunderhawk, as the flagship of the entire fleet, could not afford any mishaps, not only because of its formidable combat strength but also because the status of a flagship did not tolerate any errors.


    Once the flagship was destroyed in battle, their own morale would undoubtedly suffer great damage, more severe than the loss of several warships.


    Therefore, under his command, the main force, led by the escort ships, immediately adjusted their formation. They no longer maneuvered around Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet but instead pierced directly into the enemy¡¯s formation at high speed, like a steel spike!


    At first glance, Felly¡¯s approach seemed somewhat reckless, as it effectively provoked a close-range combat, plunging the battle into its most brutal phase right away.


    ...


    But battlefield situations have never been a certainty, so analyzing this decision in the context of the battlefield dynamics showed that Felly¡¯s choice might not be mistaken.


    On one hand, after previous remote encirclements and several rounds of bombardment, Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet had suffered significant losses; at least seven to eight reconnaissance ships were lost. In the process, Rocky¡¯s fleet also suffered not insignificantly¡ªof the seven old-fashioned reconnaissance ships near the Thunderhawk, three were shot down and the remaining four were heavily damaged.


    Meanwhile, the main force led by Felly was in relatively better shape, although two reconnaissance vessels were shot down and Felly¡¯s own escort ship was struck by several rounds.


    Overall, at this stage of the battle, the numerical advantage of the enemy was no longer as apparent.


    On the other hand, Felly did not actually intend to engage in a fierce battle with the enemy; he planned to use the speed advantage of the Airship Model 6 to disrupt the enemy¡¯s formation, aiming to divide Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet. If he could achieve this, the opponent¡¯s intention to eliminate the Thunderhawk in one fell swoop would be impossible.


    The Thunderhawk was truly a behemoth; unless it was a flagship against a flagship, a handful of reconnaissance ships could not possibly take it down.


    Being able to come up with such a tactic on the battlefield to defuse the crisis, Felly truly was talented. Thus, led by the escort ship, the fleet primarily comprised of Airship Model 6 reconnaissance ships rapidly closed in on the enemy.


    In this process, the speed advantage of Airship Model 6 was fully utilized, rapidly closing a distance of hundreds of meters, and soon both sides entered into a tangled engagement.


    ¡°Fire the cannons!¡±


    As Felly roared, the gunners on deck immediately directed their firepower towards the enemy. Having barged into Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet, the nearest enemy ship was just a few meters away, allowing the powerful firepower of the escort ship to be truly demonstrated in that moment!


    Two main cannons and thirteen secondary cannons fired simultaneously, and the fierce firepower network instantly enveloped a reconnaissance ship, reducing it to pieces almost instantly, with no chance for it to retaliate before it exploded.


    ¡°Advance quickly! Advance quickly¡­¡±


    While continuing to fire, Felly also didn¡¯t forget to command the warship to advance rapidly. His goal was to tear through the enemy¡¯s formation, not to be entangled with them, so while delivering a fierce bombardment, the fleet had to keep moving forward, or else they would be in trouble.


    But he had just shouted once when the deck suddenly shook violently, causing him to fall flat on his face.


    They were hit!


    The escort ship, having pushed into the enemy¡¯s formation and unleashed its own firepower, had also become the main target of the enemy. Thus, while the flashes of the magic cannons lit up, the escort ship¡¯s defensive net sparkled sporadically, indicating that it was under concentrated enemy fire.


    The Scavenger Type 1¡¯s defensive net could withstand magic energy power of less than 500 from cannon attacks, and the enemy¡¯s reconnaissance ships were all Cheetah Type 2, whose magic cannon¡¯s power was only 450, just under 500. Thus, theoretically, unless the Scavenger Type 1¡¯s magic energy was depleted, it was not supposed to get damaged.


    But please don¡¯t forget, within Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet, there is also a flagship!


    When Felly led the fleet straight into the enemy¡¯s formation, the enemy¡¯s flagship, Baron Number, also began to show its power!


    As a flagship, Baron Number was not inferior to Thunderhawk in any aspect. In fact, if rune enhancement was not considered, its firepower would be even stronger, with fifteen secondary cannons but a considerable five main cannons!


    So when Felly led the fleet directly into the enemy lines, planning to divide the enemy, Baron Number targeted all its cannons at the escort ship he was on, and after a round of volleys, Scavenger Type 1 was directly hit by a main cannon!


    The mightily powerful main cannon pierced through the defensive net and then heavily struck the hull of the ship, easily blasting a hole in the body of the escort ship! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same time, reconnaissance ships from both sides also started to fire fiercely at each other, and in the brief moment they brushed past each other, ten warships were shot down from both sides!


    This is aerial combat, heart-shaking and incredibly brutal!


    The intertwined close-combat resulted in heavy losses for both fleets, but what came quickly also left quickly. Given that Felly¡¯s troops had the advantage in speed, as soon as he broke through the enemy¡¯s rear, he swiftly penetrated it. Although the losses were substantial, they ultimately achieved their tactical goal, successfully splitting Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet in two!


    To accomplish this objective, the losses sustained by his main force could be described as enormous. When he led his fleet to traverse the enemy¡¯s entire formation and burst out again, the reconnaissance ships that followed him had reduced from the original thirteen to eight!


    This means that in this incursion, he lost five reconnaissance ships! There was no helping it because Airship Model 6¡¯s advantage was only in speed. Although its firepower had been fortified with runes by Orton, its defensive capabilities were still too weak, making it highly vulnerable in close-quarters combat.


    Meanwhile, Felly¡¯s escort ship was also severely damaged; it had been hit by two main cannons from Baron Number, blowing a big hole in the body of the ship and another on the deck, even destroying three secondary cannons.


    In comparison, Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet suffered less. They only lost three reconnaissance ships, and the flagship itself was undamaged.


    In this round of engagement, it was clear that Baron Wolin¡¯s side had an absolute advantage.


    However, despite the heavy losses, Felly¡¯s tactics were successful. He managed to split Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet into two parts and held up ten reconnaissance ships, significantly reducing the enemies advancing towards Thunderhawk.


    ¡°Damn it! Keep pushing forward! As long as we can destroy their flagship, we win!¡±


    The middle-aged man in charge of command shouted this from Baron Number.


    At that moment, only seven reconnaissance ships remained around Baron Number. The rest were held back by Felly, forcing the middle-aged commander to make a desperate move, continuing to target Thunderhawk.


    This strategy was correct. After such a prolonged battle, both sides had suffered severe losses. At this point, it was a matter of whose large warships could endure to the end. Although Rocky¡¯s fleet had two large warships, they were scattered, meaning that if Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet could take down Thunderhawk, then Rocky¡¯s main power would be reduced to one escort ship.


    One ordinary escort ship against a flagship clearly gave Baron Wolin¡¯s side a greater chance of victory.


    So even though their forces were split, the enemy commander still decided to eliminate Thunderhawk first, knowing that once Thunderhawk was sunk, they could turn around and wipe out the remaining escort ship along with the other reconnaissance ships, and then they would win the battle!


    PS: Second update! The third update is coming soon!

 Chapter 154 - 154 - 153: Fire Dance Butterfly

    Chapter 154 ¨C 153: Fire Dance Butterfly


    When Felly took a huge risk and split the enemy¡¯s fleet in two, the enemy made the most correct and decisive decision: to continue their charge towards the Thunderhawk, striving to sink it in the shortest possible time!


    This decision was indeed correct. Although the entire fleet was divided, there were still five reconnaissance ships escorting the Baron Number around it. In contrast, there were hardly any ships left around the Thunderhawk, and the few reconnaissance ships that were there were all outdated first-generation models, practically useless in such intense combat.


    At the same time, in terms of individual combat capabilities, although both the Baron Number and the Thunderhawk were flagships, the Baron Number had somewhat more powerful firepower. Each of its five main cannons outmatched those of the Thunderhawk, so continuing to execute the previous strategic objective to sink the Thunderhawk was undoubtedly the right choice.


    Therefore, afterwards, the troops led by the Baron Number didn¡¯t bother with Felly and chose to continue moving forward. At the same time, the Thunderhawk also made the same movement; the massive warship gradually adjusted its direction in the air, clearly prepared to meet the enemy head-on.


    Flagship VS Flagship!


    The collision that could decide the outcome of this aerial battle erupted!


    However, just a moment before the two flagships were about to exchange fire, something unexpected happened.


    ...


    A reconnaissance ship to the left side of the Baron Number suddenly malfunctioned at this time, an incident that occurred without any warning, resulting in the reconnaissance ship exploding directly in the air in the blink of an eye!


    ¡°What happened!¡±


    The sudden explosion caught the commander on the Baron Number by surprise. The battlefield had been split in two: one where Felly and his main forces were battling against more than ten reconnaissance ships, and the other where it was flagship against flagship.


    Yet the two sides were still more than two hundred meters apart, not yet within the optimal range for inflicting maximum damage, and neither had opened fire.


    Under these circumstances, how could the reconnaissance ship by the Baron Number¡¯s flank have exploded?


    Was there a malfunction?


    Following the direction of the explosion, the commander and the crew members immediately looked over, and then they saw a red figure flying out from the flames! sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liliya!


    Leaping out from the blaze of the explosion, wearing the Fire Butterfly Armor, Liliya arced beautifully through the air, heading straight for another reconnaissance ship without stopping.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Void Magic Warrior!¡±


    As Liliya¡¯s figure dashed towards another reconnaissance ship, the people on the Baron Number also spotted her. Many crew members let out screams like those of women, and even the commander on the deck had an extremely ugly look on his face.


    Void Magic Warriors, an existence both loved and hated by any commander. They were cherished because having a Void Magic Warrior on one¡¯s side meant a commander could feel as though they held a trump card, for the incredible strength of a Void Magic Warrior could determine the outcome of a battle, or even a war.


    But if a Void Magic Warrior was on the enemy¡¯s side, they became a detested nuisance, these warriors being so powerful that no one except themselves could match them.


    So when the commander of the Baron Number saw Liliya, his heart sank, and a foreboding feeling enveloped him.


    In fact, this ominous premonition would be realized very quickly, because just moments later, another reconnaissance ship was hit!


    Although Liliya¡¯s strength was not yet enough to confront Baron Wolin, and she alone could not determine the outcome of the aerial battle, she could still play a disruptive role.


    With the advantage of the Void Magic Armor, she was as free as a bird in the sky. Apart from the flagship Baron Number, all other Reconnaissance Ships were her potential targets, and Liliya certainly wouldn¡¯t pass up such an advantage.


    As she approached the third Skyship clad in the Fire Butterfly Armor, the armor suddenly accelerated. It felt as though she had transformed herself into a Magic Bullet, and moments later, she smashed through the Reconnaissance Ship¡¯s Defensive Net, crashing into the vulnerable hull!


    The violent collision caused the entire Reconnaissance Ship to rock fiercely, and Liliya, like a cannonball, smashed a huge hole in the hull. Then, barging into the cabin, she used the Mana Launcher on her left hand to fire several Magic Bullets, sabotaging the ship from the inside!


    Time passed quickly, and the cabin of the Reconnaissance Ship was destroyed. Not only that, but the Medium Magic Stone that powered the ship was also shattered. After doing all this, Liliya leaped up, bursting through the deck and flying back into the midair.


    As she flew up, the severely damaged Reconnaissance Ship, with its Magic Stone destroyed, began to fall, crashing toward the ground in just a few blinks of an eye!


    Thus, Liliya destroyed another Reconnaissance Ship, and from the moment she rammed into the cabin like a bullet to when she broke through the deck and returned to the sky, it only took a few minutes!


    ¡°Fire! Fire! Shoot her down for me!¡±


    Watching another Reconnaissance Ship being sunk, the Commander aboard Baron Number immediately issued orders to fire at will. Baron Number¡¯s dozen secondary cannons, along with the remaining few Reconnaissance Ships¡¯ Magic Cannons, all began to target Liliya and opened fire!


    Yet facing the bombardment of the Magic Cannons, Liliya danced in the sky like a butterfly. With a dive, she flew beneath Baron Number, effortlessly dodging all the attacks.


    This was, in fact, an inevitable outcome. The agility of the Void Magic Armor meant that it could easily outmaneuver the Magic Cannons. In truth, even if Liliya were to hover in midair, not moving at all, the Magic Cannons would still struggle to hit her because the target was too small; trying to hit a person in the sky with a Magic Cannon was no different than trying to shoot a bird from the sky.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    As he watched helplessly Liliya escape beneath Baron Number, the Commander on deck cursed vehemently, knowing all too well this would be the outcome. The order to open fire was given in the faint hope for a miracle.


    But miracles don¡¯t occur easily. Not only did it not happen, it reaffirmed a timeless truth: only Void Magic Armor can combat another Void Magic Armor!


    ¡°Where is Baron Wolin¡­ Why hasn¡¯t he returned yet¡­¡±


    Feeling helpless against Liliya, the Commander on Baron Number thought of Baron Wolin, for he too was a Void Magic Warrior. If only Wolin could return, Liliya would no longer be so brazen. But considering the time, the battle had been ongoing for quite a while, so why hadn¡¯t Baron Wolin returned yet?


    Indeed, why hadn¡¯t Baron Wolin returned?


    Because he couldn¡¯t return!


    At that moment, Baron Wolin was entangled by Rocky!


    This statement seemed utterly unbelievable. With his strength, combined with the advantage of his Armor, he should have been able to defeat Rocky after just a few exchanges. How could he possibly be tied down by him?


    But he was indeed entangled, and he was so ensnared that he couldn¡¯t extricate himself at all!


    PS: The third update! The next two updates will come a bit later!

 Chapter 155 - 155 - 154 Thunderhawk VS Baron!

    Chapter 155 ¨C 154 Thunderhawk VS Baron!


    Baron Wolin had not anticipated that his battle with Rocky would ultimately take this turn.


    In his expectations, he should have dispatched Rocky in no time at all, then returned to command the fleet and secure victory in the decisive battle for Thunderhawk City¡¯s control!


    Unfortunately, though this thought was beautiful, reality veered sharply in the opposite direction.


    The fleet he relied on gained no advantage in the battle, leaving the aerial combat unresolved to this day, and he hadn¡¯t dispatched Rocky as quickly as he¡¯d planned¡ªinstead, Rocky¡¯s persistent engagement was keeping him from returning to command the fleet.


    Such a turn of events was far beyond Baron Wolin¡¯s expectations.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Liliya, relying on the advantage of her Armor, persistently consumed one Reconnaissance Ship after another, a movement that naturally did not escape Baron Wolin¡¯s notice. As a Void Magic Warrior himself, he knew better than anyone the sheer destructive power an unrestrained Void Magic Warrior could wield in aerial combat, and he knew she must be controlled.


    ...


    This situation made him anxious to return to the flagship Baron Number, and as long as he could get back, Liliya would surely not dare continue her rampage.


    But how could Rocky possibly let him have his way? Baron Wolin had failed to return to his command previously, and this time it was even less likely that Rocky would let him go!


    So when Baron Wolin attempted to disengage, Rocky charged at full speed directly towards him!


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    Facing the sword strike from behind by Rocky, an infuriated sweep from Baron Wolin sent him flying, but the flung Rocky took advantage of the momentum to fire a series of Magic Bullets in retreat.


    The Magic Bullets he fired couldn¡¯t injure Baron Wolin in terms of power, but they effectively prevented him from breaking away, because even Baron Wolin couldn¡¯t ignore the relentless assault from Rocky at his back.


    Indeed, from the start of the battle, Rocky had consistently used this method to tie down Baron Wolin.


    Rocky wasn¡¯t Liliya; since the first time he donned the Void Magic Armor half a year ago, he had always relied on the Armor in combat and had thus become extremely skilled in its use. Perhaps his techniques and experience still couldn¡¯t compare to Baron Wolin¡¯s, but managing to entangle the Baron was certainly within his capabilities.


    Especially after the mission in Backhill Village, the essence of restraint had become second nature to Rocky, as he had managed to hold back not just one Demon but dozens at a time, all on his own, earning him substantial experience in this aspect.


    Although Baron Wolin was strong, compared to the Demons in terms of ferocity and madness, he fell somewhat short, making restraining him not that difficult for Rocky.


    Of course, ¡¯not that difficult¡¯ is a relative term, and in truth, Rocky was constantly in grave danger while entangled with Baron Wolin, a fact revealed by the long sword scar on his chest.


    On Rocky¡¯s breastplate, there was a huge sword scar, stretching from the left shoulder to the right waist, nearly cleaving the Blood Pattern Mark II¡¯s chestplate in two!


    This fierce and terrifying sword scar was the handiwork of Baron Wolin!


    ¡°Son of a bitch! This damned guy!¡±


    Seeing Rocky clinging to him as stubbornly as ever, like a cockroach that just won¡¯t die, Baron Wolin couldn¡¯t help but curse out loud and was forced once again into combat with him.


    But the result of this dogfight was no different from before. Rocky could be described as hit-and-run, provoking Baron Wolin before immediately beginning to flee, and his escape techniques were quite skilled. Darting and dodging in the air like an eel, he made it utterly impossible for Baron Wolin to catch him. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just like now, Baron Wolin, relying on the speed advantage of his armor, had finally caught up to him. Just as he was about to land a sword strike, Rocky suddenly changed direction, switching from moving forward to descending, sinking several meters in the air in an instant. Then, after a few harassing shots from his Magic Bullets, he immediately turned tail and fled.


    This was the combat style of the Void Magic Armor. Unlike traditional fighting methods, combat in the Void Magic Armor was not flat but three-dimensional, especially in the air, where there is space in every direction.


    And faced with Rocky¡¯s escape, Baron Wolin naturally wouldn¡¯t let him have his way. He quickly changed direction in an even more adept and skilled manner, chasing after him once again.


    In this way, both sides engaged in a deadly chase in the sky, and before long, time had passed¡­


    When Baron Wolin found himself unwittingly held up by Rocky, the most intense clash of the aerial battle finally began¡ªthe flagship of each party, Thunderhawk and Baron Number, finally encountered each other!


    These two massive flagships were the strongest firepower in their respective fleets, both spanning over one hundred fifty meters in length. Amidst the many reconnaissance ships, they were behemoths, and now, the two steel giants finally met face to face!


    At this very moment, Baron Number finally charged towards Thunderhawk, which had been lying in wait, ready for its opponent¡¯s approach.


    After previous bouts of warfare, both flagships were left without extra reconnaissance ships for escorts. Most of the older models around Thunderhawk had been sunk, and the few remaining wisely kept their distance. As for the reconnaissance ships that had been with Baron Number, they had all been picked off by Liliya one after another.


    So, when the two flagships came face to face, each stood alone, free of any interference. This effectively allowed the two beasts to duke it out, to determine who would be the king of this aerial battle with one decisive fight!


    Two hundred meters¡­


    One hundred fifty meters¡­


    One hundred meters¡­!!


    When the distance between them closed in to less than a hundred meters, the two behemoths began to roar simultaneously!


    The Thunderhawk¡¯s four main cannons and twenty secondary cannons fired at once, and Baron Number¡¯s Magic Cannons were not a beat behind, bursting into flames simultaneously!


    For a moment, the sound of artillery formed a continuous barrage, especially the deafening boom of the main cannons, which was exceptionally piercing. The simultaneous fire from the main cannons of both flagships caused ear-ringing in the crews on their respective decks.


    However, because it was prepared, Thunderhawk gained some advantage in this round of cannonade since it had adjusted the warship¡¯s position in advance, presenting its side towards Baron Number. This allowed all gun ports on the ship to aim and attack.


    Conversely, Baron Number, coming in with a charge, faced Thunderhawk with its bow, resulting in half of its Magic Cannons being unable to take aim. Even among the five main cannons, only the two located at the bow could fire.


    But similarly, because Baron Number was facing the barrage with its bow, the target area was smaller. Whereas Thunderhawk, presenting its broadside to Baron Number, had a larger target area and, in the first exchange, was actually hit first, struck by Baron Number¡¯s main cannon!


    PS: Delivering the fourth update! The fifth one is up next!

 Chapter 156 - 156 - 155: Won?

    Chapter 156 ¨C 155: Won?


    After the first round of cannon fire passed between the two flagships, the Baron Number was the first to hit the Thunderhawk!


    As ships of the same generation and tier, they generally shared similar configurations. However, there were some differences in detail, such as the fact that the firepower of the Baron Number was somewhat stronger than that of the Thunderhawk, especially its main cannon, which not only had one more gun, but also had greater power, reaching a formidable 1500 points!


    Being directly hit by such a powerful main cannon, even as a flagship, the Thunderhawk¡¯s hull experienced violent shaking. With a power of 1500, the Magic Cannon, after piercing through the Defensive Net, still retained considerable force and struck directly at the hull!


    Fortunately, the Thunderhawk¡¯s hallmark was its strong overall capabilities; although its main cannons¡¯ quantity and original power were much lower than those of the Baron Number, its defensive power was much stronger. The Thunderhawk itself had a Defensive Net of 1000 points, and its thick hull armor allowed it to withstand Magic Cannon attacks of power 500 or less.


    The relationship between the Magic Cannons and the Defensive Net was one of mutual cancellation, meaning that a Magic Cannon with a power of 1500, after hitting a Defensive Net of 1000 strength, would have its power reduced by 1000 points; by the time it hit the hull, the power of the Magic Cannon would be only 500 points.


    As a result, even though the Thunderhawk was directly hit by the main cannon, it wasn¡¯t critically damaged, thanks to its sufficiently thick armor, and the hull ultimately just sustained a large dent.


    But don¡¯t forget, this was only the first round of cannon fire!


    ...


    Following the long-distance cannon fire, the distance between the two ships continued to close rapidly, almost in the blink of an eye, drawing within one hundred meters, and that¡¯s when the real brutal battle officially kicked off!


    Once they came within a hundred meters, the hit rate of their Magic Cannons soared dramatically¡ªthe closer the range, the higher the hit rate.


    ¡°Turn the bow! Fire all Magic Cannons!¡±


    As the distance gradually closed, the Commander of the Baron Number issued the command, gradually turning the ship to align its sides, aiming all cannons at the Thunderhawk and ordering all Magic Cannons to fire simultaneously!


    At this moment, the Commander of the Baron Number was full of confidence, well aware of the kind of flagship the opponent had. Scavenger Type 1 Escort¡¯s flagship had decent overall capabilities, but without any significant weaknesses, it also meant no particular strengths, whereas the Baron Number, on the other hand, had a major advantage¡ªit was significantly powerful in firepower!


    Five main cannons with a power of 1500 points each, fifteen secondary cannons with 1000 points each¡ªthe Baron Number might not have particularly many Magic Cannons in total, but the power of both its main and secondary cannons were incredibly strong, giving it a huge advantage in close-range bombardments.


    So, in the Baron Number Commander¡¯s view, once they engaged the Thunderhawk in close combat, there was no doubt¡ªthey had already won this confrontation.


    ¡°Lads! Victory hinges on this!¡±


    ¡°Everyone, fire at will!¡±


    Similarly, the crew on the Thunderhawk couldn¡¯t possibly beat a retreat at this time. Uncle Wil, in charge of the deck, not only shouted loudly to boost morale but also joined the battle himself, personally taking a seat in front of a Magic Cannon as a gunner.


    Shortly after, every Magic Cannon on both the Baron Number and Thunderhawk fired simultaneously!


    The cannon muzzles, erupting with flames, roared together at this instant¡ªthe spectacle of over forty Magic Cannons from the two flagships firing together at such close distance, how astonishing was that?


    The roar of over forty Magic Cannons was truly like thunder, not only causing a buzzing in the ears of all the crew members on both warships but even affecting the land below.


    The Demons on land were startled by this barrage and suddenly raised their heads to look toward the sky; in the air, Rocky and Baron Wolin, locked in a stalemate, tacitly pulled away from each other and looked in the same direction; even Felly and others still fiercely fighting their enemies directed their gazes toward the source of the cannon smoke at this moment.


    In the cannon fire that touched everyone, Mana Cannonballs formed from magic energy struck the opponents¡¯ flagships instantly, and the Defensive Nets of both flagships suddenly lit up, then dimmed just as quickly.


    Helpless, the firepower output by the flagships at that instant was simply too overwhelming. Moreover, with both ships exceeding 150 meters in length and spaced less than a hundred meters apart, they were basically no different from targets, and thus their Magic Cannons nearly all hit their mark¡ªthe secondary cannons all hit, the main cannons all hit!


    In such circumstances, neither the defensive net of Baron Number nor that of Thunderhawk could withstand such intense concentrated attacks, and both exceeded their defensive load in a flash, going completely dark.


    Of course, the darkening of the defensive nets was only temporary. They could be reopened after recharging, but during this recharging period, both flagships were like naked girls, devoid of any external defensive power.


    So, when the defensive nets went down, the cannonballs, either partially neutralized or completely unaffected by any neutralizing force, fell onto the hulls of the ships! S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It must be said that the firepower of Baron Number was truly formidable, with just the secondary cannons reaching a power of 1,000 points. Thus, when the defensive net of Thunderhawk disappeared, several secondary cannons hit the hull cleanly, immediately sending fragments of heavy armor flying everywhere. Two of the shots landed close together, nearly punching a huge hole in Thunderhawk!


    This outcome was due to the fact that Thunderhawk was equipped with heavy armor. Had it not been for the armor on the hull, just the secondary cannons of Baron Number alone could have inflicted severe damage.


    Unfortunately, Baron Number¡¯s fame didn¡¯t rely on its secondary cannons but its main cannon! In the recent exchange of fire, all five of Baron Number¡¯s main cannons fired at once, and all hit their target!


    Why was Thunderhawk¡¯s defensive net shattered? It was because it was hit by four main cannon shots at the same time, each delivering a devastating 1,500 points of power. Thunderhawk¡¯s defensive net couldn¡¯t last even a second before breaking.


    However, after passing through the defensive net, the power of the four main cannon shots significantly decreased, and the impact on Thunderhawk was even less than that of the secondary cannons.


    But, as five main cannons fired simultaneously, while four of the shots were neutralized by the defensive net, one shot from the main cannon faced no interference and struck Thunderhawk with 100% of its power!


    This was a testament to the seasoned skills of Baron Number¡¯s commander; he had deliberately ordered the gunner of one main cannon to fire a second later. That second allowed the four cannons that fired earlier to shatter the defensive net first, clearing the way for the last main cannon¡¯s shot to hit unimpeded!


    What is a main cannon?


    It is the most formidable weapon, capable of destroying an enemy ship with a single shot, or at least severely damaging it!


    Thunderhawk, directly hit by the main cannon, immediately suffered severe damage. A large hole was blown right through the hull; the Magic Energy Cannonball, with a power of 1,500, penetrated from the left side of the ship and flew out the right, chillingly piercing Thunderhawk through and through!


    ¡°We won!¡±


    Baron Wolin, who was not entangled with Rocky at the moment, exclaimed excitedly upon seeing this scene because he knew he had won!


    Although Thunderhawk, struck by the cannon, hadn¡¯t sunk yet, it had already been severely damaged and couldn¡¯t possibly withstand a second round of bombardment from Baron Number. This meant that when Baron Number launched its second volley of fire, the end of Thunderhawk was imminent!


    ¡°We won!¡±


    But just as he was bubbling with excitement, Rocky also let out a similarly excited shout!


    This shout puzzled Baron Wolin. His flagship was about to be sunk, what was he shouting for, to celebrate his own defeat?


    However, as Baron Wolin thought about this and glanced unintentionally at his own Baron Number, he was completely stunned¡­


    ¡°How, how could this be!¡±


    Looking at his own Baron Number, Baron Wolin was utterly baffled¡­!


    PS: Here¡¯s the fifth update! Ten updates in two days, Little Detective has really tried his best, I hope everyone will enjoy it!

 Chapter 157 - 157 - 156: Victory and Defeat

    Chapter 157 ¨C 156: Victory and Defeat


    Baron Wolin, who thought he had won, glanced at Baron Number inadvertently and then his eyes widened in shock.


    Because in his view, Baron Number was already tilting slowly in the air, seemingly about to be sunk!


    ¡°What, what¡¯s going on!¡±


    Seeing this scene, Baron Wolin was completely confounded on the spot. He couldn¡¯t believe this was real, for anyone could see that Baron Number was about to be sunk!


    How could this be possible!


    As he watched his flagship teetering on the brink of falling, Baron Wolin even rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was seeing things wrong due to eye problems caused by the prolonged battle?


    Baron Number and Thunderhawk were flagships of the same generation and class, so it was understandable that both would suffer losses after a round of artillery fire, but why was his own flagship about to be sunk?


    ...


    The two flagships were nearly identical in all aspects, so why could Thunderhawk sink the Baron Number with just one round of fire? Even if it were possible, it should be Baron Number, with its more powerful firepower and mightier main cannons, that would sink the Thunderhawk. How could it be the other way around?


    No wonder Baron Wolin had such thoughts, for it was indeed rare to see the outcome of a battle between flagships decided in a single round of firing. Under similar generation and class, it didn¡¯t make sense to have such a one-sided result.


    But what Baron Wolin didn¡¯t know was that this outcome was the one that made sense, sadly, it was a sense he did not understand.


    Indeed, Baron Number¡¯s firepower was stronger than Thunderhawk¡¯s, but that was in comparison to the original Thunderhawk without any enhancements. The present Thunderhawk had been enhanced by Orton with mana runes.


    Perhaps due to time and technical constraints, its defensive power hadn¡¯t been reinforced in time, but the firepower of Thunderhawk had indeed been enhanced by runes, resulting in a significant increase!


    After rune enhancement, Thunderhawk¡¯s firepower experienced an unprecedented boost, with the main cannon¡¯s power increasing from the original 1300 to 1700 points! The twenty secondary cannons also saw a substantial increase from 700 to 1000 points in power!


    As a result, even though Thunderhawk had one less main cannon than Baron Number, its power was a full level higher. In addition, the rune-enhanced secondary cannons not only matched the power of Baron Number¡¯s but exceeded it with five more cannons. This gave Thunderhawk an edge in the firepower contest, resulting in this unbelievable defeat.


    After both fired at each other, Baron Number also suffered a full blow as all of Thunderhawk¡¯s magic energy cannon shells hit their target, including the four main cannons and twenty secondary ones.


    At this moment, the weakness of Baron Number was exposed: its defense was too weak!


    Baron Number¡¯s defensive net had only 900 points, and the warship¡¯s armor itself was not thick enough to block magic cannon attacks of more than 300 points in power. That level of defense might have been sufficient against the original Thunderhawk whose firepower was not particularly strong, but against the rune-enhanced Thunderhawk, it was far too fragile.


    Thus, after a round of firing, Baron Number¡¯s defensive net was instantly destroyed, and even after the defensive net absorbed some of the impact, the shells from Thunderhawk¡¯s four main cannons still had an equivalent power of 800, given that Baron Number¡¯s defensive net had only 900 points.


    Shells with 800 power directly hitting the unprotected hull, which had only a thin layer of armor, had predictable consequences. Moreover, once the defensive net was breached, the advantage of Thunderhawk¡¯s greater number of secondary cannons was also evident; despite some of the shells hitting the defensive net, a multitude managed to strike Baron Number¡¯s hull after the net was broken.


    With the rune enhancement, Thunderhawk¡¯s secondary cannon power was also a full 1000 points, and with sufficient numbers hitting the target, Baron Number withstood the main cannons but fell before the barrage of secondary cannons.


    Facing the 1000-power secondary cannons, just one round of firing resulted in six or seven gaping holes in the hull of Baron Number. Although it wasn¡¯t blown through by a single shot, the actual damage inflicted was enormous!


    The Baron Number, severely damaged, listed sharply. Holes punched into its body began smoking, and even its speed slowed down, until it almost completely stopped, suspended in midair, motionless. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In contrast, Thunderhawk, although also hit by a primary cannon, had only taken a single hit. While severely damaged was a certainty, it at least retained enough combat strength and maintained a certain speed.


    With that, the outcome became quite clear. The Baron Number, due to its listing, caused more than half of its magic cannons to be unable to aim properly, and with the main cannons recharging, its firepower dropped several notches instantaneously.


    Meanwhile, Thunderhawk capitalized on its own maneuverability to circle behind the Baron Number. With the enemy¡¯s firepower already reduced, it successfully evaded part of the magic cannon¡¯s aim, while its own magic cannons began a relentless bombardment.


    The bombardment this time wasn¡¯t as loud and thunderous as before, because this assault was entirely one-sided, coming from Thunderhawk alone.


    Yet this bombardment was even more exhilarating!


    As the continuous barrage struck the Baron Number, it shattered into pieces, devoid of any power to fight back.


    But a flagship is a flagship after all, even motionlessly taking hits, Baron Number withstood the secondary cannons¡¯ two rounds of attack, enduring until Thunderhawk¡¯s four main cannons recharged. Finally, it was blasted in two amid the roaring cannons and plummeted down from the sky¡­


    Baron vs. Thunderhawk: Victory for Thunderhawk!


    ¡°Brothers! The enemy¡¯s flagship has been sunk, victory is within our grasp!¡±


    As the flagship Baron Number fell, the tipping point in this air battle finally emerged. The morale of all remaining airships on Rocky¡¯s side surged; the crew on every warship seemed as if they were injected with new life.


    By stark contrast, Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet descended into utter chaos. The few remaining reconnaissance ships began buzzing around aimlessly like headless flies, with one even rushing in front of an escort ship¡¯s cannon and being directly blasted out of the sky.


    In such a state, the battle might still be ongoing, but the outcome of this air fight had already been decided. Rocky still had six or seven Airship Model 6 reconnaissance ships, and more importantly, both large warships were intact with considerable combat strength.


    Baron Wolin, however, had his flagship destroyed and only the same number of reconnaissance ships left, signaling that the tide had turned.


    ¡°How could¡­ this¡­ happen¡­¡±


    Watching his flagship being destroyed, Baron Wolin was stunned, staring blankly into space for a long time.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t long before he snapped out of his shock, and without caring whether Rocky was still engaging him, he drew an arc in the sky and rushed toward the few remaining reconnaissance ships.


    As for the fleeing Baron Wolin, Rocky chose not to pursue. Because he no longer needed to¡ªno, it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t need to, but he would certainly not let Wolin escape.


    It was just that right now, he didn¡¯t need to rely on his own strength to confront Wolin. What Rocky needed to do was to return to his flagship and use the remaining fleet to thoroughly ensnare Baron Wolin!

 Chapter 158 - 158 - 157: Pursuit!

    Chapter 158 ¨C 157: Pursuit!


    The sinking of his flagship threw Baron Wolin into complete disarray, and without further regard for whether Rocky continued to entangle him, he immediately returned to his fleet.


    However, at this time, Rocky did not relentlessly pursue; although he was not one to easily let Baron Wolin escape, he also understood that if he continued to tangle with the enemy, they would truly be forced into a desperate fight. Hence, he too chose to return to his fleet.


    The situation could now be said to be highly advantageous to Rocky; the destruction of ¡°Baron Number¡± meant the enemy had lost their linchpin, and the remaining seven or eight reconnaissance ships could hardly cause any stir. On Rocky¡¯s side, the number of reconnaissance ships had also dwindled to seven or eight, but two large warships remained intact and preserved considerable combat capacity.


    This, in fact, represented Rocky¡¯s victory in this space battle!


    With this outcome, it was only natural for him to return to his ¡°Thunderhawk,¡± after which he ordered the ¡°Thunderhawk¡± and the escort ship with Felly aboard to converge and jointly eliminate Baron Wolin¡¯s remaining warships.


    Under such circumstances, although Baron Wolin had returned to a reconnaissance ship and finally took command, it was too late: his fleet, which had once grandly numbered over thirty ships, was decimated after an intense battle to a mere seven or eight, leaving Baron Wolin powerless, even as he resumed command.


    Therefore, he had no choice but to flee¡­


    ...


    Back aboard the reconnaissance ship, despite his heartache, Baron Wolin made a decisive retreat order, and the remaining reconnaissance ships immediately fled towards Matu City.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Standing on the deck of the reconnaissance ship, Baron Wolin¡¯s eyes were filled with nothing but unwillingness, because even now, even with his fleet decimated, he still couldn¡¯t understand how he could possibly have lost! Even when the ¡°Thunderhawk¡± and ¡°Baron Number¡± began their duel, he had always believed that he would ultimately be the one seated on the City Lord¡¯s throne.


    Who could have imagined it would end up like this, with him having to beat a hasty retreat?


    Such an outcome, Baron Wolin could not accept.


    But whether he accepted it or not, the result couldn¡¯t be changed. He had no chance of a comeback, and in reality, this defeat had been predetermined.


    Because in this battle, Baron Wolin had committed nearly every cardinal sin in warfare!


    Firstly, he was overconfident. From the moment he received the family¡¯s orders, Baron Wolin never considered that Rocky might resist. In his view, Rocky should have simply fled upon seeing him, or rather, he should have fled immediately upon hearing the news. This belief persisted in his mind even as the two fleets faced off against each other.


    Secondly, he was unprepared.


    Due to his overconfidence, Baron Wolin had made no preparations for combat, both mentally and in his actions. Despite bringing his fleet, it was more akin to moving house; he transferred all his belongings to Thunderhawk City, turning the battle with Rocky into a classic case of the unprepared against the prepared.


    Lastly, Baron Wolin made critical errors in his battlefield decisions.


    To be fair, he had countless opportunities to win the battle because in terms of fleet size and quality, he was not inferior to Rocky. Moreover, in personal combat ability and command skills, he was far superior to Rocky, which should have been the basis for his victory.


    But what happened? From beginning to end, he never truly exploited these opportunities. Retreating ten thousand steps, even if he had avoided this space battle and returned to Matu City upon realizing that Rocky was prepared, waiting until he was ready to settle the score with Rocky, he would not have lost as miserably as now.


    But he did not do that.


    So, Baron Wolin lost with no sense of injustice, for his underestimation led to lack of preparedness, and that caused a series of mistakes. These factors compounded, ultimately leading to his defeat.


    However, it¡¯s useless to talk about this now since Baron Wolin has already lost. All he could do now was to try and save his own life! Because Rocky wasn¡¯t planning to let him go!


    As Baron Wolin commanded the remaining Reconnaissance Ships to retreat to Matu City, the Thunderhawk had already met up with the Escort Ships and then began a ferocious pursuit.


    The principle of not pursuing a defeated foe was no longer applicable. With two large warships at his disposal, Rocky held the absolute advantage. Even if Baron Wolin counterattacked, it would be futile. As a Void Magic Warrior himself, it was impossible for Baron Wolin to resist an entire fleet with his own strength. His Armor wasn¡¯t formidable enough to take down a flagship.


    Moreover, Rocky and Liliya were also forces to be reckoned with.


    With no other choice, Baron Wolin was forced to flee desperately.


    Yet, Rocky didn¡¯t want to let him live to fight another day. Firstly, he didn¡¯t want to release the tiger back to its mountain, and secondly, he believed that only by killing Baron Wolin would the Mairente Family truly feel the pain and understand the consequences of bullying him, making them think twice before targeting him in the future.


    In such circumstances, Baron Wolin¡¯s predicament was indescribably perilous. Throughout the ordeal, cannonballs exploded around his Reconnaissance Ship, leaving him terrified. But he was also somewhat lucky. Although his ship was continuously bombarded with main and secondary cannons from the two warships, it never got hit, allowing him to finally escape back to Matu City safely.


    ¡°Quick! Open the Defensive Net!¡±


    Upon returning to Matu City, Baron Wolin, without waiting for the Reconnaissance Ship to land, flew ahead to the Skyport, then shouted at the soldiers there. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My lord, what, what are you talking about¡­?¡±


    The soldiers of Matu City were completely baffled by his words and did not react at all.


    ¡°Enemies! Enemies are coming, open the Defensive Net quickly!¡±


    Grabbing the soldier¡¯s collar in a grip, Baron Wolin bellowed, and at this point, the soldier finally understood and immediately ran off in haste.


    After a few minutes had passed, the Defensive Net of Matu City was deployed, a faintly visible shield slowly enveloping the entire floating city.


    Meanwhile, the Lord of Matu City, who had heard the news, also met Baron Wolin and was just as perplexed as the soldier had been.


    ¡°City Lord Wolin, what, what¡¯s happened to you?¡±


    Staring at the disheveled Baron Wolin, the Lord of Matu City gaped, dumbfounded for a moment, before managing to voice a rather inconsequential question.


    It wasn¡¯t that Matu was too slow, but he simply couldn¡¯t fathom Baron Wolin losing!


    But as soon as he asked the question, and before Baron Wolin could answer, one of the guards exclaimed: ¡°City Lord! Enemies!¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Hearing this, Matu abruptly looked up to find Rocky already positioning his fleet outside Matu City¡¯s Defensive Net!

 Chapter 159 - 159 - 158: Venting Anger?

    Chapter 159 ¨C 158: Venting Anger?


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s fleet appear outside the Defensive Net, Matu was immediately bewildered, and after being confused for a moment, he grabbed Baron Wolin!


    ¡°Wolin, what¡¯s going on! Whose fleet are these!¡±


    ¡°These¡­ are¡­ Rocky¡¯s fleet¡­¡±


    Baron Wolin, who was grabbed by Matu, had lost the arrogance he had a few days ago and dejectedly gave the answer.


    Hearing this answer, Matu¡¯s eyes widened, and his surprised expression distorted his entire face!


    ¡°Rocky¡¯s fleet? The very Rocky that you were supposed to drive away?¡±


    While speaking, Matu looked outside the Defensive Net, towards the fleet stationed there.


    ...


    Even without Baron Wolin¡¯s explanation, Matu could guess what was happening, but precisely because he guessed it, he found it even more unbelievable.


    He recalled Baron Wolin telling him that the City Lord of Thunderhawk City was nothing but a coward, not to speak of resisting, he would wet himself and scamper away at the sight of him, so how had it ended up with Baron Wolin coming back in such a disgraceful state?


    What was more important, what did Rocky intend to do by stopping his fleet outside his Sky City? Could it be¡­ could it be that he intended to attack the city?


    Hearing the possibilities in his mind, Matu then heard the thundering sounds of cannon fire, and soon saw the fleet outside vigorously attacking the Defensive Net!


    Rocky was truly beginning the siege!


    ¡°Order all warships, fire at will!¡±


    Accompanied by Liliya, Rocky stood on the bow of the Thunderhawk, coldly watching Matu City and the Defensive Net that stood between him and Matu City, and issued the command to commence firing!


    To siege!


    This command marked the start of a siege, but Rocky himself didn¡¯t realize it because he never thought about whether he could take down Matu City. He simply didn¡¯t want Baron Wolin to have an easy time, nor anyone else who helped bully him, just that simple!


    Following his command, the Thunderhawk, the Escort Ships, and the remaining few Airship Model 6 Reconnaissance Ships all aimed their cannons at Matu City!


    The deafening sound of cannons fired a second later, and numerous cannonballs soon landed on the expanded Defensive Net of Matu City, causing specks of light to continuously burst forth, almost like an umbrella under the barrage of raindrops.


    But the Defensive Net of Sky City was indeed strong, and even though each cannon shot from the warships hit accurately, it still did not shatter after several rounds of bombardment.


    But this was only temporary, as any Defensive Net has a limit, whether it¡¯s enduring over the limit or overloading beyond its capacity, in any case, given enough time, any Defensive Net would be blown open.


    As the ruler, Matu of course knew this, so when Rocky began his offensive, he truly became nervous.


    Although Matu City had a population of three thousand, there were only fifteen warships, all third-generation Reconnaissance Ships, and not even a single large warship existed among them. These warships if sent out would be totally annihilated by the flagship and Escort Ships, unable to drive away Rocky, thus Matu could only vent his rage on Baron Wolin.


    ¡°Wolin, what exactly is going on! Why is this Rocky attacking my city!¡±


    ¡°My Lord, this Rocky¡­¡±


    Having just been defeated, the current Baron Wolin was like a deflated ball, not only devoid of his previous arrogance and confidence, but even when facing Matu he no longer presumed the identity of City Lord, instead directly addressing Matu as ¡¯My Lord¡¯.


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, Matu rudely interrupted him.


    With the situation reaching this stage and endangering his own comfort, how could Matu remain polite to Baron Wolin?


    Before, he had respected the Baron because of the latter¡¯s imminent position as City Lord, his role in one of the great families, and the powerful fleet at his disposal. But now that Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet had been destroyed and he was no longer going to become the City Lord, and most infuriatingly, he brought an enemy to Matu¡¯s doorstep, how could Matu possibly show him any courtesy?


    ¡°Wolin! I don¡¯t care what grudges you have with Rocky, but you need to resolve this matter right now and not drag me into this!¡±


    Looking fiercely at Baron Wolin, Matu almost commanded him.


    Baron Wolin, however, had no choice but to speak humbly; under such circumstances, he had to bow his head, for if Matu really threw him out, then he would truly be finished.


    So, facing Matu¡¯s menacing gaze, Baron Wolin immediately said in an extremely meek manner, ¡°City Lord, please calm your anger, Rocky is just venting, he won¡¯t stay long.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! What if he keeps bombarding us? What if he actually breaches the Defensive Net! Go and resolve this issue right now!¡±


    ¡°City Lord, please consider the Mairente Family¡¯s sake, and on Lord Lexington¡¯s account, help me this time, I will surely repay you generously in the future!¡±


    Faced with Matu clearly intending to hand him over, Baron Wolin had no choice but to bring up his family and his own master.


    His words did have an effect. At the mention of the Mairente Family and Lexington, Matu¡¯s expression, though still grim, eased off and he said no more.


    The Mairente Family was not to be trifled with, as Matu couldn¡¯t afford to provoke them, and Lexington was not only Baron Wolin¡¯s direct superior but also a powerful figure within the Mairente Family, owning a vast Sky City, an existence too formidable for Matu to provoke.


    In this situation, Matu thought for a long time, cursed Baron Wolin as a ¡°useless¡± and then walked away.


    About ten minutes later, Matu reappeared at the skyport, already clad in a suit of Void Magic Armor, and then boarded a reconnaissance ship, leading his entire fleet to ascend.


    It looked like he planned to resolve the matter himself.


    ¡°Sir, someone is coming.¡±


    Onboard the Thunderhawk, Rocky and his team observed Matu and over ten reconnaissance ships slowly approaching. Shortly thereafter, they arrived at the Defensive Net, and just like when Rocky confronted Baron Wolin, they faced off through the net.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s check it out.¡±


    Seeing Matu and the ten-plus reconnaissance ships on the ships, Rocky showed no fear, lifted off with Liliya, and flew to the foremost part of the fleet.


    Matu inside the Defensive Net did the same, but he didn¡¯t rely on his Void Magic Armor to fly over; instead, he took his own reconnaissance ship.


    This was not because Matu was cautious, but because he dared not come alone!


    Although Matu was considered a Void Magic Warrior and wore a Fifth Generation Armor worth hundreds of thousands of gold coins, he dared not face Rocky alone, because he had never engaged in any battle!


    His Void Magic Armor was solely for demonstrating his status, never having been used in combat, so not to mention facing Rocky and Liliya alone, he found it difficult even to fly from the ship to meet them.


    Similarly, his fleet had never participated in any major battles, whether in terms of experience, capability, or especially morale, they were incomparable to Rocky¡¯s fleet.


    Whether a person has self-confidence or a sense of security is immediately noticeable, so when Rocky saw Matu approaching in his skyship, a sneer crossed his mind, and a previously unthought-of idea gradually formed in his brain! S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 160 - 160 - 159: One Thousand People!

    Chapter 160 ¨C 159: One Thousand People!


    Standing at the bow, even though Lord of Matu City wore Void Magic Armor and was separated from Rocky by a Defensive Net, he still felt uneasy.


    This unease was not so much about whether Rocky could really hurt him, but more about Matu¡¯s own lack of confidence.


    As a City Lord himself, he paled in comparison to Rocky; this was evident from the comparative strength of their respective aerial cities. Rocky¡¯s Sky City had a population of barely two thousand, yet he had already established a formidable fleet. The city¡¯s development was well-organized, and everything was thriving. Thus, he was able to defeat Baron Wolin, whose strength was slightly superior.


    While Matu¡¯s Sky City had a population of three thousand, it was inferior in every aspect to Thunderhawk City, especially in military strength. Even though Rocky¡¯s fleet had just been through a major battle, it was still stronger than Matu¡¯s fleet.


    Matu was acutely aware of this substantial disparity in hard power, so despite having the same rank, his mindset could not help but be submissive when confronting Rocky, as he simply lacked the strength.


    But now that things had come to this, even though he was extremely reluctant, Matu had to face Rocky, who was bombarding his city.


    ¡°Lord Rocky, what is the meaning of this?¡±


    ...


    Standing at the bow, behind the Defensive Net, Matu gathered his courage for quite a while before he finally shouted at Rocky, actually managing to sound somewhat authoritative.


    ¡°How audacious! Who are you to speak to the City Lord like that?¡±


    Before Rocky could respond, Liliya, who was nearby, sternly rebuked him!


    It was a show of intimidation!


    Liliya could obviously tell that Matu was the ruler of the city they were facing, evident from his authoritative demeanor and the Void Magic Armor he wore, but she deliberately feigned ignorance in order to intimidate him.


    Matu, who had just been scolded by Liliya, instantly turned crimson with embarrassment. When had he, as a City Lord, ever been rebuked like this?


    Unfortunately, now in a situation where the enemy was stronger, Matu clenched his teeth and swallowed his anger, glaring fiercely at Liliya: ¡°I am Lord Matu! Lord Rocky, by attacking my city without provocation, are you trying to provoke a war between cities?¡±


    ¡°Unprovoked?¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky scoffed and then flew forward a distance, continuing until he was just a few meters away from the Skyship, stopping in front of the Defensive Net separating them.


    ¡°Lord Matu, you aid and abet evil, helping Baron Wolin invade my Thunderhawk City and you dare claim it¡¯s unprovoked?¡±


    After saying this, he didn¡¯t waste any more words, and simply retreated back to Liliya¡¯s side, slowly raising his left hand in the process.


    As he completely raised his left hand, the booming sound of cannons erupted, and the fleet behind him simultaneously opened fire, launching another fierce attack on the Defensive Net!


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The sudden barrage startled Matu into shouting. He hadn¡¯t expected Rocky to open fire without more discussion, and if it hadn¡¯t been for the guards by his side, he would have nearly collapsed onto the deck.


    Matu couldn¡¯t be blamed, because even though protected by the Defensive Net, facing the simultaneous firing from dozens of Magic Cannons was enough to frighten anyone.


    Once the barrage ended, Rocky slowly lowered his hand, and the fleet behind him stopped shooting. After that, he flew up to the Defensive Net again.


    ¡°Lord Matu, if you do not want your city to be destroyed, hand over a thousand people!¡±


    Hovering in midair in his Void Magic Armor, Rocky laid out his demand!


    For him to withdraw his troops, Matu would have to hand over a thousand people!


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    Hearing Rocky¡¯s demand, Lord Matu, forgetting his fear, roared back as if his anger had been truly ignited!


    He had thought about Rocky making demands of him, for as things had progressed to this point, if he did not give up something, Rocky certainly wouldn¡¯t give up easily. At the same time, unless he was a fool, he would definitely make demands.


    But Matu hadn¡¯t expected Rocky to start off with such a massive demand, actually asking him for a whole thousand people!


    According to his original thoughts, if Rocky had asked him to hand over tens of thousands of gold coins, or even hundreds of thousands, he could have agreed to such terms. He could afford to pay this money, and after giving it to Rocky, the Mairente Family, if only for the sake of saving face, would surely reimburse him, so he wouldn¡¯t lose out regardless.


    But Rocky had surprisingly not asked for gold coins but for people instead¡ªan unthinkable request for Matu. The population was the foundation of Sky City and absolutely could not be given away.


    So, after that, Matu roared at Rocky, ¡°Rocky! Don¡¯t be too full of yourself! With these few broken ships of yours, breaking through the defensive net is simply impossible! Don¡¯t get too cocky!¡±


    Since Rocky was so ruthless, even targeting the population of Sky City, Matu refrained from being polite and started cursing without restraint.


    But he was right about one thing¡ªthe defensive net of Sky City indeed was very strong, and Rocky¡¯s current weakened fleet could not possibly breach it.


    After the fierce battle with Baron Wolin, Rocky¡¯s fleet, although still retaining its main force, had also suffered severe losses; only a few reconnaissance ships remained, along with two large warships. So with just this size of a fleet, the thought of breaking through Matu City¡¯s defensive net¡­


    Was not impossible, but indeed highly time-consuming. It might take about ten days to half a month to accomplish.


    And Matu absolutely did not believe Rocky would spend a month entangled with him. Let¡¯s not forget¡ªhe had defeated Baron Wolin, but that also meant that he had provoked the Mairente Family. There was no time to dawdle with him.


    In this situation, Matu felt secure and unafraid, he couldn¡¯t possibly agree to Rocky¡¯s demand.


    Right after his roaring had ended, Rocky just gave a cold laugh, said nothing, and flew back to the fleet with Liliya.


    After he returned, the fleet, led by the Thunderhawk, resumed intense bombardment, but a reconnaissance ship broke away from the formation and flew towards Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°This guy¡­ what exactly is he planning¡­¡±


    As the Magic Cannon continued its onslaught, Matu behind the defensive net furrowed his brows, not understanding what exactly Rocky was scheming.


    Did he really believe that with these few warships he could break open the defensive net? Or did he really want to engage with him for a month, ignoring the Mairente Family, just to get a thousand people?


    Matu really couldn¡¯t understand what Rocky was planning and had no other choice but to hang on.


    Time passed in this way, much time. During this process, Rocky¡¯s fleet continuously attacked the defensive net intermittently. Although the fire wasn¡¯t as intense as at the beginning, it never ceased, feeling like intermittent rain.


    But as time went on, Matu¡¯s nervous and panicky moods gradually stabilized. He felt that Rocky probably had no other options left; the fleet¡¯s attacks were just venting their frustration, and they would likely retreat soon.


    This was not mere wishful thinking from Matu. He might not be very capable, but after all, he was a City Lord; he was smart enough. During Rocky¡¯s departure, he had continuously pondered what Rocky might be planning, but he nearly thought through everything, yet couldn¡¯t think of any possibility of breaching the defensive net.


    If the defensive net could not be breached, then no matter how powerful the fleet was, it would be unable to pose a threat to him. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this, Matu was no longer tense. Instead, he stayed calm on the Skyship, curious to see when Rocky would eventually retreat.


    But not long after this, a gigantic entity slowly burst through the cloud layer, appearing right in front of Matu City!


    Thunderhawk City!


    Seeing Thunderhawk City appear, Matu was stunned on the spot. Then he immediately cursed under his breath, feeling alarmed. His face, having just regained composure, turned extremely pale, even more ghastly than before!


    Because upon seeing Thunderhawk City, Matu suddenly realized what Rocky was planning!


    ¡°He, he, he¡­ could he possibly be planning to use¡­ the City-Destroyer Cannon!!¡±


    As Thunderhawk City slowly drew closer, Matu became increasingly terrified.

 Chapter 161 - 160: City-Destroyer Cannon!

    Chapter 161: Chapter 160: City-Destroyer Cannon!


    Matu¡¯s face changed dramatically the moment he realized that Rocky had brought Thunderhawk City over!


    In an instant, he figured out what Rocky was planning to do!


    As the ultimate creation in this world, Sky City inherently possesses extremely formidable combat capabilities. In terms of defense, the city¡¯s Defensive Net is the most powerful of all types. Even a small Sky City¡¯s Defensive Net can withstand the furious bombardment of an entire Fleet, which can be seen from the confrontation between Matu and Rocky.


    So, besides the Defensive Net, does Sky City have offensive capabilities?


    Indeed, it does!


    Sky City¡¯s offensive means are limited to just one, but it¡¯s the one known as the ultimate method¡ªthe City-Destroyer Cannon!


    ...


    Using Mana from the Super Crystal to form a Magic Energy Beam of tremendous power, it delivers a devastating blow to the target¡ªthat is the City-Destroyer Cannon, the world¡¯s ultimate attack!


    Before the City-Destroyer Cannon, all defenses are useless. As the Cannon is powered by Mana from the Super Crystal, which is also Sky City¡¯s driving core, the Mana contained within cannot be measured in numbers or points, making the power of the City-Destroyer Cannon beyond measure. After all, obliterating half a Sky City with one shot isn¡¯t a problem.


    While the power of the City-Destroyer Cannon is immense, its side effects are evident. Once used, the Super Crystal that drives Sky City will lose ninety percent of its Mana and must recharge. During this recharge period, Sky City must descend to the land, and only after the recharge is complete can it soar into the sky again.


    This side effect greatly reduces the frequency at which the City-Destroyer Cannon can be used. The land is now occupied by Demons, and even a single person falling to the land would be attacked by Demons, let alone the result of an entire city landing there¡ªit would inevitably be destroyed by Demons. Hence, even though the City-Destroyer Cannon is without parallel in the world, no one dares to truly use it.


    As a City Lord, Matu was certainly aware of the existence of the City-Destroyer Cannon, but he never imagined Rocky would use it against him. Circumstances that mandate the use of the City-Destroyer Cannon are usually when both parties are already grievously injured and ready for mutual destruction. He and Rocky were obviously not at that point.


    But he had underestimated Rocky!


    In Matu¡¯s vision, Thunderhawk City arrived and unfolded its Defensive Net, but soon the Mana of the Defensive Net began to gather upward, forming a gigantic Magic Energy Light Sphere above the city.


    Seeing this, Matu truly panicked because this was a precursor to firing the City-Destroyer Cannon! Rocky really planned to use it against him!


    ¡°Mad¡­ This Rocky is mad! What the hell does he want to do!¡±


    Watching Thunderhawk City ready the City-Destroyer Cannon, Matu screamed hysterically like a woman, but he didn¡¯t feel that he was the one going mad¡ªclearly, it was Rocky!


    What was the magnitude of the issue between him and Rocky? Was it necessary to launch the City-Destroyer Cannon? Matu couldn¡¯t comprehend Rocky¡¯s extreme actions.


    And just then, Rocky, who had been absent for a long time, appeared before him once again, accompanied by Liliya. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just like before, he quickly flew close to the Defensive Net on his own.


    ¡°Rocky! Have you lost your mind? Do you know what you¡¯re doing!¡±


    As he approached the Defensive Net, before he could speak, Matu screamed hysterically again, ¡°Rocky! Do you want your Sky City to be destroyed by Demons!¡±


    Matu didn¡¯t stop shouting, not out of anger, but because he was truly frightened, by the City-Destroyer Cannon and by Rocky¡¯s madness.


    ¡°Hand over a thousand people, or be annihilated by the Cannon!¡±


    However, faced with his roar, Rocky didn¡¯t waste any words and directly issued the ultimate ultimatum!


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°You madman! Madman!¡±


    Threat!


    This was a blatant threat!


    Matu wasn¡¯t foolish; he too could guess that Rocky was threatening him with the City-Destroyer Cannon, but what of it? Even if Rocky was merely using the City-Destroyer Cannon as a threat, as long as there was a one percent, no, a one-thousandth percent chance that Rocky might actually fire, Matu couldn¡¯t afford to gamble!


    Matu had never personally witnessed the power of the City-Destroyer Cannon, but he had heard of it. For a small Sky City like his, a single blast from the City-Destroyer Cannon would be enough to shoot it down. So even if there was a slight chance that Rocky might fire, he dared not take the risk.


    In such a situation, Matu, gritting his teeth, said, ¡°Rocky, I don¡¯t want to get involved in your affair with Baron Wolin. I can hand him over to you for you to deal with¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s worthless, I want people! A thousand people!¡±


    Rocky, with an extremely tough refusal, cut off Matu before he could finish his sentence. He was no longer interested in his defeated subordinate, Baron Wolin; he was more interested in the population of Matu City!


    ¡°Fine, fine, fine! Rocky, I¡¯ll give you a thousand people!¡±


    Seeing that Rocky was immovable, Matu ultimately gritted his teeth and bellowed at him:


    ¡°But you must get out of my sight immediately! Don¡¯t let Sky City follow me, and don¡¯t let the fleet harass me, otherwise, I¡¯ll fight you to the end, I also have a City-Destroyer Cannon!¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Matu¡¯s demands were naturally agreed to in one go by Rocky, because if he could get a thousand people, of course he would ¡®get lost¡¯ obediently, with no spare time to waste with Matu.


    And after roaring at him, Matu directly led his fleet back to Sky City. Within about three to five hours, his dozen or so reconnaissance ships were loaded with people and flew out of the Defensive Net!


    Thus, Rocky¡¯s fleet and Matu¡¯s fleet conducted a midair handover. After two consecutive handovers, Rocky returned to Thunderhawk City with a full load of people!


    A thousand people!


    Such a huge gain was something even Rocky hadn¡¯t anticipated, because he indeed was using the City-Destroyer Cannon to threaten Matu. He certainly would not actually fire, as even he couldn¡¯t bear the massive side effects of the City-Destroyer Cannon.


    But such a threat was a sure win for him. If Matu didn¡¯t agree, the most he would lose was face, without any actual loss. But if Matu was intimidated by the threat, Rocky would gain greatly!


    From the actual outcome, Rocky certainly gained hugely!


    He not only won the war with Baron Wolin but also got a full thousand people from Matu, undoubtedly becoming the biggest winner in this series of confrontations.


    By contrast, Baron Wolin and Matu, having participated in this great war, naturally became the losers.


    But interestingly, in this whole series of confrontations, the most miserable wasn¡¯t Baron Wolin, who had directly engaged with Rocky, but rather Matu, who had come to help. He simply ran an errand for Baron Wolin and ended up losing a thousand people, suffering a disaster out of the blue, and even making one feel somewhat sorry for him¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 162 - 161 Financial Crisis

    Chapter 162: Chapter 161 Financial Crisis


    For no apparent reason, a thousand people had been snatched away, and Matu would definitely not let this go. How he held a grudge against Rocky was one thing, but Baron Wolin was certainly someone he couldn¡¯t spare!


    So on the very night that the war ended, Baron Wolin was promptly captured. In Matu¡¯s view, he had to repay whatever he lost to Rocky, and if he couldn¡¯t pay it back, he would pay with his life!


    And facing an angry Matu, Baron Wolin¡¯s big backers were useless, because no matter how incapable Matu was, he was still a City Lord!


    On the other hand, Rocky, who had returned to Thunderhawk City, was naturally in high spirits. He had won the war and snatched away a full thousand people¡ªhow could he not be happy?


    But as City Lord, even if he was overjoyed, he couldn¡¯t afford to be idle, especially now.


    After returning to Thunderhawk City, he immediately called Old Jack, who had stayed behind in the city, and asked him to take care of the new residents he brought back. Seeing the many people Rocky had brought with him, Old Jack was shocked and immediately got busy.


    ...


    At the same time, Rocky once again activated Thunderhawk City¡¯s flight mode, moving far away from the airspace where the great battle had just taken place.


    Although Rocky had won the great battle against Baron Wolin, it also meant that he and Thunderhawk City had completely fallen out with the Mairente Family. So, Rocky had to prepare for the worst, preventing the family from retaliating against him.


    The recent aerial battle had almost completely wiped out Baron Wolin¡¯s fleet, with only a few reconnaissance ships escaping back to Matu City. It was an utter defeat; however, the victorious Rocky had also suffered severe losses.


    At the beginning of the battle, Rocky¡¯s fleet consisted of twenty-seven warships, three of which were destroyed by Orton. That left twenty-four, but when he returned to Thunderhawk City after winning the battle, he brought back only nine warships. Aside from the flagship and the escort ships, only seven reconnaissance ships remained!


    In other words, Rocky won the battle, but his fleet lost more than two-thirds of its ships! Furthermore, from the flagship to the escort ships and down to the reconnaissance ships, each returned warship was badly damaged!


    The only consolation was that both the flagship and the escort ships were relatively intact. Although these two large warships were also severely damaged, with some repairs, they would be good as new.


    Another point was the comparatively fewer casualties on the Thunderhawk City side¡ªnote that it was not fewer casualties overall but fewer for Thunderhawk City¡¯s crew.


    Right from the start of the battle, Rocky played it smart. He assigned the Thunderhawk City crew to the flagship and the escort ships, while the crew hired from Eternal City were placed on the reconnaissance ships. Therefore, when the battle ended, as the two large warships were still standing, Thunderhawk City¡¯s crew had minimal losses, but the hired crew faced substantial losses.


    But that was unavoidable. Rocky didn¡¯t want anyone to die, but if someone had to, he would rather sacrifice pawns to save the game, letting others take the fall.


    In summary, the battle resulted in heavy losses for Rocky, so facing possible retaliation from the Mairente Family, he could only choose to dodge their sharp edge, take a breather, and make long-term plans after recuperating.


    Three days passed quickly, and Thunderhawk City had long since left the previous airspace thanks to full-speed flight. Also, after three days, Old Jack had properly settled all the people Rocky had brought back.


    ¡°My lord, this is the detailed information about the new residents. Please take a look,¡±


    In the City Lord¡¯s Hall, Old Jack handed a thick stack of documents to Rocky, which were the data he had compiled after taking inventory of the new residents.


    Taking the document, Rocky flipped through it for a moment and couldn¡¯t help but smile. He hadn¡¯t expected the quality of the thousand people Matu had given him to be quite high, with a considerable number of young adults among them.


    To his surprise, he had anticipated that Matu would send him a thousand of the old, weak, sick, and disabled, but the reality was quite the opposite. Matu had provided a fair share of each demographic: the elderly, adults, and children.


    The truth wasn¡¯t that Matu was being generous but rather that he had no choice.


    Of course, Matu had considered offloading the city¡¯s old, weak, sick, and disabled to Rocky, but let¡¯s not forget that the children of these people were strong and young. If Matu had taken away these individuals¡¯ parents to give to Rocky, chaos would have inevitably broken out in Sky City. Therefore, Matu had no choice but to hand over the most useless and incompetent group of people to Rocky.


    However, this approach didn¡¯t really concern Rocky. Thunderhawk City was at the beginning stages of development; whether people had skills didn¡¯t matter as long as they were willing to work and learn, which made them valuable to Thunderhawk City. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nonetheless, every coin has two sides. While Rocky had acquired a considerable population this time, strengthening Thunderhawk City significantly, it also led to numerous problems.


    For example, Thunderhawk City had once again plunged into a financial crisis.


    ¡°My Lord, we need to find ways to increase our fiscal revenue¡­¡±


    When Old Jack had finished reporting the administrative matters and the finance officer Aileen opened her mouth to speak, her expression had turned to one of worry. With the population continuously growing, the financial pressure on Thunderhawk City had become the primary concern.


    They had no choice, as Thunderhawk City¡¯s population increase was simply too rapid. Just two or three months earlier, they had absorbed a thousand people from Backhill Village. To help these new residents settle down, Rocky not only started the second phase of training but also built factories. However, before these were even completed, another thousand people were added, which threw Thunderhawk City¡¯s finances into severe crisis.


    Keep in mind that although Thunderhawk City¡¯s population had grown, its income had not increased accordingly.


    The new leather factory was completed, but only a dozen people who had undergone the first phase of training could work there. It wasn¡¯t until after the second phase of training that a large number of people could start working and the factory could begin full operations.


    Before that, Thunderhawk City¡¯s main source of income was still the textile industry, but the people capable of weaving were still the city¡¯s original residents, leading to a severe imbalance between income and expenditure.


    The revenue from the work of a little over a thousand people had to sustain a population of three thousand, which was completely unsustainable.


    ¡°How long can the money in the treasury last?¡±


    Rocky was well aware of the financial pressure Thunderhawk City was facing and was also trying to find solutions.


    ¡°Including the remaining funds in the treasury and the cloth exports for the next quarter, we can hold out for at most three months.¡±


    ¡°Only three months¡­?¡±


    Upon learning that, even with the remaining treasury funds and the income from the cloth sales for the next quarter, Thunderhawk City could only hold out for three months, Rocky involuntarily furrowed his brow because it meant that within three months, he must find a way to generate revenue, or Thunderhawk City would not be able to keep going¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 163 - 162: The Retribution of the Families

    Chapter 163: Chapter 162: The Retribution of the Families


    The sudden surge in population was naturally all benefit and no harm to the development of Thunderhawk City, but it also brought tremendous financial pressure to the city¡¯s finances.


    This pressure made Rocky feel as if he was back to six months ago, when he spent every day worrying about money, and now was the same.


    ¡°Aileen, can we take out fifty thousand gold coins from the treasury?¡±


    After the routine affairs had ended and everyone else had left, Rocky kept Aileen behind and then asked,


    ¡°Fifty thousand gold coins? Sir, are you joking!?¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But hearing Rocky¡¯s words, Aileen¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She had just finished saying the treasury was out of money; how could Rocky still be asking her for money?


    ...


    ¡°I need money for warship repairs.¡±


    Rocky actually had a general direction in mind on how to solve the financial crisis. At this stage, he knew that relying on Thunderhawk City to be self-sufficient was not a solution to the problem. He could only rely on completing Mercenary Guild missions or demon hunting to earn ¡®extra income¡¯, which was the most viable method.


    Moreover, for him at that moment, whether it was completing Mercenary Guild missions or demon hunting, both had become much easier than before. A fleet led by two large warships was enough to rely on, and even the number of Void Magic Armors had increased from one to two. These were the guarantees that he could safely and smoothly complete various tasks.


    But there was a prerequisite: the fleet, which had just been through a great battle, needed to be repaired.


    As mentioned before, the remaining warships of Thunderhawk City were all damaged. Under these circumstances, it was very difficult to engage in the next battle and repairs were necessary, but repairs cost money, and not a small amount at that.


    ¡°No!¡±


    However, right after Rocky had explained, Aileen pouted her lips and shook her head, instantly turning into a stringent housekeeper.


    ¡°Come on, Aileen, I really need this money. How about forty thousand, even forty thousand gold coins will do.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Her head shook like a rattle-drum, Aileen puffed her cheeks and said, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s not much money left in the treasury now, and so many new people have arrived. I must contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce to purchase food tomorrow, where would I find money for your warship repairs, no!¡±


    ¡°¡­What about¡­ thirty thousand will do¡­¡±


    ¡°Thirty thousand?¡±


    Hearing this number, Aileen looked at Rocky, thought for a while, and finally said, ¡°Only thirty thousand, not a penny more!¡±


    ¡°Deal!¡±


    With a laugh, Rocky nodded in agreement.


    This conversation between the two seemed a bit off. How could Rocky, as the City Lord, be humbly asking Aileen for money?


    But if one thought that, they would be mistaken. Rocky was actually seeking Aileen¡¯s opinion, for she was the person in control of the finance. Just think, if Aileen gave him the money as soon as he asked for it, how could Thunderhawk City function? Who would ensure that the city¡¯s finances would operate normally?


    After this, Aileen also prepared to leave. With an additional thousand people in the city, as the finance officer, she had to immediately contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce to purchase food and other necessities. She was very busy.


    But watching Aileen leave, Rocky seemed to suddenly remember something and called out, ¡°Aileen, have the Ruby Chamber of Commerce meet directly with us in Lingyu City!¡±


    ¡°You are going to Lingyu City?¡±


    Hearing this, Liliya, who was beside Rocky, asked in surprise.


    ¡°Yes, I can only go to Lingyu City now. The trade tax in Eternal City is too expensive, we need to save where we can. Additionally, going to Eternal City is too conspicuous, and it is easy for the people from the Mairente Family to find us.¡±


    Rocky had considered his next move very carefully, not only thinking about the high trade tax in Eternal City that he couldn¡¯t afford, but also taking into account possible retaliation by the Mairente Family. Hence, he set Lingyu City as his next target.


    Although Lingyu City was also a small Sky City, it was equally a city centered on trade. Its City Lord, Berg, had encountered Rocky a few times before, so going there to make repairs was the best choice.


    His line of thinking was clearly correct, for as he had anticipated, the Mairente Family had indeed begun preparations for retaliation!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°Atted, why hasn¡¯t the family dispatched troops yet? What are you still waiting for!¡±


    Inside the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Machine City, during a meeting of the Mairente Family Elders, Lexington angrily looked at Clan Leader Atted, questioning him about the delay in deploying the troops.


    Within the vast Mairente Family, there were a total of ten Elders. Among these ten, Lexington was indeed one of the most influential and powerful figures, whose authority and strength were even comparable to that of Clan Leader Atted himself.


    As such, the faction he represented was always in conflict with Atted¡¯s faction, and even Atted, though the Clan Leader, had to be extremely cautious when dealing with him.


    But this time, facing the furious Lexington, Atted was confident. To Lexington¡¯s aggressive questioning, he simply smiled and retorted, ¡°Elder Lexington, why should the family dispatch troops?¡±


    ¡°Of course, to punish the rebel! Rocky openly defied the family¡¯s orders and even provoked internal strife within the family. As the Clan Leader, do you intend to sit back and ignore such rebellion!¡±


    Staring at Atted with eyes wide open, Lexington said angrily, referring naturally to the battle between Rocky and Baron Wolin.


    It had been a week since the end of this battle, and Baron Wolin had already returned to the family¡ªthough it was after paying a ransom.


    The heavily damaged Matu had captured Baron Wolin and held him hostage, demanding a ransom from his family as compensation, causing an uproar.


    And since Baron Wolin was an aristocrat, he naturally had his own small family. But faced with Matu¡¯s exorbitant demands, his minor family could not afford the ransom. In the end, it still depended on the Mairente Family to settle the matter. They paid a full five hundred thousand gold coins to ransom Baron Wolin from Matu¡­


    This incident was a disgrace for the Mairente Family, and even more so for Lexington, because Baron Wolin was his subordinate. Wolin¡¯s defeat in battle brought shame not only upon himself but also tarnished Lexington¡¯s reputation.


    What¡¯s more critical is that the five hundred thousand gold coins used to free Baron Wolin came from the Mairente Family on the surface, but in fact, it was Lexington who had paid!


    For Lexington, five hundred thousand gold coins might not be a significant sum, but he would not let the matter rest so easily. This had nothing to do with personal feelings; it was because if he didn¡¯t regain his standing, it would affect his prestige throughout the entire family.


    But all of his thoughts could not escape Atted¡¯s notice. As a party to the dispute, Atted would certainly not let things go Lexington¡¯s way.


    ¡°Lexington, Baron Wolin¡¯s failure has already cost the family five hundred thousand gold coins. Do you want the rest of the family to suffer even more losses due to one man¡¯s incompetence?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need help from anyone else!¡±


    As if he had anticipated Atted¡¯s attempt to evade responsibility, Lexington immediately replied, ¡°I will send my own fleet to resolve this matter. I just need the family¡¯s approval.¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking, the other Elders in attendance, and even Clan Leader Atted, cast deep glances at him.


    Even within the entire Mairente Family, Lexington could be considered a power player. He owned a large Sky City and commanded no fewer than five fleets, each consisting of over a hundred warships!


    Five fleets¡ªthat was over five hundred warships! And these five hundred warships were not mere Reconnaissance Ships. In Lexington¡¯s fleets, the Reconnaissance Ships were used solely for scouting; the main force was comprised of real, large warships, and at the very least, Escort Ships!


    This was the strength of a large Sky City City Lord!


    Thus, once Lexington dispatched his fleets, even sending just one would be enough to obliterate Thunderhawk City to nothingness!


    PS: Today I replied to several readers¡¯ comments. Those interested can take a look; you should be able to understand the direction of the book and some questions. Also, I am asking for recommendations! Please recommend!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 164 - 163: Game of Strategy

    Chapter 164: Chapter 163: Game of Strategy


    When Lexington made it clear that as long as the family agreed, he would have his fleet level Thunderhawk City, all the other Elders immediately looked toward Atted.


    Everyone knew about the rivalry between the two men and understood that Atted had been forced to award Thunderhawk City to Baron Wolin. Now that Baron Wolin had failed, they were certain Atted would not make it easy for Lexington.


    As expected, Atted fell silent afterwards, taking a while before he finally spoke:


    ¡°I remember that half a year ago, Rocky was already expelled from the family. So to call him a family traitor now, I think, is somewhat inappropriate¡­¡±


    While speaking, Atted slowly turned his gaze toward Lexington.


    ¡°Lexington, let the family consider this matter,¡± he said.


    ...


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to consider!¡±


    Lexington immediately retorted, ¡°Since Rocky is no longer a member of the family, it¡¯s perfect. I don¡¯t need the family¡¯s consent to act. I am expanding the family¡¯s territory; nobody has objections to that, right?¡±


    Lexington was of course aware of what Atted was planning¡ªhe wanted to delay. Thus, he countered accordingly. Since Rocky was no longer part of the family, he could use the pretext of expansion to dispatch his troops without needing the family¡¯s approval, considering he was using his own forces.


    The discussion initially centered around Rocky had now evidently turned into an internal confrontation within the Mairente Family, serving as a catalyst for the power struggle between Lexington and Atted.


    No sooner had Lexington finished speaking, Atted smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re right, but since it¡¯s for the family, we can¡¯t let you fight alone. After all, Rocky is far stronger than we anticipated. We can¡¯t afford more losses. I think we should dispatch troops in the name of the family. What does everyone think?¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    ¡°Approved.¡±


    Right after Atted proposed, more than half of the Elders present expressed their agreement, effectively approving the proposal.


    Lexington was naturally left fuming with rage.


    He had to be angry because, despite Atted¡¯s persuasive speech agreeing to target Thunderhawk City for expansion, and even suggesting mobilizing in the family¡¯s name, one must not forget that if Lexington acted independently, he could dispatch his fleet immediately after the meeting.


    But if it were a family decision to dispatch troops, the matter would become complicated. Who knows when Atted and his people would get the troops ready? A day? A month? Or even a year? No one knew.


    So despite seeming supportive, Atted was effectively stalling Lexington.


    And although Lexington was well aware of this, he had no other choice. His faction might have been powerful within the family, but Atted¡¯s position as Clan Leader proved he had the majority¡¯s support. Therefore, when Atted made such a decision in his capacity as Clan Leader, Lexington, despite his dissatisfaction, could only comply.


    In such a circumstance, Lexington left the meeting in a huff before it even concluded, but that did not mean he had given up.


    Just as Baron Wolin managed to find Matu to lend a hand, if Lexington were to ask, many City Lords outside the family would readily assist him. Thus, he planned to seek the aid of other City Lords to deal with Rocky!


    As he departed, the family meeting also came to an end. Atted, the Clan Leader, returned to his study, seeking some peace. But just as he had settled down, someone came looking for him.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    Standing at the threshold of the study, Cyril knocked on the door before entering the room.


    Looking at his daughter, Atted drew a deep breath and then closed the book he had just opened: ¡°Are you here to see me about the Rocky matter?¡± S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Since when did such a large family start revolving around a castaway?¡±


    ¡°Since the castaway had the power to disrupt the chess game,¡± Cyril stated with a hint of pride, standing before her father.


    ¡°Lexington¡¯s retaliation has been held off by me,¡± Atted glanced helplessly at Cyril, then relayed the decision of the meeting, ¡°However, Rocky is still not safe, and Lexington will surely seek other City Lords to harass him, so you must prepare him for it.¡±


    Atted, as a father, was well aware of the connection between Cyril and Rocky, but in his eyes, Rocky was far too insignificant to warrant his attention; to his surprise, that had now proved to be of use.


    However, after he finished speaking, Cyril did not pick up on his point; instead, she brought up another matter:


    ¡°Father, I think the family should reconsider the decision made half a year ago.¡±


    ¡°Half a year ago? You mean¡­ bringing Rocky back into the family?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, in six months, a single person defeated Baron Wolin in The Abandoned City, proving he has the strength to occupy a place within the family.¡±


    Actually, when Cyril learned that Rocky had defeated Baron Wolin, she was as incredulous as anyone else and hence thoroughly investigated the details of the great battle. The more she learned about the battle, the more astounded she became.


    A flagship at the helm of a fleet?


    Two sets of Void Magic Armor?


    And a city of two thousand people, no, now three thousand?


    All of this made Cyril think that there must be a mistake in the information she had received. Was this really talking about Rocky? Yet, faced with a string of investigative results, Cyril had to admit that she had underestimated Rocky previously.


    Before this, her reason for helping Rocky was largely due to guilt, but now it was different. Rocky had now used his own strength to make Cyril take him seriously.


    That¡¯s why Cyril put forward the suggestion to Atted for Rocky to return to the family; it had nothing to do with personal feelings, but rather, she thought that bringing Rocky back into the family would be a win-win for both him and the family.


    ¡°Impossible.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, before she could even elaborate on her reasons, Atted shook his head and refused outright.


    ¡°Father, why? Is it because of Lexington?¡±


    Cyril was very puzzled by Atted¡¯s easy refusal.


    ¡°Not because of Lexington¡­¡± Atted shook his head at his daughter and slowly said, ¡°It¡¯s because of Kelly.¡±


    Upon hearing her father¡¯s words, Cyril, who was somewhat confused and even resentful, immediately fell silent.


    The Mairente Family currently consisted of three factions: one led by Atted, another by Lexington, and the third by Kelly. Among these factions, those of Atted and Lexington were evenly matched in strength, always contending for the position of Clan Leader. In contrast, Kelly¡¯s faction, while weaker, played the most crucial role.


    Since Atted¡¯s and Lexington¡¯s factions were nearly equal in every aspect, whoever gained the support of Kelly¡¯s faction could rise to prominence. For example, the reason Atted could now sit in the position of Clan Leader was due to securing support from Kelly¡¯s faction, and their reason for backing him was related to Rocky.


    ¡°Cyril, you should know that Rocky¡¯s medium-sized Sky City is already in Kelly¡¯s hands. If we call him back to the family, what would he think? What would Kelly think? We can¡¯t afford to lose Kelly¡¯s support right now, so let¡¯s not speak of this matter again in the future.¡±


    ¡°But, but Father, if we don¡¯t support Rocky, there¡¯s no way he can escape Lexington¡¯s retribution!¡±


    ¡°That may not necessarily be the case¡­¡±


    Looking at his daughter, who was obviously anxious, Atted rarely showed a smile: ¡°Cyril, don¡¯t you think that Lexington is being a bit too agitated this time?¡±


    ¡°Agitated?¡±


    ¡°Yes, his reaction is too excessive, it¡¯s not normal,¡± replied Atted.


    In the midst of conversation, Atted slowly stood up, then moved to stand in front of the window, gazing through it at the blue sky. He watched for a long time.


    Atted knew his old rival too well, so even the slightest abnormal behavior from the opponent would not escape his notice¡ªand this occasion was no exception.


    So, after looking at the sky for a while, Atted turned his head to look at Cyril, ¡°I suspect¡­ Lexington might know something we don¡¯t, related either to Rocky or to Thunderhawk City. That¡¯s why he¡¯s so agitated.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 165 - 164 Tyrant

    Chapter 165: Chapter 164 Tyrant


    ¡°Rocky! You¡¯re finally here!¡±


    After deciding to head to Lingyu City, Rocky had contacted the City Lord of Lingyu City, Berg, with whom he had exchanged communicators when he left Eternal City, enabling them to keep in touch.


    So when Rocky truly arrived at Lingyu City, Berg was already at the port to welcome him.


    Seeing Berg, Rocky was naturally very enthusiastic, after all, the other party was a City Lord just like himself, and this time he was indeed asking a favor from Berg, so of course, he had to be polite.


    ¡°Berg, your Lingyu City is much better than you described. I think it won¡¯t be long before this place becomes a miniature Eternal City.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, whether it can become a mini Eternal City still depends on your care, please come in!¡±


    ...


    After a formal and friendly handshake with Rocky, Berg invited him onto a large carriage that had been prepared in advance and took him to his City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°Rocky, you really fought a beautiful battle!¡±


    Sitting in the carriage, before Rocky could even speak, Berg excitedly said, ¡°I heard you annihilated one of the Mairente Family¡¯s fleets? That¡¯s impressive!¡±


    ¡°Berg, how are you always so well-informed?¡±


    Glancing at Berg, although not surprised that the other party knew about his affairs, Rocky still felt somewhat helpless.


    ¡°You guy, after winning such a splendid battle, did you really think you could keep it hidden? Let me tell you, it¡¯s not just me who knows about this, that fierce woman Karina and quite a few other City Lords have heard about it too!¡±


    ¡°They know too? Through¡­ the Shadow Alliance?¡±


    Rocky looked at Berg and tentatively asked.


    ¡°Of course, who else could it be through?¡±


    With a laugh, Berg nodded his head.


    Rocky first heard about the Shadow Alliance from Karina, but because there were so many other matters, he hadn¡¯t inquired further. Now it seemed that this Shadow Alliance really was powerful. The battle between him and Baron Wolin had only just ended, and it had already been uncovered and spread by this Shadow Alliance.


    In fact, that was indeed the case because the Shadow Alliance was the largest intelligence organization in the skies!


    This Alliance was different from organizations like the Mercenary Guild; although large, it wasn¡¯t a public organization. Just like its shadowy name suggests, everyone knew of its existence, but couldn¡¯t see or touch it. If one wanted to make contact, they could only do so through a specified method, and then the Shadow Alliance would proactively contact you, shrouded in mystery.


    However, the Shadow Alliance¡¯s ability to gather information was truly powerful. As long as one paid ten thousand Gold Coins a month, any significant or minor event worth mentioning happening across the skies would generally be collected by them and relayed to all their clients. Under such circumstances, the great battle between Rocky and Baron Wolin was naturally also collected by the Shadow Alliance and passed on to various clients.


    Actually, Rocky still had too little contact with other cities in the skies, so he did not know what scale of battle his fight with Baron Wolin actually belonged to. In reality, their aerial battle was already considered an extremely rare large battle among the smaller sky cities.


    Typically, even if a conflict arose between two small Sky Cities, each would deploy only a few warships, and if the combined number of warships deployed by both sides exceeded twenty, it could be considered a major battle. However, a battle like the one between Rocky and Baron Wolin, where more than fifty warships were deployed at once, could even be considered a large-scale war among small Sky Cities!


    Such a scale of battle naturally would not be overlooked by the Shadow Alliance, so once everything settled down, the news spread quickly, including Rocky defeating Baron Wolin, and the incidents of him taking a thousand people from Matu City were all leaked.


    In the wake of this dissemination, Rocky became notorious without his knowledge. Many small Sky City Lords took note of his name and even categorized him as someone not to be provoked and unpopular.


    There was no helping it; his fleet made many weaker small City Lords apprehensive, and his actions towards Matu, especially the act of essentially robbing a thousand people from Matu, instilled fear in many of the weaker City Lords. Some of them had even begun to track his location and prepared to keep their distance from him.


    ¡°Is it that serious?¡±


    ¡°Haha, you didn¡¯t expect that, did you?¡±


    When Berg relayed this information to Rocky, Rocky himself was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected that merely an air battle would suddenly make him famous, let alone infamous.


    He didn¡¯t understand that many Sky City Lords, especially those of small Sky Cities, mostly were like Matu¡ªlacking ambition and wanting only to live their quiet little lives. City Lords like Rocky, who thought daily about how to build up their cities and how to increase their own strength, were actually in the minority. Thus, what seemed ordinary to him appeared abnormal to other City Lords.


    For example, the fact that he had taken a thousand people from Matu seemed perfectly justified to Rocky. Hadn¡¯t Matu helped Baron Wolin attack him, and after losing, shouldn¡¯t he be entitled to some war spoils?


    He thought this way was correct, yet in the eyes of other City Lords, this approach made him a significant war criminal because his strength and actions had greatly threatened them!


    This point was something Rocky hadn¡¯t considered and found himself resigned to.


    ¡°No wonder, no wonder Karina took a liking to you; it turns out you two are birds of a feather, huh!¡±


    As Rocky felt resigned, Berg laughed heartily at him and cheerfully said.


    This comment startled Rocky. How did the topic suddenly shift to Karina?


    Seeing his confusion, Berg had a sudden realization and slapped his forehead, ¡°I forgot, you¡¯ve only just met Karina and thus don¡¯t know what kind of person she is, right?¡±


    ¡°What kind of person? Isn¡¯t she just a beauty?¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking at Berg, Rocky shared his impression of Karina. He indeed found her to be quite beautiful, and not merely a pretty face. If one had to compare, she and Liliya seemed somewhat alike, both carrying a bold and wild charm.


    ¡°You really dare to say it!¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than Berg widened his eyes in disbelief, ¡°Rocky, keep those thoughts to yourself. If Karina hears them, she¡¯d likely castrate you.¡±


    He then patted Rocky¡¯s shoulder gravely, ¡°Rocky, take this as a brother¡¯s warning, be careful.¡±


    ¡°I see there are plenty of beauties around you too, your guard, the finance officer, and that little Beastman are all quite something, so definitely don¡¯t get any ideas about Karina. The Tyrant of Rose City isn¡¯t called so for nothing; the thorns on this rose are too sharp for you to handle¡­¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 166 - 165: Providing Timely Help

    Chapter 166: Chapter 165: Providing Timely Help


    Berg¡¯s words left Rocky momentarily stunned ¨C the tyrant of Rose City?


    Was he talking about¡­ Karina?


    Rocky had only seen Karina two or three times, and although she had made a deep impression on him, to say they understood each other would be a far stretch. Thus, Rocky was naturally surprised to hear Berg¡¯s assessment of Karina.


    However, this surprise only amounted to astonishment and did not go any further, as even Rocky himself did not know when he would see Karina again, so there was no need to delve deeper.


    After this, he and Berg discussed the main issue at hand, which was the repair of the warship.


    Savvy as he was, Berg had actually guessed Rocky¡¯s intention beforehand, and there indeed was a dock in Lingyu City that could undertake the overhaul of a warship. In such circumstances, the two hit it off right away, putting Rocky¡¯s mind at ease.


    ...


    Upon learning that Lingyu City had a dock, Rocky led his fleet there for repairs, which would take about half a month. The cost was also reasonable; Berg personally negotiated with the dock owner and managed to reduce the repair fee from 50,000 to 35,000 gold coins. Although it was a bit more than what Aileen had given Rocky, it was still within Thunderhawk City¡¯s budget.


    As for Berg¡¯s eagerness to help Rocky, it was not due to a great friendship between them, but rather as a form of investment.


    In Berg¡¯s eyes, although Rocky, like himself, was only the lord of a small Sky City, his potential was undoubtedly huge. In fact, after hearing about Rocky¡¯s battle with Baron Wolin, Berg, like other city lords, obtained a detailed dossier on Rocky from the Shadow Alliance.


    The dossier from the Shadow Alliance was quite comprehensive. It covered everything significant that had happened to Rocky from the moment he inherited his father¡¯s medium-sized Sky City to his battle with Baron Wolin. This included his feud with the Mairente Family, his reclaiming of authority from former Captain of the Guards Eyer and administrative officer Perolo, the mission in Backhill Village, and even Orton¡¯s matter was mentioned.


    So, despite having met Rocky on only two or three occasions, Berg knew much more about Rocky than Rocky might have imagined.


    Of course, even though the Shadow Alliance¡¯s investigation was thorough, it did not touch on the Mana Rune. The discovery of the Mana Rune by Rocky was quite ordinary; to the uninitiated observer, it seemed he simply visited the land, a detail that even the Shadow Alliance would overlook without inside knowledge.


    Nevertheless, a smart person like Berg was still able to deduce some clues from Rocky¡¯s trajectory of development ¨C that Rocky¡¯s growth was astonishingly fast!


    It was truly rapid!


    Starting from the elimination of Captain of the Guards Eyer and administrative officer Perolo and gaining full control of Thunderhawk City, in just half a year, Rocky developed the city from a mere population of one thousand to its current scale.


    Although Thunderhawk City was still weak at the moment, every aspect had begun to take form, resembling a well-laid foundation. With systematic development, without saying much more, becoming a standout among the small Sky Cities was just a matter of time.


    On the other hand, Rocky¡¯s development of military power also commanded attention. In just six months, he managed to equip Thunderhawk City with its own fleet and, through one battle against Baron Wolin, successfully established his might, thoroughly showcasing his strength.


    Without exaggeration, the power displayed by Rocky in his battle with Baron Wolin had reached an above-average level among the smaller Sky Cities. This was the very reason other City Lords feared Rocky, as his displayed strength had indeed become a threat to everyone.


    In fact, the great battle with Baron Wolin only revealed the power of Rocky¡¯s naval fleet. The strength of his Guard Corps had not yet been known to the world. But please, do not underestimate Rocky¡¯s Guards, a force that had battled with hundreds of Demons and ultimately emerged victorious ¨C a force that nobody can or should overlook! sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Through a set of data that wasn¡¯t particularly complicated, an ordinary person might just see it as a spectacle, but a clever one could discern much more, and Berg was this type of clever person. Thus, he immediately treated Rocky as someone to be wooed and befriended, just as he did with Karina.


    Berg was not a person adept at strife but he had his own goals. He hoped to develop Lingyu City into a trade city that could rival Eternal City. For this ambition, befriending various capable, yet not overwhelmingly powerful, City Lords became an important mission for him.


    Powerful City Lords equated to powerful customers, a point that needs little explanation. Eternal City became the trade center for all Sky Cities because countless City Lords chose to trade there.


    Besides, as the saying goes, ¡°A hero needs three gangs of help.¡± Berg, wishing to expand his city, was bound to encounter various obstacles and even dangers because any trade-oriented city spells money!


    Money makes the world go round, and money can also lead to the worst in people. Eternal City is one of the monsters in the sky that no one dares to challenge, but for a smaller Sky City like Lingyu, many would set their sights on it, from the Lords of other small Sky Cities to those of the larger ones.


    In such a situation, Berg needed allies, fellow City Lords to help him fend off those with ill intentions who viewed his city as ripe for the taking.


    Rocky was clearly one of the allies he had in mind. In Berg¡¯s view, Rocky had potential but lacked backing, had enemies but few friends, which perfectly met his requirements. Therefore, if he could truly befriend Rocky, it would be all to his advantage and no harm.


    Rocky was certainly aware of Berg¡¯s attitude and understood that Berg had the intention to befriend him; in fact, he was quite grateful for it.


    This was indeed a difficult period for Rocky, having just gone through a major battle. Although he won, his own losses were also heavy. Coupled with the financial crisis in Thunderhawk City and the constant need to prepare for the Mairente Family¡¯s retaliation, all of this weighed heavily on Rocky.


    Berg¡¯s offer of assistance at this critical moment, regardless of the motive, was like sending coal on a snowy day for Rocky and something he would remember.


    Between clever people, there is no need to spell everything out; understanding is simply understanding.


    Thus, Rocky temporarily anchored Thunderhawk City next to Lingyu City, both cities hanging side by side in the same airspace. This situation was expected to last for about half a month, as repairing all the warships would take at least that long.


    During this period, Rocky had thought he might have a few days of leisure to carefully plan for the future, but unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have the chance. A series of events kept him so busy that he could not stop for a moment!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 167 - 166: The Arrival of the Rose

    Chapter 167: Chapter 166: The Arrival of the Rose


    Rocky, who originally thought he could enjoy some leisure time, found no time to rest at all.


    First, there was Orton, the old man who constantly bothered him.


    The victory over Baron Wolin marked a conclusion all of Thunderhawk City was pleased to see, yet there was one old man who wasn¡¯t happy, and that old man was Orton.


    Although Rocky had defeated Baron Wolin, he hadn¡¯t killed him as expected or disabled him by amputating his limbs. Therefore, Orton didn¡¯t lay hands on the fourth-generation Void Magic Armor he had hoped for, which immensely infuriated him!


    So, since Rocky had finished all his urgent tasks, Orton had been visiting him daily, bothering him incessantly as if Rocky owed him money, demanding the fourth-generation armor for experiments every day!


    ¡°You brat! How long are you planning to drag this on? When will you give me the fourth-generation armor!¡±


    ...


    ¡°Teacher, can we wait a bit? I¡¯m out of money right now¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®out of money¡¯! You own such a huge city, can¡¯t you muster a few hundred thousand gold coins!¡±


    ¡°A few, a few hundred thousand gold coins!?¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky was stupefied. It seemed Orton didn¡¯t just want the fourth-generation armor; he wanted the fourth-generation Special Armor! This scared Rocky so much that he turned around and ran without saying another word.


    The next day.


    ¡°You brat, why didn¡¯t you come to class today! Are you avoiding me!¡±


    ¡°Teacher, didn¡¯t I tell you? I¡¯ve been really busy lately overseeing the warship repairs. If they notice any runes, it¡¯ll cause trouble.¡±


    Looking at the infuriated Orton, Rocky responded helplessly. He wasn¡¯t lying because all of Thunderhawk City¡¯s warships had been modified, though only the magic cannons wouldn¡¯t be easy to detect, and he had to keep an eye on them during repairs. That¡¯s why he had already dispatched Liliya and Monte to personally oversee them.


    However, his reluctance to meet Orton was genuine. Orton simply didn¡¯t understand others; Thunderhawk City was barely getting by these days. Rocky had neither the leisure nor the capability to make the fourth-generation armor for experiments. Even if he had the desire, he didn¡¯t have the money!


    So after a brief explanation, Rocky ran off again, leaving Orton stamping his feet in frustration.


    However, Rocky hadn¡¯t gotten far when he ran into Aileen, who had come to find him at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Upon seeing Aileen, Rocky also felt a headache coming on; without a doubt, she was here about money again.


    And indeed, he was right.


    ¡°My lord, I¡¯ve met with the people from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. I¡¯ve bought fabric for two quarters and then got credit for one quarter of grain.¡±


    ¡°Credit?¡±


    Hearing Aileen¡¯s words, Rocky was slightly stunned, and Aileen nodded:


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve used all the money in the treasury to import fabric. This way, we can at least ensure the city has some revenue for the next two quarters. As for the grain, it¡¯s on credit. We¡¯ll settle it together next quarter. With this method, we can hold out for at least two more months.¡±


    Thunderhawk City¡¯s finances were already in crisis, and with Rocky having taken 35,000 gold coins for warship repairs, Aileen was wracking her brains, forced to use this credit system to survive the tough times. Depending on this method of crediting, she was trying to keep Thunderhawk City afloat a little longer.


    Aileen¡¯s ability to get credit from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce was indeed thanks to Rocky¡¯s current reputation. Given the comprehensive cooperative relationship between the Ruby Chamber of Commerce and Thunderhawk City, they naturally heard about the result of Rocky¡¯s battle with Baron Wolin right away, as well as the incident where he snatched a thousand settlers from Matu¡¯s hands.


    This made the Ruby Chamber of Commerce immediately pay more attention to Rocky and Thunderhawk City, as the population of Thunderhawk City had grown, the trade between the two sides would become larger, so when Aileen proposed the request for credit, the other side agreed in one go.


    However, after reporting all this, Aileen helplessly glanced at Rocky, ¡°My Lord, the treasury is really out of money this time.¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­¡±


    Watching Aileen sigh deeply, Rocky patted her shoulder. With nothing else to instruct, he turned around and went back to his own room.


    Back in his room, he sat down on the bed, spaced out for a while, then took out the Mercenary Guild¡¯s task receiver.


    Now that, Thunderhawk City¡¯s treasury was completely empty, Rocky had to get money quickly. The most convenient and quickest way was to rely on the tasks from the Mercenary Association to earn money.


    As soon as the warships were fully repaired, Rocky would again possess a strong fleet. Even though it might not be as large as before after a major battle, with the two large warships remaining, the combat power was still very formidable. Rocky could completely rely on this fleet, which maintained sufficient combat power, to complete the tasks from the Mercenary Association.


    He had already decided, this time he would choose escort-type tasks as much as possible, such as escorting merchant caravans or goods. The first benefit of this type of task was that the commission was high enough; escort tasks generally had commissions ranging from 35,000 to 50,000 gold coins, which was among the highest in all task types.


    Of course, such high-commission tasks also implied high requirements, but with the fleet Rocky possessed, as long as he didn¡¯t accept tasks that were too exaggerated, all the requirements could be met.


    Secondly, escort tasks were short in duration. An escort task often only required ten days or half a month to complete, which was naturally a good thing for Thunderhawk City¡¯s ongoing gold coin turnover.


    In this situation, Rocky lied on the bed and began selecting tasks one by one using the task receiver.


    Since his strength was much stronger than before, he could choose from a larger number of tasks, which also took more time.


    Although Rocky was very anxious, he didn¡¯t lose his composure because of it. He didn¡¯t randomly choose tasks. In fact, he had time to slowly select tasks until the warships were completely repaired and he found the most suitable task to complete.


    But before he found the right task, someone proactively came looking for him!


    That day, to avoid Orton from bothering him, Rocky hid in the Guard Camp and trained with the guards, only to be suddenly approached with an urgent report!


    ¡°Has someone from Sky City arrived?¡±


    Hearing the report from the Skyport guard, Rocky immediately furrowed his brows, and the first thought that came to his mind was that the Mairente family had sent someone to retaliate against him!


    This made Rocky immediately tense up because Thunderhawk City was not yet ready for another big battle!


    Before he could react, someone sent by Berg also arrived at the same time.


    At this time, Thunderhawk City and Lingyu City were very close, so even though Rocky was in Thunderhawk City, it was very easy for Berg to contact him.


    ¡°Lord Rocky, Lord Berg of Berg City invites you to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion for a banquet to welcome Lord Karina.¡±


    ¡°Karina, she has come?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky was initially startled, then his anxious heart eased, and he asked, ¡°That Sky City outside, is it Karina¡¯s Rose City, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is indeed Lord Karina¡¯s Rose City.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Knowing that the Sky City outside was Rose City, Rocky was relieved, and without even going back to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, he directly went with Berg¡¯s people to Lingyu City.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 168 - 167: Taught a Lesson...

    Chapter 168: Chapter 167: Taught a Lesson¡­


    Some things just happen to coincide, I recall when I first arrived in Lingyu City, Rocky and Berg had mentioned Karina, but at that time I felt that it wasn¡¯t certain when I would see Karina again, so we didn¡¯t delve into conversation. Unexpectedly, just a few days had passed when they met again.


    Although Rocky still didn¡¯t understand Karina very well, from the bits and pieces Berg let slip, he could tell that Karina, despite also being the City Lord of a small Sky City, was considerably stronger than the average City Lord, undoubtedly a formidable figure.


    For such a person, given there was no conflict between them, Rocky naturally wanted to make acquaintance, so when he received Berg¡¯s invitation he didn¡¯t even return to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion but went directly to Lingyu City, of course, a large part of the reason he didn¡¯t return to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion was that he didn¡¯t want to see Orton, that old man was just too difficult to deal with.


    In such circumstances, it didn¡¯t take long for Rocky to arrive at Berg¡¯s City Lord¡¯s Mansion and then he was directly taken to the banquet hall, where Berg and Karina were already waiting for him.


    Berg¡¯s reception for Karina was quite high-collared, even higher than the one he¡¯d held for Rocky, but since it was still daylight, Berg hadn¡¯t thrown a dance party, instead, he¡¯d organized a luncheon.


    ¡°Haha! Rocky, you¡¯ve finally arrived!¡±


    ...


    After Rocky had taken his seat, Berg, as the host, raised his glass proactively and said to him and Karina,


    ¡°The two of you, we met in Eternal City, and today we¡¯ve gathered here again in my place. Don¡¯t you think this is a fate destined by the heavens? For this fateful meeting, we should drink a toast!¡±


    As a City Lord and a shrewd businessman, Berg¡¯s conduct was impeccable and he was extremely good at setting the mood. Despite there being only three people seated and not that acquainted with each other, under his lead, the trio quickly engaged in warm conversation, avoiding any awkward silence.


    ¡°Karina, you¡¯ve heard, haven¡¯t you? Rocky recently won a great battle. What do you think? Are you tempted?¡±


    In the circle of small Sky Cities, the battle between Rocky and Baron Wolin was the hottest topic, and with Rocky being the person involved present, the conversation naturally turned to this topic.


    However, what Rocky hadn¡¯t expected was that Berg started playing matchmaker right off the bat, making it seem as if he was trying to set him up with Karina, and his face, unaccustomed to such a situation, turned red.


    Karina, on the other hand, didn¡¯t care about it at all. Dressed in a red gown, she looked at Rocky with pride and then laughed,


    ¡°Not quite there yet.¡±


    ¡°How is that not enough? I think it¡¯s fine. Karina, if you keep this up, you¡¯ll never get married.¡±


    ¡°Berg, you¡¯re talking too much today.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, my mistake, won¡¯t say anymore.¡±


    After glancing sharply at Berg, Karina turned to look at an increasingly blushing Rocky and suddenly asked, ¡°Are you feverish, why is your face red?¡±


    At this remark, Berg, who had just fallen silent, burst out laughing, and Rocky felt his cheeks grow even hotter, as anyone could tell that Karina was teasing him.


    This woman is really not someone to be trifled with¡­


    But after teasing Rocky, Karina spoke seriously, ¡°Rocky, you¡¯ve got some guts, daring to provoke the Mairente Family, a behemoth like that. Have you thought about the consequences?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡±


    Rocky didn¡¯t give it much thought before shaking his head with a smile and saying, ¡°I just want the Mairente Family to realize that I¡¯m not so easy to bully, it¡¯s as simple as that.¡±


    ¡°Impressive!¡±


    Such an answer earned a thumbs-up from Berg, and even Karina laughed and softened her gaze towards him, then asked, ¡°What are your plans for the future?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet, but I expect the Mairente Family will try to get revenge, so I¡¯m planning to lay low for a while.¡±


    Rocky wasn¡¯t lying with this statement; he did indeed plan to lay low for a while¡ªfirstly to avoid the Mairente Family¡¯s revenge and secondly to give himself a respite. For now, he would wait until the financial crisis in Thunderhawk City had passed and everything returned to normal before considering his next move.


    No sooner had he finished than Karina shook her head, and Berg too shook his head repeatedly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Seeing the two of them like this, Rocky felt a bit puzzled. Did he say something wrong?


    And soon, Karina gave him the answer:


    ¡°You indeed should be worried about retaliation, but you shouldn¡¯t worry about the Mairente Family.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because the bigger they are, the slower they move, and the Mairente Family is just like that. Moreover, there¡¯s a lot of infighting within the family. Anyone with even a slight understanding of the family knows that Baron Wolin belongs to the Lexington faction. If Lexington himself took action to retaliate against you, then it would be useless even if you fled to the ends of the earth ¨C they could easily annihilate you.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re lucky that Lexington¡¯s power is too strong. He has opponents within the family who won¡¯t let him make moves recklessly.¡±


    Despite being around the same age as Rocky, Karina had been a City Lord for much longer. Whether in terms of thinking or intelligence, she was far superior to Rocky, which is why she was able to analyze the situation with the Mairente Family so quickly, leaving Rocky with a furrowed brow.


    Rocky had to agree with what Karina said. He might not be too clear about the specifics of Lexington, but he remembered Cyril mentioning that she and her father did not want to see Baron Wolin take over Thunderhawk City, which indicated that Cyril¡¯s faction was precisely Lexington¡¯s opponent within the family.


    And if that were the case, if Lexington wanted to avenge Baron Wolin, Cyril¡¯s faction would definitely not agree. Wouldn¡¯t that mean¡­ he was safe?


    With this in mind, Rocky directly asked Karina and Berg, ¡°According to what you¡¯re saying, don¡¯t I not need to worry now?¡±


    ¡°Rocky, don¡¯t joke around. You have plenty to worry about right now.¡±


    With a smile and a shake of his head, Berg said that and looked towards Karina, who then took over the conversation: ¡°Berg¡¯s right, you have plenty to worry about.¡±


    ¡°What do I need to worry about then?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, you need to worry about Lexington¡¯s retaliation. Even if Lexington, being such an important figure, is constrained by his family from dealing with you personally, with his connections and influence, there will be many people willing to help him wipe you out.¡±


    ¡°Lexington¡¯s influence¡­ is it really that great?¡±


    Glancing at Karina, Rocky understood her point but couldn¡¯t quite believe it.


    ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re underestimating the great families.¡± Shaking her head slightly, Karina imparted a lesson to Rocky: ¡°Someone like Lexington, who himself is the City Lord of a major Sky City controlling a hundred thousand people, is also a leader of a faction within his family. Do you think his influence is great or not? Trust me, if Lexington wishes it, not only the lords of medium and small Sky Cities but even those of large Sky Cities would oblige him and casually eliminate you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As Karina finished her explanation, Rocky¡¯s brows had unknowingly knotted tightly.


    Before this, although he had thought about the Mairente Family taking revenge on him, he had only considered this superficially and hadn¡¯t thought more deeply. Karina¡¯s words made him immediately realize the seriousness of the problem. That is, if Lexington sought someone else to target him, what should he do?


    This question was incredibly important. If Lexington really did that, it would be like pushing Rocky into an extremely difficult situation, where he wouldn¡¯t even know who to guard against, as anyone might become his enemy simply to curry favor with Lexington!


    ¡°What do you think¡­ I should do?¡±


    With that thought, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but look to Berg and Karina. This was not the time to play aloof. In such a critical moment, he had to ask for advice where it was needed ¨C it was just sensible.


    His query, however, resulted in two starkly different answers:


    ¡°Of course, you should enhance your own strength!¡± Looking at him, Karina spoke with pride: ¡°If anyone dares to attack you, just annihilate them! Once you¡¯ve wiped out two or three Sky Cities, those petty people won¡¯t dare to trouble you.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, Rocky, don¡¯t listen to her.¡± Karina had barely finished speaking when Berg chuckled towards Rocky: ¡°Rocky, if you take my advice, then immediately find an Alliance to join. As the saying goes, ¡®it¡¯s good to take shelter under a big tree!''¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 169 - 168 Air Pirate Group

    Chapter 169: Chapter 168 Air Pirate Group


    When Rocky asked Berg and Karina for their opinions, both gave starkly different responses that were perfectly in line with their respective characters.


    Karina¡¯s advice was simple¡ªshe told Rocky to go for it! To go all out!


    If anyone dared to attack him, he should dare to fight back, and ideally obliterate the opponent¡¯s city, twice if necessary. After doing that a couple of times, surely no one would dare to provoke him lightly again.


    That suggestion¡­ well, it was not only extremely characteristic of Karina but also made some sense.


    Anyone looking to side with Lexington against Rocky, whoever they might be, was probably just trying to curry favor with Lexington. But if the damage Rocky inflicted upon them far outweighed any benefits they could get from Lexington, naturally, these people would refrain from taking action.


    To tell the truth, Rocky really wanted to do just that. His personality might be different from Karina¡¯s, but their attitudes toward this matter were completely aligned¡ªif someone bullied him, he would definitely hit back hard!


    ...


    But there was a practical problem with that approach¡ªRocky didn¡¯t have the strength! How could he intimidate the petty if he did not possess the might to destroy a Sky City?


    As interesting as it sounded, Rocky simply couldn¡¯t pull it off.


    Compared to Karina, Berg¡¯s advice was much smoother. He suggested that Rocky join an alliance!


    This piece of advice did pique Rocky¡¯s interest, as Berg had a point: there¡¯s comfort in the shade of a big tree.


    Lexington was so influential not only because of his own considerable strength but also because he had the backing of powerful families. In fact, many supported him, not for his sake, but out of respect for the Mairente Family.


    So what if Rocky joined some force, too? Wouldn¡¯t he have a backer himself?


    ¡°Berg, are you suggesting that I join the Kafka Empire, Sky Alliance, or the Magic Energy Research Institute?¡± Rocky asked, aware even with his limited knowledge of the sky¡¯s three major powers.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be one of these three major forces,¡± Berg replied.


    As they delved into the topic, Berg became more talkative, shaking his head as he spoke, ¡°Although the sky is currently dominated by these three forces, joining them isn¡¯t easy¡ªthey have very high standards.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t lose hope. There are many other forces in the sky, both big and small. They may not be on par with the big three, but some are not weak by any means.¡±


    ¡°Let me think¡­ for instance, the Windrunner Alliance, the Racial Alliance, or the Blackwater War Alliance. These forces are as strong as the Mairente Family. If you could join one of them, even Lexington would have to think twice before trying to annihilate you. After all, the sky doesn¡¯t revolve solely around the Mairente Family.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, if you join these forces, you¡¯ll not only gain protection, but the development of Sky City will also accelerate. The resources that an alliance can share are definitely beyond what a single Sky City can muster.¡±


    ¡°That being the case¡­¡±


    Moved by Berg¡¯s words, Rocky felt such a move could indeed be a good strategy. Joining a force would not only shield him from Lexington¡¯s vengeance but also aid in the future development of Thunderhawk City.


    Therefore, he followed up with, ¡°How can I get in touch with these forces?¡±


    ¡°For that kind of thing, you¡¯ll have to ask Karina. She¡¯s received quite a few invitations from alliances,¡± Berg answered.


    On this matter, Berg gestured towards Karina, indicating she knew better because she had previously been approached by other forces!


    But when Rocky turned to Karina, she simply pursed her lips and said dismissively, ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. They came to me, and I don¡¯t know how to contact them. Besides, I haven¡¯t joined any forces now.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    From Karina¡¯s response and the expression on her face, it was clear that she held the idea of joining an alliance in utter contempt.


    Indeed, she soon gave Rocky a sidelong glance, ¡°Instead of figuring out how to cling to someone powerful, you might as well think about how to make yourself stronger. This is what a man should do.¡±


    Somehow, Karina¡¯s mood seemed to have suddenly turned sour, becoming quite abrupt with Rocky. Even the expression she gave him had turned somewhat cold and angry.


    What was going on?


    Unsure of what had caused her sudden change, Rocky was a bit perplexed; he didn¡¯t think he had said anything wrong!


    However, when he looked towards Berg somewhat puzzled, he noticed Berg was shaking his head slightly at him, and then he promptly changed the subject,


    ¡°Alright, alright, the issue with Rocky isn¡¯t something that can be resolved in a day or two. Since he isn¡¯t busy right now, let¡¯s focus on the matter at hand.¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After saying this, Berg looked towards Karina, ¡°Karina, didn¡¯t you say you were looking for Rocky for something?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Still angry, Karina glowered as if she had heard nothing at all, with no response whatsoever.


    Seeing her like this, Berg didn¡¯t mind and instead said to Rocky, ¡°Rocky, Karina came here specifically to find you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Rocky looked at Karina in surprise, as he was completely unaware of this matter.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I am indeed here to find you.¡±


    After being looked at by Rocky for quite a while, Karina finally regained her composure before speaking, ¡°Do you have any plans for the near future?¡±


    ¡°Me? Nothing much, just to lie low for a while once the warship is fixed, and do some Mercenary Guild missions on the side for some extra cash.¡±


    Having already had such an extensive chat with Berg and Karina, Rocky didn¡¯t lie or hide anything from them, openly sharing his next steps.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re not occupied, come with me.¡±


    However, after learning about Rocky¡¯s plans, Karina offhandedly suggested.


    ¡°Go with you? To do what?¡±


    ¡°To find someone and fight a battle!¡±


    When Karina said this, Rocky was in the middle of drinking and ended up spitting out his drink. He had not expected that Karina was seeking him out for this reason?


    Could it be, in her eyes, he had become some sort of war merchant?


    ¡°What, are you scared?¡±


    Facing Karina¡¯s slightly relentless questioning, Rocky felt helpless. This woman¡¯s personality was truly unique. So he wiped his mouth and asked, ¡°Who are you planning to fight?¡±


    ¡°The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.¡±


    Now it was Berg¡¯s turn to spit out his drink. Before he could even wipe his mouth, he looked at Karina in shock, ¡°Karina, have you lost your mind? You actually dare to provoke the Wild Horse Pirate Group!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 170 - 169: Do It Big!

    Chapter 170: Chapter 169: Do It Big!


    Air Pirate Group¡­


    The term ¡°Air Pirate Group¡± originally stemmed from ¡°Pirate Group¡±. After the Demons occupied the land, the term ¡°Pirate Group¡± vanished, because with the loss of the continent, there was no more ocean, and naturally, there were no more sea pirates either.


    However, as Pirate Groups disappeared, Air Pirate Groups emerged, directly replacing sea pirates as the robbers of the skies.


    During the Sky Era, all interactions between cities relied on skyships, especially for the Chambers of Commerce. These chambers could only transport goods to various Sky Cities by skyship, which naturally gave rise to Air Pirate Groups.


    Additionally, the sky is even more vast and boundless than the sea, making the Air Pirate Groups of today even more rampant and terrifying than the Pirate Groups of old; otherwise, the Mercenary Guild wouldn¡¯t have so many escort-oriented missions, the purpose of which is to guard against these Air Pirate Groups.


    The reason Karina came to find Rocky was that she hoped he would join her in eradicating an Air Pirate Group!


    ...


    Rocky was surprised by her proposal, but after thinking it over, he realized there was nothing too unexpected about it, as it seemed very consistent with Karina¡¯s character.


    What truly baffled Rocky, however, was Berg¡¯s reaction. Given how well Berg and Karina knew each other, Berg should not have shown the slightest surprise at her idea.


    Could it be¡­ related to Karina¡¯s target?


    Karina had made it clear that she wanted to eradicate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. Could it be that this Air Pirate Group was particularly troublesome to deal with?


    With this thought, Rocky glanced at Berg, who then provided him with an explanation:


    ¡°The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡­ once robbed Karina¡¯s goods¡­¡±


    ¡°Not just the goods! But also a warship!¡±


    Karina became extremely agitated when it came to this matter, slamming the table as she corrected Berg: ¡°I had just commissioned an Escort Ship and a shipment of goods, and on their way back to Rose City, they were all robbed by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. The goods and the brand-new warship, all destroyed by those bastards! They cost me hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins!¡±


    No wonder Karina was so worked up; the loss caused by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was indeed massive. A loss of hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins was a considerable sum for any small Sky City Lord.


    However, after Karina vented her frustration, Berg sighed and said, ¡°Karina, that was two years ago. Why cling to it so¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if ten more years pass, I won¡¯t let them off the hook!¡±


    Karina gave Berg a fierce look, showing her undeniable resolve.


    While Rocky might not understand her intense reaction, Berg seemed to know some underlying details and didn¡¯t continue the topic. Instead, he said to Rocky, ¡°The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group is somewhat notorious. Relying on owning dozens of warships, they¡¯ve done quite a bit of robbing in the skies. Of course, that¡¯s not the most important thing. There are many Air Pirate Groups in the sky now, and in terms of sheer strength, Wild Horse doesn¡¯t rank very high.¡±


    ¡°But what¡¯s key is that this Air Pirate Group is backed by a Sky City!¡±


    While speaking, Berg glanced at Karina then continued explaining to Rocky: ¡°The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group has a deep connection with Wild Horse City. Or rather, this Air Pirate Group is essentially raised by Wild Horse City. It¡¯s specifically there to do the dirty work for Sky City and provide an additional income.¡±


    ¡°Wild Horse City?¡±


    ¡°A medium-sized Sky City.¡± As Berg looked at Rocky, he slowly said, ¡°Wild Horse City is a medium-sized Sky City with a population of thirty thousand. The City Lord, Karlo, is a ruthless and tough character, quite a difficult opponent to deal with.¡±


    By the time Berg explained this, Rocky had basically understood the situation.


    Two years ago, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had robbed Karina¡¯s warship and cargo, causing a huge loss of several hundred thousand Gold Coins. Karina had always remembered this grudge. Although it might seem that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was just a bandit gang, they had the support of a medium-sized Sky City behind them. This was why Berg sighed heavily at Karina¡¯s actions.


    Indeed, Karina¡¯s move was rather risky. She was indeed powerful, which was evident from Berg¡¯s attitude towards her and the confidence and pride she herself displayed. Someone without any real strength could not possess Karina¡¯s confidence. However, no matter how confident she was, no matter how strong, she was still only the City Lord of a small Sky City.


    This status had essentially set a limit, signifying that Karina could only dominate within small Sky Cities. She was ultimately a small city¡¯s City Lord, but what she was preparing to do was to provoke a medium-sized Sky City!


    This kind of act was unimaginable. A small Sky City should naturally steer clear of a medium-sized Sky City, let alone provoke one intentionally. Wasn¡¯t that madness!


    Thus, it also made Rocky frown; he already had enough troubles, with the Mairente Family forcing him into hiding. If he went on to provoke a strong enemy now¡­ it really wouldn¡¯t be a wise choice.


    And Karina evidently saw what he was thinking as she then said, ¡°Rocky, since the three of us are sitting here, let¡¯s not beat around the bush. I know you need money now.¡±


    As a City Lord who was extremely skilled in combat, Karina knew exactly what Rocky needed after a great battle because she had been through a similar situation herself. So she went on to say, ¡°The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group is quite strong, and over the years, they have robbed quite a lot. So if we can take them down in one fell swoop, it will surely earn you more than any mission you could accept.¡±


    Despite Karina seeming a bit impulsive and even stubborn about this matter, she was actually very smart. With just a few words, she managed to move Rocky, prompting him to ask the following question:


    ¡°How much can be made?¡±


    ¡°People, money, goods; add them all up, and it should be at least over a million!¡±


    ¡°A million?¡±


    Upon hearing this number, Rocky¡¯s eyes widened, and he incredulously looked at Karina, then turned towards Berg.


    ¡°If you two really manage to take down the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group in one go, indeed, you could make that much.¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nodding at Rocky, Berg explained, ¡°The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group has been rampant for several years, and although most of their stolen loot has been handed over to Wild Horse City, after so many years, they would have kept some surplus for themselves. They definitely have a wealth of a hundred or so million, no question about that.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t forget who you are stirring up trouble with!¡±


    Although Berg was confident that Karina wasn¡¯t lying, proving that if this operation succeeded, Rocky and Karina would indeed reap a huge reward, he still stressed afterwards, ¡°The two of you, one to seek revenge for an old arrow wound, the other to make a sum of money, are trying to provoke a medium-sized Sky City. Do you think it¡¯s worth it?¡±


    Frankly speaking, Berg was being quite sincere, earnestly advising Karina and Rocky not to act rashly because the people they were about to provoke were really not easy to deal with.


    However, despite his earnest advice, Karina simply ignored him. She looked at Rocky with her eyes:


    ¡°Rocky, do you dare to join me in this heist or not!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 171 - 170: Join Forces!

    Chapter 171: Chapter 170: Join Forces!


    Karina¡¯s proposal put Rocky in a dilemma¡­


    To be fair, he really wanted to join Karina for a big job. The potential earnings of over a million were a huge temptation for him, especially at a time when he needed money the most.


    On the other hand, the backers behind the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group made him feel uneasy. He already had one major enemy; if he also provoked the Wild Horse City, a mid-sized Sky City, life would surely become even more difficult¡­


    Choosing what to do was indeed a tough problem.


    So, faced with Karina¡¯s probing, Rocky chose to keep calm and didn¡¯t answer immediately. He thought it over for quite a while before lifting his eyes and speaking: ¡°Karina, why are you looking to cooperate with me?¡±


    Instead of directly agreeing or declining, Rocky posed this question, which was also something that puzzled him.


    ...


    He couldn¡¯t understand why Karina wanted to cooperate with him. Logically, Karina¡¯s strength should be stronger. Maybe she could eliminate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group herself; why bother partnering up?


    And even if she needed a partner, why choose him?


    ¡°I need your troops.¡±


    ¡°The fleet?¡±


    ¡°No, your soldiers.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Karina spoke without any reservations or beating around the bush: ¡°I don¡¯t care about Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s fleet, but their ground base is quite a problem. However, to thoroughly annihilate this pirate group, destroying their base is necessary.¡±


    ¡°Rocky, I know you¡¯ve completed the mission at Backhill Village, and your troops managed to win against hundreds of successive demon attacks. That¡¯s exactly the strength I need. I need your troops to capture their base while I deal with their fleet!¡±


    Perhaps it was her nature; Karina didn¡¯t hide her thoughts at all. She wasn¡¯t interested in Rocky¡¯s fleet but in his soldiers! Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I need to explain here that after entering the Sky Era, aerial forces had developed significantly, undergoing a qualitative change, while ground forces were very limited, barely different from the Land Era.


    There were many reasons for this air-strong-ground-weak situation. For example, the trend of the times: in today¡¯s world where everyone lived in the sky and conflicts continued, developing air power seemed the obvious choice for anyone.


    Moreover, most City Lords of Sky Cities simply abandoned their armies. Apart from a few guards maintaining order, there were no regular military troops. All resources and power were invested in fleet development.


    I remember Wensel saying in his last words that once people fled to the sky, they would never have a chance to reclaim the land. He probably foresaw today¡¯s situation when he said this, and in fact, the failure of the two major wars indeed had a direct connection with the weakened soldiers. After all, while floating warships were strong, they could only influence ground battles. Winning ground battles still depended on soldiers.


    This was precisely why Karina chose to cooperate with Rocky. She had confidence in dealing with the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s fleet, but she was one of those City Lords who only maintained air forces and not ground forces, making their base difficult for her to handle.


    In comparison, Rocky had a clear advantage in this area. Despite having only about three hundred guards, every one of them was an elite soldier. The original guards of Thunderhawk City had become seasoned veterans after the Backhill Village mission, and the troops from Backhill Village were warriors experienced in fighting demons, making Rocky¡¯s Guard Corps formidable.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Karina¡¯s response made Rocky nod. He could tell she wasn¡¯t lying, so he continued to ask:


    ¡°How do you plan to divide the spoils?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get everything that can be sold, but the people will be mine.¡±


    Without any hesitation, Karina gave her answer: the money and goods would belong to Rocky, but the people would go to her.


    This plan was something she had considered thoroughly. It seemed simple and straightforward, but it perfectly met both of their needs. After Thunderhawk City had increased its population twice in a row, it obviously didn¡¯t need more people in the short term. Rocky now desperately needed money, so Karina planned to give him all the money; whereas she needed people primarily for city development.


    Rocky had no objections to this allocation plan because he was quite satisfied with it. This distribution was based on need, giving each party what they most required.


    So, after pondering for a moment, he nodded in agreement with Karina¡¯s invitation.


    ¡°I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong about you. You and I are alike.¡±


    Seeing Rocky finally nod, Karina broke into a smile. She raised a glass beside her, offering a toast to Rocky.


    ¡°My God¡­ You two reckless lunatics¡­¡±


    In contrast to Karina¡¯s smile, Berg patted his forehead with his hand, his face full of helplessness.


    But it was too late now; nothing he said would change a thing. Since Rocky and Karina had already decided to join forces for this job, the three of them spent no more time idly chatting and instead focused on discussing the matter at hand.


    ¡°Karina, have you already found the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group?¡±


    Looking at Karina, Berg asked.


    Since the Air Pirate Groups were the pirates of the new era, they naturally had their bases. Unlike mercenary groups, which were legitimate organizations and could place their bases in a Sky City, pirate groups were a band of robbers. A Sky City wouldn¡¯t have them, so they could only establish their bases on land, just like the Wild Horse Sky Island supported by a Sky City.


    But don¡¯t forget, the land had been occupied by demons by now. Establishing a base there wasn¡¯t just daring; it was extremely dangerous. Therefore, pirate groups usually chose very hidden and well-defended places for their bases, places even demons had difficulty finding.


    ¡°Yes, I found it.¡±


    Taking a sip of wine, Karina nodded. Rocky¡¯s commitment had put her in a great mood, and a beauty like her looked even more enchanting when in high spirits.


    ¡°To find their base, I spent over ten thousand gold coins with the Shadow Alliance, and I finally found it.¡±


    Putting her glass down, Karina spoke. It seemed she was really determined to crush the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have spent so much just to locate their base.


    ¡°Karina, how close is the relationship between the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group and Wild Horse City? When we attack them, will Wild Horse City send reinforcements?¡±


    This time, it was Rocky who spoke. Since he was going to partner with Karina for this job, he needed to be fully prepared and some things had to be clarified.


    ¡°Wild Horse City, huh? Hmph, if they send reinforcements, all the better!¡±


    Mentioning Wild Horse City, Karina snorted coldly, her eyes flashing with a hint of menace.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 172 - 171: The Wine in the Cup

    Chapter 172: Chapter 171: The Wine in the Cup


    Since Wild Horse City was the backer of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group and was itself a medium-sized Sky City, it naturally became an important target that needed attention.


    However, when Rocky mentioned Wild Horse City, Karina let out a cold snort filled with murderous intent. But she quickly added, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯ve already received news that Wild Horse City is going to war with Fire Elf City. When that time comes, they won¡¯t have time to bother with us.¡±


    ¡°Fire Elf City?¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°A city completely controlled by elves.¡± Seeing that Rocky was clearly unfamiliar with Fire Elf City, Berg chimed in from the side, ¡°This city has had a longstanding grudge with Wild Horse City, so they are often at war.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Berg¡¯s explanation made Rocky nod and also feel much more at ease. If Wild Horse City wasn¡¯t going to provide support, then the operation he and Karina were undertaking would undoubtedly be much easier.


    ...


    And so, the three of them chatted for a while longer until the evening gradually approached. Soon after, Karina left first. Since Rocky had already accepted her invitation, she naturally needed to make preparations posthaste.


    After she left, Rocky was also planning to depart as he needed to go back and get the Guard Corps ready. In at most a week, his fleet would be fully repaired and ready to set sail.


    But just as he was about to leave, Berg stopped him.


    ¡°Rocky, don¡¯t listen to Karina¡¯s nonsense. She actually joined an Alliance before.¡±


    After Karina left, only Rocky and Berg remained at the banquet. As soon as Berg spoke, Rocky froze, not understanding what he meant.


    However, Berg didn¡¯t offer much explanation and continued on his own, ¡°Three years ago, when she first became City Lord, she joined a small Alliance for self-protection. While the Alliance wasn¡¯t large, made up of small Sky Cities, it at least provided shelter.¡±


    ¡°Back then, Karina was like many other City Lords now, without much ambition and even less belligerent than she is now. All she wanted was to work hard to develop the city and live a quiet, stable life. I even heard she wanted to find a Prince Charming to marry at that time. Rose City was her dowry.¡±


    At this point, Berg laughed, and even Rocky, who didn¡¯t grasp the meaning of his words, couldn¡¯t help but smile. It was hard for anyone to imagine what a scenario of Karina wanting to marry would look like.


    After their laughter subsided, Berg continued, ¡°At that time, she worked hard within the small Alliance for a year, barely earning enough money to buy a warship, only to have it hijacked by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky finally gained a real understanding of the enmity between Karina and the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. He had been puzzled by her intense hatred toward the group because, generally speaking, being robbed by them once shouldn¡¯t warrant such animosity. But now he understood the situation.


    But it was clear Berg knew more, so he added, ¡°You can imagine how difficult Karina¡¯s situation became after being robbed by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. She had almost lost all her savings.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she join an Alliance then? Didn¡¯t the Alliance stand up for her?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Shaking his head, Berg provided a brief and definitive answer. ¡°Of course, Karina turned to the Alliance, but it was just a small one formed by small Sky Cities. They were afraid of provoking Wild Horse City, so they didn¡¯t help her and even kicked her out.¡±


    ¡°That serious¡­?¡±


    Rocky looked at Berg in surprise, not expecting Karina to have gone through such an ordeal.


    At this, Berg could only let out a wry smile, ¡°The incident dealt a heavy blow to Karina, and it was after that when she changed. She was no longer the girl who dreamed of marrying Prince Charming and living a peaceful life.¡±


    ¡°She became a true City Lord.¡±


    ¡°She waged constant wars, eliminated her opponents unrelentingly, took her revenge¡­ and in this process, her talent for war was fully realized.¡±


    ¡°You know, Karina is a natural born warmonger; she instinctively knows how to win a war without anyone teaching her.¡±


    ¡°I remember telling you she was called the Tyrant of Rose City because in just one year¡¯s time, with her own strength, she wiped out all the cities in the Alliance that had once expelled her. Since then, she¡¯s earned the reputation of a Tyrant. No City Lord of any small Sky City dares to provoke her.¡±


    ¡°Women¡­ they have such strong desires for revenge¡­¡±


    After saying this, Berg looked towards Rocky, ¡°Rocky, about this alliance with Karina you¡¯re forming¡­¡±


    ¡°If you think you can¡¯t eliminate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, I advise you to refuse Karina. Although she¡¯s obsessed with this Air Pirate Group, she knows she can¡¯t defeat them without your help and would choose to let it go for the time being.¡±


    ¡°But if you think you can collaborate with her to wipe out the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, I hope you¡¯ll give it your all, because this matter is very important to Karina.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Berg¡¯s words caused Rocky to frown slightly, staring at him for a long while before he half-jokingly asked, ¡°Berg, you seem to care a lot about Karina?¡±


    From Berg¡¯s speech just now, not only did Rocky gain a better understanding of Karina, but he could also clearly sense that Berg had an unusual relationship with Karina; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have disclosed so much to him.


    Sure enough, when asked, Berg smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t just care about her, I owe her a debt of gratitude.¡±


    ¡°When I was at my most difficult time, Karina helped me a great deal. I¡¯ve always remembered that favor, so I hope you can help her because in this regard, you are more capable than I am.¡±


    ¡°Additionally¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Berg paused, his expression changing slightly before he continued,


    ¡°If anyone dares to stab her in the back, even though I¡¯m not skilled in warfare, I can still crush them with my wealth.¡±


    His eyes calmly fixed on Rocky, Berg showed a rare seriousness, making it clear he was not joking!


    And his last statement was not so much a warning as it was a threat, threatening Rocky not to scheme against Karina!


    However, Rocky was not angered by this, quite the opposite; he actually liked, or rather admired, this kind of behavior from Berg.


    At the level of a City Lord, intrigue and deception become the norm, and someone like Berg who could talk tough to protect Karina was truly rare among them.


    Therefore, Rocky soon smiled, said nothing more, and nothing more needed to be said. He simply picked up his wine glass and gave it a shake towards Berg, and with that, they both downed their drinks. Then Rocky put down his glass, stood up, and left¡­


    There wasn¡¯t much need for words, a drink was enough.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 173 - 172: Exploded Again

    Chapter 173: Chapter 172: Exploded Again


    ¡°`


    After leaving the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Berg, Rocky sat in the carriage with an extremely good mood. This collaboration with Karina could be said to have solved a great problem for him because as long as they could wipe out the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, the crisis of Thunderhawk City would be resolved, and not only that, he could even make a fortune from it!


    Such an outcome naturally delighted Rocky. As for the potential consequences of provoking Wild Horse City, to be honest, he hadn¡¯t thought much about it. The more lice you have, the less you itch; the more debts you have, the less you worry. Since he had already provoked the Mairente Family, he simply didn¡¯t care about a Wild Horse City that was far inferior to the Mairente Family.


    In Rocky¡¯s opinion, rather than being afraid of wolves ahead and tigers behind, worrying about this and that, it was better to go all out on one big gamble, which could at least solve the pressing crisis of Thunderhawk City.


    Therefore, when he returned to his own Thunderhawk City, he immediately gathered everyone in the City Lord¡¯s Hall and spilled the news.


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    ...


    When Rocky declared that he would join hands with Karina and would mobilize the Guard Corps, Monte reacted strongly. He couldn¡¯t help but jump up and shout, ¡°Lord! We didn¡¯t get to participate in the last big battle, and the brothers have been itching for action for a long time, so this time we¡¯ll definitely go all out to wipe out that Air Pirate Group in one fell swoop!¡±


    The last big battle Monte referred to was naturally the one against Baron Wolin.


    Now, Thunderhawk City was not only stronger than before but had also improved by quite a margin. Thus, it no longer had to rely solely on a Guard Corps to handle everything. Under Rocky¡¯s organization, Thunderhawk City¡¯s Fleet had long been separated from the Guard Corps, becoming an independent force. In other words, the military forces of Thunderhawk City had been divided into the air force led by the First Fleet and the land force led by the Guard Corps, progressively moving towards regularization.


    In the great battle with Baron Wolin, Rocky had deployed the entire Fleet, and the Guard Corps had basically done nothing, which really frustrated Monte. The guards in the Corps were equally stifled, feeling both envious of the Fleet¡¯s victory and a sense of crisis.


    It had been said before, in the skies, land forces were not highly regarded, and the air force was the favored child of the era. So much so that many Sky Cities didn¡¯t even have ground troops. Therefore, when Rocky formed his own First Fleet and separated it from the Guard Corps, Monte and Lin Feng and the others had a foreboding feeling, fearing that Rocky, like other City Lords, would gradually abandon their Guard Corps.


    It was precisely because of this sense of crisis that Monte was so excited when he learned that the next target required the Guard Corps to be mobilized. Not only him but Lin Feng by his side felt the same. Both saw it as an opportunity, a chance to prove to Rocky that the Guard Corps was still useful.


    As for their reaction, Rocky could somewhat understand, but Monte and Lin Feng were thinking too much, for Rocky would never give up the Guard Corps. Regardless of how other City Lords might think, he had always believed that the land force was an indispensable and irreplaceable power, whether facing Demons or other Sky Cities, the land force would be of great use. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Carry out my orders.¡±


    So after that, he issued a series of commands: ¡°Effective immediately, Liliya is reinstated to her former position, continuing as my personal guard. The former Instructor of the Guard Corps, Lin Feng, is promoted to Deputy Captain of the Thunderhawk City Guard Corps, and former Deputy Captain Monte is promoted to Captain of the Thunderhawk City Guard Corps, commanding the Guard Corps. Prepare for battle at once.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Under Rocky¡¯s appointment, Liliya stepped down from the position of Captain of the Guard Corps and returned to being his personal guard. Monte, at last, became the Captain of the Guard Corps, and Lin Feng was also promoted one rank, from Instructor to Deputy Captain.


    This appointment was something Rocky had planned long ago. He had been planning to hand over the position of Captain of the Guard Corps to Monte but had held off until now because Monte¡¯s prestige was not yet sufficient.


    Monte had already been in Thunderhawk City for over half a year and had established enough credibility within the Guard Corps, especially recently. Although Liliya seemed to still be the Captain lately, Monte had been basically handling all major and minor matters of the Guard Corps to ensure a smooth transition to the position of Captain.


    Although the appointment was anticipated, Monte was still quite excited when he was officially named Captain. However, he didn¡¯t waste too much time on this matter, instead immediately returning to the Guard Corps with Lin Feng, planning to share the good news with the brothers in the Corps and get everyone to adjust their condition and prepare for battle as soon as possible.


    After the others had left the City Lord¡¯s Hall, only Rocky and Liliya remained. Rocky then let out a sigh.


    ¡°`


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Glancing at the sighing Rocky, Liliya was somewhat puzzled.


    ¡°Got to meet with Orton again¡­¡±


    Turning his head to look at Liliya, Rocky said listlessly.


    ¡°You go ahead, I need to take the time to practice controlling the Armor a bit more.¡±


    As soon as Liliya heard that Rocky was going to see Orton, she nodded in sudden realization, and then unexpectedly left him behind and ran off¡­


    If there was something that was causing Rocky the most headaches right now, it would definitely be the financial crisis of Thunderhawk City. But if there was someone who made him feel even more troubled, it was absolutely that old man Orton. And if Rocky compared the financial crisis with Orton, he could say with certainty that Orton gave him an even bigger headache!


    That old man was just too odd. His ideas, his character, his actions, were all extremely bizarre, to the point that Rocky now dared not meet with Orton.


    To avoid Orton, Rocky had already stopped attending his lessons for a whole week, not seeing him at all. There was no other way, as Orton would demand the fourth generation Armor every time they met, which had become completely unreasonable. Rocky couldn¡¯t take it anymore and could only avoid him.


    Thankfully, the new research institute built for Orton was finally completed. With a separate location to carry out his research, Orton had become significantly quieter, otherwise, Rocky would have found it impossible to avoid him.


    But this time, he had to meet with Orton because Orton was currently fully invested in rune research, and Rocky needed his help to create rune equipment for the Guard Corps to use.


    In this situation, Rocky spent a long time alone in the City Lord¡¯s Hall preparing before he finally set off for the Rune Research Institute.


    The new research that he had built for Orton was named by Orton as the Rune Research Institute. Of course, only a few people, including Rocky, knew this name. It was located next to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, and it took Rocky just over ten minutes to walk there after leaving the mansion.


    ¡°Teacher¡­?¡±


    ¡°Teacher, are you there, sir?¡±


    Walking into the institute and coming to the door of the research room Orton frequently used, Rocky knocked on the door, greeted with a pleasant expression, and asked cautiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in! Don¡¯t bother me!¡±


    Orton¡¯s irritable voice quickly came from the research room, and upon hearing this voice, Rocky nodded in relief.


    Orton had been in Thunderhawk City for quite some time, which allowed Rocky to get to know his temper. Thus, hearing this irritable response, he breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Orton¡¯s mood was still not bad. So, he gently pushed the door open and walked in.


    The moment he barely opened the door, a loud boom along with a forceful blast blew him away¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 174 - 173 Rune Improvement

    Chapter 174: Chapter 173 Rune Improvement


    ¡°`


    With a loud boom, Rocky was blasted away from the doorway, slamming heavily into the corridor wall. He was left dizzy and dazed.


    ¡°Who let you in!¡±


    Just as Rocky saw stars, he vaguely saw Orton rush to him and pull him up from the ground.


    ¡°You brat, didn¡¯t you know I was experimenting! Are you hurt?¡±


    Orton cursed as he checked Rocky over. Once confirming he wasn¡¯t injured, Orton promptly punched him hard on the head, filling Rocky¡¯s vision with stars.


    ...


    ¡°You lousy kid, you¡¯re already a Third Level Mage, and you still don¡¯t know how to use a magic shield?¡±


    ¡°Who would know what you¡¯re up to!¡±


    Shaking his head vigorously, Rocky slowly recovered from the dizziness and shot a resentful glance at Orton.


    A month ago, Orton personally taught Rocky a method to practice magic power. After over a month of practice, Rocky became a Third Level Mage and indeed could raise a magic shield, but who would have thought he needed it just to see Orton!


    ¡°Tch! You know nothing! Since when is there a safe experiment?¡±


    With a sidelong glance at Rocky, Orton dragged him into the research lab, which had just exploded, and pointed at the messy lab, saying, ¡°Hurry, clean this up for me. I have another experiment to do!¡±


    Rocky looked at the chaotic lab, hesitated for a moment, then sighed helplessly and began to tidy up.


    Usually, a maid would handle such tasks, but since Orton was doing rune research, nobody else could know. Hence, he was alone in the lab. Under normal circumstances, Orton did these things himself, but Rocky was unlucky to be caught up in it. The City Lord had to play laborer.


    ¡°Master, what are you researching that caused another explosion?¡±


    While setting an overturned experiment table upright, Rocky asked curiously. Although the explosion had seemed intense, it hadn¡¯t caused much damage to the lab. They were scattered but not destroyed.


    ¡°I¡¯m improving the runes.¡±


    ¡°Impro-improving what?¡±


    ¡°Improving! Are you deaf from the blast!¡±


    Orton glared at Rocky angrily.


    Of course, Rocky wasn¡¯t deaf; he just couldn¡¯t believe Orton could actually improve runes! So, after a moment of shock, he quickly asked:


    ¡°Master, have you fully understood all the runes?¡±


    To Rocky, improving runes wasn¡¯t impossible, but it required a complete understanding of them first. That¡¯s what surprised him. In such a short time, had Orton already mastered runes?


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Orton shook his head, ¡°I can only draw up to fifth-level runes. The highest, sixth-level runes, I haven¡¯t fully researched. But that doesn¡¯t matter because I¡¯ve learned the entire framework system of runes.¡±


    ¡°That amazing?¡±


    ¡°Amazing my foot! You brat, Wensel¡¯s research notes have detailed records on this. Did you even read them?¡±


    Orton knocked Rocky on the head with frustration. Rocky could only stick out his tongue.


    Indeed, Wensel¡¯s notes did record these, but for Rocky, it was like reading a foreign language, so he hadn¡¯t paid much attention. It was clear Orton had read them.


    Orton continued, ¡°Actually, at the end of his notes, Wensel clearly stated that while he invented the runes and created the entire system, due to limited time, he hadn¡¯t perfected it. The development space for mana runes is vast. The improvements I¡¯m talking about start there.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ did it succeed?¡±


    Honestly, Orton¡¯s explanation seemed easy to understand, but Rocky didn¡¯t quite get it. So, he simply asked for the result.


    But upon his question, Orton showed a troubled expression and drew a rune with magic power with his bare hand.


    The ability to draw runes with magic power in the air was something Rocky had seen in Wensel¡¯s magic energy images. This feat alone proved Orton¡¯s rune research had reached a high level, something impossible otherwise.


    Moreover, the rune Orton drew differed greatly. He drew only a First Level Rune, but its color was unusual, a crystal-clear snow-white. Rocky had never seen such a rune before.


    ¡°Master, this rune¡­?¡±


    ¡°This is an Elemental rune.¡±


    Examining his drawn rune, Orton explained, ¡°As everyone knows, mana is essentially magic power. And since magic power can have attributes, mana can too. Wensel mentioned this in his notes. Due to limited time and energy, he only proposed a possible idea without actually researching it.¡±


    ¡°The improvement I made to the runes follows this direction, allowing them to have attributes. For example, I infused this rune with ice attribute magic power; when activated, it can emit ice attribute power.¡±


    As he spoke, Orton activated the rune. Once activated, visible cold air radiated around it!


    Seeing this scene, Rocky¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Then, full of curiosity, he approached the ice attribute rune and waved his hand around it, truly feeling the chill!


    So incredible! S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Feeling the chill at his fingertips, Rocky grew excited. He never imagined Orton was so talented, daring to improve the runes and actually succeeding!


    ¡°Master! Congratulations, this improvement is a big leap for rune development!¡±


    Coming to his senses, Rocky quickly congratulated Orton. It wasn¡¯t flattery, but a sincere congratulations to Orton.


    Unfortunately, as soon as he spoke, Orton shook his head, wiped away the rune, and said dishearteningly, ¡°What¡¯s there to congratulate? This rune is useless. With attributes, the rune itself can¡¯t provide magic power, so it¡¯s just pretty with no practical use. Also, I can only create First Level Elemental runes with my current ability; drawing higher-level ones is impossible.¡±


    As he spoke, Orton sighed, showing disappointment.


    But his demeanor was due to high self-expectations. In truth, this rune improvement was top-notch technology in today¡¯s magic energy realm! Note, it¡¯s not just rune technology, but magic energy technology!


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 175 - 174: Breakthroughs in Technology

    Chapter 175: Chapter 174: Breakthroughs in Technology


    Orton, although dissatisfied with his improvements, did not imply that his amendments to the rune were genuinely bad; it was just that he held himself to exceedingly high standards.


    In fact, his improvements in the runic department, even excluding the rune itself, merely represented breakthroughs in the magic energy domain, and could be considered among the finest today!


    Just as Orton himself had mentioned, the essence of mana was magic power, and since magic power had attributes, magic energy should also possess attributes. However, this remained a theoretical possibility, as no one had successfully applied it in practice.


    Logically, such elemental conversion shouldn¡¯t be that difficult, and indeed it wasn¡¯t. The real technical hurdle lay in the medium, meaning the Magic Stone.


    Magic energy must be stored within a Magic Stone; everybody knew that. The real challenge was how to store elemental magic energy in a Magic Stone or how to ensure that the magic energy stored inside the Magic Stone had attributes during usage.


    Research in this area had been ongoing, and any breakthroughs would undoubtedly propel all magic energy-related pursuits forward, especially the Void Magic Armor, which was purportedly aimed primarily at elemental properties.


    ...


    Orton¡¯s enhancements to the rune were precisely focused on this aspect.


    Rocky absolutely couldn¡¯t believe this was mere coincidence. As a master in the magic energy field, Orton surely was aware of the latest research directions, hence his pursuits in this area. More importantly, he had achieved preliminary success!


    Perhaps, as he said himself, the elemental runes still had flaws and lacked genuine practicality, but this did not mean his research in this field was not top-notch! It was no exaggeration to say that if Orton publicly shared his approach to creating elemental runes, even without mentioning the runes, it would cause a sensation throughout the magic energy domain!


    Under these circumstances, Rocky naturally needed to encourage him.


    ¡°Teacher, don¡¯t be disheartened. The elemental runes are only in the experimental early stages. All aspects are being explored. Some flaws are normal, but once you explore deeper, solutions to these problems and shortcomings will surely be found.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, you little rascal, you¡¯ve learned to flatter.¡±


    Orton cast a sidelong glance at Rocky upon hearing those words. Although his mouth twisted, it was clear that he was pleased to hear them, so he soon asked, ¡°Go ahead, you rascal. What brings you to me? Did you come to deliver the 4th Generation armor?¡±


    ¡°Uh, uh, sort of.¡±


    ¡°What! Where is it? Give it to me now!¡±


    Hearing Rocky mention bringing the 4th Generation armor, Orton immediately became excited as if ready to pounce.


    ¡°Well¡­ teacher, listen to me first¡­¡±


    Seeing Orton¡¯s demeanor as if he was about to pounce on him, Rocky hurriedly gestured and proceeded to explain his collaboration with Karina.


    ¡°Why are you telling me all this? I don¡¯t have time to help you with those shabby pieces of equipment!¡±


    When Rocky enthusiastically shared his plans with Orton, Orton looked at him for a long time with an uninterested expression.


    Rocky¡¯s idea was to team up with him to create a batch of rune equipment for the Guard Corps. Given that rune equipment had already proven its practical utility during the Backhill Village mission, Rocky planned to equip the entire Guard Corps with rune equipment this time!


    Their target this time might only be the Air Pirate Group, not the Demons, but the danger level would certainly not be lower than the Backhill Village mission, possibly even more dangerous!


    The Air Pirate Group¡¯s stronghold was on land, which testified to the formidable capabilities of the Air Pirate Group. In this era, anyone who could survive on demon-ravaged land was no pushover. It was akin to how Backhill Village¡¯s soldiers were all quite formidable. The Air Pirate Group¡¯s outlaws could establish a base on land, proving their strength.


    In this scenario, rune equipment became crucial for Rocky, potentially impacting whether he could take down the Air Pirate Group¡¯s stronghold!


    Faced with Orton¡¯s indifferent attitude, Rocky had to explain further:


    ¡°Teacher, if we pull this off, I¡¯ll have money! Once I have money, I can get you the 4th Generation armor! So it is related to you!¡±


    ¡°Bullshit, you have to buy me the 4th Generation armor whether you have money or not!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Such an unreasonable reply almost made Rocky faint, but it aligned with Orton¡¯s personality, so Rocky had to resort to coaxing and even a bit of fibbing.


    ¡°Teacher! Think about it, didn¡¯t you just develop the elemental runes? Now¡¯s the opportunity! You can use this chance to create rune equipment and validate the practical use of the elemental runes!¡±


    ¡°Validate? I need to validate to know whether this type of rune works?¡±


    Casting a scornful look at Rocky, Orton gave a cold snort, exuding pride.


    That was normal because, although the concept of elemental runes was mentioned in Wensel¡¯s notes, it was Orton who truly turned this concept into reality, so he didn¡¯t need experiments to validate the quality of the elemental runes.


    However, after a brief moment, Orton impatiently stated, ¡°Fine, stop bothering me. It¡¯s just a few hundred pieces of equipment. Let¡¯s get started now. The sooner it¡¯s done, the sooner I get some peace!¡± S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With that, he didn¡¯t wait for Rocky to express joy and directly took him to another laboratory.


    Last time, when he went to Eternal City, Rocky had bought a large quantity of ¡°fake¡± magic energy equipment, intending to replace all the Guard Corps¡¯ gear with rune equipment. However, due to various circumstances, it was delayed.


    At this point, these pieces of equipment were stored within the Rune Research Institute for Orton to experiment with at any time. When Orton led Rocky into another lab, Rocky saw hundreds of pieces of equipment piled inside.


    ¡°These dozens of pieces of equipment have all been enhanced by me with runes. Just take them when you need them.¡±


    After taking Rocky into the lab full of equipment, Orton casually pointed at several dozen pieces stacked in the corner and mentioned offhandedly.


    These enhancements, meticulously done by him over time, amounted to several dozen top-quality pieces, thrown aside in a manner that made them appear as mere refuse.


    Upon seeing these pieces of equipment, Rocky immediately nodded. These were top-notch items, certainly superior to any rune equipment he could make himself, so he quickly moved them one by one out of the laboratory.


    There was no choice; Orton¡¯s mannerisms were too rough. Who knew what racket he might cause while inscribing runes? To prevent these finished pieces from being wrecked, Rocky had to place them in a safe location.


    After that, he and Orton were like a pair of father and son, delving into the pile of equipment, beginning to craft the rune equipment for the Guard Corps.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 176 - 175 Further Progress

    Chapter 176: Chapter 175 Further Progress


    ¡°How is your practice with the Second-Level Rune going?¡±


    After casually throwing a piece of equipment to Rocky, Orton asked offhandedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, the success rate of drawing runes has already surpassed 80 percent.¡±


    ¡°80 percent and you say it¡¯s okay? Don¡¯t ever say that I taught you runes!¡±


    After glaring at Rocky, Orton showed a face full of disregard, obviously dissatisfied with Rocky¡¯s low self-standards.


    But Rocky¡¯s self-standards were not low at all, as an 80 percent success rate was already quite high.


    ...


    Moreover, don¡¯t forget, it had only been a month since he became a Third Level Mage. That is to say, in just one month, Rocky had not only mastered Second-Level Runes but also managed to keep the success rate above 80 percent. This was enough to show his talent in this area and that he had worked hard on it.


    Actually, Orton knew this too. His display of disregard was largely due to his bad temper. After nagging for a while, he said, ¡°This time enhance the equipment with Second-Level Runes.¡±


    ¡°Teacher, using Second-Level Runes everywhere¡­ isn¡¯t that a waste of time?¡±


    Rocky seemed somewhat troubled by Orton¡¯s request. Although he could now draw Second-Level Runes, the process was far from being as refined as with First-Level Runes. This would undoubtedly slow down the speed of making rune equipment, and Rocky didn¡¯t have so much time.


    In a week, his fleet would be fully repaired, and then he would be departing with Karina.


    Unfortunately, Orton seemed not to see his difficulty, and even bluntly sat down:


    ¡°Second-Level Runes aren¡¯t much harder than First-Level Runes. If you think it¡¯s too slow, that¡¯s your own problem. If you don¡¯t use Second-Level Runes, I won¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°And even if I help you, I can only help you with a hundred pieces of equipment per day. Any more than that, and I won¡¯t have the time. You¡¯ll have to manage on your own.¡±


    After saying this, Orton picked up a piece of equipment and began drawing runes on it without any further attention to Rocky.


    Seeing this, what could Rocky say? He could only sigh to himself, then honestly picked up a piece of equipment and began drawing Second-Level Runes on it.


    He knew that Orton was doing this to help him become familiar with Second-Level Runes, letting him gradually get accustomed to them through practice.


    But Rocky was really in a hurry!


    The last time he bought equipment from Eternal City, it wasn¡¯t just one or two pieces, but hundreds!


    At that time, since Rocky was quite wealthy, he decided to replace all the Guard Corps¡¯ equipment with rune equipment, so he didn¡¯t buy just a few pieces, but a full three hundred sets of equipment!


    The current organization of the Guard Corps was three hundred people, so Rocky bought three hundred sets of equipment, each set including Armor, shield, and standard longsword as the three major pieces, and Helmet, wrist guard, shin guard as three minor pieces, meaning each set contained six pieces, totaling one thousand eight hundred pieces!


    To make all this equipment into rune equipment was definitely a massive undertaking, which is exactly why Rocky wanted to use First-Level Runes, fearing he wouldn¡¯t have enough time.


    Unfortunately, Orton didn¡¯t care about these issues at all. He made it clear that if Rocky didn¡¯t use Second-Level Runes, he wouldn¡¯t help. Knowing Orton¡¯s character, he was definitely capable of doing such a thing, and Rocky had no choice but to comply.


    ¡°Drawing four Second-Level Runes on these pieces of equipment will reach the strength of One-star Magic Energy Gear.¡±


    Orton casually made a piece of equipment into rune equipment and, after treating it like trash and tossing it aside, he said to Rocky.


    ¡°Teacher, can¡¯t I draw a few more?¡±


    Having put down his Magic Energy Pen, Rocky looked up and asked. He obviously knew the conversion ratio between Runes and Magic Stones¡ªfour Second-Level Runes contained just a bit more Mana than a small Magic Stone¡ªbut he wanted to draw more Second-Level Runes on the equipment. That would surely make the equipment more powerful.


    ¡°No.¡±


    As soon as he had finished speaking, Orton shook his head, ¡°The material of this batch of equipment is too poor, it can only withstand the Mana of One-star Magic Energy Gear; any more would ruin it. If you have time, you could draw five Second-Level Runes on the longsword¡ªthat¡¯s the limit.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nodding, Rocky then understood what Orton meant. It appeared that Orton had already thoroughly grasped the strength of the equipment at hand through experiments; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have said so.


    In such a scenario, there was naturally no point for Rocky to question further. He simply began diligently drawing Runes on the equipment.


    Thus, the lengthy production process began.


    Over the following week, Rocky devoted almost all his time to creating rune equipment, handcrafting a large amount each day. In the process, his mastery of Second-Level Runes naturally improved dramatically, as did his understanding of Runes.


    Getting more proficient with Second-Level Runes was undoubtedly thanks to Rocky¡¯s own talents. It seemed as if it was destined¡ªhe indeed had a gift for Runes, something even Orton had to admit.


    However, when it came to his understanding of Runes, it was entirely due to Orton¡¯s teachings.


    Though Orton constantly said he had no time and could only make a hundred pieces of rune equipment each day, in reality, he didn¡¯t leave after finishing the equipment. Instead, he stayed by Rocky¡¯s side and guided him¡ªplainly speaking, through his rather annoying incessant chatter.


    Indeed, under Orton¡¯s continuous guidance, Rocky learned more in that one week than he had from a whole month of classes. Of course, this was not surprising since Rocky spent every day with Orton, constantly learning.


    After a full week, the major project was finally completed. Rocky, together with Orton, managed to turn all three hundred sets of equipment into rune equipment!


    Simultaneously, the day after the rune equipment was completed, Rocky¡¯s fleet was also refurbished. Two large warships and seven Reconnaissance Ships were fully repaired, taking off from the dock as if brand new.


    With that, the equipment and warships were all ready, and Rocky met with Karina once more.


    This time, the two met at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion in Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°Your city is nice.¡±


    Sitting opposite Rocky, Karina said as she sipped some fine red tea.


    Since both parties were preparing to collaborate, Rocky also showed considerable sincerity. He had invited Karina to his City Lord¡¯s Mansion and had even given her a tour of the city area beforehand.


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind. Everything is still developing. I definitely must visit your Rose City whenever I get the chance.¡±


    ¡°As long as we can eliminate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, there will be plenty of opportunities later,¡± Karina said slowly, looking at Rocky.


    Her implications were clear; she was informing Rocky that if this collaboration were successful, the relationship between him and her, and between Thunderhawk City and Rose City, would further deepen.


    So then, Karina directly asked, ¡°How is everything, all ready?¡±


    ¡°We can depart at any time.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± Hearing this, Karina burst into a smile, revealing her eagerness, ¡°Let¡¯s set off tomorrow!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 177 - 176: Twin Cities Strike!

    Chapter 177: Chapter 176: Twin Cities Strike!


    After setting the schedule for departure, Rocky and Karina visited Lingyu City that very evening to bid farewell to Berg.


    For this occasion, Berg specifically hosted an extraordinarily grand ball, inviting all the prominent figures from the three cities to send them off. At the same time, he used the opportunity of the send-off to facilitate a deeper understanding and interaction between the cities, which could be considered killing two birds with one stone.


    The next day, Rocky¡¯s Thunderhawk City and Karina¡¯s Rose City activated their flight mode and left the airspace of Lingyu City together, heading for the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group!


    Two Sky Cities flying side by side in the sky was a rare and magnificent sight.


    Unfortunately, the land was now occupied by demons, and no one could appreciate this grand scene. A few demons did see it, but they only roared at the sky a couple of times and that was all.


    ¡°Have your troops been well arranged?¡±


    ...


    Standing on the deck of the Thunderhawk alongside Rocky, Karina asked.


    Although the two cities were flying side by side at the moment, shuttling between them was not very convenient. Thus, under these circumstances, Rocky simply offered the Thunderhawk as a platform for him and Karina to meet.


    ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about my troops¡­¡± Glancing at Karina, Rocky smiled, ¡°Karina, you¡¯re a bit too nervous.¡±


    Indeed, Karina was quite nervous at the moment, but it was understandable. After all, Berg had said that in the eyes of others, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group might just be a gang of bandits, but to Karina, they meant much more; the group was like a knot in her heart¡ªan existence she had always intended to erase.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want any accidents to happen.¡±


    Looking back at Rocky, Karina said expressionlessly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no accidents will happen here,¡±


    Rocky chuckled, full of confidence.


    He had great faith in his Guard Corps for a couple of reasons. Firstly, he had distributed all three hundred sets of newly crafted Mana Equipment to the guards, giving each of them a brand-new set which would undoubtedly improve the overall strength of the Guard Corps by a large margin.


    Moreover, despite the guards disappearing from public view after the mission in Backhill Village with no battle credits or participation in any fights, they had not slacked off. On the contrary, under the leadership of Monte and Lin Feng, the Guard Corps had been training intensively during this downtime. The young men were eager and more than ready for a proper battle.


    Therefore, not only did Karina have high hopes for the Guard Corps, but Rocky himself was also filled with anticipation for them!


    With that being the case, Rocky naturally felt confident.


    This confidence was something Karina could sense as well, and so she did not pursue the matter further. Instead, she began to discuss the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.


    ¡°The base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group is hidden in the Traceless Battlefield.¡±


    ¡°The Traceless Battlefield¡­ the location of the Battle of Traceless?¡±


    When Karina mentioned where the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was hidden, Rocky first blinked in surprise and then his eyes widened, while Karina simply nodded in confirmation.


    Seeing Karina nod, Rocky inhaled sharply¡ªthe Wild Horse Air Pirate Group sure had guts to hide out in the Traceless Battlefield!


    What kind of place was the Traceless Battlefield?


    To clarify this matter, one has to mention the Battle of Traceless, a battle so famous that literate or not, everyone would certainly know of it.


    For this battle was the very first grand war waged by the people of this world against the Demons!


    Over a hundred years ago, the Demons suddenly descended from the Otherworld and quickly occupied vast stretches of land¡ªand indeed, this is true. Yet, this statement might give the false impression that the people put up no resistance at all, which couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. In fact, during the Demons¡¯ occupation of the land, the people not only resisted but also engaged in an immensely massive battle.


    That battle was the Battle of Traceless.


    Since this is a history of more than a hundred years ago, the various accounts of this battle have long since become legend, their accuracy difficult to ascertain.


    Yet, while the details of the events might be hard to verify, the data regarding this battle has been completely preserved. And just through these lifeless figures, it¡¯s possible to understand the scale of that monumental battle.


    The battle lasted an entire three months, with a staggering participation of three and a half million people, which included humans, Elves, Beastmen, Dwarves, and many other races. It could be said that for this battle, all races of the world united, forming an unprecedentedly massive Allied Forces.


    During those three months of warfare, the Allied Forces clashed with the Demons almost daily. According to records, even the smallest scale engagement involved more than ten thousand participants¡ªand that was just on the Allied Forces¡¯ side. Larger battles with over a hundred thousand participants were common, and when the final decisive battle came, the number of troops deployed by the Allies reached a staggering one million!


    A battle of this magnitude was unprecedented and remains unmatched, arguably the largest-scale conflict in the history of this world.


    And it was at this very location that is now known as the Traceless Battlefield.


    Today, a hundred years later, the Traceless Battlefield has become a name for a place, and the name of a dead land at that. This is because the battle of that year was too fierce, completely damaging the landscape and rendering the battlefield¡¯s environment extremely harsh. Not only has it become an uninhabited area, but even the Demons are reluctant to venture there.


    ¡°To actually hide in such a dangerous place¡­¡±


    Rocky frowned deeply and couldn¡¯t help but glance at Karina, ¡°If I remember correctly, Sky City flight is prohibited over the Traceless Battlefield. How are we supposed to get in?¡±


    Having read some material about the Traceless Battlefield in books, Rocky remembered that the weather conditions of this dead land were very bad, preventing Sky City from entering. So how would they get in?


    ¡°Sky City certainly won¡¯t work, but a Skyship can,¡± Karina replied to his concerns as if she had already considered them, then explained further: ¡°The weather at the Traceless Battlefield is indeed severe, but if the Skyship maintains low-altitude flight, it can still get through. We¡¯ll just have to park Sky City on the outskirts of the battlefield then.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Certain.¡±


    Karina nodded with conviction, appearing quite confident, yet she gave Rocky a look, ¡°Rocky, it would be best to inform your Guard Corps about this and get them mentally prepared. After all, the weather over the Traceless Battlefield may be severe, but the conditions on the ground are even worse¡­¡±


    PS: Another lengthy section begins! Soliciting recommendations! Soliciting recommendations!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 178 - 177: Land of Erasure (Part 1)

    Chapter 178: Chapter 177: Land of Erasure (Part 1)


    The headquarters of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was unexpectedly hidden in the Traceless Battlefield, which somewhat troubled Rocky.


    The environment of the Traceless Battlefield was so harsh that even without having been there, Rocky had heard enough about it. Thus, upon returning to Thunderhawk City, he immediately summoned Monte and Lin Feng to his side.


    ¡°Sir, the Traceless Battlefield¡­ I haven¡¯t been there either.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been either?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    Shaking his head, Monte showed a helpless expression. His knowledge of the Traceless Battlefield was also limited to rumors, as he had never been there personally. Although once a Demon Hunter who had roamed from south to north, he was a loner who also had a daughter to consider. He would never venture into dangerous areas like the Traceless Battlefield, especially since it wasn¡¯t heavily populated by demons, so what business would a Demon Hunter have there?


    ...


    This now troubled Rocky, who had assumed Monte had been to the Traceless Battlefield so that they could at least get some prior knowledge of the area, but this assumption had fallen through.


    ¡°Sir, I have been to the Traceless Battlefield before.¡±


    Just as Rocky felt a headache coming on, Lin Feng suddenly spoke up from the side, telling Rocky he had been to the Traceless Battlefield!


    ¡°You have been?¡±


    Looking at Lin Feng with surprise, Rocky felt unforeseen; had he really been to the Traceless Battlefield? Wasn¡¯t he always in Backhill Village?


    ¡°Sir, although the environment of the Traceless Battlefield is very harsh, demons are quite rare, so there are still some people living around the battlefield. A few years ago, I went through the battlefield to visit a village.¡±


    Lin Feng¡¯s words were both surprising and reassuring for Rocky¡ªsurprising because he had always thought Lin Feng had never left Backhill Village; reassuring because, since Lin Feng had been to the Traceless Battlefield, they could at least get some preliminary understanding of the area.


    ¡°Lin Feng, is the environment of the Traceless Battlefield really as the rumors describe?¡±


    ¡°No, sir.¡±


    Facing Rocky¡¯s question, Lin Feng directly shook his head: ¡°The environment of the Traceless Battlefield is even more severe than the rumors suggest.¡±


    ¡±Sir, a hundred years ago, that great battle left behind an indelible Magical Energy Storm which makes it impossible for Sky City to enter. Even demons are reluctant to go there, but even so, the Traceless Battlefield remains extremely dangerous. Anyone walking on the battlefield could at any moment be caught up by the Magical Energy Storm, with a very high mortality rate.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, that battlefield is very sinister¡­¡±


    ¡°Sinister?¡±


    Hearing these words, Rocky exchanged glances with Monte, then they both looked towards Lin Feng, obviously not understanding what he meant.


    ¡±Sir, I¡¯m not very clear on the details, but the last time I went to the battlefield, a lot of strange things happened during the process and several of our group died for no apparent reason.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Lin Feng¡¯s ambiguous explanation not only failed to clarify anything for Rocky, but it also left him even more confused. However, from Lin Feng¡¯s brief description, Rocky at least understood one thing: the Traceless Battlefield was definitely not a good place.


    This outcome undoubtedly cast a shadow over the upcoming operation, so Rocky immediately instructed Monte and Lin Feng to return to the Guard Corps and explain everything that they might encounter to the guards, to better prepare them.


    So, three days passed, and after these three days, the two cities flying side by side in the sky finally came to a halt, because they had reached their destination!


    The Traceless Battlefield, they had arrived!


    According to Karina¡¯s plan, upon reaching the outskirts of the Traceless Battlefield, everyone was to leave Sky City and board skyships to enter the battlefield.


    Since this arrangement had been made long ago, when Sky City stopped, Rocky had gathered the Guard Corps at the Skyport early on.


    ¡°Sir, that is a Magical Energy Storm,¡±


    standing next to Rocky, Lin Feng pointed towards the distance.


    Actually, even without his reminder, Rocky had already noticed the Magical Energy Storm he was referring to.


    Following Rocky¡¯s gaze, one could see a massive dark cloud in the distant sky. The cloud covered the sun, immensely thick, and even from a great distance, Rocky could clearly see bolts of lightning and balls of fire moving within the cloud, as if the cloud were some living creature! S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This giant cloud was the Magical Energy Storm Lin Feng referred to, the main culprit that turned the Traceless Battlefield into a barren wasteland.


    Over a hundred years ago, the unprecedented war involved not only numerous participants but also unmatched quality. According to the data that could be accessed, there were thousands of archmages within the Allied Forces, and dozens of mages, almost god-like in prowess!


    The Magical Energy Storm before Rocky was the ultimate magic conjured by the mages together!


    In the decisive battle of the Traceless Battlefield, knowing that defeat was inevitable, the Allied Forces had more than ten mages create this Magical Energy Storm, hoping this ultimate magic powerful enough to destroy heavens and earth would halt the Demons¡¯ advance.


    With the efforts of these mages, the Allied Forces¡¯ plan succeeded. Unfortunately, the Demons were not delayed for long; they eventually defeated the Allied Forces and conquered the land. Ironically, the Magic Storm that should have blocked the Demons remained permanently on the battlefield until today, never dissipating.


    Because of this terrifying storm, the airspace above the Traceless Battlefield had become a no-fly zone; Sky City couldn¡¯t come close without being destroyed!


    However, fortunately, even though the Magical Energy Storm still existed after so many years, it no longer possessed the devastating power it once had. Although the high altitudes were still dangerous, the lower altitudes were relatively safe; at least, skyships could fly.


    ¡°All hands, board the ships!¡±


    Standing on the Skyport, Rocky stared at the Magical Energy Storm for a while before snapping back to reality and issuing the command!


    Now that they had arrived at the Traceless Battlefield and were about to set off, worrying was useless. Even if they had to do it reluctantly, they had to move forward!


    Following his command, the well-prepared Guard Corps immediately boarded the Thunderhawk and two escort ships. Once all members were onboard, the two large warships took off from the Skyport and flew out of the Defensive Net.


    Since the main role this time was the Guard Corps, Rocky did not bring his entire fleet, only deploying two warships for troop transport and air cover. The rest was handled by Karina.


    Meanwhile, as Thunderhawk and the escort Ships sequentially exited Thunderhawk City¡¯s Defensive Net, Karina¡¯s fleet also emerged in the sky and slowly began to join with Rocky¡¯s fleet.


    ¡°¡­This Karina¡­ really has some strength¡­¡±


    Standing with Rocky on the bow of the Thunderhawk, Liliya, clad in Void Magic Armor, couldn¡¯t help but comment upon seeing Karina¡¯s fleet approaching, obviously impressed by the scale of the opponent¡¯s fleet.


    In fact, not only her, but Rocky too, felt surprised after seeing Karina¡¯s true capabilities!


    The fleet coming from Rose City and gradually approaching them consisted of two divisions.


    Each division had exactly twenty ships, each consisting of one flagship, three escort ships, and sixteen reconnaissance ships; more importantly, every warship in these two divisions was a 4th generation craft!


    This was Karina¡¯s strength, the top capability within the smaller Sky Cities!


    PS: Seeking recommendations! Continue seeking recommendations!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    Paragraph copied

 Chapter 179 - 178: Land of Erasure (Part 2)

    Chapter 179: Chapter 178: Land of Erasure (Part 2)


    Seeing Karina deploy her entire fleet, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but give a thumbs-up in his mind, he had to admit, Karina was incredibly strong!


    He remembered how Berg had said back in Lingyu City that Karina was known as the Tyrant of Rose City, her formidable strength such that other smaller Sky City Lords kept a respectful distance, not daring to provoke her. At the time, Rocky hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it, thinking that even if Karina was strong, she was still just at the level of a smaller Sky City. How strong could she really be?


    But now, he realized he had underestimated the Tyrant of Rose City because the strength displayed by these two fleets alone was enough to sweep away most other smaller Sky Cities without any problem.


    That was over forty 4th generation warships, including two flagships and six escort ships! With such strength, no wonder Karina had boasted she could defeat the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s fleet.


    ¡°What¡¯s with all the fuss? If you let me go all out on remodeling, your Thunderhawk wouldn¡¯t be much inferior to the flagship over there.¡±


    As Rocky and the others were continuously praising Karina¡¯s fleet, a smug voice came out, it was Orton, who was traveling with the ship.


    ...


    Orton insisted on coming along after learning that Rocky was heading to the Traceless Battlefield, and Rocky couldn¡¯t dissuade him, so he let him board the ship. After all, Orton was an archmage, and whether or not he could be of help, at least no one else needed to look after him.


    At that moment, Orton also came up to the bow, standing in line with Rocky, looking at Karina¡¯s fleet, then he scoffed and said, ¡°Just a few dozen scrap ships, you all seem like you¡¯ve never seen the world.¡±


    After uttering those words, he then turned to look at Rocky, ¡°Kid, when are you going to get me a 4th generation flagship? I have some ideas I want to test out¡­¡±


    ¡°Teacher, I need to go meet with Lord Karina, I¡¯ll be off!¡±


    The moment Orton actually asked for a 4th generation flagship, Rocky, scared, quickly leaped off the Thunderhawk and ran towards Karina¡¯s flagship.


    Once on board Karina¡¯s Code Rose, the two discussed briefly and decided not to delay, to descend immediately and enter the Traceless Battlefield.


    Shortly after, the gathered fleet of over forty warships slowly decreased their altitude and then flew into the Traceless Battlefield!


    To avoid the Magical Energy Storm as much as possible, the forty-odd warships descended to an altitude of only a hundred meters above the land. Flying at this height, the impact of the Magical Energy Storm on the warships was greatly reduced, but even so, all the warships still spread out their Defensive Nets, because although the impact was minor, there was still a possibility they could be affected by the Mana leaking from the Magical Energy Storm.


    As the fleet slowly entered the Traceless Battlefield, everyone felt the surroundings suddenly darken, as if the sky had promptly turned black.


    This was normal, as the Traceless Battlefield was constantly enveloped by a Magical Energy Storm above, blocking out the sunlight and leaving the entire battlefield in a state without distinction between day and night.


    ¡°Rocky, look!¡±


    After Rocky returned to the Thunderhawk, he and Liliya stayed on the bow and thus witnessed many unusual sights they wouldn¡¯t normally see.


    For instance, right now, following the direction of Liliya¡¯s pointing finger, Rocky saw a tornado forming in the distance, which left him a bit surprised.


    He had certainly seen tornadoes before, but he was sure that just a moment ago, he had looked in the same direction twice and had not seen this tornado. That is to say, this tornado, sweeping up countless amounts of dust, had just formed¡ªin a matter of seconds!


    But suddenly, right before Rocky¡¯s eyes, the tornado dispersed without any warning, vanishing in the blink of an eye as if it had never existed.


    Such a scene made Rocky slightly gape, as he turned his head to glance at Liliya and found her expression to be quite similar to his own.


    While the two were in astonishment, a blinding light suddenly flashed, and from the high skies, a bolt of lightning struck down straight through the Mana Energy Storm, hitting the Defensive Net of the Thunderhawk!


    Following that was a crackling sound, as the lightning burst upon hitting the Defensive Net, illuminating the Thunderhawk¡¯s Defensive Net with a halo of light.


    ¡°Good lord¡­¡±


    Watching the glow on the Defensive Net fade away, Rocky had a fleeting sense of alarm. The environment of the Traceless Battlefield was indeed as the rumors described, no, it was even more severe than the rumors.


    In such circumstances, to avoid unnecessary losses, he had to consult with Karina again, and then they decided to slow down the speed of the Fleet, to avoid being affected by the Magical Energy Storm due to flying too fast.


    This caution on their part was naturally not misplaced, but they still underestimated the Traceless Battlefield. At this moment, they had only just entered the periphery of the Traceless Battlefield, and everything they encountered so far was merely child¡¯s play. The real danger was still lying ahead, waiting for them.


    Indeed, about half a day later, a sudden Lightning Storm descended from above the Traceless Battlefield, bringing Rocky and Liliya a harsh lesson without any warning!


    Bolts of lightning, as thick as arms, unexpectedly fell from the sky in countless numbers. Every lightning bolt seemed to have eyes of its own, striking the warships with such precision!


    This Lightning Storm was like a downpour, washing over Karina¡¯s two fleets and Rocky¡¯s two warships. The scene was simply indescribable.


    Fortunately, all of Karina¡¯s warships were of the fourth generation, and even the Reconnaissance Ship maintained a considerable strength in its Defensive Net, while Rocky¡¯s two warships were both large types, allowing them to escape unharmed from this sudden storm.


    However, not long after the Lightning Storm ended, before everyone could recover, a rain of fire suddenly descended!


    Fireballs large as washbasins fell from the high skies of the Magical Energy Storm, each aimed directly at the warships, lighting up the Defence Nets with speckles of light and the bombardment lasted for a full half-hour!


    To tell the truth, even though they had braced themselves, after being subjected to both the Lightning Storm and the fire rain, everyone felt a bit scared. They also understood why even Demons dared not to enter the Traceless Battlefield, this land of death; the place was simply too terrifying.


    Right after the fire rain ceased, Karina took advantage of her Void Magic Armor and flew to the Thunderhawk, finding Rocky.


    ¡°Is the Guard Corps alright?¡±


    After experiencing the Lightning Storm and the fire rain, Karina¡¯s biggest concern was for Rocky¡¯s two warships, as both of them were only third-generation warships, and it would be normal if they could not hold up under such relentless assault.


    But fortunately, both the Thunderhawk and the Escort Ship were without major damage, so Rocky shook his head and then asked, ¡°Karina, are you certain the Shadow Alliance¡¯s intelligence is not mistaken?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Karina frowned at Rocky¡¯s question, and afterwards he directly said, ¡°This Traceless Battlefield is such a frightening place. Are you sure the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group would hide their base here?¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a series of strikes, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but voice this doubt. He now strongly questioned whether Karina was wrong. Such a dreadful place, the Traceless Battlefield, could the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group really have their base hidden here?


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 180 - 179: According to the Ground

    Chapter 180: Chapter 179: According to the Ground


    ¡°`


    Having entered the Traceless Battlefield for less than half a day, Rocky had already realized how terrifying it was¡ªthis battlefield may have been devoid of Demons, yet it was far more dreadful than facing them!


    And this gave rise to a question in Rocky¡¯s mind: had Karina been deceived?


    The intelligence she purchased from the Shadow Alliance claimed that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had hidden their base in the Traceless Battlefield, but with such dangers lurking here, could the Air Pirate Group be mad enough to actually reside in such a place?


    ¡°The Shadow Alliance would never sell false intelligence.¡±


    However, before Karina could respond to his doubts, Orton¡¯s voice came from behind Rocky, and as he spoke, he walked up to the two of them.


    ...


    ¡°Rocky, who is this¡­?¡±


    As Karina had never seen Orton before, she turned to Rocky.


    ¡°This is my teacher, Master Orton.¡±


    ¡°Orton¡­ could it be, could it be the Master Orton?¡±


    At the mention of Orton¡¯s name, Karina pondered for a moment before turning sharply towards Rocky, clearly having realized something.


    To this, Rocky simply nodded in confirmation.


    Upon seeing his nod, Karina was taken aback, clearly not expecting such a distinguished individual to be at Rocky¡¯s side. After her moment of surprise, she promptly turned to Orton, showing rare courtesy.


    ¡°I am Karina, City Lord of Rose City, honored to meet you, senior.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, very good, very good.¡±


    As Karina treated him with such politeness, Orton seemed as if his vanity was gratified, nodding incessantly. Then, he unabashedly rebuked Rocky, ¡°Stinky kid, look at this young lady, how polite she is! And then look at you, not showing an ounce of respect for your teacher!¡±


    ¡°I, I¡­ I didn¡¯t!¡±


    Flushed with embarrassment from Orton¡¯s accusation, Rocky protested. He had always respected Orton!


    Unfortunately for him, Orton didn¡¯t give him the chance to argue, and directly addressed the pair, ¡°If the Shadow Alliance says that Air Pirate Group¡¯s base is here, it¡¯s definitely here, no mistake.¡±


    ¡°But teacher, this environment is simply uninhabitable!¡±


    Rocky couldn¡¯t help but question Orton¡¯s assertion, as an Air Pirate Group¡¯s base wasn¡¯t just a simple warehouse. In fact, it served as the robbers¡¯ stronghold, akin to their home, where they would hide when not out raiding.


    But how could anyone live in a place like the Traceless Battlefield!?


    No sooner had he voiced this than Orton landed a punch on Rocky¡¯s head and said without a hint of politeness, ¡°Stinky kid, if only you¡¯d read more books. The first half of the Traceless Battlefield is indeed very dangerous, but the latter half is relatively much safer. Young lady, is the Air Pirate Group¡¯s base located in the latter half of the Traceless Battlefield?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Hearing Orton¡¯s explanation, Karina quickly assented and promptly took out a map, pointing to it, ¡°Master Orton, the intelligence from the Shadow Alliance did indeed specify that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s base is hidden in the latter half, right here¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    After a brief glance at the map, Orton nodded, ¡°When the Allied Forces decided to unleash the Magical Energy Storm, they already knew defeat was inevitable. Thus, they positioned the storm on their side of the encampment to block the Demons¡¯ pursuit.¡±


    ¡°And our current location is right near where the Allied Forces camped back then, so as long as we get through this area, the impact and reach of the Magical Energy Storm will lessen.¡±


    ¡°Master, is there a way to safely traverse the storm?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Pondering Karina¡¯s question for a while, Orton finally reopened the discussion, ¡°Let the fleet accelerate, push through with full force!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Upon hearing his suggestion, both Rocky and Karina showed expressions of surprise and confusion.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    Facing their bafflement, Orton shook his head and elaborated, ¡°The Magical Energy Storm attacks indiscriminately any target that passes through it with magic attacks¡ªjust like the lightning and fireball you recently encountered. However, the storm¡¯s contained mana has significantly weakened over time, and it now requires a long duration to accumulate energy for each attack.¡±


    ¡°So, by advancing at your leisurely pace now, you are essentially giving the Magical Energy Storm time to gather energy.¡±


    So that was it!


    With Orton¡¯s clarification, Rocky and Karina immediately grasped his point. Their earlier choice to deliberately slow down for caution¡¯s sake had played right into the hands of the Magical Energy Storm!


    ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Master!¡±


    ¡°`


    So after that, Karina bowed deeply to Orton and turned to fly back to her own fleet, immediately ordering the fleet to advance at full speed.


    As per Karina¡¯s command, the entire fleet¡¯s speed quickly picked up, and just as Orton had said, after the Lightning Storm and rain of fire, there indeed wasn¡¯t any attack from the Magical Energy Storm for quite some time.


    About half a day passed, and the fleet finally made it through the core area of the Magical Energy Storm, reaching the latter half of the Traceless Battlefield. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although the fleet suffered two more strikes from the Magical Energy Storm during this process, they ultimately made it through, and once they entered the latter half of the battlefield, they really didn¡¯t encounter any more large-scale attacks.


    But similarly, after the fleet entered the latter half of the battlefield, it also meant that they were closer to the stronghold of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group!


    In fact, the stronghold of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was easier to find than everyone imagined because, after entering the latter half of the Traceless Battlefield, they soon saw the ruins of a city!


    ¡°Hongcheng Ruins¡­ this is the place!¡±


    Upon seeing the city ruins, Karina immediately looked down at the map given to her by the Shadow Alliance, and then her eyes shone brightly because according to the map and intelligence provided by the Shadow Alliance, the stronghold of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was these ruins!


    However, as Karina discovered the stronghold of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, the patrolling robbers on the towers of Hongcheng Ruins also spotted her fleet!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    In Hongcheng Ruins, inside a building that was clearly newly constructed, the leader of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was cuddling a woman, drinking and making merry with his gang of robbers.


    The leader of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was named Kilov, a man in his forties, with a rugged face and a towering, muscular physique.


    A life of banditry had left deep marks on Kilov, both physically and mentally. He had three knife scars on his face, each one crossing at least half his face, making him look extremely fierce and terrifying.


    The aura he exuded was also extraordinary, to the extent that a mere glance was enough to tell that he was a desperado!


    ¡°Beauty, come! Have some meat!¡±


    Pulling the woman in his arms closer, Kilov carelessly cut off a piece of half-raw beef with a knife, then stabbed it with the knife¡¯s tip and brought it to the woman¡¯s lips.


    But the woman he held was already scared silly, trembling too much to even open her mouth.


    ¡°Damn it! When I tell you to eat, you eat!¡±


    Seeing the woman¡¯s pale face refusing to open her mouth, Kilov cursed viciously and kicked the woman away with one foot, sending her tumbling far off.


    ¡°Boss, go easy on her! You just snatched this woman, she¡¯s not well-trained yet, don¡¯t kill her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s yours now, you train her well!¡±


    Glancing at the robber who spoke, Kilov waved his hand nonchalantly, and the other immediately grinned, tossing aside the meat he was about to eat and ran over to the woman, picking her up and walking off, and no one knew what he was going to do¡ªor rather, everyone knew exactly what he was going to do.


    ¡°Boss, we got a message from Wild Horse City, they want us to set out immediately. We can¡¯t let any merchant ships headed to Fire Elf City go, destroy them all without exception.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, got it.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kilov nodded and then started to eat the half-raw beef he had intended to feed the woman.


    Just then, someone came rushing in, flustered and panicked.


    ¡°Boss! There¡¯s an enemy!¡±


    ¡°Enemy?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Kilov glanced at the robber who had come in with the news and sneered, ¡°You must be mistaken, who would come up here to find us?¡±


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s a fleet from Rose City¡­¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    Hearing the words ¡°Rose City,¡± Kilov immediately stood up and then asked with widened eyes, ¡°How many ships do they have?¡±


    ¡°Thirty, forty¡­¡±


    ¡°Motherfucker! That bitch actually found her way here¡­¡±


    Learning about the number of ships, Kilov cursed through clenched teeth, then shouted to the crowd of robbers around him: ¡°Brothers! Suit up in your Armor, get all the warships in the air, and bring me that little bitch Karina!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 181 - 180: Take Action Immediately!

    Chapter 181: Chapter 180: Take Action Immediately!


    Karina and the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s grudge wasn¡¯t something that started a day or two ago. They had clashed many times, and their grievances deepened with each encounter.


    So as soon as Kilov heard that Karina was coming with her fleet, he immediately gave the order, and one Floating Warship after another started rising within the ruins of Hongcheng!


    Almost at the same time, Rocky on the Thunderhawk also gave an order, commanding his two warships to lower their altitude once again.


    This was a tactic he and Karina had discussed before as part of the operation to eliminate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. Karina was responsible for the enemy¡¯s fleet, while Rocky would take control of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s base from the ground, attacking from both sides to wipe out the pirates completely.


    Therefore, when the fleet of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group kept taking off, Rocky quietly had his two ships reduce their altitude, cleverly hiding beneath the main force.


    After that, Rocky began to observe the approaching Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.


    ...


    It must be said, although the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was just a band of robbers, their strength was not to be underestimated. Leaving aside the rest, just the sheer number of warships that the pirate group possessed was enough to surprise Rocky.


    In his sight, Floating Battleships took off one after another from the ruins of Hongcheng. At first, they were only Reconnaissance Ships, but soon after, several large warships ascended one after the other. By the time Rocky looked up again, he saw more than fifty warships floating above the ruins of Hongcheng, including a full seven large warships!


    Such a massive fleet size not only exceeded Rocky¡¯s expectations but also surpassed Karina¡¯s fleet!


    ¡°This Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡­ is really a tough bone to crack¡­¡±


    Standing at the bow of the Thunderhawk, even if Rocky didn¡¯t want to admit it, he had to acknowledge that the strength of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group far exceeded his imagination. In fact, if talking solely about the scale and strength of the fleet, the pirate group was even stronger than his Thunderhawk City!


    This inevitably made Rocky wonder, how could a mere band of robbers be so formidable?


    What he didn¡¯t know was that while the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was indeed just a band of robbers, one shouldn¡¯t forget that their backing was Sky City, a medium-sized city. With the covert support of Wild Horse City, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group naturally had much more strength than the average pirate group.


    At the same time, one should not forget that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group wasn¡¯t newly established. Backed by Wild Horse City, these robbers had been domineering in the skies for many years, and over those years, they had accumulated wealth. Even though most of it had been given to Wild Horse City, a considerable amount remained, undoubtedly further strengthening the pirate group.


    No wonder, no wonder Karina wanted to join forces with me¡­


    Having seen the fleet of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group with his own eyes, Rocky understood why Karina had to join forces with him and dared to eliminate the enemy only with the help of his Guard Corps. In terms of fleet strength, Karina¡¯s power was actually comparable to their opponents. Perhaps Karina could have a slight advantage with the superiority of her entire 4th-generation warship fleet, but the advantage was very limited.


    Under such circumstances, should a dogfight erupt, even if Karina were to win in the end, it would undoubtedly be a pyrrhic victory. ¡°First success, then decline, and the third time, exhaustion,¡± she certainly would not have the strength to eradicate the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group afterwards. This was why Karina needed to form an alliance with Rocky.


    ¡°Rocky, look¡­¡±


    Just as Rocky was thinking this, Liliya¡¯s voice brought him back to reality, and following the direction of her outstretched finger, he saw Karina, accompanied by four guards, flying away from Code Rose.


    As a one percent ruler and also a typical warmonger, Karina naturally was a Void Magic Warrior, and her Void Magic Armor was not only of the 4th generation but also a Special Armor of the 4th generation!


    At the same time, she also had a Void Magic squad, not a squad, but a small squad because this Void Magic Squad consisted only of four members.


    But one must not underestimate this small Void Magic Squad. Karina had equipped them with 4th-generation Mass Production Type Armor, so their combat effectiveness was guaranteed. If you add her own 4th-generation Special Armor, then the combat power of this squad could be described as formidable.


    It was precisely because of this formidable strength that, after the two fleets encountered each other, Karina, escorted by four Void Magic Warriors, flew to the very front of the fleet.


    Similarly, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group also had Void Magic Warriors fly out, and not just one, but five!


    ¡°Damn¡­ these bandits actually have five Void Magic Warriors?¡±


    Seeing the five Void Magic Warriors standing mid-air, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard and had to reassess the strength of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.


    But just as he was silently shocked, the situation on the battlefield suddenly changed. It seemed that Karina had said something, or perhaps nothing at all, but in the blink of an eye, she charged towards the opponents!


    No nonsense, she went straight into action!


    Out of the blue, Karina engaged with the enemy, and as the commander, once she made a move, the four Void Magic Warriors behind her naturally followed suit. In just the blink of an eye, the ten Void Magic Warriors from both sides were locked in combat in the sky!


    And as the Void Magic Warriors fought fiercely in the air, the thunderous boom of cannon fire also rang out. Simultaneously, the fleets of both sides began a violent bombardment, commencing the air battle!


    ¡°Rocky, shall we¡­?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, wait a little longer.¡±


    The prelude to the battle had opened so quickly, somewhat beyond Rocky¡¯s expectations, but upon reflection, this was actually quite in line with Karina¡¯s personality.


    However, Rocky wasn¡¯t thrown off by the sudden onset of the battle; he didn¡¯t hastily order his two warships to head towards the Hongcheng Ruins, because it wasn¡¯t time yet. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The battle had just begun, and both fleets not only maintained a considerable distance but even restrained themselves. In such a scenario, if he rashly advanced towards the Hongcheng Ruins, it would surely alert the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. Then, the enemy wouldn¡¯t even need to send out all their forces; only two escort ships sent to harass would cause heavy casualties to his Guard Corps.


    So, Rocky planned to wait a bit longer until the fleets from both sides were thoroughly entangled. That would be the chance for him to make a move.


    ¡°Begin firing the main guns.¡±


    Under the circumstances, Rocky gave the direct order to start firing the main guns, allowing the Thunderhawk and the escort ship to contribute to the air battle with their bombardment.


    However, since the two warships were positioned at the very rear¡ªand lowest part¡ªof the entire fleet, several rounds of continuous fire from the main guns failed to hit any target. But that wasn¡¯t important, as Rocky never intended to play a major role in this air battle; the ground was his true battlefield.


    And the opportunity he was waiting for came quickly. After several rounds of bombardment, Karina took the lead. Her fleet gradually adjusted their formation amidst the firing, creating an arc, and then started to press forward, as if intending to envelop the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s fleet in a large net.


    Subsequently, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group also immediately responded. Over fifty warships split into two groups in the air, like two sharp cones, charging head-on towards Karina¡¯s fleet, appearing to intend to break through and disperse Karina¡¯s fleet and then defeat them one by one.


    ¡°Command issued, target Hongcheng Ruins, full speed ahead!¡±


    As the clashing sides began their charge towards each other, Rocky knew his opportunity had arrived, so he immediately issued the command for the two warships to advance at full speed, heading straight for the Hongcheng Ruins¡ªthe base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 182 - 181: Landing! Kill them all!

    Chapter 182: Chapter 181: Landing! Kill them all!


    The fleets of both sides were completely engaged in an intense battle, exactly the opportunity that Rocky had been waiting for, so he immediately ordered the Thunderhawk and the Escort Ship to make a full-speed advance straight towards the ruins of Hongcheng.


    The two large warships accelerated at full power and soon flew beneath the battlefield, approaching Hongcheng at a high speed while maintaining only tens of meters above the ground, and due to the fierce air battle, no one in the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s fleet even noticed their presence.


    This oversight was clearly fatal for the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, but for Rocky, it was a good thing, as the Thunderhawk and the Escort Ship almost encountered no obstacles as they approached the ruins of Hongcheng.


    ¡°Descend! Prepare the Guard Corps!¡±


    As they neared the ruins of Hongcheng, Rocky ordered the Thunderhawk and the Escort Ship to further decrease their altitude and prepared for the Guard Corps to land.


    But just as the Thunderhawk was about to descend, and the guards who had been waiting aboard for a long time had just reached the deck, the sound of the Magic Cannon suddenly erupted!


    ...


    The unexpected booming of cannons was shockingly close, as if right by one¡¯s ear, and right after the sound appeared, the Thunderhawk¡¯s Defensive Net lit up.


    They¡¯ve been hit?!


    Upon realizing that the Thunderhawk had been hit, Rocky, who was at the bow of the ship, quickly looked outside and then saw that on the broken walls and ruins of Hongcheng, there were more than a dozen Magic Cannons firing at them!


    As mentioned before, the base of the Air Pirate Group is like these bandits¡¯ home; they would fortify their base just like they¡¯re constructing their own home. In a sense, it¡¯s just like how Rocky constructed Thunderhawk City, so even though the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was nothing but ruins, it was quite well built from the inside.


    In this situation, Rocky had no choice but to halt the Thunderhawk¡¯s descent, and the Guard Corps, which had been ready to land, also had to wait, because forcibly descending at this time and insisting on landing would certainly not be a wise choice.


    Confronted with the dozens of Magic Cannons on the city walls, half of the Guard Corps would be dead before they even could rush into the ruins!


    Honestly, Rocky hadn¡¯t expected that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group would have installed dozens of Magic Cannons in the ruins, so he immediately issued a new order: Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Old Jack, blast those walls for me!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    With a shout, Old Jack on the deck immediately bellowed at the gunners: ¡°Lads! Did you hear the City Lord¡¯s command? Let these bandits witness our might!¡±


    Under his command, more than twenty Magic Cannons, main and secondary, on the Thunderhawk all aimed at the walls, and with that came deafening cannon roars.


    The walls were immobile like a Skyship, consequently, the barrage from the Thunderhawk hit almost all the targets, and although the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had repaired the walls, the main cannon¡¯s power on the Thunderhawk was too great; thus, after just one round of firing, the entire stretch of the wall had collapsed, and the Magic Cannons on them were also destroyed along with the falling walls.


    ¡°Quick! Quick! Descend!¡±


    Seeing that all the Magic Cannons on the walls were destroyed, Rocky gave the command for the Thunderhawk to descend once more.


    Their time was actually very tight. The battle in the sky was still raging, and no victor had been decided yet, so this was the best opportunity for them to attack the base. If they missed this chance and the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s fleet reacted and dispatched warships for support, it could be a catastrophic blow for the Guard Corps.


    Under Rocky¡¯s constant urging, the Thunderhawk and its escort ships finally landed on the ground. Once they had landed, the Guard Corps leaped off the ship and formed up their ranks within minutes.


    But at the same time, a large number of bandits surged out from the ruins of Hongcheng!


    ¡°Ascend immediately, Felly is in charge of command, cover the Guard Corps!¡±


    Having handed over command of Thunderhawk¡¯s escort ships to Felly, Rocky and Liliya jumped from the bow, and as they left, the Thunderhawk and the escort ships immediately took off, preparing to cover the Guard Corps as Rocky had instructed.


    However, as soon as the two warships had just taken off, several reconnaissance ships and one escort ship broke away from the formation of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, which was engaged in the aerial battle, and flew at high speed towards the direction of the Hongcheng Ruins!


    They had still been discovered¡­


    Upon realizing that warships were approaching overhead, Rocky sighed to himself, though it seemed that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had indeed discovered their presence and sent warships in response.


    This wasn¡¯t surprising, since Rocky¡¯s target was the enemy¡¯s base after all. Moreover, they had made quite a commotion in blowing up the city walls, so being discovered was to be expected. However, this meant that the Thunderhawk and its escort ships could no longer cover the Guard Corps; the two warships had to intercept the enemy¡¯s warships in the sky.


    But fortunately, the Guard Corps had already successfully landed, which allowed the two large warships to disengage and tangle with the enemy. Otherwise, if they had been a bit later, Rocky and the Guard Corps might not even have disembarked before being entangled by the enemy, which would have been the worst-case scenario.


    So, after that, Rocky waved to Felly at the bow and pointed at the approaching enemy ships. Felly immediately understood his intent, and the Thunderhawk and its escort ships increased their altitude and flew towards the incoming enemy ships.


    ¡°Guards! It¡¯s your time to shine!¡±


    As the Thunderhawk gradually moved away, Rocky turned to look at the Guard Corps. Without any need for a pep talk, he could already see the excitement and desire in the eyes of the guards, so he wasted no words and flew into the air. After that, the Guard Corps, already lined up in neat squares, started to advance towards the Hongcheng Ruins!


    ¡°Brothers, slaughter them all!¡±


    It was at the same time Rocky led the Guard Corps closer to the Hongcheng Ruins that the bandits, who had been waiting for a long time within the ruins, also charged out!


    The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was an extremely large bandit group with numerous members. Unlike regular troops, with their clear divisions of labor¡ªcrew for sailing, soldiers for fighting¡ªthe bandits differed: on a ship, they were crew members, and with a blade in hand, they were butchers who slaughtered without blinking. They might be a bunch of scoundrels, but they were also versatile fighters.


    So, as soon as the Guard Corps landed, the bandits of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group were ready to fight. They had not dared to burst out earlier due to fear of bombardment from the Thunderhawk and escort ships.


    But now, with the Thunderhawk and escort ships ascending to high altitudes to intercept the enemy ships dispatched by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, the ground battle was entirely in the hands of the soldiers.


    Under these circumstances, the bandits of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group no longer had any reservations. Each wielding their weapons, they surged over the destroyed city wall like a horde of wild beasts, crazily breaking out from the ruins of Hongcheng!


    PS: Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 183 - 182: Blood! Roar!

    Chapter 183: Chapter 182: Blood! Roar!


    ¡°Forward, everyone!¡±


    Against the raiders that pounced like mad dogs, Monte, the Captain of the Guard, raised his broadaxe and issued the forward command with a robust voice. He immediately took a step along with the guards behind him.


    By this time, the Guard Corps had already formed a large square formation. Three hundred guards, fifty in a row, constituted six rows of a formation. The front three rows were close-combat soldiers, the fourth row were mages, and the last two rows were archers.


    So when Monte issued the forward command, the first three rows of guards stepped forward with him, taking firm and steady steps towards the approaching raiders!


    Simultaneously, the remote unit in the back three rows also readied themselves. All mages activated their magic, fireballs appeared in their hands, leaping continuously between their palms, while the archers all drew their bows, pulling the strings to the fullest, aiming the arrow tips up to the sky.


    It was evident that after several months of training, the quality of the Guard Corps had improved beyond comparison. Describing them as well-trained was not an exaggeration; one could say that, save for slightly fewer numbers, the Guard Corps were almost no different from a formal military unit in terms of overall quality.


    ...


    In contrast to the disciplined guards, the raiders charging head-on were much more disorganized. Those raiders bursting out from the ruins had no formation to speak of and resembled scattered sand; calling them warriors would be a stretch¡ªthey appeared more like a pack of wild beasts.


    However, the raiders also had their advantage: they were numerous. At least five hundred people emerged from the wreckage, nearly doubling the number of the Guard Corps!


    Honestly, when Rocky saw so many raiders rushing out, he was also taken aback; he hadn¡¯t expected the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group to be so large. Counting these raiders and the crew operating the fleet, the numbers in the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group should be close to a thousand!


    What Rocky didn¡¯t know was that groups like the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group didn¡¯t just target goods during their raids. They didn¡¯t spare the merchant ships themselves, nor the people aboard. These raiders took everything, and with the backing of a mid-sized city in the sky, Wild Horse City would secretly hand over the city¡¯s criminals and prisoners of war to the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, thereby replenishing their numbers regularly.


    That¡¯s why the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had so many people, which may seem abnormal, but upon closer consideration, it wasn¡¯t all that surprising.


    Despite this, Rocky still wasn¡¯t overly worried. Even though the raiders were vastly outnumbered, he still had great confidence in his own Guard Corps.


    The Guard Corps also didn¡¯t betray his trust. Once the raider beasts approached within a hundred meters of the guard formation, a furious roar came from the remote unit in the back!


    ¡°Archers! Release arrows!¡±


    The leader of the Archer Troops was named Chu Dong. He came from Backhill Village and had been Lin Feng¡¯s right-hand man back in the village. He was also the leader of the Archer Troops, so naturally, after joining Thunderhawk City¡¯s Guard Corps, he took up the same position.


    Following Chu Dong¡¯s roar, a hundred archers simultaneously released their fully drawn bowstrings. Shortly after, a rustling noise filled the air as a hundred arrows flew upwards. They drew an arc in the sky before turning downwards, plunging fiercely towards the raiders below!


    ¡°Draw bows!¡±


    After the first volley of arrows, Chu Dong shouted again. The archers, following his command, uniformly drew new arrows from behind and drew their bows again, aiming towards the sky.


    ¡°Release!¡±


    After the command, another volley of arrows shot forth.


    ¡°Draw bows!¡±


    ¡°Release!¡±


    ¡°Draw the bow!¡±


    ¡°Release!¡±


    Under Chu Dong¡¯s constant command, the Archer Troops mechanically repeated the series of actions: nocking, drawing, and releasing the arrows. It was through these repetitive actions that wave after wave of arrow rain was shot into the sky, descending like raindrops!


    The bandits madly charging toward the Guard Corps suffered greatly under the continuous arrow rain. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Those bandits with shields could barely guarantee their safety amidst the successive waves of arrows, but the unlucky ones without shields had no way to deal with it. With nowhere to hide or take cover, their only option was to rely on luck. If they were lucky, they would escape unscathed; if not, they would be riddled with arrows and turned into sieves.


    The bandits who had managed to withstand the relentless arrow rain and approached the main formation of the Guard Corps¡ªafter covering a distance of a hundred meters¡ªhad already lost nearly a hundred men. Some were shot dead by arrows, others lost their ability to charge due to being wounded, collapsing to the ground and crying out in agony; all in all, nearly a hundred lost their fighting capability.


    But even after enduring the onslaught of arrow rain, the bandits who had just reached the Guard Corps¡¯ main line had no time to catch their breath before a series of fireballs flew over the front lines and smashed into them!


    Compared to arrows, magic had a shorter range but possessed much greater power. Any bandit hit by a fireball would be burned by the flames and severely injured, even if they had shields or wore armor.


    Even so, this was not the worst for the bandits. What was more disastrous was that after taking hits from both the arrow rain and magic, the steadily advancing Guards suddenly accelerated and charged toward them!


    ¡°Brothers! Charge with me!¡±


    Monte, the Captain of the Guard, roared and raised his broadaxe high, becoming the first to charge at the bandits and initiating the battle!


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    In two strides, Monte reached a bandit and, with a roar, swung his broadaxe in a horizontal sweep. The massive axe head surged toward the bandit¡¯s waist, all the while radiating the light of mana!


    The axe Monte wielded was specially purchased for him by Rocky. Whether in terms of material or forging, it was far superior to the weapons used by regular guards. Consequently, this axe was also the prime choice for Orton¡¯s experimental enhancements, and after being empowered by Orton, its power had surpassed that of a Two-Star Mana Weapon!


    A Two-Star Mana Weapon was considered quite powerful already, commanding a market price of at least several thousand Gold Coins. Naturally, one could imagine its formidable power.


    So when Monte¡¯s axe swept across the bandit¡¯s waist, the bandit was cut in half, transforming into two pieces!


    Blood, lots of blood, sprayed out from the bisected body of the bandit a moment later, reaching up to the sky and then falling down like rain, splattering onto Monte.


    As he was drenched in blood, Monte felt a wave of irritability mixed with an incomparable excitement and let out an earth-shattering roar!


    His roar shook the entire battlefield, and the bandits who were charging toward him immediately turned tail and ran, because everyone knew never to provoke a Beastman stimulated by blood. Such a foe was not to be trifled with!


    That roar also fully unveiled the prelude to the ground battle. With this roar as the starting signal, more and more guards and bandits encountered each other, clashed, and then killed their opponents!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 184 - 183: Street Fight! Void Magic Warrior!

    Chapter 184: Chapter 183: Street Fight! Void Magic Warrior!


    ¡°`


    The fierce battle officially began!


    The onrushing brigands, like predatory beasts, charged at the Guard Corps with an insanity of having lost all reason, while the guards also lifted their longswords and met the brigands head-on without a hint of fear.


    In terms of numbers, the brigands had a clear advantage. Even after having suffered several rounds of long-range attacks, their numbers were still around four hundred, which was more than the guards. And don¡¯t forget, out of the three hundred members of the Guard Corps, a full half were ranged units. In other words, there were only one hundred and fifty soldiers responsible for close combat, while all of the brigands charging at them were warriors. So, strictly speaking, the Guard Corps was using one hundred and fifty men to fight against more than four hundred brigands!


    The numerical disparity was indeed significant.


    Frankly speaking, if it were a regular unit, there would be no hope of victory given such a disparity in numbers. The brigands were numerous and individually strong fighters. As desperados, they had a relentless ferocity that could easily give them an absolute advantage in a fight.


    ...


    Unfortunately for the brigands, they were facing Rocky¡¯s Guard Corps!


    The Guard Corps under Rocky¡¯s command hadn¡¯t really fought with humans much, their only experience in combat was fighting Demons!


    The brigands were indeed fierce and ruthless, but when compared to the ferocity and terror of Demons, it really was a case of the minor leagues meeting the majors. Thus, even though they were fewer in number, it was the Guard Corps who managed to exhibit an even more aggressive momentum facing the many vicious brigands!


    ¡°Die, you little devil!¡±


    A brigand bellowed as he brought his steel blade down fiercely, with the cold gleam of the blade aiming straight for Sandro¡¯s forehead.


    However, facing this ferocious strike, Sandro remained extremely composed, even eerily so. He gave off the impression that instead of being on a chaotic battlefield, he was engaged in one-on-one combat with the brigand before him.


    Confronting the descending blade, he calmly raised his left hand¡¯s shield. After a blink of an eye, a clang was heard, and the Magic Energy Shield effortlessly deflected the blade. It was at the very moment the steel knife was repelled that Sandro suddenly stepped forward and thrust out his longsword.


    Thump!


    The Magic Energy Longsword pierced through the brigand¡¯s chest, and this ferocious brigand quickly turned into a corpse.


    Having switched to a full set of rune equipment, the guards had a significant advantage in equipment. Take Sandro¡¯s longsword for example; originally just a standard issue longsword, it had gained the power of a One-Star Magic Energy Weapon after rune enhancement. Slicing through regular Leather Armor was like cutting through paper, and even if faced with Armor forged of steel, as long as the wielder was strong enough, it could be easily penetrated.


    Sandro was clearly a very capable warrior.


    After striking down this brigand, Sandro set his sights on the next target, then with shield in hand, he advanced unhurriedly, leaving behind at least four brigand corpses in his wake.


    His current performance was, in fact, a microcosm of the whole Guard Corps. Facing the mad and frenzied brigands, the Guard Corps showed chilling steadiness. Faced with a vast number of exceedingly fierce enemies, not a single guard showed panic. Furthermore, they maintained an impressive formation during the intense fight.


    Being able to do this was all thanks to the soldiers from Backhill Village, as after incorporating the soldiers from Backhill Village, the Guard Corps had greatly improved in formation coordination. Lin Feng and the soldiers from Backhill Village, due to their years of combat against Demons, had a wealth of experience in this regard, which naturally had been spread throughout the entire Guard Corps.


    As a result, even though the brigands had more people, when close combat truly began, and as time went on, the advantages of the Guard Corps came to the fore. In contrast to the brigands who started fiercely but became weaker as the battle progressed, the Guard Corps only grew stronger in combat, and their momentum continued to rise.


    Finally, when the number of brigand corpses on the battlefield surpassed two hundred, some of the surviving brigands began to run. And with the appearance of the first deserter, more and more brigands followed suit, completely falling into a rout!


    ¡°Pursue!¡±


    ¡°`


    As Rocky noticed more and more brigands running towards the ruins, he pointed his broadaxe in the direction of Hongcheng and then led the Guards in pursuit.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    In midair, Rocky and Liliya watched the fleeing brigands exchange glances before following the Guard Corps flying towards the Hongcheng Ruins.


    During the recent battle, neither of them had engaged in combat. Firstly, there was no need, and secondly, Rocky also wanted to use this opportunity to assess the true strength of the Guard Corps.


    After the fight, he was quite satisfied. Compared to the mission at Backhill Village, the overall strength of the Guard Corps had clearly improved significantly.


    However, the battle was far from over. It was too early to draw any conclusions since the brigands seemed to be losing, but they were merely escaping to their stronghold. This meant that not only was more fighting imminent, but it would also be much more dangerous urban warfare!


    Indeed, that was the case. Although the brigands who had been defeated on the frontal battlefield were fleeing, their spirits were revived once they returned to the Hongcheng Ruins, their base of operations.


    As the captain and vice-captain, Monte and Lin Feng were well aware that street fighting was the most dangerous, so upon reaching the vicinity of the city walls, they ordered the Guard Corps to disperse into small squads, each led by its own squad leader into the ruins.


    Street fighting was simply like this: once the three-hundred-member Guard Corps entered the ruins in a large formation, they were bound to face guerrilla tactics from the brigands. This would not only result in heavy casualties but could also lead to an awkward situation where they could neither advance nor retreat.


    Soon after, the warriors of the Guard Corps were divided into more than a dozen squads and entered the ruins. As for the ranged forces, they quickly took control of high ground in the ruins, serving both as sentries and being ready to provide immediate support when combat was detected.


    ¡°Stay alert! Watch out for sneak attacks!¡±


    Robin, armed with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, led his squad through the ruins with extreme caution and at a very slow pace.


    Although Hongcheng Ruins was the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group and had been rebuilt by the brigands, it was, after all, a city with a vast area. Therefore, the place was full of ruined houses and broken walls. Enemies could be hiding in any part of these ruins. Lack of caution was definitely not an option, and reckless advancement was out of the question.


    Indeed, just as Robin led his squad through a section of the ruins, seven or eight brigands suddenly rushed out, and the two sides immediately clashed!


    ¡°Quick, there¡¯s a fight over there! Go check it out!¡±


    When Robin¡¯s squad engaged with the brigands, a Guard squad located two streets away heard the sound of the fight. The squad leader didn¡¯t think twice before leading his men towards the source of the noise.


    However, they failed to notice the malicious eyes watching them from a dilapidated house on the street side. As the squad rushed past this house unwittingly, suddenly, a person charged at them from within the house!


    Yes, only one person rushed out.


    But this person was a Void Magic Warrior!


    In an instant, the Void Magic Warrior charged up to a Guard, who didn¡¯t even have time to shout before a sword viciously pierced his chest, running him through. Following that, the Void Magic Warrior leaped up and landed beside another Guard, swinging his sword and cleanly decapitating him!


    It was only at that moment, after two Guards had already perished, that the rest of the squad realized they were under attack by a Void Magic Warrior¡­!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 185 - 184: Murder! Butcher!

    Chapter 185: Chapter 184: Murder! Butcher!


    Clearly, the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was not so easily taken down, for it was guarded by Void Magic Warriors!


    The guard squad was caught off guard by the sudden rush of Void Magic Warriors, and in an instant, two guards were killed!


    At this time, the Guard Corps had already switched to brand new rune equipment. Not just one or two pieces, but every guard had donned a full set of rune equipment. Thus, whether in offense or defense, their strength had been greatly enhanced¡ªa fact that became evident in previous battles, where the Guard Corps had an absolute advantage in equipment when facing bandits.


    Yet, this advantage was still insufficient against the Void Magic Armor! S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rune equipment was powerful, but at this stage it had only reached the level of mana equipment. After all, Orton was still conducting in-depth research on runes, and the true advantage of the runes had not been fully realized.


    So, just after a single exchange, the Void Magic Warrior from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had killed two warriors, not only efficiently but also leaving the guards powerless to resist.


    ...


    ¡°It¡¯s a Void Magic Warrior!¡±


    ¡°Launch the signal!¡±


    After two people had died in succession, the small guard squad finally reacted. Upon realizing that they were facing a Void Magic Warrior, the squad captain let out a yell and immediately cast a Magic Flash.


    Unfortunately, before he could raise his hand, the Void Magic Warrior instantly accelerated towards him, and then, just like he killed the previous two, he struck down fiercely with his sword. The sharp longsword slashed into the captain¡¯s shoulder, cleaving through his chest almost without resistance!


    Another one dead!


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After killing the squad captain, the Void Magic Warrior momentarily paused his assault. Then he sneered, raising the longsword to his mouth and licking the fresh blood off the blade with his tongue before curling his lips into a smirk.


    ¡°Blood¡­¡±


    In his sneer, the Void Magic Warrior spat out the blood in his mouth and then gazed at the remaining seven soldiers with an almost psychopathic look.


    However, at the same moment he turned his gaze towards the guards, a flare suddenly lit up above everyone¡¯s heads!


    Clearly, as the squad captain was killed, one of the other guards had reacted swiftly, launching a Magic Flash into the sky.


    This was a universal signal for the Guard Corps. Whenever a squad encountered an unbeatable enemy, like demons or the Void Magic Warrior before them, they could use Magic Flash to call for support.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Looking up at the burst of Magic Flash overhead, the Void Magic Warrior from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group slightly furrowed his brow, and within a few breaths, a figure flew down from the sky and landed heavily a moment later!


    Rocky!


    After the Guard Corps dispersed into the Hongcheng Ruins, Rocky and Liliya had been patrolling in the air, ready to provide support at any time. Liliya had already gone to support another squad, so when Rocky saw the flare in the sky, he immediately rushed over.


    ¡°A Void Magic Warrior?¡±


    Upon landing, Rocky naturally caught sight of the enemy standing by the bodies first thing, making him somewhat surprised.


    The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡­ still had Void Magic Warriors!?


    The man before him was undoubtedly a bandit from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, which meant¡­ this Air Pirate Group actually had as many as six Void Magic Warriors, five of whom were engaged in battle with Karina, while the remaining one had stayed back at the base!


    This truly shocked Rocky. He had not expected the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group to be so deeply rooted, not only possessing a massive fleet but also a substantial number of Void Magic Warriors. No wonder these bandits had been roaming the skies unchecked for so many years¡ªthey truly had strength.


    But when Rocky shifted his gaze from the Void Magic Warriors and looked at the three corpses in the pool of blood, his expression turned ugly.


    ¡°These people¡­ did you kill them?¡±


    Looking at the bodies on the ground, Rocky slowly lifted his head, his tone suddenly turning cold.


    ¡°What, are you the leader of this trash?¡±


    Faced with his question, the Void Magic Warrior standing beside the Guard corpses curled his lips into a sneer and carelessly kicked a corpse with his foot, as if he was dealing with a pile of garbage.


    This action immediately made Rocky lift his head, and his eyes unconsciously narrowed into slits.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    As the words fell, he charged towards his opponent!


    Rocky had no intention of going easy on the man who slaughtered his Guards. Without wasting any words, he not only took action but also raised his Rune Longsword and slashed down while sprinting!


    However, facing his sword strike, the opponent revealed a ferocious smile. An already aberrant look in his eyes suddenly filled with bloodthirsty madness; he didn¡¯t dodge but instead charged straight towards him.


    A clanging sound echoed as the two Mana Weapons collided mid-air, creating a flash of light, and then the two figures in the sky each drew back some distance!


    ¡°Your Armor¡­ has it been modified?¡±


    After clashing head-on with Rocky, the Void Magic Warrior of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group furrowed his brow.


    An evenly matched outcome was unexpected to this Void Magic Warrior since he wore the second-generation Armor, the Madman Model 4, with a magic energy value of 1100. In contrast, Rocky was wearing first-generation Armor, which, to his knowledge, did not exceed a magic energy value of 500. How could their clash have been a draw?


    But the reaction of this Void Magic Warrior was rather quick as he immediately realized that Rocky¡¯s Armor must have been modified.


    Unfortunately for him, Rocky had no intention of answering his question. Stopping his retreat, he immediately accelerated at full power, lifting his Rune Longsword to launch another charge!


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Seeing Rocky act without any discussion, the opposing Void Magic Warrior sneered ferociously and, without any sign of fear, directly met his charge!


    This Void Magic Warrior named Toss had the nickname ¡°The Butcher¡± within the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. He had an abnormal personality, harboring an obsessive fascination with slaughter and bloodshed. While others turned to piracy out of desperation or greed, he joined purely for the convenience of killing.


    Even Kilov, the leader of the Air Pirate Group, was troubled by Toss¡¯s character, as he was too aberrant. At times, even Kilov couldn¡¯t stand it, making Toss not very popular within the Bandit Group.


    However, his strength was truly formidable, and it was precisely because of this that Kilov reluctantly gave him a set of Void Magic Armor, although only the second generation. Most of the time, Kilov would not keep Toss close by; he couldn¡¯t stand that man¡¯s twisted gaze.


    Now, facing another attack from Rocky, Toss revealed that loathsome look that even a desperado like Kilov would dislike, chuckling weirdly and screaming as he met Rocky¡¯s advance!


    ¡°Even if your Armor has been modified, it¡¯s still junk!¡±


    Getting ahead by striking after Rocky, Toss raised his longsword and hacked down!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 186 - 185: Thunderous Double Cannons!

    Chapter 186: Chapter 185: Thunderous Double Cannons!


    For Toss, it didn¡¯t matter who Rocky was; what he cared about was the thrill of killing!


    The attack by the Guard Corps had exhilarated Toss; he didn¡¯t care if the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group would fall, because to him, these guards were delicious dishes, a feast to satisfy his murderous desires!


    And the main dish among them was Rocky and Liliya!


    Stationed at the base, Toss hadn¡¯t participated in the earlier battle, but he had silently observed the entire fight from within the city, which had stirred his lust for slaughtering early on.


    Thus, when the Guard Corps dispersed into the ruins, he, like a venomous snake, hid among the shattered walls and patiently waited for his food to come to him.


    However, Toss was slightly disappointed that Rocky had discovered him so quickly; he had initially planned to wipe out all the guards of the Guard Corps before finally dealing with Rocky and Liliya.


    ...


    Indeed, that was Toss¡¯s original plan¡ªto kill all the guards of the Guard Corps single-handedly!


    Though the idea sounded insane, considering Toss¡¯s personality, his strength, and most importantly his Void Magic Armor, it really seemed possible.


    Unfortunately, the Guard Corps was already prepared for this, leading to his early appearance, where he had only killed three guards before encountering Rocky. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even so, Toss didn¡¯t care, because, to him, whether it was the guards or Rocky himself, they were all his prey; it was merely a difference between the main dish and the side dish; the order in which he ate them didn¡¯t matter.


    Thus, after confronting Rocky, Toss bent his body in midair, dodging the sweeping sword coming at him, and then let his Void Magic Armor suddenly accelerate, circling halfway around Rocky and arriving behind him, swiftly striking down with his sword.


    As a second-generation Void Magic Armor, the Madman Type-4¡¯s energy value reached a staggering eleven hundred points, and the higher the magic energy value, the stronger the overall performance of the armor, including attack, defense, and the speed of sudden bursts.


    So, in Toss¡¯s view, facing his own strike, Rocky, who was in the first generation armor, couldn¡¯t react in time, and even if he managed some reaction, the Blood Pattern Mark II wouldn¡¯t be able to respond; therefore, this strike alone could determine the outcome.


    When he confidently made his move, he heard a clang as his sword heavily struck the tip of the Rune Longsword, bursting into a bright light just like before.


    Despite being attacked from behind, Rocky turned around extremely quickly, appearing to narrowly block the strike, but in reality, he easily parried it!


    Continuing without pause after blocking the strike, he leaped up in midair, raising his stature dramatically so that he was half a body length above Toss, then from a higher position he fiercely cleaved downward!


    As mentioned earlier, the fighting style of the Void Magic Armor isn¡¯t a flat-surface battle but a three-dimensional spatial one, making it incredibly flexible and versatile.


    So when the sword came down, Toss was forced to horizontally lift his sword to block; barely had he done so when an extremely strong force suddenly pressed down from above, crushing him from midair to the ground!


    Such incredible force naturally came from Rocky, no, to be exact, from the Blood Pattern Mark II Armor he wore, a move he had stealthily learned from Baron Wolin.


    In the previous aerial battle with Baron Wolin, Rocky won the war but lost the fight with Baron Wolin; there was simply too great a gap in strength between them. Surviving Wolin¡¯s hands was already a miracle for Rocky, let alone dreaming of victory.


    Yet, although he lost to Baron Wolin, Rocky learned a lot during their confrontation, and it¡¯s no exaggeration to say that his concepts of combat had significantly improved after facing Wolin, and he also picked up several highly practical tricks.


    Take, for example, now, his reason for elevating his position to attack from a high vantage point was to create the kind of suppression he was currently applying.


    In his bouts with Baron Wolin, Rocky had been suppressed numerous times by the advantage of the Baron¡¯s armor, always pressed to the point of not being able to lift his head, and now Rocky intended to use the same method to suppress Toss.


    This move was incredibly effective. The sudden, powerful thrust caught Toss off guard, and within the blink of an eye, he was pressed down more than ten meters. Before he could react, he heard a loud bang, accompanied by a cloud of dust rising; he had actually hit the ground¡­


    Oh no!


    Realizing he had been pressed back to the ground, Toss cursed under his breath and immediately dodged to the side, narrowly escaping Rocky¡¯s downward slash.


    Awkwardly evading the attack, Toss hurried to take off, but Rocky had already preemptively reached above him. As Toss prepared to ascend, Rocky struck down with another sword blow, forcefully pressing him back down just as he was about to rise!


    Using the advantage of high ground against low ground, Rocky instantly took control of the confrontation, then began a relentless assault from above, while Toss, even though equipped with the Void Magic Armor, was constantly suppressed on the ground with no strategy against Rocky in the air.


    ¡°How could this be!¡±


    After being beaten down three times consecutively while attempting to ascend, the sinister smile on Toss¡¯s face and the murderous look in his eyes both disappeared, replaced by stress and confusion.


    He couldn¡¯t understand why, wearing the Blood Pattern Mark II Armor, he was being suppressed by the older Void Magic Armor?!


    This truly alarmed Toss. With his rich combat experience, he knew very well that once suppressed like this, his chances and opportunities to strike back would diminish. Therefore, left with no other choice, he decisively abandoned the idea of flying upward and instead began to rapidly skid on the ground, trying to create distance from Rocky above him and regain the skies.


    At full speed, he raced across the ground in a straight line, covering over ten meters in just a few blinks. However, when he looked up, he saw Rocky was still right above him!


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Glancing up at the tenacious Rocky, Toss cursed and found himself needing to accelerate again, dashing forward another ten-plus meters.


    But Rocky, who had already anticipated his plan, naturally wouldn¡¯t be easily shaken off and quickly pursued him.


    However, just as Rocky had barely caught up with Toss, maintaining his position of suppression, the relentlessly charging Toss suddenly turned around and extended both hands towards Rocky!


    ¡°Thunderous Double Cannons!¡±


    With his palms aimed at Rocky, a sinister smile crossed Toss¡¯s face again. At the moment the smile appeared, his raised palms burst into intense light, followed by two Magic Energy Cannon blasts firing fiercely towards Rocky!


    The Thunderous Double Cannons, the proudest weapon of the Madman Type-4 Armor, utilized Mana Launchers in the palms to create powerful Mana Cannonballs. The combined force of the twin blasts reached an energy value of 300, powerful enough to rival a real Magic Energy Cannon!


    A moment later, two booming explosions were heard, and Rocky, unable to react in mid-air, was directly hit by the twin cannonballs!


    The powerful Magic Energy Bullets exploded in the air, kicking up a cloud of smoke. However, before the smoke could clear, a figure fell from the sky and crashed heavily onto the ground¡ªit was Rocky, struck by the Thunderous Double Cannons!


    ¡°Hmph¡­!¡±


    Watching Rocky fall from the sky, Toss no longer needed to flee in disarray since there was no need to run anymore. In his view, Rocky, who had been directly hit by the Thunderous Double Cannons, couldn¡¯t possibly survive and was undoubtedly doomed.


    Thus, amidst a sinister laugh, he skidded forward a distance, landed, and then looked down at Rocky lying on the ground facing upwards. Immediately, he raised the Rune Longsword in his hand, aimed at Rocky¡¯s chest, and thrust down heavily!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 187 - 186: Counterkill!

    Chapter 187: Chapter 186: Counterkill!


    Gliding to Rocky¡¯s side, Toss looked at him with a sneer.


    ¡°Quite tough to deal with¡­ huh!¡±


    After sneering twice, he raised the longsword in his hand and aimed for Rocky¡¯s chest, a twisted expression reemerging on his face.


    Although the exchange with Rocky had put unexpected pressure on Toss, the more pressure he felt, even danger, from his opponent, the more he relished it¡ªnot the battle with a strong adversary, but the thrill of killing one!


    Therefore, when the moment to kill Rocky came, he felt an immense excitement. Indeed, Rocky was a feast that he enjoyed to the fullest!


    In just the span of a breath, Toss thrust his longsword viciously towards Rocky¡¯s chest!


    ...


    With a clink, the longsword hit the ground, and the immense force drove it half a foot into the earth, but¡­ it did not hit Rocky!


    In the instant the longsword was descending, Rocky, who had been lying on the ground almost indistinguishable from the dead, suddenly rolled to the side, causing the longsword to miss its mark!


    ¡°Wha¡­¡±


    Toss was shocked that Rocky still had the energy to dodge, and it was during his moment of stupefaction that Rocky, who had evaded the lethal strike, suddenly burst up from the ground like a panther pouncing on its prey and lunged at him.


    At the same time, Rocky¡¯s rune longsword swung into action, its tip glowing with rune light as it traced a perfect arc, slashing across Toss¡¯s neck in an instant!


    With a swoosh, the longsword swept by, and Rocky stopped right in front of Toss. Then came a gurgling sound as Toss¡¯s head rolled off his neck and landed at Rocky¡¯s feet, tumbling there.


    In the Air Pirate Group, Toss, known as the Butcher with a twisted killing desire, was dead!


    As the head fell to the ground, Toss¡¯s body slowly toppled and with a thud knelt on the ground, with a large amount of fresh blood spurting from the bowl-sized wound on his neck moments later.


    For some reason, an unusual amount of blood gushed from Toss¡¯s neck, shooting up two to three meters high. It looked like a fountain, and when the blood dispersed and fell, it completely turned into a blood rain.


    The blood rain scattered, and Rocky, standing underneath, was drenched. Although it felt disgusting, he had to admit that the ecstasy brought on by slaughter was incomparable to anything else¡ªeven he felt a tinge of excitement at that moment.


    Thankfully, Rocky quickly suppressed that hint of excitement, and then he looked down to see Toss¡¯s head lying at his feet¡ªno, Toss¡¯s head.


    Even in death, Toss¡¯s face still wore a look of surprise and confusion, which with the end of his life became eternal.


    To his dying moment, Toss could not fathom one thing: how he died?


    How could Rocky, stricken by two Thunder Cannons, possibly have the ability to counter-kill? He was only wearing first-generation armor! The power of the Thunder Cannon was almost equal to a standard Magic Energy Cannon, and a direct hit should have, at least, severely wounded and knocked out Rocky on the spot.


    So Toss died without ever understanding what happened; he just couldn¡¯t grasp how Rocky had reversed the situation on him.


    But his bewilderment was natural, for Toss could never have known that Rocky¡¯s Armor, after being rune-enhanced, had reached a magic energy value of 900 points. This value was already on par with the average of second-generation armors. Therefore, in terms of magic energy value, Rocky was not at a significant disadvantage, and although injured by the Thunder Cannon, he was far from incapacitated.


    Moreover, Toss had underestimated Rocky, thinking that wearing first-generation armor meant he didn¡¯t warrant serious attention. He didn¡¯t realize that it was with this very armor that Rocky had fought and survived encounters with great warriors like Baron Wolin!


    Thus, Toss might have thought he had the upper hand over Rocky in terms of armor and strength, but in reality, he was not much superior in either aspect. Consequently, being counter-killed by Rocky was a logical outcome; Toss deserved to die with his eyes closed.


    ¡°Rocky!¡±


    Just as Rocky was bending down to pick up Toss¡¯s head and remove the helmet of his Void Magic Armor, Liliya¡¯s voice came from above, and then a red figure landed beside him.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Looking at the sorry state of Rocky and then at the body of Toss lying in a pool of blood, Liliya immediately understood what had happened and hurriedly asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Rocky said with a slight smile, shaking the severed head and helmet in his hand. ¡°Look, my arms and legs are all intact.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®fine¡¯!¡±


    Liliya was no fool; she had hurried over precisely because she heard the booming of the Thunder Cannon, so Rocky¡¯s nonchalant attitude immediately angered her.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me for help!¡±


    Glaring at Rocky, Liliya was genuinely angry this time, so much so that she didn¡¯t wait for him to retort and rattled on like a machine gun, ¡°I¡¯m your guard, and I should be the one to deal with the enemy! Why do you always do this, never considering my feelings! If this continues, let¡¯s just switch roles, so I don¡¯t have to worry about you all the time!¡±


    ¡°Fine, from now on, you be the City Lord, and I¡¯ll be your guard,¡±


    Faced with Liliya¡¯s imposing anger, Rocky chuckled and started to play dumb¡­


    ¡°You!¡±


    Liliya was so infuriated by his shenanigans that she stomped her foot and, in a huff, just flew off.


    ¡°Monte and Lin Feng have already found the Air Pirate Group¡¯s headquarters, come if you want!¡±


    After taking to the air, Liliya shouted at Rocky in a huff, then accelerated and flew away. Upon hearing her words, Rocky was delighted and quickly followed Liliya after instructing the surrounding guards to remove the Void Magic Armor from Toss and stash it away.


    Following close behind Liliya, it didn¡¯t take long for him to see a horde of guards besieging a three-story building.


    This building was obviously constructed by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, erected anew on the foundation of an abandoned site and turned into the group¡¯s headquarters.


    At this moment, over a hundred guards were laying siege to the three-story building. Under Monte¡¯s command, warriors from the Guard Corps formed a line, each one holding up their shield high to defend against arrows and magic flying out from the building; meanwhile, the Guard Corps¡¯ archers and mages were constantly striking at the bandits inside from afar.


    After the previous street battle, the bandits had indeed exerted some pressure and caused injuries to the Guard Corps, but they were still gradually forced back into their headquarters, signifying a lost cause. Nonetheless, the bandits were stubbornly resisting, making it difficult for the guard to break into their base for the time being.


    In this situation, Monte chose a relatively secure tactic, which was to wear down the enemy, given the Guard Corps had a real ranged unit and wouldn¡¯t be at a disadvantage when exchanging arrow volleys and magic.


    And it was at this moment that Rocky and Liliya arrived.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±


    Rocky landed next to Monte and Lin Feng and immediately asked.


    ¡°Sir, these guys refuse to surrender; it seems they are waiting for a warship to come to their rescue,¡± Monte replied, having already figured out the reason behind the bandits¡¯ stubborn resistance: they were simply hoping that Kilov could secure a victory in the aerial battle and come back to save them.


    ¡°Understood,¡±


    Rocky nodded at Monte¡¯s explanation and then flew into the sky.


    ¡°You!¡±


    Seeing him taking off on his own again, Liliya stomped her foot in exasperation, unable to do anything but hastily follow him.


    However, once in the air, Rocky shouted at the bandits inside the building!


    ¡°You! Who knows this man?¡±


    After the shout, Rocky raised the head of Toss! sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 188 - 187: Surrender! Or Die!

    Chapter 188: Chapter 187: Surrender! Or Die!


    ¡°You! Who recognizes him?¡±


    Hovering mid-air, Rocky bellowed as he lifted the severed head in his hand!


    His shout instantly halted the chaotic battle; the Guard Corps stopped attacking, and the robbers in the building paused for a moment at the sudden appearance of this Void Magic Warrior. And when these robbers saw whose head was in Rocky¡¯s hand, they all showed looks of panic!


    The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had thousands of robbers, but when it came to fame, Toss was at the top. Almost every robber in the Air Pirate Group knew this murderous butcher, so when Rocky lifted Toss¡¯s head, the stubbornly resisting robbers panicked on the spot!


    In the eyes of these robbers, Toss was not only a high-profile figure but also an incredibly powerful Void Magic Warrior. Hence, seeing that even Toss had been beheaded, their morale instantly collapsed.


    ¡°I give you one minute!¡±


    ...


    As the robbers were thrown into disarray by the sight of Toss¡¯s head, Rocky¡¯s voice echoed once more in their ears, ¡°Surrender within a minute, and you can live! After a minute, those who dare resist will meet the same fate as him!¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Rocky tossed Toss¡¯s head into the air and followed up with a Magic Bullet spell. In the blink of an eye, the head was blown to pieces!


    ¡°I¨CI surrender!¡±


    As the shattered remains of the head fell like raindrops, cries for surrender immediately echoed from the building, and then a robber, holding his bow, stood up from a window.


    ¡°I surrender too, don¡¯t kill me!¡±


    ¡°I surrender!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve surrendered, don¡¯t kill us!¡±


    After the first robber openly surrendered, more and more robbers started to stand up at the windows. They each raised their weapons high, shouting loudly at Rocky.


    Clearly, under Rocky¡¯s intimidation, these robbers completely gave up resistance. In fact, they had no choice but to surrender, because they had managed to hold out against the Guard Corps for so long only because Monte didn¡¯t want to cause any unnecessary casualties, opting not to press a hard attack. Another reason was the robbers¡¯ advantage of terrain, allowing them to use the cover of the building to hold off the Guard Corps.


    But now that both Rocky and Liliya had arrived, against the two Void Magic Warriors, the robbers, mere mortals, stood no chance. Remember how Toss killed three Guards? If Rocky and Liliya were to charge into the building, the robbers would face the same end.


    So, faced with Rocky¡¯s ultimatum, the robbers didn¡¯t even consider for a full minute before choosing to surrender.


    ¡°Everyone drop your weapons and come out in a line from inside! Anyone daring to make a rash move will be killed on the spot!¡±


    Yelling out to the surrendering robbers, Rocky gave the order, and the robbers obediently raised their hands, lining up to exit the building.


    ¡°Monte, tie all these people up and have them watched,¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    With a confirmation, Monte led the Guards to tie up the surrendering robbers one by one and then gathered them all together for collective custody.


    Indeed, the number of robbers who had been resisting inside the building wasn¡¯t small; Monte roughly counted the number and discovered there were actually over one hundred and fifty!


    ¡°`


    This number is not small, and because these people are all robbers who naturally possess quite considerable combat abilities, those more than 150 individuals need only some additional training and discipline to directly form a troop.


    Of course, these robbers were all spoils of war belonging to Karina, and Rocky and Karina had already agreed that all captives from this operation would belong to Karina, while all valuables that could be sold would go to Rocky.


    With the surrender of the more than 150 robbers, it also meant that the stronghold of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had been thoroughly captured by Rocky!


    However, this did not mean that the battle was over, as the skies were still ablaze with gunfire, and the aerial battle led by Karina was still ongoing. Only when the air combat had a victor could this fight truly be considered concluded.


    In this situation, Rocky subsequently said to Monte, ¡°I¡¯m heading back to the Thunderhawk to take command now. You keep an eye on these robbers here, but also be ready to retreat at any time. If Karina is defeated, I¡¯ll come to pick you up, and by then you must be prepared.¡±


    ¡°Understood, my lord. Rest assured.¡±


    Seeing Monte nod heavily, Rocky did not say more and promptly took Liliya with him, flying towards the sky, toward the Thunderhawk that was engaged in combat with the enemy.


    When Rocky led the Guard Corps to attack Hongcheng Ruins, Felly had also been constantly commanding two warships to fend off the enemy, so when Rocky and Liliya flew towards the Thunderhawk, it was still entangled with the enemy.


    However, compared to the last aerial battle with Baron Wolin, the opponents that the Thunderhawk had to face this time were much weaker. After all, this front was not the main battlefield. The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, facing the large forces of Karina, could only send a limited number of warships to harass and bind, even though they sent some over for diversion.


    Under the immense pressure from Karina and her fleet, Kilov had sent only one Escort Ship and five Reconnaissance Ships, a clearly limited number, but this was all he could dispatch. If he sent more warships to deal with Rocky, he would not be able to withstand Karina¡¯s onslaught on the main battlefield.


    But the warships Kilov sent did not pose any threat to Rocky and the Guard Corps, as all these warships were intercepted by the Thunderhawk and the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship.


    Facing the enemy, the Thunderhawk and Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship lined up side by side, forming a wall of iron and bronze that completely blocked the enemies outside of the Hongcheng Ruins.


    Facing such behemoths, the enemy¡¯s Reconnaissance Ships did not dare to approach, knowing fully well that if they did, the dozens of Magic Cannons on the two warships could immediately blast them to smithereens. Even the opponent¡¯s Escort Ship was the same, unable to gain any advantage in a two versus one situation, and might even risk being sunk by the warships¡¯ main cannons in the first round of fire.


    So even as time passed, both sides only exchanged Magic Bullet cannon fire at a safe distance, and no particularly intense engagement occurred.


    This situation was naturally what Felly wanted to see. He believed that under Rocky¡¯s leadership, the Guard Corps was bound to win, so his job was to block any enemy ships attempting to provide support to Hongcheng Ruins. Doing just that would be enough.


    However, this stalemate situation came to a swift end with Rocky¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°My lord!¡±


    As Rocky and Liliya landed on the deck of the Thunderhawk, Felly hurried over with evident hope in his eyes, and in that hope, he saw Rocky nod at him.


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    Seeing Rocky nod, Felly knew that the stronghold of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had been occupied, which meant they had secured half the victory in this great battle!


    ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate too soon. We only claim true victory when the aerial battle is won.¡±


    Patting Felly on the shoulder, Rocky then looked towards the opposing warships, ¡°Felly, order a full-speed advance; we¡¯re going to assist Karina!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°` sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 189 - 188: The Focus of Everyone

    Chapter 189: Chapter 188: The Focus of Everyone


    Under Rocky¡¯s command, the Thunderhawk and the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship began to gradually turn their hulls and then accelerated at full force, closing in on the warships of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group!


    ¡°Boys, fire! Fire! Hit them hard!¡±


    As the Thunderhawk closed in on the enemy, Old Jack, who was in charge of deck command, roared at the gunners, but his voice was soon drowned out by a series of cannon fire¡ªthe Thunderhawk¡¯s main and secondary guns fired simultaneously!


    Since they were facing the enemy head-on, only half of the magic cannons on both warships could take aim, but even so, the firepower remained strong enough that a reconnaissance ship was sunk in an instant as soon as they opened fire!


    Meanwhile, as the Thunderhawk and the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship approached, the escort ships of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group hurriedly turned tail, choosing to flee without daring to resist!


    Their actions were evidently correct, for if one were to talk about comprehensive strength, the escort ship could not even defeat a single warship like the Thunderhawk, let alone when it also had to face the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship. So, when Rocky commanded his two warships to advance, the enemy chose to flee without firing a single shot.


    ...


    ¡°The escort ship stays behind to protect the Guard Corps, Thunderhawk joins the battlefield.¡±


    Easily driving back the enemy, Rocky issued a new order for the Scavenger Type 1 Escort Ship to stay behind and protect the guards below. Otherwise, once he joined the battlefield, if the enemy sent warships to harass, even reconnaissance ships could pose a threat to the Guard Corps.


    After that, Rocky directed the Thunderhawk towards the main battlefield in the sky!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    By the time Rocky commanded the Thunderhawk to join the aerial combat, the large-scale battle had been raging for quite some time.


    And after such a prolonged period of fighting, both Liliya¡¯s fleet and the fleet of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had clashed intensely, losing their respective formations and beginning the most brutal of melees.


    In this situation, Rocky didn¡¯t hesitate to lead the Thunderhawk into the fray!


    Interestingly enough, when Rocky and Liliya stood on the deck leading the Thunderhawk into battle, they happened to fly past Void Magic Warriors engaged in fierce combat, making them visible to all of the opposing Void Magic Warriors.


    After so much time had passed, with the fleets locked in fierce gunfire and their respective Void Magic Warriors engaged in a deadly fight which resulted in casualties, one of Karina¡¯s four guards had been killed, and Kilov had similarly lost one companion, turning the original battle of ten Void Magic Warriors into a clash of four against four.


    Clearly, neither side wanted the other¡¯s Void Magic Warriors to join in the fleet¡¯s battle since the quality of the armor worn by both sides¡¯ Void Magic Warriors was extremely high¡ªconsisting entirely of fourth-generation models. In such a situation, if anyone from either side disengaged from combat, no, even if just one person withdrew to join the fleet¡¯s engagement, it could become a significant threat affecting the entire battle.


    So despite the air combat having lasted so long, both sides¡¯ Void Magic Warriors were constantly tangled up with their opponents. Among them, Karina and Kilov were the most active; both were bent on killing each other, both were trying hard to stop the other, and both were looking for ways to break free from the fight quickly to assist their fleets. Regrettably, neither could achieve this because their opponents were paying them special attention.


    Especially Karina, she was the only one among them wearing Special Armor. While Kilov¡¯s strength and experience were evidently superior, his armor was a fourth-generation Mass Production Type. Perhaps Kilov¡¯s armor stood out among the mass-produced versions, but it still couldn¡¯t compare to the true Special Armor.


    In contrast, while Karina was indeed a bit inferior to Kilov in terms of strength, her Special Armor was truly amazing. The armor, a fourth-generation Special Type, boasted a magic energy value of 6000 points! Its power was so formidable that it could take on a large warship single-handedly!


    Such a formidable armor made Karina the target of everyone¡¯s arrows, as all the enemy¡¯s Void Magic Warriors circled around her, like a swarm of bees around a rose.


    And it was amid such intense clashing that Rocky arrived.


    Once he appeared, he attracted the attention of everyone present, becoming the focal point of eight Void Magic Warriors.


    In the eyes of these warriors, Rocky stood alone on the bow of the Thunderhawk, with Liliya at his side. The two seemed relaxed and at ease, and when they noticed everyone else, Rocky even smiled and waved at them!


    This scene stunned all eight Void Magic Warriors, all clad in fourth-generation armors, as they were taken aback by Rocky, who wore merely a Blood Pattern Mark II.


    But after a brief shock and surprise, they each had different reactions.


    For Karina¡¯s side, of course, there was excitement because the appearance of Rocky and Liliya undoubtedly signified that the ground battle had ended, meaning the lair of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had been occupied by them!


    Such an outcome was naturally what Karina most wished to see, so morale immediately soared.


    Similarly, Kilov also had a notable reaction upon seeing Rocky and Liliya, but it was not excitement he felt; instead, his heart sank.


    He might not know who these two people were, but he did know that the person in front of him, donning only a Blood Pattern Mark II, was the very same who had led an attack on his base earlier. And upon seeing Rocky, he also immediately realized that his base might have fallen.


    However, that wasn¡¯t what concerned Kilov the most, because even if his base had been captured, as long as they could win the ongoing air battle, the base would eventually be retaken. After all, ground troops, no matter how strong, couldn¡¯t possibly match the air force.


    So what truly worried Kilov wasn¡¯t his base, but rather Rocky and Liliya, and the Thunderhawk they commanded!


    At this moment, the battle in the skies had entered its most dogged phase. While both fleets had been entangled in a melee for a while, no clear winner had emerged yet. Under such circumstances, the entry of a main warship and two Void Magic Warriors into battle would undoubtedly greatly influence the outcome¡ªan outcome Kilov did not wish to see!


    ¡°Stop them!¡±


    Thinking of the severe consequences that would follow Rocky and the Thunderhawk joining the battle, Kilov immediately shouted out and, without waiting for others to act, he charged towards the Thunderhawk with all his might!


    Kilov was donning a fourth-generation armor, which was the best-performing one of the Mass Production Type, so he accelerated instantly. Almost before his voice had faded, he was already flying towards the Thunderhawk.


    Facing Kilov¡¯s rapidly approaching figure, Liliya took off but was blocked by Rocky, who stood at the bow. Then, instead of letting Liliya fly out to engage, Rocky even waved at the speeding Kilov, as if saying goodbye.


    This gesture infuriated Kilov, who, in a roar of rage, cranked up the speed of his armor to its limit, moving even faster.


    However, just as he increased his speed, Karina¡¯s figure caught up with him at a pace too fast for the naked eye to follow, instantly blocking his way!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 190 - 189 Breakout!

    Chapter 190: Chapter 189 Breakout!


    She made a move to intercept Kilov and raised her left hand towards him¡­


    Oh no!


    Realizing Liliya was aiming her arm at him, Kilov was instantly horrified and dodged without a second thought, completely forgetting about Rocky.


    When he had hastily retreated several dozen meters, he realized Liliya hadn¡¯t actually done anything to him; she was merely feinting.


    I¡¯ve been tricked!


    Upon realizing he¡¯d been duped, Kilov quickly looked towards Rocky and noticed that the Thunderhawk had already moved away¡­


    ...


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    As he watched the Thunderhawk slowly get away, Kilov was not willing to let it go but he didn¡¯t have a way to pursue. He and Liliya had clashed before, and he was well aware of her tactics. Therefore, when he saw Liliya aiming her hand at him, he had to dodge even though he knew she was just trying to scare him; it was her most lethal move, capable of killing him in one strike!


    So after cursing reluctantly, Kilov once again faced Liliya. As Rocky led the Thunderhawk into the fray, the situation began to tilt against the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. Kilov had to keep Liliya occupied and prevent her from joining the battle as well.


    Some might wonder, in such a large-scale aerial battle with nearly a hundred ships from both fleets combined, could the involvement of just Rocky, Liliya, and the Thunderhawk influence the outcome of the battle?


    Indeed, it could.


    When the forces were evenly matched, any small addition of external force could break the balance and influence the outcome of the great battle, even if that force was just two people and a single ship. This demonstrates the last-straw principle.


    ¡°Full speed ahead!¡±


    Having moved away from the group of Void Magic Warriors, Rocky ordered the Thunderhawk to charge at full speed into the battlefield!


    Under his command, the Thunderhawk charged like a ferocious tiger straight towards the heart of the battle.


    However, as soon as the Thunderhawk violently entered the fray, the fleet of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group also immediately reacted. Numerous reconnaissance ships began to surround it.


    In the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, there were many commanders with extensive experience. Noticing the flagship joining the battle, they immediately realized the severity of the situation and quickly responded.


    To the Thunderhawk, the threat posed by reconnaissance ships was virtually nil, because even the magic cannons of fifth-generation reconnaissance ships couldn¡¯t penetrate the Thunderhawk¡¯s defensive net, let alone those of the Pirates¡¯ fleet, which were only fourth generation at best, and many even third and second generation. Facing these ships, the Thunderhawk didn¡¯t feel threatened at all.


    But don¡¯t forget, the reconnaissance ships had a numerical advantage.


    One-on-one, they were no match for the Thunderhawk, but what about ten against one? If there were ten, or even twenty reconnaissance ships surrounding the Thunderhawk, even if they couldn¡¯t damage it, trapping it within their midst was certainly feasible!


    So, within a few breaths¡¯ time, numerous reconnaissance ships had surrounded the Thunderhawk, encircling it completely.


    ¡°Fire! Fire!¡±


    ¡°Fire with all your might! Dammit, not the main cannon! You¡¯re using a sledgehammer to crack a nut; use the secondary guns, hit them hard with the secondary guns!¡±


    When a large number of reconnaissance ships began encircling the Thunderhawk, the magic cannons on the Thunderhawk also started to fire fiercely.


    As the flagship, the firepower of the Thunderhawk was unquestionable. Being a flagship, its firepower configuration was already higher than that of similar types of escort ships, and after Orton¡¯s rune enhancement, the firepower of the Thunderhawk had already surpassed most third-generation flagships.


    However, the enemy ships surrounding them were simply too many. The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had clearly gone all out, sending over twenty reconnaissance ships to completely surround the Thunderhawk. Looking around, the number of reconnaissance ships even exceeded the number of magic cannons on the Thunderhawk, and with problems like hit rates, the Thunderhawk simply had no way to break out in a short time.


    ¡°My Lord! We are trapped!¡±


    As more and more reconnaissance ships gathered around, Felly quickly ran to Rocky¡¯s side, indicating that they were surrounded and could not move.


    ¡°Ignore these reconnaissance ships, break through directly!¡±


    Frowning, Rocky glanced at Felly and repeated his order.


    ¡°But, but my lord¡­ If we force a breakout, we will collide¡­¡±


    Stared at by Rocky, Felly was somewhat afraid, but still insisted. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was not wrong. The Thunderhawk was already surrounded; the only result of forcing a breakout would be colliding with the reconnaissance ships blocking the path!


    Although the Thunderhawk was a large warship and a flagship, colliding with one or two reconnaissance ships would not be an issue, but this time there weren¡¯t just one or two ships blocking their progress! If the Thunderhawk forced a breakthrough and collided with several reconnaissance ships in succession, the consequences would be unimaginable!


    ¡°Pass my order, full speed ahead!¡±


    However, despite Felly¡¯s objections, Rocky was still issuing the same command, ordering the Thunderhawk to forcefully break through the encirclement!


    After issuing this order, Rocky and Liliya exchanged a glance next to him, and then both of them leapt from the bow and flew into the air, splitting in two directions, rushing towards the reconnaissance ships blocking the way of the Thunderhawk!


    Watching Rocky and Liliya fly from the bow into the air, Felly was momentarily stunned but then caught on, immediately yelling to the sailors behind him, ¡°Full speed ahead, break through the encirclement!¡±


    Following Felly¡¯s order, the previously halted Thunderhawk began moving forward again, while Rocky, who had flown into the air, had already accelerated towards a reconnaissance ship, which was exactly blocking the Thunderhawk¡¯s path.


    With a full-power sprint, Rocky instantly shattered the defensive net of the reconnaissance ship, landed heavily on the deck after a blink, and facing him, the pirates on deck were stunned on the spot, completely unable to react.


    Rocky ignored these pirates. After landing, he stretched out his hand and released a series of Magic Bullets at the deck beneath his feet, blasting a hole in the deck, and then jumped down.


    By the time he jumped into the cabin, only a moment had passed when suddenly, with a loud bang, Rocky burst through the hull and flew away.


    Until he gradually flew away, the pirates on the reconnaissance ship still did not understand what had happened, all still dazed. But just at that moment, when these people were staring blankly, not understanding the situation, a loud shout suddenly came from inside the ship: ¡°The mana drive is going to explode! Run! Quic¡­¡±


    Before the pirates in the cabin could finish shouting, the reconnaissance ship exploded, directly turning into a fireball in the air.


    Shortly thereafter, another nearby reconnaissance ship also made a loud noise and similarly exploded into a fireball¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 191 - 190: The Final Battle!

    Chapter 191: Chapter 190: The Final Battle!


    Before the light from the explosions of two reconnaissance ships had even dissipated, the Thunderhawk, like a ferocious beast accelerating with all its might, completely scattered the blaze in midair.


    At the same time, the reconnaissance ships blocking the Thunderhawk¡¯s path began to explode one by one into fireballs. Within just a few minutes, five or six reconnaissance ships had successively blown up, becoming stepping stones for the Thunderhawk¡¯s breakout!


    Such a quick succession of explosions among the reconnaissance ships immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention.


    As the warring parties saw the Thunderhawk crushing fireballs and breaking through the encirclement, different reactions emerged from each side.


    Karina¡¯s fleet, upon sighting the Thunderhawk, was instantly morale-boosted, recognizing it as their own reinforcement. Amongst Karina¡¯s crew were many veterans who, upon seeing the Thunderhawk, realized the decisive moment in this aerial battle had come. The captains of the escort ships, including the commander of the flagship Code Rose, all began to converge towards the Thunderhawk.


    The members of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group also noticed the presence of the Thunderhawk. In contrast to their opponents¡¯ soaring morale, the pirates responded equally actively and swiftly, with a large number of warships, including escort ships, heading straight for the Thunderhawk.


    ...


    This development broke the momentary stalemate that had been maintained in the chaos, and both sides began a decisive battle around the Thunderhawk!


    This truly was a case of one stone stirring a thousand waves!


    To be honest, Rocky hadn¡¯t expected his arrival to trigger a battle between the two sides, but this turned out to be very advantageous for him.


    There were no large warships around the Thunderhawk, so when both sides started to approach at the same time, the Thunderhawk¡¯s firepower superiority became evident. Before the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s large warships could arrive, the Thunderhawk was invincible. In this situation, Felly, who was in charge of commanding, decidedly gave up waiting where he was and instead launched an attack, charging towards the enemy!


    In order to avoid unnecessary casualties, the nearest escort ship of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had no choice but to accelerate and meet the Thunderhawk head-on.


    Both large warships accelerated towards each other, and within minutes they entered each other¡¯s firing range. Immediately they opened fire, unleashing the fiercest of artillery barrages on one another!


    ¡°Fire! Fire!¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Lads, aim carefully and hit them hard. It¡¯s just an escort ship, take it down!¡±


    ¡°Fire! Fire! Hit them brutally hard, let these bastards know our strength! Take down that flagship!¡±


    ¡°Quick! Quick! Aim and fire!¡±


    As the two warships began to exchange cannon fire, commanders on their respective decks urged their gunners to fire as many rounds as possible in the shortest time.


    In the deafening roar of gunfire, the first round of cannon fire quickly ended, followed by the second round, and then the third. And with each round of cannon fire, the two warships drew ever closer.


    However, as the distance between them decreased and the rounds of cannon fire increased, the advantage of the Thunderhawk gradually became apparent.


    As the flagship, the combat power of the Thunderhawk was inherently stronger than that of an ordinary escort ship, be it the defensive net or the number and firepower of the main and secondary cannons. When you add that all of the Thunderhawk¡¯s magic cannons had been rune-enhanced, their power was much greater than other flagships of the same class. Therefore, as the two sides drew closer and the hit rate increased, the escort ships of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group gradually couldn¡¯t withstand the onslaught.


    By the time the Thunderhawk completed its third round of cannon fire, an escort ship of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had already been directly hit by two main cannon shots, blasting two large holes through the hull. Not long after the commencement of the fourth round, that escort ship was directly sunk!


    Meanwhile, the fleets of both sides had also gradually approached. The Thunderhawk, having just sunk an enemy escort ship, naturally became the vanguard of its side. With the momentum of a recent victory, it led the many warships behind it into the decisive battle against the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group!


    The decisive battle erupted with nonstop cannon fire, the sound of simultaneous salvoes from both fleets¡¯ warships even drowning out the thunder of the magical energy storms within the Traceless Battlefield!


    ¡°Kilov, your Wild Horse Air Pirate Group is finished!¡±


    As the two fleets engaged in the decisive battle, Karina, who had been constantly entangled with Kilov, deliberately widened the distance between them and then sneered coldly at Kilov.


    Yet faced with her words, Kilov, looking exceedingly haggard, was at a loss for words, because what Karina had said was true¡ªhis Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was finished¡­


    Once Rocky¡¯s Thunderhawk joined the fray and directly triggered the final engagement of this space battle, the inevitability of defeat had already been looming.


    In terms of strength, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group might have had a slightly larger fleet, but that was mainly due to the additional reconnaissance ships. In the count of large warships, the sides were actually even. However, in the quality of their warships, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was at a disadvantage.


    Karina¡¯s fleet, from the flagship to the escort ships and down to the reconnaissance ships, was uniformly of the fourth generation. The entire fleet was at the fourth-generation standard, a level of power comparable to a medium-sized Sky City; in contrast, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s fleet varied greatly in quality, with a mix of fourth, third, and even second generation warships. It was impressive that they had managed to hold on up to this point.


    This was precisely why the participation of the Thunderhawk was extremely important. It disrupted the balance of the battlefield, directly leading to Karina¡¯s side gaining a lead in the number of large warships and even leading by an additional flagship. Secondly, it significantly boosted the morale of Karina¡¯s side. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have commenced the decisive battle immediately upon the Thunderhawk¡¯s arrival on the battlefield.


    What¡¯s more, the decisive battle had only just begun, and the Thunderhawk had already taken the lead by sinking one of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s escort ships. This was absolutely pivotal. The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s large warships were already one ship down with the joining of the Thunderhawk, and before the battle had even formally kicked off, another one had sunk.


    With such disparity in the naval quality and also at a disadvantage in numbers, how could they win this decisive battle?


    All of this Kilov knew all too well, so he had no way to refute Karina¡¯s mockery.


    However, after this, Kilov looked at Karina with a ferocious smile, and with madness bellowed:


    ¡°You bitch! My air pirate group is finished, but you won¡¯t fare any better!¡±


    With a frenzied roar, the shoulders of the Void Magic Armor Kilov was wearing suddenly opened up, revealing two mana launchers hidden within!


    ¡°You bitch, go to hell too!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 192 - 191: Killing Move!

    Chapter 192: Chapter 191: Killing Move!


    ¡°My Air Pirate Group is finished, and you won¡¯t fare any better!¡±


    Seeing his fleet doomed in the space battle, with defeat being only a matter of time, Kilov viciously roared at Karina, and then the shoulders of the Void Magic Armor he was wearing suddenly opened, revealing the Mana Launchers hidden inside!


    ¡°Annihilation Cannon!¡±


    Accompanied by Kilov¡¯s roar, the Mana Launchers on his shoulders burst into a dazzling light, and immediately two mana energy beams shot fiercely towards Karina!


    Kilov¡¯s Armor¡¯s ultimate move was the Annihilation Cannon. As one of the elite among the fourth-generation mass-produced Armors, its magic energy value reached 3900 points. The Annihilation Cannon, as its most powerful move, had a power of an astounding 1000 points. Its power was not only on par with Magic Cannons but even reached the level of a warship¡¯s main guns!


    In fact, the Annihilation Cannon was not meant to be used against Void Magic Warriors but designed to directly counter large warships. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Unfortunately, Kilov had already gone mad, directly using the Annihilation Cannon against Karina.


    To be honest, Karina had not expected him to use such a move as the Annihilation Cannon against her. She was wearing fourth-generation Special Armor, which had an extremely obvious speed advantage, so a weapon like the Annihilation Cannon, meant for ship combat, should not have been able to hit her at all.


    However, it was exactly because of this thought that Karina became complacent, and so when Kilov fired the Annihilation Cannon, not only were they extremely close in distance, but she was also half a beat too slow in reacting, missing the optimal opportunity to dodge.


    And so, after a single breath¡¯s time had passed, the two mana energy beams of the Annihilation Cannon struck Karina!


    In an instant, truly just an instant, Karina was engulfed by the light produced by the mana explosion. The scope of the blast that resulted from the hit was so large that, with Karina at its center, it covered a radius of dozens of meters. The scorching wave of explosion in mid-air looked like a miniature sun¡ªterrifying and blinding!


    The sudden explosion even drew the attention of both fleets. Rocky, who had just destroyed a Reconnaissance Ship, stopped mid-air as soon as he heard the loud noise and hurriedly looked in Karina¡¯s direction.


    As his gaze followed, the sun-like fireball remained for more than ten seconds before gradually receding. And as the flames and light slowly faded, a circular Defensive Net appeared in front of everyone, with Karina floating in its center!


    If Kilov had been facing a regular Void Magic Warrior wearing just a standard Armor, then without a doubt, he would have won by now. The immense power of the Annihilation Cannon would have been enough to instantly obliterate the enemy to the point of leaving no trace. Unfortunately for him, he was facing Karina, and Karina was wearing the fourth-generation Special Armor!


    In the moment before she was hit, she had timely activated the Armor¡¯s Defensive Net, barely managing to block the strike!


    ¡°Kilov!¡±


    After the explosion¡¯s smoke cleared, Karina shouted angrily in mid-air, but by the time she looked in Kilov¡¯s direction, she found that he had vanished¡­


    Kilov had run away!


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Realizing that Kilov was nowhere to be seen, Karina immediately figured out that she had been tricked.


    Indeed, she had indeed been duped by Kilov.


    As mentioned before, Kilov had faced Karina more than once and knew very well that he couldn¡¯t gain any advantage in Armor combat. So, while it seemed like he had fallen into madness out of desperation, he was actually planning his escape, using the Annihilation Cannon as a smokescreen.


    From the moment Karina was hit by the Annihilation Cannon to the complete dispersion of the explosive smoke, more than ten seconds had passed. That amount of time might not seem like much, but for Kilov, wearing a fourth-generation Armor, it was more than enough, at least plenty to make his escape.


    In fact, when Karina realized she had been deceived, Kilov had already taken a low-altitude route across half the battlefield at full throttle, and within minutes, he had returned to his flagship!


    ¡°Run! Run now!¡±


    Upon returning to the flagship, Kilov didn¡¯t say a second word and instantly ordered the flagship to turn around and flee.


    Here it must be mentioned, though the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was just a bandit group, the core members had considerable synergy. For instance, the commander on the flagship knew the moment Rocky joined the battle that the tide had turned. Thus, while the other warships in the fleet moved towards the Thunderhawk and prepared for the decisive battle, the flagship of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group lingered slowly at the back, evidently ready to escape.


    In such a situation, when Rocky, Karina, and the others noticed Kilov had fled back to his flagship, the ship had already accelerated away from the battlefield¡­


    Watching Kilov escape, Karina felt somewhat unwilling to let him go but kept her cool. She didn¡¯t chase after just one man and a warship. Instead, she had her team of Void Magic Warriors continue to engage the enemy as she swiftly flew towards the battlefield where the two fleets were locked in combat.


    In the blink of an eye, Karina entered the battlefield, but she didn¡¯t return to her flagship; instead, she headed straight for an Escort Ship of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.


    Instantly arriving in front of the Escort Ship, Karina raised her left hand without a word!


    Raising her left hand, there was a crisp sound as the Armor on her left hand sprang open like a blooming flower petal. All the magic energy in her body then gathered in her left hand.


    ¡°Sun Slash!¡±


    Seconds passed as the magic energy finished gathering. With her right hand supporting her left arm, Karina then fiercely unleashed a huge magic energy beam!


    This beam, half a meter in diameter and shining like sunlight, shot towards the Escort Ship!


    An instant later, the beam hit the Escort Ship¡¯s Defensive Net, shattering it in a moment, then landed on the bow¡¯s armor. Unhindered, the beam, capable of withstanding bombardments from Magic Cannons, pierced through the armor as if it were made of paper. In a brief moment, the beam ran the entire Escort Ship through, leaving it devastatingly penetrated from end to end!


    Sun Slash, the ultimate ability of Karina¡¯s Special Armor, which could only be used twice in each battle. Every activation could unleash a magic energy power of 2000 points!


    This was a truly devastating move, one that required Kilov to flee at the mere sight of Karina raising her left hand in preparation. It was also a move that could instantly obliterate an Escort Ship!


    After the Sun Slash had pierced the Escort Ship from bow to stern, the hundred-meter-long warship slowly tilted in the air, then exploded and disintegrated as it fell, becoming a hundred-meter-wide fireball in the sky¡­


    The explosion¡¯s glow cast upon the face of everyone on the battlefield, painting their faces blood-red!


    At that moment, the gunfire stopped, and the roaring ceased; the entire battlefield fell silent.


    And in this silence, Karina, floating in the air, slowly raised her left hand again, aiming at another Escort Ship. Then she yelled with a woman¡¯s distinctive scolding voice:


    ¡°Surrender!¡±


    ¡°Or die!¡±


    PS: A reminder that there has been confusion with the chapter numbers, but it¡¯s only the chapter numbers that are mixed up¡ªnot the story itself. This was a mistake on Little Detective¡¯s part, and I apologize for any inconvenience this caused to the readers during their reading.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 193 - 200 Victory!

    Chapter 193: Chapter 200 Victory!


    After merely one strike that destroyed an escort ship, Karina and Rocky claimed victory in this great battle!


    Faced with Karina¡¯s blunt yet straightforward final ultimatum, the bandits chose to surrender when even their chief and flagship had fled.


    The bandits weren¡¯t fools; they understood there was no possibility of victory on their side. In this decisive battle, the addition of the Thunderhawk had already put the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group at a disadvantage with one less major warship, and before the battle commenced, the Thunderhawk sank another escort ship, bringing the tally of major warships to 5:8.


    5:8.


    With only five major warships, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was up against eight warships from Rocky and Karina¡¯s fleet¡ªthe disadvantage was so obvious it didn¡¯t need stating. Moreover, the fleeing Kilov took with him one warship, which happened to be the strongest flagship of the entire fleet.


    As a result, the number of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s major warships was reduced by one more, from five to four, and then Karina personally destroyed another as soon as she joined the battle, instantaneously reducing their major warships to three!


    ...


    How could they possibly hope to confront the enemy¡¯s eight warships with only three escort ships and a bunch of reconnaissance ships?


    The bandits might not have been highly educated, but they were not stupid; they wouldn¡¯t do something as insane as hitting a stone with an egg. So, when Karina issued her forceful ultimatum, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s warships ceased resisting and chose to surrender!


    With Kilov¡¯s escape, the fleet¡¯s surrender, and their base seized early on, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, this bandit group that had roamed the skies for many years, was utterly annihilated¡­


    ¡°All warships, land at Hongcheng Ruins, and behead any who resist!¡±


    Upon the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s fleet surrendering, Karina immediately issued the order for all the surrendered warships to land near Hongcheng Ruins, where they would be kept under watch together with the captured bandits inside Hongcheng.


    Clearly, receiving prisoners was a major undertaking because, although they had lost the aerial battle, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s fleet still had three escort ships and more than twenty reconnaissance ships. Although ships are inanimate objects that can¡¯t rebel, there were still six to seven hundred bandits aboard these vessels who needed proper handling to prevent trouble.


    Fortunately, with Karina and Rocky¡¯s forces combined, they were not short on personnel, and with the elite Guard Corps among them, the bandits who had become prisoners were relatively submissive.


    It wasn¡¯t until all the arrangements were made and all her subordinates had started their busy work that Karina finally met with Rocky.


    ¡°Rocky.¡±


    ¡°Karina.¡±


    In the headquarters of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, as others busied themselves with gathering prisoners or purging the pirate group¡¯s base, only Rocky and Karina were left inside.


    ¡°We won.¡±


    Standing face to face with Karina, Rocky revealed a smile.


    ¡°Yes, we won.¡±


    In response, Karina also smiled slightly, seemingly as calm as Rocky.


    But although both appeared very calm on the surface, they could each see the suppressed excitement hiding in the other¡¯s eyes!


    Indeed, on the outside, they both seemed normal, but inside they were both bursting with joy!


    Rocky needn¡¯t be mentioned at this point, as Liliya was currently leading her team through the Hongcheng Ruins to confiscate everything valuable that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had plundered over the years¡ªall of which were his spoils of war from this battle!


    Although it was still unknown exactly how much the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had hidden in their base, there was no doubt there was a significant amount, because after Rocky¡¯s departure, Monte and Lin Feng, having nothing else to do, began to interrogate the bandits one by one, asking where Kilov had hidden the warehouses.


    Perhaps Monte and Lin Feng were indeed very idle, or maybe they were considering the information Rocky would need upon his return; in any case, the two men thoroughly interrogated the captive bandits. They also cross-checked the information these bandits revealed, and liars were promptly executed¡ªeventually, they managed to extract the details about everything!


    According to the information they elicited, there were several large warehouses within the Hongcheng Ruins. The goods looted by the Air Pirate Group were stored there, and the gold coins obtained from selling the goods were also placed inside.


    And with the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group now annihilated, all these things had become Rocky¡¯s spoils of war.


    And his spoils of war from this conquest were far from just that!


    Because the fleet of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was also Rocky¡¯s!


    According to the agreement made previously with Lord Karina, she had claimed only the personnel. Beyond the people, everything else was Rocky¡¯s spoils of war, so everything within the Air Pirate Group¡¯s base was Rocky¡¯s¡ªand there¡¯s no need to say more about it, including the surrendered fleet!


    This income was also enormously significant and crucial for Rocky because, although the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s fleet had suffered substantial losses in the aerial battle, there were still plenty of warships that survived. About twenty reconnaissance ships and the remaining three escort ships had been preserved!


    Those were three escort ships!


    Admittedly, the escort ships of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group were third-generation warships, and the only fourth-generation flagship had been fled on by Kilov. Nonetheless, even so, this was still an incredible treasure. Once Rocky incorporated these warships into his fleet, its combat power would instantly be restored to its peak¡ªand not just that, it would be even more formidable than before. Including the three escort ships of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, the number of large warships at his disposal would reach five!


    Besides, please don¡¯t forget that among the five Void Magic Warriors of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, one had died in battle, Kilov himself had fled, but there were still three remaining!


    These three Void Magic Warriors, along with their fleet, chose to surrender. After surrendering, they naturally divided between Rocky and Karina. The people were Karina¡¯s, while the armors became Rocky¡¯s!


    Three sets of fourth-generation mass-production type armors¡ªall Rocky¡¯s now!


    What did that mean? It meant that including these three sets of Void Magic Armor, Rocky now had five sets of Void Magic Armor¡ªenough for half a Void Magic Squad!


    With such a massive haul, how could Rocky not be excited?


    And similarly, Karina was extremely thrilled. The elimination of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had unraveled a heavy burden that had oppressed her for years; that alone was more important than any amount of money. In addition, like Rocky, she too had gained tremendously from this battle¡ªthe captured bandits were her spoils.


    After the great battle, aside from the bandits who had either died or escaped, the number of bandits who had joined the aerial battle with the fleet was as many as six or seven hundred. Coupled with those caught by the Guard Corps, the total was nearly a thousand!


    These nearly one thousand bandits would all become Karina¡¯s prisoners of war, and if her methods were harsh enough, then these almost one thousand bandits would doubtlessly become a powerful force under her command!


    A win-win!


    When Lord Karina had first sought Rocky out and proposed a partnership, she had said that this cooperative effort would be a win-win for both of them; looking at the outcome now, Karina had not lied. With the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group vanquished, both had indeed obtained everything they wanted¡ªit was truly a win-win!


    ¡°Rocky, Lord Karina.¡±


    Just then, Liliya entered the room, and after saluting Karina, she said to Rocky, ¡°We¡¯ve found the warehouses of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 194 - 201: Warehouse? Treasury?

    Chapter 194: Chapter 201: Warehouse? Treasury?


    ¡°My lord, the Air Pirate Group¡¯s warehouse has been found.¡±


    As Rocky and Karina felt a tingling excitement over their victory, Liliya brought them good news: the warehouse of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had been located.


    Upon hearing the news, Rocky and Karina exchanged glances, then they left the room together with Liliya without hesitation and headed straight for the warehouse!


    Although according to the agreement, everything in the warehouse belonged to Rocky, Karina was also somewhat curious. She wondered what exactly the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s warehouse contained, just how much wealth was hidden there.


    Under these circumstances, the three of them left the headquarters of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group and walked through the ruins of a vast city before they finally reached the location of the warehouse.


    ¡°Good heavens¡­¡±


    ...


    Upon arriving at the warehouse, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but open his mouth wide in awe at the sight before him. There were three huge storehouses! Each storehouse was built on the foundation of the ruins, varying in sizes, with two of them being slightly smaller and one particularly large, covering at least a hundred meters in area!


    The three storehouses in front of them were where the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group stored all their possessions!


    When Rocky and the others arrived, the Guard Corps was on watch next to the storerooms, and the doors to the warehouses hadn¡¯t even been opened.


    This was, of course, intentional; the locked doors were waiting for Rocky to be the one to open them.


    ¡°Someone, open the gates!¡±


    Standing before the door of one of the smaller storehouses, Rocky glanced at the iron chains and padlocks on the door, then shouted.


    ¡°Coming!¡±


    After his command, Monte immediately stepped forward from behind him. Without a word, he raised his broadaxe and brought it down on the padlocks.


    With a crack, the basin-sized lock was shattered by the broadaxe, and immediately Monte and a few guards pulled away the chains and together, they slowly pulled open the doors¡­


    Creak¡­ creak creak¡­ creak¡­!


    Through the combined effort of Monte and the guards, the doors of the warehouse were gradually pried open.


    Clatter clatter clatter!


    And as the doors were progressively opened, a crisp, pleasant sound emanated, followed by the sight of gold coins tumbling out from the widening gap in the door!


    The Traceless Battlefield was a place devoid of sunlight year-round, but even so, as gold coins poured from the opened door of the warehouse, everyone was still dazzled by the brilliant light. And when the door was fully open, they heard a whoosh as even more Gold Coins rolled out¡­


    This seemingly not-so-large warehouse was filled entirely with Gold Coins!


    The vast amount of Gold Coins were dazzling, so much so that the onlookers outside were stunned, the sound of numerous gulps occurred simultaneously, leaving everyone agog. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was commonly known that the warehouse of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was bound to contain goodies, as they were a Bandit Group with a natural habit of hoarding. But no one had imagined that they would be so brazen as to accumulate an entire storehouse of Gold Coins!


    This was no mere warehouse; it was clearly a treasure trove!


    ¡°Hahaha! Men, load everything onto the ship!¡±


    While everyone was blinded by the glare from the warehouse¡¯s gold, Rocky was the first to come to his senses. He laughed heartily and then said to Monte, who was nearby, to immediately organize people to transport the Gold Coins to the ship!


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Monte quickly deployed several guards around him, instructing them to go and call for help immediately.


    The warehouse filled with Gold Coins might not look very large, but it was still a storehouse, presumably holding hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins. Definitely not a job for one or two people, a large crew was necessary.


    Fortunately, by this time, the Guard Corps had already completed the handover with Karina¡¯s troop, and the captive bandits were thus left in the care of Karina¡¯s troop, so the Guard Corps was well-staffed.


    When Monte began leading the guards in their busy work, Rocky and Karina arrived at the second warehouse.


    This warehouse was about the same size as the one filled with Gold Coins, and its big door was also locked with a huge padlock.


    ¡°Lin Feng! Open the door!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Now that Monte was directing the Guard Corps to transport the Gold Coins, Rocky directly called for Lin Feng. The summoned Lin Feng immediately strode to the warehouse and, raising his long sword, he slashed down viciously, shattering the padlock on the door. Then, just like before, he and a few guards worked together to pull open the door of the warehouse.


    This time, as the door was pulled open, there was no glittering gold coins tumbling to the ground. Once the door was completely open and everyone looked inside, they discovered the warehouse was packed with wooden boxes, one after another.


    ¡°What is this¡­¡±


    Looking at a warehouse full of wooden boxes, Rocky was a bit stunned and also somewhat disappointed. The previous warehouse full of Gold Coins had been so shocking that it had raised his expectations¡ªso when he saw the boxes in this warehouse, he knew they were definitely goods.


    However, after a brief disappointment, he perked up again. After all, goods were valuable too, easily convertible into glittering money with a simple transaction.


    ¡°Take them all out, let¡¯s see what they are!¡±


    Having adjusted his attitude, Rocky nodded at Lin Feng. Afterward, Lin Feng led a few guards into the warehouse, and each brought out a box.


    ¡°Open it.¡±


    Watching Lin Feng and the guards place several wooden boxes before him, Rocky immediately ordered them to be opened, and then the guards used their weapons to knock open the boxes one by one.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir! It¡¯s Demon Cores! Demon Cores!¡±


    When the guards pried open the first wooden box, the guard was directly stunned, and immediately started shouting at Rocky!


    ¡°What?¡±


    The guard was so excited that his voice was very loud, causing everyone nearby to hear it. Then, everyone started looking at him, including the other guards who were also prying open boxes.


    What did this guy just shout?


    Was it Demon Cores?


    At this moment, both Rocky and Karina felt they hadn¡¯t heard clearly. After a brief pause, they looked at each other and then quickly walked over to the shouting guard. Bending down to look, they indeed found a whole box full of Demon Cores at his feet!


    In the small wooden box, neatly arranged Demon Cores of various colors, some as big as fists, were stacked¡ªdozens of them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, pry open the other boxes too!¡±


    Facing a box of Demon Cores, Rocky was only startled for an instant before he promptly told the other guards, who had also snapped out of their surprise by now and hurriedly began prying open their own boxes¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s demon bones, sir!¡±


    ¡°This box I have is Demon Skin!¡±


    ¡°Sir! This box is all demon spines!¡±


    ¡°Sir, this box is also Demon Cores!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 195 - 202: Return with a Full Load

    Chapter 195: Chapter 202: Return with a Full Load


    As one wooden crate after another was pried open, everyone finally figured out what was stored in the second warehouse.


    Demons.


    This warehouse was filled with items derived from demons: immensely valuable demon cores, widely used demon skins, and even demon bones¡ªin short, anything derived from a demon¡¯s body could be found here!


    Without a doubt, the contents of this warehouse were far more valuable than the gold coins from the previous one!


    ¡°Excellent.¡±


    Gazing at crate after crate of goods, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but reveal a broad smile on his face, despite making an effort to restrain himself. He hadn¡¯t been able to contain it and had burst out laughing.


    ...


    His mood was so indescribably good now. Karina had said before that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had roamed the skies for so many years, building a substantial reserve, so this heist alone could potentially yield loot valued at over a million.


    However, although she had said that, Rocky hadn¡¯t taken it too seriously; he had thought that a harvest of a few hundred thousand would be quite impressive. But now, it seemed that Karina hadn¡¯t lied¡ªthe Wild Horse Air Pirate Group indeed had a very substantial stash!


    ¡°It looks like Kilov had a fair bit of private loot as well.¡±


    As the guards began to move all the crates out of the warehouse, Karina commented at Rocky¡¯s side:


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky gave her a glance, somewhat perplexed.


    ¡°The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group could swagger around for so many years, all relying on the support of Wild Horse City, but such support comes at a cost.¡±


    With a slight smile towards Rocky, Karina explained, ¡°As far as I know, Kilov¡¯s agreement with Karlo was that Wild Horse City would provide protection for the Air Pirate Group, and in return, the Air Pirate Group had to hand over seventy percent of the loot from each raid to Wild Horse City and be at the city¡¯s command and disposal at any time.¡±


    ¡°But now it seems that Kilov was quite selfish. Otherwise, he would not have been able to save much, having to feed so many robbers and give tributes to Wild Horse City.¡±


    Glancing at a soldier passing by and the crates in the soldier¡¯s arms, Karina then added:


    Even for someone as experienced as her, she had to admit, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had more stashed away than she had expected, and it was obvious to anyone that whether it was the gold coins from the former warehouse or the demonic items from this one, they were all accumulations over many years of the Air Pirate Group¡¯s operations.


    In fact, that was indeed the case. As a robber, Kilov clearly couldn¡¯t simply play by the rules of Wild Horse City. While they seemed united, at the core, they were merely using each other. Therefore, Kilov didn¡¯t entirely rely on Wild Horse City. Thinking ahead, he had been preparing for a potential fallout with Wild Horse City for years, stockpiling his private stash to ensure his survival should conflicts arise.


    Unfortunately, before any issues with Wild Horse City could surface, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was annihilated, and all the goods Kilov had cautiously amassed wound up enriched Rocky.


    ¡°Karina, these goods¡­¡±


    ¡°They are all yours; I only want the people.¡±


    Turning to look at Rocky, Karina preempted what he was going to say, interrupting his words and indicating that the agreement they had reached earlier still stood¡ªprofits from sales were his, she only wanted the people.


    It was no wonder Rocky was overthinking. The wealth hidden by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was indeed substantial. It wasn¡¯t just beyond his expectations, but certainly beyond Karina¡¯s as well. And when the stakes were so large, some things could begin to take root in one¡¯s heart.


    Fortunately, Karina was not blinded by wealth and insisted that the spoils be shared as previously agreed upon.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rocky nodded slightly and didn¡¯t say anything more, but his esteem for Karina had risen yet another level in his heart.


    After that, the group arrived in front of the third warehouse.


    The third warehouse, not only was it the last warehouse of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, but also the largest one among the three. Just the warehouse door was seven or eight meters wide. This time, when they arrived in front of the warehouse door, Liliya took the initiative without waiting for Rocky¡¯s order. With a wave of her hand, she cut off the lock and iron chain on the door. Then, enhanced by the Void Magic Armor, she opened the door single-handedly!


    As the door was gradually opened, everyone looked inside and let out a gasp of surprise.


    ¡°So much goods?¡±


    In this third and largest warehouse, everything packed was cargo, all sorts of goods.


    Looking around, the crowd soon spotted piles of ore, boxes of Magic Stones, Armor, weapons, silk, fabrics, various daily necessities, and some raw materials and parts and so on that were unnamable.


    Clearly, these items were all loot that the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had robbed. By the looks of it, they had been stolen not too long ago, with no time to hand over to Wild Horse City or to sell off, hence they were all stockpiled in the warehouse.


    ¡°Just how many merchant ships did this Wild Horse Air Pirate Group raid to have gathered so many goods?¡±


    Seeing the mountainous pile of goods in the warehouse, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes.


    Although the items in this warehouse didn¡¯t look as valuable as those before, in reality, their worth was not a bit lower, possibly even higher! Because these goods were the actual commodities, ready to be sold on the market. And clearly, they were all robbed by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.


    This was precisely what made Rocky¡¯s eyes pop; he couldn¡¯t figure out just how many merchant ships the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group could have raided to acquire such a huge amount of goods!


    ¡°It¡¯s not as exaggerated as you think,¡±


    Seeing Rocky making such a fuss, Karina commented, ¡°With the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group being so large, they would definitely split into several teams when they go out. They could raid multiple merchant ships in one operation. Moreover, these goods are certainly not from a single heist; it¡¯s possible that the looted goods of the past quarter are stored here, and you just happened to come along.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying I¡¯m quite lucky?¡±


    ¡°Exceptionally lucky.¡±


    Rocky and Karina exchanged smiles, and Rocky laughed heartily, his mood becoming even more joyous.


    This time his gains were simply too great. He had acquired not only a fleet, Void Magic Armor, but also so many goods. Adding up everything from the three warehouses, their value was at least one million Gold Coins, maybe even more. Therefore, with this fortune, the economic crisis of Thunderhawk City would be considered completely resolved. He guessed Aileen would be ecstatic.


    In such high spirits, Rocky ordered the Guard Corps to get busily to work. Although the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had been utterly annihilated, this place was still the Traceless Battlefield after all. Neither Karina nor Rocky wanted to linger in such a place, so the Guard Corps immediately began loading the goods onto the warships. To speed things up, even Karina allocated some manpower to help.


    Everyone kept busy for several hours before all the contents of the three warehouses were finally loaded onto the warships, filling up four full Escort Ships!


    After this, the huge fleet slowly took off. After thoroughly bombing the ruins of Hongcheng to utterly destroy the base of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Rocky and Karina led the laden fleet back home.


    Standing at the prow of Thunderhawk, as Rocky looked out at the distance, he found even the Magical Energy Storm before him not as fearsome anymore. His thoughts were no longer here. Suddenly, he thought of the Mairente Family and Lexington. To be honest, for a fleeting moment, he wished Lexington¡¯s revenge would come swiftly!


    Lexington surely couldn¡¯t imagine he had acquired such a tremendous fortune, so when his revenge arrived, Rocky believed he would certainly give him a big surprise!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 196 - 203: Sudden Change!

    Chapter 196: Chapter 203: Sudden Change!


    With a significantly rich harvest, Rocky and Liliya left the Hongcheng Ruins, and before they departed, they completely bombarded the century-old ruins, turning them into a pile of bricks and tiles.


    However, once the entire fleet had ascended, they didn¡¯t return via the original route. Rocky and Karina discussed for a while and then summoned Orton. In the end, they decided to leave the Traceless Battlefield directly from the direction of the Hongcheng Ruins and then circle back to Sky City outside the battlefield.


    This route naturally added much distance to their journey and would delay them by at least two or three days. Since the Hongcheng Ruins were located in the latter half of the Traceless Battlefield and they had entered from the first half, it meant that after leaving from the latter half, they would have to circle around the entire Traceless Battlefield to return to their own Sky City.


    However, the advantage of doing so was increased safety.


    If they were to return along the original route, the fleet would have to pass again through the area engulfed by the Magical Energy Storm. No doubt they would endure the baptism of the Magical Energy Storm just like on their way there, and in the wake of a major battle, no one knew if the fleet could withstand the storm¡¯s assault.


    Therefore, for safety¡¯s sake, everyone ultimately decided to take the longer route.


    ...


    Thus, after taking off, the fleet moved forward along the direction of Hongcheng Ruins and quickly flew out of the Traceless Battlefield. They then started to navigate along the edge of the battlefield, preparing to return to Sky City.


    The scope of Traceless Battlefield was very vast; although called a battlefield, it was actually a complete territory, and circling around it would take at least two to three days.


    However, this amount of time was clearly negligible to everyone in high spirits. Having achieved a great victory and captured immense spoils of war worth millions, Rocky and the others were completely willing to spend some time to ensure safety.


    Yet some things just couldn¡¯t be avoided¡­


    When the fleet left the Traceless Battlefield, it was already evening. The massive fleet sailed slowly through the night sky, neither fast nor slow, since there was no rush.


    On the Thunderhawk, Rocky and Liliya stood together at the bow, enjoying the night view.


    ¡°Rocky, you¡­¡±


    Standing by Rocky¡¯s side, Liliya, who had been silently watching the starry sky, suddenly spoke.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°You and Lord Karina¡­ seem to¡­ get along very well¡­¡±


    Standing by Rocky, Liliya, still clad in her Void Magic Armor, maybe because the helmet muffled her voice, made it very soft and almost inaudible.


    But Rocky heard her clearly, yet when he heard these words, he was momentarily stunned, then nodded.


    ¡°Yes, I really admire Karina for developing Rose City into something so powerful. It¡¯s absolutely not an exaggeration to call her a heroine among women.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Hearing Rocky say this, Liliya nodded and then fell silent, her expressions obscured by the helmet.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    But after this, Rocky laughed out loud and suddenly extended his arm, pulling Liliya into his embrace!


    ¡°You, what are you doing!¡±


    Startled by Rocky¡¯s sudden embrace, Liliya instantly became flustered; she seemed like she wanted to break free but didn¡¯t use much force.


    At this, Rocky¡¯s laughter became even more joyful.


    ¡°What, are you jealous of Karina?¡±


    He placed his hand on Liliya¡¯s slender yet powerful waist and cheerfully asked.


    ¡°I, I am not!¡±


    When asked this, Liliya¡¯s cheeks flushed, red as a juicy apple, so evident that it could be seen even beneath her helmet.


    And this look only made Rocky laugh even more joyfully.


    ¡°Look, look! Look what the City Lord and the captain are doing!¡±


    ¡°Quiet! Do you want to die!¡±


    While Rocky and Karina were flirting on the bow of the ship, the guards on deck had gathered at a distance, enthusiastically watching their every move.


    ¡°You rascals, what are you all doing!¡±


    Just as the guards were snickering at Rocky, Old Jack suddenly appeared and gave each of them a kick from behind.


    ¡°A bunch of kids, don¡¯t look at what you shouldn¡¯t see, watch out for eye burns! Disperse, quickly!¡±


    After shouting at the guards, Old Jack forcibly drove them away and then glanced at Rocky and Liliya on the bow, smiled slightly, and returned to the cabin.


    Rocky, of course, heard the commotion behind him, but he didn¡¯t care because nearly everyone in Thunderhawk City knew that he and Liliya were childhood sweethearts, and already considered them a couple. So, Rocky wasn¡¯t afraid of being seen. Besides, as the City Lord, who could control him?


    Just then, as Rocky was flirtatiously embarrassing Liliya, making her face turn red in disarray, suddenly, a fierce roar erupted!


    ¡°Roar! Roar!!¡±


    This sudden roar reverberated through the sky; once it appeared, it spread throughout the entire fleet, causing every person in the fleet to hear it. Soldiers who were deep in sleep were instantly awakened, and those not asleep were startled by the roar.


    At the same time, the roar seemed to possess some kind of magic power, making anyone who heard it uncontrollably feel chills, as if scared out of their wits.


    Rocky and Liliya, who were at the bow, naturally also heard this terrifying roar, and the moment they heard it, both thought of the same thing.


    High-level demons!


    This was the roar of a high-level demon!


    Rocky remembered the first time he had fought a demon, when he killed a Grayrock Demon, he and Liliya had heard the roar of a high-level demon. Therefore, the two were very familiar with the sound of high-level demons and instantly identified its source.


    Could there be a high-level demon nearby?


    At the thought of this possibility, Rocky¡¯s face turned deathly pale. If it was true, they were in big trouble! S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite Rocky having an entire fleet with him, boasting forty to fifty battleships, and including six Void Magic Warriors with him in the fleet, all these were nothing before a high-level demon!


    The formidable nature of high-level demons was indescribable. Although these formidable creatures were also demons, they were not at all like normal demons. Even if Rocky and his team encountered just one high-level demon, the outcome would surely be annihilation!


    Under these circumstances, he immediately ordered the Thunderhawk to increase altitude and move away from the ground. Then he and Liliya both left the bow to go outside and see what was really happening.


    As they flew out of the Thunderhawk, Karina, along with three Void Magic Armor, flew out of Code Rose.


    ¡°Karina, this is the sound of a high-level demon!¡±


    The six Void Magic Warriors met in the air, and Rocky hurriedly said.


    ¡°I recognized it.¡±


    Karina nodded in response to his reminder and said, ¡°I have already instructed the fleet to increase altitude as much as possible to stay away from the ground, so don¡¯t worry too much. High-level demons capable of flying are few¡­¡±


    Karina intended to comfort Rocky, reminding him not to be overly worried. After all, the number of high-level demons among demons is extremely scarce, and among these scarce high-level demons, even fewer could fly. This meant that if they did actually encounter a high-level demon, as long as the fleet maintained sufficient altitude and moved away quickly, they should not face much danger.


    But before she could finish her sentence, the roar sounded again!


    ¡°Roar! Roar!! Roar!!!¡±


    The roar, louder than thunder, once again came through, causing intense pain in everyone¡¯s heads and ears, even creating a moment of dizziness.


    When the roar had subsided, everyone¡¯s expression changed, for they suddenly realized through this roar that the terrifying sound was not coming from the ground but from above!


    ¡°Look quickly!¡±


    Just as everyone became aware of this, Liliya suddenly pointed towards the distance and shrieked.


    Rocky and the others hurriedly looked in the direction she was pointing, and then it seemed like they saw something even more terrifying than a high-level demon, their faces instantly turning white¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 197 - 204 Magic Dragon Destroys the City...

    Chapter 197: Chapter 204 Magic Dragon Destroys the City¡­


    Looking in the direction Liliya pointed, the faces of Rocky and others instantly turned pale!


    In their line of sight, an immense Sky City loomed at the horizon, so large that even from a great distance, Rocky and Karina could tell that it must be a major Sky City with a population exceeding one hundred thousand!


    Of course, although large Sky Cities weren¡¯t particularly numerous, they also weren¡¯t rare; at least Rocky had seen many on his way to Eternal City. So, this wasn¡¯t what shocked him; what drained the color from his face was the sight of the large Sky City being besieged by dozens of Magic Dragons!


    Magic Dragons, high-level demons, and among them, one of the most terrifying known to exist!


    These high-level demons were hundreds of meters in body length, varying in size; adult Magic Dragons could grow longer than three hundred meters, with the smaller ones surpassing one hundred and fifty meters. In other words, a single Magic Dragon was equivalent in size to an Escort Ship.


    More importantly, Magic Dragons were among the few high-level demons capable of flight!


    ...


    There were many types of demons, but not many could fly; over ninety percent of demons were confined to the ground, with only a rare few able to soar through the sky. Magic Dragons were one of these rare species, and among them, the most dangerous.


    Don¡¯t be fooled by the Magic Dragon¡¯s massive body; once airborne, it became incredibly agile. Coupled with the robust physique of a high-level demon, a casual swipe of its claw, or a flick of its tail, could easily destroy a large warship. But these were merely the most basic attack methods. The most threatening attack from a Magic Dragon was its fireballs¡ªjust one breath could unleash a fireball more destructive than the main cannon of a warship, and a single fireball could easily obliterate a warship!


    As high-level demons, the scale armor of Magic Dragons was much thicker than that of ordinary demons, such that even the main cannon of a warship striking them would feel like a tickle. Simply put, unless faced with an attack exceeding the strength of 5000, any hit on a Magic Dragon would likely go unnoticed by the massive beast because it was too light.


    With its overwhelming destructive power and nearly invincible defensive power, the Magic Dragon had become a name that struck fear into hearts. It was even said that if a thousand Magic Dragons suddenly emerged among the demons, half the Sky Cities would disappear; if the number exceeded ten thousand, the sky itself would be overrun by demons!


    Thankfully, such terrifying creatures were not numerous. According to known records, Magic Dragons had never exceeded five hundred in number over the last hundred years. When spread across the whole world, they were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Unless one was particularly unlucky, a lifetime might pass without encountering one.


    However, this time, Rocky, Karina, and the others were extraordinarily unlucky¡ªthey not only encountered the rare Magic Dragons, but dozens of them all at once!


    What did it mean to face dozens of Magic Dragons? sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sorry, there were no precedent events in known history to draw upon, so there was no concept to describe it!


    And what did it mean for dozens of Magic Dragons to besiege a large Sky City together?


    Sorry, but that notion was so fantastical that even those with the wildest imaginations had never considered it.


    Yet today, Rocky and Karina witnessed this once-in-a-century spectacle!


    They saw, on the distant horizon, dozens of Magic Dragons continuously circling the large Sky City, opening their massive jaws to emit deafening roars while spewing giant fireballs. These fireballs crashed into the Sky City¡¯s Defensive Net like meteors, lighting it up with flashes of brilliant colors.


    The Defensive Net of the large Sky City was the only thing that could withstand such a fierce assault. If it were a smaller Sky City, like Thunderhawk City or Rose City, there was no need to think about it¡ªthe Defensive Net would shatter instantly under such an intense barrage.


    But even a large Sky City would have no issues facing the attack of one Magic Dragon, or even two; however, facing a fierce onslaught from dozens of Magic Dragons like now, it could only hold for a brief moment, and certainly couldn¡¯t withstand it indefinitely.


    Thus, not long after, Rocky and the rest saw countless tiny black dots flying out from the Defensive Net.


    These black dots were warships!


    Because the distance was too great, the warships over a hundred meters long became mere dots in the eyes of Rocky and his party. Although it wasn¡¯t easy to make out the details, they knew those dots must represent the fleet of the finest warships.


    Given the strength of a large Sky City, its fleet would surely not be mainly composed of Reconnaissance Ships. Even the basic ships would be Escort Ships at least, and the quality of the fleet would not be below the third generation. No, even an ordinary large Sky City¡¯s fleet would be entirely formed of fifth-generation warships!


    As for the quantity of the fleet, there was even less to say. Due to the great distance, Rocky and the others could clearly see that the black dots flying out from the Defensive Net quickly surpassed a hundred, then two hundred, three hundred, four hundred, five hundred, six hundred, seven hundred, eight hundred, nine hundred¡­!


    In just a few minutes, more than a thousand warships had flown out from the Defensive Net!


    Without a doubt, this unnamed Sky City was also not to be trifled with, because even among large Sky Cities, those that could muster a fleet of over a thousand ships were formidable, and could even be described as behemoths. This Sky City was one such giant.


    And when over a thousand warships flew out of the Defensive Net, the battle between the two sides immediately commenced with gunfire!


    From that moment on, the sky was continually ablaze with flashes of light, which were not from the Magic Cannons but the light of warships disintegrating and exploding in mid-air after being destroyed!


    There was no helping it; the number of Magic Dragons was too great. If there were only one Magic Dragon, no matter how enormous it might claim to be, a fleet of a thousand warships could turn it into a sieve. But now, there were dozens of Magic Dragons rampaging across the sky, unstoppable. Thus, the battle had barely begun when the fleet suffered heavy losses.


    ¡°`


    However, one should not underestimate the power of these thousands of warships; although the fleet continued to be destroyed as the battle began, under the fierce bombardment of over a thousand warships, the Magic Dragons couldn¡¯t possibly remain unscathed forever. In fact, after about ten minutes of combat, the first Magic Dragon was shot down from the sky, followed shortly by the second, the third, the fourth, and more and more Magic Dragons started being downed during the fight.


    ¡°Is that¡­¡±


    When another Magic Dragon was shot down, Rocky was stunned. He couldn¡¯t quite understand how that Magic Dragon died. In his eyes, it clearly tried to escape due to severe injuries and had already left the combat zone, but it fell straight to the ground while in mid-flight without any warning.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Void Magic Warriors.¡±


    At this moment, Karina commented from beside him, and Rocky suddenly realized that it could indeed be the work of Void Magic Warriors, as they were too far from the battlefield. In everyone¡¯s eyes, even the hundreds of meters long warships were just tiny dots, making the Void Magic Warriors completely invisible.


    But thinking that a Void Magic Warrior had killed the Magic Dragon, Rocky found it somewhat unbelievable¡ªthat was a Magic Dragon, after all! So he turned his head to glance at Karina.


    ¡°Void Magic Warriors¡­ can they kill a Magic Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Nodding, Karina stated with certainty, ¡°If they¡¯re wearing the 5th generation top Special Armor and have plenty of experience, it¡¯s entirely possible for a Void Magic Warrior to fight and kill a Magic Dragon alone.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky nodded and then took a deep breath before turning his gaze back to the battlefield.


    At this point, the battlefield had entered a deadlock phase, with Magic Dragons being killed one after another and the fleet suffering equally massive losses. In just a short few dozen minutes of battle, the fleet sent from Sky City had already lost hundreds of warships. Despite the heavy losses, the fleet gradually took control of the situation, and it seemed only a matter of time before the remaining Magic Dragons were completely driven away.


    But at that moment, a series of roars came once again from the distance, followed by a new wave of Magic Dragons flying in from the far horizon and joining the siege on Sky City!


    ¡°My God¡­ this, this¡­!¡±


    As a new group of Magic Dragons appeared, with their number still amounting to dozens, Rocky, Karina, and everyone else nearby took a collective sharp intake of breath!


    What in the world was happening?


    Were all the Magic Dragons in the world gathering together tonight to besiege this very Sky City?


    Why a large number of Magic Dragons had appeared and why they had targeted this Sky City were questions that Rocky and the others couldn¡¯t answer. They only knew that as soon as the second wave of Magic Dragons appeared and instantly joined the battlefield, they completely lost control of the situation.


    With the second wave of Magic Dragons joining the fray, a series of explosions lit up the sky as countless warships were destroyed under the assault of the Magic Dragons. In just minutes, the fleet that had once numbered in the five to six hundreds was nearly wiped out, and then dozens of Magic Dragons began attacking the large Sky City together!


    So many Magic Dragons launching an attack at once caused the Sky City¡¯s Defensive Net, the key to its survival, to hold out for only a few minutes before being breached. With this last barrier gone, the Magic Dragons swiftly flew above Sky City, unleashing fireballs at will.


    In an instant, Sky City was ablaze with fire, and although far away, Rocky and the others felt as if they could hear the screams of the city¡¯s residents. Unrelated as they were, the thought of a hundred thousand residents dying under the attack of Magic Dragons caused them an indescribable pain in their hearts.


    It was over¡­


    This Sky City¡­ was finished¡­


    Following the breach of the Defensive Net, this large Sky City was doomed. It might still be floating in the sky for the moment, but once the city¡¯s center Super Crystal was destroyed, the Sky City would plummet from the sky, a fate that was only a matter of time.


    In reality, that time did not drag on for long. Twenty minutes? No, it was probably just a dozen minutes later that this large Sky City, with at least a hundred thousand residents, began to tilt slowly in mid-air and then plunged directly from the sky¡­!


    A Sky City, a large Sky City with a hundred thousand residents, was destroyed under the siege of dozens of Magic Dragons!


    And after the destruction of Sky City, the dozens of gathered Magic Dragons dispersed into the air, each flying away in different directions.


    ¡°This is bad!¡±


    The sight of Sky City¡¯s destruction was so shocking that Rocky and the others were left stunned, but as the Magic Dragons scattered, the dazed crowd finally snapped back to reality, and immediately realized that something terrible was unfolding!


    Among the many Magic Dragons flying off in different directions, three of them were headed straight for their location!


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 198 - 205: A Matter of Life and Death!

    Chapter 198: Chapter 205: A Matter of Life and Death!


    Discovering that among the scattered Magic Dragons, three were flying in their direction, Rocky and Karina and the others immediately panicked and the six Void Magic Warriors instantly flew out in two directions.


    Karina led her guards to fly towards Code Rose, while Rocky and Liliya headed to the Thunderhawk!


    At this moment, they were flying at their fastest speed, even faster than when Rocky faced Baron Wolin or when Karina faced Kilov, as if they were exerting all their primal strength to return to their respective flagships.


    ¡°Descend! Descend! Fast! Quick!¡±


    The moment he landed on the deck of the Thunderhawk, Rocky immediately shouted at the crew to make the Thunderhawk descend immediately.


    At his roar, the crew was stunned because just moments ago, they were still trying to gain altitude with the Thunderhawk, why suddenly start descending?


    ...


    Fortunately, Felly reacted quickly, snapping back to his senses almost instantly. He then loudly urged the crew to act, stopping the Thunderhawk from ascending and starting its rapid descent.


    Meanwhile, Karina, who had returned to the Code Rose, was giving the same command, ordering the entire fleet to stop ascending and descend immediately.


    Having witnessed a large Sky City get destroyed, Rocky and Karina deeply realized how terrifying Magic Dragons could be. Under such circumstances, how could they dare to let the fleet stay in the air? The only thing they could do was to have the fleet descend immediately, reduce the altitude, and then hope that the Magic Dragons didn¡¯t have sharp enough vision to notice them.


    Within a few minutes, the warships that were ascending constantly all descended to just mere tens of meters above the ground, already at the limit of how low they could go without actually landing.


    In an unfortunate stroke of luck, the battlefield where the Magic Dragons and the large Sky City clashed was almost at the end of what everyone could see, so when the three Magic Dragons flew toward them, it would still take some time to get close, undoubtedly providing everyone a chance to hide.


    And once the fleet had descended to low altitude, over a thousand people hid inside the cabins and were strictly ordered to maintain silence, forbidden to make any noise at all.


    After that, a long wait began. The Guards and crew hiding in the cabins might not have witnessed the earlier devastating battle, but none of them were fools. They knew that whatever had terrified Rocky and Karina to such an extent must be a high-level demon, so everyone in the cabins remained silent, some even praying silently in their hearts, hoping that lady luck would favor them just a little.


    In theory, given the speed of the Magic Dragons, it would take only about fifteen minutes for them to reach the fleet¡¯s location, so whether it was life or death would be decided in just that short time. But perhaps because of too much tension and fear, these mere minutes felt longer than entire days.


    ¡°Captain¡­ has it¡­ has it passed already¡­?¡±


    After what felt like an eternity hidden in the cabin, a Guard could no longer bear it; the immense psychological pressure made him sweat profusely, and he looked at his squad leader Sandro as he spoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk!¡±


    Though he was also under great pressure and fear, Sandro still managed to remain relatively calm compared to others, glaring fiercely at the Guard who spoke, making him immediately shut up.


    At this moment, a violent shaking suddenly occurred within the cabin, causing everyone inside to stagger and tumble as if in the midst of a great storm. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Magic Dragons, they had arrived!


    Although it felt like a long time to the people in the cabin, this was only their perception; in reality, it had only been a few minutes, and the Magic Dragons flying from a distance had just reached the airspace above the fleet!


    At this instant, three enormous Magic Dragons hovered above the fleet, beating their wings slowly as they passed. Two were in front and one was behind, each over three hundred meters in length, their massive wings blotting out the sky, each flap causing gusts of wind.


    The flying altitude of these three Magic Dragons wasn¡¯t particularly high, only about three to five hundred meters above the ground, and they weren¡¯t flying particularly fast, almost leisurely.


    Because of this, as these three huge creatures slowly flew over the fleet, the hurricanes stirred by their wings immediately affected the ships below, buffeting the many warships that were suspended at a low altitude.


    This was bad news!


    At this time, the fleet was only a few dozen meters above the ground, and the strong wind blew, causing some warships to struggle to maintain stability, even showing signs of making an emergency landing!


    ¡°Don¡¯t land¡­ don¡¯t land¡­ please don¡¯t land at this time!¡±


    Even those inside the cabin, as soon as some seasoned old crew members felt the ship start to sway, understood what was happening, but regretfully, there was nothing they could do at the moment, other than pray ceaselessly in their hearts, praying that no warship would land at this time.


    Falling from several dozen meters in the air, naturally, the warship wouldn¡¯t sustain too much damage, but the noise generated could attract the attention of the Magic Dragons, and that would mean their end!


    Fortunately, this time it seemed that Lady Luck had indeed cast a favorable glance their way, because amidst the hurricane, the few reconnaissance ships that appeared to be in extreme danger managed to maintain their stability, and the three Magic Dragons that flew over the fleet took no notice of them, and after a few moments had passed, they flew away¡­


    ¡°We¡¯re safe¡­¡±


    Rocky, hiding inside the captain¡¯s cabin of the Thunderhawk, because of the wide field of view, was the first to see the Magic Dragons flying off into the distance, and he only breathed a long sigh of relief after the massive creatures had gradually moved away.


    ¡°Tell the crew we¡¯re safe, but no one should make any loud noises.¡±


    After heaving a sigh of relief, Rocky instructed Felly, who was next to him, then left the captain¡¯s cabin with Liliya and flew out of the Thunderhawk¡¯s defensive net.


    As soon as the two flew out of the defensive net, Karina had already been waiting in mid-air, accompanied by her guard.


    Clearly, due to this unexpected accident, their previous plans had been completely disrupted, and they had to decide, and do so immediately, what to do next.


    Before this, they had planned to leisurely circle around the Traceless Battlefield and fly back to their own Sky City, but it seemed they couldn¡¯t be so leisurely now. The dozens of Magic Dragons had just scattered, and if they continued to circle the Traceless Battlefield, they might encounter them again, even if the odds were only one percent, they couldn¡¯t bear such serious consequences.


    And don¡¯t forget that Thunderhawk City and Rose City were located near the Traceless Battlefield! If the dispersed Magic Dragons accidentally ran into the two sky cities, it would be an unbearable disaster for Rocky and Karina, so they had to return to their cities as quickly as possible and leave this terrible place.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go through the Traceless Battlefield; it¡¯s the only safe place right now.¡±


    ¡°Agreed, the Traceless Battlefield has Magical Energy Storms, and the Magic Dragons wouldn¡¯t dare to enter.¡±


    After some discussion, Rocky and Liliya decided to lead the fleet back into the Traceless Battlefield. Returning via the battlefield was the quickest shortcut, and because of the Magical Energy Storms within it, the Magic Dragons definitely wouldn¡¯t dare to enter, which made this route relatively the safest.


    After making this decision, both parties returned to their respective flagships, preparing for the fleet to turn around and re-enter the Traceless Battlefield.


    But at that moment, just as Rocky and Liliya had just returned to the deck, Felly, who was there to greet them, hadn¡¯t even started to speak when she suddenly opened her eyes wide in surprise and pointed emphatically behind them!


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Seeing Felly¡¯s strange expression, Rocky quickly turned around and then saw a figure approaching rapidly from the distance.


    In the blink of an eye, the figure that appeared out of nowhere was now above the Thunderhawk, and following that, it crashed heavily onto the deck¡­!


    As they watched the figure fall onto the deck from the air, Rocky and the others rushed over without a moment of surprise, only to discover that the person was a Void Magic Warrior!


    ¡°Quick¡­ go and notify the Sky Alliance¡­ Tulip City¡­ has been overrun!¡±


    When Rocky and the others reached the Void Magic Warrior who had appeared so suddenly and helped him up from the deck, the severely injured Void Magic Armor managed to speak with a weak voice before he passed out.


    In Sky Era, Year 117, October, a world-shocking event occurred ¡ª Tulip City, one of the last three cities on the land, had fallen!


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 199 - 206: Big Event!

    Chapter 199: Chapter 206: Big Event!


    Sky Era, Year 117, October, a shocking incident occurred that stunned the world, Tulip City, one of the last three cities on land, fell!


    Today, a hundred years after demons occupied the land, only three places can still be called cities, Gesya City, Tulip City, and Mount Wanshan City. These cities stood unyielding for a century, becoming humanity¡¯s last bastions on land, and were collectively revered as The Three Holy Cities.


    But in October of Sky Era Year 117, Tulip City, one of The Three Holy Cities, fell.


    To the people, it was simply unimaginable, because after the demons had occupied the land for a hundred years, the survival of these three cities was not due to luck but because of their indestructible strength.


    Gesya City, with a population of several hundreds of thousands, located at the heart of the Karina Great Swamp, is surrounded by vast swamps on all sides making it impossible for demons to cross, and even if high-level demons fly over the swamp, nearly ten thousand warships and thousands of Void Magic Warriors are there to slay them.


    Mount Wanshan City, with a population of over a hundred thousand, situated atop the world¡¯s highest peak, Mount Wanshan, with the entire city built among the clouds, making it unassailable to demons.


    ...


    Tulip City, with the largest population among the three cities, nearing a million residents, was located in Cliff Canyon, relying on mountain cliffs for protection and facing a hundred-mile deep valley as a barrier, which prevented demons from breaching the city for a century.


    The three cities were not only powerful but also occupied uniquely advantageous locations, which allowed them to stand for a hundred years.


    Yet now, Tulip City had been breached!


    The fall of Tulip City was not just a piece of terrible news but a blow to the entire world! As long as these three cities stood, it meant that the land had not entirely fallen, that people still had strongholds on land, and those in the sky could coordinate with these cities at any time to launch a counterattack war against the land. Therefore, these three cities on land were not only symbolic but also of strategic importance, irreplaceable to everyone.


    Bearing such significance, for many years, everyone in both the sky and on land had painstakingly maintained these cities, and to keep them secure, The Three Great Alliances from the skies even launched the Second Counterattack War! This demonstrates how crucial these cities were.


    But now, Tulip City had fallen, an event that not only significantly impacted the whole world but also subsequently sparked off the Third Counterattack War!


    Of course, these are all matters for later, as aside from Rocky and others, no one in the skies knew yet that Tulip City had fallen. Even Rocky and his group harbored doubts about the news.


    Certainly, Rocky knew what Tulip City was, but like everyone else, he was skeptical about the news of its fall. Because of this, he immediately had the unconscious Void Magic Warrior carried to his cabin and then once more gathered everyone, including Karina and Orton together.


    It must be said that the operation to eliminate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was full of unexpected twists. The annihilation of the Air Pirate Group itself wasn¡¯t surprising, but ever since they were wiped out, a series of unforeseen events unfolded one after another.


    First was witnessing the rare sight of a Magic Dragon destroying a city, followed by the sudden appearance of a severely wounded Void Magic Warrior who then told everyone that Tulip City, which stood unvanquished on the land for a hundred years, had actually fallen?


    All of these entirely unexpected events left Rocky and the others somewhat at a loss.


    ¡°Who is this guy, exactly?¡±


    Everyone Rocky had summoned gathered in his cabin, looking at the stranger lying on the bed.


    ¡°Who he is doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s important is the message he brings. Tulip City has been taken? Do you believe it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re joking, right? How could Tulip City possibly fall?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, this guy must be confused because of his severe injuries¡­¡±


    Standing around the sickbed, everyone chimed in one after another, barely believing what the man had said. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°He said, it might be true.¡±


    However, at this moment, Orton¡¯s voice attracted everyone¡¯s attention, prompting them to turn their gazes toward him.


    ¡°Teacher¡­¡±


    Looking at Orton, Rocky found him holding a piece of Void Magic Armor in his hands, seemingly engrossed in studying it closely.


    The Void Magic Armor he held was indeed the armor worn by the stranger. After the man had fainted and was carried to the cabin, Rocky ordered his men to remove the armor to treat his injuries.


    ¡°Do you know what kind of armor this is?¡±


    Glancing at the crowd looking at him, Orton then pointed to the armor in his hand and asked.


    ¡°It should be a fifth generation armor, right?¡±


    After a glance at the complete set of armor laid out on the table, Rocky spoke. Although he did not recognize the specific model of the armor, he could tell that it was definitely a fifth generation armor!


    ¡°You¡¯re only half right,¡± Orton shook his head and corrected him, ¡°This is indeed fifth generation armor, but it¡¯s not just any fifth generation armor. It is a fifth generation Special Armor, and it has been custom-made.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±


    Hearing his words, everyone in the room was stunned, then hurriedly approached Orton, fixating on the armor in his hands.


    The fifth generation armor was the most advanced armor of the time, and the Special Armor within it was even more top-notch. It could be said to be the strongest class among all armors. However, this particular set of armor seemed even more formidable because it was custom-made!


    Custom-made armor was a technology unique to the fifth generation armor, meaning it was crafted to fit the user¡¯s bodily functions and personal needs. This type of armor could only be used by one specific person and was extremely expensive to produce. But since it was tailor-made according to the user¡¯s specifications and requirements, its combat power was incredibly powerful, often far surpassing Special Armor. It was the pinnacle among the top!


    Rocky and Karina had only heard of this kind of custom-made armor and had never seen it. That was not odd because the level of custom-made armor was higher than that of Special Armor, and only fifth-generation armors could be customized. They simply couldn¡¯t afford it. So, when everyone learned that this seemingly unremarkable set of armor was in actuality a custom-made armor, they couldn¡¯t help but come over to watch in awe.


    ¡°Master Orton, you really can¡¯t be kept in the dark about anything¡­¡±


    Just as Rocky and the others were captivated by this top-tier armor, the Void Magic Warrior, who had been unconscious on the bed, suddenly spoke!


    The voice from behind startled everyone, prompting them to quickly turn around, only to discover that the Void Magic Warrior lying in bed had already sat up.


    Facing the now-awake Void Magic Warrior, Orton set aside the armor in his hands and said cheerfully, ¡°The technology of custom-made armor was something I was involved in. Naturally, you can¡¯t hide it from me. And if I¡¯m not mistaken, this set of custom-made armor is called Holy Knight Armor, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Holy Knight¡­ Armor¡­?¡±


    Upon hearing Orton¡¯s words, Rocky and Karina felt a moment of shock because the name sounded familiar. As the thought struck them, a name emerged simultaneously in everyone¡¯s minds: Holy Knight Wilton?


    The instant they thought of the name, all eyes turned to the Void Magic Warrior on the bed, and their faces showed a look of surprise. Could this person before them be the renowned Holy Knight?!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 200 - 207: Legend of the Holy Knight

    Chapter 200: Chapter 207: Legend of the Holy Knight


    In the course of people¡¯s fight against the demons, many heroes had been born, both in the past and now.


    Holy Knight Wilton was such a hero!


    Wilton, who was not yet fifty years old, looked quite ordinary; his appearance was nothing special, and his build was average. Without his Void Magic Armor, he looked just like a normal person. Yet, this seemingly ordinary man was a legendary figure!


    Stories of Wilton¡¯s deeds had been circulating in the skies for many years. It was said that he was born a commoner but was a natural Void Magic Warrior, receiving his first set of armor at the age of fifteen. From then on, he began to make a name for himself and gained fame in the Second Counterattack War.


    In the Second Counterattack War, the number of normal demons Wilton killed was countless. He single-handedly slew thirteen high-level demons during the war, becoming the Void Magic Warrior who killed the most high-level demons in the entire war, thus becoming the undisputed hero of the Second Counterattack War.


    Becoming a war hero did not stop Wilton from writing his own legend. His deeds were numerous, and the most talked-about one was when he led his Void Magic Squad to help an entire village¡¯s people relocate.


    ...


    This relocation took half a month, all on land, with a distance of over a hundred kilometers. There was no cover from Sky City, no support from warships, only Wilton and his Void Magic Squad. During the entire half month, they protected the villagers while killing the demons that attacked along the way. They killed over a thousand demons, eventually escorting the villagers safely to Gesya City, without a single casualty.


    This event earned Wilton the name of Holy Knight, celebrated worldwide.


    Such a renowned figure was naturally known to Rocky and Karina for a simple reason: Wilton¡¯s exploits had been written into books. Even those who had never met him would certainly have read about his deeds.


    So, when everyone learned that the severely injured Void Magic Warrior before them was Holy Knight Wilton, they were all stunned!


    For a moment, everyone found themselves at a loss, unsure of how to handle encountering Wilton.


    ¡°Everyone, I hope you can take me to the Sky Alliance immediately.¡±


    Just as Rocky and the others were unsure of what to do, Wilton opened his mouth directly.


    ¡°Tulip City has been overrun, this news must be reported to the Sky Alliance as soon as possible, so I hope you can quickly take me to the area where the Alliance is located. I will reward you heavily then!¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Hearing Wilton¡¯s words, Rocky and Karina exchanged glances. Could it be that the Tulip City, standing firm for a hundred years, really had been overrun?


    If these words had come from someone else, Rocky and the others would certainly be skeptical, perhaps even disbelieving. But if they came from the mouth of Holy Knight Wilton, it was something entirely different.


    So afterward, they all simultaneously looked in the same direction ¡ª Orton.


    Wilton and Orton were both significant figures, and the two were obviously acquainted, so it was easier for Orton to speak.


    Orton stepped forward, coming before Wilton: ¡°Wilton, no need to worry. We¡¯re currently returning to Sky City. Even if we want to send you to the Sky Alliance, we must first get back to Sky City.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then I must trouble everyone,¡± Wilton said, calming down after hearing Orton¡¯s explanation.


    But then Orton continued to ask, ¡°Wilton, the Sky City destroyed by the Magic Dragon just now, is that the city you were in?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Talking about the recently destroyed Sky City, Wilton¡¯s demeanor instantly turned desolate, clearly touching upon a painful matter.


    ¡°You have time now; tell us what happened in detail.¡±


    Taking a seat, Aodu both spoke and sat across from him, evidently interested in what had just happened and what he had mentioned.


    Upon hearing this, Wilton looked at Orton, then glanced at Rocky and the others, and went on to recount the events.


    The three cities on land and The Three Great Alliances in the sky were closely linked, each of The Three Great Alliances directly associated with one city. It was the Sky Alliance that supported Tulip City.


    Three days ago, the continuous connection between Tulip City and the Sky Alliance suddenly broke off, which gave the Sky Alliance a sense of foreboding. They immediately dispatched Wilton¡¯s Sky City, the one that was just destroyed, to investigate Tulip City¡¯s situation and conduct an inquiry.


    When Wilton arrived at Cliff Canyon, he discovered that Tulip City, which had only lost contact for three days, had already been overrun by demons!


    This result was far beyond his expectations, but before he could figure out what was going on, a massive number of Magic Dragons suddenly appeared and launched a fierce attack on Sky City.


    To avoid the onslaught, the Sky City where Wilton was located immediately withdrew from the vicinity of Tulip City, hoping to shake off the attack, but it was in vain. Dozens of Magic Dragons relentlessly pursued Sky City, chasing it for a full day and night, eventually forcing Sky City to engage in battle.


    During the clash, Wilton displayed unparalleled strength, killing three Magic Dragons on his own! Unfortunately, there were too many Magic Dragons. He might still rely on his own strength to contend with the Magic Dragons, but the other Void Magic Warriors and the fleet were completely unable to fight against the Magic Dragons.


    There was no need to recount the rest, as Rocky and the others had witnessed it firsthand. Sky City was destroyed, the fleet and Void Magic Warriors were all lost, and only Wilton managed to barely escape to the Thunderhawk.


    In just a few words, Wilton explained the whole incident to everyone. The story was simple, without any ups and downs, yet it left every listener profoundly shocked!


    The iron-strong Tulip City, occupying a strategic position, was senselessly overrun just like that?


    How could this be!


    Everyone present understood what the fall of Tulip City implied. It not only meant one less city on land but, more severely, that Tulip City, having stood unbroken on land for a hundred years, was inexplicably overrun in just a few short days. This undoubtedly signaled an unthinkable movement by the demons!


    Such a movement could possibly affect everyone!


    No wonder Wilton was so eager to pass this news back to the Sky Alliance; the matter was indeed enormous!


    ¡°Wilton, you should rest well first. Once we return to Sky City, we¡¯ll promptly help you contact the Sky Alliance.¡±


    After Wilton finished explaining everything, Orton said these words to him, then signaled to Rocky with a look, leading everyone to leave the cabin along with him.


    ¡°Teacher¡­¡±


    Leaving the cabin and returning to the deck, both Rocky and Karina looked towards Orton. They knew Orton had something to say to them.


    ¡°What do you two think should be done about this matter?¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although Orton appeared quirky at ordinary times, he was decisive in critical moments, not taking over for Rocky and Karina¡¯s decisions. Instead, he sought their opinions.


    ¡°Of course, we must escort Wilton to the Sky Alliance. The fall of Tulip City is too serious; we cannot ignore it or delay it!¡±


    To this question, Rocky immediately gave his answer, naturally choosing to help Wilton.


    But what he did not expect was that after he spoke, Karina chimed in from the side: ¡°Sorry, I won¡¯t be participating in this matter.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 201 - 208: Testing the Waters

    Chapter 201: Chapter 208: Testing the Waters


    ¡°`


    ¡°Sorry, I won¡¯t participate in this.¡±


    After Rocky enthusiastically expressed his stance like a young patriot, Karina also spoke up, but her attitude was the opposite of Rocky¡¯s. She directly stated that she had no interest in this matter and had no intention of getting involved.


    ¡°Karina?¡±


    Rocky was somewhat surprised by her statement because the fall of Tulip City was not a trivial matter. It was a major event, and it was no exaggeration to say that if this was not handled properly and the situation worsened, it could affect everyone in the world!


    How could one just ignore it under such circumstances?


    ... S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the only City Lord in this world. Even if I don¡¯t get involved, someone else will naturally take care of this matter. Besides, I¡¯m not interested in things like alliances and have no desire to interact with any of them.¡±


    From Rocky¡¯s puzzled look, Karina could tell what he was thinking, but she didn¡¯t care one bit.


    ¡°Besides, there¡¯s still you.¡±


    With a slight smile at Rocky, Karina effortlessly pushed the whole matter onto him¡­


    ¡°This¡­ alright¡­¡±


    Rocky could somewhat understand Karina¡¯s decision. After all, he knew about Karina¡¯s past and that she had been abandoned by the Alliance before, leaving a shadow in her heart, so it was normal for her to be resistant to sending Wilton to the Sky Alliance.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s do it this way. After we return to Sky City, I¡¯ll contact the Sky Alliance directly. Once the matter is settled, I¡¯ll head to Lingyu City. We¡¯ll meet again in Lingyu City then.¡±


    Since Karina didn¡¯t want any entanglement with Wilton and the Sky Alliance, Rocky didn¡¯t force it and soon made this suggestion.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go with what you said. We¡¯ll rendezvous in Lingyu City.¡±


    Nodding, Karina gave Rocky a slight smile, then flew away from the Thunderhawk with her guards and returned to her flagship.


    Not long after that, the fleet re-entered the Traceless Battlefield. Although there was now a distinguished guest on board, both Rocky heading to the Sky Alliance and Karina going to Lingyu City still needed to return to their respective Sky Cities, so the fleet had to pass through the Traceless Battlefield.


    Though this route could avoid the threat of the Magic Dragon, it also had to face the threat of the Magical Energy Storm, making it equally dangerous, leaving everyone a bit on edge.


    However, when the fleet entered the range of the Magical Energy Storm, Holy Knight Wilton showed everyone a remarkable feat!


    Having already awakened, upon learning that the fleet planned to pass through the storm, he donned his Holy Knight Armor and flew into the sky alone!


    ¡°Oh my god¡­ what¡¯s he doing¡­?¡±


    Rocky had no idea about Wilton¡¯s actions. When he learned about it and hurried to the deck, he was stunned by Wilton¡¯s actions!


    This was within the range of the Magical Energy Storm!


    Orton had previously mentioned that the Magical Energy Storm could automatically target and attack anything within its range. Therefore, everything within its domain was at risk, especially aerial targets, which was why the fleet dared not fly at high altitudes and had to keep low, but even then, it still had to endure the storm¡¯s wrath.


    Yet after Wilton flew out of the Thunderhawk, he directly soared to high altitudes!


    What was he trying to do?


    Was he challenging the Magical Energy Storm?


    Such a bold, or rather reckless, act left everyone in the fleet astounded. Whether it was Rocky, Karina, or the crew on each warship, at that moment, they all gathered on the deck, looking up at Wilton in the sky as if watching a madman.


    However, the next scene left everyone with their mouths agape!


    As expected, Wilton in the sky was struck by the Magical Energy Storm. From the enormous dark clouds enveloping the battlefield, dozens of lightning bolts instantly shot out, each one seeming alive, clawing straight at Wilton!


    But faced with countless attacks, Wilton raised his sword in the air and fiercely slashed at the lightning coming towards him!


    The longsword paired with the Holy Knight Armor was vastly different from standard longswords, with the most apparent distinction being that it was larger, wider, longer, and naturally heavier. So it was more appropriate to call it a two-handed sword rather than a longsword.


    Yet such a giant sword in Wilton¡¯s hands seemed to have no weight, being wielded with extreme smoothness. Although it didn¡¯t appear very fast, each strike accurately hit the lightning, smashing them with one blow!


    In just a few blinks of an eye, all the dozens of lightning bolts were shattered by Wilton¡¯s greatsword, leaving him unharmed!


    An expert reveals their skill with one move. As Wilton casually showcased this feat in front of everyone, Rocky, Karina, and the Void Magic Warriors were left in utter amazement. That was lightning!


    Using a greatsword to cut through lightning, how quick a reaction, how precise the movements, and how formidable the strength must be to achieve such a feat? Yet Wilton did it effortlessly!


    Of course, his ability to complete this feat was not only due to his exceptional personal strength but also thanks to the custom-grade armor he wore, which played a significant role.


    One must know that the attack of a Magical Energy Storm was not a mere itch; it was a truly lethal attack. To counter it, Wilton¡¯s Holy Knight Armor certainly had to possess a high level of mana. Only when the magic energy value reached the same level of intensity could he cut through lightning with a greatsword; otherwise, it would be suicide.


    So after this, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but look towards Orton.


    ¡°Teacher, how much magical energy does this set of Holy Knight Armor have?¡±


    Since the armor Wilton wore was the top-notch custom-grade type, the mana it contained could not be judged by the standards of ordinary armor. Therefore, Rocky could only ask Orton, who as a Magic Energy Master and someone involved in the development of custom-fitted technology, would surely be able to estimate the magic energy in the Holy Knight Armor.


    But when Rocky looked towards Orton, he found Orton staring at Wilton with a furrowed brow, as if pondering something.


    ¡°Teacher?¡±


    Seeing that Orton hadn¡¯t responded for a while, Rocky asked again.


    This time Orton finally came back to his senses, but he didn¡¯t answer Rocky¡¯s question. Instead, he glanced at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s time¡­¡±


    Saying something completely irrelevant, Orton turned and left the deck, heading back to his cabin, leaving a bewildered Rocky¡­


    PS: Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! The story is about to enter a new chapter, with a bigger stage and more adversaries. Rocky is also set to make his mark on the world, seeking everyone¡¯s support!


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 202 - 209 Invitation

    Chapter 202: Chapter 209 Invitation


    ¡°Time¡¯s up¡­¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Orton said something unrelated, then turned back into the cabin, leaving Rocky dumbfounded¡­


    Rocky, of course, was puzzled by Orton¡¯s peculiar behavior, but he was already used to it, so after scratching his head, he didn¡¯t think much of it and continued to gaze at the sky.


    In the sky, Wilton was still constantly resisting the magical energy storm. After the first round of lightning attacks, the magical energy storm¡¯s strikes were noticeably more fierce and frequent. Yet, faced with such a violent assault, Wilton, high above, remained calm and showed no signs of pressure.


    As a result, the fleet¡¯s pressure was greatly reduced; because the magical energy storm¡¯s attention was drawn to Wilton, the fleet immediately accelerated to its maximum speed, crossing the storm¡¯s range as quickly as possible.


    Thus, relying solely on his efforts, Wilton attracted the storm¡¯s attention, allowing the entire fleet to smoothly escape the Traceless Battlefield and successfully return to Sky City!


    ...


    Upon their successful return, Rocky and Karina followed the previous plan¡ªKarina went directly to Lingyu City for correction, while Rocky headed to the Sky Alliance, and the two parted ways.


    Leaving aside how Karina went to Lingyu City, let¡¯s talk about Rocky.


    Returning to his Thunderhawk City, Rocky entrusted all matters regarding the spoils of war and other things to Aileen and personally escorted Wilton to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, then began contacting the Sky Alliance.


    However, there were some minor issues with this task. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rocky had heard of the Sky Alliance, of course, but only in passing. He knew nothing about what this alliance specifically was, so when he wanted to contact the Sky Alliance, he found he had no means to do so¡­


    Luckily, with Wilton¡¯s help, Rocky finally gained some insight into the Sky Alliance.


    As one of the three major forces in the sky, the Sky Alliance was an enormous entity, comprising over a thousand Sky Cities, with ninety percent of them being medium or large. Yet, the most astonishing fact was that among its members, the Sky Alliance owned three God Cities!


    Across the entire sky, there were only ten God Cities, and the Sky Alliance possessed three! This alone demonstrated how powerful this alliance was!


    According to Wilton¡¯s account, members of the Sky Alliance were divided into core and outer members, and the vast majority of members were outer ones. Only after making significant contributions to the alliance could one be promoted to a core member.


    Even as an outer member, one could enjoy basic benefits of the alliance, such as requesting support when cities suffered attacks or initiated wars, or receiving certain trade discounts with allied Chambers of Commerce. These were the basic perks for outer members.


    Once a core member of the alliance, the benefits were even greater. Besides receiving double the benefits of an outer member, a city could long-term stay in the airspace controlled by the alliance!


    The alliance¡¯s airspace referred to those fully dominated by the Sky Alliance, where all Sky Cities were core members¡ªalso the location of the three God Cities¡ªan area no outsiders were allowed to enter, a place with absolute safety!


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, as long as you can connect me with a member of the Sky Alliance, even an outer member would suffice, the alliance will naturally send someone to escort me.¡±


    After briefly introducing the Sky Alliance, Wilton said that he didn¡¯t need Rocky to escort him to the airspace ruled by the alliance¡ªit was too far. He just needed Rocky to help contact other alliance members, and naturally, someone would come for him.


    This made Rocky¡¯s task much easier. He immediately contacted Berg, asking him to check, through the Shadow Alliance, whether there were any Sky Alliance members in nearby Sky Cities.


    Berg quickly responded that to the east of Thunderhawk City there was a Sky City belonging to the Sky Alliance, with the voyage needing about three days, not too far.


    After receiving this news, Rocky immediately prepared Thunderhawk City for flight, heading straight to the given coordinates.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, were you and Lord Karina eliminating the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group this time?¡±


    During the three-day journey, Rocky inevitably interacted with Wilton. So, on this day, when Rocky went to check on his injuries, Wilton asked casually while chatting.


    ¡°¡­Sir, how did you¡­?¡±


    Wilton¡¯s question made Rocky frown. He hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. How did Wilton know?


    ¡°Hehe, City Lord Rocky, I didn¡¯t mean to pry into your affairs, but as far as I know, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s base is right in the Traceless Battlefield, plus I saw the spoils on the warship, so it wasn¡¯t hard to deduce.¡±


    With a slight smile, Wilton explained.


    ¡°Have you heard of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group?¡±


    ¡°Heard a bit.¡±


    Nodding slightly, Wilton said, ¡°This Air Pirate Group once robbed alliance goods, and the alliance intended to eliminate them but was delayed for various reasons.¡±


    ¡°So you and Lord Karina¡¯s actions did everyone a great favor.¡±


    Wilton spoke approvingly to Rocky.


    He wasn¡¯t wrong. The Sky Alliance did plan to take out the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. But in front of the Sky Alliance, any Air Pirate Group, including Wild Horse City, was insignificant¡ªeasily dispatched with a flick of a finger.


    However, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was so insignificant to the Sky Alliance that the matter was inadvertently delayed, and, with the group¡¯s keen sense of danger, they went silent for a long time, so much so that nobody in the Sky Alliance mentioned it anymore.


    But as one of the important figures in the Sky Alliance, Wilton remembered.


    Following this, Wilton posed a question to Rocky:


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, do you and Lord Karina have any interest in joining the Sky Alliance?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Perhaps Wilton¡¯s statement was too sudden, it caught Rocky unprepared, never having considered joining such a top-tier force as the Sky Alliance. He had no preparation for this.


    After some contemplation, Rocky asked in confusion:


    ¡°Sir, do I qualify to join the alliance?¡±


    He recalled Berg mentioning how joining one of the three major forces wasn¡¯t easy; it required meeting certain criteria, with at least a medium-sized Sky City scale, which Thunderhawk City didn¡¯t have.


    ¡°There¡¯s always an exception.¡±


    To this doubt, Wilton laughed, ¡°The alliance does have requirements for new members, but there are always exceptions. Even small Sky Cities with great potential or significant contributions to the alliance can be accepted.¡±


    ¡°Lord Karina of Rose City, her reputation as the ¡®Tyrant¡¯ is well-known in the alliance, and she already qualifies for entry; as City Lord Rocky can work on equal terms with her and even saved my life, you surely qualify too.¡±


    ¡°So, City Lord Rocky, what do you think?¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 203 - 210 Sky Alliance

    Chapter 203: Chapter 210 Sky Alliance sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wil remembered Wilton once saying that if Rocky helped him make contact with the Sky Alliance, there would certainly be a generous reward. Now it seemed that this ¡°generous reward¡± was an invitation for him and Karina to join the Sky Alliance!


    Of course, this was just one aspect of Wilton¡¯s invitation. On the other hand, he truly saw potential in both Rocky and Karina.


    Karina, needless to say, had a reputation that was far greater than what most would imagine. With her standout strength among the smaller Sky Cities, Karina had long been in the sights of The Three Great Alliances and had been observed for quite some time.


    As for Rocky, although Wilton had not heard of him before, he was quite satisfied with what he had observed of Rocky throughout their journey.


    Firstly, Wilton quite recognized Rocky¡¯s strength. His Excellency the Holy Knight, having seen much of the world, knew well what the average strength of a small Sky City looked like. In his view, Rocky¡¯s current strength not only met the average standard of small Sky Cities but greatly exceeded it.


    Secondly, it was the ambition Rocky displayed that Wilton found very satisfying.


    ...


    In today¡¯s world, there is a common understanding about the City Lords: being content with poverty means being mediocre! A City Lord without ambition will not see any development. In this era, in order to grow strong and earn respect, one must forge ahead against the current, constantly developing and expanding. Only then can one become a regional hegemon and be admired by others.


    And this was precisely what Wilton saw in Rocky.


    He dared to collaborate with someone like Karina and to challenge the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. This undeniably proved that Rocky was not a man content with little. The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group might be seen as a mere ant in the eyes of the Sky Alliance, but for small Sky Cities, their strength was incredibly formidable, even stronger than that of some small Sky Cities.


    The fact that Rocky and Karina dared to challenge such a foe, regardless of whether it was for personal vendetta or fame and fortune, was not what mattered. The important thing was that they dared to take action! That was enough.


    Therefore, the invitation from Wilton to Rocky was partly to repay him and partly because he truly saw potential in him.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    However, when faced with his invitation, Rocky found himself at a loss for how to respond.


    It wasn¡¯t hesitation; he was simply unprepared due to the surprise.


    The idea of joining an Alliance had crossed his mind as early as when Berg mentioned it, but after learning of Karina¡¯s experiences, Rocky became less confident in the reliability of such Alliances. The Alliances of the past had abandoned Karina, so if Rocky were to join one, they might very well abandon him too¡ªespecially since his opponent was not just anyone, but the infamous giant crocodile of the skies, the Mairente Family.


    It was because of this that Rocky had put the idea of joining an Alliance aside, without giving it much thought. So when faced with Wilton¡¯s sudden invitation, he felt somewhat at a loss.


    ¡°Wilton, if you want Rocky to join the Sky Alliance, you should first ask his mentor,¡±


    Just as Rocky was at a loss and unsure how to respond to Wilton, Orton suddenly pushed open the door and walked in.


    ¡°Mentor!¡±


    ¡°Master Orton.¡±


    Seeing Orton suddenly appear, Rocky¡¯s anxious feelings immediately eased, because Orton¡¯s arrival at this time was obviously to help him.


    And indeed, right after this, Orton, without any reservation, took a seat directly opposite Wilton and then righteously asked:


    ¡°Wilton, tell me, do you want Rocky to join the Alliance because you found out about my research in Thunderhawk City, and then you plan to monopolize my research findings?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    As soon as Orton finished speaking, Wilton was immediately stunned, and His Excellency the Holy Knight was left speechless with shock.


    ¡°Master, your words¡ªdon¡¯t accuse me wrongly! I¡ªI¡ªI would never harbor such intentions!¡±


    Wilton, gaping at Orton, struggled even to speak clearly: ¡°Master, you have cooperated with the Alliance before, so you should know that the Sky Alliance never monopolizes any possessions of its members, including technology,¡±


    After saying this, Wilton hurriedly turned to Rocky: ¡°City Lord Rocky, although the Sky Alliance encourages members to make contributions to the Alliance, including technology, it never resorts to forceful plundering. Anyone who submits technology to the Alliance will receive an award of equal value, and once the Alliance puts the technology into practical use, the contributor will also have priority rights to its use.¡±


    It must be said that experience truly counts, as Master Orton was very aware of what City Lord Rocky was most concerned about. Thus, by starting off with such a direct and unreasonable questioning of Wilton, he immediately befuddled him.


    In order to explain things clearly to City Lord Rocky, Wilton simply went over the benefits of joining the Alliance as well as the obligatory duties in detail.


    As one of the largest forces in the sky, the Sky Alliance had a complete management system.


    Any Sky City that joined the Alliance would initially only be a peripheral member. As peripheral members, they would be under the protection of the Alliance, but this protection was not endless. The Alliance would only provide unconditional support to peripheral members once a year, whether in offense or defense, and would only send troops once.


    If multiple assists from the Alliance were desired, the corresponding Contribution Points would need to be paid, which brought into play an important system within the Sky Alliance: the Contribution Points System.


    The Sky Alliance was not a retirement home; it did not support idlers. Thus, any member who joined, whether a peripheral or core member, had to make a corresponding contribution to the Alliance each year to continue their membership. And to better demonstrate each member¡¯s contribution, the Contribution Points System was born.


    In this system, all contributions made to the Alliance by members would be converted into tangible Contribution Points. The more one contributed to the Alliance, the more Contribution Points they would accumulate. More Contribution Points would lead to a higher status within the Alliance and access to more benefits.


    Even more importantly, Contribution Points functioned as currency. All commodities sold within the Alliance had to be purchased with Contribution Points, and to encourage members to contribute more, all goods sold by the Alliance were rare and not available on the open market. This included high-level Armors, high-grade warships, and scarce resources, all valuable items unattainable elsewhere that could only be traded with Contribution Points.


    So, how could one earn Contribution Points in the Sky Alliance?


    In fact, there were many ways to earn Contribution Points within the Sky Alliance, mainly divided into three categories. One way was to complete tasks issued by the Alliance, similar to those from the Mercenary Guild: the Sky Alliance would issue tasks to various members and compensate them with Contribution Points upon completion.


    The second method of earning Contribution Points was to participate in Alliance wars.


    While the Sky Alliance might already be one of the dominant powers in the sky, it was still only one of them, and wars with other forces happened from time to time. Moreover, as a dominant force, the Sky Alliance was constantly launching attacks on the land-dwelling Demons, striving to carve out a stronghold for itself on land.


    Along with battles to protect resources like mines, assist members in combat, and so on, there was almost daily warfare within the Alliance, and participation would yield Contribution Points regardless of victory or defeat.


    The last method of earning contribution involved providing the Alliance with various technological products. This included new technologies developed by different Sky Cities, new types of Armor and warships, and even turning over lost technologies discovered in the Lost Research Institutes to the Alliance, which could garner substantial amounts of Contribution Points.


    These were the main ways to earn Contribution Points within the Sky Alliance, and with them, survival within the Alliance wasn¡¯t only easier, but one could live quite well.


    After giving City Lord Rocky a basic introduction to the Sky Alliance, Wilton breathed a sigh of relief. He then glanced at Orton as if to say, ¡°See, I had no intention of forceful seizure.¡±


    Once Rocky listened to the explanation, he pondered for a moment and then turned to Orton.


    Thanks to Wilton¡¯s detailed introduction, Rocky came to understand the Sky Alliance more profoundly and realized that some of his concerns did not seem to be an issue within the Alliance.


    For instance, his biggest worry, the Mana Runes, seemed unlikely to be forcibly taken even if the Alliance discovered them, which certainly set Rocky¡¯s mind at ease.


    In fact, Rocky really could rest assured, just as Wilton said. The Alliance indeed didn¡¯t indulge in such aggressive seizures because it simply wasn¡¯t necessary.


    With the Alliance¡¯s immensely strong research and development capabilities, many technologies, including many top-tier ones, had been developed by the Sky Alliance. Even if the Mana Runes that Rocky mastered were exceptionally advanced, the Alliance had no need to seize them forcefully but could instead share them through exchange.


    Furthermore, the Alliance would not restrict its members¡¯ freedom, which was also a major concern for Rocky. He feared that once he joined the Sky Alliance, such a large force, his and Thunderhawk City¡¯s freedom would be interfered with¡ªa scenario Rocky definitely wanted to avoid.


    However, based on everything Wilton had said, the Sky Alliance did not seem to interfere with the freedom of its members. Peripheral members aside, even core members would not face any interference from the Alliance regarding the development of their own Sky Cities.


    These two points were of utmost concern to Rocky, but it appeared that the Sky Alliance had neither issue, so he directly looked at Orton and saw that Orton was also looking at him, nodding gently towards him.


    Clearly, Orton also agreed with Rocky joining the Sky Alliance.


    Therefore, following that, Rocky said to Wilton, ¡°Your Excellency, I am willing to join the Sky Alliance!¡±


    PS: Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! We¡¯re about to enter a grander stage soon, seeking recommendations!


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 204 - 211: Starlight City

    Chapter 204: Chapter 211: Starlight City


    In the beginning of October, Sky Era, Year 117, Rocky made a decision that was extremely important both to himself and the entire world¡ªhe agreed to Wilton¡¯s invitation and joined the Sky Alliance!


    At that time, Rocky didn¡¯t realize how significant his decision was; even Wilton didn¡¯t know. Wilton had simply made the invitation to repay a favor, unaware of the profound implications it would have. If it weren¡¯t for his invitation, Rocky and the Sky Alliance might have ended up looking completely different in the future.


    Of course, these are all matters for later; for the present Rocky, he hadn¡¯t thought that far ahead¡ªhis concern was still focused on the immediate situation.


    To him, the decision to join the Sky Alliance meant not only enjoying the many benefits of the Alliance but, more importantly, finding a powerful backer.


    Rocky hadn¡¯t forgotten how perilous his current situation was. The vengeance of the Mairente Family was like a thorn in his side, and he didn¡¯t know when it might strike. By annihilating the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group with Karina, he had provoked Wild Horse City, undeniably making another enemy.


    So now, Rocky had two enemies: one, a powerful family, and the other, a mid-sized Sky City several times stronger than himself. Any one of these foes was not to be taken lightly, let alone both together, which was why Rocky chose to join the Sky Alliance.


    ...


    To put it bluntly, Rocky wasn¡¯t concerned about the contribution points system of the Sky Alliance or any of those other benefits; what mattered most to him was the annual support he could request from the Alliance after joining¡ªthat was crucial!


    For Rocky, who faced two formidable adversaries, this support from the Alliance was pivotal. Should Wild Horse City or the Mairente Family launch an overwhelming attack on Thunderhawk City, this support from the Alliance could help him avert a deadly crisis!


    It was with this consideration that Rocky chose to join the Sky Alliance, without overthinking other matters.


    After accepting Wilton¡¯s invitation, Rocky didn¡¯t celebrate alone but immediately contacted Karina because Wilton had made it clear that he wasinviting both Rocky and Karina to join the Alliance.


    When he reached Karina and conveyed Wilton¡¯s invitation, she refused outright without a second thought¡­


    How should I put it, Rocky found her refusal simultaneously unexpected and yet, upon reflection, quite reasonable. After all, due to her own experiences, Karina harbored a deep aversion to alliances, viewing all of them as products of self-interest and untrustworthy, even the Sky Alliance.


    Rocky naturally expressed understanding and then delicately conveyed Karina¡¯s decision to Wilton, who, although not angry, was regretful. After all, he had a higher opinion of Karina and had hoped that she would join the Alliance.


    Once everything was dealt with, three days passed, and Thunderhawk City finally made contact with Starlight City.


    Starlight City, a mid-sized Sky City, was the closest member of the Sky Alliance to Thunderhawk City. After flying for three days, Thunderhawk City finally arrived in the airspace of Starlight City and established contact, only to be met with a cold shoulder¡­


    As a member of the Sky Alliance, even if only an outer member, Starlight City and its City Lord possessed considerable pride. The reason was simple¡ªbeing a mid-sized Sky City, even without considering the status of an Alliance member, Starlight City was a colossal presence in front of Thunderhawk City. So, when Rocky sent out a Reconnaissance Ship to make contact, Starlight City didn¡¯t even bother responding, and Rocky¡¯s ship couldn¡¯t get through Starlight City¡¯s Defensive Net.


    To make matters worse, they sent out a Fleet that included four Escort Ships and twenty Reconnaissance Ships, intending to expel Rocky and Thunderhawk City without explanation! S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Truth be told, Rocky was quite dissatisfied with such an arrogant attitude, and perhaps due to long contact with the war-loving Karina, his temper had also become more volatile. Accordingly, he took advantage of escorting Wilton to meet with them and dispatched all of Thunderhawk City¡¯s warships!


    Having captured the warships of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Thunderhawk City¡¯s Fleet had been significantly reinforced: not only did the number of Reconnaissance Ships once again exceed thirty, but more importantly, the number of large warships in the Fleet had increased from the original two to five!


    With four Escort Ships plus a flagship, and over thirty Reconnaissance Ships, Thunderhawk City¡¯s Fleet exceeded that of Starlight City in scale. So, when Rocky led his impressive Fleet, emerging from within the Defensive Net of Thunderhawk City and coming face to face with Starlight City¡¯s Fleet, the enemy Commander was left in complete shock!


    Such a vast Fleet was a rare sight within a small Sky City, which left Starlight City¡¯s Fleet Commander at a loss as to Rocky¡¯s intentions. Was this small Sky City actually preparing to attack Starlight City?


    In such a situation, the opposition immediately went on high alert, even preparing to call back to Starlight City for reinforcements, but just then, Wilton, clad in Holy Knight Armor, timely appeared between the two Fleets.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 205 - 211: Starlight City_2

    Chapter 205: Chapter 211: Starlight City_2


    ¡°Is that¡­ Lord Wilton?¡±


    When Wilton arrived at the front line with Rocky and Liliya, the opposing side immediately sent out a Void Magic Squad, and they had to admit that the strength of a medium-sized Sky City indeed was not something a small-sized Sky City could match.


    Take, for instance, the fleet from Starlight City before them, which had dispatched a full squad of ten Void Magic Warriors to escort the Fleet Commander to the front; this clearly wasn¡¯t the entirety of Starlight City¡¯s Void Magic Warriors, just this detail alone revealed the considerable strength of the opponent!


    However, the attitude of the other side changed instantly upon seeing Wilton.


    As a member of the Sky Alliance, Starry Sky City¡¯s Commander naturally recognized a personage like Wilton and immediately identified him.


    Unfortunately, Wilton didn¡¯t know the Commander, but since the latter was a member of the Alliance, Wilton didn¡¯t hold back and directly said,


    ...


    ¡°Have the City Lord come see me immediately.¡±


    In front of Starry Sky City¡¯s Fleet Commander, Wilton spoke as though issuing a command.


    Under normal circumstances, Wilton would not have done so, but he was indeed in a great hurry at the moment, so he didn¡¯t consider his tone too much.


    As a result, as soon as he finished speaking, the opposing Commander was immediately frightened, with cold sweat trickling down the face hidden behind the helmet¡­


    In the eyes of this Commander, Wilton appeared to be clearly angry, and with His Excellency the Holy Knight¡¯s strength, as well as his status within the Alliance, if he truly became angry, Starlight City would definitely not be able to withstand it!


    The Commander before them was terrified, and even wondered whether their action of dispatching a fleet to intercept Rocky had displeased His Excellency the Holy Knight?


    In such a situation, he dared not linger any longer, and instead of sending someone, he went back to Starlight City to find the City Lord personally¡­


    Not long after this Commander had departed, another warship flew out from the defensive net of Starlight City; and it was not just any warship, but a flagship!


    This flagship, over two hundred meters in size, was immense and incredibly beautiful, clearly one of the most top-tier warships of the day.


    ¡°Moon Goddess Flagship¡­ Turns out the City Lord of Starlight City is quite wealthy,¡± Wilton said to Rocky after glancing at the flagship that emerged from the Defensive Net. ¡°This flagship is the flagship version of the Moon Goddess Type 3, a 5th generation destroyer. It¡¯s very expensive, and of course, its firepower and defensive power are among the best in its class.¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing that Rocky did not recognize the flagship, Wilton casually introduced the vessel before them, and upon hearing this, Rocky had a realization¡ªno wonder this flagship looked much bigger than the Thunderhawk; this was not only a 5th generation warship but also a destroyer that was a higher tier than an escort ship.


    By glimpsing a part you may see the whole: just seeing this flagship let Rocky make a rough assessment of the strength of a medium-sized Sky City.


    Without a doubt, the strength of a medium-sized Sky City was indeed much stronger than that of a small-sized one. For example, the fleet sent out by Starlight City at the moment was certainly not their entirety and might not even be their main forces, yet just this was already comparable to, no, stronger than the fleet strength of Thunderhawk City.


    This naturally made Rocky think of Wild Horse City, also a medium-sized Sky City. Their strength should be similar, right?


    Considering Wild Horse City might have such strength, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but feel secretly relieved, glad that he had agreed to Wilton¡¯s invitation to join the Sky Alliance, otherwise dealing with Wild Horse City¡¯s retaliation would have indeed been problematic.


    As he lamented inwardly, lamenting the strength of the medium-sized Sky City should indeed not be underestimated, the flagship that had flown out from within the defensive net of Starlight City had already approached. Wilton, taking no time to wait for the delegation from the ship, flew directly towards it with Rocky.


    ¡°Lord Wilton!¡±


    Having landed on the flagship¡¯s deck without any obstruction, Rocky hadn¡¯t had the chance to take a clear look around when a voice filled with joy and excitement reached his ears. Following the voice, he saw the City Lord of Starlight City.


    Of course, Rocky had never met this City Lord, but he recognized him solely by the entourage, with a man in his forties hurriedly walking towards Wilton in a manner that was characteristic of a City Lord.


    Indeed, this middle-aged man surrounded by a crowd was none other than Diego, the City Lord of Starlight City.


    ¡°Lord Wilton, I hadn¡¯t expected it to be you!¡±


    Approaching Wilton hastily with a group, Diego spoke with boundless enthusiasm and then took the initiative to grasp Wilton¡¯s hand, looking extremely emotional, ¡°My Lord, I truly didn¡¯t know it was you who had come, that misunderstanding just now was such an offense, my apologies!¡±


    While holding Wilton¡¯s hand, Diego continued speaking without pause, and even glanced at Rocky, showing not only politeness but also a full sense of apology with a nod of his head.


    It was clear that the Commander who had gone back had already informed the City Lord of everything that had happened, and had added some speculations of his own, which instantly gave Diego a headache. After all, as a hero, Wilton was highly respected within the Sky Alliance and held considerable power. Wasn¡¯t that the kind of person Diego, a mere peripheral member of the Alliance, should not provoke?


    If he did indeed provoke Wilton and made him unhappy, all Wilton had to do was to make a few complaints to the other big figures upon returning, and Starlight City would find it too much to bear. Therefore, as soon as they met, Diego hurried to apologize for the earlier incident.


    Unfortunately, Diego had clearly misunderstood, but Wilton, now eager to establish contact with the Alliance, didn¡¯t explain further and directly stated his purpose.


    Under such circumstances, how could Diego afford to slight him in the slightest? He immediately sent people to handle the issue.


    As a member of the Alliance, even if just a peripheral one, Starry Sky City could contact the Alliance anytime, anywhere. Therefore, Diego immediately had the personnel remaining in the city contact the Sky Alliance.


    After everything was handled, Wilton turned to Rocky:


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, thank you for taking care of me along the way. Once I return to the Alliance, I will surely report your and Lord Karina¡¯s assistance to me in full detail. The Alliance will send an envoy to you to further discuss the details of joining the Alliance.¡±


    ¡°Good, I will await your good news, my Lord.¡±


    With a slight smile, Rocky knew this was Wilton saying goodbye to him. It was quite normal considering that Starlight City was a true Alliance member, and moreover, a medium-sized Sky City. Once Wilton arrived here, he would be as good as home, waiting for the Alliance people to come for him. This also meant that Rocky¡¯s mission had come to a close.


    As for the matter of joining the Sky Alliance, it was clearly not something that could be settled with just a few words. For a large force with a clear management system like the Sky Alliance, the addition of any member had to follow procedures and protocols. Even with Wilton speaking out, it had to be done according to the process.


    Of course, since His Excellency the Holy Knight had made a request, he would certainly not fail to deliver, so Rocky didn¡¯t need to worry about anything. He just needed to wait for the news.


    After that, he and Liliya left the flagship of Starlight City and returned to Thunderhawk City with their own fleet.


    Honestly, Rocky was quite happy to see Wilton leave. It was not that he didn¡¯t want Wilton to stay in Thunderhawk City for longer, but as long as he was here, Rocky, out of face and respect, always felt obligated to accompany him. It was too much of a distraction because, having just eradicated the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, he had quite a lot of things to handle. Like, for instance¡­ tallying the spoils of war!


    Ever since returning from the Traceless Battlefield, Rocky had been accompanying Wilton, and now that Wilton had finally been sent off, he finally had time to properly count the spoils of war he had obtained!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 206 - 212: Millionaire!

    Chapter 206: Chapter 212: Millionaire!


    How Wilton returned to the Alliance after staying in Starlight City, and how he reported the fall of Tulip City to the Alliance, I will not mention for now, but let us talk about Rocky, who had returned to Thunderhawk City.


    After safely delivering Wilton to Starlight City, Rocky who returned to Thunderhawk City could finally do what he desired most: count the war spoils!


    Since he encountered Wilton on the way, Rocky had entrusted the task of counting the war spoils to Aileen after returning to Thunderhawk City, and had stayed with His Excellency the Holy Knight at all times. Now that Wilton had finally been sent off, he had time to properly calculate his gains from this venture!


    This kind of minor thought was not because Rocky was greedy, but simply because he was in dire need of money. Before annihilating the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, the treasury of Thunderhawk City was already empty. To help the city survive this difficult time, Aileen even went so far as to obtain food on credit from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, which only highlighted the dire straits of Thunderhawk City¡¯s situation, making monetary concerns something Rocky couldn¡¯t ignore.


    Fortunately, the loot from this expedition was incredibly substantial. Although he did not know the exact amounts yet, in the past few days, whenever Rocky met Aileen, he could feel a happiness radiating from her akin to that of a newly married woman still soaking in love, which meant the spoils must have been significant.


    Indeed, when Rocky called Aileen over and inquired in detail, Aileen gave him an answer that was very satisfying and even beyond his expectations.


    ...


    ¡°My lord, the counting of the war spoils is complete,¡± she said.


    Standing before Rocky, Aileen¡¯s face beamed with happiness, then she reported, ¡°My lord, you have captured a total of twenty-three warships, including twenty reconnaissance ships of the 4th generation and below, and three 3rd generation escort ships.¡±


    ¡°Additionally, you also captured four sets of the 4th generation Mass-Produced Void Magic Armor. Just these two items alone bring our gains close to a million Gold Coins,¡± she added.


    Speaking of war spoils, perhaps some only think of money and goods, forgetting that captured warships and Void Magic Armor are also part of the spoils, and they represent a considerable value.


    The warships captured by Rocky may not be high in quality, but their quantity was considerable; twenty reconnaissance ships might not be very valuable, but three escort ships and four sets of armor were quite precious.


    Even if the escort ships of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group were only of the 3rd generation, the market price for such ships hovered around two hundred thousand Gold Coins each, even second-hand ones fetched a price of several tens of thousands of Gold Coins.


    The value of the four sets of Void Magic Armor goes without saying. Though the most advanced armors nowadays are the 5th generation, the 4th generation armors have not been phased out. In fact, most Void Magic Squads in the Sky Cities use the 4th generation armor as their main equipment. Based on market prices, even the Mass-Produced 4th generation armor averaged between fifty thousand to one hundred thousand Gold Coins each. Thus, these four sets of armor alone were worth at least three hundred thousand Gold Coins!


    Each escort ship was valued at a minimum of one hundred thousand Gold Coins, making three add up to three hundred thousand Gold Coins; the four sets of armor were also valued at about three hundred thousand, totaling six hundred thousand Gold Coins. Adding the twenty reconnaissance ships, valued at an average of fifteen thousand Gold Coins each, that another three hundred thousand, so Aileen¡¯s estimate was spot on. Among the spoils Rocky obtained this time, just the warships and armor alone were close to a million!


    Perhaps this nearly one million in value couldn¡¯t be directly converted into Gold Coins, but conversely, with these fleets and armors captured, wouldn¡¯t the money Rocky used to replenish his troops be significantly saved?


    In other words, whatever the warships and armor were worth, that was exactly how much Rocky had saved for himself!


    That¡¯s why Aileen was so excited, because with this batch of warships and armor, Rocky¡¯s expenses naturally decreased, and with fewer expenses, he no longer needed to withdraw money from the treasury, which was the most critical part for Aileen.


    Following that, Aileen continued, saying:


    ¡°My lord, besides the warships, the Gold Coins you captured from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group have also been fully accounted for,¡± she added.


    ¡°The Gold Coins you brought back from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group totaled one hundred and fifty thousand and have all been placed in the treasury for the daily expenses of Thunderhawk City.¡±


    While she didn¡¯t say it directly, Aileen made her stance very clear ¡ª the Gold Coins that Rocky brought back from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had already been locked in the treasury and were not to be taken out again!


    ¡°Besides the Gold Coins, there are also Demon Materials and goods.¡±


    ¡°In terms of Demon Materials, we have a total of fifteen boxes of various Demon Cores, numbering one hundred and fifty; one hundred thirty-three pieces of various Demon Skins; one hundred eleven different types of Demon Bone Spurs; plus nearly three hundred various Demon Bones.¡±


    ¡°The quantity of these Demon Materials is too great, and with the variety, their pricing isn¡¯t easy to estimate; the actual value will be calculated once we arrive at Eternal City,¡± she explained.


    Regarding the batch of captured Demon Materials, Aileen didn¡¯t specify how much money it was worth, but the more this was the case, the happier Rocky became!


    Because based on his understanding of Aileen, she was excellent at estimation and never falsified accounts or made reckless claims in his presence. If she thought something was worth one hundred thousand Gold Coins, then it would only ever be more than that estimate, never less; she was extremely accurate.


    If she said she couldn¡¯t estimate their value, that only meant one thing: the value of this batch of Demon Materials was so immense that even Aileen dared not speculate! Naturally, this was great news for Rocky!


    Just as he could hardly contain his joy, Aileen continued:


    ¡°I have also cataloged the goods you brought back according to their classification.¡±


    This time, Rocky brought back war spoils that were divided into four major categories: captured warships and armor, gold coins, demon materials, and goods.


    Among these four categories, the quantity of goods was by far the largest. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, when Aileen mentioned the goods, Rocky focused his attention, knowing that the batch of goods he had brought back must also be of significant value.


    Sure enough, Aileen then said,


    ¡°The goods you brought this time¡­ how should I put this, are quite diverse, divided into forty-two kinds, so I won¡¯t go into specifics.¡±


    Aileen was right, the goods that Rocky had brought back were all plundered by the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, and not in just one raid, making the variety particularly chaotic, with all kinds of items that took Aileen quite some time to inventory.


    In this situation, she didn¡¯t introduce each item to Rocky one by one, but rather mentioned a figure: ¡°I have contacted the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, and discussed the types of goods with them. They offered 800,000 gold coins, hoping that we could sell all the goods to them.¡±


    ¡°800,000 gold coins?!¡±


    Upon hearing this figure, Rocky involuntarily took a deep breath and nearly rose from the City Lord¡¯s seat!


    800,000¡­ gold coins!


    That amount of money¡­ was really¡­ a lot!


    This figure was completely beyond Rocky¡¯s expectations; he had originally thought that if the total value of all the war loot combined could reach one million gold coins, it would be quite remarkable. Yet, the goods alone were selling for 800,000 gold coins!


    And let¡¯s not forget, this did not include the similarly valuable demon materials. If the profits from the demon materials were also counted, wouldn¡¯t Rocky¡¯s earnings this time exceed 1.2 million?


    Could it be¡­


    Had he become a millionaire?


    From a pauper who used to buy on credit to becoming a magnate with millions of gold coins, this dramatic change was something Rocky found difficult to adjust to. So when Aileen announced the figure of 800,000 gold coins, Rocky was stunned on the spot and took a long time to recover.


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    With a smile, Aileen called out to Rocky and could understand his reaction; a month ago, they were still worrying about money and didn¡¯t even have enough to buy food. Who could have imagined that a month later, they would be laden with millions in wealth?


    ¡°Whew¡­¡±


    It took a while, but Rocky gradually came to his senses, and then let out a long sigh. With the exhale, it was as though he had expelled all the pressure within his body, suddenly feeling a wave of relief.


    Finally, they no longer had to worry about money!


    Without the pressure of finances, Rocky immediately felt a huge burden lifted from his shoulders, and not only that, he now had money!


    And in this world, having money equaled having strength!


    Recalling the last mission in Backhill Village, Rocky had earned more than 500,000 gold coins, which he used to establish Thunderhawk City¡¯s first fleet and with it defeated the menacing Baron Wolin.


    This time, he had nearly a million gold coins, doubling his last earnings! This didn¡¯t even count the profits from the demon materials. If he sold all the demon materials, Rocky¡¯s wealth would be even greater, amounting to millions!


    What level of enhancement could this amount of money bring to Thunderhawk City¡¯s strength?


    Honestly, Rocky couldn¡¯t even imagine the answer to that question. He only knew that after elevating Thunderhawk City¡¯s strength to another level, combined with the backing of the Sky Alliance, whether it was retaliation from Wild Horse City or the Mairente Family, not only was he confident in defending against them, but he was also confident in standing toe-to-toe with them!


    PS: Please recommend! Please recommend! Please recommend! Important things said three times!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 207 - 213: Frustrated Berg

    Chapter 207: Chapter 213: Frustrated Berg


    Upon learning that he was soon to become a millionaire, Rocky was naturally quite excited, but he quickly contained his excitement and immediately set Thunderhawk City back into flying mode, heading straight for Gale City.


    He had already agreed with Karina that after sending Wilton to the Sky Alliance, they would meet in Lingyu City. At the same time, considering his friendship with Berg, Rocky decided to set the location for the trade with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce in Lingyu City, ensuring that Lingyu City would earn a significant transaction tax.


    Without conversation, a full week passed, and Rocky once again came to the airspace where Lingyu City was located, directly finding both Lingyu City and Rose City among the clouded sky, indicating that Karina had been waiting there all along.


    As he took the skyship down to the skyport of Lingyu City, no sooner had he disembarked than he saw Berg, brimming with enthusiasm and with a smile reaching all the way to his ears.


    ¡°Rocky! Rocky, the great financier! I finally waited for your arrival!¡±


    As soon as Berg saw Rocky disembarking, he burst into laughter and came up to meet him, then grabbed Rocky¡¯s arm, ¡°Rocky, I finally waited for your arrival!¡±


    ...


    ¡°Are you waiting for me or the cargo on my ship?¡±


    Due to their heart-to-heart conversation last time, Rocky was very familiar with Berg and wasn¡¯t surprised by his exaggerated performance at all, even jokingly asked back.


    Unfortunately, Berg didn¡¯t care about the joke at all, and instead laughed heartily, ¡°Both the same, both the same! You arrive, the goods arrive, the goods arrive, the money comes, so it¡¯s all the same!¡±


    During this conversation, he pulled Rocky into the carriage that had been prepared beforehand and headed directly to his City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°Has Karina arrived?¡±


    ¡°She arrived, long ago.¡±


    In the carriage, Rocky naturally asked about Karina only to find Berg showing a pained expression. Not only that, but his frown also bore deep resentment as he almost gritted his teeth, ¡°That woman arrived a week ago!¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Noticing Berg¡¯s aggrieved look, though Rocky had no idea what was going on, he couldn¡¯t help but find it funny and quickly asked, very curious.


    Once asked such, Berg opened up and began to complain indignantly: ¡°Rocky! Tell me, isn¡¯t Karina too much? After she arrived, I treated her well, worshipped her like an ancestor, I almost sent some male pets to serve her, and guess what? This woman didn¡¯t consider me one of her own at all!¡±


    ¡°All I did was ask her to share some of the captured robbers with me. Can you believe it? She turned against me on the spot and nearly drew a sword on me. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that I had several Void Magic Warriors as guards around me, you might not see me at all now. Can you believe how infuriating that is?¡±


    Sitting across from Rocky, Berg gestured with his hands while speaking, vividly describing how Karina bullied him, with great animation and expressive detail.


    Unfortunately, as soon as he finished speaking, Rocky burst into loud laughter, leaning back and forth, his stomach beginning to hurt from it.


    In this shrill laughter, Berg¡¯s expression grew even more unpleasant, and his facial expression became gloomier, eventually unable to restrain himself from breaking into Rocky¡¯s laughter.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny!¡±


    With a gloomy shout, Berg rounded his eyes at Rocky, not understanding at all what was so funny about his plight and why it would make Rocky laugh like that.


    However, in Rocky¡¯s view, he was clearly feigning ignorance!


    He actually dared to ask Karina for a share of the captured robbers?


    To be honest, after pulling a stunt like that, it¡¯s nothing short of a miracle that Berg hadn¡¯t been chopped to pieces by Karina. In the operation to annihilate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Karina¡¯s only gains, aside from resolving her personal issues, were the captured bandits. Also, it goes without saying how important population is to a City Lord, right?


    In such a situation, Berg actually had the audacity to ask Karina to share some of the bandits with him. Isn¡¯t that like trying to pull a tooth from a tiger¡¯s mouth? It¡¯s no wonder Karina wanted to kill him.


    Clearly understanding how outrageous his request was, Berg wasn¡¯t really trying to get Rocky to judge the fairness of his actions, but rather, to drag Rocky into it; hence, he pitifully said afterward:


    ¡°Rocky, tell me, isn¡¯t Karina being too unreasonable? You wouldn¡¯t do the same, right?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    After giving Berg a glance, Rocky raised an eyebrow, and instantly, Berg changed his demeanor, chuckling, ¡°Rocky, I heard from Karina that you got quite some good stuff from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group¡¯s base, so you surely wouldn¡¯t forget about me, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    With a slight smile, Rocky nodded directly.


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic!¡±


    Hearing this, Berg immediately beamed with joy and then eagerly asked, ¡°Rocky! I heard you got a lot of Demon Materials from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group? That¡¯s really great; I urgently need such scarce resources right now!¡±


    ¡°This¡­ you better not think about it.¡±


    Seeing Berg so excited, Rocky really didn¡¯t have the heart to let him down, but he had to share his plans. He planned to sell the Demon Materials in Eternal City; as for other goods, he had already promised the Ruby Chamber of Commerce to sell it all to them, and Berg¡¯s Lingyu City could only get the transaction tax from this deal.


    ¡°You, you guys! How could you do this!¡±


    When Rocky had finished explaining his plans, Berg¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief: ¡°How could you do the same as Karina! Rocky, you can¡¯t be like this. Being a person, you must not be ungrateful!¡±


    ¡°Where have I been ungrateful?¡±


    Berg¡¯s accusation was one Rocky was not willing to shoulder. He certainly hadn¡¯t been ungrateful. For instance, his current decision involved trading the goods taken from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group at the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, yet he chose Lingyu City as the venue. This meant that Lingyu City could receive transaction tax for doing nothing ¨C wasn¡¯t that his way of repaying them?


    Back when Rocky had no money, Berg personally took him to the city¡¯s skyport to haggle prices, enabling Rocky to refurbish his fleet with limited funds. Rocky hadn¡¯t forgotten this kindness, hence his decision. Otherwise, he could have let the Ruby Chamber of Commerce trade directly in his Thunderhawk City without spending a penny, and still collect a transaction tax.


    However, Berg clearly didn¡¯t see it that way. Subsequently, he looked at Rocky with a sulky face, grumbling, ¡°Ungrateful wretches! Both you and Karina are ungrateful! Have you forgotten my contribution to defeating the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group too!¡±


    ¡°What contribution did you make?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky laughed, as defeating the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group really had nothing to do with Berg.


    ¡°I offered you advice and strategies!¡±


    ¡°No, you were just drinking the whole time; it was Karina and I who discussed everything.¡±


    ¡°I, I¡­ I cheered you on! Isn¡¯t moral support also a form of support!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 208 - 214 Unexpected!

    Chapter 208: Chapter 214 Unexpected!


    Under Berg¡¯s incessant pestering, Rocky really couldn¡¯t stand his harassment any longer and finally agreed to make a deal with him, agreeing to sell a portion of his Demon Materials to the Chamber of Commerce within Lingyu City.


    This made Berg ecstatic!


    As everyone knows, Demon Materials have always been the most sought after resource, equivalent to Gold Coins in value, only appreciating and never depreciating. As soon as Rocky would part with even a small portion of the Demon Materials he had acquired, it would immediately enhance the reputation of Lingyu City, attracting more customers.


    So when Berg finally managed to coax Rocky into agreeing to his request, the gloom on his face vanished, and he decided on the spot to hold a dance. He summoned all the merchants in the city so that Rocky could pick and choose whom to trade with as if selecting a woman.


    Not long thereafter, a carriage arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, and soon after in the same banquet hall, at the same table, the same three people gathered once more.


    A few weeks before, it was here that the three of them had set the plan to annihilate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. Today, they reconvened, but the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was no more.


    ...


    ¡°My esteemed colleagues, let me toast to you both! To our great victory!¡±


    After the three took their seats with Berg as the host, he was the first to raise his glass, and both Rocky and Karina did the same, downing their drinks in unison.


    ¡°Rocky, Karina, you might not know it yet, but the news of the eradication of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group has already spread.¡±


    After emptying his glass, Berg eagerly opened the conversation, not waiting for the maid to refill his drink before hastily informing Rocky and Karina.


    ¡°Not surprising.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Karina raised an eyebrow, seemingly unsurprised by such news, and the same was true for Rocky. After all, with the presence of the Shadow Alliance and considering the notoriety of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, it was only natural that their defeat had become widely known.


    ¡°Look at you, a single victory and you¡¯re already full of yourselves! See how arrogant you both are!¡±


    Seeing their indifferent reactions, Berg snorted, ¡°Have you forgotten who was backing the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group? That¡¯s the Wild Horse City itself!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, the City Lord Karlo of Wild Horse City is aware of the good deeds you two have done, and he has vowed to annihilate both of you!¡±


    Having said that, Berg raised his glass again, laughing as he watched the expressions on their faces.


    At this moment, the expressions on Rocky¡¯s and Karina¡¯s faces were indeed different. Karina casually scoffed, her face full of disdain, clearly not taking the threat from Wild Horse City seriously.


    However, Rocky frowned and then asked, ¡°Has Wild Horse City taken any specific action?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ Well, I haven¡¯t heard anything about that yet¡­¡±


    Caught off guard by the question, Berg awkwardly shook his head, indicating he had no news regarding that matter.


    ¡°Karlo has no time to bother with us right now; it would be good enough if he could manage his own affairs.¡±


    At this, Karina let out a cold laugh and said, ¡°Wild Horse City is currently at war with Fire Elf City, and with the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group eliminated, Karlo himself is too preoccupied to even focus on threatening us. Does he think I am so easily intimidated?¡±


    After sipping her wine, Karina concluded with a smirk.


    As a battle-hardened City Lord, Karina¡¯s perspective and control over the bigger picture were indeed much stronger than the average person. And just as she said, even though City Lord Karlo of Wild Horse City had made tough declarations, he was actually too busy tackling his own problems to manage taking action against them.


    In comparison to Wild Horse City, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was naturally insignificant in strength, but the role it played for Wild Horse City was substantial, especially the role it played during warfare, which was irreplaceable.


    The wars of small Sky Cities were usually decided in a single battle, as one fight could determine the outcome between two cities. Because small Sky Cities generally had weak strength and smaller military sizes, the losing side was typically left without the capability to fight again after a battle, leading to the war¡¯s conclusion.


    However, when the scale of Sky City reached medium or above, warfare became a different matter.


    The strength of medium Sky Cities was several times, even a dozen times, higher than that of small Sky Cities, and their military power could be significantly greater. This meant that warfare between medium Sky Cities could never be resolved quickly. The fleets would clash back and forth incessantly, in a constant tug-of-war with battles occurring one after the other. Wars could last a few months at their shortest, and some could go on for a year or two. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This made resources a key factor, as wars were essentially a battle of resources. In a prolonged conflict that could last months or even years, the resources within the cities alone were simply not enough to sustain the demands of the war; external supply lines were imperative. And this was where the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group became crucial.


    Firstly, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, being a band of brigands, could hand over various loot to Wild Horse City to support its wartime expenditures, and they could even select targets to rob based on Wild Horse City¡¯s needs.


    Secondly, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group could act as an independent raiding force, striking at the enemy¡¯s supplies with agility.


    Take, for example, the ongoing war between Wild Horse City and Fire Elf City. The two have been long-standing rivals, engaging in conflict that could last months at a stretch. In these numerous encounters, Wild Horse City often came out ahead. Why? Both were of medium Sky City scale with comparable strength, so why had Wild Horse City consistently gained the upper hand?


    It was because of the assistance of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group!


    Throughout the prolonged conflicts between Wild Horse City and Fire Elf City, the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group would always strike at the enemy¡¯s supply lines, robbing the Chamber of Commerce that was supplying Fire Elf City. Even if the robbery failed, they could still tie down a substantial amount of the enemy¡¯s forces, leaving Fire Elf City stretched too thin to effectively respond.


    Indeed, just before Rocky and Karina exterminated the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Kilov had received an order from Wild Horse City, instructing them to attack by all means the merchant ships trading with Fire Elf City.


    In such a situation, the sudden extermination of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was definitely a blow to Wild Horse City. It not only deprived Wild Horse City of a trump card in the war against Fire Elf City but also caught them off guard during the combat, throwing all their plans into chaos.


    And it was precisely because she knew these circumstances that Karina didn¡¯t care about Karlo¡¯s threats at all.


    After listening to her explanation, Rocky was also able to put his mind at ease.


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    However, at this moment, Berg chuckled twice and then said, ¡°Latest news, Wild Horse City and Fire Elf City have already ceased fighting.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Karina instantly turned towards Berg, her brows furrowing into knots!


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you. The Shadow Alliance just delivered the intelligence this morning; Wild Horse City and Fire Elf City have ceased fighting.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Berg¡¯s statement plunged Karina into deep thought, and it took her a while before she spoke again, filled with bewilderment, ¡°How is that possible? Fire Elf City and Wild Horse City have been fighting for so many years, and now is an excellent opportunity to inflict heavy damage on the other side, why would they cease fighting?¡±


    The ceasefire between Wild Horse City and Fire Elf City not only surprised Karina but also left her perplexed. With the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group eradicated and Wild Horse City caught off guard, this was an excellent opportunity for Fire Elf City to deal a heavy blow. Was the City Lord of Fire Elf City a fool? To pass up such an opportunity and agree to a ceasefire!


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. I only heard that it was Wild Horse City that actively proposed the ceasefire, but Fire Elf City agreed to it very quickly, clearly indicating some kind of deal or agreement was reached¡­¡±


    As he spoke, Berg glanced at Rocky.


    Turning towards Rocky, Berg noticed something off about his expression. There wasn¡¯t much surprise on his face, rather he seemed distracted, as if he hadn¡¯t listened to what he and Karina had been discussing.


    ¡°Rocky, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s abnormal behavior, Berg called out to him.


    ¡°Did you just say¡­ that Wild Horse City and Fire Elf City may have reached some agreement, and that¡¯s why they stopped fighting?¡±


    Called back to reality, Rocky looked at Berg and asked.


    ¡°Certainly, that must be the case. And the price paid must have been significant; otherwise, why would Fire Elf City give up such a good opportunity.¡±


    Berg nodded decisively as he spoke.


    Although the Shadow Alliance didn¡¯t provide this part of the intelligence, everyone was a City Lord, so they were all very clear about the nuances involved. Fire Elf City would not be passing up a great opportunity to attack unless Wild Horse City had offered a price for this outcome.


    ¡°I think¡­ I know why Fire Elf City agreed to Wild Horse City¡¯s ceasefire request.¡±


    After hearing Berg¡¯s words, Rocky sighed and then spoke up.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You know?¡±


    As soon as he finished his statement, both Berg and Karina turned their gaze toward him.


    Facing both of their puzzled looks, Rocky shook his head with a wry smile and said:


    ¡°The Mairente Family.¡±


    As he spoke, he let out a long sigh, ¡°Just as we eradicated the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Wild Horse City issued threats and also ceased fighting with Fire Elf City. This clearly shows an intention to act against us.¡±


    ¡°But doesn¡¯t it seem strange to you? Wild Horse City is willing to pay a great price to Fire Elf City to stop fighting, just to deal with us. Is it worth it? That¡¯s why I think there¡¯s definitely something fishy going on¡­ it¡¯s very possible that the Mairente Family intervened.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying¡­ the Mairente Family approached Wild Horse City to come after you?¡±


    When Rocky said this, Karina asked with a frown, which clearly was also Berg¡¯s question.


    And to her question, Rocky nodded helplessly¡­ It was very possible!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 209 - 215: Revenge Alliance

    Chapter 209: Chapter 215: Revenge Alliance


    ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­ it¡¯s really possible¡­¡±


    Both Berg and Karina, after careful consideration, nodded repeatedly, finding Rocky¡¯s speculation to be very reasonable!


    The annihilation of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was indeed a blow to Wild Horse City, but this kind of blow was not serious enough to cripple the city. There was absolutely no need for them to cease hostilities with Fire Elf City because of this.


    Therefore, Wild Horse City¡¯s initiative to stop fighting with Fire Elf City was not due to defeat, but rather due to other matters that very likely involved Rocky and the Mairente Family.


    The Mairente Family, or to be more precise, one of the big shots in the family, Lexington, had always been looking for ways to exact revenge on Rocky. However, he had been unable to act personally due to the Clan Leader Atted¡¯s interference. But Lexington had his own methods. He had been planning to make contact outside the family with Sky City to retaliate against Rocky. Rocky was aware of these developments, so when he learned that Wild Horse City had suddenly ceased hostilities with Fire Elf City, he immediately thought of the Mairente Family.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this, I will ask the Shadow Alliance. They must know the specifics.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Okay, just tell me how much money you need,¡±


    Rocky nodded and said.


    This matter was closely related to him, and he was naturally willing to spend money to obtain important intelligence and figure out what was really going on.


    Afterward, the three of them chatted for a while and then left separately, as they still had to prepare for the evening¡¯s ball.


    As evening arrived, Rocky brought his people from his city, especially Aileen as promised, to Berg¡¯s City Lord¡¯s Mansion. Likewise, Karina brought her own people. A grand and lively ball was held with individuals from the three Sky Cities at Berg¡¯s City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°Rocky, I have some bad news for you.¡±


    As the main figures of the evening, Rocky, Berg, and Karina naturally took the spotlight. After the ball had been going on for a while, Berg drew Rocky and Karina aside.


    ¡°The Shadow Alliance has already sent back a message.¡±


    ¡°That fast?¡±


    Surprised, Rocky looked at Berg. He was really taken aback by the Shadow Alliance¡¯s efficiency¡ªthey had only decided to buy intelligence that morning, and the information was already in hand by evening?


    ¡°What¡¯s so surprising about that? You don¡¯t think the Shadow Alliance got this intelligence today, do you? They¡¯ve had this information in hand for a while now, just waiting for us to buy it.¡±


    Berg briefly explained, then his expression turned serious. He looked at Rocky and said, ¡°Rocky, congratulations. All your previous speculations hit the bullseye.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°According to the Shadow Alliance¡¯s intelligence, the reason Wild Horse City and Fire Elf City were able to cease hostilities smoothly is indeed because of the Mairente Family.¡±


    ¡°One of the big shots of the Mairente Family, Lexington, is said to have personally made a visit to Fire Elf City and then went to Wild Horse City, meeting with each City Lord individually. Subsequently, the two cities signed a ceasefire agreement, and furthermore¡­¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, Lexington has reached an agreement with Wild Horse City, and your city is their next target.¡±


    As he spoke, Berg looked at Rocky and let out a helpless sigh.


    Unfortunately, intelligence from the Shadow Alliance confirmed that Rocky¡¯s previous speculations were all correct; Wild Horse City had indeed made contact with the Mairente Family, no, to be more precise, with Lexington of the Mairente Family. Both had set their sights on Rocky!


    To tell the truth, this outcome left Berg quite puzzled, for as a powerful figure within the Mairente Family and the City Lord of a large Sky City, Lexington wouldn¡¯t typically make such a move. In his view, Wild Horse City and Fire Elf City combined weren¡¯t even worth a word from him. Yet this time, he personally intervened, not only brokering a ceasefire between the two cities but also aligning with Wild Horse City to deal with Rocky¡ªto Berg, this was utterly abnormal!


    So, after giving Rocky a glance, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Rocky, what on earth have you done to provoke Lexington into such a massive retaliation? A big shot like him wouldn¡¯t bother unless it¡¯s necessary. You¡­ you haven¡¯t slept with his daughter, have you?¡±


    ¡°Slept with who? I have blood ties with his family!¡±


    After giving Berg a glare, Rocky retorted irritably, indicating that he also had no clue why Lexington was targeting him so personally.


    ¡°Anyways, you need to be careful. Now that Lexington has teamed up with Wild Horse City, the family¡¯s restraint on him is no longer effective. He can fully utilize Wild Horse City to retaliate against you, so¡­¡±


    Berg sighed and did not continue.


    Without needing Berg to say it, Rocky was well aware of the gravity of the situation. Clearly, his two enemies had now formed an alliance. Lexington, wanting revenge, had approached Wild Horse City, which harbored grudges against Rocky. Whether their partnership was a perfect match or the result of some deal, they had formed a Revenge Alliance aimed at him!


    That meant¡­ their retaliation would be upon him very soon!


    ¡°When can you join the Sky Alliance?¡±


    Just when Rocky was furrowing his brows, Karina suddenly asked from the side.


    While the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had been vanquished by both Rocky and Karina, Wild Horse City had targeted Rocky as their primary enemy due to Lexington¡¯s influence. Consequently, Karina faced no imminent danger. But she wasn¡¯t just watching idly; she was actively thinking of ways to help Rocky and quickly thought of the Sky Alliance. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That Rocky was planning to join the Sky Alliance was something Karina was well aware of. Berg had also heard about it, so when Karina brought it up, Berg nodded repeatedly and turned his gaze to Rocky.


    Unfortunately, under their watchful eyes, Rocky shook his head vigorously¡­


    ¡°Wilton has already spoken to me about joining the Sky Alliance. We have to wait until he returns to the Alliance and reports everything before it can be finalized. So, it¡¯s not possible to join right away.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±


    Upon hearing what Rocky said, Berg and Karina understood that joining the Sky Alliance wouldn¡¯t provide an immediate solution to Rocky¡¯s urgent crisis.


    With that, the three of them fell into silence, each one with knitted brows.


    Lexington¡¯s sudden intervention disrupted everyone¡¯s previous plans. According to their initial assumption, Wild Horse City, constrained by Fire Elf City, would be unable to extricate itself, which meant Rocky and Karina would have had plenty of time to grow their own strength or even hide away. In short, there were many ways to avoid Wild Horse City¡¯s reprisal.


    But now the situation had become troublesome. Lexington, by brokering a ceasefire between Wild Horse City and Fire Elf City, had enabled Wild Horse City to shake off the shackles of war and focus entirely on dealing with Rocky.


    Being the sole focus of a medium-sized Sky City¡¯s full efforts¡­ the pressure from that could definitely be described as enormous¡­


    ¡°There is another way that could help you avoid disaster for the time being.¡±


    After a period of mutual silence, Berg suddenly spoke up and then suggested to Rocky, ¡°You could hide in Eternal City.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 210 - 216: You Chase, I Run

    Chapter 210: Chapter 216: You Chase, I Run


    ¡°You can hide in Eternal City.¡±


    Berg looked at Rocky and offered a solution.


    Even now, although Rocky could make a qualitative leap in strength with the profits from exterminating the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, he still couldn¡¯t contend with Wild Horse City unless he joined the Sky Alliance.


    As long as he could successfully join the Sky Alliance and gain the protection it offered, Wild Horse City would have to consider the Alliance¡¯s reinforcements before attempting to move against him again, which would undoubtedly create many hesitations for them and thereby significantly reduce the pressure on Rocky.


    However, there was no telling when Wilton would settle this matter, and how to survive the undetermined waiting period had become the key issue.


    The solution Berg had come up with was for Rocky to hide in Eternal City.


    ...


    Don¡¯t forget, Eternal City is not only the largest trading city in the sky but also a Neutral Sky City. Within the airspace of Eternal City, no Sky City is allowed to engage in battle, otherwise, it would be a provocation to God City!


    In any era, not just today, neutrality is not so easily achieved, because being neutral means not only that you do not attack others but also that others do not attack you, which is a difficult stance. Controlling oneself may be easy, but controlling others is far from simple.


    Therefore, any city that has been able to maintain its neutrality over a long period must have exceedingly strong forces of its own. It is precisely because of their formidable strength that others may be deterred from violating them, otherwise, neutrality would be impossible to discuss.


    Eternal City is such a city. Within its airspace, all Sky Cities must refrain from combat. Any that violate this rule will be forcefully expelled, and should any resist during this process, regardless of whether they are large Sky Cities or not, they will be utterly destroyed!


    This rule is effective for everyone, even the three major forces must abide by it, so if Rocky could hide within the airspace of Eternal City, then Wild Horse City would be powerless even if they located him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    When Berg proposed this solution, Karina nodded vigorously, because it was indeed a good idea.


    In fact, many Sky Cities choose to flee to the airspace of Eternal City when faced with crises to take cover. If others can do it, so can Rocky.


    ¡°However, if you want to do this, it¡¯s going to cost you a lot of money.¡±


    Seeing Rocky nodding his head in agreement at this point, Berg reminded him: ¡°The highest Committee of Eternal City is a group of merchants even shrewder than hairy monkeys, knowing that many Sky Cities hide within the airspace of Eternal City to escape danger, they have set a rule.¡±


    ¡°What rule?¡±


    Rocky was very curious.


    ¡°What else could a group of merchants come up with, it¡¯s nothing but to pay a fee.¡±


    Berg scoffed and said, ¡°Any Sky City staying in the airspace of Eternal City gets the first month free, but from the second month on, they¡¯ll have to pay protection money, and it gets more expensive each month. If you can¡¯t afford to pay, you¡¯ll be expelled without any mercy.¡±


    ¡°Can they really do that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how it is.¡± Berg nodded and continued to explain, ¡°According to the rules set by Eternal City, a small Sky City has to pay a protection fee of 50,000 Gold Coins for the first month, 100,000 for the second month, 200,000 for the third month, 400,000 for the fourth month, 800,000 for the fifth month, and 1.6 million for the sixth month, and so on.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so expensive!¡±


    Hearing the prices Berg mentioned, Rocky¡¯s eyes widened on the spot, and his face showed an expression of disbelief. That price was exceedingly high! This wasn¡¯t charging a protection fee; it was outright robbery!


    Berg, however, curled his lip in disdain, ¡°Is that expensive? That¡¯s just the rate for a small Sky City. If it were a medium-sized one, you¡¯d have to pay five hundred thousand Gold Coins in the first month and the amount would exceed one million from the second month on!¡±


    ¡°My heavens¡­¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but rub his temples; he hadn¡¯t expected hiding in Eternal City to be so costly!


    ¡°What are you afraid of? You don¡¯t have to hide forever, just until you join the Sky Alliance. Then you won¡¯t have to hide anymore.¡±


    Seeing Rocky looking so distressed before even spending any money, Karina rolled her eyes at him.


    She was right. Rocky only needed to hide temporarily, not for a lifetime, but he still felt a pang of pain. After all, every cent he¡¯d earned was the result of his hard work¡ªhow could he willingly let it be snatched away for no reason?


    Regrettably, his current predicament left him little choice, so after grinding his teeth, he looked towards Berg and Karina, ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. Once everything here is settled, I¡¯ll head straight to Eternal City.¡±


    ¡°The sooner the better. Wild Horse City will definitely think of Eternal City, too, so you must be fast; it would be troublesome if they catch you en route.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, go as fast as you can.¡±


    Rocky had thought he could rest for a while this time, contemplating future plans, but reality gave him no chance to breathe. Here he was, on his first day in Lingyu City, already in a rush to depart.


    Perhaps this was the best illustration that plans can¡¯t keep up with change.


    Thus, on the second day, Rocky immediately had Aileen start trading with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, and he personally dealt with a small portion of the Demon Materials with the Chamber of Commerce of Lingyu City.


    Because time was of the essence, neither the Ruby Chamber of Commerce nor the Chamber of Commerce of Lingyu City could provide the payment in Gold Coins immediately. The magnitude of Rocky¡¯s transactions was incredibly large, amounting to over a million when combined. Fortunately, both parties had a good foundation of trust, so Rocky decided they could pay part of the sum first, and the rest could be paid in full once he arrived in Eternal City.


    Once everything was settled, he bid farewell to Karina and Berg overnight and made a beeline for Eternal City, narrowly escaping another disaster.


    Why had he escaped a disaster?


    Because on the day after he left Lingyu City, Berg received a message from the Shadow Alliance that Wild Horse City was on its way to their airspace! That meant if Rocky had left a day later, he could have been caught by Wild Horse City en route!


    Upon receiving this news, Berg and Karina also left immediately, so by the time Wild Horse City reached the airspace of Lingyu City, there was nothing there but clouds.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Discovering everyone had fled, Karlo, the City Lord of Wild Horse City, was so furious he was ready to explode, but there was nothing he could do.


    ¡°Someone, set course for Eternal City at once!¡±


    As the City Lord of a medium-sized Sky City, Karlo was an experienced player in the game. Quickly putting two and two together after finding his target missing, he guessed where Rocky might have gone and immediately directed Wild Horse City toward Eternal City, hoping to intercept him mid-journey.


    The information provided by the Shadow Alliance was not at all incorrect; Wild Horse City¡¯s Lord Karlo had indeed teamed up with Lexington, intending to join forces to take out Rocky!


    For Karlo, this partnership was somewhat unbelievable¡ªLexington was a major player, and here he was, making such a big fuss over a small Thunderhawk City, over a small Sky City Lord, which Karlo found perplexing.


    But Karlo didn¡¯t need to understand these things; all he knew was that Rocky, in cahoots with Karina, had destroyed the Air Pirate Group he had managed for years. This single act was enough for him to act to eradicate them both, not to mention Lexington, a big shot, had opened his mouth, even promising a hefty reward should Karlo capture Rocky. In such circumstances, naturally, Karlo set his sights entirely on making Rocky his top priority!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 211 - 217: Consecutive Calamities!

    Chapter 211: Chapter 217: Consecutive Calamities!


    ¡°Father, Karlo has already started to act.¡±


    Qiming City, a large Sky City owned by Lexington, boasting a population of one hundred and fifty thousand, it was also a prominent presence among the large Sky Cities.


    While Rocky and Karlo were engaged in a life-and-death chase in which they jockeyed for position, the instigator of it all, sat in his study discussing the matter with his son.


    ¡°Baron Wolin, are you certain you haven¡¯t mistaken something? Did that Rocky really master a new technology?¡±


    Standing before Lexington, his son Abraham turned his head after reporting Karlo¡¯s movements to look to the side at Baron Wolin.


    ¡°Young Master, I would never make a mistake.¡±


    ...


    Faced with such direct skepticism, Baron Wolin took a deep breath and then nodded vigorously.


    Several months had passed since his last failure; Baron Wolin, who had fallen seriously ill upon his return, had long recovered, but he looked more than ten years older than before. What used to be a few white hairs at his temples had turned into a full head of white hair, making him look like a man in his twilight years.


    The previous failure had dealt an immense blow to Baron Wolin, not only emotionally but also because it had wiped out all his wealth!


    As a member of the Mairente Family, the private army led by Baron Wolin had been painstakingly built up through his numerous campaigns over the past decade. However, they had been completely wiped out in the previous battle. He could not accept such a loss, and the consequences of the failure were also unbearable to him.


    Although the forces lost in defeat were solely Baron Wolin¡¯s own, the law of survival in their great family was to advance or retreat. Once Baron Rocky had lost all his assets, his standing in the family plummeted accordingly.


    For instance, his relationship with Lexington. Apart from a single visit when Baron Wolin fell ill, they hadn¡¯t seen each other for an entire month. The implications of such estrangement were self-evident.


    Hence, now faced with Abraham¡¯s skepticism, Baron Wolin not only nodded repeatedly but also quickly turned toward Lexington.


    ¡°My Lord, I am absolutely not lying; Rocky must have mastered a new technology. Otherwise, it¡¯s impossible for him to have defeated me!¡±


    ¡°Wolin, I believe you.¡±


    Seeing Baron Wolin¡¯s urgency, Lexington smiled, ¡°Abraham doesn¡¯t know what you¡¯ve told me, so don¡¯t blame him. This is a good opportunity; explain it to him in detail.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Having agreed, Baron Wolin turned back to Abraham, took a deep breath, and then started, ¡°Young Master, what you don¡¯t know is that Rocky¡¯s Void Magic Armor has been greatly enhanced, far exceeding normal levels. Although I didn¡¯t have a magic energy detector with me at the time, I can confidently say that his Armor¡¯s magic energy value must have reached at least 1000 points, and he¡¯s wearing the first-generation Armor!¡±


    ¡°1000 points? The first-generation Armor?¡± Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this, Abraham raised an eyebrow. As a Void Magic Warrior, he was well aware of the capabilities of different generations of Armor, and he knew that the limit for the magic energy value of the first-generation Armor was about 500 points. To reach 1000 was simply impossible¡ªsuch figures were only attainable by second-generation Armor.


    ¡°And his warship was also modified, especially the flagship.¡±


    As Abraham furrowed his brows, Baron Wolin continued, ¡°Young Master, you should know my Baron Number is the firepower-focused Watcher Model, whereas Rocky¡¯s flagship is the balanced Scavenger Model. In terms of firepower, my flagship clearly has the advantage. Yet, when our flagships exchanged fire, my flagship was completely outgunned, and within three volleys, it was sunk by the enemy!¡±


    ¡°Young Master, you have personally combated our family¡¯s enemies and know full well how incredible this is. A Watcher Model flagship, in close-range combat, was instantly sunk by a Scavenger Model. Is this feasible?¡±


    ¡°So I think there must be something fishy going on! Rocky must have mastered a new technology, one that can be applied to both warships and Armor, for him to be so powerful!¡±


    ¡°Moreover, according to my investigation over the recent period, I¡¯ve discovered that there¡¯s a big shot hiding within Thunderhawk City.¡±


    ¡°A big shot¡­ Who?¡±


    ¡°The authority in the Magic Energy Domain, Orton!¡± Looking at Abraham, Baron Wolin shared the information he had uncovered: ¡°Young Master, Orton is an authority in the Magic Energy Domain, and he has served The Three Great Alliances. Such an important figure staying in the modest Thunderhawk City¡ªdoesn¡¯t this suggest something?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    After Baron Wolin had said his piece, Abraham¡¯s brows knotted tighter. Although what Baron Wolin said was speculative, it made a lot of sense, especially because Abraham knew very well that while Baron Wolin might not be exceptionally strong, he wasn¡¯t that weak either. Logically, he really shouldn¡¯t have lost to Rocky, and the mention of Orton only bolstered the credibility of his claims.


    Following this, Abraham turned to his father, and at that moment, Lexington spoke up, ¡°Wolin, you¡¯re right. I will handle this matter with caution. You are dismissed for now.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    With that response, Baron Wolin exited the study, and once he was gone, Lexington turned to his son.


    ¡°Abraham, what do you think of this matter?¡±


    ¡°I believe¡­¡± When asked by Lexington, Abraham did not immediately respond, but furrowed his brow and pondered for a moment before speaking, ¡°Father, I think there¡¯s a certain credibility to what Baron Wolin said; it¡¯s indeed possible that Rocky has mastered some new technology¡­¡±


    ¡°Just new technology?¡±


    Without waiting for his son to finish, Lexington abruptly interrupted him, then smiled and said, ¡°Wolin¡¯s vision is still too narrow¡­¡±


    ¡°It has been less than a year since Rocky took over Thunderhawk City, even if he had started developing new technology with Orton from day one, is it possible he could have developed something in less than a year?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Confronted with such a question from Lexington, Abraham was stunned, ¡°Father, do you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Lost technology.¡±


    With a gleam in his eye, Lexington looked at his son and gave the most accurate answer!


    ¡°Lost technology¡­ Father, how is that possible!?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Faced with his son¡¯s disbelief, Lexington chuckled, ¡°Although lost technology comes from the Land Era, each technology is quite mature and can be directly used with a little research upon discovery.¡±


    ¡°After Rocky got his hands on Thunderhawk City, there was not much initially, but in the last six months, there have been continuous big moves; first subduing Backhill Village, then defeating Wolin, and now he has joined forces with that crazy girl Karina to annihilate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. All these are things he has done in the recent six months, and behind all this must be some kind of lost technology.¡±


    ¡°Only technology of this level could attract an authority in the Magic Energy Domain like Orton to his side.¡±


    Lexington was indeed shrewd and tough; even without a single meeting with Rocky, just by relying on Baron Wolin¡¯s conjectures and some intelligence, he accurately deduced the truth!


    Hearing his father¡¯s words, Abraham took a deep breath and hurriedly said, ¡°Father, if that¡¯s the case, we should personally capture Rocky! How can we let Karlo, that robber, make a move? It¡¯s too unsafe!¡±


    Abraham certainly knew how valuable a piece of lost technology was, and he had no doubt about his father¡¯s judgment, so he immediately felt letting Karlo deal with Rocky was not an appropriate approach.


    The relationship between Karlo and the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was well known to many, so in the eyes of other city lords, Karlo and the robbers were no different. Abraham felt letting such a person deal with Rocky was far too unsafe, especially since it concerned lost technology!


    However, when he expressed his concerns, Lexington shook his head, ¡°Abraham, you are still too young¡­¡±


    ¡°If I were to take matters into my own hands, Rocky and Thunderhawk City would naturally be easily captured, but don¡¯t forget, within our family, how many eyes are watching my every move? Once I personally take action, people like Atted and Kelly must notice, and what I can discern, they will not fail to see either.¡±


    ¡°Moreover¡­ do you think Karlo is capable of handling Rocky?¡±


    This question from Lexington made Abraham pause, unclear as to what he meant.


    ¡°Abraham, don¡¯t overestimate Karlo, nor underestimate your cousin; he is about to join the Sky Alliance.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    This time, Abraham was genuinely surprised. As Lexington¡¯s son, his perspective was far broader than that of ordinary people, even broader than that of ordinary city lords, so he was very clear how difficult it was to join the Sky Alliance and how tough they were to deal with!


    But compared to his surprise, Lexington¡¯s face remained smiling, seemingly not too concerned about it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to inquire why he can join the Sky Alliance, but I have already made contact with the Sky Alliance through my connections. Therefore, Rocky won¡¯t be able to enter the Alliance for half a year. In this situation, he has only one way to avoid Karlo.¡±


    ¡°Eternal City?¡±


    When Lexington got to this point, Abraham had already thought of the outcome.


    ¡°Exactly, Eternal City,¡± Lexington said with satisfaction, continuing, ¡°Rocky will definitely go to Eternal City, but with his finances, he won¡¯t be able to stay long; at most, six months, or as little as two, he must come out. Therefore, I need you to take your private army there.¡±


    ¡°If Karlo captures him by that time, then eliminate Karlo and bring Rocky back.¡±


    ¡°If Karlo fails, then you directly capture Rocky and bring him back. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, Father!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 212 - 218: Adding Trouble?

    Chapter 212: Chapter 218: Adding Trouble?


    The secret of Mana Runes, unless locked in a box and untouched, once used, even with extreme caution, can still be discovered by those who are intent on doing so. Lexington was one such individual, a shrewd man who accurately guessed that Rocky possessed technology from a lost era!


    The only consolation was that he did not know the lost technology Rocky possessed was the extremely important Mana Rune, capable of changing the world. Plus, his excessive greed meant he was afraid of others in his family learning of this, which is what allowed Rocky to narrowly escape a life-and-death crisis. Otherwise, had Lexington personally intervened, Rocky and Thunderhawk City would have been destroyed by now.


    Even so, Lexington still made ample preparations. He reached out to Wild Horse City and even the Sky Alliance, using his influence to interfere as much as possible with Rocky¡¯s integration into the Alliance. More importantly, he had sent out his son, ready to stage a play where the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.


    And at this time, Rocky was completely unaware of it¡­


    Rocky was now making his full effort to rush to Eternal City.


    They say people have a Sixth Sense, a feeling that often transcends the other five senses and can preemptively sense certain things. Rocky now had such a premonition, feeling as though he had been cursed by the goddess of bad luck, surrounded by crises now and in the future. This sensation chilled him to the bone, making him restless and uneasy.


    ...


    In such a state, he repeatedly pushed Thunderhawk City to accelerate, unwilling to settle even when they had reached the speed limit of Sky City. Had Orton not forcefully intervened, landing several hard punches on his head, Rocky¡¯s reckless actions might have caused irreversible and severe damage to Thunderhawk City¡¯s Super Crystal.


    However, his excessive actions due to nervousness were clearly correct, for soon after, he received a communication from Berg, telling him that Wild Horse City was in pursuit!


    On hearing this news, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief because by the time he received this message, Eternal City was already within reach!


    That¡¯s right, he had already arrived at Eternal City!


    By leaving two full days ahead of Wild Horse City and maintaining Thunderhawk City¡¯s maximum speed during the journey, they greatly shortened the travel time to Eternal City. Even though Karlo immediately gave chase after failing to find them, he was still too late.


    Upon entering the airspace of Eternal City, Rocky¡¯s anxious heart finally eased a bit. However, he did not rush to God City but instead gathered everyone in the city. After all, they might stay in Eternal City for several months, and some matters had to be properly arranged.


    ¡°Aileen, once we get to Eternal City, immediately get the details of the refuge from city officials, and calculate how long we can hold out here.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Lord Jack, the second series of training classes is about to end. Arrange for the workers to start their jobs in the factories quickly. If we take refuge in Eternal City for a long time, the expenditures will undoubtedly surge, so the leather factory needs to start operating as soon as possible to alleviate some of the burden on the city.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Monte, Lin Feng, and Felly, work hard to train the troops. Whether we join the Sky Alliance or not, a battle with Wild Horse City is inevitable, so be prepared. Also, pass the word to award the Guards who perform best in training with the fourth-generation Void Magic Armor; exemplary crew members in the Fleet will have a chance to be promoted to Captain of an Escort Ship.¡±


    ¡°Also, Felly, please tell Old Jack that if their crews are willing to stay in Thunderhawk City, they can continue to enjoy the same treatment as the Thunderhawk City crew.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Upon receiving Rocky¡¯s series of orders, everyone immediately nodded, then dispersed to carry out their tasks.


    After everyone had left, Rocky leaned back in the City Lord¡¯s seat and let out a sigh, suddenly finding the position of City Lord uncomfortable no matter how he sat.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to make it through this.¡±


    As Rocky struggled to get comfortable in his seat, finding that no position seemed to ease the discomfort, Liliya patted him on the shoulder beside him, calming his restlessness. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope so¡­¡±


    Grasping Liliya¡¯s hand on his shoulder, Rocky suddenly realized it wasn¡¯t that the seat was uncomfortable, but rather there was a problem with his own mindset.


    And at that moment, the doors to the City Lord¡¯s Hall were suddenly pushed open, and Orton walked in.


    Orton¡¯s abrupt entrance made Liliya hastily withdraw her small hand from Rocky¡¯s shoulder, and Rocky also quickly stood up. Their expressions were like those of young lovers caught by parents for the first time.


    Unfortunately, Orton didn¡¯t pay any attention to what the two were doing before, or perhaps he chose to ignore it. In any case, he sauntered up to Rocky soon after.


    ¡°Kid, I need research funding.¡±


    Speaking directly, Orton said this as he approached Rocky.


    ¡°Oh¡­ sure.¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky was first taken aback, but then he nodded his head quickly.


    Although Thunderhawk City was facing many crises and taking refuge in Eternal City required a large amount of money, Rocky had just completed two transactions in Lingyu City, and their combined earnings had already exceeded one million. So, it was feasible for him to take out tens of thousands of gold coins to fund Orton¡¯s research.


    So, after nodding his head, he asked, ¡°Teacher, how much do you need?¡±


    ¡°One million gold coins, and the four sets of Void Magic Armor you captured.¡±


    After Orton said these words, Rocky almost spat out a mouthful of blood! One million for research and four sets of fourth-generation Void Magic Armor?


    It wasn¡¯t just about money; it was as if he was asking for Rocky¡¯s life!


    From the two transactions he conducted in Lingyu City, Rocky had earned a total of one million and eighty thousand gold coins. Rounding up, let¡¯s say he made one hundred and ten thousand gold coins. But as substantial as this amount was, it simply wasn¡¯t enough to cover all expenses.


    Rocky had to seek shelter in Eternal City to avoid retaliation from Wild Horse City. According to Berg, aside from the first month which Thunderhawk City could dock for free, protection fees must be paid to Eternal City each month thereafter for continued refuge.


    Starting from the month they began paying, the first month¡¯s protection fee was fifty thousand gold coins, then it doubled to one hundred thousand for the second month and doubled again to two hundred thousand for the third month. Each subsequent month, the fees would double.


    In other words, the cost of taking refuge in Eternal City was potentially limitless, and Rocky¡¯s million gold coins wouldn¡¯t last long!


    And that was just the money needed to pay fees. Aside from that, Rocky had to provide for over three thousand people living in the city, which also required hundreds of thousands of gold coins.


    Furthermore, as he had mentioned earlier, whether or not he could successfully join the Sky Alliance, there was bound to be a big battle with Wild Horse City. Aside from the soldiers¡¯ training, just the repairs on the fleet would take up a considerable sum.


    Since wiping out the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Rocky had been traveling non-stop. The warships captured from the Air Pirate Group had no time for repairs and had been seized only after engaging in battle with Karina¡¯s fleet¡ªeach ship bore some damage, especially the three Escort Ships. Therefore, these warships needed fixing before they could fight again, and it would cost at least two hundred thousand gold coins to do so!


    After calculating everything, Rocky would have practically nothing left of his million-plus gold coins. That he could scrape together tens of thousands for Orton¡¯s research under such severe financial strain was already quite the feat, but he had never imagined that Orton would have the gall to demand a million in research funds!


    He was just making things worse!


    But before Rocky had a chance to refuse, Orton spoke first.


    When Orton had finished explaining his thoughts, both Rocky and the nearby Liliya were stunned. Their faces, initially filled with surprise, slowly turned grave.


    After a while, Rocky clenched his teeth and nodded, telling Orton, ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ll give you a million!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 213 - 219: Rune Armor Project!

    Chapter 213: Chapter 219: Rune Armor Project!


    As night fell, Rocky brought the four sets of Void Magic Armor that he had just seized to Orton¡¯s research institute and met Orton, who had still not rested.


    ¡°Teacher¡­¡±


    Upon entering the laboratory, Rocky found Orton still standing at the experiment table and quietly uttered a word.


    ¡°Sit down.¡±


    Without looking back, Orton casually spoke as he continued working without pause.


    An hour and more passed in this manner before he finished his work and finally turned around to glance at Rocky.


    ... S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Young man, you seem to be weighed down with worries.¡±


    After taking a look at Rocky, Orton picked up a chair and sat down next to the experiment table.


    And hearing his words, Rocky could only give a wry smile; of course, he was weighed down with worries!


    Right now, Thunderhawk City was facing a life-and-death crisis, and yet Orton had asked him to come up with one million Gold Coins for research. The pressure this placed on Rocky was immense, not to mention that he could not refuse the reasons Orton had given. Under such circumstances, he naturally seemed heavily preoccupied.


    It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that in just half a day, Rocky was so worried that the corners of his mouth had developed blisters!


    So, after a wry smile, he looked at Orton and felt compelled to ask again, ¡°Teacher, were all those things you said true?¡±


    That morning in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, Orton had had a serious talk with Rocky, primarily about the fall of Tulip City.


    In Orton¡¯s eyes, the fall of Tulip City was a very dangerous sign, indicating that the delicate balance that had been maintained between humans and demons for nearly a century had been broken!


    Demons occupied the land, and humans lived in the skies; this situation had been ongoing for nearly a hundred years. Although during this time humans had made more than one attempt to fight back, even launching two large-scale wars of resistance, the situation had ultimately remained unchanged.


    In fact, this nearly century-long status quo had formed a delicate balance. In this balance, both sides were doing quite well¡ªdisregarding the quality of life of the demons, at least the people living in the skies were not doing poorly.


    However, with the fall of Tulip City, this balance had been disrupted!


    In the eyes of the average person, the fall of Tulip City might not signify much. After all, there were still two other cities on the land. Even if the other two were lost as well, the sky and the land were completely separate realms; it would be impossible for demons to threaten those living above.


    For an average person to have such a thought was normal, but in the eyes of someone with a broader perspective like Orton, the fall of Tulip City represented far more. Especially since Orton had witnessed the annihilation of a city by a Magic Dragon firsthand, this made him all the more aware of the severity of the issue.


    The demons that had been dormant for a century were on the move!


    This was Orton¡¯s judgment. He had arrived at this conclusion through the fall of Tulip City and the obliteration of the city by a Magic Dragon¡ªthat the demons were about to take action!


    Was his judgment correct?


    It was!


    In fact, as early as six months before, there had been noticeable unrest among the demons, coinciding oddly with the time Rocky had become troubled!


    As Rocky discovered the Mana Runes, he began to gradually establish his reputation, especially after eradicating the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. Many City Lords were already familiar with his name. But the beginning of it all, can be traced back to the mission to protect Backhill Village.


    In that mission at Backhill Village, Rocky had noticed the peculiar increase in demons, although at that time he didn¡¯t give it much thought. The fact was, the unusual activities of demons had started back then, and Rocky was unaware that, while he was determinedly defending Backhill Village, the far-off Gesya City was undergoing a massive siege by demons!


    Therefore, the abnormal activities of demons had already been manifesting six months ago, and the fall of Tulip City was merely a result that arose from these movements.


    At the same time, in Orton¡¯s view, the consequences of these movements weren¡¯t as simple as just the fall of Tulip City. He believed that the unusual activities of demons would have a profound impact on the entire world!


    In light of these circumstances, he felt he could no longer wait.


    In line with his previous thinking, he had planned to dedicate one to two years to thoroughly research the Mana Runes and then move on to their practical development. This approach might seem slow, but was actually the quickest because the longer the research on runes took, the fewer detours would have to be navigated once applied in practice.


    But now, as demons started to stir, Orton felt there was no time for a leisurely pace anymore. He could wait, but the demons would not; who knows when they might all grow wings and launch an attack on the skies.


    So Orton decided to immediately put the runes into practical use!


    And his first plan was the runification of the Void Magic Armor ¨C the Rune Armor project!


    Orton decided to apply runes to the Void Magic Armor as a priority, to alter the current situation where the Armor could only rely on a Magic Stone as its power core, by creating a new technology driven by runes. It was precisely because he was undertaking this epoch-making research that he had asked Rocky to provide him with one million Gold Coins in funding.


    When Orton shared his plan with Rocky, who had originally intended to flatly refuse him, he ultimately agreed.


    He had no choice but to agree. Whether Orton¡¯s plan would benefit the world or not, Rocky did not know; what he did know was that he would certainly reap immense benefits from it!


    Should the Rune Armor project succeed, then Rocky would become the owner of this top-notch technology and also of the first set of Rune Armor. The benefits that these could bring him were immeasurable!


    Therefore, even if Rocky had to grit his teeth and tighten his belt, facing such challenging circumstances, he still agreed to Orton¡¯s request!


    However, even though he agreed, he could not help but worry, and that was precisely the reason for his visit to Orton today.


    ¡°Teacher, do you think the Rune Armor project can succeed?¡±


    Sitting opposite Orton, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but voice his concern. A million Gold Coins was not something he couldn¡¯t afford, but it was all he had, and given his already challenging situation, if anything went wrong with Orton¡¯s research, he would be completely ruined. So, his worry was inevitable.


    ¡°Brat! Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    But as soon as he asked, Orton immediately rounded his eyes in surprise.


    ¡°Teacher, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, but I think¡­ even with just you and myself, can we really create the Rune Armor?¡±


    Rocky wasn¡¯t so much worried about Orton¡¯s abilities; he was concerned about whether just the two of them could successfully complete the project. He had another unspoken worry: Orton was, indeed, a master in the field of Magic Energy, but what they were about to work on was Armor! While Armor and Magic Energy were inseparably linked, Armor nonetheless had its own unique technologies, in which Orton was not well-versed.


    After Rocky asked his question, Orton simply smiled and countered with a question of his own, ¡°Brat, when did I ever say that this project involves only the two of us?¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 214 - 220 Major Events and Minor Sentiments

    Chapter 214: Chapter 220 Major Events and Minor Sentiments


    ¡°`


    Facing Rocky¡¯s concern, Orton laughed straightaway, ¡°Kid, when did I ever say that only the two of us would be involved in this plan?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Orton¡¯s words left Rocky stunned on the spot, momentarily unable to react.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted a few old friends and invited them here to join us in the research.¡±


    Seeing the startled Rocky, Orton casually explained.


    ...


    It turned out he never planned to complete the Rune Armor project by himself; he had already contacted others long ago!


    But as soon as he said this, Rocky jumped up immediately!


    ¡°Teacher, when did this happen?¡±


    ¡°It was just a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°I forgot.¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Orton said nonchalantly while picking his nose with his little finger, then rolled his eyes at Rocky, ¡°Kid, look at you! What, do you see everyone as robbers, all set on stealing the mana runes?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡­¡±


    Hearing Orton¡¯s words, Rocky¡¯s face flushed instantly because Orton was right; he was, indeed, worried about more people finding out about the mana runes.


    ¡°You¡­ When will you start thinking more broadly?¡±


    Faced with Rocky¡¯s flushed face, Orton sighed helplessly, ¡°Kid, you need to realize that not everyone in this world is blinded by profit. Those old friends of mine may not be as capable as I am, but they are skilled, and most importantly, they are truly passionate about academia, so you can rest assured.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t forget, the content in the research notes is merely the rune foundation left by Senior Wensel. Only through further research on this foundation can the runes truly shine. I remember you once said that the mana rune technology is something you eventually plan to share with the world. So, before sharing it, don¡¯t you plan to do further research?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you intend to fully explore the runes before sharing them, ensuring that even if others know about the mana runes and grasp the basics, they will always be a step behind you?¡±


    After saying this, Orton patted Rocky on the shoulder, ¡°Kid, possessing the mana runes gives you a greater advantage than others, so it¡¯s time to broaden your horizons and deepen your ideas.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Orton¡¯s teaching was deafening to Rocky, leaving him stunned.


    Obviously, after interacting with Rocky for so long, Orton had identified his shortcoming¡ªhis vision was too narrow and his perspective too limited. Of course, this wasn¡¯t his fault; after all, as the City Lord of a small Sky City, how profound could his vision be? How broad could his perspective be?


    In reality, this was not just Rocky¡¯s issue; many City Lords of small Sky Cities had the same problem. But Orton made it clear, Rocky was different from other City Lords. Those City Lords might spend their entire lives as just City Lords of small Sky Cities, but since Rocky had mastered the top-notch technology of mana runes, his future was boundless. Under such circumstances, he had to expand his vision, deepen his perspective, and avoid showing a small-minded attitude.


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t something that could happen overnight, so after saying all this, Orton called him to the small blackboard in the lab to give him an early lecture on some ideas about Rune Armor, so he wouldn¡¯t be clueless when the other masters came.


    ¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­.


    Many events occurred in October of the 117th year of the Sky Era, some of which people quickly learned about, while others became known years later.


    For example, the fall of Tulip City, once known through Wilton¡¯s report, the Sky Alliance considered concealing it. This was also the wish of the other two alliances. The Three Great Alliances even contacted the Shadow Alliance to this end. After all, Tulip City, which had stood for less than a hundred years, had long become a symbol in people¡¯s hearts. If the news of its fall spread, it would inevitably cause panic to some extent.


    Unfortunately, this matter was too big to hide. Even if the Shadow Alliance did not spread it, any Sky City flying over Tulip City could learn about it. The truth couldn¡¯t be hidden, so even though the Three Great Alliances deliberately concealed it, over time, many people learned about the fall of Tulip City through various channels.


    As expected by the Three Great Alliances, once the news spread, it immediately caused a sensation across the sky, causing the people to panic. In such a situation, the Sky Alliance had no choice but to release a statement to the world through various channels, including the Shadow Alliance.


    In this statement, while confirming the fall of Tulip City, the Sky Alliance assured everyone that they had gathered a large number of troops and that Holy Knight Wilton would lead the effort to reclaim Tulip City as soon as possible.


    Only after this statement was released did the people in the sky finally calm down.


    However, this only applied to ordinary people. Those with more foresight were not fooled by a mere statement. To them, if even the well-defended Tulip City could be breached, how easily could it be retaken?


    Moreover, now that the city had fallen, what use would retaking it serve? The statement was released a month after Tulip City was conquered. In that long month, everyone in Tulip City had been slaughtered by demons. So even if Wilton successfully reclaimed Tulip City, what good was an empty city?


    In truth, perceptive individuals saw that the Sky Alliance¡¯s statement was just to pacify the masses, and insightful people cared less about the city itself and more about the implications of Tulip City¡¯s fall. That was the key.


    Therefore, after the Sky Alliance issued the statement, the matter of Tulip City seemed to calm, but an undercurrent began to flow through the sky.


    Firstly, the other two forces in the Three Great Alliances, the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Society, made a series of moves. The two alliances successively dispatched a large number of Sky Cities to the other two cities on land, namely Gesya City and Mount Wanshan City, clearly to prevent the fate of Tulip City from happening to these two cities.


    On the other hand, staying true to their word, in the second month following the statement, the Sky Alliance dispatched a massive force straight to Tulip City!


    This force comprised three large Sky Cities and five medium-sized Sky Cities, with Wilton himself as commander. The fleets under these cities numbered in the thousands! They marched grandly toward Tulip City!


    The mobilization of such a massive force naturally drew the world¡¯s attention, and everyone was eager to see if they could retake Tulip City.


    However, at the same time, a seemingly insignificant event went unnoticed: during this period, Thunderhawk City saw an unusual stream of guests.


    Orton¡¯s old friends arrived one after another during this time!


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 215 - 221: Masters Gather!

    Chapter 215: Chapter 221: Masters Gather!


    In order to support the Rune Armor project, Rocky had to bring in Aileen and make some adjustments to the original arrangements.


    As one of Rocky¡¯s confidantes, Aileen was already aware of the existence of runes, so Rocky relayed Orton¡¯s plan to her directly. Although Aileen might not be a researcher, she was in charge of finances, and the funding for Orton¡¯s research had to be allocated by her. It was imperative that she knew about this matter.


    In response to this, Aileen offered Rocky her utmost support. Not only did she not hinder him in any way, but she also took the initiative to help plan for him and then got to work immediately.


    First, they contacted the Ruby Chamber of Commerce and several other chambers of commerce with whom they had conducted transactions in Lingyu City, settling all payments from the previous dealings. This provided Rocky with over a million Gold Coins in cash.


    With this cash in hand, Aileen first deducted five hundred thousand for a protection fee and other expenses, which would cover approximately three months; the remaining half a million was left entirely to Rocky for funding Orton¡¯s research.


    After that, Aileen set off for Eternal City and began moving between the various chambers of commerce, intending to sell off all the remaining Demon Materials. Once this inventory was sold, they could at least make another four to five hundred thousand Gold Coins. In this way, the one million Gold Coins that Orton requested would be secured, and at the same time, the expenses for the next three months in Thunderhawk City would also be accounted for.


    ...


    Meanwhile, as all this was happening, those old friends mentioned by Orton were arriving one after another!


    On this day, Thunderhawk City saw the rare arrival of a passenger ship.


    Passenger ships are the most basic means of transport between Sky Cities, different from merchant ships and warships. They are specifically designed to transport people. Smaller passenger ships can ferry a few hundred people, while larger ones can carry thousands. To draw a comparison, passenger ships are somewhat akin to cruise liners.


    The passenger ship that arrived in Thunderhawk City was a large one capable of carrying over a thousand people. However, when this huge vessel slowly landed at the Skyport, only one person disembarked, and he was a Dwarf.


    ¡°What kind of lousy place is this?¡±


    The short Dwarf, slightly over one meter tall with whiskers on his cheeks, stepped off the ship, looked around, and then grumbled his dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Orton? That fellow Orton, why didn¡¯t he come to greet me himself?¡±


    After looking around and not finding Orton, the little Dwarf casually called over a Guard and asked with a huff.


    ¡°Excuse me¡­ are you Master Hammerfire?¡±


    The person he had casually stopped was none other than Rocky, who had been waiting at the Skyport for quite some time. So upon being approached by the Dwarf, Rocky immediately asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s me, what¡¯s up?¡±


    Seemingly surprised that Rocky knew his name, the Dwarf, just over one meter tall, tilted his head back and squinted his eyes¡ªsmall as soybeans¡ªto take a good look at him.


    ¡°Master Hammerfire, I am a student of Orton¡¯s and also the Lord of Sky City. My teacher is currently engaged in research, so he sent me to pick you up.¡±


    Facing the dwarf in front of him, Rocky was extremely respectful and courteous, even a bit nervous!


    One should not underestimate this dwarf based on his stature, for the dwarf before you is a master smith of the Void Magic Armor!


    As a dwarf, Hammerfire was over fifty years old this year, but according to traditional dwarf concepts, a hundred and fifty years was merely the age of maturity. So, despite Hammerfire looking like a sturdy old man, he was quite young in reality.


    And as dwarves, this race has an inherent intense talent and interest for smithing, a trait that has taken root deeply in their genes. During the Land Era, the dwarf race produced many master crafters of mana equipment. With the advent of the Sky Era and the emergence of Void Magic Armor, which took over as the mainstream while the traditional mana equipment faded into the background, this change had no effect on the dwarves, who continued to have masters in the crafting of Void Magic Armor.


    Hammerfire was such a master.


    At over a hundred and fifty years old, not only had Hammerfire witnessed the birth of the Void Magic Armor, he had also personally experienced its development over the decades. During these long years, Hammerfire had gradually become one of the most recognized masters in the field.


    His achievements in the domain of Void Magic Armor were second to none compared to Orton in the field of magic energy, even surpassing him by a notable margin. Among the many models of the fourth-generation Void Magic Armor, one of the armors bore Hammerfire¡¯s name, known as the illustrious Hammerfire Armor!


    Since the fifth-generation armors had been out for some time, people had already formed definitive opinions about the numerous fourth-generation armors, even including various rankings. In all these diverse, authorship varied, and even purpose varied rankings, the Hammerfire Armor, developed under Hammerfire¡¯s personal direction, always ranked first!


    The Hammerfire Armor was hailed as the most perfect fourth-generation armor, without parallel!


    This armor, from its initial concept, to later design, and then to actual development, was all led by Hammerfire! Just this alone is enough to prove his formidable strength in the domain of armor crafting.


    Unfortunately, as the Void Magic Armor reached its fifth generation, Hammerfire, the master who created the most perfect fourth-generation armor, suddenly vanished. He had also led the development of a few fifth-generation armors, but only one was a success, and the rest ended in failure. Even the successful fifth-generation armor did not cause much of a stir, causing Hammerfire¡¯s name to gradually fade from people¡¯s sight over the years.


    Perhaps it was due to nearly identical experiences, or perhaps their areas of expertise greatly aligned, or even possible similarities in temperament, that Hammerfire and Orton became good friends. Therefore, when Orton was preparing to start the Rune Armor project, the first person he thought of was Hammerfire and he was the first one he contacted.


    However, Orton did not share many details with Hammerfire, only asking him to come to Thunderhawk City to participate in his project. That¡¯s why, after arriving, Hammerfire was so eager to meet Orton.


    And when Hammerfire heard that Orton did not come to meet him in person and had sent Rocky instead, his wrinkled face showed an expression of discontent.


    ¡°Hmph! That old man! Let¡¯s see how I¡¯ll deal with him!¡±


    Having said that, Hammerfire ignored Rocky and went straight toward the carriage parked not far away¡­


    Three days after Hammerfire arrived in Thunderhawk City, still at the skyport, a passenger ship arrived, carrying a human mage who was of a similar age to Orton or, rather, even much older than Orton.


    This time, it was not only Rocky waiting to greet them. Orton also came in person, even Hammerfire came himself, and as soon as he saw the other party disembark, Orton hurriedly approached.


    Without his usual defiant demeanor, Orton respectfully bowed his head upon reaching the other person, ¡°Senior Brother.¡±


    ¡°Master Aniye.¡±


    Just like Orton, Hammerfire also respectfully bowed his head to the human mage and called out, ¡°Master.¡±


    The human mage in front of them, named Aniye, was also a master-level figure in the Magic Energy Domain. Moreover, he was Orton¡¯s senior brother.


    Many people hadn¡¯t heard of Aniye¡¯s name because he was not as famous as Orton and Hammerfire, but in the academic world, his name was known to all. There was a simple reason for this: in his youth, Aniye had participated in the development of Sky City alongside his teacher!


    Just this achievement alone was enough to immortalize him in the history books.


    Three days after Aniye¡¯s arrival, the last of Orton¡¯s old friends, whom he had summoned, also arrived, but this last friend of Orton was indeed a lady.


    Actually, to call her a lady wasn¡¯t quite right, for Orton was already over eighty years old this year. Had it not been for his breakthrough in magic power to the level of an archmage, which kept him fairly robust, he would have been an old man in his twilight years. And this female friend he had invited, maybe she wasn¡¯t as old as him, but she was in her sixties or seventies, so instead of calling her a lady, it would be more accurate to say she was an old woman.


    However, when Rocky followed Orton and the others to meet this old woman at the Skyport, he was startled, for she looked to be only in her forties and not at all like an old woman.


    ¡°You rascal, how could you also bring your old flame here!¡±


    Standing next to Orton, Hammerfire gave Orton a hard kick upon seeing who the last person was and mockingly said.


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    After glaring fiercely at Hammerfire, Orton took a deep breath and straightened his clothes, before finally stepping forward toward the person.


    ¡°Pelaya, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    Bringing Rocky to the person, Orton tried to show a smile that was not too awkward.


    ¡°Indeed, how come you seem to be getting older?¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Pelaya, who had just come down from the ship, raised an eyebrow at him and then spoke.


    As an expert in the mana framework field, don¡¯t let Pelaya¡¯s real age fool you; she may look to be in her forties, possibly due to some special method, so when she raised her brow at Orton, she still had the charm of her youth, and Orton¡¯s face instantly reddened.


    This scene left Rocky stunned; he had never seen Orton blush like that before.


    ¡°Come on, tell me what you¡¯ve summoned me here for this time, acting all mysterious.¡±


    Pelaya immediately asked with a laugh, having made Orton¡¯s face turn red with just a flick of her curved eyebrows.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it at the research institute; I have something important to show you.¡±


    Before this, although Hammerfire and Aniye had arrived much earlier, Orton had only settled them in at Rocky¡¯s City Lord¡¯s Mansion and hadn¡¯t said much to them, clearly waiting for everyone to arrive before explaining in detail.


    Now that Pelaya had arrived, all the old friends Orton had gathered were finally assembled. Although counting Orton himself there were only four people, each one of them was a master in their own domain, each capable of leading an entire project on their own. Yet, now, they had been convened together!


    Honestly, if this news were to leak out, one might not dare to say much else, but at the very least, it would cause a sensation in the academic world, because any project that required the participation of so many masters was without exception one of the world¡¯s most cutting-edge projects!


    And now that everyone had arrived, they took a carriage from the Skyport, not going to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion but directly to Orton¡¯s research institute.


    ¡°Orton, what exactly are you up to? It¡¯s been so many days, and you haven¡¯t said anything.¡± S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon arriving at the research institute and going to Orton¡¯s lab together, Hammerfire complained dissatisfiedly. He had been the first to arrive in Thunderhawk City, but it had almost been a week, and Orton still hadn¡¯t said anything to him. This secretive behavior didn¡¯t sit well with the straightforward Dwarf.


    Not just Hammerfire, even Aniye and the newly arrived Pelaya were also very curious, as their relationship with Orton was surely closer, yet they too were unaware of why Orton had summoned them.


    However, faced with Hammerfire¡¯s questioning and the curiosity of Aniye and Pelaya, Orton merely smiled slightly, offering no explanation or further words, only effortlessly drawing a Mana Rune in front of everyone with his magic power!


    ¡°This¡­!¡±


    The moment the Mana Rune was drawn, Aniye stood up from his seat, followed by both Pelaya and Hammerfire doing the same.


    ¡°This, what kind of Rune is this! It can actually store magic energy!¡±


    PS: The cross-era development of Rune Armor is about to begin, but not only does it need the support of gold coins, it also needs your recommendation support! So please, recommend it!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 216 - 222 Joint Deliberation

    Chapter 216: Chapter 222 Joint Deliberation


    ¡°`


    The first time seeing the Mana Rune, Aniye, Pelaya, and Hammerfire were all stunned. When Orton drew a rune with magic power in front of them, the three almost simultaneously jumped up from their seats.


    ¡°What is this thing, how can it contain mana?¡±


    ¡°Although the amount is not high, it indeed contains mana in it, but¡­ how is this possible!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a new technology!¡±


    The three of them were top figures in their respective fields. Perhaps they had never seen a Mana Rune, but with their profound expertise, just one look was enough to discern its secrets.


    ...


    So after this, they all gathered around the rune Orton had drawn.


    ¡°Indeed, this truly is new technology, constructing a symbol directly with magic power and storing mana within it. I¡¯ve never heard of such technology, oh my! This idea is simply amazing!¡±


    Looking closely at the Mana Rune in front of her, Pelaya was amazed because her specialty was the mana framework field, so the rune in her eyes was different from those seen by others.


    But after a round of amazement, Pelaya glanced at Orton, ¡°Orton, this technology wasn¡¯t invented by you, was it?¡±


    ¡°Needless to say, there¡¯s no way this guy could have invented such advanced technology!¡±


    Before Orton could respond, Hammerfire spoke up first, then waved to Rocky nearby, ¡°City Lord kid, come over and give me a lift so I can see better.¡±


    Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Orton had deliberately placed the rune at an especially high position while drawing it with magic power. Even when Aniye and Pelaya came closer, they had to look up to see it clearly. However, this greatly troubled Hammerfire. Being just over a meter tall, even when he got close and looked up, he still couldn¡¯t see the rune clearly and had no choice but to let Rocky lift him.


    Hearing this, Rocky hurried over to Hammerfire, grasping the dwarf around his barrel waist and lifting him high in the air so that Hammerfire could see the rune clearly.


    ¡°This really is a masterpiece¡­¡±


    Being lifted by Rocky, Hammerfire couldn¡¯t help but express admiration when he saw the full picture of the rune. Then he confidently looked at Pelaya, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. This surely wasn¡¯t researched by Orton.¡±


    ¡°You! What nonsense are you talking!¡±


    Being teased by Hammerfire repeatedly, especially in front of Pelaya, Orton was a bit embarrassed and glared with widened eyes, ¡°Why couldn¡¯t I have researched it!¡±


    ¡°You just couldn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°I can!¡±


    ¡°Stop kidding yourself, you can¡¯t.¡±


    This time it was Pelaya who spoke. Her attention always on the rune, she smiled and glanced at Orton, speaking the truth.


    As Pelaya said this, Orton¡¯s face turned beet red with embarrassment, while Hammerfire burst into hearty laughter.


    ¡°Alright, stop messing around. In front of the kid, show some maturity.¡±


    Seeing the three nearly argue, Aniye, who held the highest status among them, shook her head helplessly, stopping their quarrel, and then said, ¡°Orton, this must be lost technology from the Land Era, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Being questioned by his senior brother, Orton stopped arguing, nodding honestly.


    ¡°See! I told you it wasn¡¯t your research!¡±


    With Orton admitting the fact, Hammerfire became the happiest person, laughing loudly while being lifted high by Rocky, pointing at Orton.


    ¡°Which predecessor researched it?¡±


    At this time, Pelaya asked.


    ¡°You have to ask him about that.¡±


    Faced with this question, Orton didn¡¯t respond but looked at Rocky.


    Following his gaze, Aniye and Pelaya also looked towards Rocky, causing Hammerfire, who was being lifted high, to be startled, thinking they wanted him to explain.


    ¡°City Lord kid, put me down, and quickly tell us what this thing is and where you found it.¡±


    Being put down by Rocky, Hammerfire looked up and asked.


    Being asked like this, Rocky indeed felt a bit nervous.


    He was really nervous now because in front of him were all big figures. Without exaggeration, each of them had contributed to the progress of this world. In front of these people, Rocky truly felt like a child, as Aniye said.


    So under everyone¡¯s gaze, Rocky took a deep breath and then slowly began to speak, ¡°Dear predecessors, this technology I found in a lost research institute, left by a predecessor named Wensel¡­¡±


    Just as he explained to Orton about the rune before, it didn¡¯t take Rocky long to recount the matter of the Mana Rune. Then he produced the research notes left by Wensel.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually¡­ Predecessor Wensel¡­¡±


    When Rocky finished recounting the whole process of getting the rune and took out Wensel¡¯s research notes, Aniye and Hammerfire exchanged a glance and found that both of their eyes were red¡­


    Among the people present, Aniye and Hammerfire were the eldest, with the most experience, both over a hundred years old. That meant they had both lived during the Land Era, thus having a much deeper understanding of what kind of figure Wensel was than the average person.


    So after calming their emotions a bit, Aniye took the research notes from Rocky¡¯s hand and began to read them with Hammerfire and Pelaya.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the three of them to read through the notes, then they showed a dazed expression. These three master-level figures seemed to just stand there foolishly, not moving.


    Until quite a while later, they finally snapped out of their daze, then collectively looked at Orton and Rocky.


    ¡°Why did you two want us to come this time, for¡­?¡±


    These three, one could say, were some of the smartest people in the world today. So after knowing about the Mana Rune, they immediately understood Orton¡¯s purpose in inviting them. There had to be a significant plan that required their participation. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And indeed, as they had imagined, Orton subsequently laid out his plan for the Rune Armor.


    Facing his three old friends, Orton didn¡¯t hold back in explaining his entire thought process, even sharing his views on the fall of Tulip City.


    After he expressed all his thoughts, he looked nervously at the three, seemingly awaiting their reaction.


    ¡°I think¡­ it¡¯s feasible.¡±


    ¡°Since the Mana Rune is meant to replace the Magic Stone, the difference between the runes in terms of construction and transmission compared to the Magic Stone is very small. Although using runes for armor does indeed require a new transmission system, there shouldn¡¯t be too many technical hurdles.¡±


    The first to speak among the three was Pelaya. Being an expert in the mana framework field, she believed Orton¡¯s idea was entirely feasible, at least in the field she specialized in, there were no technical barriers.


    ¡°I think it can work too.¡±


    At this point, Hammerfire also nodded, ¡°Using runes to replace Magic Stones¡­ there might be some technical challenges, but it¡¯s certainly feasible. Moreover, the idea is simply brilliant! If the runes can be used for armor, then the barrier in terms of mana in the armor will be broken, and future armor will definitely undergo earth-shaking changes!¡±


    ¡°Senior brother, what do you think?¡±


    After the other two had expressed their opinions, Orton then looked at Aniye. Although Aniye wasn¡¯t well-known to the outside world, he was a genuine authority in the academic community, having participated in the research of Sky City. His opinion was extremely crucial; if he found the plan infeasible, it most likely had issues making it impossible to implement.


    Therefore, Orton most wanted to hear his thoughts.


    Unlike the other two, Aniye didn¡¯t rush to give his opinion. Instead, he furrowed his brow, pondering for a long time before glancing at Orton.


    ¡°Orton, your idea¡­ is excellent!¡±


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 217 - 223: New Style Armor!

    Chapter 217: Chapter 223: New Style Armor!


    ¡°Your idea¡­ it¡¯s great!¡±


    After saying that, Aniye walked right over to the small blackboard in the research lab, took a quick glance at the contents, then turned to Orton and the others: ¡°This idea is very good, but the first issue we need to tackle is how the runes will fit with the Armor¡­¡±


    Without a doubt, Orton¡¯s idea had already been accepted by everyone. Not only that, but as soon as Aniye and the others acknowledged his idea, they didn¡¯t waste even a minute before they started to implement it!


    In Sky Era, Year 117, October, in a small city that almost no one was aware of, within a research institute that didn¡¯t even have an official name yet, a research project began that could change the world!


    And just as Orton had said, the old friends he¡¯d brought in were truly masters who threw themselves into their research. With their status and positions, they didn¡¯t bring up any demands before starting the research, a spirit that truly moved Rocky and even left him in awe.


    With four master-class figures conducting the research together, their vast experience, and solid abilities, naturally, the progress of the research was extremely rapid.


    ...


    Once the research started, Aniye was elected by Orton and the others as the leader of the research. Having participated in the Sky City project, he had an extremely rich experience with projects of this magnitude, and Aniye did not shy away. Under his leadership, the research quickly progressed beyond the initial theoretical deductions and entered the phase of practical operations.


    Some might wonder here if the progress is too fast?


    Indeed, in the initial stages of the research, everyone¡¯s progress was very fast, mainly because the initial task was to conduct theoretical deductions, which is to determine the feasibility of the Rune Armor plan theoretically. This could be a significant problem for most people, given how vast and complex the theoretical knowledge involved is, way beyond what the average person can imagine.


    But for these four master-class individuals, this step was the simplest part. Their knowledge was simply too rich; not only did they know all the theoretical knowledge related to Rune Armor by heart, but some of them were the very founders of certain theories. Under these circumstances, the theoretical deductions were quickly completed, and the research thus moved into the practical operations phase.


    The so-called practical operations was the phase of applying the mana runes to the Armor in practice.


    However, as the research entered this phase, problems emerged, and they were so serious that they caused a direct disagreement among the four, and research they were conducting had to be put on hold!


    ¡°No, Orton, I disagree with your idea, I strongly disagree because it¡¯s simply not feasible!¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Being rather short, Hammerfire had to stand on a chair to take part in the discussion, so at this moment, he was shaking his head and speaking while standing on a chair.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it feasible?¡±


    Frowning, Orton¡¯s eyes widened in apparent dissatisfaction with Hammerfire¡¯s rejection, and he went on to say, ¡°The goal of the Rune Armor plan is a technological breakthrough! As long as we can research the technology to apply runes to Armor, the plan will be a success. Why can¡¯t we experiment on the old Armor?¡±


    The disagreement among them stemmed from Orton¡¯s idea. According to his plan, once the research entered the practical operations stage, they would apply the runes directly to the four sets of Armor Rocky had captured for experimentation¡ªtime-saving and efficient. Wasn¡¯t that great?


    But Hammerfire rejected this approach!


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible!¡±


    Facing Orton¡¯s challenges, Hammerfire blew his beard, glared, and started to shout, ¡°You¡¯ve never made Armor; you don¡¯t understand the structure of the old Armor. The old Armor was driven by Magic Stones from the outset, even from the design phase ¨C the concept was to be centered around the Magic Stone. It¡¯s not as simple as you think; you can¡¯t just remove the Magic Stone and reuse the rest easily.¡±


    ¡°Once the Magic Stone is removed from the old Armor, it essentially becomes no better than a heap of scrap metal. The technology contained in the Armor cannot be used again; it¡¯s entirely unsuitable for experiments. If we follow your approach for the research, even if we succeed, our end product won¡¯t be Rune Armor but merely rune equipment!¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°Nonsense! I¡¯ve upgraded Magic Cannons with runes before, and it was a success. Why can¡¯t I modify Armor the same way?¡±


    ¡°Are the technologies contained in Magic Cannons and Void Magic Armor the same? Are they on the same level technically?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve also used runes to upgrade Armor before, and this kid¡¯s Blood Pattern Mark II is my work, and it functions just fine!¡±


    ¡°All you did was use runes to bolster the magic energy value; the Armor itself still relies on Magic Stones to operate. This is not at all the same as using runes to directly output mana to power Armor!¡±


    With his eyes wide, Hammerfire then turned to Pelaya, ¡°Pelaya, you¡¯re the expert in this field, tell this old fool Orton whether I¡¯m right or not!¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards Pelaya, who was an expert in the mana framework field and the most knowledgeable in this area.


    Confronted with everyone¡¯s gaze, Pelaya helplessly nodded, then looked at Orton, ¡°Hammerfire is correct. If you take off the Magic Stones from the old-fashioned Armor, then it becomes nothing more than ordinary Armor. The technology contained within cannot be directly applied to runes.¡±


    After Pelaya¡¯s words, Orton¡¯s complexion turned somewhat unsightly because clearly, his previous ideas had been too simplistic.


    The research they were set to undertake wasn¡¯t about rune enhancement of Armor, but about replacing Magic Stones with runes to make them the core of the Armor¡¯s operation. This concept was fundamentally different from Orton¡¯s previous enhancements.


    After all, the old-fashioned Armor was designed from the very beginning, even at the early stages of design, around the Magic Stones as the core. The technology within might be adaptable to runes after some improvements, but it wasn¡¯t as simple as just swapping the Magic Stones for runes and expecting it to work; the issues involved were quite complex.


    Thus all of Orton¡¯s previous ideas had fallen through¡­


    ¡°What do you suggest we do then?¡±


    Feeling helpless, Orton had no choice but to ask.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? We need to design a set of New Armor! Start with runes as the core right from the design phase, employ brand new technology, brand new concepts, and instantly outclass the current generation 5 Armor!¡±


    When it came to this matter, Hammerfire naturally had the most authority to speak. He didn¡¯t even need to think before providing an answer¡ªthey needed to design a completely new concept of Void Magic Armor with runes at the core!


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Upon hearing Hammerfire¡¯s answer, Orton hummed thoughtfully, then looked towards Rocky.


    As the four were engaged in a heated discussion, Rocky had been quietly listening in as a bystander. Although he didn¡¯t understand most of it, he felt an inexplicable sense of awe and had listened so intently that he was practically enthralled.


    Now, caught by Orton¡¯s gaze, he snapped back to reality, then cautiously asked Hammerfire, ¡°Master Hammerfire, how much would it cost to develop a New Armor?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ let me think¡­¡±


    Upon being asked how much it would cost to design new Armor, Hammerfire actually took the question seriously and thought for a while before giving an answer, ¡°Fifty million Gold Coins should be enough to produce a set of Prototype Armor.¡±


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 218 - 224: Code Name White Demon!

    Chapter 218: Chapter 224: Code Name White Demon!


    ¡°What are you all looking at me for?¡±


    When Hammerfire mentioned the figure of fifty million gold coins, not to mention Rocky¡¯s reaction, even Aniye and Pelaya turned to look at him, leaving Hammerfire baffled because he didn¡¯t think the number was exaggerated at all.


    In fact, it indeed wasn¡¯t, as Hammerfire had just clarified: he intended to design brand-new technology, a whole new concept of armor that would be capable of instantly overpowering the Fifth Level Armor once completed. Given this premise, investing fifty million gold coins in research and development was not only reasonable but actually quite conservative!


    Unfortunately, as soon as he mentioned this figure, Aniye and Pelaya realized that Rocky simply couldn¡¯t afford it.


    That¡¯s why, after that, Orton simply punched Hammerfire in the head, nearly knocking him off the chair.


    Perhaps because of the punch, Hammerfire seemed to have been stirred up emotionally, and he turned to look directly at Rocky, ¡°City Lord kid, you can¡¯t come up with the money?¡±


    ...


    ¡°I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Shaking his head as if he were a rattle-drum, Rocky immediately responded. Fifty million gold coins¡ªhe couldn¡¯t come up with that amount even if he sold Thunderhawk City!


    ¡°What are we going to do now¡­¡±


    Seeing Rocky shake his head energetically, Hammerfire also felt dejected.


    However, at the moment when Rocky¡¯s face turned pale, and Hammerfire was also feeling glum, Aniye spoke up, ¡°How about this.¡±


    As he spoke, he looked at Rocky, ¡°City Lord Rocky, how much money can you come up with right now?¡±


    ¡°Five hundred thousand, and I can come up with another five hundred thousand after one month.¡±


    Rocky answered the question truthfully¡ªone million gold coins was the limit he could invest in this research at present.


    ¡°One million¡­ that¡¯s enough¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this amount, Aniye nodded with a smile and looked at Hammerfire, ¡°Hammerfire, your idea is correct. To apply runes to Armor, we indeed need to design a whole new Armor.¡±


    ¡°But, there¡¯s no need to design something so advanced just yet. I think as long as it¡¯s adequate, that will be fine.¡±


    ¡°But, but¡­ Master Aniye, although our goal is indeed to apply runes to Armor, we can¡¯t ignore the other technological aspects of Armor! Once Rune Armor becomes successful, it will inevitably replace the old-style Armor, and many technologies currently applied to Armor¡ªwe surely can¡¯t just neglect them, can we?¡±


    Facing Aniye, Hammerfire felt compelled to explain his thoughts, which were actually quite simple: he wanted the top-notch technology of runes to be fully applied to Armor. This included using runes as the core to drive Armor, as well as to drive other technologies related to Armor.


    ¡°Of course, we need to do research.¡±


    But hearing this, Aniye merely smiled and then said, ¡°We will certainly conduct this research, but we cannot achieve everything all at once. The runification of Armor is a major project, it¡¯s not something that can be accomplished just by designing a new concept of Armor. We need to do it step by step and ensure each step is solid. Only then can we truly bring out the full potential of runes.¡±


    ¡°So I think, indeed, we need to design a New Armor, but the level doesn¡¯t need to be very high. I think basing it on the Fourth Level Armor would suffice.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t it be Fifth Level¡­?¡±


    Upon hearing that he should design a New Armor based only on the Fourth Level, Hammerfire became like a child, pleading gloomily.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Unfortunately, Aniye shook his head in the face of Hammerfire¡¯s pleas and subsequently provided his reasoning: ¡°The most advanced Armor may be the Fifth Level now, but in terms of both manufacturing maturity and technological completeness, the Fourth Level Armor remains the most perfected. Even today, Fourth Level Armor still possesses considerable combat capability.¡±


    ¡°Besides, you said it yourself¡ªto fully apply runes to Armor, it¡¯s imperative to include the other technologies related to Armor. The Fourth Level Armor¡¯s technologies in all aspects have long matured. You can completely incorporate these technologies right from the start of the design, and then we can work together on improvements. This will not only save time and effort but also won¡¯t be excessively expensive.¡±


    There was a reason why everyone favored Aniye to lead this project¡ªhis control over the big picture of the research was indeed stronger than anyone else¡¯s.


    Just like everything he was saying now, which was clearly the result of careful consideration. It was helpful for the research and also took into account Rocky¡¯s situation, leading everyone to nod in agreement and fully concur.


    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll start drawing the design now!¡±


    With the decision to research an Armor specially designed for runes, Hammerfire, an expert in this field, promptly got to work, ready to begin drawing the designs.


    Such task was naturally his forte, and don¡¯t forget¡ªit was going to be based on the Fourth Level Armor, the most perfect of which had come from Hammerfire¡¯s own hands, so designing this New Armor was virtually effortless for him.


    Furthermore, Orton and others would also participate in this design process, as they were experts in various fields. Their involvement wouldn¡¯t complicate Hammerfire¡¯s work; on the contrary, it would provide tremendous help.


    Under these circumstances, it took around three days for Hammerfire and the team to finalize the concept for the New Armor!


    This New Armor, specially designed around Mana Runes, was codenamed White Demon. The design template was based on the Hammerfire Armor¡ªthe most perfect Fourth Level Armor.


    Following Aniye¡¯s instructions, Hammerfire didn¡¯t load the White Demon Armor with too many high-tech features. This New Armor would adopt all the mature technologies from the Fourth Level Armor. Additionally, since it will utilize runes for operation, after much deliberation the team decided to use Third Level, Fourth Level, and Fifth Level, making it a total of three different Rune levels, for mana output.


    The primary reason for this was to test the full range of rune applicability. After all, the purpose of designing this New Armor was to utilize runes; however, considering Rocky¡¯s limited funds, applying multiple levels of runes on a single Armor became the best solution.


    On the other hand, while the New Armor was being detailed in design, Rocky was also getting busy. He was responsible for procuring the necessities for manufacturing the New Armor!


    Hammerfire gave Rocky a list detailing dozens of essentials for making Armor, including equipment, materials, components, and so on. All these were items Rocky had to acquire, and only with these in hand could the New Armor be truly crafted by Hammerstone.


    The time had come to spend money.


    Up until this point, although Orton and the others had been researching for nearly a month, the research had stayed in the theoretical phase, and virtually no money had been spent. In other words, from now on, the real expenditure began!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 219 - 225: Enemies Meet!

    Chapter 219: Chapter 225: Enemies Meet!


    ¡°Boss, I need one hundred kilograms of Kolmar Fine Steel.¡±


    ¡°Of course! Of course!¡±


    In the shop, Rocky, holding a Hammerfire, used the list provided to purchase the essentials needed for creating the new model of armor.


    ¡°Also, fifty grams of Xin Gold, three hundred grams of Guma Demon Blood Silver, and¡­¡±


    To ensure smooth progress in research, although the new model of armor was designed based on the fourth generation, its grade was that of Special Armor First Level. Therefore, the materials required for forging were not only diverse but also incredibly valuable.


    Given this situation, by the time Rocky had read part of the list, the shopkeeper in front of him had already beamed with joy and immediately instructed his workers to get busy.


    ...


    ¡°My lord, the items you¡¯ve requested total seventy-eight thousand Gold Coins.¡±


    While rubbing his hands together, the shopkeeper said to Rocky with a face as bright as a blooming chrysanthemum.


    Hearing this amount, Rocky sighed helplessly and had Aileen handle the payment.


    Seventy-eight thousand Gold Coins¡­


    This number might not seem particularly high, but remember, this was merely the cost of the raw materials needed for the armor. The expenses for the necessary machinery and various miscellaneous items hadn¡¯t even been included yet!


    Rocky had once shown Hammerfire¡¯s list to Aileen and, according to her estimates, purchasing everything on the list would cost at least two hundred to two hundred fifty thousand Gold Coins!


    This meant that just this single expenditure had already consumed a quarter of the one million Gold Coins designated for research.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡±


    After Aileen had paid the Gold Coins and arranged for the materials to be delivered to Thunderhawk City, Rocky led the group out of the shop with a sigh, returning to Star of the Sky.


    ¡°Aileen, did you manage to arrange things with Eternal City?¡±


    Seated in the carriage on their way back to Star of the Sky, Rocky asked.


    As the City Lord, he needed to consider Orton¡¯s research as well as the entirety of Sky City. Now, a month had passed since they came to Eternal City, which meant Thunderhawk City¡¯s time of free stay in this airspace had ended. To continue taking refuge here, they had to pay a protection fee.


    ¡°It¡¯s been taken care of, the fifty thousand Gold Coins needed for the first month have already been given to Eternal City.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aileen nodded her head, not particularly enthusiastic, but relieved that this matter was already settled.


    Hearing this, Rocky felt relieved as it meant Thunderhawk City wouldn¡¯t face danger for the next month. Then, he turned to Liliya.


    ¡°Liliya, did you manage to get in touch with the Shadow Alliance?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    Nodding, Liliya said: ¡°As per your instructions, I¡¯ve paid the fees for the next three months. So, for these coming three months, the Shadow Alliance will regularly provide us with various types of intelligence and news from across the continent. However, if we want specific information about a particular city or person, that would require additional payment.¡±


    This trip to Eternal City was not only for Rocky to purchase the materials listed but also to establish contact with the Shadow Alliance.


    As his own power grew, Rocky could no longer afford to remain isolated in Thunderhawk City as he had been in the past. He needed to increase his contacts with the outside world for both his and Thunderhawk City¡¯s future development. Under these circumstances, establishing a connection with the Shadow Alliance became a priority.


    In this relatively isolated communication world, only the Shadow Alliance had the capacity to gather significant events happening globally every day and relay this information to all associated forces or individuals. Thus, to stay informed about external affairs, they were reliant on them.


    On the other hand, Rocky now had two major enemies: Wild Horse City and Lexington from the Mairente Family. Both opponents had the capability to endanger Thunderhawk City. Therefore, when necessary, using the Shadows to gather intelligence on their movements and intentions was essential.


    Thus, upon arriving in Eternal City, Rocky asked Liliya to make contact with the Shadow Alliance.


    ¡°Here, the material provided by the Shadow Alliance this week.¡±


    While speaking, Liliya handed a thick stack of documents to Rocky, which indeed consisted of the information gathered by the Shadow Alliance that week.


    After glancing through the thick documents, Rocky smiled, realizing it was essentially a weekly report.


    The Shadow Alliance was indeed the world¡¯s largest media outlet, even producing weekly reports.


    Since it was his first time receiving intelligence from the Shadow Alliance, Rocky then began to read the ¡®newspaper¡¯ with curiosity.


    ¡°Sky Alliance Triumphs!¡±


    Upon opening the first page of the documents, that was the headline Rocky saw.


    ¡°On October 27 of Sky Era Year 117, the Sky Alliance Army, personally led by Sir Wilton, the Holy Knight, reached Tulip City, marking the official start of the counterattack in Tulip.¡±


    ¡°His Excellency the Holy Knight led the Alliance Army in a fierce battle with the demons that lasted five days, eventually achieving a remarkable victory by killing over ten thousand normal demons, thirty-seven high-level demons, and fifteen magic dragons; however, based on reliable information, Tulip City has completely fallen, and the number of demons gathering within the city is incalculable. Whether Sir Wilton can successfully reclaim Tulip City remains unknown.¡±


    The biggest and most eye-catching news this month was certainly the incident of Sir Wilton leading the Sky Alliance Army to take back Tulip City. When the Sky Alliance decided to send a large force to reclaim Tulip City from the demons, the entire world¡¯s attention was focused on the troop led by Wilton, closely following his and his troops¡¯ every move.


    For this reason, the Shadow Alliance extensively covered the event, and two-thirds of the dense documents Rocky was holding were detailed reports on this incident. It was so comprehensive it was astounding, and by the time Rocky finished reading all the documents, it felt as though he had experienced the great battle himself!


    Besides this event, the documents also contained many minor incidents, none of which were directly relevant to Rocky, so he just skimmed over them before setting the documents aside.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    After placing down the material provided by the Shadow Alliance, Rocky pondered for a moment, his expression becoming somewhat distressed.


    The Shadow Alliance¡¯s counterattack on Tulip had made Rocky realize one thing, that before Wilton ended this big battle, he might not even be able to join the Sky Alliance at all. After all, in the eyes of the Alliance, his joining was insignificant compared to the retaking of Tulip City.


    This was certainly not good news for Rocky. If he couldn¡¯t join the Sky Alliance, how would he deal with Wild Horse City and safeguard Thunderhawk City?


    Thinking this, he looked over the list in his hands. If he couldn¡¯t join the Sky Alliance in time, then he would have to depend on Orton¡¯s Rune Armor plan. If Orton and the others could successfully develop a new type of armor, he might still stand a chance in combat against Wild Horse City; otherwise¡­


    Shaking his head, Rocky did not wish to think further, for if he did, he might truly be overwhelmed with anxiety.


    Not long after, the carriage arrived at Star of the Sky.


    The list Hammerfire gave Rocky had many items, far too many to be sold in one day. Rocky had to stay in Eternal City for several days to manage everything. For him, the owner of Thunderhawk City, Star of the Sky naturally was the best place to stay, and importantly, staying here was free.


    Since it wasn¡¯t his first time staying at Star of the Sky, when Rocky arrived once again, Aileen naturally headed straight for the front desk in the lobby to check in.


    But just at that moment, when Aileen was about to process the check-in, suddenly a dozen guards-looking men burst into the lobby and quickly surrounded Rocky and his companions!


    ¡°What are you doing!¡±


    Seeing that they were suddenly surrounded, Liliya immediately shielded Rocky, and Monte on the side roared angrily!


    ¡°No need to be so tense; I just wanted to get to know who Rocky is.¡±


    After Rocky and his group were surrounded, a voice emerged from within the lobby, and when the group followed the sound, they saw a middle-aged man slowly approaching, surrounded by a group of guards.


    The moment Rocky saw this middle-aged man, he squinted slightly. He certainly didn¡¯t recognize who this person was, but he did recognize one of the guards next to the man!


    This guard had a fierce countenance, with three ghastly scars on his face, unmistakably the bandit leader of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Kilov!


    Having recognized Kilov, when Rocky looked again at the man next to him, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess who this man was¡ªnone other than the City Lord of Wild Horse City, Karlo!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 220 - 226 Assassination!

    Chapter 220: Chapter 226 Assassination!


    As soon as they arrived at Star of the Sky, Rocky and his companions were inexplicably surrounded, and when Rocky saw clearly who these people were, he recognized a familiar figure among them.


    Kilov!


    There, circled around them, he saw Kilov!


    Upon seeing Kilov, Rocky immediately turned his gaze to the middle-aged man beside him. This man appeared to be in his forties, of average build, and his features were not particularly outstanding, but he carried a ruthless pride that made it clear he was no ordinary person.


    Of course, everyone who could come to Star of the Sky was a City Lord, so this middle-aged man with the ruthless pride was surely a City Lord, and specifically, the City Lord of Wild Horse City!


    ¡°You are Rocky?¡±


    ...


    With Kilov and others slowly walking out from the hall, Karlo approached Rocky. At the same time, Rocky patted Liliya and Monte on the shoulders, signaling for them to step aside and guard him, then he stepped towards Karlo.


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you must be Karlo, right?¡±


    Faced with Karlo, Rocky showed no hint of fear, because he didn¡¯t need to be frightened. This wasn¡¯t Wild Horse City; this was Eternal City, Star of the Sky to be exact, reserved only for City Lords. Here, no one dared to make a move, so Rocky had no reason to fear the other party.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    However, once he finished speaking, Karlo across from him burst into laughter, laughing heartily for quite a while before suddenly stopping, then glared at him fiercely: ¡°Rocky, you really have guts!¡±


    ¡°No wonder, no wonder you dare to touch my people. I thought you were just bewitched by Karina, but it seems I thought too much.¡±


    ¡°Very good! This is very good!¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While speaking, Karlo took a step forward, coming near Rocky as if to stand together: ¡°Kid, don¡¯t think you can hide in Eternal City forever. It won¡¯t be long before you are driven out, and then¡­ I¡¯ll take good care of you on the outside.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Having said that, Karlo waved his hand, and the guards who had surrounded Rocky and his companions dispersed in an instant, then they followed Karlo out.


    Before turning to leave, however, Kilov standing beside Karlo sneered at Rocky and, with a swift motion, drew his hand across his neck, making a throat-slitting gesture.


    Soon after, Karlo and his entourage left, leaving only Rocky and a few others in the hall. No, not just them. Other City Lords who were stunned by the scene also remained. When Karlo had come in a threatening manner to encircle Rocky, there had been other City Lords coming in and out of the hall.


    Even though the hall was filled with City Lords, they were all shocked by the confrontation they had just witnessed, as such direct confrontations between City Lords were extremely rare.


    So when Karlo left, all eyes naturally turned towards Rocky.


    Unconcerned by the gazes focused on him, Rocky glanced at Liliya and Monte, who were looking particularly uncomfortable, then smiled at Aileen, who was clearly still frightened, and went to the counter as if nothing had happened to begin the check-in process.


    It wasn¡¯t until he approached the front desk that Liliya and the others shook off their shock and hurriedly followed him, then the group left the hall together.


    The hall immediately erupted into a buzz of discussion as Karlo and Rocky left, resembling a bustling marketplace.


    ¡°Who were those two just now?¡±


    ¡°Karlo! Wild Horse City¡¯s Karlo, don¡¯t you even recognize him?¡±


    ¡°And the other one?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°The other one is Rocky.¡±


    ¡°Rocky?¡±


    Hearing this name, many City Lords showed puzzled expressions, evidently not familiar with it.


    ¡°You guys, don¡¯t you keep up with current affairs? The Wild Horse Air Pirate Group was annihilated last month, haven¡¯t you heard?¡±


    ¡°Heard of it, yes! But wasn¡¯t that Karina¡¯s doing? That crazy woman really is something, not putting Karlo in her eyes at all¡­¡±


    ¡°Your information is outdated. According to the latest news from the Shadow Alliance, it wasn¡¯t just Karina who annihilated the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group; she was collaborating with this Rocky, the City Lord of Thunderhawk City.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see¡­ No wonder! No wonder Karlo went to such lengths to find trouble with him; so that¡¯s what it was all about.¡±


    With this explanation, the many City Lords in the hall suddenly understood, and then they all looked in the direction Rocky had disappeared, showing various expressions.


    While the others were busy discussing the recent events, Rocky had already returned to his room.


    ¡°Aileen, we¡¯ll act separately tomorrow. You go and buy the rest of the items on the list, and I¡¯ll purchase the equipment.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, okay¡­ okay¡­¡±


    Aileen¡¯s reaction was delayed after Rocky¡¯s words ended, and then she just nodded blankly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you all?¡±


    Seeing that Aileen was clearly off, Rocky looked at the others and noticed that they too seemed uneasy.


    But as soon as he finished asking, Monte sprang to his feet!


    ¡°Sir! I¡¯m going back to the city to bring Lin Feng and the Guard Corps. If that Karlo wants to start something, we¡¯ll finish him!¡±


    Bursting from his seat, Monte roared immediately. The Beastman, known for his fiery temper, wasn¡¯t used to being suppressed as they had been just a moment ago.


    In fact, if it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that only he and Liliya were there, and he worried about Rocky¡¯s safety in a fight, Monte¡¯s disposition would have led him to clash head-on with Karlo right there and then!


    No sooner had he spoken than Rocky glanced at him: ¡°Sit down.¡±


    Rebuked with a cold glance from Rocky, Monte pursed his lips and begrudgingly sat back down, but he was clearly still seething.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 221 - 226 Assassination!_2

    Chapter 221: Chapter 226 Assassination!_2


    It wasn¡¯t until he sat down did Rocky look towards Aileen and Liliya, and of course, included Monte in his smile, ¡°What is the matter with you? Are you still angry about what just happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not anger, it¡¯s concern for your safety.¡±


    After giving Rocky a glance, Liliya spoke up. She didn¡¯t have the same temper as Monte, but she was very worried about Rocky.


    ¡°My safety is the least of our worries right now.¡±


    Yet, Rocky seemed completely unconcerned about her worries, ¡°Just think about it, why would Karlo put on such a show to meet me today if he wasn¡¯t out of options? Because he is out of options, that¡¯s why he¡¯s trying to scare us, right?¡±


    ¡°Besides, don¡¯t forget this is the Star of the Sky, it¡¯s the place in Eternal City specifically prepared for the City Lords. Even if Karlo was foolish, he definitely wouldn¡¯t dare to lay a hand here, otherwise he would have done it during the day.¡±


    ...


    ¡°So, relax, there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    Waving his hand at everyone, Rocky spoke with a cheerful laugh, and what he said wasn¡¯t just to comfort the others, but the truth.


    After all, this was the Star of the Sky, one of the most noble places in Eternal City. Karlo might be stronger than Rocky outside, but here at the Star of the Sky, he was just one of the many City Lords. In fact, there were many more powerful figures here than Karlo¡ªhe definitely wouldn¡¯t dare to make trouble here.


    Indeed, Karlo¡¯s behavior today seemed hostile, but he didn¡¯t actually harm Rocky, because, like Rocky said, this place was the Star of the Sky, one of the most important locations in Eternal City. Even if Karlo really wanted to attack Rocky here, it wouldn¡¯t be possible, he didn¡¯t dare!


    So after one night passed, Rocky and the others who resided within the Star of the Sky remained unharmed, with no issues arising.


    The peaceful night reassured everyone, and upon reflection, it also seemed logical. This was Eternal City, and even if Karlo wanted to deal with Rocky, he wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to do it within the neutral God City, otherwise he¡¯d definitely be the one to suffer in the end.


    Under these circumstances, the following day everyone split into two groups as Rocky instructed: Aileen and Monte as one group, Rocky and Liliya as another. Both groups went to purchase items from the shopping list, striving to get everything as quickly as possible.


    ¡°Do you really plan to fight a battle with Wild Horse City?¡±


    The carriage sped along the street, and Rocky chatted intermittently with Liliya who was sitting with him.


    ¡°It depends. If we can join the Sky Alliance, Karlo probably wouldn¡¯t dare to touch us. But if we can¡¯t join the Alliance, then a fight might be necessary; otherwise, Karlo won¡¯t let it go.¡± Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Are you confident?¡±


    As Rocky¡¯s most important confidant, none other, Liliya shared his concern for Thunderhawk City, because the city¡¯s future was already tied to Rocky. To care about Thunderhawk City was to care about Rocky.


    ¡°That depends on the research of the teachers¡­¡±


    Looking at Liliya, Rocky shared his thoughts.


    The two inside the carriage were chatting slowly, and at this moment, their carriage was gradually approaching a crossroad. However, at the same time, three other carriages from different directions were also heading towards the intersection, and these three carriages were moving at a very high speed. The coachmen, as if their lives didn¡¯t matter, were frantically whipping their horses, which were running as if they were trying to take flight from the painful lashes!


    In a moment, Rocky¡¯s leisurely carriage reached the centre of the crossroad, and at the same time, the carriages rushing from the other three directions arrived as well!


    At that moment, the coachmen of the three carriages leaped off their seats, and immediately, the three speeding carriages crashed into Rocky¡¯s carriage from the front, left, and right directions!


    Boom!!


    A loud crash could be heard as the carriage charging head-on collided with Rocky¡¯s, and the four large horses collided in their stride, instantly tumbling over each other, the connecting carriage overturning as a result.


    At the same moment the carriage flipped, the carriages from both sides reached the spot!


    With a loud clang, the two galloping horses from the left rammed their heads into the carriage, immediately bursting their brains and dying on impact, while the carriage they hit flew into the air and directly towards the rushing carriage from the right.


    Faced with the oncoming carriage, the two galloping horses on the right let out a howl and lifted their front hooves, then they viciously stomped on the carriage!


    Crackling noises continued as the hooves fiercely stamped on the carriage but due to the carriage¡¯s high rate of speed, it flipped the horses over, causing the two large and tall horses to crash down violently onto the carriage¡­


    Such a severe carriage accident instantly caused chaos on the street, and not only that, since four carriages had collided together, not only the carriage that Rocky was in was flipped, but the others were as well. The four carriages were like four balls scattered across the spacious street, and not to mention the fate of those inside the carriages, the pedestrians on the street also suffered countless deaths and injuries!


    To avoid accidental harm, the vast majority of pedestrians had taken refuge dozens of meters away, watching the accident unfold with faces full of panic.


    It was only several minutes later that the aftermath of the accident finally settled, and it was not until then that the onlookers began to breathe a sigh of relief.


    Even so, they dared not get too close to the carriage, because with the accident being so severe, the people inside the carriage were definitely dead, and nobody was interested in the gruesome sight of dead bodies. Therefore, even though everyone was curious, nervous, and even somewhat worried, they did not dare to approach.


    However, not long after, there suddenly came some movement from the almost completely shattered carriage. Following that, the thoroughly battered carriage was kicked open from the inside, and a person staggered to their feet.


    Rocky!


    As he stood up from the carriage, his face already covered in blood, Rocky was completely dazed. He numbly looked around at the pointing and murmuring pedestrians, his mind a blank as if he had been stunned by the collision, completely clueless about what had happened.


    It took more than ten seconds for his brain to gradually clear up, and the ringing in his ears also slowly faded away, and only then did he realize what had happened.


    ¡°Liliya!¡±


    As soon as he regained consciousness, Rocky immediately kicked off the hanging wooden planks from the carriage, then helped Liliya to her feet, who was just as dazed and bloodied as he was.


    Their luck had been incredibly good!


    In such a terrible accident, where four carriages collided, and their carriage was thrown dozens of meters away, both of them hadn¡¯t died!


    Although they were both seriously injured, the two of them were indeed alive, which was nothing short of a miracle of life!


    ¡°You¡­you¡¯re alright¡­ alright¡­¡±


    Liliya, supported by Rocky, also finally came to her senses.


    At the same time, seeing that there were people still alive, four or five youths from the crowd hurriedly ran out.


    ¡°How is it! How is it!¡±


    ¡°Are you okay!¡±


    ¡°Can you still hold on?¡±


    While shouting, four or five people ran to Rocky and Liliya¡¯s side, quickly stepping forward to support the two, who were on the verge of collapsing.


    But just at that moment, just when a few people were about to step forward to support Rocky, Liliya suddenly pushed Rocky away, then with a burst of effort, she narrowly dodged the dagger of one of the men!


    These four or five youths were not there to save people but to murder!


    Having been on the battlefield, having even killed demons, Liliya, despite her severe injuries, still managed to grab the wrist of the man with the dagger after dodging, and with a forceful twist, she redirected the sharp blade and plunged the dagger into the man¡¯s chest with her own hands!


    But as she killed an assassin in an instant, Rocky, who had been pushed away, had already collapsed!


    There was no helping it; Rocky¡¯s Warrior Level was not as high as Liliya¡¯s. Plus, with such severe injuries, he completely fainted from the force of Liliya¡¯s push. Although he had fainted, the remaining assassins took this opportunity to pounce on Rocky, who was down on the ground!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    Paragraph copied

 Chapter 222 - 227: Give an Explanation!

    Chapter 222: Chapter 227: Give an Explanation!


    ¡°`


    ¡°Liliya!¡±


    Rocky suddenly awoke to find himself lying on a large bed, and as he looked around, he realized he was in a hospital room.


    Having just regained consciousness, he was clearly perplexed for a moment before attempting to sit up from the bed; however, the moment he tried to exert force, he felt a pain in his chest and back that made it impossible for him to rise.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, your wounds haven¡¯t healed.¡±


    It was then that Liliya¡¯s voice reached him. Rocky quickly looked in the direction of the sound and saw Liliya sitting by his side, keeping vigil.


    ...


    It was not until then that he noticed not only Liliya, but Monte, Aileen, and others were also present in the room.


    ¡°Where is this? What has happened since I passed out?¡±


    Relieved to see everyone safe, Rocky exhaled deeply before turning to Liliya and asking.


    By now, he had fully come to his senses but had no idea where he was, as Rocky¡¯s memory stopped at the moment the carriage overturned and several assassins emerged to try to kill him. Beyond that point, he knew nothing.


    ¡°This is the hospital in Eternal City¡­¡±


    Noticing that Rocky was still confused, Liliya recounted what had transpired after he lost consciousness.


    The present time was four days after Rocky¡¯s assassination attempt, meaning he had been unconscious for a whole four days!


    In the assassination attempt four days prior, after Rocky collapsed due to severe injuries, Liliya, who was also severely injured, was unable to stop the assassins. Despite her condition, Liliya managed to kill two of the five assailants. However, the remaining three went straight for Rocky, slashing him brutally several times.


    Logically, Rocky¡¯s fate should have been sealed. He had already lost consciousness, and Liliya, wounded as she was, could not possibly eliminate all the assailants on her own. Even one surviving assassin would have sufficed to seal Rocky¡¯s doom.


    But at that critical juncture, the Guard Corps of Eternal City arrived!


    In Eternal City, even the most common Guard is equipped with Fifth Generation mass-produced Armors. So when the Guard Corps arrived, they instantly killed the remaining three assassins. The situation was certainly one of them being saved by a hair¡¯s breadth, and thus the lives of both Rocky and Liliya were spared.


    Subsequently, they were rushed to the hospital, and when the Guard Corps identified Rocky¡¯s status as a City Lord, they promptly transferred him, taking him and Liliya to the best, largest, and most exclusive hospital in Eternal City, accessible only to the nobility.


    Meanwhile, Aileen and Monte, who had been operating separately, quickly received the news. On one hand, they went to the hospital, and on the other, they notified Thunderhawk City, and Master Orton arrived shortly afterwards.


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    After listening to Liliya¡¯s account of the events that transpired during his unconsciousness, Rocky nodded on his hospital bed and then asked, ¡°Have the culprits been apprehended?¡±


    Although the event had taken Rocky by surprise, he was no fool. Not only did he realize that he had been the target of an assassination, but he even had an idea who had orchestrated it¡ªKarlo! Besides him, nobody else would want Rocky dead.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    To his disappointment, as soon as he finished speaking, Liliya helplessly shook her head: ¡°After Master Orton arrived, he immediately contacted Eternal City. Eternal City did not shy away from the incident, launching an investigation on the same day, but they found no useful leads.¡±


    Liliya¡¯s words were true; the assassination of Rocky was taken very seriously by Eternal City. Once they learned of Rocky¡¯s status as a City Lord, they initiated an investigation without a minute¡¯s delay.


    As a neutral trading city, Eternal City attracts countless dignitaries every day. The number of City Lords residing there was in the hundreds. Thus, how to ensure the safety of these City Lords had always been one of the most important concerns for Eternal City. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The skies were beautiful but far from peaceful. Conflicts, frictions, and wars among Sky Cities never ceased, making it common for City Lords to have grudges against each other. Hence, if someone¡¯s neighbor in the Star of the Sky happened to be their archenemy, it would not be at all surprising; it was quite normal.


    Therefore, Eternal City placed high importance on the safety of City Lords. After all, as a trading city, every City Lord was a major client. If City Lords could not trade and spend safely in the city, wouldn¡¯t Eternal City suffer losses?


    For this reason, Eternal City had strict regulations: no private fights were allowed within the God City. Violators, including the City Lord and their cities, would be expelled from the God City¡¯s airspace at once and barred from entering again for a certain period.


    Under such stringent rules, the City Lords within Eternal City generally behaved, maintaining etiquette. If there were any grievances, the antagonists would at most avoid each other, or if they did meet, it would result in minor scuffles¡ªall well within controllable limits.


    But Eternal City could never have anticipated that someone would dare to assassinate a City Lord under such strict regulations.


    The city viewed the incident as not only a blow to its own reputation, but once word spread, it could also negatively impact the reputation of the God City. After all, even if Rocky was just a small Sky City¡¯s City Lord, he was still a City Lord with the potential to make an impact!


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 223 - 227: Give an Explanation!_2

    Chapter 223: Chapter 227: Give an Explanation!_2


    Thus, after the incident occurred, Eternal City immediately initiated an investigation, but unfortunately, it yielded no results.


    At the time of the assassination attempt on Rocky, Liliya killed two assassins, and the guards killed three, leaving no survivors.


    There was no one in the three carriages that caused the accident, and the three coachmen who drove the carriages were found on the evening of that day, but they had already been turned into three corpses. According to the time of death, they were silenced right after the accident unfolded.


    With this, all participants involved in the assassination were dead, and the trail was thus cut off.


    During this investigation, Eternal City naturally traced the matter back to Karlo¡¯s head. The elimination of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had made it to the weekly report provided by the Shadow Alliance; it was easy to verify. At the same time, Karlo¡¯s confrontation with Rocky in the Star of the Sky the day before the assassination could not be concealed. Thus, it was clear to everyone that Karlo was the mastermind behind the assassination.


    But what good was knowing that?


    ...


    Was there evidence?


    Without evidence, even Eternal City couldn¡¯t do anything to Karlo. Rocky was a City Lord, and Karlo was also a City Lord of a medium-sized Sky City. Without solid evidence, Eternal City was not in a position to take drastic actions against a City Lord of a medium-sized Sky City.


    What¡¯s more, the night before the assassination, right after meeting Rocky in the Star of the Sky, Karlo left with his men, directly returning to Wild Horse City, completely distancing himself from the incident.


    All these investigations were declared closed the day after the assassination occurred, and the result of the investigation was that there was no result¡­


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Upon hearing all this, Rocky, lying on the hospital bed, sighed, obviously feeling somewhat helpless.


    One had to admit, Karlo was incredibly cunning.


    Looking back, his dramatic confrontation with Rocky, presenting a readiness to fight on the spot, was merely a diversion, designed to focus Rocky¡¯s attention on himself. Yet, Karlo¡¯s real deadly move was employing the assassins; he played it brilliantly!


    But perhaps some might wonder, considering the power balance between Rocky and Karlo, where Karlo was stronger in almost every aspect, was there really a need for him to risk assassinating Rocky?


    Indeed, there was! At least Rocky felt there was a reason for Karlo to want him dead, and that reason was time!


    He couldn¡¯t wait any longer.


    Was this really the case?


    It indeed was!


    As is well known, Karlo had already teamed up with Lexington, which was bad news for Rocky, but it wasn¡¯t necessarily good for Karlo either. Since he could not afford to offend a personage like Lexington, once Karlo promised Lexington he would eliminate Rocky, he had to follow through, or else trouble would fall on him.


    The problem was that Rocky was now hiding within Eternal City¡¯s airspace; inside God City¡¯s airspace, not only could Karlo not make a move, but even Lexington wouldn¡¯t dare to act. In this world, no one could provoke God City.


    This meant that if Karlo wanted to obey Lexington¡¯s instructions to eliminate Rocky, he had to wait for Rocky to leave Eternal City¡¯s airspace himself, and only then could he make his move. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While others might not know how long Rocky could stay in Eternal City, Karlo knew because he was very aware of how much assets the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group had. According to his estimates, he believed that Rocky could hide in Eternal City for at least three to six months.


    For him, that duration was far too long.


    To eliminate Rocky, he had to wait for him to leave Eternal City¡¯s airspace, which meant that Rocky¡¯s stay dictated how long Karlo had to wait outside¡ª if Rocky stayed a month, he had to wait a month; if Rocky stayed half a year, he had to wait half a year!


    But don¡¯t forget, Karlo was also a City Lord; he had an entire Sky City to sustain as well! Unlike Thunderhawk City, Karlo¡¯s Sky City was a medium-sized one, housing as many as fifteen thousand residents¡ªthat¡¯s fifteen thousand mouths to feed, all relying on the Sky City!


    In such circumstances, he was not willing to keep stalling with Rocky. The scale of a medium-sized Sky City is not to be compared with that of a small-sized one, and as the City Lord, Karlo had far too many concerns to really afford spending several months to half a year dragging things out with Rocky.


    So, to resolve the matter swiftly, he thought of assassination.


    If Rocky himself could be killed, wouldn¡¯t this problem be solved once and for all? Although Karlo could see that the enmity between Rocky and Lexington was unusual, in his view, what did their feud have to do with him? Initially, he had agreed with Lexington to annihilate Thunderhawk City, and if Rocky were to die, wouldn¡¯t that mean Thunderhawk City was effectively destroyed?


    So he arranged this assassination, and he must admit, it was a beautiful attempt. It was so close, just barely, that Rocky almost died.


    Even though the assassination ultimately failed, Karlo suffered no loss.


    The assassins he sent were survivors from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group; dead or alive, it was better if they were dead, to avoid leaving any witnesses. Moreover, Karlo himself had left Eternal City before the assassination began, completely distancing himself from the matter so that whether the assassination succeeded or not, he wouldn¡¯t have to pay any price.


    Rocky, being a City Lord himself, quickly understood these things. Hence, when Liliya reported the results of Eternal City¡¯s investigation, he sighed, resigned to his fate this time.


    But just then, Liliya spoke up, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, this matter won¡¯t end like this.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Rocky was puzzled upon hearing Liliya, it won¡¯t end like this?


    What did she mean by that?


    According to what Liliya had just mentioned, Eternal City had indeed made an effort in this matter, launching an investigation immediately and quickly obtaining results. Unfortunately, Karlo had clearly distanced himself so effectively from the assassination that Eternal City could do nothing about him.


    If so, this matter would surely fade away, unless there was still a chance?


    Thinking of this, Rocky suddenly asked, ¡°Liliya, where is the master?¡±


    He suddenly realized something, that since he had woken up, he hadn¡¯t seen Orton!


    Liliya had said that, since Rocky and she were both seriously injured, Orton had taken charge of the big picture in Thunderhawk City and had rushed to Eternal City first. But where was Orton?


    Could it be¡­ the turnaround Liliya mentioned was related to Orton?


    Indeed, that was the case!


    Eternal City wanted to let this incident slide, but Orton absolutely refused.


    Liliya then spoke, ¡°Master Orton has gone to meet with the councilor of Eternal City.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky¡¯s eyes widened!


    As a God City, and also as a neutral city, Eternal City has no City Lord. The highest governing body of this God City is the God City Council.


    The council consists of eleven members, ten councilors and one speaker. The ten councilors are elected by the residents of God City for a term of ten years, while the speaker is selected by the ten councilors and serves a one-year term.


    This was why Rocky was surprised, for the councilors of Eternal City were considered much more prestigious than ordinary City Lords. Orton had actually gone to meet with a councilor?


    Indeed, Orton had gone to meet with a councilor!


    Upon learning of Rocky¡¯s assassination attempt, Orton immediately dropped his research and rushed to Eternal City. At first, he did not do much, since Eternal City also took the matter seriously and was conducting an investigation.


    However, as the investigation ended and Eternal City planned to let the matter drop, Orton objected!


    On the very day the investigation results were released, he stormed the administrative office of Eternal City, ranting at anyone he met for over an hour, and still refused to give up. He insisted that Eternal City must provide a resolution for Rocky, or else the matter would not be closed!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 224 - 228: Seeking Justice!

    Chapter 224: Chapter 228: Seeking Justice!


    When Rocky felt that this time he was indeed out of luck, Liliya told him that the matter was not yet finished.


    Originally, when the investigation in Eternal City ended and they planned to leave the matter at that, Orton refused to accept it!


    Knowing that the outcome of Eternal City¡¯s investigation was inconclusive, Orton immediately ran to the Eternal City Hall. The old man was truly determined; he ranted in the city hall all day, forcing the administrative officer to call a councilman.


    It was inevitable, after all, Orton was no ordinary old man; he was a master in the academic world, a well-known scholar with outstanding achievements in the Magic Energy Domain. So, despite the fact he had no money or power, and his relationship with Rocky wasn¡¯t exactly legitimate, Eternal City still had to treat him with respect.


    But although Eternal City treated Orton politely, they were also quite firm, emphasizing from the start that the investigation into the matter had concluded, and insisting that all the assassins were dead, they planned to leave the matter at that.


    This attitude did not change even after the councilman arrived; instead, it became even harder. Although the councilman was very polite to Orton, he did not agree to any of his requests, maintaining from beginning to end that the investigation concerning this matter had ended, and so had the matter itself.


    ...


    In fact, the side of Eternal City also knew what Orton wanted, which was simply compensation, and Orton didn¡¯t hide his motives, making it clear from the beginning that he wanted compensation for Rocky from Eternal City, since the assassination had occurred there, and they could not completely disassociate themselves from it.


    However, this idea of Orton¡¯s was something Eternal City would never agree to, not because they were unwilling to compensate, but because if they compensated Rocky, wouldn¡¯t that mean that the responsibility for the assassination would fall on Eternal City?


    Such responsibility, whether true or not, Eternal City could never bear, so they would not offer any compensation to Rocky.


    Logically speaking, at this point, the matter should have nearly concluded; after all, the arm is no match for the thigh, and Orton could hardly confront Eternal City with just his own strength.


    But the matter did not end there; instead, it got even bigger! Because on the third day after the investigation ended, the day Rocky woke up, Orton directly sought Aniye to pressure Eternal City!


    Now, Eternal City really had a headache.


    Because to ordinary people Aniye might sound like a stranger, but anyone of status knew who he was, a pioneer involved in the Sky City project was nearly no different from a great man, not knowing him would make one the subject of ridicule.


    Compared to the emotionally unintelligent Orton, who only knew how to rant recklessly, Aniye was obviously much more cunning. Being in a transcendent position, he naturally would not engage in mutual slander but firmly seized the point that Rocky¡¯s identity was not only that of a city lord but also a student of Orton and him. By treating Rocky superficially, Eternal City was neglecting Orton and him.


    ¡°Exactly! Do you know what Rocky is researching with us! Do you know how important Rocky is in the research! He is now injured, do you know what that means for the research?¡±


    ¡°Councilman Huson, you¡¯re adopting such an attitude toward such a severe issue, this is disrespect to all scholars!¡±


    When Aniye raised this point, Orton finally got it, blabbering and starting to argue with the councilman, speaking as if Rocky was involved in a groundbreaking major project.


    To Huson, the councilman from Eternal City, Orton¡¯s words seemed like complete nonsense. Even if Rocky was a disciple of Orton and Aniye, given his age, how much could he have learned, what projects could he participate in? Talking about how important he was in research was pure nonsense!


    But even though Huson knew that Orton was talking nonsense, he couldn¡¯t expose him, because Aniye was still sitting there.


    Dealing with Orton, Huson, as a councilman, might remain superficially polite, not really taking him seriously. Orton¡¯s achievements in academia were undeniable, but he was insignificant in other aspects, having no money or influence and lacking his former glory in recent years; Huson really didn¡¯t care about him.


    However, facing Aniye was different. Aniye was a leading figure in academia. Although not well-known externally, in terms of reputation, status, and connections, he was incomparable to Orton and someone Huson did not want to offend.


    In this situation, even though Huson was well aware that Orton was talking nonsense and everything he said was sheer gibberish, as long as Aniye did not deny it, Huson, being a congressman, had no choice but to wear a forced smile.


    ¡°Master Orton, you are gravely misunderstanding us!¡±


    As a congressman, what Huson did every day was interact with all kinds of important figures. He then said with an innocent face, ¡°Master Orton, we take the matter regarding City Lord Rocky very seriously and will certainly provide an explanation, but you must wait for us to thoroughly investigate the matter before making a decision, right?¡±


    ¡°Currently, the whole matter is still under investigation, and I really can¡¯t make an immediate decision.¡±


    Just a day earlier, Huson had insisted that the investigation was over and the matter was closed. However, with Aniye¡¯s arrival, he immediately changed his statement.


    From his current statement, it seemed he intended to drag the matter out, after all, he mentioned waiting until the investigation was over, but those involved in the assassination were already buried underground¡ªwhere could he investigate?


    ¡°Nonsense!¡±


    However, facing such a statement, Orton slammed the table immediately!


    He might not have high emotional intelligence, but his intellect was certainly not lacking! He also deduced that the other party intended to drag the matter out.


    ¡°Huson! Stop spouting rubbish here¡ªthe investigation regarding this matter had long since finished. Eternal City failed not only in protecting my apprentice but also in finding the real culprit! So, I don¡¯t need any more worthless investigations from you. I want results! Results!¡±


    ¡°Master Orton, please calm down, let¡¯s discuss this slowly¡­¡±


    Just as Huson was about to argue further with Orton, Aniye, who had been sitting silently at the side since the beginning, coughed lightly. At his voice, both Orton and Huson fell silent and turned their attention towards him.


    ¡°Orton, do not be disrespectful. After so many years, how have you not yet cured your habit of foul speech?¡±


    Aniye, having resumed speaking, did not say anything to Huson but glared at Orton first.


    His words were quite effective. Orton pouted his lips but dared not speak a word. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only after this did Aniye turn to Huson: ¡°Since Congressman Huson has already stated that we will investigate this matter, I assume Eternal City will certainly give us an explanation, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes! Master, you are absolutely right. We will definitely ensure a thorough investigation of this matter and provide a satisfactory explanation to City Lord Rocky.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡±


    After nodding, Aniye seemed to genuinely believe Huson¡¯s words. He then stood up and said with a smile, ¡°Congressman Huson, since that¡¯s the case, we leave this matter entirely in your hands. I still have to meet with the people from the Shadow Alliance and clarify this situation. Therefore, I won¡¯t disturb you any further.¡±


    After saying these words, Aniye turned and left. Angrily following behind was Orton, who, just before leaving, roared at Huson, ¡°Just you wait! If Eternal City does not provide an explanation for my apprentice, I will go to the Shadow Alliance. I¡¯ll let everyone judge! Let¡¯s see if you can cover the sky with one hand!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 225 - 229: Applying Pressure

    Chapter 225: Chapter 229: Applying Pressure


    ¡°Teacher, Master Aniye, maybe¡­ we should just let it go¡­¡±


    From the hospital bed, Rocky looked at Orton and Aniye, speaking with some difficulty.


    He was already aware of what Orton and Aniye were doing, as well as the stance of Eternal City¡¯s Councilor Huson, which also put him in a tough spot.


    To be honest, Rocky felt angry about Eternal City¡¯s intention to sweep the matter under the rug, especially since he and Liliya had nearly been killed. If he wasn¡¯t upset about that, his temperament would truly be too good.


    But as the City Lord, Rocky also knew that sometimes, an arm could never twist a thigh, and faced with a sky monster like Eternal City, what could he, a mere City Lord of Thunderhawk City, do?


    To put it bluntly, he didn¡¯t even have the right to raise his voice in front of Eternal City!


    ...


    This time, if Orton hadn¡¯t been there, and later on brought the even more renowned Master Aniye, the matter would¡¯ve probably been concluded long ago, and Rocky might have even been kicked out of the hospital he now lay in.


    In such a situation, Rocky didn¡¯t want to make things too stiff. Although he now had Orton and Master Aniye supporting him, Eternal City was merely showing him courtesy due to their fame and academic status. If he really pushed them too far, it was uncertain how they might react.


    ¡°How can that be acceptable!? We can¡¯t let this end like this!¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Orton disagreed, staring at Rocky with widened eyes, very dissatisfied with his attitude on the matter, ¡°You brat! We two old men have been helping you so much, and you¡¯re thinking of backing out now?¡±


    Puffing up his cheeks and glaring at Rocky, Orton spoke irritably. Were it not for Rocky¡¯s incomplete recovery, he might have been tempted to punch him on the head already.


    ¡°Rocky, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    At this point, Aniye spoke up.


    Unlike Orton, Aniye had always conveyed a sense of calm and composure, which was normal given that he was over a hundred years old and had weathered many storms, accustomed to remaining unflustered in the face of most things.


    So Aniye followed up saying to Rocky, ¡°In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures are necessary. We understand the difficulties you¡¯re facing. At times like these, you must fight for what you can to ensure your survival, which is of the utmost importance.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Such words left Rocky stunned; he, of course, understood what they meant.


    The difficulties Aniye referred to were clearly Rocky¡¯s current predicaments, facing strong adversaries while having to conduct immensely taxing research. The pressure from both fronts made it a struggle for Rocky to keep up, without any assurance of holding on.


    In such a situation, surviving was indeed his most crucial goal; where would he find the spare thought for other matters?


    Aniye¡¯s words made a lot of sense. In fact, the reason he came all the way here with Orton was to help Rocky as much as possible. Otherwise, given Aniye¡¯s status and age, why would he stoop to such embarrassing affairs?


    But this was exactly where Aniye far surpassed others; having lived through the Land Era, he had witnessed too much. Precisely because of this, he knew what was most important in any given circumstance.


    And with Aniye¡¯s words, what could Rocky still say? Orton and Aniye were already helping him so much; if he backed out now, how would he be any different from the spineless person he used to be?


    So after that, he gave a nod and asked, ¡°Teacher, Master Aniye, what should I do?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do anything, just lay honestly in bed.¡±


    Hearing this, Aniye chuckled and then said, ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted the Shadow Alliance. They will send someone, and when they arrive, just recount your experiences truthfully to them.¡±


    The only asset Rocky and his group now had to oppose Eternal City was the Shadow Alliance. As a City Lord, being assassinated in Eternal City was an incident that, no matter how you looked at it, reflected negatively on Eternal City. And such incidents were precisely what the Shadow Alliance relished most.


    As the largest intelligence organization in the world, the primary duty of the Shadow Alliance was naturally to provide information to clients. But apart from intelligence, the Shadow Alliance also offered news services, a wide variety of news, including gossip.


    And Aniye seized this point and proactively reached out to the Shadow Alliance, using this method to put pressure on Eternal City.


    ¡°And you! You little brat!¡±


    At this moment, Orton also spoke up, but it was to Liliya that he was addressing.


    As soon as Orton finished his sentence, he glared at Liliya, who was standing by Rocky¡¯s side: ¡°You little brat, what are you hopping around for? Get back to bed and lie down! You are a patient now, understand? A patient!¡±


    ¡°Ah? Oh, okay¡­¡±


    When Orton said this, Liliya was momentarily stunned, then numbly nodded her head and immediately ran out of the room like a frightened little rabbit, back to her own sickroom.


    Liliya was injured as well, having been in the same car accident as Rocky, but on one hand Liliya was strong, and on the other hand, she was not hurt by the assassins that followed, so although she was not yet fully healed, she was able to get out of bed to take care of Rocky.


    However, it was clear that Orton was not pleased with her behavior, because her lively and jumping appearance created an illusion, as if Rocky¡¯s injuries were not serious.


    Liliya obviously understood Orton¡¯s intent, so she obediently returned to her own bed to lay down.


    And the day after that, the Shadow Alliance indeed sent someone!


    However, when the person from the Shadow Alliance arrived, Aniye did something incomprehensible; he did not let them meet Rocky directly but instead had them meet with Liliya first.


    This action puzzled Orton and also left him unsatisfied.


    ¡°Senior brother! Why not let them meet Rocky directly? What¡¯s the use of interviewing Liliya? She¡¯s just a bodyguard, lacking persuasiveness!¡± S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Standing beside Aniye, Orton anxiously said.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Aniye rubbed his temple, feeling helpless about his fellow apprentice brother. He wanted to explain but knew it was futile because in this regard, Orton was like an idiot. So in the end, he could only sigh and say, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    Just as he finished speaking and Orton was about to question further, the door to Rocky¡¯s sickroom was knocked. Following a series of knocks, the door was pushed open, and Councilman Huson walked in!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 226 - 230: Compensation and Being Too Clever by Half

    Chapter 226: Chapter 230: Compensation and Being Too Clever by Half


    When the person who entered turned out to be Councilor Huson, everyone in the room was stunned.


    As a councilor of Eternal City, Huson¡¯s status and position were so high that even surpassed that of the city lord of a major Sky City. Therefore, when he entered, Rocky immediately sat up from his bed.


    Before he had even managed to sit up fully, Councilor Huson had already reached the bedside and asked with concern,


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, how are your injuries? Lie down, lie down, no need to be so formal.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I¡¯ve been investigating the assassin these days, so I haven¡¯t visited you. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Sit, sit, everyone sit, I am here on behalf of Eternal City to visit City Lord Rocky, no need to be so formal.¡±


    ...


    Upon reaching the sickbed, Councilor Huson began inquiring warmly, completely baffling Rocky who, unable to grasp the situation, could only look towards Orton, only to find Orton as confused as he was.


    At this moment, everyone present was bewildered by Councilor Huson¡¯s behavior, unclear about what role he was playing, except for Aniye, who smiled quietly, as if everything was within his expectations.


    Indeed, Councilor Huson¡¯s appearance had been anticipated by Aniye! S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aniye had previously said that their only way to pressure Eternal City now was to contact the Shadow Alliance, to have the assassination attempt on Rocky reported by the Shadow Alliance, thereby creating a negative impact on Eternal City, so that they might be prompted to comply.


    Aniye thought so and acted accordingly, in fact, the members of the Shadow Alliance were in the next room, currently interviewing Liliya.


    This indeed was the brilliance of Aniye, bringing in the Shadow Alliance but not interviewing Rocky directly was a masterstroke.


    Aniye was very clear about the purpose of bringing the Shadow Alliance, not to report the incident but to pressure Eternal City. As long as enough pressure was applied, Eternal City would react and eventually make compromises and concessions.


    Because he always knew what the goal was, Aniye did not let the Shadow Alliance interview Rocky, because if he had done so, and actually allowed the Shadow Alliance to report it, then there would be no room for maneuver between Rocky and Eternal City, and it was unpredictable what extreme reactions Eternal City would have.


    But now, he had Liliya take the interview first, which not only pressured Eternal City but also gave them room to maneuver. Aniye believed that, with Councilor Huson¡¯s shrewdness, he would surely grasp his intentions.


    And so it was. Upon learning of the incident, Councilor Huson, while feeling a headache, hurried over and began inquiring warmly as soon as he saw Rocky.


    After greeting Rocky, Councilor Huson turned to look at Aniye, then with a smile, he said to Rocky, ¡°City Lord Rocky, sorry to keep you waiting. We have already cleared up the matter of your assassination attempt.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    When he heard this, Rocky blinked in surprise, remembering that just yesterday Orton had mentioned to him that Eternal City planned to use the ongoing investigation as an excuse to delay, and now the investigation had concluded?


    ¡°Councilor, that¡¯s really great news.¡±


    While Rocky was unclear about the situation, Aniye spoke up, approaching the sickbed with a concerned expression and asking, ¡°Councilor, please tell us, what exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ what else could it be, it must be the work of Karlo, the city lord of Wild Horse City!¡±


    Questioned by Aniye like this, Huson showed a face full of anger, indignantly saying, ¡°Although all those involved in the assassination were either killed on the spot or silenced afterwards, our investigations these days have revealed that Karlo was deeply involved.¡±


    ¡°However, Karlo is cunning. Not only did he silence all those involved in the assassination, but he also left the day before the assassination occurred, and has now returned to his own Sky City. We can¡¯t catch him.¡±


    At this point, Huson sighed, showing a look of deep regret. But as soon as he finished speaking, Orton was not pleased, because to Orton, this was stating the obvious!


    The mastermind behind Rocky¡¯s assassination was Karlo, was there even a need for an investigation? That was a conclusion anyone could reach without thinking! What use were Huson¡¯s words?


    But just as Orton was about to erupt, he was sternly glanced at by Aniye, and frighteningly backed down, only to see Aniye, frowning, query, ¡°Councilor Huson, what next?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, right.¡±


    Prompted by Aniye, Huson hurriedly told Rocky, ¡°City Lord Rocky, although the mastermind behind this incident must be Karlo, Eternal City also truly bears some responsibility, so the council has made the following decisions.¡±


    ¡°First, elevate the level of City Lord Rocky¡¯s guest status to that of an important guest.¡±


    ¡°Second, the council has learned that City Lord Rocky had already applied for asylum, and to compensate for our oversight this time, the council has decided to extend the asylum period for Thunderhawk City by three months.¡±


    ¡°Third, although Karlo has fled, his actions have seriously violated the rules of Eternal City, which is a blatant provocation to God City. Therefore, the council has decided to severely punish him! For one year, Karlo and Wild Horse City are banned from entering the airspace of Eternal City, and during this period, all transactions with him by any chamber of commerce within God City are forbidden!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 227 - 230: Compensation and Being Too Clever by Half_2

    Chapter 227: Chapter 230: Compensation and Being Too Clever by Half_2


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, are you satisfied with these decisions of the council?¡±


    After finishing the statement about the compensation the council decided upon for the assassination attempt on Rocky, Huson asked with a smile. Yet, although he appeared to be asking Rocky, his eyes were actually on Aniye!


    Because Huson was very clear that all of this had been orchestrated by Aniye, so only with Aniye¡¯s nod could this messy affair finally be considered settled.


    Indeed, for Huson, the assassination attempt on Rocky was truly a troublesome matter.


    The incident itself was not significant, but its impact on Eternal City was undeniably negative. On the other hand, the people involved also gave him a headache. Orton alone was annoying enough, but now there was an even more difficult Aniye to deal with. Compared to the bumbling Orton, Aniye was clearly much more cunning and shrewd, so all Huson wanted now was to end this affair as quickly as possible¡ªthe quicker, the better.


    It was precisely because of this thinking that he offered the above terms.


    ...


    And it must be admitted, the terms Huson offered were not only good but also very, very favorable!


    The first compensation he gave Rocky was to elevate his status in Eternal City to that of an important guest!


    Do not underestimate this promotion because once someone becomes an important guest of Eternal City, all of Rocky¡¯s transactions there would enjoy a 5% discount!


    A 5% discount might not sound very high, but think about it carefully: as a city lord, any single transaction in Eternal City could easily amount to hundreds of thousands, if not millions. Under this premise, the savings from a 5% discount could amount to tens of thousands of Gold Coins!


    The second compensation Huson offered to Rocky was even more substantial, as Eternal City decided to extend Thunderhawk City¡¯s refuge period!


    ¡°Refuge period¡± is an official term that translates quite simply to extending Thunderhawk City¡¯s free refuge time in the airspace for an additional three months!


    This compensation was absolutely genuine because seeking refuge within the airspace of Eternal City required a protection fee: fifty thousand for the first month, one hundred thousand for the second, and two hundred thousand for the third.


    Thus, extending the refuge period by three months for free amounted to saving Rocky three hundred thousand Gold Coins!


    For Rocky, who was extremely tight on funds, this was like a timely rain after a long drought, a delightful surprise that significantly eased his burdens!


    The third compensation Huson offered Rocky was not a benefit but rather a punishment, a punishment for Karlo!


    According to Huson, Karlo and Wild Horse City would be banned from entering the airspace of Eternal City for the next year. Not only that, but the Chamber of Commerce within God City was also ordered to halt any transactions with Wild Horse City!


    This punishment might not mean much to Rocky, but for Karlo it was severe!


    Because Karlo too was a city lord, and the lord of a medium-sized Sky City at that, his relationship with Eternal City was much tighter than Rocky¡¯s. Many resources needed by his city, as well as many goods produced there, had to be traded in Eternal City, and being banned from entering Eternal City and especially from trading with the city¡¯s Chamber of Commerce would be a massive loss for Karlo.


    Although there are other trade cities in the sky, and not all chambers of commerce are in Eternal City, Karlo could potentially conduct business in other cities with other chambers of commerce, seeming to suffer no loss. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But in reality, that is not the case. As the largest trade city in the sky, Eternal City offers an array of chambers of commerce, a complete variety of goods, and fair prices, unmatched by any other city or chamber of commerce. Karlo could indeed trade in other cities with other chambers of commerce, but he would inevitably have to pay a higher price.


    Just as said earlier, transactions at a city level could easily reach hundreds of thousands or millions of Gold Coins. Even if Karlo only had to pay a little extra, it would amount to spending tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands more Gold Coins. And with this ban lasting a year, how much more would Karlo have to spend?


    It must be said, the punishment imposed by Eternal City on Karlo was indeed severe.


    But this punishment was necessary for Eternal City to give, because regardless of Rocky¡¯s situation, Karlo¡¯s actions had already caused immense dissatisfaction within Eternal City. Moreover, with the issue involving Rocky, it prompted Eternal City to decide on making an example of Karlo to warn other city lords that they must not act recklessly in Eternal City, or they would face consequences.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, what do you think?¡±


    After laying out his terms, Huson asked Rocky while glancing towards Aniye, implying quite clearly, ¡°I¡¯ve given what you wanted, can we consider this matter resolved now?¡±


    And when Aniye was looked at in such a way, he just smiled and then nodded at Rocky.


    ¡°Haha, good, good, good!¡±


    Seeing that Aniye finally nodded, Huson laughed heartily a couple of times, then said to Rocky, ¡°City Lord Rocky, you take care of yourself and heal up in the city. I have other matters, so I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡±


    After saying those words, Huson left; his purpose for coming this time was to negotiate terms, and now that the terms were settled, what reason did he have to stay?


    Once he had gone, the people in the hospital immediately burst into laughter!


    This event had finally been resolved satisfactorily, not only resolved, but Rocky had also turned his misfortune into fortune, securing a substantial benefit from the hands of Eternal City, which greatly alleviated his own pressure. Such good fortune, of course, was a reason for everyone to be cheerful.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    With some rejoicing here, naturally, there were worries elsewhere. Rocky had turned misfortune into fortune due to this assassination attempt, not only reaping tangible benefits but also significantly reducing his pressure. On the other hand, Karlo had outsmarted himself, stirring up a host of troubles.


    Karlo had attempted to assassinate Rocky because he didn¡¯t want to keep dragging things out and sought a swift resolution. Little did he think that not only would the assassination fail, but it also granted Rocky a three-month sanctuary, allowing him more time to hide in Eternal City.


    Originally, even if Rocky had to bankrupt himself, he could only stay in Eternal City¡¯s airspace for six months, after which he would be driven out for failing to pay protection fees, and whether he liked it or not, he would have to face Wild Horse City directly.


    But now, Rocky could easily stay in Eternal City for six months, and even manage a small year if he economized!


    For Karlo, what was even more frustrating was the ban from Eternal City.


    After Huson and Rocky had come to an agreement, the very next day, Wild Horse City received the ban issued by Eternal City, and upon seeing this document, Karlo was infuriated on the spot!


    ¡°Useless trash!¡±


    Violently slamming the decree from Eternal City onto the ground, Karlo roared at everyone in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, ¡°A bunch of useless trash!¡±


    Facing the people below, Karlo was so angry that his face turned crimson, his gaze sweeping over every face until it finally settled on Kilov.


    Looking at Kilov, who was silent with his head bowed, Karlo slowly stood up and walked over to him.


    ¡°Kilov, didn¡¯t you say that you would definitely kill Rocky this time?¡±


    The assassination of Rocky had been instructed by Karlo and executed by Kilov, with the participants all being members of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. So when the operation failed and also caused so much trouble, naturally, Karlo had to confront Kilov.


    ¡°City Lord, I¡­¡±


    Before Kilov could even speak, Karlo slapped him across the face!


    With a smack, the sound echoed through the City Lord¡¯s Hall, and Kilov, struck by Karlo¡¯s slap, was immediately knocked to the ground; when he looked up again, his mouth was already bloody.


    Karlo was not a pampered fool; being a City Lord who dared employ a bandit group for his service, he was inherently ruthless¡ªin plainer terms, he was basically a bandit leader!


    So, after slapping Kilov, Karlo roared at everyone in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, ¡°Everyone, keep a close watch on Rocky! The moment he steps out of Eternal City, I want him wiped out! And his Thunderhawk City, wipe that out too! Anyone who dares help him, that Karina, that Berg, wipe them all out too!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 228 - 231: Orderly and Methodical

    Chapter 228: Chapter 231: Orderly and Methodical


    When Karlo roared within Wild Horse City, Rocky had already left the hospital of Eternal City and returned to his own Thunderhawk City.


    The time now was one week after the assassination attempt, but due to the severity of his injuries, Rocky could only rest in bed after returning to Thunderhawk City, incapable of even attending the lectures at the institute.


    However, this was perhaps for the best, as throughout the year and more of being City Lord, Rocky had always been busy and had never truly rested¡ªnow, at last, he had the opportunity.


    Even though he was recuperating, Thunderhawk City was still developing in an orderly manner.


    Firstly, as more than a month had passed, the second cohort of trainees in leather manufacturing had graduated, and with their graduation, the leather manufacturing factory that had been built months ago finally began operations!


    This was a major event for Thunderhawk City as it was Thunderhawk City¡¯s own factory, thus its significance was extraordinary. During the opening ceremony on the first day of operation, Rocky, despite his injuries, was in attendance.


    ...


    At the opening ceremony, the moment Rocky appeared, he received a warmth that far exceeded his expectations. Residents who came to the event chanted his name, tossing countless flowers into the air for him, and numerous young girls screamed his name without end.


    This kind of response from the residents was not planned but stemmed from their genuine affection for Rocky, the City Lord. The reason behind their fondness was simple¡ªRocky took good care of them.


    Upon reflection, one could hardly fault such sentiments, as, after becoming the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, Rocky had constantly been working hard for the city¡¯s development.


    He once ventured to kill demons so the residents could have grain to survive the winter. Later, in order to set the city¡¯s economy on the right track, he provided training to the residents for free and even built the first factory in Thunderhawk City. Moreover, to improve the living conditions of the residents, he also established shops in the city, which likewise were the first true stores within the city.


    Rocky indeed did many things for Thunderhawk City, and everything he did was witnessed by its residents. Although they seldom saw Rocky, they definitely knew who treated them well.


    Especially the older generation of Thunderhawk City residents, who had lived in the city when it still belonged to the Mairente Family, had seen one City Lord after another, but none had done as much for them as Rocky had.


    Past City Lords, upon taking office, would first raise taxes, and once war broke out, they would ask the residents for donations or even forcibly conscript them to serve. Otherwise, how could Thunderhawk City, with the capacity to house five thousand people, end up with only a population of one thousand? It was these actions that had driven people away!


    Yet Rocky had never done any of these things. Since becoming City Lord, not only had he not increased taxes, but he was also continuously finding ways to improve the lives of the residents. During the several big battles fought, he never asked the residents for money, nor did he conscript soldiers.


    People have hearts of flesh, and the residents could feel all of Rocky¡¯s efforts. Thus, taking advantage of the rare opportunity provided by the opening ceremony, they were overjoyed to see Rocky.


    Meanwhile, Rocky was deeply moved by the residents¡¯ enthusiasm. It at least let him know that his efforts were not in vain and made him vividly aware of Thunderhawk City improving and growing stronger step by step. For a City Lord, isn¡¯t that the best outcome?


    In such joy and emotion, Thunderhawk City¡¯s first factory began operations, which not only meant that the economic reforms Rocky had initiated half a year ago were making concrete progress and achieving results but also signified that, from now on, aside from textiles, Thunderhawk City would have a new commodity to offer the outside world¡ªsomething hugely significant for the city, especially at this time. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, although the factory started operations, it would take at least a quarter before it could truly generate revenue, and because there was only one factory with limited output, the profit might not be substantial. But it was at least a good start, and in times like these, even a small increase in revenue was a boon for Thunderhawk City.


    At the same time, the Rune Armor Project had also made new progress!


    Although Rocky had been the target of an assassination, Orton and Aniye had been preoccupied with the matter for some time, but the Rune Armor Project had not stalled and was continuing as planned.


    When Rocky was attacked, most of the materials needed to construct the Void Magic Armor had already been purchased; only a few pieces of equipment were missing. So, while Rocky was hospitalized, with Orton overseeing everything, he and Aniye managed to acquire the last few necessary components on one hand and demanded compensation from Eternal City on the other.


    Thus, when Rocky returned to Thunderhawk City, Hammerfire and Pelaya visited him and briefly updated him on the progress of the Rune Armor Project.


    As of now, the new armor, codenamed White Demon, had been designed!


    Hammerfire, as a master in the field of Armor Domain, certainly lived up to his reputation. Despite not having any noteworthy works since the fifth generation of armor, his skill had not diminished, and since the new armor was based on the fourth generation¡ªHammerfire¡¯s area of expertise¡ªhe managed to complete the design of the new armor in just a few weeks!


    Which meant that the new White Demon Armor, centered around the Rune Core, could now begin production!


    ¡°City Lord, kiddo, you¡¯d better heal up quickly. Once you¡¯ve recovered, we¡¯ll need your help testing the armor,¡± Hammerfire said, sitting in a chair taller than himself, twirling his beard in his hand as he spoke to Rocky.


    Since the White Demon Armor was designed from the start with the Rune Core at its heart, during the process of making the armor, Orton and others would incorporate various technologies related to runes into it.


    This was, of course, a relatively long process since all existing technologies, without exception, operated with Mana provided by a Magic Stone at their core. To transition to a Rune Core required certain adaptations. But given that masters were undertaking this project, and with the technologies nearing maturity, the process wouldn¡¯t be significantly delayed. In fact, once Orton and Aniye returned to Thunderhawk City with Rocky, they continuously researched this area.


    In such circumstances, once the White Demon Armor was completed, the Rune Armor Project would smoothly move to the next phase, the experimental stage.


    The main goal of this stage was to test the operation of the armor with the Rune Core. As the true owner of the Mana Rune, Rocky was undoubtedly the best choice to participate in the experiment. He would have the privilege of being the world¡¯s first person to wear Rune Armor, participating in all aspects of the armor¡¯s testing!


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 229 - 232 Sky Era Year 118

    Chapter 229: Chapter 232 Sky Era Year 118


    While Rocky was healing in Thunderhawk City, significant events continued to unfold in the skies.


    The time had now reached the end of November, Sky Era Year 117. With just a little over a month left, the year 117 was drawing to a close. Unfortunately, as the year-end approached, the world became increasingly unsettled, and several significant events occurred from the end of November to December of Year 117!


    First and foremost was the much-watched Sky Alliance Army.


    Commanded by Holy Knight Wilton, the Sky Alliance Army had long since reached Tulip City and engaged the demons in a fierce battle, which they ultimately won. However, as time progressed, the victories led by Wilton and his Sky Alliance Army against the demons were minimal, and they failed to reclaim the fallen Tulip City.


    In this situation, Wilton had no choice but to slow down the offensive. He had to hold his ground against the demons who occupied Tulip City and simultaneously call for continued reinforcements from the Sky Alliance.


    As many ¡®informed individuals¡¯ had anticipated, Tulip City was not easy to recapture. Even though the revered hero Wilton personally led the army, they only won a few battles, and Tulip City remained in the hands of the demons, hardly a significant victory.


    ...


    In fact, to many, even the few victories Wilton claimed were seen as inflated. It¡¯s not that Wilton was lying about his achievements¡ªhe definitely won those battles¡ªthat was not in question. However, what was the cost of these minor victories for the Sky Alliance Army? sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Regarding this, the Shadow Alliance did not mention any numbers, but for some battle-hardened bigwigs, even without these figures, just by estimating the demons¡¯ casualties, one could gauge the Sky Alliance Army¡¯s losses.


    According to their estimates, the losses the Sky Alliance Army incurred for these few victories must have been substantial! This speculation was evident from Wilton halting his offensive by the end of November and allowing the Alliance to continue sending more troops to Sky City.


    And this was precisely what puzzled people.


    As the saying goes, outsiders see the spectacle, experts see the path. While ordinary residents of Sky City might be excited about these victories, for some of the real power figures, the actions of the Sky Alliance and Wilton were baffling. Was it worth it to deploy such a massive force and suffer such heavy losses for a few inconsequential victories?


    Clearly, the Sky Alliance had another plan. Otherwise, with the astuteness of the Alliance¡¯s think-tank and Wilton¡¯s experience, they would never have made such a foolish move. However, what exactly the Sky Alliance was calculating remained a mystery to everyone.


    While everyone was speculating about the deep meaning behind the actions of the Sky Alliance, another significant event occurred in early December of Year 117!


    The Three Great Saint Cities¡ªno, now it should be said, two, as Gesya City, one of the remaining Saint Cities on the land, came under siege by demons!


    Following the sudden fall of Tulip City, Gesya City, one of the last two Saint Cities on land, also faced an attack by demons. And with the assault on Gesya City, the world finally understood the mystery behind the fall of Tulip City.


    It had been said before that Tulip City had fallen suddenly without any signs. The only hint was when it suddenly lost contact with the Sky Alliance. Right after Wilton immediately went to Tulip City to investigate, the city had already fallen. Everyone found it unbelievable and completely unclear how a city that stood for nearly a century could fall in just a few days.


    This question had puzzled people for months, but with the attack on Gesya City, the puzzle was finally solved.


    Sneak attack.


    This was the real reason behind the fall of Tulip City¡ªsimple, brutal, and unbelievable.


    When the Shadow Alliance broadcast this news to the whole world, many people found it unbelievable that Saint City, which had stood for less than a century, had fallen due to a surprise attack. Was this a joke?


    However, after carefully reviewing the materials provided by the Shadow Alliance, they suddenly realized and finally understood what had happened.


    On December 1 of Sky Era Year 117, the first day of the last month of the year, a massive horde of demons, numbering in the millions, suddenly appeared around Gesya City!


    The millions of demons appeared out of nowhere and immediately surrounded the swamps encircling Gesya City, layering them inside and out. The demons then paved a road with their bodies, one after another jumping into the swamp. At the cost of the lives of hundreds of thousands of demons, they managed to pave a ¡®road of corpses¡¯ across the swamp in less than two days!


    Following this road of corpses, countless demons launched a fierce attack on Gesya City!


    The sudden emergence of millions of demons to launch an attack, sacrificing hundreds of thousands of their own, was the demons¡¯ surprise attack!


    Once the people of the world witnessed how the demons attacked Gesya City, they also understood the mystery behind the fall of Tulip City. Clearly, the demons used the same method when they attacked Tulip City. Millions of demons appeared at once and then launched a relentless assault on Tulip City, which, unprepared, couldn¡¯t hold out for even a few days and fell immediately.


    But fortunately, Gesya City did not repeat Tulip City¡¯s fate and withstood the demons¡¯ assault.


    All this was thanks to the timely response of The Three Great Alliances after the fall of Tulip City. Apart from the Sky Alliance, the other two alliances, the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute, reinforced the remaining two holy cities as soon as they received the news of the fall of Tulip City. It was precisely because of this significant reinforcement that Gesya City managed to escape catastrophe.


    And it was the Kafka Empire that helped Gesya City withstand the demons¡¯ attack.


    As the name suggests, the Kafka Empire is not an alliance or federation, but a nation, the only true nation still existing in the skies.


    With the emergence of Sky City, the concepts of local and central became increasingly blurred. The idea that all must centralize and follow sage governance ceased to exist. With Sky City in hand, every City Lord had the capital to declare themselves king, effectively making each holder of a city a ruler. In such conditions, the concept of nationhood quickly vanished.


    However, there was one exception¡ªthe Kafka Empire.


    The history of this empire dates back to the Land Era. When the era transitioned to the Sky Era, other nations quickly disintegrated under the tides of time, but the Kafka Empire persisted. Not only that, but it also gradually developed into one of the most powerful forces in the skies, owning over a thousand different Sky Cities. In terms of the number of Sky Cities, the Kafka Empire possesses the most among the three major forces!


    It was precisely because of the strong backing from the Kafka Empire that Gesya City was able to withstand the assault from the millions of demons.


    Of course, the intensity of this battle was also considered the most horrific in the last decade. Both Kafka Empire and Gesya City, although they withstood the demons¡¯ attack, suffered tremendous losses. Gesya City as a battlefield goes without saying, but even the supporting Kafka Empire lost tens of thousands of warships and several times more Void Magic Warriors!


    As the news of this battle was spread by the Shadow Alliance to the whole world, a shadow enveloped the entire sky, because by this time, even the most dim-witted could see that this world was no longer at peace¡­


    Thus, with heavy hearts, bewilderment, and worry, December of Sky Era Year 117 passed, and a new year arrived¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 230 - 233 Spend Money! Spend Money! Spend Money!

    Chapter 230: Chapter 233 Spend Money! Spend Money! Spend Money!


    In January of the Sky Era Year 118, it should have been a day worth celebrating. Yet due to the fall of Tulip City and the subsequent siege on Gesya City, such significant events had left everyone devoid of festive spirits.


    This included Rocky as well.


    Of course, he wasn¡¯t worrying about Gesya City¡ªthat wasn¡¯t his concern. His worries were about the development of new Armor.


    After Rocky returned to Thunderhawk City, the new Armor designed by Hammerfire entered its manufacturing phase, and at the same time, Orton and others began to modify and improve Armor Technology. This dual approach was pushing forward the Rune Armor project.


    It was after this that Rocky¡¯s troubles began¡ªthe problem was simple, yet it consisted of just one thing: spending money.


    The development of the new Armor was much more complicated and difficult than Rocky had imagined. In fact, by the end of December 117, Hammerfire had already produced the first version of the White Demon Armor and then conducted the first trial. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Rocky did not participate in this trial. On one hand, he was recovering from injuries, and on the other hand, it was just a preliminary test. The main purpose was to check the strength of the Armor because the Mana Runes had to be directly inscribed on the Armor itself. Furthermore, it provides much more Mana than traditional old-fashioned Armor. In such cases, whether the Armor made with traditional craftsmanship could withstand the Runes, and whether it could handle the vast amount of Mana provided by the Runes, all had to be tested.


    And the result of the test ended in failure.


    According to the initial design, the White Demon Armor was supposed to have three levels of Runes inscribed: twenty Level Five Runes, fifty Level Four Runes, and one hundred Third-level Runes. That was what everyone thought and did. However, as soon as the Runes were inscribed on the Armor and activated, the Armor failed because it could not withstand the vast Mana the Runes provided and was rendered useless¡­


    This failure was undoubtedly significant for the Rune Armor project. Before this, including Orton, who was most knowledgeable about Runes, most of the planning was theoretical. Many ideas were merely possible in theory, so through this failed trial, everyone inevitably gained a deeper and more thorough understanding of Runes.


    However, this meant that the Armor had to be remade.


    With no other choice, Aileen made another trip to Eternal City, spending nearly three hundred thousand Gold Coins to purchase materials sufficient to produce at least two sets of Armor for Hammerfire.


    With the new materials, the second version of the White Demon Armor was quickly produced, and then it exploded¡­


    The second version of the White Demon Armor also ended in failure after the trial, but this time, the failure was not due to the Armor unable to withstand Mana. In fact, after the first version of the White Demon Armor failed, Hammerfire and Orton and others improved the Armor¡¯s design, both in terms of the raw materials used and by reducing the number of Runes inscribed on the Armor. Thus, when the second version of the White Demon Armor was produced, it not only withstood the Mana provided by the Runes but was also able to operate normally with the Runes as its driving core.


    But even so, the new Armor was not yet a success. Although the new Armor could now fully rely on Runes for operation, at best it was only a set of Rune Armor, far from being a true Armor. To transform it into a real Armor, it was necessary to mount Armor Technology on it to meet combat requirements.


    It was precisely at this step that another problem arose.


    As previously mentioned, the new Armor was designed based on the Fourth Generation Armor, and the technology it carried was also an improved version of the mature technology of the Fourth Generation Armor. But when the Armor truly started operating with Runes as its core, Orton and others discovered that the Mana provided by the Runes far exceeded the maximum capacity of the old Fourth Generation Armor.


    This brought about two issues.


    First, the technologies applicable to Fourth Generation Armor, now supported by a more abundant Mana, would undoubtedly possess greater power, and could even extend to some new technologies that previously existed only in theory but were difficult to realize. However, the same abundant Mana also made the previously presumed mature technologies very unstable.


    Second, if they wanted to stabilize the improved technology, it was actually quite simple: they needed to control the Mana output of the Armor, which to Orton and his team was so easy it could be solved with a flick of their fingers. But once the Mana output was reduced, although stability was achieved, it meant wasting the abundant Mana provided by the Runes.


    Finding a balance that would allow the technologies carried by the Armor to perform to their utmost potential while remaining stable became a challenging task that required repeated trials.


    Through trial after trial, the second version of the Armor was quickly scrapped. The third and fourth versions of the Armor also failed one after the other, and only after the fifth version of the improved Armor was produced did the trials make some progress.


    However, by that time, after five versions of Armor had been continuously produced, the one million Gold Coins Rocky had provided for research funding were completely spent¡­


    There was no helping it, the research was just too expensive, no, not just expensive¡ªit was burning money!


    Rocky once had Aileen calculate the cost. Excluding the equipment for Armor production, just the materials alone for the first version of the White Demon Armor cost ninety thousand Gold Coins¡ªmeaning ninety thousand Gold Coins worth of materials were needed to produce a single set of White Demon Armor.


    And that was just the cost for the first version of the Armor. In reality, after the first version failed, Hammerfire made all-around improvements to the Armor, particularly in the materials used, which caused the cost of the raw materials for the second version of the White Demon Armor to skyrocket to one hundred and ten thousand Gold Coins.


    The third and fourth versions of the Armor also underwent various degrees of improvement, with the cost of production continuously rising. By the time the fifth version of the Armor was produced, the research effort that everyone had painstakingly poured their hearts and souls into, if we just considered the raw materials required, had already reached two hundred thousand Gold Coins!!


    What does two hundred thousand Gold Coins represent?


    The most expensive Mass Production Type among the Fifth Generation Armor only cost around one hundred and seventy to one hundred and eighty thousand Gold Coins, and the price of Specialized Armor from the Fourth Generation was generally around two hundred thousand Gold Coins. And these were retail prices¡ªif calculated by production cost, even the top Special Armor of the Fourth Generation had not exceeded two hundred thousand Gold Coins to make!


    Such an enormous expenditure had completely exceeded Rocky¡¯s imagination and more importantly, his capacity to afford it, because even though Hammerfire had already manufactured the fifth version of the Armor, the research was still not over. After a series of experiments, he had started improving for the sixth version.


    But at this point, Rocky could no longer afford any more money¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 231 - 234 Ran out of money...

    Chapter 231: Chapter 234 Ran out of money¡­


    The cost of developing the new armor had completely exceeded Rocky¡¯s imagination, and it even surpassed the maximum financial burden he could bear!


    When Hammerfire produced the fifth version of the improved armor and started to work on a comprehensive upgrade to the next version, the one million Gold Coins provided by Rocky were entirely spent¡­


    To the average person, such spending would be unimaginable because only a few months had passed since the beginning of the Rune Armor project. Yet they had already spent over a million Gold Coins in such a short period, burning cash even faster than indulging in eating, drinking, and gambling.


    But this was the reality, and not only was it a fact, but in the eyes of people like Orton, it wasn¡¯t even surprising because even a few million Gold Coins being spent on the research process of ordinary technology or techniques would be considered quite normal, let alone their research on Rune technology, which was of the topmost tier.


    In fact, knowing that Rocky had limited funds, Orton and his team had been trying to be as frugal as possible throughout the research process. For instance, despite Hammerfire manufacturing exactly five versions of armor, in order to save funding, only one set of each version was made. Under normal circumstances, for experiments of this level, at least a dozen sets of experimental battle armor would be needed.


    Moreover, with only one set of armor available for testing, Orton and his team could only conduct repeat experiments on this sole set of armor. They wouldn¡¯t design and produce the next version until they had completely worn out and scrapped the current set of armor after combining the experimental results. It was a level of frugality that couldn¡¯t possibly be further stretched.


    ...


    Yet even under such constrained research conditions, the progress made by the several masters was quite remarkable. After the fifth version of armor testing concluded, most of the technology used for the armor had been successfully improved through incessant trials. This meant that by the time the sixth version of the armor was manufactured, the new White Demon Armor would be fundamentally finalized!


    Once the armor was final, it meant that the theoretical part of the research was completely finished, and the study would officially enter the practical operation stage.


    During this phase, the White Demon Armor, driven by Rune technology, would undergo a series of experiments under Rocky¡¯s operation, while Orton and his team would use the data from these experiments to make further adjustments to the armor.


    This meant that the research on the Rune Armor project had reached mid-course and was taking a significant step towards success!


    But, just at this moment, the research funding provided by Rocky had run out, and they couldn¡¯t produce the sixth version of the armor¡­


    For everyone involved, this was a significant setback, yet there was nothing they could do about it. After all, research depended on money to continue, and without it, regardless of the ideas, nothing could be researched. Money was necessary for ideas to be realized.


    This situation caused immense anxiety for Orton and his team, and Rocky was just as anxious.


    Orton and his team were anxious because they were top masters of their era, who had come together to research tirelessly for months, and just as the armor they had painstakingly developed was about to enter practical operation, they had to stop research due to lack of funding ¨C how could they be content with that?


    Rocky was anxious too because he was the one truly spending the money, and one million Gold Coins had been exhausted, yet all he had to show for it were a pile of data ¨C wasn¡¯t this equivalent to one million Gold Coins just drifting away like water!


    In this situation, both Orton¡¯s team and Rocky wanted the research to continue, but where would the money come for that?


    To solve this problem, they had no choice but to come together to discuss strategies.


    ¡°Aileen, how much money can we still draw from the city¡¯s funds?¡±


    After Orton and his colleagues arrived at Rocky¡¯s study, Rocky immediately asked Aileen.


    ¡°At most three hundred thousand, that¡¯s the limit I can manage. If we use any more, the city simply won¡¯t be able to cope,¡±


    As the finance officer of Thunderhawk City, Aileen was clearer than anyone about how much money was in Thunderhawk City¡¯s treasury and how much was needed to maintain city operations. Therefore, without even needing to think, she immediately answered that Rocky could only contribute an additional three hundred thousand Gold Coins to the research.


    However, upon hearing this number, Orton and his colleagues shook their heads again and again, and even Rocky sighed, knowing all too well that three hundred thousand Gold Coins was simply not enough.


    But this was the limit Thunderhawk City could offer, and even these 300,000 gold coins were only available thanks to the fortunate circumstances following Rocky¡¯s assassination attempt. According to Aileen¡¯s original plan, these 300,000 gold coins were meant to pay the protection fee. However, due to Rocky¡¯s assassination attempt, Eternal City waived Thunderhawk City¡¯s protection fee for three months, which is why this sum was available. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have had even these 300,000 gold coins. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a result, everyone began to discuss countermeasures, looking for ways to gather enough research funds.


    After much discussion, they could only think of two methods.


    The first was for everyone to pool their money together. Rocky could still contribute 300,000 gold coins, and other researchers like Orton were masters in their field. Although they owned no industries, it was still not a problem for each of them to contribute hundreds of thousands of gold coins. Thus, by pooling together, they could raise another million gold coins for research. If they had an additional million in funds, according to Orton and others¡¯ estimates, they might not be able to achieve much, but they could complete this phase of the research.


    But this method had one problem: it was not sustainable.


    The research on Rune Armor was not something that could be finished in a day or two, a month or two. Even if the new White Demon Armor was fully successful, it wouldn¡¯t mark the end of the project. Far from it, in fact¡ªit would just be the beginning! The successful development of the White Demon Armor would signify the opening of a new field in Rune Armor, revealing many aspects to delve into deeper. Only then would the Rune Armor project really commence!


    As the research deepened, funding would be consumed like a bottomless pit. What would Rocky and his colleagues do then?


    Would they tighten their belts and pool money together again? Even if they were willing, they wouldn¡¯t be able to raise the funds!


    So this method could only temporarily alleviate the urgent problems but wouldn¡¯t solve the issue completely.


    As for the second method everyone thought of, it was to seek investors.


    Perhaps by approaching businessmen like the Chambers of Commerce or current Armor manufacturers or by turning to City Lords, whether ordinary ones or alliances like the Sky Alliance. In short, they needed to find wealthy individuals to invest in the Rune Armor project. With their support, the financial issue would be resolved permanently.


    In fact, more than ninety percent of current research is carried out in this manner, with one party providing funds while the other conducts the research.


    However, there was also a significant issue with this approach, that is, the necessity to share the research results with the investors.


    The project Rocky and Orton were working on was their private venture, meaning that any successful outcomes belonged to them alone. But once they sought investments for their research, even if funding was no longer an issue, the results would no longer belong solely to Rocky; they would have to be shared with the investors.


    This was clearly not what Rocky wanted to see. It wasn¡¯t because he was stingy and wanted to hide and hoard the runes as treasures; the research they were conducting was just too important to him.


    Once the research on Rune Armor succeeded, it would become the core technology in the field of runes. And as long as he held this core technology, even if Rocky publicized Mana Runes to the world, allowing everyone to know of their existence and start researching them, he would still maintain a leading position because he had the core technology!


    In the realm of technology, the principle of staying a step ahead is immutable. If you control core technology, you will inevitably lead the competitive research race, and the Rune Armor research represented such core technology.


    In this scenario, once outsiders entered and had access to their research results, Rocky would lose his advantage completely.


    With that, the group found themselves at an impasse, unable to think of a solution that would meet both needs.


    However, it was at this moment that Hammerfire suddenly spoke up.


    ¡°City Lord, lad, I might have a way to alleviate the financial strain temporarily, although this method is quite dangerous¡­¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 232 - 235: Arena

    Chapter 232: Chapter 235: Arena


    Just when everyone was at their wits¡¯ end over the financial issue, unable to come up with a perfect solution, Hammerfire suddenly spoke up.


    ¡°I do have a method,¡± he said.


    At these words, all eyes fell on him, and Hammerfire looked at Rocky: ¡°It¡¯s just that this method might be somewhat dangerous for you.¡±


    ¡°Master Hammerfire, please feel free to speak your mind,¡± Rocky said.


    ¡°Come on, Hammerfire, stop beating around the bush and tell us what it is!¡± Orton immediately asked, showing the urgency the group felt.


    And thereafter, Hammerfire continued:


    ...


    ¡°The Arena.¡±


    With the utterance of these three simple words, everyone present was momentarily stunned, then various expressions quickly spread across their faces.


    ¡°Hammerfire, make yourself clear, what do you mean? Are you suggesting that Rocky participates in the Arena?¡± Orton furrowed his brows tightly, his complexion turning sour upon hearing the word ¡°Arena.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m suggesting, for Rocky to participate in the Arena,¡± Hammerfire nodded in confirmation and elaborated: ¡°Eternal City¡¯s Arena holds a league every quarter. Any contestant who wins can earn an immensely generous prize money¡­¡±


    ¡°No! Absolutely not!¡± Orton didn¡¯t let Hammerfire finish his sentence and abruptly cut him off, his eyes widening as he shouted: ¡°Rocky is the honorable City Lord! How can he compete in the Arena? Besides, the Arena battles are to the death. What if something happens to him, what if he loses an arm or a leg; would you take responsibility?¡±


    Orton was visibly upset with Hammerfire¡¯s suggestion, the objection clear in his wide-eyed glare.


    The Arena was essentially a place of entertainment that capitalized on the spectacle of Void Magic Warriors battling each other to the death for the audience¡¯s pleasure; a concept not to be underestimated. In God City, the Arena was one of the biggest entertainment events, with continual matches throughout the year, and without exception, all the contestants were Void Magic Warriors!


    However, although the Arena served as an entertainment venue for spectators, it was utterly brutal for the participants, because the Arena¡¯s matches were real combats to the death, with the slightest mistake potentially costing a fighter their life.


    But correspondingly, the high risk of competition was matched by high rewards. Every Void Magic Armor warrior that won in the Arena could earn substantial rewards. The most basic rewards were Gold Coins, but if the level of the match was higher, the rewards would be more valuable than Gold Coins. Indeed, if one could become the champion at the triennial Sky Combat Skills Convention, they would be granted a whole Sky City as the ultimate prize!


    Because the rewards were so lavish, despite the inherent dangers, there were still many who chose to compete in the Arena.


    Nevertheless, even so, the number of Void Magic Armor warriors remained limited; after all, their status was far higher than regular soldiers, and not everyone was willing to risk their lives. Therefore, to attract more participants, the Arena provided Void Magic Armors free of cost to some contestants who lacked the means, drawing in more regular soldiers to compete.


    And it was because of the Arena¡¯s provision of Armor for free that the number of contestants participating was always high, ensuring that matches took place throughout the year.


    Moreover, since the quality of the participants varied greatly, both genuine and fake Void Magic Warriors were present, which further intensified the bloodiness of the competition. Once a real Void Magic Warrior faced an imposter, it was almost certain that lives would be lost. Yet, the bloodier the matches, the more they drew spectators, increasing the earnings of the Arena.


    This was the Arena, an event that entertained people through bloodshed.


    Hammerstone had come up with the idea in hopes that Rocky would compete in the Arena to earn money. By doing so, not only would they secure the needed funding for their research, but they would also prevent the research outcomes from falling into the hands of others¡ªa solution that solved two problems at once.


    ¡°Hammerfire, although there¡¯s prize money for winning Arena matches, surely that¡¯s not enough to support our research, right?¡± At this point, Pelaya spoke up. She didn¡¯t outright reject the idea, like Orton did, but she did voice her doubts. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In Pelaya¡¯s view, while the prize money from the Arena might seem significant for the average person, what would tens or even hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins mean for the research of Rune Armor?


    But no sooner had she finished speaking than Hammerfire immediately replied: ¡°Pelaya, you¡¯re not aware, the Arena¡¯s competitions are tiered. The prize money is naturally low for the lower tiers, but it¡¯s different for the higher tiers. It¡¯s quite normal to win over a hundred thousand Gold Coins in one competition. Moreover, my suggestion for Rocky to enter the competition isn¡¯t for the prize money, but for the gambling outside the Arena!¡±


    ¡°You think the Arena just earns money from ticket sales? That¡¯s not the case. Each time there¡¯s a match in the Arena, the officials set up betting pools outside, offering odds for both sides, then let everyone place their bets. That¡¯s the real source of the Arena¡¯s income.¡±


    ¡°So, as long as Rocky competes, we bet on him from the outside. And as long as he keeps winning, we continue to win money on the outside, multiplying our winnings manyfold. This way, wouldn¡¯t the research funds be taken care of?¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 233 - 235 Arena_2

    Chapter 233: Chapter 235 Arena_2


    Until that moment, Master Hammerfire finally revealed his true purpose. He wanted Rocky to participate in the Arena competition, not for the prize money which was minuscule for their research, but for the gambling outside the Arena!


    This idea was absolutely brilliant!


    Because, as Pelaya said, the prize money offered by the Arena might be substantial for the average person, but it was nowhere near enough for their research. However, the gambling was different; the more you bet, the more you could earn, potentially multiplying your investment many times over. The money earned from gambling could indeed support the research for the Rune Armor!


    ¡°No, it¡¯s still too dangerous.¡±


    Unfortunately, after Master Hammerfire had explained all his thoughts, Orton still shook his head like a bobblehead, firmly disagreeing.


    And his reason was simple: the Arena was too dangerous.


    ...


    This reason really left everyone speechless. Everyone had heard of the Arena, and most had seen some Arena competitions, so they understood very well the cruelty and bloodiness of the matches.


    The Arena was a dog-eat-dog place where no one cared about your identity or would befriend you. Almost everyone who participated did so with the same goal¡ªto eliminate their opponents and win the desired prize money in this ¡®simple¡¯ manner. Under such straightforward objectives, every match in the Arena was extremely dangerous. To put it bluntly, Rocky participating in these competitions would likely be dead within three matches!


    ¡°My lord, let me go!¡±


    Just then, Monte, who had been quietly listening, suddenly stood up. The towering Beastman spoke to Rocky, Orton, and the others: ¡°My lords, masters, let me participate in the Arena! I was once a Demon Hunter, and I have experience fighting Demons. I will have no problem in the Arena!¡±


    Monte, of course, couldn¡¯t understand the academic content, but he understood Master Hammerfire¡¯s idea perfectly. Being one of Rocky¡¯s most trusted aides, Monte also knew how difficult Rocky¡¯s current situation was, and he wanted to help but couldn¡¯t. So, when he heard that participating in the Arena could make money, he volunteered immediately.


    In Monte¡¯s view, Master Hammerfire¡¯s plan was tailor-made for him. After all, in the entire Thunderhawk City, who could be more suitable to participate in the Arena than a former Demon Hunter like himself?


    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡±


    However, just as Monte had stood up, Master Hammerfire shook his head.


    ¡°Master Hammerfire, why!¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Monte was utterly confused as Master Hammerfire rejected him outright without a second thought, but Hammerfire¡¯s next words made him fall silent.


    ¡°The White Demon Armor isn¡¯t designed for you.¡±


    Glancing at Monte, Hammerfire turned to Orton and Rocky: ¡°Orton, I know you are worried about the safety of the City Lord¡¯s lad, but I never said he should enter the competition wearing his own shoddy armor, did I? My plan is for him to wear the White Demon Armor and participate in the Arena!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Hammerfire, are you saying¡­¡±


    As Master Hammerfire finished his sentence, Orton, Pelaya, and Aniye were simultaneously stunned, and the three of them fell into deep thought.


    While they were lost in thought, Hammerfire continued: ¡°Gentlemen, the White Demon Armor was developed together by us. You know very well the level of combat capability this armor can achieve. Don¡¯t you trust your own research?¡±


    ¡°Once Rocky wears the White Demon Armor, do you still need to worry about his safety? Remember, he¡¯s only participating in a seasonal match, not the triennial Sky Combat Grand Tournament, so there will be no problems.¡±


    After saying this, Hammerfire fell silent, and soon after, Aniye and Pelaya came back to their senses and nodded to Rocky at the same time.


    ¡°If he wears the White Demon Armor, then indeed there would be no problem with his safety.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, and moreover, this way, we can also directly collect real combat data of the armor.¡±


    When Aniye and Pelaya nodded one after another, agreeing that Master Hammerfire¡¯s suggestion was feasible, everyone present simultaneously turned their gaze toward Orton and Rocky.


    Finding everyone looking at him, Orton glanced at Rocky, ¡°Kid, what do you think? I can tell you, the Arena is every bit as dangerous as the battlefield, even more so. Your opponents might resort to any means to win, so don¡¯t take this lightly.¡±


    ¡°However, Master Hammerfire is also right; if you wear the White Demon Armor to the competition, you can be reassured that nothing will go wrong with that armor.¡±


    ¡°So, the final decision is still up to you.¡±


    Clearly, upon learning that Master Hammerfire planned to have Rocky wear the White Demon Armor to the Arena, Orton, who had initially opposed the idea, was swayed because he had great confidence in the White Demon Armor, which he had helped to design.


    Even so, he left the decision entirely up to Rocky.


    With that, all eyes were once again on Rocky.


    ¡°I have no problem with it.¡±


    Contrary to what everyone expected, Rocky showed no hesitation and agreed immediately.


    Ever since Master Hammerfire had explained his idea to everyone, Rocky had been considering it. In fact, for him, there wasn¡¯t much to consider as his current circumstances left him with few alternatives. Wearing the White Demon Armor or even the Blood Pattern Mark II to the competition was a necessity given his situation!


    So Rocky had already decided¡ªwhy not the Arena? He would go!


    ¡°Good!¡±


    Seeing Rocky nod in agreement, Master Hammerfire was the first to jump up and then said to Orton and the others, ¡°Gentlemen, the City Lord¡¯s kid has already decided to give his all for this research; we old folks can¡¯t let a kid show us up! What are we waiting for? Let¡¯s get moving and show the world the prowess of the White Demon!¡±


    Thus, once Rocky decided to participate in the Arena, everyone got busy once more.


    Thereafter, Rocky took out the last three hundred thousand gold coins he had, and Master Hammerfire and others used this final sum to create the sixth version of the White Demon Armor over half a month.


    This version¡¯s development cycle was the longest of all versions, because after countless experiments, this version of the armor had been perfected in every aspect, at least theoretically flawless. Hence, this version was called the Prototype Armor of the White Demon by Master Hammerfire; once all tests on this version were successful, all Rune Armors in the foreseeable future would be designed based on this prototype, hence the name.


    However, after creating the Prototype Armor of the White Demon, Rocky did not immediately participate in the Arena; he still had to undergo a series of tests. Partly it was to familiarize himself with the new armor, and partly it was for Orton and others to verify the Armor¡¯s practicality. Only once it was confirmed that the armor was indeed suitable for actual combat could Rocky enter the Arena.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Half a month later, Rocky arrived early at the laboratory with Liliya, Aileen, and Monte and others, only to find Orton and his group who had long been waiting.


    ¡°Kid, are you ready?¡±


    In the backyard of the laboratory, upon seeing Rocky, Orton asked.


    ¡°I am ready.¡±


    To Orton¡¯s question, Rocky took a deep breath, then nodded his head.


    ¡°Come then, it is yours.¡±


    Seeing him nod, Orton and Master Hammerfire smiled slightly and then stepped aside, revealing the White Demon Armor behind them!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 234 - 236 Top Demons!

    Chapter 234: Chapter 236 Top Demons!


    Since Rocky had been healing from injuries previously, although he knew that the White Demon Armor had been manufactured and there had been multiple versions of it, he had not seen it with his own eyes. Today, he saw this legendary armor for the first time.


    As his gaze followed, a suit of immaculate white Void Magic Armor appeared before him, precisely the White Demon Armor that Orton and others had painstakingly researched!


    Beautiful!


    At the first sight of this armor, both Rocky and Liliya beside him couldn¡¯t help but gasp because it was simply too beautiful!


    The all-white paint and full-coverage style made the armor look like a snow sculpture in the sunlight. At the same time, it had an angular design giving every part of the armor clear, sharp lines without any ambiguity; one could feel the simplicity and directness of its beauty at first glance.


    This wasn¡¯t just any armor; it was a piece of art!


    ...


    At the first sight of this armor, Rocky fell in love with it and couldn¡¯t help but admire Hammerfire¡¯s mastery because, although Orton and three others had collaborated on the design, the main body and style of the armor were solely Hammerfire¡¯s work. From the current masterpiece, it was clear that Hammerfire¡¯s skills as an armor master hadn¡¯t lessened with age!


    In fact, far from lessening, in order to design this White Demon Armor, Hammerfire had really put a lot of effort into it. Although the armor was based on the fourth generation, Hammerfire had incorporated many concepts from the fifth generation of armors. In some ways, he had achieved his goal; he truly created a brand-new concept and form of armor.


    ¡°City Lord kid, stop standing there dumbfounded, quickly proceed with the mana matching!¡±


    When Rocky was stunned by the stunning White Demon Armor, Hammerfire snapped him back to reality.


    ¡°Mana matching?¡±


    Upon hearing Hammerfire¡¯s words, the awakened Rocky was puzzled as he had never heard of this technology; wasn¡¯t armor usually just worn directly? Why was matching required?


    In response to his confusion, Hammerfire smiled and then glanced at Orton beside him: ¡°City Lord kid, mana matching is a technology only for custom armors which means this set was tailor-made for you from the beginning.¡±


    When Hammerfire finished speaking, Rocky looked at Orton in surprise, then saw Orton also looking at him, his face carrying a kind smile.


    Custom fitting technology was one of today¡¯s top technologies; this technology could maximize the compatibility between the user and the armor, thereby unleashing its maximum strength. The Holy Knight Armor worn by Wilton utilized this technology, and Orton was one of the top researchers of this cutting-edge technology, so naturally, the White Demon Armor owning it was credited to Orton.


    ¡°Kid, stop staring; hurry up!¡±


    Noticing Rocky staring at him, almost to the point of tearing up, Orton scolded with a laugh and then led him to the White Demon Armor.


    Since it employed custom fitting technology, the White Demon Armor was naturally designed for exclusive personal use. Although it was Rocky¡¯s, he had to undergo mana matching with the armor before it could truly be his.


    The matching process was not complicated; with Orton guiding him, it soon came to an end.


    After that, Rocky officially donned the White Demon Armor!


    ¡°Kid, how does it feel?¡±


    Once Rocky had fully donned the White Demon Armor, Orton¡¯s voice reached his ears, surprising him since the voice didn¡¯t come from outside, but directly inside the all-covering helmet.


    ¡°Teacher, this is¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act so surprised; it¡¯s just an in-built magic energy communicator.¡±


    At that moment, Orton and the other three were each wearing a communicator powered by magic energy. This allowed them to directly communicate and talk to Rocky without shouting outside, especially since the White Demon was fully-covering, making it hard to hear external sounds clearly.


    ¡°Kid, listen up, I¡¯m going to introduce you to the basic functions of the White Demon Armor.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it! Let me do it! You didn¡¯t design this armor; you know nothing!¡±


    Just when Orton was about to introduce each function of the White Demon Armor to Rocky to give him a basic understanding, Hammerfire started clamoring from the side.


    About this, Orton immediately widened his eyes but eventually nodded, letting Hammerfire take over the task.


    ¡°City Lord kid, can you hear my voice?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± After getting a response, Hammerfire said, ¡°This armor, since it uses rune-driven power, operates a bit differently from old-style armors. Now, follow my instructions to activate the runes¡­¡±


    Although the White Demon Armor essentially still used magic energy, its carrier had changed from magic stones to runes. While functionally similar, there were substantial differences in certain details, which made the operation of the White Demon Armor somewhat different from older armors.


    Thus, Hammerfire explained to Rocky how to activate the runes.


    ¡°City Lord kid, did you get all that?¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°Great, now just like I told you, start by activating the Third-level Rune.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 235 - 236 Top Demons!_2

    Chapter 235: Chapter 236 Top Demons!_2


    ¡°`


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    With an acknowledgment, Rocky activated the Third-level Rune inside the Armor, just as Hammerstone had instructed.


    During this process, people like Orton outside were each holding a magic energy detector, aiming all the detectors at Rocky.


    ¡°Rocky, how do you feel?¡±


    This time, it was Aniye who spoke.


    ...


    ¡°Nothing out of the ordinary.¡±


    Nodding, Rocky indicated that he didn¡¯t notice any issues.


    At this moment, Orton and the others outside had gathered around the testing table that had been moved out of the laboratory earlier, now they were looking at the various values provided by the instruments on the table.


    ¡°Magic energy peak 2900 points, just as expected.¡±


    ¡°Magic energy flow is smooth, everything is normal.¡±


    ¡°Armor pressure is normal, no danger.¡±


    The various data displayed on the instruments made Orton and the others exchange glances and smile at each other, their tense emotions finally beginning to relax because from this stage, everything seemed normal with the White Demon Armor¡¯s operation.


    Although the White Demon Armor had undergone many tests before, most of those were to verify the basic endurance of the Armor and the operation of the technology it carried, which is a different concept from actually being used by someone. Only when Rocky put on the Armor and successfully activated it could they prove that the Armor was faultless.


    ¡°Kid, now activate the Level Four Runes of the Armor.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Hearing Orton¡¯s voice by his ear, Rocky activated the Level Four Runes of the Armor using the previous method.


    And as the Level Four Runes were activated, the Mana value of the White Demon Armor soared even more, instantly rising to 6700 points!


    6700 Mana points! S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This level of Mana already matched the highest range achievable by the fourth-generation Void Magic Armors, and even the magic energy value of the most top-notch specialized armors from the fourth generation did not exceed this standard! This meant that with the activation of the Level Four Runes, the White Demon Armor had at least reached the pinnacle of the fourth-generation armors in terms of Mana attributes!


    But that was not the limit of the White Demon Armor.


    Because the Armor was equipped with Runes of three differing levels, besides the Third-level and Fourth-level Runes, it also came with Fifth-level Runes.


    Therefore, as White Demon Armor¡¯s Mana value climbed to 6900 points and all data showed normal operation, Orton let Rocky activate the Fifth-level Rune on the Armor.


    Responding from inside the Armor, Rocky activated all the Fifth-level Runes on the White Demon Armor!


    After a moment, all the Fifth-level Runes were activated, and the Mana value of the White Demon Armor gradually reached its limit, hitting an astonishing 10000 points!


    ¡°Hahaha! We did it! We did it! We did it!¡±


    When the Mana value of the White Demon Armor hit that stunning figure of 10000 points, Hammerfire, standing on a large chair, jumped up with joy! Because with the Mana value reaching 10000 points, it meant the White Demon Armor had officially entered the ranks of today¡¯s top armors!


    In the present Armor Domain, 10000 Mana points represent a watershed, an important benchmark; in all armors to date, be they mass production or specialized, fourth or fifth generation, if they don¡¯t meet this standard, no matter how well-designed or excellent, they still can¡¯t be considered top armor. Only when an Armor¡¯s Mana value reaches or surpasses the 10000-point benchmark can it be deemed truly top-notch!


    And although the White Demon Armor was based merely on fourth-generation design, by employing Runes, it had completely overcome the barrier related to Mana storage, propelling this Armor to the top-tier ranks.


    Indeed, the White Demon Armor has many deficiencies in other areas, with many technologies used not being the most cutting-edge of current times.


    Indeed, in the field of Armor today, a 10000 Mana point value is not the ultimate limit; certain even more top-notch armors in terms of Mana attributes have reached several tens of thousands of points, a more astonishing figure.


    But don¡¯t forget, the White Demon is just the first Armor powered by Runes at its core, and the fact that the first-ever Armor has reached such high standards already means one can only imagine how high Rune Armor will rise after more in-depth study and exploration in the future¡ªit¡¯s simply unimaginable!


    Therefore, when the White Demon Armor activated the Fifth-level Runes, causing its Mana value to hit 10000 points, and all data and indicators showed no problems, not just Hammerfire, but also Orton, Pelaya, and Aniye standing by, all had excited expressions on their faces.


    These top academic masters of our time had poured months of research into crafting this Armor, and it had finally not disappointed them!


    ¡°`


    ¡°Kid, feel the strength of this Armor! Circle around Thunderhawk City, full throttle, fly around!¡±


    After the brief excitement, Orton and the others forcibly suppressed their own excitement and refocused their attention on the test.


    ¡°Teacher, may I?¡±


    When the White Demon Armor¡¯s magic energy value reached 10,000 points, Rocky was also extremely excited and shocked; he had never imagined the Armor could be so powerful that it scared him. So, after coming to his senses, he subconsciously asked.


    ¡°Why not, of course you can! Hurry up and fly, we still need to collect data.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Rocky nodded and looked up at the sky, but just when he was about to take off, he turned to look at Orton.


    ¡°Teacher, this Armor¡­ it¡¯s not going to explode mid-flight, is it?¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense! Just fly!¡±


    Hearing Rocky¡¯s words, Orton immediately roared, and Rocky laughed before bending his knees, squatting down, and then leaping up into the sky!


    Before everyone¡¯s eyes, he disappeared with a whoosh like an arrow released from its bow, and when the spectators found him again, he was already hovering a hundred meters in the air!


    Fast!


    It was really too fast!


    From the ground to a hundred meters up in the air, covering the distance in but an instant!


    The sight had Liliya and Monte¡¯s eyes wide open in disbelief, especially Liliya. As a Void Magic Warrior with Void Magic Armor herself, she knew all too well how incredible it was to fly from the ground to a hundred meters up in the air in just an instant. Her Fire Guard Type 5 Armor certainly couldn¡¯t do that.


    In fact, not just the onlookers below, but even Rocky himself hadn¡¯t expected the White Demon Armor to be so powerful. Therefore, when he stopped in the air, he too was almost dumbfounded.


    ¡°Kid, how does it feel?¡±


    ¡°Teacher, it¡¯s too fast! This Armor is amazing!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get excited just yet, your task now is to fly at full throttle. Let me see the data on the Armor¡¯s performance in this regard.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    After a brief exchange with Orton, Rocky let out a long howl in the sky and instantly pushed the Armor¡¯s speed to its limit, disappearing in the blink of an eye.


    Clearly, he had flown off, at such a high speed that the naked eye couldn¡¯t even catch him.


    As he flew further away, Orton and the others nodded with a smile, as if the performance of the White Demon was exactly as they had expected.


    Indeed, it was exactly that. They had designed the Armor together, so they had a good estimate of what the Armor could achieve. Therefore, when Rocky instantly flew a hundred meters into the air, Orton and the others weren¡¯t surprised, but they were very pleased.


    Afterward, Orton and the others gathered around the testing platform again, observing a series of data on it.


    ¡°The flight speed is very fast, even better than expected.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, how about the magic energy supply system?¡±


    ¡°No problems, everything is normal.¡±


    ¡°And the consumption?¡±


    ¡°Within controllable limits, just as expected.¡±


    ¡°Is the Armor¡¯s endurance normal?¡±


    ¡°Very stable.¡±


    Watching a series of readings on various instruments, Orton and the others continually monitored the White Demon Armor, and the results made them very satisfied. From the current performance, the Armor was doing extremely well!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 236 - 237: Weapon System

    Chapter 236: Chapter 237: Weapon System


    All data for the White Demon Armor was performing normally, allowing Orton and others to finally relax.


    Although numerous tests had been conducted before, wearing the armor in reality was a completely different matter from just testing. Therefore, even with high confidence in the White Demon Armor, everyone was still somewhat apprehensive when Rocky put it on and began a series of tests.


    Now it seemed, Orton and his team¡¯s efforts weren¡¯t in vain. They had invested a lot of Gold Coins and sheer hard work to develop this new model of armor, and it was quite successful.


    Of course, this success was only in terms of basic functions, meaning the armor could fly, move, and its Magic Energy operated without issues. But to truly validate a new armor model, many other aspects needed to be checked, such as its critical combat capabilities!


    While there are indeed some who treat Void Magic Armor as mere showy props, the true purpose of such armors is still combat. Therefore, to verify whether an armor is up to standard or even exceptional, its combat ability is of utmost importance!


    And in this regard, the White Demon Armor was naturally no slouch.


    ...


    Thanks to the powerful Magic Energy support, Orton and his team had included a rich array of weapon systems in the armor, most of which were modifications from the old fourth-generation armor weapon systems. Additionally, a smaller part consisted of new weapons developed through their original technology. In any case, Orton and his team had fitted all the weapons they could currently equip onto the White Demon Armor!


    So after about fifteen minutes, when Rocky flew around Thunderhawk City and returned to the research facility, the testing for this part began!


    The testing of the weapon systems was naturally more complicated than basic testing because of the many factors involved, from the operation of the weapons to their strength and power, and even the armor¡¯s application of these weapons in actual combat scenarios were part of the test items.


    Because it was too complex, Orton and his team decided to first let Rocky familiarize himself with the White Demon Armor¡¯s weapon systems and initially test each weapon¡¯s operating conditions. Specific data and such would be saved for his participation in Arena matches later, where further observations would be made. After all, weapons are meant for real combat, and testing them in actual combat scenarios is also the most effective way to see results.


    ¡°Kid, how does it feel?¡±


    When Rocky, clad in the White Demon Armor, returned, Orton asked him via the Magic Energy Communicator.


    ¡°Thrilling!¡±


    ¡°Awesome!¡±


    ¡°Super fast!¡±


    After the question, Rocky¡¯s incredibly excited voice came through the communicator, clearly showing how thrilled he was from his recent flight around Thunderhawk City!


    Indeed, Rocky truly felt exceptionally thrilled right now, as before this he had only worn the Blood Pattern Mark II Armor, which, even after several enhancements, had a magic energy value that never exceeded 1000. So, when he put on the White Demon Armor, which had a magic energy value of 10,000, the feeling was absolutely mind-blowing.


    ¡°City Lord, kid, don¡¯t get too excited yet. We¡¯ve hardly just begun,¡±


    Seeing Rocky so thrilled, Hammerfire laughed and chided him, then said, ¡°Now let¡¯s test the weapon systems, and then you can get excited.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Hearing they were about to test weapons, Rocky naturally became even more excited. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Blood Pattern Mark II Armor, which he previously wore, was the most outdated model, so its weapon system was hardly worth mentioning; aside from a standard regulation sword, the whole armor had only one Mana Launcher, which could only fire Magic Energy Bullets as effectively as scratching an itch. Because of this, Rocky was full of anticipation for the White Demon Armor¡¯s weapon system.


    ¡°City Lord, the White Demon¡¯s melee weapon is on your left leg. Let me teach you how to use it¡­¡±


    ¡°Left leg?¡±


    Hearing Hammerfire, Rocky looked down at the armor¡¯s left leg and then tried Hammerfire¡¯s method. Click ¨C a handle popped out from the position of the left leg bracer.


    Holding the hilt in his hand, Rocky activated the magic energy runes on it, and the sword formed gradually from the magic energy materialization!


    ¡°This is a Mana Sword driven by magic energy provided by the runes, and your right bracer can unfold a matching Magic Energy Shield,¡± said Hammerfire.


    As Hammerfire had described, Rocky then raised his right arm, and upon activating the magic energy, a shield formed from the magic energy materialization appeared.


    ¡°The Mana Sword and Magic Energy Shield are White Demon Armor¡¯s melee weapons. The magic energy consumed by both is independently accounted for by the runes. However, if needed, additional magic energy can be supplied by the armor to increase the attack and defense strength,¡± Hammerfire explained.


    ¡°Besides the melee weapons, the armor¡¯s right hand is also equipped with a triple-fire Mana Launcher capable of firing a Magic Energy Cannon with a power of 200 points.¡±


    ¡°You can try it,¡± Hammerfire suggested.


    While they were speaking, Hammerfire pointed towards a large rock in the courtyard. Rocky turned around and lifted his right arm to aim at the rock.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Under Rocky¡¯s operation, the Mana Launcher on his right arm immediately shot out three Magic Energy Bullets. Just after two sets of consecutive shots, the targeted rock was shattered into pieces.


    ¡°Very good,¡± Hammerfire remarked, nodding in approval of the power, before continuing, ¡°Besides the arm¡¯s Mana Launcher, the White Demon Armor¡¯s shoulders can also fire Magic Bullets to aid in close-range attacks.¡±


    ¡°Additionally, there¡¯s a small Magic Energy Beam Cannon on the waist of the armor. It can perform long-range attacks when fired concentrated, or disrupt nearby enemies with scattering beams if dispersed,¡± Hammerfire added.


    ¡°Moreover, six Smoke Grenades are hidden inside the backplate of the armor; they can be used for cover when necessary, but don¡¯t try it now; it produces too much smoke,¡± he advised.


    ¡°In terms of defense, apart from the Magic Energy Shield, you can also deploy a three-meter diameter Defensive Net capable of withstanding any attacks below 3000 magic energy points. Attacks exceeding this value will also have a similar magnitude of their power negated,¡± he explained.


    ¡°As for the ultimate weapon of this armor, it is the high-powered Magic Energy Beam Cannon hidden inside the chest plate¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing Hammerfire¡¯s words, driven by curiosity, Rocky immediately activated the high-powered Magic Energy Beam Cannon, a weapon he not only heard of but also witnessed in action. During the elimination of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Karina had destroyed an Escort Ship with a single shot from this weapon!


    Suddenly, the front of the White Demon Armor opened, revealing a huge cannon hidden within the chest plate!


    At the same time, the magic energy inside the chest plate began to rapidly gather towards the cannon mouth.


    ¡°Stop! Damn kid, stop!¡±


    Just then, Orton¡¯s voice suddenly appeared as he shouted into the Magic Energy Communicator, ¡°This beam cannon is too powerful and is still being adjusted. You mustn¡¯t use it, or you¡¯ll blow up the research facility itself!¡±


    Upon hearing Orton¡¯s words, Rocky was startled and quickly canceled the magic energy beam cannon that was about to fire.


    Only when the chest plate of the White Demon Armor closed again did Orton and the others breathe a sigh of relief. They had indeed been scared. As Orton mentioned, all other weapon systems of the White Demon Armor had been verified and adjusted and were generally safe. The only exception was the large-caliber Magic Energy Beam Cannon, because it was simply too powerful!


    PS: I am truly sorry for the late update today; please forgive me. Another chapter is coming soon.


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 237 - 238: Register to Compete!

    Chapter 237: Chapter 238: Register to Compete!


    ¡°Kid, these are basically the weapon systems of the White Demon Armor. Your next task is to keep operating these weapons. On one hand, it will help you become familiar with the armor, and on the other hand, it will allow us to collect various data.¡±


    ¡°Once you have mastered these basics, only then will you be able to participate in the Arena matches. Understand?¡±


    After Rocky had put away the high-powered Magic Energy Beam Cannon, Orton breathed a sigh of relief and then said to Rocky.


    The basic tests of the White Demon Armor were temporarily concluded now, and the results made everyone very satisfied. However, this was just the beginning. The purpose of these tests was merely to prove that the White Demon Armor operated normally. Whether it could be combat-effective would only be determined after Rocky participated in the Arena matches.


    But before that, Rocky had to familiarize himself with the armor. After all, the White Demon Armor was too advanced for him, completely on a different level from the Blood Pattern Mark II. Thus, if he wanted to compete in the Arena with the White Demon Armor and win, Rocky indeed needed a lot of preparation, just as Liliya once did with the Fire Guard Type 5.


    Consequently, for the next half month, Rocky visited the research lab almost daily, donning the White Demon Armor every day to familiarize himself with its various operations, while also fulfilling the various demands of Orton and others, providing them with all sorts of data about the armor.


    ... S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the beginning, Rocky indeed seemed quite unfamiliar with operating the White Demon Armor. Firstly, because this armor was a huge leap from the ones he had previously used, making it necessary for him to learn from scratch; secondly, the core drive had changed to runes, resulting in some operational changes in the armor that he also needed to adapt to.


    Therefore, in the first few days, Rocky did not perform very well in using the White Demon Armor, which inevitably caused Orton and the others some concern.


    Before this, everyone had already decided that once Rocky adapted and became familiar with the White Demon Armor, they would let him participate in the Arena competitions. This would not only help fund their research but also provide real battle data, a perfect win-win.


    But when everyone saw Rocky¡¯s performance, they began to hesitate. The White Demon Armor was definitely capable of competing in the Arena, but what about Rocky? In his current state, could he compete?


    It¡¯s known that even the strongest and most superb armor ultimately relies on the person operating it. If the skill of the Void Magic Warrior is not up to the mark, then even the strongest armor won¡¯t perform to its potential.


    And the impression Rocky had given everyone over the previous few days was just that¡ªhe seemed too mediocre.


    However, as days passed, everyone began to realize they might have been mistaken.


    After all, Rocky was a tested Void Magic Warrior. From the first time he donned a Void Magic Suit, he had used the armor in battle, from discovering Mana Runes to his recent annihilation of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. He had relied on the Void Magic Armor in battle and often led the charges against formidable foes.


    So aside from being the City Lord, Rocky was actually a truly seasoned and experienced Void Magic Warrior.


    In this context, as he spent more and more time in the White Demon Armor, he adapted better and better. And this change was not gradual; it was by leaps and bounds!


    What does leaps and bounds mean?


    It means that one day Rocky might still have troubles with some operations of the armor, but by the next day, he not only fully mastered these operations but even performed them exceedingly well, as if he had undergone long-term training!


    This was precisely Rocky¡¯s learning style. Initially lukewarm, but as time went on, his progress accelerated, as if he was building a foundation at first, and then erupting later on.


    As his progress surged, Orton and the others finally felt reassured, and they eventually completed all the basic tests of the White Demon Armor after half a month.


    Next, what Rocky needed to do was to participate in the Arena, to fight in real battles!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    That day, Rocky, accompanied by Liliya and others, arrived at Eternal City and headed straight for the biggest entertainment district in the city.


    As one of the most popular entertainment venues in Eternal City, the Arena was located right at the heart of the entertainment district. Due to its immense popularity, the Arena was vast, even larger than a ordinary city block, featuring a huge oval arena besides the main platform and eight smaller stages. As for the audience it could accommodate, the number was a staggering one hundred thousand people!


    An arena could accommodate an audience comparable to the population of a large Sky City, which speaks volumes about the grandeur of this place.


    ¡°Over here, this is the registration desk.¡±


    After some searching, Rocky and his companions found the place where competitors were registered, only to see a long line!


    As previously mentioned, although both parties in the arena must be Void Magic Warriors, the arena itself provides Armor to the competitors. This allows many soldiers, martial artists, and even ordinary people without Armor to have a chance to compete, especially with the generous rewards of the competition, making the number of registrants very high.


    ¡°How long will we have to wait?¡±


    Facing a line that had at least a hundred people, Rocky was puzzled; he hadn¡¯t expected so many to register for the competition.


    Hadn¡¯t Orton and the others said that the arena¡¯s competitions were extremely dangerous and brutal, where a slight mishap could result in death on the field? Rocky¡¯s confusion stemmed from wondering whether all these hundred competitors were famed Void Magic Armor users.


    The answer to this question was, of course, no, but as the old saying goes, ¡°People die for wealth as birds die for food.¡± In the face of immense benefits, some people are willing to risk their lives.


    ¡°My Lord, why don¡¯t you rest for a while? I¡¯ll wait here in line,¡± Monte suggested, standing to the side.


    Hearing this, Rocky nodded, then took Liliya and Aileen to a nearby shop and ordered some food.


    After about two full hours, it was finally Monte¡¯s turn in the registration line, and Rocky was able to successfully register for the arena.


    What somewhat surprised him was the simplicity of the arena¡¯s registration procedure, which was frustratingly minimal.


    ¡°Would you like to use your real name?¡±


    Rocky stood in front of the registration desk, but the beautiful woman inside the counter did not even glance at him before she directly asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll just use a number for you, your number is 1021.¡±


    ¡°Will you bring your own Void Magic Armor, or do you need one provided by the tournament?¡±


    ¡°My own.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until Rocky finished this sentence that the woman at the counter looked up at him, and then handed over a contract.


    ¡°Place your handprint here to indicate that you agree that the arena is not responsible for any accidents that occur during the match.¡±


    Rocky took the contract and handed it directly to Aileen standing beside him. After Aileen had read it and nodded, he then placed his handprint on it.


    This contract was indeed a life-and-death agreement as mentioned; once you placed your handprint, it meant that you had signed the contract, and the arena would not be responsible for your life or death during the competition.


    After handing over the contract to the beautiful woman at the counter, Rocky received a tag engraved with the number 1021 and also obtained a book of rules for the arena.


    ¡°The preliminaries are in three days. Just bring your tag to participate then. Next!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 238 - 239: The Great Melee!

    Chapter 238: Chapter 239: The Great Melee!


    After waiting in line for several hours, Rocky only took a few minutes to successfully register for the Arena competition, meaning he could participate in just three days!


    Although he had long been prepared, when he actually registered for the competition, Rocky still felt somewhat nervous.


    As the City Lord, he had fought more than once, facing opponents ranging from Demons to Void Magic Warriors, and even warships, and each battle was a matter of life and death. Logically, his experience should have been sufficient.


    However, the battles Rocky had experienced were different from the competitions in the Arena. Just as Orton had once warned him, one must never underestimate the battles in the Arena. After all, no one risks their life frivolously, so every opponent who steps into the arena is formidable and at least prepared to die.


    In such a situation, after completing the registration, Rocky returned to the Star of the Sky. He seemed to revert to his old self, like the first time he went to hunt Demons, using this last bit of time to diligently adjust his mindset.


    Meanwhile, Liliya, Aileen, Monte, and Orton were helping Rocky study the Arena¡¯s competition rules.


    ...


    Although all of them had heard of the Arena and some had even watched its competitions, they had only been spectators at the time, and the matches were just entertainment for them. However, now that Rocky was competing, the roles of Liliya and the others had changed. They needed to ensure everything besides the competition itself was taken care of so that Rocky could compete with peace of mind.


    It must be said, this was the advantage of being the City Lord. If it were an ordinary contestant, they would have to do everything themselves. Who else would help? But Rocky was different. As the City Lord, he had a group of highly capable confidants to handle everything, allowing him to concentrate solely on the competition.


    As for matters outside the competition itself, there were only three points worth noting.


    Firstly, the competition rules.


    Although it was a competition, even one where life and death hung in the balance, there were still rules. However, the Arena¡¯s competitions, designed to entertain the audience, simplified the rules as much as possible.


    The competition arena was a thirty-meter by thirty-meter square ring. The match officially began the moment both competitors stepped onto the ring. There were no referees, no restrictions on weapons, and no limits on tactics, meaning any means, fair or foul, could be freely used as long as one could win the match.


    During the battle, if one side died, surrendered, or fell off the ring, then the match was declared over.


    However, it was important to note that if an opponent surrendered or fell off the ring, the victor must not continue to attack; doing so would result in a loss due to foul play.


    This meant that if one faced an opponent so formidable that defeat seemed inevitable or even life-threatening, surrendering or jumping off the ring would be the best way to preserve one¡¯s life.


    The victor of the match would directly receive the competition rewards and also gain points.


    Speaking of points in the Arena competitions, this brings us to the second point worth noting, the schedule.


    The Arena¡¯s competitions were not a progression system but rather a rank system. After winning the initial qualifying match, not only could the victorious contestants advance to the official competition and receive rewards, but they would also be assigned a Combat Skill Rank by the Arena.


    The Combat Skill Rank was crucial for Arena competitions and arguably the most important factor, as the level of the rank affected both the rewards and the strength of the opponents.


    Once one had a Combat Skill Rank, each victory would earn corresponding points. Accumulating sufficient points would elevate one¡¯s rank, and with each rank increase, the rewards after winning a match would also increase. However, the opponents would also upgrade to competitors of the same rank.


    Additionally, because of the ranking system, even if a contestant lost a match, it was not a big concern. Losing a match essentially just meant losing points, and the most severe penalty for losing multiple matches was a demotion in rank. Ultimately, one could still continue to participate in the matches.


    Of course, this assumes one crucial premise: surviving the lost matches. As long as one survived, even losing a hundred matches in a row would be acceptable.


    This system had given rise to a group of contestants who frequented the Arena year-round, relying on its competitions for their livelihood. Each of them was a top expert, some even famous throughout the skies and extremely difficult to handle.


    These perennial Arena contestants were what Liliya and the others were most worried about because they were too familiar with the competition. To outsiders, the ring might appear dangerous and brutal, but to these veterans, it was like home. Thus, Liliya and the others were very reluctant for Rocky to encounter such competitors, as even with the White Demon Armor, he might not gain any advantage and could even face mortal danger.


    Fortunately, the chances of encountering these ¡®veterans¡¯ of the Arena were actually not high, at least for Rocky. Since these perennial contestants all had higher ranks, Rocky, being a typical newcomer to the Arena, was unlikely to face them directly.


    In fact, what Rocky should be most concerned about right now was not his future opponents, but the upcoming qualifying match.


    When Liliya and the others learned what the qualifying match involved, their hearts sank because this match was not going to be easy¡­


    The qualifying match Rocky was to participate in was not a one-on-one competition, but a free-for-all!


    Ten Void Magic Warriors fighting on one ring, facing a brutal battle where nine were eliminated and only one could advance. That was the nature of the qualifying match!


    In a ten-man free-for-all, where one advances, the difficulty was no joke. On a ring with ten competitors, everyone else was an opponent, truly making the qualifying match a one versus nine battle!


    What¡¯s more, such matches were greatly unpredictable. Even the strongest contenders could inadvertently perish in the chaos. For Rocky, this was particularly true.


    So, upon learning that the qualifying match was a ten-person free-for-all, Liliya immediately sought out Rocky not only to inform him but also to help him prepare.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 239 - 240 Attracting Attention

    Chapter 239: Chapter 240 Attracting Attention


    ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about? Just use the White Demon to blast everyone off the platform and that¡¯s it!¡±


    As everyone discussed how they could win the preliminary round, Hammerfire spoke up disdainfully from the side.


    In his view, unless the opponent was wearing fifth-generation Special Armor or custom-made Armor, no other Armor stood a chance against the White Demon Armor; so why not just use brute force in this melee and kill all the opponents?


    ¡°Impossible,¡±


    No sooner had he finished his sentence than Liliya shook her head, ¡°According to the Arena¡¯s rules, if the contestants don¡¯t have their own Void Magic Armor, the Arena will provide fourth-generation Mass Production Type Armor for contestants to use. This means that all participants of the preliminary selection will be wearing at least fourth-generation Mass-Produced Armor. The White Demon isn¡¯t that powerful, is it?¡±


    It had been mentioned previously that the Arena would offer Armor to contestants who didn¡¯t have the means, and the Armor provided by the Arena was the fourth-generation Mass Production Type Armor!


    ...


    If it were a one-on-one battle, the White Demon Armor could naturally suppress any fourth-generation Armor by 100%, not to mention the Mass-Produced Type, even the Special Armor wouldn¡¯t be a match for the White Demon; but don¡¯t forget, the preliminary round was a ten-person melee!


    Since the Arena provided fourth-generation Mass Production Type Armor, it meant in the ten-person melee, the opponents Rocky would face at the very least would be wearing fourth-generation Mass-Produced Armor. The White Demon was indeed strong, but it still wasn¡¯t dominant enough to easily take on nine at once.


    Therefore, hoping that Rocky could rely on the advantage of his Armor to dominate and defeat all the opponents was a very slim possibility, or to put it bluntly, downright impossible.


    This only made everyone even more worried because, in a one-on-nine situation, even the White Demon Armor might not be able to suppress the opponents 100%¡­ Didn¡¯t this imply that Rocky had no surefire assurance of victory in the preliminary round?


    Could it be that he couldn¡¯t even get past the preliminary selection?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯ll be fine,¡±


    Just as everyone was worrying about Rocky¡¯s first match, Rocky himself appeared quite relaxed. Without a hint of nervousness or concern, he simply spoke these words and then went straight back to his room, leaving the bewildered others behind.


    ¡°This kid, he doesn¡¯t actually think that if he gets eliminated in the preliminary round, he can still continue fighting, does he?¡±


    As they watched Rocky¡¯s retreating figure, Orton muttered with a sneer.


    Although the Arena competition adopted a Rank system, which meant as long as one was alive, one could keep competing, this premise required one to first win the preliminary round. Only by winning the preliminary round could one earn a Rank.


    ¡°Enough, you don¡¯t need to worry blindly,¡±


    Just as everyone was puzzled by Rocky¡¯s calm and composed demeanor, Aniye spoke up from the side, ¡°Don¡¯t treat Rocky as though he¡¯s a novice. Not only is he a City Lord, but he has also participated in numerous battles. So, he must be more aware of what¡¯s at stake than us. Rest assured.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Three days had passed in the blink of an eye, and before long, the day of the preliminary round arrived.


    Early that morning, Rocky arrived at the Arena and successfully entered the backstage area using the number plate he had obtained during registration.


    According to the Arena¡¯s schedule, there would be six preliminary round battles today, three in the morning and three in the afternoon. This meant that just for today¡¯s competition alone, there would be as many as sixty contestants!


    Although Rocky¡¯s match wasn¡¯t until the afternoon, he arrived early because he wanted to watch the morning¡¯s matches in advance, so he would know what to expect when it was his turn to compete.


    Many other competitors had the same idea, so when he arrived at the participants¡¯ lounge, he was met with a sea of people¡ªthe lounge was packed with over a hundred individuals!


    With sixty competitors in the event, why were there over a hundred people in the lounge?


    Because many competitors came with their ¡®support groups,¡¯ like Rocky¡­


    Ever since the last assassination attempt, Rocky had been relatively safe in Thunderhawk City, but outside, especially in Eternal City, Liliya and Monte had become inseparable from him. Therefore, even though Rocky wasn¡¯t too keen on it, Liliya and Monte didn¡¯t give him a choice and simply came along for this competition.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this¡­ didn¡¯t teacher say that we should keep a low profile as much as possible¡­¡±


    Looking at the two who were always by his side, and then at the majority of the competitors in the lounge who had arrived alone, Rocky felt somewhat awkward.


    However, Liliya and Monte didn¡¯t care about his awkwardness at all, and the same went for the glances from others.


    In fact, as soon as Rocky and his companions entered the lounge, they attracted the attention of many competitors.


    Helpless to stop it, the three of them were quite conspicuous among the crowd of competitors. Liliya stood out for sure; in a lounge full of men with very few women, her striking presence was bound to draw eyes. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Monte was similarly noticeable; his towering stature made him stick out like a sore thumb among the humans, hard to miss by anyone¡¯s standards.


    As for Rocky, there was even less need to mention how he couldn¡¯t help but become the center of everyone¡¯s attention when flanked by two such noticeable companions. Moreover, as the City Lord, Rocky¡¯s aura was already distinct from ordinary people, and no sooner had he appeared than countless gazes fixed on him.


    In such a situation, Rocky had no choice but to find a corner to sit down.


    By doing this, he evidently wanted to keep a low profile; after all, Rocky didn¡¯t want to attract too much attention. However, this idea, although good in theory, was impossible to achieve. Having already attracted attention upon entry, even sitting in a corner, he still became a subject of speculation.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that guy?¡±


    ¡°Do you even have to ask? Definitely some noble¡¯s son. Ugh! These shameless folks!¡±


    Some competitors who had come to participate glanced at Rocky in the corner and said disapprovingly.


    Among the numerous competitors in the Arena, the majority were commoners or ordinary soldiers. However, there were also those of much higher status.


    These high-status participants, including renowned Void Magic Warriors or noble heirs, would often choose to enter the competition anonymously, each with their own reasons, whether to temper themselves or simply for the thrill, among other possible motives.


    To the other competitors in the lounge, Rocky was clearly one such individual.


    Yet, towards such individuals, other competitors naturally had an antipathy, especially during the preliminaries, for any high-born competitor was sure to have high-grade Armor. In the eyes of the others, this was viewed as an unfair advantage, with no one fond of having a much stronger opponent.


    So as Rocky sat in the corner accompanied by Liliya and Monte, not only were there whispers among other competitors, but some began to talk to each other in hushed tones, seemingly conspiring about something¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 240 - 241 Conflict

    Chapter 240: Chapter 241 Conflict


    Regarding the whispers and conspiratorial exchanges of the other contestants, Rocky didn¡¯t pay much attention. He knew they were discussing him and even understood that some might be plotting something, but none of that mattered to him.


    Rocky was well aware of why he had come to compete in the Arena. He wasn¡¯t there to make friends or engage in idle gossip; he had three clear objectives for his participation.


    First was to earn money. Whether through the competition¡¯s rewards or the betting around it, as long as he could win the matches, he could earn a substantial amount of money.


    Second was to test the combat abilities of the White Demon Armor. The basic tests for the White Demon Armor were already completed and its performance was quite satisfactory. The next step was to verify the Armor¡¯s combat abilities through real and intense competition.


    Third was to hone his own skills. The competitions in the Arena were brutal and dangerous, but they also presented a great opportunity to refine his abilities. Thus, besides earning money and testing the Armor, Rocky hoped to strengthen his own capabilities through the competition.


    These three goals outlined his purpose for participating in the competition. Beyond these, he didn¡¯t need to consider anything else. As for how others viewed him, he cared even less; he simply preferred to keep a low profile.


    ...


    In this situation, Rocky quietly stayed in the resting hall, avoiding any contact with other competitors, resembling a proud eagle perched atop a tree branch.


    Unlike him, Liliya and Monte were constantly looking around, keenly observing the other contestants in the hall.


    Their vigilance was partly for Rocky¡¯s safety. Following a previous assassination attempt, each time they went out, Liliya and Monte would be on high alert, always ready for someone who might dare to make a reckless move.


    Additionally, they were helping Rocky to scope out his opponents in advance.


    As mentioned before, as the City Lord, Rocky didn¡¯t need to handle everything personally. Liliya and the others would take care of many things for him, such as collecting intelligence on the opponents beforehand.


    Upon learning that the format of the preliminary competition was a melee, although Rocky seemed unconcerned, Liliya and the others didn¡¯t idle because of his calmness. On the contrary, they continued gathering information on the opponents through various channels. Therefore, Rocky already knew which nine competitors he would face in the preliminaries, thanks to Liliya¡¯s efforts.


    Following her gaze, Liliya soon spotted a towering brute in the crowd.


    This towering brute was extremely noticeable among the contestants because his physique was so formidable, almost matching Monte¡¯s beastly size as a Beastman, which was hard not to draw attention.


    Known as Powerful Peter, he was one of Rocky¡¯s opponents in the preliminary contest.


    Powerful Peter was just an ordinary resident of Eternal City, but he possessed natural monstrous strength. It was said that without wearing any Void Magic Armor, he could defeat ordinary warriors easily, so his abilities were somewhat formidable. More importantly, this was his third time participating in the preliminary contests of the Arena!


    The Arena¡¯s preliminary contests were held quarterly. The victor would gain a Rank and qualify for the rank competitions, while the losers would be eliminated and could only sign up again for the next preliminary contest, provided they survived the match.


    And Powerful Peter was a contestant who had participated in multiple preliminary contests. But one shouldn¡¯t underestimate him just because he had been eliminated several times before. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    According to information Liliya gathered from various sources, Powerful Peter persisted in participating in the preliminaries and faced elimination repeatedly. Partly because he was a civilian lacking his own Void Magic Armor¡ªthough the Arena provided Armor, it couldn¡¯t be operated as efficiently as by a true Void Magic Warrior¡ªleading to his successive defeats; another reason was simply bad luck. Every time he participated in the preliminaries, Powerful Peter found himself pitted against very strong opponents. These opponents were so formidable that after defeating him, they ascended to high Ranks.


    All things considered, Powerful Peter was definitely an opponent worth noting. Having participated in numerous preliminaries, he had become quite familiar with operating the Armor. Combined with his experience from previous competitions, he would definitely pose a threat to Rocky.


    After glancing at Powerful Peter, Liliya turned her head towards another side and immediately noticed three men.


    From their posture, demeanor, and the aura they exuded, it was clear they were trained warriors or soldiers. Interestingly, these three men looked almost identical!


    Triples brothers!


    Jeff, Jerry, and Jess were not only triplet brothers but also soldiers from a Sky City. However, their city had fallen, and they had since moved to Eternal City, currently working as guards for a local nobleman.


    They were also Rocky¡¯s competitors, deserving more attention than Powerful Peter because they were experienced soldiers with far stronger combat abilities than ordinary people. Moreover, in a melee, the three collaborating would undoubtedly have a higher chance of winning than others. Even Rocky, if facing their combined attack, would struggle to prevail.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 241 - 241 Conflict_2

    Chapter 241: Chapter 241 Conflict_2


    Powerful Peter, along with the triplets, were Rocky¡¯s most notable opponents in the preliminary competition, as for the others, according to Liliya¡¯s investigation, they didn¡¯t pose much of a problem, being merely small-time characters not worth mentioning.


    After observing the triplets, Liliya had planned to turn back, but then she inadvertently noticed another group of people.


    As mentioned before, there were only sixty competitors in the preliminary competition, but the resting lounge housed over a hundred people, many of whom weren¡¯t competitors but rather the competitors¡¯ ¡°support groups¡±.


    For instance, Rocky, who was accompanied by Liliya and Monte, and the group Liliya noticed now was no exception, even more exaggerated than Rocky¡¯s!


    Following her gaze, one could see a young master surrounded by a crowd; this young master looked only a year or two older than Rocky, but he was surrounded by more than a dozen people, both men and women, giving off the feeling of a large family on vacation.


    Being pampered by the crowd, the young master was undoubtedly comfortable, with people bringing him tea and water, a beauty massaging his back, and two muscular men guarding him nearby, roughly pushing away other competitors who tried to approach or merely pass by, creating a perimeter of several meters around the group where no one else was present.


    ...


    Clearly, this young master was no ordinary person; being able to show such grandeur in the resting lounge of the Arena, if he were outside, wouldn¡¯t he be transported in a palanquin?


    Interestingly, just as Liliya noticed this young master, he also happened to see her, and the moment he saw Liliya, his eyes lit up!


    His eyes gleaming with a sharp light towards Liliya, the young master immediately shrugged off the beauty who had been massaging his shoulders, stood up, and headed straight towards Liliya!


    As he moved, the dozen or so attendants around him also moved, with the two muscular men clearing the way ahead, pushing away small groups of competitors along the path.


    In no time at all, the young master, along with his entourage, came to the corner where Rocky was.


    Upon reaching Rocky and the others, he first glanced at Liliya, then turned towards Rocky.


    ¡°Brother, is she your guard?¡± Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having sized up Rocky, the young master started speaking cheerfully, and while talking, glanced at Liliya again.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sitting on a long bench, Rocky looked at him but did not stand up or show much emotion, simply answering with a single word.


    ¡°Our young master is speaking to you, stand up!¡±


    ¡°Disrespectful fool! Stand up when you speak!¡±


    Rocky¡¯s refusal to stand up immediately aroused dissatisfaction among the group of servants, including the young master who frowned. However, he soon gestured with his hand, stopping the loud shouts of the servants.


    ¡°Brother, this guard of yours is really not bad, let me have her, let¡¯s be friends.¡±


    After this, the young master straightforwardly asked Rocky for Liliya!


    He had come over because he was attracted to Liliya from the first moment he saw her.


    This was normal, as Liliya was beautiful, but not just a pretty face¡ªunapproachable and delicate¡ªher beauty was the kind with an enticing charm beneath the surface.


    Her battlefield experiences gave her an air of valiant elegance, a trait rare among ordinary women, so much so that almost everyone who saw her couldn¡¯t help but take a second look, including the other competitors in the resting lounge who couldn¡¯t resist stealing a few glances.


    The young master in front of her was also captivated by Liliya, but his intentions were not just to steal glances; he wanted to possess Liliya directly!


    The moment he finished speaking, Rocky, who was sitting on the bench, just gave him a look.


    ¡°Leave.¡±


    After a brief glance at the young master, Rocky responded concisely with one word!


    His response immediately changed the young master¡¯s expression; clearly, he hadn¡¯t expected Rocky to treat him that way.


    As his expression changed, the people behind immediately understood, and one of the butler-looking men signaled to the two muscular men; upon receiving the signal, they stepped towards Rocky.


    The two muscular men, one headed toward Rocky, the other toward Liliya¡ªit was clear they intended to teach Rocky a lesson while directly seizing Liliya!


    Unfortunately for the man headed towards Rocky, he hadn¡¯t even got close when a hand much larger than his head clasped his neck, and then the man suddenly found himself lifted off the ground!


    ¡°What are you doing so close?¡±


    With one hand, Monte lifted the burly man and roared in a deep voice, then flung his hand, and the man he had lifted was thrown towards a group of young masters like he was just a sack.


    The other contestants were stupefied by this scene. Good lord, was he using a person as a sandbag?


    Meanwhile, just as everyone was still reeling from Monte¡¯s action, a scream erupted. Hearing the scream, everyone hurriedly turned their heads only to see the man who had tried to grab Liliya kneeling in a pool of blood, howling continuously while reaching for the ground.


    Reaching for what?


    For his hand that Liliya had chopped off!


    When this man had tried to grab Liliya, he had barely reached out his hand when a flash of cold light streaked by, and Liliya had chopped off his outstretched hand with one swing of her sword!


    ¡°You guys!¡±


    This outcome was obviously beyond everyone¡¯s expectations. The already grim-faced young master looked even more displeased after seeing Monte and Liliya¡¯s actions, and then glared fiercely at Rocky.


    ¡°Brother, for a woman, you don¡¯t even care about your own life. Is it worth it?¡±


    Staring intently at Rocky, the young master said coldly.


    Rocky, however, remained as steady as Mount Tai, sitting on the bench. After a while, he turned his head to look at the other man and slightly smiled, ¡°Worth it.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±


    Hearing this, instead of getting angry, the young master laughed out of frustration, but the laughter was filled with ferocity, ¡°Very well! Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll see you in the ring!¡±


    After saying this, the young master didn¡¯t bother with the two burly men on the ground and turned to leave, and once he left, the crowd behind him didn¡¯t dare to stay and followed suit.


    From there, the lounge regained its calm, truly calm this time. After the sequence of events, the remaining contestants in the hall seemed to have been frightened, with noticeably fewer chatting and talking, nobody daring to speak loud. All eyes were fixed on Rocky and the young master.


    ¡°Hey, who is that guy in the corner daring to provoke Xia Nai?¡±


    ¡°Xia Nai? Who is Xia Nai?¡±


    Although no one dared to be loud in the hall anymore, whispers had noticeably increased, and naturally, they were all about Rocky and the young master.


    ¡°Xia Nai is that young master, the son of the Marquis of the Kafka Empire.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ no wonder¡­¡±


    Hearing this, many contestants looked over at Xia Nai, their expressions revealing sudden realization. No wonder the young master was so ostentatious and domineering, he was the son of the Kafka Empire¡¯s Marquis.


    In today¡¯s world, nobles are not rare, but the vast majority are just titular nobles, meaning they have titles without real power. However, the nobles of the Kafka Empire are different.


    The Kafka Empire is not only one of the three major forces in the sky but also the only state among them. In this state, all the nobles have real power and territories.


    In the sky, what is a territory?


    It¡¯s naturally Sky City!


    Therefore, the nobles of the Kafka Empire, each one possessing real power over a Sky City, which explains why the young master like Xia Nai had such a behavior and the performance earlier since his father is indeed the lord of a city.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this guy to have such a background, the other guy might be in trouble.¡±


    After glancing at Xia Nai, the contestants turned their gazes towards Rocky, with many of them shaking their heads. They could see that Rocky¡¯s status must be extraordinary, but they felt that even if his status was high, it couldn¡¯t compare to Xia Nai, whose father was the lord of a city!


    ¡°Attention everyone! The morning matches are about to begin. Those participating in the first, second, and third preliminary matches, proceed immediately to the preparation rooms of Arena one, three, and five to get ready!¡±


    As everyone was discussing the conflict between Rocky and Xia Nai, an Arena staff member appeared and announced that the morning matches were about to start!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 242 - 242: The Preliminary Contest!

    Chapter 242: Chapter 242: The Preliminary Contest!


    Rocky and Xia Nai¡¯s conflict had just ended when the preliminary competition began. Following the staff¡¯s announcement, half of the players in the rest area headed to their respective arenas, including Xia Nai.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go too, to watch the other players¡¯ matches,¡± Rocky said as he stood up from the bench and spoke to Liliya and Monte, after all the competitors had left.


    His reason for coming to the Arena so early was to watch the other players¡¯ matches, to get a concrete idea of the competition. So, as the players for the morning¡¯s three preliminary matches took their positions, Rocky left the rest area, seemingly unaffected by the earlier altercation.


    Since he was a competitor, he enjoyed certain conveniences when watching the matches. The Arena had a special viewing area for competitors, where they could watch the action up close. However, if multiple matches were happening at once, they would need to choose which to watch.


    In this regard, Rocky didn¡¯t hesitate. He randomly picked the third platform¡¯s match to watch because he simply wanted to see what the preliminary matches were like, without having any particular player he wanted to follow.


    It wasn¡¯t long after he entered the viewing area that the preliminary matches officially began!


    ...


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! The first quarter preliminary competition of the Sky Era Year 118 is about to officially commence!¡±


    As mentioned before, the Arena is essentially for entertainment. So, when the preliminary matches were about to start, the announcer¡¯s passionate voice resonated throughout, and cheers erupted from the stands. Clearly, the audience was growing impatient.


    ¡°There¡¯s quite a crowd¡­¡± Rocky couldn¡¯t help but remark as he looked back at the audience from the viewing area. The stands around the third platform were practically full, with several thousand spectators at least, indicating the immense popularity of the Arena. Otherwise, so many wouldn¡¯t attend just a preliminary match.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t even a big crowd yet,¡± said Liliya as Rocky marveled. ¡°These are only the preliminary matches, with a few thousand people. Once the rank matches start, that¡¯s when you see larger crowds. I¡¯ve heard that some high-rank matches can attract tens of thousands per match.¡±


    ¡°Really, that many people?¡± Rocky replied, turning to look at Liliya in surprise, but after a thought, it seemed reasonable since this was the Eternal City after all.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! The match at platform three will now begin! Please welcome the combatants to the stage!¡±


    While Rocky and Liliya were talking, the announcer¡¯s exhilarated voice rang out again: ¡°The first player to enter the stage is contestant number 997, who has chosen to remain anonymous!¡±


    As the announcement was made, one of the ten gates around the platform slowly opened, and a warrior wearing the fourth-generation Mass Production Type Armor appeared before the crowd. His image was simultaneously broadcast on the large screen within the Arena.


    However, the entrance of this first contestant didn¡¯t incite much enthusiasm from the audience, for a simple reason. It was clear at a glance that the contestant was using the tournament-provided Armor, indicating average ability. And for an average competitor, the audience wasn¡¯t generous with applause.


    ¡°And now, please welcome the second contestant!¡±


    As soon as the first contestant entered, the second gate opened, and another warrior in Void Magic Armor walked out, also sporting a fourth-generation Mass Production Type Armor. However, upon entering, he raised his longsword high, striking a rather cool pose.


    This display earned cheers from the crowd, evidently giving this second warrior a more enthusiastic reception than the previous one based on vigor.


    Afterwards, as the announcer kept introducing the participants, the ten players for this preliminary match entered the stage one after another. Interestingly, or perhaps coincidentally, none of the ten players in this preliminary round were true Void Magic Warriors, as all ten were wearing the fourth-generation Mass Production Type Armor provided by the Arena.


    This setup, whether intentional or not, left the audience quite dissatisfied. If all ten lacked their own Armor, it implied that none were genuine Void Magic Warriors, and therefore the quality of the preliminary match would likely be low. Since viewers paid to watch the match, they naturally felt discontent and responded with a resounding chorus of boos.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please be patient¡­¡±


    ¡°Do not underestimate these competitors or the Void Magic Armor provided by the tournament. Every contestant participating is one in a hundred, an outstanding warrior, and the Armor provided by the tournament is among the best of the fourth-generation, the Firepower 4-Type Armor. It is one of the most renowned in the fourth-generation Assault Armor series. With such skilled warriors and exceptional Armor, they are sure to deliver an exceptionally exciting match!¡±


    Facing the jeers of the audience, the announcer had no choice but to confidently explain away their concerns, swiftly followed by announcing: ¡°Competitors, please step onto the platform and begin the preliminary match!¡±


    As soon as the announcer finished speaking, the ten contestants, who were already gathered around the platform, all jumped onto the stage together.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 243 - 242: The Preliminary Contest! _2

    Chapter 243: Chapter 242: The Preliminary Contest! _2


    ¡°The preliminary competition, officially begins!¡±


    All the competitors climbed onto the platform, and the announcer loudly declared the start of the competition, accompanied by a burst of cheers from the audience.


    However, even after the cheers from the audience had died down, the ten competitors who had stepped onto the platform still hadn¡¯t moved. The ten competitors, each wearing Void Magic Armor, were evenly distributed across ten spots on the platform, but not a single one made a hasty move.


    From a professional point of view, the ten competitors had made the right choice. This was a melee. Each person¡¯s opponents were the other nine people, and if someone had acted rashly, they would have easily been attacked by the others.


    It seemed the announcer hadn¡¯t lied before. The competitors who could come to participate in the preliminary rounds, even if they weren¡¯t Void Magic Warriors, were all experienced soldiers with quite high personal quality.


    However, although the competitors¡¯ cautiousness was understandable, the audience didn¡¯t accept it. Noticing the competitors not engaging in battle for an extended period, boos and some sporadic urging cries emerged from the audience seats, even some cursing.


    ...


    The audience¡¯s reaction undoubtedly put great psychological pressure on the competitors. After all, not everyone can remain unaffected by external disturbances, whether outside or inside the arena.


    So, when the booing from the audience became intense, one of the competitors on the platform finally couldn¡¯t withstand the pressure and took the lead in making a move.


    In this stalemate situation, once someone made the first move, the originally balanced situation was completely disrupted. Thus, when the first competitor acted, all the others followed suit!


    In an instant, the ten previously stationary individuals burst into a chaotic brawl!


    Simultaneously, as the brawl unfolded, the audience¡¯s boos transformed directly into cheers, because for these spectators, the real competition had just begun at this moment.


    At this time, Rocky, who was in the spectator area, also focused his attention and carefully observed the platform.


    In his view, the ten competitors on the platform were thoroughly engaged in combat¡ªsome were fighting one-on-one, others two or three against one, and some were even fleeing across the sky when they were overpowered. The small platform was abuzz with activity.


    From Rocky¡¯s professional perspective, none of the people on the platform were genuine Void Magic Warriors. Their handling of the Void Magic Armor was extremely clumsy, even worse than his first experience with the White Demon.


    Accordingly, the level of excitement of the competition could be imagined. Describing it as a brawl was fitting because it was indeed chaotic.


    But chaotic as it might be, the intensity was undeniable. The ten individuals on the platform fought fiercely; each one seemed to be fighting for their life, trying every means to knock their opponent off the platform.


    Indeed, due to its intensity, the spectators¡¯ cheers and shouts hadn¡¯t stopped since the fight had begun; everyone was incredibly excited.


    ¡°Some of these people must have placed bets outside,¡±


    Hearing the crowd¡¯s cheers, Liliya looked back at the audience seats and quickly noticed a few who were exceptionally excited. Then she said to Rocky,


    As mentioned before, combat in the Arena involved external betting¡ªeveryone, including the competitors themselves, could place bets on the matches and this was what made the Arena especially appealing, its allure even surpassing the competition itself.


    At this moment, there must be people among the cheering spectators who had placed bets on this competition; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be so excited.


    ¡°Did you guys bet on my match?¡±


    Since Liliya brought up the topic, Rocky asked casually. He had been focusing on adjusting his condition these days, so he hadn¡¯t paid attention to this matter.


    ¡°Of course, Aileen has already handled it,¡±


    ¡°How much?¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Ten thousand Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ too little, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Hearing the number Liliya mentioned, Rocky looked at her puzzledly because ten thousand Gold Coins indeed seemed too little.


    In response to his confusion, Liliya quickly provided an answer: ¡°Aileen said it¡¯s better to earn less than to lose more.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    This response made Rocky suddenly feel a burst of depression. Did everyone really have so little faith in him?


    Feeling depressed, he turned to look at the arena.


    At that moment, the situation in the arena had reached a heated stage. Ten contestants were fighting fiercely. Unfortunately, since their abilities were quite similar, no winner had emerged, and not even one contestant had been eliminated.


    ¡°Kang Ni seems to be out of strength! Could he be the first one to be eliminated?¡±


    As the contestants fought fiercely in the arena, the announcer outside was doing his best to commentate on the match. His voice was the loudest in the entire venue: ¡°Contestant number 997 looks extremely strong! But now, he¡¯s being attacked by two other contestants. Could such a strong contestant really be about to meet his end here?¡±


    ¡°Everyone! Kang Ni is about to go down! He¡¯s been pushed to the edge of the arena¡­¡±


    Just as the announcer was energetically explaining the match, suddenly, a deafening explosion sounded! The noise was so loud that it immediately interrupted the announcer¡¯s voice and even the cheering of the audience. The contestants in the arena even stopped their movements!


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­¡±


    ¡°Was that an explosion? It sounded like one!¡±


    The loud explosion startled everyone, and immediately after, a commotion arose. Everyone turned their heads in unison towards the source of the sound. They quickly realized that the explosion had come from another arena hosting preliminaries. Unfortunately, since the two arenas were in different venues, they could only hear the sound, with no idea of what had happened.


    However, just as everyone was feeling puzzled and confused, the announcer excitedly shouted: ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! According to the latest news, the preliminary in Arena One has already ended!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°How is that possible!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too fast?¡±


    As soon as the announcer finished speaking, the audience erupted into noise, everyone was incredulous. The match at Arena Three had just started, and the one at Arena One had already finished?


    That was too fast!


    Like the audience, upon hearing the announcer¡¯s words, Rocky and others in the viewing area, and even the ten contestants in the arena, were equally surprised. It was a grand melee with ten participants! Even if a contestant was very strong, it was impossible to defeat the other nine in such a short time!


    Just when everyone was astounded, the Arena seemed to have anticipated this reaction and immediately switched the big screen to show Arena One, prompting everyone to look up.


    Upon looking, everyone gasped in unison!


    The image on the screen showed that Arena One was thoroughly devastated! As for the contestants, they were scattered across the broken arena, some groaning in pain while others were silent, obviously dead.


    At that moment, the image shifted, turning towards a Void Magic Warrior hovering midair, obviously the victor of Arena One.


    ¡°My goodness! It¡¯s the 5th generation armor!¡±


    ¡°Idiot, look carefully before you speak, that¡¯s the 5th generation Special Armor!¡±


    As the camera focused on the Void Magic Warrior, some sharp-eyed viewers recognized that he was wearing the 5th generation Special Armor!


    And as if he knew the camera was filming him, the Void Magic Warrior hanging in midair immediately took off his helmet, revealing a face like that of a playboy¡­


    Xia Nai!


    This Void Magic Warrior wearing the 5th generation Special Armor was none other than Xia Nai, who had had a conflict with Rocky!


    PS: Please recommend! Please recommend! Please recommend!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 244 - 243: Target of All Arrows

    Chapter 244: Chapter 243: Target of All Arrows


    The preliminary round at Arena Three had just begun, but the match at Arena One had already come to a crushing end, and the victor was none other than Xia Nai!


    When Xia Nai took off his helmet, his princely face appeared on the mana screen for all to see.


    ¡°So it¡¯s him¡­ no wonder¡­¡±


    Upon discovering that the victor was Xia Nai, many of the competitors in the viewing area with Rocky sighed, no longer surprised or incredulous, but resigned instead.


    To these competitors, the outcome was too predictable. As the son of the Marquis of Kafka Empire, Xia Nai had too great an advantage. Even setting aside his personal strength, just his 5th generation Special Armor was enough to sweep through the other competitors in the preliminary round.


    Meanwhile, after a collective sigh, many competitors turned their gaze toward Rocky because they had all witnessed his conflict with Xia Nai in the resting lounge. Now, since Xia Nai had won the preliminary round with undeniable dominance, their looks toward Rocky carried a slightly different nuance.


    ...


    Among these gazes, there were those gloating over misfortune, those resigned, and even some looking at Rocky with pity, clearly believing that Rocky had provoked an adversary he shouldn¡¯t have.


    He was in for trouble.


    As for those looks, Rocky of course did not care one bit, and in truth, he wasn¡¯t very concerned about Xia Nai either.


    Rocky had overheard some of the other competitors¡¯ discussions and knew that Xia Nai was the son of a Marquis from the Kafka Empire, but what of it? Being a City Lord himself, if it were the Marquis himself, Rocky might have been somewhat apprehensive, but Xia Nai was just the Marquis¡¯s son after all. Their statuses were not at all equivalent, and if Rocky were to be afraid, then he would not be worthy of his title as City Lord.


    So after that, Rocky turned his attention toward Arena Three.


    At that moment, the competitors at Arena Three also snapped back to reality, and as if inspired by Xia Nai¡¯s victorious instance, they resumed the match with even more intense and brutal combat than before.


    In just a few minutes, the first elimination occurred; a competitor named Kang Ni was the first to be ousted and, at the same time, was the first to die on the arena!


    Kang Ni¡¯s strength was the weakest among all the competitors, and after the match restarted, he was trapped by two opponents. A few exchanges later, not only did he lose, but he was also stabbed through the heart and died as he was eliminated¡­


    ¡°Good!¡±


    ¡°Good!! Well played!¡±


    ¡°Splendid!¡±


    His death did not elicit any mourning; instead, it sparked waves of cheers from the audience, some of whom were so excited that they stood up.


    In the midst of this cheering, the other competitors, also stimulated by the bloodshed and sensing the threat to their lives, naturally fought even more fiercely.


    After the battle continued for over ten minutes, the preliminary round at Arena Three finally came to an end. The inconspicuous contestant No. 997 emerged victorious, but the victory came at a high cost: of the ten who had participated in the match, only four came out unscathed, while among the remaining six, three were dead and three were severely injured.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    When the match result was decided and the announcer began to loudly declare the victor, Rocky, who had watched the entire match, said to Liliya and Monte before turning away from the viewing area and heading back to the resting lounge.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    Back in the resting lounge, still in the same corner, Liliya asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, pretty much what I expected.¡±


    With a slight smile towards her, Rocky remained composed and calm, indicating that the previous matches hadn¡¯t strayed too far from his expectations.


    This wasn¡¯t Rocky feigning composure, it was what he truly thought.


    In the past three days, Rocky had been making adjustments for this preliminary competition, both physically and mentally. With such thorough preparation, the intensity and brutality of the preliminaries hadn¡¯t exceeded his expectations.


    ¡°Promise me, don¡¯t try to be a hero.¡±


    Yet even with Rocky¡¯s confident demeanor, Liliya felt both reassured and worried. Knowing him well, she was aware that if Rocky dared to speak such words, he must be confident. After all, his personality was such that he would plan carefully before taking action; he wouldn¡¯t act rashly or pretend to be more capable than he truly was.


    But even so, Liliya couldn¡¯t help but worry. A competition is full of uncertainties, anything could happen; therefore, despite making thorough preparations, accidents could still occur. That¡¯s why Liliya hoped that Rocky wouldn¡¯t try to be a hero. If he truly couldn¡¯t win, preserving his life was the most important thing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Rocky flashed a grin and nodded. It wasn¡¯t clear whether he had really taken her words to heart or if he was just trying to comfort Liliya.


    As they chatted, other contestants who were watching the matches gradually returned to the rest hall.


    However, once everyone had returned, the atmosphere in the rest hall felt much more oppressive than before, clearly reflecting the tension from the recent matches.


    Of the three matches that had taken place earlier, Rocky had only watched one. In that single match, three contestants had died.


    Unfortunately, by the end of all three matches, the number of contestants who had died wasn¡¯t limited to three. In reality, once all three matches were over, fifteen contestants had perished!


    Out of thirty contestants, only half survived when the matches concluded!


    Of the three matches, the one with the fewest casualties was the one which Rocky had watched. In one of the other matches, four contestants died, while the one with the most casualties had eight fatalities¡ªit was the match Xia Nai participated in!


    ¡°It¡¯s horrifying¡­ truly horrifying¡­¡±


    The contestants who had watched Xia Nai¡¯s match came back with pale faces. When asked by others, they spoke with dread: ¡°You didn¡¯t see it; Xia Nai was like a demon, not giving anyone a chance to surrender before he blew up the arena! Except for one lucky person, everyone else was blown to death!¡±


    ¡°Alas¡­¡± After this person finished speaking, another contestant who had gone to watch the match sighed: ¡°Too strong, the 5th generation Special Armor is just too powerful. The Armor provided by the Arena is practically paper-thin compared to this High-Level Armor, offering no chance of resistance.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this time there should be only one ruthless person like Xia Nai. There wouldn¡¯t be a second set of Special Armor¡­ right?¡±


    As a contestant finished saying this, everyone paused for a moment, then they all turned their gazes toward a corner of the rest hall, looking in Rocky¡¯s direction!


    Everyone knew that Rocky was no ordinary contender. Observing the two guards by his side, and recalling how he faced Head-to-Head with Xia Nai, it was clear he must be a tough opponent. So if there was anyone among the contestants who most likely possessed Special Armor, aside from Xia Nai, it would have to be Rocky! sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the moment they looked at Rocky, everyone thought of this possibility. Some sighed with relief, as they weren¡¯t in the same group as him, but others furrowed their brows, their expressions growing grim, because they were in the same group as Rocky and would have to compete with him for a chance to win a spot!


    ¡°Contestants, the afternoon matches are about to begin. Everyone, please prepare.¡±


    At that moment, an Arena staff member appeared again in the rest area, announcing that the afternoon matches were about to start!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 245 - 244: Rocky Appears!

    Chapter 245: Chapter 244: Rocky Appears!


    With the conclusion of the three morning matches, the afternoon competitions began after the lunch break.


    The audience for the afternoon matches gradually entered the venue at this time, including Orton and others.


    ¡°Which arena is Rocky in?¡±


    ¡°Arena number two.¡±


    ¡°Have the tickets been purchased?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all bought, and all in the front row.¡±


    ...


    As Orton queued up for ticket inspection and entry, his unrelated questions to Rocky revealed the old man¡¯s evident nervousness.


    In fact, not only him, but also others who came along, such as Aniye, Hammerfire, Pelaya, and Aileen, Lin Feng, were all very nervous.


    ¡°It¡¯s too risky for the Lord to do this. Monte and I should be the ones participating in such competitions.¡±


    Following a few elders, Lin Feng couldn¡¯t help but express his complaints to Aileen.


    Lin Feng was unaware of the Rune matter, but he knew that Orton and others had developed new Armor for Rocky and roughly why Rocky was participating in the Arena. Nevertheless, he considered such action too hasty. After all, Rocky was the master of Thunderhawk City¡ªmore than three thousand people depended on him! How could he undertake such dangerous acts?


    ¡°Alright, the Lord knows what he¡¯s doing, you needn¡¯t worry.¡±


    After glancing at Lin Feng, Aileen couldn¡¯t elaborate further and could only offer consolation.


    Not long after, Orton and the others entered the venue and took their seats in the front row.


    Meanwhile, Rocky had already arrived at the changing room reserved for competitors.


    Since participants were to wear the Void Magic Armor, each one would go from the relaxation hall to the designated changing room to get ready, and upon being prepared, they could proceed directly to the Arena.


    When Rocky entered the changing room, Monte opened a box he¡¯d been carrying all along. Inside was the White Demon Armor!


    ¡°Be cautious in everything.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Lord, you must pay attention to safety.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to show off¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright!¡±


    Rocky looked at Liliya and Monte helplessly. He didn¡¯t know what to say in response to their excessive concern.


    Fortuitously, he had already donned the White Demon Armor, so he quickly put on the helmet, flashed a thumbs-up at Liliya and Monte, and then stepped out of the changing room.


    Leaving the changing room, Rocky saw a long corridor before him, with a large door tightly shut at the end. This corridor led straight to the competition scene, and the firmly locked door was the entrance to the stage.


    At this point, Liliya and Monte could not follow him any longer. Once a participant stepped onto the corridor outside the changing room, it signaled their imminent entry into the Arena, and no one else was allowed to follow; otherwise, the participant¡¯s qualification would be immediately revoked.


    A person walked down the corridor, and as Rocky got closer to the entrance, he could faintly hear the sounds from outside; there were cheers from the spectators and the announcer¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! The second round of preliminary contests is about to begin! Let¡¯s give our warmest applause to the ten contestants who are about to make their appearance!¡±


    Under the announcer¡¯s prompting, a wave of cheers and applause soon erupted from the stands.


    ¡°Now, please welcome the first contestant!¡±


    As the announcer spoke, the big screen switched to the entrance gate. Following that, the gate in the image slowly opened, and a towering Void Magic Warrior stepped out.


    ¡°The first contestant in this preliminary round, having competed many times and with a wealth of experience, is none other than Powerful Peter!¡±


    ¡°Roarrr!!!¡±


    With the announcer¡¯s introduction, Peter, the first to appear, immediately raised his long sword and shield, roaring at the spectators!


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, as you may already know, this is Peter¡¯s third time participating in the preliminary contests. In previous competitions, he has contributed time and again to thrilling duels, but has always been a hair¡¯s breadth away from victory. Surely, Peter must have prepared thoroughly this time, ready to once again charge towards victory!¡±


    Indeed, a considerable number of the audience knew Peter, so when the announcer finished the introduction, the venue immediately resounded with applause.


    ¡°Next, please welcome the second, third, and fourth contestants!¡±


    Amidst the applause, the announcer introduced three contestants in one breath, which stopped the cheers of the audience¡ªthey hadn¡¯t expected this approach.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the reason we¡¯re introducing three contestants consecutively is that these three are brothers! Please welcome Jeff, Jerry, and Jess!¡±


    Following the announcer¡¯s introduction, the second, third, and fourth entrance gates opened simultaneously, and the triplet brothers in their Void Magic Armor walked out!


    ¡°As the old saying goes, ¡®Brothers in arms are like tigers, and fathers and sons in battle are strong.¡¯ Since Jeff, Jerry, and Jess are brothers from the same mother, they will surely not give their opponents any opportunities on the battlefield. Could one of these three brothers emerge as the winner of this preliminary contest? Let¡¯s wait and see!¡±


    ¡°Good! Very good!¡±


    ¡°Brothers, you must win!¡±


    ¡°Come on! You can do it!¡±


    When the three brothers appeared, the spectators gave them even more applause and cheers than Peter, because everyone knew that in such a melee, unity among three was certainly stronger than fighting solo. The announcer was not wrong; the three brothers were indeed the favorites to win this contest. The audience naturally favored such a popular contestant.


    ¡°Coming up next, please welcome the fifth contestant to the stage!¡±


    Following the announcer¡¯s introduction, the contestants of this preliminary contest appeared one after another. Some contestants received detailed introductions, like Powerful Peter and the three brothers, while other contestants were briefly mentioned by name and then quickly surpassed.


    About fifteen minutes later, the first nine contestants of this preliminary contest had all made their appearance, leaving only the last one. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the next person to take the stage is the last contestant of this preliminary contest!¡±


    ¡°This contestant did not reveal his name before the competition, so we refer to him as Contestant #1021, but don¡¯t underestimate him. Contestant #1021 is the only person in this preliminary contest who has brought his own Void Magic Armor, a true warrior!¡±


    ¡°Please welcome Contestant #1021! Please welcome this real Void Magic Warrior to the stage!¡±


    As the words of the announcer came to an end, the gate of entrance ten slowly opened, and following it, Rocky, clad in his White Demon Armor, stepped out, and his figure was also displayed on the big screen in the arena, coming into view of everyone!


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 246 - 245: Thorough Arrangement!

    Chapter 246: Chapter 245: Thorough Arrangement!


    As the announcer¡¯s voice settled, the doors of the gateway number ten slowly opened, and Rocky, clad in the White Demon Armor, slowly walked onto the field, his image simultaneously appearing on the big screen!


    ¡°My god, what kind of armor is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful!¡±


    ¡°Which generation of armor is this? Is it specialized?¡±


    When Rocky¡¯s figure appeared on the big screen, the majority of the audience gasped in unison, completely stunned by the brilliance of the White Demon Armor!


    Shortly thereafter, as the spectators regained their senses from the stunning impression left by the White Demon Armor, excited cheers erupted!


    ...


    ¡°Amazing! It must be Special Armor!¡±


    ¡°Right! This match is going to be worth watching!¡±


    ¡°Nine against one! This match is definitely nine against one!¡±


    ¡°Nine against one!¡±


    ¡°Nine against one!¡±


    ¡°Nine against one!!¡±


    In the midst of the rising cheers, someone took the lead in shouting the slogan ¡°nine against one,¡± and soon, this chant echoed continuously, every spectator shouting in excited unison.


    However, amidst these deafening cheers, a group of people had extremely grim faces. While the entire audience was thrilled, only this group was gloomy.


    This group was none other than Orton and his companions.


    Listening to the deafening shouts around them, Orton and his companions looked towards the arena with grim faces. They then dismally realized that among the ten participants in this preliminary match, except for Rocky, the other nine competitors were wearing the Arena¡¯s fourth-generation Mass-Produced Armor.


    The fourth-generation Mass-Produced Armor versus the White Demon Armor naturally wasn¡¯t an equal match, yet the greater the disparity in strength, the more problematic it became. In a chaotic battle where strengths were so uneven, eliminating the strongest competitor first became the primary strategy for victory or even survival.


    This was why the spectators were shouting ¡°nine against one.¡± And if even the spectators outside the arena could see what was obvious, how could the competitors not?


    ¡°Damn, it¡¯s a setup!¡±


    Hammerfire muttered gloomily as he noticed that Rocky had instantly become the target of everyone.


    And he was right!


    The arrangement of this preliminary match was meticulously planned by the Arena¡ªfrom the competitors¡¯ entry, their order of appearance, and everything else, all designed to create the current scenario!


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t the Arena deliberately targeting Rocky. In fact, the Arena didn¡¯t care who Rocky was; they only cared about whether the match was exciting. To make each match thrilling, the Arena meticulously arranged every aspect.


    With the aim to please as many spectators as possible, the Arena would go to great lengths to enhance the appeal of the matches. They might, for instance, arrange matches between competitors of similar skills if the matches were high-Rank, or even set up matches between competitors with personal grievances to settle their differences in the arena. If the matches were low-Rank, the Arena might arrange uneven matchups or pit veterans against newcomers, all to add excitement in various ways.


    Besides finding focal points from the competitors themselves, the Arena also put great effort into the format of the competitions. The ten-person brawl of the preliminary match was one example. Other formats included Triple Threat matches, Four Corners matches, Gauntlet matches, Cage matches, and Hardcore matches, provide a variety of styles.


    Rocky¡¯s match was meticulously orchestrated by the Arena to create an additional spectacle outside of the melee, deliberately setting up a scenario where he was outnumbered nine to one!


    The audience¡¯s cheers were deafening, and the competitors in the field could naturally hear them too. So when Rocky looked at the other competitors who had already entered the arena, he noticed that they were also watching him. Not only that, each of the glances held either ferocity or resolve; it was clear that they had all made the same determined decision!


    Realizing he had become the target of everyone even before stepping onto the platform, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but sigh internally, feeling incredibly unlucky. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the audience¡¯s perspective, he was facing a challenge of nine against one, but as a competitor, Rocky understood all too well that his problem was not just about being outnumbered. It was that all nine were desperate to fight for their lives against him!


    Why say this?


    Because of Xia Nai¡¯s match!


    In the three preliminary matches that morning, the one Xia Nai participated in had the highest casualty rate, with eight people dead in just one match. Given this precedent, the opponents Rocky now faced were not just targeting him for victory¡ªthey were doing it to survive!


    Given this, one could imagine Rocky¡¯s predicament. The preliminary match hadn¡¯t even started yet, and it had already turned into a life-or-death struggle!


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! I can assure you all with certainty that this match will be the most intense and spectacular of this round of preliminaries. Are you¡ªready?!¡±


    As Rocky sighed to himself, the announcer¡¯s voice sounded again, and with his words, a wave of cheers erupted from the stands. Everyone was eagerly anticipating this match!


    Amidst the cheering, the commentator turned to look at the ten contestants: ¡°Contestants, are you ready?!¡±


    ¡°Come on! Come on! Come on!¡±


    ¡°Roar! Roar! Roar!!¡±


    ¡°Go for it!¡±


    ¡°Kill him!¡±


    At this questioning, all contestants except Rocky immediately responded with roars that sounded as if they were all on a frenzy, excited but also unusually aggressive.


    ¡°The match¡ªbegins!¡±


    As the announcer declared the official start of the match, the contestants who had long been waiting around the ring couldn¡¯t wait any longer and one by one jumped onto the platform!


    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!


    In the blink of an eye, the first nine contestants had climbed onto the platform, and seeing the others spring into action, Rocky took a deep breath and leaped up as well, standing on the platform a moment later.


    Like the previous matches, ten contestants occupied their spots upon ascending the platform, dividing it into ten equally like slicing a cake. However, just like before, once everyone was up, all eyes uniformly turned to the same spot¡ªthey looked at Rocky.


    Indeed, as soon as the match officially started, all the contestants, without needing to discuss anything, intuitively teamed up together, planning to collectively take down Rocky!


    In this situation, there was no standoff, no caution, and no hesitation at all¡ªas soon as Rocky stepped onto the platform, the other nine contestants simultaneously charged at him!


    ¡°Take him down!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 247 - 246: Nine Against One!

    Chapter 247: Chapter 246: Nine Against One!


    There was no standoff, no caution, and certainly no hesitation. As soon as Rocky stepped onto the platform, his telepathically coordinated opponents instantly sprang into action.


    Nine opponents, like nine wild beasts, charged ferociously at Rocky!


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Although he had been psychologically prepared, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but curse when everyone lunged at him at once. Without a second thought, he leaped into the air.


    No sooner had he flown up than several of his opponents also jumped into the air and accelerated directly towards him.


    One competitor accelerated towards Rocky, roaring as he raised his long sword and viciously slashed at him, exhibiting a ferocity and viciousness not typical of a competition but rather of a fight to the death!


    ...


    Indeed, these competitors were fighting for their lives.


    In their eyes, facing an opponent like Rocky who wore Special Armor, if they didn¡¯t fight with all their might, their fate would be the same as Xia Nai¡¯s opponent, undoubtedly fatal. Therefore, for them, the outcome of the preliminary competition had already taken a backseat. Their main goal was to take Rocky down to avoid meeting a grim end in the arena.


    Thus, as soon as the match began, they all exhibited desperate ferocity. Their moves were killing blows without any hesitation! sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Facing such vicious attacks, Rocky in mid-air quickly dodged to the side, not only evading the strike but also cleverly maneuvering to the side and kicking his opponent in the ribs, sending him flying several meters away.


    ¡°Beautiful! Contestant 1021 easily dodged the attack and countered at the same time. That strike was so precise, truly smooth as flowing water, a real Void Magic Warrior! His control of the Armor is incomparable!¡±


    After Rocky seamlessly dodged and counterattacked, the commentator outside the arena shouted excitedly. Clearly, the commentator had keen eyesight, for Rocky¡¯s series of dodges and counterattacks were very quick, completed in a flowing motion that the average person couldn¡¯t clearly see, but the commentator captured every move.


    Logically, the audience should have cheered by now because a real expert reveals himself upon taking action. Although Rocky had only exchanged one move with his opponent, the difference in strength was immediately apparent.


    However, at this moment, the stands were eerily silent, not because the audience was dissatisfied with Rocky¡¯s performance, but because they simply had no time to cheer!


    Just as Rocky kicked his opponent away and was about to press his advantage, two more enemies, one on each side, rushed at him, their gleaming long swords slashing directly at him from both sides!


    In this situation, all Rocky could do was elevate his position again, soaring up another two or three meters. Then he heard a clang as the two long swords aimed at him collided with each other.


    ¡°Get down!¡±


    Seeing the two swords miss, Rocky, from a higher position, instantly plunged down. Utilizing the speed and weight of his descent, he stomped with both feet on one opponent, pushing him straight down to the platform while also using this action to return to his original position. Then, without hesitation, he delivered a spinning kick, striking another competitor precisely on the head and sending him flying!


    This series of dodges and attacks was spectacular, fully showcasing the strength of a Void Magic Warrior. Unfortunately, after that, Rocky didn¡¯t even get a chance to catch his breath. After one spinning kick, he barely had time to adjust his stance before he hurriedly darted several meters to the side. Just as he had dodged, another competitor surged upwards from the position he had just vacated.


    After dodging this attack, Rocky finally had a chance to stabilize his stance. But when he looked around again, he discovered that he, positioned mid-air, was surrounded!


    All around him were enemies. The nine competitors in this match had all risen into the air and completely encircled him!


    This was melee combat!


    This was a one against nine battle!


    If it had been a one-on-one match, Rocky would have already won by now. The White Demon Armor, coupled with his own strength, made it impossible for any opponent to last three rounds against him. Unfortunately, this was a melee battle, and Rocky not only had to face one opponent, he had to face nine.


    In this entirely unfair and unequal fight, even though his power surpassed everyone else¡¯s, and his Armor was superior to everyone else¡¯s, it was difficult for him to gain any advantage.


    ¡°All at once!¡±


    After surrounding Rocky, someone had shouted, and nine people charged at him together!


    ¡°Contestant number 1021 is surrounded! He is being attacked by everyone!¡±


    As the nine opponents rushed at Rocky, the external announcer shouted excitedly!


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, contestant number 1021 is now being attacked by nine contestants. Can he survive this onslaught?!¡±


    ¡°Incredible, he dodged it! Contestant number 1021 dodged the triple team from the brothers!¡±


    ¡°Contestant number 911¡¯s surprise attack also failed, and he was even knocked off the arena!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over, Malin¡¯s long sword has been taken away, his weapon was actually stolen, it¡¯s embarrassing, really embarrassing!¡±


    ¡°Goodness, goodness, goodness! Powerful Peter didn¡¯t gain any advantage in a head-to-head confrontation. Contestant 1021¡¯s control over his Armor is simply miraculous. He managed to offset most of the force when Peter struck him, giving Peter a thunderous counterattack in return. Peter missed his best opportunity to inflict heavy damage on him.¡±


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the joint attack of nine people has not managed to defeat contestant number 1021. This is truly incredible, ladies and gentlemen, please do not skimp on your applause and cheers, alright!¡±


    Provoked by the announcer, the audience immediately responded with cheers and applause, all obviously for Rocky. Just as the announcer had described, in the nine-person onslaught, Rocky was still undefeated!


    Facing the attack of nine people, Rocky in mid-air kept dodging and counterattacking, managing again and again to break the encirclement thanks to his Armor¡¯s advantages and his own experience, seizing every opportunity to counterstrike, and inflicting heavy damage on his opponents whenever he dodged.


    Clearly, this was why he had remained calm and composed before the match.


    In the eyes of outsiders, a melee might be a tough affair, and fighting multiple opponents even more daunting, but to him, it wasn¡¯t the case. When he defended Backhill Village, he had faced numbers more than ten times his own numerous times. Hence, whether it was a melee or one against many, Rocky had abundant experience, and thus, he was not at all afraid of this preliminary match.


    As the result showed, he really pulled it off. Facing the encirclement of nine opponents, he had used his experience and the power of the White Demon Armor to repel all opponents, denying them any chance to prevail.


    However, just then, Powerful Peter, who had been repelled, suddenly shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t engage him in aerial combat! We can¡¯t beat him that way, force him to land!¡±


    As soon as Peter finished shouting, he was the first to descend to the arena, and then he raised his arms. With a snap, two Mana Launchers popped out of his arm Armor!


    Seeing his action, the other contestants quickly understood and descended back to the arena, raising their hands like Peter did.


    ¡°Bombard him!¡±


    With Peter¡¯s roar, all nine contestants fired together, sending countless Magic Bullets towards Rocky in mid-air!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 248 - 247: Counterattack

    Chapter 248: Chapter 247: Counterattack


    Rocky was able to stand undefeated in the midst of an onslaught from nine others not just because of his own skill or because of his Armor, but also because he chose aerial combat.


    The combat of the Void Magic Armor is distinct from traditional fights. If one doesn¡¯t understand how to use the Armor, especially how to take advantage of its aerial combat superiority, then there isn¡¯t much difference between a Void Magic Armor and a regular Armor.


    The opponents Rocky faced were just like this.


    Whether it was the triplet brothers, or Powerful Peter, or the others, none of them were true Void Magic Warriors. Their use of the Armor was still at a basic level, barely able to utilize all of the Armor¡¯s functions, let alone leverage its aerial advantages. It was simply beyond them.


    That¡¯s why, despite their numbers, they were no match for Rocky in the air.


    This was also why Rocky stayed in mid-air right from the start¡ªhe intended to use his strengths to target their weaknesses!


    ...


    However, Rocky wasn¡¯t the only smart one present. Powerful Peter, who had participated in the preliminaries many times before, was also experienced; after being repelled in the air, he quickly realized the key issue that all of them together could not beat Rocky in the air.


    Therefore, he immediately urged everyone to give up aerial combat and to decide the battle within the confines of the Arena¡¯s platform.


    But how could they make Rocky return to the platform?


    Simple, they just needed to blast him down!


    After they all descended, the competitors simultaneously raised their arms, activated the Mana Launchers on their forearms, and bombarded Rocky with a series of Magic Bullets!


    The Armor provided by the Arena was the Firepower Type-4 Assault Armor. Although it was the fourth generation of Mass-Produced Armor, it must be admitted that within the realm of Mass-Produced Armor, the Firepower 4-Type was one of the best, with a magic energy value reaching 3100 points and an arsenal of weapons, especially rich in long-range weaponry.


    In an instant, countless Magic Bullets hurtled toward Rocky, and a series of small explosions combined into a massive one that swallowed Rocky, who was mid-air. That wasn¡¯t all; possibly feeling that it wasn¡¯t safe enough or simply because it was unsatisfying, several competitors lowered their arms, opened their chest plates, and revealed two large cannon muzzles hidden inside.


    Mini Magic Energy Cannons!


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Flaunting the Firepower 4-Type Armor¡¯s most powerful weapon, several competitors aimed the muzzles of the Mini Magic Energy Cannons at the sky and fired repeatedly!


    Even though they were mini, they were still Magic Energy Cannons, so their power was beyond doubt. The Magic Energy Cannons exploded directly in the air; a dozen shells firing at once linked the explosions, turning the sky into a blazing inferno!


    With such intense attacks, even the spectators were stunned. Nobody expected just a preliminary fight to be fought so fiercely.


    Orton and others, sitting in the front row of the spectator seats, also looked grim. Liliya and Monte had already joined the crowd, watching Rocky¡¯s match together.


    When they saw Rocky subjected to such a fierce assault, they all felt their hearts tighten. Liliya, Monte, and even Lin Feng unconsciously clenched their fists, extremely nervous. Aileen simply hid in Liliya¡¯s embrace, too scared to watch.


    Only Orton and the other three remained relatively calm because they knew that the White Demon Armor could spread out a Defensive Net, and as long as Rocky was quick enough, these attacks wouldn¡¯t be able to harm him.


    But¡­ he couldn¡¯t have failed to react in time, could he¡­?


    Several minutes later, after the furious bombardment from the nine competitors had finally concluded, everyone looked towards the sky, towards the smoke that filled the air.


    At that moment, everyone, whether they were competitors or spectators, or even the broadcaster who had been commentary the match, fell silent. They were all doing the same thing¡ªsearching for Rocky¡¯s figure in the smoke.


    As time ticked away, the smoke that filled the sky gradually dissipated, followed by a sudden shout from a spectator!


    ¡°There!¡±


    The unexpected shout drew everyone¡¯s attention, and as the smoke slowly cleared, they saw Rocky¡¯s figure!


    As the smoke faded, Rocky reappeared before their eyes, his hands raised level, with a circular Defensive Net unfolded around him!


    Indeed, he had managed to use the Defensive Net to fend off all the attacks!


    A deafening cheer erupted instantly; at that moment, the entire audience gave him their most fervent shout of support!


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    Seeing that Rocky had deployed the Defensive Net in time, Orton and the others breathed a sigh of relief, visibly more relaxed.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    However, as Orton and the others relaxed, the contestants on the field became tense again, for by this time, they had deeply realized the gap between them.


    Whether it was personal quality or the strength of their armors, Rocky was far superior to them, especially in terms of armor strength. The gap between them in this aspect was simply irreparable. Not to mention the plethora of other advantages, the defensive net that could only be deployed by special armors had already made Rocky unbeatable. As long as the defensive net was there, nobody else could harm him!


    This disparity left many contestants feeling disheartened¡­


    But just then, Rocky made a surprising move!


    He retracted the defensive net and then¡­ slowly descended onto the arena!


    ¡°Contestant number 1021 has landed!¡±


    Watching Rocky land, the announcer immediately shouted, ¡°What is he planning to do?! Could it be¡­ Could it be that contestant number 1021 has decided to give up aerial combat and is preparing to engage in a head-to-head battle with the other contestants!¡±


    And say what you will, but not only did this announcer have good insight, his experience was also quite rich because he was right¡ªRocky was indeed planning to engage in a head-to-head battle with the other contestants!


    As mentioned before, Rocky had three reasons for participating in the arena: one was to earn money, another was to test his armor, and the third was to hone himself.


    And in his eyes, the current match was an excellent opportunity for self-improvement, so he voluntarily gave up aerial combat to engage in ground combat with these opponents!


    ¡°Kid, you want to go head-to-head with them and that¡¯s fine, but don¡¯t be too overconfident. Activate some more runes on the armor!¡±


    As Rocky landed in the arena, Orton, sitting in the stands, had no choice but to contact him through the communicator, conveying that going head-to-head was fine and honing himself was fine, but activate all the runes on the armor first!


    That¡¯s right, at this point Rocky had not activated all the runes on the White Demon Armor!


    From the beginning of the match till now, Rocky had actually activated only half of the runes, and the magic energy value of the White Demon Armor was maintained at around 5,000 points. In other words, the combat power of the White Demon had only been activated by half!


    This was something everyone had agreed on beforehand because they did not want the White Demon Armor to draw too much attention by showing its full prowess, which could bring unnecessary trouble. So, they always disguised the White Demon as a fourth-generation special armor, keeping the magic energy value at the peak level that a fourth-generation armor could reach, thus avoiding drawing too much attention.


    But now that Rocky had decided to go head-to-head with all the opponents, Orton felt that at least a part of the magic energy should be further activated, raising it from 5,000 to about 7,000. This would be somewhat safer.


    No sooner had he finished speaking when Rocky replied:


    ¡°Teacher, 5,000 magic energy is enough.¡±


    The moment he finished this sentence, Rocky suddenly charged out on the platform. He transformed into a white blur, and before all the opponents could react, he dashed past them in an instant, swooping by like a meteor.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Right after the blink of an eye, one of the nine contestants suddenly let out a scream!


    This person was originally at the very back of the others, the farthest away from Rocky. But now he found Rocky had bypassed all the others, streaking across the entire arena like a shooting star, heading straight for him!


    Fast!


    Rocky¡¯s speed was extremely fast!


    By the time this contestant realized he was being charged at, it was already too late to react, because Rocky was upon him!


    On the contrary, it was Rocky who raised his right arm and deployed the Magic Energy Shield as he approached, followed by a muffled thud as he slammed the Magic Energy Shield hard against the contestant¡¯s body!


    With the force of a cannonball, the contestant was blasted away and flew out of the arena in an instant, crashing heavily to the ground¡­! S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Eight left.¡±


    Eliminating one contestant with a single strike, Rocky slowly turned around and, while looking at the remaining eight, he popped open the armor on his left leg and drew his Mana Sword!


    The counterattack begins!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 249 - 248: One Against Nine!

    Chapter 249: Chapter 248: One Against Nine!


    ¡°Eight left.¡±


    Rocky turned to face the remaining eight competitors. He activated his Magic Energy Shield in his right hand and drew out his Mana Sword with his left, switching his White Demon Armor to melee mode!


    ¡°So¡­ so terrifying¡­¡±


    In the face of his counterattack, at least three of the remaining eight competitors couldn¡¯t help but take two steps back!


    Just as these three competitors were muttering, Rocky at this moment was truly terrifying!


    It wasn¡¯t his appearance that was so frightening but the strength he had burst forth within an instant¡­


    ...


    Although Rocky had only eliminated one competitor, think about how he had done so. He had crossed the entire arena at an extremely high speed and then, relying solely on the impact, flung his target out of the ring.


    During this process, none of the competitors on the stage had time to react. They only saw a white blur fly past their eyes, that was all. By the time they came to their senses, the unfortunate individual Rocky had targeted was already out of the arena¡­


    What did this mean?


    It meant the gap between them was too vast!


    Although it wasn¡¯t clear what generation of Armor Rocky was wearing, that moment on the stage made one thing clear to all the competitors¡ªthey were no match for Rocky in aerial combat due to differences in experience and control, but on the ground, the drastic difference in Armor also made it impossible for them to contend with Rocky!


    So when Rocky revealed his melee weapons, many competitors were afraid, truly afraid.


    But this time, Rocky didn¡¯t give anyone a chance. He suddenly burst forward, charging towards another competitor with great ferocity!


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Realizing that Rocky had targeted him this time, Powerful Peter quickly positioned his shield in front of his chest, steadying himself for defense.


    It must be said, among these people, if one were to speak of individual strength and experience, besides Rocky, Peter was the strongest. He had, after all, participated in the preliminary rounds multiple times and clashed with true masters¡ªhis reactions and countermeasures were much faster than the average person.


    Just as Peter had just set himself in a defensive position, ready to withstand Rocky¡¯s charge, a scream came from behind him!


    Indeed, Rocky had targeted Peter, but it was merely a feint. His real target was someone hiding behind Peter.


    He remembered this guy¡ªhe had been trying to sneak attack Rocky during the aerial combat, almost succeeding several times. Now he was cleverly hidden behind Peter¡¯s large frame, surely looking for another opportunity to sneak attack. Rocky naturally couldn¡¯t ignore such a person.


    So as he charged at Peter and in the instant he got to him, Rocky leaped into the air, flipped over Peter, and then accelerated once more. Just like before, he slammed into his target with his Magic Energy Shield, sending them flying!


    With just this move, Rocky demonstrated his exceptional control over the Armor and the superior performance of the White Demon Armor to perfection. Keep in mind, he was at top speed when charging at Peter. At such a high velocity, not only did he manage to change direction abruptly, but he also exerted force again after the change of direction. These actions required a lot from both himself and the Armor¡ªmost people or ordinary Armors simply couldn¡¯t execute such maneuvers!


    ¡°Seven left!¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After eliminating another opponent, Rocky didn¡¯t pause for a moment, but turned and aimed at a third target. Accelerating around a bend, he charged toward the nearest contestant, then raised his Magic Energy Shield just as before, obviously intending to ram this person off the stage as well.


    But this time, the opponent¡¯s reaction was also very quick. Noticing Rocky charging towards him, and just as Rocky was about to reach him, he leaped into the air.


    However, just as the opponent had barely reached midair and before he had a chance to take a breath, he found his ankle was grabbed!


    Yes, as soon as this contestant leaped into the air, Rocky followed suit, leaping up and grabbing the man¡¯s ankle, then whirling around in the air several times, and like throwing a shot put, he hurled his opponent out.


    There was a thunderous crash as the thrown contestant, unable to adjust in midair, slammed into the spectator¡¯s Defensive Net. Not only was he knocked unconscious, but he also suffered a disappointing elimination.


    ¡°Six left!¡±


    Having dispatched another opponent, Rocky pressed on without missing a beat, diving towards his next target!


    ¡°You wish!¡±


    However, at that moment, Powerful Peter roared and charged up from the ground, interrupting Rocky¡¯s momentum with a downward slash of his sword.


    ¡°What are you standing around for? Do you want him to knock you off one by one?¡±


    After intercepting Rocky, Powerful Peter swung his sword and shouted at the remaining contestants. Clearly, while others were getting cold feet, Peter showed no signs of backing down.


    He had entered the preliminary matches too many times; he desired victory too keenly.


    Reminded by his shout, the three brothers were the first to react, converging from three different directions, and the other two did the same.


    In truth, like Peter, those daring to participate in the Arena¡¯s contests did not come to play games with their lives at stake. While each contestant had different motivations for competing, they all sought the same outcome: victory!


    In such a situation, regardless of Rocky¡¯s display of formidable strength, his opponents were just as unwilling to give up!


    There was a clang as Peter¡¯s sword struck down, hitting Rocky¡¯s Magic Energy Shield. Rocky had to take two steps back; Peter¡¯s brute strength was indeed frightening, and it wasn¡¯t easy to handle when caught off guard.


    As Rocky retreated two steps and before he could steady himself, long swords thrust at him from both sides, wielded by two of the brothers who had already surrounded him.


    It must be said that the strength of these three brothers was also quite remarkable. The simultaneous thrusts from the left and right were not actually simultaneous ¨C there was a sequence. If Rocky thought he could dodge both swords at the same time, he¡¯d be sorely mistaken; if he tried, he¡¯d undoubtedly be hit by one of them.


    Fortunately, Rocky didn¡¯t make such a move. Facing two accurately angled and sequentially timed thrusts, he deftly ducked and, using his Armor for reverse propulsion, shot backwards a meter, avoiding the encirclement.


    It was a pity that just as he had escaped the brothers¡¯ joint attack, he sensed danger from behind. Another contestant viciously swung a long sword at his back, forcing Rocky to quickly somersault on the spot, flipping midair to evade the strike.


    ¡°Absolutely thrilling! This is just spectacular!¡±


    As Rocky and the other contestants engaged in close combat, the announcer outside the Arena couldn¡¯t contain his excitement, shouting loudly. The series of offensive and defensive maneuvers were indeed spectacular, not solely because of Rocky¡¯s performance. The others who were attacking him were also impressing, which is why the announcer stood up in his excitement, as if only by doing so could he thoroughly commentate on such an exciting match!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 250 - 249: A Man Should Be Head-to-Head!

    Chapter 250: Chapter 249: A Man Should Be Head-to-Head!


    The lightning-fast offense and defense battle had the commentator shouting excitedly, and even more thrilled than the commentator were the spectators themselves.


    The cheers and shouts from the audience could be described as explosive, and even Orton and the others watching from outside the venue were no different, their collective cheers even drowning out the voice of the commentator.


    ¡°This kid actually has some skill.¡±


    Seeing Rocky handling the attacks from several opponents with ease, Orton and the others could finally relax a bit. However, still being older, they were somewhat restrained in their excitement. In contrast, Liliya and her companions were much more animated.


    From the start of the match until now, Liliya and the others had been anxious for Rocky, so when he launched his counterattack, swiftly eliminating his opponents one after another, their suppressed emotions finally exploded with delight.


    At this moment, Liliya, Monte, Lin Feng, and Aileen had long since risen from their seats, shouting loudly like everyone else, continuously cheering for Rocky.


    ...


    At this very moment, Rocky himself was also extremely excited, as if he were enjoying the spectacle just like the spectators. As a competitor, he too found the combat extremely thrilling!


    The persistence of his opponents not only put great pressure on him but also ignited his fighting spirit, giving him a feeling he had never experienced on the battlefield before. It was an indescribable feeling that made Rocky very excited, very comfortable, and thoroughly enjoying himself.


    So, after weathering a round of attacks from his opponents, he immediately launched a counteroffensive!


    The moment he landed from a flip, he didn¡¯t even think before propelling his Armor backward, and in the blink of an eye, he collided with an opponent who had tried to sneak up behind him. Caught off guard, his opponent staggered, and without paying more attention to this person, Rocky went from retreat to advance in an instant, rushing towards another opponent.


    Charging at his target, Rocky leaped into the air and raised the Mana Sword, the first time he had truly swung it in the match. Earlier, he had either blocked with the sword or simply struck with the shield, having never truly used the Mana Sword.


    And this time, as he lifted the Mana Sword high and brought it down with force, the opponent beneath the blade panicked.


    In terms of weapon class, ordinary weapons were the worst, Magic Energy Enhanced Weapons were intermediate, and Magic Energy Materialized Weapons were the strongest¡ªthis was common knowledge. Rocky¡¯s Mana Sword, solidified from pure Magic Energy, was a typical Magic Energy Materialized Weapon, and compared to it, the long sword equipped with the Firepower 4-Type Armor was somewhat inferior in every aspect. If the two were to clash directly, the long sword might well be cut in half!


    The opponent was clearly aware of this, so he quickly raised both shield and sword, pressing the sword against the shield in an attempt to block the attack.


    But in the blink of an eye, Rocky, who had leaped high and slashed downward, suddenly maneuvered the Armor to change direction in mid-air, circling behind with a tight arc, then struck hard on the back of the opponent¡¯s head with the hilt of his sword.


    Although the opponent was wearing a Helmet, the Magic Energy of the White Demon Armor was higher. Higher Magic Energy meant greater strength augmentation, so Rocky¡¯s strike dazed his opponent, after which Rocky grabbed his shoulder, spun around, and flung him off the platform.


    ¡°Five left.¡±


    Having eliminated another contestant, Rocky immediately turned his attention to the others. At this moment, there were only five left on the platform, aside from himself!


    Just as he looked towards his opponents, Powerful Peter took the initiative and charged at him. But instead of facing the attack head-on, Rocky used the agility and speed of his Armor to sidestep him and headed straight for the three brothers.


    His next targets were the three brothers!


    ¡°Surround him!¡±


    As Rocky charged straight at them, the three brothers reacted quite swiftly, encircling him from three directions, and immediately launched a joint attack.


    It must be said that the three brothers did indeed have some skill. They were soldiers who had seen battle, and each of them was quite strong. Plus, with their unity, their strategic coordination was many times stronger than ordinary people. Under such circumstances, even Rocky found it difficult to gain an advantage. In their previous encounters, facing the encirclement of the three brothers, Rocky had chosen to dodge their sharp edges, without a better way to respond.


    But this time, he changed his tactics. When surrounded by the three brothers, he didn¡¯t choose to retreat but decided to go head-to-head!


    Facing the sword slashing straight at him, Rocky didn¡¯t dodge or flinch but used the Magic Energy Shield to block with force. With a loud clang, the sword was not only stopped by the shield, but the eldest brother who struck the blow was also shaken back two steps.


    The disparity in the Armor was too evident; the Firepower 4-Type Armor¡¯s Magic Energy was only 3100 points, whereas the White Demon Armor, even when only half-activated, had a Magic Energy Value of 5000 points¡ªa nearly twofold difference!


    With such a vast gap, even if the brothers were stronger than Rocky, the enhancement the White Demon provided was enough to compensate for all disparities and far surpass the opposition.


    This was why Rocky chose to confront the three brothers head-on. His plan was to use the Armor¡¯s advantage to power through their tactics and completely break them down.


    After deflecting the eldest brother¡¯s attack with the Magic Energy Shield, Rocky swiftly turned to face the youngest of the three brothers. Their swords clashed, and with a flash of the Magic Energy Sword, it sliced straight through the opponent¡¯s long sword!


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 251 - 249: A Man Should Be Head-to-Head!_2

    Chapter 251: Chapter 249: A Man Should Be Head-to-Head!_2


    The longsword was cleaved in two, stunning the opponent momentarily as he clearly hadn¡¯t anticipated such an outcome; however, Rocky didn¡¯t give him a chance to react. He landed a direct kick to the chest and neatly booted him off the platform.


    With one man down, the trio of brothers¡¯ encirclement was broken. The remaining two were quickly laid out on the ground by Rocky, who defeated them in quick succession and knocked them off the arena, eliminating them.


    ¡°Two left.¡±


    After defeating the three brothers, Rocky then turned towards the only two remaining on the platform, setting his sights on Peter, the strongest of them all! S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Bring it on! Bring it on!¡±


    Seeing Rocky look his way, Peter roared twice and, raising his shield, began a full-power sprint, while Rocky, not to be outdone, likewise hoisted his shield and met him head-on, Armor propulsion at full throttle!


    ...


    The two rushing towards each other were like two bulls charging or two meteors colliding; moments later, they collided head-to-head!


    With a loud boom, the immense force of their collision at full speed even generated a shockwave that swept across the arena; in this all-out crash, Rocky took several steps back before he could barely stop himself, and Peter did the same.


    It must be said, Peter truly had natural superhuman strength. Even with Armor that was a level weaker, his method of simple and brutal head-to-head confrontation with Rocky didn¡¯t put him at a disadvantage. It was definitely not the Armor doing the work, but his own monstrous strength.


    But the more such head-to-head confrontations occurred, sometimes the more ferocity they brought out!


    How does that saying go?


    A man, must face things head-on!


    ¡°Again!¡±


    After one collision, Rocky and Peter almost simultaneously roared, then raised their shields again and sprinted full force towards each other!


    With another loud boom!


    After a blink, the two collided once again, and like before, the massive force created a shockwave that swept across the arena. The two men, slamming into each other fiercely, both inexorably staggered back, even further this time, clearly indicating that the impact was even greater than before.


    Once they had both regained their footing, just like before, they raised their shields and sprinted towards each other again!


    Rocky and Peter thus engaged in the most primitive of contests, devoid of technique, devoid of tactics, only comparing the most brutal form of physical power. They collided time after time on the arena, separated, and then charged again.


    ¡°Oh¡­!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­!!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­!!!¡±


    In this series of fierce collisions, the cheers of the spectators ceased, everyone gawking dumbfoundedly as the two on the platform clashed repeatedly, each collision eliciting an involuntary exclamation of awe as if everyone had lost their minds.


    Indeed, all the spectators had lost their wits at this moment. They had never seen a match like this. The combat arena preliminaries happened every season with all sorts of chaos: nine against one, one against nine, cunning ploys, various scenarios. But they had never seen a contest like the present one, which stunned every spectator and even left the commentator, specifically tasked with narrating the match, speechless and gawking at the platform, unable to utter a word.


    With another loud bang following another collision, Rocky and Peter again separated, staggering back for a long while before stopping. However, this time, instead of rushing towards each other like before, they stood panting on opposite sides of the arena.


    The continuous collisions, though wildly entertaining to watch, imposed a tremendous burden on them both. Peter, it goes without saying, was relying entirely on his monstrous strength to compete with Rocky, while Rocky, though supported by the White Demon Armor which could withstand the force of the collisions, was still heavily impacted by each crash.


    In this state, both had clearly reached their limits.


    Though the limit had been reached, a winner still had to be decided; thus, after a brief moment to catch their breath, Rocky and Peter looked at each other once more.


    One last time, to decide the winner!


    Looking at each other, even through their helmets, they both knew this was their last collision, in which they had to determine a victor.


    Then, instead of sprinting immediately, they adjusted their Armor¡¯s propulsion while on the spot. Once the propulsion of the Armor was maxed out, they suddenly dashed forward!


    In an instant, Rocky and Peter transformed into two streaks of light and shadow, crossing the intervening distance in the blink of an eye and colliding in the center of the arena.


    A loud bang erupted as the two collided, but this time there was no shockwave, and the colliding figures did not separate¡­


    They were grappling!


    The two, shield against shield upon collision, neither retreated nor shrank back, both continuously exerting force through their Armor.


    Who could win¡­


    Who would it be¡­


    As the two continued to grapple, the same question popped into the minds of all the spectators, including Orton, wondering who would ultimately win.


    Logically, Rocky should have easily won this preliminary match because of his strength and the advantage provided by his Armor, but he had forsaken these advantages for a blood-boiling yet perilous method of facing Peter: a contest of strength in the most primitive and brutal form.


    As a result, his experience, his skills, even the advantages of the White Demon Armor, were all greatly reduced, so no one would be surprised even if he lost, since strength was never Rocky¡¯s forte, nor was it the White Demon Armor¡¯s strong suit.


    Thus, at this final moment, the arena fell silent, and everyone held their breath, fixating on the two competitors on the stage. Not just Orton and Liliya, but all spectators, including the commentators, clenched their fists.


    Just then, a crisp sound suddenly rang out!


    Crack¡­


    In the profound silence of the arena, this crisp sound was eerily clear, and then people located the source of the sound¡ªPeter¡¯s shield!


    In this enduring grapple, it was the Firepower 4-Type Armor that first gave in, unable to withstand the force of the contest between the two, the shield of the Armor cracked first¡­


    Along with the sound of cracking, a spider web of fractures rapidly spread across the shield in Peter¡¯s hand, followed by a crack, the entire shield shattered completely.


    The sudden shattering of the shield caused Peter to lose his leverage point, and before he could react, he was struck hard in the chest by Rocky¡¯s Magic Energy Shield, sending him flying backward while spewing a mouthful of blood!


    With a thunderous crash, Peter landed heavily below the stage¡­eliminated!


    ¡°He won!¡±


    ¡°Beautiful!¡±


    ¡°Thrilling! It was so thrilling!¡±


    ¡°This match was incredible!¡±


    When Peter was eliminated in that final contest, the audience, which had been quiet for a long while, finally erupted, everyone stood up, everyone started cheering for Rocky with both arms raised.


    ¡°This, this is just fantastic, the match was truly incredible, contestant number 1021 defeated Peter, defeated his opponent in his own strongest area, it¡¯s just fantastic!¡±


    A clever commentator, at this moment seemed to run out of words, continuously repeating the same phrase to describe the confrontation between Rocky and Peter, that it was incredible.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, with the three hot favorites and Peter successively eliminated, contestant number 1021 has undoubtedly secured¡­watch out!¡±


    Just as the commentator excitedly wanted to announce that Rocky had secured the victory, he suddenly let out a loud cry, and simultaneously, a wave of gasps arose from the spectators!


    Because just at that moment, someone suddenly appeared behind Rocky!


    The final contestant on the stage!


    While Rocky and Peter were competing, there wasn¡¯t just the two of them on the stage; in fact, there was one more contestant present, but the duel between them was so riveting that everyone had ignored the existence of this contestant.


    But now, just as Rocky had just eliminated Peter and the entire audience hadn¡¯t even fully expressed their excitement, this last contestant suddenly appeared behind Rocky, swinging a brilliantly shining long sword, viciously aiming for his neck!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 252 - 250 First Victory!

    Chapter 252: Chapter 250 First Victory!


    When Rocky clashed passionately with Peter, there was actually another contestant on the stage¡ªonly, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on Rocky and Peter, completely overlooking the third.


    But now, just as Rocky had barely eliminated Peter from the match, not even having a chance to catch his breath, this final contestant seized the opportunity for a rare sneak attack on Rocky!


    No one noticed how this person had managed to creep up behind Rocky. In any case, he did, and then suddenly burst forth, slashing with the razor-sharp longsword in his hand, aiming a horizontal strike directly at Rocky¡¯s neck!


    Brutal!


    Too brutal!


    From this single strike alone, it was clear how malicious this contestant was¡ªhe wasn¡¯t just trying to defeat Rocky, he was trying to kill him!


    ...


    Facing such a sudden sneak attack, everyone in the arena let out a gasp, with many covering their mouths in shock. Some young girls even covered their eyes, daring not to watch what happened next.


    Could it be, could Rocky be defeated just like that?


    After delivering such an exciting duel, was he to die from a sneak attack?


    Under everyone¡¯s astonished gazes, the sword from behind landed heavily on Rocky¡¯s neck¡­


    Clang!


    A light sound rang out as the longsword struck the White Demon Armor¡­


    ¡°Blocked! Contestant number 1021¡¯s armor blocked the sword strike!¡±


    Realizing that his strike had failed, the announcer immediately roared, ¡°Despicable! Absolutely despicable! Contestant Boff, in such a thrilling match, resorted to a sneak attack and even failed¡ªshameless! What a waste!¡±


    Idiot.


    As the announcer fervently shouted, Orton and Hammerfire, the two old men, had faces full of disregard, as they both snorted simultaneously.


    Joking aside, the White Demon Armor was a top-tier set forged for 300,000 Gold Coins! To accommodate the powerful Mana of the Rune, the raw materials used for the armor were on par with those of the fifth generation of Special Armor. How could it be damaged by such an ordinary sneak attack? If that had happened, Rocky¡¯s fate would be put aside for a moment, as Hammerfire would definitely be the first to take his own life.


    ¡°How¡­ how is this possible¡­¡±


    The contestant named Boff struck Rocky with his sword, found it had no effect, and was utterly dumbfounded, especially as Rocky turned around to face him, causing him to panic and stumble backwards.


    But facing an opponent who sneak-attacked him, Rocky was hardly going to show mercy. Even though he was exhausted from the confrontation with Peter, dealing with this type of character was still easy for him.


    With a single kick to the opponent¡¯s chest, he sent him flying. Throughout the process, Rocky quickly accelerated and caught the other¡¯s ankle before they hit the ground. Then he flew straight upward into the air, spun around twice in the air to maximize the force, and then threw the opponent out!


    ¡°Contestant Boff is eliminated!¡±


    As Rocky threw the last opponent out of the ring, the announcer finally proclaimed with a loud voice, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! The final victor of this preliminary match has emerged! He is contestant number 1021!¡±


    ¡°Well done!¡±


    ¡°What an amazing match!¡±


    ¡°Keep it up in the future!¡±


    As the announcer declared Rocky the ultimate winner of the preliminaries, the audience all stood up, lavishing him with the warmest applause.


    Amidst the thunderous applause, Rocky slowly descended onto the stage and graciously bowed to the entire audience before hopping down and heading back to the changing room through the exit.


    As he left, the audience who had watched the entire match continued to applaud, their faces showing lingering excitement. The match had indeed been thrilling, where every contestant had given their all and used every means possible¡ªfrom honorable to underhanded¡ªkeeping every moment filled with suspense.


    Such a match naturally made the audience remember Rocky¡¯s name, contestant 1021. Some had even made plans that the next time Rocky participated in a Rank match, they would definitely come to watch.


    Actually, not only did the audience immensely enjoy the match, but Rocky was also quite satisfied with it. If he had to describe it in one word, it would be ¡°thrilling.¡± He had never had so much fun fighting as he did in this match, unlike the desperate battling in wars. In the arena, he didn¡¯t need to consider so many things; he only needed to enjoy the match itself. This feeling was something Rocky had never experienced before, so when the match truly ended, he felt somewhat reluctant to leave.


    The problem of what to do next was easily solved because, after Rocky won the preliminary contest, he not only received the match¡¯s reward but also obtained a Combat Skill Rank. With the rank, he could participate in higher quality, richer rewarded, and more dangerous rank matches.


    It¡¯s the rank matches that are the real competition in the arena, so if Rocky felt unsatisfied, there were plenty of matches he could fight in.


    ¡°Are you okay? Were you hurt?¡±


    ¡°Sir, let me get that for you!¡±


    ¡°Sir, please sit down and rest.¡±


    After Rocky changed into casual clothes in the changing room, as soon as he returned to the rest lounge, he saw Liliya and the others and was immediately surrounded by them.


    Even though he enjoyed the match greatly, Liliya and the others who watched were constantly worried. Therefore, as soon as they saw Rocky return, they immediately surrounded him and started to fuss over him.


    ¡°Is contestant number 1021 here?¡±


    Just as Rocky was engulfed by Liliya and the others, almost to the point of being carried back to Thunderhawk City, a middle-aged man around thirty walked into the rest lounge and called out his contestant number.


    ¡°Over here.¡±


    Waving his hand amid the crowd, Rocky indicated that he was still there.


    Seeing this, the middle-aged man hurriedly walked up to him with a smile.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Howard, the contact person for the Arena rank matches. Contestant number 1021, congratulations on winning the preliminary contest, this is your reward.¡±


    After introducing himself to Rocky, Howard handed over a Gold Card: ¡°Contestant number 1021, this Gold Card is the Arena¡¯s reward card. Each time you win a match, you can collect your rewards with this card. The five-thousand Gold Coin prize for the preliminary contest is ready for you, and you can collect it anytime.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, since you¡¯ve won the preliminary contest, you¡¯ve also obtained a Combat Skill Rank. Your current rank is the initial Level Fifteen, with zero points. If you continue to win rank matches, you will gain points, and the more points you have, the higher your rank will become.¡±


    ¡°As for myself, I am your contact person. If you want to compete in rank matches in the future, you can contact me directly. If you have any requests about the match, such as time or format, you can talk to me, and I will try to make the arrangements.¡±


    ¡°This is my Mana Communicator, you can contact me anytime.¡±


    After handing the Gold Card to Rocky, Howard told him many things, the gist of which was quite simple: if Rocky wanted to compete in the future, he could contact him directly, as he¡¯ll be the responsible person for Rocky¡¯s matches in the Arena.


    This was the rule of the Arena: every contestant who obtained rank qualification would be assigned a dedicated contact person, to facilitate arranging matches for the contestants easily, saving them the trouble of queuing up to register. Howard was the contact person assigned to Rocky.


    ¡°Understood, thank you.¡±


    Rocky handed the Gold Card casually to Aileen and then said to Howard, ¡°So, you mean if I want to fight a match in the future, I just need to contact you?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Great, I plan to fight another match in three days. Can you arrange it for me?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    As soon as Howard heard Rocky plan to continue competing, a smile instantly appeared on his face. After all, as a contact person, much like an agent, he depended on the contestants earning money. The more often his assigned contestants fought and won, the higher his income would be. Therefore, Rocky¡¯s request to continue fighting was naturally pleasing to Howard, and having watched the recent match, he had high hopes for Rocky as well.


    As for Rocky himself, he felt that he was in good form in today¡¯s match and intended to keep it up to see what a real rank match was like. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But what he didn¡¯t know was that his decision, made without much thought, was going to inadvertently trigger a major conflict!


    A major conflict between the new style of armors!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 253 - 251 Sigma

    Chapter 253: Chapter 251 Sigma


    ¡°`


    Eternal City.


    In the meeting room of Sigma Armor Corporation, the third-generation leader of the company, Tom Sigma, was pounding the table fiercely as he roared.


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor been made yet?¡±


    ¡°What exactly are you doing?¡±


    His roars echoed continuously in the meeting room, but in the face of his rage, everyone sitting opposite Tom bowed their heads.


    ...


    Among these people were executives and R&D heads¡ªhigh-level figures within the company¡ªbut none of them dared to breathe heavily in Tom¡¯s presence.


    In today¡¯s Void Magic Armor domain, there were two giants: one was Uranus Corporation, and the other was Sigma Corporation. These two companies, whether in the development, production, or sales of armors, dominated half of the entire armor domain, being unchallenged titans.


    As one of these domain giants, Sigma Corporation had naturally been developing the new generation of armor, the 6th Generation Armor, for many years. By Tom¡¯s current display of frustration, it seemed this endeavor was not progressing smoothly.


    Indeed, Sigma Corporation¡¯s development of the 6th Generation Armor was not going well.


    The company had been working on the new generation of armor for five years. Initially, progress was fairly good, with the concepts and theoretical foundations of the new armor quickly established. However, when these theories were put into practice, difficulties arose, causing the schedule to be delayed repeatedly. Five years had passed, and not only had the prototype armor not been made, but they had also failed to produce an armor suitable for experimentation.


    Such a result was unacceptable to Tom, the company leader, which is why at nearly every monthly meeting, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the slow progress of the 6th Generation Armor. Especially this time, Tom was exceptionally agitated.


    ¡°Sir, please give us a little more time¡­¡±


    ¡°How much time have I already given you!¡±


    Tom glared fiercely at the R&D head, his rage bursting forth.


    ¡°Uranus Corporation has already made the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor, and you still need more time?¡±


    Glaring at the R&D head as if he wished to kill, Tom¡¯s increased rage this time had a reason: their main competitor, Uranus Corporation, which shared their dominance in the armor domain, had already made the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor.


    This meant their greatest and only competitor had achieved a major breakthrough in the development of the 6th Generation Armor, while Sigma Corporation was lagging far behind. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Such a situation was intolerable to Tom because the 6th Generation Armor was too important for the company.


    Sigma Corporation was among the earliest armor manufacturers, but it rose to prominence during the era of the fourth-generation armor, when it led all competitors by being the first to develop the fourth-generation Void Magic Armor, seizing a vast majority of market share. Because of this, the company stood out among numerous competitors, quickly becoming a leader in the armor domain.


    However, after leading in the development of fourth-generation armor, they made significant errors in the fifth-generation armor, choosing the wrong direction and lagging behind their competitor, Uranus Corporation, in this area.


    The current most advanced fifth-generation armor was first successfully developed by Uranus Corporation.


    Because of this, as the third-generation leader of the company, Tom Sigma began the research for the sixth-generation armor early, hoping to regain ground in this area, but they were falling behind in progress despite starting earlier than their opponent.


    No wonder Tom was so furious today.


    Yet in the face of his anger, company members remained silent, including the R&D head who wanted to speak but merely opened his mouth without uttering a word.


    Thus, the entire meeting room fell into silence, leaving only Tom¡¯s heavy breathing.


    After a long while, a young woman sitting to Tom¡¯s left glanced at everyone, then pointed at the files in their hands and gestured for them to leave.


    Seeing her gesture, everyone sighed in relief and, leaving the prepared reports on the table, hurriedly left as if escaping from famine.


    Once everyone had left, the only woman remaining in the meeting room stood up, went to each person¡¯s seat, and gathered the files they left behind.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    Holding a thick stack of files, the woman returned to Tom¡¯s side and began going through them as she said, ¡°Everyone is anxious about the Sixth-Generation Armor development¡­¡±


    ¡°Humph! Are they anxious? I don¡¯t see it!¡±


    After grumbling, Tom stood up, walked to a nearby liquor cabinet, and poured himself a drink.


    ¡°Father, you should also know¡­ it¡¯s because of financial constraints that the research department¡¯s progress is so slow¡­¡±


    With a helpless glance at Tom, his daughter, Denise Sigma, slowly conveyed what the R&D head had wanted to say but dared not¡ª


    Financial constraints?


    Hearing this, Tom gave a bitter laugh, then, sitting back in his chair, looked at his daughter and asked, ¡°Denise, do you know how much the research department has spent in these five years?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve spent enough to build a God City!¡±


    ¡°And what is the result?¡±


    Tom¡¯s words might have been exaggerated, but they were indeed close to the truth. The 6th Generation Armor¡¯s research and development costs had reached astronomical figures.


    As the latest generation of armor development, whether in manpower, material resources, or time invested, the input was immense, with funding being the most significant.


    The cost of developing a new generation of armor could not be measured in numbers. If it were to be described in words, perhaps only ¡°bottomless pit¡± would suffice, meaning the investment in developing new-generation armor was endless. It wouldn¡¯t end until the research succeeded, otherwise, the expenses would continue indefinitely.


    This was entirely different from what Rocky was doing, for although Rocky and the others had produced a new generation of armor, everything they used was ready-made.


    The Mana Runes were researched by Wensel; Orton and others only needed to learn, saving a lot of investment. Additionally, the design basis of the White Demon was drawn from the fourth-generation armor, so no new investment was needed. Even the technologies on it were mature and could be used post-improvement; even Orton and the others themselves didn¡¯t need salaries.


    Calculate it this way¡ªthe White Demon Armor¡¯s development only required material and equipment costs; everything else was ready-made, so the funding required was naturally less. However, even with this, it took over a million to make just one White Demon Armor, which was still in the testing phase.


    But the 6th Generation Armor developed by Sigma Corporation was obviously not as cost-effective because, after all, it was the sixth-generation armor!


    The so-called new generation of armor meant achieving brand new breakthroughs based on old armor, with no experience to rely on, no reference points, not even a direction. Everything had to start from zero, which was like asking Orton and others to research Mana Runes from scratch!


    The investment required was colossal, so as Denise said, for the past six months, the company¡¯s investment in the 6th Generation Armor had indeed decreased significantly, as Sigma Corporation could hardly sustain such a bottomless consumption.


    ¡°Father, I think we should continue to increase research funding. We¡¯ve invested so much and researched for so long, we can¡¯t quit halfway.¡±


    Glancing at Tom, Denise said.


    ¡°Increase?¡± But hearing this from his daughter, Tom smiled wryly, ¡°How much more should I give these worthless people to get the result I want? I need results!¡±


    After speaking, Tom casually handed the document in front of him to his daughter.


    ¡°Look at this. If this continues, Sigma Corporation will be ruined by these useless people!¡±


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 254 - 252 Holy Angel

    Chapter 254: Chapter 252 Holy Angel


    As they were speaking, Tom handed a document to his daughter, and Denise, after only a glance, furrowed her delicate brows.


    ¡°Father, the Kafka Empire¡­ how could they¡­¡±


    Having read through the document, Denise looked puzzledly at her father.


    The document in her hands was straightforward; it stated that the Kafka Empire, which had always had a long-standing cooperation with the Sigma Corporation, had decided to cancel this quarter¡¯s Armor order.


    For Sigma Corporation, this was a very rare occurrence.


    The Empire, being a top-tier force, had a tremendous demand for Armors. With the three big forces frequently in friction and both the skies and the lands being unruly, for an entity like the Kafka Empire, Armors were as expendable as consumables¡ªevery quarter, they would place large orders for Armors from Sigma Corporation to replenish their war expenses. This cooperation had started since the fourth generation of Armors and remained unchanged over the years.


    ...


    It was precisely for this reason that both Tom and Denise took this matter so seriously. The loss of an order for a quarter wasn¡¯t the issue; it was that such a move by the Kafka Empire made them feel ill at ease.


    ¡°Father, why has this happened? Is it because the Uranus Corporation has developed the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor?¡±


    As Sigma Corporation¡¯s future Sect Leader, Denise had long become Tom¡¯s right-hand-person; with a bit of thought, she pinpointed the crux of the issue!


    The sudden cancellation of the order by the Kafka Empire, which had always maintained a good partnership, was surely related to their competitors, Uranus Corporation, successfully developing the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor.


    In fact, this was indeed the case, as Tom then nodded. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s because of this.¡±


    After saying that, Tom smiled with a touch of bitterness, ¡°Although this news hasn¡¯t spread widely yet, a force like the Kafka Empire would naturally know about it the first time around. They must have already made contact with the Uranus Corporation¡­¡±


    ¡°Father, does the Kafka Empire plan to directly equip the Sixth-Generation Armors?¡±


    No sooner had Tom finished speaking than Denise, furrowing her brows, said, ¡°But that¡¯s impossible. They should know that even if the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor is successfully developed, it would take years or even longer to be combat-ready. Doesn¡¯t the Kafka Empire plan to¡­ I understand now¡­¡±


    Denise hadn¡¯t even finished her sentence when she noticed her father looking at her; then it dawned on her, and her face showed a look of annoyance.


    ¡°I get it now. To be able to secure the Sixth-Generation Armors first, the Kafka Empire must have already signed a contract with Uranus Corporation and will order Armors from them in the future¡­¡±


    Reaching this realization, Denise finally understood why her father was so furious today¡ªfor with their competitors breaking through in the new generation Armor development, they had directly lost a major client!


    Even for Sigma Corporation, losing such a major client like the Kafka Empire was a tremendous, and potentially unbearable, loss!


    ¡°How could this happen¡­¡±


    Upon understanding all of this, Denise slumped weakly into her chair.


    Being Tom¡¯s daughter, Denise was absolutely a beauty of the highest order. Despite her young age, coupled with maturity and composure beyond her years and a temperament cultivated from growing up in high society, she always seemed different from ordinary people.


    But now, Denise seemed like a deflated ball, slumped in her chair, appearing totally listless.


    ¡°Actually¡­ the situation is not as serious as you imagine.¡±


    However, when she showed signs of defeat, Tom at her side suddenly smiled and said, ¡°The issue with the Kafka Empire can actually be easily resolved. As long as we catch up with our competitors in the development of the Sixth-Generation Armor as soon as possible, given our many years of cooperation with the Kafka Empire, it should be easy to win them back.¡±


    ¡°So the real problem still lies with the Sixth-Generation Armor.¡±


    As the third-generation Sect Leader of Sigma Corporation, Tom had been in this position for thirty years. He had seen many significant issues and had developed a keen insight, pinpointing the crux of the matter with a single statement!


    At the end of the day, all problems boiled down to the development of the Sixth-Generation Armor! If they could create the Prototype Armor of the Sixth-Generation just like their competitors, then everything would return to the right track.


    But achieving this was enormously difficult. They had been working on the development of the Sixth-Generation Armor for five years without any significant progress, so how could they possibly create the Prototype Armor now?


    This was precisely the dilemma that Tom found unsolvable.


    However, soon after, Denise, who was helplessly leaning on her chair, seemed to have thought of something and suddenly said, ¡°Father, I have a solution.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Tom turned to look at her and then asked with a smile, ¡°What solution?¡±


    ¡°Confidence.¡±


    Looking at her father, Denise spoke with conviction and without hesitation, ¡°We need to restore our clients¡¯ confidence in us now. Kafka Empire¡¯s defection to Uranus Corporation is a very dangerous sign. It shows that in the development of the new generation Armor, our clients have lost confidence in us. We must regain their trust!¡±


    ¡°I understand, but how do we do that?¡±


    ¡°With the new generation Armor!¡±


    ¡°Denise, I¡¯ve just said that those good-for-nothings in the R&D department simply cannot¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Father, I¡¯m not talking about the Sixth-Generation Armor.¡±


    Denise interrupted Tom before he could finish, then she ran out and called her secretary, giving a few instructions.


    Shortly after, the secretary reappeared, bringing a small Magic Energy Projector. Denise hurriedly placed the projector in front of her father, pressed a button, and an image of an Armor appeared before Tom¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What is this¡­?¡±


    Seeing the image of the Armor in front of him, Tom furrowed his brows. After a while, he looked at Denise, ¡°What Armor is this, and why does it look like that?¡±


    The Armor that appeared before Tom indeed looked different. It was clearly a female model, employing the most popular streamlined design in women¡¯s Armors. However, what set this Armor apart was that there were eight conical or cylindrical objects floating behind it, giving the appearance of wings on the back.


    Tom had never seen such Armor before and for him this was simply inconceivable.


    Yet, Denise wasn¡¯t surprised by her father¡¯s reaction at all. She smiled and explained:


    ¡°Father, this is a new kind of Armor independently developed by my own team. I call it ¡ª the Holy Angel Armor.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 255 - 253: Interception!

    Chapter 255: Chapter 253: Interception!


    ¡°Father, this is the new Armor that my own team has developed independently. I have named it¡ªthe Holy Angel Armor.¡±


    Denise said this with undisguised pride as she glanced at the Magic Energy Image of the Armor.


    ¡°Your team developed this independently?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Tom was not too surprised by this news, knowing that as the future Sect Leader of Sigma Corporation, Denise had a strong interest in Armor development¡ªa necessary one at that. Therefore, she always had her own development team, which Tom not only knew about but also greatly supported.


    So after nodding his head, Tom asked, ¡°Is this the Sixth-Generation Armor?¡±


    ...


    Even though he knew it was unlikely, he still asked the question since everything Denise had said suggested she planned to use the Holy Angel Armor to restore customer confidence in the company. And in a situation where competitors had already developed the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor, only another sixth-generation model could achieve this.


    Unfortunately, the Holy Angel Armor was not of the sixth generation, as Denise shook her head right after.


    Such a result was expected, yet Tom couldn¡¯t help but sigh. It was at this moment, however, that Denise spoke up.


    ¡°Father, while the Holy Angel is not a Sixth-Generation Armor, it is neither Fifth-Generation.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Father, this Armor employs a Magic Stone external system. Do you see the eight wings floating behind the Armor? Those are actually eight polished Magic Stones encased in Armor.¡±


    ¡°A Magic Stone external system¡­ Wasn¡¯t that plan a failure?¡±


    A moment after Denise mentioned this, Tom looked at the Magic Energy Image of the Armor and then asked.


    Tom had heard of the Magic Stone external system before, as it was a project of Sigma Corporation. The goal was to increase the amount of Magic Stones in an Armor using an external attachment, thereby bypassing the limitations on the use of Magic Stones. This would allow the Armor to harness more Mana through the attached Magic Stones, creating a breakthrough in total Mana capacity. Unfortunately, the project had later failed.


    ¡°It was a failure at first, but later I had the team improve on the original design. Although the effect was several times lower than initially intended, the system was indeed successful and significantly enhanced the Armor¡¯s Mana,¡± Denise quickly explained in response to Tom¡¯s doubt.


    ¡°With the addition of the Magic Stone external system, the Mana peak value of the Holy Angel Armor has greatly increased. Just this system alone has enabled the Armor to reach a Mana peak value of 15,000 points. It¡¯s comparable to Special Armor that uses the Mana Matrix System and is powered by Super Crystals, and the external system doesn¡¯t reject the other two technologies. That means¡­¡±


    At this point, Denise looked at her father, ¡°That means, once the Holy Angel is fitted with the Mana Matrix System, and the Magic Stones inside are replaced by Super Crystals, then the Mana peak value of the Armor will easily exceed 20,000 points, completely breaking the standard limits of a Fifth-Generation Armor. If coupled with the most advanced technology, then this Armor will become the most sophisticated Fifth and a Half Generation Armor!¡±


    After saying this, Denise paused as if giving Tom time to think, and after a short while, she continued:


    ¡°Uranus Corporation may have developed the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor, but it¡¯s nothing more than an illusion. A true implementation would take several more years to complete, and we might not be able to compete with a Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor, but the Holy Angel Armor is already complete.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Father, with the Holy Angel Armor, we can utterly defeat the illusions of Uranus Corporation. Not only can we provide our clients with immediately deployable Armor, but we can also restore their faith in the company. With this, we¡¯ll have more time to develop the Sixth-Generation Armor!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    When Denise finished her speech, she looked at her father, and Tom did not immediately respond. His eyes were still fixed on the Magic Energy Image of the Holy Angel Armor.


    It wasn¡¯t until a good while later that Tom¡¯s gaze shifted to Denise and a smile finally appeared on his face.


    With a smile, he patted Denise¡¯s hand and then let out a long, emotional sigh, ¡°At a critical moment, I still need to rely on my little princess¡­¡±


    ¡°You tell me when you want the press conference, and I¡¯ll arrange it.¡±


    Looking at Denise, Tom immediately asked, clearly agreeing to her plan.


    However, Denise shook her head in response, ¡°Father, press conferences are too clich¨¦.¡±


    Shaking her head, Denise smiled, clearly having her own ideas.


    Sure enough, she then said, ¡°Father, I plan to participate in the Arena with the Holy Angel Armor.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because if I can rely on the Holy Angel Armor to win a quarterly championship, I believe customers will have absolute confidence in this armor!¡±


    One must admit, Denise was indeed clever, not just clever, but her thinking was more acute, even more fashionable than that of the older generation like Tom.


    The purpose of releasing the Holy Angel Armor was to counter Uranus Corporation¡¯s Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor. Even though the Holy Angel¡¯s capabilities surpassed the existing Fifth Generation Armor, reaching the standard of the Fifth and a Half Generation, it still wasn¡¯t as attractive as the Sixth-Generation Armor, which was its inherent disadvantage.


    However, this armor also had advantages that the Sixth-Generation could not compare with, such as the fact that this armor had already been developed!


    Even if the Sixth-Generation Armor was stronger, more powerful, and more formidable, after all, it remained at the theoretical stage. Yet the Holy Angel Armor was different; it could be put into production right now and could be directly issued to the troops.


    Therefore, as long as the formidable combat power of the Holy Angel Armor could be demonstrated at a suitable event, it would undoubtedly receive a great welcome. After all, before the true development success of the Sixth-Generation Armor, this Fifth and a Half Generation armor would be the strongest!


    That was why Denise planned to participate in the arena; she intended to treat the arena as the launch event for the Holy Angel Armor, using concrete combat achievements to safeguard the release of the Holy Angel Armor!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°Denise¡­ she plans to participate in the arena?¡±


    When Denise decided to use the arena as her launch event, almost the next day, this news was passed to Uranus Corporation, reaching the ears of the fourth-generation Sect Leader.


    Unlike Tom, the current Sect Leader of Uranus Corporation was a young man about Denise¡¯s age, named Kashu Uranus. If one were to consider seniority, Kashu and Denise would be of the same generation, so their ages were similar.


    In the boardroom, Kashu slightly frowned when he learned of Denise¡¯s plans to participate in the arena.


    ¡°Your Excellency, is this some sort of strategy from Sigma Corporation?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it certainly is.¡±


    Looking at the puzzled company executives, Kashu smiled and nodded his head, then closed his eyes.


    As he closed his eyes, the entire boardroom fell into utter silence because everyone knew this signaled Kashu thinking. If anyone dared to speak or even cough at this moment, it was certain they would never enter this boardroom again. So, during this time of contemplation, no one even dared breathe loudly. A few executives with naturally heavy breathing simply held their breath.


    Fortunately, Kashu didn¡¯t take long to think; within minutes, he reopened his eyes and said with a smile:


    ¡°Gentlemen, it seems Sigma Corporation is preparing to fight a turning battle.¡±


    ¡°Denise participating personally in the arena clearly aims to use the opportunity to launch a new style of armor to block us.¡±


    ¡°A new style of armor? Your Excellency, have they made a breakthrough in the development of the Sixth-Generation Armor?¡±


    Upon hearing this, someone immediately asked with disbelief.


    However, Kashu shook his head in response: ¡°No, that¡¯s not possible. If I¡¯m not mistaken, Denise must be preparing to launch a new type of Fifth Generation Armor. No, it should be an armor that surpasses the Fifth Generation¡ªit¡¯s the Fifth and a Half Generation Armor.¡±


    One has to say, Kashu was simply too clever! With just the fact of Denise¡¯s participation in the arena, he almost completely guessed the entire situation!


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    But after he finished speaking, the others in the boardroom all frowned, for everyone present was clever, at least shrewd enough to understand what kind of impact it would have on them if Denise released a Fifth and a Half Generation Armor.


    Comparison to these people, Kashu was not worried at all, his smile undiminished as he looked towards the research and development director not far away.


    ¡°Sahir, I remember before the Sixth-Generation Prototype Armor was manufactured, you created several experimental armors, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, we made five of them.¡±


    ¡°Good, take one of those, send someone to join the arena, and as long as we can defeat Denise in the arena, the issue will be resolved.¡±


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 256 - 254: Rookie Killer

    Chapter 256: Chapter 254: Rookie Killer


    The research and release of the new generation of Armors have always been a war, and the frontline battle of this war will kick off in the Arena!


    However, at this time, neither the Sigma Corporation nor the Uranus Corporation anticipated the involvement of a third party in this battle that was supposed to be solely theirs.


    Actually, not to mention them, even the third party themselves didn¡¯t know that things would turn out this way.


    After finishing the preliminary competition, Rocky didn¡¯t rest but immediately began preparations for the next match in earnest.


    Having won the preliminary competition and secured a Combat Skill Rank, his next match would be a rank match, which is where the real competition in the Arena takes place.


    To prepare for this match, everyone became busy. Orton and others were tuning the White Demon Armor based on the performance in the preliminary competition, and Rocky was also preparing for battle, as were Liliya and the others too.


    ...


    The busiest among them were Liliya and her team.


    The rank match is the true competition of the Arena. Although the format is mostly one-on-one, the danger level is no less than that of the melee preliminary competition, no, it is definitely higher than the preliminary competition because every participant who qualifies for the rank match is a winner of the preliminary competition, which means any opponent Rocky encounters in the rank match is capable of taking on nine opponents single-handedly!


    In such a situation, it was natural for Liliya and her team to prepare in advance. The most important task was to understand the opponents ahead of time so Rocky could know his enemies as well as himself.


    Fortunately, the Arena was very considerate in this aspect. The day after Rocky decided to continue in the competition, Howard, who was responsible for scheduling the matches, sent news. Not only had the match schedule been arranged, but the data of the opponents were also delivered to Rocky¡¯s hands.


    Rocky¡¯s first rank match, according to his own request, was set for three days after the end of the preliminary competition, in the traditional one-on-one format. The opponent he had to face was a Fourteen-rank player¡ªOber.


    Every winner of the preliminary competition has a minimum of Fifteen-rank. Although Rocky had performed exceptionally well in the preliminary competition, he still had to follow the rules, and normally, a contestant with Fifteen-rank, especially in their first rank match, would be matched with an opponent of the same rank. But this time, Rocky¡¯s opponent was an entire rank higher than him.


    ¡°An entire rank higher?¡±


    Upon learning that his opponent was Fourteen-rank, Rocky glanced at Liliya and then asked, ¡°According to the Arena¡¯s ranking rules, how many matches must a Fifteen-rank win to advance in rank?¡±


    ¡°Winning two consecutive matches allows direct advancement in rank, but even if you can¡¯t win consecutively, accumulating three victories guarantees advancement in rank.¡±


    Having thoroughly studied the various rules of the Arena, Liliya was able to provide the answer immediately.


    Advancing in rank at the Arena isn¡¯t as difficult as one might think, at least not at the lower ranks. For example, to advance from Fifteen-rank to Fourteen-rank, one needs to win two consecutive matches or accumulate three victories in total.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    Hearing Liliya¡¯s response, Rocky smiled, ¡°Although the opponent¡¯s rank is higher than mine, it just means they¡¯ve fought a few more matches than me. It¡¯s no big deal.¡±


    Rocky¡¯s reasoning wasn¡¯t without merit, for indeed the level of rank does measure an opponent¡¯s strength. For instance, the gap between a One-rank player and a Fifteen-rank player will be obvious, but the difference between Fifteen-rank and Fourteen-rank isn¡¯t that significant ¡ª after all, advancing from Fifteen-rank to Fourteen-rank just requires two or three victories.


    However, no sooner had Rocky finished speaking than Liliya shook her head and then sat across from him.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Seeing Liliya¡¯s serious demeanor, Rocky felt a bit puzzled ¡ª was there something wrong with what he said?


    Indeed, he was mistaken. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Rocky, your thought isn¡¯t wrong, but this time¡¯s opponent is different,¡± said Liliya, shaking her head with resignation. She then handed a file to him, ¡°Your opponent¡¯s name is Ober, and he¡¯s no insignificant figure.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky looked curiously at the information in his hand, first noticing a photograph.


    In the photo was a man in his thirties, with a buzz cut, a square face, and the corners of his mouth turned slightly upward, revealing an uncomfortable smile. This man was his opponent, Ober, who was thirty-three years old and had a fourth-generation Special Armor. He had officially begun participating in Arena matches a year ago and had participated in at least three to five matches every month since winning the preliminary competition.


    As mentioned before, due to the point-based Rank system used by the Arena, contestants can keep participating in matches regardless of winning or losing, which led to the emergence of a considerable number of players who live off Arena matches. Clearly, Ober was one of them.


    However, when Rocky saw Ober¡¯s information, he couldn¡¯t help but frown. Something seemed off about these details, right?


    According to the data, Ober started participating in Arena competitions a year ago and has been competing in at least three to five matches per month. That means he must have participated in at least thirty to fifty Rank matches!


    Having competed in so many matches, how is he only Fourteen-rank?


    Liliya had just finished explaining that advancing in Ranks in the Arena isn¡¯t as difficult as imagined, especially at the lower Ranks. As long as one can maintain a win rate of 50%, no, even just over 40%, thirty to fifty matches should be enough to elevate a contestant to around Ten-rank. So, what¡¯s the deal with Ober? How could his Rank remain so low after participating in so many competitions?


    With this thought, Rocky realized something was amiss and immediately looked further into the document. This further examination left him even more puzzled.


    The information Liliya had given him had cost five hundred gold coins from the Shadow Alliance and was therefore highly detailed. It included not just the number of matches Ober participated in but also his win rate.


    But the baffling part lay exactly there¡ªOber¡¯s win rate was astonishingly high!


    He had taken part in fifty-six matches and won forty-nine of them, losing only seven. This brought his win rate to an impressive 87%!


    This fact struck Rocky as incredibly strange. With such a high win rate, why was Ober¡¯s Rank only Fourteen-rank?


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    At this point, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but look up and turn to Liliya.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of cheating.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ober could win the majority of his matches with absolute superiority, but whenever his opponents surrendered, he would kill them,¡± Liliya explained.


    ¡°Kill the opponents after they surrendered? Aren¡¯t such actions forbidden in the Arena?¡±


    Rocky asked, his eyebrows furrowing as he turned to Liliya.


    ¡°Indeed they are forbidden. If someone does that, not only will their victory points be deducted, but their reward will also be halved, and they will be disqualified from competing for the seasonal championship,¡± she replied with a nod.


    But then she spoke helplessly,


    ¡°However, Ober clearly doesn¡¯t care about these penalties. He¡¯s deliberately using rule-breaking to suppress his Rank, allowing him to stay in the competitions for lower Ranks. In this way, he can not only continuously face lower-level opponents but his prize money isn¡¯t much affected either. After all, even if he only wins half the prize money per match, if the number of wins is high enough, it¡¯s still a significant amount.¡±


    ¡°So Ober is quite notorious in the Arena and even has a widely known nickname¡­¡±


    ¡°The Rookie Killer¡ªOber!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    Paragraph copied

 Chapter 257 - 255: I beg you, kill him!

    Chapter 257: Chapter 255: I beg you, kill him!


    ¡°Rookie Killer¡­¡±


    After hearing Liliya¡¯s explanation, Rocky furrowed his brows and glanced at the information in his hand, then looked at Ober¡¯s photo.


    A while later, he lifted his head again, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that Ober¡¯s true strength is far beyond his rank?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, based on his win rate, he should at least be a ten-rank player, so you absolutely cannot take him lightly.¡±


    Liliya nodded solemnly, her face full of concern as she spoke.


    Indeed, she was worried because no one expected Rocky¡¯s first ranked match opponent to be an ¡®Old Gunner¡¯ who had trawled through the Arena for dozens of matches. Such an arrangement made it impossible for her not to worry.


    ...


    However, that was the nature of the Arena; every match had its exciting points, and the reason Rocky encountered such a strong opponent from the start was clearly related to his performance in the preliminary selections.


    In fact, that was exactly the case. The Arena had its own assessment for each contestant, which directly determined the strength of their opponents, and in the eyes of the Arena, Rocky was considerably stronger than the average player, which is why they had arranged a formidable opponent for him from the start.


    Such an arrangement naturally made the match more exciting, but it also placed Rocky in a precarious situation.


    As for his opponent, Rocky could not afford to take him lightly. After all, Ober was not simply a rookie who had won a few matches. He was a seasoned player who exploited the rules of the game, specializing in winning rewards by killing newcomers. Rocky had to take such a person seriously.


    So, after a brief silence, he looked at Liliya.


    ¡°Go tell Aileen to bet more on the outside bets for this match.¡±


    Rocky said to Liliya with a slight smile, which made her roll her eyes, unsure whether Rocky was serious or not.


    Of course, Rocky was serious. The fact that he asked Aileen to bet more on the next match showed that he was serious about the contest. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Naturally, another reason was that Aileen¡¯s decision to bet only ten thousand Gold Coin in the preliminary selections had irritated Rocky, which was why he said that.


    Afterward, he took Liliya to the Research Institute, planning to try out the newly-tuned White Demon Armor together.


    Winning the preliminary selection had relied in no small part on the performance of the White Demon Armor, which not only satisfied Rocky but also pleased people like Orton. However, their standards were clearly higher, and they had identified some minor issues with the White Demon Armor during the match. These issues were not critical enough to affect the use of the armor but still needed to be adjusted.


    Under these circumstances, Orton and the others immediately made fine-tuning adjustments to the White Demon Armor after returning to Thunderhawk City, striving to perfect the armor.


    As the user of the armor, it was essential for Rocky to adapt to these adjustments in advance. His feedback on these adjustments was also valuable data. Therefore, after arriving at the Research Institute with Liliya, they both donned their respective armors and began sparring, using this method to validate the adjustments made to the White Demon Armor.


    Thus, three days went by swiftly, and after those three days, Rocky once again headed to the Arena.


    But on the same day that he was heading to the Arena, Denise also signed up for the Arena¡¯s matches with her Holy Angel Armor.


    At the same time, the three major forces from the Sky Alliance, Kafka Empire, and Magic Energy Research Institute sent their representatives. Moreover, numerous Chambers of Commerce along with representatives of many families converged in Eternal City, all to witness the spectacle of the Holy Angel Armor.


    Of course, to counter Denise¡¯s Holy Angel Armor, the Uranus Corporation also had contestants sign up for the Arena¡¯s matches, using none other than the sixth-generation experimental battle armor!


    The first direct confrontation between the two titans of the Armor Domain over the new generation of armors made the Arena of Eternal City suddenly come alive. Ordinary people might not understand what was happening, but the upper echelons of various forces had already turned their attention here.


    Everyone was anticipating the outcome of the confrontation between Sigma Corporation and Uranus Corporation. If Denise¡¯s Holy Angel Armor were to win, then there¡¯s no doubt that Sigma Corporation would not only restore customer confidence but also prove that its research and development strength was still top-notch, and that their sixth-generation armor was still worth the anticipation.


    Conversely, if Uranus Corporation emerged victorious in this confrontation, then without a doubt it would incredibly boost everyone¡¯s confidence in their sixth-generation armor, and even more customers might switch their allegiance to their company.


    And until this moment, no one had noticed the presence of the White Demon.


    But¡­ it won¡¯t be long now¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Just like last time, surrounded by a crowd, Rocky came to the Arena and then the group split in two directions: Orton¡¯s party went directly into the venue, while Rocky went to the changing room for competitors accompanied by Liliya and Lin Feng.


    Since he was participating in a rank match, Rocky didn¡¯t need to wait for his match in the common lounge with the others, and he had his own changing room. However, during the process of heading to the changing room, a bit of a situation arose.


    ¡°Please move along, don¡¯t make it hard for me.¡±


    ¡°I beg you, I just want to say one sentence to competitor number 1021, just one sentence.¡±


    ¡°Please leave quickly, if the liaison sees this, I¡¯ll lose my job.¡±


    As soon as Rocky arrived at the waiting area entrance, he saw a middle-aged couple standing at the doorway, pleading with the guard.


    And just as he appeared, even before he could understand what was going on, the couple begging the guard noticed him and, ignoring the obstruction, ran over immediately. Seeing the couple charging towards Rocky, the guard hurriedly followed.


    ¡°Sir! Sir!¡±


    The couple, who looked to be in their forties, appeared ordinary. The woman had the look of a housewife and was limping severely as she ran, needing the support of her husband to walk with difficulty.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡±


    As the couple approached, Lin Feng had to step forward to scold and stop them. Although it seemed that they were not assassins, as a guard, Lin Feng had to do so.


    Stunned by Lin Feng¡¯s scolding, the middle-aged couple clearly faltered, probably having never encountered such a situation before and thus were frightened. At the same time, the guard also came running over and promptly apologized to Rocky.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, so sorry, I¡¯ll send them away right now, very sorry¡­¡±


    In the Arena, Rocky¡¯s identity might only be that of a competitor, but anyone with eyes can see that his true identity was definitely not ordinary, so the guard bowed continuously upon seeing him and then unceremoniously planned to drag the middle-aged couple away.


    However, at that moment, the middle-aged couple who had been stopped in front of Rocky suddenly made a shocking move, both kneeling down in front of him!


    ¡°Sir! We beg you, please kill Ober!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 258 - 256 Lets Go Watch the Game

    Chapter 258: Chapter 256 Let¡¯s Go Watch the Game


    ¡°Rookie Killer¡± for Ober was no mere nickname; it was more like his personal creed.


    He wasn¡¯t just called a Rookie Killer, he acted like one too!


    Before becoming a ranked player in the Arena, Ober was once a mercenary who had spent a considerable amount of time with a Mercenary Group. Years of mercenary contracts not only gave him strength far beyond the ordinary but also taught him how to survive.


    So when he saved enough money and bought a set of Void Magic Armor for himself, he left the Mercenary Group and started participating in the Arena competitions.


    In theory, given Ober¡¯s strength and experience, plus a fourth-generation Special Armor, he could have easily advanced in the Arena. While reaching the very top might be unattainable, getting to around Ten-rank was definitely within his reach.


    But Ober didn¡¯t do that. No, it would be more accurate to say that he had tried. Everyone starts with a goal, and Ober was no exception. He had managed to reach Ninth Rank on his own strength, a considerable achievement.


    ...


    However, after that, everything changed.


    In the Arena, Ten-rank is a watershed; matches below this level are all considered low-end, only those above are deemed high-end competitions. When Ober pushed his rank to Ninth, he moved into the high-end matches, but that¡¯s when things started to shift.


    Failure.


    Defeat after defeat.


    An unending string of failures.


    Upon starting the high-end matches, Ober experienced a series of losses. One match almost cost him his life. These defeats battered his body and demolished his spirit to the point that, after suffering a particularly devastating loss¡­ Ober changed.


    That painful defeat had left Ober in a sickbed for two months. By the time he recovered, a different Ober was born, one who would stop at nothing to win, to survive.


    The transformed Ober quickly found a loophole in the Arena rules and made exploiting this loophole his means of livelihood, becoming the feared Rookie Killer, a name that struck terror in many first-time contestants.


    In the process, naturally, he had to kill and did so after his opponents surrendered because only then could he utilize the rules¡¯ loophole to claim his reward without accruing any points.


    Agatha, a young man, was just one of the many rookies he had killed.


    Agatha grew up orphaned and was raised by his sister and brother-in-law. As an adult, he became a guard for a noble within Eternal City. Given that nobles in Eternal City were either rich or influential, Agatha soon acquired his own Void Magic Armor and displayed considerable talent as a Void Magic Warrior. To hone his skills and win some prize money for his family, he decided to join the Arena.


    Everything went smoothly at first. He won the preliminary round, and his first Rank match opponent wasn¡¯t very strong, but during his second registration for a match, he encountered Ober.


    The outcome of their match goes without saying. Even with his significant potential, Agatha was still a rookie and stood no chance against Ober; he quickly chose to surrender, and then¡­ he was killed.


    Upon learning of her brother¡¯s death, Agatha¡¯s sister and brother-in-law obviously couldn¡¯t let it go, especially since Agatha had already surrendered before he was killed¡ªOber¡¯s actions were clearly against the rules.


    But what could a couple from an ordinary family do?


    They approached the Arena, and the Arena¡¯s response was simple: they had already punished Ober according to the rules.


    They then sought out the noble for whom Agatha had worked, hoping he would stand up for them. But even the noble didn¡¯t want to provoke someone like Ober, who could fight in high-end Arena matches. To start a conflict with such a ruthless character over a mere guard? No noble would make such a foolish move.


    With no other options, Agatha¡¯s sister even sought out Ober directly behind her husband¡¯s back, and now she¡¯s ended up like this, barely able to walk, supported only by her husband.


    But to avenge her brother and seek justice for him, his sister never gave up. Thus, whenever Ober had a match, she would have her husband support her as she waited outside the changing room of Ober¡¯s opponent. Even the guards assigned to watch over the place had come to recognize them.


    However, Ober was once a competitor who had reached high-level matches. Perhaps he had suffered a crushing defeat in a high-level match, but who could rival him in a low-level match? There might be some, but the chance of encountering them was slim. After all, the Arena needed a figure like Ober to enhance the excitement of the matches.


    So, although Agatha¡¯s sister appeared time after time at the changing room door, pleading with each of Ober¡¯s opponents in hopes that one day someone would avenge her brother, Ober continued to live well.


    Until Rocky appeared.


    As usual, upon learning that Ober was going to compete again, Agatha¡¯s sister and brother-in-law arrived at the Arena before dawn, even earlier than the guards, just to see Rocky.


    And indeed, they did meet Rocky, but unfortunately, just after they saw him, and before they could even speak a second sentence, Howard, the Arena official who arranged the matches for Rocky, appeared.


    As soon as Howard arrived, he unceremoniously ordered the guards to drive the couple away, not giving them a chance to speak with Rocky.


    However, some coincidences are just too perfect; though Agatha¡¯s sister and brother-in-law were chased away, Rocky, out of curiosity, learned about their family¡¯s ordeal from the guard.


    As mentioned before, to seek justice for her brother, the sister and brother-in-law had shown up countless times in front of Ober¡¯s opponents¡¯ doors, hoping someone would help them, and their story was so well-known that even the guards were aware of it. Perhaps out of pity, or simply because they were talkative, the guard told Rocky everything they knew in great detail when he inquired about it.


    This might have been a mere coincidence, but perhaps it was fate¡¯s design, for even Agatha¡¯s sister and brother-in-law didn¡¯t know that, after they were driven away, Rocky heard about their plight in even more detail.


    ¡°You may leave.¡±


    After hearing everything from the guard, Rocky nodded and gestured for the guard to go.


    ¡°Rocky, it¡¯s time,¡±


    Just as the guard left, Liliya made a reminder from the side that it was time for the match.


    Upon hearing this, Rocky nodded, then began to change into his Armor. Once he had donned the Armor, he left the changing room alone, ready to make his appearance.


    But as he left the changing room, Lin Feng also left. He quickly made his way outside of the Arena and, without much effort, found the couple who had been driven away.


    When Lin Feng found the couple, they were standing in a corner, seemingly in prayer.


    ¡°You¡­ you are¡­ ¡±


    Seeing Lin Feng walking over, Agatha¡¯s sister was taken aback. She certainly remembered Lin Feng, for she had just seen him, but for that very reason, she was also somewhat at a loss when she saw him again.


    But at that moment, Lin Feng handed two Arena tickets to the couple.


    ¡°These are for you, from the master. Go watch the match.¡±


    Having said this, Lin Feng turned and left; he had completed the task Rocky had given him.


    Upon receiving the tickets, the couple stood there, stunned for a moment, then supported each other as they hurried toward the Arena¡­


    PS: Taking a short break today, only one release.


    COMMENT


    0 comment S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 259 - 257: Rank Match!

    Chapter 259: Chapter 257: Rank Match!


    At ten o¡¯clock in the morning, the Rank matches at the Arena commenced punctually!


    In the venue, the eight sub-arenas and one main arena were all hosting matches simultaneously, with each competition ground filled to capacity with spectators.


    The sub-arena where Rocky was competing was located at the southeast side of the venue at the number three platform, and as the match time drew near, the venue gradually filled with people. The audience count exceeded that of the preliminary selection by more than double, easily numbering four to five thousand.


    Four to five thousand spectators represented the entire audience for the Rank matches because, be it in terms of quality, highlights, excitement, or even the level of bloodiness, the Rank matches were a notch above the preliminary selection, and so naturally, the audience for the Rank matches far outnumbered those from the preliminaries.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! The first round of today¡¯s Rank matches is about to begin! Let¡¯s cheer!¡±


    Before the contestants made their entrance, the announcer at the side of the field had already begun to warm up the crowd, who, in turn, responded with cheers and even started doing the wave for their own amusement.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Agatha¡¯s sister and brother-in-law had also arrived inside the venue and, following their seat numbers, found places at the very front row of the competition ground, right next to Monte and the others.


    Sitting in the front row, the couple noticeably felt out of place, as the tickets for these seats would cost no less than a hundred Gold Coins each; they had never watched a match from such close proximity, especially not next to towering Beastmen.


    Therefore, while the entire audience was amusing themselves with the wave, the couple sat quietly, creating a stark contrast with the people around them, and stood out awkwardly.


    Shortly afterward, the time for the match to start arrived, and the announcer cleared his throat:


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen!¡±


    ¡°Now, please welcome the two contestants of this Rank match!¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Amid the announcer¡¯s loud and excited voice, the large screen shifted to the contestants¡¯ entrance, and then the doors to the entrance slowly opened.


    ¡°First to enter, the contestant who just won in the preliminary selection, number 1021, please welcome player number 1021!¡±


    Accompanied by the announcer¡¯s introduction, Rocky, clad in the White Demon Armor, stepped out from the entrance.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this is the contestant who has presented the most spectacular preliminary selection match in recent years, overcoming all opponents and achieving a resounding victory, contestant number 1021!¡±


    ¡°The Armor worn by contestant number 1021 is the White Demon Armor, modified from the Fourth Generation Hammer Fire Special Armor. This Armor had an outstanding performance in the preliminary selection, assisting contestant number 1021 in defeating one opponent after another, and ultimately winning. So today, on this arena stage, can he transform into a Demon that strikes fear into his opponents¡¯ hearts?¡±


    ¡°Are you all looking forward to it?¡±


    Howard had previously appeared in the changing room for the purpose of having Rocky provide some Armor information briefly, so it would be convenient to introduce him during his entrance. Otherwise, just introducing a name would be too monotonous and fail to excite the audience.


    For this, Rocky was well-prepared, and he relayed the prepared commentary directly to Howard, which led to the announcer¡¯s introduction.


    However, the regrettable part was that after the announcer¡¯s passionate introduction of Rocky, the entire arena fell silent, with no applause or cheers coming forth¡­


    Despite the presence of three to four thousand spectators in the arena, not one of them recognized Rocky, nor had any of them come specifically to watch him compete. Thus, when the announcer¡¯s introduction ended, the atmosphere in the arena turned awkward.


    The announcer seemed to have anticipated this and, after only a few seconds, his voice rang out again:


    ¡°And now, please welcome the other contestant of this match: Ober!¡±


    With the announcer¡¯s deliberately drawn-out introduction, the large screen¡¯s display switched from Rocky to a grand doorway. As the doors leisurely opened, a warrior clad in Armor, the Void Magic Warrior, appeared on the screen¡ªit was Rocky¡¯s opponent in this match, Ober!


    When Ober¡¯s image appeared on the big screen, the couple seated next to Monte clenched their fists tightly. They stared furiously at the screen, faces contorted with a fierce and pained expression.


    In stark contrast, the entire place erupted with cheers!


    As soon as Ober made his appearance, all three to four thousand spectators began to shout in unison, with quite a few standing up. Some raised their arms high, while others even waved vigorously at Ober, welcoming him like a hero.


    Clearly, Ober completely eclipsed Rocky in terms of popularity. Rocky¡¯s entrance had gone unnoticed, but Ober¡¯s was met with an explosive roar of approval.


    Some might wonder why Ober, a killer who relied on exploiting loopholes in the rules through murder, would receive such cheers?


    Such thoughts would never cross the minds of Arena spectators because, to them, Ober¡¯s matches were always exciting and bloody. Every match he fought resulted in death, every time he left his opponents facing certain doom, and that was enough. It was, after all, the very reason people came to the Arena.


    As long as he could fulfill this expectation, Ober was a star in the eyes of the audience and beloved!


    Amidst the thunderous applause, the announcer¡¯s voice came through once more:


    ¡°This contestant hardly needs an introduction, does he? He is none other than the Rookie Killer¡ªOber! Where is your applause, where are your cheers, where is your enthusiasm!!¡±


    The already thunderous cheers grew even more fervent under the announcer¡¯s lead.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, although you are already very familiar with contestant Ober, I must still introduce him as a mark of my respect.¡±


    ¡°Since obtaining his Rank, Ober has participated in fifty-six matches with a win rate exceeding eighty percent. In his most recent thirty matches, he has achieved an impressive thirty consecutive victories. Of course, for some well-known reasons, these records are not officially listed.¡±


    At this point, laughter spread through the crowd, and only after it subsided did the announcer continue:


    ¡°The key to Ober¡¯s impressive record, aside from his wealth of experience, is inseparable from the Armor he wears.¡±


    ¡°Contestant Ober wears the Berserker Type Special Armor. As the only fourth-generation Special Armor that can compete with the Hammer Fire, the Berserker Armor¡¯s performance in all aspects is unparalleled, reaching the pinnacle of fourth-generation Special Armors. But let¡¯s not forget that Ober isn¡¯t just a superb warrior; he¡¯s also an outstanding modding master. With his modifications, the Berserker Armor¡¯s combat power has taken a qualitative leap!¡±


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this match is really one to watch, truly one to watch! Both contestants are equipped with fourth-generation Special Armors, both have been modified; this is truly a clash of titans!¡±


    ¡°So¡­ let¡¯s cut the chit-chat and immediately invite both contestants to the stage to begin the match!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 260 - 258: Mana Suppression!

    Chapter 260: Chapter 258: Mana Suppression!


    When the announcer finished the introduction, the competition began!


    Ober, clad in Berserker Armor, was the first to jump onto the platform, closely followed by Rocky who also leapt up to stand on it.


    ¡°Kid,¡±


    ¡°¡­you are pretty good.¡±


    Both of them had boarded the platform, officially starting the match, but Ober did not immediately make a move. Instead, he slowly stepped along the edge of the platform, strolling leisurely as he spoke, ¡°I heard about your previous preliminary matches, they were beautiful so¡­¡±


    Moving slowly along the edge, Ober continued, ¡°So I¡¯m giving you an opportunity, surrender now, and I might spare your life.¡±


    ...


    Like Ober, at this moment, Rocky was also not rushing into action. As Ober slowly approached him along the edge, he also paced along the platform¡¯s edge, keeping the same direction and almost the same stepping frequency as Ober. Thus, although both were shifting their positions, the distance between them remained unchanged.


    When Ober¡¯s words concluded, Rocky chuckled, ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Of course¡­!¡±


    The moment he uttered these two words, Ober suddenly burst forward, his Armor pushing at full force as he charged at Rocky!


    Clearly, his previous words were merely a probe, testing Rocky¡¯s psychological state; once the probing was over, he immediately took action.


    In an instant, Ober had closed the distance to Rocky, followed by a furious flurry from his Mana Sword!


    The quality of a Rank match was evident from this one attack alone!


    Ober¡¯s charge at Rocky was so swift, it reached the limits of what the naked eye could capture. To all the spectators, he seemed to transform into a shadow, without needing any preparation or superfluous movements, he instantly appeared in front of Rocky.


    Such a fierce attack was absolutely unseen in the preliminary matches but was the norm in these rank matches.


    But Rocky was also well-prepared; he knew that Rank matches were not on the same level as preliminary matches, so ever since stepping onto the platform, he had been extremely vigilant. Thus, facing Ober who had swiftly charged up to him, especially as the Mana Sword swooped down, he simply raised his right arm and deployed the Magic Energy Shield on his forearm.


    With a clang, the forcefully descending Mana Sword heavily struck the Magic Energy Shield, the impact causing Rocky¡¯s right arm to involuntarily sink downward.


    ¡°It¡¯s started, ladies and gentlemen! The battle has begun!¡±


    After a brief ¡®exchange of pleasantries¡¯, the two contestants on the platform commenced their fight, and the announcer also started shouting from the sidelines, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, look at the magic energy values on the screen!¡±


    Following the announcer¡¯s voice, the audience immediately focused their attention on the big screen.


    At this moment, not only did the main venue¡¯s screen show the ongoing battle between the two, but also displayed two numbers on the left and right sides.


    These two numbers, measured by the magic energy meter within the arena, showed the magic energy values of the White Demon Armor and Berserker Armor in the most direct way to everyone.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, contestant number 1021, wearing the White Demon Armor, has a magic energy value reaching up to 5000, which has already exceeded most of the fourth-generation Special Armor. It¡¯s quite exceptional! As for Ober¡¯s Berserker Armor¡­ my goodness! The magic energy value of the Berserker Armor has reached a whopping 6200 points!¡±


    ¡°Good heavens! This value is absolutely astounding. Just how much has Ober enhanced his Armor for it to achieve such a high magic energy level?¡±


    When the announcer revealed the magic energy value of Ober¡¯s armor, the audience collectively gasped, unable to restrain a wave of amazed murmurs.


    It was no wonder the audience reacted like this because a magic energy value of 6200 points was indeed high enough to be shocking.


    According to the average standards of the fourth-generation Special Armor, most Special Armor hover around 4500 points. They usually don¡¯t go much lower, nor do they exceed by much.


    Therefore, in many people¡¯s eyes, the White Demon Armor¡¯s 5000 points were already considered very high. However, Ober¡¯s Berserker Armor not only surpassed White Demon but reached an astonishing 6200 points!


    What concept is this?


    A standard Berserker Armor without any modifications has a magic energy value of 4700, which is relatively high among the many fourth-generation Special Armors. However, the Berserker Armor worn by Ober has a magic energy value of 6200, indicating that he enhanced his own armor by 1500 magic energy points!


    To increase an armor¡¯s magic energy by thirty percent clearly shows that Ober really put effort into his armor.


    This was something even Orton and others had to admit.


    When Rocky and Ober dueled, Orton and the others furrowed their brows.


    ¡°This armor has been heavily modified,¡±


    Staring at Ober¡¯s Berserker Armor, Hammerfire, an authority in the field, said, ¡°This guy must have installed a large number of Magic Stones into the armor; otherwise, the Berserker model could not have reached such a high magic energy value.¡±


    ¡°The material of the armor must have also been improved, or else it would have issues bearing the load,¡±


    Aniye then spoke up.


    ¡°And the conduction system. If the conduction system has been improved, then the weapon system of this armor must have been upgraded as well,¡±


    Pelaya said at the same time.


    ¡°Indeed it¡¯s been upgraded. Notice the arms and shoulders of this armor. They are different from the regular Berserker Armor, clearly equipped with additional weapons,¡±


    Nodding, Hammerfire pointed out the special features of Ober¡¯s armor, then looked towards Orton.


    ¡°Tell Rocky to be careful, activate all runes if necessary. After all, we¡¯ve already thought of contingency plans, so it doesn¡¯t matter if they are discovered.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush him, let him decide. My disciple isn¡¯t a fool; he knows what to do,¡±


    Ober dismissed Hammerfire¡¯s words with a wave of his hand and then focused intently on the arena. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Up on the stage, the duel between Rocky and Ober continued.


    Since the beginning of their duel, the two had been entangled in a fierce combat, seemingly testing each other.


    Yet, in this testing phase, it was clear that Ober had the upper hand.


    It wasn¡¯t surprising, for like in the preliminary rounds, Rocky had only activated half of the runes, maintaining the magic energy value of the White Demon Armor at 5000, hence lagging behind his opponent in terms of magic energy.


    White Demon Armor now had a magic energy of 5000, while Berserker Armor had 6200¡ªa twenty percent disparity! This twenty percent disparity highlighted that the Berserker Armor¡¯s enhancement for Ober was twenty percent higher than that of the White Demon Armor for Rocky!


    This disparity in enhancement was evident from the first moment of the duel, their blows reciprocating, but Ober¡¯s attacks were clearly heavier, his speed slightly faster, and even his reactions seemed sharper, all indicating a more significant enhancement for Ober¡¯s armor.


    In such a scenario, Rocky naturally fell into a passive stance, which might not be evident to the audience, but both combatants on the stage felt it.


    As a sword struck down, although blocked by Rocky¡¯s Mana Sword, Ober continued wrestling while stepping forward half a step, closing the distance to Rocky.


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    Even with his helmet on, Rocky could imagine a cold sneer on Ober¡¯s face as he spoke, followed by a sudden retreat, deliberately widening the distance between him and Rocky.


    Clearly, in Ober¡¯s view, the testing phase was over!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 261 - 259: Relentless Bombardment

    Chapter 261: Chapter 259: Relentless Bombardment


    After a probing attempt, Ober decided it was unnecessary to continue, so although he was dominating in the engagement, he surprisingly retreated, creating a distance between himself and Rocky.


    ¡°Ober is voluntarily creating distance with his opponent. What is he planning to do? Is he giving his opponent a chance to surrender?¡±


    As soon as Ober had retreated, the announcer shouted loudly, and his words also elicited laughter from the audience. The most notable thing about Ober was that he often killed his surrendering opponents. The announcer¡¯s comment obviously meant he was preparing to kill!


    And it was indeed so!


    Just after creating distance, Ober made another puzzling move¡ªhe charged towards Rocky again!


    This time, however, his sprint was much faster, clearly having maxed out the thrust of his armor, so in just a blink of an eye, he was right in front of Rocky, and then suddenly changed direction and leaped into the air.


    ...


    Behind him!


    When Ober rushed forward, Rocky had already prepared to block, but the opponent did not launch a frontal attack, instead, he suddenly leaped into the air, which made Rocky immediately realize that Ober¡¯s target was behind him.


    This tactic, Rocky had used during the preliminary selection, employing the sudden directional change of the armor to alter the intent of the attack, disrupting the enemy¡¯s defense. Therefore, he immediately turned around.


    But when Rocky turned around as fast as possible, he heard a gasp from the audience, and then saw that there was no one behind him!


    Not behind anymore?


    Realizing that there was no one behind him, Rocky was momentarily stunned, then quickly raised his head.


    As he looked up sharply, he saw Ober hovering above his head!


    And just as Rocky noticed Ober, Ober suddenly plummeted, fiercely stomping down on him!


    Then, there was a loud crash. Ober, falling like a ton weight, fiercely stomped on Rocky and pinned him under his feet!


    This scene immediately elicited cheers from the audience.


    ¡°Stomp him to death!¡±


    ¡°Beautiful! Well-hit!¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hit too hard! He hasn¡¯t surrendered yet! Haha!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Give him a chance to surrender!¡±


    Ober¡¯s successful move immediately excited the audience, and countless people were shouting loudly.


    Among these shouts, Ober, standing on Rocky, leaped up and flew straight into mid-air, then raised both hands towards the arena.


    ¡°Here it comes, ladies and gentlemen! Ober is about to use his eight-burst bombardment!¡±


    As previously mentioned, Ober had participated in more than fifty rank matches, and having fought so many times not only gave him considerable renown, but his commonly used tactics had also become well-known. For instance, now, as he raised both hands towards the arena, the announcer shouted out loudly.


    Sure enough, right after that, Ober¡¯s arm armor sprung open, revealing four mana launchers on each arm, totaling eight mana launchers!


    At the beginning of the match, Hammerfire had mentioned that the arm and shoulder armor of Ober¡¯s suit was noticeably unusual. Now it seems Hammerfire was right, as the arms of this armor were indeed modified.


    Ober had installed six additional Mana Launchers on the arms of his Armor, bringing the original two up to eight!


    And once he revealed the Mana Launchers on his arms, a series of Magic Bullets were fired!


    With eight Mana Launchers firing simultaneously, he could launch eight Magic Energy Bullets at once, meaning Ober¡¯s firepower alone almost matched that of a Magic Energy Squad.


    Under such formidable firepower, the arena was immediately blasted open, and Rocky, who couldn¡¯t even scramble to his feet, was quickly overwhelmed by the relentless bombardment.


    The thunderous explosions drowned out all other sounds¡ª the cheers of the spectators, the shouts of the announcer, and everything else. At that moment, the stadium was filled with just one overpowering noise.


    It took nearly five minutes before Ober finally ceased firing the Magic Energy Bullets. When he stopped, the eight Mana Launchers on his arms had turned red, a testament to the sheer number of Magic Energy Bullets he had fired.


    In the midst of such fierce bombardment, Rocky¡­ It should be noted that before being engulfed by the bombardment, he hadn¡¯t activated his Defensive Net!


    To almost everyone, facing such intense bombardment without a Defensive Net for protection meant Rocky¡¯s fate was sealed. If not outright killed, he would have no capacity to retaliate¡­


    ¡°No, he couldn¡¯t have been blown to death, could he?¡±


    Because the bombardment was so intense, the arena was still filled with smoke afterward, and the spectators couldn¡¯t clearly see Rocky¡¯s condition. Was he dead? Crippled? What had happened to him?


    So, as they waited for the smoke to clear, many in the audience were beating their chests, not out of concern for Rocky, but fearing that he might have been instantly killed, thus losing the chance to surrender. And if Rocky didn¡¯t get a chance to surrender, they would miss Ober¡¯s signature move of making his opponents surrender before killing them!


    ¡°Impossible, Ober knows what he¡¯s doing; surely he¡¯s not dead.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, definitely not dead, but must have been badly mangled, haha, there¡¯s a good show to watch now!¡±


    ¡°Right, there¡¯s definitely a good show.¡±


    As the smoke gradually cleared, a buzz of discussion broke out among the spectators, but these discussions soon ceased. As the seconds ticked by, the lingering smoke finally dispersed completely.


    When everything had cleared, everyone could finally see the arena clearly.


    At that moment, the arena was a mess, particularly where Rocky had been standing. The spot was almost blown into a crater, with debris and rubble everywhere, looking almost like a ruin.


    However, just as the spectators gasped and buzzed with excitement at this sight, they suddenly noticed a person standing in the ¡®ruins¡¯¡­


    Rocky!


    As the smoke dispersed, Rocky quickly appeared in everyone¡¯s view. He stood on the arena, his Armor still as white as snow, footing firm on the devastated battleground, looking upwards!


    ¡°Is this real? Ladies and gentlemen, did you see that?¡±


    ¡°Contestant number 1021 is actually, actually unscathed?!¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s figure on the arena, the announcer shouted as if he had seen a ghost, because this scene was nothing like what he had expected.


    In the announcer¡¯s expectation, or rather in almost everyone¡¯s expectation, Rocky should have been lying weakly on the arena by now. After all, he had just endured such intense bombardment and seemingly hadn¡¯t deployed any defensive measures. How could he possibly still be standing?


    In fact, not only the announcer and the spectators seemed surprised to see Rocky standing, but Ober, hovering midair, also furrowed his brow. How could this be possible?


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 262 - 260: Inconceivable

    Chapter 262: Chapter 260: Inconceivable


    ¡°`


    How is this possible?


    Seeing that Rocky was completely unharmed, Ober, with his face hidden behind the helmet, showed a look of confusion.


    As everyone had seen, he had made numerous modifications to his Berserker Armor, one of the key upgrades being the eight Mana Launchers on each arm, whose power Ober had also maximized.


    The Magic Energy Bullets fired from his modified Mana Launchers were extremely powerful, with each capable of causing significant damage to any fourth-generation Armor without its Defensive Net activated¡ªeven a single hit would suffice.


    Under these circumstances, how could Rocky have emerged without a scratch?


    ...


    This outcome was a complete surprise to Ober, and he couldn¡¯t understand why it was happening.


    Actually, his inability to grasp the result was normal, because he had no knowledge of the true level of the White Demon Armor that Rocky was wearing.


    In Ober¡¯s view, the White Demon Armor, like his own Berserker Armor, was modified from a fourth-generation Special Armor, but was that really the case?


    Clearly not.


    Although the design foundation of the White Demon Armor originated from the fourth-generation Armor, it didn¡¯t mean it was a fourth-generation Armor. In reality, as a new type of Armor centered around Runes, the White Demon could not be measured by traditional generational standards.


    While most of the technology on the White Demon Armor was from the fourth generation, its magic energy value far exceeded the highest standard of the fourth-generation Armor, reaching the level of the fifth-generation Special Armor. Moreover, the materials used to make the Armor were top-notch. In these two aspects, the White Demon Armor met the standards of a fifth-generation Special Armor.


    Therefore, if one must classify the White Demon Armor, it should be called the first generation¡ªthe first generation of Rune Armor!


    And as the first generation of Rune Armor, forged from the finest materials, the White Demon Armor possessed an extremely strong defense. Even without activating a Defensive Net, it could withstand massive damage. Unless faced with a direct attack of over a thousand points in magic energy power, it was virtually impossible to compromise the Armor¡¯s inherent defense.


    It was precisely because of this that Ober¡¯s previous bombardment, which seemed fierce, actually caused only limited damage to the White Demon Armor; in fact, the only thing destroyed by his barrage was the platform. As for Rocky and the White Demon Armor itself, the damage was not significant.


    Of course, neither Ober nor the audience knew any of this, still believing the White Demon Armor to be merely a fourth-generation Special Armor, and were in quite a shock.


    It was in the midst of the audience¡¯s shocked exclamations that Rocky leaped up and flew to mid-air.


    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡±


    As Rocky rose to the same height as Ober in mid-air, he looked at him through the full-coverage helmet and laughed, ¡°Or are you¡­ giving me a chance to surrender, and then you¡¯ll kill me?¡±


    ¡°My God! My God! Ladies and gentlemen! Did you hear what contestant number 1021 just said?!¡±


    ¡°He¡­ he is clearly provoking his opponent! After just undergoing a brutal barrage, he actually dares to taunt his opponent?!¡±


    When the announcer heard what Rocky said, he immediately began to shout incredulously.


    Ober too, upon hearing these words, visibly froze and then, without a word, charged at Rocky, clearly infuriated!


    ¡°Boy! You are too arrogant!¡±


    With a roar, Ober quickly closed the distance to Rocky and raised his Mana Sword to strike down.


    But just as the Mana Sword seemed poised to hit, Ober suddenly changed tactics, sidestepping to Rocky¡¯s flank¡ªthe Mana Sword finally came slashing down!


    It was clear that, although provoked by Rocky¡¯s taunts, Ober had not lost his rationality and still knew to utilize skilled maneuvers like feints to launch an attack.


    However, as he brought down his Mana Sword, he hit nothing¡­


    As he changed direction during the charge, Rocky also turned around, evading a step ahead of Ober¡¯s move¡­


    ¡°How, how is this¡­¡±


    Ober, having swung at empty air, was filled with disbelief, as in his mind, such a dodge by Rocky was simply impossible.


    ¡°`


    Had he seen through my attack?


    Rocky¡¯s action shocked Ober immensely, but Rocky himself seemed nonchalant, having already retreated a few meters. Staring at Ober with a Mana Sword in his left hand and a Magic Energy Shield in his right, he showed no intention of attacking; instead, he spoke up,


    ¡°Ober, I¡¯ve always had a question for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you actually enjoy killing people?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough!¡±


    Ober didn¡¯t bother answering the question and simply raised an arm. Four Mana Launchers targeted and fired a volley of Magic Energy Bullets at Rocky. At the same time, Ober charged forward again.


    But faced with the barrage of Magic Bullets, Rocky seemed to sprout wings as he retreated rapidly through the air, nimbly dodging and easily evading every single one of the Magic Bullets.


    However, while dodging the Magic Bullets, Ober took the opportunity to close the distance, transforming into a human sword as he slashed towards Rocky!


    Yet, facing the strike, Rocky merely sidestepped lightly, casually brushing past and avoiding the attack!


    Afterwards, he turned to glance at Ober, who had halted his charge and was hastily turning around.


    ¡°Have you ever thought¡­ one day, those people you¡¯ve killed might come to take revenge on you?¡±


    Staring coldly at Ober, Rocky spoke in an unruffled tone, ¡°Have you ever thought that one day, someone will end your farce in the arena¡­¡± S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Ober seemed truly angered now, whether it was by Rocky¡¯s words or by his own successive failed attacks. With a roar, the Armor on his shoulders opened up to reveal the small Magic Energy Cannons within!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Ober, without a second thought, unleashed a series of blasts from the small Magic Energy Cannons at Rocky, and explosions immediately engulfed him!


    ¡°Die!¡±


    While continuously bombarding with the small Magic Energy Cannons, Ober bellowed in rage, not believing that he still could not kill his opponent this time!


    The roar of the cannons and the smoke from the explosions once again dominated the arena, but very soon the blasts and the smoke ceased and cleared. Then, when Ober looked back at where Rocky had been, he saw him still standing midair¡­!


    ¡°How is this possible!¡±


    Seeing Rocky unharmed before him, Ober let out a cry of disbelief that wasn¡¯t characteristic of him.


    But as he cried out in astonishment, Orton and others in the stands nodded at the same time.


    ¡°Orton, this kid¡¯s not bad.¡±


    Glancing at Orton, Pelaya said with approval, ¡°It seems he¡¯s already found the problem.¡±


    ¡°Of course, he¡¯s my apprentice!¡±


    Hearing this, Orton raised his chin proudly, without a hint of modesty.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 263 - 261 No One Can Surrender!

    Chapter 263: Chapter 261 No One Can Surrender!


    After a round of bombardment with the small Magic Cannon, Rocky was still unharmed, a result that surprised Ober before he could even react, as the announcer had already exclaimed aloud!


    ¡°Incredible! Absolutely incredible! Can anyone tell me what happened!?¡±


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, did you see that? What exactly did contestant number 1021 do to emerge unscathed from the bombardment once again? To avoid the opponent¡¯s lethal strikes twice in a row! Is this even real!?¡±


    Clearly, the announcer was also shocked by the outcome, though he was obviously a bit over the top. Ober¡¯s two rounds of bombardment were strong, but they weren¡¯t at the level of a deathblow, yet as the announcer mentioned, Rocky remained unharmed in both rounds of bombings, which indeed seemed unbelievable to most people.


    ¡°How is this¡­ possible¡­?¡±


    Watching Rocky still standing midair after the smoke cleared, Ober was truly stunned. Like everyone else, he couldn¡¯t understand why Rocky could withstand such fierce attacks.


    ...


    Did he deploy a Defensive Net?


    Or was it that the Armor he wore had such incredible defensive power that he didn¡¯t need to deploy a Defensive Net to withstand the hits of the small Magic Cannon?


    Unable to figure it out, Ober really couldn¡¯t understand what was going on.


    Meanwhile, as he was puzzled, Rocky slowly flew towards him, speaking as he flew:


    ¡°Even though I¡¯m behind a Helmet, I can feel¡­ you seem quite baffled?¡±


    ¡°Why do you talk so much nonsense!¡±


    Ober was momentarily stunned by such obvious mockery and then roared in anger as he charged fiercely towards Rocky, launching a vicious attack.


    Rushing to Rocky¡¯s front at the highest speed, Ober didn¡¯t play any tricks and slashed downwards with his sword!


    With a slight sidestep, Rocky dodged the sword, then took a small step back in midair, avoiding Ober¡¯s sweep, and quickly shifted to the left, dodging the opponent¡¯s charge.


    Ober¡¯s series of attacks were ferocious, but Rocky dodged each one, leaving the spectators below dumbstruck. Thousands of spectators silently stared at the sky, their eyes even becoming a little vacant, never imagining such a scene.


    In everyone¡¯s eyes, Rocky dodged every attack with precise timing, and he did so with an ease that brought a touch of elegance, making it look as if he was dancing in the air.


    To the audience, it seemed unimaginable, especially since just a short while ago, Rocky and Ober had been testing each other in the arena for quite a while, with Ober clearly having the upper hand then. But how was it that now in the air, in real combat, he couldn¡¯t even touch Rocky?


    Such a huge contrast silenced those who had been cheering for Ober, and the entire battlefield fell quiet.


    ¡°Why!¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I hit you!¡±


    Another attack missing its mark made Ober roar in frustration, and he then raised his arm, aiming the four Mana Launchers at Rocky and firing a series of Magic Bullets.


    However, this time, facing another bombardment, Rocky did not even dodge; he simply moved back by about fifteen meters and watched as the Magic Bullets flew past him, exploding into blooms behind him. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°How, how can this be¡­¡±


    Ober was completely dumbfounded on the spot, as he could clearly see that Rocky hadn¡¯t dodged his attack at all; he had merely increased the distance, just enough to make all the Magic Bullets miss?


    How did he do that?


    Was it some kind of invisible stance?


    Or some new technology?


    ¡°You¡­ how did you do this¡­¡±


    Ober couldn¡¯t hold back his massive doubts and finally asked.


    Yet faced with his question, Rocky just laughed lightly, slowly opening his mouth to say, ¡°You¡¯ve fought too many low-level contestants, so much so that you¡¯ve forgotten how to battle against the strong!¡±


    As he finished speaking, he suddenly sprinted, instantly appearing in front of Ober!


    The Mana Sword struck directly down!


    In the blink of an eye, Rocky decisively slashed his sword as Ober hurriedly raised his to defend. The two Mana Swords collided heavily in an instant!


    ¡°Wondering why you can¡¯t hit me?¡±


    While grappling with Ober using the Mana Sword, Rocky said, ¡°Don¡¯t you understand the impact of stability on Armor?¡±


    After finishing the sentence, he suddenly let up on his force and in an instant accelerated his Armor, quickly maneuvering to Ober¡¯s side, and delivered a clean, direct kick to his rib, sending him flying!


    ¡°The Berserker Armor was designed with only two Mana Launchers on the arms for a reason, and that reason is to ensure the stable targeting of Magic Bullets!¡±


    After kicking Ober away, Rocky continued speaking while raising his arm. Following that, a triple Mana Launcher popped up on his arm.


    With three bangs, three Magic Bullets were fired consecutively, and in everyone¡¯s view, the bullets formed a straight line in the air, which then accurately hit Ober, with such precision that the impact points were identical, blasting him several meters away.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 264 - 261 No One Can Surrender!_2

    Chapter 264: Chapter 261 No One Can Surrender!_2


    Rocky, unharmed by Ober¡¯s repeated bombings, left everyone astonished. However, Orton and his company were not surprised because they knew Rocky had discovered the deadly flaw in the Berserker Armor.


    Yes, though Ober had heavily modified his Berserker Armor to be very strong, it had a fatal flaw!


    That flaw was discovered by Rocky!


    First, it was the over-enhancement of the weapon systems. As Rocky had just mentioned, every Armor is designed with careful and strict considerations. Every original design has its rationale, and the Berserker Armor was no exception.


    Ober had equipped the Armor¡¯s arms with multiple Mana Launchers. While this modification did indeed provide formidable firepower, it also sacrificed the accuracy of the Magic Bullets because the Mana Launchers were fired from the arms. When multiple launchers fired at once, it became impossible for the user¡¯s arms to remain stable, resulting in significant deviation after the Magic Bullets were fired.


    Just look at the bombarded arena to understand this; under Ober¡¯s barrage, the entire arena was affected. Was this intentional? No, it was due to the inability of the Mana Launchers to maintain stability, causing the majority of Magic Bullets to miss their target.


    ...


    Ober¡¯s bombardment hardly hit Rocky; even if a few Magic Bullets did hit, they inflicted no damage against the defensive power of the White Demon Armor.


    The modification of the small Magic Cannons on the shoulders followed the same principle. The original Berserker Armor was not equipped with small Magic Cannons, as it was an Assault Type Armor, not suited for heavy weapons support. The Armor¡¯s stability fell short of the requirements for using small Magic Cannons, so when Ober bombarded Rocky, it looked dramatic, but not a single shot hit.


    That¡¯s why Rocky remained unscathed after round after round of bombardment¡ªfirst, because the defensive power of the White Demon Armor was strong enough, and second, because Ober¡¯s shots hardly hit their target.


    It must be said, Rocky¡¯s progress in the past few months had been remarkably evident. He had been able to identify the flaws in Ober¡¯s Armor solely because of his mastery of Armor knowledge, which he had acquired from Hammerfire and others in recent months.


    Perhaps in terms of strength or experience, Ober was superior to Rocky. However, in armor strength, and more importantly, understanding of the Armor, Ober fell far behind Rocky. There was no helping it; Rocky¡¯s environment had been far too superior to Ober¡¯s. In the past few months, being in daily contact with masters like Orton and Hammerfire, he had learned tremendously.


    By then, Rocky had already caught up with Ober, who had been hit by a Magic Bullet, and began the pursuit!


    After catching up to Ober, he raised his hand and swept it across. He did not hold back at all; his Mana Sword aimed directly for the waist. If this strike connected, it could, at least, disembowel Ober, and at most, cut him in half.


    But Ober, being a seasoned contestant, urgently adjusted his stance, stepping back a meter just in time to narrowly dodge.


    ¡°I told you, your farce will end today.¡±


    However, just then, before Ober could even regain his bearings, he heard Rocky¡¯s voice beside his ear!


    This voice made Ober¡¯s hair stand on end. He hurriedly turned around, only to see a shadow of Rocky, because just as he turned, Rocky had moved to his side.


    Seeing Rocky at his side, Ober immediately turned again, only to catch another shadow, as Rocky had changed direction yet again.


    Thus, Ober began adjusting his body at maximum speed continuously, but each time Rocky was one step ahead getting to his side, meaning that in terms of absolute speed of the Armor, Ober was thoroughly outpaced.


    ¡°Why is this happening!!!¡±


    Trying repeatedly to locate Rocky, and failing each time, instilled a deep fear in Ober. Each time Rocky moved to his side, he could have attacked, but chose not to. This constant threat triggered immense panic in Ober, indicating that Rocky was completely toying with him.


    Under such circumstances, it wasn¡¯t long before Ober, terrified, screamed and dashed forward recklessly, not stopping until he was dozens of meters away.


    ¡°Why is this happening¡­ why is this happening¡­¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When he stopped, he gasped heavily in midair, a sign of utter exhaustion. Even now, he couldn¡¯t understand why he was being toyed with so miserably.


    While Rocky had explained why the Magic Bullets and Magic Cannons could not hit, he had not explained why he was so much faster than Ober, which was beyond Ober¡¯s understanding, especially since that hadn¡¯t been the case during their initial encounters on the arena!


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you understood yet?¡±


    From a distance of several meters, Rocky sneered at Ober and then sprinted again, reaching him with a speed that Ober couldn¡¯t possibly dodge!


    ¡°Your armor, it¡¯s been modified too poorly.¡±


    As he spoke these words, Rocky instantly moved behind Ober, and this time, he finally made his move!


    The Mana Sword, powered solely by runes, swung down fiercely, striking hard at Ober¡¯s back.


    Ober tried his best to turn around and block, but he was still half a beat too slow, and that half beat cost him his life!


    A flash of cold light passed, and the powerful Mana Sword heavily struck the shoulder guard of the armor, piercing through and hitting Ober¡¯s shoulder,


    With a scream of agony, the intense pain caused Ober to lose control of his armor, and then he began to fall towards the arena.


    A few seconds later, there was a loud crash as Ober, falling from the sky, heavily landed in the arena; although the armor protected him from death, the fall was certainly not light.


    Just as he tried to rise, a figure suddenly fell, heavily stepping on him!


    Rocky!


    Just like when Ober had once beaten him down to the ground, now their positions were completely reversed, with Ober lying on the ground and Rocky stepping on him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve made the weapons system of the armor too exaggerated.¡±


    Glancing at Ober under his foot, Rocky slowly shook his head, ¡°The more weapons, the more mana needed. Although you boosted the mana of the armor to 6200 points, you used it all to support the weapons system, and the improvement to other aspects of the armor is actually not substantial.¡±


    ¡°Especially in the air.¡±


    Looking down at Ober, Rocky finally revealed the answer he had been pondering.


    Ober¡¯s modifications to the armor focused on two aspects: mana and the weapon system. However, his obsession with strengthening the weapons led to an exaggerated enhancement of the system, thereby consuming a large amount of mana.


    This created a fatal issue: with limited mana available, other performances of the armor, such as speed, defensive power, and sensitivity, all had to make way for the weapons, resulting in a significant increase in mana but not in the overall performance of the armor.


    This drawback wasn¡¯t very obvious in land battles, but in aerial combat, it became a fatal flaw, because maintaining flight and combat in the air requires a substantial amount of mana. With mana already limited, some had to be used in aerial combat and more to maintain the weapon system, leaving very little for the other systems.


    This is why once Rocky took action, Ober obviously couldn¡¯t keep up; his modified armor was far inferior in overall capability compared to the White Demon Armor!


    ¡°I¡­ I want to surrender¡­ ¡±


    Hearing Rocky¡¯s words, Ober under his foot finally lost all hope, then he used the last bit of his strength to slowly lift his arm.


    But just then, Rocky stepped on his hand just as he was about to raise it!


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±


    With a foot on Ober¡¯s raised arm, Rocky shook his head!


    ¡°Today¡­ no one can surrender!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 265 - 262: Hardship

    Chapter 265: Chapter 262: Hardship


    ¡°Today¡­ no one can surrender!¡±


    Stepping brutally on Ober¡¯s arm, Rocky stepped over him, bent down, and grabbed Ober¡¯s neck, lifting him from the ground.


    With the enhancement of his armor, Rocky easily lifted Ober high and then reached out to remove his helmet.


    First falling from the sky, then trampled on fiercely by Rocky, Ober was severely injured, so when the helmet was taken off, Rocky saw him constantly vomiting blood.


    ¡°Why¡­ why¡­¡±


    Hanging in the air, Ober weakly looked at Rocky and asked with all his strength.


    ...


    He didn¡¯t understand.


    He didn¡¯t understand why Rocky would treat him this way, just as Liliya had researched Ober¡¯s information before the match, Ober had also looked up Rocky before the match. Although he didn¡¯t find much, he at least knew that Rocky was a player of considerable status.


    Just knowing this was enough for Ober, it was enough to assure him that there was no enmity between him and Rocky. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t understand, couldn¡¯t fathom why Rocky was so relentless. They had no feud at all!


    ¡°Actually¡­ I don¡¯t care about whether you live or die.¡±


    ¡°Not only do I not care about your life or death, what you might have done before doesn¡¯t really concern me either.¡±


    Even though Ober had only managed to speak in broken sentences, Rocky understood completely and provided an answer.


    What he said was absolutely true. He genuinely didn¡¯t pay special mind to Ober¡¯s life or death.


    Rocky had a legitimate job, he wasn¡¯t merely roaming in the arena; he was a City Lord. With such a status, he really didn¡¯t concern himself with the life or death of these competitors in the arena. How could a City Lord, with so many issues to deal with every day, spare the time to care about such minor characters?


    However, after saying this, Rocky took a different turn:


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    At this point, Rocky paused briefly, then turned his head towards the audience.


    Looking towards the audience, he quickly noticed the couple sitting next to Monte, clearly seeing the couple crying in pain.


    After glancing at the couple, he turned his head back and looked at Ober: ¡°However, before this, someone had asked me to¡­ kill you.¡±


    ¡°Who¡­¡±


    Ober hadn¡¯t had time to parse what that meant when he felt a burning sensation in his chest, and when he looked down, he saw Rocky had already thrust the Mana Sword through his chest!


    Already severely injured and now pierced through the chest by the Mana Sword, Ober only struggled for a few seconds before breathing his last.


    With a clang, Rocky threw Ober¡¯s body onto the Arena floor, while glancing again at the audience, seeing the couple holding their heads and crying.


    Looking at the crying couple for a while, he then viewed the other spectators, noticing that the entire Arena had fallen silent, with every spectator seemingly dumbstruck, watching him.


    Clearly, even though Ober had died, the audience was yet to recover from the shock. They hadn¡¯t expected this outcome¡ªOber, known as the Rookie Killer, dying like this, defeated by a newcomer in his first rank competition?


    In fact, not just the audience, even the commentator outside the Arena responsible for narrating the match had become speechless. Not just at this moment, but since Rocky had begun to actively attack, the voice of the commentator had not been heard for a while.


    Now, with Ober dead, Rocky¡¯s victory didn¡¯t need anyone to declare. He himself wasn¡¯t interested in waiting for someone to announce that he had won, so after this, he flew down from the Arena and went back to the changing room.


    It was only after he left that the audience gradually snapped back to reality, but as they did, a portion of them showed signs of depression. The reason was simple, these people had placed bets outside the Arena, and their bets had all been on Ober.


    But now Ober had lost, meaning their wagered money was all gone. Nobody likes the feeling of losing a bet, especially those who had bet large amounts. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, in stark contrast to them, when Rocky won the match, Aileen sitting next to Liliya jumped up!


    ¡°We won! We won! Made a killing! A big haul!¡±


    As Rocky¡¯s finance officer, Aileen naturally had to bet on Rocky winning. So, when Rocky did indeed win the match, Aileen was the happiest.


    Thus, Rocky¡¯s first rank competition concluded, and while it might have seemed somewhat perilous, he had actually won cleanly and decisively.


    And the opponent he eliminated was no mere minor player. Amid the many competitors in the Combat Skills Arena, the Rookie Killer Ober might not have been the strongest, but he had a renowned reputation. So although this victory for Rocky was just another win, for others, it was much more significant.


    The day after the match ended, his fight became a topic of discussion among many people, as the Arena was quite popular in Eternal City, with many people following its developments.


    ¡°Did you hear? Ober was wiped out by a newcomer.¡±


    ¡°Is that true? Wasn¡¯t that guy specialized in killing newcomers?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. This time Ober met a tough opponent. The other side didn¡¯t give him a chance to surrender, just killed him right on the spot.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 266 - 262 Arduous Effort_2

    Chapter 266: Chapter 262 Arduous Effort_2


    ¡°So brutal?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it looks like we¡¯re in for a good show this season.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I heard there¡¯s a newcomer named Xia Nai, apparently a noble from the Kafka Empire, wearing the Fifth Generation Special Armor, who is also quite the fierce one, having killed his opponent in the first Rank match too.¡±


    ¡°This season¡¯s matches will be worth watching, it¡¯s just a matter of when the Arena will pit these two against each other.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time, you still don¡¯t know the tricks of the Arena?¡±


    When Rocky returned to Thunderhawk City, there was already a lot of talk about his match. Despite it being just one Rank match, his opponent¡¯s high-profile status had given Rocky an immediate reputation.


    ...


    Interestingly, whenever people talked about Rocky, they frequently mentioned someone else, Xia Nai.


    Like Rocky, Xia Nai had also become a newcomer to watch. If anything, his degree of attention was even higher than Rocky¡¯s, simply because Xia Nai was strong enough!


    When Rocky had finished his first Rank match and won, Xia Nai had already competed in two matches and, unsurprisingly, secured two consecutive victories, advancing his rank to Fourteen-rank.


    In these two victories, Xia Nai¡¯s dominance made him the center of attention, and his performance was simply too strong.


    The two matches he fought took a total of only fifteen minutes, including the time for his introduction, meaning the actual time he spent fighting was much less than fifteen minutes.


    What does such a short match duration imply?


    It implies both victories were quick kills!


    Indeed, in both of the Rank matches Xia Nai participated in, he won overwhelmingly, killing his opponents instantly as soon as each match started, winning effortlessly.


    Because of this, having used only two matches, he was already being called the strongest newcomer of the season, even becoming a strong contender for the season champion. Therefore, whenever someone brought up Rocky¡¯s matches, they would mention Xia Nai, and vice versa. Then, people would compare the two and look forward to their eventual clash.


    Of course, these were just the views of the general audience. For some other people, especially those with exceptionally noble or unique identities, they didn¡¯t care about how Rocky and Xia Nai performed. What these people with noble or unique identities truly cared about were Denise and another competitor because their performance represented the top competition among the current Armors!


    January of Sky Era Year 118 passed like this. The first month of the new year seemed uneventful, but whether in the sky, on the land, or in the Arena, undercurrents were stirring, brewing not just one, but many big storms!


    At this time, Rocky was unaware that he had unwittingly become the center of a storm. He was still acting as the City Lord, busy with his own affairs. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After winning the match against Ober and returning to Thunderhawk City, Rocky immediately called for Aileen.


    During his previous primary selection matches, though Aileen had bet on him, she had only wagered ten thousand Gold Coins, which rather annoyed Rocky; such a small bet meant even if he won, he didn¡¯t earn much.


    Indeed, he hadn¡¯t earned much¡ªthe prize for the primary selection was only five thousand Gold Coins. Even though he had won the outside bets, the low odds and small bet meant he had only earned a meager twenty thousand Gold Coins. This amount was insufficient for his research, let alone covering his expenses in Eternal City including meals, accommodation, and buying Arena tickets.


    So this time, when Rocky called Aileen over, he couldn¡¯t wait to ask, ¡°How much did we earn?¡±


    Since he had won the match, Aileen would definitely have made money if she had placed bets outside, but the key question was, how much?


    Facing his question, Aileen simply raised four fingers.


    ¡°Forty thousand? That¡¯s it?¡±


    Seeing Aileen raise her four slender fingers, they looked quite nice, but wasn¡¯t that too little?


    He had fought hard and risked his life in the arena, how had he only made so little money? That wouldn¡¯t be enough for anything!


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s four hundred thousand.¡±


    Just as Rocky¡¯s face showed disappointment, Aileen spoke with a smile, revealing the true earnings!


    ¡°Four hundred thousand Gold Coins? Really?¡±


    Upon hearing this, the disappointment Rocky was about to show immediately vanished, like a child skilled at changing expressions, and he suddenly burst into smiles.


    For Aileen, he didn¡¯t need to put on a mysterious act¡ªhe behaved exactly as he thought, which was very genuine. Aileen, having been by Rocky¡¯s side for so long, was already accustomed to this ¡°childlike¡± behavior, so she went on to say:


    ¡°Sir, to be precise, the earnings this time are four hundred twenty thousand. Four hundred thousand was won from the outer-ring betting, and the remaining twenty thousand is the prize money.¡±


    ¡°Betting won four hundred thousand? How much did you bet this time?¡±


    Rocky was always bothered by the fact that Aileen had only bet ten thousand Gold Coins the last time, feeling like a child anxious to show off but not receiving the expected recognition, so he was particularly persistent about this.


    To this, Aileen could only smile helplessly, then said, ¡°This time I bet fifty thousand Gold Coins, and the odds were one to eight, so we earned four hundred thousand Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡±


    Hearing this, especially knowing they had earned over four hundred thousand Gold Coins, Rocky¡¯s mood instantly improved. He started thinking about how to allocate the money, while not forgetting to remind Aileen, ¡°Bet more next time; I¡¯m sure I can still win.¡±


    Fifty thousand Gold Coins still seemed too little to Rocky, so he wanted Aileen to bet more in the next fight so he could earn even more.


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Aileen pouted: ¡°Sir, you said you¡¯d leave this matter entirely to me and that you wouldn¡¯t interfere.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about these things; let Aileen handle it.¡±


    When Aileen pouted and complained, Liliya also chimed in by Rocky¡¯s side, leaving him baffled as he didn¡¯t think his request was too much!


    But since both Aileen and Liliya said so, he couldn¡¯t say much more and simply nodded reluctantly, then went off to conduct his research.


    After he left, Aileen and Liliya exchanged glances and sighed.


    Rocky didn¡¯t know that Aileen¡¯s reason for not betting much each time was actually for his own good!


    Rocky¡¯s fundamental purpose in participating in the Arena was to use it to make money, which wasn¡¯t a problem in itself, but to mistake the betting at the Arena for fools or an ATM would be a grave error!


    Since the Arena dared to offer betting facilities, they allowed people to win money, but they certainly didn¡¯t allow themselves to be treated as fools.


    Thus, if Aileen placed a large bet on Rocky and he kept winning matches, it was certain that the Arena would set him up against extremely dangerous opponents. Remember, the Arena is the dealer, the one truly making big money. If that happened, Rocky wouldn¡¯t even have a place to cry.


    Hence, how much to bet and how to bet for each of Rocky¡¯s fights were carefully calculated by Aileen. It was only through such meticulous planning that they could ensure to win money without provoking the Arena; otherwise, the Arena wouldn¡¯t let Rocky take the money away so easily!


    But fortunately, Rocky never interfered much in this aspect. He trusted Aileen and handed over all authority to her, and she, with her talent and capabilities, silently helped Rocky¡ªan arrangement that required no explanation.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 267 - 263 War Reserve

    Chapter 267: Chapter 263 War Reserve Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After the match with Ober, Rocky didn¡¯t immediately go on to the next match. First, he needed some rest, and second, there were matters of Thunderhawk City that required his attention.


    Recently, Rocky had devoted most of his energy and time to the research and development of Armor and the Arena matches, but let¡¯s not forget that his most important identity was still that of the City Lord, so Thunderhawk City was always his top priority.


    Therefore, once the match was over and he had returned to Thunderhawk City, he quickly became busy, addressing both major and minor issues concerning the city.


    Fortunately, even though Rocky had focused the majority of his efforts on other areas over the past few months, Thunderhawk City hadn¡¯t encountered any significant problems. Aileen was in charge of the finances and Old Jack looked after civil affairs, so there was no need for Rocky to worry excessively.


    Not only that, but there was also pleasing news: the leather manufacturing plant had produced its first batch of goods and had already successfully completed its first leather trade with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce.


    This was definitely good news for Rocky, as it meant that the new industry of Thunderhawk City was finally showing signs of growth. The city would no longer have to rely solely on the textile industry for survival.


    ...


    Moreover, the successful establishment of the new industry also increased Thunderhawk City¡¯s income. After completing the transaction with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, Thunderhawk City received a hundred thousand Gold Coins. After deducting the initial investment for raw materials and expenses like workers¡¯ wages, at least half of the hundred thousand Gold Coins was profit, that is, around fifty thousand Gold Coins.


    Although this amount of money wasn¡¯t enough to solve the major problems for Thunderhawk City, it represented a promising start. And while fifty thousand Gold Coins might not seem like much, this extra income had nearly doubled the city¡¯s original income!


    Previously, Thunderhawk City¡¯s income per quarter relied on only one source, which was the sale of cloth. Initially, the city could earn about fifty thousand Gold Coins per quarter from this. Later, as the population increased and mass production of cloth rose, the revenue increased to about sixty thousand Gold Coins.


    Besides this revenue, the shops opened in the city could also provide Rocky with some income. However, due to the generally low standard of living among the residents of Thunderhawk City and the insufficient population, the internal demand was not significant, so the pure profit from the shops was just over ten thousand Gold Coins per quarter, and sometimes it could even be less than ten thousand.


    Combining these two sources of income, the city could only generate about seventy thousand Gold Coins per quarter.


    This amount of money really wasn¡¯t much¡ªno, it should be said it was very little because after deducting various expenses, it was hard for Thunderhawk City¡¯s treasury to have any surplus left. More often than not, there wasn¡¯t even enough money, which is why Thunderhawk City had managed to stay afloat in the past six months entirely thanks to Rocky¡¯s efforts and the money he had obtained from ¡®stirring things up¡¯ outside to support the city.


    It was precisely because of this that Rocky was extremely pleased when the leather manufacturing plant produced its first batch of goods and successfully completed the transaction with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. Thunderhawk City¡¯s income had significantly increased. According to Aileen¡¯s projections, with the output from both cloth and leather, Thunderhawk City could now assure a revenue of over a hundred thousand Gold Coins per quarter, an amount sufficient for the city¡¯s normal operation.


    Naturally, this made Rocky very happy, because not only had the burden on his shoulders lightened, Thunderhawk City had also grown stronger than before.


    For this reason, he hosted a dance for the first time in Thunderhawk City to celebrate.


    And the day after the celebration ended, Rocky began contemplating the next steps for Thunderhawk City¡¯s development.


    With the official operation of the leather manufacturing factory, the reforms he had previously undertaken were showing results; the increase in income was the best proof. However, in Rocky¡¯s view, this was clearly not enough.


    Although the income of Thunderhawk City had increased considerably, it was only a moderate improvement on its original basis, and the actual total increase was not high. Rocky and Berg had attended many balls together and had discussed this issue, so Rocky was well aware that in terms of the economy, Thunderhawk City was among the lower ranks, even among small Sky Cities.


    According to Berg, a small Sky City with a population of three to five thousand should have a quarterly income of no less than five hundred thousand Gold Coins to sustain itself in the long run. Without delving into details, the cost of war alone could be enough to drag a Sky City down.


    The skies were far from peaceful now, with war potentially breaking out anytime and anywhere. You might not provoke others, but they might provoke you. And without a strong economy to rely on, bluntly put, if there was no money in the treasury, then in the event of war, regardless of victory or defeat, the city would pretty much be done for.


    This was something Rocky understood all too well.


    The battle with Baron Wolin left Rocky without even the money to repair his warship. He had to ask Berg to help resolve the matter and also teamed up with Karina to set their sights on the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. After eliminating the Air Pirate Group, he did gain over a million in rewards, but it also drew the powerful enemy of Wild Horse City. To confront Wild Horse City, the earned millions of Gold Coins almost vanished instantly.


    All these experiences made it crystal clear to Rocky how terrifying the cost of war could be. It was precisely because of this deep understanding that he desired even more to rapidly develop Thunderhawk City, especially its economy.


    Unfortunately, such developments couldn¡¯t be achieved overnight, especially now. Although Rocky wanted to focus on economic development, the situation did not allow for it.


    Currently, he was facing the significant and tangible threat of Wild Horse City. In fact, Wild Horse City was waiting just outside the airspace of Eternal City for him. To deal with this formidable enemy, he truly had no choice but to invest every single penny into the military, ensuring that he could survive after leaving Eternal City. Survival was the most important thing.


    So after a brief moment of excitement and joy, Rocky began his next step of planning.


    The contest with Ober earned him over four hundred thousand Gold Coins, and the leather trade brought in another hundred thousand, meaning he now had another five hundred thousand Gold Coins in hand.


    Out of these five hundred thousand Gold Coins, fifty thousand were left in Thunderhawk City for emergencies, one hundred thousand were given to Aileen for gambling stakes, and two hundred fifty thousand were handed to Orton to sustain the costs of research. As for the remaining one hundred thousand, Rocky used them as reserves for war.


    A battle between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City was inevitable in the near future, and it was clear to anyone that Thunderhawk City currently didn¡¯t stand a chance against Wild Horse City. Therefore, Rocky had to expand his military forces, whether it be warships or Armor. Only by doing so could he ensure his survival against the opposition.


    But this required Gold Coins, and a significant amount at that. Hence, he had to start preparing for the upcoming great war from now, ensuring he had enough Gold Coins in reserve to expand his forces when necessary.


    To earn more money, Rocky had to continue participating in Arena contests. After all, the rewards and betting associated with the Arena could provide him with significant income in a short period, even though it was fraught with danger. But it was a shortcut to earning Gold Coins.


    And so, after setting up everything in Thunderhawk City, he reached out to Howard, ready to begin his next Rank match.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 268 - 264 Odds

    Chapter 268: Chapter 264 Odds


    After handling all aspects of Thunderhawk City and making short-term plans, Rocky got in touch with Howard to prepare for his next rank match.


    As one of the most popular entertainment events in Eternal City, the Arena had a well-developed system. Whether it was the matches or the contestants, everything had a standardized process. So, when Rocky reached out to Howard, Howard immediately started arranging the match. By the next day, everything was set, and on the third day, Rocky stepped onto the stage!


    The speed surprised Rocky, and he couldn¡¯t help but admire the efficiency of the Arena, but what he didn¡¯t know was that the Arena had already planned his match.


    To make the matches exciting and visually appealing, the Arena monitored every contestant. This attention started from the preliminary selections, and Rocky was clearly one of their focal points.


    Inside the Arena, Rocky had already been tagged as a seeded contestant, meaning that, in the eyes of the Arena, he had the strength to vie for the championship title at the end of the season. For such potential contestants, the Arena always had special arrangements.


    For instance, Rocky¡¯s opponent in his first rank match, Ober, was a result of such arrangements. To the general audience, Ober might have had a considerable reputation, but in the eyes of the Arena, he wasn¡¯t as significant. The reason the Arena allowed Ober to keep winning almost by cheating was not that they couldn¡¯t intervene, but because they chose not to.


    ...


    They were indulging Ober to ¡°cultivate¡± him into a contestant with appeal and a certain reputation, then they ¡°used¡± him against Rocky. This allowed Rocky to prove his strength and gain fame in just one match, making his upcoming matches instantly popular.


    Indeed, that was the case. The audience for Rocky¡¯s second match was significantly larger than the previous one, with at least a thousand more spectators, who were clearly drawn by the tales of his match against Ober.


    Correspondingly, the opponent in Rocky¡¯s next match¡­


    His opponent in the second rank match was also a newcomer, also of the fifteenth rank, even wearing a Mass Production Type Armor provided by the Arena. Facing such an opponent, Rocky himself found it unbelievable. Wasn¡¯t this just handing out points?


    Indeed, it was exactly that¡ªhanding out points¡ªand it was also the strategy of the Arena. Their goal was to continuously boost Rocky¡¯s fame, making him more and more appealing, thereby cultivating the audience¡¯s anticipation.


    But to achieve this, one match was certainly not enough. Hence, in the following four matches, Rocky¡¯s opponents were all rather average, allowing him to raise his rank from the fifteenth to the thirteenth and achieving a five-win streak in rank matches, thus becoming even more famous.


    Of course, the Arena didn¡¯t treat only Rocky in this manner. At least four to five other contestants this season received the same treatment. They were all newcomers highly favored by the Arena, and naturally, Xia Nai, who had always been compared to Rocky, was among them.


    Compared to others, the Arena valued Xia Nai more. By the time Rocky achieved a five-win streak, Xia Nai had already fought eight matches, winning each one. Her rank had also increased to the eleventh in this process, making her the highest-ranked and most famous newcomer of the season. Compared to her, Rocky and others merely complemented her achievements.


    However, for the Arena, whether it was Rocky or Xia Nai, their matches were really just trivial matters. They were only part of some routine arrangements that occurred every season. What truly captivated the Arena and consumed all their attention were Denise¡¯s matches!


    Representing Sigma Corporation, Denise would debut the new generation of Armor at the Arena. This news had already spread widely. With Sigma Corporation ready to unveil a new generation of Armor, a significant event in the Armor Domain, it was something that attracted widespread attention and was eagerly anticipated. Consequently, as time progressed, more and more prominent figures gathered in Eternal City, all waiting for Denise¡¯s first match at the Arena.


    In such circumstances, Denise¡¯s series of matches were bound to capture the attention of the entire Sky Era, making it the top priority for the Arena, which they were constantly busy preparing for.


    Two weeks after Denise arrived in Eternal City, her match was finally set!


    Sky Era Year 118, February 8.


    On this day, Denise¡¯s first match would take place at the Arena, where the new generation of Armor would also make its debut before the world! sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    During this period, Rocky¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t great.


    Although he had achieved a five-win streak in the rank matches, and his fame was growing, with increasingly more people discussing and paying attention to him, Rocky was still discontent, for a very simple reason: the earnings were too low.


    Despite the Arena consistently setting him up against relatively average opponents, allowing him consecutive victories, correspondingly, the odds on Rocky in the external betting pools were getting lower. In his most recent match, the odds between him and his opponent were 1.3 to 7, with the opponent at 7 and only 1.3 for him.


    What did 1.3 mean?


    In Rocky¡¯s last match, as usual, Aileen placed fifty thousand Gold Coin on him, and he won. However, he only earned sixty-five thousand Gold Coin. Subtracting the fifty thousand principal, he only profited fifteen thousand Gold Coin!


    While this amount might seem not too little, remember that Rocky¡¯s rank was now the thirteenth. With the rank advancement, his prize money for each match also increased. Now, he could earn twenty-four thousand Gold Coin for every victory. That meant the money he earned from betting fifty thousand Gold Coin was even less than the prize money from winning the match¡­


    So even though Rocky had won four consecutive matches, the Gold Coin he earned was pitifully little, totaling around a hundred thousand in prize money and about one hundred and fifty thousand from bets. Added together, it was only about two hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coin, barely enough for anything.


    Naturally, Rocky wasn¡¯t pleased with these results. He wasn¡¯t competing for fun; his ultimate goal in participating in the Arena was to make money.


    But given the current situation, there wasn¡¯t much he could do. The only thing he could do was wait for the Arena to arrange stronger opponents for him, preferably ones who appeared significantly stronger than him. Only then could he potentially make a substantial profit.


    However, according to Hammerfire, that opportunity should be coming soon¡­!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 269 - 265: Heavens Will

    Chapter 269: Chapter 265: Heaven¡¯s Will


    Rocky was aware of what was happening outside but did not care much, as the events, big or small, occurring outside had little relation to him and Thunderhawk City. What he was most concerned about now was his upcoming combat skills competition in the Arena.


    When would he finally encounter a worthy opponent, someone who could really help him make a significant profit? That was Rocky¡¯s primary concern.


    Since the last assassination attempt had occurred just over two months ago, which meant Thunderhawk City¡¯s free refuge period was about to run out. Once this period was over, Thunderhawk City would have to face a significant increase in expenses, which Rocky could not ignore.


    ¡°City Lord kid, no need to look so downcast, there are plenty of tough fights ahead for you.¡±


    ¡°Master Hammerfire, what do you mean by that?¡±


    When Rocky went to the laboratory with a worried expression on his face, it was lunchtime, and Hammerfire chatted with him for a bit.


    ...


    According to Hammerfire, Rocky should not worry about the lack of tough fights. On the contrary, he would have many skilled opponents to measure up against in the future.


    Rocky was somewhat puzzled by this assertion.


    ¡°City Lord kid, you don¡¯t understand. This is just the usual pattern of the Arena, nothing extraordinary.¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s confusion, Hammerfire continued to explain the ins and outs of the Arena while they ate lunch.


    According to Hammerfire, the reason Rocky had only encountered weak opponents recently was entirely due to the deliberate arrangement of the Arena.


    ¡°Master, I know this is arranged by the Arena, but why?¡±


    Rocky did not wait for Hammerfire to finish speaking. He, of course, knew his opponents were arranged by the Arena, but why? Why were such weak opponents arranged for him? That was the question Rocky could not figure out.


    ¡°Because they are preparing for future matches.¡±


    As soon as he voiced his question, Hammerfire already had an answer for him.


    As a master in the Armor Domain, Hammerfire paid more attention to the Arena matches than most. The Arena was a battlefield for Void Magic Warriors, where real and serious competitions took place, making it the perfect stage to assess the strength of different armors. As a domain master, Hammerfire always took the opportunity to watch the matches to gain a comprehensive understanding of various armors. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since he paid more attention, he knew more about the Arena, especially about the twists and turns of the matches, and he explained it to Rocky:


    ¡°To make the matches more exciting, the Arena will ensure that each match has its highlights. If there aren¡¯t any, they will create some. Right now, you are a highlight they have created.¡±


    ¡°Your performance in the preliminary selection has caught the attention of the Arena. They have identified you as a key ¡®development¡¯ target. Your match against Ober, and these recent matches, are all the Arena¡¯s deliberate attempts to nurture you. They want you to adapt, to improve your rank with consecutive victories, and to build your fame.¡±


    ¡°Of course, they are not just nurturing you alone; many others are also their targets for development.¡±


    ¡°Once they have successfully nurtured you and other competitors like you¡ªwhether it¡¯s in terms of understanding the matches, rank, or fame¡ªthe Arena will then start arranging truly dangerous matches for you.¡±


    ¡°At that time, you will be heavily promoted, sensational topics will be created, and you will face much stronger opponents, like those who have been nurtured along with you. When the time comes, the Arena will bring you all together to create a match with explosive topics and highlights.¡±


    At this point, Hammerfire paused, then continued, ¡°You¡¯ve heard about the struggle between the Sigma and Uranus Corporations for the new generation of armor, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    Asked this way by Hammerfire, although Rocky was not clear why he suddenly shifted the topic to this, he still nodded.


    Seeing his nod, Hammerfire continued, ¡°Good to know. You must pay more attention to the matches they participate in, because, if I¡¯m not mistaken, sooner or later the Arena will arrange for you and other nurtured competitors to compete against people from these two corporations. If that happens, you should know what to do, right?¡±


    ¡°What to do?¡±


    Hammerfire¡¯s question indeed stumped Rocky; he had never really thought about this possibility.


    As he had mentioned earlier, he had heard somewhat about Sigma and Uranus Corporations, given his collaboration with the Shadow Alliance, which provided him with weekly intelligence. In the recent month, the intelligence from the Shadow Alliance had included these two corporations and the new generation of armor. It would be hard for Rocky not to be aware of it.


    Yet, he had never considered that this matter would involve him.


    Although people like Orton were also developing new generation armor, their research was not being conducted openly but rather covertly, and so far, no one else knew about it. Under such circumstances, Rocky did not think that he had any connection with these two giants in the armor field, even though they were all engaged in the same activity and participating in the same Arena matches.


    However, just because he did not think so did not mean things would not develop in that direction. In fact, from the moment Denise decided to debut her developed armor in the Arena, and Uranus Corporation decided to combat her there, Rocky had already become entangled with these two giants.


    This intersection was unforeseeable and unavoidable because it had been predetermined from the beginning. If one were to trace it back, it could even be traced to the moment Rocky discovered the Mana Rune. From the moment he discovered the Mana Rune, all these events were destined to occur, utterly unavoidable.


    What is this called?


    This is called fate.


    Unfortunately, Rocky had yet to realize this fate. If it were not for Hammerfire¡¯s reminder, he still would not believe that he would have any connection with Denise representing Sigma Corporation or another competitor representing Uranus Corporation. Therefore, facing Hammerfire¡¯s question, he simply could not respond.


    ¡°What else is there to think about? Obviously, you wipe them out!¡±


    Just as Rocky was unable to respond, Orton¡¯s voice suddenly appeared, and he punched Rocky hard on the head while speaking.


    ¡°Kid, when you encounter them, teach them a harsh lesson and show these guys what the new generation of armor is all about!¡±


    Sitting next to Rocky, Orton spoke with an unabashed expression.


    Unfortunately, hearing Orton¡¯s words, Rocky just rolled his eyes at him and retorted irritably, ¡°Teacher, what am I supposed to use to teach them a lesson? The White Demon isn¡¯t strong enough to beat them, is it?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    Faced with Rocky¡¯s question, the always arrogant and dismissive Orton was stumped, unable to find words for a long while¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 270 - 266 February 8th

    Chapter 270: Chapter 266 February 8th


    ¡°Teacher, it seems the White Demon can¡¯t beat the opponent, can it?¡±


    After Orton had fiercely knocked on Rocky¡¯s head, Rocky gave him a blank look and then said sharply.


    And after he finished his sentence, Orton, who was always arrogant and almost looked down on everyone, was at a loss for words and didn¡¯t speak for a long time.


    It was not just Orton; even Hammerfire was silent.


    They were not afraid of the White Demon Armor being exposed in the competition because as soon as Rocky started participating in the preliminary rounds, Orton and the others had already discussed and devised a contingency plan. That¡¯s why Orton had just said what he did, assuring Rocky to go ahead boldly and try to take down all the new armors from Sigma and Uranus corporations.


    But, easier said than done, right?


    ...


    As the first-generation Rune Armor, the White Demon¡¯s strength was unquestionably outstanding¡ªcertainly beyond comparison with the 4th-generation armors. If one were to make a comparison, the White Demon Armor¡¯s strength should be on par with the 5th-generation armors, even ranking in the upper-middle tier within its generation.


    Such strength was enough to make the White Demon Armor look down on most of its opponents, but it was not enough to contend with the new generation of armor.


    Regarding the new armors to be showcased by Sigma and Uranus corporations at the arena, Orton and others, being masters in their fields, had a good grasp of the situation. They knew very well that the new generation armors presented by both sides were definitely not the 6th generation, as the prototype armors of the 6th generation had just been made, and the final products were not yet developed.


    Since it was not the 6th-generation armor and yet indeed a new generation of armor, it was not difficult to guess the so-called new armor¡¯s level¡ªas it was weaker than the 6th but stronger than the 5th, it was naturally considered the fifth and a half generation.


    Although they had not yet seen what the new generation armor looked like, Orton and his colleagues had already made a relatively accurate judgment of its level, for they were all masters.


    So the question arises, facing the upcoming fifth and a half generation armor, does the White Demon stand a chance?


    The answer is clearly no.


    The White Demon Armor, as the first generation Rune Armor, inherently contained a significant experimental component. This armor served more as a foundation for the Rune Armor project. Compared to the 5th-generation armors, the White Demon still wasn¡¯t the top of the line, and the gap with the fifth and a half generation was even more evident.


    In this situation, when faced with Rocky¡¯s question, neither Orton nor Hammerfire could answer.


    ¡°Have you forgotten our original intention?¡±


    Just as the two were at a loss for words, Aniye¡¯s voice emerged, and then she and Pelaya walked over together.


    Approaching them, Aniye looked at Rocky and then turned her gaze towards Orton and Hammerfire.


    ¡°Gentlemen, has the Rune Armor project been completed?¡±


    ¡°No, it hasn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I see, I thought the project was already finished.¡±


    With a smile, Aniye took a seat and continued, ¡°The White Demon Armor is not the ultimate product of the Rune Armor project. In fact, this armor is simply the first one we¡¯ve created. There is absolutely no need to vie for fleeting glory.¡±


    Looking at Orton and Hammerfire, Aniye emphasized again the original purpose of developing the White Demon Armor. The White Demon Armor was meant to serve the Rune Armor project; it wasn¡¯t the ultimate product, just the first finished one, and that was it. So there was no need to compete for any spotlight.


    However, after saying this, Aniye abruptly changed the subject.


    ¡°But, if we could confront the latest generation of Armor face-to-face in the arena, verify the combat capability of the White Demon Armor, and take the opportunity to witness the strength of the new generation of Armor and the gap that exists between us, that would be good too,¡± Aniye said.


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    At this point, Aniye looked towards Rocky.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, Hammerfire was right, you are bound to encounter the new generation of Armor in the Arena, so you must prepare yourself mentally in advance,¡± Aniye advised.


    As soon as Aniye finished speaking, Rocky was about to respond, but Aniye waved his hand dismissively and added, ¡°As for the Armor, leave that to us. The White Demon is still undergoing testing, and there is still considerable room for improvement. We few old fellows will continue to perfect the Armor during this time, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±


    ¡°What you need to do is to make adequate preparations, like for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡±


    Rocky blinked, clearly unsure of what was significant about the next day.


    ¡°Tomorrow is the day of Denise¡¯s first match. The new generation of Armor developed by Sigma Corporation to counter Uranus Corporation will make its debut, and we all want to see it,¡± Aniye explained.


    Seeing the look of confusion on Rocky¡¯s face, Aniye elaborated, and Rocky suddenly realized¡ªof course, tomorrow was February 8th, indeed the day of Denise¡¯s first match.


    The announcement for Denise¡¯s first match had begun half a month earlier, and almost everyone in Eternal City had heard about the upcoming event. Apart from the Arena¡¯s publicity, Sigma Corporation also launched a major marketing campaign, not targeting the general populace, but rather various Alliances, Chambers of Commerce, powerful families, and influential City Lords.


    These individuals constituted the most powerful group in the skies, and only they could afford the latest generation of Armor, which was why Sigma Corporation had reached out to them well in advance.


    With Denise¡¯s first match approaching, many influential figures who learned of the event arrived in Eternal City. Representatives of The Three Great Alliances came, family leaders of the highest rank were present, Chambers of Commerce followed suit, and the City Lords of various Sky Cities arrived in droves, all waiting for the new generation of Armor to make its first appearance in the Arena.


    Such an important event was, of course, known to Rocky. Not just him, Aniye and others had also been informed, and given that they were in the midst of testing the White Demon Armor, they naturally had an interest in it.


    Though according to Aniye and his colleagues¡¯ assessment, the new Armor should be of the fifth and a half generation, until the true 6th Generation Armor was unveiled, the fifth and a half generation of Armor would indeed be considered the most advanced currently available, something they had to witness for themselves.


    Therefore, by the next day, though the match was not set to start until close to noon, Rocky and his companions set off early in the morning. However, upon arriving at the Arena, they discovered they were far from the first to arrive; long queues had already formed around the Arena, with countless people arriving early to line up and wait for entry. What was more astonishing to Rocky was that among the queueing crowd, he spotted several City Lords who also resided at Star of the Sky!


    Even personages like City Lords had to queue for entry?


    To Rocky, this was simply unimaginable, as Arena bouts usually had VIP boxes for those with status such as City Lords. If a City Lord wanted to watch a match, they could simply reserve a VIP box and enter directly through the VIP entrance, without needing to queue outside.


    Ordinary matches indeed operated that way, but not today¡¯s match, which was too popular and drew too much attention, attracting countless important figures to personally witness the event.


    It wasn¡¯t that there were no VIP boxes; instead, all the VIP boxes had been reserved by these important figures. A City Lord? Sorry, unless one was a City Lord on the level of an Alliance leader, they had no chance of reserving a VIP box!


    This was precisely why ordinary City Lords who wanted to watch Denise¡¯s first match had to properly queue outside!


    COMMENT S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 271 - 267: Angel Descends!

    Chapter 271: Chapter 267: Angel Descends!


    ¡°`


    On February 8th, the Arena was overflowing with people. Countless individuals had arrived early to witness the grandeur of the new generation of Armor with their own eyes.


    In such a situation, lines had formed early outside the Arena, with even prominent figures of the City Lord¡¯s stature queuing up. But this was still manageable, as it at least meant those City Lords had secured their tickets in advance. As for those unlucky enough not to have purchased their tickets for this match in advance, they were out of luck.


    Such a sensational event naturally attracted scores of scalpers, who drove the prices of already expensive tickets through the roof. A ticket for a standard seat cost at least one thousand Gold Coins, and for a prime seat in the front rows, one wouldn¡¯t be able to get their hands on one without forking out at least five thousand Gold Coins.


    The fiery scene greatly exceeded Rocky¡¯s expectations because he hadn¡¯t planned on attending this match and thus hadn¡¯t prepared in advance. As a result, when they arrived at the Arena with great fanfare, they were taken aback.


    Fortunately, though Rocky hadn¡¯t prepared, Aniye had done so well in advance. Upon their arrival at the Arena, Aniye promptly led Rocky and the others through the VIP passage directly to the VIP box.


    ...


    ¡°Master, did you reserve this in advance?¡±


    Having followed Aniye to the VIP box, Rocky asked somewhat sheepishly, as such arrangements should have been his responsibility.


    Aniye, however, smiled and waved her hand, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who booked this, but the Sigma Corporation who invited me to watch the match. They arranged everything.¡±


    With a smile, Aniye¡¯s casually delivered response left Rocky stunned for a moment before he nodded and couldn¡¯t help but give a mental thumbs up. Aniye, as a master in the academic field, enjoyed a unique status; even the Sigma Corporation had personally requested her presence at such an important event, a privilege not extended to just anyone.


    The VIP box at the Arena was spacious, with one box able to comfortably seat over a dozen people. The box featured floor-to-ceiling windows facing the field, granting an unobstructed view of the entire match. Additionally, the box was well-equipped with various amenities, including a mini bar stocked with beverages and more.


    To watch the match from such a box was naturally a pleasure; hence, even though there was some time to go before the start, Rocky and the others chatted leisurely as they awaited the beginning of the match without feeling bored.


    Meanwhile, not long after they had taken their places in the box, other VIPs who had come to watch the match arrived one after another.


    Representatives from the Sky Alliance arrived, followed by delegates from the Magic Energy Research Institute, and then the Kafka Empire¡¯s envoys. The Three Great Alliances had all sent representatives for the match, each one a powerful figure within their Alliance.


    Beyond the Three Great Alliances, the War Alliance, the Illuminati, the Racial Alliance, the Counterattack Alliance, and other major forces with resounding names in the skies had also sent their representatives.


    In addition, the Kenny Family, the Huluo Family, the Wilby Family, the Mairente Family, the royal Elf households, and other significant families were all present.


    The various Chambers of Commerce, as well as the powerful lords of large Sky Cities who were not part of the Alliances or families, had also arrived.


    It was hard to imagine a single Arena match gathering so many influential figures together, but this was precisely the allure of the Void Magic Armor. As the most powerful individual weapon of the present day, the release of each new generation of Void Magic Armor captured the attention of the world, as it was a matter that concerned everyone and could even alter the landscape of the skies. Unless one¡¯s status was insufficient, it was an event that demanded attention.


    Time flew by, and to Rocky and the others in the box, it felt like no time at all before 10 o¡¯clock approached. As the commencement of the match drew near, they stopped their chit-chat and collectively moved to stand in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out onto the field.


    This important match was naturally scheduled for the main field of the Arena. The Arena was divided into nine fields, with eight being secondary fields accommodating no more than ten thousand spectators each. The primary field, capable of hosting a full fifty thousand people, was now completely filled as Rocky looked out the window and saw that there were no empty seats to be seen.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen!¡± sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the time for the match drew near, the commentator picked up the microphone and addressed all the spectators, ¡°Welcome everyone, to today¡¯s match!¡±


    Following this remark, the Arena erupted with a roar like a tidal wave of cheers, not because of what the commentator had said, but because it signified the imminent start of the match.


    Amidst this overwhelming roar, the commentator continued, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I know why you are so enthusiastic. I too am excited just like you.¡±


    ¡°Today¡¯s match is highly anticipated because we will witness the debut of the brand-new generation of Void Magic Armor! This will be a proud moment for each of us! And this glory, along with this match, will be recorded in history!¡±


    The commentator¡¯s stirring words triggered another explosive round of applause.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I know you do not wish to hear any more of my ramblings, so¡­ let¡¯s welcome the competitors to the stage!¡±


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 272 - 267: Angel Descends!_2

    Chapter 272: Chapter 267: Angel Descends!_2


    ¡°`


    It was as if to prove that he really didn¡¯t want to hear any nonsense, the moment the announcer finished saying that, the cheers of the audience once again erupted, even louder than before.


    ¡°Next, please welcome today¡¯s contestants to the stage!¡±


    In the midst of the enthusiastic cheers, the announcer began introducing the contestants with the loudest voice: ¡°First to enter is the star among stars in the Arena, the strong among the strong, contestant Mishael!¡±


    As the announcer introduced him, the entrance at the side of the stage slowly opened, and even before the crowd could see the person, they heard a series of heavy footsteps.


    Thud¡­


    ...


    Thud¡­


    Thud¡­


    Accompanied by the incredibly heavy footsteps, contestant Mishael slowly came into view.


    But it was precisely at the moment of his appearance that a gasp arose from the arena, with many spectators wide-eyed.


    ¡°What, what kind of Armor is that?¡±


    Not just the audience, but even Rocky in the VIP box was surprised, his mouth agape not at Mishael, but at the Armor Mishael was wearing.


    The Armor that Mishael wore looked incredibly bulky, as though there was another layer of Armor over an already thick set, making his whole figure resemble a moving hill, not only massive in size but also quite intimidating.


    ¡°Master Hammerfire, what kind of Armor is this? It¡¯s so huge?¡±


    Since Rocky had never seen this type of Armor that Mishael was wearing, he quickly turned to Hammerfire for answers.


    ¡°This is the fourth-generation land Special Armor, Mobile Fortress Type 2.¡±


    As a master in the Armor Domain, there was no Armor that Hammerfire didn¡¯t recognize, and he quickly provided an answer.


    The Armor that Mishael wore was uncommon but very famous; although it was a fourth-generation Special Armor, it was specifically designed for land combat.


    It had been said before that people of the sky twice launched large-scale counter-offensives on the land, but both wars ended in failure, with a key reason being the inadequate ground combat power. To change this situation, Uranus Corporation designed this Special Armor specifically for ground warfare.


    This Armor nearly abandoned aerial combat capabilities, only capable of slow, low-altitude flight, but in losing aerial combat prowess, its thick Armor provided formidable defensive power. Its defenses were so strong that not only were they unrivalled among fourth-generation Armors, even fifth-generation Armors couldn¡¯t compare. Furthermore, this Armor boasted immense firepower, especially in stationary output, a highlight of its capabilities. ¡°Moving Fortress¡± was not merely the model designation of this Armor, but also the most direct representation of its essence.


    However, as this Armor was specialized for land combat, many people hadn¡¯t seen it before, but its strength as an Armor was undoubtedly formidable.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! The contestant appearing before you has attained the Eighth Rank in Combat Skills ¡ª Mishael!¡±


    As Rocky came to understand exactly what Armor Mishael was wearing, the announcer¡¯s voice was heard once again:


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, contestant Mishael surely needs no further introduction from me. As of today, he has participated in one hundred and thirty-three rank matches and emerged victorious in one hundred and nineteen of them, having lost only fourteen matches in his entire competitive career. Such an impressive record has made him a true star in the Arena.¡±


    Following the announcer¡¯s introduction, Mishael, clad in his bulky Armor, took heavy steps and slowly approached the stage.


    ¡°`


    Although nearly everyone who came to watch the match today was there for Denise and the new generation of Armor, most people didn¡¯t care much about who her opponent was. Even so, when Mishael made his appearance, there was still a strong cheer from the stands.


    Actually, Mishael was a bona fide celebrity fighter, his Eighth Rank in Combat Skills and record of over a hundred victories being the best testimony to his star quality.


    You see, once a Combat Skill Rank reaches Ten-rank, high-end matches ensue, and while the Arena does set up matches to foster fighters or create highlights, this only applies to low-end events. In high-end competitions, no fiddling occurs, simply because it¡¯s unnecessary. High-end matches are inherently a clash of the strong against the strong, brimming with enticing moments.


    Therefore, Mishael¡¯s record was all earned in earnest combat, his strength devoid of any watered-down elements.


    Meanwhile, as Mishael slowly made his way to the front of the stage, the announcer continued to introduce:


    ¡°Today, for this historic match, fighter Mishael has specially donned a brand-new Armor, the fourth generation land combat Special Armor, Mobile Fortress Type 2!¡±


    ¡°This Armor might be unfamiliar to many of you, but it is definitely a¡­¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for the announcer to introduce the Mobile Fortress Type 2 Armor to the audience and then he said, ¡°As everyone can probably tell, even with the experience of over a hundred matches and victories, player Mishael is under a lot of pressure for today¡¯s match and has made ample preparations. But I can assure you all, this is absolutely the right approach, because the opponent he faces today is undoubtedly worthy of such attention!¡±


    At this point, the announcer raised his voice, ¡°Now, please welcome the other competitor in this match!¡±


    ¡°Please welcome¡ªfighter Denise!¡±


    With the announcer¡¯s resonant voice, the entire audience stood up and looked in the same direction, all the distinguished guests in the boxes also stopped what they were doing or their small talk, and, like everyone else, turned to look the same way.


    Under such a myriad of gazes, the entrance on the other side of the stage slowly opened. As the gates parted inch by inch, the entire venue also became silent, everyone focusing intently on the scene before them.


    However, as everyone watched the entrance without blinking, and the doors gradually opened, they saw only a pitch-black corridor without a glimpse of Denise.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Why is there no one?¡±


    As they gazed into the dark passage, murmurs immediately rose from the seats, but just at the moment when the murmurs began, a flash of gold suddenly flew out of the pitch-black tunnel!


    This golden light appeared so suddenly and swiftly that by the time people noticed, it had already whooshed up above the stage. When everyone followed the tail of the light, they finally saw Denise, clad in golden Armor.


    Wearing the latest generation of Armor, Denise was hovering above the stage at that moment, looking down on everyone in the venue! S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her Armor, painted in gold, shone brilliantly yet wasn¡¯t at all ostentatious but rather exuded a sense of solemnity. Its streamlined design also made the Armor look sleek and fluid.


    The design of the Armor¡¯s Helmet was also quite ingenious, not employing a fully covered type but rather a half-covered one, meaning that it protected only the upper part of the head, leaving Denise¡¯s delicately pointed chin exposed. This not only made the Armor seem less cold but also added a touch of soft beauty, clearly a thoughtful and possibly bespoke design for Denise.


    Of course, these were just the finer details. What truly caught everyone¡¯s attention and left them speechless was the eight cone-shaped devices floating behind the Armor.


    These eight devices, known as external Magic Conduction Machines, were at the core of the Holy Angel Armor. The Magic Conduction Machines housed Super Crystals, providing the Armor with abundant Mana in an external attachment form. Visually, these eight Magic Conduction Machines were like two pairs of wings floating behind the Armor, earning the Holy Angel Armor its name.


    Hovering above the stage, Denise looked around and saw every person in the venue, from the audience to the announcer, to the multitude of distinguished guests in the boxes, all staring dumbfounded at her. This outcome clearly pleased her greatly, so after her lips curved into a beautiful arch, she began to descend slowly and gracefully to the stage floor like an Angel descending to the mortal world!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 273 - 268: Instant Kill!

    Chapter 273: Chapter 268: Instant Kill!


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen¡­audience!¡±


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! What now appears before your eyes is the latest generation of Armor developed by the Sigma Corporation! The Holy Angel Armor!¡±


    ¡°So beautiful! It¡¯s absolutely gorgeous! This Armor is just like a real Angel!¡±


    As everyone stared at Denise¡¯s arrival in the ring with stunned expressions, the announcer was the first to snap back to reality and then began to shout hoarsely.


    And with his shouting, the audience too came to their senses, soon followed by a tsunami of cheers.


    Having the chance to witness the debut of a new generation of Armor firsthand, all the spectators were extremely excited, and so they erupted into the most enthusiastic shouting and cheering as they recovered from their initial shock.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the VIP box, the important figures present showed various reactions, some with looks of surprise, while others furrowed their brows, everyone deep in thought.


    ¡°What technology is this?¡±


    After Holy Angel made such a conspicuous entrance, people like Aniye and the others in the VIP box naturally focused all their attention on this model of Armor. Unlike most of the others who were just there for the spectacle, they, being experts, were looking at the details and immediately saw the key point¡ªthe Magic Conduction Machine floating behind the Holy Angel Armor.


    With the eyesight of these masters, it was clear that this unknown device was the core of the Armor, but even they had no idea what the device actually was.


    This was not surprising; although the Holy Angel Armor was developed by Denise¡¯s own team, she and her group were part of the Sigma Corporation after all, so of course, the secrecy was very tight. It was impossible for outsiders to know any technical details regarding the Holy Angel Armor.


    So when Aniye, Orton, Hammerfire, and Pelaya saw the Holy Angel Armor, they looked at each other in bewilderment.


    In fact, like them, there were many who, although they knew the Holy Angel was a new generation of Armor, didn¡¯t know much about the specific configurations and actual combat power of this Armor. Given this situation, everyone became even more attentive, all wanting to see what was so special about this Armor touted as the latest generation?


    Without a doubt, Holy Angel¡¯s entrance was extremely successful because it sparked everyone¡¯s curiosity and anticipation, which is precisely what Denise wanted.


    So when she landed in the ring, she turned to look at the announcer with a clear message in her eyes, which was basically to cut the chatter and start the match!


    In fact, not just her, after Holy Angel¡¯s appearance, everyone present, from every ordinary spectator in the bleachers to every VIP in the boxes, didn¡¯t want to hear any more idle talk. They all just wanted to see the match, to witness firsthand how formidable the Holy Angel Armor truly was.


    The announcer clearly felt everyone¡¯s ardent gaze, so he stopped beating around the bush and directly announced the start of the match!


    ¡°The competition¡ªbegins!!¡±


    With the announcer¡¯s drawn-out voice, this highly anticipated match finally got underway.


    As the match started, Mishael, who had been waiting by the ring for some time, rose slowly and then descended gradually onto the platform.


    During the process of stepping onto the ring, Mishael¡¯s movements were unusually clumsy and slow, because that¡¯s just how the Moving Fortress Type 2 Armor was designed. From the outset, this model of Armor sacrificed agility focusing entirely on heavy armor and formidable firepower. Still, don¡¯t underestimate this Armor just because of its lack of nimbleness; despite its poor maneuverability, its defensive power and offensive capability were extremely strong, just like its namesake¡ªa Moving Fortress!


    Upon reaching the ring, Mishael was the first to take action!


    Wearing the heavy Armor, as soon as he stepped onto the platform, he activated his Defensive Net.


    An observable magic energy defense net was deployed in an instant, and not just one, but three in succession!


    ¡°Oh¡­!!¡±


    Even though everyone¡¯s focus was on Denise and the Holy Angel Armor, the sight of Mishael deploying three Defensive Nets in a row still drew a gasp from the audience.


    The Mobile Fortress Type 2 Armor, which stands out the most for its defensive power, was designed from the outset to combat Demons. Therefore, it made significant strides in defense capabilities, not only equipped with armor several times thicker than the standard Armor but also installed with several Defensive Nets. Once all the Defensive Nets were deployed, it was virtually impossible for the Armor to take any damage.


    Clearly, Mishael came prepared this time. Facing Denise and the latest generation of Holy Angel Armor, he evidently planned to adopt a defensive stance and rely on the formidable defensive power of the Mobile Fortress Type 2 to battle with Denise.


    Of course, he never really thought he could actually defeat Denise. What Mishael truly wanted was to hold her off. To put it more bluntly, if he could just make Denise feel embarrassed, then he would achieve his goal.


    Why?


    Why did Mishael want to embarrass Denise?


    It¡¯s simple, because that¡¯s what Uranus Corporation wanted him to do!


    Denise¡¯s intent to showcase the new generation of Armor to the world in the Arena and thereby restore faith in Sigma Corporation was no secret. As Sigma¡¯s biggest competitor, Uranus Corporation naturally wouldn¡¯t let things go her way. They sent their own warriors to intercept her and planned to thwart Denise¡¯s plans from every angle. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, when Denise¡¯s first opponent was confirmed, Uranus Corporation approached Mishael, offering tempting terms and providing him with the Mobile Fortress Type 2 Armor.


    Yes, the Mobile Fortress Type 2 Armor that Mishael was wearing was supplied by Uranus Corporation, and before handing it over, they further modified and strengthened the Armor¡¯s defensive capabilities to an extent that made it even more formidable than the original.


    Thus, do not underestimate the Mobile Fortress Type 2 Armor simply because it¡¯s only a fourth-generation Special Armor. That would be a huge mistake. After further modifications and enhancements, its defensive power, without discussing any other aspects, has far exceeded that of fourth-generation standards, and is not inferior even when compared to the fifth-generation Special Armors!


    In such circumstances, if Denise was even slightly careless, the debut of the Holy Angel Armor would be ruined!


    Having already calculated his strategy, Mishael ceased to act after deploying his Defensive Net. He knew that launching an attack was futile and that he couldn¡¯t defeat his opponent. His job was to wait for Denise to attack, and as long as she couldn¡¯t breach his defense, the Holy Angel¡¯s first match would be a flop, and his mission would be complete.


    Similarly, the audience at the scene also turned their eyes to Denise and her Holy Angel Armor, waiting for her to make a move.


    ¡°Come on¡­¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and come at me¡­¡±


    Enclosed within the Armor, Mishael muttered softly to himself while nervously sweating.


    As if heeding his murmurs, Denise indeed made her move shortly after.


    However, Denise herself did not move; she remained as gracefully poised in the ring as ever, but the eight conical Magic Conduction Machines hovering behind her Armor suddenly sprang into action!


    The eight conical Magic Conduction Machines all unfolded and then aimed at Mishael like eight spikes.


    What was she planning to do?


    Seeing this, everyone in the audience was stunned. No one knew what Magic Conduction Machines were, so they had no idea what Denise was up to.


    But at that moment, when everyone was looking at each other in confusion, eight beams of Magic Energy shot out without warning from the tips of the Magic Conduction Machines. Then, with a massive blast, Mishael, who had made all the preparations, was blown out of the ring!


    With a thunderous crash, Mishael, who had been flung away, smashed into the wall of the Arena. The three Defensive Nets he had deployed were all shattered through, and his thick armor was pulverized!


    Instant kill!


    Denise only needed one strike to instantly take down her opponent!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 274 - 269: Enemies Meet

    Chapter 274: Chapter 269: Enemies Meet


    The first match that Denise participated in with the Holy Angel Armor had just begun when it suddenly ended, as she eliminated her opponent instantly!


    Although the match ended unusually quickly, taking only two minutes from start to finish, it caused a huge sensation, simply because the performance of the Holy Angel Armor was too impressive. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wearing the Holy Angel Armor, Denise needed only one strike to instantly defeat the Mobile Fortress Type 2, whose defensive power was reputed to be the best among the fourth generation armors. This achievement could certainly be described as jaw-dropping.


    Don¡¯t assume that the Mobile Fortress Type 2, as a fourth-generation armor, is weak. In fact, this is far from the case. The fourth-generation armors, especially the Special Armors, have not been phased out even today. Although they cannot compare with the fifth-generation of the same type, even the fifth-generation Special Armors would find it difficult to defeat them instantly. If there is any, it¡¯s because of the gap between the Void Magic Warriors, not the armors themselves.


    It was because of this that, with just a two-minute match, Denise let the world see the terrifying power of the Holy Angel Armor¡ªa single, ordinary strike was all it took to eliminate a top defensive fourth-generation Special Armor, the Mobile Fortress Type 2, proving just how formidable the new generation of armor was.


    Thus, after the match ended, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the brand-new Holy Angel Armor.


    ...


    This outcome was precisely what Denise and Sigma Corporation wanted to see. However, they weren¡¯t in a rush to do anything because, in their view, the showcasing of the Holy Angel Armor was far from over. It was just the beginning. Denise planned through match after match to fully build up the momentum of the Holy Angel Armor, which was necessary to compete with Uranus Company.


    To achieve this, Denise and Sigma Corporation had put in great effort. Not only did they invite numerous dignitaries before the match started, but they also hosted a grand ball on the evening of the first match, inviting all the eminent figures in Eternal City to further promote the Holy Angel Armor and to win people¡¯s hearts.


    Eternal City always had balls; one could say they were ceaseless throughout the seasons. Yet, even so, the ball hosted by Sigma Corporation could be described as exceptional.


    The caliber of the guests at this ball was indeed terrifying.


    After Denise¡¯s match ended, Sigma Corporation sent invitations to every guest who watched the match in the VIP boxes. We¡¯ve already mentioned who attended the match¡ªthese were all notable figures in the entire sky. Apart from them, some other prominent figures who didn¡¯t watch the match also received invitations.


    What surprised Rocky was that he also received an invitation.


    ¡°It seems¡­ this time I¡¯m benefiting from my teachers¡¯ prestige¡­¡±


    When Sigma Corporation¡¯s representative delivered the invitation to Rocky, he was naturally surprised. After all, a ball of such scale and level would not normally extend an invitation to him, as he was just the lord of a small Sky City.


    But as soon as he opened the invitation, he immediately understood what was going on. It was clear that the invitation wasn¡¯t just for him; it invited Orton, Aniye, Hammerfire, Pelaya, and himself to attend the ball together. Note, the names of the other four were listed before his.


    With this, it was clear that inviting Rocky was just an afterthought by Sigma Corporation; their real aim was to invite Orton and the others.


    Indeed, this was the case. Although Sigma Corporation invited many dignitaries to the ball, its ultimate purpose was business. As such, the affair inevitably seemed a bit mercenary. Therefore, balls of this kind always included some invitees unrelated to business but who possessed significant status and position, thereby enhancing the event¡¯s appearance and making it seem more tasteful.


    So after receiving the invitation, Rocky headed to the research institute. Since Sigma Corporation truly intended to invite Orton and his team, and he was merely included by association, Rocky could not decide on his own whether to attend or not; he had to ask for Orton and the others¡¯ opinions.


    When Rocky arrived at the research institute and met Orton and the others, the masters were deeply engrossed in a fierce discussion, which naturally centered on the Holy Angel Armor.


    It cannot be denied, the Holy Angel Armor¡¯s debut was indeed stunning enough to astonish these masters, so after returning to Thunderhawk City, they began their research. On one hand, they studied the Holy Angel Armor; on the other, they were also looking into whether studying the Holy Angel could lead to enhancements to the White Demon Armor¡ªcould the stone from other hills be used to polish jade?


    By the time Rocky handed the invitation to Orton, Orton accepted without a second thought.


    ¡°Go! Of course, we must go! I really want to ask those guys at Sigma Corporation what technology the Holy Angel Armor uses.¡±


    Given Orton¡¯s personality, he was usually quite averse to such balls, typically not even giving them a moment¡¯s consideration, but this time was different. The impression the Holy Angel Armor left on him was profound, prompting Orton to also want to inquire what technology the other party had employed. The others were thinking similarly.


    Thus, the group made a decision to attend the ball hosted by Sigma Corporation together.


    Before long, it turned to evening, and Rocky and his group arrived at the Eternal City. Sigma Corporation had arranged everything thoroughly, having dispatched people to wait at the Skyport already. Thus, as soon as Rocky and his company disembarked from the Skyship, they directly got into a carriage and headed straight for the ball venue.


    The carriage ride was silent, and about half an hour later, they reached the venue.


    When Rocky and his group arrived, the ball had just started, so there were many people entering, and they followed the crowd inside which was not unusual.


    However, what Rocky failed to notice was that as he and the others were lining up ready to enter the venue, other carriages continued to arrive, and one of these carriages stopped, and after the passengers disembarked, someone immediately recognized him!


    ¡°Is this guy here too?¡±


    After glancing at Rocky, who was lining up to enter, Xia Nai frowned and then waved over the servant following her.


    ¡°Find out who this guy is, why he is here, and what his story is.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    With that, the servant immediately left, soon disappearing from sight.


    After the servant had left, Xia Nai looked coldly at Rocky from behind, especially glancing at Liliya who was beside him, then sneered and joined the queue to enter amidst a crowd of people.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 275 - 270: Meeting Xia Nai Again!

    Chapter 275: Chapter 270: Meeting Xia Nai Again!


    Xia Nai was unaware that she was queuing to enter right behind him, and it didn¡¯t take long before he made his way into the dance party venue.


    Even though Rocky had attended more than one dance party before, he still got startled by the grand gesture of the Sigma Corporation when he entered the venue; the place was decorated too beautifully.


    The huge venue had two floors and could easily accommodate several hundred people. The interior decorations and arrangements were of the highest quality, which didn¡¯t need to be specified, and even the waitstaff looked noble, evidently having undergone strict training.


    At the same time, there was a massive stage inside the venue, where a full band was playing music non-stop. Amid the melodious music, guests were either dancing with their partners or chatting in small clusters, creating a lively atmosphere.


    ¡°Master Aniye.¡±


    Not long after Rocky and the others had just stepped into the venue, Denise, dressed in a magnificent outfit, came over and approached the group.


    ... S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although they would meet many times in the future, now was the first time Rocky was seeing Denise, and even he had to admit that she was different from ordinary women. Denise seemed to combine the best qualities of Liliya and Aileen; she exuded a knightly spirit and nobility¡¯s elegance, making her extremely eye-catching.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky.¡±


    Denise nodded politely to Rocky as a greeting when she approached the group and then turned to Aniye and the others: ¡°Master Aniye, it is our honor to have you here.¡±


    ¡°Master Hammerfire, you¡¯re still as robust as ever.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Pelaya, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    ¡°And Master Orton, my father always mentions you to me¡­¡±


    After giving a simple nod to Rocky, Denise enthusiastically started greeting Orton and the others. She was not only warm but also seemed particularly familiar with them.


    In fact, Denise wasn¡¯t that close to Orton and the others, but they had indeed met before and recognized each other. With her status, it was not unusual for her to have attended various events and met various distinguished figures to know Orton and the others.


    And after exchanging pleasantries with the masters for a while, Denise asked inopportunely, ¡°Masters, what do you think of today¡¯s competition?¡±


    Clearly, Denise was very adept at networking. For example, her question provided a common topic for everyone and also served as an asset for her own conversation bank.


    Orton and the others were all academic masters deeply involved in Armor development, so if she could get them to praise the Holy Angel Armor, whether out of politeness or not, Denise would have something to talk about with others.


    Moreover, Denise was clever. When discussing the competition, she only spoke about the competition itself and mentioned the Holy Angel Armor sparingly, making it hard for Orton to find the opportunity to ask questions.


    Of course, she treated not only Orton this way but also all the attendees that day. While everyone present came for the Holy Angel Armor, Denise, when chatting with them, hardly overemphasized the Armor itself.


    Why was she doing this?


    Of course, it was to keep them on tenterhooks!


    Everyone who had come to the dance party was here for the Holy Angel Armor. If they got what they wanted too soon, how could she create a buzz? It¡¯s like a woman undressing¡ªthe act is most enticing when it happens gradually. If she strips down all at once, it loses its appeal.


    So in face of everyone at the party, Denise was proactive and enthusiastic in conversation, but regarding the Holy Angel Armor, she only gave them a taste and then steered the conversation to other matters.


    For example, now, facing the continuous questioning of Orton and others, Denise, while smiling deceitfully, deflected the conversation and said to everyone, ¡°Gentlemen, my father is also here, and he surely has many things he would like to discuss with you all. Please, come with me.¡±


    At today¡¯s dance, Denise¡¯s father, Tom, who is also the Sect Leader of Sigma Corporation, was present. So, facing the increasingly sharp questions from Orton and the others, Denise brought up her father, effortlessly shifting the conversation before leading Orton and his group to meet Tom.


    After they had left, City Lord Rocky, who was left behind, glanced at Liliya and displayed a wry smile.


    He could see that at this dance, he really was just an accessory. If it weren¡¯t for learning about Orton¡¯s presence in Thunderhawk City, Denise certainly wouldn¡¯t have sent him an invitation. Indeed, in such a setting, his presence was hardly necessary.


    However, Rocky didn¡¯t care much about this. He was clear in his mind that the only reason he had come to the dance was to accompany Orton and his party. As long as Orton and his friends were having fun, that was all that mattered to him.


    So, when Denise took Orton and the others away, Rocky and Liliya casually strolled through the venue together.


    The two chatted as they walked, appearing much more leisurely than the others, and in the process, they were not entirely alone, for they quickly encountered two acquaintances: a steward from the Green Apple Chamber of Commerce and the Guild President of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. Since Rocky had business dealings with both, he was familiar with them, and they had a cheerful conversation when they met.


    In summary, although Rocky wasn¡¯t the center of attention, he was content to relax at the dance, and when the music started later on, he even asked Liliya for a dance. Holding Liliya¡¯s slender waist, he felt the evening was well worth it.


    ¡°How was it? My dancing is not too bad, right?¡±


    After the dance ended, Rocky took two glasses of red wine from a waiter, handed one to Liliya, and asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I can¡¯t dance¡­¡±


    Taking the exquisite glass from Rocky, Liliya shook her head with a blush, because she really couldn¡¯t dance. Her mind was a complete blank while she was dancing with Rocky, almost entirely stepping on his feet, which resulted in her face still being red.


    Seeing Liliya¡¯s flushed face, Rocky smiled and then glanced unintentionally at the venue, and in that glance, he froze slightly.


    But just as Rocky was slightly stunned, a voice came from another direction.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, we meet again.¡±


    This sudden voice was not soft. Not only did Rocky hear it, but many nearby people did as well, and when Rocky looked in the direction of the voice, he couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    Xia Nai.


    When Rocky followed the sound, he saw Xia Nai approaching him with a grin that barely hid his scorn, and he wasn¡¯t alone; he was accompanied by several others of similar age, dressed in a way that clearly marked them as guests.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Xia Nai to bring the group to Rocky, and then he cheerfully said to those around him:


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this is City Lord Rocky whom I mentioned to you all.¡±


    ¡°Him? Impossible!¡±


    As soon as Xia Nai finished speaking, a lady with an air of nobility made an exaggerated expression, asking in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t he the City Lord of a small Sky City? How did he manage to get into an event like this?¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 276 - 271: Wheres Your Dad?

    Chapter 276: Chapter 271: Where¡¯s Your Dad?


    Standing next to Xia Nai, the woman glanced at Rocky and burst out in an exaggerated exclamation, ¡°How did someone like the owner of a small Sky City mix in here?!¡±


    This exclamation was not quiet. Not only did Rocky hear it, but many of the surrounding guests did as well, and they all turned their heads to look at Rocky.


    It is no wonder that people reacted this way, given today¡¯s ball had such high standards. All the invited guests were renowned big shots, so there were certainly no minor characters.


    What counts as a minor character?


    At least at today¡¯s ball, even the lords of medium-sized Sky Cities are minor characters! This means that among the city lords attending today¡¯s ball, the least influential were from large Sky Cities!


    That was why, when people heard that Rocky was the lord of a small Sky City, they were all very surprised, especially since the woman next to Xia Nai emphasized that Rocky had ¡®sneaked¡¯ in, inevitably leading others to speculate.


    ...


    Clearly, this woman did it on purpose to make Rocky feel uncomfortable!


    After that, a group of people around Xia Nai burst into raucous laughter.


    You should know that at such a ball, everyone chats quietly. After all, this is a ball, not a marketplace, and the attendees are dignified guests, not vegetable shoppers. They are expected to maintain a certain standard of behavior.


    Therefore, their laughter immediately caught the attention of even more people. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But it was clear that they did it on purpose, for right after that, Xia Nai said to Rocky in a raised voice,


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, why are you still attending the ball? Don¡¯t you need to prepare for the competition?¡±


    ¡°Competition, Xia Nai? What competition?¡±


    As soon as Xia Nai finished speaking, someone immediately asked, coordinating perfectly.


    ¡°Of course, the Arena competition.¡±


    ¡°Oh? So City Lord Rocky is also participating in the Arena competition?¡±


    Seeing Xia Nai mention the Arena competition, those around him displayed a realization, and the extravagant woman looked at Rocky, ¡°So like Xia Nai, City Lord Rocky is also going to the Arena to train?¡±


    ¡°How can that be?¡±


    No sooner had she finished speaking, before Rocky could even answer, someone said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of City Lord Rocky¡¯s deeds; he provoked Wild Horse City and came here for refuge. So in my opinion, it¡¯s likely that City Lord Rocky is participating in the Arena competition to make money, given that taking refuge in Eternal City costs quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, is that true?¡±


    Hearing this, the woman who spoke earlier blinked at Rocky with a mocking expression.


    These people spoke so loudly that their voices carried and all the nearby guests heard them, so they all looked toward Rocky.


    As for how these people knew about this, it was simple, Xia Nai had just found out.


    Rocky was far more famous than he had imagined. During his initial battle with Baron Wolin, he first appeared in the Shadow Alliance weekly. Later, when he and Karina wiped out the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, he was mentioned again in the Shadow Alliance weekly, and about two or three months ago, his assassination in Eternal City, although not heavily publicized by the Shadow Alliance, was also mentioned in their weekly report.


    In such circumstances, it was quite easy to inquire about his situation. The only difficult part was the Arena competition ¨C nobody knew he had participated, and even the competitors had no idea who he was, but Xia Nai managed to keep it from being concealed. After all, Xia Nai was a competitor and had met Rocky before.


    So when he saw Rocky entering, he immediately sent someone to find out the specifics about Rocky and, with a bit of deduction, figured out what was going on, leading to the current scene.


    The previous conflict with Rocky had always bothered Xia Nai. As the son of the Marquis of the Kafka Empire, he had never been rejected by anyone. Everyone welcomed him with smiles, unlike how Rocky treated him.


    Xia Nai couldn¡¯t swallow his pride, and he hadn¡¯t expected to run into Rocky again today.


    He was here because he had received an invitation; after all, Xia Nai was the son of the Marquis of Kafka Empire. Although his father wasn¡¯t present, it was still customary for Sigma Corporation to extend an invitation, meaning he was attending the ball on behalf of his father.


    So when he discovered that Rocky was also attending the ball, he had already made up his mind that he would not make things easy for Rocky!


    Regarding this idea of Xia Nai, his companions naturally understood him well, and they kept trying to find ways to embarrass Rocky.


    ¡°Lord Rocky, are you conceding?¡±


    Seeing that Rocky had not responded for a long time, the woman beside Xia Nai glanced at him with contempt, ¡°Ah¡­ I thought I was meeting an impressive City Lord, but it turns out to be a pauper who has to make money by fighting in the arena, it¡¯s really¡­¡±


    Halfway through her sentence, she shook her head and then displayed a look of resignation.


    ¡°Meiling, there¡¯s no need to be disappointed with such a person, he¡¯s just that kind of trash.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, and besides, you already have Xia Nai, hehe.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Xia Nai is the capable one.¡±


    During their conversation, the woman named Meiling linked her arm through Xia Nai¡¯s, while also casting a glance at Liliya.


    ¡°Lord Rocky, don¡¯t you have anything to say?¡±


    With his arm linked by Meiling, Xia Nai wore a proud expression on his face, then he grinned at Rocky, seemingly waiting for him to explode in anger.


    But he was disappointed.


    In reality, while others were babbling, Rocky hadn¡¯t said a word. He just held his wine glass, sipping the red wine while observing the bickering around him as if watching a lively scene.


    However, faced with Xia Nai¡¯s remark, he slowly curved his lips into a smile. Stepping forward, he stood right across from him.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s your dad?¡±


    With a smile, Rocky glanced at Xia Nai, his words freezing Xia Nai¡¯s smile on his face!


    ¡°What, what did you say?¡±


    Clearly, Xia Nai was staggered by the question, taking quite a while to respond.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking about your dad, tell him to come here, I have business with him,¡± Rocky said sternly, looking directly at Xia Nai.


    ¡°What, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°Adult¡¯s business, kid, don¡¯t ask too many questions,¡± Rocky said, glancing at Xia Nai and shooing him with his hand.


    As soon as he finished speaking, Xia Nai¡¯s complexion changed drastically, turning a ghastly pale, while a round of subdued laughter spread among the bystanders.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 277 - 272: Slanderous Accusations

    Chapter 277: Chapter 272: Slanderous Accusations


    In order to embarrass Rocky, Xia Nai and his group spoke very loudly, causing many guests around them to hear and drawing the attention of many, so when Rocky finished his remark, quite a few guests chuckled softly.


    Anyone could clearly understand the meaning of his words, he was telling Xia Nai, ¡°You are not even qualified to speak to me; your father has to come if you want to say something. Only a City Lord is qualified to talk to another City Lord as an equal.¡±


    ¡°What did you say! Do you know who Xia Nai¡¯s father is! How dare you speak like that!¡±


    When Xia Nai¡¯s face turned livid with anger, the people beside him snapped to their senses, and immediately someone jumped out, pointing at Rocky and exclaimed.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Glancing at the man, Rocky casually asked.


    ...


    ¡°I am¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you the City Lord?¡±


    ¡°I, I¡­¡±


    ¡°If not, go stand aside!¡±


    Not letting the other party finish, Rocky rudely interrupted, leaving the man stuttering and unable to open his mouth.


    The people following Xia Nai were naturally either wealthy or noble; all were offspring of nobility with significant status. Despite their wealth and nobility, they couldn¡¯t match Rocky in terms of presence, as Rocky was after all the City Lord, with a status and an aura that ordinary people couldn¡¯t compare with.


    So when he finished this statement, the other party¡¯s face turned beet red, and he could not utter a single word, because although he was a noble, anyone knew that a noble without the title of a City Lord was nothing in front of a real City Lord.


    ¡°How, how can you be so tyrannical! Just because you are a City Lord!¡±


    When Rocky managed to leave Xia Nai¡¯s entourage at a loss for words with a single sentence, Meiling, who was clutching Xia Nai¡¯s arm, spoke up indignantly.


    ¡°Tongue-wagging.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky turned his head to look at her and then scoffed; ¡°Silence her!¡±


    After this, Liliya promptly stepped forward and without another word, a sharp slap sound was heard as a slap landed on the woman¡¯s face!


    In dealing with these people, Liliya showed no mercy. A slap hit Meiling¡¯s face, spinning her around on the spot, and she fell to the ground with a thud.


    A pampered noblewoman unaccustomed to such treatment, Meiling then covered half of her face with her hand, looking at Rocky and Liliya, utterly stunned.


    ¡°You! You dare to hit someone!¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Liliya lay a hand on someone, someone from Xia Nai¡¯s side immediately protested, and others hurried to help her up, while another tall man strode towards Liliya.


    ¡°You dare to strike a noble, you really have some nerve!¡±


    As he spoke, the man reached Liliya and raised his hand to strike her!


    But no sooner had he raised his hand halfway than he felt a fierce kick in his ribs, landing right on his soft ribs, causing him pain that made him kneel on the ground clutching his ribs.


    That kick was delivered by Rocky, who, even though he knew Liliya couldn¡¯t be defeated, couldn¡¯t stand by and watch someone lay a hand on her.


    Thus, the situation began to spiral out of control, which was no surprise at a formal dance of this caliber¡ªsuch direct physical confrontation had never occurred before. Therefore, it immediately drew the attention of many people.


    But while it caught everyone¡¯s attention, there was no disturbance, as all the attendees were significant figures who were used to grand events; they were merely curious, looking at Rocky, wondering who he was, given his boldness and temper.


    ¡°Everyone, stop!¡±


    Meanwhile, sensing something was amiss, the guards quickly parted the crowd and approached Rocky and his group. A few guards hurried to assist the man who had fallen to the ground, while another guard, who appeared to be a captain, frowned as he looked at Rocky and Xia Nai.


    ¡°You two, what are you doing!¡±


    These guards were from the Sigma Corporation, so they were very assertive and asked with an unfriendly expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡±


    No sooner had the Captain of the Guards asked this than Rocky smiled and spoke, glancing at Xia Nai, whose face had turned ashen, and said, ¡°This man and woman attempted to assassinate, you¡¯ve arrived just in time. Arrest them.¡±


    ¡°What, what did you say!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡±


    ¡°It was you who struck first!¡±


    After Rocky said this, not just others but even Xia Nai was about to explode. Wasn¡¯t this a blatant lie, making false accusations with eyes wide open! They had not attempted any assassination!


    Like Xia Nai¡¯s reaction, the Captain of the Guards was also stunned upon hearing this and then his expression turned ugly.


    He was no fool and could easily tell that Rocky was spouting nonsense, but even though he knew it, he was unable to argue.


    In such an important setting, remembering every guest¡¯s identity was the most basic duty of the guards, so he knew Rocky¡¯s identity as the City Lord. And if a City Lord claimed there was an assassination attempt, then, even if he knew it was nonsense, it had to be taken seriously.


    Thus, the Captain of the Guards glared fiercely at the people around Xia Nai, thinking, ¡°Are these people out of their minds? It¡¯s one thing for Xia Nai to confront Rocky, as after all, he has his father the City Lord to back him up. But what role do these people think they are playing? Is this something they should meddle in?¡±


    ¡°Who attempted to assassinate my apprentice?¡±


    As the Captain of the Guards was glaring at the nobles surrounding Xia Nai while feeling troubled, someone shouted. Turning around, the crowd saw Orton, Pelaya, and Hammerfire approaching swiftly.


    Upon seeing these three, everyone quickly made way, as many present knew they were master scholars and held them in high regard.


    ¡°Who attempted to assassinate my apprentice? Again?¡±


    Orton hastily reached where Rocky was, his eyes wide, looking seriously at Xia Nai and the crowd around him.


    ¡°Master Orton, don¡¯t rush, this is surely a misunderstanding.¡±


    As Orton and others approached, Denise¡¯s voice was also heard, and when everyone followed the sound, they saw Denise, Aniye, and a manager from the Continental Commerce Chamber, among others, walking toward them.


    Clearly, the commotion had alerted the hosts of the banquet, compelling Denise to come over. As she did, the focus of the entire hall naturally shifted with her.


    Dressed in elegant attire, Denise parted the crowd and approached Rocky and Orton. She nodded at Orton and then turned to Rocky.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, don¡¯t rush. I think this might be a misunderstanding.¡±


    Although Denise¡¯s face still wore an elegant smile, even her concerted effort to maintain composure could not hide a trace of displeasure in her elegant smile.


    No wonder, as today¡¯s banquet was specifically organized by Denise and the Sigma Corporation to promote the new generation of Armor, both Denise and the Sigma Corporation hoped the event would proceed smoothly without any issues. Yet this incident had erupted¡ªhow could she be pleased?


    ¡°Indeed, this must be a misunderstanding.¡±


    Hardly had she finished speaking, and before Rocky could respond, Hammerfire spoke up first.


    ¡°Young Lord, these people definitely weren¡¯t here to assassinate you, you misunderstood.¡±


    After saying this, Hammerfire then turned to Denise, ¡°Young lady, as I see it, these folks were definitely here to snoop around for information about the New Armor! You should thoroughly investigate them!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 278 - 273: Letter from an Acquaintance

    Chapter 278: Chapter 273: Letter from an Acquaintance


    Given Hammerfire¡¯s status, he could speak bluntly at any time and any occasion, so when he referred to Denise directly as ¡°girl,¡± considering Hammerfire¡¯s age, the term was not inappropriate.


    ¡°Girl,¡± Hammerfire said, ¡°I think you¡¯d better be careful with these people; they might be here to spy on the information about the New Armor!¡±


    Hammerfire, who stood a little over a meter tall, spoke while looking up at Xia Nai and the group around him, causing their faces to turn instantly pale and ashen.


    What exactly pale and ashen looks like, no one knew, but it was certainly not a good look.


    Indeed, when these people heard what Hammerfire had said, their faces turned extremely unpleasant and even cold sweat broke out. Rocky had already accused them of plotting an assassination, which was defamatory in itself; now Hammerfire went further, dropping a huge accusation of corporate espionage on them¡ªan accusation they could hardly bear!


    Denise, who heard this too, secretly sighed. She knew full well Hammerfire was making it up. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t believe someone might spy on the Holy Angel Armor¡¯s information¡ªactually, quite a few would like to do that; she simply didn¡¯t believe these individuals around Xia Nai dared to do such a thing.


    ...


    Clearly, Hammerfire spoke deliberately. The hundred-year-old Hammerfire perfectly embodied the adage ¡°old but cunning.¡± He was well aware that under Denise¡¯s intervention, Rocky wouldn¡¯t stand a chance if Denise declared his conflict with Xia Nai a misunderstanding¡ªeven if reluctantly, Rocky would have to agree it was merely a misunderstanding.


    That¡¯s why he spoke out, forcibly labeling them corporate spies. With his status, Denise was now unable to claim it was a misunderstanding without others questioning her and Sigma Corporation.


    Thus, after this, Denise gave Meiling and the others a dark look but remained silent, merely signaling the Captain of the Guards, who immediately took the cue and then issued an order: ¡°Arrest them all!¡±


    At his command, several guards rushed forward, seizing all the nobles around Xia Nai and escorting them out of the venue!


    After these individuals were taken away, Denise managed to squeeze a smile on her face, nodded at Hammerfire, and walked away without so much as a glance at Rocky.


    It was evident that after this commotion, Denise¡¯s impression of Rocky was not likely to improve.


    ¡°City Lord, don¡¯t worry,¡± Hammerfire said.


    As Denise and others left, Hammerfire patted Rocky¡¯s thigh, reaching only as high as his thigh: ¡°Just eat, drink, and forget about it.¡±


    After saying this, Hammerfire and Orton left as well because they had encountered many acquaintances at the party and needed to mingle.


    Once everyone had left, only Rocky and Xia Nai remained.


    When the guards took the others away, they had not dared touch Xia Nai; after all, given his status as the son of the Marquis of Kafka Empire, he was the future Marquis¡ªa person hardly anyone besides Rocky would provoke.


    At this moment, Xia Nai¡¯s face was beyond ugly¡ªit was horrendously so! He had never expected things to turn out this way. Initially, he had only intended to embarrass Rocky but ended up shooting himself in the foot, becoming the most humiliated one of them all.


    So, when everyone had dispersed and only Rocky was left facing him, Xia Nai looked at Rocky through gritted teeth and, after a long while, nodded fiercely:


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, you¡¯ve got me!¡±


    Gritting his teeth and glaring at Rocky, Xia Nai said menacingly, ¡°Next time, we¡¯ll meet in the ring, and then we¡¯ll see who can help you!¡±


    After those words, Xia Nai turned and left, unwilling to stay a moment longer, leaving the party!


    ¡°Trouble again¡­¡±


    Watching Xia Nai turn to leave, Rocky turned to Liliya and asked helplessly, ¡°Did I cause more trouble again?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    With a snort of laughter, Liliya nodded her head while laughing, but then said, ¡°The Mairente Family, Wild Horse City, you¡¯ve already stirred up a lot of trouble, so what¡¯s adding a Marquis of the Kafka Empire to the mix?¡±


    ¡°I love hearing that. There are many who want to kill me; Xia Nai is just one of them,¡± Rocky replied.


    Laughing heartily, Rocky continued talking to Liliya as they walked, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, would it be more troublesome if I killed him in the arena?¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t, because things are already very troublesome.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rocky glanced at Liliya and chuckled.


    Despite the recent conflict, Rocky followed Hammerfire¡¯s advice at the ball: he ate and drank without restraint. After all, with Aniye and Orton around, nobody could do much about it.


    Indeed, after the conflict, Rocky had actually gained more attention¡ªnot that Denise paid him any attention; she hadn¡¯t looked him in the eye since.


    But aside from Denise, others present at the ball began to actively seek Rocky out for conversation.


    It must be noted that the guests attending the ball were either famed or powerful, each a significant figure. They were intrigued to talk to Rocky¡ªcurious about a City Lord of a small Sky City daring to confront Xia Nai and his close ties with people like Aniye.


    Of course, these VIPs only had brief chats with Rocky, often just exchanging introductions. But even that was no small feat. Many people yearned for the opportunity to say a word or two in front of these luminaries, even just to mention their own names, which was usually impossible.


    Meanwhile, during the event, Rocky was continuously searching for someone, but after a full round, he couldn¡¯t find them.


    ¡°Who are you looking for?¡±


    Noticing Rocky aimlessly wandering around the ballroom, seemingly in search of someone, Liliya couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Oh, I thought I saw someone familiar¡­¡±


    Rocky had seen someone at the ball, which made him pause, but before he could get a clear view, Xia Nai arrived. However, after dealing with Xia Nai¡¯s matter, when he wanted to find that person again, he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Never mind, I might have been mistaken¡­¡±


    Shaking his head, Rocky withdrew his gaze.


    Thus, the ball proceeded as usual, lasting until after two in the morning, after which Rocky and his party left the venue and went back to the Star of the Sky.


    But just as he had returned to the Star of the Sky, a servant brought him a letter.


    ¡°Who gave this to you?¡±


    As Rocky took the envelope from the servant, he asked casually.


    ¡°City Lord, it was Miss Cyril from the Mairente Family who gave it to me.¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky nodded his head without much surprise because the familiar person he had seen at the ball was his cousin Cyril!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    Load failed, please RETRY

 Chapter 279 - 274: Making Trouble!

    Chapter 279: Chapter 274: Making Trouble!


    As a prominent family in the skies, the Mairente Family naturally received an invitation from Sigma Corporation, not only sending someone to watch the first performance of the Holy Angel Armor but also to participate in the subsequent ball, which included Rocky¡¯s cousin, Cyril.


    As the woman who was the clan leader of her family, Cyril¡¯s status need not be detailed; she often represented the family at various events, and this time was no exception. The family had sent her to attend the ball hosted by Sigma Corporation.


    At the ball, Cyril also saw Rocky, and even observed his conflict with Xia Nai, but she didn¡¯t intervene, simply because other family members were present.


    The matter between Rocky and Baron Wolin was well-known within the Mairente Family. Although Clan Leader Atted and Cyril had helped him covertly, or it could be said, for mutual benefits, Rocky was definitely not welcomed by the family publicly. With other family members around, Cyril had no way to interact with Rocky; her position didn¡¯t allow it.


    However, after the ball concluded, she left a letter for Rocky.


    Upon receiving this letter, Rocky was somewhat moved. He had no fondness for the Mairente Family, but he did not dislike his cousin, Cyril, who had helped him more than once. This assistance made it difficult for Rocky to harbor significant resentment toward her.


    ...


    When Rocky returned to his room and opened the envelope to see the contents inside, his brow furrowed into a bundle.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    inside the room, after reading the letter, his brow locked in concern, he didn¡¯t go to bed to sleep but instead sat alone on a chair, seemingly deep in thought, a position he held the entire night.


    The next day, he immediately returned to Thunderhawk City, then called Aileen, Monte, and Orton among others to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°My lord, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Once everyone had gathered, especially after seeing Rocky, they were all somewhat puzzled since Rocky, who had not slept all night, looked considerably worn. Yet, seeing the people he had summoned, all of whom were his confidants, everyone knew something significant was up for discussion.


    Indeed, it was the case.


    ¡°Everyone, yesterday I received a letter.¡±


    Looking at his group of close associates, Rocky spoke while taking out the letter Cyril had given him and then handed it to Orton.


    Taking the envelope, Orton and three others grouped together to read it, and then afterwards, it was passed to Aileen and Monte. After they had finished reading, it was finally handed over to Liliya, who put it away.


    After everyone had looked at the letter, not very positive expressions emerged on their faces.


    At this point, Rocky spoke again, ¡°This letter was given to me by Cyril; you all know about my issues with the Mairente Family, so I believe the contents of this letter to be credible.¡±


    ¡°Sir, are you saying Lexington is sabotaging our efforts to join the Sky Alliance?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Glancing at Monte, Rocky nodded.


    The content of the letter Cyril gave to Rocky was actually quite straightforward. She only mentioned two things: one was to inform Rocky that his failure to hear back about joining the Sky Alliance was because Lexington had been interfering.


    According to Cyril, Holy Knight Wilton had spoken to the Alliance about Rocky¡¯s membership, and the Alliance had agreed. However, Wilton was immediately dispatched on military campaigns which left him no time to inquire personally about this matter.


    Thus, Lexington saw his opportunity. He reached out to his contacts within the Sky Alliance and successfully stifled the process. With Lexington¡¯s connections and influence, accomplishing this was all too easy since many within the Alliance knew him, but none knew Rocky.


    This was precisely why Rocky had been unable to join the Sky Alliance, and he might not manage it before Wilton¡¯s return. It was even conceivable that Wilton might forget about him entirely.


    Cyril¡¯s revelations solved a big mystery for Rocky as he had been pondering why there was no news from the Sky Alliance. Until now, he could only suspect that Wilton hadn¡¯t had the time, but after reading the letter, Rocky finally understood the truth behind the scenes¡ªit was Lexington¡¯s sabotage.


    As to the second matter Cyril mentioned in the letter, she had a suggestion for Rocky!


    As Cyril stated in the letter, there was no way for Rocky to join the Sky Alliance before Wilton¡¯s return; he was simply too outmatched by Lexington. However, for him, securing membership in the Alliance was the only way out. Otherwise, he would continuously find himself seeking refuge in Eternal City, facing Wild Horse City and Lexington¡ªa non-viable option. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, Cyril proposed a method to assist him.


    The method was simple: it was to attract the attention of the Sky Alliance!


    Wilton had already spoken to the Alliance about Rocky, and the Alliance had agreed to his joining, it was just that due to interference from below it had not been executed. One shouldn¡¯t underestimate these individuals; as a top force, the Sky Alliance didn¡¯t have the time to worry about a minor issue like Rocky¡¯s membership. Therefore, unless someone explicitly blocked it from happening, Rocky would be unable to join the Alliance.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 280 - 274: Making Trouble!_2

    Chapter 280: Chapter 274: Making Trouble!_2


    In this situation, he only had one method to resolve the matter, which was to actively draw the Alliance¡¯s attention. As long as he could achieve this, joining the Alliance would be settled.


    Put more bluntly, he needed the Alliance to remember he existed and, preferably, to regard him with a certain level of importance. That way, his accession to the Alliance would be secured; after all, due to Wilton¡¯s reason, the Alliance had already agreed to his joining, and the path ahead was paved.


    The reason why Rocky had summoned everyone today was exactly for this matter.


    Previously, because he did not know what Lexington had done, he could only wait when it came to the Sky Alliance, unable to do anything.


    But now it was different. Now that he knew the ins and outs of the situation, he could come up with targeted solutions or even take the initiative to strike.


    ¡°That¡¯s the situation. If anyone has any thoughts, feel free to speak,¡± he said after sharing his thoughts, and Rocky stopped talking. Instead, he turned to look at everyone. Whether or not he could join the Sky Alliance was vital for him, even a matter of life and death for him and Thunderhawk City, so he had to hear everyone¡¯s opinions.


    ...


    ¡°Strength and potential,¡± Pelaya said, opening her mouth and breaking the silence with this succinct remark as Rocky looked towards the group.


    ¡°Master, what do you mean¡­?¡± Rocky quickly turned to Pelaya with a trace of confusion, not entirely understanding the meaning behind her words.


    In response, Pelaya smiled and then elaborated, ¡°To draw the attention of a behemoth like the Sky Alliance, what¡¯s most important is potential and strength.¡±


    You have to show the Alliance your potential and make them understand that your joining is beneficial for the future of the Alliance. Only then will you be taken seriously.¡±


    ¡°But potential alone isn¡¯t enough; the Alliance doesn¡¯t have the time to nurture you slowly, so you must also have strength. You need to prove to the Alliance that you not only have potential for the future but also possess current strength. If you can achieve these two points, joining the Alliance won¡¯t be difficult.¡±


    Among the four from Orton, Pelaya had the highest emotional intelligence. Aside from Aniye, the grandmaster, Pelaya mingled better than both Orton and Hammerfire. Describing her as thriving wasn¡¯t an overstatement. A significant reason for this naturally stemmed from Pelaya¡¯s expertise in the field of Magic Energy Conduction, where she was a renowned master. But equally, her high emotional intelligence was an important contributing factor.


    As soon as she spoke, she revealed the essence of the issue. How to attract the attention of the Sky Alliance? Simple. Just demonstrate that you have potential and strength; that¡¯s it.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying it¡¯s time to stir things up?¡± Rocky pondered for a moment after listening to Pelaya¡¯s explanation, then remarked.


    He wasn¡¯t joking with his statement. To prove his potential and strength to the Sky Alliance, he couldn¡¯t just stay holed up in Thunderhawk City. To prove these two points, he simply had to make something happen, and, preferably, something big!


    But exactly what should he stir up?


    Before Rocky could think of something, Orton spoke up, ¡°Isn¡¯t that easy? Doesn¡¯t the White Demon alone suffice to prove your potential?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t we already planned for this? As soon as someone notices something odd about the White Demon, we¡¯ll publicly announce that the White Demon Armor is equipped with new technologies researched by all of us. I think this time we can be more proactive, not wait for others to notice; we should go ahead and announce it ourselves. By doing so, the Sky Alliance can¡¯t possibly ignore us.¡±


    As mentioned before, if anyone were to discover something abnormal with the Mana Rune, Orton and the others had already prepared a backup plan. According to the plan, they would publicly claim that the White Demon Armor was equipped with new technologies developed by the group in order to shift focus. The world¡¯s attention would be directed onto the fictitious new technologies, thereby overlooking the crucial Runes¡ªthe proverbial darkness under the lamp.


    Now, if Rocky wanted to stir things up, why not just go ahead with the announcement?


    Once the news was released, it might not cause as much of a sensation as the launch of a new generation of Armor, but given the academic status and the personal strengths of Orton and the others, it would definitely pique the interest of many, including the Sky Alliance.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡±


    After he had finished speaking, Hammerfire nodded in agreement, then added, ¡°Not only can we strike proactively, but we can also take advantage of the momentum.¡±


    ¡°Take advantage of momentum?¡±


    ¡°Yes, take advantage of the momentum created by Sigma Corporation¡¯s recent activities.¡± As Hammerfire spoke, he glanced at Rocky: ¡°City Lord kid, Sigma Corporation¡¯s girl has turned the arena into the focus of the whole world for their new generation of armor. You can completely ride this momentum to fight a few impressive battles. It would be best if you could fight Denise.¡±


    ¡°If you could fight Denise and perform well enough, perhaps even defeat her, then we could claim to be researching new technology in the wake of the event, couldn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Like this¡­¡±


    After hearing Hammerfire¡¯s words, Rocky frowned and pondered carefully. At that moment, Liliya also spoke up, ¡°Masters, I actually think there¡¯s no need for such complications.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing Liliya¡¯s remark, Rocky looked over at her, and then Liliya said, ¡°In fact, there¡¯s no need to specifically fight Denise. We can draw the Alliance¡¯s attention by fighting other strong competitors, like Xia Nai, for instance.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already got trouble with Xia Nai anyway, might as well make use of it.¡±


    ¡°If we can have a match with Xia Nai and win, we can then choose an unsuitable time to declare that we¡¯ve researched new technology. It will be enough to attract the Alliance¡¯s attention as well. This would also create anticipation among everyone, the anticipation for the collision of new technology and new armor, the anticipation for the clash of the White Demon and the Holy Angel.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t beat Denise¡¯s new armor.¡±


    As Liliya finished speaking, Rocky nodded his head; he found both Liliya and Hammerfire¡¯s suggestions sensible. However, this brought them back to the core problem¡ªWhite Demon Armor currently could not compete with Holy Angel Armor.


    No sooner had he said this than Liliya smiled: ¡°I didn¡¯t say you actually had to fight Denise. Isn¡¯t creating anticipation more significant than just determining the winner?¡±


    This was Liliya¡¯s real intention. She never wanted Rocky to actually face off with Denise because, in her eyes, it was too risky. Who knew whether Rocky or Denise would come out alive if they both stepped onto the stage? She didn¡¯t care whether Denise lived or died, but Rocky could not die, so Liliya had come up with this plan.


    ¡°Good! Smart girl, your plan is safer, and I agree!¡±


    At this juncture, Orton and Hammerfire among others nodded their heads, indicating that Liliya¡¯s method was good, even better than theirs.


    ¡°My lord, I, I also have something to say¡­¡±


    Just as everyone was nodding in agreement, Monte, who rarely spoke up in such gatherings, suddenly raised his hand.


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    After looking at Monte, Rocky was somewhat surprised but then nodded.


    ¡°My lord, I don¡¯t quite understand this leveraging momentum,¡± Monte scratched his head, sounding embarrassed. He really couldn¡¯t grasp all the convoluted ideas that Rocky and the others discussed, but he continued, ¡°But I remember you said that we will eventually have a battle with Wild Horse City.¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯re bound to fight eventually, all we need to do is defeat Wild Horse City. Even if we just win one battle, I believe that will be enough to prove your and Thunderhawk City¡¯s strength.¡±


    Scratching his head, Monte continued, ¡°What Rocky and the others were discussing previously was all about potential, and it was all related to Mana Runes and new armor, which Monte couldn¡¯t quite understand. However, he knew that proving Rocky¡¯s and Thunderhawk City¡¯s potential might be complicated, but proving their strength was simple¡ªjust win a battle!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 281 - 275 Duel

    Chapter 281: Chapter 275 Duel


    Although Rocky was loath to admit it, he indeed had a knack for stirring things up. In the past six months, whether on his own or in cahoots with others, he had definitely caused more than one incident worthy of making the weekly reports of the Shadow Alliance. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And now, in order to capture the attention of the Sky Alliance and remind them of his existence, Rocky was preparing to create a series of incidents!


    First, he would make his mark in the Arena!


    Just as Hammerfire had said, if one wanted to prove their potential to the Alliance, the Arena was the best platform, especially now with Sigma Corporation hyping up their new generation of Armors, having already turned the Arena into a focal point for the entire world. If someone could put on a spectacular or even unexpected match on such a stage, it would inevitably attract widespread attention.


    In such a situation, Rocky decided to stage a noteworthy match in the Arena, and he had already picked his target, Xia Nai!


    This season in the Arena¡¯s events, aside from Denise and another participant representing Uranus Corporation, Xia Nai was the most noticeable.


    ...


    Through strong performances in the matches and an extraordinary identity, plus deliberate cultivation by the Arena, Xia Nai had long become the center of attention. If Rocky wanted to draw attention to himself in the Arena, Xia Nai was undoubtedly the best stepping stone.


    Therefore, after making this decision, he immediately contacted Howard.


    ¡°I have seen the City Lord¡­¡±


    When Rocky had summoned Howard to Thunderhawk City and met with him at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Howard was somewhat surprised.


    He wasn¡¯t surprised by the identity of City Lord Rocky, as he had known about it far in advance. The Arena might not care about who Rocky really was, but that didn¡¯t mean they were unaware of Rocky¡¯s identity. What truly surprised Howard was that Rocky would meet him in the capacity of City Lord.


    According to the Arena¡¯s reasoning, Rocky was supposed to keep his identity hidden; it was precisely because of this presumption that the Arena had not made an issue of it. After all, a City Lord is still a City Lord, and respect is due.


    In light of this circumstance, when Howard met Rocky, he immediately realized something might be amiss¡ªRocky¡¯s meeting with him was definitely not just to arrange a match.


    As expected, Rocky got straight to the point, ¡°I want a match with Xia Nai.¡±


    ¡°What, what?¡±


    Hearing this, Howard was clearly stunned, and then he cautiously asked, ¡°City Lord, are you saying¡­ you want to compete with Xia Nai in the Arena?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ as what identity?¡±


    Seeing Rocky nod, Howard¡¯s eyes darted around before he tentatively asked.


    As the person responsible for liaising with the contestants, Howard was extremely shrewd; he immediately understood the significance of Rocky calling him to meet in his own city today.


    Just as he had hoped, Rocky then smiled, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter under what identity¡ªas anything. I just want a match with Xia Nai, no other competitions.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    After Rocky finished speaking, Howard couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    This request was clearly beyond his expectations; he could hear that Rocky had his reasons for such a demand, but he didn¡¯t know what those reasons were.


    Similarly, he could tell that Rocky was not joking¡ªthey were in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, a place where a City Lord would never make light-hearted remarks, a place reserved for serious business.


    So, Howard did not immediately answer, but frowned and thought for a while, displaying a very troubled demeanor.


    Indeed, to Howard, Rocky¡¯s request seemed quite difficult.


    Because it had already been stated more than once that the Arena had an internal assessment for each contestant, and it was precisely this kind of assessment that led to Rocky and Xia Nai being chosen as training targets. However, in the Arena¡¯s internal assessment, Rocky and Xia Nai were not on the same level.


    In the eyes of the Arena, Rocky¡¯s strength was very good. If he had to be given a level, he could definitely be rated as excellent, and any player rated as excellent had the potential to advance to the playoffs.


    Yet the Arena¡¯s evaluation of Xia Nai was that of a seed-level contestant!


    What does a seed-level contestant mean?


    It means not only being able to easily enter the playoffs but also having the strength to contend for the season championship!


    Only those who reached such strength would be rated as seed-level by the Arena, and Xia Nai had received this kind of evaluation.


    So, despite both Rocky and Xia Nai being the Arena¡¯s main focus for intensive training and promotion, in the Arena¡¯s view, Rocky was simply not a match for Xia Nai, because they were not on the same level at all!


    As one associated with the Arena, Howard certainly knew what kind of assessment these two had internally, which is why he thought for a long time before finally looking up at the high and mighty City Lord Rocky.


    ¡°My Lord, if that¡¯s the case¡­ I hope you can give me some time to prepare.¡±


    Although he did not believe that Rocky could really beat Xia Nai and did not understand why he would seek such a challenge, since Rocky had put it so solemnly, Howard ultimately agreed to his request.


    This kind of situation where someone is nominated for a match might be rather rare, but it was not entirely unheard of in the Arena. It was possible to make arrangements, but it required some preparatory work.


    What preparation?


    Naturally, it meant building hype for the match!


    In the eyes of the Arena, Rocky might not be as excellent as Xia Nai, but he was much stronger than the average contestant, so a match between them would definitely be a significant duel. Combined with their identities and, more importantly, their rivalry, these were all talking points for the match!


    Faced with such favorable talking points, how could the Arena not exploit them?


    Therefore, just as Howard said, arranging a match between Rocky and Xia Nai was possible, but it needed time for preparation, and this preparation was to build up the event, allowing the Arena to maximize benefits from the match.


    ¡°No problem, but you need to give me an approximate timeframe. I don¡¯t want to delay it too much.¡±


    ¡°One month, City Lord, give me one month to prepare.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Rocky smiled and nodded in agreement to Howard¡¯s request. One month was not a long time. He could wait, and it was also an opportune time for Orton and the others to make further improvements to the White Demon Armor.


    After they had agreed on this matter, Howard immediately left Thunderhawk City to return to the Arena to prepare.


    And once he had left, Rocky went straight to the research facility. He took his upcoming match with Xia Nai very seriously, and he did not have absolute confidence in victory; thus, he also needed to make adequate preparations. On the other hand, as City Lord, he had other matters to attend to, which in some ways were even more important than his match with Xia Nai!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 282 - 276: Void Magic Squad (Part 1)

    Chapter 282: Chapter 276: Void Magic Squad (Part 1)


    ¡°Teacher, the arena has scheduled my match with Xia Nai a month from now. Will there be enough time?¡±


    Having arrived at the research institute and met with Orton and others, Rocky discussed his upcoming match with Xia Nai. Hearing the timeline, Orton nodded, ¡°That¡¯s enough time. One month is sufficient for us to further improve the White Demon Armor.¡±


    It was common knowledge that Xia Nai wore the fifth generation of Special Armor, one of the top tiers within its rank. In this case, if Rocky wanted to compete and win against her, it was essential that the White Demon Armor undergo enhancements; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be fit for the match.


    Fortunately, after such an extensive period of testing, Orton and his team already had ideas for further enhancements to the White Demon, so it wouldn¡¯t take too long.


    After finishing this topic, Rocky then inquired, ¡°Teacher, are those other suits of Armor ready?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been completed, they¡¯re all outside. Go take a look yourself.¡±


    ...


    Orton, who stood in front of a research bench, didn¡¯t even turn his head, casually waving his hand before resuming his discussion with Hammerfire.


    Relieved by this news, Rocky didn¡¯t linger any longer and left the laboratory. He looked around the institute and finally found what he was looking for in a storeroom.


    Four sets of Void Magic Armor!


    Seeing the four suits of Armor stored in the storeroom, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief and then checked each of them in turn.


    These four sets of Void Magic Armor were precisely the ones he had confiscated from the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.


    Within the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, there were six members with Void Magic Armor, including the leader Kilov. Of these six, Kilov had escaped, one was killed by Rocky, and the remaining four were taken captive; the prisoners were handed over to Karina, but their Armor was claimed by Rocky.


    Initially, Rocky planned to use these four sets of Armor for Orton¡¯s research. Unfortunately, plans do not always keep up with changes. After the annihilation of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Orton embarked on the Rune Armor project and then hastily researched and created the White Demon Armor. Consequently, these four suits had been in Orton¡¯s possession but never used.


    Now, they would finally be put to use.


    If Rocky wished to draw the attention of the Alliance, he needed to demonstrate his potential and strength. To do so, he decided to create a significant event. On the one hand, he would use the combat arena as a platform to showcase the ¡®new technology¡¯ researched by Orton and others, displaying his potential for future development to catch the eye of the Sky Alliance.


    On the other hand, he planned to stage a massive battle with Wild Horse City to prove his strength.


    A great battle between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City was inevitable due to their deep-seated grudges. For Karlo, the City Lord of Wild Horse City, Rocky was one of the main culprits behind the demise of the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. Coupled with external forces like Lexington, he was determined to eliminate Rocky no matter what.


    The feeling was mutual for Rocky. Especially after the last assassination attempt, he knew his feud with Karlo was set in stone. Even if Karlo were to stand down, Rocky wouldn¡¯t. He would never tolerate anyone who wished him dead.


    ¡°`


    Therefore, Rocky had been preparing for this battle long ago, only that due to certain changes, he had to accelerate these preparations.


    At first, he planned to slowly make money using the Arena, hoping to drag it out until the Sky Alliance took the initiative to contact him. However, after receiving Cyril¡¯s letter, he knew that such passive waiting was no longer possible, and he had to take the initiative to strike. That¡¯s why he was eager to challenge Xia Nai to a duel, and the battle with Wild Horse City was also moved up the schedule.


    In this situation, not only did Rocky reclaim the four idle sets of Armor from Orton, but he also had Monte select two people from the Guard Corps. Then, led by Liliya, along with Monte and Lin Feng, they formed Thunderhawk City¡¯s first Void Magic Squad!


    This matter was actually something Rocky had been planning for a while. As soon as he eradicated the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, he had Monte look for candidates in the Guard Corps. But as the saying goes, plans can¡¯t keep up with changes, and a series of unforeseen events had delayed it.


    But now, with the battle against Wild Horse City officially on the schedule, the formation of the Void Magic Squad became urgent.


    As a medium-sized Sky City, Wild Horse City certainly had its own Void Magic Squad, and under these circumstances, Rocky needed to have a Void Magic Squad to counter it, or else there would be no chance of victory in battle.


    So, after thoroughly checking all four sets of Armor, Rocky went to the Guard Corps with Liliya, bringing the four sets of Void Magic Armor with them.


    ¡°Everyone stand in place!¡±


    With all the recent busyness, Rocky hadn¡¯t visited the Guard Corps for some time, so when he arrived, the Guards were excited because they knew that Rocky had brought the Void Magic Armor with him. Although it was already decided which lucky few would become the first Void Magic Warriors of Thunderhawk City, the Guards were still thrilled.


    The development space of Thunderhawk City, especially in the military aspect, was still very large. The city¡¯s military strength would continue to grow stronger, and there would certainly be more people who could become Void Magic Warriors in the future. The Guards thought, even if they weren¡¯t chosen this time, there would always be a next time. As long as they had the opportunity, wouldn¡¯t hope always be there?


    But perhaps due to their overexcitement, their formation was a bit disorganized after assembling, which made Monte quite unsatisfied, and he immediately shouted at them.


    As the captain of the Guard Corps, his shout was definitely effective, and it immediately quieted the troops. But even so, the Guards¡¯ faces were still full of joy, as they had already seen the four sets of Armor that Rocky had brought!


    These four sets of Armor, although they were captured from the enemy, were of good quality. All four sets were the same model, the fourth-generation Jumper 5 mass-produced Armor, with each set having a magic energy value of 3600 points. Even amongst all fourth-generation mass-produced Armor, this energy value was quite high.


    What¡¯s more important was that these four sets of Armor had already been modified by Orton and others!


    After being modified by Orton and his team, the magic energy value of the four sets of Armor had significantly increased to 4600 points, an increase of a full 1000 points. What was even more critical was that these four sets of Armor had been specifically enhanced according to the user¡¯s situation. That is to say, Orton and his team, during the process of modifying and strengthening these four sets of Armor, had also incorporated some customized technology!


    This was rather extravagant, as customized technology represented the most cutting-edge science of the time. Any Armor that employed this technology could be deemed the top Armor of its age, such as Wilton¡¯s Holy Knight Armor, Rocky¡¯s White Demon Armor, and Denise¡¯s Holy Angel Armor. These top Armors all employed customized technology.


    The four sets of Armor captured by Rocky had some customized technology integrated during their modification process. Although the inherent level of the Armor limited how much of this technology could be incorporated by Orton and his team, which was only a smidgeon in relation to complete customization, it was enough. Just this little bit of technology was sufficient to make these four sets of Armor fundamentally different from other mass-produced Armors!


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 283 - 277: Void Magic Squad (Part 2)

    Chapter 283: Chapter 277: Void Magic Squad (Part 2)


    Watching as Rocky brought the four sets of Void Magic Armor, the guards¡¯ eyes sparkled with excitement that was clearly written on their faces. Under their gaze, Rocky stepped forward and stood in front of the squad.


    In front of all the guards, he didn¡¯t say much, because the selection for the Void Magic Warriors had been ongoing for some time and no more needed to be said; thus, he immediately called out the names.


    ¡°Monte!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After the call, Monte, who was at the front of the troop, stepped forward and quickly jogged to Rocky¡¯s front.


    As the captain of the Guard Corps, managing the most important military force of Thunderhawk City, Monte was naturally Rocky¡¯s confidant. He was the first to know many of Rocky¡¯s important decisions and even had the privilege to participate in and discuss them. Even so, when he stood in front of Rocky, he could hardly hide his inner excitement.


    ... S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In his excited gaze, Rocky waved his hand, and Liliya then brought a set of Void Magic Armor to hand over to him!


    ¡°Thank you, Lord!¡±


    Taking the Void Magic Armor from Liliya, Monte shouted loudly, then stood aside.


    ¡°Lin Feng!¡±


    ¡°Present!¡±


    After handing the first set of Void Magic Armor to Monte, Rocky called Lin Feng¡¯s name, who then quickly approached him.


    Just like before, after looking at Lin Feng, Rocky asked Liliya to bring the second set of Void Magic Armor.


    ¡°Thank you, Lord!¡±


    After receiving the Void Magic Armor, Lin Feng took a deep breath, then moved aside, standing next to Monte.


    Just as everyone imagined, both Monte and Lin Feng received the Void Magic Armor, becoming the first batch of Void Magic Warriors of Thunderhawk City. This was not surprising to the crowd, as these two were not only the main and deputy captains of the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad but also the strongest among the guards. Their becoming Void Magic Warriors was completely expected.


    ¡°Dusa!¡±


    After distributing two sets of Void Magic Armor to Monte and Lin Feng, Rocky then called out Dusa¡¯s name.


    ¡°Here! Here I am!¡±


    Upon hearing her name, Dusa, who was towards the back of the troop, waved her hands and bounced a couple of times, then sprinted to Rocky¡¯s front.


    Dear Lord! I¡¯m here!¡±


    Upon reaching Rocky, Dusa looked up at him with great excitement, her eyes full of anticipation.


    ¡°This is yours.¡±


    Seeing the always energetic Dusa, Rocky smiled, then asked Liliya to hand over the third set of Void Magic Armor.


    ¡°Little one, don¡¯t disappoint me, and don¡¯t disappoint your father either.¡±


    As Liliya handed over the Void Magic Armor, Rocky personally handed it to Dusa, also giving her a piece of advice.


    ¡°Yes! Yes! Yes!¡±


    Receiving the armor from Rocky¡¯s hands, Dusa nodded her head like a pecking chick, then ran over to stand next to her father, even proudly flaunting the armor to Monte.


    ¡°Behave!¡±


    Seeing Dusa acting this way, Monte, unable to contain his annoyance, had to admonish her in a low voice.


    Meanwhile, Rocky had already called out the fourth person¡¯s name.


    ¡°Sandro!¡±


    After surveying everyone, Rocky then called out the last name, Sandro, one of the Guard Squad¡¯s team leaders!


    As one of the oldest warriors in the Guard Corps, Sandro¡¯s personal strength was outstanding, and his combat experience was also exceptionally rich. Since Rocky became City Lord, Sandro had participated in every battle involving the Guard Corps, and his performance had always been excellent. Most importantly, his loyalty was absolutely reliable.


    Loyalty is one of the most important criteria for selecting Void Magic Warriors, even surpassing strength and talent in its importance.


    The individual power of a Void Magic Warrior was too strong. If loyalty couldn¡¯t be ensured, then any Void Magic Warrior could be as dangerous as a time bomb. For this reason, in deciding who would become the first batch of Void Magic Warriors of Thunderhawk City, Rocky and others took great efforts, finally settling on these four individuals.


    Monte and Lin Feng, of course, need no further mention while Dusa, on the one hand, had superb archery skills and, on the other, benefited from being Monte¡¯s daughter, which made Rocky very assured about her.


    As for Sandro, it was his consistent performance that had won everyone¡¯s approval, including Rocky¡¯s. Whether it was strength or reliability, Sandro¡¯s performance in both respects was impeccable, hence his selection as one of the chosen.


    At this time, the called Sandro had already left the ranks, walking firmly to Rocky¡¯s front.


    ¡°Lord!¡±


    Standing in front of Rocky and facing the Void Magic Armor he handed over, Sandro saluted respectfully, then reached out to take it.


    ¡°Thank you, Lord!¡±


    Holding the last set of Void Magic Armor in his hands, Sandro¡¯s expression remained as stern as usual, but he couldn¡¯t help his eyes from getting moist. The reason was simple, because he knew how difficult it was for someone of his standing to receive such armor.


    In any Sky City, the Void Magic Warriors were the most elite forces, so only the soldiers most trusted by the City Lord had the qualifications and opportunities to become one. That was why Rocky chose Monte, Lin Feng, and Lisa, either because they were his confidants or had a deep relationship with him. Only such individuals could be appropriately utilized.


    Compared to them, however, Sandro was just an ordinary soldier, having almost no personal relationship with Rocky beyond their professional hierarchy. Under such circumstances, for him to become one of the Void Magic Warriors was truly not easy; it was all earned through his repeated life-risking efforts on the battlefield!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 284 - 277: Void Magic Squad (Part 2)_2

    Chapter 284: Chapter 277: Void Magic Squad (Part 2)_2


    So, even though he restrained himself, when Sandro actually took the Void Magic Armor from Rocky¡¯s hands, he couldn¡¯t control himself, and his eyes instantly reddened.


    ¡°This is what you deserve.¡±


    Looking at Sandro¡¯s reddened eyes, Rocky patted his shoulder. He certainly understood how hard it had been for someone like Sandro, who came from no noteworthy background, to get to this point. But equally, his hardships had paid off¡ªthe Void Magic Armor in his hands was the best proof of that.


    Thus, when Sandro stood alongside Monte and the others, Rocky turned to the guards and said:


    ¡°Guards!¡±


    ¡°The Void Magic Squad of Thunderhawk City is officially established today!¡±


    ...


    As soon as he finished speaking, the guards in front of Rocky couldn¡¯t contain themselves and let out a roar, some even waving their fists!


    The guards were indeed excited, not only because the Void Magic Squad had been officially formed, which meant that each of them could potentially become a member in the future, but also because it represented an elevation in Thunderhawk City¡¯s strength.


    These guards were not only soldiers but also citizens of Thunderhawk City, with their wives, children, siblings all living there. So, even if some of them never became Void Magic Warriors, they would still rejoice at the squad¡¯s formation. The reason was simple: the safer Thunderhawk City was, the safer their families were.


    And only after the guards¡¯ excited shouting subsided, letting out all their enthusiasm, did Rocky continue: ¡°Today, the Void Magic Squad is formed, but it¡¯s not yet a complete team. We still need more members, and in the near future, Thunderhawk City will establish even more Void Magic Squads.¡±


    ¡°Guards! Every single one of you has the chance to become a Void Magic Warrior, to become a member of the squad, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let me down, and don¡¯t let your families down. As long as you are excellent enough, as long as you are loyal enough, you all have the chance to become Void Magic Warriors! Understand?¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    As Rocky spoke these words, the guards roared loudly, as if they believed they would be the next Void Magic Warriors. And this was exactly the effect that Rocky had intended. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the Lord of the city, he needed to constantly instill confidence in every person in the city, whether soldier or civilian, to inspire everyone, all the time. Only with this could the city have cohesion and the drive to develop. And now, it seemed he was doing rather well in this respect.


    After a round of motivation, Rocky left with Liliya, knowing that his presence would make the guards feel constrained, so he didn¡¯t linger.


    In fact, as soon as he left, the Guard Corps exploded into chaos, with several hundred guards swarming around Monte and the other three, clamoring for them to suit up in their Armor and let everyone have a good look.


    Such behavior from the guards was normal, as in their eyes, Void Magic Warriors already belonged to an invincible rank. They had witnessed Rocky¡¯s valor on the battlefield more than once. Now that they had the chance to see the Armor up close, how could they not be excited?


    In truth, not only the ordinary soldiers but also Monte and the others were very excited. Therefore, with everyone¡¯s encouragement, Monte nodded, allowing Dusa and Sandro to don their Armor, but he and Lin Feng did not, since they were the team leaders and it wouldn¡¯t be fitting for them to join in the ruckus with the guards.


    However, the guards¡¯ raucousness didn¡¯t last too long because, by the next day, Rocky had called Monte and the others, including Liliya, to the research institute for intensive training.


    Rocky had to form the Void Magic Squad for two main reasons. On the one hand, it was a necessity for growth. If Thunderhawk City wanted to become powerful, its military forces must be formidable, and the Void Magic Squad was the most elite and strongest among them¡ªits formation was inevitable. On the other hand, Rocky had no choice due to the pressing situation; the battle with Wild Horse City was imminent, and he needed his own Void Magic Squad to face the enemy.


    In such a situation, Rocky had to accelerate the training of Monte and the others. According to his estimation, it would be at least a month, at most three months, before he would leave Eternal City. The day he left Thunderhawk City would be the day the war with Wild Horse City began. Therefore, he must train Monte and his team within this time frame, or they would merely be lambs to the slaughter on the battlefield.


    Monte and the others were fully aware of this and had made thorough preparations. When they stood before Rocky, they were already neatly dressed in their armor.


    The four of them standing together in their armor truly looked different, especially since each of their four sets of armor was distinct.


    As mentioned before, after the modifications by Orton and others, the four sets of originally standardized armor underwent considerable changes after the incorporation of custom-made technology. These changes included both performance and appearance.


    For example, Monte¡¯s armor had to be significantly adjusted in size by Hammerfire to fit his Beastman stature¡ªhe was much taller and more robust than the average human.


    Considering the Beastmen¡¯s brave fighting style, Hammerfire lowered some of the speed and mobility of the armor, instead focusing on enhancing its strength and defensive power. Moreover, because Monte was missing his left hand, Hammerfire completely transformed the left hand of the armor into a small Magic Cannon to increase its firepower.


    Besides Monte¡¯s armor, the remaining three sets also underwent different modifications.


    Lin Feng¡¯s armor didn¡¯t change much in appearance, but besides adjusting the defensive power to make it stronger, the biggest change was the great sword Hammerfire specially crafted for him.


    Lin Feng was originally a sword warrior, already using a longsword larger than average. The sword Hammerfire made for him was even larger, much wider than the width of a hand. It was etched with numerous Runes, greatly magnifying the great sword¡¯s power.


    Sandro¡¯s armor had also been transformed, considering his defensive and counterattacking combat style. The armor¡¯s defensive power was significantly enhanced, and its speed and agility were not reduced. However, some weapon components were eliminated¡ªthere¡¯s only so much Mana available in the fourth-generation Mass-Produced Armor, so something had to give.


    In contrast, Hammerfire used Runes to greatly boost the armor¡¯s close-quarters weaponry¡ªthe One-handed Sword and shield were inscribed with many Runes that independently provided Mana, ensuring the armor¡¯s melee capabilities.


    Among the four sets of armor, the one with the most modifications belonged to Dusa.


    Since Dusa was Monte¡¯s daughter, Rocky couldn¡¯t neglect her, so he tasked Hammerfire with putting extra effort into her armor. Thus, when Hammerfire completed the modifications, Dusa¡¯s armor had almost completely transformed.


    For this set of armor, Hammerfire somewhat weakened the defensive power and reduced the armor but significantly increased the armor¡¯s speed and agility to their limits. As an Archer who became a Void Magic Warrior, Dusa didn¡¯t need to charge into battle.


    As an Archer, she needed to use precise, long-range strikes to eliminate opponents. But how fast are Void Magic Warriors? Maintaining distance was challenging, so Hammerfire chose to forsake the armor¡¯s defensive power to drastically enhance its speed and agility, ensuring Dusa could evade pursuit.


    Furthermore, Pelaya specially modified the armor¡¯s Magic Energy Conduction System, and with this system, Hammerfire crafted a War Bow exclusive to the armor. This allowed Dusa to shoot Magic Energy Arrow Feathers with power and precision far exceeding Magic Bullets and even small Magic Cannons, ensuring the armor¡¯s long-range offensive capacity.


    As for the modifications to these four sets of armor, Hammerfire and the others put in a great deal of effort and applied many improved new technologies, making these sets of armor in no way inferior to the White Demon Armor but certainly much stronger than other armors of the same class.


    Therefore, when the four of them appeared before Rocky in their armor, each one looked very spirited. Leaving other aspects aside, just from appearances, they were indeed impressive.


    However, across from them stood Rocky, who was also clad in his White Demon Armor. Upon seeing the four, he didn¡¯t waste any words, simply gesturing at them with a hooked finger.


    ¡°You four, all at once!¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Rocky unhesitatingly charged at the group!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 285 - 278: Pre-Competition Warm-Up

    Chapter 285: Chapter 278: Pre-Competition Warm-Up


    ¡°Too stiff!¡±


    With Rocky¡¯s shout, Monte felt his abdomen tighten, a punch sent him tumbling to the ground, and as he lay there, unable to get up, all members of the newly formed Void Magic Squad were sprawled on the ground as well.


    ¡°How long do you plan to lie there!¡±


    Glancing at the others he had sequentially knocked down, Rocky chided them, and under his scolding, Monte, Lin Feng, Dusa, and Sandro had no choice but to stagger to their feet and stand before Rocky once more.


    Ten minutes ago, Rocky had asked the four of them to attack together, to fight him simultaneously, but just after ten minutes, all four were knocked to the ground, utterly defeated.


    This was, of course, to be expected; Rocky had been a qualified Void Magic Warrior all along, and his strength had significantly increased after competing in the Arena, not to mention the enhancement provided by the White Demon Armor, which made his combat power extremely formidable.


    ...


    In contrast, Monte and the others were fighting in Void Magic Armor for the first time, not accustomed to many aspects, thus they were swiftly brought down by Rocky.


    Logically, Rocky shouldn¡¯t have engaged Monte and the others in combat right from the start, due to the substantial disparity between them; their falling down was an inevitable outcome. However, he had to do this.


    Rocky did want them to gradually adapt to the Armor, starting with operating it, then learning to fly, and after mastering these fundamental elements, to slowly adapt to the Armor¡¯s combat mode. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have the time! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After his match with Xia Nai, he was set to leave Eternal City and then face a battle against Wild Horse City. At that time, Monte and the others would be the main force in battle, their strategic position even more critical than the Fleet¡¯s.


    Under such circumstances, they had to adapt to their Armor quickly, no, not just adapt, but learn to wield it effectively. To achieve this as soon as possible, Rocky could only be harsh on them, employing the strictest and even the most uncompassionate and unreasonable methods of training.


    ¡°Monte, Lin Feng, you need to quickly adapt to the pace of aerial combat. Remember, the strength of Void Magic Armor always lies in the sky. You must learn to harness your advantage and develop your own style of fighting in the air,¡±


    ¡°And Sandro¡­¡±


    After addressing Monte and Lin Feng, Rocky glanced at Sandro, ¡°Your style is defensive counter-attacking, which isn¡¯t wrong, but you must realize that combat between Void Magic Warriors changes in the blink of an eye, and the enemy won¡¯t cooperate with you to slowly find opportunities. Give it some serious thought.¡±


    ¡°Dusa! Come here!¡±


    After addressing the other three, Rocky looked at Dusa, who was avoiding him from a distance, and sternly called her over.


    ¡°What were you doing just now, did you even shoot an arrow? Why did you rush up to engage me in hand-to-hand combat right off the bat!¡±


    Looking at Dusa, Rocky was extremely serious, even a bit angry as he rebuked her for a long time, causing Dusa to almost lower her head to her chest, not daring to talk back.


    Rocky¡¯s anger towards Dusa was very rare since after Monte joined Thunderhawk City, Dusa had become very close to Rocky and the others. Plus, they were of similar age, so Rocky always treated her like a sister. But this time, he was truly angry.


    This was because, in the practice fight just now, Dusa was the first to be knocked down. She rushed up to Rocky¡¯s face straight away, which even surprised Rocky.


    You must understand that Dusa was an archer, meant to strike from a distance, and to enable her to do so, Hammerfire had put the most effort into her Armor,w nearly revamping the entire set. Yet Dusa, in her excitement, forgot to make use of this advantage, how could this be acceptable?


    If this had been on the battlefield, Dusa would have been dead long ago, which is why Rocky was the hardest on her.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you an hour to adapt. If you have any questions, ask Liliya. We¡¯ll train again in an hour, and this time I won¡¯t be holding back,¡±


    Having said this, Rocky turned and walked away towards Orton and the others who had been watching the skirmish.


    ¡°Kid, how do you feel?¡±


    As Rocky approached, Orton asked.


    ¡°Not bad, the speed has indeed increased noticeably.¡±


    While speaking, Rocky removed his helmet and then said to Orton and the others, ¡°But I feel like the propulsion system is a bit clunky when turning, and the Magic Energy Conduction doesn¡¯t seem to be that smooth.¡±


    As he finished speaking, Pelaya thought for a moment, then commented:


    ¡°This could be due to the installation of new Runes, causing an overload of Magic Energy and overburdening the conduction system.¡±


    While Rocky was training Monte and the others, he was also testing the White Demon Armor because Orton and his team had made new modifications to the Armor in preparation for the upcoming match with Xia Nai. They loaded new Runes onto the White Demon to maximally increase the Mana limit, thus comprehensively enhancing the Armor¡¯s reinforcement for Rocky.


    However, these improvements required ongoing detection and tweaking to achieve optimal performance, so when Rocky¡¯s training session was over, he immediately shared his personal experience with Orton and the others.


    And regarding everything he said, Orton and his team took notes, preparing to make further adjustments when the time came.


    The hour passed swiftly, and when the time was up, Rocky did as he said, returning to Monte and the others and began another round of live combat with them.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 286 - 278: Pre-Competition Warm-Up_2

    Chapter 286: Chapter 278: Pre-Competition Warm-Up_2


    Just like that, time passed day by day, and Monte and his companions went punctually to the research institute every day to receive Rocky¡¯s training. On one hand, Rocky conducted combat training and guidance for them; on the other, he adapted to the newly modified New Armor. If the Armor was being modified, he would wear the Blood Pattern Mark II to engage in one-on-one combat with Monte and the others.


    Although the Blood Pattern Mark II was at a considerable disadvantage in many respects compared to the Armors of Monte and his comrades, Rocky¡¯s combat experience was enough to compensate for these disadvantages. Thus, even when wearing the Blood Pattern Mark II, Monte and the others could not defeat him in one-on-one battles.


    However, while Monte and his companions still could not defeat Rocky, their progress was evident to all. After a long period of continuous and brutal training, the four of them had significantly improved their control over their Armors.


    There was no need to mention Monte and Lin Feng; the two of them were experienced warriors and the strongest warriors in Thunderhawk City. Even though they were not very used to the Armors at the beginning, as time went on, they quickly mastered various key points. Their adaptation speed was so fast that it far exceeded Rocky¡¯s expectations. Eventually, they could even manage a near even fight against Rocky clad in the Blood Pattern Mark II.


    Dusa, after undergoing intense training from Rocky and being particularly ¡®attended to¡¯ by him during sparring sessions, gradually grasped the essentials of aerial combat and avoided direct confrontations.


    Once she achieved this, her advantage as a natural Sharpshooter immediately became apparent. With the enhancement of the Armor, her long-range attacks were not only incredibly accurate but also immensely powerful. This allowed her to achieve a remarkable feat¡ªdefeating Rocky in one-on-one sparring!


    ...


    Against Rocky wearing the Blood Pattern Mark II, Dusa fully utilized her speed advantage. Wearing specially modified Armor, Dusa¡¯s speed was such that Rocky, clad in the Blood Pattern Mark II, could not keep up and was forced to take hits passively, to the point where he couldn¡¯t raise his head from the barrage of Magic Energy Arrows and had to surrender.


    This victory not only proved Dusa¡¯s potential but also boosted her confidence, making the young girl return to her lively self and start bouncing around in front of everyone again.


    All three of them improved remarkably throughout the uninterrupted training, which made Rocky quite relieved because if this trend continued, all three would be fully capable of participating in the battle against Wild Horse City.


    The only one Rocky was worried about was Sandro.


    In the constant training, Sandro¡¯s performance was not bad. In fact, if effort were measured, he was the most hardworking of all, because Sandro knew that in terms of strength, he was not as good as Monte and Lin Feng, and in terms of talent, he could not compare with Dusa. Thus, he could only rely on constant effort to ensure he didn¡¯t fall behind.


    Frankly speaking, Sandro¡¯s improvement was also significant, but his combat style became a stumbling block to his progress. As Rocky had initially stated, Sandro¡¯s cautious character made him very good at defense and counterattack. This style was not wrong in itself, but in battles among Void Magic Warriors, it was very difficult to utilize effectively.


    As battles among Void Magic Warriors were extremely dynamic, with offense and defense shifting in an instant, although defense and counterattack were possible, discerning a good opportunity and seizing those fleeting moments demanded high requirements from Void Magic Warriors, which was still somewhat difficult for Sandro.


    Because of this, although he improved during training, he always lacked something. Frankly, he had not fully adapted to the combat mode of the Void Magic Armor and had not managed to integrate his style with the Armor¡¯s combat mode, which worried Rocky. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Overall, the training progressed quite smoothly, and Orton and the others also essentially completed the improvements on the White Demon Armor, which meant that for the bout with Xia Nai, Rocky was basically ready, just waiting for the notification from the Arena.


    Indeed, during this busy time, the Arena was not idle either; moreover, quite a few things happened there during this period.


    At the forefront was Denise competing again!


    Although the debut of the Holy Angel Armor was quite perfect and successfully drew attention from many quarters, for Denise and Sigma Corporation, this attention was still not enough to fill others with confidence in Sigma Corporation. Thus, they naturally continued to participate in competitions to further promote the Holy Angel Armor.


    During this period, Denise had participated in three consecutive matches, with each opponent gradually getting stronger, and through these matches, Denise further showcased the prowess of the Holy Angel Armor to the world.


    Meanwhile, the Arena was actively preparing for the match between Rocky and Xia Nai.


    The Arena thought that while the focus of the entire world was indeed on them, if they only let people pay attention to Denise¡¯s matches, wouldn¡¯t they be at a great loss? Therefore, the Arena wanted to seize this opportunity to divert public attention to other events as well, in order to gain more benefits.


    So, upon learning Rocky¡¯s request, the Arena immediately realized this was a great opportunity. Both Rocky and Xia Nai were strong and had topics between them that could become highlights worth hyping up. In this context, the Arena immediately placed this match at an extremely important position and made a series of arrangements.


    To attract more attention to this match, especially to draw those who focused only on Denise¡¯s matches, the Arena put in a lot of effort. Publicly, they continuously arranged matches for Xia Nai, but the opponents were very weak. Consequently, Xia Nai achieved ten consecutive wins within a month, becoming the rookie with the most consecutive wins of the season.


    In the Arena, consecutive wins were always the best gimmick, so as Xia Nai¡¯s winning streak increased, it immediately drew public attention. At the same time, some insider information was also inadvertently leaked by the Arena.


    One piece of news was that Rocky¡¯s identity had been exposed, and now everyone knew that the player who had previously performed excellently in the Arena under number 1021 was a City Lord.


    Another piece was that with Rocky¡¯s identity exposure, the conflicts between him and Xia Nai also spread. These ranged from a fight the two had in the resting lounge to their tearing at each other at a dance party, and all of these details leaked inadvertently.


    Clearly, these insider scoops were not leaked by accident; all of these so-called insider scoops were deliberately spread by the Arena.


    Thus, with the foundation of Xia Nai¡¯s consecutive wins and the continuous spread of insider rumors, public emotion and curiosity were stirred up, leading them to discuss the affairs between Rocky and Xia Nai besides focusing on Denise and the Holy Angel Armor.


    It was in these circumstances that the Arena announced the schedule for their match!


    On March 15, Rocky and Xia Nai would have a one-on-one rank match!


    Due to the extensive pre-match hype, the announcement immediately garnered much attention. Rocky and Xia Nai¡¯s abilities were already highly regarded by many, and with the rumors about their personal grudges, this match became the most attention-grabbing event next to Denise¡¯s.


    Regarding the schedule arrangement, both Rocky and Xia Nai naturally knew about it earlier than everyone else. Not only did the audience look forward to this match, but both of them were also very eager for this confrontation. Rocky hoped to use this match to capture the attention of the Sky Alliance and pave his way into the Alliance. As for Xia Nai, he was even more eager for this match, determined to reclaim all the insults Rocky had given him on the stage!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    Paragraph copied

 Chapter 287 - 279: The Final Battle

    Chapter 287: Chapter 279: The Final Battle


    Regarding the match with Xia Nai, Rocky had already made all the necessary preparations.


    The White Demon Armor had been modified, and Rocky¡¯s own condition had long been adjusted; even the betting money on the sidelines had been prepared.


    There was no doubt that after this match, it would be a while before Rocky could return to the Arena, because if everything went smoothly, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he could join the Sky Alliance. Then, there would be no time for him to compete.


    But precisely because of this, the match with Xia Nai had become Rocky¡¯s last combat at the Arena, so he had to seize this opportunity to make a huge profit!


    For this purpose, Aileen had pulled together everything Thunderhawk City could offer. The funds earmarked for Rune Armor research and the city¡¯s daily expenses were mobilized, including Rocky¡¯s own war reserves, and even the funds for next quarter¡¯s food, imported leather, and yarn purchases had been diverted. In short, Aileen went all out, betting everything on the external gambling of this match.


    Previously, because Rocky had planned to fight an entire season at the Arena, Aileen had always been conservative in her bets¡ªnot because she feared losing, but to avoid drawing too much attention and not jeopardize Rocky¡¯s position at the Arena. However, this time was different. Rocky made it clear this was probably his last Arena match, so naturally, Aileen had no further reservations.


    ...


    Thus, after scraping everything together, Aileen had managed to amass more than 700,000 gold coins and placed them all on Rocky!


    If they won this time, they would truly make a fortune. This wasn¡¯t just because Aileen had placed a heavy bet, but also because the betting odds for this match were incredibly high.


    As the match schedule had been announced well in advance, the external betting odds for Rocky and Xia Nai¡¯s match were given early: 7.5 to 2.3, Rocky at 7.5, Xia Nai at 2.3. The difference was extremely great, which indirectly indicated that the Arena was not optimistic about Rocky¡¯s chances; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have set his odds so high. However, equally, if Rocky won, they would make a huge profit¡ªan over sevenfold return!


    With Aileen betting heavily on this match, Rocky and Xia Nai¡¯s competition had become even more complex. It concerned not only whether the Sky Alliance would notice Rocky but also Thunderhawk City¡¯s treasury¡ªwhether it would be empty or overflowing depended entirely on this battle.


    For this reason, Aileen, very unusually, went to see Rocky and made him promise that he must win the match, or else¡­ Thunderhawk City would be left with not a single gold coin.


    With everything ready, all Rocky had to do next was wait for the day of the match to officially arrive.


    Time quickly passed, and a week ago, Rocky received the notice of the match, arriving two days early at the Star of the Sky to prepare. Today, March 15, he arrived early at the Arena with his team. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Kid, it¡¯s all on you.¡±


    When Rocky arrived at the Arena with Liliya and headed to the dressing room, Orton patted his shoulder, ¡°Make this match spectacular and show everyone what a bunch of soon-to-be outdated armors¡ªwhat those fifth and a half generation and sixth generation armors¡ªlook like against the future!¡±


    ¡°Sir, you must win!¡±


    After Orton finished speaking, Aileen, with a heart full of nerves, reminded Rocky again, insisting he must win!


    ¡°Sir, please be careful.¡±


    The others also constantly reminded Rocky. Initially, Rocky wasn¡¯t much pressured, but their insistence made him feel the weight, such that when he and Liliya finally reached the dressing room, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    Since they had arrived early, there was no rush to go on stage, and Rocky sat down in the dressing room.


    ¡°So much pressure¡­¡±


    Glancing at Liliya, he joked about the situation.


    Upon hearing this, Liliya simply smiled, but just as she was about to speak, Rocky interrupted her.


    ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯ll be cautious.¡±


    Waving his hand at Liliya, Rocky then laughed, knowing exactly what she was about to say.


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Liliya shook her head, then sat down beside him, ¡°You must win this time, no matter what.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky was momentarily stunned because this was clearly not Liliya¡¯s style! In the past, whenever Rocky competed, Liliya would always remind him to be careful, even saying that surrendering was fine. So, when he heard Liliya insisting that he must win no matter what, he was somewhat unaccustomed to it.


    ¡°This competition is too important. Only by winning can you and Thunderhawk City find a way out, so you must win this time, no matter what.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Hearing that, Rocky immediately sat up straight, then gave Liliya a thumbs up to show he was absolutely fine.


    Time passed by the minute, and after chatting in the changing room for a while, the time for the competition drew near. As the competition approached, Rocky changed into his White Demon Armor, glanced at Liliya, and then left the changing room to head towards the entrance tunnel.


    Walking alone in the tunnel, Rocky continuously took deep breaths to calm his nerves.


    Despite appearing relaxed in front of Liliya and the others, he was actually very nervous about the competition, even more so than anyone else.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped; the competition was indeed too important for him. This wasn¡¯t only his last battle in the Arena, but his performance in this competition would determine whether he caught the attention of the Sky Alliance. Even the future livelihood of Thunderhawk City was directly connected to this competition, making it impossible for Rocky not to be nervous.


    In such a situation, even as he reached the entrance, Rocky hadn¡¯t completely calmed his emotions.


    Fortunately, even though it was time for the match, there was still a little while before he officially entered the arena. After all, to elevate the mood of the spectators, the announcer would spend quite some time energizing the crowd to ensure they were sufficiently enthusiastic when watching the match.


    Using this time, Rocky gradually adjusted his mood until the loudspeaker in the tunnel began broadcasting.


    ¡°Contestant number 1021, prepare to enter.¡±


    ¡°Five.¡±


    ¡°Four.¡±


    ¡°Three.¡±


    ¡°Two.¡±


    As the countdown ended, the gates of the entrance slowly began to open. Just a crack was enough for Rocky to hear the cheers of the audience. When the gates fully opened, he saw the vast arena outside and took a step out!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 288 - 280 The Gap in Armor

    Chapter 288: Chapter 280 The Gap in Armor


    With one step, Rocky entered the venue and was immediately greeted by a sound as loud as a tsunami, and following it, he quickly spotted the fully occupied spectator stands.


    The Arena¡¯s pre-match hype for this competition was evidently successful, for when Rocky glanced toward the spectator stands, he found that not a single seat was empty, every spot was filled.


    Moreover, seeing the audience¡¯s reaction to him, Rocky knew that they had already learned of his identity.


    Indeed, due to a ¡®slight mishap¡¯ at the Arena, the audience had learned of Rocky¡¯s true identity. While it wasn¡¯t rare for nobles¡¯ offspring to participate in the competition, there were very few contestants like him, participating under the identity of a City Lord. Sometimes, several years would pass without encountering one, so the audience was naturally very intrigued by him.


    Similarly, under the intentional dispersal by the Arena, the audience was also well aware of the grievances between Rocky and Xia Nai, which greatly enhanced the attraction of the match, making the audience extremely excited¡ªthe prospect of a feud hinted at possible deadly duels.


    Therefore, as soon as Rocky appeared, the audience erupted into enthusiastic cheers, even more excited than Rocky himself.


    ... sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Amid the thunderous applause, the announcer naturally put in great effort to introduce, but unfortunately, the surrounding noise was too loud, and Rocky could not hear exactly what was being said, nor did he care what the announcer had said.


    And when the announcer¡¯s voice briefly paused, Rocky noticed that the image on the big screen had changed.


    It looked like it was Xia Nai¡¯s turn to make an entrance after he had made the first move.


    As expected, shortly after, another entrance on the opposite side of the stage slowly opened, and Xia Nai flew out from it!


    That¡¯s right, Xia Nai flew out, and upon entering the arena, she directly headed to hover above the stage, completing a full 360-degree turn, before ending this sequence of her entrance.


    This entrance was clearly an imitation of Denise¡¯s first debut, but it had to be admitted that it was indeed very stylish, and the audience loved this kind of show, immediately bursting into boisterous cheers.


    Rocky had thought that the cheering for his own entrance was already loud, but he had not expected that after Xia Nai entered, the audience¡¯s cheers escalated to an even higher level, so loud that they were indescribable.


    This was not surprising, for compared to Rocky, Xia Nai certainly had a higher level of fame. Although Rocky¡¯s initial performance had garnered him considerable attention, he had not participated in any competitions over the last month. If it were not for the Arena¡¯s effort in promoting him through various means, the audience might have nearly forgotten who he was.


    On the other hand, Xia Nai was entirely different. From the preliminary rounds, she had been participating in competitions continually and kept securing victories, naturally attracting higher attention. In fact, if it were not for Denise¡¯s presence, Xia Nai should have been the most followed contestant this season. Even with Denise¡¯s sudden emergence, the attention she received was by no means low.


    This level of attention naturally elicited even more cheers.


    As Xia Nai made her entrance, the announcer, just like before, made an energetic introduction, but this time not only did Rocky ignore these introductions, even the audience couldn¡¯t wait, resulting in a burst of booing.


    Under these circumstances, the announcer hurriedly wrapped up the opening remarks, then loudly declared the start of the match!


    ¡°The match¡ªbegins!¡±


    With that declaration, Xia Nai, who was already hovering above the stage, landed directly on it, and Rocky also leapt up onto the stage.


    The long-anticipated match finally began!


    ¡°Hmph¡­¡±


    Standing in the very center of the stage, Xia Nai glanced at Rocky and then at the big screen, before scoffing.


    Like other matches, as soon as the players mounted the stage, the big screen displayed the magic energy values of their armors, so when Xia Nai looked towards the screen, she easily spotted two numbers.


    13000.


    5000.


    These two numbers represented the magic energy values of the armors worn by Xia Nai and Rocky, respectively. Rocky¡¯s White Demon Armor still had a magic energy value of 5000, but the armor worn by Xia Nai reached an astonishing 13000 magic energy points!


    As previously mentioned, once the magic energy value of armor exceeded the ten-thousand-point threshold, it belonged to the top armors, and Xia Nai¡¯s armor clearly fell into this top-tier category.


    The fifth generation Windwalker Special Armor!


    The armor worn by Xia Nai was not just any special armor; even among all the fifth generation special armors, it was a remarkable presence. Whether in terms of performance, magic energy value, weaponry, or defensive power, the Windwalker was at the forefront among the fifth generation special armors and was indeed a top level armor.


    It was precisely because of such an outstanding armor that Xia Nai had been able to eliminate nine competitors with a single move in the preliminary contest and had continued to win fight after fight in the subsequent matches. All this could be said to be thanks to the Windwalker Armor.


    Now, as he and Rocky stepped onto the arena platform and their respective armor¡¯s magic energy values were revealed, not only did Xia Nai sneer, but the ringside announcer also shouted out loud.


    ¡°This gap¡­ it¡¯s just too huge!¡±


    With a loud shout, the announcer spoke very quickly, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, contestant 1021¡¯s armor still has a magic energy value of 5000, which is quite exceptional for the fourth generation of armor. But please take a look at contestant Xinai¡¯s armor!¡±


    ¡°Xinai¡¯s armor has an incredible 13000 magic energy points! My goodness, even among the fifth generation special armors, this is still one of the top!¡±


    After saying this, the announcer sighed deeply, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I know you must be as excited as I am for this match, but we have to admit, the gap between contestant 1021 and Xia Nai is just too big¡­¡±


    ¡°Such a huge gap makes me wonder¡­¡±


    ¡°Could this be a match that ends in an instant knockout? Can Xinai eliminate his opponent in just one strike?!¡±


    Although the announcer¡¯s tone was quite solemn, as soon as he finished speaking, the stadium immediately erupted in excited cheers! It felt as if everyone was hoping for such an outcome!


    Indeed, the vast majority of the audience indeed hoped for this scenario, and the reason was simple. It wasn¡¯t because an instantly decisive match was particularly entertaining, but because the vast majority of the audience had placed heavy bets, and their bets were unanimously on Xia Nai!


    Although Xia Nai¡¯s odds were only 2.3, compared to Rocky¡¯s high odds of 7.5, even so, there were few who bet on Rocky winning, because the discrepancy in odds alone showed how huge the disparity was. So, even with high odds for Rocky, no one wanted their money to go to waste, and they all bet on Xia Nai instead.


    This way, everyone who placed their bets on Xia Nai naturally hoped to see him easily win the match.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky.¡±


    At that moment, among the cheering and shouting of the audience, Xia Nai, who was on the arena platform, opened his mouth and addressed Rocky, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say something?¡±


    ¡°Say what?¡±


    ¡°Your last words, of course.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Xia Nai said coldly!


    Unfortunately for him, Rocky just chuckled and then stretched out his hand, gesturing towards him with a beckoning finger.


    ¡°Courting death! See who will come to your aid this time!¡±


    Faced with such provocation, Xia Nai roared in anger and immediately charged at Rocky!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 289 - 281: Clash of the Titans!

    Chapter 289: Chapter 281: Clash of the Titans!


    Facing Rocky¡¯s provocation, Xia Nai roared angrily and charged directly at him!


    In his Fifth Generation Special Armor, with a mana value exceeding ten thousand, all of these elements made his speed far surpass anyone¡¯s imagination. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that in just the blink of an eye, he had charged in front of Rocky and then, without any explanation, slashed down with his sword!


    As the Special Armor of the Fifth Generation, the Side Sword of the Windwalker was naturally a purely materialized Mana Sword. With the enormous mana enhancement, the power of this Mana Sword far exceeded what ordinary people could imagine. Unless it was against another Special Armor of the same class, lower-tier Armors simply couldn¡¯t withstand it.


    It was clear that Xia Nai, just as everyone had anticipated, did not plan to entangle with Rocky for long. He aimed to utilize the advantage of his armor to instantly kill him, a real instant kill, leaving no chance of survival!


    The moment his sword fell, Rocky immediately raised his right arm and then opened the Magic Energy Shield, accurately blocking the strike.


    The sound of the Mana Sword heavily striking the Magic Energy Shield was so powerful that it even emitted a burst of bright light. Because this strike was too fast, it wasn¡¯t until this moment that the audience in the arena finally reacted, bursting into exclamations.


    ...


    ¡°How, how can this be¡­¡±


    ¡°Blocked it?¡±


    ¡°How is it possible that he blocked it!?¡±


    The audience exclaimed in unison for good reason, for when they finally saw Xia Nai¡¯s figure clearly, they saw his overwhelmingly powerful strike had been firmly blocked by Rocky¡¯s Magic Energy Shield!


    Many people in the arena had seen Xia Nai compete before, so they had witnessed the terrifying power of the Mana Sword in his hands. Thus, in their view, with a sword strike that powerful, Rocky, with a mere 5000 mana value, should have had his shield destroyed and been killed even if he had used the Magic Energy Shield to block it. How could it possibly have been blocked?


    But the actual situation was that Rocky had blocked the sword strike, and it appeared rather effortless.


    This also greatly surprised Xia Nai, leaving him astonished.


    As the saying goes, laymen watch the excitement while experts watch for the technique. Xia Nai, obviously an expert, knew very well that a Fourth Generation Armor with only 5000 mana value should by no means be able to block his strike, no matter what method was used or what modifications were made, so there must be something tricky about Rocky¡¯s armor!


    Just as he was stunned by the surprise, the armor on Rocky¡¯s left leg suddenly sprung open, and immediately after, the hilt of the Mana Sword was grasped in his hand.


    Holding his own Mana Sword, Rocky appeared to have no intention of sparing Xia Nai either, delivering a sweeping waist cut!


    Facing this sword strike, Xia Nai initially planned to block it directly with his arm, not out of carelessness, but because he was very clear about the strength of his Windwalker Armor, which could easily withstand an attack from a Mana Sword.


    However, just as he was about to do this, an alarm suddenly sounded inside the helmet of his armor. This sound startled Xia Nai, and without thinking, he quickly backed away, dodging the attack.


    ¡°How, how is this possible? Ladies and gentlemen, did you see that? Facing the attack from contestant number 1021, Xia Nai actually chose to dodge it?! Why, why would he do that!¡±


    As Xia Nai hurriedly retreated to dodge the sweep, the announcer outside the arena cried out in disbelief.


    Indeed, to outsiders, this scene was somewhat incomprehensible. With Xia Nai¡¯s formidable strength, why would he need to dodge Rocky¡¯s attack, when he could simply rely on the superiority of the armor to block it? S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But obviously, that was just the opinion of the others; only Xia Nai himself knew the actual situation¡ªhe simply couldn¡¯t block that attack with just his armor!


    In fact, as soon as Xia Nai had retreated, he immediately activated the magic energy detector built into his armor. Then, when he looked back at Rocky, he couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    In his line of sight, Rocky¡¯s White Demon Armor still showed a mana value of 5000, but the Mana Sword in his hand now possessed an incredible power of 2000 points! With such a powerful Mana Sword, Xia Nai simply couldn¡¯t withstand it with his armor alone; he could only dodge.


    And that was precisely why he was frowning.


    With just a Mana Sword possessing such high mana, it definitely couldn¡¯t be powered by the armor. So there was only one answer left¡ªRocky¡¯s Mana Sword was powered by its own separate mana supply!


    But how could that be?


    A mere Mana Sword, what kind of technology was used to independently generate 2000 points of mana?! That was almost catching up to the entire mana supply of an armor set!


    ¡°What have you done to this sword of yours!¡±


    Staring at the Mana Sword in Rocky¡¯s hand, Xia Nai¡¯s face couldn¡¯t be seen behind his helmet, but his tone was very grim, clearly indicating that he had realized something was off about Rocky¡¯s armor.


    ¡°Are you concerned only about the Mana Sword?¡±


    True enough, right after he had said this, Rocky gave a slight smile. Then, in the blink of an eye, he activated all the runes built into the White Demon Armor!


    Full status!


    For the first time, Rocky showed the full status of the White Demon Armor on the Arena¡¯s stage!


    In full status, faint white light illuminated the entire White Demon Armor, making it look as if it were bathed in a soft holy light, completely changing its impression.


    And it was right after activating all the runes in the armor that the announcer at the edge of the arena screamed like someone was slaughtering a pig, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! Look at the big screen! Look at the big screen!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 290 - 281: Clash of the Titans!_2

    Chapter 290: Chapter 281: Clash of the Titans!_2


    As the announcer¡¯s scream that resembled the squeal of a slaughtered pig echoed, the audience, still confused about what was happening, immediately turned their gazes to the big screen and then simultaneously dropped their jaws. On the big screen, the magic energy value of the White Demon had undergone a revolutionary change!


    Following everyone¡¯s gaze, the magic energy value of the White Demon had escalated from a mere 5000 points directly to 10000 points!


    This change caused everyone in the arena to gape in disbelief because the transformation was so drastic, it was somewhat unbearable.


    In the battles at the Arena, it was common to enhance the Armor¡¯s magic energy mid-fight. Many fighters kept this tactic up their sleeves to catch their enemies off guard, but usually, such enhancements would only increase by a few hundred magic energy points, with one or two thousand being the maximum limit. Who had ever seen anyone like Rocky, doubling the magic energy value in one go?!


    And don¡¯t forget, in everyone¡¯s minds, Rocky was only supposed to be wearing the fourth-generation Armor! Though it was Special Armor, it was still fourth-generation. Who had ever heard of a fourth-generation Armor breaking the ten thousand points threshold?


    ¡°This is impossible¡­ impossible¡­ Contestant number 1021¡¯s Armor, it¡¯s not fourth-generation!!¡±


    ... sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we have been deceived! Deceived! Contestant number 1021¡¯s Armor is definitely not fourth-generation!¡±


    Just as the entire audience was dumbfounded by the transformation of the White Demon Armor, the announcer was the first to recover and revealed the truth!


    As the announcer laid bare the truth, the audience finally came to their senses, and the venue immediately erupted!


    At this very moment, on the stage, Xia Nai didn¡¯t even have to look at the big screen, nor did he need to hear what the announcer was saying. He already knew the White Demon wasn¡¯t wearing fourth-generation Armor, as his own Armor was equipped with a magic energy detector that clearly showed the White Demon¡¯s magic energy value.


    But like everyone else, Xia Nai was stunned when he saw the White Demon Armor¡¯s magic energy reach ten thousand points, which was also beyond his expectations.


    And just as he was stunned, Rocky¡¯s voice came through:


    ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ any last words?¡±


    Having shown the full capacity of the White Demon Armor, Rocky then looked at Xia Nai and, without waiting for him to react, charged forward with full acceleration.


    After displaying the full capacity of the White Demon Armor, Rocky no longer had any significant disadvantages in his Armor. So, as he rushed towards Xia Nai, whether it was speed or impact, he was just as swift as Xia Nai before and reached him in an instant. His speed was so fast that every audience member in the arena couldn¡¯t see clearly, and right after that, Rocky swung his sword down!


    With a sound of impact, sparks flew, and Xia Nai firmly blocked the strike with his sword.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you can win just because you hid some tricks!¡±


    After saying that, Xia Nai¡¯s other hand executed a sweeping strike, during which he flicked out another Mana Sword hidden in his wrist!


    Smal and Big Sword!


    Xia Nai¡¯s Windwalker Armor had also undergone numerous modifications, not half-hearted ones like Ober¡¯s, but professionally tailored renovations, including the Smal and Big Sword. One long sword for main attacks and a shorter sword for assistance, not only immensely lethal but also exceedingly unexpected when used.


    Caught off guard by such a sudden attack, Rocky was naturally startled and swiftly dodged to the side, allowing the short sword to graze past his shoulder Armor.


    However, as he dodged, he wasn¡¯t idle and instead manipulated his Armor to speed up, swiftly maneuvering behind Xia Nai, and then brought his sword down again!


    In the blink of an eye, the two were entangled in battle, instantly causing bursts of intense light to flare up in the arena.


    This light was naturally the result of clashing Mana Swords, and to the audience present, this faint luminosity was all they could discern. As for the two individuals entangled on the stage, honestly, no one could see them clearly. Hence, despite the intensely fierce combat, the event was eerily silent.


    This was quite normal. The magic energy values of both the White Demon and Windwalker were either at or beyond ten thousand, meaning both sets of Armor were top-tier. The enhancements provided by top-tier Armor to its wearer were beyond what ordinary people could imagine, so unless one was truly knowledgeable, most could not even discern their movements.


    However, it wouldn¡¯t be correct to say that all spectators were just watching the excitement; some could indeed see through the tactics. Not to mention others, Liliya and her companions could clearly observe the battle process.


    Even so, just like everyone else, Liliya and her companions were agape. The clearer they saw, the more incredible it seemed. They, being Void Magic Warriors themselves, couldn¡¯t imagine that a fight between their ranks could turn out like this!


    After dodging an attack from Rocky with a sidestep, Xia Nai immediately lunged forward with a sword aimed straight at his throat. Rocky quickly retreated half a step, but was then forced to swiftly push his Armor backward as the second sword thrust followed quickly after.


    But Xia Nai was relentless and chased after him in an instant.


    Seeing Xia Nai catching up from the front, Rocky immediately opened up his shoulder Armor, revealing two Mana Launchers, and instantly fired a series of Magic Bullets to stop the pursuit.


    However, facing the barrage of Magic Bullets, Xia Nai didn¡¯t dodge or flinch but instead accelerated further, adopting a serpentine sprint that quickly closed the distance to Rocky!


    ¡°Die!¡±


    In a blink, as Xia Nai closed in, he thrust his sword toward Rocky¡¯s chest, but stabbed empty air. For in that moment, Rocky had drastically increased his Armor¡¯s propulsion, circling in a tiny arc to appear beside him, and likewise slashing down with his sword.


    In order to dodge this attack, Xia Nai chose to leap into the air, then with both hands raised aimed at Rocky, and fired off a series of thunderous Magic Energy Cannons!


    Note that what he fired were not Magic Bullets but exceedingly powerful Magic Energy Cannons!


    As a fifth-generation Special Armor, the Skywalker excelled in weapon configuration and power, completely beyond the league of fourth-generation Armors, even its standard armament was as formidable as the Magic Energy Cannon.


    Upon realizing Xia Nai had taken to the sky with arms raised, Rocky hurriedly dashed to the side. Just as he moved away, an explosive sound rang out, blasting a huge crater where he had just been standing!


    The accuracy and immense power of the Windwalker¡¯s Magic Energy Cannon meant it could strike precisely where aimed!


    Under such conditions, Xia Nai gave Rocky no chance to take flight, bombarding continuously from mid-air, while Rocky on the arena floor kept darting rapidly, leaving the bombardment trailing behind him.


    In the midst of such violent bombing, the arena quickly turned pockmarked and smoke-filled.


    And when the entire arena was shrouded in smoke, Xia Nai finally ceased his attack and immediately shut down the magic energy detector, instead activating the built-in Mana Tracker within his Armor to search for Rocky¡¯s position through the smoke.


    No sooner had the Mana Tracker been activated and before Xia Nai could take a closer look, a Magic Energy Beam shot through the smoke!


    With a whoosh, the beam swept past Xia Nai¡¯s waist, startling him into a cold sweat. Had it not been for his quick reflexes to shift half a body width, he would have been hit.


    But before he could exhale in relief, another Magic Energy Beam shot from the smoke, followed by countless more!


    PS: It¡¯s been a while since I asked for recommendations. Little Detective truly exerted great effort in this final match of the Combat Arena. I wonder if everyone likes it; if so, I¡¯d appreciate some recommendations!


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 291 - 282: The Alliances Attention

    Chapter 291: Chapter 282: The Alliance¡¯s Attention


    Rocky and Xia Nai¡¯s successive exchanges had the audience dumbstruck. It wasn¡¯t just because their fighting was too fast, but also because their combat was simply too exhilarating! S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the eyes of the majority of the audience, the duel between the two could only be described as a blur, as no one could clearly see their movements; they could only witness the lightning-fast collisions on the stage. Even so, it was enough to satisfy most of the audience.


    However, for a minority of the viewers, the battle between the two was not just a blur¡ªit was absolutely thrilling!


    This small group of viewers, who could keep up with their pace and see every move, were even more astonished. Before this, no one had expected the match to be this spectacular!


    Although the Arena had been building up to this match for a whole month, attracting many eyes, it¡¯s undeniable that most people were drawn in by the spectacle of the event.


    The Sky City Lord, the son of the Kafka Empire Marquis, two nobles appearing in the ring at the same time, a grudge match¡ªthese gimmicks certainly drew the majority of attention, such that not many truly believed the match would be this beautiful.


    ...


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Xia Nai was incredibly powerful. Everyone had thought his string of victories was solely due to the suppression by his Armor, but they never imagined that when facing an opponent also wearing top-tier Armor, he would not be at a disadvantage.


    Similarly, no one could have imagined that Rocky would showcase the true power of his Armor in this match, which also belonged to the top ranks.


    It was precisely because of so many unexpected factors that when they started their real fight, everyone was stupefied. Everyone was amazed that a match filled with gimmicks could have such high quality!


    Let alone others, even Monte and his companions were left agape after seeing such fierce exchanges. During the past month, Rocky had been training them, so they thought they fully understood Rocky¡¯s strength. However, once they saw the fight between Rocky and Xia Nai, they realized they had been utterly wrong.


    Rocky had not been using his full strength when training them!


    Apart from Monte and his companions, there were others who were shocked by the match¡ªthese were not ordinary spectators, but the big-wigs in the VIP rooms!


    Due to the Holy Angel Armor, many important figures had gathered in Eternal City. These people had been commuting to and fro from the Arena recently because Denise had been competing during this time. Naturally, those who came for the Holy Angel Armor wouldn¡¯t miss her matches.


    In theory, although these individuals frequented the Arena, their focus was always on the Holy Angel Armor. No matter how much hype the Arena had created, it wasn¡¯t possible for these people to watch Rocky¡¯s match¡ªhow could such petty tricks deceive or attract them?


    But the reality was different. Rocky¡¯s match not only drew a large number of ordinary viewers but also a significant number of big-wigs.


    Why was that?


    Why did these important figures suddenly appear in the VIP boxes of this match? The answer is simple: when the Arena was preparing for this match, Aniye and others were also busy!


    As previously mentioned, the focus of the battle between Rocky and Xia Nai was not on Xia Nai, but on using the battle as a precursor to introduce ¡®new technology,¡¯ thereby catching the Sky Alliance¡¯s attention. This was Rocky¡¯s true purpose.


    To achieve this, during this month, the four masters: Aniye, Orton, Hammerfire, and Pelaya were busy too. On one hand, they were continuously improving the White Demon Armor, on the other hand, they utilized their networks to ¡®seemingly¡¯ inadvertently spread some rumors that they were developing new Armor Technology.


    Although among the four, only Aniye and Pelaya were well-liked, Orton and Hammerfire not so much, it¡¯s undeniable that each of the four were renowned scholars, with standing in the academic community that wouldn¡¯t falter due to their personality or temperament. Once the news that the four were jointly developing new-generation Armor Technology spread, it immediately caught the attention of many.


    Aniye, Orton, Hammerfire, and Pelaya, each of these masters could lead a project on their own. Now, these four had united?


    What exactly were they up to?


    This question inevitably prompted deep thought and curiosity. Thus, when Aniye sent out invitations in his name, inviting acquaintances to watch Rocky¡¯s match, the invited big-wigs immediately agreed. Just like the first performance of the Holy Angel, they all arrived at the Arena.


    Under such wide focus, Rocky¡¯s performance in the match indeed dazzled everyone. No, to be more precise, it should be said that the performance of the White Demon Armor made everyone take notice!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 292 - 282: The Alliances Attention_2

    Chapter 292: Chapter 282: The Alliance¡¯s Attention_2


    ¡°Master Aniye, is this the new generation Armor?¡±


    In the VIP box, Aniye was watching Rocky¡¯s match with a group of people. At first, everyone was relatively restrained, but when Rocky raised the Mana of the White Demon Armor to ten thousand points and fought Xia Nai to a standstill, someone finally couldn¡¯t restrain themselves anymore.


    ¡°This White Demon Armor was merely based on the Fourth Generation Armor and was casually designed by Hammerfire, so it doesn¡¯t count as a new generation Armor. However, this Armor is indeed equipped with the new technology we are currently developing.¡±


    Wearing a smile, Aniye said this lightly; however, despite his casual tone, his words thrilled everyone who heard him!


    What did that mean?


    Did it mean that the Armor itself wasn¡¯t the point, but the focus was on the new technology it was equipped with!?


    ...


    But what kind of technology could be so powerful that it allowed an Armor, designed based on the Fourth Generation, to have a magic energy value of ten thousand?


    If this so-called new technology had been mentioned by someone else, no one would believe it, some might even scoff at it, but these words came from Aniye, and that made a world of difference.


    Given Aniye¡¯s status and abilities, he would never speak without foundation. Moreover, everyone had already heard rumors about the new technology Aniye mentioned, knowing it wasn¡¯t something he developed on his own but something he, along with Orton, Hammerfire, and Pelaya, had worked on, which further increased the credibility of everything Aniye said.


    Because of this, when Aniye finished speaking, the people present even felt a chill down their spines because if this technology could make a Fourth Generation Armor break through the ten thousand magic energy value, what would happen if it were applied to a Fifth Generation Armor¡­ it would be incredible!


    ¡°Master Aniye, is this new technology¡­ related to Mana?¡±


    So even though they knew asking wouldn¡¯t yield any results and might even invite displeasure, someone still couldn¡¯t help but ask, driven by overwhelming curiosity and interest in this new technology!


    The outcome was as expected; Aniye just smiled without saying a word but instead addressed someone beside him:


    ¡°His Excellency Farey, what do you think of this new technology?¡±


    The person Aniye addressed, Farey, appeared to be in his fifties or sixties, and he was the representative sent by the Sky Alliance, also a member of the Elders Council of the Sky Alliance.


    As a premier force in the skies, the Sky Alliance doesn¡¯t belong to any one person, with its management and operations entirely overseen by the Elders Council. Naturally, the Alliance placed great importance on the new generation Armor released by the Sigma Corporation, sending Farey, a member of the Elders Council, directly.


    In fact, Farey wasn¡¯t the only person from the Sky Alliance in this VIP box; everyone here belonged to the Sky Alliance, but among these people, Farey had the highest status and position.


    ¡°Stunning, utterly stunning.¡±


    Called out by Aniye, Farey nodded his head noncommittally.


    This wasn¡¯t just politeness but his most genuine thought and feeling.


    The prowess displayed by the White Demon Armor might not match the Holy Angel Armor, but remember, the level of the Holy Angel Armor was Fifth and a Half Generation. Its impressive performance was expected. However, the White Demon Armor was different. In the eyes of Farey and the others, the White Demon Armor was merely Fourth Generation Armor, yet its performance was so remarkable that it could contend on equal terms with the very top Fifth Generation Special Armor. This impact was even greater than what the Holy Angel brought, truly deserving of the word ¡°stunning.¡±


    Upon hearing such an assessment from Farey, Aniye just smiled, then casually shifted the conversation, ¡°For this new technology, City Lord Rocky has invested quite a lot.¡±


    ¡°Rocky¡­?¡±


    After Aniye finished speaking, Farey and the others were momentarily stunned before they realized who Rocky was and turned to look at the arena.


    No wonder, as a member of the Elders Council of the Sky Alliance, Farey was indeed a significant figure, and such a figure wouldn¡¯t know who Rocky was. It took them a good while to remember him.


    But although it took them a while to recall who Rocky was, it didn¡¯t prevent them from reacting very quickly, as Farey soon added:


    ¡°Master Aniye, the Sky Alliance is very willing to support such cross-era research¡­¡±


    As one of the Elders of the Sky Alliance, Farey¡¯s thinking was exceptionally sharp. When Aniye mentioned Rocky, especially his investment in research, Farey immediately understood what he meant and quickly expressed his desire to provide financial support.


    But did he really understand Aniye¡¯s meaning?


    Obviously not, for he hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Aniye interrupted him and then smiled:


    ¡°Speaking of which, City Lord Rocky and the Sky Alliance have some history.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Farey clearly didn¡¯t catch on and immediately asked, ¡°Master, what do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Originally, it was City Lord Rocky who picked up Lord Wilton and escorted him back to the Alliance. If you put it that way, he still owes you a favor, and I remember Rocky told me that in gratitude, Wilton promised he would ensure his entry into the Alliance.¡±


    Aniye spoke slowly and looked at Farey with a smile, asking,


    ¡°Lord Farey, have you heard about this matter?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    With this question, Farey was completely caught off guard!


    As one of the Elders of the Sky Alliance, it wasn¡¯t his responsibility to oversee which Sky City joined the Alliance; this was handled by subordinates, so he had never heard of this matter.


    However, Farey reacted quickly and immediately said, ¡°Since His Excellency the Holy Knight promised, there will certainly be no mistakes, and I believe It won¡¯t be long¡­¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    Just like before, before Farey could finish his sentence, Aniye interrupted him again, but this time, he did not wear a smile on his face! S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Afterward, Aniye turned and left the VIP box¡­


    Watching his stern departure, everyone in the box exchanged glances, wondering, ¡®Wasn¡¯t everything going well just now? Why did the old man suddenly leave so abruptly?¡¯


    ¡°Get to the bottom of this!¡±


    While everyone was confused and unsure of the situation, Farey suddenly shouted at the others!


    ¡°Send someone to notify the Alliance immediately and thoroughly investigate the matter between Rocky and Wilton!¡±


    Staring intensely at the people in the box, Farey roared furiously.


    Others might not know why Aniye left, but he did.


    Clearly, every sentence Aniye had said was a reminder to Farey, reminding him that Rocky should have joined the Sky Alliance, but you haven¡¯t done it yet.


    But based on Farey¡¯s understanding of Wilton, if he really had been saved by Rocky, he would certainly have followed through, and thus Rocky should have already joined the Sky Alliance. And if Rocky had already joined the Sky Alliance, wouldn¡¯t Aniye¡¯s new technology research be theirs?


    However, the current situation didn¡¯t reflect this; for some reason, Rocky had not joined the Alliance, yet with his funding, Aniye and others had managed to develop the new technology!


    With this development, the situation had changed because Rocky would instantly become highly sought after¡ªnot just by the Sky Alliance but also by the other two major alliances who would clamor for his allegiance. Smaller alliances, equally strong, would also scramble to have him join; if Rocky actually joined another alliance, the loss for the Sky Alliance would be tremendous¡ªit would be like letting a cooked duck fly away!


    Therefore, Farey was so enraged, and immediately sent people to the Alliance to thoroughly investigate the matter!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 293 - 283: Each Has Their Strengths!

    Chapter 293: Chapter 283: Each Has Their Strengths!


    While Aniye and the others were negotiating with the big shots, Rocky was still fiercely fighting in the arena.


    At this point, he and Xia Nai had moved from the main stage to mid-air, and after reaching mid-air, the battle became even more intense.


    Both were wearing top-tier Armor, each supported by tens of thousands of magic energy points, so when they reached mid-air, the main battlefield for the Void Magic Armor, they began to use deadly moves without any hesitation. The battle not only became fierce but each attack was lethal, such that a single misstep by either could seal the outcome of the entire match.


    Suspended in mid-air, Rocky rushed toward Xia Nai at maximum speed. During the sprint, the Mana Launchers on his shoulders continuously fired a series of Magic Bullets which exploded midway because Xia Nai was persistently attacking from a distance to prevent him from getting close. Their attacks met in mid-air and exploded into a wall of fire.


    But just after the wall of fire appeared, Rocky suddenly burst through it and reached Xia Nai in an instant, followed by a series of fierce attacks!


    Facing Rocky¡¯s aggressive assault, Xia Nai reacted swiftly. Apart from initially being somewhat passive, he quickly regained his disadvantage, but this was precisely when Rocky began to accelerate, taking advantage of the agility of his armor to start circling around Xia Nai.


    ...


    The White Demon Armor originally boasted comprehensive strength, supported by a large amount of mana which balanced its overall capabilities. This was in the past.


    After Rocky had used the White Demon Armor in several matches, Hammerfire and others identified a new direction for the next enhancement of the armor, which was mobility.


    The White Demon Armor¡¯s magic energy value could reach up to ten thousand points, but how to utilize such a vast amount of energy effectively was always a problem for Hammerfire and his team to solve.


    Because the technology equipped the White Demon Armor was ultimately that of the fourth-generation armor technology. Despite improvements, the limitation of the fourth-generation technology persisted. Without working on this aspect, the White Demon Armor would end up being a defective product, powerful in mana but unable to utilize its full potential, which was not what Hammerfire and his team wanted to see.


    Therefore, Hammerfire and his team significantly strengthened the mobility of the White Demon Armor. After all, the mobility of an armor always consumes a lot of mana but, likewise, powerful support from mana can result in significantly noticeable effects.


    So, after the enhancements, the mobility of the White Demon Armor had significantly increased compared to before, making it incomparable to its previous state. Hence, when Rocky accelerated to full speed and started attacking Xia Nai using the mobility of the White Demon Armor, Xia Nai immediately felt the pressure.


    He found that he could hardly keep up with Rocky¡¯s speed!


    In his eyes, Rocky appeared in various directions around him at an unimaginably fast speed. He could only barely catch Rocky¡¯s position and defend himself; countering was utterly impossible, for after every blocked attack, Rocky would immediately move away and appear in another position, continuously guerrilla fighting.


    In this situation, Xia Nai soon realized that he was in trouble because once he had the speed advantage, Rocky would eventually find his weakness, and once that weakness appeared, the match would be over!


    So, after several continuous defenses, Xia Nai had no choice but to increase his altitude, hoping to break away from the engagement.


    But how could Rocky let him get his way? As Xia Nai increased altitude, Rocky relentlessly pursued him.


    This led to an astonishing scene; the two chased each other in mid-air, clashing after each short flight, repeatedly maneuvering swiftly. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To the average eye, the two were intensely grappling, unable to shake each other off, but to those in the know, this indicated that Xia Nai was at a disadvantage because clearly he wanted to shake off Rocky but was caught up each time, resulting in this scene.


    Moreover, many experts felt that if Xia Nai kept being chased like this, he could be in trouble since in a clash of this caliber, a single mistake could decide the outcome. Under continuous passive defense, it was hard for Xia Nai to ensure a flawless performance.


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    Just as Rocky was relentlessly advancing, and Peter Shane was starting to panic, Xia Nai suddenly roared and activated the Defensive Net!


    Simultaneously, as the Defensive Net opened, Rocky slashed with his sword but not only failed to break through the net, he was also repelled a great distance backward.


    The White Demon Armor has a magic energy value of 10,000, while the Windwalker Armor has 13,000. Both values indicate top-tier armors, yet there is still a noticeable difference between the two¡ªa slight, albeit significant gap.


    However, from the current performance, Rocky, with less magic energy, unexpectedly took the initiative in the combat, while Xia Nai, possessing more magic energy, ended up in a passive position being hit, which was clearly abnormal.


    In reality, this was not the case, as there was indeed a difference between the two armors; it just hadn¡¯t manifested yet.


    Following further enhancements, the White Demon Armor¡¯s key feature was its mobility, whereas the prominent feature of the Windwalker Armor wasn¡¯t mobility but its attack and defensive power!


    Now, when Xia Nai activated the Windwalker¡¯s Defensive Net, his 3,000 point advantage in magic energy became apparent!


    Against the falling Mana Sword, the Defensive Net not only easily resisted it but also repelled Rocky directly. And when Rocky, using the momentum of the repulsion, retreated while firing a series of three Magic Bullets, all of them that hit the Defensive Net were easily blocked without even causing a ripple.


    After this, Xia Nai¡¯s counterattack began!


    He charged straight at Rocky immediately after deploying the Defensive Net. Facing Rocky¡¯s series of blockades, he didn¡¯t dodge at all, not needing to, as no matter how the Magic Bullets and Magic Energy Beam attacked, the Defensive Net remained impenetrable!


    Then, in the blink of an eye, he charged right in front of Rocky, too quick to launch an attack and instead slammed directly into him using his momentum!


    The Windwalker¡¯s Defensive Net, featuring unique technology, could be used defensively and, if used correctly, as a weapon, just like now.


    A dull thud was heard as the Defensive Net forcefully slammed Rocky towards the arena!


    ¡°Oh!!¡±


    At the moment Rocky fell to the arena, the audience, which had been silent for a while, managed to let out a gasp of surprise; it was the first time they saw such a clear flaw exposed in the duel between the two.


    ¡°Oh!!!¡±


    But that gasp had hardly faded when the audience let out an even more exaggerated cry of astonishment. In their eyes, Xia Nai, who had sent Rocky flying, didn¡¯t pursue him but instead raised his arms, revealing the Magic Energy Cannons on each, while the armor on his chest and shoulders also opened, showing the built-in cannon ports. More critically, a shoulder-mounted Magic Energy Launcher extended from his back!


    In an instant, Xia Nai had activated all of Windwalker¡¯s weapons and aimed them at Rocky!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 294 - 284 Full Barrage!

    Chapter 294: Chapter 284 Full Barrage!


    When Rocky fell from the arena that instant, Xia Nai had all the weapons on his armor light up and fire simultaneously!


    This move had never been used by him in previous competitions, simply because none of his enemies before were worth such an attack.


    But now, he had aimed every cannon on his body at Rocky!


    It was evident that after the aerial combat that had just occurred, Xia Nai was pushed to the brink, forcing him to make such a desperate move. However, given the weapon configuration and attack power of the Windwalker Armor, this full barrage attack was undoubtedly immensely powerful.


    One second later, countless cannons bombarded Rocky at the same time!


    It must be said again how formidable Xia Nai was; his performance in this match had truly exceeded the expectations of most people. With his brilliant offense and defense, he proved that not only was his armor powerful, but he himself was a real powerhouse. Whether it was reaction, on-the-spot adaptation, or judgment, Xia Nai was nearly flawless in these aspects, and had almost made no mistakes in such fierce combat.


    ...


    This was why he was able to exploit such a huge flaw in Rocky and decisively seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to launch a fatal attack!


    Similarly, it was because his reaction was so quick and his decision so resolute, that when all the cannons on the armor lit up, Rocky, who was falling from the arena, could not manage any countermeasures!


    There was no way around it; everything happened too quickly, so that Rocky completely failed to adjust his position to face this lethal attack. The only thing he could do was to deploy his Defensive Net and hold up the Magic Energy Shield in front of his chest.


    Right after he had made these two moves, the countless cannon fires arrived!


    In an instant, Rocky was hit by numerous cannon fires, and under the bombardment, numerous ripples instantly appeared on the Defensive Net he had deployed. Moreover, when he was struck, he felt his falling speed further increase, making him even less able to control his descent.


    The greatest feature of the Windwalker Armor lay in its very powerful offensive and defensive capabilities. On the defensive side, the Windwalker possessed unique Defensive Net technology. Supported by this exclusive technology, its Defensive Net was not only highly defensive against almost all attacks but also possessed considerable offensive force, and Rocky being knocked out of the arena was the best proof of this.


    Regarding the offensive capabilities, the Windwalker Armor had an exceptionally rich weapon configuration; this hardly needs much explanation. Just take a look at the current full firepower of the Windwalker to understand. Additionally, this armor not only had powerful firepower but also had outstanding attack power, whether it was its arms, shoulders, or chest. The power of the Magic Energy Cannons at these locations were all at least over a thousand points, and truthfully, with such a rich firepower setup and such strong attack capabilities, the Windwalker Armor¡¯s attacking strength was comparable to a main battle warship!


    With such firepower and attack capability as support, one could imagine the might of the Windwalker¡¯s full barrage; certainly, even if facing the 4th generation Special Armor or even the 5th generation Mass-Produced Armor, the Windwalker¡¯s full barrage could reduce the opponent to dust. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the White Demon wasn¡¯t any of the previous two generations of armor!


    Although the White Demon wasn¡¯t renowned for its defensive power, as a first generation Rune Armor with a Magic Energy of 10000 points provided by the Rune, the White Demon¡¯s own Defensive Net had significant strength, and the ripples that appeared on the Defensive Net after being struck were the best proof of this.


    The ripples that appeared on the Defensive Net at this moment were all due to the attacks being neutralized, meaning that even the attacks with at least a thousand points of power landing on the Defensive Net, while they looked fierce, did not actually break through the Defensive Net. As long as the Defensive Net did not break, Rocky would only be subjected to some impact force and essentially no injuries.


    However, even so, Rocky was still in extreme danger, even to the extent of being in a life-threatening crisis!


    Because a single Magic Energy Cannon might have struggled to shatter the Defense Net, but what about many shots falling together? It is known that even the large warship Defense Nets or the gigantic ones used by Sky City have load limits¡ªnot to mention Armor, which definitely has its limits too!


    The defensive power of the White Demon¡¯s Defense Net might have been strong, but if it endured multiple attacks, especially continuous ones, once the load surpassed the limit, it would shatter just as well!


    That was exactly the situation Rocky faced now,


    Xia Nai¡¯s full barrage was not just a single round of shooting but a continuous, relentless attack!


    Therefore, once the attack began, a scene beyond everyone¡¯s imagination and common sense unfolded¡ªbetween Xia Nai, who was mid-air, and Rocky, who had already fallen to the arena, a line formed!


    This line tightly linked the two together, and what comprised this line was the unending barrage of firepower!


    What does ¡°barrage bombardment¡± mean?


    This was true barrage bombardment!


    By now, Rocky had long been bombarded off the arena, and during this process, he tried more than once to get up and then, relying on White Demon¡¯s mobility, tried to shake off the bombardment but failed time and again.


    The continuous bombardment brought not just damage but also tremendous impact. Under such force, he felt as if a hurricane was pressing down on his body; moving was absolutely impossible.


    Similarly, under such fierce bombardment that even getting up was impossible, the White Demon¡¯s Defense Net¡­ shattered¡­


    It probably lasted only a dozen seconds¡ªRocky¡¯s Defense Net, having reached its load limit, instantaneously shattered, and once the Defense Net disappeared, the relentless gunfire hit him directly.


    But luckily, luckily Rocky still had a Magic Energy Shield to use. He had preemptively placed the Magic Energy Shield in front of his chest while opening the Defense Net, so once the Defense Net disappeared, the Magic Energy Shield became his barrier. He also immediately channeled the Armor¡¯s mana into the Magic Energy Shield.


    As mentioned before, the close-combat configuration of the White Demon Armor, which includes the Mana Sword and Magic Energy Shield, outputs mana individually. Under normal circumstances, they are powered by the runes they carry, but they can also be powered by the Armor¡¯s mana when needed. Combining the two can further increase power and defensive capability.


    Now Rocky was using this method to further strengthen the Magic Energy Shield¡¯s defensive power and area. Therefore, when the Magic Energy Shield received the mana from the Armor, its area immediately doubled, protecting Rocky completely behind the shield.


    But it was clear to anyone that this was merely a temporary measure¡ªwhile the Magic Energy Shield could protect Rocky for the moment, could it protect him forever?


    In fact, not to mention forever, even with the support of the Armor¡¯s mana, the Magic Energy Shield lasted only a dozen seconds more than the Defense Net, and then with a crack, the shield materialized from mana completely shattered!


    And as the Magic Energy Shield also declared its breakage, the last barrier vanished, and countless charges of gunfire truly hit Rocky¡­!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 295 - 285: No Bones Left...

    Chapter 295: Chapter 285: No Bones Left¡­


    The intense barrage of fire from the full salvo shattered the White Demon¡¯s Defensive Net and Magic Energy Shield, finally unleashing its force on Rocky!


    The moment the Magic Energy Shield broke, everyone inwardly sighed, ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡±


    Now, everyone had the same thought: being hit directly by such fierce gunfire, Rocky was surely doomed. There was no doubt he would die!


    But just as this thought formed in everyone¡¯s minds, the relentless bombardment that had lasted for nearly a minute suddenly came to an end.


    The Windwalker¡¯s full salvo was over.


    Some might wonder, having finally broken through all of Rocky¡¯s defenses, why had the attack stopped so abruptly?


    ...


    It wasn¡¯t that Xia Nai deliberately stopped the attack; he had to stop.


    The power of a full salvo was incredibly strong, but so too was its consumption exceptionally tremendous. From the start until now, the full salvo had lasted almost a minute, during which Xia Nai had nearly depleted the Windwalker Armor¡¯s Mana!


    Therefore, he had to stop the attack, but even so, the outcome was already determined.


    Although the full salvo had rained on Rocky for only a few seconds, even in such a short time, the firepower Rocky endured was unimaginably intense, still sufficient to doom him!


    After stopping the attack, Xia Nai hovered half in the air, continuously gasping for air while staring intently at the arena.


    Operating under full salvo, he too had to bear tremendous pressure. Not to mention, just controlling the armor to remain stable during the bombardment was enough to cause serious discomfort, so when the attack ceased, Xia Nai seemed even more exhausted and strained than during the fray.


    At the same time, he didn¡¯t relax just because he had the upper hand. On the contrary, he kept a vigilant watch on the arena from mid-air, observing for any signs of activity from Rocky amidst the smoke.


    Like him, the entire audience was also fixated on the arena, each person looking with an indescribable gaze at the battle below because at this moment in the match, it was hard for the audience to decide whom to support. The competition was so thrilling that it had captivated everyone present, turning almost all spectators into supporters of both competitors.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, has contestant number 1021 already ¡­¡±


    As everyone focused on the arena, the announcer, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up. His voice sounded dry, clearly parched by the intensity of the match, lacking his usual booming presence.


    The announcer, while speaking and looking at the arena like everyone else, unfortunately could see nothing. After the relentless bombardment, the arena was left with a huge crater, and Rocky had long fallen into it, hidden from view.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen¡­ having endured such intense bombardment, I think contestant number 1021¡­ I think he¡¯s already¡­ he¡¯s still alive! Contestant 1021 is still alive!¡±


    Just as the announcer was about to declare that Rocky had failed and Xia Nai had won, suddenly, he raised his voice sharply and shouted again!


    Rocky was still alive!


    With his shout, the audience immediately erupted into an uproar, and those who reacted quicker turned their eyes toward the big screen.


    Sure enough, the image of Rocky now appeared on the big screen.


    After enduring the ferocious firepower of the full salvo, the White Demon Armor had lost its pristine white color, appearing dusty and damaged in several places. To say it was battered might be an exaggeration, but it certainly looked very shabby.


    But even so, Rocky had not died!


    When the crowd looked at the big screen and saw Rocky, they just caught sight of the chest plate of the White Demon Armor¡­ slowly opening!


    Although Rocky in the footage did not move, the fact that the armor could still be operated meant he was not dead, not only was he alive, but he also had not given up!


    Because everyone could clearly see, as the chest plate of the White Demon Armor was opened, a huge cannon muzzle inside was revealed!


    What followed was before the crowd could react or cry out, the severely damaged White Demon Armor suddenly burst back into light, the light erupted from within the armor, and then quickly gathered at the chest like flowing water, making the chest of the White Demon shine immensely bright, just like a small sun.


    ¡°Dammit!¡±


    When the entire audience saw that Rocky was still alive, Xia Nai, who was half-suspended, also saw it, and like everyone else, he also saw the chest of the White Demon Armor open to reveal the huge cannon muzzle hidden within!


    Seeing this, Xia Nai cursed through clenched teeth and then directed all the remaining mana in the armor into the Defensive Net.


    The process of the White Demon Armor revealing its built-in cannon muzzle and gathering mana might sound lengthy, but it was actually a very short process, so short that by the time the crowd saw it, the mana had already been fully gathered!


    So when Xia Nai witnessed this scene, he had absolutely no time to dodge; the only thing he could do was input all the mana into the Defensive Net, enhancing its defensive power to the maximum since anyone could see that the attack Rocky was about to launch was no joking matter.


    It was at this same moment that a gigantic Magic Energy Beam shot from the chest of the White Demon into the sky!


    ¡°My God¡­¡±


    ¡°What is this¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so terrifying¡­¡±


    The moment this Magic Energy Beam appeared, it frightened everyone, causing the entire audience to open their mouths in shock, because the beam was so extraordinarily large that it was more appropriate to call it a pillar of light than a beam.


    And just as this pillar of light shot into the sky, Xia Nai, who was half-suspended, was engulfed by it, his entire body enveloped within the pillar!


    Demon Annihilation Cannon.


    The most lethal weapon of the White Demon Armor, also a top weapon developed by Orton and four others through their combined efforts.


    The design of this weapon was inspired by the City-Destroyer Cannon, and even its principles bore some resemblance to those of the City-Destroyer Cannon.


    To activate the Demon Annihilation Cannon, one also needed to gather all the mana of the armor, and besides the armor¡¯s own mana, Orton painted numerous Fifth-level Runes on it.


    The 10,000 points of mana inherent in the White Demon Armor, even if fully utilized, were not enough to launch the Demon Annihilation Cannon; to initiate a normal launch and firing, it required a significantly greater amount of mana, which is why Orton crafted a large number of Fifth-level Runes on it specifically to provide additional mana. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This explained why a weapon with only 10,000 points of mana could deliver such a terrifying blow, and illustrated the immense power of the weapon.


    According to Orton and the others¡¯ estimation, the effects of the Demon Annihilation Cannon, once deployed, would be identical to those of the City-Destroyer Cannon!


    In fact, when the Demon Annihilation Cannon was actually used, the effect was far more exaggerated than Orton and the others had anticipated, because just as the pillar of light from the Demon Annihilation Cannon enveloped Xia Nai, within just two or three seconds, the huge pillar disappeared, and all the mana in the White Demon Armor had been exhausted in those two or three seconds.


    But as the Demon Annihilation Cannon vanished, Xia Nai, who was shrouded within it¡­ also disappeared¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 296 - 286: Sensation!

    Chapter 296: Chapter 286: Sensation!


    Nothing left but ashes¡­


    When the Demon Annihilation Cannon struck Xia Nai, he disappeared instantly within the massive column of light, both he himself and his Armor were gone!


    Throughout the match, Xia Nai¡¯s performance was impeccable, but he made a mistake at the last moment, which resulted in his complete obliteration.


    He should not have tried to directly receive the blow from the Demon Annihilation Cannon!


    Orton and others hadn¡¯t developed the Demon Annihilation Cannon for Armor fighting, this massively destructive weapon was intended to be used against fleets. According to their initial idea, with the powerful attack of the Demon Annihilation Cannon, a shot would obliterate all warships in a straight line, which was its real purpose.


    In Armor combat, however, the practicality of the Demon Annihilation Cannon was extremely low. After all, although the preparation and actual firing might not be considered slow, it was not flexible enough. Even a mere one or two seconds of preparation time would absolutely not be adequate to hit any Void Magic Warrior, and thus Xia Nai made a fatal mistake in trying to catch such a terrifying attack.


    ...


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t entirely his fault. If Xia Nai had known how terrifying the Demon Annihilation Cannon was, he would have definitely avoided it at all costs. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t know.


    That¡¯s why he was hovering mid-air, observing Rocky. If he could have landed in the ring, then he would have won the match because Rocky was left powerless after enduring the full barrage. Even if Xia Nai had chosen to dodge fully instead of bolstering his Defensive Net before the cannon fired, there might have been a slim chance to avoid it, considering Rocky was already immobilized with only one angle to shoot from.


    Unfortunately, perhaps it was fate¡ªbut Xia Nai performed flawlessly throughout the match without a single error, only to make one at the very last moment, not only causing him to lose the match but his life as well¡­


    As Xia Nai was obliterated, leaving nothing but ashes, it took a long, long time for the crowd to realize what had happened. There was no cheering, nor screaming, just some individuals stood up amidst sparse applause.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the sparse applause turned into scattered clapping. As the process unfolded, more and more spectators stood up, applauding for Rocky, eventually leading the whole audience to give a standing ovation!


    While the applause filled the arena, the announcer loudly declared Rocky as the winner of the match!


    However, at this time, Rocky heard nothing because he had lost consciousness right after deploying the Demon Annihilation Cannon. Thus, whether the cannon hit its target, how Xia Nai fared, and whether he won the final victory or not were all unknown to him.


    Fortunately, as soon as the announcer declared the match over and Rocky as the final victor, medical staff immediately carried him out of the ring.


    This way, the compelling match finally drew to a close. No one expected it to be so intense or so splendid, nor did anyone foresee such an outcome. The previously underestimated Rocky had won, while Xia Nai, who almost everyone favored, not only lost but was obliterated to ashes. This complete turn of events was beyond anyone¡¯s predictions, even the Arena¡¯s.


    So once the match concluded, the victorious Rocky naturally became the focus of discussions. However, compared to that, another bigger and more eye-catching center of attention emerged, the new technology that helped him win the match!


    Although Rocky had won, to many people, the outcome of the match was not as important as the demonstration of a brand new technology that had never been heard of before shown to the world through this match!


    This, by far, outweighed the importance of the match itself, causing an immediate and immense sensation, a stir comparable to when the Sigma Corporation released a new generation of Armor.


    Shortly after, more and more people heard about the news¡ªas Aniye, Orton, Hammerfire, and Pelaya developed a new technology that greatly enhanced the Mana of Armor, significantly increasing its Mana and breaking through its previous limits.


    What¡¯s more, this technology was already well-developed to the extent that it could be deployed in real combat, as demonstrated by Rocky and Xia Nai¡¯s match.


    This news was explosive enough to set Eternal City abuzz, as it was filled with many important figures, all originally congregated for the Holy Angel Armor but ended up witnessing this unexpected development!


    And as the buzz spread, Aniye and others immediately rode the wave to hold a press conference in Thunderhawk City.


    At the press conference, Aniye, Orton, Hammerfire, and Pelaya, along with Rocky, all attended, formally confirming various rumors that had been circulating, affirming their ongoing development of the new technology under Thunderhawk City¡¯s support, and indeed related to Mana.


    With this, all those interested in the matter were relieved, for everything known prior to the official press conference had merely been rumors, no matter how true they sounded, there was always an element of uncertainty. But once the press conference commenced, all doubts were dispelled.


    The only disappointment was that although the conference was held, and Aniye and others confirmed the previous rumors, they did not discuss what the new technology was specifically. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, that was hardly a concern, since relying on the reputation of Aniye and others, even though many details of the new technology were not disclosed, the public was still filled with curiosity and confidence, knowing that these master-level figures would not treat such a project frivolously, and more importantly, this unnamed new technology was already operational on Armor.


    Thus, the successful hosting of the press conference not only focused attention on the new Armor, but another focal point also emerged, which was Thunderhawk City.


    Since the confirmation of the new technology, more and more people headed towards Thunderhawk City, all with the same objective: one was to understand exactly what the new technology was about, hoping to learn some information; the other was to see if they could make contact with Rocky and explore potential cooperation opportunities in furthering this research!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 297 - 287 Reactions from All Sides

    Chapter 297: Chapter 287 Reactions from All Sides


    ¡°Father, what do you think about this?¡±


    In his office at Sigma Corporation, Tom was discussing with his daughter Denise the new technology announced by Aniye and others.


    The sudden emergence of this new technology caught both of them off guard, as the announcement was incredibly abrupt. From the emergence of rumors to the actual press conference, it took merely a month, leaving everyone unprepared, including Denise and Tom.


    However, unlike others, the new technology researched by Aniye and his team had a crucial connection to Denise, Tom, and even Sigma Corporation.


    If this new technology was just ordinary, its impact might not be significant. Despite its current popularity, the excitement would likely fade soon. However, if the technology represented a trans-era research, the scenario would be utterly different.


    If the new technology that Aniye and his team had researched truly had trans-era significance, it could potentially change the entire landscape of the Armor Domain. As one of the giants in the Armor Domain, Sigma Corporation couldn¡¯t afford to ignore this.


    ...


    That¡¯s why Denise and Tom were treating this matter with such caution. What made them feel even more pressed was that, based on Rocky¡¯s performance in the competition, this technology not only already had practicality, but also displayed all the signs of being trans-era!


    This wasn¡¯t mere speculation, but the result of thorough analysis.


    Once Rocky¡¯s competition was over, Denise immediately had their R&D team analyze the competition, and the conclusion they reached was that the Magic Energy Technology mounted on the White Demon Armor was indeed unprecedented!


    It¡¯s like laymen watch the excitement while the experts see the way through. Just like when Aniye and others first noticed the Magic Conduction System on the Holy Angel Armor, when Sigma Corporation¡¯s R&D team repeatedly studied Rocky¡¯s competition videos, they too pinpointed what was critical ¡ª while they didn¡¯t find any runes, they noticed that the Magic Energy System of the White Demon Armor was extraordinarily unusual, possibly of a trans-era nature!


    Thus, Denise and Tom were confronted with a dilemma about how to deal with this new technology.


    Sigma Corporation is a giant in the Armor Domain. Whenever there¡¯s new technology related to Armor, they immediately respond, either by acquiring it to use in their own armor development; or by immediately starting reverse research to decode and develop it on their own. In short, they must react immediately, or else they let others gain the upper hand.


    So, for this matter, Denise and Tom not only valued it highly but also had discussed it many times.


    Today, the preliminary research report on the White Demon Armor was ready, and the two had to make a decision.


    ¡°Father, these are the development department¡¯s preliminary evaluations of the White Demon Armor. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°A bunch of crap.¡± Tom said dismissively as he tossed the report aside, ¡°What could these guys possibly figure out? The company spent five years and gave them unlimited investment, and what have they accomplished?¡±


    ¡°A small City Lord in Sky City conjured up a trans-era technology within a year, and these guys have the audacity to write a report? Do they even understand it?¡±


    Due to multiple setbacks in the development of the 6th Generation Armor by the company¡¯s R&D team, Tom had already lost confidence in this team, especially now, learning that Aniye among four in a small Sky City, had developed a new technology with trans-era potential, which was already likely viable for actual combat, his dissatisfaction with his own team intensified.


    Thus, for the research report Denise submitted to him, Tom didn¡¯t even look at it before tossing it aside, then said, ¡°Make contact, immediately start making contact, strive to reach an agreement with them to jointly develop this technology.¡±


    In a single sentence, Tom made his intentions clear, that they must secure this new technology, a technology that could potentially break through the existing limits of Magic Energy, not just in the Armor Domain but in any field it would be crucial, and anyone realizing this would not miss this opportunity. Therefore, Sigma Corporation must act immediately and not lose this advantage.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Upon hearing Tom¡¯s words, Denise nodded, ¡°I will immediately send someone to contact Aniye.¡±


    ¡°Not Aniye, you need to talk to Rocky.¡±


    Looking at his daughter, Tom sighed helplessly, while Denise was startled by his words. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clearly, Denise did not understand Tom¡¯s intention, as in her view, Rocky was just a small City Lord of Sky City who had been pushed into the limelight solely because he funded Aniye and others¡¯ research. However, many viewed this funding as fragile and even trivial.


    In the eyes of many, as long as the money was sufficient, Rocky would surely withdraw from the research, since such a high-level study wasn¡¯t something a small City Lord could participate in, making many believe that the real decision-makers on who qualified to participate in the research were not Rocky, but Aniye and his team. They just have to nod, what could Rocky do?


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 298 - 287 Reactions from All Sides_2

    Chapter 298: Chapter 287 Reactions from All Sides_2


    Like everyone else, Denise also held this sentiment about new technologies, and yet Rocky had no part in her considerations.


    Therefore, when she heard Tom¡¯s words, she was puzzled and blurted out, ¡°Father, why?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you really should think about why.¡±


    After glancing at his daughter, Tom, with a rare hint of disappointment, said, ¡°Denise, you should really think about why Aniye and Orton gathered in Thunderhawk City, why they conducted research under Rocky¡¯s sponsorship.¡±


    ¡°With just the capabilities of these four individuals, with their reputations, couldn¡¯t they find a better sponsor? If they approached the Three Great Alliances, or even came to us, would we refuse them?¡±


    After several statements, Tom left Denise speechless, as she evidently hadn¡¯t considered any of this before!


    ...


    No, it¡¯s not right to say she hadn¡¯t considered it¡ªit¡¯s that Denise, like many others, had noticed but either ignored it or casually found excuses not to take it seriously.


    But Tom had thought of the same issues and took them very seriously; he saw right through the surface and grasped the essence. It has to be said, experience does come with age!


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t just Sigma Corporation that considered this new technology critical to them; others were also paying great attention and had consequently responded.


    Take the Sky Alliance, for example. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If the announcement of Aniye and the others developing new technologies caught many off guard, the Sky Alliance, upon learning this news, felt not only unprepared but filled with regret!


    During Rocky¡¯s competition, Farey had already sent people to investigate him and Wilton¡¯s involvement with the Sky Alliance, and just as coincidentally, the investigation concluded right after Aniye¡¯s press conference.


    As one of the Elders of the Sky Alliance, Farey¡¯s status needs no further mention; therefore, at his command, everything about Rocky and Wilton, and all subsequent events, was thoroughly investigated and presented to Farey in a detailed report.


    Having received this extremely detailed report, Farey could be said to understand everything, even more clearly than Rocky himself, which can only suggest how infuriated Farey was about the situation!


    ¡°Issue the order¡­¡±


    Squinting and with a grim expression, Farey glanced at his subordinates and then methodically said, ¡°All individuals in the Alliance involved in this matter are to be stripped of all positions, immediately apprehend the main conspirator who had direct contact with Lexington, seize control of Sky City, and recall all awards previously given to these individuals by the Alliance.¡±


    Calmly and methodically, Farey imposed punishments on all those in the Alliance involved in this matter. The severity of the punishments far exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations.


    Logically speaking, with the Sky Alliance being so large, it¡¯s impossible for everyone to uphold the law impartially; inevitably, some would exploit their official privileges for personal gain through small schemes and tactics. The Alliance knew this and would turn a blind eye, as it¡¯s impossible to keep everything squeaky clean.


    However, Rocky¡¯s case was different.


    First and foremost, it involved the relationship between the Alliance and Rocky. Farey could see that Rocky was indeed willing to join the Sky Alliance; otherwise, Aniye wouldn¡¯t have hinted at it during the competition.


    Farey found Rocky¡¯s intention not only normal but also reasonable. Among the Three Great Alliances, the Sky Alliance was indeed perceived a bit more positively than the other two; it was more liberal in its requirements for members, which is a characteristic of the Sky Alliance. Hence, Farey wouldn¡¯t find it strange that Rocky wanted to join the Alliance.


    This also means that the Sky Alliance still has room for maneuver in this matter.


    This might sound laughable, but such a large Sky Alliance actually needs a small Sky City Lord to provide an opportunity. Under normal circumstances, this would be laughable, but the current situation is just so, because Rocky has now become the most sought-after figure.


    It¡¯s as if there are some things Denise can¡¯t see, but Tom can. Farey clearly understands the relationship between Rocky and Aniye and three others, as well as the new technology they developed together.


    Fairly speaking, Farey hadn¡¯t understood why Rocky received such substantial attention from Aniye and the others, but this reason isn¡¯t too important. What is important is the result. The result is that if you want the new technology, you must pass through Rocky, and that is the key.


    Therefore, Farey must punish everyone involved in obstructing Rocky¡¯s joining the Alliance. Only by doing so can he provide an explanation to Rocky and discuss the subsequent issues.


    Of course, this is just one of the reasons. Another reason is that Farey plans to make an example of this!


    Now that the investigation into why Rocky failed to join the Alliance is clear, Farey knows for certain that Lexington was the one meddling behind the scenes, fueling his outrage even more!


    Farey knows who Lexington is, but he doesn¡¯t know since when the Mairente Family had the privilege to meddle in the affairs of the Alliance?


    If this information were to leak out, wouldn¡¯t outsiders think that the Sky Alliance was controlled by a minor family? Where would the Alliance¡¯s face be then?


    So, afterwards, Farey continued with an expressionless face, ¡°Issue the order that, effective immediately, the Sky Alliance will sever all ties with the Mairente Family. All Alliance members and Chamber of Commerce must not have any dealings with the Mairente Family.


    ¡°Effective immediately, the Mairente Family is added to the unwelcome list, and if they enter any territory under the Alliance¡¯s jurisdiction, they are to be immediately expelled!¡±


    With just a few words, Farey made a series of decisions, intent on teaching the Mairente Family a lesson and ensuring they understood that many issues in this sky were not their concern!


    After making these series of decisions, Farey paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Send a letter to Lord Wilton, letting him rest assured to lead the troops, as the Alliance will handle this matter properly and will certainly explain everything to him.¡±


    After saying this, Farey paused for a moment, then shook his head, ¡°Never mind¡­ I¡¯ll contact him personally after everything is settled.¡±


    The most troublesome aspect of this whole affair for Farey was not so much the punishment of the involved parties, nor the Mairente Family, nor even Rocky. It was Holy Knight Wilton.


    As the Alliance investigated this series of events, Wilton, who was commanding troops abroad, naturally came to know the full story. Learning of this, especially that the Alliance had not fulfilled his request to include Rocky, and that Rocky had now developed new technology, His Excellency the Holy Knight was rarely seen in such a fury!


    The reason Wilton could be called a Holy Knight wasn¡¯t made up; he truly earned it, whether in character or actions. He had never been one to misspeak or break trust in his lifetime. Yet, such a severe issue arose with Rocky, coupled with the significant news Rocky had made, how could His Excellency the Holy Knight not be angry?


    If, just if, the new technology Rocky supported turned out to be a trans-era great research, and he for that reason did not join the Alliance, then in the eyes of outsiders unaware of the internal details, Wilton would appear to have botched this matter. He would not only become a criminal of the Alliance but also a laughingstock worldwide!


    Such a huge blame, His Excellency the Holy Knight would not bear! Thus, upon learning of this, he directly contacted the Elders¡¯ Council of the Alliance, demanding that this matter be handled seriously and that an explanation be given to him and Rocky, otherwise he would never agree.


    This was why Farey felt such a headache and decided to contact Wilton personally after everything was settled to explain the situation.


    Once everything was settled, Farey immediately took his people and left Eternal City headed for Thunderhawk City, ready to have a thorough talk with Rocky about joining the Alliance.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 299 - 288: The Attractive Bun

    Chapter 299: Chapter 288: The Attractive Bun


    While others were having various reactions and responses to the new technology, Rocky of Thunderhawk City was quite at ease.


    He had won the competition against Xia Nai, and the new technology was smoothly released, and from the reactions of all parties, it seemed to be very successful. More and more people from Eternal City were coming to visit him, each showing great interest in the new technology¡ªa result that obviously pleased Rocky very much.


    All of this indicated that his previous plans had worked out, even better than he had originally anticipated!


    Initially, Rocky only wanted to use the new technology to attract the attention of the Sky Alliance, and then prove his strength through a battle with Wild Horse City, in order to join the Sky Alliance, which is to say, he thought he would need two steps to achieve his goal.


    But now it seemed that the purpose had been achieved with just the first step, as Rocky had become a true hot commodity.


    Take the Sky Alliance he had been concerned about, for instance, just the day before yesterday, Farey had come to Thunderhawk City with a group of people.


    ...


    Rocky was no stranger to Farey; in fact, they had met once before at a ball hosted by Sigma Corporation. At that time, Rocky had thought about approaching Farey to inquire about joining the Alliance, but unfortunately, he had found no opportunity. As one of the Elders of the Sky Alliance, Farey was a true person of importance, constantly surrounded by people during the ball, and Rocky, with his status, simply had no chance to engage with him.


    But now things had changed, Rocky didn¡¯t have to make the approach, as Farey had come to him.


    And when the two of them met this time, they had a very formal and in-depth conversation.


    This discussion was very formal. At the beginning of their talk, Farey proactively expressed an apology to Rocky, then went on to describe the investigations regarding his joining the Alliance, and finally, he conveyed the Alliance¡¯s decision on the matter to Rocky.


    In the eyes of outsiders, it might seem as if Farey was somewhat lowering his status by doing this, as after all, he was an Elder representing the Sky Alliance, and Rocky, despite being sought after, was just the City Lord of a small Sky City, even if he possessed cutting-edge technology, the Alliance had no need to treat him this way.


    But this was precisely where Farey was astute; his approach, while seemingly diminishing his own status, actually expressed sincerity right from the start and pre-empted any argument from Rocky: ¡°The Sky Alliance is already being this polite to you, what more do you want?¡±


    Indeed, from the end of his speech until the conclusion of their conversation, Rocky didn¡¯t bring up the issue again, as he really couldn¡¯t find the words.


    However, Rocky was no longer the na?ve young man he used to be; he had been a City Lord for over a year, not only had he acquired the demeanor of a City Lord, but he also knew how to handle these types of conversations.


    So, although he did not mention all the previous matters, he also did not explicitly reveal his attitude, which is to say, he had not yet made a decision about whether or not to join the Alliance!


    Here, some might wonder, hasn¡¯t Rocky always wanted to join the Sky Alliance? How come now that it¡¯s all set up, he¡¯s hesitating?


    Of course, he wasn¡¯t hesitating, and he still wanted to join the Alliance, but the situation had changed; previously, he wanted to join the Alliance and was pleading for their acceptance, willing to join without any conditions, but now it was different!


    Now Rocky held a very significant bargaining chip in his hand, which he could use to secure better benefits for himself when joining the Alliance. As a City Lord, how could he possibly let such an opportunity slip by?


    Therefore, although he made it clear to Farey that he was excited about the possibility of joining the Alliance, he did not make clear whether he really wanted to become a member of the Alliance.


    As a result, when their meeting concluded, they hadn¡¯t finalized any concrete outcomes.


    But while it seemed that no results had been achieved, at the end of their conversation, both had gotten everything they wanted.


    Through this talk, Rocky understood that the Sky Alliance was very keen on having him join, and under these circumstances, he could certainly negotiate more benefits for himself.


    It was the same for Farey. Through this conversation, he could see that joining the Sky Alliance was still Rocky¡¯s first choice, and the only reason he hadn¡¯t made a decision yet was to gain more advantages for himself, which was naturally not a problem, as long as Rocky¡¯s demands were reasonable. Given his current standing, he indeed had the right to negotiate some terms for himself.


    So, with an understanding between them, after their meeting, both were very satisfied, and what followed would be discussions of the specific terms.


    Of course, apart from interacting with the Sky Alliance, during this period, Rocky had also been in touch with many other forces, including not only the Magic Energy Research Institute, one of the three major forces, but also various other large and small powers; in short, he saw a lot of people.


    All these forces that came to contact him also generally expressed their desire to invite him to join them. Despite these forces perhaps not being as large as the Sky Alliance, many were massive entities, prominent presences in the sky.


    As for these invitations from the forces, Rocky didn¡¯t outright reject any of them. After all, he wanted to keep his options open, and this was also a reason he felt bold enough to negotiate with the Sky Alliance¡ªhe already had plenty of alternatives!


    COMMENT


    0 comment sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 300 - 288 Sweet Bun_2

    Chapter 300: Chapter 288 Sweet Bun_2


    Aside from those who invited him to join their forces, there were also people who approached Rocky for other matters, such as wanting to invest in his research.


    Most individuals hoping to invest in new technology research were either Chambers of Commerce or companies. Due to their respective positioning, they were not able to invite Rocky directly like the Sky Alliance did. However, they still didn¡¯t want to miss this opportunity, so they all expressed their intention to invest.


    Headed by the Continental Commerce Chamber, a group of Chambers of Commerce, and led by Sigma Corporation and Uranus Corporation, a group of armor manufacturers, all wished to participate in Aniye¡¯s research. Whether it was contributing funds, manpower, or effort, it didn¡¯t matter; they just wanted to be involved in the research.


    However, Rocky clearly refused these requests because he did not yet want to make the Mana Runes public. Therefore, it was utterly impossible for these people to get involved in the research.


    His refusal wasn¡¯t too surprising for anyone; after all, no one would want outsiders to interfere with such striking research. So when Rocky clearly stated his refusal, those from either the Chamber of Commerce or companies, including those from Uranus Corporation, all left.


    Admittedly, Uranus Corporation was quite confident in their own R&D capabilities. As one of the giants in the Armor Domain, they couldn¡¯t neglect the new technology that Rocky had developed. However, they did not make excessive demands, evidently believing they could develop a similar project on their own.


    ...


    While Uranus Corporation may have left, representatives from Sigma Corporation didn¡¯t leave. They were the complete opposite of Uranus Corporation; they desperately needed the new technology that Rocky was researching!


    Despite Sigma Corporation¡¯s current prominence due to the Holy Angel, the Holy Angel Armor was actually released out of necessity, not choice. Given that the sixth generation Prototype Armor had already been successfully developed, the Holy Angel Armor, no matter how powerful, would ultimately be phased out. If Sigma Corporation couldn¡¯t produce their own sixth generation armor when that happened, this titan in the Armor Domain that held sway over half the industry would be finished.


    In such a scenario, Sigma Corporation placed far more value on and needed the new technology Rocky was working on; they had to obtain it at all costs.


    Unfortunately, their trip to Thunderhawk City was not particularly smooth because Sigma Corporation¡¯s representatives didn¡¯t even get to meet Rocky.


    This was quite normal since both parties weren¡¯t familiar with each other, and, during the previous ball, Denise and Rocky hadn¡¯t left a good impression on one another.


    In the conflict with Xia Nai, it was clear that Denise was more inclined towards Xia Nai. Had Hammerfire not stood up for Rocky, she definitively would not have apprehended Xia Nai¡¯s surrounding people. This caused Denise to completely ignore Rocky during the latter half of the ball, and although Rocky didn¡¯t really care, it didn¡¯t mean he was unaware.


    Thus, when he gained the upper hand, regardless of whether others said he was smug, Rocky did not pay much attention to Sigma Corporation¡¯s representatives and did not show them much courtesy.


    Compared to Sigma Corporation, who didn¡¯t get to meet Rocky, and the numerous Chambers of Commerce that faced direct rejection, two Chambers of Commerce aroused much envy, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce and the Apple Tree Corporation.


    These two Chambers of Commerce rushed to Thunderhawk City immediately after the press conference ended, and they met with Rocky earlier than anyone else. However, that wasn¡¯t the factor that made others green with envy. When the two Chambers of Commerce, like everyone else, expressed their desire to invest, Rocky did not immediately reject them.


    Why?


    Because, in Rocky¡¯s eyes, these two Chambers of Commerce were indeed different from the others.


    There¡¯s no need to mention the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. Rocky¡¯s first cooperation with them was when he arrived at Eternal City, and their partnership became increasingly close afterwards. Even when Thunderhawk City fell into economic crises, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce lent a hand by either deferring the delivery of goods or payment of goods, essentially helping Thunderhawk City out a great deal. This relationship naturally made Rocky¡¯s attitude towards the Ruby Chamber of Commerce quite unique.


    So when Amanred, namely the Guild President of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, came to Thunderhawk City again, Rocky was not only enthusiastic, but the two also had a very harmonious discussion about further cooperation.


    Amanred was definitely a highly capable and self-aware Guild President. She was fully aware that her Chamber of Commerce was not yet large enough to fund a research project, and even if she wished to, she simply couldn¡¯t afford to put out that kind of money. Therefore, her goal was to reach some trade agreements with Rocky, such as purchasing all the necessary materials for the research from her, or obtaining some sales rights for the products once the research was successful, among others.


    After all, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce was a new player and hadn¡¯t grown very large. If strength alone were to be considered, there were some deals they simply wouldn¡¯t be privy to; they could only expand their business by means like this.


    And that precisely showcased Amanred¡¯s cleverness, as she skillfully avoided sensitive areas and sought benefits in matters of lesser consequence. Coupled with her long-standing good relationship with Rocky, the talks were very pleasant, and naturally, she gained more than other Chambers of Commerce.


    Besides the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, there had also been a substantially meaningful meeting between the Apple Tree Corporation and Rocky.


    The Apple Tree Corporation, as a prominent Chamber of Commerce within Eternal City, was primarily engaged in warship manufacturing, a rare business that could develop, produce, and sell independently. Rocky had already had two transactions with them, so the two parties were also familiar with each other.


    Like the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, the Apple Tree Corporation was not in search of investing in research either; they had approached Rocky for a different purpose.


    This purpose was Armor manufacturing!


    As previously mentioned, although the main business of the Apple Tree Corporation was warships, in recent years they had been actively expanding their scope of business, eager to break ground in other domains. They had invested a great deal of financial resources into this endeavor. The Scavenger Model Escort Ships, which still represented one of the mainstays of Thunderhawk City¡¯s fleet, were presented by the Apple Tree Corporation in order to make Rocky sell them the Demon Materials.


    Hence, while everyone was focused on the new technology Rocky had developed, the Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s attention was elsewhere¡ªthey were far more interested in the White Demon Armor equipped with the new technology!


    Although Aniye and the others kept emphasizing that the White Demon Armor was just an experimental armor created to test new technologies, the Apple Tree Corporation did not share this view. They believed that the White Demon already qualified as a new generation of Armor, ready for production and sales!


    They approached Rocky with this in mind, hoping that if he wanted to mass-produce the White Demon Armor, he would consider partnering with them.


    And this proposal was very tempting to Rocky!


    With the ongoing progress of the Rune Armor project, and with Runes at its core, the new generation of Armor would inevitably become more refined, eventually becoming a mainstream choice, maybe even completely replacing the old-fashioned Magic Stone-powered Armor. In this scenario, Rocky would have an edge over others¡ªhe could not only be the first to develop Rune Armor but could also manufacture and profit from this next-generation Armor!


    Although discussing these matters now may seem premature¡ªafter all, Orton and his team had only developed one White Demon Armor prototype, and considering the high cost of production for the White Demon, mass production was definitely not feasible, nor could it be sold at that price point.


    But what about the future? S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the Rune Armor project progressed, more and more types of Armor would be researched and developed. At that time, Rocky would have the capital to claim a stake in the Armor Domain!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 301 - 289: Buying Another Warship

    Chapter 301: Chapter 289: Buying Another Warship Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The proposal from Apple Tree Company deeply moved Rocky, instantly showing him a new path forward.


    With his mastery of runes and advanced research in the runification of armor, Rocky certainly had the opportunity to carve out a place for himself in the Armor Domain!


    The proposal from Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce greatly interested Rocky. Thus, he met with their representatives three times, and eventually expressed his eagerness to collaborate, indicating that, if the timing was right, they could certainly work together further.


    This was not a decision made on a whim; in fact, it was the result of careful deliberation by Rocky, who finally chose to partner with them.


    In Rocky¡¯s view, if he truly wanted to venture into armor manufacturing, the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce was undoubtedly his best choice. Their financial strength was formidable, as a typical example of self-sufficiency in the warship domain with cash to spare. They had the full capability to complete the collaboration.


    Secondly, they had always been looking to expand their business scope, which included armor manufacturing, to the extent that they had already built two factories in Eternal City.


    ...


    Unfortunately, being inexperienced in a new field can be like a mountainous barrier. Though Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce thrived in the warship domain, with the ability to construct warships and powerful R&D capabilities, they lacked a strong foundation in the Armor Domain. As a result, even though they built the factories, the lack of their own products and orders meant the facilities remained semi-idle.


    This made Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce the perfect partner for Rocky¡¯s entry into the Armor Domain¡ªwith the required strength and willingness, it was a natural fit for both parties.


    Finally, another important reason Rocky chose to collaborate with them was that Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce¡¯s primary business involved warships.


    Although Void Magic Armor was known to be the strongest of individual soldiers, Floating Battleships were just as essential in aerial combat. Only the combination of warships and armors could create truly formidable combat forces. For Rocky to become stronger, he needed warships as much as he needed armor. Partnering in-depth with Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, a giant in the warship field, was naturally advantageous for Rocky.


    In fact, this was indeed the case; shortly afterward, Rocky completed a multimillion gold coin deal with Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce!


    As previously mentioned, Rocky¡¯s fight against Xia Nai would be his last competition in the Arena, so he had gambled everything he had, wagering all the money Thunderhawk City could muster on the external betting pool.


    Now, having won the match, he naturally reclaimed all the money he had gambled, winning a hefty sum!


    Aileen had scraped together over seventy thousand gold coins for this bet, plunging it all into the wager. At the time, the odds between Rocky and Xia Nai were 7.5 to 2.3, meaning a single gold coin bet on Rocky would yield seven and a half gold coins if he won the final match!


    Rocky did indeed win! So, when the competition concluded, he had won over five million gold coins!


    Over five million gold coins!


    Where had Rocky ever seen so much money? When Aileen told him the figure, he nearly fainted with uncharacteristic glee¡­


    This meant Rocky no longer had to worry about money.


    Wasn¡¯t the very reason he continuously participated in Arena battles because he lacked funds? Didn¡¯t he hide from Wild Horse City in the airspace of Eternal City because he lacked money? Wasn¡¯t his eagerness to find a backer and join the Sky Alliance also driven by his financial needs?


    If he had tens of millions of gold coins, Rocky would never have come to this!


    But now, he was finally wealthy, not just a little wealthy, but five million gold coins wealthy!


    With so much money in hand, Rocky made a bold move by allocating one million to Orton and others for research, another million to Aileen to be securely stored in the vaults of Thunderhawk City for daily expenditures, and the remaining three million he took directly to Eternal City, to the Apple Tree Corporation, to bolster the military might of Thunderhawk City!


    After the news of the new technology was released, Rocky indeed became eligible to join the Sky Alliance, but that did not affect his upcoming battle with Wild Horse City, for their feud had run deep and could only be resolved through war. Whether Rocky liked it or not, this battle had to be fought, and the same was true for Karlo!


    At the same time, Rocky hoped to use this battle to prove his strength. That way, when he negotiated with Farey, he could be all the more assertive, right?


    So, half a month after the release of the new technology, Rocky gradually took care of related matters. Those who needed to stay, stayed; those who had to go, went. Then, with over a million in funds, he went to the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce to start purchasing warships in large quantities!


    ¡°City Lord Rocky! City Lord Rocky, how we¡¯ve been longing for your arrival!¡±


    Upon arriving at the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, just as Rocky stepped out of his carriage, Zhang Heng, who had met him a few times before, came forth, obviously having waited for a long time.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, it has been such a long time.¡±


    Upon seeing Rocky, Zhang Heng immediately greeted him warmly, as if seeing a relative.


    This was not surprising, because after speaking with Rocky, the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce had already marked him as one of their most important clients. Rocky had also mentioned his plan to purchase a fleet of warships, so Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t exaggerating. He had indeed been waiting for Rocky.


    ¡°Steward Zhang, it has been a long time; how have you been lately?¡±


    With such enthusiasm from the other party, Rocky naturally had to exchange pleasantries. Following this, the two of them talked while making their way to the dockyard.


    Knowing that Rocky would be coming, Zhang Heng had already prepared in advance and didn¡¯t beat around the bush, leading him straight to the largest dockyard.


    Throughout this process, Zhang Heng was extremely enthusiastic, continually chatting with Rocky, while Rocky engaged in small talk and couldn¡¯t help feeling impressed.


    For him, the Apple Tree Corporation was not unfamiliar. The last time he had come here to buy warships, Zhang Heng had been the one receiving him, but the level of warmth was far from what it was this time. Upon seeing him this time, Zhang Heng¡¯s enthusiasm was like someone about to bite.


    Also, on his last visit, although Rocky had spent a significant amount, it was only three hundred and forty thousand gold coins, and the warships he bought were mainly reconnaissance ships. Strictly speaking, reconnaissance ships might not even be considered warships.


    But this time it was different. Not only had he brought ten times the gold coins he had previously, but he also didn¡¯t plan on buying any more reconnaissance ships. This time, he was here to buy real warships!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 302 - 290: Battleship!

    Chapter 302: Chapter 290: Battleship!


    This time, Rocky was not planning to mess around with just adding reconnaissance ships to his fleet anymore; this time, he intended to purchase a real fleet of warships!


    As for his thinking, Zhang Heng was well aware, since Rocky was currently a highly sought-after figure, and his background had already been thoroughly investigated. Many people knew about his deep grudge with Wild Horse City, and under such circumstances, his purpose for buying Armor was self-evident¡ªhe was going to war.


    So, after taking Rocky to the largest dock, Zhang Heng asked, ¡°City Lord, what kind of warships do you intend to purchase this time?¡±


    ¡°Fifth Generation warships.¡±


    Walking into the dock, Rocky, while looking at the giant warships around him, gave his answer. This time, he intended to acquire Fifth Generation warships, which were the most advanced warships available!


    ¡°Good, good, my Lord, rest assured, you will definitely find the warships you like here.¡±


    ...


    Upon hearing this, Zhang Heng immediately showed a smile, then continued to inquire, ¡°My Lord, what class of Fifth Generation warships do you intend to acquire? Do you have any specific requirements?¡±


    The classification of large warships varied greatly, with the smallest being the Escort Ship, and moving upwards were the destroyer, patrol cruiser, battleship, and the largest, the floating mothership. Up to the Third Generation, the highest calibre of warships were destroyers, but starting from the Fourth Generation, patrol cruisers and destroyers became available, and among all warships, the most enormous¡ª the floating mothership¡ªwas unique to the Fifth Generation.


    Since Rocky intended to buy a Fifth Generation warship, naturally, he had a wider range of types to choose from. Excluding the largest floating mothership which he couldn¡¯t afford, theoretically, he had the capability to choose any type of warship; the only difference was whether to buy one or ten.


    However, to be honest, Rocky didn¡¯t quite understand all these matters because, prior to this, he had only ever bought one large warship and didn¡¯t quite know how to build a fleet centered entirely around large warships, so afterwards he glanced at Zhang Heng.


    ¡°Steward Zhang, this calls for your help once more.¡±


    As the steward of the Apple Tree Corporation, Zhang Heng¡¯s capabilities naturally needed no further mention, so he definitely knew how to select and pair up ships to assemble a fleet.


    Indeed this was the case, so after Rocky finished his statement, Zhang Heng smiled and then began to speak:


    ¡°City Lord, since you trust me, I¡¯ll take the liberty to offer some suggestions¡­¡±


    ¡°To build a regular fleet, what you first need to choose is the core of the fleet, centered around one or several main warships and additionally escorted by several small to medium-sized warships to form a battle group. Only by this can the warships unleash their maximum power in aerial combat.¡±


    While saying this, Zhang Heng had already brought Rocky next to a giant warship, then he pointed at the warship behind him and said, ¡°Sir, this warship, is our Chamber of Commerce¡¯s independently developed and manufactured Fifth Generation Dominator Type 2 battleship.¡±


    ¡°Battleship¡­?¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky looked towards the warship Zhang Heng was pointing at, then couldn¡¯t help but take two steps back, because the warship was so large that he couldn¡¯t see its entirety without stepping back!


    And only after he had stepped back two or three steps did he finally see the warship in its entirety. Well, the warship was at least three hundred meters long, truly a behemoth. Its body was dark and shiny, reflecting a metallic luster unique to metal, making the entire warship appear almost like a small mountain.


    Is this¡­ a battleship?


    Battleship, the true dominator of the skies!


    Rocky had naturally heard of such a renowned name, but this was his first time seeing what a battleship looked like. They were said to be flying fortresses in the sky, and now it seemed it was indeed true. Not to mention the firepower of this warship, just its size alone was enough to justify the term ¡°fortress¡±. Compared to it, escort ships, which were about a hundred meters in length, looked like tiny shrimps.


    ¡°Steward Zhang, are you suggesting I buy this battleship?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Noticing Rocky looking at him, Zhang Heng nodded affirmatively, ¡°City Lord, since you wish to form a powerful fleet, then this Dominator Type 2 battleship can definitely serve as the core of the fleet and will absolutely satisfy you.¡±


    While speaking, Zhang Heng also stepped back two steps, standing with Rocky, both of them looking up at the mentioned battleship:


    ¡°City Lord, the Dominator Type 2 battleship is three hundred and ten meters long, equipped with three layers of reinforced armor. Even without deploying the defensive net, it can withstand magic energy power of less than 2000 from main cannon attacks, and with the defensive net deployed, any attack below 7000 can be easily resisted.¡±


    ¡°The Dominator Type 2 is also equipped with the most advanced mana tracking radar today. Even in poor weather conditions, it can accurately scan the number and location of enemies, thus gaining the upper hand in battle; this warship also carries our Chamber of Commerce¡¯s exclusive early-warning technology, which can detect in advance if it has been locked onto by an enemy¡¯s main cannon, allowing for preemptive evasion. And if evasion isn¡¯t quick enough, there¡¯s no need to worry, because this warship is also equipped with an interference system, which can use magical energy to disrupt the enemy¡¯s aim.¡±


    Since it¡¯s a fifth-generation warship, and a battleship at that, the equipment of the Dominator Type 2 naturally far surpasses that of third-generation escort ships. This warship is not only massive in size, but the technology it carries is also the most advanced today, so much so that Rocky was somewhat unable to understand.


    Aim?


    Lock-on?


    He had never even heard these words before.


    As he was somewhat confused, Zhang Heng continued to introduce, ¡°City Lord, what I¡¯ve just mentioned are only some features of this warship, but as a battleship known as a flying fortress, its powerful firepower is its greatest strength.¡±


    ¡°The reason I suggest you use this warship as the core of the fleet is precisely because the firepower of the Dominator Type 2 is indeed formidable. This warship is equipped with a total of fifty magic cannons.¡±


    Fifty magic cannons!


    When Zhang Heng mentioned this number, Rocky was startled. How could a warship carry so many magic cannons?


    To his incredulity, Zhang Heng just smiled slightly and then began to explain in detail, ¡°Among these fifty magic cannons, there are twenty magic cannons with magic energy power of 1500, and twenty rapid-fire magic cannons with a magic power of 1000 points. Their power might not be very high, but they excel in firing speed, averaging two shots per minute, which can quickly suppress the enemy with firepower during combat.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s even more important, all of the above magic cannons are equipped with the latest generation of aiming systems. With the help of the aiming system, the accuracy will increase exponentially.¡±


    ¡°Besides, the Dominator Type 2 also carries nine secondary cannons with magic energy power reaching 5000 points, of course, also equipped with aiming systems. As for the battleship¡¯s main cannon¡­¡±


    At this point, Zhang Heng paused for a moment, then his face revealed a proud smile: sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Although the Dominator Type 2¡¯s main cannon is only one, it is one of the most powerful main cannons of today, known as the Sky-piercing Cannon, with magic energy power reaching ten thousand points!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 303 - 291: Reorganize the Fleet!

    Chapter 303: Chapter 291: Reorganize the Fleet!


    ¡°Although the Dominator Type 2 only has one main gun, this main gun is one of the most powerful in the world today, known as the Sky-piercing Cannon, with a magic energy power reaching ten thousand points!¡±


    Standing next to Rocky, watching the Dominator Type 2 battleship, Zhang Heng couldn¡¯t help but say proudly.


    Hearing this, Rocky gasped. The main gun of this battleship reached ten thousand?


    To Rocky, that number seemed absolutely incredible!


    Although he found it unbelievable, Rocky also knew that this figure was entirely possible. Given the massive size of a battleship, the larger the volume, the more Magic Stones it could carry, and the more Magic Stones, the more Mana, thus achieving ten thousand points of magic energy power was absolutely achievable.


    ¡°Are all these things you¡¯re saying true?¡±


    ...


    Looking at the colossal Dominator Type 2 battleship, after staring for a good while, Rocky turned his head toward Zhang Heng and asked, frowning.


    ¡°My lord, it is absolutely true. You are our chamber¡¯s most esteemed guest, how would I dare to speak recklessly about such important matters.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Zhang Heng nodded vigorously, indicating that everything he had introduced was true, without any falsehoods.


    In fact, it was indeed so; Zhang Heng had not exaggerated; his previous introduction was entirely true.


    If it had been someone else standing before him, Zhang Heng¡¯s introduction might contain some exaggeration, but he dared not do so with Rocky, as Rocky was one of the most important customers of the Apple Tree Corporation. The corporation was trying to foster a closer relationship through this transaction, so Zhang Heng wouldn¡¯t dare to speak without consideration.


    He introduced the Dominator Type 2 battleship as an exceptional model among the fifth-generation battleships, whether it was its thick armor, the many technologies mounted on the warship, or more importantly, its powerful firepower, it was top among the various models of battleships.


    That was also why he suggested Rocky to build his fleet around this warship as the core.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    At this moment, after looking Zhang Heng in the eye again, Rocky turned back to behold the massive ship before him, and after a long moment, he finally opened his mouth to ask:


    ¡°How much does this warship cost?¡±


    Of course, he was very satisfied with the Dominator Type 2 battleship; to him, this was the kind of warship his fleet should be equipped with. Only such powerful, high-level warships could contend with Wild Horse City, so naturally, he was interested.


    Only, Rocky also knew that a state-of-the-art battleship like this wouldn¡¯t come cheap. While he had previously bought some warships, those he acquired were reconnaissance ships, with the most expensive being an escort ship, and these were all from previous generations. Both in terms of class and generational status, they couldn¡¯t compare to the Dominator Type 2, so the price difference would be enormous.


    And he was right, as Zhang Heng subsequently held up two fingers.


    ¡°My lord, this battleship¡¯s selling price is two million gold coins.¡±


    Two million gold coins each!


    Hearing this price, even though Rocky was mentally prepared, he couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked inside!


    This price¡­ was too expensive!


    Rocky had just over three million gold coins in his possession, and he initially thought that this money would be sufficient to assemble a fleet composed entirely of large battleships¡ªperhaps not more than that, but surely ten or eight battleships could be purchased?


    Thus, he had aimed directly at the fifth-generation warships from the start, but to his surprise, these were incredibly expensive, costing two million gold coins per battleship!


    However, as he pondered this in shock, Zhang Heng smiled again and spoke, ¡°But rest assured, Lord, the Guild President has already stated that since you are our most honored customer, all the warships purchased will be sold at the factory price; we absolutely won¡¯t overcharge you by a penny.¡±


    For a deeper cooperation with Rocky, the Apple Tree Corporation was willing to sell the warships at the cost price!


    For Rocky, this was an incredible deal because everyone knows the cost price and selling price are vastly different!


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    So, upon hearing this, Rocky immediately addressed Zhang Heng, who then promptly stated another price, ¡°One million two hundred thousand gold coins, Lord, that¡¯s the cost price for the Dominator Type 2, and we haven¡¯t hidden a penny from you.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    Hearing this price, Rocky didn¡¯t even hesitate and immediately decided to purchase the Dominator Type 2 battleship in front of him!


    Although one million two hundred thousand gold coins wasn¡¯t cheap, one must not forget that this was the most advanced fifth-generation battleship, and moreover, it was touted as a flying fortress! To buy such a class of warship at this price, Rocky felt it was a great deal.


    And after deciding to purchase this battleship, Rocky then asked, ¡°Steward Zhang, besides this flagship, what other warships do I need to buy to complement it?¡±


    Zhang Heng had already mentioned that the Dominator Type 2 battleship was meant to serve as the core of the fleet, so in addition to this colossal ship, other warships were needed to support it, for the fleet to truly take shape and form a combat-effective force.


    So, having bought the Dominator Type 2 battleship, Rocky needed to purchase additional warships.


    ¡°Lord, I recommend that you also pair it with a patrol cruiser, and add several destroyers and escort ships because although the battleship has thick armor and potent firepower, its mobility is quite poor. Without a fleet escort, it can easily become a target, so it is essential to accompany it with destroyers and escort ships.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 304 - 291: Reorganize the Fleet!_2

    Chapter 304: Chapter 291: Reorganize the Fleet!_2


    ¡°At the same time, it would be even better if we could pair it with an air cruiser, because compared to a battleship, the firepower and defensive power of an air cruiser are slightly weaker, but it still far surpasses other classes of warships and can form a dual-core with the battleship, one main and one auxiliary. The speed of an air cruiser is also very advantageous when compared to a battleship. With such a warship in existence, the fleet¡¯s mobility would be much stronger.¡±


    ¡°Okay, take me to see it.¡±


    When Zhang Heng had finished speaking, Rocky didn¡¯t hesitate; he immediately nodded in agreement and was then taken to an air cruiser.


    ¡°City Lord, this is a Fifth Generation Fire God Type 3 Air Cruiser¡­¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for Zhang Heng to bring Rocky to an air cruiser and then, just like before, gave him a detailed introduction.


    The warship he recommended to Rocky was a bit shorter in length than the battleship they had seen before but wider. Even though the air cruiser was slightly smaller, its firepower was still very formidable. For example, this air cruiser that Zhang Heng introduced had more than thirty magic cannons on board. The power of its main cannon might not reach the exaggerated 10,000 points, but it was as high as 7,000 points, thus definitely qualifying it as a main force-level warship.


    ...


    The price of this air cruiser was 14.5 million gold coins, but its manufacturing cost was only 800,000 gold coins.


    In such a situation, Rocky also didn¡¯t hesitate and quickly bought the Fire God Type 3 air cruiser.


    Afterward, the two looked at several models of destroyers and escort ships, and Rocky ultimately bought four Cavalryman Type 1 Destroyers for a price of 250,000 gold coins each.


    He didn¡¯t purchase any escort ships because Thunderhawk City already had six escort ships. Combined with the newly bought four destroyers, this was already sufficient to fulfill escort duties.


    In this way, when Rocky left the Apple Tree Corporation, the more than three million gold coins he had brought were almost all spent, but at the same time, after all the money was gone, he had also created a very powerful fleet for Thunderhawk City!


    This fleet was completely different from Thunderhawk City¡¯s previous fleets. Even though Thunderhawk City had also assembled a fleet before, with more than thirty warships, most of them were reconnaissance ships. There were only six large warships, and even the most core major ship was just an enhanced version of an escort ship.


    Such a fleet might be fine for skirmishes with Baron Wolin or tussles with air pirate groups, but if it went to engage in a real war with Wild Horse City, it would be too much of a joke.


    Wild Horse City is a medium-sized sky city, two to three times larger than Thunderhawk City, and its fleet¡¯s strength is absolutely incomparable to any of Rocky¡¯s previous adversaries. To battle with such a level of adversary, there can be no tricks or shortcuts; one can only rely on raw power.


    That¡¯s why Rocky spent three million gold coins in one day to create a top-tier fleet comprised entirely of large warships, powerful enough to face Wild Horse City head-on.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Three days later, the Apple Tree Corporation delivered the goods.


    A Dominator Type 2 battleship.


    A Fire God Type 3 air cruiser.


    Four Cavalryman Type 1 destroyers.


    Even though the news had already been received, when these six warships really appeared at the skyport of Thunderhawk City, descending from the sky, Felly and a group of guards were still so shocked that they were left staring and speechless.


    As the Fleet Commander of Thunderhawk City, Felly knew that Rocky had spent a lot of money to purchase a batch of the latest warships, including battleships, the very top class of massive vessels. But seeing these warships with his own eyes still made him somewhat incredulous, because he had never seen such huge warships before, and he was extremely excited.


    It was precisely because of his excitement that when he took delivery of all the new warships and reported to Rocky, Felly showed a rare lapse in front of Rocky.


    ¡°Sir! City Lord! New warships! New warships have arrived!¡±


    For the first time, Felly burst into Rocky¡¯s study without knocking, and because he was too brash, he almost got knocked down by Liliya, who was in the room.


    ¡°Sir¡­ New, new warships have arrived! They¡¯ve been inspected according to your orders and are now docked at the skyport!¡±


    Faced with Liliya¡¯s angry gaze, Felly shrank back in fear, then quickly stood to attention in front of Rocky and saluted before speaking.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Unfazed by Felly¡¯s impetuosity, Rocky nodded at his report and then went to the skyport with Liliya.


    Upon arriving at the skyport and seeing one warship after another docked within, Rocky finally let out a sigh of relief in private, because with these warships, the fleet of Thunderhawk City finally took shape ¨C no, it was not just taking shape, but had undergone a complete transformation!


    With this batch of new warships, the number of large warships in Thunderhawk City had reached twelve, including one battleship, one cruiser, four destroyers, and six escort ships.


    Subsequently, Rocky reorganized the fleet configuration of Thunderhawk City, replacing the old warships of the First Fleet with the Dominator Type 2 battleship as the lead, supplemented by the Fire God Type 3 Air Cruiser, four destroyers, and four escort ships, forming the new First Fleet of Thunderhawk City with these ten large warships. The remaining two escort ships and the reconnaissance ship then formed the Second Fleet of Thunderhawk City.


    After reconfiguration, the combat power of the Thunderhawk City First Fleet would undergo a drastic transformation. To put it bluntly, the combat power of this fleet had completely surpassed the level a small sky city should possess. Not just any ordinary small sky city, even Karina, a war fanatic, could not match the strength of her single fleet against Rocky¡¯s handpicked one!


    Later, Rocky sent Aileen to Eternal City¡¯s Technician Guild to hire a large number of sailors, and then he started overtime training for the fleet, allowing Thunderhawk City¡¯s original sailors and the newly hired sailors to quickly familiarize themselves with the new warships. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clearly, as Rocky finished configuring the new warships, the war between him and Karlo, between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City, was on the countdown!


    The news of the impending war was not only heard throughout Thunderhawk City but even outsiders began to notice it.


    Since Rocky was currently in the limelight, his every move, as well as that of Thunderhawk City, was closely watched by everyone. Thus, people who were paying attention to him and Thunderhawk City could easily guess what his purchase of warships and hiring of sailors was all about.


    But this was also what made everybody puzzled. Everyone knew Rocky was preparing to wage war, with the obvious target being Wild Horse City, which had been camped outside of God City for half a year.


    But¡­ was it really necessary to declare war on Wild Horse City?


    This question arose in the minds of many. Was it truly necessary for Rocky to engage in a major battle with Wild Horse City?


    He was currently in vogue, and could easily join a powerful alliance. By doing so, even with a hundred times the courage, Karlo wouldn¡¯t dare to move against him. As a medium-sized sky city¡¯s City Lord, Karlo had too many adversaries he couldn¡¯t afford to provoke.


    However, Rocky didn¡¯t join any forces as everyone expected. Instead, he actively prepared for war, obviously intending to initiate the conflict!


    This approach of going it alone made many people incomprehensible, and some even thought that only a fool would do what he was doing. No, not even a fool would do such a thing, only a madman would!


    But Rocky was clearly not mad, or rather, even if he were mad, there was a good reason for it. It¡¯s just that outsiders didn¡¯t know it, only he and the Sky Alliance did!


    PS: War is coming! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 305 - 292: The Reason for Madness

    Chapter 305: Chapter 292: The Reason for Madness


    In the eyes of many, Rocky¡¯s decision to start a war with Wild Horse City was simply madness.


    However, in Rocky¡¯s view, his action was not mad, and even if it was, he had a mad reason for it, a reason that outsiders would definitely not know, only he and the Sky Alliance knew.


    Currently, nearly a month had passed since Rocky and Xia Nai¡¯s competition ended. During this nearly one-month period, because there had been no further news about new technologies, everyone¡¯s attention to the matter had gradually cooled. Many who initially came to visit Rocky had also left during this process, so now there were few people left in Thunderhawk City.


    But those who still remained in the city were all representatives who hoped Rocky would join their forces.


    Among them was Farey and his group.


    This period had been exhausting for Farey, as an Elder of the Sky Alliance, he had been constantly shuttling between Thunderhawk City and Eternal City; Aniye and others¡¯ new technology in Thunderhawk City, Sigma Corporation¡¯s New Armor in Eternal City, and whether it was new technology or New Armor, the Sky Alliance was very interested, causing Farey to have to travel back and forth between the two places.


    ...


    During this time, Farey had already met with Rocky three times, and Rocky had taken these meetings as opportunities to propose his conditions for joining the Sky Alliance.


    The conditions could be generally summarized into two:


    Rocky¡¯s first condition was since he was bringing new technology into the Alliance, and would inevitably share it with the Alliance once the technology development succeeded, he felt the Alliance should reward him with something, such as Contribution Points.


    As mentioned before, the operation of the Sky Alliance was entirely based on a Contribution Points system. The more Contribution Points a member had, the better their treatment would be. They could even be upgraded from an external member to a core member. Moreover, within the Alliance, Contribution Points also served as a form of currency, enabling the purchase of many items that were hard or even impossible to buy outside.


    Since Contribution Points were so important, obtaining them within the Alliance would not be an easy task. Though the Alliance provided various channels for members to earn Contribution Points, they either required a lot of time or simply involved fighting wars for the Alliance. In short, there was no such thing as a free lunch.


    Put simply, Rocky wanted to directly receive a significant number of Contribution Points upon joining the Alliance, thus saving a lot of time in his development within the Alliance.


    As for his second condition, he hoped that upon joining, the Alliance could allocate him a piece of mineral resources.


    Although land was now occupied by Demons, a behemoth like the Sky Alliance still had the capability to carve out some scattered territories on land. Of course, these territories were not wastelands; instead, they were areas like mines, forests, and lakes that possessed rich resources. After all, for such a vast entity as the Sky Alliance to operate normally, it required a large amount of resources, and the resources captured on land were key to its operation.


    Rocky¡¯s second condition was his hope for the Alliance to allocate such resources to him, preferably mineral resources.


    Of course, by allocation, it didn¡¯t mean he wanted an exclusive piece from the Alliance¡¯s resources; instead, he would manage it. In reality, the majority of the output would still be handed over to the Alliance. However, as a manager, Rocky could also retain a portion. Perhaps this portion would not be large, but it would be sufficient for Thunderhawk City. Additionally, acting as a manager would equate to making contributions to the Alliance, so he would continuously accumulate Contribution Points. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rocky had presented these two conditions to Farey, but the two parties had talked three times without coming to an agreement.


    Regarding the first condition, as soon as Rocky expressed his intent, Farey nodded in agreement. After all, Contribution Points, which were not a big deal for the Sky Alliance and Rocky¡¯s request was not high, just asking the Alliance to give him 1000 points.


    Each year, the number of Contribution Points a member could earn was clearly calculated by the Sky Alliance, according to Alliance statistics. An external member could earn about 500 Contribution Points on average per year, while a core member could earn about 2000 Contribution Points annually. By this standard, Rocky¡¯s request was not excessive; it was merely asking for two years¡¯ worth of Contribution Points in advance, a trivial matter.


    However, regarding his second request, Farey had consistently refused to agree.


    Now that land was occupied by Demons, although people relied on Sky City to survive in the air, resources were extremely scarce. Therefore, any resource, especially those produced only on land, were extremely important and valuable. The only distinction between various resources was between important and more important, valuable and more valuable.


    So even the Sky Alliance, which took this matter very seriously, was never ready to compromise easily. Thus, facing Rocky¡¯s demand in this regard, Farey had been quite firm, consistently disagreeing.


    Of course, he also had his clear reasons, which was that Rocky was too weak.


    This reason might sound like a cop-out, but it was a solid truth, because Rocky wanted land resources, specifically mineral resources. And everyone knew that mineral resources were not only among the most valuable and important resources but also the most difficult to obtain and even harder to protect.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 306 - 292: The Reason for Madness_2

    Chapter 306: Chapter 292: The Reason for Madness_2


    Because mining takes excavation.


    This represents the need to station people in mining areas long-term. Do you understand how dangerous this is? The land has been occupied by demons for a long time now, and any mining site, no matter whose jurisdiction it falls under, could face the threat of demons at any moment!


    Just consider, if the Alliance really agreed to Rocky¡¯s request and allotted him a mine, it would not only mean that Rocky would have to manage and mine this site but also that he needs to defend it against the threat of demons!


    In Elder Farey¡¯s view, Rocky clearly didn¡¯t have this capability, because the attacks of demons were never minor skirmishes. A gathering of dozens of demons was merely a scratch, hundreds appearing together was the norm, and even thousands emerging at once were not unheard of.


    Facing such immense threats that could arise at any time, the Alliance was extremely cautious when dispatching personnel to guard mines. Those sent were always strong and fierce individuals, and Rocky obviously had not yet reached that level of strength. It was for this reason that Elder Farey had consistently declined his request.


    However, Rocky wasn¡¯t in too much of a rush about it; he was well aware of what he was asking for¡ªa mining site! Not just the Sky Alliance, but any force would not easily agree to such a request, so he understood this matter had to be approached slowly.


    ...


    Therefore, although Elder Farey had repeatedly made it clear that the Alliance would not refuse another condition, suggesting to change the request to something else and to forget about the mine, Rocky still didn¡¯t give up.


    Not only did he not give up, but he immediately went to the Eternal City to buy a new warship and started to hastily train with it, as if he had shifted his focus from negotiating with Elder Farey to preparing for war with Wild Horse City.


    Amidst such urgent preparations, Rocky still found time to meet with Elder Farey.


    ¡°Elder Farey.¡±


    This time, Rocky personally went to Elder Farey¡¯s residence to meet with him.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, please have a seat.¡±


    Since this wasn¡¯t their first meeting, their interaction was no longer as awkward as it had been at the beginning. Upon seeing Rocky, Elder Farey invited him to sit opposite himself.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, you¡¯ve been quite busy lately!¡±


    Once Rocky sat down, Elder Farey looked at him and said with a smile.


    Of course, his remark referred to all of Rocky¡¯s recent activities: purchasing warships, hiring sailors, training troops. With such high levels of attention, all his actions were clearly observed by others.


    ¡°They are just minor matters, not worth mentioning.¡±


    Rocky smiled faintly, took a sip from his teacup, and then said, ¡°Elder Farey, I¡¯m not sure if you have heard of Backhill Village.¡±


    ¡°Backhill Village?¡±


    Hearing this name, Elder Farey¡¯s eyes showed a trace of puzzlement. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Elder Farey wasn¡¯t surprised by Rocky¡¯s visit, as he had even guessed what Rocky intended to discuss¡ªnamely, joining the Alliance. This was exactly why Elder Farey was caught off guard when Rocky suddenly mentioned Backhill Village, leaving him confused and unsure of Rocky¡¯s intentions.


    As for Backhill Village, Elder Farey certainly hadn¡¯t heard of it. The world was too vast for him to be acquainted with every place.


    Seeing Elder Farey shake his head, Rocky smiled and explained, ¡°Backhill Village is a small village I have visited before¡­¡±


    In just a few words, he briefly described the situation of Backhill Village to Elder Farey and then said, ¡°Elder Farey, as I¡¯ve said, Backhill Village is connected to a mining vein. Though the vein isn¡¯t very large, it¡¯s enough to sustain the village¡¯s livelihood. However, it was eventually abandoned due to demonic unrest.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    After hearing Rocky¡¯s words, Elder Farey frowned slightly, realizing that Rocky¡¯s emphasis wasn¡¯t on Backhill Village but on the mining vein it possessed!


    This piqued Elder Farey¡¯s interest because, regardless of the vein¡¯s size, it was still a vein! Such an important resource naturally aroused the interest of Elder Farey of the Sky Alliance. At this juncture, he also had some inkling of Rocky¡¯s intentions.


    Therefore, he smiled and asked, ¡°City Lord Rocky, does this mean you know the location of Backhill Village?¡±


    The land had been occupied by demons for a hundred years, and consequently, people had become somewhat unfamiliar with it, given that they had not returned to land for so long. Even the Sky Alliance did not have complete knowledge of the land, and many places were unknown to them, such as Backhill Village.


    ¡°After Backhill Village was attacked by the demons, I took in all the villagers,¡± Rocky replied, evidently knowing the exact location of Backhill Village.


    Following this statement, he continued, ¡°Elder Farey, if I remember correctly, the rules of the Alliance state that if a resource is discovered by an Alliance member, they may manage it independently, right?¡±


    Although not yet a member of the Sky Alliance, Rocky had already thoroughly researched the Alliance¡¯s rules.


    Elder Farey was momentarily stunned at this comment and, although he nodded in agreement, he added, ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s the rule¡­ but the prerequisite for independent management is the ability to defend that resource. Otherwise, the Alliance will still send people to guard it. If not, the Alliance will not offer protection or award Contribution Points.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Rocky nodded with a smile upon hearing this, then chose not to continue.


    Even though he had fallen silent, Elder Farey had grasped his intention.


    The reason the two had not agreed on terms was that Rocky wanted to manage a mining property, but the Alliance disagreed on this point. Considering his recent series of actions, it was easy to understand what Rocky intended.


    He was proposing a new plan to Elder Farey, which involved offering up a mining property of his own in exchange for the right to manage it himself.


    If Elder Farey still doubted Rocky¡¯s capabilities, then the upcoming major battle with Wild Horse City would surely prove whether Rocky was qualified to manage the resource he was bringing.


    Many thought Rocky was mad to initiate a battle with Wild Horse City, but he certainly hadn¡¯t lost his mind. His actions were calculated, aiming to use the battle as leverage for securing greater benefits!


    Indeed, Rocky had been hatching such a scheme since his first meeting with Elder Farey had ended. He had never forgotten about the mining vein in Backhill Village, a critical resource he lacked the power to claim before.


    But with the backing of the Sky Alliance after joining, he would have that power. So, his target had always been the mining vein in Backhill Village. He didn¡¯t bring it up immediately to Farey to maneuver strategically.


    Now, with everything in place, Rocky finally presented his true request as if revealing the dagger at the end of the scheme. If Elder Farey still disagreed, it would be a lack of sincerity.


    So when Rocky left, Elder Farey shook his head with a smile at the departing figure. He had felt something amiss with Rocky¡¯s request and now fully understood Rocky¡¯s cunning.


    To Elder Farey, these were simple tricks, but he liked them, even admired them. Considering Rocky¡¯s current status and strength, how else should he vie for a chance to survive without such cunning? It was unrealistic to expect him to consider the entire scope of the Sky Alliance¡¯s situation!


    ¡°This guy¡­¡±


    So after Rocky left, Elder Farey took a sip of his tea with a chuckle, knowing that all he needed to do was wait for the battle between Rocky and Wild Horse City to unfold and then see if Rocky truly held the strength he claimed.


    Elder Farey was quite looking forward to it!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 307 - 293: The War Horn!

    Chapter 307: Chapter 293: The War Horn!


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Karlo slammed the intelligence he held heavily onto the ground and cursed viciously.


    This intelligence was what he had just purchased from the Shadow Alliance, and it was entirely about Rocky¡¯s affairs.


    At this moment, Karlo had been staking out outside Eternal City for nearly half a year, waiting for Rocky to come out, especially in the past one or two months because according to his estimation, Rocky, after hiding in Eternal City for so long, should soon be unable to afford the costly protection fee, which means he would have to leave soon, and Karlo had been waiting for this moment!


    For half a year, Karlo had been waiting for this moment. His hatred for Rocky had reached an unbearable level. First, Rocky had wiped out his painstakingly-built Air Pirate Group, and then made him suffer a setback in Eternal City, to the extent that he couldn¡¯t even enter the city now. These two things combined had caused Karlo immeasurable losses, and he absolutely despised Rocky. Even without Lexington¡¯s instigation, he would never let things go.


    However, just when Karlo was fully on guard and ready to make Rocky¡¯s death certain once he appeared, a piece of big news suddenly reached his ears¡ªnaturally, it was about the new technology Aniye and the others had come up with.


    ...


    After the last assassination attempt had failed, Karlo couldn¡¯t enter Eternal City but at least he was still well-informed. So when Aniye and the others finished their press conference, he got the message immediately, and then he was completely confounded¡­


    No matter what, Karlo had not expected Rocky to cause such a big stir!


    And after learning this news, Karlo immediately panicked. Having been a City Lord for many years, he was all too aware of the change this would bring about for Rocky. Rocky would inevitably be favored by various major forces, and as long as he wasn¡¯t a fool, he would surely join one of them.


    This meant that Karlo himself was in trouble!


    Because once Rocky joined a force, any action Karlo took against Rocky would face massive risks. No, it wasn¡¯t about risk¡ªit would be impossible to lay a hand on him. Rocky was now the center of attention, the darling in everyone¡¯s eyes. If Karlo acted against him at this time, it would be tantamount to provoking those beings he couldn¡¯t afford to offend.


    But Karlo had already wasted half a year in his efforts to deal with Rocky, even offending Eternal City in the process. If he were to just let things go¡­ Honestly, Karlo himself was unwilling. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That wasn¡¯t even the most important part. What made Karlo even more vexed was that, once Rocky joined a certain force, he would essentially be under powerful protection, and then it was not just about whether Karlo could touch him, but whether Rocky might retaliate against him!


    The situation had changed so drastically and so suddenly that Karlo was caught off guard, which is why he immediately sent someone to buy intelligence from the Shadow Alliance¡ªthe very report he had just thrown on the ground.


    And according to the intelligence provided by the Shadow Alliance, the situation was indeed as he had anticipated. Rocky had become a highly sought-after figure. Many top-tier forces, including the Sky Alliance, had extended invitations to him. Although Rocky had not yet made it clear which side he would join, it was only a matter of time.


    Honestly, upon seeing this intelligence, Karlo began to think about retreating. As a City Lord, he was no fool. The reason he had been fixated on Rocky was that Karlo was very clear that Rocky was no match for him, that his own fleet could decimate Rocky¡¯s fleet with ease, that he could crush Rocky like squashing a bug. Rocky, once targeted by him, was as good as dead.


    But now things were different. If Rocky joined a major force, it would be like he had a huge backer. In this situation, Karlo wouldn¡¯t provoke him, especially since he had no such backer to support himself.


    So at this time, Karlo no longer wanted to continue this grudge with Rocky. It wasn¡¯t a vendetta for a murdered father; there was no need for him to invite such trouble.


    However, as previously mentioned, a battle between him and Rocky was inevitable. When Rocky didn¡¯t want to fight, Karlo wouldn¡¯t let him go; conversely, now that Karlo was thinking of withdrawing, Rocky wouldn¡¯t let him slip away easily!


    Thus, on this day, Karlo sat in his study drinking tea and flipping through a book, but his thoughts were not on its contents. Instead, he was considering whether he should move Wild Horse City out of the way to avoid Rocky¡¯s edge.


    But just then, just as Karlo was feeling troubled about this matter, the door to the study was suddenly barged open!


    ¡°My Lord! My Lord!¡±


    As the door was forced open, a Guard rushed in from outside, panting heavily in front of Karlo.


    ¡°You fool! Don¡¯t you have any manners?!¡±


    Karlo, startled, immediately scolded the Guard, his face showing instant anger.


    ¡°My Lord, no, it¡¯s bad!¡±


    However, facing his reprimand, the Guard didn¡¯t have time to apologize and hurriedly said, ¡°My Lord, Thunderhawk City¡¯s fleet has appeared!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Karlo was at first stunned, then disbelief spread across his expression. He rose from his seat at once, ¡°How many warships?¡±


    ¡°There are¡­¡±


    As the Guard began to speak, another one burst into the study!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 308 - 293: The War Horn!_2

    Chapter 308: Chapter 293: The War Horn!_2


    ¡°Sir! Sir! Please, take a look at this¡­¡±


    The second Guard who burst into the study couldn¡¯t even finish his sentence before he handed a letter to Karlo. As Karlo took the letter with a puzzled look, he was completely dumbfounded.


    ¡°A Declaration of War from Thunderhawk City against Wild Horse City!¡±


    Looking down at the letter in his hand, Karlo immediately saw the bold words¡ªit was indeed a declaration of war handed to him by Rocky!


    Seeing this declaration, Karlo¡¯s mind buzzed and exploded. What was going on?


    Just three days ago, he had purchased intelligence from the Shadow Alliance, which clearly stated that Rocky had not joined any alliance or organization. Therefore, although Karlo was worried, he felt that he at least had time to think things through. After all, before joining an alliance, Rocky wouldn¡¯t have the strength to provoke him.


    ...


    But what was happening now?


    How had Rocky suddenly declared war on him? Could it be that he had joined some alliance within these three days?


    Impossible, Karlo quickly dismissed the possibility. He had already made arrangements with the Shadow Alliance and even paid them. If Rocky had joined an alliance, the Shadow Alliance would have informed him at once. Since there was no news from them, it meant that Rocky had not joined any alliance.


    This only made the situation more puzzling for Karlo. Just then, a distant, deep sound came from the far horizon¡­ S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Boom¡­


    Boom¡­


    Boom, boom¡­


    The sound of cannon fire!


    The thunderous sound of the cannons appeared unexpectedly, the noise flowing through the study¡¯s window and directly into Karlo¡¯s ears¡­


    It was at that moment that the third Guard rushed into the study!


    ¡°Sir! The Thunderhawk City Fleet is firing at us!¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Head to the Skyport at once!¡±


    Kicking the Guard blocking his path, Karlo rushed out of the study and headed straight for the carriage to the Wild Horse City Skyport!


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Time rewinds to this morning.


    This morning, having stayed within the airspace of Eternal City for half a year, Thunderhawk City suddenly activated its flight mode and then slowly flew out of Eternal City¡¯s airspace, heading straight for the airspace above Wild Horse City, which was stationed outside.


    Meanwhile, inside the Skyport of Thunderhawk City, the entire First Fleet of Thunderhawk City was ready. Following Rocky¡¯s command, ten large warships ascended one after another.


    After a long preparation, Rocky had finally readied everything, which meant that the war between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City was set to commence today!


    ¡°Pass my orders, maintain formation, and advance at full speed towards Wild Horse City!¡±


    Standing on the deck of War Steed, clad in White Demon Armor, Rocky waved his hand and issued the command to advance at full speed. With his order, the fleet slowly flew out of the Defensive Net and headed towards the nearby Wild Horse City.


    After more than a month of training, the sailors of Thunderhawk City had become fully familiar with the new warships. With Rocky¡¯s consent, they also had christened new names for the new warships.


    With the approval of Thunderhawk City¡¯s fleet, sanctioned by Rocky, the Dominator Type 2 battleship was named War Steed, the Fire God Type 3 Air Cruiser was named Hunter, and the four destroyers were named Guardians No. 1 to No. 4. Along with the already-named Thunderhawk and other escort ships, each of the large warships of Thunderhawk City now had its own name.


    After being reorganized, the First Fleet of Thunderhawk City appeared to comprise only ten warships¡ªa seemingly small number. Yet, when this fleet actually took to the skies and left the Defensive Net, it was immensely formidable.


    This was not surprising, because just one battleship was over three hundred meters long, air cruisers were over two hundred meters, and even the smallest destroyers and escort ships were around one hundred meters each. A fleet consisting of such numerous large warships flying in the sky looked like a terrifying black cloud!


    And with such a massive fleet soaring majestically, Wild Horse City could not have missed it. As a medium-sized Sky City, constantly engaged in battles, it naturally had early warning systems. So, as soon as Rocky led the fleet into the visual range of Wild Horse City, they were spotted, and the duty fleet immediately took to the skies¡ªwhich was when the first Guard rushed to report to Karlo.


    However, due to the suddenness of the event, the fleet sent out from Wild Horse City was not very large, comprising only five escort ships and twenty reconnaissance ships, which certainly was not the full strength of Wild Horse City; this was just an emergency airborne alert force.


    Thus, the two fleets soon encountered each other, and then Rocky had Lin Feng deliver a declaration of war to them, which was immediately sent into the city by their personnel as well.


    But after delivering the declaration of war, and before Wild Horse City could react, Rocky unhesitatingly ordered to fire!


    ¡°Fire!!¡±


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    ¡°Fire!!!¡±


    At Rocky¡¯s command, all warships received the order through the magic energy communicator, and then the muzzles of over a hundred magic cannons simultaneously burst into flames, sounding the horn of war.


    The deafening sound of cannons erupted at that moment, and a net of firepower composed of mana cannonballs instantly enveloped the fleet of Wild Horse City, sinking more than ten reconnaissance ships and one escort ship in an instant!


    You should know that Wild Horse City¡¯s fleet was no pushover; the quality of their warships was high, including the reconnaissance ships. Their main fleet was even composed entirely of fifth-generation warships.


    Moreover, Wild Horse City¡¯s fleet could be said to be battle-hardened; they had constant disputes with Fire Elf City, and in those ongoing battles, from commander to soldier, their experience was extremely rich. In fact, they were already in tight formation and prepared for combat even before Rocky ordered to fire.


    But unfortunately, the gap between the two sides was too great¡­


    Due to the hasty ascent, the warships dispatched by Wild Horse City did not even make up a complete fleet; though numerous, most were reconnaissance ships. But in the face of a combat group led by battleships, what could reconnaissance ships do besides scout?


    Therefore, just after one round of cannon fire, more than half of the reconnaissance ships were decimated!


    In the process, the only five escort ships that Wild Horse City had tried to deploy their defensive nets immediately, but Rocky¡¯s side had overwhelming firepower. Under such powerful firepower, the defensive nets of the escort ships were just not up to the task and were immediately sunk.


    After just one exchange of fire, they lost over ten reconnaissance ships and one escort ship, which made the opposing commander dare not linger and immediately ordered to turn the ships around to retreat toward Wild Horse City. But how could Rocky give them a chance?


    When the enemy was preparing to retreat, an earth-shattering boom suddenly echoed from the War Steed, followed by an immensely huge column of light!


    The Sky-piercing Cannon, boasting ten thousand points of power¡ªfired!


    Under Rocky¡¯s command, the main cannon of the War Steed fired!


    The noise from the cannon was so loud that even Rocky, protected by his armor, felt his ears buzzing. The tremendous impact knocked down a group of guards on deck, and after the shot, when they looked toward the enemy again, they saw two escort ships simultaneously disintegrating in the air!


    One shot split two!


    With just one shot, the Sky-piercing Cannon proved its unmatched power by sinking two escort ships!


    Although it was anticipated, when Rocky personally witnessed two escort ships disintegrate in the air at the same time, he still couldn¡¯t help but gasp¡ªit was simply too powerful.


    And with that, there was nothing more to say about the battle. With just two rounds of firing, three of Wild Horse City¡¯s five escort ships were sunk, and all twenty reconnaissance ships were destroyed. As for the remaining two escort ships, they didn¡¯t last a few minutes before they exploded under intense firepower.


    Thus, the alert force sent from Wild Horse City was completely annihilated!


    But although the opponent¡¯s forces were wiped out instantly, Rocky didn¡¯t relax at all. He immediately ordered the fleet to adjust formation and commanded Liliya and Monte with their Void Magic Armors to get ready for combat!


    Rocky was well aware that what had just been destroyed was only a small detachment of Wild Horse City. The enemy¡¯s truly formidable fleet had not shown itself yet, which meant the battle was far from over; in fact, it had hardly even begun!


    He was not wrong, because soon after, from the direction of Wild Horse City came a fleet comparable to theirs in strength, also composed entirely of large warships and similarly immense!


    Wild Horse City¡¯s main force had finally appeared!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 309 - 294: Command Confrontation!

    Chapter 309: Chapter 294: Command Confrontation!


    Under the heavy firepower, the early warning forces of Wild Horse City were quickly obliterated. But before Rocky could celebrate, the enemy¡¯s main force emerged!


    Although the previous battle ended swiftly, it still took time. It was with this time that the main force of Wild Horse City was able to mobilize.


    For Wild Horse City, a veteran in warfare, this kind of emergency was not new. They were constantly at war with Fire Elf City and often experienced similar stealth attacks, so their response was extremely fast. By the time Karlo reached the military port as quickly as possible, the main force of Wild Horse City had also set out.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush. Adjust the formation properly. All warships spread out.¡±


    Standing on the deck of the flagship, a veteran general over fifty years old was issuing orders in an orderly fashion, appearing unhurried as if he wasn¡¯t engaged in battle.


    The fleet dispatched by Wild Horse City was not commanded by Karlo. As the City Lord of a medium-sized Sky City, Karlo would not easily mobilize. This wasn¡¯t a matter of courage but of status, so someone else commanded the fleet before us.


    ...


    This man, named Madison, was very tall, a good head taller than the sailors on the deck. Although over fifty, his spirit was full, and he carried an imposing military air about him.


    As a medium-sized Sky City, Wild Horse City had four regular fleets. Madison was one of the Commanders of these fleets. Born in Wild Horse City, he had been in the military for over thirty years. He joined the air force of Wild Horse City in his early twenties, starting from the lowest rank as a sailor and working his way up to the position of Commander, in charge of the Third Fleet of Wild Horse City, which was now slowly approaching Rocky.


    Madison, a veteran of over thirty years in the military, had experienced countless air battles, big and small. Therefore, even if Rocky¡¯s arrival was sudden and the attack was swift, even obliterating Wild Horse City¡¯s vanguard in the blink of an eye, Madison remained calm and not the least bit flustered.


    As already mentioned, Wild Horse City had abundant warfare experience. Although they were somewhat unprepared for this battle, their reaction was quite fast. Hence, when Madison led his Third Fleet into the sky, Rocky hadn¡¯t entirely wiped out the vanguard.


    That meant if Madison had accelerated at full speed immediately after departure, Rocky might not have had any time to adjust and would have been forced into combat.


    But as the Commander of this battle, after Madison led the fleet away from Wild Horse City¡¯s Defensive Net, he didn¡¯t rush into the fight. Rather, he stopped the fleet just outside Wild Horse City, using this time to carefully observe the enemy, namely Rocky and his fleet.


    This was where Madison¡¯s experience shone!


    Being battle-hardened, he knew he couldn¡¯t rescue the vanguard. The battlefield wasn¡¯t at the doorstep of Wild Horse City. Although it looked close, by the time he led his fleet there, his own forces would have already been annihilated.


    Secondly, due to the suddenness of the situation, Madison did not even know who the enemy was before taking off. Although he heard that Thunderhawk City was initiating the attack, he didn¡¯t know the enemy¡¯s force strength or configuration. Under these circumstances, he was even less likely to rush forward blindly.


    Therefore, not only did Madison refrain from rescuing his forces, but he also used the opportunity of the vanguard engaging in combat to closely observe Rocky. It was only after the battle had completely ended that he ordered his fleet to slowly approach Rocky.


    While slowly closing in on Rocky, Madison ordered the fleet to disperse, causing the entire fleet to gradually form a line in the sky. Each warship was spaced very far apart. Once the fleet approached Rocky in this formation, Madison gave the order to fire!


    ¡°Use the main cannons to attack.¡±


    Standing on the deck, Madison calmly looked through his binoculars for a moment, then relayed the command.


    His order was swiftly carried out by the different warships, and then the main cannons of each vessel discharged flames.


    The Third Fleet of Wild Horse City comprised twelve warships in total: two patrol cruisers, six destroyers, and four escort ships, all of which were of the fourth generation. Each warship was equipped with several main cannons, with the patrol cruisers boasting as many as eight!


    Thus, when these twelve warships collectively aimed their main cannons at Rocky¡¯s fleet and fired simultaneously, although the gunfire was not dense, it was still impressive, feeling like a series of loud but spaced thunderclaps in the sky.


    ¡°Deploy the Defensive Net! Spread out! Immediately, all units spread out!¡±


    Facing this barrage of attacks from the main cannons, Rocky immediately ordered his fleet to deploy defenses and to disperse at once.


    ¡°Hmph¡­¡±


    Watching Rocky¡¯s fleet scatter under his bombardment, Madison on the deck just let out a small laugh, as if everything was under his control¡­


    ¡°Order the fleet to continue firing. If they won¡¯t come to us, there¡¯s no need for us to go to them,¡±


    Madison said with a slight smile to his adjutant, who then quickly ran off to communicate the command.


    Without a doubt, when it came to the experience in air combat, especially the experience of commanding large fleet battles, Rocky still had a long way to go when compared to Madison!


    COMMENT S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 310 - 294: Command Confrontation!_2

    Chapter 310: Chapter 294: Command Confrontation!_2


    Rocky was not without experience. He had personally commanded the fights against Baron Wolin and the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, and these battles had allowed him to amass quite a bit of experience. Thus, he had immediately adjusted his formation after the first battle to prepare for an even larger conflict¡ªa decision that clearly stemmed from experiential judgment.


    However, his experience, while perhaps rich compared to some, paled in comparison to that of Madison, a veteran of many battles. This gap led to Rocky¡¯s relatively superficial understanding of aerial combat, his immature grasp of the situation, and incorrect judgments on the spot.


    Take the present situation, for instance.


    Earlier, after Madison had led his fleet in observing from a distance, he had in fact given Rocky ample time to prepare. Indeed, Rocky had taken this opportunity to adjust his formation, so, in theory, he should have been the one waiting at ease in this battle because he was already prepared and just waiting for the enemies to approach.


    However, faced with Rocky¡¯s well-prepared defenses, Madison chose to respond with long-range artillery strikes.


    It must be said that Madison¡¯s command capabilities were demonstrated in this single decision alone!


    ...


    The fleet sent out by Wild Horse City, though numerically superior, had only two additional destroyers and its core comprised two patrol cruisers; on the other hand, Rocky¡¯s fleet, though numbering only ten ships, was formed around a battleship and a patrol cruiser as its core. This clearly outlined the disparity in the actual strength between the two fleets.


    The firepower of a battleship was undoubtedly stronger than that of a patrol cruiser, so a battleship paired with a patrol cruiser was definitely stronger than two patrol cruisers. Furthermore, Rocky¡¯s fleet consisted entirely of the most advanced fifth-generation ships, whereas Madison¡¯s fleet was a generation behind, with fourth-generation ships. Although Madison had two more ships, a comprehensive comparison still showed Rocky¡¯s fleet to be more formidable.


    This disparity was calculated by Madison after he had a clear view of Rocky¡¯s setup. Hence, he ordered his fleet to attack from a distance using their main guns, knowing that his fleet¡¯s overall firepower was definitely inferior to his opponent¡¯s, especially since Rocky had a battleship. If they had exchanged fire directly, particularly when the opponent was all set and waiting in anticipation, he would definitely not come out on top.


    But since his fleet had more ships and therefore more main guns, he ordered them to use the range advantage of their main guns to strike from a distance. This way, they wouldn¡¯t need to compete with the enemy¡¯s firepower directly, ensuring more safety for his own side and causing significant damage.


    The formidable power of the main guns on large warships, coupled with the targeting systems on the ships Madison commanded, ensured a degree of accuracy that was crucial. More importantly, as Rocky had already adjusted his formation, all warships were quite concentrated, making them even more likely to be hit.


    Consequently, the well-prepared Rocky was forced to disperse his fleet, as he dared not let his ships endure the bombardment directly. The battleship and patrol cruisers might have held up, but the destroyers and escort ships certainly could not withstand the bombardment from the main guns of patrol cruisers; particularly the escort ships, which would sink after two hits.


    However, from the moment he ordered his fleet to disperse, he lost the advantage of being prepared in advance and waiting for the enemy to enter into his fire network.


    Indeed, if Rocky could have judged more accurately and made a more decisive decision, he should not have let the fleet disperse, but rather should have charged forward despite the attack.


    Because while Madison¡¯s offensive looked frightening, the main guns, though strong in their attack, fired slowly and couldn¡¯t form an effective and sustained fire network. This meant that if Rocky could withstand the first round of attacks, he might have been able to get close to the enemy before the second round began. At that point, it would be the enemy covered by the fire network.


    Unfortunately, the battlefield does not entertain ¡®what ifs,¡¯ so in this initial exchange, Madison was clearly more adept.


    Of course, Rocky was not going to sit idly by; as he ordered his fleet to disperse, he also commanded all warships to immediately strike back with their main guns.


    Thus, the battlefield saw both fleets attacking each other with their main guns from a great distance, the deafening sounds of gunfire echoing continuously¡ªa truly spectacular scene.


    ¡°Thunderhawk City is going to lose¡­¡±


    ¡°The gap between the two commanders is too obvious.¡±


    ¡°Who is commanding at Wild Horse City? Quite shrewd, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    When Rocky and Madison were staging a great battle in the sky, more than ten Sky Cities were spectating around the battlefield; as the fight continued, these spectators each had different reactions.


    Outside the airspace of Eternal City, there were always dozens or hundreds of Sky Cities docked, so when Rocky suddenly launched an attack on Wild Horse City, many nearby Sky Cities were startled, causing many of their fleets to urgently take off, and it wasn¡¯t until they confirmed that Rocky was not attacking them that the City Lords of these Sky Cities felt relieved.


    Meanwhile, these City Lords developed an intense interest in this great battle. Disputes openly fought under so many watchful eyes were exceedingly rare, so even royal figures couldn¡¯t resist their curiosity and turned into eager onlookers, starting to enjoy the spectacle.


    Among those watching the battle were many seasoned war experts who could immediately discern the strengths and weaknesses, pointing out the disparity between the commanders.


    Not only that, but they were also the first to spot the danger Rocky was facing; even in their view, Rocky was already teetering on the edge of defeat¡ªif he didn¡¯t react soon, he would lose!


    In fact, it was indeed so!


    Fortunately, shortly thereafter Rocky made a response, because after several rounds of cannon fire, he finally recognized the problem!


    After several rounds of cannon fire, Rocky realized something was amiss.


    First, in the process of the main cannons firing at each other, he found that he was not gaining any advantage at all. His side was already short by two warships, but more importantly, because the Dominator Type 2 battleship¡¯s main cannon was extremely powerful, it only had one cannon and it took a long time to charge after each fire. This meant that his strongest battleship couldn¡¯t do much in the fight, which made the number of main cannons on his side even fewer and completely unable to compete with the opponent in terms of firepower.


    Secondly, the opponent¡¯s formation was too dispersed, making it very difficult to hit them.


    Rocky¡¯s side was already short on main cannons, and coupled with the enemy spreading out too widely, they had even more space to avoid being hit. Thus, after a long exchange of fire, not a single shot hit them, while two of his own Escort Ships had already been hit and had to hide behind the battleship. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this, who was advantaged and who was disadvantaged became very clear.


    Only at this point did Rocky realize the severity of the problem, finally understanding why the opponent had their Fleet in such a dispersed, straight line formation, and realizing that he had fallen into the enemy¡¯s trap!


    So, after realizing this, he immediately issued a new command!


    ¡°Order the Fleet to adjust formation, with War Steed and Hunter as the vanguard, the Escort Fleet behind, quickly close in on the enemy!¡±


    Realizing that continuing the battle this way was too disadvantageous, Rocky immediately ordered an adjustment of his Fleet¡¯s formation to have the battleship and patrol cruiser with the highest defensive power lead the forefront, to withstand the enemy¡¯s attacks while quickly closing in on them.


    Although somewhat slow to catch on, Rocky finally reacted and decidedly made the most appropriate response.


    However, facing his response, especially facing the advancing battleship-led Fleet, Madison was calm and composed, as he had already anticipated that Rocky would make such a move¡ªthis reaction was precisely what Madison had hoped to see!


    PS: It¡¯s Monday, a new week, seek recommendations! Seek recommendations! Seek recommendations!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 311 - 295: Riding the Winds and Breaking the Waves!

    Chapter 311: Chapter 295: Riding the Winds and Breaking the Waves!


    Having realized that his side was entirely at a disadvantage in the exchange of main gun fire, Rocky immediately changed strategies and led the entire fleet in a charge!


    Under his command, the battleships and cruisers, which should have been protected, became the vanguard of the fleet, while the destroyers and escort ships, with slightly weaker defensive power, hid behind the two larger ships, and then the entire fleet began a full-speed assault.


    ¡°Maximize the Defensive Net!¡±


    Standing at the bow of the War Steed, Rocky watched the distant enemy forces as he issued commands. At his order, the power of the War Steed¡¯s Defensive Net was immediately boosted to its maximum, causing a visible layer of light to shine around the warship.


    At the same moment, a main gun shell from the enemy struck the Defensive Net!


    With a thunderous boom, the Defensive Net, struck directly by the enemy¡¯s main gun, burst into brilliant light, and the War Steed¡¯s hull also experienced a certain degree of shaking; however, when the light and shaking dissipated in turn, the War Steed had not sustained any damage and continued to close in on the enemy at high speed.


    ...


    ¡°Roar!!¡±


    ¡°Yoho!!!¡±


    Discovering that the warship was completely undamaged, the crew on deck could not help but burst into cheers. Standing at the bow, Rocky also slightly curled up the corners of his mouth. This was the battleship, not only called an air fortress because of its formidable firepower but also because its defensive power was a strong suit of battleships!


    ¡°Gunners ready, attack as soon as the enemy comes into range!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Since the main gun attack was completely ineffective, Rocky was relieved and immediately issued a new order; following this, Uncle Wil hurriedly ran to the gun deck, shouting at the gunners:


    ¡°Lads! It¡¯s your time to show what you¡¯re made of! Let the enemy see your might!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Uncle, we¡¯ll sink them all!¡±


    ¡°Finally, we can fire!¡±


    Having played virtually no role in the earlier long-range artillery fire, the gunners on the War Steed were already frustrated, so when they heard the command to prepare to fire, they roared with excitement.


    Meanwhile, on the deck of the Hunter, the patrol cruiser, Felly, who was in charge, also kept issuing commands.


    ¡°Keep close to War Steed, not too fast!¡±


    Since the speed of the patrol cruiser was faster than that of the battleship, Felly had to slow down the warship a bit to ensure that the War Steed led the vanguard, the Hunter followed, and the rest of the warships trailed behind.


    ¡°When we get close to the enemy, ignore the escort ships, stick with the City Lord, and go straight for the enemy¡¯s patrol cruisers; no one is allowed to screw this up!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    As the Fleet Commander of Thunderhawk City, Felly also possessed considerable prestige, and after several aerial battles, he had gained considerable experience. His on-the-spot commanding was quite impressive.


    Thus, under the leadership of battleships and patrol cruisers, Rocky¡¯s Fleet quickly approached the Third Fleet led by Madison.


    During this process, Wild Horse City¡¯s fleet did not cease their attack. Twelve warships heated their main cannons to glowing red, venting their gunfire as much as possible.


    However, as previously mentioned, although the firepower of the warship main cannons was immense, their firing rate was too low. Dominator Type 2 battleships needed more than fifteen minutes to recharge their main cannon before firing again. The recharge time for the main cannons of patrol cruisers, destroyers, and escort ships may not have been that long, but it still took several minutes, even five or six, to fire again, making it essentially impossible to form an effective net of firepower.


    Therefore, facing the constantly approaching enemy fleet, Wild Horse City¡¯s fleet, despite firing as much as possible and hitting their targets, hardly managed to act as a deterrent because the battleships¡¯ defensive power was too strong. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that unless all of Wild Horse City¡¯s warships could hit the War Steed with their main cannons simultaneously, causing the War Steed¡¯s Defensive Net to overload and break in an instant, sporadic cannon fire would have no effect.


    In this manner, the unstoppable War Steed, like a ship cutting through waves, led the fleet closer to the enemy. In the blink of an eye, they were within firing range, and once within range, the War Steed was bound to strike fiercely!


    Similarly, facing the enemy that approached like a ship cutting through waves, Madison did not hurry or panic but quickly issued several orders.


    Under his command, Wild Horse City¡¯s fleet quickly began to close ranks, forming a ¡®concave¡¯ formation, clearly planning to use the extra two warships¡¯ advantage to surround Rocky once he got closer.


    And minutes later, both sides had entered each other¡¯s firing range!


    ¡°Fire! Aim at the opponent¡¯s flagship and hit them hard!¡±


    As soon as they entered the shooting range, Rocky issued the command to fire. The eager gunners quickly aimed all cannons at one of the enemy¡¯s patrol cruisers and fired simultaneously!


    Not just the War Steed initiated the attack, once in range, Felly¡¯s controlled Hunter also began its barrage!


    A battleship and a patrol cruiser, just these two warships alone with their firepower, equated to half a fleet. Therefore, when these two warships fired together, the sky suddenly erupted in gunfire, countless shells raining down like drops of rain toward the enemy warships!


    However, just then, as the War Steed and Hunter targeted the enemy¡¯s two main warships and unleashed their firepower, Madison¡¯s ¡®concave¡¯ formation began to close.


    The escort ships on the wings of the formation quickly moved towards each other and merged successfully in no time. The originally ¡®concave¡¯ formation thus transformed into a ¡®box¡¯ formation, enclosing Rocky¡¯s fleet within a pocket formation!


    As the encirclement was successfully executed, Wild Horse City¡¯s fleet also opened fire in unison, launching a fierce barrage from all around toward Rocky¡¯s fleet. Similarly, Rocky¡¯s destroyers and escort ships counterattacked immediately, plunging the battle into its most brutal phase.


    By enclosing the enemy in a pocket formation, Madison¡¯s intentions were clearly to annihilate Rocky completely, but this move puzzled many because it simply wasn¡¯t feasible!


    It¡¯s pertinent to note that although Madison¡¯s fleet had more ships, it was only by two destroyers. This advantage was definitely not enough to annihilate the enemy. More importantly, his main warships were not as strong as Rocky¡¯s. The two patrol cruisers in a head-on confrontation surely could not defeat the combination of a battleship and a patrol cruiser. Therefore, even if Madison encircled Rocky in a pocket formation, once his own two patrol cruisers were sunk, the pocket formation would break, and with the silence of the main warships, the outcome of the battle would no longer be in doubt!


    Madison, a veteran of many battles, surely hadn¡¯t overlooked this point. How could he make such a mistake?!


    Experienced and savvy as he was, Madison certainly did not make this mistake. In fact, he had other plans!


    As soon as the pocket formation was formed, Madison waved his hand and issued an order:


    ¡°Deploy the Void Magic Squad. Don¡¯t worry about the enemy¡¯s battleships and patrol cruisers, just obliterate their escort fleet!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 312 - 296 Squad VS Squad!

    Chapter 312: Chapter 296 Squad VS Squad!


    Madison, of course, knew his fleet could not contain Rocky, but he also knew he held a trump card far mightier than his fleet ¨C the Void Magic Squad!


    So when Rocky entered the pocket formation, he immediately ordered the Void Magic Squad to strike, targeting the escort ships and destroyers directly.


    Madison was truly cunning and calculating. From the beginning, he knew that if he wanted to win this battle, he could only rely on the power of the Void Magic Squad. That¡¯s why he initially opted for long-range bombardment, to force Rocky closer to him. After that, he used the pocket formation to trap Rocky, ensuring he couldn¡¯t escape, and finally deployed the Void Magic Squad to annihilate Rocky¡¯s escort fleet.


    Once accomplished, Rocky¡¯s battleships and patrol cruisers would no longer be a threat. A single log cannot prop up a failing sky city; without the protection of the escort fleet, could the battleships and patrol cruisers still stand against the entire fleet? Obviously not!


    So, at his command, ten Void Magic Warriors from the fully organized squad were deployed!


    In an instant, ten Void Magic Warriors soared from the two patrol cruisers. After flying out of the defensive net, they immediately dispersed, pairing off and heading straight for Rocky¡¯s escort fleet.


    ...


    As a mid-sized sky city, Wild Horse City not only possessed a Void Magic Squad, but the quality of its squad was exceptionally high. For instance, the current squad consisted of ten Void Magic Warriors, with the squad leader wearing Fifth Generation Special Armor, while the rest donned uniform Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armors.


    This armor configuration was considered high-end, capable of inflicting massive damage on any foe on the battlefield. Needless to say, with Special Armor, the squad leader could single-handedly take on any large warship except for a battleship, and although those in Mass-Produced Armor might not be able to destroy a large warship one-on-one, pairing up made it easy to eliminate an escort ship or destroyer.


    Such a high-end configured Void Magic Squad was indeed Madison¡¯s ace in the hole!


    ¡°Launch smoke grenades, entangle their flagship and patrol cruisers, and buy time for the Void Magic Squad to annihilate the escort fleet.¡±


    After dispatching the Void Magic Squad, Madison issued another order. Immediately, two patrol cruisers fired twice into the sky, but the fired shells were not Magic Energy Bullets; they were physical shells that exploded after flying out of the defensive net, turning into billows of smoke.


    As the smoke grenades continued to be fired, the smoke merged into one mass, resembling a thin cloud, enveloping the two patrol cruisers within it!


    Furthermore, the two patrol cruisers not only released smoke grenades around themselves but also towards the War Steed and the Hunter, causing all four warships to be engulfed in fog within minutes!


    In these layers of fog, the huge silhouettes of the warships flickered in and out of view. Although one could still discern their exact locations, their targeting systems failed because the surrounding fog primarily served to disrupt the warships¡¯ targeting systems. Once the warships¡¯ targeting systems were impaired, they had no choice but to rely on sight for targeting, which naturally significantly reduced their accuracy.


    Under this disruption, the roles of the War Steed and the Hunter were undoubtedly greatly reduced. Although Wild Horse City¡¯s two patrol cruisers were also unable to fight at full capacity, Madison didn¡¯t care. In his view, as long as he could impair the enemy¡¯s effectiveness, he had already won the battle, for he still had the Void Magic Squad!


    It must be said, Madison¡¯s plan was indeed one loop within another, like a series of connected traps leading Rocky by the nose, ultimately luring him step by step into his own snare. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, at that moment, Madison received a report from his deputy.


    ¡°Sir, the Void Magic Squad has sent a message¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°The enemy¡¯s Void Magic Squad has also been deployed!¡±


    Standing before Madison, the aide hurriedly reported the message from their own Void Magic Squad ¨C they had encountered resistance from the enemy!


    When Madison deployed his own Void Magic Squad, Rocky naturally didn¡¯t just sit by passively so he immediately took action with Liliya, Monte, Lin Feng, Sandro, and Dusa to intercept the enemy!


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    On hearing these words, Madison slightly furrowed his brow and then asked, ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°It seems there are only six people, not even a full squad, and their commander is among them.¡±


    ¡°In that case¡­¡±


    Upon hearing the adjutant¡¯s report, Madison pondered for a moment, then immediately said, ¡°Change the squad¡¯s objective, kill the opposing commander!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    With that, the adjutant hurried into the cabin and conveyed Madison¡¯s orders to their Void Magic Squad through the Magic Energy Communicator.


    ¡°All members, be advised, change of combat objective, focus on killing the enemy Void Magic Warrior!¡±


    After receiving the command, the captain of the Wild Horse City Void Magic Squad relayed the orders to all team members, ¡°Herman, Bodhati, Civic, Domiir, the four of you come with me to eliminate the enemy commander, the rest of you are free to choose your targets, remember, we need a swift and decisive victory!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    With the change in battle strategy, the Void Magic Squad from Wild Horse City promptly shifted their focus to Rocky and his team, and what¡¯s more, Rocky as the commander received special attention, not only was he targeted by the captain wearing Special Fifth-Generation Armor, but the captain also called four other members to ensure his elimination!


    With this, the face-off between the Void Magic Squads had officially begun!


    ¡°This little guy is mine, roar!¡±


    Gila, a member of the Void Magic Squad, had initially been nearing an escort ship on Rocky¡¯s side when, after receiving the orders, he turned back only to spot a figure in the distance.


    On spotting the enemy, Gila let out an excited shout through the communicator, then immediately kicked his armor into high gear and dashed towards his target!


    And the target he had spotted was Dusa!


    Dusa, wearing armor in battle for the first time, was excited yet incredibly nervous. After separating from Rocky and the others, she was actually the first to spot Gila. However, due to her excessive nervousness, she hesitated and missed the prime moment to attack. By the time she decided to draw her bow, she had already been spotted by her opponent.


    As she saw the enemy charging toward her, Dusa panicked and quickly shot an arrow, then turned to flee without looking back!


    Before the battle had begun, Rocky, Liliya, Monte, Lin Feng, and even including Sandro, had all repeatedly instructed her that if she were targeted by an enemy in battle, she shouldn¡¯t think of anything but to turn around and run, and Dusa firmly remembered this, turning to run immediately upon being discovered by the enemy.


    ¡°Trying to run? Hmph, you won¡¯t get away!¡±


    However, Gila, who had already caught up, was not about to let her escape. The speed of his Fifth-Generation Mass-Produced Armor was instantly maxed out as he chased after her!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 313 - 297: Captain, we need support!

    Chapter 313: Chapter 297: Captain, we need support!


    Seeing Dusa turn tail and run, Gila couldn¡¯t help but let out a snort of mingled laughter and disapproval.


    ¡°People from small cities are just trash, and even armored up, you¡¯re still trash.¡±


    ¡°Cut the chatter and deal with the enemy.¡±


    ¡°Got it, got it.¡±


    After responding over the Magic Energy Communicator, Gila heard the team leader¡¯s voice and carelessly gave chase after acknowledging. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although he was clad in a Mass Production Type Armor, it was after all the fifth generation, and the performance of the Armor in every aspect was still very much guaranteed. Therefore, when Gila began to accelerate at full force, he zipped through the air with a whoosh, pursuing Dusa as she fled.


    ...


    Noticing her enemy in pursuit, Dusa didn¡¯t dare to pause for a moment and immediately accelerated, dodging back and forth in the air like a bird evading a hunting eagle.


    ¡°Running quite fast¡­¡±


    Chasing closely after Dusa, Gila dived downwards to reach under a warship, instantly flew beneath the hull, and immediately soared up, quickly discerning Dusa¡¯s figure before following her towards another warship.


    ¡°Damn it! What¡¯s she up to!¡±


    Gila, relentlessly pursuing and circling half a warship, couldn¡¯t help but curse; he could distinctly feel the enemy trying to shake him off. That wasn¡¯t the problem, but what frustrated and even baffled Gila was that he was in fact being left increasingly behind!


    To him, this was utterly inconceivable. As a Void Magic Warrior, Gila had an unparalleled understanding of Armor and had identified the type of Armor Dusa was wearing the moment he laid eyes on her.


    The Fourth Generation Jumper Model 5 Mass-Produced Armor, assault type, with a Mana capacity of 3600 points.


    How could such an Armor outpace his own?


    With his thorough knowledge of Armor, Gila realized something was wrong when he couldn¡¯t catch up to Dusa. The two of them may both be in Mass-Produced Armor, but there was a whole generation between them, a gap that should have enabled Gila to easily catch up to Dusa. Yet, this wasn¡¯t the case. As they continued their chase, Gila found himself being left further and further behind; especially now, Dusa was nearly out of his line of sight!


    This turn of events was entirely beyond Gila¡¯s expectations and even seemed impossible to him.


    However, the most incredulous moment was yet to come.


    As Gila realized he was being left far behind, so did Dusa, and this naturally allowed her to breathe a sigh of relief and finally relax her tense mindset. In doing so, she recovered the state she was supposed to be in.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time Dusa had fought in her Armor. More than a month prior, she had been sparring in her Armor with Rocky and was the only person who had ever beaten him during their practice matches.


    So, once her mindset stabilized, Dusa accelerated once more, instantly pushing her Armor¡¯s speed to its limits!


    With her speed maximized, Dusa became like an arrow released from a bowstring, vanishing from Gila¡¯s sight in the blink of an eye!


    ¡°This, this¡­ how is this possible!¡±


    As Gila watched Dusa disappear instantaneously with no trace left on the battlefield, he was stupefied. He hastily ceased his pursuit, hovering midair and scanning around, but Dusa was nowhere to be found.


    The battlefield sky was not only occupied by the two of them; there were dozens of large warships exchanging fire. So, when Dusa¡¯s figure was lost, Gila couldn¡¯t find her despite his efforts. To his eyes, the surroundings were crowded with warships stacked one after another, with no sign of Dusa.


    ¡°Gila, did you take out the enemy? Come support me immediately, I¡¯m in trouble!¡±


    As he searched for Dusa, Gila heard a comrade¡¯s voice through the communicator, seemingly summoning him for support.


    What¡¯s happening?


    Were the others in the squad also in trouble?!


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thrown off by the enemy, Jialin, where are you? I¡¯m on my way¡­¡±


    Since he couldn¡¯t find Dusa, Gila naturally wouldn¡¯t waste more time here. After all, this was a battlefield, and as a Void Magic Warrior, he had to fulfill his role. Therefore, Gila immediately replied, planning to go and support his teammate.


    But just at that moment, as he was slightly distracted during the communication with his teammate, a Magic Energy Arrow flew at him from behind!


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Facing this sudden sneak attack, Gila, who was mid-conversation, had no time to react. Mid-sentence, he felt a surge of impact from behind and then screamed as he was blasted away!


    With a loud explosion, Gila was sent flying as though he had been hit by a Magic Energy Cannon, traveling several meters in the air before he managed to gather his wits and stabilize his position.


    As a seasoned Void Magic Warrior from Wild Horse City, Gila recovered quickly from the surprise. Upon stabilizing, he immediately spread out his Defensive Net and looked in the direction of the ambush.


    As he turned around, however, he saw only one of his own warships, with nothing else in sight.


    Had they fled?


    That fast?


    Looking at the friendly Escort Ship, Gila quickly realized the attacker had fled, but how could they have escaped so swiftly?


    Just then, another arrow flew in from the side!


    Another loud explosion reverberated as the suddenly appearing Magic Energy Arrow struck the Defensive Net and exploded outside it. Although Gila was not hit directly, the force of the explosion uncontrollably knocked him back several meters.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 314 - 297: Captain, we need support!_2

    Chapter 314: Chapter 297: Captain, we need support!_2


    Before he could steady his form in retreat, a series of Mana Arrows flew one after another, each hitting the Defensive Net accurately and exploding upon impact, quickly causing a series of explosions.


    In this barrage of explosions, Gila was knocked around like an uncontrollable kite, but that wasn¡¯t the most crucial part. The crucial part was that the Mana Arrows didn¡¯t stop thereafter. From the first explosion, they kept coming, hitting the Defensive Net with unerring accuracy.


    This is bad!


    With continuous attacks, Gila¡¯s helmet soon began sounding an alarm, indicating that the Defensive Net had reached its maximum capacity. If this continued, the Defensive Net was bound to break!


    Under these circumstances, Gila, unable to steady himself, was forced to accelerate suddenly and finally managed to dodge the barrage of Mana Arrows, then began to flee at top speed!


    Yes, flee!


    ...


    He had realized just how dangerous his situation was and needed to escape immediately. If he could only get out of his opponent¡¯s attack range and break their attack rhythm, he might have a chance to counterattack.


    But what he didn¡¯t know was that, even as he was making his all-out effort to escape, Dusa, who had been hiding under a destroyer, was once again pulling back her bow!


    Draw the bow.


    Aim.


    Gather the Mana in the Armor.


    Release the arrow!


    These actions flowed smoothly for Dusa, and then she fired.


    With a whoosh, the released Mana Arrow tore through the air, leaving a glaring trail of light as if ripping a gash in the sky, heading straight for the fleeing Gila!


    But now Gila was not flying leisurely; he had already pushed his Armor to its limits, even faster than when he was chasing Dusa. Yet this speed was useless against Dusa¡¯s arrow. In the blink of an eye, the Mana Arrow hit the Defensive Net accurately once again!


    Just like before, the Mana Arrow exploded upon striking the Defensive Net, but unlike before, this explosion was much more violent, so violent that it shattered the Defensive Net completely!


    ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡±


    The force of the explosion interrupted Gila¡¯s sprint, sending him flying through the air like a kite blown away by the wind, and in this moment, he knew he was doomed.


    He could not have imagined the enemy possessing such precision in shooting that it could hit him even at full sprint, and now that the Defensive Net was shattered, an enemy with such precise shooting would surely seize this opportunity to put him to death!


    Gila was indeed experienced, and his thoughts were not wrong; Dusa indeed did not miss this chance to make a kill shot!


    Without the protection of the Defensive Net, and even before he could regain his composure, Gila was hit by another arrow, followed by a second, then a third!


    Monte, Lingfeng, Dusa, and Sandro¡¯s Special Armors had all undergone Rune modifications. Among them, Dusa¡¯s Armor had undergone the most extensive modifications. Hammerfire had maximally weakened its defensive power but had enhanced its mobility to the utmost, and Pelaya had added a new transmission system to the Armor, increasing the power of Dusa¡¯s Mana Arrows.


    After being hit by three consecutive arrows, the unprotected Armor was blasted apart, showing large cracks, and Gila was already unconscious from the explosion. So after the three arrows, he plummeted straight down from the sky and soon disappeared from view¡­


    ¡°Yo-ho! We won!¡±


    Watching the enemy fall from afar, Dusa from underneath the destroyer cheered joyfully, then swiftly ran off, obviously going to support her teammates.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡°Gila! Gila, respond!¡±


    Jialin, who had asked Gila for support earlier, yelled twice into the communicator but got no response, sinking his heart instantly. He then immediately raised his long sword to block, and with a clang, stopped the descending axe.


    Although he blocked the axe, Jialin felt his wrist go numb, as if it was about to break!


    Glancing at the huge figure in front of him, his heart felt incredibly bitter. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was fighting none other than Monte at this moment!


    As a Beastman, Monte was naturally tall and burly, towering over everyone by at least a head in any situation, and after donning the Void Magic Armor, his size had grown even larger, like a giant!


    Facing the giant-like Monte, Jialin was incessantly lamenting. He had never expected this behemoth to be so ferocious. From the moment they met, Monte charged at him without dodging, took several Magic Bullets head-on and still managed to confront him up close, swinging his axe.


    Then, his nightmare began!


    Monte¡¯s style had always been fierce, and thus Hammerfire had significantly enhanced both the offensive and defensive capabilities of his armor. As a result, Jialin simply could not withstand the axe swings from Monte. After several head-to-head clashes, Jialin felt his wrists were nearly broken.


    Theoretically, he could have utilized his ranged advantage to combat Monte, as the Void Magic Armor had powerful long-range capabilities. While Monte¡¯s armor was remarkable in both attack and defense, it lacked mobility and speed.


    Not only did Jialin think this, but he also acted on it, finding, however, that this tactic was utterly futile against Monte, who simply shrugged off his long-range attacks. It¡¯s not that the attacks were ineffective; they definitely were, but Monte was undeterred!


    And let¡¯s not forget, Monte¡¯s armor also had long-range weaponry. Since his left arm was severed, his armor¡¯s left arm was replaced with a powerful Magic Energy Cannon, so Monte was not afraid of exchanging fire.


    Sure enough, Jialin soon found himself overwhelmed. Just as he saw Gila chasing an enemy from a distance, he hurriedly called for him to come and support him, only to realize that Gila had died a moment before him.


    ¡°Captain! I need support! Send someone to help me!¡±


    Dodging Monte¡¯s incoming axe with a sidestep, Jialin retreated while launching a series of shoulder-mounted Magic Bullets and shouting loudly into the communicator.


    The volley of Magic Bullets went straight for Monte, hitting him instantly. Some were blocked by the small shield Monte had raised, while others hit him directly. Yet, just like before, Monte charged forward, ruggedly resisting the hits and getting up close to Jialin again. Then he raised his Magic Energy Cannon in his left hand and fired it right next to Jialin¡¯s face!


    Faced with this blast, Jialin was so frightened that he immediately dropped down, and before he could even use Magic Bullets or a Magic Energy Cannon to block Monte, he fled in panic, constantly shouting into the communicator during his escape.


    ¡°Captain! I need support, what are you doing!¡±


    However, no matter how much he shouted, he received no reply from the captain, simply because their captain had no time to respond!


    Schneider, the captain of this Void Magic Squad and one of the five captains of Wild Horse City¡¯s Void Magic Squads, this 30-year-old, who had been a Void Magic Warrior for five years, possessed both strong skills and rich experience. Otherwise, Karlo wouldn¡¯t have chosen him as a captain, nor would he have been given the most advanced Fifth Generation Special Armor.


    But now, as Schneider faced Rocky, his hands could not stop trembling!


    Five minutes.


    Just five minutes earlier, he and four other team members had surrounded Rocky, planning to kill him, but five minutes later, only he was left facing Rocky alone!


    PS: Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! Important things must be said three times!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 315 - 298 White Demon!

    Chapter 315: Chapter 298 White Demon!


    Time rewound to five minutes earlier.


    Upon receiving the order, Schneider immediately took his men and surrounded Rocky. There was no helping it; Rocky was too easily recognizable in the White Demon Armor, even though Schneider had never seen him before. Once he saw the White Demon Armor, he guessed that he was the commander.


    Also, to ensure his elimination and thereby cement victory in this battle, Schneider also specifically called for four squad members, making a total of five people to encircle Rocky!


    ¡°Surround him!¡±


    When Schneider discovered Rocky, he immediately led his four squad members to form a tight encirclement from above, below, left, and right, then, without a second word, they attacked!


    As the leader of the Void Magic Squad, Schneider was not only powerful but also had a considerable sense of strategy. He was very clear on how important his squad was in this battle and that they were the key to victory.


    ... sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For this reason, regardless of whether Rocky was the commander or not, Schneider treated him as a target that must be eliminated. As long as he and the other Void Magic Warriors were wiped out, Wild Horse City would win the battle. Therefore, after surrounding Rocky, he didn¡¯t waste any words and chose to take action, clearly intending to fight a quick battle.


    However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, before they could make a move, Rocky charged at them first!


    Of course, Rocky would strike first, as his thoughts were exactly like Schneider¡¯s: he also wanted to fight a quick battle.


    Rocky was well aware of the enemy¡¯s plan to rely on the Void Magic Warriors to decide the outcome of the battle. As the opponent, as the enemy, he naturally wouldn¡¯t let them succeed. Not only could he not allow them to succeed, but Rocky also wanted to fight a quick battle and then rely on his own Void Magic Warriors to determine the outcome of the combat!


    So, after being completely surrounded, he didn¡¯t give the enemies a chance to take the first move. He instantly activated all the runes on the White Demon Armor, boosting the armor¡¯s magic energy value to the 10000-point limit in an instant, and then he charged toward the nearest enemy!


    ¡°Herman! Dodge quickly!¡±


    The moment Rocky charged out, Schneider shouted loudly and charged out as well.


    His suit, the Special Armor of the Fifth Generation, was equipped with a Mana Tracker. So, when Rocky activated all the runes and raised the magic energy of the White Demon Armor to 10000 points, Schneider immediately noticed and shouted to his team members. He knew that they wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand an enemy of this caliber.


    Unfortunately, although his reaction was quick, it wasn¡¯t as fast as the White Demon¡¯s speed!


    The full-powered White Demon Armor was incredibly fast, even the Windwalker, another top armor, couldn¡¯t catch up. So, as Schneider shouted, Rocky had already reached the squad member named Herman, and without giving the latter any chance to react, he swung the Mana Sword in a horizontal slash!


    With a swoosh of the sword light, the Mana Sword cut across Herman¡¯s neck, and Herman¡¯s head was swept away as if it had been kicked like a ball¡­


    The first Void Magic Warrior, dead!


    ¡°Everyone, get out of the way! You can¡¯t handle him!¡±


    Watching his subordinate¡¯s head being sliced off, Schneider shouted and immediately accelerated, rushing towards Rocky, and in the process, he ordered the other squad members to retreat. Those in the Mass-Produced Armor, in front of Rocky, were simply there to be instantly killed, without even the chance to engage in a few exchanges.


    However, Schneider¡¯s intentions, though well-meant, were unrealistic. It was easy for them to encircle Rocky because he allowed it, but scatter? Rocky wouldn¡¯t permit such a thing!


    So, as he charged at Rocky, Rocky raised his hand to block the attack, and at the same moment, fired the Smoke Grenades mounted on his back.


    With several muffled sounds, the launched Smoke Grenades exploded directly around everyone, and the spreading smoke quickly dispersed into the air, enveloping everyone like a murky dome.


    This is bad!


    Seeing Rocky release the vision-impairing Smoke Grenade, Schneider cursed inwardly, because this type of Smoke Grenade was not as sophisticated as ship-boarded smoke bombs; it only served to block the line of sight and was almost ineffective against him. The Special Armor was equipped with a Mana Tracker which, like thermal imaging, could directly detect the magic energy emitted by the armor, so blocking the line of sight was futile.


    But while his armor was equipped with a tracker, the other squad members¡¯ armors weren¡¯t!


    The reason why the Mass Production Type armors were named so was that they were simplified in various aspects compared to Special Armors. Even the Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armors, except for very few models, did not have a Mana Tracker.


    This was exactly why Rocky released the Smoke Grenade. In fact, he was even more eager to end the battle quickly than Schneider, for if these squad members escaped, Liliya and the others would face greater threats.


    So, after deploying the Smoke Grenade, Rocky used the speed of the White Demon Armor to instantly shake off Schneider and directly rushed toward the squad member closest to him.


    In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind this squad member and, without a second thought, stabbed the Mana Sword into the squad member¡¯s heart from behind. By the time he pulled out the Mana Sword, the squad member had already fallen straight down from the sky, dead without understanding what had happened.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 316 - 298 White Demon!_2

    Chapter 316: Chapter 298 White Demon!_2


    The second Void Magic Warrior died just like that¡­


    Although he had killed another person, Rocky had no time to rest; he immediately aimed for the next target because the others had already reacted and had started to scatter in different directions.


    Without a doubt, the team members¡¯ combat experience was rich. They all understood how big the gap was between themselves and Rocky, so they made the best decision, which was to flee!


    However, accurate as their judgment was, their speed was not fast enough. The Mass Production Type Armor was inferior in all aspects to the Special Armor, not to mention the White Demon Armor had greatly enhanced its speed and maneuverability after the second modification, so these team members, even though they chose to run immediately, couldn¡¯t escape at all!


    With just one burst of speed, Rocky had caught up to another person, quickly closed the distance, and within the blink of an eye was right behind him.


    ¡°Captain! He, he¡¯s behind me! Run!¡±


    ...


    The fleeing team member looked back once, and because of the smoke, he couldn¡¯t see Rocky clearly, but he saw a pair of blood-red eyes through the smoke, feeling as if a monster in the fog had already set its sights on him!


    It must be said, this team member was highly aware. From the moment he saw Rocky, he knew he was doomed, so he didn¡¯t futilely continue to run but instead turned around, activated all weapons on his armor during the process, and unleashed all his firepower on Rocky!


    It was a full barrage again!


    In the competition with Xia Nai, Rocky had already suffered from a full barrage, nearly losing his life in the arena, so he was wary of this move.


    However, this time¡¯s full barrage was incomparable to Xia Nai¡¯s, as the difference between their armors was more than just one grade. Thus, facing the fierce bombardment towards him, Rocky, still sprinting, did not even deploy a Defensive Net or dodge but simply relied on the native defensive power of the White Demon, taking the bombardment head-on and still rushing forward at undiminished speed right up to his opponent!


    ¡°Die!¡±


    In immense fear, the team member let out a hysterical scream while swinging his long sword at Rocky, who similarly raised his Mana Sword and slashed at the opponent.


    In the blink of an eye, both had struck each other with their weapons almost at the same moment.


    However, the outcome of their mutual strike was completely different; the opponent¡¯s long sword only left a dent on the White Demon Armor, but Rocky¡¯s Mana Sword, after striking the opponent, cleaved through the armor and embedded deep from the opponent¡¯s shoulder into his chest!


    The third Void Magic Warrior, dead!


    This is the battlefield, completely different from the arena matches. In the Arena but, even though the fighters are also battling to the death, it is still a competition with its unique rhythm such as probing, concealing, and counterattacking.


    Yet on the real battlefield, the rules are not so; the only rule on the battlefield is to kill the enemy and secure victory! Under this rule, probing, hiding, and desperate counterattacking are all nonsense. Soldiers on the battlefield must give their all from the start to kill the enemy; otherwise, they will be killed by the enemy.


    Rocky was just like this, giving his all from the start!


    ¡°Bodhati!!¡±


    While Rocky had killed three team members in a flash, Schneider had not been idle; he had been trying to stop Rocky, but helplessly, Rocky was too fast in short-range movements, especially since he was very good at such swift maneuvers, so Schneider couldn¡¯t catch up with him at all.


    It was only when Rocky had killed the third team member that Schneider finally managed to rush up from behind and, in a roaring slash, struck!


    With a clang, facing Schneider¡¯s strike, Rocky easily blocked it with his sword, not only effortlessly parried but also used the force of the powerful strike to drop several meters and then suddenly accelerated, darting away from beneath his feet!


    ¡°Domiir! Run!¡±


    Realizing that Rocky had flown away again with his own attack, Schneider couldn¡¯t even begin to chase before he started shouting into his communicator.


    The four members who had surrounded Rocky with him were now reduced to just one survivor, the other three were dead!


    But it was precisely because the other three had been killed that this last member finally managed to escape the range of the smoke.


    ¡°Damn it! Why did this happen¡­why did this happen!¡±


    Using the opportunity created when Rocky went to kill the others, this last member, known as Domiir in Schneider¡¯s shout, finally managed to escape the smoke. Yet, even then, he didn¡¯t dare to stop and kept running at full speed, knowing death was still on his heels!


    At the same time, Domiir couldn¡¯t understand why things had turned out this way. Just a few minutes ago, they were five men surrounding their enemy. What had happened in these few minutes that they ended up fleeing head over heels?


    Why had things turned out this way?


    Domiir couldn¡¯t understand the result, but just then, he suddenly felt a chill at heart and immediately turned to look back!


    Years of battle had honed Domiir¡¯s highly sensitive instincts, which were almost akin to a sixth sense, giving him a premonition of impending danger. But just as he sensed the danger and instinctively turned back, he noticed a flash of light and immediately felt a heat in his chest before plummeting headfirst toward the ground!


    As he began to fall, Rocky also burst out of the smoke and at top speed, caught up with the falling body, grabbing the Mana Sword that had pierced the corpse¡¯s back and pulled it out.


    Since this last member had flown out of the smoke, Rocky had feared he wouldn¡¯t catch up if Schneider entangled him, so he threw the Mana Sword like a javelin during the chase, striking his opponent in the back and completing the four kills!


    Once he held the Mana Sword in his hand again, Rocky finally took a deep breath of relief, for with these four kills, the number of enemies was equal to his side¡¯s, and in a one-on-one situation, Rocky believed that even if Liliya and the others couldn¡¯t win, running was always an option. He didn¡¯t need to worry about the others and could focus on dealing with the remaining commander.


    It was at this time that the fog in the sky gradually cleared, and when it had completely dispersed, Rocky and Schneider were once again standing face-to-face!


    The last time they had faced each other was five minutes earlier when Schneider had led his four members to encircle Rocky. But now, just five minutes later, only Schneider remained to confront Rocky.


    This outcome caused Schneider¡¯s hands to tremble uncontrollably!


    Just like the recently deceased Domiir, Schneider didn¡¯t know what had happened. Having faced countless aerial battles, he had never encountered such a situation. He couldn¡¯t believe this was real, viewing the recent events as nothing short of a nightmare!


    So, when he saw Rocky¡¯s figure again, he was scared¡­


    He felt a long-forgotten sensation that had first emerged when he confronted a Demon, a deep-seated fear of monsters!


    It had been many years since Schneider had felt this kind of fear, especially since he became a Void Magic Warrior and leader of the Void Magic Squad. That bone-chilling fear had never surfaced again.


    But today, this terrifying sensation that made his hands tremble returned once more.


    Under this fear, the Rocky standing before him seemed transformed, no longer merely a Void Magic Warrior in White Demon Armor; he was simply a White Demon!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 317 - 299: Encirclement (Part 1)

    Chapter 317: Chapter 299: Encirclement (Part 1)


    In Schneider¡¯s eyes, Rocky had transformed into a white demon, invoking the deepest fears inside him.


    Right after, before he could calm his inner fear, Rocky had already charged at him!


    On the battlefront where every second counts, no one had time to think, and the enemy wouldn¡¯t give you that time either. The situation was just like this, Rocky would not give Schneider time to think, let alone time to fear!


    In the blink of an eye, Rocky had sprinted to right in front of Schneider and delivered a slash that felt like it could split him in two.


    Facing this attack, Schneider panicked and dodged hurriedly, then rapidly retreated to create distance while firing a flurry of Magic Bullets to block Rocky¡¯s pursuit.


    However, an attack of this level could hardly stop Rocky. After a quick change of movement, Rocky continued the chase and raised his right hand during the pursuit, firing a trio of Magic Bullets in succession.


    ...


    A barrage of Magic Bullets followed. Schneider used his shield to block it momentarily, then suddenly leaped into the air before Rocky could close in, adjusted his posture at a higher position, and took control of the high ground, then began a long-range exchange of fire!


    Though fear arose, Schneider was, after all, a seasoned warrior. He quickly adjusted his mindset, focused all his attention on the combat, and suppressed his fear through this method.


    With his state adjusted, his battlefield experience began to show itself.


    Soaring into the sky, he preemptively took control of the high ground, then utilized the advantage of striking from above to continuously and precisely attack Rocky with dual Magic Energy Beams from his shoulders.


    The Armor Schneider wore was the Fifth Generation Eagle Eye Special Armor, which had average performance in all aspects. Its most significant feature was the high-precision aiming system, the Eagle Eye Aiming System.


    The Eagle Eye Aiming System is one of the most advanced aiming systems available today, and thanks to this advanced system, the weapons equipped on the Aurora Armor, especially long-range weapons which are essentially Magic Energy Beams, are incredibly fast and precise. Combined with the advanced aiming system, to say it could hit the target with every shot might be an exaggeration, but it was almost there.


    Dodging an attack with a quick maneuver, Rocky immediately sped up his ascent, trying to close in on Schneider to reverse the disadvantage of being hit passively. However, as he had just risen a few meters, a barrage of incredibly precise attacks arrived, forcing him to stop his sprint and start dodging left and right. But with the aid of the Eagle Eye Aiming System, Schneider¡¯s attacks were so accurate that Rocky had to deploy his Defensive Net after several dodges.


    With the Defensive Net deployed, the pressure was significantly reduced, and then Rocky quickly resumed his sprint, approaching Schneider rapidly despite the attacks.


    At this moment, Schneider wasn¡¯t just standing still; he also activated reverse thrusters. While continuing his attacks, he kept retreating, not giving Rocky any chance to get close.


    Although resentful that his teammates had been slaughtered by Rocky, Schneider had to admit that their deaths had provided him with significant help.


    As Rocky slaughtered the rest of the team, Schneider watched everything, clearly understanding Rocky¡¯s strengths. Rocky¡¯s strengths lay in his speed, agility, and his Mana Sword, which when combined, made him exceptionally skilled at close combat. Thus, Schneider decisively chose long-range combat, resolutely keeping him at bay.


    Because he knew that if Rocky got close to him, he would not be able to win the fight!


    Although Schneider was wearing the Fifth Generation Special Armor, this Special Armor was not considered top-tier. In fact, the magic energy of the Eagle Eye Armor was only 9000. Although this was not low, it still did not qualify as top-tier armor, making it impossible for him to trade blows with Rocky the way Xia Nai could have from a distance in the past.


    However, even though the strength of his armor was not on par with Xia Nai¡¯s past capabilities, Schneider¡¯s combat experience far surpassed that of Xia Nai and Rocky combined. He quickly assessed his own strengths and weaknesses against the enemy and began to use his strengths to attack the enemy¡¯s weaknesses!


    It must be said, this tactic was very effective. Although the Eagle Eye Armor was slightly inferior to the White Demon Armor, it was still a Fifth Generation Special Armor. Fully accelerating, Rocky indeed could not immediately catch up to him.


    Moreover, this was not a ring with boundaries, which would limit how far one could run even at full speed. The battlefield was boundless. If Schneider focused on keeping his distance from Rocky, there was plenty of space to maneuver.


    While not simply running away, Schneider was continuously retreating while still facing Rocky head-on, constantly attacking Rocky with precise strikes using his long-range weapons. Although his attacks might not have been able to break through the White Demon¡¯s Defensive Net in one go, affecting his pursuit speed was not a problem at all.


    So, even though Rocky was chasing with all his might, as soon as he would nearly close the distance, he would be met with a barrage of intense attacks from Schneider. This forced him to slow down, and Schneider would use each opportunity to increase their distance, making it impossible for Rocky to catch up in a short time.


    But at this moment, while Schneider was effectively keeping Rocky at bay, he failed to notice that from a far distance, Dusa had already aimed her bow at him, and then she shot an arrow!


    For Schneider, the appearance of Dusa¡¯s arrow was completely unexpected and struck him in an instant!


    With a bang, the Magic Energy Arrow exploded upon hitting the Eagle Eye Armor but unfortunately did not cause significant damage. Being a Special Armor, the Eagle Eye Armor¡¯s defensive power was quite strong, even without deploying the Defensive Net.


    However, even though the strike did not cause significant damage, it affected his speed and, more importantly, his ability to attack, causing him to cease his attacks for a few moments following the hit. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although the interruption lasted only a brief moment, it was enough!


    How could Rocky, who had been relentlessly pursuing him, miss this great opportunity? He immediately seized it to close the gap between them!


    In just the blink of an eye, Rocky, who had been at least fifty or sixty meters away from Schneider, had closed the distance to within ten meters!


    Bad news!


    Realizing that Rocky had taken advantage of the lapse to close in, Schneider immediately cursed under his breath. Without time to look for the attacking Dusa, he turned his Armor¡¯s thrusters on full and fled.


    But just as he turned to retreat, he realized a Void Magic Warrior appeared right in front of him and before he could see who it was, the figure charged at him!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 318 - 300: Encirclement (Part 2)

    Chapter 318: Chapter 300: Encirclement (Part 2)


    The Void Magic Warrior charging at Schneider was none other than Liliya, who had just dealt with the enemy!


    Like Dusa and the others, Liliya¡¯s armor had also been modified, significantly so, because Rocky and Hammerfire had insisted that Liliya¡¯s armor could be modified in any way necessary as long as it guaranteed her survival on the battlefield, even if it meant crafting a completely new set from scratch.


    There was no time to produce a completely new set of armor, but for Liliya¡¯s Fire Guard Type 5 Armor, Hammerfire and his team spared no effort. They installed new technology and even replaced some of the armor¡¯s crucial components. Thus, once the modification was complete, the originally third-generation Fire Guard Type 5 Armor had been elevated several classes, nearly reaching the strength of special armor, though it definitely matched the strength of a fifth-generation mass-produced armor.


    It was precisely with this significantly modified new armor that Liliya had managed, without much danger, to overcome her adversary and then promptly came to support Rocky.


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    However, facing Liliya who was charging at him, an anxious Schneider barely had the time to pay heed, stepping forward instead of back to meet Liliya¡¯s charge, his preemptive horizontal strike landing squarely on the swung Sword Peak.


    ...


    A resounding clang was heard, and under this heavy and powerful blow, Liliya was swept away like a kite with its string cut!


    Luckily, Schneider was now desperate to get rid of Rocky, otherwise, this single strike would have been enough to give him the chance to kill Liliya.


    Regrettably, Rocky was hot on his heels, forcing Schneider, after sending Liliya flying, to continue his escape without a moment to spare.


    He hadn¡¯t rushed out but a few meters, his speed not yet fully gathered, when he saw two figures rapidly approaching from both left and right, recklessly charging at him!


    Monte!


    Lin Feng!


    The ones rushing towards Schneider from both sides were none other than Monte and Lin Feng, both of whom had also dealt with their respective opponents and had come to support Rocky!


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Faced with the two converging on him, Schneider cursed. He had never anticipated being encircled, and this encirclement meant that his team had been defeated, because otherwise the enemy would not have been free to engage him.


    What was more critical now was that he had no way to escape the pincer attack of Monte and Lin Feng. Since a moment ago, he had been hit by an arrow from Dusa, causing Rocky to close the gap during that opening, and then he encountered Liliya. Although it was just a brief clash, his speed had to be reduced, so when Monte and Lin Feng charged, he couldn¡¯t manage to shake them off.


    In such a situation, in just a few moments, Monte and Lin Feng had reached his flanks, left and right, and immediately their axe and sword simultaneously struck down!


    With two clangs, Monte¡¯s axe chopped onto Schneider¡¯s Mana Sword, and Lin Feng¡¯s great sword was even caught in Schneider¡¯s palm, then before they could react, Monte took a kick to the chest and Lin Feng was hit by a series of Magic Bullets, both sent flying as they reached Schneider¡¯s front!


    In just a few bouts, Schneider, as the leader of the Magic Energy Squad, demonstrated his strength, and it was no exaggeration to say that without Rocky chasing him, relying on his Eagle Eye Armor, he truly had the power to become a nightmare for Liliya and the others, potentially killing them in minutes!


    Unfortunately, the greatest crisis he now faced was not Liliya and the others, but the relentlessly pursuing Rocky behind him.


    And soon enough, that threat materialized!


    Although Schneider had given Liliya and the others a lesson with his absolute strength, the ever-persistent Rocky, following right behind him, also finally took this opportunity to confront him directly!


    At last, he charged in front of the enemy, and Rocky struck with his sword!


    With the power of Rocky¡¯s Mana Sword, once it hit Schneider¡¯s armor, even if it couldn¡¯t cut it in half, it was enough to damage the armor itself. Given the existing gap between their armors, if the armor was compromised, causing some functions to fail, then Schneider was doomed.


    Therefore, facing this sword strike, he dared not be the slightest bit careless, immediately raising his sword to block. A moment later, the two Mana Swords collided fiercely, emitting a burst of bright light.


    Blocking this strike, Schneider immediately used the force to back away, not planning to entangle with Rocky.


    But at that moment, Rocky suddenly accelerated, circling with an extremely tight radius to appear behind him, and followed up with another sword strike! sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Another burst of bright light flared as Schneider, in a critical moment, turned around, raising his Mana Sword above his head like a blazing inferno to block the attack.


    After this, Rocky followed the same formula, accelerating again to wrap around half a circle to his side, then raised his leg for a sweeping kick aimed directly at Schneider¡¯s head!


    Utilizing the speed and mobility of the White Demon Armor, Rocky started to dart around Schneider with incredible speed within a small range, unleashing ferocious attacks. This was his most proficient form of attack, and he had never been defeated in it before¡ªnot even the superior-armored Xia Nai could gain the upper hand in such combat.


    Seeing as even Xia Nai, with better armor, could not benefit, Schneider was even less likely to.


    Facing the rapidly moving Rocky, Schneider was initially able to hold his ground, but after a few exchanges, he fell into a disadvantage, gradually unable to keep up with Rocky¡¯s speed.


    When Rocky appeared behind him once again, Schneider was half a beat too slow to turn around, only to find Rocky had already vanished. Before he could react, Rocky had already moved behind him again and struck down with his sword, hitting right on Schneider¡¯s back!


    This sword strike was powerful and heavy, and combined with Schneider¡¯s complete lack of guard, immediately forced him downward while also leaving a large sword mark on his armor¡¯s back.


    Having succeeded with that move, Rocky gave no chance for escape, immediately speeding up to catch up with the falling Schneider, seizing the moment he hadn¡¯t stabilized his form to launch a series of fierce attacks, and finally thrusting his sword through his chest to finish him off!


    With this, the Void Magic Squad sent from Wild Horse City to resolve the battle, including the captain and the majority of its members, had been eliminated, with only one of the ten Void Magic Warriors remaining and fighting Sandro, barely making any impact.


    After killing the toughest Schneider, Rocky and Liliya and the others gathered together, and Rocky then issued new orders, ¡°Liliya, you go support Sandro. Monte, Lin Feng, Aileen, you attack the enemy¡¯s escort ships and destroyers.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Upon agreeing, the recently gathered Liliya and others immediately dispersed, having eliminated all the enemy¡¯s Void Magic Warriors. The skies were now theirs without any further concern.


    However, just at that moment, when Liliya and the others were acting on orders and Rocky was preparing to join the battle at the warship, Felly suddenly transmitted a message.


    ¡°City Lord!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡±


    ¡°The enemy has begun to retreat!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 319 - 301 First Victory!

    Chapter 319: Chapter 301 First Victory!


    Rocky had just dealt with the Void Magic Squad from Wild Horse City and was preparing to leverage his advantage in Void Magic Warriors to end the battle when Felly suddenly reported that the enemy had begun to retreat!


    Up until this point, Rocky and the others had been engaged in combat and were unaware of the overall progress of the battle; in fact, as they fought the enemy, neither of the fleets had been idle, exchanging continuous artillery fire.


    However, since both fleets were composed of large warships, the continuous barrage had resulted in relatively few casualties.


    Rocky¡¯s fleet had suffered more severe casualties because it was surrounded, losing an escort ship and two destroyers which had their defensive nets shattered and subsequently sustained heavy damage.


    As for the fleet from Wild Horse City, although none of its warships were directly sunk, three of them had their defensive nets broken and were severely damaged in the bombardment, leading them to retreat from the battlefield early.


    In principle, the losses on both sides could be considered even, with Wild Horse City even having a slight advantage as they originally had more warships. Even though four of their heavily damaged warships had left the battlefield early, the fact that Rocky¡¯s side also had one warship sunk and two others rendered combat-ineffective meant the advantage was even clearer on their side.


    ...


    Yet, under these circumstances, Madison ordered a retreat.


    The reason for the retreat was simple: Wild Horse City had already lost the battle!


    Madison¡¯s original plan was to rely on the Void Magic Squad¡¯s trump card to secure victory. If the Void Magic Squad could destroy the enemy¡¯s escort fleet, Wild Horse City would win.


    But to his utter surprise, the Void Magic Squad he had dispatched not only failed to clinch victory but was completely obliterated after Rocky executed Schneider in midair; thus, what reason did Madison have to continue the fight?


    Now, Wild Horse City¡¯s fleet seemed to hold a slight advantage, but once Rocky¡¯s Void Magic Squad joined the fight, the situation on the battlefield would be instantly reversed. Moreover, as time passed, the interference smoke cloaking the battleships was about to dissipate, meaning the previously ineffective battleships were soon to join the combat. Adding these two factors together, Wild Horse City¡¯s defeat was inevitable, leaving Madison with no hesitation in issuing the retreat command!


    Upon the issuance of the retreat order, the first to withdraw were the two patrol cruisers, which were the fleet¡¯s main force. The loss of even one, let alone damage to the entire fleet, would be devastating not just for the fleet but also for Wild Horse City, as the cost of over a million for a single patrol cruiser was a burden for Wild Horse City.


    And after the patrol cruisers withdrew first from the battlefield, the remaining destroyers and escort ships also began retreating towards Wild Horse City while continuing to fire.


    ¡°Chase them! Chase them immediately!¡±


    However, Rocky was not willing to let the enemy withdraw so easily. He knew that this battle was not only the first confrontation with Wild Horse City but also possibly the only chance to win against them. After all, the overall strength difference between the two cities was too great¡ªif a full-scale war broke out, he was bound to lose.


    So Rocky would not let this opportunity slip. He had to inflict severe damage on Wild Horse City in this battle and thus immediately issued the order to chase to Felly. He then sped up, charging directly towards the nearest enemy warship.


    Felly reacted swiftly to the chase order, commanding the War Steed and the Hunter, which he was aboard, to accelerate. The goal was not to catch up to the enemy¡¯s patrol cruisers but to position the two warships, already at the forefront, to block the escape routes of the remaining enemy warships!


    Previously, it was mentioned that Madison had encircled Rocky¡¯s fleet with a pocket formation. While this formation held an advantage in offense, it made retreat difficult¡ªalthough the two patrol cruisers nearer to Wild Horse City could leave easily, it was not the same for the other warships.


    Felly seized on this difficulty of the enemy¡¯s retreat, sending both the War Steed and the Hunter to strike first, blocking the path between the battlefield and Wild Horse City. Thus, aside from the two patrol cruisers that had escaped early, any other warships attempting to retreat towards Wild Horse City had to face the War Steed and the Hunter!


    The actual situation was almost exactly as Felly had anticipated. No sooner had the War Steed and the Hunter taken position than the retreating enemy warships came directly towards them.


    ¡°Fire! Fire fiercely! No one is allowed to hold back!!¡±


    On the deck of the War Steed, Wil kept urging the gunners, who, spurred by his encouragement, fired relentlessly, turning the surroundings of the warship into a blaze of artillery fire. In particular, the ship¡¯s twenty rapid-fire cannons¡ªthe rapid-fire cannons that could shoot twice a minute¡ªstood out prominently at this time when firepower needed to be unleashed, spewing projectiles in a continuous stream that turned the War Steed into a veritable aerial artillery platform.


    The Hunter, though slightly inferior in firepower, leveraged its speed advantage, which allowed for more convenient pursuit of the enemy. Its greater maneuverability made it easier to intercept any fleeing enemy ships.


    Therefore, in just a short while, two retreating enemy destroyers were successively sunk. Meanwhile, Rocky¡¯s other warships had also engaged the enemy, and more importantly, Rocky, Liliya, and other Void Magic Warriors had joined the fight.


    As a result, the battle did not last long. With the War Steed and the Hunter blocking the escape route, and aided by Rocky and Liliya¡¯s Void Magic Warriors, Wild Horse City¡¯s remaining fleet was quickly annihilated, sinking some and capturing others who surrendered. The great battle, which had drawn the eyes of dozens of Sky Cities, gradually came to a close.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 320 - 301 Initial Victory!_2

    Chapter 320: Chapter 301 Initial Victory!_2


    ¡°This guy¡­ actually won¡­¡±


    ¡°The new technology researched by Aniye is indeed terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Thunderhawk City is going to thrive¡­¡±


    As the great battle drew to a close, the various City Lords who had been spectating also began to depart. However, when they returned to their respective Sky Cities, their hearts were filled with complex emotions.


    These spectating City Lords had witnessed every detail of the battle, especially the entire process of Rocky¡¯s aerial combat. It was precisely because they saw his fighting that their hearts were filled with such complex emotions.


    For anyone could see that Rocky had won the battle, and the key to victory lay in his Void Magic Armor.


    ...


    If it wasn¡¯t for Rocky¡¯s advantage with his Armor, his ability to single-handedly slay five enemy Void Magic Warriors, including cutting down the captain clad in Fifth Generation Special Armor, the battle would have definitely had a different outcome.


    And that was precisely what was so frightening!


    Although these City Lords had heard about the new technology that Aniye had researched, the vast majority had only heard the news, and almost none had seen the strength of the White Demon Armor equipped with the new technology firsthand. But after this battle, they finally got to see it.


    Rumors¡­ indeed were not false!


    After watching the entire battle of Rocky clad in the White Demon Armor, a similar thought emerged in all of these City Lords¡¯ minds: the rumors were indeed true!


    The new technology that Aniye had researched indeed possessed combat capability and, just as the rumors had said, it could greatly enhance the mana of Armor, elevating their combat ability to a new level. This was not only reflected in the White Demon Armor but also validated by the performance of people like Liliya.


    So when the battle ended and the City Lords each returned to their Sky Cities, they had to inscribe the names of Rocky and Thunderhawk City in their minds. With Rocky and Thunderhawk City having top-notch technology, there was bound to be significant development! They had to reassess such a Sky City, one that they absolutely could not treat lightly anymore.


    How other City Lords regarded him, Rocky did not know, nor did he have the time to care because as soon as the first victory was swift, he immediately became busy upon his return to Thunderhawk City.


    First and foremost was the post-battle tally. On the night of his return to Thunderhawk City, Rocky received the post-battle statistics.


    In his first battle against Wild Horse City, Rocky naturally achieved victory, and the post-battle statistics indicated that it was a resounding success, a complete victory!


    Following this battle, his side¡¯s losses amounted to one Escort Ship sunk, two Escort Ships, and two destroyers heavily damaged and rendered combat ineffective, needing extensive repairs before they could rejoin the fight.


    Securing such a victory at this cost was definitely cause for excitement!


    In such a large-scale aerial battle, suffering only the loss of one Escort Ship, with four more warships heavily damaged, was incredibly light damage. In fact, in a direct confrontation between two Fleets, it was normal to lose half a Fleet, let alone one warship. So, the losses incurred by Rocky in this battle, whether considered superficially or in practical terms, were minimal, almost negligible.


    On the other hand, the losses incurred by Wild Horse City in this battle were significant.


    Due to Rocky¡¯s surprise attack, the hastily mobilized alert forces were completely annihilated. The loss of Reconnaissance Ships could be ignored, but the sinking of five Escort Ships couldn¡¯t possibly be brushed aside, could it? Even for a medium-sized Sky City like Wild Horse City, the sinking of Escort Ships couldn¡¯t be taken lightly. So, this loss alone was considerable.


    Furthermore, after the battle ended, although the defeated Madison retreated, only two patrol cruisers managed to successfully break away from the conflict. There were also three destroyers that had been heavily damaged and thus withdrew from the battlefield early. Wild Horse City only managed to retreat with these five warships.


    As for the other seven warships, five were sunk, and two chose to surrender and were captured, none returning to Wild Horse City!


    With this accounting, more than fifty percent of Wild Horse City¡¯s Third Fleet was lost in this encounter. Out of twelve warships, only five returned, and of those five, three were heavily damaged, leaving Wild Horse City¡¯s Third Fleet in name only, unable to partake in any battles for the foreseeable future.


    For Rocky, this was naturally a huge boon; in one stroke, he had crippled an entire enemy fleet¡ªan accomplishment he had never imagined before, and it also allowed him to finally vent his pent-up frustration.


    However, after this, he didn¡¯t sit idle; he was even less inclined to relax and immediately made a string of arrangements.


    ¡°Felly, dispatch the Second Fleet immediately, maintain vigilance around Sky City at all times.¡±


    In the City Lord¡¯s Hall, after reviewing the post-battle statistics, Rocky issued a new order to Felly.


    There were two fleets within Thunderhawk City at present: the First Fleet was the main force, while the Second Fleet consisted of two escort ships and several reconnaissance ships; such an arrangement wouldn¡¯t suffice for city raids but deploying reconnaissance ships for early warning was certainly enough.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Upon hearing the order, Felly immediately responded, and then Rocky turned to Monte.


    ¡°Monte, immediately detain the surrendered crew members, and don¡¯t let them cause any trouble.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    In the previous encounter, two enemy destroyers had chosen to surrender; this was a matter that required prompt attention. Although the warships were now under Rocky¡¯s control, the ship¡¯s crew needed to be handled with care¡ªthat was several hundred people, after all. Thus, Rocky decided to detain these surrendered prisoners first and gradually ¡°re-educate¡± them after the conflict with Wild Horse City was resolved.


    ¡°Lord Jack, make sure the wounded are properly taken care of, without any mistakes.¡±


    ¡°And Aileen, prepare the compensation for the soldiers who died in battle. If they were hired from Eternal City, send the money to the Technician Guild. If they were crew from Thunderhawk City, it needs to be dealt with even more carefully. We can¡¯t let the residents lose heart.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my lord.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for Rocky to make a series of arrangements. Once everything was properly set, he dismissed everyone and then returned alone to his bedroom.


    Having been through today¡¯s battle, especially having personally faced the enemy¡¯s Void Magic Warriors, Rocky was utterly exhausted, but upon reaching his bedroom, he didn¡¯t rest right away. Instead, he lay on his bed and carefully recalled the details of the battle, continually reflecting on them.


    Reflect on what?


    Naturally, he was reflecting on the various mistakes made during the battle.


    Despite Rocky¡¯s victory today¡ªand a significant one at that¡ªhe knew very well that the battle was won by a stroke of luck, and for a very simple reason: he won because the enemy did not fully understand his capabilities.


    He could tell that Wild Horse City was unaware of just how powerful his armor was, which is why the enemy commander decided to gamble the outcome on the Void Magic Squad, leading to their loss of the entire battle. However, what if the enemy had not staked their victory on the Void Magic Squad?


    If the Void Magic Squad were removed from the equation, Rocky felt that he might not have won the battle. He could also see that there was a gap between his and the enemy commander¡¯s abilities; this discrepancy meant that he gained no advantage at the command level. Therefore, Rocky was reflecting¡ªreflecting on his various mistakes in command.


    Just like that, the night quickly passed. When the next day arrived, no sooner had Rocky gotten up and before he even had breakfast, Liliya, clad in her Void Magic Armor, came rushing to him.


    ¡°Rocky, the enemy is here!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 321 - 302: The Army Descends!

    Chapter 321: Chapter 302: The Army Descends!


    Early the next morning, Rocky had just woken up when Liliya, clad in her Void Magic Armor, hurried over to him.


    ¡°The enemy is here!¡±


    ¡°How many?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky immediately asked. He had anticipated that Wild Horse City would certainly attack today, but he hadn¡¯t expected them to come so early. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Two main fleets, at least thirty large warships,¡±


    Liliya said, her face looking troubled as she regarded Rocky.


    ...


    At this figure, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but take a sharp breath. They had sent so many fleets?


    Before waging war on Wild Horse City, Rocky had naturally conducted investigations through the Shadow Alliance. Although his estimates weren¡¯t particularly detailed, he at least knew that Karlo commanded four major fleets. The First Fleet of Wild Horse City had the strongest configuration, boasting over twenty large warships, while the other three fleets were similar in strength to his own fleet.


    So, knowing that Karlo had dispatched more than thirty warships to attack, Rocky realized that the enemy must have been driven mad by yesterday¡¯s battle. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have emptied the nest and sent out two fleets at once.


    After that, he immediately suited up in his White Demon Armor and, along with Liliya, he hurriedly flew towards the Skyport, asking in mid-air, ¡°Has the Defensive Net been deployed?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been up for a while. Felly has already led the fleet into the sky, and Monte and Lin Feng have gone with them too,¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    After hearing Liliya¡¯s report, Rocky felt slightly relieved. He had long suspected that Karlo wouldn¡¯t let matters rest. Karlo would either launch a night raid or mount a fierce attack the next day, so Rocky had prepared in advance.


    Thunderhawk City wasn¡¯t very large; it didn¡¯t take long for Rocky, flying in his armor to the Skyport, to arrive. However, before he could even land, he heard the sound of cannons firing!


    Clearly, the fleet from Wild Horse City had already begun its attack!


    In such circumstances, he immediately accelerated. Moments later, he arrived above the Skyport and flew directly onto the deck of the already-ascended War Steed without touching the ground.


    After landing on the deck of the War Steed with Liliya, Rocky looked into the distance. Through the faintly shimmering Defensive Net, he quickly saw a dark mass of enemy ships firing furiously!


    Just as Liliya had reported, Wild Horse City had dispatched over thirty warships for the attack, all large warships, including even three battleships!


    As a mid-sized Sky City, Wild Horse City¡¯s fleet naturally had battleships, but not many. Two were part of the First Fleet, one in the Second Fleet, and the other two fleets were not equipped with any.


    Just as Rocky had previously thought, Karlo had been infuriated by the previous day¡¯s battle; he could neither fathom nor accept the outcome where Rocky had defeated him in a head-to-head combat. Such a result was both unexpected and unacceptable to him.


    Therefore, after yesterday¡¯s battle ended, Madison, who was in charge of the command, was demoted. The Third Fleet had already been crippled, and as the commander, he couldn¡¯t escape the blame. Following some preparation, Karlo personally led the First and Second Fleets of Wild Horse City to launch an attack on Thunderhawk City!


    Wild Horse City¡¯s First Fleet, totaling twenty warships.


    Wild Horse City¡¯s Second Fleet, totaling eleven warships.


    Plus the two patrol cruisers of the Third Fleet.


    Altogether, there were thirty-three large warships outside the Defensive Net of Thunderhawk City at this moment!


    An army consisting of over thirty warships could already be described as quite a substantial force. Without overstating, it was at least more than enough to flatten a small-sized Sky City, such as Thunderhawk City!


    Indeed, Karlo who pressed on to Thunderhawk City did not give Rocky a chance to come out and engage in battle. Directly beneath the city, he ordered an attack on the Defensive Net, and the thirty-odd large warships fired simultaneously. The chief and auxiliary guns took turns shooting. This spectacle was enough to be described as magnificent ¨C not only was it impressive, but the firepower created was so intense that it made the Defensive Net of Thunderhawk City surge and wave, as if it would shatter at any moment.


    When Rocky arrived, this was exactly the scene he witnessed.


    ¡°Return fire immediately.¡±


    Descending to the deck, Rocky looked through the Defensive Net at the size of the opposing fleet and especially after seeing the reaction of the Defensive Net, he immediately issued an order for his fleet to strike back!


    The Defensive Net of Sky City was strong, undoubtedly, but facing the continuous bombardment of over thirty large warships, even the strongest Defense Net would one day be breached, so Rocky simply could not let the bombardment continue without retaliation; he had to fight back.


    And this was precisely the defensive side¡¯s advantage in a siege, because the Defensive Net provided one-way protection. It could block enemy fire from outside, but not impede attacks from within. This meant that during a siege, those on defense could counter-attack from within the Defensive Net, gaining a significant defensive advantage.


    With Rocky¡¯s command, the War Steed, already on standby, was the first to power up the Sky-piercing Cannon, and then fired a shot. Amidst the thunderous blast, a massive column of light passed through the Defensive Net and sped directly toward the enemy battleship!


    Unfortunately, this shot did not hit its target. Instead, it brushed past the hull of the battleship, but even so, it easily shattered the Defensive Net of the vessel!


    This sudden heavy cannon shot instantly caused everyone from Wild Horse City to break into a cold sweat, especially Karlo because the battleship targeted by the War Steed was the one he was aboard!


    As the Sky-piercing Cannon flew past in front of him, Karlo felt as if all other sounds had vanished, and all he could hear was his own heartbeat. By the time he snapped back to reality, he found that his clothes had been soaked with cold sweat in that brief moment.


    Meanwhile, as Karlo was taken aback by the War Steed¡¯s cannon shot, more intense cannon fire reached his ears because, following the main gun of the War Steed, the rest of Thunderhawk City¡¯s warships also fired their cannons, launching their counter-attack without restraint from within the Defensive Net.


    Both sides¡¯ warships fired at the same time, turning the skies around Thunderhawk City into a barrage of artillery fire. Under these circumstances, Karlo had no choice but to order his fleet to begin falling back. With the Defensive Net blocking their shots, no matter how much his fleet fired, they hit the Defensive Net, while Rocky¡¯s side could directly hit them. Even though Karlo had numerous ships at his disposal, it was not a viable option to simply take hits passively, so he had to temporarily halt the offensive and have his fleet emergency retreat.


    The Wild Horse City fleet retreated until they were outside the range of Thunderhawk City Fleet¡¯s ordinary magic cannons, then they resumed their attack.


    Thereafter, both sides began to exchange cannon fire over the Defensive Net. The main guns of the two fleets fired relentlessly, and incredibly powerful Mana Cannonballs crisscrossed in midair. A battle of offense and defense revolving around Thunderhawk City thus began!


    PS: Taking a day off, there will only be one update today.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 322 - 303: Destroy the City!

    Chapter 322: Chapter 303: Destroy the City!


    Just as Rocky had imagined, after the initial defeat, Karlo wasted no time in attacking Thunderhawk City!


    This attack showcased the strength and depth of a medium-sized Sky City.


    Personally commanded by Karlo, over thirty warships approached Thunderhawk City, not only encircling half of the city but also launching a fierce attack without further ado.


    Faced with such a barrage from numerous warships, even the Defensive Net of Thunderhawk City was struggling to hold up. To alleviate the pressure on the Defensive Net, Rocky immediately led all the city¡¯s warships to take off, using the defender¡¯s natural advantage to counterattack.


    Leading the Fleet from behind the Defensive Net, Rocky had his own warships bombard the enemy as much as possible, which finally managed to push the enemy back slightly.


    But please note, it was merely a push back. Karlo did not withdraw. In fact, after pulling his fleet back beyond the range of a standard Magic Cannon, he utilized his numerical superiority to disperse his massive fleet and surround Thunderhawk City, continuing to bombard the Defensive Net with the main cannons of his warships while at the same time dispersing defensive forces.


    ...


    This strategy was undoubtedly correct. As the attacker, Karlo appeared to lack the geographical advantages of the defender, but he held the initiative in the war. Faced with the massive Defensive Net, having the initiative meant he could attack however he wished, since he was bound to hit the Defensive Net. In contrast, Rocky was forced to engage in passive responses.


    This is the true nature of a battlefield. In such a battlefield, there are no absolute advantages¡ªeach side only holds relative advantages, and how to effectively utilize these relative advantages is key to determining victory or defeat.


    As an experienced City Lord, Karlo clearly understood how to conduct a siege, and even more so, how to carry out such a battle.


    Under his command, the siege surrounding Thunderhawk City began early in the morning and continued until evening, only concluding after nightfall.


    After a full day of battle, Rocky gained no trophies, having not sunk a single enemy ship. Likewise, because of the Defensive Net, Karlo was naturally unable to hit Rocky¡¯s fleet, so neither side had any achievements for the day.


    However, the great battle surrounding Thunderhawk City was clearly not going to end in a single day, so on the second day, just like the day before, the Fleet of Wild Horse City appeared around Thunderhawk City early in the morning, and a new round of attack and defense began.


    This tactic is a standard siege process. The attacking side, holding a significant advantage, will continually assault the Sky City. The attack might last for days or even months, depending on whether the defenders retaliate and how strong the Defensive Net is. In any case, the monotonous battle will only conclude once all of the Defensive Net¡¯s mana has been depleted.


    Once this type of battle concludes, it leads to the final confrontation between the combating sides. If the defenders do not surrender after the Defensive Net is shattered, the attacker¡¯s fleet will fly directly into the Sky City and commence extensive bombardment of the city. Either the city will be completely subdued into surrendering, or the Drive Crystal of the Sky City will be shattered, destroying the entire Sky City. Only then will the battle truly end.


    Clearly, Karlo intended to obliterate Thunderhawk City!


    Indeed, that was his plan, and that was what he did. For the next three days, he sent his fleet to attack each day, battling from morning to night without pausing.


    But even so, Karlo seemed unsatisfied, so when the siege had reached its fourth day, the number of warships sent by Wild Horse City for the attack suddenly decreased by almost ten from over thirty. It was also from this day that Wild Horse City didn¡¯t spare even the nights!


    During the day, they would send over twenty warships to attack, and after a day¡¯s battle had ended, Wild Horse City would send another twenty or so warships to relieve the daytime forces and then continue the assault throughout the night, bombarding Thunderhawk City 24 hours a day.


    The sudden increase in Wild Horse City¡¯s offensive pace made everyone in Thunderhawk City quite anxious, because if this trend continued, Sky City¡¯s mana would soon be exhausted!


    The defensive net of Sky City was powered directly by the drive crystals that supply mana, and although drive crystals can recharge automatically, under constant attack¡ªespecially 24-hour nonstop bombardment¡ªthe rate of mana replenishment definitely couldn¡¯t keep up with the rate of consumption. This meant that soon, the drive crystals¡¯ mana would no longer suffice to sustain the defensive net. What then? S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thunderhawk City could still rely on the defensive net to block the enemy, but once the defensive net disappeared, what would they use to fend off Wild Horse City¡¯s attack?


    Could they rely on the fleet in Rocky¡¯s hands?


    Although the First Fleet of Thunderhawk City was very strong, even far exceeding the standard for a small Sky City, it was still considerably weaker compared to Wild Horse City¡¯s fleet. Not to mention the numbers, the two just weren¡¯t on the same level. Therefore, once the defensive net disappeared, facing thirty to forty warships from Wild Horse City, Thunderhawk City would absolutely be unable to resist.


    It was only then that people really began to realize how vast the gap between a small Sky City and a medium Sky City was, as in this battle, the rich resources of Wild Horse City, being a medium Sky City, were fully demonstrated.


    You see, warships also have their consumption. After each battle, the warships that participated must replenish their mana to continue flying, much like refueling. Therefore, each Sky City has a large amount of magic stones stored to supply mana when needed.


    In this respect alone, the gap between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City became evident. For this great battle, Rocky had naturally prepared a large amount of magic stones to ensure that his fleet could enter the battle at any time, but facing the relentless attacks from Wild Horse City, his reserve of magic stones was quickly depleted. Now, the reason the warships could still ascend was entirely because they were using the mana provided by the Sky City¡¯s drive crystals. By doing this, they were effectively reducing the lifespan of the defensive net, after all, even though the content of mana in drive crystals was immense, it was limited.


    In contrast, Wild Horse City not only had more warships but also attacked 24 hours nonstop. Their consumption was necessarily enormous, yet Wild Horse City seemed not to care at all; they acted as if they could keep attacking endlessly like this forever, demonstrating how abundant their war reserves were.


    At this point, everyone in Thunderhawk City was extremely anxious because now they truly felt the danger of annihilation.


    But when everyone else was anxious, Rocky alone was not. He was not only calm but also confident.


    The calmness he displayed puzzled many. Outsiders couldn¡¯t understand, and even those close to him couldn¡¯t grasp what plans or contingencies Rocky might have. Just when everyone was anxious and confused about Rocky¡¯s intentions or his backup plans, the situation of the war suddenly took a drastic 180-degree turn!


    A huge, third-party fleet suddenly appeared!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 323 - 304 Alliance Army!

    Chapter 323: Chapter 304 Alliance Army!


    As Wild Horse City gradually demonstrated the strength and foundation of a midsize Sky City, everyone knew¡­ Thunderhawk City was doomed.


    After all, a small Sky City is just that¡ªsmall. No matter how powerful it was among its peers, the gap between it and a midsize Sky City was enormous. This disparity wasn¡¯t something that could be bridged overnight, nor could it be leveled by monopolizing certain technology alone. It was precisely this gap that plunged Thunderhawk City into a crisis of potential obliteration!


    Just then, at the moment when Thunderhawk City was barely holding on, an even larger third-party fleet suddenly appeared!


    As this fleet arrived, Karlo was attacking Thunderhawk City with his forces as usual, and Rocky was also stationed on the War Steed, leading his fleet in a tenacious resistance.


    A whole week had passed since the first skirmish between the two sides. During this week of continuous assaults, Wild Horse City had lost seven warships one after another. However, Thunderhawk City¡¯s mana had been nearly depleted. If the battle were to continue like this, Rocky was doomed to fail!


    Yet, on this day, an immensely large fleet suddenly appeared, and its arrival captured everyone¡¯s attention.


    ...


    The size of this fleet surpassed the combined forces of both Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City! Over fifty large warships, all of which were the latest Fifth Generation, when such a large fleet grandly appeared on the battlefield, it shocked everyone present! sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You must know that at this time, two Sky Cities were engaged in battle. Even though the battle site was on the outskirts of Eternal City, and even though there were many other Sky Cities, big and small, around, no one dared to send out even one skyship. This was because everybody understood that whoever dared to dispatch a warship at such a time was effectively declaring their participation in the conflict. So, all the surrounding Sky Cities were watching the battle from a safe distance, not daring to provoke either side.


    It was because of this that when such a massive fleet suddenly emerged, everyone was perplexed, not understanding what was going on.


    A third party, perhaps?


    Was someone planning to take advantage of the fight, hoping to benefit as an opportunistic bystander? No one knew what this suddenly appearing fleet intended to do.


    But unlike these people, when Rocky and Karlo saw this fleet, they had completely different reactions.


    When Karlo saw this incredibly large fleet appear, his heart sank, because he knew that his last chance had slipped away.


    In contrast, when Rocky saw this fleet, his heart finally settled down.


    Not long afterward, as the large, suddenly appearing fleet slowly approached Thunderhawk City, everyone finally understood where this fleet hailed from. As the fleet drew nearer, people could clearly see a large and distinct insignia on each warship, a triangle formed by three Sky Cities as its points.


    This insignia was that of the Sky Alliance!


    The fleet bearing this insignia was none other than the Alliance Army of the Sky Alliance!


    Just when Thunderhawk City was faltering in the face of the assault, the Sky Alliance sent out its Alliance Army to intervene in the battle!


    Such a turn of events surprised everyone, yet upon reflection, it seemed to make perfect sense.


    Everyone knew that even before this battle, Rocky had been a highly coveted figure by all the major alliances, who were vying for him to join their ranks. Therefore, the appearance of the Alliance Army at this juncture seemed baffling at first, but upon further thought, it felt logical and justified.


    Because of the appearance of the Alliance Army, it naturally represented another matter¡ªthat Rocky had already joined the Sky Alliance!


    Is that so?


    It¡¯s exactly like that!


    The outsiders were never quite clear about Rocky¡¯s purpose in launching this war. The reason he fought with Wild Horse City was partly due to the deep-seated enmity between them, but a more important reason was that Rocky needed to prove to the Sky Alliance that he had strength¡ªspecifically, the strength to hold onto a city with mineral resources.


    Therefore, whether he won or lost, triumphed or failed, in the war with Wild Horse City was not important. What was crucial was whether his performance in the battle was up to standard.


    And now, it appeared that Farey, who had always been watching this war, had indeed approved of his performance and thus dispatched the Alliance Army.


    The reality was indeed so. As soon as Rocky won the first battle, Farey was already very pleased. With the scarce resources owned by a small Sky City, yet managing to win a head-to-head confrontation with a medium-sized Sky City, the performance could be described as exceptional. In addition, with the impressive performance of technologies such as the Armor, including the White Demon, in the battles, the potential of new technologies was once again proven. All these factors combined naturally made Farey hesitate no longer, immediately agreeing to all of Rocky¡¯s demands and allowing him to join the Sky Alliance!


    So, a few days earlier, Farey had already sent someone to call in a large Sky City, planning to end this war forcefully in the name of the Sky Alliance. However, the Shadow Alliance got wind of this news and sold it to Karlo.


    This was why Karlo had suddenly accelerated his offensive in the latter stages, initiating fierce attacks day and night. He, too, had his own calculations.


    Although he did not know why Rocky had initiated the conflict, since the war had already broken out, he might as well go all in. He planned to capture Thunderhawk City before the Alliance Army arrived. That way, even if he couldn¡¯t completely destroy Thunderhawk City, Karlo could still gain some advantages, and might even lay his hands on Rocky¡¯s new technologies, right?


    But he didn¡¯t manage to do that. Rocky ultimately withstood the fierce attacks and successfully awaited the Alliance Army.


    The Alliance Army descended from the sky, and the great battle between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City thus came to an end. Even if Karlo was hot-headed, he wouldn¡¯t dare to directly confront a behemoth like the Sky Alliance. So without the need for the other side to make a real move, he stopped the week-long offensive and led his fleet back to Wild Horse City.


    With Karlo leading the fleet back to Wild Horse City, Thunderhawk City could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Following this, the entire city erupted in overwhelmingly joyful cheers, celebrating the victory of this battle.


    ¡°We won! The City Lord has won!¡±


    ¡°Mom, the cannon fire has stopped, the City Lord has won!¡±


    ¡°Yes, the City Lord has won, he chased away the bad guys!¡±


    As the fleet from Wild Horse City retreated and the cannon fire that continued for a week finally ceased, all the residents of Thunderhawk City rushed out of their homes, celebrating this victory in the streets.


    Indeed, no matter how outsiders viewed this great war, at least in the eyes of everyone in Thunderhawk City, they were the definite winners. This belief was not Thunderhawk City¡¯s populace deluding themselves, because even in the eyes of outsiders, the battle between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City was a victory for them.


    Perhaps some might dispute this, asserting that if the Alliance Army had not appeared in time, it would have taken only two to three days, at most five to six days, for Thunderhawk City to be captured by Wild Horse City. Hence, they would argue that the battle can¡¯t be counted as a victory for Thunderhawk City.


    Although that sounds reasonable, one must not forget that the appearance of the Alliance Army wasn¡¯t an accident or a coincidence; it was within Rocky¡¯s expectations from the start. Furthermore, when the war came to an end, all of Rocky¡¯s objectives were also achieved. If one were to consider this, the battlefield victory between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City was indeed won by Thunderhawk City!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 324 - 305: Wish Fulfilled

    Chapter 324: Chapter 305: Wish Fulfilled


    With the appearance of the Alliance Army, the great war between Thunderhawk City and Wild Horse City also came to an end. Everyone might have different opinions about the outcome of this war, but those opinions were of no importance to Rocky because, not long after, he left Eternal City where he had been stationed for over half a year, escorted by the Alliance Army, to head for another city.


    Dawn City.


    Summoned by Farey, it was Dawn City that came to meet Rocky. This was a large Sky City with a population of 150,000 people. The area of Sky City was several times larger than that of Thunderhawk City. Even amongst all the cities in the Sky Alliance, it was considered a city of considerable strength. Furthermore, Dawn City was not just a member of the Alliance; it was also a Contact City established by the Sky Alliance.


    The sky is vast and limitless. Even though the Sky Alliance had its own airspace, it occupied only a small part of the sky. Therefore, the Alliance would station some of its members across various locations in the sky to form a network, enabling members to get in touch with the Alliance anytime, anywhere.


    Dawn City was such a city, so under Farey¡¯s dispatch, the city managed to arrive in time.


    When Rocky brought Thunderhawk City near Dawn City, which was several times larger, he and Farey went into the city together. Not only did he meet the Lord of Dawn City, but also under the lord¡¯s witness, he formally joined the Sky Alliance!


    ...


    Yes, Rocky had finally joined the Sky Alliance!


    Logically, joining the Sky Alliance was an occasion requiring a certain ceremony. After all, for any Sky City, this was no small matter, and hence, the process should be conducted with a sense of ceremony to convey solemnity. In fact, to achieve this effect, the Sky Alliance would choose a specific time each year for new members to join.


    However, Rocky¡¯s joining was far from complicated. This was mainly because his membership was so sudden, and there had been no preparation for it. Furthermore, neither the Sky Alliance nor Rocky himself wanted to waste too much time on this matter. The Sky Alliance wanted Rocky to join quickly, and he wanted to join the Alliance just as fast, so neither party dwelled too much on the issue.


    Under these circumstances, the membership was quickly settled. After joining, Farey also fulfilled all the conditions Rocky had previously proposed.


    The first was Contribution Points.


    With Rocky¡¯s official entry into the Alliance, he also received the thousand Contribution Points he had requested before, which he and Farey had arranged beforehand. Farey had kept his word; the thousand contribution points had already been added to Rocky¡¯s contribution record in the Alliance, and he could even use them right now.


    The second was the matter of the mines.


    After officially joining the Alliance, Farey informed Rocky that as long as he could keep the mines of Backhill Village under his control, he could manage them himself. However, he had to surrender seventy percent of the mined resources. As long as he could do this, not only would the mines be under his management, but he would also receive a considerable amount of Contribution Points every month as a management reward. Additionally, the Alliance would dispatch troops to reinforce him in case of an attack.


    After settling these two matters, Rocky had finally taken care of a major concern. He had gotten his wish!


    To celebrate this joyous occasion, everyone in Thunderhawk City, from the ordinary residents to officials like Liliya, celebrated for three whole days.


    It¡¯s no wonder everyone was so happy. As one of the largest forces in the entire sky, there were far too many cities that wanted to join the Sky Alliance, yet only a few ever managed to. Many Sky Cities did not qualify, but Thunderhawk City had succeeded, which naturally was a cause for the entire city to rejoice.


    In fact, not only were others happy, but Rocky himself was also very pleased because this was what really mattered to him. After all, he was the City Lord of Thunderhawk City!


    In Rocky¡¯s view, joining the Sky Alliance was an important turning point for him in this sky. The development of Thunderhawk City, his own development, and the research of Runes, among other things, would all take a significant turn with the Alliance membership. It was an unequivocally firm step he had taken. And, with this step done, the path ahead would be much smoother.


    For this reason, Rocky specifically purchased a large amount of goods from within Dawn City, allowing the city¡¯s residents to truly enjoy the occasion.


    However, while everyone else was celebrating, Rocky only joined in the revelry with everyone for the first day. For the next few days, he was too busy to relax, constantly occupied with various tasks.


    There was no helping it; having officially joined the Alliance, Rocky now had many more matters to attend to.


    Joining the Alliance was like taking the first step, but how to proceed thereafter was for Rocky to consider. Of course, he already had plans for what to do next. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The first thing he planned to do was to spend his Contribution Points!


    As mentioned before, within the Sky Alliance, Contribution Points were akin to a currency that could be exchanged for many valuable items unavailable elsewhere. Rocky¡¯s reason for asking Farey for a thousand Contribution Points was to skip the time required to accumulate them, allowing Thunderhawk City to advance significantly with the help of the points.


    Now that he had joined the Sky Alliance and received all the Contribution Points, his next step was to spend them all, as holding onto them wouldn¡¯t increase their amount.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 325 - 305: As One Wishes_2

    Chapter 325: Chapter 305: As One Wishes_2


    So, in the days that followed, he pondered what he should buy and how exactly to spend all his Contribution Points.


    Initially, Rocky didn¡¯t think this would be a difficult task. After all, it was no different from spending money, and as the City Lord, he may not boast extravagance, but he was certainly capable of spending money,


    However, as much as Rocky thought so, when he used the Magic Energy Receiver he obtained after joining the Alliance to check what exactly the Contribution Points could exchange for, he was in for quite a shock; there were just so many things that Contribution Points could be used for!


    For Contribution Points, the Sky Alliance had an entire exchange system in place, and the items available for exchange were broadly categorized into three major classes.


    The first class was supplies, starting from the most basic of foodstuffs, to everything needed for the city¡¯s development¡ªall inclusive for exchange. The variety was so vast that one could hardly take them all in at once, with resources being the most important. Using Contribution Points, one could exchange for various resources within the Sky Alliance, from minerals, to medicine, to various materials. Virtually any resource could be obtained.


    The second class was military equipment, which was self-explanatory. From the standard equipment used by ordinary soldiers, to Void Magic Armor, up to large warships, all military hardware available for exchange with Contribution Points was at your disposal, and indeed, some items, as rumored, were unobtainable elsewhere.


    ...


    It¡¯s just that these hard-to-acquire pieces of military equipment, although available for exchange within the Alliance using Contribution Points, were not at all cheap. They required thousands, if not tens of thousands, and even up to several tens of thousands of Contribution Points to acquire¡ªan expensive deal indeed.


    Besides supplies and military equipment, the third class of items that could be exchanged with Contribution Points was quite special, known as construction.


    The so-called construction exchange didn¡¯t refer to a specific item but rather the use of Contribution Points to develop and construct cities. For example, if a city needed to expand its size, one could choose the expansion option in the construction category. Once Contribution Points were paid, the Sky Alliance would dispatch people to carry out the city expansion. Similarly, if a city needed to build a certain type of factory, Contribution Points could facilitate the Sky Alliance to send help.


    Even the population could be exchanged with Contribution Points!


    Rocky was truly startled when he found out that Contribution Points could be used to exchange for the population. As everyone knows, population is too important for any Sky City, so much so that when gauging the size of a Sky City, it¡¯s not by the city¡¯s scale, economy, or military might, but strictly by its population. This emphasized just how crucial the population is for a city. Never had he expected that in the Sky Alliance, the population could be exchanged using Contribution Points.


    For Rocky, this was really an unexpectedly pleasant surprise, yet before he could even rejoice, he saw the price for exchanging the population: 100 Contribution Points for 1 person¡­


    Upon seeing this exchange rate, his excitement promptly dwindled, considering his 1,000 Contribution Points could only exchange for 10 people¡­


    Population is crucial, but it requires a significant base number to be effective. Take Thunderhawk City, for instance; currently, its population is around 3,000. If one more person were added, the population would indeed increase, but would that one person make a difference to the grand development of Thunderhawk City?


    Definitely not. Thunderhawk City would need a sudden increase of a thousand people; otherwise, an addition of dozens or even hundreds would be as good as none.


    And with just a bit of calculation, it¡¯s clear that relying on Contribution Points to increase the population was a costly endeavor: one person required a hundred points, ten people would be a thousand points, a hundred people would mean ten thousand points, and a thousand individuals¡ªa staggering hundred thousand Contribution Points!


    Spending a hundred thousand Contribution Points just to increase the population by a thousand¡ªa question truly worth pondering whether it was a loss or a gain.


    But in any case, the array of items available for exchange within the Sky Alliance was vast, ranging from food to population; as long as there were Contribution Points, everything was up for grabs.


    After roughly understanding what Contribution Points could be exchanged for, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but feel one thing: it wasn¡¯t enough!


    No wonder Farey had agreed so readily to his request; it was only now that Rocky realized he had asked for too few Contribution Points. In the Sky Alliance¡¯s contribution system, a thousand points were definitely not a lot. For rare items only available through the Sky Alliance, these thousand points would undoubtedly be insufficient.


    Although he felt his initial request was somewhat lacking, there was nothing Rocky could do now except bite the bullet and not go back to Farey to ask for more. Instead of dwelling on his excessive caution, he decided it was key to first use these thousand points to exchange for some items to enhance his strength.


    Faced with so many options for exchange, deciding what to get with his Contribution Points became an important matter. After all, there were only a thousand points in his hand, and once spent, they would be gone.


    So in this situation, Rocky spent a great deal of time making his choice.


    Firstly, he ruled out city development, although it was an important aspect. Later on, when Thunderhawk City would need to expand from a small sky city to a medium one, the Alliance¡¯s help would definitely be necessary, but for now, Thunderhawk City hadn¡¯t developed to the point of needing the Sky Alliance¡¯s help.


    Secondly, he excluded resources like supplies. After the competition with Xia Nai had ended, Rocky had amassed over five million Gold Coins. Allocating a whole million to replenish the city treasury, Thunderhawk City still had some money left¡ªenough to be self-sufficient for the time being, minimizing the need to waste Contribution Points on everyday supplies. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for mining resources, Orton¡¯s research could make use of them, but not in a large quantity. The smallest unit of exchange for any kind of mineral resource also needed to be more than a hundred pounds, so this option was likewise unnecessary.


    Thus, after all the considerations, the item that Rocky should¡ªand indeed could¡ªexchange for was quite obvious: military equipment.


    This category was precisely what Rocky intended to replenish, as it was closely related to what he had to do next!


    Since he had proposed to the Sky Alliance to manage the Backhill Village Mine on his own, it indicated that he had already targeted the mine in Backhill Village for his next objective.


    Indeed, having control over a mining resource would bring tremendous benefits to the city¡¯s future development. Hence, as soon as he had saved Wilton and learned that he might have the chance to join the Sky Alliance, he set his sights on the mining resources of Backhill Village, planning to reclaim the mines from the demons¡¯ grip!


    However, this task was not as simple as just saying it could be done. After Tulip City fell, everyone knew that the demons had become restless. Therefore, the land was bound to be even more dangerous than before.


    For Rocky, if he wanted to acquire the Backhill Village Mine, he would need to not only retake the mine but also defend it. Accomplishing this was no small feat¡ªit required not just a strong fleet and city but also powerful soldiers, much like when he had to defend Backhill Village, where people had to physically stand their ground.


    And at this juncture, Contribution Points came into their own.


    The military hardware that could be exchanged with Contribution Points included not only high-end Void Magic Armor and large warships but also standard-issue equipment and weapons for the common soldiers. And since Contribution Points were more precious than Gold Coins, a small amount of them could exchange for a large quantity of equipment, which was precisely what Rocky needed.


    The Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City was already strong, and after incorporating the numerous warriors from Backhill Village, their strength was even more formidable. This was evident from their battle to eradicate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, where even a war fanatic like Karina had to admit the strength of Thunderhawk City¡¯s troops.


    In this context, equipping the troops with excellent gear would undoubtedly further increase the Guard Corps¡¯ strength. With the support of the aerial fleet added to that, defending the mine didn¡¯t seem like such a difficult task anymore!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 326 - 306: The Use of Exchange Points

    Chapter 326: Chapter 306: The Use of Exchange Points


    In order to regain control of the mining fields in Backhill Village, Rocky knew he had to strengthen his Guard Corps, only by doing this could he recapture the mines and hold them as well. He was very familiar with Backhill Village, after all, and knew that starting mining operations there would attract a large number of Dark Demons, so he had to rely on land forces for defense.


    Because of this, the use of contribution points was quite straightforward¡ªclearly, they were to be exchanged for soldier equipment!


    Once he had made this decision, he immediately took action and began to search through the extensive exchange list.


    Although everyone knew that Void Magic Armor was the strongest individual weapon, its prohibitive cost had always prevented it from truly being mass-produced and popularized. Even though people managed to develop mass production type armor, it could only equip a small portion of warriors; it was far from being enough to equip every individual. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And so, even though Void Magic Armor had advanced to the Fifth Generation, and the Sixth Generation armor was being developed, the equipment for ordinary soldiers had not been phased out. Instead, it had continued to develop over the years. The exchange list of Sky Alliance included a large amount of such equipment.


    The quality of these pieces varied, strong or weak, the range of choices was very broad, so after Rocky roughly reviewed the types and prices, he had a general idea in mind.


    ...


    In the Alliance¡¯s exchange list, the most basic equipment, which was also the cheapest, could be obtained for just one contribution point per full set.


    A ¡°full set¡± referred to the three major components: weapon, shield, and armor. One contribution point could exchange for a full set, which was quite inexpensive. Considering the number of people in the Thunderhawk City Guard Squad, even fully equipping them would only require a few hundred contribution points.


    However, although the prices of ordinary equipment were low, the quality failed to meet Rocky¡¯s standards. He had personally led the defense of Backhill Village, so he knew very well how intense and terrifying battle with Demons could be.


    Fighting Demons was akin to dancing with death; no matter how strong a warrior was, even a slight mistake could lead to instant death without any chance for recovery, and ordinary equipment simply couldn¡¯t meet this level of combat requirement.


    In such a situation, if the Guard Corps were to have any chance against the Demons, or even defeat them, efforts had to be made from two fronts.


    One was to improve the overall quality of the Guard Corps, and the other was to enhance the quality of their equipment.


    As the old saying goes, ¡°To forge iron, one must be strong themselves.¡± If they were strong enough, their chances of surviving against Demons increased, and they might even defeat them. Monte and Lin Feng were prime examples of this.


    As the strongest warriors in Thunderhawk City, even if Monte and Lin Feng only used the most ordinary long swords and broadaxes, they were capable of killing Demons on their own. This was the result of their formidable personal strength.


    However, making every member of the Guard Corps as formidable as them was simply impossible, although the Guard had never ceased their training, even intensifying it. The personal quality of the guards had significantly increased compared to when they were tasked with Backhill Village, but they still couldn¡¯t face Demons alone.


    As far as Rocky knew, besides Monte and Lin Feng, only about the squad leaders in Thunderhawk City¡¯s Guard Corps could confront a Demon head-on, but even that was just holding their ground; it was still difficult to say whether they could kill a low-level demon on their own,


    Hence, the only way for the Guard Corps to stand against Demons was the second method: improving the level of the equipment.


    Rocky was very experienced in this area. The reason he had been able to lead the Guard Corps in defending Backhill Village was because they relied on sufficiently superior equipment. He had personally made Rune equipment for every warrior in the Guard Corps, and it was with the enhancement from the rune equipment that they withstood multiple attacks from the Demons.


    So this time, when Rocky prepared to use the contribution points to exchange for equipment, he directly dismissed the cheapest ordinary equipment and set his sights on the more expensive, but also higher quality, Magic Energy Equipment.


    As an advanced product of ordinary equipment, Magic Energy Equipment had been very popular since its inception, and as it had been developed long before the land was overrun, it had evolved and matured in various aspects over the many years.


    The current Magic Energy Equipment was divided into six levels, each level denoted by one star, each star representing a different amount of Magic Energy.


    One-star Magic Energy Gear was the most common and basic type of Magic Energy Equipment, providing about 50 to 80 points of Magic Energy; the exact value depending on the manufacturing craft and technology, which could vary slightly.


    Two-star Magic Energy Gear was considered premium equipment, providing about 80 to 200 points of Magic Energy, already capable of considerably enhancing the soldiers on both offensive and defensive ends.


    Three-star Magic Energy Armor was typically high-grade equipment, each set offering at least 200 to 400 points of Magic Energy. In terms of Magic Energy alone, Three-star Magic Energy Armor provided a level of Magic Energy comparable to the earlier models ofVoid Magic Armor. Of course, apart from Magic Energy, theVoid Magic Armor also incorporated many technologies, so no matter how powerfulthe Magic Energy Equipment was, it couldn¡¯t be compared to the Void Magic Armor.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 327 - 306 The Use of Exchange Points_2

    Chapter 327: Chapter 306 The Use of Exchange Points_2


    As for the more advanced four-star, five-star, and even the top-tier six-star Magic Energy Equipment, the mana they provided was even more substantial, reaching up to thousands of points at most. However, the price of these levels of gear was also sky-high, unaffordable for most people.


    Therefore, after carefully examining the exchange chart, Rocky quickly made his choice¡ªhe planned to purchase Two-Star Magic Energy Equipment.


    Having had experience fighting demons, especially battles against large numbers of demons, Rocky was well aware that One-Star Magic Energy Gear wasn¡¯t very effective against demons. The only difference it made was whether one died immediately or survived just long enough for a second blow, so he immediately ruled out this option.


    Although Three-Star Magic Energy Equipment was powerful, its price was too high¡ªa set of Three-Star Magic Energy Equipment, not even the top-tier kind, cost 50 Contribution Points for a set.


    This price was too steep for Rocky. Fifty Contribution Points were not a small sum. In the Alliance¡¯s exchange system, a set of standard Third Generation Void Magic Armor only cost 300 Contribution Points. Moreover, Rocky needed to exchange for hundreds of sets of equipment to be sufficient, and he had only a thousand Contribution Points, which wouldn¡¯t be enough to purchase Three-Star Magic Energy Equipment.


    In contrast, although the power of Two-Star Magic Energy Equipment was somewhat lower, it was much more affordable¡ªthe cheapest Two-Star Magic Energy Equipment could be exchanged for just 4 Contribution Points per set, and the most expensive was only 20 points. Rocky found this price acceptable.


    ...


    Therefore, he quickly picked out a set among dozens of Two-Star Magic Energy Equipment options.


    The set he chose was named the Guardian Set, which could provide warriors with 150 points of mana, a substantial amount within the Two-Star Magic Energy Equipment, and its exchange price was very cheap, only requiring 4 Contribution Points per set.


    Such a low price, of course, had its reasons. As the name suggests, the Guardian Set was a set of equipment focused on defense. The gear itself was heavy armor, making the warriors very inflexible when wearing it. The mana¡¯s enhancement was also primarily in defensive power, with somewhat less offensive capability, which was why this set was so inexpensive.


    Logically speaking, the Guardian Set had clear flaws. Although defensive power was important in combat against demons, having only defensive capabilities was insufficient. Magic Energy Equipment was still just Magic Energy Equipment, not true Void Magic Armor, so flexibility was also crucial. The Guardian Set was precisely lacking in this aspect.


    However, this set of equipment was very suitable for Rocky. What he needed was this type of equipment with strong defensive capabilities because in potential future defensive battles, although Thunderhawk City¡¯s Guard Corps would resist the demons, they wouldn¡¯t be the main force eliminating them.


    Compared to the time they took on the Backhill Village mission, Thunderhawk City¡¯s strength had improved significantly. Now, they possessed a powerful fleet and the Void Magic Squad¡ªthese top-tier forces were the main forces eliminating the demons. The Guard Corps only needed to defend well against the demons¡¯ attacks, giving the fleet and Void Magic Squad time to annihilate the demons, and that would be enough.


    Moreover, Rocky didn¡¯t forget that after purchasing these sets, he could still personally perform further rune enhancements. Once enhanced, the Guardian Set¡¯s mana would inevitably be strengthened, and by then, the defensive power would be even greater. Once the defensive strength reached a certain qualitative change, then the impact of this set of equipment would be even more significant.


    Therefore, without hesitation, Rocky chose the Guardian Set, and immediately bought two hundred sets.


    The Guard Corps now had over three hundred people, but among them, one hundred were part of the Archer Troops, while the warriors numbered just over two hundred, so two hundred sets of the Guardian Set were already sufficient.


    At the same time, Rocky didn¡¯t forget the Archer Troops. In the process of battling the demons, the Archer Troops could also play a certain role, and their reliance on equipment was even stronger. The better the equipment, the more significant the impact the Archer Troops could make.


    So, after purchasing the two hundred sets of Guardian Set, spending eight hundred Contribution Points, Rocky allocated the remaining two hundred Contribution Points entirely to the equipment for the Archer Troops.


    He chose a strong bow named Gale for his Archer Troops. This bow was embedded with Magic Stones and could use Mana to enhance its bow strength, significantly increasing the power of the Arrow Feathers shot from it. According to the description, even using the most common Arrow Feathers, the Gale Strongbow could split a rock with a single arrow and was quite effective against the tough-skinned Demons.


    Of course, such a powerful strong bow was also very expensive. One Contribution Point could only exchange for one bow, meaning the price of a single Gale Strongbow was equivalent to a full set of standard equipment. Therefore, Rocky didn¡¯t buy many, purchasing just fifty, which was just enough for one set per person in the Archer Troops!


    Additionally, he bought fifty Charging Staves at the same price. These staves, embedded with several Magic Stones, could support Mages in continuing their Magic spells when their Magic Power was depleted, thereby extending their combat duration.


    Fifty Gale Strongbows plus fifty Charging Staves added up to exactly one hundred Contribution Points.


    As for the remaining one hundred Contribution Points, Rocky didn¡¯t keep any of them. In his view, hoarding them was a waste, so he used thirty Contribution Points to exchange for three hundred quality steel arrows to strengthen the Archer Troops, and the remaining seventy Contribution Points were all used to exchange for Magic Stones. Since the entire Guard Corps were equipped with Magic Energy Equipment, replenishing Mana had become an essential issue, and it was necessary to stock up on a large amount of Magic Stones for this purpose.


    After making all the selections, Rocky went to Dawn City and met an official stationed by the Sky Alliance there, handing over his exchange list.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, is this what you want to exchange? Do you need to change anything?¡±


    As a Contact City for the Sky Alliance, Dawn City had a special residence for the Alliance, and the staff there was polite upon seeing Rocky. News about Rocky had already spread within the Sky Alliance, and many did not dare to underestimate him, a City Lord who joined the Alliance without following the usual procedures.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    Nodding his head, Rocky confirmed that these were exactly what he wanted.


    ¡°Alright, if that is the case, we will have someone deliver them to you in three days. Also, after the equipment is delivered, we will deduct a thousand Contribution Points from your account.¡±


    Since Dawn City was not only a large Sky City but also a Contact City for the Sky Alliance, it had a considerable inventory by itself. Moreover, the items Rocky exchanged were not many, so everything could be arranged within a few days. He just needed to wait in the city to receive the goods. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After leaving the Alliance residence, however, Rocky did not head straight back to Thunderhawk City. Instead, he went to the commercial street of Dawn City with Liliya, Aileen, Orton, and Hammerfire.


    This time, he didn¡¯t come to Dawn City alone; besides Liliya, he had also brought Aileen, Orton, and Hammerfire. One reason for coming to Dawn City was to exchange equipment with the Alliance, and another was to purchase a batch of research materials.


    It had been over half a year since the Rune Armor project had started. During this half-year, Orton and his team had not only produced a set of White Demon Armor but also continued their research on Runes, achieving significant successes and making Rune enhancements to many existing technologies, although at a theoretical stage needing further experimentation.


    This was exactly why Rocky came to Dawn City this time. Previously, due to lack of funds, although Orton and his team had been researching, all research had remained on paper. However, after winning the final match in the Arena, Rocky had provided one million Gold Coins in research funds, enabling them to purchase a new batch of research materials and equipment.


    At the same time, there was another more important matter, which was that Rocky also needed to purchase materials for manufacturing Armor as he hoped that Orton and his team could craft two more sets of new Armor for him!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 328 - 307: New Goal

    Chapter 328: Chapter 307: New Goal


    This time, besides purchasing the necessary supplies for research, Rocky also wanted to buy some materials used in the production of armor because he wanted to make two more sets of armor!


    Thunderhawk City now had its own Void Magic Squad. Although there weren¡¯t many members yet, at least they could already contribute in real battles, as had been shown in their first fight against Wild Horse City. However, for Rocky, this was far from enough.


    His next goal was to take control of the Backhill Village Mine and keep it firmly in his hands. Achieving this would naturally require the strength of the Void Magic Warriors. Thus, a problem arose, which was that there weren¡¯t enough Void Magic Warriors under Rocky¡¯s command.


    Counting himself, there were only six Void Magic Warriors in Thunderhawk City, which, on the face of it, could barely form a squad, but in reality, it was only half a squad¡ªobviously too few.


    Void Magic Warriors were people too; they needed rest, they got injured, and they required recuperation. So even if Rocky could forever guard the mine, six Void Magic Warriors were entirely insufficient for rotation. Moreover, it was impossible for him to stay at the mine forever.


    In this situation, he hoped to use the remaining money in his hand to make two additional sets of armor to enhance the combat power of his Void Magic Warriors. He had even decided on the type: it was the land-combat Special Armor that had once been showcased in the Arena.


    ...


    The Holy Angel Armor had made its debut in the Arena, and the opponent was wearing the fourth generation of the land-combat Special Armor; it was the first time Rocky had seen armor specifically designed for land combat. He had then taken the opportunity to learn more about it from Hammerfire, and now he wanted to make new armor of this kind.


    Since it was for defending the mine, the land-combat Special Armor was more than suitable. The greatest advantage of this type of armor was its strong defensive power combined with extremely powerful offensive capabilities; on land, it could be used as a mobile artillery. If Thunderhawk City could possess several sets of such armor, securing the Backhill Village mine would naturally become much more feasible.


    To this end, Rocky had specifically consulted with Orton and others, who readily agreed and were even delighted, as they had already done lots of theoretical research and were in need of practical verification, so this was a perfect opportunity.


    Therefore, after Rocky had arrived in Dawn City and settled his Contribution Points, he and the others went to purchase a significant amount of research and armor-manufacturing supplies.


    The specific process of purchasing supplies doesn¡¯t need lengthy mention. Although this was not Eternal City where, as the City Lord, Rocky could enjoy discounts, still, as a member of the Sky Alliance, shopping in Dawn City, particularly within the Alliance¡¯s Chamber of Commerce, he could still enjoy the discounts exclusive to Alliance members.


    So after two continuous days of shopping, Rocky had spent over 800,000 Gold Coins, finally managing to procure everything he needed.


    While the money spent this time was significant, fundamentally it was all research funding¡ªThunderhawk City¡¯s funds for everyday expenses had hardly been touched. Also, after this round of shopping, the research materials needed for a considerable period in the future had all been purchased.


    Afterward, he returned to his Thunderhawk City. Barely a day later, the equipment he had exchanged for also arrived.


    Two hundred Guardian Sets, fifty Gale Strongbows, fifty Charging Staffs, along with several Arrow Feathers and Magic Stones, all were delivered to Thunderhawk City. Once this batch of materials had also arrived, Rocky bid farewell to the City Lord of Dawn City and activated Thunderhawk City¡¯s flight mode, heading straight towards his next target!


    Backhill Village!


    Backhill Village was a place Rocky was incredibly familiar with and likewise very important to him. He had defended it for a whole month and had engaged in multiple battles with demons there. One could say his first real experience of commanding troops in war was at Backhill Village.


    It was also due to the mission in Backhill Village that he had acquired his first substantial sum of money necessary for development. He not only absorbed over a thousand villagers into Thunderhawk City but also obtained a large amount of supplies. With money earned from selling these supplies, he purchased numerous warships led by the Thunderhawk, thereby defeating the formidable Baron Wolin. This led to his and Thunderhawk City¡¯s subsequent series of developments, culminating in everything today.


    If one were to say Rocky had indeed made his wealth, then the starting point of his wealth was Backhill Village!


    Thus, this time heading to Backhill Village, Rocky was quite excited about it, and not just him alone; the original residents of Backhill Village, led by Lin Feng and Old Jack, were also looking forward to it.


    Although Lin Feng and the others had been living in Thunderhawk City for almost a year and had long since adapted to the peaceful life in the city, Backhill Village was after all their birthplace, and their emotional attachment was undoubtedly there. So when they learned of Rocky¡¯s plan to retake Backhill Village, everyone was quite excited.


    In such circumstances, Thunderhawk City, which had been silent for over half a year, once again started up, slowly flying towards Backhill Village.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    While Rocky was heading towards his next destination, a meeting was also taking place inside Machine City, an internal meeting of the Mairente Family.


    As a major family, the Mairente Family held regular family meetings every quarter to deal with various family affairs and discuss the overall development direction of the family. However, this particular meeting was different from usual regular meetings.


    One difference was that it wasn¡¯t the regular time for the meeting. In fact, the quarterly meeting for this season had just ended over a month ago, so this was an emergency meeting.


    Another difference was the attendance at this emergency meeting, which was unusually complete. It wasn¡¯t common to have all members present, including all Elders headed by Clan Leader Atted and even the new generation members like Cyril, who didn¡¯t normally qualify for every meeting.


    Clearly, this meeting was not trivial; otherwise, the Mairente Family wouldn¡¯t have mobilized so extensively.


    Indeed, it was the case. This emergency meeting was crucial for the Mairente Family¡ªit¡¯s no exaggeration to say that in recent years, even in the past decade, there has not been such a significant issue that required a meeting of this level within the Mairente Family.


    And the main subject of this meeting was Rocky!


    Just when Rocky had just defeated Baron Wolin, the Mairente Family had already held a small-scale discussion on how to handle the matter. After the meeting, Atted told his daughter Cyril that it was unbelievable how a huge family could be run around by a Rocky.


    When Atted said this, ninety percent was in jest, and ten percent was self-mockery, but he could never have imagined that his casual remark would actually come true¡ªthis time, their entire Mairente Family really was being run around by Rocky!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 329 - 308 Gratitude, Resentment, Love, and Hatred

    Chapter 329: Chapter 308 Gratitude, Resentment, Love, and Hatred


    The entire Mairente Family gathered to discuss a matter that was precisely related to Rocky!


    ¡°Elders¡­ what are your thoughts on this issue?¡±


    Sitting in the Clan Leader¡¯s position, Atted surveyed the room with an incredibly composed expression before opening his mouth to speak.


    But after he finished his statement, there was silence.


    ¡°What is it? Does nobody have anything to say on this matter?¡±


    After waiting for a moment and seeing that no one spoke up, Atted asked again.


    ...


    ¡°Clan Leader.¡±


    Finally, someone spoke up; however, when everyone followed the direction of the voice, they realized that the speaker was not any of the Elders at the meeting but a young man sitting against the wall.


    As previously mentioned, this meeting included not only the Mairente Family¡¯s Elders but also the younger generation who had already become involved in the family¡¯s affairs. The person now speaking was one of the younger generation, and it was none other than Lexington¡¯s son: Abraham.


    Abraham, about the same age and generation as Cyril, belonged to the family¡¯s young generation and was already involved in managing family affairs alongside his father, and therefore, he also attended this meeting.


    Noticing that everyone, including Atted, had turned their attention to him, Abraham stood up and swiftly said, ¡°Clan Leader, Elders, regarding the matter of Rocky, I think our family should no longer show leniency. While he has not yet fully spread his wings, we should eradicate him swiftly!¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Abraham spoke these words with such conviction that it seemed as if Rocky had already become the family¡¯s greatest enemy.


    His performance wasn¡¯t entirely an act, because whether or not Rocky was the entire family¡¯s greatest enemy remained to be seen, but he had definitely become the greatest enemy of his father, Lexington.


    It had been over two months since the competition between Rocky and Xia Nai ended, and the Mairente Family was already aware of the Sky Alliance¡¯s sanctions, specifically the inclusion of the Mairente Family on the unwelcome list. This meant Lexington¡¯s series of actions targeted at Rocky were also known to Rocky.


    And if anyone still remembered Lexington¡¯s original plan, they would know that during the battle between Rocky and Wild Horse City, Abraham was supposed to swoop in like a yellow sparrow and seize Thunderhawk City, thereby acquiring the technology in Rocky¡¯s possession.


    Lexington arranged it this way, and Abraham was indeed prepared to act accordingly. So, when the battle between Rocky and Wild Horse City was taking place and many City Lords were spectating, Abraham was among them. Yet, before he had a chance to make his move, the Alliance Army appeared, and facing the formidable Alliance Army, Abraham, who had long been prepared, ultimately decided to stand down.


    Nevertheless, having witnessed the entire battle between Rocky and Wild Horse City firsthand, Abraham realized that Rocky was certainly not an easy opponent. Now already the City Lord of a minor Sky City, Rocky had boldly declared war on Wild Horse City. If he were allowed to grow and gain strength, would his father, who had repeatedly targeted him, still have good days ahead?


    Thus, saying that Rocky had become Lexington¡¯s greatest enemy was not an exaggeration at all!


    Therefore, Abraham suggested that the family continue targeting Rocky, trying to turn the personal grudge between Rocky and Lexington into a grudge against the entire family. This was not just his own opinion but represented the stance of Lexington¡¯s faction, though it was voiced through Abraham.


    No sooner had his words left his mouth than Sister Cyril beside him said, ¡°Abraham, do you mean to suggest that our family should go to war with the Sky Alliance?¡±


    Casting a glancing look at Abraham, Cyril also rose to her feet, ¡°Clan Leader, Elders, now that Rocky has joined the Sky Alliance, I believe this is rather a good thing for our entire family.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Hearing her daughter¡¯s words, Atted, seated in the Clan Leader¡¯s position, glanced at her and then nodded with a smile, ¡°Go on, elaborate.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After acknowledging with a word, Cyril continued, ¡°Rocky has greatly changed from before. Not only has he joined the Sky Alliance, but he also possesses the most cutting-edge Armor Technology today, which is the key point. His potential for development is substantial, and I think everyone should be well aware of it.¡±


    ¡°Although it seems he has some conflict with the Mairente family, it¡¯s not actually the case. He only has issues with certain individuals in the family. These are personal grudges and not related to the family as a whole. Moreover, let¡¯s not forget that he has the blood of our family. No matter what, he is still a member of our family. Therefore, I believe the family should let bygones be bygones and take the initiative to ease our relationship with him. Only in this way can it be beneficial for both parties.¡±


    As a woman who was the Clan Leader, Cyril was accustomed to the ways of the world. Even in such a high-level family meeting, her demeanor was not at all timid, and she articulated her ideas clearly and concisely in just a few words.


    When she had finished speaking, many in the hall appeared to be deep in thought. As the Clan Leader, Cyril¡¯s opinion essentially represented Atted¡¯s, indicating that on the matter of how to handle Rocky, Atted wished for reconciliation.


    Moreover, it must be acknowledged that Cyril¡¯s words held some truth. Rocky indeed was no longer the person he used to be¡ªnow backed by the Sky Alliance and holding genuine new technology in his hands, whether one liked it or not, it was necessary to see him in a new light. In this context, the question of whether to oppose him or maintain a good relationship with him was obviously not a matter for debate.


    Unfortunately, as reasonable as Cyril¡¯s idea was, there were definitely those who would not agree.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Abraham let out a cold laugh.


    ¡°Sister Cyril, I think you are putting too much personal emotion into this matter. Last time, you secretly informed Rocky about the family¡¯s decision to reclaim Thunderhawk City. What now, are you planning to do the same thing again?¡±


    ¡°Or is it that you have already informed him of the matters of this meeting in advance?¡±


    With a sneer and a look toward Cyril, Abraham spoke in a mocking tone, instantly causing Cyril¡¯s expression to turn extremely unpleasant.


    The fact that Rocky managed to defeat Baron Wolin had indeed been related to Cyril¡¯s heads-up, a matter which in itself wasn¡¯t an issue, and Baron Wolin¡¯s defeat could not be blamed on Cyril. However, Abraham¡¯s mention of these events at this juncture put Cyril on the defensive¡ªshe had just vigorously asserted her concern for the family¡¯s interests, and Abraham¡¯s insinuation now made it seem as though she had ulterior motives.


    Following that, Abraham turned to the rest and said:


    ¡°Everyone, the conflict between Rocky and our family is not merely with one individual; he detests the entire Mairente family! He is just like his father, who betrayed the family for a woman, despising the entire family!¡±


    Abraham glared, bitterly voicing this piece of the past that few people now spoke of.


    Where did the relationship between Rocky and the Mairente family originate? Naturally, it stemmed from his father, who was a member of the Mairente family and also Atted¡¯s brother, which made Rocky and Cyril cousins.


    The complicated relationship between Rocky and the Mairente family was precisely because his father had left the family, with the reason being a woman¡ªhis mother.


    In fact, there wasn¡¯t much to tell about this tale. Both Rocky¡¯s father and mother were born into prominent families, but the two families were adversaries. Hence, when the couple fell in love, they both left their respective families. Naturally, the process was incredibly complex and involved much entanglement, yet the story itself was quite simple.


    In summary, Rocky¡¯s father turned his back on the entire family to be with his mother. After his death, the family, coveting the inheritance he left behind¡ªspecifically, a medium-sized Sky City¡ªsought out Rocky, leading to everything that happened afterward.


    Now, Abraham had brought up the subject again and followed up without mercy, ¡°Clan Leader, Elders, think about it. Can we possibly reconcile with someone filled with hatred for the family? Should we keep him, fostering a tiger that could become a danger, waiting for the day he seeks revenge on us?¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 330 - 309 Impending Disaster

    Chapter 330: Chapter 309 Impending Disaster


    How exactly should we treat Rocky? Within the Mairente Family, there clearly exist differing opinions.


    Those aligned with Clan Leader Atted, notably, intend to reconcile with Rocky, and this stance is epitomized by Cyril, who has had significant dealings with him.


    Given Cyril¡¯s interactions with Rocky, it¡¯s impossible to claim there are no personal feelings involved, but that¡¯s secondary. As a member of the family and also the daughter of the Clan Leader, Cyril is primarily considering the family¡¯s interests in this matter.


    As she stated, Rocky is no longer the pitiful figure who was deceived by the family into losing the medium-sized Sky City and was then expelled over a year ago. He has considerably evolved since becoming a member of the Sky Alliance and gaining access to the latest Armor Technology. All of this proves that the family must change its attitude toward him.


    Hence, Cyril hopes the family will take the initiative to make amends with Rocky, which would be beneficial for both sides. She also pointed out that Rocky¡¯s conflict is only with ¡®certain individuals¡¯ in the family, not with the family as a whole, suggesting there¡¯s still hope for reconciliation.


    This idea, naturally, is not accepted by the faction led by Lexington because the ¡®certain individuals¡¯ Cyril referred to are Lexington and his group¡ªthey¡¯re the ones embroiled in deep conflict with Rocky!


    ...


    First was Baron Wolin¡¯s failed attempt to forcibly take Thunderhawk City, followed by collusion with Wild Horse City to cause trouble for Rocky. They even nearly thwarted his efforts to join the Sky Alliance. It could be said that all significant troubles Rocky faced as a City Lord were related to Lexington and his cohorts.


    Had he remained a mediocre City Lord for life, no one would have cared about a minor character. Unfortunately for them, he was far from insignificant ¨C in fact, he achieved a great deal!


    Consider the short time Rocky has been a City Lord, he managed to join the Sky Alliance as a minor Sky City Lord and astonished everyone with groundbreaking new technology, making himself one of the hottest commodities of the current time.


    Therefore, Lexington and the others had no choice but to take him seriously. Assuming Rocky is not a fool, he certainly won¡¯t forget what they did to him. Rather than waiting passively for Rocky to grow stronger and seek revenge, they preferred to take the offensive, aiming to eliminate him before he could fully spread his wings!


    Under these circumstances, a fierce dispute naturally arose between Cyril and Abraham. Cyril tried to clarify to everyone that Rocky¡¯s conflict was with an individual within the family, namely the group led by Lexington¡ªit wasn¡¯t with the family as a whole and reconciliation was possible. Abraham, on the contrary, emphasized that Rocky harbored hatred for the entire family, even involving his origins to persuade others that keeping him around would lead to disaster.


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    As Abraham finished speaking and Cyril was about to respond, Lexington, seated firmly at the conference table, suddenly interjected, cutting off Cyril¡¯s unspoken words and forcing them back down her throat.


    As the most powerful Elder in the family, Lexington still held considerable authority. After pre-empting Cyril¡¯s comment, he glared in her direction, ¡°A bunch of juniors, is it your place to express opinions here?¡±


    ¡°And what gives you the right to speak?¡±


    When Lexington spoke up, Clan Leader Atted also chimed in. He gave Lexington a cold look, ¡°Lexington, it¡¯s because of your unilateral actions that the Sky Alliance sanctioned us. Do you realize how much pressure that put on our family? What right do you have to speak on this matter!¡±


    Rarely showing such anger, Atted was genuinely upset. The Sky Alliance¡¯s sanctions were indeed severe for the Mairente Family. Losing face was the least of their problems; the attitude of the Alliance was a significant concern, given its power. For a family as influential as the Mairente, enemies both overt and covert abounded, making them vulnerable to attack now that they had been blacklisted by the Alliance. As a result, Atted had been under tremendous pressure lately. If Lexington¡¯s influence within the family hadn¡¯t been so substantial, Atted would have already removed him from his Elder position. Nevertheless, Lexington had also faced punishment from the family, leaving him quite passive.


    But Lexington was still Lexington. Even in the face of such a pointed question from Atted, he merely sneered and then spoke up, ¡°My actions against Rocky were for the good of the family!¡±


    ¡°Do you really think the dispute between Rocky and our family arises solely because of my actions? Have you forgotten who decided to take back that Sky City from him?¡±


    As Lexington spoke these words, he glanced at Atted, because the person who had made the decision to reclaim the medium-sized Sky City that had been left to Rocky by his father was none other than Atted, who was not yet the Clan Leader at the time!


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you all forgotten whose hands that Sky City is in now!¡±


    After giving Atted a look, Lexington turned his gaze to another person among the Elders, a woman.


    This woman appeared to be in her forties, yet she still carried her charm, embodying the allure of a mature woman. However, after being stared at by Lexington, especially after hearing what he said, she slightly furrowed her brows.


    This woman was Kelly.


    Just like Atted and Lexington, Kelly was also a leader of a family faction, and it was she who currently had in her hands the medium-sized Sky City taken back from Rocky. It was precisely because she obtained possession of this Sky City that she had supported Atted, helping him ascend to the position of Clan Leader of the Mairente Family!


    Glancing at Atted and then at Kelly, the implication in Lexington¡¯s words was already quite clear: if there was a conflict between Rocky and the Mairente Family, then everyone in the family was involved, and no one could claim innocence in the matter!


    Thereby, the entire conference hall fell into silence, because all were well aware that considering Rocky¡¯s current momentum and his displayed potential, the best outcome would be to reconcile with him, or even to have him rejoin the family. But as Lexington pointed out, no one could detach themselves from the discord between Rocky and the family.


    Yet, the problem was that he had already joined the Sky Alliance, and in order to have him join, the Sky Alliance had gone so far as to sanction the entire Mairente Family. They had made their stance very clear: at such a time, whoever dared to harm Rocky would be provoking the Sky Alliance! In this world, no one dared openly challenge the Sky Alliance so brazenly!


    This was also why the question of how to deal with Rocky had become vexing. No one could easily make a decision, and even if one was made, it wouldn¡¯t satisfy everyone.


    However, just at that moment, Kelly, who had not spoken until then, suddenly spoke up.


    ¡°The Sky Alliance is interested in Rocky because of the new technology he controls¡­ So, as far as the Sky Alliance is concerned, it doesn¡¯t matter who has the new technology. As long as they have a share in it, that¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°Am I right?¡±


    After saying this, Kelly looked around the room, eventually setting her gaze on Atted, and then turned to look at Lexington, ¡°I agree with Lexington¡¯s approach. The feud between Rocky and the family is too deep, it must be dealt with swiftly. As for the Sky Alliance, when the time comes, we just have to hand over the new technology that Rocky controls. And on this matter, we can¡¯t give Rocky any chance to retaliate. No one in the family can cause issues with this, or else they are an enemy of the family!¡±


    ¡°This is inappropriate!¡±


    As soon as Kelly succinctly expressed her perspective, Atted immediately voiced his opposition. However, even though he was the Clan Leader, he could not dictate everything within the family. Hence, as he objected, Lexington and Kelly immediately initiated an Elder vote, and Kelly¡¯s proposal passed with a majority!


    In turn, with the passing of Kelly¡¯s proposal, the Mairente Family¡¯s final stance toward Rocky was established: they would send troops to attack Thunderhawk City!


    This resolution was not to be taken lightly. Although the Mairente Family had targeted Rocky before, those were mostly personal actions rather than family-involved. But this time was different!


    This time, the decision was made jointly by the two major family factions, and not even Atted, the Clan Leader, could stop it. This meant that the decision was not just an individual¡¯s idea, but represented the whole family¡¯s resolution. The entire Mairente Family was preparing to campaign against Rocky!


    Moreover, to avoid repeating past mistakes, the family strictly forbade all members from tipping off Rocky¡­!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 331 - 310: Personally Designed

    Chapter 331: Chapter 310: Personally Designed


    When the Mairente Family made the decision to subdue Rocky, Rocky was flying in the sky.


    After departing from Dawn City, he had activated Thunderhawk City¡¯s flight mode, heading straight for Broken Mountain Peak where Backhill Village was located, preparing to reclaim the village from the demons.


    Although Thunderhawk City had already begun its flight towards Broken Mountain Peak, it would take quite a long time to arrive, after all, the distance between Thunderhawk City and Broken Mountain Peak was vast, and the flight speed of Sky City was not considered fast, so it would take at least a month to get there.


    And this just gave Rocky ample preparation time.


    The last time he went to Backhill Village was a year and a half ago, when the village was conquered by demons due to their movements, and now after such a long time, no one was clear what the state of the village was.


    On the bright side, the village might have become a ruin, but on the darker side, it could have become a stronghold for the demons, completely occupied by them, and in this case, Rocky must prepare well.


    ...


    On one hand, he needed to get the Guard Corps to step up training; whether it was reclaiming the village or defending it, the Guard Corps was an indispensable force, plus, Rocky had just exchanged a large batch of new equipment, and the Guard Corps had to adapt quickly.


    For this reason, Rocky had been frequently inspecting the Guard Corps in the past few days, both to urge the young men to train hard and to take a look at how good the new equipment really was.


    And speaking of which, the batch of equipment exchanged from the Sky Alliance was really quite impressive, at least the response from the Guard Corps was very satisfying.


    ¡°Form up!!¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Following Monte¡¯s command, soldiers lined up fifty in a row, a total of four columns, all raised their huge shields in unison, neatly forming a square formation.


    By now, all the guards had donned the Guardian Set, and the thick heavy armor made each guard look formidable, while the large shields they held in front of them were eye-catching; the shields were as tall as a man and, when raised, completely covered the guards behind them, and when rows and columns of guards raised their shields in unison, it instantly formed a wall of iron as impenetrable as a steel fortress.


    ¡°Advance!!¡±


    As the guards formed their square, Monte gave the order again, and immediately, the guards in formation began to march forward with heavy, synchronized footsteps. With each one hoisting a shield high, it looked as if a wall was moving.


    Seeing the performance of the guards, Rocky, who was standing next to Monte, nodded in approval, because even he felt pressure and awe in the face of this column of guards clad in heavy armor, shields raised, marching in step towards him, which pleased Rocky greatly.


    After that, he walked with Liliya to the other side of the training ground.


    The training ground of the Guard Corps¡¯ camp was divided into two halves, one half led by Monte for soldiers to train in formations, while the other half was managed by Lin Feng, who was responsible for training the ranged units.


    So after Rocky inspected the soldiers¡¯ formations, he came over to the half of the training ground where Lin Feng was with Liliya, planning to check on the performance of the ranged units.


    Although he hadn¡¯t exchanged armor for the ranged units, Rocky had eventually gotten strong bows and magic wands for the archers and mages. With suitable weapons in hand, the ranged units could naturally play a much bigger role. So when he and Liliya arrived, the ranged units were practicing with great enthusiasm.


    The mages had adapted quite well and rather quickly to the new magic wands. On a spacious patch of land, a row of mages continually unleashed low-level magic spells at targets tens of meters away. Though the magic was elementary, there was a variety¡ªFireballs, Lightning Chains, Ice Blades¡ªand their accuracy was quite good.


    Compared to the mage troops, the archers, having just switched to the Gale Strongbows, were all very excited but needed more time to get used to their new weapons. The bow strength of the Gale Strongbows was much stronger than that of the bows they were previously used to, causing many archers to struggle with the adjustment at first. Though the arrow feathers they shot had enough power, their accuracy significantly decreased.


    Under such circumstances, the archers were much more diligent than the mages. When Rocky arrived, fifty archers were divided into several rows, constantly aiming at targets tens of meters away and releasing their arrows.


    This included Dusa. Although she was now a Void Magic Warrior, her fondness for archery hadn¡¯t changed. So when the Gale Strongbows arrived, she immediately took to practicing with zeal. It must be admitted that Dusa truly was a born sharpshooter. Whilst others were still striving to adapt to the Gale Strongbows, she was already achieving perfect accuracy with every shot.


    After inspecting the entire camp of the Guard Corps, Rocky left, thoroughly satisfied. The performance of everyone pleased him enormously; none had slackened, and each person was excited about the upcoming battle. The morale was high, which was what made Rocky the happiest. There was always the fear that even with ready equipment, the guards might lack the fighting spirit¡ªa sure loss in battle. Evidently, the Guard Corps of Thunderhawk City had no such problem.


    By the time Rocky left the Guard Corps¡¯ camp, it was already noon. He returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, eating something in haste before rushing off to the research institute, as there were even more important matters awaiting him.


    As mentioned earlier, he had plans for Hammerfire and others to make two more sets of Void Magic Armor, to supplement Thunderhawk City¡¯s shortfall of Void Magic Warriors. For this task, Rocky was even more invested than before, because this time, he would personally participate in the design of the new armor!


    Counting the time, Rocky had been Orton¡¯s apprentice for nearly a year. In that year, he had learned so much from Orton, especially after the Rune Armor project began, his knowledge expanded even further.


    While Aniye and others never explicitly took him as a disciple, Rocky could always sit in on the masters¡¯ discussions and seek advice from anyone at any time. This enabled him not only to learn about mana but also to acquire a vast range of other knowledge.


    So this time, when he suggested the masters create two more sets of armor, Orton and the rest not only agreed but also decided to involve him in the process. After all, having studied with them for so long, it was time to test the fruits of his learning.


    About his personal involvement in designing the armor, Rocky felt an unusual nervousness, akin to facing a pop quiz. Yet, he was also extremely excited and eager to try.


    Because one must not forget an important fact¡ªthat Rocky was not from this world; he was a transmigrator!


    As a transmigrator, his thought processes and ideas were very different from the people of this world, and that difference actually represented a kind of advantage. Previously, his limited personal ability had prevented its full expression, but now, now he had learned what he needed to learn and understood what he needed to understand, finally having the opportunity to leverage his unique perspective. So for this new armor, not only was he eager to try, but he also had quite an impressive idea already in mind!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 332 - 311: Dissatisfied

    Chapter 332: Chapter 311: Dissatisfied


    Being personally involved in the design of the New Armor, Rocky was incredibly excited despite the tension, so he immediately went to the research institute after a hasty lunch.


    When he arrived at the research institute, Orton and others were already waiting for him.


    ¡°City Lord kid, are you planning to design a piece of Land Combat Special Armor?¡±


    Upon Rocky¡¯s arrival, Master Hammerfire didn¡¯t waste any words and went straight to the point.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good, take a look at this blueprint and see if it satisfies you.¡±


    ...


    Hearing his words, Master Hammerfire nodded and then handed over a well-drawn design blueprint to Rocky.


    Designing Armor was Master Hammerfire¡¯s strong suit, so when Rocky expressed his intention to design a new set of Armor, it didn¡¯t take long for the design to be sketched out.


    After receiving the blueprint, Rocky spread it out on the research table and began examining it closely.


    Although it was just a blueprint, the content included not just the Armor¡¯s shape, it also marked all kinds of technology that the Armor would be equipped with, allowing Rocky to imagine what the New Armor would be like even just from the blueprint.


    The new design for the Land Combat Special Armor by Master Hammerfire, like the previous White Demon, was a new type of Armor that operated with Runes as its core. Since it was designed for land combat, its primary purpose was naturally to confront Demons on the ground, hence thick armor had become an essential element, making the new Armor¡¯s appearance somewhat similar to the Moving Fortress Type 2 that Rocky had seen before. The Armor was massive, resembling a small mountain.


    Besides its heavy armor, the New Armor was also equipped with a very strong Defensive Net, aiming for the maximum enhancement of defensive power, providing a margin of self-preservation even when directly confronting swarms of Demons.


    Of course, merely protecting oneself was not enough when facing Demons, so in addition to its powerful defense, the New Armor also came with enough firepower to kill Demons. Master Hammerfire clearly put a lot of effort into this aspect; he added at least a dozen weapons to the New Armor, turning it into a veritable arsenal once all its firepower was deployed!


    As for the most special aspect of the New Armor, it was the significantly enhanced mobility!


    As is well known, the advantage of Land Combat Special Armor lies in its strong defensive power and firepower, but its downside is extremely poor mobility, virtually non-existent, not even capable of high-altitude flight, a flaw that becomes a fatal weakness of Land Combat Special Armor. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the New Armor designed by Master Hammerfire improved this flaw to the greatest extent. Since it was powered by Mana provided by Runes, the total Mana of the Armor increased significantly, thus more Mana was available to ensure a degree of flexibility for the Armor. Although it still couldn¡¯t reach the agility of regular Armor due to its heavy gear, it was much stronger than the old-style Land Combat Armor led by the Moving Fortress Type 2.


    Without a doubt, for the New Special Land Combat Armor that Rocky requested, Master Hammerfire spared no effort in the design process, and the final product was quite outstanding; even he was quite satisfied with it.


    It must be said that after getting involved in the Rune Armor project, research into this new field revived Master Hammerfire¡¯s passion from years past. In fact, after designing the perfect Hammerfire Armor, it wasn¡¯t because Master Hammerfire lacked the talent to design New Armor, but rather he had lost the passion to do so, leading to years without producing new work.


    Yet now, with his study into the brand-new field of Runes, Master Hammerfire had rediscovered that passion, and the Armor he designed was getting better and better, clearly returning him to his peak form.


    ¡°City Lord kid, what do you think? This Armor satisfies you, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Standing beside Rocky, Master Hammerfire looked up to see Rocky closely inspecting the blueprint, with a beard-covered chin held high with pride, his wrinkled face full of smug satisfaction. He was convinced that the Armor he designed would leave everyone content.


    However, after a moment, when Rocky had finished reviewing all the content on the blueprint and looked down at Master Hammerfire, he shook his head helplessly.


    Noticing Rocky¡¯s embarrassed expression as he shook his head, Master Hammerfire was stunned for a second, then his eyes bulged in shock!


    ¡°City Lord kid, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Pressed by the glaring, bearded glare of Master Hammerfire, Rocky became even more embarrassed. He knew Rocky wouldn¡¯t want to hear what he was about to say, but he had to say it, ¡°Master Hammerfire, the Armor you designed¡­ I, I am not quite satisfied with it¡­¡±


    Scratching his head, Rocky reluctantly spoke the truth. Regarding the new design of Land Combat Special Armor by Master Hammerfire, he was not satisfied, no, to say he was very unsatisfied!


    ¡°What!¡±


    And no sooner had he finished speaking, Master Hammerfire exploded as expected!


    ¡°City Lord kid, you didn¡¯t understand the blueprint I drew, did you? This Armor is more than ten times stronger than the current Land Combat Armor! Tenfold! Do you understand?!¡±


    With his head held high, eyes widened, Master Hammerfire roared as he waved his small fists, frenzied with emotion.


    ¡°You little man, what¡¯s all this shouting about? If your own Armor design isn¡¯t up to scratch, can¡¯t others say so?¡±


    While Master Hammerfire was staring at Rocky indignantly, Orton chuckled deviously and walked over to Rocky¡¯s side, leaning down to glance at the design blueprint on the table.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 333 - 311: Dissatisfaction_2

    Chapter 333: Chapter 311: Dissatisfaction_2


    However, after looking at the design drawings, Orton furrowed his brow and, following that, didn¡¯t say much else. Instead, he called Aniye and Pelaya over to take a look at the designs as well.


    Once Aniye and Pelaya had finished reviewing the drawings, expressions similar to Orton¡¯s appeared on their faces.


    ¡°How is it! There¡¯s nothing wrong with the Armor I designed, right!¡±


    Seeing that Orton and the others had finished looking at his design drawings, Master Hammerfire couldn¡¯t help but demand an answer in a disgruntled tone, almost as if he was asking the three of them to make a fair judgment.


    This time, even Orton was not joking anymore because he too thought that the design of this new Land Combat Special Armor was quite impressive. It not only drastically improved the combat capabilities of the Land Combat Armor but also ameliorated certain flaws to a degree; indeed, it was a rather excellent piece of work. Aniye and Pelaya shared this sentiment, finding no issues with the Armor.


    So after that, all four of them turned their eyes to Rocky.


    ...


    ¡°Rocky, what do you find unsatisfactory about this Armor?¡±


    This time, it was Aniye who spoke. He certainly wasn¡¯t glaring and snorting at Rocky like Hammerfire, but rather asked out of genuine curiosity.


    As far as he knew, Rocky was not the kind of City Lord who was ignorant and would make trouble without reason. He had been among them for over half a year and understood many aspects better than the average scholar. If he could express dissatisfaction, there must be a reason, and Aniye was very curious to know what that reason was.


    ¡°Exactly, tell us what you¡¯re not satisfied with! If you can¡¯t explain it, I won¡¯t let you off!¡±


    At this point, Hammerfire also nodded repeatedly on the side as if he was determined to get to the bottom of this with Rocky.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    At Aniye¡¯s question, Rocky glanced at Hammerfire and then at Orton and the other two, scratching his head while he said, ¡°I think¡­ the design concept of this Armor is too conservative¡­¡±


    ¡°Conservative?¡±


    Hearing this, Orton, Hammerfire, Pelaya, and Aniye were slightly taken aback. They clearly did not expect such an answer, so after exchanging glances with each other, they all looked at Rocky again with very strange expressions on their faces.


    Their expressions contained a hint of amusement, a hint of puzzlement, but most of all, curiosity.


    ¡°Rocky, share your thoughts, elaborate on them.¡±


    After giving him a look, Aniye continued to inquire. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Looking at the four of them, Rocky took a deep breath and then began, ¡°Then I¡¯ll speak.¡±


    ¡°Master Hammerfire¡¯s design for this Armor itself is not problematic. The reason why I am not satisfied is not that I am dissatisfied with this new Armor, but rather with all the current Land Combat Special Armors.¡±


    Once Rocky finished this sentence, Orton and the others couldn¡¯t help but widen their eyes, because once again, Rocky¡¯s words had taken them by surprise and intensified the curiosity in their gazes.


    At this time, Rocky continued to say, ¡°In my opinion, the design philosophy behind the current Land Combat Special Armors is entirely wrong!¡±


    Saying that, Rocky glanced at Hammerfire, ¡°I remember Master Hammerfire once said that Void Magic Armors are designed in a humanoid shape for two reasons: one is for ease of operation, and the other is because humanoid Armors tend to be balanced in all aspects, allowing the Armor, once manufactured, to possess strength, defense, mobility, and so on.¡±


    ¡°But because land combat armor has a very specific use, it inevitably has to break the balance. In order to fight demons, especially swarms of them, the land combat armor is forced to reinforce its armor time and again while also cramming in as many weapons as possible to ensure both defensive power and firepower. As a result, the armor has to give up mobility.¡±


    ¡°If this design philosophy in itself isn¡¯t wrong, then why must it still maintain a humanoid form after having given up on mobility?¡±


    Having said that, Rocky looked toward Orton and the other three, noticing that their expressions changed upon hearing his statement, their brows furrowing deeply.


    ¡°Keep going, say it in more detail. Speak your mind without holding back.¡±


    Seeing that Rocky had paused, Aniye, with his brows still deeply furrowed, nodded at him, encouraging him to voice all his thoughts without any reservations.


    Since Aniye had asked, and judging from the reaction of the four, Rocky knew his line of thought was probably right, so he hesitated no more. Right or wrong, he expressed all his ideas.


    ¡°I think the reason why land combat armor hasn¡¯t become widespread is largely due to its continued reliance on traditional design philosophy, leading to its deformity. Just imagine, an armor as bulky as a small hill¡ª is it really suitable for fighting demons?¡±


    ¡°Such a cumbersome and giant armor, what can it do in battle other than being an immobile turret? Forget about mobility; if it gets knocked over by demons in combat, it would struggle even to stand up.¡±


    In front of the four masters, Rocky presented an overly simpli?ed example, but though the words were crude, the logic was solid. This straightforward example precisely highlighted the current flaws of the land combat armor.


    Research on the land combat armor started as far back as the fourth generation, but even now with the fifth generation being mainstream and the sixth under development, it still hasn¡¯t become widespread. The reason lies in the armor¡¯s poor practicality.


    Just like the example Rocky gave, how could such a clumsy and massive armor possibly be practical in real combat when it couldn¡¯t even stand up after falling over?


    After giving this example, Rocky continued, ¡°So, I believe the overall design philosophy behind the land combat armor isn¡¯t wrong. Using strong defensive power and firepower to combat demons is not a bad idea, but there¡¯s no need to be fixatin on traditional design paths.¡±


    ¡°Take Master Hammerfire¡¯s design for the new armor, for instance. Even though it has been significantly improved in all aspects compared to the current land combat armor, it ultimately doesn¡¯t address the fundamental flaw. Since such an armor can¡¯t guarantee performance in real combat, it would be better to completely abandon the existing design concept and create a wholly new, specialized armor designed for land combat¡ªone unlike any other.¡±


    In a stream of consciousness, Rocky articulated all his ideas, then eagerly looked at the four, only to find Orton and the others gazing back at him with curious expressions.


    For a while, they just stared at each other, no one speaking until Rocky, feeling the atmosphere growing awkward, felt compelled to add,


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve finished speaking¡­¡±


    When he awkwardly indicated that he had finished, Orton and the others burst into laughter.


    ¡°Kid, didn¡¯t expect you to actually have some real thoughts in there.¡±


    Orton walked up to Rocky, laughing heartily and clapping him on the shoulder as he turned to address Hammerfire and the others, ¡°See? This is a disciple I¡¯ve taught, all taught by me!¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t taught him squat! What¡¯s it got to do with you?¡±


    Giving Orton a disdainful glance, Hammerfire stopped looking fierce and indignant and, instead, climbed onto a stool beside him. He then perched on the table via the stool and turned to Rocky, ¡°City Lord, those points you just made are good, but since you think there¡¯s something fundamentally wrong with the traditional design concept of the land combat armor, what kind of design philosophy do you think should be applied to the new generation of armor?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± When Hammerfire finished his question, Aniye nodded and looked at Rocky, ¡°Rocky, since you find faults with the traditional armor design, you must have some new ideas, right?¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 334 - 312 Tank Type 1

    Chapter 334: Chapter 312 Tank Type 1


    Rocky¡¯s ideas had quite a surprise for Orton and the rest.


    Firstly, they had not expected Rocky to have such a unique perspective on Armor design. His insights might not be considered profound, but they were indeed completely different from the usual train of thought.


    Secondly, everything Rocky said was very inspiring to Orton and the others. For instance, he believed that the current approach to Land Combat Armor design was too conservative, or rather, too rigid. On reflection, it seemed he might be onto something.


    The Land Combat Armor was, after all, designed for ground combat. If its sole purpose was land warfare, then the design philosophy should, and could, be different from that of regular Void Magic Armor. Yet, all models of Land Combat Armor had failed to achieve this distinction.


    Todays¡¯s Land Combat Armor still followed the same design concepts as regular Armor, with the only differences being additional armor and more weapons. This resulted in a bulky hybrid that could neither move freely and flexibly in air and land like regular Armor, nor offer true combat effectiveness on land, which explained why it had not become widespread over the years.


    On this matter, Rocky¡¯s words were like a revelation to Orton and the others, immediately opening up new avenues of thought.


    ...


    Although they had opened up to new ideas, they could also see that since Rocky had made such unique observations, he must have his own ideas about what Land Combat Armor should be.


    Afterward, Hammerfire and Aniye asked him in succession.


    And when they did, Rocky indeed nodded his head, for he did have a vision for what a new type of Armor should be like!


    However, now facing a group of masters, each an authority in their field, he inevitably felt a bit nervous and restrained. After pondering for a while, he finally spoke: S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I think, since it¡¯s Special Armor for land combat, we might as well just remove the flight systems.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Can you speak up, I didn¡¯t quite hear you?¡±


    As Rocky finished his statement, Orton and the others¡¯ eyes widened in succession, not from shock but disbelief!


    Indeed, Rocky¡¯s idea was too shocking and inconceivable for the people of this world, because a large part of what made Void Magic Armor the strongest personal weapon was its ability to fly. Without a flight capability, could it still be called Void Magic Armor at all?!


    After Rocky spoke, Orton and the others were flabbergasted, finding it hard to comprehend his thinking.


    Rocky had anticipated their reaction. It was understandable, as since the inception of Void Magic Armor, it was equipped with the ability to fly, and it could even be said that the driving force behind the development of Void Magic Armor was to enable aerial flight and combat. Thus, the belief that Void Magic Armor must have flight capabilities had become an entrenched way of thinking, a traditional notion that Rocky¡¯s ideas were now challenging.


    But neither ingrained thought processes nor traditional notions were necessarily correct.


    Therefore, facing Orton and the others¡¯ misunderstanding, Rocky didn¡¯t bother to explain further, as it wasn¡¯t necessary. He simply counter-asked:


    ¡°Is a flight system really essential for Land Combat Armor?¡±


    Who were those present, after all? The collective intelligence of Orton¡¯s group was nearly astronomical, so there was no need for lengthy explanations. A simple question was enough to make them understand what Rocky was getting at.


    In fact, if you think about it, is a flight system really necessary for Land Combat Armor?


    This was like the current Land Combat Armor which retained flight capabilities but could neither fly high, far, nor fast. And for any Void Magic Armor, the flight system was the most mana-consuming. So, the current Land Combat Armor was effectively wasting a vast amount of mana without providing any real practical use.


    Moreover, since it¡¯s Special Armor for land warfare, designed to engage land targets, why would it need the ability to fly? If the aim of flight was to enhance maneuverability, then other methods such as gliding and jumping could also achieve the same effect by improving these capabilities in the Armor!


    Hence, Rocky believed that if designed to his specifications, the Land Combat Armor should first eliminate the flight system. This change alone would save a significant amount of mana that could be used to enhance other aspects of the Armor.


    ¡°Keep going¡­¡±


    After his question, Orton and the others fell into deep thought, their minds rapidly turning over countless possibilities. Therefore, they remained silent until, after a while, Aniye gestured impatiently for Rocky to continue.


    Seeing that Orton and the rest had recollected their thoughts, Rocky went on to say:


    ¡°In addition to removing the flight system, I also want to change the way the Land Combat Armor moves. I¡¯d keep the humanoid upper body, but the lower half would be redesigned with a chassis design.¡±


    ¡°A chassis? Like a carriage, using wheels to move?¡±


    Upon hearing Rocky¡¯s suggestion, Hammerfire frowned and asked.


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 335 - 312 Tank Type 1_2

    Chapter 335: Chapter 312 Tank Type 1_2


    ¡°You can think of it that way, but it¡¯s not exactly right, because this design doesn¡¯t use wheels for direct movement, but tracks instead,¡±


    ¡°Tracks?¡±


    When Rocky mentioned such an unfamiliar term, not only was Hammerfire stunned; Orton, Aniye, and Pelaya were equally taken aback. All four of them turned their gaze to him in unison.


    In response, Rocky didn¡¯t elaborate much but simply walked over to the small blackboard in the research lab. After erasing the various formulas that had been written there, he took a piece of chalk and sketched a track, saying:


    ¡°This is a track, just a simple concept I had in mind. It¡¯s essentially a flexible chain loop driven by several wheels.¡±


    ¡°This thing¡­¡±


    ...


    As Rocky roughly sketched the shape of a track, Hammerfire hopped down from the table, walked up to the blackboard, and climbed his special little ladder, looking closely.


    After a while, he took the chalk from Rocky¡¯s hand and briskly sketched a detailed diagram of the track¡¯s structure!


    ¡°You mean like this, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes! Just like that!¡±


    Hammerfire¡¯s intelligence was unexpected; Rocky had barely explained the structure and purpose of tracks, and yet Hammerfire immediately understood and even figured out the design, prompting Rocky to nod enthusiastically and add, ¡°If these tracks are installed on a chassis and driven by mana, they could replace wheels, allowing for rapid movement on flat ground, mountainous terrain, or even in sandy areas.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly the kind of setup I was thinking of¡­¡±


    Worried Hammerfire might not grasp his meaning, Rocky hurriedly explained as he sketched his ideas on the blackboard. His drawing skills were naturally poor, so the result wasn¡¯t much to look at, not even particularly illustrative, but the general idea came across.


    What he had drawn was a New Armor with a tank-like base and a humanoid upper half. Well, it wasn¡¯t exactly humanoid as much as it seemed to be, because Rocky had turned the Armor¡¯s arms into cannon barrels, reminiscent of the Magic Energy Cannons on Monte¡¯s Armor¡¯s left hand, and similarly, two more barrels were mounted on the shoulders.


    Once he finished the sketch, Orton and the others gathered around to listen as Rocky explained:


    ¡°The next generation of specialized Land Combat Armor I envision looks like this. The advantage of this design is manifold. First, it offers improved maneuverability; with mana as a power source, the speed of track movement can far exceed that of a horse-drawn carriage. Today¡¯s Land Combat Armor can¡¯t even compare to it, resolving the issue of mobility.¡±


    ¡°Additionally, since the flight system has been removed, a large portion of the mana could be saved and used for the defense system, creating a more powerful Defensive Net. As a result, it wouldn¡¯t be necessary to equip excessively heavy armor.¡±


    ¡°At the same time, I think this Armor doesn¡¯t need to be fitted with too many weapons. As long as the power of the weapons is sufficient, it only needs to be armed with three types of highly practical weapons for long, medium, and close range combat. For example, this shoulder-mounted Magic Energy Cannon is for long-range bombardment, while the hand-held Mana Launcher is for hand-to-hand combat. Eventually, one more medium-range weapon will complete the set.¡±


    ¡°Using this Armor in conjunction with soldiers, whether advancing or defending, would be like having a real mobile artillery platform on the battlefield, capable of rapidly moving and providing timely firepower support, making it much more practical than the current Land Combat Armor.¡±


    In just a few words, Rocky conveyed all his ideas, then looked towards Orton and the rest.


    However, when he looked at Orton and the others, he found them all frowning deeply, none paying her any attention, their eyes fixed on the small blackboard.


    After a while, Hammerfire spoke up, ¡°With your design, how would a Void Magic Warrior operate it?¡±


    ¡°They would just sit inside.¡±


    As he spoke, Rocky drew a little figure sitting down on the blackboard, indicating that the Void Magic Warrior would only need to sit inside the Armor to operate it.


    ¡°What about the emptying capability?¡±


    At this moment, Orton also spoke up and asked.


    ¡°We can forgo the anti-aircraft capability because this is Land Combat Special Armor. If there are enemies in the air, they can be handled by the regular Void Magic Armor. If that¡¯s really not feasible, we can also equip anti-aircraft weapons. Since this type of Armor can¡¯t be too small¡ªit needs a stable base¡ªthere is still room to equip it with anti-aircraft weapons.¡±


    ¡°What about the mana requirements?¡±


    ¡°The mana requirements won¡¯t be too high because¡­¡±


    Clearly, Rocky¡¯s proposal had greatly piqued the interest of Orton and the others. Following this, they gathered around him and the small blackboard, continuously asking questions. Rocky had answers prepared for some of the questions while others, which were too technical, he couldn¡¯t answer. However, even for the questions he couldn¡¯t answer, Orton and the others would inadvertently find solutions themselves, and thus a discussion centered on Rocky¡¯s idea for the New Armor began.


    They discussed his concept for the New Armor for a long time, essentially covering all possible issues from every angle, because they were genuinely intrigued by the proposal. As the discussion progressed, they even delved into many other related issues.


    ¡°I think this Armor could be used in conjunction with normal Armor.¡±


    After glancing at the small blackboard, Pelaya said, ¡°Rocky¡¯s earlier ideas were great. Since it¡¯s Land Combat Special Armor, we can indeed abandon the ability to fly. So why not modify the normal Armor to specialized land combat? The combination with this kind of large Armor would surely have a better effect.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, this Armor can be considered a mobile artillery, providing continuous fire support during battles.¡±


    ¡°Not only that, but we can also design various models. Some could focus on close combat, some on long-range strikes, and even some specifically for air defense.¡±


    ¡°Right, right! We can¡¯t be too narrow-minded. We need to think boldly!¡±


    Around the concept of the New Armor proposed by Rocky, the four masters had a lengthy and intense discussion. As mentioned before, Rocky¡¯s idea had opened a door for them, instantly liberating their fixed ways of thinking. With this, their thoughts became as wild as unruly horses, whether plausible, implausible, feasible, or entirely unfeasible¡ªall kinds of ideas surfaced.


    As the discussion went on, time quickly slipped into the late night, and it wasn¡¯t until then that they finally brought the conversation back to Rocky¡¯s concept for the New Armor.


    ¡°City Lord, lad, your concept is excellent! It¡¯s better than any I¡¯ve designed before!¡±


    After a series of discussions, Hammerfire no longer glowered at Rocky and instead praised him warmly, then said:


    ¡°The New Armor will be designed based on your ideas. Come over tomorrow, and we¡¯ll both draft the design blueprints together!¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this from Hammerfire, Rocky immediately nodded in excitement. After discussing with the others for a while, they left the laboratory.


    Though Rocky had left the lab, Orton and the others continued their discussion, but this time it wasn¡¯t about wild concepts. They focused on how to turn Rocky¡¯s idea into reality. So, by the next day, when Rocky returned to the lab, Hammerfire and the others had everything about the New Armor concept figured out.


    ¡°City Lord, lad, since this Armor is your concept, you have the right to name it. Have you thought of a name?¡±


    The next day, when Rocky came to the lab and began to draft the New Armor design with Hammerfire, Hammerfire asked him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought of one.¡± Rocky said with a smile and nodded, then spontaneously said, ¡°Let¡¯s call it the Land Combat Tank Type 1 Armor.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 336 - 313: Driving a Tank on the Street

    Chapter 336: Chapter 313: Driving a Tank on the Street


    ¡°Tank¡­ what a strange name¡­ but suit yourself,¡±


    For Hammerfire, the name ¡®Tank¡¯ was not only unfamiliar, but also rather bizarre. However, it was just a name after all, so after nodding, he called Rocky over to the drafting table where they immediately began drafting the design for the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    Drawing blueprints was a first for Rocky, and he basically knew nothing about it, but it was fortunate to have Hammerfire by his side.


    As a master who had designed several Armors, Hammerfire was well-versed in bringing an Armor from concept to reality. He did not withhold anything from Rocky and started teaching him how to design an Armor step by step, starting with how to hold a pen.


    Thus, the design of the new generation of land combat armor officially began.


    A week flew by in no time, and during those seven days, Rocky spent nearly every day in the research facility, collaborating with Hammerfire and others on the Tank Type 1 Armor. Thanks to the team¡¯s effort, they finally completed the preliminary design scheme for the armor.


    ...


    Designing a new kind of Armor in such a short time was exceedingly rare in the field of Armor design.


    You see, designing an Armor is not as simple as drawing; it involves a complex array of elements. Even with Hammerfire¡¯s capability and the assistance from Orton and others, designing a new type of Armor typically takes months.


    But as logical as that was, time waits for no one. According to Rocky¡¯s plan, he hoped to have the Tank Type 1 Armor constructed before they reached Backhill Village, meaning Hammerfire and his team had only a little over a month to design and manufacture the Tank Type 1 Armor¡ªan admittedly tight deadline.


    To meet this deadline, Hammerfire, four others, and Rocky resorted to a compromise; they settled on a basic design scheme first, then proceeded to create an experimental armor that Rocky could use in the process of reclaiming Backhill Village Mine. In the meantime, Hammerfire and his team would further perfect the Armor.


    So as soon as the preliminary designs were ready, Hammerfire immediately began manufacturing the Armor. However, this time he couldn¡¯t complete the entire set by himself as he had with the White Demon Armor, because the Tank Type 1 Armor that Rocky participated in designing was far bigger than anyone had imagined.


    The initially designed Tank Type 1 Armor had a chassis that was two meters wide and three meters long. If you added the Armor¡¯s upper body that sat on the chassis, its height would also exceed three meters. This type of build was not only several times bigger than a normal Armor, but also much larger than the current land combat Armor.


    Initially, Hammerfire and others opposed this massive design, doubting such a large design could maintain maneuverability in combat and potentially repeating the flaws of today¡¯s land combat Armors.


    But Rocky, who was involved in the design, insisted on his stance. He asked everyone a crucial question: amongst the demons, are there any that are over three meters tall?


    The answer to this question was obvious; demons taller than three meters were quite common¡ªnot to mention those five, ten meters tall, or even those whose lengths or heights exceeded ten meters.


    This was why Rocky insisted on making the Tank Type 1 Armor larger. In his view, facing generally large-sized demons without considerable size and weight would be disastrous because the demons could knock or even toss the Armors at first contact. How could anyone fight like that?


    Therefore, Rocky and Orton debated with others all day long, and ultimately convinced everyone of his viewpoint.


    To manufacture such a gigantic Armor, relying solely on Hammerfire was definitely insufficient. Thus, the Guard Corps was enlisted, and under Monte¡¯s leadership, dozens of guards worked alongside Hammerfire for a full half month, finally managing to produce the initial model of the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    Compared to regular Armors, the Tank Type 1 Armor was naturally much larger. When this behemoth was finally assembled, the Guards who had been busy for half a month alongside Hammerfire were astounded; when had they ever seen something so massive?


    The manufactured Tank Type 1 Armor was almost exactly what Rocky had envisioned: its lower half moved on caterpillar tracks making up a thick chassis, while its upper half retained a humanoid shape with shoulders mounted with two one-meter-long guns, hands transformed into rapid-firing Magic Energy Bullet Emitters, and hips flanked with Magic Energy Beam Emitters.


    ¡°Is this the New Armor designed by the City Lord?¡±


    ¡°Captain? Is this the New Armor?¡±


    Although they had been working with Hammerfire for half a month, the Guards involved in the manufacturing were mostly following orders without really understanding what or why they were doing what they did, hence their stunned expressions.


    ¡°It should be¡­ I guess¡­¡±


    Standing in front of the Tank Type 1 Armor, Monte lifted his head, gazing at the giant before him, gawking like the guards beside him. Faced with the guards¡¯ barrage of questions, the still dazed Monte simply nodded in bewilderment. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°The City Lord is here!¡±


    Just then, a Guard shouted, and everyone immediately turned their heads to see Rocky, accompanied by Liliya, approaching them.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 337 - 313: Drive a Tank on the Street_2

    Chapter 337: Chapter 313: Drive a Tank on the Street_2


    ¡°Everyone, stand ready!¡±


    Seeing Rocky coming their way, Captain Monte immediately yelled out and, along with all the Guards, stood in front of the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    ¡°At ease.¡±


    After telling Captain Monte and the Guards to relax, Rocky, together with Liliya, looked up at the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    ¡°Can this thing really work?¡±


    Gazing at the enormous object before her, Liliya, like everyone else, maintained a certain degree of skepticism about its combat capability.


    ...


    Rocky wasn¡¯t surprised by this. The world originally had no concept of tanks, so it was normal to harbor doubts about them, just as when real tanks first appeared before the world, nobody believed they could fight.


    ¡°City Lord kid, what do you think? Are you satisfied or not?¡±


    At that moment, Hammerfire, along with Orton and others, came out of the research institute and approached, looking at the Tank Type 1 Armor just like Rocky did, while speaking at the same time.


    ¡°Satisfied, very satisfied.¡±


    Nodding repeatedly at Hammerfire and the others, a broad smile bloomed on Rocky¡¯s face. Then, without a word, he leapt up and directly jumped onto the Armor! S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My lord!¡±


    Seeing Rocky actually jump onto the Armor, Liliya and Captain Monte were both startled and hurriedly tried to stop him, but Rocky¡¯s actions were much faster than theirs; he directly opened the Armor¡¯s cockpit and sat down inside!


    ¡°Everyone, follow me to the Guard Camp to test the new Armor!¡±


    After addressing everyone, Rocky closed the cockpit hatch and immediately started the Tank Type 1 Armor¡¯s operating system!


    Having personally participated in the entire design of the Armor, Rocky was naturally quite familiar with the operating system. Since the system itself had been led and assisted by Pelaya in its design, even though the new Armor had just been built, Rocky had no trouble operating it and quickly set it in motion!


    Under his control, the Tank Type 1 Armor¡¯s treads began to slowly turn, steering towards the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°It¡¯s moving! It¡¯s really moving!¡±


    Watching the Tank Type 1 Armor start up, the Guards, who had already retreated to a distance, couldn¡¯t help but shout in amazement. For them, seeing such a massive object move was a first in their lives. They all widened their eyes, displaying expressions of disbelief.


    But what was even more unbelievable for them was yet to come, because as soon as Rocky got the Tank Type 1 Armor moving, he quickly picked up speed, making it faster than a fully accelerated carriage. In no time at all, he left everyone behind and rushed alone to the entrance of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    For the sake of secrecy and safety, the research institute¡¯s location was built beside the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, with both of their backyards connected. Therefore, when Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 Armor from the backyard to the main entrance of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, the Guards on duty were scared out of their wits.


    ¡°Who goes there!¡±


    ¡°What is that!¡±


    As the Tank Type 1 Armor stopped right in front of them, the four Guards at the gate were startled, drawing their longswords in unison, yet unsure of what to do next.


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    At that moment, Rocky opened the Armor¡¯s hatch and poked out to talk to the Guards: ¡°Go prepare a carriage quickly, Master Orton and the others will be here soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, right away!¡±


    Following Rocky¡¯s command, the lead Guard immediately sent someone to prepare a carriage, and then cautiously glanced at the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    ¡°My lord, what exactly is this thing?¡±


    ¡°New-style armor, how is it, scary, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    With a slight smile towards the guards, Rocky simply climbed out of the cockpit and stood on the base of the Tank Type 1 Armor, patting its upper half while asking.


    ¡°Scary! You just scared the daylights out of us, we almost fired a signal flare to call the Void Magic Squad over!¡±


    And when he asked them this, several of the guards standing guard nodded like pecking chickens, confirming they were indeed scared out of their wits just now.


    Rocky hadn¡¯t chatted with the guards for more than a few sentences when Orton and the others, along with Liliya and her group, caught up, still wearing expressions of surprise on their faces as they approached.


    Previously, regarding Rocky¡¯s insistence on designing the Tank Type 1 so large, Orton and the others were skeptical, even Liliya felt the same, doubting that such a massive thing could have any mobility.


    But when Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 up to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion¡¯s gate, Orton and the others were shocked; they truly hadn¡¯t anticipated that the giant could indeed move so rapidly, its speed indeed not a bit slower than a horse-drawn carriage!


    So, when they finally caught up with Rocky, they were still wearing expressions of disbelief.


    As for this, Rocky had no real explanation, simply letting Orton and the others get on a carriage, then he let Captain Monte lead the guards to clear the way while he personally drove the Tank Type 1 straight to the Guard Camp.


    To go from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion directly to the Guard Camp, one needed to pass through the city quarters, so when Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 onto the streets of Thunderhawk City, he immediately attracted a crowd!


    ¡°What is this thing!¡±


    The population of Thunderhawk City had already doubled from its original size, and the city quarters were no longer desolate, the streets might not have been bustling, but there was still a number of pedestrians around, and when these residents saw the Tank Type 1 appear on the main street, they were dumbfounded!


    ¡°Mommy, look! It¡¯s a monster! A big monster!¡±


    ¡°Captain Monte, what is this thing?¡±


    Although Monte led the guards to clear the way and had the residents step aside, their curiosity could not be stopped, resulting in more and more onlookers, and since Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 very slowly, before they even made it out of two streets, the crowd following them had grown to over a hundred people.


    The common folk had never seen such a sight, so they kept following Rocky and his group, all the while trying to figure out what the thing actually was.


    Among the following crowd were not just Thunderhawk City¡¯s own residents but also some others.


    These were spies planted in Thunderhawk City by various forces, including the Sky Alliance, after all, Thunderhawk City had drawn the attention of many, with numerous people keeping an eye on every move made by the city, thus they stationed their agents there, both openly and covertly.


    So when Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 Armor onto the street, causing a sensation, these agents emerged from their dwellings, and upon laying their eyes on the Tank Type 1 Armor, they were all agape!


    What on earth was this thing?


    New-style armor?


    These planted agents in Thunderhawk City were not ordinary folk; calling them spies might be an exaggeration since many had remained in Thunderhawk City with Rocky¡¯s permission, but at the very least, they were worldly, whereas the other residents might not understand what the Tank Type 1 was, they could tell at a glance it was definitely new-style armor, and it was precisely because of this that they were even more astonished!


    Wasn¡¯t it said that Rocky was only involved in Armor Technology research? How did he suddenly come up with a new style of armor?!


    This news had to be reported immediately!


    Almost sharing the same thought, once they had followed Rocky right up to the entrance of the Guard Camp and had been stopped by the guards, these agents all returned to where they lived and promptly transmitted the news back to their respective forces.


    ¡°Quick! Go inform Lord Glan!¡±


    While others were preparing to secretly pass on the news, the Sky Alliance¡¯s embassy stationed in Thunderhawk City didn¡¯t need to be sneaky, for they were official envoys and had an embassy in Thunderhawk City. Nevertheless, they took the matter just as seriously, even more so than anyone else, so as soon as Rocky and his group entered the Guard Camp, the people from the Sky Alliance immediately ran back to the embassy to inform the Sky Alliance envoy stationed in Thunderhawk City!


    PS: It¡¯s Monday, seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations! Seeking recommendations!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 338 - 314: Public Testing

    Chapter 338: Chapter 314: Public Testing


    ¡°What?!¡±


    As soon as his subordinate reported the scene he had witnessed on the streets, Lord Glan, the Sky Alliance ambassador stationed in Thunderhawk City, immediately rose from behind his desk!


    After standing up excitedly, the forty-something-year-old Glan, with his square face, furrowed his brows in thought and then promptly ordered, ¡°Prepare the carriage at once, take me to the Guard Camp!¡±


    Having said this, he left the office directly.


    Although the Sky Alliance does not forcibly intervene in the development of its members, it still sends an ambassador to every member in Sky City, ostensibly to facilitate contact and communication. In reality, there is also an element of surveillance involved to prevent certain members from undertaking double-dealing actions. That¡¯s why, once Thunderhawk City officially joined the Alliance, Glan took up residence there.


    Glan had just turned forty this year. He had been an ambassador abroad for the Alliance for the past ten years, having stayed in three different Sky Cities, which speaks to his immense experience.


    ...


    Logically speaking, experienced ambassadors like him would typically be assigned to large Sky Cities, as the larger and stronger the city, the closer its relationship with the Alliance, which would mean more issues for the ambassador to handle, coordinate, and communicate. Thus, the more capable ambassadors would usually be dispatched to larger Sky Cities.


    But this time, Glan had been sent to Thunderhawk City. He was well aware of the reason for his assignment; even though Thunderhawk City couldn¡¯t compare to larger Sky Cities in aspects such as basic food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, he knew the importance of his stay here¡ªin some ways, much more significant than being in a larger Sky City.


    Because his presence in Thunderhawk City wasn¡¯t just to handle the communications between the city and the Alliance but also to understand and even monitor the development of new technology!


    Though the Sky Alliance repeatedly claims not to forcefully demand members to surrender any technology they develop or discover, this does not apply to Rocky.


    Firstly, it was only because of the new technology Rocky had at his disposal that he was even qualified to join the Alliance. So, even if the new technology had not been successfully developed yet, the Alliance pretty much owned half of it. This meant that while they wouldn¡¯t forcibly intervene, it wouldn¡¯t be considered overstepping to have someone keep an eye on things, right?


    Secondly, the Sky Alliance placed considerable value on this new technology. They believed that the new technology being spearheaded by Aniye was highly significant. If this technology was successfully developed, then Rocky¡¯s fulfillment of the agreement would naturally settle all concerns. However, if he tried to weasel out of it at that time, the Alliance would never allow it. Thus, they also needed someone as experienced as Glan to monitor and deal with Rocky¡¯s duplicity.


    So when Glan heard, ¡°What? Rocky has come up with a new type of Armor?¡± and based on the descriptions from his subordinates, it was an Armor design never seen before, he couldn¡¯t sit still.


    As an ambassador of the Sky Alliance, he absolutely needed to be informed about such matters, which is why, regardless of whether Rocky wished it or not, he had to visit the Guard Corps to take a look; otherwise, it would be neglect of duty, which could leave him unable to explain himself if the Alliance asked.


    Under such circumstances, a carriage was quickly prepared. Glan promptly headed straight for the Guard Camp, taking less than half an hour to get there.


    Once he arrived at the Guard Camp, he was initially worried about being obstructed and had even prepared his excuses, but to his surprise, Rocky had already sent someone to wait for him at the gate!


    ¡°Lord Glan.¡±


    Stepping down from the carriage, Glan saw Liliya, who had obviously been waiting for some time, and then heard her say, ¡°Lord Glan, the City Lord was just about to send me to invite you.¡±


    ¡°Miss Liliya, I¡¯ve heard that City Lord Rocky has developed a new type of Armor. Hahaha, such important news¡ªI couldn¡¯t sit still upon hearing it, so I took the liberty of coming uninvited. I hope City Lord Rocky won¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°There is no offense, my lord, this way please.¡±


    With a slight smile towards Glan, Liliya did not engage in further conversation and led him straight into the Guard Camp.


    The Guard Camp, being one of the most critical areas in Thunderhawk City, was off-limits to the general public, and Glan was naturally visiting it for the first time. However, after spending ten years as an ambassador and having visited military camps in large Sky Cities, this event didn¡¯t strike him as particularly grand.


    But when Liliya led him onto the training field of the camp, Glan, despite being a seasoned individual, was stunned on the spot.


    Clearly, he had laid eyes on the Tank Type 1 Armor!


    Just like what Liliya had mentioned earlier, Rocky had been waiting for Glan¡¯s arrival. Why did he show off the Tank Type 1 Armor on the main streets? Surely not just to boast. In reality, his demonstration was meant for the spies left in the city by various forces to witness.


    Rocky was well aware that he was starting to draw attention, and among those watching him, some were just observers, while others had ulterior motives. He believed that a portion of these watchers did not have good intentions, which meant he could no longer afford to keep everything under wraps. It was necessary to demonstrate his power, even if it involved some bluster. Otherwise, those harboring evil thoughts would truly become fearless. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this regard, he was clear that news of the Tank Type 1 Armor would be spread instantly. He also knew that Glan, the ambassador sent by the Sky Alliance, would arrive at the first opportunity, so after driving the Tank Type 1 Armor back to the Guard Camp, he simply waited for Glan to come.


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 339 - 314 Public Test_2

    Chapter 339: Chapter 314 Public Test_2


    Of course, during the waiting period, Rocky hadn¡¯t been idling around; he had the guards clear the entire drill ground, and set up a large number of targets at varying distances, far, middle, and near, for a good testing session later with the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    Now that Lord Glan had arrived, Rocky didn¡¯t wait any longer; without greeting him, he just nodded from a distance and climbed into the cockpit of the Tank Type 1 Armor!


    With the closing of the cockpit, the Tank Type 1 Armor, which had been parked on the drill ground for over half an hour, was started up once again!


    ¡°It¡¯s moving! Look, it¡¯s moving!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really moving!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing¡­!¡±


    ...


    When the Tank Type 1 Armor started up, the already assembled Guard Corps was stirred and could not help but burst out in exclamations.


    As early as when Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 Armor over, the guards were filled with curiosity about this huge machine, not just curious but extremely excited because this was a new type of armor! As soldiers, no one would dislike armor, even if the Tank Type 1 Armor was vastly different from regular armors, the guards were still quite thrilled, and they had grown impatient during the time before Lord Glan¡¯s arrival,


    So when the Tank Type 1 Armor was truly activated, the long-awaiting guards all stared with wide eyes, focusing intently on the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    In fact, not only the guards but also Orton and the others felt the same because this was the first trial of the Tank Type 1 Armor. They naturally wouldn¡¯t speak of anything going wrong, but they were quite excited to see what the armor was really like.


    As for Lord Glan who had just rushed over, there was no need to mention him; he didn¡¯t even fully understand what was happening yet, but his attention was already completely focused on the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    In this manner, under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Rocky began to slowly drive the Tank Type 1 Armor, initially at a very slow pace, but soon he picked up speed and then started to accelerate fully.


    ¡°So fast, it¡¯s almost catching up with a carriage!¡±


    ¡°Such a large size, yet it can move at this speed, the City Lord is truly a genius!¡±


    ¡°Stop talking! Watch carefully!¡±


    When Rocky picked up the speed, there was another burst of discussion among the Guard Corps, everyone was amazed at how such a large Tank Type 1 Armor could achieve a speed no less than that of a carriage.


    While everyone was discussing, Rocky had already driven the Tank Type 1 Armor around the drill ground several times, then he took it towards a line of wooden stakes.


    These wooden stakes had been set up in a straight line as he had instructed, with each one about twenty meters apart from the next, and as Rocky drove the Tank Type 1 Armor over, he began to weave swiftly around the stakes.


    ¡°So agile¡­¡±


    ¡°This big guy is really impressive!¡±


    ¡°No kidding, this was designed by the City Lord and several masters; it would be odd if it weren¡¯t good!¡±


    As Rocky snaked past all the wooden stakes, the chatter among the guards grew louder, and Orton and the others also glanced at each other, smiling and nodding; it looked like Rocky was right, despite the large size of the Tank Type 1 Armor, it was still agile, and from its current performance, it seemed to have no problem following soldiers into combat. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even Rocky, who was driving the Tank Type 1 Armor, was pleased with its performance, although he hit two or three stakes during the process, it couldn¡¯t be denied that the maneuverability and flexibility of the Tank Type 1 Armor were pretty good, basically meeting his expectations.


    So thereafter, he began to reverse the armor, quickly backing up the Tank Type 1 Armor to the center of the drill ground, then spinning in place to aim at a cleared area.


    On this targeted cleared area stood targets at three distances, the farthest being beyond two hundred meters, the middle distance was at one hundred meters, and the near distance ranged from fifty to ten meters, filled with various sized sandbags.


    Under Rocky¡¯s control, the two large cannon barrels carried on the Tank Type 1 Armor¡¯s shoulders began to slowly rise, followed by a loud boom, two Magic Energy Bullets were fired!


    Moments later, a series of explosions was heard from over two hundred meters away, two bullets landed consecutively, blasting two large pits around the targets on the cleared ground.


    After firing those two shots, the Tank Type 1 Armor moved several meters to the side, its chassis angled towards the target while its upper body rotated ninety degrees to face the target directly and fired two more shots with a boom. Following that, Rocky performed the same maneuver to the opposite direction and fired another two shots!


    These last two shots finally hit the target, blasting the target two hundred meters away into ashes.


    ¡°Good! Hit it!¡±


    ¡°Amazing!¡±


    ¡°Mighty, my lord!¡±


    When Rocky finally hit the target, the guards burst into cheers, and people like Orton nodded in approval.


    Having fired three times and hit once, the hit rate was quite impressive, considering Rocky¡¯s target was not two meters away, but two hundred meters away. Achieving a one-third hit rate at such a distance was remarkably high, especially since ranged attacks were meant for bombardment, and hitting the general area was sufficient to inflict damage.


    ¡°Master Aniye, this armor is¡­¡±


    While others were nodding repeatedly, Glan approached Aniye and cautiously asked.


    He couldn¡¯t help himself and had to know what exactly was going on with the armor Rocky was operating!


    ¡°Oh, Lord Glan, this armor is a new generation of land combat special armor that Rocky led the design of¡­¡±


    Facing Glan¡¯s insatiable curiosity, Aniye revealed all about the Tank Type 1 Armor without teasing any further.


    After hearing Aniye¡¯s brief introduction, Glan blinked and took a while to snap back to reality, ¡°Master Aniye, are you saying this armor is specifically meant for combating demons on land?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Nodding, Aniye explained while looking towards the Tank Type 1 Armor, ¡°According to Rocky¡¯s idea, this armor should be adaptable to three different ranges of combat. What you just witnessed was long-range attack; the power of each of the twin shoulder-mounted Magic Energy Cannons reached 1500 points. Though it might not seem impressive when fired singly, the effect would be significantly amplified if five or ten armors bombed simultaneously.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­ that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±


    Glan nodded blankly and turned his head towards the training ground, looking at the Tank Type 1 Armor driven by Rocky.


    Just then, as he turned around, Rocky had the armor target a mid-range target, and the Magic Energy Beam installed at the waist of the armor fired.


    Two beams shot out, hitting a target a hundred meters away and immediately causing it to explode. Rocky then continuously fired, quickly blowing up all ten medium-range targets!


    ¡°This is the mid-range rapid-fire Magic Energy Beam, each shot has a power of 800 points. Although not extremely powerful, it can fire six shots per minute, and with the aiming system developed by Pelaya, the hit rate is quite good,¡± Aniye explained proactively before Glan could ask.


    Meanwhile, Rocky had driven the Tank Type 1 Armor close to the short-range targets and without a word began firing Magic Energy Bullets!


    In an instant, countless Magic Energy Bullets, each larger than a fist, were shot out. As both hands of the Tank Type 1 Armor had been completely transformed into rapid-fire Mana Launchers, each with five launchers, a barrage of Magic Energy Bullets was unleashed the moment it began firing, instantly creating a smoky scene around and blowing up one target after another in this intense bombardment!


    The barrage lasted for several minutes, and then Rocky stopped firing and drove the Tank Type 1 Armor out of the smoke, slowly moving towards where everyone was.


    At this point, both the guards and a stunned Glan thought Rocky had finished his demonstration and even prepared to cheer loudly.


    But just then, Monte, Lin Feng, and Sandro, all donned in Void Magic Armor, suddenly took off into the air and immediately activated all weapons systems of their armors, targeting the Tank Type 1 Armor!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 340 - 315: Roadside Cabbage

    Chapter 340: Chapter 315: Roadside Cabbage


    After all the close-range targets were blasted away, Rocky slowly emerged from the gun smoke in his Tank Type 1 Armor, but just at that moment, Monte, Lin Feng, and Sandro, clad in Void Magic Armor, suddenly leaped into the air and activated all weapons on their Armor!


    This sudden development startled everyone, especially Lord Glan who had only recently arrived at Thunderhawk City. When he saw Monte and the others suddenly lashing out, his first thought was assassination!


    In various Sky Cities, there had been incidents of generals or ministers suddenly attempting to assassinate the City Lord. The actions of Monte and the others bore a striking resemblance to such situations, which alarmed Glan immediately.


    As his heart tensed up, Monte and the others had already unleashed a barrage of firepower on Rocky¡¯s Tank Type 1 Armor, with all sorts of long-range weapons raining down in an instant.


    Facing this fusillade, Rocky rapidly retreated while expanding the Defensive Net of his Armor, seemingly trying to dodge the attack as much as possible.


    However, the Void Magic Armor worn by Monte and the others was after all more agile than the Tank Type 1, and even as Rocky tried his best to evade their onslaught, they always managed to catch up to him.


    ...


    Fortunately, he had timely expanded the Defensive Net, and the sturdiness of the Tank Type 1¡¯s Defensive Net was indeed astonishing. Despite the continuous attacks from the three Void Magic Warriors, the Net did not break, standing resolutely.


    In this way, the assault by Monte and the others lasted for a few minutes before they finally ceased and slowly descended back into the ranks.


    Only at this point did Lord Glan, who was initially surprised and anxious, realize that this was not an assassination but a test of the Armor¡¯s defensive capabilities. Upon this realization, he turned his gaze to the now stationary Tank Type 1 Armor.


    From the initial movement exercises to the subsequent shooting and then the defense test that had just occurred, Glan had witnessed the entire debut of the Tank Type 1 Armor. It was precisely because of this that he was profoundly shocked, for everything the Tank Type 1 Armor showed was, just like its appearance, so different from traditional Armor that Glan didn¡¯t even know how to describe this Armor.


    But one thing he did know was that this new type of Land Combat Armor already had the potential to render all other armors of its class obsolete!


    Although Glan was not a Void Magic Warrior and lacked detailed knowledge about Void Magic Armor, even as a layman, he could see how outstanding the Tank Type 1 was. Its demonstrated mobility, firepower, and defensive power, among other qualities, had already surpassed the bulky but ineffective Land Combat Armors. Once this Armor was fully developed, it would certainly change the landscape of Land Combat Armor!


    To be honest, Glan never expected to witness such a thing, because neither the Sky Alliance nor he himself believed that Rocky¡¯s success was largely due to luck, even somewhat undeserved.


    Although under Rocky¡¯s governance Thunderhawk City had developed quite well, it was far from the top among small Sky Cities. There were many stronger small City Lords than him. His entrance into the Sky Alliance was purely a stroke of luck, entirely based on the new technologies developed by Aniye and others in his city, and nothing more.


    This opinion had been shared by many since Rocky had joined the Sky Alliance, but now it seemed they were all wrong!


    Consider this: could a City Lord who relied on luck really develop such a unique Armor through luck alone? The answer was obvious, definitely not!


    So when Glan saw Rocky crawl out of the Tank Type 1 Armor, he couldn¡¯t help but narrow his profound eyes. He understood that he must reassess the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, not just him, perhaps even the Sky Alliance needed to recalibrate their view of Rocky!


    Just as Glan was pondering these thoughts, he noticed Rocky walking over to him. His somewhat distracted gaze quickly refocused, and a smile spread across his face as well.


    ¡°Lord Glan, how do you feel about this New Armor?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s breathtaking! Truly breathtaking!¡±


    In the face of Rocky, Glan kept praising the myriad performances of the Tank Type 1 while asking a few key questions, both overtly and subtly.


    For instance, whether the new armor was equipped with the latest technology developed by Aniye and others, what the cost of this armor was, and whether Rocky had any interest in sharing this New Armor with the Alliance.


    One should know that although Rocky had joined the Alliance, it didn¡¯t mean that the Tank Type 1 Armor belonged to the Alliance. In fact, if Rocky did not wish to, then the Tank Type 1 Armor had nothing to do with the Sky Alliance, unless he was willing to share it with them.


    Indeed, when Glan asked these questions, even he found it incredulous. Sharing technology or armor with the Alliance was extremely rare since new technologies and armors were not easy to come by, not like cabbages by the roadside. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, with Rocky, such events seemed to become the norm. Less than a month earlier, he had joined the Alliance thanks to a breakthrough technology, and now he had developed a new type of armor. In his case, new technologies and armors appeared as common as cabbages by the roadside, seemingly effortless to obtain.


    However, Rocky didn¡¯t answer any of his questions directly, as he hadn¡¯t yet decided on them. His priority was to take back the mines of Backhill Village. Other than that, he hadn¡¯t thought too much about anything else.


    In this situation, after exchanging pleasantries with Rocky, Glan did not linger too long and quickly left, evidently eager to report the matter of the Tank Type 1 to the Alliance.


    How he would report to the Alliance is a subject for another time, but speaking of Rocky alone,


    After Glan left, Rocky began to arrange a series of tasks. First and foremost, according to the original plan, he had Hammerfire build another Tank Type 1 Armor. Before reaching Backhill Village, Rocky hoped to have at least two Tank Type 1 Armors in his possession to be able to present a formidable combat force; having just one would be too weak and vulnerable.


    Next was the selection of new Void Magic Warriors. Although the Tank Type 1 Armor was different from traditional armors, it was still armor and required Void Magic Warriors to operate it, so this work had to be carried out as well.


    Of course, Rocky didn¡¯t need to personally oversee this matter, as the Guard Corps had just recently selected a group of Void Magic Warriors. Thus, Liliya, Monte, and Lin Feng would naturally put together a suitable list of candidates. Rocky just needed to approve the selection.


    Once all this was properly arranged, Rocky finally managed to get a few days¡¯ rest, but it was only a mere few days. After that short period, more issues, particularly those beyond his expectations, continuously came to him!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 341 - 316: Occupied?

    Chapter 341: Chapter 316: Occupied?


    Although the Tank Type 1 Armor was manufactured only after a preliminary design due to the time crunch, both Rocky and Hammerfire, among others, were very satisfied with the rushed production of this new Land Combat Armor.


    Undeniably, the Tank Type 1, from a design and manufacturing standpoint, had substantial room for improvement, but even so, its performance was already impressive. Presumably, once further testing was completed, confirming that there were no major flaws or defects, it could be deployed in actual combat.


    Therefore, after a rare few days of rest, Rocky immediately began a series of tests on the Tank Type 1.


    This time, the testers were not him personally but two newly selected Void Magic Warriors from the Guard Corps.


    After the first Tank Type 1 was produced, Liliya and Monte had drawn up a list of candidates for Void Magic Warriors and handed it over to Rocky, who quickly selected two individuals from it.


    The two he chose were named Caryus and Raphael, both of whom had joined the Guard Corps after Rocky became City Lord, with Raphael even coming from Backhill Village.


    ...


    Rocky¡¯s choice of these two as the new batch of Void Magic Warriors somewhat puzzled Monte and Liliya, as they had not considered these two at all when compiling the candidate list.


    It wasn¡¯t that Caryus and Raphael weren¡¯t qualified to be Void Magic Warriors; in fact, whether in terms of background or competence, they were on par with the other candidates. However, both men were somewhat older, with each being over thirty years of age.


    Theoretically, the age requirement for Void Magic Warriors was not too stringent, but it had to be acknowledged that younger individuals held considerable advantages in terms of reaction time and physical prowess.


    But Rocky didn¡¯t see it that way; he rather thought that being older had its own benefits, such as being more steady and calm in battle, which were precisely the qualities necessary for piloting Tank Type 1 Armor.


    Another reason he chose Caryus and Raphael was their experience.


    Before joining the Guard Corps, both happened to have worked as coachmen. Caryus¡¯s father was a coachman in Thunderhawk City, and he also spent time in that role until he was twenty-five, while Raphael did the same when he was in Backhill Village, driving horse-drawn carriages to transport goods.


    In Rocky¡¯s view, this constituted experience.


    Some might wonder, can driving a horse carriage be equated with piloting Armor? How could that be considered experience?


    Indeed, driving a horse carriage was not the same as piloting Armor, but let¡¯s not forget that the Tank Type 1 Armor wasn¡¯t traditional Armor. A key requirement for piloting the Tank Type 1 was a strong sense of direction, which Caryus and Raphael, with their coachman backgrounds, had in abundance over most people.


    After confirming these two would be responsible for driving the Tank Type 1, Rocky took it upon himself to teach them personally how to operate the Tank Type 1 Armor, conducting a series of tests on the Armor while the two familiarized themselves with its controls.


    Time quickly passed, and another half-month went by. During this period, although Caryus and Raphael shared an Armor, their learning pace was unimpeded, and they had essentially mastered all the operational techniques of the Tank Type 1.


    Moreover, as the two gradually mastered the operation of the Tank Type 1, the series of tests on the Armor also came to an end. There were certainly minor issues and inherent design flaws, but there were no major problems, which meant that the Tank Type 1 could soon engage in real combat.


    At the same time, the second Tank Type 1 Armor was also completed during this period.


    With that, all the preparations for reclaiming Backhill Village were in place. Once Thunderhawk City reached Skybreaker Peak, the operation could commence!


    By Rocky¡¯s calculations, since activating Thunderhawk City¡¯s flight mode, more than a month had passed. After such a lengthy flight, the city was now not too far from Skybreaker Peak, and reaching it meant Backhill Village was close at hand.


    Therefore, in the following days, instead of getting involved in other matters, Rocky focused entirely on planning for the battle to reclaim Backhill Village Mine and his strategies for managing the mine once reclaimed.


    Time flew by, and three days later, Thunderhawk City, which had been flying for over a month, finally arrived at its destination!


    After lowering Thunderhawk City slightly, Rocky stood on the Skyport and easily spotted the towering mountain peak not far away, thrusting into the clouds with its summit swallowed completely by the clouds, known as Skybreaker Peak!


    ¡°Felly, send someone to scout out the area and check the current situation of Backhill Village.¡±


    Standing on the Skyport and looking towards Broken Mountain Peak for a while, Rocky said to Felly.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With an affirmative response, Felly immediately went to make arrangements. Soon after, three Reconnaissance Ships took off slowly from the Skyport, flying out of the range of Thunderhawk City towards Skybreaker Peak.


    After watching the three Reconnaissance Ships gradually disappear from view, Rocky returned to his own City Lord¡¯s Mansion. After all, it would take some time for the Reconnaissance Ships to return, and he did not plan to make a move before getting a clear picture of the situation in Backhill Village.


    It had been a year and a half since his last visit here, so Rocky had no idea about the current situation in Backhill Village. Therefore, although he was prepared for battle, he had to wait to clarify the situation before taking action¡ªhe would never fight an uncertain battle.


    However, what he hadn¡¯t expected was that the return of the Reconnaissance Ships would be much sooner than he had anticipated!


    It was only two to three hours after the Reconnaissance Ships had been dispatched early in the morning, not even lunchtime yet, when the three Reconnaissance Ships returned, bringing with them a result that Rocky had not at all expected.


    ¡°Already occupied?¡±


    Looking at the few crew members standing beside Felly, Rocky¡¯s brows gradually furrowed, and after a moment, he asked again:


    ¡°Are you saying that Backhill Village has already been occupied by someone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, City Lord, that¡¯s right¡­¡±


    Bowing his head and cautiously glancing at Rocky, one of the crew members standing beside Felly promptly replied.


    This response made Rocky lean back in his seat of the City Lord, and his expression gradually darkened!


    Had someone beaten him to the punch and already occupied Backhill Village and the mine within the village?


    This outcome was certainly far beyond Rocky¡¯s expectations, even catching him off guard. He had originally thought that Backhill Village, destroyed by the Demons, was an assured prize for him, but unexpectedly, it had been seized by someone else first.


    This was truly¡­ unacceptable to him! S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, after a brief moment of contemplation, Rocky looked towards the several crew members beside Felly.


    ¡°What exactly happened, tell me everything you saw in detail without leaving out any details.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 342 - 317 Proud Dragon Commerce Guild

    Chapter 342: Chapter 317 Proud Dragon Commerce Guild


    In the City Lord¡¯s Hall, a crew member, who had followed the Reconnaissance Ship on its scouting mission, was earnestly recounting everything he had discovered to Rocky.


    According to this crew member, after leaving Thunderhawk City, the three reconnaissance ships soon approached Skybreaker Peak. Additionally, since there were crew members from Backhill Village on board, the group had no trouble finding the village at the foot of Skybreaker Peak.


    However, upon their arrival at Backhill Village, they noticed something was amiss. From a distance, Backhill Village seemed largely unchanged, the iconic tall city walls were still in place, and even the towers on either side of the wall remained.


    This scene puzzled the crew members because, when Rocky was defending this location, the village walls had collapsed during the Demons¡¯ last attack. Now, so much time had passed; how had the walls rebuilt themselves?


    In light of this situation, the Commander in charge of the scouting mission immediately ordered the reconnaissance ships to accelerate, planning to get closer and investigate what exactly was going on.


    The moment they drew near, several reconnaissance ships similarly rose from behind the city walls! It was only then that the crew members realized that someone had beaten them to the punch and had already occupied Backhill Village!


    ...


    ¡°Did the opposing reconnaissance ships have any distinctive features, like military flags or ship emblems?¡±


    After the crew members had narrated the events, Rocky furrowed his brows and thought for a moment before asking.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Upon his inquiry, several crew members nodded in unison!


    ¡°City Lord, we actually made contact with the opposing side already,¡± said the same crew member, continuing in response to Rocky¡¯s question. ¡°When we intended to approach Backhill Village, their reconnaissance ships aggressively moved towards us, a total of five ships, which intercepted us mid-air.¡±


    ¡°After that, their Void Magic Warriors appeared and shouted at us a few times, claiming that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had occupied this area and forbade us from approaching, then we had no choice but to return¡­¡±


    Looking up at Rocky, the crew member finally clarified everything.


    ¡°Proud Dragon Commerce Guild?¡±


    But when Rocky heard the name Proud Dragon Commerce Guild from the crew member, he couldn¡¯t help but turn his head to look at Old Jack and Lin Feng standing below, then he clearly saw their expressions change slightly upon hearing the name of the guild.


    Rocky was familiar with the name Proud Dragon Commerce Guild because before Backhill Village was destroyed by the Demons, they had been trading minerals with this guild.


    With this, Rocky understood the whole sequence of events.


    Apparently, he wasn¡¯t the only one aware of Backhill Village¡¯s existence, especially the mine it concealed. The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, which had extensive dealings with the village, also knew this. Hence, after the entire village had relocated to Thunderhawk City, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild seized the opportunity to take over the village, no, to be precise, to occupy the village¡¯s mine!


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Having easily figured everything out, Rocky fell into silence.


    The turn of events was indeed beyond his expectation, but on reflection, it seemed quite normal given that mineral resources were incredibly precious in the current world. Knowing about the minerals in Backhill Village and the fact that the whole village had been destroyed, it was inevitable for the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild to seize this opportunity to take over.


    What¡¯s more important, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild hadn¡¯t just occupied Backhill Village; the intelligence brought back by the reconnaissance ships indicated that the Guild had reconstructed the destroyed village and even deployed troops for defense.


    The returning crew member just mentioned, didn¡¯t he? They hadn¡¯t even gotten close when the opposing reconnaissance ships intercepted them, and they had also encountered the enemy¡¯s Void Magic Warriors!


    Reconstructing walls, deploying troops, stationing Void Magic Warriors¡ªall these actions highlighted the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡¯s significance towards Backhill Village. Clearly, they were managing and building up Backhill Village as if it were their own property.


    Such being the case, it seemed somewhat troublesome¡­


    ¡°My Lord.¡±


    Just as Rocky was frowning, carefully considering how he should handle the matter, Old Jack suddenly stepped forward, seemingly having something to say. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Lord Jack, what would you like to say?¡±


    Looking at Old Jack, Rocky asked.


    ¡°My Lord, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had many years of cooperation with Backhill Village before, so I¡¯m quite familiar with this guild. I hope you can give me a chance to talk with them¡­¡±


    Standing before Rocky, Old Jack lowered his head and expressed his thoughts. He hoped to talk with the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild and resolve the matter peacefully if possible.


    As the administrative officer of Thunderhawk City, Old Jack was well aware that Rocky was determined to obtain the mine of Backhill Village. Rocky had not only prepared for battle but had even arranged the necessary tools and workers for mining, and it was Old Jack who had arranged all these matters.


    In such circumstances, even though the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had already preemptively occupied Backhill Village, Rocky would not simply back down. He would take back Backhill Village, even if it meant driving the other party away.


    This was exactly why Old Jack wanted to talk with them first, to see if the matter could be settled peacefully.


    Firstly, as he just mentioned, he had some connections with the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild. These connections made Old Jack reluctant to see them clash violently with Rocky.


    Secondly, he was also considering for Rocky¡¯s benefit. The crew members who had returned reported that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had developed Backhill Village considerably well. So if they could peacefully persuade the guild to withdraw, wouldn¡¯t Rocky stand to gain a lot? Otherwise, once a battle ensued, and Thunderhawk City¡¯s fleet was deployed, then the newly rebuilt village would be destroyed again.


    This was why Old Jack made this suggestion.


    After he finished speaking, Rocky thought for a while and then nodded, ¡°Alright, you leave tomorrow. Let Lin Feng escort you there.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, My Lord!¡±


    Seeing Rocky nod in agreement with his idea, Old Jack quickly bowed in gratitude. Since Old Jack planned to persuade the other side, it was not suitable for Rocky to make further arrangements immediately, so he then dismissed everyone.


    However, in the evening, he called Lin Feng to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion alone.


    ¡°Tomorrow you will escort Lord Jack to Backhill Village, you must ensure his safety.¡±


    In the study, Rocky sat beside the bookshelf, closed the book in his hands, and glanced at Lin Feng.


    ¡°Rest assured, My Lord, I will do my best!¡±


    Standing before Rocky, Lin Feng immediately assured, but then he cautiously asked, ¡°My Lord, is there anything else?¡±


    To tell the truth, Lin Feng was somewhat puzzled by Rocky¡¯s action of specially calling him to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. Protecting Old Jack was undoubtedly a matter that didn¡¯t require special instructions; Lin Feng would naturally give his best, so he felt that Rocky must have another reason for calling him.


    Sure enough, Rocky then sighed, ¡°I can understand Lord Jack¡¯s good intentions, but¡­¡±


    As he spoke, Rocky smiled and shook his head, then looked towards Lin Feng, ¡°But the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild has invested so much in Backhill Village. How could they possibly be sent away with just a few words? Therefore, on this matter, it¡¯s enough for Lord Jack to do his best; no need to force anything else. The most important thing is for both of you to return safely, understand?¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 343 - 318: What is there to talk about!

    Chapter 343: Chapter 318: What is there to talk about!


    Old Jack¡¯s idea was good, and Rocky understood that, but he also knew that such an idea was simply impossible to realize.


    Since the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had taken possession of such an important resource as the mines, it was clear that they would never give it up.


    However, since Old Jack wanted to give it a try, Rocky didn¡¯t explain too much and let him go. However, he instructed Lin Feng to ensure Old Jack¡¯s safe return, as Thunderhawk City still needed this experienced administrative officer.


    So, the next day, Old Jack and Lin Feng set off together aboard the Thunderhawk.


    After they had left, Rocky immediately ordered the Guard Corps and the Fleet to be ready for action. In his view, once Old Jack returned, the battle would begin!


    Just as Old Jack had thought previously, Rocky was determined to take back Backhill Village at any cost. Regardless of the intentions and attitudes of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, he would retake Backhill Village, even if it meant launching a major war.


    ...


    So when Old Jack left, Rocky immediately sprung into action.


    Actually, Old Jack returned much faster than everyone had anticipated because the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had not even allowed him to enter Backhill Village¡­


    Just like the encounter with the reconnaissance ship before, when the Thunderhawk appeared near Backhill Village, the opposition sent out an Escort Ship to stop them, intercepting the Thunderhawk in mid-air.


    Afterwards, Old Jack did meet with the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡¯s manager, as the other party was on the ship. The two talked for a while after their meeting. No one knew what exactly was discussed, but the result was just as Rocky had anticipated¡ªthe Proud Dragon Commerce Guild paid no heed to Old Jack¡¯s suggestions.


    This outcome had Old Jack returning to Thunderhawk City with his head hung low. Upon seeing Rocky, his old face turned red with embarrassment. After arriving back at the skyport, he saw the fully prepared Guard Corps and Fleet, immediately understanding that Rocky had known what the outcome would be all along.


    And next, there was no need for further pointless talk. Rocky subsequently had the entire Guard Corps board the warships, and then the huge Fleet, led by the War Steed, took off one after another, majestically flying away from Thunderhawk City toward Backhill Village!


    As the Fleet slowly descended into low altitude, Rocky, standing at the prow of the ship, once again saw the desolate terrain. He had some memory of the landscape near Backhill Village. He was unsure if it was due to the influence of Demons or if the place was naturally so barren. In any case, the area around Backhill Village was desolate, with hard ground like a turtle¡¯s shell, almost devoid of any vegetation.


    Perhaps it was because he had been in the sky too long, but even with the desolation below, Rocky standing at the prow, looking toward the land, felt a deep sense of fondness from the bottom of his heart.


    Not long after, they approached the base of Skybreaker Peak, and Backhill Village subsequently came into view.


    Just as Rocky and his companions caught sight of the outline of Backhill Village, several warships appeared around the village!


    Ten reconnaissance ships. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Three escort ships.


    As Rocky led the Fleet closer, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡¯s Fleet stationed at Backhill Village also took to the sky!


    Just as Rocky had surmised before, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild indeed treated Backhill Village as their home, fortifying it and stationing a considerable military presence there.


    The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡¯s headquarters were situated within a medium-sized Sky City, not particularly large, roughly on par with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. Hence, the mines of Backhill Village were of utmost importance to them. The guild planned not just to mine the site, but even intended to shift the entire focus of their operations to this mine.


    In light of this, they rebuilt the village¡¯s walls, making them wider, thicker, and stronger, and dispatched a formidable military presence to guard the area against demon attacks. As unexpected to Rocky as someone else occupying Backhill Village before him, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild also never anticipated that others knew of Backhill Village¡¯s secret and would come to contest it.


    Therefore, as soon as Rocky sent the first Reconnaissance Ship for surveillance, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild grew anxious, immediately reporting the situation to the guild and preparing for battle well in advance.


    ¡°Thunderhawk City¡­¡±


    Standing on the deck of an Escort Ship, Nelson, the manager of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild and the person in charge of Backhill Village, had an expression as bitter as a gourd, for even from a great distance, he could clearly see the colossal Fleet led by Rocky, which inexorably made his heart sink.


    Being in Backhill Village, with news hard to come by, Nelson hadn¡¯t heard of the big news Rocky had recently made, but even without any knowledge of Rocky, just seeing the massive fleet before him was enough.


    A fleet led by battleships and wholly composed of large warships appearing suddenly was alarming enough. Even if Nelson hadn¡¯t met Old Jack and learned that Thunderhawk City was targeting Backhill Village, he would have understood what the presence of such a vast fleet implied.


    Mineral resources have always been hotly contested by military powers. Except for The Forsaken People, whoever has the stronger fist claims ownership; there¡¯s no logic in who arrived first.


    So Nelson clearly understood Rocky¡¯s intentions.


    What he couldn¡¯t comprehend was that, having previously extracted information from Old Jack, he knew that Backhill Village had been absorbed into a small Sky City, Thunderhawk City, but how could such a small Sky City possess such a vast and formidable fleet?


    Surely a fleet led by a battleship was something that only a medium-sized Sky City should be able to maintain?


    The reality he saw with his eyes and what he had anticipated in his mind were so far apart that Nelson on the deck was filled with conflict.


    Even so, he still wanted to try and see if he could intimidate the opposition into retreat with the reputation of Proud Dragon City.


    As mentioned before, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡¯s headquarters was located in a medium-sized Sky City, which was Proud Dragon City, and Nelson thought that since the other party was from a small Sky City, even if they didn¡¯t give face to the guild, they should at least respect a medium-sized Sky City, right?


    It was with such a notion that he led all of Backhill Village¡¯s fleet to ascend, just as Old Jack had earlier, for Nelson also wanted to have a talk with Rocky.


    Thus, the fleets of both sides soon met mid-air, and simultaneously, Nelson had already prepared what he would say to the City Lord once they met; however, just as he was waiting for the two sides to approach, the sound of cannon fire, like distant thunder, suddenly erupted!


    The moment Nelson¡¯s fleet came within range, Rocky chose to open fire without hesitation!


    Have a talk?


    What talk? From the beginning, Rocky never planned to resolve this matter through ¡®negotiation.¡¯ If it hadn¡¯t been for taking into account Old Jack¡¯s good intentions, which made it improper to outright refuse, he would have brought his forces to Backhill Village long ago, not waiting until now!


    So as soon as the enemy entered range, he gave the order to fire immediately!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 344 - 319: Figure It Out Yourself

    Chapter 344: Chapter 319: Figure It Out Yourself


    Facing the warships of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Rocky didn¡¯t hesitate and ordered to fire as soon as the enemy came within range!


    This action terrified Nelson!


    Though the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had stationed troops in Backhill Village, how many troops can a commerce guild have? Therefore, Backhill Village only had a dozen reconnaissance ships and three escort ships, which might suffice against Demons but were clearly not enough for a large-scale aerial battle.


    In this situation, Nelson immediately ordered the warship to turn around, then led the fleet back to Backhill Village as if he were mad.


    Luckily, they had just come into range when Rocky ordered to fire, and the distance was still great; the hit rate of the Magic Cannons wasn¡¯t very high. So, when Nelson ordered the retreat, although the fleet looked ragged, they ultimately made it back to Backhill Village without harm. If they had been any closer, Nelson¡¯s small fleet wouldn¡¯t have sufficed for even a single volley from Rocky¡¯s side.


    As for the fleeing Nelson, Rocky didn¡¯t order a pursuit. The enemy had only two choices, either to flee back to Backhill Village or to escape directly; if they fled back to Backhill Village, they would be trapped like turtles in a jar, and escaping directly would actually save trouble. Rocky didn¡¯t care about the outcome either way.


    ...


    Thus, after this, Rocky calmly ordered the fleet to slowly advance, slowly flying towards Backhill Village.


    About an hour later, the outline of Backhill Village gradually became clear, and Rocky¡¯s fleet finally reached the village.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Standing at the bow of the War Steed, Rocky looked carefully through a telescope for a while, then said to Liliya beside him, ¡°The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild has done a nice job with the village; it now seems even stronger than it was before.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Curiously taking the telescope, Liliya also looked towards Backhill Village and found, just as Rocky had said, that the village had not only remained undestroyed but had actually improved under the auspices of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild!


    The most distinctive feature of Backhill Village was the tall wall at the village entrance. Since the village was located in a fissure at Skybreaker Peak, Old Jack and others had originally built a huge wall at the entrance. The wall was connected to Skybreaker Peak on both sides, relying on the terrain to form a semi-natural shield that protected the entire village within it.


    However, during a previous attack by the Demons, the wall was severely damaged and was no longer usable. But now that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had occupied the village, they had rebuilt the wall not only stronger but also wider and thicker, and had also installed several Magic Cannons on it. It looked not only defensively robust but also significantly strong in offense.


    Although the tall wall obstructed the view, Liliya couldn¡¯t see inside the village, but just from this wall alone, the current Backhill Village was certainly better than before, at least stronger in terms of defensive power.


    ¡°Monte, Lin Feng, come take a look.¡±


    After Liliya put down the telescope, Rocky casually called Monte and Lin Feng over, asking them to take a look through the telescope as well.


    ¡°Sir, leave it to us!¡±


    Holding the telescope and observing for a while, after putting it down, Monte slapped his chest and said, ¡°Sir, this wall won¡¯t stop the Guard Corps. Just let the fleet blast an opening in the wall, and we can lead the Guard Corps¡­¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, such a good wall, what a waste it would be to destroy it!¡±


    Not waiting for Monte to finish, Rocky glared at him.


    The wall built by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild was indeed solid, but with the firepower of Rocky¡¯s fleet under his command, destroying such a wall would be too easy. After all, no matter how thick, a wall is just stones stacked together, not requiring a barrage of all cannons; a shot from the Sky-piercing Cannon would obliterate it.


    But what a waste that would be!


    Rocky¡¯s purpose in coming here was not to destroy Backhill Village, but to occupy it. That is, he planned to take control of the village after driving out the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild.


    Rocky had been worried about how to defend the village after its capture, and he even prepared to spend months building fortifications. But now, although the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild got there first and occupied Backhill Village, they also did him a favor by constructing the defense works.


    In this case, why would Rocky let the fleet bombard it?


    So, after glaring at Monte, he issued a direct command, ¡°Do not destroy the city walls. Two Tank Type 1 Armors, along with Dusa and Sandro, are at your disposal. As for how to break in and occupy the village, the Guard Corps will figure out their own way.¡±


    After issuing such an order, Rocky had the War Steed slowly descend about three to four hundred meters away from Backhill Village and deployed the Guard Corps to the ground. Then, he ordered the War Steed to fly back into the sky.


    Clearly, although Rocky held command over a massive fleet and possessed an absolute advantage in the air, he did not plan to use it. Otherwise, once the fleet began to bombard, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡¯s painstakingly built Backhill Village, along with its numerous defensive fortifications, would be destroyed, which was definitely not the outcome he wished to see.


    Thus, he planned to deploy the Guard Corps to capture Backhill Village with minimal destruction.


    However, this time he did not personally command the Guard Corps. He felt it was time to let Monte and Lin Feng gain some experience because there would be frequent battles with the Demons in the future. He could not possibly command every battle personally, so he let Monte and Lin Feng figure out how to occupy Backhill Village on their own. He would not intervene.


    In this situation, Monte and Lingfeng quickly gathered the Guard Corps, and soon began advancing towards Backhill Village.


    Although the number of over three hundred guards might not seem large, each one either wore brand-new Mana Armor Suits or wielded brand-new weapons, making them look quite imposing and formidable.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    When they were a little over a hundred meters away from the city walls of Backhill Village, Monte shouted loudly, halting the guards in their tracks.


    ¡°Stand by! All squad leaders, assemble here!¡± S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While ordering the soldiers to wait on the spot, Monte called all the squad leaders of the Guard Corps to his side, including Lin Feng, Dusa, Sandro, Caryus, and Raphael.


    ¡°Tell me, how should we approach this battle? Any ideas?¡±


    After gathering everyone, Monte directly asked.


    Just when Monte had the Guard Corps stop and began discussing how to attack Backhill Village, Nelson, who had already returned to the village ahead of them, climbed the city walls and was now watching the Guard Corps from afar.


    ¡°Chief, what should we do now?¡±


    Seeing Nelson on the city walls, an officer asked with a pale face.


    No wonder the officer was pale. Outside of Backhill Village, there was not only a not-so-large but superbly equipped Guard Corps but also a more frighteningly large and high-quality fleet in the sky. Such an imposing enemy made not just this officer but all the soldiers responsible for defending Backhill Village feel terrified!


    Unlike these terrified soldiers, Nelson, although looking a bit grim, remained relatively calm. After observing the movements of the Guard Corps for a while, he spoke:


    ¡°It seems that they don¡¯t want to destroy the city walls, which is why the fleet hasn¡¯t attacked. This is our opportunity!¡±


    ¡°Opportunity?¡±


    Upon hearing this, the officer beside him was stunned.


    ¡°Yes, opportunity!¡±


    Glancing at the officer, Nelson, slightly excited, said, ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber will soon send troops to reinforce us. All we need to do is hold out until the reinforcements from the Chamber arrive.¡±


    ¡°But can we hold them off? With so many warships¡­¡±


    ¡°What is there to fear?!¡± Glaring at the officer, Nelson said, ¡°Since they don¡¯t wish to destroy the city walls and the village, the fleet is just for show. Our defenses are so solid, the enemy definitely won¡¯t be able to break through. If the enemy dares to charge, just blast them with the Magic Cannon!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 345 - 320 Tanks Roll Out!

    Chapter 345: Chapter 320 Tanks Roll Out!


    ¡°Quick! Aim at everything outside the city walls!¡±


    Seeing that Rocky¡¯s fleet only lingered in the sky but did not launch an attack on the city walls, Nelson guessed his intent and understood that Rocky did not wish to destroy the walls of Backhill Village. Although this infuriated Nelson, as it seemed as though Backhill Village was already in Rocky¡¯s pocket, it also presented him with a rare opportunity!


    In Nelson¡¯s view, as long as Rocky had reservations, his fleet was effectively decoration. If Rocky wanted to capture Backhill Village intact, he would have to rely on the ground forces, which played right into Nelson¡¯s hands!


    After all, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had fortified the walls of Backhill Village so robustly not just for show but to withstand Demons. It had been almost half a year since the Guild occupied Backhill Village, and during that time, they had relied on the thick walls to repel Demons time and again, solidly proving the defensive power of the walls.


    In this situation, Nelson did not believe the troops several hundred meters away had the capacity to breach the walls. As long as the walls stayed intact, their chance would come, for Nelson had already made contact with the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce was to send reinforcements as soon as possible, and Nelson believed that their arrival would turn the tide.


    Hence, as Monte and others were discussing their attack strategy, the soldiers of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild stationed at Backhill Village were summoned to the city walls. They neatly organized into three rows on the walls, each soldier armed with a bow and arrows.


    ...


    Apart from the Archers, all of the Magic Energy Cannons on the city walls were also activated. Nelson¡¯s plan was simple: if the enemy troops dared to come close to the walls, the Magic Cannons and Archers would launch an attack together, annihilating the enemy on the spot!


    ¡°It seems they are planning to hold out to the last,¡±


    Liliya said, putting down her binoculars on the deck of War Steed.


    ¡°He¡¯s planning on waiting for reinforcements, stubbornly so.¡±


    Every one of Nelson¡¯s maneuvers was observed by Rocky from the sky, who simply scoffed coldly at such actions, hardly considering them significant.


    Monte and his group, stationed a hundred meters away from Backhill Village, also noticed Nelson¡¯s movements.


    ¡°A direct assault seems impossible. They have a substantial defensive force, and most importantly, there are Magic Cannons on the walls; our troop wouldn¡¯t be able to break through,¡±


    Monte muttered after observing the wall¡¯s setup through a telescope.


    ¡°Captain, don¡¯t forget they also have warships,¡±


    ¡°The warships needn¡¯t worry us,¡± said Lin Feng, glancing at Robin who reminded Monte, and before Monte could explain, he added, ¡°Our Fleet is in the air, they definitely wouldn¡¯t dare to let their warships take off. If they dare to bring their warships into the air, our lord will surely sink them, so we need not fear the threat of their warships.¡±


    ¡°The real issue is how to breach the city walls.¡±


    While speaking, Lin Feng glanced at Monte and saw that his brow was furrowed.


    Rocky had said earlier that to preserve the sturdy walls of Backhill Village, he would not bombard them with the fleet, so how to infiltrate the village was left to the Guard Corps to figure out.


    But now the Guard Corps faced a dilemma, as Monte said. With the threat of Archers and Magic Cannons, a direct assault was impossible. The enemy¡¯s firepower was too fierce, and even if the Guard Corps were equipped with new gears and weapons, they could not withstand the bombardment and volley of Arrow Feathers and Magic Cannons. And if they couldn¡¯t even approach the walls, how could they break through?


    ¡°Let Dusa and me do it,¡±


    At that moment, Sandro spoke up, glancing at Dusa, then said to Monte, ¡°Captain, Dusa and I can fly over and destroy the Magic Cannons on the walls. Then the troops can storm the walls.¡±


    As a Void Magic Warrior, Sandro naturally wanted to use the advantages of Void Magic Warriors to aid the Guard Corps, and his idea was not without merit. As top-tier elite forces, Void Magic Warriors indeed had the capability to destroy the city¡¯s Magic Cannons. Once the Magic Cannons were out of commission, the threat to the Guard Corps would be greatly reduced.


    Consequently, after he finished speaking, Dusa nodded vehemently at his side, seemingly very much in agreement with the plan.


    However, Monte simply waved his hand dismissively and then turned his gaze to Caryus and Raphael.


    Although Monte had called Caryus and Raphael when summoning everyone for the meeting, the two of them remained silent throughout the discussion. This wasn¡¯t surprising, after all, they were newly minted Void Magic Warriors, having been just ordinary Guards before. With neither the experience nor the abilities to match those of Monte and the others, neither of the men, both over thirty years old, attempted to show off at this time.


    Looking at the two men, Monte asked, ¡°Caryus, Raphael, what is the maximum range of the shoulder-fired Mana Cannons on the Tank Type 1 Armor?¡±


    ¡°Captain, the maximum range is 230 meters.¡±


    Facing Monte¡¯s question, the two men first looked startled but then simultaneously gave the answer.


    Void Magic Warriors not only need to operate Armor, but they must also know their Armor inside out. Otherwise, how could they use Armor to fight?


    So, even though Caryus and Raphael had become Void Magic Warriors just half a month ago, during that time they not only learned how to operate the Tank Type 1 Armor but also had committed all its parameters to memory. Hence, when faced with Monte¡¯s question, they had no issues providing the answer.


    ¡°What about the range for mid-range burst beams?¡±


    ¡°110 meters.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    Having received the answers, Monte nodded and then said, ¡°The two of you will now use the Armor to start bombarding the village wall. Try not to hit the wall itself; aim for the Magic Cannons on the wall, and flatten all the Magic Cannons on the wall for me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    After Monte issued the command, Caryus and Raphael first stood dumbfounded, unable to believe their ears. After snapping back to reality, they promptly saluted him military-style and then turned to run toward the two Tank Type 1 Armors parked behind the troop.


    After a moment, both men had climbed into the cockpits, and the two Tank Type 1 Armors began to move, soon passing through the path that had been cleared by the main force and heading towards the walls of Backhill Village!


    ¡°Chief! Something is coming over here!¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the two Tank Type 1 Armors slowly approached the walls of Backhill Village, everyone who had been ready and waiting on the wall saw them approaching, including Nelson and the officer beside him.


    ¡°What¡­ what are those things?¡±


    Looking at the approaching Tank Type 1 Armors, everyone on the wall, including Nelson, exchanged glances of confusion. None of them had ever seen Tank Type 1 Armors before and had no idea what they were.


    ¡°Never mind that, as soon as those things get close, bombard them with the Magic Cannon!¡±


    After staring for a long time without understanding what the Tank Type 1 Armors were, Nelson decided not to delve further and simply ordered the officer beside him.


    No sooner had he finished speaking, the officer beside him pointed outside the wall, ¡°Sir, they¡¯ve stopped!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve stopped?¡±


    Turning quickly to look, Nelson indeed saw, as the officer had said, that the two Tank Type 1 Armors had come to a halt.


    ¡°Fire the cannons already! Why aren¡¯t you firing?¡±


    Seeing the enemy stop outside the wall but the Magic Cannons on the wall showing no sign of firing, Nelson was very dissatisfied.


    However, faced with his questioning, the officer beside him could only shake his head in frustration, ¡°Sir, our Magic Cannons are short-range. They can¡¯t reach that far¡­¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 346 - 321: Destroy Them!

    Chapter 346: Chapter 321: Destroy Them!


    ¡°Damn¡­ As soon as they get close, fire at will!¡±


    After hearing the officer¡¯s explanation, Nelson clenched his teeth and glared outside the city wall, and spat out a sentence fiercely.


    Just as the officer had said, the magic cannons mounted on the walls of Backhill Village indeed had ranges of only a hundred meters or so, being short-ranged cannons. These were originally meant for fighting demons, to bombard them all at once when they amassed beneath the city walls, so they were useless against distant targets.


    Nevertheless, Nelson wasn¡¯t too worried, because their magic cannons couldn¡¯t reach the Tank Type 1, and similarly, the Tank Type 1 couldn¡¯t reach them either. Thus, he simply ordered the gunners to shoot immediately when the enemy approached any closer.


    But just as he had finished giving this order, the two Tank Type 1s stopped a hundred meters away from the city wall suddenly moved¡ªboth the armors lifted the long barrel guns on their shoulders!


    ¡°What are they doing¡­¡±


    ...


    As Nelson watched the armors raise the gun barrels on their shoulders, he was taken aback. Before he could react, two loud booms of artillery fire reached them!


    And it was in the instant after the cannon sounds that two of the wall merlons were blown away one after another!


    ¡°Enemy attack!¡±


    ¡°Quick, save them! People have been injured by the blast!¡±


    With the merlons blasted away, the city wall immediately descended into chaos. At that time, the wall wasn¡¯t vacant¡ªon the contrary, to effectively stop the enemy from getting close, Nelson had already stationed rows of archers, with not just a single line but three rows amounting to over a hundred people!


    Under such circumstances, when the Tank Type 1 fired their cannons and blew away the merlons, they also inflicted injuries on the archers on the wall.


    In the explosion, over a dozen archers were injured, several of whom were immediately struck dead by the flying debris that hit them¡ªsome on the head, others in the chest.


    ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    While chaos reigned on the city walls, Caryus and Raphael inside the Tank Type 1 Armor were also talking.


    ¡°Raphael, did you hit the target?¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°No¡­ The angle of aim was too high, the shells flew off.¡±


    ¡°Same here, only hit the merlons, not the cannon emplacements. When you aim next time, lower the angle a bit. The City Lord is watching from above; we can¡¯t keep firing blanks.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Agreeing with a nod, Raphael then readjusted the angle of his shoulder-mounted Magic Energy Cannon and began to aim. After a good while, he finally pulled the trigger.


    With the pulling of the trigger, a thunderous roar followed, and the huge recoil of the magic cannon caused a significant shake in Raphael¡¯s cockpit. Then he immediately looked towards the distant city wall and saw that this time, he had finally hit the target!


    Just like before, his shot struck the top of the city wall, blasting the large stone blocks from the parapet into the air, affecting quite a few people as well.


    Unfortunately, he still did not hit the turret, but he was very close¡ªthe explosion had sent wall debris flying to within just one meter of the turret.


    Raphael was still not satisfied with this because Rocky had said to try not to damage the city walls as much as possible, yet his cannon fire, far from destroying the turret, had flattened the battlements instead. If Rocky were to blame him for this, he couldn¡¯t bear it, so he quickly got in touch with Caryus.


    ¡°Caryus, try the Magic Energy Beam,¡± Raphael said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡±


    After agreeing, Caryus activated the Magic Energy Beam Emitter and took aim before pulling the trigger.


    Unlike the Magic Energy Cannon, when the Magic Energy Beam was fired, it did not produce a loud noise, but only a whooshing sound as a half-meter-long beam shot out instantly and, indeed, hit one of the magic cannons on the wall!


    Although the Magic Energy Beam was not as powerful as the Magic Energy Cannon, destroying an unprotected Magic Cannon was still a straightforward task, so when the beam hit the Magic Energy Cannon, it directly blasted the cannon off the turret. The barrel was sent flying over a meter high before falling outside the city wall.


    ¡°Use the Magic Energy Beam design, Raphael. It¡¯s more accurate and causes less damage to the wall,¡± said Caryus.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Realizing that the Magic Energy Beam was significantly more precise than the Magic Energy Cannon, the two immediately abandoned the cannon and started a continuous assault with the beam.


    ¡°Quick! Pull everyone back!¡±


    Just as the two had found their target and began bombarding the city walls with the less powerful, but more accurate, Magic Energy Beams, Nelson on the wall was ordering the archers to quickly withdraw.


    He had not anticipated that the enemy would have such weaponry, capable of bombing the wall from a hundred meters away¡ªa veritable mobile artillery. Under these circumstances, he had no choice but to pull out all the archers from the wall to avoid unnecessary casualties.


    At the same time, Nelson also noted that the two Tank Type 1 Armors were clearly aiming for the turrets on the wall, so he immediately gathered two Void Magic Warriors left in the village by the Chamber of Commerce.


    ¡°Quick! Go and destroy those things!¡± Nelson shouted to the two Void Magic Warriors, pointing at the Tank Type 1 outside the wall. Understanding the urgency, the two warriors exchanged a glance and then immediately flew up and out over the wall.


    Although the Tank Type 1 was more than a hundred meters away from the wall, this distance was trivial for Void Magic Warriors, who could cross it in the blink of an eye. So, in just a moment, the two warriors flew above the two Tank Type 1s.


    ¡°Destroy these things!¡±


    Like Nelson, the two Void Magic Warriors did not know exactly what the Tank Type 1 was, but without pondering on this issue, they launched an attack as soon as they were in range.


    Faced with the attack from the Void Magic Warriors, Caryus and Raphael naturally did not dare delay and immediately deployed the Defensive Net. They then controlled their armors to retreat while firing a barrage of Magic Energy Bullets into the air.


    Rocky had specifically stressed to them during their training that Tank Type 1 was designed for land combat. It had no flying capabilities, let alone anti-air measures, and could at best use Magic Energy Bullets to disrupt aerial enemies. Thus, if they encountered Void Magic Warriors, they had to deploy the Defensive Net and retreat from the battlefield immediately, without engaging in a fight.


    Caryus and Raphael certainly took this advice to heart, so as soon as they saw that the enemy had dispatched the Void Magic Warriors, they didn¡¯t hesitate to retreat toward the Guard Corps, knowing that their own side also had Void Magic Warriors¡ªand four of them!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 347 - 322 Attack the City!

    Chapter 347: Chapter 322 Attack the City!


    ¡°`


    The power of the Tank Type 1 Armor had clearly exceeded Nelson¡¯s expectations, its ability to threaten the city walls from a hundred meters away caused considerable damage.


    Although a few rounds of shelling had not caused much damage to the walls themselves, merely blowing off a few battlements, the number of soldiers injured by the explosion was not small. More importantly, with the continued shelling, three Magic Cannons had already been destroyed!


    On the newly repaired walls of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, a total of twenty close-range Magic Cannons had been installed, each with a power around 800 points, serving as a critical weapon to fend off demon attacks, and simultaneously the strongest barrier to obstruct the Guard Corps¡¯ advance.


    Under such circumstances, Nelson naturally couldn¡¯t let the Tank Type 1 Armor continue its bombardment. Although he wasn¡¯t a formal general, he at least knew he shouldn¡¯t just stand there taking hits, so he quickly dispatched Backhill Village¡¯s only two Void Magic Warriors, planning to use their formidable strength to destroy the two Tank Type 1 Armors.


    His response was obviously the right one, given the situation at the time, only the Void Magic Warriors had the capability to destroy the Tank Type 1 Armor, otherwise, he would have had to open the gates and send his troops to a sure defeat.


    ...


    And when the two Void Magic Warriors rapidly closed in on the Tank Type 1 Armor and commenced their attack, Caryus and Raphael indeed quickly withdrew, clearly frightened.


    Nelson breathed a sigh of relief at this sight, but then things took a one hundred and eighty degree turn!


    Just as the two Void Magic Warriors were preparing to pursue the retreating Tank Type 1 Armors, four more Void Magic Warriors flew out from the direction of the Guard Corps and charged straight at them!


    This led to the beginning of the battle between the Void Magic Warriors.


    The two Void Magic Warriors of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild were both wearing Fifth Generation Mass Production Type Armors. Unlike the soldiers stationed in Backhill Village, who were conscripted by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild itself, these two were not from the Guild. They were akin to mercenaries, employed by the Guild from the Mercenary Guild.


    Despite not being formal military, the two Void Magic Warriors were strong and experienced mercenaries. When they saw Monte, Lin Feng, Dusa, and Sandro rushing towards them, they chose not to engage and instead maneuvered dexterously in the air, trying to continue attacking the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    Their plan was clear: destroy the Tank Type 1 Armor first, and then immediately retreat.


    But how easy would it be to achieve this?


    On one hand, there was Monte and his companions¡¯ pursuit and interference in the air, and on the other, the defensive power of the Tank Type 1 Armor greatly surpassed their expectations. No matter how they attacked with their long-range weapons, they were easily deflected by the Defensive Net deployed by the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    In this situation, the two Void Magic Warriors did not linger long, and quickly shamefully fled back to Backhill Village.


    Once the Void Magic Warriors had gone, all threats from the Tank Type 1 Armor were thoroughly eradicated.


    Nelson had only two ways to threaten the Tank Type 1 Armor. The first was with his Fleet¡ªif the fleet took to the air, then with the bombings from the Escort Ships, the Tank Type 1 Armor would inevitably be destroyed; but if he dared let his own fleet take to the air, then Rocky, who was lurking in the skies just outside the city walls, would sink all the airborne warships in an instant. The second way was to deploy Void Magic Warriors, but as seen, with Monte and his companions¡¯ protection, along with the Tank Type 1 Armor¡¯s own defensive power, it was impossible to destroy the Tank Type 1 Armor with just two Void Magic Warriors.


    As such, once the two Void Magic Warriors withdrew, Caryus and Raphael once again steered the Tank Type 1 Armor towards the walls, and then, just like before, continued with the distant shelling.


    ¡°`


    ¡°Not bad, it seems they¡¯ve found a way.¡±


    At the bow of the War Steed, Rocky and Liliya were watching the battle below. Since the fleet led by the War Steed was not too high above the ground, only a few dozen meters, they could clearly see everything happening below.


    When Rocky saw Monte and Lin Feng send out the Tank Type 1 for long-range strikes, he knew the two had found the trick, and when he saw the enemy deploy Void Magic Warriors and then retreat after being repelled, he knew he had already won this battle.


    As long as they had the Tank Type 1, the magic cannons on the walls were not a problem, and would eventually be blown to pieces one by one. Once there were no more magic cannons to rely on, the tall walls would be just walls. Even if they were filled with archers, they wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the advance of the Guard Corps equipped with magic energy equipment. And let¡¯s not forget that after nearing the walls, the magic energy bullets from the Tank Type 1 could also sweep across them. By then, with the support of his own archers and mages from a distance, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild simply wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the walls.


    Rocky had said before that it seemed somewhat difficult to recapture Backhill Village without destroying the walls, but in reality, it was not difficult at all. The reason lay in the two Tank Type 1 Armors he had. With these two armors, no matter what the enemy did, they were sure to win!


    The actual development of the battle also turned out to be very much as Rocky had imagined. Though there were only two Tank Type 1s, which made the firepower somewhat sparse, after more than half an hour of bombardment, the magic cannons on the walls were ultimately all destroyed.


    It was precisely when the magic cannons had been completely destroyed that Monte led the awaiting Guard Corps to advance on Backhill Village!


    Over two hundred soldiers in brand-new magic energy equipment formed a formation of fifty men per row, four rows in total, and began heading towards the walls, with the archer and mage troops behind this formation.


    ¡°Hurry! Get everyone ready!¡±


    ¡°No one is allowed to retreat! The Chamber of Commerce feeds you for battle! Whoever dares to desert will be killed by me!¡±


    Atop the walls, Nelson shouted loudly, urging them on, and once again had to order the archers to the top of the walls.


    With the artillery all destroyed and the warship unable to take off, the archers were the only force in Nelson¡¯s hands capable of stopping the Guard Corps. Even knowing that sending the archer troops to the walls was dangerous, Nelson had no choice but to do so.


    Under his command and urging, the archers, who had just recently retreated from the walls, once again climbed up, and though each looked somewhat grim and even fearful, they still took their places as ordered by Nelson. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, just as the archer troops had just reached the walls and hadn¡¯t even had the time to get into formation, Caryus and Raphael, driving the Tank Type 1s, opened fire again!


    But this time, their target wasn¡¯t the archers on the wall tops but the gate of the city walls!


    The two Tank Type 1 Armors fired in unison, and after several shots, the sturdy and thick gate of the walls was blown open, creating a path for the Guard Corps to the village.


    At the same time, the square formation of the Guard Corps had already pressed forward!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    Load failed, please RETRY

 Chapter 348 - 323: Not Willing to Give Up!

    Chapter 348: Chapter 323: Not Willing to Give Up!


    ¡°Fire the arrows, quickly fire the arrows!¡±


    Seeing the Guard Corps¡¯ formation drawing closer, Nelson and the officers beside him began to shout. Immediately, hundreds of Archers let loose their Arrow Feathers in unison!


    In an instant, hundreds of Arrow Feathers fell like rain towards the Guard Corps below, creating an impressive scene.


    ¡°Raise the shields!¡±


    Facing the dense rain of Arrow Feathers, the shield formation led by Monte didn¡¯t halt their advance. At his command, all Guards raised their huge shields resembling doors, and with shields lifted, they braved the arrow storm, their steps not faltering as they continued toward the blasted open gate!


    While the Guard Corps advanced amidst the arrow storm, the ranged units following them came to a stop, as the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡¯s Archers began their assault, and the Thunderhawk City¡¯s Archers also readied themselves to unleash their power.


    ...


    ¡°Everyone, draw your bows!¡±


    Standing at the front of the Archers, Chu Dong, the captain of Thunderhawk City¡¯s Archer Troops, bellowed, and then all Archers raised their Gale Strongbows high, aiming at the city walls.


    ¡°Fire the arrows!¡±


    After the command, fifty Archers released the bowstrings that had been drawn tight, whooshing their Arrow Feathers through the air!


    Compared to the enemy, the number of Archers from Thunderhawk City was naturally fewer; when both sides exchanged volleys, their arrows were quickly overwhelmed by those shot by their opponents.


    But despite their smaller numbers, the arrows shot by Thunderhawk City¡¯s Archer Troops were more powerful. Most of their arrows hit the city walls, exploding on impact, which showed the sheer force behind them. The few arrows that hit the enemy managed to shoot in from the front and exit from the back with ease.


    As the Guard Corps gradually approached the wall, two Tank Type 1 Armors started moving forward, accompanying the Guards toward the wall. Once they reached a certain distance, they began firing Magic Energy Bullets at the top of the wall!


    Compared to the limited number of Archers, the close-range sweeping fire of the Tank Type 1 was far more effective. Countless Magic Energy Bullets scattered like a shower towards the city walls, quickly suppressing the Archers so they couldn¡¯t even lift their heads.


    ¡°You two, hurry, go stop them!¡±


    Seeing that the Archers on the city wall were not only failing to stop the enemy but were actually being suppressed by their firepower, Nelson immediately called over the two Void Magic Warriors from before, ordering them to mobilize at once.


    Clearly, only the Void Magic Warriors had the power to turn the tide now.


    But when faced with his request, the two Void Magic Warriors exchanged glances and then shook their heads!


    ¡°Commander Nelson, our agreement was to defend Backhill Village from the Demons. Your current request exceeds the scope of our agreement,¡± they said coldly after shaking their heads.


    They were not soldiers bred by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild; they were mercenaries. According to the contract signed between both parties, they had indeed only agreed to help Proud Dragon Commerce Guild ward off the Demonic invasion. Since it was clear that it was not the Demons attacking Backhill Village, they indeed had the right to refuse to battle.


    ¡°You, you!¡±


    Upon hearing what the two of them said, Nelson¡¯s face turned colors with rage, and although he pointed at the two with his hand for a long while, he ultimately failed to utter a single word.


    By this time, Nelson naturally knew that his cause was lost, that he absolutely couldn¡¯t resist Rocky¡¯s assault. In fact, he had understood this point long ago; Nelson was no fool. With the enemy¡¯s large army pressing down, the massive fleet hanging in midair, and the elite ground forces advancing, how could he possibly hold Backhill Village against such foes?


    The reason he still obstinately resisted was simply that he couldn¡¯t bear to give in!


    When the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild first discovered that Backhill Village had fallen to the Demons, the whole village had already been destroyed, reduced to nothing but a pile of rubble. Under these circumstances, the Guild had spent over half a year¡¯s time, used several million Gold Coins, and employed over a thousand people to rebuild the village from the ruins into what it was now. Considering such massive investment, how could Nelson readily hand it over to Rocky?


    Unfortunately, such is the law of survival in the world. There may be laws from above in the sky, but on the land, there are none. Everything regarding the land has always been a matter of who has the larger fist is the one with reason, and what more when the target of the contention is a precious mine?


    Therefore, face to face with Rocky, who was determined to win, Nelson¡¯s resistance, no matter how stout, was futile. Let alone he was just a superintendent, even if the Guild President of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild personally appeared, the outcome would be the same¡ªRocky wouldn¡¯t accord any face at all.


    Under such circumstances, the footsteps of the Guard Corps proved unstoppable, and soon after, they arrived at the base of the city walls, then crossed the blown-open city gates to storm into the village.


    Inside Backhill Village, there were still some soldiers stationed, about one to two hundred in number. At the beginning, there was some resistance, but with the arrival of two Tank Type 1 Armors and Rocky and Liliya themselves following soon after, faced with six Void Magic Warriors and two Tank Type 1 Armors, everyone gave up resistance.


    With that, Rocky successfully captured Backhill Village!


    ¡°Confiscate all the soldiers¡¯ weapons, and detain them all,¡± he commanded.


    After occupying Backhill Village, Rocky didn¡¯t idle but immediately began arranging for the subsequent tasks. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although he had won the prior battle, in actuality, not many had died on either side. On Rocky¡¯s side, not a single person had died, only a dozen soldiers had been hit by Arrow Feathers and sustained minor injuries, while the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild side had lost several dozen Archers and soldiers, but casualties were still very light.


    As a result, with Rocky¡¯s occupation of Backhill Village, a large number of prisoners of war emerged¡ªthese POWs could not be left unattended. So, the first thing Rocky did after occupying the village was to confiscate the weapons of the POWs and lock them up in the mines.


    ¡°What about Nelson, how should he be dealt with?¡± Liliya asked after Rocky had finished dealing with the prisoners.


    ¡°Give him a reconnaissance ship to go back, and then send out the rest of the reconnaissance ships to prevent any reinforcements from the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild from coming,¡± Rocky said after giving it a brief thought.


    ¡°Release the Void Magic Warriors too,¡± he added. ¡°These people are of no use staying here.¡±


    ¡°Release the Void Magic Warriors as well?¡±


    Liliya wasn¡¯t too concerned about how to deal with Nelson Liliya, since the fight was already over, and whether he was released or killed wouldn¡¯t change anything. However, she found it somewhat incomprehensible that Rocky intended to release the two Void Magic Warriors.


    ¡°They are mercenaries, and mercenaries have their own code. Let¡¯s not break it unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary. Release them,¡± Rocky explained, glancing at Liliya.


    He was surely aware that keeping the two Void Magic Warriors could benefit him, but as he said, they were mercenaries, and there was a distinct set of rules for dealing with mercenaries in this world. Rocky didn¡¯t want to break such rules unless it was unavoidable, for provoking the Mercenary Association could cause significant trouble for both him and Thunderhawk City.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 349 - 324: Bountiful Harvest

    Chapter 349: Chapter 324: Bountiful Harvest


    After releasing Nelson and two Void Magic Warriors, Rocky had completely occupied Backhill Village.


    Having recaptured the village, he didn¡¯t dare to relax even a bit, immediately ordering the Guard Corps to station within the village and he mounted the city walls, after all, this was land, and it was possible to encounter Demons¡¯ attacks at any time. It was also possible that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild might launch a counterattack, so he had to be prepared.


    Even so, after occupying the village, he still took Liliya and others for a walk around the village.


    It must be said, after the reconstruction by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Backhill Village had indeed become much better than before.


    Because the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild not only rebuilt the city walls and the mines, but they also constructed numerous residential houses for the miners to live in. They also built a barracks of considerable size for troops to garrison.


    What astonished Rocky even more, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had even carved out platforms on the cliffs on both sides of Backhill Village, for docking warships and cargo ships!


    ...


    ¡°No wonder, no wonder so many Escort Ships were able to come out from the village, they were stationed here¡­¡±


    Standing inside the village, Rocky looked towards the cliffs on both sides, noticing one platform after another for docking warships and cargo ships. These platforms were very large and were all carved out from the cliffs, obviously involving a great deal of effort.


    ¡°Not bad, really not bad, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild really helped us save a lot of trouble.¡±


    After withdrawing his gaze, Rocky glanced at the people around him, then laughed heartily.


    Indeed, as he said, the reconstruction of Backhill Village by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had indeed saved him a lot of effort. Whether it was rebuilding the city walls and mines or constructing houses and barracks, these were all tasks Rocky needed to handle. But now, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had already done it for him. Not only had they completed it, but they also did it better than he could have, how could Rocky not be happy?


    Of course, this was not what made Rocky the happiest. What truly excited him were the gains he achieved after occupying Backhill Village!


    Therefore, after inspecting the village and returning to the mansion that originally belonged to Nelson for residence and office, Rocky asked:


    ¡°Have the prisoners of war, warships, and materials all been accounted for?¡±


    ¡°They have all been accounted for.¡±


    Asked by him, Aileen, who had already arrived at the village with the warship, spoke up, ¡°The captured prisoners of war total five hundred and thirty-nine persons, of which two hundred sixty-three are soldiers of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild stationed in the village, another two hundred seventy are miners, and the few remaining are cooks.¡±


    After Backhill Village was occupied, though Rocky had released the general manager of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, he did not release any of the soldiers or miners stationed in the village from the guild. These were even more precious than the mine itself, Rocky was too eager to have them, how could he possibly return them to the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild?


    So, hearing Aileen¡¯s words, Rocky let out a sigh of relief, and his face couldn¡¯t help but show a smile.


    Over five hundred people!


    He had never imagined that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild would leave him such a big gift! If these five hundred people were absorbed into Thunderhawk City, then the population of Thunderhawk City could be increased substantially!


    However, as happy as Rocky was, he was also clearly aware that the big gift left by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild was actually a double-edged sword.


    The importance of these 500 people naturally goes without saying, and these 500 people are not ordinary either; they are either trained soldiers or skilled miners. If Thunderhawk City acquired such a group, its strength would immediately rise a notch.


    However, similarly, if this group were not handled properly, Thunderhawk City could also face significant troubles.


    This group differed from the previous two population increases of Thunderhawk City. In the former instances, Thunderhawk City had absorbed the entirety of Backhill Village and pilfered a thousand people from Matu City. Although those groups were larger, they arrived with their families, so for them, moving to Thunderhawk City was essentially just a change of living place, not a substantial transformation.


    The 500 left by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild were different; their relatives, friends, and families were not in Backhill Village, so making these people become obedient members of Thunderhawk City was definitely not an easy task¡ªthere was a high risk of chaos!


    In such a situation, Rocky smiled and then turned serious before saying to Liliya, ¡°You are personally responsible for this. First, send these people to Thunderhawk City in batches, keep them under guard, tally them up, and see where they all come from. Then, I will slowly figure out a solution. Make sure they don¡¯t cause any trouble.¡±


    Unsure of how to handle such a large number of prisoners, Rocky decided to first send them to Thunderhawk City to be detained, especially since he had already gathered his own miners from Thunderhawk City early on to develop the mines in Backhill Village, and the Guard Corps was stronger than the soldiers left by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild. They were not needed here.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Liliya nodded and agreed.


    After this, Rocky then turned to Aileen, as besides the people, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had left other things behind, and he continued to inquire, ¡°What about the materials?¡±


    ¡°The materials mainly consist of food, equipment, and warships, and of course, the ores that weren¡¯t shipped in time.¡±


    When asked about materials, Aileen simply took out a list and read from it, ¡°The weapons and armor left here by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild include 200 longswords, 150 sets of standard armor, 200 shields, 100 standard longbows, 8,000 arrows, and 5,000 pounds of food. The rest are minerals.¡±


    ¡°I had someone check earlier, and the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild transports minerals every quarter. They were just here last month, so there isn¡¯t a particularly large amount of minerals left in the village¡ªabout 1,500 pounds.¡±


    ¡°Lastly are the warships. We¡¯ve captured a total of eleven Reconnaissance Ships and three Escort Ships, all fourth-generation. That¡¯s about it.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    After hearing Aileen¡¯s report, Rocky nodded. Compared to the 500 people, there wasn¡¯t much in the way of materials, though the warships were quite valuable. As the saying goes, ¡®even a grasshopper is meat¡¯¡ªthe materials left by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, although not voluminous, were better than nothing, especially the three fourth-generation Escort Ships, which were quite valuable.


    ¡°Aileen, leave the matter of weapons and armor to Monte. Let him keep what the Guard Corps needs and send the rest back to Thunderhawk City. As for the minerals, transport them directly. Calculate the food supply; if it¡¯s sufficient, use it first. If not, continue transporting from the city.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After Aileen nodded, Rocky turned to Felly, ¡°Is there any update from the Reconnaissance Ships we dispatched?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Have them keep a close watch. Losing 500 people, along with so many warships and materials, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild might not let this go easily. So, disperse the Reconnaissance Ships we brought, and notify me immediately if the enemy is spotted.¡±


    ¡°Also, tomorrow we will be near Thunderhawk City. I plan to incorporate the captured three warships into the Second Fleet. Later, I will have the First Fleet and the Second Fleet take turns defending the village. Prepare everyone mentally for this. Understood?¡±


    COMMENT S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 350 - 325: Land Base (Part 1)

    Chapter 350: Chapter 325: Land Base (Part 1)


    Having successfully occupied Backhill Village, Rocky immediately started arranging various tasks to take complete control of the area as quickly as possible. He knew he did not have much time to prepare because, on one hand, the land was restless with Demons possibly attacking at any moment, and on the other hand, he was concerned about the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild and feared that they would not give up easily.


    Thus, at his instruction, everyone around him immediately got busy.


    Liliya began to handle the transfer of prisoners of war to Thunderhawk City in batches, so as not to let these captives stir up trouble in the village. Monte and Lin Feng, meanwhile, commanded the Guard Corps to repair the damaged walls from the battles and prepared themselves for potential conflicts with Demons.


    Meanwhile, following this development, Thunderhawk City also started flying toward Backhill Village and arrived above the village the next day.


    When Thunderhawk City arrived, Rocky boarded the captured Fleet and made a trip back to the city, and as he had said, he reorganized the Second Fleet of Thunderhawk City.


    After driving away the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Rocky had captured three fourth-generation Escort Ships and eleven Reconnaissance Ships. With these, and including two warships captured from Wild Horse City, Rocky now had a total of five large warships, consisting of four Escort Ships and one destroyer.


    ...


    Of these five warships, the single destroyer was added to the First Fleet. In the first battle against Wild Horse City, the First Fleet of Thunderhawk City had suffered minimal losses but had a Escort Ship sunk. Therefore, Rocky added the captured destroyer to the First Fleet, maintaining its fleet size at ten warships.


    As for the remaining four Escort Ships, he incorporated them into the Second Fleet. With this, the Second Fleet of Thunderhawk City now had six Escort Ships along with several dozen Reconnaissance Ships, which constituted a considerable force, at least sufficient to be effective in battles against Demons.


    At the same time, he met again with Glan, owing to matters concerning the mines of Backhill Village, in which the Sky Alliance also had a stake. After securing the mining operations, Rocky met with Glan to report the situation to the Alliance and request an inspection to confirm the status, and to discuss issues concerning the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild as well.


    If this had been before, Rocky would have had to face these issues alone, but now it was different. As a member of the Sky Alliance, the Alliance was his backing. Not only did the Sky Alliance have a share in the mines of Backhill Village, but they would also support him in such matters, so naturally, Rocky needed to inform Glan about it. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡±


    When Rocky finished detailing the situation, Glan frowned and then his face turned angry.


    ¡°The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild really has the audacity! How dare they target the Alliance?!¡± Glan glared at Rocky and huffed, ¡°City Lord Rocky, rest assured, I will report this to the Alliance immediately. If the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild dares to cause trouble at the mine, I will join you in confronting them, and we¡¯ll see what they dare to do!¡±


    ¡°With your words, I am relieved,¡±


    Nodding slightly to Glan, Rocky also showed a smile. Although he was not afraid to take on the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, using the might of the Sky Alliance to coerce without fighting was certainly the best strategy. Thus, Glan¡¯s stance truly eased his mind.


    And due to the lingering issues in Backhill Village, the day after next, once Glan had reported the matters of Backhill Village to the Alliance, Rocky took him to leave Thunderhawk City, and the two returned to the mine together.


    When Rocky returned to the mine, it was already the third day after the occupation. In these three days, all prisoners of war had been transported back to Thunderhawk City under Liliya¡¯s personal arrangement. The previously damaged city wall had also been repaired diligently and was now complete. Therefore, when Rocky arrived on a warship, Thunderhawk City¡¯s guards were already stationed atop the wall.


    ¡°Not bad, this place is really nice¡­¡±


    After disembarking from the warship with Rocky and touring Backhill Village, Glan couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°City Lord Rocky, no wonder the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild wanted to occupy this place. You have indeed found a great location!¡±


    After the two returned to the mansion within Backhill Village and sat down, Glan said with a smile to Rocky, ¡°This Backhill Village has a strategic advantage, with walls outside for defense and mines inside for mining. It¡¯s truly a great place. If you can build this into your own stronghold on land, then upgrading Thunderhawk City to a mid-sized Sky City is just a matter of time!¡±


    Watching Rocky, Glan seemed very excited as he spoke these words.


    ¡°Heh heh, I¡¯ll take your auspicious words then.¡±


    Facing Glan¡¯s statement, Rocky laughed heartily, not bothering with false modesty or courtesy because this was indeed what he had in mind!


    Backhill Village was definitely a great place, and its advantages were not limited to mining alone. What truly made it enviable was that not only were there mines to exploit, but the location itself was easy to defend and difficult to attack¡ªa place ripe for greater development!


    In today¡¯s world on land, there are many occupied resources, but places like Backhill Village, naturally safeguarded by terrain, are extremely rare.


    Currently on land, most resources are isolated; for instance, mines in certain mountainous areas can also produce minerals but are just solitary mines. Easy to occupy, they are hard to keep under the constant threat of demons. Numerous Sky Cities have invested astronomical amounts to hold onto such isolated ventures, and even then, sometimes they fail to hold them.


    But this issue doesn¡¯t exist in Backhill Village; because it was originally a village, and mining is just a part of the village, it has a unique advantage. Not to mention the tall walls at the village entrance, fortified by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡ªjust these walls alone could resist the assault of hundreds of demons.


    It is because of such unique advantages, merely exploiting Backhill Village as a standalone mine would be excessively wasteful. This place can not only produce minerals, but it also has the potential to be developed into a terrestrial base!


    After visiting Backhill Village, Glan clearly saw its potential, and that¡¯s why he made his earlier statement, believing that if Rocky could develop this place well, then using it as the foundation on land to upgrade Thunderhawk City into a mid-sized Sky City is inevitable.


    In fact, after occupying Backhill Village, Rocky had also realized this point. Not just him, undoubtedly, the ousted Proud Dragon Commerce Guild thought the same, or else they wouldn¡¯t have both constructed walls and buildings, and even carved platforms on the cliffs on either side of the village to dock skyships¡ªevidently, they too aimed to build it into their own land base!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 351 - 326: Land Base (Part 2)

    Chapter 351: Chapter 326: Land Base (Part 2)


    Rocky had heard of establishing a land base, but he never considered it feasible since he felt certain he lacked the conditions and capabilities required for such a significant undertaking.


    However, after occupying Backhill Village, he felt that he could consider this matter now!


    The resources in the sky were extremely scarce¡ªit could be said there was nothing but sunlight. However, land was different. It had minerals, forests, crops, and even countless Demons¡ªall of which were resources. In order to obtain these resources to develop and expand Sky City, the idea of a land base was thus conceived.


    The purpose of this idea was to establish a base on land that belonged to him, turning it into a dual-core setup alongside Sky City, and then continually supply resources to Sky City, allowing it to grow and develop incessantly.


    And for the current world, this was no longer merely an idea. Many cities in the sky had turned this idea into reality, possessing their own land bases. The most typical examples were The Three Great Alliances and The Three Holy Cities.


    As mentioned before, the relationship between The Three Great Alliances and The Three Holy Cities was incredibly close, and to some extent, The Three Holy Cities were the land bases of The Three Great Alliances!


    ...


    Although The Three Great Alliances and The Three Holy Cities were not in a direct subordinate relationship, The Three Great Alliances were responsible for protecting The Three Holy Cities, which in turn survived and developed on land under this protection, thereby continuously providing resources to The Three Great Alliances, enabling their development and expansion. So to some extent, The Three Holy Cities were indeed the land bases of The Three Great Alliances.


    That was why when Tulip City fell, the Sky Alliance immediately dispatched troops, because Tulip City was not only a Saint City but also a land base of the Sky Alliance, which was indispensable to the Alliance.


    Besides The Three Great Alliances, other alliances and some powerful large Sky Cities also established their own land bases on the ground. Some of them followed the example of The Three Great Alliances and built connections with The Forsaken People, while others simply carved out a small territory on land and constructed their bases. In any case, these bases established various connections with the ground to continuously supply resources to Sky Cities.


    Of course, although this idea sounds wonderful, making it a reality was not so easy, because establishing a land base was not something that could be accomplished simply.


    After all, Demons had long occupied the land, so establishing a base on land was essentially confronting Demons head-on. Just this point alone was not something ordinary Sky Cities could achieve. Apart from this, it also required substantial financial support and strong military forces to ensure security, as well as finding a suitable location and other conditions, all of which were extremely difficult to meet yet indispensable.


    Thus, in summary, while land bases had many advantages, the conditions and requirements for their establishment were extraordinarily stringent. Therefore, even though some Sky Cities had established their own bases on land, these were either alliances or large Sky Cities, as ordinary Sky Cities simply did not possess the capability.


    Rocky, as a City Lord, had heard of these matters, but he had never considered them, because he never thought he and Thunderhawk City had the capabilities. However, after occupying Backhill Village, he thought this matter could be considered.


    Because Backhill Village was naturally a land base!


    First of all, it had natural defensive advantages. Originally, Backhill Village, with its village militia and rudimentary weapons, had resisted the Demons for decades. Now, with the backing of Thunderhawk City and the substantial protection of the airborne Fleet, the village was even more impregnable.


    Secondly, Backhill Village had a mine within it. Although geographically desolate, the mineral resources alone could provide a steady income for Thunderhawk City. Moreover, let¡¯s not forget the countless Demons here.


    While Demons were extremely dangerous, they were also considered resources. As long as the defenses were maintained, the endless Demons equated to endless resources! Thus, relying just on mineral resources and Demon Materials, Backhill Village could bring infinite profits to Thunderhawk City.


    Last of all, it was the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild that had immensely helped Rocky. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it were not for the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild having occupied Backhill Village ahead of time and transformed it during their occupation, Rocky would not have conceived the idea of turning it into a land base, because he absolutely could not afford to spend hundreds of millions of Gold Coins to rebuild it. Even if he wanted to, he didn¡¯t have that kind of money.


    However, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had already laid the groundwork for him before Rocky took over Backhill Village. The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had already built Backhill Village into a respectable shape. Although it was still a distance from becoming a true land base, it was a good start. This allowed Rocky to simply continue expanding on this foundation.


    Thinking of this, Rocky could not help but repeat to Glan,


    ¡°Lord Glan, regarding the matters of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, we will need more of your and the Alliance¡¯s attention. I think they definitely won¡¯t let things go easily.¡±


    The more he felt good about Backhill Village, the more Rocky believed that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild would not easily relent. Such a fine place, with so much invested in it, probably would not back down easily, even if Lord Glan himself were to intervene, just because of a few words about the Sky Alliance.


    Thus, he had to mention this matter to Glan again.


    ¡°Yes, there is indeed that possibility.¡±


    Hearing this from Rocky, Glan also showed a serious expression because he not only saw how important Backhill Village was but also recognized the investment of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild. From the outer walls to the platforms on the cliffs, to the mansion they were in at the moment, everything was built by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild. With so much invested here, even if the opponent were a small commerce guild, it could not be dismissed easily with just a few words.


    However, after a moment of gravity, Glan smiled again, and quickly said, ¡°City Lord Rocky, rest assured, the Alliance has already sent people here. They will arrive in a few days, and once the Alliance Army arrives, this matter will be resolved, hehe.¡±


    Even though he knew the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild wouldn¡¯t just give up and would certainly strike back, Glan did not care, because he had already reported the matter of the Backhill Village Mine to the Alliance. The Alliance would definitely send people immediately to verify this. In this process, the Alliance Army would certainly be involved, so as long as the Alliance Army arrived, the matter would be resolved. Otherwise, if the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild dared attack the Alliance Army, it would be tantamount to declaring war on the Alliance, and the Alliance would crush this small commerce guild like a bug.


    Therefore, Glan was not worried at all, and this was precisely his confidence as a member of the Alliance.


    Yet, just when Rocky had finished hearing Glan¡¯s words and had not even had the chance to breathe a sigh of relief, Felly suddenly rushed in from outside!


    ¡°My Lord!¡±


    Hastily approaching Rocky, Felly appeared very anxious, but after glancing at Glan, he didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°Lord Glan is one of us, there¡¯s no harm in speaking frankly.¡±


    Glancing at Felly, Rocky frowned because among all his subordinates, Felly was the most rule-abiding. Since he came rushing directly to him without notice, it must mean there was something urgent. Therefore, he allowed him to report directly.


    ¡°My Lord, we have just lost contact with three reconnaissance ships!¡±


    Seeing that Rocky allowed him to speak, Felly no longer hesitated and promptly reported to him.


    Earlier, to prevent a counterattack from the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Rocky had dispatched all reconnaissance ships from Thunderhawk City. Just moments ago, three of those ships suddenly lost contact with them!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 352 - 327 Counterattack

    Chapter 352: Chapter 327 Counterattack


    What you worry about always seems to come true!


    Just moments ago, Rocky had been discussing with Glan, worried about a possible retaliation from the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, and reaffirming the Sky Alliance¡¯s stance on the matter. Yet, no sooner had the two finished their conversation than the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild arrived!


    The reconnaissance ships he had deployed for surveillance had three suddenly lose contact. Although it was not yet certain that this was related to the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, even a guess made with one¡¯s feet would point to them as the culprits!


    It had to be said, the enemy¡¯s response was indeed swift. Mere days, fully counted, had passed since Rocky had occupied Backhill Village, and the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild was already on its way.


    Upon receiving this news, Rocky naturally couldn¡¯t continue chatting. He immediately stood up and left with Felly, and seeing him hastily departing, Glan followed without delay.


    Thus, the three quickly left the mansion and without pausing for breath, boarded the War Steed that was parked inside the village.


    ...


    ¡°Have the reconnaissance ships outside search at full capacity, and report back immediately if anything is discovered!¡±


    ¡°Order the Void Magic Squad to board, have the First Fleet take off, the Second Fleet to take over the defense of the village, and stand by in alert status, ready to support at any moment the battle breaks out!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Having already prepared for the arrival of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Rocky, upon boarding the War Steed, didn¡¯t hesitate to issue a string of commands one after another.


    Felly did not dare to delay for a moment and immediately relayed the orders, and the Void Magic Warriors, including Liliya, quickly boarded the War Steed. The six Void Magic Warriors gathered swiftly, and before long, the formidable fleet, led by the War Steed, ascended one after another from Backhill Village into the sky like a looming black cloud drifting away from the village.


    Soon after Rocky¡¯s First Fleet left the village, the Second Fleet from Thunderhawk City arrived. Six escort ships gently descended from the sky, halting over the village as per Rocky¡¯s orders to enter a state of alert, ready to support at any moment.


    Having commanded the fleet out of Backhill Village, Rocky had it stop not far from the village. He only knew that the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡¯s fleet had arrived but lacked details about the situation. Therefore, instead of acting rashly, he prudently waited for further news from the reconnaissance ships.


    ¡°My lord! There¡¯s a message from the reconnaissance ship!¡±


    After waiting just a little while longer, Felly ran to Rocky again ¨C the reconnaissance ship had indeed sent the latest intelligence!


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°Reconnaissance ships seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen report that they have spotted the enemy fleet to the southeast. The enemy is confirmed to be the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, and there are many, at least a dozen large warships approaching the direction of Backhill Village.¡±


    The total number of reconnaissance ships for Thunderhawk City is roughly forty, and they always operate in teams of three when scouting.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Rocky nodded after receiving the update, but didn¡¯t issue new orders immediately. Instead, he furrowed his brow and pondered for a moment.


    It seemed that the situation was unfolding just as he had anticipated. The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had not given up, and not only that, they had deployed a substantial fleet aiming, clearly intending to take back Backhill Village.


    With this in mind, he said to Felly, ¡°Have the reconnaissance ships keep monitoring the enemy¡¯s movements, don¡¯t let the other reconnaissance ships slack off, and search the surroundings thoroughly to prevent a potential ambush. Then, command the fleet to move towards the southeast.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Felly left with an acknowledgment, and before long, the fleet with War Steed at its lead adjusted its course, beginning to move slowly in the southeast direction.


    ¡°Lord Glan, what do you plan to do later¡­?¡±


    As the fleet began to gradually move southeast, Rocky turned to Glan beside him.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I will go and talk to them first,¡± Glan replied with a slight smile, displaying no sign of fear, as if the imminent battle was of no concern to him. He seemed rather interested in the armor Rocky was currently wearing, examining it up and down as he spoke.


    Standing before him, Rocky had already donned the White Demon Armor, transforming from a city lord into a Void Magic Warrior. His entire demeanor and presence had changed significantly from before.


    For Glan, it was the first time he had laid eyes on the White Demon Armor, a suit of top-tier armor equipped with new technology that he had long heard of. He was well aware of the White Demon¡¯s various exploits; it was no exaggeration to say that Rocky had joined the Sky Alliance thanks to this armor. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t help but take a closer look.


    As for how much Glan cared about his armor, Rocky wasn¡¯t concerned. What truly mattered to him was whether Glan would stand up for him on behalf of the Sky Alliance. So, upon hearing Glan¡¯s affirmative response, he finally felt at ease inside and said, ¡°Thank you, Lord. I will join you in meeting with them later.¡±


    ¡°Heh, the pleasure is mine, City Lord,¡± Glan responded.


    After a brief exchange with Glan, Rocky turned his gaze to the sky.


    The time was just around noon, the sun at its most intense. Even though they were midair and wearing Void Magic Armor to shield them, Rocky could still feel the scorching heat from the sun. So much so, that when he looked towards the southeast, he could hardly see anything under the fierce sunlight.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 353 - 327 Counterattack_2

    Chapter 353: Chapter 327 Counterattack_2


    Under the fierce sunlight, another fleet of a similar scale, even larger than that of Rocky¡¯s side, slowly appeared!


    Facing the fierce sunlight, Rocky looked afar and saw a dense mass of warships appearing on the southeastern horizon. Although they were still far away, the sheer size of this mass suggested that the number of ships was not only more than ten but could possibly reach as many as twenty!


    The enemy had appeared!


    ¡°Bring me the telescope.¡±


    Upon noticing the enemy on the distant horizon, Rocky extended his hand while speaking, and immediately a crew member handed him the telescope, which he then used to peer at the enemy.


    Cruisers¡­


    ...


    Looking through the telescope at the enemy, Rocky¡¯s first glimpse was of the opposing flagship, a cruiser, and judging by its size and specifications, it was a Fifth Generation cruiser!


    Surrounding this cruiser were numerous large warships.


    Thirteen Fifth Generation destroyers.


    Eight Fifth Generation escort ships. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Along with one flagship, the enemy¡¯s warship count totaled twenty-two!


    ¡°Not a small number¡­¡±


    Slowly putting down the telescope, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but mutter.


    Although the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild was just a commerce guild, it had to be acknowledged that its armed forces were by no means weak. Of course, this was normal, as the skies were not very peaceful nowadays, and threats such as air pirate groups, who mainly targeted the merchant ships of commerce guilds, were common.


    In such circumstances, unless they were particularly small, commerce guilds had to rely on mercenaries to protect their merchant ships. However, slightly larger guilds had their own armed forces. Moreover, don¡¯t forget, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild planned to turn Backhill Village into a terrestrial base. To achieve this, armed force was a fundamental assurance. Furthermore, the guild was wealthy, so assembling such a large fleet was not difficult.


    ¡°Command the fleet to move closer to the enemy.¡±


    Seeing so many warships before him, Rocky squinted after putting down the telescope, and then he ordered the fleet to close in on the enemy!


    Faced with so many enemies, and with an aggressive approach, he did not show the slightest fear. Rocky was no longer the inexperienced na?ve man he once was; he had not only witnessed many grand scenes but had also personally experienced countless major encounters. For instance, the battle with Wild Horse City had greatly contributed to Rocky¡¯s growth.


    Although the war with Wild Horse City had lasted only a week, during that time, Rocky had seen firsthand the potential of a medium-sized sky city. A huge fleet composed of forty to fifty large warships launched continuous attacks on Thunderhawk City twenty-four hours a day. Such scenes were not ordinary, but for Rocky, they had become commonplace.


    It was precisely because of his experience in battling Wild Horse City that when Rocky saw the more than twenty warships before him, although he acknowledged that the enemy had many ships, he did not feel overly concerned. In his view, a fleet of this size was nothing special, and they might not even be a match for his fleet in a real combat situation!


    Thus, he did not hesitate to order his fleet to press towards the enemy!


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Just as Rocky saw the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡¯s fleet and began to slowly approach them, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, coming majestically from the southeast, also spotted them.


    ¡°Guild President! It¡¯s them! They are the fleet from Thunderhawk City!¡±


    From afar, Nelson on the deck quickly spoke to a middle-aged man beside him, his words tinged with a hint of gritting his teeth.


    The middle-aged man standing beside him looked quite young, about in his thirties. His physique and appearance were ordinary, even a bit corpulent, clearly not a soldier or crew member. Indeed, he was neither¡ªa soldier nor a crew member, this middle-aged man was none other than the Guild President of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡ªLeopold.


    As the Guild President of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Leopold had, upon receiving Nelson¡¯s message, immediately led all the armed forces of the guild to come here. Moreover, he even borrowed a significant part of the battle fleet from the Proud Dragon City, where the guild¡¯s headquarters were located, to increase his own strength, all for the sake of recapturing Backhill Village.


    Because, just as Rocky had previously thought, the investment of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild in Backhill Village was really enormous. To rebuild Backhill Village from ruins, the guild not only invested millions of Gold Coins but even lost hundreds to thousands of lives!


    You must know that Backhill Village was not built in a day. In fact, to pick the village up again, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild spent a full half-year. During this time of rebuilding, they were attacked by Demons countless times, resulting in innumerable deaths and injuries. Hundreds to thousands of soldiers and laborers were killed by Demons in this half-year, finally managing to give some scale to the reconstruction of Backhill Village.


    In such a situation, the investment of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild in Backhill Village really couldn¡¯t be measured merely in Gold Coins anymore. The guild¡¯s investment in the village was so immense that it simply couldn¡¯t be measured, so how could they possibly let Backhill Village easily fall into others¡¯ hands? If that were the case, the loss the guild would need to bear could cripple the entire Chamber of Commerce!


    ¡°Is this the fleet from Thunderhawk City?¡±


    Turning to look at Nelson, Leopold asked.


    ¡°Guild President, it¡¯s them!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, just like the rumors¡­ Hand me the telescope.¡±


    Seeing Nelson nod, Leopold muttered and took the telescope from a crew member¡¯s hand, then he carefully looked in Rocky¡¯s direction. When he finally put down the telescope, his brows were tightly furrowed.


    ¡°Guild President, we must show Thunderhawk City the strength of our guild! A mere small Sky City dares to be so brazen; we absolutely cannot let these people go!¡±


    When Leopold put down the telescope, Nelson spoke again, clearly harboring deep hatred towards Rocky.


    Indeed, Nelson had truly come to despise Rocky. The reason was obvious¡ªit was because Rocky had stolen Backhill Village. Although the money for constructing Backhill Village was provided by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Nelson personally managed all the specifics, so in his view, Rocky taking Backhill Village was like stealing his own home, making Nelson¡¯s hatred towards Rocky bone-deep!


    Unexpectedly, just as he finished speaking, Leopold turned and gave him a stern look, and with hardly suppressed anger, he chided, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    After giving Nelson a look, Leopold chided him again with hardly suppressed anger, leaving Nelson completely bewildered.


    He subconsciously thought that it was because he had failed to defend Backhill Village that Leopold treated him this way, which made Nelson secretly feel wronged, as the enemy¡¯s strength was there, he simply couldn¡¯t defend it.


    But in reality, he was mistaken. Leopold was indeed dissatisfied with him, but it was not because he had lost Backhill Village. Rather, after seeing the scale of Rocky¡¯s fleet, Leopold also knew that with only the fleet Nelson had, defending Backhill Village against such a powerful enemy was simply impossible, so he did not blame him for that.


    The real reason Leopold was dissatisfied with Nelson was because he had delayed military intelligence!


    When Nelson initially reported the occupation of Backhill Village to Leopold, he did not mention who the enemy was, making Leopold believe the enemy was merely some nameless nobody. It was not until he encountered Nelson en route that Leopold learned the occupier of Backhill Village was Rocky, which was what truly dissatisfied him!


    Because, unlike Nelson, Leopold was very aware of who Rocky was!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 354 - 328: Utterly Unreasonable (Part 1)

    Chapter 354: Chapter 328: Utterly Unreasonable (Part 1)


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s fleet, Leopold furrowed his brows tightly.


    Nelson had been staying in Backhill Village for the past few months, so he wasn¡¯t aware of the major events that had taken place in the outside world; Leopold, however, was different. As the president of the Chamber of Commerce, he was remarkably well-informed, thus fully aware of Rocky and the affairs of Thunderhawk City.


    In the recent months, Rocky and Thunderhawk City had become the focus of the entire world. First, they announced the newest technology developed under the leadership of Aniye; then Rocky killed the son of a Marquis of Kafka Empire in the Arena; and finally, the most sensational news of all was that he, being the City Lord of a small Sky City, actually declared war on Wild Horse City and initiated the conflict.


    This series of events had made Rocky the undisputed person of interest in recent months, attracting the attention of countless people. So much so that even if one didn¡¯t want to know about him, it would be difficult not to, as he was the headliner in all the news for a while.


    Under these circumstances, it was natural for Leopold to know what kind of character Rocky was and that he had already joined the Sky Alliance. So when he met Nelson on the way and learned that it was Rocky who had taken Backhill Village, his heart sank.


    Previously, when Nelson sent a message to Leopold calling for aid, he didn¡¯t mention who the enemy was. This wasn¡¯t due to negligence, but rather because Nelson himself didn¡¯t know who the enemy was. Thus, without a second thought, Leopold had come to their aid.


    ...


    However, upon discovering that the enemy was the currently prominent Rocky, Leopold felt this matter was going to be problematic.


    Just think about it, since Rocky dared to declare war on Wild Horse City, a medium-sized Sky City, would such a man care about the threats from the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild? Or even the city behind the guild, Proud Dragon City?


    Clearly, he wouldn¡¯t.


    The reason Rocky had a fallout with Wild Horse City was precisely because he wiped out the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group! So, Leopold knew very well that it was absolutely impossible to scare Rocky away with just his commerce guild or even the city behind it.


    Moreover, let¡¯s not forget that Rocky isn¡¯t a lone wolf; he has joined the Sky Alliance. The Alliance Army intervened to stop the conflict between him and Wild Horse City, which shows how much they value him!


    In this situation, Leopold was at a loss.


    If they take a gentle approach, Rocky definitely wouldn¡¯t be afraid of threats.


    If they take a forceful approach, Rocky has the backing of the Sky Alliance.


    Faced with an enemy who wouldn¡¯t yield to either approach, what was he to do?


    After all, he was just the president of a Chamber of Commerce. Although wealthy, he was not the lord of a city and couldn¡¯t really stand toe to toe with a Sky City, let alone oppose a massive entity like the Sky Alliance.


    With these thoughts in mind, Leopold couldn¡¯t help but turn back and glare at Nelson fiercely, growing increasingly angry the more he looked at him.


    If Nelson had informed him sooner that the enemy was the sought-after Rocky, then Leopold would definitely have chosen a more moderate approach to resolve the situation. Even if the worst result was that Backhill Village couldn¡¯t be held, they could still have evacuated the more than five hundred people in the village, along with the warships, supplies, and other materials, couldn¡¯t they? How did it come to a situation where he lost both his wife and soldiers¡­


    But now, there was no turning back. His own Chamber of Commerce¡¯s fleet, as well as the Proud Dragon City¡¯s fleet, had already arrived¡ªit was like an arrow on the string that must be shot.


    After that, Leopold took a deep breath and prepared himself. Even if this time they couldn¡¯t take Backhill Village back, he wanted to at least rescue the more than five hundred people and the remaining supplies, aiming to minimize the losses for his guild. He believed that with the strength on his side, achieving this was still possible.


    ¡°President, they are sending a ship over!¡±


    As Leopold was contemplating this, the fleet¡¯s commander had already come to his side and then pointed into the distance while speaking.


    Following the direction of the Commander¡¯s finger, Leopold soon saw a gigantic battleship that had broken from the formation and was flying toward his direction.


    ¡°All Void Magic Warriors to your positions, order the warship to approach the opponent.¡±


    After ensuring that all the Void Magic Warriors aboard the warship were in their places, Leopold also had his flagship leave the fleet and head toward the War Steed.


    He had positioned the Void Magic Warriors, not with the intention of doing something upon meeting the other party, but simply to protect himself. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the battle against Wild Horse City, City Lord Rocky had made a name for himself with a remarkable feat of five consecutive kills, earning him the moniker ¡®the flying Demon¡¯, which made Leopold quite prudent about meeting Rocky without any precautions.


    Flanked by no less than six Void Magic Warriors, Leopold¡¯s flagship quickly drew near the War Steed, and the two massive warships interlocked their hulls upon close approach, soon bringing each other clearly into view.


    ¡°Are you City Lord Rocky?¡±


    Standing at the ship¡¯s rail, Leopold shouted as he looked at Rocky clad in White Demon Armor.


    Unfortunately, Rocky did not respond to his call, instead, it was Glan by his side who spoke up.


    ¡°Who are you to dare invade the territory of the Sky Alliance!¡± Glan bellowed beside Rocky.


    Upon hearing his words, Leopold was momentarily stunned, before he turned his gaze to Glan. ¡°I am Leopold, Guild President of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild. May I inquire who you are?¡±


    ¡°Alliance Ambassador, Glan.¡±


    Holding his head high, Glan declared his identity, and upon completion of his introduction, Leopold furrowed his brows.


    Leopold certainly knew the meaning of the title Alliance Ambassador ¨C an official stationed within a Sky City belonging to the Alliance, responsible for the liaison between its members and the Alliance. The position might not hold vast power, but it was of great importance, especially in situations like the present, because in such matters, the stance of the Alliance Ambassador represented the stance of the Alliance, making it a pivotal role.


    And from Glan¡¯s earlier words, Leopold had already sensed something was amiss. The other party had not questioned him about why he intended to invade Thunderhawk City or Backhill Village, but had directly challenged him on invading the territory of the Alliance.


    Dealing with someone like Glan, it was vital to hear the unspoken implication in his words. Thus, Leopold had already discerned the Alliance¡¯s position from Glan¡¯s statement ¨C Backhill Village¡­ now belonged to the Sky Alliance¡­!


    ¡°¡­¡±


    With furrowed brows in contemplation, Leopold knew the situation was becoming increasingly difficult. Still, he steeled himself and shouted, ¡°Lord Glan, Backhill Village has belonged to the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild for half a year¡­¡±


    ¡°Guild President, please hold your tongue!¡±


    Just as Leopold was about to explain, Glan interrupted him. ¡°Guild President, you are invading the territory of the Alliance and threatening its members with military force. What do you intend to do? Do you wish to become enemies with the Sky Alliance?¡±


    ¡°Guild President Leopold, command your fleet to retreat, or else I will report this matter to the Alliance Army and then do not blame us for deploying troops against Proud Dragon City!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 355 - 329: Utterly Unreasonable (Part 2)

    Chapter 355: Chapter 329: Utterly Unreasonable (Part 2)


    Facing Leopold, Glan adopted an entirely scolding demeanor, not even giving him the chance to speak, wholly commanding him to leave.


    Frankly, when Rocky heard these words, he felt somewhat frightened because to his ears, Glan¡¯s attitude could only be described as overbearing and unreasonable.


    Indeed, prior to this, Rocky had reflected on the matters concerning the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild and Backhill Village. His thoughts were simple: if the other side turned tough, such as threatening him under the name of the commerce guild or Proud Dragon City, or even declaring war outright, he certainly wouldn¡¯t back down. After all, it wouldn¡¯t be the first battle he¡¯d fought.


    But this was ultimately a last resort. In reality, if the other party softened their stance and acknowledged that Backhill Village was his, he would even consider their demands if they requested the return of the spoils of war he had gained.


    After all, Rocky had already taken control of Backhill Village. Before obtaining it, he could employ unscrupulous means, including war, but since he now had the village, even if he adopted some gentler methods to deal with the trouble of the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild and prevent them from harassing Backhill Village again, it wasn¡¯t out of the question.


    As the lord of a city, Rocky¡¯s thoughts were undoubtedly correct. Depending on different situations and positions, he chose different methods to respond, rather than stubbornly pursuing aggression and confrontation. That¡¯s the mark of a mature city lord.


    ...


    However, he had not anticipated that Glan would order the other party to retreat immediately or face annihilation. This was even more unreasonable than his own thoughts.


    Yes, Glan was indeed unreasonable in this matter, but such unreasonableness didn¡¯t stem from his personality. It was dictated by strength and status. In the balance of power between the Sky Alliance and the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, Glan didn¡¯t need to be reasonable when facing Leopold!


    Like Rocky, Leopold also didn¡¯t expect Glan to be so overbearing, so when he heard his words, he was left speechless for a long while. When he finally did react, his face turned alternately green and white, looking extremely unpleasant.


    Without a doubt, Glan¡¯s words had infuriated him!


    But what could he do about it, even if he was furious?


    It must be known that Glan¡¯s attitude wasn¡¯t personal but represented the Sky Alliance! As an experienced ambassador, he wouldn¡¯t resort to heavy-handedness lightly. Once he did, it meant he had absolute confidence!


    Under these circumstances, no matter how angry Leopold became, in the end, he still didn¡¯t dare to speak out. The reason was simple: because Glan represented the Sky Alliance, and neither he nor his Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, nor even Proud Dragon City behind it, could afford to offend the Sky Alliance! Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, after taking several deep breaths with an extremely ugly expression, Leopold furiously stomped his foot towards Glan, ¡°Lord Glan, does the Sky Alliance really act so unreasonably!¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    With a cold snort, Glan didn¡¯t bother to answer. It wasn¡¯t that the Alliance was unreasonable, nor was he; but reason was applicable when the strength of both parties was equal. If there was a large gap in strength, there was truly no need for it.


    ¡°Fine, fine, fine! You, you just wait!¡±


    Seeing that Glan was completely disregarding him, Leopold, fuming with anger, ended up dropping empty threats before ordering his flagship to rejoin his fleet, which then, indeed, withdrew¡­


    Watching Leopold¡¯s fleet slowly retreat, Rocky finally breathed a sigh of relief and then turned to Glan at his side.


    ¡°Lord Glan, I really owe you for stepping in this time. Otherwise, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild definitely wouldn¡¯t have given up so easily.¡±


    Although he didn¡¯t quite agree with Glan¡¯s approach, the outcome was nonetheless favorable. The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, who came with aggressive might, ultimately submitted to the might of the Sky Alliance and withdrew with their tails between their legs. For Rocky, this was clearly a good outcome and he wasn¡¯t too concerned about the specific process.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, what are you talking about? As members of the Alliance, the Alliance will naturally offer full protection; it¡¯s all part of our duties,¡± Glan retorted with a laugh and then swept his gaze to the horizon, watching the retreating enemy.


    To be honest, he hadn¡¯t expected that they would actually retreat just like that, but that wasn¡¯t important. Even if Leopold was still insisting now, once the Alliance Army arrived in two days, he¡¯d have to retreat obediently anyway. So, in Glan¡¯s view, regardless of his choice, the outcome would be the same, so he didn¡¯t care too much.


    But while he didn¡¯t care, Rocky was still very vigilant. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Glan, he called Felly over:


    ¡°Have the Reconnaissance Ships continue to patrol the vicinity. The enemy may have retreated, but we still need to be wary. We mustn¡¯t relax our vigilance.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After acknowledging the order, Felly communicated Rocky¡¯s command down the line, and then the Fleet took a group of people and flew back to Backhill Village.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    When Rocky and the others returned to Backhill Village, Leopold, who had led the large Fleet to retreat, also had the Fleet stop. Although they had left the area of Backhill Village, they had not yet left Skybreaker Peak and could still see the towering mountain range right before their eyes.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After Leopold had the Fleet stop, everyone on board exchanged puzzled glances, not understanding his intentions. Everyone silently turned their gaze towards him.


    The conversation between Leopold and Glan had been seen and heard by everyone on the ship. They didn¡¯t think there was anything shameful about being driven away by the Sky Alliance. After all, showing submissiveness to the Sky Alliance was not a disgrace, but at the same time, everyone knew that Leopold must be in a foul mood, because his retreat meant that Backhill Village, along with the people and resources remaining there, could not be reclaimed.


    In such a case, although everyone didn¡¯t understand why Leopold had suddenly ordered the Fleet to stop, no one dared to challenge this bad luck. Everyone silently waited.


    After a long wait, Leopold suddenly looked towards Nelson and then asked, ¡°Nelson, you¡¯ve been in Backhill Village for so long, do you know the terrain around here?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ I do have some understanding¡­¡±


    Nelson, taken aback by the question, nodded. Since he had always been in charge of Backhill Village, he was indeed familiar with the surrounding terrain, but he did not understand why Leopold was suddenly asking this.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Hearing his reply, Leopold gritted his teeth and nodded, then said, ¡°Tell me, where nearby are the Demons most numerous?¡±


    ¡°The Demons most numerous? Guild President, do you mean¡­¡±


    Blinking, Nelson¡¯s response was quick, and he promptly realized a possibility, which made him involuntarily widen his eyes.


    Then, he saw a fierce expression appear on Leopold¡¯s face: ¡°If the Sky Alliance is unreasonable, then don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless. If we can¡¯t have Backhill Village, then they can¡¯t have it either!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 356 - 330: Stirring Up a Hornets Nest (Part 1)

    Chapter 356: Chapter 330: Stirring Up a Hornet¡¯s Nest (Part 1)


    ¡°We can¡¯t get Backhill Village, neither can they!¡±


    Clasping his teeth, Leopold suddenly shouted at Nelson, ¡°Tell me, where are the most demons!¡±


    Guild President¡­ sir¡­¡±


    Startled by Leopold¡¯s shout, Nelson immediately shivered and then unconsciously pointed in a direction.


    ¡°Order the fleet to advance, bombard at the sight of demons, draw all the demons out for me!¡±


    Guild President, Guild President¡­ please wait, please wait!¡±


    ...


    Hearing Leopold¡¯s order, Nelson rushed to his side, ¡°Guild President, Guild President! If you do this, the Sky Alliance will¡­¡±


    ¡°Will what?¡±


    Turning around and glaring at Nelson with widened eyes, Leopold sneered, ¡°Will what? Is it my fault that demons attacked Backhill Village?¡±


    Having said that, he ignored Nelson and walked straight toward the bow¡­ S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Afterward, under his command, the entire fleet dispersed in all directions, and before long, sporadic cannon fire rang out!


    Following Leopold¡¯s instructions, the scattered warships, upon sighting demons, would bombard them with the Magic Cannon, not firing all weapons at once, but using a single Magic Cannon to harass them. They didn¡¯t aim to kill the demons but merely to disturb them.


    You must understand that the demons on the land are endless. Normally, they might not seem omnipresent, but that¡¯s only because demons have their own congregations, typically staying within their lairs or territories. However, once disturbed, they come out en masse like wasps from a poked nest.


    What Leopold was doing now was poking at a wasps¡¯ nest!


    Driven away rudely by Glan and not daring to provoke the Sky Alliance, but also unable to swallow the insult, he decided on a mutual destruction; if his Chamber of Commerce couldn¡¯t have Backhill Village, then neither Rocky nor the Sky Alliance would get it. He intended to let the demons destroy the village!


    Thus, under his command, the dispersed fleet continuously bombarded the ground, and before long, they had alarmed a vast number of demons. Once demons are agitated, calming them down again becomes difficult, and these creatures inevitably seek targets to vent their rage. Since they couldn¡¯t reach the warships in the sky, the demons naturally shifted their focus.


    Under these circumstances, after roaring at the sky for a while, the agitated demons quickly turned their focus toward Backhill Village, not too far from Skybreaker Peak because, near the Peak, Backhill Village was the only place not under demonic dominion.


    Soon, dozens of demons charged toward Backhill Village like mad dogs. However, Leopold knew this was not sufficient. He was aware of how robust the village walls were; dozens of demons couldn¡¯t breach them, and they would be completely annihilated before even touching a corner of the wall. Thus, he needed to attract even more demons.


    With this in mind, he directed the fleet to expand the area of operation and continue to harass more demons.


    ¡°There are demons over there! Bombard them! Hurry, bombard!¡±


    To fulfill Leopold¡¯s order, an Escort Ship lowered its height significantly, and while flying over a barren forest, it spotted a few demons wandering there. Hence, the Captain immediately ordered to open fire.


    Under the captain¡¯s orders, the warship¡¯s two magic cannons fired simultaneously, blasting magic cannon shells onto the ground below. Not only did the explosion throw a demon into the air, but it also struck a bare, withered tree.


    That spelled trouble. Moments after the explosion, a series of shrill roars erupted from the withered woodland. Demons surged from every direction towards the blast site like a tidal wave.


    ¡°My God¡­¡±


    Standing by the ship¡¯s railing, the crew of the escort ship had not anticipated drawing out so many demons. They felt a tingling sensation on their scalps even though they knew they were high up in the sky and beyond the demons¡¯ reach. Yet, seeing the swarm of demons, black as locusts, before their eyes, they couldn¡¯t help but feel their legs go weak.


    ¡°Ascend¡­ let¡¯s ascend a bit higher¡­¡±


    Like the crew, upon seeing at least a hundred demons emerge below, the captain of the escort ship immediately had the warship ascend further up to feel secure.


    However, just as the escort ship had ascended a few meters into the sky, from the deepest part of the desolate forest came a piercing scream!


    This scream was unbearably shrill, as if sound itself were a blade, making this shriek the sharpest edge among all sounds, sharp enough to physically cut those who heard it. This was not a metaphor, but a fact!


    Because upon hearing this unbearable scream, all the sailors on the warship simultaneously clutched their ears in agony, but to no avail. The sound unstoppablely pierced their ears and ruptured their eardrums in an instant, causing everyone¡¯s ears to bleed!


    Simultaneously, not only did the crew of the escort ship suffer from the sound, but the hundreds of demons in the forest could not withstand the scream either. The moment the sound erupted, all the demons collapsed to the ground, trembling incessantly!


    This horrendous sound lasted for about ten seconds, but even though it was brief, to those who experienced it, it felt longer than an hour.


    Eventually, when the dreadful sound finally ceased, the entire withered forest became silent. It wasn¡¯t just the crew on the warship; even the hundreds of demons in the forest were utterly quiet, creating an extremely eerie atmosphere¡­


    ¡°What happened¡­ just now¡­ what was that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Where did that sound come from?¡±


    ¡°Stop talking, it¡¯s too frightening¡­¡±


    When the sound completely disappeared, the crew members exchanged looks of confusion and helplessness, uncertain of what had just occurred.


    ¡°Look there!¡±


    Just when everyone was confused, a crew member suddenly pointed towards the depths of the forest, and everyone, including the captain, looked in that direction.


    In everyone¡¯s view, something seemed amiss at the deepest part of the forest. Several bare trees fell without warning, and before anyone could react, more and more withered trees began to fall, giving the impression that something was rampaging through the forest, charging towards the direction of the warship!


    ¡°Quick¡­ ascend quickly! It¡¯s a high-level demon! Ascend!¡±


    Realizing that the fallen trees were forming a straight line heading their way, the captain was the first to react, screaming as if possessed!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 357 - 331: Stirring Up a Hornets Nest (Part 2)

    Chapter 357: Chapter 331: Stirring Up a Hornet¡¯s Nest (Part 2)


    ¡°Quick, ascend now! It¡¯s a high-level demon! It¡¯s a high-level demon!¡±


    After detecting unusual movements in the forest, the other crew members were still confused about what was happening, but the captain of the Escort Ship reacted first and immediately ordered the crew to ascend because such a disturbance sure signified a high-level demon!


    Indeed, one does not become captain of a ship by being mediocre; from reactions to judgments, this captain was spot on.


    This time, they truly had stirred up a hornet¡¯s nest, provoking trouble they shouldn¡¯t have!


    Though the captain reacted quickly, the warship could not move as fast as he did; even as the crew immediately started to lift the warship upon receiving the orders, the trees that had collapsed in swathes had already spread close by, followed by a dark shadow leaping from the forest into midair, heading straight for the Escort Ship!


    Although the Escort Ship had descended fairly low, it was still about fifty or sixty meters above the ground, yet that height seemed insubstantial for the shadow as it swooped up with a speed that no one could clearly see and landed on the deck!


    ...


    Only when this shadow landed on the deck did the crew see clearly what it was¡­


    Demons!


    The shadow before them was undoubtedly a demon; however, unlike the tremendous commotion it caused, its stature was not particularly large, roughly the same as an average human¡¯s height. Its body was covered in shiny black fur, its head resembling that of a large fox, eyes curved like crescents, and most strikingly, the pair of huge scythes in its hands.


    This demon¡¯s hands, where a pair of huge scythes grew, no, it should be said that this demon had no hands, just scythes at the ends of its forearms.


    These two scythes were as shiny as steel, enormous in size, almost as tall as the demon itself, and merely by hanging motionless to the ground, they had already sliced through the deck, proving their sharpness!


    High-level demon!


    This was clearly a high-level demon!


    The ability to jump from the ground onto the deck in one leap, along with its bizarre appearance, made it clear that this demon was not a normal demon, but the most fearsome type of high-level demon!


    ¡°Help, help¡­ help¡­¡±


    Seeing the appearance of the high-level demon, the crew member nearest to it immediately went weak at the knees, terrified, and thudded down onto the deck, but in the moment he collapsed, the high-level demon suddenly moved!


    In a blur of motion, the demon vanished from its spot, appearing behind the collapsed crew member in the blink of an eye, even before he had fully settled onto the ground.


    Fast!


    It was unbelievably fast!


    The speed of this demon was astoundingly unreal!


    But that wasn¡¯t what made the high-level demon terrifying, because in the blink of an eye after that, as the crew member who fell from weak legs was just touching the deck with his buttocks, his entire body was reduced to countless chunks of flesh¡­ scattered all over the deck¡­


    In that instant, the high-level demon had not merely moved from in front of the crew member to behind him but had also used the scythes in its hands to slice the man to pieces.


    With a crew member dead, the high-level demon then screamed into the sky and immediately charged at the other crew members¡­


    ¡°Guild President! Guild President! We¡¯ve lost contact with Escort Ship Number Five!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    While the other warships went to attract the demons, Leopold did not proceed, he merely ordered the flagship to hover mid-air, waiting for the rest of the warships to complete their mission and return.


    However, during the wait, a crew member suddenly reported to him that an Escort Ship had unexpectedly lost contact with the fleet.


    Upon hearing this report, Leopold¡¯s first reaction was to think that Rocky had discovered his intentions and was obstructing them, but he quickly dismissed this thought since even if the warships he had sent were sunk by Rocky, they would at least be able to send back some message.


    ¡°This is bad¡­!¡±


    After dismissing his first thought, Leopold immediately realized a much graver issue and, without time to explain, he grabbed a nearby crew member and shouted, ¡°Quick! Order the warships to ascend, all warships must retreat immediately!¡±


    ¡­¡­..


    ¡­¡­..


    While Leopold was stirring up hornets nests and finally poked a hornets nest he couldn¡¯t handle, Rocky had already led the fleet back to Backhill Village.


    This return to Backhill Village uplifted his spirits greatly compared to before and brought much relaxation because, although the handling of the situation with the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild turned out differently from what he had anticipated, the outcome was still good¡ªthe trouble had finally been resolved.


    Although Glan¡¯s approach was somewhat irrational, he ultimately scared the opponents away, and for this alone, regardless of whether Rocky liked the method or not, he had to thank Glan. Therefore, on the way back, the two of them had an enjoyable conversation; however, since Backhill Village had just been occupied, Rocky really did not have much time, and Glan, understanding this, parted ways upon their arrival at the village¡ªRocky staying within the village while Glan returned to Thunderhawk City.


    Once he had left, Rocky began arranging for people to enter the mine for exploration.


    Although Backhill Village had the potential to become a terrestrial base and had even started to take shape, Rocky did not yet have the capability to develop it in that direction. His current focus regarding the development of Backhill Village still centered on mining; once the mining revenue started coming in, he would have the capability to consider turning it into a real terrestrial base.


    And since the focus was on mining, it was critical to clarify how much production the village¡¯s mines had and their reserves, so Rocky had long ago asked Old Jack to bring back those who had been responsible for the mines in the village. With these professionals around, figuring all this out was not a difficult task.


    However, just when he had arranged everything and was preparing to visit the mine with everyone, Monte and Felly both arrived.


    ¡°My lord, the reconnaissance ship has reported a situation, a large number of demons are approaching the village!¡±


    When they met with Rocky in the mansion, Felly relayed the latest situation from the reconnaissance ship.


    ¡°Oh, how many?¡±


    ¡°It seems not just a few; the reconnaissance ship says approximately dozens.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Hearing this number, Rocky did not get too anxious but merely looked at Monte, ¡°Can the Guard Corps handle it?¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, my lord, leave it to the Guard Corps!¡±


    Monte, without any fear, patted his chest and declared.


    COMMENT S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 358 - 332: Demons Attack

    Chapter 358: Chapter 332: Demons Attack


    Although the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild¡¯s Fleet had retreated, Rocky did not recall the Reconnaissance Ships that had been scattered about. First, it was to prevent the enemy from playing any tricks, such as a surprise counterattack, and second, it was to surveil the movement of the Demons, so that Backhill Village could be prepared when the Demons attacked.


    This experience was something Rocky had learned during his time defending Backhill Village, and now it seemed to be truly effective. The Reconnaissance Ships had indeed brought news about the movements of the Demons.


    However, for Rocky, a few dozen Demons were still child¡¯s play. With the current Guard Corps, the walls of Backhill Village, and the power of the warships at their disposal, a few dozen Demons could not pose any threat at all.


    Therefore, he did not pay too much attention to this matter and simply handed it over to Monte and the Guard Corps to deal with. After Monte and Felly had left, he continued to lead his people towards the mines.


    But before they had taken a few steps, Felly came running back again.


    ¡°My lord! The Reconnaissance Ships have spotted another group of Demons!¡±


    ...


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Seeing Felly once more, and hearing the same report again, Rocky furrowed his brow, ¡°How many this time?¡±


    ¡°Still looks like several dozens.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ have the Thunderhawk take off to assist Monte in defense.¡±


    Frowning in thought, Rocky made the arrangements.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After acknowledging the order, Felly immediately turned and left, but Rocky did not hurry to depart. Instead, he told the others to go ahead to the mine while he stayed put, with Liliya accompanying him.


    At this time, Rocky also felt that something was amiss. Although he still didn¡¯t know what was happening, he had a vague sense of foreboding. After all, the land-based Demons were stirring¡ªa fact known to everyone¡ªso it was impossible for him, who was also on land, not to remain vigilant about the movement of the Demons.


    And his intuition was correct because, not long after Felly had turned to leave, barely out of Rocky¡¯s sight, a messenger hurried to intercept him. After hearing a few words, Felly quickly turned back and ran to Rocky once more.


    ¡°My lord¡­¡±


    ¡°Just say it, how many this time?¡±


    Rocky interrupted Felly before he could finish speaking, asking directly.


    ¡°At least a hundred Demons are approaching Backhill Village!¡±


    Standing before Rocky, Felly spoke with a distressed expression, revealing the latest intelligence that at least a hundred Demons were rapidly closing in on Backhill Village!


    ¡°Have all Guardian Unit Four take off, and conduct a preemptive bombardment of the Demons together with the Thunderhawk.¡±


    Hearing this number, Rocky immediately issued a response.


    If it had been just a few dozen demons, there would have been no need for warships to move out; Monte could have defended with just the Guard Corps and the city walls. However, the number of demons now attacking far exceeded a few dozen. Even if we don¡¯t count those that the reconnaissance ship failed to spot, the three waves we did see may combine to over two hundred demons. If so many demons were to charge at the walls together, even the sturdy walls of Backhill Village wouldn¡¯t hold up.


    Therefore, Rocky acted very quickly, dispatching the fleet right away and having the warship bombard the incoming demons first. This greatly reduced the pressure on both the Guard Corps and the city walls.


    After making these arrangements, he called for Liliya to bring the White Demon Armor and went to the city walls himself, still somewhat uneasy.


    When he arrived on the city walls, the Archer Troops and Mage Troops were already in position, while Monte had long since led the Guard Corps outside the walls to form a square formation. At the same time, Sandro and Dusa had donned the Void Magic Armor and were floating above the heads of the Guard Corps. Everything was ready, just waiting for the demons to arrive.


    This wait did not last long, only about a dozen minutes later, the first wave of demons arrived!


    Standing on the city walls, Rocky quickly saw a cloud of dust rising in the distance and faintly heard the rumble of the earth. He then saw groups of demons appearing in his line of sight!


    The number of demons in the first wave was just as the reconnaissance ship had reported: around twenty or so, and they were all Black-eyed Demons.


    Black-eyed Demons were the most common types around Backhill Village and were numerous and extremely sensitive to sound, which meant they were often attracted in large numbers whenever the village started mining operations.


    Although these demons were numerous and easily disturbed, their strength was on the weaker side among demons. The Guard Corps had already defeated them in the past when manpower and resources were scarce. Now, with both a greater number of guards and better equipped than before, dealing with these Black-eyed Demons should be a piece of cake.


    The actual result was just as Rocky had expected: when the twenty-odd Black-eyed Demons charged towards Backhill Village, they first encountered a barrage from the warships overhead. Although the bombardment only lasted for one round, it still killed at least half of the demons, and the survivors were scattered due to the bombing.


    Then as these demons broke through the bombardment of the warship and continued to advance toward the Guard Corps, Dusa and Sandro took the lead and charged out. The two of them, taking advantage of the Void Magic Armor, tangled with several demons.


    By the time the Black-eyed Demons actually reached the vicinity of the Guard Corps, there were only a few left from the original twenty. The Guard Corps, which had already arranged themselves into a square formation, quickly eliminated these few remaining demons without much effort.


    The twenty-odd Black-eyed Demons, from appearance to annihilation, took only about a dozen minutes, posing no threat to Backhill Village whatsoever, just as Rocky had anticipated.


    But this was merely an appetizer, as the number of demons now surging toward Backhill Village was far more than just the twenty-odd. In fact, shortly after the first wave was wiped out, dust rose again in the distance, and the second wave of demons arrived quickly.


    ¡°All hands, be ready to fight!¡± Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Monte shouted as he reformed the ranks, then looked towards the distance. The dust cloud that had risen was clearly much larger than before, indicating that the second wave of demons was significantly more numerous.


    Indeed, it wasn¡¯t long before the news came from the warships above the battlefield that they had spotted a second wave of demons numbering over a hundred!


    Obviously, the report from the reconnaissance ship had been off: the second wave of demons was much larger than what had been seen. Of course, this wasn¡¯t a big deal; after all, the demons detected by the reconnaissance ships were likely to have joined forces with others on their way to the village, multiplying their numbers several times over.


    Facing hundreds of demons, no one dared to take it lightly now. The five warships in the air started a ferocious bombardment as soon as the demons came within range. Nearly a hundred Magic Cannons from the five warships fired simultaneously, devastating the approaching demons almost instantly.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Standing on the city walls, Rocky watched this scene from afar and felt a great relief. It seemed that the Fleet and the Guard Corps could fully withstand the demon attack, and perhaps his earlier concerns had been somewhat unfounded¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 359 - 333: Terror Approaches!

    Chapter 359: Chapter 333: Terror Approaches!


    Clearly, the number of demons on land had increased due to the disturbances, as evidenced at Backhill Village; over a year ago when Rocky defended here, a few dozen demons were considered a lot, and even at the very end, there were only about a hundred demons.


    But now, the number of demons here had markedly risen, and scenes with dozens of demons appearing at once had become the norm, with hundreds showing up at the same time no longer a rare occurrence.


    Nevertheless, as the numbers of demons increased, so too did Rocky¡¯s strength, ensuring that even against a larger number of demons, the safety of Backhill Village remained secure.


    However, just as Rocky breathed a sigh of relief, his brow furrowed again, because right after the warship completed its bombardment, allowing only a sparse dozen to charge towards the Guard Corps, the third wave of demons had arrived!


    So fast¡­!


    So many¡­!


    ...


    Upon spotting this third wave of demons appearing so swiftly, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but frown, for the demons had come too quickly, wave after wave, without giving them a moment to catch their breath.


    At the same time, the number of demons was too great; the first wave had only about twenty demons, the second had reached hundreds, and upon seeing the third wave, even Rocky had to take a sharp breath¡ªthere were actually two to three hundred demons!


    One must understand that because demons by nature are so formidable, even a slight increase in number can lead to a qualitative change; two demons are definitely several times more dangerous than one, dozens of demons are exponentially more perilous than a few, and two to three hundred demons, compared to a little over a hundred, represent a risk that could only be described as earth-shattering.


    So, realizing there were so many in the third wave, Rocky glanced at Liliya and then the two, already donned in Void Magic Armor, leaped down from the city wall together and flew above the Guard Corps.


    ¡°Sandro, Dusa, Liliya, follow me and we¡¯ll break the demons¡¯ formation,¡± Rocky called out. ¡°Monte, Lin Feng, you two take command of the Guard Corps!¡±


    Owing to the overwhelming number of demons, Rocky had to take over command of the battle himself, issuing a string of orders right away.


    It was just as he finished giving these orders that the remnants of the second wave of demons, having survived the fleet¡¯s bombardment, charged towards them.


    ¡°Charge with me!¡±


    Although only around twenty or thirty of the second wave demons were left, Rocky didn¡¯t relax his vigilance and immediately led Liliya, Sandro, and Dusa into the fray.


    From past experience defending Backhill Village, once demons began to surge in waves like now, the warship¡¯s bombardment from the skies wouldn¡¯t prevent the numbers from piling up¡ªbecause even the most powerful bombardment can¡¯t kill all the demons, there will always be some that slip through. And, as the number of demons seemed virtually endless, even a small number surviving each bombardment would accumulate to an unbearable level.


    This situation had to be avoided at all costs!


    ¡°Die!¡±


    With a sweeping strike, the razor-sharp Mana Sword sliced across a Black-eyed Demon¡¯s neck, cleanly severing its head from its body, and without waiting for the demon to hit the ground, Rocky sped towards another, plunging his Mana Sword into it before leaping back into the air.


    ¡°` Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But just as he was beginning to fly upward, a demon suddenly pounced from the side. With its formidable physique, the demon leaped over three meters high and reached out its claws towards Rocky¡¯s ankle.


    Unfortunately for the demon, just as it was about to grasp Rocky, whoosh, Dusa, who had been waiting in mid-air, shot an arrow straight into its head, and with a bang, the demon¡¯s head burst open.


    With its head blown off, the headless corpse immediately fell and, by sheer coincidence, landed on another demon, heavily pinning it to the ground. Before the pinned demon could get up, it was pierced through by Liliya with her sword, killing it outright.


    After dispatching the demon at her feet, Liliya immediately raised her arm and fired a series of Magic Energy Bullets, blasting a demon¡¯s chest into a mass of flesh and blood. Yet, demonstrating their incredible vitality, the demon didn¡¯t die despite its chest being nearly blown open, and instead turned to charge at Liliya.


    However, the demon hadn¡¯t taken two steps before Sandro, gliding along the ground, flew past it. Using his momentum, Sandro cleaved the demon in two with his sword, then immediately accelerated, slamming his shield hard into another demon.


    Empowered by the Void Magic Armor, and moving at high speed, Sandro sent the large demon flying, and it crashed to the ground after traveling more than ten meters, conveniently landing at Rocky¡¯s feet. Rocky lifted his foot and crushed its head underfoot.


    Faced with twenty or thirty demons, Rocky and the others went on a killing spree. Bolstered by the Void Magic Armor, they slaughtered most of them in a blink of an eye. However, even so, the number of demons didn¡¯t seem to decrease, because as they were fiercely battling, the third wave of demons had already charged through the warship¡¯s bombardment range!


    The third wave consisted of several hundred demons; despite the mid-air warships unleashing their full firepower and killing the majority, forty or fifty demons still survived the barrage and rapidly charged towards the Guard Corps.


    This was why Rocky and his team, despite cutting down demons as if they were chopping vegetables, saw no reduction in their numbers: as soon as they finished off the first wave, the next was already upon them, with many demons having already broken through their lines and started to fight with the Guard Corps!


    But that wasn¡¯t the worst part¡ªthe worst was yet another wave of demons had appeared!


    In such a situation, Rocky had no choice but to fly higher and then urgently contact Felly, who was stationed in the city.


    ¡°Felly! Send out the War Steed and the Hunter!¡±


    Facing wave after wave of ever-increasing demons, Rocky had to call in more warships, thereby extending the range and intensity of the bombardment in an effort to reduce the number of demons as much as possible.


    But just as he had given the orders and rejoined the battle, suddenly, without any warning, a destroyer that had been bombarding from a distance fell from the sky!


    With a thunderous boom, the hundred-meter-long destroyer crashed from the sky to the land, followed by a massive explosion, creating a huge ball of firelight!


    ¡°What, what happened¡­!¡±


    The sudden explosion stunned everyone on the spot. Rocky and all others couldn¡¯t believe what they were seeing and had no idea what had happened.


    ¡°There¡¯s something! Something is coming!¡±


    Just then, Dusa, who was hovering in mid-air, suddenly shouted. She saw a dark figure rushing out from the firelight of the explosion!


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 360 - 334 Nightmare Descends!

    Chapter 360: Chapter 334 Nightmare Descends!


    A destroyer suddenly fell from the sky, leaving everyone on the battlefield stunned. No one had anticipated such an event. In the battle against demons, warships were always the safest; how could one possibly crash?


    While everyone was confused and unsure of the situation, Dusa suddenly shouted!


    ¡°There¡¯s something! Something is coming out of the flames!¡±


    As a natural Sharpshooter, Dusa¡¯s vision was far more sensitive than that of the average person. Thus, while the others were still dazed, she had already keenly spotted a dark figure bursting out of the pile of flames caused by the explosion!


    Faced with this sudden shadow, Dusa reacted with extreme swiftness. She almost instinctively drew her bow and without thinking, released three arrows in rapid succession.


    However, after she had fired those three arrows, Dusa was stunned because all three missed their target!


    ...


    The dark figure that had charged out of the flames evaded with extraordinary speed, dodging all three of the arrows she had shot with ease! S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Such a scene was a first for Dusa; she had always been unfailingly accurate, especially after donning the Void Magic Armor. Even Rocky might not have been able to evade her Magic Energy Arrows.


    But this was the reality, the shadow that emerged from the flames really had avoided all the arrows she had fired. Not only that, but while dodging, it also advanced towards her at a speed unimaginable to most people!


    In this situation, Dusa hurriedly continued to draw her bow, but she was a step too slow. Just as she was pulling the bowstring back, that shadow had already reached her¡­


    Unimaginable speed!


    Keep in mind the distance from where the warship had crashed to where Dusa was standing was no less than two hundred meters. Yet that vast distance had been crossed by the shadow in an instant.


    It wasn¡¯t until the shadow was up close that Dusa finally saw its true form. She saw a creature with shiny black fur, a pair of crescent-shaped eyes, and a head resembling that of a fox. Most importantly, as Dusa recognized the demon, she also saw the Scythe it was swinging down!


    Facing the incoming Scythe, Dusa felt as if time had slowed down, slowed to the point where she could clearly see the cold light shimmering off the blade¡­


    It is said that when a person is near death, they enter an indescribable state where everything seems to come to a standstill, everything appears to be frozen, including time. Dusa was now trapped in this state!


    ¡°Dodge!¡±


    But at that moment, just as Dusa felt everything slowing down, a familiar voice suddenly reached her ears. And before she could even react, she felt herself being forcefully pushed aside!


    Monte!


    Just as Dusa was about to be horrifically slain by the high-level demon¡¯s Scythe, Monte rammed his daughter with his shoulder, taking her place, and then faced the demon¡¯s descending Scythe by raising his left hand in an attempt to block it.


    A flash of cold light passed by, and Monte¡¯s left arm, which he had used to block the demon¡¯s Scythe, was sliced in half!


    The Void Magic Armor stood before the high-level demon¡¯s scythe, as if made of paper!


    ¡°Knife Fox¡­ Damn!¡±


    Even as the demon cut off his left hand, Monte did not shrink back; instead, he bit down hard on his teeth and raised the ax in his right hand, swinging it down with full force!


    At this time, Monte¡¯s previous profession saved his life. As a Demon Hunter, he was all too familiar with demons, and thus, he recognized at a glance what demon he was facing¡ªthis was the infamous high-level demon, Knife Fox Nightmare!


    This type of demon, looking strikingly similar to a fox and named for the pair of scythes on its hands, was a high-level demon, a naturally dangerous being. Its defining characteristics were its incredible speed and the exceptionally sharp pair of scythes; typical armor stood no chance against it, providing virtually no protection.


    It was precisely because he recognized the Knife Fox that Monte was able to save Dusa in the nick of time and smartly used his left hand to block, since it was already disabled; so what the Knife Fox Demon chopped off was not his arm, but the Magic Energy Cannon installed on it.


    At the same time, after narrowly escaping death, Monte did not turn to run, for he knew turning his back to a high-level demon was akin to courting death¡ªespecially when facing the Knife Fox Demon, renowned for its speed. That¡¯s why he counterattacked with his ax.


    This move saved his own life!


    Had Monte turned to flee, he would truly have been killed in the blink of an eye because the Knife Fox Demon was too fast. Instead, his desperate counterattack resulted in the demon cutting the ax in two with its scythes, but that also meant both its hands were swinging the scythes, leaving it with no choice but to kick Monte in the chest and send him flying!


    He was saved¡­


    In the instant he was kicked by the Knife Fox Demon, Monte had this thought, then fainted from the immense force.


    Though the characteristics of the Knife Fox are its speed and the scythes on its hands, one must not forget that it¡¯s still a high-level demon. So when Monte was kicked, he was sent flying like a cannonball shot from a barrel, nearly a hundred meters until he crashed hard against the wall of the city and came to a stop!


    The mightiest warrior of Thunderhawk City stood powerless before a high-level demon, unable to withstand even a single blow!


    And while all this seemed to take a long time to describe, in reality, from the moment Dusa shot her three arrows to Monte being kicked away, all of this happened in but a brief encounter¡ªand while suspended in midair, meaning the Knife Fox Demon hadn¡¯t even touched the ground when it completed everything and nearly killed two Void Magic Warriors¡­


    It was only after this that the Knife Fox Demon finally landed on the ground.


    With its firm landing, the entire battlefield fell silent. The black-eyed demons that were frenziedly pouncing toward the village halted, and the Guard Corps, who had been forcefully resisting the demons¡¯ assault, also stopped. Every person, every demon, ceased their motion, uncontrollably turning their attention to the one presence on the battlefield.


    And just as all eyes fell upon the Knife Fox Demon, it suddenly let out a piercing scream towards Backhill Village!


    This scream instantly spread throughout Backhill Village, causing all within it¡ªwhether the villagers inside or the guards outside, even the surrounding demons¡ªto fall to the ground in agony from the scream, utterly unable to resist¡­


    Clearly, the Knife Fox Demon was using this supreme, dominating howl to announce its arrival!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 361 - 335: Like Death!

    Chapter 361: Chapter 335: Like Death!


    Facing the high-level demon that descended from the sky, no one was prepared.


    In the midst of piercing screams, everyone suffered severe damage; the guards in heavy armor were struck down en masse, and even Dusa and Sandro, hovering mid-air, couldn¡¯t withstand the screech and started to falter, plummeting to the ground¡­


    This was the power of a high-level demon¡ªjust a single scream was enough to paralyze an entire troop!


    After the proclamation-like scream ended, the Knife Fox Demon slowly turned its head, its crescent-like eyes directly fixating on Dusa, who had fallen from the sky!


    Towards this target who had attempted to attack it, the Knife Fox Demon clearly hadn¡¯t forgotten, so within the next second, it vanished from its original spot!


    In an instant, Dusa could only sense a streak of black light speeding toward her, its velocity so fast that she couldn¡¯t dodge it, nor could she react in time, so after merely a moment of distraction, a figure appeared before her eyes.


    ...


    However, this figure was not black but white!


    In the nick of time, Rocky threw himself in front of Dusa. At the same moment he appeared, a loud clang sounded, and the scythe that was mid-swing struck heavily upon the Mana Sword that Rocky held above his head!


    The scene unfolded so quickly that to onlookers, Rocky and the Knife Fox Demon almost seemed to appear in front of Dusa simultaneously, and from the moment they emerged, it was a clash of offense and defense, with nobody able to discern how they had made their moves.


    ¡°Retreat! Everyone retreat!¡±


    After blocking the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s scythe, Rocky roared, commanding everyone to immediately retreat.


    Although he didn¡¯t know the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s name at this point, he understood that this was certainly one of the high-level demons of legend, capable of destroying a destroyer single-handedly, a fearsome being that could lay low the strongest warrior of Thunderhawk City in an encounter.


    Facing such an extreme menace, the Guard Corps could not stand against it. With the strength of a high-level demon, it could potentially slaughter the entire Guard Corps in passing. Dusa, Sandro, Liliya, and Lin Feng also couldn¡¯t stand against it, for Monte had already tried and in a mere encounter, the Knife Fox Demon had managed to cripple him, despite Monte¡¯s experience as a Demon Hunter. Otherwise, had it been any other Void Magic Warrior, they might have perished in an encounter.


    Thus, the only one left who could stand against this monstrous creature was Rocky.


    So, after thwarting the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s ambush, Rocky immediately yelled, instructing everyone to flee at once; otherwise, he had no ability to protect them.


    Hearing his shout, Liliya reacted the fastest. She practically didn¡¯t think before she dragged Dusa and Sandro back toward the city wall. Lin Feng, who had been with the guards, also realized what was happening and quickly ordered all the guards to retreat immediately.


    In the blink of an eye, a scene of total rout erupted in front of Backhill Village¡¯s wall. Liliya, with Dusa and Sandro in tow, flew towards the wall, while all members of the Guard Corps, led by Lin Feng, frantically fled in the direction of the wall. The originally intact formation disintegrated instantly amidst the panic, and all anyone could think about was making a dash back to the village.


    From an observer¡¯s perspective, the behavior of the Guard Corps and the likes of Liliya would seem disgraceful, with phrases like a headless flight and disorganized retreat not being an exaggeration. However, only Liliya and the guards knew they had to flee as swiftly as possible, for this was the only chance Rocky had secured for them. If they dared waste any time now, the opportunity that Rocky, the City Lord, had risked his life to win for them, would be lost.


    In such circumstances, their headlong flight was nothing to be ashamed of!


    Indeed, that was the case. This moment was Liliya¡¯s, the guards¡¯, and her only chance to escape because as they fled, Rocky, who had been holding back the Knife Fox Demon, suddenly knelt on one knee to the ground with a thud!


    In the struggle against the Knife Fox Demon, he was defeated, forced to his knees by the opponent¡¯s scythe!


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    Clutching the Mana Sword with both hands, Rocky exerted all his strength to ward off the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s Scythe, but even so, his arms still bent slowly under the pressure, with the scythe raised above his head inching down bit by bit. He could clearly see the sharp blade nearing, about to fall upon his head¡­


    I can¡¯t hold on anymore¡­


    As the Scythe descended bit by bit, Rocky knew he couldn¡¯t hold on any longer. So when the tip of the Scythe was less than an inch from his head, he violently cranked his Armor¡¯s propulsion system to its maximum, and then, like a compressed spring, shot backwards!


    With a bang, as Rocky flashed back over ten meters, the Scythe, losing its leverage, heavily struck the ground. The sharp blade not only plunged into the earth instantly, but the immense force also created a large crater in the ground!


    This was the power of a high-level demon, the Knife Fox Demon, not known for its strength, could still, with just a one-handed strike, cause such destruction to the landscape¡­


    Staring intensely at the large crater made by the Knife Fox Demon on the ground, Rocky gasped for air while suspended midair in his Armor, already drenched in sweat, but he had no chance or time to wipe it off because at that moment, the Knife Fox Demon had already raised its head, looking over with crescent-moon-like eyes!


    In an instant, Rocky and the Knife Fox Demon locked eyes.


    Looking into the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s eyes, Rocky suddenly felt a wave of ill omen, an untraceable sense of crisis enveloping him, causing every single hair on his head to stand in terror in the blink of an eye.


    Danger.


    The danger of death!


    The moment Rocky saw the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s crescent eyes, he had the illusion that he had died, that he was already slain by the opponent¡¯s Scythe!


    Such feeling was so real, real enough to make Rocky feel as though he truly had died, and that he was now merely a soul. Of course, this was impossible. Rocky knew this very well, he even understood why he was having such an illusion.


    The gap between them was too great!


    The disparity between him and the Knife Fox Demon was so vast that just being glanced at by the opponent almost scared him to death.


    Although these thoughts felt long, they actually transpired in just a fleeting moment. If it had to be measured in time, it probably wasn¡¯t even a second, no, not even half a second. Therefore, Rocky snapped out of his illusion quickly. But when he regained his senses, he noticed something immensely terrifying¡ªthe Knife Fox Demon on the ground¡­ had disappeared¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 362 - 336 Despair...

    Chapter 362: Chapter 336 Despair¡­


    No one expected a high-level demon to descend.


    And anyone familiar with high-level demons knew one thing, their appearance meant a deadly battle!


    This was now the case for Rocky. He had to stop the Knife Fox Demon because if he failed, it would be the end of Backhill Village, not just the village but the Guard Corps, Liliya, and everyone and everything would ultimately be destroyed by the scythe of the Knife Fox Demon.


    But how difficult it was to achieve this! sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If high-level demons could be stopped just by saying so, how could they become the stuff of terrifying legends?


    Rocky had merely exchanged a glance with the Knife Fox and already deeply felt the gap between them¡ªhe was simply not on the same level as the Knife Fox Demon. The disparity was so great that just one look nearly scared him to death.


    ...


    This was not because Rocky was cowardly. Anyone who dared confront a high-level demon could be called brave. His fear was solely due to the overwhelming difference in strength, which instinctively triggered his terror.


    Indeed, a moment later, Rocky had snapped out of his fear, but when he looked down to the ground again, he discovered that the Knife Fox Demon was gone¡­


    Bad news!


    The moment he noticed the Knife Fox Demon had disappeared from its original position, Rocky felt a sense of doom and, without thinking, immediately leaped upward, flying higher.


    At the same time as he soared into the air, the Knife Fox Demon appeared in midair, right in front of him, swinging its scythe down!


    Fortunately, Rocky had reacted preemptively. By making the right choice the moment he noticed the opponent¡¯s disappearance, when the Knife Fox Demon swung its scythe, he had just rushed upward, allowing the scythe to miss by scraping past his toes.


    However, after this miss, the Knife Fox Demon did not fall but instead kicked powerfully twice in midair, propelling itself several meters upwards as if it were stepping on the ground.


    Double jump!


    Logically, the Knife Fox Demon was not capable of flying, but due to its extreme speed and the excessive power in its legs, this demon could easily jump to heights of forty to fifty meters, or even more, and its strong leg muscles allowed it to perform consecutive jumps in midair. Therefore, while the Knife Fox Demon could not fly freely like a Magic Dragon or reach high altitudes, its ability to jump repeatedly in low-altitude combat presented no problem at all.


    Now was such a time; when Rocky had evaded an attack by increasing his altitude, the Knife Fox Demon immediately jumped up and appeared before him again!


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Rocky exclaimed, startled that the opponent could perform consecutive jumps in midair. He immediately responded with the fastest reaction and speed, moving from up to down, beginning to descend.


    Unfortunately, although his reaction was quick and there was no problem with his armor operation, he was still a step too slow. Although he did not give the Knife Fox Demon the chance to swing its unstoppable scythe, in the process of their crossing paths, he was stepped on by the demon.


    One step from the Knife Fox Demon on his shoulder made Rocky feel as if he had been struck by a mountain, completely out of control, plummeting straight toward the ground!


    Then, in the blink of an eye, there was a booming sound as Rocky fell vertically from midair to the ground.


    ¡°How¡­is that¡­possible¡­¡±


    ¡°My lord¡­¡±


    As Rocky heavily fell from the sky, everyone on the city walls gaping widely, whether they were archers or Liliya and the others who had made it back to the walls, at that moment, despair appeared in their eyes.


    In everyone¡¯s minds, Rocky was the strongest warrior of Thunderhawk City and, in the eyes of many soldiers, was invincible. In fact, he almost was, whether it was his first demon hunt when he was younger or his later mission defending Backhill Village, or even in the combat arena¡ªit was always so, and in the battle against Wild Horse City, he even performed a one-man pentakill, slaying five Void Magic Warriors.


    Such an outstanding record had made everyone in Thunderhawk City feel that as long as Rocky was there, they would never be defeated, and indeed that had been the case¡ªRocky led them in every battle, and they had never lost.


    But this time, they dared not think so, because anyone could see that in the confrontation with the high-level demon, Rocky was at an absolute disadvantage!


    And if even he couldn¡¯t stand against the high-level demon, who else could protect them?


    ¡°Quick! Contact Thunderhawk City, seek out Master Orton!¡±


    Watching Rocky fall from the sky, Liliya wished she could rush out to help immediately, but she knew she shouldn¡¯t because with her strength she couldn¡¯t truly aid Rocky, and if she did go, she would only distract him.


    Hence, after realizing Rocky was no match for the high-level demon, Liliya immediately thought of Orton and the others; they were all archmages, and they could definitely help.


    At that moment, the place where Rocky had fallen was stirring up a billowing cloud of dust, quickly obscuring the sight of the people who couldn¡¯t tell what had happened to Rocky.


    Yet before anyone could grasp what was happening, another dark shadow fell from the sky!


    The Knife Fox Demon had followed!


    With a loud bang, the Knife Fox Demon that fell straight from the sky plunged into the dust, causing everyone¡¯s hearts to clench because nobody knew Rocky¡¯s condition. If he wasn¡¯t ready, then with the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s arrival, his end might very well be at hand.


    However, fortunately, just a few seconds after the Knife Fox Demon crashed into the swirling dust, a figure dashed out¡ªit was Rocky!


    Emerging from the swirling dust, Rocky had already maxed out his Armor¡¯s speed and while retreating, he opened his shoulder and waist Magic Energy Beam Emitters, and along with the Magic Energy Bullet Emitter on his arm, he unleashed all his firepower in a fierce bombardment towards the dust.


    Under this attack, the dust-covered area soon echoed with a series of explosions, and amidst the continuous blasts, the dust was completely dispersed, allowing everyone to see the Knife Fox Demon again.


    Facing Rocky¡¯s attack, the Knife Fox Demon dodged left and right with extreme speed, as if teleporting. One moment it appeared on Rocky¡¯s left, the next second it flashed to his right, avoiding both the Magic Bullets and the Magic Energy Beams.


    In this situation, within just a few seconds, the Knife Fox Demon, dodging and weaving, had caught up to Rocky and stood before him!


    ¡°Squeak, squeak, squeak!!¡±


    Appearing before Rocky, the Knife Fox Demon, amidst its screeching, raised the two scythes in its hands, hacking down in a cross formation¡­!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 363 - 337: Ultimate!

    Chapter 363: Chapter 337: Ultimate!


    Two scythes, crossed over, slashed towards Rocky!


    In an instant, two flashes of cold light passed by, landing steadfastly on Rocky¡¯s body¡­


    Crack¡­


    The Magic Energy Shield that Rocky held in front of him shattered in the moment those two flashes of cold light passed, first breaking into four pieces before they reverted back to mana and vanished from sight. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was precisely at the moment when the Magic Energy Shield was easily shattered that, with a swoosh, Rocky, who had barely blocked the attack with his shield, flashed to the side of the Knife Fox Demon and swung his sword down!


    This time, he didn¡¯t choose to run, but instead chose to counterattack!


    ...


    This wasn¡¯t because Rocky had found a way to deal with the Knife Fox Demon; in fact, in his view, he simply couldn¡¯t stand up to a high-level demon. His daring counterattack wasn¡¯t because he truly could kill his opponent, but solely for the sake of self-preservation!


    Running away had already been attempted to no avail. The White Demon Armor wasn¡¯t adept at accelerating for extended periods, utterly incapable of shaking off the Knife Fox Demon. Moreover, let¡¯s not forget that Backhill Village lay behind him. Even if he could shake off the Knife Fox Demon, where could he flee to?


    Back to Thunderhawk City?


    With the White Demon Armor, he might be able to make it, but even if he did escape back there, what about the people left in Backhill Village? They absolutely wouldn¡¯t have time to run away, and once everyone in Backhill Village died, even if Rocky successfully made it back to Thunderhawk City, he would be nothing but a lone individual, having lost everything!


    So, he had no choice but to fight, even though he knew full well that he couldn¡¯t defeat the formidable high-level demon.


    In a flicker, Rocky appeared at the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s side and didn¡¯t hesitate to chop down with his sword, only to hear a clang¡ªthe Mana Sword, already reinforced by the armor¡¯s mana, was directly blocked by the scythe!


    An expected turn of events.


    The strike being blocked was no surprise to Rocky, who immediately accelerated his armor and appeared on the other side in the blink of an eye.


    The series of exchanges he had previously had with the Knife Fox Demon had given Rocky a rough understanding of this type of demon. He already knew the speed of the Knife Fox Demon, and that its scythe was its biggest advantage. Its strength was also far superior; although it couldn¡¯t fly, it could leap continuously in the air, which meant that for Rocky, the demon was practically unbeatable.


    In such a situation, he had tried running, to no effect; he had also tried ranged attacks, but the opponent¡¯s speed had long surpassed that of the Magic Energy Bullets and the Magic Energy Beams, so they couldn¡¯t hit him. As for the Demon Annihilation Cannon¡­ perhaps its power was sufficient to kill or severely injure the enemy, but it took at least three seconds to initiate the Demon Annihilation Cannon, and in that time, the Knife Fox Demon would have enough time to kill him dozens of times over. Therefore, the only method of fighting back was close-quarters combat.


    In a small-scale close combat scenario, Rocky could push the speed of the Void Magic Armor to its absolute limit. At this extreme, he was confident he wouldn¡¯t lose to the enemy in speed. Once he could keep up, he would find opportunities to attack, which in turn meant that the enemy¡¯s chances to attack would decrease, and his own likelihood of surviving would greatly increase!


    In an instant, after making a swift 180-degree turn, Rocky appeared on the other side of the Knife Fox Demon and executed a sweep aimed directly at its waist.


    Yet again, there was a clang as the sweeping Mana Sword was firmly blocked by the scythe, but Rocky promptly withdrew and, after a quick ninety-degree turn, appeared behind the Knife Fox Demon and raised his Mana Sword to chop down.


    But this time, just as he had raised his Mana Sword, no, merely halfway up, the Knife Fox Demon turned around with unimaginable speed, preempting his move!


    This¡­


    How is that possible!!


    ¡°`


    Rocky watched in disbelief as the Knife Fox Demon turned around, experiencing a moment of distraction, for he thought it was utterly impossible!


    In such close-range combat, the speed and agility of the White Demon Armor were the best of the best, presumably only surpassed by more advanced custom Armors. No other Special Armor could boast superiority in this aspect over the White Demon, so he was confident that he wouldn¡¯t be outpaced by the opponent in such a skirmish.


    But he was wrong, and the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s effortless turn before his eyes was proof of this!


    And in that brief moment of distraction, the Knife Fox Demon, having fully turned around, raised the Scythe in its left hand¡­


    In an instant, Rocky saw a flash of cold light!


    That¡¯s right, not a single flash, but a sweep of cold lights!


    One slash?


    Two slashes?


    Three slashes?


    Or four?


    It was simply too fast!


    In the blink of an eye as the Knife Fox raised its hand, Rocky couldn¡¯t make out how many times the Scythe had been swung. He saw at least three slashes in that instant but felt certain there were more than three, certain that he must have missed some¡­


    ¡°Ah! My lord, the lord he¡­!¡±


    When Rocky and the Knife Fox Demon clashed blades, the people of Backhill Village didn¡¯t flee; instead, they stood atop the city walls, witnessing everything.


    These people knew they couldn¡¯t leave; in front of a high-level demon, they would be struck down even before a warship could take off. Their only hope was Rocky, hoping that he would emerge victorious.


    So, as Rocky and the Knife Fox Demon engaged in their blade fight, everyone watched, though to their eyes, Rocky and the Knife Fox Demon were merely shades of black and white darting about at high speed, impossible to make out clearly. Yet, they all clenched their fists, silently cheering Rocky on.


    But at that moment, the white silhouette representing Rocky was suddenly sent flying backwards!


    With a loud bang, Rocky was sent flying dozens of meters before crashing heavily to the ground, and his Armor was now marred with no fewer than six slashes!


    The Scarred Demon had swung its Scythe six times in the span of raising its hand! And each slash had landed firmly on Rocky¡¯s breastplate, nearly shredding the chest of the White Demon Armor¡­


    But fortunately, the White Demon Armor had been designed with a powerful Demon Annihilation Cannon hidden within its chest plate. The chest plate was not only thick but also had the strongest defensive power. When the sharp edge of the Scythe hit the breastplate, it fortunately only shattered the protective layer, sparing Rocky any harm.


    It must be said that the White Demon Armor saved Rocky¡¯s life this time. Had the White Demon Armor not been forged from the best materials, then even with a protective layer and an internal Demon Annihilation Cannon as a buffer, the sharpness of the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s Scythe would have been enough to cleave both the Armor and Rocky to pieces.


    However, the material of the White Demon Armor could save him once but not a second time, after striking Rocky and sending him flying, the Knife Fox Demon leaped up above him, then, quickly turning in mid-air and aiming headfirst downward, completed a powerful double jump with a forceful push from its hind legs, rushing towards him at extreme speed. During the charge, the pair of Scythes in its hands already aimed at his head!


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 364 - 338 Archmage!

    Chapter 364: Chapter 338 Archmage!


    He leapt high, quickly descending!


    The Knife Fox Demon aimed its scythes at Rocky¡¯s head, stabbing down without hesitation!


    It¡¯s over¡­


    Seeing this scene, everyone on the city wall knew it was over.


    In his battle with the high-level demon, Rocky had been thoroughly defeated; even with such powerful armor, he had no way to compete. He had been bested within just a few exchanges and was about to lose his life.


    I¡¯m going to die¡­


    ...


    Lying on the ground, Rocky saw the demon descending from above, saw the approaching blade tip getting closer and closer, and similarly came to a realization¡ªa realization called death. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He knew he was about to die. At this moment, this feeling was so clear, and he finally understood the true meaning of the phrase ¡°death cannot be resisted.¡± Facing the imminent death, he wanted to struggle, to dodge, to resist, but he simply couldn¡¯t.


    The only thing he could do now was to wait, to wait for the death that would arrive between breaths.


    How fast was the Knife Fox Demon?


    A moment later, the falling scythe neared Rocky¡¯s head, and then¡­ it stopped¡­


    Yes, just as the scythe tip had completely descended and even pierced the helmet of the White Demon Armor, it suddenly halted!


    ¡°How, how¡­!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡±


    Just as Rocky was about to meet his end, the guards on the city wall had already fallen into despair, while Liliya and Monte, along with other Void Magic Warriors, had pushed their armor¡¯s speed to the limit, intending to rush out and save Rocky¡ªalthough they were very aware it was a futile hope.


    But at that moment, just as the guards had given up hope and Liliya, Monte and the others had just leaped up, not even having the time to fly over the city wall, they saw the Knife Fox Demon stop its attack.


    What was happening?


    As they saw the Knife Fox Demon come to a halt, everyone froze for a moment, unable to understand what was happening. Could it be¡­ could it be that the Knife Fox Demon had developed a conscience?


    ¡°Look! Look up in the sky!¡±


    Suddenly, just as everyone was still dazed, someone shouted out loud.


    This shout brought everyone back to their senses, and they all looked up towards the sky together.


    Following the gaze of the crowd, one could see that three figures had appeared hanging in the air outside the city wall!


    Orton.


    Pelaya.


    Aniye.


    Three archmages were levitating in mid-air, controlling the Knife Fox Demon with their surging magic power, imprisoning it in suspended animation!


    Since ancient times, the profession of mage has existed, reaching its zenith during the Continental Era. In the Land Era, mages essentially represented the strongest profession and the ultimate martial force, to the extent that a single archmage could easily crush an entire army.


    But today, the profession finds itself in a most awkward position. Theoretically, anyone could be called a mage today, as long as they have learned magic, can communicate with magic power, and are able to activate and use equipment such as the Void Magic Armor.


    Yet, precisely because of the prevalence and application of mana technology, even though everyone now possesses magic power, nobody wants to delve deeply into or learn magic anymore, because there¡¯s simply no need. Everyone is content with just enough magic power to activate mana equipment or items¡ªwhy bother enhancing one¡¯s own magic power continuously?


    Furthermore, with the invention and spread of the Void Magic Armor, the role of mages in combat has significantly diminished. Therefore, in today¡¯s world, true high-level mages have become increasingly rare. Even if someone diligently studies, it¡¯s often not for the sake of combat but for other aspects, like how Orton needed to enhance his magic power for research purposes.


    Despite this, it must be acknowledged that the combat power of a high-level mage is still very formidable, as is the case right now.


    When Liliya realized Rocky definitely couldn¡¯t match a high-level demon, she immediately sent word to Orton and others in Thunderhawk City. Upon receiving the news, they rushed over without delay.


    Among the four, aside from Hammerfire who wasn¡¯t adept in magic power, Orton, Pelaya, and Aniye were all Ninth-level Grand Magi. The three of them didn¡¯t even take the skyship, directly using their Levitation Skill to fly out of Thunderhawk City, rushing to Backhill Village with the greatest speed!


    And when the three arrived at Backhill Village, they happened to witness the Knife Fox Demon about to deal a deadly blow to Rocky.


    The three masters¡¯ knowledge was profound; they recognized the Knife Fox Demon at first glance and were deeply shocked.


    They weren¡¯t shocked by the presence of the Knife Fox Demon¡ªencountering any type of demon of any level anywhere on the land wasn¡¯t strange. What truly surprised them was that Rocky could tangle with the Knife Fox Demon for so long.


    The terror of a high-level demon was well understood by the three archmages, far more than the average person, so they were very clear on the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s strengths and advantages. To some extent, the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s strong points overlapped with those of the White Demon Armor; both possessed immense speed and agility, but the Knife Fox Demon was clearly superior. Therefore, Orton and the others found it hard to imagine how Rocky could persist under such absolute disadvantage.


    Regardless, by the time the three arrived, Rocky was imminently in peril, so Orton and his companions hastily intervened, controlling the Knife Fox Demon at the very last moment.


    The combined force of the three mages confidentially confined the Knife Fox Demon amid the air, and Rocky, who thought he was doomed, also came to his senses, turning his head to see Orton and the others suspended in mid-air.


    ¡°I¡¯m saved¡­¡±


    Upon seeing Orton and the others, he instantly understood the situation and then lay on the ground, heaving a sigh of relief.


    ¡°You brat! Use the Demon Annihilation Cannon! We can¡¯t control it for long!¡±


    Just as Rocky was letting out a sigh of relief, Orton suddenly yelled out.


    At that moment, Orton was drenched in sweat, and so was Pelaya beside him. Only Aniye seemed to fare slightly better. It appeared that even for archmages, confining a high-level demon was a daunting task. Moreover, don¡¯t forget that even though the levels of Orton and his companions were archmages, their magic power was predominantly used to aid research; combat was certainly not their forte.


    In fact, at the same time Orton shouted, the imprisoned Knife Fox Demon let out a piercing scream. Amidst this ear-piercing screech, Rocky suddenly noticed that the pair of scythes hovering above his head moved!


    Orton wasn¡¯t lying¡ªthe three of them couldn¡¯t control the Knife Fox Demon forever, and the controlled demon was indeed fighting back!


    In such a situation, Rocky dared not waste any more time. He immediately channeled all of the armor¡¯s mana to his chest, and upon receiving the mana, the exposed Demon Annihilation Cannon gradually lit up¡­!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 365 - 339: Destroy the Demon!

    Chapter 365: Chapter 339: Destroy the Demon!


    ¡°`


    Orton and his two companions arrived in time to save Rocky¡¯s life, but it was only a temporary measure.


    Even under the restraint of the three, the Knife Fox Demon was still resisting. Firmly bound in midair, the demon let out piercing screams while struggling violently. In just a second or two, the pair of scythes hovering over Rocky¡¯s head moved slightly.


    Clearly, the restraint imposed by Orton and his two companions began to loosen after just a few seconds.


    This is what makes a high-level demon, a terribly fearsome monster!


    In such a situation, Rocky had no time to delay. He immediately gathered all the mana of his armor at his chest and activated the Demon Annihilation Cannon.


    ...


    During his previous encounter with the Knife Fox Demon, Rocky had thought of using the Demon Annihilation Cannon. He had always known that only the Demon Annihilation Cannon could counter a high-level demon, but he never had the chance to use this trump card, for a very simple reason: he just didn¡¯t have the opportunity.


    Although the power of the Demon Annihilation Cannon was immense, the time required to prepare for firing was equally long. It needed at least three seconds of charging before the Demon Annihilation Cannon could be used, but would the Knife Fox Demon give him those three seconds?


    Even if Rocky had those three seconds, even if he completed charging the Demon Annihilation Cannon, could he hit the incredibly fast Knife Fox Demon?


    The answer was definitive. He certainly couldn¡¯t hit the target, which was why he had not used this move until now.


    But now he had an opportunity. Orton and the other two used their magic power to restrain the Knife Fox Demon, making this terrible creature unable to move or escape, turning it into a live target. This gave Rocky the chance to use the Demon Annihilation Cannon to finish it off!


    So, realizing that Orton and the others could not hold on for much longer, Rocky immediately activated the Demon Annihilation Cannon.


    But at the same moment the mana was being gathered at his chest, the restrained Knife Fox Demon began to resist even more fiercely, clearly sensing the impending danger. The sounds coming from its throat became even more piercing, and its struggles grew more violent.


    Since it was so close, Rocky could see every detail of the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s reaction with perfect clarity. He could see every hair on the demon¡¯s body stand on end at this moment, and its eyes, previously curved like crescent moons, were now as round and terrifying as full moons.


    One second¡­


    When Rocky noticed this change in the Knife Fox Demon, only a single second had passed.


    Two seconds¡­


    And by the time two seconds had gone by, the Demon Annihilation Cannon at his chest was more than halfway charged, and blinding brightness had already begun to emerge from the massive muzzle.


    Meanwhile, the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s resistance also intensified. The screams from its throat had reached an indescribably shrill level, and its body, although restrained, was noticeably trembling. In particular, the pair of scythes had descended further, the sharp tips now completely penetrating Rocky¡¯s helmet with ease!


    Three seconds!


    The three-second charging time was finally up. Rocky didn¡¯t waste a fraction of a moment and instantly fired the Demon Annihilation Cannon!


    A massive column of light shot from his chest straight into the sky, engulfing the Knife Fox Demon that was only inches away. Yet even so, when the demon¡¯s entire body was swallowed by the light column, its piercing screams did not stop!


    What did this mean¡­


    It meant that the monster was not yet dead!


    Everyone was stunned to discover that the Knife Fox Demon, hit directly by the Demon Annihilation Cannon, was still screaming. At that moment, everyone¡¯s mind went blank. This was true for the guards on the city walls, for Liliya and Monte in midair, for Rocky on the ground, and even for Orton and his companions.


    If even the Demon Annihilation Cannon couldn¡¯t kill the Knife Fox Demon, what on earth could¡­


    Despair set in.


    ¡°`


    At this moment, listening to the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s scream after being struck by the Demon Annihilation Cannon, everyone felt disheartened.


    But just then, everyone suddenly realized that something was amiss.


    The piercing scream seemed to have changed?


    The previous screams from the Knife Fox Demon were unpleasant and piercing, almost having a tangible lethality to them, affecting every listener or demon severely; the weaker ones could even lose their ability to fight on the spot.


    But now, everyone found out that while the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s voice was still unpleasant and piercing, it lacked the original lethality. It sounded as if it were no longer a scream, but had become¡­ a wail!


    Yes, the Knife Fox Demon was wailing!


    After being hit directly by the Demon Annihilation Cannon, the Knife Fox Demon let out a piercing wail. This wailing then grew weaker, until it finally stopped altogether.


    And it was precisely when the wail of the Knife Fox Demon completely vanished that the light beam of the Demon Annihilation Cannon also disappeared, followed by the sound of a clang, as the scythe in the hand of the Knife Fox Demon dropped to the ground. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All this happened very quickly, but in reality, it only took a few short seconds. As those seconds passed, when people looked towards Rocky again, they found no trace of the Knife Fox Demon, leaving only the scythe lying on the ground.


    The Knife Fox Demon, dead!


    Lying on the ground, Rocky turned his head and glanced at the scythe beside him, before he finally took a long breath out.


    He had survived.


    And won!


    After confirming that all of it was real, and not a dream, Rocky got up from the ground. But just as he had barely gotten to his feet, he saw a figure throw herself directly into his arms.


    ¡°Rocky!¡±


    Being tightly embraced by Liliya, Rocky immediately felt a surge of acute pain throughout his body, but he had no time to worry about that, as he quickly looked down at Liliya to find her already sobbing inconsolably in his arms.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­ it¡¯s alright¡­¡±


    Gently patting Liliya¡¯s back, Rocky said with a smile to comfort her. When he looked to the side, he saw Monte, Dusa, Lin Feng, and Sandro had all arrived. Dusa, like Liliya, was crying raining tears, while the eyes of the other few were red-rimmed as they looked at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    Glancing at them, Rocky then turned to look towards the city walls, where he saw a host of Guards, and then waved at them.


    ¡°City Lord is mighty!¡±


    ¡°City Lord is mighty!¡±


    ¡°City Lord is mighty!¡±


    As Rocky waved at the Guards, a chorus of cheers erupted from the city walls. Everyone raised their weapons high, excitedly shouting Rocky¡¯s name.


    Facing this wave after wave of loud shouts, Rocky smiled. He then turned his head towards the opposite side and saw that the demons, which had previously approached fiercely, had now retreated completely.


    This was indeed a rare occurrence; after all, in people¡¯s minds, demons are never known to retreat. But now it seemed, that belief was not correct, because even monsters know fear!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 366 - 340: Major Loss......

    Chapter 366: Chapter 340: Major Loss¡­¡­


    It turns out, demons can be afraid too.


    After the Knife Fox Demon was killed, the many demons that had been gathering at the entrance of Backhill Village scattered in a frenzy. Watching the demons disperse, Rocky finally breathed a sigh of relief. He didn¡¯t send the warship to pursue them, but instead, with Liliya¡¯s support, he returned to Backhill Village.


    The previous battle could be said to have resulted in heavy losses for Rocky¡¯s side. At first, everyone thought it was just a small group of demons attacking and didn¡¯t worry too much, after all, Backhill Village now had high walls and a strong defense, too powerful for a small group of demons to pose any threat.


    But unexpectedly, what started as an attack by a small group of demons quickly escalated into an assault by several hundred demons, and ultimately, it attracted a terrifyingly powerful high-level demon, leading to substantial losses for Rocky.


    If the sinking of a destroyer by a high-level demon didn¡¯t count as a serious loss, then the severe damage suffered by the White Demon Armor in the battle against the demons certainly couldn¡¯t be overlooked.


    Yes, after the Knife Fox Demon was eliminated, Rocky¡¯s White Demon Armor was severely damaged. Facing the sharp scythe of the Knife Fox Demon, the White Demon Armor sustained unprecedented heavy destruction.


    ...


    Taking off the White Demon Armor from his body and looking at the severely damaged armor, Rocky was incredibly distressed. After an inspection by Master Hammerfire, it was confirmed that the White Demon Armor could no longer be used¡­


    This outcome was a significant loss not only for Rocky personally but also for Backhill Village and even for Thunderhawk City, because compared to the massive Fleet, the White Demon Armor was the real trump card in Rocky¡¯s hand. And now, after the battle with the high-level demon, this strongest trump card was gone.


    The only consolation for Rocky was that the Guard Corps had suffered relatively minor losses in the battle. Thanks to a timely retreat, the Guard Corps did not suffer any casualties, with only a few guards sustaining minor injuries in combat with Normal Demons. This result allowed Rocky to heave a sigh of relief, as the Guard Corps was an indispensable force in defending Backhill Village. As long as the unit had not been severely damaged, the village¡¯s defenses wouldn¡¯t have too many issues.


    After returning to his residence in Backhill Village, Rocky was immediately taken to bed. He lay there receiving treatment from the doctor while issuing orders for the aftermath.


    ¡°Monte, send someone to clean up the battlefield, collect all usable Demon Corpses, Demon Cores, and the like.¡±


    While the focus of the previous battle was on the high-level demon, let¡¯s not forget that before its appearance, Rocky¡¯s side had already eliminated hundreds of Normal Demons. The battle might be over, but the corpses of the demons destroyed by the warship and Guard Corps still remained on the battlefield. These corpses should not be wasted; they are valuable Demon Materials that can be sold for money after being collected.


    So upon returning to his residence, the first thing Rocky thought of was to have Monte collect the demon corpses outside.


    ¡°Aileen, contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce and have them deliver a batch of Magic Energy Cannons, Armor materials, and medical supplies as soon as possible. Find out exactly what¡¯s needed by consulting with Monte and Master Orton, and have them draw up a list for you.¡±


    After arranging tasks for Outer Monte, Rocky called over Aileen and asked her to contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce immediately to secure a timely replenishment.


    Having gone through the recent battle, Rocky had reclaimed the feeling of his past days, his current feeling was exactly the same as when he was carrying out defense tasks in Backhill Village years ago, always on edge, facing demons that could attack at any moment.


    Especially after clashing with high-level demons, he realized something even more clearly: the land was now far more dangerous than it had been two years ago.


    Back then, when he was defending Backhill Village, although it was dangerous, the number of demons he faced wasn¡¯t large. At most, a few would attack the village, maybe a dozen or so, and at the very most, about a hundred. But now, it was evidently different. If the demons surrounding Backhill Village were to mount an offense, they would easily number in the twenties or thirties and more, sometimes even exceeding a hundred. What was more important was the appearance of unequaled high-level demons.


    In such circumstances, Rocky couldn¡¯t afford to take anything lightly. The idea that he could easily fend off demons with just the Fleet and the Guard Corps was clearly mistaken. To ensure the village was completely safe, he had to strengthen its defenses.


    First and foremost was to promptly repair the Magic Energy Cannons on the town walls. The Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had originally installed twenty Magic Energy Cannons on the walls of Backhill Village, but unfortunately, they were all destroyed during the battle to take the village. Hence, Rocky planned to repair these magic energy cannons as soon as possible to enhance the village¡¯s defensive capabilities.


    Next was to have Orton and others repair the White Demon Armor quickly. The threat Backhill Village now faced was not as simple as just ordinary demons; there might be other high-level demons lurking around. And as it had been proven, only the White Demon Armor could barely contend with high-level demons, so it was imperative to repair the armor urgently.


    However, due to limited funds and having never anticipated that the White Demon Armor would suffer such severe damage, Orton and the others didn¡¯t have spare materials to perform major repairs. This left Rocky with no choice but to have the Ruby Chamber of Commerce urgently deliver a batch of raw materials for the repairs. Only in this way could the White Demon Armor be restored.


    All these plans, of course, depended on the support of Gold Coins. Fortunately, the treasury of Thunderhawk City still had some funds left, and with the Demon Materials that could be obtained after the battles, Rocky didn¡¯t have to worry too much about money.


    With his arrangements in place, everyone became busy once again. Monte led the Guard Corps to sort out the Demon Materials; Aileen was in a hurry to contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, and the rest were repairing the walls or mining as needed.


    And so, time quickly passed by three days.


    In these three days, Backhill Village gradually got back on track. The mine had started operating, the city walls had been completely repaired, and now they were just waiting for the Ruby Chamber of Commerce to deliver the Magic Energy Cannons for installation. Also, after three days of bed rest, Rocky had more or less recovered, and then he immediately went to meet with Orton and the others.


    After the previous battle ended, to prevent high-level demons from appearing again, Orton and his team stayed in Backhill Village, and simply moved part of the research lab equipment into the village. They were now constantly conducting research there.


    Rocky, of course, was grateful for this, but he was more concerned about something else¡ªthe White Demon Armor. So as soon as he recovered, he went straight to where Orton and his team were stationed.


    ¡°Master Hammerfire, when can the White Demon Armor be repaired? Whatever you need, just speak directly to Aileen, and she will purchase it for you.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon seeing Orton and his team, Rocky immediately asked this question, indicating that as long as the White Demon Armor could be repaired quickly, anything would be manageable.


    Unfortunately, facing his words, none of Orton¡¯s team responded. In the end, it was Master Hammerfire who shook his head first, ¡°City Lord, young man, the White Demon Armor¡­ is completely beyond repair¡­¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 367 - 341: Redesign!

    Chapter 367: Chapter 341: Redesign!


    ¡°Scrapped¡­?¡±


    Upon hearing Hammerfire¡¯s words, Rocky froze on the spot.


    ¡°The damage to the White Demon Armor is too severe. If we were to repair it, the cost would be almost as high as manufacturing a new set of armor; therefore, we believe there is no longer any necessity to repair it.¡±


    While Rocky was stunned, Orton also opened his mouth, offering an explanation to Rocky.


    After the fight with the Knife Fox Demon, the White Demon Armor had suffered severe damage. It wasn¡¯t that there was absolutely no hope of full repair, but as Orton said, the time and cost involved in repairing the current White Demon Armor were as high as making a new set of armor, so there was no longer any necessity to repair it.


    ¡°But teacher, without the White Demon Armor, I¡­¡±


    ...


    After being dazed for a moment, Rocky regained his senses, and his face immediately showed an ugly expression.


    He certainly knew how severely damaged the White Demon Armor was in the battle and understood the intention of Orton and others, but without the White Demon Armor, it was no exaggeration to say that Rocky¡¯s strength would immediately drop a notch!


    The White Demon Armor was too important to him, especially now!


    ¡°Kid, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Noticing Rocky¡¯s sour face, Orton then smiled and said, ¡°We know how much you need the White Demon Armor, but the set is indeed too badly damaged. However, don¡¯t rush; we have already begun designing a new generation of White Demon Armor.¡±


    ¡°Redesign¡­?¡±


    Upon hearing Orton¡¯s words, Rocky was stunned again, then his face showed an incredulous expression, ¡°Teacher, are you saying you¡¯re redesigning the White Demon Armor?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    This time, Hammerfire was the one speaking, ¡°It¡¯s a pity the White Demon Armor is scrapped, but this is also a good opportunity for us. We can take this chance to redesign it entirely, incorporating the new technologies we¡¯ve recently improved and developed.¡±


    In reality, although it was a pity that the White Demon Armor was scrapped, they could just make a new set¡ªafter all, the White Demon Armor was originally made by Hammerfire, so making a new set of armor shouldn¡¯t be a challenge for him.


    But clearly, Hammerfire and Orton were not planning to do just that.


    Considering the time, the White Demon Armor was a creation from six months ago; during this period, Orton and his colleagues were not idle. The four of them had been continuously conducting in-depth research on runes, constantly improving and innovating the current armor technology, and had made significant breakthroughs in this area.


    That is to say, Orton and his colleagues now had a batch of new technologies ready to be used and implemented.


    However, since the design of the White Demon Armor was relatively early, the armor¡¯s framework and technology were essentially fixed. Even though Orton and his colleagues had now mastered more advanced rune technology, they couldn¡¯t drastically improve the already finalized design of the new type of White Demon Armor.


    But now that the White Demon Armor was scrapped and a remake was necessary anyway, they could completely redesign the original armor.


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    Having heard Hammerfire¡¯s explanation and knowing that they were redesigning the White Demon Armor, Rocky excitedly waved his fists and hurriedly said, ¡°Teacher, masters, are the design drawings ready? Can I take a look?¡±


    With eyes full of excitement and anticipation, Rocky looked at the four of them, his gaze so pure it was like that of a child yearning for a toy, unable to wait any longer.


    As for his reaction, Orton and the others were not surprised at all, so they soon brought him to the test stand and then Hammerfire took out the design drawing of the new generation of White Demon Armor.


    This design drawing was not something Hammerfire had drawn up temporarily, for they had been planning to manufacture the new generation of White Demon Armor a few months ago, so Hammerfire had already started designing based on the original White Demon Armor several months prior.


    Under these circumstances, the design drawing Rocky saw, although not yet one hundred percent complete, already had the rudiments of the new generation White Demon Armor.


    Having previously participated in the design of Tank Model 1, Rocky was already quite familiar with design drawings, so a few minutes after seeing this drawing, his eyes gradually widened!


    ¡°This, this is¡­¡±


    Looking at the annotations on the design drawing, Rocky slowly opened his mouth and then quickly pointed at the diagram, looking towards Orton and the others, ¡°Teacher, is this, could this possibly be¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve figured it out?¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Rocky looked over with his mouth agape, Orton simply smiled, his face also revealing an expression of pride.


    ¡°Teacher, could this possibly be the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s scythe?¡±


    Pointing at the design drawing of the new generation White Demon Armor, Rocky was astounded, for he had noticed the new weapon in the White Demon Armor at the very first glance of the design drawing¡ªthe weapon was actually a scythe!


    Looking at the scythe on the design drawing, no matter how Rocky looked, it appeared familiar, and then he suddenly realized, wasn¡¯t this the very scythe of the Knife Fox Demon!


    In a previous battle, although the Knife Fox Demon had been completely reduced to ashes by the direct hit of the Demon Annihilation Cannon, its most characteristic pair of scythes had been left behind. Even under such powerful force of the Demon Annihilation Cannon that turned the Knife Fox Demon itself to ashes, this pair of scythes was left unscathed!


    What Rocky did not know was that when Monte led people to retrieve Demon Materials, these two scythes were not only successfully recovered but also taken advantage of by Orton and others, who planned to use them as raw materials to create a top melee weapon!


    Knowing that Orton and his team had this idea, Rocky was naturally the happiest, for he knew very well how formidable these two scythes were. It was with these two scythes that the Knife Fox Demon easily shredded the Magic Energy Shield of the White Demon, and it was also because of these two scythes that the White Demon Armor was completely scrapped. Therefore, if Orton and his team could turn these two scythes into weapons, the melee strength of the new generation White Demon Armor would undoubtedly increase significantly!


    ¡°Right!¡±


    Just as Rocky recalled the usage of these two scythes, he suddenly remembered another matter, something he had forgotten for a long time, and then quickly looked towards Orton and the others, ¡°Teacher, masters, I think I have a high-level demon tooth too.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Hearing his words, Orton and the others were all taken aback, and the four people almost turned their heads to look at him at the same time.


    ¡°City Lord kid, don¡¯t talk nonsense. You¡¯ve seen how difficult it is to deal with high-level demons. How could you possibly have such a creature¡¯s tooth?¡±


    Hammerfire shook his head as he looked at Rocky, for items from a high-level demon were exceedingly precious, something even they could not obtain; thus, Hammerfire simply did not believe Rocky would have one.


    ¡°Really, I do have one!¡±


    Seeing that several people did not believe him, Rocky said this while asking Liliya to immediately return to Thunderhawk City to fetch that unknown tooth from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Following his instructions, Liliya promptly left and, watching Liliya depart, Orton and the others frowned, exchanging dubious looks. Could it be that Rocky actually had a high-level demon¡¯s tooth?


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 368 - 342 The Only Existence

    Chapter 368: Chapter 342 The Only Existence


    Upon learning that Orton and others had retrieved the scythe of the Knife Fox Demon and planned to turn it into a weapon, Rocky suddenly remembered another thing ¡ª he still had a tooth from a high-level demon in his possession!


    He recalled that during his first trip to Eternal City, in order to sell the ores left behind by a Grayrock Demon, he once visited the Hunting Exchange and bought a tooth there.


    At that time, he intended to use this tooth as a close combat weapon, but unfortunately, it soon revealed a serious problem. It wasn¡¯t until Monte joined him that Rocky found out the tooth he had bought for only a few hundred Gold Coins might have come from a high-level demon!


    This revelation had scared Rocky out of his wits. He never thought he would encounter such a stroke of accidental fortune. Sadly, back then his abilities were too limited to know how to use it, even if the tooth might be worth a fortune. So he had no choice but to set it aside, and as time passed, he forgot about it¡­ until now, when he finally remembered.


    However, to Rocky¡¯s claims, Orton and the others were skeptical. It was not that they didn¡¯t believe Rocky, but rather they simply couldn¡¯t fathom that such good fortune could really exist in this world!


    That was a high-level demon¡¯s tooth! To casually find one in the market and buy it for only a few hundred Gold Coins seemed like a joke!


    ...


    So when Rocky shared this story, Orton and the others did not believe it.


    Because of this, Rocky had no choice but to ask Liliya to fetch the tooth from Thunderhawk City to prove he was not lying.


    Since Thunderhawk City was hovering above Backhill Village at the time, going back and forth on a Reconnaissance Ship did not take much time. In about an hour or so, Liliya returned before everyone and handed a wooden box over to Orton upon her arrival.


    Taking the wooden box brought back by Liliya, Orton, Hammerfire, Pelaya, and Aniye curiously formed a circle and slowly opened the lid of the box¡­


    As the wooden box was gradually opened, a faint blue light began to emanate from within. Upon seeing this blue light, or more accurately the tooth emitting the blue light, Orton and the others were dumbstruck!


    Holding the wooden box, Orton first held his breath, then started to breathe rapidly. As he breathed quickly, he looked around at the others and saw that whether it was Hammerfire, Pelaya, or the most experienced Aniye, all of them, like him, not only had rapid breathing but were also staring intently at the blue light inside the box.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°Could this really be¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, it must be.¡±


    ¡°Heavens, it¡¯s simply unbelievable!¡± S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They carefully lifted the azure tooth out of the wooden box, treating it as if it were a priceless treasure. They examined it carefully while talking to each other in words that bystanders couldn¡¯t understand.


    It wasn¡¯t until a good while later that they finally snapped out of it and all turned to look at Rocky.


    Being stared at by four people as if he were some kind of monster, Rocky suddenly felt a chill down his spine, even feeling an impulse to run away. And before he could even react, Orton and the others had surrounded him!


    ¡°Kid, tell us the truth, where exactly did you get this tooth from?¡± Orton could not help but ask as he looked at Rocky.


    This question baffled Rocky, for he had just explained in detail how he had come by the tooth.


    ¡°It was really bought by me.¡±


    ¡°Young City Lord, are you treating us like outsiders? Tell us, is this something your parents left for you?¡±


    ¡°The things my parents left were swindled away long ago, this was really bought by me.¡±


    Looking at the group, Rocky was truly at a loss for words. He had previously said that he had bought a tooth from a high-level demon and they didn¡¯t believe him; now he had brought the tooth and they still doubted him.


    ¡°It was really bought?¡±


    Seeing Rocky almost in tears, Orton and the others exchanged glances before incredulity spread across their faces.


    ¡°This is really¡­ really¡­ incredibly lucky¡­¡±


    ¡°Unimaginable, truly unimaginable.¡±


    ¡°Such luck¡­ there¡¯s simply no way to describe it¡­¡±


    ¡°It could also be a case where even a blind cat runs into a dead mouse every now and then, maybe this kid did hit upon a pie falling from the sky.¡±


    After sharing a look, Orton and his companions couldn¡¯t help but comment.


    Their reactions left Rocky completely baffled, but before he could ask any questions, Aniye was the first to speak.


    ¡°Rocky, do you know which demon this tooth came from?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Turning toward Aniye, Rocky shook his head vigorously like a rattle-drum, truly unaware of the tooth¡¯s origin. Not only him, even Monte, who was a Demon Hunter, only suspected the tooth might belong to a high-level demon, but knew nothing more.


    As he shook his head repeatedly, Aniye smiled and then explained, ¡°This tooth indeed comes from a high-level demon, no, that¡¯s not quite right¡­¡±


    ¡°This tooth is called the Azure Fang and comes from a demon named Leviathan. Of course, whether it¡¯s the name of the tooth or that of the demon, there are very few who would recognize them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it¡­¡±


    When Aniye revealed the name of the tooth and then mentioned the demon Leviathan, Rocky thought carefully and then nodded repeatedly. He had a fair knowledge of demons from frequent chats with Monte, the Demon Hunter, but these two names he had never come across.


    Moreover, after hearing these two names, Rocky felt something strange.


    The name Azure Fang was quite ordinary and fitting, given that the tooth naturally emanated a faint blue light; using ¡®azure¡¯ to describe it didn¡¯t seem over the top. However, the name Leviathan was a bit odd¡­


    ¡°What, you think the name is odd, do you?¡±


    As if he had seen through Rocky¡¯s thoughts, Aniye posed the question just as Rocky had begun to puzzle over the name Leviathan.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Rocky nodded in response to the question: ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like the name of a demon.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Aniye laughed softly, then nodded while saying, ¡°You¡¯re right, Leviathan doesn¡¯t sound like the name of a demon. In fact, the very reason people gave the demon such a name was to distinguish it from ordinary demons.¡±


    ¡°Distinguish? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because the demon Leviathan is the only one of its kind.¡±


    ¡°The only one¡­?¡±


    Looking dazedly at Aniye, Rocky blinked and licked his lips, suddenly feeling a bit confused. He felt he didn¡¯t quite understand the meaning behind Aniye¡¯s words.


    The only one?


    What did it mean by ¡®the only one¡¯?


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 369 - 343: The Thirty-three Great Demons

    Chapter 369: Chapter 343: The Thirty-three Great Demons


    ¡°The sole Demon¡­¡±


    Such an explanation from Aniye not only failed to clarify things for Rocky, but instead confused him even more. All he could do was to try to understand the statement literally, ¡°Master, are you saying that this Demon named Leviathan, there¡¯s only one in the world?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    Aniye nodded, indicating that Rocky¡¯s literal interpretation was entirely correct¡ªthe Demon named Leviathan was indeed a singular existence in the world!


    ¡°Can there really be¡­ such a thing?!¡±


    Faced with Aniye¡¯s affirmative answer, Rocky was stupefied because this answer obviously overturned his common knowledge about Demons!


    ...


    What does ¡®unique¡¯ mean?


    Only an independent entity could be described as unique, just like humans; each person is unique to some extent. Rocky and Aniye are both humans, but you can¡¯t find a second Rocky in this world, nor can you find a second Aniye, that¡¯s what ¡®unique¡¯ means.


    But how could you describe a Demon as ¡®unique¡¯?


    As everyone knows, there are myriad types of Demons, and almost each type exists in endless numbers. How could there be a ¡®unique¡¯ existence?


    Yet, the fact is just so¡ªthe Demon named Leviathan is indeed a unique existence!


    This Demon is unlike any other, the only one in the whole world.


    ¡°Leviathan, this Demon, is the first special Demon we discovered. We found that it is completely different from other Demons in every aspect. This Demon is almost no different from us, so if other Demons are called Normal Demons, then Leviathan would be a special Demon.¡±


    ¡°No different from us¡­?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, no different from us.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, who was agape, Aniye, while feeling helpless, couldn¡¯t deny this fact.


    Perhaps Normal Demons are but a horde of creatures without a shred of intelligence or sense, but the Demon Leviathan is different¡ªit¡¯s almost indistinguishable from humans!


    And as Aniye nodded helplessly, Rocky was completely astounded; Aniye¡¯s few words had utterly upended his worldview!


    But what was more revolutionary for his cognition actually lay ahead.


    Just as Rocky stood agape, Aniye was about to reveal an even more explosive secret!


    All he said next was:


    ¡°Moreover¡­ there are more special Demons in the world similar to Leviathan, not just one.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Rocky, who hadn¡¯t fully grasped this concept, couldn¡¯t help but exclaim and his face showed an expression of utter disbelief.


    ¡°In this world, a total of The Thirty-three Great Demons have been discovered, each one like Leviathan, a unique existence in the world. Among all Demons, these thirty-three are akin to emperors; they possess immense wisdom and strength, and Normal Demons are like ants before them, even high-level Demons are under their control.¡±


    As a result, people also refer to these thirty-three special Demons as The Thirty-three Great Demons.¡±


    Speaking of which, Aniye glanced at Rocky, ¡°Have you heard of the forbidden zones?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve heard,¡± Rocky stammered, quickly nodding his head, ¡°The Traceless Battlefield is one of those forbidden zones, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Taken aback by Aniye¡¯s sudden question, Rocky blinked before hastily nodding. He indeed knew that there were several forbidden zones on the land, like the Traceless Battlefield he and Karina had visited, which was one of these zones.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the Traceless Battlefield is indeed a forbidden zone, but it¡¯s just one of the safer ones. In reality, there are dozens of large and small forbidden zones on land today. Some zones are prohibited from entry by any Sky City, with violators subjected to annihilation. Among these zones, the most dangerous areas are the territories ruled by The Thirty-three Great Demons.¡±


    ¡°My God¡­ How have I never heard of these things before!¡±


    Everything Aniye had said left Rocky in utter shock; he had never even heard about these matters! S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Among the Demons, there actually existed beings like Demon Kings, who could control other demons and even occupy territories on the land. All of this was too incredible for him. If these words had not come from Aniye¡¯s mouth, Rocky might have doubted they were anything more than the stuff of fiction.


    But precisely because these words came from Aniye, there was no need for any doubt!


    ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t have heard.¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s reaction, Aniye wasn¡¯t surprised in the slightest. He then asked with a slight smile, ¡°Rocky, how do you feel after knowing all of this?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    When asked about his feelings, Rocky opened his mouth and, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, replied, ¡°I¡­ feel despair¡­¡±


    Yes, despair was what Rocky felt after hearing Aniye¡¯s words!


    He suddenly understood why it had taken a hundred years for people to not return to the land. Clearly, the Demon¡¯s occupation of the land, driving everyone to the skies, was far from simple; it was filled with too many secrets unknown to the people.


    As for his reaction, Nelson nodded in agreement. That was the very reason why everything he had said was not known to the world. If he shared all of this information with everyone, without question, each person would feel the same profound despair that Rocky did. Therefore, what Aniye had revealed was the highest level of secret in this world, something ordinary people could never expect to learn in their lifetimes.


    Afterwards, Aniye did not say much else. Although there were still many secrets about this world and about demons that he was aware of, he felt he had said enough for the day. If he said more, Aniye feared that Rocky might genuinely collapse¡­


    So, once Rocky had gradually come to terms with everything he had been told, Aniye returned his attention to the Azure Fang.


    ¡°According to the records, Leviathan¡¯s appearance is that of a massive serpent that feeds on energy, able to consume and expel energy in any form. Furthermore, it sheds its skin every ten years, doubling in size and strength with each molt.¡±


    ¡°The tooth you have must have been shed during Leviathan¡¯s molting. If I remember correctly, this tooth can absorb Mana, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes! And it becomes extremely unstable after absorbing Mana!¡±


    Hearing Aniye¡¯s words, Rocky nodded continually, affirming that he was completely correct.


    ¡°I thought as much.¡±


    Aniye couldn¡¯t help but show a hint of admiration as he looked at the Azure Fang in his hand, ¡°I never imagined, truly never imagined, such a precious thing would end up in your hands. You should know, this is something money can¡¯t measure¡­¡±


    After muttering to himself, he turned his head towards Pelaya, ¡°Pelaya, can you make use of this tooth?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Looking at the Azure Fang in Aniye¡¯s hands, Pelaya¡¯s eyes already shone with eagerness, evidently already contemplating how to incorporate this immensely precious Azure Fang into the next generation of the White Demon Armor!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 370 - 344: Shared Technology

    Chapter 370: Chapter 344: Shared Technology


    After a long discussion with Aniye and others, Rocky gained a new understanding of the world and the Demons, which shocked him.


    It turned out that the Demons who occupied the land were not as simple as people imagined. Demons were not just monsters; among them were not only terrifying high-level demons but also existences even more dreadful than high-level demons. These were all things Rocky had never known before, but now he was aware of them.


    Truth be told, after learning these secrets, he suddenly felt a pressure weigh on him, making it hard for him to breathe.


    Although he was clear that it was just psychological, Aniye had said these things actually had nothing to do with someone minor like himself, Rocky still felt very suppressed.


    However, he felt excitement as well, naturally because of the new generation of White Demon Armor!


    After taking out the Azure Fang, Orton and the others decided to use it in the new generation of White Demon Armor. With that, not to mention how many new technologies the new White Demon Armor incorporated, just the materials from the high-level demon alone were already twofold.


    ...


    One of the materials was the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s scythe, which Orton and his team planned to make into a weapon. The other was even more precious, even countless times more valuable than the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s scythe ¡ª the Azure Fang. Rocky was not yet clear on where and how it would be used, but however it was used, it would definitely make the new White Demon Armor much more powerful, of that he was certain. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In such circumstances, Rocky was not only happy but a weight was also lifted from his heart. Although the design and manufacturing process of the new armor would leave Backhill Village vulnerable, it was only temporary, because, as Orton had said, it would take at least a month or two, or at most four to five months, for the new White Demon Armor to be completed.


    Once the new White Demon Armor was completed, Rocky¡¯s strength would naturally recover and he would become even stronger than before. Right now, all he needed to do was ensure that Backhill Village got through this period smoothly, and then his great work would be accomplished.


    Regarding this matter, Rocky soon had a plan, which naturally involved leveraging the Sky Alliance.


    For this purpose, he returned to Thunderhawk City and met Lord Glan once again.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, have your injuries healed? Please, have a seat, have a seat¡­¡±


    Seeing Rocky, Glan immediately showed considerable warmth. He had visited Backhill Village when Rocky was injured, so he was surprised that Rocky had recovered so quickly and had started taking charge once again. Among the many city lords Glan had seen, Rocky could be considered one of the most diligent.


    ¡°Lord Glan, when can we expect the Alliance officials to arrive?¡±


    After exchanging brief pleasantries with Glan, Rocky got straight to the point.


    Since the Sky Alliance also had a share in the mines at Backhill Village, it would naturally send people to participate in the mining, as a considerable portion of the mined ore was due to be handed over to the Alliance.


    ¡°Soon, I confirmed just yesterday, they will arrive within three days.¡±


    ¡°Good, that puts my mind at ease.¡± Rocky nodded and glanced at Glan, then slowly asked, ¡°Lord Glan, have you mentioned the Tank Type 1 Armor to the Alliance?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Taken aback by the sudden mention, Glan was initially startled but soon smiled!


    Clearly, Glan understood what Rocky meant; it seemed he was looking to share the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance.


    It must be said, Glan was quite perceptive because, indeed, Rocky intended to share the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance.


    Now that the White Demon Armor was destroyed and a new generation was in production, though it would be completed soon, it still required a few months. During this time, Rocky¡¯s overall strength would undoubtedly be significantly reduced due to the absence of the White Demon Armor. Even more inconveniently, he had just taken over Backhill Village, a situation that could be described as extremely dangerous.


    Therefore, to ensure both Thunderhawk City and Backhill Village were completely secure, Rocky decided to request protection from the Alliance.


    As a member of the Alliance, such protection was quite common; the Alliance itself had corresponding policies, allowing each member to apply once a year for military support without conditions.


    However, this support was not what Rocky could utilize now, because the Alliance¡¯s free support merely involved sending Alliance troops to help or cooperate with a member in a battle; after the battle, the troops would withdraw. Rocky needed the Alliance troops to help defend Backhill Village for a period until the new White Demon Armor was completed.


    Of course, this request was not a difficult one for the Alliance, but getting the Alliance troops to do so was not a free lunch; a certain cost had to be paid.


    This cost was definitely not Gold Coins, but Contribution Points.


    Spending Contribution Points to seek Alliance troops was a very important part of the Contribution Point system, as this practice encouraged members to actively contribute to the Alliance, so the Alliance had very detailed divisions regarding this.


    Spending one hundred Contribution Points could get the Alliance to dispatch a Fifth Generation Escort Ship.


    Spending three hundred Contribution Points could get the Alliance to dispatch a Fifth Generation Destroyer.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 371 - 344 Shared Technology_2

    Chapter 371: Chapter 344 Shared Technology_2


    Spending a thousand Contribution Points allows the Alliance to dispatch a Fifth-Generation Patrol Airship.


    Spending five thousand Contribution Points allows the Alliance to dispatch a Fifth-Generation Battleship.


    Spending ten thousand Contribution Points allows the Alliance to dispatch a Fifth-Generation Floating Mothership.


    If one wishes for the Alliance to send additional Void Magic Warriors along with the fleet, that is also possible.


    Spending five hundred Contribution Points allows the Alliance to dispatch a Void Magic Warrior equipped with Fifth-Generation Mass-Produced Armor.


    Spending ten thousand Contribution Points allows the Alliance to dispatch a complete formation of a Void Magic Squad, with all members equipped with Fifth-Generation Mass-Produced Armor.


    ...


    Similarly, spending ten thousand Contribution Points could allow the Alliance to dispatch a top-notch Void Magic Warrior equipped with Fifth-Generation Special Armor.


    Under this detailed classification, requesting troops from the Alliance¡ªhow many troops and what kind¡ªis crystal clear, and as long as members have Contribution Points, they can have the Alliance dispatch troops anytime and anywhere, which is very convenient.


    City Lord Rocky¡¯s idea was to rely on Contribution Points to have the Alliance dispatch a fleet to ensure the safety of Backhill Village and help him overcome the current period when his strength was in a vacuum.


    However, the prerequisite for doing so was having enough Contribution Points. The more Contribution Points one had, the more the Alliance Army would mobilize, and the longer they would stay. Unfortunately, Rocky had none left, and that¡¯s why he planned to share the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance.


    He believed that as soon as Lord Glan reported the Tank Type 1 Armor to the Alliance, they would certainly show great interest. After all, compared to those flashy but impractical Land Combat Armors of the present, the Tank Type 1 excelled in both practicality and combat capability by a wide margin.


    It is also worth remembering that Rocky designed the Tank Type 1 Armor for the defense of Backhill Village. Although he could use it himself, with his strength, the applications of the Land Combat Armor like Tank Type 1 were ultimately limited, given that he didn¡¯t have a large territory.


    But the Sky Alliance was different.


    For a colossal entity like the Sky Alliance, not counting members with individual territories like Rocky, the territories belonging directly to the Alliance alone were extensive. All these territories under the Alliance needed defense, so in terms of demand, the Sky Alliance also had a significant need for the Tank Type 1 Armor. Under such circumstances, Rocky did not believe the Alliance would be uninterested in Tank Type 1.


    So he consulted with Orton and others, inquiring whether it would be challenging to alter the Tank Type 1 to be powered by traditional Magic Stones instead of Mana. He then received an affirmative response.


    The current version of the Tank Type 1, strictly speaking, was still an experimental model. Although it was also powered by Runes, the overall technological content was not very high, making a switch to Magic Stone power completely straightforward.


    With this in mind, Rocky had a plan. He intended to share the Tank Type 1 with the Alliance and then exchange the Contribution Points received for the protection of the Alliance Army, thus overcoming the current difficulties.


    And in this matter, the Alliance¡¯s thoughts were in complete harmony with his own.


    After receiving Lord Glan¡¯s report, the Alliance was shocked on the one hand and attached great importance to it on the other.


    The shock, naturally, was because it was unexpected.


    The White Demon Armor could already be described as sensational, and the Alliance had never imagined that Rocky could come up with a New Armor in such a short time. Just how strong was Thunderhawk City¡¯s research and development capacity?


    Given that Lord Glan had witnessed all the experiments of Tank Type 1, he communicated everything he saw to the Alliance in his report. Glan might have been a layman, but there were plenty of experts on Void Magic Armor in the Alliance. These experts immediately judged that the Tank Type 1 Armor was a unique and highly practical Armor.


    After receiving such an assessment, the Alliance immediately contacted Lord Glan, urging him to do his best to persuade Rocky to share the Tank Type 1 with the Alliance.


    Therefore, as Rocky had imagined, the Alliance was indeed very interested in the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    However, during this time, Lord Glan had not taken the initiative to discuss the matter with him because when the Alliance conveyed this message, Rocky was in the midst of planning to take over Backhill Village. By the time he had occupied the village, a series of events had taken place, and Lord Glan had not found the opportunity to bring it up. Unexpectedly, Rocky took the initiative to mention it. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Naturally, this pleased Lord Glan, who immediately said, ¡°City Lord Rocky, I reported the matter of the Tank Type 1 Armor to the Alliance long ago, and the Alliance has nothing but praise for this new armor, saying a great deal of good about it.¡±


    After saying this, he leaned forward slightly and continued, ¡°City Lord Rocky, the Alliance is quite interested in this armor and has been pressing me to ask if you would be willing to share the design blueprints of the armor with the Alliance. Of course, such sharing would definitely be compensated; the Alliance will surely offer a large number of Contribution Points as a reward.¡±


    ¡°That is exactly my intention.¡±


    With a slight smile at Lord Glan, Rocky did not play coy and nodded directly.


    In this matter, he didn¡¯t need any scheming or haggling because the Alliance had detailed regulations for such affairs.


    Sharing technology or new armor¡ªsuch things could not be taken lightly by anyone, and the Sky Alliance valued them greatly. Therefore, whenever similar situations arose, the Alliance would send personnel to strictly evaluate the shared technology or technique. Then, based on the evaluation, they would determine the level and award Contribution Points to the sharing members according to this level. In this aspect, there were no personal favors to discuss; everything had to be done according to regulations.


    Therefore, Rocky didn¡¯t need to worry too much about this.


    Meanwhile, seeing that Rocky indeed had this intention, Lord Glan¡¯s smile immediately brightened. But before he could speak, Rocky spoke up again.


    ¡°Lord Glan, I have no objections to contributing the Tank Type 1 Armor to the Alliance, but I have a request.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°I need the Alliance to immediately carry out a series of inspections and evaluations; I¡¯m very short on time.¡±


    Rocky was willing to share the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance because he wanted to smoothly get through the coming months. Therefore, it was essential to act quickly; if the process dragged on for months, he would no longer need the Alliance Army¡¯s protection.


    ¡°This way¡­¡±


    Not expecting Rocky to be in such a hurry, Lord Glan furrowed his brow in thought, then after a moment, nodded and said, ¡°City Lord Rocky, I will report this to the Alliance right away. Rest assured.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, in addition, I may also need the Alliance Army¡­¡±


    After nodding, Rocky shared his plan to spend Contribution Points to have the Alliance Army defend Backhill Village with Lord Glan, then entrusted him with ensuring that the Alliance would handle the matter as quickly as possible.


    Following Rocky¡¯s departure, Lord Glan immediately reported the series of events to the Alliance. Upon receiving the news, the Alliance quickly responded by sending personnel to meet Rocky while also immediately contacting Contact City, the nearest to Backhill Village, to rush to the village.


    Thus, three days swiftly passed, and as Rocky had anticipated, Backhill Village had become increasingly dangerous because, in just these short three days, the village had suffered another large-scale demon attack!


    This time there were two waves of demons, the first consisting of over fifty creatures, and the second wave numbering over a hundred. Fortunately, no high-level demons appeared during these attacks, which was a relief to everyone.


    On the second day after the attack, the Sky Alliance personnel assigned to supervise the mines arrived. Under the arrangement of Lord Glan, they met with Rocky and then started their work. Another three days passed, and the personnel who came to inspect and evaluate the Tank Type 1 Armor also arrived.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 372 - 345: The Expedition Begins!

    Chapter 372: Chapter 345: The Expedition Begins!


    Glan¡¯s ability to get things done was indeed strong. After learning that Rocky intended to share the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance, he immediately made contact with the Alliance, and within just a few days, had the inspection and assessment personnel arrive at Thunderhawk City.


    To achieve this was not easy, after all, sky travel was not convenient, and it was impossible to have the related personnel arrive so quickly without expending significant effort, but Glan and the Sky Alliance managed it.


    Of course, Rocky wasn¡¯t idle during this process. After meeting with Glan, he immediately took Hammerfire back to Thunderhawk City, then worked overtime to manufacture, and finally, before the Alliance personnel arrived, used the remaining materials to produce the third Tank Type 1 Armor.


    This Tank Type 1 Armor, in terms of functionality, was almost identical to the previous two. The only difference was in its driving method: the first two were powered by runes, whereas the third one used traditional Magic Stones to supply mana, ensuring that even if this Armor and its blueprints were handed over to the Sky Alliance, Rocky wouldn¡¯t suffer any loss.


    So it went that by the time the Sky Alliance¡¯s inspectors reached Thunderhawk City, the process of testing and assessment started immediately.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky.¡±


    ...


    On the training field inside the Guard Camp, an elderly man with graying hair nodded slightly at Rocky, exhibiting neither submissiveness nor arrogance.


    This elder was named Higgins, a researcher directly affiliated with the internal structure of the Sky Alliance. He had personally led the development of two Fourth Generation Special Armors and two Fifth Generation Special Armors and was a prominent figure in the Armor Domain, highly esteemed.


    Of course, the Sky Alliance didn¡¯t send just Higgins; after all, this was regarding the major matter of a new type of Armor. In reality, the Alliance dispatched an entire inspection and assessment team of fifteen people, with Higgins as the leader.


    After offering Rocky an unaffected greeting, Higgins turned and, smiling, led the entire team towards Orton and the others.


    ¡°Hammerfire, I hear this New Armor was designed by you?¡±


    Approaching Orton and the others, Higgins first nodded politely at Pelaya and then turned to look down at Hammerfire with a smile, ¡°I heard you weren¡¯t designing Armors anymore, were you?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, this kind of Armor doesn¡¯t need my personal design; it¡¯s City Lord Rocky¡¯s initiative, I just offered some minor pointers,¡± Hammerfire said, lifting his chin and looking askance at Higgins as he spoke with a curled lip.


    There is a saying that professionals are rivals, and there could be no better example than Higgins and Hammerfire, whose fields of expertise were identical, both masters in their domain, with relations as sharp as needle points against wheat awns.


    Back when the Fourth Generation Armors were in vogue, Hammerfire was a sought-after celebrity, having designed the near-perfect Hammerfire Armor, reaching the zenith of his fame. In comparison, although Higgins also led the design of two Special Armors, neither he nor the Armors approached Hammerfire¡¯s renown.


    But fortunes change. By the fifth-generation Armor era, Hammerfire had nearly vanished from the scene, while Higgins shone brilliantly with his led designs of the ¡®Chosen Warrior¡¯ and ¡®Fury Cannon¡¯ Special Armors, earning accolades within and outside the industry, becoming one of the hottest figures in the Armor Domain.


    Under such circumstances, with Higgins and Hammerstone in the same place, no reason was necessary for a friction to ignite between them.


    ¡°Higgins, as I remember, you once said that add-on technology was unfeasible, so how did Sigma Corporation manage to produce the Holy Angel Armor? Tell me, did they or did they not use add-on technology?¡±


    Glancing sideways at Higgins, Hammerfire chuckled as he brought up the Holy Angel Armor, causing Higgins¡¯s expression to instantly change.


    As previously mentioned, the Magic Conduction Technology used in the Holy Angel was actually derived from improvements made to the initially problematic add-on technology. At the time, Higgins publicly stated his belief that the so-called add-on technology was utterly unfeasible, which, although not the sole reason for the halt in the development of add-on technology, contributed its part to the decision.


    However, now the unveiling of the Holy Angel Armor had proven the viability of add-on technology, and Hammerfire¡¯s reminder was clearly a slap in Higgins¡¯s face.


    Nevertheless, after a slight change in expression, Higgins refrained from pursuing the topic and instead turned to address Aniye.


    ¡°Senior, the last time we met was two years ago; you¡¯re still as robust as ever.¡±


    Although Higgins was currently a hot figure in the Armor Domain, facing a scholar of Aniye¡¯s stature, akin to a paragon in academia, he showed considerable respect.


    After briefly chatting with Aniye and introducing the other team members to him, Higgins nodded at Orton, then turned to Rocky.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, is this the Tank Type 1 Armor you mentioned?¡±


    Looking at the Tank Type 1 in the center of the playground, Higgins asked.


    ¡°Yes, this is the design blueprint for the Armor, along with the operating manual,¡± Rocky responded, nodding as he produced the design and operating manual for the Tank Type 1 Armor. Of course, this was the new diagram he had drawn with Hammerfire, keeping the original design, which used runes as its core, away from the Sky Alliance.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 373 - 345: The Campaign Begins!_2

    Chapter 373: Chapter 345: The Campaign Begins!_2


    Higgins took the design blueprint and looked it over with the others by his side, and it didn¡¯t take them long to finish.


    However, after roughly going through the design blueprint again, he and the people around him exchanged glances, showing a hint of disappointment in their eyes.


    They were indeed disappointed.


    In fact, thinking about it, it was somewhat an overkill for the Sky Alliance to send Higgins¡¯ team to test and evaluate the Tank Type 1 Armor; this team¡¯s capabilities not only extended to testing and evaluating, but they could also easily participate in the research and development of the White Demon Armor. Therefore, anyone could see that the Sky Alliance had ulterior motives beyond the task at hand.


    And in reality, that was the case. The Sky Alliance was indeed very interested in the Tank Type 1 Armor and wanted it, but what they were more concerned about was another new technology that Aniye and others were researching¡ªthe same one that, despite having been announced at a press conference, was still partially veiled in secrecy.


    The Alliance¡¯s idea was quite simple; since the Tank Type 1 Armor was also developed by Aniye and his team, would they have incorporated some of this new technology? Even if the new technology was not fully applied to the Tank Type 1, but merely certain concepts were used, the Sky Alliance was very keen to acquire it.


    ...


    Because of this notion, the Alliance had dispatched Higgins¡¯ team, trusting that with Higgins¡¯ ability, as long as the Tank Type 1 Armor incorporated any of the new technology, even if it was just the idea of it, he would surely discover it.


    Unfortunately, the Alliance¡¯s thinking was too simplistic in this matter. Even though Rocky had promised to share the runes with the Alliance in the future, at this stage, he was still holding onto the runes tightly. After all, he was still too weak; only by maintaining a firm grasp on the critical runes would the Alliance take him seriously, so he would not let his guard down over this matter.


    Therefore, the design blueprint he gave to the Alliance, while indeed for the Tank Type 1, contained none of the new technology. Moreover, the Tank Type 1 wasn¡¯t particularly high-tech; its only notable feature was the Rune System, and by replacing this system with a traditional Magic Stone to provide Mana, the Tank Type 1 would be no different from any other armor. Even Higgins¡¯ team wouldn¡¯t find any flaw because there simply was none to find.


    Detecting the disappointment in Higgins and his team¡¯s eyes, Rocky, Hammerfire, Orton, and the others exchanged looks, their eyes brimming with a hint of amusement. When it came to technology, even if Rocky was not thorough in his considerations, cunning old foxes like Orton had already covered all bases, and even Aniye would pitch in with ideas. Stealing or tricking the Rune Technology out of their hands was nothing short of a pipe dream.


    However, though slightly disappointed, Higgins and his team did not forget their primary duties and promptly conducted a series of tests on the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    These tests could not be completed in a day, but in just two to three days, or at most a week, they would conclude, and then Rocky could receive a significant amount of Contribution Points. Since he had already shared his plans with Glan, Glan had also contacted the nearby Contact City. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they arrived, and then Rocky could use his Contribution Points to have the Alliance Army defend Backhill Village.


    Everything was progressing smoothly.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Everything was progressing smoothly.


    ¡°Father, is there really no possibility of stopping it now¡­¡±


    Machine City, inside the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Through the huge French window of Atted¡¯s study, Cyril could clearly see a fleet that had already ascended; this massive fleet, comprised entirely of large warships, numbered over fifty vessels, with battleships alone accounting for ten of them, and even had a floating mothership as its flagship!


    This fleet would represent Machine City in the war against Rocky!


    Two months had passed since the last family meeting concluded. At that meeting two months ago, the Mairente Family, with the vast majority of the Elders¡¯ approval, decided to wage war against Rocky. Now, the campaign was finally set in motion!


    Although it may seem inefficient for a decision made two months ago to only be implemented today, the reality was quite the contrary. For a large family like the Mairente, the longer the preparation time, the more fearsome they were!


    For example, during these two months, everyone in the Mairente Family was busy; on one hand, they investigated all sorts of information related to Rocky, while on the other, they were mobilizing the family¡¯s forces to the fullest.


    Also, since this was an action taken by the entire family, even though Atted expressed the greatest degree of opposition, it was futile, and as the Clan Leader, he was required to deploy troops.


    Although Atted did everything he could to resist the orders to deploy, sending less than half of the troops compared to Lexington and Kelly, don¡¯t forget that he was the Lord of Machine City, a top-tier large Sky City. Any fleet from within Machine City would be impressive by any standard.


    Compared to the passive Atted, it was Lexington and Kelly who were the most proactive in the campaign against Rocky. Not only did they deploy fleets of massive number and scale, but each also mobilized a mid-sized Sky City!


    The sky is boundless and vast, and to wage a war over such long distances, it¡¯s absolutely impossible without the support of a Sky City. Therefore, Lexington and Kelly each sent out a mid-sized Sky City to ensure the smooth progression of the campaign.


    As far as Cyril knew, in addition to the two mid-sized Sky Cities, the total number of warships dispatched by the Mairente Family reached over four hundred. As for the commander-in-chief of this expedition, it was none other than Lexington¡¯s son, Abraham!


    Without a doubt, the Mairente Family was resolute in leaving no avenue of survival for Rocky this time!


    ¡°Father, is there no possibility of stopping?¡±


    Seeing that her father didn¡¯t respond, Cyril turned her head and looked at Atted¡¯s back and asked again.


    Unfortunately, she still didn¡¯t hear an answer, only Atted¡¯s sigh.


    ¡°How long will it take to reach Backhill Village from the family¡¯s location?¡±


    After a sigh, Atted asked a question.


    ¡°At most one month¡¯s time.¡±


    As she spoke, Cyril had already moved in front of Atted and, seeing her father¡¯s face had aged significantly more than it had two months before, she felt an inexplicable pang of heartache.


    As if he had read Cyril¡¯s thoughts, Atted smiled and waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ It¡¯s just that whether the family can remain untroubled like now after a month is uncertain¡­¡±


    With that, Atted leaned back into his chair, sighing again.


    ¡°Father, what¡­ what do you mean?¡±


    But Cyril clearly didn¡¯t understand what he meant.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you.¡± Seeing the puzzled look on Cyril¡¯s face, Atted leaned forward, resting his hands on the desk, ¡°How many fleets are there in Rocky¡¯s Thunderhawk City?¡±


    ¡°According to intelligence, there won¡¯t be more than twenty large warships. The strongest of these is likely a Fifth-Generation Battleship. As for Void Magic Warriors, there should only be a small squad, with the strongest naturally being Rocky himself and his White Demon Armor.¡±


    Having prepared their intelligence work in advance, the Mairente Family had a clear picture of Rocky¡¯s current strength. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing her words, Atted then said, ¡°Given this, have you ever considered why the family would deploy two mid-sized Sky Cities and over four hundred warships to eliminate him?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    ¡°Lexington and Kelly, they are playing with fire¡­¡±


    Before Cyril could gather her thoughts, Atted said helplessly.


    ¡°Cyril, how long has it been since you last saw Athena?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Shaking his head helplessly, Atted closed his eyes wearily and murmured, ¡°Go and talk with her, see if she can think of something to help you.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 374 - 346: Mysterious Woman

    Chapter 374: Chapter 346: Mysterious Woman


    Machine City, as the main city of the Mairente Family, was always stationed in a fixed airspace, which from the heavens to the earth below belonged to the Mairente Family, and no other Sky City was allowed entry.


    Not far from the airspace occupied by the Mairente Family, there was, in fact, another huge airspace that contained three Sky Cities, one large and two medium. The largest of these, known as Glory City, had a population of over two hundred thousand and was considered a major city in the skies.


    Since the two territories were quite close to each other, it only took Cyril an afternoon to reach the port of Glory City after she had left Machine City.


    Although dusk had already fallen and the sun had set below the horizon by the time she disembarked from the Skyship, Cyril immediately stepped into a carriage and headed straight from the Skyport to the city district.


    As a large Sky City with a population exceeding two hundred thousand, Glory City was very extensive, so by the time Cyril, riding in the carriage, reached the city district and finally stopped next to a secluded street, darkness had already set in.


    After getting off the carriage, Cyril glanced across the street and soon spotted a large mansion.


    ...


    This mansion, even by Glory City standards, was large. It had three floors and occupied nearly the entire street with its vast courtyard; calling it a mansion was an understatement¡ªit was more like a manor located in the city district.


    After observing the mansion, Cyril ran across the street, had the guards at the gate notify the inhabitants, and then entered the mansion.


    Guided by a servant, Cyril ascended the staircase all the way to the third floor and entered a study.


    In the study sat two girls about her age. One of them, dressed in a refined and opulent noble outfit, had a cute and likable face, the kind that one would take to immediately. She was idly sitting by the bookshelf. In contrast, the other girl looked quite ordinary and sat quietly in the room, lazily reading a book.


    ¡°Sister Cyril.¡±


    Upon seeing Cyril being led in by a servant, the girl reading the book smiled and said, before taking a bookmark and placing it in the book, then setting the book aside.


    ¡°Sister Cyril, what brought you here so suddenly? I would have sent someone to pick you up if you had informed me.¡±


    After closing the book, the girl quickly pulled Cyril into the study, then said to the other, bored noble girl, ¡°Anya, you remember Sister Cyril, right? You¡¯ve met her once before.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I remember.¡±


    Giving Cyril a polite nod, the girl named Anya didn¡¯t say much more and then tactfully left the study, leaving just the two of them.


    ¡°Athena, how have you been lately?¡±


    Sitting across from the girl, Cyril asked with a smile.


    The girl in front of her was the very Athena referred to by Atted.


    ¡°Sister Cyril, you must have come here because something urgent has come up, right?¡±


    Sitting down beside Cyril, Athena, instead of indulging in small talk, got straight to the point.


    Clearly, she had already guessed Cyril¡¯s intentions, which was normal for someone of Cyril¡¯s stature who had hurriedly come for a visit without any urgent matter¡ªit would indeed be strange otherwise.


    Since Athena had broached the subject, Cyril dispensed with further pleasantries and immediately spoke, ¡°Athena, have you heard about the recent events affecting our family?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard a bit¡­¡±


    Nodding, Athena turned to look at a bookshelf, then pulled out a notebook and glanced through it: ¡°Your family is preparing to move against Rocky, the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve mobilized over four hundred warships and two medium-sized Sky Cities, and you¡¯re set to depart in a few days, right?¡±


    Looking at Cyril, Athena spoke in the same somewhat languid manner she had used while reading.


    But despite her seemingly relaxed demeanor, the information she shared stunned Cyril, because everything Athena mentioned was exactly right, down to the finest detail¡ªthe entire Mairente Family¡¯s moves had been grasped by her, more than even Cyril could comprehend!


    Thus, upon hearing everything she said, Cyril¡¯s mouth hung open in shock for a good while without speaking. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Athena, a girl who shared her name with the goddess of war and wisdom, was not only similar to the deity in name but nearly matched the goddess in capability!


    This girl, unaffiliated with any forces, was respected by all because she was incredibly intelligent, so much so that it was difficult to describe. Her brilliant mind could turn desperate situations around or foil certain victories. She was truly a remarkable woman of the skies.


    Interestingly, Athena enjoyed strategizing for others; as long as something piqued her interest, countless battles were planned by her hand. Some lived because of her, and some died because of her, making her identity always dual in people¡¯s eyes; she was either an angel or a demon.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Facing the languid Athena, Cyril opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words, eventually sighing, ¡°You¡¯re still as fearsome as ever, even more thorough than the Shadow Alliance¡¯s intelligence, right?¡±


    ¡°They do indeed come to me for information.¡± Laughing nonchalantly, Athena looked at Cyril: ¡°Sister Cyril, did you come here to inquire about this? About your family deploying troops?¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 375 - 346: The Mysterious Woman_2

    Chapter 375: Chapter 346: The Mysterious Woman_2


    ¡°`


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You should know more about this matter than I do, shouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°All I know is the surface, I want to know everything.¡±


    After a conversation with her father, Cyril realized that her family¡¯s campaign against Rocky was not as simple as it appeared on the surface, and since her father had sent her to inquire of Athena and ask for her opinion, there was clearly a reason for it.


    That¡¯s why she asked in such a way.


    ...


    After listening to her, Athena pondered for a moment, then, just like before, took out several books from the bookshelf beside her and began to flip through them, one by one.


    After about a few minutes, she closed the books and put them back in the distance, then looked back at Cyril.


    ¡°Does your family have any relation with the Kafka Empire?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Startled by the question, Cyril was momentarily stunned before she shook her head, ¡°We have little contact with the Kafka Empire; our interaction is minimal.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Nodding her head, Athena glanced at Cyril and after a moment, she spoke, ¡°Sister Cyril, if I¡¯m not mistaken, the Kafka Empire¡¯s influence lurks behind your family¡¯s actions this time.¡±


    ¡°The Kafka¡­ Empire?¡±


    Athena¡¯s words made Cyril¡¯s eyes widen in shock; the conclusion was too startling and incredible. How could the Kafka Empire be involved in her family¡¯s campaign against Rocky?


    ¡°Athena, could you be mistaken? Our family has little to do with the Kafka Empire; moreover, this campaign against Rocky has nothing to do with them. How could they possibly be involved?¡±


    After regaining her composure, Cyril asked with a frown. She admitted that Athena was a remarkable woman, incomparably more capable than herself, but she couldn¡¯t believe Athena¡¯s current conclusion.


    ¡°How do I make you understand¡­¡±


    Athena wasn¡¯t surprised by Cyril¡¯s reaction and didn¡¯t argue with her. After thinking for a while, she began to say, ¡°Sister Cyril, you know about the fall of Tulip City, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I do¡­ What does that have to do with what we¡¯re talking about?¡±


    Cyril certainly knew about the significant event of Tulip City¡¯s fall, but she didn¡¯t understand how it was related to what she came to inquire about.


    ¡°It¡¯s related, and significantly so.¡±


    With a slight smile, Athena continued, ¡°You should be very aware of the relationship between the three Saint Cities on land and The Three Great Alliances. From a certain perspective, the Saint Cities serve as the land bases for The Three Great Alliances, with both being nearly inseparable.¡±


    ¡°Because of this inseparable relationship, the fall of Tulip City is a colossal blow to the Sky Alliance. Outsiders might not see it, but those who know the details understand that it¡¯s severe enough to cripple the Sky Alliance.¡±


    ¡°This is why the Alliance had Wilton immediately lead troops to strike. Their goal isn¡¯t to take back Tulip City; what the Alliance truly wants is to find the next suitable land base.¡±


    ¡°However, in this process, the Sky Alliance¡¯s power is already at a disadvantage compared to the other two major forces. This is not only clear to many, but it has also stirred many who are eager to test the waters and see if they can shake this behemoth at its most vulnerable¡ªthat¡¯s the first point.¡±


    ¡°Second, as far as I know, during the combat skill competition in the Arena of Eternal City, Rocky killed a competitor named Xia Nai who was the son of an Imperial Marquis of the Kafka Empire.¡±


    ¡°Third, according to the information I¡¯ve gathered, in the span of two months, your family¡¯s Lexington and Kelly have met with the Kafka Empire¡¯s envoys several times¡­¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°`


    This piece of intelligence almost made Cyril stand up from her seat!


    How could such a thing occur?!


    Lexington and Kelly had multiple contacts with the envoys of the Kafka Empire¡­ How come she didn¡¯t know about it? No, it wasn¡¯t surprising that she was unaware, but did her father, the Clan Leader, know?!


    Being too unexpected, Cyril¡¯s mind became somewhat jumbled for a while before she regained her senses. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Athena, what exactly is the purpose of Lexington and Kelly¡¯s contact with the Kafka Empire?¡±


    ¡°It must be to seek protection,¡± Athena replied after glancing at Cyril. ¡°After all, Rocky joined the Sky Alliance. Lexington and Kelly, for safety¡¯s sake, apparently plan to collaborate with the Kafka Empire, to make the Alliance think twice; it¡¯s also a good opportunity for the Kafka Empire.¡±


    ¡°Rocky killed the son of an Imperial Marquis, so it¡¯s only logical for the Empire to take part in the punitive action against him. The key point is, the Empire can use your family¡¯s power to test the waters of the Sky Alliance, and that is the real purpose of the Kafka Empire.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ that¡¯s why our family mobilized so many troops¡­¡±


    After Athena finished speaking, Cyril froze, murmuring to herself.


    Having had this explanation, she finally understood the true reason behind her family¡¯s campaign against Rocky; she finally grasped why they sent out such a force to punish him. She had thought it was just a precaution, but now it seemed that was not the case!


    The campaign against Rocky was merely a pretext; on the surface, it was about punishing him, but in reality, her family was teaming up with the Kafka Empire to probe the Sky Alliance!


    It was because of such a factor that the Kafka Empire¡¯s shadow appeared in the midst of this¡­


    No wonder, no wonder her father had previously said Lexington and Kelly were playing with fire. Cyril finally understood the meaning of his words.


    After making sense of all this, Cyril¡¯s eyes gradually lost their luster. She couldn¡¯t comprehend how things could have turned out this way.


    This was the Sky Alliance, after all!


    Had Lexington and Kelly lost their minds? Did they really think they could provoke the Sky Alliance with their family¡¯s power? Even if the Alliance was severely weakened due to the fall of Tulip City, it was still the Sky Alliance, not something anyone could challenge on a whim!


    ¡°Sister Cyril, you needn¡¯t worry too much,¡± Athena said, noticing Cyril lost in thought. ¡°What if your family wins? If you could extinguish Rocky under the protection of the Sky Alliance, the entire world¡¯s power dynamics might change because of it.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying¡­ we could win?¡±


    Hearing this, Cyril immediately snapped back to attention and eagerly looked at Athena.


    Unfortunately, in response to her question, Athena just lazily shook her head. ¡°Of course not, that¡¯s impossible. Right now, the Sky Alliance¡¯s biggest concern is someone challenging them. To the Alliance, Rocky¡¯s life and death are trivial, their dignity is paramount. Your family sticking its neck out at this time, especially with the Kafka Empire behind it, the Alliance will definitely not let you off. Your family will inevitably face the Alliance¡¯s destructive strike. Without a doubt, the two medium Sky Cities and all the troops your family sent to punish Rocky will be ruthlessly wiped out by the Alliance Army. Then the Alliance will come to punish your family, and for self-preservation, your family will have no choice but to join the Kafka Empire, after which the Kafka Empire will formally declare war on the Alliance. No matter who wins or loses this battle, the dynamics of the skies will change because of it.¡±


    ¡°In the end, that should be the outcome. However, during this process, Rocky and his Thunderhawk City will certainly be annihilated; that much you can be certain of.¡±


    When Athena finished speaking these words with nonchalance, Cyril couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill down her spine, her hair standing on end!


    Could things really turn out this way?!


    PS: Please recommend! Please recommend! Please recommend!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 376 - 347: Offering Strategies and Suggestions

    Chapter 376: Chapter 347: Offering Strategies and Suggestions


    The Mairente Family¡¯s Sky City and troops will be utterly annihilated.


    Rocky and Thunderhawk City will also be completely eradicated.


    The Sky Alliance will make an example of the family in a show of force.


    As a result, the family will have no choice but to seek refuge with the Kafka Empire.


    In the end, Kafka will declare war on the Sky Alliance, and the entire aerial landscape will be irreversibly altered¡­


    Listening to this series of consequences left Cyril dumbfounded; she could never have imagined that what was originally just an internal conflict within the family could evolve to such an extent!


    ...


    Although all of this was mere conjecture, do not forget that it was Athena who had drawn these conclusions! She was always able to detect the hidden thread among seemingly unrelated events and connect them all, then using her extraordinary foresight to accurately anticipate the resulting outcomes. This was where she was ¡®remarkable¡¯.


    So, upon hearing Athena¡¯s words, Cyril became entirely dejected, feeling as though she had already witnessed the downfall of her entire family, draining her of all vitality.


    Time passed without her knowing how long until Cyril abruptly stood up and went over to Athena, taking her hand and pleading, ¡°Athena, help me! Tell me what to do, what must I do to avoid all this!¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Glancing at her hand firmly gripped by Cyril, Athena hesitated for a moment before speaking reluctantly, ¡°Sister Cyril, you don¡¯t have the power to stop this, and neither does your father.¡±


    ¡°The Mairente Family has already been drawn into this storm, no one can stop it, you don¡¯t have the power.¡±


    ¡°No, Athena, there must be a way. You must have a way. Please, help me!¡±


    Shaking her head resolutely, Cyril was certain as she spoke. She was convinced that Athena must have a means to prevent all this!


    Indeed, after her desperate pleas, Athena blinked and then a smile appeared on her face, ¡°Sister Cyril, there is a way to save your family, it¡¯s just that¡­¡±


    ¡°That method will plunge your family into an even more terrifying abyss. Are you willing?¡±


    Facing Cyril, Athena said this while displaying a pure smile. Yet, the innocence of her smile starkly contrasted with her words, which made Cyril shudder!


    The reason people associate Athena with both an angel and a demon is not unfounded.


    ¡°Sister Cyril, don¡¯t worry, if you follow my method, at least you and your father will have a chance to survive. Trust me.¡±


    As Cyril felt this chilling sensation, Athena cheerfully said, the feeling akin to a demon tempting a human soul.


    ¡°Tell me¡­¡±


    Looking at Athena¡¯s face, aglow with pure smiles, Cyril eventually nodded.


    Seeing her nod, Athena became excited, her previous languor swept away in an instant, followed by an excited flurry of words.


    ¡°Sister Cyril, first you need to¡­¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be shocked, that¡¯s just the first step, then you need to get your father to¡­¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    ¡°By achieving these two points, your branch of the family will inevitably¡­ and Rocky will also¡­¡±


    ¡°As a result, Rocky¡¯s treatment of you will¡­¡±


    ¡°Really? You think he could actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Trust me!¡±


    With hands clasped together, Athena went through her plan with Cyril in great detail, down to each step to take and each word to speak. The more Cyril listened attentively, the wider her eyes opened and the more incredulous she found it!


    Thus, more than half an hour passed, and it was only then that Athena concluded everything, saying cheerfully, ¡°Sister Cyril, as long as you do as I say, the matter will be handled.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Staring blankly at Athena, Cyril couldn¡¯t react for a long time because what she had just heard was simply too incredible.


    ¡°Alright, Sister Cyril, it¡¯s getting late, and I need to rest¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­ I¡¯ll leave right now¡­¡±


    Suddenly snapping back to reality, Cyril stood up, somewhat absentmindedly embraced Athena, and then turned to leave the study, departing the mansion as she had arrived, guided by a servant.


    And as soon as she left, the door was opened once more, and Anya, who had left earlier, appeared at the doorway and came in. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Back in the study, Anya plopped down next to Athena and pouted her lips, ¡°What did you talk about for such a long time?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much, just a very interesting little matter.¡±


    ¡°Is it related to Glory City?¡±


    ¡°No, it involves the Mairente Family and an interesting fellow.¡±


    In the midst of speaking, Athena rose to her feet and walked leisurely to a bookshelf. With a casual movement of two books on the shelf, the bookcase slowly began to slide, revealing a hidden blackboard behind it.


    This blackboard was densely covered with dozens of photographs, which layered upon layer formed a pyramid shape. The bottom row had more than twenty people, but as it neared the apex, there were fewer and fewer photographs until only one remained at the top.


    ¡°A new target?¡±


    At this time, Anya also came behind Athena and happened to see her remove a photograph from the bottom of the pyramid and then stick a new one in its place.


    The photograph she took away was of Cyril, who had just left!


    And the new photo she placed in Cyril¡¯s spot was that of Rocky!


    ¡°Athena, why are you still doing this when the most suitable candidate has already been chosen?¡±


    Anya frowned and pointed to the single photo at the very top of the pyramid, ¡°The City Lord of Glory City, Alas, isn¡¯t he the most suitable choice? He¡¯s young and capable, turning this place from a small Sky City into a large one with a population of two hundred thousand in just five to six years. Why aren¡¯t you choosing him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying I won¡¯t choose him; it¡¯s just that the timing isn¡¯t right yet.¡±


    Turning to give Anya a smile, Athena pulled her back to their seats, but no sooner had they sat down than Anya stood up again, ¡°It¡¯s getting late; you should rest early; I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Nodding, Athena took Anya¡¯s hand and escorted her to the study doorway.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    Just as she reached the door, Anya suddenly turned back and asked, ¡°Have you heard that Glory City is preparing to go to war with Star City?¡±


    ¡°I have heard.¡±


    ¡°Can they win?¡±


    ¡°Definitely, Star City doesn¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    ¡°Phew¡­ that¡¯s good, otherwise we would have to move again, I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    After saying this, Anya bade farewell to Athena and, led by a servant, left the mansion. Outside, a splendid carriage was already waiting for her.


    ¡°To the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.¡±


    Upon reaching the carriage, Anya spoke to the coachman and then directly boarded the carriage.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the speeding carriage to disappear at the end of the street, and Athena, who had been watching from the study window, only sighed and turned back to the dark room after the carriage was completely out of sight.


    Looking at the blackboard plastered with photographs, Athena shook her head in resignation, casually took down the photo at the top of the pyramid ¨C the photograph of the City Lord of Glory City ¨C and tossed it aside. Only then did she close the dark room.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 377 - 348: The Mercenary Alliance Army

    Chapter 377: Chapter 348: The Mercenary Alliance Army


    The testing and evaluation work for the Tank Type 1 Armor was finally completed five days after the arrival of the Higgins team.


    Since it was Rocky¡¯s first time sharing technology with the Alliance, he didn¡¯t know whether the time taken was long or short, nor did he know if Higgins was deliberately making things difficult for him, but in any case, after five days, the testing and evaluation work was thoroughly done.


    As for the final results of this test and evaluation, they were satisfactory.


    When Rocky heard the words ¡°satisfactory¡± from Higgins, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although he was confident in the Tank Type 1, being scrutinized like this was still nerve-wracking.


    Actually, Rocky could have been rest assured about this matter. After all, with people like Aniye around, even if Higgins really wanted to make things difficult for Rocky by deliberately finding issues with the Tank Type 1 Armor, he wouldn¡¯t have the guts.


    At the same time, after the testing confirmed its qualification, Higgins also gave the Tank Type 1 Armor a rating: Intermediate to Lower Level.


    ...


    The Sky Alliance¡¯s rating system is extremely stringent. Taking armor as an example, ordinary mass-produced armor is generally Lower Level, even if it is a more advanced mass-produced armor made by renowned creators, it could at most be classified as Intermediate Level.


    If it is Special Armor, the worst rating it could get would be Upper-Middle Level. If it could reach the common standard of current Special Armor, it would be enough to be rated as Top Level. If the Armor¡¯s performance could exceed the general standard, it could be rated as Upper Top Level. Of course, aside from Upper Top Level, there is another higher rating, which is Top Level, but to get such a high evaluation from the Alliance, the Armor would have to have a cross-generational standard; otherwise, it would never receive such a high rating.


    So when Higgins rated the Tank Type 1 Armor as Intermediate to Lower Level, it meant that, in his eyes, the Tank Type 1 barely met the standards of a high-end Mass-Produced Armor.


    In fact, after giving such a rating, he also provided the reasons for his evaluation.


    In his view, the design philosophy of the Tank Type 1 Armor was its biggest advantage, which had reached the standard necessary to obtain an Intermediate Rating. However, the technology content of the Tank Type 1 was too low. At the same time, the Armor itself still had many imperfections, without a doubt dragging down the overall standard of the Armor, hence the Intermediate to Lower Level rating.


    It must be said, Higgins did have some real skill. After some testing, he found that the Tank Type 1 was still an experimental machine that wasn¡¯t one hundred percent complete. There were many flaws in the design of the Armor itself, and it was precisely because he uncovered this that he gave the current rating.


    But even though this rating wasn¡¯t very high, and Hammerfire was somewhat indignant upon hearing it, Rocky was still able to accept it. After all, what Higgins said was not wrong. The Tank Type 1 was indeed an incomplete product with many defects yet to be perfected. To receive such a rating was already very satisfying.


    Besides, even with just an Intermediate to Lower Level rating, according to the Alliance¡¯s rules, Rocky could still receive a large sum of Contribution Points as a reward!


    The Alliance¡¯s rating system was not only indicative of the strength of an Armor but was also directly linked to rewards:


    Armor rated as Lower Level, when shared with the Alliance, would receive a minimum reward of five thousand and a maximum reward of ten thousand Contribution Points.


    Armor rated as Intermediate Level, when shared with the Alliance, would receive a minimum reward of twenty thousand and a maximum reward of one hundred thousand Contribution Points.


    Armor rated as Top Level, when contributed to the Alliance, would receive a minimum reward of two hundred thousand and a maximum reward of seven hundred thousand Contribution Points.


    The rewards for the three ratings of Intermediate to Lower, Intermediate to High, and Upper Top Level would take the median of their respective reward ranges, with specific rewards depending on the situation.


    That is to say, by sharing the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance, Rocky would at least receive the minimum reward for an intermediate evaluation, which is twenty thousand Contribution Points!


    Even if he only received the minimum contribution reward, it was already enough to mobilize the Alliance Army, so Rocky was very satisfied with this contribution. In actuality, Higgins¡¯s final evaluation was even higher than expected¡ªRocky ended up with thirty thousand Contribution Points!


    The minimum reward for an intermediate evaluation is twenty thousand Contribution Points, and the maximum does not exceed one hundred thousand. For the intermediate to lower level to receive thirty thousand points is very reasonable; one could say that Higgins completely adhered to the rules of the Alliance in this matter.


    After handling all this, Higgins left Thunderhawk City with the newly created Tank Type 1 Armor and its designs, along with other members of his team. Clearly, once back with the Alliance, he would further refine the Tank Type 1 Armor before officially putting it into production for the Alliance¡¯s use.


    As for the contribution reward given by the Alliance, it was quickly transferred after Higgins and his people left. At the same time, Contact City had arrived near Skybreaker Peak, so Rocky wasted no time and immediately went there.


    The Contact City coming this time was not Dawn City, since Dawn City was responsible for the Eternal City region. The Contact City that arrived was called Sirius City, which also had a population of one hundred thousand and was a large sky city.


    Upon arriving at Sirius City with Glan, Rocky first met with the City Lord of Sirius City and then immediately began his main task¡ªhiring the Mercenary Alliance Army.


    It must be clarified here that although the Sky Alliance is a relatively loose alliance, it itself possesses extremely strong military forces. By military forces, this does not refer to the troops of peripheral members like Rocky, but to the Alliance¡¯s own army, which is the Alliance Army.


    It goes without saying how powerful the Alliance Army is. Being one of the strongest forces of today, the Alliance Army is also the mightiest in the skies, with Holy Knight Wilton belonging to this force; at the same time, the Alliance Army does not belong to any one Alliance member, but only to the Alliance itself and can only be mobilized by the Alliance, no individual has the right to command it privately.


    In ordinary times, part of the Alliance Army is stationed within the airspace ruled by the Alliance, while another part is dispersed across various Contact Cities, to facilitate immediate deployment and availability for Alliance members to use, just like in the current situation.


    Having obtained thirty thousand Contribution Points, Rocky thought for a moment, then quickly made a list and handed it to Glan.


    According to the standards of the Alliance, he hired ten Escort Ships, each costing a hundred Contribution Points, totaling one thousand points.


    Ten destroyers, each costing three hundred Contribution Points, totaling three thousand points.


    One patrol cruiser costing one thousand Contribution Points, totaling one thousand points.


    One battleship costing five thousand Contribution Points, totaling five thousand points. The total cost of all the warships was exactly ten thousand Contribution Points.


    In addition, he spent another ten thousand Contribution Points to hire a full squad, that is, a ten-member Void Magic Squad, and then spent another ten thousand Contribution Points to hire one Void Magic Warrior equipped with a Fifth Generation Special Armor.


    One could say that in the blink of an eye, he had spent the entire thirty thousand Contribution Points that he had just acquired. However, after these Contribution Points were squandered, he had acquired a fleet that was extremely powerful in both number and quality, as well as a whole Void Magic Squad, and a top Void Magic Warrior whose combat prowess was not inferior to his own.


    With this, he could finally feel at ease.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 378 - 349 The Calm Before the Storm

    Chapter 378: Chapter 349 The Calm Before the Storm


    ¡°`


    Having completed all the procedures and paid out the thirty thousand Contribution Points just obtained, the Alliance Army stationed within Sirius City immediately set off and swiftly arrived above Backhill Village, successfully taking over the village¡¯s defense task.


    It wasn¡¯t until this moment that City Lord Rocky finally felt at ease.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, leave this place to us,¡± the commander said.


    After the Alliance Army arrived at Backhill Village, Rocky had a meeting with the unit¡¯s commander.


    Although he had hired the Alliance Army, it was commanded by its own officers, which meant that this contingent of the Alliance Army, albeit directly subordinated to Rocky and obeying his orders, was not under his direct command.


    ...


    The commander of the troops was named Te Nong, a veteran soldier in his fifties. Introduced by Glan, this man had extraordinarily rich battle experience, having participated in dozens of air battles both large and small, whether against demons or the hostile forces of the skies¡ªand his abilities were very strong.


    For such a person, Rocky naturally held in high regard, and so he was very polite when they met.


    ¡°Commander Te Nong, you have my thanks for your efforts on this occasion. If you have any requests, just let me know. As long as the village is secured, all is negotiable,¡± Rocky said, sitting face to face with Te Nong.


    Having paid such a high price this time, his only goal was to ensure that Backhill Village was definitely secure, so as far as defensive matters were concerned, everything was open for discussion on his end.


    However, Rocky continued, ¡°Commander Te Nong, there is something I must tell you, there are high-level demons near Skybreaker Peak¡­¡±


    Since he was entrusting the heavy responsibility of the village¡¯s defense to Te Nong and his commanded Alliance Army, naturally, Rocky needed to clarify everything about the village, especially the matter concerning the high-level demons.


    The reason he had spent a full twenty thousand Contribution Points to hire an entire Void Magic Squad and a Fifth Generation Void Magic Warrior was to prevent another encounter with a high-level demon. Despite that, Rocky still felt somewhat uneasy and felt obliged to prepare Te Nong psychologically.


    In just a few words, he succinctly described the situation of Backhill Village to Te Nong, who nodded frequently in response to everything said, showing no disdain and appeared very serious.


    This response pleased Rocky greatly. His biggest fear was that Te Nong, being an officer of the Alliance Army, would be arrogant and conceited, but now it seemed the man was indeed a professional soldier whose conduct was flawlessly suited to the role, clearly reflecting the high quality of the Alliance Army.


    And after he had explained everything, Te Nong¡¯s Alliance Army officially took over the defense of Backhill Village, and Rocky at last had some free time.


    It must be said, the affair of taking over Backhill Village truly was full of twists and turns¡ªfirst encountering the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, then running into a high-level demon, forcing Rocky to share the Tank Type 1 Armor with the Alliance and to hire a large number of Alliance troops, an ordeal that could accurately be described as fraught with difficulties.


    But while the process was full of complexities, the outcome was ultimately satisfying.


    At this point, Backhill Village was completely under Rocky¡¯s control. Although his strength had declined somewhat due to the White Demon Armor being rendered unusable, with the support of the Alliance Army, defense capabilities likely didn¡¯t require too much concern anymore.


    ¡°`


    Meanwhile, the mine in the village also officially started operations, with the workers beginning to mine a few days ago. As long as the mine can operate continuously and provide a steady supply of mineral resources, the development of Thunderhawk City would surely soar to new heights.


    Currently, Thunderhawk City was maintaining its traditional textile industry while its leather manufacturing factory was also thriving. In recent months, it had produced several batches of goods, all sold to the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber was not only satisfied but even placed several orders. While they were not large orders, it at least signified that the leather manufacturing factory was on the right track.


    In fact, since the start of the leather factory, Thunderhawk City¡¯s economy had significantly improved in the past few months. With the income from textiles and leather, the city could now break even, meaning City Lord Rocky no longer needed to find additional ways to support Thunderhawk City; it could sustain itself.


    In such circumstances, if mining income was also included, Thunderhawk City¡¯s economic gains would increase substantially!


    After all, mining, such a precious resource, never lacks demand in the market. Even though most of the output from Backhill Village Mine had to be given to the Sky Alliance, the remaining minerals would still be enough for City Lord Rocky to make a handsome profit.


    According to Aileen¡¯s calculations, if the mine could extract resources steadily each month, Thunderhawk City¡¯s future income was conservatively estimated to double. At the moment, the city¡¯s quarterly income was around three hundred thousand Gold Coins. If it could double, that would be six hundred thousand Gold Coins!


    Once Thunderhawk City¡¯s income doubled, the city¡¯s development would enter a new phase, possibly even an accelerated period. Rocky had even made plans; after selling the first batch of minerals, he intended to immediately build a second and perhaps a third factory in the city to expand the scale of the leather manufacturing industry.


    Also, if possible, he planned to attract the Chamber of Commerce to open shops in the city, which on the one hand would improve the residents¡¯ quality of life and, on the other hand, increase tax revenue.


    Once all this was done, he could consider how to attract more people to further strengthen Thunderhawk City.


    How the city should develop next had always been a top priority for Rocky. Therefore, not only did he often think about it on his own, but he also frequently discussed it with Aileen, Old Jack, and others, ensuring a clear direction for future planning.


    However, development ultimately takes time. Even though Rocky had a clear direction for the future, he still needed to take things step by step. Thus, after handing over the task of defending Backhill Village to the Alliance Army, he returned to Thunderhawk City, along with Orton and others.


    Rocky¡¯s primary task now was naturally to create the new generation of White Demon Armor as soon as possible. Only after perfecting the new White Demon Armor would he be able to take on the next set of tasks. Otherwise, he would not feel secure.


    But this task was not something that could be easily completed, especially after Rocky brought out the Azure Fang. On one hand, Pelaya needed to thoroughly research the Azure Fang to determine its usage, and on the other hand, Hammerfire¡¯s original design plans had to be altered because of it, which undoubtedly would slow down the completion of the new White Demon Armor.


    Luckily, Rocky had already arranged everything that needed to be arranged, so even if the new White Demon Armor took longer to finish than expected, he was willing to accept that.


    During this time, he was not idle. Although Orton and his team had shifted their research focus to the new White Demon Armor, they still assigned Rocky a task: to continue improving the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    The Tank Type 1 Armor was a design that was not yet fully complete, which everyone was well aware of, including Higgins. Since Rocky could not assist in the development of the new White Demon Armor, Orton and the others handed over the task of perfecting the Tank Type 1 Armor to him, as a form of practice.


    So upon returning to Thunderhawk City, Rocky became busy once again.


    It was not until this point that he was unaware that he was about to be caught in a massive storm. He was still living his ordinary life, but soon, he would come to know¡­


    COMMENT S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 379 - 350: The Second Letter

    Chapter 379: Chapter 350: The Second Letter


    After handing the defense of Backhill Village over to the Alliance Army, time blinked past¨Chalf a month had gone by.


    In that half-month, the demons had launched an attack on Backhill Village almost every four or five days, with the largest assault involving more than four hundred demons at one time; however, every attack was successfully repelled by the Alliance Army.


    Rocky was both pleased and a little smug about the performance of the Alliance Army, because when he had initially spent all 30,000 Contribution Points to hire the army, Liliya had advised him not to hire so many troops. After all, even without the White Demon Armor, Thunderhawk City still had its own warship fleet. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But looking at the results, Rocky¡¯s choice had clearly been the right one. The Alliance Army had managed to repel the demons without once needing Rocky to lift a finger, which undoubtedly greatly relieved the pressure on both him and Thunderhawk City, of course, it was a good thing.


    Moreover, let¡¯s not forget that, once the invading demons were eliminated, Rocky would easily gain a great deal of Demon Materials!


    Although most of the demons had been blown to bits by the relentless barrage of the warships, there were still a considerable number of demons that could be salvaged. The Demon Materials recovered could easily be converted into income for Thunderhawk City, which made Rocky even happier.


    ...


    Of course, Rocky didn¡¯t hog all the recovered Demon Materials for himself but gave half of them to Te Nong and his commanding unit, as additional earnings for the Alliance Army¡¯s mission this time, leaving both parties quite satisfied with the happy outcome.


    Meanwhile, during this time, the research on the new generation of White Demon Armor was also progressing smoothly. According to Rocky, Pelaya had initially figured out the principle of how Azure Fang absorbed and released mana. This meant that it wouldn¡¯t be long before the design plans for the new generation of White Demon Armor could be finalized.


    As for the Tank Model 1 that Rocky himself was researching, progress was relatively slow. After all, he was new to this field. However, neither he nor Orton and his colleagues ever expected him to fully perfect the Tank Model 1. What Rocky really needed to do with this improvement was to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the design and manufacturing of armor. As long as he could achieve that, it would be sufficient.


    So all in all, Rocky had a very comfortable half month. Not only were there no unexpected mishaps, but everything was also going according to his expectations. Under these circumstances, time quickly moved into April of the year 118.


    After becoming the center of attention in February and March, Rocky vanished from the public eye. But as he disappeared, another person returned to the spotlight: Denise of Sigma Corporation, and her Holy Angel Armor.


    After three months of competition, the Arena¡¯s first quarter season ended successfully, and the eight players with the best performance and highest points advanced to the playoffs, including both Denise and her Holy Angel Armor and the player sent by Uranus Corporation, along with the trial mecha of the sixth-generation Void Magic Armor.


    It was because of these two contestants in the playoffs that the entire focus of April was on the Arena playoffs, and Denise, along with the player from Uranus Corporation, advanced as expected from their respective upper and lower brackets, eventually meeting in the finals where they fought an all-out battle!


    The attention this match received was so immense that it was almost beyond description, and people had numerous speculations about the outcome. Some believed that the Holy Angel Armor from Sigma Corporation would win, as, even though it was a Fifth and a Half Generation armor, it was already a completed product and could not fail.


    But others thought the winner would be the trial mech from Uranus Corporation. These people felt that even though Uranus had only sent a trial mech, it was still a trial mech of the sixth-generation armor, which represented such advanced technology that it was considered revolutionary. So the final victory would surely belong to Uranus Corporation.


    Amidst the various speculations, the match officially started, and it lasted an entire day before concluding. In the end, the victory went to Denise and the Holy Angel Armor!


    With her win, Sigma Corporation and the Holy Angel Armor instantly became the focus of the world, finally bringing some of its former glory back to the long-silent Sigma Corporation. Everything naturally was attributed to Denise; she didn¡¯t let her father down and successfully made Sigma Corporation stand out in front of its competitors with the Holy Angel Armor she had developed.


    Following this victory, Sigma Corporation didn¡¯t waste the excellent opportunity, promptly announcing the price and other information regarding the Holy Angel Armor, starting to officially accept pre-orders.


    As the strongest armor of the present day and also a Special Armor, Holy Angel¡¯s price soared to a staggering 990,000 Gold Coins, which could be said to be the sky-high price of Special Armor. However, that did not dampen people¡¯s enthusiasm, as The Three Great Alliances all pre-ordered more than ten sets, and other alliances and families also made their pre-orders, to varying extents.


    Not to mention them, even Orton and his colleagues were tempted upon hearing this news. They wanted Rocky to buy a set for research. Holy Angel was the most advanced armor of its time and indeed was equipped with a lot of extremely advanced technology; Orton and his colleagues couldn¡¯t help but be interested.


    In response, while Rocky was quite interested, the price was simply too steep, so he had to delay the matter for discussion at another time.


    April of the year 118 passed by like this, with the first half of the month being unusually quiet following the Holy Angel Armor¡¯s championship victory, without any significant events occurring until this day.


    On this day, just as he had been in the previous few days, Rocky was in the study of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, pondering over how to perfect the Tank Model 1.


    Perfecting the Tank Model 1 had given Rocky quite a headache since it was his first time independently undertaking such a task and could almost be described as completely clueless. After more than half a month of research, he had managed to improve the tracks of the armor, making travel over land much smoother. However, since making this change, he had been at a loss for new ideas and directions.


    ¡°Rocky.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Startled from his reverie while staring at the design plans, Rocky abruptly turned around and saw Liliya standing at the doorway of the study.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Standing up from his seat and taking a sip of water, he casually asked.


    ¡°Your letter.¡±


    As she spoke, Liliya approached him and handed him an envelope.


    ¡°A letter?¡±


    Seeing the envelope Liliya handed to him, Rocky was momentarily taken aback, and immediately, a certain person came to mind¨Cthe last time he received a letter, it was from that person.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 380 - 351: The Storm Arrives!

    Chapter 380: Chapter 351: The Storm Arrives!


    As he received the envelope from Liliya, Rocky furrowed his brow, involuntarily thinking of the last time.


    When he opened the envelope and saw its contents, he found the letter was indeed written by Cyril again.


    ¡°It¡¯s from Cyril again?¡±


    Knowing Rocky well, Liliya could almost guess who had written the letter from the expression on his face.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What did she write?¡±


    ...


    ¡°See for yourself.¡±


    Nodding, Rocky handed the envelope to Liliya and sat down, his brow slightly furrowed.


    ¡°She wants to see you?¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for Liliya to finish reading the content of the letter, and a look of puzzlement appeared on her face.


    The letter wasn¡¯t lengthy, containing just a few lines. Essentially, it merely stated that Cyril hoped Rocky could reach a certain coordinate before April 25, where she would be waiting for him. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Such a terse letter puzzled Rocky, as he couldn¡¯t understand why Cyril suddenly wanted to see him.


    ¡°Could it be related to the Mairente Family?¡±


    Sitting next to Rocky, Liliya speculated.


    In her view, since almost all interactions between Cyril and Rocky had revolved around the Mairente Family, her wanting to meet him this time likely had something to do with them.


    ¡°Probably not, right?¡±


    But hearing this, Rocky shook his head then looked at Liliya, ¡°When I joined the Alliance, they had already clearly punished and warned the Mairente Family. Even if they hate me, they wouldn¡¯t risk infuriating the Sky Alliance just to keep troubling me, right?¡±


    Being unaware of the series of events within the family after joining the Alliance, Rocky always believed that his feud with the Mairente Family ended with his alliance membership. Why would they risk a fallout with the Sky Alliance to target him further?


    In this case, he always felt that his disputes with the Mairente Family were already resolved.


    However, though he felt this way, Cyril¡¯s letter made him somewhat uncertain now.


    Because, as Liliya thought, all his interactions with Cyril had been about the Mairente Family, and now that Cyril had contacted him again, much as he didn¡¯t want to, he had to consider that possibility.


    So after shaking his head, he glanced at Liliya, ¡°Let¡¯s not speculate anymore; we¡¯ll just meet her when it¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°Today is April 20, we have five days to reach the coordinates, and then we¡¯ll know exactly what Cyril intends to do.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t be careless, even though Cyril has helped us before, we still need to be cautious¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Nodding, Rocky said, ¡°Inform Te Nong to be extra vigilant during our absence, and make sure nothing goes awry. Also, call back both the first and second fleets to the city.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    With an agreement, Liliya left the laboratory.


    After she had left, Rocky thought for a while and then picked up the envelope again to take another look, the more he read, the more furrowed his brow became!


    Liliya had continuously been concerned about why Cyril wanted this from him, which was indeed the biggest question, but through the brief content of this letter, Rocky noticed another matter, a matter that was extremely easy to overlook yet extremely important.


    How did Cyril know he was near Skybreaker Peak?


    This time Cyril had arranged to meet Rocky and left a complete set of coordinates, meaning she wanted Rocky to meet her there, and the location of these coordinates was right near Skybreaker Peak. This made Rocky wonder, how did Cyril know of his whereabouts? And why would she investigate where he was?


    Another point also struck Rocky as odd, and that was the time Cyril had set, April 25th, why insist on him arriving on this particular date? Did this day hold any special significance?


    All these questions not only puzzled him but also gave him a most ominous feeling, making him vaguely realize that this meeting between the two would definitely not be a simple chat. There might be another big mess brewing!


    Although Rocky still knew nothing up to this point, he had been the City Lord for a while now, and he had experienced quite a few big and small events during this time, which naturally honed his keen senses.


    In such a circumstance, he did everything possible to prepare, on one hand, he notified the Alliance Army, asking them to defend Backhill Village well during his absence, on the other hand, he recalled the entire fleet of Thunderhawk City. Although he did not believe that Cyril had set a trap, Rocky still wanted to be fully prepared, just in case something unexpected happened and he found himself in dire straits.


    By the next day, Thunderhawk City had activated its flight mode and slowly flew towards the coordinates specified by Cyril.


    Since he had departed the day after receiving the letter, and also because the coordinates left by Cyril were not far from Skybreaker Peak, Rocky activated Thunderhawk City¡¯s flight mode on the 21st, and by the 24th, he had already arrived at the coordinates.


    The meeting place designated by Cyril was nothing special. Since it was near Skybreaker Peak, the land was desolate with nothing in sight, and not a single cloud in the sky, which was blue like a vast mirror.


    Upon arriving in such an area, Rocky dispatched all reconnaissance ships, but they found nothing.


    This meant he could only wait there for a day until the next day, which was the 25th of April, the date agreed with Cyril, when the dispatched reconnaissance ships finally brought back news.


    The reconnaissance ships discovered a medium-sized Sky City slowly approaching Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°A medium-sized Sky City?¡±


    Hearing this news, Rocky was stunned and then muttered to himself, ¡°Could it be that Cyril has brought her own Sky City here?¡±


    According to his knowledge, as a Clan Leader¡¯s daughter and a city lord herself, Cyril also owned her own Sky City, which was exactly a medium-sized Sky City.


    While Rocky was still unclear about what exactly Cyril wanted to do, Cyril took the initiative and came to Thunderhawk City!


    Around noon, Cyril slowly landed at the Skyport of Thunderhawk City aboard a warship and met Rocky, who had been waiting for a long time.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard yet?¡±


    Upon seeing Rocky, the first thing Cyril said left him baffled.


    ¡°Heard what?¡±


    ¡°You will know soon.¡±


    Sighing helplessly, Cyril showed no intention of explaining and said nothing more as she got into the carriage prepared by Rocky¡­


    PS: There¡¯s only one update today as I¡¯m taking a day off. Please be understanding, let the Little Detective rest a bit.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 381 - 352: Capture!

    Chapter 381: Chapter 352: Capture!


    What¡¯s going on¡­?


    Watching Cyril directly board the carriage, Rocky furrowed his brows, wondering what exactly was happening?


    Rocky completely failed to understand the purpose of Cyril¡¯s visit and was even more baffled by the words she had just spoken; his mind was filled with questions. However, now was certainly not the time to ask; he would have to wait until they returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    With that thought, he had no choice but to also board the carriage and then rode back to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion with Cyril.


    Sitting face to face in the same carriage, neither spoke a word, and the entire carriage was so silent it seemed as though even breathing sounds had disappeared.


    During the ride, Rocky kept looking at Cyril, who was constantly gazing out the window. The two did not even make eye contact for a moment. Fortunately, Thunderhawk City wasn¡¯t very large, so the distance from the Skyport to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion wasn¡¯t particularly long, and they arrived in no time.


    ...


    Upon reaching the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Cyril, stepping down from the carriage, saw Liliya and Monte among others, standing at the entrance of the mansion to receive her.


    Although Cyril was Rocky¡¯s cousin by blood, one must not forget that she was not only the daughter of the Mairente Clan Leader but also a City Lord herself. Thus, Rocky had prepared a very formal reception, treating her entirely as a City Lord.


    After that, surrounded by a group of people, Cyril followed Rocky into the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    ¡°Rocky, I¡¯d like to talk to you alone.¡±


    Once they arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Hall, Cyril cut straight to the chase without any superfluous chatter.


    In response, Rocky thought for a moment, then nodded to Liliya, and everyone else left the hall, leaving only Cyril and him.


    But when everyone had left, Rocky had originally thought Cyril truly had something urgent to discuss, and was ready to listen attentively, only to find that she fell silent again.


    The silence descended once more, neither spoke, a scene reminiscent of their ride in the carriage. Rocky watched Cyril, who now had her head down, neither looking at him nor speaking, making the City Lord¡¯s Hall, with just the two of them, feel even emptier.


    Time passed by the minute, and before long, a half hour had slipped by, then an hour of complete quietness elapsed, yet Cyril still showed no signs of speaking.


    This thoroughly confused Rocky; he could tell that Cyril definitely had something important to discuss, but why wasn¡¯t she speaking? He couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    During this process, he attempted several times to ask, only to stop each time, uncertain of what exactly to ask.


    Forget it, let¡¯s just wait for her to initiate the conversation.


    Watching Cyril, Rocky silently sighed, deciding to wait.


    But just then, as another half hour passed, a series of urgent knocking suddenly erupted!


    The unexpected knocking abruptly broke the prolonged silence, startling Rocky, but before he could gather his senses, Liliya burst through the hall doors, hurrying to his side.


    ¡°Rocky, something bad has happened!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Giving Cyril a sidelong glance, Rocky turned his gaze to Liliya, his eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.


    ¡°Te Nong has sent word, the Mairente family is preparing to attack Backhill Village, their army has already arrived!¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Upon hearing this from Liliya, Rocky immediately stood up from the City Lord¡¯s seat, followed by a buzzing noise in his head, leaving him in a daze.


    The Mairente family, attacking Backhill Village?


    This was completely beyond his expectations, so much so that he found it difficult to accept for a moment.


    What exactly is going on?


    ¡°How did such a thing suddenly arise?¡±


    Due to the suddenness and unexpectedness of the situation, Rocky¡¯s mind inevitably became somewhat confused, but he quickly suppressed the confusion and turned his gaze to Cyril!


    And this time when he looked at Cyril, he found that Cyril was also looking at her!


    Ever since it was just the two of them left in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, this was the first time their eyes had met, and it was this eye contact that helped Rocky understand at least one thing¡ªthat the thing Cyril had mentioned when she first saw him was indeed this matter!


    ¡°Bring someone! Arrest her¡±, he ordered.


    After glancing at Cyril, Rocky didn¡¯t have time to think further, immediately called the guards outside, and had Cyril detained within the hall; then, he left the City Lord¡¯s Hall with Liliya.


    The incident had happened too suddenly, so sudden that Rocky barely had time to understand the cause and could only deal with the outcome immediately.


    After leaving the City Lord¡¯s Hall, he went to his study and then summoned Monte and others.


    ¡°Who received the message?¡±


    Sitting in his study, Rocky looked around and asked.


    ¡°My Lord, it was I,¡±


    Upon his question, Felly immediately stood up. As the commander of the Thunderhawk City fleet, Felly often collaborated with Te Nong, which is why he had received the message from Te Nong.


    ¡°What did Te Nong say? Are you sure it was the Mairente Family?¡±


    ¡°Sure, and according to Te Nong, the Mairente Family has dispatched two mid-sized Sky Cities this time, with at least a few hundred warships; they have already surrounded Backhill Village completely.¡±


    ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Just now.¡±


    ¡°What else did he say?¡±


    ¡°Te Nong also said¡­¡± Felly paused slightly and looked at Rocky before continuing, ¡°Te Nong also said that the Mairente Family has demanded that you be handed over, otherwise, they will launch an attack¡­¡±


    As soon as Felly finished speaking, everyone in the study turned to look at Rocky, and they noticed that he had already closed his eyes and furrowed his brows.


    Clearly, like everyone else, he was completely stunned by this sudden attack; none of them had anticipated that the Mairente Family would suddenly drop from the sky, nor that they would bring such a numerous force.


    Two mid-sized Sky Cities.


    At least a few hundred warships.


    This was clearly a rhythm meant to annihilate them!


    So when Felly finished speaking, everyone watched Rocky, no one daring to speak carelessly on such a significant matter.


    While everyone watched, Rocky remained silent for a long time as he tried to clear his thoughts as much as possible, striving to understand what exactly was happening, unfortunately without any clue.


    In this state, several minutes passed before he finally reopened his eyes and then announced, ¡°Immediately order Thunderhawk City to fly back to Backhill Village.¡±


    Having said this, he stood up and walked out; he had finally understood why Cyril had come to see him¡ªit was obviously about this matter!


    However, just as he had just reached the door of the study, and before stepping out, he suddenly paused, then turned back to Liliya and said, ¡°Do not move Sky City yet, wait for my return before doing anything.¡±


    Having changed his command, he then left the study and headed straight for the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 382 - 353: Falling into the Trap

    Chapter 382: Chapter 353: Falling into the Trap


    After giving the order to temporarily hold their positions, Rocky returned to the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    Back in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, he saw Cyril again, and during the time he had been away, Cyril had done nothing. She quietly sat in the hall under the watch of several guards, just as she had been before.


    ¡°You may all leave.¡±


    With a wave of his hand at the guards, Rocky ordered all the others to depart, leaving just the two of them in the hall.


    ¡°Have you heard everything?¡±


    Facing Rocky once more, Cyril took the initiative to speak, casting a glance at him and then posing the question. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    ¡°Did you come to see me just because of this matter?¡±


    Rocky didn¡¯t return to his seat; instead, he stood in front of Cyril with furrowed brows, looking at her intently.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why does my family still target me?¡±


    ¡°Because they are afraid you¡¯ll seek retaliation.¡±


    Sitting in her chair, Cyril looked up at Rocky and smiled, ¡°You have risen too swiftly, so swiftly that some in the family are scared. Therefore, they plan to completely eradicate you before you can truly threaten the family.¡±


    ¡°Just for that? Just for that reason, you¡¯re willing to offend the Sky Alliance?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Staring directly at Rocky, Cyril nodded, but she did not disclose the complete truth.


    ¡°Mad¡­absolutely mad! Your whole family is insane!¡±


    Rocky was so infuriated by Cyril¡¯s response that he hardly knew how to express his feelings, unable to believe the Mairente family would go to such crazy lengths to target him.


    Cyril said nothing in response to his outburst, only watching quietly because Athena had explicitly told her not to reveal the entire truth to Rocky. Thus, Cyril mentioned only her family and omitted to mention the myriad issues between the Kafka Empire and the Sky Alliance.


    Clearly, Rocky also had not considered such a profound level; he took Cyril¡¯s words at face value, believing the Mairente family¡¯s actions were solely aimed at him.


    After pacing furiously in front of Cyril, Rocky suddenly stopped and looked back at her, ¡°Why did you save me this time?¡±


    From what Cyril had said, Rocky now knew the gist of the situation: the Mairente family planned to eradicate him, a future trouble, even if it meant offending the Sky Alliance. That explained the troops that arrived at Backhill Village.


    Now that he understood what had happened, Rocky also knew why Cyril wanted to meet with him ¨C she was clearly trying to save him.


    Because of their meeting, the Mairente family troops approaching Backhill Village hadn¡¯t captured him; otherwise, he would have been trapped in Backhill Village like a turtle in a jar, and he could well imagine his fate at that point. By now, he, Thunderhawk City, and Backhill Village might have been annihilated under the fire of hundreds of warships.


    Therefore, the meeting Cyril proposed had evidently saved his life once again.


    But that was precisely what puzzled Rocky: why did Cyril want to save him again?


    He counted, and this was already the third time she had saved him. The first was the matter with Baron Wolin when she had helped him out of guilt; the second was the Lexington incident, as Lexington was the political enemy of Cyril¡¯s father, so she helped him again. But what was her reason for helping him this time?


    Rocky couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    ¡°I have my reasons.¡±


    Cyril glanced at him and spoke in a very calm manner.


    Hearing such a response, Rocky naturally did not understand, but he did not wish to delve deeper, so he sighed and then called over the guard at the door.


    ¡°Take City Lord Cyril to the guest room to rest and ensure her safety.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With an affirmative response, several guards strode over to Cyril¡¯s side, and upon hearing Rocky¡¯s arrangements, Cyril stood up willingly, said nothing more, and followed the guards directly, quickly being led out of the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    Of course, Cyril understood perfectly well, what Rocky called protecting her was in fact tantamount to placing her under house arrest within the City Lord¡¯s Mansion!


    Indeed, that was exactly what Rocky had in mind!


    In his view, the current affair was far too grave; the Mairente Family was not merely causing minor trouble this time, but aimed to completely annihilate him!


    As the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, he must devise every possible means to prevent such an outcome, so he could not simply let Cyril leave.


    After that, Rocky summoned everyone to the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    ¡°What is Cyril planning to do?¡±


    As soon as Rocky gathered everyone, Liliya quickly asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure; she has her plans.¡± Shaking his head, Rocky admitted his own confusion about Cyril¡¯s intentions. ¡°Let¡¯s not rush to discuss her problems for now. Right now, I want to ask you all, what shall we do about the situation in Backhill Village?¡±


    Although the Mairente Family intended to mobilize their forces to eliminate Rocky, the situation had changed and deviated due to Cyril¡¯s preliminary selection.


    The current situation was such that Rocky and Thunderhawk City, for the time being, were not in great danger. However, Backhill Village was now surrounded by the Mairente Family¡¯s troops, which was the most critical issue. Even though the village was defended by the Alliance Army, everyone knew that their numbers were too small to properly defend the village.


    The importance of Backhill Village to Rocky went without saying, and if possible, he still wanted to save the village.


    ¡°Going back is out of the question; it¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    Unfortunately, in response to his question, Liliya simply stated, ¡°With the Mairente Family¡¯s troops bearing down, going back now would be like falling into a trap. The priority right now is to immediately contact the Sky Alliance and let them deal with this matter. After all, half of the mines in Backhill Village belong to the Alliance and theoretically are part of the Alliance¡¯s property.¡±


    ¡°Sir, I agree with Liliya¡¯s view.¡±


    At that moment, Felly also spoke up: ¡°With the current military strength of Thunderhawk City, even adding the Alliance Army garrisoned in the village, we wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the enemy. Going back, we can¡¯t defend the village.¡±


    ¡°Sir, I think leaving the village is actually to our advantage.¡±


    After Liliya and Felly had spoken, Monte added his voice to the mix: ¡°If the Mairente Family¡¯s target is us, then if we are not in Backhill Village, even if they surround the village, they may not dare to truly attack. After all, the village is defended by the Alliance Army, and attacking it would mean directly challenging the Sky Alliance. Therefore, our absence might be a good thing; it might even enable us to hold the village.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, Monte is right.¡±


    ¡°I agree with his thinking.¡±


    In the City Lord¡¯s Hall, everyone voiced their opinions one after another, all essentially expressing the same viewpoint¡ªthat they did not wish for Rocky to return to Backhill Village.


    Because everyone could discern the thoughts in his heart and understood that he did not want to give up Backhill Village. However, as everyone had said, if they did not go back now, the Mairente Family might be deterred by the Sky Alliance and hesitate to strike the village. Yet, once they returned, it would be walking into a trap!


    However, faced with everyone¡¯s explicit or implicit dissuasion, Rocky, after pondering for a long while, shook his head.


    ¡°There is another way to make the Mairente Family retreat.¡±


    ¡°You all seem to forget that Cyril is still with us.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 383 - 354: Hostage!

    Chapter 383: Chapter 354: Hostage!


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Cyril is still in the city.¡±


    After pondering for a moment, Rocky glanced at everyone and spoke slowly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this tomorrow, you go and inform Glan right away, and have him relay the matter to the Alliance as soon as possible.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the matter of Backhill Village, Rocky clearly had his own ideas, but he still planned to follow Liliya¡¯s suggestion and inform the Alliance first.


    After that, he dismissed everyone, not even keeping Liliya, remaining alone in the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    A day passed quickly, and before long, it was the next day.


    ...


    The next day, Te Nong brought the latest news.


    According to Te Nong, the Mairente Family had completely surrounded them, but in Rocky¡¯s absence, they seemed hesitant to launch an attack on the village, so Backhill Village was still under the control of the Alliance Army.


    Upon hearing this news, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Monte¡¯s speculation the day before had come true¡ªthe Mairente Family, although determined to annihilate Rocky and Thunderhawk City, would not dare to attack the Alliance Army without his presence.


    This allowed Rocky to breathe a sigh of relief, but it was a small comfort, seeing as no one knew how the situation might develop next.


    On the same day, Rocky went to see Cyril again.


    Earlier, under his arrangement, Cyril had already moved into the guestroom of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, but with heavy guards stationed outside, it was essentially house arrest. Cyril, as though having anticipated this, did not resist at all. She didn¡¯t even utter unnecessary words, completely resigned to her fate.


    In fact, when Rocky saw her again, she appeared untroubled, quietly reading a book in her room.


    Seeing Rocky at the door, Cyril casually put aside the book and then smiled at him.


    ¡°I thought you would have come back yesterday.¡±


    With a slight smile, Cyril said casually.


    Yet her words weighed heavily on Rocky¡¯s heart¡­


    ¡°Did you know I was coming to find you?¡±


    Walking into the room, Rocky took a chair and sat opposite Cyril, looking into her eyes as he asked.


    ¡°Of course I knew, but don¡¯t bother, it¡¯s not going to happen.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Her unexpected remark left Rocky frozen on the spot.


    While he was stunned, Cyril chuckled and shook her head, ¡°You came to tell me that you plan to use me as a hostage, to force my family to withdraw their troops, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Looking into Rocky¡¯s eyes, Cyril spoke word by word.


    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Her remark not only brought Rocky back to his senses but also plunged him into silence¡­ because Cyril was absolutely right!


    Rocky indeed planned to use her as a hostage to pressure the Mairente family to retreat!


    He had spent the entire previous night considering how to resolve the crisis, but the options he could think of were very few.


    The vast disparity in strength left Rocky completely at a loss. This time the Mairente Family had sent not just a few or a dozen warships; they had dispatched two medium-sized Sky Cities and several hundred warships!


    Such formidable military power gave Rocky no chance of retaliation in the face of his foes. It remained the same resolute fact¡ªif it weren¡¯t for Cyril luring him away in advance, both he and Thunderhawk City would have been annihilated amidst such an overwhelming force. This vast difference in strength had entrapped Rocky in a dilemma, leaving him with only one option.


    That option was Cyril.


    Cyril was a member of the Mairente family, but not just any member¡ªher father was the Clan Leader of the entire family, and she herself was a key figure, already involved in the management of her family¡¯s affairs. Therefore, for the Mairente family, Cyril carried significant weight.


    Now that Cyril was in his hands, Rocky naturally thought of leveraging her as a hostage to threaten the Mairente family into withdrawing their troops.


    In Rocky¡¯s view, even if other members of the family did not care about Cyril, like Lexington and others, surely Cyril¡¯s father, who was also the Clan Leader Atted, had to care about his own daughter, right? And don¡¯t forget, Cyril was not alone; she had also brought her own Sky City, which further increased the value of the bargaining chip in Rocky¡¯s hand. He believed that Cyril and her medium-sized Sky City were enough to sway the Mairente Family, at least to sway Atted.


    This was the only method Rocky could think of, but it left him conflicted all night long.


    Cyril was not just anybody; she was Rocky¡¯s cousin and had helped him more than once. Thus, using her as a hostage to threaten the Mairente Family was something Rocky ultimately found difficult to bear; he couldn¡¯t get it over this emotional hurdle.


    However, in the end, he made up his mind because this was the only method he could think of.


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, before Rocky could even express this idea, Cyril guessed it herself¡­


    This outcome somewhat disoriented Rocky; it felt as if someone had preempted his move in a chess game.


    But his reaction was fairly quick. After a brief moment of bewilderment, he immediately regained his composure and looked at Cyril.


    ¡°You mean to say, your father will not compromise for you?¡±


    With a bitter smile and a shake of her head, Cyril glanced at Rocky and did not answer his question. Instead, she countered, ¡°Rocky, if my father does not agree to your demands, would you kill me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    This counter-question once again plunged Rocky into silence.


    Because he had never considered this question; in his view, as long as he kept Cyril under house arrest and presented his demands to the Mairente Family, would Atted actually gamble with his daughter¡¯s life?


    Obviously not. If not, Rocky naturally did not have to contemplate the necessity of actually killing Cyril, because there was simply no need.


    ¡°Rocky, don¡¯t underestimate the family.¡±


    Seeing Rocky fall silent, Cyril sighed, ¡°In front of the family, no individual is worth compromising for, neither you nor I; even my father can¡¯t change that.¡±


    As she spoke, her gaze grew dimmer, evidently thinking about other matters.


    Yet, her words made Rocky frown.


    ¡°Cyril, I¡¯m not joking with you!¡±


    After looking at Cyril for quite some time, Rocky suddenly shouted out loud!


    ¡°Contact your father immediately, tell him to withdraw his troops, or I will really kill you! To save Thunderhawk City, I will not be soft-hearted!¡±


    His eyes wide, perhaps because he hadn¡¯t slept all night or because his eyes were truly bloodshot, Rocky¡¯s eyes had turned red at that moment, looking extremely frightening.


    However, facing his anger, Cyril remained unmoved and even turned her head away.


    ¡°Cyril! Don¡¯t push me!¡±


    Seeing that Cyril still displayed no reaction, Rocky shouted again, truly appearing angry this time; his temples ballooned and veins bulged on his forehead.


    With this furious shout, Cyril slowly turned around, her eyes devoid of any sparkle as she looked at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s useless¡­¡±


    ¡°If you contact the family now, they will only be too pleased to have you kill me¡­¡±


    ¡°I have already¡­¡±


    ¡°Severed ties with the family¡­¡±


    With lifeless eyes, Cyril said these words haltingly, and by the end of it, her eyes were completely red, a tear after whirling around her eyes uncontrollably flowed down.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    Upon hearing these words, Rocky was stunned, standing still as if turned to wood¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 384 - 355 Family Turmoil

    Chapter 384: Chapter 355 Family Turmoil


    Cyril actually¡­ left the Mairente Family?


    This was too unexpected that even Rocky was stunned.


    Standing before Cyril, staring at her, Rocky took a long time to come to his senses, because to him, this was simply incredible, no, it was utterly unreasonable! Why would Cyril want to leave the family?


    What exactly was she planning to do?


    In fact, since the meeting with Cyril the day before, Rocky had realized that Cyril must have had her own plans in helping him, which didn¡¯t bother him much. He even thought he had guessed the reason for her assistance¡ªit was all related to the internal struggles of the family, so he wasn¡¯t too concerned about it.


    But now it seemed he was wrong, Cyril clearly had some undisclosed plans.


    ...


    Is that so?


    Of course it is. In reality, the news of Cyril leaving the family, not only was it beyond Rocky¡¯s expectations, but also Atted, her father, and the entire Mairente Family had not seen it coming!


    At the end of April in Sky Era Year 118, a series of shocking events occurred within the Mairente Family, beginning with the sudden, unannounced departure of Clan Leader Atted¡¯s only daughter, Cyril.


    This incident shook the whole family, catching everyone off guard and even causing considerable chaos.


    As Rocky had thought before, Cyril was not an ordinary family member. Despite being just a part of the younger generation of the family, involved in managing minor matters, one must not forget¡ªshe was, after all, Atted¡¯s daughter.


    This status gave Cyril an extraordinary position among the younger members of her generation. Everyone understood that in a few years, when Atted stepped back, she would inevitably become a prominent figure who could stand on her own in the family, and might even become a strong contender for the Clan Leader position, just like her father!


    In such a scenario, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that Cyril represented the core strength of the Mairente Family¡¯s future, or even that she was the spokesperson for the younger generation. Her sudden departure from the family was inherently unfathomable and a severe blow for the Mairente Family.


    Therefore, at the same time as Cyril and Rocky¡¯s meeting, the Mairente Family had no choice but to convene an emergency meeting once again¡ªjust like the one a few months prior, gathering all members of the family together.


    ¡°Atted! What is Cyril doing!¡±


    At this meeting, Clan Leader Atted faced furious attacks and accusations from everyone, with all questioning what exactly was going on and why Cyril would suddenly leave the family.


    ¡°Atted, as the Clan Leader, can¡¯t you even control your own daughter?¡±


    At the conference table, Lexington looked coldly at Atted, sneering and questioning him.


    ¡°This time, Cyril is too disregarding of the bigger picture.¡±


    Sitting opposite Lexington, Kelly spoke in an equally unfriendly tone.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Glancing at these two, Atted didn¡¯t speak, as he had realized that since the decision to subdue Rocky, Lexington and Kelly had formed a united front. Now the two were entirely ganging up against him.


    ¡°`


    This outcome couldn¡¯t help but amuse Atted a bit, just a few months ago, Kelly had been on his side, helping him suppress Lexington. But unexpectedly, in a blink of an eye, the situation had reversed.


    However, Atted didn¡¯t blame Kelly. Was this not just the way of the Tian Family, lacking familial affection?


    So, faced with the questioning from both people, Atted said nothing. He neither wished to speak nor had anything to say.


    Because, even he had been unaware of Cyril¡¯s plans beforehand, he had learned of the matter at the same time as everyone else.


    Athena¡­


    Thinking of his daughter¡¯s actions, the first person that came to Atted¡¯s mind was Athena. He had sent Cyril to meet Athena, so Cyril¡¯s conduct was undoubtedly influenced by Athena¡¯s instructions!


    And upon recalling Athena, Atted sighed inwardly. Even he couldn¡¯t understand her, let alone fathom her thoughts. ¡®Unfathomable¡¯ was the only word to describe this woman.


    However, there was one thing he could be certain of, and that was no matter what Athena had suggested, Cyril would never intentionally harm the family. Atted had absolute trust in this respect. And as long as this was certain, the matter became simpler.


    There must be a deeper reason behind Cyril¡¯s departure from the family, a reason perhaps only known to Cyril and Athena. But whatever it was, it would be for the family¡¯s good. Therefore, Atted harbored no blame for Cyril¡¯s actions.


    Unfortunately, while he might understand Cyril, others would not necessarily feel the same.


    For with Cyril¡¯s split from the family, many of the family¡¯s plans had seriously deviated from their original forecasts!


    Take the campaign against Rocky, for example.


    Just as Athena had thought, the Mairente Family indeed planned to use the campaign against Rocky as a pretext to probe the Sky Alliance!


    The Sky Alliance was certainly a behemoth in the sky, and it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say it was already at the pinnacle. However, precisely because it stood so high, the various forces it trampled upon were even more eager to bring it down.


    Which force didn¡¯t want to grow stronger? Which family didn¡¯t wish to dominate the sky? From the perspective of these forces and families, the Sky Alliance hogged too many resources. As long as it existed, they would never have a chance to reach the top.


    So, when Tulip City fell, many forces and families began to stir, all very eager to bite off a piece of the Alliance. Naturally, this included the Mairente Family.


    However, the Alliance was still the Alliance. Many wished to bite it hard when it showed weakness, but a wounded tiger was still a tiger. Although ideas abounded, no one wanted to be the first to provoke the old beast.


    This situation had persisted from the time Tulip City had fallen, continuing up to a few months before, until the Kafka Empire took the first step!


    As another colossal entity in the sky, if anyone had the strength to shake the Sky Alliance and the most desire to do so, it was the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute, the other two great forces.


    The Magic Energy Research Institute was focused on Mana Technology research and, while powerful, rarely took part in the struggle for the sky. The Kafka Empire, on the other hand, had always aspired to swallow the other two forces and unify the sky.


    Thus, after half a year of silence, the Kafka Empire finally made its move.


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 385 - 356: Domino Effect

    Chapter 385: Chapter 356: Domino Effect


    Atted had sent Cyril to seek out Athena because, although he was unaware that Lexington and Kelly had already colluded with the Kafka Empire, he sensed something was amiss. In this matter, Athena clearly had a deeper understanding, and she subsequently elucidated the whole situation to Cyril in clear detail.


    However, Athena got one thing wrong.


    That was, the collusion between Lexington and Kelly with the Kafka Empire didn¡¯t happen after the decision to subdue Rocky, but before!


    In other words, before the family meeting had decided to subdue Rocky, Lexington and Kelly had already established secret contacts with the Kafka Empire, having decided to strike at the Sky Alliance together.


    It was because of this prior arrangement that Lexington and Kelly were so adamant about subduing Rocky¡ªtheir actions were all in preparation for a bigger plan. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some might wonder why such a significant affair was arranged with Lexington and Kelly instead of going through Atted, the Clan Leader.


    ...


    It¡¯s simple¡ªthe matter was too significant. As the head of a clan, how could Atted easily agree to it?


    Moreover, the Mairente Family was a well-known large family, and the Empire was well aware of this. It was evident from Atted¡¯s actions that he was of the conservative dove faction and would never lightly allow his family to engage in such dangerous affairs. Thus, the Empire simply bypassed him and directly sought the more radical Lexington and Kelly.


    Some might again wonder, could the Mairente Family alone shake the Sky Alliance by fully mobilizing?


    Of course not. The Mairente Family was significant, but it was still too small compared to the Sky Alliance. However, the Kafka Empire hadn¡¯t just sought out the Mairente Family for collaboration; in fact, the Empire had secretly contacted several families and forces and had devised a vast and comprehensive plan.


    The first step of this plan was to be executed by the Mairente Family, which was the subjugation of Rocky.


    But what no one expected was that this first move would go seriously awry, a deviation caused by Cyril.


    Because Cyril had left the family and gone to meet Rocky, the aggressively advancing family came up empty-handed. Although they reached Backhill Village, they didn¡¯t find Rocky; instead, they encountered the Alliance Army stationed in the village head-on.


    This might seem like a minor accident, seemingly insignificant, since Rocky was merely a decoy, and the real target was actually the Sky Alliance behind him.


    But if anyone truly thought that way, they would be gravely mistaken!


    In many people¡¯s eyes, Rocky might seem insignificant, but he was the fuse of the whole plan. Although a fuse is ultimately consumed by the fire it starts and seems unimportant, let¡¯s not forget that without this fuse, no matter how powerful the explosives, they can¡¯t be detonated!


    It can be said that no one expected a mistake to occur right at the first step, and this put Abraham, who was leading the troops at Backhill Village in a standoff with the Alliance Army, in a very difficult position.


    As the son of Lexington, Abraham¡¯s abilities could be said to be on par with Cyril¡¯s, yet in this matter, he dared not make a decision lightly, so he quickly reported the situation to Lexington. However, Lexington faced the same predicament as Abraham; such a significant issue was beyond his authority to decide alone, so he in turn reported it to the Kafka Empire.


    This back and forth took up a day or two, and the eventual result was that reinforcements from the Alliance had already arrived!


    Indeed, while Atted and others were holding this family meeting discussing Cyril¡¯s matter, the Sky Alliance¡¯s reinforcements had already reached Backhill Village and officially started a standoff against the army led by Abraham, a scenario the Kafka Empire least wanted to see!


    Who could have imagined that a minor deviation would eventually lead to a consequence that affected the entire plan of the Kafka Empire? Probably no one could have thought of it, and even if someone did, they certainly wouldn¡¯t believe it.


    But if Rocky knew all this, he would understand that in a series of interconnected events, a tiny initial change would generate a series of chain reactions, ultimately altering the entire event¡ªthis is the classic domino effect, isn¡¯t it?


    In this incident, Cyril¡¯s departure from the family was that tiny initial change, and the domino effect it triggered eventually affected the entire plan of the Kafka Empire. Moreover, the impact was even greater than that, as the chain reactions this incident generated were much larger than imagined.


    For instance, a series of changes within the Mairente Family.


    The final decision of the family meeting defined Cyril¡¯s departure as an act of defection, and internally, Cyril was labeled a fugitive just like Rocky, wanted by all members within the family.


    That wasn¡¯t all. As Cyril¡¯s father, Atted was to bear full responsibility and thus was stripped of his dual roles as Clan Leader and Elder, becoming just an ordinary member of the family thereafter.


    During this process, there were even proposals to strip Atted of his Machine City and expel him from the family!


    However, this proposal was quickly rejected because both Lexington and Kelly knew that exploiting Cyril¡¯s situation to remove Atted from his position as Clan Leader was already pushing the limits. If they dared to target his Machine City as well, the incident would ultimately lead to a split within the entire family.


    But even so, Atted ultimately lost his dual status as Clan Leader and Elder. If anything remained, it was only Machine City. As he was deposed from his role as Clan Leader, the faction he represented also completely lost power within the Mairente Family, causing a major shift in the family¡¯s power structure.


    The consequences of this shift were not limited to the Mairente Family alone; they extended to many outsiders. After all, the Mairente Family was a large family with intricately complex relationships with many other forces and families within Sky City and beyond. Thus, this internal power shift would undoubtedly bring profound changes to these relationships.


    Logically speaking, such significant changes in the top-level authority of a prominent family like the Mairente Family should have become the focus of everybody¡¯s attention, and without doubt, it would be reported by the Shadow Alliance. However, in April of the year 118, this incident nearly went unnoticed because at the same time, a much bigger and more serious event occurred that not only affected a handful of people but the entire sky¡ª


    Numerous forces and families simultaneously challenged the Sky Alliance, sparking off a great war that engulfed the entire sky!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 386 - 357 Where to Go

    Chapter 386: Chapter 357 Where to Go


    Time rewound to a few days earlier.


    When Rocky learned that Cyril had done something as radical as leaving the Mairente Family, he was bewildered, truly bewildered, and it only made him even more confused about what Cyril was up to.


    For a fleeting moment, he even wondered if Cyril had left the family because of him, but this thought was fleeting and quickly dismissed. The reason was simple: the relationship between Rocky and Cyril obviously wasn¡¯t that good yet.


    At the same time, the only idea he had for saving Backhill Village also became ineffective. Since Cyril had left the family, using her as a hostage to threaten the family was useless now. Just as Cyril herself had said, the Mairente Family might even be hoping that he would kill her now.


    Suddenly, Rocky found himself completely trapped in a helpless plight, and he didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Backhill Village was surrounded; there was no way back, but if he didn¡¯t return to Backhill Village, where could he and Thunderhawk City go? He had already made plans to focus on the development around Backhill Village for the coming years, but all those plans had now been dashed.


    ...


    Where would he and Thunderhawk City go next?


    Almost at the same moment that Cyril revealed her departure from the family, Rocky had thought of this question, but he had no answer¡­


    Stunned into immobility for a long time, Rocky finally came to his senses, but at that moment, his entire demeanor had changed. In that instant, he seemed to have become ten times more despondent and aged, his spirit utterly deflated.


    ¡°You may leave¡­¡±


    Sitting limply in the chair, Rocky gave Cyril a glance and then waved his hand, releasing her.


    Upon this, Cyril did not say much and simply stood up, walking slowly toward the door.


    ¡°What are your plans for the future?¡±


    Just as she was about to reach the door, Rocky¡¯s voice suddenly filled the room.


    At the sound of his voice, Cyril, who had reached the doorway, stopped in her tracks. After a moment of thought, she shook her head: ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Rocky didn¡¯t know where he was headed, and neither did Cyril. In fact, she was even more bewildered than Rocky.


    Cyril was undoubtedly competent, but it was important to remember that all her abilities were built on the foundation of having the support of the Mairente Family. Thus, although Cyril was also a City Lord, she was not like Rocky, who had to fend for himself in the skies.


    But now, Cyril had left the family, and without the family¡¯s backing, how she would survive in this sky was the greatest challenge facing her. Not to mention, whether she could sustain a medium-sized Sky City on her own was a question mark.


    ¡°Leave me your contact information, if you run into any trouble, I¡¯ll help you,¡± Rocky sighed and spoke as Cyril shook her head.


    Upon hearing this, Cyril showed a bitter smile. Before leaving the family, such a statement would have been a joke to her. Who was she? Did she need Rocky¡¯s help? Don¡¯t be ridiculous.


    But now, she knew it wasn¡¯t a joke, for in terms of the ability to survive alone in the skies, she was not as capable as Rocky.


    So she didn¡¯t put on airs and swiftly exchanged communicator codes with Rocky, allowing them to keep in contact with each other. Following that, Cyril left Thunderhawk City and returned to her own Sky City. She activated flight mode that very day and slowly flew away from the Skybreaker Peak region.


    After her departure, Rocky fell into desolation¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s happened to the master?¡±


    On the third day of Backhill Village being besieged, when Felly reported the latest news of the village to Rocky, he didn¡¯t say a word. He just waved his hand casually and made him leave his study, leaving Felly bewildered.


    Because this clearly didn¡¯t match Rocky¡¯s character at all!


    ¡°`


    If it had been any other day, Rocky would have issued a series of commands upon receiving similar news, making a series of responses in light of the latest situation. But what was wrong today?


    Could it be that the news he reported was not important?


    Felly couldn¡¯t help but think this, but he realized that was not the case. The news he reported today was actually quite significant.


    Three days after the Mairente Family¡¯s forces approached Backhill Village, the Sky Alliance had already made its response upon receiving messages from both Glan and Te Nong. Being the closest and having just visited recently, Sirius City was now urgently mobilized, and along with another mid-sized Sky City, was speeding towards Backhill Village. If nothing unexpected happened, they should arrive within one to two days.


    The message Felly reported to Rocky was exactly this, and regarding this matter, Rocky shouldn¡¯t have been indifferent!


    Standing at the door of the study, Felly couldn¡¯t understand what was wrong with Rocky. Just then, Liliya arrived and he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Captain, what¡¯s wrong with the Lord? He seems to be in a bad state¡­¡±


    Although Liliya was no longer the captain of the Guard Corps and Felly was no longer part of it, Felly still habitually called her captain when he saw her in private, finding it more intimate.


    And as the person who understood Rocky best, Liliya had naturally noticed the abnormality that Felly saw.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, the Lord has just been too tired these past few days, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Sighing, Liliya said this to Felly and then asked him to leave.


    Once Felly had left, Liliya then entered the study.


    As soon as she entered the study, she saw Rocky sitting listlessly on the large sofa, his eyes blankly staring at the ceiling.


    ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    Sighing inwardly, Liliya walked over to him.


    ¡°Come, sit down.¡±


    Upon hearing her voice, Rocky seemed to come back to his senses, then asked Liliya to sit beside him. Once she was seated, he lay down on the sofa using Liliya¡¯s thigh as a pillow.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you¡­¡±


    Looking at Rocky lying on her lap, Liliya gently arranged his hair with her hand as she asked.


    ¡°Tired.¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Closing his eyes, Rocky replied weakly.


    ¡°I heard the Alliance has dispatched reinforcements and they should reach the village in a few days, then¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no use.¡±


    Lying on Liliya¡¯s lap with his eyes closed, Rocky cut her off before she could finish speaking.


    ¡°No use? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Rocky let out a long sigh, finally opened his eyes, and then looked at Liliya with a lifeless gaze, ¡°Just wait and see, in a couple of days you¡¯ll understand. It¡¯s no use even if the Alliance sends reinforcements¡­¡±


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 387 - 358: A Change in the Weather...

    Chapter 387: Chapter 358: A Change in the Weather¡­


    Lying on Liliya¡¯s legs, Rocky spoke weakly and, after finishing his sentence, did not speak again, feeling as though he had fallen asleep.


    Upon hearing his words, Liliya frowned and thought for a long time, but ultimately she couldn¡¯t understand¡­


    Thus, a day passed.


    By the next day, which was the fourth day since the Mairente Family¡¯s troops approached Backhill Village, Felly received the latest news and thus appeared before Rocky again.


    ¡°My Lord! The Sky Alliance has arrived! The troops of the Sky Alliance have arrived!¡±


    Hurrying into Rocky¡¯s study room, Felly entered the door and excitedly announced.


    ...


    He had just received the latest information from Te Nong that Sirius City, the closest to Backhill Village, had arrived, bringing with it more than two hundred warships!


    After all, Sirius City was a major Sky City with its own fleet of over one hundred and fifty vessels, and as a Contact City, it also had Alliance Army stationed there permanently. Although a considerable number had been sent on missions, at least fifty to sixty warships remained.


    Thus, the total number of troops from Sirius City was less than the Mairente Family, but their arrival at Backhill Village at least gave the village some defensive capability. And don¡¯t forget, besides Sirius City, another medium-sized Sky City was also en route to Backhill Village. Once this city arrived, the military strength at Backhill Village would further increase, making it even harder for the Mairente Family to take over the village.


    Undeniably, the response of the Sky Alliance to this matter was very quick, taking just four short days to react.


    ¡°My Lord! Backhill Village is saved!¡±


    After conveying this news to Rocky, Felly spoke excitedly.


    He knew that Rocky had been worried about Backhill Village recently, to the point of being in a terrible state, so Felly felt certain that hearing this news would excite Rocky.


    But he was mistaken, Rocky did not show any excitement or joy.


    ¡°I know.¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nonchalantly nodding his head, Rocky, just like yesterday, said nothing else, then dismissed Felly.


    Such a bland response was not at all what Felly had expected; he stood in the study staring at Rocky, then turned to glance at Liliya, who was also sitting in the study.


    ¡°You can leave, arrange your own tasks, my Lord.¡±


    Just nodding her head, Liliya had nothing else to say, so she allowed Felly to leave first.


    However, once Felly had left, she turned to look at Rocky, her brows furrowing as well.


    ¡°Rocky, you can¡¯t keep going on like this.¡±


    Honestly, Liliya did not understand why Rocky was in such bad shape these past few days; initially, she thought it was related to the attack on Backhill Village, but now it seemed not to be the case.


    Regardless of the reason, she knew this could not continue; after all, he was the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, and several thousand people in the city were waiting for him!


    ¡°Rocky, now that the reinforcements from the Sky Alliance have arrived, and more troops are coming in a few days, we also need to take action.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Liliya said.


    Now that the allied forces had arrived at Backhill Village, although their total military strength was still less than that of the Mairente Family¡¯s troops, they were at least capable of resistance. At this point, Rocky could completely and should indeed lead Thunderhawk City into action.


    Regrettably, despite Liliya¡¯s words, Rocky remained in his usual despondent state, and it took him a long time before he finally spoke: ¡°Let¡¯s wait till tomorrow¡­¡±


    After saying that, he spoke no more and simply lay down on the sofa and fell asleep.


    Seeing Rocky like this, Liliya felt helpless and even a bit scared, because his behavior suddenly reminded her of the past.


    Back when Rocky had been deceived by the Mairente Family and driven to Thunderhawk City, he had been just like this, as if he had collapsed completely, doing nothing and spending all day in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. How similar it was to now?


    ¡°Rocky¡­¡±


    Fearful that Rocky might revert to his former state, Liliya couldn¡¯t help coming over to him, but before she could speak, she saw Rocky on the sofa wave his hand, obviously wanting to hear nothing and say nothing.


    Seeing this, Liliya could only sigh and then leave the study.


    Time passed like this for another day.


    The next day, which was the fifth day since the Mairente Family¡¯s troops approached Backhill Village.


    That day, no more news came from Backhill Village; once Sirius City had arrived, the Alliance Army clashed formally with the Mairente Family¡¯s troops. The alliance side was led by a large Sky City, supported by over two hundred warships and several Void Magic Squads.


    The Mairente Family¡¯s side was led by two medium-sized Sky Cities, with over four hundred warships and several times more Void Magic Squads than their opponents.


    The two sides arranged their formations in the sky above Backhill Village. Although they had not yet started fighting, they had reached a point where tension was running high, and a major battle could break out at any moment.


    It was also on this day that the intelligence from the Shadow Alliance arrived.


    Since making contact with the Shadow Alliance in Eternal City, Rocky had been paying them ten thousand gold coins every month, thus receiving weekly intelligence updates from them, which included information on major and minor events occurring in the sky. The news of Denise winning the Combat Skills Arena season championship with the Holy Angel Armor had also come through this kind of intelligence.


    Today, the latest intelligence from the Shadow Alliance arrived again.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 388 - 358: A Change in the Sky..._2

    Chapter 388: Chapter 358: A Change in the Sky¡­_2


    Unlike the previous few days, Rocky seemed much more interested in this intelligence report. Early in the morning, he had sent people to the port to await the delivery from the Shadow Alliance.


    Normally, the Shadow Alliance would send someone to deliver the intelligence to Thunderhawk City¡¯s port early in the morning, but there was a problem today. The delivery was exceptionally late. It did not arrive in the morning, nor by noon, and only in the evening did the Shadow Alliance finally get the intelligence to Thunderhawk City.


    Having waited the entire day, Rocky began to read the report as soon as he received it.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Holding the report, Rocky read through it, furrowing his brows tighter and tighter. After going over it back and forth three times, he finally handed it to Liliya.


    ¡°What does it say?¡± Receiving the report, Liliya glanced at Rocky and began to unfold it, ¡°It says here that Backhill Village¡­¡±


    ...


    She was only halfway through her sentence when Liliya froze. Then, her eyes widened as she continued to read, and by the time she had finished, her mouth had formed a perfect ¡®O¡¯ shape.


    ¡°They¡¯ve, they¡¯ve started a war¡­?¡±


    Slowly lifting her gaze from the report, Liliya turned to look at Rocky,


    The information provided by the Shadow Alliance contained only one main point: during the past week, numerous forces had launched an attack on the Sky Alliance!


    On April 25, 118, the Mairente Family approached Backhill Village, taking the initiative to trouble the Alliance.


    On April 26, 118, the Xiso Family sent troops to launch a surprise attack on Alliance member Windwalker City, resulting in fierce battle.


    On April 27, 118, the War Alliance and Domination Alliance declared war on the Sky Alliance together, and attacked Alliance members on the same day.


    On April 28, 118, Alliance member Windwalker City was destroyed by the Xiso Family. On the same day, the Racial Alliance declared war on the Sky Alliance and dispatched troops to attack the nearest Alliance member.


    On April 29, 118, the Sky Alliance urgently sent troops to support the various battlefronts but were ambushed by scattered Independent Sky Cities along the way.


    As of April 30, 118, a total of the Seven Great Alliances, the Nine Great Families, as well as a large number of large and medium-sized Independent Sky Cities had declared war on the Sky Alliance!


    This was the main content of the intelligence report sent by the Shadow Alliance.


    After reading through this, Liliya was shocked. She could never have imagined such a situation occurring, with so many forces launching an attack on the Sky Alliance in just a few days. It was simply beyond belief.


    Indeed, a sudden storm had swept across the entire sky. Not just Liliya, but almost everyone in the sky, including most of the cunning and shrewd City Lords, had not anticipated such a terrifying turn of events. With the Demons on the land already restless in these troubled times, who would have thought that such a severe conflict would be stirred up in the sky!?


    Once Liliya had finally recovered from her shock, she immediately looked to Rocky.


    ¡°Rocky, did you already know about this?¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Liliya asked with furrowed brows. She remembered clearly that over the past few days, no matter what she reported to Rocky, he had responded indifferently, replying with the same phrase every time: ¡°In a few days, we will know.¡± She had always used this phrase.


    Initially, Liliya thought he was merely fobbing everyone off, but looking at it now, it seemed that might not be the case, as Rocky was no longer the same as he had been a few days ago.


    At this moment, he was no longer listless as he had been a few days ago; instead, his expression was serious, his brows tightly furrowed, as if he was deeply in thought. He didn¡¯t snap out of it until Liliya addressed him.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve thought of something.¡±


    Nodding to Liliya, Rocky didn¡¯t deny it; indeed, he had anticipated that such a situation might arise!


    These past few days, Rocky had been doing more than just wallowing in despair. He had been reflecting on the entire course of events. No, to put it more accurately, it was precisely because he had understood the ins and outs of the whole situation that he had ended up in that state of utter despondency.


    Actually, ever since Cyril had left, he had been pondering one question: why was the Mairente Family so relentlessly pursuing him?


    According to Cyril¡¯s explanation, it was the fear of him seeking revenge on the family once he gained full strength. At first glance, this reason might seem plausible. After all, with Rune technology in his grasp and the backing of the Sky Alliance, Rocky certainly had the potential to grow stronger. And once he did, the Mairente Family would have reason to fear.


    But was that really it?


    Would the Mairente Family really risk alienating the Sky Alliance just to preemptively eliminate him as a threat? Rocky was well aware that his relationship with the Sky Alliance was in its honeymoon phase. Reasonably, the Sky Alliance couldn¡¯t possibly neglect him; thus, for the Mairente Family to attack him was akin to provoking the Alliance¡¯s bottom line. Were they truly willing to take such a risk?


    Rocky felt there were only two possibilities that could lead the Mairente Family to take such an action. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The first possibility was that every member of this family had gone mad! In his view, only if the Mairente clanspeople were insane, would they offend the Sky Alliance because of him.


    Rocky had always known his worth but also possessed self-awareness. He never thought his potential was so significant that the Mairente Family would antagonize the Sky Alliance and subject their entire clan to catastrophe, just because of him. He wasn¡¯t that important.


    The second possibility was that the Mairente Family¡¯s campaign against him hid some ulterior motive!


    Upon considering this possibility, Rocky immediately realized he might have found the right direction. After delving deeper into this thought, he conjectured the Mairente Family¡¯s real target might not even be him but the Sky Alliance itself.


    When this idea first came to him, even he found it hard to believe. After all, the disparity in strength between the Mairente Family and the Sky Alliance was clear as day. How could the Mairente Family possibly dare to act against the Sky Alliance? Did they not value their lives?


    But soon, he recognized his thoughts were too narrow and one-sided. Expanding his perspective, he realized that while the Mairente Family alone might not be able to shake the Sky Alliance, what would the situation be like if forces similar to the Mairente Family united against the Alliance?


    With that realization, Rocky understood the gravity of the situation; he suddenly found that the sky was about to change!


    He had unwittingly been sucked into an immense storm!


    That was precisely why he had been so despondent recently. Though he had understood the situation, he was equally unsure of where to go or what to do next, because the more clarity he gained about the entire situation, the more powerlessness he felt.


    Until now, he had always thought the Mairente Family¡¯s actions were solely targeting him, yet even with that assumption, Rocky felt helpless. And now, he realized the situation was far more exaggerated than he had imagined. He wasn¡¯t merely tangled in a small squabble between a family or a Sky City; he was caught in a storm that could engulf the entire sky!


    In such a scenario, what could he do? Where should he go?


    He hadn¡¯t found an answer to that question, which had troubled him for several days.


    Now, with the latest intelligence disclosed by the Shadow Alliance, it had been proven that Rocky¡¯s previous speculations were correct. Over a dozen great families and alliances, plus a significant number of independent Sky Cities, had launched an assault on the Alliance. Given these circumstances, the Alliance couldn¡¯t even think about protecting Thunderhawk City or Backhill Village; the Sky Alliance was struggling to manage itself!


    And now that his speculation had been confirmed, Rocky was forced to confront the question he had never found an answer to: what should he do, where should he go?


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 389 - 359: Joining the Battle!

    Chapter 389: Chapter 359: Joining the Battle!


    ¡°`


    On the last day of April in Sky Era Year 118, the entire sky was plunged into panic, for war was coming!


    More than ten large forces and families, along with numerous Independent Sky Cities, launched attacks on the Sky Alliance during the final days of April, a message spread by the Shadow Alliance to every corner of the sky, not only letting everyone know that war was coming, but also filling each person with a sense of personal danger.


    Although since the beginning of the Sky Era, the sky had never been at peace¡ªold eras had been phased out, and old systems had crumbled, propelling the world into a new era and causing constant warfare in the sky¡ªthese conflicts were usually very limited, mostly between a few Sky Cities or among certain forces, hardly affecting the entire sky.


    But this time was different, for this time the one being attacked was the Sky Alliance!


    As one of the three major powers, the Sky Alliance comprised over a thousand Sky Cities¡ªover a thousand Sky Cities! Once such a massive force entered war mode, the consequences were unimaginable.


    ...


    The other side of the war, the forces that actively attacked the Alliance, were not weak either. According to the Shadow Alliance¡¯s statistics, up to now, seven Great Alliances and the Nine Great Families, totaling sixteen large powers, had declared war on the Sky Alliance. These forces might not be comparable to the Sky Alliance when alone, but when combined, the total number of their Sky Cities also exceeded two hundred!


    Besides these families and forces, many more Independent Sky Cities joined the storm. According to rough estimates by the Shadow Alliance, so far, at least forty medium or large Sky Cities have launched attacks on the Alliance, or have intercepted the Alliance¡¯s troops¡ªand that¡¯s just for now. As the war continues, the number of Sky Cities joining the battle could multiply. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Adding up, the number of Sky Cities involved in this war had reached an astonishing level, not exaggerating to call it the most widespread war since the Sky Era began.


    And don¡¯t forget, the true instigator behind all this, the Kafka Empire, had not even made a move yet!


    When many City Lords received intelligence of this great war through the Shadow Alliance, quite a few saw through the true nature of the conflict. In their view, the forces challenging the Alliance at this moment were merely the vanguard; the real mastermind had yet to take action!


    In fact, not just others, but the Sky Alliance itself was well aware of this.


    As the whole world learned of the outbreak of war, and felt entangled by it, the interior of the Sky Alliance¡ªone party in the war¡ªwas far from as tense as outsiders imagined.


    Why?


    The reason was simple, because it was far from the time for the Sky Alliance to be tense!


    Even though it was a sudden attack without any preparation, resulting in the loss of quite a few members in just a few days into the outbreak of the war, looking like a heavy blow, in reality, such losses were nothing much to the Sky Alliance¡­


    Nut.


    The name of the Sky Goddess, but in this world, it represented a God City, namely Nut God City, the headquarters of the Sky Alliance.


    At this moment, within Nut God City¡¯s Alliance Administrative Council, the Elder Council of Eleven, the Alliance¡¯s top administrative body responsible for managing the entire Sky Alliance, was seated around the council chamber.


    The eleven Elders, representing the highest power of the Sky Alliance, sat around a huge round table. These Elders included men and women, even members of other races, and contrary to what people might imagine, not all were old folks; the youngest of the eleven Elders was just over forty, and of course, the oldest was nearly a contemporary of Aniye, a true elder indeed.


    ¡°In five days¡¯ time, sixteen medium Sky Cities, and twenty-one small Sky Cities have been attacked; eleven have been taken, nine destroyed, and the rest are in combat.¡±


    In the silent conference hall, filled with dim lighting that made the faces of the eleven Elders a bit blurry¡ªletting one hear their voices but not clearly see their faces¡ªan Elder slowly spoke up, adding an aura of mysterious dignity to their presence.


    The Sky Alliance indeed does not easily admit small Sky Cities as members, but don¡¯t forget that Alliance members themselves also continuously develop. Some members, after growing and strengthening, will build new Sky Cities. Thereby, the Alliance also has no shortage of small Sky Cities.


    In this great war, naturally, these small Sky Cities were the first to suffer.


    ¡°What do you think of this?¡±


    After this Elder finished speaking, they looked towards the other Elders.


    Just a few days¡¯ time was enough for the Sky Alliance to lose and have destroyed twenty Sky Cities, enough to imagine the enemy¡¯s offensive was incredibly fierce!


    However, after the Elder¡¯s words faded away, a moment passed and another Elder spoke:


    ¡°These losses are within our capacity to bear.¡±


    ¡°Insignificant.¡±


    ¡°Do we need to counterattack? If we start now, we could probably crush the enemy within a month.¡±


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 390 - 359: Joining the Battle!_2

    Chapter 390: Chapter 359: Joining the Battle!_2


    ¡°`


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°Agreed, the Kafka Empire hasn¡¯t made a move yet, they are the key.¡±


    ¡°If the Alliance acts now, can they prevent the Empire from launching its next attack?¡±


    ¡°No, the Empire has been waiting for this opportunity for many years.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s wait and see, and respond after the Empire makes its move.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Exactly, the Empire is the real enemy of the Alliance.¡±


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, we won¡¯t dispatch our main forces for now and let the members handle this matter themselves. After all, what¡¯s emerged is nothing more than a bunch of jumping clowns.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­


    May of the year 118.


    Since the war broke out a few days ago, the world has become restless, and as Alliance members are scattered throughout the entire sky, conflicts of various sizes have erupted around the world after various forces and Sky Cities declared war on the Alliance. It is fair to say that the whole sky is ablaze with battle now.


    However, what was shocking was that the Mairente Family, which was the first to trouble the Alliance, did not engage in formal combat with the Sky Alliance at this time.


    This was really unexpected. Logically, the Mairente Family was the vanguard in this series of attacks, being the first to approach Backhill Village and aggressively set up their formation, showing a stance of battling to the death with the Alliance.


    But after a week had passed, while other forces had already clashed with the Sky Alliance, the Mairente Family¡¯s troops were still in a deadlock with the Alliance Army, which was a bit puzzling.


    In fact, there was nothing confusing about it, the Mairente Family¡¯s troops did not attack the Alliance first because their plan had gone awry.


    The deviation was the disappearance of the catalyst, Rocky.


    As previously mentioned, in this war involving the Sky Alliance, the Kafka Empire, many smaller forces, and the Independent Sky Cities, even though Rocky was a trivial character, he was the spark that ignited the entire incident. Without this spark, certain things could not be accomplished.


    For instance, according to the original plan of the Mairente Family, as soon as their forces reached Backhill Village, they were to quickly eliminate Rocky. At the same time, the Alliance would certainly send reinforcements, and the nearest Sky City to provide support would undoubtedly be Sirius City. This way, the Mairente Family could join hands with the War Alliance to encircle and annihilate the reinforcements coming from Sirius City.


    But things went wrong precisely on this point. Rocky had already left by the time the Mairente Family arrived at Backhill Village. Under these circumstances, Abraham, the commander of the troops, immediately reported the situation to Lexington, who then immediately got in touch with the Kafka Empire.


    Although the Kafka Empire reacted swiftly, adjusting their plans at once and ordering the Xiso Family to launch the attack first, and the War Alliance, originally cooperating with the Mairente Family, was diverted to split their forces in two routes against the dominating Alliance. However, while these arrangements were being made, Backhill Village had already received support from Sirius City, and on the second night of their arrival, they received additional backup from another medium-sized Sky City, Gulov City.


    This put the Mairente Family in a stalemate at Backhill Village, unable to advance or retreat.


    Some may find it odd, didn¡¯t the intelligence from the Shadow Alliance mention that after the war broke out, the support troops from the Sky Alliance were severely hindered? How did Sirius City and Gulov City manage to safely reach Backhill Village?


    This primarily concerned an issue of timing.


    On the day the Mairente Family approached Backhill Village, the Sky Alliance received the news and dispatched Sirius City and Gulov City. By the time these two Sky Cities had already started heading to Backhill Village, other forces and the Independent Sky Cities launched their attacks on the Alliance. In other words, just one day¡¯s difference in timing allowed both a large and a medium-sized Sky City to reach Backhill Village successfully.


    Although it may not seem like a big deal, it actually had significant implications.


    First, Sirius City, which was supposed to be surrounded and destroyed, was not wiped out.


    ¡°`


    Sirius City, as a large Sky City, might not play a significant role in wars of this scale, but don¡¯t forget that this city serves as the Contact City for the Sky Alliance. It essentially acts as a hub for the Alliance¡¯s operations in the skies, meaning as long as Sirius City stands, the Alliance members within its airspace can be organized, which can indeed have a sufficient impact on the situation of the war.


    Secondly, when Sirius City and Gulov City both reached Backhill Village, the previously aggressively advancing Mairente Family no longer held a significant advantage in troop strength. Perhaps they still outnumbered the opposition, but the margin was no longer overwhelming, making it impossible for the Mairente Family to destroy Sirius City on their own.


    This is precisely why, while other regions were engaged in battle, the Mairente Family, the ones who initially provoked the incident, had yet to make a move. Abraham, who led the troops, was simply unable to act. He knew all too well that if he rashly engaged with Sirius City, even if he won, the heavy forces sent by his family would be left decimated. This was not the outcome he or his family wished to see.


    For this reason, Abraham adopted a relatively safe approach¡ªa stand-off. His plan was clear; as long as he could temporarily isolate Sirius City at Backhill Village, preventing it from uniting with other Alliance members, it would be a significant achievement. After that, he could wait for reinforcements to arrive, and then naturally, Sirius City could be eradicated.


    Thus, the situation in Backhill Village became relatively peaceful compared to other places in the sky. Although both armies were on high alert, it seemed like neither was willing to strike first, leading to a stalemate.


    At the same time, Rocky¡¯s Thunderhawk City finally made a move!


    On the 2nd of May, year 118, the day after receiving intelligence from the Shadow Alliance, Rocky finally stepped out of his study and sat once again in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, taking his place as the representative of the City Lord!


    After several days of despair and decadence, he had finally come to a realization. Since he was living through chaotic times and had even become involved in the biggest storm of these times, it had become impossible for him to extricate himself from it.


    He had been considering where he should go, thinking entirely about how to withdraw from the storm, but now he understood that path was impassable. Anyone caught in this storm would not be able to escape, and once he realized this, he knew what he had to do.


    The only thing he could do now was to become a part of the storm!


    If this was a storm, then he had to become the tornado within it; if it was a tsunami, he would be the surging wave. Only by doing so could he survive the tempest.


    So, after a night of thought, he had figured out what he needed to do. Therefore, when he reappeared in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, the signs of despair on his face and the sense of powerlessness in his heart were gone. Not only had he returned to his former state, but he also seemed even more resolute than before!


    ¡°Aileen, how much money is left in the treasury?¡±


    ¡°Around half a million Gold Coins, plus some Demon Materials,¡±


    Aileen immediately responded when asked by Rocky.


    ¡°Go contact the Shadow Alliance now, use the money to get a detailed dossier on the Mairente Family.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Monte, go find Glan later and ask him to come to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. I have something to discuss with him.¡±


    After saying this, Rocky looked at everyone, paused for a moment, and then continued, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the major forces have now declared war on the Alliance. As members of the Alliance, this war is inevitable, so get ready. We¡¯re joining this war!¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    When Rocky said these words, whether it was Monte, Lin Feng, Felly, or even including Aileen and Old Jack, everyone responded loudly, their eyes alight with eager anticipation.


    ¡°My lord, what is our target this time¡­¡±


    Seeing Rocky regain his former vigor, Monte couldn¡¯t contain his excitement and, after agreeing, couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Hearing his question, Rocky smiled at everyone: ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the Mairente Family.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 391 - 360: Target

    Chapter 391: Chapter 360: Target


    Since there was no way to avoid it, he could only face the difficulty head on!


    Having been swept into this century¡¯s unprecedented storm, and finding it impossible to flee, he decided to throw himself into the midst of the tempest, letting it rage even more fiercely!


    This was Rocky¡¯s train of thought.


    Given his current identity, since he was prepared to go to war, it was natural for him to side with the Sky Alliance. Although, by his own preferences, he had no particular bias towards either side of the war, he was, after all, a member of the Sky Alliance. Moreover, to be fair, the Alliance had treated him quite generously since he joined, so Rocky was determined to stand firmly with the Alliance¡¯s camp.


    As for his next target, Rocky had already decided on the Mairente Family!


    The feud between him and the Mairente Family stretched back a long way, starting from when he was first tricked out of Sky City, and had continued until now, with both sides engaged in countless open and covert battles. Thus, once he decided to join the fray, the Mairente Family was the first to come to his mind.


    ...


    It was time to settle scores with this family once and for all!


    Of course, Rocky¡¯s decision to target the Mairente Family was not solely due to their longstanding grievances but also because he felt that, at least from the current situation, they were the easiest to strike against.


    Honestly, if outsiders knew of this plan, they would definitely think Rocky had gone mad!


    Even if the Mairente Family was slightly weaker compared to other families declaring war against the Alliance, in the face of Rocky and Thunderhawk City, they were still a formidable force, not to mention that they were not weak compared to other families.


    So to say that the Mairente Family was the easiest to strike against was a joke, wasn¡¯t it?


    Outsiders would certainly think so.


    But Rocky thought otherwise.


    If it were an ordinary time, his idea could indeed be described as madness. From any angle, the gap between him and the Mairente Family was enormous. This huge gap meant that even if he hated them to death, he couldn¡¯t actively seek revenge, much less use war as a means of revenge; otherwise, it would be tantamount to seeking death.


    But now was different.


    Firstly, it was a time of war, and the Mairente Family had already declared war on the Sky Alliance. They not only had to face immense wartime pressure but were also focusing all their attention on the Sky Alliance, which gave Rocky a perfect opportunity.


    Secondly, while it was true that the Mairente Family was powerful with numerous smaller Sky Cities within the family, it should not be forgotten that during wartime, these cities would be spread out. This dispersal meant that the family¡¯s localized power was not as formidable, as was the case now.


    Now, Abraham was leading a large force surrounding Backhill Village. Although they had trapped Sirius City and Gulov City, they were similarly entangled themselves, effectively dispersing the Mairente Family¡¯s overall strength.


    Thirdly, the current internal state of the Mairente Family was in shambles.


    Though Rocky was not privy to the intimate details of the family¡¯s internal affairs, the fact that Cyril had left the family allowed him to speculate, even in the simplest terms, about the predicament of Clan Leader Atted. Such internal strife was bound to further diminish the Mairente Family¡¯s strength.


    Each of these factors alone might not be enough to fatally impact a great family like Mairente, but if all three factors occurred simultaneously and synergistically, the Mairente Family, although still strong, would not be as formidable as they appeared on the surface. As long as the right opportunity arose, even Rocky could cause them a great deal of trouble.


    This was much like how the Mairente Family had provoked them by taking advantage of the Alliance losing Tulip City. That¡¯s why Rocky said the Mairente Family was the easiest to strike against.


    Of course, even so, the Mairente Family was still not an easy opponent. Compared to Rocky, they were still a massive entity that was hard to shake. Therefore, if one wanted to take action against the Mairente Family, one had to make thorough preparations in all aspects.


    For this purpose, Rocky, on one hand, purchased intelligence from the Shadow Alliance and, once the intelligence was in hand, formulated a detailed battle plan. On the other hand, he called on Lord Glan and shared his plans with him.


    No matter how many personal reasons Rocky had for taking action against the Mairente Family, the Mairente Family was ultimately an enemy of the Alliance, and Rocky was ultimately a member of the Alliance. Thus, no matter how it was put, he was still fighting on behalf of the Alliance. Therefore, it was essential to let the Alliance know about this matter. More importantly, whether the Alliance could provide some support in this regard was what Rocky was most concerned about.


    If he could have the support of the Alliance behind him, then Rocky¡¯s assurance was even greater.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    However, when he met with Lord Glan and shared his ideas, Lord Glan did not immediately answer but instead pondered for a moment.


    What exactly Rocky was trying to convey was, of course, crystal clear to Lord Glan. And in supporting this matter, the Alliance definitely would not be stingy¡ªafter all, this was about fighting for the Alliance, which was beyond question. Thus, if it were any other member, Lord Glan would have agreed immediately and told them to go ahead with it.


    But facing Rocky, Lord Glan did not do so. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because for the Sky Alliance, Rocky was different.


    The Alliance had allowed Rocky to join not because of his sheer power but because of the new technology he controlled, and his greatest utility to the Alliance lay in this aspect. In the eyes of the Alliance, even if Rocky didn¡¯t participate in the battles like other members, it was acceptable.


    In this regard, Lord Glan¡¯s views completely coincided with the Alliance¡¯s. He didn¡¯t wish for Rocky to participate in this war at all.


    As the Alliance Ambassador, Lord Glan was more aware than anyone of the scale of this war. In a battle of this magnitude, whether Rocky and his Thunderhawk City participated or not, it really didn¡¯t matter.


    Rather than taking risks, it would be better to hide prudently¡ªeven hiding near the core domain controlled by the Alliance, near Nut God City, was an option. After all, as long as Rocky and Thunderhawk City were safe and sound, and as long as they could successfully develop the new technology, that would be the greatest contribution to the Alliance.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, about this matter¡­ please reconsider¡­¡±


    So after pondering for a moment, Lord Glan looked at Rocky with evident difficulty, the implication was very clear¡ªhe did not want him to endanger himself.


    ¡°Lord Glan, my mind is made up. Please speak favorably to the Alliance and try to ensure that the Alliance provides the necessary support.¡±


    However, faced with Lord Glan¡¯s persuasion, Rocky showed an unusual determination. Having decided to participate in the war, he would not renege or easily change his mind.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Hearing him speak this way, Lord Glan opened his mouth but ultimately did not continue with more objections. He had interacted with Rocky for some time now and knew that Rocky was not a City Lord without his own opinions. Whatever he decided, surely Glan couldn¡¯t stop him. Therefore, after opening his mouth, he simply nodded his head.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I will immediately contact the Alliance and inform you as soon as I have news.¡±


    Having said this, Lord Glan didn¡¯t delay any further and directly left the City Lord¡¯s Mansion to contact the Sky Alliance.


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 392 - 361 Large Families

    Chapter 392: Chapter 361 Large Families


    Rocky insisted on going to war, and Glan did not hinder him excessively, so he quickly left the City Lord¡¯s Mansion to report the matter to the Alliance.


    The Alliance¡¯s response came much faster than expected, with news arriving the next day.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, the Alliance is quite pleased to hear that you plan to join the war!¡±


    After meeting with Rocky in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, Glan said with a chuckle.


    Anyone could hear that this was merely a polite platitude; even Rocky himself was well aware that in a war of this level, he definitely couldn¡¯t count as a major player, not even a minor one¡ªperhaps merely a passerby. How could the Alliance be pleased by his participation?


    So, he merely nodded with a smile, and then looked eagerly at Glan, clearly wanting to get to the main point.


    ...


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, according to the Alliance¡¯s usual rules, any member who joins the war will receive as much support as possible from the Alliance. However¡­¡±


    As he spoke, the smile on Glan¡¯s face lessened considerably, he furrowed his brow, and he paused for a moment.


    ¡°However, what?¡±


    ¡°However, the Alliance really can¡¯t send a large army to support you right now; at most, we can only provide you with some supplies.¡±


    Glancing at Rocky, Glan spoke with some difficulty.


    Translated, what he meant was that the support the Alliance could offer to Rocky at this stage was extremely limited¡­


    It wasn¡¯t a matter of the Alliance being stingy or someone causing trouble from within, but rather due to the situation at hand.


    It was early May of the year 118, and the great war had just erupted less than half a month ago. It was the most chaotic stage, with members of the Alliance being attacked all over the world. Some members had their cities destroyed, others were engaged in battle, and due to the short amount of time, the Alliance had not yet organized an effective counterattack, leaving battles in disarray everywhere.


    Under such circumstances, the Alliance¡¯s support could hardly be timely. It wasn¡¯t out of unwillingness, but simply because the situation did not permit.


    In fact, in the first few days of the war, the Alliance had already begun to dispatch reinforcements to various places. However, except for the earliest troops sent to Sirius City and Gulov City, along with a few other forces, the vast majority of reinforcements were intercepted en route, resulting in huge losses. This situation made the Alliance reluctant to hastily dispatch reinforcements to the battlefield.


    Therefore, if Rocky went to war, the Alliance simply lacked the ability to provide him with direct military reinforcements. Only after the situation stabilized could the Alliance do so.


    And for now, the only thing the Alliance could offer Rocky was just some supplies.


    Although the outbreak of the war was quite sudden, some members of the Alliance had begun to form small groups for self-protection. These members each found the nearest Contact City and centered around it, forming one small group after another. Although they were still in the stage of fighting for themselves, they at least had the capability to protect themselves and deter enemies from launching an easy attack.


    It might not be possible for these small groups to provide Rocky with military support, as they needed to ensure their own safety, but supplying him was definitely feasible, provided that Rocky could find them.


    In just a few words, Glan explained the situation of the Alliance to Rocky. Throughout this process, his words insinuated one thing: he hoped it would be best for Rocky not to join the war.


    In such a large-scale war, small Sky Cities were practically cannon fodder¡ªif discovered by the enemy, they could be easily wiped out without a chance to escape.


    Not to mention more, from the start of the war up until now, the Sky Alliance had lost more than a dozen small Sky Cities in just under half a month. On average, at least one small Sky City was destroyed every day!


    In such circumstances, if Rocky were to join the war, where he could not take advantage of the situation or pick up any cheap gains, and moreover, had to run the risk of having his city razed, why should he bother?


    At least that¡¯s what Glan thought.


    Unfortunately, just like the last time, Rocky appreciated his good intentions but his own thinking remained unchanged. So after exchanging a few pleasantries with Glan, he sent him away from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    As soon as Glan left, Rocky summoned Aileen.


    ¡°Aileen, contact the Shadow Alliance again and ask them to provide a detailed battle report. I need to know what the current situation of the war has developed into.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    With a promise, Aileen immediately went to contact the Shadow Alliance, while Rocky began his quiet wait.


    Due to the inconvenience in obtaining information, Rocky did not have a good grasp of the overall war situation. However, from Glan¡¯s words just now, it seemed the Alliance might have been somewhat flustered, and so far, it appeared that they hadn¡¯t organized any effective counterattack. In light of this, how he should act became a problem that Rocky needed to consider carefully; otherwise, if he blundered right into the enemy¡¯s arms, it would truly be disastrous.


    Therefore, the first thing Rocky needed to do was to clarify the overall situation of the war and then make a more detailed plan.


    Just like that, time quickly passed, and it took five days before the Shadow Alliance finally delivered the intelligence Rocky wanted.


    The Shadow Alliance sent two pieces of intelligence, one of which was detailed information on the Mairente Family, while the other was a summary of the war situation.


    Having obtained these two pieces of intelligence, Rocky immediately started to read them, and the more he dug into the details, the deeper his frown became!


    The first thing he read, naturally, was the detailed information about the Mairente Family. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Truth be told, although Rocky had a blood relationship with the Mairente Family, and this kinship made his relationship with them extremely complicated, his understanding of the Mairente Family¡¯s detailed situation was not particularly thorough.


    His knowledge of the Mairente Family was limited to some memories from before his transmigration. He only knew it was a large family and that they possessed over ten Sky Cities, but beyond that¡­ nothing else¡­


    So it wasn¡¯t until Rocky had finished reading the detailed information provided by the Shadow Alliance that he finally came to a comprehensive understanding of the Mairente Family.


    To obtain this intelligence, Rocky spent a hundred thousand Gold Coins. Of course, the money was indeed well spent, for the information provided by the Shadow Alliance was quite detailed and thoroughly introduced the Mairente Family.


    It was only after finishing the content of this intelligence report that Rocky finally understood why the Mairente Family was known as a grand family!


    According to the information provided by the Shadow Alliance, the Mairente Family owned a total of three large Sky Cities, seven medium Sky Cities, and five small Sky Cities, adding up to fifteen Sky Cities in all!


    For these fifteen Sky Cities, the Shadow Alliance provided quite detailed introductions. While they did not mention sensitive information like military strength, they did include foundational details such as the City Lords of each Sky City, the population of the cities, and their current locations, among other basic information.


    At the same time, the Shadow Alliance also offered some additional information, such as who the current person in power of the family was.


    After Atted stepped down, Lexington became the new Clan Leader of the family, and the first thing he did after taking on the role was to involve the entire family fully in the war!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 393 - 362: The Four Great War Zones

    Chapter 393: Chapter 362: The Four Great War Zones


    After reviewing the intelligence provided by the Shadow Alliance, Rocky fell into deep contemplation.


    It really seems to be the case as the old saying goes, ¡°A starving camel is still larger than a horse.¡±


    Now, the Mairente Family not only has to face a formidable enemy like the Sky Alliance, but also unprecedented internal strife. One could say the family is at its most vulnerable, and there couldn¡¯t be a better time to make a move against them.


    Even so, after reading the intelligence sent by the Shadow Alliance, Rocky¡¯s heart still sank, unable to find an opportunity to strike. Despite facing troubles both internally and externally, the Mairente Family was still not to be easily shaken.


    To make a move against such a powerful enemy, meticulous preparation was indeed needed, or else it would truly be a suicide mission.


    In such a situation, Rocky did not rush to consider the next steps but instead picked up the second set of intelligence.


    ...


    This was the latest intelligence concerning the state of the war.


    Opening this report, Rocky read it carefully, his brows furrowing tighter as he went along.


    Because according to the information in the report, facing this sudden outbreak of war, the Sky Alliance was actually at a disadvantage!


    It may seem unbelievable if said aloud, but it was true¡­ S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The current date was May 15th of the year 118, meaning that twenty days had passed since the war began. In these twenty days, the war had moved from its initial chaos and random skirmishes to some degree of order,


    The report indicated that after the initial conflicts, both sides of the battle had made various responses and changes.


    On the side of the Sky Alliance, just as Glan had mentioned before, following the initial confusion, members dispersed across the world had gradually gathered over this period and formed a unified force of considerable scale.


    And since the Sky Alliance had undergone changes, the enemy naturally had made corresponding responses. The more than a dozen families attacking the Alliance had also gathered their previously scattered forces to continue their assault.


    That is to say, as the war progressed to this stage, isolated skirmishes had become less frequent, while large-scale battles had become more common.


    According to the intelligence, the areas where both sides were primarily engaged were mainly concentrated in four locations: Oakwood Forest Airspace, Wanghai Lake Airspace, Sunflame Desert Airspace, and Tulip City Airspace. These four airspaces constituted the main battle zones, forming what was referred to as the Four Great War Zones. Aside from these, although there were sporadic battles elsewhere, they were minor conflicts between cities and couldn¡¯t determine the direction of the war.


    In the aforementioned four war zones, the majority of the forces from both sides were concentrated. Interestingly, if these four battle zones were marked on a map, they would form a perfect square, and right in the middle of that square was Nut God City, the headquarters of the Sky Alliance!


    With this perspective, the situation of the war suddenly became much clearer. The enemy¡¯s concentration on the above four zones was obviously to target the core area of the Sky Alliance, namely the location of Nut God City.


    There lies the foundation of the Sky Alliance. Not only is the Alliance¡¯s headquarters located there, but most of the core members are also within that airspace. Hence, penetrating this airspace would mean reaching the core of the Alliance.


    However, the enemy¡¯s intentions were clearly known to the Alliance as well, so they decisively would not allow easy access, leading to the current tactical situation. Outer defenses had been established in the four major battle zones, aiming to keep the enemy out.


    Unfortunately, based on the current circumstances, the situation in all four war zones looks quite grim.


    Among the four great war zones, the conflict in Oakwood Forest War Zone is the worst of all. Up until now, this war zone has suffered the greatest loss of Sky Cities, with more than ten small Sky Cities lost and even two medium-sized ones gone. It could be said that the casualties have been severe.


    Besides the Oakwood Forest War Zone, Wanghai Lake War Zone and Sunflame Desert War Zone also face grim situations. Each has endured coordinated assaults by at least three major forces or families, and while their losses are not as devastating as in the Oakwood Forest War Zone, they are merely holding on by a thread. Without effective reinforcements, they might well end up like the Oakwood Forest War Zone.


    Of the four great war zones, if there is one that has somehow managed to maintain a bit of form, one that still somewhat resembles the dominance befitting the Sky Alliance, then it would only be to Tulip City War Zone, for the commander there is none other than Holy Knight Wilton!


    Long before Rocky had even participated in combat skills tournaments, Wil had already led the Alliance Army to begin the campaign, aiming to reclaim Tulip City from the clutches of the demons. Unfortunately, the outcomes were never ideal. The battles continued incessantly, yet Tulip City remained unretrieved; eventually, even news about Wil began to dwindle.


    And when war erupted, Wil and his Alliance Army just happened to be near Tulip City. Thus, they quickly established an independent war zone, and Wil, truly befitting an Alliance general, led this zone to be the best-performing in all war zones.


    However, even with the renowned Wil personally spearheading it, the Tulip City War Zone only managed a satisfactory performance¡ªessentially, at best, a stalemate with the enemy and far from gaining any advantage.


    Why?


    Because although the Tulip City War Zone is personally overseen by Wil, it is specifically because of him that the enemies besieging this zone are the most numerous!


    The families and forces declaring war on the Sky Alliance total sixteen, yet in the Tulip City War Zone alone, there are fully seven families and forces gathered, along with dozens of independent Sky Cities!


    So, despite Tulip City War Zone performing the best under Wil¡¯s leadership, its situation remains the most precarious of all.


    Therefore, all things considered, since the outbreak of this epochal war, the Sky Alliance has consistently been on the defensive. Although it has actively responded and established the four great war zones, the results show that these measures have been largely ineffective. Far from reversing the disadvantage, they haven¡¯t even succeeded in halting the enemy¡¯s offensive.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Rocky to finish reading all the intelligence in his hand, after which he furrowed his brows in thought.


    Though he was puzzled by the current situation of the Alliance, he wasn¡¯t surprised.


    He felt that the Alliance being at a disadvantage was clearly not due to a lack of strength; it was very likely an intentional move by the Alliance.


    Even Rocky could see that the numerous families now attacking the Alliance, despite seeming to have the upper hand, could not possibly overthrow the Alliance with their strength alone. There must be larger forces behind them that had yet to act, such as the Kafka Empire, such as the Magic Energy Research Institute, and the Alliance was apparently waiting for these real threats to make their move before commencing the counterattack.


    Thus, regarding the Alliance¡¯s grand strategy, Rocky was not worried. What he was considering was what he should do himself.


    After furrowing his brows in thought for a while, he asked Liliya to bring the world map. As soon as he got the map, he marked four spots representing the four great war zones that were currently engaged in conflict.


    Looking at the four marks he had drawn on the map, Rocky thought for a moment, then quickly circled Tulip City War Zone with his pen.


    ¡°This place¡­¡±


    Sitting beside Rocky, Liliya looked at the circle he had drawn on the map, somewhat puzzled.


    ¡°The Sky Cities of the Mairente Family are concentrated in the Tulip City War Zone, so that¡¯s where we¡¯re heading!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 394 - 363: The Elephant and the Ant

    Chapter 394: Chapter 363: The Elephant and the Ant


    After reviewing two intelligence reports, Rocky called everyone to his study the next day and had them read through the reports.


    ¡°My lord, what do you plan to¡­¡±


    After going through the intelligence, everyone furrowed their brows and exchanged looks before turning their gaze to Rocky; there were few signs of joy on anyone¡¯s face.


    Because the information in these intelligence reports was hardly good news¡­


    The strength of the Mairente Family had clearly exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations.


    The tense war situation also made everyone feel uneasy.


    ...


    Therefore, everyone was quite curious, or rather concerned, about how exactly Rocky intended to join the fray, as a slight misstep could mean digging their own graves!


    Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Rocky quickly approached the newly hung world map in his study and said:


    ¡°Through the intelligence from the Shadow Alliance, you must be aware of the data on the Mairente Family and the overall situation of the war.¡±


    ¡°Clearly, after a month of chaotic fighting, the war situation has now stabilized. Although there are still sporadic battles, these minor skirmishes are negligible. This means that for the coming period, the battles will mainly be concentrated in these Four Great War Zones.¡±


    While speaking, Rocky pointed at the map behind him, where he had already marked the positions of the Four Great War Zones.


    In his view, a stabilized war situation was naturally extremely favorable for them; actually, it was beneficial to everyone since it meant that areas outside the war zones would relatively become safe. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Continuing, Rocky said, ¡°From the current data, the Mairente Family has essentially gone all out, dispatching all Sky Cities capable of combat from their family to the battleground right here, in the Tulip City War Zone.¡±


    Pointing his finger at the marked Tulip City War Zone on the map, Rocky looked at the gathered people, ¡°And our target is this war zone.¡±


    When Rocky finished speaking, everyone in the study looked at one another again, falling silent for a while before someone finally spoke up.


    ¡°My lord¡­¡±


    The speaker was none other than Felly.


    With Thunderhawk City¡¯s fleet growing stronger and aerial battles becoming more frequent, Felly¡¯s status had also risen, and he could now participate in all of Rocky¡¯s decision-making.


    So shortly after Rocky¡¯s remarks ended, Felly spoke up, ¡°My lord¡­ how are we¡­¡±


    ¡°How can we join the battles in the war zone?¡±


    Felly was trying to express his thoughts as tactfully as possible, and fundamentally, his question was simple: was Thunderhawk City capable of participating in the entirety of the war zone¡¯s combat?


    Keep in mind that the intelligence from the Shadow Alliance had made it clear that although the Tulip City War Zone was where the Sky Alliance was performing best, one must not forget that the zone was also where the majority of the enemy¡¯s main forces were concentrated, including seven of the Great Families and forces, as well as a multitude of Independent Sky Cities. In essence, this war zone was in fact the most dangerous one.


    How could Thunderhawk City qualify to join such evenly matched battles? It was likely that Thunderhawk City would be surrounded by the enemy just by entering the airspace of the war zone¡­


    After Felly subtly expressed his concerns, the others also nodded frequently. They didn¡¯t oppose Rocky¡¯s decision to join the war, but they didn¡¯t want him to be too aggressive either. After all, in such a high-level conflict, any slight mishap could mean the end for him and Thunderhawk City.


    However, facing everyone¡¯s worries, Rocky just smiled and then said, ¡°I understand what concerns you, but rest assured, I don¡¯t plan to directly participate in the battles of the war zone.¡±


    ¡°Lord Wilton is now in command of the Tulip City War Zone. To him, whether we are present or not won¡¯t affect the war situation, so my goal is to operate independently.¡±


    ¡°Operate independently?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Nodding his head, Rocky further explained, ¡°The enemy in Tulip City War Zone may be numerous, but their focus is all on the Alliance Army led by Lord Wilton, which gives us an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Which kind of opportunity?¡±


    ¡°The chance to wage guerrilla warfare.¡±


    ¡°Although Thunderhawk City may be small, in this type of large-scale conflict, being small equates to being agile¡ªwe can strike swiftly and depart quickly. As long as we avoid large-scale battles, we can hit whoever we want, whenever we want, and just run after striking, no one can stop us with proper planning.¡±


    Looking at everyone, Rocky slowly shared his thoughts.


    The small have their advantages, as the large face their challenges. Thunderhawk City was indeed small, but as Rocky said, being small meant being versatile. In the eyes of the enemy, they might seem like ants compared to an elephant¡¯s might. Still, while the disparity between an elephant and an ant looks vast, actually squashing an ant with an elephant is not such an easy task.


    And Rocky¡¯s idea was to turn himself and Thunderhawk City into that metaphorical ant in this war!


    ¡°But lord, our military strength isn¡¯t enough to contend with the enemy,¡± Monte interjected. He understood what Rocky meant, but let¡¯s not forget that Thunderhawk City was ultimately not on par with the enemy in terms of raw power, a gap that couldn¡¯t be bridged by mere cunning.


    Plainly speaking, even if Thunderhawk City could exploit its advantages to remain mobile and versatile on such a battlefield, the battlefield ultimately depended on brute strength, and their brute strength was obviously not strong enough. How could they deal with their enemies under such circumstances?


    Monte¡¯s worries were not without merit.


    Consider who was participating in this grand battle: nine large families like the Mairente Family, seven powerful grand alliances such as the War Alliance and Racial Alliance, as well as those independent large and medium Sky Cities. Facing this level of adversary, there was not a single one that Thunderhawk City could afford to provoke.


    ¡°I have no intention of provoking those monsters,¡± Rocky looked at Monte and smiled knowingly. He could comprehend Monte¡¯s point, but obviously, Monte and the others hadn¡¯t grasped his intention, so he continued, ¡°I understand your thoughts, but you¡¯re forgetting something: not only the large and medium Sky Cities will be involved in this war, but small Sky Cities like ours will also participate.¡±


    ¡°My lord, that¡¯s impossible¡­ Your idea is too¡­¡±


    Hearing such a statement from Rocky, Monte could only helplessly shake his head, because to him, Rocky¡¯s idea seemed far too naive!


    In a battle of this caliber, how could small Sky Cities have a chance to take the stage?


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 395 - 364: Five Small Cities

    Chapter 395: Chapter 364: Five Small Cities


    Monte did not agree with Rocky¡¯s idea at all!


    How could they possibly set a small Sky City as a target? Where was such an opportunity?


    In a large-scale war of this level, neither the Sky Alliance nor the enemy would allow small Sky Cities to be sent to their deaths for nothing.


    This could be seen from the intelligence provided by the Shadow Alliance; at the beginning of the war, a large number of small Sky Cities indeed participated in the battles, a measure of helplessness caused by the enemy¡¯s sudden attack. However, once the war¡¯s situation had stabilized, the Sky Alliance had withdrawn all small Sky Cities from the frontlines.


    Now, only medium Sky Cities, at the very least, were qualified to join the battle on the frontline, and more often, it was large Sky Cities. Thus, there had been few recent reports of small Sky Cities being destroyed, as those had already retreated from the war.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky¡¯s desire to target small Sky Cities was simply not possible; there were no small Sky Cities available for him to choose.


    ...


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    However, faced with Monte¡¯s skepticism, Rocky simply smiled slightly and, while shaking his head, said, ¡°You¡¯ve all been deceived by the scale of this war.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that the scale of the war is immense, unprecedented even, but don¡¯t forget that the higher the level of such a war, the greater the role small Sky Cities play.¡±


    ¡°On the frontline, it is indeed large and medium Sky Cities that play the main roles. But what about the rear? The transportation and supply of the battlefield¡ªare these also the responsibility of large and medium Sky Cities? Does the enemy have so many large and medium Sky Cities to use?¡±


    After making his point, Rocky picked up the information about the Mairente Family and handed it to Liliya.


    ¡°Take a good look at the content of this information.¡±


    Upon receiving the report handed over by Liliya, Monte was initially confused, then he read it again. After he finished, he passed it to Lin Feng beside him and, subsequently, everyone relayed the information in turn.


    ¡°See?¡±


    After everyone took another look at the Mairente Family¡¯s information, Rocky continued, ¡°The information is clear. Apart from Atted¡¯s Machine City, the Mairente Family has come out in full force, with all of their Sky Cities participating in this great war. Except for the two medium Sky Cities in Backhill Village, all other Sky Cities are within the Tulip City War Zone.¡±


    ¡°Among these, two large Sky Cities and five medium Sky Cities are responsible for the frontline, while the remaining five small Sky Cities are in charge of supply and transportation. These five small Sky Cities are our targets.¡±


    Having said this, Rocky finally revealed his true objective, which was to target the Mairente Family¡¯s small Sky Cities!


    As Monte had worried earlier, in a war of this magnitude, only large or medium Sky Cities could join the frontline battle, leaving no room for small Sky Cities¡ªa fact Rocky was well aware of, but it was precisely what he was hoping for. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If small Sky Cities were to participate in the frontline battle, then Thunderhawk City would have no opportunity to engage. But with the current situation where small Sky Cities could only be involved in logistical support and only operate in the rear of the battlefield, doesn¡¯t this provide him and Thunderhawk City with a chance?


    The strength of Thunderhawk City may not compare with large or medium Sky Cities, but among the small Sky Cities, Thunderhawk City¡¯s power was certainly outstanding. So, as long as the right target and the right timing were chosen, the possibility of annihilating a small Sky City was not out of the question!


    This was exactly Rocky¡¯s plan.


    ¡°Xuanwu City, Huanglong City, Zhouchen City, Hongshou City, Riming City; these five small Sky Cities of the Mairente Family are our targets for this battle.¡±


    ¡°According to the intelligence provided by the Shadow Alliance, among these five small Sky Cities, Xuanwu City is the largest, with a population of nine thousand, and the smallest is Hongshou City, with a population of only four thousand. The sizes of the remaining three Sky Cities fall in between these two. Currently, all five Sky Cities are located in the Tulip City War Zone, and are all responsible for transporting supplies.¡±


    ¡°Our target is to strike at one of these five Sky Cities!¡±


    After stating this, Rocky finally looked at the people around him.


    Upon hearing everything he said, Liliya and the others all furrowed their brows, as if considering the feasibility of such a plan. After waiting a few minutes, they turned towards Rocky and finally nodded in agreement.


    They felt that Rocky¡¯s idea indeed had a considerable chance of success.


    With the strength of Thunderhawk City, if they only targeted small Sky Cities responsible for transportation and supply, the risk would be much reduced, and the success rate would be greatly increased. Hence, it was indeed feasible.


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Seeing that everyone agreed with his idea, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief and then issued his commands, ¡°Liliya, immediately activate Thunderhawk City¡¯s flight mode and head to the Tulip City War Zone.¡±


    ¡°Aileen, go contact the Shadow Alliance again, and ask them to provide as much detailed intelligence on the five small Sky Cities as possible.¡±


    ¡°Monte, find Glan and ask him to get in touch with Lord Wilton to see if Lord Wilton can provide some information about the enemy¡¯s supply lines.¡±


    ¡°Felly, get the fleet ready.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Once Rocky had issued a series of orders, everyone in the room immediately took their leave from the study, carrying out their respective tasks as Rocky had instructed.


    After everyone had gone, Rocky sat back in his chair.


    Sitting there, he thoughtfully gazed at the world map, staring for a long time before he abruptly stood up and swiftly left the room¡­


    And so, after staying in the Skybreaker Peak airspace for over half a month, Thunderhawk City finally activated its flight mode again and slowly departed the area.


    With the departure of Thunderhawk City, the defense of Backhill Village was entirely handed over to the Alliance; this was a reluctant move for Rocky, but with the current strength of Thunderhawk City, there was no way he could participate in any frontal battle, which meant he couldn¡¯t defend Backhill Village anyhow. The only option was to entrust it to the Alliance.


    Fortunately, from the current situation, the Skybreaker Peak airspace was not the main battlefield of the war. Despite Abraham leading a large army to the brink, as long as the stalemate continued, there was no great danger for Backhill Village.


    So when Rocky left, he did so with a measure of peace of mind¡ªwhether he was at ease or not was irrelevant.


    As for his next target, it was the fiercely contested Tulip Battle Zone, where the enemy was most numerous!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 396 - 365: The Holy Knights Request

    Chapter 396: Chapter 365: The Holy Knight¡¯s Request


    After leaving the airspace of Skybreaker Peak, Thunderhawk City was advancing towards Tulip City War Zone, the most fiercely contested area. Based on the speed of Thunderhawk City, it would take at least a week to reach there.


    During this process, Rocky certainly wasn¡¯t idle; he had too many things to prepare.


    In today¡¯s world, the form of war had fundamentally changed, including supply and transportation.


    In both the Sky Era and the Land Era, supply and transportation were crucial in warfare. So, don¡¯t think that just because the battles are centered around Sky Cities, supplies are no longer needed. That¡¯s far from the truth.


    Even though today¡¯s wars revolve around Sky Cities, and while these cities are somewhat self-sufficient, they still need supplies in large-scale and especially long-term conflicts.


    Supply of war resources.


    ...


    Supply of food.


    Even the supply of personnel.


    All these supplies are essential in prolonged warfare, and it¡¯s simply unrealistic for a Sky City to solve all these matters alone. Therefore, supply and transportation are not only equally valued in modern warfare, but even more so than before.


    In such a situation, ensuring the safety of supply and transportation lines becomes a critical issue for both sides of the war. The best and safest method is to utilize the Sky Cities themselves for transportation.


    For instance, in the ongoing great war, large and medium-sized Sky Cities face the enemy on the front lines, while small Sky Cities take on the logistical role in the rear. This doesn¡¯t mean that small Sky Cities are just protecting the transportation troops; they transform into transportation units themselves, handling all supplies and air transport.


    Therefore, when Rocky set his sights on the Mairente Family¡¯s small Sky City, what he intended to do was, plainly speaking, to ambush the enemy¡¯s supply and transport lines! Within Tulip City War Zone, the Mairente Family¡¯s small Sky City was responsible for transporting supplies.


    And to achieve this, the things he needed to prepare were numerous.


    The first was intelligence.


    If one wishes to ambush the enemy¡¯s Sky Cities used for transporting supplies, massive and accurate intelligence support is essential.


    For example, at least knowing the specific routes of the enemy¡¯s transports, right?


    And also, knowing the specific timings of their transports, right?


    These were the pieces of information Rocky needed, and to obtain such high-level military intelligence was not something even the Shadow Alliance could achieve on its own.


    The Shadow Alliance was powerful, incredibly so, but there were some bits of information they simply couldn¡¯t provide, like military secrets of this nature. It¡¯s not that the Shadow Alliance couldn¡¯t get them, but rather some pieces of information, once obtained, couldn¡¯t be sold.


    This was like an unspoken rule established among the various forces: they allowed the Shadow Alliance to collect their intelligence, but the Alliance in return did not sell intelligence that concerned the life and death of these forces. There existed an unspoken understanding on this matter.


    Thus, trying to clarify the enemy¡¯s supply lines through the Shadow Alliance was simply impossible. The Alliance could only provide a rough position, at most some troop numbers, and that was about it.


    So to get intelligence in this area, he had to rely on other means.


    But fortunately, aside from the Shadow Alliance, there was also the Sky Alliance.


    Regarding the enemy¡¯s movements, no one knew better than the Sky Alliance, who were the very foes themselves. Therefore, Rocky enlisted Glan¡¯s help to try and contact Wilton, and ask Wilton to provide some useful intelligence.


    And the response from Wilton, was much more extensive than Rocky had imagined.


    ¡°You mean¡­ Lord Wilton wants to speak with me personally?¡±


    When Rocky met Glan in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, he thought that Glan would directly tell him the result, but that was not the case.


    According to Glan, after he contacted Wilton, he relayed Rocky¡¯s thoughts. He had thought that Wilton would either agree and provide Rocky with some information, or simply disagree, but instead, Wilton didn¡¯t say anything and asked him to find Rocky, wanting Rocky to talk to him personally.


    This really startled Glan.


    How high is Wilton¡¯s position in the Sky Alliance?


    Even the Elders have to give way to him!


    Although Glan had heard some rumors and knew that Rocky and Wilton seemed to have some connection, he had not expected that they were familiar to the extent that they could directly converse. In Glan¡¯s view, this was somewhat unbelievable. The people who were qualified to converse with Wilton were what kind of people!


    So when Wilton told this matter to Rocky, he kept secretly observing his expression. He found himself increasingly unable to gauge the depth of Rocky. A minor Sky City¡¯s Lord, first getting intensely involved with an academic authority like Aniye, and now having connections with Wilton too, just who is this Rocky?


    Could this guy possibly be the legendary strongest small city lord?


    It was normal for Glan to have this thought, because no matter whether it was Aniye or Wilton, their statuses were far too lofty compared to Rocky¡¯s, but in reality, things were not as exaggerated as imagined.


    In fact, even he didn¡¯t know why Wilton wanted to find him.


    The two of them indeed knew each other. Strictly speaking, Rocky was even Wilton¡¯s lifesaver, but that did not mean their relationship was very close; their actual time together was not long.


    Moreover, even though Rocky had once saved His Excellency the Holy Knight, Wilton had repaid that debt. Rocky¡¯s smooth inclusion in the Sky Alliance was partly due to his own effort, and the other part was because Wilton had given him significant help.


    In such a situation, Rocky couldn¡¯t even be sure if Wilton still remembered him, so when he learned that the other party wanted to talk with him, he was quite surprised.


    But no matter what, since Wilton had spoken, Rocky could not refuse, so he quickly followed Glan to the Sky Alliance embassy in Thunderhawk City and then met Wilton in a secret room.


    Yes, they did meet, through a Magic Energy Image.


    Using mana to transmit images and sound was already a fairly mature technology, with the transmission of sound being widely popularized, whereas the cost of transmitting Magic Energy Images due to high costs had not yet seen widespread use, but this was nothing for the Sky Alliance. Every time Glan contacted the Alliance, it was through a Magic Energy Image.


    ¡°Rocky, long time no see.¡±


    Upon seeing Rocky, Wilton¡¯s image smiled.


    ¡°His Excellency the Holy Knight.¡±


    Seeing Wilton, Rocky also hurriedly paid his respects, not putting on any airs as a city lord.


    ¡°I heard you want to join the fight in the Tulip Battle Zone?¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°About that¡­¡± asked by Wilton in this way, Rocky scratched his head, ¡°I just want to fight some guerrillas, my strength is too weak, I can¡¯t do anything significant.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, having that spirit is good,¡±


    Upon hearing these words, Wilton chuckled twice, then said, ¡°Since you have this idea, I actually have some matters I need you to take care of¡­¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 397 - 366 Strategy

    Chapter 397: Chapter 366 Strategy


    With confusion, Rocky went to the embassy, and by the time he left, his face was etched with gravity¡­


    Returning to his own City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Rocky didn¡¯t meet with anyone, but instead locked himself in the study and stared at the world map all night long, not emerging until the next day.


    ¡°What did Wilton say?¡±


    When Rocky came out of the study, the gravity on his face had vanished, seemingly as if nothing were amiss, but anyone could tell that the conversation between him and Wilton had been of great importance, a subject not for others to inquire about; only Liliya had the right to ask.


    ¡°Nothing much,¡±


    Yet faced with Liliya, Rocky simply shook his head, ¡°His Excellency the Holy Knight just provided me with some intelligence.¡±


    ...


    Glancing at Liliya, Rocky smiled, obviously not wanting to divulge more about his conversation with Wil. So before Liliya could speak, he asked in return, ¡°Has Glan arrived?¡±


    ¡°He came early in the morning, but he¡¯s already left,¡± Liliya nodded and, while speaking, she took out a map, ¡°He asked me to give this to you, said it was Wilton¡¯s instruction.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one!¡±


    As Rocky took the map Liliya passed to him, a smile immediately appeared on his face, ¡°This is a military map of the Tulip City War Zone!¡±


    After briefly inspecting the map, he immediately ordered, ¡°Call everyone here!¡±


    After saying this, he hurried back to the study, while Liliya sighed watching his retreating figure and then went to summon the others as instructed.


    In a short while, everyone once again gathered in Rocky¡¯s study, but when they arrived, they discovered that beside the world map hanging on the wall, another map had been added¡ªthe one Glan had brought, showing the Tulip City War Zone.


    ¡°Yesterday I already learned about the general situation of the war zone from Wilton.¡±


    Once everyone had arrived, Rocky wasted no time, standing in front of the war zone map and getting straight to the point, ¡°According to Wilton, the main forces of the Alliance Army are now concentrated in the northwest of Tulip City, in the airspace of the Purple Leaf Forest, right here¡­¡±


    As he spoke, he made a mark on the map.


    Now that warfare took place in the skies, indicating the locations of combat meant either using precise coordinates or the names of the actual places.


    After making a mark on the map, Rocky continued, ¡°Here the Alliance Army has gathered eight major Sky Cities, eleven medium Sky Cities, and numerous small Sky Cities.¡±


    ¡°As for the enemy, they are launching an attack from the southeast direction of Tulip City, with their main base located roughly here, in the airspace over the Horse Pasture Grasslands,¡±


    ¡°According to Wilton¡¯s recent recon, the enemy¡¯s forces are at least one to two times that of the Alliance Army, with fifteen major Sky Cities, nineteen medium Sky Cities, and even more small Sky Cities¡ªand this is just a rough estimate. Wil doesn¡¯t know if the enemy has any forces that haven¡¯t been brought to light yet,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite a lot¡­¡±


    The intelligence provided by Wilton allowed everyone to have a much more detailed understanding of the situation in the Tulip City War Zone, so when Rocky finished speaking, almost everyone involuntarily took a sharp intake of breath.


    Clearly, the situation in the Tulip City War Zone was much more dire than anyone had imagined!


    The enemy had invested over thirty major and medium Sky Cities in this war zone¡ªwhat did that signify?


    If we assume each large or medium Sky City has around two hundred warships, then the thirty Sky Cities combined would possess over six thousand warships! And this is just a conservative estimate; in reality, the fleets of the major Sky Cities likely numbered more than two hundred, meaning the enemy¡¯s total number of warships would certainly surpass six thousand and could reach close to ten thousand!


    This number was alarmingly high!


    Everyone present, including Rocky, had never participated in a real large-scale war, so to them, whether it was six thousand or over ten thousand warships, both were astronomical figures, beyond their capacity to even imagine.


    Under these circumstances, the thought of participating in warfare of this caliber was chilling, even if it was just guerilla warfare within this grand battle¡­


    As for everyone¡¯s reaction, Rocky wasn¡¯t surprised; when he heard the news from Wilton the day before, he too was taken aback, just like everyone else.


    So he didn¡¯t speak immediately afterwards. Instead, he waited a moment, letting everyone digest what he had just said until their emotions gradually stabilized, before then pointing to the map: S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Gentlemen, with this intelligence, the tactical situation in the war zone becomes clear. The Alliance forces and the enemy are positioned northwest and southeast of Tulip City respectively, with the primary battle area being right above Tulip City.¡±


    ¡°As for our current position, it¡¯s approximately in this direction¡­¡±


    Here, Rocky stepped up to the world map and pointed, ¡°Skybreaker Peak airspace is exactly southeast of Tulip City, and our current direct route to Tulip City will put us right behind enemy lines upon reaching the war zone.¡±


    ¡°This is an excellent opportunity for us. The enemy¡¯s main forces are all engaged with the Alliance Army at the front, with fewer forces at the rear, at least not as many large Sky Cities present, so our entry into the war zone from the enemy¡¯s rear will be relatively safe,¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 398 - 366 Strategy_2

    Chapter 398: Chapter 366 Strategy_2


    ¡°More importantly,¡± Wilton had said, ¡°the enemy¡¯s supply lines are exactly in the direction we¡¯re heading into the battle zone!¡±


    ¡°Chenxiu City.¡±


    After briefing everyone on the basic situation of the battle zone and their own position, Rocky mentioned the name of a Sky City.


    ¡°This Sky City, positioned behind enemy lines, is the only large Sky City there, primarily tasked with providing support to the frontline. The enemy¡¯s small Sky Cities receive their supplies from Chenxiu City and then transport them to the frontline.¡±


    ¡°And what we need to do is ambush the enemy¡¯s transport troops during this process.¡±


    It had to be said, the intelligence provided by Wilton was incredibly important. It not only clarified the overall strategic picture of the Tulip Battle Zone for Rocky but also revealed the enemy¡¯s transportation routes, which was exactly what he needed to know. With this knowledge, he could now formulate a detailed plan.


    ... S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, after he finished speaking, everyone in the study pondered for a moment, and soon after, Liliya asked, ¡°Rocky, where exactly is Chenxiu City located?¡±


    ¡°Wilton isn¡¯t quite sure either, but it can generally be confirmed to be behind the battle zone, near the edge of the Horse Pasture Grasslands.¡±


    ¡°So, do you mean to set an ambush in the airspace above the Horse Pasture Grasslands? To attack during the enemy¡¯s small Sky Cities¡¯ journey to resupply and return to the frontline?¡±


    Having been in battle alongside Rocky¡¯s father, Liliya understood tactical matters far better than most, and after hearing everything Rocky said, she furrowed her brow and quickly grasped his intentions.


    Following Liliya¡¯s remark, others also turned to look at Rocky, some with expressions of sudden realization, while others, like Liliya, slightly furrowed their brows.


    ¡°No.¡±


    However, under everyone¡¯s gaze, Rocky shook his head.


    ¡°We can¡¯t go directly into the Horse Pasture Grasslands.¡±


    Shaking his head, Rocky spoke with a hint of helplessness.


    When he initially heard about the existence of Chenxiu City from Wilton, he had asked Wilton the exact same question as Liliya because his first reaction had also been to set an ambush on the Mustang Plains, then attack the small Sky Cities transporting supplies.


    But this idea was immediately rejected by Wilton.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Rocky remembered very clearly, he didn¡¯t understand at the time as he saw no issue with his plan.


    Wilton¡¯s explanation, however, taught him a lesson.


    ¡°Rocky, never underestimate war.¡±


    To this day, Rocky still remembered the expression on Wilton¡¯s face when he said this, it was as if an elder was dealing with a child, ¡°In any war, supply lines are of utmost importance. Every ambush tactic you can think of has already been considered by the enemy, and they have taken precautions.¡±


    ¡°To ensure the safety of the transport lines, the enemy sends three small Sky Cities to act together each time. Against three small Sky Cities, let alone your Thunderhawk City, even a medium-sized Sky City would struggle to quickly resolve the battle. And if you can¡¯t manage that, then the enemy¡¯s reinforcements would immediately arrive.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, don¡¯t be fooled into thinking that using small Sky Cities for transport means they¡¯re taking it lightly. Although they use small Sky Cities for transport, the fleets inside are truly large ones. Each small Sky City assigned for transport has at least nearly a hundred warships stationed inside to guard against unexpected events.¡±


    ¡°Can you successfully ambush in such circumstances?¡±


    This question had left Rocky at a loss for words at the time.


    Never having experienced war at this level, he had never thought about these matters. It wasn¡¯t because Rocky hadn¡¯t been thorough in his thinking, but because he simply didn¡¯t know that wars were fought like this, having only fought single-city battles before.


    But Wilton knew, hence the conversation between Wilton and Rocky was not only about the intelligence of the battle zone, it also gave him a thorough lesson, making him fundamentally understand what war really entails.


    ¡°So¡­ we can¡¯t just directly raid the enemy¡¯s supply lines.¡±


    In just a few words, Rocky explained the situation to Liliya, making everyone understand that relying on Thunderhawk City to directly raid the enemy¡¯s supply lines was unrealistic.


    ¡°My lord¡­¡±


    But as he finished speaking, Felly was puzzled and asked with confusion, ¡°My lord, if we can¡¯t raid the enemy¡¯s supply lines, then, what else can we do?¡±


    This question hit right at the mark, as others also nodded in agreement, wondering what they could possibly do in this war if Thunderhawk City couldn¡¯t even attack the supply lines. Handle transport?


    ¡°No, we still need to raid.¡±


    Rocky smiled and waved his hand, looked around at everyone, and then said, ¡°We still need to conduct raids, but we must choose our targets carefully, like¡­ cutting off Chenxiu City¡¯s supplies.¡±


    ¡°Although Chenxiu City is responsible for logistical support, think about it, where does the city¡¯s supplies come from?¡±


    Rocky¡¯s words initially surprised everyone, but then they all showed a flash of realization!


    ¡°Rocky, you mean to say¡­ we start from the source and directly cut off Chenxiu City¡¯s supplies?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Rocky nodded at Liliya and smiled, ¡°The small warships heading to Chenxiu City for supply runs might be out of our reach, but what about the forces from the outside providing supplies to Chenxiu City? Can¡¯t we do something about them?¡±


    ¡°My lord, surely the enemy has thought of this and would have heavy guards escorting them, right?¡±


    This time, Monte raised the question.


    ¡°Yes, indeed they will, and not just a few,¡± Rocky acknowledged with a nod, ¡°The forces transporting supplies to Chenxiu City, although not likely to be small warships, will definitely be heavily guarded, and even if we wanted to raid this route, it wouldn¡¯t be easy, so¡­¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve already contacted Rose City and Lingyu City.¡±


    ¡°My lord, are we going to cooperate with them this time?¡±


    Everyone present was familiar with Rose City and Lingyu City as these cities had very good relationships with Rocky and Thunderhawk City, especially Rose City, where Rocky had collaborated deeply with Karina and together they had once annihilated the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group.


    Thus, learning that Rocky had already contacted these two warships, everyone immediately felt very pleased, as this meant their own forces were not so weak anymore.


    And the matter of collaborating with Karina and Berg, Rocky had actually planned it well in advance. In fact, before he talked with Wilton, he had already contacted them, initially planning to raid the Mairente Family¡¯s small warships in charge of transport together.


    But after talking with Wilton, his plans had slightly changed. The original idea, which was more oriented towards Head-to-Head battles, was unrealistic, necessitating a more strategic plan.


    In this regard, Wilton had given him decisive advice.


    Wilton suggested that after contacting Karina and Berg, they should form an allied force and then, as much as possible, harass the forces transporting supplies to Chenxiu City. This would force the enemy to divide their troops to clear them out.


    However, given the current situation, facing Wilton¡¯s Alliance Army, it was impossible for the enemy to send large or medium warships to rout them, a point Wilton was confident about, and he was even ready to actively cooperate with them to restrain the enemy.


    With Wilton engaging on the front lines, the enemy would only be able to send out small warships and would definitely have to disperse them to protect the supply lines. This way, wouldn¡¯t Rocky have the opportunity to face the enemy¡¯s small warships alone?


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 399 - 367 Rebel Army

    Chapter 399: Chapter 367 Rebel Army


    While Rocky was carrying out his stealth attack plan, the battles in the Tulip Battle Zone were raging fiercely.


    Now, Tulip City had turned into ruins, with no living humans left inside; the only beings that remained were the Demons. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the past half month or so, the ruins of Tulip City had frequently erupted with roars that reverberated through the sky, sending shivers down one¡¯s spine, just like now.


    At this moment, the Demons gathered within the city were simultaneously howling at the sky, their deafening screams piercing the heavens, but soon these sounds were suppressed by the sound of cannon fire.


    However, it was tragic that the thunderous cannon fire was not directed at these Demons but at the opposite side, at their fellow humans.


    At this time, above Tulip City, the Alliance Army and the Rebel Army were engaged in fierce combat.


    ...


    Yes, the Rebel Army¡ªthose forces and families that had declared war on the Sky Alliance, naming themselves the Rebel Army, resisting the oppression of the Sky Alliance, a frank explanation.


    The Rebel Army positioned above Tulip City consisted of over six hundred warships, forming three massive fleets that were now launching a fierce attack on the Alliance Army from three directions. The roar of gunfire once it commenced, drowned out all other sounds, becoming the main melody of the entire battlefield.


    Compared to them, the Alliance Army had significantly fewer troops; with only over four hundred warships in the sky, they were at least one-third fewer than the enemy.


    Even so, the Alliance Army fought tenaciously. Facing the enemy forces composed of three fleets, the Alliance Army divided their troops into two massive fronts, their powerful strikes firmly blocking the enemy¡¯s onslaught.


    Since it was an exchange of cannon fire between warships and both sides had commanders directing the battle, despite more than a thousand warships being involved in the combat, the battlefield was not chaotic at all. Both sides maintained good formations and were well-organized.


    If one were to look at the entire battlefield from a distance, they would see the buffer zone between the fighting sides continuously flashing with light, resembling the twinkling stars under the night sky.


    In such large-scale battles, both sides would avoid melee combat unless absolutely necessary. After all, with more than a thousand warships deployed, initiating melee combat would result in a true free-for-all, which would, regardless of victory or defeat, result in tremendous losses for either side.


    Therefore, under normal circumstances, facing such a level of battle, both sides would engage in cannon fire within range, using artillery to weaken the enemy¡¯s troops. Only when the number of enemy warships was reduced and their side held an absolute advantage would they choose to launch a major assault, and at that time, whether it was melee or otherwise, their side would have an absolute advantage.


    The process of both sides bombarding each other, that area in the middle is called the buffer zone.


    Now, if one were to look closely at the battlefield, they would find that the artillery¡¯s buffer zone was also a battlefield of fierce fighting, with the Alliance and Rebel Void Magic Warriors engaged in life-and-death struggles within the buffer zone.


    In this level of combat, Void Magic Warriors were indispensable and in vast numbers, but in this area, the Alliance was at a disadvantage. Observing the battlefield closely, it was often seen that two Rebel Void Magic Warriors were attacking one from the Alliance side, sometimes even three at a time.


    In this way, it seemed that the Alliance Army was at a disadvantage in every aspect, and under these circumstances, the battle should not last long before a victor emerged.


    Is that so?


    Of course not!


    Although the Alliance Army might have fewer troops than the enemy, do not forget that the main force in the Tulip City War Zone is not a hodgepodge of miscellaneous troops but is personally led by Wilton from the Alliance Army!


    As the only unit directly under the Sky Alliance, the Alliance Army is considered elite in every aspect throughout the entire sky.


    Take warships, for example. The warships equipped by the Alliance Army are not merely Fifth Generation warships. All the warships equipped by this unit are independently developed by the Alliance, and can¡¯t even be purchased on the market. Though they are also Fifth Generation, their overall performance is much stronger than that of the Fifth Generation warships available on the market.


    Then take the Void Magic Warriors. Every Void Magic Warrior in the Alliance Army is among the elite of the elite. Even the most ordinary warrior among them would be a squad leader level in any other alliance or family. The Armor each of these Void Magic Warriors wears is also worth mentioning. Each piece of Armor is independently researched and produced by the Alliance, and is simply not comparable to the standard Armor out there.


    More importantly, the quality of soldiers in the Alliance Army is also extremely high.


    The Alliance Army is not an idle force. With the vast size of the Sky Alliance and so many members, battles are nearly constant with Demons, enemies, and other Sky Cities, and all these fights related to the Alliance are the responsibility of the Alliance Army. This has turned every soldier and officer into a veteran, whose overall quality is unimaginably high.


    In contrast, the quality of the Rebel Army forces is much inferior.


    Although the Rebel Army, composed of various families and forces, has more troops in total than the Alliance Army, their equipment quality and personnel capabilities are much lower compared to the Alliance Army. Therefore, during this period, battles like today¡¯s have erupted many times, yet every time the numerically superior Rebel Army could hardly gain an advantage, managing at best a draw, and sometimes even getting bitten back by the numerically inferior Alliance Army.


    Therefore, today¡¯s battle lasted from morning until the afternoon before it ended, and the result was the same as previous fights ¨C a draw with losses on both sides.


    ¡°Sir, if this continues¡­ it might not work¡­¡±


    After the battle ended, Wilton, who personally led the Fleet, returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. While someone was helping him change his Armor, a nearby Think Tank couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Sir, if we keep fighting like this, our forces will eventually be exhausted; it¡¯s time for the Alliance to send reinforcements.¡±


    ¡°Wait a bit longer.¡±


    After taking a hot towel handed by a servant, Wilton wiped his face and then said, ¡°The Empire allows these families and forces to attack first to test the depth of the Alliance, so the later we show our hand, the better for us.¡±


    ¡°But sir, it¡¯s clear they came prepared. If we let them keep attacking, eventually we won¡¯t be able to hold them off.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Casually tossing the towel aside, Wilton did not refute the Think Tank¡¯s words but took a while to think before he finally spoke again, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there will be a turning point¡­¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 400 - 368: Three Cities Gather Together

    Chapter 400: Chapter 368: Three Cities Gather Together


    Before the Empire¡¯s troops appeared, the Alliance did not wish to dispatch their main forces into battle.


    But sometimes, affairs do not unfold as anticipated, and that is exactly the case right now.


    The force and intensity of the Rebel Army¡¯s offensive far exceeded expectations, proving too much for the regular members of the Alliance to withstand. Even in the Tulip City War Zone, where the situation seemed most favorable, there was only a stalemate, and that was thanks to Wilton¡¯s personal command and the efforts of his Alliance Army. Compared to that, the other war zones performed poorly, partly due to being outnumbered, and partly because the Alliance Army had yet to mobilize.


    In such a situation, calls for the Alliance to send troops quickly emerged in all Four Great War Zones, but they were suppressed by the zone commanders.


    The commanders capable of overseeing a war zone are naturally no ordinary individuals. Their abilities and status are unrivaled within the Alliance; hence, their concerns often transcend the situation in any single war zone and focus on the entire war front, or to be more precise, on the future state of affairs.


    All these commanders understood one thing clearly: before the Kafka Empire made its move, the Alliance had to conserve its strength as much as possible; otherwise, against an opponent that was one of the three great forces, the Alliance would not stand a chance of winning!


    ...


    As a result, every war zone was looking for ways to tackle its respective issues as independently as possible.


    Meanwhile, Thunderhawk City had already neared the Tulip Battle Zone where Wilton was located and subsequently joined forces with Rose City and Lingyu City!


    As soon as Thunderhawk City started making its way to the Tulip Battle Zone, Rocky had gotten in touch with Karina and Berg, and now the three of them were finally reunited.


    Last time they met, it was after they had exterminated the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group. Although they had stayed in touch intermittently, it had been over half a year since their last face-to-face meeting.


    In the past six months, each of them had developed in their own ways, so naturally, their reunion was filled with heartfelt exchanges and pleasantries.


    Just like before, after gathering, the trio headed to Berg¡¯s City Lord¡¯s Mansion. Compared to Thunderhawk City and Rose City, Berg¡¯s Lingyu City was a commercial city, which meant it was the most developed, and the City Lord¡¯s Mansion was the largest. Berg always hosted their gatherings.


    In the banquet hall, they had a spread of fine foods in front of them, exquisite wines at hand, and no one else around, allowing them to speak freely.


    ¡°Rocky, you¡¯ve been quite the troublemaker recently!¡±


    After sipping some red wine and settling his glass, Berg turned his gaze towards Rocky.


    Though he had not seen Rocky for half a year, he hadn¡¯t stopped hearing about his exploits, especially his technological innovations and the declaration of war against Wild Horse City. Both matters had caused quite a stir at the time, with every City Lord in Sky City hearing about them.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have such guts, to actually declare war on Wild Horse City.¡±


    As he looked at Rocky, Berg gave a thumbs-up, clearly aware of the tension between Rocky and Karlo. Even so, he had been taken aback when he first heard the news.


    ¡°I was forced into it; Karlo¡¯s Wild Horse City had me cornered in Eternal City. There was no other choice but to declare war,¡± Rocky replied with a wry smile and a sip of his wine, his voice laden with resignation.


    To others, his declaration of war against Wild Horse City might have seemed remarkable, but who could understand the predicament he found himself in at the time?


    ¡°Even if you were pressured, you still needed the capability to pull it off. Honestly, I thought that besides Karina, no one else in this world would be crazy enough, haha!¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Rocky, where¡¯s your White Demon Armor?¡±


    Karina, not picking up on Berg¡¯s conversational thread, directly broached the subject she was most interested in: Rocky¡¯s White Demon Armor.


    Rocky¡¯s feat of securing five kills in the battle against Wild Horse City had also been big news, sparking curiosity about the new technology developed by Aniye and others, leading to much speculation. Karina was naturally very curious and had long wanted to ask Rocky about it herself.


    ¡°This¡­ it¡¯s broken¡­¡±


    But when Karina asked, Rocky scratched his head awkwardly and said helplessly.


    ¡°Broken?¡±


    Upon hearing this response, Karina was taken aback at first, then her face turned sour.


    ¡°It¡¯s really broken.¡±


    Noticing that Karina¡¯s complexion had turned ugly, Rocky gave a wry smile, knowing that she must have misunderstood him, so he couldn¡¯t help but explain, ¡°When I was in Backhill Village, I fought with a Knife Fox Demon¡­¡±


    In just a few words, he recounted the fight with the Knife Fox Demon, and after he finished, he looked at Karina and Berg, only to see both of them displaying a stunned expression.


    ¡°Wow! Rocky, you fought with a high-level demon and lived to tell the tale, you really have some luck!¡±


    After sizing him up, Berg couldn¡¯t help expressing his amazement, then leaned forward eagerly, ¡°You killed a high-level demon, what about the materials? You¡¯ve got the Demon Materials, right? Those things are priceless treasures. Are you planning to sell them? I can put you in touch with a buyer!¡±


    ¡°The White Demon Armor could actually fight against a high-level demon? Just what level of armor is that?¡±


    Gathering themselves after the shock, Berg and Karina simultaneously turned their gaze toward Rocky.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, it¡¯s not as exaggerated as you think. My survival was just luck, and had my teachers not stepped in, I¡¯d have died long ago.¡±


    ¡°The materials! What about the Demon Materials?¡±


    ¡°None! And I wouldn¡¯t sell them even if I had them.¡±


    ¡°What use is it keeping them!¡±


    After giving Rocky a glare, Berg felt somewhat indignant.


    ¡°Rocky, I don¡¯t care what you are researching, but once you¡¯ve succeeded, you must make me a set of White Demon Armor, no matter the cost.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Karina didn¡¯t inquire further about the White Demon Armor, but she insisted on having a new set of armor for herself, which was her primary concern.


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Rocky laughed heartily and readily agreed to Karina¡¯s request, then, after taking another sip of his drink, he said, ¡°My friends, it¡¯s time to discuss serious matters.¡±


    After chatting for so long, it was time to talk about the main subject.


    And as soon as Rocky said this, Karina and Berg became serious because they knew that Rocky had called this meeting. Given the current situation and the nature of their meeting place, even if they were fools, they would guess that this was not going to be a simple gathering.


    Sure enough, Rocky then shared his plan with them.


    ¡°What do you two think?¡±


    ¡°Are you interested in joining me for a big score?!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 401 - 369: Seeking Wealth Amid Danger

    Chapter 401: Chapter 369: Seeking Wealth Amid Danger


    ¡°Rocky, your status in my heart has just risen again.¡±


    When Rocky finished explaining his plan, Berg and Karina were first stunned, then both fell into deep thought. After a moment, Berg spoke first, ¡°I always thought Karina was the craziest. Now I realize you¡¯re crazier than her!¡±


    ¡°Just the three of us and we¡¯re thinking of joining this war, my god¡­ your idea is really¡­¡±


    Shaking his head helplessly, Berg drank a whole glass of wine and did not continue his words.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Compared to Berg, Karina took a longer time to think. When she finally raised her head to look at Rocky, she asked.


    ...


    ¡°Not sure.¡±


    But facing her question, Rocky shook his head cleanly. How could he be sure about such things?


    ¡°How will we split the spoils?¡±


    ¡°Split evenly among the three of us.¡±


    Hearing Rocky¡¯s reply, Karina fell silent again.


    She was thinking, Berg was drinking alone, and Rocky was waiting for their response. Suddenly, the hall fell into silence.


    After a long time, Karina finally raised her head again, ¡°We can do it.¡±


    ¡°Cough cough! Cough cough cough!¡±


    No sooner had Karina finished her sentence than Berg, who had just taken a sip of wine, choked on it, then he wiped his mouth while staring wide-eyed at Karina, ¡°Karina, Rocky has gone mad, and you¡¯re mad too¡­ Forget it, both of you are crazy!¡±


    Seeing no other choice, Berg glared at Karina and Rocky and threw his napkin aside, ¡°You two still think this is about attacking the Air Pirate Group? This is war! It¡¯s about the war concerning the Sky Alliance! It¡¯s not something we should be getting involved in!¡±


    After saying this, he looked at Rocky, ¡°Rocky, if the Alliance orders you to fight, you might as well quit the Alliance right now. If even our small Sky City is sent to the battlefield, the Sky Alliance isn¡¯t far from doom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to join the battle myself.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re seeking death! In this level of war, small sky cities like ours should just stay at the back, managing transportation is already the limit. How can you still think about actively participating?¡±


    ¡°Fortune favors the bold.¡±


    Seeing Berg¡¯s furious reaction, Rocky smiled. He was not surprised by Berg¡¯s response at all.


    Because Rocky knew very well that Berg and he were different. Berg¡¯s dream was to develop Lingyu City into a commercial city, so he was not interested in wars, expansions, and such, nor did he want to participate.


    So, he had anticipated Berg¡¯s reaction and had ways to deal with it.


    All Rocky had to say next was, ¡°This time we are not going to face the enemy head-on. We¡¯re going to raid their supply lines. Think about it, the supply lines! Even if we just raid a few transport troops, think about how many spoils we could get?¡±


    ¡°How much could there be?¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Berg smirked and said.


    ¡°Anyway, as far as I know, Chenxiu City is fully responsible for the front-line supplies, and all the external supplies will be concentrated in the city. Can you imagine the scale of those supplies?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As Rocky finished speaking, Berg, who had initially sneered at the idea, changed his expression, frowning as if he were actually calculating how many goods Chenxiu City had to receive each day.


    While he was calculating in his mind, Rocky added fuel to the fire.


    ¡°Moreover, don¡¯t forget that our real goal is not the transport troops, how much can we earn by robbing transport troops? Our ultimate goal is the small Sky City! If we can cut off the external transport routes to Chenxiu City and disrupt the enemy¡¯s peace, the enemy will definitely send a small Sky City to ensure the safety of the routes. That¡¯s our target. If we can take down a small Sky City, the population, materials, and all that will be enough for us to profit for years!¡±


    ¡°Damn it, let¡¯s do it!¡±


    As Rocky finished his speech, Berg slammed the table and shouted loudly.


    Clearly, as a businessman, faced with immense profits, Berg compromised without hesitation¡­


    Seeing his reaction, Rocky and Karina exchanged glances and laughed together.


    Rocky knew Berg was a businessman, so the best way to persuade him was with profit. To a businessman, even a one percent profit would make them abandon their principles, and if there is a hundred percent profit, they might even disregard their own lives. Only by achieving this can one be deemed a qualified businessman, and Berg was clearly more than just qualified. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, Rocky was not deceiving Berg; in fact, everything he had just said was true.


    With their trio¡¯s strength, participating in a war of this level, even just guerrilla warfare and stealth attacks, would be akin to committing suicide. However, these actions also represented immense profits.


    As Rocky had just mentioned, if they could succeed in their raid, which is to cut off the external transportation to Chenxiu City, then robbing the transport troops alone would earn them a fortune. And if they could actually destroy a small Sky City, the profits would be immeasurable!


    Thus, with Berg¡¯s agreement, Rocky, Karina, and Berg officially formed a united front, and the three parties would send troops to form the Allied Forces and initiate action.


    This action could certainly be described as crazy. If the enemy was an elephant and they were ants, then what they were doing was challenging the elephant as ants!


    This madness was beyond comprehension, but it also had a benefit; no one was paying attention to their movements, because no one could imagine that in this grand war, three ants were plotting to shake an elephant.


    ¡°To attack stealthily, we must get accurate intelligence.¡±


    After deciding to form the Allied Forces, Rocky outlined his detailed plan, ¡°First, we need to find out which Chambers of Commerce are supplying resources to Chenxiu City.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle that,¡± Berg interjected as Rocky finished speaking. ¡°I¡¯m familiar with the Chamber of Commerce, so it won¡¯t be hard to inquire.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Nodding, Rocky continued, ¡°Additionally, we need to clarify the enemy¡¯s troop strength escorting the transport troops. I¡¯ll contact Wilton when I get back; he should be able to provide some intelligence.¡±


    ¡°Finally, it¡¯s about our troops¡­¡±


    Inside the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Lingyu City, Rocky, Karina, and Berg began to discuss the detailed plans for their next move, clearly preparing to make a big move.


    And the day was May 23, 118.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 402 - 370: Surprise Attack! (Part 1)

    Chapter 402: Chapter 370: Surprise Attack! (Part 1)


    June 1, 118.


    To the east of Tulip Battle Zone, a merchant convoy was slowly flying through the air.


    The convoy consisted of more than thirty cargo ships, each bearing the same ship emblem, clearly belonging to the same Chamber of Commerce.


    This convoy, hailing from Dajinfu City¡¯s Dajinfu Commerce Guild, carried cargo comprised entirely of war supplies, including a vast number of Magic Stones, as well as some medicines and spare parts for warships.


    While wars seem to be fought by troops, they are actually consumed by materials. Just a single medium-sized battle can see warships and Void Magic Armor depleting tons of Magic Stones to replenish Mana. Therefore, the consumption of Magic Stones is incredibly massive.


    At the same time, warships damaged in battle must be repaired with a multitude of spare parts; otherwise, at best, their combat effectiveness is reduced, and at worst, they¡¯re completely incapable of returning to the battlefield. As for personnel, there¡¯s even less need to say¡ªpersonnel casualties are the greatest in war. After all, the population of Sky City is finite, and every injured soldier must be treated if possible, or the sheer loss of personnel could drag down any Sky City.


    ...


    By such an account, a large-scale war¡¯s demand for supplies is nearly impossible to quantify, and that is exactly the case with the ongoing conflict.


    Although the Rebel Army holds certain advantages in all Four Great War Zones, these advantages were hard won through battle after battle. To maintain this momentum and allow the troops to storm into the Sky Alliance¡¯s reclaimed territory, replenishing war supplies is of the utmost importance; otherwise, even high morale is useless if equipment falls short.


    In this situation, countless convoys deliver massive amounts of war supplies to the Four Great War Zones every day to ensure the Rebel Army can sustain normal combat operations against the Sky Alliance.


    The merchant convoy before us was just such a case. This convoy, from the Dajinfu Commerce Guild, was one of the suppliers providing the Rebel Army in the Tulip Battle Zone with its needed supplies. This guild sent a convoy every three days from Dajinfu City to Chenxiu City, and has already made more than ten round-trips since the war began.


    ¡°Manager, we¡¯ll reach Chenxiu City in two more days. It looks like we¡¯ll arrive safely again this time,¡±


    Inside the cabin, the voyage manager and Captain were sitting down for tea and chatting.


    The Captain, likely in his forties, bore the refined appearance of a merchant ship¡¯s master, and it was clear from his words that he was grateful to complete the journey without incident.


    Indeed, this was not his first trip transporting goods to Chenxiu City; it was already his fourth time. Even so, the Captain was always cautious and vigilant.


    Of course, this was understandable; after all, they were transporting substantial quantities of supplies to a war zone. Who could know what might happen en route? Anything unexpected was possible, which explained the Captain¡¯s consistent caution.


    ¡°Captain Malin, you worry too much. With so many fleets protecting us, we won¡¯t have any problems,¡±


    Compared to the Captain, the Chamber of Commerce¡¯s manager was much more composed. The man in his fifties sipped his tea and smiled, ¡°Dozens of large warships stand guard around us night and day. Which blind Air Pirate Group would dare to rob us? Even the Sky Alliance should weigh their options. So, there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    With a slight smile, the manager exuded full confidence.


    His self-assured demeanor was not without reason. As he had mentioned, to ensure the safety of transportation, the Rebel Army dispatched substantial military forces to escort each convoy to and from Chenxiu City, guaranteeing the safety of the war supplies during the journey.


    For instance, this time, to assure the cargo¡¯s safe arrival, the Rebel Army sent an Escort Fleet comprising a massive thirty large warships!


    That¡¯s over thirty large warships!


    What scale of fleet was this?


    Take Wild Horse City, a medium-sized Sky City, for example. It has four fleets in total, and even its strongest, the First Fleet, comprises no more than twenty-some warships. So, the Escort Fleet sent by the Rebel Army outnumbered even the strongest fleet of Wild Horse City.


    The quality was equally impressive. The Rebel Army, declaring war on the Sky Alliance, constituted either major families or sizable forces. Even the independent Sky Cities were extremely powerful. This made the Rebel Army¡¯s quality assurance compelling, as the warships provided were all advanced Fifth Generation models.


    Therefore, being protected day and night by an Escort Fleet of over thirty Fifth Generation warships, the Chamber of Commerce¡¯s manager had no concerns whatsoever.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Laughing and nodding, the Captain didn¡¯t say much in response, as the manager was not wrong. With such a powerful fleet ensuring their protection, the convoy was indeed safe. Moreover, with only one more day to go before entering the Tulip Battle Zone, the convoy would be completely secure upon successful entry. At that point, not only would they have troops to meet them, but there would also be small Sky Cities along the way providing protection, ensuring a fail-safe journey.


    ¡°Captain, Manager, it seems there¡¯s a situation!¡±


    It was at that moment that a crew member suddenly dashed into the cabin.


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±


    The Captain immediately stood up upon seeing the crew member.


    ¡°The Escort Fleet just sent a message; they¡¯ve spotted several Reconnaissance Ships hovering around us,¡±


    ¡°Reconnaissance Ships?¡±


    ¡°Is it an Air Pirate Group?¡±


    After hearing the crew member¡¯s report, the Captain and Manager exchanged glances, and then the Captain said, ¡°Take me to the Captain¡¯s quarters.¡±


    Having said that, the Captain promptly followed the crew member, leaving the Manager alone in the cabin.


    However, the Manager wasn¡¯t too anxious, thinking it was probably some good-for-nothing Air Pirate Group hoping to loot amidst the chaos.


    Indeed, not long after the Captain left, he returned, and from his demeanor upon his return, he did not appear the slightest bit tense. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Captain Malin, how¡¯s the situation?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡±


    With a dismissive wave, the Captain replied, ¡°I¡¯ve been in contact with the Commander of the Escort Fleet. They said they did find two Reconnaissance Ships, likely sent by some Air Pirate Group. They showed their faces but got scared off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good,¡±


    With a hearty laugh, the Manager said dismissively, ¡°These Air Pirate Groups are getting more and more brazen, even thinking about robbing war supplies. They don¡¯t realize their own strength!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 403 - 371: Surprise Attack! (Part 2)

    Chapter 403: Chapter 371: Surprise Attack! (Part 2)


    ¡°Space pirate groups are really getting out of control these days!¡±


    After a cold snort, the Commerce Association Manager sat down angrily but before his bottom had fully settled on the seat, he heard the thunderous sound of cannon fire!


    ¡°Is, is that cannon fire I hear?¡±


    Just barely making out the sound of booming artillery, the Commerce Association Manager incredulously turned to the Captain, only to find that he wore the same look of surprise as himself.


    What was going on?


    Could it be that some foolhardy air pirate group was actually daring to attack the trade convoy?


    ...


    ¡°Captain! This is bad! Enemy attack! We are under attack!¡±


    While the Captain and the Commerce Association Manager were at a loss, the crew member from before hurried back, but this time, he was far from calm, his face filled with panic.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go out and see! I want to see which air pirate group has the guts to do this!¡±


    Upon learning that the trade convoy was truly under attack, the Manager, not waiting for the Captain to speak, angrily declared this, then took the lead and stepped out of the cabin. Naturally, the Captain followed closely behind and after not too long, both of them arrived on the deck of the cargo ship.


    Once on the deck, the Manager immediately heard louder and more frequent cannon fire, which made his heart sink.


    The Jindafu Commerce Guild was considered a large organization and its Manager had experienced significant events in the past, including robberies by air pirate groups. Hence, he could tell from the sound that such concentrated artillery was not like anything an air pirate group would possess!


    With this thought, he immediately looked in the direction of the gunfire, and the next second his eyes bulged, and his mouth hung open in an O-shaped shock!


    ¡°This, this¡­¡±


    At that moment the Captain also arrived on deck and when he looked toward the origin of the gunfire, his eyes too, rounded in surprise.


    In their view, the Escort Fleet had already gathered entirely to the left side of the trade convoy; of course, this was not important. What genuinely surprised them and was incomprehensible was the presence of an exceedingly large Fleet on the other side of the Escort Fleet!


    As mentioned before, to protect the safety of the trade convoy, the Rebel Army had dispatched an Escort Fleet consisting of more than thirty warships. But now, there appeared a Fleet with numbers far exceeding that of the Escort Fleet!


    The opposing Fleet had over sixty warships, double the number of the Escort Fleet, all of them Fifth Generation large warships, including three mighty battleships!


    At this very moment, the enemy, led by three battleships, was making rapid advances about seven or eight hundred meters away while bombarding the Escort Fleet with artillery fire so fierce that it completely overwhelmed the Escort Fleet, leaving no ability for the trade convoy to retaliate.


    This, could this be¡­ could this be the same air pirate group that had sent out a Reconnaissance Ship for scouting earlier?!


    Seeing such a vast enemy force emerge before them, both the Captain and the Manager on deck were dumbfounded. They could never have anticipated facing such numerous foes, especially since no air pirate group they knew of in the sky operated on such a scale!


    Indeed, both the Captain and the Manager were mistaken, for the attackers were not an air pirate group at all, but the Allied Forces composed of Rocky, Karina, and Berg!


    The current date was June 1st, 118.


    Eight days prior, Rocky and the others had begun planning this attack. Over the course of those eight days, Berg had fully leveraged his extensive network, taking only a few days to lock onto several Chambers of Commerce, identifying those that were supplying materials to Chenxiu City.


    After having investigated these Chambers of Commerce, a few of them began selecting their target. Since only the large merchant companies are qualified to provide trade to the participating parties in a war of this scale, many are ones Rocky did not wish to provoke. Even if he were willing to cause trouble, Berg, also a merchant, was not inclined to do so.


    After much consideration, they finally chose the Jindafu Commerce Guild. The Jindafu Commerce Guild¡¯s headquarters, Jindafu City, is also a neutral trading city; offending it wouldn¡¯t matter too much, as they could simply never visit it again. After all, they still have Eternal City as a better option.


    Once they had determined their target, solving the issue with the trade route was simple. The merchant ships of the Jindafu Commerce Guild definitely set out from Jindafu City. By understanding this point, ambushing them midway became easy.


    In order to ensure the success of this attack, the three Sky Cities spared no effort. Rocky sent twenty large warships, dispatching both the First Fleet and the Second Fleet of Thunderhawk City. Karina did the same, also sending more than twenty large warships. This surprised Rocky; he distinctly remembered that when they joined forces to eliminate the Wild Horse Air Pirate Group, Karina didn¡¯t have so many large warships. Back then, her fleet had also primarily consisted of reconnaissance ships. It seemed that in the past half year, she had made considerable progress.


    Besides these two, Berg also dispatched all the fleets from Lingyu City. What astonished both Rocky and Karina was that Berg had stashed over forty large warships in Lingyu City, making it the city with the most warships among the three.


    After this, the three parties formed a massive Allied Forces made up of more than eighty warships, which flew far from the three Sky Cities. East of the Tulip Battle Zone, in the airspace in the direction of Jindafu City, they laid in ambush for two days, finally encountering their target.


    Therefore, the sixty-odd warships currently engaged in battle were actually not the entirety of Rocky and his allies¡¯ forces; more than twenty warships were hidden in the nearby clouds, ready for any unexpected situations.


    However, it seemed that no such contingencies would arise now, as Rocky¡¯s side held an absolute advantage in the number of warships. With their overwhelming numerical superiority, the Escort Fleet¡¯s resistance crumbled in just over ten minutes, with warships being sunk or brought down in succession. Meanwhile, the Allied Forces, led by Rocky, began their surge forward, simultaneously deploying the Void Magic Warriors headed by Karina.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to fight?¡±


    Standing at the bow of the War Steed as the Allied Forces¡¯ supreme commander, Rocky continually observed the battlefield. After dispatching the Void Magic Warriors under Karina¡¯s lead, he finally felt at ease. However, when he glanced at Berg standing beside him, he felt a sense of frustration and couldn¡¯t resist asking.


    ¡°Why should I go into battle?¡±


    Berg retorted upon hearing this question.


    ¡°You¡¯re a Void Magic Warrior, why don¡¯t you fight?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go into battle!¡±


    ¡°My Void Magic Armor is broken.¡±


    ¡°Mine¡­mine¡­my Armor is broken too!¡±


    Giving Rocky an irritated glare, Berg petulantly made his excuse.


    This response left Rocky utterly speechless, because he could see clearly that Berg was indeed wearing his Void Magic Armor¡ªand it was no ordinary Armor, but rather the latest and most advanced Holy Angel Armor!


    Indeed, what Berg was wearing was the recently released, million-valued Holy Angel Armor from Sigma Corporation!


    Wearing such sophisticated Armor but choosing to stay by his side left Rocky with nothing to say to Berg.


    Just then, Felly rushed over in a flurry, coming up to Rocky quickly and reporting, ¡°My Lord! The enemy has sent a communication, they¡¯re surrendering!¡±


    Under the fierce offensive, the enemy had surrendered!


    ¡°Do not accept the surrender, order all forces to continue firing. Leave none of the enemy ships.¡±


    Hearing Felly¡¯s report, Rocky did not hesitate and immediately issued the order without a second thought.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 404 - 372: Surprise Attack! (Part 2)

    Chapter 404: Chapter 372: Surprise Attack! (Part 2)


    Facing an overwhelming enemy, the commander of the escort fleet had no choice but to surrender. Since the commander also thought the enemy was the Air Pirate Group, in his view, as long as they surrendered and handed over the merchant convoy¡¯s cargo to the opponent, the matter would be settled. And as long as they could safely return to the battle zone, wouldn¡¯t there be plenty of opportunities to reclaim their factories?


    Therefore, upon realizing that victory was impossible, especially after seeing the Void Magic Warriors dispatched by Rocky¡¯s side, the commander of the escort fleet decisively chose to surrender.


    However, Rocky did not give him that opportunity!


    Under his command, the fleet continued to advance, bombarding constantly during the process, clearly not intending to accept any surrender.


    This approach was something he, Karina, and Berg had already discussed. If their actions were to be put in the context of the Land Era, it was equivalent to a lone army deeply infiltrating the enemy¡¯s rear, causing chaos. Therefore, the later the enemy knew the reality of their strength, the more advantageous for them. In this situation, Rocky and his comrades simply couldn¡¯t afford to leave any survivors!


    So, after this, the massive fleet commanded by Rocky closed in on the escort fleet. However, when the two forces got close enough for a melee, there were but a few enemy warships left. Yet, even so, Rocky did not show the slightest mercy, ordering Karina to lead the Void Magic Warriors to sink all the escort fleet¡¯s ships!


    ...


    And with the last escort warship disintegrating in midair, only more than twenty merchant ships of the Jindafu Commerce Guild remained on the battlefield, apart from Rocky¡¯s troops.


    In the fierce crossfire that just took place, more than ten merchant ships were sunk due to misdirected shots, but even so, the remaining ships still carried large quantities of cargo¡ªenough for Rocky and his comrades to make a hefty profit.


    However, Rocky and his team did not rush to divide the loot, for their attack on the supply-running merchant convoy for Chenxiu City meant they had fully joined the fight in the Tulip Battle Zone. All their next moves had to be flawless, otherwise they would inevitably be pursued to their deaths.


    Thus, after surrounding the entire Chamber of Commerce, Karina led two Void Magic Warriors to board the lead merchant ship first. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the captain! Come out!¡±


    Having descended onto the deck in her Void Magic Armor, Karina looked around at the gathered crew members and asked without a hint of emotion.


    By this time, she was no longer wearing the fourth generation Armor. Instead, she had switched to the fifth generation Special Armor. Just her presence was enough to subdue the entire merchant ship, preventing any crew member from daring to misbehave.


    ¡°I, I am the captain¡­¡±


    As Karina¡¯s voice trailed off, a man in his forties, trembling, walked out from among the crew.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the Commerce Association Manager! Come out!¡±


    After glancing at the captain who had stepped forward, Karina asked again.


    Unfortunately, this time no one responded to her.


    ¡°Where is the Manager!¡±


    Seeing that no one answered her, Karina raised her voice, but still, no one came forward.


    After asking twice and still not seeing the Commerce Association Manager appear, Karina¡¯s expression darkened bit by bit. Then she randomly turned to a crew member. ¡°You, tell me, who is the Commerce Association Manager.¡±


    ¡°I, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Kill him.¡±


    As the crew member hesitated, not knowing how to respond, Karina wasted no further words and coldly issued the command.


    With her command, the Void Magic Warrior by her side took a large step forward, grabbed the crew member with one hand as if picking up a small chicken, then brought the crew member back beside Karina. In front of all the people on the ship, he pressed the crew member down and with one swordstroke, chopped off his head!


    Gurgle¡­


    The severed head rolled twice on the deck, and finally stopped between Karina and the crew, at which point Karina pointed her finger at another crew member.


    ¡°You, tell me¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s him! He¡¯s the Manager!¡±


    This time, without waiting for Karina to finish asking, the crew member she had called out to pointed in terror towards a side. With his accusation, all crew members around immediately stepped aside, revealing a man clad in crew¡¯s attire with his face deeply hidden beneath a hat.


    This man was the Commerce Association Manager who had just been having tea with the Captain. Only now, the Manager had changed his clothes and donned a large hat, disguising himself among the numerous crew members as if to slip by unnoticed, but alas, he was recognized and pointed out.


    After being identified, the Void Magic Warrior who had just beheaded a crew member stepped forward and seized him in front of Karina.


    ¡°Your mercy, my lord! I am the Manager of the Jindafu Commerce Guild, you can contact our Chamber of Commerce, they will surely redeem me, please don¡¯t kill me!¡±


    Kneeling before Karina, the Manager began to plead for his life without a second thought.


    After giving him a cold glance, Karina sneered and slowly said, ¡°Kill them both.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The Void Magic Warrior beside her, without a second thought, raised his longsword. In the blink of an eye, the sword with its chilling glimmer came down, and two thuds were heard as the heads of the Captain and the Manager were chopped off, rolling across the deck!


    Less than five minutes after alighting on the deck, three men had already lost their heads. With this, the legs of the other crew members turned to jelly. Faced with Karina in her Armor, they dared not even make a sound, let alone breathe heavily.


    ¡°Everyone, listen well, I will only say this once.¡±


    As the heads of the Captain and Manager fell simultaneously, Karina slowly turned to the crew members and began to speak, ¡°Helmsman, immediately lower the merchant ship to the land, everyone else follow orders and go to the cabin.¡±


    ¡°To the land¡­?¡±


    Hearing this, many crew members were stunned. Whether it was the Air Pirate Group or the Alliance Army, after capturing a merchant ship, shouldn¡¯t they be heading straight back? Why would they descend to land instead¡ªno one expected Karina to issue such a command.


    Could it be that over thirty cargo ships were descending to the land together?


    What exactly were these people planning to do?


    ¡°Are you waiting for me to repeat myself¡­¡±


    Seeing that most of the crew members were still in a daze, Karina¡¯s brows arched coldly. As soon as she finished speaking, the Void Magic Warrior beside her immediately raised his bloodstained longsword, and the crew members hastily nodded in agreement, completely adopting a ¡°your wish is my command¡± demeanor.


    Following this, the cargo ship began to slowly descend, and at the same time, the other cargo ships did the same. Having been taken over by the Void Magic Warriors, all the cargo ships began their descent to the ground at this moment.


    Seeing these merchant ships decreasing their altitude, Rocky, who was in command of the entire Allied Forces, also issued the same order, letting the main forces descend, slowly approaching the land¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 405 - 373 Reinforcements

    Chapter 405: Chapter 373 Reinforcements


    After obliterating the escort fleet, Rocky and the others did not return to Sky City with the captured merchant ships. Instead, they chose to descend to the land, bringing down every ship from cargo to warship to the ground.


    Such an action, not to mention the confusion among the captured crew members, also puzzled the allied forces formed by the three cities.


    Firstly, there were demons on the land, and with cargo and warships combined, there were easily over a hundred vessels. One could imagine the commotion a fleet of this size would cause if it descended to the land. If it were to attract the attention of demons, especially a large number, that could spell big trouble.


    Secondly, caravans transporting materials would maintain regular contact with Chenxiu City, especially the escort fleet, which would report back to the city at set times. So although Rocky and his allied forces had wiped out the escort fleet, Chenxiu City would have undoubtedly received the news and surely dispatched troops to assist immediately. In such a situation, instead of leaving, Rocky and the others surprisingly chose to linger in the battle area, a move that was truly baffling.


    But even if it was difficult to understand, the allied forces formed by the three cities would naturally obey the orders, because this command was not just Rocky¡¯s alone¡ªit was a joint command issued by Rocky, Liliya, and Berg.


    And the merchant crew members who had become prisoners of war didn¡¯t dare to ask questions, even if they wanted to. One should know that not only did Karina give the order to kill during the capture of the merchant ships; in fact, the captain of each merchant vessel had just been killed. With neither a leader to rely on nor a sense of extreme fear, the merchants¡¯ crew members naturally said nothing, and they certainly would not dare to raise any questions, lest they be beheaded.


    ...


    It didn¡¯t take long for the considerable fleet to descend to the land.


    The land below the battle zone in the air was a vast, seemingly boundless primal forest. Each tree in the forest stood over ten meters tall. From high above, it looked as if a green carpet covered the earth.


    Now, however, the forest was a sight of devastation, at least directly below the recently concluded air battle zone. Previously, Rocky and his forces had annihilated more than thirty escort warships in the sky. Even if the destroyed warships disintegrated midair, the falling wreckage had caused tremendous damage to the forest below, and some warships even crashed directly into the woods as they fell.


    So when Rocky and his fleet descended to this forest, the terrain was already pocked with pits and craters of various sizes scattered throughout, and some areas were even ablaze with raging fires.


    ¡°Gather all the merchant ships together and have them land in the forest.¡±


    Approaching the ground, Rocky glanced at Karina, who had returned, and Berg, who was beside him. Seeing both nodding in his direction, he proceeded to issue a new command.


    Following his order, the Void Magic Warriors who had seized control of the merchant ships promptly urged the crew members to cluster the twenty-odd ships and descend to the ground together.


    Since it was a forced landing, when the merchant ships descended to land, many crushed swathes of trees and forcibly cleared spaces in the dense forest; of course, such a reckless descent also resulted in damage to many merchant ships, making it seemingly impossible for them to take off again.


    However, this type of damage was apparently not a concern for Rocky and the others. In fact, after all the merchant ships had landed, the Void Magic Warriors who had taken over the ships herded all the crew members into the cabins.


    ¡°Everyone, get in!¡±


    Monte and Sandro, two of the Void Magic Warriors deployed by Thunderhawk City, were in charge of controlling one of the merchant ships. After the ship had knocked down two large trees in a bumpy descent, they herded every person on board into the lowest level of the ship¡¯s cabin.


    ¡°No one is to make a noise! Stay put here quietly, and you might get a chance to live. Otherwise¡­¡±


    After driving the crew members into the cargo hold at the bottom of the ship, Monte spoke as he shook his broadaxe in his hand, letting the cold radiance of the axe blade sting everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Facing his axe, none of the crew members ushered into the cabin dared to speak. All of them lowered their heads in extreme terror.


    For just moments ago, they had watched Monte kill the captain of the merchant ship and two crew members who questioned the order to land. The entire process was merciless; hence, no one dared to question or resist his word any longer.


    Seeing no one speak, Monte nodded at Sandro, who then casually closed the cargo ship¡¯s massive door, trapping everyone inside the cargo hold, including Sandro, Monte, and all the crew members.


    In this manner, it did not take long for the twenty or so cargo ships to all land in the forest, and then all the people from the cargo ships were herded into the cargo holds, leaving not a single person visible on the decks of the ships.


    Once all of this had been done, Rocky, situated on the War Steed, glanced at Karina and Berg, and the expressions on their faces grew increasingly grave.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    After uttering these words, Rocky called Felly to his side and issued new orders to the entire fleet.


    ¡­¡­ S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­¡­


    Meanwhile, within the Tulip Battle Zone, a fleet of over fifty warships had set out from Chenxiu City, headed straight for the airspace where Rocky and his group ambushed the merchant caravan!


    As many had anticipated, at the very moment Rocky and his group attacked the Escort Fleet, the commander of the fleet sent news of the assault to Chenxiu City without delay. Upon receiving the report of the enemy attack, Chenxiu City naturally dispatched reinforcements immediately.


    The fleet was speeding along, gradually leaving the Tulip airspace behind, but even so, they failed to catch up to the previous battle.


    They had no choice; the location for Rocky¡¯s ambush had been carefully deliberated upon. While the point of attack lay outside of the battle zone, it was very close to it, which meant that enemy reinforcements would not arrive quickly since they had not officially entered the battle zone. It would take at least a day for troops from Chenxiu City to arrive. At the same time, being close to the battle zone meant that the merchant fleet¡¯s guards would be relatively lower. These factors were all part of their calculations.


    Under these circumstances, even if Chenxiu City dispatched troops immediately upon receiving news of the caravan being attacked, by the time the troops left the Tulip Battle Zone, the battle had long since ended.


    ¡°Any news from the caravan?¡±


    The commander of the support forces was named Lapaton, in his fifties, one of the fleet commanders of Chenxiu City. He was sitting in his captain¡¯s quarters at the time, inquiring to his subordinates.


    ¡°Sir, since the last communication ended five hours ago, we¡¯ve received no further messages.¡±


    ¡°Have we tried to initiate contact?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been attempting to reach them continuously, but there has been no response.¡±


    ¡°So are you saying that the merchant fleet has been intercepted, and the escort fleet has been completely sunk?¡±


    ¡°It seems likely¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, tell the fleet to maintain full speed; we must hurry to the battle zone as quickly as possible.¡±


    After nodding, Lapaton gave the order.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 406 - 374 The Maze

    Chapter 406: Chapter 374 The Maze


    For Lapaton, the capture of the merchant convoy was entirely expected, since the content of the final communication from the Escort Fleet clearly indicated an attack by an unknown enemy, and a large number of enemies at that, so there was no doubt that the convoy could not be saved.


    Therefore, this mission for Lapaton was more about investigation than reinforcement, to ascertain exactly who was attacking the merchant convoy.


    An attack on a supply route transporting war materials was definitely a major event that the Rebel Army had to pay attention to. In a war of this intensity and scale, if supplies couldn¡¯t keep up, there was no point in continuing the fight, so it was imperative to get to the bottom of this matter.


    First, find out who the enemy is.


    Second, determine the size of the enemy.


    Third, eliminate the enemy.


    ...


    These were the true intentions of Lapaton¡¯s mission.


    Therefore, upon learning that the merchant convoy was likely already captured by the enemy, he still ordered the Fleet to proceed at full speed, without stopping for a moment, towards the battleground in the sky.


    Since the Escort Fleet had sent out communications before being completely annihilated, it wasn¡¯t hard to locate the position where they were attacked. Although the exact spot couldn¡¯t be pinpointed, the general airspace could still be determined.


    The Fleet commanded by Lapaton then maintained full speed ahead, departing Chenxiu City in the morning, advancing at full throttle throughout the day without stopping, and by late night, they arrived at the airspace where the merchant convoy had been attacked!


    It must be said, the speed of Lapaton¡¯s group was indeed impressive. Under normal circumstances, it would take at least a day and a night to travel from Chenxiu City, and even two full days if slower, but he managed to arrive in just one day and half a night at full effort, which could be described as lightning-fast.


    Upon reaching the battlefield in the sky, which was where the last message from the Escort Fleet was sent, Lapaton issued an order for the Fleet to decrease altitude and head towards the land.


    As mentioned before, his mission was no longer about reinforcement. A full day and a large part of the night had passed since the merchant convoy was attacked¡ªthere was no longer any need for support. Lapaton¡¯s goal had shifted from reinforcement to investigating who had attacked the Chamber of Commerce.


    The message from the Escort Fleet only mentioned the attack, so up to now, the Chenxiu City¡¯s side still didn¡¯t know the identity of the enemy¡ªwhether it was the Sky Alliance, the Air Pirate Group, or those Independent Sky Cities that did not participate in the great war but intended to loot amidst the turmoil¡ªall were unknown.


    So first and foremost, Lapaton needed to determine the true face of the enemy.


    To investigate who the enemy was in a vast sky, especially when the battle was long over, one can imagine how difficult it would be.


    In the eyes of many outsiders, it was nearly impossible. Yet for the insiders, it wasn¡¯t the case.


    Although the battle took place in the air, don¡¯t forget that the warships that were shot down, whether they disintegrated directly or crashed, ultimately had to fall onto the land. So, if one only searched the sky, of course no traces could be found, but if the search was conducted on the ground, then a large amount of evidence and clues could be uncovered.


    Also, don¡¯t forget that although the warships protecting the convoy were annihilated, they were ultimately more than thirty large warships! Even facing overwhelming enemies, could these thirty-plus warships not manage to take down even one enemy vessel?


    Clearly impossible. A protective Fleet of this scale, even when facing an enemy several times their number, would ultimately inflict a certain amount of damage, albeit not significant, but there would be some.


    Therefore, by searching the land for the wreckage resulting from the battle, particularly the remains of the enemy¡¯s warships, and identifying them through these remnants, figuring out who the enemy was would no longer be difficult.


    Hence, upon reaching the battlefield in the sky, Lapaton immediately ordered the Fleet to descend, to ascertain the exact location of the battle through the wreckage found and to further verify the enemy¡¯s identity.


    Over fifty warships slowly descended from high above and soon arrived over the primeval forest, then began their search under the cover of night.


    Because it was deep night when they reached the airspace, the warships had to light up huge Magic Energy Lamps and then aimed those lamps towards the forest.


    ¡°Sir! We¡¯ve found wreckage!¡±


    Still seated inside the Captain¡¯s quarters, Lapaton quickly received the report¡ªthe Fleet had found the wreckage from the battle.


    ¡°Sir, the Fleet has discovered some scattered debris. We should not be far from the core area of the battle.¡±


    ¡°Good, ask everyone to work hard and search thoroughly. The faster we identify the enemy, the more advantageous it is for us.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± the adjutant replied before leaving the captain¡¯s quarters. Lapaton continued to sit in his place, slowly closing his eyes as if meditating.


    Only about fifteen minutes had passed when the adjutant who had just left, returned, ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve found a large number of warship wreckage. They¡¯re all from our fleet; this must be the area where the battle took place.¡±


    ¡°Very well, dispatch the Void Magic Warriors to search thoroughly.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Following Lapaton¡¯s order, two squads of Void Magic Warriors flew out from the warship and toward the ground.


    ¡°Sir! The Void Magic Squad has reported new information!¡±


    Shortly after the Void Magic Squad was sent out, new developments emerged.


    ¡°The Void Magic Squad has discovered a large number of cargo ships!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Lapaton, who had been resting with his eyes closed, immediately opened his eyes and frowned upon hearing this report.


    ¡°A large number of cargo ships¡­ were they sunk?¡±


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t seem like that, they appear to have been forced to land in the forest.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    This report caused Lapaton to ponder for a moment before he stood up, ¡°Take me to see.¡±


    After speaking, he left the captain¡¯s quarters along with the adjutant, and the fleet began to slowly move closer to the location where the Void Magic Squad had discovered the cargo ships.


    Only about fifteen minutes later, under the illumination of the Magic Energy Lamp, Lapaton, who was now standing at the bow, saw the cargo ships the Void Magic Squad had mentioned.


    Through Lapaton¡¯s view, more than twenty cargo ships were haphazardly stationed in the forest, the two dispatched Void Magic Squads were hovering around these ships, and on the ground nearby lay some Demon corpses, freshly killed.


    And when he looked closely at the cargo ships, he found that they seemed to be empty of people; there was no sight of any crew members calling for help.


    What was happening?


    Finding so many cargo ships stationed in the forest puzzled Lapaton, because whether it was the Air Pirate Group, the Sky Alliance, or the Independent Sky City attacking the caravan, there was no reason to leave these ships in the forest.


    And what about the crew members of these ships?


    There were more than twenty cargo ships, and the number of crew members should be at least five hundred. Where had they all gone, and why was nobody coming out to call for help?


    Could they have all been killed by Demons¡­


    How strange.


    Standing at the bow and thinking for a while, Lapaton said to the adjutant beside him, ¡°Have the Void Magic Squad go down and check out the situation.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 407 - 375 Sinister and Terrifying...

    Chapter 407: Chapter 375 Sinister and Terrifying¡­


    ¡°Send the Void Magic Squad to take a look and figure out what¡¯s going on,¡±


    Standing at the bow of his ship, Lapaton gazed at the merchant ships scattered haphazardly on the ground, full of confusion. After contemplating, he gave the order for the Void Magic Squad to inspect them.


    Following his command, the Void Magic Warriors who were hovering around the merchant ships began to descend onto their decks.


    This time, Lapaton had brought two squads of Void Magic Warriors, totaling twenty people. Each would check a ship, which was just enough to cover the investigation of most of the merchant ships.


    So, after receiving Lapaton¡¯s order, the two squad leaders commanded the Void Magic Warriors of their squads to land.


    It was deep into the night at that time, and as the Void Magic Warriors landed on the decks, the warships around them directed all the Magic Energy Lamps towards the decks to aid in the investigation.


    ...


    ¡°Captain, I¡¯ve found a head,¡±


    a Void Magic Warrior announced as he walked around the deck and quickly spotted bloodstains, followed by the discovery of a head not far away.


    ¡°Do you know who it is?¡±


    After reporting his find, the captain asked through the communicator.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it looks like they were killed recently, might be a crew member¡­¡±


    Picking up the head to examine it, the Void Magic Warrior then said into the communicator, ¡°I¡¯m going to check inside the cabin.¡±


    ¡°Be careful, there could still be demons lurking inside,¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    With an affirmation, the Void Magic Warrior leapt lightly, and in the next moment, he had landed at the entrance of the cabin.


    With a clang, he kicked open the door leading to the cabin and stepped inside.


    Since the cabin was below deck, as soon as the Void Magic Warrior entered, the exterior Magic Energy Lamps could no longer provide light inside, plunging his surroundings into pitch darkness, where he could not see his own hand before his eyes.


    However, it wasn¡¯t long before the Void Magic Warrior turned on the built-in lights of his Armor. Beams of faint light immediately shot out from both sides of his Helmet, which weren¡¯t very bright but allowed him to make out his surroundings.


    Using the light to see, he found that the corridor within the cabin was desolate, with no hint of people or bodies, not even a trace of blood. There was not a single sound around him¡ªthe entire cabin was deathly silent, as if it were a tomb¡­


    At the same time, he noticed that the corridor didn¡¯t seem to have suffered any damage or signs of a struggle; everything was clean and orderly.


    What was going on?


    With questions in mind, the Void Magic Warrior continued walking. Accompanied by his footsteps, he soon reached a door and pushed it open¡­


    Creak¡­


    The door let out a faint noise as it opened, and the Void Magic Warrior peered inside.


    It was the crew¡¯s quarters.


    He looked into the cabin and saw that it was a bedroom, and there was nothing amiss.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The Void Magic Warrior standing at the bedroom door was looking around when suddenly he whipped his head around!


    Had he just heard something?


    Turning quickly, the Void Magic Warrior looked behind, still seeing only the empty corridor, nothing else.


    Looking back at the eerily empty space, the Void Magic Warrior slowly drew his Side Sword, his alertness heightened more than before.


    The warriors of Chenxiu City, a large Sky City, are of a quite high standard. Or rather, the Void Magic Warriors from any Sky City are the elite of the elite. Thus, although this warrior hadn¡¯t found anything unusual, he was absolutely certain he had heard some noise just now.


    On a seemingly abandoned merchant ship like this, any sound was cause for high alert, which is why he not only drew his Side Sword but also slowed his pace.


    Step by step, cautiously walking inside the ship cabin, the Void Magic Warrior had only taken a few steps forward when he suddenly turned around!


    Looking back, there was still nothing. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he was certain that he had heard a noise again, faint though it was. In the empty cabin, with his full attention, any sound would be noticed, no matter how slight.


    This only made him more cautious, as it felt as if someone were following him, as though a pair of eyes in the darkness were watching his every move. Yet every time he turned around, the eyes seemed to vanish.


    Truth be told, this feeling was not pleasant.


    Protected by his helmet, the Void Magic Warrior swallowed hard, unwittingly gripping his side sword tighter.


    What in the world was going on here?


    Why would this place, without reason, feel so creepy and terrifying?


    Carefully, he quickly reached the end of the cabin, only to see a staircase leading to the lowest level of the cargo ship.


    Gazing into the pitch-black staircase entrance, the Void Magic Warrior felt as if he were looking at a gaping dark maw, as if it were waiting for him to fall right into the trap, to climb into its belly.


    Truth be told, in that instant, the Void Magic Warrior felt a flicker of fear, baseless as it was, but it made him sense danger.


    He shook his head quickly, casting the fleeting fear from his mind, and then took steps down the staircase.


    One step.


    Two steps.


    Three steps.


    Descending the staircase step by step, the entire merchant ship was left with only the sounds of the Void Magic Warrior¡¯s footsteps. And when he reached the cargo hold, he saw another corridor ahead.


    But this corridor was much shorter than the one above, and at its end was a door, obviously leading to the cargo hold.


    Just as he laid eyes on the cargo hold door, suddenly, a series of urgent knocks rang out!


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Bang-bang! Bang-bang-bang! Bang-bang!


    Bang-bang-bang!


    The sudden, urgent knocking gave the Void Magic Warrior a start, but he quickly recovered and strode toward the door.


    Within moments, he arrived at the door, unhesitatingly chopping off the heavy lock with his sword and kicking the door open.


    ¡°Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t kill us!¡±


    As he kicked the door open, before the Void Magic Warrior had a chance to see clearly inside, he heard terrified pleas.


    When he followed the sound, he discovered the crew members who had been locked inside the cabin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I am a Void Magic Warrior from Chenxiu City.¡±


    Extending his hand to the terrified crew, the Void Magic Warrior hurriedly revealed his identity.


    ¡°Who locked you up in here?¡±


    Looking at all the crew members, the Void Magic Warrior asked.


    ¡°Her!¡±


    When asked, the crew members then pointed their fingers behind the Void Magic Warrior¡­!


    PS: It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve asked for recommendations, a few recommendation tickets would be much appreciated!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 408 - 376 Ambush!

    Chapter 408: Chapter 376 Ambush!


    The crew member pointed behind him, and the Void Magic Warrior reacted extremely quickly, not only spinning around instantly but also raising his long sword and chopping down without even looking.


    However, he was still a step too late¡­


    A moment later, the Void Magic Warrior¡¯s raised sword froze in mid-air as his chest was already impaled. The sharp long sword had thrust through his armor and chest, protruding from his back.


    After piercing the Void Magic Warrior with a single blow, Liliya kicked the corpse to the ground with her foot and then turned her gaze to the crew members inside the cargo hold¡­


    At the same moment, on another cargo ship, a Void Magic Warrior was inspecting the cabin when he approached a door, it suddenly burst open. A hiding Void Magic Warrior swung his sword out instantly.


    But the response of the other was just as quick. Faced with this sudden attack, he quickly sidestepped to avoid it by a hair¡¯s breadth. However, before he could counterattack, the door behind him was also slammed open, and another Void Magic Warrior appeared and, with a sweeping strike, cleanly severed his head.


    ...


    Simultaneously, the Void Magic Warriors who had entered the cargo ships for inspection were ambushed, and the Void Magic Squad dispatched by Lapaton suffered severe losses. Both squads of Void Magic Warriors lost over half of their numbers in the sudden onslaught of attacks!


    ¡°Little Jerry!¡±


    ¡°Duke!¡±


    ¡°Berg! Respond! What¡¯s happening!¡±


    As neither had anticipated any danger, the two squad leaders outside the ship were shocked and dismayed when they lost contact with their teammates or simply heard their screams.


    But before they could react, they heard several cracking sounds¡ªthe hulls of several cargo ships were smashed open, and hidden Void Magic Warriors suddenly burst out!


    ¡°Enemy attack! We¡¯re under attack!¡±


    Realizing that those rushing out of the cargo ships were not their own men, the two squad leaders reacted quickly, understanding that they were under attack, and charged straight into it.


    However, despite their quick response, the two squad leaders were too few in numbers. The Void Magic Warriors surging out of the cargo ships numbered at least a dozen! And among them was Karina, clad in top Armor, so although the two leaders confronted the enemy immediately, one was targeted by Karina while Monte, Sandro, and Liliya jointly held back the other. The remaining unopposed Void Magic Warriors charged directly at the surrounding warships!


    At this moment, both Lapaton, standing on the bow of the flagship, and others on the warships finally realized that they had fallen into an ambush!


    Yes, they had indeed walked into an ambush, one cunningly devised by Rocky, Karina, and Berg!


    This ambush, dubbed the ¡®Sparrow Plan¡¯ by the trio, had been arranged as soon as they decided to attack the merchant fleet.


    Rocky, Karina, and Berg were no fools: Rocky and Karina were battle-hardened, and Berg was a merchant shrewder than a monkey. So, when they collaborated to attack the merchant fleet, their first thought wasn¡¯t how to attack, but how to make a clean getaway. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once they had decided on ambushing the caravan, a question arose: how would they retreat after the attack?


    They believed they would have ample time to flee after a successful ambush, since neither the caravan itself nor Chenxiu City should be able to react promptly. But what then?


    If they were to head straight back to their respective Sky Cities, it might seem as if they had escaped, but when the reinforcements from Chenxiu City arrived at the battlefield, they would surely identify them by the battle debris. In this way, although they might seem to have fled, their identities would be exposed, and they would inevitably face pursuit from the Rebel Army.


    This was not an outcome any of the three wished to see.


    Therefore, they came up with a plan: after attacking the caravan, they would continue to lie in ambush, ready to devour the reinforcements Chenxiu City sent as well!


    As long as they could eliminate the reinforcement troops, the pressure would shift to Chenxiu City¡¯s side. Given the casualties the enemy would find it difficult to continue sending troops for investigation in the short term.


    Although Chenxiu City, as a large Sky City, certainly had an ample number of troops, one must not forget that the caravan was not the only one ¡®bleeding¡¯ them; in fact, many caravans sent by the Chamber of Commerce were transporting goods to the city every day. To ensure the safety of these caravans, the majority of Chenxiu City¡¯s forces were designated as the Escort Fleet.


    After losing both the Escort Fleet and the reinforcement troops in succession, if Chenxiu City were to dispatch more soldiers, it would mean increasing their military strength, possibly sending out a massive fleet composed of hundreds of warships. However, they were simply not in a position to do this, as they did not have that many idle troops at their disposal.


    Thus, Rocky and his companions would have ample time, enough to carry out the next step of their plan and to cause even greater commotion.


    So, they devised the ¡°Yellow Sparrow Plan,¡± aiming to be both the mantis stalking the cicada and the yellow sparrow that follows.


    In executing this plan, the three of them were fully committed. They chose to abandon the more than twenty ships¡¯ worth of goods at hand, using the twenty-plus cargo ships as bait.


    Moreover, they sent out all of their Void Magic Warriors, with Karina herself joining the fray, deploying four squads of Void Magic Warriors inside the cargo ships.


    This move was quite daring, for no one knew when the enemy reinforcements would arrive. During this time, they could only wait¡ªand wait on land, no less, with the risks of such an act being self-evident.


    In fact, during their wait, Demons visited them more than once, and on several occasions even clambered onto the deck of the cargo ships. Fortunately, the crew had been locked inside the cargo hold, and since the Demons were large and unable to descend into the cabins, no premature troubles arose.


    Fortunately, the plan was ultimately successful, achieving even better results than anticipated. Rocky and his companions had not expected the enemy to send all their Void Magic Warriors to investigate the cargo ships, which worked out extremely well for them.


    With a greater number of Void Magic Warriors on Rocky¡¯s side, at least two warriors were assigned to each cargo ship. With a two-to-one advantage and the element of surprise, the enemy¡¯s two Void Magic Squads were swiftly annihilated, leaving only the two team leaders outside.


    Once all the Void Magic Warriors were eliminated, the enemy¡¯s warships lost their only protection. More importantly, as Lapaton had not anticipated such an ambush, he had already allowed the warships to close in on the cargo ships, now encircling them completely.


    Consequently, the Void Magic Warriors emerging from the cargo ships were almost instantly next to the surrounding warships. To these Void Magic Warriors, the nearby warships were like undressed young maidens, utterly at their mercy!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 409 - 377: The Sparrow Stalks Behind

    Chapter 409: Chapter 377: The Sparrow Stalks Behind


    ¡°Ascend! Ascend immediately!¡±


    Realizing they had fallen into an ambush, Lapaton issued the command urgently, ordering all the warships to ascend immediately.


    This command seemed simple, but it was the only command Lapaton could give.


    It¡¯s an old saying, only a Void Magic Warrior can stop another Void Magic Warrior. With their own Void Magic Warriors ambushed and annihilated, facing the enemy swooping toward the fleet, what could Lapaton do but order the warships to ascend?


    He could do nothing else.


    In fact, he couldn¡¯t even manage to get the warships to ascend!


    ...


    Because the fleet was too close to the cargo ship¡­


    Previously mentioned, Lapaton had led the fleet there at midnight. So, to facilitate the investigation by the Void Magic Warriors, he had ordered the fleet to descend very low and had the ships surround the cargo ship for illumination.


    In such circumstances, Karina and her companions, bursting out from the cargo ship, were merely a stone¡¯s throw away from the warships, almost instantly within striking distance.


    In an instant, Lin Feng leaped up and appeared above the deck of a destroyer, raising his hand and firing a series of Magic Energy Bullets, immediately making the crew scurry for cover.


    Just when the crew thought he was about to land on the deck, Lin Feng stopped his attack and turned away.


    As they watched him appear and suddenly leave, the crew was baffled. But it wasn¡¯t long before someone shouted, ¡°He¡¯s attacking the hull!¡±


    Upon hearing this, the crew near the ship¡¯s side immediately looked outward and then saw Lin Feng had already flown to the side of the warship.


    At that moment, he was holding aloft a giant sword specially made by Hammerfire and chopped down towards the hull!


    With a loud clang, the thick armor of the hull was struck, emitting a huge noise.


    Any large warship, aside from having a Defensive Net, is also equipped with heavy armor to withstand attacks when the Defensive Net is breached. Thus, for a single Void Magic Warrior to take on a large warship, considerable skill is required.


    Lin Feng¡¯s method seemed clumsy as he aimed at the thick armor, but in reality, this was the quickest way for him since his Armor¡¯s long-range capabilities were not strong. The advantage of his armor was almost entirely concentrated in the giant sword in his hands, which had powerful attack capability even against thick armor.


    As long as he breached the armor, he could directly enter the ship¡¯s cabin, aiming precisely for the location of the Magic Stone that powered the warship!


    Thus, after four or five strikes, Lin Feng had forcefully hacked a large hole in the hull of the destroyer, quickly charging in; less than half a minute later, he flew out swiftly, but before he had gotten far, the destroyer behind him exploded!


    Under the impact of the explosion, Lin Feng was blown several meters away before stopping and then rushed towards another warship.


    While he was flying toward another warship, nearby, another warship heavily crashed straight down to the ground. Since the crash site was close to him, Lin Feng took a glance and saw Karina flying out from the fallen warship.


    ¡°This woman¡­ really powerful¡­¡±


    When Lin Feng discovered that the person who had sunk the warship was Karina, he was secretly surprised. He remembered clearly that Karina had just been blocking the leader of the enemy¡¯s Void Magic Squad, hadn¡¯t she?


    Indeed, Karina had been blocking the enemy Void Magic Squad¡¯s leader just moments ago, but now, she had already killed him!


    Both being Void Magic Warriors and wearing Special Armor of the Fifth Generation, the leader of the Void Magic Squad could not withstand more than five minutes in front of Karina and was cut down within a few exchanges.


    After killing her opponent, Karina immediately joined the ranks attacking the warships, and, with the utmost speed, destroyed two warships ¡ª the warship that fell in front of Lin Feng was actually the second one she had brought down.


    As more and more Void Magic Warriors from Rocky¡¯s side rushed out from the cargo ship and joined the offensive against the warships, the pressure on Lapaton surged suddenly. One warship after another disintegrated or fell under the onslaught of the Void Magic Warriors, and the situation became perilously critical.


    However, Lapaton still had at least one advantage, that was the quantity and quality. Although the complete annihilation of his Void Magic Warriors put him at a significant disadvantage, let¡¯s not forget that he commanded a fleet of more than fifty warships, all of which were large battleships.


    Such a number and scale of fleet, even if it let the Void Magic Warriors attack without moving, was not so easily defeated.


    The situation was just like this.


    There were only four squads of Void Magic Warriors on Rocky¡¯s side, among which Karina was the strongest. Only Karina wore the Special Armor of the Fifth Generation, hence apart from her, it often took two or three or even three to four Void Magic Warriors to sink a warship. Even though there were some individuals, like Lin Feng, who could independently sink warships, it took them quite a lot of time.


    This gave Lapaton a chance. Under his command, all warships ascended with full force. Although the loss continued to increase in this process, compared to the entire fleet, the sunk warships were still few ¡ª seven or eight? A dozen? That was the most, and the majority of the warships still managed to arrive above the forest smoothly.


    For Lapaton, once his troops successfully ascended to high altitude, they had the chance to retreat. Losing a few more warships then was nothing compared to the annihilation of the entire army.


    Regrettably, although his calculations were good, they had already been anticipated by Rocky and others!


    When Lapaton led the vast majority of his warships to successfully fly above the forest, before they could rejoice, they saw one after another warship rising from the forest in the distance!


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    As warships continued to rise from all directions, Lapaton was initially stunned, then quickly realized what was happening!


    Clearly, besides the Void Magic Warriors, Rocky and his team had set an ambush ¡ª their fleet!


    Why was this ambush called the Sparrowhawk Plan?


    It was because Rocky and his team intended to be both the mantis stalking the cicada and the sparrowhawk waiting behind!


    And seeing Rocky¡¯s fleet emerge, Lapaton¡¯s heart completely sank. He knew, this time, he was truly finished¡­


    No, he still had a chance!


    Looking at the distant fleet, Lapaton keenly realized he still had a glimmer of hope!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 410 - 378: A Desperate Fight!

    Chapter 410: Chapter 378: A Desperate Fight!


    Depending on the warships¡¯ sufficient numbers, even passive beatings wouldn¡¯t deplete this sole advantage quickly. That¡¯s how Lapaton finally got the fleet to ascend into the high altitudes.


    But at that moment, he discovered countless warships rising from the surrounding forests!


    Upon seeing so many unidentified warships ascending from the forest simultaneously, Lapaton knew he was surrounded again¡­


    Indeed, he was surrounded.


    While Karina led the Void Magic Warriors in an ambush inside the cargo ships, Rocky and Berg arranged for the fleet to ambush from within the forest. Upon seeing Lapaton¡¯s fleet ascend, they led their own fleet to appear.


    If one were to map out the situation on the battlefield now, it would be clear to see: More than twenty cargo ships were located at the center of the portrait, Lapaton¡¯s fleet was around the merchant fleet, while Rocky and his troops formed a circle at a greater distance, encompassing Lapaton¡¯s fleet within it.


    ...


    On the other hand, when Lapaton saw the fleet commanded by Rocky ascend, his heart sank. The first thing that crossed his mind was that his end was coming, but upon taking a closer look at the distant fleet, he suddenly discovered a glimmer of hope!


    This glimmer of hope was the fact that although Rocky had encircled them, the distance was great!


    Is that so?


    Indeed!


    Although Rocky and his team had thought of this double-ambush strategy, there was one problem they couldn¡¯t solve: how to hide so many warships in the forest. It wasn¡¯t a problem for the Void Magic Squad to ambush within the cargo ships, but where would they hide all those warships?


    They had specifically chosen this location for the ambush, but let¡¯s not forget that the Allied Forces, composed of three cities, had a total of eighty warships. Where could these eighty warships be hidden?


    Hiding in the forest was certainly an option, but what if they were discovered?


    So, in order not to draw Lapaton¡¯s attention in advance, Rocky had the fleet fly beyond the range of the battlefield before deciding to land. While this approach kept them from being discovered too soon, it also meant that when they did appear, they were quite a distance from Lapaton¡¯s fleet.


    That single detail gave Lapaton a glimmer of hope.


    ¡°Immediately concentrate all warships and break through!¡±


    Having keenly seized this opportunity, Lapaton instantaneously issued his command, followed swiftly by his flagship charging towards the closest enemy.


    With the flagship accelerating at full power, the whole fleet uniformly turned around and began to follow the flagship in a concerted breakthrough.


    Ironically, the direction in which Lapaton made his rush was exactly where Rocky was positioned. Thus, upon realizing that the enemy was making a desperate attempt, Rocky immediately issued an order:


    ¡°Prepare for battle, and stop the enemy!¡±


    After giving the combat order, Rocky¡¯s War Steed took the lead and led over ten warships toward the enemy to intercept them!


    Simultaneously, Karina led the Void Magic Squad to catch up with Lapaton¡¯s troops. She naturally discerned the enemy¡¯s intent, as did Berg from a distance. At this moment, Berg stood at the bow of his flagship, continuously giving orders as well.


    ¡°Advance at full speed! Fast! Fast! Fast!¡±


    Yelling at the Captain, Berg rarely displayed such urgency in battle.


    No wonder he was anxious, for the situation at hand was one where Lapaton¡¯s forces, though surrounded and attacked by the Void Magic Squad, had a chance to break through due to the overly wide encirclement. Moreover, while Lapaton¡¯s fleet had suffered attacks from the Void Magic Warriors, the main force remained intact, with no fewer than thirty warships remaining. In contrast, the warships at Rocky¡¯s side numbered less than twenty. This meant that, at least until the encirclement tightened, Lapaton actually had an advantage in the number of ships!


    Therefore, as Lapaton led his fleet rapidly towards Rocky, Karina also led the Void Magic Squad in pursuit. However, when faced with the Void Magic Squad¡¯s attack, Lapaton paid no heed, just charging ahead relentlessly.


    On the other side, although Berg was also rushing to assist as quickly as possible, the expansive encirclement meant that even though he was incredibly anxious, he was still unable to support Rocky immediately.


    As minutes ticked by, Lapaton and Rocky collided!


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    As the enemy came within range, Rocky, uncharacteristically, personally gave the order to fire. To be honest, even he was not accustomed to this, as in all previous aerial encounters, he was supposed to be in his Void Magic Armor midair. Unfortunately, this time it was not possible. He did not have his White Demon Armor and had to act the role of a Commander faithfully.


    ¡°Turn the ship around, don¡¯t let anyone get through!¡±


    Although he rarely commanded battles himself, it did not mean Rocky was inept at it. In fact, he was quite skilled in this respect. So after giving the order to fire, he immediately had the War Steed turn around to face the enemy head-on.


    As the enemy bore down directly ahead, the Magic Energy Cannons on board were unable to fire at full capacity. Similarly, Rocky¡¯s War Steed could not unleash the full firepower of a battleship unless it was positioned directly facing the enemy.


    ¡°Is the Sky-piercing Cannon ready?¡±


    ¡°Sir! It¡¯s ready!¡±


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    As the War Steed gradually adjusted its position, Rocky shouted to the main cannon¡¯s battery and then without hesitation ordered the gunner to fire!


    The War Steed¡¯s greatest advantage lay in its terrifying main cannon. The Sky-piercing Cannon¡¯s power reached 10,000 points of mana, and just one shot was capable of sinking a large warship. It even held the remarkable military feat of destroying two warships with a single shot. Now was the time to showcase its strength¡ªif it could sink the enemy¡¯s flagship with one shot, that would be ideal.


    Following Rocky¡¯s command, a moment later a thunderous boom rang out. With this roar, the War Steed shuddered violently, and a thick beam of light shot straight towards Lapaton¡¯s fleet!


    The thick beam of light flashed by, and immediately, an explosion was heard within Lapaton¡¯s fleet; a warship was sunk with a single shot. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, the destroyed warship was not Lapaton¡¯s flagship but a destroyer beside it.


    Watching the destroyer explode next to Lapaton¡¯s flagship, Rocky had no time for disappointment when he suddenly felt the War Steed shake violently, and a bright light appeared before his eyes.


    They had been hit.


    Although sinking a warship with one shot was a great boost to morale, the enemy was not intimidated. Faced with Rocky¡¯s full-on blockade, the enemy didn¡¯t flinch, nor did they slow down. All the while, they fired back, charging like a pack of frenzied beasts at full speed towards the Fleet under Rocky¡¯s command!


    ¡°Sir! They, they¡¯re still accelerating!¡±


    Felly had just managed to steady herself in the violent shaking and ran up to his side, yelling, ¡°Sir! The enemy is still accelerating, we¡¯re about to collide!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 411 - 379: Copper Walls and Iron Barriers!

    Chapter 411: Chapter 379: Copper Walls and Iron Barriers!


    ¡°Sir! They¡¯re going to ram us!¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky hastily looked towards the enemy and indeed discovered that Lapaton¡¯s flagship and the Fleet he led, amidst the gunfire, had not slowed down at all, but were instead speeding up towards their own side!


    Felly was absolutely right; Lapaton was indeed planning to forcefully break a path through for the Fleet!


    The Fleet under his command outnumbered Rocky¡¯s, and it was certain that in a head-on fight, he would win, but unfortunately, there was no time for that.


    For Lapaton, the battle situation was a race against time. Karina, leading the Void Magic Squad, was harassing his Fleet as much as possible. In just these few short minutes, two more warships had been sunk, and at a greater distance, Berg was leading other warships to close the encirclement. Once surrounded completely, Lapaton would face an enemy force many times his own, and by then, neither he nor his Fleet would be able to escape.


    Thus, Lapaton made a swift and decisive choice, the most straightforward and brutal method to break out: to charge straight through.


    ...


    So, facing the enemy¡¯s firepower, even under the attack of the Sky-piercing Cannon, Lapaton did not slow the Fleet down; on the contrary, he ordered the Fleet to reach maximum speed. All the officers and crewmembers of the Fleet were also acutely aware that they were at a critical moment of survival, and not a single person showed any signs of backing down. Instead, they kept close pace with the flagship.


    They all knew that once they were surrounded, it would mean a certain death, with no second option, so they had to fight with everything they had.


    ¡°All warships, turn the ship around!¡±


    The enemy¡¯s intentions were so clear that Rocky could see them at a glance, so he too made the same choice to order all the surrounding warships to turn around, forming a wall by positioning a dozen or more warships horizontally in midair!


    ¡°Brothers!¡±


    After issuing the command, he rushed into the Captain¡¯s Cabin of the War Steed, picked up the communicator, and spoke to all the surrounding warships:


    ¡°If we let the enemy break through, we are done for! Even if just one warship escapes back to Chenxiu City, we will face an endless stream of enemies. Brothers, we must not let the enemy get through!¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    In this critical moment, Rocky resolutely chose to burn the boats; he would stop the enemy at any cost, or just as he said, if even one enemy returned to Chenxiu City, the Tri-City Allied Forces would be finished.


    Under his command, all the surrounding warships turned in unison, each positioning its hull horizontally in the air; in just a moment, over ten warships including the War Steed had formed an iron wall in midair!


    At this time, Rocky moved to the deck once more, and upon looking out, he realized that the enemy was already quite close.


    Four hundred meters?


    The distance between them and the enemy was less than four hundred meters, and closing fast.


    At such a close distance, they were already within the firing range of the Magic Energy Cannons; thus, the warships led by the War Steed had already unleashed a barrage of artillery fire, both from the main and secondary cannons, firing in unison to block the enemy as much as possible.


    Likewise, the enemy had launched a fierce counterattack, also doing everything possible to bring down the warships that were blocking their escape.


    Amidst the roar of artillery fire, the distance between the two sides quickly closed to three hundred meters.


    In the frantic exchange of fire, another warship from the enemy¡¯s Fleet was sunk, and two more warships, heavily damaged, had to slow down and were soon swallowed up by the approaching Void Magic Squad.


    In contrast, one of Rocky¡¯s warships was brought down into the forest, and upon seeing this, Rocky immediately issued a command to the other warships to quickly fill the gap, leaving no space unattended.


    Although both sides suffered losses in the fierce bombardment, the main force led by the flagship under Lapaton¡¯s command was still moving at an unrelenting speed. More importantly, during the high-speed approach, Lapaton had even adjusted the formation of his fleet!


    By the time the distance between the two sides had closed to within two hundred meters, the fleet led by Lapaton had transformed into a wedge formation, with his flagship at the forefront, followed by the other warships arranged behind it, forming a standard penetration formation.


    It was clear that Lapaton was determined to break through the encirclement, even at the cost of risking himself!


    The gap of two hundred meters vanished in an instant, mere moments later, the distance between them had shrunk to one hundred meters!


    A hundred meters¡ªwhat did that entail?


    At that range, the commanders of both sides could already see each other!


    In fact, when the distance had narrowed to this extent, Lapaton at the prow of his ship and Rocky on the deck could already see each other, looking at one another from less than a hundred meters apart, their expressions almost identical, both revealing a look of resolution!


    One hundred meters¡­


    Fifty meters¡­


    Thirty meters¡­


    In less than a minute, the fleet led by Lapaton charged towards Rocky, and then Lapaton¡¯s flagship collided with the War Steed!


    The War Steed, Rocky¡¯s command ship, was a Fifth-Generation Battleship, exceeding three hundred meters in length¡ªa truly colossal vessel.


    Though not a battleship, Lapaton¡¯s flagship was the lead patrol cruiser; it might be slightly smaller than the War Steed, but the difference was not significant.


    The two massive behemoths collided head-on!


    When the warships met, the first thing to collide was the Defensive Net, which, although designed to withstand countless assaults, could not last even a second upon impact, shattering almost instantly.


    As the Defensive Net shattered, the prow of the flagship slammed hard into the side of the War Steed!


    A thunderous roar resounded as Rocky, who stood on the deck, was thrown into the air. The heavy-armored hull of the War Steed caved in under the massive impact force, and the entire battleship began to tilt to one side, as if it were about to capsize. Several crew members were thrown over the railings in the violent collision, screaming as they fell through the sky.


    Of course, the enemy who violently crashed into the War Steed fared no better. The bow of the flagship split open upon impact; half of it was pulverized by the collision, and Lapaton, who had been standing at the prow all along, was thrown off just like Rocky, propelled by the tremendous force. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the other side, as the flagships of the two forces collided, the other warships also smashed into each other at that moment!


    This caused the skies to be alight with fire.


    Not every warship possessed the defensive power of the War Steed, and likewise, not every ship could remain afloat after colliding like Lapaton¡¯s flagship did.


    So when the other warships of the two forces collided, some were bisected by the impact, exploding in midair instantaneously, others sank after the collision as they could not withstand the immense impact force. In that instant, the entire airspace was engulfed in a blaze of fire¡­


    COMMENT


    2 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    2

 Chapter 412 - 380: The Unsinkable Ship!

    Chapter 412: Chapter 380: The Unsinkable Ship!


    It¡¯s all over¡­


    After colliding with the War Steed, Lapaton was flung onto the deck from his position at the bow. When the crew helped him up and he regained consciousness to look around, he knew it was truly over¡­


    Within his line of sight, flames shot up into the sky, and waves of heat kept rolling in¡ªwaves of heat coming from one exploding warship after another.


    Among these exploding warships were those commanded by Lapaton, as were Rocky¡¯s. In short, the entire expanse of space had become chaotically engulfed in these explosions.


    Seeing this, Lapaton knew the breakout had failed, and he truly couldn¡¯t escape this time.


    In fact, from the moment he noticed the enemy had positioned all their warships across the sky, determined to block his escape at all costs, he had anticipated this outcome because once a collision of such magnitude occurred, it would result in mutual destruction¡ªno one would fare well.


    ...


    Lapaton was well aware that although his fleet had a greater number of warships, which appeared as though the enemy couldn¡¯t possibly stop them all, the reality wasn¡¯t as it seemed. Just like now, when the warships collided and exploded, especially with large-scale chain explosions, all surrounding warships would be affected. Even if they weren¡¯t directly hit, charging through this chaotic region would be extremely difficult.


    If given more time, Lapaton believed his fleet might have a chance to break through this area of space, but they didn¡¯t have that time anymore.


    Now, Karina¡¯s Void Magic Squad had already caught up, fiercely targeting the warships that hadn¡¯t collided. Even more crucially, after such a long duration, Berg had tightened the encirclement, with a large number of warships gradually closing in. Therefore, Lapaton and his men simply couldn¡¯t run anymore.


    If they couldn¡¯t run¡­


    ¡­they would take someone down with them!


    Supported by his crew, the fifty-something-year-old Lapaton¡¯s gaze was resolutely fixed on the War Steed!


    ¡°Fire¡­ fire¡­!¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    Glancing at the War Steed, now close at hand, Lapaton issued his final order¡ªfire!


    Up till now, Lapaton didn¡¯t know who the commander of the War Steed was, but he firmly believed that the commander who dared to risk his life to block him was no minor character, perhaps even the architect of it all. So, knowing there was no retreat, he chose to go down with his adversary, determined to take the enemy commander with him even in death.


    It must be said that Lapaton was indeed an outstanding soldier. His judgments were impeccable, his will as solid as rock, and his authority equally awe-inspiring. It¡¯s worth noting that his flagship was already sinking, and after such a severe collision, it was reaching its limit to keep afloat.


    Even so, when he ordered to open fire, the remaining few crew members still carried out his command, aiming the warship¡¯s cannons at the War Steed!


    At this point, they were at zero distance from the War Steed, which meant that aiming was unnecessary¡ªfiring would ensure a hundred percent hit rate. So, in an instant, the gunners fired the Magic Energy Cannons!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    Boom!


    One cannon blast followed another, each accompanied by a burst of fire on the hull of the War Steed, some shells struck the armor, and others pierced right through the ship.


    However, facing the enemy¡¯s final attack, the resilience of the battleship became evident; despite suffering such a severe collision, the War Steed still displayed unbelievable toughness! Even as the hull was punctured with hole after hole from the enemy¡¯s final barrage, the War Steed did not sink.


    ¡°Gunner¡­ Gunner! Wil! Wil!¡±


    Staggering to his feet from the deck, Rocky felt everything spinning before his eyes, but before he could recover, the roaring sound of cannon fire and violent shaking beneath his feet came.


    The successive cannon blasts were deafening, and still dizzy from the impact, all he could feel was his head buzzing as if it were about to explode at any moment, but Rocky couldn¡¯t afford to worry about that; he couldn¡¯t even figure out his orientation before he started shouting.


    ¡°Sir! I¡¯m right here!¡±


    Following the sound of the voice, Rocky saw Uncle Wil staggering toward him, obviously also severely wounded in the recent collision.


    ¡°Return fire! Return fire quickly!¡±


    While gesturing to Wil not to come closer, Rocky shouted out loud with all his might.


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    With that response, Uncle Wil rushed to the cannon emplacement and commanded the gunners to counterattack with the greatest speed!


    Since the ship was facing the enemy, even though some of the artillery on board of the warship had been destroyed by the impact, there were still numerous Magic Energy Cannons on the War Steed that turned their muzzles towards the enemy, and moments later, bursts of fire shot out.


    In this way, the two warships began an artillery duel at point-blank range, where there was no longer any talk of hit rates, for they were so close to each other that the flagship¡¯s bow was now pressing against the side of the War Steed, and thus every shell from both sides hit its mark without fail.


    In such a close-quarters artillery duel, the advantages of the battleship¡¯s thicker armor and the greater number of Magic Energy Cannons became the key.


    Against the enemy¡¯s bombardment, the War Steed¡¯s defensive power was clearly superior, and although the ship had also suffered serious damage from the collision, it retained more artillery, which meant that after only a few minutes of firing at each other, the War Steed¡¯s advantage was already established.


    Just a few minutes had passed when the flagship commanded by Lapaton was nearly torn apart, and the already unstable warship could no longer maintain its hover and began to slowly descend, whereas the War Steed ¨C although half its hull was riddled with holes ¨C still floated in mid-air, giving the impression of an unsinkable ship, invulnerable to any sort of attack! S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It didn¡¯t take even a dozen minutes more for Lapaton and his flagship to plummet from the sky, soon crashing violently into the forest on the ground below, the resulting explosion swiftly engulfing a large swath of forest.


    Fleet Commander Lapaton of Chenxiu City, killed in action!


    And with the sinking of Lapaton and his flagship, the rest of the warships led by Berg finally arrived, but by the time they got there, the battle was nearly over, with Karina, having joined the fray earlier, leading the Void Magic Squad to sink all the remaining ships one by one.


    With that, this carefully planned ambush battle was finally over.


    In this battle, the reinforcement forces sent from Chenxiu City totaled fifty-three warships, including one flagship-class patrol cruiser, thirty-three destroyers, and twenty escort ships, all of which were destroyed after this fight, not a single person from the entire fleet, Commander Lapaton included, survived¡­


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    1

 Chapter 413 - 381 Next Step

    Chapter 413: Chapter 381 Next Step


    ¡°Quick! Bring City Lord Rocky onto my ship!¡±


    After the battle ended, the severely damaged War Steed slowly descended into the forest, and then Berg immediately had someone bring Rocky onto his flagship. At the same time, Karina had already led the Void Magic Warriors to search the battlefield, confirming that no enemies were left, and then she came to Berg¡¯s flagship.


    ¡°You¡¯re one tough guy to kill.¡±


    After bringing Rocky aboard and into his own cabin, Berg said with a chuckle because he could see that although Rocky was injured in the recent fight, most injuries were superficial, and overall, he seemed to be alright.


    To Berg, it seemed like a miracle. He had seen the battle from afar as the enemy¡¯s flagship struck head-on and then began to exchange fire, a tactic that clearly meant mutual destruction. In such a scenario, the fact that Rocky survived without serious injuries was indeed miraculous.


    ¡°It¡¯s because you came too late.¡±


    ...


    Lying in bed, Rocky shook his head helplessly.


    ¡°I did my best. Who knew the enemy would be so desperate to break through?¡±


    Berg defended himself with a grimace, not that he hadn¡¯t tried hard enough, but the enemy was just too resilient.


    ¡°Yes, we all underestimated them.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky nodded firmly in agreement, indicating that Berg was completely correct.


    He, Karina, and Berg had meticulously planned this ambush, considering everything the three could think of, except for the tenacity of the enemy.


    Prior to this, Rocky and Karina had experienced numerous aerial and major battles, but they had never encountered an enemy as formidable as Lapaton. Here, ¡®formidable¡¯ didn¡¯t refer to the weaponry, but to the enemy¡¯s spirit.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    Lapaton¡¯s responses after being ambushed were impeccable. Given the situation, he made the most correct and precise judgment, and the resilience he and his troops exhibited at the last moment was enough to earn anyone¡¯s respect, something Rocky, Karina, and Berg hadn¡¯t anticipated.


    So even though they had won the battle, and quite beautifully at that, Rocky felt no joy because the battle made him realize a problem they had never considered before¡ªthe enemy they were now facing was not the weak force they used to fight. They now, and in the future, had to face opponents who were skilled warriors like Lapaton, perhaps even more challenging than Lapaton.


    This was something Rocky and his allies had to pay attention to, otherwise, no matter how comprehensive the plan, it would be of no avail.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    At that moment, Karina also arrived in the room, still dressed in her Void Magic Warrior gear, only having removed her helmet.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. How did it go with the enemy?¡±


    Shaking his head to show he was mostly unharmed, Rocky quickly asked.


    ¡°Checked them, no one escaped, nobody survived. Only the cargo ship remains now.¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°How many cargo ships are left?¡±


    Hearing about the cargo ships, Berg hurriedly asked.


    ¡°How should I know? Go ask them yourself later, I¡¯ve already had someone count.¡±


    After rolling her eyes at Berg, Karina sat down on the largest and most beautiful chair in the cabin.


    ¡°Sis, be careful, that chair is made of Purple Magic Wood and costs tens of thousands of Gold Coins!¡±


    Seeing Karina dressed in Armor and sitting on his favorite chair, Berg felt a pang of pain.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    He had been better off not reminding her, but once he did, Karina arched her eyebrows, and with a flick of her finger, left a mark on the armrest of the chair, almost bringing Berg to tears.


    ¡°My lords,¡±


    Just then, an aide under Karina¡¯s command knocked on the door and entered.


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    Turning her head to look at the aide, Karina nodded her head.


    ¡°My lords, the damage assessment has been completed. We lost a total of twenty-one warships, including thirteen Escort Ships and eight destroyers, ten of which, including the War Steed, were severely damaged and might be unable to continue fighting,¡± the aide reported.


    ¡°Regarding the personnel, no Void Magic Warriors were injured, the crew¡­


    Standing at the door, the aide quickly finished the post-battle report.


    The three people in the bedroom exchanged glances after hearing the aide¡¯s report.


    ¡°You may leave.¡±


    Waving her hand, Karina dismissed the aide, leaving just the three of them in the bedroom.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°The losses are much greater than we anticipated¡­¡±


    After a glance at the other two, Berg said with a distressed expression, and neither Rocky nor Karina could deny it with a shake of their heads.


    Indeed, the losses from this battle were much greater than they had expected.


    According to their original estimate, the losses from attacking the trade convoy and ambushing the support forces should have been kept to under ten warships, but unexpectedly, Lapaton¡¯s counterattack was too fierce; fifteen of the twenty-one lost ships were sunk while trying to block them, which was far beyond their expectations.


    So what should they do about their next plan?


    For this attack, Rocky and his team had devised a complete set of plans, but now the plan was barely underway when it faced an unexpected blow, catching them off guard.


    So after a brief silence, Karina and Berg looked towards Rocky, since he was leading this operation and was responsible for its execution. Faced with such a significant setback at the start, whether to continue or not was naturally for Rocky to decide.


    Facing the gaze of Karina and Berg, Rocky furrowed his brows and didn¡¯t speak easily.


    Twenty warships destroyed, ten more incapacitated, leaving them with only about fifty ships capable of participating in further battles¡ªan exceptionally tight situation if they were to proceed with the operation, posing significant risk.


    On the other hand, if they chose to retreat, they wouldn¡¯t lose too much, because, as the aide had reported, of the more than twenty merchant ships they had initially captured, seventeen were still intact. Taking all these ships with their cargoes would not only cover their losses but could even allow them to profit a bit, at least ensuring they wouldn¡¯t incur a loss.


    However, if they chose to flee, they would have to run as far and as fast as possible, tucking their tails behind them, because it wouldn¡¯t be long¡ªmaybe a few days, or a week to ten days later¡ªbefore the Rebel Army could thoroughly investigate everything they had done. Then, they would inevitably face relentless pursuit until the end of the war.


    Therefore, what they did next became crucial¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 414 - 382: Chenxiu City

    Chapter 414: Chapter 382: Chenxiu City


    Although they had won the battle, what to do next became a great dilemma for Rocky and his two companions.


    To go or to stay, how should they choose?


    This night was obviously tough for Rocky and his companions because their next decision was of great importance, possibly affecting everyone¡¯s fate.


    The night was equally hard for others, too¡­


    ¡°What did you say!¡±


    In the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Chenxiu City, City Lord Goth had just fallen asleep when he was awakened by a subordinate coming to report, and upon hearing the subordinate¡¯s briefing that they had completely lost contact with Lapaton and the fleet he led, Goth immediately sat up in bed.


    ...


    ¡°When did this happen!¡±


    Goth asked the subordinate at the door, sitting up from the bed.


    ¡°My lord, just now¡­¡±


    ¡°Summon everyone to the City Lord¡¯s Hall immediately,¡± Goth commanded after a moment of contemplation and then began to dress.


    It was already past midnight, the sky was at its darkest and heaviest, but at Goth¡¯s call, all of Chenxiu City¡¯s officials appeared in the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    Because Chenxiu City was a large Sky City, it had many officials. Just those qualified to enter the City Lord¡¯s Hall for a meeting numbered several dozen. When these officials arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Hall, some were still bleary-eyed, evidently woken up from deep sleep, others looked completely confused. Although everyone knew that something important must have happened, no one knew exactly what, so there was a lot of quiet speculation.


    However, as everyone whispered among themselves, all those voices suddenly stopped, for City Lord Goth had arrived.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    By this time, Goth was fully dressed and accompanied by two Void Magic Warriors as he entered the City Lord¡¯s Hall, then took his seat on the City Lord¡¯s throne.


    ¡°Gentlemen, I have just received news that we have lost contact with Lapaton and his forces.¡±


    ¡®What!¡¯


    ¡°How is this possible!¡±


    ¡°City Lord, when did this happen?!¡±


    It only took one sentence from Goth for the City Lord¡¯s Hall to explode into uproar!


    The attack on the Jindafu Caravan had occurred during the day, so many were aware of it; they also knew Goth had sent Lapaton with a fleet to provide support, but none had thought that within just a day and a half, Lapaton would be in trouble too?


    This news was almost too much for the people in the City Lord¡¯s Hall to accept!


    After all, Lapaton was one of Chenxiu City¡¯s Fleet Commanders, a fierce general with strong capabilities. Although the fleet he led might not have been large, with over fifty warships, such a fleet size, combined with a commander like Lapaton, surely couldn¡¯t have been wiped out by an enemy so easily, right?


    ¡°Silence!¡±


    As a commotion arose in the hall, Goth, seated in the position of City Lord, scolded sharply, silencing the entire hall with a single sentence.


    ¡°Araman, what are your thoughts?¡±


    With the hall now quiet, Goth looked to his right-hand side, where in the front row, stood an elderly man with white hair.


    This elder had hair that was already white, yet he was full of vitality, with bright eyes and a tall stature that made it difficult to determine his exact age.


    This man was none other than Araman, the Marshal in charge of the entire military force of Chenxiu City.


    Upon being called out by Goth, Araman did not immediately respond but stepped forward after a moment¡¯s contemplation, ¡°City Lord, it seems Lapaton has encountered an enemy ambush.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, given Lapaton¡¯s capabilities, even if faced with an enemy several times stronger, he would not¡­¡±


    Standing before Goth, Araman quickly laid out his thoughts in a few words.


    In his view, given Lapaton¡¯s abilities and experience, combined with the fleet he led, it was highly unlikely that they were annihilated without a trace. Even in the face of a formidable enemy, they should have been able to flee, which is why Araman believed it improbable that Lapaton was wiped out in a direct confrontation.


    If it wasn¡¯t a frontal engagement, then the only possibilities were a sneak attack or an ambush. With the wide expanse of the sky, the likelihood of a sneak attack was minuscule, leaving an ambush as the only viable explanation.


    Old ginger is indeed hotter; in just a few words, Araman had clarified the entire situation, compelling not just everyone else but even Goth himself to nod in agreement. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Following this, Goth continued, ¡°Who do you think the enemy might be? An Air Pirate Group, an Independent Sky City, or perhaps the Alliance Army?¡±


    One of Goth¡¯s current dilemmas was not knowing who the enemy was, a matter that caused him no small amount of trouble because he could only devise an appropriate response once the identity of the enemy was clear. For instance, if the enemy were the Alliance Army, he would immediately report the incident to the commander at the front and promptly summon troops for a crackdown. However, if the enemy were merely an Air Pirate Group taking advantage of the chaos, then Goth would need to take a different approach.


    Unfortunately, even Araman shook his head in response to this question, for he did not know the answer either.


    Seeing Araman¡¯s head shake, Goth took a deep breath and then looked at the others, ¡°Everyone, the War Alliance Leader has entrusted us with the responsibility of supplying the entire military. The significance of this essential task, I presume, needs no elaboration. Now that petty thieves attempt to stir trouble, what should we do?¡±


    The War Alliance Leader that Goth referred to was the overall commander of the Rebel Army in the Tulip Battle Zone, responsible for leading the entirety of the Rebel forces in the region. If the Alliance Hierarch dared to hand over such an important matter as managing the entire army¡¯s supplies to Chenxiu City, it was not without reason.


    The reason was that Chenxiu City¡¯s strength was more than sufficient.


    As an Independent Sky City, unaffiliated with any forces or families, Chenxiu City was incredibly strong. It housed over five hundred warships and no less than ten Void Magic Squads. Among the many large Sky Cities, its strength was considered above average, certainly capable of shouldering the responsibility of supplies.


    And Chenxiu City was more than willing to take on this significant duty because anyone knew that managing the entire army¡¯s supplies was a lucrative affair. Could there be a lack of benefits when undertaking such a task?


    But at the same time, reaping such benefits without doing the actual work was absolutely unacceptable¡ªeven doing it poorly was out of the question! In other words, Chenxiu City could not afford any mistakes in the matter of supplies, or Goth¡¯s fate would undoubtedly be dire.


    It was for this reason that the attack on the caravan was taken much more seriously by Goth than anyone could imagine. He needed to resolve the situation as quickly as possible and prevent it from escalating, for if a severe problem indeed arose, not to mention the impact on the entire battle zone due to supply issues, both he and Chenxiu City were bound for disaster!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 415 - 383: A Slap in the Face

    Chapter 415: Chapter 383: A Slap in the Face


    To handle the Rocky issue, Goth took immediate action overnight.


    First, he decided to expand the range of the troops meeting the trading convoy, which would usually only extend to within the battle zone, but in light of the Jindafu Caravan being attacked, Goth expanded it beyond the battle zone to ensure the safety of the convoys.


    Second, he urgently notified all escort fleets currently on mission to double their vigilance.


    Third, he dispatched reconnaissance ships to conduct extensive searches near the Tulip Battle Zone.


    Overnight, Goth, the City Lord of Chenxiu City, issued three consecutive orders pointing directly at Rocky and his party, and with these orders, a tense atmosphere naturally arose within the airspace of Chenxiu City.


    However, despite the swiftness of his three orders and the seemingly increased alertness, those with a discerning eye could see that Goth hadn¡¯t really taken many substantial actions.


    ...


    And this was precisely where Goth found himself in a difficult position.


    Having taken on the lucrative role of logistics, Goth did profit substantially but he also indeed dedicated himself to responsibly supplying the front lines. For example, over half of the troops in the city had been dispatched on escort missions, with the remaining responsible for meeting and patrolling, among other duties.


    In other words, after the loss of Lapaton and the fifty-plus warships under his command, there were not many troops left inside Chenxiu City, about only over a hundred warships, with the rest out on escort missions. Goth found himself willing but powerless.


    Because, up until now, he still did not know the exact strength of Rocky, everything had to be judged based on experience.


    Based on Goth¡¯s experience, and considering the total annihilation of Lapaton¡¯s forces, he could roughly guess the scale of Rocky¡¯s military strength. Thus, if he wanted to continue sending troops to hunt them down, he¡¯d have to dispatch a fleet of at least a hundred warships to be confident of victory. This was precisely what troubled Goth the most: he simply did not have that many troops at his disposal for such a maneuver.


    Consequently, all he could do were the aforementioned measures.


    The only consolation for Goth was that this shortage of forces was only temporary.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    Although Chenxiu City was currently depleted and all fleets were out on escort missions, as soon as these escort fleets returned to Sky City one after the other, even if he only pulled out a few warships from each escort fleet, Goth could assemble a formidable fleet numbering over a hundred. At that time, no matter who the enemy was, he would have a fighting chance.


    Therefore, as long as he could get through these few days and reassign his troops, everything would naturally be resolved.


    However, what he didn¡¯t know was that these few days were exactly what Rocky and his party were striving for!


    On June 1, 118th Year of the Sky Era, the Jindafu Caravan was ambushed, with more than twenty merchant ships and over thirty escort ships annihilated. That very night, the Lapaton Fleet led by Lapaton himself arrived at the battlefield, fell into an ambush by Rocky and others, and along with the fleet, Lapaton perished.


    On June 2, 118th Year of the Sky Era, Goth issued three orders, informing the escort fleets about the attack on the Jindafu Caravan and the total annihilation of the Lapaton Fleet, and commanded all escort fleets to be extra cautious. However, on that same day, another trading convoy was sneak attacked!


    When Goth learned of this news, it was in the afternoon. He had just issued a series of orders in the morning, but unexpectedly, in just half a day, another trading convoy had been attacked.


    ¡°Which Chamber of Commerce¡¯s convoy was attacked?¡±


    Goth asked with a stern face, locking his brows as he addressed the officer who had come to inform him.


    ¡°My lord, it was a merchant ship of the Azure Commerce Guild.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What is the cargo on the ship?¡±


    Upon hearing the words Azure Commerce Guild, Goth¡¯s already furrowed brows couldn¡¯t help but tighten even further, twisting into knots because he clearly remembered that the Azure Commerce Guild specialized in providing them with medicines!


    And indeed, the official went on to say, ¡°It¡¯s thirty ships¡¯ worth of medicines¡­¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    At these words, Goth sprang from his seat, his eyes bulging with shock!


    Thirty ships of medicines¡­


    This significant loss made Goth quite uneasy.


    The previous attack on the Jindafu Caravan, though it also lost more than thirty ships¡¯ cargo, was mainly in charge of supplying Chenxiu City with Magic Stones. While these strategic materials were very important, there were ample reserves both in Chenxiu City and on the front lines, so the loss of thirty ships full of Magic Stones, though substantial, didn¡¯t have a large impact on the entire battle zone.


    But it was different with the loss of medicines this time.


    In the current level and scale of warfare, the total number of warships deployed in a single battle could near a thousand, or even surpass it, and the number of Void Magic Warriors deployed would be in the hundreds. Therefore, every battle would result in a large number of injured, making medicines perpetually in short supply. Hence, the sudden loss of thirty ships of medicines was so massive that even Goth found it hard to bear!


    ¡°Bastard!¡±


    With eyes wide, Goth stared at the official before him and, after a moment, roared in anger, all while violently throwing the vase from the desk against the wall with a crash.


    After that, he began pacing back and forth in his study with a crown of fury, evidently trying to think of a strategy.


    With Goth¡¯s experience, it wasn¡¯t hard to see that the enemy¡¯s intent was clearly to exploit the vulnerability in Chenxiu City¡¯s troop rotations and cause as much damage as possible. But the timing the enemy had chosen was so impeccable that even though Goth knew their intent, he couldn¡¯t fight back because he truly had no spare troops at hand.


    This matter also gave Goth an ominous feeling.


    Firstly, from the enemy¡¯s actions over the past couple of days, it was apparent that this series of attacks was well-planned and thoroughly prepared, meaning that the enemy not only had been planning this for a long time, but they definitely had follow-up moves.


    Secondly, the enemy wasn¡¯t just planning a hit-and-run; they were likely aiming to conduct guerilla warfare in the battle zone for the long term, attacking the supply lines repeatedly.


    Realizing these two points, Goth felt a sinking feeling because if that were the case, then the pressure faced by Chenxiu City would be enormous unless he could wipe out the enemy completely. Otherwise, as long as they couldn¡¯t catch the enemy, all supply lines would be under constant threat, with no one knowing whether they would be attacked next, causing all the caravans to be in a state of panic.


    What would Chenxiu City do then?


    This couldn¡¯t go on, so Goth made a swift decision; after calming his rage, he immediately said to the official from before, ¡°Contact the Alliance Hierarch at once, and ask him to send over two Sky Cities immediately, preferably mid-sized Sky Cities.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With an affirmative response, the official hurriedly left, while Goth settled back into his seat, his brow still tense¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 416 - 384: People Die for Money

    Chapter 416: Chapter 384: People Die for Money


    Late at night.


    By a river in the forest, dozens of warships were docked on the shore, including both warships and cargo ships, those that had just attacked the Azure Commerce Guild led by Rocky and others.


    To Rocky, the Azure Commerce Guild was all too familiar. Thunderhawk City, during its weakest days, had once cooperated with this chamber of commerce but eventually had significant conflicts with the chamber¡¯s manager, though their contact had diminished significantly recently.


    It was precisely because he was so familiar with the Azure Commerce Guild that, upon learning they were transporting strategic materials to Chenxiu City, Rocky immediately decided to make them one of the ambush targets, for he knew their headquarters were in Canglang City¡ªa large Sky City with only average strength among its peers. Hence, an attack on the commerce guild would likely incur minimal retaliation.


    As fate would have it, when Rocky led his troops to annihilate the escort fleet and captured all the cargo ships, he encountered an old acquaintance.


    Commerce Association Manager, Jia Xi.


    ...


    This truly echoed the old saying, ¡°Foes are bound to meet!¡±


    The initial discord between Thunderhawk City and the Azure Commerce Guild was precisely because of this Jia Xi. Abusing his position as manager to hike prices unfairly during transactions with Thunderhawk City, he also tried to take advantage of Aileen. After being driven off by Rocky, still resentful, he even teamed up with the manager of the Golden Purple Flower Commerce Chamber to cause trouble for Thunderhawk City. For Thunderhawk City, at least, the actions of Manager Jia Xi were considerably infamous.


    Rocky had almost forgotten these events, for he and Thunderhawk City were no longer the minor players that couldn¡¯t even sustain themselves. These issues had largely slipped from his mind, but seeing Jia Xi brought all the memories flooding back.


    ¡°Manager Jia Xi, we meet again.¡±


    When Jia Xi was brought before Rocky, he glanced at him and then smiled.


    To Jia Xi, that smile was more terrifying than that of a demon!


    ¡°City Lord! My lord! I, I¡­¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    No need for another to speak, Jia Xi knelt before Rocky with a thud, yet before he could finish his words, Rocky motioned to a nearby Void Magic Warrior with a wave of his hand:


    ¡°Throw him overboard.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With that response, the Void Magic Warrior lifted Jia Xi, jumped into the air outside the warship, and then let go¡­


    Of course, Jia Xi¡¯s death was just a minor episode. After throwing him overboard, Rocky ordered the fleet to descend and land at the riverbank.


    Immediately after, he reconvened with Karina and Berg to discuss their next move.


    ¡°Do we continue?¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What about this batch of goods?¡±


    During the late night, the three gathered again within the ship¡¯s cabin to debate their subsequent actions, the first issue being how to handle the recently intercepted batch of goods.


    Following the previous day¡¯s battle, Rocky decided to stick to the original plan. Taking advantage of Chenxiu City¡¯s insufficient military forces and inability to deploy troops, he would continue to raid caravans. At the same time, he ordered ten heavily damaged warships, along with seventeen cargo ships to return to Sky City early. To ensure that the crew on the cargo ships did not start a mutiny during their journey back, he also assigned five additional Void Magic Warriors for protection.


    As a result, the number of ships in Rocky and his team¡¯s current fleet, excluding those damaged and returning, now totaled over fifty, while the Void Magic Warriors numbered thirty-five.


    They immediately set sail overnight without stopping and spent half the night reaching the ambush location along the Azure Caravan¡¯s route. Once the Azure Caravan appeared, they attacked in the same way.


    Relying on the numerical advantage of the Void Magic Warriors, although Rocky had fewer warships, he still managed to annihilate the escort fleet and successfully intercepted the cargo ships headed for Chenxiu City.


    However, although the attack was successful, what to do with the cargo ships and their goods became a major problem.


    At this point, Rocky¡¯s forces were severely depleted; his fifty warships had reached a critical point. If the numbers fell further, they wouldn¡¯t be able to fight anymore. Also, he didn¡¯t have many Void Magic Warriors left¡ªoriginally only four squads, and after detaching five men earlier, only thirty-five remained. They couldn¡¯t be spared any longer. With the sharp reduction in the number of warships, the Void Magic Warriors became their only trump card against the enemy.


    ¡°Destroy them.¡±


    After pondering for a moment, Rocky looked at Karina and Berg and then spoke.


    With their current military strength, they obviously couldn¡¯t continue to deplete troops to escort the cargo ships back to Sky City. So, instead of leaving them here, it was better to destroy them so that no one could have them.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    As soon as Rocky finished speaking, Berg blinked his eyes as if he hadn¡¯t heard what Rocky said clearly.


    ¡°I said, destroy all the goods on these ships, along with the people and ships.¡±


    ¡°I disagree!¡±


    As soon as Rocky repeated his statement, Berg stood up abruptly from his seat, then shook his head as if it were a rattle: ¡°Rocky, these are thirty ships¡¯ worth of medicine! Plus there are seven to eight hundred crew members! Are we just going to write them off? I disagree!¡±


    Shaking his head continuously, Berg didn¡¯t show any extreme reaction, but he was exceptionally resolute in disagreeing with Rocky¡¯s idea.


    ¡°Rocky, think of another way. I also feel it¡¯s too wasteful to destroy all these goods.¡±


    At this point, Karina also spoke up. Although she wasn¡¯t as firm as Berg, she clearly disagreed with Rocky¡¯s idea as well.


    Karina and Berg were not members of the Sky Alliance; this great battle originally had nothing to do with them. The reason they followed Rocky was partly out of loyalty and partly because they saw an opportunity to make a fortune from the war!


    Under these circumstances, how could they spit out the morsel that was already in their mouths?


    Moreover, frankly speaking, Rocky¡¯s method was indeed a bit of a waste because they had captured thirty ships¡¯ worth of medicine!


    Medicine is not only essential in wartime but also indispensable even in peace time. As long as it¡¯s brought to market, no matter the price, they wouldn¡¯t worry about it not selling. Thus, just by simply selling off these thirty ships¡¯ worth of medicines, they could make a countless number of Gold Coins.


    Furthermore, to move along with Rocky, Karina and Berg had taken out their own capital, and everyone suffered losses in the fight. How would those losses be made up?


    Wasn¡¯t it by using the captured goods? Therefore, neither was willing to give up this batch of medicine.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Facing their opposition, Rocky frowned and was silent for a long time.


    Actually, he was not unaware of how valuable these goods were, but he had no choice; there simply weren¡¯t enough troops left to transport these goods back¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 417 - 385: Exposed?

    Chapter 417: Chapter 385: Exposed?


    In the end, Rocky still decided to withdraw five warships and five Void Magic Warriors from the main force, and together they returned thirty cargo ships laden with medicine to Sky City.


    However, this also meant they had even fewer troops at hand. The fleet losing five warships might not have a significant impact, since those withdrawn by Rocky were escort ships with minor damages. Yet the loss of five Void Magic Warriors was a considerable blow to them, as after two batches of withdrawals, only three Void Magic Squads remained¡ªreducing their number by an entire squad.


    Meanwhile, let¡¯s not forget that they still had to continue attacking caravans. If they intercepted more cargo ships later on, were they supposed to keep sending soldiers to escort the cargo back to Sky City?


    Therefore, even though Rocky had sent back thirty ships¡¯ worth of medicine, he made it clear to Berg and Karina that they could not afford to send troops for escort like this again, no matter what kind of goods they intercepted next time, or else they would have no troops left at their disposal.


    Berg and Karina both nodded in agreement, understanding the predicament of everyone involved.


    Thus, the three of them finally reached a consensus. The next morning, the fleet took off from the riverbank and commenced the next phase of their operation.


    ...


    Their next target was the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce.


    Just like their previous targets, the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce was not particularly large. It was headquartered in the Eternal City and was considered a medium-sized chamber of commerce with moderate development.


    In a large war like this one, involving the Sky Alliance and many forces and families, which could later even draw in top-tier powers such as the Kafka Empire, larger chambers of commerce wouldn¡¯t want to get involved. After all, the outcome of the war was unpredictable, and for the sake of long-term planning, the magnates did not wish to offend either side.


    In contrast, smaller and medium-sized chambers of commerce saw war as a lucrative opportunity too tempting to resist. Most of the supplies transported to Chenxiu City were by such chambers of commerce, with top-tier ones like the Continental Commerce Chamber being the exception.


    This situation made it convenient for Rocky and the others to choose their targets for attack. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So when the fleet took off from the riverbank, the group traveled north because the Eternal City was located north of the Tulip Battle Zone. The caravan dispatched by the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce would inevitably enter the battle zone from the north, and Rocky¡¯s group intended to ambush them along their route.


    It took about half a day for them to reach a small grove on the northern edge of the battle zone. Rocky had the Void Magic Squad clear out any demons in the grove first and then descended the fleet slowly into the forest.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a great spot¡­¡±


    As the entire fleet descended into the forest, Karina took flight to get a better view and found that the grove was too small. Hiding the entire fleet in it would be fine if it went unnoticed, but as soon as someone paid attention, it would be very easy to spot something amiss.


    For this reason, Karina flew around the area to scout, but sadly, the surroundings consisted of either similarly small groves or just open grasslands with no other better hiding places.


    ¡°Cut down the trees, and place the branches on the ships for camouflage.¡±


    After Karina returned, the group discussed it and ultimately decided to stay in that grove and use branches from the trees to camouflage the fleet.


    Even though this method might not be foolproof, it was the only one they could come up with.


    So, by sunset, the Void Magic Warriors and sailors camouflaged the fleet. Then Rocky had Karina fly up again to take a look, discovering that although it still wouldn¡¯t withstand close inspection, it was somewhat better than before.


    And once all this was done, Rocky dispersed a squad of Void Magic Warriors, partly for early warning and partly to scout out the movements of the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce.


    Time flew by, and before they knew it, night had fallen; yet the caravan they had been waiting for hadn¡¯t appeared.


    After an uneventful day-long wait, Rocky and his group weren¡¯t particularly anxious, because they didn¡¯t know the exact time the caravan would reach the battle zone. The only thing they could be certain of was that the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce definitely hadn¡¯t arrived yet, a fact Berg had confirmed through his own channels.


    As such, the day passed quickly, and by evening, Rocky and his team had relaxed considerably.


    The location of their hideout wasn¡¯t very good, a small grove packed with nearly fifty warships, making it quite dangerous during the day. But with nightfall, the pitch-black darkness instead became everyone¡¯s best camouflage. If the caravan happened to arrive at that moment, it would have been perfect.


    Regrettably, after two attacks and what could be called a perfect ambush, it seemed their luck had finally run out¡­


    That night, they didn¡¯t receive the caravan from the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce.


    Instead, they awaited the reconnaissance ship sent from Chenxiu City!


    Just past midnight, Rocky and others received a report from the Void Magic Warriors on guard outside: an enemy reconnaissance ship was approaching!


    This news immediately cast a pall over everyone¡¯s hearts!


    Had it not been for the greater context of war, Rocky¡¯s ambush this time might have been successful. They had the advantage of surprise and although their hiding spot was inadequate, a close-enough approach by the caravan would have made their attack highly likely to succeed. But now, they were in the midst of war.


    Their previous two attacks and an ambush, while not resulting in the elimination of a particularly large number of enemies or causing particularly great loss, still put the whole of Chenxiu City on high alert.


    Particularly after the attack on the Azure Commerce Guild¡¯s cargo ship, the City Lord of Chenxiu City, Goth, immediately dispatched all the reconnaissance ships from the city. Moreover, he expanded the search radius and ordered the reconnaissance ships to focus on the outer perimeter of the battle zone, determined to find the enemy at any cost.


    Under these circumstances, hundreds of reconnaissance ships swarmed out from Chenxiu City and distributed themselves around the battle zone, initiating an almost sweep-like carpet search.


    ¡°What do we do? Leave now?¡±


    Upon learning that a reconnaissance ship from Chenxiu City was approaching, several people who hadn¡¯t slept immediately gathered together.


    ¡°With so many warships, we¡¯ll be discovered just the same even if we leave now.¡±


    ¡°Take a gamble. See if they can find us. Naturally, the best outcome would be if they can¡¯t. But if we are discovered, we retreat at once.¡±


    After looking at Karina and Berg, Rocky finally made a decision.


    Just as Karina had said, with so many warships, if they were to withdraw immediately, not only would they have wasted an entire day, but the moment the main force took to the sky, they would be discovered instantly. This was virtually no different from being caught; therefore, it was better to take a gamble!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 418 - 386: Good Luck Comes to an End...

    Chapter 418: Chapter 386: Good Luck Comes to an End¡­


    ¡°`


    No matter how meticulous the plan, accidents can still come knocking at the door.


    The ambushing group, led by Rocky, now faced an unforeseen emergency ¡ª a reconnaissance ship sent from Chenxiu City to search for them had arrived at their hiding spot!


    Rocky was not unprepared for such a surprise. They were well aware that at this stage, it was impossible for Chenxiu City to send a large army to encircle them; at most, a few scattered reconnaissance ships would be deployed to track them down. Therefore, Rocky had already decided that if they encountered an enemy reconnaissance ship, they would immediately shoot it down and then make their escape.


    But now, Rocky was faced with an awkward choice. They had been lying in ambush in the small woods for an entire day, yet the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce they were preparing to attack had not shown up. In this situation, being discovered by the enemy¡¯s reconnaissance ship was not a problem in itself, but wouldn¡¯t it be too much of a pity to flee?


    It was known that before Chenxiu City could muster a large army to besiege them, this period was their best opportunity to strike at the supply lines. Once this chance passed, Chenxiu City would surely send out a massive fleet to pursue and blockade them. If they wanted to attack the merchant convoys then, it would be extremely difficult.


    ...


    So if they left now, even if they succeeded in shooting down the reconnaissance ship and escaping smoothly, they would still lose the opportunity to attack the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce.


    In light of this, Rocky decided to take a gamble. If the reconnaissance ship discovered them, they would retreat immediately; however, if the enemy did not notice them, they would continue to lie in wait here.


    Rocky then issued his orders. On one hand, he commanded all the crew members to enter the cabin, forbidding any noise and preparing to set sail at a moment¡¯s notice. On the other hand, he ordered the Void Magic Squad to be on standby, ready to sink the reconnaissance ship immediately if the fleet were to be discovered.


    After delivering this string of commands, Rocky made his way to the deck.


    The time had already passed midnight, around 1 AM.


    At this hour, the night was at its darkest, with not a single cloud in the sky. Rocky stood on the deck, looking up through the branches camouflaging the warship, clearly seeing the stars in the night sky.


    ¡°The early warning team just sent a message. The enemy¡¯s reconnaissance ship has entered this airspace and is less than a thousand meters from us.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    Standing beside Rocky, Liliya guarded him while reporting the latest information.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait¡­¡±


    Sighing, Rocky said resignedly.


    The two of them then stood silently on the deck, gazing at the starry sky overhead, waiting.


    Before long, new information came in ¡ª the enemy reconnaissance ship had spotted the small woods where the fleet was hidden and was flying towards the woods.


    Upon hearing this news, Rocky and Liliya entered the bridge together. Soon after, they saw through the bridge windows two reconnaissance ships flying overhead! S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These two reconnaissance ships flew very low, about fifty to sixty meters above the ground, and since it was deep into the night, the large lights on the reconnaissance ships were on. The most powerful mana searchlight was aimed directly at the ground.


    The two reconnaissance ships approached the airspace above the small woods, visibly slowed down, and then began to aim the largest searchlights on the ships at the woods.


    As the lights swept past him, Rocky held his breath, tense. It was clear to him that these two reconnaissance ships were taking their job seriously. Even faced with just a small woods, they did not let down their guard, and were carefully inspecting the area, not just going through the motions.


    More importantly, the reconnaissance ships were flying too low.


    ¡°`


    As previously mentioned, the hiding place that Rocky and his group had chosen was not ideal; the forest was too small. Thus, when Rocky noticed that the reconnaissance ships were flying at a low altitude with their searchlights on, he couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart jump to his throat.


    Now, the only thing he could do was pray, pray that their camouflage would be somewhat effective, pray that the crew on the reconnaissance ship wouldn¡¯t check too closely, and even pray that they were all nearsighted¡­ In short, he was praying that they would all avoid this calamity.


    As he continued to pray, the two reconnaissance ships circled endlessly above the forest, and the beams from their searchlights scrutinized the woods below, like a pair of eyes, as if determined to find something within this stretch of trees.


    As time ticked by, second by second, the two reconnaissance ships slowly circled the forest from above and then gradually drifted off into the distance¡­


    They had fooled them!


    Watching as the two reconnaissance ships finally left, Rocky could finally breathe a sigh of relief!


    But at that moment, just as he was barely letting out his breath and hadn¡¯t even begun to feel joy, Rocky suddenly noticed that the two reconnaissance ships, which were slowly flying away from the forest, suddenly picked up speed!


    They had been discovered after all!


    Noticing that the ships had suddenly accelerated, Rocky immediately realized something was wrong!


    ¡°Quick! Take down those reconnaissance ships!¡±


    Hearing his command, Liliya quickly snapped to attention, sprinted from the bridge into the sky, and headed straight for the escaping reconnaissance ships.


    At the same time, Rocky rushed onto the deck and then shouted to the Void Magic Squad ambushed in the forest, ¡°Quick! Take down the reconnaissance ships! Don¡¯t let them get away!¡±


    Hearing his voice, the already prepared Void Magic Warriors immediately sprang into action, with an entire squad appearing above the forest and chasing the two reconnaissance ships at top speed.


    Simultaneously, Rocky immediately issued an order to the fleet, commanding all the warships hidden in the small forest to take off at once.


    Clearly, the two reconnaissance ships had discovered them. They had been cunning, not showing any immediate reaction upon spotting them and instead pretending as if nothing had happened, turning around and leaving. If Rocky hadn¡¯t noticed them accelerating in an attempt to flee at the last moment, the Tri-City Allied Forces might have been ensnared by this small forest this time!


    And since they had been spotted, they could not stay here any longer, because the reconnaissance ships would have definitely reported back to Chenxiu City the moment they found them. Right now, Chenxiu City might have already dispatched its troops.


    Is that so?


    Indeed, that was the case!


    After the two reconnaissance ships noticed something unusual in the forest, they immediately reported back to Chenxiu City, not only informing about the location of Rocky and the others but also reporting the scale of their fleet.


    Upon receiving the message, Chenxiu City immediately analyzed various trade routes and quickly determined that Rocky¡¯s target this time was the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce, and confirmed that the discovery was made by Rocky.


    Thus, by the time Rocky commanded the fleet to ascend, Goth had indeed deployed troops, sending out all the warships in the city!


    A fleet comprised of over a hundred warships departed Chenxiu City in the dead of night, then swiftly advanced northward!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 419 - 387: The Great Encirclement!

    Chapter 419: Chapter 387: The Great Encirclement!


    On the evening of June 3, Sky Era Year 118, the only remaining hundred or so warships in Chenxiu City formed an expeditionary force and flew out of Sky City that very night, heading north towards the battle zone to chase after Rocky¡¯s fleet.


    On the morning of June 4, the pursuit team arrived at the small forest where Rocky and his men had previously ambushed. After a thorough search, they found the wreckage of two reconnaissance ships nearby but discovered no trace of the enemy.


    Then, the pursuit team¡¯s commander issued an order not to order the fleet to return but rather to change direction and start advancing towards the south of the battle zone.


    The commander of the pursuit team was named Sapoya, also one of the top generals from Chenxiu City, whose abilities and reputation even surpassed those of Lapaton!


    According to Sapoya¡¯s judgment, after the enemy was spotted by the reconnaissance ships, it was obvious that they had immediately abandoned their ambush and chosen to retreat; but where had they escaped to?


    This was something that was impossible to trace from the clues available. When Sapoya led the pursuit team to the airspace of the small forest, apart from the wreckage of two reconnaissance ships, they found nothing, with no clues to indicate the enemy¡¯s whereabouts.


    ...


    Even without clues, Sapoya could still make judgments based on his own experience!


    Standing in front of the large sand table in the captain¡¯s quarters, Sapoya looked down at the entire battle zone depicted on it, surrounded by various aides.


    Under the gaze of his aides, he casually picked up a small flag and then placed it on the sand table.


    ¡°This is our current location.¡±


    After placing the small flag on the sand table, it seemed as if Sapoya was speaking to his aides, yet it also seemed as if he was talking to himself.


    This was his habit, and his aides were already accustomed to it, so none of them spoke, all listening quietly.


    Soon after, Sapoya took out another small flag and placed it just above the forest, ¡°This is the direction where the Blue Sky Caravan entered the battle zone. If the enemy retreated toward this direction, it wouldn¡¯t take long for them to encounter the caravan, thus continuing to expose themselves. Therefore, if I were the enemy commander, I would not choose to go north.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    While he was speaking, he pointed to the left of the forest, ¡°This is the direction we came from, that is, the direction of Chenxiu City. The enemy wouldn¡¯t possibly flee toward this direction either, otherwise, they might directly encounter us.¡±


    ¡°With neither north nor west viable, the enemy could only retreat in the southeast directions.¡±


    In just a few words, Sapoya used his rich strategic experience and precise judgment to narrow down the possible paths of Rocky and his men by half.


    He then continued, ¡°If the enemy retreated eastward, then they would be completely leaving the battle zone, possibly towards their Sky City and reinforcements in the east. In that case, the enemy would have completely escaped¡­¡±


    ¡°But if the enemy escaped like that, it would actually be good for us, and we wouldn¡¯t have to go to such great lengths, would we?¡±


    While speaking, Sapoya turned to look at the aides beside him and chuckled twice, ¡°So let¡¯s not chase them eastward. If the enemy has escaped that way, then let them go.¡±


    ¡°We are going south.¡±


    After chuckling, Sapoya¡¯s expression became serious, ¡°If the enemy flees south, they can also leave the battle zone, but if they change direction midway, they could counterattack us, something I absolutely will not allow to happen.¡±


    After saying this, Sapoya turned to face his aides, ¡°Pass down my order. Let the fleet head south!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    At his command, all the officers in the room snapped to attention and saluted Sapoya before exiting. Soon after, over a hundred warships in the pursuit fleet changed direction and began heading south.


    On June 3, Sky Era Year 118, Rocky¡¯s troops were spotted by a reconnaissance ship dispatched from Chenxiu City, revealing their whereabouts.


    On June 4, Sapoya led the pursuit fleet to the target area, only to find that the enemy had already evacuated and then continued to advance southward.


    However, from that day on, Chenxiu City once again lost all contact with Rocky and his team. Although Sapoya¡¯s pursuit fleet kept chasing as best as they could, they never found any trace of Rocky and his team.


    Just like that, three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    During those three days, Sapoya¡¯s pursuit fleet had flown extensively in the rear of the warzone, but their search turned up nothing, failing to find any sign of Rocky and his team.


    Of course, starting from then, the caravans coming and going from Chenxiu City had not been attacked either.


    In Chenxiu City¡¯s eyes, this clearly indicated that their measures were effective. While dispatching numerous reconnaissance ships for carpet-searching, they also sent out a massive pursuit fleet, deterring the enemy from taking any action, perhaps even scaring them off!


    However, although Rocky and his team had vanished since then, Goth had not been reassured for a moment because the enemy¡¯s disappearance did not mean they were defeated. Who knew if they might suddenly return one day.


    To prevent a repeat attack, Goth did not withdraw Sapoya¡¯s pursuit fleet after three days¡ªinstead, he dispatched a second pursuit fleet!


    Over the past three days, including the Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce, four caravans had successfully reached Chenxiu City. This not only meant that four batches of goods had been delivered to the city but also that four escort fleets had returned!


    As the escort fleets returned one after another, Goth immediately restructured his fleet, pulling ten warships from each escort fleet and then dispatching three Void Magic Squads to form the second pursuit fleet.


    This was the strength of a large Sky City. Although Goth was caught off guard at the initial attack, causing some disarray in deployment, Chenxiu City was, after all, a large Sky City with significant strength and resources. Given some time, even not much, Goth could rapidly assemble a powerful pursuit fleet to fully encircle and suppress the enemy!


    The situation was indeed as such now!


    The two pursuit fleets deployed in succession were now extensively searching a large airspace, determined to leave no potential for escape. As long as the enemy was still hiding within the warzone, they were resolved to root them out and destroy them!


    Meanwhile, the reinforcements pulled from the front line had also reached the airspace of Chenxiu City!


    Previously, due to the tight situation and the severity of the enemy attacks, Goth had to request reinforcements, asking for two medium-sized Sky Cities from the front line to ensure the safety of the supply lines.


    Now, the units pulled from the front line to secure the supply lines had finally arrived.


    With this, Goth¡¯s forces were now completely bolstered, and he immediately launched an extensive encirclement!


    COMMENT


    0 comment Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 420 - 388: The Maze of Illusions

    Chapter 420: Chapter 388: The Maze of Illusions


    After receiving the reinforcement request from Chenxiu City, the Commander of the Tulip Battle Zone¡¯s Rebel Army, who is also the Leader of the War Alliance, immediately redeployed from the frontline to the rear to provide support.


    However, Goth¡¯s request was for two medium-sized Sky Cities to be called back, but in the end, what was redeployed from the frontline was one medium-sized Sky City plus two small Sky Cities, and that was the limit of what the War Alliance Leader could manage.


    The Tulip Battle Zone is the Sky Alliance¡¯s best-performing among the Four Great War Zones. What does that imply? Of course, it means that the Rebel Army in the Tulip Battle Zone is under the greatest pressure among all the war zones!


    Holy Knight Wilton and his lead Alliance Army were not an easy opponent. Apart from the fact that his forces were indeed fewer than the Rebel Army¡¯s, in terms of combat power, the abilities of the commanders, and all other aspects, they were not inferior to the Rebel Army, and even stronger, so the Rebel Army faced immense pressure against Wilton¡¯s forces.


    And let¡¯s not forget, Wilton knew that Rocky was carrying out sneak attacks in the rear!


    Although limited by manpower, and unable to send a large force to support or coordinate, once Rocky started his move, which was from June 1, His Excellency the Holy Knight personally led the army to continuously launch offensives against the Rebel Army, to tie down their forces and prevent the enemy from reinforcing the rear.


    ...


    From June 1 of the year 118 to June 14 of the year 118, for a whole two weeks, the Alliance Army launched a total of six attacks against the Rebel Army, averaging three attacks per week, equivalent to launching a large-scale offensive every other day!


    To be honest, since the beginning of the war in the Tulip Battle Zone, the Alliance Army had never launched such a fierce offensive, so at the beginning, it completely stunned the Rebel Army. Some people even wondered if Wilton had received reinforcements from the main force of the Sky Alliance and planned to take over the entire war zone in one fell swoop; otherwise, why would he suddenly become so crazy?


    Although this possibility was quickly ruled out, it left the Rebel Army even more confused. If Wilton had not received reinforcements, why did he suddenly start a large-scale and sustained offensive? S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wilton¡¯s actions appeared highly abnormal to the Rebel Army, as even with forces that were originally at a disadvantage in number, and despite higher ability and quality, during the process of attacking, especially in continuous offensives, Wilton¡¯s lead Alliance Army was also suffering severe depletion.


    So unless Wilton could take down the entire war zone in one go and drive out all of the Rebel Army, such crazy offensives were tantamount to wantonly depleting his own forces, and later he would not be able to continue fighting!


    While everyone was unclear about Wilton¡¯s intentions, news from Chenxiu City happened to reach the frontline, allowing people to realize that Wilton¡¯s near-crazy precision attacks were to coordinate with the harassment in the rear.


    However, understanding this only made the Rebel Army more worried, not less.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    According to Goth¡¯s report, the enemies attacking the supply lines in the rear numbered just over a hundred warships, and certainly not more than this number, but this made the Rebel Army on the frontline even more baffled.


    Had Wilton really exerted so much effort to launch an attack just to cover a small force of just over a hundred warships in the rear?


    The forces of both sides on the frontline, combined with just the large Sky Cities, totaled over a dozen, and there were even more medium-sized Sky Cities, dozens in fact. The totals of the warships from both sides had long since reached the scale of over ten thousand. Even a simple minor conflict could result in hundreds of warships being lost on both sides, and the recent large-scale attacks launched by Wilton each resulted in the loss of over a hundred ships, and sometimes even several hundred warships and several squads of Void Magic Warriors.


    Could it be that Wilton was sacrificing such a tremendous number of forces just to cover for a sneak attack force that was the size of a sesame seed in the rear?


    Impossible!


    Absolutely impossible!


    There must be something wrong here!


    Having synthesized the recent performance of Wilton and the messages from Goth, everyone in the Rebel Army became convinced that there had to be an issue. Wilton was a renowned commander, and it would be unlike him to make such a blunder¡ªgiving up a watermelon for a sesame seed; thus, Goth¡¯s reports must contain errors. The enemy must have a larger force in the rear, or Wilton wouldn¡¯t have acted so wildly.


    It was this judgment that led the War Alliance Leader, under tremendous pressure, to divert a medium-sized Sky City from the front lines. He then drew two small Sky Cities from the transport troops to support Chenxiu City in the rear.


    At the same time, the War Alliance Leader contacted Goth, shared Wilton¡¯s actions, and the collective assessment with him, instructing him to be very cautious and to find the missing enemy at all costs.


    This left Goth bewildered¡­


    Unlike the Rebel Army at the front lines, Goth, who was stationed in the rear, was actually in the best position to understand the situation. Although the enemy had vanished without a trace in recent days, Goth clearly remembered that the Reconnaissance Ship¡¯s report had explicitly stated the enemy¡¯s fleet was estimated to be between fifty and eighty warships. Although it was a rough estimate, the Recon Ship had directly observed the enemy¡¯s troops, making the information quite reliable.


    Yet the front lines believed this information to be inaccurate, insisting that the enemy must still have a large force hidden within the battle zone and that the previously encountered troops were merely a diversion. Therefore, they demanded that Goth prepare in advance and not allow any supply issues to occur.


    Faced with these two contradictory assessments, Goth found himself in a difficult position. After learning about Wilton¡¯s actions on the front lines, he also felt that the front line¡¯s judgment made sense. To ensure the security of the rear he was guarding, he intensified the search efforts.


    On one hand, as the Escort Fleet returned one after another, he allocated some of these ships to form a third pursuit team, continuing a meticulous search in the airspace around Chenxiu City.


    On the other hand, the three Sky Cities recalled from the front lines were also strategically positioned by him. First, he sent the medium-sized Sky City to the battle zone¡¯s outer perimeter, expanding the zone¡¯s range from that pivot point. This allowed the response units to depart directly from the medium-sized Sky City and meet the approaching supply caravans in advance.


    As for the two smaller Sky Cities, they patrolled the trading routes continuously, ready to dispatch troops directly from inside the cities to reinforce the caravans swiftly if any issues arose.


    In this matter, Goth clearly had his own judgment. He agreed with the front line¡¯s idea that the Sky Alliance would make further moves. However, Goth believed that even if the enemy took action, it would definitely come from outside the battle zone. Having conducted an extensive search within the zone, hiding a large force there seemed impossible, prompting him to focus the defense on the periphery of the battle zone.


    And so, half a month passed by, and in the blink of an eye, that half-month had come to an end¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 421 - 389: Reappear Again!

    Chapter 421: Chapter 389: Reappear Again!


    Before our eyes, half a month had passed.


    In this half-month, Rocky and the others had completely vanished without a trace. Even after Chenxiu City had deployed three troops to search, they found no sign of them.


    After such an extended period of searching, Goth had finally begun to ease his worries, believing that the enemy must have fled beyond the battle zone. Even so, he didn¡¯t let his guard down.


    The previous attack, although it only lasted a few days and involved just two merchant caravans, left Goth with the sensation of being once bitten, twice shy. Therefore, even though Rocky and his group had fallen silent, Goth expanded the battle zone and deployed additional heavy troops along the supply lines!


    Now, not only had the Tulip Battle Zone been enlarged, but also a mid-sized Sky City had been added to the rear. With this Sky City, Chenxiu City could ensure that travelling merchant caravans received support a day in advance.


    Additionally, two small Sky Cities began to patrol the trade routes regularly. Though they were just small Sky Cities, they housed a considerable amount of troops, ready to provide immediate reinforcement in case of an emergency.


    ...


    As for the three Fleets originally dispatched to pursue, after over half a month of searching, they were called back. However, their original structure remained intact. They continued to patrol the outskirts of the battle zone, ensuring no enemies could ambush the caravans along the way.


    Only after such thorough and layered security measures¡ªlike being wrapped in three inner and three outer layers¡ªdid Goth finally relax.


    Under such stringent arrangements, not a single attack on merchant caravans occurred in the half month, which was expected. Within such layered protection, it would be impossible for even a fly to approach the supply lines, let alone a full-strength enemy.


    As peace settled in the rear, the Rebel Army also made significant advancements on the frontline!


    As mentioned before, to distract the frontline forces and create opportunities for Rocky, Wil had led the Alliance Army in relentless assaults. However, following the sustained offensives, problems began to arise.


    Wil¡¯s Alliance Army was already outnumbered by the Rebel Army. The fact that they could fight to a stalemate relied entirely on Wil¡¯s and his officers¡¯ superior command abilities and the troops¡¯ high quality.


    After the continuous counterattacks of the previous period, Wil and the Alliance Army suffered no losses and even gained some advantages. However, no matter the benefits, the relentless offensive took a significant toll on the Alliance Army.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    So when the situation in the rear stabilized, and the Rebel Army promptly initiated their attacks, Wil and the Alliance Army struggled to hold their ground.


    In this half-month, the Rebel Army launched three large-scale offensives, victorious in all three! Wil and the Alliance Army were forced to retreat step by step, now completely driven out of Tulip City¡¯s airspace!


    With Wil¡¯s consecutive retreats, the situation in the Tulip Battle Zone naturally deteriorated rapidly. What was once the most secure zone was now barely holding on, on the verge of collapse!


    As the Tulip Battle Zone¡¯s situation worsened, it meant the Sky Alliance¡¯s Four Great War Zones were all at a disadvantage¡ªthe Sky Alliance had become perilously vulnerable in the war, whereas the Rebel Army¡¯s position improved drastically.


    This outcome was beyond everyone¡¯s expectations.


    However, just as all the Rebel Army in the Tulip Battle Zone thought victory was within reach, something significant happened in the zone that day!


    A small Sky City transporting supplies to the front lines had been attacked!


    ¡°What!¡±


    When Goth, who had just started to relax a few days ago, received the news, he was shocked as if struck by lightning, and he jumped out of his seat, or rather, leaping would be more accurate, since the news was too shocking and he was completely unprepared for it!


    ¡°What happened! Speak!¡±


    Goth demanded, his face ashen, as he looked to the officier who came with the report. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Lord, Hongshou City sent a message that they came under attack while transporting supplies to the front lines¡­¡±


    ¡°How many enemies were there?¡±


    ¡°A Sky City¡­¡±


    Glancing down at Goth, the officer swallowed hard before struggling to get the words out.


    After he finished speaking, he noticed that Goth¡¯s expression and complexion had changed dramatically!


    No wonder, when the officer first heard the news, he was just as incredulous as Goth.


    You see, the attacked Hongshou City was specifically responsible for transporting supplies from Chenxiu City to the front lines, which meant what exactly?


    It meant the area of Hongshou City¡¯s operation was deep within the battle zone!


    The route of the small Sky City responsible for transporting supplies from Chenxiu City to the front lines was generally fixed, only traveling between the front lines and Chenxiu City, and it couldn¡¯t appear elsewhere. With Hongshou City being attacked, it signified that the enemy had penetrated the battle zone¡¯s inner area!


    How could this be possible!


    More importantly, what assaulted Hongshou City wasn¡¯t a small troop but a Sky City!


    An enemy Sky City appearing suddenly deep within their territory was a shocking revelation to Goth. How could his heart not tremble?!


    After a moment of shock, Goth quickly inquired, ¡°Who is the enemy, have you identified them?¡±


    ¡°Lord, it¡¯s Thunderhawk City.¡±


    Nodding, the officer immediately answered, as Hongshou City had reported that they were attacked by Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°Thunderhawk City¡­ Rocky¡¯s Sky City?¡±


    Hearing this, Goth was taken aback again. Though he was the City Lord of a large Sky City, he had heard of Thunderhawk City and Rocky. After all, a few months ago, the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, Rocky, had caused quite a stir, and he had been involved in the battle plans. Therefore, Goth was familiar with him and Thunderhawk City.


    However, familiar as he was, Goth could not fathom how Rocky had appeared deep within the battle zone, and more crucially, how Thunderhawk City had done so? He clearly remembered that Thunderhawk City was supposed to be the first to fall in the initial round of attacks and had been missing since the first day of the war. In such a high-level conflict, no one cared about a small Sky City, so the Rebel Army didn¡¯t pay attention to this matter. Yet, Thunderhawk City had now reached the Tulip Battle Zone and emerged deep within the battle zone upon its first appearance, which was utterly incredible¡­!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 422 - 390: Deceive the Heavens to Cross the Sea!

    Chapter 422: Chapter 390: Deceive the Heavens to Cross the Sea!


    The Tulip Battle Zone was suddenly attacked by an enemy¡¯s Sky City, which shocked the entire Rebel Army in the zone.


    Not only was Goth from Chenxiu City confused about the situation, but even the frontline units of the Rebel Army, including the War Alliance Leader, were dumbfounded upon hearing the news.


    How did Thunderhawk City end up in the Tulip Battle Zone?


    To understand this matter, it wasn¡¯t only necessary to go back half a month, but even earlier than that.


    Because long before Rocky led the Tri-City Allied Forces to attack the Jindafu Caravan, which was their first operation, three Sky Cities had actually already entered the battle zone! sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although in the war a Sky City essentially acts as a mobile headquarters, the movement speed of this headquarters was too slow, whereas Rocky and his team needed to act quickly, shooting once and then changing locations¡ªa strategy that obviously could not involve dragging along a Sky City.


    ...


    So, as everyone commenced their operations, Thunderhawk City, Rose City, and Lingyu City merely transported Rocky and his team into the battle zone. After the group entered the zone from the north, Rocky led the Tri-City Allied Forces away from the Sky Cities and headed east to attack the Jindafu Caravan. As for Thunderhawk City and the other two Sky Cities, they continued westward, plunging deep into the Tulip Battle Zone!


    That is to say, even before the Jindafu Caravan was attacked, the three Sky Cities had already entered the Tulip Battle Zone!


    In fact, this had always been Rocky¡¯s plan. Even before convincing Berg and Karina to join the operation, he had clearly stated that their target was not just to attack a few caravans but actually the small Sky Cities!


    However, achieving this goal required extensive preparation, which led to the events that followed.


    Why did Rocky target the Jindafu Caravan first?


    Because the Jindafu Caravan entered the battle zone from the east. Once a disturbance was created in that direction, the enemy¡¯s attention would be drawn to the east, thereby neglecting Thunderhawk City entering from the west.


    The situation unfolded exactly as Rocky had anticipated. Since their attack on the Jindafu Caravan, the enemy¡¯s focus had been entirely on the east of the battle zone. As the Azure Commerce Guild also came under attack, all attention and military forces in the entire rear of the battle zone concentrated on the east, with no one noticing that three Sky Cities had already concealed themselves in the Tulip Battle Zone.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    Perhaps some might ask, did it really go that smoothly?


    They were three Sky Cities, after all! Even though they were small, a Sky City is still a Sky City. Such enormous structures had entered the battle zone. Surely someone in the Rebel Army must have noticed?


    Many people might think this way, including Rocky, Karina, and Berg, who were initially very worried about this. However, one person thought there would be no problem, and that person was Wilton!


    Not only was Wilton fully aware of Rocky¡¯s plan, but he also provided many suggestions. The idea of embedding the Sky Cities in the Tulip Battle Zone was proposed by Wilton himself!


    According to his explanation, allowing Sky City to enter the battle zone for recovery seemed dangerous, but the actual battle zone was far less tense than imagined.


    First of all, the area of the battle zone was much larger than most people thought because both the Rebel Army, playing the role of the attackers, and the Alliance Army, playing the defenders, required strategic space, similar to the strategic depth needed in land warfare.


    Strategic depth refers to the space available for strategic movement of troops; the larger this space, the more time the troops have to redeploy and recuperate, which is advantageous for strategic and tactical deployment.


    Take the current war, for example; the Four Great War Zones were actually the Sky Alliance¡¯s first line of defense. If this line were breached, the troops from these zones would retreat into the airspace governed by the Alliance to form a second line of defense. If the second line were also broken through, then the Alliance Army would rely on Nut God City for their last stand. This is strategic space.


    It was the same for the Rebel Army. If those at the frontline were defeated, they would fall back to the battle zone for recovery and then attack again. If they were repelled again, they would withdraw to Chenxiu City to regroup, which also constituted strategic space.


    Because of this, the Tulip Battle Zone was much larger than imagined. Not to mention, the small Sky Cities responsible for transportation needed a full five days to travel between Chenxiu City and the frontline.


    This vast battle zone could entirely accommodate three small Sky Cities including Rocky and his company.


    Furthermore, the main forces of the Rebel Army were concentrated on the frontline fighting the Alliance Army, with only Chenxiu City, a large Sky City, stationed in the rear. Perhaps there were some small Sky Cities in between, but these only managed supply transport, operating strictly between two fixed points.


    This meant that not only was the Tulip Battle Zone large, but the Rebel Army¡¯s forces within the zone were concentrated at only two points, one at the frontline and the other at Chenxiu City in the rear. The small Sky Cities tasked with transportation connected these two points. Thus, the three Sky Cities entering the battle zone could remain undetected as long as they did not interfere with this line.


    Of course, even so, it was not a 100% guarantee of safety for the three Sky Cities. Throughout this process, Wilton at the frontline continuously launched attacks to engage the enemy¡¯s forces, while Rocky and his two companions from the rear drew the enemy¡¯s attention through repeated strikes. This way, the enemy had neither the spare forces nor the attention to spot the three Sky Cities.


    Thus, from the first attack to the present, more than half a month later, the three Sky Cities led by Thunderhawk City remained hidden in the battle zone¡¯s recovery area without being detected by the enemy.


    This was why Rocky and his companions, once detected by the Reconnaissance Ship, managed to completely vanish, because they had not hidden anywhere specific but returned to their own Sky City!


    After being spotted by the Reconnaissance Ship, Rocky immediately led his forces southward, seemingly preparing to leave the battle zone. However, as Sapoya had predicted, they soon turned and began moving west to re-enter the battle zone. Unlike what Sapoya had anticipated, however, Rocky proceeded deeper into the west, directly into the battle zone¡¯s recovery area, and then smoothly returned to Sky City.


    In the meantime, although Chenxiu City deployed a significant force for the search, these search teams advanced from the airspace of Chenxiu City toward the outer edge of the battle zone. They never ventured into the recovery area, as no one believed that Rocky¡¯s lone force would dare to penetrate deeply into the battle zone.


    However, the enemy never expected that Rocky and his team had done just that. They had remained hidden under the enemy¡¯s nose for half a month, making the entire Rebel Army in the battle zone oblivious to their presence, carrying off a deceptive maneuver brilliantly.


    Yet, this deceptive maneuver was merely the opening act of a larger scheme, with more unexpected developments yet to come!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 423 - 391 Accurate Timing

    Chapter 423: Chapter 391 Accurate Timing


    After pulling off a masterful deception, Rocky not only returned to Sky City safely but also hid there for half a month without any trouble.


    However, during that half month, he certainly wasn¡¯t idle. Instead, he was busy making adjustments to the fleet and preparing for the next operation.


    At the same time, on the first day of his return to Thunderhawk City, Rocky hurriedly sought out Orton to inquire about the progress of the new version of the White Demon Armor.


    In the previous battles, because he lacked Armor, Rocky could only play the role of Commander. He didn¡¯t particularly mind commanding the warships in battle and, frankly, his command throughout the previous encounters was perhaps not exceptional, but it was competent, at least without any major issues.


    Even so, Rocky still hoped he could don the White Demon Armor as soon as possible and engage in battle himself. After all, the White Demon wasn¡¯t just any Armor, it was the only one of its kind in the world at present. If it came to combat power, saying that the White Demon¡¯s combat power was equivalent to half a fleet wasn¡¯t an exaggeration.


    Just imagine, if during the ambush of Lapaton, Rocky had been wearing the White Demon Armor, the outcome would have certainly involved far fewer losses. Facing Lapaton¡¯s flagship charging head-on, a single blast of the Demon Annihilation Cannon from the White Demon Armor would have been enough to take care of the enemy. And had they suffered fewer losses initially, they might have been able to stage several more ambushes afterwards.


    ...


    Thus, the significance of the White Demon Armor was obvious.


    Furthermore, Rocky had more battles to fight and these were battles the likes of which he had never experienced before; that¡¯s why he visited Orton immediately upon returning to Thunderhawk City.


    When Rocky arrived at the research facility, however, he was barred from entering the laboratory. Orton and his team were engaged in an extremely important experiment and simply had no time to meet with Rocky.


    But Orton had promised that they would need only another half month¡ªafter which, the new version of the White Demon Armor would be ready for actual combat!


    This was why Rocky had been in hiding in Sky City for more than half a month. In fact, all the preparations for the next step of his plan had been ready several days earlier, yet Rocky had not made his move, waiting instead for the new version of the White Demon Armor to be completed.


    Everyone, including Wilton, Karina, and Berg, understood this decision since they all knew that Rocky¡¯s greatest reliance was the White Demon Armor. As long as he could wear that Armor, the strength of the Tri-City Allied Forces would increase substantially. Thus, despite the increased danger from remaining in the battle zone for a longer period, and despite the mounting pressure Wilton faced on the front line, they all waited until the new version of the White Demon Armor was complete. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And as soon as the White Demon Armor was finished, Rocky, who had waited for a long time, ordered the long-hidden Thunderhawk City to activate its flight mode, commencing the next step of his plan!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    On June 20th of the year 118, after a whole day of flight, which was June 21st, Hongshou City, which had just picked up supplies from Chenxiu City and was on its way to the front lines, was caught by Thunderhawk City!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    With Thunderhawk City suddenly obstructing its path, it¡¯s no surprise that the most shocked person was the City Lord of Hongshou City.


    The City Lord of Hongshou City was named Andy, who was just thirty years old this year. He was not only the City Lord of Hongshou City but also a member of the Mairente Family!


    One of the five small Sky Cities that the Mairente Family had sent to the Tulip Battle Zone was Hongshou City!


    This situation was quite coincidental, because although Rocky had made a thorough plan and arrangements for the entire operation, he hadn¡¯t specifically chosen a Sky City from the Mairente Family as the target. Initially, he had considered this, but he realized the difficulty and risk were both too high, so he expanded his attack targets to include any small Sky City in transport ¨C yet, by chance, he encountered his old adversary!


    For Rocky, the Mairente Family were longstanding foes, and the feeling was mutual for the Mairente Family towards Rocky. Thus, as soon as Andy learned of an enemy Sky City¡¯s sudden appearance, he recognized Thunderhawk City at first glance.


    This was why the frontline and Goth were able to receive accurate information about Thunderhawk City so quickly¡ªif it had been any other forces or families¡¯ Sky City, they might not have been able to recognize Thunderhawk City at all.


    And upon recognizing Thunderhawk City, Andy reported the situation to the Rebel Army at once, receiving an immediate response.


    ¡°City Lord, the Alliance Hierarch has sent a message, instructing us to hold Thunderhawk City at all costs for five days. In five days, reinforcements will arrive.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Andy, who was already clad in his Void Magic Warrior armor and ready for combat, nodded, feeling somewhat bitter in his heart.


    Five days¡­


    That was no short period of time!


    Logically, whether from the frontlines or the rear, support should not be so slow. In fact, had this attack occurred half a month earlier, reinforcements from both the frontlines and the rear could have arrived within three days, no, perhaps only needing two days. But now it was different.


    In the past half month, the Rebel Army had advanced rapidly, and the Alliance Army led by Wilton had been utterly defeated, retreating in consecutive losses. As a result, the Rebel Army had pushed forward a great distance in a brief half-month, doubling the length of the entire battle line.


    That Wilton¡¯s previously impregnable forces had suddenly crumbled was unexpected by everyone, leaving Chenxiu City in the far rear no time to make necessary adjustments. This, coupled with the lengthening of the battle line, also resulted in a longer supply line.


    Previously, small Sky Cities responsible for transportation only needed two days to reach the frontline from Chenxiu City, and a round trip wouldn¡¯t exceed five days. Usually, two to three Sky Cities would move together. Now that had become impossible; just getting from Chenxiu City to the frontline took five to six days, and a round trip required nearly a fortnight.


    Consequently, the small Sky Cities that traditionally moved as a group had no choice but to operate individually. After all, Sky Cities too need a supply of mana. Even if the Super Crystals within them could replenish mana on their own, continuous round-the-clock flight would be too much for the Super Crystals to keep up with.


    Therefore, even Andy had to admit that Rocky had chosen an extremely opportune moment!


    The time of his appearance coincided precisely with Hongshou City, moving alone, reaching the midpoint of the supply line. Thus, whether in relation to the frontline or Chenxiu City, Hongshou City was at the furthest distance.


    So even if both sides received the message at the same time and dispatched support immediately, it would still take at least five days for the reinforcements to arrive. This time, Rocky was not leading a lone force in the attack; he brought with him Thunderhawk City. In such a case, the reinforcement troops had to be transported by Sky Cities. How could warships possibly fly for five days straight without resupplying?


    However¡­


    Thankfully!


    Even if Rocky had picked the perfect moment, Andy still had confidence that he could hold out for five days!


    It wasn¡¯t so much his own capabilities that gave him this confidence, but rather the fact that though his Hongshou City might look like a small Sky City, inside, besides transporting materials, it also housed a substantial number of troops!


    One hundred and fifty warships!


    Three squads of Void Magic Warriors!


    At this moment, within Hongshou City, one hundred and fifty large warships and three fully formed squads of the Void Magic Squad were stationed, all part of the Rebel Army!


    With such a formidable force at his disposal, Andy believed he unquestionably had the power to defend for five days!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 424 - 392: Make a Name, Earn a Fortune!

    Chapter 424: Chapter 392: Make a Name, Earn a Fortune!


    Andy had no idea how Rocky had managed to hide Thunderhawk City within the war zone, but he was certain that he could defend against any attack from Thunderhawk City. After all, he commanded a huge force, one that was many times mightier than Thunderhawk City¡¯s!


    As a member of the Mairente family, Andy naturally knew Rocky very well. He even admired Rocky¡¯s skills and if he were to set aside his family¡¯s influence, he would give Rocky a thumbs up. Although Andy was also a City Lord of a small Sky City, he admitted that he could not develop his city to the level Rocky had achieved in Thunderhawk City, nor could he stir up as much trouble as Rocky did.


    In fact, when Andy discovered Thunderhawk City, a quick connection of events made him realize who the mastermind behind those vicious attacks half a month ago was¡ªit was undoubtedly Rocky. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While secretly admiring Rocky¡¯s daring audacity, Andy felt reassured because he had heard from his contacts in Chenxiu City that the Reconnaissance Ships had accurately determined the number of Rocky¡¯s forces, ranging from fifty to eighty warships. This made Andy even more confident; such a force could never breach Hongshou City¡¯s defenses.


    So, when he learned that frontline reinforcement would take five days to arrive, he muttered complaints to himself, but his confidence did not wane in the slightest.


    ¡°All forces, set sail!¡±


    ...


    Standing on the flagship¡¯s deck, clad in Void Magic Armor, Andy waved his hand and led the entire fleet into the sky!


    A hundred and fifty warships took off from the Skyport at his command¡ªa spectacle so impressive that it defied description. Not even Andy himself had ever witnessed such an awe-inspiring sight. Being a City Lord of just a small Sky City, he had never commanded over a hundred warships, not even reconnaissance ships.


    It was clear to anyone who saw it, Andy¡¯s current setup¡ªimmediately deploying a hundred and fifty warships, along with all three squads of Void Magic Warriors¡ªwas not aimed at defense. Clearly, he intended to launch a major offensive!


    Indeed!


    After learning that reinforcements would take five days, Andy¡¯s first thought had indeed been to defend for those five days. But immediately, a second thought emerged: why must he solely play defense? Could he not also go on the offensive?


    Andy felt that this idea was not overambitious.


    He was a City Lord of a small Sky City, and so was Rocky. If Rocky could cause such uproar in the war zone, why couldn¡¯t he?


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    He had everything at his disposal now, more ships than Rocky and more Void Magic Warriors. Why should he only defend against the enemy¡¯s attacks and not launch his own?


    As a City Lord himself, Andy also yearned to perform on a grander stage. And let¡¯s not forget his status as a member of the Mairente family; their stance on Rocky was clear without saying. Therefore, if he could defeat Rocky, it would not only benefit the Rebel Army but also his own family. Surely, that would bring him various rewards and might even elevate him to the family¡¯s management tier!


    Driven by the lure of wealth and power, every City Lord harbors ambitions, and Andy was no exception.


    Thus, when he left Hongshou City, he took all the forces of the city with him!


    The grand army, made up of a hundred and fifty warships, majestically left the defenses of Sky City and headed straight for distant Thunderhawk City.


    However, when Andy had already deployed his forces in battle formation and was advancing mightily towards Thunderhawk City, there was absolutely no response from Thunderhawk City.


    They must be petrified, undoubtedly shocked by the sight of his formidable army!


    Seeing no movement from Thunderhawk City, Andy couldn¡¯t help but smirk to himself, feeling a secret thrill.


    He was extremely excited and nervous, partly because he had never commanded so many forces before, and partly because the lack of response from Thunderhawk City gave him a glimmer of hope.


    Andy never imagined that Rocky, the very one who troubled his entire family, could possibly fall into his hands this time!


    The mere thought thrilled him and made him nervous because he knew today might just be the best opportunity of his lifetime to make a name for himself. He must not blow it. If he squandered this opportunity, he might never encounter such a fortune again in his life.


    So, after steadying his spirit, Andy issued the command, and the massive force, already halted mid-air, began to advance towards Thunderhawk City!


    Andy believed that Rocky could never have anticipated he would have such a large force; otherwise, judging by Rocky¡¯s usual reputation, he would have already launched an attack. However, Rocky had not done so, and Andy believed that Rocky might already be panicking, unsure of what to do next.


    Thinking this, Andy could barely suppress a laugh. The idea of making such a significant figure falter in front of him was incredibly satisfying!


    Shortly thereafter, the vast fleet of over a hundred warships approached the Defensive Net of Thunderhawk City, but still, no fleet was raised from within the city.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    Seeing that Rocky still hadn¡¯t made a move, Andy completely let down his guard and then issued the order to fire to the entire army!


    At his command, an army of one hundred and fifty warships began to spread out, quickly surrounding half of Thunderhawk City and then began firing simultaneously!


    The ear-splitting roar of the cannons erupted in an instant; it was at that same moment that Thunderhawk City¡¯s Defensive Net lit up and started to emit wave after wave of ripples, clearly sustaining tremendous damage.


    No wonder, with one hundred and fifty warships, all of them the most advanced fifth-generation large warships, the scale of firepower and the consequent destructive power generated by this fleet attacking together was unimaginable; thus, even the Defensive Net of the Sky City was under great pressure.


    If this momentum continued and allowed Andy¡¯s troops to attack without restraint, the Thunderhawk City Defensive Net might not even hold up for a day before breaking!


    Perhaps feeling the pressure, after the cannon fire, warships finally began launching from within Thunderhawk City!


    Amid the blazing cannon fire, a massive warship slowly flew out from within the city, quickly reaching the forefront of the Defensive Net. It was Rocky¡¯s flagship, the War Steed!


    ¡°One ship? Hahaha!¡±


    Watching the War Steed slowly emerging from within the city, Andy was initially a bit nervous, but when he saw that only one warship came out, he could no longer control himself and burst out laughing!


    One warship?


    What was Rocky planning to do; did he intend to contend with his vast army using just this one warship?


    Or did he actually plan to come out to surrender!?


    Thinking this, Andy couldn¡¯t help but laugh heartily. He knew he had this battle in the bag!


    But just as he was laughing heartily, a fleet appeared behind the War Steed!


    This time, ten warships emerged.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Seeing the fleet slowly emerging from Thunderhawk City, Andy simply scoffed. He knew very well how many troops Rocky had; at most around eighty warships. Even if there were more, they couldn¡¯t escape the gaze of one hundred warships; and even if he had one hundred warships, they wouldn¡¯t be a match for his force of one hundred fifty warships and three squads of Void Magic Warriors!


    Just as Andy thought this, the warships behind the War Steed had already increased from the original ten to thirty¡ªin the short span of time, more warships had flown out from the city.


    Following this, a new batch of warships appeared, but this time the number significantly increased to more than fifty. Adding these fifty or so warships, the fleet behind the War Steed had already grown to more than eighty!


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, that¡¯s all they have.¡±


    Seeing that the warships behind the War Steed had reached more than eighty, Andy knew this was the limit for Rocky; he could not send any more troops.


    However, just as he had that thought, a new batch of warships appeared behind the War Steed, and the number of these warships still reached more than fifty!


    And before Andy could even react, another batch of warships appeared; this time the number was even greater, well over a hundred!


    Then, another hundred warships appeared from Thunderhawk City!


    ¡°This, this¡­ how is this¡­¡±


    ¡°How is this possible!¡±


    Watching batch after batch of warships continuously appearing from Thunderhawk City, Andy was utterly flabbergasted. When he finally gathered his senses and looked again behind the War Steed, he saw that the number of warships had become a dense mass, already exceeding three hundred!!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 425 - 393: Secretly Making a Move

    Chapter 425: Chapter 393: Secretly Making a Move


    Andy stood there stunned as he watched a warship fly out of Thunderhawk City and, in the blink of an eye, multiply into more than three hundred warships.


    Gaping at the massive fleet behind the War Steed, Andy felt his mind go blank!


    What on earth was happening?


    How could Rocky possibly have such an enormous force?


    Something isn¡¯t right!


    No wonder he was so shocked, because he couldn¡¯t fathom how Rocky could command such a vast number of warships¡ªover three hundred!


    ...


    Andy¡¯s abilities might not have been exceptionally outstanding, but after all, he was a city lord, so he at least understood the basics.


    For instance, if Rocky had so many fleets, why did he lead only a few dozen warships to attack?


    If he had led this large force into the rear of the battle zone more than a half-month ago, without a doubt, the Rebel Army¡¯s rear would have been completely destroyed, as Chenxiu City couldn¡¯t have managed to muster an equivalent force to counteract. Then why did Rocky disappear after attacking two Chambers of Commerce? With this large force at his disposal, he could have annihilated all the trade convoys coming in and out of Chenxiu City!


    Consequently, the escort warships sent by Chenxiu City wouldn¡¯t have been able to replenish, turning the entirety of Sky City into a ghost town and completely paralyzing the entire supply line!


    This was exactly why Andy found it unfathomable. If Rocky had such a large army, why hadn¡¯t he used it in the previous attacks, but chose to deploy it now when attacking him?


    Wasn¡¯t this like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?


    The answer to this question was simple¡ªit wasn¡¯t that Rocky had specifically targeted Andy, but rather that only a half-month ago, he didn¡¯t possess such a gigantic army!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    Now, looking back at Rocky¡¯s entire plan, it was evident that he wasn¡¯t acting alone. Wilton, stationed at the frontline, had always been coordinating with his plan.


    First, right after Rocky started his operation, Wilton launched a major offensive against the Rebel Army, diverting their forces and preventing them from sending substantial reinforcements.


    Secondarily, although Wilton suffered successive defeats during his aggressive counterattacks, it now appeared that this too was a calculated move, stretching the Rebel Army¡¯s line of defense and thereby creating an opportunity for Rocky¡¯s second strike.


    Lastly, and most crucially, during his major offensive, Wilton secretly dispatched a large number of troops to Thunderhawk City, Rose City, and Lingyu City¡ªthree Sky Cities hidden within the warzone.


    This final step was the most critical; it was the core of the entire plan. What Rocky and Wilton had done previously was all in preparation for this crucial move¡ªa deceptive feint!


    Warfare relies on sheer force.


    What is called hard power in war? Of course, it¡¯s military strength!


    Rocky¡¯s earlier plan, no matter how well-crafted and comprehensive, still faced an insurmountable problem, which was that even after he allied with Karina and Berg and the three of them formed the Allied Forces without any reservations, their combined military strength was still too feeble for the scale of this war.


    The three Sky Cities had brought out all their coffins, and yet they only managed to scrape together a little more than eighty warships. Such a scale of troops could perhaps make some minor moves without the enemy¡¯s notice, but once discovered, they could do nothing at all, let alone rely on these forces to launch a surprise attack on those small Sky Cities responsible for transporting supplies.


    Wilton had long said that the Sky Cities responsible for transporting supplies, although small, were hiding large troops, so no matter how Rocky and the others tried to sneak attack or cheat, it was futile in the face of absolute hard power.


    How to solve this problem was key to the entire plan.


    If this matter were left to the three of them, they would never find a solution, as all of them were still too young and, although each was outstanding, they lacked sufficient experience and worldly wisdom to resolve such an issue.


    Fortunately, they had Wilton by their side. His Excellency the Holy Knight had participated in the Second Counter-Offensive War when he was young and became a major general in the Sky Alliance, with a wealth of war experience. Thus, with his help, they came up with the current plan.


    The focus of this plan was never really on the sneak attacks; it always had only two primary objectives: first, to hide the three Sky Cities within the war zone, and second, to secretly transport the Alliance Army troops on the frontline into the three Sky Cities!


    To achieve these two points, Rocky and Wilton, through their respective distractions and diversions, had hidden the three cities in the war zone, staging a grand deception.


    But during this process, another grand play was also secretly unfolding, a plan known as the ¡°hidden march.¡±


    As Wilton led the Alliance Army in launching fierce offenses, he simultaneously used the momentum of the attack to secretly split the Alliance Army into small groups and gradually sneak them into the three Sky Cities!


    As mentioned before, the Rebel Army was very puzzled by Wilton¡¯s sudden onslaught, because his attacks were not only fierce but also crazy. It felt as if it was a final battle, dazing the Rebel Army and causing them to later deduce that Wilton must have had another plan.


    In this respect, the Rebel Army was correct but not accurate.


    The Rebel Army always thought that Wilton was coordinating with the rear harassment forces to create diversions, and even bolder thoughts suggested that the Sky Alliance had sent reinforcements to encircle the Rebel Army from both back and front, so the Rebel Army increased their search efforts and even expanded the war zone to prevent this.


    But they never imagined that Wilton¡¯s real intention was to secretly transfer troops to the three Sky Cities!


    This is why after the Rebel Army launched their counterattack, Wilton began to retreat. On one hand, Wilton was indeed allowing the Rebel Army to advance into the war zone, thereby stretching the entire battle line and creating a second operation opportunity for Rocky. On the other hand, it was also true that his forces at hand were significantly reduced.


    This is not to say that Wilton had depleted his troops in relentless attacks. The truth was that, through continuous offenses, he had already sent over a thousand warships and twenty Void Magic Squads to Thunderhawk City, Rose City, and Lingyu City!


    Suddenly having so many fewer troops, the forces under Wilton¡¯s command were indeed not much, but that did not matter because although his own forces had decreased, the troops within Thunderhawk City, Rose City, and Lingyu City had increased. And with enough troops at hand, there was so much more Rocky and his allies could do within the war zone!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 426 - 394: Return to the Battlefield!

    Chapter 426: Chapter 394: Return to the Battlefield!


    After deploying all the warships from the city, Rocky stood at the bow of the War Steed and waved his hand, ordering the main cannons of over three hundred warships to attack simultaneously!


    The sound of the cannons was like distant thunder, filling the entire sky at that moment. The spectacle of over three hundred warships firing at once was a rare sight; the deafening cannon fire piled upon everything as if even the air were being shattered.


    In the midst of such a spectacular volley, the troops of Hongshou City that half-encircled Thunderhawk City immediately fell into disarray!


    After a round of simultaneous main cannon fire, dozens of warships in the enemy¡¯s ranks immediately burst into flames, and amidst these flames, they began to tilt and, within the blink of an eye, plummeted from the sky.


    Simultaneously, after this round of volley fire, the Alliance Army led by Rocky also began to advance outside the Defensive Net!


    The main force, led by the War Steed, flew out of the Defensive Net moments later. The War Steed, while charging at the enemy, continued to fire its cannons. Whether it was ordinary Magic Energy Cannons or Rapid-Fire Cannons, they all fired in unison at this moment.


    ...


    As the War Steed took the lead in breaking out of the Defensive Net, the large force trailing behind followed suit. At that time, the fleet of over three hundred warships transformed into an enormous fist, striking the enemy squarely!


    As previously mentioned, Andy originally thought that Rocky was petrified by fear, which led him to directly initiate an attack on Thunderhawk City. As a result, his troops were now spread out in a fan shape surrounding Thunderhawk City.


    This method of attacking Sky City wasn¡¯t fundamentally flawed, but under normal circumstances, this formation is only adopted when the enemy is completely defenseless. If there were troops inside the enemy city ready to launch at any moment, this fan formation would be highly disadvantageous, as it was too thin. All warships were laid out flat; if a single point was breached, the entire formation would fall into complete chaos.


    That was exactly the situation now!


    When the Alliance Army, led by Rocky, charged out of the Defensive Net like a colossal fist, they tore a hole in Andy¡¯s fan formation almost instantly. There was no avoiding it; the distance between the two sides was too close. Andy, due to his overconfidence, positioned his troops only four to five hundred meters from the Defensive Net of Thunderhawk City. At such a short distance, not only were his troops within the main cannon range of the Alliance Army, but even the secondary cannons could fire effortlessly. Thus when Rocky led the large force to charge out, just a few rounds of cannon fire completely routed the enemy facing them.


    Consequently, a gap formed in the middle of Andy¡¯s troops, splitting his forces in two.


    ¡°Retreat! Retreat quickly!¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    Seeing Rocky lead a force twice the size of his own charge forth, Andy completely lost his composure and gave an order that he should not have given at this time¡ªretreat!


    At this point, Andy¡¯s greatest shortcoming was exposed: he had never commanded such a large number of troops nor had he ever participated in a battle on this scale.


    It was definitely reasonable to want to retreat now that he was at a disadvantage, but in battles involving hundreds of warships, retreating was an art.


    In such a large battle, once caught in an absolute disadvantage, it was impossible to withdraw all warships. The best method was a graduated retreat, forming the army into several echelons, fighting while pulling back to maintain as much order as possible. If that was unachievable, the alternative was to sacrifice pawns to save the chariot, leaving behind some forces to cover the retreat and buy time for the majority of the units to withdraw.


    But Andy did not do this. Having never directed such large-scale battles, he was now utterly panicked. He gave neither an order to re-formate the troops nor to sacrifice to save the flagships. Instead, he ordered all units to retreat together.


    As a result, the entire force descended into chaos!


    Hundreds of warships in the sky turned around one by one. Without unified command and coordination, they all acted independently, and the entire army immediately became a disorganized mess.


    In contrast, at this time, Rocky stood at the bow of the War Steed, continually issuing a series of commands.


    ¡°Felly, continue the advance with the First Fleet; block the enemy¡¯s escape routes and don¡¯t let any of them get away.¡±


    ¡°Cassan, take the Second Fleet; Chris, lead the Third Fleet to strike from both flanks.¡±


    ¡°Let Claudy take over my command of the entire army, and order the Void Magic Squad to launch a full-scale assault!¡±


    Standing at the bow, Rocky relayed command after command. Under his orders, the Alliance Army he directed immediately adapted.


    The series of names Rocky just mentioned, aside from Felly, included officers directly under Wilton. Wilton also feared Rocky lacked experience in commanding battles of this scale, so he sent these aides along with the fleets of the Alliance Army to Thunderhawk City to assist Rocky in commanding the fleet.


    As for Rocky himself, upon transferring command, he, Liliya, and the aerial Void Magic Squad soared into the sky!


    ¡°Liliya, you¡¯re in charge of commanding the Void Magic Squad.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I want to test out the New Armor!¡±


    No sooner had he spoken than Rocky, clad in the White Demon Armor, whooshed away into the blue.


    The battlefield was now a cacophony of gunfire and smoke, with warships from both the Rebel and Alliance forces firing upon one another. Moment by moment, ships were hit, some even blown apart in the skies, but even amidst such chaos, the entrance of Rocky-led Void Magic Squad into the fray caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Quick! Launch the Void Magic Squad now!¡±


    Spotting Rocky in his white armor in the air, a frantic Andy shouted loudly, hastily sending out his own Void Magic Squad while also issuing them a clear order: Kill Rocky, no matter what it takes!


    Although Andy was already in a panic, he remained clear-headed about one thing; he knew that if he could kill Rocky, there would still be a chance to turn the tide of the battle, and taking out Rocky would surely count as a major achievement that could cover his retreat afterward.


    So, after dispatching his own Void Magic Squad, he gave the order for all Void Magic Warriors to ignore the rest of the battle and target Rocky, intent on taking him down at all costs!


    The Void Magic Squads Andy brought this time comprised three teams. So when his order came down, three fully-staffed Void Magic Squads flew out of the warships, quickly making a beeline for Rocky!


    The Void Magic Warriors from these three squads were not homegrown from Hongshou City but dispatched there by the Rebel Army. Hence, each squad was of very high quality. All three squad leaders were clad in Fifth Generation Special Armor. Although their teammates weren¡¯t in Special Armor but were equipped with Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armor, all three squads were extremely formidable.


    Upon receiving the command, the three squad leaders immediately led their respective squads straight towards Rocky. They didn¡¯t swarm him thoughtlessly, though. Even as they closed in quickly, the three squads stayed tightly formed, carefully encircling him from three directions upon getting closer.


    Why so cautious?


    Because neither the three squad leaders nor the squad members were fools¡ªthey all knew they were dealing with the White Demon!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 427 - 395: Demons Unleashed!

    Chapter 427: Chapter 395: Demons Unleashed!


    After the three Void Magic Squads neared Rocky, instead of immediately charging, they became even more cautious.


    No wonder they were so wary, for these people all knew who their opponent was¡ªthat was the White Demon!


    Rocky¡¯s fame had now far surpassed what even he had imagined, and the White Demon Armor he wore was even more renowned than his fame, especially among the Void Magic Warriors, almost none of whom were unaware of the White Demon Armor.


    Any Void Magic Warrior had a liking for Void Magic Armor, with each warrior able to recite details about the various models and levels of armor like a connoisseur, and what warriors cared most about were the latest generations of armor, which included the White Demon.


    Initially, the White Demon had caused a sensation in the Arena, shocking all Void Magic Warriors. Every one of them was astounded by the performance of the armor and also felt regretful; they had thought that Rocky would directly challenge the Holy Angel Armor after his sensational debut with the White Demon Armor and stage a grand battle of Angel versus Demon. However, Rocky withdrew from the competition midway, to the disappointment of many Void Magic Warriors.


    Nevertheless, in the following battle with Wild Horse City, Rocky secured a magnificent five-kill streak with the White Demon Armor, once again attracting everyone¡¯s attention and giving them a new understanding of the White Demon¡¯s strength, further increasing the fame of the White Demon Armor.


    ...


    To this day, there might still be Void Magic Warriors who do not recognize Rocky, but every one of them recognizes the White Demon Armor, for they have all seen the Magic Energy Image of Rocky operating the White Demon in battle.


    It was precisely because they knew of the White Demon¡¯s might that, after surrounding Rocky, the warriors of the three squads did not act rashly. They all remembered how the Void Magic Squad from Wild Horse City had been annihilated.


    ¡°Captain, this White Demon Armor seems to have changed a bit?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Captain, it is a bit different.¡±


    ¡°It seems to have gotten bigger¡­¡±


    After the three squads had encircled Rocky, squad members immediately noticed something amiss; they found that the White Demon Armor Rocky was now wearing seemed different from the one in the Magic Energy Image.


    It indeed had changed.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    Though the overall structure of the latest generation of the White Demon Armor had changed little, it was obviously bigger than before, making the entire armor seem more robust.


    Even more striking was the fact that the weapon carried by this set of White Demon Armor was distinctly different. Previously, the White Demon wielded a Mana Sword, yet now, whether the sword was there or not was unknown, but there was a huge Scythe strapped to this White Demon Armor¡¯s back!


    This Scythe was almost as long as the White Demon Armor itself, with a huge blade lying across the back of the armor, broader than the armor¡¯s shoulders, with a chilling gleam on the cutting edge, and it looked terrifying.


    The Void Magic Warriors before him knew the White Demon Armor was strong and now noticing new changes in the armor, everyone hesitated, with not a single squad willing to be the first to invite misfortune.


    This resulted in an odd stalemate on the battlefield, where the three squads surrounded Rocky from three directions, but no one dared to be the first to attack, as each knew that with an opponent at this level, whoever made the first move would suffer first.


    With these developments, Rocky, who had been waiting for the enemy to attack, had no choice but to take the initiative himself.


    Then Rocky set his sights on a squad, and the runes on his armor were activated. The propulsion system came to life, and in the blink of an eye, he zipped out!


    ¡°So fast!¡±


    As Rocky charged towards his squad, the squad leader couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in surprise. The acceleration of the White Demon Armor was incredibly fast!


    It was important to note that Rocky had been suspended in the air ever since he had been surrounded, remaining completely stationary. To suddenly accelerate from that state to his top speed almost instantaneously was simply too powerful!


    Of course, it was powerful, because this version of the White Demon Armor had been completely modified and upgraded by Orton and his team!


    The development cycle for the two versions of the White Demon Armor spanned nearly half a year. During that time, Orton and his colleagues gained a much deeper understanding and application of runes. As a result, the technology used in the new version of the White Demon Armor was not only newer but also more mature than the old version.


    Additionally, after using the old version of the White Demon Armor for half a year, Orton and his team had already identified design flaws in the armor itself and made improvements in the new version. By integrating Rocky¡¯s feedback, they also better pinpointed the domains in which the new White Demon Armor excelled. As a result, the performance of the new White Demon Armor had significantly improved over the old version, especially in the speed department, where it had been greatly enhanced.


    So, in just an instant, Rocky had charged to the vicinity of the Void Magic Squad.


    At the same time, during his sprint, the White Demon left one smoke grenade after another in his wake. These smoke grenades detonated immediately after deployment, and the expanding clouds of smoke connected together quickly formed a massive dust cloud that completely enveloped Rocky and the opposing Void Magic Squad.


    Rocky was very experienced in group battles¡ªwhether in the initial selection fights at the Arena or later in the battle with Wild Horse City, he had gained a wealth of group combat experience. Thus, he knew exactly how to act when facing multiple enemies.


    However, just as Rocky knew how to deal with his enemies, the enemies also knew how to deal with him!


    ¡°Spread out! Everyone, spread out!¡±


    Realizing that Rocky had released smoke grenades, the squad leader immediately issued the order for all his squad members to disperse and leave the range of the smoke.


    As mentioned earlier, Rocky¡¯s notoriety was far greater than he had imagined. Take this squad leader, for example¡ªhe had studied the White Demon Armor¡¯s combat routines closely, so he knew exactly what Rocky was about to do.


    The trick Rocky was using now had been utilized in the battle with Wild Horse City: exploiting the fact that Mass Production Type armors lacked a magic energy detector, using the smoke to interfere with vision, and leveraging his speed and attack advantage to turn a group fight into one-on-one battles, thereby quickly taking out all the squad members. Then he would face off in a genuine one-on-one with the squad leader wearing comparable Armor. The reason Rocky had been able to achieve a five-kill sweep in that previous battle was precisely by using this method.


    So, when Rocky tried to repeat his old trick, the squad leader immediately recognized his intention and had all his squad members fly out of the smoke, denying Rocky the chance for a surprise attack!


    COMMENT


    0 comment Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 428 - 396: Grim Reaper!

    Chapter 428: Chapter 396: Grim Reaper!


    People fear fame as pigs fear fattening.


    Once Rocky became famous with the White Demon Armor, more people knew of him, more people understood him, and more people studied him.


    The captain in front of him was one such person; he had carefully studied every one of Rocky¡¯s battles in the Arena and had even inquired in detail about how Rocky had impressively taken down five enemies in the battle against Wild Horse City. Thus, when Rocky planned to employ the same strategy to deal with everyone, the captain immediately discerned his intentions!


    ¡°Everyone, scatter!¡±


    While enveloped by the smoke, the captain ordered all his team members to leave the smoke¡¯s range immediately, and he activated the magic energy detector to search for Rocky¡¯s trace within the mist.


    It might have seemed like the three squads were reluctant to take the initiative at first, but when the real fight started, nobody held back!


    ...


    The captain knew Rocky was formidable and that the White Demon Armor wasn¡¯t just any armor. Yet, he was a battle-hardened veteran himself, and he had some confidence in holding Rocky back, even briefly. As long as he could stall Rocky for a short while, the rest would be easy. They had three whole squads, and even if the members were no match for Rocky individually, the captain believed there was hope of dealing Rocky a deadly blow by joining forces with the other two captains.


    With this idea in mind, the captain looked into the smoke, but what he saw made his brows furrow¡ªhe couldn¡¯t spot Rocky!


    Where was Rocky?


    Looking around, the captain was surprised to find that Rocky wasn¡¯t in the smoke at all?!


    This outcome made him pause for an instant, but in that instant, another squad member let out a scream of agony!


    Time rewound to a few seconds earlier.


    When Rocky had thrown the smoke grenade to envelop a squad, the squad¡¯s captain had immediately given the order to disperse. However, what the captain didn¡¯t know was that the instant he gave the command, Rocky had already dashed out of the smoke¡¯s range!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    His target was never that squad!


    No one had more experience in group fights than Rocky, so he had already devised a counterstrategy the moment he started his sprint: he would use the smoke grenade to tie down one squad, then set his sights on another.


    So, having swiftly left the range of the smoke, Rocky took off towards another squad in a transformation.


    Rocky¡¯s actions were too sudden and unexpected, and more crucially, too fast. When he turned and charged at another squad, they couldn¡¯t react in time, from the captain down to the members.


    Closing in on a Void Magic Warrior instantaneously, Rocky reached behind his back while sprinting and grabbed the scythe; as he neared his target, he swung it in a wide sweep!


    With the wave of his arm, a giant blade light over two meters in diameter appeared, crescent-shaped and seemingly solid, sweeping past the Void Magic Warrior¡¯s chest. During this motion, Rocky didn¡¯t even stop; after one swipe of the blade light, he flew past the warrior.


    But in the instant he flew past, the Void Magic Warrior¡¯s upper body slowly slid down, leaving him severed in two!


    One blade.


    One life!


    The scene unfolded too rapidly, and Rocky moved too quickly, such that to the onlookers, it seemed as if they only saw him fly by the Void Magic Warrior, the scythe in his hand delivering a sweeping cut, and the warrior was cleaved in two¡ªthat was all.


    Indeed, that was all there was to it; Rocky simply moved past and claimed the life of a Void Magic Warrior!


    And let¡¯s not forget, he didn¡¯t even stop during the process, so in the blink of an eye, he was already upon the next Void Magic Warrior!


    This time, even though they were directly facing each other, Rocky¡¯s speed didn¡¯t decrease. As he charged forward at an extremely high velocity, he raised his scythe in an overhead chop. The massive blade light instantly plummeted from above the opponent¡¯s head, and then, as Rocky dashed straight ahead, the Void Magic Warrior blocking his path split in half, as if making way for Rocky, cleaving right down the middle into two pieces!


    ¡°What is he holding?¡± S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Run!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t engage him in close combat!¡±


    The instant two Void Magic Warriors were slaughtered, the rest of the surrounding combatants finally reacted, scattering in all directions like birds startled by the shot of an arrow.


    It was too terrifying!


    The scythe in Rocky¡¯s hand was too terrifying!


    As they watched Rocky cut down two Void Magic Warriors as if slicing through vegetables, everyone who had surrounded him was shocked. No, it wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement to say they were scared stiff.


    When they had first encircled Rocky, everyone had already taken notice of the scythe on his back. Everyone knew it was the White Demon¡¯s new weapon, but nobody had imagined that the scythe would be so formidable¡ªthe Void Magic Warriors seemed as fragile as paper before it.


    How could this be?


    The two Void Magic Warriors that Rocky had slain were merely regular members, wearing Mass-Produced Armors, but even though they were Mass-Produced, they were still Void Magic Armors, and they were of the Fifth Generation no less.


    Indeed, the material of the Mass-Produced Armor was somewhat weaker than that of Special Armor, but being of the Fifth Generation, their defensive power could still be guaranteed. And let¡¯s not forget, from the moment they had surrounded Rocky, all members of the three squads had their Defensive Nets deployed and their Magic Energy Shields raised. They had used all their available defense methods to prevent Rocky from executing a swift kill.


    Yet within that moment, Rocky had effortlessly slain two men¡­


    How could this be!?


    If these Void Magic Warriors knew the material of the scythe in Rocky¡¯s hands, they would understand that nothing was impossible!


    The scythe that Rocky now wielded was the new weapon created by Hammerfire and others¡ªthe Magic Fang Scythe!


    This scythe was forged from the blade of the Knife Fox Demon and the Azure Fang.


    The terror of the Knife Fox Demon goes without saying, its two scythes were even able to shred the old version of the White Demon Armor. Following the demise of the Knife Fox Demon, its blades were salvaged, and one of them was refashioned into the scythe Rocky was holding now.


    Furthermore, embedded within the scythe was the Azure Fang!


    The combined might of these two materials could only lead to an imaginably awesome power. This scythe retained the original sharpness of the blade, and after Pelaya had structured the Magic Energy Conduction framework, once the inscribed Mana Runes on the scythe were activated, it could become even sharper than before.


    So, the impossibilities others perceived were made possible before this scythe!


    In fact, these Void Magic Warriors surrounding Rocky were unaware that he hadn¡¯t yet activated the runes on the scythe. In other words, the reason he could cleave two Void Magic Warriors in half was purely based on the scythe itself!


    Although the Void Magic Warriors didn¡¯t know this, they did understand that with Rocky holding that terrifying scythe, coupled with his even more terrifying speed, getting close to him for combat was simply out of the question. His speed was already unmatched, and the scythe¡¯s attack range far exceeded that of the Mana Sword, making Rocky virtually invincible in close combat.


    Therefore, after that, the members of all three squads, including their captains, spread out in all directions. They immediately aimed all their Magic Energy Bullets, Magic Energy Cannons, and Magic Energy Beam cannons at Rocky!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 429 - 397: Switch from Defense to Offense!

    Chapter 429: Chapter 397: Switch from Defense to Offense!


    ¡°Miss Liliya, go support Lord Rocky!¡±


    While Rocky was engaging with three Void Magic Squads, Liliya was leading the Alliance Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors in an attack on the enemy¡¯s fleet. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wilton had not only dispatched a fleet to assist Rocky and his forces but had also sent Void Magic Squads, a total of twenty! As such, besides his own Void Magic Warriors, Rocky now also had seven Void Magic Squads under his command!


    In this situation, Rocky¡¯s side had far more Void Magic Warriors than the enemy, so when it was noticed that Rocky was under attack, the Alliance Army¡¯s squad leader immediately contacted Liliya, planning to support Rocky; after all, Rocky was not only the City Lord of Thunderhawk City but also the commander of the battle. If something happened to him in combat, how would they continue the fight?


    ¡°No need, he can handle it.¡±


    After glancing in Rocky¡¯s direction, Liliya decided not to agree to the support request.


    ...


    This was a rare occurrence for her; Liliya had always prioritized Rocky¡¯s safety above all else, but this time was different. She knew that Rocky could handle it alone because he was now wearing the new version of the White Demon Armor!


    So, after that, Liliya continued to lead the Void Magic Squad in their assault on the warships, widening their lead in the battle.


    Meanwhile, Rocky¡¯s battle continued as well.


    The three squads of Void Magic Warriors had already scattered, surrounding Rocky layer by layer, completely encircling him.


    The might demonstrated by the Magic Fang Scythe had terrified everyone to the point that, a moment later, all the Void Magic Warriors encircling Rocky scattered, instantly dispersing in all directions, no longer daring to approach him.


    With the Magic Fang Scythe in hand, close combat with Rocky was impossible. Not just for those wearing Mass-Produced Armor, even the three squad leaders in their Fifth Generation Special Armor had no confidence in confronting such a sharp scythe. Therefore, everyone unanimously chose to fight from a distance!


    The original White Demon Armor was strong, and the new White Demon Armor was even stronger, something even the enemy had to acknowledge. But don¡¯t forget, this armor, no matter how powerful, could only arm one person! The members of the three Void Magic Squads didn¡¯t believe that if they couldn¡¯t overcome him in close combat, couldn¡¯t they still bombard Rocky to death from a distance?


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    Keep in mind, Rocky was facing three squads of Void Magic Warriors! Even though he had instantly killed two of them, there were still twenty-eight adversaries!


    If those twenty-eight people unleashed their ranged firepower at once, then even the White Demon¡¯s Defensive Net couldn¡¯t possibly hold, because among those twenty-eight people, three were wearing Fifth Generation Special Armor, whose firepower was not inferior to the White Demon¡¯s!


    It was precisely because of this understanding that, once everyone had scattered, the three squads, from ordinary members to squad leaders, aimed their Magic Energy Bullets, Magic Energy Cannons, and Magic Energy Beams at Rocky!


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    Targeting Rocky from all sides, the three squad leaders issued the firing order without any hesitation.


    Following this command, all the Void Magic Warriors aiming at Rocky unleashed their firepower. In that instant, almost every single one of the three squads was firing all their ammunition, directing all of their ranged firepower at Rocky!


    This scene immediately captured the attention of the entire battlefield, for it was not only a rare sight but also spectacular.


    If each Void Magic Warrior in the three squads was considered as a Magic Cannon, then their combined firepower was equivalent to that of a patrol cruiser. Yet, in reality, the firepower output by a Void Magic Warrior was far superior to a Magic Cannon. The members clad in Mass-Produced Armor aside, the firepower of just the three squad leaders in Special Armor was enough to match a large warship!


    Therefore, upon witnessing this, all the Alliance Army members¡¯ hearts were in their throats.


    Everyone knew the White Demon was strong, this was indisputable, but don¡¯t forget that Rocky was not in a one-on-one fight; he was alone against three Void Magic Squads!


    The firepower output by the three Void Magic Squads was almost equivalent to that of several large warships, implying Rocky was practically being bombarded by multiple large warships using all their guns. Even if the White Demon Armor was strong, it couldn¡¯t possibly withstand such a level of attack, could it?!


    Overconfident¡­!


    Upon seeing this spectacle, the term ¡°overconfident¡± immediately sprung to the minds of the Alliance Army warriors attacking the enemy ships.


    In their view, Rocky was still too young. He had too much confidence and reliance on the White Demon Armor, forgetting that this was not the Arena but the battlefield, where a single oversight could result in death!


    Now, the only hope they had was that Rocky¡¯s confidence was not unfounded, hoping the White Demon Armor could actually withstand such a ferocious assault. No, they didn¡¯t even need it to fully withstand the attack; as long as it could keep him alive, they would still have a chance in the fight!


    While others were anxiously bracing themselves, Rocky, at the center of the encirclement, had already expanded the White Demon Armor¡¯s Defensive Net. Faced with such a fierce attack, it was impossible to resist solely with the Armor; he had to rely on the Defensive Net.


    And the moment the Defensive Net was activated, the attacks from all directions arrived!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 430 - 397: Switch from Defense to Offense!_2

    Chapter 430: Chapter 397: Switch from Defense to Offense!_2


    In an instant, countless magic energy bullets, magic energy cannons, and magic energy beams of various sizes and speeds simultaneously struck the defensive net, instantly making the defensive net burst with blinding light and ripple wave after wave.


    ¡°He can¡¯t withstand it!¡±


    Seeing that Rocky indeed had activated the defensive net, the three captains were delighted, because they were not afraid of Rocky defending; what they really feared was Rocky escaping!


    The White Demon was known for its speed, so if Rocky realized the danger and chose to flee, they wouldn¡¯t have any way to catch him. Only the three captains could keep up with the speed of the White Demon; others had no means, and even the three captains were not confident they could take down Rocky on their own.


    But now Rocky wasn¡¯t running, which made things easier!


    As long as Rocky didn¡¯t flee and chose to defend, under the impact and force of the cannon fire, even with the protective defensive net, he would lose the ability to resist. Attacks from all directions would immobilize Rocky, meaning once he was hit by attacks from all sides, he would essentially be trapped.


    ...


    And once he was trapped like that, he would be as good as dead, because the three captains were very confident in one thing: the defensive net of the White Demon, no matter how strong, absolutely could not withstand the assault of so many people; even if it held for a moment, it would soon break, and by then Rocky would be doomed.


    So, upon discovering that Rocky had activated the defensive net, the three captains immediately shouted to their team members to keep firing even if they ran out of magic energy, believing that just a few seconds of sustained firepower would seal Rocky¡¯s fate!


    In such a battlefield, aren¡¯t a few seconds fleeting?


    Thus, in just a few blinks, a few seconds had passed. However, the scene the three captains had expected did not occur. The defensive net of the White Demon was much sturdier than they had imagined and did not collapse immediately upon contact.


    ¡°Give it more power!¡±


    Seeing that the defense of the White Demon Armor had not been shattered, the three captains yelled through the communicator and then, along with their crew, spared no effort in concentrating all the armor¡¯s mana on their weapons.


    The fifth-generation armor, even the mass-produced ones, employed a certain Magic Energy Conduction Technique, and the Special Armor worn by the three captains even incorporated the most advanced modular technology. Hence, when everyone concentrated the armor¡¯s mana on the weapons, the firepower output was even stronger.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co


    But several more seconds passed, and the defensive net of the White Demon Armor still did not break!


    ¡°How is this possible!¡±


    ¡°How could his defensive net be so strong!¡±


    Having already maximized their firepower yet still not breaking through the White Demon¡¯s defensive net, the three captains could hardly believe it was true, for with the firepower they were generating now, not just the armor¡¯s defensive net, even the defensive net of a battleship would have been breached!


    What these people had not noticed was that when their attacks struck the defensive net, they had not produced the violent explosions they had anticipated. In fact, a significant portion of the attacks that struck the defensive net produced no movement whatsoever; it felt¡­ as if it had been absorbed by the defensive net!


    Yes, absorbed!


    When Rocky activated his defensive net, everyone had overlooked one small detail: at the same time, he also raised the scythe in his hand!


    Why would he do this?


    Because he wanted to activate the Azure Fang embedded at the tip of the scythe through contact with the defensive net!


    The Azure Fang, coming from the Demon Leviathan, which is one of the Thirty-three Great Demons, possesses the ability to absorb and expel mana. Hence, the Azure Fang also has the function to absorb and release mana.


    To adapt this tooth for use in the new version of the White Demon Armor, Orton and others had put in a lot of effort, and it was thanks to Pelaya that they finally figured out how to do it.


    As a master in the field of Magic Energy Conduction, Pelaya played an irreplaceable role in the research of the Azure Fang; without her, even Orton and Aniye were at a loss regarding this tooth.


    To use the Azure Fang, Pelaya had constructed a unique Magic Energy Conduction System over several months. With this system, the ability of the Azure Fang to absorb and release mana was finally controlled and fully utilized.


    For instance, now, as soon as Rocky opened the Defensive Net, if the tip of the scythe touched the net, the Magic Conduction System constructed by Pelaya would activate. This allowed the Azure Fang¡¯s ability to absorb mana to connect with the Defensive Net. Then, the Defensive Net could absorb mana to indirectly enhance its powers.


    As a result, despite the three squads of Void Magic Warriors bombarding Rocky extensively, the majority of their attacks did no damage to the Defensive Net. Instead, the Defensive Net absorbed them via the Azure Fang. Whether it was Magic Energy Bullets, Magic Energy Cannons, or even the more powerful Magic Energy Beams, all were essentially pure mana and could be absorbed by the Azure Fang.


    This was the real reason the enemy could never break through the Defensive Net.


    With the enhancement of the Azure Fang, the defensive ability of the White Demon was almost exponentially strengthened. It could be said that as long as the Azure Fang was present, this Defensive Net was nearly unbreakable.


    Of course, even the Azure Fang could not absorb mana indefinitely. The tooth was precious but was merely one of the Demon Leviathan¡¯s teeth. While its effects were miraculous, it was not invincible.


    Thus, overall, the three captains had made a fairly accurate judgement: if they could sustain their firepower, the White Demon¡¯s Defensive Net could eventually be penetrated, albeit over a longer period.


    But don¡¯t forget, the Azure Fang could not only absorb mana but also had the capacity to release it!


    So, after the attack continued for a few more seconds, Rocky, wielding the Magic Fang Scythe, felt it was about time.


    ¡°We¡¯re reaching the limit¡­¡±


    At this moment, inside Rocky¡¯s helmet, yellow lights began to persistently flash, indicating that the Azure Fang¡¯s absorption capacity was nearly at its limit.


    Under these circumstances, he no longer used the Magic Fang Scythe to touch the Defensive Net, and just as he moved the scythe away, red lights quickly flashed inside the helmet, signaling that the Defensive Net¡¯s tolerance was close to the limit!


    It was just a moment, but the Defensive Net¡¯s tolerance reached its limit, enough to show how powerful the firepower of the three Void Magic Squads was. If it were not for the Azure Fang absorbing the firepower, Rocky might have truly been in danger this time.


    However, Rocky no longer needed to rely on the Defensive Net, as he was preparing to switch from defense to offense!


    After moving the Magic Fang Scythe away from the Defensive Net, he pointed it diagonally upwards toward several Void Magic Warriors, and then, with a swish, a large amount of mana sprayed out from the tip of the scythe!


    The sprayed mana had virtually no shape, spreading out as soon as it was released. If one had to describe it, it looked like a curtain of water being shot out, but the fabric of this curtain was not water, but genuine mana, absorbed from the attacks!


    The curtain of light instantly enveloped several Void Magic Warriors, and right after Rocky ended it, those covered by it vanished without a trace¡­


    They disappeared.


    In the curtain of light formed purely by mana, several Void Magic Warriors were completely erased!


    After that, Rocky pointed his scythe in another direction, and with a swish, another curtain of light shot out, enveloping several more Void Magic Warriors who were obliterated!


    Following that, he pointed his scythe a third time, aiming at one of the three captains!


    PS: It¡¯s been a long time since I asked for recommendations, so this time I¡¯m asking for a few! Please recommend, recommend, recommend¡ªsaying the important things three times!


    COMMENT sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 431 - 398: Fight to the Death!

    Chapter 431: Chapter 398: Fight to the Death!


    The sudden counterattack caught the enemy off guard!


    With a point of the Scythe, a curtain of Mana formed and shot out, leaving the enveloped Void Magic Warriors to vanish without a trace beneath the massive curtain.


    It all happened so swiftly and abruptly that when Rocky pointed the Scythe at one of the captains, the captain was startled and quickly dodged to the side as fast as he could.


    The moment he dodged, the curtain reached him, grazing his arm as it swept past, and when the curtain disappeared, several Void Magic Warriors, along with the captain¡¯s arm, had vanished!


    Three times in a row, Rocky drained all the Mana stored within the Azure Fang, and by the time he stopped, the three attacking Void Magic Squads had been reduced by half, with the other half annihilated by the Mana unleashed from the Azure Fang!


    In the blink of an eye, the tide of battle had turned!


    ...


    Logically, even the new version of the White Demon Armor shouldn¡¯t wield such tremendous power. The curtain had obliterated most of the enemy instantly, all thanks to the enemy¡¯s fierce attack; it was because it had absorbed an excessive amount of Mana that the Azure Fang had burst forth with such immense power.


    And when Rocky stopped, the surrounding Void Magic Warriors had also halted, completely dumbfounded by what had just occurred; in the blink of an eye, dozens of Void Magic Warriors had been vanquished, a sight none had ever witnessed before.


    With such a significant loss in personnel, the remaining enemies couldn¡¯t attack as fiercely as before. Of those still hovering in the air, only fourteen remained, including a captain who was now disabled. They had nearly thirty people before and couldn¡¯t overcome Rocky; now reduced by half, how could they fight against Rocky?


    So at that moment, all the surviving Void Magic Warriors felt compelled to retreat¡­


    They were Void Magic Warriors, the true elites, but they were also human and understood what terror was. Today¡¯s battle with Rocky had given these Void Magic Warriors a real taste of true terror!


    In such circumstances, in just a moment, someone took the lead and ran!


    The Void Magic Warrior furthest from Rocky suddenly turned and flew away without looking back!


    With one leading the way, the rest of the Void Magic Warriors no longer hesitated; almost all of them fled in panic.


    This scene was almost unimaginable: three entire regiments of Void Magic Squads had come to besiege Rocky alone, only to end up half annihilated, and the other half scattering in a frantic escape. Such an event was rare, even unprecedented in the history of the development of Void Magic Armor. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, not every Void Magic Warrior chose to flee; at least three remained on the battlefield.


    Three captains!


    To become a Void Magic Warrior meant being among the elite, and to be a captain among the Void Magic Warriors meant being the elite of the elite and a true warrior. Even faced with a formidable foe like Rocky and the nearly otherworldly White Demon Armor, these three captains hadn¡¯t abandoned the dignity inherent in being a warrior and a Void Magic Warrior; they chose to stay.


    Similarly, Rocky didn¡¯t pursue those who fled because those warriors meant little to him; instead, he was aware of the three captains.


    Although the new version of the White Demon Armor was strong, Rocky never underestimated his opponents. He knew that each captain among the Void Magic Warriors was truly exceptional, each capable of altering the course of a battle. Hence, he could let others go, but not these three captains!


    So, while others chose to flee, Rocky did not chase them but instead turned his attention to the three captains.


    At that moment, the positions of the three captains formed a triangle, collaboratively encompassing Rocky in the center, yet none of them made the first move to attack, including Rocky himself.


    Subsequently, the four suspended in air, though without any verbal communication, simultaneously raised their arms and thumped their fists against their chests.


    The thudding noise was unusually crisp at that moment, echoing in everyone¡¯s ears. It was a salute among the Void Magic Warriors, symbolizing acknowledgment and respect for the adversary.


    Clearly, in this battle, both Rocky and the three fearless captains facing a formidable foe had earned each other¡¯s respect.


    But, right after the salute, a fierce battle ensued!


    This time, the three captains took the initiative to attack!


    The two captains beside Rocky simultaneously launched an attack, one wielding a Mana Sword, while the other bore a more unusual weapon, a Magic Energy Spear, over two meters long and imposing.


    At the same time, when these two captains charged, Rocky also moved, but instead of meeting the two, he targeted the other captain.


    The captain he targeted had previously lost an arm to the curtain. Faced with three opponents none of whom were less skilled or experienced than himself¡ªpossibly even stronger¡ªRocky chose to reduce the enemy¡¯s numbers first!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 432 - 398: Fight to the Death!_2

    Chapter 432: Chapter 398: Fight to the Death!_2


    Don¡¯t be fooled¡ªdespite losing an arm, if given the chance, Rocky believed his adversary still possessed the ability to threaten his life fatally, so he targeted this person first.


    Seeing Rocky charge at him, the injured squad leader did not choose to retreat. He knew that he could not compete with the White Demon in terms of speed, and so he abandoned evasion and directly opened his Magic Energy Shield.


    In the blink of an eye, Rocky had closed the distance, and, following that, he raised the scythe in his hand and brought it down with a swing!


    Without activating any mana, even this ordinary slash left a trail of light as it fell, as though the sharp blade was slicing through the air itself, and then there was a crisp ¡°crack¡± as the blade heavily struck the Magic Energy Shield.


    It was blocked!


    Raising his only remaining arm with all his might, the squad leader had braced himself for the possibility of being cleaved in two. So, when he discovered that he had indeed blocked the strike, a great joy surged in his heart.


    ...


    Unfortunately, he then noticed that the once-blocked scythe was visibly passing through the Magic Energy Shield!


    It won¡¯t hold!


    Realizing the Magic Energy Shield had barely hindered the scythe and was about to be shattered, the squad leader reacted swiftly, dodging a second before the scythe fell and then watching as the scythe sliced through half of the Magic Energy Shield beside him.


    That was close!


    As he watched the scythe shatter the Magic Energy Shield and fall, the squad leader broke into a cold sweat. Had he been a mere second slower, he would have been split in two.


    But just as he was inwardly relieved, Rocky, whose strike had missed, raised the scythe once more and brought it down again!


    This is the end¡­


    As Rocky¡¯s second slash fell, the squad leader who had just escaped death resigned himself to fate. The Magic Energy Shield was already broken, and it would take time to reconstitute it, so he was utterly powerless against this second strike¡­


    But just at that moment, just as the sharpened edge of the scythe was about to bisect the squad leader, a Mana Sword and a Magic Energy Spear suddenly appeared from both sides. The two Mana Weapons crossed paths, firmly stopping the descent of the scythe! sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other two squad leaders had arrived!


    After all, Rocky was now facing three enemies, all squad leader level, and having missed his strike had already lost the best opportunity to finish the fight. This allowed the other two squad leaders to arrive on time, snatching their comrade from Rocky¡¯s grasp!


    Meanwhile, after being rescued, the injured squad leader didn¡¯t even think before raising his hand, and with a flash of light from his palm, a Magic Energy Beam shot towards Rocky!


    Reaction.


    Coordination.


    Flawless.


    Such is the caliber of the Squad Leader Level Void Magic Warriors!


    Faced with this attack, Rocky swiftly flew upward, then, accelerating, he made several right-angle maneuvers in succession, instantly landing behind the trio and in the moment of touching ground, he swept his scythe horizontally!


    Whoosh! The already lengthy scythe, swung in motion, traced a semicircle that enveloped all three!


    Seeing this, the two squad leaders swiftly dodged in opposite directions¡ªone up, one down¡ªnarrowly avoiding the strike. However, the squad leader they had just rescued wasn¡¯t so lucky. He didn¡¯t even have time to turn around before the scythe swept by, cutting him in half at the waist!


    One squad leader, fallen!


    Having killed one squad leader, Rocky had no time to celebrate. He immediately turned and dove towards the other, quickly ramping up the Armor¡¯s speed to the extreme, transforming into a streak of light in mid-air and charging at his opponent.


    In mere seconds, he was upon the second squad leader, but before he could wield the scythe, his foe had already thrust out the spear in hand!


    As previously mentioned, this squad leader wielded a rarely seen weapon¡ªit could be referred to as a Magic Energy Spear or Spear, but besides the small solid section held in hand, the rest was materialized from mana. What¡¯s more, this weapon was over two meters long, its reach even surpassing that of the Magic Fang Scythe by a good length.


    Therefore, as Rocky rapidly closed in, the squad leader didn¡¯t wait for the scythe to swing and instead thrust his spear out first!


    The adage goes, ¡°a longer reach makes a weapon stronger,¡± and facing the suddenly thrust spear, Rocky quickly dodged, spiraling through the air. However, the squad leader he now faced was no ordinary warrior; this rare weapon denoted extraordinary ability, and a few successive thrusts soon put pressure on Rocky.


    ¡°This won¡¯t do¡­¡±


    In the span of barely a second or two, Rocky realized that continuing like this was no solution. With the long spear in play, even though he was slightly faster than the squad leader in front, he couldn¡¯t get close enough, and at the same time, the other squad leader had already started to turn and come his way. If he didn¡¯t resolve this fight quickly, wouldn¡¯t it become two against one once the other squad leader arrived?


    With this in mind, he activated all the runes of the latest version of the White Demon Armor!


    In an instant, the Armor¡¯s mana surged from its original peak value of 10,000 points directly to 15,000 points!


    With the latest upgrades, besides new technology and weapons, the White Demon Armor¡¯s magic energy value also saw a substantial enhancement, increasing by as much as fifty percent.


    For Orton and his kind, enhancing mana was the easiest part, because once runes were inscribed on the Armor, they would take effect, and the higher the level of the runes, the more mana they provided. So, while mana might be a bottleneck for regular Armor, this limitation didn¡¯t exist for the White Demon Armor.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 433 - 398: Fight to the Death!_3

    Chapter 433: Chapter 398: Fight to the Death!_3


    The real restraint on the White Demon Armor¡¯s capabilities turned out to be the material itself.


    As the mana increased, so did the requirements for the armor¡¯s material; after all, runes had to be inscribed upon it. Ordinary materials couldn¡¯t bear it at all. Only high-grade materials could be used, but even these had an upper limit of what they could hold, which became the bottleneck for the White Demon Armor.


    In this regard, Orton and his team hadn¡¯t yet found a good solution, and Rocky¡¯s current financial ability didn¡¯t allow them to craft the armor from better materials.


    So don¡¯t be fooled by the fact that Rocky¡¯s mana surged tremendously after activating all the runes on the armor, but such an explosive state couldn¡¯t last: it could be maintained for a maximum of ten seconds. After exceeding this limit, the armor must revert to normal, or it would disintegrate from being unable to withstand the massive amount of mana.


    It was because of this limitation that Rocky had originally planned to use this move as his trump card, but it seemed there was no other choice now. He wanted to win the battle quickly, so he would have to unleash the full combat power of the new edition of the White Demon Armor.


    The burst state could only last ten seconds, but once the new edition of the White Demon Armor was fully activated, Rocky¡¯s speed skyrocketed, and he disappeared from the captain¡¯s view in an instant!


    ...


    ¡°This¡­!¡±


    Finding Rocky suddenly vanishing from in front of him, the captain who was about to thrust his Magic Energy Spear stood frozen.


    If he could see from the perspective of an observer at that moment, he would have realized that Rocky hadn¡¯t disappeared, but had instead darted in front of him at an accelerated pace, and after passing him, immediately turned 180 degrees, positioning the Scythe horizontally in his hands.


    This scene occurred in the blink of an eye. The captain, unaware of Rocky¡¯s location, continued to retreat at high speed. He didn¡¯t realize that Rocky had already charged past him from behind!


    So, just in that moment, Rocky overtook the captain, and the Scythe in his hand slashed across the captain¡¯s body¡­


    It wasn¡¯t until Rocky had already soared past and even further away that the captain finally came to his senses, and then instinctively looked down, only to see his lower body falling from midair¡­


    When the second captain perished, an explosive Rocky was already rushing towards the last remaining captain. Due to his incredible speed, he appeared almost as a shadow in the eyes of the captain, who couldn¡¯t make out any specific movements.


    However, the last captain¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t slow. Knowing that he couldn¡¯t keep up with Rocky¡¯s speed, he immediately spread out both hands and from each palm a magic energy quickly merged into a colossal beam of light, shooting straight at Rocky!


    The beam¡¯s size was almost equivalent to the old version of the White Demon¡¯s Demon Annihilation Cannon, its power obviously of the same caliber, and even if it was weaker, it wasn¡¯t by much. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet facing this powerful oncoming attack, Rocky didn¡¯t slow down; instead, he raised the Magic Fang Scythe and aimed its tip at the beam of light.


    In the blink of an eye, the enormous beam vanished, and the copious mana was completely absorbed by the Azure Fang!


    It was at this very moment that the distance between Rocky and the last captain closed in to within ten meters, and then he raised the Magic Fang Scythe and swung down hard!


    It should be noted that even though the distance between them was close, it was still far beyond the Scythe¡¯s attack range; Rocky¡¯s swing was essentially in the air.


    But as the Scythe came down, the mana recently absorbed by the Azure Fang was released. What had been a screen of light turned into a massive crescent with the swing of the Scythe, then shooting directly towards the captain¡­!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 434 - 399: Marching Towards the Hong Beast!

    Chapter 434: Chapter 399: Marching Towards the Hong Beast!


    With a single slash, the mana emanating from the top of the Scythe turned into a huge crescent as it was swung, crossing a distance of more than ten meters and landing directly on the last captain!


    The last captain was thus cleaved in two!


    His death also signaled that all three captains had fallen in battle!


    From the moment Rocky engaged with the three captains to their total extermination, it took merely a few exchanges. If one were to time it, it might have lasted less than two minutes before the victor was decided, but those two minutes were filled with spectacular combat!


    Judging by the outcome, the three captains were successively killed, seemingly as if Rocky had crushed his opponents, but only Rocky himself knew the truth was not so simple. To swiftly decide the battle and kill the three captains, he had even activated the new ¡°White Demon¡± burst state, which instantly determined the victor; thus, the victory was far from as straightforward as it appeared.


    Following the death of the last captain, Rocky, barely having time to catch his breath, quickly ceased the operation of some runes on his Armor and deactivated the ¡°White Demon¡± burst mode. Although powerful, the burst mode was too brief and, if not carefully managed, could lead to Rocky¡¯s own demise.


    ...


    After this, he urgently looked around, for while he was fiercely battling with the three members of the Void Magic Squad, their fleets had already been engaged in combat.


    When Rocky looked around, he found that although there were many warships surrounding him, upon closer inspection, they were all from the Alliance Army; the enemy¡¯s warships were now few and far between, signifying that as he claimed victory, the battle among the fleets was also nearing its end.


    Indeed, that was the case. While Rocky was entangled with the opposing Void Magic Squad, the Alliance Army was likewise expanding their triumph in a sweeping fashion.


    It had already been said that since the Alliance Army was equipped with warships uniquely developed and manufactured by the Sky Alliance, their combat power was generally superior to contemporary warships. With the advantage in quality and also leading in quantity, the battle was one-sided right from the start.


    When Rocky personally joined the battle, he handed over the command of the entire force to Claudy, one of the generals sent by Wilton. Aged over fifty and with more than thirty years of military service, Claudy excelled in commanding large-scale battles. The larger the number of troops involved, the more adept he was. He was recognized as one of the famed generals within the Sky Alliance.


    It was because of this ability that standards like managing over 300 warships seemed too few for Claudy. Under his command, the Fleet seemed to possess a spirit of its own, forming small groups interspersed all over the battlefield, continuously maneuvering and supporting each other, reducing the already scattered enemy to shreds, disintegrating them in a short period and establishing an early victory.


    Therefore, by the time Rocky finished his battle, the aerial combat was essentially over as well, except for a small number of enemies who broke through and escaped at the start; the large majority of the enemy forces had been annihilated!


    ¡°Lord Claudy, how is the situation?¡±


    Although he saw that the battle was essentially over, Rocky, after returning to War Steed, immediately asked since he was unaware of the specific details.


    ¡°My lord, it¡¯s basically over. Only a few scattered enemy warships are fleeing; the main force has been destroyed,¡±


    ¡°What about our losses?¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, my lord, they are not significant.¡±


    Standing before Rocky, Claudy seemed very gentlemanly, his face adorned with only a perfunctory smile, showing no joy from the recent battle victory; such a level of combat seemed too trivial to him; the total forces involved didn¡¯t even exceed five hundred warships, and the Void Magic Squad was less than ten squads, hardly a major battle, and nothing to be pleased about in winning.


    But Rocky didn¡¯t think that way; upon knowing that victory was almost assured and their losses were not severe, he finally felt a long sigh of relief inside because that meant Hongshou City couldn¡¯t escape now!


    The real target of Rocky¡¯s attack had always been one thing from the beginning to end, to eliminate Hongshou City, or to say, his sole purpose coming to the Tulip Battle Zone was to eradicate the enemy¡¯s small Sky City¡ªit had always been like this.


    Rocky already knew from the starting point of all his plans¡ªthe moment when Wilton had told him¡ªthat a large army was stationed inside Hongshou City, which is why he specifically lured Andy out; otherwise, if Andy stayed hidden in the city with more than a hundred warships, then even if Rocky¡¯s forces initiated a total assault on Hongshou City, the outcome would¡¯ve been different.


    With a Defensive Net as the barrier and over a hundred warships for defense, the defensive capabilities of Hongshou City were not to be underestimated at all; it would take potentially days of continuous fighting to bring down Hongshou City, a scenario Rocky absolutely did not wish to see. He needed a quick, decisive battle.


    Otherwise, if the battle dragged on too long, the reinforcements from the Rebel Army would have arrived, and that would pose a real problem for Rocky.


    Fortunately, Andy was overly confident; his ego boost at a critical moment perfectly played into Rocky¡¯s plans. Although Andy had fled shortly after the battle started, according to Claudy, his escape was not a concern¡ªHongshou City¡¯s fleet and Void Magic Squad were annihilated in the recent battle. Hence, even if Andy returned to Hongshou City, all he would have was an empty fortress.


    An empty fortress¡ªeven shielded by a Defensive Net, how could it possibly withstand an onslaught from Rocky¡¯s large forces?


    So, following that, Rocky immediately issued the command:


    ¡°Reorganize the troops immediately and advance towards Hongshou City!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With that, Claudy immediately went to convey his order, and as the command was relayed to all the warships, the Alliance Army swiftly reorganized their formation, then majestically advanced towards Hongshou City not far away.


    ¡°So fast¡­¡±


    As the fleet began to close in on Hongshou City, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but inwardly marvel at the high quality of the Alliance Army.


    The previous battle needs no mention, but merely in the matter of minutes it took, following his command to regroup, for the Alliance Army¡¯s fleet to reset its previously scattered formation to its original state¡ªthis alone was testament to the high quality of this troop, probably the only sort of quality that could hold off the Rebel Army¡¯s advances despite being at a complete disadvantage.


    This made Rocky think of the fleet of Thunderhawk City; clearly, in this aspect, Thunderhawk City¡¯s fleet was no match for the Alliance Army. It seems that after the battle, he would need to seriously learn from Claudy and other Alliance officers.


    With that thought, he looked towards the distance, then noticed that Hongshou City was already before him!


    COMMENT Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 435 - 400: The Final Counterattack

    Chapter 435: Chapter 400: The Final Counterattack


    Andy wasn¡¯t much of a fighter, but he was fast at fleeing.


    Once he had dispatched all the Void Magic Squads he had brought with him, he took a few warships and fled without looking back. He escaped early and quickly enough that when the Alliance Army completely shattered the enemy, he had already left the battlefield, and even the blocking forces led by Felly couldn¡¯t stop him.


    Upon returning to Hongshou City, he immediately activated the flight mode of Sky City, planning to escape.


    But Andy was clearly confused, for if he truly could have escaped like this, shouldn¡¯t he have run away much earlier? Why would the Rebel Army have him hold the position for five days waiting for reinforcements if it weren¡¯t for the fact that escape was impossible!


    Sky City, though capable of flight, had a known speed that, while enduring, could not possibly outpace a warship.


    So, even though Hongshou City kept flying, when Rocky led a large army there, it didn¡¯t take long for them to catch up and quickly arrive at the defensive net of Hongshou City.


    ...


    The prior battle saw losses for the Alliance Army as well, but due to proficient command, and the intrinsic combat strength of the warships being strong enough, these losses were practically negligible; thus, when Rocky led his troops forward, over three hundred warships appeared before Hongshou City virtually at full combat capacity.


    Afterward, Rocky did something similar to what Andy had done, which was to disperse the fleet of more than three hundred warships to form a fan shape, thus completely encircling Hongshou City!


    Over three hundred warships encircling a small Sky City allowed the spread-out warships to completely form a ring around the entire city!


    ¡°Siege.¡±


    As the fleet surrounded Hongshou City completely, Rocky, standing at the bow of the War Steed, spoke just two words, issuing the order to besiege the city!


    A massive siege battle then began!


    Upon receiving the order to besiege, the Alliance Army, which had already surrounded Hongshou City, opened fire together. Both the main and secondary guns aimed at Sky City started firing, instantly causing the defensive net to flare up with light ripples.


    How similar was this scene to one not long ago?


    Previously, when Andy led a large army to surround Thunderhawk City, it was also encircled like half a Sky City before the attack commenced. What Rocky was doing now was exactly like what Andy had done initially.


    There was just one difference between the two situations: when Andy initially encircled Thunderhawk City, there were over three hundred warships inside, fully prepared; but now, when Rocky used the same formation and even stronger troops to surround Hongshou City, there wasn¡¯t even a single troop that could be dispatched from inside¡­


    So when the Alliance Army began their fierce attack on Sky City, there was no movement at all within Hongshou City, and not a single warship was deployed.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    At this moment, Andy was slumped inside the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, deafened by the thunderous cannon fire coming in through the window and reaching his ears, rendering him utterly stunned¡­


    Andy had never imagined that this would be his fate.


    Although he was just the City Lord of a small Sky City, he was a member of the Mairente Family, and securing a Sky City, even a small one, was enough to demonstrate Andy¡¯s status within the family. Hence, he had never imagined someone would dare to launch a siege against him!


    At this moment, Andy was not just panicked but had completely broken down because he was well aware that, after losing most of his major troops, he had no capacity to resist Rocky¡¯s attack, not even to defend.


    In Hongshou City now, there were fewer than ten warships that could be deployed, and there were just over one squad of Void Magic Warriors, but with no squad leader. How could such meager forces withstand Rocky¡¯s vast army?


    The only thing Andy could do was wait.


    He sat alone in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, staring blankly at the empty hall, not knowing what he was thinking, or perhaps he was thinking of nothing at all¡­


    As time ticked by, the relentless sound of cannon fire continued outside.


    There wasn¡¯t much to say about this siege because it was entirely a one-sided attack. The disparity between the two sides was so vast that there wasn¡¯t even a need for command, as Hongshou City could do nothing to resist the ongoing assault. All Rocky had to do was give the order to attack the city, and then he had nothing else to do, with no adjustments and commands necessary.


    As a result, time quickly passed from noon to the afternoon, and after half a day of continuous attack, Hongshou City¡¯s Defensive Net was clearly reaching its limit. The once thick, tangible net, thinned like a cicada¡¯s wing after relentless bombardment, light from the Magic Energy Cannons grew increasingly weak, but the ripples it cast became more pronounced.


    All signs were showing that Hongshou City¡¯s Defensive Net was about to give in!


    Surely by tomorrow nightfall, the Defensive Net would be completely breached, and once the defenses fell, it would mean the fall of Hongshou City!


    At this time, Rocky became somewhat tense, since this was his first real siege. When he had confronted Baron Wolin before, he had attacked Matu City, but that was only a threat; later, during the battle with Wild Horse City, Thunderhawk City had been besieged, but Rocky was on the defense. So, this battle was his first real siege.


    Thus, as the Defensive Net of Hongshou City gradually failed, Rocky also became increasingly tense, yet there was an undeniable excitement mixed with his anxiety.


    However, just at this moment, just as Hongshou City was on the verge of being breached, Andy, who had been slumped in the City Lord¡¯s Hall all day, seemed to remember something. He suddenly jumped from his seat, screaming and running out of the hall like a madman.


    ¡°Activate the City-Destroyer Cannon! Activate the City-Destroyer Cannon!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! Use the City-Destroyer Cannon! Hahaha!¡±


    Andy shouted and laughed hysterically while running out of the City Lord¡¯s Hall, clamoring to fire the City-Destroyer Cannon!


    Unfortunately, by then there was hardly anyone left in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, as everyone from senior officials to servants had hidden in their homes, because each of them knew that Hongshou City was doomed.


    In such a situation, Andy yelled for a long while but saw no one answer him, so he decided to run off on his own to activate the City-Destroyer Cannon!


    Undoubtedly, Andy had completely lost his sanity. Judging from his actions at this moment, his mental state was definitely unstable.


    The more deranged a person is, the more dangerous he is, especially now that Andy had clearly gone mad. He was actually planning to activate the City-Destroyer Cannon and self-destruct along with Rocky! S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 436 - 401: Breach the City!

    Chapter 436: Chapter 401: Breach the City!


    Facing Rocky¡¯s attack, Andy had already collapsed, no longer sane.


    He rushed out of the City Lord¡¯s Hall, laughing and shouting like a madman, and then began to run away, clamoring to launch the City-Destroyer Cannon¡­


    The City-Destroyer Cannon, the ultimate defense of Sky City, one shot of which was powerful enough to annihilate a Sky City, and could only be fired once. Because once the City-Destroyer Cannon was used, the Super Crystal that powered Sky City would be forced to cease operation due to excessive Mana consumption. At that time, Sky City could only descend to the land, and only when the Super Crystal was fully recharged could it soar to the skies again.


    Initially, when Rocky faced Matu City, it was by threatening with the City-Destroyer Cannon that he forcibly snatched a thousand people from their hands. But in reality, he was only bluffing at the time, not daring to use the City-Destroyer Cannon, after all, the cost of using it was too great, and almost no Sky City could afford it.


    But now, Andy, who had obviously gone insane, was clearly not joking because, with Sky City bound to be breached and certain doom whether he acted or not, he had long since become indifferent!


    So not long after this, Rocky attacking from the outside noticed something was amiss!


    ...


    In his view, the defense net, which was initially as thin as a feather, suddenly lit up entirely; then, the light seemed to gather towards the top of the net, moving up from the base as if congregating at the very peak!


    As someone who had threatened with the City-Destroyer Cannon before, Rocky understood at a glance, and immediately issued the second command of the siege: ¡°Order all warships to intensify the attack on the city, dispatch all Void Magic Warriors to assist!¡±


    After saying these words, he glanced at Claudy next to him, nodded his head, and then put on the White Demon¡¯s helmet once more before flying out of the War Steed.


    Rocky¡¯s mood at the moment was somewhat complex.


    Discovering that Andy was planning to activate the City-Destroyer Cannon, he couldn¡¯t say he wasn¡¯t nervous, but he wasn¡¯t too worried either. Although the power of the City-Destroyer Cannon was immense, as its name suggests, it was meant to attack Sky Cities and could fire only one shot. Even with its mighty power, its range was too small.


    Now, Rocky had led a great army surrounding Hongshou City, but Thunderhawk City had not come along. It remained at the previous location, a considerable distance away. So even if Andy activated the City-Destroyer Cannon, it couldn¡¯t possibly hit Thunderhawk City; at most, it could hit the surrounding fleet. But since the City-Destroyer Cannon fired a beam of light, and the Alliance Army had already dispersed, no matter where it was aimed, it could only hit a dozen or so warships within the beam¡¯s radius, posing no real threat.


    Nevertheless, Rocky didn¡¯t want Hongshou City to actually fire the City-Destroyer Cannon.


    Firstly, he didn¡¯t want to suffer any losses, even though at most, the City-Destroyer Cannon could only destroy some warships; Rocky didn¡¯t want to incur even that minor damage.


    Secondly, once the City-Destroyer Cannon was fired, Hongshou City would begin an emergency descent. Given that the defense net had already consumed a large amount of Mana, it might even crash directly! That was not what Rocky wanted; he hadn¡¯t plundered the city¡¯s resources yet!


    Although Hongshou City was a small Sky City, it was still a Sky City! Not to mention anything else, there were thousands of people inside, all targets for Rocky. And let¡¯s not forget, Hongshou City¡¯s role in this great battle was transportation; it had just loaded a large amount of supplies from Chenxiu City. Rocky had no intention of letting go of these supplies, so if Hongshou City were to be destroyed just like that, it would be too much for him to bear.


    Therefore, upon seeing Hongshou City preparing to activate the City-Destroyer Cannon, he immediately ordered, on one hand, for the fleet to intensify its assault, and on the other hand, he deployed all the Void Magic Squads.


    But one should not underestimate the power of the Void Magic Warriors. Rocky currently had a total of seven full-strength Void Magic Squads, which means seventy Void Magic Warriors. Although most were equipped with Mass-Produced Armor, each squad¡¯s leader wore Special Armor. In addition, with Rocky himself, if everyone attacked the Defensive Net with their firepower simultaneously, it would rival the salvo of dozens of warships!


    So after that, he led all the Void Magic Warriors to fly in front of the Defensive Net and then bombarded it.


    Suddenly, there was a firepower equivalent to dozens of warships added to the siege, and the momentum of the attack became even more fierce. The Defensive Net of Hongshou City began to teeter on the brink of collapse, but during this process, the gathering of Mana at the apex did not cease!


    Even though the offensive intensified, the City-Destroyer Cannon showed no signs of stopping.


    The only thing that gave everyone a glimmer of hope was that the City-Destroyer Cannon needed a significant amount of time to gather Mana to fire because it required so much Mana, and this gave Rocky and the others a chance. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, the Fleet besieging Hongshou City, along with the Void Magic Warriors personally led by Rocky, launched the fiercest attack.


    The situation now felt as if both sides were racing against time, with Hongshou City rushing to gather Mana for the final shot, while the Alliance Army led by Rocky also hastened their fierce attacks, aiming to break through the Defense Net before the City-Destroyer Cannon was ready. What had been a one-sided battle became tense in these final moments.


    And just like that, more than ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye.


    But just at that moment, the glow on the Defensive Net of Hongshou City suddenly burst forth, becoming bright, especially at the top!


    ¡°Damn¡­!¡±


    Discovering the sudden brightness at the top of the Defensive Net, Rocky, who was attacking in front of it, abruptly lifted his head and inwardly cursed.


    Was he still too late¡­


    Watching the luminosity proliferate, Rocky knew that the City-Destroyer Cannon must have finished preparing.


    However, just as this thought crossed his mind, suddenly, the light at the defensive apex went out!


    The fierce attack launched by the people was not without effect, so they had not failed, but succeeded.


    Although Andy did not stop the City-Destroyer Cannon during Rocky¡¯s attack, don¡¯t forget that the Defensive Net was also operating during the Cannon¡¯s preparation, so as Rocky¡¯s offensive grew more intense, the consumption of the Defensive Net increased significantly. Thus, although the Cannon was ready in the end, the gathered Mana was insufficient to fire, which led to the scene just now!


    With the extinguishing of the City-Destroyer Cannon, the last barrier of Hongshou City, the Defensive Net, crumbled shortly thereafter, leaving the entire city exposed in an instant, unprotected like a bare maiden!


    ¡°Take the city!¡±


    Once the Defensive Net was breached, Rocky immediately returned to the War Steed and then issued the command, ordering his army to invade Hongshou City! Following his order, the Fleet surrounding the city poured into Sky City from all directions!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 437 - 402: Rob! Rob! Rob!

    Chapter 437: Chapter 402: Rob! Rob! Rob!


    The moment the Defensive Net disappeared signified that Hongshou City had been utterly breached!


    ¡°Order the Fleet to enter the city!¡±


    Watching the Defensive Net vanish, Rocky¡¯s heart surged with ecstasy. He immediately issued the command, ¡°Have Felly lead a team of warships to control the Skyport, and Cassan to take the Fleet to seize the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, giving him a Void Magic Squad to capture City Lord Andy alive.¡±


    ¡°The rest will follow me to the city district to take control of the residents, with Liliya and the Void Magic Squad providing support.¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As orders were issued one after another, the massive Fleet split into several groups and flew in different directions towards Sky City, following Rocky¡¯s instructions to take control of the entire city.


    The first objective was the Skyport, an extremely important area for any Sky City. Once the Skyport was under control, the troops would have a foothold, and everything that followed would be much easier.


    ...


    Next was the city district. Although Hongshou City was just a small Sky City and the smallest one within the Mairente Family, it still had a population of over four thousand. If these people started rioting, it would definitely pose a big problem, so Rocky personally led the main force to the city district immediately. At the same time, he had Liliya lead the Void Magic Squad to assist, in case the residents resisted.


    Last was the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. The mansion, being the core of the Sky City, ironically became less important once the city was overtaken. Nevertheless, Rocky still sent a fleet and a Void Magic Squad to capture City Lord Andy.


    With these forces acting in concert, they quickly headed towards the various districts of Sky City, starting to gradually take control of each area.


    Rocky led the largest contingent of troops, so when he arrived at the city district, hundreds of warships suddenly appeared above, like a vast dark cloud, casting a shadow over the entire area.


    At the same time, Liliya and her Void Magic Squad leaped out from the warships, immediately dispersing and flying towards the various blocks.


    Faced with such a sudden military presence overhead, the residents of Hongshou City, who had never seen the likes of this before, panicked. They hid inside their homes, not daring to step outside, leaving the vast city district in dead silence.


    These residents had already heard the deafening sounds of artillery fire as Rocky began the siege. But as ordinary civilians, what could they do?


    Though they lived in Sky City and were its most important components, they had no control over the city¡¯s fate. Thus, from the start of Rocky¡¯s assault, they hid in their homes; there was little else they could do.


    And now, with Rocky¡¯s army overhead, there was even less the residents could do.


    Peering through the window at the warships overhead, a father clutched his wife and two children tightly, his face filled with terror and helplessness.


    A burly man sat in his home, drinking while watching Void Magic Warriors fly past the window, his eyes void of any life.


    An elderly couple peered out their window at the scene outside. The old man¡¯s face was filled with bitterness. He turned to see his wife¡¯s face streaked with tears and could only smile sadly as he patted her on the back¡­


    Confronted with an enemy descending from the skies, the residents of Hongshou City felt overwhelmed and helpless.


    ¡°Residents of Hongshou City, all of you must immediately gather at the Skyport!¡±


    At that moment, a resounding broadcast came from the largest warship in the sky. It instantly made the citizens lift their heads and look towards the windows.


    ¡°Everyone! Immediately head to the Skyport to assemble!¡±


    ¡°Everyone! Immediately head to the Skyport to assemble!¡±


    ¡°Immediately head to the Skyport to assemble!¡±


    The broadcast from the sky kept repeating the same command, urging all the city¡¯s residents to gather at the Skyport.


    Upon hearing this voice, the children and young people in the city looked at each other, clueless about what was happening. However, the adults turned deathly pale upon hearing it, because they understood the world much better.


    Afterward, some residents opened their doors in response to the broadcast, and Void Magic Warriors immediately landed on the streets. They organized those who had stepped out and directed everyone to head straight for the Skyport.


    But not every resident was so compliant. Many chose to ignore the broadcast or, more accurately, to defy it. This resulted in the majority of doors remaining firmly shut, showing no sign of opening.


    ¡°Drag these people out for me!¡±


    Seeing many still hiding in their homes after the broadcast had sounded for a while, Liliya, in command of the Void Magic Squad, issued the order!


    With her command, the Void Magic Warriors, who had already spread out to occupy the various blocks, immediately sprang into action.


    In the face of these Void Magic Warriors, mere wooden doors were no obstacle. Before long, sealed doors were kicked open one by one, and the residents hiding inside were pulled onto the streets, willing or not.


    Naturally, there was resistance during the process, but any resisters were summarily executed without exception!


    And so, within mere minutes, over a hundred people in the city were dead. Resisters, those who disobeyed orders, were all killed on the spot!


    Some might consider this to be incredibly cruel. Yes, it was indeed cruel, but such are the rules of the world. It is also the price of defeat!


    In this world, the population is the most important resource. So, once a Sky City was overtaken, the first thing plundered was its people; Rocky was no exception and showed no mercy.


    According to data provided by the Shadow Alliance, Hongshou City had over four thousand residents¡ªthe smallest population among all the Mairente Family¡¯s Sky Cities. But even then, the total number was more than that of Thunderhawk City. So how could Rocky let such an opportunity slip by? He intended to take as many people from the city as he could.


    Besides the population, anything else that could be taken was fair game, such as supplies.


    As a transport city, Hongshou City carried a large amount of war supplies destined for the front lines. After the city fell, these supplies naturally fell into Rocky¡¯s hands.


    Then there was Hongshou City¡¯s own treasury. As the city was tasked with transportation, Rocky would never believe if someone claimed that Andy, the City Lord, hadn¡¯t embezzled anything during the process. Andy might not have dared to take much, but he would have taken some regardless. Plus, considering the city¡¯s own stockpiles, the contents of the treasury were sure to be considerable, and these too were something Rocky had no intention of leaving behind.


    All of these things were Rocky¡¯s spoils of war, so, in the end, whether it was people, money, or goods, Rocky intended to take everything he could. Everything that could be plundered, would be plundered!


    PS: Asking for recommendations!!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 438 - 403: City Annihilation…!

    Chapter 438: Chapter 403: City Annihilation¡­!


    Under the oppressive crackdown, many residents of Hongshou City were reluctant, but they found it difficult to resist. Soon, a significant stream of people appeared on the streets, marching toward the Skyport under the watchful eyes of the Void Magic Warriors.


    Resistance was not strong, so when Felly¡¯s team reached the Skyport of Hongshou City, they easily took control and discovered a large amount of goods inside the Skyport.


    These goods were war supplies from Chenxiu City, all packed up and ready to be shipped to the frontline.


    Consequently, before the residents even reached the Skyport, Felly hurriedly loaded these goods onto the warships in batches.


    On the other hand, as the city districts fell under control, a mass of residents began heading to the Skyport in large numbers. Rocky dispatched many warships to go along with them, partly responsible for transporting the goods and partly for taking the residents to Thunderhawk City.


    At the same time, the City Lord¡¯s Mansion was also overtaken, and City Lord Andy was captured without incident. Immediately after securing the mansion, the troops turned back and headed straight for the treasury of Hongshou City.


    ...


    In a short time, several squads, operating separately, began plundering the entire city relentlessly.


    As time ticked by, the night fell quickly, but the darkness did not impede the actions of Rocky and his people; instead, it made them work even harder, as they knew they did not have the luxury of time.


    Although Rocky had conquered Hongshou City, it also meant that he had thoroughly angered the Rebel Army, undoubtedly hastening the arrival of the reinforcements.


    In such a situation, Rocky simply didn¡¯t have enough time to remove everything from Hongshou City; all he could do was pick out the important and valuable items to plunder, and he only had one night for this task.


    One night.


    Three hundred warships.


    Take as much as possible, for by the next day, even if there were things left in Hongshou City, Rocky wouldn¡¯t be able to take them; he would have to leave.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.?¦Ï


    It was precisely because he knew time was of the essence that Rocky did not waste any time from the start; one could describe his actions as non-stop.


    Fortunately, he had brought enough warships this time. Over three hundred warships turned into cargo ships for the night, with each one making at least two trips between Hongshou City and Thunderhawk City. Despite this, when the sun slowly rose in the east the next day, there were still a great number of residents in the city, and even more goods that had not been transported away.


    There was no helping it; after all, warships were warships. Though they could carry goods and people on their decks and in their hulls, their capacity was ultimately limited. So in one night, they probably transported less than half of the residents and only a third of the goods.


    ¡°Order all warships to ascend.¡±


    As the sun gradually rose, Rocky, who had been standing at the bow of the War Steed all night, gave the command for all warships in the Skyport to stop loading and take off immediately!


    After his order was conveyed, he looked down at the Skyport below.


    Following Rocky¡¯s gaze, one could see the Skyport was filled to capacity. A large number of goods that had not been loaded in time were scattered on both sides of the port, and at the center of the Skyport, a large group of residents had gathered, who hadn¡¯t managed to board the ships in time.


    A few of these residents truly wished to be taken away by Rocky and his men, as the vast majority had been born and raised in Hongshou City and nobody wanted to leave the land that had nurtured them.


    But as Rocky watched these people, his heart was filled with a different flavor.


    ¡°After I die, I¡¯ll definitely go to Hell and join the Demons¡­¡±


    Turning to glance at Liliya, Rocky¡¯s face revealed a complexity never seen before, but that expression flashed by in an instant and was concealed or perhaps suppressed. Then he said to Claudy next to him, ¡°Send the order down, destroy the city¡¯s Super Crystal.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Claudy nodded and then passed the command on.


    Following that order, the War Steed, where Rocky was stationed, began to ascend, leading the vast majority of the troops away from the Skyport of Hongshou City. At the same time, a small squadron made up of ten warships flew toward the center of the city, where the Super Crystal was located.


    As the residents who were gathered at the port watched Rocky lead the Fleet away, they were at first stunned, then suddenly burst into cheers!


    But just then, at the very moment the cheers of these residents erupted, a loud boom overshadowed all the cheers, followed by a series of loud explosions within the city!


    The warships headed to the city center to bomb had already opened fire, and the Super Crystal they targeted was quickly blasted into pieces. The explosion of the crystal, and the Mana it contained, immediately caused a chain of explosions, destroying half the district in an instant.


    But this was just the beginning¡­


    The Super Crystal was the heart of Sky City; the entire city¡¯s ability to fly was solely dependent on the Mana the crystal provided. With the Super Crystal destroyed, the entire Sky City would lose all power.


    In other words, with Rocky¡¯s order to destroy Hongshou City¡¯s Super Crystal, there was only one outcome left for this Sky City¡ªannihilation.


    This had always been part of the plan. To Rocky, whether it was Hongshou City or any other Sky City he conquered, he would ultimately demolish it completely. If after taking over the city he only took the people and things and left, the Rebel Army would suffer no real loss, as they could simply reintegrate Hongshou City back into the fight. So Rocky had to destroy the city, even if there were still many things he hadn¡¯t taken with him, even if there were still thousands of people inside, he had to do it.


    This is war.


    Cruel and merciless.


    At this moment, as Rocky, who had already led the Fleet far away, looked back at Hongshou City, he could no longer see the cheering residents in the Skyport. The Skyport itself had vanished from sight; all he could see was a huge pillar of fire rising into the sky from the grand city.


    The explosion of the Super Crystal was inherently destructive, and following its complete destruction, the floating Hongshou City began to tilt slowly. The entire city seemed to lose its support and gradually toppled to one side while continuing to fall.


    Initially, the city¡¯s descent was slow, but as the seconds ticked by and the angle of the city¡¯s tilt increased, the fall¡¯s speed also accelerated exponentially. In the blink of an eye, the massive Sky City spiraled uncontrollably toward the land and then there was a tremendous crash!


    Standing at the bow of the ship, Rocky clearly saw the entire land shake for a moment as Hongshou City crashed into the ground. Right after, the ground turned to smoke and fire, enveloped by an immense cloud of dust.


    Hongshou City was obliterated!


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 439 - 404 Alliance Hierarch!

    Chapter 439: Chapter 404 Alliance Hierarch!


    Watching Hongshou City destroyed by his own order, Rocky felt conflicted.


    It wasn¡¯t just an empty city he had destroyed, but one with thousands of residents inside, and clearly, those residents who couldn¡¯t be evacuated in time were buried along with the collapse of Hongshou City.


    Regarding these people, Rocky didn¡¯t know what to feel. These were not his citizens, but they were alive, and their deaths were a direct result of his command; he couldn¡¯t remain unaffected.


    But he knew he had to do it.


    In this war, his actions were not wrong. Hongshou City must be destroyed; otherwise, once the Rebel Army¡¯s reinforcements arrived, this newly conquered city would instantly become vibrant again. Moreover, it would immediately join the forces pursuing and surrounding him, a scenario Rocky would never allow.


    This rationale could be seen as an excuse Rocky made for himself, or even self-deception, but however it was framed, the undeniable fact remained that Hongshou City had to be destroyed.


    ...


    Looking at the ruins on the ground, Rocky took a deep breath and then left the bow, handing command of the troops to Claudy, and retired to his cabin with Liliya¡¯s company.


    A great battle had finally ended¡­


    Back in the cabin, Rocky took a deep breath. There was no time to think about Hongshou City anymore; instead, he began considering what to do next.


    Now that Hongshou City was gone, the matters were far from over due to the destruction of one Sky City, rather they would continue to develop and lead to more serious consequences.


    After this battle, the Rebel Army would inevitably the essence a great number of troops, no, they would deploy numerous Sky Cities throughout the Battle Zone to hunt down Rocky. Thus, disappearing as he had done before was impossible now; even if he wanted to, the Rebel Army wouldn¡¯t allow it. They would scour every inch of the Battle Zone, like cleaning a carpet, to find him!


    So all Rocky could do next was run, and he had to take Thunderhawk City with him.


    He had been prepared for this because he had anticipated such an outcome even before his second move. The only thing he worried about now was the number and level of pursuers the Rebel Army would send, which he couldn¡¯t foresee and specifically plan against.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï


    Thus, the mighty army returned to Thunderhawk City. On one hand, Rocky arranged for the people, goods, and Gold Coins taken from Hongshou City to be settled properly, and on the other hand, he immediately activated Thunderhawk City¡¯s flight mode to start flying north, trying to get as far away as possible before the pursuers arrived.


    This day was June 30th of the year 118.


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    As Rocky began making Thunderhawk City escape as far as it could, to widen the gap from the pursuers, the Rebel Army headquarters, far at the frontline, had already received the news of Hongshou City being destroyed.


    This day was also, the 30th of June, 118.


    War God City, the headquarters of the War Alliance, a large Sky City and also the seat of the Rebel Army headquarters in the Tulip Battle Zone.


    To attack the Sky Alliance, the Kafka Empire had allied with several prominent forces and families, among which the War Alliance was recognized as the strongest!


    Before this great war erupted, the War Alliance had already been a prominent large Alliance in the Sky, comprised of more than fifty Sky Cities, most of which were medium or large-sized, and from its name, the aggressiveness of this alliance was evident, with each member being a bona fide warmonger.


    Now, on the evening of June 30, 118, including the leader of the War Alliance, other forces and families¡¯ Clan Leaders and Chiefs had gathered in the City Lord¡¯s Hall in War God City.


    Since the attendees were Clan Leaders and Chiefs, a long table had been placed in the City Lord¡¯s Hall in advance. The leader of the War Alliance sat at the head of the table, and the other family Clan Leaders and forces¡¯ Chiefs sat on both his sides. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I just received the news¡ªHongshou City has been destroyed.¡±


    Sitting in the lead position, Alliance Leader Changfeng said as he glanced over to his left, his gaze quickly settling on Lexington, the new Clan Leader of the Mairente Family.


    Changfeng looked about fifty years old, his temples slightly graying, his facial features square, and he had a stern countenance not due to his nature but rather the authority naturally exhibited by someone of high status.


    As he spoke, others in the room also looked towards Lexington, fully aware that Hongshou City was a Sky City of the Mairente Family.


    Feeling everyone¡¯s eyes on him, Lexington¡¯s expression naturally turned sour, for that was a Sky City!


    For this war, the Mairente Family had practically deployed their entire force. Aside from Atted, who was not trusted, and Cyril, who had left the family early, the family had sent all their Sky Cities to participate in this war.


    In previous battles, out of the five medium-sized Sky Cities the family had sent to the Tulip Battle Zone, one had been lost, and now another smaller-sized Sky City had been lost, making it impossible for Lexington¡¯s expression to not turn even more grim.


    Unfortunately, more distressing news awaited him.


    ¡°Clan Leader Lexington, how has Rocky shown up here?¡±


    After Changfeng finished speaking, a person across from Lexington spoke up.


    The speaker was a woman, around thirty years old, very attractive, indeed Eva Cecil, the Clan Leader of the Xiso Family.


    With a raised eyebrow at Lexington, Eva couldn¡¯t help but ask in a mocking tone, clearly taking pleasure in his misfortune.


    For this war, the Kafka Empire had not only allied with numerous families and forces but had also devised a detailed and comprehensive plan.


    Initially, in the Kafka Empire¡¯s plan, it was supposed to be the Mairente Family leading the attack on Thunderhawk City, thereby sparking the entire war. However, due to a mishap in this process, the Kafka Empire, with no other choice, had the Xiso Family launch the first attack on the Sky Alliance. Although the attack went smoothly, it also resulted in significant losses for the Xiso Family. Hence, Eva had always been cold towards the Mairente Family.


    Hearing this, Lexington immediately looked at Eva, his expression naturally becoming even uglier.


    ¡°Lexington, what is going on with this Rocky? Your family is so large yet you can¡¯t handle a small-sized Sky City¡¯s City Lord? He has caused so much trouble, now even affecting the situation across the entire battle zone!¡±


    As soon as Eva finished speaking, a person sitting to Changfeng¡¯s left also spoke up, immediately questioning him!


    This person was the Leader of the Domination Alliance!


    COMMENT


    2 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 440 - 405: Taking the Field Personally!

    Chapter 440: Chapter 405: Taking the Field Personally!


    The Mairente Family is a well-known large family, yet among the many forces and families involved in this war, it is far from being the largest, especially when compared to some Alliances, the Mairente Family could even be described as very small.


    Therefore, when faced with the questioning of the Domination Alliance Hierarch, Lexington, the Clan Leader, his complexion changed several times, but in the end, he did not retort.


    For one thing, the scale of the Domination Alliance was second only to the War Alliance, and it was the main force in this war, with the Alliance Hierarch being the deputy commander of the battle zone and having a significant say; Lexington had no way to refute. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Secondly, he himself truly had nothing to say.


    Originally, regarding this great battle, Lexington had been full of ambition, planning to use this war to completely propel his family into the top tier, becoming a major force rightfully recognized in the sky, however, the results since the beginning of the war were vastly different from what he had expected.


    Not having fired the first shot of this great battle, this aside.


    ...


    But in the subsequent battles, the performance of the Mairente Family was also lackluster.


    Although Lexington had committed all three of the family¡¯s large Sky Cities and five medium Sky Cities, as well as five small Sky Cities to the Tulip Battle Zone, the results were almost negligible, apart from joining other Rebel Armies in a few major battles, they had hardly won any battles on their own and even lost a medium-sized Sky City in one engagement.


    As such, let alone what others thought, even Lexington himself felt that his family played a mere bit part in this war, with or without them making little difference.


    This naturally left Lexington quite frustrated, but he had no solution.


    Because logically speaking, the Mairente Family¡¯s performance should not have been so poor, but unfortunately, due to being tied down at Backhill Village by two medium-sized Sky Cities and three to four hundred warships, this did not significantly affect the overall war, but it had a substantial impact on the Mairente Family itself.


    As is well known, the Mairente Family is composed of three major factions, with Lexington, Kelly, and Atted each leading one of the factions. Cyril¡¯s defection led to Atted¡¯s complete downfall, so no troops from him and Machine City were brought along this time, similarly, the troops from Machine City were not brought either, which represented a significantly large force.


    Therefore, the Mairente Family was already short on forces, and with some left behind in Backhill Village, this made the number of Sky Cities committed to the Tulip Battle Zone seem substantial, but the troops that could actually be mobilized were not that many.


    In a battlefield where thousands of warships are frequently deployed in battle, without troops, how could any victories be achieved?


    And without accomplishments on the battlefield, how could there be any say?


    That was precisely Lexington¡¯s predicament, he had very little say within the Rebel Army of the battle zone, so regardless of whether he was facing Eva¡¯s mockery or the Domination Alliance Leader¡¯s questioning, Lexington had no way to rebut.


    In fact, Lexington was not stupid but quite intelligent, knowing that he had little say here, so he seldom spoke usually, listening to whatever others said and generally not making himself noticeable while also waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity to turn things around for himself and his family in front of everyone.


    However, instead of waiting for an opportunity to arise, trouble came.


    And of course, it was Rocky!


    Again, Rocky¡­


    Perhaps it was fate, but Lexington never expected that in a war of this caliber, Rocky would once again stir up trouble, and furthermore, had arrived in the Tulip Battle Zone, unluckily once again affecting him!


    So much so that now, even if Rocky were to say to his face that Hongshou City was just coincidentally his target, Lexington would not believe it, he was now convinced that Rocky was targeting him!


    ¡°Alliance Hierarch, deploy troops, we cannot allow a Sky City to operate in our territory, it¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°If we deploy troops now, what about the front line? This is our chance to crush Wilton once and for all, withdrawing the frontline forces would mean losing this opportunity.¡±


    ¡°If we cannot secure our rear, what can we do at the front line? Haven¡¯t you realized by now that all this is Wilton¡¯s trickery? His major retreat is precisely to create an opportunity for Rocky to act, so we must eliminate Rocky as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°I disagree! Wilton¡¯s major retreat did create an opportunity for Rocky, but it also put himself in jeopardy. We should seize this chance, success or failure hinges on this battle!¡±


    As Lexington¡¯s face was clouded with uncertainty, the others in the hall had already started discussing the matter, paying no heed to him.


    The people present took Rocky¡¯s emergence very seriously. A considerable part believed that troops should be immediately called from the frontline to besiege him, deploying a large force since Rocky managed to destroy a small Sky City within a day, indicating his considerable strength that must be eliminated quickly, or else it would lead to endless problems.


    This line of thought was clearly correct because the location where Rocky appeared was too sensitive, situated right between the frontline and Chenxiu City. If left unchecked, he effectively severed the supply line between the frontline and the rear. If the rear¡¯s supply line was cut, how could the front continue to fight?


    However, there was also a substantial number who believed that if troops, especially a large number of troops, were moved from the frontline to besiege Rocky, then the victories won on the frontline with great difficulty could not be sustained. For the past half month, the Rebel Army had been advancing swiftly with continuous good news, finally defeating the Alliance Army led by Wilton. Now was the perfect opportunity to expand the victories or even to establish a victory, an opportunity that should not be wasted.


    This line of thought was equally reasonable, because whether or not Wilton was coordinating with Rocky, in the end, he was being continuously routed by the Rebel Army, and the losses during that process were quite substantial. Therefore, if the Rebel Army pressed their attack resolutely, they might completely defeat Wilton and the Alliance Army.


    These two opinions were at a deadlock, each having their own valid points, even the War Alliance Leader Changfeng was furrowing his brow throughout.


    Who could have thought, that Rocky, someone these prominent figures normally wouldn¡¯t even glance at, would cause them such difficulty in this war?


    ¡°Your Excellency Alliance Hierarch!¡±


    And just at this moment, just when everyone was in heated debate, Lexington, who had not spoken until now, suddenly spoke up!


    As he did, Lexington immediately stood up, and then he said to Changfeng, ¡°Your Excellency Alliance Hierarch, leave Rocky to me!¡±


    As soon as Lexington finished this sentence, all the arguments stopped, and everyone¡¯s gaze fell on him, especially that of War Alliance Leader Changfeng. Changfeng looked at Lexington and after giving a slight smile, he then asked,


    ¡°Clan Leader Lexington, speak your mind freely.¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 441 - 406: Extraordinary!

    Chapter 441: Chapter 406: Extraordinary!


    Rocky indeed had created a serious problem for Lexington, making him, who already had little standing within the Rebel Army, even more passive.


    But similarly, for Lexington, trouble also meant opportunity!


    If he could eliminate Rocky in the war zone in one fell swoop, wouldn¡¯t that count as a great achievement for the entire war zone? Wasn¡¯t this the chance he had been waiting for, the one that could let him and his family stand tall and proud in front of everyone?


    So when the others were still arguing endlessly, Lexington suddenly stood up, volunteering for the mission!


    And seeing him stand, Alliance Leader Changfeng¡¯s face also showed a hint of a smile, as if he had been waiting for Lexington to do just that.


    In fact, that was indeed the case; Changfeng was really waiting for Lexington!


    ...


    As the overall commander of the war zone, no one understood the situation there better than Changfeng, nor did anyone understand the Chiefs and Clan Leaders present better than he did.


    Although on the surface, these people were united together against the Sky Alliance, who among them didn¡¯t have their own schemes?


    Take the matter at hand, for instance: those who wanted to send a large force back for defense were all forces and families with small Sky Cities in the rear for transportation. Each one of them was worried that their own small Sky Cities would meet the same fate as Hongshou City and thus were eager to see a major force dispatched to the front line to surround and annihilate Rocky.


    As for those who insisted on maintaining the offensive, they were all families and Chiefs who had achieved remarkable military feats on the battlefield. Obviously, these people did not want to divide their forces but hoped to seize the moment and take down the Alliance Army at once, for in doing so, they would make a major contribution to the victory of the entire war zone, and naturally, they would stand to gain much more.


    Therefore, while it was correct to say that everyone was united against the Sky Alliance, each person also had their own designs¡ªa situation inevitable in the Allied Forces.


    In such circumstances, how to balance everyone¡¯s concerns with the overall situation on the battlefield was a problem that Changfeng, as the overall commander, could not avoid; fortunately for him, his status and abilities were strong enough. Otherwise, facing so many Clan Leaders and Chiefs, another person would definitely not be able to hold their ground, but Changfeng could.


    Regarding the matter of Rocky, Changfeng had long had his own plans. He intended neither to ignore it nor to send a large army to surround and capture Rocky but instead planned to assign the Mairente Family to deal with this matter.


    There were already grievances between Rocky and the Mairente Family. Lexington was also the one who knew Rocky best among everyone present, and since he had not been very prominent all along, he urgently needed a chance to vindicate his family¡¯s name. Therefore, publicly and privately, Lexington and the Mairente Family were the best candidates to deal with Rocky.


    Following this, Changfeng issued a series of orders and made a series of deployments.


    He quickly withdrew a medium-sized Sky City and a thousand warships from the front line and handed them over to Lexington, instructing him to lead this large force to the rear to surround and capture Rocky. He also issued commands for all the small Sky Cities involved in transportation in the rear to come under Lexington¡¯s command immediately, assisting him in the operation, and ordered Chenxiu City to provide all the necessary support.


    Regarding these orders, the people from other families did not object, because the Sky Cities and troops that Changfeng mobilized were all from the Mairente Family itself, and he did not encroach upon anyone else¡¯s interests. Even as Lexington left the front line, there were now fewer people vying for military achievements at the front.


    As for those who were worried about their Sky Cities in the rear facing danger, they were even more agreeable to this arrangement. Although the troops sent by Changfeng were far from a large army, with Lexington personally taking command, and with the support of over a thousand warships and the full backing of the rear, it seemed clear that even if Rocky had tremendous skills, his good days were over.


    Thus, by the next day, July 1st of year 118, Lexington personally took command at Soaring Feather City, leading over a thousand warships to set off from the front line, charging directly into the heart of the war zone!


    At the same time, once Lexington had set off personally, he immediately issued a cascade of commands to the rear of the war zone.


    Firstly, he ordered all small Sky Cities in the rear responsible for transportation to halt immediately; those close to Chenxiu City were to return directly, and if the distance was too great, they were to await in place for the forces that had previously supported Hongshou City to come and escort them.


    After all, Lexington was Lexington¡ªa former faction Chief and now the Clan Leader of his family. In terms of foresight and thoughtfulness, he was far beyond the average person.


    He was well aware that although he was leading a large army, the front line was exceedingly long, and even if he pressed on without stopping, it would still take several days to reach the rear. During this time, if Rocky were to take action again, it would be fully possible for him to capture another small Sky City. Therefore, he immediately ordered the rest of the Sky Cities to halt to prevent any mishaps.


    Such measures would inevitably delay supplies to the front line, but times had changed. Now that Rocky was causing havoc in the heart of the war zone with Thunderhawk City, it was better to have slower resupply than to have the enemy wipe them out entirely.


    Secondly, he contacted Goth of Chenxiu City, asking Goth to dispatch all available troops to scour the entire war zone in the hopes of finding Rocky¡¯s location as quickly as possible.


    Lastly, he instructed Goth to reduce the scope of the rear of the war zone and to move Chenxiu City immediately, urging it to approach the front line as fast as possible to shorten the overextended battle line.


    After Lexington issued this series of commands, everyone gave him a thumbs up!


    Because his actions had addressed the most critical aspects of the situation.


    By ordering the small Sky Cities to return or to wait in place for support, he effectively cut off all possibilities for Rocky. Without the small Sky Cities as opponents, what could he do, attack Chenxiu City?


    By having Goth send out reconnaissance troops, he exerted pressure on Rocky because, after recent events, the search would no longer be limited around Chenxiu City but would encompass the entire war zone. This left no loopholes for Rocky to exploit.


    Finally, he gave the key order for Chenxiu City to move closer to the front line immediately. One of the main reasons Rocky had found the opportunity to strike at Hongshou City was the excessively long battle line of the Rebel Army, which gave Rocky an opening. Therefore, by ordering Chenxiu City to mobilize and reduce the distance to the front line, it was like killing two birds with one stone. Once the battle line was back to normal and the front and rear could respond to each other as before, all issues could be resolved permanently.


    It had to be said that when Lexington took action himself, it was indeed different!


    And as his series of orders were conveyed downward, the Rebel Army¡¯s rear immediately began to act. In compliance with his commands, the small Sky Cities responsible for transportation either headed back to Chenxiu City or rendezvoused with the relief forces. Meanwhile, Chenxiu City dispatched almost all of its fleets to carry out a large-scale search of the entire war zone, while Lexington himself spurred his forces forward in this process, showcasing his acumen as a leader of his family!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 442 - 407: Escape from the War Zone

    Chapter 442: Chapter 407: Escape from the War Zone


    With Lexington personally coming to the rear, a series of adjustments were made to the Rebel Army¡¯s rear under his command.


    These adjustments were not only critical but also effective, and what¡¯s even more important is that after this series of adjustments was complete, Rocky¡¯s whereabouts were quickly discovered!


    Among the many orders issued by Lexington, a crucial one was to have the City Lord of Chenxiu City, Goth, send a reconnaissance force to conduct a thorough search of the entire battle zone in order to find Rocky quickly.


    Goth, already irritated by Rocky¡¯s constant elusiveness, naturally didn¡¯t slack off in the slightest. He not only dispatched all the reconnaissance ships from the city but also sent out warships, swearing to find Rocky!


    As a result, nearly a hundred reconnaissance ships and several hundred warships surged out of Chenxiu City overnight and spread out in all directions like a massive net, starting the search for Thunderhawk City¡¯s location.


    Moreover, this time, Goth learned from previous lessons and didn¡¯t set any boundaries for the reconnaissance troops. They were to search throughout the entire battle zone, tirelessly, leaving no stone unturned until they found Thunderhawk City!


    ...


    It has to be said, Goth¡¯s actions alone indicated how much he also despised Rocky, hence his full cooperation with Lexington on all fronts.


    And under such a large-scale search, it was natural for Rocky¡¯s location to be found quickly¡­


    This time, Rocky wasn¡¯t just leading a troop wandering the vast battle zone; he was with a Sky City, and more importantly, after being toyed with by him several times, the enemy had wised up. They would no longer take him lightly, preferring to use the most brute-force method to conduct a thorough inspection of the entire battle zone rather than giving him any chance. As a result, merely two days later, on July 3rd, Rocky was found by a reconnaissance force dispatched by Chenxiu City.


    ¡°The north side?¡±


    After the reconnaissance ship force found traces of Rocky, they immediately reported the situation to Lexington, who frowned upon hearing the news.


    While frowning, he stepped up to the sand table and began to study it closely, and standing next to him was an old acquaintance¡ªBaron Wolin.


    In this great war, the Mairente Family had pulled out all the stops, not only sending out all their Sky Cities but also fully mobilizing family members. Lexington himself presided over the Tulip Battle Zone, and his son was even leading a portion of the family¡¯s forces to confront the Sky Alliance at Backhill Village, with even the increasingly sidelined Baron Wolin brought into the battle zone.


    However, because he was no longer highly regarded, Baron Wolin, although he followed the family to the battle zone, basically did nothing significant¡ªmostly just helping Lexington with menial tasks. But this time, upon learning that Lexington planned to deal with Rocky, Baron Wolin volunteered to take part in the battle, proactively requesting to join the fight!


    No one hated Rocky more than Baron Wolin, for all of his current misfortunes could be attributed to Rocky.


    A year ago, Baron Wolin was one of Lexington¡¯s most trusted subordinates, highly valued, and even Atted had to show him some respect, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have been granted Thunderhawk City.


    Unfortunately, after the battle with Rocky, Baron Wolin was finished. Not only had he lost all his life savings, but he also lost Lexington¡¯s trust, so much so that later, even though he served under Lexington, he was almost completely disregarded.


    For Baron Wolin, it was all Rocky¡¯s doing that led to his downfall.


    And in thinking this way¡­ he wasn¡¯t really mistaken¡­


    For this reason, when Baron Wolin learned that Lexington was going to confront Rocky, he immediately volunteered to fight, clearly seeking revenge. As for his request, Lexington gladly accepted.


    In Lexington¡¯s view, at least on the matter of dealing with Rocky, Baron Wolin was still worth relying on. After all, their grudge was too deep. Faced with Rocky, Baron Wolin didn¡¯t need any motivation or promises to fight to the death, and this was exactly what Lexington needed.


    ¡°Rocky is at this location, right?¡±


    Standing in front of the sand table for a while, Lexington pointed to the sand table and asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Nodding his head, Baron Wolin confirmed with certainty.


    ¡°To the north¡­¡±


    Seeing Baron Wolin¡¯s nod, Lexington continued looking at the sand table, frowning in thought for a good while before he spoke, ¡°Is Rocky planning to meet up with Wilton?¡±


    Staring at the sand table, Lexington muttered to himself.


    According to the sand table, Rocky¡¯s current location was in the northeastern direction of the battle zone; if he continued in this direction, he could leave the battle area in roughly ten days. However, once he exited the battle zone, if he turned around and headed west, he would re-enter the war zone, specifically the region controlled by the Sky Alliance. The frontline where the Sky Alliance and the Rebel Army were engaged was precisely in the northwest of the battle area.


    Therefore, by looking at the route of the march, Lexington could not disregard the possibility that Rocky was planning to leave the battle zone and then meet up with the Alliance Army.


    ¡°My lord, are you suggesting that Rocky is planning to escape?¡±


    Upon hearing Lexington¡¯s muttering, Baron Wolin at his side quickly inquired, appearing quite urgent and anxious.


    Lexington could understand his urgency; after all, his own arrival with thousands of warships presented Baron Wolin with the best opportunity to annihilate Rocky. Hating Rocky to the bone, he naturally did not want to let him escape.


    It wasn¡¯t just Baron Wolin who didn¡¯t want Rocky to escape¡ªLexington felt the same. Rocky had been a thorn in his side for far too long and had caused too many troubles for the family, and he too did not wish for Rocky to continue living.


    Yet, judging by Rocky¡¯s escape route, it seemed he really did want to leave the battle zone.


    Firstly, given Rocky¡¯s situation, fleeing with Thunderhawk City left him with little room to maneuver. The flexibility of Sky City could not compare to that of a troop; it lacked the ability to move chaotically everywhere. Once targeting a direction to flee, they were unlikely to change course.


    Secondly, Rocky had done enough in the Tulip Battle Zone!


    In just a span of two months, he started with hijacking merchant ships, then staged ambushes, and in the end, he managed to destroy a Sky City right under everyone¡¯s noses. With so much stirred up, he had definitely done plenty.


    So combining these two points, Lexington believed it was very possible that Rocky wanted to escape the battle zone. His current route further confirmed this possibility, and to be fair, if Rocky were to leave the battle zone now, it truly would be an extremely wise choice.


    Only¡­


    With that thought, Lexington sneered. Now that he had arrived, how could he let him escape so easily?


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 443 - 408 Encirclement and Interception

    Chapter 443: Chapter 408 Encirclement and Interception


    In Lexington¡¯s view, no matter what Rocky¡¯s intentions were, he could not possibly let him escape!


    Now that he had personally taken action, he naturally could not allow Rocky to continue his rampage, whether for the sake of the war zone or his family; it was out of the question. Therefore, Lexington immediately made a series of arrangements.


    He first ordered the reconnaissance troops to continue following Thunderhawk City but to maintain a distance, even if it meant allowing the city to fly away for a day or two before pursuing, the important thing was to keep track of Thunderhawk City¡¯s movements, everything else was irrelevant.


    Then, he ordered his own Sky City, Soaring Feather City, to immediately turn around and accelerate at full power, quickly closing in on the war zone from the north.


    At the same time, he also got in touch with Chenxiu City, asking Chenxiu City to hand over command of a medium-sized Sky City and two small Sky Cities previously sent by Long Wind.


    Originally, after Rocky had led a lone force to raid merchant caravans in the rear of the war zone, due to insufficient intelligence and fear of larger issues, Goth requested support from the front line. Long Wind had therefore reassigned a medium-sized Sky City from the front line and gathered two small Sky Cities from the transport troops, and all three were dispatched to Chenxiu City. Unfortunately, as soon as the three Sky Cities had arrived, Rocky had vanished without a trace.


    ...


    However, to prevent similar occurrences and to defend against possible rear attacks from the Sky Alliance in the war zone, Goth used these three Sky Cities to expand the reach of the war zone, greatly strengthening the coordination between the rear and the caravans.


    At this moment, the function of these three Sky Cities was no longer as significant. Goth had expanded the war zone with these three Sky Cities primarily to protect against stealth attacks by the Sky Alliance, as the Rebel Army had previously judged that Wilton would act in coordination with the Alliance and thus would surely take further steps.


    However, now it seemed that this judgment was somewhat biased. Wilton indeed took further steps, but those actions were hidden in Rocky, who was lying low. Thus, the preventive measures taken by Goth earlier no longer had a place to be utilized.


    Under these circumstances, Lexington asked Goth to hand over the three Sky Cities to him, because he was determined not to give Rocky another chance and would not make any more basic mistakes, such as¡ªunderestimating the enemy!


    In recent days, Lexington had been pondering a question: How could Rocky, the lord of such a small Sky City, cause so much trouble, each time on a grander scale?


    After careful consideration of every incident that Rocky had caused in recent years, Lexington discovered the crux of the matter¡ªhe realized that all of Rocky¡¯s opponents had made the same mistake: underestimating him.


    All those who opposed Rocky and ultimately suffered, from the Mairente Family to Wild Horse City, and then the Rebel Army, all merely saw him as an ordinary small Sky City lord, but they were all wrong!


    Rocky truly stood apart from the typical City Lord, especially those of small Sky Cities. His abilities far exceeded those, and it was for this reason that he made all those who looked down on him end up with significant losses.


    To be fair, if Lexington knew two years ago about Rocky¡¯s capabilities, knew that he could develop Thunderhawk City to this extent, and stir up so much trouble, he would never have driven him out of the family¡ªbecause even Lexington had to admit that Rocky¡¯s potential was boundless! Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the world does not hinge on ¡°ifs¡±; now Rocky had become an enemy of him and the entire Mairente Family. No matter how much potential or talent he had, this was an unchangeable fact. Therefore, Lexington would not give Rocky any more chances¡ªhe intended to completely erase Rocky and Thunderhawk City from this world!


    July 4th, 118, Rocky¡¯s whereabouts were discovered by the reconnaissance troops and reported to Lexington.


    On July 5, 118, following Lexington¡¯s instructions, the three Sky Cities previously dispatched from the frontlines immediately set sail, heading north towards the warzone to rendezvous with Lexington.


    On July 7, 118, scouting troops once again relayed information that Rocky¡¯s Thunderhawk City was hastily making its way northward, showing no signs of altering its course.


    This information essentially confirmed Lexington¡¯s speculation that after causing so much trouble, Rocky was indeed planning to flee; he was clearly intending to leave from the northern part of the warzone.


    Having confirmed this, Lexington immediately issued a new order, commanding Red Demon City, Guardian Army City, and Rime City¡ªthe three Sky Cities that had been called from the frontline¡ªto change their course. Instead of rendezvousing with him, they were to fly along the borders of the warzone to preemptively intercept Rocky!


    Since Rocky had set out two days ahead, Lexington could hardly catch up before Rocky left, even if he pursued at top speed with both sides moving concurrently. However, while Lexington might not catch up, the three Sky Cities under his command could!


    So, he swiftly issued the order for the three Sky Cities to head to the northern boundary of the warzone ahead of him. That way, even if Rocky reached the warzone border faster than he did, Rocky would be blocked by the three Sky Cities that had arrived in advance, resulting in his being caught in a pincer attack from both front and rear.


    But that wasn¡¯t all!


    Now that Lexington viewed Rocky as an opponent on his own level, after arranging for blocking troops, he had Goth order the previously deployed scouting troops to regroup and start harassing Thunderhawk City, doing everything possible to slow Rocky¡¯s progress!


    Consequently, nearly all the Rebel Army¡¯s rear troops were mobilized, and except for Chenxiu City and the small Sky Cities recovering supplies, all mobile units in the rear began moving out towards the warzone in the north, converging, with all forces directed at Rocky!


    And it wasn¡¯t until after arranging all of this that Lexington finally breathed a sigh of relief, convinced that under his arrangement, Rocky wouldn¡¯t be able to fly away even if he had wings!


    Indeed, that was the case!


    At Lexington¡¯s request, Goth quickly gathered the dispatched troops and immediately launched an attack on Thunderhawk City!


    Since Thunderhawk City had been constantly followed, its maneuvers were no longer a secret. Under these circumstances, the troops from Chenxiu City rallied quickly, caught up, and a fierce battle ensued between the two forces!


    In this battle, Chenxiu City mobilized hundreds of warships, while Rocky commanded an equally numerous force and personally joined the fight.


    The battle raged for an entire day, ultimately ending with a massive victory for Rocky and a disastrous defeat for the troops of Chenxiu City.


    In this battle, Rocky once again showcased the formidable strength of his White Demon Armor, single-handedly extinguishing a Void Magic Squad and sinking more than ten large warships, almost single-handedly securing the victory.


    However, although he won the battle, he lost the strategy, because¡­ both he and the Thunderhawk were now held back!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 444 - 409: Sudden Incident!

    Chapter 444: Chapter 409: Sudden Incident!


    Lexington¡¯s arrangements quickly bore fruit!


    Following his orders, the troops from Chenxiu City launched an attack on Thunderhawk City soon after their assembly. Although the attack ended in a bitter defeat, it achieved Lexington¡¯s strategic goal, which was to slow down Thunderhawk City¡¯s advance toward the border as much as possible.


    After the battle, Rocky won, but the advance of Thunderhawk City significantly slowed down. This not only allowed Lexington, who was following closely, to shorten the distance but more importantly, it allowed the other three Sky Cities to gain a lead in speed, almost guaranteeing that they would arrive at the border first.


    Consequently, Rocky was entirely put on the defensive.


    Lexington¡¯s series of arrangements was essentially a foolproof plan designed to trap Rocky within the warzone. While Rocky could have had the chance to break through the encirclement by pressing on without stopping¡ªhe did act earlier than the enemy, and despite Lexington¡¯s detailed arrangements, the forces used to stop Rocky were all from the Sky Cities, known for their slowness. No one could be one hundred percent sure that they could contain Rocky.


    However, with the desperate harassment of Chenxiu City¡¯s troops, Rocky was forced to slow down, which not only delayed his march but also gave the enemy an opportunity!


    ...


    What¡¯s more, this kind of harassment was not just a one-time event!


    In fact, shortly after repelling the enemy, just overnight, the second round of harassment began.


    The troops from Chenxiu City quickly reassembled over a hundred warships and once again launched an attack on Thunderhawk City!


    To be honest, this kind of attack wasn¡¯t very threatening because the number of troops Chenxiu City could muster was ultimately limited. In contrast, not only did Thunderhawk City have a large number of warships, but the Void Magic Squad was also abundantly equipped. Therefore, victory was assured as long as they engaged in battle, but this was exactly where the problem lay.


    If Rocky chose to fight every single time the harassment occurred, he might as well stop moving altogether. He would be trapped right where he was for at least four or five days. By then, even if he eradicated all of Chenxiu City¡¯s troops, he would still end up encircled due to Lexington¡¯s meticulous arrangements.


    But if he ignored these harassments, Thunderhawk City would still be unable to proceed because, although the enemy didn¡¯t muster a large force, it still comprised over a hundred warships. With so many warships launching an attack on Thunderhawk City, the small Sky City simply couldn¡¯t withstand it, and Rocky was compelled to confront the enemy.


    Clearly, the enemy had given deep thought to their actions, even carefully calculating the number of troops for harassment¡ªnot too many, not too few, just around a hundred warships¡ªforcing Rocky to act whether he liked it or not.


    Under these circumstances, a vicious cycle emerged. Rocky could only respond to harassment by fighting, but as soon as the battle started, Thunderhawk City was essentially held back. The longer he was detained, the more frequent the harassments became, and the closer Lexington got to him!


    Time waits for no one, and with the intermittent harassments, three days passed in no time!


    In these three days, Thunderhawk City was harassed three times¡ªon average, once a day. Under this relentless harassment, the distance advanced by Sky City didn¡¯t even match up to half a day¡¯s progress previously, effectively trapping them in place.


    As he was being held up, Lexington¡¯s Soaring Feather City swiftly advanced, reducing the distance from an original journey of more than ten days to just five or six days. On the other hand, the three Sky Cities in charge of the blockage were about to reach the northern border of the warzone!


    The trap that Lexington had set was nearly complete, and once it was fully formed, Rocky would truly be like a bird without wings¡­


    Time moved on to July 11th.


    Now, it had been just over ten days since Lexington left the front lines, but in just these short ten-plus days, he had shown everyone his skill, fully demonstrating a Clan Leader¡¯s capabilities and dexterity. Under his series of arrangements, not only was the Rebel Army¡¯s rear stabilized, but Rocky, who had been rampaging in the rear for months, was also gradually driven to a dead end. This outcome pleased Long Wind greatly, and the other Clan Leaders as well as Chiefs all secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that with no worries at the rear, they could fight on the front lines with peace of mind.


    However, just when everyone thought that Rocky, the troublesome figure, was about to be dealt with, an urgent situation that nobody could have anticipated arose!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    On this day, Lexington was sitting in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Soaring Feather City, reading a book.


    His mood had been very good these past few days because, from feedback gathered on all fronts, Thunderhawk City had become like a turtle in a jar¡ªunable to escape even though there were no disturbances in Rocky right now. It certainly couldn¡¯t leave the warzone, for the three Sky Cities that had set off earlier were about to reach the northern border, sealing Rocky¡¯s fate.


    At the same time, as Rocky was driven into a corner, the entire warzone¡¯s operations had returned to normal. All the small Sky Cities responsible for transportation set sail again, resuming the transport of supplies to the frontlines, and Chenxiu City had already activated its flight mode, converging towards the front. Everything was orderly and on track.


    And naturally, all of this was his doing!


    With these thoughts, Lexington sitting in the study with a book slightly curled his lips¡ªbut just then, Baron Wolin suddenly burst in! S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Seeing Baron Wolin burst into the study, Lexington immediately put down his book and hurriedly looked at him.


    ¡°My lord! Moonshine City is under attack!¡±


    ¡°What did you say!?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lexington stood up from his seat at once!


    Although he had only recently moved from the front to the rear, due to various previous movements, he was already very familiar with the rear of the warzone. Lexington was clear that the Sky City mentioned by Baron Wolin was one of the small Sky Cities that had just resumed their transport tasks!


    Another small Sky City had been attacked?


    Learning this news, Lexington¡¯s head buzzed, completely baffled by the situation.


    Wasn¡¯t Rocky currently fleeing towards the northern border? And weren¡¯t the movements of him and Thunderhawk City all under his surveillance? In that case, how could Moonshine City still be under attack?


    The sudden news stunned Lexington for a long time before he could finally gather his wits.


    They had been deceived¡­


    Once again, the Rebel Army was fooled!


    Clearly, the Sky Cities that were previously hidden in the warzone were not limited to just Thunderhawk City¡ªthere definitely were other Sky Cities concealed within! Their attention had been entirely tied up with Thunderhawk City, but in reality, the enemy consisted of not only Rocky and Thunderhawk City!


    And realizing this, Lexington inwardly cursed, ¡°Damn it!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 445 - 410: Dual Fists Strike!

    Chapter 445: Chapter 410: Dual Fists Strike!


    Another small Sky City responsible for transportation has come under attack!


    After this incident occurred, the news immediately reached the front lines, Chenxiu City, and Lexington¡¯s ears, leaving everyone shocked!


    Because after Lexington¡¯s series of arrangements, everyone in the Rebel Army knew that although Rocky had not been eliminated, his threat was essentially non-existent. After all, he was to be encircled in just a few days, so everyone thought the troubles in the rear were resolved.


    But no one expected that just as the trouble with Rocky seemed about to be solved, a new problem arose! Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A transport Sky City has been attacked again?!


    How is this possible?


    ...


    The first reaction of everyone who heard the news was disbelief, as Thunderhawk City had already been driven to a desperate situation; where could they find the capability to launch further attacks? But then everyone understood what was happening.


    Clearly, it was not just Thunderhawk City hiding within the battle zone¡ªthere must be other Sky Cities hiding there alongside Thunderhawk City!


    Is that so?


    Of course!


    The one who launched the attack on Moonshine City was none other than Karina¡¯s Rose City!


    When Rocky previously attacked the caravans, he was leading the Tri-City Allied Forces, and it wasn¡¯t just Thunderhawk City hidden in the battle zone. Karina¡¯s Rose City and Berg¡¯s Lingyu City had also been concealed there, and what¡¯s more, these two Sky Cities, just like Thunderhawk City, had all received troop reinforcements from Wilton.


    However, when Rocky set off to attack Chenxiu City, Karina and Berg held their forces in reserve and continued to hide, waiting until now to suddenly show themselves!


    This was, of course, a plan agreed upon by the three of them in advance. Seeing as their plan had proceeded very smoothly, Rocky knew that the enemy was unaware that they had hidden their Sky Cities along with themselves in the battle zone. If he suddenly appeared, the enemy¡¯s attention would be focused entirely on him, thereby giving Karina and Berg an opportunity.


    This is why after Rocky had destroyed Hongshou City, he headed northward, intending to leave the battle zone and join up with Wilton¡¯s main forces, exactly as Lexington had predicted. Similarly, he was also attracting the enemy¡¯s attention, so that all eyes were on him, providing Karina and Berg the chance to strike.


    So, while Lexington was setting up the encirclement in these days, neither Karina nor Berg was idle, leading to today¡¯s situation!


    All these developments, with Karina leading Rose City in an attack on Moonshine City, became clear, and only then did the Rebel Army fully understand, albeit too late.


    Since Rose City also received troop reinforcements from Wilton, when Karina, with over three hundred warships, intercepted Moonshine City, the City Lord of Moonshine City was utterly bewildered. Following a massive battle, Moonshine City repeated the tragedy of Hongshou City; its Defensive Net was breached, the city was plundered, and ultimately met with the fate of destruction!


    But this was only the beginning.


    Just as the Rebel Army had learned of this news, another calamity followed. The convoys delivering strategic materials to Chenxiu City from the outside were attacked!


    This event took place almost simultaneously with Karina¡¯s attack on Moonshine City; three caravans on their way to Chenxiu City were attacked as they approached the battle zone. The one who attacked these convoys was Berg and his Lingyu City!


    And with Berg¡¯s action underway, the movements and trajectories of him, Rocky, and Karina finally became clear.


    Among the three, Rocky launched the first strike, leading Thunderhawk City in an attack on Hongshou City and then pushing northward, drawing all the enemy¡¯s attention. Meanwhile, Berg became the second to act, but instead of staying in the theater¡¯s hinterland, he returned to the periphery¡ªthe same location where the three had attacked the Jindafu Caravan and the Azure Caravan. Then he launched an attack simultaneously with Karina!


    Karina was responsible for attacking the small Sky City within the theater¡¯s hinterland, while Berg intercepted caravans transporting supplies to Chenxiu City at the theater¡¯s periphery. The two of them struck like two fists, simultaneously delivering blows to the belly of the Rebel Army!


    And with that, the rear, which had just been stabilized, was once again thrown into chaos!


    The simultaneous appearance of three Sky Cities in the rear was so serious that Long Wind nearly wished he could return personally!


    Because with Karina and Berg¡¯s actions, the entire theater¡¯s supply lines were cut off¡­!


    The current situation looked tense and precarious but was not complex. It could easily be understood with a glance at the sand table.


    All of the Rebel Army¡¯s forces were now concentrated north of the theater, naturally intending to encircle and block Rocky.


    The sudden appearance of Karina and her Rose City was perfectly situated between Chenxiu City and the front lines.


    As for Berg, he was on the other side of Chenxiu City, at the boundary of the theater.


    With one look, the situation was clear. The supply lines of the Rebel Army faced serious trouble due to the sudden emergence of Karina and Berg!


    Karina¡¯s presence directly cut off the transport route between Chenxiu City and the front lines. Not only that, she had already annihilated Moonshine City. Thus, with Hongshou City already destroyed earlier, the Rebel Army had now lost two small Sky Cities full of supplies, and the resulting losses were immeasurable!


    The capture of a caravan was a minor issue for the entire theater¡¯s Rebel Army because a single caravan could at most carry a few dozen boatloads of goods ¨C losing these did not change the essence of the Rebel Army.


    However, if a small Sky City full of supplies was captured, that would be a completely different story!


    A Sky City, even a small one, could accommodate the cargo of several caravans, even more than a dozen!


    Rocky¡¯s destruction of Hongshou City had already caused supply issues for the Rebel Army. Now with Karina having destroyed Moonshine City, this was a devastating blow to the Rebel Army¡¯s supplies!


    And this was only one aspect.


    The second was Berg.


    Berg¡¯s emergence was what truly spelled doom.


    It might seem he had only hijacked three caravans, which didn¡¯t appear to be a significant loss, but don¡¯t forget, he also brought his own Lingyu City, and inside Lingyu City were stationed more than three hundred warships of the Alliance Army, and he was positioned right at the outer perimeter of the theater.


    What did this represent?


    This meant that the transport route from the outside world to Chenxiu City had been cut off by Berg and Lingyu City!


    With external supply channels severed and the successive annihilations of Hongshou City and Moonshine City destroying untold amounts of supplies, the front-line Rebel Army immediately felt the pressure. If this continued, the front lines would run out of resources to continue the fight against Wilton!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 446 - 411: Hard to Take Care of Both Ends

    Chapter 446: Chapter 411: Hard to Take Care of Both Ends


    The sudden appearance of Karina and Berg immediately left the Rebel Army in a difficult situation, unable to manage both its head and tail.


    The supply lines that ran from the rear to the frontlines were cut by Karina.


    The external supply routes to the battle zone were severed by Berg.


    The crisis the Rebel Army now faced was severe!


    As a result, Long Wind immediately convened an emergency meeting to discuss how to address this issue. After a whole day of discussion, Long Wind appointed Lexington as the overall commander of the rear battle zone. The entirety of the Rebel Army¡¯s rear was now under his command and leadership. He also ordered him to immediately deploy troops to drive out Karina and Berg and to restore the supply lines as quickly as possible by any means necessary.


    Such arrangements by Long Wind were a clear recognition for Lexington, who had always been frustrated in the Tulip Battle Zone. At such an urgent time and facing such a pressing crisis, entrusting Lexington with full command of the entire rear battle zone was also a significant act of reliance.


    ...


    However, upon receiving this appointment, Lexington felt a headache.


    Because this burden was not easy to bear¡­


    The situation was actually quite clear, with all the mobile troops and all the Sky Cities in the north concentrated in the battle zone to encircle Rocky, which meant that there was no force or Sky City capable of immediately driving out Karina and Berg. To force them out of the battle zone required reallocating troops from those besieging Rocky.


    This was the big dilemma that Lexington was now facing.


    At this moment, the Rebel Army had formed a vast pocket formation in the north of the battle zone, completely trapping Rocky within it, with the boundary blockaded by three Sky Cities, Lexington in hot pursuit from behind, and fleets continually harassing him. It was almost impossible for Rocky to escape.


    In such circumstances, once troops were withdrawn to defend against other threats, the well-established pocket formation would be broken. Rocky, who currently had no way out, would then find a chance to escape!


    This was an outcome that Lexington could not accept no matter what. Part of the reason he took on this mission personally was to eradicate Rocky and Thunderhawk City once and for all, to rid himself of this nuisance permanently.


    Now, just as Rocky was about to be eliminated in a matter of days, Lexington was being asked to abruptly stand down. How could he possibly agree to this?


    However, Long Wind issued a firm command on this matter, not specifically demanding how Lexington should proceed, but ordering him to do everything possible to quickly restore the battle zone¡¯s supply lines. If Lexington even slightly failed in this task, he and his family would no longer be able to mix with the Rebel Army¡­


    So how to deal with Rocky, Karina, and Berg was truly a cause for Lexington¡¯s worry. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My Lord, can¡¯t we just finish off Rocky first, then turn to deal with Karina and Berg later?¡±


    Inside the City Lord¡¯s Hall, Baron Wolin, seeing Lexington standing in deep thought in front of the sand table, could not help but speak up.


    Baron Wolin was no mediocre figure. When he learned of the situation in the battle zone, he immediately thought of the same thing as Lexington ¨C was Rocky going to narrowly escape disaster once again?


    He was far from reconciled to this possibility and was therefore very eager to persuade Lexington to continue the campaign against Rocky.


    However, Lexington, upon hearing his words, did not even raise his head, still frowning at the sand table, and just replied indifferently, ¡°Time.¡±


    Time!


    Baron Wolin¡¯s proposed solution had, of course, already crossed Lexington¡¯s mind, but there wasn¡¯t enough time!


    The pocket formation he had set up did indeed trap Rocky within the battle zone, but whether it was Soaring Feather City where he was situated, or the three Sky Cities blocking the border, they were all some distance from Rocky¡ªa journey that took roughly between five to seven days.


    In other words, if Lexington ignored Karina and Berg, it would take at least five to seven days to catch up to Thunderhawk City, and even if Thunderhawk City collapsed instantly, Lexington leading his troops back would be something that wouldn¡¯t happen until well over ten days later.


    Five to seven days was the time to catch up to Thunderhawk City, and then there was the time to return, which together added up to over ten days, didn¡¯t it?


    But this was time that he could not afford to waste, and the front-line Rebel Army couldn¡¯t wait either.


    Karina had cut off the supply lines from Chenxiu City to the front line, and for every day she lingered in the battle zone, the supplies to the front line would be interrupted for a day. Under these circumstances, if Lexington decided to eliminate Rocky first, then whatever time he used was how long Karina would stay in the battle zone, and how long the front-line supplies would be disrupted.


    The front line was in the midst of war!


    And clearly, Wilton, who was in command of the Alliance Army, must have been aware of the movements of Rocky and the others. How could His Excellency the Holy Knight let slip this opportunity? He would certainly seize the moment to cause trouble for the Rebel Army. In such a case, if the Rebel Army went more than ten days without supplies, Long Wind wouldn¡¯t be called Long Wind anymore; he would have to change his name to Truly Insane, for by then he really would go mad.


    And this was just one aspect.


    The second aspect was Berg!


    What truly troubled Lexington, and indeed Long Wind as well, wasn¡¯t Rocky or Karina, but Berg, who intercepted all the caravans on the outskirts of the battle zone!


    Because if Berg wasn¡¯t driven away promptly, his presence would be a real problem for the entire Rebel Army!


    This statement might be unclear to many, Berg? He had just intercepted a few caravans on the outskirts of the battle zone¡ªnothing significant in terms of losses, or in destructive power compared to Rocky and Karina, who destroyed two Sky Cities. How could he be considered a problem?


    It seemed like a fair point on the surface, but if thought through carefully, one would realize this was just a superficial view.


    For example, a caravan that set out from the Chamber of Commerce towards Chenxiu City couldn¡¯t arrive immediately. The journey involved long-distance flying and often took a month, with frequent need for transfers at other Sky Cities.


    In that case, how long would it take for a new caravan to arrive once Berg intercepted one that had traveled all the way to the battle zone?


    At the very least, a month¡¯s time.


    So, the more caravans Berg intercepted on the outskirts of the battle zone, the harder it would be to restore the supply line, because it took time for the caravans to send out new shipments to Chenxiu City, and it took time for them to reach the battle zone.


    Under these conditions, if Berg were allowed to stay on the outskirts of the battle zone, intercepting caravan after caravan bringing in supplies, even if he was driven away later, the battle zone would suffer from a lack of external supplies for a considerable period¡­


    So, it was the same conclusion again, there wasn¡¯t enough time!


    This was precisely why, having already considered this, Lexington paid no attention to Baron Wolin¡¯s words¡ªhe kept his eyes on the map, trying to think of a way that could serve both ends.


    He still hoped he could find a way to not give up on Rocky, yet quickly drive away Karina and Berg at the same time.


    But then¡­


    Is there really such a perfect solution?


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 447 - 412: Alliance Reinforcements

    Chapter 447: Chapter 412: Alliance Reinforcements


    Standing before the sand table, Lexington maintained the same position for several hours until he finally turned around, only to let out a long sigh.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    With a long sigh, Lexington walked over to the seat in the City Lord¡¯s Hall and sat down, while the original City Lord of Soaring Feather City, among other people who had been gathered around the sand table, turned to look at him after he walked away.


    Facing everyone¡¯s gazes, Lexington, who had sighed deeply, remained silent for a while before slowly speaking: ¡°Send the orders¡­¡±


    ¡°Command Red Demon City, Guardian Army City, and Rime City to return to the vicinity of Chenxiu City, destination Lingyu City, set off immediately.¡±


    ¡°Send the orders, instruct Soaring Feather City to change course, destination Rose City, set off immediately.¡±


    ...


    ¡°Clan Leader!¡±


    ¡°My Lord!¡±


    As Lexington issued these two commands, the faces of those present revealed an urgent expression, because they all understood that once these two orders were issued, the already doomed Rocky would have a chance at life again!


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for further discussion. The threat to the battle zone is the only thing we need to consider right now. Get to it.¡±


    Of course, Lexington was well aware of people¡¯s unwillingness as those who followed him were not only members of his families but also his close confidants from his faction, each one of them wanting to seal Rocky¡¯s fate.


    Lexington himself had harbored the same desire, but alas¡­


    But alas, even he had to admit that the move Rocky had played was impressive!


    Three Sky Cities attacking simultaneously, cutting off the Rebel Army¡¯s supply lines, forcibly involving all the Rebel Army¡¯s forces in the rear, and with the limited forces at the Rebel Army¡¯s rear, it was impossible to focus on both ends, leaving them to make a choice between the three Sky Cities.


    Whether to continue besieging Rocky or to quickly expel Karina and Berg.


    This choice might be difficult for Lexington and his associates, as they were too eager to crush Rocky, but for the Rebel Army, it didn¡¯t even qualify as a choice.


    Because, although Rocky was surrounded, his threat to the entire battle zone was minimal, almost non-existent. So in the eyes of the Rebel Army, the priority was naturally to drive out Karina and Berg first in order to quickly restore the supply lines.


    This was something Lexington was certainly the most aware of, and he had indeed wanted to take care of both aspects as best as he could, but ultimately failed.


    A clever woman cannot cook without rice. He had only so many troops, only a few Sky Cities. In such a situation, even with all the skills Lexington possessed, he could not turn the tide.


    Therefore, with reluctance, he had no choice but to withdraw the three Sky Cities that had been on high alert at the northern border of the battle zone, sending them swiftly towards Chenxiu City, and then to dislodge Berg¡¯s Lingyu City.


    As for Lexington himself, he had to turn around, locking the target of Soaring Feather City onto Karina¡¯s Rose City. Within less than a week, this move would resolve the crisis.


    But at the same time, Rocky, Karina, and Berg also managed to escape.


    Yes, with Lexington¡¯s strategic insight, he had already seen through their plan. In fact, Karina and Berg showed up just to ensure that Rocky could retreat smoothly, and once Rocky was out of danger, the two of them naturally wouldn¡¯t wait around for the Rebel Army to arrive. They would retreat quickly, and soon all three could be completely out of the battle zone.


    So after issuing the orders, Lexington, seated in the City Lord¡¯s chair, closed his eyes to carefully recall everything from Rocky¡¯s initial raid on the merchant convoy to the series of events that followed, and couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how well-planned it all was!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Not long after Lexington made his decision, Rocky in Thunderhawk City received a message from Wilton.


    ¡°Very good!¡±


    When he heard the message, Rocky was in the research center discussing the White Demon issue with Orton and others, but as soon as he learned that Lexington had pulled back all the troops pursuing and intercepting them, he immediately headed to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    In a war of this magnitude, whether it¡¯s the Alliance or the Rebel Army, each side has more or less some insiders. These insiders might be spies, double-agents, or even traitors; in any case, both sides have actually placed quite a few people in the other¡¯s ranks.


    In fact, to prevent any traitors or double-agents from leaking information, Rocky and Wilton had been in touch, but inside the entire Tulip Battle Zone¡¯s Alliance Army, only Wilton knew the detailed plan. On Rocky¡¯s side, only he, Karina, and Berg were privy to all arrangements, while everyone else was simply responsible for following orders.


    So shortly after Lexington began to move his troops, Wilton received an insider¡¯s message and immediately shared the information with Rocky.


    Upon learning of this, Rocky ordered Thunderhawk City to proceed northward rapidly according to the original plan!


    Lexington got one thing right; after taking down Hongshou City, Rocky did indeed plan to leave the battle zone. However, it wasn¡¯t to abandon the fight but to reenter the battle zone after leaving and then to rendezvous with Wilton¡¯s large force. Not just him, Karina and Berg too would do the same after leaving the battle zone.


    Therefore, once Lexington withdrew all his troops that were encircling and blocking them, Thunderhawk City quickly left the battle zone, and at the same time, Karina and Berg also began to move out of the battle zone.


    And as the three of them successively broke free from the battle zone and converged with the forces led by Wilton, the Tulip Battle Zone¡¯s conflict entered a new stage!


    Because with their departure, Long Wind, who was in command of the Rebel Army on the front lines, also issued an order for a full retreat. In nearly a single night, they gave up all the gains they had won over the past half-month, retreating back to the space above Tulip City, returning to their original position. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This move left everyone in the Rebel Army bewildered.


    Although the chaos created by Rocky and his companions in the rear was indeed significant and had indeed delayed the chance for a frontline offensive, with Lexington¡¯s active withdrawal and their pursuers driven off, the Rebel Army¡¯s rear was stable again, and supply lines were running normally. Why then, under these circumstances, did Long Wind order a retreat?


    This question puzzled many, but soon they learned the answer¡ªthe Sky Alliance¡¯s reinforcements had arrived!


    After Long Wind led the Rebel Army back to Tulip City, the first batch of reinforcements sent by the Sky Alliance since the war began arrived in the Tulip Battle Zone!


    It wasn¡¯t until this moment, when the Sky Alliance¡¯s reinforcements reached the battle zone, that the people of the Rebel Army suddenly realized the reason for Long Wind¡¯s retreat. And upon looking back at everything that had happened over the past two months, they suddenly grasped that Wilton had been playing a long game all along!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 448 - 413: The Final Verdict

    Chapter 448: Chapter 413: The Final Verdict


    With Rocky, Karina, Berg, and their three Sky Cities leaving the Tulip Battle Zone, the harassment that had troubled the Rebel Army finally came to an end.


    The harassment had lasted over two months, during which Rocky and his associates annihilated two small Sky Cities and five to six hundred warships. They also intercepted countless shipments of goods, undoubtedly achieving an absolute victory.


    But to be fair, it seemed like the Rebel Army suffered one-sided losses from the harassment. In reality, however, these losses weren¡¯t significant to the Rebel Army. A few hundred warships certainly weren¡¯t a big deal, and the commandeered goods weren¡¯t much to speak of either. The only thing that might have caused the Rebel Army a slight bit of pain were the two small Sky Cities, but to be honest, in a conflict of this scale, even the loss of two small Sky Cities wasn¡¯t too much to worry about.


    Therefore, it appeared that despite Rocky and the others stirring up quite a commotion and securing certain victories, they didn¡¯t inflict significant damage on the Rebel Army. The disturbance wasn¡¯t to the extent of breaking the Rebel Army¡¯s backbone.


    But was that really the case?


    It was not.


    ...


    The disturbance by Rocky and his team didn¡¯t cause the Rebel Army to lose warships, goods, or even Sky Cities. What the Rebel Army truly lost was an opportunity, one that might have even determined the outcome of the entire battle zone!


    Due to repeated harassments in the rear, the Rebel Army¡¯s attention was drawn away time and time again, giving Wilton breathing space. Instead of attacking with this opportunity, Wilton used the distractions caused by Rocky and his team to wait for the reinforcements of the Sky Alliance!


    That was the most crucial aspect!


    Now that everything is set in stone, looking back at the whole situation reveals that all these incidents were actually distractions masterminded by Wilton. He had planned all this to ensure the smooth arrival of the Alliance¡¯s reinforcements to the battle zone!


    And of this plan, only Wilton himself was aware, not even Rocky knew!


    Considering the timing, this war had been raging for nearly three months, but a closer examination would show that during these three months, the Sky Alliance¡¯s performance was far from satisfactory, even disappointing. In the Four Great War Zones, except for the Tulip Battle Zone where Wilton was positioned, every other zone was at an absolute disadvantage, and this disadvantage became more and more pronounced as time went on.


    Consequently, the Sky Alliance had no choice but to modify their initial plans, starting to send reinforcements to the Four Great War Zones!


    The Sky Alliance¡¯s move was clearly aimed at ensuring the stability of the battle zones. It would undoubtedly significantly alter the war¡¯s dynamics because, so far, despite forming the Four Great War Zones, the main forces in the three other zones, except for the Tulip Battle Zone, consisted mainly of peripheral Alliance members with limited combat capabilities. This had been a key factor leading to the unfavorable battle situation.


    But once the Alliance started deploying additional troops, the situation would be completely different.


    What do the Four Great War Zones protect if not Nut God City, the headquarters of the Alliance?


    And within the airspace where Nut God City is located, there is a concentration of Alliance members, all of whom are core members of the Alliance!


    These core members, in terms of strength, ability, and loyalty, were far superior to the peripheral members, so once they joined the fight, the situation on all Four Great War Zones would immediately undergo a drastic change.


    However, let¡¯s not forget that increasing troops, especially with simultaneous reinforcements to four battlefronts, such large-scale troop movements cannot be carried out covertly. Not to mention that inside the Sky Alliance there was always a hundred percent chance that moles for both the Rebel Army and the Kafka Empire were planted; even without them, such massive movements are easily detected. And once the Rebel Army and the Kafka Empire become aware of this, would they sit idly by?


    Obviously not!


    The enemy would certainly seize this last chance before the reinforcements arrived to launch fierce attacks on the Four Great War Zones, striving to establish an overwhelming advantage to counter the Alliance¡¯s reinforcements.


    And to avoid this scenario, the four commanders of the Four Great War Zones really had to pull out all the stops. Among them, Wilton thought of a tactic¡ªusing Rocky¡¯s harassment to force the Rebel Army led by Long Wind to abandon their operation against him.


    In fact, although the entire harassment plan was proposed by Rocky and the decisions were made by him, two key points were suggestions from Wilton. The first was to hide three Sky Cities within the battle zone, and the second was to have all three cities strike simultaneously, leaving the Rebel Army stretched too thin.


    Wilton may have offered only these two suggestions in the plan, but these two actions held decisive significance. Because if both succeeded, the Rebel Army would no longer have the ability to block the arrival of reinforcements.


    And indeed that was the case.


    This is why with the departure of Rocky and the others, the entire Tulip Battle Zone entered a new phase, because with their departure, the reinforcements dispatched by the Sky Alliance also successfully rendezvoused with Wilton!


    The only regret for Wilton was Long Wind¡¯s extremely keen sense of smell. He managed to have the Rebel Army retreat en masse just before the arrival of the Alliance reinforcements, narrowly avoiding a calamity. Because in reality, Wilton¡¯s initial defeat was a very cunning trap. It seemed as though it was meant to buy time for Rocky, but it had a deeper stratagem in mind¡ªto lure the Rebel Army into being overextended, so that once their own reinforcements arrived, they could launch an absolute counterattack and utterly crush the Rebel Army throughout the battle zone!


    Unfortunately for Wilton, Long Wind was not an easy opponent. Choosing to retreat at the last moment, he did not fall into Wilton¡¯s trap. Nevertheless, Wilton¡¯s series of maneuvers and arrangements were still brilliantly conceived, and what mattered most was that he ultimately did receive the Alliance¡¯s reinforcements. That was crucial.


    This time, the Alliance dispatched reinforcements to all Four Great War Zones. Not to mention the other zones, the Tulip Battle Zone alone received as many as ten large Sky Cities!


    A total of ten large Sky Cities, each a core member of the Alliance, and the fleets owned by the ten cities combined easily surpassed five thousand warships, with the number of Void Magic Squads exceeding one hundred, that is, almost a thousand people!


    With this, Wilton¡¯s forces were immediately replenished, and after merging with the reinforcement troops, he commanded a total of fifteen large Sky Cities and twenty medium and small Sky Cities, with the fleet numbering 11,000 warships, and the number of Void Magic Squads reaching more than one hundred and fifty!


    Armed with such a massive force, the Alliance Army¡¯s days in the Tulip Battle Zone became much better. Not only did the morale of the soldiers soar, but Wilton also immediately took action, leading dozens of Sky Cities majestically towards Tulip City Airspace, ready to confront the Rebel Army once again.


    Meanwhile, Rocky and the other two who had left the battlefront, also returned to the war zone one after the other during this process, and formally joined up with the Alliance Army led by Wilton! S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 449 - 414 Grand Welcome

    Chapter 449: Chapter 414 Grand Welcome


    From leaving the battle zone to meeting up with Karina and Berg, and then returning to the battle zone to meet with the Alliance Army, Rocky and his team took more than a month. Although it was a long time, it was only when the trio arrived at the region controlled by the Alliance Army that they finally set their minds at ease.


    It finally came to a conclusion.


    Despite the successive months of sneak attacks and everything proceeding smoothly, Rocky and his team were always on edge.


    This was normal, as what they were doing was like dancing on the blade of a knife! A slight mishap, and they and their Sky City would be destroyed in an instant. Therefore, it was no exaggeration to say that in these two months, none of the three had a peaceful sleep.


    Fortunately, they no longer had to worry now that they had met up with the Alliance Army.


    Rocky was naturally a member of the Sky Alliance, and his previous harassment had earned him great credit in this war, so returning to the Sky Alliance was naturally the right choice.


    ...


    The same was true for Karina and Berg.


    Although they were not members of the Alliance, after getting involved in such a big deal with Rocky, they were inevitably tied to this war and couldn¡¯t escape from it anymore.


    For the two small Sky City lords, this was a major issue. Fortunately, Wilton had already promised them that as long as they were willing to help Rocky, once things were accomplished, he would allow them to take refuge within Nut God City¡¯s airspace until the war ended. This was naturally the best outcome for them.


    With the current great war erupting, even those Sky Cities that were not participating in the war, especially those non-participating forces and families, were also stirred up by the smell of gunpowder. Therefore, now the entire sky had become restless. In such a situation, finding a safe refuge was a blessing for any small Sky City lord.


    So for the three of them, meeting up with the Alliance Army was a relaxing matter.


    As the three Sky Cities entered the airspace occupied by the Alliance Army, Rocky and his team soon encountered a patrol unit. They then followed the patrol unit all the way to Wilton¡¯s Sky City, which was also the headquarters of the Alliance Army in the Tulip Battle Zone.


    ¡°It¡¯s just different¡­¡±


    On the way to meet Wilton with the patrol unit, although Rocky was in a Sky City, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh in admiration that the real military of the Alliance Army indeed was different.


    Along the way, he saw small-scale fleets conducting patrols in the sky more than once, starting from the moment they entered the Alliance-controlled airspace. Just from this aspect, the Alliance Army seemed much more regular and orderly compared to the Rebel Army.


    Over the last two months, Rocky had been fighting in the airspace of the Rebel Army, and he knew even more about the Rebel Army than Wilton, so the comparison between the two immediately revealed which was superior.


    No wonder Wilton could hold out for so long while being at a disadvantage in terms of troops, and managing to give and take with the enemy, which was clearly inseparable from the high quality of the Alliance Army.


    This way, Rocky and his companions flew for a whole week before finally arriving at Autumn Water City where Wilton was located.


    Autumn Water City, a large Sky City, was also a renowned top-tier Sky City within the Sky Alliance. Originally, when Wilton led the Alliance Army to take over Tulip City, Autumn Water City played a leading role. Later, as he directly got involved in the current war, Autumn Water City naturally became the headquarters of the Alliance Army.


    After a week of flying, the three of them finally arrived in Autumn Water City, and Rocky, along with Karina and Berg, took the warship sent by the Alliance to enter Autumn Water City. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wilton obviously did not take their arrival lightly, as he had patrol troops greet them as soon as they entered the battle zone, and when the three arrived at Autumn Water City, he personally came to the Skyport to meet them himself!


    His Excellency the Holy Knight personally welcoming them was a great honor for Rocky and his companions, for with Wilton¡¯s status and fame within the Alliance, how many could claim the privilege of his personal reception?


    Clearly not many.


    So, when Rocky and his companions saw the welcoming party led by Wilton himself, the three of them were dumbfounded.


    Descending from the warship, Rocky had barely had a chance to survey his surroundings before he heard a band strike up a triumphal march, and immediately he saw a military honor guard standing rigid as sculptures directly in front of him.


    ¡°Salute!!¡±


    Whether by coincidence or specific training, the instant Rocky, Karina, and Berg looked towards the honor guard, the captain of the guard shouted loudly. Then the whole troop saluted them in unison, and after the salute, the honor guard split left and right, marching with synchronized steps to the sides, opening a path for the three of them.


    At the end of this path stood a group of people, led by the commander of the Alliance Army in the Tulip Battle Zone¡ªHoly Knight Wilton¡ªflanked by many officers. From the attire and age of these military officers, it was clear they were key generals within the battle zone.


    Indeed, Wilton had not only come in person, but almost all the senior military officers of the Alliance Army who could attend were also present!


    Faced with such a grand welcoming party, honestly speaking, Rocky and his companions were somewhat confused. Although they knew they must have achieved a great feat, and that the Sky Alliance and Wilton would definitely show their appreciation, they had not expected such an elaborate display.


    Thankfully, among those who had accompanied Rocky and his party to Autumn Water City was Glan.


    As an ambassador of the Alliance, Glan was naturally much more familiar with Wilton and his associate military officers than Rocky and his companions, so when Rocky and his friends seemed somewhat at a loss, Glan took the initiative to step forward and actively introduce everyone, smoothing over the situation considerably.


    After the introductions and brief exchanges, Wilton led them onto carriages. Having thought that the overwhelming welcome was finally over, the three were in for a surprise, as the carriage did not head to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion but went straight to the Central Square of Autumn Water City.


    ¡°We are now heading to the Central Square. The citizens are eager to see the heroes like yourselves.¡±


    Sitting in the carriage, Wilton maintained his dignity but kept a smile on his face, personally explaining the next part of their journey to Rocky and his companions, that they were headed straight to the Central Square of Autumn Water City to accept the public¡¯s welcome.


    ¡°Heroes?¡±


    But hearing this, Rocky and his companions exchanged glances, each with a bewildered expression on their face, clearly not understanding what Wilton was talking about.


    Since when had they become heroes?


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 450 - 415 Hero!

    Chapter 450: Chapter 415 Hero!


    War.


    Heroes.


    These two concepts seem to share an indistinct and profound logical connection, as if the emergence of heroes is certain every time chaos of war unfolds.


    The same holds for the grand battle unfolding before us. Although it¡¯s been less than half a year since its onset, many heroes have already been born within the ranks of the Alliance Army and the Rebel Army.


    These individuals come from all walks of life, including Void Magic Warriors, Fleet Commanders, City Lords, and even ordinary Captains and crew members. Without exception, they share one common trait: in each of their respective war zones and battles, they¡¯ve displayed valorous conduct. Their courageous deeds have significantly boosted the morale of their sides, turning them into revered figures.


    Rocky and his two companions have now become such heroes!


    ...


    Having been in enemy territory all this while, the trio had no knowledge of events outside the battle zones in the past two months. They were unaware that since their initial raid on a merchant convoy, the Alliance had been spreading tales of their valorous deeds throughout the war zones.


    In fact, Rocky and his team¡¯s fame within the war zone was much higher than they imagined. Now, almost every resident in the Tulip Battle Zone knew who they were. Not only that, but through the efforts of the Alliance¡¯s propaganda, the residents had come to regard them as war heroes.


    Never underestimate the power such propaganda wields. Although soldiers are the ones on the front lines, let¡¯s not forget that within each Sky City, there resides a large civilian population. Once these ordinary citizens lose hope and faith in the war, at the least, it could impact morale; at worst, it could spark riots and rebellions!


    Consequently, both the Alliance Army and the Rebel Army strive to amplify their own achievements to ensure the stability and order among their populace.


    For the Alliance in the Tulip Battle Zone, the prior actions of Rocky, Karina, and Berg were indeed a shot of adrenaline! If their exploits were appropriately publicized, this could significantly raise the spirits of every resident from the Sky Cities involved in the war, renewing their faith in the Sky Alliance!


    It should be noted that before Rocky¡¯s trio took action, although Wilton-led Alliance Army had fought back and forth with the enemy, there were hardly any truly resounding victories, the kind that could be proudly chronicled.


    War is not a play. The harsh reality of war is brutal, bloody, and uninspiring. Often, victory is determined by mere casualties¡ªa dull affair where the side with fewer dead claims the win.


    However, the general populace doesn¡¯t see it that way. For most people, battles must not only be won but won spectacularly, full of color and dramatic turns¡ªthis is the expectation engraved in their hearts. But how often does reality present such picturesque fluctuations and vibrancy?


    Furthermore, the situation in all four of the Alliance¡¯s war zones was genuinely dire. Since the beginning of the war, not to mention the other war zones, the Alliance residents involved in the Tulip Battle Zone had been utterly disheartened, creating an atmosphere that resembled a collective of walking corpses, as if all hope had been abandoned.


    This was the nagging worry of the Alliance¡¯s propaganda machinery.


    The individuals in charge of propaganda had initially hoped to inspire morale through His Excellency the Holy Knight, but this backfired. For the majority of the public, while Wilton was indeed a great hero, even his direct engagement had failed to defeat the enemy. How could they fight this war? Where was the hope for victory? Thus, up until Rocky and his team¡¯s activities, the morale among the Alliance citizens had been extremely low, with pervasive sentiments of disillusionment and pessimism.


    But with Rocky and his team¡¯s actions, and their publicization, the situation was promptly reversed! S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    You can¡¯t help it, Rocky and his companions simply exuded the aura of heroes.


    Firstly, although all three were City Lords, they were extremely weak in the grand scheme of this war.


    Secondly, one might unkindly describe their endeavors as reckless, but rephrase it a bit, and it turns into bravery ¨C unmatched bravery!


    Lastly, the victories they achieved far exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations: multiple merchant convoys intercepted, hundreds of warships destroyed, and two Sky Cities eradicated. Such military outcomes were beyond impressive, not just for them, but they would have been considered a great triumph even for the Wilton-led Alliance Army!


    The three weak City Lords, despite their vulnerability, challenged the vile enemy bravely and struck a significant blow!


    Against the odds.


    Overcoming evil with good.


    Triumphant and returning in glory!


    Isn¡¯t this what heroes are made of?


    This is what makes a hero!


    So, as Rocky and his team continued their actions, the Alliance also never stopped publicizing their feats, making it so that in the last two months, what concerned all the inhabitants of the participating Sky Cities most was how Rocky¡¯s team was faring.


    When Rocky and his companions disappeared during the enemy¡¯s first encirclement, every resident of the Sky Cities within the Alliance held their breath for them. Several emotional young women even shed tears more than once, believing they had met their demise.


    Latter, when Rocky¡¯s second operation took place and Hongshou City was annihilated, it¡¯s fair to say, even Rocky couldn¡¯t have imagined the scene that unfolded. Upon hearing the news, the residents of the Alliance Sky Cities erupted in jubilation, more enthusiastically even than the residents of Thunderhawk City themselves, as though they had personally vanquished Hongshou City.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 451 - 415: Hero! _2

    Chapter 451: Chapter 415: Hero! _2


    By the time Karina and Berg had taken their turns striking and had secured impressive battle results, the sagging morale of the Alliance Army was completely overturned. At this stage, not only were the ordinary citizens following the exploits of the trio of Rocky, Karina, and Berg, but even the soldiers of the Alliance Army began paying attention to them.


    Sure, the Sky Alliance¡¯s propaganda of Rocky and the others was bound to be exaggerated, to say the least, and perhaps even a bit overblown, but let¡¯s not forget that the victories they achieved were not just hot air; they were genuine feats of arms.


    As a result, from the common folk to the soldiers, everyone¡¯s spirits were lifted by them, and hope was restored once again.


    This is why when the trio arrived at Autumn Water City, Lord Wilton decided to personally greet them with all the high-ranking officials. There was no helping it, the city¡¯s commoners had already hailed the trio as heroes, and a grand welcome was necessary; otherwise, the public wouldn¡¯t stand for it!


    And a grand welcome wasn¡¯t enough; Lord Wilton also planned for Rocky and his companions to meet with the public and to be decorated with medals!


    Sitting inside the carriage, although he was the overall commander, Wilton didn¡¯t put on airs with Rocky and his companions. He always wore a smile on his face and briefly explained to them that they were now celebrities.


    ...


    And all of this was beyond Rocky¡¯s expectations; Karina and Berg were completely taken by surprise as well, all three almost dumbfounded.


    How did they become heroes without realizing it?


    Nobody had ever considered such a situation, for to be frank, whether it was Rocky, Karina, or Berg, they had banded together with a clear purpose¡­


    To put it bluntly, they weren¡¯t fighting the Rebel Army for ideals or justice. They were doing it for the resources, the materials, and the population currently stored in their respective Sky Cities.


    And they ended up being heroes for that?


    To be honest, not even Rocky and the others felt that their actions were particularly heroic; they were all realists, after all!


    But such is the capricious nature of reality; perhaps their actions were driven entirely by self-interest, yet they resulted in them being hailed as heroes, and their deeds became widely celebrated as heroic exploits.


    ¡°Your Excellency,¡­ isn¡¯t this a bit too much?¡±


    After being stunned for a while, Rocky gave Wilton an awkward glance.


    He certainly had no intention of becoming a hero.


    ¡°Lord Wilton, since we are heroes now, does the Alliance have any¡­ rewards for us?¡±


    In stark contrast to Rocky, Berg didn¡¯t care much about being a hero; what mattered more to him was pragmatism. Now that they were heroes in the eyes of the Alliance, surely the Alliance would show some appreciation?


    ¡°Heh heh heh¡­¡±


    In response, Wilton let out a slight chuckle and then said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be modest; you deserve all this. Also, given the great contribution you each made in the war, the Alliance certainly won¡¯t be indifferent.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, that¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    Upon hearing Wilton say so, Berg smiled and nodded to Rocky and Karina, as if finally reassured.


    Rocky was speechless at Berg¡¯s shamelessness and also felt helpless since Wilton had already arranged everything to come and he could no longer decline. He sighed deeply.


    After that, the carriage made its way toward the urban district of Autumn Water City, galloping for over an hour before finally reaching the Central Square.


    But as soon as they reached the Central Square, Rocky was taken aback!


    Why were there so many people?!


    When he stepped down from the carriage, he found the square had been fitted with a grand stage for the award presentation, and in the midst of the square, tens of thousands had gathered!


    Autumn Water City was a renowned large Sky City, with hundreds of thousands of inhabitants. Its city district was vast, and the Central Square¡ªas the emblem of the entire district¡ªwas incredibly spacious, able to accommodate tens of thousands of people. Even so, the square was now overflowing with crowds!


    Tens of thousands had assembled in the square, waiting for Rocky and his companions!


    Seeing so many people in the square, Rocky and the others were once again taken aback; unfortunately, before they could react, they were led away.


    Wilton had just said that bringing them to the Central Square was mainly for the purpose of awarding them, to commend their contributions to the Sky Alliance in the previous battles. As it was an award ceremony in front of tens of thousands of people, various procedures were undoubtedly necessary, so Rocky and his companions had to make many preparations.


    During their preparations, Wilton himself went on stage to deliver a speech.


    Because they were backstage getting makeup done, changing clothes, Rocky didn¡¯t hear what Wilton had talked about. He only knew that when he, Karina, and Berg were ready and standing at the edge of the stage, the outside was continuously cheering.


    ¡°How about it, I look good, don¡¯t I? Check me out!¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡± sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You look great too!¡±


    Amidst waves of cheers, Berg nudged Rocky and then pointed to himself, asking Rocky to see how he looked.


    Now the three of them, not only had makeup on, they had also changed clothes and were all dressed in military uniforms.


    Military uniforms have an innate appeal, and each of them being the City Lord, they carried an innate charisma different from ordinary people. Thus, when they donned their uniforms, they naturally exuded a spirited and heroic air.


    There was no need to mention Rocky and Berg. They were young talents and City Lords, so naturally, they looked extremely handsome in their military attire. So handsome that when the two were ready, the backstage girls couldn¡¯t take their eyes off them.


    However, even they paled in comparison to Karina next to them, for she was inherently valiant and her character, one that never admitted defeat to men, along with her status as City Lord, meant that once she put on the uniform, her whole aura underwent a transformation. Not to mention others, even Rocky and Berg were captivated when they saw her.


    ¡°Please welcome our three heroes!¡±


    Rocky and the others waited at the edge of the stage for less than two minutes when they suddenly heard Wilton outside announcing, and immediately someone nodded at them, indicating that they could go out now.


    Upon receiving the signal, Rocky took a deep breath and stepped forward, leading the way from backstage to the front, with Karina and Berg following closely behind.


    When they reached the front of the stage, Rocky saw a vast award podium with just a small lectern on it, behind which Wilton was standing, facing them, gently clapping and smiling. Then, as Rocky looked down from the stage, he saw tens of thousands of eyes all looking straight at him, followed by an overwhelming burst of applause and cheers!


    ¡°It¡¯s City Lord Rocky! The one in front is City Lord Rocky, a member of our Alliance!¡±


    ¡°Is that him? He looks so energetic!¡±


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s not just a City Lord, but also a Void Magic Warrior!¡±


    ¡°Of course, and he¡¯s wearing the White Demon Armor! You know, the White Demon Armor! The most powerful armor to date, stronger even than the Holy Angel Armor!¡±


    ¡°So impressive, so accomplished at such a young age!¡±


    ¡°Lord Rocky! Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Lord Rocky, you must continue the fight! You have to defeat all the enemies!¡±


    ¡°Lord Rocky! I love you! I love you!¡±


    ¡°I want to have your babies!¡±


    Facing Rocky¡¯s ascent to the stage, the crowd in the square erupted into a surge of cheering, with countless people shouting, waving, and screaming at him.


    Due to the Alliance¡¯s publicity, all of Rocky¡¯s actions in the war were well known to the public, and he was also the main focus of their promotion. Although Karina and Berg had contributed significantly, and Karina¡¯s achievements were no less than Rocky¡¯s, neither of them were members of the Alliance, so the main promotional target for the Sky Alliance was definitely Rocky.


    Thus, as soon as Rocky appeared, the tens of thousands of people in the square burst into an intense and passionate cheer, a continuous roar of applause and shouts!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 452 - 416: Awarding Honors!

    Chapter 452: Chapter 416: Awarding Honors!


    Although he had participated in the Arena and witnessed scenes of tens of thousands cheering, when Rocky ascended the awards platform this time, he felt an unexpectedly intense nervousness.


    As the Alliance¡¯s key figure for publicity, Rocky¡¯s heroic image had already been established in the hearts of the people. So when the crowd in the square caught sight of him, the passion that erupted surpassed all expectations, feeling like a wave of heat crashing over him, causing Rocky to be at a loss. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this feeling of helplessness, he stood behind Wilton, eyes watching Wilton as if he were saying something below, but he couldn¡¯t hear anything clearly because the shouts from below were too loud, completely drowning out Wilton¡¯s voice.


    In such circumstances, Rocky could only watch; he observed Wilton who seemed to have said a lot, and as he spoke, the cheers from the people grew even louder, then Wilton turned around to face him, Karina, and Berg.


    Turning to face the three, Wilton still wore a smile, nodding satisfactorily at them before stepping toward Rocky.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky.¡±


    ...


    ¡°By the decision of the Elder Council of Eleven, in recognition of your outstanding performance in battle, you are hereby awarded the Sky Alliance Medal of Valor.¡±


    ¡°By the decision of the Elder Council of Eleven, in recognition of your contribution to the battle zone, you are hereby awarded the Sky Alliance Iron Shine Medal.¡±


    Standing in front of Rocky, Wilton spoke while personally affixing the shimmering, exquisite medals onto his chest, and he hung two of them in succession.


    These two medals represented two different honors.


    The Medal of Valor stood for Rocky¡¯s individual military achievements, issued only to soldiers who fought at the front lines. Because Rocky was a Void Magic Warrior and had slain many Void Magic Warriors in battle, the Alliance honored him with this medal to commend his bravery in battle.


    The Iron Shine Medal was an honor bestowed only upon city lords, having tiers of Iron Shine, Silver Shine, and Gold Shine. Only members who had made outstanding contributions to the Alliance received this type of medal.


    Both medals were exceedingly renowned within the Alliance, and they signified not just honor but had significant practical benefits.


    Upon receiving the Medal of Valor, Rocky would be entitled to requisition a Void Magic Squad from the Alliance Army without conditions, unrestricted by time, place, number of times, or purpose. Whenever Rocky desired, he could summon a Void Magic Squad for his use from the Alliance Army.


    As for the Iron Shine Medal, its benefits were even greater. Any city lord who received this medal would be qualified to enter the core airspace of the Alliance, that is, the airspace of Nut God City. This meant that with the Iron Shine Medal, Rocky didn¡¯t have to wait until he became a core member of the Alliance to gain early access to the Alliance¡¯s core airspace.


    After personally bestowing two medals upon Rocky, Wilton moved on to stand before Karina.


    ¡°Lord Karina,¡±


    Wil smiled and nodded at Karina before speaking, ¡°Although you are not a member of the Alliance, you risked your personal safety to fight alongside Rocky in aiding the Alliance. Therefore, by the decision of the Elder Council of Eleven, in recognition of your contributions to the battle zone, I hereby bestow upon you the Sky Alliance Medal of Honor.¡±


    As he spoke, Wil fastened the medal onto Karina¡¯s shoulder, then proceeded to walk over to Berg and said the same, presenting him with the same medal.


    The so-called Medal of Honor is a special medal designed by the Sky Alliance specifically for non-members who have made contributions to the Alliance. Only those non-members who have contributed are eligible for this medal, and once they receive this medal, they can enjoy the treatment of peripheral members of the Alliance, even if they are not part of it.


    It was evident that the Sky Alliance was quite pleased with the trio¡¯s performance¡ªafter all, these medals were not something that Wil could simply hand out at will. While it was his suggestion to award the medals to the three of them, it only became a reality after the agreement of the Elder Council of Eleven, which clearly indicated the Alliance¡¯s attitude towards the trio.


    After presenting and affixing the medals to the three of them, Wil stepped aside, leaving the center spot to them, allowing them to receive the cheers and applause of the crowd. However, perhaps knowing that the three were not fully prepared, Wil did not trouble them to give speeches and invited them off the stage after the applause had finished.


    When Rocky and his companions returned backstage, they all let out a long sigh of relief. Then they got onto a carriage and headed for the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Upon arriving at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion in Autumn Water City, the three were assigned to the best three rooms, and were informed that in the evening, Wil had also prepared a banquet and dance in their honor, as a way to welcome them.


    Being so well-prepared during wartime obviously showed how much Wil valued them. However, since it was still wartime and the battle raged on outside, although the arrangements were thorough, the schedule was extremely tight¡ªalmost all activities were set for the same day. Rocky and the others could understand this haste. After all, under normal wartime conditions, all these preparations could be omitted, so they didn¡¯t mind the rush.


    So, when evening came, they relentlessly attended the banquet and dance. There wasn¡¯t much to recount; it essentially involved meeting various characters and city lords. Once all of this was over, the day finally came to a close.


    Their first day in Autumn Water City was clearly hectic, but things got much better after that first day passed. On the second day, the many city lords and officers who had come to welcome them returned to their respective Sky Cities and the frontlines, leaving Rocky and his party with some downtime.


    According to Wil¡¯s arrangements, Rocky and his companions could take some time to rest and recuperate in the Tulip Battle Zone. Once they were ready, if they wished to enter Nut God City Airspace¡ªi.e., the Sky Alliance¡¯s rear guard¡ªthey could set out. If they wanted to stay and continue participating in the battle within the Tulip Battle Zone, that was also an option. In short, their subsequent stay or departure was entirely up to them, with no forced obligations from the Alliance.


    Of course, this plan made Rocky and his friends very happy. After more than two months of battle, they indeed needed a good rest. Thus, none of them were in a hurry to leave. They all docked their Sky Cities around Autumn Water City and began their period of rest and recuperation.


    And just like that, time quickly passed by three days. After three days of rest, their spirits had largely recovered, and they then gathered again in Berg¡¯s Lingyu City.


    Reuniting in Lingyu City, the trio were no longer weary, and their eyes even held a hint of excitement, for now the war was over, and their entire campaign had come to a perfect conclusion. What came next was the division of the spoils of war!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 453 - 417: Dividing the Loot!

    Chapter 453: Chapter 417: Dividing the Loot!


    What was Rocky¡¯s night raid all about?


    It certainly wasn¡¯t about becoming heroes, they were all realists¡ªit was about making a fortune from the war!


    And now, the war was over for them, as the upcoming battles no longer required their participation. Thus, it was time to cash in!


    In this operation, although Rocky and his two companions had won several battles and destroyed many of the Rebel Army¡¯s troops and even obliterated two small Sky Cities, they believed that wasn¡¯t the most important part. The most crucial aspect for them was the vast amount of war supplies they had looted in their previous series of raids!


    That was what mattered most!


    Over two months, they had intercepted six merchant convoys from start to finish, wiped out two war supply-laden Sky Cities, and looted countless goods and thousands of people from these two cities¡ªall of which were their spoils!


    ...


    So, when they returned to the Tulip Battle Zone and met with the Alliance Army, they couldn¡¯t wait to start dividing the spoils!


    This was a task that required some serious muscle! S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because the goods they had looted this time were simply too numerous!


    According to their prior agreement, no matter how much effort the three put in, the looted materials would be pooled together and divided equally¡ªthis had been settled before the plan started and no one backed out after everything ended. After all, each of them had taken great risks, and each had played a critical role in the mission, so there was no dispute over who did more or less work.


    So, after they started dividing the spoils, they pooled all the looted goods together. Of course, what they actually pooled was a list of goods because there were simply too many items to gather physically; as for whether anyone was hiding anything, to put it nicely, it relied entirely on honesty; to put it bluntly¡­ each of the three smart City Lords had a clear idea of what and how much they had looted.


    Once they had gathered all the lists and tallied everything up, their total profit was revealed.


    This time, they had intercepted six merchant convoys, totaling one hundred and fifty cargoships, with cargo including medicine, Magic Stones, Void Magic Armor, Magic Energy Cannons, ship spare parts, food, and other supplies, each counted by the ton.


    Moreover, Rocky and Karina had also wiped out two small transport Sky Cities, intercepting a large amount of goods in the process, with types largely similar to the above, all being war supplies, but the quantity was even more significant, roughly double that of the cargoships!


    More importantly, besides looting vast amounts of goods in the Sky Cities, the two also captured a large population!


    According to statistics, Rocky and Karina had captured about five thousand residents in total!


    Five thousand people¡ªalready more than the entire population of Thunderhawk City!


    Hundreds of tons of goods and over five thousand captured residents, that was the profit for Rocky and his partners.


    To be honest, when they saw these numbers, the three were somewhat taken aback because these figures far exceeded their expectations. They certainly knew that while war was brutal, it was a great opportunity to make money, but they hadn¡¯t expected to gain such massive profits!


    No wonder there¡¯s a saying about making a fortune from warfare¡ªit seems that war is not only brutal, but also immensely profitable!


    As the total gains were tallied, what naturally came next for the three was to divide the spoils.


    The division process initially encountered no major problems and was virtually dispute-free as the goods were there to be evenly shared. They only really discussed when it came to distributing the Void Magic Armor.


    The Void Magic Armor not only held immense value but was also arguably the most useful thing, so everyone wanted a larger share.


    Berg was the first to propose trading his goods for Rocky¡¯s share of the Void Magic Armor because among their spoils were one hundred sets of Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armor and ten sets of Fifth Generation Special Armor. If distributed evenly, each would get thirty-three, which was fairly sufficient and usable for each.


    But to everyone¡¯s surprise, Berg was not satisfied. He, who previously had little interest in the war, now found his share of Armor insufficient and even wished to trade with Rocky, which was somewhat unexpected for both Rocky and Karina; they thought Berg had suddenly changed.


    In fact, Berg hadn¡¯t changed at all. His motivation stemmed from knowing that regardless of who won or lost between the Sky Alliance and the Rebel Army after this great battle, the Sky¡¯s structure would undergo massive changes. Once the Sky became unstable, good days for a Neutral Sky City like Berg¡¯s Lingyu City would come to an end, so he was taking precautions, bolstering his strength early to avoid being caught unprepared later.


    In response, although Rocky hesitated, after reflecting on it, he agreed. With people like Hammerfire around, Thunderhawk City had its own Armor manufacturing capability, and Thunderhawk City¡¯s Void Magic Squad would definitely be outfitted with Rune Armor in the future, so he agreed to Berg¡¯s request.


    However, agreeing didn¡¯t mean Rocky would trade all the Armor to Berg; he only agreed to exchange ten sets of Mass-Produced Armor with Berg, keeping the remaining twenty Mass-Produced and Special Armor sets for himself as he still had use for them.


    Having settled that, the division of goods concluded quickly. Next came the rather troublesome issue of distributing the people.


    This time, they had captured a total of five thousand people, which seemed like a lot, but when split into three equal parts, each would only receive about sixteen hundred people, a number that seemed rather small to any of them.


    Among Rocky, Karina, and Berg, Rocky¡¯s Thunderhawk City had the smallest population, about three thousand; Karina¡¯s Rose City had the most, with a robust seven thousand, nearing the threshold for upgrading from a small to a medium-sized Sky City; as for Berg¡¯s Lingyu City, it was in between, with just over five thousand.


    Thus, the captured individuals were highly beneficial for each of them.


    Thunderhawk City¡¯s development was progressing smoothly, and with Backhill Village as a land-based station, Rocky was in dire need of expanding Thunderhawk City¡¯s population, and the same was true for both Karina and Berg.


    Rose City, Karina¡¯s domain, was already home to over seven thousand residents. As it¡¯s known, once a Sky City¡¯s population surpasses ten thousand, construction can commence to upgrade the city from small to medium-size, so Karina naturally also hoped for more people.


    As for Berg, though Lingyu City had just the right population of about five thousand, if he could obtain more residents, reaching the size of a medium-sized Sky City was also not far off. Moreover, don¡¯t forget that Lingyu City was a trading city¡ªthe more people it had, the greater the internal demand would be, so Berg naturally hoped for more as well.


    Because of this, the three were no longer humble and immediately engaged in a fierce competition for the people¡­


    COMMENT


    1 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 454 - 418: You Fight, I Snatch

    Chapter 454: Chapter 418: You Fight, I Snatch


    In order to secure more population, Rocky, Karina, and Berg spared no effort in this matter and each of them was far from modest.


    ¡°Berg, Rocky, I¡¯ll trade you each one thousand people for twenty tons of Magic Stone.¡±


    Facing Rocky and Berg, Karina directly proposed to exchange the Magic Stone she had previously acquired for their populations.


    Karina¡¯s Rose City already had over seven thousand residents, so if she could exchange for two thousand people from Rocky and Berg, plus the thousand she was entitled to, the population of Rose City would officially break ten thousand, allowing her to start upgrading the city to a medium size!


    ¡°No way, no way, this won¡¯t do.¡±


    However, facing her proposal, neither Berg nor Rocky agreed, shaking their heads as if they were ratchet drums, definitively refusing.


    ...


    They had captured a total of five thousand people this time. It sounded like a lot, but distributed evenly, each would only get about sixteen hundred people. If they agreed to Karina¡¯s terms, Rocky and Berg would end up with only about six hundred people each¡ªwhat could they possibly do with so few? Therefore, both of them disagreed.


    Not only did they disagree, but Rocky also made an offer, ¡°Berg, I¡¯m offering three hundred thousand tons of goods, you can pick whatever, in exchange for one thousand people. What do you think?¡±


    Rocky also needed population now, not to mention Thunderhawk City itself, but also Backhill Village. Currently, Backhill Village might not have a huge need for population, but once it started to develop, the demand for population would naturally increase. Moreover, how could Backhill Village develop without people? Thus, he desperately needed a large influx of population.


    However, he knew that he definitely wouldn¡¯t get people from Karina as she was still holding out to demand people from him, so he turned his target to Berg.


    As soon as he finished speaking, Karina also looked toward Berg, ¡°Berg, if you agree, I¡¯ll make the same trade with you, say how much goods you want.¡±


    ¡°Why should I!¡±


    Just as the two finished speaking, Berg became reluctant, ¡°What are you guys doing, ganging up to bully me alone? I won¡¯t do it!¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You won¡¯t have much use for these people anyway, better to exchange them with us, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, exactly, Lingyu City currently has enough people, you don¡¯t need that extra thousand or two thousand.¡±


    ¡°No deal!¡±


    With widened eyes, Berg defiantly stared back, ¡°How about this, I trade with both of you. I¡¯ll give you all the goods I got this time, and you give me all the people. What do you think about that?¡±


    ¡°You really have a big appetite.¡± Karina gave Berg a sidelong glance and sneered, ¡°Do you also want to swallow all five thousand people?¡±


    ¡°Why not, I can digest them just fine.¡± Berg shrugged indifferently at Karina, then revealed a smiling face, ¡°Both of you truly don¡¯t need so many people now.¡±


    ¡°Rocky, you¡¯re taking the technology route, Masters like Aniye are your focus, so population isn¡¯t that important to you. Having so many people idling in your city, you¡¯d even have to sustain them, why bother?¡±


    ¡°Karina, you¡¯re so capable, two or three thousand people to you are just like destroying a city to come out on top. So, stop competing with me. My Lingyu City is originally a commercial city, definitely needing a population to expand its domestic demand. Besides, I¡¯m not skilled, can¡¯t fight, can¡¯t do research, I can only rely on doing some small business to make ends meet, so please feel sorry for me¡­¡±


    As a merchant, Berg was absolutely profit-driven, shameless when necessary, crying poor whenever it suited him, full of bluster, ready to throw away any dignity of a city lord, and began to plead tearfully with Rocky and Karina.


    If it were someone else, they might have been moved by him, and even if not moved, just for his shameless vigor, it would be awkward to refuse. But Rocky and Karina knew him too well, so facing his tearful pleas, they simply ignored him and exchanged glances with each other.


    ¡°Rocky, this time I really am helping you out, you wouldn¡¯t refuse to help me out this much, would you?¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Karina spoke with arched eyebrows, her expression revealing a trace of charm.


    ¡°Yes, Rocky, we are here to help you this time, how can you still be so particular with us?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Berg immediately aimed the emotional appeal at Rocky.


    However, Rocky firmly shook his head.


    Relationships, of course, must be valued.


    But even with brothers, clear accounts must be maintained; although Karina and Berg had helped him, for which Rocky was surely grateful, the spoils that should have been shared hadn¡¯t been skimmed at all, so Rocky resolutely shook his head.


    Subsequently, the three started arguing.


    In reality, they had no objection to equally splitting these five thousand individuals; the actual point of contention was about obtaining more people from each other, since for each of them, over a thousand people weren¡¯t enough.


    But since the population was so important, who would want to trade? Not to mention trading away, each of them was eager to obtain more people from each other.


    A day passed in this manner, but they still hadn¡¯t come to a conclusion. No matter, since all three of them were in a period of recovery and had nothing else to do, so if a day of discussion didn¡¯t yield a result, then two days, eventually they would figure it out.


    Thus, they discussed for a total of three days until they finally came to a decision.


    In order to gain more population, Rocky pulled out his trump card!


    He promised that once Aniye and the others had disclosed the technology of the New Armor, he would immediately gift Karina with a set of the latest White Demon Armor free of charge, and in exchange, he obtained five hundred people from her.


    At the same time, he promised Berg that once the next generation Armor began mass-production, he would grant Berg¡¯s Lingyu Business Association the sales rights to the New Armor, and in exchange, he also exchanged five hundred people from him.


    In this way, Rocky gained an additional thousand people.


    For the three of them, this deal was a win-win situation; on the surface, it seemed like Rocky was at a loss, but that wasn¡¯t really the case, because given their relationship, once Rocky released the next generation Armor equipped with Runes, would he not give Karina a set? Would he not let Berg sell it?


    The same held true for Karina and Berg ¨C although the population was vital for them, if they could exchange these people for a guarantee from Rocky, it was still quite worthwhile.


    Therefore, upon this proposal, both of them immediately nodded in agreement.


    In this way, the matter finally came to an end, and after the distribution, Karina and Berg each received a little over a thousand people, while Rocky got about two thousand five hundred.


    Securing these two thousand five hundred people eased Rocky¡¯s mind, because let¡¯s not forget, there were still over five hundred captives imprisoned in Thunderhawk City!


    When they had occupied Backhill Village, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had retreated in defeat, not only driven away but also their soldiers and workers who were left in Backhill Village to defend and mine were captured, and these five hundred people had been in Thunderhawk City ever since.


    Totalling up, these two batches of prisoners made exactly three thousand people.


    And with these three thousand, the population of Thunderhawk City reached six thousand!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 455 - 419: Whitewashing

    Chapter 455: Chapter 419: Whitewashing


    After they had allocated the population, Rocky and his two companions had completely finished dividing the spoils. Each of them had received exactly what they wanted, and the war spoils were exceedingly generous. Regardless of the outcome of the ongoing war, the three of them had already made a fortune.


    Afterward, the three Sky Cities began transshipping goods. Since Rocky and Karina had each destroyed a Sky City, most of the goods were in their cities, and they needed to transport some to Lingyu City.


    During this process, Berg was not idle; he began proactively contacting the Alliance Army¡¯s quartermaster, planning to sell the batch of goods they had obtained to the Alliance Army.


    The goods they had seized were almost all war supplies, and the quantity was extremely large. Having so much stock was useless if not sold; it had to be turned into gold coins. The Alliance Army, being close at hand, naturally became their primary trading target.


    For the Alliance Army, they were also eager to acquire these supplies. After all, the war zone was active, and the size of Wilton¡¯s forces had suddenly doubled after receiving support. No amount of supplies was too much in this situation, so the transaction was made very smoothly.


    This matter was naturally tasked to Berg to lead. Rocky only sent Aileen, and Karina did the same, so the specifics need not be detailed. Ultimately, after several rounds of negotiations, the trade was finalized, and apart from a small portion they kept, all the seized goods were sold to the Alliance Army.


    ...


    After this deal was sealed, the three of them lived up to the old saying: they had made a fortune overnight!


    You must know, the goods they had seized were calculated by the ton, not just a few tons, but dozens of tons. Thus, with the completion of this deal, Rocky, Karina, and Berg each received millions of gold coins.


    To be exact, it was over eight million gold coins!


    Over eight million gold coins!


    This amount of money, let alone for Rocky and Karina, was a substantial sum even for Berg, the City Lord of a trading city.


    And with this substantial sum, the development of these three individuals and their Sky Cities was bound to enter a period of rapid growth. It is possible that by the end of this great war, some of them might no longer be the lords of minor Sky Cities!


    Of course, this money had not yet reached their hands since they were still in the war zone, where no tens of millions of gold coins could be found. Therefore, Wilton could only acknowledge the debt for now. However, this wasn¡¯t a problem for the trio, as Wilton represented the Sky Alliance, which surely wouldn¡¯t default on the payment.


    In fact, Wilton had already assured Berg that once they left the war zone and entered the airspace of Nut God City, which is the core area of the Sky Alliance, the Alliance would settle the payment completely, so they could rest easy.


    And once the deal was concluded, Rocky sought out Berg and Karina again.


    ¡°You mean¡­ you¡¯re worried about those people not being honest?¡±


    Still in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Lingyu City, as Rocky clarified his intentions, both Karina and Berg turned to look at him.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°The people we¡¯ve captured are residents of the families. They have been benefiting from their families for generations and feel a much stronger sense of belonging to their respective families than residents of Independent Sky Cities do. I¡¯m worried that they won¡¯t behave themselves in the city.¡±


    Facing Karina and Berg, Rocky expressed his concerns.


    Although they had captured many people this time, having too many captives could also be a problem, such as them being uncooperative.


    As Rocky said, all those they had captured were residents under various families. Each had a strong sense of loyalty to their family. They might not dare to cause trouble under armed pressure, but once they were brought into the city and made residents of their own Sky Cities, would these people be willing?


    Perhaps some would, but similarly, there would certainly be those who wouldn¡¯t!


    If they had only kidnapped a few hundred people, it might have been fine. A few hundred people dispersed among a city of thousands would not have caused any turmoil. But this time, they kidnapped five thousand!


    Especially for Rocky, after the exchanges with Karina and Berg and adding the captives from the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, three thousand more people suddenly appeared in Thunderhawk City. This number was already equivalent to the existing population of Thunderhawk City. If these three thousand were not compliant, Rocky would not be able to handle it, nor would Thunderhawk City, which had become his greatest concern.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about?¡±


    When Rocky was full of worries, Karina casually said, ¡°If anyone misbehaves, just kill them. Kill a thousand or eight hundred, and the rest will fall in line. Trust me, I have experience.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Karina mentioned with a tone of experience.


    She really did have a lot of experience with this matter.


    Karina¡¯s Rose City was a typical city that relied on warfare to function. The city¡¯s own industries were very limited, barely sufficient for self-sustainability. The majority of its income came from warfare. In her city of over seven thousand people, more than a third were plundered through wars, so she knew exactly what Rocky was worried about.


    However, to Karina, this worry was not difficult to address. Was it just about people not behaving? Just find a way to make everyone behave. Kill a couple of people and see if they continue misbehaving. If so, kill more, and one day everyone will behave.


    It was no coincidence that Karina was known as the Bloody Rose; the nickname was well earned!


    However, upon hearing her words, Rocky swallowed hard and looked at Karina, unable to utter a word for a long time.


    This method might work, but¡­


    Rocky still felt something was amiss. He was definitely not afraid of killing, being a City Lord meant he could kill whomever he wished without repercussion. But one must not kill indiscriminately, right? Besides, the population was precious, what if they were all killed off¡­


    ¡°Such feminine mercy!¡±


    Seeming to sense Rocky¡¯s hesitance, Karina immediately gave him a scornful look.


    ¡°This matter is easy to handle.¡±


    Luckily, at this moment, Berg stepped in to smooth things over. He chuckled and said to Rocky, ¡°That kind of thinking has already occurred to others. There are only so many people in the sky, and everyone is plundering each other; such situations are bound to happen.¡±


    ¡°So if you¡¯re worried about these people being disobedient, it¡¯s simple. Just hand over those three thousand to me after we leave the war zone.¡±


    ¡°Hand them over to you¡­ for what?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Some things are better left unknown, it¡¯s less troubling.¡±


    Flashing a mysterious smile at Rocky, Berg said, ¡°You just need to know that once you hand those three thousand people over to me, I¡¯ll return them to you in a few months. I guarantee you¡¯ll have a group of citizens who will live their days peacefully. However, when I return them, there won¡¯t be three thousand anymore, but two thousand. This isn¡¯t me cheating you, it¡¯s a necessary expense.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    After hearing Berg¡¯s words, Rocky gave him a glance, his expression somewhat complex.


    Although Berg didn¡¯t elaborate, Rocky was not a fool and understood what Berg meant¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 456 - 420 The Empire Takes Action!

    Chapter 456: Chapter 420 The Empire Takes Action!


    Rocky had no good solution for how to handle the over three thousand prisoners in his hands, so he was open to Berg¡¯s suggestion.


    People were important, but those who could live peacefully in Thunderhawk City and contribute to its development were the ones Rocky really needed. As for the uncooperative ones, those who wanted to return to their original families and could potentially hinder the development of Thunderhawk City, Rocky did not need them, no matter how many there were. Therefore, he did not mind Berg laundering this batch of prisoners of war.


    Although it would cost a whole thousand people in the exchange, as long as the rest remained compliant, the price was worth it. Moreover, Thunderhawk City¡¯s capacity could only accommodate five thousand people, while the prisoners plus the original inhabitants already exceeded six thousand. Reducing the number by a thousand was just right.


    In these circumstances, Rocky agreed to Berg¡¯s suggestion; however, this could not be implemented immediately. They would have to wait until the war was over, or at least until Berg had gone to Nut God City Airspace, before he could make external contacts to handle this matter.


    Therefore, when Rocky returned to Thunderhawk City, he issued an order for Old Jack to place the three thousand prisoners of war in the vacant city district. On one hand, this allowed them to lead normal lives; on the other hand, the Guard Corps was assigned to closely watch over them to ensure that no issues arose.


    With that, this major concern was temporarily alleviated.


    ...


    After this, Rocky had no more issues to handle. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although he was currently in Tulip Battle Zone, he no longer needed to participate in the warfare there because the situation in the battle zone had significantly changed from before.


    Having received military reinforcements from the Sky Alliance, the Alliance Army¡¯s forces had been significantly replenished. Wilton now commanded tens of large and medium-sized Sky Cities and thousands of large warships, along with nearly a thousand Void Magic Warriors. The army¡¯s size was now comparable to the Rebel Army, and in terms of quality, it even surpassed the Rebel forces, which reversed the overall situation in the battle zone.


    While Rocky was resting in Autumn Water City, the battle zone might have seemed calm around him, but in reality, fierce battles were raging!


    During this time, the Alliance Army, commanded by Wilton, fought and won one battle after another. Leveraging their advantages in numbers and quality, they secured multiple victories and had fully taken control of the airspace over Tulip City.


    Facing the surging momentum of the powerful Alliance Army, the Alliance forces commanded by Chief Long Wind kept retreating, and had now retreated to the airspace that once belonged to Chenxiu City, nearly being pushed out of the battle zone!


    Clearly, with sufficient military reinforcements, the Alliance Army had by now crushed the Rebel Army, composed of various forces and families, finally showing the true strength of the Sky Alliance in the Tulip Battle Zone.


    Under such favorable conditions, there was nothing left for Rocky and his associates to do. The Alliance no longer required the participation of their smaller Sky Cities, so for the next period, Rocky, as had been previously arranged by Wilton, kept Thunderhawk City moored near Autumn Water City, planning to rest adequately before he, along with Karina and Berg, would move to the Alliance¡¯s rear, namely to Nut God City Airspace.


    Thus, a month passed quickly.


    In this month, the trio of Rocky had completely recovered from their previous battles; both their forces and the city¡¯s inhabitants had shaken off the war¡¯s weariness. The next thing they had to do was head to Nut God City Airspace, and as soon as they entered its airspace, no matter how the upcoming battles turned out, unless the enemy directly attacked the Alliance¡¯s heartland, it would no longer concern them.


    But just at that moment, an unexpected event occurred.


    Just as the trio was preparing to meet Wilton to leave the Tulip Battle Zone, a sudden message came from the front lines: the Alliance Army had suffered a great defeat!


    In a battle initiated by the Alliance Army, they had been disastrously defeated. The losses were unimaginable¡ªover a thousand warships had been sunk, and one medium-sized and one large Sky City had been completely destroyed in the battle, with the participating troops almost entirely wiped out.


    This news reached Autumn Water City and shocked Wilton greatly!


    Over the past month, the Alliance Army had consistently held a significant advantage in battles, and continuous victories had already demoralized the Rebel Army. There were even reports from internal sources that, due to consecutive defeats, severe internal strife had broken out within the forces led by Chief Changfeng.


    All signs had indicated that the complete rout of the Rebel Army was imminent. How could such a thing suddenly happen?


    Was it possible that the Rebel Army had rallied at the last moment?


    Of course not.


    Upon receiving the message from the front lines, Wilton immediately convened an emergency meeting with the military command, and it didn¡¯t take long to clarify the situation.


    The Kafka Empire had made a move!


    This answer came to light after several discussions.


    Given a string of defeats over a month, regardless of the Rebel Army¡¯s morale, their force size alone could not have achieved such a brilliant victory. To annihilate more than a thousand Alliance warships and destroy both a medium-sized and a large Sky City, mere tactics and strategy would not suffice¡ªsignificant military support was necessary.


    Thus, the Rebel Army must have received a massive reinforcement to achieve such a result, and at such a time, only the Kafka Empire had the capacity and the audacity to provide that support.


    As one of the three top powers, the military strength of the Kafka Empire hardly needed any emphasis. Indeed, among the top powers, the Empire might not control the most cities or possess the most advanced technology, but its military was the strongest!


    Different from the Sky Alliance and the Magic Energy Research Institute, the Kafka Empire was a true state, possessing the largest and most elite Imperial Army under the vast skies!


    Soon, this was also confirmed by the intelligence department in the rear. Not just in Tulip Battle Zone, but in the other three war zones as well, substantial Imperial Army forces from the Kafka Empire had appeared.


    Clearly, after half a year of probing and observing, the Kafka Empire, which had orchestrated this war against the Sky Alliance, had ended its period of observation and personally intervened!


    With the Imperial Army stationed in the Four Great War Zones, the situation changed anew, indicating that the great war between the two top powers had truly begun!


    This change inevitably also affected Rocky and others¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 457 - 421 Stay

    Chapter 457: Chapter 421 Stay


    The Imperial Army mobilized, and overnight the situation of the war changed, affecting everyone involved in this war.


    Upon learning that the Imperial Army had already entered the battle zone and had soundly defeated the Alliance Army, Rocky and his group felt awkward.


    They had planned to leave the battle zone, but unexpectedly encountered this situation. Now they were in a dilemma, unsure whether to go or stay.


    What¡¯s more, with the arrival of the Imperial Army, the pressure on the Alliance Army led by Wilton also surged suddenly. The pressure they faced now was obviously much greater than when facing the Rebel Army, to the point that they had no time to deal with them.


    At the start of the war, though the Alliance¡¯s Four Great War Zones were all at a disadvantage, the commanders of the zones knew that this disadvantage was just superficial. The Sky Alliance was conserving strength to deal with the real opponent and hadn¡¯t deployed a large army, which gave the Rebel Army an opportunity. Otherwise, once the Alliance¡¯s main forces were mobilized, they could easily wipe out the Rebel Army.


    In fact, as the battle situation developed, this indeed seemed to be the case.


    ...


    After receiving reinforcements from the Alliance Army, the Alliance forces in the Four Great War Zones quickly reversed their disadvantage and established a lead.


    But now it was different; the opponent in the Four Great War Zones was no longer the cobbled-together Rebel Army, but the Kafka Empire, which the entire Sky Alliance had been guarding against all along. In other words, the true opponent of the Alliance had arrived!


    And this opponent was clearly not easy to deal with.


    Putting aside the other war zones and talking about the Tulip Battle Zone alone, it was the Imperial Army¡¯s first appearance that dealt the Alliance Army a heavy blow. Two Sky Cities and thousands of warships were all wiped out in one battle.


    Be aware that the Sky Cities and troops destroyed were not from peripheral members of the Alliance but were, in fact, core cities of the Alliance with the destroyed troops being regular Alliance forces. So even if there was a suspicion of a surprise attack in this battle by the Imperial Army, it was enough to prove the fighting capability of the Imperial Army.


    Also, don¡¯t forget that, in demonstrating their combat power, the military strength and number of troops of a top force like the Kafka Empire are also far beyond what the makeshift Rebel Army can compare to. Therefore, the appearance of the Imperial Army can be said to threaten the Sky Alliance from all sides.


    In such a situation, Wilton immediately made substantial adjustments to the Alliance forces at the front and did not hesitate to prepare to rush to the frontline to take command in person!


    In the same situation, Rocky and the others didn¡¯t know what to do. Should they leave or stay?


    Fortunately, just as the three of them were conflicted and unsure how to approach Wilton, Wilton took the initiative to send someone to find them.


    ¡°What? You want me to stay for now?¡±


    Looking at the officer in front of him, Rocky was taken aback after hearing the other party¡¯s words and his mouth hung open slightly, struggling to speak for quite some time.


    The officer before him was one of Wilton¡¯s aides, over fifty years old. Rocky had met with him a few times when he went to see Wilton.


    According to this officer, Wilton had ordered that Karina and Berg immediately enter Nut God City Airspace, but Rocky was to stay behind.


    That left Rocky feeling sullen. Why did he have to stay?


    As for that question, the officer didn¡¯t give him an answer but told him to go see Wilton in person, and he would naturally understand. So, Rocky followed the officer to Autumn Water City¡¯s City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Since Wilton had made Autumn Water City the headquarters of the Alliance Army, the City Lord¡¯s Mansion naturally became his place of work. When Rocky arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, he was in the middle of a military meeting. Consequently, Rocky waited over half an hour in the mansion before finally meeting His Excellency the Holy Knight.


    Upon meeting, Wilton dispensed with the pleasantries and went straight to the point, asking, ¡°Rocky, what are your plans from here on out?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Faced with such a direct question, Rocky was stunned for a moment before honestly responding, ¡°I plan to return to the Alliance-controlled airspace first, and come out again after the war is over.¡±


    This was Rocky¡¯s true thought. In his view, the great war had nothing to do with him anymore, especially now, facing the Imperial Army, whose strength was not inferior to that of the Alliance Army. What could he and Thunderhawk City possibly do? Of course, the only option was to hide in the Sky Alliance¡¯s lair until the war ended, otherwise, what else could he do?


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Wilton interjected:


    ¡°Rocky, the Alliance hopes that you will stay, I hope you will stay, and all the residents of the frontline Sky Cities also hope that you, the hero, will stay.¡±


    His eyes sharp like an eagle¡¯s, Wilton looked earnestly at Rocky, his tone sincere and leaving no room for refusal, he hoped that Rocky would not hide in the rear, but stay at the front and continue to fight!


    Upon hearing this, Rocky just stood there dumbfounded. Wilton¡¯s request had clearly taken him by surprise. He had never expected such a thing to happen, for the Alliance to actually ask him to stay and fight?


    This, is this really what the Alliance wants?


    It seemed to be, and from Wilton¡¯s tone, it was not only the Alliance¡¯s wish but also his own, as well as that of all the citizens of the frontline Sky Cities. It was as if everyone wanted him to stay in the battle zone and continue to fight.


    But Rocky didn¡¯t want to stay!


    If he and Thunderhawk City continued to stay in the battle zone, wouldn¡¯t that be a fate of both city and people perishing? To speak frankly, on such a level of battlefield, he and Thunderhawk City didn¡¯t even qualify to handle transportation!


    Therefore, Rocky was completely baffled as to why both the Alliance and Wilton would want him to stay.


    If it was just the civilians of the frontline Sky Cities wanting him to continue fighting, that would be somewhat understandable, since in their eyes, he had already been established as a heroic figure. But didn¡¯t Wilton and the Sky Alliance know the truth?


    Rocky had become a hero, but that was only a result of their propaganda. In reality, Rocky was far from as great as stated in the propaganda, and certainly not as formidable.


    ¡°Rocky, you don¡¯t need to worry, we¡¯re not asking you and Thunderhawk City to stay together.¡±


    As if sensing Rocky¡¯s troubled expression, Wilton continued: ¡°We just hope that you will stay.¡±


    ¡°Me? Just me as a person?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Facing the wide-eyed Rocky, Wilton nodded.


    Rocky¡¯s thoughts were not wrong; in such a level of warfare, Thunderhawk City was useless. Even the Transport Alliance wouldn¡¯t use Thunderhawk City because even for transportation tasks, Thunderhawk City was not suitable.


    So neither Wilton, nor the Alliance, nor even the residents of the Sky City had any interest in Thunderhawk City. The one they truly hoped would stay and continue fighting was Rocky, and of course, his unique White Demon Armor!


    That was what everyone wanted.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 458 - 422: Heading to the Battlefield

    Chapter 458: Chapter 422: Heading to the Battlefield


    Rocky believed he had become a hero solely because of the Alliance¡¯s propaganda. He even felt that the only reason the Alliance awarded him the Medal of Valor and the Iron Shine Medal was to appease and reassure the public, and that it had nothing to do with him personally.


    The truth was indeed so, but it wasn¡¯t the whole story.


    While Rocky¡¯s hero status was inextricably linked to the Alliance¡¯s propaganda, it was equally related to his own actions, which earned him the Iron Shine Medal.


    If there was any doubt about the significance of his Iron Shine Medal, the Medal of Valor he received was beyond question, acquired through his genuine abilities!


    Not only was Rocky a City Lord, but he was also a Void Magic Warrior, and even more, a Void Magic Warrior wearing the White Demon Armor. Although he only donned the armor to battle in the later stages of the campaign, such achievements alone had already set him apart from others.


    In the battle against Hongshou City, he single-handedly faced three squads and emerged victorious. In the subsequent skirmishes against the Rebel Army, he also accumulated remarkable victories. At one point, just his presence meant the enemy¡¯s Void Magic Squad would retreat. Thus, in terms of personal combat prowess, Rocky¡¯s strength far surpassed what most could imagine.


    ...


    This was precisely why the Alliance, Wilton, and the public all hoped he would stay. Though as a City Lord he might not contribute significantly to the war, as a Void Magic Warrior, his impact on the Alliance Army would be vastly different.


    Rocky was no fool, so when he learned that Wilton merely hoped for him to stay, he essentially understood everything.


    ¡°What do you think? Are you willing?¡±


    Seeing the uncertainty fade from Rocky¡¯s eyes, Wilton asked and didn¡¯t wait for an answer before continuing, ¡°Rocky, this war is much harder to fight than the outside world imagines. The Kafka Empire really intends to replace the Sky Alliance this time, and they have been preparing for many years. Thus, even the Alliance can¡¯t guarantee a victory. That¡¯s why the Alliance hopes every member will give their all, as this war concerns everyone within the Alliance.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if the Alliance asks you to stay, they won¡¯t let you or Thunderhawk City suffer.¡±


    Just as Rocky began to speak, Wilton interrupted him: ¡°If you stay to fight, Thunderhawk City can enter Nut God City Airspace, enjoy the same treatment as core members there, and your battlefield achievements will be directly converted into Contribution Points. Also, the Alliance will fully protect your Backhill Village, ensuring it does not fall into the hands of the Mairente Family.¡±


    To persuade Rocky to stay and fight, Wilton had clearly thought it through beforehand, using both emotional and logical appeals effectively, with each statement striking a chord with Rocky.


    Firstly, as a member of the Alliance, Rocky was tied to the Sky Alliance¡¯s fate ¨C perhaps it was an exaggeration to say if the Alliance thrived, he thrived, and if it perished, he perished, but indeed his situation was becoming increasingly intertwined with that of the Alliance. Under such circumstances, if he could truly assist the Alliance, Rocky wouldn¡¯t just stand by.


    Secondly, Wilton mentioned that staying wouldn¡¯t just convert his battle honors into Contribution Points, but would also ensure the full protection of Backhill Village by the Sky Alliance, which was what truly moved Rocky.


    The significance of Contribution Points need not be elaborated further; the protection of Backhill Village was what truly enticed Rocky.


    The situation in Backhill Village was not favorable, with Abraham, the son of Lexington, pressing close with armies from two mid-sized Sky Cities. Although Alliance Army troops were stationed there, the village faced constant danger of obliteration, a consistent worry for Rocky.


    But if the Alliance could guarantee full defense of Backhill Village, ensuring it remained intact, Rocky could rest much easier.


    After a brief moment of thought, Rocky nodded at Wilton, agreeing to stay and continue fighting in the war zone!


    For this decision, Rocky hadn¡¯t contemplated long because Wilton¡¯s persuasion wasn¡¯t based solely on sentiment but primarily on benefits, representing a trade of interests. Naturally, Rocky had little to hesitate over.


    Having made his decision, neither of them delayed further. Wilton gave Rocky a day to arrange affairs in Thunderhawk City, and the next day, he would join Wilton to head to the frontline!


    Under such pressing circumstances, Rocky had no time to rest and immediately returned to Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    When Rocky returned to Thunderhawk City and shared the news with everyone, Liliya immediately expressed her desire to stay with him in the war zone.


    ¡°My lord! Take me with you!¡±


    ¡°My lord, take me with you too!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go too! I¡¯ll go too!¡±


    As soon as Liliya spoke up, Monte, Lin Feng, Felly, and Dusa among others also volunteered eagerly to stay with Rocky in the war zone.


    ¡°Nonsense!¡±


    However, facing the volunteers, Rocky frowned in a rare display of displeasure and reprimanded them, especially Liliya.


    ¡°If you stay with me in the war zone, who will take charge of Thunderhawk City!¡±


    Staring at Liliya, Rocky spoke in great dissatisfaction, his reprimand nearly bringing her to tears. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was no wonder Rocky was angry, for within Thunderhawk City, although he had many confidants, the one he trusted the most was naturally Liliya. Thus, if he were not in the city, it was natural that Liliya should take charge. She not only had his trust but also the authority to command respect from others, making her the indisputable choice to stay behind.


    Therefore, after a stern reprimand, Rocky began giving instructions, ¡°Liliya, you will be responsible for all city affairs during this time. If there are any problems, let Teacher Orton help you, I will talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Monte, Lin Feng, you two must lead the Guard Corps to maintain the city¡¯s order, especially in the prisoner area. There must be no disturbances from the prisoners while I¡¯m away.¡±


    ¡°Aileen, once we enter the airspace of Nut God City, external communications with the Alliance will be handled by you and Liliya together. Do you understand my meaning?¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    With such arrangements made by Rocky, Liliya and the others had no choice but to nod in agreement.


    Afterward, Rocky hurried to the research institute and repeated the details to Orton and others, asking Orton, Aniye, and Pelaya to particularly assist Liliya. Liliya, after all, was not the City Lord, and many things might not be perfectly handled by her alone; she would need the support of these three experienced masters.


    As for Hammerfire, Rocky decided to take him along, as his stay in the war zone for the battle was uncertain, and Hammerfire was needed by his side to maintain the White Demon Armor¡ªthis was not a task to entrust to anyone else.


    Thus, having arranged all essential matters in one day, Rocky, along with Hammerfire, left Thunderhawk City the following day and followed Wilton to the front line!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 459 - 423: Void Magic Corps

    Chapter 459: Chapter 423: Void Magic Corps


    After Rocky had made all the arrangements for Thunderhawk City, it flew to the Alliance¡¯s hinterland together with Rose City and Lingyu City, while Rocky boarded an Alliance warship with Hammerfire, hurrying to the front lines with Wilton.


    Upon boarding the warship, Wilton met Rocky again and explained a few matters.


    First, he thanked Rocky again for his willingness to stay and participate in the war. Rocky was not a core member of the Alliance, and without enjoying any benefits, he had no obligation to stay and fight, but he did anyway. No matter the reason, this decision was worthy of Wilton¡¯s gratitude on behalf of the Alliance.


    However, now that he had stayed, his identity in the battle zone was no longer that of a City Lord, as all troops sent by the Alliance to the battle zone, whether City Lords or regular soldiers, were under the unified command of the Alliance, under Wilton¡¯s command. There were no City Lords here, no nobles, just soldiers. Thus, Rocky¡¯s status would also change from a City Lord to that of a soldier.


    In the upcoming battles, as a member of the Alliance Army, he would join the Void Magic Corps and participate in the coming battles alongside them.


    However, given Rocky¡¯s heroic status and the White Demon Armor he wore, both were too special, so although he was under the command of the Void Magic Corps, he would not be part of the formal organization but would instead operate independently on the battlefield, thus becoming the only special combatant within the Void Magic Corps.


    ...


    This decision was made after detailed discussions between Wilton and the Commander of the Void Magic Corps.


    Rocky¡¯s combat power in the White Demon Armor was unquestionable, but similarly, his ability to cooperate with others was less commendable. Being a City Lord and wearing such powerful armor as the White Demon Armor, he had never needed to coordinate with others in battle, which was evident from his past fights.


    However, Rocky¡¯s lone-wolf style seemed out of place once he joined a regular force like the Alliance Army. The Void Magic Warriors of the Alliance Army had undergone long and rigorous training. On one hand, each had strong individual combat abilities, and on the other hand, their ability to work in synergy was equally outstanding¡ªfrom the coordination between team members to the cooperative covering between squads, all were the results of strict training.


    In such circumstances, if Rocky was rashly integrated into the structure of the Void Magic Corps, what would he do?


    Lead a squad? Without any training in command, Rocky clearly lacked the ability to command a Void Magic Squad.


    Be a squad member? His personal ability was too strong, making it difficult for others to coordinate with him.


    Therefore, Wilton and the commander of the Void Magic Corps eventually decided to let him operate independently, allowing him to freely utilize his abilities in combat as he had done before. This would better harness his true strength.


    As for Wilton¡¯s arrangement, Rocky had no objections and was even a bit curious. Since the moment he arrived in this world, he had been a City Lord, and now he was being asked to be a soldier, which Rocky found quite novel.


    Thus, his life as a Void Magic Warrior on the battlefield officially began.


    After three days of continuous flight, the warship arrived at the front lines.


    Upon arrival, Rocky immediately sensed the difference.


    Firstly, it was the different atmosphere.


    Autumn Water City was still en route, and until Autumn Water City arrived, Wilton would temporarily command from another major sky city at the front, which was Myriad Storage City.


    Upon arriving at Myriad Storage City, Rocky immediately felt a much more oppressive atmosphere. From soldiers to civilians, even the faces of cart drivers seemed to be shrouded in a cloud of gloom, with hardly any smiles visible on anyone¡¯s face.


    This alone evidenced that the battles at the front line were not going well; otherwise, no one would be so worried.


    At the same time, being on the front line of the battle, the airspace was filled with a large number of Sky Cities, and massive fleets continuously moved in and out of these cities, seemingly engaged in the deployment of forces. Consequently, when Rocky arrived at Myriad Storage City, he immediately sensed the atmosphere of war.


    Shortly after his arrival in Myriad Storage City, having only rested for a day, he received orders from Wilton to immediately report to the Void Magic Corps.


    Honestly, Rocky, who had grown accustomed to being a City Lord, found it somewhat difficult to adapt to receiving orders from others, especially since the orders from Wilton were military commands that had to be executed without delay.


    In such circumstances, he had no choice but to continuously board the warship and head to another Sky City with Hammerfire, since the Void Magic Corps was not stationed in Myriad Storage City but in another Sky City closer to the front lines.


    Cloud Ascend City, a major Sky City, core member of the Alliance, with a population exceeding two hundred thousand, was responsible for frontline coordination in the Tulip Battle Zone, where thousands of soldiers from the Alliance Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps were concentrated. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After half a day¡¯s journey, Rocky and Hammerfire finally arrived at Cloud Ascend City. As soon as they disembarked from the warship, they boarded a carriage that was waiting to take them directly to the camp of the Void Magic Corps.


    Since it was wartime and the Void Magic Warriors were an indispensable force in combat, always ready to move to the battlefield, the camp was not far from the Skyport, roughly half an hour away.


    Upon reaching the camp, Rocky and Hammerfire separated, because Hammerfire was not a combatant. His main role was to maintain the White Demon Armor, and given his master status, the officers of the Void Magic Corps had arranged separate accommodation for him.


    As for Rocky, after parting with Hammerfire, he was led to a large building in the camp, and then escorted by soldiers to an office.


    Upon entering the office, Rocky saw a middle-aged man of about forty, dressed in a military uniform, seated behind a desk. The man appeared to have lost one eye and wore a black eyepatch. Coupled with his stern expression, he looked quite formidable.


    When the soldier brought Rocky in front of him, he set down the documents he was holding and looked up.


    ¡°Are you Rocky?¡±


    After sizing up Rocky for quite some time with his one eye, the officer finally spoke soberly,


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    Rocky promptly nodded in response to the officer¡¯s question.


    But the officer¡¯s response was to furrow his brow, observing him for a long while before saying,


    ¡°I¡¯m Giventer, the Commander of the Void Magic Corps. From today onwards, you are a member of the Void Magic Corps. You might have been a City Lord before, but here you are an Alliance Warrior, an Allied Soldier. Everything here follows the rules of the Alliance Army. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Shifting his gaze away from Rocky, Giventer picked up the documents he had set aside and, without looking at him, said, ¡°Go find Kyle, he is your squad leader.¡±


    After saying this, Giventer paid Rocky no further attention.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 460 - 424: Reporting

    Chapter 460: Chapter 424: Reporting


    Having left Giventer¡¯s office, Rocky took a deep breath, feeling quite unaccustomed to being ordered around.


    Shortly thereafter, he was taken to the camp. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The camp, home to the Void Magic Warriors, was evidently newly constructed due to the ongoing battle and was quite large. After all, the Alliance Army had stationed over one hundred fifty Void Magic Squads, which meant more than fifteen hundred Void Magic Warriors, so naturally, the camp was extensive.


    When Rocky arrived at the camp, he noticed that even though it was nearing dusk, there were still people training. Those training were naturally the Void Magic Warriors, some were working on physical fitness, others were sparring in armor, which he found quite lively.


    Shortly after, he was led to a large tent, which was not a small camping tent but a march tent, akin to a small house that could accommodate dozens of people.


    After the soldiers had brought Rocky there, they left, and Rocky lifted the tent¡¯s flap and walked in.


    ...


    As soon as he entered the tent, he smelled a strong odor of sweat, and when he looked inside, he saw many eyes staring at him.


    There were quite a few people inside the tent, some lying on beds reading books, some lifting dumbbells, and a few huddled together playing cards. When Rocky walked in, everyone turned to look at him.


    ¡°Hello¡­ everyone¡­¡±


    Stared at by so many eyes, Rocky was momentarily startled and then awkwardly asked, ¡°Is Captain Kyle here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here to report, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    When Rocky had finished speaking, many in the tent frowned, but someone soon spoke to him.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Nodding his head, Rocky looked at the person who had addressed him, finding him to be a short man with a baby face, who looked very friendly, almost as if he was smiling all the time. He had originally been behind the group playing cards but was now walking toward him.


    ¡°My name is Abbas. You¡¯re the new transfer, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    As he approached Rocky, the short man said with a smile, ¡°I just heard today that a newcomer was expected, didn¡¯t think you¡¯d arrive so soon.¡±


    ¡°Little Giant, when did the captain say someone was coming?¡±


    Abbas had just finished speaking, and before Rocky could open his mouth, there was a clang. A muscular man lifting dumbbells dropped them to the ground. The heavy dumbbell smashed into the earth with a clang, and then he walked toward Rocky.


    ¡°Kid, who called for you?¡±


    This muscular man was extremely tall, nearly matching Monte¡¯s size, even though he was human. He walked up to Rocky, looked down at him, and asked gruffly.


    ¡°Giventer.¡±


    ¡°Boss¡­¡±


    Hearing this reply, the muscular man and Abbas glanced at each other, then looked back at the other people in the tent before again turning their attention to Rocky, ¡°Kid, which squad were you with before?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Rocky was somewhat troubled by this question because he had never been part of any squad before.


    Moreover, Rocky was no fool. He had gleaned from the few words exchanged by Abbas and the burly man that something was amiss. It seemed that the team Giventer had sent him to was not like a typical Void Magic Squad.


    ¡°Forget it, just come in and wait for a bit. The captain will be back soon.¡±


    Just as Rocky was at a loss for words, Abbas, who the burly man called the ¡°big tall one¡± yet was actually short, spoke and then pointed to a bunk inside the tent, ¡°Just pick any empty bed.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Nodding politely at Abbas, Rocky walked past him and the burly man and past the others to an empty bunk at the end.


    After that, the people inside the tent no longer paid him any attention. Abbas returned to the group playing cards and watched with relish, while the burly man returned to his bed and picked up the dumbbell that had made a small dent in the ground.


    At the same time, Rocky was observing these people.


    He counted and found that although the tent was large, there were precisely nine people inside, not counting himself. Including the absent Kyle, that made ten people¡ªa full Void Magic Squad roster.


    However, what puzzled Rocky was that the individuals before him didn¡¯t quite resemble soldiers. While Thunderhawk City did have its Guard Corps, these individuals differed from the city¡¯s guards. How to put it¡ªthey seemed too eccentric. Moreover, why was there a woman among them?


    Directly opposite Rocky on another bunk, lay a female soldier who was lying on her bed reading a book. She hadn¡¯t glanced at Rocky from beginning to end, making Rocky even more puzzled since female soldiers were rare and usually had separate arrangements given the difference in gender. Why then was this not the case in this squad?


    What kind of squad was this, really?


    Seeing that each person in the tent was more eccentric than the last, Rocky grew confused. What kind of squad had Giventer really placed him in?


    As time ticked by, sadly, Captain Kyle did not appear. By the time it was dark and everyone else was getting ready to sleep, Rocky still had not met the fabled captain.


    This put him in an awkward situation, but fortunately, Abbas was quite cordial and told him not to worry and just go to sleep for now.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky had no choice but to go to sleep.


    Lying on a single bed that was almost as hard as a plank, Rocky felt indescribably uncomfortable, for he had hardly ever slept in such a bed. Be it at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Thunderhawk City or even aboard the War Steed, his beds were custom-made, so it was only when everyone else in the tent began to snore loudly that he finally managed to drift off into a fitful sleep.


    But he had barely fallen asleep when someone suddenly shouted in the tent!


    ¡°Everyone assemble!¡±


    This shout startled Rocky, who had just drifted off, causing him to sit upright in bed, dazedly awake for a long while before he could gather his bearings. By the time he did, he saw the others had already quickly lined up beside their bunks, while in front of his own bunk stood a middle-aged man in military attire, staring him down with eyes as big as cowbells.


    In the middle of the night, still groggy, Rocky was immediately taken aback by the man before him.


    And before he could react, the man began to bellow thunderously:


    ¡°Who are you!¡±


    ¡°Where did you come from!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here!¡±


    With a pair of huge eyes glaring at Rocky, the man exploded like a barrel of gunpowder, bombarding Rocky with a face full of spit, leaving Rocky utterly dumbfounded¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 461 - 425 Fierce Tiger Squad!

    Chapter 461: Chapter 425 Fierce Tiger Squad!


    ¡°`


    Looking at the person in front of him with a puzzled face, Rocky was completely bewildered by the scolding.


    The man appeared to be around thirty years old, not particularly tall, but very brawny¡ªclearly a hulking figure with a square face marred by a ferocious scar that made him look intimidating even without any expression. Now he was glaring at Rocky with rage; his eyes opened wider than cowbells, adding to his fierce demeanor.


    ¡°Captain, he¡¯s here to report to you.¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s befuddled face, the warm-hearted Abbas spoke up on his behalf, only to result in the man addressed as the captain turning to roar at him, ¡°Did I allow you to speak? Thirty push-ups, immediately!¡±


    After shooting Abbas a glare, the captain bellowed fiercely. At his words, everyone else couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Abbas alone looked crestfallen and then got down to honestly do push-ups, counting for himself as he went along.


    ...


    Only after Abbas had started counting and doing push-ups¡ªone, two, three¡ªdid the man referred to as the captain turn his attention back to Rocky.


    Clearly, this was Kyle, the one Rocky had been waiting for the entire afternoon but never showed up.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name.¡±


    This time, looking at Rocky, Kyle wasn¡¯t as explosive as before, his demeanor slightly more relaxed.


    ¡°My name is Rocky.¡±


    In front of this man, Rocky stated his name for the first time.


    No sooner had he finished speaking, the counting from Abbas stopped. He remained lying on the ground but looked up at Rocky, his eyes filled with surprise. The others standing by their beds looked the same way; even the female soldier who had not once given Rocky a proper look now couldn¡¯t help but turn her eyes to him.


    It was clear that these people were familiar with Rocky¡¯s name.


    ¡°You¡¯re Rocky? The City Lord of Thunderhawk City?¡±


    At this moment, Kyle, standing in front of Rocky, also spoke up.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Seeing Rocky nod, Kyle cracked a smile, but all of a sudden, he burst into a tirade at Rocky!


    ¡°Rocky! I don¡¯t care what rank you held before! Starting now, you¡¯re a member of the squad, so pack up all that spoiled and slack behavior! From this moment on, when you see me, you call me ¡®sir,¡¯ and you end every answer with ¡®sir,¡¯ do you understand!¡±


    Kyle had a booming voice, and now that he was standing right in front of Rocky, his roar felt like thunder, buzzing in Rocky¡¯s ears and giving him a headache.


    Although Rocky had never been in the military before, he had a great mindset. After joining the Void Magic Corps, he no longer considered himself a City Lord but truly regarded himself as a Void Magic Warrior. He immediately responded, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Louder, I can¡¯t hear you!¡±


    ¡°Yes! Sir!¡±


    ¡°Good, now repeat all your previous answers!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Kyle¡¯s demand left Rocky stunned. Before he could react, Kyle bellowed again, ¡°Soldier! Don¡¯t make me repeat an order!¡±


    Bizarrely, Kyle¡¯s loud voice was quite effective; being shouted at this way, the unaccustomed Rocky was honestly startled and instinctively answered, ¡°Yes! Sir!¡± sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My name is Rocky! Sir!¡±


    ¡°Yes! Sir!¡±


    ¡°Yes! Sir.¡±


    Standing in front of Kyle, Rocky loudly repeated everything he had said before.


    ¡°`


    And it was not until he had finished speaking that Kyle nodded in satisfaction and then turned to walk to the tent entrance, ¡°You have one minute to gather outside, immediately!¡±


    Having said this, he turned and left the tent, and as soon as he was gone, everyone inside immediately began to get dressed.


    Their movements were quick, yet not panicky, almost instantly neatly attired, which utterly dumbfounded Rocky.


    He felt particularly relieved, thankful that he hadn¡¯t taken off his clothes when he went to sleep, for with only one minute to dress, he, with no experience, probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to pull up his pants.


    Once everyone was fully dressed, they all left the tent.


    By this time, the sky was already dark, and there was not a single person on the entire drill ground, and even all the tents had turned off their lights, leaving the huge camp silent, without a hint of movement or light.


    When they came out of the tent, without needing any command from Kyle, they all stood in front of him in a neat line like rows of poles, including Rocky who, unsure where he should stand, simply took up a position at the end of the line.


    Then Kyle spoke:


    ¡°Gentlemen,¡±


    ¡°Today our squad welcomes a new member. I believe you have all heard his name, the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, the owner of the White Demon Armor, the hero of the Tulip Battle Zone!¡±


    It was unclear whether Kyle had known in advance about Rocky¡¯s arrival, or if Rocky¡¯s reputation was indeed that significant. In any case, Kyle mentioned all of Rocky¡¯s identities in one breath, but judging by the unsurprised reactions of the others, it seemed that Rocky¡¯s fame had preceded him.


    ¡°We welcome Rocky to our squad!¡±


    Standing in front of everyone, Kyle said this while clapping towards Rocky, leading the rest to start clapping, and a round of applause thus woke the night sky.


    After a moment, Kyle lowered his hands and continued to speak: ¡°Rocky has just joined us, so he doesn¡¯t yet know what kind of team we are.¡±


    At this point, he raised his voice and asked:


    ¡°What is our squad called?¡±


    ¡°Fierce Tiger Squad!¡±


    In response to his question, all the team members around Rocky shouted in unison, their voices booming unbearably loud.


    ¡°Why are we called Fierce Tiger?¡±


    ¡°Because we are the ace of aces!¡±


    ¡°What is our mission?¡±


    ¡°To execute the toughest missions! To engage in the most dangerous battles! To face the strongest enemies!¡±


    ¡°And what is our goal?¡±


    ¡°To win every victory!¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    Pleased, Kyle nodded and then looked at Rocky, ¡°Rocky, do you now know what kind of team you are in?¡±


    Truth be told, the self-introduction just now had completely shocked Rocky, especially the team members¡¯ responses, their loud voices buzzing in Rocky¡¯s head, so much so that even if he hadn¡¯t heard clearly what the team members were shouting, he would have been stunned, let alone that he had heard it clearly. So, when Kyle looked over, he subconsciously nodded.


    The result was Kyle immediately glaring at him!


    ¡°Answer my question!¡±


    ¡°Understood! Sir!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 462 - 426: Welcome Ceremony

    Chapter 462: Chapter 426: Welcome Ceremony


    In the quiet night on the training field, Kyle¡¯s loud voice, along with the high and clear responses from the team members, shattered the tranquility of the night sky, allowing their voices to echo continuously across the field.


    Honestly, Rocky was stunned by the scene before him, overwhelmed by the spirit of the squad, although he had already guessed that the squad Giventer sent him to was extraordinary, he hadn¡¯t expected it to be like this. From Kyle and the team members¡¯ tone, this Void Magic Squad seemed to be the most elite in the Alliance Army?


    Yes, Fierce Tiger Squad was indeed one of the most elite Void Magic Squads in the Alliance Army!


    In the Void Magic Corps of the Alliance Army, there was a very special and secretive unit named Blue Crune, composed of ten Void Magic Squads, each equipped with the most advanced fifth-generation Special Armor. Every member was a cherry-picked ace warrior from countless Void Magic Warriors, each capable of taking on ten foes alone.


    It was precisely because of such high equipment and capabilities that Blue Crune was revered as the strongest Void Magic Corps in the entire Alliance Army. One fact alone proved the unit¡¯s prowess: since its establishment, it had never deployed all of its members!


    The ten Void Magic Squads of Blue Crune had participated in countless battles, always the most dangerous and intense, yet the unit had never needed to deploy all its soldiers in one battle or war because they had never encountered an opponent that warranted a full deployment!


    ...


    Even now, facing the Kafka Empire of equal status, confronting an Imperial Army that was no weaker than the Alliance, perhaps even slightly stronger, Blue Crune had not deployed completely. They had simply dispatched one squad to each of the Four Great War Zones.


    Clearly, in this unit¡¯s view, even if the enemy was the Imperial Army, one squad was enough, because even just one Void Magic Squad from among them possessed the formidable strength to resolve a major battle!


    Fierce Tiger Squad was that squad!


    ¡°Rocky.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°Rocky!¡±


    ¡°Yes! Sir!¡±


    Obviously, Rocky had not fully adapted to military life. When Kyle called his name, his response was a half beat slow, which immediately made Kyle glower and roar again.


    ¡°From now on, when I call you, you must respond immediately, understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir!¡±


    Standing before Kyle, Rocky was strenuously adapting to his new identity and environment, responding as loudly as possible.


    His reaction finally calmed Kyle¡¯s roar. Then Kyle looked around at everyone and revealed an extremely ugly yet unwitting smile, ¡°Folks, since we have a new member today, I¡¯ve decided to have you undergo a special training tonight to welcome him!¡±


    ¡°Everyone, attention!¡±


    As Kyle finished this sentence, not only did confusion show on Rocky¡¯s face, but expressions of despair and dejection also appeared on the others. Unfortunately, Kyle didn¡¯t give them time to reflect and immediately yelled.


    Oddly enough, perhaps due to his truly loud voice or maybe some kind of magic power in his commands, upon hearing his order, Rocky instinctively stood straight.


    ¡°Everyone, left turn!¡±


    ¡°Twenty laps around the field, run! None of you can sleep until everyone has finished,¡± Kyle said.


    After Kyle¡¯s words, Rocky, who had been at the back of the line but now was at the front, stood with his mouth agape looking at him, wondering if he had heard something wrong.


    At this late hour, why did they start running, and for twenty laps around the field no less!


    Does Kyle not realize how large this playground is?


    However, Kyle clearly didn¡¯t care about such details. Seeing Rocky looking at him but not running, he roared once again, causing Rocky¡¯s ears to buzz, forcing him to start moving.


    Rocky had never experienced training like this before, and although he felt some complaints and dissatisfaction inwardly, he was quite confident in himself. After all, he was a Third-Level Warrior. Maybe it wasn¡¯t a very high rank, but he still had physical fitness, so he believed completing these twenty laps would definitely be manageable.


    But he had clearly overthought it¡­


    The playground was much larger than he had imagined, and what was more, for the first time he discovered that running was not as simple as it seemed. Without prior training, suddenly undertaking such a long run was completely overwhelming for him.


    After only two laps, initially at the very front of the team, he had fallen to the very back, while compared to him, the rest of the squad was not at all unfamiliar with this kind of running. For at least the first two laps, not only did they maintain their pace consistently, but their breathing remained very stable as well.


    The gap started to show then and became larger and larger afterward.


    After running at the back for five laps, Rocky began to lag behind. He found that his physical stamina was far less than he had imagined. After five laps, he was already gasping for breath, while the others continued as usual, their pace moderate and unslowed.


    And by the seventh lap, as he gasped for air and looked up, he realized the team had disappeared from sight. When he instinctively turned his head, he found the squad behind him.


    About to be lapped?


    Realizing the squad had actually run behind him, Rocky suddenly felt dejected. Were they running too fast, or was he running too slow? How had he gotten lapped?


    Just as he was thinking this, the squad had already run past him.


    ¡°Rocky! Keep it up!¡±


    As the squad ran past him, Rocky saw Abbas give him a thumbs up, seemingly to encourage him, but this only bruised Rocky¡¯s pride further. From Abbas¡¯s demeanor, it was evident that running so many laps had been a breeze for him.


    After that, Rocky just watched helplessly as the others surpassed him.


    Consequently, he had completely fallen a lap behind, but this was apparently not the end.


    As time went on, Rocky increasingly felt the toll on his stamina. By the eighth lap, it seemed as if his lungs would explode, and breathing became extremely difficult. As he was already drenched in sweat, his clothes were completely soaked and uncomfortably stuck to his body.


    By the tenth lap, his legs felt as if they were filled with lead, so heavy he could hardly lift them; let alone run, even taking a simple step was incredibly difficult, yet the squad passed him once again at that moment.


    Regrettably, Rocky, by now, had no mind to pay attention to this anymore. As his physical strength was depleted, his mind also became somewhat unclear. From then on, his pace became slower and slower, and it was more appropriate to say he was walking than running.


    Under these circumstances, by the time he had reached the thirteenth lap, the rest had already finished!


    The other members of the squad had completed their twenty laps and all returned to Kyle¡¯s front; some sat directly on the ground, others were continuously panting heavily. Everyone was quite exhausted, yet no one went back to the tents to rest.


    Because Kyle had said that everyone could go back to sleep only after all had finished running, and obviously Rocky had not finished, so even though the others had done so, they were still not allowed to return¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT


    Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 463 - 427 Difficult to Accept

    Chapter 463: Chapter 427 Difficult to Accept


    When Wilton told him that he was to fight as a Void Magic Warrior, Rocky had already mentally prepared himself and adjusted his mindset, planning to greet the life that was to follow as a soldier.


    But he hadn¡¯t anticipated that on the very first day, he¡¯d encounter such a tremendous challenge!


    The twenty-lap run around the field nearly caused a simultaneous collapse of both his body and mind.


    Such an intense long-distance run, not only for Rocky, who¡¯d never undergone any training before, but even the other members of the Fierce Tiger Squad were gasping for air after finishing, naturally, Rocky reached the limit of his physical endurance halfway through.


    But reaching the limits of his physical endurance was not the issue for him; the real blow was to his spirit.


    Rocky had never imagined he could be so feeble.


    ...


    Rocky wasn¡¯t a competitive person, but he also had his pride, so when he saw others passing him time and again and eventually finishing the course, while he was struggling alone at a pace that was nearly slower than walking, one could imagine how he felt inside.


    What¡¯s more, after everyone else had finished running, they didn¡¯t go back to rest, because Kyle had said that they could only sleep after everyone was done with their running. In other words, unless Rocky also completed twenty laps, even though everyone else was done, they would still have to wait for him.


    This made Rocky even more unbearable.


    Ever since becoming the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, Rocky had virtually carried the entire city on his shoulders, bearing the livelihood of thousands, so when had he ever held others back?


    This feeling was completely intolerable for Rocky.


    And it was this very feeling that made him even more exhausted physically and mentally, even more unable to move forward.


    ¡°He¡¯s about to give up, we¡¯re going to win.¡±


    As Rocky once again ran past him, a middle-aged member of the squad smiled at Abbas, while Abbas himself didn¡¯t even glance back, though his face looked rather troubled.


    Right after everyone had finished running, they had actually placed a bet on whether Rocky could finish, and in this bet, only Abbas had wagered that Rocky could complete the run, while the other eight were convinced he would give up halfway.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to bet on, a pampered City Lord, who has never suffered like this, will definitely not be able to endure.¡±


    Watching Rocky¡¯s sluggish figure run past, the burly man who had talked to Rocky before laughed and said; his words echoed the thoughts of most people present.


    ¡°Yeah, guess he won¡¯t last another two laps.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s doubtful he¡¯ll last even one more lap, he¡¯s already walking.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great, we¡¯ll get some extra sleep tonight. Otherwise, if he keeps running like this, we won¡¯t be able to sleep at all.¡±


    Watching Rocky¡¯s gradually disappearing figure, everyone chatted, each adding their own commentary. From their remarks, it was clear that these squad members didn¡¯t necessarily look down on Rocky; they just didn¡¯t see him as a warrior.


    In their eyes, Rocky¡¯s identity was still that of City Lord¡ªa City Lord who used his status, position, and wealth to craft an exceptional suit of Armor. That was certainly fine, but without these trappings, how could Rocky possibly compare to these real warriors?


    So, they didn¡¯t look down on Rocky; they simply didn¡¯t see him as one of them, nor did they consider him a true warrior.


    It was precisely because of this mindset that even though Rocky ran very slowly, keeping everyone from sleeping, no one complained in the slightest.


    Because this was the normal outcome, wasn¡¯t it?


    He came here to hold everyone back, didn¡¯t he?


    The team members chatted with each other, quickly shifting their focus away from Rocky and onto other topics.


    During this process, Rocky kept gritting his teeth and running.


    By now, his mind had ceased pondering anything else; he was consumed by a single thought¡ªto keep running!


    To tell the truth, after ten laps, he had wanted to stop more than once because he was truly exhausted. But each time he thought of giving up, he would clench his teeth once again and not only keep running but also try to run a little faster, though it was essentially in vain.


    He had to keep running no matter what!


    That became Rocky¡¯s only thought.


    This thought was unrelated to what others thought of him, and even unrelated to the act of running itself; it was solely because he believed he could keep going!


    Rocky simply couldn¡¯t believe that he couldn¡¯t last even twenty laps when he could carry Thunderhawk City on his shoulders, when he could bear the load of thousands of residents¡ªhow could he possibly not finish the run?


    This simple determination kept him going. Despite running very slowly, really slowly, he never stopped, not even once. Time passed extremely slowly, but he kept going, steadily completing fifteen laps, then sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen!


    When Rocky passed by Kyle and the others once more, they had stopped chatting, because they knew that him running past this time meant he had completed a full nineteen laps and had only the last lap left to complete twenty!


    Although a trace of dawn was now visible in the sky, and most of the night had passed, the members of the Fierce Tiger Squad still couldn¡¯t believe it. Did Rocky actually make it?!


    How could this be possible?


    Everyone stopped talking and turned their gazes towards Rocky¡¯s slow, receding figure. Each person furrowed their brows, feeling that something didn¡¯t seem quite right.


    In this manner, under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Rocky stumbled away in the distance before stumbling back, eventually making his way to where Kyle and the others stood.


    With a plop, when Rocky reached Kyle, he was supposed to report to him, but instead, he just sat down on the ground, unable to care about anything else as he gasped for breath.


    But this time, Kyle didn¡¯t yell at him. Instead, he nodded and turned to everyone, saying, ¡°Alright, you can all go back to sleep now.¡±


    Hearing this, the rest of the squad glanced at Rocky, said nothing, and turned back to their tents, except for Abbas, who came over with a smile on his face, pulled Rocky up, and supported him into the tent.


    As everyone retreated back into their tents, Kyle did not. He simply turned back to look at everyone¡¯s retreating figures, especially Rocky¡¯s, and nodded unconsciously.


    However, not long after standing outside the tents, Kyle laughed. He glanced at the sun slowly rising on the horizon, turned, and entered his tent, after which the sound of roaring was heard¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 464 - 428: Incomprehensible

    Chapter 464: Chapter 428: Incomprehensible


    Having run for most of the night, Rocky, who didn¡¯t return until dawn, had slept for less than half an hour when Kyle awakened him. It was from this moment that he truly began the life of a soldier, a warrior.


    The life of a soldier was not as comfortable as that of the City Lord, as most of the time was spent in training. Since he had joined the Fierce Tiger Squad, he naturally had to train with the team. The Fierce Tiger Squad was the most elite of the more than one hundred squads in the entire war zone, so you can imagine the intensity of their training.


    For Rocky, it felt as though he had truly arrived in hell.


    Because the Fierce Tiger Squad was the strongest, they had to get up earlier than everyone else every day. While the other warriors in the camp were still enjoying their last dreams, Rocky and the others in his squad would have already started their physical training amid Kyle¡¯s roars. This training would last until all the warriors in the camp were up, and then they would practice with everyone else.


    When the physical training was over, it was time for collective exercises, which lasted the entire morning. Even in these group exercises, the intensity of the training that Rocky and the other team members endured was still far greater than that of others. The reason was simple because the Fierce Tiger Squad was the strongest, in battle, as in training.


    At last, when the morning¡¯s drills finally came to an end, lunchtime was a rare moment of rest. But as soon as lunch was done, a new round of training would start. The training subjects varied widely, including group, team, and individual training, and this would last until sunset; only then would the day officially come to an end.


    ...


    But that was for others. For Rocky and the members of the Fierce Tiger Squad, even after the routine training was done, the day was only apparently over, because Kyle would occasionally orchestrate sudden attacks. Just like the report Rocky received the night before, all team members had to undergo additional training at night.


    Imagine what it must have been like for Rocky, who had never experienced this kind of life before, to suddenly enter this state of living?


    So, two weeks passed quickly.


    In these two weeks, Rocky¡¯s life was indescribably tough, but despite the hardship, the results were equally significant. After two weeks, he might not have been able to compete with the other team members in training, but at least compared to when he had first arrived, there was a noticeable improvement.


    This was, of course, an excellent thing, but what puzzled Rocky was, why hadn¡¯t he been sent into battle?


    After all, he hadn¡¯t come here for training but to participate in fighting. Two weeks had passed, yet he hadn¡¯t been allowed to fight even once. It would be one thing if there hadn¡¯t been any combat in these two weeks, but that was not the case. The Alliance Army and the Imperial Army had had several engagements during this period.


    During this time, facing the Imperial Army, Wilton had become much more cautious, mainly adopting a defensive stance. In contrast to his caution, the Kafka Empire on the Imperial Side was more proactive.


    After being stationed in the war zone, the Kafka Empire had incorporated the former Rebel Army into the Imperial Army. This move made the already formidable Imperial Army even more dominant, resulting in very proactive combat strategies.


    However, even with this, the Alliance Army was still the Alliance Army. Even after incorporating the Rebel Army and becoming extremely potent, the Kafka Empire didn¡¯t dare be too aggressive facing Wilton¡¯s commanded Alliance Army. So, while there were skirmishes from time to time with the Empire usually initiating the attack, overall, there hadn¡¯t been any particularly intense battles. Both sides were mainly engaging in small frictions to test each other.


    In these minor skirmishes, the Empire clearly had the advantage, with several small-scale conflicts ending with the Alliance Army retreating. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But don¡¯t underestimate these small victories. Whilst minor victories might seem trivial, they could accumulate over time. Once there are enough minor victories, the morale of the Imperial Army would be significantly boosted. Moreover, in this kind of large-scale war, even minor skirmishes could involve fleets of over a hundred ships. One or two such instances might not seem significant, but the cumulative cost could be enormous when repeated many times.


    This was what made Rocky puzzled. Why wasn¡¯t he allowed to fight?


    Rocky noted it was strange he was not allowed to go into battle, not that the Void Magic Corps weren¡¯t sent into battle. In these past two weeks, he had seen squadron after squadron of the Void Magic Squad leave the camp; some returned, others never reappeared.


    This meant the Alliance Army was indeed deploying Void Magic Squads, just not him; nor had they deployed the so-called strongest, the Fierce Tiger Squad.


    So, on this day, during the midday break, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but voice his concerns.


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Giventer send our squad into battle?¡±


    Having spent a long time with them, sharing meals, living quarters, and training, Rocky considered himself part of the Fierce Tiger Squad. Although the squad members might not fully accept him, they at least didn¡¯t reject him; Rocky also knew that since Giventer had placed him in this squad, he would surely be deployed with them when the time came, except that he would operate alone on the battlefield.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for us to take action right now,¡±


    As soon as he asked, Luca, the burly man he had met on his first day, replied gruffly.


    ¡°Not needed now?¡±


    Rocky looked at Luca, his expression perplexed, ¡°Isn¡¯t now the perfect time for us to take action? The Imperial Army has just heavily defeated the Alliance, and in recent skirmishes, we¡¯ve mostly been on the losing side. Isn¡¯t this exactly when we should be fighting?¡±


    ¡°If we join in, help the Alliance win a few battles, wouldn¡¯t that boost everyone¡¯s morale considerably?¡±


    At this, Rocky turned to look around.


    It was the lunch hour, so the mess hall was packed with people, all Void Magic Warriors. Despite the crowd, the place was unusually quiet, nearly devoid of laughter. Everyone was eating in silence, at most whispering to the person next to them. This was hardly the demeanor you¡¯d expect from a group of impassioned warriors. Clearly, the spirits were exceedingly low.


    Therefore, Rocky felt that since the Fierce Tiger Squad was so strong, shouldn¡¯t they be fighting at a time like this? In minor conflicts, even if the squad wasn¡¯t truly the strongest, as long as they had half the strength they claimed, they could win any small-scale battle. A series of victories, even small ones, should be enough to lift the sagging morale, right?


    However, no sooner had Rocky finished speaking than Clara, the only female warrior in the squad, retorted from across him.


    Clara glanced at Rocky, her face cold, ¡°What do you think we are?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Rocky was taken aback by Clara¡¯s question and furrowed his brow.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 465 - 429: Attack!

    Chapter 465: Chapter 429: Attack!


    ¡°What do you think the Fierce Tiger Squad is?¡±


    After giving Rocky a glance, Clara asked coldly.


    Faced with her retort, Rocky was initially stunned and then furrowed his brows.


    Over the past two weeks, he had become quite familiar with the people of the Fierce Tiger Squad. The squad leader, Kyle, had a fiery temper, always roaring even under normal circumstances, but he was nonetheless a decent person. Abbas, whom Rocky had met first, was a warm-hearted and easy-going man who had the best relationship with Rocky. Luca, a strong man, also had a good relationship with Rocky. The rest of the members were more or less the same; their relationships weren¡¯t great, but still manageable.


    However, Clara, who was sitting right on the ground near Rocky, was an exception.


    Clara¡¯s personality was relatively cold. She wasn¡¯t very close to the other members of the squad, and she paid even less attention to Rocky, clearly showing a distinct rejection of him.


    ...


    This rejection was easy to understand because Clara never considered Rocky a true warrior. She always felt that someone pampered like the City Lord of Sky City shouldn¡¯t even be in her presence.


    Perhaps that was why she was so cold and even blunt with her questioning.


    Of course, Rocky didn¡¯t care much about her attitude. After all, he wasn¡¯t going to stay in the squad forever, so as long as things were acceptable on the surface, that was fine. What really bothered him, though, were Clara¡¯s words.


    What had he made of the Fierce Tiger Squad?


    Rocky really wanted to ask Clara in return, what did she think of this squad?


    Having spent a significant amount of time together, Rocky had naturally learned that the Fierce Tiger Squad belonged to Blue Crune, and as a member of the Sky Alliance, he had certainly heard of the reputation of this unit. Thus, he regarded the Fierce Tiger Squad highly. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In fact, through the days of interaction and especially the training they had undergone together, Rocky had discovered that the Fierce Tiger Squad was indeed a very formidable team. Not to mention anything else, just the individual qualities of each member were astonishingly high. By his estimate, the members of this squad should all be either Level 7 or Level 8 warriors, and their squad leader, Kyle, might even be a Level 9 warrior. Each member¡¯s combat ability was undoubtedly strong.


    However, this was, after all, only a squad!


    Even a ten-person Void Magic Squad, no matter how strong, consisted of only ten people. That was precisely what Rocky wanted to question Clara about. A ten-person squad, even if all were elite among elites, top among aces, what difference could they make?


    What level of war is currently underway?


    This is a top-tier massive battle where any small fight might involve thousands of warships! In such a high-level war, what can a ten-person squad do, even if they tear the skies apart?


    Therefore, once Clara had finished speaking, Rocky looked at her, shook his head, and decided not to continue the topic.


    That made the atmosphere somewhat awkward, and almost no one spoke until lunch ended.


    After silently finishing lunch, everyone was initially ready to head to the training field for the afternoon session, but Kyle led them to a tent instead.


    As Kyle entered the tent, everyone stood in line in front of him, and Kyle got straight to the point:


    ¡°Everyone, prepare yourself, we are joining the fight tomorrow.¡±


    As he looked at everyone, Kyle announced without any preamble that their mission had arrived!


    After two weeks of waiting, the Fierce Tiger Squad finally received their first combat mission since entering the war zone, and after two weeks of training, Rocky was finally ready to fight as well!


    After stating this, Kyle went on to explain the task to everyone.


    According to him, the Alliance Army was gearing up for a major operation!


    Previously mentioned, since the Imperial Army had stationed in the war zone and due to its inherent strength slightly exceeding that of the Alliance Army, especially after absorbing all the Rebel Army, the Imperial forces had become extremely formidable. Under such circumstances, the Alliance Army, led by Wilton, could only adopt a defensive stance to avoid direct confrontation. Even so, in the recent minor conflicts, the Alliance Army had mostly been on the losing side.


    This situation had a significant impact on the Alliance Army, so much so that even Rocky noticed, and as the chief commander, Wilton was undoubtedly aware.


    But Wilton, after all, was a renowned general of the Sky Alliance. He understood that one should not rush decisions on the battlefield. Therefore, he didn¡¯t act immediately; on one hand, he dealt with enemy harassment, and on the other, he was actively making preparations, preparing for a large battle!


    Facing such a formidable opponent as the Imperial Army, to reverse the low morale and simultaneously crush the enemy¡¯s spirit, minor skirmishes wouldn¡¯t suffice; a major victory was essential. Hence, Wilton had always been making preparations in this aspect.


    Now, everything was finally ready. Under Wilton¡¯s planning, a large-scale offensive was about to erupt!


    Wilton had assembled three massive Sky Cities, over three thousand warships, and fifty Void Magic Squads, ready to launch a large-scale attack on the Imperial Army!


    This time, Rocky and the Fierce Tiger Squad¡¯s mission was to participate in this grand offensive, representing the Void Magic Corps!


    In just a few words, Kyle had briefed everyone on the situation of the battle, and then, quite unusually, gave everyone half a day off. After all, they would be mobilizing with the main army the next day, and everyone needed time to prepare and adjust their state.


    Once everything was arranged properly, Kyle left the tent. As the captain of the Fierce Tiger Squad, his tasks were indeed heavier than those of ordinary squad leaders, for a top combat force like the Fierce Tiger Squad was bound to have special missions and arrangements in battle.


    No sooner had he left than the tent became lively.


    ¡°Finally, we can go into battle!¡±


    As soon as Kyle left, Luca, as robust as a mountain, began excitedly waving his sack-like fists and shouting, ¡°Damn it, I¡¯ve been stifled these days. Finally, I can go into battle!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, training every day was so boring. Finally, we can go to the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy¡­ by the way, are there any special arrangements this time?¡±


    ¡°Do you even need to ask? Of course there are! How could we be like everyone else!¡±


    ¡°I wonder if the Empire¡¯s Knight Order has arrived. It would be great to encounter them this time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, haven¡¯t heard any news about that.¡±


    ¡°Knight Order?¡±


    As everyone was excitedly discussing the upcoming battle, Rocky asked a question on the side.


    ¡°The Imperial Knight Order, haven¡¯t you heard of them?¡±


    On hearing his question, a team member named Westwood looked at him and then explained, ¡°The Imperial Knight Order, reputed to be the Kafka Empire¡¯s most elite Void Magic Corps.¡±


    ¡°Stronger than the Blue Crune?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡±


    Shaking his head, Westwood showed a regretful expression: ¡°Although there have always been minor frictions between the Alliance and the Empire, a war of this scale is unprecedented, so we haven¡¯t really crossed swords before. But¡­surely we are a bit stronger! Haha!¡±


    ¡°Of course! The Blue Crune is definitely stronger!¡±


    ¡°Do you even need to ask!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 466 - 430: Troops Approach the Tulip!

    Chapter 466: Chapter 430: Troops Approach the Tulip!


    The Imperial Knight Order, this was the first time Rocky had heard the name, which was not surprising since he did not know much about the Kafka Empire yet.


    However, from what Westwood and the others said, it was clear that the Imperial Knight Order was also one of the most elite Void Magic Corps currently in existence, a formidable presence rivaling the revered Blue Crune. It was uncertain whether the Empire had deployed them this time.


    Afterward, everyone excitedly chatted for a while before starting their individual preparations, the most important of which was to adjust their own Armors.


    As the most elite Void Magic Squad of the entire Alliance Army, every member of the Fierce Tiger Squad was equipped with the most advanced Fifth Generation Special Armor, which was not only custom-made but also specially modified according to individual needs. Now, with battle imminent, tuning and inspecting the Armor became the essential preparation for everyone, including Rocky.


    But unlike the others, when everyone else took out their Armor, Rocky left the tent since the White Demon Armor was not with him but instead was kept safe by Hammerfire.


    ¡°This guy must be off to check on the White Demon Armor, huh?¡±


    ...


    After Rocky left the tent, everyone who was inspecting their Armor couldn¡¯t help but talk about it.


    ¡°Have you guys seen the White Demon Armor?¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°No, but I heard it¡¯s really powerful.¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s powerful. After all, it¡¯s equipped with the latest technology. Isn¡¯t Rocky relying on that technology to join the Alliance?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily. I heard he shared a new type of Land Combat Armor with the Alliance, but I didn¡¯t see any new technologies on it. To me, the White Demon Armor might just be hyped up; it¡¯s probably nothing special in reality.¡±


    As Void Magic Warriors and the elite among elites, aces amongst the aces, the Fierce Tiger Squad members were all equally curious about the White Demon Armor, and it was precisely because of this that they had all heard of Rocky.


    Regrettably, since there had been no battles in the past two weeks, no one had the chance to witness the true appearance of the White Demon Armor, and that¡¯s why they were so curious now.


    Of course, as to whether the White Demon Armor was strong or weak, everyone had different opinions, some believing it to be as formidable as the rumors, while others were skeptical, suspecting it might be nothing more than bluster. After all, very few had actually seen the White Demon Armor, and ordinary people¡¯s standards of judgement were hardly convincing to the eyes of the Fierce Tiger Squad.


    Amid the diverse opinions, Rocky had already met with Hammerfire.


    ¡°Kid, don¡¯t go thinking of yourself as some kind of hero.¡±


    When Rocky met Hammerfire, the Dwarf had clearly already heard about his upcoming deployment so he had the Armor ready. While Rocky was inspecting the Armor, the short-statured Dwarf sat beside him and said,


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Hearing this remark, Rocky turned back, looking puzzled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to be a hero. If you can¡¯t beat them on the battlefield, just run, there¡¯s no shame in that. Dying here isn¡¯t worth it.¡±


    With a twinkle in his small eyes, Hammerfire continued.


    ¡°Master, I know what I¡¯m doing, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Smiling slightly, Rocky nodded at Hammerfire. He knew that Hammerfire was concerned about him and he was also very clear that he was no hero. Therefore, when necessary, he would certainly not care about saving face and would definitely run.


    So after this, he didn¡¯t say much more and directly donned the Armor. Indeed, having not worn it for quite some time, he really needed to acclimatize himself to it.


    Thus, the afternoon passed quickly, and once Rocky had finished adjusting his Armor he returned to the tent. Then everyone rested up, and by the time they awoke, it was already the following day.


    Early the next morning, they packed up and followed the main force to the Skyport.


    This time Wilton planned to launch a large-scale attack on the Imperial Army, deploying no fewer than fifty Void Magic Squads!


    To know that after receiving support from the Alliance, Wilton only had a total of one hundred fifty Void Magic Squads. If you subtract the squads lost in previous battles, now there should only be around one hundred twenty to thirty left. Hence, fifty squads amounted to roughly half of the entire Alliance Army currently in the battle zone. Just this fact alone indicated the magnitude and ambition of the assault he was orchestrating.


    Fifty Void Magic Squads, that is, five hundred Void Magic Warriors, and as one of these five hundred warriors, Rocky soon arrived at the Skyport with the main force and quickly boarded a transport vessel. After a half-day¡¯s journey, they arrived at Kunlun City.


    Three major Sky Cities would be participating in this assault, all the troops gathering in these Sky Cities. Kunlun City was one of them; so when Rocky arrived at the city¡¯s Skyport, countless warships had already docked.


    Because such a large number of troops were deployed this time, it took a whole day just to coordinate the movements between units. By evening everything was finally ready, and including Kunlun City, the three major Sky Cities activated their flight modes and set off towards the Imperial Army¡¯s airspace!


    The night quickly passed by.


    As the sun rose again, the three Sky Cities had moved beyond the Alliance Army frontline positions and arrived over the airspace of Tulip City.


    At this point, although the Imperial Army held a slight advantage in the battle situation, it was still in a stalemate, with the conflict centered over the airspace of Tulip City, nearly every fight breaking out right here.


    Also, this resulted in an unwritten norm that whoever occupied the airspace of Tulip City would have a complete advantage within the battle zone. This was the case when the Alliance Army faced off against the Rebel Army, and now that the opponent had become the Imperial Army, the situation remained the same.


    Thus, the Tulip Battle Zone became the focal point of contention between the two sides. However, because of the equally balanced forces, aside from a larger skirmish when the Imperial Army first arrived, both armies had since proceeded with caution. Up until now, the airspace of Tulip City remained equally divided: the west belonged to the Alliance Army, and the east to the Imperial Army.


    At this moment, when the three major Sky Cities reached this airspace, a grand yet fallen city slowly appeared below, the very Tulip City that had been conquered by the Demons earlier. Opposite the three Sky Cities was the Imperial Army!


    The Alliance Army¡¯s offensive was tremendously powerful, yet the Imperial Army was also clearly well-prepared. So when the three Sky Cities reached the airspace above Tulip City, the Imperial Army had already dispatched troops in full readiness.


    Two major Sky Cities, two medium-sized Sky Cities, four Sky Cities stood against the Alliance Army like a wall!!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 467 - 431: A Massive Momentum!

    Chapter 467: Chapter 431: A Massive Momentum!


    At this moment above Tulip City, a total of five large Sky Cities and two medium-sized Sky Cities had gathered, comprising seven Sky Cities in all! sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without a doubt, the upcoming battle would be the first major campaign conducted in the battle zone since the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire began warring!


    Before this, the Imperial Army had once defeated the Alliance Army in an ambush, but the scale of that skirmish was fairly ordinary. This time, however, things were different; both the Alliance Army and the Imperial Army had made ample preparations and were ready for a proper confrontation.


    The head-on collision of two top-tier forces made this battle exceptionally significant, casting an extreme solemnity over the entire battlefield. This solemnity seemed to have even affected the sky itself; as all of the Sky Cities made their appearance, the skies turned gloomy, and the whole airspace became shrouded in dark clouds.


    It was under this oppressive atmosphere that the troops from both sides flew out of their Sky Cities!


    First, it was the Alliance Army.


    ...


    With Wilton personally commanding this great battle, his flagship had slowly flown out of the Skyport after reaching the combat airspace, accompanied by three thousand warships from within three Sky Cities!


    Under the command of various fleet commanders, the three thousand warships took off in an orderly manner from the Sky Cities¡¯ Skyports, then gradually left the Defensive Net and formed a formation in front of the three aligned Sky Cities!


    In front of the Sky Cities, the three thousand warships formed into three square formations, with Wilton¡¯s being at the center and the other two on each side in a supporting angle.


    These three formations were not haphazardly assembled. Each formation¡¯s configuration of warships was very distinct, for example, the central formation where Wilton was positioned, consisted primarily of hundreds of battleships, with a smaller number of Escort Ships, evidently the main force; the two formations on the left and right each had a different focus¡ªone dominated by hundreds of patrol cruisers, the other by destroyers. From these arrangements, it was clear that Wilton had his reasons for dividing the army into these three formations, and each one would undoubtedly play its role in the great battle.


    Meanwhile, at the distant horizon, the Imperial Army, ready and waiting, also deployed their troops!


    Due to the great distance and given that Rocky was just a member of the Void Magic Warriors without a telescope prepared for him, he was unable to see the specifics of the Imperial Army¡¯s configuration clearly. However, even from afar, it was evident that the enemy¡¯s forces were no smaller than their own.


    At the far edge of the sky, the Imperial Army¡¯s troops slowly flew out from their respective Sky Cities and swiftly formed into four square formations. Although each formation appeared to be slightly smaller than those of the Alliance Army, when combined, the four formations were definitely not inferior in numbers to the Alliance Army¡¯s.


    By the time the three formations were fully prepared, Wilton, commanding from his flagship, gave the order, and all three thousand warships across the three formations moved simultaneously, heading towards the distant Imperial Army. As the troops advanced, Kunlun City and the other two Sky Cities also activated their flight modes once more, slowly trailing behind the troops like three large tails.


    Despite the vast number of warships making up the three formations, their speeds were completely consistent as they started to move, so the formation was very well maintained, orderly from beginning to end, without the slightest disarray.


    In not much time, the three formations approached the Imperial Army, and as the distance between the two sides narrowed enough to see each other clearly, the Imperial Army also responded.


    First, the Imperial Army adjusted their formation!


    Facing the pressure of thousands of warships, the Imperial Army¡¯s formation quickly adapted. From the original four squares arrayed in a straight line, one square suddenly started moving forward, charging directly at the Alliance Army. After this square advanced towards the Alliance Army, two more squares flew out from the remaining three, forming a wing-like formation following the large force ahead. The three squares, now arranged in a perfect triangle, began closing in on the Alliance Army!


    Clearly, with the Alliance Army approaching, the Imperial Army, originally on the defensive, took the initiative to attack!


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s the Empire¡¯s¡­Heavy Armored Ships¡­¡±


    When the Imperial Army, moving later but arriving first, initiated the attack on the Alliance Army, an aide-de-camp immediately reported to Wilton. As the two sides drew closer, the Alliance had already identified the troops deployed by the Empire!


    But judging by the expression on the aide-de-camp¡¯s face, things did not seem to be going well.


    Indeed, the situation was not good.


    As mentioned before, faced with the menacing advance of the Alliance, the Empire directly deployed three squares with one as the vanguard and the other two as wings. The vanguard square consisted of the Imperial Armored Ship Troops!


    The so-called Imperial Heavy Armored Ships are a type of large warship unique to the Kafka Empire. These ships are in the class of battleships but are distinct from other battleships most noticeable in their combination of standard battleship firepower with unusually thick armor and a Defensive Net with extremely terrifying defensive power.


    These heavily armored ships, which possess formidable defense capabilities, are a third larger than a typical battleship. They are covered in thick specialized armor that can easily withstand attacks from Magic Energy Cannons even without the protection of a Defensive Net. Regular Magic Energy Cannon hits on this armor are like mere scratches, and even the main cannon might not be able to penetrate it!


    Moreover, the Heavy Armored Ships also possess a Defensive Net far stronger than the armor itself. Once these warships deploy their Defensive Net, they can withstand the assault of dozens of main cannons head-on, and the net will hold firm as if nothing happened!


    This is the Imperial Heavy Armored Ship, an unsinkable iron beast!


    Now, the vanguard square sent by the Empire consisted of these iron behemoths!


    A total of four hundred Heavy Armored Ships arrayed in two lines in the sky, slowly approaching the Alliance Army like a moving wall of bronze and iron. Clearly, the Imperial Army was planning to use the super-strong defense of the Heavy Armored Ships to draw fire and tear through the Alliance Army¡¯s formation, then have the two following squares join in and crush the disarrayed Alliance troops in one fell swoop.


    When Wilton learned that the approaching forces were Imperial Heavy Armored Ships, he understood the enemy¡¯s intentions.


    To be honest, this tactic was not particularly clever, but it was exceedingly effective.


    Because facing the renowned Imperial Heavy Armored Ships, even the Alliance Army couldn¡¯t guarantee that they would withstand the charge. If they could not, the Alliance¡¯s formation would inevitably fall into disarray, and then they would face the attack of the other two squares of the enemy. Do not forget that the Imperial Heavy Armored Ships themselves are battleships with very powerful offensive capabilities. So once their formation is scattered, the Alliance Army will likely suffer heavy losses, and this battle might just end then and there!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 468 - 432: Imperial Heavy Armored Ship!

    Chapter 468: Chapter 432: Imperial Heavy Armored Ship!


    For this battle, the Imperial Army took nothing lightly and sent out the renowned Armored Ship Troops right from the start!


    A total of four hundred Heavy Armored Ships formed into front and rear rows, charging towards the Alliance Army¡¯s formation like a moving wall of bronze and iron.


    Facing the onrush of the steel behemoths, even the Alliance Army, prepared for a great battle, found itself somewhat at a loss, with many of the warship Captains and even the fleet Commanders displaying extremely grim expressions.


    Prior to this, the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire might not have had major conflicts, but with occasional frictions between the two great forces, the Alliance Army was well aware of the terror of the Heavy Armored Ships.


    In small-scale combats, these steel giants were nearly invincible, as battleships of the same class stood no chance one-on-one, often requiring three to five of the same class to sink one.


    And now, charging towards the Alliance Army were not just one, but hundreds of Heavy Armored Ships!


    ...


    Hundreds of Heavy Armored Ships charging at once; probably even the battleship fleet commanded by Wilton himself would not be able to stop them, right?


    If so many Heavy Armored Ships could get close to¡ªor even break through¡ªthe Alliance¡¯s formation, the consequences would be unimaginable!


    They must respond immediately, or it would be too late!


    Realizing the enemy¡¯s first wave of attack was so fearsome, all Alliance officers anxiously awaited Wilton¡¯s command; they had to strike quickly, even knowing they couldn¡¯t stop these Heavy Armored Ships, they had to try to intercept, or the battle would be unwinnable!


    The thing that everyone realized, Wilton, as the overall commander, of course realized as well, so just minutes later he made his countermove!


    Following Wilton¡¯s order, the battleship fleet he commanded began moving, detaching from the allied forces on the flanks and heading straight towards the ferocious enemy.


    It was evident that Wilton intended to rely on the fleet he commanded to block the enemy.


    This was obviously the best course of action, as the fleet he commanded was composed mostly of battleships, the most powerful among the three Alliance Armies¡¯ fleets. Also, in facing the Heavy Armored Ships, known for their defensive power, only same-class battleships could contend with them.


    Moreover, although individual Alliance battleships might not match Heavy Armored Ships in strength, the Alliance had more warships. Wilton deployed a total of three thousand warships this battle, divided into three formations, each consisting of a thousand warships, giving the Alliance battleships a numerical advantage; they could practically manage a two-to-one ratio against Heavy Armored Ships.


    And let¡¯s not forget, the Heavy Armored Ships were exclusive to the Imperial Army, but the Alliance¡¯s warships were equally no ordinary vessels!


    Take for example the battleship fleet personally led by Wilton, the Alliance¡¯s battleships were also specially designed, but their focus was not defensive power, but on range. The Alliance battleships generally had a range about thirty percent greater than average, and as is well known, the longer the range, the sooner one can hit the enemy, and potentially sink them before they even open fire.


    So as Wilton led the battleship fleet toward the Imperial forces, the whole formation moved forward while adjusting the formation, quickly spreading out to the sides and then splitting into three layers: upper, middle, and lower.


    Rocky was stationed on one of the battleships at the time, but to be honest, when he discovered the entire formation was divided into three layers ¨C upper, middle, and lower, he was quite surprised; he had never seen such a scene before.


    That wasn¡¯t strange, for he had never commanded or participated in a large-scale battle involving thousands of warships. In fact, once a battle reached a certain scale, the sheer number of warships would seriously test the capabilities of the captains, fleet commanders, and even the supreme commander. To take a simple example, how could thousands of warships fire at the same time and attack the same area? That was a big problem.


    But this problem was nothing for Wilton and the Alliance Army. As the formation advanced, it gradually spread out, creating space for the individual warships to adjust. Dividing into three layers ¡ª upper, middle, and lower ¡ª made full use of aerial combat characteristics, ensuring the warships of the allies wouldn¡¯t interfere with each other. In this way, the vast fleet could fire simultaneously without affecting one another and still ensure concentrated firepower on the same target area.


    During the adjustment process, the Alliance Army once again demonstrated their high quality. In just a few minutes, the formation was adjusted, followed by deafening cannon fire that filled the sky.


    Thousands of cannons fired at once!


    Rocky had been in quite a few aerial battles, but this was the first time he heard such intense cannon fire. The main cannons of hundreds of battleships roaring at the same time were loud enough to deafen a person¡¯s ears in an instant, and the wave of sound produced by the simultaneous detonations was visible to the naked eye.


    In that instant, even with the protection of his White Demon Armor Helmet, Rocky¡¯s head throbbed with pain.


    Unlike him, the others on the ship were clearly more adapted to this. Not to mention the other Void Magic Warriors, even the ordinary crew members carried on without any trouble after the cannons fired because each of them had specialized earplugs, designed specifically to protect their ears.


    At the same time as the cannon fire began, a glow lit up thousands of meters away, clearly indicating the Imperial Heavy Armored Ships coming head-on had been hit.


    When hundreds of battleships fired at the same target area simultaneously, even with primary cannons shooting over several thousand kilometers of distance, it was impossible to miss.


    So the second the cannon fire sounded, the Defensive Nets on the Imperial Heavy Armored Ships lit up, and some nets shattered instantly after lighting up, followed promptly by subsequent shells that brutally hit the decks and hulls of the Heavy Armored Ships. After several continuous hits, one Heavy Armored Ship disintegrated and exploded in mid-air.


    Against the primary cannon attack from hundreds of battleships, not even the Kafka Empire¡¯s Heavy Armored Ships, known as steel behemoths, could withstand. After a round of shelling, several warships were sunk. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, such results were not satisfying for Wilton and the Alliance Army. This was a volley from hundreds of battleships! Facing an assault of such scale and intensity, only about a dozen Imperial Heavy Armored Ships were sunk, a percentage too small to accept.


    Indeed, such a low casualty rate was far too minimal, so much so that the Imperial Army could almost disregard it as inconsequential.


    In fact, after one round of shelling, the formation of the Heavy Armored Ships was basically undisturbed, and their speed had not slowed at all; they were still charging toward the Alliance¡¯s formation!


    This situation was definitely not sustainable, so Wilton immediately made another adjustment, turning to his adjutant and saying:


    ¡°Send the order, let the Void Magic Corps take off!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 469 - 433: The Ferocious Tiger Breaks Out!

    Chapter 469: Chapter 433: The Ferocious Tiger Breaks Out!


    ¡°Pass the order down, let the Void Magic Corps deploy!¡±


    On the deck of the flagship, Wilton issued a new command as he watched the Imperial Heavy Armored Ships, though thousands of meters away, rapidly approaching in formation¡ªthe deployment of the Void Magic Corps!


    Logically, it wasn¡¯t the best time to deploy the Void Magic Corps because the distance between the two forces was too great. The Void Magic Warriors had to fly a considerable distance and waste a lot of time before they could actually strike their targets.


    But there was no alternative, this was the only option for Wilton at the moment.


    He obviously knew that the Void Magic Warriors should wait until the two sides were closer to engage, but the urgent task at hand was to stop the heavy armored ships¡¯ advancement. Thus, it wasn¡¯t possible to wait for the enemy to come closer, and with ineffective artillery fire, the Void Magic Warriors became the best choice to confront the heavy armor as their armor and defensive net were incapable of blocking the Void Magic Warriors. Consequently, Wilton had to send out the Void Magic Corps ahead of schedule.


    When he had issued the command, the Void Magic Squads from each battleship immediately leaped up and flew into the air, including the Fierce Tiger Squad and Rocky.


    ...


    Destroy the enemy¡¯s heavy armored ships.


    This was the unanimous command received by all the Void Magic Warriors including the Fierce Tiger Squad and Rocky, whose sole purpose was to halt the advance of the heavy armored ships.


    Thus, once they flew past the warship¡¯s defensive net, the Void Magic Warriors immediately formed squads and advanced towards the enemy.


    Fifty Void Magic Squads¡ªthat was five hundred Void Magic Warriors! As these squads soared into the sky and charged towards the enemy, they appeared as formidable as flocks of eagles.


    Only the most top forces of today could possess such a number of the Void Magic Corps.


    All fifty squads charged at the enemy at once, with the Fierce Tiger Squad naturally positioned at the very front. As a unit of Blue Crune and equipped with top Armor Technology for all its members, they unhesitatingly took the lead the moment they deployed.


    ¡°Everyone maintain formation and be ready to engage at any time. The enemy will definitely deploy their Void Magic Corps to intercept.¡±


    If the Fierce Tiger Squad was at the forefront of all the Void Magic Corps, then Kyle, the squad captain, was right at the vanguard, leading everyone, like the lead wolf, rushing forward while also issuing commands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let the enemy stop us, don¡¯t entangle with them, swift and decisive battle, let them witness the prowess of Blue Crune!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After Kyle finished speaking, the other members of the squad immediately responded, and from their tone, one could sense the high morale of each member.


    ¡°Rocky.¡±


    ¡°Present! Sir!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow us.¡±


    Having addressed the other members of the squad, Kyle then spoke to Rocky through the communicator, ¡°The Corps doesn¡¯t require you to accompany us, just act freely.¡±


    While the Fierce Tiger Squad took the lead, Rocky was not falling behind. He kept up with the squad¡¯s pace, a speed which was trivial for him and the White Demon Armor.


    However, seeing that he was always following the squad, Kyle indeed said this, the implication was clear, which was to tell him not to follow anymore¡­


    Actually, it was clear to hear that Kyle meant well; he did not want Rocky to be in danger.


    Although on Rocky¡¯s first day of reporting, Kyle had said he would not treat him as the City Lord, how could he actually not?


    Moreover, before the battle, from the War Zone Commander-in-chief Wilton to the commander of the Void Magic Corps, Giventer, everyone had instructed Kyle to ensure Rocky¡¯s safety. He was a hero made by the Alliance Army in the war zone and was also the City Lord, holding top Armor Technology. All these identities combined made it unacceptable for anyone to see Rocky in danger on the battlefield.


    For this, Kyle was helpless because he was the leader of the Fierce Tiger Squad. The Fierce Tiger Squad was not a group of bodyguards; they were the elite of the elite, the ace of aces, a team that once deployed, had to secure a victory for the Alliance Army. So, in this crucial battle, where did he have the time and focus to protect Rocky? sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, Kyle simply told Rocky not to follow him anymore. With the strength of the White Demon Armor, as long as Rocky stayed with the main troops, he would surely be safe, freeing Kyle from this burden.


    But when his words reached Rocky¡¯s ears, they only made Rocky furrow his brow because he did not agree with such a statement.


    He had agreed to stay in the war zone to fight, not just to make an appearance. Moreover, Wilton had not asked him to stay just to make an appearance either. Even if it wasn¡¯t for Rocky¡¯s sake, it was for his White Demon Armor. So how could Rocky possibly withdraw?


    Still not acknowledging him?


    Frowning, Rocky, who had been following behind the squad, glanced at the team. He understood why Kyle felt this way; was it still because he did not see him as a real warrior, still treating him like a pampered City Lord?


    This greatly disappointed Rocky, and he was extremely dissatisfied!


    Thus, Rocky did not respond to Kyle, but he also did not leave.


    Seeing that he did not respond, Kyle did not say anything more, but simply told Abbas through the squad channel, ¡°Abbas, keep an eye on Rocky later, don¡¯t let him get into danger.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Since Abbas had the best relationship with Rocky, he naturally would not refuse Kyle¡¯s arrangement.


    After this, the entire team stopped talking and began to approach the Imperial Heavy Armored Ship at the fastest speed.


    And just as Kyle had predicted, when the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Corps had just flown over a third of the distance, the Imperial Army also dispatched their own Void Magic Corps!


    The Imperial reaction was not surprising, just as Wilton had assessed. Although the Heavy Armored Ship had strong defensive power, it could not withstand the Void Magic Warriors. Whether it was the heavy armor of the Heavy Armored Ship or the Defensive Net, neither could stop the Void Magic Warriors from approaching. Once the Void Magic Warriors landed on the deck of the warship, then a Heavy Armored Ship was as good as sunk, for the Void Magic Warriors had countless ways to sabotage the warship from the inside.


    Therefore, as soon as the Imperial side dispatched the Heavy Armored Ship, they had already anticipated how Wilton would counter, thus they had already placed the Void Magic Corps on the warship.


    As a result, after the Alliance Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps was mobilized, the Imperial also dispatched their Void Magic Corps, to intercept the enemy.


    Being the top forces, the Imperial Void Magic Corps was not inferior to the Alliance Army in terms of numbers or quality. Four to five hundred Void Magic Warriors flew out from the Heavy Armored Ship into the sky, and immediately began to accelerate, charging towards the Alliance¡¯s troops!


    ¡°Prepare for battle!¡±


    Seeing that the enemy¡¯s Void Magic Corps had been deployed, Kyle, being at the forefront of all the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Warriors, shouted into the communicator and then suddenly accelerated, not waiting for the rest of the main troops, and directly led the Fierce Tiger Squad rushing towards the swarming enemies!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 470 - 434: Taking the Lead!

    Chapter 470: Chapter 434: Taking the Lead!


    Facing the obstructing enemies, Kyle instantly quickened his pace and charged into the enemy ranks, leading the charge, with the other team members behind him also accelerating and following their leader toward the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps.


    At the same time, the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps did the same, with four to five hundred Void Magic Warriors dispersing in small units as soon as they left the warship, then flying toward the Alliance Army.


    Although originally far apart, the distance between the two sides visibly closed at a rapid pace, especially the vanguard Fierce Tiger Squad, which encountered the enemy when the main force of the Alliance Army was still hundreds of meters away!


    Kyle, at the very front, was the first to engage the enemy, firing the first shot of the contest!


    When the enemy entered his line of sight, Kyle suddenly accelerated like a tiger descending a mountain, closing in on the nearest enemy in the blink of an eye, reaching behind his back with both hands as he approached, and drawing his weapons simultaneously as he neared the enemy.


    The weapons he used were two specially made serrated blades, similar in shape to large knives but with saw-toothed edges, looking almost like two saws at first glance.


    ...


    But don¡¯t underestimate these two weapons, for they were made of the same special material as the White Demon¡¯s Magic Fang Scythe and were also equipped with Mana Energy Conduction Technology, making the serrated blades incomparably sharp, able to cut through hair effortlessly.


    Blinking into the enemy¡¯s presence, Kyle, without a word, slashed viciously!


    But whether by design or coincidence, Kyle¡¯s chosen foe was the captain of a squad, who not only wore the Fifth Generation Special Armor but whose personal strength was not to be underestimated; thus, when faced with his slash, the foe showed no fear and managed to block the attack with an upward strike of the Mana Sword.


    However, when the attack was blocked, Kyle did not rush to strike a second blow but instead flicked his hand holding the serrated blade to the side, and the longsword caught by the serrated edge was flung aside!


    Suddenly, the enemy was stunned, for as the longsword guarding his form was thrown aside, he was left wide open against Kyle!


    Before the enemy could react, Kyle, already raising his other hand, brought it down heavily, his blade striking the enemy¡¯s chest. The sharp serrated edge tore a gaping rend in the chestplate, not only tearing the Armor apart but also revealing flesh underneath; then, Kyle followed up with a sweeping backhand, his serrated blade slicing across the enemy¡¯s neck.


    A flash of cold light, and heads rolled!


    A captain of the Void Magic Squad was slain just like that¡­


    The confrontation between the two was so brief that by the time the captain¡¯s head had rolled, his squad members had just rushed to Kyle¡¯s front.


    It must be said, despite Kyle¡¯s evident strength, not a single Imperial Void Magic Warrior faltered; after their captain¡¯s death, the remaining nine members didn¡¯t slow their charge but instead locked on Kyle with even greater determination, a courage truly commendable.


    Regrettably, Kyle was not alone. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the enemy¡¯s squad rushed forward, the other members of the Fierce Tiger Squad also arrived on the battlefield, and in a moment, both sides clashed.


    Similarly, moments later, the clash ended¡­


    Facing the charging enemies, led by Clara, the squad members achieved an overwhelming victory, almost all defeating their enemies in a single round!


    Such speed amazed Rocky, who followed behind the group. He knew the Fierce Tiger Squad was strong, but he hadn¡¯t expected them to be this formidable! It was one thing to instantly take down an enemy one-on-one, but to also annihilate an opponent¡¯s squad in an instant during squad combat was incredible, especially since they were up against the Imperial Army!


    This was simply unbelievable!


    While Rocky was still in shock, Kyle, who had just obliterated the enemy, was already engaging with a second wave of foes with the Fierce Tiger Squad!


    Having been the first to break into the enemy¡¯s lines, the Fierce Tiger Squad had barely flown out not far after instantly eliminating an enemy squad when they were surrounded by enemies from all sides, with Rocky, following behind the squad, getting surrounded as well.


    Realizing that he was suddenly surrounded by enemies, a shocked Rocky quickly reacted, leaping to a higher position.


    He had just leaped up when a series of Magic Energy Bullets crisscrossed from his original position, narrowly missing him¡ªif he had dodged any slower, he might have been hit.


    But Rocky had no time to feel relieved, as enemies lunged at him from the front, back, left, and right all at the same time!


    ¡°Courting death!¡±


    Realizing that enemies were charging at him from all directions, Rocky immediately grabbed the Magic Fang Scythe from behind his back. As he drew the scythe, he spun 360 degrees in the air!


    Since the Magic Fang Scythe was a long weapon with a very wide attack range, along with being incredibly sharp, when Rocky swung it in a 360-degree sweep, the sharp scythe formed a cold, icy circle that instantly enveloped all the enemies lunging at him.


    The cold light flashed, and as Rocky stopped spinning in mid-air and looked around, he could see all the enemies who had lunged at him now falling downwards, each split in half by the sharp scythe!


    Under the blade of the Magic Fang Scythe, the Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armor stood no chance at all¡ªstrikes were fatal!


    ¡°Captain, that kid¡¯s pretty incredible!¡±


    Although Kyle had led the Fierce Tiger Squad far ahead, when Rocky was surrounded by enemies, the squad members still kept an eye on him.


    This was partly because they had received orders to ensure Rocky¡¯s safety, and partly because, although the Fierce Tiger Squad seemed to be heavily surrounded, these enemies hardly posed a threat in their eyes; they were fully capable of multitasking.


    Hence, when Rocky swept all his enemies away with a single strike, the squad members witnessed it and nodded to themselves. When a master makes a move, one can tell at once¡ªthis wasn¡¯t luck but overwhelming skill and power.


    This proved that the White Demon Armor truly lived up to its reputation!


    ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted!¡±


    While the other squad members were fighting and sneakily watching Rocky, secretly nodding at his performance, Kyle roared in the communication channel, ¡°Have you all forgotten our mission? Don¡¯t waste time!¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 471 - 435 After All, Too Few...

    Chapter 471: Chapter 435 After All, Too Few¡­


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Kyle¡¯s roar had the team members immediately respond, and they then focused all their attention on fighting while advancing.


    It must be said, the Fierce Tiger Squad truly lived up to its reputation. They could indeed be called the elite of the elites within the Alliance Army, the cream of the crop. Facing an enemy that surrounded them from all sides, the ten-person squad showed no signs of fear. Astonishingly, despite such encirclement, their advancement wasn¡¯t halted at all!


    Even surrounded on all sides, the Fierce Tiger Squad still charged at high speed, swiftly closing in on the formation of the Imperial Heavy Armored Ship!


    Kyle, leading the charge from the start, faced the most enemies, but no number of enemies could stop him, not even for a moment. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All the enemies that rushed at him, if they were captains, might withstand one or two strikes, but within two strikes they were either slain outright or severely wounded and forced to flee; and if they were just ordinary members in Mass-produced Armor, Kyle would cut them down on the spot within a single strike, with no one able to withstand two strikes unscathed, even if surrounded by three, four, or five enemies simultaneously.


    ...


    The situation was similar for the team members following Kyle.


    The members of the Fierce Tiger Squad were no ordinary soldiers; although they were just part of the squad, in terms of strength and Armor configuration, they were even stronger than the typical captains of the Void Magic Squad. So, as Kyle cleared the path ahead, the rest of the squad not only had the ability to keep pace with him but their combat achievements were no less impressive than Kyle¡¯s.


    They achieved this thanks to their own personal strength and Armor configuration being sufficiently strong, but another reason was their seamless team coordination.


    In fact, if they were facing ordinary enemies, the members of the Fierce Tiger Squad could perhaps replicate what Kyle was doing: killing the enemy with one or two strikes, or at the very least severely injuring them. However, when faced with captain-level enemies, the team members could not handle them as easily. They could still win, but it would consume significantly more time, essentially holding them back.


    In a situation of being heavily surrounded, the consequences of being held back are quite severe, needless to say.


    But the actual situation was that the captains defeated by the team members were not only numerous but they never slowed down, always closely following Kyle.


    Why was this the case?


    It was precisely because their teamwork was incredibly well-coordinated.


    On the battlefield, it seemed as if every member of the Fierce Tiger Squad was facing one or more enemies at a time, but in reality, they were always looking out for each other, and whenever opportunities arose, they accurately seized them and instantaneously helped their teammates eliminate the enemy.


    What does this suggest?


    It suggests that even facing so many enemies, the entire Fierce Tiger Squad was still at ease!


    It was because of this that, although they were the first to rush into the enemy lines, the squad¡¯s speed was hardly reduced. They directly broke through, continuously advancing towards the formation of the Imperial Heavy Armored Ship!


    Compared to this, Rocky was quite unlucky¡­


    Facing the enemies all around, he too didn¡¯t feel too much pressure, but because he had no one to coordinate with, he quickly got bogged down¡­


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    After slicing off an enemy¡¯s longsword along with his arm, Rocky leapt up and looked in the direction of Kyle and the others, only to see that they had already moved far, far away, almost leaving him behind.


    This made Rocky give a thumbs-up in his mind, but also filled him with immense frustration.


    By now he finally understood why Clara had said those words to him back then.


    Previously, when Rocky thought the Fierce Tiger Squad should enter the battle, Clara had asked him coldly, ¡°What do you consider the Fierce Tiger Squad as?¡±


    At that time, Rocky was very dissatisfied with her words, thinking Clara was too arrogant. After all, the Fierce Tiger Squad, no matter how strong, was just a squad ¨C could they really defy the heavens?


    But now, it seemed that the Fierce Tiger Squad indeed possessed the power to defy the heavens!


    They faced enemies outnumbering them by dozens of times, yet nothing could stop this squad; they even managed to advance at an extremely fast pace. With such strength, it didn¡¯t matter if they were a bit audacious.


    However, this also made Rocky quite frustrated because as the Fierce Tiger Squad continued advancing at undiminished speed, he was being left behind. At this moment, the large forces behind were also catching up, meaning both armies were about to clash officially; wouldn¡¯t this mean he was being left behind?


    No way!


    Realizing he was about to be left behind, Rocky didn¡¯t want to continue fighting and immediately sped up to catch up.


    But this was easier said than done; after all, he was only one person!


    The White Demon Armor was very strong, arguably the strongest armor in this battle; the Magic Fang Scythe was equally powerful. In front of this sharp scythe, even captains wearing fifth-generation Special Armor had to avoid its edge, lest they be slain within a few bouts.


    But one mustn¡¯t forget, the enemy he faced now wasn¡¯t the cobbled-together Rebel Army anymore, but the equally high-quality Imperial Army.


    After many of their comrades had fallen, the Void Magic Warriors of the Empire also realized the threat Rocky posed, and immediately changed their strategy to using long-range attacks to stop him.


    This made things troublesome because there were simply too many enemies surrounding him. Facing the long-range attacks of hundreds, even though the White Demon Armor¡¯s Defensive Net was strong and the Azure Fang could absorb the attacks, Rocky didn¡¯t dare withstand them outright; otherwise, he would have been riddled with holes instantly.


    In this situation, the only thing he could do was dodge and move at the fastest speed to evade the attacks.


    Operating the White Demon Armor, Rocky moved agilely through the air, almost like a dancer performing in the sky.


    Fortunately, not long after, the large forces of the Alliance Army arrived.


    With the arrival of the main forces, the Imperial Void Magic Warriors could no longer focus solely on Rocky, and both sides immediately started a major battle.


    As the enemies¡¯ attention was divided, Rocky suddenly felt much less pressure and relentlessly chased in the direction of Kyle and the others.


    At this moment, while Rocky¡¯s pressure was lessened by the arrival of the main forces, the pressure on Kyle and his team didn¡¯t decrease at all, because as the main forces of the Alliance Army engaged the enemy, they were about to break through the Imperial Void Magic Corps.


    Now it turned sour!


    As they were about to break through the entire corps, the enemy suddenly treated them as the primary target, madly swarming from all directions to block their path, thoroughly entrapping the Fierce Tiger Squad. Despite their valiant and unmatched courage, even their speed was eventually slowed down by the incessant attacks, plunging them into a tough battle.


    It¡¯s still the same old situation; after all, the Fierce Tiger Squad is just a ten-person squad!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 472 - 436: Retreating as Rearguard

    Chapter 472: Chapter 436: Retreating as Rearguard


    Kyle¡¯s idea was simple, he planned to charge ahead with the Fierce Tiger Squad and completely break through the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps, then go straight for the Armored Ship Troops.


    The idea seemed somewhat reckless but was actually quite correct.


    Because Kyle and the Fierce Tiger Squad he led were, after all, just a squad, and on such a level of the battlefield, there weren¡¯t many tactics available for them to choose from.


    At the same time, once he really achieved this, the Alliance Army would immediately establish a tremendous advantage.


    First of all, it was about striking the Armored Ship Troops.


    Perhaps some would think it impossible, that a mere Void Magic Squad, even if placed within the Imperial Heavy Armored Ship Troops, could do anything? The Imperial Army had deployed a whole four hundred of those Heavy Armored Ships this time!


    ...


    Indeed, if it were an ordinary Void Magic Squad, even if they infiltrated the Heavy Armored ships¡¯ phalanx, the threat they could pose would be very limited. After all, it was only a squad; even if they destroyed one or two warships, the impact on the overall battle situation would not be significant. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the situation was different with the Fierce Tiger Squad.


    The combative strength of this squad was so great that it could not be measured by ordinary standards. So despite also having only ten people, to say that each of them possessed the fighting power equivalent to an entire squad was by no means an exaggeration. Once they got close to the phalanx, each had the ability to sink a Heavy Armored Ship within minutes. If given enough time, even just a few minutes, the Armored Ship Troops would be severely damaged!


    Secondly, precisely because the Fierce Tiger Squad posed such a great threat, as long as they got close to the enemy¡¯s phalanx, the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps would inevitably be drawn in. This would then give the Alliance Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps a greater advantage, and wouldn¡¯t their chances of winning be higher? And once victory over the Void Magic Corps was achieved, couldn¡¯t the main forces of the Alliance Army confront the Heavy Armored Ships directly?


    This was the chain reaction that a Void Magic Squad could cause!


    It was precisely because he was very clear about the kind of chain reaction the squad would cause after getting close to the Heavy Armored Ships that Kyle seemed to be charging forward recklessly. In fact, his actions were not born of a spur-of-the-moment decision; they had a clear purpose.


    And in fact, after such a prolonged assault, Kyle had almost led the squad through the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps¡¯ defense line!


    Yes, after a series of battles and advances, the Fierce Tiger Squad had almost penetrated the entire defense line of the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Squad and seemed on the verge of breaking through the encirclement!


    But it was at this moment that they were still stopped¡­


    Seeing that they were about to break through the encirclement, the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors immediately stopped minding the battle in front and swarmed over, surrounding Kyle and his comrades inside and out, making it impossible for the whole squad to move an inch.


    In such a situation, the squad practically came to a halt, and the number of surrounding enemies only increased, immediately making Kyle, as the leader, feel the danger!


    ¡°Clara, Westwood, you two stay and cover our retreat, everyone else follow me and push forward!¡±


    Realizing that there were too many enemies around, Kyle knew they couldn¡¯t continue like this any longer; otherwise, it would be a waste of time. The squad¡¯s sole objective was the Heavy Armored Ships, and staying here to kill more enemies was pointless, so he immediately adjusted the strategy. He had Clara and Westwood stay to cover the rear while the others focused all their energy on breaking through the last of the encirclement!


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Leave it to us, Captain!¡±


    Upon hearing Kyle¡¯s command, Clara and Westwood, who were originally engaged with the enemy, simultaneously took to the air and instantly flew above the squad.


    As previously mentioned, every member of the Fierce Tiger Squad was equipped with the Fifth Generation Special Armor, all of which were modified to be far stronger in combat than the standard Fifth Generation Special Armor.


    Among these, the Armor that Westwood was equipped with, was the only Heavy Battle Armor in the squad.


    The so-called Heavy Battle Armor was characterized by its potent long-range firepower and strong defensive power. This type of Armor typically had extremely thick plating and was fitted with various weapons all over, weak in melee combat but exceptionally formidable in ranged firepower.


    Moreover, Westwood¡¯s Armor wasn¡¯t just any Heavy Battle Armor, but had also undergone special modifications. The most apparent change was the complete abandonment of its melee capabilities, instead, it was retrofitted with two Magic Energy Cannon barrels on its arms to be able to fire powerful Magic Energy Bullets at any time and place.


    Therefore, as Westwood ascended, he engaged full barrage mode, opening up the chest, shoulders, and arms of his Armor to reveal the plethora of hidden weapons.


    In the blink of an eye, he unleashed countless rounds of fire; Magic Energy Bullets, Magic Energy Cannons, Magic Energy Beams, and various bombs hidden within the Armor were all fired at once!


    In an instant, fire rained down, covering the small battlefield below. Both the Fierce Tiger Squad, who were currently engaged in combat, and the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors were enveloped in his firepower.


    Yet, don¡¯t forget, the entire Fierce Tiger Squad was clad in Fifth Generation Special Armor, and they all knew what Westwood was planning. As soon as Westwood leapt high, they had deployed their Defensive Net, thus blocking all incoming attacks.


    In contrast, the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors weren¡¯t so fortunate. Faced with the sudden barrage, only a few reacted quickly enough to deploy their Defensive Nets. The vast majority couldn¡¯t respond in time and were directly hit by the fire, either killed or knocked out of the sky, causing massive casualties in an instant.


    And when the smoke from the artillery eventually began to clear, if one looked towards Kyle and the others, they would find they had long since vanished¡­!


    By the time Westwood used his indiscriminate attack to clear the battlefield, Kyle and his comrades had already broken through the last defense line with the cover of the artillery smoke and were heading unobstructed towards the Imperial Heavy Armored Ship formation!


    Realizing that Kyle and the others were no longer visible amidst the lingering smoke, the Imperial Army¡¯s response was rapid, with several squads instantly changing direction to pursue them.


    But at that moment, Clara, who was also in the high altitude alongside Westwood, suddenly dived down. Following swiftly, she flicked her Mana Whip, and with a snap, a streak over ten meters long was whipped out, blocking the pursuit of the Void Magic Squad that was chasing Kyle and the others!


    Like Westwood¡¯s, Clara¡¯s Armor had also undergone modifications. Originally, her Armor was named Combat Dancer, a model specially crafted for female warriors of the Fifth Generation Special Armor, outstanding in both speed and agility. After Westwood¡¯s modifications, the Combat Dancer Armor retained its speed and maneuverability but had its offensive power greatly enhanced, particularly its weapon, the whip she was now wielding.


    Initially, the Combat Dancer¡¯s weapon was a physical whip, over two meters long, but Clara had modified it. The solid whip was replaced with the current Mana Whip. With the powerful support of the Fifth Generation Special Armor¡¯s Mana, the Mana Whip was immensely potent and could extend over ten meters, creating an area of lethal effect when swung around.


    At that moment, Clara was doing just that, having extended the Mana Whip to its maximum length. In her wild swings, none of the surrounding enemies could get close to her, and the squad pursuing Kyle and the others was thus stopped in their tracks!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 473 - 437: Timidity

    Chapter 473: Chapter 437: Timidity


    As Clara and Westwood blocked the enemy¡¯s path, Kyle and the others finally broke through the layers of encirclement.


    Having broken through the encirclement of the Void Magic Corps, the pressure on Kyle and his team was greatly reduced, or perhaps, it was gone entirely, for what lay before them now was the Empire¡¯s Armored Ship Troops. It could be said that the path ahead was clear, and although there were numerous enemies behind them, they were held back by Clara and Westwood, so there was no need for concern. All they had to do was charge forward as fast as possible towards the Heavy Armored Ships.


    However, at the same time, as Kyle and his team¡¯s pressure was greatly alleviated, all the burdens were now on Clara and Westwood, who were responsible for covering the rear and desperately blocking the enemy¡¯s pursuit!


    In theory, the two of them had already completed their mission since their task was to create an opportunity for the squad to break out of the encirclement and temporarily block the enemies to allow the squad to shake off the pursuit.


    And Clara and Westwood had done just that.


    Westwood had emptied all his ammunition almost instantly in order to make a breakthrough for the squad, so that now, wearing his Heavy Armor, only the Magic Energy Cannons on his arms were operational, with no ammunition left for his other weapons.


    ...


    To enable the squad to elude the enemy¡¯s pursuit, Clara single-handedly held back several Void Magic Squads of the enemy. Although she only delayed them for a short time, and the enemy pursued them from other directions shortly afterward, she had created a perfect opportunity for Kyle and the others to break away from the chase.


    As all of Kyle¡¯s Armor was Special Armor with great speed, ordinary Void Magic Squads couldn¡¯t keep up at all, so after missing the first opportunity to chase, any effort from the enemies became meaningless.


    Yet, at the same time, after fulfilling these two objectives, both of them found themselves in grave danger!


    The two of them, having covered for Kyle and the rest in their breakout, were completely surrounded by the enemy. And every enemy around them now had a bloodthirsty look, as if a pack of wild beasts eyeing their prey¡­


    Having fought for so long, the enemy could have guessed Clara and Westwood¡¯s identities by now. Among the Alliance Army, the only team with the capability to break through the entire defensive line on their own in such combat was the Blue Crune!


    It was precisely because they¡¯d guessed their identities that the enemies surrounding them became so eager, for if they could kill a member of the Blue Crune on the battlefield, it would be a great feat even for a Void Magic Warrior of the Imperial Army!


    Hence, apart from the squads that went on the pursuit, the enemies surrounding Clara and Westwood suddenly turned their spears towards them!


    ¡°Look after yourself!¡±


    ¡°Like you need to tell me!¡±


    Realizing they were hungrily surrounded by the enemy, Clara and Westwood exchanged a word and then launched an attack!


    Without another word, Clara swung her Mana Whip, lashing it at the opposite squad.


    Her whip, whose power the enemy had already witnessed, was one that could tear armor and flesh alike, so when she lashed out, an entire squad instantly scattered.


    ¡°What are you doing! Don¡¯t scatter them all!¡±


    Seeing Clara scatter a squad with a single lash of her whip, Westwood, who was already flying above her head, cried out dissatisfied and then the Magic Energy Cannons on his arms fired directly! S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Westwood¡¯s Armor had given up close combat capabilities, and since he had emptied all his ammunition to cover his squad¡¯s breakout, the only weapons he was able to use at the moment were the two Magic Energy Cannons added to his arms.


    But don¡¯t ever underestimate these Magic Energy Cannons; there was a reason Westwood deliberately added them to the already weapon-rich Heavy Armor.


    Though small in size, the cannons¡¯ power was anything but insignificant. In fact, their firepower even exceeded that of a warship¡¯s standard Magic Energy Cannon. Without exaggeration, a single shot from these cannons could sink a Reconnaissance Ship, and if it hit a Void Magic Warrior directly, the power would be unimaginable.


    Indeed, as Westwood raised his arms and fired, the cannon barrels, as thick as his arms, emitted two thunderous booms. Two Mana Cannonballs were instantly launched, and the squads in their sights were hit by the explosions before they could even dodge, generating two massive balls of fire on the spot!


    The fire from the explosions enveloped the two squads, and several Void Magic Warriors fell from the sky because they didn¡¯t have time to activate their Defensive Nets. By the time the firelight had completely dissipated, the surviving Void Magic Warriors were all in disarray, covered in dust and ash.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that being many¡­ means you can beat a tiger!!¡±


    As the explosions gradually faded, Westwood, hovering high in the sky, let out a roar and then began to shoot left and right, unleashing one Mana Cannonball after another, his momentum appearing exceptionally ferocious.


    By contrast, the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors were markedly different.


    With no fewer than six or seven Void Magic Squads surrounding Clara and Westwood, not a single person dared to rashly advance despite their numerical superiority!


    Why?


    Because they were afraid!


    The Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors had thought that facing two enemies, even the infamous members of the Blue Crune, would be an easy capture, especially since they had so many people on their side!


    Unfortunately, the reality was completely different from what they had imagined. They quickly realized that when the gap in strength and equipment grows to a certain extent, even two people can be equal to a thousand troops!


    Therefore, faced with Clara and Westwood, the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors had developed a sense of fear. This is a major taboo on the battlefield, especially in combat between Void Magic Warriors, where it¡¯s a serious mistake to show fear before the fight has begun. It¡¯s as if they¡¯ve lost in spirit before the battle even starts, greatly affecting morale.


    In fact, this fear directly affected the subsequent fight. Afterward, Clara and Westwood, despite being heavily surrounded, kept launching attacks. The two were like tigers entering a sheepfold, charging and smashing through the encirclement, chasing and attacking the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors instead.


    The scene seemed unbelievable, but it indeed occurred. Clara and Westwood moved like Gods of Slaughter in the thick of the encirclement, darting and killing relentlessly. Under their onslaught, the surrounding Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors ran scared. Even as the leaders of each squad desperately commanded and tried to stabilize their troops¡¯ morale, it was to no avail, for the mentality of these ordinary warriors had completely crumbled.


    But just then, just as Clara and Westwood were slaughtering in all directions within the encirclement, Westwood, who kept firing with his Magic Energy Cannon, suddenly screamed and fell from the sky, headfirst!


    The abrupt turn of events left Clara, who was swinging her Mana Whip, completely stunned¡­


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 474 - 438 Ambush!

    Chapter 474: Chapter 438 Ambush!


    As the morale of the Empire¡¯s Void Magic Warriors collapsed, Clara and Westwood began to slaughter their way through the encirclement.


    This was clearly not a good sign, for the Alliance Army was not fighting alone. Besides Kyle and others who had broken through the defense line, the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Corps was also engaged in fierce battles with the enemy.


    Moreover, as the battle had raged on for so long, the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Warriors had already gained a clear advantage ¨C an advantage that was precisely established by the Fierce Tiger Squad!


    This might seem unbelievable ¨C a single squad affecting a huge battle involving thousands of Void Magic Warriors? Was this a joke?


    However, this was no joke. Not to mention anything else, just in their advance alone, the Fierce Tiger Squad had eliminated forty to fifty enemies, equating to a good four or five squads. In the context of the entire battlefield, four or five squads might not seem sufficient to affect the overall situation, but do not forget that Kyle had already led his team through the enemy lines and was now heading straight for the Armored Ship Troops.


    When this happened, the Imperial Army¡¯s troops were obviously thrown into chaos. On one hand, they immediately sent troops to pursue, while on the other, they dispatched forces to surround Clara and Westwood heavily. This meant that the Fierce Tiger Squad had not only eliminated four to five Void Magic Squads but also engaged over ten other teams in the aftermath. This had a significant impact on the battle.


    ...


    So when, on one hand, the Empire¡¯s Void Magic Corps was surrounding Clara and Westwood, and on the other, they were forced to divide their forces to pursue Kyle and the others, the Empire¡¯s troops in combat with the Alliance Army were notably fewer. The Alliance Army did not waste this opportunity, swiftly using their numerical advantage to secure victory.


    In other words, although Clara and Westwood were greatly outnumbered, they didn¡¯t actually need to kill all the enemies. They just needed to hold out until the main force arrived, and then they could rest easy.


    Clara and Westwood were well aware of what they needed to do. While they appeared to be aggressively attacking, they were actually using this aggressive stance to buy time, ensuring that as soon as the main force arrived, their perilous situation would be relieved.


    But at that moment, as they were cutting down enemies left and right, Westwood, who was bombarding from high above, suddenly screamed and plummeted from the sky!


    ¡°Westwood!¡±


    Upon seeing Westwood falling unexpectedly, Clara was shocked. With a swift lash of her whip, she wrapped it around him and with a powerful tug, pulled him back to safety.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright¡­¡±


    Caught by Clara¡¯s Mana Whip, Westwood barely avoided plunging to the ground. However, he quickly regained consciousness and then communicated through the comms: ¡°Be careful, there¡¯s a sniper!¡±


    Westwood¡¯s sudden fall wasn¡¯t due to his own error. For a Void Magic Warrior of his caliber, the word ¡®mistake¡¯ simply didn¡¯t exist. He had been ambushed!


    ¡°What!¡±


    Hearing this, Clara was startled. But before she could react, an Arrow Feather flew past her with a whoosh from behind!


    This sudden Arrow Feather, flying at extreme speed and with a tricky angle, left no time for a response. Westwood had been hit by such an arrow before, and even in his Heavy Armor, he had lost consciousness from the shot, indicating that the arrow was not only fast and cunning but also packed far more power than one could imagine!


    Now, the same kind of arrow was flying toward Clara!


    However, at that moment, Clara¡¯s quality and strength as an elite among elites, an ace among aces, was displayed. Without seeing who was attacking her, and totally unaware of where the attack was coming from, she relied solely on her sharp battle instincts to sidestep in an instant.


    This slight movement saved both her and Westwood¡¯s lives!


    For as she sidestepped, an arrow struck her shoulder and then instantly exploded upon her Armor, blasting both Clara, who had used the Mana Whip to bind Westwood, and Westwood himself into the air.


    Logically, this arrow should have struck Clara directly in the back, and judging by the explosive force produced just now, even if the arrow didn¡¯t pierce through her Armor, the blast alone would have been enough to knock her unconscious, just like what happened to Westwood earlier ¡ª plummeting straight from the sky!


    However, Clara¡¯s evasion at the critical moment saved both herself and Westwood. Although she too was hit, although she too was blasted away, it wasn¡¯t fatal.


    The aftermath of the explosion quickly dissipated, and Karina struggled to regain control of her posture before immediately looking around for the hidden enemy.


    Following her gaze, she found that there were far too many enemies around her; people were everywhere. So no matter how she searched, it was impossible to discern who was launching the covert attacks on her.


    But after watching for a while, she sensed something was amiss ¡ª why weren¡¯t the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors attacking her?!


    Observing the enemies around her, Clara suddenly realized that they had no intention of swarming her; it was as if the scene just now had stunned the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors as well.


    This isn¡¯t right¡­


    Something¡¯s off¡­!


    Realizing that the enemies around her weren¡¯t seizing the opportunity to attack, Clara felt that something was wrong. But just at that moment, a figure suddenly burst out from amongst the enemies, attacking her from behind with the speed of lightning!


    Damn it!


    Feeling the ill wind from behind, Clara immediately turned around. She was about to swing her whip when she remembered Westwood was still tied to it!


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me!¡±


    Thankfully, Westwood shouted just in time, and upon hearing him, Clara immediately loosened the whip that bound him, lashing out at the approaching enemy! sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, at the same moment she swung her whip, another Arrow Feather flew in from the side, striking her shoulder again!


    With a boom, the Arrow Feather hit Clara and exploded again, causing her to lose control of her body in an instant.


    It¡¯s over¡­


    In the midst of the explosion¡¯s impact, Clara tried to endure the intense pain and keep her balance as best as she could, but she realized it was impossible. At that point, she knew it was over for her because she could clearly see the figure that had darted out from the crowd was already upon her, the hand raised and the flash of cold light descending upon her!


    It¡¯s over¡­


    I¡¯m going to die here¡­


    As she was being blown away, and seeing the cold light rushing straight towards her, Clara closed her eyes, foreseeing her end as an already very strong warrior ¡ª to be cleaved from the sky!


    However, just at that moment, she suddenly felt someone catch her¡­ This prompted Clara to hurriedly open her eyes, and before she could see clearly who had saved her, she saw a giant Scythe horizontally in front of her!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 475 - 439: Formidable Opponent!!

    Chapter 475: Chapter 439: Formidable Opponent!!


    Facing a sudden ambush from both long and close range, Clara and Westwood were successively struck, with Westwood being shot directly out of the sky and Clara, even more unlucky, was nearly killed between the pincer attacks.


    However, just when she thought she was definitely going to die today, she suddenly found herself caught in someone¡¯s arms, and at the same time, the cold gleam that was about to strike her was blocked by a huge scythe!


    Realizing she had been rescued, Clara hurriedly looked back and naturally saw Rocky, who had arrived just in time!


    As mentioned earlier, when Kyle led the Fierce Tiger Squad forward, Rocky was gradually left behind. Alone, even though he wasn¡¯t in much danger within the large force, advancing as rapidly as Kyle and the others was impossible. There were simply too many people around; even if they stood still and let him kill them, he couldn¡¯t kill them all, not to mention that the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors each wanted his life.


    So for quite a long time, Rocky was engaged in a tough battle until the main force of the Alliance Army arrived and the situation began to improve slightly. As soon as the pressure eased, he immediately chased after the direction of the Fierce Tiger Squad.


    Of course, this move once again made him the target of many, but Rocky, relying on the strong capability of the White Demon Armor, forcefully carved a bloody path and broke through the enemy ranks by himself!


    ...


    It was an incredible coincidence that when Rocky broke into this position, he just happened to see Clara and Westwood being ambushed in succession, which led to the scene of rescuing Clara in the nick of time.


    After rescuing Clara, Rocky had no time to ask about her condition and immediately looked towards the opposite side, and then he saw a formidable Void Magic Warrior hovering in front of them.


    The person who had lunged at Clara and almost chopped her down in mid-air was this very individual!


    This person was wearing a set of shiny black Armor, unidentifiable in model, but the design and construction indicated it must be a fifth-generation Special Armor, and it was very likely individually modified, just like the Armor worn by Clara and Westwood.


    ¡°Be careful; it¡¯s the Imperial Knight Order!¡±


    At this time, Westwood had also recovered and flew over to Rocky and Clara¡¯s side.


    Previously, he had been shot without any preparedness, and the injury was indeed severe. He was stunned by the blast on the spot. Had it not been for Clara¡¯s quick reaction in using the Mana Whip to entangle him, he would likely have fallen directly while unconscious.


    Even though he had now recovered, his back Armor was extensively damaged, clearly from the explosion caused by that arrow. Not just him, Clara¡¯s Armor was also severely damaged; the Armor on her left shoulder was unrecognizable and completely destroyed, affecting her chest and back Armor to varying extents as well.


    And the enemy capable of reducing them to such a wretched state within the Imperial Army could only be one unit, the Imperial Knight Order, renowned alongside the Blue Crune!


    Imperial Knight Order. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This unit, though named the Knight Order, has nothing to do with knights. It¡¯s the sharpest bayonet of the Imperial Army, ready to do anything for victory. Thus, it¡¯s not surprising that they commit acts like ambushing from behind, despite their great prestige.


    Is that so?


    Indeed!


    The Black Armored Warrior appearing in front of Rocky and his two companions was actually a member of the Imperial Knight Order!


    In conflicts between top forces, especially on such a large scale, both the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire put forth all their strength. Thus, when the Sky Alliance dispatched the blue Crune, the Kafka Empire naturally sent its most elite troops, the Imperial Knight Order.


    Just like the Fierce Tiger Squad, members of the Imperial Knight Order had already entered the battlefield along with the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps, except they had not chosen to fight head-on like their counterparts.


    Just as the Fierce Tiger Squad had heard about the Imperial Knight Order, the Knight Order also knew that the blue Crune was the Alliance¡¯s most elite corps. Facing such high-level opponents on this scale of a battlefield meant that a confrontation would inevitably lead to a life-or-death situation. In such a scenario, no matter who won or lost, both sides would suffer significant casualties.


    Obviously, this was not the outcome the Imperial Knight Order wanted to see. So, when they saw the Fierce Tiger Squad advancing fiercely like tigers coming down the mountain, they chose to hide among the numerous ordinary Void Magic Warriors, like a venomous snake searching for an opportunity.


    When Kyle asked Clara and Westwood to stay behind to cover the retreat while he led the others to break through the enemy lines, the Imperial Knight Order found their chance!


    As mentioned before, Kyle led the others breaking the enemy lines, and Clara only held off the pursuing troops for a moment before letting the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Squad take up the chase. She believed that a brief delay was enough for Kyle and his team to distance themselves to where the pursuing squad could no longer catch up.


    But what she didn¡¯t know was that within the chasing squad, there was a Void Magic Squad from the Imperial Knight Order!


    And, similar to Kyle¡¯s choice, the captain of this squad also decided to split his forces, leaving two of his members behind on the battlefield. This strategy was simple: let these two members assassinate Clara and Westwood at the first opportunity, then regroup with the squad to create a numerical advantage.


    In a fight where the combatants are nearly equal in strength, having two additional warriors meant that the Imperial Knight Order was almost guaranteed to win.


    So, when Clara and Westwood were fiercely battling, the two left behind were actually hiding around them the entire time, even ordering nearby Imperial Army Void Magic Warriors not to attack, only to dodge. This was to make Clara and Westwood lower their guard. And, just when they had relaxed slightly, their opponents struck decisively, nearly succeeding in killing Clara and Westwood without giving them any chance to resist!


    Really, it was just by a hair¡ªif Rocky hadn¡¯t suddenly appeared, Clara and Westwood would truly be dead by now.


    But, Rocky did appear!


    His appearance was something the Imperial Knight Order had not anticipated, and it was precisely because of his arrival that a fatal situation was averted.


    Even so, despite the surprise, the Void Magic Warriors from the Imperial Knight Order still performed quite solidly.


    Facing Rocky, Clara, and Westwood, the opposing Black Armored Warrior showed no sign of fear, and even switched his long sword to his other hand. He then freed up one hand and pointed at the three of them, curling his finger in a taunting gesture¡­!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 476 - 440: The Chase!

    Chapter 476: Chapter 440: The Chase!


    Facing Rocky, Clara, and Westwood, the Black Armored Warrior not only showed no fear, but also hooked his finger at the three of them, actually provoking them!


    ¡°Don¡¯t fall for it!¡±


    However, in response to this provocation, Clara immediately said through the communicator, ¡°There¡¯s someone else in the shadows, he¡¯s drawing our attention!¡±


    As a member of the Blue Crune, Clara¡¯s quality was indeed high, and she saw through the enemy¡¯s trick at a glance!


    At this moment, the reason why the Black Armored Warrior still appeared confident even against the three of them, even going so far as to provoke them, was actually to draw attention so that they would focus on him, thereby creating an opportunity for the hidden Sniper!


    In fact, from the attacks just now, the Sniper hiding in the dark using a longbow for sneak attacks was the most dangerous enemy. The Sniper¡¯s arrows were too cunning, and their power was also too great; once the enemy found another opportunity, someone among Clara and Westwood was likely to be shot dead with a single arrow!


    ...


    That was why Clara immediately warned the others, and her warning was obviously meant for Rocky to hear.


    Westwood is a member of the Fierce Tiger Squad; he absolutely wouldn¡¯t fall for such a vile performance. Clara feared that Rocky, in the heat of the moment, would fall for the enemy¡¯s trap, after all, the strength of Rocky and the White Demon Armor were evident, which could easily lead to recklessness.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Hearing Clara¡¯s words, Rocky responded, and without waiting for him to speak, Clara¡¯s voice came again through the communicator:


    ¡°Rocky, can you find the other person?¡±


    ¡°I can, but you two¡­¡±


    Rocky was of course aware that the other enemy hidden in the shadows was the most dangerous. He believed that he could definitely locate the enemy with the help of the White Demon Armor. However, he wasn¡¯t sure if Clara and Westwood could hold off the Black Armored Warrior if he left.


    It goes without saying that the abilities of these two were exceptional, but they had both been fighting from the start until now without stopping. What¡¯s more important was that both were injured, meaning both they and their Armor were in very poor condition. If he left, Rocky truly feared they might die at the hands of the Black Armored Warrior.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us.¡±


    This time, Westwood replied, ¡°Rocky, find the other person. Don¡¯t worry about us.¡±


    Among the three, Westwood was in the worst condition, but he was also the most resolute.


    With that settled, Rocky said no more. They were on the battlefield, where there was no room for hesitation or overthinking. So after deciding on the next move, they immediately focused their attention on the Black Armored Warrior and charged out together!


    Like three shooting stars, they instantly rushed at the Black Armored Warrior. Clara and Westwood were on the left and right, with Rocky in the center, his speed being the fastest. Almost instantly upon accelerating, he had surpassed Clara and Westwood and pounced in front of the Black Armored Warrior.


    As he approached, Rocky raised his Scythe for a vertical slash. The Scythe, with its chilling radiance, came down from above the enemy¡¯s head instantly. If this strike hit its mark, it would be the end of the battle, and the enemy would inevitably be split in two. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But would it really be that easy?


    Although members of the Imperial Knight Order had been secretly observing the Fierce Tiger Squad, they certainly hadn¡¯t overlooked Rocky¡¯s presence.


    First, because Rocky¡¯s performance in battle was in no way inferior to that of the Fierce Tiger Squad. If one were to discuss individual capability and personal battle achievements alone, Rocky¡¯s performance was even more impressive¡ªso it was impossible for him to go unnoticed.


    Second, the renown of the White Demon Armor was simply too high. When Rocky was rampaging across the battlefield, the members of the Imperial Knight Order had long recognized who he truly was. Moreover, the Imperial Army had collected intelligence from various sources, especially from the Rebel Army, and was well aware of Rocky¡¯s background.


    Under these circumstances, facing the descending Scythe, the Black Armored Warrior knew he couldn¡¯t just take the hit; otherwise, he would be admitting defeat. Yet despite knowing he couldn¡¯t withstand the attack head-on, his movements remained calm and composed. As the Scythe reached his head, he slightly shifted his figure and with a whoosh, the blade narrowly missed his black Armor, leaving him completely unscathed!


    Then in an instant, right when the Scythe failed to hit its mark, the Black Armored Warrior suddenly accelerated. In the blink of an eye, he closed in on Rocky, flipped his sword upside-down, and swung his arm directly at Rocky¡¯s neck!


    The difference between an expert and an amateur is immediately obvious when they make their move.


    With just one exchange, the Black Armored Warrior had proven that the Imperial Knights¡¯ strength was definitely no less than that of Crune in blue, and certainly not less than Rocky¡¯s.


    His timing of defense and attack was simply too precise, showcasing rich combat experience in a single round.


    His subsequent responses were also impeccable.


    The Magic Fang Scythe was a typical long-range weapon with great power and wide range¡ªit was at this moment the Black Armored Warrior, having dodged the attack, immediately chose to close in. As a result, at close quarters and especially in tight melee combat, the effectiveness of the Magic Fang Scythe was greatly reduced, and Rocky¡¯s advantage was difficult to exploit.


    Moreover, as he approached Rocky to launch his attack, Clara and Westwood¡¯s support were also greatly hindered.


    Clara used a whip, which was similarly a long-range weapon. Facing the two entangled in close combat, she struggled to find a good opportunity to strike. Westwood was even less to mention. He now only had a pair of Magic Energy Cannons to use, and unfortunately, the Magic Energy Cannon was an area effect weapon. A blast would surely harm Rocky as well.


    So, while Rocky fought the enemy in close quarters, Clara could occasionally find the chance to lash out with her whip, but Westwood was completely unable to fire his cannons and could only watch anxiously.


    It was at this moment when the three of them were locked in combat with the Black Armored Warrior, far away from them, someone had silently drawn their longbow. After a moment of aiming, an arrow was shot forth!


    The Arrow Feather took off with incredible speed and seemed to have eyes of its own. It flew past countless impediments, threading through the slightest gap generated by the Void Magic Warriors with precise accuracy, and headed straight for Westwood¡¯s back.


    A moment later, the Arrow Feather arrived silently right behind Westwood.


    ¡°Here it comes!¡±


    And just then, just as the arrow was about to strike, Westwood suddenly spun around. As he shouted, he shielded his chest with his hands, and boom¡ªa loud explosion sounded and he was blown away.


    Also at that very moment, as he entangled with the Black Armored Warrior, Rocky suddenly leapt upwards, rocketing into the sky. He immediately made a sharp turn, moving at the highest speed towards the direction the Arrow Feather had come from!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 477 - 441 Searching for a Needle in the Ocean

    Chapter 477: Chapter 441 Searching for a Needle in the Ocean


    When Rocky and the Black Armored Warriors were entangled in a fight, another member of the Imperial Knight Order hidden in the shadows wasn¡¯t idle either. This person had been waiting for the right moment and decisively shot a lethal arrow when the opportunity arose!


    However, as if the arrow had been expected all along, it not only failed to kill Westwood, but it even caused Rocky to chase in the direction from which the Arrow Feather had come!


    Rocky and his team had indeed been prepared for this arrow. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that they had been waiting for it all along, including their engagement with the Black Armored Warriors, which was all for the sake of drawing out this arrow.


    If one thought about it carefully, they would see the problem¡ªfor instance, why was Rocky taking the lead when they fought with the Black Armored Warriors?


    This might seem normal at first glance. Clara and Westwood were both injured, and Rocky was in the best condition. Among the three, the White Demon Armor was also the strongest, so it made sense for him to be the main attacker.


    But that wasn¡¯t really the case, because in such a situation, the White Demon Armor wasn¡¯t suitable for entanglement with the enemy. This became apparent from the outcome¡ªonce the Black Armored Warriors got close, the Magic Fang Scythe¡¯s power was greatly reduced, unable to exhibit its overwhelming effect.


    ...


    Therefore, under normal circumstances, it should have been Clara who entangled with the enemy. Although she could hardly exert herself when approached closely with her Mana Whip, as long as Rocky was nearby, even the slightest opportunity would allow the Magic Fang Scythe to strike lethally and eliminate the Black Armored Warrior completely.


    Yet they didn¡¯t do so. Such a mistake could be understood if it were just Rocky alone, but if it occurred among all three of them, it appeared very odd. After all, both Clara and Westwood were not only strong, but also highly tactical; they wouldn¡¯t make such tactical errors.


    The reason for such actions was to create a vulnerability for another enemy!


    Clara and Westwood understood that for the two members of the Imperial Knight Order, they were no longer considered a threat. The real danger was only Rocky. If Rocky was looking for an opportunity on the side, then the enemy hidden in the shadows would absolutely not make a move unless absolutely necessary. So they made Rocky take the lead and acted as bait themselves to lure the enemy into attacking. As soon as the enemy attacked, they would inevitably expose themselves momentarily, and then it would be up to Rocky¡¯s ability.


    In achieving this, Clara and Westwood could be said to have been risking their own lives. The hidden Sniper was already strong, and with both in such poor condition, the slightest mistake could mean not just serving as bait but sending themselves to death.


    And looking at the final result, Westwood, who was targeted, indeed came very close to death. Although he had been vigilant all along and had a premonition just before the surprise attack, he still couldn¡¯t dodge it. He only managed to turn at the last moment, using the heavily armored front to block the arrow, yet he was still blown away.


    But likewise, as he was blown away, Rocky shot up into the sky and flew toward the direction the Arrow Feather had come from.


    His takeoff also showed everyone a thing or two, stunning everyone present. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Westwood was hit by the arrow, Rocky was in combat with a Black Armored Warrior. But at the exact moment Westwood was shot, he suddenly accelerated, instantly pushing the Armor¡¯s speed to its limit and soaring into the sky, his speed so fast that the Black Armored Warrior he was fighting couldn¡¯t react.


    And after soaring into the sky, right in front of everyone, Rocky suddenly changed direction at a right angle, then disappeared in an instant¡­


    This scene left Clara, Westwood, and the Black Armored Warrior dumbfounded and in disbelief.


    The three of them were all wearing Fifth-Generation Armor and had undergone special modifications. Even so, they had to admit that they were utterly incapable of performing such a maneuver.


    First, they couldn¡¯t possibly increase the speed of their Armor to maximum in an instant from a stationary state like Rocky did. This type of instant acceleration had surpassed the limits of Fifth Generation Armor, and no matter how much they modified it, it was impossible to achieve.


    Second, it was impossible for them to perform a right-angle change in direction while maintaining their speed, just like Rocky did.


    Just think about it, maintaining speed and then suddenly making a right-angle turn, such a maneuver didn¡¯t even need to be seen firsthand; just thinking about it was enough to realize it only existed in theory. In reality, it was simply unachievable, but Rocky managed it effortlessly, as if it were normal flight.


    This left everyone stunned, leading to one question in everyone¡¯s mind: What on earth was Rocky wearing?


    Oh no!


    However, after a moment of shock, the Black Armored Warrior cursed inwardly and immediately followed in Rocky¡¯s direction!


    He now understood the intentions of Rocky and his two companions, knowing that Rocky must be going to find his teammate. This realization sent a shock through him.


    As a member of the Imperial Knight Order, the Black Armored Warrior knew the capabilities of his comrades all too well. Just as Clara understood that Westwood¡¯s Armor lacked close-combat capability, the Black Armored Warrior was acutely aware that his teammate, concealed in the shadows, would not be able to withstand Rocky¡¯s assault!


    His teammate was a skilled Sniper, of that there was no doubt, but everyone has their specialties. In the Fierce Tiger Squad, Westwood was responsible for firepower. The Black Armored Warrior¡¯s teammate was only adept in long-range sniping. If an enemy, especially one with the mobility of Rocky, got close, it was all over.


    So as soon as Rocky charged out, the Black Armored Warrior followed suit.


    But just as he started to move, Clara¡¯s whip arrived!


    With a flick of Clara¡¯s arm, the Mana Whip cracked out, forcing the Black Armored Warrior to dodge and then getting tangled up in it.


    Charging at the enemy, Clara waved her Mana Whip continuously. In her hands, the Mana Whip seemed to come alive, changing length and moving with extreme agility, more like a spirited snake than a whip.


    Observing the Black Armored Warrior faced with Clara¡¯s attack, his response was quite good, but he inevitably got caught up in it. More importantly, as Clara made her move, Westwood, who had no close-combat ability, also charged in and unexpectedly joined the battle. This made it virtually impossible for the Black Armored Warrior to pursue Rocky.


    It was exactly because of this that Rocky was completely freed. Of course, his burden was not light, for he had to find the enemy who kept taking potshots at them in the shortest possible time.


    But how easy could that be?


    In such a chaotic and turbulent battlefield, finding one person was like looking for a needle in a haystack¡­!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 478 - 442 Exposure

    Chapter 478: Chapter 442 Exposure


    By this point in the battle, both the Alliance Army and the Imperial Army were chaotically intertwined, having fully engaged in the most intense and brutal close-quarter combat.


    All of the Void Magic Warriors from both armies were mixed together, their formations long since disrupted, to say nothing of squads that had been scattered in the confusion of the melee.


    Therefore, when Rocky followed the direction from which the cold arrows had come, his vision was filled with people¡ªenemies and allies alike. In such a situation, it was difficult for him to even distinguish who was who, let alone locate the Sniper hidden in the shadows.


    Left with no choice, he had to slow down his pace, then constantly look around, scrutinizing everyone nearby as best he could.


    As for the target he sought, he had no clues, but Rocky did know that if his target was a member of the Imperial Knight Order, then they definitely wouldn¡¯t be wearing ordinary Armor. It couldn¡¯t be the Mass Production Type; it had to be Special Armor, likely modified in the same manner as the Fierce Tiger Squad¡¯s equipment.


    This narrowed down his objectives somewhat; any enemy wearing Mass-produced Armor was not his target, only those in Special Armor could potentially be the Sniper.


    ...


    Afterward, he weaved through the crowd while activating his magic energy detector, using it to observe everyone around him and look for their vulnerabilities.


    With the magic energy detector in use, everything before Rocky took on a different appearance. It was as if he were viewing the world with thermal imaging¡ªeveryone around him was shaded in red to varying degrees of intensity.


    The stronger the red, the higher the Mana contained within the Armor, and the weaker the red, the lower the Mana. Along with his earlier deductions, all the weaker red glows represented Mass-Produced Armor and were not his intended targets.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    As Rocky was weaving through the battlefield, suddenly, a Void Magic Warrior lunged at him from the side, his sword slashing down at him.


    At that moment, with everyone engaged in the melee, some enemies naturally perceived him as a target as well.


    And coincidentally, just then, Rocky noticed an abnormally intense red glow in the distance. Judging by the intensity of the glow, the Armor¡¯s Mana had to be at least ten thousand points to elicit such a strong reaction from the magic energy detector!


    Ten thousand points of Mana¡ªthat was the mark of top Armor. Even among the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Corps, ordinary squad leaders could not afford such top Armor; only members of the Fierce Tiger Squad were privileged to wear it.


    It was him!


    Realizing that his quarry possessed such a high level of Mana, Rocky immediately understood this was the person he was searching for, so he had no time to bother with the enemy charging at him. He accelerated instantly, disappearing with a whoosh.


    Seeing him approach at great speed, the targeted individual immediately took off, weaving through the countless people around and fleeing into the distance.


    Indeed, the target Rocky was chasing was the very enemy he was seeking!


    This person wore a set of blue Armor, almost the same color as the sky, a natural camouflage that made it exceedingly difficult to spot against the sky.


    At the same time, this person was also wielding a longbow¡ªclearly custom-made, imposing in size, with a length close to two meters. It was a truly large bow, capable of shooting powerful Arrow Feathers with immense force and range.


    And when this person realized that Rocky had noticed him and was rapidly closing in, he didn¡¯t hesitate to flee immediately.


    But just as the Black Armored Warrior had expected, how could he possibly escape from Rocky?


    In the realm of speed, the White Demon Armor was famously formidable, especially after the latest round of modifications and enhancements, unless it was the Fifth and a Half Generation Holy Angel Armor, no other armors of the day could guarantee superiority over the White Demon in terms of speed.


    In such circumstances, Rocky had crossed half the battlefield in the blink of an eye. Although the many combatants around him forced him to slow his pace while dodging and weaving, he still easily caught up with the Sniper.


    One minute?


    Less than a minute later, the Sniper who was frantically fleeing cast a glance back only to see Rocky¡¯s figure; he had been tightly pursued by Rocky!


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Realizing he had been caught by Rocky, the Sniper reacted extremely quickly. Knowing he could not shake off Rocky, he turned around and shot an arrow without hesitation!


    Indeed, as a warrior of the Imperial Knight Order, his reaction and judgment were impeccable. Upon realizing he could not escape the pursuit, he seized the opportunity to counterattack before Rocky could close in to a dangerous distance.


    The Sniper, who was originally fleeing at great speed, immediately spun around. As he turned, he had already drawn his longbow and then fired an arrow.


    With a whoosh, a Magic Energy Arrow shot out. The arrow¡¯s speed was so fast that it seemed like a line, streaking straight through the air towards Rocky.


    Faced with this strike, Rocky did not dare to be careless. While maintaining his speed, he immediately twisted his body, narrowly brushing past the Arrow Feather.


    ¡°Not bad¡­¡±


    Seeing that he had dodged his arrow, the Sniper also had to secretly admire him. Rocky had been rapidly closing in, so his reaction time to the arrow was extremely short. To dodge accurately in such circumstances without slowing down was enough to attest to Rocky¡¯s strength.


    However, it was precisely when the Sniper was secretly admiring his opponent that he had already drawn his longbow a second time and promptly shot another arrow!


    This arrow, even larger than the last one, did not slow down at all and arrived in front of Rocky in the blink of an eye.


    Yet with the experience from the last shot, Rocky directly twisted his body, performing an evasive maneuver before the Arrow Feather could reach him.


    But at that moment, the Magic Energy Arrow that should have narrowly missed him suddenly exploded, and instead of producing an explosion, it disintegrated into countless tiny Magic Energy Beams that scattered in all directions like a goddess spreading flowers. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not good!


    Upon seeing the Magic Energy Arrow explode prematurely and the subsequent disintegration into numerous Magic Energy Beams, Rocky realized that he had been duped. The opponent had clearly anticipated his move, hence the alteration to the Magic Energy Arrow. Regretfully, it was too late for him to evade or deploy his defense, resulting in him being hit by the scattered Magic Energy Beams in the next instant!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 479 - 443: Opportunities Galore

    Chapter 479: Chapter 443: Opportunities Galore


    To become a member of the Imperial Knight Order was to be the ace of aces, and to hold a particular position within the Order¡¯s Void Magic Squad meant that your skills had reached their peak. The Sniper that Rocky was pursuing was just such an individual!


    Don¡¯t be fooled by his mere title of Sniper, for once Rocky caught up to him, his death was certain; but catching up was no easy feat, even though Rocky had dragged him out of the battlefield.


    Facing Rocky¡¯s pursuit, the Sniper chose to make a desperate counterattack before being dragged into a dangerous distance and immediately halted Rocky¡¯s approach.


    As the Magic Energy Arrows exploded before his eyes, Rocky was struck by several Magic Energy Beams. Though the White Demon Armor offered very strong defense, so even a direct hit wasn¡¯t much of a hindrance, he was still hit and unavoidably suffered a brief slowdown in speed.


    And that pause gave the enemy an opportunity! Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the Magic Energy Beams finally dissipated and Rocky looked towards the Sniper again, he saw his opponent had turned midair, already having drawn his longbow!


    ...


    Then, he watched as his enemy rapidly pulled the bowstring, shooting countless arrows towards him in an instant!


    Trouble!


    Seeing this series of actions from the opponent, Rocky knew, trouble was at hand!


    When it came to experience in battling Archers, Rocky had plenty, for Dusa was an extraordinarily talented Sharpshooter. In the Void Magic Squad of Thunderhawk City, Dusa held a position very similar to the enemy before him. Therefore, as soon as he saw the Sniper¡¯s actions, Rocky knew what the enemy was intending to do.


    Indeed, in the next moment, countless Magic Energy Arrows flew at him like raindrops. Not only were there many of these Arrow Feathers, but their density was like a large net, instantly enveloping Rocky, leaving him no space to dodge.


    In such a situation, a regular Void Magic Warrior would instinctively deploy a Defensive Net, since shooting so many Magic Energy Arrows in an instant meant that, although there were many, their power couldn¡¯t be great, and basically, any specialized Armor could block them.


    But at the same time, this was like falling into a trap, because opening a Defensive Net was akin to a passive defense. It might seem like you¡¯ve blocked the attack, but in reality, it gives the enemy the chance to launch even stronger attacks. And once a Sniper finds more opportunities, it¡¯s game over as you fall completely into passivity.


    Having practiced frequently with Dusa, Rocky was very clear about the opponent¡¯s intentions, and thus he didn¡¯t choose passive defense. Instead, as the sky-full of Magic Energy Arrows came at him, he leapt up taking advantage of his speed and spatial superiority to swiftly circle around, closing in on the enemy from another direction at high velocity.


    This move caused the Sniper to pause briefly, clearly not expecting him to react so calmly and composedly, and so he quickly pivoted, drawing his longbow once again.


    This time, the Sniper did not shoot out a large number of Magic Energy Arrows like before. He knew such tricks wouldn¡¯t stop Rocky. This time when he drew his longbow again, there were three swooshing sounds as he drew the bow three times in succession, shooting three arrows almost in the blink of an eye!


    The three arrows varied in Magic Energy intensity, speed, and even the angles at which they flew. Although they all seemed to be heading straight for Rocky, they actually attacked from three different angles.


    Impressive!


    Rocky noted the three Magic Energy Arrows flying towards him at different speeds and angles and mentally gave a thumbs-up. It seemed the reputation of the Imperial Knight Order was well-deserved; a sniper, and under almost close-combat conditions, could still be so formidable. This was not something just anyone could achieve.


    Afterward, he immediately started to spiral through the air, making every possible evasive maneuver.


    With a whoosh, the fastest Magic Energy Arrow flew past him, but before Rocky could feel relieved, an explosion sounded behind him. The arrow that had grazed him not only exploded but also generated a very strong shockwave.


    As the shockwave hit, Rocky understood the enemy¡¯s intention. Due to the shockwave¡¯s impact, he, flying at high speed, inevitably was affected slightly, which caused a minor deviation in his path.


    But in a duel of this level, even the slightest deviation could be deadly!


    In just the blink of an eye, Rocky was struck by an arrow!


    This arrow was not supposed to hit him, as Rocky had adjusted his body to dodge the second arrow while evading the first. Normally, he should have been able to avoid it, but the shockwave from the first arrow affected his movement, resulting in the second arrow grazing the shoulder of his White Demon Armor, followed by two explosions.


    The sniper had fired three arrows at varying speeds and angles. The first arrow was the fastest, but the second and third arrows traveled nearly at the same speed. So when Rocky was hit by the second arrow, the third arrow also struck him, and then both Magic Energy Arrows exploded simultaneously.


    The combined force of the two Magic Energy Arrows exploding together was immense, causing Rocky to lose control of his body amidst the blasts. Although this loss of control was brief, it provided the sniper with even more opportunities!


    As Rocky was blown away mid-air, his body momentarily out of control, the sniper seized a rare chance, and without wasting it, appeared to slowly but swiftly draw his longbow, then gathered a massive Magic Energy Arrow!


    This arrow, rather than being called an arrow, was more like a long spear, exceeding two meters in length, and paired with the sniper¡¯s gigantic longbow, it was clear that this was his killer strike!


    Just as the sniper had gathered this giant Magic Energy Arrow, Rocky finally regained control over his body, but when he looked at the enemy, especially seeing such a huge arrow aimed at him, he was taken aback!


    The next second, he reacted, instantly ejecting more than a dozen Smoke Grenades from the back of his armor, concealing himself in smoke within moments.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    There was no denying Rocky¡¯s swift response, but faced with layers of smoke, the sniper let out a cold laugh and immediately activated his magic energy detector.


    With the magic energy detector on, the smoke before his eyes vanished instantly!


    However, after this, the sniper was stunned, as he found there were no magic energy reactions within the smoke¡­!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 480 - 444 Rapid Support

    Chapter 480: Chapter 444 Rapid Support


    Watching Rocky use a smoke grenade to hide himself, the sniper, who had been ready to strike, sneered. To him, such a reaction was decent, but the tactic was too elementary, because what he was wearing wasn¡¯t mass-produced armor¡ªit was the Fifth Generation Special Armor, and all Special Armors of the Fifth Generation came equipped with magic energy detectors!


    So he immediately activated the magic energy detector and looked toward the smoke.


    However, he didn¡¯t see Rocky¡¯s figure!


    As the magic energy detector was turned on, everything before the sniper¡¯s eyes changed. The smoke that had enveloped Rocky had disappeared, and the surrounding Void Magic Warriors turned into jumping red dots, but among those red dots, especially within the smoke, there was no Rocky!


    How was that possible?!


    Seeing no strong magic energy reaction before him, the sniper was momentarily stunned. In his mind, it was simply impossible that the White Demon Armor¡ªof such a high caliber¡ªwhose contained mana couldn¡¯t possibly go undetected by the magic energy detector!


    ...


    Oh no!


    After a moment of shock, the sniper immediately realized what was happening and cursed inwardly.


    It¡¯s the blocking coating!


    Realizing that Rocky had disappeared in front of the magic energy detector, the sniper quickly understood that the White Demon Armor must have been coated with an invisibility coating!


    The so-called invisibility coating was a special layer added to the outer surface of the armor. Its only function was to block the magic energy detector, making any armor with this coating invisible to it, as the detector couldn¡¯t sense the armor¡¯s magic energy signature!


    Realizing this, the sniper immediately shut down the magic energy detector, and when his vision returned to normal, he saw the White Demon Armor already charging at him, with the Magic Fang Scythe raised in hand!


    With one smooth motion, Rocky didn¡¯t hesitate to bring the scythe down. The sharp blade sliced along the sniper¡¯s head and within the blink of an eye, cleaved him in two!


    In that instant, as the cold flash crossed, Rocky and the sniper were as if frozen in midair. This still image resumed motion after a few breaths, and then the sniper burst apart like an explosion; his body split in two, blood spraying out in a mist, and his remains, together with the shattered armor, fell through the blood cloud.


    Watching the sniper fall with his own eyes, Rocky immediately changed direction, paying no heed to the surrounding combat, and headed straight toward Clara and Westwood.


    Although his engagement with the sniper was brief and there weren¡¯t many exchanges, Rocky had already deeply felt the strength of the Imperial Knight Order. The battle before was a one-on-one duel with an enemy! Remember, during the duel, the sniper barely had any melee capabilities, the White Demon Armor excelled in mobility and speed and was superior to the enemy in almost every aspect, but it still took him an enormous effort to defeat his foe. Just imagine, what if the battle hadn¡¯t been a duel, but instead, there were others assisting the sniper? What would the result have been?


    If that had been the case, Rocky couldn¡¯t even guarantee his own victory!


    This couldn¡¯t help but make him worry about Clara and Westwood¡¯s situation.


    Although there were two of them, their condition was very poor. Even in a two-against-one, they might not stand a chance against the Black Armored Warrior. He needed to go assist them right away.


    So after that, Rocky accelerated at full power and flew back to his previous position within a few minutes, then he let out a sigh of relief.


    When Rocky saw Clara and Westwood, he found them battling with the surrounding ordinary Void Magic Warriors, with no sign of the Black Armored Warriors from before. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Had they been killed?


    Or had they been defeated?


    Neither, the Black Armored Warriors had fled.


    Although Rocky had hastened to join Clara and Westwood immediately after killing the Sniper, at the very moment the Sniper was killed, the Black Armored Warrior knew what had happened, so he immediately disengaged from the battle.


    His choice was undoubtedly the right one, because although Clara and Westwood weren¡¯t in good shape, they were nonetheless members of the Blue Crune, not the kind of characters one could easily defeat, even if they were not at their best. If Rocky were to join them, the Black Armored Warrior was sure he would be slain, so he made a decisive decision to flee, heading for the Armored Ship Troops that weren¡¯t far off.


    ¡°Rocky, don¡¯t worry about us,¡±


    Clara, who was fighting other enemies, immediately said to Rocky when she saw him arrive, ¡°Go support the captain!¡±


    There was no need for further explanation; the moment the Black Armored Warrior fled, Clara and Westwood knew Rocky had been successful, for otherwise the enemy would not have retreated in such a hurry.


    Once the Black Armored Warrior had gone, Clara and Westwood were essentially no longer in danger. Despite facing so many enemies at the moment, their ability to defend themselves was still there. The priority wasn¡¯t about them but about reaching the Armored Ship Troops ahead of the Fierce Tiger Squad to launch an attack.


    Since the Imperial Knight Order had already been deployed, Kyle and his team¡¯s hopes of threatening the Armored Ship Troops on their own were dashed. Both the Blue Crune and the Imperial Knight Order were among the finest Void Magic Corps, thus Kyle and his team would not be able to wreak havoc unimpeded by the Knight Order.


    Therefore, Rocky¡¯s foremost mission now was to reinforce the squad, as his addition in the midst of evenly matched forces could prove critical in determining the victor!


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky didn¡¯t hesitate, agreed with a shout, and immediately flew towards the distant fleet!


    In fact, Rocky was even more anxious than Clara because, given the previous situation, the Imperial Knight Order¡¯s style was extremely ruthless, even to the point of being unscrupulous. The enemy might very well be planning to ambush Kyle and the others just as they had Clara and Westwood. If that were the case, the other members of the Fierce Tiger Squad were in danger; after all, they were up against the Imperial Knight Order!


    In such a situation, he unhesitatingly sped up and flew toward the Armored Ship Troops that were now not far away.


    And at this time, as Rocky and the others fought with all their might, the entire battlefield, in fact, was ablaze with intense fighting.


    As the respective Void Magic Squads began to engage and clash violently, their main forces were also exchanging heavy fire. Indeed, during this process, the Imperial Army¡¯s heavy armored fleet formation was still advancing at the highest speed towards the Alliance Army, and under Wilton¡¯s command, the Alliance Army was making continuous formation changes. Therefore, the battlefield had long since changed from its initial state.


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 481 03-25 - 445 Encirclement and Counter-Encirclement

    Chapter 481: Chapter 445 Encirclement and Counter-Encirclement


    In this great battle, the battlefield where Rocky was stationed was only a part of the larger conflict. In fact, while they were fighting with intensity, the main battlefield was equally ablaze with combat.


    Facing the onslaught of the heavy-armored-ship troops, which showed no sign of stopping, Wilton led the Alliance Army in a series of responses. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    First, the battleship fleet he personally commanded continued to maintain the offensive. The Alliance¡¯s battleships, with their ultra-long-range cannons, constantly bombarded the approaching heavy-armored ships. Although the effect wasn¡¯t very good, dozens of heavy-armored ships had already been sunk by the continual shelling.


    Secondly, while he personally held the front line, he also issued a new order for the Alliance Army¡¯s second echelon to strike out!


    The Alliance Army was composed of three echelons, with the main force being the battleship fleet. Among the other two echelons, one was primarily made up of patrol cruisers. Although patrol cruisers are one level below battleships, their strength is by no means weaker, and this troop had now been deployed as well.


    At Wilton¡¯s command, a large force of eight hundred patrol cruisers surged into action, rushing into the battlefield at tremendous speed!


    ...


    The patrol cruisers were smaller in rank, firepower, and size compared to battleships, but they were many times faster. This was normal, but the speed of the patrol cruiser fleet that burst onto the battlefield at this moment was incredibly fast ¡ªunbelievably so!


    Once this force was in motion, it flanked the leading Imperial Army¡¯s heavy-armored ships. Although they¡¯d set off later than Wilton¡¯s battleship fleet, they soon overtook the battleship formation, beginning to envelop the enemy from the side.


    High-Speed Patrol Space Ship.


    If the Kafka Empire had its great trump card in the heavy-armored ships, the Sky Alliance¡¯s ace in the hole was this incredibly fast-moving patrol cruiser fleet.


    The cruisers that made up this fleet were the unique High-Speed Patrol Space Ships of the Sky Alliance. These ships were incredibly fast, their cruising speed in space was on par with destroyers, known for speed, yet their firepower and armor far exceeded that of destroyers. They were not only stronger than destroyers but even compared to regular patrol cruisers in every aspect, the High-Speed Patrol Space Ships were not the least bit weaker, yet they far outpaced them in speed.


    This type of warship technology was unique to the Sky Alliance, and it also created this distinct fleet¡ªthe very one before us now.


    Clearly, Wilton deployed this fleet with the intention of using their speed advantage to surround the Imperial Army swiftly!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï


    The Imperial Army¡¯s heavy-armored ships might be strong, but if the Imperial Army thought that just this troop alone could leave the Alliance Army helpless, they greatly underestimated both the Sky Alliance and Wilton.


    The reason Wilton was eager to deploy the Void Magic Corps beforehand was partly indeed to use the Void Magic Warriors to stop the heavy-armored ships, but equally, this move was also a trap.


    After the Void Magic Corps engaged, the focus of the great battle temporarily centered on the Void Magic Warriors of both sides. However, during this time, the battleship fleets of the Alliance Army and the heavy-armored ship troops of the Imperial Army had been steadily closing in on each other.


    And once they got within a certain distance, Wilton decisively dispatched the patrol cruiser fleet, using the speed advantage of his cruisers to surround the Imperial Army in a very short time, thereby creating a situation of attacking outnumbered enemy forces.


    It was previously noted that although the Imperial Army dispatched a heavy-armored ship troop as vanguard, two more formations flanked it on either side. Clearly, the plan was to have these two formations deliver fatal blows after the heavy-armored ships disrupted the Alliance formation.


    But now, because the High-Speed Patrol Space Ships were just too fast, when they flanked the Imperial Army, the enemy could not adjust its formation in time. As a result, the Imperial Army¡¯s army, advancing in a perfect triangle formation, faced the predicament where the frontal heavy-armored ships could attack Wilton¡¯s battleship fleet, but of the two flanking troops, only one could confront the patrol cruisers. The other, unable to adjust its formation in time, could do nothing!


    One must understand that although the forces deployed by both sides in this battle were roughly equal, the Alliance Army had only formed three echelons, each with about a thousand warships, while the Imperial Army had four echelons. Although they had one more echelon, each echelon had significantly fewer ships¡ªit wasn¡¯t just one or two ships short; each formation had several hundred fewer warships!


    In such a scenario, once the Alliance Army completed the encirclement, even if the Imperial Army had the seemingly invincible heavy-armored ship troops, and even if those troops were indeed unstoppable, the flanking units would undoubtedly be devoured. That was a massive army of eight hundred patrol cruisers!


    Therefore, to avoid this situation, as soon as the Alliance Army¡¯s cruiser fleet began the swift encirclement from the flanks, the Imperial Army immediately adjusted.


    The first thing they did was to order the three formations led by the heavy-armored ships to change formation immediately. The third echelon, unable to do anything in the encirclement, broke off from the main force quickly, heading in a different direction.


    At the same time, the Imperial Army also deployed its final echelon!


    The Imperial Army had split their forces into four echelons, but only three had been deployed until now, with the last one held back from action. But now, with Wilton seeking to initiate a pincer on the battlefield, the Imperial Army also moved this last formation.


    As top-tier powers, the Kafka Empire was well aware of how troublesome the Sky Alliance¡¯s High-Speed Patrol Space Ships could be, just as the Sky Alliance knew the formidable capability of the heavy-armored ships. Hence, the Imperial Army had been prepared for this scenario with this final echelon!


    This last echelon comprised hundreds of destroyers. Although it might not seem particularly strong in terms of numbers or quality, it had one advantage¡ªthis exclusively destroyer-composed formation was fast!


    Thus, after this formation set off, it didn¡¯t take long to enter the battlefield, charging straight for the Alliance Army¡¯s patrol cruisers!


    When Wilton saw this series of imperial maneuvers, he couldn¡¯t help but nod in approval. It seemed the Imperial Army¡¯s commander was not to be taken lightly. These chain reactions¡ªthey truly made a clever play.


    Perhaps some might wonder what exactly the Imperial Army had done to earn such high praise from Wilton?


    There must be more than a few with this question¡ªit isn¡¯t trivial since these individuals haven¡¯t grasped the intention of the Imperial Army yet, but Wilton had seen it. He understood very well that the Imperial Army¡¯s commander was executing a counter-encirclement against him and the Alliance Army!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 482 03-25 - 446: Masters Spar!

    Chapter 482: Chapter 446: Masters Spar!


    A series of changes in the Imperial Army¡¯s formation baffled many, but Wilton understood it perfectly.


    Clearly, the Imperial Army¡¯s Commander had not only seen through Wilton¡¯s intentions but was also planning to turn the tables with a counter-encirclement.


    Right after Wilton¡¯s commands were issued, the Alliance Army¡¯s second formation, composed of High-Speed Patrol Space Ships, quickly approached the Imperial Army from the flank at high speed, thereby forming a pincer movement with the battleship fleet led by Wilton.


    In response to this encirclement, the Imperial Army did two things: the first was to dispatch a formation that was behind the Armored Ship Troops to move aside, immediately turning the ships around and flying in the opposite direction, as if to hastily disengage from the battlefield to avoid losses.


    The second action was to send the last formation into battle.


    It¡¯s no wonder many couldn¡¯t understand what the Imperial Army was doing, as these two moves didn¡¯t seem to have any connection to breaking the encirclement or to the battlefield situation.


    ...


    However, anyone who thought that would be greatly mistaken because the brilliance of the Imperial Army Commander lay precisely here: both of his two consecutive troop movements appeared unrelated to the encirclement by the Alliance Army, but in fact, they both contained hidden threats!


    The first formation that was sent away was certainly not fleeing the battlefield; if one closely observed the direction they were heading, they would notice that the fleet was moving towards the flank of the battleship fleet commanded by Wilton. What did this imply?


    It meant that once the Alliance completed its encirclement and Wilton¡¯s battleship fleet engaged the Armored Ship Troops head-on, this ¡°fleeing¡± formation could perform a turnaround and appear directly behind the flank of the battleship fleet. In doing so, this unit, along with the Armored Ship Troops, would end up trapping Wilton instead.


    Similarly, the fourth unit dispatched by the Imperial Army consisted entirely of destroyers. Thus, with its swift speed, it immediately started closing in on the battlefield, with a clear target: the Alliance Army¡¯s High-Speed Patrol Space Ship fleet.


    This action might seem like attacking a stone with an egg, as destroyers are no match for patrol cruisers in terms of either offensive or defensive abilities. But do not forget, the battlefield wasn¡¯t limited to just two units, and given the speed of the High-Speed Patrol Space Ships, if this fleet wanted to complete Wilton¡¯s tactical intention and encircle the Imperial Army, it would inevitably engage with the Imperial fleet on the flank before the destroyers. Consequently, when the Destroyer Fleet joins the fight, it would form a front and rear encirclement with the flanking units, trapping the High-Speed Patrol Space Ship fleet in the middle.


    With this explanation, everyone must have understood the intention of the Imperial Army¡¯s Commander by now. Not only had he discerned Wilton¡¯s thoughts, but he had also managed to quickly change formations in response, thereby creating a counter-encirclement!


    If this counter-encirclement succeeds, the situation on the battlefield will change dramatically. Then, the Imperial Army¡¯s two formations led by the Armored Ship Troops would be encircled by Wilton¡¯s battleship fleet and cruiser fleet, enveloped in one fell swoop; however, at the same moment, the Imperial Army would also form a complete encirclement both from within and without, trapping the two fleets of the Alliance Army!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã?


    It must be said, the two Commanders of this great war had taught everyone a lesson, engaging in both an open contest and a secret struggle from the very beginning. First, there was the assault by the Armored Ship Troops, followed by the interception by the Void Magic Corps, but in reality, both of these moves were feints; the true contest lay in the ensuing encirclement and counter-encirclement, with both Commanders deploying and altering their tactics in this matchup, which was truly astonishing.


    But now was not the time for performances; there was a war going on, and this battle could be described as the most important in the history of the Tulip Battle Zone since its formation. Neither Commander had the luxury to appreciate this spectacle.


    Fortunately, Wilton reacted immediately after the Imperial Army made their formation change and quickly issued orders.


    Following his orders, the last formation of the Alliance Army also moved out!


    To break Wilton¡¯s encirclement, the Imperial Army had committed all the strength of their four formations to the battlefield; similarly, to break their counter-encirclement, Wilton couldn¡¯t afford to hold anything back and deployed the Alliance Army¡¯s final unit as well!


    The Alliance Army¡¯s last formation had the most troops, with over twelve hundred warships, but the quality of this fleet was not comparable to the first two units. The first to enter the battle, Wilton¡¯s own battleship fleet, consisted of seven hundred battleships and three hundred destroyers ¨C the strongest force in the entire Alliance Army and indeed on the battlefield.


    The Alliance Army¡¯s second fleet wasn¡¯t inferior either, with eight hundred High-Speed Patrol Space Ships that were also formidable. But this last deployed fleet, although numbering twelve hundred, was mainly composed of Escort Ships, equipped only with a small contingent of destroyers.


    It¡¯s important to note that while Escort Ships are considered large warships, they are the lowest tier among them and fall significantly short compared to other categories, both in firepower and defensive power. The only advantage they might have is in numbers.


    That¡¯s why Wilton was reluctant to deploy this unit lightly; a fleet composed of Escort Ships lacked the capacity to perform tasks independently on the battlefield and could only be used for support, like now.


    Therefore, under his command, the Escort Ship fleet quickly flew towards the location of the High-Speed Patrol Space Ships.


    Wilton¡¯s intention was also clear; he planned to use this last unit in his hand to support the High-Speed Patrol Space Ship fleet.


    As the battle progressed to this point, both sides had made their moves, essentially exhausting all available tactics; therefore, it was impossible to retract their previous moves. Even if Wilton was aware that the enemy aimed to counter-encircle him, he couldn¡¯t possibly call back the deployed units urgently, as that would surely lead to a defeat in the fight.


    All he could do was to have the Alliance Army¡¯s last unit join the fray, and once the Escort Ship fleet combined with the High-Speed Patrol Space Ship fleet, their forces would number two thousand ships. With the dual advantages in number and quality, the Alliance Army would be able to prevail, despite the Imperial Army completing its encirclement. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, such a move would also mean abandoning himself!


    Once the Escort Ships and Patrol Cruisers merged, Wilton¡¯s own battleship fleet would not receive any reinforcements and would face absolute disadvantage in the face of the Imperial Army¡¯s encirclement!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 483 03-25 - 447 Completion of Encirclement!

    Chapter 483: Chapter 447 Completion of Encirclement!


    Facing the encirclement by the Imperial Army, Wilton made a decisive decision to deploy his last remaining troop into the battlefield, having this group of escort ships merge with the patrol cruiser fleet to form a superior force against the Imperial Army.


    However, this move left Wilton¡¯s own battleship fleet, which he personally commanded, at a numerical disadvantage against the encircling forces of the Imperial Army.


    The battleship fleet he commanded, although comprised of a thousand warships with seven hundred being primary battleships, still faced a formidable opponent as the enemy had two troops.


    Although a single troop of the Imperial Army might be smaller in size compared to the Alliance Army, together the two troops had at least fifteen hundred warships! More importantly, among these fifteen hundred warships were four hundred heavy armored ships! sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under such circumstances, the enemy Wilton faced was not only larger in number but also comparable in quality, and the danger he faced was imaginable.


    But as the saying goes, when masters contend, it¡¯s not just about intelligence but also about courage! Whoever could commit fully at the critical moment could possibly win the battle!


    ...


    At this moment, both sides had played their hands, and their fleets had already begun moving according to their tactical intentions, leaving no room for maneuvering!


    Not long after, Wilton¡¯s battleship fleet approached the still-engaged Void Magic Corps, and the Imperial Army¡¯s Armored Ship Troops also arrived at the rear of the Void Magic Corps, followed by both massive fleets initiating the most intense bombardment!


    Facing the Imperial heavy armored ships, the Alliance¡¯s battleships began unleashing their firepower the moment the enemy came within range. This time, it wasn¡¯t just the main cannons firing, but also the secondary guns engaging in a fierce bombardment.


    ¡°Fire the cannons! Keep firing fiercely! No one stops without my order!¡±


    ¡°Shoot! Hit them hard!¡±


    ¡°Fire the cannons!¡±


    ¡°Fire the cannons!¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï


    When the enemy came within range, captains of various battleships immediately issued orders to fire, and the gunners, as if driven mad, aimed their cannons at the enemy and blasted mana cannonballs instantly.


    Similarly, when the Alliance¡¯s warships entered the range, the Imperial heavy armored ships also started their fierce retaliation!


    The notorious heavy armored ships are renowned not just for their formidable defensive power but also for firepower that matches any battleship. Thus, when the Alliance¡¯s warships entered the range, Imperial soldiers didn¡¯t remain idle either, retaliating in the most ferocious manner possible!


    The intense and deafening sound of bombardment echoed through the skies at this moment.


    However, to be fair, in this desperate exchange of fire, the Imperial heavy armored ships were at a disadvantage, simply because the numerical gap was somewhat too large.


    The Imperial Army¡¯s heavy armored ships, numbering just over four hundred, had been continuously subjected to long-range strikes from the Alliance Army as they advanced. Despite their strong defensive power, which prevented significant losses, dozens had been sunk. Therefore, by the time both sides began to engage in full-fledged shooting, the number of Imperial heavy armored ships had already fallen below four hundred.


    This numerical disadvantage meant that on average, each Imperial heavy armored ship had to face attacks from two Alliance ships, and not just main cannon attacks, but a full barrage from both the main and secondary cannons of two battleships!


    In such a scenario, even the strong defensive strength of the heavy armored ships was not enough.


    Therefore, in the first round of engagement, it could be said that the Alliance Army had the upper hand.


    Meanwhile, the high-speed patrol space ships flanking the enemy had also begun to exchange fire with the Imperial Army. From the start of the skirmish, the patrol cruiser fleet clearly held the advantage, not only in the number of ships but also in terms of quality.


    The Imperial Army¡¯s flanking formation primarily comprised ordinary battleships, patrol cruisers, and escort ships¡ªit was a fairly standard, or rather, mediocre mixed troop.


    This type of troop composition was common on the battlefield because ordinarily, fighting parties couldn¡¯t afford to field an army composed solely of battleships or patrol cruisers. Such single-type troop formations were too costly, and generally, only the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire had the strength to assemble such top-level fleets.


    So, these mixed troops might seem like different warships could coordinate well together, but against a formidable enemy, such as the current all-patrol-cruiser Alliance fleet, they were at a disadvantage, especially since the Alliance Army also had a numerical lead, making the situation even worse.


    The situation on the battlefield became very clear in an instant; when both sides began engaging in close-range bombardment, the Alliance Army quickly gained the upper hand and immediately achieved a considerable victory.


    If the battle had simply continued in this manner without any changes, the Alliance Army would undoubtedly have won. However, the actual situation was not so, as the Alliance¡¯s advantage did not last long; soon enough, the encirclement by the Imperial Army was completed!


    Not long after the Alliance Army gained an advantage on the battlefield, just as Wilton had predicted, the third detachment that had previously separated from the main force changed its direction and encircled from behind the battleship fleet led by Wilton.


    Similarly, the destroyer fleet that had come at the fastest speed from the main formation also finally entered the fray, appearing on the flanks of the high-speed patrol space ships.


    In this way, the Imperial Army¡¯s encirclement was completed!


    Once the encirclement was completed, the battlefield situation immediately experienced a new shift: with the arrival of their reinforcements, the two surrounded Imperial troop divisions felt significantly less pressure. Correspondingly, the Alliance Army not only lost its advantage of outnumbering the enemy but also suddenly fell into a disadvantage.


    The cruiser fleet was somewhat better off because they soon awaited the arrival of the last large detachment of the Alliance Army, the escort ship fleet. Once these two joined forces, they matched the opposing side in all aspects, nearly breaking even with the enemy.


    However, the battleship fleet led by Wilton found itself in a significant disadvantage at this moment, as they had no reinforcements!


    Initially, against the heavy armored ship division, Wilton¡¯s forces had a two-to-one advantage. But now, with the Imperial Army¡¯s encirclement complete, the situation had completely reversed. Not only did the number of ships become fewer than the enemy¡¯s, but the battlefield dynamic also shifted to the enemies encircling and attacking the battleship fleet from both front and rear¡ªthis was quite a dire situation!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 484 03-25 - 448: Running Around

    Chapter 484: Chapter 448: Running Around


    As the Imperial Army completed its encirclement, the situation on the battlefield reversed, and the advantage held by the Alliance Army quickly vanished.


    Although the initial advantage was lost, overall, the Alliance Army hadn¡¯t fallen into too great a disadvantage.


    The one truly at a disadvantage was only Wilton¡¯s fleet of battleships; in contrast, the other two units of the Alliance Army had joined forces, so even when facing the Empire¡¯s encirclement, they weren¡¯t in too great a disadvantage. More than that, with both numerical and qualitative superiority, victory on the flanks seemed certain unless something unpredictable and major occurred.


    Similarly, if the flank engagements were bound to end in an Alliance victory, the outcome of the frontal battlefield held little suspense as well; Wilton¡¯s battleship fleet would inevitably be devoured by the Imperial Army, an unavoidable and inevitable outcome.


    Therefore, when the battle developed to this stage, the situation had become very clear.


    If the two units of the Alliance Army could defeat their opponents before Wilton¡¯s battleship fleet was destroyed, and then go to support Wilton, the victory would belong to the Alliance.


    ...


    On the other hand, if the Imperial Army encircling Wilton could swiftly devour his fleet of battleships and then go to support their own flanks, the victor of this battle would be the Empire!


    As the battle reached this phase, the outcome was almost sealed; it was now a matter of who could devour the other faster.


    Of course, this outcome was predicated on the condition that no major surprises occurred on the overall battlefield¡­


    ¡­¡­ sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­¡­


    As the great battle entered its final phase, the fight between the Void Magic Corps continued.


    At this moment, Wilton¡¯s fleet of battleships looked like the only isolated force on the battlefield, but in truth, it wasn¡¯t so; there was still a critical unit on his side¡ªthe Void Magic Corps, which was engaged with the enemy.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï


    If the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Corps could end the fight before the battleship fleet was completely destroyed, they could reverse the entire situation because once the Void Magic Corps was freed up, the Imperial fleet would suffer, allowing Wilton to naturally break the encirclement.


    However, as easy as that may sound in theory, accomplishing it was anything but simple.


    In the confrontation involving the Void Magic Corps, the Alliance had already established an advantage but had yet to finish the battle. Why was that?


    Because the Imperial commanders had already identified the critical factor and thus had given orders to their Void Magic Warriors to merely delay the enemy. Since the movement of both armies began, the Empire¡¯s Void Magic Corps no longer engaged the Alliance head-on but instead focused on delaying time, preventing the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Corps from leaving the battlefield.


    On another front, in a smaller engagement area, Rocky had already met up with Kyle and the others and had begun engaging with the Imperial Knight Order.


    As Rocky thought, Kyle and the others, who had approached the Armored Ship Troops earlier, indeed encountered a sneak attack by the Imperial Knight Order. Although there were no casualties, they were tied down, and despite having approached the Armored Ship troops early, they were unable to do anything.


    By the time Rocky arrived, the situation hadn¡¯t changed much, as the Black Armored Warriors who had retreated earlier had also returned to the battlefield. So even with Rocky¡¯s arrival, it was still nine against nine, and the Fierce Tiger Squad had no advantage, which naturally ruled out any chance of a quick resolution.


    This was normal; on a real battlefield, a swift resolution only occurred when one force completely overpowered the enemy. Facing the Imperial Knight Order, no one had the strength to dominate¡ªnot the Fierce Tiger Squad, nor Rocky.


    Rocky, relying on the White Demon Armor, could be described as dominant, but even at his strongest, he was only on par with members of the Imperial Knight Order. Thus, when he entered the fray, he merely prevented the Fierce Tiger Squad from being at a disadvantage.


    At this time, the Imperial Army had already formed a counter-encirclement against the Alliance Army, and the fleet commanded by Wilton was in grave danger.


    ¡°Rocky! Go help the others!¡±


    Kyle, wielding dual blades, pushed back an enemy with a slash and immediately roared at Rocky, then rushed toward the enemy again and resumed the fierce fight.


    As captain of the Fierce Tiger Squad, Kyle was acutely aware of his surroundings. While he had been leading the squad against the enemy, he had been paying close attention to the changes on the battlefield. Noticing that Wilton¡¯s fleet of battleships had been encircled, he quickly made a judgment.


    He couldn¡¯t manage, nor was it his place to manage, the fleet¡¯s matters. But as a Void Magic Warrior, Kyle understood the role that the Void Magic Corps could play in the current situation. If the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Corps could triumph, then they would win the battle.


    Therefore, he immediately gave Rocky the order to stop worrying about their own squad and return to the main force to assist the other Void Magic Warriors.


    In Kyle¡¯s view, Rocky¡¯s power at best equaled a member of the Imperial Knight Order. But with the situation so tense, defeating the Imperial Knight Order was no longer important. The priority was to free the main force that was being delayed, and the only one who could achieve this was Rocky!


    Against the Imperial Knight Order, Rocky¡¯s power was only equal, but against the ordinary Void Magic Warriors, he could dominate in strength. Equipped with the White Demon Armor and the Magic Fang Scythe, no ordinary Void Magic Warrior could withstand even a single strike from him. Should he join the main force at this moment, he would unquestionably play a decisive role.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Hearing Kyle¡¯s order, Rocky hesitated not a moment and immediately turned back toward the other end of the battlefield.


    To be honest, Rocky didn¡¯t understand Kyle¡¯s reasoning. Being his first time participating in a battle of this magnitude, he was overwhelmed, unable to gauge the larger picture of the battlefield. Yet, he trusted that Kyle wouldn¡¯t squander his fighting ability. If Kyle was instructing him to support the main force, there must be a reason for it.


    That said, though Rocky had no objections to Kyle¡¯s orders, as he turned to fly toward the main force, he still felt a sense of resignation. Throughout the battle, it seemed he had been constantly running from place to place to provide support¡ªfirst to Clara, then to Kyle and the others, and now he was returning to support the main force again. It truly fit the saying: ¡°To be harried all day and without a moment¡¯s peace¡­¡±


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 485 03-25 - 449: The God of Slaughter Descends!

    Chapter 485: Chapter 449: The God of Slaughter Descends!


    Following Kyle¡¯s instructions, Rocky immediately disengaged from the battle with the Imperial Knight Order and turned to fly toward the rear battlefield.


    His departure quickly caught the attention of the Imperial Knight Order; soon after, two members followed in pursuit. However, these two had only chased halfway when they were jointedly brought down by Abbas and Luca.


    In this manner, Rocky quickly freed himself and swiftly approached the main force that was in combat.


    Since both fleets had already commenced close-quarters combat, perhaps not yet in a melee, but the distance between the fleets was already very close, so as City Lord Rocky flew backward toward the troops near the Armored Ship Troops, it did not take him long to reach the battlefield of the Void Magic Corps.


    He had initially departed from here to aid Kyle and the others, and now he had returned to this same battlefield. However, the situation on the battlefield had drastically changed from before.


    Previously, the Void Magic Warriors from both sides were constantly clashing. Even though the Alliance Army had a slight advantage in numbers, the Imperial Army fought fiercely, and the battle was a stalemate. But now, the situation had changed. The Imperial Army¡¯s Sky Demon Warriors were no longer desperately fighting against the Alliance Army but were mostly circling and retreating, clearly stalling for time.


    ...


    Realizing the enemy¡¯s strategy, Rocky immediately understood Kyle¡¯s purpose in sending him here, and right after, he sprang into action. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Subsequently, he increased the speed of his Armor and charged towards the nearest enemy!


    As he rushed into the battlefield, the Imperial Army¡¯s Sky Demon Warriors had not yet reacted. No one noticed that the God of Slaughter had descended eerily and silently; even the Void Magic Warrior nearest to Rocky kept his attention focused on his opponent, constantly dodging and weaving in the air, avoiding his opponent¡¯s attacks.


    But in the next instant, both the Imperial Army¡¯s Sky Demon Warrior and the Alliance Army¡¯s Sky Demon Warrior engaging with him saw a white light flash before their eyes, whooshing by and disappearing without a trace.


    This scene left the Alliance Army¡¯s Sky Demon Warrior, who was continuously shooting Magic Energy Bullets, stunned on the spot. By the time he regained his senses and looked towards his opponent, he found that his opponent¡¯s head had separated from his body, falling through the air.


    What happened¡­


    Watching his opponent¡¯s body plummeting downward, the Alliance Army¡¯s Sky Demon Warrior was dumbfounded, taking a long time to process what had happened. When he seemed to comprehend something and looked in the direction where the white light had disappeared, he saw a series of corpses of the Imperial Army¡¯s Sky Demon Warriors dropping from the sky!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.??


    In that brief instant, Rocky had streaked through the battlefield, and in the blink of an eye, he had slain five or six of the Imperial Army¡¯s Sky Demon Warriors!


    Such a feat was certainly trivial for him. With the sharpness of the Magic Fang Scythe and the speed of the White Demon Armor, Rocky didn¡¯t even need to do much¡ªhis only task was to hold the Scythe aloft, then fly past the enemy. Just like that, the sharp Scythe, with the White Demon¡¯s ultra-fast speed, was enough to cut the enemy in two!


    But what was nothing out of the ordinary for him was inconceivable to others. Facing such a sudden turn of events, everyone was shocked, all the Alliance Army¡¯s Sky Demon Warriors who had lost their enemies were left hanging in midair, dumbly staring at the place where Rocky had disappeared.


    Meanwhile, City Lord Rocky had already flown deep into the battlefield, leaving a trail of blood spraying wherever he went, every enemy on his path cut in two by his blade!


    Only at this moment did someone realize what was happening, and then someone, not knowing who, shouted through the loudspeaker of their Armor.


    ¡°It¡¯s the White Demon!¡±


    In such a battlefield, the shout of one person would normally count for little, but this time was different. As his voice rang out, the whole battlefield seemed to pause for a moment, as if every Void Magic Warrior, be they from the Alliance or the Empire, had come to a brief halt.


    Immediately thereafter, in that split second, both sides had different reactions!


    ¡°It¡¯s City Lord Rocky! City Lord Rocky has arrived!¡±


    Spotting the White Demon Armor, the morale of the Alliance Army surged immediately.


    As previously mentioned, when Rocky had ambushed the Rebel Army, the Alliance had widely publicized his deeds. This propaganda had not only influenced the general public, making them regard Rocky as a hero of the Alliance, but also impacted the soldiers in the military, especially within the Void Magic Corps.


    Rocky, clad in the White Demon Armor and being a member of the Alliance, was already well-known by the name and deeds among the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Warriors. This, along with the Alliance¡¯s deliberate propaganda, earned him considerable prestige among the Void Magic Warriors of the Alliance Army.


    That¡¯s why, when Rocky was recognized at this moment, the morale of the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Warriors was boosted on the spot.


    In such a critical battle, at such a crucial moment, to have a hero fighting alongside them was a huge inspiration to the common warrior, an encouragement too profound to be described in words. More importantly, the renown of the White Demon Armor was well-known among the Void Magic Warriors, so his presence almost acted as a stabilizing pill, instantly steadying the spirits of all the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Warriors.


    However, the same event, when witnessed by the Imperial Army, had an entirely different effect.


    The reputation of the White Demon was also known by the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors, and many from the Imperial Sky Demon Squad had already experienced the White Demon¡¯s fearsomeness firsthand in earlier battles. Therefore, when the Imperial Army realized Rocky had appeared, a shadow fell over the hearts of everyone, from the squad leaders to the rank-and-file.


    Moreover, figuring out how to deal with Rocky had become a significant dilemma for the Imperial Army.


    To leave Rocky unattended was absolutely out of the question. On a battlefield devoid of an equal opponent, the White Demon was like a harvester of death, capable of endlessly reaping the lives of his enemies, so he simply could not be left unchecked.


    But what should be done?


    The Imperial Army¡¯s elite Imperial Knight Order had joined the fight but was currently tangled up with the Fierce Tiger Squad, unable to extricate themselves. Yet, facing the infamous White Demon Armor, who on the battlefield could stop Rocky if not for the members of the Knight Order?


    ¡°All squad leaders, follow me!¡±


    In a desperate bid to stop Rocky, the squad leaders of the Imperial Sky Demon Squad, left with no other choice, organized themselves into a squad comprised entirely of squad leaders, and quickly moved toward Rocky!


    They planned to use this tactic to block Rocky¡¯s advance, fighting for time for the Fleet to clinch the victory!


    PS: It¡¯s been a long time since I asked for recommendations. May I ask for a wave of recommendations!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 486 03-25 - 450: The Power of One!

    Chapter 486: Chapter 450: The Power of One!


    As soon as Rocky entered the battlefield, the squadron leaders of the Imperial Army had to take action, for on this battlefield only they could stand against Rocky, as ordinary Void Magic Warriors simply couldn¡¯t stop him. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, moments later, at least five squadron leaders donned in Fifth Generation Special Armors charged towards Rocky from different directions, clearly intending to intercept him.


    But how could Rocky give them the chance?


    What was he about to do?


    He was to utilize the formidable combat power of the White Demon Armor to eliminate as many enemies as possible. The more enemies he took down, the greater the advantage of the Alliance Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps, allowing more troops to support the Fleet in battle!


    Therefore, upon realizing that enemy captains of First Level were rushing towards him at the same time, Rocky immediately used the amplifier in his Armor to address the nearby Void Magic Warriors of the Alliance Army:


    ...


    ¡°Everyone, immediately go support the battleship fleet!¡±


    Having said that, he accelerated and took off in a flash.


    He made a clean break!


    At this moment, he had no intention of tangling with these squadron leaders. Although he believed that even faced with five squadron leaders, he could prevail with the help of the White Demon Armor, how much time would that waste?


    The squadron leaders of the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Squad were all bona fide elite warriors, each with formidable combat power. Facing them, Rocky couldn¡¯t finish the fight quickly, and getting dragged into a protracted battle would play right into the enemy¡¯s hands. Thus, after shouting to the others, he immediately fled.


    And hearing his words, the nearby Void Magic Warriors of the Alliance Army reacted extremely quickly. Although Rocky was not their direct superior, after realizing what was happening, they all obeyed his order and promptly withdrew from the battlefield to fly towards the Destroyer Fleet, which was already surrounded by the enemy.


    ¡°Stop them!¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï


    Noticing that the Alliance Army warriors they were facing were attempting to leave the battlefield to support the Fleet, the surrounding Imperial Army immediately gave chase. However, no sooner had these Void Magic Warriors started their pursuit than Rocky arrived!


    In high-speed flight, he wove through the enemy ranks like threading a needle. In a blink, he flew past several adversaries, and then several streaks of cold light flashed consecutively. By the time Rocky stopped again, four enemies ready to give chase were cut into many pieces!


    Then, without pausing, Rocky blinked and charged in another direction, swiftly killing several more Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors in a similar fashion, single-handedly halting the enemy¡¯s pursuit!


    Meanwhile, as these Void Magic Warriors of the Imperial Army fell, their former opponents were freed from combat. Consequently, another Void Magic Squad of the Alliance Army quickly broke away from the battle under the leadership of their captain to support the battleship fleet.


    With that, the Imperial Army was thrown into complete disarray.


    Rocky had appeared for just a few minutes, but in that brief time, he had killed nearly two squads¡¯ worth of enemies. Simultaneously, with each group he eliminated, an almost equal number of Alliance Army warriors swiftly left the battlefield to support the battleship fleet.


    What was this called?


    Wasn¡¯t this a case of weakening them to strengthen us?


    And if Rocky were to continue like this, the entire situation on the battlefield might change because of his presence!


    So after that, more squad leaders from the Imperial Army immediately set their sights on him. Regardless of distance, whether they had an opponent or not, at this moment they all rushed towards him!


    They had to stop Rocky; they had to hold him back, or else the battle would become unmanageable!


    At this moment, all the squad leaders of the Imperial Army shared the same thought: they had to restrain Rocky no matter what, otherwise, they were bound to lose this fight!


    However, facing so many enemies, Rocky didn¡¯t even pause, let alone give them a chance to come close. He accelerated and whooshed away in an instant.


    The battlefield was huge, and the speed of the White Demon Armor was so fast¡ªhe wanted to run, and truly no one could stop him!


    ¡°Chase!¡±


    ¡°Catch up!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him get away!¡±


    Even though Rocky was quick to move, the encircling squad leaders showed no signs of letting up, and because they came from all directions, no matter which way Rocky retreated, he would inevitably face direct interception.


    ¡°He¡¯s coming this way!¡±


    ¡°Stop him!¡±


    Seeing Rocky charging towards him at breakneck speed, one of the squad leaders, while alerting the others, took up a defensive stance. He activated all defensive measures of the Armor, clearly prepared to fight to the death to stop Rocky.


    Because if Rocky could be stopped for just a moment, just a mere moment, he would immediately be surrounded. After all, the squad leaders chasing him were also clad in Generation Five Special Armor. They might not be as fast as the White Demon, but they were not slow at all!


    This alone showed that no matter the combat strength of the Imperial Army¡¯s soldiers, their quality was beyond question. In such critical moments, they were ready to risk their lives to ensure victory, with not a single one fearing death or cherishing life above all else.


    A few blinks of an eye later, Rocky swiftly reached this squad leader. As he closed in quickly, this well-prepared leader was ready to make his last stand, determined to stop him at all costs.


    But in the next second, the leader, who was prepared to face death, was stunned.


    Because just as Rocky was about to reach him, no, when he had already reached him, he suddenly pulled a 180-degree turn and flew in the opposite direction, disappearing in an instant.


    This outcome completely defied the squad leader¡¯s expectations, leaving him dumbfounded on the spot.


    As I said before, just a moment¡¯s delay could have given the many pursuing squad leaders enough time to encircle Rocky, trapping him here thoroughly. However, from the moment Rocky charged in, to the 180-degree turn, and then accelerating away, his movements were so fluid and seamless, he didn¡¯t waste even a split second!


    Because his actions were so smooth and so fast, not only the ready squad leader failed to react in time, but so did the pursuing leaders behind him.


    At this moment, when Rocky turned to fly backward, one of the squad leaders, who had been following him closest, had no idea what was happening. This leader only felt a white shadow flash before his eyes, and by the time he collected his thoughts, he realized not only had Rocky flown past him, but his chest had also been slashed with a huge wound by a scythe!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 487 03-25 - 451 Unstoppable!

    Chapter 487: Chapter 451 Unstoppable!


    ¡°`


    It turns out that catching up to the White Demon was no easy feat!


    In this battle, Rocky had shown all his enemies what was meant by extreme speed, as well as the terror of armor mobility when pushed to its limits.


    Facing over a dozen, no, dozens of captains clad in the fifth generation Special Armor, Rocky was like an eel in the sky, completely uncatchable.


    Originally thinking they could stop him head on, they hadn¡¯t expected to give Rocky an opportunity to show off in front of everyone, a seamless 180-degree turn without pause, instantly changing his direction. Not only did the intercepting enemies fail to react in time, but even those chasing behind were caught off guard as the captain closest to him watched in disbelief as Rocky brushed past him, leaving a slash across his chest, rendering him incapacitated on the spot.


    After that, Rocky rapidly bypassed the interception of several captains, swiftly moving towards other parts of the battlefield, namely the direction where more members of the Void Magic Squad were.


    ...


    Although he was constantly evading the captains¡¯ pursuit, Rocky hadn¡¯t forgotten his primary objective: to eliminate as many enemies as possible, thereby releasing more Alliance Army warriors to support Wilton. That was his main focus, and while dragging the captains¡¯ attention away was good, it was only secondary.


    So even though Rocky was on the run, he was always aiming for the direction with Void Magic Squad members, slashing at enemies as he fled. It was only because his speed was so fast and he drew so much attention to himself that people overlooked his achievements during this time.


    In fact, in the process of fleeing, he had already taken out three squad members and incapacitated a captain!


    But the Void Magic Warriors of the Imperial Army were not fools, especially the rank-and-file. Once they realized they were Rocky¡¯s targets and had no chance of escape if he set his sights on them, the squad members immediately scattered, keeping as far away from Rocky as possible, leaving him with fewer and fewer targets.


    And as time passed, the captains¡¯ encirclement gradually formed. With no choice, there were simply too many captains pursuing him, and these captains were highly tactically trained. Quickly realizing that chasing Rocky was futile, they responded by forming an immense encircling net around him, gradually tightening it with the intent to eventually trap him.


    In this situation, Rocky immediately chose to break out.


    All it took was one focused direction and a sudden burst of speed, and he was gone.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï


    Naturally, there were attempts to block him, but this time, Rocky didn¡¯t give his opponents a chance to prepare. With one speed increase, then two, then three, he used consecutive accelerations to instantly disrupt their rhythm.


    With his repeated accelerations, what was over a hundred meters apart between them quickly became nothing. In the blink of an eye, the distance had shrunk to a few dozen meters, and then just a few meters in no time!


    When they were only a few meters apart, Rocky grabbed his Magic Fang Scythe and swung it horizontally!


    Although he hadn¡¯t reached the Scythe¡¯s true attack range, don¡¯t forget that Rocky was still surging forward. So even though he couldn¡¯t hit with the swing, by the time the Scythe was truly in motion, he too would be up close, well within striking distance.


    There was no doubt that Rocky¡¯s grasp of distance and timing with this attack was near perfection!


    But as he swung, the captain blocking his path reacted. The moment the Scythe moved, the captain had already started to accelerate upwards, and by the time Rocky was upon him with the Scythe slicing through the air, the captain had shot up high enough to narrowly evade the strike!


    Fast!


    This captain¡¯s reaction was indeed quick!


    Following his missed attack, even Rocky had to admit that this captain¡¯s reaction time was more than adequate ¨C any slower, not by a second, not by a breath, not even a blink of an eye, and he would have been cleaved in two!


    However, as the captain had just dodged the attack and was feeling a slight sense of relief, he saw that Rocky had no intention of pursuing, flying past his former position without slowing down.


    Damn!


    Watching Rocky fly away, the captain¡¯s sense of relief vanished entirely, for he knew he had made a grave mistake. Although he had dodged Rocky¡¯s strike, he had also cleared a path for him, letting him pass without any hindrance!


    Realizing this, the captain immediately turned and hastened in the direction Rocky fled, but catching up to the White Demon was no easy task. By the time the captain caught on, Rocky had already left him far behind and even broken through the encirclement, heading straight for a group of ordinary Void Magic Warriors. The sight filled the many watching captains with desperate anxiety, for once Rocky reached these soldiers, it would be like letting a wolf into a flock of sheep, leaving no one alive!


    The captain¡¯s action just then couldn¡¯t really be blamed on him, as facing Rocky¡¯s fierce strike, had he not dodged, there would have been only one outcome ¨C death. With the armor he wore, there was no possibility to stand against the Magic Fang Scythe head-on; if not bisected at the waist, he would be severely injured and lose combat capability. There would be no third outcome.


    So facing Rocky¡¯s slash, he had no choice but to dodge. This evasion didn¡¯t contain any cowardice or retreat; it was purely an instinct for self-preservation. In fact, any other captain would have done the same.


    And Rocky, precisely because he understood this point, was so bold and unrestrained!


    He was very clear about his strengths: first, his incredible speed, and second, his formidable close-combat ability. With these advantages, as long as he wasn¡¯t encircled, he could bulldoze through any obstruction. Then it was up to the opponent to dodge or not. If they dodged like the recent captain had done, then no one could stop him. If not, it would be seen whether the captains¡¯ Armor was tougher or his Scythe faster!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 488 03-25 - 452 A Small Change

    Chapter 488: Chapter 452 A Small Change


    When Rocky rampaged through the Void Magic Warriors¡¯ battlefield, unstoppable by anyone, the grand battle was quietly undergoing changes.


    The situation on the flanks first started to clear up.


    Although the Imperial Army had completed its encirclement, once the Alliance Army merged its two formations into one, they quickly stabilized their footing, immediately reflecting their dual advantage in quality and quantity. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the firepower of hundreds of patrol cruisers poured out, it was unimaginable, and it was under this overwhelming firepower that the Imperial warships were decreasing by the dozens every moment¡ªthere was no helping it. The Imperial Army held no advantages on this battlefield, with neither numbers nor quality on their side, they were battered by the massive forces of the Alliance.


    That was the Imperial Army for you; had it been the makeshift Rebel Army, the troops might have dispersed already. But even though the Imperials were battered and bruised, they did not crumble or break, because from officers to common soldiers, they all knew that their disadvantage was only temporary. As long as the Armored Ship Troops dealt with Wilton and came for support, they would win.


    It was precisely because of this belief that the Imperial forces at the flanks fought so fiercely.


    ...


    And on the other battlefield, where Wilton himself was engaged, the fight was equally ferocious.


    After being encircled by the Imperial Army, the battleship fleet led by Wilton was plunged into a huge crisis. Already outnumbered, the fleet was now attacked from both front and rear, and one could imagine the pitched battle Wilton was facing.


    Wilton was indeed a commanding general, but even with tremendous skill, he could not possibly turn the tide in such circumstances. Although the whole fleet did their utmost to adjust their formation constantly, they were quickly surrounded by the enemy, leaving no escape.


    On the frontal battlefield, the deafening sounds of cannon fire thundered through the sky, like the roar of dragons and tigers, as the Imperial Army surrounding the battleship fleet bombarded them ceaselessly, as if they were merely shooting targets. And no matter how strong the defensive power of the battleships was, they simply couldn¡¯t withstand such an onslaught.


    So, not long after the encirclement was complete, a large number of battleships began to be sunk. At first, it was only a few, but as minutes went by, the number of sunken battleships rose to dozens, and then it never stopped.


    Faced with so many enemies, the Defensive Net of the warships often shattered as soon as it was deployed; and once the protection of the Defensive Net was lost, the warships could only rely on their own armor against the shelling. However, outmatched by the enemy in numbers almost by multiples, the armor alone could hardly defend against the onslaught, hence the armor was blasted apart, the ships being hit in disarray. Once the armor was shattered and pierced, the fate of the battleships was inevitably sinking.


    But even at such a grave disadvantage, the fleet commanded by Wilton fought with considerable resolve, because just like the Imperial forces on the flanks, the encircled Alliance Army was also aware that as long as they won the battle on the flanks, they would get reinforcements. By then, they too could claim victory in this battle.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï


    ¡°Ascend! Increase altitude!¡±


    Within the bridge of a battleship, the violent shaking made it nearly impossible for the Captain to stand firm, which immediately made him order the warship to increase its altitude. With his experience, he judged that such violent shaking indicated the ship¡¯s structure was enduring attacks close to its limit. If evasive action was not taken, his battleship would soon sink.


    But it was at that moment when a blindingly bright ball of fire suddenly erupted, followed closely by a thunderous boom. A nearby battleship, without any warning, was sunk. There wasn¡¯t even time for it to fall before it disintegrated in a mid-air explosion.


    Because the two warships were too close, the shockwave from the explosion caused damage to the battleship that was no less significant than enemy fire. The warship immediately listed severely, and several crew members on the deck were swept away.


    Once the aftermath of the explosion had cleared, the Captain of the battleship issued a new command, ¡°Stop ascending! Turn the ship around and block that gap! Quick! Quick!¡±


    With the explosion over, the Captain realized that the sinking of the previous battleship had left a huge gap next to him. If they allowed the enemy warships to charge through this gap, their formation would be thrown into complete disarray. So, clenching his teeth, he decisively gave up evasive maneuvers and instead ordered the warship forward to plug the gap!


    Under his command, the already badly damaged warship swiftly moved forward and then obstinately blocked the gap with its broadside.


    But how long could a warship that was already covered in wounds last against a fierce enemy assault? Within minutes, another huge ball of fire blazed forth, followed by another thunderous boom. This battleship, too, was sunk¡­


    Scenes like this were commonplace on the battlefield. The Alliance Army battleships formed a giant ring layer by layer, resembling great annual rings, as if a massive turtle shell was withstanding the enemy¡¯s attacks in an effort to hold out until reinforcements arrived.


    The Imperial Army, similarly eager to end the current battle and support the flanks, launched desperate attacks. Eventually, the Imperial Heavy Armored Ships even began to use themselves as projectiles, one after another ramming into the Alliance Fleet, chaotically disrupting their formation with this method.


    However, it was at that moment, when the conflict was intractable, no, it should be said that when the battleship fleet under Wilton¡¯s command was on the verge of being unable to withstand the Imperial Army¡¯s offensive, that a slight change occurred on the battlefield.


    The change was so subtle that most people didn¡¯t notice it¡ªa Void Magic Squad from the Alliance Army had arrived and entered the fray!


    The sudden appearance of the Void Magic Squad went largely undetected, but as soon as they entered the battlefield, they immediately sprang into action.


    ¡°Spread out, everyone! One warrior per warship! Attack!!¡±


    At the Team Leader¡¯s command, the Alliance Army¡¯s Void Magic Squad quickly dispersed in the air, and the members instantaneously flew towards the surrounding Imperial Army warships.


    The battle by now had devolved into a melee, with Alliance and Imperial warships entangled beyond any notion of firing range. They were locked in close combat. Thus, when the Void Magic Squad arrived, they scarcely wasted any time in closing the distance to the enemy.


    From that moment, the situation on the battlefield began to subtly shift¡­!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 489 03-25 - 453 Loss of Combat Ability

    Chapter 489: Chapter 453 Loss of Combat Ability


    During the fierce exchange of fire, no one noticed that a Void Magic Squad from the Alliance Army had silently arrived and, upon entering the battlefield, immediately dispersed and charged toward the Imperial Army¡¯s warships!


    In no time, one of the squad members flew above a destroyer and then quickly dove down, crashing heavily onto the deck in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Voi¡ª Void Magic Warrior!¡±


    ¡°How is this possible!¡±


    ¡°Run for it!¡±


    ¡°Run for it!¡±


    ... sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Confronted with the sudden appearance of the Void Magic Warrior from the sky, everyone on the warship, from the captain to the crew, was stunned. In their minds, wasn¡¯t the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Corps supposed to be engaging with their own air magic forces?


    How had they returned to reinforce so suddenly?


    Could it be¡­ could it be that their own Void Magic Corps had been annihilated!?


    Since they had been engaged in intense combat all this time, the Imperial Fleet was unaware of the situation with their Void Magic Corps. It was precisely because of this ignorance that the sight of the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Warrior joining the fray made their hearts skip a beat.


    A second later, the sailors and the captain on the warship had various different reactions.


    Watching the Void Magic Warrior land on the deck, the crew instantly scattered, as though avoiding the plague itself, attempting to run as far away as possible. But this was clearly futile; how could they, on their two legs, outrun Void Magic Warriors who could fly? Besides, they were in the air¡ªwhere could they possibly run to?


    Unlike the panicked crew, the captain of the destroyer had a much calmer demeanor. He didn¡¯t run, and he didn¡¯t panic. The captain was well aware that any panic was futile under these circumstances. Exaggeration aside, the moment the Void Magic Warrior landed on the deck, everyone aboard was already dead!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï


    Thus, the captain seized the last moments to do something. He picked up the Magic Energy Communicator and reported the situation on the ship to the Fleet Commander.


    One has to say, a captain is still a captain, experienced indeed, because while he was making his report, the Void Magic Warrior who had landed on the deck had already started a massacre!


    Facing the scattered fleeing crew, this Void Magic Warrior didn¡¯t bother to give chase. He simply targeted the cannons and gunners directly, raising his hand to continue sweeping across the cannons, killing all of the gunners on them!


    Void Magic Warriors like those of the Alliance and Imperial armies, trained by regular military forces, were of very high quality. This was not only reflected in their combat ability but also in various other aspects, just like now.


    As a member of the Alliance Army, the Void Magic Warrior before them was very clear about what he should be doing at the moment. The Alliance Army had quite professional and systematic courses on how to destroy a warship and how to do it quickly and effectively.


    Under such specialized training, every Void Magic Warrior of the Alliance Army was very clear about what to do when facing warships of different classes, and this Void Magic Warrior in front of us was no exception.


    He didn¡¯t choose to destroy the warship¡¯s power core, as this was a destroyer¡ªa ship with a thick deck and its Magic Stone located at the very bottom of the hull. Therefore, penetrating downward from the deck would take a considerable amount of time, especially since he was just an ordinary Void Magic Warrior wearing Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armor, which would make the process even longer. Hence, he opted to kill the gunners first and then destroy the bridge.


    Even with Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armor, slaughtering unarmed gunners was a piece of cake, and within minutes, he had killed most of the gunners with Magic Energy Bullets, also destroying several gun turrets in the process. Immediately after, he leaped up and flew toward the bridge.


    In just a few breaths¡¯ time, the Void Magic Warrior charged into the bridge and a series of screams followed. Moments later, when he flew back out, the Captain and other senior crew members inside the bridge had all been killed. But he wasn¡¯t done yet; as he hovered in the air, he turned back and fired several Magic Energy Cannons at the bridge, instantly obliterating it.


    Only after completing all this did the Void Magic Warrior fly away from the warship without looking back, heading towards another target.


    It wasn¡¯t until he had gradually flown away that the surviving crew on the deck could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Although they lived and the destroyer itself hadn¡¯t been sunk, with the Captain killed and the bridge destroyed¡ªnot to mention the death of the gunners¡ªthe destroyer had effectively lost all combat capability, becoming a mere decoration on the battlefield.


    At the same time, it wasn¡¯t just this warship that had become ornamental on the battlefield. With the intervention of the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Squad, similar events began to unfold rapidly on the battlefield, and within minutes, four or five Imperial Warships had lost their combat capability due to their attacks.


    What¡¯s more, the list included an Imperial Heavy Armored Ship!


    Even though the Alliance Army was at a severe disadvantage on this battlefield, a skinny camel was still bigger than a horse. The troops led by Wilton, although surrounded, consisted of a large army made up of a thousand warships, including no less than seven hundred battleships. Facing such a massive and powerful force, even with a numerical advantage and encirclement, the Imperial Army dared not take them lightly, and their Armored Ship Troops were key to potentially overcoming the Alliance Army.


    Who would have thought that as soon as the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Squad arrived, they would render a Heavy Armored Ship incapable of fighting, which was definitely not a good omen for the Imperial Army.


    On the other hand, when the first warship was disabled, the Fleet Commander of the Imperial Army had already received the news. But even with this immediate knowledge, what could the Fleet Commander do?


    Nothing!


    The battle between both sides was in full swing, and it was the most critical moment of the fight. Where would the Fleet Commander of the Imperial Army have the time to deal with a Void Magic Squad? Even if he had the time, he didn¡¯t have the ability. Was he supposed to bomb the Void Magic Warriors with the main cannons?


    The only thing the Fleet Commander could do now was to immediately contact the command of the Void Magic Corps and ask them to send someone to stop the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Squad.


    In the eyes of the Fleet Commander, such a request was completely normal and not at all excessive, as it was already the duty of their own Void Magic Corps to intercept the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Warriors. Now that the enemy squad had arrived, it was natural that their troops should come to assist immediately.


    But faced with such a simple request, the Commander of the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps had been slow to respond. To make matters worse, more and more Void Magic Warriors from the Alliance kept arriving on the battlefield!


    This caused not just a minor change in the situation on the battlefield, but a massive shift!


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 490 03-25 - 454 Butterfly Effect

    Chapter 490: Chapter 454 Butterfly Effect


    When the Imperial Army¡¯s Fleet Commander called for immediate support from their own Void Magic Corps, not only was there no prompt response, but more and more Alliance Void Magic Warriors were arriving on the battlefield.


    Of course, the Fleet Commander had no idea what was happening, as he could never imagine that all of this was caused by a single person, Rocky!


    At this moment, Rocky was still engaging with the host of Imperial soldiers. Why couldn¡¯t the Empire¡¯s Void Magic Corps send anyone?


    It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t want to; it was simply that they couldn¡¯t!


    At that instant, over thirty squad leaders were desperately chasing Rocky. Considering the Imperial Army had dispatched only slightly more than fifty squads, this meant that aside from those who had died in battle and those incapable of fighting, all the squad leaders were now pursuing Rocky alone.


    But even so, Rocky had not been caught, nor had he been trapped even once!


    ...


    Undoubtedly, after this great battle, the fame of the White Demon Armor would soar to another level because the White Demon¡¯s performance in this battle was simply too brilliant. No, ¡°brilliant¡± is far too inadequate a word, the feats of the White Demon Armor in this battle could only be described as miraculous!


    Not to mention anything else, just its unparalleled maneuverability and lightning-fast speed were enough to dominate all present Fifth Generation Armors. Over thirty squad leaders, each clad in their Fifth Generation Special Armors, and every single one of them a rigorously trained professional soldier, a cream of the crop warrior, but all these outstanding Void Magic Warriors combined, even with the most advanced armors of the day, no one could catch up to the White Demon!


    Since Rocky entered the battlefield, these squad leaders had tried everything to encircle and block him, be it surrounding him from all sides or setting up ambushes beforehand, or even simply swarming him all at once, but not once could they make Rocky actually stop. Each time he would find an opportunity to break through the siege, rendering their efforts fruitless.


    If that were all, it might be bearable as, although the squad leaders couldn¡¯t catch up with Rocky, conversely, a constantly pursued Rocky could only flee exhaustively, effectively being tied down. Despite the high cost, they would have managed to stall Rocky.


    But the reality was far from that because not only was the White Demon unmatched in speed and maneuverability, but the Magic Fang Scythe he was equipped with was overwhelmingly powerful.


    Since the new version of the White Demon was completed after Rocky entered the combat zone, and even during the latter half of his covert operation, almost no one knew that the White Demon had been outfitted with a new weapon. However, as the battle continued, with Rocky seemingly being relentlessly chased but in reality reaping the lives of enemies as he fled, everyone deeply realized the terror of the Magic Fang Scythe.


    If the mobility and speed displayed by the White Demon on the battlefield could be described as unparalleled, then the Magic Fang Scythe could only be interpreted as utterly unstoppable. The scythe was exceedingly sharp, slicing through Mass-produced Armors in a single stroke, cutting them in two. Even the Special Armors had to activate all their defenses to barely manage a few exchanges with it, assuming they could even keep up with the maneuverability and speed of the White Demon.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hence, the Imperial Void Magic Corps truly were held up by Rocky alone. It¡¯s not that he single-handedly destroyed the entire Void Magic Corps but that he alone caused enough disturbance to the entire Corps that they couldn¡¯t be at peace, could do nothing, and kept losing members.


    In such a situation, facing the Fleet¡¯s request for support, it was impossible for the Void Magic Corps¡¯ Commander to dispatch any forces.


    ¡°`


    Who should we send?


    All the captains are now chasing Rocky, and even with that, they couldn¡¯t stop him. If we send these captains away, won¡¯t Rocky just break through? And if we assign ordinary warriors to go, the question of who will lead them arises. Furthermore, surely not every Void Magic Warrior of the Alliance Army are fools, are they?


    Because Rocky was too conspicuous, from the moment he entered the battlefield, everyone¡¯s attention had been on him. However, the battlefield is by no means a one-man show. The Void Magic Corps of the Alliance Army are also there!


    While Rocky was being pursued by every squad of the Imperial Army, the Void Magic Corps of the Alliance Army were not just sitting by idly. They continuously divided their forces to support Wilton, and at the same time, they coordinated with Rocky.


    The Alliance Army was smart, especially those who remained on the battlefield. They didn¡¯t go to aid Rocky because Rocky didn¡¯t need it. They kept attacking the isolated ordinary warriors. As the commanders of the Imperial Army were chasing Rocky, their ordinary warriors had no choice but to scatter and flee. These scattered ordinary warriors quickly became targets for the Alliance Army.


    With these developments, the situation on the battlefield for the Void Magic Corps became much clearer. Rocky¡¯s appearance had changed the previously stalemated and intractable fight in an instant, and with this change on the battlefield, the larger battle also began to shift.


    As more and more Void Magic Squads went to support Wilton, the battleship fleet, which should have been rapidly consumed, managed to hold on!


    More and more Void Magic Squads joining the fight led to significant changes in the front-line battle. The Imperial Army, due to lack of timely support, was completely on the defensive against the attacking Alliance Void Magic Squads. Not to mention the ordinary warships, even the strongest Heavy Armored Ships quickly suffered major casualties as the number of Alliance Void Magic Squads increased. It was yet another proof of the old saying, ¡°Only a Void Magic Warrior can stand against another Void Magic Warrior!¡±


    And this was exactly what the Imperial Army did not want to see happen.


    The strength of the Imperial Heavy Armored Ships in aerial combat is nearly without weakness, with their only fear being the Void Magic Warriors. That¡¯s why the Imperial Army arranged a significant number of Void Magic Corps aboard the Heavy Armored Ships. Indeed, at the beginning of the battle, these corps played a crucial role in successfully thwarting the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Corps¡¯ surprise attacks, saving the Heavy Armored Ships from the greatest danger.


    But no one expected that, at the last and most critical moment of the battle, the last unit that should have made mistakes¡ªthe Void Magic Corps¡ªwould make a significant error, allowing the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Corps to break free!


    And the chief culprit behind all this was none other than Rocky!


    Rocky¡¯s appearance triggered a series of butterfly effects. Under this influence, the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Corps managed to break free and thus affected the front-line battle, allowing the battleship fleet, which should have been quickly annihilated, to tenaciously survive.


    This was bad news!


    The front-line battle changed unpredictably because of Rocky, but on the other flank, nothing unexpected happened, and the main forces of the Alliance Army were about to wipe out the Imperial Army!


    ¡°`


    COMMENT


    0 comment


    Vote


    3 left


    SEND GIFT

 Chapter 491 - 491 455 The Final Struggle

    ?Chapter 491: Chapter 455: The Final Struggle Chapter 491: Chapter 455: The Final Struggle As time passed, the flank battlefield had gradually determined a winner. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Imperial Army, initially surrounding the enemy, had dwindled significantly. In contrast, the Alliance Army, despite suffering substantial losses in the Escort Ship troops, managed to preserve the cruiser fleet relatively intact.


    With this development, the flank battle was expected to conclude shortly, and once completed, the relatively unscathed cruiser fleet would quickly reinforce the frontal battlefield.


    On the frontal battlefield, the Imperial Army, which should have been advancing unstoppably, faced a less optimistic situation. As much time had passed, and the flank battlefield was nearing its end, they still hadn¡¯t finished their battle.


    At this moment, Wilton¡¯s battleship fleet remained completely surrounded, facing relentless fierce attacks from the enemy. Their formation had long become utterly chaotic. Yet, despite the overwhelming disorder, a considerable number of battleships, roughly two to three hundred, had survived.


    The large troop led by Wilton originally consisted of seven hundred battleships. After continuous exchanges of fire, they had lost two-thirds, undoubtedly a heavy blow. However, one must not underestimate the remaining two to three hundred warships. These were battleships, after all, and even with only two to three hundred left, they still possessed substantial battle power. Thus, the Imperial Army couldn¡¯t swallow this last piece of bone.


    Of course, another reason preventing the Imperial Army from gobbling up the Alliance Army in one bite was the intervention of the Void Magic Corps.


    The timely reinforcements from the Void Magic Corps not only significantly relieved Wilton¡¯s pressure but also greatly slowed down the Imperial Army¡¯s offensive. Consequently, the battle, which should have been swiftly decided, dragged on and remained unresolved as the flank battlefield was almost concluded.


    Clearly, the situation on the battlefield hadn¡¯t developed as everyone imagined. The arrival of the Alliance¡¯s Void Magic Corps had become the biggest variable in this grand war, completely altering the course of the battle.


    In such a scenario, the Imperial Army had no choice but to make adjustments again, because, although no one in the Imperial Army wanted to admit it, they had to accept that they were now showing signs of defeat¡­


    The flank battle was about to end, and once a victor was declared, the Alliance¡¯s cruiser fleet would support the frontal battlefield. At that point, the two divisions of the Imperial Army would become surrounded and subsequently annihilated.


    That was what was going to happen next.


    But this outcome was definitely not what the Imperial Army wanted to see. Therefore, to avoid the worst scenario, the Imperial Army¡¯s Commander had no choice but to issue a new order.


    Retreat¡­


    At this stage of the battle, continuing the fight was pointless. The Imperial Army¡¯s defeat was certain, and revealing such a desperate situation at the last stage of the battle meant it was irreversible. The Imperial Army¡¯s Commander, having neither the troops nor the time to readjust, decisively issued the order to retreat.


    Upon issuing the order, the Imperial Army, which was besieging at the time, immediately reacted. The heavy armored ship troops at the front line showed little reaction, but the surrounding fleets turned their ships around and quickly exited the battlefield, followed by the heavy armored ship troops.


    This truly confirmed the old saying, ¡°A defeated army is like a landslide!¡±


    In the face of inevitable defeat, the Imperial Army¡¯s fleets also exhibited a rout, exiting the battlefield en masse, which was not only shocking to observers but also profoundly disheartening.


    Upon noticing this maneuver by the Imperial Army, Wilton immediately realized what was happening and issued his command, ¡°Order all troops not to pursue. Take this time to adjust the formation.¡±


    Even as he watched the enemy evidently retreat in disarray, Wilton, serving as the commander-in-chief, did not order a pursuit. Instead, he had the fleet contract and focus on defense.


    This command may have baffled many, as it seemed like a perfect opportunity to press their advantage. How could they let it slip so easily?


    Those who harbored such thoughts were likely accustomed to theorizing about war on paper; they did not understand what a real battlefield was like.


    The Imperial Army might have been retreating in disarray, seemingly presenting a perfect chance to chase after a victory, but was it really so?


    It was the Imperial Army that was collapsing!


    Throughout the entire battle, regardless of the final outcome, the performance of the Imperial Army had been impeccable, from the highest commanders down to the common soldiers. Not one individual had tarnished the name of the Imperial Army. Why then, at this final moment, would such a disgraceful scene occur?


    The battle on the flanks had not yet genuinely concluded. The Imperial Army still had plenty of time for an orderly withdrawal from the battlefield as they still held an advantage on the frontal battlefield and no one could have stopped them. Why then did they disperse so haphazardly?


    Thus, this apparent rout was clearly an illusion!


    If Wilton had rashly pursued at this moment, he surely would have suffered. The battleship fleet he commanded was already severely depleted and had lost the capability to continue fighting the enemy. Therefore, if they were ambushed during the pursuit, they might have been completely annihilated! And should that have occurred, the outcome of the entire battle would once again become uncertain.


    Therefore, after securing the victory, Wilton, a renowned general, would not risk such danger. He decisively ordered his fleet not to pursue and blatantly allowed the seemingly scattered Imperial Army to escape.


    Shortly thereafter, seeing that Wilton did not lead his troops in pursuit, the panicking Imperial Army quickly reorganized their formation and began to retreat in an orderly, tiered manner.


    Indeed, just as Wilton had anticipated, the initial display of collapse was merely a ruse to lure him into making a move, but fortunately, Wilton was not deceived.


    It must be said that the commanders on both sides had truly battled from the beginning to the end. Even at the final moments when the outcome was already determined, both commanders did not give up the last chance to turn defeat into victory, still competing in secrecy.


    However, judging from the ultimate outcome, Wilton clearly had the last laugh.


    Meanwhile, as the Imperial Army withdrew from the frontal battlefield, the Imperial Army on the flanks also began their retreat. However, they were not so lucky. The distinctly superior Alliance Army didn¡¯t give them a chance to regroup with the main forces. Taking advantage of their victory, they quickly annihilated all the enemies.


    Yet just as the cruiser fleet, still capable of fighting, targeted the retreating heavy armored ships, they discovered that the four Sky Cities previously dispatched by the Imperial Army had already flown into the battlefield.

 Chapter 492 - 492 456 Recognition

    ?Chapter 492: Chapter 456: Recognition Chapter 492: Chapter 456: Recognition Four Sky Cities entered the battlefield, marking the end of the battle¡ªit had to end.


    While the Alliance Army¡¯s patrol cruisers might have been relatively intact, and the Armored Ship Troops still capable of fighting, once the Sky Cities entered the battlefield, the Imperial Army¡¯s troops could retreat into the city. At that point, any attack would become meaningless unless they could destroy the Sky Cities outright, but with the current military strength of the Alliance Army, that clearly wasn¡¯t feasible.


    Therefore, after this, both sides¡¯ troops separately withdrew, with the Alliance Army¡¯s troops lined up in front of their own three Sky Cities, and the Imperial Army¡¯s troops retreating back into the city. Then, the four Sky Cities withdrew from the battlefield.


    With the Imperial Army¡¯s four Sky Cities completely withdrawn from the battlefield, it signified the Alliance Army¡¯s victory in this battle!


    The booming of gunfire sounded again at this moment, but this time not for attack, but for celebration. As the Imperial Army¡¯s Sky Cities retreated, the Alliance Army fired all their guns as a salute to send off the defeated Imperial Army.


    No wonder the Alliance Army was so jubilant; this victory was too significant for them. Before this, although the sides had been at a stalemate for a long time with constant frictions, the Alliance Army had never achieved a truly significant victory, and had more often lost than won. Thus, today¡¯s victory was of tremendous significance to the entire war zone¡¯s Alliance Army.


    This battle wasn¡¯t just a minor skirmish but a major conflict involving seven Sky Cities, with both sides deploying over six thousand warships. In this major battle, the Alliance Army, at the cost of losing more than a thousand warships, obliterated nearly two thousand of the Imperial Army¡¯s warships, achieving a truly remarkable victory. Hence, everyone¡¯s high spirits were only natural.


    Once the Imperial Army¡¯s Sky Cities had retreated and disappeared from sight, Wilton directed his troops back to the three Sky Cities. However, these three Sky Cities did not withdraw but stayed on the battlefield. At the same time, the rear forces and Sky Cities also hastened to the scene, making this battlefield the frontline for the Alliance Army, which would not retreat.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    All the troops returned to the Sky City, and naturally, Rocky and the Fierce Tiger Squad followed the main forces into the base camp of the Void Magic Corps inside the city.


    When the Imperial Army withdrew from the main battleground, the Imperial Knight Order that had been constantly entangled with the Fierce Tiger Squad also departed with the main forces. The outcome of this battle was a draw, except for the sniper killed by Rocky; the Imperial Knight Order had no other casualties. Similarly, the Fierce Tiger Squad also had all members survive until the end.


    However, the most exhausted in this battle was not the Fierce Tiger Squad but Rocky, who continually rushed across the battlefield.


    This battle had completely exhausted him, but equally, his contribution to this battle was unmatched. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that the Alliance Army could achieve such an overwhelming victory with at least half the credit due to him.


    If it weren¡¯t for him freeing numerous Void Magic Warriors, Wilton¡¯s battleship fleet definitely couldn¡¯t have lasted that long. Otherwise, if the Imperial Army had managed to conclude the battle on the main front first, the outcome of this battle could have been reversed.


    Therefore, after returning to the temporary camp, Rocky immediately crawled into his tent and collapsed onto the bed to sleep, and of course, he was not the only one exhausted. The other members of the Fierce Tiger Squad did the same, with even the usually loud Captain Kyle immediately resting after leading the squad back to the camp.


    Just like that, time quickly moved to the next day.


    As they had just engaged in a significant battle, Rocky and others involved in the fight were definitely not assigned any combat tasks, and due to the battle being extremely grueling, Kyle even unusually gave everyone a day off from the daily training.


    ¡°Rocky, what kind of technology did the White Demon Armor carry to be so fast?¡± Kyle asked.


    ¡°Yeah, tell us about it!¡±


    With no training scheduled, everyone gathered the next morning for a casual chat, naturally revolving around the events of the previous day¡¯s battle.


    At the beginning, everyone started discussing the Imperial Knight Order, and inevitably, the conversation turned to Rocky and the White Demon Armor he wore. In yesterday¡¯s battle, the Fierce Tiger Squad and the Imperial Knight Order ended up in a draw, with neither side able to overpower the other. However, Rocky had managed to slay an opponent in a one-on-one situation, which was a significant event.


    That was the Imperial Knight Order!


    After this clash, the members of the Fierce Tiger Squad became aware of the opponent¡¯s strength. In terms of power, the Imperial Knight Order was undoubtedly a team that could compete with the Blue Crune. Being able to slay such a formidable opponent demonstrated a glimpse of Rocky¡¯s capabilities.


    As the topic surfaced, everyone turned their eyes toward Rocky, showing deep interest in him and the White Demon Armor.


    For Rocky, this surge of enthusiasm was somewhat overwhelming. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As mentioned before, although he had lived, eaten, and trained with the Fierce Tiger Squad for two weeks, his relationship with the team was not very close¡ªthe only exceptions being his somewhat closer relationships with Abbas and Luca. Clara even harbored some resentment towards him.


    Therefore, when everyone surrounded him and bombarded him with questions, Rocky felt somewhat at a loss.


    Especially since their questions were all related to the White Demon Armor, Rocky was even more unsure of how to respond.


    ¡°Everyone, be quiet.¡±


    Fortunately, Captain Kyle spoke up at that moment, ¡°The White Demon Armor is the highest secret of Thunderhawk City and also the highest secret of the Alliance. Why are you foolishly prying?¡±


    After glancing at everyone with a stern look, Kyle used his typical loud voice and then turned to Rocky:


    ¡°Rocky, you performed very well in the previous battle.¡±


    While speaking, Kyle, who was sitting next to him, patted his shoulder: ¡°You were great, better than we imagined. You are a true warrior.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    ¡°Rocky, you are a true warrior!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    As Kyle finished his address, the others around him seemingly chanted in unison. These words, ringing in Rocky¡¯s ears, suddenly warmed his heart.


    He had finally received recognition from the squad.


    His previous lack of closeness with the squad members wasn¡¯t due to anything other but the fact that they had not acknowledged him. In everyone¡¯s eyes, Rocky was just Rocky; he was the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, but not a warrior, and he was fundamentally different from the members of the Fierce Tiger Squad.


    However, through his performance in yesterday¡¯s battle, Rocky had proven to everyone that he was, indeed, the City Lord of Thunderhawk City but also a true warrior.


    Now, it seemed his proof had been effective because, after the battle, the attitudes of the Fierce Tiger Squad members toward him had noticeably changed¡ªa shift that anyone could feel.

 Chapter 493 - 493 457 The Unexpected War

    ?Chapter 493: Chapter 457: The Unexpected War Chapter 493: Chapter 457: The Unexpected War After the battle, Rocky proved to everyone with his own performance that he was not only a City Lord but also a true warrior, and this proof finally earned him the recognition and respect of the Fierce Tiger Squad.


    Such recognition brought about a noticeable change in the relationship between Rocky and the members of the squad, a subtle change that in plain terms meant that from that point on, the members of the Fierce Tiger Squad no longer saw him as an outsider but as one of their own, even though Rocky was still officially independent of the squad.


    Of course, having won this key battle and performed so excellently in combat, Rocky naturally received a more tangible reward.


    After the previous battle ended, Rocky was credited with the most significant military achievement of the entire fight, and according to Wilton, the military achievement he earned from this battle, if converted into Contribution Points, would amount to an immediate 10,000 points!


    This conversion was not something Wilton decided on a whim but was arrived at after comprehensively considering the number of enemies Rocky killed in battle, as well as the various contributions he made to the entire fight.


    So, after this battle, Rocky became somewhat of a small tycoon, because even for core members of the Alliance, it was extremely difficult to obtain 10,000 Contribution Points through normal channels. And with these points in hand, the things Rocky could exchange for naturally became much more varied, and more importantly, this was only his first battle officially as a warrior. If he continued to fight like this, there¡¯s no doubt his military achievements¡ªand thus his contributions¡ªwould only increase!


    When Rocky learned that the military achievement he obtained in this battle was equivalent to 10,000 Contribution Points, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little excited and immediately began to ponder how he would use these points to develop Thunderhawk City after the war ended.


    And thinking it over, Rocky realized that if things continued to develop at this pace, then by the end of this great war, the Contribution Points he earned¡­ might just be enough to upgrade Thunderhawk City to a medium-sized Sky City!


    After harassing the Rebel Army in the Tulip Battle Zone for more than a month alongside Karina and Berg, Rocky obtained countless spoils of war, including a population of 3,000. Although he later decided to cleanse these people and thus needed to deduct 1,000 for expenses, even so, the total population of Thunderhawk City had still reached over 5,000.


    Therefore, after the great war ended, if Rocky could capture one or two small Sky Cities, then bringing the population of Thunderhawk City to over 10,000 would not be difficult. At that time, coupled with the Contribution Points he had earned, wouldn¡¯t Thunderhawk City be able to upgrade to a medium-sized Sky City?


    At this thought, he suddenly felt that happiness had come so suddenly, as if Thunderhawk City could be upgraded without him even realizing it!


    This possibility kept Rocky awake with excitement all night, as he pondered how he could upgrade Thunderhawk City as quickly as possible after the great war was over.


    He could certainly think that way, but some things are beyond anyone¡¯s imagination, no matter how hard they think about it, like the ongoing war of the ages.


    Judging by the current momentum, the Kafka Empire seems determined to erase the Sky Alliance from the sky, as its vast war machine has begun operating relentlessly, continuously sending reinforcements to the Four Great War Zones.


    On the other hand, the Sky Alliance is doing the same. After the Kafka Empire finally made its move, the Sky Alliance has also shown its strength. Core Sky Cities and elite Alliance Armies are pouring into the Four Great War Zones like a steady stream, clearly not intending to give the enemy the slightest chance to succeed.


    As such, with both of the top forces in the sky exerting all their effort, the war was bound to evolve into a protracted and extensive battle.


    In fact, the development of the war did indeed move towards a war of attrition. Take the Tulip Battle Zone for instance; after securing a splendid victory, the Alliance Army led by Wilton gained a significant boost in morale. However, in other aspects, they made little progress.


    After the battle, the Imperial Army lost more than two thousand warships, but within a week, the Kafka Empire had replenished the warzone with twenty thousand warships as reinforcements. The Sky Alliance did the same, continuously dispatching large troops into the warzone. As a result, while the scale of the conflict and the casualties kept growing, the progress was pitifully small.


    In such circumstances, the war was nowhere near ending in one or two years. Even if it went on for four or five years, that would be considered quite normal.


    However, just when everyone thought the war would develop in such a direction, an accident turned the war towards an unexpected situation.


    This war, which was supposed to last for an extended period, actually came to an abrupt halt in a way that no one had anticipated!


    It had long been said that as soon as the Sky Alliance and Rebel Army went to war, the entire sky was on edge, and the smell of gunpowder spread not only on the battlefield but throughout the entire sky. Those forces and City Lords who had not joined the war but were eager to act became sensitive to the situation, making the atmosphere in the sky incredibly tense.


    This tense atmosphere reached its peak after the Kafka Empire made its move, and it completely ignited the powder keg.


    Following the Kafka Empire¡¯s actions, other regions in the sky also experienced wars of varying scales. These wars were unrelated to the major conflict between the two great forces and erupted solely because some saw an opportunity to eliminate their opponents, expand their territories, and profit from the warfare.


    Consequently, the originally azure sky plunged into the chaos of war.


    This chaos was undoubtedly fatal for every Sky City, especially for the smaller ones.


    To avoid the turmoil and other Sky Cities taking advantage of the conflict between the two alliances to cause trouble, many small Sky Cities were forced to leave their usual territories. Some City Lords, having no other choice, even took refuge near the Forbidden Zones.


    As is well known, the Forbidden Zones are extremely dangerous. Even without delving deep into them but merely lingering around, it is a risky act for small Sky Cities. However, to avoid the war, many had no choice but to seek shelter near these zones to avoid becoming targets. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wanguai, Spring Rain, Thunder, Matthias, and Choque, these five small Sky Cities did just that. In order to escape the chaos of war, they had to form a temporary alliance and take refuge near a Forbidden Zone together.


    And nobody could have imagined that everything happening across the sky would undergo a drastic change due to this action taken by these five small Sky Cities!

 Chapter 494 - 494 458 Forbidden Area of Demon Extinguish

    ?Chapter 494: Chapter 458 Forbidden Area of Demon Extinguish City Chapter 494: Chapter 458 Forbidden Area of Demon Extinguish City To evade the chaos of war in the skies, Wanguai, Spring Rain, Thunder, Matthias, and Choque, these five small Sky Cities, joined forces and hid together in the airspace of Demon Extinguish City.


    Demon Extinguish City.


    One of the forbidden zones in the sky, this was originally a city, whose earliest name had already been forgotten by people. However, there were rumors that this city was once a vast and prosperous metropolis during the Land Era, with a population exceeding tens of millions.


    Such scale of a city is no longer seen in today¡¯s world, because even the population of the Top Ten Divine Cities is only around one million, nowhere near the ten-million level.


    Perhaps it was because the city was too prosperous that after the end of the Traceless War, demons crossed the Traceless Battlefield and began a full-scale assault on the land, with Demon Extinguish City as one of the primary targets.


    Attacking a city with a population of millions should have been a massive war, but it was not the case.


    During the initial attack by demons, neither Sky City nor Void Magic Armor had been invented. People simply did not have the means to fight against demons, and so Demon Extinguish City was overrun in an extremely short time. Millions of soldiers were mercilessly slaughtered in the war, and tens of millions of residents lost their lives after the city fell. Thereafter, the city became a gathering place for demons, its original name forgotten, and thus Demon Extinguish City was born.


    Today, nearly a hundred years later, this place remains a hub for demons, teeming with countless Normal Demons. The number of high-level demons is even more staggering, making it a forbidden zone where entry is prohibited for any Sky City, whether from the land or the skies.


    Yet today, as warfare erupts throughout the skies, the desperate small City Lords can only flee and hide. Compared to the glaring threats from their own kind, these powerless City Lords would rather take a gamble with demons.


    This was the case for the five small Sky Cities of Wanguai, Spring Rain, Thunder, Matthias, and Choque; they banded together and sought refuge in the airspace of Demon Extinguish City.


    Of course, they were well aware of their limitations, knowing that even with the combined strength of the five Sky Cities, they had no chance of venturing into the interior of the forbidden zone. Thus, though the City Lords led their Sky Cities into the airspace of Demon Extinguish City, they only stayed on the outskirts, not daring to delve any deeper.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    One day in November of Sky Era Year 118, Maximilian, the City Lord of Spring Rain City, was looking at the latest intelligence sent by the Shadow Alliance. As in the past few months, all the information related to warfare, with the main protagonists naturally being the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Looking at the comprehensive reports on the war, Maximilian let out a long sigh and then tossed the intelligence to one side.


    When will the war finally end?


    After reading the content of the intelligence, that was the only question left in his mind. The current situation was clearly a case of ¡®when gods war, mortals suffer,¡¯ and if the Sky Alliance and Kafka Empire continued to fight like this, lasting three to five years, how were they, the small city lords, supposed to survive?


    As Maximilian¡¯s face was filled with worry, the door to his study was knocked.


    ¡°My lord, Mr. Kuni has arrived.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Please, let him in.¡±


    Upon hearing the guard¡¯s announcement, Maximilian quickly stood up and immediately adjusted his attire, clearly preparing to greet a highly respected guest.


    Shortly after, an elderly man around seventy years old was brought into the study.


    ¡°City Lord,¡±


    The old man was very aged, with hair that had turned white, and his physique also seemed rather weak, having the appearance of someone in the twilight of his years. Upon being brought into the study, he nodded listlessly.


    However, Maximilian, confronting such an inconspicuous old man, immediately went forward to assist him into a seat and then sat opposite him to ask:


    ¡°Mr. Kuni, have you clarified the matters regarding Demon Extinguish City?¡±


    This man called Kuni, though appearing very ordinary and indeed being just a common man, was actually the most renowned scholar in the entirety of Spring Rain City, especially professional and comprehensive in his historical research, always highly respected in the city.


    And Maximilian, the City Lord, just happened to be a very meticulous, or rather, a highly suspicious individual, so although this time he had joined with several other Sky Cities to hide within the airspace of Demon Extinguish City, he had always felt uneasy about Demon Extinguish City.


    No wonder he felt this way, because there were many rumors about Demon Extinguish City, yet all too vague. Why the city had become a forbidden zone, what specific dangers it possessed¡ªnone of these details were mentioned in the rumors, causing Maximilian great concern. Unfortunately, as the lord of a minor Sky City, he had absolutely no power to delve into these issues.


    Had it been a normal situation, he, as the lord of a small city, would never have let his Sky City come to such a perilous place, but now was different; his Spring Rain City was within the airspace of Demon Extinguish City, and he had to understand the nature of the dangers here, to be prepared in advance. Therefore, he had requested Mr. Kuni to look for detailed information about this forbidden zone.


    ¡°City Lord¡­¡±


    After looking at Maximilian, Kuni caught his breath for a while before slowly beginning to speak, his voice weak and feeble, ¡°I am truly ashamed, my knowledge is limited, and I haven¡¯t found much information about Demon Extinguish City. The few records I did find are just like the rumors, saying that this place has always been a gathering ground for demons, with numerous high-level demons, which is why it became a forbidden zone.¡±


    As he spoke, Kuni shook his head to indicate he hadn¡¯t discovered much.


    Though Kuni was proficient in history, his status was merely that of an ordinary scholar. Indeed, his knowledge was vast, but due to his common status, there were some things he simply couldn¡¯t access. Moreover, throughout the history of demons attacking the land over the past hundred years, many events, for various reasons, had been lost. Whether deliberately obscured by man or simply vanished from memory, much historical data were unattainable.


    Nevertheless, he then said, ¡°However, my lord, I did find some records about this place in unofficial histories, which might be able to help you.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°My lord, in the unofficial histories, I came across a record that said when Demon Extinguish City was first conquered, demons deployed a terrifying Magic Dragon.¡±


    ¡°Magic Dragon?¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At these words, Maximilian¡¯s brow furrowed. Could it be that Magic Dragons existed in Demon Extinguish City?


    Just as he was furrowing his brows, Kuni continued, ¡°My lord, there is more about this unofficial historic record¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? What else is there?¡±


    After looking at Kuni, Maximilian eagerly asked.


    According to the records, when the Magic Dragon attacked Demon Extinguish City, it was merely seated. Atop the Magic Dragon, that was where the truly terrifying presence resided¡­¡±

 Chapter 495 - 495 459 The Man on the Magic Dragon

    ?Chapter 495: Chapter 459: The Man on the Magic Dragon! Chapter 495: Chapter 459: The Man on the Magic Dragon! ¡°Magic Dragon¡­is it a mount?¡±


    When Maximilian heard these last words from Kuni, he was stunned. He looked at the old man in front of him, his face filled with confusion and disbelief.


    Magic Dragon?


    Mount?


    The two simply did not match!


    Although Maximilian was just a minor City Lord, he had heard how terrifying the Magic Dragons were. Even among the high-level demons, the Magic Dragons were extremely formidable, top-tier creatures. How could such fearsome beasts possibly serve as mounts?


    It seemed that unofficial histories were indeed just that¡ªhistorical accounts that could sometimes barely distinguish themselves from rumors or legends, not to be taken seriously.


    Hence, Maximilian nodded and did not continue to inquire about this issue, letting Kuni leave. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, after Kuni had left, he furrowed his brows and thought long and hard because, although he could disbelieve the part about the Magic Dragon being a mount, the existence of the Magic Dragon itself was very noteworthy.


    If there indeed was a Magic Dragon in Demon Extinguish City, even if there were only one, he definitely would not allow his Spring Rain City to remain here; it was too dangerous.


    But this was not a decision he could make on his own, as they had come here together with the other five Sky Cities. Even if Maximilian wanted to leave, he had to inform the other City Lords, and this matter indeed deserved discussion among all of them.


    Therefore, soon after, he quickly left his study and headed straight for the communication room to contact the other five City Lords.


    ¡°Everyone, I just heard a rumor that there might be a Magic Dragon in Demon Extinguish City.¡±


    Standing in the communication room, in front of Maximilian were four Magic Energy Images, representing the other four City Lords hiding near Demon Extinguish City.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    When Maximilian had gathered all the other City Lords and straightforwardly communicated everything, it immediately made everyone frown.


    ¡°Maximilian, who did you hear this rumor from?¡±


    After a brief shock, one of the Magic Energy Images asked. This person was Matthias, the City Lord of Spring Rain City, who had also organized the group of five cities.


    Matthias¡¯s Magic Energy Image gazed at Maximilian while asking, his tone filled with skepticism.


    ¡°I found it in historical materials. Although it may not be reliable, I think we must stay alert as long as there¡¯s a slight chance; we are not equipped to deal with a Magic Dragon.¡±


    ¡°I think you are being too worried¡­ What¡¯s happening!¡±


    Matthias could understand Maximilian¡¯s concerns, but just as he was about to reassure him, suddenly an incident occurred!


    ¡°Matthias, what¡¯s wrong!?¡±


    In everyone¡¯s view, just as Matthias started to speak, he suddenly turned his head, and before others could react, his image disappeared¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Matthias what¡­¡±


    Just when everyone was confused, suddenly another City Lord¡¯s Magic Energy Image disappeared!


    Then the third and fourth City Lords¡¯ images disappeared in rapid succession; in the blink of an eye, Maximilian¡¯s view became completely empty, devoid of anyone.


    An emergency had occurred!


    Although he did not know what had happened, Maximilian immediately realized something was wrong, and he rushed out immediately.


    ¡°Someone!¡±


    ¡°My lord!¡±


    Having just burst out of the communications room, Maximilian was about to call someone to check the situation when a guard preemptively ran up to him. ¡°My lord! It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s terrible! There are Magic Dragons, Magic Dragons are coming!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Hearing the guard¡¯s frantic words, Maximilian froze on the spot. Immediately after, he rushed back to his room, put on his Void Magic Armor, and flew straight out of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    However, as he flew out of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and before he could even reach the Skyport to check the situation, he saw a dark cloud drifting overhead.


    No, not a dark cloud, but a group of Magic Dragons with their wings spread, circling over Sky City!


    It really¡­ was Magic Dragons!


    Looking up as the Magic Dragons flew overhead, Maximilian was dumbstruck. As a mere lord of a small town, he had never witnessed such legendary creatures firsthand. But today, not only did he see one, but he saw a whole swarm!


    At that moment, swirling above Sky City was not just one Magic Dragon, but a dark, dense group of them!


    Ten?


    Twenty?


    Or thirty?


    The number of Magic Dragons was something Maximilian couldn¡¯t begin to count, because there were too many!


    It¡¯s over¡­ completely over¡­


    Realizing so many Magic Dragons were appearing simultaneously, Maximilian was dumbstruck, standing in his armor and staring blankly at the sky as the Magic Dragons continued to circle around Sky City, his expression shifting and quickly turning to despair.


    Spring Rain City was just a small Sky City, the most ordinary of small Sky Cities at that. Its fleet mainly consisted of reconnaissance ships, where even an escort ship could be considered a main battle warship, or even serve as the flagship.


    With such combat power, facing even one Magic Dragon was already too much, let alone dealing with a group of them. In fact, the number of Magic Dragons currently surrounding the city was almost greater than the number of ships in Spring Rain City¡¯s fleet.


    ¡°Why is this happening¡­¡±


    ¡°Why¡­¡±


    Gazing at the sky, Maximilian felt as if he had been severely impacted, muttering dumbfoundedly. He had never imagined that such an ordinary man as himself would experience such an extraordinary event¡ªan event that was perhaps rare even in a century.


    Unfortunately, in Maximilian¡¯s view, what was considered a once-in-a-century event had just occurred a year ago.


    While Wilton was investigating the fall of Tulip City, he had encountered such a scene!


    However, what Maximilian saw next could indeed be considered rare, not once in a century perhaps, but certainly unseen by most for decades.


    Because shortly thereafter, as he was still gazing blankly at the sky, he suddenly saw a Magic Dragon of immense size fly over his head.


    This Magic Dragon was different from all the other Magic Dragons, for it was much larger. An ordinary Magic Dragon was usually around three hundred meters in length and could be considered one of the largest monsters in the sky, but this Magic Dragon was at least twice the size of typical ones!


    That wasn¡¯t the crucial part, though. As this immense Magic Dragon flew past, Maximilian suddenly noticed something¡­ there seemed to be a person standing on top of the Magic Dragon¡¯s head!


    A person, standing atop the head of a Magic Dragon¡­


    Was he seeing things?


    Watching the giant Magic Dragon¡¯s retreating form, Maximilian suddenly wondered if he was seeing things. But just as he started to think this, as if by some premonition from the depths of fate, the huge Magic Dragon suddenly turned around and flew back. This time, Maximilian could clearly see that there was indeed a person standing on the head of the Magic Dragon!


    Unfortunately, by the time he saw everything clearly, the immense Magic Dragon had already flown above his head and then dived down!

 Chapter 496 - 496 460 Great Changes

    ?Chapter 496: Chapter 460 Great Changes! Chapter 496: Chapter 460 Great Changes! Facing the Magic Dragon, a type of high-level demon, the combat strength of small Sky Cities was utterly insufficient to resist. Consequently, Wanguai, Spring Rain, Thunder, Matthias, and Choque¡ªthe five small Sky Cities¡ªquickly disappeared from the sky¡­


    The disappearance of these five Sky Cities actually didn¡¯t cause the slightest ripple across the vast sky, for these cities were too small to even qualify as one of the numerous stars. They were merely grains of sand in a desert¡ªgone and unnoticed by anyone.


    However, the matter didn¡¯t end there!


    In fact, shortly after these five small Sky Cities vanished, one after another Sky City began to disappear. At first, it was only the small ones, but later even the mid-sized Sky Cities started to vanish. Ultimately, when a large Sky City was also eradicated by the Magic Dragon armies, the matter finally drew people¡¯s attention!


    At the same time, a similar situation unfolded on the battleground where the two major Alliances were at war.


    Bearing the brunt of it all was the Tulip Battle Zone because at its core lay Tulip City!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    December of Sky Era Year 118, the final month of the year, yet this time of the year had no effect on the epic war, as the war between the two Alliances relentlessly continued.


    During this period, Rocky had naturally remained in the battle zone to partake in the combat. To date, he had participated in three battles, each one escalating in scale.


    As of today, the Alliance Army had amassed over fifty Sky Cities in the Tulip Battle Zone, with a full twenty of them being large Sky Cities. The troop count in the battle zone had also multiplied several times over. Now, the fleet numbers of the Alliance Army in the battle zone surpassed fifty thousand, and the Void Magic Squad count exceeded three hundred, while the Imperial Army¡¯s numbers were nearly the same.


    In such circumstances, the scale of the battles naturally became increasingly exaggerated. During the first battle Rocky engaged in, the fleets deployed by both sides totaled over six thousand, with nearly a hundred Void Magic Squads combined. To Rocky, these numbers were astronomical, but now, such a level of battle could no longer be considered grand¡ªit was at best an ordinary battle. Nowadays, a total military force under ten thousand couldn¡¯t be deemed a grand battle.


    But the battles Rocky participated in were indeed grand. Each battle involved over ten thousand warships, with at least a hundred Void Magic Squads on each side, and the numbers could easily reach several hundred!


    In these large-scale battles, Rocky would achieve remarkably impressive feats every time he fought, which made his and White Demon¡¯s names resonate even more in the battle zone.


    Rocky was no longer just a hero in name; he had become a true hero through his exploits in repeated battles, his reputation known not only by the Alliance Army but also reverberating like thunder in the Imperial Army.


    Today, he once again received orders to join the battle and set off on a warship with Fierce Tiger Squad to head to the battlefield.


    The scale of the battle he was participating in this time was also substantial. The Alliance¡¯s side deployed five large Sky Cities, eight thousand warships, and one hundred fifty Void Magic Squads, while the enemy, the Imperial Army, mustered even greater forces with seven Sky Cities, ten thousand warships, and two hundred Void Magic Warrior squads!


    Without a doubt, this was another crucial grand battle; otherwise, neither side would deploy such significant forces.


    And in such an important battle, Rocky and Fierce Tiger Squad were naturally expected to be at the forefront of the charge.


    ¡°Rocky, act independently, and show no mercy!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Having received his battle orders, Rocky and Fierce Tiger Squad immediately took to the sky. Following which, Kyle issued the command for Rocky to act independently while he himself led the squad straight towards the Imperial Knight Order.


    After multiple confrontations, the Fierce Tiger Squad and the Imperial Knight Order had long become sworn enemies, abandoning their initial hidden battles in favor of direct, open combat upon meeting.


    In these clashes, the Fierce Tiger Squad always held a certain advantage because they outnumbered their opponents by one.


    Since the Sniper had been killed by Rocky, the squad sent by the Imperial Knight Order had always been one man short; in conflicts at this level, being down one person was as good as being down one leg.


    Although the Knight Order had tried to reinforce their team by adding excellent captains to the squad, there¡¯s a difference between excellent and elite, and there¡¯s a gap between elite and ace. Members drafted into the Knight Order might be excellent or elite within ordinary squads, but they paled in comparison to the Fierce Tiger Squad and were thus defeated in every encounter.


    Consequentially, the Imperial Knight Order, unable to gain the upper hand over the Fierce Tiger Squad, could no longer contain Rocky¡¯s performance. In these battles, Rocky could be described as rampaging with great ferocity, causing everyone to retreat in his path.


    Today¡¯s battle was no different. Once fully deployed, the Fierce Tiger Squad went head-to-head with the Imperial Knight Order, while Rocky casually flew past the knights, heading towards the regular Void Magic Squad.


    But perhaps due to his notorious reputation, as Rocky approached, the targeted squad scattered in panic, with all ten members including the captain abandoning their opponents and fleeing in different directions.


    ¡°Again¡­¡±


    Seeing the enemy scatter and flee so abruptly, Rocky could only sigh in resignation. He targeted one of them and accelerated in pursuit.


    However, by the time he caught up with and slew his target and then looked for the next one, the Void Magic Squad he had set his sights on scattered in much the same way once again.


    Rocky was no stranger to this scenario; ever since he had made a name for himself on the battlefield, this had been the Empire¡¯s strategy against him. If they couldn¡¯t beat him, couldn¡¯t they just run away?


    Even if the White Demon¡¯s speed was unmatched, could he possibly pursue ten people at once? At best, he could only catch one person, and for a top-tier fighter like Rocky, every minute wasted on the battlefield was valuable to the Imperial Army.


    Thus, during this battle, all the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Warriors continued to engage their opponents while keeping an eye on Rocky. As soon as he charged in their direction, they would immediately abandon the fight and flee, giving him no chance to wreak havoc. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a result, Rocky found himself wearily traversing the battlefield with little to show for it.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Just as Rocky aimed at another enemy and sped towards them, he suddenly heard sounds that should not have been present on the battlefield.


    Guttural roars¡­?


    Roaring sounds?


    The sudden emergence of the roars left him momentarily stunned, and he instinctively looked towards the source of the noise, toward the ground. What he saw dumbfounded him, as he noticed a vast swarm of black dots emerging from the ruins of Tulip City and soaring towards the battle in the sky!


    ¡°What are these things!¡±


    Witnessing the mass of black dots flying towards the sky, Rocky was stunned!

 Chapter 497 - 497 461 Demon Army

    ?Chapter 497: Chapter 461: Demon Army! Chapter 497: Chapter 461: Demon Army! Just as Rocky was fiercely battling his enemies, suddenly, a swarming mass of demons flew out from within Tulip City!


    The main battlefield of the Tulip Battle Zone had always been concentrated in the skies above Tulip City, and more than a year ago, Tulip City had already been conquered by demons, becoming a gathering place for them. This was common knowledge, but nobody had regarded it as a major issue since the demons occupied the land while the battle occurred in the sky, and the two did not interfere with each other.


    But today, unexpectedly, trouble arose!


    ¡°Demons?!¡±


    Since no one on the battlefield could hinder him, Rocky, compared to others, was relatively at ease, so he was the first to notice something flying out from the city below. When he looked carefully, he realized that what was flying out of Tulip City were indeed demons! S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For a moment, he even thought he might have seen it wrong.


    Because among the demons, only a very few could fly, apart from some high-level demons. Normal demons with the ability to fly were extremely rare¡ªone might not be able to find one even among a hundred normal demons, and this was precisely the reason why Sky City and Void Magic Armor were invented.


    However, this time, Rocky hadn¡¯t seen wrong; the ones flying out from Tulip City indeed were demons!


    These demons were not particularly large, roughly about the size of a normal person, their hairless skin was a dark red color resembling congealed blood, but the most eye-catching feature was the pair of wings on these demons¡¯ backs.


    Their wings, at first glance resembling those of bats, were very large when spread open, at least two meters across, and their constant flapping quickly carried the demons towards the higher altitudes.


    Meanwhile, as the demons flew higher and higher, more and more people on the battlefield noticed this scene, and within moments nearly all the fighting Void Magic Warriors had stopped, even the Fierce Tiger Squad and the Imperial Knight Order did the same. Both of the strongest squads, upon discovering the appearance of the demons, immediately dispersed and looked downwards.


    ¡°What, what¡¯s going on?!¡±


    ¡°How can there be so many demons?!¡±


    When everyone paused their fights and looked downwards, they saw a dense mass of demons rapidly approaching higher altitudes. The number of these demons was immense, a rough glance estimated thousands, and even more terrifying was that the demons currently ascending were merely the vanguard; many more demons were continuously flying out from within Tulip City!


    ¡°These, could these all be high-level demons?!¡±


    Many Void Magic Warriors panicked upon seeing so many demons flapping their massive fleshy wings as they approached, because in their minds, normal demons nearly lacked the ability to fly; only high-level demons could soar into the skies!


    Thousand of high-level demons?!


    If this were true, if all these demons before their eyes were high-level demons, that would be terrifying!


    While ordinary Void Magic Warriors became somewhat flustered by this, high-ranking warriors like Rocky and Kyle did not panic, but their hearts were even heavier than the soldiers who did.


    People like Rocky and Kyle, whether because of their status or because of their strength, had a better understanding of this world.


    Thus, they were very clear that the rapidly approaching demons in front of them could not be high-level demons, since high-level demons were inherently scarce and it was impossible for so many to appear in the blink of an eye¡ªit was simply not feasible.


    In fact, they even wished these were all high-level demons.


    If these were all high-level demons, then that would still make sense and could be explained.


    But if these demons were not high-level demons, but ordinary ones, that would be the real trouble!


    Suddenly so many Normal Demons capable of flying appeared. What did this mean?


    It meant that the Demons had undergone mutations far beyond imagination!


    For the people living in the sky, the presence of high-level demons capable of flying was not terrifying, as they were few in number. However, it would be troublesome if ordinary demons were also able to fly!


    In an instant, Rocky, the Fierce Tiger Squad, and the Imperial Knight Order, these high-level warriors, all thought of the same issue at the same moment.


    It wasn¡¯t just them; at that moment, commanders on both sides had also spotted these demons, and both commanders immediately issued orders to cease the ongoing battle, urgently withdraw their fleets, and then convey new orders to the Fierce Tiger Squad and the Imperial Knight Order at the front.


    Find out what was going on with these suddenly emerging demons!


    The moment they received this order, others on the battlefield might still have been unclear about the situation or uncertain about what to do, as just a second ago, the sides were engaged in intense combat and then this incident occurred, leaving everyone at a loss. However, Rocky and the other high-level warriors had already sprung into action!


    ¡°Capture them alive!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Following Kyle¡¯s command, the Fierce Tiger Squad immediately turned around and began to dive, charging towards the demons flying their way.


    At the same time, the Imperial Knight Order performed the exact same maneuver, also diving towards the demons below.


    Joining them was naturally Rocky, the City Lord himself, who was far more concerned about the situation with the demons than the average person. So when the Fierce Tiger Squad and the Imperial Knight Order moved, he too charged right into the fray.


    And because the speed of the White Demon was so fast, even though he started a step later, he made contact with the demons earlier than everyone else.


    During his dive, it only took a moment for Rocky to see a demon flying straight towards him, raising its massive claws as it approached.


    Seeing this, Rocky quickly slowed down to avoid hitting the demon at full speed and sending it flying, but even though he had slowed down, only a few blinks later, the demon was already in front of him, swinging its claw at him!


    Watching the demon¡¯s claw swing towards him, Rocky could even see the cold light flashing from it, but he neither dodged nor defended but just took the hit without flinching.


    After that, there was a swishing sound as the sharp claw grazed past the shoulder armor of the White Demon. The sound was harsh but did not cause any damage; it merely scratched the paint on the armor a bit.


    It was over¡­


    But after receiving that rather insignificant claw strike, Rocky¡¯s heart sank suddenly, plummeting to rock bottom¡­


    ¡°Captain, these are all Normal Demons¡­¡±


    After being struck by the demon¡¯s claw, Rocky reported the situation to Kyle.


    The demons before him¡­


    Were indeed Normal Demons¡­

 Chapter 498 - 498 462 Suffering Heavy Damage

    ?Chapter 498: Chapter 462: Suffering Heavy Damage! Chapter 498: Chapter 462: Suffering Heavy Damage! Having withstood a demon¡¯s claw without a scratch, Rocky¡¯s heart sank instead, and as he brushed past the demon, he flicked out the magic energy short sword from his wrist and stabbed it towards the demon¡¯s chest.


    Apart from the Magic Fang Scythe, the new version of White Demon was naturally equipped with other melee weapons, and the magic energy short sword used by Rocky was one of these. This type of short sword is about half the length of a regular mana sword and is specifically designed for close combat.


    In the instant he brushed past the demon, Rocky plunged the magic energy short sword into its chest, facing almost no resistance before dragging it downwards, disemboweling the creature.


    In a fleeting moment, a demon was easily disemboweled, and as Rocky retracted his short sword, organs were yanked out of the torn chest cavity. The demon screamed in agony as it flapped its wings twice in the air before plummeting from the sky, scattering a mass of entrails¡­


    ¡°Captain, these are all normal demons!¡±


    After killing the demon, Rocky immediately contacted the Fierce Tiger Squad, informing everyone that these were just normal demons.


    Having fought with high-level demons before, Rocky was acutely aware of their terrifying power. That¡¯s why he had intentionally not dodged the attack earlier; he wanted to determine the strength of these demons. After the encounter, he realized they were merely normal demons. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this was precisely the worst-case scenario!


    If even normal demons could fly, then what safety remained in the skies?


    Right at that moment, shortly after Rocky had slain the first demon, more of them arrived, giving him little time to ponder; he was immediately embroiled in combat with the approaching demons.


    Confirmed as normal demons, he gripped the Magic Fang Scythe to face the oncoming demons with a sweeping strike. A flash of cold light, and within the scythe¡¯s wide attack range, several demons were cleaved in two.


    At this time, the Fierce Tiger Squad arrived in hot pursuit, with Kyle at the forefront. He charged at a demon, leapt into the air, and landed behind it. Next, he delivered two swift cuts with his serrated blade, slashing gaping wounds into the demon¡¯s wings.


    With its wings cut, the demon immediately lost balance in the air, but before it could flap its wings a few times, Clara¡¯s mana whip struck, not to slay the demon, but to bind it. The demon was then dragged away by Clara!


    Neither Rocky nor the Fierce Tiger Squad were strangers to demons; in fact, they were quite familiar with them. However, they had never seen this type of demon before. Hence, as commanded by the commander, their primary mission was to capture a demon alive, and only then to eliminate any disruptive demons.


    For the Fierce Tiger Squad, handling these normal demons was naturally easy¡ªthe team caught one alive almost immediately upon engagement, and Clara brought it back. Once this primary mission was accomplished, the members of the Fierce Tiger Squad began their massacre.


    In the face of the Fierce Tiger Squad, these normal demons posed no threat, so the squad members quickly spread out, each facing a horde of demons alone.


    However, this is not to say these demons should be underestimated. Although they weren¡¯t as individually powerful as Rocky and the Fierce Tiger Squad, demons had carried an inherent advantage ever since they first appeared a hundred years ago: their numbers!


    The same was true at this moment.


    Although Fierce Tiger Squad and Rocky, along with the Imperial Knight Order on the other side, each had the ability to take on a group of Demons on their own, the number of Demons was simply too great. There were so many that even though each of them could handle a large group, there were still clusters of Demons flying past them, and within minutes, they were submerged in the dense mass of Demons.


    The Demons that overran them then set their sights directly on the remaining Void Magic Warriors on the battlefield, as well as the fleets from both sides!


    On December 21 of the Sky Era Year 118, above Tulip City, a human force composed of tens of thousands of warships engaged in an unprecedented battle with a roughly equal number of Flying Demons!


    In the hundred years before this, people had never experienced a war like this, for although there were occasionally Demons that took to the sky, they were exceedingly rare, usually only a single high-level demon, and even the rare flying Normal Demons, there were only a few dozen or at most a few hundred. But this time was completely different.


    This time, the number of Demons flying out of Tulip City and into the sky was in the tens of thousands!


    These sky-bound Demons were dark red all over, and when tens of thousands of such Demons appeared in the sky at the same time, it was as if a blood-red cloud had formed. This blood-red cloud quickly engulfed the Void Magic Corps, then the warships, and finally even Sky City that was part of the battle was swallowed up!


    What was even more unfortunate was that, although the battlefield was being contested by the most elite forces in the sky, neither the Alliance Army nor the Imperial Army had any experience dealing with this kind of battle¡­!


    The outcome of this lack of experience was unimaginable and devastating.


    The first to suffer a heavy blow was the Void Magic Corps, which met the Demons head-on.


    Even though the Demons they faced were Normal Demons, their claws might not hurt Rocky or the Fierce Tiger Squad because these individuals were clad in High-Level Armor. However, had their opponents been typical Void Magic Warriors, it would have been a completely different story.


    Typical Void Magic Warriors wore only Mass-produced Armor, which was not only extremely vulnerable to a Demon¡¯s claws but what¡¯s more critical was the sheer number of Demons.


    In this battle, the Alliance and Imperial Armies together fielded three hundred fifty Void Magic Squads, meaning there were three thousand five hundred Void Magic Warriors. Yet, the number of Demons they were facing was in the tens of thousands!


    More than three thousand Void Magic Warriors against tens of thousands of Demons meant that even if a portion of them went towards the Fleet, on average, every Void Magic Warrior had to contend with at least two Demons attacking from different sides¡ªa pressure that was simply too great for common Void Magic Warriors.


    As such, when the battle began, the Void Magic Corps immediately fell into a desperate struggle. Even as Rocky, the Fierce Tiger Squad, and the Imperial Knight Order were slaughtering masses, the other Void Magic Squads quickly began to suffer casualties.


    Yet, even so, compared to another battlefield, the blow suffered by the Void Magic Corps was not the greatest. The forces that truly took a heavy beating in this fight were the fleets of the Alliance Army and the Imperial Army!

 Chapter 499 - 499 463 Stand Out

    ?Chapter 499: Chapter 463: Stand Out! Chapter 499: Chapter 463: Stand Out! Compared to the Void Magic Corps, the fleets of the Alliance Army and the Imperial Army suffered even heavier losses after the demons appeared!


    After the Void Magic Corps was entangled by a multiple number of demons, another part of the demons flew towards the fleets of both sides, and without the escort of Void Magic Warriors, the fleets immediately fell into a dire situation.


    Because to some extent, these flying demons were almost the same as the Void Magic Warriors, and most importantly, just as the Defensive Net of the warships couldn¡¯t block the Void Magic Warriors, it also couldn¡¯t stop the demons!


    Although the warships immediately opened fire on the approaching demons, cannons were completely ineffective against these flying entities, and even relying on a barrage to hit some demons was like a drop in the ocean, given the pitiful hit rate compared to the overwhelming number of demons.


    Under these circumstances, it didn¡¯t take long before the demons got close to the warships and directly landed on the decks. After landing, these demons stuck their flesh wings to their backs, instantly becoming indistinguishable from those demons on land!


    This was bad news!


    The deck was full of crew members who, when it came to operating warships, were certainly experts; but when it came to fighting, especially fighting demons, the crew members were completely outmatched, having neither armor nor weapons. How could they possibly stand a chance against the demons?


    Consequently, the demons that landed on the deck started a massacre. As soon as they landed, they charged towards the crew members. Sometimes, they didn¡¯t even need to swing their claws; merely the impact generated by their bodies was enough to kill the crew members by crashing into them, and when they did swing their claws, it was even more terrifying. A swipe of their claws either shattered skulls or tore the crew members into pieces, creating a gruesome scene. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Facing this situation, the commanders from both sides reacted quickly and issued several orders immediately.


    On one hand, they ordered the warships to immediately retreat back to Sky City, because the Defensive Net of Sky City was different from that of the warships. Due to the powerful mana, Sky City¡¯s Defensive Net could block everything, including Void Magic Warriors. Since it could block Void Magic Warriors, it definitely could prevent demons from entering, thus ensuring temporary safety for the fleet once it withdrew into the city.


    On the other hand, the commanders issued orders to the Void Magic Corps engaged in combat to immediately return and escort the fleet. If escorted by Void Magic Warriors, the safety of the fleet could be somewhat assured.


    These orders were undoubtedly sound, but actually implementing them was easier said than done.


    As for the fleet, upon receiving the orders, all the warships that had not yet encountered demon attacks immediately turned around and flew at full speed towards Sky City.


    However, compared to the fleet, the Void Magic Corps had already been entangled by groups of demons. To say nothing of returning to escort the fleet, it was questionable whether they could even protect themselves in the face of so many demons.


    At this moment, the Void Magic Corps on the battlefield encountered an unprecedented crisis!


    Given the overwhelming number of demons, along with the soldiers¡¯ lack of experience in battling such numerous foes, the formation of the troops was disrupted as soon as the combat started. The Void Magic Warriors, who were originally organized into squads, were separated by the demons, resulting in every warrior fighting for themselves.


    This situation, where they were already at a numerical disadvantage and their strength was not much higher than that of the demons, was clearly not favorable for the Void Magic Corps. No, it should be called a disaster because, numerically, the demons were about twice the number of Void Magic Warriors, but in reality, the warriors faced demons from all directions. Facing demons attacking from all sides, the warriors were often torn to shreds after just a few exchanges¡­


    As a result, casualties appeared immediately on the battlefield and quickly escalated, causing dozens of Void Magic Squads to vanish.


    What should we do?


    What exactly should we do?


    At such a critical moment, Rocky, the entire Fierce Tiger Squad, and even members of the Imperial Knight Order were all pondering the same question: What should they do?!


    They were the elite of the Void Magic Corps, the only ones who could stand a chance against hordes of Demons, but they were also tasked with saving others, and as time passed, even they began to find themselves in peril.


    Demons lack the concept of life and death and do not know what fear is. Thus, elite units like the Fierce Tiger Squad and the Imperial Knight Order attracted more Demons the more enemies they killed on the battlefield. Once the number of Demons they faced reached a critical point, they were in danger.


    And that moment was now!


    Having chosen to disperse at the start, the Fierce Tiger Squad and the Imperial Knight Order, like the other warriors, were each fighting their battles alone, surrounded by more Demons than they could count. So even if they wanted to assist or command their troops, they simply couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Captain!¡±


    ¡°Have everyone regroup on me!¡±


    Just as Kyle was tackled by two Demons, he heard Rocky¡¯s voice through the communicator.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    After violently shaking off the two Demons clinging to him and slicing them with two swift cuts, Kyle flew rapidly while firing several magic energy cannons, blasting the approaching Demons dead before he could finally respond.


    ¡°Have everyone come to me; I¡¯ll lead us out!¡±


    With a horizontal sweep of his scythe, Rocky cut two Demons in half at the waist, then he leaped up into the air, speaking to Kyle through the communicator as he did so.


    He was going to lead them out!


    On this battlefield, there might be individuals stronger than Rocky, but none could rival his status and position; he was the only City Lord on the battlefield!


    As a City Lord, he had led his troops to victory more than once. On land, he had led his Guard Corps to numerous victories over Demons; in the air, his fleet had repelled formidable foes more than once, and each time, he had charged to the forefront, leading his troops to victory with his own strength.


    It was precisely because of this that Rocky knew very well when he should take responsibility, and now was the moment when someone needed to step forward and lead the Void Magic Corps. So, if no one else was capable, he would not hesitate to take on this responsibility and lead everyone out of the encirclement, just like always, just like a City Lord!

 Chapter 500 - 500 464 Leader

    ?Chapter 500: Chapter 464: Leader! Chapter 500: Chapter 464: Leader! Kyle was an excellent captain, and every member of his squad was also exceptional, but Kyle was, after all, just a captain, and the others were merely team members.


    At such a critical moment, even if they wanted to, they couldn¡¯t stand out and lead everyone like a leader would. It wasn¡¯t a matter of capability; they simply weren¡¯t leaders.


    So Rocky stepped forward. As the City Lord, he was a born leader, instinctively knowing what to do at any given time!


    ¡°All units, attention! Immediate regroup towards Rocky¡¯s position!¡±


    Upon hearing his words, Kyle reacted swiftly, promptly contacting all the Void Magic Captains of the Alliance Army, directing every captain to notify their team members to regroup towards Rocky.


    However, although Kyle¡¯s order was passed down, no one acted on it¡­


    It was not because the other captains and members disobeyed, but in a sky filled with Demons, where could they possibly find Rocky?


    Now the void around the Void Magic Corps was teeming with Demons, a sea of red, making it impossible for the warriors to even see their close comrades, let alone locate Rocky.


    But just then, just as everyone received the order but was unable to find Rocky, suddenly, bright lights appeared in the sky!


    The lights were extremely bright, clearly visible even from a great distance. And when people looked closely, they realized these were not just lights, but slashes of Mana unleashed by the Magic Fang Scythe!


    Rocky was well aware that others on the battlefield couldn¡¯t possibly find him, so he decisively charged the Magic Fang Scythe with energy!


    Thanks to the Azure Fang embedded in it, combined with Pelaya¡¯s Mana Energy Conduction Technique, the Magic Fang Scythe could release absorbed Mana in various forms. For instance, when Rocky faced three Void Magic Squads by himself, he relied on the special properties of the Magic Fang Scythe to absorb all of the enemy¡¯s long-range attacks, then released the absorbed Mana like a Beam Cannon. And now, he was doing the same.


    This time, though, he was charging the Magic Fang Scythe with his own Armor, and what he released was not a beam, but a slashing Mana attack!


    Once charged, the razor-sharp blade of the Magic Fang Scythe emitted a layer of Blue Light. When Rocky raised the Scythe high and brought it down hard, a crescent-shaped giant slash appeared, measuring over ten meters from top to bottom, resembling a massive crescent moon in the sky. Wherever the slash passed, all the Demons within its range were instantly cleaved in half, no exceptions.


    In that way, Rocky swung his Scythe continuously. The incessant slashes not only formed a large net around him, eradicating all the Demons in the vicinity, but also served as a signal, making his presence known to every Void Magic Warrior on the battlefield!


    ¡°Close in on Rocky, now! Quickly!¡±


    This scene immediately made everyone realize that it was Rocky; on this battlefield, only the White Demon was capable of such incredible feats. Thus, from captains to team members, everyone charged towards his location, and Fierce Tiger Squad was no exception.


    Time quickly passed, and the Void Magic Warriors who were close by gathered around Rocky. Then everyone huddled together, starting to fend off the surrounding Demons as a group.


    With that, the situation for the Void Magic Corps improved significantly. After all, these Void Magic Warriors were professional soldiers. Once they stopped fighting individually and gathered together, they immediately coordinated with each other. And with the teamwork established, the Demons that continued to surge forward were no longer as frightening.


    ¡°Don¡¯t engage in close combat with them, use long-range weapons to attack!¡±


    As more and more Void Magic Warriors grouped together, it was unclear whether it was a captain or team member who shouted through the communicator, instantly giving everyone a boost.


    The claws of the Demons were indeed very sharp, capable of tearing open the Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armor with a few swipes. But the Demons could only attack with their claws, so avoiding close combat and instead using long-range weapons proved to be the best strategy.


    Hearing this, everyone came to their senses and began bombarding the surrounding Demons with Magic Energy Bullets and Magic Energy Cannons.


    Not long after, the members of the Fierce Tiger Squad also arrived one after another, and their arrival immediately lessened the pressure on the others.


    ¡°Is everyone here?¡±


    ¡°All present!¡±


    After shouting in the communicator, Rocky immediately received a response, indicating that the Void Magic Corps of the Alliance Army had essentially gathered around him.


    As everyone assembled together, the pressure on each person significantly decreased. However, this also made them a more obvious target for the Demons, as it gave the Demons a clearer target.


    In such a situation, there could be no delay; otherwise, everyone would die here. Rocky naturally understood this, so he immediately said to Kyle through the communicator:


    ¡°Captain, I¡¯ll clear the way. Have the others maintain formation, and you lead the squad to cover our retreat. We need to break out immediately!¡±


    Unknowingly, Rocky had become the one giving orders.


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    And to his orders, the captains, led by Kyle, had no doubts and proceeded to carry them out immediately.


    ¡°Rocky, the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Squad is approaching!¡±


    ¡°The people from the Imperial Knight Order are here!¡±


    But just at that moment, just as everyone was preparing to break out, someone suddenly discovered that the Void Magic Corps of the Imperial Army was being gathered by the Imperial Knight Order and moving towards their location! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What are these bastards planning to do!¡±


    ¡°Do they still want to fight?!¡±


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    When the Void Magic Warriors of the Alliance Army saw the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps charging over at this key moment, they were immediately infuriated. Facing the endless Demons, did the Imperial Army really intend to take advantage of the situation and plunder?!


    ¡°Don¡¯t act rashly! Wait for them to come!¡±


    Turning around in midair, Rocky also saw the silhouettes of the Imperial Army, but unlike the others who were enraged, he slowed down the breakout, intending to wait for the Imperial Army¡¯s forces to draw closer.


    As a leader, being able to shoulder responsibility at a critical moment was one thing, but making judgments at an even more critical time was of utmost importance. And now was the time for Rocky to make a judgment. He did not believe that the Imperial Army had come to plunder amidst the chaos; on the contrary, he believed they had come to assist.


    Because no matter what conflicts existed between the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, the Demons were a common enemy to everyone. Especially at present, not only was the Alliance Army surrounded by Demons, but the Imperial Army was in the same situation. If the Imperial Army still thought about settling scores with the Alliance Army at this time, they would indeed be courting death. Rocky did not believe the other side would make such a foolish move.


    On the contrary, he believed that by moving closer to them at this time, the Imperial Army was coming to join forces with them!

 Chapter 501 - 501 465 Temporarily Ceasefire

    ?Chapter 501: Chapter 465 Temporarily Ceasefire Chapter 501: Chapter 465 Temporarily Ceasefire Just as the Void Magic Corps of the Alliance Army, under Rocky¡¯s command, was preparing to launch a raid, the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps suddenly charged toward them, immediately drawing everyone¡¯s attention and anger.


    But Rocky didn¡¯t share their reaction; instead, he urged everyone to hold on a little longer to wait for the Imperial Army to approach.


    This was not a decision any ordinary person would dare to make, because if the Imperial Army came to take advantage of the situation, the Alliance Army, gathered with difficulty, would inevitably be doomed. Faced with such grave responsibility, no one dared to lightly assume it.


    But Rocky dared, because he not only had the judgment but also the courage to bear the consequences.


    As a result, the large troops that were just about to act had to stop, and soon after, the Imperial Army drew near.


    When the Imperial Army got close to the Alliance¡¯s troops, as Rocky had predicted, they did not attack but instead formed another group to combat the Demons.


    Although there was no communication, the actions of the Imperial Army had already said everything¡ªthey planned to break through the Demons¡¯ encirclement together with the Alliance Army. It must be said that the command response of the Imperial Army was quite quick and decisive, and it must be acknowledged that their actions benefited both sides greatly.


    Because with the arrival of the Imperial Army, all the Void Magic Warriors on the battlefield were now gathered together. Although the two forces had not completely merged, they had both considerably reduced the pressure on each other.


    ¡°Good! Begin the breakout, everyone follow me forward!¡±


    Seeing that the Imperial Army was just as he had envisioned, Rocky no longer delayed and immediately began to lead all the Void Magic Corps on the battlefield toward Sky City of the Alliance Army.


    With his command, Rocky, as usual, was the first to charge toward the direction of Sky City. At the same time, the Magic Fang Scythe continued to charge and then began to swing continuously.


    Streams of blue slashes flew continuously with his swings, and the Demons blocking his path fell one after another under this dense barrage. However, the number of Demons in front of Rocky did not decrease at all; inevitably, as the Imperial Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps also drew closer, all the Demons in the sky truly converged.


    But just then, from behind Rocky, a series of extremely fierce artillery fire suddenly erupted, the powerful firepower instantly brought down swathes of Demons. Seeing this, Rocky quickly turned to look and then saw a line of nine Black Armored Warriors speeding towards him, arriving behind him in a moment.


    Imperial Knight Order!


    Unlike Lance Krone, members of the Imperial Knight Order, no matter what type of Armor they wore, generally adopted a unified black coating and now, these Black Armored Warriors had already arrived behind Rocky!


    Seeing these former enemies appear behind him, Rocky was slightly startled and then noticed that the captain of the Knight Order waved at him, the gesture clearly meant to break out together!


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s break out together!¡± S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a glance at the opponent, Rocky turned around and immediately accelerated toward the demon horde.


    In this way, an extremely rare scene appeared on the battlefield. The White Demon, dressed in pure white, led the way followed by nine Black Armored Warriors clad completely in black, lined up tightly behind him. This scene, like a painting, was etched in the hearts of many at that moment.


    With the help of the Imperial Knight Order, Rocky, responsible for leading the way, naturally sped up significantly. The Void Magic Corps, formed by the Alliance and the Empire, also quickly began moving at high speed toward the Sky City of the Alliance Army.


    Due to the large combined forces and their coordination and mutual support, the main force quickly broke through the demon siege, approached the Sky City coming to meet them, and ultimately flew into the Defensive Net of Sky City!


    As said before, the Defensive Net of Sky City could block anything, so to let the main force in, the responding Sky City had to temporarily disperse its Defensive Net. Hence, when the Void Magic Corps entered, several demons followed them in.


    However, things became easier at that moment. The demons that followed were few, and they were all eliminated by the Void Magic Warriors before even landing on the Skyport, followed by everyone landing one by one.


    With the main forces returning, naturally, everyone from both sides of the war was overjoyed. Of course, the matter wasn¡¯t over yet, and there were still many issues to handle. Although Rocky had led everyone back to Sky City, he had returned to the city of the Sky Alliance, yet the returning main force included many from the Imperial Army, so dealing with these people naturally required quite a bit of trouble.


    Of course, there¡¯s no need to delve into these trivial matters. Just to say that after all the forces had retreated to Sky City, both sides of the war, namely the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, immediately issued orders, commanding all Sky Cities to withdraw from the battlefield.


    There was no choice; today¡¯s events were too unexpected. Both sides were fighting a fierce battle, then suddenly the demons intervened unexpectedly, which definitely surprised everyone. If it had happened on the ground it would have been one thing, as similar events often occur there, but this was in the sky!


    If demons could interfere freely even in the wars in the sky, then that would be a serious problem.


    So at this point, neither the Sky Alliance nor the Kafka Empire had the heart to continue fighting, and both sides immediately withdrew their troops and then reported everything they had encountered that day. The information was quickly escalated layer by layer to the highest levels, namely the Elder Council of Eleven of the Sky Alliance and the Emperor of the Empire.


    Upon learning of this, both forces immediately took action.


    Firstly, representatives from both sides were immediately sent for contact, and the war was temporarily halted at once!


    The great war between the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, frankly, had no specific reason. It was merely a battle for interests that erupted while the Alliance was weak. So regardless of how fiercely the war was fought, any internal conflict among humans became irrelevant once they realized that the demons had made unprecedented moves, naturally making the war untenable, as everyone was clearly aware that demons were always the common enemy.


    Secondly, while sending envoys to negotiate a temporary ceasefire, both forces immediately contacted the Shadow Alliance and began gathering intelligence from all directions, determined to clarify exactly what had happened.


    With both forces acting decisively and with the full operation of the Shadow Alliance, the details soon coalesced into a set of comprehensive data laid before the Elder Council of Eleven and the Emperor of the Empire, and everyone was shocked upon reviewing it because if everything stated in the document was true, then the world was really about to change dramatically¡­

 Chapter 502 - 502 466 The Great Demon Appears

    ?Chapter 502: Chapter 466: The Great Demon Appears! Chapter 502: Chapter 466: The Great Demon Appears! Once the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, these two top-tier forces, began to fully investigate the matter, the ins and outs of the situation were quickly and clearly uncovered.


    In fact, there was no need for them to investigate at all; following the cessation of hostilities, the Magic Energy Research Institute took the initiative and approached them!


    Everyone in the world knew that currently, there were Three Giants in the sky: the Sky Alliance, the Kafka Empire, and the last being the Magic Energy Research Institute.


    Among the Three Giants, the Sky Alliance was the world¡¯s largest alliance, the Kafka Empire was the only state of its time, but the Magic Energy Research Institute was different from both, not an alliance nor a state, but a purely academic institution.


    The headquarters of the Magic Energy Research Institute was located in Radiant Divine City, one of the Top Ten Divine Cities, and was the highest academic institution of the time, constantly engaged in the most cutting-edge research in various fields. In addition, the Magic Energy Research Institute had a numerous amount of branches; the cities where these branches were located were members of the institute.


    Any Sky City wishing to join the Magic Energy Research Institute must allow the institute to establish a branch within the city. The branch would not interfere with the city¡¯s development, nor could the Sky City interfere with research. At the same time, the Sky City must provide research funding to ensure the smooth progression of research. In return, the Sky City could join the Magic Energy Research Institute, not only gaining its protection but also enjoying earlier and preferential access to the institute¡¯s newly developed technologies compared to other cities.


    It was precisely because of this distinctive affiliation system that the Magic Energy Research Institute usually played a neutral role, always immersed in research and hardly ever involved in conquest and struggles for dominance.


    This time, with the outbreak of war between the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, a large number of Sky Cities joined the Magic Energy Research Institute because, while the other two great forces were clashing, only the Magic Energy Research Institute, which was on the same level as them, was safe.


    Similarly, as the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire engaged in battle, the Magic Energy Research Institute was always monitoring the movements of the entire world. Since the fall of Tulip City, the institute had already noticed the anomalies with the demons. Although they had not acted on it, they were observing in secret, which is why this time they were the first to detect the abnormal behavior of the demons.


    Originally, upon realizing that something was amiss, the Magic Energy Research Institute planned to immediately contact the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, but before the envoy they dispatched could arrive, Tulip Battle Zone had already succumbed to trouble first.


    However, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as no explanation could match the effectiveness of witnessing events firsthand. Once the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire personally experienced the changes in the demons, some issues became easier to address.


    And so, not long after the ceasefire, the Three Giants in the sky¡ªthe Sky Alliance, the Kafka Empire, and the Magic Energy Research Institute¡ªgathered in Eternal City.


    This was truly a rare sight, for there was nothing in the world that could warrant the simultaneous assembly of these three major forces, except for now!


    A hundred years ago, humans were forced to flee to the sky because of a demonic invasion, and they have survived there ever since. While it seemed as if one side lived in the sky and the other underground in apparent peace, in reality, this was not the case. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps for ordinary people, life in the sky had long become normal, but for those who truly controlled the situation in the sky, the war with the demons never really ended, so there were always people paying attention to the movements of the demons.


    Actually, if it weren¡¯t for the Sky Alliance and Kafka Empire being at each other¡¯s throats this time, they might have noticed the anomaly much sooner.


    However, even now, it¡¯s not too late. After the Three Great Alliances gathered in Eternal City, the incident quickly became clear.


    Based on the investigation by the Magic Energy Research Institute and intelligence collected by the Shadow Alliance, everyone quickly understood the ins and outs of the entire event.


    At the end of November in Sky Era Year 118, Wanguai, Spring Rain, Thunder, Matthias, and Choque¡ªfive small Sky Cities¡ªencountered a Magic Dragon attack near Demon Extinguish City, followed by a flood of Magic Dragons pouring out from within Demon Extinguish City.


    In the five days that followed, Sword Edge City, Giant Que City, Nightglow City, and Pearl City¡ªfour small Sky Cities¡ªwere successively destroyed by the Magic Dragons.


    These nine small Sky Cities were the first to be wiped out by the Magic Dragons. After a brief disappearance, the Magic Dragons resurfaced and attacked Seaside and Flying, two medium-sized Sky Cities, and then moved on to attack the large Sky City, Emperor Flame City.


    By that time, both the Magic Energy Research Institute and the Shadow Alliance had taken notice of the situation, and they urgently dispatched people to investigate. They quickly cleared up everything and arrived at a terrifying conclusion, that the ruler of Demon Extinguish City¡ªthe Hundred-Headed Giant Dragon Typhon¡ªhad emerged!


    Typhon, one of The Thirty-three Great Demons, is also said by some to be the leader of The Thirty-three Great Demons. In any case, he is an exceedingly fearsome demon, even among The Thirty-three Great Demons.


    This fellow¡¯s true form is a massive dragon nearly a kilometer long with a hundred heads. In the sky, he is nearly invincible. What¡¯s more terrifying is that he can command all the Magic Dragons among the demons.


    Originally, the City Lord of Spring Rain City had Kuni investigate the history of Demon Extinguish City, but Kuni¡¯s conclusion was that the history of Demon Extinguish City had disappeared. Of course, this wasn¡¯t the case. The history hadn¡¯t disappeared but was hidden, and the reason for its concealment was Typhon!


    In the real history, just like the legend, Demon Extinguish City became a gathering place for demons soon after being the first city to fall. There¡¯s only one discrepancy from the legend; after the city was conquered, it belonged to Typhon and remained his territory for a hundred years. It was precisely for this reason that Demon Extinguish City was always marked as a forbidden zone.


    According to investigations by the Shadow Alliance and the Magic Energy Research Institute, the Magic Dragons¡¯ consecutive destruction of multiple Sky Cities was the work of Typhon, this incredibly fearsome being who, for some reason, suddenly left Demon Extinguish City.


    The result was terrible, no, downright horrifying.


    Because ordinary people might not be aware of The Thirty-three Great Demons, but the true rulers of the sky knew how terrifying these demons were. When the demons attacked the land and were actually able to occupy it, it was inseparably linked to The Thirty-three Great Demons. They were like the leaders of the demons, leading their forces to continuously conquer and drive humans step by step into the heavens.


    So it¡¯s no exaggeration to say that these thirty-three demons represent the real threat to this world. Compared to them, Normal Demons and high-level demons are simply well-behaved children. If these creatures took any action, it would be a disaster for the entire world!

 Chapter 503 - 503 467 Attack on the Sky

    ?Chapter 503: Chapter 467: Attack on the Sky?! Chapter 503: Chapter 467: Attack on the Sky?! As for the existence of The Thirty-three Great Demons, the rulers have always kept it a closely guarded secret, even erasing their history, so that ordinary people had no knowledge of their existence.


    Because these beings were too terrifying, letting the general public know would only lead to panic.


    Fortunately, although each of the Thirty-three Great Demons was extremely threatening and fearsome, they were not the true leaders of the demons in the strictest sense.


    In that great war a hundred years ago, The Thirty-three Great Demons indeed led the demons to occupy the land, but after that, no, even during the occupation of the land, these Great Demons gradually ceased to participate in the war.


    Take Typhon, the Hundred-Headed Dragon, for example; after leading the Magic Dragons to conquer Demon Extinguish City, he stayed within the city and not only stopped commanding the Magic Dragons but also did not partake in the subsequent wars. The other Great Demons behaved similarly; it was as if their leading the demons to seize the land was done purely out of interest¡ªthey fought when it interested them and ignored it when it did not.


    This situation persisted from the middle of the war right up until the end of the hundred years following the war¡¯s conclusion. Especially during these last hundred years, The Thirty-three Great Demons seemed to disappear altogether; they scarcely made any appearances.


    As to this phenomenon, people had always been unable to understand the reason and were utterly perplexed. However, the behaviors of the Great Demons were extremely beneficial to humanity. Without their leadership, the Normal Demons and the high-level demons, though still quite dreadful, were ultimately a disorganized mess, one that humanity still had the capacity to contend with.


    What nobody expected, however, was that one of the Great Demons, Typhon, would reemerge after a century of silence, and as soon as he appeared, he commanded the Magic Dragons to destroy more than ten Sky Cities. This was not only surprising but also a very bad omen!


    Therefore, after ascertaining the situation, the Magic Energy Research Institute, which initially did not want to get involved in the war between the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, could not sit idly by any longer. They immediately prepared to make contact with both parties. However, before the emissary from the Magic Energy Research Institute could set out, the warring sides were already preemptively attacked by the demons.


    It must be said that this attack was very timely, as it saved the Magic Energy Research Institute quite a bit of effort on one hand and, on the other hand, brought new intelligence!


    The demons could fly!


    The importance of this discovery even surpassed the appearance of Typhon!


    The Magic Energy Research Institute had only previously uncovered information about the Magic Dragons and Typhon and did not know that among the Normal Demons, there were types that could take to the sky. So this was an extremely crucial piece of intelligence, making the situation all the more terrifying.


    Because even if Typhon were formidable, he could only lead the Magic Dragons, and the number of Magic Dragons, being high-level demons, was ultimately limited. But if Normal Demons were added to the equation, then the gravity of the situation would escalate to a whole other level.


    In this context, as the Three Giants gathered in Eternal City and laid out all the information and experiences they had gathered on the table, a terrifying conclusion emerged.


    The demons¡­


    were planning an assault on the sky!


    Such a conclusion was not difficult to deduce, as a series of actions taken by the demons could easily lead to this judgment. Furthermore, if one were to look back, one would realize that the unusual activities of the demons have actually been continuous over the recent years.


    A few years ago, to be exact, two years ago, before Tulip City fell, the three Saint Cities were still standing tall on the land, but even back then, there had been a strange incident where the demons suddenly launched simultaneous attacks on all three Saint Cities.


    A year ago, the fall of Tulip City had shocked the entire world, and while the general populace might not have been aware, those who knew the truth were well aware that the silhouette of a Magic Dragon had been sighted at the time when Tulip City had fallen.


    And now, with the appearance of Typhon, one of The Thirty-three Great Demons, coupled with the emergence of flying types among the Normal Demons, everything that had happened in recent years was all connected¡ªthe Demons were planning to make a move on the skies!


    Is that so?


    Yes!


    The Three Giants were extremely accurate in their judgment on this matter; the Demons indeed planned to take action against the skies, no, it should be said that they had already taken action¡­


    For as the three major forces gathered to discuss the matter, several Sky Cities were being attacked by Demons to varying degrees.


    The attackers of these Sky Cities weren¡¯t the Magic Dragons led by Typhon but the even more terrifying Normal Demons.


    Why are Normal Demons considered terrifying?


    Because Normal Demons are the most numerous of all demons. These creatures¡¯ individual strengths may not match that of high-level demons, and they are certainly no match for the Great Demons, but their numbers are too great. This was true on land, and it was the same in the skies.


    Every Sky City that was attacked faced a vast number of Demons. These Demons flew from the land to the sky without any warning, and their numbers and variety far exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations.


    According to subsequent statistics, some Sky Cities encountered attacks by thousands of Demons, some by tens of thousands, and the most unfortunate Sky City encountered several tens of thousands of Demons, to the extent that it was completely surrounded and nearly destroyed by them.


    What¡¯s more important, the variety of Flying Demons increased as well. The Flying Demons encountered by the Tulip Battle Zone, though numerous, consisted of only one type: a kind of dark red Demon with flesh wings. But the subsequent attacked Sky Cities faced not just this one type.


    Among the Demons that other Sky Cities encountered, there were dark red flesh-winged Demons like those in the Tulip Battle Zone; there were also completely unseen before, gargoyle-like Demons¡ªthese Demons in the sky resembled huge stones; there were even Demons that looked like Magic Dragons, though only five or six meters in length. These Demons could spit Fireballs from their mouths just like actual Magic Dragons, causing a great deal of trouble both to warships and to Void Magic Warriors when faced with them.


    In sum, after the data had been collected, people found that there were as many as six or seven different types of Flying Demons, and this was only the types that had been seen. No one knew how many unseen varieties there were.


    And all of this signified that the situation was developing in the worst possible direction. Under such circumstances, the people of the skies immediately fell into a state of fear and chaos!


    There was no helping it; when Demons started appearing in the skies on a large scale and attacking Sky Cities uninterrupted, the matter could no longer be concealed. Following that, it uncontrollably spread, sweeping through the entire sky in a short period of time.


    Under these circumstances, everyone knew that they had to take action, or else the skies would be finished. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But who in the skies had the power to take action?


    Naturally, it would be the Sky Alliance, the Kafka Empire, and the Magic Energy Research Institute¡ªthe Three Giants. Consequently, everyone¡¯s attention converged onto these three major forces, all waiting for their response.

 Chapter 504 - 504 468 Bearing the Cost

    ?Chapter 504: Chapter 468 Bearing the Cost Chapter 504: Chapter 468 Bearing the Cost After entering the Sky Era, the original social structure was completely overturned. The most evident feature was the disappearance of the concept of nation-states. Now, only the Kafka Empire remained as a single nation, while the other Sky Cities were at most part of the Alliance, with many more in independent states.


    In such circumstances, when such important events occurred, everyone¡¯s attention turned to the Three Giants: the Sky Alliance, the Kafka Empire, and the Magic Energy Research Institute. Only these entities had the power to lead everyone against the Demons, and it was clear that it was time for them to act. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Facing the expectations of the people, the Three Giants did not disappoint. They immediately took a series of actions.


    First, the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire publicly declared a ceasefire, ending the war that had lasted almost a year.


    ¡°A house divided against itself cannot stand.¡± Facing the threat of the Demons, it was absolutely unacceptable for two of the Giants to continue fighting each other. Thus, under the mediation of the Magic Energy Research Institute, the two Giants chose to cease their mutual conflict and united against external threats.


    This news, once announced, immediately sparked cheers from nearly everyone. Everyone rejoiced because during the nearly year-long conflict between the two alliances, not only the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, but almost everyone, had experienced the horrors of war.


    Before these two Giants went to war, many people had seen the signs but dismissed them, thinking it had nothing to do with them. Even if the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire really fought, everyone else could just watch the excitement from the sidelines, right? Maybe they could even pick up some benefits. Many thought this way before the war.


    But when the war truly erupted, people realized that this level of conflict was nothing like what they had imagined.


    In times of peace, people might not feel the significance of the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, thinking their presence hardly related to them or even suppressing their own development. But when the two Giants really started fighting, everyone realized that without these massive entities, many sinister or ambitious people took the opportunity to emerge, throwing the entire sky into chaos. In such conditions, no one could truly remain unaffected.


    It was only then that people realized the importance of the Three Giants to the sky. With them, there was order; if they started fighting, the entire sky¡¯s order would dissolve. Thus, knowing that the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire had finally ceased fighting, everyone was genuinely happy.


    Of course, the general public only saw the outcome. After a year-long war, both sides were severely depleted. How could they just declare a ceasefire?


    In reality, the ceasefire took immense efforts not just from the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, but even the Magic Energy Research Institute spent countless efforts. Just to give one example to illustrate how tough the negotiations were:


    In the ceasefire negotiations, the Sky Alliance made a demand that the Kafka Empire hand over all the alliances, families, and independent cities within the Rebel Army to the Alliance¡¯s discretion!


    As for the alliances and families within the Rebel Army, and those independent Sky Cities, the Sky Alliance absolutely loathed them. In the eyes of the Alliance, the Kafka Empire was at least a peer, but the Rebel Army?


    A bunch of clowns!


    These people dared to declare war against the Alliance, and regardless of who was backing them, it was a provocation to the Sky Alliance. If it hadn¡¯t been for the need to conserve strength for dealing with the Kafka Empire, the Alliance would have annihilated them with the force of a thunderbolt right after the declaration of war.


    Now that the ceasefire had been decided, how to deal with the Kafka Empire was another matter, but the Rebel Army absolutely could not be let off, otherwise wouldn¡¯t the Alliance lose its deterrent effect?


    However, the Kafka Empire did not agree to this demand, no, they firmly disagreed.


    The true founders of the Rebel Army were actually the Empire! It was the Empire that had gathered these people together. Now that the war had ended, as the elder brother, the Kafka Empire couldn¡¯t just ignore these younger brothers they had brought together! If they allowed the Sky Alliance to dispose of the Rebel Army so easily, where would the Empire¡¯s dignity lie? Who would dare to follow the Empire in the future?


    Moreover, from another perspective, the Empire had its own plans for the Rebel Army.


    In the eyes of the Empire, forming the Rebel Alliance served a dual purpose: it could be a great aid in their attack against the Sky Alliance, and it could act as a reserve strength after the war was lost or ended because once the war ended as it had now, it was impossible for the Rebel Army to survive in the skies. They had no choice but to join the Kafka Empire to avoid retaliation from the Alliance. Thus, in the eyes of the Empire, the Rebel Army was already in the palm of their hands, and naturally, they would not agree to the demands of the Alliance.


    On this issue, both sides were uncompromising. The Alliance wanted to punish the Rebel Army no matter what, but the Empire disagreed in every way. The two sides were even willing to continue fighting rather than yield an inch, so much so that the ceasefire negotiations couldn¡¯t progress at all.


    Eventually, it was the Magic Energy Research Institute that mediated between them and brought them to an agreement.


    According to the Magic Energy Research Institute, the demands from the Sky Alliance were not excessive, and the Kafka Empire¡¯s insistence was also reasonable, so it suggested that both sides could make a compromise.


    Regarding the Rebel Army, the Alliance did not need to annihilate them; after all, the Rebel Army was composed of major families and major Sky Cities, even those participating from Independent Sky Cities were all large-scale cities. With the imminent threat of the Demons, these people could definitely become a significant force against the Demons. If they were all annihilated, wouldn¡¯t that be akin to cutting off their own arm?


    Similarly, the Empire had no need to continue protecting the Rebel Army, because, strictly speaking, the previous conflict was actually a three-sided war¡ªthe Alliance on one side, the Empire on another, and the Rebel Army on yet another. In such a situation, for the Empire to want to save both themselves and the Rebel Army was too unrealistic.


    Therefore, according to the proposal by the Magic Energy Research Institute, the Kafka Empire would no longer provide protection to the Rebel Army, and the Sky Alliance could not completely annihilate the Rebel Army. As for the losses caused by the Rebel Army to the Alliance, those naturally needed to be compensated, and the compensation standards would be decided by the Sky Alliance.


    This proposal was clearly a compromise, and even more evidently, the Rebel Army had apparently been abandoned by the Magic Energy Research Institute, because as previously mentioned, the war had lasted a year, and the losses for both sides were so great that they could not be quantified. Under such circumstances, it was impossible for them to put aside their grievances without someone bearing the cost of the war.


    In the view of the Magic Energy Research Institute, this cost would be borne by the Rebel Army, which would result in no loss to either the Sky Alliance or the Kafka Empire¡­

 Chapter 505 - 505 469 Sky Situation

    ?Chapter 505: Chapter 469 Sky Situation Chapter 505: Chapter 469 Sky Situation After intense negotiations, the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire finally reached a ceasefire agreement. The Magic Energy Research Institute made it very clear upon signing the agreement that if either side continued to provoke warfare without regard for the bigger picture before the demon issue was definitively resolved, the Institute would form an alliance directly with the opposing side!


    It must be said that the only entity capable of restraining both the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire was the Magic Energy Research Institute. Thus, under its mediation, the two parties eventually came to a consensus and halted the war.


    Of course, the cost of the ceasefire was also enormous, but this burden was not borne by the Sky Alliance or the Kafka Empire; it was borne by the Rebel Army¡­


    According to the agreement between the two parties, the Sky Alliance gave up pursuing any responsibility of the Rebel Army during this war and vowed not to seek revenge afterward. The condition was that the Rebel Army would cover all losses incurred by the Alliance during this war. The compensation methods included Gold Coins, supplies, population, and Sky City.


    At the same time, the Alliance added another condition, which was that no member of the Rebel Army would ever join the Kafka Empire, the Magic Energy Research Institute, or the Sky Alliance!


    Although Kafka Empire was very dissatisfied with this condition, it ultimately agreed, as, despite the Alliance¡¯s conditions being aimed squarely at the Rebel Army, the Empire itself was not affected. Considering the current situation, the Empire consented.


    With this, the two sides formally signed the agreement, which not only ended the great war between the two giants but also threw the Rebel Army under the bus, completely unbeknownst to them¡­


    But this was a clear fact; to halt the conflict between massive entities like the Sky Alliance and Kafka Empire without sacrifice was impossible.


    After the agreement was signed, the Empire sent people to notify the Rebel Army of the final resolution. Let¡¯s leave this matter as is and talk about what the Three Giants did next.


    Since the ceasefire was in effect, the Three Giants naturally made plans to counter the demons outright.


    First, they collaborated with the Shadow Alliance to investigate the mutations of the demons.


    The proverb goes, ¡®Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated.¡¯ However, people¡¯s understanding of the demon mutations was practically nonexistent. They only knew that Great Demons were mobilizing and more flying variants were emerging among the Normal Demons; that was all. This information was clearly insufficient, and it was essential to find out what exactly had happened to the demons.


    Secondly, the three parties swiftly issued a joint statement, suggesting all Sky City City Lords to unify.


    Given the multiple demon attacks and Magic Dragon devastating cities incidents, it was clear that the sky was no longer as safe as before. Even the power of the Three Giants was not enough to protect the entire sky. Therefore, until the demon activities were thoroughly investigated, the three forces advised City Lords to gather together so they could support each other during potential attacks. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To better implement this, the three forces divided the sky into three air zones, in addition to the neutral area of Eternal City, creating four protective zones in total.


    For these four protective zones, the three forces and Eternal City would each deploy troops for protection. All Sky City City Lords could enter without any restrictions or fees. This arrangement was simply to ensure mutual support and avoid further incidents like the Magic Dragon devastations and demon attacks.


    Finally, the three forces also formed their own expeditionary forces to patrol the sky and land, immediately eliminating any gathering of demons they discovered!


    Perhaps because they had been in the sky for too long, many had forgotten the threat of demons, even forgotten their existence, thinking that being in the sky meant they were safe. This mindset led to a long period without any significant offensive against the demons.


    Thinking about it, the last counterattack war took place over thirty years ago. During those thirty years, the people in the sky had not organized any expeditions against the demons. The relationship between the two had bizarrely shifted from mortal enemies to neighbors, one above the other. Although this thought seemed unbelievable, it appeared everyone enjoyed this status quo.


    However, it now seemed that people had finally tasted the bitter fruits of complacency. Although the people of the sky had been living comfortably for decades, the demons on the ground were clearly not idle, to the point that they were making moves while the sky-dwellers were still blissfully unaware of the situation, which was both sad and pitiful.


    Fortunately, the three forces quickly realized this and, determined after reflecting on their pain, immediately took action. They had to deliver a significant strike to the demons; otherwise, these creatures would genuinely ascend to the heavens.


    In this way, the entire sky, from the Three Giants to smaller Sky Cities, sprang into action.


    The four protective zones were quickly established, and afterwards, most independent Sky Cities surged into them. With the demons already making moves, leaving a Sky City out in the open was indeed too dangerous. Attacks from Normal Demons aside, encountering a Magic Dragon meant obliteration, even for larger Sky Cities. Hence, regardless of their desires, the City Lords of independent Sky Cities knew that gathering together was the safest option.


    However, not all Sky Cities chose to enter the protective areas; some independent-minded City Lords opted to stay outside. Meanwhile, a significant number of Alliances and families also stayed out. These groups differed from the typical Sky Cities as they had their own defensive capabilities and thus did not want to rely on others. However, it must be acknowledged that, as the notices stated, the three forces indeed did not compel anyone to enter the protective zones; entry and exit were completely voluntary.


    At the same time, the expeditionary forces were also quickly established. Each of the three forces mobilized large troops and began striking at the demons on the land, reducing their numbers as much as possible.


    During this process, Rocky was not idle; however, he did not enter the protective zones like the other Sky Cities.


    Rocky, after all, was a member of the Sky Alliance, and not just any member¡ªhe had achieved considerable feats during the recently concluded war. If a ranking of all the Alliance Army¡¯s soldiers across the Four Great War Zones were to be made, he would certainly be among the top.


    In such a situation, he obviously did not need to hide in a protective zone like other smaller Sky Cities. In fact, after the ceasefire, he had been officially promoted to a core member of the Alliance, which meant he now had access to the Alliance¡¯s core areas!


    However, Rocky chose not to do so because, although the war had ended, his tasks were far from over. On the contrary, with the end of the war, even more responsibilities were waiting for him to handle.

 Chapter 506 - 506 470 Alliance Defaults

    ?Chapter 506: Chapter 470: Alliance Defaults? Chapter 506: Chapter 470: Alliance Defaults? Although the war had ended, Rocky still had many matters waiting to be handled.


    For instance, the Sky Alliance still owed him a huge sum of money that hadn¡¯t been paid.


    Originally, he, Karina, and Berg had conducted a series of sneak attacks on the Rebel Army, acquiring a large batch of strategic materials, which were then sold to the Alliance. However, as the great war was ongoing at the time, Wilton had not made the payment immediately but had assured that the Sky Alliance would by no means default on their debt. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This, of course, Rocky believed, as it was natural for the Sky Alliance not to default on their account; however, now that both parties had ceased hostilities, the Alliance still hadn¡¯t paid¡ªnot exactly accurate, they hadn¡¯t paid Rocky.


    Shortly after the war had ended, Karina and Berg, who had been staying within the Nut God City Airspace¡ªthe core airspace of the Alliance, were politely and indirectly asked to leave, as there was no longer any reason for them, who were not Alliance members, to remain in the most vital core airspace of the Alliance. However, before they were asked to leave, the Alliance had settled all the debts owed to the two, making them, despite being sent away, exceedingly happy.


    Naturally, Rocky knew about this, and it depressed him greatly. How could the Alliance pay Karina and Berg but not pay him, especially since he was an actual member of the Alliance?


    Concerning this matter, he had even boldly approached Wilton, given that we were talking about almost ten million Gold Coins! Rocky was waiting to use this money to develop Thunderhawk City, or even upgrade Thunderhawk City into a medium-sized Sky City!


    When he did find Wilton, however, Wilton turned mysteriously coy, repeatedly claiming that since the Alliance had paid Karina and Berg, Rocky¡¯s share was naturally included. While it sounded nice in principle, it practically meant not paying at all, which completely baffled Rocky.


    Just as Wilton had said, if the Alliance could manage to pay Karina and Berg, they won¡¯t likely exclude Rocky, and he wasn¡¯t worried about this, but he couldn¡¯t understand why the payment was still being delayed.


    Even more frustrating for Rocky was that not only had the Alliance not paid him the money, but they also hadn¡¯t given him the Contribution Points that were supposed to have been converted from his war achievements.


    This was becoming unbearable for him because, in this great battle, Rocky had gained only a few benefits; one was materials, while the other was military achievements. If the money for the materials was always being delayed and now even the Contribution Points from military achievements weren¡¯t being given, then hadn¡¯t Rocky gained nothing at all?


    For this reason, he had specially contacted the Fierce Tiger Squad. After inquiring, he found out that others had long since converted their military achievements, but everything seemed to have sunk into the sea when it came to him, leaving Rocky full of questions.


    He had once wondered why, given that he had made so many contributions to the Alliance in the war and had even been made a war hero, it stood to reason that the Alliance couldn¡¯t possibly mistreat him¡ªotherwise, it would be no different from them slapping their own face. So, there must be a reason for the Alliance¡¯s actions.


    But whatever that reason might be, Rocky could not figure it out after much thought.


    Having no choice, he had to shift his focus to other matters, as there were still many waiting for his attention, such as Backhill Village and population issues.


    After the war had ended, Rocky chose not to stay in Nut Airspace but had Thunderhawk City return to Backhill Village.


    For Backhill Village, he had never forgotten it because it was a critical point for his future development. Although the situation in the sky had drastically changed, the importance of Backhill Village remained unchanged.


    Therefore, as soon as the war was over, he hurried back to Backhill Village. Only upon arrival and seeing the village intact did he breathe a sigh of relief, and his anger towards the Alliance¡¯s debts also eased significantly.


    Despite Backhill Village becoming a battlefield at the start of the great war and experiencing frequent conflicts as the war progressed, Rocky found upon his return that the village had barely suffered any damage. Although it was undoubtedly affected by the war in some degree, the impact was minor, with the city walls still intact, and even the village¡¯s mining operations continuing as usual.


    Protecting the village to this extent during the war was clearly no easy feat, especially considering the enemy they were facing here¡ªthe deeply spiteful Mairente Family!


    In fact, when the conflict had become unavoidable, Abraham, who was in charge of leading the Mairente family forces and the son of Lexington, had more than once intended to completely destroy the village. In his view, even if they couldn¡¯t defeat the Alliance Army, ruining Rocky¡¯s important base was still beneficial.


    So, under these circumstances, it was genuinely challenging for the Alliance to keep Backhill Village safe.


    What pleased Rocky more was that, upon his return to the village, Glan informed him for the sake of ensuring the safety of Backhill Village, Sirius City, which had been fighting the enemies here, would continue to stay to ensure that the village would not suffer a demonic attack.


    This decision by the Alliance made Rocky extremely happy.


    Why was he so anxious to return to Backhill Village?


    Was it not because he feared that once the Alliance withdrew its troops, the place would be attacked by demons!


    Since he was on the front lines of the war, Rocky was acutely aware that the demons had undergone a drastic change, unlike anything people had known before. Once demons had acquired the ability to fly, the world changed. The village, which might have been able to rely on its walls to defend against demon attacks before, now stood no chance. With the demons also gaining the ability to fly, no walls could stop them anymore.


    In such a scenario, maybe no one yet knew to what extent flying demons had proliferated, but as the only land base he owned, Rocky could not afford to be careless, and he came here immediately after the war ended.


    What he didn¡¯t know, however, was that the Alliance had already considered this issue. Since the Sky Alliance owned many more assets and bases on the land compared to Rocky¡ªeasily hundreds of them¡ª they had immediately thought of their land-based assets and bases after the demons noticeably changed. Immediately, Sky City and the Alliance Army were dispatched to defend these locations to ensure absolute security, which naturally included Backhill Village.


    This development significantly relieved Rocky¡¯s pressure, as Sirius City was a major Sky City, and with their presence, he could rest easy. This also allowed him to quickly start busying himself with another matter.


    Population.


    Rocky¡¯s greatest gain in the war was the population, and he had already planned for these people during the fierce moments of the conflict.


    He wanted to ¡°launder¡± this population.


    According to his plan, laundering this group of people would take several months. In the meantime, the Alliance would surely be able to clear the debts and Contribution Points owed to him, right? Then, by the time the population transfer was complete, and he had received the payments and Contribution Points, he would be ready to begin upgrading Thunderhawk City!

 Chapter 507 - 507 471 Wind and Water Rising

    ?Chapter 507: Chapter 471: Wind and Water Rising Chapter 507: Chapter 471: Wind and Water Rising With the protection of Sirius City, Rocky no longer needed to worry about Backhill Village, unless a Magic Dragon appeared. Sirius City could easily handle any ordinary Demon attacks. However, this did not mean Rocky could relax, as he still had many issues to manage.


    First and foremost was the issue of the population.


    The three thousand war prisoners captured from the Rebel Army had been in Thunderhawk City all along. Although Rocky had been on the battlefield during the latter part of the war, Liliya and others responsible for managing the city did not disappoint him. The city operated smoothly, and these war prisoners had not caused any trouble.


    Now that the war had ended, Rocky naturally contacted Berg as soon as possible to immediately manage the process of whitening these prisoners.


    With the debts owed by the Alliance now settled, Berg was in a great mood. As a businessman, he knew better than anyone how to utilize Gold Coins. So, as soon as he left Nut Airspace, he began upgrading the city on a grand scale. Upon receiving Rocky¡¯s message, he did not delay and hurried to Backhill Village, and Karina, equally in high spirits, came along too.


    ¡°This place of yours, it¡¯s really nice!¡±


    When the two arrived in Backhill Village, they naturally took a tour around the village and couldn¡¯t help but repeatedly nod their heads in satisfaction.


    ¡°Rocky, I had no idea you had surpassed us by so much, it¡¯s unbelievable¡­¡±


    Inside the manor of the village, the three sat face to face, then Berg couldn¡¯t help but say.


    ¡°Yes, in just a few years, he developed to this extent. He¡¯s not the small figure we met at the Star of the Sky in Sky City.¡±


    Berg¡¯s words also made Karina nod noncommittally before they both turned to look at Rocky.


    They were not merely flattering Rocky; his development had indeed been astoundingly rapid.


    When they first met, it was at the Star of the Sky in Eternal City, and at the time Rocky was just a plain, almost insignificant City Lord, no, even among City Lords, he was considered lower-tier.


    But how long had it been since then?


    A year or two? In such a short time, Rocky was no longer that unnoticed and obscure minor character!


    Now, he was widely known for possessing the most advanced and most mysterious armor technique; in terms of status, he was already a core member of the Alliance, and it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that this title alone put him on par with the City Lords of medium-sized Sky Cities; and in terms of strength, Thunderhawk City was definitely among the top tier of the small Sky Cities, with almost no other small Sky Cities able to contend against it!


    Such changes, while not deeply felt by outsiders, were profoundly experienced by Karina and Berg.


    Their relationship was strong, but they weren¡¯t always together; sometimes they would only see each other once every year or half, but every time they met, Rocky¡¯s strength had increased significantly. Initially, he couldn¡¯t compare to Karina, let alone to Berg. But now, both Karina and Berg were well aware that Rocky had surpassed them both¡­


    Therefore, when the two visited Backhill Village, especially upon seeing the village, they truly couldn¡¯t help but feel deeply moved. Without Backhill Village, Rocky was already among the top in the small Sky Cities, but with the village, especially with the support of the village¡¯s mine, what might he develop into? It goes without saying, upgrading Thunderhawk City to a medium-sized Sky City was definitely just around the corner!


    How could Karina and Berg not be moved?


    But as for their feelings, Rocky just smiled and didn¡¯t say much.


    He was not at all proud of his current achievements; on the contrary, whenever he thought about everything he owned and had achieved, he felt a touch of bitterness.


    Outsiders only saw the results, but only he himself knew how much suffering he had endured for all this.


    Facing Baron Wolin, facing Demons, facing Wild Horse City, facing the Rebel Army¡ªhow many moments of life and death had there been! Who could know the hardships and dangers involved?


    Therefore, Rocky didn¡¯t dwell on this topic and didn¡¯t show off, but instead asked about the recent circumstances of Karina and Berg, since this was the first time the three had gathered since they had entered Nut Airspace.


    In this time, Karina and Berg had also fared quite well. After all, once the Alliance had settled all payments, they were both flush with cash. With their strong capabilities, it was natural for them not to idle once they had money.


    Berg was upgrading the city, planning to expand Lingyu City into an even larger trade city, while Karina was also upgrading her city and had already started planning to upgrade Rose City to a medium-sized Sky City!


    In the last sneak attack, although Rocky got the most population, Karina and Berg also didn¡¯t return empty-handed. They both gained about a thousand people each. Even though this addition didn¡¯t quite bring Rose City¡¯s population up to ten thousand, it was close. For Karina, getting the remaining people wouldn¡¯t be too difficult; finding the right small Sky City and starting a war was enough to get them easily.


    So, just as Rocky imagined, both were flourishing in development.


    And after this, Rocky then brought up the serious matter.


    ¡°Berg, how long will it take you to send these people back?¡±


    ¡°At least two months, at most three, but certainly not more than three months.¡±


    ¡°Is it safe?¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Definitely safe.¡±


    ¡°What about the quality?¡±


    After looking at Berg, Rocky asked.


    This so-called whitening, although Berg had never explicitly explained its process and methods, Rocky could easily guess that it meant he was being sent a different group of people.


    But this raised an issue, that of the quality of the people.


    The batch of war prisoners Rocky held were not the elderly or infirm; they were all young people, specially selected by him and Karina after they defeated the Rebel Army¡¯s Sky City. If these people were whitened, and he received a group of the elderly or infirm in return, that would mean Rocky was making a huge loss.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can assure you, I definitely won¡¯t return a group of the elderly or infirm to you.¡±


    Rocky¡¯s concerns and whether he trusted Berg were unrelated, as Berg was just a middleman in this matter. However, Berg assured him with a slap on his chest that there would be no problems.


    Since he said that, Rocky did not inquire further; he believed that given their relationship, Berg would not lightly make such a guarantee on such an important matter. Since he was so emphatic, there must be no issue.


    After this, Rocky immediately took action and started transporting the three thousand war prisoners from the city to Lingyu City in batches.

 Chapter 508 - 508 472 Alliance Mission (Part 1)

    ?Chapter 508: Chapter 472 Alliance Mission (Part 1) Chapter 508: Chapter 472 Alliance Mission (Part 1) ¡°What do you plan to do next?¡±


    Handling war prisoners was not something Rocky needed to manage himself, he just needed to issue an order and people below would naturally take care of it properly. Thus, once this matter was arranged, Rocky returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion in Thunderhawk City with Berg and Karina. After all, he was the landlord here, always having to fulfill the hospitality expected of him.


    In the study of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion where the three of them were having afternoon teat, Karina suddenly asked.


    ¡°Me? I plan to stay in Backhill Village for now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to Nut Airspace?¡±


    Glancing at Rocky, both Karina and Berg appeared somewhat surprised, seemingly not expecting him to do so.


    Because while Backhill Village was important, the Sky Alliance had already dispatched Sky City to guard it, and given Rocky¡¯s contributions and importance to the Alliance, it was impossible for them to oust him, driving him out of his proverbial nest. So why would Rocky stay in Backhill Village, when it was so dangerous?


    ¡°No, the mines here, and the workers; I can¡¯t just ignore these responsibilities.¡±


    At their puzzled expressions, Rocky sighed helplessly, well aware of how dangerous staying in Backhill Village was.


    Although Sirius City was defending it, ever since the Demons grew restless, the world had changed. Previously, if a large Sky City were to defend it, it could be described as foolproof; yet today, no one dared offer such a guarantee, for encountering a Magic Dragon, or worse, a Great Demon, even a large Sky City could meet the fate of annihilation.


    However, as Rocky said, someone ultimately needed to manage Backhill Village, like now for instance.


    Though the village had become a battlefield since the onset of the war, it was still protected by the Alliance Army, and had not suffered too much from the ravages of war. However, mining activities had stopped, so as soon as the war ended and Rocky returned to the village, he immediately resumed the mining operations. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the first batch of minerals were extracted, and transporting and selling them would invariably involve Thunderhawk City, necessitating his presence in the village.


    ¡°In that case, let us go and combat Demons?¡±


    Seeing Rocky intended to stay in Backhill Village, Karina then made a suggestion; she planned to combat Demons!


    ¡°Oh? Aren¡¯t you going to the protection zones?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky paused and turned to ask Karina and Berg. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°She may not, but I certainly will!¡±


    As he asked this, Berg quickly shook his head, indicating he had no intention of fighting Demons.


    ¡°Now, the protection zones are all controlled by Sky Cities, the previous trade networks have been disrupted, it¡¯s a great time to make money. I¡¯m not going to mess around with you guys. As soon as I deliver these people, I will enter the protection zone of Eternal City.¡±


    While shaking his head, Berg revealed his plans, he was definitely going into the protection zone, as it was indeed a prime opportunity to make money, one he would certainly not miss.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡±


    And once he had finished speaking, Karina spoke up, ¡°I don¡¯t need others to protect me.¡±


    This decision was very much in line with her character. From any angle, Karina was not the type to willingly be protected. Moreover, to be fair, her strength was indeed formidable. While Rocky¡¯s reputation might now exceed Karina¡¯s, if the two were to engage in a battle that could destroy a city, the outcome of who would win and who would lose was not certain; this was enough to prove Karina¡¯s strength.


    ¡°How about it? Shall we team up for another job?¡±


    After making it clear that she would definitely not enter the sanctuary, Karina turned to Rocky.


    The people, who had been at peace for decades, were finally alerted by the demon attack, reminding everyone of the horrors of demons. The City Lords finally realized who the real enemy was. Thus, not only the three major forces formed a posse to attack the demons, but some braver and stronger City Lords also took action.


    Karina was clearly one of those very courageous and moderately strong City Lords.


    Rose City was currently undergoing a massive upgrade, and since most of the suitable targets had hidden themselves in the sanctuary, Karina decided to focus on attacking the demons. Since Rocky was also unoccupied with major matters, they might as well continue to cooperate, which would also increase their efficiency.


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Understanding Karina¡¯s thoughts, Rocky frowned and thought for a moment.


    This idea was certainly good because, in a broader sense, subduing demons would contribute to the whole of the skies. On a smaller scale, it could also be quite profitable since demon materials were very valuable and Rocky was naturally willing to participate.


    But¡­


    He was currently overwhelmed with tasks.


    Although the population matters were almost addressed, and the whitewashed population wouldn¡¯t return for another two to three months, Rocky still had other matters to handle.


    The needs of Backhill Village were one such matter.


    He was also waiting for the Sky Alliance to deliver the money and Contribution Points they owed him. This money was really important to Rocky; both Karina and Berg had already received their payments and thus began expanding their cities. So, Rocky needed to wait for this money as well.


    So, after some thought, Rocky said, ¡°It¡¯s definitely possible, but I¡¯ll need to wait a bit. I need to wait until the Alliance gives me the money and Contribution Points they owe me, then I can make time to join you.¡±


    ¡°No problem, I don¡¯t have much to do until the city¡¯s expansion is complete, and there are plenty of demons around Backhill Village. I¡¯ll wait for you here,¡±


    Nodding her head, Karina expressed that she could wait. After all, there were demons everywhere on the land, and she could start subduing them on her own while waiting for Rocky.


    Afterwards, the three of them went their separate ways. Berg went straight to the sanctuary in Eternal City as he had mentioned. Not only that, according to his own words, he also planned to visit the sanctuaries of the three major forces to try to do all the business he could.


    Karina, on the other hand, instructed Rose City to move to the vicinity of Backhill Village and start subduing demons on her own until Rocky had dealt with all his matters.


    As for Rocky, he stayed in Backhill Village, both to help the village fully recover its former order and normal operations and to wait for news from the Alliance.


    This waiting did not last long; in fact, just three days later, he met with Glan.


    In fact, during this period, Rocky and Glan had met frequently because he had been asking Glan what was going on, why the Alliance hadn¡¯t settled the accounts yet. It wasn¡¯t that Rocky was petty; he was genuinely anxious. Given the current tense situation, it was crucial to develop quickly.


    But, to Rocky¡¯s surprise, this time Glan came to see him not to bring the overdue payments and Contribution Points, but instead he brought him a task assigned by the Alliance.

 Chapter 509 - 509 473 Alliance Mission (Part 2)

    ?Chapter 509: Chapter 473: Alliance Mission (Part 2) Chapter 509: Chapter 473: Alliance Mission (Part 2) ¡°Lord Glan, what you¡¯ve said¡­ is it all true?¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the study, City Lord Rocky sat opposite Glan. After hearing everything he had said, he was totally stunned, and it took him a while to recover before he asked with some disbelief.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, how could I possibly joke about such a serious matter? You must be kidding,¡± Glan replied.


    Confronted with Rocky¡¯s astonishment, Glan seemed to be in a rather good mood, laughing heartily, indicating that everything he had mentioned was true and that he was certainly not joking.


    Hearing Glan confirm it, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but lean back on the sofa. After thinking for a moment, a burst of laughter escaped him, and his face wore a thoughtful expression.


    Indeed, Rocky had been waiting for Glan all along because the Alliance still owed him a large debt. However, after finally having Glan come over, instead of receiving the money and Contribution Points he was owed, he received a mission¡ªan assignment from the Alliance.


    More than a month had passed since the war had ended. To outsiders, it seemed that everything had settled down, but in reality, far from it. Many follow-up issues related to the war were still being dealt with, among which the most important was war reparations!


    In the previous conflict, the Alliance was clearly the aggrieved party since it was not the Alliance who had instigated the war; hence, there had to be war reparations for a ceasefire to be agreed upon.


    Some might wonder, the Sky Alliance didn¡¯t win the previous war, so why should they receive reparations?


    Yes, the Alliance did not win the war, but they didn¡¯t lose it either, and they clearly still had the strength to fight. Moreover, they didn¡¯t care even if the war dragged on for another three to five years. That¡¯s why, right from the start of the ceasefire negotiations, the Alliance demanded war reparations, otherwise, there would be no talks.


    If the only participants in that war were the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, such a demand would definitely not be agreed upon, as the Kafka Empire also still had the capacity to fight¡ªthey didn¡¯t care about continuing the war for another three to five years and would not grant any reparations to the Alliance.


    But, as the Magic Energy Research Institute had said, the war was actually a three-sided affair, involving not only the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire but also the Rebel Army!


    This simplified things quite a bit.


    The Sky Alliance wanted reparations; that was doable.


    The Kafka Empire didn¡¯t want to give reparations; that too was manageable.


    They left it all to the Rebel Army to bear the consequences.


    In this matter, the three major forces made everyone deeply understand two words: power politics!


    The three major forces decided the fate of several large alliances within the Rebel Army, dozens of families, and hundreds of Sky Cities in a single negotiation in Eternal City, without even informing the Rebel Army!


    Upon learning of this decision, the people of the Rebel Army naturally disagreed¡ªthey could take responsibility for minor issues, but the prospect of providing war reparations was something everyone found unacceptable. Even a fool could guess that the Sky Alliance would make outrageous demands in this matter.


    Indeed, that¡¯s exactly what happened. When the Sky Alliance announced the amount they wanted for reparations, the Rebel Army exploded. The sum demanded by the Alliance was astronomical; they were practically asking the Rebel Army to pay with every city, every person, and every Gold Coin they had!


    Driven into a corner, representatives of the Rebel Army could only turn to the Kafka Empire, which seemed to acknowledge that it had somewhat let down its ¡°little brothers.¡± Therefore, it approached the Alliance, and only then was the amount reduced somewhat. However, even this reduced amount was still unacceptable to the Rebel Army, yet the Empire made it clear to them that this was the limit of what they could negotiate.


    In this situation, the Rebel Army turned to the Magic Energy Research Institute, only to receive an even firmer response. The Institute stated that the current terms were the best the Rebel Army could hope for, and if they refused to accept them, the consequences would be solely theirs to bear, as the Institute would no longer involve itself in the matter.


    Thus, the people of the Rebel Army were left without any options, since the Kafka Empire wouldn¡¯t involve itself with them, and the Magic Energy Research Institute wouldn¡¯t support them. What could they do?


    Some had indeed considered rebelling, but their opponent was the Sky Alliance, and since the Magic Energy Research Institute had made it clear, stating that whoever actively instigated a dispute after the ceasefire agreement was signed, the Institute would unconditionally form an alliance with the other party. Thus, the Empire would no longer provide them with support from behind. Given these circumstances, did the Rebel Army still have the capacity to resist the Sky Alliance?


    No.


    Although they were called the Rebel Army, they truly couldn¡¯t stand against the three major forces.


    In such a situation, the Rebel Army had no choice but to agree to the Alliance¡¯s demands for reparations, and after that, the Alliance began to send people constantly to collect the war reparations.


    This time, the Alliance entrusted City Lord Rocky with the task of collecting war reparations, and the target was none other than Rocky¡¯s old rival¡ªthe Mairente Family!


    Since the Rebel Army was responsible for the war reparations, the Mairente Family, as one of its members, was naturally involved. Moreover, as a prominent family, they were one of the key members at that, how could the Alliance possibly forget them.


    In fact, not only had the Sky Alliance not forgotten about the Mairente Family, but they also remembered the family¡¯s relationship with Rocky, so they simply handed this task over to him.


    For Rocky, this was something entirely unexpected. Of course, he had heard about the matter of reparations, but hadn¡¯t paid much attention, as it really had nothing to do with him, so he never imagined that it would fall on his own head.


    This was a cushy job indeed!


    Being in charge of collecting war reparations was a business where one could easily profit without even lifting a finger, and, more importantly, considering the relationship between Rocky and the Mairente Family¡­


    To be honest, even Rocky himself had difficulty imagining what it would be like.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I always told you not to hurry,¡±


    While Rocky was somewhat emotional, Glan laughed on the side, ¡°How could the Alliance possibly forget about you, the war hero?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I was somewhat impatient,¡±


    After looking at Glan, Rocky just smiled and nodded his head, as Glan¡¯s words clearly referred to his previous actions of inquiring about debts and Contribution Points. Rocky had not hesitated to seek out Glan for this matter.


    But now, it seemed apparent that the Alliance had plans in place all along.


    ¡°Lord Glan, I would like to ask how much compensation the Alliance is demanding from the Mairente Family?¡±


    After laughing, Rocky asked as he wanted to know how much reparations the Alliance had demanded.


    And upon hearing this, Glan did not hide anything and directly stated a number.


    Upon hearing this figure, Rocky was stunned on the spot, taking a good five or six minutes to finally come around, and then his eyes widened: ¡°My lord, such an amount of money¡­ Can the Mairente Family even produce it?!¡±


    ¡°What kind of question is that, whether they can produce it or not, they must.¡±


    With a slight smile, Glan leaned forward with a meaningful expression and said, ¡°If they can¡¯t produce the money, then they should use goods to offset the debt, if they can¡¯t provide goods, then they should use population to offset it, if they can¡¯t offer population, then they should use Sky City to offset it! City Lord Rocky, you must remember, no one in this world can owe a debt to the Sky Alliance and not pay it back!¡±

 Chapter 510 - 510 474 Set Off

    ?Chapter 510: Chapter 474: Set Off! Chapter 510: Chapter 474: Set Off! ¡°City Lord Rocky, get ready. In a week, the Alliance troops will arrive, and then you will need to set off,¡±


    Standing up while speaking, Glan patted Rocky on the shoulder and then left with a smile.


    Rocky watched Glan leave the study, not looking away until his figure had completely vanished. He scanned the study, still finding it hard to believe everything they had just discussed.


    Who would¡¯ve thought he would be representing the Alliance to collect a debt from the Mairente Family¡­


    Not to mention Rocky, it¡¯s probably beyond the Mairente Family¡¯s imagination as well, right?


    More importantly, the reason the Alliance entrusted such a mission to Rocky clearly had a deeper significance.


    Sitting in his study all afternoon, Rocky had more or less figured out the Alliance¡¯s intentions. It seemed that the Alliance wasn¡¯t going to hand over the previous batch of payments or the Contribution Points earned from military achievements, but at the same time, the Alliance had gifted Rocky with something else, something far heavier than Gold Coins or Contribution Points¡­.


    ¡°In that case, this gift¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll accept it!¡±


    Having understood the Alliance¡¯s intentions, Rocky immediately summoned everyone in the city, briefed them on the situation, and then started to make a series of arrangements.


    ¡°Liliya, Aileen, you two will come with me to the Mairente Family, and the rest will stay in the city until I return.¡±


    In the City Lord¡¯s Hall, after sharing the plans with everyone, Rocky finalized the travel arrangements. Since he was accompanied by the Alliance Army, there wasn¡¯t a need to bring many people on his journey to the Mairente Family. However, Liliya needed to come along ¨C she had been the only one with him when their family had thrown them out, and now that they were to ¡®return to their roots,¡¯ it was only natural for her to accompany him.


    Simultaneously, it was necessary for Aileen to come along since they were there to collect debts, and having Aileen would make many things easier.


    Just like that, a week flew by quickly, and just as Glan had said, after a week¡¯s time, the Alliance Army troops arrived.


    ¡°Goodness, this is quite the show of force¡­¡±


    As Rocky joined the Alliance Army after departing from Thunderhawk City, he stood at the bow of the War Steed, looking at three large Sky Cities nearby and the fleets surrounding them. He couldn¡¯t help giving a silent thumbs-up; the Sky Alliance indeed had true strength.


    This time, the Sky Alliance had dispatched a fleet led by three large Sky Cities, including five thousand warships and one hundred Void Magic Squads. The scale was so immense, it was akin to gearing up for a city-leveling war, and clearly, the Alliance had done this deliberately.


    By sending out such a massive force, the Alliance naturally intended to demonstrate its power, not only to the Mairente Family but also for all the world to see. They wanted to make it clear that the Alliance¡¯s aggressive stance against the Rebel Army was not without reason; although the war had ceased, the Alliance was always capable of initiating a large-scale conflict. Everyone had to be careful, especially the Rebel Army ¨C if you dared to default on your debts, the Sky Alliance could wipe you out in an instant!


    Since Rocky was the overall person in charge of this operation, naturally, all the Sky Cities and troops dispatched by the Alliance were under his command!


    Under these circumstances, after the War Steed landed at the Skyport, Rocky met with the three large Sky City Lords and the Commander of the Alliance Fleet.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, it¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Bodin.¡±


    After the group met, one of the large Sky City Lords immediately approached Rocky ¨C it was Bodin, the City Lord of Kunlun City. Kunlun City was one of the Sky Cities that had fought alongside Rocky in the Tulip Battle Zone on his first mission representing the Alliance.


    Besides Bodin, the other two City Lords were also acquainted with Rocky ¨C one was Pank, the City Lord of Stellar Palace City, and the other was Maros, the City Lord of Benevolent King City. Both had fought in the Tulip Battle Zone and had interactions with Rocky during the war.


    As for the Commander of the Alliance Army, he was an old friend, one of Wilton¡¯s top soldiers, Claudy.


    Rocky and Claudy knew each other well; Claudy had commanded the fleet that attacked Hongshou City, and later, during the battles in the war zones, they had fought side by side many times. They were certainly old familiar faces to each other.


    Seeing that the Alliance had sent familiar faces, Rocky finally let out a sigh of relief. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had been worried before, as though the Alliance had put him in charge of going to the Mairente Family to claim war reparations, commanding three large Sky Cities and the vast Alliance Army was somewhat daunting. He feared he might not be able to lead them effectively.


    But now he had no such concerns since the Alliance had evidently considered this point and had purposely sent a group of familiar faces.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, this time we will all follow your arrangements,¡±


    Said Pank, the City Lord of Stellar Palace City, with a slight smile.


    ¡°Yes, on this visit to the Mairente Family, I have a feeling that these guys won¡¯t just hand over the reparations obediently. City Lord Rocky, don¡¯t go easy when the moment comes!¡±


    After Pank¡¯s remark, Maros, the City Lord of Benevolent King City, nodded and then looked at Rocky with an unspoken message in his eyes.


    Hearing these words, Rocky finally felt at ease, ¡°Gentlemen, whether we can complete the mission given by the Alliance is now up to you all.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    As Rocky led the large force toward the airspace of the Mairente Family, they, too, were bustling about.


    Busy with what?


    Of course, they were preparing the reparations demanded by the Alliance!


    Before the war, the Mairente Family was certainly a prominent and powerful family in the skies, with influence extending to the three major forces. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t have been such things as Lexington scheming with Alliance officials to obstruct Rocky¡¯s entry.


    But after the recent war, the once-vigorous Mairente Family was significantly weakened. The conflict had taken too heavy a toll on them. Just in terms of assets, the Mairente Family lost two small Sky Cities and two medium Sky Cities, with countless fleets destroyed. They didn¡¯t gain any benefits from the war; instead, the family had to bear the Alliance¡¯s exorbitant reparations, which severely injured the vitality of the whole family.


    Of course, they didn¡¯t yet know who was leading the team to collect the war reparations; if they did, they might realize the true harbinger of the family¡¯s decline was still to appear¡­

 Chapter 511 - 511 475 That Woman... (Part 1)

    ?Chapter 511: Chapter 475: That Woman¡­ (Part 1) Chapter 511: Chapter 475: That Woman¡­ (Part 1) ¡°`


    ¡°Are the reparations goods all prepared?¡±


    In the family meeting room, as the Clan Leader, Lexington spoke and looked towards his son.


    ¡°Clan Leader, everything has been prepared according to the Alliance¡¯s demands,¡± Abraham couldn¡¯t help but sigh before answering, indicating that the reparations required by the Alliance had all been prepared as requested.


    ¡°There must be no errors, do not give the Alliance any chance to find fault, understood?¡±


    Even after receiving a positive response, Lexington still felt uneasy and reminded everyone.


    As an experienced player, he was well aware of how difficult the Alliance¡¯s envoys, who came to collect war reparations, were to deal with. If there was the slightest mistake on the Mairente Family¡¯s part and the other side found fault, the family would undoubtedly have to pay a hefty additional price, so there could be absolutely no mistakes.


    ¡°We have checked and verified many times over, there will be no errors, and we have also prepared the benefits for the other party,¡± Abraham reassured his father, nodding repeatedly. He stated that everything had been checked many times and, although he didn¡¯t yet know who the Alliance¡¯s envoy was, the family had prepared a significant benefit for them in order to avoid any trouble on this matter.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    Only after hearing this did Lexington finally relax and then he turned his gaze to the others.


    Following his gaze, everyone was looking down, silent, no one spoke or looked at him, the entire meeting room was imbued with an air of dead silence.


    This atmosphere was not only pervasive in the meeting room, but it had also long since spread throughout the family. Since the end of the war, the ceasefire agreement between the three major forces was tantamount to sentencing the Rebel Army to death.


    The Sky Alliance indeed did not retaliate against the Rebel Army, but the amount of reparations it demanded was clearly intended to bleed the Rebel Army dry. Once the demands for reparations by the Alliance were met, all members of the Rebel Army would be thoroughly beaten down to their original state.


    In such circumstances, the Mairente Family, as part of the Rebel Army, could not escape, and it was inevitable that the atmosphere within the family became dead silent as well.


    In fact, at this time, whether it be the family elders in the meeting room or the family members outside, they all thought of one person, that was the former Clan Leader Atted. They especially remembered Atted¡¯s initial insistence on preventing the family from joining the war. Now looking back, he truly had the foresight¡­


    However, it was too late to say anything now, the war was over, and the Alliance¡¯s envoy to collect the reparations was already en route. The only thing the family could do now was to send the envoy from the Alliance away as soon as possible, and then figure out a way to regroup.


    So, after sighing, Lexington waved his hand and ended the family meeting.


    But no sooner had he left the meeting room than someone immediately ran up to him and whispered a few words in his ear.


    ¡°Oh? She¡¯s here?¡±


    After hearing the subordinate¡¯s whisper, Lexington furrowed his brow, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Very sure, and the City Lord of Glory City, Alas, has also sent a message asking us to ensure her protection,¡± the subordinate reported.


    ¡°Hmph, ensure her protection¡­ Is he asking us to keep an eye on this woman, to make sure she doesn¡¯t escape?¡± Lexington muttered.


    ¡°Father, what is it?¡±


    ¡°`


    Just as Lexington let out a snort of disdain, Abraham happened to come up beside him, asking involuntarily.


    ¡°Athena has come.¡±


    After glancing at his son, Lexington then said.


    ¡°Why has she come?¡±


    Hearing this, Abraham¡¯s eyes widened and his expression turned somewhat bizarre.


    Athena was someone Abraham certainly knew, not just knew, but understood all too well how terrifying she could be. In fact, by now, the Mairente Family had learned some of the details of Cyril¡¯s departure, although they still hadn¡¯t grasped the full story, they at least knew that Cyril¡¯s departure was somehow related to Athena.


    Logically, since Athena was involved in matters akin to splitting the family, she should definitely have been sought out, but the Mairente Family had not done so. Why?


    Because this woman was too terrifying!


    Athena¡¯s foresight was too profound, profound to the extent that when others could only see three steps into the future, she had already seen ten. Facing such a terrifying woman, even the Mairente Family dared not provoke her, especially since Athena was still in Glory City. The City Lord of Glory City relied on her to devise many of his plans, and he provided her with rigorous protection. If the Mairente Family touched this woman, it would undoubtedly be tantamount to provoking Glory City.


    What had utterly taken Abraham by surprise was why Athena had suddenly arrived at his own family¡¯s doorstep?


    What was this woman planning now?


    This question wasn¡¯t something that only Abraham wanted to know¡ªLexington wanted to know as well, and even the City Lord of Glory City was eager to find out, because every move Athena made was meaningful. She didn¡¯t just suddenly appear at the Mairente Family; even if she was doing nothing and just staying at home, it was meaningful.


    However, although everyone was clear that Athena¡¯s sudden visit must signify something, no one could understand what the problem actually was. That¡¯s why the City Lord of Glory City contacted Lexington, instructing him to ensure Athena¡¯s safety at all costs.


    After this, Lexington said to his son, ¡°Abraham, go and meet with Athena, see if you can find out her purpose for coming here. Also, make arrangements for her safety.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go now.¡±


    Abraham agreed immediately and set out at once, for the presence of a woman like Athena had made him extremely anxious, especially since the family¡¯s current situation could no longer withstand any further turmoil.


    After leaving the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Abraham got into a carriage and then inquired about Athena¡¯s whereabouts from his subordinate.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Where did that woman go?¡±


    ¡°My lord, Miss Athena went to Mairente City.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    After confirming Athena¡¯s location over and over again with his subordinate, Abraham couldn¡¯t help but frown, unable to understand what Athena would want in Mairente City.


    It had been said before that as one of the leading families, the Mairente Family owned more than a dozen Sky Cities, including four large Sky Cities, seven medium-sized ones, and five small ones. After the previous great battle, the family had lost two of the medium-sized Sky Cities and two of the small ones, but even so, they still had over ten cities.


    The Mairente City where Athena had gone was one of them, except this Sky City, though named after the family, wasn¡¯t a large one; it was actually a medium-sized Sky City and a very special one at that.


    S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 512 - 512 476 That woman... (Part 2)

    ?Chapter 512: Chapter 476 That woman¡­ (Part 2) Chapter 512: Chapter 476 That woman¡­ (Part 2) ¡°`


    Although Abraham couldn¡¯t fully grasp what Athena intended to do, he still arrived at Mairente City at the first opportunity, and then went to the hotel where Athena was staying.


    Although the city Athena arrived at was only a medium-sized Sky City, it was naturally well-developed since it belonged to the Mairente family, and the whole city was thriving, with all sorts of facilities fully equipped, incomparable to an ordinary city.


    And soon after arriving here, Abraham had a meeting with Athena.


    ¡°It¡¯s Master Abraham, my apologies for not greeting you from afar.¡±


    Despite Abraham¡¯s sudden, unannounced appearance, Athena didn¡¯t seem at all surprised to see him.


    Upon seeing Abraham at the door, she politely invited him into the room, and upon entering, Abraham saw the tea and refreshments that had already been prepared.


    Clearly, Athena was not only unsurprised by his arrival, but she had also been waiting for him.


    Of course, this was normal; conversely, if Athena didn¡¯t know of his return, that would have been abnormal.


    And once the two of them were seated in the room in their respective places, Abraham asked very politely, ¡°Miss Athena, what brought you here? Do you miss my cousin?¡±


    Abraham¡¯s cousin was naturally Cyril.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in touch with Cyril quite often, she¡¯s doing well, and my coming here isn¡¯t about her.¡±


    Athena casually picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said nonchalantly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master Abraham, I just got bored staying in Glory City, so I thought I¡¯d step out for a stroll, that¡¯s all.¡±


    That¡¯s all?


    Hearing this, Abraham snorted inwardly. He might believe this statement from someone else, but coming from Athena, it was certainly not to be trusted.


    ¡°Miss Athena, if you want to clear your mind, why not visit my father¡¯s Sky City? It¡¯s even more prosperous there, and there are more places to unwind.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but I think it¡¯s quite nice here¡­¡±


    With a light laugh and a shake of her head, Athena declined Abraham¡¯s invitation and then steered the conversation elsewhere, ¡°Master Abraham, I¡¯ve heard that this Mairente City used to have a different name?¡±


    Giving Abraham a glance, Athena asked slowly.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Upon hearing this question, Abraham frowned immediately, gazing intently back at Athena.


    ¡°What do you want to know that for?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just remember talking about this city with Cyril some time ago. She mentioned that it didn¡¯t have this name two years ago, it was changed later, right?¡±


    ¡°Miss Athena, this involves our family¡¯s private affairs, so I¡¯d prefer not to explain.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I was being too curious.¡±


    With a slight smile at Abraham, Athena began leisurely drinking her tea and eating snacks, no longer speaking.


    Seeing her lose the desire to continue the conversation, Abraham, although perplexed and slightly irritated, eventually let it go, exchanged a few courtesies, and then prepared to take his leave.


    But just as he turned to leave, it was as if he suddenly remembered something and stopped, then sat down again in front of Athena.


    ¡°Master Abraham, is there something else?¡±


    ¡°`


    Watching Abraham stand up and then sit down again, Athena asked with a smile.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Her question seemed to make Abraham hesitate, as if he wanted to speak but stopped himself.


    ¡°Master Abraham, if there¡¯s anything you wish to ask, please feel free to do so.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ I am troubled¡­¡±


    Hearing Athena say this, Abraham thought for a moment and then asked, ¡°Miss Athena, you must have heard about the troubles our Mairente Family is facing¡­ I would like to ask, what should our family do from now on?¡±


    Athena was a very fearsome woman, loved yet feared by everyone. They loved her because she was so smart that she seemed to have the ability to anticipate everything, nothing could be hidden from her discerning eyes, and she always had a solution for every problem. However, people feared her precisely because she was too clever, making it seem as if there were no secrets from her, which was terrifying for some.


    Now that such a woman had come to his family and appeared before him, Abraham felt that if he didn¡¯t ask for her opinion on the family¡¯s situation, wouldn¡¯t he be missing an opportunity?


    Moreover, based on Athena¡¯s consistent reputation, she would either remain silent or speak the truth; she would never lie. Therefore, if she could provide a clear path forward for the family, it would surely be a good thing.


    The fear was that Athena would choose not to involve herself in the family¡¯s affairs, keeping her lips sealed. If that were the case, Abraham would have no recourse.


    Fortunately, it seemed Athena was in good spirits today, so when Abraham had just finished asking his question, she smiled and promptly said:


    ¡°Rest assured, Master Abraham, as long as your noble family satisfies the war reparations required by the Alliance, the Sky Alliance will not continue to trouble you. A rise from the ashes will not be difficult afterward.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Truly.¡±


    ¡°Whew¡­ that¡¯s such a relief¡­¡±


    Seeing Athena¡¯s certainty, Abraham sighed with relief.


    What Athena had said might have seemed no different from offering comfort, but these words were hers, and Abraham certainly wouldn¡¯t have believed them if they had come from anyone else. But coming from Athena, it was a different matter.


    So after that, he bowed deeply to Athena and departed with even more respect than upon his arrival.


    ¡°Hehe¡­¡±


    Watching Abraham leave, Athena revealed a playful smile and then looked towards her Magic Energy Projector.


    While Abraham was there, the Magic Energy Projector had been flickering with light, indicating someone was trying to contact Athena. Now that Abraham had left, Athena approached the projector.


    Arriving at the projector and seeing the continuous flickering light, she sighed helplessly and activated the Magic Energy Projector.


    A beam of red light flashed, and the Magic Energy Projector cast the image of a young girl. It was none other than Athena¡¯s good friend from Glory City¡ªAnya.


    ¡°Athena, what are you up to? Why did it take you so long to answer!¡±


    As the Magic Energy Projector turned on, Anya¡¯s image appeared, and she pouted cutely, showing an annoyed yet adorable expression.


    ¡°I had a guest just now, so it wasn¡¯t convenient.¡±


    Shaking her head with a smile, Athena didn¡¯t elaborate further and casually asked, ¡°Anya, what¡¯s the rush in finding me?¡±


    ¡°What else could it be, I missed you! Athena, when will you come back? It¡¯s so boring here without you!¡±

 Chapter 513 - 513 477 Besties

    ?Chapter 513: Chapter 477 Besties Chapter 513: Chapter 477 Besties ¡°Athena, when will you come back? It¡¯s so boring without you!¡±


    As Anya¡¯s Magic Energy Image made a pouting expression, it looked incredibly adorable.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can¡¯t stay here too long. At most a week, and after that, I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ You must come back after a week!¡±


    Only after Athena made that promise did Anya reluctantly nod her head, and then her Magic Energy Image finally disappeared.


    And as the Magic Energy Image vanished, so too did the smile on Athena¡¯s face.


    Afterwards, she walked over to the desk in the room and quickly picked up a pen and paper and wrote a letter.


    With quick and precise strokes, Athena finished writing the letter, looked it over, frowned tightly, and placed it in an envelope. After sealing the envelope, she froze.


    Gazing at the envelope, she remained in a daze for a full half-minute before finally coming back to her senses and sighing.


    ¡°Anya, you¡¯re on your own now¡­¡±


    After a sigh, Athena murmured to herself, folded the envelope and set it aside, then turned to look out the window¡­


    On the other hand, after ending her conversation with Athena, Anya turned her head and glanced at the man behind her.


    The place where Anya was located wasn¡¯t her residence, but rather the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Glory City, and specifically in the bedroom of the mansion. And the man behind her was none other than Alas, the City Lord of Glory City!


    Glory City was an extremely famous large Sky City in the skies, housing a population of two hundred thousand people. Just by this number alone, one can imagine what kind of city it was. And the lord of this city was Alas.


    The name Alas was even more famous in the skies than the city he owned. This man was indeed a legend; he became a City Lord at the age of twenty, and back then, Glory City was just a small, obscure Sky City. But within just five or six years, he had developed Glory City from a small Sky City into a large one with a population of over one hundred thousand. Such a rapid development pace was nothing short of a miracle in the skies!


    Today, Glory City¡¯s size has more than doubled from before, its population reaching two hundred thousand, and it owns one medium-sized and one small subsidiary city, making it an entity not to be trifled with by ordinary people. City Lord Alas had long become a giant of his time. The three major forces had once invited him to join them, only to be refused each time. This wasn¡¯t surprising because a hero like him, how could he possibly submit to others?


    In short, both Glory City and its City Lord Alas were heavyweights in the world, and even such influential figures paid great attention to Athena.


    After the conversation with Athena ended, Anya turned her head to look at Alas and pouted, ¡°Are you satisfied now? She will be back next week.¡±


    After speaking, Anya bounced onto the bed like a rabbit, then showed an unwilling face, ¡°We finally have time to be together, and yet you¡¯re still thinking about that woman. Really.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, the not yet thirty-year-old Alas laughed twice and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling Anya into his embrace, ¡°You know very well what Athena is capable of. We absolutely cannot let that woman slip away, so I need you to put in more effort.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Anya rolled her eyes at Alas, broke free from his embrace, and then climbed onto his lap, cupped his face with her little hands, and demanded, ¡°Tell me, do you really like me or do you like that woman?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I like you.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Unbeknownst to Rocky, something was happening within the Mairente Family. At that moment, he was leading the Thunderhawk City and the mighty Alliance Army on their journey. Because the Mairente Family owned their own airspace, the journey had taken a considerable amount of time. Fortunately, the trek was nearly over. In one more day, they would arrive at the Mairente Family.


    ¡°Lord Claudy, have everyone prepared. We shouldn¡¯t let the other side underestimate us when the time comes.¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, everything is already in place.¡±


    Since they were about to enter the airspace of the Mairente Family, as the person in charge, Rocky naturally had his preparations and arrangements in order.


    He then turned to the three City Lords:


    ¡°Brothers, I need your help tomorrow.¡±


    Having spent a considerable amount of time together, Rocky and the three City Lords had become quite familiar with each other, hence the naturally affectionate way he referred to them.


    This was normal, for inside the Sky Alliance and across the entire sky, Rocky was seen as a rising star. Therefore, even though the three City Lords were leaders of major cities, they never looked down on him; on the contrary, they got along very well with him.


    ¡°Brother Rocky, rest assured, we¡¯ll be there for you,¡± all three City Lords said in unison with a laugh, reassuring him that they would cooperate when the time came.


    With this, Rocky felt relieved and issued his orders, then directed the main force to enter the Mairente airspace!


    As they were about to enter the Mairente airspace, Rocky felt no stir of emotion, only a cold resolve. Truth be told, he was even surprised by his own feelings. He had thought he would feel a tinge of pity for his family, but in fact, he did not.


    This strange feeling wasn¡¯t unexpected because for Rocky, any emotional ties to the Mairente Family had long been severed.


    Although by blood he was a member of the family, from the moment they had deceived him out of the Sky City his father left behind and driven him away, Rocky had essentially no affection left for them. Especially after the actions the family took against him later, any remaining ties of kinship had been definitively cut.


    Indeed, not everyone in the family was cruel. For instance, Cyril had helped Rocky more than once. Perhaps her intentions in those instances weren¡¯t entirely pure, but she had helped nonetheless. If Cyril were still with the family, then perhaps Rocky would still hold some sentiment for the Mairente Family.


    Unfortunately, even Cyril had left the family, and Atted was no longer the Clan Leader. Thus, while the entire Mairente Family might seem like Rocky¡¯s relatives, to him, these people were no better than strangers¡ªthe worst kind of strangers because they had been trying to kill him for years!


    So this visit, accurately speaking this return to the family, harbored no feelings of kinship for Rocky. He was there merely to collect debts¡ªthe Alliance¡¯s debts as well as his own.

 Chapter 514 - 514 478 Finished

    ?Chapter 514: Chapter 478 Finished¡­ Chapter 514: Chapter 478 Finished¡­ A day quickly passed, and the four major Sky Cities, including Rocky¡¯s own Thunderhawk City, entered the airspace controlled by the Mairente Family!


    Their arrival was without any notice, which seemed unusual¡ªnormally, there would have been, because there were rules in the skies: abruptly entering the airspace of others equated to declaring war, and the owner of the airspace could attack directly.


    Even if Rocky did not know this rule, the city lords of the three large Sky Cities and the military commander Claudy certainly did, yet none of them reminded Rocky.


    Because there was no need.


    For any member of the Rebel Army, the Alliance had no intentions of following the rules. Moreover, Claudy, who was in charge of commanding the troops, would probably hope that the opponents would attack first, giving the Alliance a reason to annihilate the family!


    Unfortunately, the Mairente Family had long been expecting the Alliance to arrive and had made ample preparations. So when Rocky led the four Sky Cities into their airspace, instead of attacking, the other party even sent out a welcoming party. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, this welcoming party was taken aback as soon as they saw the great army of the Sky Alliance.


    It wasn¡¯t that they were intimidated by the formation of the Alliance, but they were confused by Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why is there a small Sky City here?¡±


    In the welcoming team, Abraham stood at the bow of the ship, looking towards the nearby four Sky Cities. The three large Sky Cities were fine, and so were the numerous surrounding warships, but what was with that one small Sky City?


    In such an occasion, when did small Sky Cities have the qualification to appear?


    ¡°Strange¡­¡±


    Abraham couldn¡¯t help but frown upon discovering the small Sky City among the large force sent by the Alliance, especially when he noticed that this small Sky City was positioned in front of the three large ones.


    And even more peculiar was that the more he looked at this city, the more familiar it seemed!


    ¡°Sir, the Alliance has arrived.¡±


    Just as Abraham was about to recall the city he was seeing, an aide by his side reminded him, indicating that the Alliance¡¯s ships had arrived.


    Hearing this, Abraham quickly came to his senses and then told the people around him, ¡°Be extra careful when you meet them, and let¡¯s not give them any opportunity to trouble us.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    The subordinates responded and all stood behind Abraham. It wasn¡¯t long before the Alliance¡¯s ships approached, and the specifics of the encounter did not need to be detailed. Eventually, the welcoming party followed the Alliance warships towards the Sky Cities.


    There seemed to be nothing amiss, but as Abraham and his people advanced, something felt increasingly off¡­


    Because the direction the Alliance¡¯s warships were leading them was clearly towards the smallest of the four Sky Cities!


    This time, even the others noticed the issue. Among the four Sky Cities, three were large, and it would be normal to head to any of these, so why did they specifically head towards the only small Sky City?


    This puzzlement appeared in the minds of all members of the Mairente Family, but no one dared to inquire further. After all, they were just following the Alliance Army¡¯s warships; there was no direct contact, so there was no way to ask.


    Shortly thereafter, they arrived at the Skyport of Thunderhawk City and began a slow descent¡­


    ¡°Sir, this, this place seems to be¡­¡±


    When everyone followed the Alliance Army¡¯s warship and landed at the Skyport, someone at Abraham¡¯s side detected a problem!


    Although these people had never been to Thunderhawk City, the city was originally a Sky City of the Mairente Family, before falling into Rocky¡¯s hands, and some people had been there before; although Rocky had been focusing on development and construction in the last two years, he hadn¡¯t changed Thunderhawk City¡¯s Skyport at all, so it was quickly recognized.


    ¡°My Lord, this is Thunderhawk City!¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Hearing the whispered words from his subordinate, an unprepared Abraham couldn¡¯t control himself and exclaimed in surprise right then and there!


    This news was indeed too shocking for him.


    This is Thunderhawk City?


    How could this be Thunderhawk City!


    Who is the arch-enemy of the Mairente Family?


    If this question had been asked a few years ago, there would have been many answers because all big families have numerous enemies, and the Mairente Family was no exception. Thus, every family elder might have given a different answer to this question.


    But now, the answer to this question was quite unanimous, the Mairente Family¡¯s arch-enemy was only one, and that was Rocky!


    This answer, perhaps, would be unbelievable to outsiders, because Rocky was just a City Lord of a small Sky City! Could the vast Mairente family really regard him as their arch-enemy? Was Rocky too strong, or was the Mairente family too weak?


    Undoubtedly, someone would think this way, but if someone dared to say this in front of the Mairente family members, the only answer they would get was a challenge to try and oppose Rocky themselves, and then speak those cool-headed words when they saw the results!


    For the Mairente family, Rocky had now become a taboo, the entire family was forbidden from mentioning his name because he had brought too much disaster upon them. This man was simply a calamity; the family had never profited from dealings with him, as they always ended up at a loss!


    So, for the entire family, the worst thing was having Rocky come to collect war reparations on behalf of the Alliance.


    However, the family thought this was almost an impossible scenario, as Rocky was just a minor city lord and even though he was a member of the Alliance, the Alliance wouldn¡¯t possibly let him handle such important matters, so no one had considered this possibility.


    However, now it seemed they had underestimated Rocky¡¯s standing in the Alliance, as well as the Alliance¡¯s audacity!


    ¡°Lord Abraham, do you have any problems?¡±


    Just when Abraham had cried out in surprise, the officer leading them turned back to glance at him and then asked with a cold sneer.


    ¡°No¡­ nothing¡­¡±


    After glancing at the officer, Abraham shook his head difficultly, and right after lifting his eyes, he froze on the spot.


    Because by that time they had arrived next to the waiting carriage, and then Abraham saw Liliya beside the carriage!


    ¡°Liliya¡­¡±


    Seeing Liliya, the last bit of hope in his heart disappeared, because even though he had never been to Thunderhawk City, he recognized Liliya!


    When Rocky had been expelled from the family, Abraham had met him once, and although he hadn¡¯t made a strong impression of Rocky at that time, his memory of Liliya was quite vivid; he had even thought about keeping her around.


    So upon seeing Liliya, his heart skipped a beat, and two words immediately sprang to mind, ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡±

 Chapter 515 - 515 479 Time Changes Everything

    ?Chapter 515: Chapter 479: Time Changes Everything Chapter 515: Chapter 479: Time Changes Everything Upon seeing Liliya, Abraham¡¯s complexion took a drastic turn for the worse and instantly became ashen.


    The person representing the Alliance to collect war reparations was actually Rocky!


    The worst-case scenario for the family had occurred¡­


    It was as if Rocky had no feelings for his family at all. From the highest to the lowest ranks of the Mairente Family, except for Cyril and Atted, no one had any affection for him either. They did not consider Rocky as their blood kin, but rather, treated him as an enemy.


    In such a situation, one could easily imagine Abraham¡¯s reaction upon learning that the person his family was facing was Rocky.


    ¡°Young Master Abraham, we meet again,¡±


    Standing before Liliya with a dead pallor, Abraham was so shocked that he couldn¡¯t speak for quite some time. In the end, it was Liliya who broke the silence first.


    After giving Abraham a glance, she didn¡¯t show much reaction, nor did she display any smugness, but simply greeted him casually. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the more casual Liliya appeared, the more it weighed on Abraham¡¯s heart. He did not fear the small victories of petty people; what he feared was the certainty of victory! Liliya¡¯s demeanor gave off just that impression of assured victory.


    So, after Liliya had spoken, Abraham¡¯s expression became even uglier. He didn¡¯t say a word but, feeling compelled, he nodded toward Liliya and then, looking dispirited, led his entourage into a carriage that had been prepared in advance, as if a vampire recoiling from the sunlight.


    After that, the carriage departed the Skyport with its occupants and entered the districts of Thunderhawk City, heading straight for the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    ¡°Is this¡­ Thunderhawk City?¡±


    Since the Skyport was quite distant from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, the journey required some time. As Abraham and his companions rode through the city districts in the carriage, one of his subordinates couldn¡¯t help exclaiming in surprise while looking out of the window.


    This subordinate was the one who had earlier reminded everyone that they were in Thunderhawk City. Now, however, as he looked out of the carriage window at the city districts, he began to doubt whether this place was really Thunderhawk City.


    Because long ago, this person had visited Thunderhawk City and knew all too well what it had been like then.


    Back then, the vast city of Thunderhawk City was home to only a thousand people. The entire city had almost no industry to speak of, and its people struggled with self-sufficiency. At that time, Thunderhawk City was virtually indistinguishable from a dead city. It was a city that the family had abandoned; otherwise, it would not have been handed over to Rocky.


    But now, even while sitting in the carriage, even just by looking through the window, the people from the Mairente Family could sense the transformation of Thunderhawk City.


    The most significant change was the people.


    One of the important criteria to measure the strength of a city is the population.


    As the carriage sped through the streets, it was easy for them to see many pedestrians on both sides of the road, men and women, old and young. This was a sight definitely not seen in the old Thunderhawk City. Before it was handed over to Rocky, the streets of Thunderhawk City had always been desolate, with a person rarely seen even when walking down the entire street.


    The second important criterion to measure the strength of a city is the state of its people.


    In the eyes of the individuals from the Mairente Family, every pedestrian on the streets seemed in excellent spirits. Their clothes might not be considered ornate, but they certainly didn¡¯t look impoverished. What was more important was that each person was talking and laughing, their faces radiating ease and comfort.


    This sense of ease and comfort was particularly jarring to Abraham and his companions, forming a stark contrast with the atmosphere within their family. Currently, because of defeat in war, from the family members to the common folk of each Sky City, everyone was sullen, utterly lacking vitality. The entire family resembled an elderly person in the twilight years, breathing in less and out more, as if they could pass away at any moment.


    The observation that one can see the whole leopard by looking at its spots applies here. Just from the state of the inhabitants of Thunderhawk City, we can infer their environment¡ªand for Abraham and his companions, this realization was nothing short of shocking. They suddenly understood that the insignificant Rocky, the small Thunderhawk City, had dared to oppose the entire Mairente Family and repeatedly come out victorious, perhaps not without reason¡­


    Thus, the carriage moved along, swiftly passing through the city area and finally arriving at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    When the carriage came to a stop, Abraham led everyone off and followed Liliya into the gates of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion¡ªonly to be stopped right as they entered.


    ¡°Everyone, please leave your weapons here.¡±


    Having guided everyone into the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, a unit of guards donning uniform Mana Armor appeared in front of Abraham and the others, and then Liliya turned to them and instructed them to hand over their weapons.


    Abraham didn¡¯t say much about this request. He took the lead in removing his side sword, and the others did the same, giving the weapons they carried to the guards. Only then were they allowed to proceed to the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    Under Liliya¡¯s lead, Abraham and the others finally reached the City Lord¡¯s Hall and met with Rocky.


    In the hall, Rocky sat on his City Lord¡¯s Throne as usual, but on either side of him, there were three additional seats, occupied by none other than the City Lords of the three major Sky Cities.


    Even though the meeting with Abraham took place in Thunderhawk City, the other three City Lords had all arrived to bolster Rocky¡¯s presence.


    Seeing this, especially seeing Rocky seated in the midst of the three major Sky City Lords, Abraham was left without any further thoughts. The scene spoke volumes, at least making it clear that Rocky wasn¡¯t here just for show¡ªhe was here to lead!


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, three City Lords¡­¡±


    Approaching the four seated figures and looking up at them on the City Lord¡¯s Throne, Abraham began to speak.


    He had intended to exchange pleasantries, but upon seeing Rocky, he couldn¡¯t say a word¡­


    Because at that moment, he suddenly remembered several years ago.


    Just a few years prior, when Rocky was cast out of the family, Abraham had been there. Regrettably, he could not recall what Rocky looked like back then, for he had not paid any attention to Rocky. His focus, though slight, had been on Liliya.


    What he never expected was that, after such a short period, Rocky would return to the family in this manner and that he, the son of a Clan Leader, would have to stand before him, bowing and scraping. This change left Abraham speechless.


    ¡°Abraham, has the compensation required by the Alliance been prepared?¡±


    While Abraham was slightly stunned, Rocky, from his position as the City Lord, spoke up.


    Unlike the speechless Abraham, Rocky evidently had no intention of making small talk and simply got down to business.


    ¡°It has been prepared.¡±


    On hearing his question, Abraham simply nodded. Immediately, one of his subordinates behind him presented a stack of lists, and then Abraham handed this list to Liliya, who in turn gave it to Rocky.


    Upon receiving the list, Rocky picked it up to look¡ªonly to be suddenly alarmed!

 Chapter 516 - 516 480 Deliberately Making Things Difficult

    ?Chapter 516: Chapter 480 Deliberately Making Things Difficult? Chapter 516: Chapter 480 Deliberately Making Things Difficult? The specific amount of compensation demanded by the Alliance had long been communicated to the Mairente Family, but because the sum was so immense, the families simply couldn¡¯t produce such a massive amount of Gold Coins; thus, they could only use other assets to cover the debt, necessitating a detailed list, which Abraham had given to Rocky.


    However, after receiving the list handed to him by Liliya, Rocky looked at the contents and, although his facial expression remained unchanged, his heart had already been shaken!


    Fifty million Gold Coins!


    The very first line of the list was an eye-piercing figure!


    The amount the Mairente Family was to compensate the Sky Alliance was a staggering fifty million Gold Coins!


    This was truly an astronomical sum. Not just for the Mairente Family but for any major family or alliance. In fact, the Mairente Family had collected every single Gold Coin in their possession to gather this vast amount of money, leaving not a single Gold Coin in all the treasuries of Sky City within their families.


    But that wasn¡¯t all!


    The compensation demanded by the Alliance was not just fifty million Gold Coins; the Mairente Family could only produce fifty million Gold Coins. As for the portion they couldn¡¯t produce, they chose to compensate in other ways.


    Therefore, the list in Rocky¡¯s hands, besides the conspicuous number of fifty million Gold Coins, also contained a large list of goods.


    Unable to produce enough Gold Coins, the Mairente Family used goods to cover the debt, the specific types and quantities of which are not necessary to detail one by one. In total, the families ultimately brought out one million tons of goods, using these to repay the debt of fifty million Gold Coins!


    This was precisely two sets of fifty million!


    But even so, it wasn¡¯t over.


    Because even with fifty million Gold Coins plus one million tons of goods, the combined value still fell far short of the compensation amount proposed by the Alliance; thus, in the end, the Mairente Family also had to hand over four small Sky Cities to the Alliance!


    Seeing this part, Rocky quietly blinked to prevent his eyes from deceiving him, and only when he looked at the list again did he confirm that he hadn¡¯t read it wrong¡ªthe Mairente Family indeed planned to use four small Sky Cities as compensation to the Alliance!


    Heavens¡­


    After glancing over the list, Rocky felt his breathing grow somewhat rapid because even he had to admit that the Sky Alliance was being incredibly harsh towards the Rebel Army!


    The vast compensation demanded by the Alliance almost drove a major family like the Mairente to bankruptcy; they had not only brought out every single Gold Coin and every box of goods in their families to make amends but had also handed over the Sky Cities, all four of them at once!


    Even though these were small Sky Cities, they were still Sky Cities! And there were four of them! Especially after a great battle, the Mairente Family only had four small Sky Cities left, yet they used them all at once to compensate the alliance.


    But even so, the Alliance still felt it was not enough!


    Why would that be?


    Because the Alliance had sent Rocky!


    It had already been said that the Alliance sending Rocky to carry out this mission had deep significance, partly involving Rocky himself and partly involving the Mairente Family, which indicated that the Alliance considered the sacrifices made by the Mairente Family insufficient and required them to pay a greater price; thus, Rocky was sent.


    Without exaggeration, the Alliance showed absolutely no mercy to the Rebel Army.


    But upon reflection, this isn¡¯t too surprising, as anyone could guess that the Sky Alliance would never let the Rebel Army off the hook. Perhaps the presence of a ceasefire agreement prevented them from taking direct military action against the Rebel Army, but even without resorting to force, the Sky Alliance had countless ways to eliminate every member of the Rebel Army!


    It was precisely because he understood the Alliance¡¯s intentions that Rocky knew what this mission meant for him; for him, this task was an enormous opportunity!


    So, after briefly looking over the inventory, he handed it over to the three City Lords beside him for their review. Once all three had finished, he asked:


    ¡°Brothers, what do you think of this inventory¡­?¡±


    When Rocky asked this question, the City Lord of Kunlun City, Bodin, turned to Abraham and questioned, ¡°Abraham, is this the compensation prepared by your family?¡±


    The question instantly made Abraham¡¯s heart skip a beat, and he hurriedly responded:


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmph! You really have some nerve! You think you can deceive the Alliance with these items! What do you take the Sky Alliance for!¡±


    Before Abraham could finish speaking, Pank, the City Lord from Stellar Palace City who was to the left of Rocky, interrupted him.


    It must be said, Bodin, Pank, and Maros were truly supportive.


    Because at that moment, their words were clearly more useful than Rocky¡¯s.


    For one thing, their stature was more intimidating than Rocky¡¯s, as they were all indeed major City Lords of the huge Sky Cities. Since all three cities were genuinely powerful, they had been the first to represent the Alliance Army to reinforce the battle zones. Under these circumstances, Abraham did not dare to ignore their words.


    Secondly, by speaking out, they made a clear statement that they were united with Rocky, which was especially crucial. This meant that Abraham, and even the entire Mairente Family, could no longer harbor any hope for leniency. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°City Lord, we dare not!¡±


    So, facing Pank¡¯s questioning, Abraham immediately broke into a sweat and began to explain, ¡°Sir, the family did not have any ulterior motives in the compensation. Everything was done according to the requirements of the Alliance, and there will absolutely be no errors.¡±


    This time, the amount of compensation was so large that the Mairente Family had almost bled themselves dry just to gather the amount, and it was a sum that forced Abraham to stoutly defend, as any issues in this matter could not be afforded by him or his family.


    However, Abraham himself understood that in front of Rocky, his defense was utterly useless, and indeed it was. Just as he rushed through his explanation, Rocky, who was sitting in the middle, simply laughed.


    ¡°Abraham, are you saying¡­ we are deliberately making it difficult for you?¡±


    Smiling at Abraham, Rocky slowly asked.


    Wasn¡¯t it?


    Bodin, Pank, and Maros, these three City Lords, had merely glanced at the inventory after receiving it. To say they recounted the totals on the inventory was one thing; they had not even finished checking it when they outright claimed the numbers didn¡¯t match. Wasn¡¯t that being deliberately difficult?


    Looking up at Rocky, Abraham was already cursing in his heart, but didn¡¯t dare to speak further, the only thing he could do was to remain silent.


    ¡°Alright, since you disagree, I will have someone calculate whether this inventory truly meets our requirements.¡±


    ¡°Aileen.¡±


    Seeing that Abraham remained silent, Rocky laughed and called Aileen over, then handed the inventory to her.


    ¡°Aileen, calculate the contents of this inventory to see if they truly meet our requirements.¡±

 Chapter 517 - 517 481 Fiery Eyes Golden Gaze

    ?Chapter 517: Chapter 481: Fiery Eyes Golden Gaze Chapter 517: Chapter 481: Fiery Eyes Golden Gaze ¡°Aileen, come and verify this inventory list for me,¡±


    Having called Aileen over, Rocky handed her the list.


    Once she received it, Aileen stood right where she was and flipped through it.


    An on-the-spot verification!


    From the moment Aileen began checking the list, the City Lord¡¯s Hall fell completely silent.


    Rocky had utmost confidence in Aileen. He was well aware of how smart she was and what she was capable of; this type of task required no worries when given to her.


    The three City Lords beside him also watched Aileen with curiosity, because this time Rocky had only brought Liliya and Aileen with him for the task, leaving the rest in the city. This sufficiently demonstrated Liliya and Aileen¡¯s standing in Rocky¡¯s heart. The City Lords had a relatively good understanding of Liliya since, as Rocky¡¯s personal guard who was trusted and relied upon, she deserved the recognition. However, they were less familiar with Aileen and therefore quite curious as to why Rocky held her in such high regard.


    Similarly, Abraham and everyone from the Mairente Family were also looking at Aileen; they had no clue who this woman was, let alone what she was doing.


    Checking and calculating the inventory?


    How could that be possible?!


    Given the exceedingly large amount of compensation involved, the inventory list drafted by the families was incredibly lengthy. It didn¡¯t just list the names of compensations. Due to the debt being offset by a great deal of goods and Sky City, the list even detailed specific conversion amounts, making the content extremely complicated. Ordinary people, rather than understanding it, would feel dizzy with just a glance.


    Under such circumstances, how could a single person possibly clarify everything?


    The Mairente Family had clearly underestimated Aileen¡¯s abilities. Not only was she able to understand everything on the list, but she also easily calculated all the conversions. Hence, after roughly half an hour, she had thoroughly reviewed the list from start to finish.


    After finishing the list, Aileen said to Rocky, ¡°My lord, the other party has tampered with the conversion of goods and Sky City.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±


    Before Rocky could say anything in response to Aileen¡¯s remark, a group of people behind Abraham burst out in protest!


    Just as Abraham had mentioned earlier, the families had indeed prepared for this compensation for a long time, and everything on the list had been checked repeatedly to ensure nothing was amiss. After all, the amount of compensation was massive this time; even the slightest error, such as a miscalculated decimal point, could result in a discrepancy worth tens of millions of Gold Coins, a mistake not even the Mairente Family could afford.


    Thus, hearing Aileen¡¯s words, the family members immediately lost their patience. In their view, this was outright bullying!


    In response to their discontent, the three great City Lords immediately furrowed their brows, but Rocky, on the other hand, did not get angry; he laughed instead.


    Rocky laughed as he turned to Aileen, ¡°Tell me, what do you think is the issue?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    Aileen answered and turned to glance at Abraham and his group of subordinates, whose eyes were bulging with anger. Then she spoke,


    ¡°My lord, I remember you once said that the Alliance allows the Rebel Army to offset debts with goods, and while the Alliance has not specified the conversion standard in detail, generally speaking, this standard should be based on the pricing of the top three Chambers of Commerce in Eternal City, correct?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky exchanged glances with the other three City Lords, and they all nodded in agreement, affirming Aileen¡¯s statement was accurate.


    Seeing this, Aileen turned again to look at Abraham, only to notice that the expressions of Abraham and his group had started to change!


    She then went on to say, ¡°My lord, the Mairente Family has concealed information from the Alliance in this matter. If my calculations are correct, the conversion standard they used to offset the debt with goods is not based on the average price of the top three Chambers of Commerce in Eternal City, but rather calculated based on the highest market price for the goods.¡±


    ¡°For instance, the Demon Core of the Fire Lord Devil mentioned on this list is priced at 5,000 Gold Coins each in the Hunting Exchange. If bought in bulk, it would be even cheaper, perhaps only costing 4,000 Gold Coins to purchase in large quantities at a major Chamber of Commerce like the Continental Commerce Chamber.¡±


    ¡°However, on this list, they have used a quantity of one thousand Demon Cores to offset a seven-million Gold Coin debt, translating to an average price of 7,000 Gold Coins per Demon Core. With such a price, I can hardly imagine which Chamber of Commerce¡¯s pricing it is based on, and as a result, they have underpaid the Alliance by several million Gold Coins.¡±


    ¡°There are many such instances on this list, nearly every conversion standard for the various goods has issues, and the more important point isn¡¯t even listed here.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s more important?¡±


    By the time Aileen had finished speaking, even Bodin and his associates were drawn in, realizing something seemed genuinely amiss¡­


    Initially, Bodin and the others thought Rocky had Aileen check the inventory list simply as a formality, merely a way to make their own difficulties appear more justified. However, after listening to Aileen¡¯s explanation, they found the matter to be quite serious!


    Aileen had indeed found problems on the inventory list!


    What did that indicate?


    It meant the Mairente Family had actually been deceitful in their compensation!! Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under these circumstances, the three City Lords immediately focused their attention.


    Afterward, Aileen continued, ¡°My lord, according to the annotations on this list, they plan to use four small Sky Cities to settle an eighty-million Gold Coin debt, with each Sky City offsetting twenty million Gold Coins. However, I think this conversion method is quite flawed.¡±


    ¡°These four Sky Cities are all small and have been in use for many years. Moreover, they have just participated in the recent war, and one can say they are battered beyond repair. Most importantly, they only plan to hand over the Sky Cities to the Alliance without including the population within. If calculated in this manner, these Sky Cities are not worth twenty million Gold Coins; in fact, they aren¡¯t worth a single coin. Therefore, I urge the esteemed lords to reconsider.¡±


    Having said her part, Aileen returned to her original position and fell silent.


    As she stepped back, Rocky then looked towards Abraham, whose face was now utterly pallid, ¡°Abraham, do you have anything else to say?¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky¡­ this¡­ this¡­¡±


    Upon being questioned by Rocky, Abraham immediately broke into a sweat. He gritted his teeth, his face alternating between shades of green and purple, and it took him a long while to finally speak, ¡°City Lord Rocky, the family would never dare to tamper with the compensation. The content on this list¡­ must be a mistake¡­ Please grant me some time to return and draft a new list!¡±

 Chapter 518 - 518 482 Well Aware

    ?Chapter 518: Chapter 482: Well Aware Chapter 518: Chapter 482: Well Aware ¡°Certainly.¡±


    Rocky smiled and did not make things difficult for Abraham over the obviously fudged figures. Instead, he nodded after Abraham had provided a clearly improvised explanation, ¡°Abraham, I hope that the next time we meet, we won¡¯t have such misunderstandings.¡±


    ¡°You may go.¡±


    After saying that, Rocky waved his hand, indicating that Abraham and his people could leave.


    Seeing this, especially Rocky¡¯s gesture allowing him to depart, Abraham felt indescribably bitter inside. He truly regretted taking on this task. So, after agreeing, he did not utter another word and sullenly led his people away. When they left the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, they didn¡¯t even take back their Side Swords and weapons they had submitted earlier¡ªnot because they had forgotten, but because they couldn¡¯t bear to stay a second longer.


    ¡°Well done, Brother Rocky.¡±


    As soon as they had left, Bodin and others in the hall gave Rocky a thumbs-up.


    ¡°Brother Rocky, your finance officer is quite capable, isn¡¯t she? No wonder Thunderhawk City has developed so quickly in just a few years. It seems you really do have a wealth of talent at your disposal.¡±


    After glancing at Aileen, Maros, the City Lord of Benevolent King City, couldn¡¯t help but offer praises. Aileen was able to spot the error in the list in such short time and it wasn¡¯t nitpicking¡ªshe had uncovered a real trick. This proved her exceptional ability in this area. Not to mention her understanding of prices and grasp over the entire market situation; in this respect, few could match her.


    ¡°You flatter me, elder brother. These are trifling matters for Aileen,¡± Rocky replied.


    Being praised by someone like Maros, a high-ranking City Lord, naturally made Rocky happy.


    After a brief conversation with the three City Lords, Rocky turned to another matter.


    ¡°General Claudy, dispatch the Alliance Army.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    With that response, Claudy turned and left the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    Meanwhile, Abraham and co., having left the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, had already boarded their Skyship and were speeding away from Thunderhawk City as if their tails were on fire.


    Indeed, they were ablaze with urgency¡ªor more aptly, it was a hair-singeing urgency. They had no wish to stay in Thunderhawk City any longer, and on the other hand, they had to report these events back to their family clans urgently.


    After leaving Thunderhawk City, Abraham led his people non-stop back to Soaring Dragon City.


    Soaring Dragon City, a large Sky City, was under the current rule of the Mairente Family¡¯s Lexington, making it the central city for the family, just like Machine City had been before.


    Upon returning to Soaring Dragon City, Abraham immediately met with his father and recounted the day¡¯s events to Lexington from beginning to end.


    Lexington had been anxiously awaiting Abraham¡¯s return¡ªnot because he doubted his son¡¯s ability to handle the task, but out of worry that there might be complications from the Alliance¡¯s side. It had to be said that Lexington, the seasoned veteran, had a foresight that proved to be accurate, as the situation had indeed unfolded as he feared!


    When he learned that Rocky himself had come to collect reparations on behalf of the Alliance, Lexington was just as stunned as Abraham had initially been.


    For Lexington, such a bewildered expression was an exceedingly rare occurrence.


    ¡°How¡­ could it be him¡­¡±


    Gazing at Abraham somewhat dazedly, Lexington remained stunned for a full ten seconds before regaining his composure, then he looked at his son.


    Father and son locked eyes, each seeing the same look of bewilderment in the other.


    Why had it come to this?


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Having glanced at his son, Lexington sighed and immediately said, ¡°Summon all the Elders for an emergency family meeting.¡±


    After uttering these words, he left the room with a frown on his face and headed to the meeting room alone.


    By the time the Mairente Family¡¯s Elders received the news and rushed over one after another, Lexington had already been waiting alone in the meeting room for quite some time. Once all the Elders of the family had arrived, he had Abraham repeat everything he had previously told him before everyone.


    Following this, Lexington asked bluntly,


    ¡°My friends, how do you think we should handle this matter?¡±


    After finishing his question, he looked at each person in the meeting room, and as his gaze swept over each one, they all lowered their heads, including Abraham.


    This was no surprise to them, for the matter was indeed a difficult one to handle.


    It was true that the Mairente Family had been somewhat cunning with the debt repayment in goods, but it wasn¡¯t entirely their fault, as using goods to settle debts inherently offered much leeway, and it was only natural for people to be a bit tricky in such matters.


    In fact, according to the Mairente Family¡¯s plan, they had intended to prepare a special gift for the Alliance¡¯s representative, which, once accepted, would ensure the representative would not trouble them further on this matter. This way, they would not only clear their debt to the Alliance but also save a substantial sum of money for the family. Why would they not do so?


    However, they never expected that the person the Alliance would send would be Rocky!


    With that, the family¡¯s plan was completely ruined because Rocky was someone who would never ¡®accept a gift¡¯¡ªnot because Rocky was exceptionally fair and impartial, but because he had no interest in such trivial matters. His goal this time was not something as simple as a large gift.


    So when Lexington asked what others thought they should do, everyone lowered their heads.


    And like this, the meeting room fell into silence until someone finally broke it after a long while.


    The person who broke the silence was none other than Abraham.


    ¡°Father¡­¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Turning to look at his father, Abraham, though hesitant, eventually said, ¡°Father, Rocky¡¯s target¡­ is Mairente City¡­¡±


    As soon as Abraham spoke these words, he let out an inevitable sigh¡ªnot just him, most of the family¡¯s Elders present did the same.


    What exactly did Rocky want?


    This was a question Rocky himself had never answered, not to Abraham, and not even to Bodin and the others, but everyone was nonetheless acutely aware of his desires.


    He wanted his own Sky City!


    He wanted the medium-sized Sky City that the family had swindled from him years ago!


    That Sky City was none other than Mairente City!


    A few days earlier, Athena had asked a question; she wanted to know the original name of Mairente City, but sadly, at the time, Abraham had declined under the pretense of family privacy. However, the truth was that it was no private matter at all. The present Mairente City was the very Sky City that the family had deceitfully taken from Rocky, renaming it only after acquiring it.


    Before that, the Sky City was known as Carltos City, named after Rocky¡¯s mother¡¯s surname!


    Rocky¡¯s purpose in coming here was for this very city!

 Chapter 519 - 519 483 Fallen to this

    ?Chapter 519: Chapter 483 Fallen to this¡­ Chapter 519: Chapter 483 Fallen to this¡­ What does Rocky truly desire?


    It is, of course, the Sky City now renamed Mairente, which in reality is called Carltos.


    This Sky City was originally his!


    Though Rocky had never mentioned this, everyone was well aware of it.


    Regrettably, even if every Clan Leader and Elder present knew about this, none dared to speak out because the matter had become a sore point for the entire family.


    Had it not been for the Sky City, Rocky¡¯s relationship with the family might not have deteriorated in this way, nor would the family have fallen to its current state because of him; thus, the Sky City and the chain of events it triggered had become taboo within the family, much like Rocky himself, especially now when nobody was willing to bring it up.


    But at this moment, while others could feign ignorance, Abraham could not afford to do so. He had already met with Rocky, seen the other three City Lords, and even witnessed the Alliance Army sent over. In light of these circumstances, the family could no longer turn a blind eye and had to make an immediate decision, or they would face catastrophe!


    Some might wonder, isn¡¯t the matter simple? Just give Rocky whatever he wants, what¡¯s there to hesitate about?


    It might sound correct, but it¡¯s far from that simple.


    Firstly, Rocky isn¡¯t asking for a lollipop that one can simply hand over, but a Sky City, and a medium-sized one at that!


    The value of a medium-sized Sky City cannot be measured in Gold Coins. For any family or forces, it holds immeasurably greater significance than a small-sized Sky City. That¡¯s why in the face of the Alliance¡¯s outrageous demands, the Mairente Family would rather forfeit four small-sized Sky Cities to satisfy the debts than give up a single medium-sized one because of its importance.


    Furthermore, the family had already lost several Sky Cities in the previous war. To meet the reparation demands of the Alliance, they needed to hand over four more small ones. On top of that, Cyril took their own Sky City when leaving the family. So, after counting, the family now only possessed three large-sized and four medium-sized Sky Cities. If they were to hand over Mairente City to Rocky now, there would hardly be any Sky Cities left.


    At the same time, what Rocky wants is not just an empty city; when the family deceitfully took the Sky City from him, it had a population of over thirty thousand! If the family were to return the Sky City to Rocky, they would certainly have to hand over its population as well¡ªa significant loss for a family that had just fought a great war and drained their wealth to pay the Alliance.


    All these reasons combined made it impossible for the family to casually hand over Mairente City.


    Secondly, there was an immeasurable debt that could not be discounted.


    That is, if the family were to return Mairente City to Rocky, what would the world think of the entire Mairente Family?


    Would they think the Mairente Family had been thoroughly defeated by Rocky, completely capitulated to him?


    Without a doubt!


    Do not underestimate the gravity of this perception. When the walls fall, everyone pushes, and when the drum is broken, everyone strikes. Once such a thought takes hold among the people, the vast Mairente Family would lose all credibility in the skies. How many foes, then, both overt and covert, would kick the family while they¡¯re down? Would the family have any standing left then?


    The family had to consider this scenario.


    That is why, though all the Elders knew what Rocky desired, no one spoke up¡ªthe Mairente Family had become so weakened that a mere medium-sized Sky City could affect their entire being.


    But as Abraham thought, Rocky had already arrived, and the Alliance Army was already present. The family really couldn¡¯t pretend to be oblivious now; they had to come up with a solution!


    ¡°Kelly, what do you think?¡±


    When Abraham¡¯s words concluded, Lexington finally spoke up.


    With his shrewdness, he of course knew what Rocky wanted. In fact, as soon as he learned that Rocky was representing the Alliance to collect reparations, he already understood Rocky¡¯s purpose. And while he was alone in the meeting room waiting for others, he had already thought everything through.


    So now he was asking for Kelly¡¯s opinion because Mairente City was Kelly¡¯s Sky City.


    Upon hearing his question, Kelly remained silent for a long while before turning to look at Lexington. Then, with a frown and a perplexed face, she asked, ¡°Lexington, has the family really fallen into such dire straits?¡±


    ¡°Has the Mairente Family fallen so low that they can¡¯t even protect their own Sky City anymore?¡±


    A pair of eyes stared at Lexington, and within Kelly¡¯s gaze lay confusion, unwillingness, and bitterness, as she voiced the question she most desperately sought to understand.


    Had the family truly descended to such depths?


    Had they reached the point where if someone demanded something, they just had to give it?


    And the one making demands was none other than Rocky!


    Rocky!


    The very same person who, just a few years ago, was stripped of everything by the family, the pathetic loser who didn¡¯t even dare to resist in face of the family back then! And now he was the one making demands of the family!


    Could the family really not refuse even his demands?


    With her eyes fixed on Lexington, Kelly stared intently at him, waiting for an answer.


    Confronted with her gaze, Lexington¡¯s expression momentarily dulled, but he quickly snapped back to reality and was about to speak.


    But right at that moment, just as he was about to speak, a guard suddenly burst into the meeting room!


    ¡°Clan Leader! It¡¯s bad, the Alliance Army¡­ The Alliance Army¡¯s three massive Sky Cities and their fleet have formed a formation within our airspace!¡±


    While the Mairente Family members were convening an emergency meeting, under Rocky¡¯s directive, Claudy had already positioned the Alliance Army in a posture ready to attack at any moment!


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How could this happen!¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What do they want to do?¡±


    As the guard hastily reported the situation outside, the meeting room immediately erupted into commotion, as if a drop of water had been thrown into a sizzling hot oil pan.


    ¡°Silence!¡±


    Amidst the noise and panic, Lexington had to shout to bring the chaos under control, then turned to Abraham and said, ¡°Go see what¡¯s happening.¡±


    At such a time, Lexington trusted no one else and had to rely on his own son.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Hearing his words, Abraham nodded, then quickly left with the guard.


    Once he had departed with the guard, Lexington turned back to look at Kelly, watched her for a while, then nodded with difficulty.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Those two simple words answered Kelly¡¯s earlier question.


    Yes.


    The Mairente Family had indeed fallen to such lows¡­!

 Chapter 520 - 520 484 Triumphant Return to Hometown

    ?Chapter 520: Chapter 484: Triumphant Return to Hometown! Chapter 520: Chapter 484: Triumphant Return to Hometown! ¡°`


    Shortly after Abraham left, the family meeting soon came to an end, and ultimately, it didn¡¯t yield any definite conclusion. Everyone simply agreed to continue negotiations with the Alliance, or to put it bluntly, to keep negotiating with Rocky to see if they could resolve the matter at the smallest cost possible.


    But deep down, every member of the family was well aware that this negotiation was merely a last-ditch effort to save face, and the actual outcome was unlikely to change much.


    Even so, the family still hoped to fight for their interests, so they quickly sent someone to Thunderhawk City again.


    This time, the leader of the delegation was not Abraham, for he really didn¡¯t want to see Rocky again, so instead, one of the Elders took his place.


    However, when the people from the Mairente Family arrived at Thunderhawk City this time, they were informed that they could not enter the city as soon as they stepped off the skyship.


    Why?


    Because Rocky had decided to change the location of the negotiations. He had chosen Carltos City, now known as Mairente City, as the new venue!


    This request didn¡¯t surprise the Mairente Family at all. In fact, it made Rocky¡¯s intentions clear, and everyone understood what he meant.


    So, the Mairente Family didn¡¯t struggle too much; they simply agreed to his request and then opened up Mairente City, that is, Carltos City, for him.


    Afterward, Rocky led a large contingent to the Sky City.


    Although the Mairente Family had already shown obvious compliance, Mairente City still belonged to the family until everything was settled. Rocky¡¯s actions still carried considerable risk, especially since he had been the target of an assassination in Eternal City; who knew what might happen once he entered Mairente City.


    So, despite the Sky City having been brought next to Thunderhawk City, Rocky still brought a large number of troops. There¡¯s no need to mention the fleet; as soon as Mairente City got close to Thunderhawk City, it was surrounded by the Alliance Army¡¯s fleet. In addition to the fleet, Rocky also brought with him forty squads of the Void Magic Squad as protection for this trip!


    Such an ostentatious display wasn¡¯t because Rocky was overly cautious; it was because this time it wasn¡¯t just him going to Mairente City. Bodin and others were joining him, so the forty Void Magic Squads were not only protecting Rocky but the other three City Lords as well, averaging out to ten squads per person.


    Under such circumstances, Rocky¡¯s arrival at Mairente City aboard a warship could truly be described as a grand spectacle, extremely impressive.


    ¡°Finally back¡­¡±


    With a crowd escorting him, Rocky slowly descended from the warship, and when his feet touched the land of the Skyport, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sentimental. He had finally returned to the Sky City!


    Rocky wasn¡¯t actually very familiar with the Sky City that originally belonged to him, because it had been taken away by his family even before he had crossed over to this world. So, after crossing over, besides remembering this fact, Rocky didn¡¯t recall what the city looked like.


    Yet, it was as if this matter was a fixation in his heart, always lurking within, feeling almost as if he¡¯d never be able to shake off the ghost of the old Rocky if he couldn¡¯t resolve this obsession.


    The feeling sounded a bit mystical, but when Rocky truly set foot in the city, and when he truly felt a refreshing clarity as if he had finally been released, he couldn¡¯t help but believe it.


    In fact, he wasn¡¯t the only one who felt liberated.


    ¡°`


    When Rocky looked to his side, he saw Liliya and noticed her eyes were already red.


    Back when Rocky was deceived by his family and driven out, only Liliya stayed by his side, so she was fully aware of how great an impact that event had had on him at the time.


    Before his journey through time, Rocky may have seemed weak, but he was not foolish; everything the family had done appeared as a betrayal in his eyes, and he had become listless and sullen, causing Thunderhawk City to fall into desolation.


    And through all of that, only Liliya stood beside him.


    Therefore, this time, as they returned to Sky City, which rightfully belonged to Rocky from the start, Liliya was no less moved than Rocky himself.


    ¡°Why cry, we should be happy,¡± he said, glancing at Liliya, and with that, he reached out and gently wiped away the tear that was forming in her eye, then he gave an apologetic smile to the three City Lords beside him.


    But to the three City Lords, what was there to be sorry about?


    After that, everyone got into the carriages and headed straight to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion under the escort of numerous Void Magic Squads!


    The Mairente Family had originally arranged accommodations for Rocky and his group since Mairente City had not yet been handed over to Rocky, and he was, after all, still a guest here, not someone who would take charge of the City Lord¡¯s affairs.


    But Rocky ignored all that and led his people straight to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    As had been said, Rocky had brought a significant army to Mairente City this time. Not to mention the accompanying personnel¡ªthe forty Void Magic Squads alone added up to four hundred people. So, when their carriages left the Skyport and entered the city, the common folk in the city were stunned.


    Over a dozen carriages formed a long line on the street, parading through with grandeur. Five Void Magic Squads opened the way at the front, others followed on both sides for protection, and even Void Magic Warriors hovered above.


    Spectacles and formations like these were beyond the expectations of the city dwellers, who, upon seeing them, would immediately retreat to a safe distance, then start whispering and pointing to each other. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As one of the Family¡¯s Sky Cities, the commoners in the city might not have known all the difficulties the Family was facing, but they had heard some whispers. Those who were better informed already knew of Rocky¡¯s arrival, and residents of Sky City¡ªwhich a few years ago belonged to Rocky but now belonged to the Mairente Family¡ªnaturally had an impression of the former City Lord.


    However, the image of Rocky in the minds of the residents did not match up with the Rocky of today.


    In their minds, Rocky was still the same brat from years ago, and with the passage of time, the details of how Sky City had transferred from Rocky¡¯s hands to the Mairente Family had also become common knowledge.


    So when the residents saw the impressive procession of carriages passing before them, especially upon learning that Rocky himself was inside, they were baffled.


    And indeed, the residents were right to be baffled, for anyone with a bit of sense could understand that the Sky City they were living in was about to experience a change of power¡­!

 Chapter 521 - 521 485 A Life Full of Ups and Downs

    ?Chapter 521: Chapter 485: A Life Full of Ups and Downs Chapter 521: Chapter 485: A Life Full of Ups and Downs Returning to his own city, what greeted Rocky was not welcoming cheers or shouts but a series of surprised faces and pairs of stunned eyes.


    The residents of the city, in their wildest dreams, could not have imagined that one day Rocky would return home and reappear before them, could they?


    Not just the residents; possibly the entire Mairente Family hadn¡¯t expected this day to come, let alone come so swiftly.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky¡¯s convoy made its way through the entire city district, majestically heading straight for the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Upon arriving at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, he immediately ordered his Void Magic Squad to bring out the City Lord.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, what, what is this¡­¡±


    When the City Lord of the mansion appeared before Rocky, escorted by a whole team of Alliance Warriors, he was dumbfounded because he clearly remembered that he had already arranged a residence for Rocky, and he remembered even more clearly that the residence arranged was definitely not the City Lord¡¯s Mansion!


    ¡°This isn¡¯t yours anymore.¡±


    Yet when Rocky saw the City Lord, he simply said indifferently and then marched past him with his entourage, entering the City Lord¡¯s Mansion!


    Thus, the City Lord didn¡¯t even have time to state his name before he was driven out!


    Rocky¡¯s actions were overt and unhidden; he openly moved into the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. However, the same actions were perceived differently by the Mairente Family; to them, Rocky was blatantly trampling on the family¡¯s dignity!


    ¡°This Rocky! He dares to be so disrespectful!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s such a bastard!¡±


    Rocky¡¯s eviction of the City Lord and his moving into the City Lord¡¯s Mansion were watched closely by the members of the Mairente Family, especially by the Elders who came to negotiate with him about compensation. Several young men accompanying them were infuriated by the sight, itching to rush up and duel Rocky right there.


    The young men who were allowed to accompany the Elders on such occasions were naturally the cream of the younger generation of the family, full of youthful vigor. Having already been frustrated by the Alliance¡¯s oppression of their family, they were even more infuriated by Rocky¡¯s actions.


    Regrettably, what could their anger accomplish?


    As Lexington said to Kelly, the family had fallen so far that even if its members watched as Rocky ousted the family-appointed City Lord and took over the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, they were powerless to intervene. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, the Alliance Army had dispatched three large Sky Cities, five thousand warships, and a full hundred Void Magic Squads! How could the Mairente Family, recently made scapegoats in a great battle, stand a chance against this mighty force?


    Therefore, seeing the young men¡¯s fury, the leading Elder helplessly suppressed their anger while tacitly agreeing to Rocky¡¯s actions.


    It was only after this that the negotiations¡ªor rather, the talks¡ªbetween the Mairente Family and the Alliance officially began.


    For these talks, the Mairente Family sent out a massive team of dozens of people, whereas Rocky only sent four people, led by Aileen, with one representative from each City Lord and one officer sent by Claudy, totaling just five persons.


    Five people were enough.


    At least that¡¯s what Rocky believed, because, as the saying goes, ¡°the right is not in the size,¡± and in front of absolute power, sending more people was pointless, especially since Aileen led his side, and Rocky trusted her completely.


    The outcome was much as he had envisaged; as soon as Aileen began negotiations, she first proposed recalculating the total compensation provided by the family, starting with reevaluating the 50 million Gold Coins and all other goods and Sky Cities.


    This move left the opponents with no room to maneuver, as the family had indeed been tricky about the value of the goods. With a recalculation, the resulting figures were bound to differ greatly from the original ones, potentially leading to discrepancies amounting to tens of millions of Gold Coins. This made Aileen¡¯s task a lot simpler.


    Naturally, this recalibration would require time, maybe a day or two, or even three; in any case, it wasn¡¯t something that would be resolved immediately. However, Rocky wasn¡¯t worried, as this matter was sure to be trouble-free.


    Yet for some individuals, fate is destined to be challenging; every encounter never goes smoothly, and coincidentally, Rocky was one such individual.


    ¡­..


    ¡­..


    ¡°This Aileen and Rocky are both bastards! Scoundrels!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? Birds of a feather flock together; what type of master leads what type of followers!¡±


    ¡°The most infuriating part is that we even have to return to such a rotten place to live¡ªis this still our family?¡±


    After a day¡¯s negotiations, the negotiating team from the Mairente Family returned to their accommodations. They were supposed to stay at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, but alas, it had been usurped by Rocky, forcing them to stay in a hotel in their own family¡¯s city instead.


    Thus, as they headed to their rooms, some young members of the family couldn¡¯t help but complain.


    No wonder they felt this way, for after dealing with Aileen, they understood what tough negotiation meant. Aileen had used every tactic against them, becoming more demanding as negotiations progressed. Initially, the family thought she would only make demands regarding Mairente City, but in reality, she wanted much more!


    Of course, she wanted more.


    How clever was Aileen? Bodin and the two other City Lords were helping Rocky so significantly this time; could they not be rewarded afterwards? And from whom would those benefits come? Rocky certainly couldn¡¯t afford them; Aileen knew exactly his worth, so the burden had to be squeezed out of the Mairente Family.


    ¡°This woman, she¡¯s simply a demon! She¡¯s the one who really wants to destroy our family!¡±


    ¡°Stop complaining, we¡¯re absolutely bound here. With the Alliance Army¡¯s overwhelming presence, what can we do?¡±


    As they spoke, a few of them headed back to the same room.


    Of course, they weren¡¯t staying in the same room, but due to their extreme frustration, these fiery young men gathered to drink every day, somewhat to drown their sorrows.


    However, this time, when they entered the room, they discovered that someone had already prepared food and drinks, waiting for them.


    ¡°Baron Wolin?¡±


    After entering the room, the young men saw that Baron Wolin had prepared the food and drinks, clearly waiting for them.

 Chapter 522 - 522 486 Intent Listener

    ?Chapter 522: Chapter 486 Intent Listener Chapter 522: Chapter 486 Intent Listener ¡°Uncle Wolin, how come you¡¯re here?¡±


    When they found Baron Wolin in the room, already having prepared food and drinks, the group of young nobles were taken aback and also felt it was rather strange.


    ¡°Gentlemen, how has it been? Are the negotiations going smoothly?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it.¡±


    Whenever the topic of negotiation came up, the young nobles all showed faces full of dissatisfaction, and they unceremoniously took their seats at the dining table and started chatting with Baron Wolin, after all, the Baron was a loyal old-timer under Lexington and nobody was an outsider here.


    Baron Wolin¡¯s reason for seeing them this time was really nothing else but to cheer these young people up.


    This might sound somewhat unbelievable, yet it was indeed the case. The depth of Baron Wolin¡¯s hatred for Rocky was well known and did not need detailed explanation. His thoughts were actually very simple, which was to leave Rocky empty-handed, to ensure Rocky would not get his hands on Sky City.


    But due to his status and position, it was certain that he was not qualified to directly communicate with the Elder leading the delegation, so he had no choice but to chat with the group of young men instead.


    Some might find Baron Wolin¡¯s approach strange. Doesn¡¯t he know the current predicament of the families?


    Baron Wolin, after all, was just a Baron.


    He was merely a subordinate of Lexington, and his vision and insights were far from reaching the level needed to oversee the big picture.


    Moreover, Baron Wolin did not really expect to achieve much by meeting these young men. Although he indeed wanted them to give Rocky a hard time, it was more about venting his own spite and dissatisfaction with Rocky.


    Under such circumstances, the group naturally started chatting immediately, and, of course, the topics of conversation revolved around Rocky.


    Perhaps it was because of his age, or perhaps his immense animosity towards Rocky, but after two glasses of wine, Baron Wolin¡¯s face began to redden, showing signs of drunkenness.


    ¡°Young sirs, let me tell you¡­¡±


    After taking a big gulp of wine, Baron Wolin said tipsily, ¡°If I were twenty years younger, no, even ten years younger, I would never have allowed Rocky such insolence! From the moment he stepped foot in Sky City, I would have challenged him! I would¡¯ve enjoyed knocking him down and then would have made him roll out of here, out of the families!¡±


    ¡°That little bastard¡­ If only I were a bit younger¡­¡±


    As he spoke, Baron Wolin gesticulated, stretching his boldness fueled by alcohol, clearly having drunk to excess.


    Though he was drunk and began to spout drunken gibberish, the speaker was unintentional, but the listeners took heed. As a result, when he finished speaking, the few young men opposite him exchanged glances as if they had thought of something.


    Afterward, they continued to make casual conversation, verbally attacking Rocky and Aileen.


    A night quickly passed, and the next day, the Mairente Family members, as usual, headed straight for the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, still having to face the troublesome Aileen.


    ¡°Elder, Bernardo and the others haven¡¯t arrived¡­¡±


    When everybody was preparing to head to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, someone mentioned to the Elder that a few of the young men in the family hadn¡¯t followed. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What are they doing?¡±


    Upon hearing this, the Elder slightly furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Not sure, but I heard they drank until very late last night. They might not be up yet. I¡¯ll go call them.¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡±


    Hearing this, the Elder shook his head and then sighed, saying, ¡°These young people, they haven¡¯t experienced such situations, let¡¯s just not bother them with it.¡±


    This negotiation was as frustrating and annoying as it could be, and no one knew this better than the elder presiding over the affair. He, a distinguished Elder of the Mairente Family, found himself constantly on the back foot, pressed relentlessly by the young girl Aileen. This sense of weakness wasn¡¯t just unbearable for the young; even the battle-hardened Elder was reaching his limit. Given that a few of the younger members had too much to drink and had not shown up, it was just as well; they would have been met with the same displeasure.


    So, with a sigh, the Elder didn¡¯t bother to send for them and was ready to lead the others onto the carriage.


    However, at that moment, someone on the nearby street started shouting at the top of their lungs!


    ¡°Bernardo, the young master, is going to challenge Rocky! Bernardo, the young master, is going to challenge Rocky!¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    The sudden clamor immediately caught everyone¡¯s attention, especially the family Elder who was about to board the carriage; his face changed color as soon as he heard the noise!


    ¡°Go find out what¡¯s happening!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    With a response, someone immediately ran across the street, and in no time, they returned with a pale face, saying to the Elder, ¡°Elder, Bernardo and the others are preparing to issue a challenge to Rocky¡­ They want to have a duel with Rocky¡­¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    As soon as his subordinate finished speaking, the Elder¡¯s complexion turned ashen, and he grabbed the subordinate by the front: ¡°Where are they!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re said to be almost at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion¡­¡±


    ¡°Quick! Chase them down! Stop them!¡±


    Hearing this, the Elder pushed his subordinate aside and sprang into the carriage with agility that belied his age. The family¡¯s carriage then hurried toward the City Lord¡¯s Mansion at breakneck speed.


    But their haste was too late.


    While they were frantically rushing over, Bernardo and his companions had not only arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion but had also already met with Rocky!


    Bernardo, twenty-three years old, was around the same age as Rocky. His father was one of the family Elders, so he held a considerably high status among his generation, especially after Cyril left the family. Beside Abraham, he was the most notable among the young.


    And at that moment, Bernardo, accompanied by several peers, had already met Rocky.


    ¡°You¡­ want to have a duel with me?¡±


    Seated on the throne of the City Lord, Rocky looked at the people before him with a hint of amusement, unable to believe his own ears.


    Early that day, as usual, he was chatting with Bodin and others, picking up some tips on how to manage a large city when he was informed that some young people from the families had asked to see him by name. He emerged only to find that these few people actually wanted to have a duel with him?


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    Standing before Rocky, Bernardo and the others held their heads high and replied with resonance, conveying a certain sense of Bone Essence in their posture.


    However, their loud response didn¡¯t clear up Rocky¡¯s confusion. Why on earth had these youngsters suddenly decided to challenge him to a duel?


    ¡°Rocky, if you lose, you must leave the family immediately!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Accept our challenge like a true City Lord, and if you lose, get out of the family. Do you dare?¡±


    Seeing Rocky smiling silently, Bernardo, especially those behind him, raised their voices immediately, each displaying a profound sense of indignation.

 Chapter 523 - 523 487 The Adult World

    ?Chapter 523: Chapter 487: The Adult World Chapter 523: Chapter 487: The Adult World ¡°Rocky! Do you dare to accept our challenge like a true City Lord would?¡±


    ¡°Rocky! Do you dare?¡±


    In the City Lord¡¯s Hall, seeing that Rocky only smiled in response without saying a word, several young men behind Bernardo couldn¡¯t help but shout at him.


    For their shouting, Rocky wasn¡¯t really angry, instead, he looked around and noticed that Bodin and others nearby wore the same expression as him, a mix of laughter and helplessness.


    When they learned that Bernardo and the others wanted to see him, Rocky had been chatting with Bodin and company, so the three of them came together, only to encounter such a situation.


    To Rocky and Bodin, this situation was simply ridiculous.


    What were Bernardo and his group thinking?


    Did they really believe that everything afflicting the Mairente Family could be resolved by merely a duel?


    They even said that if Rocky lost, he should get out of the family. Win or lose aside, even if Rocky really left now, would all the troubles the Mairente Family was facing just disappear? Don¡¯t make me laugh, if anyone really thought that, they were treating the Sky Alliance as a child¡¯s game!


    They also said, ¡°Do you dare to accept the challenge like a true City Lord?¡± That was even more laughable. Which City Lord would bother accepting such a challenge?


    So, in the eyes of Rocky and Bodin, Bernardo and his followers¡¯ actions were no different from children playing make-believe, just a bunch of kids causing a ruckus.


    Indeed, in the eyes of Bodin and the rest, Bernardo and his group were just kids, even in Rocky¡¯s view as well, because they were already so na?ve that they couldn¡¯t even grasp the situation at hand.


    Thus, there was no need for Rocky to speak. Pank beside him gestured with his hand, signaling the Void Magic Squad, who were already prepared for action, to drive these people out. Pank even felt there was no need to arrest them, as it was beneath his dignity to take issue with children.


    Upon his signal, the Void Magic Warriors on either side immediately stepped forward, ready to eject Bernardo and the rest.


    At that moment, the ringleader, Bernardo, spoke.


    He looked at Rocky with towering arrogance, paying no heed to the Void Magic Warriors with hands already upon his shoulder: ¡°Rocky, I thought you had changed, but you haven¡¯t changed a bit! You are still the same loser from years ago, a loser backed by the Sky Alliance or not!¡±


    As Bernardo finished speaking, the Void Magic Warriors had him thoroughly pinned, bending him to the point where he couldn¡¯t even straighten his back, almost toppling him to the ground. But at that moment, Rocky, sitting on the City Lord¡¯s throne, waved his hand, signaling the Void Magic Warriors to stop.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Seeing the Void Magic Warriors release their grip, Bernardo immediately shook off their hands from his shoulders and looked up at Rocky.


    Similarly, Rocky was looking at him.


    In Rocky¡¯s gaze, he could clearly see the defiance in Bernardo¡¯s eyes, not just Bernardo, but the others behind him as well. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bernardo and the others were truly defiant because, in their view, Rocky was completely relying on the power of the Sky Alliance. They believed his boldness before the family was all due to the support of the Sky Alliance, and without it, Rocky was nothing.


    That was exactly how Bernardo and the others saw Rocky, and many within the family thought the same. Their thoughts were all reflected in their eyes, all captured by Rocky¡¯s gaze.


    This made Rocky somewhat amused when he looked at them.


    The difference in status had determined their vision and way of thinking, and the shallow-mindedness and narrow-mindedness of their vision in turn determined their thoughts.


    Take for instance how to view Rocky; these people¡¯s thoughts were completely on a different level from those of Lexington and others.


    In the family meeting, the many Clan Leaders and Elders, did anyone say that Rocky was just a front for the Sky Alliance?


    None.


    Why?


    Because it¡¯s not true at all!


    How did Rocky manage to obtain his current status in the Alliance? He¡¯s not a relative of the Elder Council of Eleven, so why should he?


    It¡¯s all because of strength!


    The technology he controls, his near-invincible performance on the battlefield¡ªthese are his true reliance. Without them, would the Alliance ever value him?


    Not at all!


    The Elders of the family are well aware of this; they know Rocky has established himself in the Alliance through his performance and power. Hence, this time the family can¡¯t beat Rocky. But Bernardo and the others clearly don¡¯t understand. They only see the Alliance Army brought by Rocky and think he is merely bluffing with borrowed power, yet they don¡¯t consider whether the Alliance Army is something that can be easily commanded by just anyone.


    But of course, Rocky naturally wouldn¡¯t explain these things. He doesn¡¯t have the mood or the obligation to do so. He even feels somewhat disappointed¡ªis Abraham the only decent one among the younger generation of the family after Cyril¡¯s departure?


    If that¡¯s the case, he doesn¡¯t mind teaching Bernardo and the others a lesson about what the adult world is like.


    So after gesturing to stop the Void Magic Warrior, Rocky said, ¡°You want a duel, do you? Fine, I accept.¡±


    Looking at the few of them, Rocky slightly smiled and agreed to Bernardo¡¯s challenge.


    ¡°Good!¡±


    Seeing that Rocky finally nodded in agreement, the people behind Bernardo immediately showed expressions of delight and, following that, Bernardo said, ¡°Good! Rocky, if you lose the duel, leave the family! And never again claim Mairente City!¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    Nodding, Rocky agreed to this wager nonchalantly and then curiously asked, ¡°And what if you lose, Bernardo?¡±


    ¡°My life is yours!¡±


    ¡°Your life?¡±


    Hearing this response, a slightly disappointed expression crossed Rocky¡¯s face, and he couldn¡¯t help but remind, ¡°Bernardo, your life is not worth a Sky City.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Directly rebuffed by Rocky, Bernardo turned red with anger. Instinctively wanting to retort, he found himself at a loss for words, because Rocky was right¡ªhow could his life be equivalent to a medium-sized Sky City?


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s do as you say. Any time, any place, you may leave now.¡±


    Before Bernardo could think of a comeback, Rocky waved his hand dismissively, for it really didn¡¯t matter to him.


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s attitude, Bernardo and his companions let out a cold snort and then turned to leave.


    And after they had left, Bodin and the others sitting next to Rocky couldn¡¯t help but laugh, teasing Rocky, ¡°Brother Rocky, what is it? Are you so bored with us?¡±


    Clearly, in the eyes of Bodin and his companions, Rocky was merely killing time.


    Hearing this, Rocky shook his head and said with all seriousness,


    ¡°Elder brothers, these people are my cousins after all. I should teach them a lesson, lest they embarrass themselves too much in the future.¡±

 Chapter 524 - 524 488 Tired Heart

    ?Chapter 524: Chapter 488: Tired Heart Chapter 524: Chapter 488: Tired Heart When the Elder of the Sky Alliance arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, he encountered Bernardo and others leaving, but it was already too late.


    More importantly, it was unclear whether it was Bernardo and his company who had spread the news in advance, or if someone did so deliberately; either way, the news that Bernardo was to represent the Mairente Family in a challenge against Rocky had become known to everyone.


    In the eyes of Bernardo and his companions, this was naturally a good thing. They were representing the family, after all, and to drive out Rocky, who represented the Sky Alliance, was a matter of great honor!


    Unfortunately, what seemed like a good thing to them looked entirely different to the family elders. But everything was too late now. Rocky had accepted Bernardo¡¯s challenge, and for some reason, the word had spread. If the Elder approached Rocky to cancel the challenge now, it would not just be outsiders who would look down upon their family; even the residents within would hold them in contempt.


    Therefore, out of necessity, the Elder took Bernardo and the others immediately to Soaring Dragon City to report the matter to Lexington.


    However, as they rushed to the Skyport in a carriage, Athena¡¯s figure appeared at the window of a hotel on the second floor.


    Looking down at the family¡¯s carriage as it ran past on the street, Athena smiled and returned to her room by the tea seat, leisurely picking up her teacup for a sip¡­


    By the time Bernardo and the others accompanied the Elder to see Lexington and relayed the matter to him, the entire family was in an uproar!


    ¡°Nonsense!¡±


    Looking at Bernardo, Abraham¡¯s spit nearly splattered on his face.


    ¡°Big brother, this is a great opportunity for us!¡±


    Bowing his head to meet Abraham¡¯s eyes, Bernardo couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°Rocky has already said, if he loses, he¡¯ll roll out of the family¡­¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Seeing Bernardo continue to talk nonsense, Abraham would have slapped him if it weren¡¯t for the fact that his father was in the next room.


    He was really beginning to miss Cyril. Although she never saw eye to eye with him, Cyril¡¯s abilities were exceptional. If she were still with the family, wouldn¡¯t he feel so much less burdened facing this crisis? After all, even if Cyril didn¡¯t help him, she would never add to the chaos like the current bunch of good-for-nothings.


    Perhaps accustomed to their uselessness, Abraham took a few deep breaths to compose himself before speaking, ¡°Bernardo, and the rest of you, what exactly are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°We want to help the family!¡±


    ¡°So you confront Rocky? Do you take the family¡¯s troubles for a game? Is an issue between the family and the Sky Alliance something that can be resolved with a mere challenge?¡±


    Glancing at Bernardo and the others, Abraham spoke earnestly. Not that he wanted to explain to them, but the family¡¯s predicament was already dire, and yet they managed such a childish act, it was truly disgraceful. No wonder Rocky dared to swagger into the Mairente City Lord¡¯s Mansion. With people like Bernardo, isn¡¯t Rocky free to do as he pleases?


    And having been told this, although they dared not argue back, it was clear they were still unconvinced. Thus, someone muttered under their breath, ¡°Even if we can¡¯t drive Rocky away, it would be good to win against him and take down his arrogance¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think he would lose?¡±


    Hearing this, Abraham could no longer hold back his anger and bellowed, ¡°Do you have any idea what Rocky is called in warfare?¡±


    ¡°The Demon on the battlefield!¡±


    ¡°On the battlefield, he¡¯s a monster, even more terrifying than the real Demons! And you few think you can win against him?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°`


    ¡­¡­ sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Abraham roared at Bernardo, his father, along with Bernardo¡¯s father and many family Elders, were in the adjacent conference room, also debating the matter.


    ¡°Clan Leader, let me talk to Rocky¡­¡±


    Looking at Lexington, Bernardo¡¯s father couldn¡¯t help but speak up.


    As one of the family Elders, Bernardo¡¯s father was naturally able to see the bigger picture, and he clearly understood how meaningless his son¡¯s actions were. More importantly, if Bernardo really fought with Rocky, his son would be finished!


    Though he had never been on the battlefield, as one of the family Elders, Bernardo¡¯s father had visited the Tulip Battle Zone and was well aware of the fearsome reputation Rocky had there¡ªthat he was a presence that even the Imperial Army would dread upon hearing of on the battlefield. How could his son possibly be a match for Rocky?


    Therefore, he would rather sacrifice his own pride and apologize to Rocky than allow this duel to go ahead.


    However, as soon as he finished speaking, someone immediately expressed opposition.


    ¡°I disagree, if we call off the duel, even go to beg Rocky, how will the people of Sky City view our family?¡±


    ¡°Yonny! Do you want my son to go to his death?!¡±


    ¡°Your son has caused such a problem, should the family bear the consequences?¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    In an instant, the conference room erupted in argument, turning the solemn family meeting into a cacophony as chaotic as a marketplace. Lexington sat in the Clan Leader¡¯s seat, helplessly watching everything unfold amid the noise.


    In that moment, he zoned out, suddenly feeling weary at heart.


    Before Atted was driven away, he had always wanted to sit in the Clan Leader¡¯s seat, willing to fight tooth and nail with Atted for it. But now that he was finally sitting there, why did he wish to hand it over to someone else immediately, especially at times like this?


    After a moment of distraction, Lexington snapped back to reality, but the arguing in the conference room was still ongoing.


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    Suddenly, he bellowed and hammered the table forcefully. With a smack, all chaos ceased.


    ¡°Look at yourselves now!¡±


    He scornfully eyed the several Elders who had stood up from their seats and were even ready to roll up their sleeves, rebuking them, ¡°Everyone sit down!¡±


    With a reprimand, all the Elders had no choice but to sit back down, and then everyone turned their eyes to Lexington.


    After contemplating for a while under the gaze of everyone, Lexington finally slowly began to speak, ¡°The family can no longer bear any more blows, so the duel cannot be canceled.¡±


    ¡°Clan Leader! But Bernardo¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Bernardo¡¯s father panicked, but before he could finish his sentence, Lexington waved his hand and continued, ¡°You need not worry, the family will not let Bernardo die. Not only that, we will make him win!¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 525 - 525 489 Going All Out

    ?Chapter 525: Chapter 489 Going All Out Chapter 525: Chapter 489 Going All Out ¡°`


    Since things have come to this, let¡¯s just make the best of a bad situation!


    Lexington did not have Bernardo¡¯s father look for Rocky, as that would be too embarrassing, and in fact, he not only did not cancel the duel but instead planned to go all out in supporting Bernardo to win the duel!


    Indeed, the outcome of the duel would hardly affect the family, and it could even be said that regardless of the outcome, it would only bring trouble to the family, differing only in extent. But since everything could no longer be changed, they might as well give it their all!


    Lexington was not only going to let Bernardo participate in the duel, but he was also determined to see him win. This might not change the family¡¯s situation, or it might even make it worse, but at the very least, at the very least, it could allow the family to hold their heads high in front of Rocky!


    Since the confrontation with Rocky, the family had only known defeat¡ªdefeat after defeat, each more humiliating than the last, leading to their current state. Now the family was no longer capable of opposing Rocky, but even if they couldn¡¯t fight over bread, as the Clan Leader, Lexington wanted to win some dignity for the family in the end!


    It¡¯s just a duel, isn¡¯t it? He refused to believe that the entire family, putting forth all of their effort, could not help Bernardo win one!


    When Lexington conveyed this news to Bernardo, Abraham sighed because he immediately understood his father¡¯s helplessness. Aside from making the best of the situation, they really had no other choice.


    On the contrary, when Bernardo and others heard the news, they were thrilled. The entire family supporting him? As a member of the younger generation, Bernardo had never received such treatment; he was overjoyed.


    Afterward, the family sprung into action, beginning full-scale preparations for the duel.


    Perhaps no one could have imagined that what was originally just a farce among a group of rich kids would escalate into this. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The location and time of the duel were soon determined, one after the other: the place was set at the Central Square of Mairente City. The family would transform the square into a large arena where the whole city¡¯s population could come to watch the duel.


    Choosing to hold the duel in Mairente City was Abraham¡¯s suggestion, given that the family had already agreed to the matter and was fully supportive. As a pillar of the younger generation, he could not just stand by without getting involved, hence the idea.


    Once this suggestion was made, it was accepted, as Mairente City was originally Rocky¡¯s Sky City. Defeating him in front of the whole city would be fantastic.


    As for the time of the duel, it was finally set for a week later. This way, the family would not be too rushed without preparation, nor would it be dragged out overly long.


    While the whole family was busy preparing for the duel, Rocky in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion was quite at ease.


    Although the negotiations had temporarily halted due to the duel, almost no one was worried since everyone knew that Rocky was bound to win. As long as he won, the negotiations would continue, and it would then be even more advantageous for the Alliance Army.


    So, upon learning the time and place of the duel, no one was concerned at all.


    During this time, Rocky led a leisurely life, chatting every day with the City Lords of the three major cities, learning from their experience in managing cities, and then keeping up with the news and intelligence provided by the Shadow Alliance to see if the demons had any new movements. His days were quite comfortable.


    That was, until one day, when he unexpectedly had a visitor.


    That day, Rocky was sitting in the study room of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, enjoying his afternoon tea while looking at the latest intelligence from the Shadow Alliance.


    Although the situation in the sky had turned dire since the demons¡¯ invasion, the Three Great Alliances had reacted swiftly and adequately managed the situation. As such, things had been relatively peaceful recently.


    According to the intelligence provided by the Shadow Alliance, the Great Demon Typhon had made another appearance a while ago. However, it was just a few unlucky merchant ships that crossed its path. Typhon had not attacked Sky City; instead, it had vanished after the event. Overall, despite Typhon being a Great Demon who had emerged into the world, its behavior was consistent with the elusive style typical of Great Demons, which made it difficult for anyone to predict its intentions.


    On the other hand, the actions of the Normal Demons were much more active than Typhon¡¯s. In the past half-month, there had been three attacks by demons on Sky City, and there were even more attacks on merchant convoys. Generally, the situation remained the same as before, at least not worsening.


    ¡°What exactly are the demons trying to do¡­¡±


    To ordinary people, the movements of the demons might be nothing more than spectacle, but as the City Lord, Rocky had to consider more. Regardless of how hard he thought, he couldn¡¯t figure it out¡ªnot because he was not smart enough, but because people still knew too little about demons.


    The demons had invaded this world for a hundred years, and during that time, people had constantly been researching these terrifying creatures. As for the results of this research¡­


    Well, how should I put it¡­ Let¡¯s just say there has been progress that is akin to marching in place.


    After studying demons for so long, there had indeed been progress. Think about it: being able to use demons as an important material and resource indicates how deeply people have understood them.


    However, apart from the tangible knowledge about demons, the understanding of their more abstract aspects was still lacking.


    What is meant by more abstract aspects? Questions such as where they come from, what their purpose for coming to this world is, who commands the demons, or are they simply driven by their wild nature? Do they have their own society, their own civilization? What is the relationship between Great Demons, high-level demons, and Normal Demons? These questions remain unclear to people.


    In such a scenario, figuring out the next move of the demons was extremely difficult, not just for Rocky, even the think tanks of The Three Great Alliances might not fully understand.


    So after pondering for a while, Rocky put aside the intelligence in his hand and picked up the teacup to take a sip.


    Just then, the door to the study was pushed open.


    ¡°Rocky, someone is here to see you.¡±


    The only one who could come to see Rocky without knocking was Liliya, and as she walked into the study, she said to him,


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize her, a woman.¡±


    ¡°From the Mairente family?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What does she want?¡±


    ¡°She says she wants to talk with you about the Mairente family, Cyril, the battle between the Alliance and the Empire, and also about the duel.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky could not help but look at Liliya, realizing that she did not seem to be joking.


    ¡°Who is this woman?¡±


    ¡°She says her name is Athena.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 526 - 526 490 Crazy Woman

    ?Chapter 526: Chapter 490: Crazy Woman? Chapter 526: Chapter 490: Crazy Woman? ¡°Athena¡­never heard of her¡­¡±


    Rocky glanced at Liliya, appearing a bit perplexed. When he was in Thunderhawk City, there hadn¡¯t been many who sought an audience with him. Why was it that here, the number of people who wanted to meet him had increased?


    After pondering for a moment, he stood up and said to Liliya, ¡°Take me to her.¡±


    Though he didn¡¯t recognize Athena, and hadn¡¯t even heard her name before, Rocky still decided to go and meet her. After all, he had nothing else to do at the moment. Besides, the words Liliya had said just now had indeed piqued his curiosity.


    Following that, Rocky was led by Athena to the parlor.


    The parlor at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion was not particularly large, about the size of a study, usually meant for receiving guests who visited alone. Consequently, upon entering the parlor, Rocky saw Athena right away.


    Athena looked her usual self, sitting serenely in the parlor, appearing quiet, and well-cultured.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, hello.¡±


    As Rocky walked in, Athena slowly stood up and greeted him with neither servility nor overbearing pride.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Rocky nodded at Athena as a return greeting, then sat opposite her and took a good look at her.


    Athena gave off a very pleasant impression. She was not exceptionally beautiful, but she exuded a cultured aura from the inside out. Rocky could tell at a glance that this woman must have been well-read; otherwise, she couldn¡¯t have left such an impression on him.


    This intrigued him even more. What could a literary young woman, who seemed no different from a female writer, want with him?


    ¡°Miss Athena, what did you want to see me about?¡±


    Since he couldn¡¯t figure it out, he decided to, simply ask her directly.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, Bernardo has issued a challenge to you, hasn¡¯t he?¡±


    Facing Rocky¡¯s question, Athena, after sitting back down, smiled faintly and asked a question in return instead of answering directly.


    ¡°Yes, what about it?¡±


    ¡°I arranged this challenge.¡±


    As Rocky nodded, Athena said with a smile.


    Upon hearing this, Rocky, who had been nodding, froze in place and took several seconds to recover. Then, he turned to look at Liliya and found she was just as puzzled and confused as he was.


    Rocky then looked back at Athena and saw that her expression was just the same as before¡ªher face wearing a faint smile, as if what she had just said was the most ordinary thing.


    ¡°Miss Athena, what did you just say?¡±


    Seeing Athena¡¯s nonchalant demeanor, Rocky had to ask again.


    ¡°What I mean is, the reason Abraham challenged you is that I arranged it.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    After Athena repeated her earlier statement, Rocky finally confirmed that he hadn¡¯t misheard, but it left him flabbergasted. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Staring at Athena for a moment, Rocky was about to speak when he was cut off.


    Interrupting him, Athena then said, ¡°The fact that Cyril left the Mairente Family was also arranged by me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°And before the Kafka Empire decided to attack the Sky Alliance, they had also sought my opinion.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Had the Kafka Empire consulted Athena before deciding to attack the Alliance?


    When Athena finished that sentence, Rocky wasn¡¯t just stunned, he was completely flabbergasted! At that moment, his mouth had formed a perfect circle and his jaw seemed to have almost hit the floor!


    This woman¡­ Did this woman even know what she was saying?


    Was she insane?


    To be honest, after listening to everything Athena had said, Rocky¡¯s first reaction was that this woman must be mad! A delusional maniac!


    It¡¯s not his fault, as anyone who heard all that would have thought the same.


    Think about what she had just said!


    Provoking Bernardo to challenge him?


    Even if Bernardo was a bit naive, he wouldn¡¯t just be provoked by some woman into doing such a thing, right?


    Suggesting Cyril leave the Mairente Family?


    Rocky knew Cyril quite well; his cousin was indeed worthy of the Mairente Family name, excelling in every aspect. Would such a person decide to leave the family based on the opinion of an outsider?


    And then there was Athena claiming the Kafka Empire had sought her opinion before launching an attack on the Alliance¡ªsuch talk was so ludicrous to Rocky that he didn¡¯t even have to think about it, he knew it was madness upon hearing it!


    So, Rocky immediately saw her as a madwoman!


    Logically speaking, after Athena had finished speaking, Rocky should have immediately sent her away, but Athena¡¯s demeanor made him uncertain because she was too calm, too composed. The things she had discussed were explosive enough to dominate the headlines of the Shadow Alliance, even shake the entire Sky Alliance, yet Athena¡¯s demeanor was so tranquil that Rocky didn¡¯t dare send her away!


    So, after being petrified for a good while, the newly lucid Rocky finally asked, ¡°What did you just say¡­ your name is?¡±


    ¡°Athena.¡±


    ¡°Alright, wait a moment for me.¡±


    After remembering Athena¡¯s name, Rocky immediately stood up and walked out of the reception hall, heading straight for the City Lord¡¯s Mansion¡¯s back garden.


    In the back garden at this time, Bodin and two others were drinking afternoon tea and chatting leisurely. Seeing Rocky hurrying over, they all immediately waved to him.


    ¡°Brother Rocky, you¡­ what happened?¡±


    The three, who were originally chatting and laughing, noticed Rocky¡¯s anxious face as he approached and were simultaneously dumbfounded.


    They had known Rocky for a considerable time, and their opinion of him was naturally high, therefore they had never seen him display such panic and haste.


    ¡°Brothers, I have a question for you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Rocky¡¯s demeanor alerted the three City Lords that something was amiss; they immediately stopped joking and put on serious faces.


    ¡°Brothers, have you ever heard of a woman named Athena?¡±


    As Rocky finished his question, he noticed that the three men in front of him had turned to stone, it took them a while to regain their composure before Bodin spoke up, ¡°Rocky, how did you come across this woman?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Upon hearing this, the faces of Bodin and the others changed instantly, and they stood up from their seats in a flash!


    ¡°Rocky, you¡¯re saying Athena is in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion? How is that possible!!¡±

 Chapter 527 - 527 491 A Reason

    ?Chapter 527: Chapter 491: A Reason Chapter 527: Chapter 491: A Reason Athena¡¯s appearance was completely beyond Rocky¡¯s expectations, and what she said was even more incredulous to him, so much so that halfway through their conversation, Rocky excused himself and hurried off to see Bodin and the others.


    According to Athena, since she had involved herself in so many matters, it was impossible for her to be a minor character, so even if Rocky had never heard of her, Bodin and his friends definitely would have. If they didn¡¯t know her, then it was almost certain that Athena was insane.


    However, when he met Bodin and the two others, and mentioned Athena¡¯s name, the three City Lords who were originally enjoying themselves in the back garden, leaped to their feet as if they had been sprung from their seats!


    ¡°You¡¯re saying Athena is here?¡±


    Bodin stared at Rocky with eyes wide open, his face full of disbelief.


    ¡°Rocky, are you mistaken? As far as I know, this woman has always been in Glory City. How did she get here?¡±


    Of course, Bodin and the others had heard of Athena. As the City Lords of large Sky Cities, they may have never sought Athena¡¯s help, but they also knew her quite well. After all, as the old saying goes, ¡°The older the rivers and lakes, the smaller the courage,¡± and the more prominent the City Lord, the better they understood the world, knowing who to provoke and who to stay clear of. And in the eyes of Bodin and the others, Athena was certainly someone to avoid.


    ¡°That¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Unfortunately, facing their confusion, Rocky could not provide a clear answer, as he did not know Athena himself, having never spoken to her before, so he simply recounted what had happened earlier.


    And after he finished explaining, especially after he described Athena, Bodin and the others were unanimously certain that the person Rocky met was indeed Athena herself.


    ¡°Brothers, what¡¯s the deal with this Athena? Why do all of you get so tense at the mere mention of her?¡±


    Having explained the situation, Rocky looked at the three men and asked, because he could clearly feel that they were extremely tense, which was very abnormal for the three of them.


    ¡°Tense? It¡¯s more than that, we¡¯re even considering leaving.¡±


    No sooner had he asked the question, Bodin and the others gave a wry smile, and then they recounted Athena¡¯s story to Rocky.


    In just a few words, the three of them told Rocky all sorts of rumors about Athena, as well as her capabilities, which naturally left Rocky gaping in astonishment, completely stunned.


    ¡°This woman¡­ she¡¯s so formidable?¡±


    ¡°Of course, otherwise would we be this afraid of her¡­¡±


    Sighing with a blend of helplessness and self-mockery, Maros spoke. As a City Lord of a large Sky City and a core member of the Alliance, Maros was not one to easily fear anyone, but Athena was definitely on the list of those he feared, and she ranked near the top.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t just Maros; Bodin and Pank felt the same way. They all kept a respectful but distant attitude toward Athena, and if possible, determined never to come into contact with her. If they did, they made sure not to provoke her. Her schemes were too terrifying; they were out of their league.


    ¡°Then, what does she want with me?¡±


    Having heard their account, Rocky also felt a surge of nervousness. The sudden interest of such a formidable woman was far from pleasant news.


    ¡°Brother Rocky, there¡¯s nothing we can do to help you with this one.¡±


    After giving him a look, Bodin and the others shook their heads in unison. No one in this world could understand what Athena was thinking, nor did anyone want to speculate on that question. So, in this matter, no one could assist Rocky.


    ¡°Rocky, remember to be careful when you¡¯re dealing with this woman; that¡¯s the only advice we can give you.¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°This¡­ Alright¡­¡±


    Rocky glanced at Pank, opened his mouth as if to speak, then reluctantly nodded his head, and quickly turned to leave, as Athena was still waiting for him.


    ¡°Rocky! Don¡¯t mention us at all!¡±


    ¡°Yes, talk what you need with her but leave us out! We don¡¯t want to get involved with her!¡±


    As Rocky turned to leave, just about to step out of the back garden, the three City Lords of the large Sky Cities couldn¡¯t help but shout after him, imploring Rocky not to mention them in front of Athena.


    Unfortunately, at this time, Rocky was no longer in the mood to listen to these things, as he was on his way back to the reception hall with his mind full of Athena¡¯s image.


    Why would such a legendary woman come to see him?


    According to what Bodin and the others had said, this woman¡¯s cunning and foresight were beyond what ordinary people could match. Every action she took was imbued with a profound meaning only she understood. So what was the profound reason for her to come to see him?


    He didn¡¯t understand.


    He couldn¡¯t understand at all.


    This question was too difficult for Rocky, who had never heard of Athena before.


    Lost in thought, he found himself back at the door of the reception hall. Taking a deep breath, Rocky finally pushed the door open and entered.


    No sooner had he pushed open the door than he heard the laughter of two women. As Rocky opened the door and saw inside, he found Liliya and Athena in the middle of a cheerful chat¡­


    Seeing Liliya and Athena chatting so amicably, Rocky was once again stunned. Liliya was not the type of person easy to approach, and as far as Rocky knew, aside from himself and a few others, there were hardly any who could strike up a conversation with Liliya.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky,¡±


    While Rocky stood dumbfounded, the two women had already stopped chatting. Liliya returned to her original seat, and Athena nodded to him politely.


    After that, Rocky returned to his seat and looked over at Athena.


    To be honest, after learning of Athena¡¯s true identity, Rocky didn¡¯t know how to face her. Moreover, being completely unclear about her reason for visiting, he looked at Athena for quite some time without knowing what to say.


    So, in the end, it was Athena who broke the silence first.


    ¡°How are Lord Bodin and the others faring?¡±


    Her simple inquiry sent a shock through Rocky¡¯s heart because it was clear she knew what he had just been up to.


    ¡°They¡¯re fine¡­ They¡¯re fine¡­ They even asked me to send you their regards¡­¡±


    Feeling sweat begin to form on his forehead, Rocky nodded awkwardly, only to see Athena across from him smile.


    ¡°Really? I thought they were avoiding me and didn¡¯t want to see me.¡±


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    With a slight smile, Athena looked back at Rocky and then said, ¡°City Lord Rocky, I¡¯ve come to see you because I want to talk about the arrangements for the duel.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, but since Athena had initiated the conversation, he took up the topic and asked:


    ¡°Miss Athena, you just mentioned that you arranged this duel, is that correct?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Looking into Athena¡¯s eyes, Rocky voiced his question. The matter of the duel might not concern him much, but it was still a hassle. Did Athena arrange this to cause trouble for him?


    Unexpectedly, just as he finished his question, Athena chuckled and her eyes sparkled with a hint of playfulness.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I had to have a reason to see you, right? Otherwise, it would be quite awkward.¡±

 Chapter 528 - 528 492 House Arrest

    ?Chapter 528: Chapter 492: House Arrest Chapter 528: Chapter 492: House Arrest ¡°First meetings always require some talking points, don¡¯t they?¡±


    Smiling towards Rocky, Athena said casually, suggesting that the duel she had arranged was simply an excuse to meet him¡­!


    Unfortunately, Rocky, having heard this, didn¡¯t know what to say anymore. He finally understood why people like Bodin treated Athena with such respect from a distance¡ªwhat was on this woman¡¯s mind, truly, no one could comprehend!


    After a moment of stupor, Rocky regained his composure and continued to ask, ¡°Miss Athena, since this duel was arranged by you, what is it that you wish to discuss with me?¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just now, Athena had stated that her purpose in meeting Rocky was regarding the duel, but, in Rocky¡¯s view, there wasn¡¯t much to talk about the duel itself since the outcome seemed obvious¡ªcould he possibly lose to Bernardo?


    It wasn¡¯t that Rocky was arrogant, but he genuinely had not considered this possibility, nor had anyone around him, including Liliya.


    However, Athena didn¡¯t see it that way!


    So she shook her head slightly and said, ¡°City Lord Rocky, things are not as simple as you think. This time, the Mairente Family will give it their all, they will strive by any means to win this duel, even if it means exhausting all of their family¡¯s resources.¡±


    After saying this, Athena calmly and concisely repeated the Mairente Family¡¯s perspective on the matter, which matched exactly what the families had decided during their meetings¡ªas if she had been present during those discussions with Lexington and the others!


    Moreover, Athena explained thoroughly why the Mairente Family was willing to go all-in, making her point crystal clear.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, with all this said, are you still so certain of the duel¡¯s outcome?¡±


    After clarifying everything, Athena looked at Rocky and then inquired.


    Meanwhile, Rocky had already been stunned by the revelation! Not just him¡ªLiliya was equally astounded.


    Neither had expected the Mairente Family to place such importance on a duel they had thought trivial, planning to commit everything to win. But upon further reflection, it became obvious that the Mairente Family indeed could not afford another failure.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky truly could not afford to be overconfident!


    Bernardo alone was nothing special; in terms of strength and experience, the unworldly youth couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the battle-hardened Rocky. But with the full backing of the Mairente Family, it was a different story¡ªit was as if Rocky was facing the power of the entire family alone. In such a situation, Rocky could not afford to underestimate his opponent, lest he would be undoubtedly doomed to defeat!


    Rocky understood this rationale all too well, so after coming to, he looked at Athena with a mixture of helplessness and perplexity, ¡°Miss Athena, you¡¯ve created quite a problem for me¡­¡±


    Having listened to Athena¡¯s explanation, Rocky realized that the upcoming duel was nowhere near as straightforward as he had imagined. Not only that, it was a significant problem, which is precisely what puzzled Rocky. Why would Athena create such a huge problem for him?


    If she could guess the Mairente Family¡¯s actions and thoughts so accurately, it meant she had foreseen this outcome even before arranging it all. But why? Was Athena¡¯s only goal simply to cause trouble for him?


    ¡°Because I want to help you, of course, I need your help as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s confusion, Athena spoke frankly.


    Though Rocky was even more puzzled upon hearing this, it didn¡¯t matter¡ªAthena was about to provide an explanation.


    ¡°I assume City Lord Rocky has heard that I¡¯ve been living in Glory City for the past few years, just a short distance away.¡±


    As Athena spoke, she glanced at Rocky, who nodded directly. Indeed, he had just heard from Bodin and others that Athena had been living in Glory City for the past few years.


    Athena continued, ¡°At first, my relationship with Alas, the City Lord of Glory City, was mutually beneficial. He provided me with protection, and I offered him help when necessary, nothing more.¡±


    ¡°But as time passed, Alas¡¯s thoughts changed. He wanted to control me and had already taken control of my good friend, so I hope you can help me leave.¡±


    Athena¡¯s eyes rested on Rocky as she slowly recounted her plight.


    If one were to listen to her story alone, it would indeed sound very pitiable¡ªa delicate woman controlled by the overwhelmingly powerful City Lord due to her intelligence, losing her free will and trapped in a tragedy.


    However, Athena¡¯s demeanor while telling her story was far from pitiful. She spoke with almost no emotional fluctuation, calmly as if she were telling a story that had nothing to do with her, without a trace of sorrow.


    This caused Rocky to watch her for a while before speaking, ¡°But now¡­ haven¡¯t you already left Glory City?¡±


    ¡°The furthest I can leave Glory City is to reach the territory of the Mairente Family. I can¡¯t go any farther, and this time Alas even sent an elite Void Magic Squad to protect me; there¡¯s no way I can leave.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re effectively under house arrest?¡±


    ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°How can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Take me with you as you leave.¡±


    ¡°And the Void Magic Squad that protects you¡­¡±


    ¡°The dead don¡¯t send messages.¡±


    ¡°And the City Lord of Glory City¡­¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare provoke the Alliance Army.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Undoubtedly, Athena had already considered everything. Through this series of questions and answers, Rocky had finally understood her intentions. Frankly, the reason she had come to see him was to use the might of the Alliance Army to leave Glory City.


    The real problem for Athena to leave Glory City wasn¡¯t the Void Magic Squad protecting her but the City Lord Alas. Without his agreement, even if she left Glory City, she couldn¡¯t go far¡ªafter all, the range of her free movement was limited to the influence of the Mairente Family. And it goes without saying that the Mairente Family, due to its relationship with Alas, definitely wouldn¡¯t let her leave.


    However, the situation had now changed. The Mairente Family was preoccupied with its own troubles, and with the presence of the Alliance Army and Rocky, Athena could leave, and City Lord Alas couldn¡¯t recklessly act, especially since, as Athena said, Alas didn¡¯t dare provoke the Alliance Army.


    So for Athena, now was the best opportunity to break free from Glory City!

 Chapter 529 - 529 493 What are the Odds of Winning

    ?Chapter 529: Chapter 493: What are the Odds of Winning? Chapter 529: Chapter 493: What are the Odds of Winning? ¡°So¡­¡±


    In front of Rocky, Liliya spoke without any concealment, sharing all her thoughts and purposes, yet it was precisely her frankness that left Rocky speechless for a long while.


    Looking at Liliya, Rocky¡¯s mind spun continuously, trying to keep up with her train of thought and hoping to understand her real intentions.


    Because anyone could see that, while Liliya¡¯s experiences sounded pitiful, they weren¡¯t really significant to her. Thus, although everything she said seemed reasonable and appropriate, Rocky found it impossible to sympathize with her and even felt a sense of perfunctoriness.


    Indeed, it was perfunctoriness.


    Rocky felt that the reasons Liliya gave were just excuses, and perhaps under these excuses lay her true thoughts.


    Unfortunately, after a long thought, he could not figure out what might be hidden under those reasons, so Rocky simply stopped thinking about it and instead asked:


    ¡°What would I gain?¡±


    Liliya had just said, if Rocky helped her, she would also help him. But what could she offer Rocky?


    ¡°I will stay in your city.¡±


    ¡°When you need it, I could provide you with some advice,¡± said Liliya lightly, yet this seemingly casual remark made Rocky involuntarily take a deep breath!


    If he could take Liliya away, would she stay in Thunderhawk City?


    This bargaining condition was indeed quite tempting!


    Rocky had to admit that even though this was only his first meeting with Liliya, she had already conquered him with her capabilities. He had never seen such a capable woman before, and combined with the evaluations of Bodin and others, there was no doubt that Liliya¡¯s assistance would immensely benefit him.


    However, this woman was also dangerous because no one knew what she was thinking or planning. Keeping such a dangerous person close by, Rocky felt that if Liliya betrayed him, he might even end up counting the money for her. Liliya certainly had that capability.


    Thus, the conditions Liliya proposed seemed as advantageous as they were risky from Rocky¡¯s perspective.


    However, Rocky did not hesitate too long, for a simple reason: he was acutely aware that he was far from needing to hesitate in this situation.


    Rocky knew very well that although he seemed thriving, his own power was still quite weak; therefore, rather than worrying about being betrayed by Liliya, he should consider the substantial help she could offer him.


    So, within a brief moment, Rocky nodded in agreement.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    When Liliya left the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, it was nearing dusk, clearly after Rocky had agreed to her request, and they had talked for a long time, but what exactly they talked about was known only to Liliya and Liliya besides them.


    But being unknown didn¡¯t mean there were none who wished to know, like the Void Magic Warriors sent by Alas to protect Liliya.


    ¡°Miss Liliya, what did you discuss with Rocky today?¡±


    After escorting Liliya back to the hotel, the leader of the Void Magic Squad couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just went to talk about Cyril¡¯s matters.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Looking back at the captain, Athena smiled slightly, and upon hearing this, the captain fell into silence.


    Because of Athena¡¯s words, this captain simply could not discern the truth. Heaven knew what this woman had said to Rocky, but he had to ask, since it was a task arranged by City Lord Alas.


    So, after a brief silence, the captain nodded politely to Athena and then closed the room door.


    That evening, Anya contacted Athena again¡­


    The details here are no longer important as Athena had everything prepared; everything that happened during this period was within her expectations. Now let¡¯s talk about the Mairente Family.


    ¡°Father, City Lord Alas has sent a message; he wants to inquire about Athena today¡­¡±


    ¡°Let him figure it out himself; we¡¯re not that woman¡¯s nanny.¡±


    Frowning, Lexington directly interrupted Abraham¡¯s words. There was only one day left before the duel, and the family was making all-out preparations for battle. Where did they have time to concern themselves with Athena¡¯s matters? This woman was important to Alas, but she was unrelated to the Mairente Family, especially now when the family was already in such a situation; there was simply no spare time to act as her nanny.


    ¡°How is Bernardo¡¯s preparation going?¡±


    Having interrupted his son, Lexington then asked about Bernardo. To ensure Bernardo¡¯s victory over Rocky in the duel, the family had not only prepared new Armor, but they had also gathered all the experts within the family to continuously intensify his training. The saying ¡°it¡¯s too late to sharpen your weapons just before battle¡± did not apply here; facing an opponent like Rocky, Bernardo had no privilege of complacency; not making the most thorough preparations beforehand was utterly unacceptable.


    So now, what Lexington was most concerned about was this matter, and it was also the sole concern of the entire family.


    ¡°Bernardo has been making the most of his time these past few days to practice. He can now fully adapt to the new Armor. Father, rest assured, there are no issues with the preparations.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Hearing this, Lexington finally felt relieved. Even if he couldn¡¯t trust Bernardo, he absolutely trusted his own son; to ensure Bernardo was well-prepared, he had long had Abraham personally supervise him¡ªthere likely wouldn¡¯t be too significant a problem.


    After nodding, Lexington then looked at his son: ¡°Abraham, what do you think¡­ what are our chances of winning this time?¡±


    When he asked this question, Lexington¡¯s gaze was filled with helplessness and loss. Once upon a time, the Mairente Family didn¡¯t even consider Rocky worthy of their attention. If it weren¡¯t for the severe internal strife within the family and the endless clashes between factions, Rocky would have been wiped out long ago as easily as crushing an ant. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But now, even after mobilizing the whole family for the battle, Lexington didn¡¯t dare claim a hundred percent certainty of victory¡ªwhat sorrow was this for the entire Mairente Family?


    However, this time, Abraham appeared more confident than usual. After pondering for a moment, he responded:


    ¡°Father, I think we have¡­ at least a seventy percent chance of winning!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lexington¡¯s eyes immediately lit up and he looked intently at Abraham, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really!¡±


    Nodding emphatically, Abraham was exceedingly certain!


    PS: A new week, asking for a few recommendations!

 Chapter 530 - 530 494 Trump Card

    ?Chapter 530: Chapter 494: Trump Card! Chapter 530: Chapter 494: Trump Card! ¡°`


    The time for the duel had finally arrived.


    For this day, the Mairente Family had specially constructed a platform in the Central Square of Mairente City, to serve as the venue for the match.


    And it must be admitted that although the Mairente Family had begun its decline, a dying camel was still larger than a horse. Just like the platform for the duel, it was no mere earthen stage but was clearly designed with the Arena in mind. It might not be considered exquisite, but in terms of both scale and quality, it looked quite professional. The completion of such a project within a week was enough to show that the family still had some resources at its disposal.


    Since the platform was built in the Central Square within the city quarters, on the day of the match, the entire square was packed with common people, sealed tight with no room to leak. This included not only the citizens of Mairente City but also residents from other cities controlled by the family.


    Rocky had said during the capture of the war prisoners from Hongshou City that these prisoners had received the family¡¯s graces for generations, and their feelings toward the family were incomparable to ordinary people. Indeed, this was true, and today¡¯s duel was the best proof of that.


    Upon learning that Bernardo would represent the family and duel Rocky, the members of the family were overjoyed. Although these members were just ordinary people, they at least understood the family¡¯s situation and knew that the Mairente Family had been bullied by the Sky Alliance beyond recognition. Thus, naturally, the ignorant masses vented all their pent-up resentment on Rocky, who happened to be the person sent by the Sky Alliance for this task.


    Therefore, on the day of the duel, citizens from several Sky Cities took skyships to Mairente City, flooding into the Central Square, all to cheer for their family and offer their modest support.


    In such a scenario, the people in the square became agitated even before the two participants of the duel had appeared. If it were not for the city¡¯s Guard Corps and the Alliance Army¡¯s Void Magic Corps keeping order, who knows what might have happened.


    And this was clearly the atmosphere the family wanted to see.


    The continuous failures had already left the current Mairente Family on the brink of collapse, but for Lexington, the things they had compensated were just small matters; what he feared most was losing the people¡¯s heart. Once the residents began to lose their confidence in the family, it would truly be over.


    It was for this reason that he was determined to go through with this duel and provide full support, because once they won, the family¡¯s dampened morale would be immediately revitalized. Then, no matter how much they compensated the Alliance, the family could regain its strength and recover its former glory!


    It could be said that this duel was a do-or-die battle for the entire Mairente Family. If they won, the family would certainly survive this crisis, but if they lost¡­ Losing was not an option!


    For this duel, the entire family was filled with confidence, because although the preparation time was only a week, the family had put in all its effort for this duel, so there was no way they could lose!


    Under these circumstances, the time quickly reached ten in the morning, and then Rocky arrived at the Central Square, accompanied by Liliya, Aileen, Bodin, and others.


    While the Central Square¡¯s platform resembled that of the Combat Skills Arena, this was not the Arena itself, so naturally, there was no announcer to introduce the competitors¡¯ entrance. Therefore, when Rocky arrived at the square, he donned the White Demon Armor and landed directly onto the platform.


    Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Rocky, clad in the White Demon Armor, descended onto the platform and instantly caused a huge reaction. Unfortunately, what greeted him was not cheers but the murky hostility of insults¡­


    ¡°Get out! Get out of here!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not welcome here!¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°Bastard! Bully! Lapdog of the Alliance!¡±


    ¡°Get out! Out of the family!¡±


    As soon as Rocky stepped onto the stage, the onlooking commoners immediately began to curse. In their eyes, Rocky was the enemy, the representation of the Sky Alliance come to oppress the families. Whether it was warranted or not, they vented all their dissatisfaction on him.


    But to Rocky, this was nothing new. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he had foreseen this scene, especially after his conversation with Athena. He had come to a clear understanding of the families¡¯ every thought, so he was not surprised by everyone¡¯s reaction.


    If there was anything that slightly caught him off guard, it was that among the crowd hurling insults, there were many commoners from Mairente City. This was somewhat unexpected for Rocky.


    Following his gaze, one could see that although the sound of cursing was loud, not everyone was cursing him. After all, this was Mairente City, and most of those who came to watch the duel were the city¡¯s own commoners. Thus, a portion of them remained silent. However, correspondingly, some people from Mairente City joined others from different cities in verbally assaulting Rocky.


    Logically, this situation should not have occurred. Counting the time, Mairente City had not been under the families¡¯ control for many years; the city¡¯s commoners should not feel as deeply for the families as residents of other cities did.


    So when Rocky saw that a section of the people from Mairente City were also pointing at him and shouting abuses, he couldn¡¯t help but fall silent, but it was just a moment of silence. He then came to admire Athena even more!


    It was because during their last meeting, when Rocky agreed to help Athena, they had talked for a long time. Throughout the conversation, Athena did indeed discuss many things about the duel, including this aspect.


    According to Athena, the commoners of Mairente City would not accept him as easily as he had anticipated. Now it seemed Athena was right again, as there were quite a number of people within Mairente City who did not welcome his return.


    ¡°This woman¡­ she really is formidable¡­¡±


    Having his expectations met once more, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but inwardly admire Athena. This woman was truly remarkable, and he was reminded of the other things Athena mentioned that day.


    However, just at that moment, while the commoners¡¯ cursing at Rocky was incessant, and Rocky was lost in thought about Athena, suddenly, all the noisy voices stopped!


    Noticing the sudden silence around him, Rocky snapped back to reality, only to see that the commoners, who had previously packed around the stage so tightly that not even water could get through, had spontaneously cleared a path, and a procession of carriages was advancing along this path toward the stage. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the procession stopped, a group of elders led by Lexington and a group of youths from various families headed by Abraham all alighted from the carriages.


    ¡°Look above! Look up quickly!¡±


    Just as Rocky and the vast majority of people were distracted by Lexington and the others, someone shouted, prompting everyone to subconsciously lift their heads. That¡¯s when they saw a streak of golden light flash over their heads and land on the stage right across from Rocky in an instant.


    It goes without saying that the person who descended upon the stage was Bernardo, who was participating in the duel. But on seeing Bernardo, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but frown, for Bernardo¡­ was wearing the Holy Angel Armor!

 Chapter 531 - 531 495 Victory is Assured

    ?Chapter 531: Chapter 495: Victory is Assured! Chapter 531: Chapter 495: Victory is Assured! Shortly after Rocky stepped onto the arena, the Mairente Family members also arrived, among whom, apart from Lexington and Abraham, there naturally was Bernardo.


    Just like Rocky, Bernardo flew directly onto the stage, and the moment he landed, he gave Rocky quite a shock.


    He was actually wearing¡­ Holy Angel Armor?!


    Looking at Bernardo clad in glittering Armor, especially the eight Magic Conduction Machines floating behind the Armor, Rocky immediately recognized this set of Armor. It was Sigma Corporation¡¯s most advanced Void Magic Armor, and also the most cutting-edge Void Magic Armor of today, the Holy Angel Armor!


    So that¡¯s how it is!


    After the initial shock, Rocky turned to look at Lexington, who had already taken a seat in the very front row of the crowd, and finally understood what the family had been preparing for Bernardo over the past week.


    They had prepared the Holy Angel Armor for Bernardo to use against him!


    They really invested a fortune.


    For this duel, the Mairente Family had indeed invested a fortune!


    As the most advanced fifth and a half generation Armor of today, the Holy Angel Armor¡¯s price was extraordinarily high. This Armor did not have a mass production type, only a specialized one, thus just one set of Armor was priced at a staggering nine hundred ninety-nine thousand Gold Coins, essentially one million Gold Coins. The current Mairente Family being able to produce such a large sum to purchase this Armor truly meant they had gambled the entire family¡¯s fortune. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Is that really the case?


    Yes!


    To win this duel, the Mairente Family, from top to bottom, was essentially united in making all the preparations possible, and among these, the most troublesome issue was naturally how to deal with the White Demon Armor.


    As today¡¯s most mysterious Armor, the White Demon¡¯s strength is universally acknowledged, so if Bernardo couldn¡¯t at least equal Rocky in terms of Armor, no, he needed to be one step ahead. If Bernardo couldn¡¯t be one step ahead in terms of Armor, then it was impossible for him to win against Rocky.


    This was a fact known by everyone, but how could it be achieved?


    The White Demon was not only powerful but also mysterious, and not to mention its specific performance, people couldn¡¯t even determine which generation it belonged to. However, everyone knew that challenging the White Demon with a fifth generation Armor was futile, as the White Demon had proven with numerous victories that not even a specialized fifth generation Armor was a match for it.


    Thus, the only choice left for the Mairente Family was: fifth and a half generation Armor!


    In today¡¯s world, where sixth generation Armor had not yet emerged, the only one capable of overpowering the White Demon was the Holy Angel Armor!


    Therefore, the family had procured a set of Holy Angel Armor for Bernardo. The process need not be detailed, but in essence, they had acquired the Armor, and it was for this reason that Abraham had previously dared to assert that Bernardo would surely win.


    In fact, when Bernardo appeared on the stage wearing the Holy Angel Armor, Rocky was genuinely startled, immediately furrowing his brow, because, to be fair, the Holy Angel Armor¡­ was indeed not easy to deal with¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s Young Master Bernardo!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Holy Angel Armor!¡±


    ¡°We will win! We must win this time!¡±


    ¡°Must win!¡±


    ¡°Must win!¡±


    ¡°Must win!¡±


    While Rocky¡¯s brow was furrowed, the crowd around the arena had already erupted into deafening cheers, even louder and more resounding than the heckling from before.


    At this moment, it wasn¡¯t just those who had been heckling Rocky cheering for Bernardo; even the common folks who had remained silent when facing Rocky now joined in, excitedly shouting after seeing Bernardo, making the cheering from the square as thunderous as actual thunder.


    Listening to the tsunami-like cheers, Bernardo too was exceedingly excited. He had made full preparations for this duel, whether in terms of capability or mindset, he was exceptionally prepared. And now, with the Holy Angel Armor on his person, he felt completely fearless against Rocky.


    So when the common people around the arena kept cheering, he slowly raised his hand and pressed down, signaling everyone to be quiet, and then he turned his gaze toward Rocky.


    ¡°Rocky, I¡¯m giving you a chance,¡±


    Utilizing the amplifier in his armor, Bernardo¡¯s voice not only came out of the armor but also spread throughout the entire Central Square, enabling every single person to hear it loud and clear.


    ¡°Out of consideration for you also carrying the family bloodline, you may surrender now, and I will allow you to take your people and leave the Mairente family!¡±


    Bernardo¡¯s voice, at that moment, spread throughout the square, turning the just quieted crowd into a boiling frenzy. To the watching commoners, those words sounded incredibly domineering!


    So as time swiftly passed, the chaotic cheers converged into a uniform chant, and all the commoners on the square shouted out in unison, the two characters that meant victory!


    ¡°Victory!¡±


    ¡°Victory!¡±


    ¡°Victory!¡±


    The neat chanting enveloped the entire Central Square, and at this point, nothing else anyone said mattered, because the emotions of the people had been thoroughly stirred up and no other sound could be heard.


    In such circumstances, Rocky simply chose not to respond with words and instead stretched out his hand and hooked it toward Bernardo!


    ¡°Refuse the toast only to drink the forfeit!¡±


    Facing Rocky¡¯s gesture, Bernardo snorted coldly, and immediately, the eight Magic Conduction Machines behind him opened up like a pair of wings, setting their stance!


    The duel¡­ began!


    Once both sides had assumed their stances, there was a brief pause of approximately one breath before both men moved simultaneously!


    It was Rocky who made the first move, naturally.


    Standing on one side of the arena, he suddenly accelerated and charged forward without any preliminary movements, crossing most of the arena and rushing up to Bernardo!


    Without a doubt, after Athena¡¯s reminder, Rocky was no longer taking the duel lightly. Especially after seeing the Holy Angel Armor, he was even more cautious, so right from the start, he went all out, utilizing the White Demon¡¯s specialty¡ªspeed¡ªto close in on his opponent.


    Those familiar with the White Demon would know that in terms of speed, it was almost impossible to surpass. Whether it was absolute speed, static acceleration, or sustained acceleration, the White Demon was peerless, with no other armor to match.


    With such exceptional speed, coupled with the power of the Magic Fang Scythe, once it closed in on the opponent, the outcome would be decided.


    Thus, in just the time it took to take a breath, Rocky had reached Bernardo and stretched out his hand behind him, gripping the Magic Fang Scythe!


    At this moment, Lexington and the other Mairente family elders, as well as the younger generation like Abraham, all had their hearts in their throats. They were afraid¡ªtruly afraid¡ªthat Rocky might end the fight in a single round.


    Although the Holy Angel Armor was the most advanced armor of the present time, since its debut, it had not had any combat record against the White Demon, whereas the White Demon already had countless victories to its name. This left everyone in the Mairente family on edge, fearing that the Holy Angel Armor might encounter some mishap.


    But their concerns did not materialize, for just as Rocky rushed up to Bernardo and was about to draw the Magic Fang Scythe from his back, Bernardo, with no warning, dodged at an unbelievable speed, wrapping around to Rocky¡¯s back!


    ¡°What!¡±


    Realizing that Bernardo had suddenly circled to his back, Rocky was taken aback. Similarly, Lexington and the others, who had been extremely anxious, finally breathed a sigh of relief¡­


    They had won!


    This time, Bernardo was definitely the winner!

 Chapter 532 - 532 496 The Strongest System

    ?Chapter 532: Chapter 496: The Strongest System Chapter 532: Chapter 496: The Strongest System ¡°We won!¡±


    ¡°We won! We¡¯ve won this time!¡±


    ¡°The Holy Angel Armor is truly remarkable!¡±


    Just as Rocky was about to strike and had reached him, Bernardo, clad in the Holy Angel Armor, suddenly accelerated on the spot and swiftly moved behind him with a whoosh!


    This scene made Lexington and the rest, who had been anxiously watching, suddenly roar with excitement, nearly jumping up!


    In their eyes, they had already won the match!


    Because everyone knew that the White Demon¡¯s greatest strengths were its speed and maneuverability. Setting aside other aspects, just on this point alone, the White Demon could crush all fifth-generation armors, which was what worried Lexington and the others the most.


    So even though Bernardo was wearing the most advanced Holy Angel Armor of today, the family members were still worried that it might not be as fast as the White Demon. If it couldn¡¯t match the White Demon in speed, then its other strengths would be pointless, since, after all, ¡°in the world of armor, speed is invincible.¡±


    But now, it seemed that the Holy Angel Armor was indeed the most advanced armor of today. It was not only not slower than the White Demon, but it even seemed to surpass the White Demon slightly!


    With this, the family members could finally feel relieved. The strongest aspect of the White Demon was its speed, and as long as they could suppress it in this domain, the other aspects would naturally lead with the Holy Angel Armor. Consequently, the outcome of this battle was clear¡ªBernardo would surely win!


    In fact, things turned out almost exactly as everyone imagined. Bernardo, who had moved behind Rocky, directly charged into him, slamming his shoulder heavily against Rocky¡¯s back. This move was powerful and forceful, sending an utterly unprepared Rocky flying!


    This result clearly also exceeded Rocky¡¯s expectations. However, given his extensive battle experience and swift reflexes, he immediately adjusted his posture while being sent flying and quickly turned around midair, accelerating instantly to counteract the inertia and stabilize himself in midair.


    Undoubtedly, this series of maneuvers by Rocky was smooth as flowing water, and it fully demonstrated his intricate control over his armor, a level of control not comparable to that of an ordinary Void Magic Warrior.


    However, just as he halted in the air, and looked at Bernardo with surprise, he saw that Bernardo, though still standing in the original spot, had all eight Magic Conduction Machines on the back of his Holy Angel Armor aimed at him!


    Damn!


    Realizing that all eight Magic Conduction Machines were targeting him, Rocky immediately cursed inwardly!


    Having witnessed the Holy Angel Armor in combat in the Arena, Rocky knew very well why this armor could surpass the fifth generation by half a generation. It was because of the eight Magic Conduction Machines on its back.


    Inside these eight Magic Conduction Machines were individual sections of Super Crystals, not Magic Stones, but Super Crystals. Connected with a special Magic Energy Conduction Technique, these eight Magic Conduction Machines could form a small Super Crystal, thereby providing a massive amount of Mana to the Holy Angel Armor. According to data released by the Sigma Corporation, with all eight Magic Conduction Machines activated, the peak Mana of the Holy Angel Armor could reach twenty thousand!


    Due to the support of an immense amount of mana, the eight Magic Conduction Machines could also emit extremely powerful Magic Energy Beams, which felt just like lasers. Additionally, in defense, the Magic Conduction Machines played a crucial role. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the Magic Conduction Machine system was the most central system of the Holy Angel Armor, and, indeed, until the Mana Runes truly came into existence, this was probably the most powerful Armor system in the world.


    But now, all eight Magic Conduction Machines were unanimously pointing at Rocky, and without waiting for him to react, one of the Machines radiated light, shooting a beam as thick as a finger directly at Rocky!


    Facing the sudden beam shooting towards him, Rocky immediately dodged to the side, not daring to hesitate even a moment.


    He wouldn¡¯t underestimate this beam, because despite its finger-thick appearance, the contained mana was unimaginably vast. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t an attack controlled by Bernardo but was fired by the Magic Conduction Machines floating behind the armor, thus it had a very high accuracy rate, forcing Rocky to dart aside immediately without any carelessness.


    Fortunately, his evasive action was swift enough, for as he moved, the Magic Energy Beam brushed past the shoulder of the White Demon and then struck the Defensive Net at the edge of the arena, causing it to light up brightly.


    It¡¯s important to note that the Defensive Nets used at the edges of the arena were of warship grade with strong defensive power. That a beam shot by the Holy Angel Armor caused such an intense reaction showed the strength of the attack. It was a good thing Rocky had moved quickly, or else even the White Demon, if hit, definitely wouldn¡¯t have been spared from harm.


    However, this was merely one of the beams shot from the eight Magic Conduction Machines; rather than an attack, it was more appropriate to call it a probe, and once the probing ended, the real attack then began!


    After that, the eight Magic Conduction Machines targeting Rocky switched to shooting mode, firing beams one after another at him in rapid succession, instantly creating a net of firepower, forcing Rocky to continuously dodge using the speed of the White Demon.


    ¡°Amazing!¡±


    ¡°Lord Bernardo is amazing!¡± Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Kill him! Kill him!¡±


    Clearly, in this duel, Rocky had already fallen into a disadvantage. Although unexpected, this disadvantage instantly ignited the enthusiasm of the spectators outside the ring, and the cheers and shouts for Bernardo rose again, louder than before.


    And among these repeated waves of cheers, people like Bodin, sitting closest to the arena, were frowning deeply, as the direction this duel was taking had clearly exceeded their expectations.


    Before the duel started, Bodin and his group were very relaxed, just as everyone else was; they didn¡¯t believe Rocky could lose. In fact, they were even more convinced than others that Rocky would win, and win big.


    This wasn¡¯t because Bodin and the others had faith in Rocky, but because they had witnessed Rocky¡¯s performances on the battlefield in the Tulip Battle Zone. Not only the Alliance Army on their own side, even the Imperial Army, who were enemies, had to give a thumbs up when mentioning Rocky because he was indeed very strong, and so was the White Demon Armor. In such a scenario, how could Rocky possibly lose to Bernardo?


    But now, the unfolding scene was vastly different from what Bodin and the others had anticipated. The issue on the arena was no longer whether Rocky could win big, but rather, facing such a formidable Holy Angel Armor, whether Rocky could win at all was now the question!


    So while the other spectators were cheering jubilantly, the brows of Bodin and his companions were already tightly knotted.

 Chapter 533 - 533 497 A Faint Smile

    ?Chapter 533: Chapter 497 A Faint Smile Chapter 533: Chapter 497 A Faint Smile Furrowed brows and burning anxiety, Bodin and the others were desperate.


    In fact, they recognized that Rocky¡¯s performance wasn¡¯t bad. He wasn¡¯t underestimating his opponent, nor was he careless or making any mistakes. Such basic errors were simply impossible for a warrior who had been tempered on the battlefield. The real problem lay with the Holy Angel Armor!


    The Holy Angel Armor, it was simply too strong¡­


    This armor, undoubtedly the strongest of today, made it clear that although Bernardo¡¯s control over his armor, grasp of the battlefield, and combat experience couldn¡¯t match Rocky¡¯s, he was still able to dominate the fight and press Rocky with impunity. How was this possible?


    Naturally, it was due to the Holy Angel Armor!


    This suit was overwhelming the White Demon in every aspect, especially in terms of speed, which was most crucial.


    This was exactly why Bodin and the others couldn¡¯t help but worry for Rocky. They weren¡¯t concerned about whether the Mairente Family would compensate the Alliance, as that was inevitable. They were genuinely worried for Rocky; losing this duel would be a massive blow to him.


    How had things turned out this way¡­


    Watching the platform, Bodin and the others couldn¡¯t help but think, this time Rocky had come to the Mairente family intending to reclaim everything he had lost. Who would have thought it would turn out like this?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­¡±


    Staring intently at the platform, Bodin, as the eldest of the three, remained relatively calm. As the other two visibly showed their anxiety, he quietly hinted that maybe Rocky still had a chance to turn the tables?


    And it turned out Bodin was right. Not long after, the opportunity for Rocky to turn the tables indeed appeared!


    Under the firepower suppression of the Holy Angel, Rocky had to deploy the White Demon¡¯s Defensive Net. There was no choice; the beams from the eight Magic Conduction Machines were too fierce and dense. What was even more terrifying was that the Holy Angel Armor had been fitted with a highly advanced targeting system, making the accuracy of the beams extraordinarily high, forcing Rocky to deploy the Defensive Net after several dodges.


    With the Defensive Net deployed, he felt the pressure reducing instantly. Clearly, the defense of the White Demon¡¯s Net was impressive. It wouldn¡¯t do to say it could withstand attacks from the eight Magic Conduction Machines altogether, but it could handle one or two beams striking it, giving Rocky a chance to counterattack!


    Just when the Defensive Net opened, Rocky, who had been dodging, suddenly accelerated, charging towards Bernardo under the relentless beam shooting!


    A chance!


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s sprint, the tense Bodin and others felt a surge of joy. They knew well that if Rocky could close in on Bernardo and manage to draw the Magic Fang Scythe, he would win!


    Contrastingly, as Rocky began his charge, the Mairente family was once again on edge. Given the reputation of the White Demon Armor, Rocky¡¯s every move was closely watched with anxious hearts, worried that something unexpected might happen.


    However, this time, no accidents occurred!


    When Rocky began his sprint, it took just a blink of an eye for him to get in front of Bernardo, then he tightly gripped the Magic Fang Scythe behind him and chopped down!


    From the sprint to the strike, this sequence of actions was executed in one fluid motion, giving Bernardo no chance to react or any opening to exploit.


    However, after this, everyone was taken aback.


    Just as the blade was falling, four of the eight continually attacking Magic Conduction Machines suddenly used Mana to connect to each other, creating a square Magic Energy Shield in an instant, which floated above Bernardo¡¯s head!


    As the blade fell, the incredibly sharp edge of the Magic Fang Scythe struck heavily upon the Magic Energy Shield. Although the tip of the scythe pierced through most of the shield, it ultimately stopped, blocked from descending further!


    ¡°How is this possible!¡±


    Bodin and the others, who had initially been excited, immediately panicked, never having anticipated that the Magic Fang Scythe could be blocked¡­ After all, it was the Magic Fang Scythe!


    While not knowing the exact material of the Magic Fang Scythe, how could Bodin and his team, with their vast experience, even think it possible? They had guessed long ago that such a sharp weapon must be forged from the finest materials in the world, how could it be blocked?


    In stark contrast to them were the members of the Mairente Family, who truly breathed a sigh of relief, a long sigh of relief this time. The Holy Angel Armor had just proven to surpass the White Demon in speed, and now it had blocked the attack of the Magic Fang Scythe, so what else was there to worry about?


    Indeed, from the performance on the arena, they really didn¡¯t need to worry anymore, because just after blocking the Magic Fang Scythe, the remaining four Magic Conduction Machines immediately targeted Rocky, firing all at once!


    At such a close distance, the four Magic Energy Beams shot out almost instantly and hit the White Demon¡¯s Defensive Net. Although they did not shatter the net, the immense power still knocked Rocky flying.


    In full view of the public, the knocked-back Rocky was like a ball being flung away, slamming onto the arena with a loud crash.


    This fall was not light for Rocky; the impact from the explosion of the four Magic Energy Beams was too great, making it impossible for him to adjust in time as he was flung back.


    But it wasn¡¯t over yet!


    Just as Rocky crashed heavily onto the arena floor, Bernardo suddenly appeared above him, with a Mana Sword in hand and its tip thrusting downward fiercely at him! S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Facing this strike, Rocky didn¡¯t even have time to roll over. Lying on the ground, he activated the Armor to speed up, darting forward several meters and barely dodging the attack, and just as he managed to stand up, Bernardo was upon him again.


    So fast!


    This time, even Rocky had to admit, the speed of the Holy Angel Armor was too fast.


    In such a situation, he quickly became the prey, being chased around the arena.


    This scene energized everyone in the audience, including all the members of the family. Watching Bernardo chase Rocky around the arena, not just the young people but even the white-haired elders stood up excitedly, beginning to wave their arms and cheer for Bernardo.


    Even Lexington, usually so composed, now had a smile on his face.


    But among the many people cheering for Bernardo, a few were notably calm. These individuals were positioned at the corner of the square, managing only just to see the battle on the arena, but one mustn¡¯t underestimate these few¡ªbecause they were Athena and the protective Void Magic Squad!


    Located at the corner of the square, Athena was watching everything, surrounded by several Void Magic Warriors. But what she watched was not the arena; instead, her eyes were on the cheering crowd around the arena. Seeing the emotions of the people swell to uncontrollable levels, a faint smile appeared on her calm face¡­

 Chapter 534 - 534 498 Quiet

    ?Chapter 534: Chapter 498 Quiet¡­ Chapter 534: Chapter 498 Quiet¡­ Rocky abruptly accelerated into the mid-air, and when he glanced back, he found that one second Bernardo had been on the platform, and the next second he appeared right behind him, in relentless pursuit!


    Quick!


    Realizing he hadn¡¯t shaken off Bernardo, Rocky hastily changed direction while accelerating again, instantly maneuvering to Bernardo¡¯s back. But before he could even stop, Bernardo accelerated away and then veered back toward him!


    It was clear that in terms of Armor handling skills, even in his Holy Angel Armor, Bernardo couldn¡¯t compare to Rocky. For instance, when Rocky used speed and maneuverability to get behind Bernardo, Bernardo could have used the same tactic to shake off Rocky and get behind him, but Bernardo failed to do that because his control over the Armor wasn¡¯t up to that level.


    Yet even so, leveraging the innate speed advantage of the Holy Angel Armor, Bernardo used the simplest method to escape Rocky and closed in on him again.


    Seeing this, Rocky could only continually use tactics to match him, but the results were not ideal. Although clearly superior in technique and grasp of the tactical situation, the excellence of the Holy Angel Armor meant that every opportunity Rocky found was easily countered by his opponent.


    Moreover, after several such bouts, Rocky truly became anxious, unintentionally revealing a flaw that Bernardo capitalized on!


    After being shaken off multiple times, Rocky seemed to grow impatient, so he abandoned his tactics and charged directly at Bernardo, swinging the Scythe in the process.


    Those who had seen him in battle knew this was Rocky¡¯s most skillful attack method¡ªusing the speed of the White Demon to rapidly approach the enemy, simultaneously swinging the Scythe, and by the time he reached them, the Scythe would drop, giving the enemy no chance to defend.


    But, let¡¯s not forget that the enemies Rocky previously faced were never faster than him, yet this time, the Holy Angel Armor was faster than the White Demon!


    So this time, as he charged towards Bernardo, everything seemed fine until the moment he brought down the raised Scythe. In that instant, Bernardo suddenly flashed to the side, and his Mana Sword struck heavily on Rocky¡¯s waist!


    Struck by the blow, Rocky felt a massive force hit him, sending him almost uncontrollably flying backward. What was more terrifying was that before he could even stand up, Bernardo had rapidly caught up and appeared right above him, then stomped directly onto him!


    That stomp, like a heavy hammer, sent Rocky, who was initially flying horizontally, crashing straight down with a thunderous sound onto the platform, smashing it into a huge crater!


    ¡°Awesome!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got this! This time we¡¯ve secured it!¡±


    Seeing Rocky knocked down, the Mairente Family¡¯s members cheered as this was the first time he had been overtaken squarely since the fight started. Although Rocky had been at a disadvantage previously, everyone was aware of how formidable he was, and how strong the White Demon was, so the family members were never wholly at ease; but now, seeing Rocky ruthlessly knocked down in a direct confrontation, they finally felt relieved.


    This time, a sure win!


    Just like the family, the crowd at the scene also erupted into thunderous cheers at that moment.


    Undoubtedly, these cheers were all for Bernardo, and soon the cheering turned into a unified chant.


    ¡°Victory!¡±


    ¡°Victory!¡±


    ¡°Victory!¡±


    ¡°Victory!¡±


    The cheers of the populace had transformed into a unanimous shout, a sound that thundered throughout the entire Mairente City, permeating every corner and reaching everyone¡¯s ears.


    Yet amidst these victorious cries, Bernardo, who was in the air, did not pursue his victory but instead aimed the floating Magic Conduction Machine behind him at Rocky again!


    Although having the upper hand throughout the battle, Bernardo remained calm. He didn¡¯t let the advantage cloud his judgment because he was well aware of the significance of this battle for the entire Mairente family. Having no room for error or carelessness, once Rocky had been knocked to the arena floor, Bernardo decided to end the match to avoid any further complications.


    Under his control, eight Magic Conduction Machines instantly aimed at Rocky, not only that, but the tops of the machines started glowing with a dazzling light!


    Upon seeing this, the shouts of the people grew even louder, for anyone could tell that Bernardo was preparing a major move!


    Previously, when he attacked with the Magic Conduction Machines, a beam of light would flash each time one shot, but now the light was brilliant, undoubtedly indicating that the machines were accumulating Mana for a most lethal attack! sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This accumulation did not take much time; just a few seconds later, the eight Magic Conduction Machines aimed at Rocky simultaneously fired eight Magic Energy Beams!


    This time, the beams were not as thin as fingers; these beams were even thicker than the machines themselves, and all eight fired at the same time!


    Barely a breath had passed, no, merely a blink of an eye, and the massively powerful beams struck the arena!


    Since eight beams were fired simultaneously, it was natural that not all would hit the same spot; several beams struck the arena directly, easily penetrating and causing explosions. However, this was not a concern because the point of simultaneous fire was to block Rocky¡¯s escape routes. As long as two of the beams hit, Rocky was finished, even if he activated his Defensive Net.


    ¡°We won!¡±


    The moment the beams hit the arena, many young members of the Mairente family could not suppress their excitement any longer. They instantly jumped from their seats and started dancing and shouting loudly. As for the elders¡¯ reaction to the young people¡¯s behavior, they did not stop them. In fact, even they felt like jumping up to join the celebration, but unfortunately, they were too old to bounce back, yet this did not affect the elders¡¯ elation.


    They had finally won!


    They had finally won! In the struggle with Rocky, the Mairente family had finally won a battle!


    ¡°Very good¡­ very good¡­¡±


    Among all the family members, Lexington¡¯s demeanor was the most composed; he was the Clan Leader after all and had long reached the state of not showing his emotions outwardly. Yet even so, he couldn¡¯t help but nod continuously and then glanced at his son.


    Seeing his father looking at him, Abraham promptly nodded back, unable to conceal his excitement.


    He was indeed very excited, because as mentioned before, this victory was too important for the family. As long as they won this battle, everyone from the Mairente family members to the common folk would unify and regroup, and sooner or later they would restore the family to its peak!


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    However, just at that moment, just as Abraham had nodded to Lexington, he suddenly noticed something was amiss. He realized that the deafening cheers and shouts that had filled the square had disappeared without notice¡­


    What happened?!


    Noticing the sudden silence around him, Abraham immediately sensed trouble and turned towards the arena, then he saw¡­

 Chapter 535 - 535 499 Raise the Sword to Question the

    ?Chapter 535: Chapter 499: Raise the Sword to Question the Heavens! Chapter 535: Chapter 499: Raise the Sword to Question the Heavens! The whole arena suddenly quieted down, prompting Lexington and his son to immediately look towards the ring, and then they saw¡­


    Of course, they saw Rocky!


    As the smoke on the ring gradually cleared, everyone discovered that Rocky, clad in the White Demon Armor, was standing firmly on it!


    This scene first took Bernardo by surprise; he was sure he had hit Rocky just now, perhaps not with every shot, but at least more than half of the Magic Energy Beams had hit him. How could Rocky possibly be unharmed?


    Secondly, the audience was also stunned because it was clear to everyone that Abraham had just used a big move. Given the previous performance of the Holy Angel Armor, one would expect Rocky would certainly not be able to stand up after such an attack.


    Lastly, even Bodin and his companions showed disbelieving expressions. Just a second ago, they all thought Rocky had lost. He hadn¡¯t lost to Bernardo, but to the Holy Angel Armor, filling the three of them with regret. Who would have thought that just a few seconds later, they would find Rocky still standing in the ring!


    Following the gaze of the crowd towards the ring, one could see that most of it had been smashed to pieces under the fierce bombardment of the Holy Angel Armor, turning it into a pile of ruins¡ªand there stood Rocky among these ruins. Furthermore, he seemed unhurt, with his Defensive Net still up, and then there was the pose he was now striking¡­


    Standing among the ruins of the ring, Rocky held the Magic Fang Scythe high with one hand, pointing its blade straight towards the sky. This pose, coupled with the surrounding battered ring, instantly gave the impression that he was heroically challenging the heavens, looking incredibly cool!


    Such a scene stunned everyone; the abrupt shift in style felt odd to all. Before this, Rocky had always been at a disadvantage¡ªthe term ¡®in dire straits¡¯ wouldn¡¯t even be too harsh to describe his earlier performance. How had he suddenly transformed into this?


    Not just the on-site audience and the multitude from the Mairente Family, even Athena in the corner was taken aback for a moment when she saw this scene.


    If there was anyone in the entire arena who wasn¡¯t surprised by this, it was only Liliya. She alone understood why Rocky posed as if challenging the heavens¡ªit wasn¡¯t to look cool or to flirt, but to defend!


    Apart from Liliya, nobody knew about the existence of the Azure Fang, let alone that Rocky was holding his scythe high to allow the Azure Fang at the tip to come into contact with the Defensive Net, thereby multiplying the Defensive Net¡¯s strength and absorbing all of the Holy Angel Armor¡¯s attacks!


    Proof could be found by looking at the tip of the Magic Fang Scythe, where one would notice a faint glow, indicating that the Azure Fang had absorbed some mana.


    Of course, aside from Rocky and Liliya, no one else knew this; everyone thought that it was the Defensive Net that had withstood the previous attack, including Bernardo.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    It was precisely because of this thought that, once Bernardo came back to his senses, he immediately began recharging the Magic Conduction Machine, preparing to launch another attack!


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t expect the White Demon¡¯s defensive capabilities to be so strong¡­¡±


    Facing Rocky standing tall in the ring, Abraham also frowned, feeling they had misjudged the White Demon Armor¡¯s defensive power. However, this was not a big deal, because as everyone had seen, a part of the previous attack had hit the ring when Bernardo tried to block Rocky¡¯s escape routes, meaning that assault hadn¡¯t unleashed the full potential. But this time, Bernardo would not repeat the mistake. He would aim all eight Magic Conducting Machines at Rocky, pouring all his attacks on him, certain that the White Demon Armor¡¯s Defensive Net would not be able to withstand it!


    Is that so?


    Indeed it is!


    As Bernardo recharged the Magic Conduction Machine, he locked all its targets onto Rocky!


    In his view, this was the true finishing move. Once Rocky got hit, he would have no chance of counterattacking. After all, the peak mana of the Holy Angel Armor could reach twenty thousand. With such a massive amount of mana powering a full-strength strike, not even the Defensive Net of the White Demon could possibly withstand it!


    With this thought in mind, Bernardo took even longer to charge up this time, clearly having activated all the mana contained within the Super Crystal of the Magic Conduction Machine.


    And it seemed everyone had realized what he was thinking because the citizens outside the ring also began to cheer him on, once again chanting victory slogans in unison!


    ¡°Victory!¡±


    ¡°Victory!¡±


    ¡°Victory!¡±


    After a brief silence, the entire Central Square erupted again, once more becoming a cacophony of voices. Amidst the deafening noise, each person¡¯s gaze was locked on the arena, watching this most critical hit.


    ¡°Dodge it¡­ You must dodge it¡­¡±


    In the deafening shouts, Bodin and the others had already clenched their fists tight. They too were staring unblinkingly at the arena, even beginning to mutter under their breath, because they could tell that Bernardo¡¯s attack this time would be even fiercer than before. They prayed that Rocky would definitely dodge, otherwise, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to stand up again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t dodge¡­ Don¡¯t dodge¡­¡±


    ¡°If you dare, don¡¯t dodge¡­ You mustn¡¯t dodge¡­¡±


    Similarly, at this time, the members of the Mairente Family were also clenching their fists and gritting their teeth as they watched the arena, but what they were muttering was different. They were praying that Rocky wouldn¡¯t dodge, that he wouldn¡¯t dodge at all, and it would be best if he just stood there and got knocked down!


    And just after those tense seconds passed, the Magic Conduction Machine finally completed its charge and, without any pause, fired off eight beams of light!


    These eight beams, brighter and even blinding compared to before and also thicker, hit Rocky in the blink of an eye ¨C a direct hit on all counts!


    ¡°He¡¯s hit!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s done for! He¡¯s definitely done for!¡±


    ¡°Why¡­ Why didn¡¯t he dodge¡­¡±


    The moment Rocky was hit, every member of the Mairente Family leaped up from their seats. From the Elders to the youngsters, even Lexington stood up in excitement; whereas, on the other side, the faces of Bodin and his companions instantly turned ashen. They couldn¡¯t understand why Rocky didn¡¯t evade. With the speed of the White Demon, with his reflexes, he could have totally dodged! S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same time, the entire audience also erupted completely, bursting out with cheers more enthusiastic than ever before!


    However, just after the cheers erupted, they didn¡¯t even last a second before they vanished¡­


    In an instant, the entire Central Square of Mairente City fell silent. The square became so quiet you could hear a pin drop, or even someone¡¯s breathing!

 Chapter 536 - 536 500 Full Status

    ?Chapter 536: Chapter 500 Full Status! Chapter 536: Chapter 500 Full Status! When Bernardo¡¯s final blow struck Rocky, the entire venue erupted, but the eruption didn¡¯t even last a second before the Central Square fell deathly silent.


    Within everyone¡¯s sight, eight beams of light had accurately hit Rocky, but the expected fierce explosion did not occur, nor did the scene of Rocky falling to the ground appear. As the eight beams of light struck the Defensive Net Rocky had spread open¡­ there was no follow-up¡­ nothing happened¡­


    The Defensive Net absorbed all eight beams of light!


    This scene rendered everyone speechless, so much so that the entire square instantly fell silent; the onlooking citizens were stunned, the members of the Mairente Family were stunned, Bodin and others were stunned, even Bernardo, who was suspended mid-air, was stunned!


    At that moment, everyone in the square seemed to have been frozen in time, dumbstruck.


    And just as everyone was stupefied, Rocky moved. At that time, still holding the Scythe up high, he subtly shifted it to the side, and then an incredibly dazzling beam of light violently shot out from the tip of the Scythe, booming through the Defensive Net shrouding the Arena, shattering it before flying off into the sky!


    Silence¡­


    Absolute silence in the venue!


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s attack penetrate and shatter the Defensive Net covering the entire Arena, everyone was dumbstruck, speechless, mouths agape without uttering a word!


    What tremendous power that attack had!


    To ensure the safety of the citizens, the Mairente Family, during the Arena¡¯s construction, had equipped it with a Defensive Net, according to combat skills Arena standards, and it was a warship-level Defensive Net at that, possessing formidable defensive capabilities. Even the attacks from the Holy Angel Armor hitting the Defensive Net had not shattered it before, but now, Rocky had directly shattered this Defensive Net with one strike, naturally shocking everyone stiff.


    In fact, only Liliya knew that the reason why Rocky¡¯s attack was so powerful was entirely because the Azure Fang had absorbed two major spells from the Holy Angel Armor, accumulating a massive amount of Mana, which enabled it to shatter the Defensive Net in one blow.


    However, while she understood the reason, others did not, so upon witnessing this scene, not only were they shocked, but when they looked at Rocky again, fear appeared in their eyes for the first time!


    Yes, it was fear!


    Before the duel began, people¡¯s eyes reflected tension; after the duel started, due to Bernardo and the Holy Angel Armor¡¯s exceptional performance, everyone¡¯s eyes shone with excitement, never did they show fear, but now, after Rocky showed his hand, people truly felt a touch of fear when looking at him again!


    And it was only at this moment that the duel truly began for Rocky!


    Immediately thereafter, under the watchful eyes of all, the White Demon Armor underwent a transformation, with its entire body, for some unknown reason, beginning to emit white light!


    Full power mode! sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After an attack that left everyone in awe, Rocky immediately activated the White Demon¡¯s full power mode!


    As mentioned before, the new version of the White Demon Armor was equipped with more Mana Runes, which significantly enhanced the overall Mana capacity of the Armor. However, since the Runes had to be engraved on the Armor itself, once all were activated, the Armor¡¯s material would struggle to withstand the immense Mana. Consequently, in the case of activating all the Runes, the White Demon could only last for ten seconds; otherwise, the material of the Armor would disintegrate under the burden of the great Mana, and these ten seconds were the White Demon¡¯s full power mode!


    Upon entering full power mode, the White Demon¡¯s Mana would jump from ten thousand points directly to fifteen thousand, and since all the Runes across the Armor were activated, the resulting massive Mana caused the Armor to shine with white light all over, looking incredibly stunning.


    After showing the White Demon¡¯s full power mode, Rocky did not give the crowd time to react or understand. People only saw a streak of white light flash by and he had vanished from the Arena; when they followed the trajectory of the white light and looked up, they discovered that Rocky, who had disappeared, had now appeared behind Bernardo.


    At full capacity, the speed of the White Demon greatly reached a new level, becoming so fast that it was nearly impossible to see!


    It was exactly at the moment people spotted him that a roaring explosion was heard; a Magic Conduction Machine floating behind the Holy Angel Armor burst apart!


    The strength of the Holy Angel Armor came from its Magic Conduction Machine system, something City Lord Rocky was well aware of. Therefore, for him, destroying the Magic Conduction Machine meant the armor would be reduced to its base form.


    Of course, under normal circumstances, achieving this was nearly impossible because the Sigma Corporation knew how crucial the Magic Conduction Machine was to the Holy Angel Armor. The material of the Magic Conduction Machine was among the hardest in the world, and when operational, it generated a Defensive Net for self-protection that was indifferent to attacks.


    Unfortunately, when Sigma Corporation designed these protective measures, they had not taken into account the existence of the Magic Fang Scythe!


    The sharpness of the Magic Fang Scythe had long surpassed that of ordinary melee weapons, and to ensure the destruction of the Magic Conduction Machine, Rocky infused Mana into the scythe, further enhancing its sharpness. Thus, with a single slash, he cut a Magic Conduction Machine in half, causing it to explode on the spot!


    All of this happened so fast that hardly anyone saw it.


    And as Rocky finished his slash and stopped behind Bernardo, by sheer coincidence, he caught sight of Athena in the corner of the Central Square. In that brief moment, one in mid-air and one within the crowd, their eyes met and they both smiled at the same time¡­


    Time rewound to a few days earlier.


    After Rocky agreed to Athena¡¯s suggestion, they had an in-depth conversation, during which Athena mentioned the duel with Bernardo.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, do you have confidence in winning the duel on the battlefield?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re that certain?¡± Athena looked at Rocky, then continued, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, to counter the White Demon Armor, the Mairente Family will surely prepare a stronger Armor for Bernardo. What do you think they will prepare?¡±


    ¡°If the sixth generation Armor doesn¡¯t appear, the only one that can compete with the White Demon is the Holy Angel Armor. Do you think they will prepare the Holy Angel Armor for Bernardo?¡±


    Rocky glanced at Athena, clearly skeptical of her assertion, as the Holy Angel Armor was too expensive. The Mairente Family of the past could afford it, but the Mairente Family of now might not be able to afford it.


    Yet Athena was quite sure: ¡°Yes, to win the duel, they will definitely use the Holy Angel Armor. Do you still have confidence that you can win?¡±


    After considering Athena¡¯s words, Rocky nodded again: ¡°I can win.¡±


    Such confidence was not borne out of Rocky¡¯s arrogance, but from his understanding that even the best Armor had to be worn by someone worthy.


    If his opponent had been someone from the Fierce Tiger Squad or the Imperial Knight Order, and they were wearing the Holy Angel Armor, he would have given a completely different answer. But Bernardo? He was a far cry from being a threat, even if he donned the strongest Armor of the day, so Rocky was not afraid at all.


    However, after giving his answer, Athena just smiled: ¡°City Lord Rocky, I believe you can win, but even if you do, what will you gain?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    Faced with Athena¡¯s question, Rocky opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words¡­

 Chapter 537 - 537 501 Dream Breaker

    ?Chapter 537: Chapter 501: Dream Breaker! Chapter 537: Chapter 501: Dream Breaker! ¡°City Lord Rocky, I believe you can win the final victory,¡±


    Athena did not deny Rocky¡¯s confidence; instead, she expressed agreement. But then she posed a question, ¡°But even if you win, what will you gain?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    This question stumped Rocky. He opened his mouth to respond, but ultimately said nothing.


    Only after he closed his mouth did Athena continue, ¡°As far as I know, the wager between you and Bernardo seems to be only advantageous for him, right? So even if you win, you wouldn¡¯t gain anything.¡±


    ¡°At least¡­ if I win, I could make the common people lose confidence in the Mairente Family, couldn¡¯t I?¡±


    After Athena finished speaking, Rocky thought for a moment and then said.


    Although he had no advantage in the wager, since the Mairente Family had publicized this duel to all the subjects under their rule, if he could win, then even without tangible benefits, he felt certain he could further undermine the Mairente Family¡¯s prestige.


    However, as soon as he finished speaking, Athena laughed, ¡°City Lord Rocky, do you really think so?¡±


    ¡°How many people in the entire sky have not heard of your name? And how many are unaware of the White Demon¡¯s strength? So if you win this duel, wouldn¡¯t it be expected?¡±


    ¡°Why would the people be disappointed in the family because of a defeat that was taken for granted? Moreover, even if they were truly disappointed with the family, the current Mairente Family has already become so desperate that they don¡¯t care anymore.¡±


    ¡°So what exactly are you trying to say?¡±


    Rocky, completely baffled by what Athena had said, straightforwardly asked.


    Athena took a sip of tea before speaking, ¡°City Lord Rocky, the reason I arranged this duel was to help you utterly crush the Mairente Family.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky¡¯s eyes lit up, and Athena continued, ¡°For the current Mairente Family, the Alliance¡¯s compensation has already dealt them a severe blow, but it¡¯s far from enough to bring them down. To crush a family of this caliber, you need to strike not only materially but also psychologically. You have to make every person, from the family members to every commoner within the family, completely lose hope.¡±


    ¡°This duel is the perfect opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Lexington hopes to use this duel to restore confidence in his family and to use it as a foundation for their resurgence. What you must do is not only prevent his wish from coming true but also take this opportunity to utterly break down each person¡¯s psychological defenses within the family, making them lose all hope and confidence.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t do that, can I?¡±


    ¡°You can.¡±


    Gazing at Rocky, Athena revealed an indescribable smile, ¡°If you could pretend to be weak in the duel at first, then achieve a crushing victory, perhaps it could have an unexpected effect.¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You mean¡­ the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, or rather, the higher you are held, the harder you fall.¡±


    ¡°The entire family is pinning their hopes on this duel. But if you win the fight right from the start, it wouldn¡¯t be much of a blow to the family. As I said, it¡¯s expected that you win. However, if you can let each member of the family gradually build hope during the process, and then personally crush it, only then can you truly hurt the family and destroy their confidence in a resurgence.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    After listening to Athena¡¯s words, Rocky furrowed his brow and thought for a long time. He wasn¡¯t considering whether he could do it; he was pondering something else. After a while, he looked at Athena.


    ¡°Athena, your idea is just too cruel.¡±


    Cruel.


    After pondering for a long time, City Lord Rocky finally found the word ¡°cruel¡± to describe Athena¡¯s method, she really was too cruel! This was not only because the idea she came up with was too cruel, but also because she resorted to such means against the innocent Mairente Family just to get him to help her. That was simply too cruel!


    However, Athena¡¯s retort left City Lord Rocky speechless once again.


    All he heard was her laughing and then asking, ¡°City Lord Rocky, don¡¯t you like that about me?¡±


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    The time went back to the day of the duel.


    When City Lord Rocky and Athena exchanged glances, he quickly regained his senses and then turned to look at Bernardo.


    At this moment, Bernardo had already reacted, not only had he reacted, but he had also moved far away!


    There was no helping it, City Lord Rocky had been too fast a moment ago, so fast that Bernardo hadn¡¯t been able to respond at all, which made him feel a hint of unease and quickly created distance between himself and Rocky.


    But on this arena, even in mid-air, the distance was limited. Moreover, the White Demon¡¯s fully-powered mode could only last for ten seconds. Even if Bernardo deliberately created distance, City Lord Rocky wouldn¡¯t delay in the slightest.


    Indeed, after turning around, Rocky immediately accelerated and once again turned into a white streak of light, replaying the scene from before. He appeared behind Bernardo once again, and another Magic Conduction Machine exploded.


    During this process, Bernardo remained as if petrified!


    ¡°How, how is this¡­ possible¡­¡±


    When City Lord Rocky appeared behind him again, the petrified Bernardo had actually already placed his Mana Sword in front of his chest, but it was of no use.


    He thought he could grasp City Lord Rocky¡¯s trajectory and stop him, or at least dodge, just like in the previous fights. However, he found he simply couldn¡¯t do it!


    To Bernardo, this was completely illogical, because he had boosted the Holy Angel Armor¡¯s mana to the maximum, and all systems were activated. How could he possibly be weaker than City Lord Rocky under these circumstances?


    The Holy Angel Armor could achieve a mana peak of twenty thousand! And according to the magic energy detector, the White Demon¡¯s mana was only fifteen thousand, so in theory, the Holy Angel Armor should have been stronger!


    Indeed, the Holy Angel Armor was somewhat stronger, but when City Lord Rocky, like lightning, rushed towards him, the armor¡¯s built-in defense system had already raised the alarm, yet Bernardo couldn¡¯t react in time. Faced with Rocky charging at him, he couldn¡¯t make any counter.


    The real gap was not the armor, it was the person inside!


    That¡¯s why City Lord Rocky was so confident when facing Athena. Although the Holy Angel Armor was strong, Bernardo was too weak. His combination with the Holy Angel Armor was a case of the armor leading the person, not the person commanding the armor.


    In fact, during the fight just now, City Lord Rocky had numerous opportunities to defeat Bernardo; to him, Bernardo¡¯s weaknesses were too numerous. The only reason he had let Bernardo seem formidable until now was merely to act according to the strategy Athena had set.


    City Lord Rocky needed to first let everyone in the audience see the possibility, then ignite their hope, and finally shatter that hope!


    And now, the final moment had arrived!


    As the crowd in the square erupted again and again with tsunami-like cheers, as the members of the Mairente Family leapt from their seats to celebrate and encourage time after time, as everyone looked at the arena, no longer worried, just waiting for Bernardo to score the final victory, it was time to wake up from the dream!

 Chapter 538 - 538 502 Pure Fear

    ?Chapter 538: Chapter 502: Pure Fear Chapter 538: Chapter 502: Pure Fear After dragging this out for so long, it was time for the dream to end!


    ¡°It¡¯s over now¡­¡±


    Glancing at Bernardo, Rocky vanished in a flash!


    When he reappeared, it was right behind Bernardo, and simultaneously, the third Magic Conduction Machine exploded. Without giving Bernardo a moment to react, Rocky swiftly flew around him several times. Although he never stopped moving, his speed was so fast that nobody could see him clearly, but the fact that Magic Conduction Machines were continuously exploding revealed what he was doing.


    He was relentlessly destroying the Holy Angel Armor!


    In just the blink of an eye, Rocky once again stopped in front of Bernardo, but this time, when he stopped, all eight Magic Conduction Machines behind Bernardo were already destroyed!


    Similarly, when Rocky stopped this time, the glow emanating from the White Demon Armor gradually dimmed, indicating that he had restored the armor to its normal state.


    However, none of that mattered now, because in those few breaths, he had destroyed all eight Magic Conduction Machines behind the Holy Angel Armor. Consequently, without the Magic Conduction Machines to supply Mana and their crucial role in both offense and defense, the Holy Angel Armor was like an angel who had its wings plucked, no longer possessing its former strength.


    Facing such an outcome, the entire square succumbed to a deathly silence.


    Excitement?


    Long gone.


    Cheering?


    Also long gone.


    At this moment on the square, not to mention cheers or shouts, there wasn¡¯t even the sound of breathing, for everyone had held their breath, staring in disbelief at everything unfolding on the stage, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.


    The common folk on the square couldn¡¯t comprehend why Rocky, who had just been at a disadvantage, had suddenly changed like he was a different person?


    It wasn¡¯t just the onlookers who couldn¡¯t understand; even Bernardo on the stage didn¡¯t get it!


    ¡°Why¡­ why¡­ why¡­¡±


    At this moment, Bernardo was stupefied, floating aimlessly in mid-air, completely dumbfounded facing Rocky, failing to comprehend why he had lost or how it could be possible for him to lose.


    He was supposed to win!


    From the beginning of this fight, he had been overpowering Rocky! How could he have possibly been turned around?


    Right, it was impossible!


    He couldn¡¯t possibly lose!


    Hovering numbly mid-air, Bernardo was thinking when suddenly, he roared aloud and charged furiously at Rocky!


    He refused to believe everything that had just transpired was real, he refused to believe he had lost; he needed to win, he had to win this duel and make Rocky roll away in defeat before him! S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Athena was right, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.


    If Rocky had decisively won the match from the start, something he was fully capable of doing, Bernardo would never have ended up like this, because, as Athena had initially said, Rocky¡¯s victory was expected.


    Instead, Rocky did not do so, and by showing weakness, he lit a fire of hope in everyone. What¡¯s more terrifying was that he kept building on this non-existent hope, leading everyone to believe that the match was no longer in question and everyone was waiting for Bernardo to win.


    But just when everyone thought that way, Rocky suddenly pulled off a reversal!


    This way, when a sudden 180-degree turn occurred, the massive shock from the shattered hope instantly overwhelmed everyone, with Bernardo being the first to break under this impact!


    We saw him flying towards Rocky in a roar, but it was clear to everyone that although he had maximized the speed of his Armor, it was very slow, lacking the previous lightning speed, and it wasn¡¯t even comparable to Mass-produced Armor now.


    There was nothing he could do; after losing the supply from the Magic Conduction Machine, the Holy Angel Armor¡¯s Mana had plummeted. Although the Magic Stone embedded in the armor could still maintain operation, its combat capability was long gone.


    Pity that Bernardo did not notice this, with his mind already in psychological collapse; the only thought was to kill Rocky!


    But¡­ that was merely a thought¡­


    When he finally charged up to Rocky, and just as he raised the Mana Sword in his hand, Rocky grabbed his wrist, and immediately a snapping sound was heard¡ªBernardo¡¯s wrist armor was easily crushed by Rocky!


    The material of the Holy Angel Armor was certainly beyond reproach, but without the support of Mana, even the hardest material was just mere steel, which couldn¡¯t withstand the strength of the White Demon.


    As the wrist armor was crushed, Bernardo cried out in pain, and the Mana Sword fell from his hand. Then Rocky grabbed his neck with his other hand and hurled him down fiercely, smashing Bernardo onto the ring like a cannonball!


    With a loud boom, Bernardo heavily crashed onto the already shattered ring, and when he struggled to get up from the ground, he found a figure standing beside him¡­


    Lifting his foot, Rocky stepped onto Bernardo¡¯s chest, pressing him firmly underfoot with a bit of force, making it impossible for him to struggle up!


    Thump¡­


    Thump¡­


    Thump¡­


    As Rocky firmly pinned Bernardo underfoot, some of the onlookers just collapsed to the ground, not just the commoners, many from the Mairente Family did the same¡­


    This scene was too much of a blow for them!


    The sight of Bernardo being pinned down completely breached everyone¡¯s psychological defenses; the despair from shattered hope was unbearable for the people, especially the members of the Mairente family. Many of the young ones who were jumping and cheering earlier were now stunned, even Lexington sat down powerlessly, and Abraham stood dumbfounded, just like the rest of the family and the people on the square, in utter silence.


    And at this moment, when people looked back at Rocky, their gazes had become much purer.


    Before, people viewed Rocky with hatred, then with contempt, and when he suddenly erupted in power, the surprise also brought a bit of fear. Now, as they looked at him again, all that was left in their gazes was fear.


    At this point, as people looked at Rocky, the gaze was filled only with pure fear, a kind of dread that seemed to emanate from deep within, like seeing a nightmare come to life!


    And this kind of gaze was exactly what Athena wanted for Rocky; under the dominion of this fearful gaze, the Mairente family would struggle to recover!

 Chapter 539 - 539 503 Knock Them All Down

    ?Chapter 539: Chapter 503: Knock Them All Down! Chapter 539: Chapter 503: Knock Them All Down! ¡°I won this duel.¡±


    Glancing around, Rocky spoke as he kicked Bernardo, who was already powerless to resist, off the platform.


    This action might seem like he was adding insult to Bernardo¡¯s injury, but anyone who thought so was completely mistaken. Such a thought was too childish, too base.


    Given Rocky¡¯s status as the City Lord, he long since didn¡¯t need to insult anyone. Many of his actions had deeper purposes, and now was no exception.


    He didn¡¯t kick Bernardo to insult him; he aimed to further crush everyone present and make them lose all will to resist, especially the members of the Mairente Family. Rocky intended to leave a lasting shadow over them, to ensure that even if the family could rise again, they would recall today¡¯s terror whenever they faced him in the future!


    This was his true purpose, and it had little to do with Bernardo himself.


    From the practical outcome, it seemed he had achieved everything he wanted, as Bernardo tumbled off the platform and his family members quickly ran to help him up. But when they looked up at the platform, especially at Rocky, he saw no anger or hatred in their eyes, only fear.


    Indeed, the members of the Mairente Family now felt only fear when they saw Rocky.


    With this battle, Rocky had indeed broken down everyone in the Mairente Family!


    Thus, after that, he leapt down from the platform and, just as he had arrived, returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion with Liliya and Bodin, among others. However, when they left, the path was blocked by the multitude of onlookers, yet as the carriage moved, the people silently made way for him, just like when the Mairente Family had arrived earlier.


    In this manner, Rocky left and returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion in Mairente City. Only after he had left did the people in the Central Square slowly disperse. Those who lived in Mairente City quietly went home, while those who had come from other Sky Cities silently boarded the skyships and vanished at the Skyport; during the whole process, hardly anyone spoke or made a sound. The tens of thousands of onlookers dispersed in absolute silence.


    Naturally, the members of the Mairente Family also left silently. Lexington led his people back to Soaring Dragon City, and the entire journey was conducted without a word. Upon reaching Soaring Dragon City, he issued two orders.


    The first order was to get Bernardo medical treatment as soon as possible. Although he had lost this crucial duel for the family, the family members didn¡¯t blame him, as it was clear to anyone that it wasn¡¯t that he was weak, but that Rocky was too strong. Now, whenever the family thought of Rocky, they lost their temper completely.


    The second command was to resume negotiations with Rocky as quickly as possible, and this time, Lexington explicitly told the Elder responsible for the negotiations that he could agree to anything to get rid of Rocky, this calamitous lone star, as soon as possible. The only thing the family wanted now was for Rocky to leave quickly, regardless of what he took with him.


    Under these circumstances, negotiations resumed the next day after the duel, and during the negotiation process, the Mairente Family virtually gave up all resistance and contention, agreeing to nearly all of Aileen¡¯s demands as long as they weren¡¯t too excessive.


    Thus, the negotiations were extremely smooth, and the details of the compensation were soon finalized.


    In the new compensation scheme led by Aileen, the Mairente Family had to pay the Alliance fifty million Gold Coins in cash, which was unchanged from before, and only this point remained the same because Aileen had no way to extract any more Gold Coins from the family.


    But besides cash, the goods the family had to compensate the Alliance with had increased by a full fifth!


    Do not underestimate this additional fifth of goods, because while a fifth might not sound like a lot, considering the total volume of goods involved in the compensation, it would be clear that it was not a trivial amount; if converted into Gold Coins, it amounted to millions!


    However, the most significant change in the new compensation scheme was not the goods, but rather the part concerning the Sky Cities.


    In the new scheme, apart from compensating the Sky Alliance with four small Sky Cities as previously mentioned, the Mairente Family also had to add a medium-sized Sky City to the compensation, which naturally was Mairente City. Moreover, everything in Mairente City, except for the military forces, including the residents and resources, had to be handed over to the Sky Alliance, essentially handing over the entire city just as they had acquired it!


    But was that all?


    Of course not! If that were all, Aileen wouldn¡¯t be Aileen. That clever girl knew that the Sky Alliance would definitely hand Mairente City over to Rocky, but if Rocky just took the city, the Alliance, while not dissatisfied, wouldn¡¯t be too pleased either. Thus, she not only had the family hand over all the population of Mairente City but also left a thousand people in each of the other four small Sky Cities!


    Leaving a thousand people in each of the four cities meant a total of four thousand people. While this might not seem a large number to the Sky Alliance, the importance of population was undeniable, and the Alliance would undoubtedly be pleased to accept it. Thus, the Alliance was bound to highly appreciate Rocky.


    Aileen was that clever. She considered not only Rocky but also the Alliance¡¯s attitude towards him, covering all bases. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And after that, once all terms were agreed upon, the Mairente Family began the handover. Perhaps too eager to be rid of Rocky, the contagion, the entire handover process was much faster than imagined. In just one week, all the compensated Gold Coins and goods were delivered to Mairente City, and the populations of the four small Sky Cities were completely evacuated, just waiting for Rocky to leave quickly.


    But Rocky didn¡¯t leave right away. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to linger in the family; he had one more important matter to attend to before he could leave.


    Athena.


    Now that Rocky and the Mairente Family has settled everything, they could be considered to have no relationship going forward¡ªRocky wouldn¡¯t seek them out, and the family probably wouldn¡¯t trouble Rocky ever again. However, Athena¡¯s issue still needed Rocky¡¯s attention.


    They had already agreed that once Rocky had finished all his business, he would leave with Athena. Now was the time.

 Chapter 540 - 540 504 Kill Athena First

    ?Chapter 540: Chapter 504: Kill Athena First! Chapter 540: Chapter 504: Kill Athena First! ¡°Miss Athena, it¡¯s time we left¡­¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Knocking on Athena¡¯s door, the captain of her protective Void Magic Squad spoke with furrowed brows.


    His words were polite, yet his tone brooked no refusal.


    ¡°Wait a little longer, I have some matters to discuss with City Lord Rocky.¡±


    Reading in her room, Athena glanced at the captain, fixating her gaze on him for a good while before slowly placing her book on the desk and speaking up.


    As expected, the captain shook his head, ¡°Miss, we need to leave, now.¡±


    A pair of eyes locked onto Athena. The captain was exceptionally firm, clearly not inclined to give her any time to stall, and a look at him would reveal that he was not in a disguise or military uniform, but had already donned his Fifth Generation Special Armor!


    In truth, this was not the first time the captain had urged Athena to leave Mairente City. In fact, ever since Rocky won the duel, he had been persistent in hurrying Athena to depart, as their group had resided here before Rocky¡¯s arrival and therefore had witnessed everything that followed his coming.


    Although as citizens of Glory City they did not fully understand the grievances between Rocky and the Mairente Family, having stayed here for a prolonged period, they had heard if not known many things, especially about the ownership of Mairente City. The captain had heard plans of taking over Sky City as soon as Rocky arrived, so when Rocky won the duel, he wanted to leave with Athena immediately.


    Unfortunately, Athena had continuously delayed, always finding various excuses, and while the captain initially tolerated her procrastination ¨C he well understood how important she was to her own City Lord ¨C but as time went on, he sensed something was amiss.


    The one assigned to protect¡ªor rather, to watch over¡ªAthena would inevitably be one of Alas¡¯s trusted aides, whose capabilities and loyalty were beyond question. So when Athena tried to delay again, the captain paid no heed any longer.


    ¡°Miss Athena, my responsibility is to ensure your safety, and this Sky City is no longer safe for you. I must take you back.¡±


    As he spoke, the captain stepped into the room and quickly approached Athena, then pulled her up by the arm without even allowing her to rise, clearly intending to drag her out directly!


    Although Athena was clever, she was not a warrior. She had little resistance when faced with a threat, let alone when confronted with a fully armed Void Magic Warrior. Hence, upon being pulled up, she did not resist, but said to him.


    ¡°I understand¡­¡±


    After speaking, she shook off his arm and then looked at the captain: ¡°The letter I asked you to send back to the city two days ago, did you deliver it?¡±


    ¡°It has been sent, Miss Athena, we should leave now!¡±


    The captain nodded and repeated his statement because, although he was unaware of Athena¡¯s plans, a warrior¡¯s intuition alerted him that something was off, and he was no longer willing to waste words with Athena.


    But just then, Athena looked at him with a slight smile, and then continued to say, ¡°Captain Mar, thank you for your protection all this time¡­¡±


    The sudden remark made Captain Mar freeze for a moment because anyone who heard it could sense an issue, so he quickly grabbed Athena¡¯s arm. But just at that moment, right when he had seized Athena¡¯s arm, a sharp crack sounded as a white figure broke through the window and charged into the room!


    ¡°Rocky!¡±


    The sound of the window shattering immediately made Captain Mar turn his head, only to find that the person who had burst in was none other than Rocky!


    And in that instant, he knew something was wrong!


    However, Captain Mar was after all a Void Magic Warrior from Glory City, and also a captain, so the moment he saw Rocky, he drew his Mana Sword. But when he brandished his Mana Sword, his target wasn¡¯t Rocky but Athena!


    In her own affairs, Athena had not deceived Rocky; she indeed had been controlled by Alas, the City Lord of Glory City. In order to maintain control over her, Alas had not only sent Mar and others to protect her but had also issued another order¡ªif Athena were in any trouble, such as attempting to escape, and if they couldn¡¯t stop her, they were to kill her immediately!


    Over the years, Alas had often had Athena strategize for him, so he knew better than anyone how dangerous this woman could be, which also made him fear Athena more than anyone else!


    He feared that after escaping, Athena would turn around and assist others against him!


    Don¡¯t doubt it, with Athena¡¯s capabilities; she could easily do so.


    Therefore, Alas had already instructed Mar that if anything were to go wrong with Athena, Mar did not need to seek permission to kill her, and even when faced with a choice between a chance to save her and a certainty of killing her, he was to prioritize the latter!


    With such orders in place, upon seeing Rocky, Captain Mar immediately made a judgment. If Rocky was here to snatch Athena, it was certainly so, then he stood no chance, because just a few days ago, Mar had witnessed the entirety of Rocky¡¯s duel and was well aware that he was no match for Rocky, and his armor was no match for the White Demon Armor. Therefore, he immediately shifted his target to killing Athena!


    As one of Alas¡¯s most trusted Void Magic Warriors, Mar¡¯s loyalty was unquestionable. Even faced with Rocky, he displayed not a hint of cowardice. Knowing full well that his own death was inevitable, without hesitation, he drew his Mana Sword and turned to stab Athena!


    At the very same time, almost at the moment he drew his sword and turned around, Rocky, who had entered the room, also made his move, naturally charging towards Athena as well!


    At this moment, both men were in motion at the same time, even their directions and targets completely aligned, and the time around them seemed to slow down, their movements appearing in slow motion.


    The speed of the White Demon Armor was undoubtedly fast, but Mar was even closer to Athena; all he needed was to turn around and thrust his Mana Sword, and Athena, who had no ability to resist, would be dead.


    So although Rocky was faster than Mar, Mar had already turned around before he could get close, and with all his might, he thrust his Mana Sword towards Athena¡¯s chest!

 Chapter 541 - 541 505

    ?Chapter 541: Chapter 505 Chapter 541: Chapter 505 Seeing Rocky burst in, Mar reacted extremely quickly, drawing his Mana Sword and spinning to stab, but his target was not Rocky, but Athena standing behind him!


    At the same moment he turned around, Rocky also rushed towards Liliya, both men in a race against time.


    To be fair, although the White Demon was quicker, Mar was too close to Athena. He had been standing right in front of her and a mere turn was all it took to pierce her chest.


    And that¡¯s exactly what he did!


    In that moment, everything in Athena¡¯s eyes seemed to slow down. She could see every minute detail of Mar as he turned and watched helplessly as he drove the Mana Sword towards her, leaving her no chance to dodge.


    Slowly, ever so slowly, the Mana Sword in Athena¡¯s view approached her chest, but she wasn¡¯t panicked at all; it was as if she had long made peace with her fate, silently waiting for the Mana Sword to pierce her.


    But just then, the Mana Sword stopped.


    Instantly, everything in Athena¡¯s sight returned to normal. Looking down, she saw Mar¡¯s Mana Sword had stopped right in front of her chest, not even an inch away. When she followed the blade with her eyes, she discovered a hand gripping it at the Sword Peak!


    In that critical moment, even though Rocky couldn¡¯t shove Athena out of harm¡¯s way or block the attack in time, he had managed to grasp the Mana Sword with his hand!


    ¡°You!¡±


    Mar was stunned for a moment when he saw his thrust being caught by Rocky, and in that moment of distraction, Rocky seized the opportunity to position himself in front of Athena. Seeing this, Mar immediately withdrew his sword, slashing the armor on Rocky¡¯s palm, then delivered a powerful blow straight at Rocky!


    However, as soon as he raised his hand, he felt a chill on his neck and then realized the blade of the Magic Fang Scythe had just swept past his face¡­


    What was happening¡­


    Seeing this scene, Mar was confused. Then his head, still befuddled, tumbled to the ground with a roll¡­!


    The whole incident had happened too quickly, and since Mar was completely focused on Athena, he wasn¡¯t aware of what Rocky had done. In reality, in that split second, not only had Rocky grabbed the Mana Sword with one hand, but he also drew the Magic Fang Scythe with his other hand, placing it right behind Mar¡¯s neck. So when Mar raised the Mana Sword intending to chop down, Rocky casually swung it, slicing off his head like cutting down wheat!


    As the head hit the ground, a high jet of blood sprayed from Mar¡¯s body onto the ceiling of the room. Athena reacted quickly, stepping back from Rocky, who ended up covered in blood.


    Shortly after, sounds of combat came from below. A few minutes later, someone arrived in the room.


    ¡°Lord Rocky, all have been captured.¡±


    The one who entered was a Void Magic Warrior from the Alliance Army, and also a squad leader. The fighting sounds that had come from downstairs were the result of his squad battling Mar¡¯s men, and now the enemy had been subdued.


    ¡°Leave the armors, kill the men.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The squad leader left after acknowledging the order. How he would carry out Rocky¡¯s command was unknown, and neither Rocky nor Athena cared.


    With that, Athena was essentially free from the control of Glory City and Alas, as Mairente City had now fallen into Rocky¡¯s hands, and all official transfer procedures were complete. Plus, with Mar and his people dead, neither Glory City nor Alas had any more power over Athena.


    So, once the squad leader left, Rocky turned to Athena, ¡°Do you want to stay here, or move to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here for now. You¡¯re not planning to stay long anyway, and when you leave, I¡¯ll return to Thunderhawk City with you.¡±


    Athena said smilingly, glancing at the bloodied Rocky. Just as she finished speaking, Rocky paused briefly, surprised because she was right again!


    But this wasn¡¯t the first time Rocky had witnessed Athena¡¯s almost prophetic insight, so after a brief moment of surprise, he nodded. Athena continued to stay in the hotel, only changing to a different room, while Rocky left Mairente Family¡¯s airspace the next day.


    On arrival, they had been but four Sky Cities; however, by the time they departed Mairente Family¡¯s air zone, the number of Sky Cities had more than doubled¡ªan addition of five more Sky Cities!


    Undoubtedly, the trip was a massive gain both for Rocky personally and the Sky Alliance. Both had obtained everything they wanted from the Mairente Family, and, as expected, when Rocky reported the results back to the Alliance, the Sky Alliance quickly responded.


    The reply was straightforward; on one hand, it praised Rocky¡¯s performance in the mission, and on the other, as a reward for his contributions in the great battle that preceded, Mairente City would be given to Rocky by the Sky Alliance!


    Thus, Mairente City finally returned to Rocky¡¯s hands!


    This news made it onto the weekly report of the Shadow Alliance and became one of the biggest stories to hit the headlines in recent times, besides the Demons.

 Chapter 542 - 542 505_2

    ?Chapter 542: Chapter 505_2 Chapter 542: Chapter 505_2 No wonder, since Aniye and others announced the existence of the new technology, Rocky had already entered the public¡¯s eye. Many people were observing him, either openly or covertly, and as a result, his subsequent actions did not lessen the public¡¯s attention but rather attracted even more.


    In light of this situation, his acquisition of a medium-sized Sky City was a major event that many people wanted to know about, and naturally, the Shadow Alliance would not overlook it.


    At the same time, other matters related to Rocky were also leaked.


    For instance, the disputes and grudges between Rocky and the Mairente Family.


    And then, the ultimate rivalry between the two top Armor sets, the Angel and the Demon.


    Furthermore, Athena, known as a remarkable woman, settling in Thunderhawk City.


    All these news had spread soon after Rocky left the Mairente Family, and it must be admitted that, aside from his feud with the Mairente Family, other matters such as the battle between the Angel and the Demon, and the settling of Athena, were major news that captivated public interest. Indeed, because of this, these events had caused quite a stir once they were disclosed.


    Firstly, what caused a sensation was the duel between Rocky and Bernardo.


    This incident itself was not noteworthy; what truly captured the world¡¯s attention were the two Armors involved in the duel.


    Holy Angel and White Demon!


    Just having these two names mentioned together was enough to excite people and spark gossip.


    Since its public introduction, the Holy Angel Armor, as endorsed by Sigma Corporation and the outsiders, had been dubbed the strongest Armor in the world, and rightly so. According to the comprehensive benchmarks and data released by Sigma Corporation, the Holy Angel Armor indeed deserved to be hailed as the strongest Armor currently.


    In contrast, although the White Demon Armor was not yet officially unveiled, Aniye and others had merely mentioned it in passing at the end of the press conference. However, this did not affect the public¡¯s attention to the White Demon, especially since Rocky¡¯s performance in the previous battle had brought this concern to the extreme.


    Consequently, the true ultimate strength amongst the Angel and the Demon naturally became a hotly debated topic among people in their leisure time. Unfortunately, although these two Armors had appeared in the same seasonal Arena, they missed the chance to confront each other, so no one could tell which Armor was stronger.


    But now, the duel between Rocky and Bernardo had thoroughly resolved this question; fact had proven that the White Demon was indeed the superior one!


    Once this news was spread, it caused trouble!


    Though discerning people could see that, since Rocky¡¯s opponent was Bernardo, a single duel could not prove that the Holy Angel Armor was inferior to the White Demon Armor, the world mostly consisted of people who only cared about results. Therefore, this event immediately impacted people¡¯s appraisal of the Holy Angel Armor, severely affecting Sigma Corporation.


    This really worried Sigma Corporation; they had just begun enjoying some good days with the launch of the Holy Angel Armor when unexpectedly, they encountered this incident. Under pressure, Sigma Corporation immediately held a press conference for clarification.


    At the press conference, representing the company was none other than the creator of the Holy Angel Armor and the future Sect Leader of Sigma Corporation, Denise.


    Denise first praised White Demon and Rocky highly, particularly Rocky, she even bluntly stated that had Rocky continued to participate in the Arena battles, she might not have been his match even without the White Demon Armor. The implication was clear: the loss of the Holy Angel Armor to the White Demon was not because the Armor was lacking but because its user was.


    Of course, Denise knew that mere words would not satisfy everyone. Thus, she not only reiterated that the benchmarks and metrics for the Holy Angel Armor were absolutely accurate without any exaggeration, but she also presented a Magic Energy Image at the end.


    In this Magic Energy Image, Denise herself, wearing the Holy Angel Armor, had defeated a Lava Demon!


    The Lava Demon, one of the high-level demons, is also listed as one of the most dangerous high-level demons today, second only to the Magic Dragon!


    As soon as this Magic Energy Image was released, the press conference was immediately buzzing with shock because everyone knew how terrifying the Lava Demon was. This type of demon was essentially an indestructible monster, its entire body composed of scorching lava, with an outer layer of molten magma flowing at thousands of degrees in temperature. A mere flick of its hand could scatter a swath of scorching magma, and any Armor that merely touched it would be punctured with holes.


    Yet, this terrifying demon was brutally beaten in the Magic Energy Image by Denise, who was dressed in Holy Angel Armor. This alone proved the robustness of the Holy Angel Armor.


    Not until the conference had ended did the Sigma Corporation finally manage to turn the tide of public opinion, but even so, the reputation of the White Demon had already reached a level equivalent to that of the Holy Angel.


    On the other hand, Athena¡¯s move to Thunderhawk City also caused quite a stir, though this sensation was limited to the various City Lords and Alliance Hierarchs, as ordinary people had no idea who Athena was.


    And among them, the most shocked were undoubtedly Alas, the City Lord of Glory City, and Aniye, Athena¡¯s close friend.


    Unlike others who learned of this incident through rumors, Alas and Aniye had known immediately after Rocky left the Mairente Family, with Aniye knowing even earlier. She had found out on the very night that Mar was killed because the letter written by Athena was handed to her that night.


    Upon receiving Athena¡¯s letter, Aniye initially did not know what Athena intended to do, but upon opening the envelope and reading the content, she finally understood.


    ¡°Dear Aniye,¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s as if seeing your face as I read your words.¡±


    ¡°I have decided to leave Glory City. Please do not blame my lack of prior notice; I do not wish for Alas to learn of this matter.¡±


    ¡°I have long been aware of your affair with Alas, but it does not affect our friendship. I am always grateful for your companionship over the years, but there are some things I must say¡ªplease don¡¯t be upset.¡±


    ¡°Alas is cruel and petty, and he will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Do not stay by his side for too long. While I was there, he didn¡¯t dare to treat you badly; once I leave, remember not to seek him out.¡±


    ¡°After my departure, please cut all ties with Alas. Should I remain alive, he will not dare to vent his anger on you. When the time is right, I will send someone to take you out of the city. You just stay safe in Glory City.¡±


    ¡°It is a reluctance to resort to this measure; forgive me.¡±


    ¡°Remember, do not contact Alas in any way, and do not show him this letter.¡±


    ¡°Remember!¡±


    Athena¡¯s letter to Aniye was brief, essentially conveying two messages: one telling Aniye she was going to leave, and the other instructing Aniye on how to protect herself after her departure. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For Athena, Aniye and Alas¡¯s affair could hardly escape her notice, which was why she did not take Aniye with her, knowing that telling Aniye would equate to informing Alas. Nevertheless, she still offered Aniye a way to protect herself and promised to come back to take her away later.


    However, after reading the letter, Aniye was dumbfounded. Unlike Athena, who was extremely intelligent or cunning, even though she was always by Athena¡¯s side, she had absolutely no inkling of Athena¡¯s departure, nor was she prepared for it. Of course, this was not Aniye¡¯s fault because even Alas had no idea that Athena would leave so suddenly.


    Perhaps it was truly a lack of cunning, or perhaps she was truly captivated by Alas, but after finishing Athena¡¯s letter and coming to her senses, Aniye immediately ran out of her house and headed straight for the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, completely forgetting Athena¡¯s admonitions in the letter.


    Clearly, in Aniye¡¯s heart, she trusted Alas more than Athena.

 Chapter 543 - 543 506 This Is Not Appropriate

    ?Chapter 543: Chapter 506 This Is Not Appropriate Chapter 543: Chapter 506 This Is Not Appropriate The turbulence in the outside world had little to do with Rocky; it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t care about the changes, but rather he was less concerned about his own affairs.


    Thus, after leaving the Mairente Family, he quickly led his team back to Backhill Village and began a series of handovers with the Sky Alliance.


    Having recovered so much compensation from the Mairente Family, it was natural to hand these over to the Sky Alliance upon his return. Needless to say, Aileen took care of all these matters.


    Upon receiving this task, Aileen promptly handed over a well-organized list to Bodin and others, but what she handed over were two lists; one list¡¯s contents completely matched the compensation they had received, but the other list¡¯s contents were roughly the same as the initial demands set by the Mairente Family. Particularly in terms of goods, there were some discrepancies between the contents of the list and the actual compensation received. As for which list Bodin and his group handed over to the Alliance, that was their concern, as Rocky had done all he could on his part. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this, the task assigned to Rocky by the Alliance was considered satisfactorily completed, and soon after, Bodin and the others bid him farewell and returned to Nut God City Airspace.


    After their departure, Rocky once again became busy.


    This trip to the Mairente Family had brought him an immensely huge gain, namely Mairente City.


    Mairente City, a medium-sized Sky City with a population of over thirty thousand!


    With this city, Rocky¡¯s status was immediately transformed; though still a City Lord, he was now the lord of a medium-sized Sky City.


    What did this equate to?


    Remember Karlo, the lord of Wild Horse City? He was the lord of a medium-sized Sky City, and now Rocky was at the same level as him. No, Rocky¡¯s status was even higher now because Karlo only had Wild Horse City whereas Rocky not only owned Mairente City but also Thunderhawk City; he ruled over two Sky Cities!


    By this account, Rocky was truly a farmer who had turned his fortunes around. Just a month ago, he was merely the lord of a small town, but now he owned both Thunderhawk City and Mairente City, not only placing him among the ranks of medium-sized city lords but elevating him even higher than them. After all, he also had Thunderhawk City!


    In this situation, Rocky naturally had more matters to attend to. He had more responsibilities to manage and deal with than before, and what he urgently needed to address was how to handle Mairente City.


    Though Mairente City was now under Rocky¡¯s ownership, he perceived this ownership as merely legal. The city¡¯s people, from officials to common citizens, did not feel a sense of allegiance towards him, a fact that was apparent during the previous duel. The citizens of Mairente City certainly did not regard Rocky as their City Lord.


    This was an utterly pressing matter for Rocky, and he needed to handle it swiftly.


    Therefore, upon returning to Backhill Village, he immediately dispatched people to compile a series of statistics, thoroughly documenting everything that could be accounted for in Mairente City. Once he obtained this information, he convened a meeting at the first opportunity to discuss how to handle the situation.


    In the City Lord¡¯s Hall of Thunderhawk City, not only did everyone gather, but there was also an additional person¡ªAthena.


    Upon returning to Backhill Village, Rocky made his way back to Thunderhawk City much as Athena had predicted. Athena naturally came to Thunderhawk City as well, but unlike her time in Glory City, upon arriving in Thunderhawk City, she made a request to Rocky, hoping he would provide her with a position.


    This request quite startled Rocky; he had never thought that Athena would want to serve him.


    However, since Athena had already stated her thoughts, and Rocky, unable to decipher her motives, agreed, the group gathered in the City Lord¡¯s Hall now included Liliya to Rocky¡¯s left and an additional person to his right, Athena, in the role of Rocky¡¯s staff officer.


    Seated on the City Lord¡¯s Throne in the hall, Rocky was looking down, nodding continually as he reviewed the freshly prepared statistics.


    A medium-sized Sky City is truly extraordinary!


    According to the statistics, the population of Mairente City had reached around thirty-five thousand, not only meeting but far surpassing the standard of a medium-sized Sky City.


    Beyond the population, the city boasted one hundred twenty-eight industrial sites, encompassing manufacturing, retail, trade, and even the financial sector. Though the city was only of medium size, its foundation in labor force, productivity, and industrial capacity was very strong.


    Frankly speaking, even if Rocky dedicated himself to development, Thunderhawk City would take years to reach a comparable level, and even longer to achieve the same scale.


    After reviewing the data, Rocky looked around and asked,


    ¡°Everyone, how do you think we should handle Carltos City?¡±


    Mairente City was originally named Carltos City; it was renamed after being deceitfully taken by the family, and now that the city had returned to Rocky¡¯s control, his first decision was to change the city¡¯s name back to Carltos City, signifying complete ownership.


    ¡°Lord, I think you should personally take charge,¡±


    After Rocky posed this question, Old Jack stepped forward and said, ¡°Lord, now that Carltos City has just returned, the city is unsettled, and your presence is necessary to stabilize the citizens¡¯ minds.¡±


    After Old Jack finished speaking, Aileen and Monte among others could not help but nod in agreement.


    The people of Carltos City were indeed anxious, as their allegiance had changed; they were now under Rocky¡¯s jurisdiction. What was Rocky like? What were his governance policies? How would he treat them? These were the worries of the city¡¯s citizens.


    Moreover, it was clear to anyone that Rocky¡¯s strength was not match for the Mairente family. Hence, under his rule, the people of Carltos City couldn¡¯t help but worry, a concern that if not addressed promptly, might become a potential threat in the future.


    Such a Sky City, with excellent fundamentals, was crucial for Rocky¡¯s development. Thus, it could not afford any mishaps, and the only way to prevent these mishaps was for Rocky to take upon himself to address them.


    Only if Rocky personally took charge of Carltos City and implemented a series of policies could the people¡¯s minds be calmed, and only then could the city return to its past operation.


    Additionally, in every respect, Carltos City was much stronger than Thunderhawk City, and such a Sky City was more suitable to become the center of Rocky¡¯s development. Therefore, taking all these into account, Old Jack made such a proposal.


    But as he finished making his proposal, and the others expressed their agreement, Athena on Rocky¡¯s right spoke up.


    Standing slightly by Rocky¡¯s side and bowing slightly, Athena slowly said, ¡°Lord, I think this is unwise.¡±

 Chapter 544 - 544 507 The City Lords Thoughts

    ?Chapter 544: Chapter 507: The City Lord¡¯s Thoughts Chapter 544: Chapter 507: The City Lord¡¯s Thoughts When Old Jack had finished sharing his thoughts, and others had also expressed their agreement, Athena by Rocky¡¯s side spoke up.


    ¡°My lord, I believe there is a problem with this matter.¡±


    Although Athena had now become Rocky¡¯s staff officer and theoretically his subordinate, her behavior remained as it always was. When she spoke, she merely nodded slightly towards Rocky as a form of salutation. Rocky did not mind this, but others frowned.


    Rocky knew the details about Athena, but aside from Liliya, no one else present really understood her. They had heard from Liliya that Athena was formidable, but that was the extent of their knowledge. Particularly now, her intention to oppose Old Jack¡¯s proposal only added to their dissatisfaction.


    Why would Athena want to object when everything Old Jack said was exactly what they were all thinking and they saw no issues with it?


    Was she trying to show off?


    Since they did not know Athena or her capabilities, at that moment, people inevitably formed the impression that she was trying to steal the limelight.


    However, Rocky¡¯s reaction was the opposite. He was very interested in hearing Athena¡¯s opinion, so he looked over at her.


    Seeing that Rocky was looking at her, Athena continued, ¡°My lord, I believe that it would suffice to appoint a Governor to Carltos City. Our development focus should still remain on Thunderhawk City.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    At this, Rocky smiled, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because there is absolutely no need.¡±


    With a slight smile, Athena turned to Old Jack and the others and said slowly, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, two years ago the Mairente Family deceitfully took Carltos City from our lord. But in just two short years, the residents of this city have willingly accepted their identity as part of the family. Why is that so?¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Is it because the Clan Leader of the Mairente Family personally took charge? As far as I know, the former Clan Leader Atted never managed Carltos City, and the current Clan Leader Lexington has not done so either.¡±


    ¡°I believe the real reason lies in trust.¡±


    ¡°The residents of Carltos City trust the Mairente Family, believing the family to be strong enough to provide them with a safe and prosperous life under this sky. That is why they are willing to become part of the family, and it has nothing to do with who actually sits in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    After Athena spoke these words, Old Jack and the others were left frowning in silence, as they had to admit that her words made sense.


    The people of Carltos City were indeed feeling anxious, and the root of this fear was indeed trust. The city¡¯s residents did not trust Rocky; they didn¡¯t believe he could offer them a better life than the Mairente Family could provide, so they were averse to him. It was just that this aversion was suppressed due to Rocky¡¯s performance in the duel, not daring to erupt.


    And judging by Athena¡¯s words, it seemed she wanted to address this issue from its root.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± she said next, ¡°I feel that there is no need for you to personally oversee everything. What we need to prioritize now is to soothe the people¡¯s hearts so that they are no longer in a panic. As long as we achieve this, in time, as you further develop and grow, their worries will naturally be resolved.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    After Athena had finished her speech, everyone frowned and looked at each other. Although not entirely in agreement, they couldn¡¯t find any major flaws in her argument. While everyone was exchanging glances, Rocky smiled.


    ¡°Very well, let¡¯s do as Athena suggests,¡± he said.


    Clearly, Rocky agreed more with Athena¡¯s method than with Old Jack¡¯s proposal, because only he could read between the lines of Athena¡¯s words.


    Old Jack¡¯s idea was sound. Indeed, in times of unease, it would be fitting for him, the City Lord, to take charge personally and push the city¡¯s development forward. By doing so, the people would grow to trust him and, over time, would willingly submit to his rule.


    There was, however, one small problem¡ªwhat exactly could Rocky, even if he went to Carltos City, achieve?


    Compared to Thunderhawk City, Carltos City was more than twice as large. Given the resources Rocky had at present, he simply wasn¡¯t capable of developing such a vast city! The relationship between Rocky and Carltos City was like that of a three-year-old child holding a great sword. Although the sword belonged to him, the child lacked the strength to swing it.


    Simply put, Rocky¡¯s power was insufficient to control Carltos City. Therefore, even if he went there in person, it wouldn¡¯t help matters.


    Old Jack and the others had obviously not thought of this, but Athena had. Thus, from the beginning, she clearly stated that Rocky¡¯s development focus should remain on Thunderhawk City. As for Carltos City, they should prioritize stability, ensuring the city does not cause any trouble under Rocky¡¯s ownership. That would be enough.


    Athena¡¯s line of thought pleased Rocky greatly. In fact, he had no intention of going to Carltos City himself, and Athena¡¯s opinion coincidentally matched his own. Naturally, he decided to follow her advice.


    And so, the meeting ended swiftly. After establishing preliminary guidelines, Rocky needed to ponder the specifics, so he dismissed everyone.


    However, when everyone had left, Liliya did not leave with Rocky as usual. Instead, she walked out with Athena.


    ¡°Athena, you¡¯re advising against Rocky¡¯s visit to Carltos City because you¡¯ve noticed his lack of interest in that place, haven¡¯t you?¡± asked Liliya directly, as they walked out of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion together.


    ¡°You noticed?¡±


    Athena looked at her, her eyes revealing some surprise. She had not expected Liliya to pick up on this as well.


    Athena might have somewhat underestimated Liliya. Liliya might not be comparable to Athena in other matters, but when it came to Rocky, Liliya could see everything that Athena could.


    Liliya had long sensed that Rocky seemed not very interested in Carltos City. This was apparent when he immediately returned to Thunderhawk City upon reaching Backhill Village. However, she did not understand why. Carltos City was better than Thunderhawk City and had more potential for development; why wasn¡¯t he interested?


    That¡¯s why she had come to ask Athena.


    Athena didn¡¯t conceal the truth from her. As they walked together towards the outer part of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Athena smiled and said,


    ¡°Because Rocky simply doesn¡¯t trust this city.¡±

 Chapter 545 - 545 508 Governor

    ?Chapter 545: Chapter 508 Governor Chapter 545: Chapter 508 Governor ¡°Because Rocky simply doesn¡¯t trust this city,¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Liliya furrowed her brows and turned to look at Athena.


    ¡°Why? This is his city.¡±


    Truth be told, Athena¡¯s words puzzled Liliya. Carltos City was Rocky¡¯s city, in the past and now. How could he possibly not trust his own city?


    ¡°This is indeed his city, but this city has betrayed him.¡±


    Turning her head as well, Athena gave the answer, ¡°Two years ago, the city was deceived, but do you remember the scene of that duel? Just two years have passed, and the people in the city have already forgotten Rocky. They consider themselves part of the Mairente Family and are unwilling to leave the family.¡±


    ¡°The reason for this outcome is not important, the outcome itself is what matters. And how do you think Rocky views this city?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    This question left Liliya slightly opening her mouth, but no answer came out.


    ¡°In Rocky¡¯s eyes, every single person in Carltos City has betrayed him at one time; these people are extremely dangerous. He would not be willing to stay in Carltos City for an extra minute, so we absolutely must not let him go there, otherwise¡­¡±


    ¡°Otherwise what?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise¡­ Carltos City will run with blood.¡±


    ¡°Impossible, Rocky wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Liliya.¡± When Liliya tried to speak, Athena suddenly interrupted her, then looked at her, ¡°You must remember, at the end of the day, Rocky is the City Lord.¡±


    After saying these words, Athena nodded to Liliya, then strode out of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion¡¯s gates.


    Watching her leave, Liliya took a while to recover, but the conversation between the two kept echoing in her mind. Eventually, she sighed helplessly and turned to go back.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    A series of measures for Carltos City were officially introduced a few days later.


    As Athena had said, Rocky did not go there himself, but instead appointed a new Governor to manage the city. However, the appointed Governor was rather surprising.


    Voss.


    The new Governor of Carltos City was none other than Voss.


    Upon hearing this name, many may have forgotten it, even some who had joined under Rocky¡¯s command later, such as Lin Feng, had no idea who this person was. But this man was an old acquaintance of Rocky¡¯s. He was not only the former finance officer of Thunderhawk City but also Aileen¡¯s grandfather!


    Rocky appointing Voss as the administrative officer of Carltos City was an unexpected move for many, but upon reflection, it also made perfect sense.


    As the previous finance officer of Thunderhawk City, Voss could be described as cunning and astute. Rocky¡¯s quick control over Thunderhawk City was in part due to Voss¡¯s support, which is why the former officials of Thunderhawk City were all purged, except for Voss. He not only escaped any consequences but also had his position taken over by his granddaughter, and Aileen fulfilled the expectations by becoming one of Rocky¡¯s most important confidantes and right-hand person.


    This was another reason for Rocky¡¯s appointment of Voss, which was trust.


    Because of the relationship with Aileen, Rocky had considerable trust in Voss. Given Voss¡¯s capabilities, appointing him as the Governor of Carltos City was not such an inconceivable decision. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Along with the appointment of Voss as Governor, Rocky also transferred half of the Guard Corps from Thunderhawk City and the Second Fleet to Carltos City to maintain public order.


    As mentioned before, when the families handed over Carltos City to Rocky, they surrendered everything about the city, but this did not include the military and the Fleet, which were property of the families. Moreover, even if the families had been willing to hand over these military forces, Rocky would have been even less willing to accept them. This left Carltos City essentially unarmed, hence the decision to temporarily deploy troops from Thunderhawk City to maintain order.


    Undeniably, Athena¡¯s insights into Rocky¡¯s thoughts were spot on; he indeed did not trust the city. Without delving into details, Rocky sending the Second Fleet to Carltos City was proof enough of his lack of trust.


    Thunderhawk City had a total of three Fleets; the First and Second Fleets were the main forces, whereas the Third Fleet was more of a reserve force. Normally, even if there were concerns about disorder in the city, sending the Third Fleet would have been sufficient, but Rocky dispatched the main force, the Second Fleet, to Carltos City. With the Second Fleet¡¯s firepower, should anything truly amiss arise in Carltos City, this Fleet could level the entire district!


    Of course, as a large Sky City with a population of over thirty thousand, Carltos City could not be permanently garrisoned by troops from Thunderhawk City; it was just a temporary arrangement. In reality, Rocky had already started expanding his forces, but the recruitment wasn¡¯t taking place in Carltos City, but rather in Thunderhawk City.


    Fortunately, the population of Thunderhawk City had reached three thousand, and once Berg delivered another two thousand people, the population would hit five thousand, allowing for the expansion of the Guard Corps without much issue.


    Once all arrangements were in place, Voss formally proceeded to his appointment in Carltos City.


    Before departing, Voss had specifically sought instructions from Rocky, asking what he hoped for him to do upon arriving in Carltos City. How experienced was Voss? Like Athena, he was well aware of Rocky¡¯s disposition towards Carltos City, so some things had to be clarified.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone cause trouble, by any means necessary.¡±


    That was the sole statement Rocky made to Voss.


    The words spoken from Rocky¡¯s mouth were taken by Voss as a command, so upon arriving in Carltos City, he immediately took a series of actions.


    The first thing he did was reduce taxes.


    As a former finance officer, Voss was acutely aware of the importance of the economy and how taxing a city¡¯s populace could become a heavy burden for the common people.


    As a mid-sized Sky City with a population of over thirty thousand, Carltos City had a considerable level of taxation, at least several magnitudes greater than Thunderhawk City, with over a million Gold Coins in tax revenue each quarter. Therefore, Voss¡¯s first directive upon taking office was to reduce taxes.


    Because a reduction in tax revenue could significantly shrink the city¡¯s income, by the same token, the people¡¯s burden would be lessened, and as their burden lightened, so would their grievances towards the rulers decrease¡ªa very clear rationale.


    The second action Voss took after taking office was to purge¡ªand it was a massive purge!

 Chapter 546 - 546 509 Industrial Upgrading

    ?Chapter 546: Chapter 509: Industrial Upgrading Chapter 546: Chapter 509: Industrial Upgrading One of the first things Voss did after taking office was to reduce taxes, and this policy immediately saw success.


    When he was with the Mairente Family, the taxes on the townspeople were quite high because, although the Mairente Family was powerful, their strength was sustained by money. Where did this money come from? Naturally, it was borne by the Sky Cities under their rule.


    In comparison, Rocky¡¯s reliance on this was much less. Although the population and industry within Carltos City could indeed provide a large income, if he treated the city as nothing more than a juice extractor, merely squeezing Gold Coins out of it, that would clearly be a terrible move¡ªone that Rocky was surely not going to make.


    On the contrary, when Voss brought the tax reduction proposal to him, he immediately agreed, because as he had said before, what Carltos City needed now was stability; other matters could be discussed later.


    As the tax reduction proposal was passed and released, it immediately produced a noticeable effect. The townspeople quickly responded positively to the move, which also alleviated much of their concerns about Rocky.


    After this, Voss began the second measure of his tenure, which was a purge¡ªand a large-scale purge at that!


    The previous tax cut was aimed at all the residents in the city; the upcoming purge was aimed at all the officials in the city.


    When the Mairente Family was managing the city, many important positions were firmly controlled by the family. The officials in these positions either had deep ties with the family, or were directly appointed by the family. It was a classic example of family-style management.


    Even though the family had withdrawn all its own members from the city when handing it over to Rocky, among the people left behind, especially the many officials, there were still many who had intricate ties with the family.


    If these people were not cleared out, it would undoubtedly be an unstable element for Carltos City. Therefore, the second action Voss took after taking office was to completely purge these remnants of the family¡¯s influence.


    Doing so would not only clean up the city¡¯s administration but also win people¡¯s hearts, because anyone could see that given these officials¡¯ various relationships with the family, could they really be impeccably honest?


    And considering these officials¡¯ deep connections with the Mairente Family, they viewed themselves as above the common people. In such circumstances, wouldn¡¯t the townspeople have some grievances against these people?


    The answer is, of course, they would. Therefore, Voss¡¯s action of purging these people was not only good for the city itself but also won the hearts of the people, further stabilizing the emotions of the populace.


    It must be said that Voss was quite skillful and savvy in politics. The two actions he took after taking office were both tough and gentle; he addressed Carltos City¡¯s issues with precision, clearly revealing the savvy of an old hand in politics.


    Of course, although his measures were correct, significant results would take time to manifest, but that was alright. Rocky had time; his current guideline was to prioritize stability in Carltos City, while the focus of development was still on Thunderhawk City. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Given the resources Rocky had at his disposal, he could only develop Thunderhawk City.


    Also, Thunderhawk City was now not far from becoming a medium-sized Sky City¡ªthat was the crucial point!


    Not long after Rocky returned to Backhill Village from the Mairente Family, Berg sent news that the task Rocky had entrusted to him had been completed, and two thousand residents were on their way, expected to arrive in half a month.


    Upon hearing this news, Rocky immediately got busy, because that was more than two thousand people!


    Ever since Rocky had acquired Thunderhawk City, although it had been developing constantly, it had not undergone any expansion. Without any expansion, the city could at most accommodate five thousand residents. That meant that with the arrival of two thousand people, Thunderhawk City might not need to expand, but it would be at full capacity.


    Even so, Rocky still needed to prepare. It would be no problem for the city district to accommodate an additional two thousand people, but the dwellings available for these two thousand were empty and not fit for immediate habitation; they required at least some basic daily necessities before they could be lived in. Naturally, this arrangement was something Thunderhawk City had to make because the two thousand returning people, penniless as they were, could not handle such matters.


    At the same time, let¡¯s not forget that the challenge Rocky must face was how to employ these two thousand returning individuals. Suddenly adding two thousand individuals meant two thousand mouths to feed. If these people sat idle in the city just eating, wouldn¡¯t they literally eat Rocky out of house and home? It was essential to get them working, so they could sustain themselves and contribute to the development of Thunderhawk City¡ªthat was the true value of population.


    Yet to solve this issue was no small feat.


    Throughout the year, while Rocky had led Thunderhawk City in battles from south to north, the city¡¯s own development had not been neglected. In fact, construction in Thunderhawk City proceeded methodically during this period.


    The population of Thunderhawk City was now three thousand, and these three thousand had essentially found their employment in the city, which had successively constructed three leather manufacturing factories and three textile factories, among others. Not only were the livelihoods of the residents assured, but the city¡¯s own industries had also developed significantly.


    However, to suddenly add two thousand more on this basis presented a significant issue, as there were basically no vacancies left in current Thunderhawk City.


    Backhill Village?


    This seemed like a good solution. The mines in Backhill Village definitely needed to be continuously developed and also had to expand their scale, requiring manpower. But even so, it would not be possible to absorb two thousand people all at once unless Backhill Village developed to such an extent that it might need so many people.


    Therefore, to tackle this issue, Rocky gathered his people for a long discussion and finally made a decision: it was time to upgrade Thunderhawk City¡¯s industries!


    The main industries in Thunderhawk City comprised two types: leather manufacturing and traditional textile manufacturing. Leather manufacturing was a new industry primarily pushed by Rocky after becoming City Lord, leading to the establishment of three factories within the city. As for the textile industry, it was Thunderhawk City¡¯s traditional one which, with the city¡¯s development, had also seen the construction of factories, making this traditional industry even more formalized.


    Now, to provide employment for the soon-to-arrive two thousand people and for the future long-term development of the city, to possess the qualifications of becoming a medium-sized Sky City, Rocky decided it was time to upgrade the industries of Thunderhawk City!

 Chapter 547 - 547 510 Clash of Thoughts

    ?Chapter 547: Chapter 510: Clash of Thoughts Chapter 547: Chapter 510: Clash of Thoughts ¡°Rocky, are you sure you want to do this?¡±


    In the Rune Research Institute next to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Rocky and Orton were sitting together, discussing the matter of industry upgrading.


    One might wonder, what does the industry upgrade of Thunderhawk City have to do with Orton and his colleagues?


    It is indeed related because this time Rocky had come up with two plans to expand the business of Thunderhawk City, one of which involved Orton and the others.


    He planned to set up an Armor manufacturing plant within Thunderhawk City.


    Actually, this idea was not originally his, but it was proposed by the Apple Tree Corporation.


    When Aniye and others first announced to the world that they were developing new technology, many people approached Rocky, including giants in the Armor manufacturing field such as Sigma Corporation and Uranus Corporation, as well as top-tier Chambers of Commerce like the Continental Commerce Chamber and Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce, among which was the Apple Tree Corporation.


    But their intention in approaching Rocky at that time wasn¡¯t to dabble in Mana Runes; instead, they hoped to collaborate with him in the vast field of Armor manufacturing.


    As a powerhouse in warship manufacturing, the Apple Tree Corporation was indeed a top-tier giant that integrated R&D, manufacturing, and sales, but they were not satisfied with reigning supreme only in warship manufacturing; they constantly sought to expand their business, dipping into various retail trades and even aiming to establish a foothold in Armor manufacturing, rapidly building several factories in Eternal City.


    Unfortunately, as the saying goes, it¡¯s easier said than done. Although the Apple Tree Corporation had plenty of money and the factories were built swiftly, Armor and warships might seem similar, yet they are vastly different, leading to their inability to produce any Armor in the end and a complete lack of R&D capability in Armor, which caused the nearly ten million Gold Coins invested to be wasted. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just when the Apple Tree Corporation was in utter despair, Rocky¡¯s emergence gave them a glimmer of hope.


    Why couldn¡¯t the Apple Tree Corporation establish a foothold in Armor manufacturing? Surely not because of a lack of money. As the tycoon of warship manufacturing, money was not an issue for them; the real reason was their lack of relevant R&D capability. It should be known that Armor isn¡¯t something that can be produced simply by opening a factory; every suit of Armor on the market today is the result of countless investments and painstaking research by various companies, which wouldn¡¯t easily allow others to manufacture it.


    It was precisely because of the lack of R&D capability that, even though the Apple Tree Corporation had built the factories, they couldn¡¯t produce Armor. However, Rocky had that capability!


    Not only did Rocky have the capability for R&D, but the Armor he was developing was also the most cutting-edge at the time, so they immediately approached Rocky hoping to collaborate with him, and thus thoroughly break into the Armor manufacturing industry.


    Rocky was naturally interested in this matter, but he did not agree at the time because Orton and the others hadn¡¯t thoroughly researched Mana Runes at that time, which obviously couldn¡¯t be mass-produced on a large scale. Furthermore, at that time, Rocky was being pursued by Wild Horse City and didn¡¯t have the mind to think about these things, so the matter was shelved.


    But now, he felt it was time to delve into this area.


    If he could set up an Armor manufacturing plant in Thunderhawk City, wouldn¡¯t the newly added population have something to do? At the same time, Thunderhawk City¡¯s income would further increase, and it would be a substantial increase, since the profit from selling a suit of Armor was much greater than selling a piece of leather or a ball of yarn.


    However, before doing so, he had to seek the opinion of Orton and others.


    Regarding the establishment of the factory, Rocky could directly approach the Apple Tree Corporation, and he believed they would not refuse, but once the factory was built, what to produce would depend on Orton and the others¡¯ help. Rocky needed them to help design new Armor so that the factory could have a real product.


    ¡°Rocky, do you plan to announce the Mana Runes to the public now?¡±


    When Rocky finished expressing his thoughts, Aniye slightly furrowed his brow.


    If he wanted to build his own factory to manufacture Armor, this undoubtedly meant that he was planning to reveal the existence of Runes to the world, which somewhat surprised and unprepared Aniye, as Rocky had not hinted at this to them before.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean.¡±


    However, after Aniye finished speaking, Rocky directly shook his head: ¡°Master, before you think it¡¯s acceptable, I do not plan to reveal the Runes to the public now.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Aniye and the others were stunned. If Rocky was not planning to announce the Runes now, what could he possibly manufacture after building the factory? Could it be just ordinary Armor?


    But Aniye and his team were currently focusing on Runes and definitely did not have time to help him design ordinary Armor.


    ¡°Master, this is what I¡¯m thinking: I want to build the factory first and then manufacture¡­ the Armor I designed.¡±


    ¡°The Armor you designed? You mean¡­ like the Tank Armor?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, that kind of Armor!¡±


    After glancing at Hammerfire, Rocky immediately nodded.


    He indeed did not plan to reveal the Runes yet, so even though he intended to build the factory, he did not plan to manufacture Rune Armor; he planned to have the factory produce the Armor he designed!


    Ever since he had designed the Tank-type Armor and successfully sold it to the Alliance, Rocky had an idea: what would happen if he combined everything in his mind with everything that this world possessed?


    He felt that this fusion and collision would surely be revolutionary. If it really took shape, the resulting upheaval could even rival the impact of Mana Runes on this world!


    This was not Rocky fantasizing; it was a conclusion he reached after witnessing the success of the Tank-type Armor, because it was a product born of the combination of knowledge from before his transmigration and the knowledge of this world, and more importantly, the results clearly showed success.


    So what if he expanded this combination further? If he merged his ideas with everything this world possessed even more closely, what kind of sparks would it produce?


    Rocky felt this idea was worth trying. Of course, with his current capabilities, he still couldn¡¯t complete this task alone, which is why he needed a few masters to help, and this was precisely why he came to seek their opinions.


    ¡°In that case¡­¡±


    As Rocky explained his plans, Aniye and the others looked at each other and then fell into deep thought.

 Chapter 548 - 548 511 Demon Skin

    ?Chapter 548: Chapter 511: Demon Skin Chapter 548: Chapter 511: Demon Skin When Rocky finished sharing his ideas, Aniye and the others exchanged glances and then furrowed their brows, deep in thought. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, that¡¯s for sure,¡±


    This time, Hammerfire was the first to speak, as designing and producing armor was his area of expertise.


    ¡°Rocky, are you sure you can design another new armor?¡±


    After thinking for a while, Hammerfire raised the question.


    From Hammerfire¡¯s perspective, while the design of the Tank Type 1 Armor was indeed good and the ideas innovative, he was genuinely concerned whether Rocky could continue to design such novel and practical armor. If he couldn¡¯t, then setting up the factory would be a waste.


    ¡°Master, I believe I can,¡±


    However, facing Hammerfire¡¯s concerns, Rocky confidently nodded, for his previous experience had opened up a new path of thinking, and he believed that by following this path, he would definitely design more and more innovative armors unlike the conventional ones in this world.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case¡­ then we obviously support your idea, and I will assist you when the time comes,¡±


    Seeing Rocky so confident, Hammerfire, Aniye, and the others looked at each other and then nodded in agreement, supporting his decision unanimously.


    With the support of Aniye and the others, Rocky immediately had Aileen contact the Apple Tree Corporation. As he expected, as soon as the Apple Tree Corporation learned of Rocky¡¯s intention to collaborate on manufacturing armor, they agreed immediately and decided to send representatives for detailed discussions.


    Having settled this matter, a huge weight was lifted from Rocky¡¯s mind. If this venture succeeded, it would secure the livelihood of the newly settled population, and if the armor sold well, it would not only resolve the employment issues of the new residents but would also significantly increase the income of Thunderhawk City, naturally a cause for Rocky¡¯s happiness.


    Of course, this was only the first step, for this time he not only planned to introduce new industries to Thunderhawk City but also aimed to upgrade the existing industries.


    The so-called upgrade didn¡¯t just mean scale, but also content.


    After a long period of development, Thunderhawk City had already established three leather factories and three textile factories. If Rocky wanted to further expand, he could certainly do so, but he had to consider a problem¡ªthat although he could increase the size, what about the market?


    Scale and marketability don¡¯t equate directly. It is not true that the larger the factory¡¯s size and output, the broader the market. Thus, if he couldn¡¯t balance production and sales and rashly expanded the industrial scale, not only would it not improve industrial development, but it would also add various burdens.


    This was exactly what Rocky had in mind for the industrial upgrade.


    The leather and textile products currently produced by Thunderhawk City were basic and lacked both a quality and a price advantage compared to similar products in the market. They were still sellable mainly due to the good relationship with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce and because of the large market demand for leather and textiles; that was all.


    Thus, it was difficult for these two industries to expand their scale unless they changed the current nondescript state allowing continued development in Thunderhawk City.


    For this, Rocky had long had his own ideas.


    So after Aileen finished contacting the Apple Tree Corporation, Rocky summoned the technicians from the leather factories to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    When he had established the first leather factory, he had hired several technicians from the Technician Guild, partly to train the residents in professional skills and partly to help manage the factory. As more factories were built in Thunderhawk City, the number of technicians increased, and a group of capable individuals had also emerged among the residents of the city. This time, Rocky called all these people to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    As there were quite a few people, Rocky arranged for them to gather in the mansion¡¯s back garden, where he then asked Aileen to bring out several pieces of Demon Skin from the treasury.


    ¡°Everyone, take a look, what kind of skin is this?¡±


    Rocky placed the Demon Skin Aileen had brought on a table and called the technicians over to gather around it.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    The technicians fostered by the local residents of Thunderhawk City took a look and shook their heads, as they had only recently completed their training and had too little exposure to recognize what kind of skin it was.


    However, the technicians hired from the Technician Guild recognized it immediately, and the oldest of them said to Rocky, ¡°City Lord, this should be Mole Demon Skin.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Rocky nodded. Although he had forgotten exactly where this piece of Demon Skin had come from, it was indeed Mole Demon Skin.


    He then asked, ¡°Gentlemen, what do you think this Demon Skin can be used for?¡±


    ¡°Used for what?¡±


    Hearing this, the technicians from the Technician Guild looked at each other, puzzled. They had been wondering all along why Rocky had summoned them, and now it appeared he might want them to make something.


    So the elderly man continued, ¡°City Lord, Mole Demon Skin can be used for many things, but it is best suited for making soft armor because the skin is very light yet has excellent defensive capabilities. Directly using it to make soft armor is most appropriate, of course, it can also be used as lining for plate armor or other armors, which would enhance the armor¡¯s defensive power another level.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± After looking at Rocky, the old man thought for a moment and then said, ¡°City Lord, if Demon Skin is used to make leather goods¡­ that is certainly possible too, and the quality would be ten times better than leather goods made from ordinary leather. After all, this is Demon Skin, and although the Mole Demon is one of the lowest tier demons, its skin is still far superior to that of ordinary animals. However, doing so would be somewhat wasteful.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    Looking at Rocky blinking, the old man was truly puzzled; he could see that Rocky intended to use this piece of Demon Skin for something but couldn¡¯t figure out what exactly.


    It was as if Rocky discerned the old man¡¯s thoughts, and he smiled and then asked, ¡°Could this skin be used to make bags?¡±


    ¡°Bags¡­? Sir, do you mean the backpacks used by warriors?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean the kind of bags used by women, the kind that look good but aren¡¯t particularly functional.¡±

 Chapter 549 - 549 512 Acting Recklessly

    ?Chapter 549: Chapter 512: Acting Recklessly Chapter 549: Chapter 512: Acting Recklessly ¡°City Lord, what did you say?¡±


    When Rocky had finished speaking, all the technicians present were stunned. Everyone looked at him with a baffled expression, unable to believe their ears.


    ¡°I mean, can we make ladies¡¯ handbags from Demon Skin, like cross-body bags, clutches, shoulder bags, and such?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ this¡­ my Lord, I don¡¯t understand what you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Was I not clear enough?¡±


    Glancing at the old technician in front of him, Rocky was somewhat puzzled, then looked baffled as he turned to look at everyone else, finally turning his head toward Liliya, Aileen, and Athena beside him, as well as Monte and Old Jack nearby, only to find that they too had bewildered expressions, even Athena.


    This only confused Rocky further, so he felt compelled to repeat his request, then said, ¡°What I mean is, can our manufacturing plant use Demon Skin to produce these ladies¡¯ handbags; do you understand now?¡±


    As he repeated his words, everyone¡¯s faces finally showed a dawning realization, as if they truly understood what he was saying for the first time, but immediately someone spoke up, ¡°City Lord, this idea of yours¡­ isn¡¯t it¡­ isn¡¯t it too extravagant?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly, I mean to ask whether our factory can manufacture these luxury goods.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky clapped his hands sharply, very pleased, and nodded, as if the old technician¡¯s words had reminded him of something.


    ¡°Rocky, what they mean is, isn¡¯t it too wasteful to use Demon Skin to make these pointless bags?¡±


    Realizing that Rocky was oblivious to the technician¡¯s reminder, Liliya felt compelled to whisper an explanation in his ear.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t understand what Rocky wanted to do; they grasped it the first time he expressed it. The reason everyone was dumbfounded was that they didn¡¯t comprehend why he would want to do such a ludicrous thing.


    That was Demon Skin after all!


    In this world, Demon Materials are among the most precious resources because demons are incredibly difficult to hunt. Despite the abundance of demons on land, killing one is never an easy task.


    Take, for example, the piece of Mole Demon Skin before them; the Mole Demon, being one of the weakest and lowest-tier among Normal Demons, still often required two to three well-equipped, trained warriors to kill. So this piece of Demon Skin could have cost the lives or tremendous efforts of soldiers; not to mention even more powerful and higher-tier demons, making Demon Materials extremely valuable. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In such circumstances, people never misuse or waste any Demon Materials; all are utilized wherever most needed, usually for military purposes, like in making Armor, weapons, or as materials for warships or Armor, and hardly ever for civilian use, let alone making handbags.


    It was exactly because of this deeply ingrained notion about Demon Materials that when Rocky uttered his idea, everyone was baffled ¨C including the experienced technician, the well-acquainted Liliya, and even the intelligent Athena. Everyone felt the same.


    Yet their bafflement only made Rocky more perplexed.


    He had already clearly explained what he wanted to do: he intended for Thunderhawk City¡¯s leather manufacturing plant to produce luxury goods to enhance the factory¡¯s competitive standing and viability within the industry.


    After all, Rocky had been in this world for quite some time, but he had identified a problem ¡ª this world hardly had any luxury goods.


    This puzzled him greatly; the world was hierarchically divided, with elites, nobles, and City Lords, whose status and positions significantly surpassed that of common folk. Being one of them and at the top of the hierarchy as a City Lord, he couldn¡¯t understand why people in this world didn¡¯t use luxury goods.


    That seemed utterly incredible to him, yet it also revealed an opportunity to him!


    As long as class and class consciousness existed in this world, the desire to distinguish oneself from others, even to demonstrate superiority in every aspect, would certainly exist, especially among the elite. Thus, Rocky believed luxury goods would definitely have a market.


    That¡¯s why he had been contemplating this idea continuously, which was also why he had thought of the leather industry when choosing emerging industries for Thunderhawk City, having planned this from the beginning.


    Now, with the manufacturing plant in Thunderhawk City being sufficiently scaled and experienced, he felt it was time to put this idea into practice.


    However, what he hadn¡¯t expected was the almost unanimous opposition he would face when he shared his idea!


    Starting with Old Jack, to Monte, and then Liliya and Aileen, along with all the technicians, everyone opposed his idea, and their reason was simple: Rocky¡¯s idea was too extravagant.


    He planned to make handbags, but he intended to use Demon Skin to make them, which everyone regarded as the epitome of wastefulness!


    How precious was Demon Skin?


    How could it be used to make women¡¯s handbags?!


    To everyone, only a madman would think of such an idea, and they immediately expressed their opposition, firmly disagreeing with Rocky¡¯s reckless behavior.


    However, facing everyone¡¯s opposition, Rocky chose to act alone, a rarity for him.


    He fully understood why everyone opposed him, but he knew even more clearly what luxury goods were.


    What are luxury goods?


    These are consumer products that go beyond the basic needs for survival and development, characterized by their uniqueness, scarcity, and preciousness. Note the words unique, scarce, and precious ¡ª these dictate the necessity of using Demon Skin as raw material; what would pig skin, cowhide, deer skin, or crocodile skin amount to in the face of Demon Skin? Only products made from Demon Skin could truly be called luxury goods!


    Thus, Rocky acted willfully, ignoring everyone¡¯s opposition. He immediately ordered all the technicians in Thunderhawk City to set aside their current tasks and focus solely on designing ladies¡¯ bags, a project he would personally supervise, allowing no one to raise any objections!

 Chapter 550 - 550 513 Luxury Goods

    ?Chapter 550: Chapter 513: Luxury Goods Chapter 550: Chapter 513: Luxury Goods Once Rocky, the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, became willful, no one could stop him. Thus, at his command, the technicians of Thunderhawk City had no choice but to take action, perfectly illustrating the old saying, ¡°When leaders speak, subordinates run their legs off.¡±


    Rocky ordered his technicians to set aside their current tasks and focus entirely on designing a handbag. This might sound simple, but it truly placed the technicians in a difficult situation.


    Although these individuals were professional technicians, each with exceptional design and craftsmanship skills, they had previously worked only on leather armor or leather goods. To design and create a handbag was indeed a great challenge for them.


    Fortunately, Rocky took this matter very seriously. He did not abandon the project after giving the order; instead, he joined the technicians in the design process after arranging his own affairs. He truly believed that if this industry could be developed, it would bring substantial profits to Thunderhawk City, which is no wonder he was so invested in it.


    However, after he started participating in the design personally, Rocky discovered the challenges faced by the technicians: they had no concept of what he was asking for.


    Rocky asked them to design a ladies¡¯ handbag made of demon skin, the sort often carried by women at balls or banquets, compact and exceptionally elegant, a typical luxury item that not only ordinary people couldn¡¯t afford but was rarely accessible even to the nobility.


    But this request was too difficult for the technicians because they simply had no idea what kind of bag Rocky wanted, and to resolve this issue, Rocky had to step in personally.


    On one hand, he shared his memories of the handbag with the technicians, and on the other hand, he directed Aileen to contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber then swept through the Eternal City, collecting all kinds of ladies¡¯ bags for him.


    Although, in Rocky¡¯s view, all the bags in this world were too ordinary¡ªeven some of the ¡®high-end¡¯ ones crafted for the nobility differed significantly in style, material, or even price from luxury items as he remembered them¡ªthese items could at least inspire the technicians and help them find design inspiration.


    Thus, with Rocky¡¯s explanations and real examples for reference, the technicians soon made progress, and a flurry of design proposals swiftly emerged.


    Once these design proposals were ready, Rocky tirelessly gathered all the women nearby, including Liliya, Aileen, Athena, Dusa, and others, asking them to choose the design they liked from these proposals.


    ¡°My lord, what is this?¡±


    Examining a design sketch over and over, Dusa looked at Rocky with a face full of question marks, puzzled.


    ¡°You¡¯re holding it backwards¡­¡±


    Seeing Dusa holding a design sketch upside down, Rocky helplessly corrected it for her, ¡°This is called a handbag. It¡¯s going to look beautiful once it¡¯s made. Carrying it to banquets and balls, Dusa, you¡¯ll definitely be the center of attention.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Blinking her big eyes, Dusa looked at the design sketch and shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t see what¡¯s so pretty about it¡­¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Nonsense, there must be something beautiful. Just keep looking.¡±


    Patting Dusa¡¯s head, Rocky then turned toward Liliya.


    ¡°So, do you like any?¡±


    Approaching Liliya, Rocky asked proudly, only to be met with a dismissive roll of her eyes.


    Up to now, Liliya still disagreed with his approach, always believing that rather than using precious demon skin for so-called luxury items, it would be more appropriate to use it for armor. Thus, when Rocky had already made up his mind, and others didn¡¯t dare speak up anymore, Liliya alone still stood against him, the only one in Thunderhawk City bold enough to confront Rocky directly.


    However, Rocky was not at all surprised by Liliya¡¯s reaction. He knew her too well. It would have been strange if Liliya had agreed immediately. Even though she objected, it didn¡¯t matter; as long as the job was eventually accomplished, Liliya would surely understand.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be contrary with me, you must choose a design you like, you must.¡±


    So, after giving Liliya a sly smile, Rocky stubbornly spoke and then walked towards Aileen.


    ¡°My Lord, about this handbag¡­ how much do you plan to pay for it?¡±


    Unlike Dusa¡¯s innocence and Liliya¡¯s constant worry, Aileen neither supported nor opposed Rocky¡¯s idea; she was more concerned about whether his actions would be profitable.


    Knowing that making handbags from demon skin could incurr heavy losses if not sold¡ªeven buying it cheaply could lead to losses¡ªher focus was not on whether the designs were attractive but on whether it was possible to make money from them.


    ¡°What price do you think would be appropriate?¡±


    For Aileen¡¯s question, Rocky responded with a counter-question.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ 1,000 Gold Coins?¡±


    After examining the design in her hands, Aileen thought for a moment before responding.


    Considering the size of the handbag, even though it¡¯s made from demon skin it wouldn¡¯t require much, so she rationally offered a price, but immediately after, she shook her head before Rocky could speak, ¡°No, 1,000 Gold Coins is too cheap. After all, it¡¯s made of demon skin; it has to be at least 5,000 Gold Coins to be considered luxurious.¡±


    As the finance officer, Aileen was the quickest to grasp the concept of luxury goods explained by Rocky; thus, she quickly recalculated the price based on the definition of luxury goods.


    5,000 Gold Coins seemed an astronomical figure for just a handbag! After all, even though demon skin was precious, a high-quality demon skin on the market was priced at no more than five or six thousand Gold Coins each. Selling a small handbag for 5,000 Gold Coins would essentially equal the cost of a whole demon skin, so she felt that this price was appropriate, aligning it with the positioning of luxury goods.


    However, having stretched her imagination to suggest this price, Rocky merely shook his head and said simply, ¡°Multiply it by ten.¡±


    ¡°Ten, ten times?!¡±


    ¡°My Lord¡­ are you planning on selling this for 50,000 Gold Coins?!¡±


    Hearing this price, Aileen¡¯s mouth dropped open in shock; she couldn¡¯t believe it. 5,000 Gold Coins was already a crazy price in her view, but Rocky was even crazier than she had imagined!


    However, Rocky did not elaborate further on her surprise. After giving a smile, he walked towards Athena.


    When he reached Athena, he found her earnestly reviewing the design sketches, organizing them into two groups¡ªone larger, one smaller. Before she could speak, Rocky said, ¡°These two look quite good; the rest are too ordinary.¡±


    Unlike everyone else, Athena was most interested in Rocky¡¯s idea. Although she initially opposed it, once Rocky made his decision, she did not try to dissuade him but instead became deeply interested in his idea. Therefore, when Rocky asked her to choose from the design proposals, Athena approached the task with utmost seriousness.


    This response naturally pleased Rocky very much, so he immediately picked up the designs Athena liked and examined them. Indeed, they were impressive. After all, Athena was someone who had seen grand scenes; her taste was distinctive, and even Rocky found her chosen designs attractive.


    Thus, the morning passed swiftly, and under Rocky¡¯s personal supervision, Liliya, Aileen, Athena, and Dusa selected six designs they were satisfied with from many proposals.


    After selecting these six designs, Rocky immediately sent them to the manufacturing plant, ordering the technicians to start work and bring these six designs to life.

 Chapter 551 - 551 514 High Standards and Strict Requirements

    ?Chapter 551: Chapter 514: High Standards and Strict Requirements Chapter 551: Chapter 514: High Standards and Strict Requirements With the help of Liliya and others, Rocky finally selected six designs from numerous proposals and immediately had the technicians start work, demanding the samples be made at once!


    Upon receiving his order, the technicians naturally did not dare to delay and immediately got to work.


    Since they were all professional and experienced, and with Thunderhawk City¡¯s manufacturing plant already having a considerable scale, and both manpower and material resources being abundant, and of course, with Rocky¡¯s unwavering support, the six samples were delivered to him a week later.


    When the senior technician presented the six ladies¡¯ handbags, crafted from Demon Skin, in front of Rocky, his level of excitement was no less than that of a woman; he immediately picked them up to examine closely.


    Picking up one handbag and scrutinizing it, Rocky¡¯s face showed little emotion; upon finishing, he put it back and then picked up another one. After he had gone through all the samples, he called over Liliya and the others to give their opinions.


    As soon as the four women arrived and saw the samples, their eyes lit up momentarily!


    ¡°So beautiful!¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dusa, who had always smirked at the design drawings, instantly changed her attitude upon seeing the actual product; she couldn¡¯t let go of the handbag and her eyes shone brightly.


    Aileen and Athena felt the same. Both older than Dusa, they behaved more composedly, but once they stood in front of the six samples, they couldn¡¯t move away, picking each one up to look at it again and again, utterly enamored.


    Even Liliya was the same at this moment; though she didn¡¯t speak, and her face didn¡¯t show too much excitement, her eyes couldn¡¯t lie, especially when a flash of brilliance sparked across her eyes as she saw the six handbags¡ªRocky saw it clearly.


    It was no wonder the four women had such reactions; to be fair, the six handbags were indeed beautiful. Although the technicians were initially puzzled by designing these handbags, they were after all the most professional in this field. After Rocky¡¯s detailed explanation and seeing various handbags on the market, they quickly found their approach and the designs they produced were beyond reproach.


    Also, Demon Skin was indeed far better than ordinary leather, making these handbags, made from Demon Skin, much superior to other handbags on the market, hardly surprising the four women loved them so much.


    However, as they huddled around the six handbags for a long while and eventually nodded to Rocky in approval, Rocky addressed the technicians in charge, ¡°These samples, I am very dissatisfied.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Upon hearing his words, Liliya and the rest were instantly stunned, and the nearby technicians were frozen on the spot.


    The reaction of Liliya and the others upon seeing these handbags was naturally observed by the technicians, which made them very happy; after all, it was a task personally assigned by Rocky, and failing it could mean serious trouble. However, from the women¡¯s reactions, the technicians had also been reassured.


    Unexpectedly, before they could breathe a sigh of relief, Rocky openly expressed his dissatisfaction, and judging by the expression on his face, it was completely the opposite of that of Liliya and the others, revealing a look of extreme dissatisfaction.


    He was indeed very dissatisfied, and this dissatisfaction had arisen from the moment he picked up the first sample.


    Because in his view, these samples had several common flaws:


    The first was the poor hand feel; although the samples looked good and the material was faultless, they felt soft and squishy in hand, like a piece of cloth, not exquisite at all.


    Secondly, these samples looked generally acceptable but the details were too rough, especially the metal fittings such as buttons, which were just ordinary fittings. This made Rocky extremely dissatisfied. With such high-quality material for the bags, how could they use such low-grade fittings? How could that be acceptable?


    Although he was not a professional designer, his understanding of luxury goods surpassed anyone else in this world. What do luxury goods sell?


    Firstly, it¡¯s the brand, followed by the design, and lastly the material and quality. While the brand can be slowly established and design can be gradually accumulated¡ªboth solvable by time and only by time¡ªwhat they could actively control now were the material and quality. If these two aspects were not achieved well, then what was left to sell, and who would buy it?


    Therefore, despite Liliya and the others¡¯ positive reactions to these few samples, Rocky was not satisfied; after all, Liliya and the others had never seen real luxury goods, but Rocky had.


    Therefore, he quickly voiced his dissatisfaction and asked the technicians to start addressing it immediately.


    Soon, the technicians gave him feedback.


    ¡°Are you saying¡­ Mole Demon skin is not suitable for making handbags?¡±


    Rocky frowned at the technician who had come to report to him, and this action immediately made the technician break out in sweat.


    After all, Rocky was the City Lord! No matter how absurd his actions seemed to others, if he became displeased, it truly meant trouble for everyone; hence, his frown immediately frightened the technician before him.


    Previously, in order to create those samples¡ªand later to pinpoint the samples¡¯ faults¡ªthe technicians had already used up four or five pieces of Mole Demon skin. Although Mole Demon skin was cheap, even cheap required a thousand gold coins per piece, so he was terrified that Rocky might think he was making excuses and thus punish him.


    However, Rocky was obviously not considering these issues. He thought for a while with a furrowed brow and then asked, ¡°Which demon skin do you all think would be more suitable?¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Caught off guard by the question, the technician in front of him paused, then heaved a sigh of relief and hastily said, ¡°City Lord, we think the skin of a Barbaric Demon would be more suitable. It¡¯s similar to cowhide in texture, not only suitable in texture, but also easier for us to work with, and should meet your requirements.¡±


    ¡°Also¡­¡±


    ¡°Also what?¡±


    ¡°Also, I think we could try using Earth Dragon Demon skin.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because Earth Dragon Demon skin naturally has irregular patterns, quite like floral prints. Though this skin is tough and lacks elasticity, it¡¯s said that it becomes extremely soft with prolonged use, so I think using this type of demon skin for bags would be quite good¡­¡±


    Looking at Rocky, the technician shared his thoughts, but he hesitated to continue speaking midway because he noticed that the look Rocky was giving him seemed a bit strange¡­

 Chapter 552 - 552 515 Vice President

    ?Chapter 552: Chapter 515: Vice President Chapter 552: Chapter 515: Vice President ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Looking at the technician before him, Rocky then asked.


    ¡°Sir, my name is Yoen¡­¡±


    Hearing the name, Rocky immediately asked another question, ¡°Among the sample designs we selected earlier, were there any that were designed by you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir, two of the designs were mine.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡± Upon hearing this response, Rocky nodded, ¡°Yoen, I am very interested in your ideas. I now appoint you as the designer for the manufacturing plant, hereafter in charge of luxury product design.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir!¡±


    Upon hearing this, joy immediately spread across Yoen¡¯s face. However, he then asked a little timidly, ¡°Sir, what exactly is the position of a designer¡­¡±


    Yoen had heard of technicians, but he didn¡¯t know what a designer was supposed to do. So, although Rocky¡¯s appointment thrilled him, he was also completely puzzled.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Rocky was stumped by this question. Clearly, some of his concepts and knowledge did not exist in this world. Furthermore, to explain all these things clearly and have everyone accept them was obviously not something achievable overnight. So after pondering for a moment, he simply waved his hand and said, ¡°In short, it¡¯s a position in charge of designing and creative aspects. I will explain it to everyone in detail later. You may go back to work now and if you have any specific requirements, approach Aileen.¡±


    After waving his hand, Rocky dismissed Yoen and then continued with his busy schedule.


    Although he had been focusing mainly on bags in recent times, as City Lord, he also had to oversee and manage many other matters. For example, two days ago, the two thousand people who had been cleansed returned to Thunderhawk City, so he spent these past two days busy settling these people, which was exceedingly hectic.


    When these two thousand people returned, Rocky personally inspected them and found, just as Berg said, that most of the cleansed two thousand were fairly honest ordinary citizens, with a prevalence of young and middle-aged people. However, most of them had brought their families along, which puzzled Rocky.


    Later, he found out that these cleansed individuals were actually refugees from other Sky Cities. Some had been forced to flee because their original Sky City had been captured, while others could no longer survive in their original Sky City and had no choice but to leave through ¡®intermediaries¡¯ specialized in this field, and were then sent to another Sky City¡ªthis was the so-called cleansing.


    Because of this, they were very honest, urgently needing a stable city to settle down and establish their livelihoods¡ªnone dared to stir up any trouble.


    In such circumstances, Thunderhawk City naturally became bustling immediately, with two thousand people pouring into the city area being no small affair. The workload was immense.


    Luckily the management layer of Thunderhawk City had already been established, and with the leadership of Old Jack, the administrative officials of all levels had acquired a certain level of ability and experience, so Rocky didn¡¯t need to get too personally involved in the resettlement of the populace.


    Even so, he was still incredibly busy these past few days, scarcely finding a moment of respite. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And just as the newly arrived citizens were starting to settle in, delegates from the Apple Tree Corporation were about to arrive.


    Long before the manufacture of luxury goods began, Rocky had Aileen contact the Apple Tree Corporation, briefly mentioning the matter of cooperative factory establishment. Naturally, they were very interested and immediately decided to send representatives to discuss the details with Rocky.


    Rocky was sure to meet with these representatives himself, as the cooperation in establishing a factory was a significant matter that could not be decided by anyone else.


    So when people from the Apple Tree Corporation arrived, he promptly put aside all his work to meet with them.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, it¡¯s been a long time!¡±


    In meeting with a delegation from the Apple Tree Corporation, Rocky first encountered an old acquaintance, the manager Zhang Heng, with whom he had had several interactions.


    The reason why Thunderhawk City had developed a rather deep relationship with the Apple Tree Corporation was quite simple¡ªit was due to multiple business transactions between the two parties. When Rocky first made contact with the corporation, he was received by Zhang Heng. Subsequent dealings were also mostly managed by Zhang Heng. As Rocky¡¯s development accelerated and his fame rose, Zhang Heng, due to his close relationship with him, also climbed the ranks within the corporation and had now advanced from his original position to that of Vice President.


    Therefore, with the corporation sending a delegation to Thunderhawk City this time, it was natural for Zhang Heng to be included, although he was not the official in charge due to the magnitude of the matters to be discussed. So after greeting Rocky, Zhang Heng quickly introduced, ¡°City Lord Rocky, this is Archimonde, Vice President of our Chamber of Commerce.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I¡¯ve long admired your renown.¡±


    On Zhang Heng¡¯s introduction, Archimonde, a middle-aged man in his forties, extended his hand towards Rocky, who immediately reached out and shook it.


    For a Chamber of Commerce like Apple Tree, almost on par with Sigma Corporation in the Armor Domain, just the construction of a factory was a minor matter the Guild President would not usually personally attend to¡ªa General Manager would be enough for such tasks. But this time they had sent a Vice President to negotiate with Rocky, clearly demonstrating the importance they placed on this partnership.


    After brief introductions, both parties quickly sat down and got straight to the point.


    ¡°Vice President Archimonde, my idea is¡­¡±


    Sitting opposite Archimonde, Rocky soon began to speak, sharing his ideas. Of course, he didn¡¯t shy away from revealing details either, making it clear that even when the factory was up and running, he wouldn¡¯t immediately start producing Rune Armor until Aniye¡¯s group had agreed.


    Rocky could have used negotiation tactics or played some tricks since he held the Runes, maintaining dominance and influence over the matter. However, he chose not to do so.


    Rocky was thinking longer-term. He didn¡¯t approach the Apple Tree Corporation to scheme a quick advantage; he genuinely hoped to establish a truly collaborative partnership moving forward. Thus he opted for honesty to signal his sincerity to the corporation.


    Archimonde could naturally sense Rocky¡¯s sincerity. After all, if a Vice President like himself had come as a representative, it was also to convey sincerity because the Apple Tree Corporation too was looking to establish a long-term relationship with Rocky. However, don¡¯t forget one thing¡ªArchimonde was, after all, a businessman, and what he represented was not just the corporation but also its interests.


    Hence, after listening to everything Rocky had to say, Archimonde inevitably furrowed his brow, because Rocky¡¯s thoughts were quite different from what they had anticipated¡­

 Chapter 553 - 553 516 New Style Armor

    ?Chapter 553: Chapter 516: New Style Armor! Chapter 553: Chapter 516: New Style Armor! According to Rocky¡¯s idea, in the cooperation of Thunderhawk City with the Apple Tree Corporation to establish a factory, Thunderhawk City was responsible for providing technology and manpower, while the Apple Tree Corporation would handle the factory expenditures and the sales of the Armor. Then, the profits would be shared between the two parties according to agreed proportions.


    That is to say, in the cooperation matter, Thunderhawk City was not spending a dime.


    For this requirement, Archimonde, the Vice President, did not raise many objections, since the corporation had already discussed this internally before his arrival and had anticipated such a scenario. For the corporation, as long as Rocky could provide the technology, especially the latest technology used in the White Demon Armor, they were willing even if Thunderhawk City did not spend a dime.


    After all, the White Demon Armor was so popular that there would be no concern about sales if the factory produced Armors using the same technology; this was undisputable.


    However, when Archimonde heard the latter part of Rocky¡¯s speech, he realized that Rocky¡¯s idea was completely off from theirs.


    The Chamber of Commerce intended for the factory to produce Armors loaded with new technology.


    Yet Rocky intended for the factory to produce his own design of Armor, most importantly, these Armors did not possess the technology that the White Demon had, and as for new technology, he hoped to talk about it later. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This caused Archimonde to frown.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, are you sure the Armors you designed¡­ will have a market?¡±


    After looking at Rocky with a frown for a while, Archimonde had to bluntly ask. After all, this question was too crucial. The Chamber was planning to cooperate with Rocky, not to play around but to venture into the Armor manufacturing industry and to make money. If the produced Armors couldn¡¯t be sold, then what was there to talk about?


    ¡°I believe they will.¡±


    However, faced with Archimonde¡¯s skepticism, Rocky just smiled, not only nodding with extreme confidence but also glanced at Liliya afterwards.


    As soon as Liliya was looked at by Rocky, she said nothing and turned to leave the room. Soon after, she reappeared, though this time, someone from outside brought in a Magic Energy Projector, not a small one, but a large-sized projector.


    Once the projector was set up, Liliya turned it on, and shortly thereafter, a Magic Energy Image appeared before everyone.


    ¡°Vice President Archimonde, have you heard of this Tank Type 1 Armor?¡±


    Once the Magic Energy Image appeared, the image of the Tank Type 1 Armor appeared in everyone¡¯s sight, and then Rocky looked toward Archimonde.


    ¡°Of course, I have heard about it, it must be one of City Lord Rocky¡¯s masterpieces, right?¡±


    Having glanced at the image of the Tank Type 1, Archimonde nodded, knowing of the Armor as he had heard about it being designed under Rocky¡¯s leadership and that it had been shared with the Sky Alliance.


    Of course, since it was shared, it meant that both parties had the right to manufacture and produce this type of Armor. This means that once the factory was established, Rocky could also produce this kind of Armor. Presumably, this was why Rocky showcased the Tank Type 1, to show Archimonde that he wasn¡¯t just pulling a fast one; he really had something substantial.


    Indeed, this was exactly Rocky¡¯s intention.


    Once their collaborative factory was built, they indeed could immediately start producing the Tank Type 1 Armor. According to Rocky, since sharing the Tank Type 1 with the Sky Alliance, the Alliance had already produced hundreds of these Armors and had distributed them to industries and bases on land. Moreover, their performance in battle had been quite impressive, prompting the Alliance to increase production and to begin efforts on improvements and enhancements.


    What did that imply?


    Naturally, it meant that the Tank Type 1 Armor was a very promising and exceptional Armor. So, once they also started producing this type of Armor, there definitely would be a market for it. After all, in today¡¯s skies, it wasn¡¯t just the Sky Alliance that had industries and bases on land; many other Alliances and even large Sky Cities owned industries and had massive demand for the Tank Type 1 Armor.


    However, even after Rocky had expressed all his thoughts and plans, Archimonde¡¯s frown did not relax.


    He didn¡¯t deny that everything Rocky said made sense and didn¡¯t deny that the Tank Type 1 Armor was a promising Armor, but in his view, these things did not change his concerns!


    An Armor manufacturer couldn¡¯t just survive on producing one type of Armor, could it? Therefore, Archimonde couldn¡¯t possibly trust Rocky completely based just on the Tank Type 1 Armor. After all, if Rocky couldn¡¯t design another Armor of the same caliber later, whom would the Chamber turn to?


    It had to be said, Archimonde truly deserved his position as Vice President; he considered issues more macroscopically and more long-term. It was impossible for him to be swayed or get carried away by a little bit of quick profit.


    But facing Archimonde still with an unrelaxed brow, Rocky was equally full of confidence. After expressing his thoughts on the Tank Type 1 Armor, he signaled Liliya again, who then immediately controlled the projector to switch to a new image.


    The new Magic Energy Image displayed a new-style Armor that no one had ever seen before, so as soon as it appeared, it immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention.


    The new-style Armor that appeared before everyone looked similar to traditional Armors but also had significant differences; namely, this new Armor had a pair of wings on its back, and the weapon the Armor held was also very eye-catching ¡ª it wasn¡¯t a Mana Sword but¡­ something no one had ever seen!


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, what is this¡­?¡±


    Looking at the new-style Armor in the Magic Energy Image, Archimonde couldn¡¯t help but turn to Rocky, his eyes filled with curiosity.


    ¡°This is an Armor I am currently developing, specifically designed to combat Flying Demons.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, including Archimonde, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up!


    The situation in the skies had changed, becoming unsafe, and the chief culprit for this scenario was the emergence of Flying Demons. So, when Rocky mentioned this was an Armor specifically designed to combat Flying Demons, it immediately piqued everyone¡¯s interest, making everyone unconsciously focus their attention on him, each looking as curious as little children, waiting for his explanation.


    Seeing this, Rocky didn¡¯t keep them in suspense, he immediately stood up and walked to the Magic Energy Projector.

 Chapter 554 - 554 517 The Secret That Cannot Be Told

    ?Chapter 554: Chapter 517: The Secret That Cannot Be Told! Chapter 554: Chapter 517: The Secret That Cannot Be Told! Standing before the Magic Energy Image, Rocky turned to look at everyone and noticed that all the eyes in the room were fixed on him. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this is the New Armor that Master Hammerfire and I are co-developing.¡±


    ¡°The main purpose of this armor is to combat Flying Demons, which is to say, it is a Special Armor designed specifically for aerial combat.¡±


    ¡°Aerial combat¡­specific?¡±


    Upon hearing this term, everyone in front of Rocky was stunned. The people present were all from the Apple Tree Corporation, which, though best at warships, had been eager to break into the Armor Domain. Thus, they were quite knowledgeable about armor.


    It was precisely because of this that everyone was filled with confusion and incomprehension when they heard the term ¡°aerial combat specific.¡±


    Rocky had obviously anticipated this reaction, so he immediately went on to explain: ¡°I know what you all are thinking, but I can tell you that aerial combat-specific armor will become the mainstream in the fight against Flying Demons in the future.¡± sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, you must be well aware that the evolution of Demons is no longer a hypothesis but a fact. The emergence of Flying Demons is the best proof. That is to say, Flying Demons are a new species in the demon clan designed to counter us, and to combat these Demons, we must create armor specifically for them,¡± Rocky continued, looking around at everyone with his eyes.


    Everyone listened intently to what he said, except for one person¡ªLiliya. Only Liliya knew that Rocky had only told half the truth. No, it could even be said that he had not told the truth at all!


    The New Armor that Rocky was now showing everyone was indeed designed to combat Flying Demons, but only Liliya knew that the original intention in designing this armor was not to make money but because of a secret, a secret that only a few in the Sky Alliance were aware of!


    This secret was that the newly born Flying Demons had already surpassed most of the current Void Magic Armors in combat strength!


    Archimonde and most people in the world did not know this because they were not warriors. They might have heard of the appearance of Flying Demons, but their understanding of them was merely on paper. They still believed that the difference between these new species of Demons and Normal Demons was merely in their ability to fly, nothing more than that.


    Only a few knew that this was not so. Flying Demons were indeed a new species. These Demons not only had the ability to fly but, more terrifyingly, they had already far surpassed Normal Demons in combat strength!


    To clarify this, one must go back to before the war ended. After the Alliance Army first encountered an attack by Flying Demons, some surviving Void Magic Warriors reported to the Top Level, feeling that these new species of Demons seemed much stronger than Normal Demons.


    Those who reported this included not only ordinary Void Magic Warriors but also Rocky, and even the members of the Fierce Tiger Squad had the same sentiment¡ªthat the strength of Flying Demons was clearly superior to Normal Demons.


    The warriors¡¯ feelings were soon confirmed by the Alliance, for after capturing several Flying Demons and conducting preliminary research, the Sky Alliance concluded that these new species of Flying Demons were indeed significantly stronger than ordinary Demons!


    Having reached this conclusion and shared it with The Three Great Alliances, they together decided to keep the results as a research secret and store it away, prohibiting public disclosure.


    Unfortunately, the emergence of Flying Demons had already caused chaos in the sky at the time, and to contain this chaos, The Three Great Alliances had to intervene simultaneously with various measures to barely stabilize the situation. In such circumstances, publicly disclosing this information could cause untold panic; hence, this research finding was not known even to the Sky Alliance members, let alone the general public.


    As for why Rocky was one of the few who knew about this, it was entirely because of the White Demon Armor.


    Once the Sky Alliance had reached this conclusion, they immediately sent someone to find Aniye, who was then staying with Thunderhawk City in the Nut Airspace, to inquire whether the new technology he was developing could combat these Demons. It was precisely because Aniye was aware of this that Rocky found out through him.


    When he had learned of this, his reaction could be described as shock. He had not anticipated the Demons evolving to such an extent. These creatures had not only evolved wings that allowed them to fly in the sky but had also become stronger than before?


    Even now, Rocky could still remember the words Aniye had said at the time:


    ¡°When we think we can rest easy, the Demons are actually always watching the sky.¡±


    ¡°When we think we have the weapons to counter Demons, they are actually continuously evolving themselves.¡±


    ¡°The time this world has left for us is running out¡­¡±


    Rocky was deeply impressed by Aniye¡¯s words because even he could clearly feel that the Demons were leaving less and less time for humanity!


    And that was precisely why, after deciding to cooperate with the Apple Tree Corporation, he and Hammerfire worked together to develop this New Armor.


    So now, facing people like Archimonde, there were many things Rocky had not said, such as about this New Armor.


    In order to combat the stronger Flying Demons, he had racked his brains to design this New Armor. Its biggest difference from regular armor lay in the wings attached to its back.


    These wings, called ¡°external power wings¡± by Rocky, were naturally his own concept. Inspired by the Holy Angel¡¯s external Magic Conduction System, he came up with these detachable external wings. Once equipped with these external wings, the armor could take advantage of the additional Mana provided to produce more powerful thrust, allowing for more effective maneuvers against Flying Demons in aerial combat.


    At the same time, he also designed entirely new weapons for this New Armor. After all, the combat strength of Flying Demons was now a great deal higher than that of Normal Demons. If traditional weapons were still used to counter them, they would undoubtedly be inadequate, so he specifically designed new weapons. This was why Archimonde was puzzled when he saw the New Armor¡¯s weapons¡ªthey were something he had never seen before¡ªfirearms!


    Yes, Rocky designed firearms for the New Armor¡ªMana-powered firearms using Magic Energy as ammunition!

 Chapter 555 - 555 518 Mana Machine Gun

    ?Chapter 555: Chapter 518: Mana Machine Gun Chapter 555: Chapter 518: Mana Machine Gun Mana, the most common source of energy in this world, resulted in the birth of a technological line entirely opposite to what Rocky was familiar with. Moreover, it was precisely because of this differing technological path that many phenomena difficult to understand branched out, such as firearms.


    In terms of technological level, this world had long possessed the capability to manufacture firearms, such as the Magic Energy Cannon, Magic Energy Bullet Emitter, and even the Magic Energy Beam Emitter. These weapons had already reached a level equivalent to firearms and even far surpassed ordinary firearms. However, the difference in technological trajectories meant this world had entirely bypassed the development of firearms.


    Rocky had noticed this early on, but he hadn¡¯t given it much thought. Up until that point, he had mostly adopted an indifferent attitude, not considering bringing change to this world as a transmigrator. He even thought that every aspect of this world was developing well and didn¡¯t need his interference.


    Unfortunately, plans can¡¯t keep up with changes. Now, Demons had taken the battle to the skies, directly threatening the entire firmament. Meanwhile, Rocky, from once struggling to sustain himself, had gradually grown stronger as City Lord. Amidst these changes, whether active or passive, his thoughts also began to shift. He felt that he should do something, otherwise, as Aniye said, they would run out of time!


    So, as he and Master Hammerfire designed the New Armor, he also shared the concept of firearms with Hammerfire as best he could. And after hearing everything he said, Master Hammerfire¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, and he immediately began to design, quickly producing the blueprints for the first firearm in this world!


    As mentioned before, regarding the level of technology, this world had already attained the capability to manufacture firearms, even far exceeding it. So for a master of Master Hammerfire¡¯s caliber, he didn¡¯t even need to fully understand what Rocky was describing. A mere hint was enough for him to have an epiphany and immediately put it into action. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under these circumstances, the design work for the new model of Armor went incredibly smoothly, with the first draft of the sketch completed in just half a month. The Magic Energy Image that Rocky showed to everyone thus came about as a result of this endeavor.


    Subsequently, Rocky began to introduce this new model of Armor in detail to Archimonde and the others.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this Armor is equipped with a new propulsion system, which I have named ¡®external clamp-on wings¡¯¡ªright here,¡± he said, pointing at the wings of the Armor¡¯s image. ¡°These clamp-on wings can significantly increase the Armor¡¯s power in aerial combat, allowing Void Magic Warriors to have more maneuverability when facing a multitude of Demons.¡±


    ¡°In addition, this Armor is also equipped with a new weapon we have developed in-house, which is this weapon you see, the one I call Magic energy machine gun.¡±


    ¡°¡­Machine gun?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. This machine gun uses Mana as its energy source and can continuously fire Magic Energy Bullets with a force exceeding 1000 points. Not only is it highly lethal, but its accuracy is also much higher.¡±


    ¡°A force of 1000 points of Mana? Just with this device?¡±


    When Rocky mentioned the power of the Magic energy machine gun, Archimonde and the others widened their eyes in astonishment. Even if they weren¡¯t Void Magic Warriors, they had some understanding of Mana Weapons.


    Normally, the power of Mana Bullets used in Mana Weapons is considered the weakest. The Magic Energy Bullet Emitters mounted on Mass-produced Fifth Generation Armor typically fire bullets with a force ranging between 300 and 500 points. Even the Magic Energy Bullets fired from Fifth Generation Special Armor don¡¯t usually have a high force¡ªmaybe surpassing 500 points, but reaching 800 would already be at the limit, as the characteristic of Mana Bullets lies in their firing speed, especially their rapid-fire capability. This is why individual bullets generally have low power.


    Therefore, when everyone learned that the Magic energy machine gun Rocky mentioned could fire Magic Energy Bullets with a force reaching 1000 points and was also capable of rapid-firing, they all showed expressions of surprise. However, surprise quickly turned to skepticism.


    After the initial shock, what first came to mind for these individuals was that Rocky was exaggerating in order to sell this new model of Armor by deliberately overstating the weapon¡¯s power.


    But in the face of these doubting glances, Rocky simply smiled indifferently, ¡°Gentlemen, if you don¡¯t believe these numbers, you can ask Master Hammerfire himself; he¡¯s the one who provided me with this figure.¡±


    Facing the skepticism, Rocky didn¡¯t bother to explain further. Instead, he shifted all responsibility onto Hammerfire because asserting this was far more effective than any intricate explanation.


    And indeed it was so. When Archimonde and the rest heard the name Master Hammerfire, their expressions changed again, quickly shifting from skepticism to confusion.


    Master Hammerfire¡¯s reputation in Armor design and manufacturing could simply be described as renowned. Such a resounding reputation by itself represented a level of credibility. So when Rocky brought him into the conversation, the crowd, while perhaps not immediately believing everything he had said, at least no longer dismissed it outright as they initially did.


    Truth be told, they were truly overthinking it. Rocky hadn¡¯t exaggerated even the slightest bit; his words were veracious, and he had even been somewhat conservative. Nevertheless, Rocky didn¡¯t continue with explanations afterward and instead went on to further introduce the New Armor to the crowd.


    It didn¡¯t take long after that to bring his presentation to a close since the New Armor was still in the early stages of design, and specific data wasn¡¯t fully established. Consequently, there wasn¡¯t much to introduce. But as far as he was concerned, what had been presented was already sufficient.


    After briefly summarizing the New Armor, he returned to his seat and turned his gaze towards Archimonde.


    ¡°Vice President Archimonde, having seen the New Armor, you¡¯ve witnessed the inclusion of those innovative technologies. You understand what these new advancements represent¡ªwhat is your opinion on this matter?¡± he asked.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    At Rocky¡¯s question, Archimonde opened his mouth but did not manage to articulate his thoughts. Clearly, he recognized that the New Armor displayed by Rocky was indeed fitted with numerous technologies unheard of to him, such as the wings, such as the machine gun. These might not have been technology from the White Demon, but they were certainly novel to him.


    To claim he wasn¡¯t astonished was impossible, and to say he wasn¡¯t interested would also be untrue. Yet, he was still somewhat uncertain, leading him to say apologetically to Rocky, ¡°City Lord Rocky, please allow me some more time to consider. Would that be acceptable?¡±


    As he spoke these words, Archimonde not only addressed Rocky with respect but also had an expression of profound apology and complexity. Such a countenance was rare to see on someone holding the position of Vice President of the Apple Tree Corporation.

 Chapter 556 - 556 519 Cooperation Achieved

    ?Chapter 556: Chapter 519: Cooperation Achieved! Chapter 556: Chapter 519: Cooperation Achieved! The negotiations with the Apple Tree Corporation were clearly not as easy as imagined. After the first meeting, Archimonde didn¡¯t make a decision right away; instead, he took his team and left.


    For Rocky, this was precisely the outcome he had wanted to see.


    The more cautious Archimonde was, the more it signified the corporation¡¯s emphasis on this partnership.


    For a giant like the Apple Tree Corporation, money was never an issue. Investing in a factory in Thunderhawk City was not a challenging task for them. Hence, their prudence was definitely not about the money. The real reason was that they intended to use this opportunity for a deeper and more comprehensive cooperation with Rocky, which necessitated caution.


    In fact, it was indeed so. The Apple Tree Corporation had met with Rocky wanting to set a good foundation for the cooperation that would follow, which made them extremely cautious about their decisions. Once they committed to this decision, the corporation would have to make substantial investments, something even Rocky could hardly fathom!


    In this situation, after returning, Archimonde immediately contacted the Guild President, and relayed the details of his meeting with Rocky, Rocky¡¯s demands and intentions, and his own views on the matter. Knowing this, the Guild President immediately convened a meeting within the Chamber of Commerce to discuss it.


    Day after day, after multiple meetings between Archimonde and Rocky, did both parties finally reach an agreement on their collaboration!


    The establishment of this partnership undoubtedly held immense significance for both parties.


    For the Apple Tree Corporation, this was their next attempt in the Armor Domain after a failure, and clearly, they were staking all their bets on Rocky, along with all their hopes of entering the Armor Domain.


    For Rocky, the involvement of the Apple Tree Corporation was equally significant for Thunderhawk City because if this deal worked out, if he could truly enter the Armor Domain with the Chamber of Commerce, a brand new door with endless potential would open for him and Thunderhawk City¡ªfrankly, this was the best opportunity they had faced!


    Therefore, the finalization of this cooperation was critically important for both parties, and such an important event naturally needed to be made known to everyone!


    After signing the contract with Archimonde, Rocky then invited celebrities from various fields, and they jointly announced the cooperation, making sure everyone knew about it.


    Archimonde, of course, agreed to this proposal, as this partnership was a major event for both the Chamber of Commerce and Thunderhawk City, and publicly announcing it was a display of confidence, so he quickly consented.


    However, what puzzled Archimonde slightly was that Rocky¡¯s initiating this request seemed somewhat out of character.


    Although this was their first interaction, Archimonde had never met Rocky before, but Rocky¡¯s high profile in Thunderhawk City was well-known to Archimonde even before his arrival. To him, Rocky did not seem like someone who would adopt a high-profile attitude; on the contrary, many of Rocky¡¯s actions conveyed a low-key nature, so it was surprising when he actively wanted to publicize their collaboration.


    Of course, this surprise just showed that Archimonde did not yet understand Rocky, not implying he did not understand Rocky¡¯s personality, but that he did not grasp what Rocky was actually doing.


    Right now, Rocky was considering more than just cooperation on setting up a factory. There was another matter he had been personally supervising¡ªall about luxury products!


    During the days of ongoing interaction with Archimonde, the technicians at the leather factory had not been idling, nor had Rocky allowed them to idle. The technicians had been working overtime to make various improvements to those six prototypical handbags, and they had now produced the third version of the samples.


    After two rounds of improvements, when the third version was handed over to Rocky, he finally nodded in satisfaction.


    After many changes, including materials, manufacturing methods, and processes, these six handbags had undergone a complete transformation from their first version. Although they looked the same, the feel in hand, the precision of manufacturing, and the details were nearly at the highest standard achievable by Thunderhawk City, which was exactly what Rocky wanted.


    That was why he initiated the request to publicize the full-scale cooperation with the Apple Tree Corporation; he believed this was not only an excellent opportunity for publicity but also a perfect moment to promote luxury products!


    Such announcements always required many important figures to attend, and under those circumstances, if he could promote his meticulously crafted Demon Skin handbags, the impact would be more than doubled.


    So, after finalizing this matter, he immediately started making arrangements.


    The first thing Rocky did was to have the designers create a logo for the newly finished handbags¡ªa brand mark. From now on, all products manufactured in Thunderhawk City would bear the same logo; naturally, this was not a difficult task for the designers. Under Rocky¡¯s directive, a logo resembling a soaring eagle was designed, and henceforth, this would be the trademark for Thunderhawk City¡¯s luxury goods.


    Subsequently, he had designers create a batch of twelve handbags, each bearing the new trademark, two of each design. This time, they were not samples but actual products. Simultaneously, Rocky began writing invitation letters one after another.


    Since it was the announcement of the cooperation with the Apple Tree Corporation, naturally, people were invited to attend this release. Moreover, considering Rocky¡¯s plan to use this opportunity to promote his luxury products, he invited nearly everyone he could think of.


    The City Lord of Lingyu City, Berg.


    The City Lord of Rose City, Karina.


    The Guild President of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, Amanred.


    The City Lord of Sirius City, Howling Sky.


    The City Lord of Kunlun City, Bodin.


    The City Lord of Stellar Palace City, Pank.


    The City Lord of Benevolent King City, Maros.


    These were people Rocky was quite familiar with; he personally wrote an invitation for each one. However, he felt that just these people were clearly not enough, so he wrote a large batch of additional invitations, including one for Farey, one of the Alliance Elders, and Sir Wilton, the Holy Knight. In the end, he even invited Denise from Sigma Corporation!


    S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 557 - 557 520 Making a Big Fuss

    ?Chapter 557: Chapter 520: Making a Big Fuss Chapter 557: Chapter 520: Making a Big Fuss To boost the momentum for his luxury brand, Rocky spared no effort to distribute a large number of invitations, seemingly without reservation or regard for his own face. Not counting those closely related to him or friends, even prestigious individuals like Farey, who had only met him once, were invited. Moreover, even Denise, who has always been not quite on the same page and in some sense a competitor, received an invitation from him.


    And that was just the people he invited. The Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce invited even more guests, and due to the chamber¡¯s status, those invited were more numerous and of higher prestige.


    As a result, quite a stir was created.


    Since too many people had received invitations, and all of them were either wealthy or noble, the news quickly spread among the upper echelons of Sky City, leaving many to wonder what Rocky and the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce were up to. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What the hell is that kid, Rocky, up to now?¡±


    Farey, a member of the Alliance Elder Council of Eleven, shook his head in resignation after receiving Rocky¡¯s invitation. After a little inquiry, he learned that he wasn¡¯t the only invitee; many other significant figures had been invited by both Rocky and the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, which intrigued Farey even more.


    Clearly, both parties were set to announce something significant, but what could be so important that they would make such a fanfare?


    Was it the new technology developed by Aniye and the others that they were preparing to unveil?


    Upon receiving the invitation, Farey¡¯s first thought was that Aniye and his team had succeeded in their technological development and were ready to showcase it to the world. However, he soon dismissed this notion because Rocky had already sold the technology to the Sky Alliance. Even if Aniye and his team had truly achieved success, it should be the Sky Alliance, not Rocky, who would unveil it in conjunction with the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, right?


    As a member of the Alliance Elder Council, Farey was swamped with a myriad of responsibilities every day, especially now, with the tense situation in Sky City, where the Alliance Elder Council had too many issues to attend to. As such, he had no idea what Rocky had been up to recently, let alone fathom his purpose for the invitation.


    Still, Farey didn¡¯t take the invitation lightly. Although it was impossible for him to attend in person, he decided to send someone to represent him in Thunderhawk City.


    On the other hand, Denise, who also received an invitation, was just as puzzled by Rocky¡¯s intentions as Farey. However, due to the difference in status, Denise¡¯s view and judgment of the matter were completely different and, perhaps, even more astute.


    ¡°Could it be¡­ that Rocky is going to partner with the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce?¡±


    As a titan in the Armor manufacturing sector, Denise¡¯s thought process was obviously more lucid. When she saw the invitation sent by Rocky, especially the contents of the invitation, she immediately had a pretty accurate guess of the whole situation.


    That the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce intended to enter the Armor Domain was something Denise and Sigma Corporation had been aware of for some time. The Chamber¡¯s last major foray had already put Sigma Corporation on alert. After all, as a behemoth in the warship sector, if such an entity were to suddenly step into their field, Sigma Corporation could not ignore it. To be precise, the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce¡¯s previous failure owed something to Sigma Corporation¡¯s ¡®contributions¡¯!


    But what puzzled Denise was why Rocky would invite her?


    Of course, she didn¡¯t know that Rocky¡¯s intention was not in the wine itself. As smart as Denise was, she naturally thought in complicated terms. Unfortunately, like Farey, she couldn¡¯t quite fathom his reasons. But in the end, she made up her mind to accept the invitation and go to Backhill Village to see for herself.


    And since even people like Farey and Denise, who were not very familiar with Rocky, had either sent representatives or personally accepted his invitation, those who were on good or even close terms with Rocky went without saying.


    So for a while, the skies were filled with Sky Cities flocking to Backhill Village, with the important figures who had accepted Rocky and the Chamber of Commerce¡¯s invitation starting to set out one after another. This scene wasn¡¯t rare today, because ever since the Demons began invading the skies, the entire sky had become dangerous. Aside from the areas near the four major safe zones, few dared to travel alone in the sky anymore, after all, no one wanted to be attacked by Demons.


    On the other hand, while the invitees were making their way to Backhill Village, Rocky was also making active preparations.


    Having invited so many important figures, regardless of his initial intentions, Rocky did not dare neglect his duties, and promptly teamed up with the Apple Tree Corporation to get ready, putting a lot of effort into the accommodations and travel arrangements.


    In the process, Voss made a suggestion to Rocky, hoping that he could arrange for all the invitees who had accepted the invitation to stay in Carltos City.


    According to Voss, there were many advantages to this. First of all, Carltos City was a mid-sized Sky City and was superior to Thunderhawk City in scale and infrastructure by more than one notch. There were several decent hotels in the city alone, enough for the distinguished guests to reside, and the City Lord¡¯s Mansion in Carltos City was larger and more splendid. There was also a dedicated banquet hall within the mansion, which was more than sufficient for holding various banquets and dances.


    Secondly, bringing all the guests to Carltos City would send a signal to everyone that Rocky was no longer a minor City Lord. He had completely taken control of this mid-sized Sky City, which would immensely change how he was perceived by others.


    Last but not least, it would also send a signal to the residents of Carltos City, letting them see the strength of Rocky, their new ruler. This would have a positive effect on both Rocky¡¯s governance and his image in the eyes of the citizens.


    Considering Voss¡¯s proposal, Rocky thought it made a lot of sense, so he nodded in agreement. As a result, the preparations naturally became much smoother, and as Voss said, Carltos City was indeed much stronger than Thunderhawk City in many aspects, making the preparations even more convenient and efficient.


    And amid these urgent preparations, the first batch of invited guests soon arrived.


    The first to arrive were naturally those who were closest to Thunderhawk City, and the first to reach was the City Lord of Sirius City, Howling Sky.


    As mentioned before, since the Demons began to harass the sky more and more, and their actions on the ground became increasingly frequent, the Sky Alliance left Sirius City at Backhill Village after the war to protect this area, which belonged to both Rocky and the Alliance. Thus, the relationship between Rocky and the City Lord of Sirius City was very frequent and quite close.


    So when writing the invitations, Rocky surely couldn¡¯t overlook such an important figure to himself, and Howling Sky, having received the invitation, made no excuses and arrived at Carltos City immediately. Meanwhile, as he arrived, other guests who had accepted the invitation also began to trickle into Backhill Village.

 Chapter 558 - 558 521 Undercurrents Surging

    ?Chapter 558: Chapter 521: Undercurrents Surging Chapter 558: Chapter 521: Undercurrents Surging As Rocky widely distributed invitations, guests began to steadily arrive at Backhill Village, with the first to reach being Howling Sky, the Sirius City Lord, followed by Karina.


    When Rocky headed to the Mairente Family, Karina had always been around Backhill Village with Rose City, but she was far from idle, consistently launching attacks on the Demons nearby during this period.


    For Karina, this time was fantastic. Killing Demons was not difficult for her, and given this area was Rocky¡¯s territory, especially with the large Sky City of Sirius City nearby, Backhill Village had turned into her supply base. Tired from battle, she would return for supplies and conveniently sell off the collected Demon Materials right in Sirius City.


    When Rocky delivered the invitation to her, she just happened to be on her way back and had matters to discuss with him, so she quickly returned to Backhill Village and met with Rocky.


    Regrettably, Rocky was too busy during this time. On one hand, he was preparing for the upcoming conference, and on the other hand, the invited guests were arriving one after another, each requiring his personal reception, so he genuinely had no spare time to consider other matters. Fortunately, Karina understood this, hence the matters she intended to discuss were postponed until after the conference.


    In the following time, Rocky remained continually busy, continually receiving all sorts of guests alongside Archimonde.


    Among these people, those who came by Rocky¡¯s invitation were mostly his old acquaintances, but there were also many whom he did not recognize at all. The reason these people showed up at Backhill Village was entirely due to the invitation from the Apple Tree Corporation.


    The guests Rocky invited were mostly City Lords, as he was one himself and his social circle was largely limited to such figures. However, the guests invited by the Apple Tree Corporation were more diverse, including City Lords and nobles, but mainly fellow Chamber of Commerce members. The Apple Tree Corporation itself had a very strong manufacturing capability, producing warships they developed and produced themselves, leading to closely knit connections with many other chambers, hence their guests included various business magnates.


    Facing these individuals, Rocky naturally did not dare to neglect them, as he might also need to deal with these people in the future. Therefore, he met various important figures every day, bustling about nearly to the point of exhaustion.


    This hectic situation had persisted since the first batch of guests arrived and was quite expected. After all, the sky is broad, and the invited guests were from different air regions, arriving at different times. Moreover, the sky was not very peaceful now, which further delayed the arrival of others, hence Rocky was bound to remain busy until all the guests had arrived.


    However, while he was extremely busy, and everyone around him was as well, inside Carltos City, a group of people were also busy.


    ¡°We must make Rocky pay this time!¡±


    Within a seemingly inconspicuous villa in the city district, a group of people dressed like nobles sat together, angrily discussing a plan.


    All of these people were nobles and officials from Carltos City. No, to be more precise, most of them were former nobles and ex-officials, now stripped of their titles.


    As mentioned before, Voss implemented several policies after taking office that quickly stabilized the city. Among these, one of the most critical measures was a thorough purge of the city¡¯s officials and various nobles!


    This thorough purge could be said to have been swift and forceful, immediately achieving a striking effect. However, Carltos City had been under the control of the Mairente Family for years, giving birth to some deep-seated and complex relationships. Even though some key figures and targets were purged, some fish inevitably slipped through the net, and these were the people in question.


    Before Voss took office, these individuals were either city officials or nobles. But now, they had all been stripped of their positions and titles. Most importantly, although Voss had neither expelled nor arrested these people, he had confiscated all their assets. Consequently, not only were their means of livelihood destroyed, but they also had no way out.


    Because of this, their hatred for Rocky and Voss was beyond what ordinary people could imagine¡ªindescribable even with words.


    Logically, even if these people resented Rocky and Voss, they could only endure silently. After all, an arm is no match for a thigh. They had but two choices: to live out the rest of their lives quietly or to find an opportunity to flee Carltos City. That was all they could do. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this time, with Rocky choosing to make the announcement in Carltos City and more and more guests gathering in the city, those harboring hatred for Rocky found their opportunity!


    After gritting his teeth and uttering a phrase, the leader turned his head and asked another,


    ¡°Vian, is everything ready?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ready, everyone has been contacted.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let these people botch it. This rabble is good for nothing but messing things up.¡±


    When the man known as Vian nodded, another glanced at him sideways before speaking determinedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there won¡¯t be any problem this time.¡± However, hearing this, Vian merely smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve already told them as long as they can unite and protest on the streets in these few days, they¡¯ll get their jobs back. Moreover, I told them that if they gather enough people, neither Rocky nor Voss will dare to touch them¡ªall of them believed it as the gospel truth.¡±


    Chuckling, Vian then slowly continued to address everyone.


    Since Voss had assumed office, in addition to reducing taxes and purging the management, he had also shut down several factories in the city. As Carltos City is a medium-sized Sky City, it boasts over a hundred industries, a significant part of which were controlled by nobles. Thus, as the nobles were being purged, the industries they controlled inevitably faced shutdowns, causing some city residents to lose their jobs.


    Originally, Voss had plans for this. Rocky was actively engaged in construction, whether it was the luxury goods industry or the Armor manufacturing industry, any sector that developed could add new factories within Carltos City. This would naturally provide the residents with jobs quickly. Unfortunately, the common folk were unaware of these developments, and it was precisely this that gave the people in question their opportunity.


    Upon learning that Rocky intended to use Carltos City as the venue to announce his partnership with the Apple Tree Corporation, they began to scheme, planning to embarrass Rocky thoroughly when all the big names gathered together!

 Chapter 559 - 559 522 Distinguished Guests Keep Coming

    ?Chapter 559: Chapter 522: Distinguished Guests Keep Coming Chapter 559: Chapter 522: Distinguished Guests Keep Coming To completely dominate a city has never been an easy task, neither for Thunderhawk City nor for the even larger Carltos City.


    While Rocky was preparing for what might be the biggest event since becoming the City Lord, the dissenters within Carltos City were not idle either.


    Although the Mairente Family no longer dared to move against Rocky, the remnants of the family had no intention of staying quiet. They had their properties, titles, and positions taken by Rocky. They had harbored hatred against Rocky for a long time and saw this as an opportunity for revenge to deeply embarrass Rocky in front of all the important figures.


    They did not care or mind how much damage this would inflict on Rocky. These people simply wanted revenge!


    Despite not having much time to prepare, these individuals were not ordinary citizens. They had significant abilities and connections. More importantly, they were very skilled and quickly thought of a way to get revenge on Rocky that would also humiliate him, which was to exploit the dissatisfaction among the city¡¯s populace.


    The changes in city ownership and policies would undoubtedly affect some people¡¯s interests, including those of ordinary citizens, and these were precisely the people these plotters intended to use to create a disturbance at this critical moment.


    Imagine, when all the guests had arrived, if the people of Carltos City started causing trouble, what would that look like? Even if it were only the citizens taking to the streets to protest, Rocky might not be able to handle it. Wouldn¡¯t his accumulated prestige and reputation over the years be affected?


    Of course, the group planning all of this were not fools. They were well aware that if they succeeded, Rocky would be furious, but that did not matter, because by then they would have already left. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Is the escape plan all set up?¡±


    After Vian had explained the plan for causing disturbance, the leader turned to another side and asked another person.


    ¡°Everything is ready. I¡¯ve already contacted the Volcano Chamber of Commerce. In a few days, they will send a merchant ship, and we can leave directly with it. After that, we¡¯ll head to Genia City.¡±


    The speaker, named Darius, was originally a prominent merchant in the city, with very close relationships with many Chamber of Commerces, thus he had many shops in the city. However, as Ruby Chamber of Commerce was Rocky¡¯s business partner, when he took over the city, Darius¡¯s shops were ordered to be shut down.


    As the saying goes, cutting off someone¡¯s livelihood is akin to digging up their ancestors¡¯ graves! Thus, it was not hard to imagine how deeply Darius hated Rocky. In this operation, he was responsible for arranging the group¡¯s departure from the city. Since he knew many Chamber of Commerces, and the merchant ships¡¯ movements were less likely to be suspected, they planned to use these ships to escape Carltos City immediately after their plan succeeded.


    At the same time, Darius¡¯s considerations were very thorough. He not only planned the method of departure but also arranged where everyone would flee to next, which was Genia City. Was there something special about this city? At least it had some special connection with Rocky. Genia City housed a Chamber of Commerce named the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, and the Backhill Village that Rocky now occupied was snatched from them!


    Thus, Darius had arranged for everyone to go to Genia City because Genia City and Rocky were at odds, not only would they accept them, but it would also become much more difficult for Rocky to pursue and kill them.


    It must be said, although the hearts of the people before him were utterly malicious, one could not deny their capabilities and tactics, which were worthy of admiration. In their quest for revenge against Rocky, they had nearly considered everything!


    At this time, Rocky was completely unaware of the conspiracy brewing in the shadows.


    Now, more than half a month had passed since he had sent out the invitations, and the invited guests had gradually started to arrive at Backhill Village. Therefore, during this period, Rocky almost had to receive a great number of guests daily, among whom were some individuals that neither he nor the Apple Tree Corporation dared to neglect.


    For instance, the representative sent by Farey.


    As mentioned before, as one of the Alliance Elders, although Farey had received Rocky¡¯s invitation, he could not possibly attend in person, firstly because he did not have the time, and secondly because Rocky¡¯s current status was still somewhat insufficient, even with the backing of the Apple Tree Corporation, to garner the presence of someone as prominent as Farey. In truth, Rocky hadn¡¯t held much hope, but to his and the Corporation¡¯s surprise, Farey didn¡¯t come personally yet sent his own daughter as his representative!


    For both Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation, this was quite unexpected, as the young lady¡¯s status was equivalent to that of a princess. Hence, when Farey¡¯s daughter arrived at Thunderhawk City, not only did Rocky and Archimonde personally go to the Skyport to welcome her, but they also arranged for her to stay directly in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, and in the end, Rocky simply asked Athena to be in charge of accompanying the young lady.


    There was no choice, as there were hardly any people around Rocky who could match the stature and status of this young lady. Strictly speaking, even his own status and position were inferior to hers, as she was not only Farey¡¯s daughter but also the ruler of a major Sky City, placing her status above that of Rocky¡¯s. In such circumstances, among all the people around him, only Athena, an extraordinary woman, could be rightly compared to her.


    Meanwhile, half a month after the invitation was sent, Denise, representing Sigma Corporation, also arrived. She too was an important and influential guest.


    Although Denise was neither a city lord nor a noble, she was the next Sect Leader of Sigma Corporation, a status that even Archimonde couldn¡¯t match, therefore, she naturally received the highest standard of reception.


    Similarly, as an old acquaintance of Rocky, Sir Wilton, the Holy Knight, had also received an invitation. But like Farey, Sir Wilton did not attend personally either. He was far too busy; however, he sent a representative, an old friend of Rocky who had once fought alongside him in the Tulip Battle Zone, General Cassan.


    As time progressed, an increasing number of distinguished guests gathered within Thunderhawk City, making the entire city buzz with excitement. Since all the guests had not yet arrived, those who arrived earlier had to wait temporarily. Fortunately, under Rocky¡¯s rule, there were two Sky Cities and also Backhill Village. Hence, the early guests did not find themselves bored while waiting and could even take a stroll on land, a novelty for many who had long lived in the skies, leading them to tirelessly travel back and forth to land.


    Watching more and more people arrive at Carltos City, with statuses more illustrious than the last, Darius and Vian became increasingly thrilled. They could even imagine what Rocky would look like after their plan succeeded, and at times, this thought made them burst out in surreptitious laughter, sometimes even waking themselves up from their dreams laughing.

 Chapter 560 - 560 523 Final Preparation

    ?Chapter 560: Chapter 523 Final Preparation Chapter 560: Chapter 523 Final Preparation ¡°`


    Time flew, and a month had passed. By the end of that month, the guests invited by Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation had nearly all arrived. Thus, the two entities jointly made arrangements and decided to host a grand ball at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion in Carltos City three days later, using the occasion to announce their collaboration to all the guests.


    Since the specific time for the ball had been set, preparations became indispensable. In fact, preparations had already been underway for a month ever since Rocky and Archimonde decided to hold the ball at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, but only now had the specific time been decided.


    On the other hand, once the specific time for the ball was known, Darius and others, just like Rocky, became tensely busy with their final preparations.


    That night, within the same unremarkable mansion, Carnell once again summoned everyone together.


    Carnell, the mastermind and initiator of this operation, had once been a confidant of the Carltos City Lord. He was a nobleman in the city, possessing considerable assets. It was precisely because of his close ties with the Mairente Family that one could imagine what his fate would have been like after Rocky took over the city and Voss became the Governor. Without exaggeration, during Voss¡¯s purging of the city¡¯s management and nobility, Carnell was a prime target for attention!


    In such circumstances, Carnell¡¯s predicament was not hard to imagine. Stripped of his noble title and his properties forcibly confiscated, he had lost everything. And why? Because his relations with the Mairente Family were too close!


    But never assume that Voss was a soft-hearted, kind old man. Being a veteran of the cunning old guard, he knew all too well how to wield power.


    It was precisely because of such a plight that Carnell¡¯s hatred for Rocky and Voss was stronger than anyone else¡¯s. When Carltos City still belonged to the Mairente Family, he was second only to one in the city. The City Lord would often heed his advice. But as the city fell into Rocky¡¯s hands, Carnell¡¯s world plummeted from the heavens straight into Hell.


    So even though Rocky didn¡¯t take his life, he essentially severed all Carnell¡¯s means of survival in the city. Staying in the city had become meaningless, so he had long wanted to leave.


    As fate would have it, just as Carnell planned to depart, Rocky¡¯s partnership with the Apple Tree Corporation was sealed. This presented Carnell with an excellent opportunity for revenge. He immediately gathered all the dissatisfied people around him and began planning how to retaliate against Rocky before he left, to soothe the hatred burning within him.


    Now, with Rocky announcing the ball to be held in three days, Carnell and his group were ready to make their move.


    ¡°Vian, have you arranged everything, everyone?¡±


    ¡°Everything has been arranged.¡±


    Giving Carnell a glance, Vian nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken to several foremen. Starting tomorrow, they will gather all the workers to take to the streets in protest in three waves. They¡¯ll cause disturbances in the streets every day. Even if Rocky wants to catch them, he won¡¯t be able to keep up.¡±


    ¡°Are you certain they will follow your plan?¡±


    The cunning lay in Carnell and his group not participating in any of the orchestrated events; they had arranged everything, but by the time trouble started, they would have long left the city.


    They were well aware that once the chaos erupted, Rocky would not settle down lightly in his fury. Not only would many suffer, but Rocky¡¯s response would surely be swift. It would be too late to leave once the situation had escalated.


    To avoid getting caught in the aftermath, the merchant vessel prepared by Darius was already docked at the Skyport. The men had agreed that today would be their last meeting. Tomorrow, they would board the merchant ship and leave the city!


    That¡¯s why Carnell repeatedly inquired about the arrangements. He feared that once his group was gone, the gathered citizens would be without direction, rendering their preparations useless.


    However, from what Vian said, such worries were unfounded. He had already reached out to several foremen, gathering citizens who had lost their jobs due to factory closures, and instructed these foremen to lead the crowds in causing trouble.


    More sinister, he instructed these foremen to act separately, each leading a group across several days of disturbance. That way, even if Rocky caught one group, there would be another, and after the second, a third. It was surely enough to trouble Rocky.


    Having heard Vian out, Carnell finally nodded in satisfaction, then addressed everyone, ¡°Gentlemen, since everything is in order, it¡¯s time we leave. Tomorrow, we say goodbye to this damned place!¡±


    After this declaration, they each nodded and then rose to leave the villa.


    Once everyone had left, Carnell called for his butler.


    ¡°How are the packing arrangements?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, everything is packed.¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Good. First thing tomorrow, we leave this place. Remember, don¡¯t bring anything superfluous, just the valuables, and let¡¯s not make a spectacle of it to tip anyone off.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my Lord. Everything has been prepared as you ordered.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you may go.¡±


    After gesturing for the butler to leave, Carnell sat alone in the study and exhaled deeply.


    He could finally leave this accursed place and, moreover, take his revenge on Rocky before departing. These thoughts brought a particularly pleasant mood to Carnell, arguably the most content he had been since Rocky retook control of Carltos City.


    After a long sigh, Carnell stood up to pour himself a glass of wine. He intended to enjoy a small drink before bed to ensure a restful sleep on his last night in the city.


    But at that moment, just after pouring his drink but before he could take a sip, he heard a knock on the door.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    The sound of the knock caught Carnell by surprise. After all, he lived in a villa, and his study was on the second floor. Generally, it was impossible to hear the door being knocked upon from there, but for some reason, his ears had become particularly sensitive this time.


    As he wondered, the knocking stopped¡­


    ¡°Butler, who¡¯s knocking at the door?¡±


    When he found the knocking noise had ceased, Carnell naturally assumed the butler had gone to answer it and inquired, but he received no response¡­


    ¡°`

 Chapter 561 - 561 524 Malicious Eyes

    ?Chapter 561: Chapter 524: Malicious Eyes Chapter 561: Chapter 524: Malicious Eyes ¡°Steward?¡±


    After setting down his wineglass, Carnell turned toward the door and called out, wanting to ask who was knocking and whether it was those who had left earlier coming back.


    However, as soon as he had finished calling, he received no response.


    This caused Carnell to frown involuntarily, and he immediately stood up, walked to the door, and opened it to look outside.


    The moment he pushed the door open, he saw two Void Magic Warriors clad in armor standing at the doorway!


    Seeing this scene, Carnell was stunned, as he was not unfamiliar with Void Magic Warriors. Back when Carltos City was still under his family¡¯s control, because they had considerable political power and influence, his guards were Void Magic Warriors. Unfortunately, when the family handed the city over to Lord Rocky, they withdrew these guards, and now Carnell, having lost his influence in the city, naturally no longer had Void Magic Warriors as guards.


    Under such circumstances, it was inevitable that Carnell would be momentarily stunned upon seeing the two Void Magic Warriors. But following that, he cursed silently in his mind, and sweat immediately appeared on his forehead.


    Almost at that very moment, just as he seemed to understand something, his face beginning to pale and sweat forming on his forehead, the two Void Magic Warriors at the doorway stepped aside, revealing the figure behind them.


    The person standing behind the two Void Magic Warriors was an elderly man, his hair already white, but his spirit was vibrant, especially the look in his eyes which resembled that of an eagle!


    This elderly man was none other than the current Governor of Carltos City¡ªLord Voss!


    ¡°L-Lord Voss¡­¡±


    Seeing that it was Lord Voss standing behind the Void Magic Warriors, Carnell¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and even his voice changed.


    Why was Lord Voss in his home?


    Could he have detected something?


    Seeing Lord Voss before him, perhaps because he felt guilty, Carnell¡¯s first thought was that the plans he had been devising had been exposed, but he quickly deemed it impossible, as he and the others were not fools; they knew what they were doing, so they had been very careful and cautious from the beginning, it couldn¡¯t have been detected¡­


    ¡°Won¡¯t you invite me in?¡±


    As Carnell grew somewhat panicked, Lord Voss smiled at him and casually spoke.


    ¡°My lord, please come in¡­ please come in¡­ I was disrespectful¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Carnell quickly nodded and stepped aside, and Lord Voss, without any hesitation, walked directly into the study with the two Void Magic Warriors.


    ¡°Lord Voss, your visit this time is¡­¡±


    Once Lord Voss had entered the study, Carnell promptly asked him to take a seat, and after seating himself opposite, he feigned composure and started to speak.


    ¡°Nothing much, I just came to see what you¡¯re up to.¡±


    Sitting opposite Carnell, flanked by the two Void Magic Warriors in armor, Lord Voss smiled and then, as if making conversation, asked, ¡°Carnell, what have you been up to lately?¡±


    ¡°Me? Lord Voss jests, as I¡¯ve been idling away lately¡­¡±


    With a forced laugh, Carnell wiped the sweat off his forehead and dryly responded.


    ¡°Oh? Then have you heard any rumors?¡±


    ¡°What, what rumors?¡±


    ¡°Rumors that some people with ill intentions plan to take the opportunity of City Lord Rocky hosting distinguished guests to cause trouble in Carltos City.¡±


    With a faint smile on his face, Voss slowly spoke while watching Carnell¡¯s expression.


    ¡°This¡­ I haven¡¯t heard¡­ Lord Voss, you must believe me, I have long since had no association with the Mairente Family. All I think about now is how to help Lord Rocky build the city. I have absolutely nothing to do with this matter!¡±


    As he hastily wiped the sweat from his brow, Carnell began to swear to Voss, making it clear that everything he said had absolutely nothing to do with himself, and that he didn¡¯t even know about it.


    ¡°In that case¡­ that¡¯s good.¡±


    Having heard his words, Voss completely smiled and repeatedly nodded his head while laughing, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I am relieved. Just so you know, I have already arrested those foremen who were prepared to gather a crowd and cause trouble; and the workers prepared to make trouble as well.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What, what!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Carnell couldn¡¯t help but cry out in surprise, because he had just asked Vian, and Vian had sworn to him that everything was well arranged; how could it be that upon reaching Voss everything had fallen apart and people were arrested?


    However, Carnell¡¯s reaction was quite quick, as he immediately realized his slip, so he quickly restrained his expression of surprise and pretended to be concerned as he looked at Voss, ¡°Lord Voss, when did this happen? How come we didn¡¯t hear anything at all?¡±


    ¡°Of course you wouldn¡¯t know.¡± Voss chuckled twice, casually picking up the wine glass Carnell had just poured for him and took a sip, ¡°These people were just arrested, it was a covert operation, and no one was alerted.¡±


    ¡°Vian was also arrested along with them. It seems he was the one behind the scenes trying to stir up trouble, so the fellow was seized as soon as he returned home.¡±


    As Voss spoke, he sipped his wine, as if he were just chatting with Carnell, ¡°Oh, and Darius too. This fellow had contacted several merchant ships waiting at the Skyport, it seems he was planning to escape, but now they¡¯ve all been detained. I¡¯ve also asked Lord Glan to reach out to the Volcano Chamber of Commerce through the Alliance, and I believe they will respond soon.¡±


    Having said this, Voss simply let go, causing the glass in his hand to drop to the floor.


    With a crash, the glass shattered on the floor, scaring Carnell, who had been stunned by everything said, causing him to jump, and only then did he snap back to reality.


    But when he came back to his senses, he found that Voss had already stood up from who knows when, and even came to his side.


    Turning his head to look at Voss standing beside him, Carnell just wanted to say something, but Voss placed his aged palm on his shoulder and spoke in a low and slow voice:


    ¡°Carnell, do you know that Aileen is my granddaughter?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you know how much Aileen would be affected if something were to happen in the city now?¡±


    ¡°Lord Voss, I¡­¡±


    As Voss finished his statement, Carnell instinctively wanted to speak, but as he turned towards Voss, he noticed that the old man, who was always seen with a faint smile, had changed his expression!


    At this moment, Voss¡¯s face was no longer smiling, but showed a ferocity rarely seen by anyone; Carnell realized he was staring at him with a pair of vicious eyes!

 Chapter 562 - 562 525 Gather Together

    ?Chapter 562: Chapter 525: Gather Together Chapter 562: Chapter 525: Gather Together When Carnell and the others believed their plan was flawless and undetectable, little did they know that Voss had already noticed their every move!


    It was not surprising, considering that the entire city was now under Rocky¡¯s control. Rocky¡¯s sole demand of Voss was to ensure the stability of the city, so Voss had always paid close attention to the disenfranchised nobles and officials like Carnell, having had them under surveillance for some time.


    Moreover, with so many distinguished guests gathered in the city, security had been raised to its highest level. Not only had Monte and Liliya brought the entire Guard Corps with them, but Rocky even had the Sky Alliance dispatch a full ten squads of the Void Magic Squad to help maintain public order. With such measures in place, how could the actions of Carnell and his group possibly go unnoticed? They had, in fact, been detected long ago!


    But this was where Voss¡¯s cunning and shrewdness lay; although he had known from the start what Carnell and the others were up to, he did not crush their plan in its infancy. Instead, he chose to wait, wait until they had arranged everything, wait until the moment before they were about to act, and then he made a massive swoop to arrest them all!


    Overnight, more than a thousand people were seized by the Guard Corps in Carltos City. Not only was the scale and scope of the arrests unimaginable, but the suddenness of the action caught everyone off guard. The foremen who had been contacted, as well as the deceived or willing citizens, did not need to be mentioned, nor did Carnell and his cohorts, who were completely unaware even up to the moment before their arrest¡ªright when they were holding a meeting and envisioning their life after leaving Carltos City, only to be caught in a single sweep by Voss.


    After arresting the thousands involved in the plan to make trouble, the prisons of Carltos City were certainly not capable of holding them all, nor were those of Thunderhawk City. Therefore, Voss simply sent these people out of Sky City and directly to Backhill Village, where they were thrown into the mines to labor as convicts.


    And throughout all these actions, Voss only consulted with Liliya and had not informed Rocky, not because Voss did not wish to tell him, but because he was stopped by Liliya. She was well aware of how busy Rocky was at the time and that he really had no spare energy to deal with such trifles.


    What was more important was that Liliya always remembered the words Athena had said to her: Rocky did not trust Carltos City, nor did he trust anyone in the city.


    So if she were to tell him about such a matter at this critical moment, one could imagine how Rocky would feel and how he would deal with those arrested. Therefore, Liliya took it upon herself to exile these people to Backhill Village to toil, intending to wait until the current matters were settled and Rocky was in a better mood before discussing it with him.


    In all of Thunderhawk City, probably only Liliya would dare to do such a thing. If anyone else dared, they would certainly face the death penalty once discovered, and even Voss would be no exception. This was precisely why Athena had wanted to speak those words to Liliya; Athena knew that only Liliya could restrain Rocky in certain matters, and no one else could.


    As a result, an incident that could have had a major impact on Rocky and even on the whole of Carltos City was quietly resolved.


    In the time that followed, three days passed by swiftly, each day proceeding very smoothly. Carltos City remained bustling, with nothing occurring that would upset Rocky or the guests. Everyone was immersed in a festive and joyous atmosphere.


    And then, after those three days, the ball carefully prepared by Rocky and Archimonde began!


    The venue for the ball was set in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Carltos City. Within the grand hall specially designated for the ball, hundreds of guests gathered, and the level of grandeur of this ball was beyond imagination.


    How does one judge the standard of a ball? Naturally, it depends on who the guests are. As long as the guests have sufficient status, the ball can still be considered high-standard even if held in the street. The ball hosted by Rocky and Archimonde was exactly such an occasion.


    The City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Carltos City was indeed large, and the hall specifically used for the ball was also quite decent. However, there were many places in the sky that were even better. Without going into detail, any of the banquet halls in Eternal City could be larger and more splendid than this, but a better location is just icing on the cake¡ªthe key is who attends the ball.


    On that note, this particular ball was undoubtedly extraordinary!


    For Rocky¡¯s part, his status as the most sought-after City Lord was already well-known, and apart from him, Athena, the renowned prodigy, was also the center of everyone¡¯s attention. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that Athena¡¯s fame alone was enough to raise the standard of any ball.


    The others invited by Rocky were equally well-known.


    Damara, the daughter of Elder Farey, attended as her father¡¯s representative.


    General Cassan, on behalf of Holy Knight Wilton, attended.


    Denise, representing Sigma Corporation, attended.


    Amanred, representing Ruby Chamber of Commerce, attended.


    Besides these individuals, many other renowned city lords also came.


    The Lord of Sirius City, Howling Sky.


    The Lord of Kunlun City, Bodin.


    The Lord of Stellar Palace City, Pank.


    The Lord of Benevolent King City, Maros.


    The Lord of Rose City, Karina.


    The Lord of Lingyu City, Berg. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Lord of Gulov City, Gulov.


    Invited by Rocky to attend the ball were more than a dozen city lords, each one a prominent figure, and even the likes of Karina, a smaller city lord, were well-renowned.


    In comparison, although there were not as many city lords invited by Apple Tree Corporation to the ball, there was no shortage of various magnates.


    The Continental Commerce Chamber sent representatives.


    The Blue Sky Chamber of Commerce sent representatives.


    The Dalmor Chamber of Commerce also sent representatives.


    These were all illustrious chambers of commerce in the skies, each one a titan in their own right, and in addition to them, even the Mercenary Guild and Technician Guild sent representatives, clearly indicating that the Apple Tree Corporation, headquartered in Eternal City, had good relations with these guilds.


    Consequently, one could easily imagine the grandeur of this ball.


    Of course, gathering so many important figures was certainly not for idle chatter, they were all invited, and this invitation also sparked everyone¡¯s curiosity, leaving them wondering what exactly Rocky and Apple Tree Corporation planned to do, having invited so many dignitaries. It must be the announcement of a very significant matter!


    In their eagerness to uncover this question, everyone made efforts to find out during the days leading up to the start of the ball, but unfortunately, both Rocky and Archimonde remained tight-lipped, which heightened everyone¡¯s anticipation. Thus, when the ball finally began, everyone was eager for the hosts, Rocky and Archimonde, to appear promptly and unravel the mystery.

 Chapter 563 - 563 526 Each Taking Action

    ?Chapter 563: Chapter 526: Each Taking Action Chapter 563: Chapter 526: Each Taking Action In the vast banquet hall, all the guests had arrived, gathering in small groups with glasses in hand, chatting among themselves. It was at this moment that music suddenly filled the venue and was swiftly followed by a waiter loudly announcing Rocky¡¯s and Archimonde¡¯s arrival!


    ¡°Please welcome the Vice President of the Apple Tree Corporation, Archimonde!¡±


    Following the waiter¡¯s voice, everyone in the hall looked up toward the second floor, and there they saw Archimonde, dressed in his finest, leading a group from the corporation into view.


    As Vice President of the corporation, Archimonde was naturally accustomed to grand occasions, attending similar galas every few days. But even so, he had to admit that the scale of this gala was immense. He felt nervous as he led the group from the corporation onto the floor, because everyone watching him in the hall had a status no lower than his.


    In this situation, Archimonde quickly arrived at the top of the staircase on the second floor with a smile, but he did not go down immediately.


    And as he stopped, the waiter¡¯s voice echoed once again:


    ¡°Please welcome the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, City Lord of Carltos City, Rocky!¡±


    As the waiter announced Rocky¡¯s name, everyone¡¯s gaze simultaneously shifted to the other side of the second floor, where Rocky¡¯s figure appeared in the corridor.


    Rocky too was dressed magnificently, but, regrettably, soon after the crowd spotted him, their attention was drawn away, as the two people beside Rocky were simply too eye-catching.


    Standing to Rocky¡¯s left was Liliya, outfitted in military attire. Although not in formal wear, this only highlighted her spirited and valiant temperament. Moreover, her military attire was no ordinary uniform, but one meticulously prepared by many technicians from Thunderhawk City, carefully crafted from the material to the design, looking exceedingly elegant, which drew considerable attention to her as soon as she appeared by Rocky¡¯s side.


    On Rocky¡¯s right stood Athena, wearing a long dress, in a style completely different from Liliya¡¯s. The formal attire perfectly exemplified what could be described as classic grace and dignified poise. Her beauty may not have been unparalleled, yet the aura she exuded was so unique that Athena merely standing quietly next to Rocky drew everyone¡¯s attention without the need for her to move, or even smile.


    Initially, Rocky looked exceptionally dashing today, but because the two beauties by his side were too captivating, after a brief moment of gathering attention as he stepped out, no more glances were directed at him.


    Recognizing this, Rocky wisely refrained from posing any longer and quickly moved forward, flanked by Liliya and Athena. Facing Archimonde and the others, they all smiled simultaneously before turning to face the hall.


    ¡°Thank you all for coming here today.¡±


    Turning towards the hall, under the gaze of everyone inside, Rocky cleared his throat and began to speak, ¡°The reason we invited you here today is to announce a significant decision¡­¡±


    ¡°Apple Tree Corporation and we have reached an agreement. From now on, our two parties will cooperate comprehensively in the Armor Domain!¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s it¡­¡±


    ¡°In the Armor Domain¡­¡±


    ¡°No wonder¡­¡±


    After Rocky and Archimonde announced the news of their cooperation, a wave of discussions emerged in the hall.


    This answer was both expected and surprising for those present.


    It was expected because even before receiving the invitation and arriving at Carltos City, many had speculated about what Rocky was going to announce, with quite a few guessing that it might involve some form of cooperation. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, it was surprising because, although many had anticipated some kind of cooperation between them, the majority believed that their collaborative efforts would be focused on the warship sector, given that the Apple Tree Corporation was already a major player there; and since Rocky was developing new technologies in Armor Technology, it would not be difficult to adapt them for use on warships, thus providing a solid basis for their cooperation.


    What everyone had not expected was that Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation were planning to venture into the Armor Domain¡­


    The attendees were all astute individuals, each with keen foresight, so they immediately realized something: in this partnership, was Rocky actually taking the lead?


    If Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation were to cooperate in the warship sector, without a doubt, the Apple Tree Corporation would be the dominant partner, but in the Armor Domain, it was the complete opposite, as the Apple Tree Corporation had previously failed in their attempts to venture into this area. By choosing to continue partnership in this sector with Rocky, it indicated that they were betting on him, placing Rocky in a leading role in this cooperation!


    This¡­


    At this point, another question emerged in the minds of many guests: what kind of Armor had Rocky used to impress the Apple Tree Corporation? Could it be the White Demon Armor?


    With this question, as Rocky finished his announcement and walked into the venue with Archimonde, he was immediately surrounded by people. Earlier, Rocky had merely announced the decision to cooperate, but he had omitted specific details which everyone was eager to learn, especially about the kind of Armor they intended to launch.


    In such a situation, describing the area around Rocky and Archimonde as a constant flurry of comings and goings would be apt; as soon as one group left, another arrived, barely giving them time to catch their breath.


    Meanwhile, Athena had already left with Liliya.


    In this ball, while Rocky was responsible for handling these distinguished guests, the two of them had other tasks: they were responsible for promoting the luxury products that Rocky had just created to the ladies attending the ball.


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Taking Liliya by the hand, Athena led her away from Rocky, and they hadn¡¯t gone far when they were surrounded by a group of high-society ladies.


    Though the attendees of the ball were all influential figures, since it was a ball, the guests were not likely to attend alone, each bringing a dance partner; thus, all the influential figures had either brought their wives or lovers, ensuring everyone had a companion.


    While the men were busy discussing important matters, the women naturally gathered in small groups. So, when these women saw Athena and Liliya coming out, they seized the opportunity to get acquainted, immediately gathering around them.

 Chapter 564 - 564 527 Sales and Advertising

    ?Chapter 564: Chapter 527: Sales and Advertising Chapter 564: Chapter 527: Sales and Advertising Athena, accompanied by Liliya, had barely stepped away from Rocky¡¯s side when they were immediately surrounded by a group of people. Those who encircled them were either young misses or married ladies, each exuding nobility in their dress and bearing.


    Despite their elegant and gracious exteriors, however, these women were fundamentally different from Athena and Liliya. They didn¡¯t toil and worry alongside Rocky every day like Liliya did, nor did they strategize over every matter like Athena. These women were relatively more normal.


    It was precisely for this reason that when they engaged in conversation with Athena and Liliya, they inevitably steered clear of grand affairs of state. This was exactly what Rocky wanted to see, because only then would they notice the Demon Skin Bags in Liliya and Athena¡¯s hands!


    When women gather together, especially ordinary ones, the topics of discussion unavoidably touch upon fashion. Both Liliya and Athena, whether decked in finery or armor for the occasion, just ¡®happened¡¯ to be clutching a delicate handbag. These were the Demon Skin Bags painstakingly designed by Rocky, making it difficult for onlookers not to take notice.


    ¡°Did the City Lord give those to you?¡±


    A few women huddled together, quickly broaching the subject. As the hostesses of the ball, Liliya and Athena were naturally the center of attention, and it didn¡¯t take long for someone to spot the clutches in their hands.


    ¡°Yes, these were just made by Lord Rocky for sister Liliya. I was lucky, and he gave me one as well,¡±


    Standing beside Liliya, Athena, with her arm linked with hers, said to everyone.


    Athena seldom attended such gatherings, yet she knew exactly how to handle these noblewomen. While linking arms with Liliya, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate these little handbags. I can assure you that you won¡¯t find another one like it in this world. Do you know what kind of skin it¡¯s made from?¡±


    ¡°What skin?¡±


    The phrase ¡®curiosity killed the cat¡¯ couldn¡¯t have been more accurate. As the conversation turned to the handbags they were carrying, the many noblewomen and young ladies immediately perked up, all eyes fixed on the clutches and ears tuned in to Athena¡¯s words.


    ¡°These are made from Demon Skin.¡±


    ¡°Demon Skin!¡±


    ¡°Is that true!?¡±


    At these words, the women surrounding them immediately widened their eyes. Although they were not involved in significant affairs, they were still aware of demons and knew how precious Demon Materials were in this world. Athena¡¯s statement thus drew their undivided attention.


    And this was the reaction Athena had hoped for. She continued, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true. Look for yourselves if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    As she spoke, she extended the handbag she was holding forward, offering it to the group for inspection: ¡°This one is made from Barbaric Demon Skin, and sister Liliya¡¯s is even better. It¡¯s made from Earth Dragon Demon Skin.¡±


    ¡°Really? That sounds rather terrifying¡­¡±


    Hearing Athena¡¯s words, the women around her couldn¡¯t help but focus their attention on the handbag she passed over. Young girls even reached out to touch it, and then, whether or not they truly felt the texture, they all nodded in agreement and praised it incessantly.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky is still romantic, actually using such precious Demon Skin to make a gift for you. I¡¯m so envious of you all!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, so romantic.¡±


    ¡°My dear sisters, if you like them, I¡¯ll have Rocky make some more to give to you.¡± S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as everyone was singing praises of the two handbags, Liliya finally spoke up.


    Honestly, Liliya was not comfortable with this sort of occasion; she would rather have stood as a guard by Rocky¡¯s side than chatter here. From the start, it had been Athena doing the talking, and Liliya hadn¡¯t said a word, completely unsure of what to say until now, when she finally found an opportunity.


    As soon as she finished her statement, the eyes of the women around her lit up!


    Honestly, after Athena¡¯s introduction, interest in the two bags had skyrocketed among them. First, because the two handbags were indeed beautifully designed, and second, even if someone didn¡¯t like the style of the handbags, learning that they were made from Demon Skin had still attracted them.


    When Liliya spoke up in such circumstances, everyone¡¯s faces immediately showed joy, even though they verbally declined, their faces were already blooming with happiness.


    Liliya and Athena were naturally quite pleased with this reaction, for Liliya¡¯s words were not mere blather but part of Rocky¡¯s well-thought-out plan.


    Since there were no luxury goods in this world originally, people had no concept of luxury. Therefore, even if Rocky created luxury goods, he couldn¡¯t just start selling them right away because they would definitely not sell. First, he had to let his target audience understand and accept his product, so he took this dance as an opportunity not only for the ladies attending the dance to see his luxury goods, but also to get them in their hands!


    The ladies and young misses attending this dance were all wealthy and noble. If they accepted the concept of luxury goods and actually received one, imagine what would happen after they left and later attended similar events?


    They would surely bring along the handbags given by Rocky, and they would actively introduce Rocky¡¯s handbags to others because only by doing so could they show off their nobility and distinction from others. In this way, wouldn¡¯t the word of mouth naturally spread? Wouldn¡¯t this generate advertising effects? Once Rocky then launched his luxury goods into the market, wouldn¡¯t he have an audience and thus a sales channel?


    All this was within Rocky¡¯s calculations, and this was precisely the task for Liliya and Athena at the dance.


    At that moment, Liliya and Athena had already been surrounded by another group of ladies and young misses, and almost an identical scene from before played out again. Athena was responsible for introducing the various precious aspects of the handbags, and finally, Liliya decided to give one to each person.


    In the end, Athena even led Liliya to Damara and Denise.


    These two women were different from the rest at the dance; one was the future Sect Leader of Sigma Corporation, and the other was the daughter of an Alliance Elder. The things they pondered were not only the same as the men at the dance, they were even more extensive.


    Similarly, they had their own missions in attending the dance. They were more interested¡ªor should say more concerned¡ªabout the cooperation between Rocky and Apple Tree Corporation than anyone else present.

 Chapter 565 - 565 528 Two Women

    ?Chapter 565: Chapter 528 Two Women Chapter 565: Chapter 528 Two Women Damara and Denise didn¡¯t attend the ball just to pay respect to Rocky; their identities were far too special. One was the daughter of an Alliance Elder, and the other was the future Sect Leader of Sigma Corporation. So their presence at the ball naturally represented more than just themselves, and certainly, they weren¡¯t there merely for the excitement.


    In this circumstance, when Athena and Liliya approached these two women, naturally, they couldn¡¯t interact with them as they would with other noble ladies.


    ¡°Sister Athena, you really know how to keep a secret. You didn¡¯t reveal any of City Lord Rocky¡¯s plans to me,¡±


    holding a delicate wine glass, Damara spoke up first when the two approached her.


    As mentioned before, to accommodate Damara, a princess-like figure, Rocky had Athena accompany her during her visit, not only showing her around Carltos City but also taking her to Thunderhawk City and Backhill Village. Thus, Damara became more familiar with Athena.


    However, after making this statement, Damara turned to Liliya, ¡°Sister Liliya, doesn¡¯t City Lord Rocky have a new Armor under development?¡±


    Although it was Damara¡¯s first real contact with Rocky, she already had a considerable understanding of him and clearly knew who was truly close to Rocky. Moreover, having interacted with Athena enough over the past few days to know that this woman was as difficult to deal with as the rumors suggested, she naturally turned her attention to Liliya, hoping to pry out some information from her.


    Unfortunately, she was mistaken. While Liliya was not eloquent in making small talk or casual banter, she was clear and straightforward when it came to serious discussions. So when Damara finished speaking, Liliya smiled slightly, ¡°Sister Damara, Rocky has always been learning from several masters, and in the process, he has indeed created some things, but they¡¯re not yet mature.¡±


    In response to Damara, Liliya was careful with her words¡ªshe was well aware that Damara represented the Sky Alliance and couldn¡¯t be offended. Therefore, she could neither say that Rocky had come up with nothing, because that would be unbelievable; nor could she confirm the development of new Armor, as that would affect Rocky¡¯s relationship with the Alliance. After all, as a member of the Alliance, Rocky should share any new Armor with the Alliance first.


    Liliya chose a middle-ground answer, neither confirming nor denying, letting Damara guess for herself.


    Upon hearing this response, Damara just smiled, ¡°You¡¯re too modest, sister. The Tank Type 1 Armor that City Lord Rocky shared with the Alliance has been very well received, and my father has always been looking forward to him continuing the good work.¡± Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s just unexpected that City Lord Rocky has even greater ambition and has chosen to work with the Apple Tree Corporation, which is really quite surprising.¡±


    While speaking, Damara brought the glass she was holding to her lips and then glanced over at Rocky, who was mingling and laughing with a group of guests not too far away, before turning her head back, ¡°Sister Liliya, how is the research on the new technology for the White Demon Armor going?¡±


    ¡°Master Aniye is constantly working hard. I believe it won¡¯t be long before it can be announced,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. With the tensions in the sky being so tight, the Alliance is very hopeful that the master¡¯s technology will play a decisive role in the war,¡±


    After saying this, Damara nodded to Liliya and Athena, then made her way directly towards Rocky, clearly intending to have a personal chat with him.


    And watching her walk away, Athena casually said to Liliya, ¡°It seems that the Sky Alliance isn¡¯t quite pleased with the collaboration between City Lord Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Turning her head, Liliya noticed that Damara had already positioned herself opposite Rocky, and the two were chatting, ¡°I wonder if this will have any impact on Rocky¡­¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t.¡±


    Upon hearing these words, Athena shook her head, ¡°As long as City Lord Rocky still controls the key technology of the White Demon Armor, the Sky Alliance won¡¯t do anything to him. However, the Alliance is still the Alliance, and City Lord Rocky will need to make some trade-offs when necessary.¡±


    ¡°Trade-offs of what?¡±


    ¡°His own interests, of course.¡± While speaking, Athena glanced at Liliya, ¡°Now that City Lord Rocky holds new technology in his hands, new technology means new products. He will have to share one of these with the Alliance, otherwise the Alliance really won¡¯t be satisfied.¡±


    As Liliya and Athena were discussing the Alliance¡¯s views on Rocky, Rocky was also conversing with Damara.


    Just like how Liliya was cautious when facing Damara, Rocky also treaded carefully with the princess. However, everything Athena had just said he had already considered. His collaboration with the Apple Tree Corporation was sure to displease the Alliance.


    Rocky was well aware that his foothold in the Alliance was based on the new technology he controlled. Cooperating with others would undoubtedly raise the Alliance¡¯s concerns. How to appease this behemoth, which also served as his greatest support, had become a challenge he had to face. Fortunately, he had already thought of a solution to this problem.


    ¡°Master Hammerfire has been developing a new kind of weapon recently. Although it is merely a concept at this stage, I believe that once it¡¯s successful, it will completely change the fighting style of the Void Magic Armor. So please relay to Elder Farey and tell the Alliance not to worry. I trust that Master Hammerfire will soon make progress.¡±


    Making the Alliance happy was simple, all he needed to do was share enough new technology or new products to satisfy them. Luckily, besides the Runes, Rocky now had some new gadgets up his sleeve, enough to fend them off for a while.


    Sure enough, a smile spread across Damara¡¯s face after he finished speaking.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, since you say so, I will convey your words to my father as they are.¡±


    Seeing the genuine smile on Damara¡¯s face, Rocky finally breathed a sigh of relief. No matter how he would face the Alliance in the future, the important thing was that he had gotten through the current predicament.


    After chatting a bit more, Damara left. Her main purpose for this visit was to gauge Rocky¡¯s attitude. After all, as a member of the Alliance who held technology that was supposed to be shared with the Alliance, his collaboration with others was undoubtedly worrying. However, from Damara¡¯s observations, it seemed that Rocky had no ulterior motives.


    And after she left, Denise approached Rocky.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, we meet again.¡±


    Standing before Rocky, Denise looked at him and nodded slightly, while Rocky also revealed a smile.


    Rocky was not unfamiliar with Denise; this was their second encounter. Last time they met, Rocky was simply a City Lord and a competing contestant in the Arena. But this time, their statuses had changed, because strictly speaking, Rocky had now become a competitor to Denise!

 Chapter 566 - 566 529 Hunger Marketing

    ?Chapter 566: Chapter 529: Hunger Marketing Chapter 566: Chapter 529: Hunger Marketing About a year ago, Denise and Rocky had met, coincidentally at a dance as well, but it was hosted by Sigma Corporation, marking their first encounter.


    Denise could never have dreamt that Rocky, who had caused a bit of a stir at that dance, would one day become her competitor.


    Indeed, Denise had never imagined such a scene, not due to a lack of imagination, but because the thought was simply too far-fetched.


    So when the two stood face to face once again, both were filled with various thoughts.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, do you really intend to venture into the armor domain?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about venturing, just trying it out,¡± he replied.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing Rocky¡¯s response, Denise of course didn¡¯t believe him, as anyone could see that Rocky¡¯s collaboration with Apple Tree Corporation was ambitious, which made Denise feel a bit bitter.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was worried about how Rocky¡¯s involvement might impact her own company, it was too early to tell, but what really made Denise bitter was that Rocky originally could have had a chance to collaborate with Sigma Corporation!


    Unfortunately, a small decision back then had erased that possibility.


    Recalling their first meeting, Rocky had clashed with Xia Nai, the son of the Marquis of Kafka Empire, as Sigma Corporation was promoting Holy Angel Armor to everyone at the time, so naturally, Denise had sided with Xia Nai, a stance that clearly upset Rocky. As a result, when Sigma Corporation sent someone to visit Rocky after Aniye released new technology, they didn¡¯t even get to see him.


    It was from that time that any potential collaboration between Sigma Corporation and Rocky probably ended.


    Was that so?


    Indeed, it was.


    Because of Denise¡¯s attitude at that dance, Rocky¡¯s impression of her and Sigma Corporation had drastically worsened, which led him to disregard Denise and Sigma when choosing his collaboration partners.


    But now, it was too late to say anything. Denise, as a potential competitor, had only a brief chat with Rocky, with hardly any substantial conversation since there wasn¡¯t much they could discuss. As for specifics about cooperation, Denise wanted to know, but Rocky would not tell her, and regarding other matters, their relationship wasn¡¯t close enough to talk about everything, so after a few brief words, Denise left.


    As she turned and walked away, Rocky was immediately surrounded by other people, but he kept watching Denise¡¯s retreating figure, only stopping when she was completely obscured by the crowd.


    Actually, Rocky did have some questions he wanted to ask Denise, such as about the subsequent models of the Holy Angel Armor and the development of the sixth generation of armor. After all, Rocky was very clear that he intended to make runes public in the future, so there might be opportunities for cooperation between the two parties. Unfortunately, given their current relationship and past entanglements, these questions were unaskable.


    Thus, Rocky continued to entertain other guests while Denise chose to leave directly, and the ball went on for quite a long time, only ending near dawn.


    By the time this attention-grabbing ball finally concluded on the following day, the news of Rocky¡¯s collaboration with Apple Tree Corporation spread through various channels.


    However, the event did not end there. Given the grandeur of the occasion and the many guests who had come to Rocky¡¯s territory, he naturally wanted to extend his hospitality as a host; thus, even after the announcement of the collaboration, he still invited everyone to stay in the city.


    As a result, Carltos City was bustling for the following week, especially the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, which hosted various banquets and balls nearly every day for the many guests. Since the major announcements had already been made, both Rocky and the others relaxed a bit, making these days even livelier than the first.


    In this process, Rocky, as he had said, began handing out Demon Skin Bags to various guests continuously.


    Of course, he was quite thoughtful about it and didn¡¯t just hand them out to everyone as if distributing cabbage; that would have made the painstakingly designed bags seem cheap. He chose to first give them to the most important and closest guests, like Damara and Denise, as well as Amanred and Karina.


    Among these four, Damara and Denise were some of the most prestigious guests and also among the most eye-catching, while Amanred and Karina were relatively familiar with Rocky, making it sensible for him to give them gifts.


    Having received such gifts, although these four women were not merely decorative, all being pragmatists, no woman is immune to the allure of a new handbag. Moreover, each had heard rumors about the Demon Skin Bags and knew that what Rocky had given them was not ordinary but top-tier bags made from Demon Skin. They not only adored the bags but also carried them to each subsequent ball and banquet without exception.


    This naturally made other women take notice of these handbags. After all, women tend to have a stronger competitive spirit than men, particularly when prestigious individuals like Damara and Denise also sported Demon Skin Bags. Other women knew they had to pay attention or risk falling behind.


    Meanwhile, as Damara and Denise received their Demon Skin Bags and began showing up at banquets with them, other women started to hope for the moment Rocky would fulfill his promise and gift them one as well, so they wouldn¡¯t fall too far behind Damara and Denise.


    Unfortunately, thereafter, Rocky seemed to have forgotten his words, as he no longer handed out any Demon Skin Bags.


    This apparent indifference distressed many who couldn¡¯t always remain in Backhill Village, knowing that they would have to leave within a few days. Thus, some anxious guests even approached Liliya, indirectly asking about it. Some City Lords, unable to withstand their wives¡¯ or lovers¡¯ nagging, shamelessly approached Rocky, also subtly inquiring about the bags.


    This situation was clearly what Rocky had hoped for and had deliberately created. Why had he given Demon Skin Bags only to Damara, Denise, and the other two? Wasn¡¯t it to make others envious and incite a desire to possess them?


    So at the end, Rocky indeed fulfilled his promise. As the guests eventually departed, he meticulously prepared a gift for each departing guest, and this gift was the Demon Skin Bag that each lady had been longing for.


    After this strategic move, Rocky believed he no longer needed to advertise, as the women who had received the Demon Skin Bags would actively promote them for him. By then, when he actually pushed for wider distribution, the luxury market would naturally begin to open up!

 Chapter 567 - 567 530 Recruitment

    ?Chapter 567: Chapter 530 Recruitment Chapter 567: Chapter 530 Recruitment With the last guest sent off, the significant event for Rocky had finally concluded satisfactorily. It was the first time he had hosted so many guests in Sky City as a host, so once everyone had left, he was almost on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.


    However, that was not the end, because as soon as the collaboration was announced, the Apple Tree Corporation sprang into action. They clearly did not want to waste any time. Archimonde, the Vice President, was directly put in charge of cooperating with Thunderhawk City and decided to stay in Thunderhawk City.


    So after the guests had left, Archimonde immediately found Rocky, and they decided to start building factories in Thunderhawk City, beginning with an armaments factory. The Apple Tree Corporation would take care of the materials, while Thunderhawk City would provide the manpower. As soon as the factory was completed, production would begin immediately, and the Corporation would also prepare for the sales during this period.


    In this matter, Rocky and Archimonde quickly reached an agreement, and the Apple Tree Corporation began to allocate resources to transport everything necessary for constructing the factory, including materials and equipment, to Thunderhawk City. Meanwhile, Rocky had Old Jack start recruiting workers, ready to start construction as soon as the materials arrived.


    In light of these events, Thunderhawk City immediately became a hive of activity. After all, the two thousand newly settled residents were eagerly waiting for a chance to work. Thus, when the recruitment notice was posted, almost all of these two thousand people rushed to the recruitment center. The number of people and their enthusiastic response far exceeded Rocky and Old Jack¡¯s expectations.


    ¡°Everyone, line up! No disorder! Everyone will have a chance!¡±


    After the recruitment notice was posted, long lines formed outside the recruitment center early the next morning. Hundreds of people were eagerly waiting to register, and to avoid any unnecessary trouble, Old Jack had to deploy a team of guards led by Sandro, a Void Magic Warrior, to maintain order.


    Watching the long lines and seeing the anxiety and hope in people¡¯s eyes, Sandro couldn¡¯t help but feel emotional. He considered himself an old-timer in Thunderhawk City, having been in the Guard Corps since the day Rocky took charge of the city. Reflecting on the former state of Thunderhawk City and seeing its current state, Sandro felt as if he was living in a completely different era.


    However, nostalgia aside, his job had to be done. With hundreds of people lining up here and more expected to arrive, maintaining order was crucial. Being one of Rocky¡¯s loyal subordinates from the beginning, Sandro knew well that Rocky detested disorder, especially any problems with the city¡¯s security. Therefore, he could not afford to take this matter lightly.


    Fortunately, although Sandro had brought only a small squad of about a dozen guards, having him, a battle-armored Void Magic Warrior, there indeed helped. Initially, the scene might have been somewhat chaotic, but it improved significantly once Sandro and his team appeared.


    ¡°Everyone, maintain order! The City Lord detests any problems with the city¡¯s security, and we are so close to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. Don¡¯t make it difficult for me! Otherwise, I will deal with it severely!¡±


    While maintaining order and ensuring everyone was properly lined up, Sandro sternly instructed. When he mentioned Rocky, the crowd instantly became much quieter and more compliant, even stopping normal conversations, which took Sandro by surprise.


    It was no wonder these people behaved this way; their status was that of refugees, grateful to have a place to survive, making them very compliant. Being frightened like this only made them more obedient.


    Moreover, although they had just arrived in Thunderhawk City, they had heard about the city and especially Rocky to some extent. Even if some had not heard of Rocky before, they had mostly learned about him from the ¡®old-timers¡¯ of Thunderhawk City in the past few days.


    Rocky¡¯s reputation among the old residents of Thunderhawk City naturally need not be mentioned. The city¡¯s long-term residents, who had witnessed and experienced the changes in Thunderhawk City, spoke highly of Rocky, the City Lord. This praise from the old residents made the new ones feel fortunate. Even if they had not yet met Rocky, the mention of his name alone stirred a solemn respect, deterring them from speaking freely.


    Seeing everyone suddenly behaving so docilely, Sandro couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly before motioning his team to bring forward a stack of forms.


    ¡°To save time during registration, we will give each of you a form. Take a look at it and carefully read the content. When it¡¯s your turn, make sure to fill out all the required information. Pay special attention, and if you have any special skills, make sure to write them down.¡±


    While shouting to the crowd, Sandro led the small team and the recruitment staff to distribute forms to everyone.


    ¡°Little girl, what are you doing here?¡±


    Standing in the middle of the line, Sandro had just passed out forms to a few people in front, and when he turned around, he found a little girl standing in the middle of the line, which amused him.


    This time, they were recruiting construction workers to build an armory. Although the notice did not specify gender, it was clear that construction work was meant for men, given it involved physical labor. So, what was a little girl doing signing up? Besides, she was too young, looking to be only about sixteen or seventeen¡ªshe couldn¡¯t possibly handle this type of work.


    No sooner had he asked than the little girl quickly shook her head at Sandro, ¡°Sir, I¡ªI can do it. I can do anything! Really! So¡­ could you¡­ could you give me a form, please¡­¡±


    Clearly, the girl had caught Sandro¡¯s implication, so she hurriedly spoke up, and as she did, her eyes reddened.


    Seeing that the girl was about to cry, Sandro immediately felt a headache brewing. Before he had decided how to respond or comfort her, someone next to them spoke up.


    ¡°Sir, please just give her a form¡­¡± The one who spoke was a man in his thirties or forties, standing in front of the girl, with an honest face. He turned to Sandro respectfully and said, ¡°Sir, this little girl¡¯s name is Annie. She was supposed to come to the city with her parents. Unfortunately, they fell seriously ill on the way. Her father died on the skyship, and now it¡¯s just her looking after her mother, so you¡­¡±


    At this point, the man stopped speaking due to a sobbing Annie behind him, whose tears had started flowing freely. Her crying also stirred a sad expression on the faces of others around, prompting many to wipe away tears¡ªnot for Annie¡¯s misfortunes, but because these people were reminded of their sufferings.


    Coming to Thunderhawk City as refugees, every one of them had endured painful experiences. Why else would they be refugees if their lives were perfectly happy?


    But this made Sandro¡¯s headache even worse. Those familiar with Sandro knew he was not eloquent, so he was not the one to manage this situation.


    Just as he felt baffled, suddenly someone behind him asked:


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    Hearing this voice, Sandro was taken aback, and as he turned around, he saw Rocky.


    ¡°City Lord!¡±


    Sandro had not expected Rocky to show up and quickly stood at attention, then gave him a salute.


    sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 568 - 568 531 Hope

    ?Chapter 568: Chapter 531: Hope Chapter 568: Chapter 531: Hope ¡°City Lord!¡±


    Upon realizing that Rocky was standing behind him, Sandro and the surrounding guards immediately set aside all their work to salute him. The people lined up, however, showed a baffled expression on their faces.


    Clearly, these people never expected to encounter the esteemed City Lord in such circumstances, not even Sandro had anticipated it.


    In fact, Rocky did not come here to intimidate anyone. He had originally planned to meet Karina, as she had mentioned having matters to discuss with him upon her return. However, due to Rocky being too busy at that time, his visit was delayed. Now that he had finished his tasks, Rocky naturally went to see Karina to inquire about the matters she intended to discuss with him.


    While heading to the Skyport, he happened to pass by this area and got off his carriage to take a look.


    His appearance immediately quieted the scene. The people in line especially seemed as if they were frozen in place, with each face expressing total bewilderment.


    These people had just arrived in Thunderhawk City recently and had barely seen Rocky, thus, when he appeared unexpectedly, the unprepared crowd was completely dumbfounded. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rocky was not surprised by their reaction, as he was well aware of the respect his presence commanded and how ordinary citizens reacted upon seeing him. He then turned to Sandro, ¡°Sandro, what was happening just now?¡±


    ¡°My lord, here¡¯s what happened¡­¡±


    Triggered by Rocky¡¯s question, Sandro immediately recounted the events.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    After listening to Sandro¡¯s explanation, Rocky nodded, then turned to Annie and waved her over.


    Seeing Rocky signaling her, Annie was initially stunned and then her face displayed a mix of panic and confusion, clearly unsure of what to do.


    No wonder, as Annie was just a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, about the same age as Dusa and from a simple family background. Facing Rocky, the towering City Lord, and especially when he called her over, her mind went blank, clueless about what to do.


    ¡°The lord is calling you, come on¡­¡±


    Realizing Annie had not reacted for a while and Rocky hadn¡¯t shown any signs of anger; the people around her became anxious first. To remain indifferent in front of the City Lord took a lot of nerve, so they hurriedly whispered while pushing her out of the line.


    Thus, being pushed out of the line by everyone, an unprepared Annie hastily bowed her head and stood trembling in front of Rocky, completely unable to speak.


    ¡°Your name is Annie?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you come here seeking employment to take care of your mother?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Faced with Rocky¡¯s questions, Annie dared not lift her head nor speak, merely nodding continually.


    ¡°Sandro, give her a form.¡±


    Seeing that Annie could barely speak in his presence, Rocky knew it was difficult for her to continue, so he directly told Sandro to give her a form.


    ¡°Thank you! Thank you, City Lord!¡±


    After receiving the form from Sandro and constantly avoiding looking directly at Rocky, Annie finally lifted her head and could not help but repeatedly express her gratitude towards Rocky.


    For those like her who had newly arrived as refugees in Thunderhawk City, even though the City Lord¡¯s Mansion ensured their basic living needs temporarily, this support was not sustainable and barely sufficient for subsistence. If they wished for a better life, efforts from their side were essential, especially for people like Annie. They needed genuine employment to sustain themselves, or they faced a grim fate. This urgency explained why so many rushed forward when the recruitment notice was first posted, as a job was extremely crucial for them.


    Being aware of these people¡¯s circumstances, Rocky, as the City Lord, was naturally aware of these challenges. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been so eager to collaborate with the Apple Tree Corporation or sought to open markets for luxury products because creating more jobs in Thunderhawk City was vital; otherwise, the new population would literally starve.


    Afterward, Rocky took a step forward, standing before everyone, pondered for a moment, and then spoke, ¡°You have been in Thunderhawk City for a month now¡­¡±


    ¡°During this time, you must have become familiar with the city, and I believe you have heard what Thunderhawk City was like in the past.¡±


    ¡°Now, as the master of this city, I want to tell you¡­¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be long before there will be more and more job positions waiting for you. As long as you rely on your own hands and are diligent enough, you will definitely find employment, and this job will surely improve your lives! Remember, as long as you work hard enough, you can achieve it!¡±


    After delivering these words, Rocky looked towards Annie, who was stunned, and then smiled, ¡°Annie, it¡¯s good that you are striving for this job now; it shows you are a hardworking child. But I want to tell you, and all of you, that it won¡¯t be long before the city¡¯s leather factory will recruit a new batch of trainees specifically for you. Then, you can receive training from professional technicians, and possibly even become real designers. So even if you don¡¯t succeed in getting a job this time, do not lose heart as there are plenty of positions in Thunderhawk City waiting for you!¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, City Lord!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, City Lord!¡±


    ¡°Long live the City Lord! Long live the City Lord!¡±


    ¡°Long live the City Lord!¡±


    After Rocky finished his speech, the stunned crowd finally reacted, erupting into a wave of cheers. Everyone showed expressions of uncontrollable excitement, and some even cried tears of joy. Rocky¡¯s words undoubtedly gave them hope, and hope was what they needed most right now.


    Facing the cheers and shouts of the people, a smile also appeared on Rocky¡¯s face, as this indeed pleased him. He had heard many cheers and shouts before, but he must admit, only when the residents of his own city cheered for him did he truly feel satisfied.


    Afterward, Rocky left, as he still had important matters to attend to. However, after his departure, the people at the recruitment area didn¡¯t need promptings from Sandro or others anymore; they lined up spontaneously, and their expressions of anxiety and urgency lessened, replaced with slight smiles.


    Meanwhile, after leaving the recruitment area, Rocky quickly reached the Skyport, and then took a ship to Rose City, where he finally managed to meet Karina.

 Chapter 569 - 569 532 A Great Discovery

    ?Chapter 569: Chapter 532: A Great Discovery?! Chapter 569: Chapter 532: A Great Discovery?! Although Karina returned to Backhill Village the moment she received Rocky¡¯s invitation, the times they met during this period were rather limited. There was no helping it; Rocky had been too busy recently, meeting too many people every day, so he really didn¡¯t have time to see Karina. Fortunately, Karina understood this, so as soon as he was done with everything, Rocky rushed to meet her.


    After arriving at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion in Rose City, Rocky found Karina in the study where she was arranging the next steps with her subordinates.


    ¡°You¡¯ve eliminated quite a few demons recently, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    When Rocky arrived, Karina waved her hands to dismiss her subordinates, then Rocky sat directly across from her and casually brought up the topic.


    Their relationship had grown very familiar, so there was no need for much formality when they met.


    ¡°It¡¯s been decent,¡±


    With a slight smile towards Rocky, Karina didn¡¯t elaborate, but the delighted expression on her face suggested she had indeed made substantial gains during this time.


    This was to be expected, given that it had been over two months since she came to Backhill Village. During this time, Rocky had been continuously busy¡ªfirst collecting debts from families, then discussing collaboration with the Apple Tree Corporation, and finally inviting numerous guests over. However, Karina had been equally busy.


    She had spent her time hunting demons near Backhill Village, constantly engaging in battle, so she definitely killed many demons and acquired a substantial amount of Demon Materials, which is why she was so pleased when Rocky mentioned it.


    ¡°So? Planning to keep going?¡±


    ¡°That depends on your decision,¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but look at Karina, catching the implication in her words.


    Given Karina¡¯s abilities, she didn¡¯t need any help just to hunt demons, so her actions wouldn¡¯t depend on Rocky¡¯s decisions. Since she mentioned it, there must be another reason.


    ¡°Is this what you wanted to talk about?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly this.¡±


    Nodding, Karina stood up and walked to her desk, then gestured for Rocky to come over.


    Seeing this, Rocky stood up from his chair and walked over to her side, both of them looking down at the desk.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Looking down at the desk, Rocky was instantly stunned. He saw a map spread out on the desk; the marked terrain clearly showed the region of Skybreaker Peak!


    This utterly dumbfounded Rocky, because even he didn¡¯t have a map of the Skybreaker Peak region. How did Karina have one?


    ¡°How¡­ how do you have a map of this place?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have one?¡±


    This question, however, made Karina reveal a puzzled expression. She looked at Rocky in amazement, then laughed, ¡°You aren¡¯t telling me you haven¡¯t mapped the area around Backhill Village yet?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    As soon as Karina finished speaking, Rocky suddenly felt his face flush with embarrassment because Karina had indeed guessed right¡ªhe genuinely hadn¡¯t mapped the area around Backhill Village and hadn¡¯t even considered it.


    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll give you a copy later. That¡¯s not the main point I wanted to discuss with you,¡± she said.


    Helplessly glancing at Rocky, Karina, perhaps knowing him too well, didn¡¯t dwell on the matter and casually pointed at the map. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I created this map in the last two months. It covers a 300-kilometer radius around Broken Mountain Peak and then, I discovered this,¡± she said.


    While speaking, she placed her finger on the edge of the map, ¡°Half a month ago, when I was hunting demons, I led the fleet here and then I remembered what you told me.¡±


    ¡°High-level demon?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Rocky was aware that Karina had been hunting demons near Backhill Village. Initially, they both planned to go together, but Rocky was too busy to join. However, he still discussed the matter of high-level demons with Karina.


    The only high-level demon he encountered was near Backhill Village, so Rocky solemnly warned Karina not to take it lightly, thinking there was no danger because the village was occupied. On the contrary, it was very likely that other high-level demons were lurking around, so she needed to be extra cautious when hunting.


    Such a warning was certainly taken seriously by Karina. After all, dealing with high-level demons was no laughing matter, which is why, despite spending much time killing demons, she never dared to be reckless, fearing she might provoke beings beyond her control.


    However, she then said, ¡°After leading the fleet here, I noticed an increase in the number of demons in this area. I thought it was because of a high-level demon, but I soon realized it wasn¡¯t. The reason there are more demons here is that there¡¯s a ruin.¡±


    ¡°A ruin?¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky furrowed his brow, then looked at Karina, ¡°What kind of ruin?¡±


    ¡°The ruin of a town, no, it should be said, a city. I personally led the team to fly over the ruin and discovered that its area was very extensive, far from being a simple village.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    When Karina finished explaining, Rocky finally understood what she had been trying to discuss with him earlier¡ªit must have been about this matter.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯ve discovered the ruin of a city¡­ which means¡­ this ruin is from the Land Era?¡±


    After demons invaded the land, people officially entered the Sky Era, known previously as the Land Era, and the ruin Karina found was clearly a remnant of the Land Era¡­


    This was a remarkable finding!


    As everyone knew, even though people fled to the skies after the land fell, they didn¡¯t abandon their resistance in the last moments. Instead, they made numerous inventions and conducted research in an effort to fight the demons, leading to the birth of Sky City. The concept of Void Magic Armor also originated during this period. Not to mention, the Mana Rune Rocky found at the Lost Research Institute, all of which were from the last days of the Land Era. Therefore, any remnants or sites from the Land Era were incredibly precious because one never knew what might be discovered at these sites¡ªpossibly nothing, or possibly something extraordinary like a Mana Rune!


    And the ruin Karina discovered clearly resembled these kinds of valuable sites!

 Chapter 570 - 570 533 Exploration

    ?Chapter 570: Chapter 533: Exploration Chapter 570: Chapter 533: Exploration Rocky never expected that there were ruins of a city from the Land Era near Backhill Village. This was truly a surprise to him¡ªhow could he not have known about this?


    Of course, there was nothing strange about it. Rocky had taken over Backhill Village almost a year ago but had actually spent very little time there. Just after he took charge of the village, war broke out, and ever since, Rocky had been fighting in the Tulip Battle Zone. Although Backhill Village was also a battleground, only minor skirmishes occurred there throughout the war, so no one paid much attention to the surroundings.


    If it weren¡¯t for Karina uncovering this secret, Rocky might not have discovered this treasure right under his nose for a long time to come.


    So after listening to everything Karina had said, Rocky looked at her and asked, ¡°Do you plan to explore these ruins?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the two of us will go together.¡±


    Karina nodded affirmatively. Ruins or relics left from the Land Era always held the potential of yielding treasures; anyone who found them would want to explore, and she was no exception.


    However, she had no intention of exploring on her own but wanted to act together with Rocky.


    For one thing, the ruins were discovered on Rocky¡¯s territory, and given their good relationship, it would seem somewhat underhanded for Karina to act alone without telling Rocky. Undoubtedly, it would damage the partnership they had built over time.


    Secondly, Karina alone did not have the capabilities to explore the ruins. Since it was an entire city¡¯s ruins and there were a lot of demons inside, ground troops would be necessary to conduct an exploration. However, Karina didn¡¯t have many ground troops at her disposal, and those she did have were not strong enough. In contrast, Rocky had a powerful Guard Corps at his disposal and also possessed the White Demon Armor. Only by working with him could they hope to achieve the goal of exploring the ruins. Otherwise, Karina might end up falling at the ruins without reaping any benefits. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    After Karina finished speaking, Rocky simply nodded. He certainly had no reason to refuse such an invitation and immediately agreed.


    Having made this decision, the two of them sprung into action, and after discussing their plans, Rocky returned to Thunderhawk City.


    Back in Thunderhawk City, he gathered everyone and informed them of the situation.


    ¡°This time, I plan to take action with Carltos City, while Thunderhawk City will remain in Backhill Village for the time being.¡±


    Having shared the matter with everyone, Rocky immediately made a series of arrangements, first determining which Sky City would accompany him to the ruins.


    Rocky was now the City Lord of two Sky Cities, but such an expedition clearly did not require taking both cities. Choosing just one would suffice, and he chose Carltos City.


    At that time, Thunderhawk City was fully engaged in construction. The armory was being built, a leather manufacturing factory would soon be recruiting trainees, and furthermore, the newly increased population had not yet completely settled down, so it was not suitable to be taken on the expedition.


    After making this decision, he turned to Aileen, ¡°Aileen, how much Gold Coin do we have in the treasury now?¡±


    ¡°The treasury of Thunderhawk City has about one million Gold Coins left, while Carltos City¡¯s treasury has about five hundred thousand.¡±


    ¡°Why so little?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky furrowed his brow slightly.


    Of course, he wasn¡¯t referring to Thunderhawk City. In fact, for a small Sky City, having a reserve of one million Gold Coins was already quite affluent. The city¡¯s two major industries were not only self-sustaining, but also generated occasional surpluses. More importantly, after the war ended, the mining industry in Backhill Village had recovered, and its first quarter production had been sold to the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, resulting in substantial profits.


    What truly made Rocky frown was the situation of Carltos City.


    A medium-sized Sky City, yet it had only half the reserves of Thunderhawk City at five hundred thousand Gold Coins, which was simply unbelievable.


    And Aileen, of course, understood what Rocky meant, so she hurriedly said, ¡°My lord, there was no choice. Originally, the Mairente Family had to use all the treasuries of their cities to repay Alliance debts, including Carltos City¡¯s. Therefore, when the city was handed over to you, its treasury was almost empty.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, Grandpa Voss implemented a tax reduction policy and shut down many of the city¡¯s industries. Thus, after the first quarter¡¯s taxes were collected and all expenses deducted, only that much was left.¡±


    ¡°However, my lord need not worry, as all sectors of Carltos City are gradually recovering, and it shouldn¡¯t be long before profits begin to be generated.¡±


    There were many reasons for Carltos City¡¯s empty treasury, from historical issues to current policies. In short, this city couldn¡¯t yet serve as Rocky¡¯s backyard paradise and might even require a transfer of funds from Thunderhawk City, reflecting the old saying that each size has its own challenges.


    Fortunately, after hearing Aileen¡¯s explanation, Rocky nodded. He was already aware of what she mentioned, so he thought for a moment before asking, ¡°How many Contribution Points do we have now?¡±


    ¡°A little over a thousand.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ That¡¯s enough,¡± Rocky said after some thought, then turned to Lin Feng, ¡°Lin Feng, I will give you one thousand Contribution Points and allocate five hundred thousand Gold Coins from Thunderhawk City¡¯s treasury. Make a trip to Sirius City right away and use these funds and points to exchange for a batch of new Mana Equipment for the Guard Corps.¡±


    Since they were going to explore ruins, they needed to prepare for battle. After all, the ruins were filled with Demons, and combat with them was unavoidable.


    Rocky and Karina had already agreed on their strategy: Karina would handle the skies with her larger fleet, while Rocky would take care of the ground. That was why he inquired about the amount of money left in both Sky Cities¡¯ treasuries.


    Rocky had intended to use Gold Coins to buy Magic Energy Equipment for the Guard Corps in Sirius City, but the reserves in Carltos City were far below his expectations. Considering the financial demands for future development, Rocky had to use his not-so-abundant Contribution Points for the exchange.


    In theory, given Rocky¡¯s accumulated Military Merit during the war, the Alliance should have awarded him tens of thousands of Contribution Points. Unfortunately, because the Sky Alliance ultimately handed over Carltos City directly to him, the rewards originally due to his Military Merit were forfeited. Thankfully, Backhill Village was there.


    Backhill Village had resumed production, and Rocky had sold off his share from the very first batch of mined resources, with the rest dutifully turned over to the Alliance. Thus, he had gained a tidy sum of Contribution Points, which, along with a portion of Gold Coins, was enough to procure a new batch of equipment for the Guard Corps in Sirius City.

 Chapter 571 - 571 534 Three-Star Magic Armor

    ?Chapter 571: Chapter 534: Three-Star Magic Armor Chapter 571: Chapter 534: Three-Star Magic Armor The Guard Corps last updated their equipment more than a year ago, when Rocky had just joined the Sky Alliance. Then, he used the one thousand Contribution Points obtained from joining the Alliance to replace a batch of equipment for the Guard Corps. It was with the support of this new equipment that he was able to take Backhill Village without a fight.


    Now, the Guard Corps was preparing to move out again, and this time they were facing an even larger and more powerful number of Demons.


    The ruins that Rocky and Karina planned to explore were bound to be teeming with a massive number of Demons, a fact that had already been personally confirmed by Karina; therefore, the Guard Corps would undoubtedly become the main force.


    However, compared to the number of Demons, the Guard Corps seemed far too small. Although Rocky had recently conducted a recruitment drive that increased the size of the corps from three hundred to five hundred, their numbers still paled in comparison to the Demons. Therefore, they had no choice but to improve their equipment, so that the Guard Corps could be outfitted with better gear. Only in this way could they play a bigger role in combat.


    As a result, Rocky not only put forward almost all his Contribution Points but also took out five hundred thousand Gold Coins from Thunderhawk City¡¯s treasury, entrusting them to Lin Feng and asking him to immediately head to Sirius City to exchange and purchase equipment.


    Lin Feng was the vice-captain of the Guard Corps and knew the situation of the corps even better than Rocky. Rocky felt very assured entrusting this task to him. Sirius City was originally the Sky Alliance¡¯s Contact City. Even if they were to remain in Backhill Village, the Alliance members in the nearby airspace would still contact them for any matters, and since it was a large Sky City, the city was quite well-stocked with various resources. As long as they had Contribution Points and money, they would definitely be able to buy what they wanted.


    After receiving Rocky¡¯s orders, Lin Feng did not delay and immediately set off to Sirius City with a team.


    Since Sirius City was representing the Sky Alliance in the defense of Backhill Village, contact between Thunderhawk City and Sirius City was very frequent, and the distance between the two was extremely short. It took Lin Feng and his team only several minutes by Skyship to arrive in the city, where he promptly got in touch with the Alliance¡¯s staff to start the equipment exchange.


    In just two days, Lin Feng completed the mission, spending all the one thousand Contribution Points and five hundred thousand Gold Coins given to him by Rocky!


    Of course, although all the Contribution Points and Gold Coins were spent, they were not wasted. Lin Feng also brought back a batch of very powerful Magic Energy Equipment!


    As the vice-captain of the Guard Corps, Lin Feng knew exactly what the Guards needed, so he had only three targets this time: first was weapons, second was shields, and third was Armor ¡ª the so-called ¡°big three.¡±


    These ¡°big three¡± are the most common and practical types of equipment. A soldier equipped with these three can basically go straight to the battlefield. At the same time, they are the most important pieces of equipment for soldiers. As long as these three items are of high quality, other items such as helmets, wrist guards, and battle boots, even if of lower quality, will not have much impact on combat. Thus, Lin Feng¡¯s main targets for purchase this time were these three types of equipment.


    The first thing he selected was weapons. In the battle against Demons, offensive capability is extremely important because trying to match the defensive power of Demons is clearly a foolish choice. Rather than defending against the fierce onslaught of the Demons, it is more practical to kill them first so they can¡¯t attack. But Demons have powerful defenses; hence, a high-quality weapon becomes key to combat.


    Lin Feng, well aware of this, spared no expense and directly purchased Three-Star Magic Energy Longswords for the Guard Corps!


    The star level of Mana Equipment indicates its quality, with One-Star and Two-Star regarded as regular Mana Equipment. They are fitted with a limited number of Magic Stones and offer restricted mana enhancement, which is especially noticeable in weapons. However, due to the affordability of this equipment, it is the most widely used. Most City Lords of Sky City equip their soldiers with this level of gear, and even the Guard Corps currently uses primarily Two-Star equipment.


    Compared to the approachable One-Star and Two-Star Magic Equipment, Three-Star Magic Equipment can be considered high-level. The price of a piece of Three-Star Magic Equipment is usually three to four times that of One-Star and Two-Star gear, and the gap is even greater for weapons. However, the difference in power between the two is also immense.


    Three-Star Magic Equipment generally contains over two hundred points of mana. What does this mean? S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Do you remember Rocky¡¯s first set of Void Magic Armor, the Blood Pattern Mark II? As the first generation of Void Magic Armor, the longsword equipped with the Blood Pattern Mark II, once enhanced by the Armor, only had a power of about two to three hundred points. This means that the power of Three-Star Magic Energy Weapons is now almost on par with the old-style Void Magic Armor!


    With such power, soldiers would naturally be more adept at dealing with Demons, so Lin Feng didn¡¯t hesitate to buy hundreds of Three-Star Magic Energy Longswords and then the same number of Three-Star Magic Energy Shields and Armor.


    In battles against Demons, especially in large-scale conflict, it¡¯s impossible to avoid being attacked by them, and I probably don¡¯t need to explain how formidable the Demons¡¯ attacking capabilities are¡ªjust looking at the lands they have already occupied is telling enough.


    Therefore, while ensuring offensive capability, the pressing issue was how to ensure that soldiers could survive the ferocious attacks of the Demons.


    This problem was always quite a challenge, and it was to address this challenge that the ultimate weapon, Void Magic Armor, was eventually created. Of course, Lin Feng had no intention of solving this challenge himself; his plan was quite simple, to equip the Guard Corps with better protective gear. Thus, he followed the standard of weapons and chose Three-Star Shields and Armor.


    A combination of a Three-Star Magic Energy Shield and Three-Star Armor forms a fairly complete and formidable defense system. Add in sufficiently powerful weapons, and soldiers could basically confront Normal Demons face-to-face. Of course, this assumes one premise¡ªthat the user is strong enough.


    No matter how good the equipment, in the hands of someone who doesn¡¯t know how to use it, it is no better than scrap metal. Bernardo, who once dueled Rocky clad in Holy Angel Armor, is the best example. The same is true for regular soldiers; even if a bunch of useless soldiers were equipped with Three-Star Magic Equipment, or donned customized Void Magic Armor, they would still be useless.


    But Lin Feng wasn¡¯t worried about this at all, for under the leadership of Monte and himself, every soldier of the Guard Corps had undergone very rigorous training. This was true for the veterans, and despite recently recruiting many new soldiers, it was equally true for the new recruits¡ªwho faced even more rigorous training than the veterans did. Thus, as long as the Guard Corps donned their new gear, they would absolutely not fear the Demons!

 Chapter 572 - 572 535 Setting Off

    ?Chapter 572: Chapter 535 Setting Off! Chapter 572: Chapter 535 Setting Off! ¡°My God! Are these all Three-Star Magic Armor?!¡±


    In the Guard Corps¡¯ camp, the guards who had received new equipment couldn¡¯t let go of their shiny acquisitions, especially the new recruits.


    These new recruits were all enlisted by Rocky after he had retaken Carltos City, all hailing from Thunderhawk City. However, due to their later enlistment in the Guard Corps, there was a significant gap in equipment compared to the veterans, who sported Guardian Sets¡ªthe complete Two-star Magic Energy Outfits¡ªexchanged by Rocky from the Alliance, imposing and powerful in combat, which had long been the envy of the fresh recruits. Thus, when Lin Feng brought back the new equipment and issued it to them, it was these newcomers who were the most thrilled.


    ¡°Awesome! I can finally wear Magic Energy Equipment too!¡±


    Inside the barracks, a few new recruits, holding their newly issued Magic Energy Longswords, swung them around and chattered excitedly.


    ¡°Look at how pathetic you are.¡±


    While the newbies were buzzing with excitement, a roomful of veterans could only smile wryly and push back with, ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. Getting new gear means you¡¯ll be fighting demons soon. You better be ready.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    The moment the veterans finished their reminder, the exuberant recruits quickly simmered down and gathered around them, asking, ¡°Uncle Peter, do you think¡­ we can really beat the demons?¡±


    Most of these newly-drafted soldiers were aged between eighteen and twenty years old, originally just ordinary city kids with no real-life experiences facing true demons, and their knowledge of demons was limited to hearsay. So, the thought of actually fighting demons soon naturally made them uneasy.


    Surrounded by the crowd, Uncle Peter himself was nearing forty years old today. Being called ¡®uncle¡¯ by the youngsters wasn¡¯t an exaggeration, and he was indeed an old soldier by now, having been with Rocky since the Backhill Village defense and participating in every action, big and small, in the Guard Corps, ultimately rising to the rank of a squad leader.


    So when the new recruits, anxious and unsettled, circled around him, Peter just laughed heartily, ¡°Lads, not only can we defeat the demons, we¡¯ve beaten them more than once. As long as you follow orders, don¡¯t run away on the battlefield, and execute what you¡¯ve been trained for, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap, it isn¡¯t as simple as you say!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, fighting demons isn¡¯t like having a brawl.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Peter, you¡¯re not fooling us. The Guard Corps¡¯ victories over demons were always thanks to the City Lord and the Void Magic Squad.¡±


    Peter had intended to boost the morale of the youngsters, but no sooner had he spoken than he was met with a wave of rolling eyes, which left him at a loss whether to laugh or cry. Nonetheless, as a seasoned veteran used to countless battles, he didn¡¯t retort immediately. Instead, he continued after a warm smile, ¡°You¡¯re right, our Guard Corps¡¯ success indeed owes a lot to the City Lord¡¯s bravery, but don¡¯t forget, Thunderhawk City didn¡¯t always have the Void Magic Squad. When we first came to Backhill Village, there was only one Void Magic Warrior in the entire city¡ªLord Rocky himself. Even so, didn¡¯t the Guard Corps still vanquish the demon onslaught under his leadership?¡±


    ¡°Now, why do you think that is?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because we are the elite forces under the Lord¡¯s command! Since joining the Guard Corps, you train every day so that when needed, you can stand by his side and crush all enemies, including demons, under his command.¡±


    ¡°So, just like I said, if you don¡¯t flee when the battle comes and put all your training into action, you¡¯ll certainly defeat the demons. Besides, you said it yourself¡ª we have the Void Magic Squad, and most importantly, the City Lord. What is there to fear with the Lord on our side?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­¡±


    After Peter conveyed his thoughts, the new recruits nodded in half-understanding, finding some sense in his words. But soon after, someone asked, ¡°Uncle Peter, do you think the City Lord will join us in battle?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Hearing this, Peter gave the questioner a weird glance, with a somewhat mischievous expression, ¡°You kid, haven¡¯t you ever heard about Lord Rocky¡¯s feats?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard¡­ but¡­¡± the querying recruit nodded hesitantly then added somewhat sheepishly, ¡°My mom said those are all made up, hero tales concocted by Lord Rocky himself to boost his image. She said no high and mighty City Lord would actually go to the battlefield¡­¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    As the young soldier finished, Peter snorted with laughter, then gave the kid a pat on the shoulder while chuckling, ¡°Kid, don¡¯t listen to your mom¡¯s nonsense. I can¡¯t speak for other lords, but our Lord Rocky will definitely join everyone on the battlefield, leading the charge every time.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really, you¡¯ll see with your own eyes.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    The day after the Guard Corps was ready, Rocky left Thunderhawk City in Orton¡¯s temporary care and took all the guards to Carltos City. At the same time, Karina was also prepared, so both parties swiftly set off!


    Since Karina had been to the ruins once and had even drawn a map, she was very familiar with the route, and both groups headed westward after leaving Backhill Village.


    ¡°Given our pace, it should take us about three days to get there,¡± Karina remarked on her flagship, inspecting her drawn map while speaking to Rocky beside her.


    The ruins they were heading to, although in the region of Skybreaker Peak, were quite a distance from the actual peak. Plus, the flight speed of Sky City was slow, so even with a precise destination, it would take at least three days to reach.


    ¡°No worries, it just gives us more time to prepare.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rocky was completely unbothered by this, as he was free for the time being, and as he mentioned, those three days of travel, while not short, provided an ample prep time for everyone, with only benefits and no drawbacks for the upcoming battle.


    ¡°Right, the more prepared, the better,¡± agreed Karina, nodding to his words. More time for preparation was indeed not a bad thing for them, but just as she was about to continue speaking, her gaze shifted, and she pointed outside, ¡°Rocky, look!¡±

 Chapter 573 - 573 536 Gone Mad

    ?Chapter 573: Chapter 536: Gone Mad? Chapter 573: Chapter 536: Gone Mad? Just as Rocky and Karina were discussing their next plans on the deck of the flagship, Karina suddenly pointed outside the ship¡¯s rail, and then both she and Rocky looked towards the ship.


    At this moment, the flagship was flying at a relatively low altitude, so when both of them looked outside, they saw the land below with a simple glance downward and, at the same time, heard a deafening sound.


    This sound was the trembling of the earth as countless demons stampeded across the land!


    A hundred?


    Or a thousand?


    Or perhaps several thousand demons?


    Right now, Rocky couldn¡¯t even begin to count the number of demons running wild across the land. All he saw was a dark, pressing mass of figures that felt like surging tidal waves¡ªat least a thousand demons moving in unison.


    What was going on?


    Seeing so many demons suddenly appear alarmed both Rocky and Karina, and they were struck with the same confusion¡ªwhat had gotten into the demons?


    Ever since the demons began to mutate, people had been unable to discern their ¡®thoughts¡¯ because the change in demons was simply too great. These horrifying creatures not only produced new species, but the actions of Normal Demons also became more and more eerie.


    At first, people considered this change in demons to be meaningless. After all, in the eyes of many, the demons had already occupied the land, and whatever they did on it didn¡¯t concern humans, so no one paid any attention to the demons¡¯ actions.


    However, with the emergence of Flying Demons, people began to sense that something was amiss. Even though they still couldn¡¯t fathom what the demons¡¯ movements signified, a considerable number of them have come to realize that the demons¡¯ unusual behavior was not entirely unrelated to everyone¡ªit was just that people had not yet found the connection.


    As city lords, Rocky and Karina were certainly among these concerned individuals. They cared about the movements of the demons far more than the average person. Therefore, when they saw a tide-like swarm of demons on the land, their hearts immediately sank.


    Backhill Village?!


    The moment he saw the demons, Rocky immediately thought of Backhill Village. Were these demons about to attack Backhill Village?


    If that was the case, it would be troublesome!


    However, when he looked more closely at the demons, especially in the direction they were moving, he found that it wasn¡¯t as he had imagined because the direction was wrong. The demons weren¡¯t heading towards Backhill Village; on the contrary, their direction of movement was the same as Rocky and his companions.


    Upon realizing this, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief, but the confusion in his mind did not dissipate. What in the world was happening with these demons?


    Just then, while everyone was unable to fathom what madness had overtaken the demons, the ones rampaging on the land gradually began to change direction, charging towards another side.


    Watching the demons slowly alter their course, Rocky frowned and an idea sprang to mind: Should he follow them to see what was happening? S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If such a number of demons suddenly started moving en masse, there had to be a reason, and that reason might be found at their destination. Thus, curiosity naturally arose in Rocky, making him wonder whether he should go investigate.


    However, no sooner had this thought surfaced in his mind than he dismissed it.


    They weren¡¯t out here for fun, but on a mission far more important than mere curiosity. Changing their original plan due to these demons was clearly not a wise choice.


    Secondly, one shouldn¡¯t forget the old saying: curiosity killed the cat! With demonic activity on the rise and the birth of new, more powerful flying species, as well as the emergence of Great Demons from legends, it would certainly be risky to rashly follow these demons.


    After much hesitation, Rocky managed to suppress his curiosity but then said to Liliya beside him, ¡°Immediately contact Sirius City and inform them of what just happened. Tell the Howling Sky City Lord to be extra vigilant; the demons may be on the move again.¡±


    Though he had abandoned the idea of investigating further, Rocky felt that what just happened should be reported to Sirius City, still stationed in Backhill Village. What if the demonic upheaval reached the village? It was best to ensure that Sirius City, responsible for the village¡¯s defense, was prepared.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Liliya nodded upon hearing this and leapt up, flying off the deck and straight back to Carltos City. Once she had left, Rocky and Karina turned their attention back to the matter at hand, discussing the details of their operation.


    Though they had adequately prepared for the operation in every aspect, they still couldn¡¯t afford to be complacent. After all, a large number of demons had amassed in the ruins, and exploring under such conditions was clearly not an easy task¡ªespecially after just witnessing so many demons, Rocky and Karina felt a shroud of foreboding.


    Luckily, this time they were well-prepared, especially in terms of military forces.


    This time, Karina brought all her warships, a fleet composed of over thirty large vessels, enough to ensure air superiority. Rocky also arrived with the newly equipped Guard Corps, a force of over five hundred. While not numerous, the quality and equipment of the Guard Corps were certainly elite, promising unexpected results if utilized properly.


    More importantly, Rocky and Karina had also brought all their Void Magic Squads with them, which were their secret weapon.


    Over the years, Karina¡¯s Void Magic Squad had grown to four units. Although they were still outfitted with fourth-generation Mass-Produced Armor, the quantity was sufficient, and even that generation could cope with Normal Demons.


    In contrast, Rocky¡¯s Void Magic Squad was considerably smaller. He had never heavily invested in his squad; first because he didn¡¯t have the spare cash, and second, because Orton and others had been researching Runes. He felt it wasn¡¯t too late to expand the Void Magic Corps once the research was complete, allowing him to implement it immediately while also saving money.


    Under such circumstances, the number of Void Magic Warriors under his command remained modest. Had he not rescued Athena from surveillance, encountered resistance from the Void Magic Warriors of Glory City, and obtained their Armor after defeating them, Rocky wouldn¡¯t even have had a fully constituted Void Magic Squad.


    Thanks to the batch of Armor ¡®gifted¡¯ by Glory City, Rocky now boasted a completely formed Void Magic Squad. Adding Liliya, Monte, Lin Feng, Dusa, and himself, he had roughly two teams. But these two teams weren¡¯t to be underestimated, for if it came to a fight, they could potentially annihilate Karina¡¯s four squads!

 Chapter 574 - 574 537 Kasin City

    ?Chapter 574: Chapter 537 Kasin City Chapter 574: Chapter 537 Kasin City Although Rocky¡¯s Void Magic Squad was small in number, their strength was not lacking at all, but rather, it was even greater.


    The original Void Magic Squad sent from Glory City to protect and monitor Athena was very elite, with members wearing the Fifth-Generation Thunder Beast Type 3 Mass-Produced Armor, an armor with excellent comprehensive capabilities, boasting a magic energy value of 5000 points, and very strong combat abilities.


    The one the squad leader wore was even more exceptional, the Fifth-Generation Cthulhu-Type Special Armor, a suit of armor with a magic energy value of 9000 points, excellent overall strength, and particularly renowned for its assault capabilities on the market, selling for as high as two hundred thousand Gold Coins.


    And with such a team of Void Magic Warriors equipped with these armors, it goes without saying that their strength was naturally considerable, clearly capable of handling any type of combat. Additionally, Liliya and the others were even more formidable.


    The armors worn by Liliya and her team, aside from Liliya¡¯s Fire Guard 5, were all captured by Rocky in battle, and because the opponents he faced at the time were generally weaker, the captured armors were also of a lower grade, all being Fourth-Generation Mass-Produced Armor.


    But one should not underestimate these armors, as all of them had been personally modified by Master Hammerfire. What¡¯s more important, as Orton and others continued to research Runes, the armors worn by Liliya and her team naturally became experimental armors. During the experiments, they underwent various modifications, fundamentally changing their nature, turning into Rune Armors just like the White Demon¡¯s!


    Now, the armors worn by Liliya and the others had already surpassed the limits of the fourth-generation mass-produced armors. The Rune Technology they were equipped with was also the most advanced, with some technologies that not even the White Demon possessed!


    In such circumstances, while the number of Void Magic Warriors under Rocky might not be high, the elite level was absolutely guaranteed. Therefore, paired with Karina¡¯s Void Magic Squad, even when facing a large number of Demons, they definitely had the combat capability to fight.


    It was precisely because they were fully prepared in terms of military strength that although the movement of the Demons made both of them somewhat anxious, they still held onto their confidence and planned to continue with the original strategy.


    So, thereafter, the two Skyships continued to move towards their destination, and before long, three days had passed.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    In the blink of an eye, three days passed, and the two Skyships had arrived at their predetermined destination, which was above the ruins of a city.


    However, although they arrived above the ruins, Rocky did not rashly dispatch the Guard Corps, and Karina did not mobilize the Fleet. On the contrary, the two of them became even more cautious at this time.


    ¡°All personnel remain on standby in the city. Karina and I will go for a reconnaissance first, and once we¡¯ve confirmed the situation below, we¡¯ll make further arrangements.¡±


    Within the Skyport of Thunderhawk City, Rocky, clad in the White Demon Armor, stood in front of the crowd, planning to survey the ground situation with Karina himself before deciding how to proceed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°My Lord! Let me join you as well!¡±


    Seeing that he was about to act alone, Liliya immediately stepped forward, followed by Monte and others who came forward one after another, because this time Rocky was going to scout the ground situation, the dangers faced were incomparable to those of the past.


    Before this, the White Demon had been extraordinarily successful in battle, but all his enemies had been Void Magic Warriors, and now the enemy he was about to face was Demons, which left Liliya and the others feeling quite concerned.


    Unfortunately, Rocky just shook his head at them, ¡°If even I might encounter danger, there would be no use in you going.¡±


    With just one sentence, everyone was left without a reply. Indeed, if even he, wearing the White Demon Armor, could potentially face danger, then it was even less necessary for the others to follow him, as with their strength they were clearly unable to protect Rocky.


    Therefore, very quickly, Rocky turned and walked towards the edge of the Skyport. When he reached the edge, he leapt up, flew out of the Skyport and rapidly left Sky City.


    Moments later, he flew out of the Defensive Net of Sky City and then plummeted downwards, reaching the airspace above the city ruins in a matter of minutes, where Karina had already been waiting for him.


    As Rocky arrived, Karina was suspended in midair, looking down. Although her expression could not be seen because she was wearing Armor, one could sense that she seemed somewhat grave, so Rocky didn¡¯t speak and instead looked down at the ruins as well.


    At that glance, he couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    At this moment, the two of them were hovering above the ruins, not too high up, so looking down allowed them to see the ruins below quite clearly. And as Rocky looked down, the first thing he saw were the Demons lurking in the debris!


    The Demons that infested these ruins¡­ were not so numerous as to be described as a dense, dark mass, but there were definitely not a few. With just a casual glance down, Rocky saw a group of Demons walking below.


    There were seven Demons in the group passing by, all of them large Bull-horned Demons. Their massive bodies traversed the already dilapidated streets, leaving deep footprints with every step they took on the roadway.


    Just one sweep of his eyes and he saw seven Demons, which indicated just how many Demons there were in the city ruins. In fact, when Rocky looked across the entire expanse of the debris, he discovered Demons in every corner. Not only were there groups of Demons visible on the broken streets but also around the edges and corners of the ruins. They were everywhere.


    It was only after seeing these Demons clearly that Rocky had the chance to take a closer look at the ruins themselves.


    Just as Karina had said, this was indeed a city¡¯s ruins, a fact apparent from the vast stretches of destroyed foundations. But when Rocky carefully observed the area, he found it to be far more dilapidated than he had imagined.


    As far as the eye could see, he could hardly find a single intact house within the ruins; he couldn¡¯t even find half a one. Under the dual ravages of time and Demons, everything here had turned into rubble and broken bricks. There were no houses to speak of, not even a piece of wall that was somewhat intact.


    ¡°This is¡­ Kasin City¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Karina, who had been fixated on the Demons in the ruins, turned to look at Rocky when she heard his words and asked curiously.


    ¡°This is Kasin City.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As she asked him, Rocky turned to look at her, then turned his gaze back to the ruins below, and following that, he slowly spoke the name of the city, no, the name of the ruins.

 Chapter 575 - 575 538 The Secrets of the Era

    ?Chapter 575: Chapter 538: The Secrets of the Era Chapter 575: Chapter 538: The Secrets of the Era ¡°Do you know this city?¡±


    Upon hearing Rocky¡¯s words, Karina was stunned because it was clear that Rocky knew more about the city than she did, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t even be able to name it.


    ¡°I only know the name, that¡¯s all.¡±


    However, Rocky then shook his head and chuckled, adding, ¡°Have you forgotten? The villagers from Backhill Village are all in Thunderhawk City now.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Karina suddenly realized.


    It had been mentioned before that although Backhill Village seemed small, its history was very ancient, dating back even before the land was overrun. Thus, after discovering the existence of these ruins, Rocky sought out Old Jack.


    Before being incorporated into Thunderhawk City, Old Jack had been the head of Backhill Village, and he was most knowledgeable about the village¡¯s history. So when Rocky asked him about the presence of other cities around the village prior to the fall of the land, Old Jack mentioned the name of Kasin City.


    As everyone knows, there was the concept of a nation on the land before the demons appeared. According to Old Jack, at that time, Backhill Village belonged to Wanzhong Kingdom, and Kasin City was one of the cities of this kingdom, and Backhill Village was under its jurisdiction.


    Later, as demons attacked the land, various nations were successively overrun by demons, including Wanzhong Kingdom. However, exactly how this kingdom and Kasin City were destroyed in the end, Old Jack did not know. Unfortunately, all these events had happened too long ago, and very few people nowadays knew about the occurrences of over a hundred years ago, not even Old Jack. He only knew that there had indeed been a city near Backhill Village called Kasin City.


    Although there were some things he did not know, there were others who did, such as Aniye and Hammerfire.


    Aniye and Hammerfire were both over a hundred years old. Aniye had participated in the development of Sky City with his teacher, and Hammerfire¡¯s experience was similar. Therefore, both knew more about the events of the Land Era, and were called living fossils. Hence, after Rocky learned about Wanzhong Kingdom and Kasin City from Old Jack, he sought out Aniye and Hammerfire and indeed found some answers.


    As for the name Wanzhong Kingdom, Aniye did indeed remember it. According to him, this kingdom had a national strength and territorial size comparable to today¡¯s medium-sized Sky City and was insignificant among many nations before the demon attacks.


    However, the performance of this nation during the demon invasion of the land was impressively memorable. Not only did they actively participate in the war against the demons, but when the fall of the land had become inevitable, and the royal families of other nations started fleeing to the skies, the royal family of this nation chose to stay on the land.


    You have to understand, when Sky City was first invented, not everyone was privileged enough to ascend to Sky City. Generally, only two groups had access: talents and rulers. Being the royal family of a nation, the king of Wanzhong Kingdom clearly had the qualifications to be among the first to ascend to Sky City, but this king gave up the opportunity others could only dream about. He and his nation chose to stay on the land and continue resisting the demons!


    ¡°That¡¯s true resilience¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as you think.¡±


    While Rocky silently gave a thumbs-up for the king¡¯s choice, Hammerfire scoffed, ¡°A king choosing to stay on the land alone to resist the Demons is one thing, but if he insists that the entire country remain on the land and resist the Demons with him, it might not be a good thing.¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly, initially, the king of the Wanzhong Kingdom not only refused to go to Sky City himself but also prohibited anyone in the country from going up to Sky City, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that did happen.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Aniye nodded, indicating that Hammerfire was not mistaken: ¡°I remember when this caused quite a stir back in the day, our teacher even went to talk to this king in person.¡±


    ¡°Right, I remember that during the development of Sky City, this country also contributed, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, at that time, almost all the countries on the land sent personnel to participate in the development project, and of course, each country had its own different research initiatives. Wanzhong Kingdom was no exception, only their national power was limited, so they didn¡¯t play a significant role in the development of Sky City.¡±


    Aniye and Hammerfire conversed back and forth, which allowed Rocky to learn quite a bit about the Wanzhong Kingdom. However, when he specifically asked about Kasin City, both Aniye and Hammerfire shook their heads, indicating they didn¡¯t remember much about that city. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was not surprising, as there were many countries on the land at that time, and each country had many cities. In such a scenario, even if they were from that era, it was impossible for them to have heard of every city. So when Rocky mentioned he wanted to explore Kasin City, Aniye and Hammerfire did not hold much hope because, as they had mentioned before, the Wanzhong Kingdom was not a major country and had limited technological strength. Even if it had conducted some research against the Demons, it probably wasn¡¯t very effective. Therefore, they both cautioned Rocky not to overexert himself and not to take too great a risk unnecessarily.


    Of course, Rocky was not likely to give up this mission easily just because of a few words. In Aniye and Hammerfire¡¯s eyes, the Wanzhong Kingdom might be a small, insignificant country, but to him, small or not, it was still a country! So even if this country couldn¡¯t develop Sky City or Mana Runes, if he could find some secondary level research products, it would still be a gain for Rocky!


    So afterward, he briefly shared what he knew about the city with Karina and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s split up and see roughly how many Demons there are here, mainly where they are distributed, what kind, and see if there is any area particularly worth exploring.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The main purpose of their visit this time was to understand the situation of these ruins, then plan the subsequent exploration based on the actual circumstances. So afterward, they each flew in different directions.


    After parting with Karina, Rocky once again decreased his altitude to get a clearer view of everything in the ruins. However, as he descended to just a few dozen meters, the Demons in the ruins also noticed his presence, and then a series of roaring sounds followed.


    At that moment, all the Demons in the ruins stopped moving. Whether it was the tall Bull-horned Demons or the Black-eyed Demons that looked as if they had been skinned, all raised their heads and roared incessantly at the sky, and amidst their roars, Rocky just flew right over their heads.

 Chapter 576 - 576 539 Are There Still People

    ?Chapter 576: Chapter 539: Are There Still People? Chapter 576: Chapter 539: Are There Still People? As he flew over Kasin City, Rocky paid no attention to the demons roaring at him from the ruins. He was not there to kill demons this time, but to scout the area. Thus, he flew slowly and observed carefully, looking closely to see if there were any places within the ruins worth his attention.


    When he was high in the sky, Kasin City did not seem very large. However, as he flew lower over the city, he discovered it was much larger than it appeared. This was normal, after all it had once been a city, even if it had now become a large swath of ruins.


    But as he flew slowly for a while, he couldn¡¯t help but frown and felt somewhat disappointed.


    In his view, Kasin City had become a literal ruin. Rocky didn¡¯t know what the city had been like before, but now it had declined to an indescribable extent. To say without exaggeration, not only were there no buildings, but not even a single complete street remained. Every corner that Rocky saw had been destroyed by demons, with nothing left but a pile of rubble.


    This sight was desolate because, even if it wasn¡¯t the kingdom¡¯s capital, it was still a city. Yet, it had been destroyed by demons to the extent that nothing was left. One could imagine what happened to the people who once lived here. In fact, there was no need to imagine, because as Rocky slowly flew by, he could even see skeletons strewn amongst the ruins¡­


    This sight also made him feel disappointed because the city had been thoroughly destroyed. Looking around, he could hardly find any buildings. Under such conditions, could they really find anything?


    A question involuntarily popped into Rocky¡¯s mind, and it was a problem he had to consider.


    After all, exploring a ruin infested with demons inherently came at a cost, and this cost was clearly the lives of soldiers, possibly even the Guard Corps. With this in mind, knowing that no discovery would be made, was this cost-worthy exploration still necessary? S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Rocky, I¡¯ve found something,¡±


    Just as Rocky felt disappointed by all he had seen and even began to consider whether to continue the exploration, Karina¡¯s voice came through the communicator.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way,¡±


    On hearing Karina¡¯s voice, especially since she had made a discovery, Rocky immediately halted his advance, then turned around and sped toward Karina¡¯s location.


    As the two were investigating separately, Karina¡¯s position was almost on the other side of the city. It took Rocky a while to spot her.


    ¡°What did you find¡­¡±


    Upon reuniting with Karina, Rocky immediately flew to her side and began to ask, but before he could finish his question, something caught his attention.


    Joining Karina, Rocky looked down and immediately saw a building standing out amidst the rubble and debris. The building was strikingly noticeable, not because the building itself was different but because, in a city that had become a ruin, this building standing on the ground was an anomaly, impossible for anyone to overlook.


    Seeing this building, Rocky no longer needed to ask Karina what she had found. Obviously, this was her discovery.


    And more obviously, there was definitely something unusual about this building!


    As already mentioned, Kasin City had become a ruin. Under these circumstances, the reason why this building was still standing was worth considering.


    Was it simply by chance or a fluke?


    Clearly, it wasn¡¯t going to be that simple because, in every respect, the city had been ravaged by demons again and again. The building¡¯s preservation was definitely not due to luck or happenstance.


    But if it wasn¡¯t luck, what else could have saved this building?


    The answer was unknown, but this was precisely what Rocky and Karina intended to find out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go down and see what¡¯s odd about this place,¡±


    Turning towards Rocky, Karina said, to which Rocky simply nodded in agreement.


    Following that, the two of them dived down together, flying toward the building below.


    Their speed was not fast because they were not in a rush. However, just as they gradually neared the building standing in the ruins from the air, several Magic Energy Beams suddenly shot out from within the building, targeting them!


    ¡°Be careful!¡±


    Realizing they were under attack, specifically by Magic Energy Beams, the two immediately performed evasive maneuvers in the air, splitting to the left and right almost simultaneously. After successfully dodging the attack, they quickly gained altitude, returning to their original position.


    Having regained the altitude, Rocky and Karina exchanged glances, then both looked down again.


    ¡°What just happened? Was someone using Magic Energy Beams to attack us?¡±


    Even though Rocky was quite certain of what he had just experienced, he still incredulously asked as he looked at the building within the ruins, because the whole event seemed too unbelievable.


    ¡°Could there be¡­people below?¡±


    Similarly, as Karina looked down, she was also extremely surprised. The attack they had endured was definitely by Magic Energy Beams, indicating it couldn¡¯t have been from demons. The only creatures capable of using Magic Energy Beams were humans!


    ¡°Were we beaten to it¡­?¡±


    Looking at the building standing in the ruins, Rocky spoke with both doubt and belief. Indeed, only humans could use Magic Energy Beams for attacks, suggesting that people might be hiding inside the building, which means someone discovered this place before them and had explored it.


    But¡­Rocky found it completely unrealistic.


    Because they hadn¡¯t seen any Sky City or Skyship in the surrounding airspace, and as everyone knew, the main modes of transportation in the sky now were Sky Cities and Skyships. People could only travel long distances through these means; even if wearing Void Magic Armor, which admittedly could fly, it was ultimately battle armor, not capable of sustained cruising.


    So, how could people have gotten inside the building? Surely not from the land?


    ¡°Could it be¡­¡±


    And with this thought, an even more astonishing idea emerged in Rocky¡¯s mind, could this building still house residents of Kasin City?

 Chapter 577 - 577 540 Something Strange

    ?Chapter 577: Chapter 540: Something Strange! Chapter 577: Chapter 540: Something Strange! Kasin City¡­ Could there still be survivors?


    When Rocky realized someone was attacking him, several possibilities flashed through his mind, but after dismissing each one, he thought of an even bigger possibility. Could there still be survivors in Kasin City?


    It was well-known that there were people on the land, descendants of those who had remained during the Land Era, self-proclaimed as The Forsaken People. Could it be that inside this preserved building in Kasin City, there also existed members of The Forsaken People, just like in Backhill Village years ago?


    ¡°Impossible.¡±


    When Rocky voiced this bold idea, Karina decisively shook her head, ¡°Backhill Village survived because they had contact with the sky. In fact, all of The Forsaken People who survive on the land today have more or less dealings with the sky, but here¡­ it¡¯s just not possible.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    Hearing Karina¡¯s words, Rocky nodded unconsciously and then looked down at the building below. It really didn¡¯t look like anyone lived there, although there were no demons around the building, but among the surrounding ruins¡­


    Wait a moment!


    Just as he thought this, Rocky suddenly noticed something was off!


    Why were there no demons around this building?


    Thinking this, he looked around more carefully and soon noticed that within about a hundred meters around the building, it was empty, without a single trace of demons. No, that wasn¡¯t the right way to put it, because if you looked closely, you would see numerous demon remains on the ground within this hundred-meter radius¡­!


    Some of these demon remains looked freshly dead, others were already dried up, and some had even turned into white bones!


    What was going on here?


    After noticing this anomaly, Rocky immediately told Karina, but unfortunately when Karina also saw the remains around the building, she shook her head, obviously also unclear about what was actually happening.


    ¡°Stop thinking, let¡¯s charge in and see, we¡¯ll definitely find the answers then.¡±


    Since they couldn¡¯t figure out the answer, it seemed better to just charge in and find out, which was very much in line with Athena¡¯s personality, and indeed, it was the only way for Rocky and the others to clear up the truth.


    So, following that, the two of them once again dived downward, flying towards the building below!


    Exactly like before, as they descended to a lower position, beams of Magic Energy Beam shot out from inside the building, and the closer they got to the building, the more intense these beams became.


    However, though these attacks might seem ferocious, they were far from lethal for Rocky and Karina, who were seasoned elite warriors wearing the most advanced armors of today. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There¡¯s no need to say more about the White Demon Armor that Rocky wore; Karina¡¯s armor was no longer the fourth-generation Special Armor of the past, but had been upgraded to the fifth-generation Special Armor, famously known as the Valkyrie Armor. This model was touted as the strongest among the fifth-generation lady¡¯s armors, with a Magic Energy Value of a full 10,000 points, a top-tier armor indeed.


    In such a situation, when the Magic Energy Beams became dense enough, the two simply stopped dodging, opened up their Defensive Nets, and weathered the concentrated beam attacks as they charged into the building!


    With a whooshing sound, they burst through a window into the building. Upon landing, they coordinated perfectly, facing different directions, one to the left and the other to the right, and raised their arms, which were equipped with various weapons ready to fire at any moment.


    ¡°No one¡­¡±


    ¡°How can this be?¡±


    However, when they landed and were ready for battle, they discovered that there was no one in the building!


    They were now standing in a corridor, but both ends of the corridor were utterly empty, not even a shadow present.


    This result made the two of them even more puzzled, because if there were no people here, who had fired the Magic Energy Beam? And who was attacking them?


    ¡°Rocky, look here!¡±


    Just when Rocky was somewhat baffled, Karina called out to him, and following her voice, he noticed she was standing in front of a wall in the corridor.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Coming to Karina¡¯s side, as she faced the wall, Rocky was curious.


    ¡°Look here¡­ It seems like a magic circle¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky involuntarily looked towards the wall. At first, he saw nothing unusual, but as he looked closely at the wall¡¯s patterns, he discovered that the seemingly dilapidated wall indeed had a design similar to a magic circle. However, this design was not painted on the wall but deeply engraved into it. So, even as the wall itself had crumbled over time, the deeply engraved magic circle still existed.


    Magic circle¡­


    This term was both familiar and unfamiliar to Rocky, and indeed to Karina as well, because the source of Mana Technology that supported the whole world was magic, and the magic circle was clearly a form of magic, more precisely, a manifestation.


    However, this kind of thing was far too distant from the present era. Even during the Land Era, the use of magic energy had already commenced, and with the widespread application of mana, simple magic gradually exited the stage of history.


    When the era evolved into the Sky Era, people¡¯s application of mana made great leaps forward, further hastening the departure of pure magic from the historical stage. To this day, although everyone could control magic power, it was only for better utilization of mana products, not for becoming a mage. Nowadays, probably only researchers like Orton who studied mana would delve into magic; ordinary people would not even touch it or had almost forgotten the field entirely.


    Similarly, as a transmigrator, Rocky¡¯s understanding of magic was also quite limited. Although he was a student of Orton, his magic power had only reached the Fourth Level thus far, and he knew only a few spells, so his knowledge of magic circles was not extensive.


    But even so, when he discovered the magic circle on the wall, he immediately realized who was attacking them.


    ¡°Karina, do you remember the Magical Energy Storm at the Traceless Battlefield?¡±


    Touching the engraved magic circle on the wall, Rocky glanced at Karina, and upon hearing his words, Karina nodded directly, ¡°I was thinking the same. The Magic Energy Beam that attacked us just now must have been emitted by these magic circles; it must be a trigger-type magic circle similar to the Magical Energy Storm.¡±


    ¡°It seems there is indeed something strange about this place!¡±


    Having said that, Karina glanced at Rocky, and though her helmet concealed her face, her tone of voice revealed that she had become somewhat excited!

 Chapter 578 - 578 541 Accidental Discovery

    ?Chapter 578: Chapter 541 Accidental Discovery Chapter 578: Chapter 541 Accidental Discovery Rocky and Karina had encountered giant magic capable of autonomously attacking targets on the Traceless Battlefield, known as the terrifying Magical Energy Storm.


    Any target entering the Magical Energy Storm¡¯s range would suffer indiscriminate magical attacks. People once hoped this giant magic would halt the Demons¡¯ advance, and this served as a reminder to Rocky and Karina.


    Although the Magical Energy Storm wasn¡¯t conjured by a Magic Circle but rather unleashed by dozens of top Archmages, the concept was evidently similar. The Magic Circle before them seemed identical, which meant that once within its range, the Circle would automatically activate and indiscriminately attack targets. This explained why there were Demons¡¯ skeletons surrounding the building and none dared approach, and it also explained why they were attacked.


    To validate this theory, Rocky and Karina immediately began their search, quickly finding several identical Magic Circles on the walls. These Circles not only looked identical but all faced the windows, confirming their suspicions. There was no one here; it was merely the Magic Circles causing trouble.


    However, after understanding this answer, they became somewhat excited because these Magic Circles were clearly not newly inscribed on the walls¡ªthey had likely existed for a century or more. How, then, were they continuously triggered, and how was their mana replenished?


    Undoubtedly, this building held a greater secret; otherwise, these Magic Circles couldn¡¯t have operated for so long!


    With this thought, Rocky and Karina immediately took action, beginning a large-scale investigation of the villa!


    ¡°I¡¯ll go this way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go the other way.¡±


    After that, Rocky and Karina once again separated, each heading to opposite ends of the corridor.


    Though they didn¡¯t know what the building was originally for, it retained characteristics of the Land Era due to its age. The corridor had numerous rooms branching off it. After separating from Karina, Rocky began searching each room one by one.


    Arriving at a room with a decaying door, Rocky gently pushed it. Unexpectedly, with a crack, the door shattered before him, leaving a pile of woodchips on the ground¡­


    Stunned at the shattered door, Rocky stood frozen for a while before regaining his senses.


    ¡°This place¡­¡±


    Stepping into the room, he looked around, discovering a bed, a wardrobe, and a desk. Though simply furnished, it was clear that this place was once a bedroom.


    However, this made Rocky curious, as the Magic Circles outside indicated this wasn¡¯t a normal dwelling. Thinking carefully, since there were so many indiscriminately attacking Magic Circles inscribed on the walls, it suggested the city was already overrun by Demons when they were created.


    Reflecting on the Wanzhong Kingdom¡¯s firm resistance against Demons and his knowledge of the Land Era, Rocky quickly deduced what might have happened in Kasin City back then.


    When the Wanzhong Kingdom¡¯s king decided to defiantly resist the Demons on land, while others fled to the skies, everyone in Kasin City, including its residents, remained grounded.


    But courage and stubbornness weren¡¯t enough against the Demons, and soon Kasin City was conquered. Even though the city fell, the resistance likely persisted, leading to the creation of this place.


    This might have been the last stronghold for Kasin City¡¯s defenders after it fell. Considering the outside Magic Circles, Rocky felt his assumption was reasonable, yet the room in front of him puzzled him.


    Rocky had experience in defensive battles, having commanded troops against Demonic attacks in Backhill Village. He knew that even with Magic Circles, there should have been Guards collaborating in defense. Demons were numerous, and what if there were flaws in the Magic Circles? Each room should have been used to store weapons, like bows for long-range attacks and Magic Stones to replenish Mages. Why, then, was there a bedroom?


    Unless¡­


    There were no soldiers in this place?


    Thinking of this, Rocky looked toward the desk in the room, moving towards it and reaching for the drawer.


    His intention was simple¡ªto find clues about what had transpired. As soon as he placed his hand on the drawer¡¯s handle and gave it a gentle pull, the entire desk crumbled.


    It wasn¡¯t surprising; even though the building hadn¡¯t been damaged by Demons, everything here was a century old. Over time, everything had decayed beyond use.


    Watching the desk disintegrate into woodchips before him, Rocky sighed and shook his head, leaving the room and soon entering a second room. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The second room appeared worse than the first. Though the first room had at least a door, the second room¡¯s door had long since fallen, and was wide open.


    But as he entered the room without much hope, intending only to glance around briefly, he made an unexpected discovery.


    Like the previous room, this one appeared to be a bedroom, with almost identical furniture layout. The difference was the notebook on the desk!


    Spotting the notebook lying quietly on the desk, Rocky immediately went over. Yet, as he reached to pick it up, he hesitated, considering that this notebook was likely left by the former resident. Not knowing what it contained, the notebook had probably been there for a century! Picking it up recklessly might result in it crumbling into dust just like the previous door and desk!


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    As Rocky hesitated and somewhat regretted, he noticed something; the notebook¡¯s pages seemed different¡­


    ¡°Could it be magically enhanced?¡±


    He looked carefully at the notebook, delighted to find the pages were magically treated. It resembled Wensel¡¯s Mana research notes!


    Such magically enhanced paper was prevalent during the Land Era for its long-lasting preservation. He picked up the notebook and proceeded to open it.


    ¡°Era 1018, May 12th.¡±


    This is¡­!


    Opening the notebook and seeing the date written inside, Rocky¡¯s eyes widened. It was a diary!

 Chapter 579 - 579 542 Researchers Diary

    ?Chapter 579: Chapter 542 Researcher¡¯s Diary Chapter 579: Chapter 542 Researcher¡¯s Diary After flipping open the notebook and seeing its contents, Rocky realized that it was actually a journal!


    Era 1018, May 12th.


    ¡°The demons have been in the city for a month now, Kasin City is done for, only we are still alive¡­¡±


    Upon reading the first two sentences of the journal, Rocky¡¯s brow furrowed tightly, it was clear that the journal was written after the demons entered the city, to be precise, a month after the city had been occupied, and what exactly had happened in Kasin City during this time was exactly what Rocky wanted to find out, so he hurriedly continued reading the notebook.


    ¡°I always thought I was lucky, being inside this research institute when the demons invaded the city, and that¡¯s why I managed to escape disaster, but now I find that things are not as simple as I thought because I¡¯ve seen almost all the researchers here, and the defensive power of this place is so strong it¡¯s obvious that it was set up in advance, which is simply unbelievable.¡±


    ¡°According to my original thoughts, it was purely by chance that I was in the research institute due to work when the demons invaded, but now it seems that is not the case, it seems the director had anticipated some outcome and therefore gathered all of us in the institute in advance, and what¡¯s more important is that even though the entire city is now occupied by demons, our research is still continuing.¡±


    ¡°This gives me a very bad feeling, so I want to record all this, I want to figure out what exactly happened here.¡±


    The first entry in the journal ends here.


    After reading the content of the first entry, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath, because through this entry, he discovered that what happened in Kasin City seemed to be different from what he had imagined?


    Judging from the content written in the journal, this lone remaining building should have been a research institute back then, and it indeed was the city¡¯s final stronghold after the fall. But from the fragments in the journal, it seems there was more to the story?


    What exactly had happened in Kasin City back then?


    With these thoughts, Rocky immediately turned the page to look at the content that followed.


    Era 1018, May 22nd, recorded 10 days after the previous entry.


    ¡°The research is still continuing, it has become our last hope, if it is successful, we might still be able to survive, but if it fails¡­¡±


    ¡°I have been considering the matter I mentioned last time for the past few days, and various signs indicate that the City Lord knew the city was undefendable before the demons occupied it, but why didn¡¯t he allow everyone to evacuate in time?¡±


    ¡°Is it because he had already given up? Maybe, because from the current outcome, even if we had evacuated the city earlier, we would still not be able to escape the demons¡¯ pursuit. Kasin City had a population of several hundred thousand, it¡¯s impossible for so many people to escape from the demons, everyone is bound to die.¡±


    ¡°But this inevitably made me think of another question, why did His Majesty the King also refuse to leave?¡±


    ¡°As everyone knows, His Majesty the King gave up the chance to lead the royal family into Sky City, deciding instead to stay on land with everyone to resist the demons. When I first heard the news, I was extremely excited, even under the illusion that under the King¡¯s leadership we could withstand the demons, turning Wanzhong Kingdom into the last sanctity of land, but now it seems that thought was too naive.¡±


    ¡°Did the King stay on land really out of loyalty to the people and belief in the land? I thought so, but now it seems that is not the case, so why did the King choose to stay?¡±


    ¡°The answer to this question might be related to the research we¡¯re currently conducting,¡±


    ¡°If you think about it, there indeed exists such a possibility, because if our research really succeeds, it could indeed become an important force to counter the Demons, perhaps even a decisive one, but¡­¡±


    The content of the second diary ended here.


    When Rocky finished reading the second diary entry, he couldn¡¯t help but take a sharp intake of breath, because not only was this entry longer than the first, its contents were even more astonishing.


    To a certain extent, this diary entry explained the doubts left by the first, namely how these researchers were able to survive.


    The researcher who wrote this diary initially thought he was just lucky to have stayed in a research institute with defensive power, hence escaping disaster. However, he quickly realized that things were not that simple, their survival was clearly prearranged, and this arrangement even involved the King of the Wanzhong Kingdom, the very King who had not ascended to Sky City!


    And all these answers were closely related to the research being conducted at the institute.


    As mentioned in the first diary entry, the people in the institute were continuing their research, and although the second diary entry did not specify the project and content of the research, it mentioned more than once that if the research succeeded, everyone could survive and even believed that once the research was successful, it could become an important power to resist the Demons. To Rocky, this seemed utterly unimaginable.


    Kasin City, no, what research was the Wanzhong Kingdom conducting to instill such confidence in the personnel in charge of the research?


    Keep in mind that when Sky City was invented, people didn¡¯t delude themselves into thinking they could rely on it to resist the Demons¡¯ invasion!


    With intense doubts and curiosity, Rocky couldn¡¯t wait to turn to the next diary entry.


    ¡°Era 1018, June 30th, recorded a month after the previous diary entry.¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I no longer consider why I was able to survive, because I realized this question is meaningless for me, no, it¡¯s meaningless for all of us who have survived. The only thing that matters now is to complete the research as soon as possible!¡±


    ¡°For this, all of us have worked day and night for over a month and have made contact with other cities¡¯ research institutes. After obtaining their research findings, it shouldn¡¯t take much longer to complete our work. However, we are now facing a problem, we¡¯ve run out of supplies.¡±


    ¡°Since the city was occupied by the Demons, we¡¯ve lost our supply. Although the director was clearly prepared for this, having stockpiled a great deal of resources within the institute earlier, but as the research continues and time passes, the resources have been exhausted. Managing life¡¯s necessities is still okay¡ªwe can skimp a little¡ªbut we¡¯re almost out of resources for the institute¡¯s use, and that¡¯s the most troubling!¡±


    ¡°Now, as the research is on the verge of completion, if we don¡¯t get supplies and the whole project comes to a halt, wouldn¡¯t all our efforts be in vain?¡±


    ¡°But fortunately, the director said that His Majesty has borrowed several of the latest skyships from the Kafka Empire, supposedly a kind of warship that can fly in the sky, and will use this new invention to deliver supplies to us, so the director urged everyone not to worry.¡±


    ¡°Flying warships, it sounds simply unbelievable. Of course, if even cities can fly, then it seems there¡¯s nothing too surprising about ships flying in the sky. However, don¡¯t think they are the only ones with new inventions. As soon as our research is successful, people will be just as speechless at our own inventions!¡±

 Chapter 580 - 580 543 Vanished into Thin Air

    ?Chapter 580: Chapter 543: Vanished into Thin Air Chapter 580: Chapter 543: Vanished into Thin Air The content of the third diary entry is very concentrated, with the entire focus on research.


    An entire month had passed between the second and third diary entries. Over such a long time, the mentality of the researcher who wrote this diary had noticeably changed. He no longer fixated on anything else, his sole desire now was to complete the research as quickly as possible, because only by doing so could everyone survive.


    However, from the latter half of the diary, it seemed that although the research was progressing relatively smoothly, it had encountered an unexpected difficulty¡ª a shortage of supplies.


    Thinking about it, this shouldn¡¯t really be a surprise. The time noted for the first diary entry was a month after Kasin City had been occupied by the demons, and the third diary entry was written almost one and a half months after the first entry, which means that at the time the third entry was written, people had already been in this research institute for over two months. Therefore, even if they had stockpiled supplies beforehand, after such a long time, they would definitely have been almost completely used up.


    This situation clearly worried the researcher who wrote this diary. But from what he wrote at the end, the king of the Wanzhong Kingdom seemed to have found a solution¡ª using the newly invented skyship for resupply. This diary was written a century ago, at a time when Sky City and skyships had just been successfully developed, so calling them the latest inventions seemed to make sense.


    So, does that mean that, after receiving the supplies, the research institute had completed its research?


    This thought weighed heavily on Rocky, because if the research here had been successful, wouldn¡¯t that mean this place was now completely empty? After all, if the research conducted here was as powerful as the diary suggested, the people here would certainly have left after its completion!


    With this in mind, he immediately turned to the next diary entry.


    ¡°Era 1018, July 20, written half a month after the previous entry.¡±


    ¡°Half a month has passed, and the promised supplies still haven¡¯t arrived. All research has now come to a complete halt, and not only that, but we¡¯re almost out of living essentials. Why haven¡¯t the supplies arrived yet? We can barely hold on!¡±


    ¡°Era 1018, July 30, written ten days after the last entry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡±


    ¡°All is lost¡­¡±


    ¡°Although the director is trying hard to conceal the news, I¡¯ve heard that the kingdom¡¯s capital has fallen, the king is dead, and we¡¯re finished¡­¡±


    When Rocky flipped to the next entry, he only saw a few brief lines, and then all the content of the diary came to an end.


    While the diary ended abruptly, having read the last two entries allowed Rocky to piece together the sequence of events.


    As the demons occupied Kasin City, a certain research project was underway here, and it was precisely because of this that the people here survived.


    This research project was also the very reason the king of the Wanzhong Kingdom chose to stay on the land rather than seek refuge in Sky City, clearly believing that his research was better and safer than Sky City. Hence, he gave up the opportunity to go there and chose to stay on land.


    This research was naturally not just underway in a single institute in Kasin City, but across the entire network of the Wanzhong Kingdom¡¯s research facilities, as other institutes were mentioned in the third diary entry. In other words, this was a major national project!


    However, towards the end of the project, they encountered the difficulty of insufficient supplies. The king had intended to use the newly invented skyships to provide aerial resupply, but for some unknown reason, this plan wasn¡¯t successful. Meanwhile, the kingdom¡¯s capital fell to the demons, the king died, and it seemed from the contents of the last diary entry, that the research institute, particularly its people, without supplies, most certainly perished.


    While some specific details might still be unclear, Rocky believed his deductions to be quite reliable based on the content of the diary and the descriptions of the Wanzhong Kingdom by Aniye and others.


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t the most important part; what mattered was, if everyone here had been trapped and died in the research institute, then does it mean that their nearly completed invention is still here? Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was the real crux!


    With this thought, Rocky immediately left the room with the diary and contacted Karina.


    ¡°Karina, I¡¯ve made a discovery.¡±


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll come over right away.¡±


    After replying through the communicator, Karina, who had already checked half the floor, immediately headed to Rocky¡¯s location, and they met up without much delay.


    ¡°What did you find?¡±


    ¡°This, take a look.¡±


    Without saying much else, Rocky passed the diary straight to her.


    As Karina took the diary and quickly flipped through it, she finished reading it in a short while, then briskly lifted her helmet, looking at Rocky with a face full of astonishment.


    ¡°This place is a research institute?¡±


    It was no wonder that Karina was so surprised after reading the diary; while Rocky had been engrossed in reading, she had already checked half the rooms on the top floor, but hadn¡¯t found any sign that this place resembled a research institute.


    ¡°The diary wouldn¡¯t lie, let¡¯s keep searching, head down to the lower floors.¡±


    In fact, Rocky was also puzzled, as he too had not perceived this place as a research institute before finding the diary, even though he had only checked two rooms. But, as he said, diaries don¡¯t lie; perhaps the level they were on was just a resting area and the real research area was below.


    The research institute had three floors in total. Since they had entered from the sky, they arrived at the third floor first, but then they found the stairs to the second floor and quickly descended.


    Upon reaching the second floor, they immediately began searching separately, and in no time, they had swept through the entire second floor, still without discovery.


    This was indeed a research institute because they had found some experimental equipment during their search of the second floor, but they still hadn¡¯t found any research labs. Faced with this, they promptly moved to the ground floor.


    If nothing was discovered on the third and second floors, then undoubtedly all the answers were on the ground floor.


    However, what both of them hadn¡¯t expected was that when they rushed down to the ground floor, they didn¡¯t see the anticipated research labs. The ground floor of the research institute was a vast hall with nothing but magic circles on the walls and floor, utterly devoid of any research labs!


    What was going on?


    How could this research institute have no research labs?!

 Chapter 581 - 581 544 Orton Takes Action

    ?Chapter 581: Chapter 544: Orton Takes Action Chapter 581: Chapter 544: Orton Takes Action When Rocky and Karina checked from the third floor down to the second and then from the second all the way to the first, they discovered that there were absolutely no laboratories inside the entire research institute!


    The layout of the institute was such that the third floor housed the researchers, and the second floor resembled a warehouse, storing a large amount of research equipment. Presumably, the supplies mentioned in the diary were also supposed to be on the second floor. Therefore, by all logic, the first floor should be where the laboratories were, as there were no other places left besides the first floor.


    However, when the two of them actually reached the first floor, they found it to be a hall, but the large, empty hall had nothing in it except the magic circles on the walls and the ground.


    This left the two of them dumbfounded, for everything they saw was completely different from the contents of the diary!


    Could it be¡­ the contents of the diary were wrong?


    Rocky thought about it and felt that was unlikely. So if it wasn¡¯t an issue with the diary, could it be that they had not found the right place?


    ¡°Let¡¯s search, see if there¡¯s a secret room or anything like that.¡±


    After thinking it over, Rocky glanced at Karina.


    After all, he was the one who had once found the Lost Research Institute and knew that such places might have hidden mechanisms.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Nodding her head, Karina walked towards the inside of the hall, while Rocky approached the walls covered with magic circles.


    Reaching the wall, he knocked on it with his hand to listen for any hidden doors or the like, but the sound from the wall was solid, not seeming hollow at all.


    After that, the two of them began to search the hall, walking and knocking along the walls, hoping to find some sort of mechanism. Unfortunately, after searching around and reconvening, they looked at each other and shook their heads one after another, with neither having made any discovery.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡±


    Such a result left Karina somewhat disappointed. She had thought that at least there would be some findings this time, especially after discovering the diary. Yet, they ended up with nothing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­¡±


    In contrast to the disappointed Karina, Rocky was clearly much calmer and looked around as he spoke.


    Following his gaze, the stark emptiness of the large hall was fully visible, so his eyes quickly fell on the magic circles on the wall.


    Staring at the magic circles on the wall for a while, it was as if he was speaking to Karina, and yet seemed to be talking to himself: ¡°Are these magic circles the same as the ones upstairs, meant to protect this building?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily. These magic circles might be there to maintain the operation of other magic circles, or to provide a Defensive Net, who knows?¡±


    After glancing at the wall following his gaze, Karina shrugged her shoulders.


    Hearing this, Rocky withdrew his gaze and instead looked down at the magic circles beneath his feet.


    ¡°And these magic circles on the ground, what are they for?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ who knows¡­¡±


    Karina was at a loss for words, not expecting Rocky to take such interest in the magic circles. Neither of them was a true Mage, so their understanding of magic circles was quite limited, and they could not comprehend the symbols at all.


    While Karina was at her wits¡¯ end, Rocky looked down at the magic circles under his feet while frowning.


    Although he was not well-versed in magic circles, as a student of Orton, his understanding of magic might not be considered extensive, but it was certainly much stronger than that of the average person. This was exactly why he paid such close attention to the magic circles in the lobby on the first floor.


    Perhaps due to possessing the Mana Rune, Rocky was quite sensitive to these magic symbols. So whereas Karina might not have noticed, he had already discovered something¡ªthat the magic circles in the lobby of the first floor, whether on the walls or the ground, were completely different from those upstairs!


    In the eyes of ordinary people, these magic circles were nothing more than incomprehensible symbols, making it difficult to discern any differences. But Rocky could tell they were different, which meant the magic circles in the lobby weren¡¯t meant to protect the institute¡¯s defensive magic array. But what then were these arrays for?


    This question was somewhat beyond Rocky¡¯s knowledge, so he had no answer. However, he did know who could provide one.


    Orton!


    Since this time they had come to explore the ruins of Kasin City, hoping to find some remnants of Land Era technological research within the ruins, Rocky brought Orton along. Even though Orton was very dissatisfied, thinking it was a waste of his time, Rocky still took him along.


    Although Rocky might not understand these magic circles, Orton most certainly would, because in today¡¯s world, only scholars like him would painstakingly study magic.


    Thinking this, Rocky turned to Karina, ¡°Let¡¯s go, back we head.¡±


    ¡°Go back? Not looking anymore?¡±


    Seeing that Rocky wanted to return, Karina felt surprised. Although she had little hope left, she still wanted to try a bit more.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that we¡¯re not looking anymore; it¡¯s that we need to find someone to help. I think there¡¯s something wrong with these arrays¡­¡±


    In just a few short sentences, Rocky explained his thoughts, and after hearing them, Karina naturally wouldn¡¯t object. After all, if it was as Rocky said, and the problem was with the magic circles here, then they could only ask Orton for help. Nobody else had the ability to decipher the magic circles.


    After that, the two of them left directly through the main entrance of the hall and soared back to Sky City, which was already floating above the ruins.


    During the return trip, Rocky had already contacted Liliya in advance and told her to ask Orton to come to the Skyport. So, by the time the two of them arrived at Carltos City¡¯s Skyport, Orton was already waiting.


    ¡°You brat, what¡¯s so important that you had to call me here? Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m busy!¡±


    Upon Rocky¡¯s return, and even before he actively sought out Orton, Orton approached him, huffing with indignation.


    But Orton wasn¡¯t lying; research relating to the Runes was at a critical moment, seemingly on the verge of a major breakthrough. So even though Orton had come out with Rocky, he was still engaged in his own research, meaning that Rocky had indeed interrupted him.


    However, Rocky was well-acquainted with Orton¡¯s temperament and didn¡¯t bother to explain. Instead, he directly handed over the diary he had found.


    Sure enough, after looking through the diary, Orton¡¯s anger subsided, but he appeared somewhat puzzled.


    ¡°Wanzhong Kingdom, they really conducted research? What exactly was it? Did you bring it back?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    Shaking his head, Rocky then shared his observations of the magic circles and his speculations with Orton, ¡°Teacher, I¡¯d like you to take a look with me. After all, I can¡¯t make heads or tails of these magic circles.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Hearing that, Orton gave Rocky a disdainful look, ¡°I told you to study more knowledge and not to busy yourself with those trivial things all the time. Now you understand the saying ¡®you never know the value of a book until you need it,¡¯ right?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, prepare the Skyship. I¡¯ll come down with you to take a look.¡±


    After a brief lecture to Rocky, Orton didn¡¯t say much more, and walked straight toward the War Steed, clearly also sparked with interest, despite his unwillingness to show it.


    Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 582 - 582 545 Magic Seal

    ?Chapter 582: Chapter 545 Magic Seal Chapter 582: Chapter 545 Magic Seal Although Rocky was quite displeased with being dragged along, once Orton finished reading the diary, he couldn¡¯t help but become intrigued.


    Originally, he, like Aniye and others, thought that the Wanzhong Kingdom couldn¡¯t invent anything significant. During the Land Era, every country conducted various research to combat Demons, but the research results were often tied to national strengths. For instance, Wensel, who invented the Mana Rune, was the top grandmaster in the Mana field in the Kohen Country, a well-known major power on land, equating with today¡¯s three major forces. Under such circumstances, the combination of the two finally resulted in the creation of the unparalleled Mana Rune.


    In contrast, the Wanzhong Kingdom was different. Even if they dedicated national resources to research, limited national power made it difficult for them to achieve much.


    However, after reading the diary Rocky found, especially the part about the research, Orton became interested. Even though he still didn¡¯t believe the Wanzhong Kingdom had any cutting-edge technology, he was indeed curious about what they had stirred up, thus agreeing to Rocky¡¯s request to go investigate together.


    As a result, the group set out again, but this time, not only Rocky and Karina were heading for the ruins; Master Orton was also aboard the War Steed.


    Without a word throughout the journey, they quickly returned to the research institute standing within the ruins.


    ¡°Is this the research institute you mentioned?¡±


    Utilizing flying magic to hover in mid-air with Rocky and Karina, Orton glanced downwards before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go, you lead, and I¡¯ll follow.¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Teacher, you must be careful after descending, as there will be magical attacks.¡±


    ¡°Stop babbling, do I need your worry?¡±


    Giving Rocky a sidelong glance, Orton muttered as he cast several magic shields upon himself, thoroughly encasing himself in rounded shields.


    Although Orton wasn¡¯t a Void Magic Warrior, he was a rare mage today, and just a step away from being an archmage¡ªa Ninth-level Grand Magus¡ªin magic expertise, making his defensive abilities no less than opening the Defensive Net of a Void Magic Armor after casting several magic shields.


    Seeing this, Rocky ceased further comments and dove downward with Karina.


    Just as before, as they approached the research institute, magic energy beams attacked, but they were experienced this time. They opened the Defensive Net and slowed their descent, waiting for Orton to catch up.


    Afterward, Rocky and Karina, like a moving shield, protected Orton behind them, quickly and smoothly entering the third-floor window of the research institute.


    Back inside, the werewolf desperately wanted to take Orton to the first floor, but Orton ignored them, meticulously examining the magic circle on the wall instead.


    ¡°It is indeed a magic circle from the Land Era¡­¡±


    Standing before the wall, Orton mumbled while gently tracing the magical engravings with his hand, ¡°Such magic circles are no longer used today, and there¡¯s hardly any record of them in books¡­¡±


    His words sounded like mumbling to himself, yet as though he was speaking to Rocky and Karina, so they obediently stood beside him. Though they couldn¡¯t understand, they pretended to look at the wall.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Awakening from his focus on the wall and noticing Rocky and Karina beside him, Orton curiously asked.


    ¡°Looking at these magic circles.¡±


    ¡°Can you understand them?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then why bother! Wasting my time, get to the first floor!¡±


    After shooting a glance at them, Orton walked directly toward the stairs, leaving Rocky and Karina bewildered. They quickly followed and finally reached the first-floor hall shortly after.


    In the hall, even without Rocky¡¯s explanation, Orton noticed the Array on the walls and floor immediately and walked over.


    ¡°These are¡­¡±


    Standing before the hall walls, Orton examined the magic circles closely, furrowing his brow, and occasionally touched them, brushing away ashes to see more clearly.


    Seeing such actions, Rocky and Karina dared not disturb him; otherwise, they¡¯d face a scolding, so they stood patiently to the side.


    Thus, time swiftly passed over half an hour. Orton meticulously observed, circling the hall until finally ending up in the center where he glanced at the floor.


    Walking about, while inspecting the ground, his slow strides showed considerable attention. After another half hour, he finally lifted his head.


    ¡°The Array here is indeed different from the one above.¡±


    Lifting his gaze towards Rocky and Karina, Orton began, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the entire hall comprises a giant Array that bears no relation to defense but is a large sealing magic circle.¡±


    ¡°A seal? Sealing what?¡±


    Hearing the first half of Orton¡¯s statement, Rocky and Karina both sighed with relief, as it affirmed their suspicion; something was indeed hidden here. But Orton¡¯s latter part confused them, what did the seal magic circle aim to confine?


    ¡°You know too little about magic.¡±


    To their confusion, Orton shook his head, ¡°During the Land Era, magic application extended beyond combat, just like today¡¯s Mana. While used in combat, Mana is essential in life, as was the Land Era¡¯s magic. Hence, this seal magic circle wasn¡¯t meant to seal anything but akin to a lock, a door lock.¡±


    ¡°As long as the lock is opened, the door will open.¡±


    Orton¡¯s words left Rocky and Karina dumbfounded, not quite comprehending his meaning.


    And Orton clearly didn¡¯t intend to explain further; they understood too little about magic to grasp it, so he motioned for them to stand back with a wave.


    Seeing this, Rocky and Karina quickly retreated behind him.


    Standing in the center of the hall, Orton slowly extended his hands. Simultaneously, magical power gradually emanated from inside him. In a blink, countless visible magics shot from his hands, which, upon appearing, scattered everywhere, not vanishing, but being absorbed by the hall wall¡¯s magic circle!


    Once imbued with magic, the Array glowed brilliantly, illuminating the hall with vivid magical patterns spreading from the walls to the floor, lighting up the floor¡¯s Array too!


    And right after the Arrays were fully illuminated, a rumbling sound followed, accompanied by a large stone pillar emerging from the hall¡¯s floor!

 Chapter 583 - 583 546 The Colossal Creature

    ?Chapter 583: Chapter 546: The Colossal Creature Chapter 583: Chapter 546: The Colossal Creature As Orton infused Magic Power into the Magic Circle in the hall, the entire hall¡¯s Magic Circles were illuminated. Following that, a huge stone pillar rose from the center of the hall!


    This stone pillar was over three meters tall, and so wide that even five people together could not embrace it fully. When the stone pillar had fully risen, the Arrays in the hall began to extinguish one by one.


    ¡°Teacher, what is this¡­?¡±


    It was not until all the surrounding Arrays had gone out that Rocky and Karina regained their senses, then they both looked towards the towering stone pillar before them.


    ¡°This is the gate.¡±


    As he spoke, Orton began to walk around the stone pillar, but he stopped halfway.


    ¡°Come and see this.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky and Karina immediately came over to his side. As they looked in the direction he was gazing, they couldn¡¯t help but widen their eyes.


    ¡°Stairs?¡±


    Following their sightline, one could see a spiral staircase within the stone pillar. Judging by the direction the staircase spiraled downwards, it evidently led underground!


    That¡¯s it!


    Discovering the staircase leading underground, Rocky and Karina finally understood the situation. It turned out that the true core of the research institute was not in the building they were in, but underneath!


    This made much more sense.


    After finding the diary and reading its contents, Rocky had also harbored some doubts, feeling that this place did not resemble a research institute. Continuing research within a moving structure surrounded by Demons seemed far-fetched even to think about. But now, it appeared he had underestimated the people of the past; they had foreseen everything and arranged it all. The research institute they were in was just a decoy, perhaps even superfluous. The real core was underground!


    And since the most important part of the research institute was underground, what kinds of treasures could be inside?


    Thinking this, they both couldn¡¯t help but get excited.


    ¡°Stop daydreaming. Let¡¯s get going. It might just be a pile of scrap metal down there.¡±


    Just as Rocky and Karina fantasized about finding treasures, Orton inconveniently threw cold water on their expectations and then urged them to follow him down the staircase upon the stone pillar.


    As they descended the staircase, as expected, they walked for quite some time, indicating that the underground laboratory was indeed deep. Only after more than ten minutes did they finally reach the end.


    As their feet finally touched the ground, a darkness appeared before the trio. Therefore, Rocky and Karina quickly turned on their Armor¡¯s illumination system. From the forehead of the White Demon and the shoulders of the Valkyrie Armor, lights emerged; although not very strong, they were enough to let them see what was before them.


    Looking along the light, they found that it was still pitch black before them. The light had not dispelled the darkness; they still had no idea what kind of place this was. Was it a research institute? Or a laboratory? They had no clue. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What is this place?¡±


    What place¡­


    Place¡­


    Place¡­


    As Karina expressed her confusion, she was shocked to hear an echo, one after another!


    Just a single sentence, and not a very loud one at that, had triggered such a series of lengthy echoes. What did it imply?


    It suggested that the place they were in must be incredibly vast!


    Just then, light suddenly appeared, initially only a point. But soon one point led to another, spreading into an area, and in an instant, all darkness was dispelled.


    While the two were still confused, Orton had already located the Magic Energy Lamp, no, the magic lamp, and activated it using Magic Power.


    And it was only when the magic lamps were all lit up that Rocky and his companions were finally able to make out the entirety of their surroundings.


    The place they had come to was not a research institute, nor a laboratory; it was a gigantic factory hall!


    The area here, without any exaggeration, spanned hundreds of meters¡ªit was an immense factory hall, which was why their voices echoed when they spoke. However, the space was far from empty. On the contrary, it housed a massive being!


    ¡°What is¡­ what is this thing!¡±


    ¡°My god¡­¡±


    As the lights came on, Rocky and Karina first looked around, then their gaze was simultaneously captured by a colossal object placed in the center of the factory hall.


    Following their line of sight, one could see a gigantic fortress, towering over ten meters high, so huge it resembled a small building. The fortress bristled with numerous cannons, the cannon barrels protruding out like the spines of a massive hedgehog¡ªan extreme exaggeration.


    The moment they saw the fortress, the two were dumbfounded. They had thought they would see the research of Wanzhong Kingdom here, but they hadn¡¯t expected to encounter such a behemoth.


    Could it be¡­ that the research Wanzhong Kingdom had been pouring the efforts of the entire nation into¡­ was this thing?


    They had expended so much effort, only to produce this fortress?


    While they stood agape, Orton had already approached the huge fortress. Seeing this, Rocky and Karina immediately flew over to join him at his side.


    ¡°Teacher, what is this thing?¡±


    Looking up at the behemoth that was even larger than a battleship, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°This should be the research mentioned in the diary.¡±


    ¡°Just this thing? Wanzhong Kingdom¡¯s research is on a fortress like this? What use could this thing possibly have!¡±


    Hearing this, Karina couldn¡¯t help but look towards Orton, her words betraying evident disappointment.


    A fortress that looked like a hedgehog, what kind of invention was that!


    ¡°Not necessarily¡­¡±


    But before she could finish her sentence, Orton shook his head and then pointed with his finger, ¡°Look closely, this thing is made of iron.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Orton¡¯s words made them look at the fortress more closely, and indeed, they found that it was not made of stone, but forged of steel!


    ¡°This is just too extravagant¡­¡±


    Perhaps because they had lived in the skies for so many years, people had always considered mineral resources to be extraordinarily valuable. Therefore, the discovery that the fortress was constructed of steel made them both take a sharp breath, and they couldn¡¯t help but remark that probably only people from the Land Era could afford such luxurious waste.


    However, after their initial astonishment, disappointment crept in.


    Clearly, this gargantuan object was the new invention that Wanzhong Kingdom was researching. They must have intended to use this steel-forged fortress to defend against the Demons, and this was exactly why it was so disappointing.


    Because, even if the fortress were made of steel, it was, in the end, just a fortress. And history had already proven that Demons could not be stopped by fortresses, no fortress could hold them back.


    Just as they were steeped in disappointment, Orton spoke up from the side, ¡°Don¡¯t be disappointed yet, take a look at this, what I found earlier.¡±


    As he spoke, he casually handed a document to Rocky. Taking the document, both Rocky and Karina were taken aback, then they immediately looked down at it.


    Both looked down at the same time and saw a few big characters on the document: ¡°Moving Fortress Project.¡±

 Chapter 584 - 584 547 Kingdoms Legacy

    ?Chapter 584: Chapter 547: Kingdom¡¯s Legacy Chapter 584: Chapter 547: Kingdom¡¯s Legacy ¡°`


    Moving¡­ fortress¡­


    Seeing the document in his hand, Rocky gradually widened his eyes and couldn¡¯t help but look at Orton.


    Obviously, when he and Karina were stunned earlier, Orton not only found the magic lamp but also other things, such as this document.


    However, when Rocky looked at Orton, Orton paid no attention to the two but instead looked up at the steel fortress in front of him.


    Seeing this, Rocky refocused his attention on the document and proceeded to open it.


    ¡°Greetings, successor.¡±


    ¡°I am Su Bin, director of the Kassin City Research Institute. If you are reading this document, you must have also seen the Moving Fortress we created. Congratulations, you have found the last legacy of the Wanzhong Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know when you are reading this document. Perhaps the demons have already been eradicated, or perhaps not, but please read through this document in any case. These are my last words.¡±


    The opening content of this document was not quite what Rocky imagined. It began with a self-introduction, explaining that the document was from the hand of the research institute¡¯s director, and the words were strikingly similar to the Magic Energy Image left by Wensel back in the day. Clearly, this document was left by the director in his last moments.


    Thus, Rocky and Karina quickly continued reading.


    ¡°Everything began in Era 1011, which was the year the nightmare started¡­¡±


    As Rocky continued reading, he discovered that the document briefly introduced the event of demons taking over the land. It referred to 1011 as the year the nightmare began, as that was the year demons first appeared in the world.


    Rocky and Karina had both read about the history of how demons appeared, so they quickly skimmed this part and turned to the next page to find the essential points.


    ¡°¡­After the Sky City project was completed, His Majesty the King gathered all those who participated in the Sky City development and shared his thoughts with us.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty believed that the idea of Sky City was good but merely an evasive choice, one that handed land over to the demons. Therefore, he hoped we would leverage the experience gained from developing Sky City to conduct new research, focusing not on how to escape, but on how to fight the demons.¡±


    ¡°I personally agreed with His Majesty¡¯s thoughts. Having participated in the Sky City research firsthand, I was well aware of how many people a Sky City could accommodate¡ªonly fifty thousand, which is the limit. How could such a city possibly save everyone? In my heart, I supported His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°However, while I supported him in my heart, I was also worried because Sky City was not a product of a single nation¡¯s research but of all countries banding their resources and efforts together. A project of this magnitude would be impossible for Wanzhong Kingdom to complete on its own.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, His Majesty had made up his mind and even gambled entirely by giving up the opportunity to enter Sky City himself. When even His Majesty did so, what more could we say?¡±


    ¡°Soon after, an ultimate project to fight the demons was proposed, known as the Moving City Plan!¡±


    ¡°As the name implies, the ultimate aim of this plan was to enable the cities we currently reside in to have mobility, to arm the entire city and transform it into a massive fortress capable of moving freely on land to combat the invading demons.¡±


    ¡°The inspiration for this project naturally came from Sky City, and even the technology was identical to it. This made our research relatively easier, as everyone involved in this project, including myself, had previously participated in the Sky City project and accumulated extensive experience in research.¡±


    ¡°But as I mentioned, this project was immense, so large that even with the nation¡¯s full power, completing it would be difficult. Moreover, something else caught us off guard¡ªthe demons advanced too quickly.¡±


    ¡°Our initial plan was to complete the first Moving City within two years and use that as a foundation for further research. However, the speed of the demon attack was beyond everyone¡¯s expectations. In just six months, the demons had overrun a neighboring country and surged into our territory.¡±


    ¡°This made all of us realize one thing: the Moving City project was doomed to fail. There was not enough time, nor enough manpower and resources. Thus, we were compelled to alter our plan, changing from the Moving City Plan to the Moving Fortress Plan.¡±


    ¡°This plan was essentially a simplified version of the Moving City, and completing it would also create a powerful weapon against the demons. But as I said, we were out of time.¡±


    ¡°When the Moving Fortress plan was halfway through, the city of Kassin I was in was conquered by the demons. Although we researchers survived due to prior preparations, others¡­¡± S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Even though the city fell, we continued our research. By then, none of us were researching for the King but for ourselves and all the other residents who had died in the city. We had to build the Moving Fortress!¡±


    ¡°In such circumstances, we all worked tirelessly day and night, and finally, the Moving Fortress was built. Unfortunately, we still failed¡­¡±


    ¡°In building this fortress, we exhausted all the accumulated resources. Although the fortress was barely completed, there was no energy left to make it truly move¡­ How ironic.¡±


    ¡°For this reason, I contacted His Majesty the King, hoping he could find a way to deliver a batch of Magic Stones, but I failed. Later, we tried using the Array¡¯s mana to charge the fortress, but it turned out that the mana required by the fortress was too vast, and the Array¡¯s mana was insufficient.¡±


    ¡°With this realization, there was only one thing left for me to do: write all this down in hopes that someone would find it.¡±


    ¡°If what I¡¯ve written is discovered after the demons are defeated, then please put this document and the fortress outside into a museum. It can at least serve as proof of our efforts to resist the demons.¡±


    ¡°If the demons have yet to be defeated, please activate the fortress outside and let this steel-cast fortress fulfill its mission. Believe me, it will bring despair to the demons!¡±


    ¡°Note: All research materials related to the Moving Fortress are stored in the safe in my office. If needed, please take them as well.¡±


    ¡°Kassin City Research Institute Director: Su Bin.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 585 - 585 548 Splitting Up

    ?Chapter 585: Chapter 548: Splitting Up Chapter 585: Chapter 548: Splitting Up Having read through all the document¡¯s content, Rocky raised his head to look at the fortress in front of him again, and his gaze unconsciously changed.


    Because he now knew that this big guy in front of him was not just a lump of iron, but a Moving Fortress!


    Although it¡¯s just the addition of ¡°moving,¡± this change immediately gave the fortress a whole new essence. Just imagine, a structure as tall as ten meters, resembling a small building, starting to move. What kind of spectacle would that be? And what fate would the enemies facing such a massive structure meet?


    To tell the truth, when Rocky learned that the fortress could move, he was quite shocked. This idea was like Sky City, utterly overturning his understanding and leaving him deeply astounded.


    Karina, equally amazed, had looked back at the fortress after she had finished the documents, but her thoughts were completely different from Rocky¡¯s.


    ¡°How can we get this thing out?¡±


    Looking at the fortress, Karina was already thinking about how to get this massive structure out!


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    In fact, Rocky was also considering this issue, so he looked up at the ceiling.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it can just be opened¡­¡±


    ¡°You have to drive it out.¡±


    Just then, Orton, who had been observing the fortress, spoke up as he pointed towards the end of the factory: ¡°The exit is over there.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Following the direction Orton was pointing, Rocky saw a huge door at the end of the factory and then he understood.


    Initially, Su Bin and his people didn¡¯t intend to leave the Moving Fortress underground after building it here, so they must have already figured out how to drive it out. Thus, Rocky didn¡¯t actually have to worry about this; in fact, the problem Rocky now needed to worry about was the same as what Su Bin faced initially¡ªhow to get this massive structure moving!


    Su Bin had mentioned in his will that the Moving Fortress had already been developed to completion; the reason it remained here was simple: it lacked Mana as a power source, hence it couldn¡¯t move. This meant that if Rocky could resolve the issue with Mana, then all problems would be resolved.


    Thinking this, he quickly asked Orton.


    ¡°Teacher, how much Mana is needed to get this thing moving?¡±


    ¡°A lot¡­¡±


    Giving him a glance, Orton then looked down at another set of documents in his hands, which were exactly the research documents about the Moving Fortress that Su Bin had mentioned last.


    It was about ten minutes later when Orton finally raised his head again and said, ¡°To get this thing moving, the amount of Mana needed would be equivalent to the combined Mana of three battleships.¡± S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Three battleships? That much?!¡±


    Rocky was startled by this figure because it was outrageously high. Battleships, being among the largest types of warships in the skies, could be up to three to five hundred meters long. The Moving Fortress, despite being smaller in comparison, paradoxically needed even more Mana to start?


    ¡°Idiot! This fortress uses Magic Energy Technology from a hundred years ago¡ªhow can it be the same as today?!¡±


    Rocky had just shown a surprised expression when Orton glared at him, explaining in a single sentence the huge consumption of the Moving Fortress.


    After all, this massive object was created a hundred years ago, and the technology used was also from a hundred years ago, naturally, it should not be judged by modern standards.


    After glaring at Rocky, Orton continued, ¡°You two go back now, prepare everything needed, and transport the Magic Stones here. I¡¯ll stay and figure out how to operate this thing.¡±


    Although Orton had not expressed his stance on the Moving Fortress, it was clear that he was quite interested in this last legacy left by the Wanzhong Kingdom.


    Since he had said so, Rocky and Karina did not delay any further. They acted immediately, Orton staying behind to continue his research on the Moving Fortress while they returned to Sky City to prepare.


    According to Orton, to start the Moving Fortress, it needed a massive support of Mana, which was not a problem for Rocky and Karina. Both being City Lords and having their own Fleets, Magic Stones were definitely in ample supply.


    However, the greater the demand for Mana, the more Magic Stones were needed. The real challenge they now faced was how to transport a large number of Magic Stones to the underground factory.


    So, after returning to the surface and taking off again, they did not rush back to Sky City but observed from mid-air.


    ¡°It seems we can only use small transport ships to shuttle them, landing the Skyship next to the research facility.¡±


    Hovering in mid-air, Rocky watched the laboratory below and spoke.


    ¡°But what about the defensive magic array?¡±


    Also looking down, Karina responded.


    Rocky was right about using small transport ships to bring the Magic Stones down and then manually transport them to the underground factory. That was their only solution, but remember the laboratory below was protected by a defensive magic array, which would attack any approaching target indiscriminately.


    Facing such attacks, Rocky and Karina might not mind, but what about the transport ships?


    Even if the transport were to stop outside the attack range of the defensive magic array, what about the people tasked with moving the Magic Stones?


    Thus, an awkward situation arose. The defensive magic array, originally meant to protect the laboratory from demon invasions, became an obstacle for Rocky and his team. With the defensive magic array present, unless they were Void Magic Warriors, others could not get close!


    So, after some thought with a frown, Rocky had no choice but to say:


    ¡°Destroy it¡­¡±


    ¡°Destroy it? What about the demons?¡±


    The only way to allow the transport team to approach the lab was to destroy the lab¡¯s defensive magic array, but once the array was destroyed, what about the demons?


    Keep in mind that the reason this place had stood unscathed amidst the ruins was thanks to the protective magic array. Once the array was gone, that protection would be lost. Who knows what would happen to the laboratory by then, and what about the ships and people responsible for moving the Magic Stones amidst the ruins full of lurking demons?


    ¡°I¡¯ll send the Guard Corps to temporarily defend the research facility, you set up your Fleet for air support. Just wait until the teacher starts up the Moving Fortress, then all will be well,¡± Rocky said after thinking hard for a while, concluding that the only way to safely transport the Magic Stones to the underground lab was to rely on the Guard Corps to replace the defensive magic array and guard the facility.

 Chapter 586 - 586 549 All-out Attack

    ?Chapter 586: Chapter 549: All-out Attack! Chapter 586: Chapter 549: All-out Attack! To transport the Magic Stone to the underground, it was necessary to destroy the defensive magic array, but once the array was gone, so was the protection for the research institute. In such a situation, the entire institute would be as exposed to the Demons as a naked young girl, which is why the Guard Corps had to be dispatched for defense.


    Rocky had originally thought that he could easily handle everything this time, but it turned out that battle was still inevitable. Therefore, after that, he took the opportunity of returning to Sky City to discuss the plan with Karina, and they finally made it back to Sky City.


    Upon returning to Sky City, the two wasted no time in arranging manpower. On the one hand, they made sure their respective troops were ready for combat; on the other hand, they moved a large stock of Magic Stones from the storage and loaded them onto the transport ships.


    All these actions naturally took a lot of time, but fortunately, Orton also needed time to study the Moving Fortress underground, so Rocky and Karina took advantage of the preparation time to explain the situation and their respective roles to their subordinates.


    ¡°Monte, you and Lin Feng are responsible for commanding the Guard Corps to prepare for defense.¡±


    ¡°Liliya, lead Sandro and Dusa to assist the Guard Corps with free movement.¡±


    ¡°Robin, you lead the Void Magic Squad with me; you and the Void Magic Corps from Rose City will be under my command.¡±


    ¡°Caryus and Raphael, come here.¡±


    After making arrangements for others, Rocky called Caryus and Raphael over: ¡°Do you two still remember how to operate the Tank Armor?¡±


    ¡°Sir, we have been consistent in our training!¡±


    Asked by Rocky, Caryus and Raphael both looked innocent. Although the Guard Corps hadn¡¯t been deployed much recently, and the Tank Type 1 Armor hadn¡¯t had many chances to perform, at most firing a few shots during the defense of Backhill Village, but Caryus and Raphael¡¯s skills were anything but rusty.


    On the contrary, the two had been persistent in their training during this period and, due to their continuous participation in the defense of Backhill Village, they were always stationed on land. As the Tank Type 1 Armor was specifically designed for land combat, it naturally had more room to perform on land. They often took the Tank Type 1 Armor out of the village for practice, and their driving skills had improved by leaps and bounds compared to before; so when Rocky asked them, they immediately showed an innocent expression, with a hint of unwillingness.


    Seeing this, Rocky just smiled slightly: ¡°In that case, I look forward to your performance later.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir! We¡¯ll definitely give the Demons a hard time!¡±


    Upon hearing this, the two immediately puffed up their chests and promised earnestly.


    In fact, Rocky was well aware that the two had never relaxed their training, as they had always had to report to him for approval every time they took the Tank Type 1 Armor out. He asked them to stimulate them because the Tank Type 1 Armor would undeniably play an important role in the upcoming battle!


    ¡°Sir! The Magic Stones have been fully loaded onto the ship!¡±


    Just at that moment, as Rocky had finished making arrangements with everyone, a Guard came to report to him.


    Hearing the report, Rocky nodded and then addressed everyone: ¡°Lead your respective teams and depart immediately!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    With his command, those around him including Liliya and Monte snapped to attention, saluted in unison, then turned and ran in different directions. Right after that, Rocky boarded the War Steed and led his troops away from the Skyport.


    After flying out of Sky City¡¯s Defensive Net, it didn¡¯t take long before they rendezvoused with Karina in the sky. Compared to Rocky, the fleet Karina brought was significantly larger.


    The division of tasks for this operation was very clear. Rocky was in charge of all the ground troops, which is why he didn¡¯t bring many warships¡ªonly the War Steed and the Hunter, two large warships. In contrast, although Karina wouldn¡¯t deploy ground troops, she was fully in charge of aerial combat and support, so she brought out all the warships from the city. The fleet, comprised of more than thirty large warships, was not only impressive in size but also represented top military force, surpassing even Thunderhawk City¡¯s fleet.


    When both sides met in the sky, the massive fleet began to slowly descend, soon arriving over the research facility.


    Over thirty large warships descended slowly above the research facility, casting a shadow like a gigantic dark cloud, blocking out the sunlight and plunging the entire facility into darkness.


    The commotion naturally drew the attention of the demons, so when the fleet approached the land, roaring sounds came from the ruins, followed by a large number of demons converging from all directions!


    ¡°Robin, lead the team to the research facility and destroy all the magic circles inside.¡±


    Standing at the prow, Rocky looked down at the ruins below, watching the demons charging from all sides as he spoke to Robin.


    ¡°Sir, should we wait for the demons to get closer to the facility before the defense systems take out a bunch? This could also alleviate some pressure on the Guard Corps¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think we can kill all the demons? The more demons we kill, the more will come. Execute the order immediately; don¡¯t make me repeat myself!¡±


    Once in battle, Rocky¡¯s entire demeanor changed, becoming even more strict than before. He was now the commander of the entire ground battlefield, and with that responsibility came the lives of every soldier on the battlefield. Thus, he needed to be serious. It didn¡¯t matter if he was talking to Robin or even Liliya at that moment¡ªhe would be just as stern.


    Even though Rocky was wearing the White Demon Armor¡¯s helmet, obscuring his expression, his tone was unquestionable. When he turned to Robin, the helmet¡¯s eyes glowed red, truly resembling a demon, which scared Robin into immediately refraining from any further questions and rapidly led the prepared Void Magic Squad to leap and fly off the deck of the War Steed.


    Under Robin¡¯s lead, the Void Magic Squad dove downwards immediately after leaving the War Steed, quickly approaching the research facility. They deployed the Defensive Net when attacked and then all charged into the interior of the facility.


    Seeing them successfully enter the facility, Rocky contacted Karina.


    ¡°Karina, the defensive magic array will soon be ineffective, prepare to bombard.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    With her response, Karina, who was on the flagship, also issued her orders. Following her command, the fleet hovering over the research facility gradually dispersed, forming a circle in mid-air and surrounding the entire facility. Meanwhile, the cannons of each warship took aim at the ground!

 Chapter 587 - 587 550 In Full Swing

    ?Chapter 587: Chapter 550: In Full Swing Chapter 587: Chapter 550: In Full Swing As Robin led the team to destroy the defensive magic array, Karina also had the Fleet surround the institute in the air, with all the cannon muzzles aiming at the ground, more specifically at the demons surging towards them.


    At this time, the demons attracted by the Fleet had already started to approach the institute from all directions.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    As the demons drew closer to the institute, Karina, positioned at the flagship¡¯s bow, waved her hand and issued the command to fire!


    At her command, a deafening roar of cannon fire erupted. The numerous muzzles, already aimed at the enemy, burst into flames at that moment, and countless Mana Cannonballs were fired and hit the ground in the blink of an eye, setting off a series of explosions among the ruins.


    Under the fierce bombardment of numerous Magic Cannons, the ruins around the institute instantly blossomed with explosions, not only sending countless fragments of rock flying into the air but also the first wave of demons that had approached the institute.


    The first batch of demons approaching the institute were almost all spared no mercy under the bombardment; those lucky enough were blown into the air by the explosions, while the less fortunate were struck directly by the Mana Cannonballs and were instantly blasted to pieces.


    Afterward, the range of the explosions began to expand outward, clearly targeting the demons that were still attempting to approach the institute.


    Meanwhile, as the Fleet began its bombardment, Robin¡¯s Void Magic Squad reappeared in mid-air. Seeing them, Rocky immediately ordered the War Steed and the Hunter to descend, quickly landing on the ground.


    ¡°Everyone off the ship! Quick, quick, quick!¡±


    As the two warships landed, Monte and Lin Feng immediately jumped down from the decks of the War Steed and the Hunter and then directed the Guard Corps to quickly disembark.


    Since they were well-prepared, the Guard Corps disembarked very quickly, and despite the surrounding gunfire and smoke, their performance was orderly and not at all chaotic.


    ¡°Everyone, form up immediately!¡±


    ¡°Chu Dong! Lead the Archer Troops to the institute!¡±


    When all the Guard Corps had landed, Monte immediately took command.


    The Guard Corps had very limited time to adjust now because, although the air Fleet was carrying out the bombardment and indeed blocking the demons¡¯ advance, this was only temporary. The reason they could block the demons was simply that there were not enough demons yet.


    Don¡¯t forget, most of the demons lurking in these ruins were Black-eyed Demons. These demons had poor eyesight but excellent hearing. Therefore, although the bombardment temporarily halted the demons¡¯ offensive, it wouldn¡¯t be long before all the demons in the city were drawn here, so the Guard Corps had to be ready before that happened!


    Under Monte¡¯s command, all the infantry warriors immediately formed a square formation, while the Archer Troops entered the inside of the institute and quickly occupied advantageous terrain on the second floor, third floor, and rooftops.


    Actually, not only did the Guard Corps have limited time, but everyone did as well. They could only make all arrangements in this brief time; otherwise, it would be too late when a large number of demons appeared. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So as Monte directed the Guard Corps to their positions, the War Steed and the Hunter had already risen back into the air, making space for the transport troop filled with Magic Stones to land.


    As the transport troop slowly landed, the workers on the ship immediately began to transport the cargo downwards, two people carrying a large box filled with Medium Magic Stones, continuously moving them into the institute.


    On the other side, while Monte was directing the Guard Corps to form up, and the transport troops began to unload the Magic Stones from the ship, Rocky led one Void Magic Squad from Thunderhawk City and four from Rose City, totaling five squads, appearing mid-air.


    ¡°Dadu, you lead the squad to protect the transport ships, don¡¯t let the Demons get close,¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Responding with a single cry, the squad leader under Karina, Dadu, led his team towards the transport ships.


    ¡°Dian, Dolly, Mark, the three of you are responsible for protecting the research facility. We are short on manpower, so we can only focus on defending the front. Try not to let the Demons break in from other directions,¡±


    Since the research facility was the only building still standing among the ruins, more Demons would definitely surge from all around. In such a situation, Rocky had insufficient manpower to encircle the entire facility. All he could do was have his troops hold the front, allowing the transport ships to smoothly move all the Magic Stones underground was already the limit.


    That¡¯s why he had deployed the other three squads, tasking these three Void Magic Squads with defending the research facility from other directions. He didn¡¯t expect them to stop the Demons, only to prevent them from demolishing the facility.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After responding, the three squad leaders immediately turned and led their members towards different directions.


    After they had all departed, Rocky then looked towards Robin.


    ¡°Robin, you lead the squad and follow me into the frontline battle,¡±


    Clearly, Rocky reserved the most dangerous task of the battle for his own troops, not because of his selflessness, but for a reason.


    Firstly, because the other four squads consisted of Karina¡¯s people, Rocky was unfamiliar with their capabilities and completely lacked coordination. Furthermore, since they were not his own men, commanding them felt uncomfortable.


    Secondly, among the five squads, only Robin¡¯s squad was the best equipped, all members were fitted with fifth-generation Armor, so it made sense to have them at the front line of the battle.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Having heard Rocky¡¯s order, Robin and the others, hovering mid-air, immediately responded, showing no signs of fear, even appearing quite excited.


    This was not strange, because to these men, Rocky was their hero. Previously just ordinary members of the Guard Corps, they had witnessed Rocky¡¯s elegance on the battlefield more than once. So now, having the chance to fight alongside him excited everyone greatly, nearly feeling as if they were finally sharing the stage with their idol.


    However, just at that moment, when Rocky was preparing to lead his squad to join up with the Guard Corps, he realized that the deafening sounds of gunfire and explosions had already stopped¡­


    Until just now, even though he, the Guard Corps, and the transport troops had been busily engaged, the fleet in the sky had been bombing continuously; but now, the bombing had suddenly ceased.


    Had there been some accident?


    Of course not, the only reason for the cessation of the gunfire was that all the Demons charging towards the mansion had been killed!

 Chapter 588 - 588 551 Hundreds and Thousands

    ?Chapter 588: Chapter 551: Hundreds and Thousands! Chapter 588: Chapter 551: Hundreds and Thousands! As the sound of cannons and explosions ceased, the guards, already arranged in formations, immediately looked towards the smoky ruins, especially the new soldiers.


    In the sight of these new soldiers, the ruins were clouded with lingering smoke, and within the smoke, one could clearly see numerous demon corpses!


    After the bombing had subsided, the demons that were bombed were either crushed under piles of rubble or had become dismembered and thoroughly blown apart, creating an extremely gruesome scene, resembling Hell itself.


    And although such a sight was bloody, it brought smiles to the faces of many new soldiers!


    Had they won?


    Had they already won? S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking towards the heaps of demon corpses in the smoke, the first reaction of many new soldiers was that they had won, since the demons had been bombed to death!


    However, just as some people were beginning to entertain this thought, Monte suddenly shouted out!


    ¡°Everyone! Prepare for battle!¡±


    Monte¡¯s shout instantly snapped everyone back to reality, especially those new soldiers who had thought the demons were wiped out. They were initially stunned, but then they all felt the ground suddenly trembling beneath their feet!


    All of a sudden, everyone felt a strong vibration from the ground, which startled many, and at that very moment, everyone heard a sound.


    A roar.


    The roar of demons.


    As the ground began to tremble, the sound of demons roaring emerged, and following the direction of the sound, through wafts of smoke, everyone could vaguely see a mass of figures furiously rushing through the smoke, swiftly approaching the Guard Corps!


    Demons!


    Countless demons!


    When the guards saw this mass of figures through the smoke, in just a brief moment, these figures revealed their true forms ¨C numerous Black-eyed Demons and Bull-horned Demons!


    All the demons were bombed to death?


    Impossible! Demons can never be completely eradicated!


    The demons that had been bombed previously were merely the first batch lured by the Fleet, but as soon as this batch was bombed, more demons in the ruins were stirred, and in an instant, hundreds of demons surged towards the direction of the research institute like a tide.


    Hundreds of demons¡­


    This scene, not only had the new soldiers never seen such a thing, but even the veteran soldiers had not witnessed it!


    Therefore, when the demons appeared before them, every soldier clenched their long swords and shields. Despite this, they still felt their hands trembling uncontrollably, even when they tried to control it.


    But just as everyone was petrified by the tide of demons approaching, a massive cannonade burst forth once again!


    ¡°Fire the cannons!¡±


    As a large number of demons emerged and surged towards the institute, Karina, stationed with the Fleet, issued the fire command once again, and the recently ceased cannon sounds boomed anew.


    However, this time, when the sounds of cannon fire and explosions rang out one after another, the demons¡¯ advance was not halted. When the number of demons reached a certain limit, the bombardment proved ineffective.


    The bombardment from the Fleet was just as intense as before, even denser than the previous one. All of the warship¡¯s secondary cannons fired, and even the main cannon aimed at the ground as much as possible. Each main cannon blast created a huge crater on the ground, killing dozens and sometimes even tens of demons effortlessly.


    But even then, the demons eventually broke through the bombardment net.


    One, two, ten, dozens, hundreds! Despite the Fleet¡¯s intense bombardment killing countless demons, as many were torn apart or killed, hundreds of demons rushed through the smoke towards the Guard Corps in an instant.


    The impact of such a scene on the new recruits was unimaginable, as they had never seen what demons look like when driven mad. Because of this, the morale of the recruits plummeted instantly, many of whom were terrified to the point of their legs giving out. If it wasn¡¯t for the armor they wore, some of the trembly-leg recruits would have probably been sitting on the ground already.


    However, just at that moment, when many were scared out of their wits by the sight before them, Rocky appeared above the Guard Corps, accompanied by Robin¡¯s Void Magic Squad!


    Perhaps having witnessed many grand scenes, when Rocky appeared above the Guard Corps and looked at the approaching demons, he was almost unperturbed.


    Also, as the backbone of the Guard Corps, his appearance immediately stabilized everyone¡¯s emotions¡ªit couldn¡¯t be helped, Rocky held too high a status in the Guard Corps. Every member of the Guard, old or new, saw him as a hero, especially those new recruits whose legs had just given out.


    The new recruits had heard about Rocky¡¯s heroic deeds more than once from the veterans. Almost every veteran had told them that Rocky would lead the Guard Corps to victory in every battle. Under such influence, the mere sight of Rocky immediately made them noticeably calmer.


    Of course, Rocky didn¡¯t let these new recruits down. He glanced at the onrushing demons, then issued a command through the communicator to Robin¡¯s Squad, ¡°Everyone, follow my lead and charge!¡±


    After those words, he instantly accelerated, being the first to rush toward the demons. Robin¡¯s squad then followed closely behind, charging towards the demons in his wake!


    In the blink of an eye, Rocky reached near the demons. During this process, he gradually lowered his altitude, descending from mid-air to ground level, almost flying close to the ground. After this, he shouted through the communicator, ¡°Everyone, take off!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Upon hearing his voice, Robin, who had also lowered his altitude, immediately led the team to leap up and return to mid-air. It was at the exact moment they ascended that Rocky, approaching the demons, grabbed the Magic Fang Scythe and instantaneously charged it with mana, followed by a sweeping strike!


    Whoosh¡ªalong with Rocky¡¯s sweeping strike, the mana-charged scythe created a halo around him, its diameter exceeding ten meters, much like a gigantic full moon. All demons caught by the halo were bisected at the waist, instantly killing dozens!


    This was why he had Robin lead the team to ascend¡ªthe strike¡¯s range was too extensive. Any accidental inclusion of teammates behind him would be troublesome, as the Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armor had no capability to withstand an attack from the Magic Fang Scythe.


    A moment after that strike, Rocky sped up again, diving head-first into a throng of demons. Meanwhile, Robin and the others dispersed themselves, swooping down closer to the demons!

 Chapter 589 - 589 552 Full Strike

    ?Chapter 589: Chapter 552: Full Strike! Chapter 589: Chapter 552: Full Strike! Leading the Void Magic Squad, Rocky charged at the demons first, swinging his scythe vigorously, and with each swing, demons would fall into pools of blood.


    The Magic Fang Scythe was incredibly sharp, and before it, even the monstrous Demons appeared feeble. The Black-eyed Demons, to say the least, were like they had been skinned, already weak in defense, which meant they stood no chance against the sharp scythe.


    Compared to the slightly less defended Black-eyed Demons, the massive Bull-horned Demons were known for their strong defense. Not only were they huge in size, but they also had a layer of scale armor, which made them look like a bull covered with fish scales¡ªbizarre, but the defense of the scale armor was extremely robust. Ordinary weapons were almost completely ineffective against it, and even attacks with Mana Weapons or Swords specially designed for Armors were not very effective. It would be impressive to just manage to damage the scale armor.


    But even the Bull-horned Demons, with such extraordinary defensive power, were no match for the Magic Fang Scythe!


    After slicing two Black-eyed Demons in half with a single stroke, Rocky leaped into the air, then immediately dove downward, landing right in front of a Bull-horned Demon, and while falling, slashed diagonally with his scythe. The blade sheared through, cutting off half of the massive demon¡¯s chest and causing its torso along with its head to fall to the ground, while the rest of the body remained upright.


    One strike, and a Bull-horned Demon was slain!


    But then Rocky didn¡¯t even have time to rest as he immediately targeted another Bull-horned Demon.


    It wasn¡¯t Rocky¡¯s first time at the forefront of battle, so he knew exactly what he should do at this moment.


    Trying to hold back the demons all by himself was simply impossible. Not to mention he was alone, even ten warriors clad in White Demon Armor couldn¡¯t stop the advance of the demons. Therefore, his current mission wasn¡¯t to eradicate all the demons in sight but to eliminate as many formidable opponents that could pose a threat to the Guard Corps as possible!


    It was with this mindset that Rocky, surrounded by demons, had only one target in his eyes¡ªthe Bull-horned Demons.


    In this wasteland, there were only two types of demons: the Black-eyed and the Bull-horned. Compared to the Black-eyed, the Bull-horned were larger, stronger in defense, and their attacks unmatched. If such demons were to charge towards the Guard Corps, even the best formations would be shattered. Hence, Rocky only needed to focus on slaying these monsters.


    Not just by himself, Rocky also issued orders to Robin and the other team members to primarily target the Bull-horned Demons. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon receiving his command, Robin and the squad members immediately charged at the Bull-horned Demons closest to them, but their killing speed was visibly slower. Ordinary team members often struggled to kill a Bull-horned Demon even after several rounds, and even Robin had to put in a lot of effort to take down one.


    There was no helping it, since even if Robin¡¯s squad was fully equipped with Fifth Generation Armor, and Robin himself wore Special Armor of the same generation, their weapons simply could not match the sharpness of the Magic Fang Scythe. Often, they needed several strikes to truly injure a Bull-horned Demon, naturally slowing down their kill speed.


    Furthermore, as everyone focused their attacks on the Bull-horned Demons, it diverted attention away from the far more numerous Black-eyed Demons.


    With no one paying them any heed, some Black-eyed Demons circled around Rocky and the others, but more of them charged toward the Guard Corps.


    However, before getting close to the Guard Corps, these Demons had to face two other formidable opponents¡ªthat was the two Tank Type 1 Armors, already waiting in battle formation at the front!


    Confronting the charging Demons, Caryus and Raphael, piloting the Tank Armors, did not hesitate to open fire!


    Under their operation, the Magic Energy Cannons on the shoulders of the two Tank Type 1 Armors immediately roared to life, continuously firing Mana Cannonballs at the swarming Demons. Although not as powerful as a warship¡¯s bombardment, it was enough to blast the Demons head over heels.


    The only pity was that there were too few Tank Type 1 Armors¡ªjust two. Their shelling couldn¡¯t form an effective attack net; hence, although many Demons were killed by the shelling, even more Demons continued their charge, braving through the artillery fire.


    As more and more Demons rapidly approached, Caryus and Raphael immediately ceased fire and switched to the mid-range attack of the Magic Energy Beam at the waist of the Armor.


    One after another, Magic Energy Beams were fired in succession. Although the hit rate wasn¡¯t particularly high, any Demon struck would inevitably be left with a gaping hole, and many Demons were felled this way.


    After that, countless Magic Energy Bullets also shot out from the arms of the two Tank Type 1 Armors!


    Designed specifically for ground battles, the arms of the Tank Type 1 were modified to become barrels capable of continuous Magic Energy Bullet fire. So when Caryus and Raphael began shooting, the two Armors fired off rounds of Magic Bullets like machine guns.


    Under this strafing, the Demons that had survived the previous bombardment and the Magic Energy Beams, and had managed to approach, were instantly shot into sieves. And as the two Armors kept shooting, the first wave of Demons that had charged over was quickly and uniformly hit, leaving not a single one able to reach the Guard Corps.


    Without a doubt, Caryus and Raphael had put their all into stopping the Demons. Although they only had two Armors, their relentless assault left dozens of Demons lying on the ground, a feat comparable even to that of Special Armor.


    But, as before, the Tank Type 1 Armors were too few. After Caryus and Raphael had sprayed a round of Magic Energy Bullets at the approaching Demons, although the nearest ones were swept away, even more Demons charged through, finally reaching the vicinity of the Guard Corps!


    ¡°All men! Raise your shields!¡±


    Seeing that the Tank Type 1 Armors could no longer prevent the Demons from getting close, Monte, who was commanding the Guard Corps, shouted out, and immediately all the members behind him raised their Magic Energy Shields and activated the Magic Stones on them.


    The Guard Corps had already been fully equipped with new gear, and the shields they were holding were genuine Three-Star Magic Armor. So upon activating the Magic Stones, the shields immediately lit up with radiance.


    And it was at the very moment when all the Guards had made their battle preparations that a large number of Black-eyed Demons surged past the two Tank Type 1 Armors, viciously pouncing toward them!

 Chapter 590 - 590 553 Elite Troops

    ?Chapter 590: Chapter 553: Elite Troops! Chapter 590: Chapter 553: Elite Troops! ¡°Kill!!!¡±


    Facing the demons charging at him, Monte raised his battle axe and roared. He then strode toward the oncoming demons, swinging his axe down fiercely!


    With the descent of the battle axe, there was a crisp crack, and a black-eyed demon was cleaved from head to chest. Monte then kicked away the corpse, gripped his axe, and turned around to deliver a sweeping blow. The heavy strike instantly cut down two demons that were charging side by side. Immediately following, he stepped forward and crushed their heads with his feet, harnessing the power of his armor to do so!


    If there were any race in the world that could compete with demons in terms of combat strength, it would be the beastmen.


    As a natural warrior race, the beastmen had an innate advantage unmatched by other races. They were tall and enormously strong, with battle-hardened blood written into their genes, contributing to their exceptional talent for combat. Monte was a typical example of this.


    Even before joining Rocky¡¯s ranks, he was a demon hunter who made a living hunting demons. Although he lost a left hand in the process, this did not affect Monte¡¯s combat strength in the slightest. Especially after acquiring the Void Magic Armor, his abilities not only returned to their peak but became even more formidable with the armor¡¯s enhancement.


    So facing the swarms of demons that charged at him, Monte showed no fear. After flipping a few demons with his axe, he raised his left hand and fired with a boom! directly at the oncoming demons.


    Due to his specific circumstances, Monte¡¯s armor was different from everyone else¡¯s. The left hand of the armor had been modified into a magic energy cannon. Furthermore, the overall qualities of a beastman were far superior to humans, able to withstand tremendous recoil. Therefore, Hammerfire considered this factor when modifying the armor, significantly enhancing the magic energy cannon¡¯s power.


    What¡¯s more, through many rune experiments and continuous modification and strengthening during these experiments, the power and functionality of the magic cannon he now wielded had reached unimaginable effects!


    With a booming sound, one shot blasted forth, and several demons rushing toward Monte were instantly blown away. Following the explosion, which had not yet subsided, Monte fired again, and then he began continuous shooting mode.


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Holding his left hand, Monte fired the cannon continuously, forming a barrage of fire alone that leveled the fan-shaped area in front of him!


    This was thanks to Monte being a physically strong beastman. If it were an ordinary human, one couldn¡¯t even consider whether or not the armor had the capability to fire repeatedly ¨C the sheer recoil from continuous shooting would be enough to shatter the user¡¯s arm. But Monte could withstand it completely.


    And under her continuous bombardment, the demons in front were swiftly reduced by half, with some even starting to circle around him!


    However, despite this, the number of demons showed no sign of diminishing. On the contrary, more demons surged forward, and some had already bypassed him and begun battling the Guard Corps.


    ¡°Raise shields!¡±


    Facing the charging demons, the veterans in the formation immediately shouted and then raised their shields.


    What followed was a continuous barrage of thumps as the demons either slammed their bodies directly into the shields or swung their claws down hard upon them, acting like uncontrollable mad dogs.


    Under such fierce assault, the soldiers directly hit by the demons were immediately sent sprawling, and those facing the demons¡¯ claw strikes, even if they raised their shields in time, were still knocked to the ground by the sheer force of the blow; some fell at the first encounter.


    This was the terrifying nature of demons. Perhaps in front of warriors like Rocky with their Void Magic Armor, they didn¡¯t seem so formidable, but that was because the Void Magic Armor was too powerful. In reality, for ordinary soldiers, even the relatively weaker Black-eyed Demons were still monstrously terrifying creatures.


    However, the Guard Corps was by no means a rabble of undisciplined fighters; they were well-trained, true warriors, and most importantly, they had skirmished with demons more than once. This experience taught them exactly how to face a demon¡¯s assault.


    So, when the demons pounced, although some soldiers were knocked over, their comrades immediately pulled them away. At the same time, countless swords thrust from all directions, quickly turning the demons into a pincushion. Those soldiers knocked down by a demon¡¯s swipe would quickly stand again, during which their comrades would instantly raise shields to block the oncoming attacks, and once the fallen soldiers rose, their swords would pierce out, leaving blood-filled holes in the demons¡¯ bodies through gaps in the shields!


    In this situation, despite the demons¡¯ fierce onslaught, the Guard Corps¡¯ formation remained orderly. Not only that, but within a short time, a row of demon corpses lay before their square.


    This scene was witnessed entirely by Karina, who was in charge of commanding the warship, and even she couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the quality of the Guard Corps.


    In today¡¯s world, it was rare to see ground forces as elite as these. Not to mention small Sky Cities, it was probable that even medium or large Sky Cities might not have such formidable ground troops.


    Karina herself couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit envious of the Guard Corps¡¯ performance. Accustomed to warfare, and living by it, she too wished to have such an elite force under her command, but it was almost an impossible wish. A large part of the reason Rocky had such a powerful Guard Corps stemmed from his frequent involvement in ground warfare, especially after establishing the stronghold of Backhill Village, which ensured he would maintain an elite ground force. On the other hand, Karina did not have this precondition.


    But no matter what, seeing the Guard Corps¡¯ performance made Mary gradually relax. As long as the Guard Corps could defend the entrance of the research facility, the transportation team would be safe, and as long as the transportation team could safely and swiftly transport all the Magic Stones underground, their mission would be considered complete. It would then be up to Orton and the Moving Fortress to perform. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the current situation, the Guard Corps was performing their task very well, and the transportation team had already moved more than half of the Magic Stones off the Skyship and underground. Everything was progressing smoothly.


    However, just when Karina had just breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she could be at ease, she suddenly looked toward the battlefield and immediately muttered to herself with sudden concern, ¡°Not good!¡±

 Chapter 591 - 591 554 Terrifying Bull Horns (Part 1)

    ?Chapter 591: Chapter 554 Terrifying Bull Horns (Part 1) Chapter 591: Chapter 554 Terrifying Bull Horns (Part 1) Just when Karina thought she could relax, she suddenly furrowed her brows.


    For as she moved her gaze to check on Rocky, she unexpectedly discovered several gigantic figures between the Guard Corps and Rocky!


    Since Rocky was at the very front of the defense line, he was at least a couple of hundred meters away from the Guard Corps, holding back and reducing the sheer number of demons. But at this moment, Karina noticed not only a large number of Black-eyed Demons breaking through Rocky¡¯s line and wildly rushing towards the Guard Corps, but also Bull-horned Demons joining in!


    This is bad!


    Seeing the Bull-horned Demons also start to breach Rocky¡¯s line, she immediately cursed under her breath and then quickly issued an order, commanding the fleet to intensify their bombardment.


    As the City Lord and also an exceptional Void Magic Warrior, Karina was well aware of the terror of Bull-horned Demons. She had clashed with them more than once during demon hunts over the past two months and knew just how formidable these demons were. Hence, allowing these demons to get close to the Guard Corps was unthinkable.


    Unfortunately, the only thing Karina could do now was to order the fleet to hasten their bombs. As the fleet commander, she couldn¡¯t charge to the front lines like Rocky, as there were too many things that needed her attention, like overseeing the evacuation of the people. So all Karina could do after spotting the Bull-horned Demons was to fret.


    But perhaps someone would ask, weren¡¯t Rocky and Robin¡¯s Void Magic Squad always blocking the Bull-horned Demons? How could the demons still break through their defenses and get close to the Guard Corps?


    Indeed, Rocky and Robin¡¯s Void Magic Squad had been consistently slaying Bull-horned Demons, but when are demons ever completely exterminated?


    As time went on, especially as the fleet continued to bomb the ground mercilessly, the number of demons flooding towards the research institute didn¡¯t decrease; it actually increased. At first, Bull-horned Demons just popped up among the Black-eyed Demons here and there, in small numbers. But as time dragged on, clusters of Bull-horned Demons appeared.


    Under such circumstances, although Rocky was still wreaking havoc and had easily slain over a hundred demons, over half of them being Bull-horned Demons, Robin and the others were also fighting as hard as they could and killed a substantial number of demons. Yet, they still couldn¡¯t stop the demons¡¯ advance.


    In fact, when Bull-horned Demons started appearing in groups, even they themselves fell into a crisis!


    Facing groups of Bull-horned Demons, Rocky was still unconcerned. In front of the powerful White Demon Armor and Magic Fang Scythe, the quantity was meaningless. However, Robin and his team clearly couldn¡¯t handle it.


    When facing a single Bull-horned Demon, every member of Robin¡¯s Squad was more than capable in battle. Although the killing speed was slower, everyone was essentially pressing and fighting the Bull-horned Demons. But when the number of Bull-horned Demons increased to two or even three, they were no longer at ease, and when the number of Bull-horned Demons around them exceeded four or five, the squad members simply couldn¡¯t continue to fight on the ground. They had to fly into the air and use long-range weapons to attack, or else a single charge from the Bull-horned Demons could knock them down, and they would be trampled to death by these massive creatures despite wearing Void Magic Armor!


    Thus, Bull-horned Demons gradually broke through Rocky and others¡¯ first line of defense and, along with dozens or hundreds of Black-eyed Demons, charged toward the Guard Corps.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Bull-horned Demons! Caryus! Bull-horned Demons!¡± Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the battlefield, naturally, Caryus and Raphael were the first to notice the impending crisis. Raphael, who was operating the Tank Armor and strafing, immediately spotted the charging Bull-horned Demons and started shouting over the communicator.


    ¡°I see them! Block them quickly!¡±


    Without needing a reminder from Raphael, Caryus had already noticed the massive figure of the Bull-horned Demon, so he immediately turned the Tank Armor, aiming the cannon at the Bull-horned Demon.


    As members of the Guard Corps, Caryus and Raphael understood better than anyone how terrifying the Bull-horned Demons were. Therefore, upon noticing the approach of the Bull-horned Demon, they immediately opened fire, instantly unleashing countless Magic Energy Bullets.


    However, faced with their barrage, the charging Bull-horned Demon did not stop its advance at all, not even slowing down, allowing the Magic Energy Bullets to hit it squarely.


    And the Magic Energy Bullets, which would normally tear apart a Black-eyed Demon in an instant, had their power greatly diminished when they struck the scale armor of the Bull-horned Demon; thus, even though Caryus began firing from a distance of fifty or sixty meters away, it wasn¡¯t until the Bull-horned Demon was only two or three meters from his Tank Armor that he finally managed to shoot it down.


    Seeing the Bull-horned Demon fall in front of the Armor, Caryus finally breathed a sigh of relief. But at that moment, before he could fully catch his breath, there was a loud clang, and the Tank Armor violently shook.


    In the midst of the violent shaking, Caryus immediately looked outside, and then he saw the face of a bull up close!


    It turned out that after he had barely managed to shoot down one Bull-horned Demon, another had stepped on the corpse and rushed up to his Tank Armor, then rammed its head against the Armor!


    It should be noted that the Tank Armor stood three meters high, certainly one of the largest types of Armor, but this did not intimidate the Bull-horned Demon at all. What¡¯s more outrageous was that after colliding with the Tank Armor, the Bull-horned Demon grabbed its base with both hands and, while roaring, actually tried to overturn the Tank Armor!


    Seeing this, Caryus inside the cockpit didn¡¯t even have time to be astonished and immediately operated the Armor, attempting to knock the Bull-horned Demon away.


    But the next moment brought a sight that left onlookers agape: when Caryus put all his strength into moving the Tank Armor to knock away the Bull-horned Demon, he found that although the tracks were spinning rapidly, the Armor didn¡¯t budge an inch!


    The Bull-horned Demon was actually wrestling with the Tank Armor!


    And it wasn¡¯t losing the struggle!


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Seeing the Bull-horned Demon exhibiting such immense strength, Caryus hurriedly started shooting, with Magic Energy Bullets firing immediately from the Armor¡¯s hands, and the Magic Energy Beam from its waist beginning to launch.


    And in this situation, it wasn¡¯t until four or five Magic Energy Beams passed through the Bull-horned Demon¡¯s chest that the demon¡ªwho dared to wrestle with the Tank Armor without falling short¡ªfinally fell to the ground¡­


    Similarly, it wasn¡¯t until this demon lay down that Caryus inside the cockpit could finally take a breath, only to discover that he was soaked through with sweat from head to toe.


    Caryus could hardly imagine that driving the Tank Armor, he would still have to expend so much effort just to kill two Bull-horned Demons, and having killed only two, the outcome was truly unimaginable.


    What was even more terrifying was that as Caryus had barely managed to kill two Bull-horned Demons, many more had already rushed past him at breakneck speed, charging towards the Guard Corps!

 Chapter 592 - 592 555 Terrifying Bull Horns (Part 2)

    ?Chapter 592: Chapter 555 Terrifying Bull Horns (Part 2) Chapter 592: Chapter 555 Terrifying Bull Horns (Part 2) The strength of the Bull-horned Demons was unquestionable!


    Actually, this was also not surprising. When Rocky undertook the task of defending Backhill Village, in the last battle of that mission, merely five or six Bull-horned Demons dismantled the walls the village relied on for survival¡ªjust five or six! It was precisely because of this that the villagers of Backhill Village eventually came under Rocky¡¯s rule, so the current performance of the Bull-horned Demons could be said to be quite normal.


    So when Caryus, piloting his Tank Armor, finally managed to kill two Bull-horned Demons, more of the beasts had already charged at the Guard Corps!


    Facing this situation, Monte and Lin Feng, who had always been at the forefront of the charge, naturally met the challenge head-on.


    ¡°Roar!!!¡±


    With an angry roar, Monte raised his Battle Axe to strike at the Bull-horned Demon rushing towards him. The axe¡¯s power surged dramatically with Mana enhancement, cleaving from the demon¡¯s shoulder straight into its chest.


    If this had been a Black-eyed Demon, it would have died, but not the Bull-horned Demon!


    The Bull-horned Demon that was hit with the axe did not die immediately; instead, it let out a scream and fiercely rammed its head into Monte, nearly knocking him over with its tremendous force before finally collapsing.


    Compared to Monte, Lin Feng had a relatively easier time dealing with the Bull-horned Demons.


    Lin Feng was accustomed to using greatswords, and Hammerfire had specially forged a giant sword for his armor as a weapon. It was also modified with Runes. Therefore, when Lin Feng swung his giant sword at a Bull-horned Demon, beautiful patterns lit up on it momentarily. These patterns were naturally composed of Rune after Rune, and with the enhancement of the Runes, the sword¡¯s power soared, able to sever a Bull-horned Demon at the waist with a single sweep. This power was said to be the strongest among all the participating Void Magic Warriors in battle, aside from Rocky¡ªmaking Lin Feng the most at ease when facing Bull-horned Demons, other than Rocky himself.


    On another front, as Monte and Lin Feng began to engage with the Bull-horned Demons, the Guard Corps soon encountered these fearsome creatures as well, and just as everyone had imagined, their formation was immediately scattered upon contact¡­


    In the previous battles, although more and more Black-eyed Demons continued to assault their phalanx, the Guard Corps managed to maintain its formation. First, this was because every Guard was well-trained, and second, their weaponry and equipment played a crucial role.


    In battles of this scale and intensity, had the Guards been using low-level Magic Energy Equipment or even ordinary weapons, it would not be an exaggeration to say they would have already been annihilated by now. Because facing the charge of the Demons, even if the Guards were of exceptional quality, their equipment being subpar would render their skills useless.


    Take, for example, the shield. Against the claws of a Black-eyed Demon, an ordinary shield might withstand one attack, but after two or three, the sharp claws would tear it to shreds like paper¡ªand Armor was even more so. If the quality of the Armor were insufficient, the Black-eyed Demon could gouge out a hole in the Guards¡¯ bodies with just one swipe.


    Therefore, the new Three-Star Magic Armor equipped by the Guard Corps played a crucial role in the battle. With the Three-Star Magic Energy Shield in their hands and Three-Star Magic Armor on their bodies, the Guards¡¯ defensive power became much more formidable. Their shields could block the Black-eyed Demons¡¯ claws time after time, and even if they couldn¡¯t resist, their Armor could allow them to survive the blows without dying. As for the Three-Star Magic Longsword in their hands, it was even more critical.


    With the support of Mana, a slash with the longsword could immediately cause massive damage to a Black-eyed Demon. Some of the older and more experienced soldiers could even pierce through the body of a Black-eyed Demon with a single stab, something unimaginable in previous battles.


    However, all of that ceased to exist after the Bull-horned Demons charged over.


    ¡°Spread out! Everyone spread out! Operate in squads!¡±


    When Monte noticed that some Bull-horned Demons had already charged toward the Guard Corps, he immediately shouted at the troops in the midst of battle.


    But as he shouted, the Bull-horned Demons had already broken into the formation! sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment the first Bull-horned Demon broke into the Guard Corps, the front row of the formation was instantly breached, and five or six Guards who were holding shields for defense were sent flying by the impact and fell heavily to the ground, two of whom died on the spot, coughing up blood.


    When the Bull-horned Demons fully penetrated the formation, although the surrounding warriors immediately thrust their longswords, the swords¡¯ points had no effect on the Scale Armor. The hardened armor almost completely blocked the Guards¡¯ attacks, and when the Bull-horned Demons began to counterattack, the guards suffered terribly.


    With a roar, a Bull-horned Demon lunged forward with its head, its horns instantly piercing through a Guard¡¯s shield, arm, and finally viciously stabbing into the Armor the Guard was wearing, half a horn piercing straight into the chest of the Guard. Then, with a lift of its head, the Guard, almost impaled, was flung into the air by the horn.


    Finally, after the battle had been going on for so long, the Guard Corps began to suffer casualties.


    More importantly, such casualties represented not just the death of one or a few Guards but also signified the complete disarray of the Guard Corps by the Demons!


    In an instant, several Guards were killed as the Demon that had broken into the formation then turned and charged in other directions, but fortunately, at this time, the Guard Corps had already dispersed and began to form groups of ten as units.


    Just as the Demon was preparing to continue its rampage, a red shadow suddenly descended from the sky onto it and, while dropping down, pierced the Demon¡¯s hard head with a longsword!


    Liliya!


    Rocky¡¯s arrangement for Liliya was for her to lead Dusa and Sandro to act freely, so she had not truly engaged in the earlier part of the battle. Instead, she was leading Dusa and Sandro to support from the air, which wasn¡¯t due to Liliya being cowardly in battle, but because her exceptionally rich combat experience made it very clear what she needed to do. Her goal wasn¡¯t to kill as many Demons as possible but to prevent Guards from being killed by the Demons.


    In such a situation, when the Bull-horned Demon broke into the formation, Liliya decisively made her move. Her goal was simple, to minimize the devastating impact the Bull-horned Demon could have on the warriors¡ªa far more critical objective than killing any number of Demons.


    After piercing the head of a Bull-horned Demon with a single sword thrust, Liliya, clad in Fire Guard Type 5 Armor, stepped on the corpse of the Demon, leaped up, and then rushed toward other Bull-horned Demons that had already begun engaging with the Guards.


    Meanwhile, as she flew, Sandro also joined the fight, with the two attacking different targets, one to the left and one to the right.

 Chapter 593 - 593 556 Having an Elder in the Family

    ?Chapter 593: Chapter 556: Having an Elder in the Family Chapter 593: Chapter 556: Having an Elder in the Family More and more bull-horned demons entered the battlefield, causing a quick reversal in the situation on the field.


    When the bull-horned demons closed in, the Guard Corps was scattered, and soon everybody on the battlefield, including three squads responsible for defending other directions, found themselves in a fierce fight.


    Perhaps because of the concept ¡°strength in numbers,¡± when the battle started, although demons poured in from all directions, those appearing from the front were the most numerous. The demons from other directions were relatively fewer. Consequently, the squads protecting the villa were under less pressure because of the bombardments restricting demons approaching from other directions.


    But now, with the increasing number of demons, even these three squads were feeling immense pressure, as more and more black-eyed demons and bull-horned demons started approaching the research institute from other directions. Some demons even climbed directly over them to reach the institute. If it weren¡¯t for the Archer Troops stationed inside continually helping in the defense, the laboratory would probably have already been destroyed.


    In this situation, the three squads were fighting with all their might, and although their armor was only fourth-generation, because they were Karina¡¯s subordinates who had fought in many battles and were very experienced, they were not just facing black-eyed demons but even clashing back and forth with bull-horned demons efficiently.


    But the old saying held true¡ªthe number of demons was simply too great! And the longer the fight dragged on, the more demons appeared. Facing an endless stream of demons, even the most elite troops could not bear such attrition. This was the situation Rocky and his troops were now facing!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    With a loud clang, a box of Magic Stones heavily fell to the ground, and the wooden box that made contact with the ground instantly broke apart, scattering the Magic Stones all around.


    This sudden noise immediately startled everyone, causing all the workers transporting Magic Stones in the underground facility to involuntarily stop in their tracks and turn towards the source of the sound.


    Being the focus of so many stares, the worker who dropped the box just froze, looking completely bewildered.


    ¡°Idiot! Pick them up!¡±


    After a good while, the foreman, who had come back to his senses, hurried over, whispered a rebuke to the dazed worker, and then helped gather the scattered Magic Stones into their arms.


    ¡°Everyone, stay calm¡­ with City Lord Rocky defending above, what is there to panic about?¡±


    At that moment, a figure clad in a magic robe appeared before the workers¡ªit was Orton.


    Standing before the multitude of workers, Orton seemed to have shed his usual temper; his expression and tone were very calm, showing no sign of panic, a stark contrast to the workers around him.


    At this time, the workers underground, each with a look of panic on their faces, were alarmed for a simple reason¡ªthe fierce battle raging above.


    Although these people were deep underground, the sounds of battle had already penetrated the thick ground, overwhelming their ears. And since these individuals were workers who transported Magic Stones from above ground, they had all seen the horrors of the battlefield with their own eyes. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having witnessed the terror of the demons firsthand was why they were so panic-stricken.


    No wonder these workers, none of whom were regular soldiers and most of whom were freight handlers from Carltos City Skyport, were not accustomed to battle at all. Hence, they were terrified to the point that they could hardly hold onto a box.


    In stark contrast to their panic was Orton¡¯s calm and composure, truly embodying the old saying that ¡°an old hand is a treasure at home.¡± In times like these, Orton¡¯s demeanor was unshakeably steady; indeed, his presence had allowed the workers to perform their tasks in an orderly manner, or else they would have descended into chaos long ago.


    Perhaps some might say, what does it matter, since Orton has always been in the underground facility, how could he know what is happening above ground?


    Wrong!


    Although Orton had always been underground, he was well aware of the external situation because both Rocky and Karina constantly kept in touch with him!


    Because he had been in contact with them, Orton knew more about the tense and dangerous situation outside than anyone else present; after all, while these workers had seen the battlefield with their own eyes, they had only seen a portion of it, whereas Orton understood the overall situation.


    Thus, in reality, Orton was more anxious than anyone; he was acutely aware that if the Moving Fortress didn¡¯t start up soon, Rocky would face a dire fate. Yet he also knew something else distinctly¡ªthat no matter how anxious he was, it wouldn¡¯t help start the Moving Fortress.


    So, Orton maintained his steady and calm demeanor underground and used this time not idly but to go through most of the data regarding the Moving Fortress, and with his extensive knowledge, figured out its operating principles.


    Under these circumstances, when workers began transporting the Magic Stones down, he didn¡¯t waste a second and immediately directed them to start charging energy into the Moving Fortress!


    As time passed, and more Magic Stones were transported underground, the area around the Moving Fortress was now filled with crates, large and small, each packed with Magic Stones.


    If one looked closely, it would be noticed that the Magic Stones packed in the crates emitted a soft glow, as these loaded boxes were connected by various Magic Conduction Lines, and the other ends of these lines converged and connected to the Moving Fortress, clearly charging it with energy!


    According to Orton¡¯s calculations, the quantity of Magic Stones that had been brought so far was nearly sufficient, after all, since the battle began, the workers had been transporting Magic Stones to the underground and now, so much time into the battle, several transport ships above had nearly been emptied.


    In this scenario, what Orton needed most was time, for although the amount of Magic Stones was enough, the charging process also required time, and as soon as the required time elapsed, and the Moving Fortress was fully charged, everyone¡¯s task would be completed and they could leave. This was something Orton could still guarantee.


    Now, the only thing that worried and was uncertain for Orton was whether Rocky and the Guard Corps, fighting above, could last until the Moving Fortress was completely charged?

 Chapter 594 - 594 557 On the Verge of Collapse

    ?Chapter 594: Chapter 557 On the Verge of Collapse Chapter 594: Chapter 557 On the Verge of Collapse After such a long time, the Magic Stones had been mostly transported underground, and Orton had begun charging the Moving Fortress. So, for Rocky and the Guard Corps, there was only one thing left to do, which was to wait, wait for the Moving Fortress to finish charging!


    But as easy as it sounds, it was incredibly difficult to do¡­


    By this point in the battle, everyone on the ground had reached their limits, including Rocky!


    At this time, Robin had already led the Void Magic Squad to split with Rocky and join up with the struggling Guard Corps. With the number of Demons increasing, the bombardment¡¯s effectiveness dwindled. Not to say that the Fleet¡¯s support was not still sharp, but when the number of Demons far exceeded the death toll that the bombardment could cause, its power became ineffective¡ªregardless of it not having decreased.


    As a result, the pressure on Rocky, who was at the very front line of the battle, and Robin¡¯s Squad, doubled. They went from facing dozens of Demons initially, to hundreds later on, to now an uncountable number.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky had no choice but to have Robin lead the team to retreat. They could no longer remain here, fighting hordes of hundreds of Demons; they could only fall back.


    In fact, when Robin led the remaining eight squad members away, the original ten-member squad had been reduced to eight; two Void Magic Warriors had fallen in the recent battle! Furthermore, Rocky hadn¡¯t even been able to find the bodies of these two warriors; their bodies and Armors had been trampled under the Demons¡­


    And with Robin leading the remaining seven members back to the Guard Corps, the front line of the battle was left with only Rocky himself.


    Facing hundreds of Demons around him, Rocky couldn¡¯t see anything else. All he could see were the terrifying gaping maws and the bloodthirsty fangs inside them. The bloodcurdling roars that filled his ears only added to the immense pressure he was under.


    It reached a point where Rocky couldn¡¯t deliberately aim for the Bull-horned Demons to attack; all he could do was to keep swinging the Scythe in his hand, reaping the lives of Demons as if he were cutting grass. Eventually, he suddenly felt the Scythe grow heavier. Looking closely, he realized that its sharp edge was now covered in dried blood, which had solidified onto the edge due to the prolonged battle. Though this didn¡¯t affect its sharpness, it certainly added weight to the Scythe.


    If even Rocky was in such a predicament, one could imagine the situation of the Guard Corps.


    Facing an ever-increasing number of Demons, the Guard Corps¡¯ formation was long scattered, teetering on the brink of collapse!


    The sound of Magic Energy Bullets firing incessantly echoed across the battlefield. Though the noise couldn¡¯t be heard from the outside, Raphael, piloting the Tank Armor, was firing while roaring within the cockpit.


    Despite his position as a tank armor pilot, requiring him to remain seated within the cockpit, Raphael had given his all for the battle because he always remembered what Rocky had told him before the fight commenced. Rocky had said that the performance of the Tank Armor would be crucial in this battle!


    Remembering this, Raphael had been firing incessantly since the Demons first appeared, and by now, he had killed at least sixty to seventy Demons¡ªperhaps even more¡ªon his own.


    Yet, no matter what he did, the number of Demons showed no sign of dwindling; instead, they grew more numerous, and the situation on the battlefield worsened. Having experienced many battles, Raphael knew this was the outcome of a prolonged struggle with the Demons, and all he could do was to continue killing more, as many more as possible!


    With that mindset, he had depleted the magic energy supply for his Magic Energy Cannon and Magic Energy Beam; now he could only keep firing Magic Energy Bullets at the surrounding Demons. This caused more and more Demons to accumulate around him, and what was more terrifying was that they were mainly Bull-horned Demons¡­


    In the midst of continuous firing, Raphael suddenly felt a violent shake, and then a bull-horned demon rammed into his Armor. Before he could react, another violent shake occurred as a second bull-horned demon collided with him, followed by a third!


    The three demons simultaneously slammed into the side of the Armor and grabbed onto the chassis, roaring as they pulled with their combined strength. Astoundingly, in an instant, they flipped the tank armor, over three meters tall!


    With a thunderous crash, the tank armor tumbled to the ground, and Raphael inside the cockpit, utterly helpless at this moment, could only quickly open the hatch and leap out as it overturned.


    Splash, Raphael hit the ground as he jumped out, and as he swiftly got to his feet, he realized he was surrounded by a group of bull-horned demons¡­


    One, two, three, four, five¡­ Standing up, he found himself circled by five bull-horned demons, and they were all bull-horned demons!


    In such a dire situation, Raphael instinctively drew his side sword, but he was very aware that he was already doomed; against the formidable bull-horned demons, even when piloting the tank armor it would take a great effort to kill just one. Now, ¡®unarmed¡¯, facing these monsters, there was simply no chance of winning.


    At the very moment he drew his sword, the five bull-horned demons let out a collective roar and charged at him together!


    As he saw the demons rushing toward him, Raphael knew it was over¡­ But even though he knew he was going to die, he didn¡¯t forsake the dignity of being a warrior. Instead of being intimidated, he yelled furiously and charged with his sword toward the closest one!


    As a warrior, he would die like a warrior!


    Charging head-on at the bull-horned demon, he used the momentum of his sprint to roll and dodge the attack, then leaped behind the demon and struck with his sword!


    As the sword fell, there was a clang as if it had struck iron. The blade bounced off the scale armor and seemed ineffective, but then, incredibly, the large body of the bull-horned demon collapsed to the ground with a boom ¡ª had it been killed by the sword?


    This unbelievable turn of events left Raphael with his eyes wide in disbelief. He looked incredulously at the corpse of the bull-horned demon, then at his own sword in hand. Could it be that he had slain the demon with one strike?


    Of course not, because as he regained his senses and looked around, he realized that the other four demons encircling him had also fallen at that very moment. Observing the corpses of the demons more closely, he noticed their scale armor was undamaged, without any trace of cuts, except for a bloody hole in each of their eyes. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sight of the bloody holes in the demons¡¯ eyes made him understand instantly. He quickly looked up and soon spotted a figure in the distance in the sky ¡ª undoubtedly Dusa!


    Although when Raphael caught sight of Dusa she was shooting arrows in a different direction, there was no doubt that she had just saved his life, killing five bull-horned demons in a blink of an eye, each with a shot to the eye that ended them instantly!


    ¡°This girl¡­¡±


    After glancing at Dusa, Raphael let out a slight smile, then immediately ran toward the direction of the Guard Corps.

 Chapter 595 - 595 558 Start

    ?Chapter 595: Chapter 558: Start! Chapter 595: Chapter 558: Start! ¡°`


    The situation in the battle was increasingly unfavorable for the Guard Corps, leaving no doubt that their time was running out.


    The destruction of Raphael¡¯s Tank Armor by the demons marked the beginning of the end, signaling that the Guard Corps could no longer withstand the fierce assault of the demons.


    Soon after, Caryus¡¯s Tank Armor was also destroyed by the demons, and even more thoroughly. Surrounded by five or six Bull-horned Demons, the entire Armor was completely smashed. If Sandro hadn¡¯t dragged Caryus out of the cockpit at the critical moment, he would have likely been crushed into a pulp along with the Tank Armor. As the two Tank Armors were destroyed one after another, the Guard Corps disintegrated.


    The research institute was now completely surrounded, and the Guard Corps had been thoroughly encircled by the demons. In this situation, as the commander, Monte immediately issued an order for all the crews of the unloaded Skyships to gather on a single Skyship and take off, leaving the remaining Skyships on the ground to act as obstacles. Meanwhile, the Guard Corps began to withdraw to the research institute, basing their defense on the institute.


    As a result, the few Skyships left outside suffered; when the Guard Corps gradually fell back to the perimeter of the research institute, these Skyships were directly exposed to the demons and were quickly smashed to pieces.


    However, this also gave the Guard Corps some breathing room. After all, although the Skyships parked outside were not warships, each one was dozens of meters long and it would take time for the demons to destroy them. This bought the Guard Corps valuable time to regroup.


    But everyone knew that even if the Guard Corps was given more time to regroup, they still had no chance of winning the fight. The demons outside were simply too numerous, so many that even if every single person fought to their last breath, they would not be able to triumph.Sadly, this obvious outcome greatly undermined the morale of the Guards, with many soldiers succumbing to despair at this moment.


    But just then, Rocky returned!


    As the Guard Corps, backed against the research institute, struggled to reorganize their formation to resist the demons¡¯ onslaught, Rocky¡¯s figure suddenly flew over the heads of the hordes of demons and landed at the very front of the Guard Corps.


    ¡°Monte! Lead everyone to retreat, retreat underground!¡±


    With a sweep of his Scythe, Rocky killed all the demons in front of the Guard Corps and shouted to Monte through the communicator.


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Monte, who was also fighting in the front line, looked towards Lin Feng, ¡°Lin Feng, get the ranged units out first!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Replying, Lin Feng immediately flew to the second floor and burst through a window, where he promptly began organizing the Archer Troops for evacuation.


    Under his lead, the Archers who had been positioned on the second, third, and even the rooftop started to move. They quickly relocated to the first floor and then descended to the basement through the spiral staircase.


    Once the Archer Troops had all been moved, the Guards who were responsible for the frontal combat also began to retreat in batches.


    The first to be sent to the basement were the wounded who had been injured in the battle, followed by the soldiers at the back. Once most of the Guards had withdrawn, the remaining Guards retreated to the interior of the research institute¡¯s gates, led by Monte and protected by other Void Magic Warriors, fighting and retreating simultaneously.


    However, let¡¯s not forget that there was only one staircase from the first-floor hall to the basement. It would take a considerable amount of time for the hundreds of Guards to descend, and the demons outside would certainly not give them the chance. Therefore, Rocky, Liliya, and other Void Magic Warriors subsequently used their bodies to block the entry to the research institute, desperately preventing the demons from breaching it.


    ¡°`


    Thank goodness, every warrior of the Guard Corps was well-trained, which meant they didn¡¯t panic even in such a crisis. It¡¯s important to know that in times like these, panic only slows down a retreat, while order speeds it up. Of course, achieving this is far from easy. After all, at such a moment of life and death, everyone¡¯s psychological endurance varies. To say nothing of confusion, even a collapse is possible, but the warriors of the Guard Corps did it.


    Under the command of various squad leaders, the last group of Guards to enter the hall retreated orderly down the stairs into the underground. The whole process was very brief, which undoubtedly greatly relieved the pressure on Rocky and others defending the entrance.


    ¡°Sir, everyone has come down!¡±


    Fighting fiercely, Rocky soon heard Monte¡¯s voice through the communicator, and upon hearing this, he immediately said to Liliya and the others next to him, ¡°Everyone retreat, to the sky!¡±


    With his command, whether it was himself and Liliya beside him, or the other three squads still holding their ground outside, they all charged straight into the sky, completely abandoning the defense of the research facility.


    Not only that, but as soon as Rocky led everyone back into the air, he immediately contacted Karina.


    ¡°Karina, bombard the research facility!¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Hearing Rocky¡¯s words, Karina, in charge of commanding the Fleet, did not hesitate to order the Fleet to start adjusting their formation and turn their cannons.


    During this process, hundreds of Demons instantly poured into the interior of the research facility. The Demons at the main entrance charged straight through the doors, and the towering Bull-horned Demons didn¡¯t even need to exert themselves¡ªmerely ramming their bodies against the wall next to the door caused it to shatter into pieces.


    At the same time, because the other three squads were no longer there to block them, the peripherals also began to attack the research facility from other directions. The Bull-horned Demons relentlessly rammed the walls of the facility, which were already decaying, and under the fierce impacts, the walls quickly split open. The smaller and more agile Black-eyed Demons, like geckos, quickly climbed onto the walls and, under the impact of the Bull-horned Demons¡¯ ramming, were buried in the collapsing walls and rubble along with them.


    Destruction.


    Complete and purposeless destruction. When the Guard Corps retreated underground and Rocky and the others took to the air, countless Demons began to utterly destroy the research facility.


    However, as these Demons did their utmost to bring the research facility to ruin, the Fleet in midair had already adjusted their formation. Without even a minute¡¯s pause, they began to bombard the entire research facility!


    The rumbling sound of cannon fire came once again, but this time the target was the research facility itself. In a series of bombardments, the facility, already nearly dismantled by the Demons, collapsed thunderously. Countless Demons that had rushed into it were instantly crushed under the ruins, swallowed up in the smoke of the magic cannons. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A moment later, the cannon fire ceased, and the smoke cleared. When Rocky and the others in the sky looked down at the ground again, the research facility was no longer in sight. The facility which had once stood on the earth had now become a pile of ruins, merging with the entire city.


    ¡°Rocky, the Guard Corps¡­¡±


    Looking at the ruins of the research facility, Liliya couldn¡¯t help but turn to Rocky and asked worriedly. The others felt the same.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the teacher has already activated the Moving Fortress!¡±

 Chapter 596 - 596 559 Moving Fortress

    ?Chapter 596: Chapter 559: Moving Fortress! Chapter 596: Chapter 559: Moving Fortress! Rocky and Orton had maintained contact, and the reason Rocky dared to withdraw the entire Guard Corps underground and even ordered Karina to completely destroy the research institute was that he had received notification from Orton¡ªthe Moving Fortress was fully charged!


    He had seen the Moving Fortress with his own eyes. Once it was fully charged and successfully activated, it would certainly be able to bring out his hundreds of Guards.


    So when Liliya asked him, Rocky simply nodded his head and then looked down from the sky towards the ground, evidently waiting for the Moving Fortress to emerge from somewhere below.


    It wasn¡¯t just him. Liliya and others at his side were also gazing at the ground, scrutinizing the ruins, as was Karina who was directing the Fleet. Even after Rocky and others ascended, Karina immediately flew out from the flagship and into mid-air. Even the many sailors on the warships were now leaning over the rails, all looking down at the ground.


    At this moment, everyone was eagerly anticipating the appearance of the Moving Fortress.


    One minute passed.


    Ten minutes passed.


    Thirty minutes passed¡­!


    In the blink of an eye, half an hour had gone by, but throughout this time, no movement was detected within the ruins. In the eyes of Rocky and others, the ground was still completely covered by Demons. The swarming Demons had obscured the entire ruins from view. Looking out, one could only see Demons trampling the ruins underfoot; the ruins themselves were no longer visible.


    Thus, everyone began to worry, including Rocky.


    Orton had clearly stated that the fortress was fully charged and could be activated. How come such a long time had passed without a trace of it? What was going on?


    What made Rocky even more anxious was that he had tried to contact Orton multiple times during this period but had never received a response. He didn¡¯t know if it was Orton¡¯s stubborn nature acting up and refusing to deal with him, or if something truly unexpected had happened¡­


    A sense of unease, a sense of forboding, now hung over everyone¡¯s hearts at this time.


    However, at that moment, when everyone¡¯s hearts were somewhat apprehensive, a massive sound suddenly came from within the ruins!


    Boom¡­


    Boom¡­ Boom¡­!!


    The sudden noise, as if mountains were collapsing and the earth was splitting, made the entire ruins tremble amid those booming sounds. Naturally, this noise caught the attention of Rocky and the others. But when they tried to locate the direction of the noise, they found it to be so loud that they couldn¡¯t determine its source. They only felt the whole earth trembling.


    Fortunately, while Rocky and his companions couldn¡¯t discern the exact location of the sound, the Demons on the ground, particularly the Black-eyed Demons with their extremely sensitive hearing, instantly identified the direction. They immediately swarmed towards the same location.


    In an instant, the swarming Demons near the research institute moved like a plague of locusts in one direction. This scene caused Rocky and the aerial Fleet to immediately follow, flying towards the direction of the Demons¡¯ movement.


    The group followed the flight of the Demons for a while before coming to a halt, for they had found the source of the massive sounds.


    In everyone¡¯s view, a large crack was gradually opening up in a huge empty area of the ruins. It looked as though a massive door was being opened, and the previous booming noise was the sound of this crack forming.


    As the gap gradually opened, the surging demons arrived, and then countless demons rushed into the gap!


    This scene terrified Rocky and the rest, because the crack was clearly opened by someone, so chances were that it was the passageway for the Moving Fortress. But now, it was flooded with demons. Could this threaten Orton and the others?


    Rocky and his companions¡¯ worries were not unfounded, but they clearly overthought it!


    For as soon as the gap was fully opened, a tall fortress emerged from underground!


    The Moving Fortress¡­ had finally appeared!


    Watching the Moving Fortress burst from the ground, Rocky, and everyone around him couldn¡¯t help raising their arms in triumph. It was finally out! Orton had succeeded in activating this behemoth!


    But in the moment of exaltation, Rocky¡¯s heart sank because although the Moving Fortress had successfully emerged from underground, one must not forget the number of demons inside the ruins! Indeed, as soon as the Moving Fortress surfaced, the massive structure was instantly surrounded by an endless horde of demons at its center!


    What could they do now?


    Seeing the fortress encircled by demons as soon as it appeared, Rocky furrowed his brow and was about to issue commands when he heard a series of artillery blasts!


    At that moment, the sound of cannon fire suddenly burst forth, and everyone hastily looked towards the source. Then they saw the cannons of the Moving Fortress erupting with flames at that very instant!


    The rumbling of cannon fire came once again, but this time not from the Fleet but from the Moving Fortress!


    As mentioned before, the Moving Fortress stood dozens of meters high, a true behemoth, and on this behemoth¡¯s body were haphazardly mounted countless cannons. These overwatching canons were of various lengths and thicknesses, making the fortress resemble a hedgehog bristling with spikes.


    Now, these spike-like cannons were firing in unison, covering a vast area. With the fortress as the epicenter, the cannons stretched their deadly reach from the immediate vicinity to hundreds of meters out, engulfing everything in a torrent of fire!


    With such a wide-ranging and 360-degree bombardment, the swarming demons around were drastically reduced in a flash, hundreds being blown to bits in an instant!


    ¡°Good grief¡­¡±


    Watching the hundreds of demons obliterated by the fortress¡¯s continuous bombardment, Rocky gasped, for even to him, the sight was staggering. He had never seen any weapon, other than the Fleet, capable of inflicting such devastating destruction. No, the destructive power unleashed by the Moving Fortress was even greater than that of the Fleet, because the Fleet was made up of a group of warships, yet there stood before them a single Moving Fortress! S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What delighted Rocky even more was yet to come, for after the bombardment, the Moving Fortress truly sprung into action!


    It had been said before that when the number of demons exceeded a certain threshold, the effects of the bombardment would be minimal. So, after the bombardment from the Moving Fortress ceased, many demons still lived around it, and all of them charged towards the fortress.


    But, the moment these demons rushed towards the fortress, it started moving directly!


    With a thunderous roar, the massive fortress, now in motion, was like a moving hill crushing any demon daring enough to block its path, grinding them to dust and forcefully carving a bloody trail through the wreckage!

 Chapter 597 - 597 560 The Mantis Stalks the Cicada

    ?Chapter 597: Chapter 560: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada Chapter 597: Chapter 560: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada As the Moving Fortress began to move, all the Demons in its path were ground into a bloody pulp!


    The agile Black-eyed Demons tried to climb up the side of the fortress, and indeed they managed to do so, but let¡¯s not forget that the fortress was made of steel and iron, indestructible to its core. Even if the Black-eyed Demons climbed up, their claws had no effect on the thick steel plates, and because it was made of steel, it was hard for the Black-eyed Demons to find a hold, causing them to fall as they couldn¡¯t climb high.


    The imposing Bull-horned Demons lost their temper in front of the fortress, their strong bodies might overturn Tank Armor, but they couldn¡¯t shake the fortress at all. All the Bull-horned Demons blocking the fortress¡¯s path were mercilessly crushed into bloody mush!


    It was like trying to stop a car with one¡¯s arm!


    In the face of the advancing fortress, any attempts by the Demons to stop it were futile, a mere act of trying to stop a car with one¡¯s arm. There was no second outcome other than being crushed!


    After that, the Moving Fortress continued its way beyond the ruins, leaving behind a long trail of blood, countless Demons crushed into bloody mush, their flesh and blood painting a red carpet upon the ruins!


    In the sky above, Rocky watched this scene, growing more and more fond and pleased, and at the same time, more and more incredulous.


    Although he had read about the Moving Fortress in the diary he had found and the last words of the head of the research institute, both sources insisted that once the fortress was launched, it would have an unmatched effect in the battle against Demons. Yet, Rocky didn¡¯t believe such talk, because humanity had been battling Demons for a century, inventing countless weapons, but he had never seen any that could be described as unmatched.


    However, when he truly witnessed the Moving Fortress and saw the astonishing scene of the fortress crushing the Demons along its path, he had to admit that, at least against these Normal Demons, the Moving Fortress was indeed peerless!


    This forced him to admire the researchers who had come up with this plan, they were truly ingenious.


    Fortresses were a common sight, especially in the Land Era, but everyone knew that fortresses couldn¡¯t stop Demons because even fortresses armed to the teeth would eventually be worn down and fall to the endless swarm of Demons surrounding them.


    However, a fortress with the capability to move was a completely different story!


    For instance, if the fortress at this moment couldn¡¯t move, then even if it bristled with cannons and was made of steel, it would eventually be overwhelmed by the endless Demons in the ruins. But that was impossible, because this fortress could move!


    As the fortress continued moving towards the outskirts of the ruins, the surrounding Demons couldn¡¯t encircle it. Instead, the Demons in its way were crushed into pulp, and as long as the Demons couldn¡¯t completely surround it, they posed no threat at all. Moreover, Karina¡¯s Fleet was in the air!


    So after watching from above for a while and seeing the Moving Fortress nearing the outskirts of the ruins, Rocky contacted Karina. She immediately ordered the Fleet to follow the fortress and began bombing the Demons around it. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rocky also commanded the other Void Magic Warriors by his side to provide support. After all, this was a fortress built a hundred years ago, and while it was made of steel, what if there were some weak spots? It was better to be cautious.


    And after arranging everything, he and Karina flew toward the fortress together.


    They quickly reached the top of the fortress, and before they could land, they saw a door on the uppermost level of the fortress open, and then they flew inside.


    Upon entering the fortress, Rocky¡¯s first sight was of Monte, and he quickly asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the Guard Corps?¡±


    ¡°Sir, they¡¯re all inside the fortress, rest assured,¡± Monte assured him.


    Though his body was covered in bloodstains left after the battle, a smile blossomed across Monte¡¯s face, clearly overjoyed by his first experience riding in the Moving Fortress.


    Afterward, the two went to meet with Orton under Monte¡¯s lead.


    Contrary to expectation, despite the Moving Fortress¡¯s immense size, the space inside was quite cramped, with corridors leading to each level being the only places one could move about, and the control room was situated in the middle level.


    ¡°Everyone focus, remember what I just taught you, and don¡¯t mind anything else.¡±


    Upon entering the control room, right as they stepped in, Rocky and Karina heard Orton¡¯s voice and looked around to find several people including Caryus and Raphael, each nervously seated at their own control console, following Orton¡¯s commands.


    Orton stood in the very center of the control room, clearly leading the operation, and in front of him was a huge window that allowed him to see the conditions outside the fortress.


    Seeing this, Rocky and Karina immediately understood why it took so long for the Moving Fortress to emerge from the ground.


    Obviously, this behemoth couldn¡¯t be operated by just one or two people; it required many operators working together, and the earlier delays were most likely due to this.


    Indeed, the reason Orton hadn¡¯t driven the fortress out earlier was because he had to teach others to coordinate with him in piloting the massive vehicle, which was quite the task. Thankfully, among those who had retreated underground were Caryus and Raphael, both of whom had experience driving Tank Armor. Their experience greatly assisted Orton, or else the Moving Fortress wouldn¡¯t have possibly been able to move out so swiftly.


    Seeing Rocky and Karina arrive, Orton gave them a glance and his face revealed his usual smile, ¡°How about that, this big guy isn¡¯t too bad, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s absolutely fantastic!¡±


    Rocky quickly walked up to the large window of the cockpit, looking out at everything, he couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in admiration. This thing was incredibly satisfying to him, and although Karina didn¡¯t speak, from her expression it was clear she was quite pleased with the Moving Fortress as well.


    However, while the two were all smiles, Orton interjected, ¡°Kiddos, now¡¯s not the time to be happy.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky and Karina hastily turned towards Orton, who then said, ¡°In a rush for time, I didn¡¯t fully charge the Moving Fortress, so this big guy can only make it to the outskirts of the ruins before it stops moving. You all should think about how to get this big guy going afterward.¡±

 Chapter 598 - 598 561 Return

    ?Chapter 598: Chapter 561: Return! Chapter 598: Chapter 561: Return! Rocky and his companions struggled intensely on the land, but Orton was equally busy underground, and what he did was far more complex than anything Rocky had undertaken.


    Think about what Orton did; he first had to figure out the principle of the Moving Fortress in the shortest possible time, then figure out how to get the massive structure moving. Once the Magic Stones were delivered, he had to organize workers, who knew nothing, to charge the Moving Fortress. After all that was done, he had to select a few people and teach them how to pilot the Moving Fortress.


    All of this was done by Orton alone! Except for manual labor, essentially no one could help him at all. More importantly, he had to complete everything in an extremely short amount of time; otherwise, Rocky, fighting above ground, would not be able to hold on.


    In such a situation, the difficulties Orton faced were imaginable. He even had a harder time than Rocky. Thus, he had no choice but to resort to some compromises. For example, to quickly end the battle, he had to shorten the charging time of the fortress. So, despite the Moving Fortress moving quickly now, its energy was actually not sufficient. According to Orton¡¯s calculations, it could only reach the outskirts of the ruins. From there, how to transport this behemoth would depend on Rocky and Karina to figure out.


    Upon hearing this, Karina, who had just relaxed, tensed up again.


    Now, they had driven the fortress from underground. Not only was the fortress in their hands, but all related design materials were also acquired. The next step was simply to transport the fortress back to Backhill Village, and at this critical moment, nothing could go wrong; otherwise, all their efforts would have been in vain.


    Therefore, the two of them along with Orton immediately held a strategy meeting and after some discussion, finally came up with a plan. That was to use the fleet to lift the fortress from the ground and transport it back to Backhill Village!


    The Moving Fortress was a true behemoth. It was impossible to move it with a Skyship, even a battleship wouldn¡¯t suffice unless they transported it to Sky City. But for Sky City to descend to the land was a huge ordeal. Neither Mary¡¯s Rose City nor Rocky¡¯s Carltos City could afford to descend casually, so they had no choice but to rely on the fleet¡¯s power to move the Moving Fortress.


    Having made their decision, they immediately sprang into action. Rocky and Orton continued to command from within the fortress, striving to keep it as far from the ruins as possible. As for Karina, she returned to the Fleet to arrange the lifting of the fortress.


    Half an hour swiftly passed, and under full speed, the Moving Fortress finally moved out of the ruins of Kasin City. Once they were out, the number of pursuing Demons noticeably decreased, though they were merely reduced in number; about a hundred Demons relentlessly followed the Moving Fortress.


    This was naturally a good sign, for compared to the incalculable number of Demons before, a hundred or so were not considered a threat. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, as they moved further from the ruins of Kasin City, the fortress¡¯s energy source also dried up, and eventually, it slowly came to a halt.


    Luckily, by then, Karina¡¯s Fleet was ready. So, as soon as the Moving Fortress stopped, dozens of warships slowly descended and dropped countless iron chains. Simultaneously, the Void Magic Warriors began attaching these chains to the fortress¡¯s various cannon ports.


    The Demons, naturally, did not remain idle. The hundred or so following Demons kept harassing, but faced with this level of nuisance, the steel fortress remained completely indifferent, allowing the Demons to launch attacks without being affected in the slightest.


    Thus, once all the chains were secured to the fortress, the dozens of warships rose together, and the fortress, mountain-like, was gradually pulled up and soon hung midair!


    Because the fortress was so large and made of steel, it was incredibly heavy. Even with the combined effort of dozens of warships, they could only lift it just over ten meters off the ground, any higher was impossible.


    But that was enough. Ten meters might not be much for the warships and Void Magic Warriors, but it was sufficient to ensure that ground-level Demons were no longer a threat. Consequently, the Fleet continued pulling the fortress along, flying toward Backhill Village.


    It had taken Rocky and his company three full days to travel to Backhill Village initially. The return journey to the village would take the same amount of time. Fortunately, during this process, they encountered no dangers. The Flying Demons Rocky and others feared most did not appear, so after three days, the group safely returned to the vicinity of Backhill Village.


    Upon their return to Backhill Village, the Sirius City, responsible for defending the village, sent troops to welcome them. Shortly thereafter, even Sirius City Lord Howling Sky personally came. He had no choice; the object Rocky had brought back was beyond any expectations, and Howling Sky had to see it for himself.


    Indeed, Sirius City Lord Howling Sky was aware of Rocky and Karina¡¯s expedition. He even knew what the duo was up to, but howling Sky knew how to conduct himself well; he understood this wasn¡¯t something he should inquire about. Let alone himself, even the Sky Alliance would not interfere. Thus, he simply did his duty in defending Backhill Village. However, what Howling Sky never expected was that within such a short time, Rocky had brought back such a colossal object, and this compelled him to become involved, partly out of curiosity and partly to explain to the Alliance.


    Rocky and Karina were well aware of Howling Sky¡¯s thoughts. Neither avoided or hid anything, for there was no need. Besides, the Moving Fortress was so huge it simply couldn¡¯t be concealed.


    So, when Howling Sky received the news and hurried over, the two did not disguise anything. Instead, they warmly invited him onto the Moving Fortress.


    ¡°My goodness¡­ this thing¡­ how on earth was this built?¡±


    As the Moving Fortress was placed just outside Backhill Village, and Howling Sky, upon Rocky¡¯s and the others¡¯ invitation, came down to the land and approached the fortress. Even the well-informed Sirius City Lord could not help but open his mouth wide. He stared blankly up at the fortress for a good while before turning to Rocky and Karina, ¡°Is this the lost technology you discovered?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Faced with this question, Rocky and Karina simultaneously nodded non-committally, after which Howling Sky turned his gaze back to the fortress, his expression growing even more solemn.

 Chapter 599 - 599 562 Seeing the Sun Again

    ?Chapter 599: Chapter 562: Seeing the Sun Again Chapter 599: Chapter 562: Seeing the Sun Again The arrival of the Moving Fortress not only stirred up Howling Sky, but nearly everyone around Backhill Village was excited, and anyone who could, visited in person. Those who couldn¡¯t visit were also filled with curiosity, quickly making it the focal point of everyone¡¯s discussions.


    As for this, Rocky and Karina did not do anything to stop it. The Moving Fortress was too large to hide, so instead of being secretive, they preferred to be open about it. Moreover, they had control over all the related documents about the fortress, so even if outsiders saw the fortress, they wouldn¡¯t understand the specific details. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After conducting a comprehensive observation of the fortress, Howling Sky and Glan immediately reported to the Sky Alliance. They were not just spectators; as the Alliance Ambassador and a core member of the Alliance, both had exceptional abilities and insights. After witnessing the magnificence of the Moving Fortress, they immediately realized its importance to the Alliance.


    For other cities in the Sky City, the Moving Fortress might not be essential, as they generally had no contact with the land. However, the Sky Alliance was different¡ªit occupied many resources on the land and had multiple bases there, so being able to build such grand fortresses would undoubtedly be beneficial in securing their ground-based assets.


    Under these circumstances, the two of them promptly reported the matter to the Alliance. Naturally, they didn¡¯t do this in secret, as one was the Alliance¡¯s ambassador dispatched to Thunderhawk City and the other was in charge of defending Rocky¡¯s Backhill Village. They both interacted regularly with Rocky and didn¡¯t want this issue to cause any tension between them, so they subtly informed Rocky and expressed that they would report this to the Alliance.


    Meanwhile, Aniye and others also rushed over upon hearing the news. Unlike others who could visit the Moving Fortress, even Howling Sky and Glan could only see it from the outside. They couldn¡¯t go inside, but Aniye and his companions went directly into the fortress, thoroughly understood its structure and design, and then started their research based on the information they collected.


    Even Aniye and his team couldn¡¯t help but marvel after personally seeing and reviewing the documents related to the Moving Fortress.


    When Rocky told them about his operation, Aniye and Hammerfire had both advised him not to have too much hope. Back then, the Wanzhong Kingdom was just a minor country. Even if it was conducting some independent research, factors like national strength hindered significant developments. However, the appearance of the Moving Fortress broke this notion because even Aniye had to admit that while the fortress might not have many notable technical aspects, the thought process behind it was something everyone should learn from!


    The director of the research institute had specifically mentioned in his notes that the inspiration for the Moving Fortress came from Sky City, but with a changed perspective. It was this shift in thinking that created such a colossal structure.


    This made Aniye reflect¡ªwhat would the world have become if, a hundred years ago, people had first designed the Moving Fortress, or rather, the moving city, that the Wanzhong Kingdom initially planned, instead of Sky City?


    No one knows the answer to this question, but had that situation occurred, the world might have been very different now, right?


    However, regardless of what could have, the Moving Fortress had now been discovered, and all the documents had fallen into the hands of Rocky and Karina. This meant that this gigantic weapon, hidden away for a century, finally had a chance to see the light of day again, which was ultimately for certain.


    So after this, Aniye and his team temporarily put aside their current work to fully research the Moving Fortress.


    Previously, Orton had also reviewed the data and understood the fortress to some extent, but due to the urgency of the situation, he didn¡¯t have time to study it in detail. Therefore, after returning to Backhill Village, he and Aniye naturally had to reexamine all the collected data carefully to truly understand the role of this enormous structure.


    While others were busy due to the appearance of the Moving Fortress, Rocky and Karina were also occupied with a more important matter¡ªdiscussing how to divide the spoils of war.


    The Moving Fortress wasn¡¯t discovered by just one person, nor brought back by one person. The fact that this colossal structure was unearthed was entirely due to the efforts of both Rocky and Karina. So the question arose¡ªhow should it be divided?


    Actually, the pair had discussed this issue before, as this wasn¡¯t their first time cooperating. So initially, they had decided everything found would be shared equally. However, reality proved unexpected¡ªthey had never imagined finding such a behemoth, and even more critically, there was only one Moving Fortress. How could it be evenly split? You certainly couldn¡¯t just cut it in half.


    Both had to carefully consider this matter, as it was not just about the benefits but also about maintaining their long-standing good relationship. Otherwise, any slight mistake in the division of interests could cause problems between Rocky and Karina, which neither wanted to see.


    For this reason, the two had a frank and private discussion, excluding all outsiders, about how to divide the benefits. They chose a unique method of elimination to settle on how to share the spoils from this venture.


    ¡°What about joint ownership?¡±


    Seated across from each other in the City Lord¡¯s study room in Rose City, Rocky and Karina looked as if they were just having a casual chat.


    ¡°No,¡±


    Karina shook her head upon hearing this. ¡°I don¡¯t have a land base, and I don¡¯t have masters like Orton and Aniye by my side. Joint ownership means it all goes to you. However, I would consider it if you would let me establish a base in Backhill Village.¡±


    ¡°Heh heh,¡±


    Rocky laughed softly on hearing this and didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°I¡¯ll trade my share for the ongoing research on Armor Technology. The Moving Fortress and all related research data would be yours, and I would own a share in the development of the White Demon Armor. What do you think?¡±


    When Rocky chuckled, Karina spoke up. Although the Moving Fortress was impressive, as she had said earlier, without a land base or a development team, its utility for her was limited. In reality, she was more interested in the Armor Technology that Rocky was developing!

 Chapter 600 - 600 563 Each Takes What They Need

    ?Chapter 600: Chapter 563: Each Takes What They Need Chapter 600: Chapter 563: Each Takes What They Need The discovery of the Moving Fortress was of great significance to Rocky, given that he had Backhill Village, so any technology or weaponry that could function on the ground was of tremendous importance to him. However, for Karina, the Moving Fortress didn¡¯t hold much practical value.


    Therefore, her idea was simple, even if she handed over the Moving Fortress and its design documents to Rocky, it would be fine, as long as Rocky could offer benefits of equal exchange. In her mind, the most ideal scenario was to trade the Moving Fortress for technology related to the White Demon Armor!


    Unfortunately, no sooner had she finished speaking than Rocky shook his head, ¡°No, no, the Moving Fortress and what I¡¯m researching are too different, it¡¯s not of equal value.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t Rocky brushing her off, but the honest truth.


    The Moving Fortress was good, really good, but that was just it, it was only good. What about the Runes he held? Those deserved to be described as great!


    To exchange the merely ¡®good¡¯ Moving Fortress for the ¡®great¡¯ invention of Runes? That wouldn¡¯t be a fair trade.


    After that, Rocky proposed another plan, which, unsurprisingly, was rejected by Karina. She then shared her own ideas, which Rocky firmly dismissed, and the two spent a long time discussing back and forth like this.


    Some might wonder what they were doing, was it all for nothing, just beating around the bush?


    Of course not, their back and forth propositions, which seemed meaningless, as if they could never agree, were actually of significant importance. They were probing each other¡¯s bottom lines!


    As mentioned before, this negotiation wasn¡¯t a traditional one, since it involved mutual interests as well as their relationship with each other.


    If it were just an ordinary negotiation, they could have simply stated their demands and then haggled and quarreled until they reached an agreement, even if it meant falling out.


    But Rocky and Karina didn¡¯t want the situation to come to that. They had known each other for years and had many collaborations, even fighting side by side in several life-or-death battles. So even though they may not have an alliance on paper, their relationship had long reached the level of allies.


    In the sky fraught with constant deceit and warfare, they were well aware of how precious such a relationship was, so neither wanted to ruin it over interests.


    Yet, their positions required them to fight for more, not just for themselves, but for all the people they governed.


    Therefore, how to find a balance between relationship and interests, to make this negotiation a new starting point for further trust and not the end of their cooperation, became the key.


    So, after a probing conversation that seemed as casual as chatting and laughing, the two finally reached an exchange agreement.


    First, the Moving Fortress would belong to Rocky since he was in clear need of this fortress that could engage in battle immediately once filled with Mana. In exchange, Rocky would create a set of Armor for Karina free of charge, namely the White Demon Armor. However, since the technology of the White Demon Armor was not yet public, Karina had to keep silent about everything related to it after receiving it, even in the face of Berg, otherwise Rocky left it unsaid what he would do, but Karina could probably guess. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Secondly, all research documents related to the Moving Fortress were to be shared between them, which meant they each had a copy. How they chose to use it, whether to begin manufacturing themselves or to sell it off, the other party could not interfere.


    The final point was that Karina needed to sign an order with Rocky, stating that after the Thunderhawk City weapons factory produced the first batch of Special Armor for aerial combat, she would purchase fifty sets of the new Armor model. Of course, Rocky would sell her these sets at a price lower than the market rate.


    After agreeing on these three points, their ¡®division of spoils¡¯ resulted in a satisfying outcome for both; Rocky obtained the Moving Fortress, and Karina acquired the long-desired White Demon Armor. Moreover, the research documents regarding the Moving Fortress were split evenly, with non-interference from either party.


    As for the last point, it actually had little to do with the Moving Fortress and was more about Armor manufacturing.


    The Apple Tree Corporation was already busy constructing a weapons factory within Thunderhawk City. Once the factory was completed, they would begin manufacturing Armor. Although the Apple Tree Corporation promised to ensure sales channels and indeed would spare no effort in exploring them, Rocky couldn¡¯t possibly leave such a crucial matter entirely in their hands. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t trust the Corporation¡¯s capability, but he didn¡¯t want to put such an important lifeline solely in their hands; he had to expand his own sales routes.


    In this way, if cooperation with the Apple Tree Corporation remained solid, it would be a win-win situation, but if there was a fallout, Rocky wouldn¡¯t be left without options.


    Therefore, after discussing the Moving Fortress with Karina, Rocky introduced the Special Armor designed for aerial combat to her. Naturally, Karina was very interested, and with Rocky¡¯s assurance of a discount, they quickly reached an agreement and signed the contract on the spot.


    Only after settling all this did Rocky finally find some leisure time; while he might have been at ease, others were still as busy as ever.


    The battle amidst the ruins of Kasin City, while bringing the Moving Fortress back into the light of day, had also resulted in heavy casualties for the Guard Corps. After returning to Thunderhawk City and taking stock, it was found that more than eighty soldiers of the Guard Corps had died, and another thirty or so had been completely incapacitated in combat, meaning that the Corps had lost over one-fifth of their forces in this one battle.


    Normally, such losses would be considered standard, because it was a battle against hundreds upon thousands of Demons! The fact that the Guard Corps hadn¡¯t been annihilated and had lost only one-fifth of their forces would have been cause for celebration had it been another unit.


    But for the Guard Corps, it was a different matter entirely, as this battle had incurred the largest number of casualties they had ever experienced. So, upon their return to Thunderhawk City, arrangements for the deceased soldiers¡¯ affairs and issues like war pensions had to be dealt with. Additionally, due to the heavy reduction in their ranks, the recruitment of new soldiers also had to get underway.


    On another front, Aniye and others continued their research on the Moving Fortress, and after only a few short days of study, they approached Rocky to discuss a matter of even greater importance.

 Chapter 601 - 601 564 Recruiting a Team

    ?Chapter 601: Chapter 564 Recruiting a Team Chapter 601: Chapter 564 Recruiting a Team In terms of technology, the Moving Fortress actually had little that was unique. The inspiration for this giant weapon originally came from Sky City, and the technology used was exactly the same as that of Sky City. It might have been considered top-notch at the time, but now it was nothing special.


    However, precisely because of this, the Moving Fortress presented an infinitely vast space for modification in Aniye and others¡¯ view. Without going into too much detail, just considering the mana consumption, if the current technology was used, even the most common technologies could make the fortress save a significant amount of resources during operation, and there were many more areas that could be modified beyond this. This was precisely the reason why Aniye and the others came to find Rocky.


    Manpower.


    They were currently experiencing a severe manpower shortage!


    Although Aniye and the other three were renowned masters of their time, with highly significant achievements in various fields, since the first day of researching mana runes, it had only been the four of them participating. Of course, there was a reason for the runes not being easily disclosed to the outside world, and besides, for just research purposes, four masters were sufficient. After all, in activities that rely on intellect, having more people wasn¡¯t necessarily beneficial.


    But now, it was different.


    Firstly, aside from the mana runes, Rocky had found the Moving Fortress, this giant weapon, and it was far from enough to rely solely on Aniye and the others for its modification. They certainly couldn¡¯t let four masters personally wield hammers to knock around the fortress, right?


    Secondly, it related to the mana runes.


    Calculating the time, Orton and his team had already been researching mana runes for two years. In these two years, although their finished products included only the first and second versions of the White Demon Armor, in reality, their understanding of runes had already been quite thorough, including the practical application of runes, their integration with existing technologies, and even the further expansion of runes¡ªall these fields were covered by the four of them, and they had achieved significant outcomes.


    More importantly, they had made an extremely important breakthrough!


    As mentioned before, as the inventor of mana runes, Wensel divided the runes into six levels. The mana contained in each level of rune was different; the higher the level, the more mana it contained. But this only applied to runes from level one to five. The level six rune did not apply to this because it was a special rune.


    This rune could not directly store mana, but what its true function was, Wensel¡¯s research notes did not mention, only stating that this level of rune was different from others.


    According to Aniye and the others¡¯ speculations, the level six rune, or special rune, should be an unfinished product!


    After Wensel successfully developed the ordinary runes, he began further research based on them, hoping to form a complete system of mana runes. This was mentioned in his research notes, but he evidently did not have enough time to complete this task, and the unfinished rune was the level six special rune.


    So, in recent years of research, Aniye and Orton focused not only on rune application and how to combine them with existing technologies but also on the expansion and perfection of runes. They had made breakthrough progress!


    Under such circumstances, neither the research on runes nor the modification of the Moving Fortress could be completed solely by Orton and the others. They now desperately needed manpower. To put it more simply, Thunderhawk City now required a truly effective R&D team.


    What Orton and his team came to discuss with Rocky was precisely this matter. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for this matter, Rocky naturally paid great attention. He was well aware of how important the runes were to him and knew that there couldn¡¯t be any sloppiness.


    ¡°Dear teachers, how long do you think it will take before we can make the runes public?¡±


    After hearing Orton and the others¡¯ thoughts, Rocky¡¯s first question was this.


    So far, the runes still remained a secret to the world. Therefore, once the team expanded, the risk of the runes being exposed would naturally increase significantly. Thus, Rocky naturally was concerned about when the runes could be disclosed. If they could be disclosed soon, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry too much about the risk, and would himself gladly make them known to the world without others needing to spy.


    But if Orton and the others felt it wasn¡¯t time to reveal them yet, then this matter would require careful long-term planning.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    At his question, Orton and Aniye exchanged glances, and after a slight frown, they spoke, ¡°If we have enough manpower, we can achieve breakthrough progress within half a year, and as long as there¡¯s a breakthrough, we can announce the existence of the runes to the outside world. By then, even if others are aware or even grasp the runes, the gap between them and us will still be significant.¡±


    ¡°Half a year¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this timeframe, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief. Half a year wasn¡¯t considered very long, so he then nodded: ¡°Teachers, then proceed as you propose. Although I can¡¯t offer much help in recruiting researchers, if there¡¯s anything you require, just let me know, and I¡¯ll ensure it¡¯s met.¡±


    Since the runes could be disclosed in just half a year, Rocky didn¡¯t need to worry excessively. Thus, he agreed to Orton and the others¡¯ proposal, and upon receiving his approval, they immediately began their work.


    Thunderhawk City already had a research institute. Although the laboratory equipment was limited initially, after years of accumulation and with investments exceeding a million gold coins, it was now largely adequately equipped. What the research institute currently lacked was people¡ªnot ordinary people but researchers with exceedingly strong capabilities.


    If this matter were placed in someone else¡¯s hands, it would certainly be an incredibly vexing issue. Whether for the runes or the Moving Fortress, extremely strong research capabilities were required to participate, but anyone with such capabilities was a talent, not easily found, and even if found, it¡¯s not easy to bring them on board.


    But the same matter placed in Orton and his team¡¯s hands was different. Not to mention Orton, just take Aniye: with Aniye¡¯s prestige and influence in the academic world, coupled with people¡¯s curiosity about new technology, a mere wave of his arm would immediately bring countless talents to Thunderhawk City!


    Thus, what Orton and his team had to ponder wasn¡¯t whom to find or where to find them. They needed to consider which people had the capability to join them in research, and among these capable individuals, who were worthy of their trust. Consequently, in subsequent times, Aniye released the news, then numerous prominent figures in the academic world began to arrive in Thunderhawk City one after another.


    Naturally, Rocky didn¡¯t need to worry about this matter. Even if he wanted to, he simply didn¡¯t have the time; he had more important tasks to deal with.


    Now the Moving Fortress was in hand, the researcher recruitment didn¡¯t require his intervention, and the development of the two cities advanced steadily, leaving him some time to focus earnestly on handling another matter.


    Air Battle Armor.


    This was the second armor that Rocky himself led the development of after the Tank Armor. Unfortunately, after the concepts of this armor were proposed, he had been distracted by other matters. Now that the other issues were resolved, he finally could immerse himself in the design of this armor, and he had to start designing it because, after nearly two months of construction, Thunderhawk City¡¯s first military factory was about to be completed, and Rocky didn¡¯t want to face the embarrassing situation of the factory being completed but having nothing to produce.

 Chapter 602 - 602 565 Codename Thunderhawk

    ?Chapter 602: Chapter 565: Codename Thunderhawk Chapter 602: Chapter 565: Codename Thunderhawk For this new armor, Rocky named the design project Thunderhawk, shared with Thunderhawk City. This was not a name chosen at random. He named the armor Thunderhawk with the hope that it would make a name for itself, making everyone aware of Thunderhawk City¡¯s capability to manufacture armors, just like he named his luxury brand after Liliya.


    So, during his spare time, Rocky started to focus entirely on the design of the Thunderhawk Armor.


    He had already explained the design concept for this armor in detail during discussions with Apple Tree Corporation, so there was no need to elaborate further. However, considering the progress of Orton and others in rune research, if they could truly achieve a significant breakthrough in the study of runes within half a year and subsequently announce the existence of runes to the world, then Rocky would need to make some minor adjustments to the design of the Thunderhawk Armor.


    Having personally participated in all the experiments related to the White Demon Armor and also having taken the lead in the development of Tank Armor, Rocky was very aware of how long it took for an armor to go from conception to design, manufacturing, testing and adjusting, and finally to being battle-ready. Even with expedited work, it would take several months, and if following normal procedures, it might even take a year or two.


    Take the White Demon Armor, for example. Despite Rocky having worn it for a substantial period, Orton and the others still didn¡¯t consider the White Demon Armor to be a genuine final product, but rather more like a mature test armor. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The same principle applied to the Tank-type Armor, which was why the Sky Alliance began to modify it on their own after obtaining the design schematics. Initially, when Rocky designed this armor, he did so hurriedly, and many aspects were not perfected. Thus, it¡¯s more accurate to say that he shared the design concept, rather than the design schematics, with the Sky Alliance.


    As for the new design of the Thunderhawk Armor, Rocky¡¯s initial idea was to use Magic Stones as its power source, as the armor was intended for sale. Since Orton and his team hadn¡¯t made a breakthrough in rune technology at that stage, he decided not to use rune technology.


    But now, knowing the specific time that runes could be disclosed and considering the production cycle from the armor¡¯s design to manufacturing, Rocky felt he could change his approach. Abandoning the originally planned Magic Stones, he switched to using runes as the armor¡¯s energy source, thus significantly enhancing the armor¡¯s combat power.


    Fortunately, the design of the Thunderhawk Armor was only in its early stages. At this point, making any changes was easy, so for a considerable period following that, Rocky practically lived at the research facility. Once the armor was powered by runes, all the technology built into the entire armor had to be switched to rune technology, so during the design process, Rocky took the opportunity to learn all the research findings of Orton and his team.


    This was a rare opportunity for Rocky. While he had always kept an eye on Orton and their rune research, even dedicating one or two days a week to observe and learn, his identity was not that of a student but that of a city leader. With so much to handle, even if he wished to learn the rune technology that Orton and his team had developed, sometimes it was impossible to find the time.


    Therefore, by seizing the opportunity presented by the design of the new armor, he dedicated serious study time for himself, practically immersing himself in the research institute daily, continually updating his knowledge, absorbing information about rune technology, asking questions when he did not understand, learning what he did not know. Gradually, he applied what he learned to the new armor, and whenever he encountered particularly challenging issues, he would consult Hammerfire for advice.


    After two months had passed in this manner, the design plan for the Thunderhawk Armor was finally complete!


    Once the design of the Thunderhawk Armor was fully finalized, it was vastly different from its initial conception, most notably in its dramatically increased combat power!


    Initially, since Magic Stones were to be the energy source, the magic power of the armor was conservatively estimated at around 5,000. But with the adoption of runes, the peak magic power of the armor skyrocketed to 8,000!


    What does this represent?


    Among the fifth generation of Special Armors, the average magic power peaks around 8,000. That means the Thunderhawk Armor designed by Rocky had at least reached the level of the fifth generation of Special Armor in terms of magic power!


    This illustrates the tremendous difference between runes and Magic Stones. What¡¯s even more astounding is that since the Thunderhawk Armor was meant for export, Rocky was very restrained in using runes. He did not apply the cutting-edge rune technology developed by Orton and the team, using only third-level runes. Even so, the Thunderhawk Armor was already approaching the level of the fifth generation of Special Armor.


    Another differentiating feature was the weapons system. The biggest differences between the Thunderhawk Armor and standard armors lay in two areas: one was the external wing attachments, and the other was an entirely new weapons system. Under Rocky¡¯s guidance, the Thunderhawk Armor abandoned the traditional weapon systems of other armors¡ªnot just one or two, but all of them!


    Magic Energy Bullet Emitters, Magic Energy Cannons, Magic Energy Beams¡ªRocky relinquished them all and opted for a new weapon he designed¡ªthe Magic Energy Machine Gun!


    In Rocky¡¯s view, although traditional weapons in this world were mature, their efficiency was far too low. Magic Energy Bullets lacked power, Magic Energy Cannons had low accuracy, and while Magic Energy Beams were powerful, limitations in energy and other factors severely restricted their potential. Therefore, he planned to thoroughly innovate the weapons system of his own designed armor.


    The first thing he did was create the world¡¯s first Magic Energy Machine Gun!


    The so-called Magic Energy Machine Gun, whose exterior was designed from Rocky¡¯s memories, didn¡¯t fire bullets but Magic Energy Bullets. The energy source was drawn from the armor itself, passing through the Magic Energy Conduction System within the gun before firing Magic Energy Bullets with greater power and accuracy.


    The successful creation of the Magic Energy Machine Gun, while not technically complex and quite understandable in principle, was a groundbreaking concept. Even Hammerfire, upon completing the first Magic Energy Machine Gun in the world, couldn¡¯t help but marvel and, unusually, urged Rocky to proceed with the tests. Even a master like Hammerfire couldn¡¯t wait to see the weapon¡¯s capabilities!

 Chapter 603 - 603 566 Magic Energy Submachine Gun

    ?Chapter 603: Chapter 566: Magic Energy Submachine Gun! Chapter 603: Chapter 566: Magic Energy Submachine Gun! The Thunderhawk Armor had two distinctive features. One was the external wings that could supply additional magic energy to the armor, allowing it to sustain prolonged battles in the air. However, this idea, both in concept and design, actually originated from the Holy Angel Armor of Sigma Corporation. The external Magic Conduction Machine of the Holy Angel Armor inspired Rocky to think of a more rudimentary external wing set-up, and thus, it wasn¡¯t truly unique in a strict sense. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What really made Rocky proud of the Thunderhawk Armor was its weapon system, because this armor was fully equipped with a new invention he had brought to this world¡ªfirearms!


    Through the tireless efforts of Rocky, Hammerfire, and others, after more than two months, a magic energy machine gun was finally born in this world, and as soon as it appeared, it garnered significant interest, with many eagerly waiting to see the capabilities of this new weapon.


    Therefore, when the machine gun was ready, its first test attracted a large crowd of onlookers.


    Hammerfire, who had personally crafted this machine gun, was naturally present, and none of Rocky¡¯s close associates missed out; Liliya and the others were very curious about what this new weapon Rocky mentioned really was.


    Apart from them, Archimonde was also there. As the Vice President of the Apple Tree Corporation, Archimonde was now fully in charge of the Chamber¡¯s cooperation with Rocky. Upon receiving news from Rocky, he arrived immediately, considering the Thunderhawk Armor was intended for export and the magic energy machine gun was one of its critical features, hence his great concern.


    Additionally, Glan and Howling Sky also showed up. As representatives of the Sky Alliance, they naturally had to pay attention to Rocky¡¯s new invention, a task assigned to them by the Alliance. Moreover, they were genuinely interested in this new creation of Rocky¡¯s.


    The last to arrive was Karina, who had already signed a contract with Rocky. She had pre-ordered fifty sets of Thunderhawk Armors before they were even produced. Thus, as a real customer, she naturally wanted to see what this so-called new weapon was like.


    Under such circumstances, a crowd gathered at the Guard Camp in Thunderhawk City, similar to the initial tank armor test, where everyone assembled in front of the camp barracks. Upon Rocky¡¯s arrival, all eyes immediately focused on him.


    The Rocky who appeared before the crowd was already wearing the White Demon Armor, but this wasn¡¯t why he attracted everyone¡¯s attention¡ªthey had already become accustomed to the White Demon Armor. What truly captured everyone¡¯s attention was the weapon in his hand!


    Magic energy machine gun!


    This magic energy machine gun crafted by Hammerfire himself, in appearance, was similar to the submachine gun from Rocky¡¯s memory¡ªcould be held in one hand or both. Thanks to being personally crafted by the master, Hammerfire, its design was exceptionally sleek. Despite not being very large, it captured everyone¡¯s attention the moment Rocky held it in his hand!


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this is the new weapon I mentioned¡ªthe 119 Magic Energy Submachine Gun, manufactured in the year 119 of the Sky Era, a type of machine gun,¡± Rocky said as he raised the submachine gun in his hand toward the crowd, especially toward Archimonde and Karina.


    ¡°A machine gun is a weapon that can continuously fire magic energy bullets and magic energy beams, enabling continuous suppression and damage to the enemy in battle through sweeping fire. If we categorize more specifically, machine guns can be subdivided into heavy machine guns, light machine guns, and the submachine guns everyone is seeing right now. Each type of machine gun has its own application, just like the one in my hand.¡±


    Since the concept of firearms did not exist in this world, when Rocky introduced the submachine gun in his hands, he could not merely mention its name as no one would understand. Therefore, he first briefly explained the concept and types of machine guns to everyone to facilitate their understanding.


    ¡°The weapon in my hands is a submachine gun. As the name implies, it is a type of individual combat weapon. It uses the Magic Energy Conduction System developed by Master Pelaya, which can connect to the magic energy supply of the armor, allowing it to fire Magic Energy Bullets with a power of around 400 points.¡±


    When Rocky mentioned this, there was no reaction from the others, but Archimonde slightly frowned, and this slight gesture naturally caught Rocky¡¯s attention.


    The reason Archimonde frowned was simple¡ª he remembered clearly that when Rocky initially introduced this new weapon to him, he had said that the new weapon could fire Magic Energy Bullets with a power exceeding 1000 points. So, why had it changed to 400 points now?


    Regarding Archimonde¡¯s doubt, Rocky was very much aware. He remembered what he had said initially, but while plans are plans, nothing changes as fast as the plan itself.


    When he had initially introduced the submachine gun to Archimonde, it was still merely a concept. By the time he and Hammerfire and others truly manufactured this submachine gun, they realized that some of the initial ideas could not be implemented at this stage, so they had to reduce the power.


    However, Rocky did not mind this adjustment, because only he knew best that the real utility of a submachine gun in actual combat lay not in its power but in its continuous suppressive and output capability. The key was its ability to achieve this.


    So, after giving a brief introduction of the submachine gun, he turned around, raised the submachine gun with both hands, and aimed at a huge rock far away in the field, clearly planning to do a real combat demonstration.


    The rock he aimed at was quite large¡ªover three meters high and so big that two or three people could not encircle it. After aiming at the rock, Rocky pulled the trigger!


    As he gently squeezed the trigger of the submachine gun, the muzzle immediately lit up, and a series of Magic Energy Bullets were fired, followed immediately by a series of explosions. In the blink of an eye, the distant boulder was struck.


    Struck by the Magic Energy Bullets, the boulder exploded into one crater after another, with shattered rocks flying everywhere. If one were to just witness this scene, the submachine gun¡¯s difference might not be apparent, as a normal Magic Energy Bullet Emitter could achieve the same effect.


    In fact, when everyone saw this scene, they did indeed show a look of disappointment, with Glan and Howling Sky feeling so, and Karina, who had been frowning since earlier, especially so.


    But before their disappointment could truly settle, they gradually widened their eyes, because in their view, Rocky kept shooting with the submachine gun, kept shooting, kept shooting¡­


    This scene made everyone gradually widen their eyes and open their mouths in astonishment, and as they looked back at the large rock Rocky was targeting, they could see that in the continuous barrage, the huge rock had been completely shattered!

 Chapter 604 - 604 567 Satisfied

    ?Chapter 604: Chapter 567: Satisfied! Chapter 604: Chapter 567: Satisfied! Rocky continuously shot with the sub-machine gun, causing the originally slightly disappointed crowd to gradually widen their eyes in disbelief!


    In fact, if we¡¯re talking about the power of this sub-machine gun alone, it could only be considered average, the bullets fired by this sub-machine gun did not achieve the power Rocky had initially claimed. The Magic Energy Bullets hitting the boulder could only leave a fist-sized pit, a feat both Special Armor and Mass-produced Armor could accomplish.


    This was precisely why everyone had been disappointed.


    But as Rocky continued to fire, the crowd¡¯s perspective shifted.


    The continuous firing capability of this sub-machine gun, wasn¡¯t it a bit too exaggerated?


    The Magic Energy Bullets fired from the sub-machine gun might not be much more powerful than those fired from a regular Magic Energy Bullet Emitter, but its continuous firing ability was terrifying!


    A regular Mana Launcher could usually only achieve a three-round burst, at most a five-round burst, and it was absolutely impossible to shoot continuously without stopping like the sub-machine gun in Rocky¡¯s hands. Moreover, this sub-machine gun had a decent rate of fire, having fired nearly a hundred Magic Energy Bullets in just this short period!


    What did that mean?


    One only needed to look at the targeted boulder to understand!


    As I said before, the boulder that Rocky was aiming at was over three meters tall and so wide that two or three people couldn¡¯t embrace it. Normally, to shatter such a huge stone, not only with Magic Energy Bullets or Magic Energy Beams, even using a Magic Energy Cannon would require two or three shots to break it. But now, under the relentless shooting of the sub-machine gun, after being hit by nearly a hundred Magic Energy Bullets, this boulder had been reduced to half!


    It was at this point that the crowd truly appreciated the terrifying aspect of the sub-machine gun.


    The emphasis of the sub-machine gun was not on its power, but on its ability to shoot continuously and incessantly!


    It was then that Rocky stopped firing, turned around slowly, sub-machine gun in one hand, and said to the crowd, ¡°This sub-machine gun can fire twenty Magic Energy Bullets per minute, and it can continuously fire a hundred Magic Energy Bullets without stopping. Upon reaching this limit, the sub-machine gun¡¯s Magic Energy Conduction System will enter a cooling phase, temporarily going into a cooldown period.¡±


    ¡°But if one controls the firing rhythm, shooting continuously yet briefly, then the entry into the cooldown phase of the sub-machine gun can be greatly delayed. For this reason, Master Hammerfire specifically designed two modes for this sub-machine gun. One is the continuous firing mode, as you¡¯ve just seen, where the sub-machine gun can continuously shoot a hundred Magic Energy Bullets until the system forces it into cooldown.¡±


    ¡°As for the burst mode, with each pull of the trigger, the sub-machine gun will fire eight Magic Energy Bullets.¡±


    After saying this, Rocky pressed a small button on the sub-machine gun, and then turned once more to the half-remaining boulder and began firing again.


    But this time, his firing rate had changed significantly. It was no longer continuous shooting, but changed to a succession of Magic Energy Bullets being fired each time, followed by a brief pause, and then another series of Magic Energy Bullets, repeating this cycle until the rest of the boulder was completely shattered before stopping, and this time, the shooting lasted much longer.


    Afterward, when Rocky turned around again and looked into the eyes of the crowd, he could no longer see any look of disappointment. Now, all that remained in everyone¡¯s eyes were surprise and awe, along with being dumbfounded!


    No wonder, for such a huge boulder to be shattered in such a short amount of time by relatively weak Magic Energy Bullets was simply too incredible for them to believe.


    Everyone present understood the implications, and thus they quickly realized the true significance of the sub-machine gun in actual combat. This weapon, indeed as Rocky said, had continuous suppression and output capabilities, and these capabilities had far exceeded everyone¡¯s imagination!


    Hence, the enormous value of this new weapon was self-evident.


    Imagine, if Armor were equipped with this type of sub-machine gun, not to mention the old Mana Launchers would surely be completely obsolete, but the attack capability of the Armor would not be reduced; instead, it would be further enhanced with the sub-machine gun, an improvement everyone would like to see.


    Realizing this, Glan and Howling Sky couldn¡¯t help but sigh. It seemed they would have to contact the Alliance again. The problem was that they had just contacted them two months prior, to report on the Moving Fortress, and now, in such a short time, they would need to contact the Alliance again for the same reason.


    Similarly, after witnessing the true function of the sub-machine gun, any disappointment on Archimonde¡¯s face had vanished, and he was already beaming with joy. As Rocky had made clear, this sub-machine gun was specially designed as a weapon for the Thunderhawk Armor, which the Chamber of Commerce marketed. One could imagine that with such advanced and powerful weaponry equipped, Armor sales would definitely not be a concern anymore.


    However, among everyone present, the happiest and most satisfied with the new weapon was not Archimonde, but Karina, who had already signed a contract with Rocky!


    After witnessing the power of the sub-machine gun, Karina knew the deal she had made with Rocky was not at a loss, but rather a huge bargain, as she could imagine the performance in battle of the Thunderhawk Armor equipped with such a sub-machine gun. As a Void Magic Warrior, Karina naturally realized that being able to buy such Armor at a discounted price was indeed a great deal!


    So without a doubt, the sub-machine gun¡¯s first demonstration was a tremendous success. As they left the camp to return to their respective dwellings, their moods were mixed. Archimonde and Karina were beaming with joy, Glan and Howling Sky were filled with sentiment, but no matter their thoughts, they were unanimous in their affirmation of the sub-machine gun as a new weapon.


    And with the successful development of the sub-machine gun, the first Test Armor for the Thunderhawk Armor was smoothly put into production, and this time, Master Hammerfire didn¡¯t need to personally step in to build this Test Armor. Over the course of these two-plus months, Thunderhawk City¡¯s first armory had been successfully established! sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a little over three months ago that Rocky signed the cooperation agreement with Apple Tree Corporation and made it public. Now, after more than three months, the armory was completed and had received its first batch of orders!

 Chapter 605 - 605 568 Blessing and Misfortune Come Together

    ?Chapter 605: Chapter 568: Blessing and Misfortune Come Together Chapter 605: Chapter 568: Blessing and Misfortune Come Together After the armory factory was completed, it naturally began operations immediately, and as previously agreed upon by both parties, Rocky was in charge of the workers and production, while the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce handled the sales.


    This immediately filled Thunderhawk City with vitality, as the start of operations meant a large number of job openings. The armory factory funded by the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce was not a small workshop, but a bona fide factory, whose scale even compared favorably with large factories in Sky City. Thus, as soon as the factory began operations, it immediately provided hundreds of job positions in Thunderhawk City, swiftly resolving the employment issues of the recently increased population.


    In order to better facilitate production, Rocky enlisted the Ruby Chamber of Commerce to employ a large number of technicians from Eternal City. Although Thunderhawk City was not short of workers, producing Armor ultimately required specific skills. Even though the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce had already set up the equipment, these were not machines that just anyone could operate. Thus, skilled technicians were needed to run them and simultaneously train Thunderhawk City¡¯s own workers.


    Once the factory started, it also meant that Armor production was underway, although Thunderhawk Armor was still in the experimental phase, so the factory could only produce one type of Armor at this stage, the Tank Armor.


    To ensure that Tank Armor could find buyers, Rocky also made significant improvements to the design. After all, the initial design of the Tank Armor was rushed, resulting in many defects. Such flawed Armor certainly couldn¡¯t be sold off. Buyers, whether they were lords of major cities or even alliances, were no fools and could not be easily deceived. Hence, Rocky had to redesign the Tank Armor completely.


    Luckily, with the passing of more than two months, Orton and others had established a professional research and development team. This not only significantly alleviated the pressure on Orton and his colleagues but also directly elevated the research and development capabilities of Thunderhawk City to a remarkably high level.


    Initially, only Orton and three other masters were conducting research around Rocky, and though all four were renowned masters, they could hardly be called a true research team. However, now that Rocky agreed to expand the team¡¯s size, Orton and the others jumped into action, mainly Aniye and Pelaya taking charge.


    Though Orton and Hammerfire were both acknowledged masters with unquestionable achievements in their academic fields, their character flaws affected their reputation, to say the least. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this situation, recruiting new team members naturally fell to Aniye and Pelaya, who, with their connections and solid academic reputations, quickly put together a genuine research team.


    This newly formed research team expanded from the original four members to forty!


    Moreover, the individuals recruited were all elites, including masters from various fields. With more personnel involved in development, and under Aniye¡¯s suggestion, the team was further divided into four research groups overseen respectively by Orton, Aniye, Hammerfire, and Pelaya. Each led ten people in focusing on Rune Technology, Rune Expansion, Magic Conduction Technology, and Armor Technology.


    This distribution was certainly the right choice as Aniye and the others were not only capable of independently leading research but also had experience in guiding a team, so when the four groups were established, progress in all research areas accelerated significantly.


    With such a formal, large-scale, high-quality team as support, the research and development prowess of Thunderhawk City was immediately boosted several notches. For example, the design of Armor, with the support of the team, underwent a dramatically faster improvement on all Armor design projects than before.


    Previously, the group had designed various Armors, but because only Hammerfire was a master in this field, the majority of the work fell on him alone. Others could at most assist. Later, although Rocky also joined in and quickly began designing Armors independently with Hammerfire¡¯s help, there were still only two people who could significantly contribute to Armor design, so one can imagine how slow the process was.


    But now, things were different. Thunderhawk City had a group specifically responsible for designing Armor, so when Rocky brought the design plan of Tank Type 1 Armor to the group and started improvements with everyone, it took less than a week, and the improved new version of the Armor was completed!


    The new version of the Tank Armor was named Tank Type 2, which corrected many defects and insufficiencies of the old version and included slight technical enhancements. It certainly met the standards for sales, and after that, Rocky handed over the design to the factory to start official production.


    Meanwhile, as Rocky prepared for the factory to start operations by hiring technicians to train workers and improving the design of the Armor, the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce was also not idle. In fact, they had been active ever since signing the cooperation agreement with Rocky and officially announcing it.


    This cooperation with Rocky was another attempt by the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce to enter the Armor Domain¡ªan almost gambler-like trial. They put all their bets on Rocky. So after announcing their cooperation with Rocky, the Chamber of Commerce began contacting potential buyers, preparing for the official sales of the Armor.

 Chapter 606 - 606 568 Misfortune and Fortune Arrive Part 2

    ?Chapter 606: Chapter 568 Misfortune and Fortune Arrive Part 2 Chapter 606: Chapter 568 Misfortune and Fortune Arrive Part 2 ¡°`


    Logically, this was a fairly difficult process, because everyone knew that the main business of the Apple Tree Corporation was warships; their warships were beyond reproach, but their armors¡­ Let¡¯s just say the last time the Chamber of Commerce tried to break into the armor domain and failed, it spoke volumes.


    So when the Chamber of Commerce once again began to market their armors to the outside world, everyone was skeptical, and the Chamber itself was well aware of it. They knew all too well how little confidence the public had in the armors they manufactured. But let¡¯s not forget, this time they were not going it alone¡ªthis time, they were collaborating with Rocky!


    The fame of Rocky¡¯s White Demon Armor was such that it was universally known, to the point that whenever there was a discussion about armors, it would inevitably lead to the White Demon Armor, and then turn into a debate over whether the White Demon Armor or the Holy Angel Armor was the strongest of our time.


    It was precisely for this reason that the Chamber used the White Demon Armor as a stepping stone, always using it as an excuse to make initial contact with buyers. And when buyers heard the words ¡°White Demon Armor,¡± none could refuse, even though they might not quite believe that the Chamber could truly sell the White Demon Armor. Nevertheless, the news of the Chamber¡¯s comprehensive collaboration with Rocky was already well-known, which was enough to keep them patient enough to engage in discussions.


    This dialog opened up opportunities for the Apple Tree Corporation, and what was more important was that although they were not selling the genuine White Demon Armor, they were also not offering the traditional, ordinary armors but instead Tank-type Armors.


    As the partnership had just begun, the only product they could produce at this stage was the Tank Armor, which was a significant disadvantage; yet conversely, it was also a major advantage.


    Because Tank-type Armor is not a traditional armor in the conventional sense, it is a new generation of land warfare Special Armor, and since the Sky Alliance had already started producing and using this type of armor, with considerable success in ground combat, Tank Armor had in fact already gained a certain level of fame.


    What¡¯s more, there were only two forces in the world capable of producing this type of armor: one was the Sky Alliance, and the other was Rocky!


    It was this key point that the Apple Tree Corporation seized and then very carefully chose their target customer base. They didn¡¯t approach the smaller or medium-sized Sky Cities but directly targeted those with land-based industries or ground bases, as well as those planning to establish industries or bases on land, and even those belligerents who planned to take advantage of the chaos between the skies and the land to vie for a piece of industry and base. They directly approached these people.


    In their endeavor to sell the Tank-type Armor, all these individuals became targets for the Apple Tree Corporation, and so, over several months, the Chamber dispatched a large number of staff to make contact with these entities. Naturally, they encountered countless rejections during this process, but there were also quite a few City Lords and Alliances who showed a keen interest in the Tank-type Armor.


    To be honest, what the Apple Tree Corporation was doing wasn¡¯t so much selling armor as it was selling war, because none of the buyers who showed an interest in the Tank Armor intended to purchase it for exhibition. Their only purpose in buying this type of armor was war, whether it was war against Demons or humans.


    But there was no helping it; these were the rules of the world. In this mixed-up world where the skies, the land, humans, and Demons had long since become muddled, war was sometimes not a sin but the sole reliance for survival.


    After months of sales efforts, the Apple Tree Corporation finally found a group of customers and then brought them all to Thunderhawk City.


    Why?


    Naturally, it was to let the customers see the quality of the armors first.


    ¡°`


    People are spending money on Armor, not just one or two sets, but starting with at least ten for even the smallest clients. This means we¡¯re talking about transactions that easily run into hundreds of thousands or even millions of Gold Coins. Naturally, they wouldn¡¯t pay a deposit without first seeing the finished product, without verifying whether the Armor¡¯s quality and combat power are as formidable as the Apple Tree Corporation claims.


    For such matters, Rocky naturally didn¡¯t care. First, he had confidence in the improved Tank-type Armor Model 2, and second, he had experience dealing with these situations. Back when he shared the Tank Armor with the Alliance, they came to inspect it, and having dealt with the Alliance¡¯s inspection teams, he found handling these clients even easier.


    Therefore, when the merchant ships of the Apple Tree Corporation brought a large group of clients to Thunderhawk City, Rocky received them with great enthusiasm and scheduled the tests for a week later.


    After all, those who could afford land-based Special Armor had power and held territory on land, so Rocky dared not neglect them. Moreover, facing so many significant figures, he had to make connections as much as possible¡ªeven if he was reluctant¡ªas it was part of his duty as the City Lord.


    But what took everyone by surprise was that issues arose during this process, and it was a series of significant problems at that!


    As mentioned earlier, Rocky, as the City Lord, naturally had to entertain the clients, and to further his connections, he hosted several balls after their arrival in Thunderhawk City, just like the last time. Fortunately, with previous experience, Rocky had become much more adept at handling this aspect and was far more at ease dealing with various clients. However, it was at one of these balls that trouble struck.


    At one ball, to be precise, at the second one held to entertain everyone, Rocky was detailing the performance of the Tank Armor to three major clients, alongside Archimonde. These three were not ordinary people; two were City Lords of large Sky Cities, each owning more than two Affiliated Cities.


    The other individual was even more extraordinary¡ªthe Vice Alliance Hierarch of the Co-Governing Alliance!


    Following the last battle between the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, the Rebel Army faced ruthless retaliatory punishment from the Sky Alliance. Top-tier Alliances such as the War Alliance and the Domination Alliance suffered devastating hits. Although these did not lead to their dissolution, these once prominent Alliances in the skies had since become listless, and with the fall of these established Alliances, emerging forces naturally rose quickly¡ªthe Co-Governing Alliance among them.


    Initially, the Co-Governing Alliance was just a minor Alliance, but as the established forces like the War Alliance and Domination Alliance were disciplined by the Sky Alliance, the Co-Governing Alliance seized the opportunity for rapid expansion. On the one hand, they expanded their members by incorporating over a dozen City Lords of large Sky Cities, and on the other hand, they swiftly annexed the land-based industries and bases of the Domination Alliance. Now, they too were a significant presence in the skies. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was also precisely because they had absorbed many of the Domination Alliance¡¯s land-based industries that the Co-Governing Alliance became interested in the land-combat-specialized Tank Armor, leading them to Thunderhawk City.


    In the face of such major clients, neither Rocky nor Archimonde dared to neglect them, for securing the Co-Governing Alliance, now in its prime, along with the two neighboring City Lords, would ensure their orders were set. Such powerful forces and City Lords could easily purchase hundreds of Tank Armors with a single stroke!


    ¡°Vice Alliance Hierarch Bussac, the Tank Armor has been personally improved by Master Hammerfire. Its performance is not only superior to the previous but even considerably stronger than what the Sky Alliance is currently using¡­¡±


    To pitch the Armor to the Co-Governing Alliance, Rocky had to invoke Hammerfire¡¯s name and boasted extensively about the Tank-type Armor Model 2, but just at that moment, a disturbance suddenly erupted in the middle of the ball, interrupting Rocky¡¯s pitch!


    Sensing the commotion, Rocky immediately frowned and turned to look, only to find himself confused by what he saw¡­

 Chapter 607 - 607 569 Heavenly Ancestor Church

    ?Chapter 607: Chapter 569: Heavenly Ancestor Church Chapter 607: Chapter 569: Heavenly Ancestor Church Just when Rocky was promoting Tank Armor to the Co-Governing Alliance and the other two city lords, even bringing up Hammerfire, a sudden disturbance erupted at the ball.


    This unexpected chaos not only interrupted Rocky¡¯s speech but also made him furrow his brows instantly, then he quickly looked towards the source of the commotion.


    The sight left him somewhat dumbfounded, for the instigator of the chaos was none other than¡­ Liliya!


    Following his gaze, one could see Athena standing in front of Liliya, usually as stable as Mount Tai and in control of everything. Yet, even Athena¡¯s face now showed panic, while Liliya, whom she was holding back, had a gloomy expression full of anger.


    Looking further towards the opposite side, there was a young man kneeling on the ground, covering his groin, crying and sniveling terribly, while the people around him had turned into statues, all staring open-mouthed at the trio of the young man, Liliya, and Athena, unable to utter a word. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing this scene, Rocky was also dumbfounded. He had been focused on enthusiastically promoting Tank Armor just moments ago and hadn¡¯t noticed what was happening with Liliya, but he could tell that it definitely involved Liliya and Athena, and the young man kneeling on the ground.


    Therefore, after that, he nodded to the Vice Alliance Hierarch of the Co-Governing Alliance and the other two city lords, and then quickly walked over to Liliya.


    Upon reaching her, Rocky first looked at the furious Liliya, then at Athena, who also didn¡¯t look too pleased, and finally at the young man on the ground, which only deepened the frown on his face.


    Because the young man, who was kneeling on the ground and crying for his parents, was someone he knew!


    This man named Zuluo was the son of the City Lord of Heavenly Ancestor City, here to inspect the Tank Armor representing his father, hence he was also a client brought here by the Apple Tree Corporation.


    This was trouble¡­


    Realizing that the man kneeling was Zuluo, Rocky felt a sense of foreboding because although Zuluo was not much of an issue, his father was extraordinary, as he was not only the City Lord of Sky City but also the Sect Hierarch of the Heavenly Ancestor Church!


    Since the land had been occupied by demons, forcing people to flee to the skies, many things had changed, such as the concept of nations virtually vanishing, and the religions people once followed had also disappeared. However, as old beliefs vanished, new ones quickly emerged, and the Heavenly Ancestor Church was a new religion born after the era transitioned into the Sky Era.


    As the land was occupied by demons, people no longer believed in the original deities. Indeed, the land was lost, seized by demons, but the deities worshipped by people for thousands of years did not appear, so it was reasonable not to believe in those deities. But if not in deities, what should they believe?


    Of course, they believed in the sky!


    After all, after the land was taken, the sky became the only hope for people to survive, so gradually, people came to view the sky as humanity¡¯s final sanctuary, and the Heavenly Ancestor Church emerged accordingly.


    Zuluo¡¯s father, the current Sect Hierarch of the Heavenly Ancestor Church, is known as Tian Rick.


    This is precisely where the trouble lies, because although the Heavenly Ancestor Church is not considered a true force, the power of faith is so terrifying that it does not need much explanation. There are many in the Sky Era who follow the Heavenly Ancestor Church, not to mention the ordinary people, but also many City Lords, and even Alliance Hierarchs, so anyone sensible knows that Heavenly Ancestor City and the Heavenly Ancestor Church are absolutely not to be provoked, only second to the Three Great Alliances.


    Now, however, the situation has turned sour, as the son of the Sect Hierarch of the Heavenly Ancestor Church is currently kneeling in front of Rocky, crying and screaming for his parents, which is exactly why everyone around is staring agape.


    Truthfully, when Rocky recognized Zuluo¡¯s identity, he too was taken aback, because it was clear that Zuluo had been beaten, and not lightly at that. Looking at Liliya¡¯s demeanor and hearing the extent of Zuluo¡¯s screams, it was obvious that Liliya was the one who had struck him.


    This made Rocky even more troubled and puzzled because Liliya definitely knew Zuluo¡¯s identity. Even if she did not, Athena next to her should have known, and with their intellect, they would surely understand that such a person should not be provoked casually, which was precisely what Rocky could not understand.


    So after glancing at Zuluo, he frowned and turned towards Liliya, only to find that Liliya not only said nothing but glared at him!


    This startled Rocky, as Liliya had never treated him this way before, deepening his confusion. But clearly, nothing could be gleaned from Liliya, so he had to turn to Athena.


    As he turned to Athena, she proactively came to his side and whispered a few things to him.


    Athena¡¯s intelligence allowed her to clarify matters that would take a thousand words for others to explain, in just a few words. Therefore, after she finished speaking, Rocky finally understood what had happened.


    It turned out that while Rocky was actively promoting the Armor, Liliya and Athena were also busy chatting with other guests just like the last time, and naturally, they were discussing the luxury goods manufactured in Thunderhawk City.


    The luxury goods manufactured in Thunderhawk City not only had their own formal trademarks but also had official brands. Rocky had named the luxury brand after Liliya, called the ¡°Liliya¡± brand.


    However, most of the people who came to Thunderhawk City this time were there for the Tank Armor, with very few bringing their families. Therefore, the two approached Zuluo because among all the guests, only Zuluo had brought his lovers along, not just one but four women dressed as nobles.


    And as Rocky had imagined, both Liliya and Athena were very aware of Zuluo¡¯s identity, and initially, Liliya did not even want to interact with such a person.


    Firstly, because his identity was too sensitive, it was not good to be in contact, and secondly, Liliya disapproved of his demeanor of embracing women on each arm. Having a few lovers was one thing, bringing them to a ball was another, but bringing four lovers to a ball at once was, in Liliya¡¯s view, simply disgraceful. However, Athena thought otherwise; she had encountered many such people before and knew how to handle them. Moreover, for a playboy like Zuluo, once he took a liking to the luxury goods manufactured by Rocky, he would spend money like running water.


    Under these circumstances, the two approached Zuluo.


    Initially, everything went well, just as Athena said, she indeed knew how to handle someone like Zuluo, but after chatting for a while, things started to feel a bit off.


    As they conversed with the two beauties, Liliya and Athena, Zuluo became increasingly happy and then started to make inappropriate advances towards them!

 Chapter 608 - 608 570 Dare to Touch Me

    ?Chapter 608: Chapter 570: Dare to Touch Me! Chapter 608: Chapter 570: Dare to Touch Me! When Zuluo actually took the initiative to touch Liliya¡¯s hand while speaking, Liliya¡¯s face turned pale immediately!


    However, due to Zuluo¡¯s status, all she could do was frown and then take Athena¡¯s arm, turning to leave. But just as they turned around, Zuluo stepped forward, following behind them, and wedged himself between the two.


    ¡°Ladies, we haven¡¯t finished talking yet, why are you leaving?¡±


    Amidst his laughter, Zuluo not only forcefully squeezed himself between Liliya and Athena but also placed his hands on their waists while he spoke.


    ¡°Mr. Zuluo, please you¡­¡±


    As Zuluo did so, Athena was about to speak when Liliya, unable to control herself, grabbed the hand Zuluo had placed on her waist. She twisted it backward so sharply that a snapping sound was heard, and before Zuluo could even scream, she kicked him squarely in the crotch, bringing him to his knees instantly.


    It was at this moment that Rocky heard the scream and turned around, just in time to see Zuluo kneeling on the ground in agony.


    In just a few short sentences, Athena explained what had just happened to Rocky, and after hearing her account, Rocky frowned deeply.


    Not just Rocky, by this time Archimonde had also arrived beside Rocky, and his brows were also tightly knit.


    Although he hadn¡¯t heard what Athena had said to Rocky, as the Vice President of the Apple Tree Corporation, Archimonde knew much more about Zuluo than others did. It wasn¡¯t that they were particularly close, but rather because Archimonde had heard many rumors about Zuluo.


    As the son of a Sect Hierarch, Zuluo had a very special status. He could be called a Young City Lord or a Young Cult Leader, and either identity was illustrious. It was for this reason that Zuluo¡¯s character was notoriously poor, embodying the typical spoiled scion, rife with misdeeds, excessive behaviors, and outrageous acts.


    But helpless to his extraordinary status, even if some people disapproved of him, and despite the numerous troublesome or scandalous incidents he was involved in, no one could really hold him accountable. Also, out of consideration for his father¡¯s position, no one was willing to step in. Therefore, his reputation was well established.


    What Archimonde hadn¡¯t expected was that Zuluo would create trouble in Thunderhawk City, and to make matters worse, he had been beaten. This was bound to complicate matters.


    Therefore, he looked toward Rocky, because it was Liliya who had hit him, and almost everyone who knew Rocky knew that Liliya belonged to him. Since this was Thunderhawk City, how to handle this situation, or rather how to deal with Liliya, would depend on Rocky.


    In fact, others at the ball were thinking the same, and all eyes were on Rocky.


    Those who had come to attend the ball were clients courted by the Apple Tree Corporation, and anyone capable of purchasing Tank Armor was a significant figure. Thus, the majority of people present recognized Zuluo and knew his status. Under these circumstances, they all watched to see how Rocky would handle the situation.


    Everyone understood that Zuluo himself wasn¡¯t much to worry about, but his father, Rick, who was both a City Lord and a Sect Hierarch, was too formidable a figure. If Rocky mishandled the situation, he could be inviting great trouble.


    At the same time, many were also keen to take this opportunity to gauge just what kind of skills Rocky possessed.


    As one of the City Lords whose star had risen the fastest in recent years, Rocky was far from being an unknown. By now, nearly every City Lord in the skies had heard of him, and many who did not know him well were curious to see just how capable he was. This incident provided a perfect opportunity to assess his abilities.


    Thus, the ballroom was left in a moment with just the melodious music playing, while all conversations ceased, and everyone¡¯s gaze turned toward Rocky.


    ¡°You wretched woman! How dare you¡­!¡±


    Before Rocky could speak, Zuluo, still kneeling on the ground and wailing in pain, suddenly raised his head. He looked fiercely at Liliya, his teeth gritted in anger, but unfortunately, he could only get half a sentence out before he couldn¡¯t help crying out again. Liliya had been too harsh with her kick, or rather, her stomp. Even after such a long time, the pain was unbearable for Zuluo.


    ¡°Guards.¡±


    Just as Zuluo roared ferociously for half a sentence, Rocky also spoke up.


    He raised his hand while talking and the guard, seeing this gesture, immediately stepped forward to his side. Once the guard arrived, Rocky pointed at Zuluo, ¡°Arrest him.¡±


    And with that statement, before the guards could even move, a disturbance erupted in the salon of the dance hall! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone was stunned, turning their eyes toward Rocky; each person could not believe their own ears, wondering if they had misheard something?


    Did Rocky just give an order¡­ to arrest Zuluo?


    He¡¯s gone mad!


    Hearing Rocky¡¯s words, almost everyone present was dumbfounded.


    Indeed, without knowing the details of what had just happened, with everyone¡¯s understanding of Zuluo, they could basically guess, but if it were just some ordinary person getting fresh with Liliya and Athena, then them fighting back was acceptable, Rocky arresting them was acceptable since it was on his territory, but now the person he wanted to arrest was Zuluo!


    Zuluo¡¯s father was the City Lord of the large Sky City and also the Sect Hierarch of the Heavenly Ancestor Church, with quite formidable forces; was his son someone you could just arrest?


    As everyone looked on, dumbstruck and even in disbelief, the guard who received the order didn¡¯t care much, went up, and lifted Zuluo from the ground!


    ¡°Rocky! You dare arrest me!¡±


    Yanked up forcibly on either side by the guards, Zuluo bulged his eyes, glaring at Rocky like a rabid dog, suddenly shouting, ¡°Rocky! You¡¯re seeking death! Do you know who I am? Even the Sky Alliance doesn¡¯t dare to arrest me!¡±


    Zuluo was right in his statement. Given his status, even the Sky Alliance would hesitate to offend his father¡¯s face, which is why Zuluo¡¯s lawlessness had developed. He never imagined that Rocky would dare treat him this way, and he almost went mad.


    But faced with his furious roaring, Rocky merely looked at him with a grim expression and then coldly said, ¡°This is Thunderhawk City, not Nut God City.¡±


    After finishing the statement, he glanced at the guard, and upon receiving a signal, the guard immediately dragged Zuluo away.


    As he was forcibly dragged away, Zuluo began to curse, his voice still audible as he was dragged out of the dance hall, and during this process, Rocky remained as steady as Mount Tai, standing in place, waiting until Zuluo¡¯s figure had completely disappeared and the cursing voice was gone too, then slowly turned around to look at Liliya and Athena.


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    After saying that to both of them, he turned around again, looking toward the previously conversed with Vice Alliance Hierarch of the Co-Governing Alliance and two City Lords, and then walked over to the three with a smile.


    ¡°Gentlemen, where were we? Oh right, after the improvements to the Tank Armor Model 2¡­¡±


    Approaching the three big clients, Rocky acted as if nothing had happened at all and continued to pitch his armor to them, and this behavior stunned everyone.

 Chapter 609 - 609 571 Is it you

    ?Chapter 609: Chapter 571: Is it you? Chapter 609: Chapter 571: Is it you? The scene where Zuluo was dragged away by the guards dumbfounded everyone; no one had expected Rocky to handle the matter in such a way.


    So when everyone turned to look at him again, their gaze had changed.


    In fact, there was no question of right or wrong in the matter itself. Though Zuluo had made unwelcome advances towards Liliya and Athena, considering his status, at least for him, such behavior was quite normal. Similarly, although it was Liliya who struck someone, since she belonged to Rocky and the incident occurred in Thunderhawk City, it didn¡¯t amount to much.


    The crux of the matter wasn¡¯t about who was right or wrong but rather how Rocky would handle it, and his response had certainly taken everyone by surprise.


    What shocked people even more was that after Zuluo was seized, Rocky continued to chat and laugh as if nothing had happened.


    Such a demeanor brought a new change to the way people looked at him.


    In the eyes of onlookers, there was incomprehension.


    Many couldn¡¯t understand why Rocky would do such a thing. If Athena were the one who hit someone it would have been different, considering Athena was no ordinary woman. But Liliya was just a guard by his side. Even if their relationship was out of the ordinary, she was just a woman in his entourage. Was it worthwhile to provoke Zuluo, a man with a powerful background, over such a woman?


    Is this what a City Lord should do?


    In seeing his gaze, there was also schadenfreude. Many thought Rocky was too arrogant, too conceited. Whatever his reason for arresting Zuluo, the outcome was already sealed, and it was one he certainly couldn¡¯t handle!


    Did he really believe that Zuluo¡¯s father, the City Lord of Heavenly Ancestor City and the Sect Hierarch of the Heavenly Ancestor Church, Rick, would let things go?


    Absolutely not!


    One could tell from Zuluo¡¯s consistently reckless actions how dearly his father loved him; how could he possibly tolerate his son being treated like this in the insignificant Thunderhawk City? So just wait, Rick would definitely not let this pass!


    This made many onlookers excited for the drama that was about to unfold, yet among the spectators, some looked at Rocky with admiration.


    Among those present were individuals with shrewd insight, and they viewed the matter from a different perspective than everyone else.


    To them, why Rocky had captured Zuluo was irrelevant.


    The consequences he would have to bear?


    Irrelevant as well.


    What truly mattered was the attitude Rocky had displayed.


    That was indeed worth noting!


    Because such an attitude revealed his character, and it was precisely because they recognized this that when Rocky arrested Zuluo, especially as he continued to smile and converse afterward, some at the venue etched his name deeply into a certain list in their minds, no longer regarding him as a mere ordinary City Lord.


    Nevertheless, whatever the case, once such a matter had occurred, the atmosphere of the ball changed, and the soir¨¦e that ought to have lasted until late into the night ended early, and as soon as all the guests had left, Archimonde immediately sought out Rocky!


    Like the vast majority, Archimonde was shocked by Rocky¡¯s action of arresting Zuluo, so much so that he had almost intervened to stop the act, but Archimonde, being cunning and experienced, was very aware that at that moment he had to stand with Rocky. Therefore, he had not said a word on the side. Yet as soon as the dance ended and all the guests had dispersed, he immediately found Rocky.


    ¡°Rocky, this matter was too rash.¡±


    When everyone had left, Archimonde did not mince his words with Rocky. As partners in a collaboration, in a way they were grasshoppers tied to the same string. Therefore, Rocky¡¯s provocation against Zuluo, should it lead to conflict in Thunderhawk City, would inevitably delay the manufacture of the armors, and this would undoubtedly have a significant impact on the Apple Tree Corporation.


    ¡°Your Excellency Archimonde, indeed, I was too inconsiderate.¡±


    However, in response to these almost reproachful words, Rocky¡¯s answer left Archimonde gaping, unable to respond for a long time.


    This kind of reply, this attitude, was completely beyond his expectations!


    Actually, with Archimonde¡¯s understanding of Rocky, he basically knew why Rocky treated Zuluo the way he did, because Liliya held an extremely important place in his heart.


    Initially, when Rocky was just an unknown little soldier, no, one should say when he was nearly deprived of everything by the deceit of the Mairente Family in Sky City, only Liliya stood by his side. This was a connection others simply couldn¡¯t fathom. Zuluo dared to threaten Liliya, which was almost the same as directly provoking Rocky. That was why Rocky did not hesitate to capture him.


    Knowing these things, Archimonde had originally thought that faced with his reproach, Rocky¡¯s stance would definitely be very tough, with no room for concession. He didn¡¯t expect Rocky¡¯s reaction to be completely different from what he had imagined. Could Rocky actually be regretting his actions?


    But¡­ was he truly regretting it?


    Impossible!


    With Archimonde¡¯s shrewdness, he naturally could tell whether Rocky was speaking the truth. So he was very clear that Rocky¡¯s remorse was most likely to placate him, and this made him find Rocky all the more formidable!


    Rocky¡¯s behavior was just too mature, exemplifying the demeanor of a mature City Lord handling affairs, and seeing such maturity in a man in his twenties, Archimonde could only describe it as terrifying.


    In such a circumstance, he could not say much more, because Rocky¡¯s behavior convinced him that Rocky¡¯s decision to capture Zuluo was definitely not a hasty move. To say he need not worry might be an exaggeration, but it certainly was not something he could interfere with, and so he left afterwards.


    No sooner had he left than another person arrived¡ªit was Athena.


    ¡°Been waiting anxiously?¡±


    When Athena appeared, Rocky just smiled at her, as if he had been expecting her to come to see him. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In fact, this answer wasn¡¯t too hard to guess, given that the matter itself involved Athena, and besides, Athena¡¯s role by Rocky¡¯s side was essentially that of an adviser. Therefore, after Zuluo was captured, it was both reasonable and natural for her to come to see Rocky.


    Athena was not surprised that Rocky had anticipated her visit; she simply said outright, ¡°The situation has gone beyond my expectations.¡±


    There was no apology, no other superfluous nonsense. Athena got straight to the point, and upon hearing this, Rocky was slightly taken aback. Are there really matters in this world that could go beyond Athena¡¯s expectations?


    ¡°Athena, tell me the truth, did you deliberately orchestrate this?¡±


    After giving Athena a look, Rocky then asked her seriously.


    This was the question he most wanted clarity on¡ªwhether the incident with Zuluo was deliberately orchestrated by Athena or not!

 Chapter 610 - 610 572 The Mastermind

    ?Chapter 610: Chapter 572: The Mastermind! Chapter 610: Chapter 572: The Mastermind! If it only involved Liliya, the matter with Zuluo would be simple, but it changed completely once Athena was added to the equation.


    Rocky had experienced Athena¡¯s formidability firsthand and knew just how inscrutable this woman could be. Thus, the one thing he wanted to know the most right now was whether the conflict between Liliya and the obstruction was intentionally caused by Athena!


    If so, then why did she do it!


    However, rather than getting angry at his question, Athena simply smiled and asked, ¡°Are you suggesting that Zuluo and I conspired together to deliberately entrap Liliya?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for a conspiracy; with your capabilities, you could have bought Zuluo without him even realizing it. I just want to know if you have anything to do with this matter?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be disappointed then, because this wasn¡¯t my doing.¡±


    Athena shook her head with a smile, confidently stating that indeed she had the ability to make Zuluo follow her plans without anyone noticing, but this time she truly had nothing to do with the incident. Then, without waiting for Rocky to speak, she immediately added, ¡°Not only did I not arrange this, it genuinely took me by surprise.¡±


    ¡°I know what Zuluo is like, but I never thought he would dare to do such a thing in my presence¡­¡±


    It was clear that Athena was quite confident in her own status, and it wasn¡¯t arrogance on her part. Despite lacking a background, her reputation alone warranted respect and fear from anyone who had heard of her, not to mention daring to lay hands on her. This was precisely what puzzled her.


    After expressing this thought, Athena frowned slightly, pausing to think briefly before continuing, ¡°Although Zuluo is extravagant and has a terrible character, and has acted outrageously, relying on his father¡¯s power, to my knowledge he isn¡¯t a fool. He has been assisting his father in managing Sky City for quite some time, so even if he doesn¡¯t care about Liliya¡¯s identity, he should still know the consequences of provoking me.¡±


    ¡°But he still went through with it¡­¡±


    ¡°My lord, it seems that someone has begun to target you.¡±


    At this point, Athena turned to look at Rocky.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky also furrowed his brows and upon further reflection, he realized that this analysis made some sense!


    He had initially thought this matter was simply trouble stirred up by a brash young noble and hadn¡¯t thought too deeply about it, but after Athena¡¯s explanation, he sensed something was amiss.


    Just as Athena mentioned, Zuluo might be frivolous and have a nasty character¡ªeven accustomed to misusing his father¡¯s influence for wrongdoing¡ªbut that didn¡¯t mean he was a fool!


    Perhaps to the layperson, Rocky¡¯s power was incomparable to that of Heavenly Ancestor City and the Heavenly Ancestor Church, but was that really the case?


    Let¡¯s not forget that Rocky is after all a member of the Sky Alliance, and not just a member, but a core one at that. So even if Zuluo¡¯s father, Rick, wanted to act against him, he would have to consider whether the Sky Alliance agrees. And to say nothing further, just look at the current situation of Backhill Village, with Sirius City guarding it, along with Rocky¡¯s own Thunderhawk City and Carltos City¡ªis it so easy to confront them?


    Moreover, even without considering the Sky Alliance, is Rocky himself so easily bullied? If anyone truly believes so, they only need to look at the current plight of the Mairente Family!


    The Mairente Family once thought Rocky was easy to bully, and what was their eventual fate if not a cautionary tale?


    The more he thought about it, the more Rocky felt that Athena¡¯s words made sense; this matter seemed not to be as straightforward as it appeared. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So the question arose, if Zuluo¡¯s actions today were orchestrated by someone, or if there was someone pulling strings from behind, then who might that person be, and what would be their purpose.


    After Athena¡¯s reminder, Rocky immediately thought of many questions, yet these questions had no answers because, as far as he knew, he no longer had any enemies!


    Before, he indeed had many enemies, such as the Mairente Family and Wild Horse City, but following a major battle between the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, his greatest enemy, the Mairente Family, had suffered a devastating blow, and Wild Horse City no longer dared to show itself within his line of sight¡ªhe had long been without enemies!


    ¡°Athena, who do you think is behind this intrigue?¡±


    ¡°My lord, you should be asking which forces are behind the intrigue.¡±


    ¡°Forces?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Nodding, Athena went on to say, ¡°Given your current momentum, it¡¯s unlikely that anyone from the Independent Sky City would deliberately trouble you. After all, as a core member of the Alliance, any independent city that faces you is essentially facing the Sky Alliance. Thus, if there really is meddling in today¡¯s incident, it must be the work of certain forces.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, I believe what my lord should be thinking about is not the identity of the other party, but their motive.¡±


    ¡°Why would they target my lord, and what exactly is their goal? Are they seeking to provoke a war between Thunderhawk City and Heavenly Ancestor City, or do they have other objectives, and why now?¡±


    Indeed, Athena was clever! She quickly helped Rocky identify the current priorities, and upon reflection, he could see that she was completely correct.


    Who was targeting Rocky was perhaps an important question, but ultimately unanswerable at the moment due to a total lack of clues.


    It made no sense to ponder an unanswerable question, no matter its importance, as this was merely a waste of time. Their immediate task was to clarify the questions for which answers could be found and, using those answers, to seek out the true mastermind.


    So, just as Athena had said, Rocky should consider why he was being targeted¡ªand why now.


    This aspect was particularly crucial in Athena¡¯s eyes because, as Rocky himself had thought, ever since the war between the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire had ended, all his enemies had been wiped out. Half a year had passed since the end of the war, and although Rocky hadn¡¯t been idle during this period, he was primarily occupied with his own affairs. This made it key to understand why those who would oppose him were taking action now, rather than right after the war, or three months ago.


    Why precisely now!


    And with Athena¡¯s insight, Rocky came to an epiphany after a brief moment of thought. When he turned his head, he saw Athena looking at him as well, and the faint smile in her eyes suggested she had already figured it out!

 Chapter 611 - 611 573 Disaster of Extinction

    ?Chapter 611: Chapter 573: Disaster of Extinction! Chapter 611: Chapter 573: Disaster of Extinction! ¡°`


    With Athena¡¯s reminder, Rocky gradually realized that Zuluo¡¯s situation was not simple. It was very likely that he was being used or had conspired with someone to deliberately set a trap and frame him.


    At the same time, Athena mentioned a crucial question: Why now?


    If Zuluo¡¯s situation was intentionally arranged by someone, why did the other party choose this particular time to take action?


    This question immediately alerted Rocky, and he thought of something.


    Armor and Technology!


    At this point in time, the Thunderhawk City¡¯s armament factory had just been completed, and the R&D team had also just been assembled. Both events occurred almost simultaneously, and these two matters held significant meaning for both Rocky and the outside world.


    The establishment of the armament factory and the R&D team for Rocky didn¡¯t need lengthy explanation. What¡¯s important is that these two things also sent a signal to the outside world, indicating that Rocky intended to make a move!


    Calculating the time, Aniye announced the new technology in the Eternal City back in 117, which was two years ago. Since then, in the following two years, apart from the White Demon Armor becoming increasingly known worldwide, Aniye and the others had not disclosed any information about new technologies.


    But this did not mean that the world had forgotten about it. In fact, as Rocky and the White Demon Armor became more renowned, the world grew increasingly interested in Aniye and their new technology. Thus, with Rocky¡¯s collaboration with the Apple Tree Corporation, establishing the armament factory, and then setting up his own R&D team, this series of deliberate or unintended actions was actually sending a strong signal to the outside world that after such a long silence, Aniye¡¯s new technology must be ready for practical application!


    It was likely this realization that made someone focus on Rocky, leading to today¡¯s incident!


    In other words, the events of today seemed nebulous and confusing, but the root cause still lay in Rune Technology!


    At this point, someone might ask, wasn¡¯t Rocky planning to announce the existence of runes to the public once he achieved a breakthrough in rune research? If so, even if someone coveted Aniye¡¯s research, they just needed to wait patiently. Rocky would naturally disclose it.


    This idea might seem right, but don¡¯t forget, the decision to announce runes was only known to Rocky and Aniye; outsiders did not know that he intended to disclose this technology!


    So in the eyes of others, Rocky¡¯s recent actions signaled that he was already preparing to apply the technology he mastered into practice, and considering the past performance of the White Demon Armor, it was evident that once his technology entered the practical stage, it would inevitably cause a huge impact on the entire Armor Domain, possibly leading to significant changes!


    In such circumstances, some people would definitely be unable to remain still, and more people would covet Rocky¡¯s technology, which led to today¡¯s events.


    With Athena¡¯s reminder, Rocky quickly figured everything out, then gradually furrowed his brow.


    ¡°Athena, could anyone still dare provoke the Sky Alliance?¡±


    Although he had figured everything out, Rocky was still somewhat puzzled. Even if someone coveted the technology he mastered, don¡¯t forget, all he mastered was partly owned by the Sky Alliance as well! How did he join the Alliance initially? Wasn¡¯t it because of the Rune Technology he claimed to master? So once rune research succeeded, this technology would be shared with the Sky Alliance.


    What did this mean?


    It meant that if someone wanted to steal Rocky¡¯s technology, it was equivalent to stealing the Sky Alliance¡¯s technology, which was undoubtedly provoking the Sky Alliance!


    To Rocky, this seemed somewhat unreasonable because the just-concluded great war had already demonstrated the Sky Alliance¡¯s unfathomable strength. Especially after the war, the punishment of the Rebel Army members showcased the Alliance¡¯s ruthlessness and skills. In such a situation, could anyone still dare challenge the Alliance?


    Honestly, Rocky couldn¡¯t quite believe it. He didn¡¯t think that in the aftermath of the last great war, there would be anyone still daring enough to do something like that, equating it to a death wish.


    As soon as he asked this, Athena laughed and gave an answer that far exceeded his expectations!


    ¡°Lord, in this matter¡­ the Sky Alliance may not be uninvolved¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After Athena finished speaking, Rocky was immediately stunned. He widened his eyes and looked at Athena, slightly opening his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but he was so shocked that not a single word came out.


    Was the Sky Alliance involved in this matter?


    How was that possible?


    ¡°Lord, do you think, in the eyes of the Alliance, who can guarantee that you would one hundred percent hand over the technology in your possession to them?¡±


    While Rocky was stunned, Athena¡¯s words pulled his mind back, and hearing these words, his heart sank because Athena had touched on the most critical point!


    Who could guarantee that Rocky would hand over everything he possessed to the Sky Alliance?


    Could the Alliance guarantee that, based on a contract signed before?


    Don¡¯t be foolish; in the face of enormous interests, a contract wasn¡¯t worth the paper it was written on.


    In fact, forget about the Sky Alliance not being able to guarantee it; even Rocky himself couldn¡¯t guarantee it because, according to his original plan, he never intended to share all rune-related technologies with the Sky Alliance!


    According to his plan, when the time was right, he would only publicly disclose the existence of the First Level Runes, and he would never reveal the higher-level runes. Regarding the Sky Alliance, he might share more, but at most, he would share the content from Wensel¡¯s notes. As for the new results painstakingly researched by Aniye and others in recent years, he would absolutely not share with anyone. Those would be his fundamental support in this world and must never be shared.


    This was Rocky¡¯s original plan, so if the Sky Alliance had concerns about him going back on his word, it would be perfectly reasonable because from the start, Rocky never intended to share everything with them.


    This thought of his, Athena had evidently seen through long ago, but that wasn¡¯t crucial. After all, Athena foresaw many things, and this didn¡¯t matter much. The truly important question was whether the Sky Alliance had figured out Rocky¡¯s intentions!?


    If the Sky Alliance had also seen through his tricks, then¡­


    Catastrophe!


    At this thought, four words suddenly surfaced in Rocky¡¯s mind: Catastrophe!


    ¡°`

 Chapter 612 - 612 574 Not So Easy

    ?Chapter 612: Chapter 574 Not So Easy Chapter 612: Chapter 574 Not So Easy Athena¡¯s words left Rocky agape in shock!


    Could there be a part in this matter that involved the Sky Alliance?


    If that was indeed the case, it would be a huge problem!


    Therefore, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at Athena, staring at her for a long time before he reluctantly asked, ¡°Athena, if it really is so¡­ what do you think I should do?¡±


    The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became, and Rocky had to begin seeking Athena¡¯s opinion, because his conscience was not clear! He was very aware that he had never intended to share all the secrets of the Runes with the Sky Alliance, so naturally he worried about the possibility of the Alliance acting against him once they realized this.


    ¡°My lord, there is no need to be so anxious.¡±


    However, faced with his concerns, Athena instead became less urgent.


    It had been her who had pointed out the potential troubles Rocky could face, yet when he became aware of his predicament, she was the one who became calm and collected, saying soon after, ¡°All that we have been discussing are mere speculations, and I cannot rashly draw conclusions. Maybe we are just overthinking it? So why not wait for the situation to continue unfolding before we make a decision? It won¡¯t be too late then.¡±


    ¡°Wait for the situation to continue unfolding?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky was momentarily stunned, as this answer was far from what he had expected!


    Indeed, all that they had spoken and considered were conjectures, or rather haphazard guesses. Perhaps as Athena had suggested, it was possible they were overthinking things, and Zuluo¡¯s matter was merely another extravagant escapade by a thoughtless scion.


    But what if that wasn¡¯t the case?


    Even if there was only a one percent chance that someone was secretly causing trouble behind the scenes, Rocky couldn¡¯t afford the cost!


    Having been a City Lord for so many years, Rocky had become very mature; he knew very well what he could handle and what was outright beyond his capabilities.


    This was why he had always been extremely cautious with anything concerning Rune technology, as any matter it sparked was not something he, a mere City Lord, could bear.


    In such a situation, how could he wait?


    ¡°My lord, let¡¯s focus on the present first.¡±


    Perhaps seeing the urgency in Rocky, and without waiting for him to speak, Athena took the initiative and said, ¡°My lord, let us first assume that someone is plotting behind the scenes, and their goal is the technology you possess. In that case, I believe our pressing priority is to ensure they don¡¯t succeed easily. This is the most crucial point.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky glanced at Athena and found her as calm and composed as usual, as if she were above the fray. Yet, the words she spoke held much wisdom; regardless of whether someone was plotting behind the scenes, Rocky knew that his immediate priority was to safeguard the Rune Technology he possessed.


    He couldn¡¯t forget about Zuluo either. Regardless of whether the conflict instigated by Zuluo that day was part of a deeper conspiracy, the fact that Rocky had captured him meant that he had now made an enemy of the forces represented by Heavenly Ancestor City ¨C a matter that also demanded his attention.


    Consequently, after this, Rocky went straight back to the research institute and met with Aniye and the others.


    Due to Zuluo¡¯s capture, the ball had ended early, so when Rocky arrived at the research institute, none of Aniye and his colleagues had gone to bed; they had all been gathered together.


    After calling Aniye and three others to him, Rocky recounted the day¡¯s events and shared his and Athena¡¯s speculations. He didn¡¯t need to hide anything from Aniye, Orton, and the other two ¨C on the contrary, he needed their help in figuring things out.


    After listening to everything he said, all four of them lapsed into silence until, after a while, Aniye was the first to speak.


    ¡°Athena really is clever,¡± he said as he looked at Rocky. ¡°The girl¡¯s got it right, the best thing to do now is to wait and watch.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Aniye said, finishing his thought, as Pelaya nodded in agreement. ¡°If we get too paranoid at this juncture, it¡¯ll be like throwing ourselves into disarray, which could give those with ill intentions the perfect opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, all this talk is beyond me, but I can¡¯t manage others¡¯ affairs anyway. We can always take care of our own business,¡± Orton interjected, puffing himself up with indignation. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Speaking out, he had a defiant look on his face:


    ¡°I can¡¯t make heads or tails of whether someone is sabotaging us from behind, but no one is going to steal Rune Technology from us old-timers. We may be aged, but we¡¯re not useless yet!¡±


    As he spoke, he swung his fist angrily, and with each motion, waves of Magic Power emerged, oscillating in the air in sync with his fist. At the same time, Hammerfire nodded vigorously on the side, showing a similarly huffed expression.


    Clearly, even if they weren¡¯t adept at sly machinations, Orton and Hammerfire would never stand for someone trying to steal their research results. After all, their findings were the culmination of years of arduous research ¨C possibly their last and greatest advancements given their age. How could they simply allow someone to filch their hard-won efforts?


    More importantly, Orton and his colleagues had the credentials to back up their words. Their status as academic masters notwithstanding, all except for Hammerfire were archmages, rare in this day and age. As a Dwarf, Hammerfire might not be versed in Magic, but he was in the prime of his long Dwarven life; swinging his hammer wasn¡¯t something just anyone could withstand, so pilfering research right under their noses wouldn¡¯t be an easy task.


    Moreover, Orton and the others weren¡¯t fools. They were well aware of the Rune¡¯s secrecy before Rocky made it public. Although a research team had been formed and a development group established, the core aspects of Rune, especially the parts they had developed in recent years, remained securely in the hands of the four of them and Rocky ¨C inaccessible to outsiders.


    Hearing the group¡¯s assurances, Rocky¡¯s mind was put at ease. His biggest fear was the technology being stolen because as long as he held the Rune Technology, there would be a way out for him, even if he ended up at odds with the Sky Alliance. But losing it would mean losing everything he had. Thankfully, for now, the Rune Technology seemed safe, and after his warning, Aniye, Orton, and the others would be even more cautious ¨C a comfort to Rocky.


    With that matter resolved, Rocky returned to his City Lord¡¯s Mansion, where he spent the entire night organizing his thoughts.

 Chapter 613 - 613 575 Wait and See

    ?Chapter 613: Chapter 575: Wait and See Chapter 613: Chapter 575: Wait and See After confirming the safety of the rune technology with Aniye and others, Rocky returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and spent the entire night thinking about what he should do next.


    However, despite racking his brain, he had to admit that Athena and Aniye were right; for now, he could only stay alert, but it was really hard to take any action, as he still had no clue about the whole affair and even doubted whether he was being overly suspicious.


    In such a situation, all he could do was to respond to changes with constancy.


    Once he had this idea clear, Rocky knew what he needed to do next.


    The next day, as if nothing had happened, he continued to entertain clients who came to observe the armor, while he also threw Zuluo into prison.


    Rocky opted for the simplest and most brute method possible to deal with Zuluo; he simply ignored him.


    Given that he had to wait for the situation to develop anyway, Rocky decided not to concern himself with Zuluo. After all, if someone truly wanted to plot against him, Zuluo was definitely either a pawn or a bait in their scheme. Eventually, something about this matter with Zuluo was bound to change, so Rocky decided to lock him up and observe how things unfolded.


    Indeed, the development of events relating to Zuluo was much faster than he had anticipated. The very next day, Zuluo¡¯s steward came to demand his release, which wasn¡¯t surprising, since Zuluo was no minor character and he had quite a number of people following him. Therefore, seeing their master arrested, it was natural for these followers to react.


    But Rocky didn¡¯t entertain these people at all and simply drove them out of his territory. Of course, he did this deliberately, for he wanted to see to what extent those who might have been meddling in the shadows would exploit the situation.


    However, it was difficult to see results in just a day or two. Transportation wasn¡¯t convenient in the Sky City, and after being expelled from Thunderhawk City, even if Zuluo¡¯s subordinates returned to Heavenly Ancestor City, it would take them roughly ten to fifteen days, and maybe even a month for Heavenly Ancestor City to respond. During this time, Rocky planned to resolve all the matters at hand.


    To him, the most important thing right now was to finalize the clients brought by Apple Tree Corporation.


    Although the current situation felt like the calm before the storm, life still had to go on, especially for these clients, who were crucial for Rocky and Apple Tree Corporation. These clients were directly related to whether their first batch of orders would be secured following their cooperation. Therefore, even if a major crisis occurred, he had to attend to these people first.


    It must be admitted that Zuluo¡¯s arrest did indeed affect the other clients somewhat. The most direct response was that a group of people left the next day. Clearly, these people either disapproved of Rocky¡¯s actions or felt that since Rocky had provoked Heavenly Ancestor City, they did not want to get involved. In any case, they left quickly.


    Fortunately, while some people left, others stayed, and those who departed were only a small portion. Most of the clients chose to continue staying in Thunderhawk City, which allowed Rocky and Archimonde to proceed with the original plan.


    Another couple of days later, the two brought all the clients to the testing field to reveal the true capability of the Tank Armor Model 2.


    The so-called testing field was an area Rocky had specifically demarcated within the city after the establishment of the research team and the commencement of the armory. As research and manufacturing took shape, a large number of new armors would be designed and produced, and naturally, these armors could not always be tested in research institutions or barracks. Therefore, Rocky deliberately sectioned off a large area to be used specifically for testing new armors.


    After bringing the clients to the testing field, the upgraded Tank Armor Model 2 was officially revealed.


    This time, driving the armor and demonstrating it to the audience was no longer Rocky¡¯s job; Caryus and Raphael were more than capable of showcasing the full capabilities of the new Tank Armor.


    In fact, this was indeed the case. Under their skilled operation, the Tank Armor Model 2 immediately captured everyone¡¯s attention upon its debut. The upgraded version indeed had significantly improved in various aspects, whether it was mobility or weapon efficiency, it impressed everyone.


    As a result, once the demonstration ended, the faces of the clients immediately showed contentment, clearly indicating that the performance of Tank Armor Model 2 had generated a strong desire to purchase.


    Watching the expressions on the clients¡¯ faces, both Archimonde and Rocky breathed a sigh of relief, particularly Archimonde.


    The corporation had heavily promoted the Tank Armor Model 2 to attract these clients, but in reality, the Tank Armor Model 2 hadn¡¯t even been completed at that time. Under such circumstances, Archimonde didn¡¯t know what the real capabilities of the Tank Armor Model 2 would be, nor what kind of performance it would deliver, which had kept him quite anxious.


    This anxiety had been exacerbated when Rocky arrested Zuluo two days earlier, causing a group of clients to leave prematurely, intensifying Archimonde¡¯s worry that this event might be botched.


    But luckily, Rocky had not disappointed the corporation. Although there were a few minor setbacks along the way, the final result ultimately reassured Archimonde. After spending a lifetime in business, he knew just by looking at the client¡¯s eyes that this deal was a success!


    Indeed, the development of events matched his expectations; following the demonstration of the Tank Armor Model 2, he quickly began signing orders for the armor model with the clients!


    The first to approach Archimonde was a representative from Xingmin City, a large Sky City that controlled a vast forest territory on the land, so they had a large number of troops stationed on the ground, which brought about great impact due to the frequent appearance of demons. The heavy losses suffered by Xingmin City¡¯s ground troops made it imperative for them to have a powerful armor for ground combat to turn the tide, and naturally, the Tank Armor Model 2 became their top choice.


    So, the next day after the demonstration, a representative from Xingmin City signed an order with Archimonde, reserving fifty units of Tank Armor Model 2 in one go!


    Fifty units!


    The Apple Tree Corporation had priced each Tank Armor Model 2 at forty thousand gold coins, so an order for fifty units amounted to an income of two million gold coins!


    Rocky had always known that selling armor was profitable, but he had not expected it to be so lucrative; just one order brought in a revenue of two million gold coins. Even after subtracting manufacturing costs and splitting the earnings with Apple Tree Corporation, he still stood to make an income of six to seven hundred thousand gold coins!


    And let¡¯s not forget, this was just the income from one order! S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 614 - 614 576 Huge Profits

    ?Chapter 614: Chapter 576: Huge Profits! Chapter 614: Chapter 576: Huge Profits! According to the pricing of the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, the selling price for the Tank Model 2 was forty thousand gold coins each, which shows that the Apple Tree Corporation was selling these based on the standards of the Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armor.


    However, this pricing, in Rocky¡¯s view, was not only not low but rather quite high because strictly speaking, even after improvements, the Tank Model 2 had only just reached the ordinary level of Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armor. Furthermore, due to its limited technology content and low production cost among other factors, the cost of producing this Armor was actually very low. Therefore, buying one for forty thousand gold coins was, in fact, expensive.


    Under such a pricing scheme, merely one order from Xingmin City amounted to a revenue of two million gold coins. Even after deducting costs and sharing profits with the Apple Tree Corporation, Rocky could still make a profit of six to seven hundred thousand gold coins from this order!


    This kind of exorbitant profit was something he had never seen before.


    Although Thunderhawk City now had its own industries, neither the traditional textile nor the leather manufacturing industry could be described as generating exorbitant profits, let alone earning six to seven hundred thousand gold coins from a single order, or even reaching this amount in total quarterly income, unless luxury sales also took shape.


    More importantly, this was just the profit from one order. In fact, once the demonstration of the Tank Model 2 Armor ended, there were more customers who signed orders with Archimonde than just Xingmin City.


    The final number of customers who decided to purchase the Tank Model 2 Armor was around six or seven, including the Co-Governing Alliance, which Rocky and Archimonde valued most. And the Co-Governing Alliance did not disappoint them, as they made a purchase of two hundred Tank Model 2 Armors with a sweep of the pen!


    Two hundred units!


    That was a sales revenue of eight million gold coins!


    And if all the orders were added together, then the total number of Armors Rocky had sold amounted to four hundred units, with a staggering sales revenue of sixteen million gold coins!


    So when Rocky finally saw this figure, he was utterly stunned.


    Having been City Lord for so long, he was quite experienced. He had seen revenues of more than ten million gold coins before, but the last time he had garnered such great profits dated back to the time the Sky Alliance fought against the Kafka Empire, when he, Karina, and Berg successively vanquished two small sky cities, only managing to earn about ten million altogether.


    With such experiences, Rocky knew all too well how difficult it was to achieve such substantial profits during wartime unless a city-devastating battle was waged; merely skirmishing at small scales would never suffice.


    This truly was a killing profite¡­


    Looking at the order list handed to him by Aileen, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he should consider switching to business, perhaps that would lead to even better development.


    He then put down the order list and turned to Aileen, ¡°Aileen, how much deposit have we received?¡±


    Signing orders did not mean that the deal was done. After all, Thunderhawk City¡¯s Armory had yet to deliver, so the sixteen million gold coins of sales revenue were not yet in hand. However, though the total amount was not yet received, all the forces that had signed orders had paid a portion of the deposit, and this money was already in hand.


    ¡°My lord, the deposits from all orders combined amount to five million three hundred thousand, and they have all been credited to our account now.¡±


    According to the regulations of the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, all buyers who signed the orders were required to pay one-third of the total merchandise fee as a deposit. The greater the sales volume, the larger the received deposit, so this time, just the deposit alone exceeded five million!


    This figure made Rocky breathe a sigh of relief, for good days for Thunderhawk City were here again!


    However, while he was relieved, he seemed to think of something and immediately asked, ¡°What did Archimonde say?¡±


    ¡°My lord, Lord Archimonde has told me that the entire deposit is handed over to us for the production of Armors. We will calculate the total profit once the orders are fulfilled.¡±


    ¡°True to a major Chamber of Commerce, they have the guts.¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but give a mental thumbs up. The Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, a juggernaut in the warship field, truly had ambitions as large as their spirit. Over five million gold coins, just like that, handed over to them!


    What did this represent?


    It meant that this money was now Rocky¡¯s!


    Theoretically, this deposit should all be spent on manufacturing the Tank Model 2 Armor, but since the manufacturing cost of each Armor at Thunderhawk City Armory was about ten thousand gold coins, the five million gold coins from the deposit would be sufficient to produce all four hundred units of Armor, leaving the rest as Rocky¡¯s profit.


    Moreover, remember that producing Armors took time. The four hundred units were not from a single order, so as production continued, the orders would gradually be fulfilled one after the other, leading to a continuous flow back of funds. Thus, not only would the money not decrease, it would increase even more.


    For example, once Thunderhawk City manufactured fifty Tank Model 2 Armors, Xingmin City¡¯s order would be fulfilled. Once delivered, Xingmin City would then pay the remainder of the payment, and that would mean more money for Rocky.


    In other words, he essentially had an endless supply of money now! S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So after that, Rocky nodded, and after pondering for a moment, said, ¡°Take half of this deposit to purchase the raw materials needed by the armory and start the production immediately. We cannot afford any delay for any reason. This is our first batch of orders, and there must be no errors or mishaps.¡±


    Even though the money was in hand, Rocky would not become complacent. With more than a million gold coins pocketed, it meant he had to ensure that all orders were flawlessly fulfilled.


    Of course, he wasn¡¯t going to keep all the money in the vault. The money that should be ¡®reallocated¡¯ still needed to be ¡®reallocated.¡¯ Thus, he added,


    ¡°Take another million and give it to Orton as their research funding, and you handle the rest.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    With her affirmation, Aileen left Rocky¡¯s study, and as soon as she was gone, Rocky immediately went to the research institute.


    With all the armory¡¯s orders secured, Rocky now had both money and time, so he planned to promptly complete the remaining research and development of the Thunderhawk Armor, striving to make it combat-ready as soon as possible.


    Rocky may not be a merchant, but as City Lord, he understood one principle very well: be prepared even in times of safety. This principle was useful in managing a city and equally applicable in business.


    So after the joyful tasks were completed, he had to start considering those worrisome matters.

 Chapter 615 - 615 577 Heavens Ultimatum

    ?Chapter 615: Chapter 577: Heaven¡¯s Ultimatum Chapter 615: Chapter 577: Heaven¡¯s Ultimatum Always expect the unexpected; such was a quality every City Lord must possess, and Rocky certainly demonstrated this quality.


    With the signing of the first batch of orders, the first salvo in his collaboration with the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce had been fired, and it was a resounding success. The results not only satisfied both parties but also exceeded their expectations.


    However, this did not mean that Rocky could rest easy because the armory was facing a very real problem: the only Armor it could manufacture was the Tank Armor.


    Indeed, even though describing the Tank Armor¡¯s approach as pioneering would not be an exaggeration, its performance and technological content might not be the highest. Yet, its design and combat approach had long surpassed that of other Land Combat Armors by miles. Even so, relying solely on this Armor model for Rocky and the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce to establish a foothold in the Armor domain was absolutely impossible. After all, being a specialized piece of equipment for land combat inherently limited its sales volume.


    Therefore, Rocky needed to get the Thunderhawk Armor ready as soon as possible. In doing so, he would have two models of Armor to produce¡ªan amount that might still seem insufficient but, at the very least, could alleviate the pressing crisis.


    On the other hand, he was now facing even bigger troubles. Zuluo¡¯s matter appeared to be concluded, but in reality, it was far from over. It wouldn¡¯t be long before there were new developments, developments that could far exceed Rocky¡¯s expectations.


    As for this matter, his plan was to remain unchanged in response to this myriad of changes, but ¡®unchanged¡¯ did not mean sitting idly by and waiting for the situation to worsen. This ¡®unchanged¡¯ meant constantly making oneself stronger!


    Hence, Rocky naturally became restless. Luckily, receiving a sizable advance allowed him to go all out, so he soon plunged into the research institute, working day and night alongside Hammerfire¡¯s Armor design team to complete the Thunderhawk Armor.


    However, his actions ended up delaying some others¡¯ plans¡­


    ¡°How is the job going?¡±


    In a seemingly ordinary household within the district of Thunderhawk City, a person stood before a Magic Energy Image.


    Such high-tech items as a Magic Energy Image were naturally not something ordinary people could possess. Moreover, the equipment used here was a compact Magic Energy Projector, each costing at least several hundred thousand gold coins on the market ¡ª truly a high-tech product.


    Oddly, the Magic Energy Image projected by such an advanced projector was rather blurry, making it impossible to discern any specific features. Clearly, the other party had done this on purpose to avoid revealing their true identity.


    Amidst this vague Magic Energy Image, the person in the room was all solemn and respectful, ¡°Lord, Rocky has been in the research institute every single day recently; there has simply been no opportunity to strike¡­ Please give me more time.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this response, the Magic Energy Image gave a somber hmm¡ªone that frightened the man into immediately kneeling before the image!


    ¡°Lord, please give me more time. I will definitely get my hands on the core technology that Aniye and the others have developed!¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    The blurry image looked down at the figure kneeling before it, then nodded slightly, ¡°I know you¡¯ve tried your best.¡±


    After those words, the image continued, ¡°You don¡¯t need to panic. It won¡¯t be long before you have a perfect opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Lord, are you saying¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, the sweating figure lifted his head while still half-kneeling, seemingly a bit confused.


    ¡°In no time, Heavenly Ancestor City will dispatch troops to Thunderhawk City. By then, Rocky will be preoccupied with this matter. This will be your best chance. We must seize the technology he possesses before those others take action against him, understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Rest assured, my Lord!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    With a dispassionate hmm, the already vague Magic Energy Image grew even more so, gradually disappearing until it was gone completely. Only when the image had completely vanished did the person in the room stand up and then let out a sigh of relief as he sat down on the bed.


    ¡°Heavenly Ancestor City is coming, huh¡­¡±


    Sitting on the bed, the person pondered the words spoken by the Magic Energy Image: ¡°If Heavenly Ancestor City comes, it indeed might divert Rocky¡¯s attention. That would certainly be a good opportunity. However¡­¡±


    ¡°But from the Lord¡¯s words, it seems he intends to act before those others¡­ What is really going on here¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, no use thinking too much now. In any case, I still need to complete this mission as soon as possible; otherwise, I¡¯m done for.¡±


    After muttering a few words to himself, the man then lay down on the bed and soon fell asleep.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Time flew swiftly, and a week passed by in the blink of an eye. After working day and night for a week, and thanks also to the expansion of the research team, the entire design of the Thunderhawk Armor was finally completed!


    With the designing phase completed, the blueprints were immediately sent to the armory, followed by the manufacture of the first prototype Armor within two days, which was then sent to the testing ground.


    Almost at the same time, there was new news from Heavenly Ancestor City!


    Rocky received a notice from Heavenly Ancestor City. As the City Lord of Heavenly Ancestor City and the Sect Hierarch of the Heavenly Ancestor Church, Rick, Zuluo¡¯s father, demanded that Rocky immediately release Zuluo and compensate for his actions. The specific terms of restitution were even laid out. Should Rocky dare to refuse, he, his Thunderhawk City, Carltos City, and even Backhill Village, would inevitably suffer the wrath of heaven!


    Upon seeing the ultimatum from Rick, Rocky chuckled. Rick really did have a bit of the Sect Hierarch¡¯s flair¡ªhis tone was distinctly different from others. Where others spoke of war straightforwardly, Rick spoke of the ¡®wrath of heaven.¡¯ Such phrasing did indeed amuse Rocky.


    Of course, what truly caught Rocky¡¯s attention in the ultimatum was not Rick¡¯s phrasing, nor even his demanding attitude regarding his son or the threat of war against Rocky. What captured Rocky¡¯s attention was the compensation demand!


    Superficially, Rick¡¯s tone was stern, hinting at a readiness to commence hostilities at the slightest provocation. But actually, since he had stipulated a demand for restitution, it indicated he was not keen on precipitating a war over such a trivial matter.


    But was that really the case? S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course not!


    For clearly written in Rick¡¯s terms of compensation was the demand that Rocky hand over the White Demon Armor and all technology associated with the Armor!

 Chapter 616 - 616 578 Becoming Stronger

    ?Chapter 616: Chapter 578: Becoming Stronger Chapter 616: Chapter 578: Becoming Stronger After tossing aside the ultimatum from Rick, Rocky turned to Athena.


    ¡°What do you think Rick is trying to achieve? Does he really intend to wage war against us?¡±


    Rocky naturally could not take Rick¡¯s message lightly; after all, the man was the lord of a city and the head of a sect. Moreover, Rocky¡¯s own son was being held captive in his hands, making it impossible for Rocky to take Rick¡¯s attitude lightly.


    At the same time, he was even more concerned about something else, that is, whether he could find other clues from Rick¡¯s actions to prove whether someone was orchestrating it all behind the scenes.


    In fact, as far as Rocky was concerned, the clues were already quite clear, since the conditions set forth by Rick explicitly demanded the handover of the White Demon Armor and all related technology, a demand that could be described as blatantly obvious.


    Nevertheless, to be safe, he had still called Athena over, as clearly she was best suited to handle this sort of matter.


    Glancing at the ultimatum set aside, Athena turned to Rocky, ¡°My lord, from this point alone we cannot jump to conclusions.¡±


    ¡°Not yet?¡±


    ¡°Yes, not yet.¡± Athena nodded and then explained, ¡°Rick, as the lord of a large Sky City, must have long heard about the power of the White Demon Armor. It wouldn¡¯t be impossible for him to try to extort a hefty sum from us through this incident, so just based on this, it¡¯s hard to be certain of anything.¡±


    ¡°However, my lord can be reassured that no matter whether someone is behind this or not, as long as we have Zuluo in our hands, Rick would not possibly wage real war against us. I believe he will most likely try to intimidate us, partly to protect his son, but also to make us compensate according to his demands, and it is then that we may be able to get to the bottom of this.¡±


    ¡°Intimidation¡­¡±


    At the word, Rocky furrowed his brow. It was an easy word to understand¡ªin ordinary terms, waving a fist could qualify as intimidation, and between cities, intimidation often meant a military threat. Did this mean that the troops of Heavenly Ancestor City were coming?


    With this thought, his frown deepened, and after pondering intently for a long while, he finally looked up at Athena.


    ¡°Are you suggesting we test Sky Alliance¡¯s reaction based on how Heavenly Ancestor City responds?¡±


    ¡°You are wise, my lord.¡±


    Athena smiled slightly and nodded; that indeed was her meaning!


    During their last conversation, Athena had raised the possibility that someone coveted the technology under Rocky¡¯s control and had planned to do whatever it took to claim it as their own. If the Sky Alliance was also involved, then Rocky would be in serious trouble.


    By making use of Heavenly Ancestor City¡¯s aggression, they could rightly probe the Alliance¡¯s reaction to make a more accurate judgment.


    If the Sky Alliance was not involved in this, then Rocky still had a reliable backing. As long as that support remained, he could overcome any hardship.


    But if the Sky Alliance was part of this, then Rocky would have to plan for the long term. He would then be completely on his own, and it would become a great concern whether he could keep the Rune Technology in his hands, let alone continue to survive in this world!


    Thus, understanding the Alliance¡¯s stance had become of utmost importance.


    ¡°Very well¡­¡±


    After listening to Athena¡¯s explanation, Rocky nodded, and with a wave of his hand, dismissed her.


    Once Athena had left, he sat alone deep in thought for a long time before finally rising and heading to the testing ground.


    Although everything remained shrouded in half-secrecy, he developed a strong premonition that compelled him to start considering what he should do if the worst-case scenario were to occur.


    In fact, this method was quite simple: he endeavored to make himself stronger in the fastest time possible!


    As long as he became more powerful, others would not dare to bully him, and once his strength reached a certain level, surpassing a critical point, then not to mention Heavenly Ancestor City, even the Sky Alliance would definitely not dare to act rashly against him.


    Sure, this might be nearly impossible for most people, but Rocky was different, he had the conditions to make it happen!


    Even though Rocky¡¯s power was still weak compared to other enormous creatures in the sky, he possessed the most cutting-edge technology of the age and had secured substantial funds after launching his armor business. With these two critical conditions met, what others couldn¡¯t achieve, he could!


    And the first thing he needed to do was to immediately complete the Thunderhawk Armor.


    The experimental Armor of Thunderhawk was already manufactured, just waiting to be tested further. In order to expedite the completion of this new model of armor that he had painstakingly designed, Rocky planned to personally participate in the testing, much like he did with the White Demon Armor before.


    So after arriving at the testing field, Rocky put on the experimental Armor and commenced a series of trials and tests.


    ¡°Rocky, start with the basic tests, don¡¯t rush, haste makes waste,¡±


    Standing before a myriad of instruments, Hammerfire communicated with Rocky through a communicator, noticing that Rocky had become increasingly eager in testing the armor. But some things simply couldn¡¯t be rushed, so he felt compelled to remind him.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    With that agreement, Rocky inside the armor took a deep breath to adjust his mindset, and then he said, ¡°Initiate armor startup.¡±


    After speaking, he methodically followed the procedures to start up the armor, and as the armor activated, the array of instruments in front of Hammerfire immediately responded.


    ¡°Magic Energy Conduction normal.¡±


    ¡°Armor operation normal.¡±


    ¡°Propulsion system normal.¡±


    ¡°Weapons system normal.¡±


    As a series of indicators appeared on the instruments, researchers observing the data reported one after the other, followed by Hammerfire contacting Rocky: ¡°Rocky, the armor¡¯s operation is normal, begin the test.¡± S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Having said that, Rocky activated the armor¡¯s propulsion system and slowly lifted off from the ground into the air.


    However, unlike the usual method of armor takeoff, the armor he was wearing did not rely on its own propulsion system to take off, but depended on external wings attached to his back to provide the thrust necessary to ascend.


    ¡°External wings output indicators normal.¡±


    As he slowly ascended into the sky, the instruments monitoring the external wings displayed a variety of indicators and data that demonstrated their performance to be remarkably stable.


    This was clearly a favorable outcome, and as this result was confirmed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, Rocky, already midair, began to gradually accelerate.


    But at that moment, just as Rocky continued to increase his flying speed and reached a certain rate, the instrument monitoring the external wings suddenly flashed red!

 Chapter 617 - 617 579 Perilous Situations

    ?Chapter 617: Chapter 579: Perilous Situations Chapter 617: Chapter 579: Perilous Situations At the beginning, all tests on the Thunderhawk Armor proceeded smoothly, especially the external flight wings it was equipped with. This accessory could significantly enhance the Armor¡¯s mana and provide ample power during flight.


    It had been said before that in all of the Armor¡¯s energy consumption, the mana required for flight made up the vast majority, even surpassing that of weapons and defensive systems. This is precisely where the external flight wings came into play, directing all their mana to assist with flight. This allowed the Armor to allocate more mana to its offensive and defensive capabilities.


    However, just as Rocky began to gradually increase the flight speed, intending to proceed with further tests, the external flight wings suddenly malfunctioned!


    The instrument tasked with monitoring the flight wings¡¯ data instantly lit up with a red light, which immediately caught Hammerfire¡¯s attention and caused him to rush over to the instrument.


    ¡°Mana overload? How could this happen!?¡±


    With Hammerfire¡¯s experience and capability, he glanced at the data displayed by the instrument and immediately identified the problem. Clearly, during acceleration, the external flight wings had somehow entered a state of mana overload.


    ¡°Team leader, the Armor¡¯s control system is also malfunctioning!¡±


    At the same time as the flight wings¡¯ issues arose, a nearby researcher also shouted out. Now, the entire Magic Energy Conduction System of the Armor was also experiencing problems.


    Clearly, the first issue had triggered the second one, and before a third issue had a chance to arise, Hammerfire quickly contacted Rocky, ¡°Rocky! Slow down immediately, terminate the test!¡±


    After all, it was Rocky who was operating the Thunderhawk Armor! If anything happened to him, everything would be over, so Hammerfire wasn¡¯t thinking about how to resolve the issue with the Armor. Instead, he was adamant about immediately halting the test.


    In fact, even without Hammerfire¡¯s warning, Rocky had already noticed the issue. As an experienced Void Magic Warrior who had withstood many battles, he could detect even the slightest problems with the Armor faster than the instruments could, and he had already sensed the abnormality with the Armor.


    This anomaly was far more severe than what the instruments indicated because as the external flight wings entered an overload state, the Armor¡¯s mana control system also started to malfunction. The consequence was that the flight wings¡¯ propulsion speed continued to increase uncontrollably!


    It was akin to a car that kept accelerating, but with broken brakes. Due to the uncontrollable flight wings, Rocky¡¯s spiraling flight got faster and faster. Of course, this wasn¡¯t the most critical issue; used to operating the White Demon Armor, Rocky could totally handle such speeds. The problem was that as the external flight wings¡¯ mana overload continued, the wings themselves became increasingly unstable, to the point of being on the verge of exploding at any moment!


    At this moment, Rocky¡¯s experience came into play. He quickly redirected his flight from a spiraling path to shoot straight upwards, ascending into the high skies. Then, as he reached a certain height, he immediately disconnected the external flight wings from the Armor, and his body began to plummet downwards, while the external flight wings continued to soar upwards. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After that, Rocky, who was falling, activated the flight system of the Armor, and then in midair, he adjusted his posture and speed as much as possible. He managed to land on the ground safely, but no sooner had he landed than a loud explosion sounded from above. Looking up, he could see a burst of flames high in the sky, which was clearly the result of the external wings exploding.


    Looking up at the burst of flames caused by the explosion of the external wings, everyone felt a wave of relief mixed with fear. Thankfully, Rocky¡¯s quick reaction and proper response saved him, because if he had kept the wings on, the Thunderhawk Armor would have definitely not withstood the explosion, and that would have been the end of Rocky¡­


    Once everyone regained their composure, they immediately rushed to Rocky¡¯s side to check on him, and fortunately, he was not injured.


    Even though Rocky was unhurt, the midair explosion of the external wings undoubtedly marked the test as a failure, revealing some significant flaws in the Thunderhawk Armor.


    However, to some extent, this was also a good thing, because the lessons of failure are conversely the experiences of success. After this harrowing test, everyone had a much clearer understanding of the many issues with the Thunderhawk Armor, so they immediately set to work making improvements. In no time at all, a second version of the Test Armor was created.


    But this time, when Rocky was ready to continue personally participating in the testing, everyone, including Liliya and Hammerfire, stopped him. There was no helping it, the last incident might not have injured Rocky, but it still left everyone on tenterhooks, so they refused to let him continue participating in the tests no matter what.


    Left with no choice, Rocky let Sandro take his place. Sandro not only had rich experience but also was the calmest one of all Rocky¡¯s Void Magic Warriors when facing situations. He was the most suitable candidate for testing the new version of the Thunderhawk Armor.


    This way, there was no need for Rocky to intervene too much in the testing of the Thunderhawk Armor. After all, with Sandro replacing him and Hammerfire around, and most importantly, with the experience from the previous failure, it was unlikely that the new version of the Thunderhawk Armor would face such severe problems again. This also conveniently gave him time to personally attend to another matter.


    The Moving Fortress!


    Since reaching an agreement with Karina, the Moving Fortress had become Rocky¡¯s property, and it was now being modernized under the direct supervision of Pelaya¡¯s team.


    As the only symbolic inheritance left by the Wanzhong Kingdom, the Moving Fortress was powerful and held tremendous potential, especially for Rocky, and for one reason alone, he possessed Runes!


    The biggest issue with the Moving Fortress, a product of a century ago, was that the technology it was equipped with was completely outdated. No, almost all the technology on it was obsolete by today¡¯s standards; the fortress might still be operational, but it had become a veritable antique.


    Under such circumstances, to endow the fortress with genuine combat capabilities, a comprehensive overhaul was necessary, especially in terms of the installed technology, which had to be not only updated but completely replaced with the latest Rune Technology. The reason was that this behemoth¡¯s consumption of Mana was akin to a bottomless pit. Even if it were to adopt the mainstream technology of today, the consumption would remain immense. Only Runes could truly satisfy its voracious appetite.


    Therefore, ever since the expansion of the R&D team, Pelaya had shifted her focus onto this project. After studying all the design schemes for the fortress, they started a complete overhaul, inside and out. Once completed, the fortress would transform into a true land monster, an entity even the Demons would fear!

 Chapter 618 - 618 580 Alliance Attitude

    ?Chapter 618: Chapter 580 Alliance Attitude Chapter 618: Chapter 580 Alliance Attitude The renovation of the Moving Fortress was going smoothly, especially after Rocky provided an additional one million in research funding; the transformation became even more seamless. Now, the only issue was time.


    This time, the overhaul of the Moving Fortress wasn¡¯t a trivial matter but a comprehensive upgrade from the inside out. First was the improvement of the fortress¡¯s systems, which belonged to the software category. Once the software was updated, the fortress¡¯s weapons would also be replaced. If possible, Aniye and the others hoped to upgrade the entire structure of the fortress to make it more suitable for current combat situations. Therefore, it was definitely a major project, not something that could be completed overnight.


    Fortunately, at this time, both Backhill Village and Sirius City were around, so defending against the harassment of demons wasn¡¯t a big issue. As long as there wasn¡¯t a massive attack by hundreds or thousands of demons, there wouldn¡¯t be a need for the Moving Fortress to go into battle, so there was time to complete this major project.


    In such circumstances, after Rocky inspected the progress of the fortress¡¯s renovation, he went to the armory to check on the production status of Tank Model 2. There was no helping it; as City Lord, he never had a moment¡¯s rest, with too many matters requiring his attention and inquiry.


    However, just as he was about to head to the armory, he suddenly received an emergency report and had to return to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion halfway there.


    ¡°A Sky City is approaching?¡±


    Back at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Rocky saw Felly who had been waiting for some time. He then learned from her that, according to the Reconnaissance Ship¡¯s report, an unknown Sky City had entered Skybreaker Peak¡¯s airspace and was heading towards Backhill Village!


    With Backhill Village¡¯s presence, Rocky had essentially taken control of the entire Skybreaker Peak region, which meant that from the sky down to the ground, the entire area was his territory. Anyone who had heard of him knew this, so logically, any Sky City entering this area would notify him in advance. There was no need to mention medium or small Sky Cities; even large ones did the same.


    But evidently, the Sky City Felly spoke of hadn¡¯t done so. After entering Skybreaker Peak¡¯s airspace, not only did they not notify Rocky, but they also appeared to be heading straight for Backhill Village from their direction of travel!


    Naturally, Felly didn¡¯t dare to take this matter lightly and immediately came to report. When Rocky heard the news, his first thought was of Heavenly Ancestor City.


    Calculating the time, it had been over half a month since he had captured Zuluo and kicked out all of Zuluo¡¯s people from Thunderhawk City. The expelled group had clearly returned to Heavenly Ancestor City by now, and as a result, Rick had also sent him an ultimatum. Although Rocky hadn¡¯t responded, it was evident that Rick was aware of the situation.


    So it was very likely that the unknown Sky City was sent by Rick.


    Only¡­ wasn¡¯t this a bit too fast?


    Rick had only sent the ultimatum a few days ago, and even if one started counting from the day the message was sent, the speed at which they arrived was too quick, wasn¡¯t it?


    Upon careful thought, Rocky understood the situation. If the approaching Sky City truly was sent by Rick, then he must have dispatched this Sky City before even issuing the ultimatum; otherwise, they couldn¡¯t have arrived so swiftly.


    Having realized this, he said to Felly, ¡°Tell all fleets to be ready for combat, prepared to strike at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After affirming, Felly immediately turned and left, and then Rocky looked towards Liliya, ¡°Notify Howling Sky to also be prepared.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°No, what I mean is, go to Sirius City personally to see Howling Sky¡¯s reaction.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Nodding, Liliya also turned and left. She naturally understood why Rocky wanted her to personally visit Sirius City; he clearly intended to use this opportunity to gauge Howling Sky¡¯s reaction, to put it bluntly, to assess the Sky Alliance¡¯s stance.


    ¡°It¡¯s finally coming¡­¡±


    And once Liliya had also left, Rocky closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his gaze was filled with a piercing sharpness!


    It was time to see who was stirring trouble in the shadows!


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    The Skybreaker Peak region was vast. One was considered to have entered its territory as soon as the towering peak reaching into the clouds came into view. However, since Rocky was located in Backhill Village right at the base of Skybreaker Peak, it would still take some time to reach there, especially at the pace of Sky City, which was considerably slow. From the moment they entered the region, it would take at least a whole day¡¯s time to arrive at Backhill Village.


    Compared to that, Sirius City was not far outside Backhill Village, so Liliya, who went to communicate with Howling Sky, quickly returned to Thunderhawk City, and she brought back good news!


    Howling Sky agreed to send troops!


    Hearing this news, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief because Howling Sky was not only the City Lord; he represented not just Sirius City. At least to Rocky, he signified the attitude of the Sky Alliance, and since he agreed to send troops, it indirectly represented the Alliance¡¯s stance.


    This attitude was crucial. It meant that even if there were those conspiring against Rocky in the shadows, the Alliance was not involved, which was very important.


    ¡°It seems that things haven¡¯t gotten to the worst case scenario.¡±


    After letting out a breath of relief, Rocky turned to Athena, ¡°Athena, what do you think¡­?¡±


    He had intended to ask Athena what they should do next because if the Alliance was on their side, they would have much more leeway to maneuver and could adopt a richer array of strategies. And not to mention, even if Rick¡¯s Heavenly Ancestor City was not acting under someone else¡¯s influence, Rocky wouldn¡¯t be afraid, as he had the backing of the Sky Alliance.


    But when he turned toward Athena, he saw her with furrowed brows, completely oblivious to his question.


    Such an expression was very rare on Athena¡¯s face.


    ¡°Athena?¡±


    Seeing that Athena did not respond, Rocky had no choice but to call her name again, finally bringing her back to reality.


    ¡°My Lord, if the Sky Alliance stands with us¡­¡±


    As Athena came back to her senses and looked at Rocky, she paused after half a sentence before continuing, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we can strike first.¡±


    ¡°A proactive strike?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we can¡­¡±


    As she spoke, Athena shared her thoughts. When she finished, not only was Rocky stunned, but everyone present was petrified.


    At that moment, everyone had the same thought: Was Athena¡¯s approach¡­ too extreme?


    Meanwhile, just as Rocky and others had settled their nerves to prepare a full offensive against Heavenly Ancestor City, Howling Sky in Sirius City received an emergency notification from the Alliance! S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Looking at the Alliance Ambassador within the city, Howling Sky¡¯s face showed two expressions, one of confusion and the other of difficulty, ¡°Are you certain this is the Alliance¡¯s intention?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the decision of the Elders¡¯ Council.¡±


    Just like Howling Sky, the face of the Alliance Ambassador responsible for conveying the message was filled with confusion and incomprehension, but still, he firmly stated, ¡°The Alliance hopes everything will be done by the rules. If Rocky wants support, he must pay sufficient Contribution Points; otherwise, Sirius City has no obligation to protect him¡­¡±

 Chapter 619 - 619 581 Affirmative Answer

    ?Chapter 619: Chapter 581: Affirmative Answer! Chapter 619: Chapter 581: Affirmative Answer! Upon confirming Howling Sky¡¯s commitment to send troops to help, Rocky began to arrange how to deal with the intrusion of this Sky City within his territory. Despite not knowing the identity of the other party and the reconnaissance ship sent to reach out having received no response, everyone, including Athena, believed without a doubt that the Sky City was sent by Rick, Zuluo¡¯s father.


    In response, Athena came up with a plan that would, once implemented, undoubtedly reveal whether Heavenly Ancestor City had any backers orchestrating events from behind the scenes.


    However, just as they were busily preparing, a sudden piece of news caused everyone to tense up: Howling Sky had reneged on their promise!


    ¡°Are you sure this is what Howling Sky said?¡±


    ¡°No, no, Lord Rocky, this is not the will of the Howling Sky City Lord; this is the decision of the Alliance¡­¡±


    Looking at the messenger sent from Sirius City, Rocky¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and his face naturally turned ashen, while the messenger from Sirius City continuously waved his hands, indicating that this was not the intention of Howling Sky, but rather a decision of the Sky Alliance.


    ¡°Lord Rocky, the Howling Sky City Lord also just received the order from the Alliance, so there was nothing he could do. Please have understanding, Lord Rocky¡­¡±


    Gazing up at Rocky seated in the City Lord¡¯s throne, the messenger spoke with difficulty, sweat running from his temples down his cheeks as he did.


    As a messenger, although he was not clear about the specifics of the situation and didn¡¯t understand the intricacies between the City Lords and the Alliance, he could distinctly feel Rocky¡¯s fury upon hearing the news!


    Fortunately, at that moment, Liliya and Athena were both beside him, and when Rocky¡¯s expression grew increasingly dark, they almost simultaneously placed their hands on his shoulders, which calmed Rocky enough to prevent him from unleashing his anger on a mere messenger. Soon after, he gestured for him to leave and immediately convened everyone to the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    ¡°Howling Sky backed out? Why!¡±


    When Monte and the others learned of Howling Sky¡¯s change of heart, they all showed surprised expressions. Hadn¡¯t Liliya just met with Howling Sky and received a positive response? How could Howling Sky have changed their mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s not Howling Sky that backed out, but the Alliance¡¯s decision.¡±


    Without needing Rocky to speak, Liliya repeated the messenger¡¯s words, ¡°According to the Alliance¡¯s terms, if we want to get help from Howling Sky, we can, but we must follow the rules of the Alliance.¡±


    ¡°The Alliance¡¯s rules¡­ We must hand over Contribution Points?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Having been a member of the Sky Alliance for quite some time and having requested military aid before, Monte and his companions instantly understood what the Alliance¡¯s rules entailed: naturally, it was about Contribution Points.


    As previously stated, the Sky Alliance had a complete system of Contribution Points that firmly tied the Alliance with its members, which included the dispatching of troops for reinforcements.


    As members, the Sky Alliance naturally had an obligation to protect, but this duty wasn¡¯t without cost, no, it should be said, it wasn¡¯t unlimited. Each member had the right, once a year, to request troops from the Alliance Army without charge, for both offense and defense. However, once this free right was exhausted, if one wished for the Alliance to send troops again, Contribution Points had to be paid.


    Clearly, the Alliance¡¯s intent in creating this regulation was to keep members continuously contributing to the Alliance, to firmly bind the members and the Alliance together. This in itself was not an issue¡ªin fact, when Rocky had previously requested military aid, he had used the same method.


    But now, with the Alliance suddenly reiterating this point, it certainly bore consideration.


    According to the rules, Rocky¡¯s previous act of contacting Howling Sky to send troops to fight against the enemies, indeed violated the Alliance¡¯s rules, because Sirius City¡¯s Howling Sky was dispatched by the Alliance to Backhill Village. It wasn¡¯t Rocky¡¯s private army, so how could he mobilize it at will?


    So the Alliance¡¯s response seemed reasonable.


    But don¡¯t forget, rules are dead while people are living! S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It¡¯s true that Sirius City and Howling Sky were sent by the Alliance to Backhill Village, but there was a personal relationship and friendship between the defender of Backhill Village, Howling Sky, and Rocky. In the event of a sudden attack, it wouldn¡¯t be too much to ask Howling Sky to send troops, Rocky did not believe that similar situations hadn¡¯t occurred within the vast Alliance.


    More importantly, how did the Sky Alliance get the message so quickly?


    From the time Rocky discovered an unknown Sky City entering his territory, to when he sent Liliya to contact Howling Sky, how much time had passed? Yet in such a short period, the Sky Alliance not only learned about the incident, but also swiftly issued commands. Their reaction speed was simply astonishing.


    What did that signify?


    Therefore, after this incident, everyone, including Rocky, turned their gaze in the same direction, towards Athena.


    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Athena had a notably different demeanor than before.


    Previously, when Liliya returned from Sirius City, bringing the news that Howling Sky agreed to dispatch troops, Athena¡¯s brow furrowed tightly, to the point where she did not even hear Rocky calling her.


    But now, when the envoy from Sirius City brought what could be considered the worst news, Athena¡¯s expression turned normal. She became the enigmatic woman who seemed to have everything under control.


    ¡°The Sky Alliance¡¯s intention is actually quite simple, they want us to make more contributions.¡±


    When everyone¡¯s eyes were on her, Athena began speaking slowly, ¡°Lord, we have only recently acquired the Moving Fortress and developed the new Thunderhawk Armor, and we¡¯ve even innovatively created the magic energy machine gun. However, all these achievements have no connection with the Sky Alliance, and I believe this makes the Alliance somewhat uneasy.¡±


    After Athena finished speaking, everyone immediately showed expressions of sudden realization.


    Isn¡¯t that so!


    As Athena mentioned, Rocky had indeed made significant gains recently. First, he acquired the Moving Fortress, the last legacy of the Wanzhong Kingdom, then developed the New Armor, and in the process, even casually built the world¡¯s first magic energy machine gun. However, none of these advancements were related to the Alliance, hence the Alliance¡¯s current stance¡ªto have Rocky share everything he controlled. And once he shared all that he controlled, wouldn¡¯t he then have Contribution Points? With Contribution Points, wouldn¡¯t it be justifiable to ask Sirius City to dispatch Alliance troops?


    This was the true intention of the Alliance!


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking¡­¡±


    However, while everyone else came to their realization, Rocky shook his head at Athena, because his concern wasn¡¯t that question¡ªhe was worried about whether the Alliance had targeted him specifically!


    And right after he finished speaking, Athena nodded¡­

 Chapter 620 - 620 582 Pawns and Players

    ?Chapter 620: Chapter 582: Pawns and Players Chapter 620: Chapter 582: Pawns and Players Facing Rocky¡¯s question, Athena said nothing and simply nodded¡­


    This action undoubtedly caused a great change in Rocky¡¯s expression! After staring at Athena with a gloomy face for a while, he turned to the others, ¡°Everyone, leave.¡±


    After these words, Monte and the others exchanged looks, unable to ask further and could only bow and exit the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    Once everyone had left, only Rocky, Liliya, and Athena remained in the hall. Then Rocky asked, ¡°Athena, are you implying that the Alliance intends to take action against me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Shaking her head, Athena indicated that this was not her intention, clearly confusing Rocky. However, he wasn¡¯t confused for long, because Athena soon provided an explanation, ¡°My lord, based solely on the current situation, I can¡¯t determine yet if the Alliance has already sided against us. But one thing is certain, the Alliance definitely knows something.¡±


    ¡°Knows¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°The Alliance might have been involved in the plan against you, or maybe not, but regardless of which outcome, the Alliance Elder Council definitely knows some things we do not, which is why they seized the opportunity to create difficulties. I am certain of this.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    These words involuntarily made Rocky furrow his brows, as Athena still hadn¡¯t provided the answer he wanted. Yet even so, his situation was already bad enough, since from the actions of the Alliance it was clear that they were no longer a reliable support for Rocky. They were even taking advantage of his difficulties now.


    This outcome might not be the worst, but it was still quite bad.


    After pondering with furrowed brows for a moment, Rocky looked again at Athena, ¡°What do you think we should do now?¡±


    As if she had been waiting for Rocky to ask this question, Athena immediately responded, ¡°My lord, we now have two choices.¡±


    ¡°First, is to meet the demands of the Alliance. Whether it¡¯s the Moving Fortress, the mana machine gun, or the Thunderhawk Armor, by sharing any one of these with the Alliance, we can gain enough Contribution Points. This way, not only will Heavenly Ancestor City not be a problem, but our relationship with the Alliance will also be somewhat eased.¡±


    ¡°If you do not wish to do this, we only have one other path to take, which is to face the threat of Heavenly Ancestor City alone.¡±


    Athena said slowly while looking at Rocky.


    These were the only two roads now available to Rocky, either to submit to the Alliance and give them what they want, or to face the threat alone. There were only two options, no middle ground.


    In theory, this choice should not be difficult, because there were only two options and the advantages and disadvantages of each were clear to measure. Perhaps that was why Athena did not elaborate after listing the two choices.


    Yet faced with such simple options, Rocky fell into hesitation. He furrowed his brow, thinking hard for a long time, then finally said to Athena, ¡°Tell everyone to proceed as planned before. If the Alliance does not help, we will face Heavenly Ancestor City alone!¡±


    Surprisingly, among two options with such clear stakes, Rocky chose the latter!


    However, as he finished speaking, a smile appeared on Athena¡¯s face and she briskly agreed, then turned and left.


    It wasn¡¯t until her figure had disappeared from the City Lord¡¯s Hall that Liliya came up beside Rocky, looking at him with a hint of confusion:


    ¡°Rocky, are you planning¡­ to break with the Alliance?¡±


    The choice just now seemed easy, but in fact, this seemingly simple option represented Rocky¡¯s stance. And from the final decision, it was clear. His stance was not to beg the Alliance!


    This was somewhat unexpected for Liliya, hence her inquiry about what Rocky really meant.


    Facing Liliya, Rocky naturally did not hide anything, so after sighing, he spoke slowly, ¡°I do not want to break with the Alliance. I just do not want to be controlled by them.¡±


    ¡°Athena was right just now,¡± Rocky said, ¡°as long as I offer the technology I control, even if it¡¯s just one, the Alliance will help me. But once I do that, I¡¯m essentially at the mercy of the Alliance. They will use every means to take away everything I possess. I can¡¯t let that happen.¡±


    Looking at Liliya, Rocky appeared exhausted.


    The two choices Athena gave him seemed to concern only the present, but in reality, they represented the future.


    This time, facing Heavenly Ancestor City, Rocky needed to contribute something of his own to the Alliance in exchange for protection, but what about next time?


    What if Earth Ancestor City emerges next time? What then?


    Would he have to contribute something from his possession again to receive the Alliance¡¯s protection? If so, wouldn¡¯t everything he controls gradually be taken by the Alliance in the long run?


    This was not the outcome Rocky wanted to see.


    ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯ve thought it through, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    Hearing his words, Liliya nodded her head; after all, regardless of the choice Rocky made, she would support him as always. Then she turned and left the City Lord¡¯s Hall.


    Her departure took Rocky by surprise, and just as he was about to speak to keep her there, Athena returned, and seeing her reappear made Rocky open his mouth, ultimately letting out a sigh in his heart, ¡°Women¡­¡±


    ¡°You actually already know the Alliance¡¯s intentions, right?¡±


    Setting aside his internal thoughts about women, Rocky asked Athena as she approached.


    On reflection, Athena seemed to be talking only about the immediate situation earlier. Yet, if one carefully considered every word she said, it was apparent that almost every sentence had an underlying meaning, especially the two choices she presented at the end.


    So when she appeared again, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Yes, the Elders¡¯ Council¡¯s intentions are not hard to guess,¡± she replied.


    Confronted with this question, Athena nodded ambiguously, indicating that she indeed had guessed the Alliance¡¯s intentions long ago.


    This was actually why Athena was stunned when Liliya brought back the news of Howling Sky mobilizing troops, as it clearly diverged greatly from what she had anticipated. But Athena was Athena, and ultimately, things developed along the lines she had anticipated.


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    This answer made Rocky laugh helplessly and then lean back in the City Lord¡¯s seat, looking at Athena, ¡°So, do you think my choice is correct?¡±


    ¡°My lord, it is extremely correct.¡±


    ¡°Oh? This approach of mine could lead to a rift with the Alliance, and that¡¯s correct too?¡±


    ¡°A rift would be even better.¡± S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because once there is a rift, my lord, you are no longer a pawn, but the player,¡±


    As she spoke, Athena glanced at Rocky and revealed a faint smile.

 Chapter 621 - 621 583 City of Fury

    ?Chapter 621: Chapter 583: City of Fury Chapter 621: Chapter 583: City of Fury Athena¡¯s words made Rocky think for a long time¡ªchess pieces and players¡­


    Was he ready to play a game with the myriad players in the sky?


    Rocky didn¡¯t know the answer to that question, or perhaps he didn¡¯t even need to know, because the world wouldn¡¯t give anyone time to prepare for such things.


    But without a doubt, as he chose to stand alone against Heavenly Ancestor City, this seemingly inconspicuous decision had pushed him inexorably from a chess piece to a player¡¯s position, and that much was certain.


    Thus, Rocky was very clear about what he had to do¡ªhe couldn¡¯t rely on anyone anymore. Everything that happened from now on depended solely on himself. This was the price to be paid for becoming a player, but from then on, no one could be above him, even the Sky Alliance to him was merely an opponent in the same sky, nothing more.


    It must be said that from the moment he discovered an unidentified Sky City entering his territory to the night when he made a decision that would significantly affect him, it all happened in just one evening¡ªwhat transpired that night was critical indeed.


    And now that he had made his decision, when the sun rose the next day, Rocky boarded his War Steed and led his entire fleet out of Sky City¡¯s Defensive Net to wait for the enemy¡¯s arrival in midair.


    Although he had participated in the great battle between the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, Rocky¡¯s fleet hadn¡¯t changed much because he always used hit-and-run tactics at the beginning of the war, barely engaging the enemy directly. By the middle and later stages of the war, he had received reinforcements from the Alliance Army, and later he simply stayed in the war zone on his own, so his troops never suffered great losses.


    After the war ended, he was too busy with travel, first visiting the Mairente Family, then the ruins of Kasin City, and in between, he also formed a partnership with the Apple Tree Corporation. He never had the energy or financial resources to expand his fleet, so his fleet remained three¡ªthe First, Second, and Third Fleet of Thunderhawk City.


    Among the three fleets, the First Fleet had the most formidable configuration, with the battleship War Steed and the patrol cruiser Hunter, plus four destroyers and four escort ships, making up a total of ten large warships, and forming Rocky¡¯s most powerful fleet.


    In contrast, the Second and Third Fleets were somewhat less well-equipped. The flagship of the Second Fleet was the Thunderhawk, also entirely composed of large warships numbering ten, but all of them were escort ships. As for the Third Fleet, it was even smaller, with only four escort ships, the rest being Reconnaissance Ships.


    To be fair, such a fleet might be described as extremely strong among smaller Sky Cities, but in reality, Rocky was well aware that he had fallen behind in the development of his fleet. This was not due to his high standards, but because the enemies he faced were all too strong!


    Previously, the enemies Rocky faced were either the Mairente Family or Wild Horse City; he had almost never fought against similar-sized small Sky Cities. The opponents he faced were all giants, at worst medium-sized Sky Cities, and this situation would continue, with his opponents only getting stronger. Under these circumstances, he indeed needed to increase the size of his fleet.


    Fortunately, even if the fleet¡¯s size and quality had fallen somewhat behind, at least for today¡¯s situation, he was still confident that he could handle it. So, when he led his troops away from Thunderhawk City, he began a quiet wait for the uninvited guests to arrive.


    Before long, the time approached noon, and it was at this time that a huge city gradually appeared in the sky east of Backhill Village. After a long wait, the unwelcome guest intruding on Rocky¡¯s territory had finally arrived!


    Gazing into the clouds at the unidentified Sky City, Rocky recognized at a glance that it was a large Sky City!


    Soon after, as the other party drew nearer, a large fleet flew out from the Sky City.


    At a glance, this fleet comprised at least around fifty ships, all large warships. The flagship was also a battleship, an even larger flagship version with hundreds of Magic Energy Cannons¡ªlike a flying hill, vast and immense.


    As the enemy fleet left the Sky City and drew near, Rocky waved his hand, and the War Steed slowly moved forward, flying towards the approaching ships.


    With the War Steed in motion, within minutes, the two sides encountered each other.


    On one side was a massive fleet of over fifty warships sent by the unknown large Sky City.


    On the other, Rocky on his War Steed.


    A fleet and a single warship thus met in the sky.


    ¡°Contact them, ask them to identify themselves and their intentions.¡±


    Once both sides stopped at a safe distance, Rocky spoke to Uncle Wil by his side. Receiving the order, Uncle Wil immediately ran to the bridge and returned shortly after.


    ¡°City Lord, they say they are the forces of the City of Fury, here to pick up Zuluo.¡±


    ¡°As expected¡­¡±


    Rocky nodded at this response. It seemed that, as he had suspected, they were indeed from the Heavenly Ancestor City¡¯s forces.


    Despite seeming preoccupied with the possibility of being targeted, he had actually obtained information about Heavenly Ancestor City from the Shadow Alliance, thanks to capturing Zuluo.


    This information mentioned the City of Fury before him.


    It is well known that Zuluo¡¯s father, Rick, was both the City Lord and the Sect Hierarch, and his Heavenly Ancestor City was also a large Sky City as well as the sacred city of the Heavenly Ancestor Church. However, the Heavenly Ancestor Church wasn¡¯t limited to just one sacred city; in addition to the sacred city, there were four other large Sky Cities¡ªSky Might, Fury, Heaven¡¯s Commencement, and Heaven¡¯s Grace¡ªmaking up the Church¡¯s forces along with Heavenly Ancestor City.


    And since the large Sky City before him was the City of Fury, there was no doubt that this city represented the Heavenly Ancestor Church. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, after nodding, Rocky said to Uncle Wil by his side, ¡°Go and tell them if they want me to release Zuluo, they must make adequate compensation, and then let them know our conditions for the compensation.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With his reply, Uncle Wil once again ran to the bridge.

 Chapter 622 - 622 584 Lure the Snake out of Its Hole

    ?Chapter 622: Chapter 584 Lure the Snake out of Its Hole Chapter 622: Chapter 584 Lure the Snake out of Its Hole Upon receiving Rocky¡¯s command, Uncle Wil immediately ran towards the bridge and then followed his instructions to send out a communication to the other party.


    However, a long time passed without any response after the message was sent out.


    Of course, such a result was within expectations, because one could imagine that the other side must be completely baffled upon receiving the message from Rocky! S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The fleet in front of them, including the City of Fury, was simply there to take Zuluo home, and they had set off before Rick issued his final ultimatum to Rocky, which undoubtedly represented Rick¡¯s confidence.


    In his view, whether Rocky agreed to his compensation demands or not, his son would always be taken back. The worst imaginable outcome for Rick was that Rocky would not agree to his terms, but at the very least, he would certainly release Zuluo.


    In theory, this should indeed be the case, but there was a precondition, which was the absence of Athena!


    According to Rocky¡¯s original plan, he would absolutely not agree to Rick¡¯s unreasonable demands, but he would indeed release Zuluo; however, Athena did not agree with this approach and provided very sufficient reasons.


    First, for Rocky, Zuluo was not just a hostage, but also a talisman. As long as he kept him under control, no matter whether Rick was a City Lord or a Sect Hierarch, he would not dare to harm a single hair on Rocky, otherwise, it would be endangering his son. Moreover, with the attitude of the Sky Alliance becoming increasingly ambiguous, Rocky absolutely could not easily give up this talisman.


    Second, if Zuluo was released, Rocky would face two possible outcomes: either the matter would be resolved, or he would continue to be troubled by Heavenly Ancestor City. Assuming someone was targeting him from behind, they would have arranged everything in advance, and then Rocky would be put in a passive position. To avoid this situation, Rocky had to proactively create a third outcome, one that would exceed everyone¡¯s expectations and disrupt the plans of those behind the scenes.


    Therefore, Athena thought of this method¡ªto proactively propose conditions to Heavenly Ancestor City and demand they compensate Rocky in order to exchange for Zuluo!


    For this purpose, Athena personally set the compensation demands. According to her stipulations, if Heavenly Ancestor City wanted to exchange Zuluo, they first had to pay Rocky five million Gold Coins as compensation, along with providing ten sets of Cthulhu-Type Special Battle Armors and ten Fifth Generation Destroyers.


    These were the compensation terms proposed by Athena. They appeared to be a lion¡¯s request, but they were actually very clever. Although the terms seemed excessive, they were definitely within the tolerance of Heavenly Ancestor City, and even more so for Rick. Compared to his son¡¯s life, such things were of no account at all.


    However, at the same time, these terms were no small sum. If they really wanted to meet these demands, it would take at least tens of millions of Gold Coins, which would now be a test for Rick¡ªnot a test of whether he was willing to pay these costs for his son, but a test of whether there was someone instructing him from behind!


    If there was no one, then Rick would consider any reaction to these terms because his son was in Rocky¡¯s hands. But if someone was instructing him from behind, then Rick¡¯s reaction would be completely different.


    And, just as Athena had anticipated, the fleet sent by Rick from the City of Fury was completely unprepared for Athena¡¯s plan, so when the message was released, the other side did not respond for a long time, indeed shocked by the terms proposed by Rocky.


    Facing the terms proposed by Rocky, the fleet¡¯s commander was completely dumbfounded, as the development of the situation obviously exceeded his expectations. He immediately reported the matter to his superiors, who then passed it up the chain of command, until it finally reached the Lord of the City of Fury.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    After hearing the subordinate¡¯s report, Erwin, the Lord of the City of Fury who was originally in his study, was taken aback before he looked at the officer in front of him: ¡°Say that again, what does Rocky want to do?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, he has made compensation demands to us, saying that he will release the Young Master only if these demands are met.¡±


    Although he himself found it somewhat unbelievable, the officer in front of Erwin still repeated his earlier words, and then handed a piece of freshly written written material to Erwin, which clearly outlined Rocky¡¯s demands.


    ¡°Are you joking¡­¡±


    Having looked at the material, Erwin could hardly believe his eyes. He frowned deeply only after confirming that he had neither seen nor heard wrong.


    Clearly, the development of the situation had completely caught him off guard, so much so that the Lord of the City himself did not know what to do. After a brief period of contemplation, he immediately stood up.


    ¡°Have the fleet outside remain on standby; I¡¯m going to seek guidance from the Sect Hierarch.¡±


    Having said this, he hurried out of the study.


    As he went to consult with Rick, the fleet outside facing off with Rocky was somewhat embarrassed. Faced with the lone warship, the War Steed, more than fifty warships could do nothing but awkwardly hover in the air, unable to do anything but maintain their position.


    ¡°My Lord, there¡¯s no need to wait any longer, let¡¯s go back,¡± said Athena, who had already arrived on the deck by Rocky¡¯s side, when the fleet from the City of Fury was still in an awkward state.


    ¡°Have you already figured it out?¡±


    ¡°Yes, someone is definitely behind Heavenly Ancestor City.¡±


    Nodding her head, Athena spoke with certainty. From her perspective, the fact that the other side had not responded for such a long time was in itself a response.


    If the conflict between Heavenly Ancestor City and Rocky were an isolated incident, then the demands made by Rocky, after being reported up the chain, would have been sufficient for a decision by now. For Rick, it was simple: either he agreed, or he didn¡¯t, or he might first threaten with force and then negotiate. These were the only three choices, and for someone of Rick¡¯s status, regardless of which option he picked, it shouldn¡¯t take too long to decide.


    But now, Rick¡¯s response time had far exceeded what would be expected for someone of his stature, and what did that indicate?


    Did it imply that Rick was indecisive? Of course not. To be both the Lord of a City and the Sect Hierarch, Rick was definitely out of the ordinary, with insight and experience beyond the reach of average people. Such a person could not possibly hesitate when making decisions.


    So this only indicated that he was also discussing with others and had yet to reach a conclusion, hence the delay in responding to Rocky. Therefore, as far as Athena was concerned, Rocky no longer needed to wait; they had already found out what they wanted to know.

 Chapter 623 - 623 585 The Big Six

    ?Chapter 623: Chapter 585 The Big Six Chapter 623: Chapter 585 The Big Six ¡°Alright.¡±


    With a nod, Rocky waved his hand, and the War Steed swiftly turned around under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, soon returning to his own fleet. Then the entire fleet, following Rocky¡¯s command, returned to Thunderhawk City. During the whole process, the mighty fleet sent forth by the City of Fury could only watch helplessly, as their orders were to wait in place, unable to do anything.


    But although Rocky had left, was Athena¡¯s judgment correct? Was Rick actually discussing with others at this time?


    Indeed, she had hit the mark yet again!


    Athena had once more proven her ability, for after receiving news relayed from the City of Fury, Rick was indeed discussing the matter with others!


    As Heavenly Ancestor City was the sacred city of the Heavenly Ancestor Church, and Rick was not only the City Lord of Heavenly Ancestor City but also the Sect Hierarch of the Heavenly Ancestor Church, the place he resided in wasn¡¯t the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, but a colossal palace. This palace was known as the Ancestor Holy Temple, one of the sacred sites of the Heavenly Ancestor Church. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this very moment, Rick was in a secret chamber within the Holy Temple, with several Magic Energy Images floating before him, not one but five!


    A total of five Magic Energy Images floated beside Rick, who, including himself, just formed a circle with six individuals.


    ¡°This Rocky, his actions are truly unexpected.¡±


    ¡°This must be Athena¡¯s idea, she may have already detected our plan.¡±


    ¡°So what if she has detected it, does she think she can help Rocky turn the tables?¡±


    Upon learning of Rocky¡¯s request, the several Magic Energy Images expressed their views one after another. Fragments of their conversation revealed that the commotion caused by Zuluo in Thunderhawk City was indeed arranged with purpose! Including Rick, these six individuals, or perhaps it¡¯s more accurate to say six forces, were the shadowy masterminds targeting Rocky!


    However, while the others were having their say, Rick suddenly shouted, ¡°Silence! My son is currently in Rocky¡¯s clutches; I¡¯m not in the mood to listen to this!¡±


    ¡°Sect Master, there¡¯s no need to worry. Rocky wouldn¡¯t dare harm your noble son.¡±


    Upon hearing Rick¡¯s roar filled with anger, someone within the Magic Energy Images immediately responded.


    ¡°Hmph! Rocky might not dare, but what about that woman Athena? Are you certain of what she is capable of?¡±


    Clearly, since these people dared to target Rocky, they had thoroughly investigated his background, including Athena¡¯s existence.


    Therefore, when Rick mentioned Athena, all of them fell silent at the same time. Although they were reluctant to admit it, they had to acknowledge that no one could fathom what Athena might be thinking. And if they couldn¡¯t even guess what was on her mind, predicting her actions was even further out of reach, which was exactly why Rick was so anxious!


    As previously mentioned by the group, not only had Rocky¡¯s proposal taken them by surprise, it had also reminded them of Athena. In this world, perhaps only a woman like Athena could surprise these six individuals. Thus, facing Rick¡¯s question tinged with anger, none of them had an answer.


    Seeing that no one responded, Rick¡¯s expression gradually darkened, ¡°If you have no solutions, I will decide what to do with this matter myself!¡±


    ¡°Rick, don¡¯t forget our goal,¡±


    No sooner had these words been spoken than someone in the Magic Energy Image immediately spoke up, ¡°Our only goal this time is to make Rocky surrender everything he controls, don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    ¡°But my son is in his hands!¡±


    ¡°That was your own choice.¡±


    When Rick mentioned Zuluo, one Magic Energy Image gave him a cold look, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, it was you who initially requested to send Zuluo to Thunderhawk City.¡±


    As soon as these words were out, Rick immediately lost his temper because the Magic Energy Image was right; indeed, it had been he who had proactively suggested sending Zuluo to Thunderhawk City.


    According to their original plan, the purpose of sending Zuluo was to infuriate Rocky, causing him to make some rash moves. This way, Rocky would be compromised in Rick¡¯s hands, allowing Rick to use it as an opportunity to make his move and proceed to the next step of the plan.


    But then?


    Indeed, Zuluo completed his mission, but he did so too well. He angered Rocky, but to everyone¡¯s surprise, Rocky simply captured him. This was unexpected for everyone involved because they believed that, given Zuluo¡¯s complex and noble identity, even if enraged, Rocky would still show some restraint. No one thought that, in this matter, Rocky would completely let loose, capturing Zuluo directly.


    However, even so, the six of them still remained confident. Even though Zuluo had been captured, their plan had succeeded, as Rocky indeed had vulnerabilities that Rick could exploit. They were ready to execute the next phase of their plan. As for Zuluo¡¯s safety, the six did not worry; they were well aware that Rocky wouldn¡¯t dare to harm him, something even Rick knew for sure.


    What none of them anticipated was that the situation would soon take a turn: Rocky instead began to use Zuluo to his advantage, creating a delicate shift in circumstances since, after all, Zuluo was Rick¡¯s son!


    As the saying goes: personal involvement leads to chaos. Now, Rick was in such a state. Rocky¡¯s actions had started making him worry for his son¡¯s safety, and with the additional variable of Athena, Rick began to grow restless, leading to the scene unfolding now.


    After a moment of silence, someone in the Magic Energy Image spoke up again, ¡°Gentlemen, why hesitate? Isn¡¯t everything proceeding according to the plan?¡±


    Having said this, the Magic Energy Image then turned to look at Rick, ¡°Sect Master Rick, do you really think Rocky dares to harm your noble son? He merely wants to use your son as a shield. A living shield is useful; a dead one is not, right?¡±


    As the voice of the Magic Energy Image ended, all the other images turned to look at Rick, clearly waiting for his decision. This time, there was a clear division of labor among the six parties targeting Rocky, with Rick¡¯s task being to confront Rocky directly. Thus, his approval was essential for the plan to continue.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    Facing everyone¡¯s gaze, Rick finally nodded his head, then turned and left the secret chamber without looking back.


    After he had left, the five Magic Energy Images in the secret chamber exchanged glances and then disappeared one after another.


    Having left the secret chamber, Rick returned to the council hall and summoned his subordinates, ¡°Order the City of Fury to act according to the original plan!¡±

 Chapter 624 - 624 586 In a Dilemma

    ?Chapter 624: Chapter 586: In a Dilemma Chapter 624: Chapter 586: In a Dilemma It was quite obvious that this time, the people targeting Rocky had investigated him thoroughly and made ample preparations and plans.


    Athena¡¯s intervention might have seemed to disrupt their plan on the surface, but upon closer consideration, it was actually Rick who was truly disturbed by Athena. The overall plan targeting Rocky was not thwarted, nor could it be, as everything had already been arranged by the opposition.


    Thus, when Rick issued the order, the City of Fury, located in Backhill Village, immediately took action and directly advanced toward Backhill Village!


    The massive city slowly approached Skybreaker Peak through the clouds, clearly poised to obliterate Rocky. Rick¡¯s actions were somewhat unexpected for Rocky¡ªhe had indeed not anticipated Rick would be so decisive, even at the risk of his own son¡¯s life?


    It was not that he didn¡¯t care, but rather that he had calculated that Rocky would not dare to harm Zuluo.


    ¡°It seems I underestimated this Sect Hierarch¡­¡±


    Upon learning that the City of Fury was closing in, Rocky sighed deeply. For Rick to rise as the City Lord of a major Sky City while also holding the position of Sect Hierarch, such a figure indeed could not be measured by ordinary standards, applying them to him was indeed underestimating him.


    Fortunately, Rocky too had made his preparations well in advance!


    ¡°Send the order, initiate the flight mode for Thunderhawk City and Carltos City; let the two cities hide behind Sirius City.¡±


    The news of the City of Fury¡¯s approach did not send Rocky into a panic. Upon receiving the news, he immediately gave the order to hide his two cities behind Sirius City.


    As previously stated, after the last great battle ended due to the appearance of Flying Demons, Rocky and the Sky Alliance were in a honeymoon phase. Hence, they stationed Sirius City at Backhill Village, meaning that although the relationship between Rocky and the Alliance was increasingly delicate, the mission of Sirius City hadn¡¯t changed¡ªit was to defend Backhill Village. After all, Backhill Village was a joint asset of Rocky and the Alliance, and despite some reservations about Rocky, the Sky Alliance couldn¡¯t neglect their own asset.


    Rocky precisely seized this point, making rational use of the presence of Sirius City, turning it into a barrier, even if it did not dispatch troops. Thus, the next day, Thunderhawk City and Carltos City successively hid behind Sirius City, and the advancing City of Fury was blocked by Sirius City from the opposite side.


    This made the situation quite interesting.


    As Rocky had hidden his two cities behind Sirius City, positionally, Sirius City was sandwiched like filling between the City of Fury and Rocky. Since Backhill Village was so named due to its location against Skybreaker Peak, the City of Fury would have to get past Sirius City if it wanted to tackle Rocky, otherwise it simply couldn¡¯t reach him.


    This really put Howling Sky in a difficult situation. To be honest, since his arrival in Backhill Village, he had gotten along well with Rocky and was inclined to help him, but there were prior orders from the Alliance¡ªunless Rocky complied with the rules and paid Contribution Points, the Alliance Army was not allowed to mobilize, and as a Contact City, Sirius City was also forbidden from deploying troops on its own, which made his position extremely awkward.


    Howling Sky was not afraid of the City of Fury; his Sirius City was also a major Sky City, and the strength of both parties was evenly matched. A real fight would definitely not result in a loss for him, but the Alliance had ordered him not to deploy troops.


    Both being City Lords, Howling Sky might not have known about the plans targeting Rocky, but from his perspective, the current situation was clear¡ªthe trouble Rocky had stirred up with Heavenly Ancestor City and the Heavenly Ancestor Church was being used by the Alliance as an opportunity to discipline him, making his situation quite bitter.


    In such a situation, what could he do?


    Should he tell Rocky to move out from behind him? But that was impossible. Rocky¡¯s reason for hiding behind Sirius City was precisely to use it as a shield. Besides, this place was ultimately Backhill Village; as the master of this region, Rocky would stay wherever he wanted, and if anyone was to leave, it should be Howling Sky.


    But Howling Sky couldn¡¯t leave, because although the Alliance wanted to discipline Rocky, they had not given him a direct order to evacuate. Whether or not this indicated the Alliance was still giving Rocky some leeway remained to be discussed, but at least it showed that Howling Sky and Sirius City¡¯s mission to defend the village hadn¡¯t changed. Moreover, if he really left, wouldn¡¯t that signal that the Sky Alliance was afraid of the Heavenly Ancestor Church?


    If all else fails¡­ should I beg the Alliance? To ask them to show mercy and deploy their troops¡­


    Howling Sky was unaware of how the situation had started, so he believed that as soon as he deployed his troops, City of Fury would surely retreat.


    However, after much hesitation, he dismissed the idea because, as previously mentioned, the Alliance intended to use the threat of Heavenly Ancestor City to pressure Rocky. If he meddled on behalf of Rocky now, that would undoubtedly be opposing the Elders¡¯ Council¡¯s decision, and Howling Sky was not about to do that.


    Now he was completely out of options. He couldn¡¯t deploy troops, couldn¡¯t drive Rocky away who was hiding behind him, and he was unable to communicate with the Sky Alliance. What else could he do?


    After much thought, Howling Sky came up with only one solution, and that was to contact City of Fury himself!


    He couldn¡¯t drive Rocky away, and he himself was stuck, so to resolve this awkward situation, the only option was to make City of Fury leave.


    Thinking this, Howling Sky felt helpless. He had heard before that Rocky could stir up trouble, but since they had met, Rocky had basically handled any trouble he caused, so Howling Sky didn¡¯t have much experience with it. But now he had truly witnessed Rocky¡¯s capability ¡ª if Rocky didn¡¯t stir up trouble, he was fine, but once he did, it was a big mess, involving even him.


    However helpless Howling Sky felt, after this ¡®caught between two fires¡¯ situation persisted for three days, he finally couldn¡¯t sit still any longer and finally sent out his fleet!


    In Howling Sky¡¯s view, City of Fury was not aware of the rift between Rocky and the Alliance, so he believed that just deploying his troops would be enough to intimidate the other party. This way, even without truly fighting for Rocky, it would be enough to scare the opposition away.


    Therefore, under his command, a large number of warships began ascending from Sirius City and then, fleet after fleet, flew out of the city!


    One hundred warships¡­


    Two hundred warships¡­ S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Three hundred warships¡­


    Four hundred warships¡­


    Five hundred warships¡­!


    In the blink of an eye, over five hundred warships were lined up outside Sirius City and soon advanced menacingly towards City of Fury!


    Seeing Howling Sky deploy his fleet, City of Fury dared not delay. Immediately, a large number of fleets flew out of the Defensive Net, and similarly, four to five hundred warships were deployed!


    And just like that, in the blink of an eye, nearly a thousand warships were confronting each other in the sky!


    But among them, not a single warship belonged to Rocky¡­

 Chapter 625 - 625 587 Right into His Trap

    ?Chapter 625: Chapter 587: Right into His Trap Chapter 625: Chapter 587: Right into His Trap ¡°I feel somewhat¡­ sorry for Brother Howling Sky¡­¡±


    Sitting in his own study, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but speak out after finding out that Howling Sky had finally decided to send troops, considering his good relationship with him made it hard to see him in such an awkward situation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t actually fight.¡±


    However, upon hearing this, Athena merely smiled and showed a face of indifference, ¡°City of Fury didn¡¯t intend to destroy us anyway, forcing Howling Sky to send troops was just meant to embarrass the Sky Alliance.


    ¡°Do you have a vendetta against the Sky Alliance?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then why target the Alliance?¡±


    ¡°Nothing can be established without first breaking the old.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You will understand in time.¡±


    After giving Rocky a glance, Athena smiled and no longer spoke; Rocky shook his head and didn¡¯t ask further, knowing that he wouldn¡¯t get more out of her anyway. He simply turned to Felly, who had come to report: ¡°Keep a close watch on the movements of the City of Fury and Sirius City, and report back to me at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With that, Felly quickly vanished from the study, and once he was gone, only three people were left in the room: Rocky, Liliya, and Athena. None of them spoke, seemingly busy with their own thoughts, but actually, all were considering the current situation.


    Meanwhile, the fleets sent from Sirius City and the City of Fury remained in a standoff, but the commanders of both sides had already had a brief communication.


    Naturally, Howling Sky didn¡¯t want to confront the other party directly; he rather intended to intimidate them, and so did Erwin from the City of Fury. His target was only Rocky; he likewise didn¡¯t want friction with a peer like Howling Sky. But with two large Sky Cities and nearly a thousand warships facing off in the air, even if neither side wanted to truly open fire, a slight misfire could still escalate into a large battle. Thus, both sides were exceedingly cautious.


    In this context, the commanders had a conversation immediately and clarified their intentions.


    The intention of Sirius City was straightforward¡ªBackhill Village belonged to the Sky Alliance, so they ordered the City of Fury to immediately withdraw from the Backhill Village area.


    But the intent of the City of Fury was also clear¡ªthey didn¡¯t want to engage Backhill Village, they merely wanted to take Zuluo from Rocky, promising to leave immediately once he was handed over.


    This conversation, on one hand, was basically pointless as everyone was already aware of these matters; however, it also held significant meaning, at least avoiding any misjudgments between Sirius City and the City of Fury.


    After having this conversation, though neither side withdrew their troops, both returned to the fronts of their respective Sky Cities, adopting a defensive stance. Following this, Howling Sky personally visited Thunderhawk City to meet with Rocky.


    In a pressed situation, Howling Sky planned to act as a mediator and persuade Rocky to release Zuluo.


    Some might find it odd¡ªwas Howling Sky so inclined to meddle? This was, after all, a feud between Rocky and Heavenly Ancestor City; why was he involving himself more and more?


    This reminded one of an old saying: you don¡¯t know the cost of fuel until you run a household; not being in Howling Sky¡¯s position, one couldn¡¯t really understand his predicament.


    His motivation was actually quite simple to explain¡ªaside from his friendship with Rocky and his duty to defend Backhill Village, just consider the current situation.


    A non-ally large Sky City was glaringly before him, claiming to come for Zuluo, but as a fellow city lord, would Howling Sky not guard against the City of Fury, just watching the other party set up their posture right in front of him?


    Of course not, even if not for Rocky or even the Sky Alliance, Howling Sky would still guard against the City of Fury for his own sake, always maintaining the highest level of vigilance, since he couldn¡¯t guarantee that the City of Fury wouldn¡¯t involve him too if they indeed attacked Rocky. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was actually why Howling Sky reluctantly became involved in this matter; if a fight really broke out, being stuck in Backhill Village and unable to leave, he would find it impossible to remain neutral.


    Thus, he went to see Rocky immediately, hoping to mediate.


    But the outcome of his visit was foreseeable¡ªRocky simply wouldn¡¯t hand over Zuluo, because the very situation Howling Sky intended to avoid and stop was exactly what Rocky wanted to see!


    For Rocky, the situation he faced involved not wanting to be controlled by the Sky Alliance while dealing with conspiracies from the shadows, forcing him to use Sirius City as his shield. Thus, the awkward situation Howling Sky so desperately wished to avoid was precisely what Rocky was keen to maintain, albeit somewhat underhandedly.


    Luckily, as Athena had said, don¡¯t look at the aggressive posture of the City of Fury, poised as if they intended to obliterate Rocky. In fact, they wouldn¡¯t actually take action. Firstly, Rick would not dare; otherwise, Athena wouldn¡¯t mind cutting something off Zuluo and sending it to his father. Secondly, as Athena saw it, the City of Fury was merely a vanguard; their real plot was yet to come. So although Howling Sky might be used as a shield, no bullets would really hit him.


    Because of this, when Howling Sky met with Rocky, Rocky didn¡¯t even wait for him to speak before starting to protest his innocence, almost bursting into tears right before him, utterly baffling Howling Sky.


    Though Howling Sky hadn¡¯t been present when Rocky captured Zuluo, he had heard the details afterward. He remembered Rocky capturing Zuluo quite impressively; how could he be softening now, and especially softening toward him¡ªwhat did this have to do with him!


    In such a scenario, Howling Sky naturally returned empty-handed. Of course, with Howling Sky¡¯s discerning eyes, he could see that Rocky was just putting on an act. If Rocky was truly scared, he would have softened toward Rick instead¡ªwhat use was there in tearfully appealing to him? But here, the importance of personal relationships was evident; although Howling Sky clearly knew he was being used by Rocky as a shield, considering their previous relationship and more importantly, Rocky¡¯s potential for growth, he let it slide, deciding to help Rocky just this once since he was sure Rocky would remember this favor.


    So when Howling Sky returned to his own Sirius City, though he came back empty-handed, he still didn¡¯t withdraw the troops stationed outside; he simply left them there.


    This way, Rocky was completely safe. As long as Howling Sky¡¯s troops were outside, the City of Fury wouldn¡¯t likely do anything to him, but just as Athena thought, the City of Fury hadn¡¯t planned on doing anything to him anyway. In reality, far from obstructing their plans, Howling Sky¡¯s actions actually aligned with Rick¡¯s intentions!

 Chapter 626 - 626 588 Complete Lockdown

    ?Chapter 626: Chapter 588: Complete Lockdown! Chapter 626: Chapter 588: Complete Lockdown! The situation in Backhill Village had essentially solidified after a few days, with Rocky using Sirius City as a shield. Although Howling Sky was in an awkward position, he acquiesced due to his sense of responsibility and relationship with Rocky. Although he didn¡¯t actively help, he placed the fleet outside the city as a form of deterrence, effectively thwarting the advances of City of Fury.


    However, this exact outcome played right into the hands of Rick and his comrades, as they had anticipated this development!


    To target Rocky, not only had they thoroughly investigated him personally, but also everyone related to him was scrutinized, including Howling Sky¡¯s reactions. Therefore, everything Howling Sky was doing not only failed to surprise Rick and his group, but in fact, it was exactly what they had hoped to witness.


    After this, City of Fury remained on the outskirts of Backhill Village without launching an attack, merely deploying troops outside the city. It was as if they intended to drag things out indefinitely, preparing for a protracted stand-off against Rocky.


    But was that really the case?


    Obviously, it wasn¡¯t, because three days after such a situation arose, the true face of City of Fury was revealed!


    On this day, the merchant ships of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce arrived at Skybreaker Peak¡¯s airspace as usual and headed straight for Backhill Village.


    As one of Rocky¡¯s largest business partners, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce would travel to and from Thunderhawk City at least six or seven times a month. Each trip involved transporting and bringing back a large amount of goods. The trade was especially brisk recently because Thunderhawk City had just built a new armory, which received a large number of orders. Therefore, the armory needed a vast quantity of materials to manufacture Armor, and the Ruby Chamber of Commerce was responsible for procuring and transporting these materials.


    That day, twenty merchant ships from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce were en route to Thunderhawk City as usual, loaded with a variety of goods. This included materials needed by the armory, leather required for the leather factories, and products for the local market, especially several expensive Demon Skins, which were raw materials for making Demon Skin Bags.


    It should be explained that Rocky, when he announced his collaboration with the Apple Tree Corporation, had promoted his luxury products. After a few months of fermentation, the luxury leather bags he created had achieved considerable fame among the upper echelons of Sky City, with many already aware of their existence and desiring to purchase them. Consequently, Rocky decided to formally promote his luxury brand.


    However, he couldn¡¯t do this alone, and the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, which had always maintained a good partnership with him, became the ideal partner. Hence, the two quickly reached an agreement for the Ruby Chamber of Commerce to handle the promotion and sales of Rocky¡¯s luxury products. Of course, all this occurred before the arrival of City of Fury.


    Because of this, the merchant ships sent by the Ruby Chamber of Commerce were unaware of City of Fury¡¯s presence, and as the caravan was nearing Backhill Village, it was intercepted by the fleet dispatched by City of Fury!


    As dozens of large warships blocked their way, four Escort Ships immediately moved to the front of the caravan. Then Void Magic Warriors launched from the Escort Ships, flying towards City of Fury¡¯s fleet.


    All of these Escort Ships were solely responsible for protecting the caravan, part of the Escort Fleet. Over the years, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce had grown from a small Chamber of Commerce to a considerable size and could now dispatch an Escort Fleet for large-scale transportation. However, from the number of Escort Ships, it was evident that their role in deterrence was far greater than their actual combat effectiveness, and the Chamber of Commerce had never expected such an incident during the transport of goods to Backhill Village.


    But such is life, full of unforeseen events.


    What came as a greater surprise to the caravan was that the City of Fury¡¯s fleet didn¡¯t even wait for the Void Magic Warriors sent for negotiations to return before they opened fire!


    Dozens of large warships fired simultaneously, instantly turning the four Escort Ships responsible for the escort into four balls of fire. When the flames dissipated, City of Fury¡¯s dozens of warships had the twenty merchant ships carrying goods completely surrounded, and then escorted them all to City of Fury!


    The twenty merchant ships from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce headed to Thunderhawk City were thus hijacked by City of Fury!


    This news traveled back swiftly to the headquarters of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, and from there, was conveyed to Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°How could this happen?!¡±


    Upon receiving the news, Rocky who had been at the research institute, immediately returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. He then summoned the manager of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce stationed in Thunderhawk City, learning the full details of the incident from him. He called for Felly and had the surveillance crew of the Reconnaissance Ship, who had been scouting outside, come back to report the situation thoroughly.


    Only after understanding the events from various perspectives did Rocky call Athena to his side.


    ¡°Athena, is City of Fury attempting to blockade us?¡±


    After giving Athena an overview of the situation, Rocky asked because it was evident from the hijacking of the merchant ships; City of Fury hadn¡¯t launched a full-scale attack, but they weren¡¯t idle either. They were planning to lock Rocky in at Backhill Village!


    ¡°So that¡¯s their plan¡­ I understand now¡­¡±


    When Rocky said this, Athena wasn¡¯t really listening to what he was saying but instead muttering to herself. She then turned toward Rocky and nodded, ¡°My lord, it¡¯s true that they are planning to blockade us.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Hearing Athena say this, Rocky furrowed his brow. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that City of Fury would resort to such a tactic.


    Although such events were not uncommon in the skirmishes of Sky City, where two Sky Cities at war would blockade each other when the battle reached a stalemate, with the dominant side completely cutting off the enemy¡¯s external communications to suffocate the opposing Sky City without supplies, Rocky had never personally experienced it and had no prior knowledge of how to handle such a situation. Hence, he had completely failed to foresee City of Fury¡¯s move.


    Now he was in a dire situation because the blockade by City of Fury would sever all his connections with the outside world. And once isolated, neither Thunderhawk City nor Carltos City could survive! S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After years of management, Thunderhawk City could subsist on its own while Carltos City was even more self-sufficient; the city had always been able to sustain itself. However, this was all based on trade. As soon as the external blockade cut off trade between the city and outside Chambers of Commerce, no Sky City could hold out!

 Chapter 627 - 627 589 Terrifying Energy

    ?Chapter 627: Chapter 589: Terrifying Energy Chapter 627: Chapter 589: Terrifying Energy Athena had long said that the goal of City of Fury wasn¡¯t to annihilate Rocky, but had another purpose, and now Rocky finally knew the opponent¡¯s plan¡ªhe intended to blockade Thunderhawk City and trap him alive!


    This could not help but worry him, firstly because the two Sky Cities under his command needed external supplies to sustain their livelihood, and secondly, once the contact between the two Sky Cities and the outside world was blocked, the industries of the two Sky Cities would also suffer a devastating blow!


    The main industries in Thunderhawk City were exports; both the textile and leather manufacturing sectors relied on selling their products for profit, not to mention the arsenal that had just started and needed to buy large quantities of raw materials from the outside world to produce.


    The same was true for Carltos City, and although many industries within Carltos City were closed during the reorganization, there were still hundreds left. Once the outside world was blocked, these industries would essentially be paralyzed¡ªan impact far too great for the entire city, especially since Carltos City under Voss¡¯s rule had just started to improve. The city had just begun to gain some confidence in Rocky¡¯s notifications, and any chaos at this time would render all of Voss¡¯s efforts futile!


    In this situation, Rocky did more than frown; upon learning of City of Fury¡¯s blockade against him, he was virtually incensed.


    Clearly, the opponent was forcing him, using nearly overwhelming methods to coerce him, and such aggressive methods were even more uncomfortable than a direct attack. More importantly, this approach also conveyed another message¡ªa signal that told Rocky how immense their energy was!


    Rocky was no longer a minor character now, and the number of people dealing with him was increasing, not to mention the Sky Alliance. Even if his relationship with the Alliance grown increasingly subtle, the Alliance was not just for show. Therefore, blocking his contact with the outside world was not an easy task, nor could it be accomplished just by sending a few warships; the implications were very complicated.


    Yet even so, the opponent still dared to act this way and it wasn¡¯t a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a premeditated plan, which was enough to explain a lot of things.


    So, the next question fell squarely on Rocky¡¯s shoulders. What should he do?


    Standing still was absolutely not an option; both cities needed external supplies to survive. In this situation, Rocky couldn¡¯t last a day without immediately responding.


    So he quickly looked towards Athena.


    Unlike the frantic Rocky, Athena remained calm. She had foreseen long ago that the opponent would have a backup plan, though strictly speaking, she had not expected City of Fury to blockade Rocky. But now that the opponent had made a move, that made things much easier.


    So, in response to Rocky¡¯s look, she immediately said, ¡°My lord, do not worry, there¡¯s still the Sky Alliance.¡±


    ¡°The Alliance?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the true intention behind their blockade is to pressure the Sky Alliance, so my lord does not need to worry.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky¡¯s face revealed surprise and confusion, clearly struggling to keep up, completely failing to grasp Athena¡¯s meaning.


    Seeing this, Athena smiled and began to explain, ¡°My lord, I can say with certainty that the forces targeting you do not include the Sky Alliance, and this blockade is actually aimed at the Sky Alliance.¡±


    ¡°Really? Why?¡±


    Athena¡¯s explanation first eased Rocky¡¯s mind, because his biggest worry had been that the Sky Alliance was among those targeting him, which would have truly placed him in a dire situation, leaving no room for struggle. However, it seemed things hadn¡¯t reached the worst-case scenario yet.


    However, the latter part of Athena¡¯s statement completely baffled him, which made him even more confused, so he couldn¡¯t help but ask further.


    ¡°Because in their eyes, we and the Alliance are one, and they are well aware that what they want is precisely what the Alliance desires as well. Thus, without putting some pressure on the Alliance, it is unlikely that the Sky Alliance will let this matter slide.¡±


    ¡°This, this¡­ How is this possible? Athena, are you sure this is the case?¡±


    ¡°Certain.¡±


    ¡°My heavens¡­¡±


    As he watched Athena nod confidently at him, Rocky sharply inhaled.


    He found it hard to imagine that someone in the world still dared to blatantly challenge the Sky Alliance after the recent great battle. Moreover, if they dared to challenge the Sky Alliance¡­


    How immense must these people¡¯s energy be?


    What kind of existence was he exactly up against?!


    Inhaling sharply, Rocky looked at Athena with furrowed brows, only to find her as assured as ever.


    Indeed, she soon spoke, ¡°My lord, let¡¯s not worry about the Alliance. If I am not mistaken, the Elders¡¯ Council must now be troubled by this matter. I also hope that my lord shouldn¡¯t hold too much hope for the Alliance, for to such a colossal entity as the Sky Alliance, there are no true friends, only eternal interests. The Alliance might have allowed us to join for the technology in my lord¡¯s hands but can just as well expel us for a greater benefit. So, our immediate priority should focus on two points¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she looked at Rocky and then thoroughly explained her thoughts to him.


    After listening to Athena¡¯s words, Rocky stroked his chin, pondering for a long while, before finally turning his head to look at Liliya beside him.


    Seeing Rocky turn to her, Liliya nodded at him, and then Rocky, as if resolved, told Athena, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do as you suggested.¡±


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    While Rocky was devising ways to handle the blockade from City of Fury, exactly as Athena had imagined, in Nut God City, the Elder Council of Eleven was holding a meeting, and the issue under discussion was precisely the problem Rocky faced!


    ¡°They are forcing the Alliance to make a choice, whether to stand with them or to preserve Rocky and be their enemy.¡±


    At that moment in the meeting hall, all eleven elders were present, and one of them, after saying this, lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingers: ¡°What should we do?¡±


    As this elder tapped his fingers and looked around at the others, Elder Farey spoke up:


    ¡°It seems they have already realized everything that Rocky controls, the Mana Rune¡­¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 628 - 628 590 Each Harboring Ulterior Motives

    ?Chapter 628: Chapter 590: Each Harboring Ulterior Motives Chapter 628: Chapter 590: Each Harboring Ulterior Motives ¡°Mana Rune¡­ it seems this is no longer a secret.¡±


    With both hands on the round table, Farey looked around, ¡°Rick and his people obviously plan to have a share from our hands¡­¡±


    ¡°This was expected. Mana rune technology is so important that once exposed, it will inevitably lead to everyone¡¯s struggle for it.¡±


    At that moment, another Elder spoke up, ¡°And their purpose must be the same as ours, not just to get the rune itself, but also to directly obtain all the technology related to the rune.¡±


    ¡°Are you really sure that Rocky has it?¡±


    As the Elder¡¯s voice fell, another Elder spoke, ¡°Can we now be sure that Rocky has mastered even more advanced technology?¡±


    This question was raised, and all the Elders¡¯ gazes fell on one person, and the Elder they were looking at hesitated slightly before speaking, ¡°He should have mastered it.¡±


    ¡°Although we recently just discovered the existence of the mana rune, considering the time Aniye and others have been in contact with Rocky, it shows that he got the mana rune long ago, and during this process, Aniye and others must have already achieved very significant research results.¡±


    When this Elder finished speaking, the entire meeting hall fell temporarily quiet.


    Obviously, the situation Rocky was facing was far more dangerous than he had imagined, and even worse than Athena had anticipated, as not only the Sky Alliance, but also Rick and other six forces were now not only eyeing the technology that Rocky mastered, but these people also knew about the existence of the mana rune!


    Actually, this was nothing to be surprised about, as could be heard from the conversing Elders; although they had only recently become aware of the existence of the mana rune, they had been paying attention to this issue for a long time. As the performance of the White Demon Armor on the battlefield became increasingly impressive, including the Sky Alliance, various forces had long been more aware of the importance of the technology that this armor carried.


    Whether it was the Sky Alliance or other forces, they all had their own research teams, so as the performances of the White Demon Armor became more exaggerated, these people increasingly focused on the research of the White Demon Armor. Although they had not yet identified the existence of the rune, they had already determined how important the technology carried by the White Demon was.


    Until recently, the Alliance finally learned the truth about the mana rune, and clearly, other forces also became aware of this truth at the same time, which provoked everything Rocky was facing.


    ¡°So this means¡­ Rocky cannot be easily provoked, right?¡±


    After a brief silence, an Elder with a very sharp gaze glanced at the others, the implication of his words clear, that is, why not use a tougher approach to take everything that Rocky had?


    You must know, although Rocky possessed technology that everyone coveted, he was too weak by himself. In the eyes of the Sky Alliance, he was like a small bug. It was obvious that in the view of some Elders, instead of worrying so much, why not just take action and seize everything he had, wouldn¡¯t that be simpler?


    But as soon as he finished speaking, immediately an Elder shook his head and said, ¡°We only know about the existence of the mana rune right now, and besides that, we know nothing. If we rashly make a move on Rocky, we might end up with very limited gains.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± another Elder nodded, ¡°Right now, Rick and his people think the same as us, they also don¡¯t know how much Rocky has mastered, and they are afraid that once Rocky is pushed into a corner, he might opt for a mutually destructive tactic, and in the end, we might all end up with nothing. So unless we are absolutely certain, we shouldn¡¯t rashly make a move on Rocky.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! As long as we get the rune, with the Alliance¡¯s capability, aren¡¯t we far better than Aniye and his people! Then we can also conduct research on the rune.¡±


    Hearing these words, the Elder with a sharp gaze snorted coldly, appearing very dismissive. In his view, Rocky indeed might have mastered a lot of cutting-edge technology, so if they pushed him too far, he also genuinely had the capability to opt for a mutually destructive path, but so what?


    As long as they could obtain the rune, then with the Alliance¡¯s capability, they could still conduct research on the rune!


    ¡°Time.¡±


    At this time, Farey spoke again, only to hear him slowly say, ¡°We no longer have so much time to research from scratch. Demons won¡¯t give us this time, nor will the Great Demons.¡±


    ¡°Great Demon¡­¡±


    As Farey mentioned the word Great Demon, the faces of the Elders present all changed, and facing the various changing expressions of the Elders, Farey sighed deeply,


    ¡°The third counter-attack war is imminent, you should be clear, each counter-attack war is a major cleansing for the celestial configuration, and to maintain a dominant position, we must establish our advantage during war. I believe Rick and his people are thinking the same, so they have united to target Rocky. So the urgent matter is, what should we do next?¡± sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Rocky was unaware of the Sky Alliance¡¯s attitude, because he no longer hoped for help from the Alliance. He was very clear that to get through the current difficulties, he could only rely on himself.


    But fortunately, ever since he became the City Lord, he had developed quite well, and this was not just in terms of his city¡¯s development, but in other aspects as well.


    For instance, facing this blockade, although the Ruby Chamber of Commerce had suffered heavy losses, with goods from twenty merchant ships hijacked by the City of Fury, the Chamber of Commerce had not cut off ties with Rocky. Instead, they actively discussed countermeasures and pondered together how to get through this difficult time.


    This was of course due to the good cooperative relationship between Rocky and the Chamber of Commerce that had been maintained for a long time, and also because the Ruby Chamber of Commerce was not only Rocky¡¯s biggest business partner, but Rocky was also the most important partner for them, so their interests had long been bound together, necessitating that they overcome the difficulties together.


    In this situation, both parties soon thought of a solution, which was to use Sirius City to carry out the trade.


    Although the City of Fury had blocked the airspace surrounding Backhill Village, their blockade was only against the two cities under Rocky¡¯s rule, and they dared not block Sirius City, otherwise, it would mean directly provoking a conflict. In this situation, Rocky quickly contacted Howling Sky, hoping to use the merchant team of Sirius City for transportation to break through the enemy blockade.


    Of course, such a thing naturally could not be done for free, as Rocky clarified to Howling Sky, as long as his merchant team could help transport goods from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, he would pay ten thousand gold coins per trip, ten thousand gold coins for each merchant ship!

 Chapter 629 - 629 591 Changes Arriving

    ?Chapter 629: Chapter 591: Changes Arriving Chapter 629: Chapter 591: Changes Arriving The greatest challenge Rocky faced now was how to break through the blockade imposed by the City of Fury on himself, and the only ones who could achieve this were Howling Sky and his Sirius City.


    Therefore, Rocky reached out to Howling Sky, asking him to send merchant ships to Eternal City to transport goods for the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, and he promised that for every round trip made by each merchant ship sent by Howling Sky, he would pay a fee of ten thousand Gold Coins!


    For a large Sky City, ten thousand Gold Coins for a round trip might not seem much, but what if it were ten ships making ten trips each? That would amount to a million Gold Coins in fees, a revenue so tempting that even Howling Sky couldn¡¯t resist!


    With the capabilities Rocky possessed at the moment, he had to nourish two Sky Cities under his command, and both cities were packed with numerous industries. Everything, from raw materials to finished products, required constant transportation by merchant ships. Thus, as soon as Howling Sky agreed to his request, it meant that he didn¡¯t need to do anything but earn a huge income of millions of Gold Coins by simply running errands!


    This proposition immediately dissolved Howling Sky¡¯s resentment. Initially, he was somewhat displeased with Rocky using him as a shield, but the prospect of earning millions in Gold Coins made him not mind lending Rocky a small favor, so he agreed without hesitation.


    With Howling Sky¡¯s nod of approval, the greatest crisis Rocky faced was resolved. Although this solution came at a considerable cost, it did not matter¡ªthis was merely a temporary measure for Rocky, as he had other means to completely resolve the crisis afterward.


    Afterward, he contacted Archimonde to inquire about the situation of the Apple Tree Corporation.


    Based on Athena¡¯s prediction, when Backhill Village was blockaded, the two corporations that were most affected were probably only the Ruby Chamber of Commerce and the Apple Tree Corporation. After all, it was well known worldwide that both corporations had clear cooperative relations with Rocky, so with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce already heavily damaged, the Apple Tree Corporation must have been impacted as well.


    Indeed, just as Rocky had thought, a few days ago, a merchant ship from the Apple Tree Corporation bound for Thunderhawk City was stopped by the Fleet of the City of Fury. However, compared to the aggressive approach taken with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, the City of Fury was much more ¡®polite¡¯ to the merchant ships of the Apple Tree Corporation, merely driving them out of the Backhill Village region without attacking the Escort Fleet or the merchant ships themselves.


    This was not surprising, as the Apple Tree Corporation was a true arms giant, unrivaled in the warship sector. Thus, even the City of Fury dared not go too far.


    However, Archimonde did not proactively share this information with Rocky because the Apple Tree Corporation planned to handle the matter themselves! sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Are you¡­ sure?¡±


    ¡°Rocky, rest assured, the corporation will send another batch of merchant ships in a few days.¡±


    When Rocky suggested that Archimonde let the corporation use Howling Sky¡¯s trading fleet to go to Thunderhawk City, Archimonde shook his head and confidently assured him that the corporation did not need anyone¡¯s help and that they would be coming again soon. By then, they would see who dared to stop them!


    This was the dominance of a great Chamber of Commerce. After the last batch of merchant ships was expelled by the City of Fury, the president of the Apple Tree Corporation, Pansen, was greatly angered, as he saw this act by the City of Fury as cutting off his own means to wealth!


    The corporation had only just established a cooperative relationship with Rocky and had immediately secured a large order of Armors. This had inspired the entire Chamber of Commerce, and they were preparing to discuss with Rocky an expansion of their production capacity. Yet, the City of Fury dared to expel their merchant ships bound for Thunderhawk City?


    Upon learning of this, President Pansen¡¯s first reaction was to wonder whether Rick was targeting Rocky or the Apple Tree Corporation. And while others in this part of the sky might fear Rick¡¯s Heavenly Ancestor City and Heavenly Ancestor Church, the Apple Tree Corporation was not afraid!


    So, just as Archimonde had said, the second dispatch of the trading fleet was already on its way. Not only was the trading fleet coming, but the Escort Fleet of the corporation was coming too, and, as the Apple Tree Corporation started with the warship business, they were in no shortage of warships. A massive fleet of large warships forming the Escort Fleet was ready to go; they were keen to see if the City of Fury dared stop them this time!


    ¡°Phew¡­ that¡¯s a relief¡­¡±


    After hearing Archimonde¡¯s words, Rocky breathed a sigh of relief. This was the only piece of good news he had heard recently. In return, Rocky also shared some good news with Archimonde.


    ¡°Archimonde, the order from Xingmin City has been completed,¡± Rocky said.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Archimonde¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, and he quickly asked, ¡°Have the fifty Type 2 tanks been built?¡±


    ¡°They have all been built. The main reason I called you here was for this matter. You can notify Xingmin City to come and collect their order,¡± Rocky replied.


    The reason Rocky had called for Archimonde was partly to inquire if the Chamber of Commerce had suffered any losses due to the blockade and also to inform him that the first order was complete. The fifty Type 2 Armor ordered by Xingmin City had been fully constructed.


    From the time Zuluo was captured to the blockade of Backhill Village by Heavenly Ancestor City, more than a month had passed. During this month, Rocky had been anything but idle. Not only he, but also the newly built armory hadn¡¯t been idle, because Rocky had already figured out his way out. If he wanted to breakthrough the blockade using Sirius City, he would need a large amount of Gold Coins as support. At this stage, the best way to earn Gold Coins was to complete the Armor orders.


    As long as the Armor orders were completed, the subsequent payments would come in, and then Rocky would have money. If worst came to worst, he could negotiate with Apple Tree Corporation to delay their payment, using some of the money to tide over the difficulties. This was not a difficult task; the only essential condition was that the orders must be completed.


    Therefore, after City of Fury had blockaded Backhill Village, Thunderhawk City¡¯s armory did not stop working but instead worked overtime to complete the first order ahead of schedule.


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll immediately contact the Chamber of Commerce and ask Xingmin City to send someone to pick up the goods!¡± Archimonde said.


    Once he knew the first order was completed, Archimonde immediately left the City Lord¡¯s Hall and tirelessly went to contact the Chamber of Commerce. After he left, Athena appeared in the hall.


    ¡°My Lord, variables have arisen,¡± Athena said.


    Coming to Rocky¡¯s side, Athena looked at the door through which Archimonde had exited and smiled as she spoke to Rocky.


    ¡°Do you think such variables will really affect Rick¡¯s plans against me?¡± Rocky asked as he turned his head towards Athena.


    ¡°A minor variable might not, but many small ones accumulate. Once there are enough, and they erupt, no one will be able to control what happens,¡± Athena replied.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    Nodding his head, Rocky stood up from the City Lord¡¯s Throne and left the hall, smiling as he walked, ¡°Let the variables come even more fiercely then!¡±

 Chapter 630 - 630 592 Countermove

    ?Chapter 630: Chapter 592 Countermove Chapter 630: Chapter 592 Countermove Uncertainty, this was the word Athena had been emphasizing to Rocky, in her view, as long as uncertainty existed, schemes like those of Rick and his cohorts were nothing to fear. Rocky initially struggled to understand this, but now he was beginning to grasp it, having seen it with his own eyes.


    Three days after meeting with Archimonde, the second convoy dispatched by the Apple Tree Corporation had arrived, and for this, Rocky had made a special effort to bring out his entire fleet, and every Void Magic Warrior left the city to show the utmost hospitality.


    But when he actually got to the outskirts of the city and saw the merchant ships sent by the Apple Tree Corporation for himself, he breathed a sigh of relief. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thirty merchant ships loaded with various equipment, escorted by a staggering fleet of over two hundred large warships, appeared majestically over the skies of Backhill Village. It was a spectacle too grand to describe, and faced with such an immense fleet, the City of Fury, as usual, dispatched troops to intercept them, but to no avail.


    The Apple Tree Corporation had sent only thirty merchant ships this time, but there were more than two hundred escort warships, and all of them were the most advanced Fifth Generation large warships. This wasn¡¯t an escort; it was a war fleet in disguise! If the troops from the City of Fury dared to stop them, this fleet would not hesitate to open fire!


    In such a situation, the fleet dispatched by the City of Fury dared not interfere.


    Although the fleet of the City of Fury certainly had an absolute advantage in numbers, being a large Sky City and having prepared to blockade Backhill Village, the City of Fury had at least a thousand warships. But even then, they did not dare to open fire lightly on the escort fleet of the Apple Tree Corporation.


    Because if the Apple Tree Corporation dared to send so many warships to protect merely dozens of merchant ships, it signaled their stance far exceeded the actual significance of the escort fleet. They were clearly telling the City of Fury, no, telling Rick, if he dared to cut off commerce between the Chamber of Commerce and Rocky, then the Chamber would fight them to the bitter end! And if Rick dared to break ties, he would have to weigh his decisions carefully, after all, the Apple Tree Corporation was a true commercial giant with seemingly infinite financial resources.


    So, faced with the imposing escort fleet, the City of Fury¡¯s dispatched troops could only put up a defensive posture, while the dozens of merchant ships, escorted by the mighty fleet, headed straight for Thunderhawk City, quickly meeting up with Rocky waiting outside the city.


    After the meeting, the merchant ships of the Chamber, as usual, docked at the Skyport, while the more than a hundred escort warships had no choice but to stop inside Carltos City¡ªthere was no helping it, as the Skyport of Thunderhawk City was too small to accommodate these hundreds of warships.


    And as all the merchant ships landed at the Skyport, workers immediately began to unload the cargo from the ships.


    As mentioned before, the armament factory of Thunderhawk City was built on the scale of a large factory, except that neither side had expected to receive so many orders at the outset, so there was some reservation. But now things were different; in order to increase the production of the armament factory, the Chamber had brought a large amount of equipment and also many of the raw materials essential for the production of Armor.


    With these supplies, plus this batch of equipment, the production efficiency of the Thunderhawk City armament factory could increase by at least twenty percent, provided there were people willing to work. And that was precisely what Rocky cared least about¡ªnot lacking people in need of work in Thunderhawk City. Moreover, even if the population of Thunderhawk City were to become saturated, he could still transfer people from Carltos City, so it was not a problem at all.


    After all these matters were handled, Archimonde sought out Rocky and began discussing with him the construction of a new military factory.


    The success of the initial orders greatly boosted the Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s confidence in their cooperation with Rocky, and they had already decided to discuss with him the possibility of building another military factory in Thunderhawk City. It was only due to the incident involving the expulsion of their merchant ships that this discussion had been delayed until now.


    However, this was perhaps a blessing in disguise, as for the Apple Tree Corporation, it also presented them an opportunity to make a statement. In fact, the reason why the Corporation dispatched such an ostentatious show of force with hundreds of escort warships was to send a signal to Rocky¡ªthat they were committed to the same cause, not just in spirit, but also in their capacity to stand with him on the same front.


    From this alone, it is evident how different merchants are from City Lords. The Apple Tree Corporation was no fool; they too had sensed a hint of conspiracy from Rick¡¯s actions. However, they also understood how crucial the technology that Rocky held was. On these points, the Corporation¡¯s views aligned with the Sky Alliance, but as merchants, their reaction was drastically different.


    For the Sky Alliance, it wasn¡¯t just about coveting the technology Rocky possessed; they also aimed to ensure that these technologies remained exclusively in their hands and did not fall into those of others. This matter was of significant importance to a major force like the Sky Alliance as well.


    To the Apple Tree Corporation, this point was entirely inconsequential. Whether the technology was in their hands or Rocky¡¯s made no difference to them. As long as the partnership could be formed, as long as it was profitable for both parties, that was all that mattered.


    Therefore, at this juncture, the Apple Tree Corporation chose to firmly stand with Rocky, just as they had previously gone all-in on their cooperation with him by investing their entrance into the Armor Domain with him. Once again, they were betting on Rocky¡¯s win!


    It must be said that Pansen, the Guild President of the Apple Tree Corporation, was truly a remarkable figure. At a time when a storm was brewing, he did not hesitate to side with Rocky. This action could not simply be described as having boldness; it was nothing short of a grand gamble!


    With the Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s bold wager, Rocky¡¯s situation improved considerably. They even proposed to take on the responsibility of facilitating contact between Rocky and the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. This way, Rocky would not only continue receiving supplies as usual, but he would also no longer need to ask Howling Sky for assistance, saving him both favors and money.


    However, Rocky declined this proposal, for he saw his reliance on Howling Sky to transport goods as not only a means to break the siege of the City of Fury but also as a way to appease Howling Sky. In other words, it was like delivering a slap followed by a sweet date. After all, he had already used Howling Sky¡¯s Sirius City as a shield; if he didn¡¯t offer them some benefits, and if they decided to stop cooperating, what then?


    Despite this, Rocky had essentially found a way to circumvent the blockade of the City of Fury. Although the City of Fury appeared to be menacingly encircling them, even blockading Backhill Village, Rocky was still trading with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce through Sirius City¡¯s caravans, and he maintained dealings with the Apple Tree Corporation. As long as these relationships with the two Chambers of Commerce remained intact, he would not be trapped.


    What was even more crucial was that Rocky¡¯s production and development had not come to a halt. That was the most vital aspect!

 Chapter 631 - 631 593 Posing a Difficult Question

    ?Chapter 631: Chapter 593: Posing a Difficult Question Chapter 631: Chapter 593: Posing a Difficult Question As time went on, Rocky¡¯s situation not only didn¡¯t worsen due to the City of Fury¡¯s blockade, but instead seemed to improve.


    On the one hand, he had reached an agreement with Howling Sky. On the other, he had unified the front with the Apple Tree Corporation. Therefore, although the City of Fury still appeared menacing, the actual threat to Rocky had significantly decreased; in fact, as long as they did not truly battle, the City of Fury posed no threat to him at all.


    More importantly, the production in Thunderhawk City had not ceased at all during this process, which was absolutely critical.


    Under the heavy external pressures, Rocky was squeezed into finding a much stronger motivation than ever before. Not only him, but every citizen of Thunderhawk City was also driven to incredible efforts.


    Facing the formidable enemies, not a single person in Thunderhawk City complained. The longtime residents who had followed Rocky from the beginning didn¡¯t even need mention, and the new residents were the same; everyone did their utmost to help the city surpass this crisis, unleashing an astonishing power.


    Take, for instance, the Armory. Thunderhawk City¡¯s Armory was now almost operating 24 hours a day with workers shifting in two or even three groups, almost around the clock, producing Armors and filling orders at a speed far beyond everyone¡¯s imagination.


    Meanwhile, just after the merchant ships of the Apple Tree Corporation left, a merchant convoy from Xingmin City arrived, and as expected, the City of Fury naturally sent their fleet to intercept and once again attempted expulsion.


    This thoroughly offended the City Lord of Xingmin City. Enraging the City Lord to the point of fury. However, frankly speaking, the City Lord of Xingmin City was not just angry with Rick but was also quite dissatisfied with Rocky because he had come to conduct business with Rocky and hated such unexpected complications most.


    But this was exactly what Rocky wanted to see. He did not care whether the City Lord of Xingmin City was angry with him or not; he just needed the City Lord to feel dissatisfaction with Rick as well.


    Why?


    Because such resentment can accumulate! S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keep in mind that the orders Rocky took on were not just one or two. He completed more than one order, and in fact, due to the Armory of Thunderhawk City working overtime, the orders taken previously were being completed one after another. As these orders were completed, customers naturally came to pick up their goods, which put Rick and the City of Fury in a dilemma. Were they to block all the customers outside Backhill Village?


    If they couldn¡¯t, then the blockade by the City of Fury would be utterly ineffective, serving no real purpose and even becoming the laughingstock of the entire sky.


    If they maintained a strong blockade, then Rick and the City of Fury would be antagonizing more than just one or two individuals. After all, the city lords who couldn¡¯t pick up their goods would definitely be displeased with Rocky just as they would inevitably with Rick, and this was precisely the outcome Rocky wanted to see.


    Anyway, he was already driven to a dead end; the more grudges there were, the less he worried¡ªincurring a bit more dissatisfaction was irrelevant to him. But the same could not be said for Rick; Rocky wanted to see how Rick would handle this pressure!


    In fact, before Rick could handle it, the City of Fury, which was responsible for the blockade of Backhill Village, was already struggling. Because as Rocky completed the orders for the Co-Governing Alliance, the trade caravan from the Alliance appeared grandly at Backhill Village.


    It¡¯s unclear if they had received prior information, but the caravan sent by the Co-Governing Alliance was enormous. They didn¡¯t just send a caravan, they even sent a large Sky City!


    So, when the massive Sky City sent by the Co-Governing Alliance broke through the clouds over Backhill Village, City Lord Erwin of the City of Fury felt a severe headache, rubbing his temples vigorously. With a gloomy face, he suddenly realized that things were getting out of his control.


    He hadn¡¯t anticipated Rocky¡¯s business interactions with so many people, and as more and more caravans appeared, his situation became increasingly embarrassing.


    Because those with the ability to order Tank Armors were either powerful large Sky Cities or outright Alliances, and only these entities held industries on the land that required Tank Armors. But this also meant these entities were immensely powerful. If he kept expelling their trade caravans, wouldn¡¯t that be provoking these behemoths?


    The power of Heavenly Ancestor City and the Heavenly Ancestor Church was indeed formidable and usually disregarded by commoners, but even the strongest power could not afford to antagonize so many simultaneously, especially since none of these entities were pushovers, many having the capability to wrestle with Heavenly Ancestor City and Church.


    Take the now-arriving Co-Governing Alliance, for instance. As a major alliance that recently rose after the last great war, the Alliance was not only formidable in power but also in momentum. In this situation, what should he do?


    Should he still stop them?


    Don¡¯t forget, this time the Co-Governing Alliance had directly sent a large Sky City. So, if he really sent troops to block them, who knows what extreme reactions they might make. Given the current vigor of the Co-Governing Alliance, they might even be waiting for someone to start a fight to establish their authority. If he rashly sent out his troops, wouldn¡¯t he be delivering himself to them?


    But if he let them through¡­ then what was the point of his blockade¡­


    In this situation, Erwin knew that the current circumstances were beyond his control, so he simply contacted Rick, letting the Sect Hierarch decide.


    Therefore, after that he quickly got in touch with Rick, and surprisingly, Rick responded swiftly.


    Stop them!


    Just one word, Stop!


    Not only the trade ships of the Co-Governing Alliance, but in the future, all merchant ships, including those of the Apple Tree Corporation, must also be stopped, even those from Sirius City had to be inspected before letting them pass!


    ¡°My God¡­¡±


    After receiving this order, Erwin was completely dumbfounded. He stared blankly at Rick¡¯s Magic Energy Image for a long while before finally managing to ask, ¡°My lord, are you certain about this?¡±


    Erwin had to ask this question because he very much doubted whether he had heard incorrectly, and what made him doubt even more was whether Rick had gone mad! Because only a madman would make such a decision!


    Does he even know what he is doing? Does he understand that once this decision is made, what kind of pressure they will face?

 Chapter 632 - 632 594 Pressure

    ?Chapter 632: Chapter 594 Pressure Chapter 632: Chapter 594 Pressure Rocky was parrying as attacks came his way, and Rick and his people were not sitting idly by either. They dared to target Rocky and even provoked the Sky Alliance, so naturally they must have made thorough preparations.


    In fact, unknown to Rocky, some had already started to pressure the Sky Alliance!


    As Rocky¡¯s biggest protection, even though cracks had appeared between him and the Alliance and the trust between them was beginning to wane, the two parties hadn¡¯t completely fallen out yet. As long as Rocky was with the Alliance, they stood to gain an advantage in obtaining Mana Runes before anyone else. Hence, Rick and his associates wanted to snatch the runes from Rocky, making an interaction with the Sky Alliance inevitable.


    But as mentioned before, the six forces aligned with Rick had a clear division of labor. Rick was only responsible for dealing with Rocky directly, while the others had their own assignments. Therefore, Rick wasn¡¯t entirely sure what the allies were doing. The only thing he knew was that the Alliance had already felt the pressure!


    Not only had Rick received affirmative responses from his allies, but the multiple reactions of the Sky Alliance to date were enough proof of this.


    Since Rocky hadn¡¯t actively contacted the Alliance since the emergence of the City of Fury, he was completely unaware of the Alliance¡¯s reaction to the matter. Hence, he didn¡¯t know that when the City of Fury began to blockade Backhill Village, the Alliance had actually sent reinforcements!


    Indeed, either out of self-interest or other reasons, the Alliance had reacted swiftly, dispatching two large Sky Cities toward Backhill Village¡ªan action unknown to Rocky but known to Howling Sky.


    Unfortunately, the two large Sky Cities dispatched did not arrive at Backhill Village as scheduled, because halfway there the Alliance urgently ordered both Sky Cities to return¡­


    This turn of events took Howling Sky by surprise. In his view, the actions of the City of Fury were not just targeting Rocky; they were practically disregarding the Alliance. So when he learned that reinforcements were en route, he was not surprised but prepared for battle instead.


    Yet, the Alliance suddenly changed its mind and withdrew the reinforcements in the middle of their journey, a move that greatly puzzled Howling Sky.


    However, Howling Sky, as a City Lord with extensive fighting experience, sensed the gravity of the situation from the Alliance¡¯s behavior. Detecting an unusual scent in the air, he immediately decided to request a transfer from the Alliance.


    He had no intention of getting mired in these troubled waters. Although he had a good relationship with Rocky, it wasn¡¯t to the extent that he would risk life and death with him. Moreover, if the Sky Alliance was also involved, the matter must be significant, and Howling Sky didn¡¯t believe he could handle affairs at this level.


    Unfortunately, the Alliance immediately rejected his request. The Elders¡¯ Council still ordered him to hold Backhill Village on behalf of the Alliance and continued to forbid him from sending troops to help Rocky on his own initiative.


    This indicated that the Alliance still didn¡¯t want to completely fall out with Rocky. By sending two large Sky Cities for support, they intended to tell Rocky that, as long as he yielded and was willing to hand over everything he controlled to the Alliance, they would still be allies and ensure his safety.


    But there was an unexpected twist in the process, which forced the Alliance to change its decision at the last minute and withdraw the two Sky Cities that were prepared to offer support.


    It was hard to imagine what kind of pressure the grand Sky Alliance had faced to prompt such a decision. To obtain the Mana Runes controlled by Rocky, the Alliance Elder Council had even held a full meeting¡ªa level of meeting rarely convened within the span of a year¡ªespecially for Rocky¡¯s sake. Yet, despite this, the Alliance still withdrew the reinforcement for Backhill Village!


    And if one understood these events, they wouldn¡¯t be surprised by the order Rick issued to the City of Fury to intercept any caravan trying to approach Backhill Village to trade with Rocky. He even mandated strict inspections on merchant ships from Sirius City, not sparing any.


    Clearly, as Rocky was trying to resolve the current minor crisis, Rick and his accomplices were plotting something much bigger!


    Under these circumstances, although Erwin, who had received the orders, didn¡¯t understand the details, he still carried out Rick¡¯s orders and directly dispatched troops to shoot down the Sky Cities sent by the Co-Governing Alliance!


    However, as the City of Fury¡¯s Fleet set out, the Fleet sent by the Co-Governing Alliance also promptly deployed their forces!


    This was an almost inevitable result. As Erwin saw it, the Co-Governing Alliance was in the ascendant, looking for opportunities to establish their authority. So as soon as the City of Fury deployed troops, the Sky Cities of the Co-Governing Alliance immediately sent reinforcements, and without further ado, the two parties broke into conflict.


    When this news reached Rocky¡¯s ears, he was overjoyed, for he had been waiting for such a situation to occur. His reason for completing orders overtime was to make Rick¡¯s forces attract widespread anger, sure enough that someone would step forward first. Now it seemed the Co-Governing Alliance was the one, as it feared neither Heavenly Ancestor City nor the Heavenly Ancestor Church in terms of size and strength.


    For this reason, Rocky immediately issued orders to his troops, commanding all the warships and all Void Magic Warriors to ready for battle!


    He had already decided that as soon as the Sky Cities of the Co-Governing Alliance and the City of Fury engaged in direct combat, his forces would strike. Although his Fleet might not be considered potent in battle, Rocky himself was a formidable warrior who could take on a hundred alone. Just his presence on the battlefield in White Demon Armor was enough to ensure the decimation of several Void Magic Squads from the City of Fury and even the destruction of dozens of warships.


    The only regret he had was that the confrontation between the two sides happened so suddenly¡ªalmost instantaneously¡ªthat he didn¡¯t have time to deploy. It wasn¡¯t an issue, though. Since the battle had begun, it was unlikely to stop just like that, and he would definitely have a chance to join in.


    To Rocky¡¯s utter surprise, the skirmish between the City of Fury and its opponent indeed came to an abrupt halt.


    On the second day after the firefight had started, Rocky, who had been poised and ready to enter the fray, found that not only had the battle not escalated, but the Sky City sent by the Co-Governing Alliance had actually left!


    Rapidly commanding his Fleet to leave the Skyport, Rocky watched the distant Sky City slowly depart, first pausing in incredulity, then feeling a sinking feeling in his heart!


    sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 633 - 633 595 Backyard on Fire

    ?Chapter 633: Chapter 595 Backyard on Fire Chapter 633: Chapter 595 Backyard on Fire Rocky had already made preparations for battle and even led his fleet away from the Skyport, only to find that the war he was anticipating not only failed to ignite, but the Sky City from the Co-Governing Alliance had turned back¡­


    Watching Sky City grow more and more distant, Rocky first froze, then immediately ordered a return to base. Upon his return to Thunderhawk City, he immediately sought out Athena!


    ¡°Athena, has there been any change in the plan?¡±


    With furrowed brows, Rocky looked at Athena, a very ominous feeling brewing within him. It would be understandable if it were other forces that retreated after encountering City of Fury, but why would the Co-Governing Alliance do the same?


    Rocky had missed the battle the day before, but he had always sent Reconnaissance Ships to monitor City of Fury¡¯s movements, so he knew very well that during yesterday¡¯s exchange of fire, the Co-Governing Alliance¡¯s forces were the first to open fire. This clearly indicated that the Co-Governing Alliance was intent on clashing with City of Fury, so why did they retreat after just a small-scale conflict, not only stopping the fight but completely withdrawing?


    Such behavior did not fit with the recent actions shown by the Co-Governing Alliance¡­


    It was precisely because of the Co-Governing Alliance¡¯s peculiar behavior that Rocky felt that something was amiss, which was why he immediately summoned Athena.


    However, in the face of his question, Athena frowned for a long time before finally looking at him, ¡°My lord, it seems¡­ our plan needs to be moved up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Nodding, Athena continued, ¡°The Co-Governing Alliance¡¯s withdrawal is a very dangerous sign, obviously indicating they¡¯ve received some sort of warning or even a threat, a threat so formidable that even the Co-Governing Alliance can¡¯t resist it. Therefore, if I¡¯m not mistaken, our situation will get even worse, so we must act, we can¡¯t delay any longer.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hearing this from Athena, Rocky¡¯s brows were tightly knitted into a knot. He and Athena indeed had plans in place beforehand, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to react so quickly to the blockade of Backhill Village by City of Fury and come up with a solution immediately.


    But judging from what Athena was saying now, their plan was clearly not keeping up with the pace of change, and the enemy¡¯s reaction was much stronger than they had anticipated. This forced Rocky and his team to take countermeasures, or it would be too late.


    In fact, it was already too late because right after Sky City from the Co-Governing Alliance withdrew, City of Fury truly began the blockade of Backhill Village. Erwin fully enacted Rick¡¯s orders, starting to strictly prohibit all caravans from nearing Backhill Village, threatening to open fire on anyone who disobeyed!


    Under these circumstances, the blockade that had just been broken was immediately reinstated even more rigorously than before. This time, City of Fury didn¡¯t even spare the caravans of Howling Sky, though they hadn¡¯t gone as far as to prevent their entry or exit entirely, every entrance and exit was subject to strict scrutiny to ensure the goods weren¡¯t there to assist Rocky.


    And this time, City of Fury was clearly not just posturing, because not long after, a fleet from the Apple Tree Corporation arrived, and facing the still vast, hundred-strong escort fleet, City of Fury exhibited no mercy. As soon as they met, both parties engaged in intense battle!


    As a result, Rocky¡¯s situation took a drastic downturn; the caravan traffic that had just been restored for a few days was abruptly cut off again.


    And just as Rocky was frantically overwhelmed by this development, trouble flared up in his own backyard.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    One evening, as Rocky was discussing with Amanred, the Guild President of the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, how to covertly transport goods using Sirius City¡¯s merchant ships, he suddenly received a message from the research institute that someone was attempting to steal technology from inside the institute!


    Upon hearing this news, Rocky immediately ended the communication with Amanred and then hurriedly took people to the research institute. By the time he arrived, Orton and the other three had already been waiting for him for a long time, and it was not just the four of them, there was also a middle-aged man whom Rocky did not recognize at all.


    When Rocky rushed to Orton¡¯s bedroom, he saw a middle-aged man with a simple and honest look kneeling on the ground. Although there were no ropes binding him, he had already been controlled by Orton¡¯s magic, completely unable to move.


    ¡°Teacher, what happened?¡±


    After glancing at the middle-aged man whom he did not recognize at all, Rocky turned to Orton.


    ¡°Tonight while I was in the laboratory researching with Hammerfire, the room¡¯s alarm suddenly went off. When I came back, I found this guy trapped in the room.¡±


    As he spoke, Orton looked coldly at the middle-aged man. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After hearing this, Rocky turned to look at the middle-aged man on the ground and then squatted in front of him.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Sir, I, I am a servant here, I did not¡­ I really didn¡¯t steal anything¡­!¡±


    Perhaps truly frightened, the middle-aged man was so scared that he started to babble incoherently when faced with Rocky¡¯s gaze, almost bursting into tears.


    ¡°You are a servant here?¡±


    Rocky frowned as he looked at the man, and then asked again.


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±


    The middle-aged man quickly nodded in response to the question.


    The so-called servants were essentially janitors, especially within the research institute. Though the institute always had a policy of not allowing outsiders in, even after it expanded, some tasks still needed to be handled by servants, like cleaning and sanitation. Orton and his team were always absorbed in their research, occasionally causing small accidents in the laboratories, so whether Rocky and Orton liked it or not, servants were necessary to do the cleaning.


    The man before him was a servant of the institute, no wonder Rocky did not recognize him; because these servants didn¡¯t dare to interrupt when Orton and Rocky were conducting their research, and would only clean after they were finished.


    According to this man, he was just taking the opportunity to clean Orton¡¯s room while Orton was occupied in the laboratory and accidentally triggered a magic alarm that Orton had set up in his room.


    And this explanation did indeed seem flawless, especially since that¡¯s how servants typically operated¡ªcleaning the labs while Orton and his team were resting, and tidying their rooms when the team was busy with experiments, that had always been the routine.


    Moreover, the man seemed simple and honest, not looking like someone who was shifty or deceitful.


    So after listening to the other party¡¯s explanation, Rocky stood up and then said to Monte who was beside him, ¡°Take him to the jail for me, use whatever means necessary, but make him speak the truth!¡±

 Chapter 634 - 634 596 Forcing a Confession

    ?Chapter 634: Chapter 596: Forcing a Confession Chapter 634: Chapter 596: Forcing a Confession Although the explanations given by the other party seemed reasonable, and the person appeared to be quite honest, Rocky simply didn¡¯t buy it!


    First, this was a critical period, with everyone eyeing the Mana Runes he controlled. In such times, Rocky couldn¡¯t afford to take anything lightly. Even if the man¡¯s intention was not to steal the Runes, even if he really had accidentally triggered one of Orton¡¯s traps, Rocky would still have to interrogate him strictly.


    Second, could Orton¡¯s magical traps be triggered by mistake? Orton was a master of the Magic Energy Domain, and his understanding of magic had reached an extremely meticulous level. The magical traps set by him couldn¡¯t possibly be triggered accidentally, so just based on this point alone was enough to arrest this person on the spot!


    Upon receiving Rocky¡¯s command, Monte didn¡¯t hesitate to grab the man by the collar and, following Orton¡¯s deactivation of the magic, directly lifted him up. He then personally escorted the man to Thunderhawk City¡¯s prison.


    After Monte left with the man, Rocky turned to look at Orton and others. No one spoke, but Orton nodded at him, and then Rocky finally let out a sigh of relief. This indicated that the Mana Runes and the technology they had researched hadn¡¯t been stolen.


    It wasn¡¯t until then that Rocky had time to feel a wave of relief. Had everything they controlled really been stolen, that would have been the end of everything. But thankfully, he had the foresight to notify Orton and others in advance, and they had put preventive measures in place early on, preventing an even worse situation from unfolding.


    Nevertheless, this incident still served as a warning for Rocky, making the situation he faced even worse.


    Before this, the only threats he faced were external. No matter what or who the enemy was, and no matter their motives, such threats ultimately came from the outside. But now it was different. This incident was a sign that someone had infiltrated his inner circle!


    Of course, this situation was understandable. Before this, Rocky had control over the Mana Runes, but he always conducted the research sneakily. Initially, only Orton was involved in the research, and even when Aniye and others joined, they didn¡¯t make a big fuss. However, the situation changed after the research team expanded. With the expansion of the team, the number of people involved in researching Mana Runes suddenly increased tenfold, naturally greatly increasing the risk of exposure.


    In fact, a rough estimate of the timeline would reveal that the worsening of Rocky¡¯s situation coincided with the expansion of his research team, which was quite telling.


    This forced Rocky to resolve the issue quickly; the external pressure he faced was already immense, and if internal strife started flaring up, life would truly become unbearable.


    So, upon returning to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, he immediately ordered Monte to start the interrogation without a minute¡¯s delay. Monte had to extract the truth by any means necessary. At the same time, Rocky also ordered Lin Feng to lead a large-scale investigation to get to the bottom of the matter.


    In such circumstances, by the next day, Lin Feng had delivered a report to Rocky.


    According to the report, the middle-aged man captured last night was named Xini. He had moved to Thunderhawk City two years ago and was an ordinary resident of the city area. Single, he had become a servant at the research institute six months prior, with no mistakes or issues until his arrest.


    Without a doubt, under Rocky¡¯s supervision, Lin Feng¡¯s efficiency was extremely high; he had managed to clear up the man¡¯s basic information in just one night. This investigation clearly increased Xini¡¯s suspicion. First, he wasn¡¯t an original resident of Thunderhawk City, nor was he a villager from Backhill Village or one of those newcomers who had been ¡°cleansed.¡± The fact that he had moved to Thunderhawk City two years ago significantly raised suspicions about him.


    ¡°Keep investigating.¡±


    ¡°Search his house thoroughly.¡±


    ¡°Ask his neighbors for more information.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After reviewing the basic information, Rocky immediately issued an order, instructing Lin Feng to continue the investigation, telling him to leave no stone unturned in his search for clues.


    And once Lin Feng left, Rocky headed to the dungeon of Thunderhawk City.


    He rarely visited such a place, so despite being the City Lord, he was quite unfamiliar with the dungeon of Thunderhawk City. Therefore, when he and his men stepped into the dark, damp cells, he immediately wrinkled his brow at the odd smell.


    He was quickly led to a cell, and upon entering, he saw Xini hanging naked on the wall, his wrists bound by cold iron chains that were just a bit higher than his height. Even when struggling, Xini could only touch the ground with the tips of his toes; he couldn¡¯t quite stand on it.


    On Xini¡¯s body, one could see that his skin was torn and flesh was gaping, with whipping marks so numerous they formed a vast net across him, making for a horrific and unbearable sight.


    Turning his head, Rocky saw Monte just as bare on his upper body, hastily standing up upon his arrival. The table behind him was littered with all kinds of torture instruments, some of which still had fresh blood on them, clearly having just been used.


    It was evident both from Xini¡¯s current state and the dark circles under Monte¡¯s eyes that neither had rested that night. Monte had indeed been carrying out a relentless interrogation as ordered by Rocky, sparing no effort in using severe torture.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±


    After glancing at Xini hanging on the wall, Rocky turned to look at Monte.


    ¡°My Lord, this guy is tough, he won¡¯t talk.¡±


    Shaking his head, Monte replied with a sense of helplessness. He had been rigorously torturing Xini all night, but the man wouldn¡¯t say a word, adamantly insisting he was wrongfully accused¡ªa claim that even made Monte start to believe it.


    The extent of the wounds on Xini¡¯s body showed that Monte had not been merciful in the least. He had employed a variety of cruel methods to make him speak more quickly, methods so savage that even Rocky didn¡¯t want to inquire about the details. Still, Xini continued to insist on his innocence, which made Monte start to wonder if they had indeed apprehended the wrong person.


    One must understand that Rocky¡¯s ultimate goal was not to make Xini suffer, but to uncover the truth and identify the mastermind behind the scenes. If they had really made a mistake, would that not mean all their efforts were in vain?


    Of course, that was what Monte thought, but Rocky¡¯s thoughts were clearly different.


    Upon hearing Monte¡¯s words, he turned towards Xini and then approached him.


    At that moment, Xini had already been beaten unconscious, and looking at the insensible Xini, Rocky spoke as if talking to himself, and as if speaking to Monte, ¡°If it had been someone else, they probably would have confessed by now, right?¡±


    Hearing this, Monte was first taken aback, then his expression turned to one of sudden realization!

 Chapter 635 - 635 597 Clue

    ?Chapter 635: Chapter 597: Clue Chapter 635: Chapter 597: Clue ¡°Had it been someone else, would they have already been coerced into confessing?¡±


    This remark by Rocky suddenly enlightened Monte; indeed! He had been so ruthless; if Xini were just an ordinary citizen, even if wrongly accused, it¡¯s possible he might have been coerced into confessing by now, especially when compared to being tortured to death here, dying could seem the easier option.


    Yet, the reality is quite the opposite. Faced with relentless interrogation, Xini not only endured but also consistently insisted on his innocence, which in itself was suspicious!


    ¡°Keep questioning him; I¡¯ve already sent Lin Feng to investigate, and he will notify you once he discovers anything.¡±


    After reminding Monte, Rocky slowly spoke, and he didn¡¯t forget to add, ¡°But remember, don¡¯t let him die before the truth is clarified.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Seeing Monte nod, Rocky felt relieved and subsequently left the prison.


    After leaving the prison and returning to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Rocky contacted Amanred again to continue discussing how to transport supplies through the Sirius City merchants.


    Though a significant issue had arisen in his own backyard, Rocky couldn¡¯t let his other responsibilities slide, especially not now.


    The pressure he was facing was immense. It was no exaggeration to say that a slight mishandling could lead to total defeat. So as Monte and Lin Feng interrogated and investigated, Rocky also used this opportunity to continue devising strategies to break the deadlock.


    Unfortunately, the current situation was terribly bad, leading Rocky and Amanred, after deliberating all morning, to only conclude by decreasing the cargo load of their merchant ships, mixing their goods with those from Sirius City to lower the chances of detection during inspections.


    After dealing with this matter, Rocky went to the research institute to continue adjusting the Thunderhawk Armor.


    The experimental version of the Thunderhawk Armor had now been produced in its third iteration. After three revisions and numerous tests, the Thunderhawk Armor had essentially reached the production and sales standards, which meant that this model of Armor was nearly complete.


    For Rocky, this was naturally good news. After all, this was not only the second model of Armor he had led the development of but also the first one, besides the White Demon, to use a rune as its operational core. The significance of this, not just for him but for the global Armor domain, was immense.


    Rocky believed, once the Thunderhawk Armor was officially revealed to the public and put into production, it would not only have a profound significance but might even solve his current predicament!


    Unfortunately, now he simply couldn¡¯t achieve this. City of Fury had suddenly increased their blockade intensity, plunging Thunderhawk City into severe difficulty. Not only could other merchant groups no longer reach them, but even the Apple Tree Corporation couldn¡¯t get close.


    As previously mentioned, before Xini was captured, the escort fleet of the Apple Tree Corporation had clashed with the City of Fury, resulting in the total annihilation of over two hundred escort ships and dozens of merchant vessels from the Apple Tree Corporation!


    This was naturally an expected outcome. After all, the City of Fury is a large Sky City, and although the Apple Tree Corporation dispatched a substantial escort fleet, it was still impossible to confront a large Sky City with just over two hundred warships.


    Of course, despite annihilating the Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s fleet, the City of Fury also suffered significant losses. Although Rocky did not participate in this massive battle, according to reports from reconnaissance ships, the City of Fury had lost at least a hundred warships, with equally significant casualties.


    After this battle, even the Apple Tree Corporation dared not rashly send merchant groups. They too were looking for ways to restore their dealings with Rocky. So since the blockade by the City of Fury had intensified, Rocky was truly trapped in Backhill Village, now only able to rely on ¡®smuggled¡¯ supplies from Sirius City to sustain himself, unavoidably unable to do anything else.


    In such circumstances, even if the development of the Thunderhawk Armor was completed and ready for production, Rocky simply couldn¡¯t proceed because he, being blockaded in Backhill Village, could not import the raw materials necessary for the production of Armor from outside.


    There was one thing that caused both Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation considerable headaches¡ªit was that, following the Co-Governing Alliance¡¯s brief skirmish with the City of Fury and their subsequent withdrawal, those customers who had ordered Tank Armor changed their tune!


    Before this, although these customers were dissatisfied with not receiving their Armor, they were doubly discontent¡ªboth with Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation, and with the City of Fury that blocked them, perhaps even more so with the City of Fury, since it was City of Fury that was hindering them.


    However, after the Co-Governing Alliance¡¯s retreat from Sky City, these customers instantly shifted their stance, placing all their dissatisfaction solely on Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation, including the Co-Governing Alliance itself!


    Clearly, any discerning observer could see that when Sky City from the Co-Governing Alliance withdrew after clashing with the City of Fury, it was obviously because they had been warned. Otherwise, having already come to blows, the Co-Governing Alliance wouldn¡¯t have retreated so easily. It was precisely because of this that other customers outside of the Co-Governing Alliance also must have realized that something was wrong, so they too quickly changed their narrative.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation were forced to quickly deliver the completed Armor; otherwise, the consequences would be severe. Moreover, it was only by delivering the Armor to the customers that Rocky could collect the final payments for manufacturing the Armor, and only then could he think of a way to produce the Thunderhawk Armor!


    But how to deliver the completed Armor to these customers had become another headache.


    It must be said, Rocky was indeed in a dire situation now, to the extent that he could see no hope of breaking through.


    However, fortunately, at this most critical moment, something good finally happened¡ªthat was, Lin Feng¡¯s investigation had made a discovery!


    By this time, three days had already passed since Xini had been captured, and early on the third day Lin Feng went to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion to see Rocky, bringing with him an object.


    ¡°What is¡­ what is this?¡±


    Holding an object nearly the size of a coin in his hand, Rocky looked it over and still could not discern what it was. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The object looked definitively like some kind of device, but it was too small, only the size of a coin, so even Rocky couldn¡¯t be sure what it was.


    ¡°¡­My lord, I do not know what this is either¡­ All I know is that it was found in Xini¡¯s house.¡±


    Facing Rocky¡¯s question, Lin Feng awkwardly shook his head, unable to identify something that not even Rocky could.


    ¡°Alright, you may leave.¡±


    With a wave of his hand at Lin Feng, Rocky dismissed him, then toyed with the ¡®coin¡¯ in his hand for a while before heading to the research facility and finding Orton and others.


    ¡°Teacher, this was found in Xini¡¯s house; take a look, what is this thing?¡±


    Upon seeing Orton and the others, Rocky brought out the ¡®coin,¡¯ handing it to Orton, who had barely begun to examine it when Pelaya snatched it right out of his hands!


    With a furrowed brow, Pelaya held the ¡®coin¡¯ in her hand, then fixed Rocky with a troubled gaze: ¡°Rocky, you said this was found in that thief¡¯s house?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    As Rocky nodded in confirmation, Pelaya¡¯s expression immediately changed!

 Chapter 636 - 636 598 All in Vain

    ?Chapter 636: Chapter 598: All in Vain Chapter 636: Chapter 598: All in Vain From the small gadgets found in Xini¡¯s house, Rocky didn¡¯t know what it was, but it was definitely a precision device, so in order to figure it out, Rocky had to meet with Orton and the others.


    Just after he met Orton and took out the small device in his hand, Pelaya immediately snatched it away, and then furrowed her brow tightly.


    ¡°Master, do you¡­ recognize this¡­?¡±


    From Pelaya¡¯s reaction, it was clear she recognized what it was, and from her expression, it was evident that the origins of this item were no ordinary matter.


    Indeed that was the case!


    Pelaya, having taken a careful look at the coin-sized device, turned to Rocky and without beating around the bush, gave the answer, ¡°Rocky, this is a communicator used internally by the Magic Energy Research Institute.¡±


    ¡°Magic¡­ Energy Institute?¡±


    Upon hearing this answer, let alone Rocky¡¯s expression, even Orton, Aniye, and Hammerfire who were by his side, opened their mouths in shock, and their faces suddenly turned exceedingly ugly.


    Was this a product researched by the Magic Energy Research Institute? And it was also used internally?


    Could that be possible?


    Of course, it could!


    As one of the Three Giants, the Magic Energy Research Institute differed from both the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire; this vast force maintained a neutral stance in many matters, and although regarding strength alone the Magic Energy Research Institute was not extraordinarily powerful, nobody should underestimate the Institute because they possessed the largest and most advanced technology of the day!


    The reason why Pelaya recognized this device was that she had once served in the Institute for a period, so there was absolutely no mistake.


    With this, the truth about Xini was completely revealed. Xini was definitely not wronged; he triggered Orton¡¯s trap precisely because he wanted to steal the research data Orton was overseeing, and the behind-the-scenes agent was the Magic Energy Research Institute!


    And if one thinks about it, one would realize that the time Xini moved into Thunderhawk City two years ago coincided with the time when Aniye and others announced to the world that they were researching a new generation of Armor Technology. That means that as early as two years ago, the Magic Energy Research Institute had actually sent people to Thunderhawk City to monitor the research being conducted by Aniye and his colleagues!


    This outcome was truly unexpected by everyone, because no one had anticipated that the Magic Energy Research Institute had begun their schemes years ago; the thought was simply profoundly frightening.


    At the same time, this also raised another question, why did Xini come to Thunderhawk City as early as two years ago, yet only blended into the research institute in the last half-year, and acted just in these last few days?


    This question might be unclear to the likes of Aniye, since they, although aware of Rocky¡¯s current predicament, primarily focused on their research, but Rocky knew!


    The Magic Energy Research Institute was waiting for an opportunity, and this opportunity was Rick¡¯s blockade on Backhill Village; during this distressing time for Rocky, wasn¡¯t it the best time to steal the technology?


    And what did this imply?


    After confirming that the behind-the-scenes instigator was the Magic Energy Research Institute, Rocky immediately returned to Thunderhawk City and then summoned Athena.


    Having called Athena to his side, Rocky recounted his findings to her and then anxiously asked, ¡°Athena, what do you think this means?¡±


    In fact, Rocky had thought of the answer but couldn¡¯t believe everything he had figured, which is why he asked Athena; he truly wanted to hear a completely contrary answer from her mouth.


    However, faced with this question, Athena simply looked at him once and then shook her head.


    Her shaking her head at that moment wasn¡¯t out of ignorance of the answer but was telling Rocky that the answer he thought of was indeed the correct one, and there was no second possibility!


    ¡°Sir, it appears that Rick¡¯s allies now include the Magic Energy Research Institute,¡± she said.


    As Athena looked toward Rocky, she delivered the answer he least wanted to hear.


    Upon hearing this, Rocky deflated like a punctured ball, slumping powerless into the City Lord¡¯s throne, his gaze growing vacant¡­


    He had never imagined that among his opponents there would be such a terrifying presence.


    The Magic Energy Research Institute, one of the top three powers in the skies, had set its sights on him; such a situation, even just the thought of it, was enough to make anyone break out in cold sweat, and this was exactly what Rocky was experiencing.


    Once this was confirmed, all the recent events began to make sense.


    Why did the City of Fury dare to be so arrogant? S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Why did the reinforcements from the Sky Alliance turn back?


    Why did the Co-Governing Alliance retreat and avoid battle?


    Everything made sense now!


    Although Rocky was unaware of the Alliance¡¯s decision to have the reinforcements turn back, he knew about other issues, like the sudden withdrawal of the Co-Governing Alliance. Clearly, the Co-Governing Alliance had been warned off by the Magic Energy Research Institute, and only a top force like the Institute could make the flourishing Co-Governing Alliance bow down¡ªsuch was the power of the Institute.


    How could he possibly contend against such an opponent?


    Powerless in the City Lord¡¯s Throne, Rocky wasn¡¯t scared, but bewildered. After learning that his opponent was the Magic Energy Research Institute, he didn¡¯t even know what he was doing anymore, because anything he did against such an opponent seemed futile!


    In an instant, he was utterly defeated, and seeing him in this state, Athena opened her mouth as if to say something, but she ultimately didn¡¯t speak, instead turning to look at Liliya.


    When Athena looked at Liliya, Liliya wasn¡¯t looking at her, but at Rocky. She just stood there silently by his side, watching him, saying nothing.


    It was a long time before Liliya finally placed her hand gently on Rocky¡¯s shoulder.


    Feeling Liliya¡¯s hand, the spellbound Rocky came back to his senses, then turned his head to look at her. It took him a while to finally ask, ¡°What should I do¡­?¡±


    Without a doubt, Rocky was now out of options. Facing an irresistible powerful foe, everything he did felt futile and meaningless, leaving him completely unsure of what to do.


    Upon hearing this, Liliya gave a small smile, ¡°Remember the Mairente Family we faced before? Wasn¡¯t that situation even worse than now? Back then, we didn¡¯t have a single warship, and the entire city had only you as a Void Magic Warrior, a single set of Void Magic Armor. At that time, the Mairente Family was much stronger than the Magic Energy Research Institute is to us now.¡±


    ¡°But in the end, we got through it. Under your leadership, we made it, right?¡±


    ¡°But this time¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same this time.¡± Liliya interrupted Rocky, looking at him with firm and utterly trusting eyes, ¡°You will lead us through this challenge too. I believe in you, we all believe in you, so you must believe in yourself.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Looking at Liliya, Rocky was silent for a long while before finally taking a deep breath. Then he turned to Athena and said, ¡°Go bring Archimonde here!¡±

 Chapter 637 - 637 599 Never Surrender

    ?Chapter 637: Chapter 599: Never Surrender! Chapter 637: Chapter 599: Never Surrender! The appearance of the Magic Energy Research Institute once plunged Rocky into confusion; he felt that everything he did in the face of such an enemy was in vain. However, Liliya¡¯s words made him realize a truth: it was either die or fight, and he could only choose one path to follow.


    In this situation, Rocky had no choice but to rally his spirits, for he had no other options, he could not simply wait to die; he had to fight.


    Therefore, he soon called Archimonde over and took him directly to the institute!


    At this time, Archimonde was just as busy and frazzled as Rocky. Since all of Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s armor operations were rooted in Thunderhawk City, the blockade of the City of Fury essentially meant the blockade of the entire armor business of the Apple Tree Corporation. Moreover, a previous battle had inflicted heavy losses on the corporation, adding to Archimonde¡¯s worries as the Vice President in charge of armor operations. Under these circumstances, when Rocky suggested going to the institute, he was reluctant.


    In Archimonde¡¯s view, Rocky taking him to the institute was merely to see the Thunderhawk Armor. If it had been before, he would have been very interested, as once Thunderhawk Armor went into production, it would greatly benefit the sales of armor. But now, he wasn¡¯t in the mood; with Backhill Village being blockaded and earlier orders unable to be fulfilled, Archimonde had no interest in seeing the production of new armor.


    However, what he did not expect was that when Rocky took him to the institute, what he showed him wasn¡¯t the Thunderhawk Armor, but the Mana Rune!


    ¡°My god¡­ this, this is¡­¡±


    When Archimonde saw the Mana Rune displayed by Orton, he was completely stunned. He stared at the rune drawn by Orton and was dazed for a long time until the rune completely disappeared before he could react.


    ¡°Rocky, is, is this the new technology the masters are researching?¡±


    Archimonde¡¯s reaction was quite fast, and as soon as he regained his composure, he immediately asked.


    ¡°Yes, this is the new technology we are researching, the Mana Rune.¡±


    Since Orton had already discussed the features of the rune with Archimonde, Rocky did not repeat them but simply nodded, then said, ¡°Archimonde, I think you now understand why Rick would blockade Backhill Village, right?¡±


    ¡°Understood¡­¡±


    At this moment, Archimonde had not yet fully digested this explosive news, but after regaining his senses, he kept nodding in understanding. He now understood why Rick was targeting him ¨C it was clear the adversary had learned about the existence of the Mana Rune through some means, hence their readiness to offend the Chamber of Commerce, and even risk confronting the Sky Alliance to move against Rocky.


    Prior to this, Archimonde and Apple Tree Corporation had been deeply entangled in this conspiracy, yet they had always been unable to grasp the specifics. However, after witnessing the Mana Rune and understanding its purpose through Orton¡¯s explanation, Archimonde finally knew the real reason.


    Indeed, this technology was indeed worth Rick¡¯s fierce competition, for obtaining this nearly revolutionary technology would, without exaggeration, change the entire landscape of the skies. Archimonde might not understand the technology itself, but knowing what change it could bring to the world was enough. It was because of this that he then looked towards Rocky: ¡°Rocky, why do you want to let me know about this?¡±


    Archimonde was no fool; he clearly understood how important the Mana Rune was to Rocky. He also knew his own position ¨C Rocky exposing such crucial information to him was tantamount to exposing it to Apple Tree Corporation. Why would he do this?


    ¡°I need allies.¡±


    In response to this question, Rocky¡¯s answer was succinct: ¡°You have seen what Rick has done, and I¡¯ve just received intelligence today that Rick dares to be so rampant because the Magic Energy Research Institute is backing him, and if I¡¯m not mistaken, the forces supporting him might not be just the Magic Energy Research Institute.¡±


    ¡°What they are doing now is forcing me, forcing me to hand over the Mana Rune.¡±


    With a helpless sigh, Rocky glanced at Archimonde: ¡°You might not believe it, but I was actually planning to share this technology with the whole world. If it weren¡¯t for the village blockade, I might have been doing it already.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Hearing this, Archimonde stared wide-eyed in surprise; he truly didn¡¯t believe that Rocky would share such high-end technology.


    But in this matter, Rocky was not lying; in fact, if Rick had not blockaded him, he might have indeed been preparing for this, as he had planned from the beginning.


    However, the blockade of the City of Fury disrupted Rocky¡¯s plans, not only that, but it also changed his long-held views! So afterwards, he said:


    ¡°Only now I¡¯ve changed my mind, these people like Rick who want to corner me to death, I will definitely not make it easy for them, I will not share this technology with my enemies! Not only that, but I will also let them taste the terror of this technology!¡±


    ¡°But I need allies.¡±


    ¡°I need someone to help me.¡±


    Saying this, Rocky then turned to Archimonde: ¡°Archimonde, I need Apple Tree Corporation to transport a batch of materials, the faster the better. As soon as these materials arrive, I will be able to break the blockade of the City of Fury.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    When Rocky finished speaking, Archimonde did not immediately respond, but fell silent.


    Obviously, facing the enemy¡¯s pressure, Rocky was not willing to submit, but to resist, he must rely on the assistance of the Chamber of Commerce, hence telling him about the existence of the Mana Rune. So, what should the Chamber do?


    Given the current situation, helping Rocky was not as simple as nodding ¨C if the Chamber truly intends to transport a batch of materials for him, they must overcome the hurdle of the City of Fury, which undoubtedly means they would have to fight a battle with the City of Fury!


    Therefore, facing Rocky¡¯s request, Archimonde did not immediately give an answer; in fact, he couldn¡¯t provide any response because although he was Vice President of the Chamber, he couldn¡¯t decide such a significant matter alone ¨C the Guild President Pansen would need to agree first. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But after a brief hesitation, Archimonde nodded at Rocky!


    ¡°Rocky, I¡¯ll communicate with the Guild President. I will convince him, and the Chamber will definitely deliver the materials you need!¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Archimonde gave his assurance without hesitation!

 Chapter 638 - 638 600 Against All Arguments

    ?Chapter 638: Chapter 600 Against All Arguments Chapter 638: Chapter 600 Against All Arguments As the Vice President of Apple Tree Corporation, Archimonde indeed could be described by his high position and significant power, but even so, there were some matters he couldn¡¯t decide on his own, such as the request that Rocky had just made to him, which was beyond his authority.


    Even knowing this, Archimonde still promised Rocky and assured him that he would definitely persuade the Guild President. Why was that?


    It was naturally because he¡¯d realized the potential of Mana Runes!


    Archimonde might not have been a scholar, but with his shrewdness, he immediately sensed the tremendous potential of Mana Runes. More importantly, he could see not only the role Runes could play in the Armor Domain but also keenly understood that if these Runes were used on warships, they could likewise transform the entire landscape of the warship field! In other words, as soon as Mana Runes came into existence, not just the Armor Domain, but every area related to Mana in this world would undergo massive changes!


    In such a scenario, Archimonde decisively decided that his Chamber of Commerce must get on board this train of change and secure the foremost position. To seize the initiative, the Chamber could only stand on the same front as Rocky.


    Why?


    Because the Apple Tree Corporation had already gotten a late start on this matter.


    Sky Alliance, Rick, the Magic Energy Research Institute, and other forces had clearly known about the existence of Mana Runes earlier and had made their moves. Apple Tree Corporation had no place left in this situation; thus, if the Chamber wanted to get a slice of the pie and participate, it could only ally with Rocky.


    This approach, of course, required the Chamber to take on tremendous risks, but the risks taken also equated to potentially greater rewards. So much so that if they supported Rocky through his current difficulties, the Chamber could not just solidify its standing in the Armor Domain but even potentially gain an immense advantage in its traditional field of warships.


    This was the reason Archimonde dared to make a promise to Rocky without consulting the Guild President first; he absolutely couldn¡¯t let go of this opportunity, and he also believed that he could definitely convince the Guild President.


    Therefore, following that, Archimonde hurriedly left the research facility and immediately returned to his residence, where upon arrival, he incessantly got in contact with the Chamber.


    ¡°Guild President, I have important matters to report to you.¡±


    Upon reaching the Guild President Pansen, Archimonde didn¡¯t even give Pansen a chance to speak and directly recounted everything.


    ¡°Guild President, I have agreed to Rocky¡¯s request.¡± Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, the image of Pansen¡¯s Magic Energy visibly paused, then his brows furrowed, ¡°You agreed on your own?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I ask for your understanding¡­ but I believe this matter couldn¡¯t afford our hesitation, given the importance of Mana Runes.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    After hearing Archimonde¡¯s words, Pansen fell silent. He wasn¡¯t hesitating, but rather digesting the information because everything that Archimonde had said was so impactful that even a person like Pansen needed time to process it after hearing it.


    As a behemoth in the warship domain, the helmsperson of Apple Tree Corporation was naturally no ordinary individual. Despite Pansen being only in his thirties, his ambition was immense. Upon becoming Guild President, he immediately implemented sweeping reforms and tirelessly expanded the business scope. Although there were many setbacks along the way, such as repeated failures to break into the Armor Domain, under his various reform measures, Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s profits have soared year after year, and describing it as thriving wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration.


    This proved not only that Pansen was ambitious but also that his capabilities were exceptional. His most prominent trait was his decisiveness. Whenever the Chamber needed to make significant decisions, Pansen as the Guild President could always make judgments promptly. This attitude was evident in how he dealt with Rocky. After multiple attempts to break into the Armor Domain ended in failure, Pansen did not give up but decisively chose to collaborate with Rocky. If it weren¡¯t for the sudden interference of Rick, the success of this decision would have been proven.


    So now, the time had come once again for him to make a decision¡ªshould he help Rocky or not?


    Although Archimonde had made promises to Rocky, without Pansen¡¯s nod of approval, Archimonde¡¯s guarantees would be worthless, just empty words. So when Pansen remained silent, Archimonde was quite nervous.


    However, this time, Pansen, who usually made quick decisions, stayed silent for a long time without reaching a decision.


    This hesitation was understandable because not only did Archimonde inform Pansen about the Mana Runes, but he also revealed the existence of the Magic Energy Research Institute. Therefore, Pansen was well aware that if he truly aligned with Rocky, then all the enemies Rocky faced would become the enemies of the Chamber of Commerce, which included not only Heavenly Ancestor City and the Heavenly Ancestor Church but also the Magic Energy Research Institute and even the Sky Alliance with their ambiguous stance.


    Faced with such formidable opponents, Pansen couldn¡¯t help but hesitate. Rocky, with nothing to lose, governed only two Sky Cities and a Backhill Village; even total annihilation wouldn¡¯t mean much to him. But how vast was the Apple Tree Corporation? If Rocky failed, Pansen was at risk of losing the entire Chamber of Commerce!


    In such a situation, Pansen had to thoroughly consider before making a decision.


    As time ticked by, minute by minute, half an hour flew by, and the Magic Energy Image before Archimonde had changed. It initially showed only Pansen, but now a group of people appeared, including several other Vice Presidents of the Chamber of Commerce.


    Clearly, during this half-hour, Pansen had convened an emergency meeting, and throughout, Archimonde had repeated everything he had previously discussed with Pansen to the others, and they had engaged in a heated debate.


    But to Archimonde¡¯s dismay, during the discussion with the others, the additional Vice Presidents had shown no support for him; in fact, the majority even opposed him.


    ¡°Obstinate!¡±


    Faced with the opposition of the other Vice Presidents, Archimonde said angrily and dissatisfied, ¡°Facing such crucial technology, if we do not seize the opportunity now, we will never have another chance!¡±


    ¡°There will always be opportunities. We can completely wait for others to acquire the Mana Runes and then find a way to obtain them ourselves. This way, the Chamber of Commerce undertakes a smaller risk.¡±


    ¡°Short-sighted! Not only does Rocky now control the Mana Runes, but he has also mastered a vast array of Rune Technology! If we give up this opportunity now, even if we obtain the Runes later, we will still fall behind technically!¡±


    Facing the opposition, Archimonde continually strived, eventually having no choice but to look towards Pansen, who had not said a word, ¡°Guild President, shall we¡­¡±


    But before he could finish his sentence, Pansen, who had been silent since the debate began, waved his hand and finally spoke, ¡°Archimonde, contact Rocky and tell him to prepare the materials list.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Archimonde was overjoyed. He nodded emphatically and quickly left his residence. As he left, the Vice Presidents beside Pansen immediately broke into chaos, bombarding Pansen with their opinions all at once, but unfortunately, the Magic Energy Image was interrupted at that moment.

 Chapter 639 - 639 601 Confidence

    ?Chapter 639: Chapter 601: Confidence! Chapter 639: Chapter 601: Confidence! Facing the firm opposition of others, Guild President Pansen decided to support Archimonde despite the objections, and with that, the matter was finally settled. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After receiving Pansen¡¯s support, Archimonde immediately went to see Rocky and got the supply list from him.


    ¡°Rocky, are you planning to¡­ make Armors?¡±


    Archimonde looked briefly at the supply list in his hands and immediately realized that most of the materials listed were necessary for Armor manufacturing, which made it clear to him that Rocky was planning to produce Armors in large quantities.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    In the face of this question, Rocky nodded affirmatively. Apple Tree Corporation was now his most important and only ally. In such times, honesty was the best policy for strengthening their relationship, so Rocky didn¡¯t hide anything and directly said, ¡°These materials are essential for producing Thunderhawk Armor. Once we have them, we can produce a batch of Thunderhawk Armor, which will naturally break the siege on City of Fury.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡±


    As he said this, it seemed Rocky suddenly remembered something, ¡°Archimonde, I also need to purchase fifty Fifth Generation Escort Ships from the Chamber of Commerce, but I¡¯ll have to owe the payment.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Archimonde readily agreed to Rocky¡¯s request. First, selling fifty warships was a minor deal that he, as Vice President, could easily approve. Second, since Apple Tree Corporation was now fully allied with Rocky, it would not matter if they sold or even gave him fifty warships¡ªas long as Rocky could win.


    So, after nodding, he asked another question, ¡°Rocky, you need these warships for the battle against City of Fury, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°In that case¡­ won¡¯t fifty warships be too few? You don¡¯t need to worry about the money. The Chamber of Commerce, having decided to support you, won¡¯t care about these small profits. If necessary, we can provide a larger quantity and higher-tier warships.¡±


    Indeed, Archimonde truly regarded Rocky as one of his own. Learning that he planned to counter City of Fury¡¯s blockade with war, Archimonde immediately proposed that the Chamber of Commerce could provide Rocky with more and better warships.


    Because to Archimonde, the mere fifty Escort Ships were clearly insufficient. If Rocky was to have a decisive battle with City of Fury, he would need hundreds of warships, even with new Armor to support him¡ªafter all, City of Fury was no pushover.


    However, Rocky shook his head at Archimonde¡¯s generous offer. He appreciated Archimonde¡¯s kindness but still declined, not out of pride but because it was truly unnecessary!


    By now, the outside world might have learnt about Mana Runes, but even if Rick and the Magic Energy Research Institute knew about them, they would only know the basics at most. The highest secrets of Rune Technology were always tightly held by people like Orton. The result of this was that the outside world had no clue how much Rune-derived technology Rocky had mastered or how powerful it was.


    And that was Rocky¡¯s trump card!


    Just as he had said, if Rick and the Magic Energy Research Institute wanted him dead, not only would he not obediently hand over the Runes, but he would also show them the terrifying power of Rune technology, and the first to be used as a demonstration would be City of Fury!


    In this situation, he and Archimonde quickly finalized everything. Shortly thereafter, they each returned to their own tasks¡ªArchimonde to reconnect with the Chamber of Commerce and hasten the procurement of the supplies Rocky needed, and Rocky to the Guard Camp of Thunderhawk City.


    Rocky had already made himself very clear about how he would deal with City of Fury: he planned to rely on the power of Runes to repel them. To do this, not only were Armor and warships necessary, but so too were people, such as Void Magic Warriors.


    The supplies he had brought in were enough to make a hundred sets of Thunderhawk Armor, which meant he needed a hundred Void Magic Warriors to operate the Armor. Therefore, before the Armor was made, Rocky had to select a hundred Void Magic Warriors, or the Armor would be useless once completed.


    Fortunately, Rocky had foresight in this matter. Despite the small size of Thunderhawk City¡¯s Void Magic Corps, he had always known he would one day need to establish a substantial Void Magic Corps, so he never ceased to focus on training Void Magic Warriors.


    Since he had promoted Sandro as the first Void Magic Warrior, Monte and others had systematically trained soldiers in Armor, enabling the formation of the Void Magic Squad with warriors like Robin. Due to the solid groundwork laid, when Rocky truly needed manpower, the Guard Corps immediately provided a large number of Void Magic Warriors.


    According to Monte¡¯s report, thirty of his men had received sufficient training and could be deployed to the battlefield with just a little more training once they donned their Armor.


    However, this number was obviously not enough, so Rocky immediately ordered Monte to expand recruitment using veterans from the Guard Corps as a base, selecting at least seventy more individuals and training them as quickly as possible.


    Thankfully, there was still some time. Rocky estimated that from that moment until the Apple Tree Corporation delivered the supplies to Thunderhawk City, and until he completed the production of the Armor, he had at least two months for preparation. Although this was tight for training Void Magic Warriors, it was still feasible.


    Additionally, it¡¯s important to remember that this recruitment focused on veterans from the Guard Corps, who were all experienced and elite. These individuals would adapt much faster to the Armor than average men, so two months of training wouldn¡¯t be too short.


    After organizing these arrangements, Rocky didn¡¯t rest. He went straight to the research institute and summoned Liliya, Dusa, Lin Feng, Monte, Sandro, and Robin, among others.


    These were all valiant warriors under Rocky¡¯s command and the ones he trusted the most. Once he brought them to the institute, he entrusted them all to Hammerfire, asking him to tailor-make Special Armor for each of them!


    Rocky¡¯s request was straightforward. He didn¡¯t need Hammerfire to design brand new Armor, just to base the new Armors on their previous designs. This approach would save time, but even though the designs were based on their original Armor, the manufacturing and technology would be new, and all aspects, from the material to the technology of the Armor, had to match the standards of the White Demon, achieving a level comparable to the White Demon Armor!

 Chapter 640 - 640 602 Accumulate Thinly and Burst Forth

    ?Chapter 640: Chapter 602 Accumulate Thinly and Burst Forth Chapter 640: Chapter 602 Accumulate Thinly and Burst Forth ¡°`


    As Rocky had mentioned, the outside world might have uncovered the existence of the Mana Runes due to his recent series of actions, but whether it was the Sky Alliance, Rick, or even the Magic Energy Research Institute, they at most had just a name; they absolutely couldn¡¯t know more, because Wensel¡¯s research notes always remained in Rocky¡¯s hands, and the fruits of years of research by Orton and others were also personally held by them, completely out of reach for others. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this situation, the outside world had no idea to what extent Rocky had delved into Mana Runes. Perhaps it was precisely for this reason that Rick and the Magic Energy Research Institute dared to make a move against him, or rather, they were eager to make a move because once they understood the function of the Runes, they would realize that if they allowed Rocky to continue his research, the power Rocky held would inevitably grow massive. And once that power erupted someday, Rocky would immediately become so powerful that no one could control him!


    Perhaps this was why the usually neutral Magic Energy Research Institute would actively make a move. Holding the most advanced technology in the world today, the Magic Energy Research Institute understood the transformation that Runes could bring better than anyone else. Faced with such technology, they could not sit idly by.


    However, everyone got one thing wrong, which was that they all underestimated the technology Rocky already mastered and developed!


    Perhaps Rick and the others thought that Rocky¡¯s research on Runes was all embodied in the White Demon Armor. If they truly thought that, they were gravely mistaken, because this current version of the White Demon Armor was merely the second edition, and it was made a year ago.


    What did this mean?


    It meant that the Rune Technology equipped in the current version of White Demon Armor was already entirely outdated in the eyes of Rocky and his team!


    As Orton and others continued to deepen their research on Runes, various technologies based on Runes were also continuously advancing and developing. Orton had long stated that their research had reached a stage where a significant breakthrough could be made. As long as this breakthrough was achieved, Rocky could comfortably disclose the Runes to the public, because even if the whole world knew about the Runes then, his mastery of Runes could still maintain an absolute lead.


    This occurred before the expansion of the research team, several months ago, and Orton¡¯s research had already achieved a breakthrough!


    It was precisely because of this major breakthrough that Rocky had the confidence to go all out against Rick and the others, as he held the world¡¯s most cutting-edge technology¡ªthis was no brag!


    In this scenario, with Rocky¡¯s successive orders, the entire research team in Thunderhawk City got busy, with a team of forty under the guidance of four masters, each taking on different tasks, beginning to design a new generation of armor for Liliya and others.


    According to Rocky¡¯s requirements, the design this time by Hammerfire was to be top-tier armor on par with the White Demon!


    Normally, his request was virtually impossible to fulfill. After all, according to Rocky¡¯s estimation, he only had two months to prepare. In such a short time, let alone custom-designing a set of Rune Armor for each of Liliya and the others, that time wasn¡¯t even sufficient to design a standard set of armor.


    Normally it was indeed so, but for someone like Orton and the others, it was no big deal at all, because their years of arduous research were not in vain.


    First, the armor originally equipped by Liliya and the others was already experimental battle armor. Hammerfire had long completed the prototype designs for these armors, so the design drawings were readily available.


    Second, Orton and the others, throughout the years of research, had already amassed a wealth of experience, and more importantly, they already held several mature Rune Technologies. With all this plus the completed design drawings, it undoubtedly significantly shortened the development time for the new armor.


    This was the proverbial ¡°great things from little beginnings.¡±


    After accumulating several years of effort, Rocky had long amassed an enormous power unknown to others, and once this power erupted, it would indeed be terrifying.


    Simultaneously, as the research team began working full force on completing the new armor design for Liliya and others, the arms factory was also prepared to go all out in production. As soon as the raw materials arrived, the arms factory could churn out armor like dumplings.


    This meant that Rocky was now ready for everything, just waiting for the materials to arrive. As soon as the materials he needed were brought in, the whole of Thunderhawk City would start operating at full throttle.


    Too bad there was nothing he could do even in urgency, because the success of this depended entirely on the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber of Commerce had indeed been working hard on this matter, but it was somewhat challenging.


    The materials Rocky needed were not much for the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber, after receiving the list from Archimonde, took only a day to prepare all the materials Rocky required. So the real difficulty lay in the Escort Fleet. The Chamber had been preparing the Escort Fleet during this period.


    At this time, the City of Fury had imposed the strictest blockade on Backhill Village, and with the support of numerous allies, the current City of Fury could be described as utterly unscrupulous. Even the merchants from Sirius City would face strict inspections when traveling to and from Backhill Village, occasionally having a few merchant ships seized, and constrained by Alliance restrictions, Howling Sky could only swallow the insult. In this situation, if Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce wanted to deliver materials to Backhill Village, there was only one way¡ªto break through!


    However, even for Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, achieving that was not easy.


    The Chamber led by Pansen indeed had vast resources, but no matter how enormous their wealth was, they were still just a Chamber of Commerce. So even though their main business was battleships, it was impossible to assemble a massive Escort Fleet capable of breaking through the City of Fury blockade overnight. Also, not to forget, the Chamber had just fought City of Fury a while ago, and for that, they lost over two hundred warships, making it even harder.


    Pansen racked his brains to form a strong Escort Fleet. He not only gathered all the escort ships within the Chamber but also hired several large mercenary groups from the Mercenary Guild, just barely mustering a force strong enough to break through the City of Fury blockade.


    Once everything was ready, the merchant fleet finally set out from Eternal City, and by the time they neared Backhill Village, it was already half a month later.


    Under the protection of a massive fleet, the merchant fleet of Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce appeared once more in the airspace of Backhill Village. However, after learning from the previous experience, even with more abundant escort forces, the merchant fleet dared not be reckless this time. They advanced cautiously every step of the way and contacted Rocky in advance, urging him to be as prepared as possible for reception, for the City of Fury would never let them approach Backhill Village just like that; there was bound to be a battle between both sides.


    Yet, everyone got it wrong! Because this time, when the merchant fleet approached Backhill Village, though the City of Fury dispatched troops, they did not initiate an attack and simply let the merchant fleet pass, allowing the fleet to hand over to Rocky smoothly¡­


    Such a result greatly exceeded Rocky¡¯s expectations and instantly filled him with a sense of foreboding.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 641 - 641 603 Warship Refit

    ?Chapter 641: Chapter 603 Warship Refit Chapter 641: Chapter 603 Warship Refit In order to successfully transport the supplies that Rocky needed to Thunderhawk City, the Apple Tree Corporation indeed went all out. Not only did they muster their entire escort fleet, but they also hired several large Mercenary Groups. Only then did they arrive at Thunderhawk City.


    Similarly, to ensure a smooth handover with the corporation, Rocky had been waiting outside every day since the convoy approached Backhill Village. He did so in order to support them at a moment¡¯s notice should they engage in conflict with City of Fury. Although he might not yet be able to challenge them directly, as long as he could get the merchant ships loaded with supplies to Thunderhawk City, the mission would be a success. Hence, Rocky had been guarding the outskirts, ready to provide support at all times.


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, the City of Fury¡¯s fleet, which had once been rampant, did not engage with the convoy as they had in the past but allowed them to pass directly through this time.


    Faced with such an outcome, the Apple Tree Corporation was naturally overjoyed, as no battle meant no losses. Moreover, as long as they could successfully hand over the supplies to Rocky and deliver them to Thunderhawk City, the corporation¡¯s mission would be considered complete. Under these circumstances, the Chamber of Commerce could finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    While Rocky also breathed a sigh of relief, he was thinking much more deeply and quickly understood why the City of Fury had not struck this time.


    First, it could be due to the size of the escort fleet dispatched by the Apple Tree Corporation this time. If City of Fury engaged them, even if they could win, their own losses would not be insignificant, which would be detrimental to their long-term blockade, leading to their decision to let them pass.


    However, Rocky felt that it was of secondary importance. He believed that the second reason was the key ¡ª the enemy had realized his intentions! S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nevertheless, for Rocky, this was perhaps key but not important, as he truly didn¡¯t care whether the enemy had caught onto his intentions or not. He had never planned to hide his plans.


    So, as soon as he took recepit of the goods transported by the corporation, he immediately ordered the factories to start working at full capacity to produce Armors!


    During the half-month wait for supplies, the R&D team had already completed the design of Liliya and others¡¯ New Armors. Therefore, once the factories started up, they immediately began production. However, after this task was completed, the R&D team did not idle; instead, they were even busier than the factories because there were warships awaiting modification.


    As mentioned before, besides having the corporation transport a batch of supplies, Rocky had also had them bring fifty warships. Thus, along with the materials, these fifty warships were handed over to him as well.


    In fact, during the handover, the head of the merchant convoy had specifically offered Rocky to leave part of the escort fleet behind. With such support, Rocky would have been even better equipped to withstand the City of Fury.


    However, as if declining Archimonde¡¯s gesture of goodwill, Rocky also refused this offer. He intended to break through the City of Fury¡¯s blockade with just fifty warships and his own Void Magic Corps!


    It must be said that Rocky¡¯s determination in this matter could no longer be simply described as tenacity ¨C it bordered on stubbornness. But since he had spoken, the Apple Tree Corporation naturally could not insist. In the end, the merchant convoy had to depart with their entire Escort Fleet, taking with them a large number of Tank-type Armors that were supposed to be delivered much earlier, and only leaving supplies and fifty escort ships behind in Thunderhawk City.


    Indeed, their assessment of Rocky was mistaken. They thought he had become radicalized, but in reality, Rocky was merely confident!


    The research of Orton and others on Runes had long since branched out beyond merely Armors. In fact, two years earlier, they had already begun to apply Runes to warships and had been conducting research in this area ever since.


    This was the reason Rocky had requested fifty warships from the Chamber of Commerce ¨C he intended to transform all fifty into Rune Battleships!


    So, while the factories began working overtime nonstop to produce Armors, the R&D team also labored around the clock to modify the fifty warships.


    Although it was only a modification, for the R&D team led by Orton, it was still a herculean task. This kind of modification wasn¡¯t as simple as just inscribing Runes all over the ships; Orton and his team needed to comprehensively enhance the ships from the inside out to meet combat requirements.


    Firstly, they needed to enhance the Defensive Net of the warships, which was the biggest project in the modification due to the limited time. They couldn¡¯t directly transform the operational core of the warships into Runes, so they had to add new devices that ran on Rune-based operations to significantly strengthen the ships¡¯ defensive networks.


    Secondly, they had to use Rune enhancements to boost the warships¡¯ power, which was relatively simple. They just had to combine Runes with the Magic Stones on the warships, and both would output power to the ships simultaneously.


    Lastly, and most importantly, was enhancing the warships¡¯ offensive capabilities. Technically, this was not difficult. When Orton first came to Thunderhawk City, Rocky had tasked him with enhancing the Magic Energy Cannons on the ships, and Orton had even caused several ships to explode as a result. So the technical aspects of this modification were already researched by Orton and his team.


    The real challenge of the modification was the workforce, as the Magic Energy Cannons needed to be manually enhanced one by one, requiring a large number of hands. Even a master of Aniye¡¯s caliber had to personally take part, inscribing Runes directly on the ships¡¯ Magic Energy Cannons. Of course, Rocky was no exception; he too joined the fray, working alongside everyone to modify the warships.


    Under such intense and ceaseless preparation, a month passed quickly. Throughout this month, all of Rocky¡¯s arrangements proceeded smoothly.


    The Void Magic Warrior training had already begun before the supplies arrived, led by Monte and others. As Rocky had expected, due to the solid foundations and rich combat experience of Thunderhawk City¡¯s Guards, these newly minted Void Magic Warriors were progressing very rapidly and were now capable of performing practical maneuvers in Void Magic Armor.


    The production of the Armor was also proceeding smoothly. Since they had already made a batch of Tank Armors, the workers had gained experience in all aspects, considerably speeding up the production of the Thunderhawk Armor. They were not only likely to meet Rocky¡¯s deadlines but might even complete the production tasks ahead of schedule.


    Finally, the modification of the warships, while tiring and arduous, did not lead to any complaints or dissatisfaction among anyone in the R&D team, including Rocky himself. Everyone was seizing this opportunity to gain further mastery over Runes. Despite the hard work, their enthusiasm was unflagging, and the modification of the warships was proceeding very well, with more than half of the warships already modified.

 Chapter 642 - 642 604 Poised to Strike

    ?Chapter 642: Chapter 604: Poised to Strike Chapter 642: Chapter 604: Poised to Strike Time flew by swiftly, and two months had passed in the blink of an eye since Rocky displayed the Rune to Archimonde, thereby forming a substantial alliance with the Apple Tree Corporation.


    In the eyes of outsiders, Rocky had a terrible time during these two months. Backhill Village was completely encircled by the enemy, which severed his contact with the outside world. More importantly, outsiders had noticed the issues arising between him and the Sky Alliance, as the Alliance did nothing to help him despite watching him being besieged for such a long time. Meanwhile, those friends whom Rocky had made before had also disappeared; not a single one dared to step forward to help him at this time.


    In the view of many, not only was Rocky in a difficult situation, but he was also abandoned by all, left alone to fend for himself. Some even doubted if he could fill his stomach because being blockaded meant he couldn¡¯t receive any supplies from outside. Even if the two Sky Cities under his control had some surplus food, it would have been nearly depleted after these two months. And once the stocks were exhausted, he would truly be doomed.


    Rocky was finished.


    That was everyone¡¯s judgment of him. Everyone believed that his only way out was to surrender; otherwise, he would be waiting for death. There was no second path for him to take.


    Many felt pity about this because Rocky could be said to have been the most rapidly rising and attention-grabbing newcomer in recent years. But before he could fully develop, his end seemed imminent. This made everyone lament that powerful forces really were not to be provoked, as they could easily bring about your demise without shedding any blood!


    But¡­ was that really the case?


    Of course not.


    During these two months, Rocky¡¯s days indeed weren¡¯t as good as before, which was certain, but his situation wasn¡¯t as dire as outsiders had imagined.


    First of all, he was far from starvation. Although the blockade of the City of Fury put him in a tough spot, with the secret support of Sirius City in smuggling supplies, his situation was at most a bit tense. Of course, he did pay a considerable price, such as Gold Coins, spending several million of them just like that.


    However, Rocky didn¡¯t care about this money at all.


    After the Apple Tree Corporation completed the transfer of materials and warships, they took away the pre-produced Tank Armors with them, allowing him to receive the final payment for his orders. This payment ended up in Rocky¡¯s hands, immediately adding tens of millions of Gold Coins to his coffers. With this money, Sirius City would continue to smuggle supplies for him, so he was far from running out of resources.


    Next, he was far from being completely abandoned. Since the blockade began, it¡¯s true that some, including the City Lord and various Chambers of Commerce, cut ties with him, but those who left were all dispensable to Rocky. As long as key partners like the Ruby Chamber of Commerce and Apple Tree Corporation remained firm in supporting him, that was enough. As for friends, one didn¡¯t need to mention them. Upon learning about the blockade of Backhill Village, both Karina and Berg had contacted Rocky, indicating that they would provide money or soldiers immediately if needed. That kind of support was what truly counted as friendship.


    As for the point where everyone was most mistaken, it was the notion that he had no way out.


    To outsiders, Rocky had only two options: either surrender or die, with no other choices. But Rocky did not choose either of these paths. He chose a third way.


    So, while the outside world thought he was as good as dead, Rocky had already prepared everything during this time!


    Two months had passed, and a hundred sets of Thunderhawk Armors had been fully assembled. Not only that, but after such an extended period of training, a hundred Void Magic Warriors were also battle-ready, and had already been training in the newly rolled out Thunderhawk Armors for a week. Although the majority of the warriors were still somewhat unfamiliar with the Armors due to the indeed very tight schedule, they were indeed capable of real combat, and that was sufficient.


    At the same time, all the warships under his command had been fully retrofitted. Now, his fleet might look more or less the same as before, at most with some inexplicable equipment added to the ships. But in fact, these warships had been completely renewed from the inside out. Their hidden combat power had long been immeasurable by previous standards.


    In such a state, Rocky was all set, ready at any moment to engage in a decisive battle with City of Fury outside.


    However, Rocky did not rush. Even though everything was ready, he wanted to give everyone a final bit of time, which might only amount to a few days but was enough for everyone to make their last preparations.


    And these few days, seemingly indistinguishable from the previous two months, were in fact the calm before the storm.


    This calmness was even perceived by City of Fury, which was under lockdown.


    As Rocky had anticipated, the reason City of Fury hadn¡¯t interfered with the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce before was indeed because they had noticed his actions, and this wasn¡¯t because there was another traitor within the ranks. It was simply a conclusion Rick had drawn from the actions of the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce.


    The relationship between the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce and Rocky was common knowledge, and the Chamber¡¯s stance had been clear throughout¡ªthey firmly supported Rocky and had even engaged in a massive conflict with City of Fury. Although they had lost more than two hundred warships in the altercation, their resolute stance was something that Rick and his people had to take seriously.


    Therefore, ever since the last conflict ended, Rick and the Magic Energy Research Institute had been carefully monitoring the Chamber¡¯s movements. So when the Chamber was conspicuously preparing an Escort Fleet, Rick and the others knew that the Chamber and Rocky were up to something big.


    It was this judgment that led City of Fury to let them pass, but the subsequent actions of the Chamber and Rocky puzzled Rick and his team.


    Based on everyone¡¯s assessment, everyone thought that after meeting with Rocky, the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce would leave its huge Escort Fleet in Backhill Village, and that Rocky would take this support to battle City of Fury and thereby break the blockade. This was the opinion of many, including Rick, which is why on the one hand he allowed City of Fury to let them pass, while on the other hand he had City of Fury prepare for a decisive battle and sent reinforcements. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the eventual outcome was a complete surprise to everyone. The Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce did not leave the Escort Fleet in Backhill Village; instead, they came and went as they had arrived. This outcome left everyone baffled, and more importantly, led to a misjudgment!


    In Rick¡¯s view, such an outcome was because the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce had abandoned Rocky, leading him to believe that the Chamber¡¯s entire departure was not because Rocky didn¡¯t want them to stay, but because the Chamber simply didn¡¯t want to stay!


    It was precisely because of this misjudgment that Rick made a grave mistake with significant impact. He recalled the reinforcements that had been sent to Backhill Village, which directly led to a great disaster that followed!

 Chapter 643 - 643 605 Incorrect Judgement

    ?Chapter 643: Chapter 605: Incorrect Judgement Chapter 643: Chapter 605: Incorrect Judgement The result of the Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s entire staff leaving led Rick to make a clearly erroneous judgment; he believed that the Corporation¡¯s stance towards Rocky had already weakened.


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t Rick¡¯s fault, in reality, the vast majority of people thought the same way and believed their thoughts were justifiable and well-founded. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Firstly, the Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s choice to side with Rocky had already caused them significant losses¡ªmore than two hundred warships and dozens of merchant vessels were completely destroyed by the City of Fury, with losses far exceeding tens of millions of Gold Coins.


    Secondly, it was clear to any discerning observer that someone was deliberately targeting Rocky. Perhaps not many knew that the Magic Energy Research Institute was involved, but at least it could be seen that Rick and the Sky Alliance were certainly embroiled in this conspiracy against Rocky. In such circumstances, the Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s best decision would be to quickly abandon Rocky and extricate itself, otherwise, they would inevitably face even greater repercussions¡ªby then, it wouldn¡¯t just be a matter of losing a few hundred warships.


    This line of thinking led everyone to believe that there were tensions between Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation, and the Corporation¡¯s conspicuous departure to Backhill Village was merely to transport those few hundred units of Tank Armor out, which could at least mitigate some of the losses and allow the Corporation to cut its losses in time.


    Like everyone else, Rick made the same judgment and, as a result, made a hugely mistaken decision¡ªretracting the reinforcements previously dispatched to Backhill Village.


    In his view, this was a very normal course of action, since if even the Apple Tree Corporation wasn¡¯t willing to aid Rocky anymore, then Rocky¡¯s situation would naturally worsen, and without the Corporation¡¯s support, Rick was confident that a single Sky City from the City of Fury would be enough to trap Rocky, without the need to send more troops or Sky Cities.


    After all, Rick was also a City Lord, with his own forces to manage, and so he had to consider his own interests. He thus made what he thought was the most correct decision based on his judgment, blissfully unaware of just how disastrously wrong it was.


    Because on the day of May 16th, Sky Era 119, something he could never have dreamt of occurred!


    To many, this day seemed extraordinarily mundane¡ªneither a holiday nor with any significant news¡ªbut for the City of Fury, it was far from ordinary. That morning, City Lord Erwin received a report that informed him Rocky had deployed troops.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing the news while finishing his breakfast, Erwin raised his head to glance at his subordinate and then laughed out loud, ¡°Finally deciding to make a desperate move? That¡¯s very much in Rocky¡¯s style.¡±


    Being on the front line, Erwin naturally paid closer attention to each of Rocky¡¯s moves than anyone else and thought more deeply about the situation. At least, he always believed the relationship between Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation was not as simple as outsiders imagined.


    In Erwin¡¯s view, there might be some behind-the-scenes maneuvers between Rocky and the Apple Tree, like, to outsiders, it seemed the Corporation¡¯s main force had withdrawn; but what if this was a smokescreen?


    What if the Corporation had left a considerable number of warships in Thunderhawk City?


    These were possibilities that outsiders may not consider, since they don¡¯t know the specifics, but Erwin, who was on the front lines, had to think comprehensively, as he was the one at war, where the slightest carelessness could cost him his life.


    So, while others may think that Rocky was finished, Erwin did not underestimate him in the slightest and always maintained the highest level of vigilance. With this extreme caution, he wasn¡¯t at all surprised when he learned that Rocky had deployed troops, because everything was within his expectations.


    ¡°How many forces were dispatched?¡±


    He nodded his head, took a sip from his water cup, and then asked.


    ¡°Sir, only one Sky City, Thunderhawk City, has been deployed, sending out a total of eighty warships. It has been confirmed that Rocky¡¯s flagship, the War Steed, is among them, and the rest of the troops are primarily Escort Ships.¡±


    ¡°So few?¡±


    Upon hearing the number of eighty warships, Erwin laughed, ¡°It seems that the Apple Tree Corporation really did leave a part of their warships behind, but it¡¯s impossible that they left only fifty behind. There must be more.¡±


    As Rocky¡¯s opponent, Erwin had long since investigated his real and deceptive moves and knew that he originally possessed more than thirty warships, so it was easy for him to calculate which of the eighty warships were Rocky¡¯s original forces and which were left behind by the Apple Tree Corporation.


    However, in his opinion, it was impossible for the Apple Tree Corporation to have left merely fifty warships¡ªthat was too few. He believed that the Corporation would either leave none at all, indicating a complete rift between the two parties, or they must have left several hundred, suggesting they were up to something. Now it seemed more likely that the latter was the case, and therefore Rocky sending so few troops for the attack must be a trick to feign weakness, to lull him into a false sense of security before launching a surprise attack.


    With a dismissive laugh, Erwin immediately issued a command, ¡°Send the First Fleet to meet the enemy first, then have the Second and Third Fleets prepare for battle. Leave the specifics to Kexif to handle. These petty tricks won¡¯t fool him.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After an affirming response, the subordinate standing by his side immediately turned and left, swiftly relaying Erwin¡¯s orders to Kexif who was already outside the city.


    Over forty years old, Kexif was the commander of the First Fleet of City of Fury, and his position as fleet commander naturally spoke of his abilities. The scale of the fleet he commanded was no trifle matter.


    Being a large Sky City and one of the holy cities of the Heavenly Ancestor Church, the military strength of City of Fury was naturally formidable. The city housed seven fleets, each comprising two hundred warships of the large class!


    Therefore, following Erwin¡¯s orders, which seemed casual, he actually dispatched two hundred search warships to tackle Rocky! Likewise, as Erwin had anticipated, Kexif, upon learning of Rocky¡¯s forces, immediately deduced that they were deliberately showing weakness and also believed that Rocky must be hiding a much larger force.


    In such a situation, Kexif naturally wouldn¡¯t let his guard down and promptly led his subordinate fleets to fly past the Defensive Net and head straight towards Rocky.


    Standing on the deck of the flagship, it didn¡¯t take long for Kexif to spot the enemy. In his field of vision, Rocky¡¯s forces were already in full formation, but not far from Thunderhawk City behind them.


    ¡°It seems the outside world has overestimated Rocky, hailing him as undefeated in all his battles, but in reality, he is nothing special.¡±


    Seeing the stance that Rocky had taken, Kexif sneered because, in his view, it was clear that Rocky was luring him to take the offensive. But once he launched an attack, that would mean falling into the trap, and it would be followed by a massive sally of warships from Thunderhawk City.


    Face-to-face with such an obvious trap, Kexif wouldn¡¯t be fooled. So he subsequently gave an order, ¡°Command the fleet to halt the advance. If Rocky doesn¡¯t come out, we won¡¯t attack. Let¡¯s see what he plans to do.¡±

 Chapter 644 - 644 606 The Power of Technology

    ?Chapter 644: Chapter 606: The Power of Technology Chapter 644: Chapter 606: The Power of Technology As Kexif gave the order, the fleet halted midair, approximately a thousand meters away from Rocky¡¯s forces, clearly having seen through his trickery and even turning the tables on him.


    As the commander of the fleet, Kexif, well-seasoned in battle, appeared extremely composed at this moment. Once the fleet stopped, he calmly arranged the formation, allowing the entire fleet to slowly adjust their positions.


    In this situation, Rocky found himself in a difficult position because Kexif had clearly uncovered his ploy and, despite entering the battlefield later, had managed to organize his forces to their advantage, given the numerical superiority they already possessed. How was Rocky supposed to fight under these circumstances?


    At least, that¡¯s what Kexif thought.


    Holding onto this thought, he quietly watched the opposite side, and soon noticed that Rocky¡¯s forces had started moving, closing in on him.


    ¡°Pass down the order, all warship main guns prepare to fire!¡±


    Watching Rocky¡¯s forces approach, Kexif sneered, thinking that Rocky couldn¡¯t wait any longer, so he immediately issued the command.


    Upon his order, the warships, already spread out in midair, all switched to combat mode, and the main guns on the ships were ready to fire at any moment.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    Not long after, upon realizing that Rocky¡¯s fleet had entered firing range, Kexif did not hesitate to give the order to open fire, and with his command, a thunderous roar immediately filled the sky!


    Over two hundred warships fired their main guns simultaneously, every large muzzle on each ship spouting flames, countless Mana Cannonballs rushed out of the muzzles and instantly crossed the nearly thousand-meter distance toward Rocky¡¯s fleet!


    To understand, this wasn¡¯t one or two ships attacking; it was over two hundred warships firing together, all using high-powered main guns. The resulting barrage was indescribably terrifying.


    At least in Kexif¡¯s view, this round of cannon fire was enough to cause severe damage to Rocky¡¯s forces. Although warship main guns have a relatively low rate of accuracy, their dense firepower compounded by the primary composition of Escort Ships in Rocky¡¯s fleet made their Defensive Net virtually ineffective under such concentrated fire. Hence, Kexif believed, based on his experience, that this single round of attacks would cost Rocky dozens of warships. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Sir, something isn¡¯t right¡­¡±


    However, just as Kexif came to this conclusion, his aide suddenly spoke up. Hearing this, Kexif quickly looked into the distance and frowned.


    In his line of sight, his fleet¡¯s first round of fire had hit Rocky¡¯s fleet, the continuous explosions briefly forming a wall of fire that blocked Rocky¡¯s path. Yet, as time ticked by, and the wall of fire from the explosions dissipated, Kexif was astonished to find that not a single ship in Rocky¡¯s fleet had been sunk!


    How was this possible!?


    Watching Rocky¡¯s fleet remain unscathed under the barrage, Kexif could hardly believe his eyes. Rocky¡¯s fleet had definitely been covered by the fire network, and from the scale of the explosions, they had clearly been hit by numerous shots. How could they possibly remain unscathed?


    In terms of the Defensive Net of an Escort Ship, to say that it would be sunk by one shot might be an exaggeration, but it would certainly be sunk within two shots ¡ª Kexif, seasoned in battle, still had this confidence and experience. So when he saw that not a single warship in Rocky¡¯s fleet had been sunk and that they were still approaching, his eyes widened, showing an expression of disbelief.


    ¡°Continue firing! Quick!¡±


    Startled for a moment, Kexif hurriedly shouted to his adjutant and then the flagship, including all the warships, simultaneously charged their main cannons and immediately commenced the second round of shelling.


    Just like before, the din from over two hundred warships firing at once was earth-shattering, and the concentrated firepower seemed like a huge net enveloping Rocky¡¯s troops before striking the target in the blink of an eye.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Being located at the very front of the fleet, the War Steed was naturally the first to be hit, suffering three consecutive strikes.


    You must understand that these were attacks from the enemy¡¯s main cannons. Logically, even the War Steed, a battleship with strong defensive power, couldn¡¯t withstand consecutive hits to its Defensive Net from the enemy¡¯s main cannons; however, now, after the enemy¡¯s main cannons harshly struck the War Steed¡¯s Defensive Net, the Defensive Net merely lit up with a dazzling glow, and then¡­ nothing more happened!


    The previously invincible main cannons now seemed to have lost their proper power in front of the War Steed¡¯s Defensive Net. Regardless of the cannonballs that fell upon it, the Defensive Net remained entirely motionless, showing no signs of being overwhelmed.


    Even the crew aboard the War Steed couldn¡¯t believe this scene. When the Defensive Net lit up time and time again with blinding brightness, the witnessing crew members all gaped, then all at once turned their heads and together looked towards a ¡®flagpole¡¯ on the deck.


    Although it was a ship, since it used Mana as power, there were no sails on the warship¡¯s deck; however, now there stood a flagpole on the War Steed¡¯s deck, which at first glance appeared very abrupt.


    But one mustn¡¯t underestimate this ¡®flagpole,¡¯ because this was equipment specially crafted by Aniye and others to modify the warship. This equipment, named Defense Enhancer, was powered by Mana Runes to substantially increase the Defensive Net¡¯s defensive power.


    It was because of this device that the War Steed¡¯s Defensive Net could remain undisturbed amidst the relentless bombardment.


    And looking at the other warships under Rocky¡¯s command, whether it was the neighboring Hunter, the earliest Thunderhawk, or the fifty Escort Ships that had been acquired just two months before, each warship¡¯s deck had a Defense Enhancer standing on it!


    Under the effect of the Enhancers, the Defensive Nets of these warships were all significantly strengthened, which was precisely why they stood so unyieldingly against the City of Fury Fleet¡¯s bombardment, otherwise they would surely have not withstood it.


    Consequently, after the second barrage had ended, the more than eighty warships under Rocky¡¯s command remained without any battle damage!


    This scene completely dumbfounded Kexif across the way. With all his battle experience, he genuinely couldn¡¯t understand why such a result occurred¡ªwhy after two intensely fierce rounds of bombardment, not a single warship amongst Rocky¡¯s troops had been sunk?


    Why on earth was this?


    Actually, the answer to this question is simple. This is the power of technology.


    At this moment, the power of Rune Technology fully erupted and it was just the beginning!

 Chapter 645 - 645 607 Annihilation

    ?Chapter 645: Chapter 607: Annihilation! Chapter 645: Chapter 607: Annihilation! Years of research exploded at this moment!


    After being modified with runes, Rocky¡¯s fleet had become immeasurable by any current standards, because these standards were no longer valid in the face of rune technology.


    Now, watching helplessly as the enemy remained unharmed after two rounds of cannon fire, Kexif was completely dumbfounded. The result totally subverted his common sense and nearly robbed him of the ability to think.


    Similarly, after withstanding two rounds of cannon fire, the fleet led by Rocky finally closed in on the enemy!


    In fact, as soon as the first round of cannon fire came, Rocky could have ordered a counterattack, as the range of the main guns on the War Steed and the dozens of modified escort ships was enough to strike the enemy. However, Rocky did not do so because he was afraid¡ªafraid that once he launched an attack, the troops of the City of Fury would be so frightened that they would flee.


    Therefore, he had not returned fire, withstanding the enemy¡¯s attacks while continuously closing in, planning to launch his offensive when close enough that the enemy had no chance to escape. Now, that distance was sufficient.


    Under these circumstances, he finally gave the order.


    ¡°Spread out the formation, fire at will.¡±


    Standing at the bow of the War Steed, clad in White Demon Armor, he issued the command in a calm and composed manner, and the order was immediately transmitted throughout the entire fleet via the bridge.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    ¡°Fire!!¡±


    At this command, the fleet that was originally concentrated began to spread out. At the same time, the main guns on the warships adjusted their barrels, ultimately locking onto Kexif¡¯s fleet as the target.


    Soon after, the sound of cannon fire, reminiscent of muffled thunder, resounded!


    Because the number of warships was not very large, the sound of gunfire was not overly dense. However, the effect of the bombardment was staggering.


    When Rocky ordered to fire, the main guns of the warships under his command did not discharge Mana Cannonballs, but rather issued one dazzling Magic Energy Beam after another, each as thick as a large tree. These brilliant beams wielded immense power because as they streaked across the sky, the air around them visibly distorted, clearly indicating that the Mana content within the beams was so high that even the surrounding air was affected.


    This was the modified main gun!


    To bring about a qualitative change in the warships¡¯ striking power, Orton and others had inscribed a large number of runes on the Magic Cannons. These runes weren¡¯t simply providing Mana. With the aid of Pelaya¡¯s transmission technology, these Mana Runes not only supplied more sufficient Mana to the Magic Cannons but also significantly increased the firepower, especially of the primary cannons on the warships.


    Orton and his team had completely revamped the fleet¡¯s main guns. Using the new rune technology, they fundamentally altered the nature of the main guns, so that the modified ones no longer fired Mana Cannonballs, but rather discharged Magic Energy Beams of much greater power.


    Of course, Kexif on the opposite side certainly wouldn¡¯t know any of this. However, Kexif was indeed very experienced. When he saw the enemy begin their attack and that all the shots were extremely terrifying Magic Energy Beams, he immediately realized something was wrong and promptly issued the command, ¡°Evade! Evade immediately!¡±


    In the face of an attack of this level, Kexif realized that it could absolutely not be withstood head-on, so, before he could even ponder why Rocky¡¯s fleet was so powerful, he hurriedly shouted at his executive officer.


    Before he could finish his words, Kexif suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his eyes, prompting him to swiftly turn and look. What he saw was a Magic Energy Beam barreling straight towards his flagship!


    In an instant, he noticed that everything around him slowed down, a sensation that baffled him, and when he turned to look around, he saw his executive officer crazily flinging himself towards him. In the following moment, he was tackled down to the deck by the executive officer, just in time to see the Magic Energy Beam strike the Defensive Net of the flagship.


    Perhaps because time seemed to slow, Kexif was able to clearly see the moment the Defensive Net shattered¡ªit was as if fragile glass had been harshly struck by an iron ball. The Defensive Net first showed a web of cracks, then broke into fragments, which then turned into mana and vanished from his sight. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, Kexif saw a flash of white.


    With a thunderous roar, the flagship he was on was hit directly by a Magic Energy Beam. The beam pierced through the Defensive Net, striking the deck with force, and in the next moment, completely perforated it. In less than a second, the First Fleet¡¯s flagship of the City of Fury, a Fifth-Generation Battleship, disintegrated¡­


    Meanwhile, at the same moment Kexif¡¯s flagship was sinking, dozens of other warships in the fleet were hit. All, without exception, exploded and fell apart upon impact!


    This entire scene happened too quickly, so fast that everyone was unable to react. Thus, when the round of cannon fire ceased, the forces of the City of Fury barely moved.


    It wasn¡¯t their fault, for who could have imagined that the warships under Rocky¡¯s command were so formidable? That they could sink so many warships with a single round of cannon fire? Even Kexif¡¯s own flagship was destroyed!


    Keep in mind that the main force of Rocky¡¯s fleet was made up of Escort Ships!


    Escort Ships, the weakest and least powerful type of large warship, how could they possess such devastating firepower that a flagship battleship was sunk with just one shot!


    It was precisely because the flagship was destroyed, added to the astonishing sight before them, that the remaining fleet of the City of Fury plunged into panic at that moment. No one knew what to do next, and all the Captains were at a loss about what commands to issue. They were all stunned.


    Rocky, naturally, would not give the enemy a chance to recover. He immediately gave the order, directing the fleet to accelerate towards the enemy and open fire for a second round.


    Under this command, led by War Steed, the fleet immediately moved forward at full speed. At the same time, the cannons on each warship¡ªboth main and secondary¡ªwere all aimed at the forces of the City of Fury.


    After several rounds of cannon fire, the distance between the two sides had now become very close. Not only were they within the range of each other¡¯s main cannons, but the secondary cannons could also fire.


    Consequently, a firefight broke out that left everyone staggered. Rocky¡¯s fleet consisted of just over eighty warships, while the City of Fury had nearly twice that number. Yet, even with such a disparity in numbers, the battlefield was completely lopsided.


    It wasn¡¯t in favor of the City of Fury, but rather Rocky¡¯s side!


    When both sides began their close-range firefight, the City of Fury¡¯s fleet found the gap between them and the enemy to be unimaginably vast. Their own shells had no effect on the enemy¡¯s Defensive Net. If the main cannons were so ineffective, the secondary ones were even more so. The enemy seemed as if they had mastered both the Golden Bell Shield and Iron Shirt, impervious to attack; on the other hand, they could not block the enemy¡¯s shots at all. If the enemy¡¯s main cannons hit, they would surely sink one of their warships, and even if the secondary cannons hit the Defensive Net, it would be shattered after just a few shots.


    In such an uneven firefight, the City of Fury¡¯s warships were being sunk one after another, with their numbers steadily decreasing. After about fifteen minutes, their numbers had dwindled to nearly the size of Rocky¡¯s forces. Another fifteen minutes passed, and the fleet of the City of Fury had noticeably fewer ships than Rocky¡¯s side and then¡­ total annihilation!

 Chapter 646 - 646 608 Unprecedented

    ?Chapter 646: Chapter 608: Unprecedented! Chapter 646: Chapter 608: Unprecedented! In a matter of mere minutes, the battlefield filled with the sounds of gunfire and smoke quieted down, and looking at the battlefield, there was only one fleet remaining, Rocky¡¯s fleet.


    This was undoubtedly a battle for the history books, where the formidable power of rune technology was fully unleashed, creating a historical first: this was the quickest annihilation of an enemy in an aerial battle ever!


    You must know the fleet led by Kexif comprised more than two hundred warships, a massive fleet. Even if this fleet did not fire a single shot and just stood there to be attacked, it would take more than a few minutes to completely annihilate it, yet Rocky achieved this.


    He, relying on the incredibly powerful offensive capabilities of the rune battleships, destroyed such a massive fleet in the air within just a few minutes, achieving an unprecedented victory!


    ¡°This¡­ how¡­ how is this possible¡­¡±


    Therefore, when the smoke of the battlefield gradually cleared, everyone who had been watching the battle was dumbfounded, such as Howling Sky, who had already boarded his flagship.


    At this moment, Howling Sky was holding a telescope, his hands trembling uncontrollably!


    Rocky¡¯s decision to launch an attack from Thunderhawk City had naturally alarmed Howling Sky immediately, but due to his stance, he could only act as an observer. Although he did not join the fight personally, he witnessed the entire process of the battle, which terrified him¡­


    The City Lord of Sirius City, a core member of the Sky Alliance, who had seen much during his time, was scared by this battle, so much so that when he finally put down the telescope, his hands were still uncontrollably shaking.


    Is this the technology Rocky possesses¡­


    Is this the power he holds¡­


    Watching the clearing smoke of the battlefield, Howling Sky was shaken to his core.


    As a core member of the Alliance, situated in this awkward position, even if Howling Sky was not clear on the details of Rocky¡¯s situation, he had long suspected that all this must be connected to the technology he possessed. But he never dreamed that Rocky had mastered such terrifying technology.


    What exactly had happened?


    Honestly, although Howling Sky had witnessed the entire battle, he was still utterly confused because he couldn¡¯t understand how Rocky had done it, how he had managed to annihilate an enemy force several times his size¡­


    Terrible, it¡¯s just terrifying, the technology Rocky possesses is too terrifying!


    At that moment, the only thought running through Howling Sky¡¯s mind was how terrifying it was, and he wasn¡¯t the only one feeling this way¡ªso was Erwin from the City of Fury.


    The news that the Fury¡¯s First Fleet had been wiped out quickly reached the City of Fury and shocked everyone there.


    ¡°You, what did you say?!¡±


    When Erwin heard the news, he had just finished worship. As the City Lord of Fury, he was naturally a member of the Heavenly Ancestor Church, even a bishop, thus after breakfast, he had begun his routine worship, which had just ended, and he had just returned to his study.


    He hadn¡¯t even settled in his study when he received the battle report that his First Fleet had been annihilated by Rocky during his time of worship.


    Hearing this, Erwin could hardly believe his ears, remaining frozen in the act of drinking tea, taking a long time to comprehend the news.


    After he realized what had happened, he immediately rushed out of the study and into the conference room, and then gathered all the generals around him.


    ¡°What on earth is going on! Can anyone tell me what has happened!¡±


    After confirming the complete annihilation of the First Fleet led by Kexif and Kexif¡¯s death in battle, Erwin was completely stunned, slumped in the City Lord¡¯s seat. When he regained his senses, he immediately roared at everyone.


    However, in the face of his roar, no one could calm him down because no one could answer his questions. Even Howling Sky, who had witnessed the entire battle, could not understand what had happened, let alone Erwin and others who had not experienced the battle themselves.


    What¡¯s more, the news was indeed too sudden. From the moment Kexif led the attack to the news of the fleet¡¯s destruction and Kexif¡¯s death, it was only a little over an hour. Such a massive event occurred in such a short time that, including Erwin, everyone, even with wild imaginations, could not comprehend what had happened.


    But Erwin was, after all, the lord of a city, and after his roar, he calmed down.


    As Rick¡¯s most capable assistant, Erwin clearly knew why he was targeting Rocky, and because of this, once he calmed down, he began to piece together the clues. Clearly, the enemy had utilized technology they controlled; otherwise, even if Rocky himself had fought wearing the White Demon Armor, he could not have annihilated the troops of the City of Fury.


    Having figured out what happened, Erwin took a deep breath and then asked:


    ¡°What is Rocky doing now?¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°City Lord, Rocky¡­ he¡­ is approaching us¡­¡±


    Looking at Erwin, the subordinate said with difficulty, speaking the truth, that after annihilating the First Fleet of the City of Fury, although leading the troops back to Thunderhawk City, Thunderhawk City was slowly approaching the City of Fury!


    This answer made Erwin narrow his eyes slightly, and then he gave the order:


    ¡°The Second Fleet and the Third Fleet, strike immediately. Under no circumstances let Rocky leave the Backhill Village area. I will personally lead the Fourth and Fifth Fleets in support from behind.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Hearing this command, several fleet commanders present immediately stood up, answered, and then turned and left. Meanwhile, Erwin spoke to another person, ¡°Go contact Lord Rick immediately, report the current situation, and urgently request reinforcements.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After making these arrangements, Erwin stood up and without stopping, headed to the Skyport, affirming his earlier statement that this time he would personally lead the troops into battle to see for himself what Rocky was up to!


    Thus, the troops of the City of Fury were immediately mobilized, and it didn¡¯t take long for the Second and Third Fleets to fly out of the Skyport, followed slowly by the Fourth and Fifth Fleets personally led by Erwin from the Skyport.


    Without a doubt, after the annihilation of the First Fleet, Erwin dared not take anything lightly. Although up to now he still had not comprehended what exactly occurred, he was quite certain of one thing: Rocky was well-prepared. This operation was clearly a long-planned major move by Rocky, and under such circumstances, he dared not underestimate him in the slightest. He had even prepared for a full-scale battle!

 Chapter 647 - 647 609 Triple

    ?Chapter 647: Chapter 609: Triple Chapter 647: Chapter 609: Triple After the City of Fury¡¯s troops had appeared again, Rocky, who had briefly returned to Thunderhawk City for repairs, once more led his troops away from the Skyport. As before, he stationed his forces on the periphery of Thunderhawk City and arranged a formation. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, unlike the previous time, as soon as the City of Fury¡¯s troops appeared within sight, Rocky issued a command.


    ¡°Order all Void Magic Corps to strike.¡±


    After stating this, he turned his head and glanced at Liliya, then the two of them simultaneously leaped up from the deck and flew into midair.


    As they took the lead, a large number of Void Magic Warriors immediately left the warship. Within minutes, a significant number of Void Magic Warriors had appeared behind Rocky, precisely ten squads by count.


    ¡°Everyone, prepare for battle!¡±


    Once the entire Void Magic Corps had assembled behind him, Rocky spoke through the communicator and then looked off into the distance.


    Following his gaze, one could see a far larger fleet breaking through the clouds and approaching them. This fleet was at least twice the size of the one led by Kexif. Of course, this was to be expected since the force confronting Rocky now consisted of two fleets combined, numbering over four hundred warships!


    With over four hundred warships, this scale of force was enough to conduct a city-obliterating battle; not even a medium-sized Sky City could withstand such a massive force, let alone a smaller one, and this was precisely the enemy Rocky was facing, which is why he personally led the Void Magic Corps into combat.


    Having discerned the scale of the fleet dispatched by the City of Fury this time, Rocky knew that the opponent was determined to fight a battle to the death. Well, the thought of a large Sky City engaging in a do-or-die battle with Rocky might sound somewhat ludicrous, but that was indeed the case, or else Erwin wouldn¡¯t have dispatched such a tremendous force.


    In this situation, Rocky certainly did not dare to underestimate his enemy. He was well aware that although his fleet was technologically superior, it was significantly outnumbered. Although defeating an enemy with twice their numbers might not be difficult with his loyal fleet, overcoming an enemy several times their size was a different matter altogether, especially when sheer numbers could lead to a radical change in combat dynamics.


    Therefore, Rocky decisively abandoned the approach of having his fleet engage directly with the enemy and chose instead to rely on the power of the Void Magic Corps to win this battle!


    Given this situation, after the City of Fury¡¯s troops appeared, Rocky took the initiative and led his ten Void Magic squads across the skies towards the enemy.


    At this moment, the City of Fury¡¯s troops had just entered the visual range of Thunderhawk City, which meant that the distance between the two sides was at least a few thousand meters. At such a range, even the main guns of warships would be ineffective, and so, when Rocky led the Void Magic Corps closer, the commander of the City of Fury¡¯s troops immediately realized Rocky¡¯s intentions.


    Tawa, the commander of the City of Fury¡¯s Second Fleet, was fully in charge of the management of both the Second and Third Fleets this time. When he saw Rocky leading a large number of Void Magic Corps approaching, he furrowed his brows.


    ¡°There are so many of them¡­¡±


    Using binoculars to gaze in Rocky¡¯s direction, Tawa not only saw Rocky in his White Demon Armor, but also clearly spotted the Void Magic Corps behind him. He was quite surprised, as he had never known Rocky to command so many Void Magic Warriors.


    Truthfully, Tawa was very reluctant to engage in a showdown between Void Magic Warriors with Rocky, because he was well aware of how formidable Rocky was in this arena. Once Rocky donned his armor on the battlefield, he became a demon, unstoppable by anyone. Tawa had no desire to measure against such an adversary.


    But Rocky had already made the first move, striking from such a distance, clearly indicating he had abandoned the contest between warships and planned to rely on the strength of the Void Magic Corps to end this battle.


    Such confidence¡­


    Thinking this, Tawa couldn¡¯t help but smile helplessly, before immediately issuing the command, ¡°Order the Void Magic Corps to launch a full-scale attack.¡±


    Upon the delivery of his command, huge numbers of Void Magic Warriors joyously took flight from the decks of numerous warships, swiftly soaring into the mid-air and assembling together.


    Within minutes, a total of thirty Void Magic Squads had assembled in front of the fleet, then, under the lead of the Commander, they rushed towards Rocky!


    Thirty squads, that¡¯s three hundred Void Magic Warriors, a force three times the size of Rocky¡¯s, and the equipment of these three hundred Void Magic Warriors was also extremely advanced. The captain of each squad was uniformly equipped with the War God Type 6 Exclusive Armor, a special armor with a magic energy value of 11000, truly top-tier armor. As for the armor equipped by the rest of the squad, although all were Fifth-Generation Mass-Produced Armor, they were also among the elite of mass-produced armors, all being Rael Type 3. This type of mass-produced armor had a magic energy value of 7000, far surpassing the standard for typical mass-produced armor, earning it the nickname of a ¡®special armor¡¯ among mass-produced models.


    This was the combat strength of City of Fury¡¯s Void Magic Corps, all members were equipped with the most advanced armor available in the market. Therefore, though Tawa was very reluctant to engage Rocky¡¯s forces in a large-scale Void Magic battle, he was completely unafraid if a battle did indeed break out. In his view, although Rocky¡¯s individual strength was formidable, his own side had a bigger edge in terms of both quality and quantity, enough to crush Rocky¡¯s troops.


    In this situation, after completing their assembly, the Void Magic Corps of City of Fury charged towards Rocky¡¯s direction!


    Meanwhile, seeing that the enemy also dispatched a Void Magic Corps, Rocky leading the charge smiled, then suddenly halted his advance, hovering in mid-air,


    As he stopped moving forward, Liliya and the others behind him, especially a large number of Void Magic Warriors, also naturally stopped flying, and under the command of their captains, they aligned like a city wall in a straight formation.


    Clearly, Rocky was waiting for the enemy to approach, and indeed, the enemy did not make him wait long. Just a few minutes later, City of Fury¡¯s Void Magic Corps appeared clearly in everyone¡¯s view.


    ¡°Do you remember how you were trained!¡±


    ¡°Bear in mind everything from training, and follow the City Lord¡¯s orders!¡±


    ¡°Everyone must remain calm!¡±


    As the enemy drew near, captains of various squads began speaking to their respective members through the communicator. These captains were originally members of Robin¡¯s Squad, not only having trained for a longer period but also possessing field experience, and thus they had been promoted to squad captains. As for their troops, all were fresh recruits having just undergone two months of training.


    Although these individuals were formerly veterans of the Guard Corps, as Void Magic Warriors they were novices. However, one should not underestimate these beginners; after all, they were guards who had previously battled demons in wartime. Though they might lack some skills compared to genuine Void Magic Warriors, their mental fortitude was unquestionable. And on the battlefield, regardless of the type of troops, what¡¯s most crucial is indeed psychological quality.


    Therefore, after coming to a halt, these first-time battlefield Void Magic Warriors were quite nervous, but each and every one of them remained extremely composed, all eyes fixed on Rocky, waiting for his command.


    And shortly thereafter, Rocky¡¯s voice transmitted through the communicator!


    ¡°Everyone, aim!¡±


    Following Rocky¡¯s command, the Void Magic Warriors from the ten squads behind him all raised their Magic Energy Submachine Guns!

 Chapter 648 - 648 610 Firepower Network

    ?Chapter 648: Chapter 610 Firepower Network Chapter 648: Chapter 610 Firepower Network ¡°Burst mode, aim!¡±


    ¡°Activating burst mode!¡±


    When Rocky issued the command to aim, the squad leaders shouted to their team members. Immediately, ten squads activated the burst mode on their Magic Energy Submachine Guns and raised their weapons, simultaneously aiming at the enemy.


    At this time, the forces from City of Fury were approaching, but they were still at least 500 meters away¡ªa distance at which the Magic Energy Submachine Gun could hardly hit anything accurately. However, the enemy was approaching rapidly. When Rocky gave the command, there was a distance of 500 meters, but by the time the Void Magic Warriors behind Rocky had raised their submachine guns, that distance had significantly decreased.


    Four hundred meters.


    Three hundred meters.


    Two hundred meters.


    When the distance shortened to just two hundred meters, everyone could clearly see the opponents¡¯ faces. It was at this moment that Rocky issued the order to fire!


    ¡°Fire at will!¡±


    At his command, all ten squads of Void Magic Warriors pulled their triggers simultaneously, and instantly, thousands of Magic Energy Bullets erupted from the Magic Energy Submachine Guns!


    The thousands of Magic Energy Bullets, moving at speeds too fast to see, flew towards the troops from City of Fury. Although two hundred meters was the maximum effective range of the Magic Energy Submachine Gun, making it hard to ensure a high hit rate, as Rocky had originally explained, the key to the Magic Energy Submachine Gun lay not in its range or even its power, but in its powerful suppression ability.


    In burst mode, the Model 119 Magic Energy Submachine Gun could fire eight Magic Energy Bullets per minute, and one hundred Void Magic Warriors firing simultaneously could unleash eight thousand Magic Energy Bullets per minute!


    What concept is this? Put it this way, when ten squads of the Void Magic Squad began firing, the Magic Energy Bullets instantly formed a massive firepower net that engulfed the opposing side, something the Magic Energy Troops of City of Fury had never seen before, immediately causing a stir!


    ¡°Everyone, deploy the Defensive Net! Quick!¡±


    Seeing countless Magic Energy Bullets pouring down like torrential rain towards them, the commander in chief of the Magic Energy Troops of City of Fury immediately shouted into the communicator. Following this, three hundred Void Magic Warriors deployed the Defensive Net of their armor, and the advantage conferred by their equipment became apparent at this moment. Since all the Void Magic Warriors of City of Fury were equipped with high-end armor, when the Defensive Net was deployed, a single Magic Energy Bullet, with only 400 power points, merely flashed a light upon impact and then vanished, almost having no effect.


    However, that was just the result of a single Magic Energy Bullet hitting the Defensive Net. Inevitably, some extremely unlucky Void Magic Warriors were hit by several dozen Magic Energy Bullets at once. Those wearing Special Armor, like the squad leaders, were somewhat okay, but those clad in Mass-Produced Armor, the common soldiers, faced a tough situation.


    Several soldiers, hit simultaneously by dozens of Magic Energy Bullets, observed severe fluctuations in their Defensive Nests, clearly struggling to hold. Subsequently, before these unfortunate ones could react, the Defensive Nets of their armor collapsed!


    Don¡¯t forget, the characteristic of the Magic Energy Submachine Gun is its sustained fire for suppression. Although the distance between the forces of City of Fury and Rocky had reduced to two hundred meters, this distance was still sufficient for Rocky¡¯s side to sustain several rounds of firing. Thus, soldiers in Mass-Produced Armor, although initially blocking the first volley with their Defensive Nets, soon found their Nets unable to withstand the continuous subsequent firepower.


    Once the defensive net shattered, the team members were immediately exposed to a hail of bullets, with dense magic energy bullets falling on them in an instant, feeling as if they were caught in a torrential downpour. In no time at all, these team members were knocked over, with several of them being shot down within a minute.


    ¡°Damn it, what kind of weapon is this¡­¡±


    Realizing that some team members had been shot down, the commander of the Void Magic Corps gritted his teeth. Having never seen a magic energy submachine gun, he couldn¡¯t figure out what kind of weapon Rocky was using to attack. Although it seemed to be a mana launcher, how could the magic energy bullets be so powerful? And more importantly, how could they be so dense?


    Being the commander of the Magic Energy Troops certainly meant he was the most outstanding Void Magic Warrior, so the commander knew very well that mana launchers couldn¡¯t achieve such dense firepower. Could it be a new weapon?


    Thinking this, the commander gritted his teeth and issued an order, ¡°All members, accelerate the assault!¡±


    The commander knew if his troops continued to advance this ¡°leisurely¡±, they would suffer heavy casualties under such intense fire before even getting close to the enemy. The only option now was to quickly close the distance and engage in close combat, or else his troops were doomed.


    After issuing the order, the commander took the lead in speeding up, with the rest of the large troop doing the same.


    In this situation, the City of Fury¡¯s troops instantly closed the gap with Rocky, rapidly reducing the distance between them to within a hundred meters.


    At this distance, both sides issued new commands simultaneously.


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    The commander of City of Fury issued the command to attack at this moment because when both parties were within a hundred meters, Rocky also came within their range.


    ¡°Deploy the defensive net, activate burst mode, fire at will!¡±


    In response to the enemy¡¯s counterattack, Rocky also issued new orders, commanding the troops behind him to deploy the defensive net while switching their troops to burst mode for free shooting.


    Thus, both parties engaged in long-range combat. City of Fury¡¯s troops launched a fierce attack on Rocky¡¯s troop, with magic energy bullets, magic energy cannons, and magic energy beams being fired relentlessly in the process.


    Compared to the enemy¡¯s offensive, Rocky¡¯s side still primarily used the sweeping fire of the magic energy submachine guns. Although the attack appeared straightforward, the firepower was even more fierce than before, as everyone had activated burst mode on their magic energy submachine guns, removing the previous limit of eight shots per minute. As a result, the magic energy bullets fired out were continuous like rapid-fire cannons, naturally creating an even fiercer wall of fire. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The only downside was that now the distance between both sides was too close. One hundred meters for a Void Magic Warrior was hardly a distance at all, a few accelerations would easily bridge it, so even though Rocky¡¯s firepower was more ferocious, it didn¡¯t last long before the enemy closed in.


    Once close combat was initiated, City of Fury¡¯s troops had an absolute advantage because their commander had realized that although Rocky¡¯s troops had fierce firepower, it seemed that was their only means of output. In other words, as soon as the fighting turned into close-quarters combat, the unknown weapon they held would completely lose its effectiveness, giving them their chance!


    At least, that¡¯s what the commander of City of Fury thought.

 Chapter 649 - 649 611 Uninterrupted Output

    ?Chapter 649: Chapter 611: Uninterrupted Output! Chapter 649: Chapter 611: Uninterrupted Output! The commander of City of Fury had a keen eye; as he neared Rocky¡¯s troops and saw the Void Magic Warriors behind them, he instantly noticed that their armor was different from traditional armor. But that was not surprising¡ªafter all, anyone who could create White Demon Armor could craft any type of armor. More importantly, he could see the weapons in the hands of the people behind Rocky.


    Though he didn¡¯t know what Magic Energy Submachine Guns were, this commander used his experience to recognize them as a type of ranged weapon, and thus deduced that the enemy certainly wouldn¡¯t have an advantage in close combat.


    This discovery made him immediately order all his men to close in on the enemy at top speed, so they could engage in melee combat.


    Indeed, the commander¡¯s experience served him well; his judgment was spot on. The Thunderhawk Armor was originally designed for ranged attacks and lacked close combat capabilities. In fact, due to cost considerations, Rocky hadn¡¯t even provided close combat weapons for the armor.


    As a result, once City of Fury¡¯s troops crossed the critical hundred-meter distance and began close combat with Rocky¡¯s troops, the situation for Rocky¡¯s side worsened significantly.


    When the enemy closed in, the row formation behind Rocky immediately dispersed in disarray, the Void Magic Warriors either dodging left and right or simply retreating backward, sending the scene into chaos.


    ¡°Huff¡­¡±


    Watching through binoculars and seeing this unfold, Tawa, the Fleet Commander of City of Fury, sighed in relief. As the commander-in-chief, he had been closely following the battlefield since the Void Magic Corps set out. When he saw Rocky¡¯s troops forming a gunfire net with unknown weapons, he couldn¡¯t help but clutch at his throat.


    Tawa hadn¡¯t forgotten that Rocky had just annihilated one of his fleets right before their confrontation, and he had no idea how Rocky had done it. From the start of the battle, Tawa had been exceedingly cautious, fearing that Rocky might have some ace up his sleeve that he couldn¡¯t counter. So when he saw Rocky¡¯s Void Magic Corps attack with unfamiliar weapons, he was truly worried.


    But now he breathed easier.


    In Tawa¡¯s view, the new weapons used by Rocky¡¯s troops were indeed unheard of, and their power seemed formidable. However, they were clearly not powerful enough to change the course of the battle. As long as his own troops closed in, whether in numbers or quality, his Void Magic Warriors would hold an absolute advantage. Even if they didn¡¯t win this battle, at least they wouldn¡¯t lose.


    But was that really the case?


    Since the tactical engagement of the Void Magic Corps was too far from both fleets, Tawa could only make out a rough idea through his binoculars, unable to see the detailed combat. He could only see that after his Void Magic Warriors closed in, Rocky¡¯s troops descended into chaos; beyond that, he couldn¡¯t see more.


    But what was the real situation on the battlefield¡­


    Facing the rapidly approaching enemy, Peter¡¯s fingers gripped the trigger tightly, unleashing firepower towards the enemy as much as possible. But his efforts were in vain given the enemy¡¯s superior flying skills and the presence of the Defensive Net. Even though Peter had activated the Magic Energy Submachine Gun¡¯s rapid-fire mode, allowing the Magic Energy Bullets to continuously output, the hit rate was still terrifyingly low.


    However, Peter was after all a seasoned veteran with abundant battle experience. Back in his days with the Guard Corps, he served as a squad leader, and although he had only trained for two months after being selected as a Void Magic Warrior, and his skills with operating the Armor were still at a beginner¡¯s level, his mindset was extremely steady.


    It was this calm mindset that allowed him to keep shooting while backpedaling in midair as he watched the enemy approach with agile movements, striving to minimize the time the enemy could close in on him.


    With this approach, the enemy found it impossible to deal with him, because the externally mounted wings on the back of the Thunderhawk Armor itself provided plenty of power to the Armor. Supported by this power, the speed of the Thunderhawk Armor was very fast. It was an exaggeration to say it matched the Special Armor, but it was definitely faster than any mass-produced Armor on the market. Thus, as Peter retreated with all his might, the enemy just couldn¡¯t shorten the distance between them.


    But just when Peter thought he could get away from the enemy, the Magic Energy Submachine Gun in his hand suddenly jammed¡­ Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because he had been shooting continuously, the Magic Energy Submachine Gun was forced into cooldown mode!


    The instant his weapon jammed, the enemy seized the opportunity, increasing speed and charging at Peter, meanwhile drawing out a Mana Sword!


    If it were a green recruit who had never been on the battlefield, they would have been in a total panic, but not Peter. When the enemy rushed at him with great speed, he calmly and quickly placed the Magic Energy Submachine Gun at his waist with his left hand, then drew another Magic Energy Submachine Gun from his waist with his right hand!


    Indeed, although the Thunderhawk Armor only came with the Magic Energy Submachine Gun as its weapon, each set of Armor was equipped with two of them, so that warriors could maintain their firepower when one submachine gun went into cooldown!


    So by the time Peter got the second Magic Energy Submachine Gun in his hand, he targeted the enemy who was now very close and pulled the trigger!


    In that instant, a series of Magic Energy Bullets shot out towards the enemy. By this time, as the distance between the two had already closed to within ten meters, the enemy¡¯s room for evasion was greatly reduced, which resulted in almost all of the Magic Energy Bullets from the gun hitting the Defensive Net!


    Now trouble arose. A single Magic Energy Bullet had a power of 400, and after a few seconds the Defensive Net couldn¡¯t withstand tens of Magic Energy Bullets and broke from exceeding its limit, following which the Magic Energy Bullets hit the Armor.


    Hit by the barrage of Magic Energy Bullets, sparks burst from the enemy¡¯s Armor, but Peter didn¡¯t stop. He kept on firing, and within less than three seconds, the enemy¡¯s Armor was battered to pieces, and the Void Magic Warrior that had been chasing him for half the day plummeted from the sky.


    Watching the enemy fall to his own barrage, Peter first let out a sigh of relief, then immediately flew upwards. This was wisdom taught by Liliya to everyone¡ªwhen she was training everyone, she had said that when one¡¯s piloting skills weren¡¯t solid, it was crucial to remember to occupy a high ground in combat. Once you¡¯ve taken the high ground, the enemy¡¯s offensive must temporarily halt. Therefore, no matter what the situation, flying higher was always the safest choice.


    Peter was well aware that his skills were far inferior to the enemy¡¯s, so as soon as he had taken out one target, he immediately flew towards higher ground, taking this chance to adjust and seek out a new target.


    But just then, just as he had just flown high and was about to search for a new target, he himself became the target. An enemy suddenly surged upwards from below, and even with Peter¡¯s excellent composure, he was flustered when he saw clearly this enemy¡ªbecause it was a Void Magic Captain clad in Special Armor!

 Chapter 650 - 650 612 Red Flame Goddess

    ?Chapter 650: Chapter 612 Red Flame Goddess Chapter 650: Chapter 612 Red Flame Goddess After vanquishing the enemy, Peter had just begun to seek his next target when he discovered to his alarm that he had become the prey himself, and his hunter was none other than the captain clad in Special Armor!


    Realizing this, Peter immediately knew he was in trouble, and in fact, trouble arrived much faster than he had imagined. The moment he caught sight of the enemy, they had already rushed to his front!


    The captain of the Fury City squad was equipped with Special Armor, and it was top Special Armor with a magic energy value reaching 11,000 points!


    Certainly, Thunderhawk Armor was outstanding and had employed advanced Rune Technology. However, it was, after all, a mass-produced armor and inevitably could not compare with Special Armor. So, when the captain of Fury City set his sights on Peter, he sprinted forward before Peter even had a chance to pull the trigger, followed by a direct slash of the Mana Sword!


    There was the sound of a clash, and Peter, who had thought he was done for, suddenly discovered that the enemy¡¯s Mana Sword had been blocked by a red longsword. When he followed the length of the red blade with his eyes, he saw Liliya in her red Armor!


    In the nick of time, Liliya had intercepted the attack!


    ¡°Get out of the way!¡±


    Seeing Liliya, Peter, who had believed his end was certain, was overjoyed, only to hear her icy command. Then, it dawned on him that he indeed needed to retreat immediately, or he would only add to Liliya¡¯s troubles. After that realization, he quickly backed away and vanished in a whiff of smoke.


    Watching him flee in a panic, the captain of Fury City did not give chase because his attention was now fully focused on Liliya.


    In the eyes of this captain, Liliya wore a fiery red Armor, her entire suit designed with sleek lines. And since it was a lady¡¯s Armor, it looked exceptionally beautiful, like a ball gown at a dance, captivating anyone who beheld it.


    Liliya.


    Although he couldn¡¯t see Liliya¡¯s face, the captain recognized her the instant he laid eyes on her.


    Fury City had long gathered complete information on Rocky, especially regarding all military aspects, and amidst this, the Void Magic Warriors of Thunderhawk City were of prime importance.


    Rocky himself was needless to mention. Fury City had collected all possible information on him and the White Demon Armor, incidentally gathering details on others in the process. Therefore, the captains of Fury City knew that under Rocky¡¯s command, there were only two female warriors¡ªone was Dusa, the Archer, and the other was Liliya, a traditional warrior. Under such circumstances, the captain immediately identified her upon seeing Liliya.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The captain was delighted to find that it was Liliya who had foiled him, for according to the records, Liliya was not only extremely close to Rocky but also one of his most trusted confidants. Capturing someone so important would undoubtedly deal a severe blow to Rocky.


    Which was why the captain had disregarded the fleeing Peter. His target had shifted to Liliya, and with that, he reached out to grab her!


    The captain was well-acquainted with Liliya¡¯s information, and he knew clearly that she wore the Fire Guard Type 5 Armor, which was merely third-generation armor. Despite certain modifications, no amount of change could alter the fact that it was low-level armor. In contrast, the captain¡¯s own armor was the top-of-the-line War God Type 5 from the fifth generation, not only a Special Armor but also with a magic energy value as high as 11,000¡ªtruly top-tier armor. The significant gap between the armors filled the captain with confidence that he could capture Liliya alive.


    However, when he reached out to seize Liliya, preparing to capture her in one move, his hand grasped at nothing. Liliya had vanished in front of him like a streak of red light¡­.


    This¡­!


    Having grabbed at thin air, the captain was first stunned, then quickly realized something was wrong. He hurriedly spun 180 degrees on the spot, and without even looking, he raised his Magic Energy Shield in front of his chest. Right after, he heard a crisp sound¡ªhis Magic Energy Shield was struck fiercely!


    Clearly, Liliya had moved behind the captain at an extremely fast speed, and if it weren¡¯t for the captain¡¯s quick reflexes, he might have been hit by now.


    Even so, even though he relied on experience and reflexes to block the deadly strike, the captain was still immensely shocked.


    How could she be so fast?!


    The speed Liliya just displayed completely overturned the captain¡¯s knowledge. How could this be the speed achievable by the third-generation Fire Guard Type 5?


    Damn!


    Realizing this, the captain immediately understood that his information was outdated; Liliya must have switched to a New Armor.


    And his guess was spot on. At that moment, Liliya had indeed changed into a New Armor tailor-made for her by Hammerfire¡ªthe Red Flame Goddess!


    When Rocky decided to upgrade all his subordinates¡¯ armors, he told Hammerfire that Liliya¡¯s armor had to be the best. Knowing the relationship between Rocky and Liliya, Hammerfire not only made the armor to fit her but also equipped it with Rune Technology that was on par with that of the White Demon Armor. Without any exaggeration, this was Hammerfire¡¯s second Rune Armor created with full effort after the White Demon Armor, a piece he was particularly proud of.


    Because it was equipped with the latest Rune Technology and had been made with no expense spared, the base magic energy value of the Red Flame Goddess had reached 15,000 points. This not only surpassed what fifth-generation armors could dream of but also exceeded the older version of the White Demon Armor. What¡¯s more important was that this armor also featured an ¡°explosion mode¡±, which could surge its magic energy value to 20,000 points, nearly reaching the same level as the Holy Angel Armor!


    That was why the enemy couldn¡¯t catch her because, in every aspect, the Red Flame Goddess Liliya was wearing far surpassed the War God Type 5¡ªand not just by a single grade.


    Therefore, when her initial strike was blocked, Liliya didn¡¯t give the enemy a chance to counter. She instantly leaped, flipping over from above his head, and in the fleeting moment of their crossing paths, the magic energy bullet emitter hidden on her shoulder fired away. The magic energy bullets released promptly struck the enemy. They might not be lethal, but they caused the enemy a momentary lapse, creating an opening that Liliya used to land behind him and thrust her sword out.


    With one sword thrust, runes on the blade lit up, and in the blink of an eye, it pierced through the War God Type 5¡¯s armor, entering from the enemy¡¯s back and exiting from the chest, thus ending the captain¡¯s life¡­

 Chapter 651 - 651 613 The Captains

    ?Chapter 651: Chapter 613: The Captains Chapter 651: Chapter 613: The Captains Liliya had eliminated a captain in just one round, a feat so fierce that even she couldn¡¯t believe it herself.


    However, Liliya was indeed Liliya, knowing well that there was no time to revel in victory on the battlefield. With the combat strength she now possessed, every lost minute, no, even a single lost second, could mean the death of another Void Magic Warrior from Thunderhawk City.


    At that moment, it was necessary to discuss the overall situation on the battlefield.


    Once both sides engaged in close combat, the troops from the City of Fury indeed displayed an extremely impressive performance, with experienced warriors and advanced Armor combining swiftly on the battlefield into powerful combat effectiveness.


    Similarly, although the troops from Thunderhawk City had their formation scattered by the enemy¡¯s assault, they had not truly descended into chaos. This was exactly what Rocky had planned; Thunderhawk Armor was indeed not suited for close combat, but the powerful mobility of the Armor allowed them to run and fight simultaneously, tangling with the enemy using mobility and long-range firepower, much like Peter fighting against his foes. This was why the troops from Thunderhawk City seemed to be in disarray.


    Such tactics indeed had a quite favorable effect. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, the troops of Thunderhawk City seemed completely disorganized, yet the actual casualties were very few. In contrast, the casualties of the troops from the City of Fury soared once they engaged in close combat since the hit rate of the Magic Energy Submachine Gun increased significantly at close range, leading to their overwhelming and continuous firepower suppressing the regular soldiers from the City of Fury who could hardly gain any advantage and were instead killed in large numbers.


    But there was one particularly thorny issue, and that was the captains of the City of Fury.


    The Void Magic Squad captains from the City of Fury, each wearing Special Armor, had combat strength several times that of regular soldiers. Moreover, being a captain meant that these Void Magic Warriors had exceptionally rich combat experience. In their presence, the Void Magic Warriors from Thunderhawk City were like live targets.


    In such a situation, it was essential for Liliya and others to step forward. They were the most experienced warriors after Rocky, and since they all wore the New Armor, their Armor¡¯s performance significantly surpassed that of the captains¡¯ Armor. At this moment, they had to actively restrain the captains from the City of Fury and take down this tough bone; otherwise, they could not win the battle.


    Having killed a captain, Liliya didn¡¯t even have time to rest and immediately accelerated to rush towards the nearest other captain.


    But, after all, this was a battlefield, and both sides were already engaged in a melee, so as she charged toward another captain, four warriors clothed in Mass-produced Armor immediately surrounded her, intending to trap her.


    However, just at that moment, just as the four were preparing to encircle Liliya from four directions, several flashes appeared, and three of the individuals immediately plummeted from the sky, leaving the only remaining soldier dumbstruck.


    The soldier hadn¡¯t even recovered when suddenly he discovered his deployed Defensive Net shattering, followed by a Magic Energy Arrow piercing his chest, causing him to fall through the air headfirst like the three before him. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Seven, eight, nine¡­ ten¡­!¡±


    In an instant, Dusa had knocked down the four enemies trying to surround Liliya, counting the enemies she had slain while drawing her bow once more. This time, she didn¡¯t concern herself with Liliya but aimed at a captain instead.


    Swish swish swish swish swish!


    After targeting the captain, she rapidly fired off five arrows, each striking the enemy with precise accuracy. Unfortunately, the captain she aimed at had already deployed his Defensive Net, so all five Magic Energy Arrows were blocked outside.


    ¡°Pretty tough huh¡­¡±


    Seeing that her attack had been completely blocked, Dusa pursed her lips and drew her bow once more. However, this time, as she pulled the bowstring back, a huge magic energy arrow appeared.


    At this time, Dusa was also wearing new Armor, and due to her specific role as an archer, Hammerfire had tailored a very unique design for her Armor, focusing on attack and mobility, almost completely sacrificing defensive power. This Armor design could be called a double-edged sword; if the wearer¡¯s abilities were limited, wearing this Armor would be no different from wearing a paper dress, utterly incapable of withstanding direct confrontation with an enemy. However, if used properly, this set of Armor could become the sharpest spear on the battlefield.


    Draw the bow.


    Aim.


    Release the arrow.


    This sequence of actions flowed smoothly in Dusa¡¯s hands, and the magic energy arrow she shot was like a bolt of lightning, instantly flying towards the distant squad leader and then crashing heavily onto the defensive net.


    With a snap, the defensive net shattered instantly when hit by the arrow, which also gave the squad leader a fright. In fact, he had noticed Dusa¡¯s presence since the initial attack but had ignored it due to being in combat. He believed that although the enemy¡¯s sneak attack was accurate, his defensive net would surely hold since the Special Armor¡¯s defensive net wasn¡¯t easily broken.


    But when the arrow struck, he was stunned¡ªthe defensive net of the Special Armor was indeed easily broken!


    While he was still in shock, Dusa¡¯s second arrow was already on its way. The squad leader only felt a glint of cold light before him, causing him to panic and immediately abandon his attack, fleeing swiftly to the side, narrowly evading the arrow.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Seeing that the enemy had dodged her attack, Dusa pursed her lips, not hesitating to draw her bow again. But just then, the communicator truly conveyed Sandro¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Girl, someone¡¯s got their eyes on you!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Upon hearing Sandro¡¯s warning, Dusa quickly looked to the side and, indeed, saw two squad leaders rapidly approaching her, not just one!


    Dusa¡¯s constant sniping on the battlefield hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed, especially given her terrifying accuracy and the new Armor¡¯s powerful attack capability, making her the person who had killed the most enemies since the melee began. Thus, while she was focused on one squad leader, she herself became a target.


    More importantly, the two squad leaders targeting her were incredibly fast. Almost at the very moment Dusa spotted them, they had already closed in to about a few dozen meters, which was already an extremely dangerous distance for Dusa, whose Armor provided exceptionally weak defensive power, leaving her completely incapable of engaging them in any struggle.


    However, Dusa was no longer the mischievous little girl from Backhill Village who used to cause troubles for everyone. Upon realizing she had been targeted, she decisively gave up aiming at her target, followed immediately by a rapid retreat, then dashed away so quickly right in front of the two squad leaders that they were left standing dumbfounded on the spot¡­

 Chapter 652 - 652 614 Solo Show

    ?Chapter 652: Chapter 614 Solo Show Chapter 652: Chapter 614 Solo Show Upon realizing she was being targeted, Dusa immediately ceased her attack and sprinted away in a flash, so much so that by the time the two team captains arrived at top speed, she had already run hundreds of meters away and resumed shooting cold arrows.


    This was the real situation on the battlefield, where the two sides were completely entangled. Though the troops from City of Fury greatly outnumbered the enemy, the quality of their ordinary warriors¡¯ armors could not compete with the Thunderhawk Armors. Thus, even with the numerical superiority, they struggled to achieve an absolute advantage in the fight. Likewise, while the Thunderhawk Armors could suppress the enemy, the forces of Thunderhawk City were considerably less experienced, and what¡¯s more, their adversaries had a total of thirty team captains.


    These captains became the most terrifying presence on the battlefield. The plain Void Magic Warriors of Thunderhawk City couldn¡¯t pose any threat to them. Only Liliya and her peers could contend with these individuals, but regrettably, they were too outnumbered. So, even with the New Armor granting them immense combat power, they still couldn¡¯t quickly eliminate the captains. And as long as the captains remained, the battle could not be truly swayed.


    At this moment, Rocky, who should have been the focal point of this fight, was nowhere to be found on the battlefield.


    Logically, with Rocky¡¯s strength and level of threat, he had the full capability to contain several or even a dozen captains by himself. However, he did not partake in this grand battle; in fact, as soon as the close-quarters combat began between the Void Magic Corps, Rocky broke through the encirclement and headed straight for the enemy¡¯s Fleet!


    ¡°Lord! Bad news, Rocky¡­¡±


    Just as Tawa was closely observing the situation with binoculars, a subordinate suddenly rushed to his side and began to report hastily.


    But before the subordinate could finish speaking, everyone aboard Tawa¡¯s flagship suddenly looked up. Exactly at that moment, Rocky¡¯s figure had appeared right in front of the flagship!


    This was precisely what the subordinate was about to report to Tawa, but Rocky was faster than the report itself, having already arrived first.


    ¡°White Demon¡­¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s figure, Tawa didn¡¯t need to hear the report to know what was happening. And as he looked up at Rocky, he saw him diving down, charging towards the flagship¡¯s deck!


    However, Tawa showed no sign of panic upon seeing this. Instead, the corners of his mouth turned upward slightly, revealing a hint of a smile.


    It was in the instant that this smile broke out that the Defensive Net of the flagship lit up. Amid this light, Rocky, diving towards the deck, seemed to hit a wall head-on and was shockingly held back on the outside!


    Hitting the Defensive Net and being bounced off, Rocky was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting such an outcome, while Tawa, smiling faintly, had clearly anticipated this.


    At this time, the flagship that Tawa was aboard was a 5th Generation Command Type 2 Warship flagship model. This class of battleship flagship was larger in tonnage, more fierce in firepower, and naturally stronger in defense. But most importantly, this warship employed the most cutting-edge Defensive Net technology of the time. This technology enabled the Defensive Net to not just block Magic Energy Attacks but also physical assaults, meaning that the Armor¡¯s Defensive Net could, like Sky City¡¯s Defensive Net, block out all external threats.


    Kexif¡¯s flagship that he boarded was actually a Command Type 2 as well, and it had the same defensive technology, but it was sunk by a single shot from a rune-modified main cannon, leaving Rocky completely unaware that such a defensive net even existed.


    It was precisely because of this defensive net that Tawa was not panicked when he saw Rocky, knowing that even if Rocky was very strong, it would be impossible for him alone to pose a threat to him.


    In fact, after ¡°hitting the wall,¡± Rocky also realized this. Although he had not known about this technology before, he quickly understood after one contact that this defensive net was the same as the one in Sky City, and that it would be very difficult for him to break through.


    Looking at Tawa on the deck with a smile tugging at his lips, Rocky felt as if he could hear Tawa¡¯s mockery. Indeed, with such a solid defensive net, it would be very difficult for Rocky alone to break through it unless he used the rune main cannon, devastating his plan to ¡°capture the king first in order to capture the thieves.¡±


    However, just a few seconds later, Rocky looked down at Tawa on the deck and then, with a whoosh, he flew away.


    ¡°Damn it¡­!¡±


    Seeing Rocky turn and leave without hesitation, Tawa was momentarily stunned, then he realized what was happening. Just as he was about to issue an order and cursed under his breath, an explosion sounded on the patrol cruiser beside him!


    The sudden explosion made Tawa turn his head quickly, and then he saw a hole appearing in the hull of the patrol cruiser. At the same moment he noticed this, a white figure burst through the patrol cruiser¡¯s deck and flew into the air¡ªit was Rocky who had just flown away!


    Clearly, after flying away, Rocky had crashed into the cabin of that patrol cruiser and then burst out again. By the time he reappeared, explosions continued from inside the cruiser, with the huge hull slowly tilting and descending to the ground in the midst of the explosions¡­


    Indeed, the flagship where Tawa was located was really advanced, and its defensive net was so strong that even the White Demon Armor couldn¡¯t break through easily, but Rocky didn¡¯t need to waste time on this flagship because he had over four hundred warships around him!


    Among these four hundred plus warships, only the flagships of two fleets had defensive nets that could stop Rocky. The other warships did not have this capability, and what was more advantageous for Rocky was that all of the Void Magic Corps from the City of Fury had already been sent out to engage with his own troops, which meant the entire fleet was without any escort force. What did this imply?


    It was like a Demon crashing into a flock of sheep without any shepherd dogs. Faced with these four hundred plus warships, except for the two flagships, Rocky could wreak havoc!


    Not only could he do so, but he actually did. After destroying a patrol cruiser, he immediately flew towards the nearest destroyer. This time, he didn¡¯t even enter the cabin, but charged the Magic Fang Scythe while flying, which caused the already extremely sharp blade to double in length with the enhancement of Mana. He then used this massive blade to chop into the hull of the warship and flew around it in a circle from bottom to top, cutting a destroyer in half!


    After that, Rocky¡¯s solo show began. He continuously used various methods to destroy the warships of the City of Fury, leaving a trail of silence in his wake¡ªone, two, three, four, five¡­ eight, nine, ten¡­!


    In a very short time, the number of warships Rocky had destroyed had reached double digits. The speed and efficiency with which he did so were even faster than a real fleet battle! S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 653 - 653 615 Wrong Command

    ?Chapter 653: Chapter 615 Wrong Command Chapter 653: Chapter 615 Wrong Command Although the Defensive Net of the flagship where Tawa was located was too strong, preventing Rocky from executing his decapitation plan, he quickly changed his strategy and aimed at other warships.


    Thus, the problem fell on Tawa¡¯s shoulders.


    Actually, if it were someone else doing the same thing, Tawa wouldn¡¯t have been troubled at all. He wouldn¡¯t even have cared, since an individual¡¯s power is limited. Even if no one stopped them, the damage a Void Magic Warrior could inflict on the entire Fleet would be minimal. But Rocky was different, because his efficiency was simply too high!


    Harvesting.


    Perhaps only the word ¡°harvesting¡± could describe Rocky¡¯s efficiency. He destroyed more than a dozen warships in just a few minutes. The speed was so astonishing that it forced Tawa to react immediately; otherwise, with Rocky¡¯s pace, it wouldn¡¯t take long for the Fleet of the City of Fury to be completely harvested.


    But for Tawa, this decision was too difficult to make.


    To stop Rocky¡¯s solo performance, the only option was to call back the Void Magic Corps. However, at this time, all of Tawa¡¯s Void Magic Corps had been deployed into the battlefield. According to the reports from the corps commanders, they had already gained an advantage in the fight. Given enough time, annihilating the Thunderhawk City¡¯s troops wouldn¡¯t be an issue. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this situation, Tawa¡¯s best option was to leave Rocky alone and then revisit the situation after his own Void Magic Corps had completely wiped out the enemy. By then, Rocky would no longer be a threat.


    However, the actual situation was far from that simple. Tawa also didn¡¯t know when his troops would be able to completely eliminate the enemy. He had also learned from the commanders of the Void Magic Corps that the Thunderhawk City¡¯s troops were not a pushover. Although his own troops had an advantage, the battle was extremely tough. Thus, a quick victory might not be possible in a short time.


    Then another problem arose¡ªhow many warships could Rocky destroy before Tawa¡¯s forces could retreat?


    Regrettably, based on Tawa¡¯s experience, before his Void Magic Corps could retreat, with Rocky¡¯s efficiency akin to reaping wheat, he could destroy at least a hundred warships, or even more!


    This kind of loss was somewhat too great for Tawa, so he made a very correct yet extremely erroneous decision.


    He ordered ten captains to be called back from the front lines.


    At least in Tawa¡¯s view, his decision had no problem. The frontline commanders had already reported to him that they had the upper hand. Under such circumstances, pulling some forces back to counter Rocky was quite normal. More importantly, in order not to affect the frontline advantage, Tawa specifically called back only the squad leaders, thus ensuring that his troops maintained a numerical advantage in combat, while also ensuring that the retrieved captains could effectively stop Rocky. It was killing two birds with one stone.


    Indeed, on the surface, his decision seemed flawless, but those who understood the actual combat situation knew it was a grave mistake. The reason the Void Magic Corps from the City of Fury were able to maintain an advantage in battle was not because of their numbers, but because they had thirty captains wearing Special Armor. Tawa¡¯s decision to withdraw one-third of them, along with those already fallen, left very few squad leaders on the front lines.


    Unfortunately, at this time, Tawa was still unaware of the mistake he made. Conversely, the commanders of the Void Magic Corps on the frontline understood the situation better and did not fully carry out his orders, eventually withdrawing only five captains.


    This relieved a lot of pressure on Liliya and her team, since from the onset of the battle, each of them had eliminated at least one captain. Among them, Dusa and Liliya had the highest kills, with Liliya eliminating three captains and Dusa two. This meant that more than ten of the City of Fury¡¯s thirty captains were already dead.


    Even so, there were still almost twenty captains on the battlefield. Liliya, Dusa, Monte, Lin Feng, Sandro, and Robin, the six of them, found it quite challenging to face these captains. But then Tawa withdrew five of them, effectively reducing their pressure by one-third!


    Under these circumstances, the tide of the battlefield began to turn. After all, Liliya and her team held an absolute advantage in Armor. Any captain targeted by them would be severely damaged if not killed, and as long as a captain was subdued, the engagement between ordinary Void Magic Warriors and those from Thunderhawk City was completely feasible.


    On the other hand, although the frontline commander, constrained by the battlefield situation, withdrew only five captains, this action disrupted Tawa¡¯s plan. The reason was simple: five captains could not contain Rocky!


    While the five captains hurriedly flew back to their base, Rocky took the opportunity to destroy more than ten warships. So, to count it all, he had destroyed over twenty warships in a very short time!


    If this achievement were placed on an ordinary Void Magic Warrior, it would be enough to crown him the ace of aces, but for Rocky, it was nothing out of the ordinary, and even Tawa wasn¡¯t surprised.


    What really surprised Tawa was that only five captains had returned from the front lines ¡ª how could such a small number possibly control Rocky?!


    It must be said that Tawa¡¯s judgment was quite accurate because, right after these five captains rushed back to their base, he watched helplessly as Rocky completely ignored them¡­


    The five returning captains were true warriors; despite knowing the terror of Rocky, they still charged at him. This courage alone was commendable and worthy of praise, but facing these men, Rocky didn¡¯t stop his harvesting at all.


    As the five captains charged toward him, Rocky simply accelerated, with no intention of entangling with them. He continued to assault warship after warship. If anything had changed, it was probably that he expanded his Defensive Net to fend off the captains¡¯ long-range attacks. Apart from this, nothing had changed, not even the pace at which he destroyed warships.


    This situation was disastrous. The frontline lost its advantage due to the absence of five captains, and the tide was slowly turning in favor of Liliya and her team. The five captains who had retreated to their base had no effect on Rocky, causing Tawa¡¯s decision not to alter the situation, but rather to lose the hard-earned advantage on the frontline, making Tawa feel terribly frustrated.


    And it was from this moment that the battlefield situation began to transform completely¡­

 Chapter 654 - 654 616 The Feeling of Flying

    ?Chapter 654: Chapter 616: The Feeling of Flying Chapter 654: Chapter 616: The Feeling of Flying A critical judgment error ruined Tawa¡¯s only chance for victory.


    To restrain Rocky, he decided to recall ten captains from the front line, not knowing that the battle at the front was far more intense than it appeared. Consequently, the commander of the Void Magic Corps could only bring back five captains, just enough to barely hold the front line. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, with half the number reduced, the five captains who were recalled had no way of handling Rocky. Far from restraining him, they couldn¡¯t even catch up. With five captains missing, the front line could not hold at all. Previously, facing Liliya and others who had an advantage in armor, the captains could use tactics of outnumbering to contain them, but now it was one on one, and the captains were no match for Liliya and her team under those conditions.


    The wrong judgment led to a disastrous outcome, ultimately causing Tawa to squander his advantage.


    As the captains fell one by one, the situation at the front gradually began to reverse.


    Now, on the battlefield, the captains, having suffered heavy casualties, could no longer maintain their advantageous position. They not only couldn¡¯t target the common Void Magic Warriors of Thunderhawk City but also had to start worrying about their safety because once their numbers decreased significantly, Liliya and her team would take the initiative to strike, actively beginning to pursue and kill these captains. Once the threat of captains was removed, Thunderhawk City¡¯s common Void Magic Warriors again stabilized their lines, using the advantage of Thunderhawk Armor to engage the enemy.


    This way, the situation on the battlefield gradually turned, and the Void Magic Corps of City of Fury began to decrease continuously and could barely hold on any longer.


    Meanwhile, Rocky continued his solo performance, only now with five more ¡°tails¡± as the five captains recalled from the front line tried everything they could to encircle and block him, but to no avail. The gap in armor was so great that they couldn¡¯t even catch up to Rocky, let alone stop him.


    So, despite the five captains being recalled in time, Rocky¡¯s efficiency was by no means diminished. In just a few minutes, he had already destroyed five patrol cruisers, eight destroyers, and twenty-two escort ships¡ªdozens of warships obliterated effortlessly.


    The situation on the battlefield changes in the blink of an eye¡ªone second it¡¯s a stalemate, the next it reveals signs of defeat. At this point, Tawa had received another report from the front line commander: the Void Magic Corps couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and hoped for permission to retreat!


    Hearing this news, Tawa could hardly believe his ears. He hurriedly picked up his binoculars again and looked into the distance, and his heart sank.


    What¡¯s going on¡­


    What exactly is going on!


    Just a few minutes had passed; what on earth had happened on the battlefield that the City of Fury¡¯s Void Magic Corps was nearly even in number with the enemy?


    It has to be noted that Tawa had sent out a total of thirty squads, three hundred Void Magic Warriors, while Rocky¡¯s forces were only about a hundred strong. With three times the enemy¡¯s force, how did it end up equal in number?


    Since the distance was too vast and the commander in the heat of battle couldn¡¯t report every detail, Tawa had no clear idea what had transpired. How could his Void Magic Corps be on the brink of collapse in the blink of an eye?


    Although puzzled, this time he did not continue to be muddled. Noting the dire circumstances at the front, he immediately decided to retreat, on the one hand ordering the Void Magic Corps to pull back and, on the other, adjusting the main forces to prepare to withdraw from the battlefield entirely.


    At his command, the fleet of hundreds of warships immediately began adjusting, but as soon as the warships mobilized, Rocky keenly sensed the chance to strike.


    After so many years, Rocky had experienced countless battles, both big and small, especially the great war between the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire in which he had not only killed numerous enemies on the battlefield but also learned a lot. Hence, he could deduce Tawa¡¯s intentions from just a slight movement of the enemy¡¯s fleet and immediately contacted Felly.


    Under Tawa¡¯s command, the Fury City¡¯s Void Magic Corps began to gradually retreat, and as they retired, Liliya immediately commanded her troops to reorganize their formation and then pursued them at a deliberate pace.


    At the same time, the fleet of more than eighty warships led by Felly also sprang into action after the retreat of the enemy¡¯s Void Magic Corps, moving at full speed, evidently intending to chase down the enemy.


    It must be said that after the rune transformation, the Thunderhawk City Fleet had indeed undergone a qualitative leap. The changes on both offense and defense had already been fully demonstrated in previous battles, and this time, the fleet displayed a power far beyond what the average person could imagine.


    At this point, the situation between the two battling sides was actually quite simple, one was retreating while the other was pursuing. However, unlike previous large-scale battles, at least in terms of the fleets, Tawa¡¯s retreat was very composed because the fleets were too far from each other, at least several thousand kilometers apart. At such a great distance, Tawa could easily command his troops to turn the ship around, even though Rocky was constantly interfering.


    However, when Rocky truly ordered a pursuit, the speed exhibited by the Thunderhawk City Fleet greatly exceeded Tawa¡¯s expectations. Though it was said one was retreating and the other pursuing, they were actually moving in the same direction. Even adding on the fact that there was such a vast distance between them, even if Thunderhawk City¡¯s troops reacted quickly, they simply couldn¡¯t catch up.


    But while that was said, the reality was different! In fact, when the Thunderhawk City Fleet launched its pursuit, it closed in on the enemy at an astonishing speed, so much so that compared to it, the Fury City Fleet seemed to be stationary.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    From the bow to the stern, Tawa used a telescope to intently watch the enemy chasing them from behind, growing more surprised and disheartened the more he watched.


    How could they be this fast?


    As the overall commander of a fleet, no one was more familiar with warships than Tawa. He knew better than anyone the speed that warships of each class should have, yet the speed exhibited by Rocky¡¯s fleet was so fast it was unimaginable.


    Indeed, with Tawa¡¯s understanding, it was unimaginable why Rocky¡¯s fleet could be so fast. Because Aniye and others had already used the latest Rune Technology to combine runes with the magic stones on the warships, allowing both to jointly power the warships. It was this formidable power that enabled Rocky¡¯s fleet to give a sensation of flying.


    ¡°Order all troops to turn around and prepare for battle,¡± Tawa hurriedly issued the command after using the telescope for a while because, from his experience, given the enemy¡¯s speed, he feared that they would be caught up by the City Lord¡¯s reinforcing troops sooner than later, so he decided to prepare for battle in advance before the enemy caught up.


    After issuing this command, Tawa continued to speak to his adjutant: ¡°Also¡­ go contact the City Lord immediately, and ask him to come to support us right away¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­!¡±


    Upon hearing this, the adjutant was initially startled, although there was confusion in his eyes, he immediately ran toward the command bridge.

 Chapter 655 - 655 617 Ten Minutes……

    ?Chapter 655: Chapter 617: Ten Minutes¡­¡­ Chapter 655: Chapter 617: Ten Minutes¡­¡­ To the adjutant, Tawa¡¯s order seemed overly cautious. The adjutant felt that even if the enemy caught up, they were fully capable of annihilating them, considering that despite Rocky¡¯s continuous interference and the consequent loss of quite a few warships, they still had over three hundred warships at their disposal.


    With such force, almost four times that of the enemy, why would they need reinforcements from behind?


    It must be said, an adjutant is just an adjutant, and there¡¯s a reason why he cannot assume the role of a supreme commander overseeing the entire army. For instance, in this matter, the adjutant¡¯s thoughts were too one-sided. He only considered the current situation and forgot a very important fact: just before this great battle, Rocky had just wiped out an entire Fleet of the City of Fury!


    At that time, Rocky faced an enemy force two to three times larger than his own. And what was the outcome?


    The result was that the First Fleet of the City of Fury was annihilated in an instant. The adjutant might have forgotten this, but Tawa remembered it clearly. In fact, if the First Fleet hadn¡¯t been wiped out, Tawa wouldn¡¯t have needed to lead troops into battle against Rocky.


    It was precisely because he remembered the previous events that he took Rocky¡¯s pursuers seriously and requested support without any hesitation.


    And his actions were undoubtedly correct. After receiving his request for support, reinforcements led personally by Erwin set out immediately, rushing towards the battlefield at high speed.


    ¡°Quick! Advance at maximum velocity!¡±


    Eyer, as the City Lord, stood at the prow, his face visibly fraught with urgency.


    Eyer trusted the fleet commanders he had appointed, not only in their loyalty but also in their capabilities. That¡¯s why, as soon as he heard Tawa¡¯s call for support, he knew something bad had happened; Tawa would never make such a request without cause.


    Under such circumstances, Eyer urged the Fleet to enter the battlefield immediately, without stopping for a moment.


    However, he was still one step too late¡­


    As mentioned earlier, although Eyer personally led the reinforcements to support Tawa, there was quite a distance to the front line, and the two were not closely adhered. In theory, the reinforcements he led should still arrive on the battlefield in time, considering that Tawa requested support early and Eyer¡¯s response was swift enough; there was definitely enough time.


    If they were facing just an ordinary enemy, it would indeed be so. Unfortunately for them, the enemy they were confronting this time was not ordinary but a terrifying opponent like none they had ever seen before!


    When Eyer led the Fleet towards the battlefield at top speed, they had only completed half the journey when the front line had already engaged in combat!


    Boom¡­


    Boom¡­


    Boom¡­


    Since they were now quite close to the battlefield, when Rocky¡¯s Fleet and Tawa¡¯s Fleet began to exchange fire, Eyer, who was rushing to the battlefield at maximum speed, could already hear the sound of the cannons. When he picked up his telescope to look towards the battlefield alongside the sound of cannons, he was utterly stunned!


    Through his telescope, Eyer could clearly see the situation on the battlefield: with every cannon blast, one warship after another was rapidly being sunk, and without exception, all of the warships that were hit belonged to his own forces!


    ¡°How is this possible¡­ How can this¡­ be possible¡­¡±


    As Erwin watched his warships being sunk one after another in the skirmish, he was somewhat stupefied. As the City Lord of the City of Fury, he hadn¡¯t lacked experience in battle, quite the opposite; he had fought in many battles, and not just once had he personally led the Fleet to the frontline. Thus, Erwin was no stranger to the sight of his own warships being destroyed.


    But this time it was different, first, it was too fast. The speed at which his warships were being sunk was simply too fast, each following the other in quick succession¡ªno, sometimes even multiple warships disintegrated in the sky at the same time. More importantly, while his own warships were being sunk one after another, Rocky¡¯s Fleet seemed untouched!


    Looking through his telescope at the distant engagement, Erwin could also see Rocky¡¯s Fleet, but aside from the glow of the Defensive Net flickering to life on each enemy ship, he couldn¡¯t see a single one being sunk.


    What was happening?


    The bright flashes of the enemy¡¯s Defensive Net indicated that his own forces were continuously firing, but why hadn¡¯t a single enemy warship fallen? Why were only his own warships exploding?


    New technology!


    It must be new technology!


    Slamming down the telescope, Erwin finally realized how his First Fleet had been annihilated by Rocky¡ªit must be that Rocky was utilizing top-end technology he controlled!


    Damn it, this guy had been working on this the whole time.


    Erwin had always been wary of Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation; he always felt that their relationship hadn¡¯t soured, not only had it not soured, but they were also engaged in some underhanded maneuvers. He just hadn¡¯t figured out what exactly they were up to.


    However, now, after witnessing the image of his Fleet being sunk one by one, Erwin finally understood what they had been up to. Unfortunately, it was too late.


    At this moment, Rocky, by virtue of his technological lead, had maximized the strengthening of his forces and exhibited this on the battlefield, gaining an advantage in the process.


    During the few minutes Erwin had been observing the battlefield with his telescope, he personally witnessed more than a dozen warships being sunk, to the extent that when he put down his telescope, he grabbed the original Fleet commander and began bellowing immediately!


    ¡°How much longer! How much longer until we reach the battlefield?¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Te-ten minutes¡­ My Lord, we¡¯ll be there in ten minutes¡­¡±


    The Fleet commander, grabbed by the collar by Erwin, was clearly terrified and stuttered in response. Hearing this, Erwin clenched his teeth bitterly. Ten minutes wasn¡¯t a long time, even on a battlefield, but that was under normal circumstances, and not on the battlefield they faced now!


    On the current battlefield, every minute was incredibly precious because each minute meant at least a dozen more warships would be sunk; ten minutes meant a hundred ships! So for Erwin, this time was agonizingly long.


    But at this moment, no matter how anxious Erwin was, it didn¡¯t matter because the Fleet was already traveling at maximum speed; there was absolutely no way to go faster. So, all he could do now was watch helplessly as his forces kept attacking on the battlefield, a feeling he had never experienced before¡­

 Chapter 656 - 656 618 The Great Retreat

    ?Chapter 656: Chapter 618: The Great Retreat Chapter 656: Chapter 618: The Great Retreat Ten minutes seemed endlessly long for Erwin, but he had to wait.


    During this prolonged wait, all he could do was watch helplessly as his fleet was annihilated by Rocky and his forces with devastating ease.


    By the time the arduous ten minutes had finally passed and the reinforcements led by Erwin had arrived at the battlefield, the situation was even worse than he had imagined.


    In just that short time, Tawa¡¯s fleet had lost more than half its strength! Over two hundred warships were sunk in this battle, a few of them by Rocky personally, but the vast majority were destroyed by Rocky¡¯s fleet.


    Such a result was a heavy blow to Erwin, leaving him dumbfounded. He could never have anticipated such colossal losses, and that was just the losses for the fleet. The situation with the Void Magic Corps was even worse because after the fleets had engaged in close-range cannon fire, the Void Magic Corps from the City of Fury, having just retreated, had to launch again. But this time, they faced not the enemy led by Liliya but the Void Magic Corps from Thunderhawk City, led by Rocky!


    In this battle, Rocky vividly demonstrated the profound impact a single person can have on a battle. When he no longer targeted the warships, and instead led his troops to engage with the Void Magic Corps from the City of Fury, a catastrophe unfolded.


    The captains, who had until then been somewhat effective in battle, all became his prey.


    Many had heard of the notoriety of Rocky and the White Demon, and knew of his moniker as the Battlefield Demon. But the old saying holds: hearing is false, seeing is believing. When Rocky truly started hunting in his favored manner targeting his preferred prey, the true extent of his horror was revealed.


    In front of the White Demon Armor, even the War God Type 5 Armor, boasting 11,000 mana points, was useless. None of the targeted captains survived, not even when facing attacks from more than ten armors, Rocky still managed effortlessly.


    Under his leadership, the Void Magic Corps from Thunderhawk City quickly gained the upper hand in the skirmish against the Void Magic Corps from the City of Fury. The captains from the City of Fury were nearly all slain by Rocky, and the ordinary members couldn¡¯t stand against them either. Although Rocky hardly bothered with these ordinary members, only a few managed to escape successfully. With no captains to pose a threat, the superiority of the Thunderhawk Armors in aerial combat became starkly evident.


    The alternation of two Magic Energy Submachine Guns allowed the warriors in Thunderhawk Armor to avoid melee combat entirely, merely using the submachine guns to continuously shoot and kill their targets. As the Void Magic Warriors from the City of Fury dwindled, this oppressive situation intensified.


    Although the losses were severe for the Void Magic Corps, their desperate engagement had drawn a great amount of enemy forces, which ultimately prevented Tawa¡¯s fleet from being completely annihilated. Just imagine, if there were no Void Magic Corps holding the line in a desperate engagement, and Rocky had led both his Void Magic Corps and fleet to attack the City of Fury¡¯s fleet, what would the scene have been?


    It¡¯s likely that when Erwin arrived with the reinforcements, there would have been no one left from the City of Fury¡¯s forces!


    It was also precisely because Erwin led the reinforcements that arrived in a timely manner that Rocky¡¯s offensive had to slow down and eventually stopped.


    Again, quantity can trigger a qualitative change. The forces from the City of Fury were significantly behind in technology compared to Rocky¡¯s forces. If the two sides fought equally in terms of numbers, the City of Fury would definitely lose, but such equality did not exist.


    Erwin¡¯s reinforcements were also composed of two fleets, so when he entered the battlefield and joined forces with Tawa¡¯s remnant soldiers, the total number of warships for the City of Fury approached six hundred, along with more than thirty squads of Void Magic Warriors. Conversely, Rocky¡¯s fleet, after one round of combat, was left with just over seventy warships, and nearly ten were destroyed in the face of fierce enemy fire, while the number of Void Magic Corps was reduced to just over seventy, with more than thirty Void Magic Warriors having died in the subsequent battles.


    In this situation, Rocky knew he couldn¡¯t keep fighting. Continuing might still heavily damage City of Fury, but his own side would crumble. Therefore, he decisively chose to retreat. The fleet began to pull back first, while he led the remaining Void Magic Warriors to cover the rear.


    As he ordered the fleet to withdraw gradually, Erwin also made a decision, which was to give up the pursuit.


    Because he was scared¡­


    The various performances of Rocky and his troops in the previous battles had instilled deep fear in Erwin. This fear was not the kind that one feels facing a formidable enemy, but rather, a fear of the unknown.


    He didn¡¯t know what advanced technology Rocky had mastered, nor did he know what advanced technology Rocky had used to make his troops so formidable. This fear of the unknown made Erwin give up the chance to pursue, because he didn¡¯t know what Rocky would do if he did catch up.


    Thus, the fierce exchange of fire came to an abrupt end. Subsequently, both sides slowly pulled back, Thunderhawk City¡¯s fleet gradually flew back to Thunderhawk City, and City of Fury¡¯s troops regrouped at their original position. It felt as though Rocky might turn back and strike at any moment. In the meantime, both sides¡¯ Void Magic Corps remained on alert, ready to defend against any enemy attack at any moment.


    Time flew by quickly, and in just a matter of minutes, Thunderhawk City¡¯s fleet had left the battlefield. Once the fleet had successfully retreated from the battlefield, Rocky ordered the Void Magic Corps behind him to return as well, although he did not leave himself.


    After the fleet and Void Magic Corps had moved away from the battlefield, only one person remained opposite the City of Fury¡¯s army. Then, before Erwin and his people could react to the situation, the lone Rocky suddenly leapt up and flew into the air.


    In an instant, he soared to the sky, looked down at the fleet below, and immediately his chest armor opened up, revealing a massive cannon hidden within the breastplate.


    Demon Annihilation Cannon!


    With the Demon Annihilation Cannon revealed, the White Demon Armor immediately entered full status mode. The armor lit up from top to bottom, and then these lights rapidly converged on the cannon.


    With a boom, a vast beam of light shot out from the cannon in an instant and raced towards City of Fury¡¯s fleet with the speed of lightning, striking a warship almost immediately!


    The struck vessel was a flagship, a flagship that had once blocked Rocky, the very flagship aboard which Tawa was stationed!


    After being hit by the Demon Annihilation Cannon, the Defensive Net lit up instantly, but regrettably, the originally formidable Defensive Net shattered in less than three seconds, and the immense Magic Energy Beam then heavily landed on the deck! S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a thunderous noise, the unprotected flagship was instantly penetrated, and then it transformed into a massive fireball in the air. The explosion¡¯s shockwave even affected the two nearby warships, nearly flipping them over in mid-air¡­


    And only after this did Rocky in the sky turn and leave.

 Chapter 657 - 657 619 Shocking the World

    ?Chapter 657: Chapter 619 Shocking the World Chapter 657: Chapter 619 Shocking the World With one strike from the Demon Annihilation Cannon, Tawa¡¯s miracle was destroyed, and only then did Rocky turn and leave, his actions clearly telling everyone that the previous refrain from attacking was merely because he didn¡¯t want to waste time, that¡¯s all.


    As Rocky walked away, Erwin, who was also at the bow of the flagship, was momentarily stunned, then let out an angry roar!


    He didn¡¯t know exactly what had transpired between Rocky and Tawa, but he could clearly sense the insult in Rocky¡¯s manner, a barefaced affront! And beyond the insult, what infuriated Erwin even more was the loss of yet another commander.


    In the first conflict, the entire First Fleet had been annihilated, with the loss of more than two hundred warships and countless Void Magic Warriors¡ªall perished. Even the fleet commander, Kexif, had met his end in the skies. This was a colossal loss for Erwin.


    Warships could be bought or built, armors could be replaced, but once a man is gone, he really is gone. The death in battle of hundreds of Void Magic Warriors was already a significant blow, but Kexif¡¯s demise was almost unbearable for Erwin. After all, cultivating a competent fleet commander required more than just talent. It demanded a great deal of time and battle experience, all of which made the value of a fleet commander perhaps even greater than that of a whole fleet.


    And now, another commander had died, right before Erwin¡¯s eyes. Coupled with the prior losses of the fleet and the Void Magic Corps, this hit Erwin like a devastating blow.


    However, Erwin was the lord of a city after all, and although his rage was boundless at Rocky¡¯s final actions, he eventually calmed down and ordered his forces to return to the City of Fury. After what had happened, he needed to take the long view.


    It ought to be said that a city lord is indeed a city lord¡ªable to distinguish the urgent from the important and to make the most rational decisions in times of crisis.


    But¡­ a rational decision is not necessarily the right one.


    Why is that?


    Because after using the Demon Annihilation Cannon, especially on full-power mode, the Mana left within the White Demon was already scarce. What does that imply? It means that if the howling Erwin had truly lost his sanity and ordered all his Void Magic Warriors to swarm and pursue Rocky, it would have been his best opportunity to kill Rocky!


    Regrettably, Erwin¡¯s mindset was too much that of a city lord¡¯s. He was overly rational, to the point that he missed this perfect chance.


    With that, as Rocky also left the battlefield, this phenomenal battle finally came to an end.


    And as the battle ended, everyone was thrown into an uproar.


    Though only two parties partook in the battle, and Howling Sky was the sole onlooker, except for Rocky, both Erwin and Howling Sky had formidable forces behind them. So, as the stunning conflict drew to a close, both of them rushed to report to the powers that be.


    First was Erwin. Having led the fleet back to the City of Fury, he immediately ordered the fleet to repair and prepare for battle at any time, while also promptly contacting Rick and recounting the significant discoveries of the battle.


    In truth, there wasn¡¯t much to tell. The only thing worth mentioning about this battle was that Rocky had deployed new technology and¡­ and had successively shattered the forces from the City of Fury¡­


    Okay, it doesn¡¯t sound very glorious to say that such a large Sky City was routed by a mere troop of less than a hundred ships, losing almost five hundred warships and nearly half of its heavy forces. The outcome was indescribably bitter, but Erwin couldn¡¯t care less about that now. Having witnessed Rocky¡¯s terrifying strength and having directly experienced the power unleashed by the new technology, he had but one thing to do now¡ªurge Rick to send reinforcements immediately, or else the situation would be far worse than losing half their forces.


    However, the response Rick gave him was one of despair. Rick told him that reinforcement would take at least half a month to arrive¡­


    Meaning Erwin had to withstand Rocky¡¯s onslaught for half a month before relief troops would arrive.


    This was clearly not the outcome Erwin desired, but he had no choice but to accept, considering the location of Heavenly Ancestor City, it was indeed the limit of what Rick could manage within half a month.


    On the other side, after Howling Sky returned to his own Sky City, he also immediately contacted the Alliance and reached out directly to the Elders¡¯ Council.


    Given the current delicate relationship between the Alliance and Rocky, as well as Sirius City¡¯s strategic positioning, it was not only possible but mandatory for Howling Sky to report directly to the Elders¡¯ Council on all matters concerning Rocky.


    Ironically, the elder Howling Sky contacted this time happened to be Farey, who had once had a brief encounter with Rocky.


    ¡°You say¡­ what?¡±


    When Howling Sky told Farey what he had personally witnessed today, even as an Alliance Elder, Farey was stunned.


    ¡°Howling Sky, are you saying that Rocky engaged in battle with the forces of the City of Fury?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Elder.¡± S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°He won?¡±


    ¡°Not only did he win, but he also achieved a complete victory with almost no losses.¡±


    ¡°How many troops did the other side send out?¡±


    ¡°All their main forces.¡±


    ¡°All of them?¡±


    ¡°Yes, all.¡±


    ¡°And Rocky?¡±


    ¡°Eighty warships, ten Void Magic Squads.¡±


    ¡°And then¡­?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°He managed to win against the entire main force of the City of Fury with just that little?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and at least two fleets of the City of Fury were eliminated, along with dozens of Void Magic Squads.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Farey, who was in Nut God City, was truly taken aback when he heard these words, then he painstakingly, as if suffering from senile dementia, asked all the questions he had earlier once again, only to receive the exact same answers.


    In that moment, Farey felt as if he really were suffering from dementia because he very, very much wanted to ask the same questions once more, and at the same time, he wanted to question Howling Sky if he was deceiving him!


    Because everything Howling Sky had just said seemed too unrealistic to him! How could Rocky possibly defeat the City of Fury? That was a large Sky City with thousands of warships and hundreds of Void Magic Warriors, how could Rocky have possibly defeated such an opponent with his power.


    Unless¡­


    At this thought, Farey inhaled sharply because he understood why Rocky could do all this¡ªhe had utilized his technology!


    ¡°This guy¡­ to what extent has he researched runes¡­¡±


    Since he was already aware of the existence of Mana Runes, when Farey realized that Rocky must have utilized his new technology, he muttered helplessly. They had actually guessed that Rocky had gained a further grasp of runes, but they had not expected him to have reached this level.


    ¡°Elder Zhang, what should I do?¡±


    While Farey was expressing his astonishment, the Magic Energy Image of Howling Sky asked this question. Howling Sky had to get this clear because with Rocky having demonstrated the power he possessed, he had to know how the Alliance intended to treat Rocky; otherwise, the next one to suffer could well be him!

 Chapter 658 - 658 620 Full Pressure

    ?Chapter 658: Chapter 620: Full Pressure! Chapter 658: Chapter 620: Full Pressure! ¡°`


    When everyone involved with the matter learned of the outcome of the battle between the two cities, two urgent meetings commenced.


    Having heard news of Rocky¡¯s victory, the Elders¡¯ Council of the Sky Alliance had no choice but to convene again, clearly exceeding the normal frequency of meetings; ordinarily, the Council would meet once every three months, or at most once a month, but the affair concerning Rocky had already prompted them to hold two meetings within a single month.


    However, due to the rapid development of events, despite it being irregular, the Elders¡¯ Council had to gather once again upon receiving Howling Sky¡¯s report to discuss how to deal with Rocky.


    ¡°The technology he has mastered has already matured so much¡­¡±


    As Farey recited all he knew, the faces of many Elders changed to varying degrees, and then they began to speak one after another:


    ¡°According to Howling Sky, Rocky has not only mastered the application of runes but has also extended this application to both Armor and warships, meaning he has attained an absolute lead in the field of runes.¡±


    ¡°The key point isn¡¯t that.¡±


    After one Elder finished speaking, another Elder interjected, ¡°The key point is the power that runes have displayed in combat. Clearly, the technology of Mana Runes is far more powerful than we had imagined and is evidently capable of changing the world.¡±


    ¡°So we must get our hands on it.¡±


    ¡°We can no longer neglect Rocky, nor can we allow others to intervene anymore; this matter cannot be tainted by outsiders, Rune Technology must be in the hands of the Alliance!¡±


    ¡°Hmph, as if it¡¯s that easy.¡±


    When one Elder expressed that they could not let the situation continue to unfold, someone among the other Elders snorted coldly, ¡°Have you all forgotten who stands behind Rick?¡±


    ¡°Magic Energy Research Institute.¡±


    ¡°Kafka Empire.¡±


    ¡°Sigma Corporation.¡±


    ¡°Uranus Corporation.¡±


    ¡°Shadow Alliance.¡±


    ¡°Plus, Heavenly Ancestor City and Heavenly Ancestor Church.¡±


    ¡°If we want to monopolize Rune Technology, do you think the Magic Energy Research Institute and Kafka Empire would agree? Do you believe that Sigma and Uranus, these two corporations, would just watch as Rune Armor emerges and kicks them off the throne in the Armor Domain?¡±


    ¡°This matter must be considered for the long term¡­¡±


    As the Elder¡¯s voice died down, the entire conference hall fell silent, with all Elders plunged into silence.


    This time, those targeting Rocky were simply too numerous and too powerful to the extent that even the Sky Alliance was overwhelmed!


    Unlike Rocky, although he was aware that those targeting him included not only Rick and the Magic Energy Research Institute but definitely others as well, he did not know who these others were, for he lacked the power to investigate. Meanwhile, the Sky Alliance had already identified all the forces lurking behind the scenes and were taken aback by what they found!


    ¡°`


    The other two giants among the Three Giants were present, as were the two leading figures in the Armor Domain, and even the Heavenly Ancestor Church was involved. To be honest, such a combination even made the Sky Alliance wary of making any rash moves!


    It was precisely because of this, the Alliance itself remained indecisive, even harboring the idea of whether or not to join them as well. After all, standing against these forces, Rocky stood no chance at all; thus, the Alliance had indeed considered simply siding with these people and taking everything from Rocky, which would save them a lot of trouble.


    However, the Elders¡¯ Council¡¯s dilemma lay in the fact that the Rune Technology originally controlled by Rocky was supposed to fall exclusively into their hands. After all, Rocky was an Alliance member, and even if it eventually came to a falling out, the Alliance should be the first to reap the benefits due to its proximity. Still, if the Alliance joined forces with Rick and the others, they would have to share the spoils, which was very frustrating and where their dilemma lay.


    But, with Rocky¡¯s recent major victory, things seemed to have changed again.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­ S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the news of the City of Fury¡¯s consecutive defeats reached Heavenly Ancestor City, like the Alliance Elder Council, Rick immediately went to the secret chamber of the Holy Temple and contacted his allies.


    In the secret chamber, Rick still had five Magic Energy Images before him. Although their faces were as blurry as last time, their identities were no longer a secret. Two of the elders represented the Magic Energy Research Institute and the Kafka Empire, and a young man and woman represented the two giants of the Armor Domain¡ªKashu, the fourth-generation Sect Leader of Uranus Corporation, and Denise from Sigma Corporation!


    As for the last person, he was a representative of the Shadow Alliance, and no one knew his name.


    These five people, along with Rick, were the ones who wanted to put Rocky to death.


    ¡°Rick, no matter what, you must seal Rocky within Backhill Village,¡± one said.


    ¡°Exactly. The power he holds is too terrifying. Once he makes contact with the outside world, things will get out of control,¡± another added.


    Clearly, the power that Rocky had unleashed had completely disrupted the plans of the Six Giants. They had initially planned to trap him alive in Backhill Village, forcing him to voluntarily hand over all his Rune Technology, but they had not anticipated that Rocky had developed his Runes to such an extent, bursting forth with such terrifying power. Should this power spread, the consequences would be unimaginable.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to remind me, I will do everything in my power to keep him under control. The question is, how are you doing?¡± Rick replied.


    Upon hearing about the consecutive defeats of the City of Fury, Rick didn¡¯t dare to be complacent any longer. After all, it was he who was responsible for frontally opposing Rocky, and given the current situation, it was becoming less likely that they could solve Rocky with sheer force, as they had missed the best opportunity.


    Now that Rocky had employed his technological power and had shocked everyone with his debut, even if Rick wanted to mobilize a large army to suppress him, it would take time. During this time, who could guarantee what high-tech Rocky would come up with? Keep in mind that it was he who, with only about eighty warships and a little over a hundred Void Magic Warriors, had sent the City of Fury¡¯s army into disarray. If given more time to continue expanding his power, Rick wouldn¡¯t even dare to assure that he could suppress him.


    So, the best way to truly keep Rocky in check now was to cooperate and exert pressure from all sides.


    In fact, this was not just his thought alone. The others shared the same idea, so as soon as he finished speaking, the representatives of the Magic Energy Research Institute and the Kafka Empire immediately said, ¡°Leave the Sky Alliance to us. From now on, Rocky will receive no form of support from the Alliance.¡±


    ¡°Leave the Armor to us. The replica of the Tank-type Armor has been developed. Rocky¡¯s Armor will no longer have any market, and he will lose all his economic sources,¡± the young man and woman, Kashu and Denise, then added.


    ¡°Rocky won¡¯t get any outside intelligence either; you can rest assured of that,¡± the last person, the mysterious representative from the Shadow Alliance, finally spoke, his voice low yet resolute, declaring that the Shadow Alliance would sever all of Rocky¡¯s intelligence sources.


    With this, from all aspects, Rocky was about to face a complete siege!

 Chapter 659 - 659 621 A Cornered Dog Jumps Over the Wall

    ?Chapter 659: Chapter 621: A Cornered Dog Jumps Over the Wall Chapter 659: Chapter 621: A Cornered Dog Jumps Over the Wall Rick and others¡¯ plans against Rocky had been very thoroughly prepared. It could almost be said there were no loopholes targeted at him. Rick¡¯s deployment was merely the tip of the iceberg; what was more terrifying was yet to come.


    However, according to Rick¡¯s original plan, the action was going to be much slower than now because they wanted to gradually drive Rocky to despair, gradually make him feel powerless to resist. Only through this could they force him, whether he willing or not, to hand over the Rune Technology he controlled.


    But now, this plan had been disrupted because Rocky had made the first move!


    He had used the Rune Technology he mastered to secure two stunning victories so swiftly that everyone realized one thing¡ªthey needed to act fast. Otherwise, leaving any chance for Rocky¡¯s further development would be like digging their own graves!


    Thus, when Rick left the chamber, everyone immediately sprung into action. Magic Energy Research Institute and Kafka Empire started contacting the Alliance and no longer made empty gestures. They directly confronted the Alliance. Meanwhile, Sigma and Uranus corporations swiftly held a press conference to announce their own production of Tank-type Armor, aiming to hit Rocky¡¯s only source of income.


    More importantly, the Shadow Alliance also took action. They blocked the news of Rocky¡¯s victory over City of Fury and began spreading rumors that Rocky was completely besieged, attempting to cut off all his opportunities for external contact, especially trade.


    In this multi-front coordinated action, Rocky¡¯s situation became increasingly difficult because the outside world was completely unaware that he had won against City of Fury. Under the manipulation of the Shadow Alliance, everyone thought Rocky was out of resources, which itself did not impact Rocky much. However, the chain reaction this idea triggered was significant, such as Armor sales.


    When Apple Tree Corporation had finally managed to ship and deliver all the Tank-type Armor produced from the first batch of orders, they quickly received a second batch. Although there were various issues during the first batch¡¯s process, it had not impacted the bigger picture. Perhaps the Co-Governing Alliance might not reorder, but there were other new clients. After all, as long as Rocky could deliver on time, no one cared about his circumstances.


    But as the Shadow Alliance began spreading false news and Sigma and Uranus corporations successively announced their Tank-type Armor, what was a fairly good situation quickly turned bad.


    First, influenced by the fake news, clients began to worry whether Rocky could deliver on time because, from the false news spread by the Shadow Alliance, it seemed that Rocky¡¯s days were numbered.


    Second, as Sigma and Uranus had revealed their Tank-type Armor, there was no longer any need to order from Rocky exclusively. Both offered the same type of Armor; the brand reputation of Sigma and Uranus was clearly more convincing. Most importantly, these two companies offered lower prices¡ªRocky and Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce sold their Tank-type 2 Armor at forty thousand gold coins each, while the other two companies charged only thirty thousand, making the choice quite clear for customers.


    All these factors struck a harsh blow to Rocky and Apple Tree Corporation, and since everything happened so quickly¡ªalmost instantaneously¡ªApple Tree Corporation was caught off guard and found themselves without any way to respond, leaving them with no choice but to promptly inform Rocky of the situation.


    ¡°So to say¡­ even the Shadow Alliance has gotten involved? And Sigma and Uranus as well?¡±


    When Rocky learned of these external developments and after analyzing them with Athena and others, he immediately understood the situation.


    Then, Rocky just helplessly chuckled, ¡°These people really think highly of me¡ªHeavenly Ancestor City, Magic Energy Research Institute, Sigma, Uranus, and even the Shadow Alliance. Should I feel flattered?¡±


    While speaking, Rocky looked towards Liliya, then at Athena.


    ¡°Sir, this is a good thing.¡± sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Rocky¡¯s gaze fell on Athena, Athena smiled, ¡°They obviously can¡¯t wait any longer, and their impatience implies they¡¯re afraid to act rashly against us.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re afraid you might act in desperation.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Hearing Athena¡¯s words, Rocky¡¯s forehead creased, and his expression became somewhat awkward, although he understood what Athena meant.


    The stronger the technological power he demonstrated, the greater the pressure he would face. Not just from the people mentioned above, but from others as well, including the Sky Alliance, who did not want him to become too powerful to control.


    However, similarly, showing this kind of power also made those targeting him more cautious about acting against him. Due to their greed, they wanted everything Rocky had to offer about Runes. The greater the power Rocky displayed, the more they wanted it, but they dared not push too hard for fear that Rocky might take desperate actions and destroy everything.


    So for Rocky, the current situation was both good and bad. The good was that he was temporarily safe from life-threatening danger; those targeting him wouldn¡¯t easily eliminate him, even though they had the capability. Although he might not die, he certainly wouldn¡¯t live comfortably because those people would not make it easy for him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait and talk about these issues later¡­.¡±


    Sighing, Rocky decided not to dwell on this matter further as he had even more urgent matters to deal with. He then looked at Liliya, ¡°How long until Howling Sky arrives?¡±


    ¡°Soon, he had already boarded the ship when I last contacted him.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    As Rocky said, his situation was indeed bad, but these matters had to be set aside for later. He still had unfinished business, namely with City of Fury!


    The battle with City of Fury was just a phase; it was far from over!


    Therefore, after the previous battle ended, Rocky, who returned to Thunderhawk City, immediately contacted Howling Sky. He was currently awaiting Howling Sky¡¯s arrival.


    This wait did not last long; after about half an hour, Howling Sky arrived in Thunderhawk City and met with Rocky.


    ¡°Rocky, you really opened our eyes¡­.¡±


    Upon seeing Rocky, Howling Sky looked at him for a good while before he spoke the truth. Indeed, the last two battles had truly opened his eyes.


    ¡°Big brother Howling Sky, I hope you can sell me a hundred warships.¡±


    However, facing Howling Sky, Rocky was straight to the point, revealing the purpose of their meeting!

 Chapter 660 - 660 622 Its Not Over Yet

    ?Chapter 660: Chapter 622: It¡¯s Not Over Yet Chapter 660: Chapter 622: It¡¯s Not Over Yet Rocky and the battle with Fury City had merely come to a pause, far from over, at least in Rocky¡¯s view.


    That¡¯s why, after the initial victory, he not only continued to push Thunderhawk City closer to Fury City but also invited Howling Sky, hoping to purchase warships from him!


    Even though he won the first battle, Rocky was not arrogant, nor did he believe himself to be invincible. On the contrary, he was fully aware of why he had won¡ªthe advantage of Rune Technology on one hand, and the opponent¡¯s underestimation on the other.


    Since Rocky kept his Rune Technology heavily guarded, the outside world, even if aware of his possession of top-tier technology like Mana Runes, was still unclear to what extent he had developed this technology. It was for this reason that he was able to severely defeat Fury City in the previous fights. However, now that the battle had been won, the strength he possessed was also exposed. Continuing to win would not be as easy.


    Imagine if, in the previous battle, Erwin had not just sent one fleet to confront Rocky but had launched an all-out attack from the start, what would have been the outcome? If Erwin had actually done so, Rocky, despite having a technological advantage, definitely wouldn¡¯t have won any battle, simply because the disparity in troop strength between the two was too great. After all, Fury City is a large Sky City, a fact that Rocky cannot compete with.


    It¡¯s conceivable that after losing at least two fleets and hundreds of Void Magic Warriors, Erwin could eventually catch on. By the next time they met, he surely wouldn¡¯t just send one fleet to confront Rocky; he would launch an all-out attack.


    Moreover, even though Erwin had suffered defeat repeatedly, hence losing at least two fleets and over a hundred Void Magic Warriors, a loss of forces that could be said to include four to five hundred warships and several Void Magic Squads, he still had five to six hundred warships and hundreds of Void Magic Warriors at his disposal. Once he deployed all these troops into battle, Rocky stood no chance of winning, even with his technological edge.


    In such a situation, Rocky needed to expand his army, otherwise he definitely couldn¡¯t win this war.


    Currently, Fury City was still blockading Backhill Village, making it impossible for Rocky to contact the outside world. The only hope he had was Sirius City and Howling Sky, which is why he invited him over. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Faced with Rocky¡¯s straightforward request, Howling Sky was initially stunned, followed by a troubled expression.


    At that moment, he had cursed the Elders¡¯ Council countless times in his mind, blaming these old immortals for why he had to stay in Backhill Village, why he had to wade into this messy situation? As a representative of the Alliance, he was in a position where he couldn¡¯t fight or flee and had to deal with both ends, placing Howling Sky in a tough spot.


    Now that Rocky had made such a request, it became even harder for Howling Sky.


    After all, the Alliance had already ordered him not to participate in the battle between the two sides, and even though Howling Sky had already reported Rocky¡¯s resounding victory to the Elders¡¯ Council, the order had not changed.


    Similarly, being a City Lord himself, Howling Sky knew that this was the time when Rocky was in the most difficulty. If he helped him now, it would indeed be like timely help through a harsh winter. In the future, no matter what conflicts Rocky had with the Sky Alliance, they would always owe him a huge favor. Seeing how Rocky was performing now, once he could get past this hard time, he would undoubtedly rise high. Howling Sky was of course one hundred percent willing to have such a person owe him a favor.


    This was the dilemma for Howling Sky. As a core member of the Alliance, he could neither disobey the orders of the Alliance nor let go of this opportunity; he truly didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°Rocky, let me think about it.¡±


    After a brief frown, Howling Sky simply looked at Rocky once more; he really needed time to carefully weigh the pros and cons.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Rocky simply nodded in response, aware that his request wasn¡¯t something Howling Sky could easily decide on and was indeed putting him in a difficult position. Therefore, he did not press further and soon sent Howling Sky back.


    Once he left the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Howling Sky went straight back to his warship but did not fly back to Sirius City. Instead, he spent the whole afternoon lost in thought in his cabin.


    During this period of consideration, Thunderhawk City had already drawn close to Fury City and had stopped upon its approach.


    Prior to this, fearing that Fury City would attack, Rocky had always hidden his two Sky Cities behind Sirius City, using it as a shield. He had even feigned poverty to Howling Sky a few times, but now, Thunderhawk City had completely emerged from behind Sirius City, ready to face the enemy head-on.


    Not only that, but once Thunderhawk City had stopped, Rocky once again led the fleet and headed straight for Fury City!


    Upon learning this while still in his cabin, Howling Sky involuntarily gasped, silently giving Rocky a thumbs up!


    Being a seasoned veteran and fellow City Lord, he understood precisely why Rocky was doing this. Rocky was clearly striking while the iron was hot, planning to hit Fury City once more while they were still dazed from the previous defeats, giving them no chance to react!


    Howling Sky, after all, was Howling Sky, and his guess was spot on. Rocky indeed planned to pursue the victory while the opponent was still reeling, delivering a fierce blow to Fury City.


    In fact, Erwin and the rest of Fury City were still in a baffled state, having been confused after two consecutive defeats. Therefore, when Rocky led his ¡®Remnant Soldiers¡¯ just outside Fury City¡¯s Defensive Net, Erwin did not dare to dispatch troops to meet them. He was truly afraid that once he attacked, if hundreds more warships flew out from Thunderhawk City, then his Fury City would not just be blocking Backhill Village¡ªit would be completely finished.


    Rocky had precisely captured this point, arranging his remaining seventy-plus warships in front of Fury City and immediately launching the most fierce bombing on Fury City¡¯s Defensive Net!


    With this, a scene never seen before in the history of aerial warfare in this world appeared: A City Lord of a small Sky City, leading a fleet of fewer than a hundred warships, initiated a siege on a large Sky City. Facing such an attack, the troops of the large Sky City dared not come out to meet them but hid behind the Defensive Net to counterattack. This scene could no longer be described as astonishing; it was utterly ludicrous!

 Chapter 661 - 661 623 Winning Back a Round

    ?Chapter 661: Chapter 623: Winning Back a Round Chapter 661: Chapter 623: Winning Back a Round Over seventy warships lined up in front of City of Fury, a formation small enough to be deemed futile against a large Sky City capable of housing a hundred thousand people. To the immense Sky City, the array of over seventy warships appeared pitifully small.


    However, precisely because of the immense disparity between the two, Rocky¡¯s fleet looked all the more formidable. Especially since the troops of City of Fury dared not confront them face to face, it further highlighted the imposing presence of Rocky¡¯s side.


    The seventy-plus warships fired simultaneously, aiming all their main guns at City of Fury. Beam after beam slammed into the Defensive Net, and as expected, they were all blocked by the net. But when the Defensive Net intercepted all the attacks, the light it emitted became much brighter than before, causing a stir of fear among the people behind it.


    The brightness of the Defensive Net typically corresponded directly to the strength of the attack: the stronger the attack, the brighter the light. Conversely, very weak attacks on the Defensive Net might not even provoke a response. In theory, an attack launched by over seventy warships¡ªeven if all the attacks came from the main guns, even if all the main guns fired simultaneously, and even if all the shells hit the same point¡ªshould not cause such a reaction from the Defensive Net of a large Sky City.


    But now, the brightness of the Defensive Net after the attack clearly exceeded the normal standards, especially when the main gun from Rocky¡¯s War Steed hit the net, the impact point not only shone more brightly but even produced a visible ripple!


    What did this mean?


    It meant the main gun of the War Steed had the power to shake the Defensive Net of City of Fury!


    ¡°How is this possible¡­¡±


    ¡°How powerful is this main gun¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s terrifying¡­¡±


    This scene had Erwin and others extremely anxious. Although they were quite certain that City of Fury¡¯s Defensive Net could not possibly be pierced by the War Steed¡¯s main gun¡ªin this world, no weapon other than the City-Destroyer Cannon could break through the Defensive Net of a Sky City¡ªstill, watching the War Steed fire shot after shot, Erwin and the others were nonetheless deeply alarmed. Just how formidable was Rocky¡¯s fleet?


    How advanced was the technological power he wielded?


    ¡°My Lord, what¡­ what should we do?¡±


    While Erwin was silently terror-stricken, someone suddenly spoke up beside him. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Turning toward the voice, Erwin saw it was the Commander of their fleet.


    Su De, the Commander of City of Fury¡¯s Third Fleet. He was now the highest-ranking Commander, as both Kexif, the Commander of the First Fleet, and Tawa, the Commander of the Second Fleet, had fallen in battle. Their fleets had been wiped out successively, making Su De, the man standing beside Erwin and the Commander of the Third Fleet, the most senior Commander in City of Fury at that moment.


    Hearing Su De¡¯s reminder, Erwin turned his head to look outside, at the enemy bombarding City of Fury.


    Rocky had been bombarding them for half an hour by then, and he seemed to have no intention of leaving; Erwin guessed that if he did not send out his troops, Rocky might bombard them all night. Therefore, after sighing, Erwin finally issued the order, ¡°Lead the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Fleets to strike¡­ Just drive the enemy away, and do not pursue too deepy.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Upon hearing Erwin¡¯s command, Su De secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Erwin had given him three fleets and only asked him to drive away the enemy. Otherwise, he really wouldn¡¯t know what to do.


    With this command, Su De departed, and anyone paying close attention would notice that this time, unlike before, he didn¡¯t charge ahead in his flagship. After two Fleet Commanders had already died in succession, Su De, even if he were a fool, wouldn¡¯t charge out ahead anymore. He had no doubt that Rocky¡¯s fleet, or even Rocky himself, might personally see to his demise.


    When he led the three fleets, with over six hundred warships, out of the Defensive Net of City of Fury, Rocky ceased his bombardment and began to slowly retreat from the battlefield, clearly not wanting to engage directly with so many fleets.


    This outcome was naturally to Su De¡¯s liking. Although his fleet kept firing under his command, appearing mighty in force, in reality, the more than six hundred warships had no intention of pursuit. They were basically firing from their original positions, almost as though they were seeing Rocky off. And even then, five or six warships were sunk, because as Rocky¡¯s forces retreated, they fired while withdrawing. With over seventy warships shooting, even blind firing could hit a few enemy vessels.


    Thus, City of Fury finally managed to gain some ground in their protracted battle with Rocky, and they won! With no less than three fully organized fleets, over six hundred warships, they had repelled Rocky¡¯s fleet of over seventy vessels, achieving a resounding victory!


    The victorious Rocky, leading his troops back to Thunderhawk City, ordered all fleets to immediately repair and replenish Mana immediately after. The battle was not over; the real fight would commence from tomorrow.


    Based on Rocky¡¯s judgment, after today¡¯s direct and shocking confrontations, Erwin must have been stunned. Rocky anticipated no significant moves from him tonight. However, being the City Lord of a large Sky City, Erwin couldn¡¯t be underestimated. He might well recover by tomorrow and realize that he should use his numerical advantage against Rocky. That¡¯s when the real battle would begin.


    In light of this, Rocky made all the necessary arrangements and then went directly to Howling Sky. He couldn¡¯t wait any longer; he had to get Howling Sky¡¯s support immediately!


    ¡°Brother Howling Sky, you must agree to my request, no matter what. Name your price for the warships; I won¡¯t bargain¡­¡±


    Upon meeting him on Howling Sky¡¯s warship, Rocky got straight to the point as he truly needed Howling Sky¡¯s support.


    But before he could finish his sentence, Howling Sky laughingly waved a hand and said, ¡°Brother Rocky, what are you talking about? If you¡¯re in trouble, would your elder brother abandon you?¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ve already given the order. One hundred warships are ready and will be arriving tonight. Moreover, don¡¯t mention any price now; we can talk about that later. I believe you won¡¯t forget.¡±


    As he spoke, Howling Sky patted Rocky on the shoulder, his face no longer showing the usual difficulties but instead exuded enormous enthusiasm, clearly having made up his mind.

 Chapter 662 - 662 624 Resolve

    ?Chapter 662: Chapter 624: Resolve Chapter 662: Chapter 624: Resolve Rocky rode the wave of victory and gave City of Fury a show of force, and Howling Sky also had an epiphany.


    He had grown tired of the difficult situation he was caught in and knew all too well that he couldn¡¯t continue like this. He had to make a decision. He either had to firmly stand by the Alliance and become a mere onlooker, or he had to offer a helping hand to Rocky¡ªwhichever he chose, he had to make a choice. Otherwise, he would end up as an outcast, disliked by all. And his final decision was to help Rocky!


    Therefore, he decisively agreed to Rocky¡¯s request, ordering one hundred warships from Sirius City.


    Moreover, he went all in on being a good Samaritan by not even mentioning money while sending the hundred warships, which precisely showcased Howling Sky¡¯s wisdom. He was acutely aware of Rocky¡¯s current difficulties. Rocky might have a few million Gold Coins, but expecting him to pay for a hundred warships all at once was simply unreasonable. And since Howling Sky¡¯s real purpose in offering his aid was to have Rocky owe him a favor, why bother making things difficult for him over this matter?


    So Howling Sky resolutely chose to go all the way with his kindness. If he was to help Rocky, he would do so completely, ensuring that Rocky smoothly overcame this ordeal with his assistance so that he would forever owe him a huge favor.


    It must be said that not a single City Lord of the large Sky Cities was a mediocre individual, and Howling Sky was no exception. Once he had set his goal, he executed it firmly, refraining from dawdling over the minor details or letting insignificant benefits ruin his original intention.


    At the same time, Howling Sky smartly chose to send the warships to Thunderhawk City at night, and not with much fanfare but instead, discreetly and in several small batches. This tactic ensured the utmost secrecy, making it difficult for City of Fury to notice their movements.


    Howling Sky was really doing everything he could; his actions were almost no different than going into battle himself. Naturally, Rocky appreciated his gesture. However, Rocky was too overwhelmed with issues to exchange pleasantries with Howling Sky, so after meeting once, he left in a hurry. Of course, Howling Sky also knew how busy Rocky was, so he didn¡¯t linger in Thunderhawk City and immediately returned to his own Sirius City.


    Once he had left Thunderhawk City, Rocky immediately summoned the research team, clearly having another task for them. They needed to work through the night to convert the newly acquired hundred warships into Rune Battleships. And as long as these ships were transformed, with his existing forces, City of Fury would no longer pose a threat to him!


    Therefore, everyone in Thunderhawk City was busy that night. Orton and his team rushed to retrofit the new warships, while those previously involved in the battle were swiftly repaired. Everyone was bustling with activity.


    That same night, Erwin and others in City of Fury were also occupied, pondering over how to confront Rocky.


    After three major battles during the day, Erwin and his comrades were keenly aware that their situation and momentum with Rocky had now clearly reversed, from previously blockading Backhill Village and Rocky. If there hadn¡¯t been an order from above, they would have eliminated Rocky by now. But the current situation had turned completely on its head. From the power that Rocky had unleashed during the day, they couldn¡¯t think of continuing the blockade against Rocky. They, themselves, already felt threatened.


    Especially concerning Rocky¡¯s last assault on City of Fury. Although that attack didn¡¯t truly affect City of Fury, and Rocky even retreated when their entire army was mobilized, that last action revealed his ultimate goal¡ªFury¡¯s heavenly rebuke!


    This made Erwin extremely worried and anxious.


    ¡°`


    If it were just an ordinary enemy, forget a small player like Rocky, who has only one small and one medium-sized Sky City, even if the opponent were Sirius City, Erwin wouldn¡¯t be as afraid as he is now. However, faced with Rocky, it¡¯s different because the Rune Technology that Rocky possesses seems like a black hole to Erwin. The consecutive defeats during daylight battles and the loss of two fleets and over a hundred Void Magic Warriors prevented him from gauging Rocky¡¯s true strength.


    Not being able to determine the enemy¡¯s strength meant Erwin genuinely didn¡¯t know if he could defeat Rocky.


    That¡¯s why he even doubted whether he would be defeated by Rocky. Although the thought sounded ridiculous¡ªa grand Sky City being defeated by a minor City Lord like Rocky, it was almost a complete farce¡ªyet it was a reality, that was exactly what Erwin thought.


    ¡°My lord, we can¡¯t give Rocky any more time,¡± Su De said as Erwin was brooding.


    When Erwin heard this, he turned to give Su De a glance, signaling him to continue.


    Encouraged by Erwin¡¯s gesture, Su De went on:


    ¡°My lord, Rocky¡¯s forces are indeed strong. He might really have used the new technology he developed as you speculated, but his strength might not be as terrifying as imagined.¡± S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°If you think about it carefully, if Rocky had possessed such powerful capabilities, why would he have waited till now to take action? He should have acted when we were blockading Backhill Village, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he declared war on us after the Apple Tree Corporation delivered a batch of supplies to him. This suggests that he has only just gotten ready, and even his preparations are not sufficient. Therefore, we must act immediately and not give him any more time to prepare, or it will be too late.¡±


    Erwin had capable people under him, and although the continuous losses during the day had baffled everyone, once they had all calmed down, Commander Su De accurately assessed the situation and made the most precise suggestion: to take immediate action, to not give Rocky any more time to enhance his strength. Only in this way would they stand a chance. Otherwise, once Rocky further strengthened his power, they would truly be unable to control the situation.


    After Su De finished speaking, the others around them were nodding continuously, clearly sharing similar thoughts; they all believed that Rocky was not yet fully prepared to battle them, presenting them with the best opportunity.


    But even though others were nodding in agreement, Erwin was frowning. He understood that Su De made sense, but in reality, they had a second choice, which was to wait.


    Erwin had already made contact with Rick earlier and had just made contact again; he was well aware that Rick had sent reinforcements that would arrive within a fortnight. In other words, if he could just hold out for another half a month and wait for the reinforcements, everything would be resolved with ease.


    In such a scenario, what to choose became the decision Erwin had to make: whether to act immediately and nip Rocky in the bud, or to quietly wait for reinforcements and then take control of Rocky with absolute military superiority.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 663 - 663 625 Coming Out in Full Force

    ?Chapter 663: Chapter 625: Coming Out in Full Force Chapter 663: Chapter 625: Coming Out in Full Force To fight or to wait, that was the critical choice laid before Erwin, but it was a dilemma that didn¡¯t confound him for long. After a brief hesitation, he made his decision immediately.


    Fight!


    He absolutely couldn¡¯t give Rocky any chances!


    Although Rick had clearly informed Erwin that reinforcements would certainly arrive in half a month, theoretically, all Erwin had to do was to hold out for that half-month until the good times rolled in. It sounded fine in theory, and the time wasn¡¯t perceived to be very long, but only Erwin, who stood on the front line, knew that it was practically impossible.


    In half a month¡¯s time, who knew what new form of advanced technology Rocky could come up with? If Rocky introduced some new technology during this period or even if he merely expanded his current forces, Erwin wouldn¡¯t be able to wait for the reinforcements¡ªhe would be wiped out by Rocky directly. Hence, Erwin was resolute in not giving Rocky any opportunity whatsoever.


    Therefore, Erwin made the most correct and wisest decision, which was to reorganize his troops as quickly as possible and launch a proactive attack on Thunderhawk City the very next day, allowing no chances for Rocky to adjust or expand his forces.


    As a result, the City of Fury did not rest that night; the entire army began to regroup. The units that had been dispersed in the previous clashes were immediately reorganized, then everyone prepared to go into battle.


    Just like that, the night quickly passed, and in the blink of an eye, it was the next day.


    At dawn, with the first rays of sunlight spreading across the sky, the grand army of the City of Fury set out. Hundreds of warships formed a massive fleet that majestically soared out of the Defensive Net, fully equipped and heading towards Thunderhawk City.


    At this time, Thunderhawk City was very, very close to the City of Fury; the two Sky Cities could see each other with the naked eye. So when the forces of the City of Fury departed, Rocky¡¯s side was immediately alerted.


    Upon receiving Felly¡¯s urgent briefing, Rocky naturally rushed to the Skyport right away. On one hand, he ordered the Fleet to prepare for launch; on the other hand, he flew into mid-air himself to look in the direction of the City of Fury.


    Within his sight, he could see an incredibly vast Fleet gathering outside the City of Fury. Although it was too far to see clearly, he could at least make out the rough number. And on this occasion, it seemed like the City of Fury had come out in full force! S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As mentioned before, the City of Fury had a total of seven Fleets under its command. The First through Fifth Fleets were the main forces, each consisting of two hundred warships and ten Void Magic Squads. The Sixth and Seventh Fleets were reserves, mostly made up of older warships in disuse, generally not deployed to battle.


    That is to say, the main force of the City of Fury was composed of roughly one thousand warships, supplemented by about four hundred reserve vessels, along with fifty Void Magic Squads. However, because of a previous battle with the Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s Escort Fleet, the City of Fury had lost over a hundred warships. The Fifth Fleet, which was in charge of the battle, had suffered more than half its strength in casualties and was practically crippled; moreover, after yesterday¡¯s two battles, the First and Second Fleets were annihilated by Rocky, so now the primary fighting forces of the City of Fury were limited to the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Fleets. With the Fifth Fleet being decimated, they had to call up over a hundred old-fashioned warships from the reserve to replenish their ranks.


    Now, these three main Fleets had all assembled. Over six hundred warships plus thirty Void Magic Squads were stirringly flying towards Thunderhawk City after completing their assembly.


    Witnessing this scene, Rocky knew Erwin was going all in. He wasn¡¯t just going all in; he also had already assessed his own weaknesses. Clearly, Erwin intended to use his absolute advantage in military strength to crush him before he was at full strength.


    Indeed, not one of the big Sky City Lords was incompetent¡ªthey were all formidable opponents.


    But fortunately, he had prepared for this moment; at this time, Rocky¡¯s warships had also flown out of the Defensive Net, emerging behind him.


    The number of warships that appeared behind him was still around seventy, the same Rune Battleships that participated in the battle yesterday. When his own troops arrived, Rocky flew back to the deck of War Steed and immediately issued the command, ¡°Pass the order, once the enemy enters range, begin the attack immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With his acknowledgment, Uncle Wil immediately ran to the bridge to convey Rocky¡¯s order to the entire fleet. Upon receiving his order, the fleet¡¯s main cannons began to charge and aimed.


    In this way, time ticked away second by second, and the vast fleet of the City of Fury continued to approach Thunderhawk City, bringing them ever closer to each other.


    Five thousand meters.


    Four thousand meters.


    Three thousand meters.


    Two thousand meters.


    One thousand five hundred meters.


    When the troops of the City of Fury were about one thousand five hundred meters away from Rocky¡¯s troops, the main cannon of the War Steed where Rocky was suddenly fired, emitting an immensely thick beam of light!


    As the main cannon of the War Steed fired first, the main cannons of the seventy-odd warships behind it also unfolded their designs, and one thick beam after another streaked across the sky at this moment, heading straight for the troops of the City of Fury.


    ¡°Evade, evade immediately!¡±


    Seeing the enemy open fire from such a distance, Su De, who was in charge of commanding the entire army, was initially stunned. For main cannons, one thousand five hundred meters was simply too far. Normally, the firing range of main cannons was around one thousand meters. Beyond that distance, Mana Cannonballs would disintegrate on their own and couldn¡¯t hit the target at all.


    So when Su De realized that the enemy had begun to fire from such a far distance, he was completely taken aback. However, Su De¡¯s reaction was quite fast, and he immediately understood what was going on. Rocky must have used new technology to extend the range of the main cannons, which is why he instantly ordered all troops to perform evasive maneuvers.


    Regrettably, no matter how fast Su De¡¯s reaction was, it was of no use, because he was now leading a huge army formed of three entire fleets. Where was there any space for such a colossal force to evade?


    In fact, if this were a regular battle, the troops of the City of Fury wouldn¡¯t even need to evade the artillery fire; they would just need to deploy the Defensive Net. The main cannons¡¯ firepower was indeed formidable, but considering hit rate issues and other problems, only a few cannonballs would actually hit the targets, and the warships¡¯ Defensive Net could withstand such sporadic main cannon attacks.


    But this time, the City of Fury¡¯s troops faced an attack from Rune Battleships, whose power far exceeded their imagination. Therefore, with no space to evade, the warships could only deploy their Defensive Net, but to no avail. The Defensive Net of any warship was incapable of blocking the attack of the Rune Main Cannons, and this was true for both regular warships and flagships alike.


    What¡¯s more, the accuracy of the artillery fire coming from Rocky¡¯s side was unexpectedly high. Despite a distance of over one thousand five hundred meters between the two, the main cannons¡¯ hit rate was close to fifty percent, meaning that at least half of the main cannons struck their targets accurately!

 Chapter 664 - 664 626 In Warfare Deception is the Norm

    ?Chapter 664: Chapter 626: In Warfare, Deception is the Norm Chapter 664: Chapter 626: In Warfare, Deception is the Norm With the advantage of range, Rocky¡¯s fleet was the first to open fire. Thanks to the new targeting system designed by Pelaya, the accuracy of the main guns was incredibly high, achieving nearly 50% hit rate even when engaging from 1500 meters away, resulting in over twenty warships of the City of Fury¡¯s fleet being sunk after the first volley.


    The power of the Rune Main Cannons was so great that the typical warship¡¯s Defensive Net simply couldn¡¯t block it, and even though the City of Fury had already experienced the might of the Rune Main Cannons the day before, they had no means to counter this new weapon they had never seen before. The only thing Su De could do was to order the fleet to accelerate at full speed, planning to continue advancing while bearing the brunt of the enemy¡¯s cannonade.


    This choice was undoubtedly the correct one, because although both of the great battles the day before had ended in a dire defeat for the City of Fury, Rocky had also sustained losses, especially in the second battle where he lost nearly ten warships. This clearly showed that Rune Battleships were not invincible and that their superior defensive power could still be broken when facing an enemy several times their number. Su De had indeed noticed this point, so he was well aware that as long as his forces could get close to Rocky¡¯s troops, as long as they could enter firing range, they would definitely win the fight with their absolute numerical advantage.


    As for the warships lost in the process of closing in, Su De no longer cared, nor could he afford to, because he really had no way to stop Rocky¡¯s bombardment. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this situation, shortly after the first round of cannon fire ended, the second round arrived, followed closely by the third round. It was just before the third round reached that the City of Fury¡¯s fleet had barely entered the effective range of 1000 meters and had just begun to return fire.


    After taking three continuous rounds of passive fire, the City of Fury¡¯s fleet losses exceeded seventy ships, almost more than the total of Rocky¡¯s fleet. But as Su De had anticipated, they didn¡¯t care about these losses. As long as they could enter range, their counterattack would begin.


    Indeed, once the City of Fury¡¯s troops entered effective range, they launched their counterattack. Although the fleet was now reduced to just over five hundred warships, the sight of over five hundred warships firing their main guns simultaneously was equally spectacular, and their power unmatched. Thousands of Mana Cannonballs poured like rain onto Rocky¡¯s fleet.


    Facing such a fierce onslaught, Rocky naturally had all his warships spread their Defensive Nets, but even so, two warships were sunk instantly.


    There was no helping it. The firepower of the City of Fury¡¯s main guns may not have been comparable to the Rune Main Cannons, but the sheer number of them was overwhelming. Moreover, with the small number of Rocky¡¯s warships, the volley from the enemy was considerable, and each of his warships had to bear an enormous share of the attack, to the point that even the rune-enhanced Defensive Nets couldn¡¯t withstand it.


    ¡°Fantastic!¡±


    Seeing two warships sunk instantaneously, Su De, standing on the deck of the flagship but positioned at the rear of the fleet, couldn¡¯t help but shout out loud. As long as the enemy could be sunk, it meant they weren¡¯t invincible, and as long as they weren¡¯t invincible warships, he was bound to win with such an advantage in strength.


    So he immediately issued new orders, commanding the fleet to keep firing while also ordering them to keep accelerating. It was clear he planned to further close the distance with Rocky, allowing the warships¡¯ secondary cannons to come into play as well. When the time came, a salvo from thousands of cannons would be enough to collapse Rocky¡¯s forces in an instant.


    Afterward, the City of Fury¡¯s forces obviously sped up, evidently reaching their top speed. However, facing the rapidly approaching enemy, Rocky didn¡¯t take much action; he merely had his own fleet disperse, leaving space for each warship to evade attacks on their own. Beyond that, there was no more.


    In this situation, the two sides engaged in the most intense cannonade. While it was still the City of Fury that suffered greater losses during the exchange of fire, and the accuracy of the Rune Main Cannons was getting higher as the distance closed, taking away more than thirty enemy vessels with each salvo, the City of Fury¡¯s troops began to show their strength as well. As they closed in, their main guns¡¯ hit rate also improved, so after each broadside, Rocky¡¯s losses increased, and in the blink of an eye, more than ten of Rocky¡¯s warships behind him were sunk.


    Such losses were clearly massive for Rocky since he had only so many warships¡ªit was all he had, and once gone, he would truly be left with nothing. Yet faced with these losses, Rocky chose indifference, not acting until the City of Fury¡¯s fleet drew even closer.


    When the enemy had approached within seven to eight hundred meters, Rocky finally issued a new command, but it wasn¡¯t to the Fleet, it was to Thunderhawk City. As his order was given, warships swiftly took off from the Skyport within Thunderhawk City, and in the blink of an eye, a hundred warships flew out from the Defensive Net!


    ¡°My lord! Rocky has reinforcements!¡±


    Since the two forces were now very close, even though Su De¡¯s flagship was at the very back of the formation and he hadn¡¯t even used a telescope, he could still clearly see the massive hundred-warship Fleet flying out from Thunderhawk City.


    Seeing the large-scale Fleet emerge from Thunderhawk City, Su De¡¯s heart turned cold, and he immediately realized he had been deceived. Rocky was playing the game of pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger!


    He clearly had sufficient troops, yet he had deliberately sent out only a small portion¡ªthis was to lure Su De into a trap!


    This was bad!


    Thinking this, Su De¡¯s heart cried out in dismay because if he included the hundred warships that had flown out of Thunderhawk City, Rocky¡¯s Fleet was no longer just dozens of ships, but over a hundred. The difference between the two was enormous!


    When Rocky only had dozens of warships, he could defeat a Fleet several times larger than his own with ease. Now that his Fleet exceeded a hundred warships, their combat power would surely increase exponentially. Could he win against such forces?


    Furthermore, Su De had not forgotten something very important, that the Fleet he was leading was the last main force of City of Fury!


    What did this imply?


    It meant that Su De could not afford to lose; he absolutely could not lose, otherwise all of the main force troops of City of Fury would be lost here. If at that time Rocky still had the strength to fight, then City of Fury would be finished!


    Considering these concerns, and also wary of Rocky¡¯s doubled combat power after receiving reinforcements, Su De quickly made a judgment, they could not fight this battle.


    ¡°Halt the advance! Retreat immediately!¡±


    Having made his decision, he immediately issued the order to retreat to the entire Army, and then his flagship was the first to turn around. As for the other warships in the Fleet, they too promptly turned around upon receiving the order, and the once menacing advance immediately transformed into a grand retreat.


    Seeing the enemy suddenly retreat, Rocky aboard War Steed exhaled a long breath and then turned to Liliya, ¡°We¡¯ve somehow bluffed our way through¡­¡±

 Chapter 665 - 665 627 Bluffing Through

    ?Chapter 665: Chapter 627: Bluffing Through Chapter 665: Chapter 627: Bluffing Through ¡°Finally bluffed my way through¡­¡±


    Rocky glanced at Liliya next to him and exhaled deeply.


    Although the ones retreating now were from the City of Fury, in reality, Rocky was far more nervous than Su De on the other side, and his nervousness was multiplied countless times because only he knew that if the opponent really fought to the death with him¡­ he would undoubtedly die!


    Now was the weakest time for Thunderhawk City. Yesterday¡¯s battle had left Rocky¡¯s fleet with just over seventy warships, and the Void Magic Warriors had suffered enormous losses. From the original ten squads of Void Magic Warriors, only six remained. Even though he had bought a hundred warships overnight from Sirius City, it was impossible for Aniye and his team to modify all one hundred warships overnight without sleep or rest!


    So now was indeed Rocky¡¯s weakest moment, and Erwin of the City of Fury had clearly seen this, which was why he struck at this critical moment.


    In this situation, what was Rocky to do?


    The only thing he could do was to scare the opponent like he was doing now.


    Although the hundred warships bought from Howling Sky hadn¡¯t been fully modified, not even ten of them, the City of Fury didn¡¯t know this, so he had staged the scene just now, making the City of Fury believe he was playing the fool to trick the tiger, thinking he was deliberately setting a trap to lure them into it, and then he sent out all one hundred unmodified warships.


    In such a situation, one can imagine how nervous Rocky was because if the opponent¡¯s commander suddenly lost his cool, or was simply brainless, it would be over. His strategy could only deceive the clever; the clever think more, and the more they think, the easier it is to be deceived. If it was a simpleton, he really couldn¡¯t be fooled.


    Thankfully, thankfully Su De was a smart man. Upon seeing the hundred warships, he immediately perceived the situation and made the most correct choice¡ªretreat. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this retreat, Rocky also let out a sigh of relief, and immediately issued a new order, ¡°Have the follow-up troops stick to the back, all Rune Fleets chase!¡±


    Since the commander of the City of Fury now believed him, Rocky could continue playing this act, and he must continue, otherwise, the opponent might realize what was really happening.


    Under his order, the leading fifty-plus warships began the chase, firing the Rune Main Cannons while maintaining a chasing posture. As for the hundred warships that had not undergone Rune modifications, they always stayed behind, giving the impression that they were too late to catch up with the front line.


    The risk of this chase was naturally enormous; at this moment, if Su De suddenly turned around, Rocky¡¯s fleet would instantly crash into the enemy¡¯s arms, and it was likely that no one but he himself could escape.


    But equally, this chase scene had to continue. If not, given Su De¡¯s judgment, he might realize what was happening halfway through.


    In fact, Rocky¡¯s judgment was spot on, because once he initiated the chase, Su De actually felt somewhat relieved, even a bit smug, since he saw Rocky¡¯s chase as the result of his own quick and decisive retreat. Thus, he didn¡¯t care about Rocky at all and directly ordered the fleet to return to Thunderhawk City immediately.


    Just like that, Rocky chased for a while before he finally stopped, realizing he dared not pursue any deeper. After all, his chase was a bluffed show of force, and he too feared angering the City of Fury to the extent of fighting a desperate battle with him.


    Nevertheless, this significant battle occurring at his weakest moment had finally ended, although in this battle, Rocky¡¯s losses were even greater than yesterday¡¯s, losing a total of eighteen warships, leaving only fifty-one Rune Battleships in his fleet. However, these losses had bought him precious time, believing that after this deception, the City of Fury wouldn¡¯t dare to provoke him again anytime soon.


    Meanwhile, let¡¯s not forget that although Rocky¡¯s losses were very significant in this battle, the City of Fury¡¯s losses were not few either. Su De¡¯s fleet also lost more than a hundred warships in this battle, which added insult to injury for the City of Fury.


    As mentioned before, after the two major battles yesterday, although there were still many warships in the City of Fury, only about five hundred remained in the main fleet. To try and completely eliminate Rocky, Su De had even pulled a hundred warships from the reserves into the main force, finally making up three complete formations. However, after this battle, one of the newly reorganized fleets was again crippled. Although many of the sunken warships were old ones from the reserves, this loss was still immense for the current City of Fury.


    Therefore, no matter how you look at it, no matter whether Su De could realize he had been deceived when he returned to the City of Fury, in the following period, neither side could engage in large-scale fighting anymore, as they both had been significantly weakened, a piece of very good news for Rocky.


    After all, he had a hundred warships available for Rune modification. Once these were modified, he would instantly have a much more powerful fleet. On the other hand, the City of Fury was in a tight spot, now becoming the side that couldn¡¯t receive reinforcements because there were no other Sky Cities around Backhill Village. Hence, whether waiting for reinforcements or self-resupplying, the City of Fury would need at least ten days to half a month, but Erwin surely understood Rocky would not give him that time and opportunity!


    Upon returning to Thunderhawk City, Rocky first arranged for the fleet to be repaired and called Liliya over.


    ¡°Liliya, contact Ruby Chamber of Commerce and Apple Tree Corporation immediately. Tell them that I will break through the City of Fury¡¯s blockade within a week at the latest. Have them get the supplies and everything else ready.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Then contact Karina and Berg, and have them start spreading the news now. Tell everyone that the City of Fury has been defeated and that Master Aniye will soon make a major announcement externally.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    After agreeing, Liliya left without any delay, and once she had gone, Rocky didn¡¯t leave the Skyport as Orton had already arrived with the research team. They needed to hurry to modify the hundred warships with Runes. In this case, Rocky naturally couldn¡¯t leave, not to supervise, but because as Orton¡¯s student, his knowledge of Runes was second only to the four masters, so he, too, must stay and work with everyone on the modification of the warships.

 Chapter 666 - 666 628 The Power of Faith

    ?Chapter 666: Chapter 628: The Power of Faith Chapter 666: Chapter 628: The Power of Faith The conflict between the two cities thus came to a temporary close. Rocky would not actively seek out enemies until the one hundred warships were retrofitted, and the City of Fury was in the same boat. They had missed their best opportunity to annihilate Rocky and had instead suffered the loss of another hundred warships. The city now had only two main fleets remaining.


    Two fleets, totaling about four hundred warships, plus thirty Void Magic Squads, comprised the entire main force of the City of Fury. Although the number of reserve warships could double that figure, everyone knew that when facing Rocky¡¯s rune warships, even the main forces could not retreat unscathed, let alone the obsolete reserve ships, which would have no place on the battlefield and would only be sent to their deaths.


    In light of this, the pace of war between both sides had to slow down, but each side had its own plans.


    Rocky intended to recuperate and build up strength. Once the retrofitting of the hundred warships was completed, he would advance once again, while the City of Fury had no choice but to wait. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By this time, Su De, who had led the retreat, began to suspect he might have been deceived. Three days had passed since the last battle, and if Rocky truly had an army of rune warships numbering over a hundred, then according to his usual style, he should have been on the offensive. So why had there been no movement in these three days?


    Su De, with his intelligence, was naturally able to detect something fishy, but even if he realized something was amiss, he dared not suggest to Erwin that they send out troops again. The previous military action had not only ended in failure but also resulted in significant losses of warships, leaving the City of Fury¡¯s main fleets in a precarious state. Under such circumstances, not just Erwin, but even Su De himself knew they could not afford to attack again, for one misstep could lead to the City of Fury¡¯s irreversible demise.


    The only option left for the City of Fury was to wait for reinforcements.


    Fortunately, Rick had dispatched reinforcements immediately. The fleet from Sky Might City under the Heavenly Ancestor Church was already on its way, and by his calculations, they would arrive in about two weeks. As long as Sky Might City arrived, its fully-staffed fleet of geniuses would be enough to either suppress or annihilate Rocky, by any means necessary.


    Therefore, from City Lord Erwin to the ordinary soldiers, everyone in the City of Fury prayed to the skies, hoping that the troops from Sky Might City would arrive soon, and at this moment, the power of belief was truly manifested.


    By now, it was evident to anyone that the situation had turned drastically worse for the City of Fury. The once-imposing City of Fury was not so much blockading Backhill Village as it was using the vast area of its large Sky City to block the village off, and they also had to be wary of Rocky kicking them over from his position within the village.


    Even though the situation was dire, there was no undue panic among the people of the City of Fury because they had faith. They firmly believed that the heavens were on their side and that everything they did was correct, even divinely ordained. In such a mindset, even death would leave no room for regret, as they believed it was all predestined by the heavens.


    Time passed day by day, with the City of Fury anxiously waiting. City Lord Erwin was in constant contact with Sky Might City almost every day, keeping track of their location and calculating their arrival time, making preparations according to this schedule.


    In contrast, there was much bustle on Rocky¡¯s side. Thunderhawk City was a hive of activity, with Rocky and the research team notably busy. They had virtually taken up residence at the Skyport, working around the clock in shifts to retrofit the warships. One could say they were extremely busy.


    Rocky, of course, had his own assessment of the situation and had determined that Rick¡¯s reinforcements would arrive within two weeks. As such, he needed to initiate the final battle before then. Considering the actions that would be required after the battle, he needed to leave some buffer time. He had to retrofit all one hundred warships within ten days and then immediately begin the final battle, or it would be too late.


    Under these circumstances, he and Orton¡¯s team doubled their efforts, retrofitting the warships. The only silver lining was their prior retrofitting experience coupled with the team¡¯s academic prowess and rapid learning ability. Despite the daunting task, their relentless overtime work ensured they could retrofit about ten warships per day.


    Meanwhile, factories within the city were also in full operation¡ªnot just the leather and textile factories but also the armament factories¡ªsince Rocky had established contact with the Ruby and Apple Tree Chambers of Commerce. Once the City of Fury was defeated, caravans from both chambers would immediately travel to Thunderhawk City. Therefore, Thunderhawk City needed to quickly manufacture enough goods to trade. After all, even Rocky wasn¡¯t sure how the situation would evolve afterward, and he needed to be fully prepared for any eventuality.


    Slowly but surely, the ten days passed. On the tenth day, as the sun rose as usual, the retrofit of the one hundred warships was finally completed. One hundred brand-new Rune Battleships were born.


    Counting these one hundred Rune Battleships, the size of Rocky¡¯s fleet had reached one hundred fifty warships, almost double than at the start of the war. Additionally, after ten days of recuperation, the Void Magic Corps had mostly returned to full strength. Although only six full squads remained, their combat power was now undoubtedly higher than the original ten squads, as these Void Magic Warriors had all been through a major battle. Being veterans, they were now fully adapted to aerial combat.


    With that, the final battle between Thunderhawk City and the City of Fury was about to commence!


    Yet this time, the fully-prepared Rocky chose not to go Head-to-Head with the enemy directly. Since this was to be a decisive battle, once it began, it would inevitably become a fight to the death. Being ultimately at a disadvantage in terms of manpower, he needed to seize every bit of advantage and accumulate them. Otherwise, he stood no chance against a large Sky City.


    As soon as the last warship was retrofitted, Rocky ordered everyone, from the exhausted research team to the soldiers about to re-enter the battlefield, even including himself, to rest. Following his command, the soldiers returned to their barracks during broad daylight, and Rocky went back to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. Everyone took a whole day off to rest.


    When night fell, the warriors who had rested for a full day began to assemble at the Skyport, preparing for this crucial final battle that mattered to everyone involved.

 Chapter 667 - 667 629 Night Raid

    ?Chapter 667: Chapter 629: Night Raid! Chapter 667: Chapter 629: Night Raid! In the dead of night, around one in the morning, this is when normal people are most exhausted. Usually, at this hour, everyone has gone to sleep, especially soldiers.


    And Rocky chose exactly this time to strike!


    Since he and his troops had rested for the entire day, they were alert at this time. But despite their alertness, Rocky didn¡¯t lead his troops out with a flourish. Instead, he instructed them to move as quietly as possible, without even lighting a single lamp, and they left the Skyport in batches.


    Clearly, he was planning a night attack!


    At this hour, when normal people are most fatigued, the impact of an attack on the enemy was unknown to Rocky, but he at least knew that such an assault would catch them off guard, and that was enough for him.


    Under his command, the Fleet silently gathered in the air and then flew towards the City of Fury under the cover of darkness.


    Since the entire Fleet wasn¡¯t using any lights, the night became their best cover. Although this meant the Fleet could not move too fast to avoid accidents, Rocky was not in a hurry. What was more important is that the City of Fury was not too far away from them.


    In this silent approach, Rocky led the Fleet closer to the enemy and then spotted the City of Fury¡¯s Fleet.


    Although there had been no incidents between the two sides for ten days, neither Rocky nor Erwin had dared to let down their guard. Especially Erwin, who had organized a patrol fleet outside of the city from start to finish. Although the fleet was entirely composed of reservists, meaning it consisted of outdated warships, its sizeable number still looked quite intimidating. Erwin was clearly trying to warn Rocky with this, cautioning him against rash actions, since the City of Fury had plenty of troops waiting for him inside.


    But such warnings obviously couldn¡¯t scare Rocky. Not because he had fully grasped Erwin¡¯s capabilities, but because, for Rocky, no matter how many enemy troops remained, it was necessary to engage in a decisive battle; otherwise, he would never have another chance.


    So Rocky actually didn¡¯t know that the patrol Fleet outside was not the main force of the City of Fury. Therefore, when he saw this fleet under the cover of darkness, he immediately felt overjoyed, thinking that if he could see this Fleet, then the Fleet was as good as dead. Being able to annihilate an entire enemy Fleet before the start of the battle was of course excellent news for him.


    In this situation, he quickly issued an order for the entire army to turn on their lights!


    As soon as this order was given, the entire Fleet understood Rocky¡¯s intentions, and immediately the warships¡¯ lights lit up. In an instant, the night sky was illuminated by the lights from more than a hundred and fifty warships, instantly brightening the darkness.


    ¡°Enemy attack!¡±


    With the lights on, the position of the Fleet was naturally revealed, and as soon as the Fleet¡¯s position was exposed, the patrolling Fleet around the City of Fury immediately became alert. The sentries on deck, using their binoculars to take just one glance, started yelling at the top of their lungs, and this shout startled the tranquil night sky.


    However, it was all too late.


    As soon as Rocky¡¯s fleet revealed its position, it also began to accelerate, quickly closing the distance to within 1,500 meters of the enemy. The moment they entered the main cannon range, 150 neatly arranged warships fired simultaneously!


    Accompanied by deafening sounds of cannon fire, hundreds of thick Magic Energy Beams tore through the night sky like slashes, then plummeted towards the enemy like a meteor shower.


    Because the attack was so sudden, the City of Fury¡¯s fleet was completely unprepared for this onslaught. By the time the first round of cannon fire arrived, the majority of the warships had not even deployed their Defensive Nets, and this spelled disaster. Countless Magic Energy Beams tore through the night sky and plunged into the fleet, followed by a series of explosions.


    As previously mentioned, these warships were not the main force of the City of Fury, but rather obsolete vessels on the verge of being phased out. They were caught off guard by the surprise attack, and without their Defensive Nets deployed, how could they withstand such a pounding? Of course, with the power of the Rune Main Cannons, even if the warships had activated their Defensive Nets, it would have been futile. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Consequently, just after a single round of firing, hundreds of warships lay buried in flames.


    How could there be so many?


    First, naturally, because these warships were indeed fragile, and secondly because Rocky¡¯s attack was too fierce. You see, the number of warships he led this time had reached over 150. What did that mean? Averaging three main cannons per warship, 150 warships would have 450 main cannons. Even with a low hit rate, firing all at once was enough to annihilate a large number of enemies. Moreover, Rocky¡¯s fleet was equipped with Pelaya¡¯s new aiming systems, so it was not only normal but even fewer than expected to eliminate more than a hundred warships after one round of firing.


    However, these hundred-plus warships did not meet their demise in vain, because as they exploded one after another, the main forces inside the City of Fury were finally stirred!


    Erwin, who had been sound asleep, sat up from his bed at the sound of the cannons and explosions, didn¡¯t bother waiting for reports from his subordinates, and dashed out of his room as he quickly dressed. Su De and the other Commanders did the same, each hurrying to the Skyport as fast as they could, followed by the quick assembly of the main forces.


    In an instant, the troops within the City of Fury were urgently gathered. Each soldier assembled could hear the sounds of cannon fire from outside, and judging by the intensity of the cannonade, it felt as if hundreds or even thousands of warships were firing upon each other.


    How could there be so many cannon sounds?


    It definitely wasn¡¯t because there were actually hundreds or thousands of warships outside. Rather, after the first strike, the patrolling unit¡¯s Commander panicked. Without clarifying the situation or even how far the enemy was, he gave the order to counterattack, causing the remaining warships to fire all their main and secondary cannons in a frenzied barrage.


    Although the patrolling unit had lost over half of its ships after one round of cannon fire, there were still over a hundred warships left, and they fired both their main and secondary cannons at once. For a time, the sound was tremendous, as if countless warships were engaging in battle.


    However, this continuous, ear-splitting barrage of cannon fire quickly ceased, because shortly thereafter, Rocky¡¯s forces launched a second round of firing. By the time it passed, the patrol fleet, comprised of old warships, was almost entirely eradicated, leaving hardly anything behind¡­

 Chapter 668 - 668 630 Encircle the Large with the Small

    ?Chapter 668: Chapter 630: Encircle the Large with the Small Chapter 668: Chapter 630: Encircle the Large with the Small The patrol fleet composed of old-style warships was quickly annihilated in the bombardment, but this bought time for the main forces of the City of Fury to gather. As Rocky devoted all his efforts to bombard the fleet outside the city, the real main force had successively filled the Skyport and formed a square formation outside the Skyport.


    This time, the commander of the City of Fury was still Su De. However, when he came onto the deck and looked outside the city, he couldn¡¯t help but gasp in shock.


    In his field of vision, more than a hundred Rune Battleships were neatly lined up in a straight line, bombarding the Defensive Net of the City of Fury fiercely. Clearly, Rocky was going all out this time, bringing all his main forces to the battlefield, undoubtedly planning to fight a decisive battle with the City of Fury.


    Having instantly grasped this, Su De found himself in a dilemma.


    Should he charge out of the Defensive Net and battle Rocky decisively?


    But now Rocky¡¯s fleet had already reached more than a hundred and fifty warships, whereas his own main force had only a little more than four hundred left. This disparity in forces was not significant at all, and Su De had no confidence in defeating Rocky with a numerical advantage.


    At the same time, don¡¯t forget, Rocky had already taken the initiative to set up his formation outside the city. Coupled with his troops¡¯ advantages in firepower and range, Su De could fully imagine that once he led his troops out of the Defensive Net, they would lose half their number before even getting close to range¡ªsomething he had experienced just ten days ago.


    What should he do?


    As he watched the last few warships of the patrol fleet sink, Rocky turned to bombard the Defensive Net. Su De found himself in a difficult position, and as he hesitated, the Defensive Net of Sky City was shining brightly, clearly taking heavy hits.


    Since Rocky had gone all out this time, doubling the number of warships from before, the damage caused by his command to bombard the Defensive Net of the City of Fury was significantly higher than before.


    Over four hundred main guns fired simultaneously, causing the Defensive Net to light up in swathes, and amidst this light, the entire Defensive Net shook incessantly, undoubtedly indicating that the power of the bombardment had begun to shake the Defensive Net! sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the City of Fury, after all, was a large Sky City, and the strength of its Defensive Net was far beyond that of any small or medium Sky City. The Mana contained in the Super Crystal that supported the city¡¯s operations was unimaginable. Therefore, although Rocky¡¯s attack was fierce, the Defensive Net couldn¡¯t be broken for the time being, and could still hold on for quite a long time.


    This was the only good news for the City of Fury. The longer the Defensive Net held, the more time they had to figure out a solution, and the situation became more favorable for them.


    Of course, conversely, Rocky wasn¡¯t in a hurry either. He knew well that even if the decisive battle lasted all day or even a few days, the opponent couldn¡¯t expect any reinforcements. As long as he had time, even the strongest Defensive Net of the City of Fury would eventually be breached, and by then, the City of Fury would have no chance.


    Under these circumstances, both sides quickly entered a standoff. Rocky had ¡®surrounded¡¯ the City of Fury and begun a fierce assault, while the City of Fury, protected by the Defensive Net, remained stationary, plotting some plan. But one thing was certain, they were definitely trying to find a way. After all, everyone understood that the Defensive Net would eventually be breached. If they couldn¡¯t repel Rocky before it broke, the City of Fury would fall into an irretrievable situation.


    The decisive battle had started around two o¡¯clock in the morning. In the blink of an eye, five or six hours had passed, and by the time the first rays of sunlight illuminated the sky the next day, the bombardment was still continuing¡­


    After a night of bombardment, the Defensive Net of the City of Fury had noticeably weakened compared to before, a result that greatly exceeded the expectations of the City of Fury. The citizens of the city had originally thought that the Defensive Net could last at least two full days before showing signs of collapse, but who could have expected it to weaken just halfway through the night?


    It must be said that upon discovering the condition of the Defensive Net was far worse than imagined, not just Su De, but even Erwin, who had been closely monitoring the battle from the Skyport, couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He thought he had already witnessed the power of the Rune, but it turned out what he saw was just the tip of the iceberg.


    At that moment, Erwin finally understood why forces like Rick and the Magic Energy Research Institute, the most top-tier in the world, had been so relentless in their pursuit of the Mana Rune for Rocky¡ªthey truly could change the world!


    However, while introspective, upon realizing the Defensive Net would hold for much less time than anticipated, Erwin immediately contacted Su De, ordering him to launch an attack no matter what before the Defensive Net was completely breached, and he must repel Rocky, or else it would be too late.


    In fact, there was no need for Erwin to personally issue the command, as Su De was already considering a solution and had come up with one!


    Soon after, under his command, the two fleets he led promptly began to accelerate and quickly broke out from the protection of the Defensive Net!


    Upon seeing the enemy initiating an attack, Rocky immediately ordered his troops to swing their cannons around, shifting their targeting from the Defensive Net to the Fleet, and quickly began bombarding them, making use of their range advantage.


    All of this was exactly as Su De had anticipated. He knew that venturing out would definitely bring a direct and painful strike, but amid the precarious state of the Defensive Net, he had no choice but to come out, yet he similarly had a backup plan!


    Since he didn¡¯t have the advantage in range and formation, as soon as Su De led the troops into the attack, they faced a fierce counterattack. Almost immediately, dozens of warships were sunk, and this was just the beginning. More were undoubtedly destined to sink, but Su De didn¡¯t care about those losses, instead ordering the Fleet to accelerate and break through the 500-meter distance no matter what, as only then could they engage Rocky in a true battle of attack and defense.


    However, although 500 meters did not seem a long distance for warships, trying to breach it under intense bombardment was easier said than done. The losses were naturally enormous, and it was unknown how much combat power would remain after they made it through.


    As for Rocky, when he saw that the enemy had desperately begun a charge, he knew he had already won half of the battle. The large-scale Fleet was clearly the main force of the City of Fury, but the opposing commander had chosen such a reckless method of attack, which was practically suicidal. If he could destroy this batch of warships, then only the Defensive Net would be left for the City of Fury, and he would have won the decisive battle.


    But just at that moment, just as Rocky had confused the opposing commander and was almost assured of his victory in this decisive battle, suddenly, a fleet emerged from his flank!


    This fleet, also numbering over four hundred warships, appeared from the flank and headed straight for Rocky¡¯s forces, clearly prepared in advance.


    ¡°Damn it¡­!¡±


    Upon spotting another huge fleet emerging from the flank, Rocky suddenly felt a sinking feeling in his heart, realizing this time it was his turn to be tricked¡­

 Chapter 669 - 669 631 The Final Showdown

    ?Chapter 669: Chapter 631: The Final Showdown! Chapter 669: Chapter 631: The Final Showdown! Throughout the entire night, Su De was actually engaged in doing one thing, which was to pull off a bait-and-switch.


    As a battle-hardened commander, he had already thought of a countermeasure as soon as he realized Rocky had ¡°surrounded¡± City of Fury, which was to divide his troops. Therefore, he gathered all the reserve forces in the city at night, and under the cover of darkness and the bombardment of artillery fire with the Defensive Net¡¯s luminescence for concealment, he switched the reserve forces with the main force in stages. So, the troops that charged out of City of Fury under his command were not the main force, but the reserves after the bait-and-switch!


    Just as City of Fury was unaware of the internal situation of Thunderhawk City, Rocky¡¯s knowledge of the forces of City of Fury was also very limited, which made it impossible for him to distinguish between the enemy¡¯s main force and reserves. That¡¯s why he focused all his attention on the emergence of the enemy forces, not knowing that the real main force had already secretly left from the back of Sky City, had already detoured around his flank, and suddenly struck!


    With this, Su De¡¯s tactics were complete. He had used the weaker reserve forces to distract Rocky¡¯s attention. Although many warships were lost in the process, they were all outdated, and their impact on the overall battle was negligible. More importantly, those outdated warships completely occupied Rocky¡¯s attention, leading to the main force erupting from the flank without a scratch and successfully arriving at a very close distance to Rocky, even close enough to open fire on him directly!


    In such a situation, it was natural for City of Fury not to waste such an excellent opportunity, as this might be their only chance. Thus, as the main fleet of City of Fury emerged from the flank, they immediately began their artillery barrage. At the same time, the reserve troops led by Su De, although reduced by more than half, finally got close enough to open fire after such tremendous losses and did so without hesitation.


    As a result, Rocky was immediately put in a situation of being caught in a two-front attack. More importantly, the two fleets, both from the front and the side, were firing while closing in rapidly. Once they approached, the battle would turn into an all-out melee, where the enemy would certainly face fiercer attacks, but Rocky¡¯s forces would also suffer. If his more than 150 warships were completely encircled by the enemy, even the rune-enhanced Defensive Net, no matter how strong, would not hold out.


    Such an outcome was certainly not what Rocky wanted to see, so he immediately issued new orders.


    ¡°Continue targeting the forces in front!¡±


    Years of countless battles had honed Rocky¡¯s calm demeanor on the battlefield. Even though the enemy¡¯s tactics were complete and launched quite abruptly, he quickly collected himself and instantaneously assessed the situation.


    Being trapped in an encirclement was definitely not an option. Once his forces fell into an encirclement, they would completely lose their advantage. Therefore, what he needed to do now was to destroy the enemy¡¯s encirclement before it was completed, so he firmly ordered all warships to continue firing at the forces in front.


    At this moment, the enemies, both in front and at the side, were at least a kilometer away from Rocky¡¯s forces. At this distance, both sides could only attack with their main guns. It was only when they closed to within five hundred meters that the secondary guns could effectively engage. And this process was Rocky¡¯s opportunity to turn the tide.


    As long as he could eradicate one of the two enemy forces, whether in front or on the side, the enemy would not be able to surround him. Then, even if the enemy¡¯s numbers were still significant, Rocky was not afraid of a head-on confrontation.


    So he didn¡¯t hesitate to continue targeting the reserve force led by Su De, unaware that the force was just a reserve; he knew only that he had already wiped out more than half of them, and with a bit more effort, he could completely annihilate them.


    Following his orders, the Fleet of Thunderhawk City deployed the Defensive Net while maintaining a high-frequency, uninterrupted barrage, and not a single warship turned to face the enemy flanking them; all warships aimed at the forces ahead.


    In such a situation, the reserve force led by Su De naturally suffered rapid losses, and after about two rounds of artillery fire, the number of warships had dwindled to just over a hundred. By the time the third round came, there were only a few dozen left, and seeing the ships around him continuously decrease until only a pitiful few dozen remained, Su De sighed helplessly, as he seemed to have foreseen the outcome of this battle.


    No, Su De held onto a glimmer of hope because, as Rocky pressed his full attack, the main force had already moved very close to him, with some of the leading warships beginning to fire both primary and secondary guns. If the main force could prevail in the close-range firefight against Rocky, even just gain the upper hand, they would still have a hope for victory.


    Indeed, this was the case, but don¡¯t forget, after Su De¡¯s reserve force was crippled, Rocky¡¯s Fleet also began to turn, setting their sights on the main force of City of Fury. Since City of Fury¡¯s main force could now engage with secondary guns, it meant they too had entered firing range, allowing Rocky¡¯s forces to return fire with their secondary guns.


    More importantly, as the Fleet turned, Rocky took the lead in launching from the deck and then leading his Void Magic Squad towards the enemy.


    The decisive battle between the two main forces began.


    On Rocky¡¯s side, having just weathered the enemy¡¯s main attack, over twenty warships had been sunk, leaving the Fleet with around one hundred and thirty vessels and six squads of Void Magic Warriors. In contrast, the enemy had more than four hundred warships and thirty squads of the Void Magic Corps.


    Such a disparity might seem to the uninformed that the decisive battle was pointless, but only those who were truly part of it understood the reality was far from it. At least City of Fury never thought so. There¡¯s no need to say much about the comparison between the Fleets; despite being outnumbered four to one, City of Fury was very aware that victory was not guaranteed.


    Then there was the engagement of the Void Magic Corps; compared to the Fleet, the difference in numbers between the Void Magic Corps was even greater. In theory, City of Fury should have no worries on this front and could even anticipate their Void Magic Corps dominating to turn the tide of battle, but the actual situation was not so. Compared to the clash between Fleets, City of Fury was even more worried about their Void Magic Corps, for the enemy¡¯s Void Magic Corps included a true Demon! S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The White Demon¡ªRocky!


    This time, after leading the Void Magic Corps into the sky, Rocky did not venture deep alone; it was the final showdown, and there was no longer any need for him to rely on his personal abilities to distract the enemy. The only thing he needed to do was lead his Void Magic Corps to utterly destroy his opponents!

 Chapter 670 - 670 632 Hopes Dashed

    ?Chapter 670: Chapter 632: Hopes Dashed Chapter 670: Chapter 632: Hopes Dashed After leading the Void Magic Corps into battle, Rocky charged ahead directly toward the enemy and immediately engaged in a firefight with the enemy¡¯s Void Magic Warriors.


    Previously, Rocky had restrained the enemy¡¯s fleet and had not actually appeared on the battlefield of the Void Magic Corps, so this was actually his first time clashing with the Void Magic Corps from the City of Fury. Right from the beginning of the battle, the City of Fury¡¯s side learned why Rocky was known as the Battlefield Demon.


    After one encounter, two squad leaders were slashed out of the sky by his scythe!


    It was that fast!


    Charging into the enemy lines alone, Rocky naturally encountered squad leader level enemies, but just in one encounter, just with one swing of his scythe, two squad leaders blocking his way were cut in half, the speed of which was simply unimaginable.


    However, the City of Fury had clearly prepared as well, and in the blink of an eye, Rocky was surrounded on all sides by squad leaders in Special Armor, completely encircling him mid-air.


    ¡°Perfect timing!¡± S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Surveying his surroundings and quickly counting the number of enemies, Rocky found there were about fifteen or sixteen squad leaders, which made him burst into laughter, because after the previous major battle, he and Liliya had summarized the combat with the Void Magic Corps, concluding if judging solely by the combatants¡¯ abilities, Thunderhawk City¡¯s side was stronger, thanks to the superior performance of the Thunderhawk Armor over the traditional Mass-produced Armor.


    Similarly, the strength of the squad leaders was undeniable; in their last clash, Thunderhawk City lost four Void Magic Squads, with nearly all losses stemming from those squad leaders. Thus, if the sides clashed again, how to eliminate the most threatening squad leaders first would be key to the Void Magic Corps¡¯ victory, which is why Rocky was so pleased to find himself surrounded by so many squad leaders.


    With only thirty squads in total, or thirty squad leaders, and now that half of them were gathered around Rocky, those left to face ordinary soldiers were fewer. Moreover, the remaining squad leaders had no chance to strike at ordinary soldiers because Liliya and the others were there. Relying on their New Armor, they were stronger than the squad leaders, although always outnumbered. But with more than half the squad leaders tied up by Rocky, Liliya and her teammates had every capability to restrain the other leaders.


    Rocky had no need to worry about the fight amongst ordinary soldiers; his side¡¯s Void Magic Warriors, although outnumbered, had more powerful Armor, particularly in terms of mobility and power. Even if they couldn¡¯t beat them, they could always run, and as long as ordinary soldiers could survive as long as possible until all the squad leaders were eliminated, victory was inevitably Rocky¡¯s.


    In this situation, although it appeared Rocky was surrounded, he was not only glad about it but also doing his best to contain the enemies encircling him. He would rather not kill but made sure not to let any of the surrounding squad leaders escape; he attacked anyone who dared to leave!


    Because of his containment, the pressure on Thunderhawk City¡¯s Void Magic Corps was significantly reduced, especially for the ordinary soldiers because, just as Rocky thought, once over half the squad leaders focused on him, there weren¡¯t many left, and when these few remaining leaders faced Liliya and the others alone, their outcome was naturally predictable.


    The last battle had already proven that Liliya and her team¡¯s Armor had surpassed Fifth Generation Special Armor, and this time was no different. In one-on-one situations, the squad leaders were no match for them, and as such, after several minutes of battle, squad leaders began falling one after another, followed by their numbers rapidly climbing into double digits.


    And after downing the squad leaders they faced, Liliya and her team did not go to aid Rocky; instead, they focused on the ordinary soldiers. Thus, the situation turned unfavorable for the City of Fury¡¯s Void Magic Corps. In a soldier-to-soldier, leader-to-leader fight, City of Fury¡¯s ordinary Void Magic Warriors could still leverage their numerical superiority to gain an edge in battle, even if their Armor was inferior to that of Thunderhawk City; a three-to-one ratio was enough to let them chase and heavily attack Thunderhawk City¡¯s Void Magic Warriors, gleaning significant victories. In just a short span of minutes, Thunderhawk City losses surpassed a squad, and as these increased, their numerical disadvantage deepened, along with their disadvantage in the fight.


    But as soon as Liliya and the others broke free, the situation started plummeting fast for the City of Fury. Leveraging the superior mobility and powerful offensive capabilities of their Armor, facing City of Fury¡¯s ordinary Void Magic Warriors, they were like wolves upon sheep, and it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say they took down one with each bite, especially with Dusa present, acting as a demon on their side. As an archer, supported by formidable Armor, she could take out an enemy with one arrow, so when she targeted those wearing only Mass-produced Armor, their nightmare began.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about escaping!¡±


    Amidst the intense encirclement, Rocky sped up and shook off the enemies on either side, then instantly zoomed behind a squad leader, his scythe flashing down to send the squad leader¡¯s head flying before he immediately set his sight on another squad leader trying to break free from the encirclement.


    Clearly, as the battle shifted, City of Fury¡¯s command also realized the issue; the squad leaders originally surrounding Rocky were starting to retreat gradually, trying to abandon the encirclement around Rocky and instead deal with Liliya and the others. But how could Rocky possibly give them the chance? So any squad leader he spotted trying to leave, he would burst forth with full power to cut them down!


    In his view, the squad leaders who had surrounded him must play this battle out with him, and no one was getting away!


    Initially, the City of Fury had hoped their Void Magic Corps could turn the tide of battle. However, it now seemed that not only had City of Fury¡¯s Void Magic Corps failed to capitalize on their expected advantages, they had instead plunged themselves into a predicament. Of course, they weren¡¯t the only ones in trouble; City of Fury¡¯s fleet was in the same situation.


    After the Void Magic Corps engaged in battle, the fleets from both sides also entered a grand melee. Given that the distance between them had narrowed to within five hundred meters, no matter whether it was the warships from City of Fury or those from Thunderhawk City, they were all firing full force at this moment. Each battleship¡¯s cannons roared continuously, the sounds of gunfire, the flashes of light, and the explosions at this moment formed a grand spectacle. Regrettably, in this spectacle, City of Fury failed to secure the role of the protagonist; they became the tragic supporting character being thrashed by the hero¡­

 Chapter 671 - 671 633 Miracle Victory

    ?Chapter 671: Chapter 633: Miracle Victory Chapter 671: Chapter 633: Miracle Victory What does it look like when over four hundred warships are routed by just over a hundred? This scene is hard to imagine, but one can understand by witnessing the decisive battle unfolding before our eyes.


    Previously, the Fleet of the City of Fury had already experienced the might of the Rune Battleships and suffered heavy losses, but even so, they had never truly engaged in close-quarters combat with the Rune Battleships. The exchanges thus far had largely been long-range bombardments with main guns, without any actual hand-to-hand combat.


    This time, however, the two sides engaged in a thoroughly close-quarters battle to the extent that oftentimes the warships were only tens of meters apart as they bombarded each other, making the battlefield¡¯s degree of horror almost indescribable.


    According to the original plan of the City of Fury, they would rely on their numerical superiority; as long as they could close in to hand-to-hand combat range, then even if the enemy¡¯s Defensive Net was strong, facing an enemy outnumbered several times over and subjected to multiple times the bombardment from main and secondary guns, even the strongest Defensive Net would break. By then, the forces of Thunderhawk City would definitely not be able to hold up.


    This thinking was actually correct but failed to account for one thing¡ªthat when the warships of the City of Fury approached the enemy, the enemy would also be able to go on the offensive with full force!


    This point was crucial in this battle because the firepower of the Rune Battleships was simply too strong!


    Admittedly, when hand-to-hand combat ensued, the forces of the City of Fury did indeed gain certain tactical achievements by virtue of their numerical advantage. With a four-to-one force ratio, when four warships surrounded and bombarded a single Rune Battleship, the rune-enhanced Defensive Net could not hold at all and would be breached within minutes, with the unprotected Rune Battleship being sunk instantaneously.


    But what the City of Fury did not anticipate at all was the intense and fierce firepower of the Rune Battleships, which in the minutes it took for their Defensive Nets to break, was enough to deal a highly advantageous counterattack, resulting in the sinking of two or even more than two City of Fury warships for every sunk Rune Battleship!


    And that was merely the result under siege; in fact, during this battle, the City of Fury could hardly find many opportunities to besiege the enemy because, facing the overwhelming firepower of the Rune Battleships, the mere attempt to approach the enemy came with a terrible price!


    Therefore, when the fleets of both sides engaged in close-quarters combat, although both suffered losses, the losses of the City of Fury were clearly much greater. In order to execute enveloping tactics, they had to advance under the bombardment of the Rune Battleships, with losses so staggering they were hard to imagine.


    When the Fleet¡¯s Commander tried to call in reinforcements from the Void Magic Corps to the battle, they too found themselves in dire straits.


    At this point, the Commander in charge of directing the final main fleet of the City of Fury realized that they had already lost the battle¡­ Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So far, the Fleet of Thunderhawk City had lost more than thirty warships, with their total number having fallen to just over a hundred and was about to drop below a hundred. Yet, the losses on the side of the City of Fury were even greater, having lost over two hundred warships!


    Such tremendous losses obliterated the only advantage the City of Fury had in numbers, and now their numerical superiority over the Thunderhawk City Fleet had dropped to two-to-one. If they couldn¡¯t defeat their opponent with a four-to-one advantage, how could they possibly win with an advantage of two-to-one?


    However, the Commander of City of Fury was decisive, too. As soon as he realized that there was no chance of victory in this battle, he resolutely ordered all warships to charge because he was very clear that his own fate and that of the warships around him was certain death. Since death was inevitable either way, he preferred to drag down a few enemies with him rather than just waiting to die. If they could destroy more of Thunderhawk City¡¯s warships, then even if the enemy annihilated them, they wouldn¡¯t have the strength left to attack City of Fury.


    Thus, under his orders, all warships from City of Fury began their charge. Eventually, they even stopped using their main and secondary cannons, and instead chose to head straight towards the nearest enemy to trade one for one, sinking an enemy Rune Battleship, which was considered a better deal for them.


    But at this very moment, just as the troops from City of Fury began their desperate kamikaze counterattack, the battle of the Void Magic Corps ended first!


    Simultaneously, with the battle of the Void Magic Corps ending first, a large number of Void Magic Warriors from Thunderhawk City poured into the battlefield, and with their blockade, the final counterattack of the main fleet from City of Fury did not succeed.


    Like this, about half an hour later, the decisive battle that concerned the life and death of Rocky and Thunderhawk City finally ended. The ultimate result was naturally Rocky¡¯s victory.


    This victory was nothing short of miraculous, as Rocky had only participated in the battle with just over a hundred warships and fewer than a hundred Void Magic Warriors, but he managed to defeat an enemy many times his size. Moreover, the enemy came from a large Sky City, equipped with the most advanced warships and Armor of that era ¡ª a miracle that no one could have imagined.


    Of course, Rocky himself had anticipated this miraculous victory. He had immense confidence in both the Rune Battleships and the Rune Armor. So, when the battle was over, he immediately returned to the deck of the War Steed.


    Back on the deck of the War Steed, Rocky¡¯s first sight was the severely damaged side of the War Steed. It looked as if a huge monster had bitten a chunk out of the side of the warship, leaving a fierce and terrifying wound.


    ¡°My lord, there was a warship that attempted to ram us, but we sunk it directly,¡± Uncle Wil said with pride when Rocky couldn¡¯t help but ask about it.


    As the flagship, the War Steed was not only charging at the forefront during the previous battles but was also always the main target of the enemy¡¯s attacks. So, at the final moment of the battle, when the City of Fury¡¯s fleet was at the end of its road, a destroyer indeed attempted to take the War Steed down with it, and it truly rammed into the side of the War Steed. Fortunately, the War Steed was originally a battleship, not only possessing strong defensive power but also much larger tonnage than the destroyer, which promptly sunk the enemy ship, thus averting the fate of being sunk by the collision.


    Hearing this, Rocky nodded. Although he didn¡¯t say much, he felt a measure of relief in his heart ¡ª his flagship had nearly been sunk, which spoke to the intensity of the battle. However, he quickly regained his focus and said to Uncle Wil standing beside him, ¡°Give the order to reorganize the fleet, and then we start the siege!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Despite having just gone through the near disaster of being sunk, Uncle Wil was quite excited now. In fact, not only him, every crew member on board was extremely thrilled because they had just achieved what could be called a miraculous victory. And what was more thrilling was what they were about to do ¡ª they were about to lay siege to a large Sky City!

 Chapter 672 - 672 634 Escape Route

    ?Chapter 672: Chapter 634 Escape Route Chapter 672: Chapter 634 Escape Route After crushing the main fleet of the City of Fury, Rocky wasted no time and immediately ordered an attack on the city!


    Under his command, the remaining hundred or so warships quickly adjusted their formation and flew in front of the City of Fury¡¯s Defensive Net, getting even closer than before.


    Although Rocky had been bombarding the Defensive Net for half the night, it was from a distance of fifteen hundred meters, since there were still a large number of warships in the City of Fury at the time. Rocky was afraid that if he got too close, the enemy¡¯s fleet would be able to counterattack through the Defensive Net. He couldn¡¯t withstand that, so he had to take advantage of his range and bomb from afar. As powerful as the main cannons of the Rune Battleships were, their number was ultimately too few, so their power hadn¡¯t been fully demonstrated.


    But now, with the main force of the City of Fury entirely destroyed, even if there were other fleets, they could hardly be considered the main force. Rocky naturally wasn¡¯t afraid anymore, so under his command, the fleet approached to five hundred meters in front of the City of Fury¡¯s Defensive Net, and all main and secondary cannons opened fire on the Defensive Net.


    Because of the closer distance, hundreds of secondary cannons could unleash their full power, and after one battle, although Rocky¡¯s forces lost nearly a third of their numbers, the firepower they poured onto the Defensive Net was now higher than before, and considerably so, immediately making the Defensive Net precarious.


    In contrast, Erwin in the city was helpless against this offensive. In Rocky¡¯s view, even if the City of Fury still had fleets, they wouldn¡¯t be the main force, but this was just his guess. In reality, the situation inside the City of Fury was even worse than his estimation!


    For the previous decisive battle, Su De, who was responsible for the fleet¡¯s overall command, had dispatched every warship from the City of Fury to the battlefield, including all the main forces as well as the reserve forces used to attract Rocky¡¯s attention as cannon fodder.


    But with the failure of the decisive battle, the two large armies sent from the City of Fury, totaling over eight hundred warships, had all perished, leaving no ships in the city that could take to the skies to block Rocky. Erwin did have over a hundred merchant ships, but against the hundreds-strong Rune Fleet, what use were merchant ships¡­


    In this situation, Erwin had long foreseen the fate of the City of Fury. He was no longer thinking about how to resist Rocky¡¯s attack, but what to do after the Defensive Net was breached and Rocky led a large force to occupy the City of Fury.


    According to Erwin¡¯s thinking, under normal circumstances, Rocky should threaten Rick with the City of Fury since it was one of the Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s Saint Cities, extremely important to both Rick and the Heavenly Ancestor Church. Considering Rocky¡¯s besieged situation on all sides, using the city to threaten Rick and thus bargaining for more time was undoubtedly a wise choice.


    Of course, this was only under normal circumstances. In fact, based on Erwin¡¯s understanding of Rocky, he believed that Rocky wouldn¡¯t play his cards predictably. According to Rocky¡¯s personality, he would choose to occupy the city after breaking through the City of Fury, because after all, it was a large Sky City with a population of a full hundred thousand, and it was extremely vast and advanced. If he could occupy such a city, Rocky would surely be overjoyed, he couldn¡¯t possibly remain indifferent.


    And if Rocky truly planned to occupy the City of Fury, then Erwin saw an opportunity. He would definitely have a chance to fight back!


    After all, the City of Fury was not like any ordinary Sky City; it was one of the Sacred Cities of the Heavenly Ancestor Church, meaning it was a religious city. Everyone in the city, from an eighty-year-old man to an eight-month-old baby, were followers of the Heavenly Ancestor Church, so conquering such a city was no easy task. Even with Rocky¡¯s current manpower and resources, he simply didn¡¯t have the ability.


    In this way, Rocky¡¯s considerable energy would be forced to focus on the City of Fury, but let¡¯s not forget that in no more than a week, reinforcements from Sky Might City would arrive at Backhill Village. By then, Rocky, whose energy had been sapped by the City of Fury, certainly wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.


    With this thought in mind, Erwin made his decision, aware of what he needed to do. He had to hold out until Sky Might City arrived, and then, with an inside-outside coordination, retake the city. Erwin believed that with faith in the Heavenly Ancestor Church, he just had to call to arms and the hundred thousand residents would surely stand by him. Therefore, he was absolutely capable of achieving this.


    Having made this plan, Erwin didn¡¯t delay at the Skyport any longer. He immediately mobilized all the remaining Void Magic Warriors in the city, then headed to the city area with all his officials.


    Erwin, too, had fought in sieges and was well aware of the process of capturing a Sky City. When Rocky breached the last barrier of the Defensive Net, he would immediately occupy the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. Therefore, Erwin would definitely not go to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. At the same time, Rocky would also send people to take control of the city area. However, the City of Fury had a population of no less than a hundred thousand, and just the area of the city zone was larger than Thunderhawk City itself. Therefore, even if Rocky deployed all his forces, he couldn¡¯t possibly occupy the entire city area¡ªthis was precisely why Erwin had gone there, waiting for the opportunity to retake the city.


    Erwin, who had always been stationed at the Skyport, thus left, but his departure didn¡¯t slow down Rocky¡¯s offensive in the slightest. After this, Rocky¡¯s assaults became increasingly fierce, and as time went on, the Void Magic Corps, newly reorganized, joined the fray under Rocky¡¯s lead. Under his command, all the Void Magic Warriors flew close to the Defensive Net, bombarding it with all their offensive measures to make a modest contribution to breaking through it as soon as possible. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As time passed by, amidst the relentless bombardment, the sun rose bit by bit from the east into the high sky, then slowly set in the west. An entire day passed like this, followed by the coming of nightfall. Shortly after dusk, the indestructible Defensive Net of the City of Fury was finally breached!


    As the Defensive Net shattered at last, Rocky finally penetrated into the City of Fury. Of course, at this point, the city hadn¡¯t truly fallen¡ªRocky had just knocked down the Defensive Net, and there were still many more tasks waiting for him.


    Naturally, Rocky was well aware of this, for it wasn¡¯t his first time seizing a Sky City. He had captured one during the great war between the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, and although what he had taken then was only a small Sky City, the specific steps in capturing a city were much the same, regardless of size.


    Therefore, after breaking through the Defensive Net, Rocky returned to the War Steed at once, then began issuing orders, ¡°Monte, take a portion of the Void Magic Corps and occupy the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. Lin Feng, take some to seize the Guard Camp. The fleet is to fly towards the city area for control and martial law. Act immediately!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±

 Chapter 673 - 673 635 In one fell swoop

    ?Chapter 673: Chapter 635: In one fell swoop Chapter 673: Chapter 635: In one fell swoop After Rocky issued his orders, Monte and Lin Feng immediately led the Void Magic Corps towards different directions, one to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and the other to the Guard Camp, to occupy these two crucial locations.


    At the same time, Rocky left ten warships at the Skyport, then personally led the rest of the fleet towards the city area, planning to gain control over it.


    However, as Erwin had anticipated, the number of troops Rocky brought with him was simply too few for a large Sky City with a population of one hundred thousand. It was relatively easy to take over the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and the Guard Camp, but he couldn¡¯t manage to control the city area at all.


    When Rocky and his fleet arrived above the city area, he looked down and saw an endless number of streets and an endless number of people.


    Unlike other cities, the City of Fury was a religious city. Therefore, when Rocky, the enemy, appeared in the skies above with his warships, the city¡¯s residents didn¡¯t hide in their homes as people from other cities would; quite the contrary, quite a number of them, led by priests, poured into the streets.


    These people all gathered at the front of the churches, the crowd was so large that the churches couldn¡¯t possibly hold them all, so they simply gathered outside and knelt in front of the churches to pray earnestly.


    Standing at the bow and seeing this scene, Rocky immediately felt a major headache. Faced with these residents, whose faith was so strong they clearly weren¡¯t afraid of death, to be honest, he didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Nevertheless, what had to be done would inevitably be done, and what was to come would inevitably come. How to handle the aftermath of capturing the City of Fury had been discussed with Athena long ago, so after sighing, Rocky began to direct the fleet, to scatter the warships across the entire city area, one ship controlling several streets, ready to fire at the first sign of an uprising, without the need to report back.


    In this way, Rocky managed to barely maintain control of the situation in the City of Fury, but he didn¡¯t stay there for long. He simply left his troops there to control the situation and prevent any sort of uprising, and he himself returned to Thunderhawk City.


    With his departure, Erwin who was hiding in the City of Fury received news immediately. Despite being reduced to hiding in a basement, Erwin was after all the City Lord of the City of Fury, and was not only intimately familiar with the city but also had numerous informants. In fact, against an external enemy like Rocky, every person in the city became his eyes and ears, allowing him to keep abreast of the situation without leaving the basement.


    ¡°My lord, should we take action?¡±


    Upon hearing the news that Rocky had returned to Thunderhawk City by daybreak, someone immediately suggested action. In their view, now that Rocky had left, it was the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the leaderless army of Thunderhawk City. If they counterattacked at this moment, there was a good chance they could retake control of the city.


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    However, as soon as this suggestion was made, Erwin scolded sharply, his eyes blazing. With no warship in the City of Fury, and not even two small squads of Void Magic Warriors, how could they possibly fight against Rocky¡¯s army?


    So after reprimanding his subordinate, Erwin said, ¡°Tell everyone outside, no one moves. Tell them all to hold their ground, don¡¯t act rashly; we wait until Sky Might City arrives before we make a move.¡±


    Having said this, Erwin frowned, apparently already thinking of other matters. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Indeed, Erwin was pondering over Rocky¡¯s movements. From Rocky¡¯s various actions in occupying the city, he could tell that his own judgment hadn¡¯t been wrong. Rocky¡¯s series of actions were indeed aimed at taking over the City of Fury. Of course, it was normal to want to take over such a large Sky City¡ªleaving it unclaimed would have been too wasteful. But Erwin was somewhat puzzled by Rocky¡¯s intentions because, under normal circumstances, Rocky should have been focusing all his attention on the City of Fury, so why had he suddenly returned to Thunderhawk City?


    Could it be¡­ something had happened?


    It had to be said, Erwin was indeed worthy of being the City Lord, his thinking was that of a City Lord. So on certain matters, his thoughts were spot on. Rocky had indeed hurried back to Thunderhawk City because there were matters waiting for him!


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t some accident or emergency, but rather, everything Rocky had arranged ten days ago was now beginning to bear fruit.


    First, the merchant ships of the Apple Tree Corporation and the Ruby Chamber of Commerce were about to arrive.


    Ten days ago, before Rocky had launched the final battle, even before a single new warship had been refitted, he had already contacted these two Chambers of Commerce, asking them to transport as many supplies as possible for him after ten days, and he also had all the factories in the city work overtime to produce enough materials for the Chambers of Commerce to ship out.


    This was clearly a plan Rocky had made in advance. He had contacted them ten days before, after calculating the exact time the Chambers of Commerce would need to reach Backhill Village. So, the day after the City of Fury fell, the merchant ships of the two Chambers arrived, hence Rocky immediately returned to Thunderhawk City.


    When he arrived back in Thunderhawk City, he went straight to the Skyport, only to see it filled with merchant ships loading and unloading goods. There were so many merchant ships sent by the two Chambers that many had to hover outside the Skyport, waiting their turn to load and unload.


    Seeing this, Rocky was finally able to relax because with this batch of supplies, it was estimated that Thunderhawk City would have no problem holding out for some time. This was extremely important because, after this, he didn¡¯t know what consequences his actions would lead to.


    In this situation, Rocky quickly met with representatives from the two Chambers of Commerce, gave them instructions, and then received news from Karina and Berg, who would be arriving that evening.


    Having already received information from the Apple Tree Corporation, Rocky knew that the Shadow Alliance was now standing against him, so he contacted Karina and Berg, asking them to help him spread news: on one hand, to let everyone know that the City of Fury had been defeated by him, and on the other, to announce that he had important news to share.


    Clearly, Rocky was preparing a grand plan unknown to outsiders, and indeed that was the case. Ever since deciding to contribute Rune Technology to the City of Fury, he had been planning and preparing. The two tasks entrusted to Karina and Berg were of great significance to everything he was about to do next. He had to draw everyone¡¯s attention once more¡ªit was the only way to secure a glimmer of hope for himself.


    This glimmer of hope was something Rocky had fought desperately for, using all his resources. He had to seize it at all costs; failure was not an option. Thus, upon learning that Karina and Berg would arrive that evening, Rocky immediately made preparations. Whether his plans would succeed or not, it was all or nothing now!

 Chapter 674 - 674 636 Contradiction

    ?Chapter 674: Chapter 636: Contradiction Chapter 674: Chapter 636: Contradiction The arrival of Karina and Berg indeed brought quite a bit of good news for Rocky.


    First and foremost, they had disseminated all the messages that needed to be spread, although the Shadow Alliance had blocked all intelligence regarding Backhill Village, keeping the outside world completely ignorant of the recent events there, still assuming Rocky¡¯s situation was precarious. However, once Karina and Berg both disclosed the news of City of Fury¡¯s defeat, it turned the outside world on its head.


    If the ones spreading this message had been ordinary people, nine times out of ten, the outside world would not have easily believed it. Years of habit would have the majority still regarding the Shadow Alliance¡¯s intelligence as the most reliable. However, Karina and Berg were different. Everyone knew that they were Rocky¡¯s close friends. Though the three had not signed any treaties, their relationship was undoubtedly that of an alliance. Therefore, the news coming from their mouths, especially matters concerning Rocky, held considerable credibility.


    What¡¯s more, the two then shared another piece of news, that Rocky was preparing to announce something significant soon, and anyone interested could go to Backhill Village. Once this message spread, it not only garnered a lot of attention but also further validated the defeat of City of Fury. If City of Fury had not been defeated, there would have been no way to gain access to Backhill Village. It would have been impossible for Rocky to announce any significant news, let alone invite everyone to Backhill Village.


    Of course, there were those who thought this was a smokescreen cast by Rocky, believing he intended to ensnare others with false news deliberately spread to buy time for himself by dragging others into the fray. However, this guess quickly fell apart. After all, no one is a fool¡ªif City of Fury was still blockading Backhill Village, who would willingly be the sucker? Rocky¡¯s actions would be utterly meaningless in that case.


    As a result, the focus of the outside world immediately reconvened on Backhill Village, and then everyone started to marvel at how Rocky had managed to defeat City of Fury.


    After all, City of Fury was a major Sky City and also one of the Holy Cities of the Heavenly Ancestor Church. Its strength far exceeded that of a typical major Sky City. How exactly did Rocky manage to overcome such a formidable opponent?


    Speculation about this affair naturally yielded no answers, since the Shadow Alliance had blocked all intelligence regarding this major battle, leaving the outside world with no way of knowing any details. But the world never lacks for clever people, and soon some surmised the real answer.


    Technology!


    New technology!


    People had long been familiar with the story of Rocky¡¯s rise to fame. In this context, with just a bit of thought on how Rocky started on his path to prominence, it was clear that he owed his current fame and level of attention to technology. Even the fact that he was currently targeted and besieged by the various forces was due to technology. Therefore, his defeat of City of Fury must have also been thanks to the technology he possessed.


    Having grasped this point, people immediately turned to the second matter¡ªwhat important news was Rocky planning to announce?


    Could it be¡­ he was ready to reveal the new technology he held?


    The idea, once it emerged, excited many people because the technology that Rocky controlled wasn¡¯t just empty talk. His technology had tangible and legitimate results, like the famed White Demon Armor, a product of new technology. So, the thought that Rocky might disclose new technology thrilled many, and some were even preparing to set off for Backhill Village.


    Of course, this same news also unsettled some people, such as Rick and the like.


    Outsiders didn¡¯t know what had happened in Backhill Village, but Rick and his group were quite clear on the matter. They had learned of the situation on the day that the City of Fury fell, and Rick¡¯s reaction was no less intense than that of the outside world; in fact, he might have been the most shocked of all.


    ¡°How could this be¡­¡±


    Sitting in the conference room, Rick, though shocked, was not in a panic. At that moment, he seemed like an old man who had been through many vicissitudes of life, quietly contemplating. The others in the meeting room were silent, not daring to interrupt his train of thought. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Rocky¡¯s grasp of Mana Runes has reached this extent¡­¡±


    With his hands interlocked on the table, Rick muttered to himself, ¡°Rune Armor, Rune Battleships¡­ it seems he has fully developed the Mana Runes. This is not good news.¡±


    Since Erwin had not been captured, Rick maintained contact with him. Rick understood better than anyone the fighting capability of Rocky¡¯s Rune Fleet and Rune Air Demon Squad and how the City of Fury was defeated. As he had noted, Rocky¡¯s command over the Mana Runes had reached a level where they could be applied across all military domains. This was not good for Rick, as he was the one directly confronting Rocky.


    In fact, this was the crux of Rick¡¯s dilemma. Strictly speaking, if he launched a full assault, he could still obliterate Rocky, even now that Rocky had fully mastered the Mana Runes and had applied them to both battleships and warships. The gap in absolute strength between them was still too great. The Heavenly Ancestor Church alone possessed five grand Sky Cities, and even with the City of Fury conquered, they still had four remaining. They also had many City Lords who were faithful to the Church. If Rick, as the Sect Hierarch, gave the command, these City Lords would swiftly besiege Backhill Village, making it impenetrable. If it came to battle, Rick was bound to win.


    But he couldn¡¯t do that because he dared not completely wipe out Rocky. He feared that in being destroyed, Rocky would also destroy all of his research. Thus, even if Rick eventually got his hands on the Mana Runes, he would have to start the research from scratch. This was unacceptable to him and all his allies, as they were running out of time.


    As one of the world¡¯s most formidable forces, just below The Three Great Alliances, Rick had a much deeper understanding of the current global situation than the average City Lord. He knew that the third counter-offensive war was imminent, ready to erupt at any moment. He, along with the Magic Energy Research Institute, the Kafka Empire, the Shadow Alliance, and the two giant Armor manufacturers, had set their sights on Rocky to acquire all technologies related to Mana Runes before the outbreak of war. That way, they would hold an absolutely dominant position in the third counter-offensive. This was what they aimed for.


    Therefore, they had no time to start from scratch with Mana Rune research. Otherwise, they might not achieve any results until the war was over. They needed finished products, the ready-made technology that Rocky had developed. It was this objective that drove them to coerce Rocky in every way, to force him into compliance, to make him willingly hand over all Rune Technology.


    However, this also sparked a contradiction: if Rocky refused to yield, even resorting to using the cutting-edge technology at his disposal for a counterattack, they would be in a very difficult position. Unfortunately, that was the situation they found themselves in now¡­

 Chapter 675 - 675 637 Full Support

    ?Chapter 675: Chapter 637: Full Support! Chapter 675: Chapter 637: Full Support! Actually, for people like Rick, Rocky¡¯s reaction indeed greatly exceeded their expectations.


    From the beginning, they had never intended to target Rocky clandestinely, as if Rocky had nearly figured out who was targeting him. Initially, Rick and his associates wanted Rocky to know the formidable enemy he was facing because the more he realized this, the more he would comprehend the futility of his resistance and the easier it would be for him to give up. However, they never anticipated that Rocky¡¯s reaction would be so fierce and radical, continuing to vehemently deny the obvious despite knowing that many were out to get him.


    Even more surprisingly, his obstinate denials indeed did harm to others, which now made things difficult for everyone, especially Rick.


    Rick¡¯s current situation could truly be described as awkward. First, his losses were undoubtedly the greatest. The fall of City of Fury was also unbearable for him. Perhaps if Rocky did not destroy City of Fury, he was confident that he could recapture it, but the massive loss of thousands of warships sank was irreplaceable. To form a fleet of thousands of warships required tens of millions of gold coins.


    At the same time, let¡¯s not forget that Rick lost more than just City of Fury. His losses were not just his fleet; his son Zuluo was still in Rocky¡¯s hands. This truly confirmed the old saying: he had lost both his wife and his soldiers; now, Rick had lost both his son and his soldiers.


    So after muttering to himself for a few moments, Rick lifted his head again and looked at the people in the meeting room, ¡°Send orders to Sky Might City to be extra cautious, try to avoid direct conflict with Rocky, I will immediately dispatch aid from other cities to Backhill Village.¡±


    After saying this, he turned to look at his deputy, ¡°Contact Dyke City and Stars City, have them immediately head to Backhill Village to support Sky Might City.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With that response, the deputy immediately left the meeting room, clearly to make contact with the two Sky Cities Rick mentioned.


    The two cities Rick mentioned, Dyke City and Stars City, were both medium-sized Sky Cities. Although neither was directly overseen by the Heavenly Ancestor Church, the City Lords of both cities were loyal followers of the Heavenly Ancestor Church and had received great favors from it. So with just a word from Rick, the Sect Hierarch, both cities were ready to go through fire and water for him.


    Having arranged all this, Rick then left the meeting room and headed to a secret chamber.


    When he arrived at the secret chamber, representatives from the Magic Energy Research Institute, Kafka Empire, Shadow Alliance, and two major Armor companies were already waiting for him.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the situation has gone beyond our control,¡± Rick began, but his mood was noticeably calmer than before, a trait of his personality. As City Lord and Sect Hierarch, he tended to become more composed during crises, and the situation he was now facing was certainly enough to bring out that calmness.


    ¡°Rocky¡¯s mastery of runes has indeed exceeded our expectations¡­¡±


    At this point, an Elder from the Magic Energy Research Institute spoke up. Being an Elder of the Institute, he was a master in the academic field, his status and ability at least on par with Aniye, so his words carried much authority.


    ¡°But this also means that his value is greater than ever before,¡±


    Then a person from the Kafka Empire chimed in, hitting the nail on the head with just one sentence that addressed the crux of the matter.


    The more outstanding the performance of the Mana Runes, the more it proved that their actions were justified. Such formidable technology must not remain in Rocky¡¯s hands nor could they allow the Sky Alliance to monopolize it; they had to have a share!


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I now need your support,¡± Rick stated after the person from Kafka Empire finished speaking, for he indeed needed their support now more than ever. Rocky had already utilized his new technology, making it difficult to proceed as originally planned to systematically suppress him unless they deployed their entire forces to annihilate him.


    ¡°Lord Rick, I have already dispatched a convoy, and it won¡¯t be long before the new mass production type Holy Angel Armor reaches Heavenly Ancestor City, sufficient to help you counter the new Armor crafted by Rocky,¡± said Denise, representing Sigma Corporation, and not just anyone.


    Since her last encounter with Rocky at Thunderhawk City, Denise knew that any possibility of cooperating with Rocky was off the table since he had joined forces with the Apple Tree Corporation. Thus, when the Magic Energy Research Institute and Kafka Empire approached her father, Denise immediately convinced him to become one of the masterminds targeting Rocky, not out of revenge but purely for business needs!


    For Sigma Corporation, they were already lagging in the research of the sixth generation Armor. If it weren¡¯t for the Holy Angel Armor developed by Denise that helped save the company¡¯s fortunes, who knows what their current situation might be. Hence, she could not allow the company to fall behind in Rune Technology. If cooperation was not feasible to acquire Rune Technology from Rocky, then Denise and Sigma Corporation would have to resort to forceful measures to seize it.


    ¡°Lord Rick, we will also provide you with a batch of the latest experimental armor. Although it is only experimental, it already embodies the prototype of the sixth generation armor. I believe this batch of armor can help you counter the elite forces under Rocky, even Rocky himself,¡± declared Denise after indicating that the Holy Angel Armor would be shipped to Heavenly Ancestor City.


    After Denise¡¯s remarks, a representative from Uranus Corporation spoke up, promising to provide Rick with a batch of sixth generation experimental battle armor to combat Rocky¡¯s elite forces, even his White Demon Armor!


    ¡°Rick, we will also immediately send a fleet to Heavenly Ancestor City, equipped with the latest warship technology developed by the Institute. I believe they are capable of contending with Rune Armor,¡± finally spoke the Elder from the Magic Energy Research Institute, promising to provide Rick with a fleet equipped with the institute¡¯s latest technology!


    ¡°Good!¡±


    Upon hearing these words from the Alliance, Rick nodded, feeling more reassured because with their support, especially with the weapons and equipment they provided, Rocky¡¯s technological advantage would naturally no longer be as pronounced. With sufficient forces, confining him back to Backhill Village would no longer be a difficult task.

 Chapter 676 - 676 638 Minor Character

    ?Chapter 676: Chapter 638 Minor Character Chapter 676: Chapter 638 Minor Character ¡°I just can¡¯t believe it. Although I know how you did it, it¡¯s still hard to believe you really did it¡­¡±


    In the City Lord¡¯s Hall of the City of Fury, Berg sat down on the City Lord¡¯s Throne while talking, touching this and looking at that, like a curious baby.


    ¡°Is my White Demon Armor ready yet? And the Thunderhawk Armor, Rocky, you can¡¯t keep dragging this out on me.¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ignoring Berg, Karina said directly to Rocky, demanding the Armor that rightfully belonged to her.


    Previously, to exchange for the technology of the Moving Fortress, Rocky had promised to give Karina a set of the White Demon Armor. Furthermore, the two had signed another deal for Karina to purchase a batch of Thunderhawk Armor from Rocky.


    ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t forgotten about this. You can take everything away this time.¡±


    Rocky certainly hadn¡¯t forgotten about this, so he nodded, having already completed the White Demon Armor promised to Karina and also her ordered Thunderhawk Armor. She could take everything with her this time.


    Hearing this, a smile finally appeared on Karina¡¯s face, then she turned to glance at Berg, ¡°Enough, don¡¯t act like a country bumpkin. Is that a place where you should be sitting?¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s not my place to sit. This should be the illustrious Rocky¡¯s spot.¡±


    After Karina¡¯s comment, Berg stood up from the City Lord¡¯s Throne with a chuckle, then made an exaggerated gesture towards Rocky, as if inviting him to ascend to the Throne.


    Indeed, the one who conquered the City of Fury was Rocky, so the only person who truly had the right to sit on the Lord of the City of Fury¡¯s Throne was undoubtedly Rocky.


    Unfortunately, faced with Berg¡¯s exaggerated display, Rocky shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t plan to occupy this city.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Upon hearing his words, neither Karina nor Berg seemed too surprised. Both had already discussed Rocky¡¯s situation and mutually agreed that although Rocky had truly conquered the City of Fury, occupying it would be the worst move. The City of Fury was indeed a unique and large Sky City, but it was also a tough nut to crack. If Rocky truly intended to swallow it, it would be stuck in his throat for a long time, making his situation awkward before it could be completely digested.


    So when they learned that Rocky did not intend to occupy the city, both nodded, showing not only understanding but also agreement.


    ¡°What do you plan to do next? Use the City of Fury and Zuluo as bargaining chips to negotiate with Rick?¡±


    After looking at Rocky, Karina asked.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t plan to negotiate with Rick. It doesn¡¯t matter whether we talk or not because their target is the Rune Technology in my possession. Unless they get all of my technology, they will not stop.¡±


    ¡°Rune Technology?¡±


    Although they could be considered Rocky¡¯s best friends, Karina and Berg were hearing about Rune Technology from him for the first time and couldn¡¯t help feeling puzzled, but Rocky soon explained it to them.


    About half an hour later, after Rocky finished explaining everything about Runes to them, he looked up to find Karina and Berg completely astonished.


    ¡°My God¡­ you actually, actually had such good luck! You found something so terrifying?¡±


    Berg stared wide-eyed at Rocky, his face a picture of disbelief, immediately followed by an excited fist pump, ¡°We¡¯re gonna be rich! We¡¯re rich this time!¡±


    ¡°Rocky! Brother! Let¡¯s sign a contract right now, my Lingyu City is going to sell your Rune Armor and Rune Battleships!¡±


    As a consummate businessman, once Berg learned that Rocky had mastered such advanced technology, he naturally thought of his own business. It was foreseeable that as soon as Rocky produced Armor and warships equipped with Rune Technology, the whole world would undoubtedly fall into a frenzy. And as one of Rocky¡¯s best friends, Berg would definitely not miss this opportunity!


    ¡°So, the White Demon Armor is equipped with Rune Technology? And the Moving Fortress can apply Rune Technology after its transformation?¡±


    Compared to the excited Berg, Karina¡¯s thoughts were entirely on another track. She was equally amazed at the technology Rocky possessed, but quickly associated it with the Moving Fortress she had discovered with Rocky, then gave Rocky a sharp look.


    ¡°Rocky, I feel like I¡¯ve been tricked by you!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, I never¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop talking.¡± Karina gave Rocky a glare, cutting him off directly, ¡°From now on, my orders must take priority over other customers, and you have to sell me the Rune Armor and Rune Battleships at the factory price, or we can forget about seeing each other again!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, you call the shots.¡±


    Faced with the formidable Karina, Rocky simply spread his hands. Since he could not clearly explain the situation with the Moving Fortress, he decided not to offer any further explanation, which finally calmed Karina down.


    ¡°Tell me, what exactly are you planning to do? Are you planning to reveal the Runes to the whole world?¡±


    Having received a satisfactory answer, Karina then guided the conversation back on track.


    From the news spread by Rocky, and adding everything he had just said, Karina and Berg had pretty much guessed Rocky¡¯s next move. He was certainly planning to unveil Rune Technology to attract the world¡¯s attention, thereby putting pressure on parties like Rick.


    ¡°No.¡± Yet Rocky shook his head directly, ¡°Originally, that was my plan, but now I have changed my mind. I have already asked Liliya to send out invitations to everyone she can contact, asking them to rush to Backhill Village as soon as possible, but at that time I will only reveal White Demon Armor and Thunderhawk Armor, not the Rune Technology.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    After he finished speaking, Karina and Berg both frowned in unison.


    Naturally, the White Demon Armor was a top Armor that attracted worldwide attention, and the Thunderhawk Armor, due to its use of Rune Technology, was bound to draw interest. But frankly, even if the impact produced by these two types of Armor combined was not likely to be as great as that of Rune Technology itself, which was exactly why Karina and Berg were confused. If Rocky wanted to garner everyone¡¯s attention, why not reveal the Rune Technology outright? Anyway, according to what he said, those who were supposed to know about this technology already knew about its existence, and it didn¡¯t matter if those who shouldn¡¯t know were told.


    ¡°I actually just want to invite people to come over here for a look.¡±


    As if he had sensed their confusion, Rocky continued.


    ¡°Look at what?¡±


    ¡°To see just how terrifying a small fry can be once they start to go mad.¡±

 Chapter 677 - 677 639 Hatred

    ?Chapter 677: Chapter 639: Hatred Chapter 677: Chapter 639: Hatred Just as Rocky himself had said, after Karina and Berg arrived, he arranged for Liliya to invite the guests. So, at this point, many people had not only received the invitations but were also on their way.


    ¡°In any case, as long as you have thought it through.¡±


    Although Berg didn¡¯t quite understand what Rocky meant, he didn¡¯t ask further. Knowing Rocky as he did, Berg was aware that Rocky was not one to act recklessly. Whatever he did was well-prepared, and there was no need for others to worry excessively.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the present, what do we want to do by bringing us here?¡±


    Karina too began to speak, glancing around as she talked. She and Berg were currently in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion in City of Fury, obviously arranged by Rocky, but why? It couldn¡¯t just be to show off his own war spoils, could it?


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s to ask for your help.¡±


    ¡°Help with what?¡±


    ¡°Help with moving stuff.¡±


    Rocky replied with a slight smile.


    He had his own plans for City of Fury, but whatever the plan, it was certainly not about occupying the city. So, before that, he planned to move everything that could be moved out of City of Fury!


    Therefore, taking advantage of Karina and Berg being present, he brought them both along. After all, he was pressed for time, and City of Fury was so large that it would be impossible to move everything on his own.


    Upon hearing this, Karina and Berg exchanged glances and both smiled.


    Soon after, a large fleet of warships flew out of Thunderhawk City, Rose City, and Berg City. The three Sky Cities had nearly emptied their nests, sending out every warship, cargo ship, and merchant ship to gather at the Skyport of the City of Fury.


    It must be said that as a large Sky City, the Skyport of City of Fury was really vast. Even with all the skyships deployed from the three cities, the port wasn¡¯t filled to capacity, which, for Rocky, turned out to be a good thing.


    So when all the skyships arrived, he issued the order for all the pre-positioned Guard Corps to go out and scour the entirety of City of Fury for anything valuable!


    This time, Rocky and his team had very limited time because, according to his calculations, it would only be a few days before Rick from Backhill Village sent the reinforcements. By then, there would be no more opportunity to loot the resources of the City of Fury, so they had to act quickly, which was why he had called both Karina and Berg.


    When it came to looting a city, at least Rocky and Karina were very experienced. In the past, during the war between the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire, they each had conquered a Sky City. Although they eventually destroyed both cities, a great deal of looting was done beforehand, and that experience gave them insights on how to quickly remove valuable items from a city.


    Furthermore, although they were pressed for time, they still had several days, which was much better than before. This allowed them more time to loot, as a large Sky City like City of Fury had an abundance of lootable goods. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Money, supplies, food, and such were a given to be taken away, but let¡¯s not forget the countless factories within such a large city; Rocky had no intention of sparing those either.


    Perhaps some might wonder, how can one move factories?


    Of course, the factories themselves couldn¡¯t be moved, but the machinery and equipment inside could be!


    Thus, when Rocky gave the command, Monte and Lin Feng split up and took action. One led a team to seize gold coins and supplies, while the other headed straight for the city district. Upon arrival, they knocked open the doors of one factory after another and took out all the machinery and equipment. And if some pieces of equipment were too large, they would simply contact the Void Magic Squad to tear down one of the factory walls.


    After the fall of City of Fury, martial law was declared. The residents who had gathered in the streets had been slowly forced back to their homes by Rocky, so all the factories in the city had stopped production. However, the actions of the Guard Corps were seen by many, and every onlooker¡¯s eyes were filled with hatred. If not for the warship cannons looming overhead and the Void Magic Warriors patrolling the skies, these residents might have revolted.


    Of course, this was not surprising, because in the eyes of these residents, Rocky was an invader. They loathed Rocky, even though their city had almost trapped Rocky alive in Backhill Village before. This didn¡¯t stop them from seeing Rocky as an invader. They didn¡¯t care what they themselves had done to Rocky, but they hated everything Rocky had done to them.


    Rocky, on one hand, had been mentally prepared for such emotions from the residents, and on the other hand, he didn¡¯t mind at all. He had anticipated that the residents would view him this way, which is why he had quickly discarded the idea of occupying City of Fury. He had no desire to be mired in a quagmire filled with hatred.


    In this situation, Rocky didn¡¯t care how the hundred thousand inhabitants of City of Fury regarded him. He just methodically carried out his plan, aiming to loot as much from City of Fury in the shortest possible time.


    On the one hand, this approach of his caused public outrage, and on the other hand, it also confused Erwin.


    In fact, many things puzzled Erwin, and this particular matter was just one of them. He had always assumed that Rocky intended to occupy City of Fury. Therefore, when he found out that Rocky was dismantling factories and moving supplies, he couldn¡¯t help but be perplexed; similarly, he was also baffled as to why Rocky had not sent anyone to capture him.


    You see, although he had hidden before the fall of City of Fury, it had been two or three days since the occupation, and yet Rocky had not made any extensive efforts to capture him. This puzzled Erwin; was Rocky blinded by victory, or was he arrogant enough to deem him irrelevant?


    Truth be told, even as a City Lord himself, now even he was somewhat unclear about what act Rocky was playing.


    Meanwhile, as Erwin was at a loss, Thunderhawk City was gradually bustling with activity.


    Since City of Fury was being looted, the Skyport of Thunderhawk City saw long queues every day, with numerous skyships laden with war spoils lining up to land at the port, keeping it lively around the clock.


    On the other hand, those who had heard the news early on, and later received Rocky¡¯s invitation, were also arriving one after another!

 Chapter 678 - 678 640 Sky Might City

    ?Chapter 678: Chapter 640: Sky Might City Chapter 678: Chapter 640: Sky Might City Just as Rocky had transported all the resources of City of Fury to Thunderhawk City, those guests who had received his invitations, or even those who came uninvited, also began to arrive.


    Unlike the travel time required from Sky City to Backhill Village, if one simply took a fleet to Backhill Village, it would be much faster, as the speed of a warship was ultimately much faster than that of Sky City. Moreover, Karina and Berg had already spread the news earlier, and many people had been prepared from the beginning, so everyone¡¯s arrival seemed quick, which was completely reasonable.


    For these guests, Rocky naturally offered a warm welcome. With the experience of several previous occasions, he was not only familiar with such situations but had even become quite skilled at handling them. However, perhaps due to Rocky¡¯s now greater fame than before, the number of guests who came to Thunderhawk City this time far exceeded his expectations. Not only did the invited guests show up, but there were even more who came uninvited.


    However, Rocky was very welcoming to those uninvited guests as well, because for him, the more people, the better.


    In this situation, the two cities under Rocky¡¯s rule became lively once again; even Thunderhawk City became packed, and many people were accommodated in Carltos City. Meanwhile, City of Fury¡¯s skyport was also being utilized.


    Although everyone had heard through the grapevine that City of Fury had been defeated, this news had not yet been confirmed by the Shadow Alliance. Thus, the guests were quite cautious on their way there, and each significant figure brought along quite a few escort fleets. Consequently, a problem arose when everyone realized that City of Fury was indeed defeated, and even the entire city had fallen¡ªthey discovered that there was simply no room for all of the escort fleets arriving simultaneously at Thunderhawk City and Carltos City.


    With no other choice, these fleets had to be parked at City of Fury¡¯s skyport. Fortunately, City of Fury¡¯s skyport was large enough, and in the past few days, Rocky and his team had moved out the materials that needed to be transported, thus freeing up a significant amount of space, which allowed the numerous escort fleets to find a place to anchor.


    After everything was arranged, Rocky announced to the guests that he would be holding a press conference in two days to disclose significant news.


    This immediately excited the guests in the city, who were eagerly waiting for the news Rocky was about to announce. However, it must be admitted that Rocky¡¯s arrangement was somewhat rushed, as many guests had sent messages stating they were on their way and hoped he could wait for them, but Rocky did not wait.


    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to wait; he simply couldn¡¯t.


    The press conference set to take place in two days was carefully planned by Rocky because he had already learned from the reconnaissance ships he had sent out that the reinforcements sent by Rick from Sky Might City had reached near Skybreaker Peak and would arrive at Backhill Village in two more days!


    That was why Rocky had scheduled the press conference for two days later.


    At the same time, after setting the exact date of the press conference, he issued orders to activate the flying mode for Thunderhawk City, Carltos City, and City of Fury, causing the three sky cities under his rule to simultaneously take off from Backhill Village. As for the direction of their flight, it was precisely toward the approaching Sky Might City.


    This move naturally caught the attention of the guests, many of whom frowned upon hearing about it. Everyone was guessing what Rocky planned to do, and it was inevitable that some people would think he intended to use the guests in the cities to threaten Sky Might City. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Was Rocky planning to make Sky Might City wary of the guests inside, consequently keeping a respectful distance from him?


    At first glance, it seemed Rocky really intended to do this, but upon further reflection, it appeared unlikely because the guests in Thunderhawk City at that time were no fools. These individuals were either city lords, presidents of the chamber of commerce, or even Alliance Hierarchs. How could they be easily used as pawns? If Rocky really meant to do this, he would be making enemies with the entire world.


    Therefore, although everyone was puzzled by Rocky¡¯s actions, no one said much. After all, those who dared to meet with Rocky at this time were not simple characters. Far from being afraid, they were actually curious and excited, eager to see what Rocky was truly planning.


    Thus, the two days passed quickly, and the three sky cities that had activated their flying mode soon reached the outskirts of Skybreaker Peak, and, as expected, they encountered Sky Might City before the press conference even started!


    When the two sides met, the atmosphere naturally became tense. On Rocky¡¯s side, City of Fury led the way, with Thunderhawk City and Carltos City lined up behind it. Opposite them was the solitary Sky Might City, but despite being the only sky city, no one dared underestimate it, as its combat strength was not only on par with the former City of Fury but even stronger!


    In this situation, the many guests inside Thunderhawk City were the happiest. Facing the formidable Sky Might City, they were not afraid at all because even if Sky Might City dared to attack Rocky and even defeat him, they wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to them. This meant that not only could they witness the significant news Rocky was about to announce, but they could also enjoy a fantastic show, which was indeed a great bargain.


    Compared to the excited guests inside Thunderhawk City, Achilles, the city lord of Sky Might City, was much more troubled.


    Firstly, Achilles hadn¡¯t expected Rocky to play such a move; he hadn¡¯t expected that within the short time from conquering City of Fury to his own arrival, Rocky would have invited so many guests to Thunderhawk City, making it difficult for Achilles to handle.


    With the powerful support of the Shadow Alliance, Achilles had already received first-hand intelligence; he had a complete list of the guests inside Thunderhawk City and Carltos City, including several dozen city lords, more than ten presidents or directors of the chambers of commerce, and even a few Alliance Hierarchs. With so many significant figures gathered in Thunderhawk City, Achilles was left without options.


    Secondly, he had also received Rick¡¯s orders to be extremely cautious when dealing with Rocky, even to the point of holding off on any action until other reinforcements arrived.


    ¡°This Rocky¡­ he really knows how to stir things up¡­¡±


    After personally riding his flagship to scout the area around the city, Achilles cursed fiercely, then returned to Sky Might City. He immediately issued orders: ¡°Send someone to inform Erwin in City of Fury, tell him we have arrived and to be ready at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    With a response, the subordinate who received the order quickly left to contact Erwin, who had been continuously preparing inside City of Fury.

 Chapter 679 - 679 641 Press Conference

    ?Chapter 679: Chapter 641: Press Conference Chapter 679: Chapter 641: Press Conference As for how to take control of Sky City, Achilles clearly had his own plans. His first step was to reclaim City of Fury as soon as reinforcements arrived.


    The fall of City of Fury was too significant for the Heavenly Ancestor Church, striking a big blow to their morale. Therefore, it was vital to recapture the city. Besides, even setting everything else aside, such a large-scale Sky City was simply too important to lose. Thus, Achilles had long reported to Rick and received approval. He would be the first to take back City of Fury from Rocky.


    However, recapturing it through frontal combat alone was not going to be easy and would require the support of Erwin from within the city. A pincer move would greatly increase their chances of success. Therefore, Achilles reached out to Erwin, telling him to be ready to resist at any moment. Upon receiving the message, Erwin did not dare to delay, immediately relaying the word, instructing all his underlings and everyone in the city to be prepared. As soon as the battle outside began, they would immediately start an uprising to take back control of the city!


    Meanwhile, as Erwin and Achilles were planning to recapture City of Fury, Rocky held a press conference on schedule and, as he had previously stated, formally announced the White Demon Armor and Thunderhawk Armor to the public.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, as my teacher, Master Orton, has introduced, the first-generation White Demon Armor is indeed created based on our latest developed Rune Technology as its core. I need not go into detail about the armor¡¯s combat capabilities. Of course, I believe everyone is very interested in the specific data of the White Demon, so please welcome my other teacher, Master Hammerfire!¡±


    In this press conference, Rocky took the role of the host himself. Just moments ago, Orton had taken the stage to briefly explain some concepts of Rune Technology. Although Orton, with his peculiar personality, managed to include at least three technical terms in every sentence, making most people unable to understand him, the more complex it sounded, the more impressive it seemed to the audience, who felt respect for the seemingly incomprehensible expertise.


    Afterward, with Rocky¡¯s introduction and amid applause from the crowd, Hammerfire, who was over a meter tall, stepped onto the podium and personally elucidated on the numerous data points of the White Demon.


    Such detailed explanations finally made the audience aware of the specific parameters of the White Demon. They were both surprised and slightly disappointed. The surprising aspect was the White Demon¡¯s adoption of new technologies, namely Rune Technology. The disappointing aspect, however, was that the armor¡¯s performance metrics didn¡¯t seem as outstanding as people had imagined.


    Considering the past achievements of the White Demon, its capabilities were clearly far superior to the traditional fifth-generation Special Armor, and it could even rival the fifth and a half generation Holy Angel Armor. Yet the data Rocky disclosed seemed to fall short of everyone¡¯s expectations. To them, the White Demon¡¯s parameters might surpass those of the average Special Armor, but still, there was a considerable gap compared to the Holy Angel Armor.


    This confusion didn¡¯t take long to be raised during the subsequent question-and-answer session. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, is the White Demon Armor you announced the same as the one you¡¯re currently using?¡±


    ¡°No, this is the first-generation White Demon Armor. The one I¡¯m using now is the second-generation White Demon Armor.¡±


    Finally, Rocky provided a reasonable explanation. It turned out that he had disclosed only the data of the first-generation White Demon Armor, while the one he used to defeat the Holy Angel was the second-generation. That¡¯s how it was.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, why not announce the second-generation White Demon Armor as well?¡±


    ¡°Because the second-generation White Demon Armor is still being perfected.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, will you sell the White Demon Armor externally?¡±


    ¡°It is under consideration.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, could you elaborate on the Rune Technology mentioned earlier?¡±


    ¡°Rune technology is a brand-new technology that is based on the research of Mana Runes. As for Mana Runes¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but that is a commercial secret, so I¡¯m unable to share with everyone,¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, do you think Rune Armor can have an impact on traditional armor?¡±


    ¡°Rune Armor will completely phase out traditional armor,¡±


    As soon as these words were spoken, a gasp rippled through the venue of the press conference. Then after a brief pause, everyone raised their hands as if they all had questions to ask.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, do you really think that Rune Armor is already a threat to the research of the sixth generation armor?¡±


    ¡°I believe it¡¯s not just a threat; in fact, I think the development of the sixth-generation armor should be stopped directly. There¡¯s no need to waste time and resources on a product that is certain to be phased out,¡±


    ¡°Alright, if anyone has questions, you can ask them later. Right now, I would like to introduce another type of armor. Similarly based on Rune Technology at its core, this armor differs from the White Demon Armor. This is a Mass Production Type Rune Armor intended for export,¡±


    The move by Rocky to stop further questions left many feeling disappointed. Although these individuals weren¡¯t journalists, they had just as many questions about the White Demon Armor and Rune Technology that they wanted clarity on. However, the next words from Rocky immediately captured everyone¡¯s attention.


    What did he just say?


    Export Type Rune Armor?!


    As soon as the word ¡°export¡± was heard, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up. Let¡¯s not forget that the attendees of the press conference were either City Lords or Alliance Hierarchs, and at the very least, Guild Presidents or directors of a Chamber of Commerce. Although they hadn¡¯t fully grasped what Rune Technology entailed yet, they could tell from City Lord Rocky¡¯s confident demeanor that the technology was epoch-making. Thus, the mention of an export-ready Rune Armor instantly invigorated them.


    Subsequently, under the rapt attention of the audience, Rocky began to introduce the Thunderhawk Armor to everyone.


    ¡°The initial design purpose of this armor¡­¡±


    Standing before everyone, and pointing at the actual Thunderhawk Armor behind him, Rocky explained every aspect of the armor to the audience, adeptly handling the task as it wasn¡¯t his first time promoting his Thunderhawk Armor to outsiders.


    After about twenty minutes, Rocky finished introducing all aspects of the Thunderhawk Armor and concluded with a segment of combat footage.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this footage was recorded ten days ago during a battle where warriors fully demonstrated the battlefield superiority of the Thunderhawk Armor, facing enemies three times their number and ultimately achieving victory. I believe this is sufficient to prove the excellence of Thunderhawk Armor,¡±


    After these words, Rocky moved to the side, and immediately a segment of Magic Energy Image appeared in front of everyone.


    This footage was recorded during Rocky¡¯s decisive battle with the City of Fury and had been edited. Therefore, the content displayed was not only thrilling and varied, but also consisted of scenes where the Thunderhawk Armor battled against two, three, and even four opponents at once before ultimately defeating them. This left the audience in astonished exclamations, and by the time the footage ended, their gazes towards the calmly displayed Thunderhawk Armor on the stage completely changed.

 Chapter 680 - 680 642 Curtain Call Performance

    ?Chapter 680: Chapter 642: Curtain Call Performance! Chapter 680: Chapter 642: Curtain Call Performance! ¡°City Lord Rocky! How much is the Thunderhawk Armor, and can I place a preorder now!?¡±


    As the Magic Energy Image ended, the crowd erupted instantly, their interest in the Thunderhawk Armor skyrocketing as if they were injected with adrenalin. It was hardly surprising¡ªalthough the images shown by Rocky had been edited, depicting only scenes of the Thunderhawk Armor defeating enemies, the audience could clearly see, despite the possible exaggerations, that the combat capability of the Thunderhawk Armor was undeniable.


    Everyone could see that the opponents in the Magic Energy Image, although also clad in mass-produced armor, were wearing the Rael Type 3, a top-tier fifth-generation mass-produced armor. The ability to defeat enemies equipped with such armor, defeating them in scenarios of one against two, one against three, or even one against four, was enough to prove that the Thunderhawk Armor¡¯s combat capabilities far exceeded those of the standard fifth-generation mass-produced armor, and naturally, this excited everyone.


    Moreover, when Rocky introduced the Thunderhawk Armor, he repeatedly emphasized that the armor was primarily designed to combat flying demons, and fighting Void Magic Warriors was only secondary, it couldn¡¯t even unleash 100% of Thunderhawk Armor¡¯s capabilities, which undoubtedly hit everyone¡¯s soft spot.


    The world was now constantly disrupted by demonic disturbances, the greatest threat no longer being each other, but once again the demons. Hence, if the Thunderhawk Armor was truly specialized for combating flying demons, then at least for the time being, its value would be far greater than other armors.


    So as soon as the image ended, someone couldn¡¯t wait to ask.


    ¡°Of course,¡± answering the question, Rocky nodded, ¡°The Thunderhawk Armor is now open for everyone¡¯s preorders. If you are interested in this armor, you can directly contact Archimonde.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, can you guarantee the production and transportation of the Thunderhawk Armor?¡±


    Just as Rocky looked towards Archimonde, indicating that anyone who wished to preorder the Thunderhawk Armor could contact him, someone suddenly shouted out, instantly silencing the whole scene. After that, everyone¡¯s gaze turned unanimously towards Rocky.


    Indeed, it was a critical question because although the Thunderhawk Armor was impressive, Rocky¡¯s current situation was too grim. To put it bluntly, he was in a position where he was barely able to protect himself. If people really placed orders for the Thunderhawk Armor with him, did Rocky have the ability to deliver?


    This concern was not unfounded. Just a month ago, a batch of Tank Armor produced by Rocky almost failed to leave Backhill Village due to a blockade, and if it hadn¡¯t been for the Apple Tree Corporation employing a considerable escort fleet that fought to break through the blockade of City of Fury, these sets of Tank Armor might still not have been shipped!


    ¡°Everyone, please rest assured, that is exactly what I am about to address,¡±


    However, facing such skepticism, Rocky showed considerable composure. In fact, he had anticipated these concerns and thus spoke, ¡°I can understand everyone¡¯s concerns in this matter, considering the situation I am facing, which you all have seen. However, I hope you will not worry, as I can prove right now that I have the capability to fulfill any order.¡±


    ¡°Please follow me.¡±


    As he spoke, Rocky took the initiative to step down from the podium and then took the lead in exiting the conference venue, the City Lord¡¯s Hall of Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°What is he doing¡­?¡±


    Seeing Rocky exiting the hall, the guests looked at each other in confusion, not knowing what was happening. Eventually, they followed him out of the hall, albeit puzzled.


    Leaving the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, they all boarded the carriages that had been arranged in advance, and then headed straight to¡ª the Skyport.


    Arriving at the Skyport, Rocky led all the guests aboard his flagship, the War Steed, and gradually ascended.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for not informing you in advance. During the course of the conference, I already contacted the escort fleet stationed in the City of Fury, instructing them to depart from the Skyport,¡±


    Turning to face the guests on the deck, Rocky slowly said, and simultaneously, a large number of escort fleets appeared in the sky.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, what does this mean?¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing their entire escort fleet leaving the City of Fury, many guests furrowed their brows.


    ¡°Everyone, please don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m doing this for your own good, since I believe no one wants their fleet to encounter any danger.¡±


    ¡°Danger?¡±


    ¡°What danger?¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, what exactly are you planning to do?¡±


    ¡°I plan to show everyone a performance to conclude this conference.¡±


    Rocky smiled faintly at everyone and gave Liliya a nod, upon which she promptly headed to the bridge. Minutes passed, and soon the distant City of Fury began to slowly move.


    The City of Fury had now activated its flight mode!


    At this sight, the guests were stunned, becoming even more confused about what Rocky was up to, and they were not the only ones bewildered by this turn of events¡ªso was Sky Might City.


    As the City of Fury activated its flight mode and slowly advanced toward the distant Sky Might City, the City Lord of Sky Might City, Achilles, received the report and hurried to the Skyport.


    ¡°What is Rocky doing¡­ Is he planning to start a war?¡±


    Using his binoculars to observe the distant City of Fury, Achilles furrowed his brows, and promptly issued commands: ¡°Order the First, Second, and Third Fleet to take off and prepare for battle!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    At his command, a massive number of warships, at least six hundred, took off from the Skyport of Sky Might City. They quickly assembled in the air and flew past the Defensive Net, forming a defensive formation outside the city.


    At this same moment, as Sky Might City approached steadily, it halted its advance and extended the city¡¯s Defensive Net.


    But the next second, an unexpected scene occurred. As the City of Fury opened its Defensive Net, the net immediately burst into dazzling light, a brilliance so intense it even overshadowed the sun overhead. More importantly, this intense light soon began to slowly gather, quickly amassing at the apex of the Defensive Net into a huge, fiery sphere of light!


    ¡°This, this¡­¡±


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°The City-Destroyer Cannon¡­ This is the City-Destroyer Cannon!¡±


    As everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to the light emitted by the Defensive Net of the City of Fury, it was quickly discovered what it was¡ªThe City-Destroyer Cannon! At that moment, the City of Fury had, under the orders of Rocky, activated the City-Destroyer Cannon and was now charging it!

 Chapter 681 - 681 643 The Madness of a Minor Character

    ?Chapter 681: Chapter 643: The Madness of a Minor Character! Chapter 681: Chapter 643: The Madness of a Minor Character! Everyone on both sides never expected that Rocky would actually have City of Fury activate the City-Destroyer Cannon!


    What is the City-Destroyer Cannon? It¡¯s a doomsday weapon that spares no one, with unparalleled devastating power that can destroy a Sky City in a single strike. The massive consumption could also deplete the Mana of the Sky City itself, causing it to plummet to the land.


    How could Rocky resort to something like this!


    Was he planning to let City of Fury and Sky Might City both perish together?!


    To let two major Sky Cities annihilate each other¡­ Madness! He was utterly insane to do this!


    The guests staying with Rocky on the deck were stunned as they looked at City of Fury, at the orb at the top of the Defensive Net, with each person¡¯s mouth agape. They never imagined that Rocky had brought them out for this purpose, nor did they think they would witness the mutual destruction of two major Sky Cities in their lifetime. Thus, everyone was dumbfounded, regardless of their status, be they City Lords, Guild Presidents, or even Alliance Hierarchs, all looked on at City of Fury as if they had lost their minds.


    On the other side, chaos had taken over Sky Might City. Achilles at the Skyport widened his eyes in disbelief, his face filled with incredulity as he had never anticipated that Rocky would pull such a move against him.


    ¡°Immediately maneuver the Sky City out of the way! Fast!¡±


    After a brief moment of stupefaction, Achilles roared hysterically, and his subordinates scurried away, evidently heading to initiate the flight mode of Sky Might City.


    However, if there were still rational people in Sky Might City, they would know that this was futile. Sky Might City, too, is a large Sky City with a population of one hundred thousand, as humongous as a small mountain. Even if they initiated flight mode, what good would it do? Could they truly evade the blast from City of Fury¡¯s City-Destroyer Cannon?


    Impossible.


    Although City of Fury was not extremely close to Sky Might City, there was only a distance of five to six thousand kilometers between them. Such a distance might be far for the main cannons of ordinary warships, but for the City-Destroyer Cannon, it was as good as nothing. One blast would easily hit its mark on Sky Might City, and in this process, the gigantic size of Sky Might City would leave it with no room to dodge.


    However, despite this, perhaps due to the threat of the City-Destroyer Cannon causing panic among the people of Sky Might City, or perhaps people, knowing it was impossible, still didn¡¯t want to give up any hope, Sky Might City still initiated flight mode.


    But the subsequent events unfolded just as expected. The enormous Sky Might City indeed began to slowly turn direction in the air, but the speed was painfully slow, making it look as comical as a cumbersome snail trying to take a sharp turn.


    Meanwhile, the Defensive Net of City of Fury was growing increasingly bright, especially the orb gathered at the top of the Net. At this point, the orb¡¯s radius had exceeded ten meters and shone bright like a miniature sun. What¡¯s more, as time ticked by, the Defensive Net kept supplying Mana to the orb, with massive amounts of Mana surging into the orb, causing it to swell, swell, and swell right before one¡¯s eyes!


    After over ten minutes, the Defensive Net of City of Fury finally stopped shining. No, it would be more accurate to say that by then, the Net had lost all its luster, as nearly all of the city¡¯s Mana had been concentrated in the colossal orb above the city.


    The City-Destroyer Cannon¡ªfully charged!


    ¡°Fire,¡±


    Glancing at the distant City of Fury, Rocky then turned his head to look at the guests on the deck, finding that everyone was gaping at him in stunned silence. He chuckled and took out a communicator to issue the order.


    At his command, an indescribably massive beam of light shot forth from the orb atop the City of Fury, heading straight for Sky Might City!


    By this time, after ten or so minutes of adjustment, Sky Might City had indeed activated its flight mode and moved several hundred meters. However, this distance was virtually negligible for such a massive Sky City, and especially futile in front of the City-Destroyer Cannon. Thus, as soon as Rocky gave the order, Achilles standing inside the Skyport saw the approaching beam of light.


    ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡±


    Watching the City-Destroyer Cannon barrel toward them, all Achilles managed to utter were two words before his vision was engulfed in a blinding white. The same scene before the eyes of the guests on the deck was that of the City-Destroyer Cannon instantly shattering Sky Might City¡¯s Defensive Net, before smashing heavily into the city and piercing it in an instant!


    Yes, with just one strike, the City-Destroyer Cannon had completely penetrated Sky Might City, a city of a hundred thousand inhabitants!


    The principle of the City-Destroyer Cannon was to mobilize over ninety percent of a city¡¯s mana to form a powerful strike. The bigger the city, the greater the power because a larger city would have more mana from the Super Crystals that supported its operations. The City-Destroyer Cannon could thus harness more terrifying amounts of mana. At this moment, the City of Fury was the perfect example.


    After being penetrated by a single strike, the enormous Sky Might City began to tilt slowly in midair, giving off the impression of a cruise liner run aground at sea, tilting and sinking downwards until it finally crashed hard onto the land. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Similarly, when Sky Might City fell to the ground, the City of Fury, which had fired the City-Destroyer Cannon, was also tottering in the air, as the Super Crystal deprived of over ninety percent of its mana could no longer sustain the city in flight. It was doomed to make an emergency landing on the ground¡­


    Afterward, a deafening crash resonated. Sky Might City, which fell first, exploded with great force upon hitting the ground, making the earth quake violently. The shockwave from the explosion swept across the heavens and the earth like a sweeping blow, even reaching the War Steed and Thunderhawk City, which had kept their distance all this time.


    The War Steed, hovering in the air, began to tilt under the impact, looking as if the entire warship might capsize. But thankfully, the War Steed was a battleship, its massive tonnage and the crew¡¯s skillful handling ultimately steadied it. Despite this, it was enough to frighten the guests on deck.


    ¡°Heavens¡­¡±


    Once the warship regained stability, the guests on deck rushed to the railing. Looking down, they saw a sea of fire below, the remains of Sky Might City, now obliterated. Next to it lay another city, the City of Fury that had made an emergency landing, but its condition was even worse than that of Sky Might City.


    Although the City of Fury had not crashed but instead made an emergency landing on land, the commotion from Sky Might City¡¯s fall was too great. Coupled with the noise from the emergency landing itself, the guests saw a multitude of demons attracted by the sounds and rushing madly toward the City of Fury!


    ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡±


    Seeing this, everyone knew the fate of the City of Fury was sealed. Such a large Sky City forced to land on land and causing such a commotion would undoubtedly draw countless demons, so it was certain that the City of Fury was finished¡­

 Chapter 682 - 682 644 Ruthless Enough

    ?Chapter 682: Chapter 644: Ruthless Enough Chapter 682: Chapter 644: Ruthless Enough The madness of a minor character can often be more terrifying, for they can act without restraint.


    City Lord Rocky had numerous ways he could have dealt with City of Fury. He could have simply taken over, or if that seemed too troublesome, he could have used it, treating it as a bargaining chip in negotiations. Holding such a large Sky City in his hand would have been an even greater threat to Rick than having control over Zuluo. But Rocky did not choose any of those paths; instead, he opted for the simplest and most brutal method to deal with City of Fury.


    He destroyed the city, and in doing so, also brought down Sky Might City, causing both large Sky Cities to crash before his eyes at the same time.


    This was a sight unseen for too many, many years. Though there were always conflicts in the skies and wars leading to the destruction of cities, the simultaneous obliteration of two large Sky Cities was a rare occurrence. Not to mention smaller skirmishes; even when the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire were at each other¡¯s throats, such an event was rare.


    So when both cities successively slammed into the ground, the guests on the deck were stunned. They rushed to the railing to look down and quickly saw Sky Might City reduced to ruins, followed by City of Fury which was forced to make an emergency landing on the land due to power loss. Then, they saw the demons, attracted by the explosions.


    They swarmed towards City of Fury from all directions like a tide of darkness, and in the blink of an eye, the ground seemed to be carpeted with a layer of sin. This massive carpet moved towards City of Fury at a visible speed as if it were about to consume the city whole.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky¡­¡±


    Upon witnessing the scene on the ground, many guests turned to look at Rocky. After all, this was a city with a population of a hundred thousand!


    There was still a slim chance to save City of Fury. If Rocky were to deploy his fleet, there might be a possibility of rescuing the city. After all, City of Fury was a large Sky City, and although there were many demons, they could not destroy such a large city instantaneously. Moreover, even if nothing else, Rocky could still rescue a substantial number of people from the city.


    Regrettably, Rocky had no intention of taking action. As more and more guests turned to him, he simply smiled and told everyone, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the blockade of Backhill Village has been lifted. Now you no longer have to worry about the production and transportation issues of Rune Armor.¡±


    Having said that, Rocky waved his hand, and the War Steed turned around and headed straight back to Thunderhawk City.


    By then, many guests couldn¡¯t help but glance back toward the ground, just in time to see the demonic horde that blanketed the land completely encircle City of Fury, pouring into the city like a flood¡­


    As the warship slowly returned to Thunderhawk City, Rocky and Liliya stood at the bow, seemingly whispering to each other, while the guests on the deck unanimously fixed their gaze on Rocky¡¯s silhouette, the same thought surfacing in everyone¡¯s mind: Truly audacious, and absolutely ruthless!


    Two great Sky Cities were annihilated at the command of Rocky. He had the courage to commit such a deed, indeed.


    Similarly, the two hundred thousand inhabitants of these two large Sky Cities died because of his command. Rocky could not have been unaware of this potential outcome, yet he still dared to issue the order knowing full well that it would take two hundred thousand lives. His heart was indeed merciless!


    Therefore, people¡¯s perception of Rocky changed, and it had to change. After this event, Rocky was no longer a minor character. Perhaps his realm of influence was still not vast, but his tactical genius, his mentality, his audacity, and his ruthlessness were enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with any major player in the skies!


    It had to be said that what Rocky did was not the best choice and could even be considered the worst decision from certain perspectives, for the destruction of City of Fury and Sky Might City sealed his feud with the Heavenly Ancestor Church. This would undoubtedly cause him endless troubles. On the other hand, this act had elevated his prestige to unprecedented heights. Henceforth, every person in the sky, great and small, would no longer treat him as a minor character, nor would they dare to provoke him easily.


    And this was precisely what Rocky wanted. Clearly, Rocky intended to use the fall of the two large Sky Cities to establish his authority in this world. More importantly, he succeeded!


    Soon after, everyone quickly returned to Thunderhawk City, and then Thunderhawk City slowly headed back to Backhill Village. It wasn¡¯t until then that the guests finally realized how meticulous Rocky¡¯s plans had been.


    He had obviously intended for City of Fury and Sky Might City to be destroyed together. Otherwise, why would he have ordered the three Sky Cities under his rule to leave Backhill Village in advance? That must have been to ensure the fallout from the destruction of the two large Sky Cities did not affect the village, indicating that all these events had been prearranged by Rocky.


    No, it should not be said they were arranged by him alone. When the guests realized this, they couldn¡¯t help but think of a woman¡ªAthena! S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This whole plan could very well have been orchestrated by Athena in advance!


    This woman¡­


    But even if Athena had arranged everything so meticulously and calculated countless scenarios, she still could not have foreseen the demons. So when Thunderhawk City flew back to Backhill Village, it found that a significant portion of the demons drawn by the fall of the two cities had gathered around the village!


    However, when the guests began to feel anxious about this, they saw a massive structure at the entrance of the village¡ªMoving Fortress!


    Perhaps anticipating such a situation, the defensive systems of Backhill Village had already been activated. Rows of Guards stood at the ready on the city walls, and a line of Tank Armor stood neatly at the village entrance, with the hill-like Moving Fortress at the forefront!


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, could we¡­ could we go down and take a look?¡±


    Noticing the situation in Backhill Village, many guests were very curious, especially about the massive Moving Fortress.


    ¡°Of course, if you like.¡±


    Rocky readily agreed to everyone¡¯s request, then once again led the guests onto the War Steed, quickly flying above Backhill Village.


    Hovering above Backhill Village, people soon heard the thunderous barrage of artillery from below. When they looked down, they saw the hill-like Moving Fortress continuously firing, bombarding and crushing the demons.


    ¡°My God¡­ this¡­ this is simply¡­ spectacular¡­¡±

 Chapter 683 - 683 645 Fierce Character

    ?Chapter 683: Chapter 645: Fierce Character! Chapter 683: Chapter 645: Fierce Character! Hovering over Backhill Village, the guests on the deck were stunned by the battle unfolding on the land below.


    These guests had certainly seen their share of grand scenes, but no matter how many battles they had witnessed, and no matter how massive, those were usually in the skies. Ground warfare, especially against demons, was rare to them. After all, land-based industries had not yet become widespread in this world, so the battle unfolding before their eyes was simply staggering.


    Following everyone¡¯s gaze, the Moving Fortress loomed like a wall, sealing off the entrance to Backhill Village, using its colossal body to block out all the demons outside. Its body bristled with cannon barrels that fired relentlessly, hundreds of Magic Cannons bombing the surroundings incessantly, blasting a ring into the ground and reducing countless demons to bone and dust.


    Of course, numerous demons circumvented the fortress from the sides, but these bypassing fiends soon encountered the waiting Tank Armor!


    Facing these detouring demons, the Tank Armor opened fire immediately, its spewing flames swiftly felling swathes of the demons that had narrowly escaped the bombardment. And for those few that slipped through, they were to face Backhill Village¡¯s last line of defense, the tall walls of the village entrance, the Guard Corps on top, and the Void Magic Warriors circling in the air!


    And it was due to these layers of defenses that, although the tide of demons rushing towards Backhill Village swiftly exceeded a thousand, after an exchange of fire, not a single demon made it to the base of the village walls, all having been successfully annihilated during the process.


    So powerful¡­!


    As the number of demons gradually dwindled and eventually all retreated, the guests who witnessed the battle couldn¡¯t help but gape in awe.


    They had known that Rocky had taken over Backhill Village, but precisely because of that, Backhill Village had become Rocky¡¯s private domain, and the outside world knew very little about it. Hence, these people had no idea that the village¡¯s defensive capabilities had become so formidable?!


    What on earth was that ¡®hill¡¯ at the entrance of the village? Could it be another of Rocky¡¯s new inventions?


    Although the Shadow Alliance had reported on the Moving Fortress before, the coverage was minimal, and it was only mentioned once. This caused many people to either be completely unaware of its existence or simply overlook it. Now, however, after witnessing the overwhelming combat prowess of this colossal fortress, everyone deeply etched it into their memory.


    In fact, these people were unaware that the Moving Fortress had undergone significant changes from when Rocky initially brought it back. While its hardware had not been modified, its software had been comprehensively upgraded. The most notable change was the greatly reduced consumption rate. Had it operated with its original, massive consumption, the Moving Fortress could not have lasted so long in battle¡ªof course, outsiders wouldn¡¯t know such a thing.


    In any case, after this battle, everyone finally had an accurate understanding of the defensive capabilities of Backhill Village. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the village¡¯s defense power now was in no way inferior to that of the large Sky Cities or even the land bases held by major Alliances¡ªperhaps it was even stronger? After all, other forces¡¯ land industries or bases did not have a Moving Fortress standing guard!


    Hence, with this realization, everyone¡¯s assessment of Rocky took on a new level of respect.


    Although Rocky had previously destroyed two major Sky Cities with a single command, he had only showcased his ruthless nature. As a result, everyone¡¯s assessment of him was merely that no one would dare underestimate him thereafter; he was no longer just a minor player. But now, after witnessing the defensive capabilities of Backhill Village with their own eyes, this perception began to change.


    Think about what the guests had witnessed over the past few days.


    They had seen the new technology that Rocky had mastered, observed the New Armor he had developed, and although it was not mentioned at the press conference, everyone was very clear that Rocky¡¯s application of Mana Runes had extended to warships. And then, they had just witnessed the strength of Backhill Village.


    All these factors combined made everyone realize a serious issue: Rocky, who now possessed the most cutting-edge technology, had the most advanced Armor and warships, and also owned two Sky Cities and a land base, was no longer just a minor player, but had directly become a formidable one! From now on, anyone, from an ordinary City Lord to an Alliance, even to a top force like the Sky Alliance, could no longer criticize or instruct him lightly because anyone who dared do so would pay the price. The Thunderhawk City and Sky Might were proof of that!


    In one day, Rocky had continuously refreshed people¡¯s evaluations of him, something unprecedented or simply unimaginable before. So when everyone rode back to Thunderhawk City on the War Steed, a subtle change had emerged.


    This change only occurred in people¡¯s hearts and was not outwardly shown, but it certainly did happen, and without doubt, it would subtly influence everyone.


    As for some tangible changes, of course, there were some. For example, on the second day, Archimonde¡¯s doorstep was worn out. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rocky had mentioned before that if someone wanted to reserve a Thunderhawk Armor, they could directly contact Archimonde. After all, theoretically, in the partnership with the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, Rocky was only responsible for production, and the sales aspect was entirely managed by the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce. Rocky had not overstepped his role, especially since the Chamber had given him a lot of help facing the blockade from the City of Fury, and he was not the type to turn his back on people who helped him.


    In this situation, Archimonde instantly became the busiest person, receiving several groups of guests each day, yet he was happy with it. Almost all the visitors who came to see him would sign an order in the end, which naturally was the scenario he was most pleased to see.


    So it went on for three days until the guests gradually left. And when everyone had gone, Thunderhawk City once again returned to its usual tranquility, except that the factories were buzzing with activity every day, as if everything had returned to normal.


    But Rocky knew that his situation was far from normal, in fact, it was getting further and further away from the normal track. Or to put it more bluntly, his life was now drifting further away from its original course.


    With two major Sky Cities destroyed, Rick and the Heavenly Ancestor Church would certainly not let bygones be bygones. Even if Rocky had to guess with his toes, he could tell what Rick was doing ¡ª he must be gathering a large army and heading towards Backhill Village!


    Is that so?


    Indeed, that was exactly the case!

 Chapter 684 - 684 646 Getting Busy

    ?Chapter 684: Chapter 646 ¡®Getting Busy¡¯! Chapter 684: Chapter 646 ¡®Getting Busy¡¯! Rick was indeed on his way now!


    The destruction of the two Sky Cities had enraged him, and upon hearing the news, he had immediately headed for Backhill Village, unstoppable.


    ¡°How much longer until we arrive?¡±


    Sitting in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, Rick asked with a grim face, a question he had been repeating every day for the past few days.


    ¡°My lord, we will reach Backhill Village in a week.¡±


    ¡°Find a way to make it faster.¡±


    ¡°My lord, this is already the fastest speed¡­¡±


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    After glancing at his subordinate, Rick cursed him out and then returned to his study.


    A week had passed since the cities of Fury and Sky Might had crashed, and in fact, Rick had received the news from the Shadow Alliance on the day of the cities¡¯ destruction. He was almost driven to an explosion of anger and had planned to personally lead Heavenly Ancestor City to confront Rocky, but he had to wait a few days since the weapons supplied by his allies were not fully in place at that time.


    But his waiting these few days had not been in vain.


    In order to better control Rocky and avoid his troops being disadvantaged against Rune Technology as before, his allies had supplied him with a large amount of advanced equipment that was not available on the market.


    Sigma Corporation provided him with a thousand sets of Mass-produced Holy Angel Armor. This armor was the new Fifth and a Half Generation mass-produced armor just developed by Sigma Corporation. Although its overall ability was not as strong as the Special Holy Angel Armor, it also employed Magic Conduction Technology, bringing its magic energy value to an astonishing 9000 points, which not only surpassed all Fifth Generation mass-produced armor but was even higher than the standard Fifth Generation special armor.


    The Void Magic Corps equipped with this type of armor would undoubtedly become the strongest force of the day, and thus its combat ability would not only match that of the Thunderhawk Armor but would even be stronger.


    Another giant in the Armor Domain, Uranus Corporation, had provided Rick with ten units of experimental Sixth-Generation armor. Despite the small number, the combat power of these ten units was extremely formidable, equipped with many technologies exclusive to the Sixth Generation. Their magic energy had easily surpassed the 20000-point mark, specifically designed to counter the White Demon Armor.


    As for the strongest Magic Energy Research Institute, it supplied Rick with a thousand new warships, all of them destroyers, but each was at least twice as massive as ordinary destroyers, so much so that they were nearly comparable to battleships. More importantly, these warships were fitted with a lot of new technology unique to the Magic Energy Research Institute, surpassing the mainstream warships of today in terms of defense, mobility, and crucially, offensive capabilities, definitely capable of competing with Rune Battleships.


    With this batch of equipment, Rick¡¯s strength had instantly been boosted significantly, and his wait was absolutely worthwhile. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And while waiting for this equipment to arrive, Rick himself had not been idle. He had summoned nearly ten large Sky Cities to accompany him to Backhill Village. The lords of these Sky Cities were all devout followers of the Catholic Church and had intricate connections with the Heavenly Ancestor Church. At Rick¡¯s command, he had gathered them all to his side and then set off formidably to Backhill Village.


    In this situation, the number of Sky Cities heading to Backhill Village had reached as many as thirteen, including three remaining cities of the Heavenly Ancestor Church and ten cities led by followers, all of them large Sky Cities!


    This was the power of the Heavenly Ancestor Church.


    There truly were reasons why the Heavenly Ancestor Church was not easy to provoke; the power of religion was indeed too strong. Rick was chosen by the Magic Energy Research Institute, the Kafka Empire, and the Shadow Alliance to confront Rocky exactly because of this.


    By now, Rick and the Heavenly Ancestor Church were both enraged, their fury burning as they headed straight for Backhill Village. A massive problem was clearly approaching Rocky, and there was no doubt that it would stir up the recently quietened Backhill Village once again.


    However, what Rick could never have anticipated was that the commotion would start before he even reached Backhill Village.


    That day, led by Heavenly Ancestor City, thirteen Sky Cities had been flying for over a week and were finally nearing the Skybreaker Peak area. Although they had not yet officially entered Skybreaker Peak, by the end of the night, they would enter the area, and by this time tomorrow, everyone would be able to see Backhill Village.


    As they got closer to Rocky, Rick issued a new command, ordering his troops to deploy reconnaissance ships ahead of time for vigilance.


    The crashes of the Sky Might and Fury had indeed fueled Rick¡¯s rage, but as previously mentioned, the angrier he was, the more composed he became, and the more composed, the calmer. Thus, the current Rick was at his most stable and alert.


    This clarity forced him to admit that Rocky indeed had formidable methods and must be cautiously guarded against. Additionally, he never forgot Athena¡¯s existence, and considering his son was still held in Thunderhawk City, all these factors forced Rick to be extremely careful, absolutely avoiding any mistakes. Therefore, after approaching the airspace of Skybreaker Peak, he dispatched an early reconnaissance squad for a precautionary alert to prevent any surprises.


    In this situation, hundreds of reconnaissance ships were dispersed into the sky, beginning a comprehensive patrol of the surrounding airspace.


    Even so, it seemed Rick was still not cautious enough¡­


    ¡°Reconnaissance Ship 66 reporting, no anomalies detected.¡±


    Inside the cabin of the reconnaissance ship, the captain was making a routine report, then stepped out of the cabin onto the deck.


    ¡°Give me the telescope.¡±


    Standing at the bow, the captain took the telescope from a crew member¡¯s hands and scanned the surrounding sky, nodding in approval only after confirming there were no issues.


    Everyone involved in the reconnaissance mission was extremely diligent because they all knew they were facing Rocky, a ruthless character who had just destroyed two large Sky Cities. Given such an enemy, it was never too much to be extra cautious.


    ¡°Captain, there seems to be something below?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Upon hearing this, the captain, who had just put down the telescope, instinctively looked down and then saw a black dot approaching slowly from under the ship.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    The black dot approached the reconnaissance ship very quickly, and within moments, the captain emitted a cry of alarm!


    ¡°Demons!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a Flying Demon!¡±


    When it became clear that the approaching black dot was a Flying Demon, the captain immediately shouted out loud, but unfortunately, he hadn¡¯t finished his shout when a multitude of black dots darkened the sky from the land below!

 Chapter 685 - 685 647 Attacking the Whole World

    ?Chapter 685: Chapter 647: Attacking the Whole World! Chapter 685: Chapter 647: Attacking the Whole World! ¡°Demons! Flying Demons!¡±


    ¡°Quick, report to¡­¡±


    Discovering a large swarm of flying demons over the land, the captain of the reconnaissance ship immediately started shouting and ran towards the cabin, clearly intending to report back the intelligence here. At the same time, the reconnaissance ship quickly ascended and began to return at top speed.


    However, it was all in vain.


    Groups of flying demons had already reached the sky at that time and almost in the blink of an eye, they overwhelmed the poor reconnaissance ship.


    Hundreds, perhaps thousands of demons swarming around the reconnaissance ship were like a whirlwind, and by the time these demons flew off into the distance, the reconnaissance ship had vanished without a trace. Only on closer inspection would one notice some wreckage falling from the sky, among which were a few bodies.


    Having easily destroyed a reconnaissance ship, the swarms of demons flew off toward the distance like locusts. Looking in the direction they were flying, one could soon see a Sky City through the clouds, then two, then three, four, five¡­ Thirteen Sky Cities quickly appeared in the sky.


    Clearly, these Sky Cities were the flying demons¡¯ target!


    This time, over a thousand flying demons appeared, and such a large group could not be ignored. Thus, they were quickly spotted by other reconnaissance ships and immediately reported back to Rick, who, upon receiving the news, arrived at the Skyport at once.


    ¡°Send the orders down, have the specially formed First and Second Fleets attack.¡±


    Having looked at the swarm of demons through his telescope, Rick issued the command.


    ¡°Sir, is there really a need to deploy the specially formed troops?¡±


    The so-called specially formed troops were composed of the newly assembled force with warships from the Magic Energy Research Institute and armors from two major Armor companies. Naturally, this force¡¯s combat strength was extremely significant, as the troops were equipped with the most advanced warships and armors of the day. Hence, the adjutant thought it was somewhat overkill to deploy this force against a thousand or so flying demons.


    ¡°No matter, let¡¯s see the real combat capability of this new equipment. Follow my orders,¡± said Rick.


    But Rick obviously had his own ideas. In his view, although the new equipment was very powerful, that power was merely based on data on paper. He had not yet seen the real combat capability of the new warships and armors, so this was a good opportunity for an inspection.


    Consequently, after that, the two specially formed fleets immediately took off from the Skyport and then flew out from Heavenly Ancestor City.


    Climbing up to the watchtower at the Skyport, Rick, holding his telescope, watched carefully and soon saw the fleet engaging the flying demons in battle.


    ¡°Indeed not bad¡­¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    ¡°Very impressive.¡±


    Observing through the telescope, Rick kept nodding, obviously very satisfied with the performance of the specially formed troops. Indeed, they proved their worth. When the specially formed troops engaged the flying demons, in just a short ten or so minutes, the thousands of flying demons were slaughtered to near extinction, fully demonstrating that the new equipment was genuinely strong and not just hyped.


    ¡°Order the troops to return to base.¡±


    Having personally witnessed the last demon being slain by a Void Magic Warrior, Rick turned to his aide and said they could order the special task force to return to base.


    But just as he finished speaking and was about to put down his binoculars, the unforeseen happened¡ªmore flying demons appeared!


    In an instant, a large swarm of flying demons burst out from the clouds, their numbers far surpassing the thousands. At a rough glance, it was apparent there were several thousand. Under these circumstances, the two special task force fleets, which were just about to return to base, could not react in time and were once again engaged in combat with the demons.


    However, as the process unfolded, more and more flying demons appeared, swarming from all directions. Mere minutes passed, and the demon numbers skyrocketed from a few thousand to tens of thousands, then to several tens of thousands!


    Tens of thousands of flying demons filled the skies, surrounding each and every Sky City. It felt as if the cities were enveloped by dark clouds, and what was even more terrifying was that the number of demons was still increasing exponentially. The few tens of thousands were clearly not their upper limit; many more demons were taking to the skies from the land!


    ¡°Quick! Notify all City Lords to immediately deploy the Defensive Net, reposition the Sky Cities, and consolidate all the Sky Cities together. Let the Fleet defend within the Defensive Net!¡±


    ¡°Hurry and order the special task force fleets to return to base¡ªdo not engage the enemy!¡±


    From the first batch of demons being annihilated to tens of thousands occupying the sky, this process took only a few minutes, so swift that everyone was caught off guard. Ultimately, it was Rick who first came to his senses.


    It was then Rick¡¯s abilities shone through; faced with this sudden calamity, his reaction was faster than anyone¡¯s, and he was extremely alert and composed. He immediately issued the most correct commands.


    With so many demons suddenly surrounding the Sky Cities, it was absolutely imperative to prevent them from entering the cities, or else the Sky Cities were doomed. Hence, Rick had all the Sky Cities activate their Defensive Nets, blocking all the demons outside.


    At the same time, he consolidated all the Sky Cities together, readying them for a united battle.


    Finally, he didn¡¯t rashly send the troops into combat. Against such a multitude of demons, it would be certain death for the warships to venture out; thus, the best strategy was to hide behind the Defensive Net and fire at them from safety. This way, as long as the demons couldn¡¯t break through the Defensive Net, they couldn¡¯t harm the Fleet.


    In the end, he ordered the two special task force fleets outside to return to base immediately. They were already meaningless to leave outside in the face of so many demons, and minimizing losses was the best course of action.


    However, good as Rick¡¯s intentions might have been, let¡¯s not forget the sheer number of demons outdoors! The cities with their Defensive Nets deployed might withstand the tens of thousands of flying demons for a while, but out there, the two fleets became easy prey. Countless demons had already pounced on the two fleets. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In such a situation, within a matter of minutes, the two fleets had lost contact with Sky City¡­


    ¡°Damn it! How could this happen?!¡±


    After losing contact with the special task force fleets, Rick knew the two fleets had been annihilated by the demons, which naturally caused him immense grief. After all, these were two newly equipped task forces established using brand new gear! They were the main forces to contend with Rocky, and now they were wiped out by the demons.


    Frustrated by this outcome, Rick couldn¡¯t help but curse. Why was he so unlucky? Just as they were about to reach Backhill Village, why were they ambushed by demons?


    What Rick didn¡¯t know was that he was not unlucky at all because at the very moment he was attacked by demons, similar situations were happening all around the world. Dozens, even hundreds of Sky Cities were attacked by flying demons in various locations, including Backhill Village!


    So, it wasn¡¯t just Rick being attacked by demons; it was the whole world!

 Chapter 686 - 686 648 Disaster

    ?Chapter 686: Chapter 648 Disaster Chapter 686: Chapter 648 Disaster Disaster struck!


    The world was in crisis!


    On July 3rd of the Sky Epoch Year 119, hundreds of Sky Cities scattered across the world were simultaneously attacked by Flying Demons. Tens of thousands of Flying Demons surged toward the skies on that day, formally initiating an assault on the heavens, plunging the entire world into utter chaos.


    Following the attack, The Three Great Alliances received the news simultaneously, as not only were the external Sky Cities under attack, but even the four safe zones planned half a year ago were assaulted by Demons. In light of this, The Three Great Alliances, along with the Shadow Alliance, immediately commenced an investigation, and the results caused everyone to gasp in shock.


    The investigation revealed that, on the day of July 3rd, a total of one hundred and thirty-five Sky Cities suffered various degrees of attacks from Flying Demons. This included isolated Sky Cities such as Heavenly Ancestor City, as well as those nestled within the safe zones, indicating that no region was truly spared from the Demonic invasion.


    This was just the count from the first day after the attack. In actuality, the Demonic onslaught continued for a full half-month. During this half-month period, the number of attacked Sky Cities kept rising, quickly escalating from over a hundred on the first day to more than five hundred. And as the skies turned chaotic, industries and bases on the land also fell prey to the Demons¡¯ attacks!


    Indeed, this time the Demons launched a comprehensive attack on humanity, sparing neither the skies above nor the depths below.


    Disaster.


    This was undoubtedly a disaster, an unprecedented catastrophe since the dawn of the Sky Epoch. If one had to find a similar precedent¡­ perhaps¡­ it would only be the disaster that unfolded during the Land Era, when Demons had overrun the land¡­


    To prevent such a disaster from recurring, The Three Great Alliances immediately mobilized a massive force, hundreds of Sky Cities, countless warships armed to the teeth, and tens of thousands of elite Void Magic Warriors. These forces rapidly advanced to varioys parts of the world, commencing the elimination and expulsion of Demons.


    As a result, the sudden outbreak of war raged for an entire month before finally concluding. The eventual outcome was, of course, a victory for the skies. Hundreds of thousands of Demons were successfully slain, and the surviving Demons retreated back to the land. Humanity had ultimately defended the skies.


    ¡°Pfft, who would actually believe these reports.¡±


    ¡°The Shadow Alliance has fallen too.¡±


    Rocky tossed the newspaper aside with a curl of his lip, then reached out for the teacup, only to suddenly wince in pain, his face contorting as he lay back down on the hospital bed.


    ¡°I told you not to move.¡±


    Looking at Rocky lying in pain on the bed, Liliya shook her head, then handed him the teacup.


    This was precisely why Rocky didn¡¯t believe those reports. Backhill Village was not spared in the Demons¡¯ latest assault¡ªhe too had come under attack, and because the village housed both a base and a Sky City, Demons had launched their assault from both the sky and the land.


    To hold back the Demon Army, Rocky had used all his strength, employing every means at his disposal. Leveraging his mastery of various cutting-edge technologies, he successfully repelled the Demons. Yet, despite this, Backhill Village and the two Sky Cities had suffered heavy losses. The recently formed Void Magic Corps was nearly wiped out, the newly refurbished warship fleet was almost entirely destroyed, and the Moving Fortress was paralyzed multiple times during the battle. Rocky himself had narrowly escaped death.


    The Shadow Alliance¡¯s reports only mentioned Flying Demons and Normal Demons but made no mention of high-level demons. However, at least in the defense of Backhill Village, high-level demons had appeared, and not just one¡ªthere were as many as three!


    In order to eliminate these three high-level demons, Rocky and Liliya, along with others, had given it their all, each facing life-threatening dangers multiple times. Ultimately, it was Rocky who killed two of them, and the last one fled under their combined assault, barely enabling them to hold onto Backhill Village.


    ¡°`


    So, in Rocky¡¯s view, the reports from the Shadow Alliance were a typical case of sharing only good news and not the bad. He believed that if even he, who had access to and was equipped with Rune Armor and warships, had suffered heavy casualties, then other battles of Sky City would be even more difficult. Yet, the Shadow Alliance¡¯s reports did not mention a word of that.


    ¡°You can¡¯t blame them; they don¡¯t want to cause a panic.¡±


    As Rocky took the teacup, Athena, who was next to him, spoke up. She obviously had a clearer understanding of the current situation. Thus, as she said, the Shadow Alliance¡¯s practice of only sharing good news was, evidently, the right approach. Now, only positive news could stabilize people¡¯s emotions.


    ¡°Tch, you sure like to speak up for them.¡± Unfortunately, when Rocky heard this, he once again curled his lip and then asked, ¡°Has your channel sent any news? How extensive are the losses from this attack on the sky?¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Athena was best at analyzing intelligence for reasoning and judgment, so she had her own channels for intelligence gathering. Her ability to collect information was so strong that it was second only to the Shadow Alliance. No, sometimes even the Shadow Alliance had to ask her for information.


    Therefore, since the Shadow Alliance was not telling the whole truth this time, Rocky thought of Athena and wanted to see if she had any definite news.


    Upon hearing this question, Athena simply nodded and then glanced at Rocky: ¡°I have received news.¡±


    ¡°How is it? Are the losses significant?¡±


    ¡°Very significant.¡±


    Athena nodded, her expression slightly helpless: ¡°It¡¯s said that we lost over a hundred Sky Cities this time, with millions of casualties. The losses of the Allied Forces are even greater. The first batch of joint forces sent out by The Three Great Alliances was entirely wiped out. If it weren¡¯t for the immediate deployment of their main forces, the losses might have been even greater. Of course, the land suffered the most damage.¡±


    ¡°Now, half of the industries on the land have been destroyed by the Demons. Demons even climbed onto the walls of two Saint Cities. To save those Saint Cities, it¡¯s heard that The Three Great Alliances eventually had no choice but to drop small Sky Cities like bombs onto the ground, cutting off the Demons¡¯ reinforcements and thus preserving the two Saint Cities. Compared to that, Backhill Village got off easy; the Demons we faced were just a small troop.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that serious?¡±


    ¡°Not an exaggeration at all. It¡¯s a true disaster.¡±


    After looking at Rocky, Athena helplessly stated, the sudden attack launched by the Demons was indeed a disaster!


    ¡°But there¡¯s some good news.¡±


    After a resigned sigh, Athena suddenly changed the subject and showed a smile to Rocky.


    ¡°What¡¯s the good news?¡±


    ¡°Rick.¡±


    ¡°What about him?¡±


    ¡°He now has no time to trouble us because he too suffered an attack from the Demons and his losses are quite severe.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 687 - 687 649 A Blessing in Disguise

    ?Chapter 687: Chapter 649: A Blessing in Disguise Chapter 687: Chapter 649: A Blessing in Disguise The catastrophe that happened in Sky Epoch Year 119 July was significant enough to go down in history, although people only knew that the demons were eventually repelled, the actual losses caused by the catastrophe far exceeded people¡¯s imaginations.


    Of course, every loss involves some gain; the catastrophe did lead to enormous losses and even had profound effects on the future, but at least for Rocky, the catastrophe brought some good news. Rick and others who were furious and planned to seek revenge on him no longer had the time to bother him, as they too were affected by this disaster that swept across the entire world, and the extent of their involvement was unclear.


    According to the intelligence obtained by Athena, the losses Rick suffered in the demon attack were much greater than those suffered by Rocky. Although Backhill Village, where Rocky was located, was attacked by demons from both above and below, it was after all his main base which, after more than a year of development, had drastically evolved to possess the capability to defend against demons. As for the troops under Rocky¡¯s command, there was even less need to mention them; the Rune Troops¡¯ combat effectiveness was fully demonstrated during the attack, enabling them to eventually endure this ordeal.


    The same circumstances fell differently on Rick, however.


    Firstly, he was fighting in a foreign location; when the attack occurred, the whole sky was in chaos, and being deep in foreign territory, he simply could not receive any supplies.


    Secondly, their target was too large. This time, Rick, determined to completely defeat Rocky, had gathered thirteen large Sky Cities together, heading to Backhill Village, but this turned into the catalyst for their misfortune.


    It seemed that the bigger the target, the more demons it attracted, and thus Rick and the thirteen Sky Cities he brought with him almost turned into bright lamps in the sky, attracting the vast majority of flying demons near Skybreaker Peak.


    This directly led to the destruction of one of the thirteen large Sky Cities. While the ratio might not seem high, the fleets of the thirteen Sky Cities were almost completely destroyed, especially Rick himself. As the City Lord of Heavenly Ancestor City, and also as a tax collector for the Heavenly Ancestor Church, he held significant power but also had to bear the most responsibility. Ten of the thirteen Sky Cities had been summoned by him, and he had to fulfill the responsibilities of a Sect Hierarch in front of these people by leading by example.


    Thus, the three Sky Cities under Rick¡¯s command had almost used up all of their fleets, including specially drafted fleets and even reserve forces that were sent to the battlefield. And when the demons finally retreated, Rick was left with no strength left to continue his campaign against Rocky, even though he was only a step away from Backhill Village.


    Having no other choice, Rick had to return to his territory and then had to put the matter of Rocky aside, starting to replenish his forces to prepare for a possible next attack.


    In fact, after this attack ended, the six major forces targeting Rocky all had to temporarily put their plans against Rocky aside once again. Rick¡¯s reason has already been stated ¡ª with his heavy losses, he no longer had the strength to trouble Rocky, and the others were the same.


    The Magic Energy Research Institute and Kafka Empire, as two of The Three Great Alliances, along with the Shadow Alliance, were no longer concerned with Rocky at this time. The three of them had too many issues to deal with and found themselves in the awkward position of needing to cooperate with the Sky Alliance, which had been pressuring them before.


    Similarly, Sigma and Uranus companies also got busy afterwards. On one hand, after the attack ended, the whole world needed a large supply of Armor, and the two giants were so overwhelmed with orders that their hands were literally full. On the other hand, they had to shift time to research new Armor to address the new situation.


    After the demon attack ended, the feedback received by both companies was quite uniform; the old Armor models struggled against the attacks of the flying demons¡­


    It had been noted that, as a new breed, flying demons were significantly stronger than normal demons, a fact known to those who had been the first to encounter flying demons, including Rocky. That¡¯s why he had designed the Thunderhawk Armor, but others were unaware of this.


    Thus, in this confrontation with the flying demons, due to a lack of understanding of the true strength of flying demons and because the Armor configurations were not advanced enough, Void Magic Warriors, who should have dominated the aerial battlefield, suffered greatly. There is no need to mention the Fourth Squadron¡¯s Third Generation Armors; many of the Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armors were not capable of directly confronting flying demons, resulting in a situation on the battlefield where unless one wore Special Armor, it often required two to three Wearers of Mass-Produced Armors working together to kill a single flying demon. This ratio was alarmingly low.


    And if one on one exchanges with demons on the battlefield were not possible, how could the already numerically inferior Void Magic Warriors possibly defeat the demons?


    This situation put tremendous pressure on the two Armor giants, and also made them realize that a stronger Sixth Generation Armor needed to be prioritized immediately; otherwise, people would have a hard time fighting against demons!


    In these circumstances, all of Rocky¡¯s enemies were distracted by various reasons, thereby granting him ample time.


    It must be said, this sudden appearance of demons truly did Rocky a huge favor; otherwise facing the ferocity of Rick and the overwhelming opposition from the six forces alone, he himself didn¡¯t know how long he could have lasted.


    But now, he finally had a chance to breathe.


    ¡°Rocky, you should think about what to do next.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Hearing this, the Rocky lying on the bed glanced at Athena.


    ¡°The Third Counteroffensive War is about to begin.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, a gleam suddenly appeared in Rocky¡¯s eyes, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for certainty.¡± Athena said, shaking her head with a smile, ¡°The demons have already started their advance into the sky. If The Three Great Alliances don¡¯t want to repeat the fate of the land, they will definitely gather everyone to launch the Third Counteroffensive War.¡±


    ¡°And if I¡¯m not mistaken, this war will inevitably erupt within a short span of half a year to a year, so we need to think about what to do. This war will be a disaster for everyone, as it will be a major purge, both against the demons and the aerial configuration, but it¡¯s also an opportunity we must seize.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Having listened to Athena¡¯s words, Rocky furrowed his brow, clearly pondering this matter deeply. If the Third Counteroffensive War really did erupt, it would undoubtedly be a whirlwind sweeping through both the sky and land, and he had to consider where he would stand.

 Chapter 688 - 688 650 History of War

    ?Chapter 688: Chapter 650: History of War Chapter 688: Chapter 650: History of War Actually, the matter of the third counteroffensive war had been put on the agenda by The Three Great Alliances right after the appearance of the Flying Demons, only it had never been implemented.


    Because the scale of such a war was not just a battle for one city or an Alliance battle, the scale of a war of this magnitude was so vast that even the great war between the Sky Alliance and the Kafka Empire couldn¡¯t compare. To launch a world-level war like this required ample and prolonged preparation.


    In fact, over the past year, The Three Great Alliances had been making preparations, such as planning safe zones, and in addition, the Three Great Alliances had been actively expanding their military. All kinds of weapons and equipment were being produced non-stop. Even the plans targeting Rocky were part of the preparations. The Magic Energy Research Institute and the Kafka Empire had allied with other forces to pressure Rocky in order to acquire Rune Technology before the war began.


    But even so, The Three Great Alliances were still quite far from being truly ready to go to war, which was an unavoidable situation. The Alliances were simply too massive. Although their resources were nearly limitless, getting the entire Alliance mobilized required a considerable amount of time.


    At first, no one cared about this, because everyone thought there was plenty of time. People had ample time to perfect their preparations, and they planned to go to war only when they were fully prepared.


    However, this attack by the Demons was a wake-up call for everyone, making everyone fully realize one thing¡ªthat their time was running out. Clearly, the Demons did not plan to give people time to prepare and had taken the initiative.


    In such circumstances, except for some City Lords or forces too weak to step onto the world stage, any capable Sky City or Alliance began preparing for the upcoming great war because everyone knew that once the third counteroffensive war broke out, it would be a comprehensive war sweeping across the world, enveloping both the sky and the land. Then, no one could afford to stay out of it, everyone had to participate in this war, whether actively or passively.


    So, rather than being forcibly dragged into the war, it was better to actively join the fray. At least by doing so, you could maintain some degree of initiative in the great war. More importantly, everyone was clear that the counteroffensive war had never been simply against the Demons. The two previous counteroffensive wars in history were also two major purges. After each war, the structure of the sky would undergo massive changes¡ªsome would rise, and others would fall. No one wanted to be on the losing side after the war; everyone hoped to rise through this great war.


    The same applied to Rocky.


    Although he didn¡¯t know much about the counteroffensive war, the little he did know came from books, and some things, such as the impact of the counteroffensive war on the structure of the sky, were of course not covered in books, which he had no way of knowing.


    But this was all in the past. Now, Rocky understood it very well, as there were too many people around him who were knowledgeable about the war. For example, Aniye, as a living fossil, had personally experienced and participated in the previous two wars, and his understanding of war was textbook-level. His knowledge of the war¡¯s impacts was utterly clear. Likewise, so were people like Orton. Basically, all of them had participated in the last, that is, the second counteroffensive war, and were clear about all aspects of the war. And the most crucial person was Athena.


    Athena¡¯s understanding of the counteroffensive war was even more detailed than Aniye¡¯s. Although she had not personally participated in the great wars, she had conducted comprehensive studies on the two wars that had erupted before, analyzing all aspects of those wars in detail. Hence, with her educating Rocky, his understanding of the great war had drastically increased.


    According to Athena, the first counteroffensive war broke out in Sky Era Year 010, which was exactly ten years after people had relocated to the sky. After a whole decade of development and adjustment, the people had emerged from the gloom of the land being occupied. And thanks to technological innovations, from Sky City to Void Magic Armor to Skyships, a whole series of technologies had been fully developed, sparking the idea of reclaiming the land, filled with confidence.


    Undoubtedly, the first counteroffensive was the most pure in intent. At the time, people had just lost the land not long ago, and the urge to reclaim it was urgent. Yet, the outcome of that great war was extremely brutal¡ªpeople were roundly defeated in this conflict.


    On reflection, this outcome shouldn¡¯t have been unexpected. After all, people had only escaped to the sky a decade ago, and though they had partially recovered their strength, the impact of losing the land was still present. More importantly, technologies such as Sky City, Void Magic Armor, and Skyships, though they had greatly developed, were far from mature. As a result, during this war, people hardly won any battles, and were continuously pushed back by the Demons until the war¡¯s bitter end. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The first counteroffensive thus ended in failure, but this defeat was extremely meaningful. It made everyone realize that reclaiming the land was not going to be easy; with their abilities at the time, it was simply not feasible. Consequently, everyone calmed down to recuperate and fully recover, preparing for the second counteroffensive.


    Of course, the failure of the war, besides making people aware of their deficiencies, also brought about an unexpected byproduct: a change in dynamics. It¡¯s important to realize that when people first moved to the sky, many of the land¡¯s rules and traditions were brought with them. However, with the failure and conclusion of the first counterattack, these relics of the old era were shattered, and the structure of the sky was significantly transformed.


    The second counteroffensive took place a full fifty years later, after fifty years of healing and preparation. In the Sky Era Year 060, people launched the second counteroffensive, a battle that could be considered the largest since the Demon invasion and even surpassing the former war of obliteration. The number of participating Sky Cities reached ten thousand, with millions of troops involved. Moreover, not only the sky-dwellers participated in this great battle, but also The Forsaken People, led by the three Saint Cities, joined the combat fully.


    Due to years of preparation, this battle fared much better than the first one; people even managed to occupy a large area of the land for a time. Unfortunately, the battle ultimately still ended in failure. People were unable to truly drive out the Demons, and as long as the Demons remained on the land, even a temporary advantage was unsustainable against a relentless flow of Demons, forcing a retreat back to the sky, abandoning all ground gained.


    However, this battle was not entirely without gain; at least it truly inflicted damage on the Demons, significantly depleting their numbers. This paved the way for several decades of ¡®peaceful coexistence¡¯ that followed, as well as the establishment of industries and bases on the land¡ªachievements that were all thanks to the second counteroffensive.


    Similarly, after the second counteroffensive, the structure of the sky was once again reshaped, with the Three Great Alliances that dominate the sky today all emerging as new forces post-war, maintaining rule over the sky ever since.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    After Athena finished discussing the second counteroffensive, Rocky asked, puzzled, ¡°Since The Three Great Alliances all emerged after the previous counteroffensive, they should be well aware that if a third war were to break out, new forces would surely arise, and they could likely be ousted. Why then would The Three Great Alliances still initiate this war?¡±


    ¡°Because they had no other choice,¡±


    Athena replied, glancing at Rocky.

 Chapter 689 - 689 651 Uncertain Future

    ?Chapter 689: Chapter 651 Uncertain Future Chapter 689: Chapter 651 Uncertain Future As Athena finished recounting the history of the first two counteroffensive wars, Rocky was puzzled. He noticed that since each counteroffensive war had disrupted the existing order, why would The Three Great Alliances still join together to prepare for a third war? S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Based on the experiences of the previous two wars, once the third counteroffensive war broke out, the structure of the sky was bound to change. By then, even the status of The Three Great Alliances was not guaranteed, so why would they do this?


    Could it really be for the sake of the people in the sky?


    Rocky felt that was definitely not the reason. The Three Great Alliances were not that conscientious. The real reason they were actively maintaining order in the sky was that they had established all its order. By defending the order, they were actually protecting themselves. So don¡¯t imagine them as saints because they are not.


    As for this question, Athena¡¯s response was direct, ¡°They must do this.¡±


    ¡°The Three Great Alliances certainly know that a world-level war would inevitably change the structure of the sky, so naturally, they do not wish for any war that threatens their status to occur. But don¡¯t forget, they are the overlords of the entire sky, possessing absolute authority there, and they also have to shoulder absolute responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Everyone now knows that the Demons are preparing to launch an attack on the sky, having already initiated one. At this time, The Three Great Alliances must take responsibility proactively; otherwise, no one will listen to them in the future. This is why the Triangle have to join forces to prepare for the third counteroffensive war.¡±


    ¡°Since war is inevitable, rather than waiting to be phased out by emerging forces, it¡¯s better to become the game player leading it. Even if the structure of the sky is sure to change after the war, The Three Great Alliances can still maintain their status. That¡¯s their thinking.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±


    With Athena¡¯s explanation, Rocky finally had an epiphany. It turned out to be this way.


    After digesting all this information, Rocky turned to Athena and asked, ¡°Since the third counteroffensive war is unavoidable, what should we do?¡±


    ¡°What do you think, sir?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    Facing Athena¡¯s counter-question, Rocky was briefly stunned, then frowned in thought for a while before speaking:


    ¡°I think¡­ we would definitely become cannon fodder¡­¡±


    Looking at Athena, Rocky said helplessly, ¡°Once the great war erupts, everyone must participate, or they will become public enemies of the others. But for minor characters like us, even though we would participate, we could only be sent to the front lines, becoming pawns for the larger forces, and inevitably fall victim to the crossfire.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, if things go as expected, once the war begins, all resources in the sky will be focused on the conflict, and if I take Thunderhawk City and Carltos City to the front, then Backhill Village would become easy pickings for others. These are all possible scenarios.¡±


    ¡°So, if war really breaks out, it might not be a good thing for us¡­¡±


    Rocky heaved a long sigh at this point. The more he considered it, the bleaker the future seemed.


    Just as he finished speaking, Athena struck him with another blow, ¡°Sir, you are thinking too far ahead. If I¡¯m not wrong, given the current momentum, we won¡¯t last until the start of the war.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked over at her, while Athena continued in an unhurried tone:


    ¡°Sir, the war is imminent. At this moment, whether it¡¯s the Magic Energy Research Institute, Kafka Empire, or Sky Alliance, or even other major forces, they will increasingly value the Rune Technology we possess. Before, they could slowly coerce us into handing over the Rune Technology, but now there¡¯s no time for that. To obtain Rune Technology and leverage it to maintain their current position, they might resort to far more drastic measures¡­¡±


    With that said, Athena glanced at Rocky and noticed he lay on the bed as if turned to stone.


    Indeed, Athena¡¯s words were like a bolt from the blue to Rocky. He was truly shocked! Rocky had thought that the Demon¡¯s attack had given him a breathing space and, since The Three Great Alliances would be preoccupied with preparing for the upcoming war, this would naturally be to his advantage. However, Athena¡¯s words made it clear that the reality was quite the opposite.


    They did have a breather, but that was just the calm before the storm. The imminent war not only wouldn¡¯t cause The Three Great Alliances to forget about Rocky, but it would also make him an even bigger target. As the war approached, everyone would need Rune Technology more than ever!


    ¡°Sir, you need to think carefully about what to do next.¡±


    After saying that, Athena smiled, stood up, and left the room, leaving only Rocky and Liliya there.


    ¡°Rocky, what do you plan to do?¡±


    As the door closed, Liliya turned to Rocky. It was apparent that his situation had not improved from before but actually had gotten worse, precisely as Athena had indicated. The coming days would not involve minor hassles, but outright aggression!


    In such circumstances, what should Rocky do?


    This question stumped Rocky as well, causing him to look back at Liliya silently with furrowed brows.


    It wasn¡¯t until fifteen minutes had passed that Rocky sighed, ¡°Since it¡¯s come to this, we can only keep going.¡±


    ¡°Liliya, help me summon the teachers.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    With a single word, Liliya immediately left the room, and watching her go, Rocky sighed again.


    The current situation was indeed not in his favor, but as Rocky said, now that it had come to this point, the only thing he could do was to keep going. There were no other options.


    But Rocky knew he wasn¡¯t without opportunities. Compared to the crises before, he had more time now, as well as a clearer purpose, allowing for better preparation. And one crucial fact had not changed: the more others desired the Mana Runes, the less they could afford to outright kill Rocky, for then they would gain nothing. This was his advantage, too.


    So, having clarified his strengths and weaknesses, Rocky knew what he had to do, even though the path he chose was a difficult one¡­

 Chapter 690 - 690 652 Breakthrough Imminent

    ?Chapter 690: Chapter 652: Breakthrough Imminent Chapter 690: Chapter 652: Breakthrough Imminent Due to the severe injuries he had sustained in the previous war, Rocky was still unable to leave his bed, so he had no choice but to ask Liliya to invite Orton and the others to his bedroom.


    ¡°Kid, how¡¯s it going? Will you be able to move again in the future?¡±


    Upon seeing Rocky, Hammerfire simply stepped up onto a stool and sat by his bed, then gloatingly asked.


    ¡°Not bad, I¡¯ll be fine after a few days of rest.¡±


    ¡°Kid, you didn¡¯t suffer those injuries in vain¡ªit¡¯s precisely through battle that we¡¯ve discovered many deficiencies in the White Demon. The opponents you faced before were too weak. Now, it looks like if you really encounter a high-level demon, the White Demon¡¯s performance is still not sufficient.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve already begun making modifications.¡±


    Sitting beside Rocky, Hammerfire just went on and on.


    The reason Rocky had sustained such severe injuries this time was that he had fought continuously with two high-level demons, and although the second-generation White Demon Armor he wore had undergone significant enhancement, even equipped with a weapon like the Magic Fang Scythe¡ªan elite weapon¡ªit still proved inadequate when facing multiple high-level demons.


    But as Hammerfire said, they had already started making improvements.


    ¡°Rocky, you had us come here for some matter, right?¡±


    After Hammerfire¡¯s prolonged discussion, Aniye, who was sitting to the side, spoke up, well aware that Rocky hadn¡¯t summoned them to discuss the White Demon Armor, but rather he had something else, more important, to discuss.


    ¡°Teacher, I wanted to ask about the third counteroffensive war.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ve already discussed it with Athena just now¡­¡±


    Turning to Aniye and the others, Rocky repeated Athena¡¯s previous speculations, then said, ¡°We need to accelerate our research progress.¡±


    While speaking, Rocky turned to Orton, ¡°Teacher, can the Elemental Rune be applied now?¡±


    Elemental Rune!


    As mentioned before, Orton had made significant breakthroughs in his rune research. It was precisely because of such breakthroughs that Rocky dared to apply runes comprehensively. After achieving this breakthrough, his mastery of runes had reached a height unreachable by outsiders, to the extent that even if others were aware of the runes¡¯ existence or even if they obtained them, they could maintain an absolute lead.


    And this breakthrough was the attribute transformation of the runes!


    As for research in this area, Orton had already been working on it for some time, but unfortunately, he was alone initially, so the progress was quite slow. However, after Aniye and the others joined, research in this area greatly accelerated, especially in the last six months. About half a year ago, Thunderhawk City had its own research and development team, and under the concerted efforts of the entire team, the research on rune attribute transformation finally yielded its final results!


    It is well-known that, with the limitations of Magic Stones, significant breakthroughs in the total amount of Mana have been difficult to achieve, so people had already started to improve the quality of Mana, researching how to make fuller use of limited Mana, of which Magic Energy Attribute Transformation is the most important aspect.


    In this field of research, Uranus Corporation was somewhat ahead. Their Sixth-generation Armor, which they were developing, focused on Magic Energy Attribute Transformation and had already achieved preliminary results. Following closely was Sigma Corporation, whose sixth-generation armor was slightly behind, but their research on Magic Energy Attribute Transformation had accumulated considerable experience. Other companies and forces were also working hard in this area, including The Three Great Alliances and even the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce.


    However, even Uranus Corporation, which was leading in this area, had not yet fully mastered this technology; at most, they had grasped only a fraction of it. In contrast, Orton had already achieved it¡ªhe was already able to successfully use runes for the attribute transformation of Mana!


    This breakthrough was nothing short of shocking, and once announced, it would undoubtedly shake the entire world!


    However, this matter was a secret to everyone, known only to Rocky and four others including Orton. Even those who participated in the research didn¡¯t know, due to the segmented management approach employed, where each person was only responsible for specific fields and projects.


    Actually, according to Rocky¡¯s original plan, the research on the Elemental transformation of runes was supposed to wait a while longer before being put into practical application, because this technology was too advanced and too dangerous, and needed to undergo numerous tests before it could be truly used.


    Unfortunately, plans never keep up with changes. The situation he was in, as well as the world¡¯s geopolitical landscape, were undergoing drastic alterations. The original plans were no longer viable, and he had to adapt to the circumstances.


    ¡°Teacher, if Athena¡¯s predictions are accurate, which I believe they are, it won¡¯t be long before The Three Great Alliances set their sights on us, and this time they won¡¯t use underhanded tactics. They¡¯ll come at us directly, so we need to be prepared,¡±


    ¡°Do you think they will directly attack Backhill Village?¡±


    Rocky¡¯s words made Aniye and the others frown, then Orton asked.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. They¡¯re afraid we might destroy all our research findings, so they probably won¡¯t attack directly. That¡¯s our advantage, so we must use it and also accelerate our efforts.¡±


    ¡°What do you plan to do?¡±


    ¡°New Armor.¡±


    Looking towards the four people, Rocky spoke, ¡°I need new armor, the Third Generation White Demon Armor centered around Elemental runes.¡±


    ¡°Is that enough?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not, but that¡¯s all I need from the teachers. As for other matters, I¡¯ll figure out a way.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Nodding, Orton looked at Rocky, ¡°Kid, no matter what you plan, make it skilled. Don¡¯t let those bastards get too pleased. Let them know how formidable we are!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, teacher.¡±


    With a slight smile towards Orton and the others, Rocky watched them leave. He then sent someone to find Archimonde.


    In recent days, Archimonde was extremely happy, no, ecstatic because of the demon attacks.


    For most people, the previous demon attacks were undoubtedly a disaster, but for some, particularly arms dealers like the Apple Tree Corporation, it was not.


    Due to the massive losses in the demon attacks, the business of warships at the Apple Tree Corporation was booming, as was the armor business. Although until now no one had obtained the genuine Thunderhawk Armor, because Rocky had emphasized in the press conference that the Thunderhawk Armor was specifically designed to combat Flying Demons, the wave of orders had surged towards the corporation post-attack. Archimonde currently held thousands of armor orders, definitely enough for both the corporation and Rocky to make a hefty profit. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under these circumstances, when he met with Rocky, his face was filled with smiles, and upon hearing Rocky¡¯s words, he was nearly overjoyed!


    ¡°Archimonde, does the corporation have any interest in Rune Battleships?¡±


    Watching Archimonde, Rocky slowly asked.

 Chapter 691 - 691 653 Only the Stronger

    ?Chapter 691: Chapter 653: Only the Stronger Chapter 691: Chapter 653: Only the Stronger ¡°Rune¡­ warship?¡±


    Looking at Rocky lying in bed, Archimonde was originally all smiles but suddenly became stunned. He had never expected Rocky to bring up this matter!


    Did the Apple Tree Corporation want the technology for the Rune warships?


    Of course, they did!


    Archimonde had witnessed every battle between Rocky and the City of Fury firsthand. He had even watched on the sidelines as Rocky and his team worked overtime to modify the warships. He had stayed up with everyone for ten days and had naturally reported the formidable performance of the Rune warships to the Guild President early on.


    Upon learning that Rocky had already applied runes on warships and could use them proficiently, the entire Apple Tree Corporation was overjoyed. For them, it was an unexpected blessing since Rocky had previously only mentioned Rune Armor, never Rune warships. The corporation had no idea he could already apply runes on warships.


    This was undoubtedly a great opportunity for the corporation, an excellent opportunity to outdistance all competitors by leagues. So, since the City of Fury had been captured, the corporation had been discussing how to approach Rocky about this matter. Unexpectedly, Rocky had come to them first.


    In such a situation, Archimonde dared not take it lightly. Entering the Armor Domain was merely a need for the corporation¡¯s expansion, but the warships were indeed the foundation of the corporation. Thus, Archimonde took no risks with this matter.


    ¡°Rocky, what are you thinking? Do you plan to make the Rune warships widespread?¡±


    ¡°I am no saint.¡±


    Smiling at Archimonde, Rocky didn¡¯t hide his words.


    Before, he indeed planned to share Rune Technology with the whole world, but too many things had happened recently¡ªenough to completely change his thinking. So now, he had no interest in taking care of others. How does the old saying go?


    ¡°When poor, one looks after oneself; when achieving abundance, one helps the world.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, Rocky couldn¡¯t even protect his own sprouts; how could he afford to benefit the whole world?


    ¡°Archimonde, I hope the corporation can provide me with warships, Rune warships. I will provide the technology, but¡­ I won¡¯t pay for them, consider it a trade with technology,¡± said Rocky.


    ¡°As for whether you sell the Rune warships later or not, I don¡¯t oppose it, but I have a few conditions.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°First, I want a share from the sales of the Rune warships, the specifics of which Aileen will discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°Second, you can sell the Rune warships to anyone, but not to those who are my enemies; I will give you the list soon.¡±


    ¡°Third, you must not leak the technology of the Rune warships; otherwise, I will terminate all cooperation with the corporation.¡±


    ¡°No problem, I will consult with the Guild President right now,¡± Archimonde replied.


    Having heard Rocky¡¯s three conditions, Archimonde nodded almost without thinking, then rushed out of the room immediately.


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Rocky called as he saw Archimonde hurrying out like a startled monkey, summoning him back with a wry smile. Rocky still had much to say.


    ¡°Archimonde, didn¡¯t you mention earlier that the corporation was planning to build another armory in Thunderhawk City? Now is the time, and it must be expedited.¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll handle it right away!¡±


    The meeting with Rocky today was a double blessing for Archimonde!


    On the one hand, Rocky wanted to cooperate with them to manufacture Rune warships. Though there were many demands, compared to the importance of the Rune warships and their significance for the Apple Tree Corporation, Rocky¡¯s conditions were just trifles.


    On the other hand, there was the matter of the armory. Archimonde had already brought this up to Rocky before, but many things had happened since then, especially after Backhill Village was locked down, preventing the corporation¡¯s caravans from reaching Backhill Village, leaving the matter unresolved. Now that Rocky had brought it up on his own, the Apple Tree Corporation was more than willing!


    Therefore, after this, Archimonde immediately returned to his residence and contacted Guild President Pansen right away.


    With his departure, Rocky was left alone in his room. This, however, was ideal as it allowed him to calmly think about how to proceed.


    Actually, he had already figured out the general direction. For Rocky, there was only one thing to do next, and that was to become stronger, and stronger, and even stronger!


    It¡¯s the same old saying, only when one is strong can one avoid being bullied, can one avoid being meat on the chopping board. In fact, over the years, Rocky had always been doing just that, constantly finding ways to become stronger.


    Thinking carefully, recalling what Thunderhawk City was like initially and seeing now what one could know, it was clear that Rocky had become countless times stronger over the years. However, as he grew stronger, so did his enemies. Initially, he only faced the Mairente Families, but now the Mairente Families had almost been driven to extinction and could no longer cause any trouble for him. However, Rocky¡¯s enemies had changed.


    They had transformed into Rick, the Magic Energy Research Institute, Kafka Empire, and the Shadow Alliance, adding Sigma and Uranus corporations, and possibly even the Sky Alliance into the mix. His enemies had grown stronger.


    In such conditions, the only thing Rocky could do was continue to grow stronger, for he seemed to have concluded that his enemies would become even more formidable, he could even be at odds with the world!


    So he had Orton and others quickly begin research on the Third Generation White Demon Armor. The Second Generation White Demon Armor was strong, but clearly not strong enough to face the upcoming crises.


    He even provided part of the Rune Technology to the Apple Tree Corporation, for only thus could he obtain numerous Rune warships and form a real Rune Fleet. He also had to build new armories, otherwise, not to mention the battle gear needed by his own troops, he wouldn¡¯t be able to meet outside orders.


    Therefore, even though Rocky was currently lying in bed, under his various arrangements, both of his Sky Cities and Backhill Village were all up and running. At the same time, Rocky also contacted Karina and Berg, telling them that recent times were quite unsettled and instructing them to stay put in safe areas. He promised to send them the battle gears and warships as soon as they were ready.


    After that, Rocky began to rest and heal. He had to recuperate quickly because there were too many matters requiring his personal attention afterward.

 Chapter 692 - 692 654 Opportunity

    ?Chapter 692: Chapter 654 Opportunity Chapter 692: Chapter 654 Opportunity ¡°`


    Only by growing stronger can one survive in this cruel world, which is the only thing Rocky can do.


    So, for the half-week that followed, he honestly lay in bed, devoting himself to recuperating and once his body was healed, he began to work with all his might.


    As his injuries gradually healed, his first order was to expand the recruitment drive once more, continuing to enlist soldiers from Sky City.


    Having an initial plan for the future, Rocky knew he needed more troops, so he had to keep recruiting, and this time, the conscription was not limited to Thunderhawk City but also included Carltos City.


    After more than a year of adaptation, the population of Carltos City was no longer as resistant to Rocky¡¯s rule as before, which was naturally credited to Voss¡¯s governance. Under his administration, Carltos City went from initial resistance to turbulence and then to gradual adaptation; the city has now successfully transitioned, and the residents have basically adapted to life under Rocky¡¯s rule.


    Of course, this was also inseparable from Rocky¡¯s own efforts. Since taking back Carltos City, he had won several impressive victories, not only defeating the large Sky Cities, Fury and Sky Might, but also achieving a complete victory in the Demon attacks, especially the war against the Demons, which was a powerful stimulant for all his subjects, greatly enhancing Rocky¡¯s prestige in their hearts.


    In such a situation, Rocky could now confidently involve Carltos City in all his actions, which was undoubtedly a substantial strengthening of his overall power.


    Before this, Rocky had taken back Carltos City early on, but given his constant unease about this city, Carltos City was almost like a decoration to him. He never let the city participate in any of his plans. The war did not need its involvement, nor did its construction; it was as if the city did not exist at all.


    But now it was different. Once Carltos City could join the larger plan, Rocky¡¯s overall power would undoubtedly climb a huge step, and there would be earth-shattering changes in manpower, material resources, and financial resources. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After issuing the order for recruitment, he called Aileen and inquired about the negotiations with the Apple Tree Corporation.


    ¡°My lord, the other party has agreed to our demands.¡±


    ¡°So readily?¡±


    ¡°Of course, with Pansen¡¯s decisiveness, even a cutting-edge technology like Rune Battleships would make him agree regardless of having to pay ten times the price.¡±


    This time¡¯s negotiation with the Apple Tree Corporation was fully managed by Aileen, so she had a direct audience with the Guild President Pansen. Although they only met through a Magic Energy Image, Pansen undoubtedly left a very good impression on Aileen.


    ¡°Excellent, I will have the teacher hand over some technical data to them. Also, go and inform the Corporation that I need one hundred Rune Escort Ships, one hundred Rune Destroyers, thirty Rune Patrol Cruisers, thirty Rune Battleships, and ten Rune Motherships.¡±


    ¡°My lord, you really are making a lion¡¯s demand.¡±


    Hearing Rocky¡¯s requests, Aileen laughed. It might seem that Rocky was asking for not many warships, but given that all were Rune warships and considering the manufacturing capabilities of a company like the Apple Tree Corporation using the new technology, their production would be very limited. Thus, this demand meant that the Apple Tree Corporation would have to exclusively devote its time to producing warships for Rocky on an overtime schedule.


    ¡°We have handed over all our technology; shouldn¡¯t we be able to make some demands? Go take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how¡¯s the new munitions factory coming along?¡± Rocky stopped Aileen as she was about to leave.


    ¡°The convoy from the Apple Tree Corporation is on land now, but the sky has been somewhat unsettled recently, so it¡¯s likely to take another week to arrive.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± After hearing the timeline, Rocky nodded, then added, ¡°Also, contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce and tell Amanred they can set up shop in Carltos City now. Additionally, have them transport a batch of supplies. The more the better; money is no object. If the funds are insufficient, use demon materials in exchange. We need to prepare for winter.¡±


    ¡°Clear.¡±


    With a promise, Aileen turned and left, while Rocky sat behind his desk and picked up a piece of intelligence.


    This intelligence was the usual offering from the Shadow Alliance, detailing the major events that had occurred in the sky recently. Although Rocky knew that the Shadow Alliance was targeting him, the two parties had not yet openly broken, so the Alliance still provided him with intelligence every week.


    As for the content of the intelligence, Rocky didn¡¯t need to read it to know that the vast majority would relate to the Demons.


    The previous large-scale attack had ended, and the Demons were defeated back to the land, but this did not signify much. In fact, the content reported in this piece of intelligence showed that, rather than halting, Demon activities had become even more frequent after the last large-scale attack.


    Now, almost every day, there were reports of Demon attacks on Sky Cities or convoys, and each day various tragedies happened due to these attacks. In such a situation, the entire sky descended into unprecedented chaos, and more and more Sky Cities chose to hide in safety zones to save their lives.


    This is why the convoy from the Apple Tree Corporation won¡¯t be arriving until next week; the skies are indeed unsafe now.


    However, from another perspective, this was not only a disaster, but also a tremendous opportunity!


    Take Demon materials, for example. With an increasing number of direct attacks on Sky Cities by Demons, Demon materials have become much more in demand. One might wonder, with more Demons being killed, shouldn¡¯t that devalue the Demon materials?


    Of course not, because more Demons mean more frequent battles, and the main use of Demon materials is to be converted into war supplies. Thus, the more frequent the battles, the more in demand the Demon materials become. Moreover, don¡¯t forget that those capable of attacking Sky Cities are Flying Demons, who are far stronger than normal Demons, therefore even more expensive.


    For those with the power to kill, this market situation is definitely a good thing, like for Rocky.


    The last attack by the Demons also included Backhill Village and was repelled by Rocky, providing him with considerable Demon materials, a significant portion of which came from Flying Demons. This haul, once sold, would turn into countless Gold Coins. So, Rocky was truly not short on money, not to mention one thing, that during the last battle, he even killed two high-level demons!


    ¡°`

 Chapter 693 - 693 656 Elemental Rune

    ?Chapter 693: Chapter 656: Elemental Rune! Chapter 693: Chapter 656: Elemental Rune! In fending off the Demons¡¯ attack, Rocky had slain two high-level Demons, and of course, he paid a hefty price for it. The White Demon Armor was once again scrapped, and he had suffered serious injuries that kept him in bed for half a month. However, the spoils from this battle were enormous ¨C he acquired the materials of two high-level Demons!


    Among these two high-level Demons, one was a Steel Fury Demon, similar to the first Grayrock Demon slain by Rocky but made, not of stone, but of real metal. This metal is unique in the world, found only in Steel Fury Demons, and is one of the top materials.


    To defeat this Demon, Rocky had to exert a tremendous amount of effort because this kind of Demon was essentially a giant metal ball. Nearly any mana weapon was ineffective against it, even the Demon Annihilation Cannon. The only weapon that could inflict damage was the Magic Fang Scythe, forcing Rocky to engage in close combat. But as a Demon that was naturally as powerful as a steel ball, it took only two punches ¡ª Rocky received just two punches in the fight, yet half of his ribs and one arm were broken, despite wearing the White Demon Armor.


    The other high-level Demon was the notorious Lava Demon, most feared for the scalding magma that flowed through its body instead of blood. Thus, the Lava Demon was always at a high temperature, capable of spewing flames and fireballs with a mere open mouth, and could easily burn most materials to ash when enraged. It was during the battle with this Demon that the White Demon Armor was completely scrapped, and Rocky nearly followed suit.


    Even now, when Rocky recalls the encounters with these two Demons, he still feels a shiver of fear. Had he made any slight mistake at the time, he would have been the one dead. Hence, although he had rested in bed for half a month, he still felt fortunate to be alive.


    That said, while combating high-level Demons is naturally perilous, the rewards are tremendous upon a successful defeat, and this occasion was no exception.


    By vanquishing the Steel Fury Demon, Rocky obtained a batch of the finest metal materials. Perhaps these wouldn¡¯t be suitable for mass-producing Armor, but they were more than enough to craft the next generation of White Demon Armor.


    The same was true for the Lava Demon, which upon death had turned into a pool of magma leaving nothing behind. However, its Demon Core remained intact, which was also the most precious part of the Lava Demon, thus a highly valuable material.


    Using both of these items to create the next generation of White Demon Armor, coupled with the Elemental Runes that Orton had successfully researched, Rocky couldn¡¯t even imagine what the new White Demon Armor would be like.


    So, having arranged his other affairs, Rocky went straight to the research institute.


    Now, after the experiences with the Tank Armor and Thunderhawk Armor, he had developed a considerable degree of design ability. Therefore, Rocky decided to participate in the design of the White Demon Armor himself. Even if he couldn¡¯t contribute directly, it would still be beneficial to observe and learn.


    ¡°Kid, take a look. This is the design for the new generation of White Demon Armor. What do you think?¡±


    When Rocky arrived at the research institute, Hammerfire took him to the largest lab. As soon as he walked in, he felt a surge of magic, as if he had entered a capsule. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Teacher, this is¡­¡±


    ¡°This is a protective shield set up for secrecy. Currently, only you, us, and can enter this lab. If anyone else tries to enter without permission, heh heh¡­¡±


    Hammerfire said with a chuckle, waving the design in his hand.


    The design of the new generation White Demon Armor was naturally the research institute¡¯s most important project, and it also required utmost secrecy. After all, the technology employed in this iteration of White Demon Armor used the pinnacle of Rune Technology, the Elemental techniques. Therefore, except for Orton, Aniye, Pelaya, Hammerfire, and Rocky, no one else at the institute was permitted to be involved.


    Soon after, Rocky saw Orton, Aniye, and Pelaya, who were already working, as well as the design that Hammerfire and he had completed.


    After taking a look at the design, Rocky blinked because he discovered that he couldn¡¯t comprehend a considerable part of the content.


    It should be noted that he was no longer a novice. He had already designed the Tank Armor and personally led the Thunderhawk Armor project, reaching a point where one could say he had graduated. Yet even so, there were many elements in Hammerfire¡¯s design for the new White Demon Armor that Rocky did not understand.


    So, after looking over the design plans for quite a while, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Teacher, isn¡¯t this¡­ a bit too advanced? Are we able to make it?¡±


    ¡°Of course we can make it!¡±


    Before Hammerfire could speak up, Orton, who was nearby after hearing this, shouted and then called Rocky over to the side.


    Upon arriving at Orton¡¯s side, Rocky immediately saw a stand with an arm on the workbench in front of him¡ªnot a human arm, of course, but the arm of Armor, very similar to that of the White Demon Armor.


    ¡°Kid, take a look at this.¡±


    Without waiting for Rocky to ask, Orton pulled him a step back and then pressed a button on the controller in his hand. A Defensive Net appeared around the arm. It was only then that Rocky noticed the workbench was inscribed with runes, which could provide mana for experiments when activated and could also form a Defensive Net like now for protection.


    Of course, what Orton wanted to show Rocky was not the workbench, but the Armor arm on it.


    ¡°Watch closely.¡±


    After saying that, Orton pressed the controller in his hand again, and a Rune suddenly appeared on the palm of the Armor, which then grew brighter and gradually turned red, eventually whooshing out a jet of flame!


    Elemental Rune!


    Watching the flames project continuously from the Armor arm, Rocky¡¯s eyes widened¡ªclearly, this was the legendary Elemental Rune!


    In fact, the principle of the Elemental Rune wasn¡¯t that complicated. The core of making mana possess an elemental property is not in the mana itself, but in the transformation through a Rune. Put simply, it¡¯s like a filter; when mana passes through a fire attribute Rune, it gets transformed by the Rune and then becomes an actual flame, just as Orton was demonstrating to Rocky.


    He did exactly that, converting mana into real flames through the red Rune that lit up on the palm of the Armor and shooting it out.


    No wonder, no wonder Orton put up the protective shield before the demonstration¡ªotherwise, such an experiment could have set the entire laboratory ablaze.


    ¡°Teacher, this is simply, simply astounding¡­ Teacher! It¡¯s melting! It¡¯s going to melt!¡±


    Just as Rocky¡¯s eyes were wide open in amazement, ready to praise Orton with a few words of admiration, he suddenly noticed that the Armor arm had turned red under the high temperature of the flames and was beginning to deform!


    And it was right as he spoke those words that the flame went out and the Armor arm was completely deformed by the high heat.


    ¡°Hahaha! Ha ha! Idiot!¡±


    Orton awkwardly looked at the deformed arm while Hammerfire¡¯s unreserved laughter echoed in his ears.

 Chapter 694 - 694 657 Research Funding

    ?Chapter 694: Chapter 657: Research Funding Chapter 694: Chapter 657: Research Funding ¡°I¡¯ve told you, ordinary materials simply can¡¯t withstand the energy of elemental runes.¡±


    Seeing the arm of the armor deform in the high temperature of the flames, Hammerfire burst into laughter nearby.


    Ever since they made a breakthrough with elemental runes, Orton and his team had been conducting research in this area because they were very clear that the future development of mana would definitely be elemental. However, as their research deepened, they gradually discovered the downside of elemental runes.


    Not too weak, but too strong.


    The energy released by elemental runes was far more powerful than that of plain mana. Technically, it was possible to equip armor with it, but the materials were not suitable. Ordinary armor materials could hardly bear it, and only more advanced or even the most high-end materials could be used.


    But such materials were hard to find. Resources in Sky City were already scarce to begin with, and the materials that could be considered high-end or top-tier were even fewer. What was more important, these materials were very expensive. Rocky might not be short on money now, but he definitely couldn¡¯t afford this kind of expense. Left with no choice, Orton had to use ordinary armor for experimentation, and of course, the results were the same every time¡ªthe armor was scrapped.


    ¡°I did say you should experiment with Steel Essence refined by the Steel Fury Demon; otherwise, any experiment is worthless.¡±


    Sitting on the table, Hammerfire pouted and spoke, his expression showing a hint of frustration. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had suggested long ago that they should use metal refined from the body of the Steel Fury Demon for experiments. Only metal of that caliber could withstand the energy produced by elemental runes, and only data derived from such experiments would be useful. But Orton and the rest had always objected, for a simple reason¡ªmetal refined by the Steel Fury Demon was too precious.


    In the market, this kind of metal is called Steel Essence, and its price is as high as several hundred thousand gold coins per gram. Although Rocky had killed a Steel Fury Demon and had extracted quite a bit of Steel Essence from its body, the quantity was only enough to make the White Demon Armor, leaving no surplus Steel Essence for experimentation. Thus, even though Orton was well aware that Hammerfire was right, there was nothing he could do to follow through.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    After listening to Hammerfire, Rocky then looked towards Orton, who nodded helplessly.


    ¡°Teacher, how much money would we need to buy enough materials for the experiments?¡±


    Seeing Orton nod, Rocky immediately inquired.


    As mentioned before, researching this kind of thing was essentially burning money, so even though Orton and his team had been extremely frugal, some expenses were still necessary, such as the cost of Steel Essence. Therefore, Rocky was very clear that there was absolutely no scrimping in this area.


    ¡°If we cut back a little, we would need about ten million gold coins.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Orton gave the figure with a sense of resignation.


    Ten million gold coins!


    That was the estimated cost needed for experimenting with elemental runes, and it was a conservative estimate!


    Why did Orton always disagree with Hammerfire¡¯s approach, to directly use the existing Steel Essence for experiments? It was because he knew once such experimentation began, spending money would be like casting it into a bottomless pit. Indeed, he was capable and confident that he could apply Elemental Runes to the new generation of White Demon Armor, but he also knew this would be too great a financial burden for Rocky.


    Now, Rocky¡¯s days were indeed much better than before, with two Sky Cities and Backhill Village yielding several million gold coins each quarter. But Orton was also well aware that half of that sum was being invested in the research institute. Under such circumstances, where could Rocky find ten million gold coins?


    Therefore, not only did he refuse to agree with Hammerfire¡¯s method, but he also refrained from asking Rocky for more money. He still hoped to avoid increasing Rocky¡¯s burden as much as possible, after all, it had not been easy for Rocky.


    In fact, when Rocky heard the figure, he too was taken aback. He knew research was expensive, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to require so much money¡ªten million gold coins? The number was simply staggering.


    However, after frowning in thought, he eventually nodded to Orton!


    ¡°Teacher, leave the money matters to me,¡± he said, ¡°Just give me the list of what¡¯s needed, and I¡¯ll immediately have the Chamber of Commerce buy everything we need.¡±


    ¡°Haha! I told you so, I said this kid could definitely handle it!¡±


    When Rocky finished speaking, Hammerfire on the table threw up his little fists excitedly and shouted out loud, while Aniye and Pelaya also approached.


    ¡°Rocky, are you sure? This is not a small amount,¡± Pelaya asked worriedly, looking at Rocky. Ten million gold coins were indeed not a trifling figure. It wasn¡¯t just Rocky¡ªsome large-scale research projects in other major Sky Cities might not dare to invest that much.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me.¡±


    With a slight smile towards Pelaya, Rocky then turned and left the laboratory. With Orton and the others there, he was sure he didn¡¯t need to worry about the research aspect. What he needed to do now was to find a way to raise the money. As long as he could get enough funds, Rocky was confident that with the accumulation of work done by Orton and his team over the years, it wouldn¡¯t be long before they could create the new generation of White Demon Armor.


    So after leaving the research institute, he returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and then summoned Aileen to inquire about the current financial situation.


    According to Aileen, the city¡¯s cash reserves amounted to over one and a half million gold coins, which could increase by another two million gold coins in a month. This was because the mineral output from Backhill Village and the earnings of the cities for the quarter would be due then.


    Of course, this was only the income produced under Rocky¡¯s jurisdiction and did not include the revenue from the Armor factory¡¯s production. And if the Armor factory completed all orders for Thunderhawk Armor, Rocky could expect to earn several million gold coins more. If he waited a while longer, until the Apple Tree Corporation could mass-produce Rune Battleships, then his revenue would be even higher. For every battleship the Apple Tree Corporation sold, Rocky could extract a twenty percent profit, which was nearly endless.


    In other words, if such steady development continued, Rocky¡¯s progress could definitely be described as flourishing. But for Rocky at the moment, this future income was like a distant fire that couldn¡¯t quench an immediate thirst; the Armor factory would need months to complete all orders, and he didn¡¯t have that much time, nor could he wait for the Apple Tree Corporation to share profits with him. He needed ten million gold coins now!


    So afterwards, Rocky fell into deep thought for quite some time. He thought of many solutions, and indeed, there were quite a few viable options. With his current capabilities and connections, raising ten million wasn¡¯t particularly difficult¡ªat least he could borrow it, and Rocky believed many people would be willing to lend him the sum. But he didn¡¯t want to do that because he had thought of a better solution.


    ¡°Liliya, call Glan for me,¡± he said, glancing at Liliya. He planned to meet with the envoy from the Sky Alliance who had been left in his care. After all, a considerable amount of time had passed since they last met¡­!

 Chapter 695 - 695 658 My Rules

    ?Chapter 695: Chapter 658 My Rules Chapter 695: Chapter 658 My Rules Rocky had his own ideas about where to get the money. He didn¡¯t want to borrow it because the more people found out he possessed Rune Technology, the more favors he would owe, and the more complicated his future would become. So, he thought of the Sky Alliance.


    Rocky¡¯s relationship with the Sky Alliance had become increasingly subtle. After the Demon attacks had ended, the Sky Alliance also transferred Sirius City away. Though they provided some reasons at the time, everyone knew these were just excuses, effectively representing a stance taken by the Alliance.


    This attitude undoubtedly signified that their relationship had completely derailed from its initial course, which was evident from Rocky¡¯s interactions with Lord Glan.


    When Rocky had just joined the Alliance, he and Glan met almost every few days, whether Rocky visited him or he visited Rocky, their interactions were exceptionally warm. This phase could be considered Rocky¡¯s honeymoon period with the Alliance. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, as Rune Technology was revealed, and the City of Fury¡¯s blockade of Backhill Village began, Rocky¡¯s relationship with the Alliance started to grow distant. The most direct sign was that he met with Glan less and less. When City of Fury had just begun the blockade, they still met occasionally. But later, they stopped meeting entirely; Rocky no longer sought out Glan, and Glan didn¡¯t come to him either.


    The last time they met was concerning the issue of Sirius City being transferred. As the Alliance¡¯s ambassador, Glan was responsible for informing Rocky about this matter. Their meeting was very cold. Rocky simply inquired why the Alliance decided to transfer Sirius City. After all, stationing Sirius City in Backhill Village was a promise made by the Alliance after the war, tantamount to a reward. Glan provided a few reasons and then¡­ there was nothing more, and that was already half a month ago.


    Therefore, it could be said that Rocky¡¯s relationship with the Alliance had plummeted from its initial honeymoon period to an all-time low, with virtually no communication between them.


    But even so, even though their relationship had become extremely rigid, at least superficially, Rocky was still a member of the Alliance, and an integral one at that. Whilst the Alliance had transferred Sirius City, they still hadn¡¯t openly broken ties with Rocky, which made their current situation quite delicate.


    It was precisely because there was still a subtle connection between them that Rocky thought of asking the Alliance for money.


    Of course, he was not going to ask for money directly, but planned to sell technology to the Alliance to raise funds!


    With the official announcement of White Demon and Thunderhawk Armor, combined with having authorized the Apple Tree Corporation to start manufacturing Rune Battleships, the whole world knew he held advanced Rune Technology. Rocky felt that rather than letting everyone covet what he had, it would be better to proactively sell some of it¡ªjust a little bit¡ªto make a decent amount of money.


    And his first target was the Sky Alliance.


    Under these circumstances, he quickly summoned Glan to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion for an overdue meeting.


    ¡°Lord Glan, does the Alliance have any interest in Mana Runes?¡±


    Upon seeing Glan, Rocky didn¡¯t make small talk or beat around the bush, but went straight to the point with his question.


    Such directness even stunned Glan. He certainly knew what Mana Runes were. As a master dispatched to Thunderhawk City by the Alliance, Glan knew much more about Rocky than outsiders. Despite having barely seen Rocky recently, he had been closely observing his every move. So, when Rocky asked the question directly, Glan almost couldn¡¯t believe his ears.


    Was Rocky planning to share Rune Technology with the Alliance?


    This disbelief haunted Glan. He had witnessed Rocky¡¯s behavior over the past few months¡ªthere was no sign of compromise with the Alliance. How could he have suddenly changed his mind?


    But after some thought, Glan realized there was nothing surprising about it. Although it appeared that Rocky had extricated himself from his predicament, danger lurked everywhere, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before he faced a greater crisis than before. Glan didn¡¯t believe Rocky was unaware of this, so it made sense for him to have a change of heart at this time.


    Having realized this, Glan, as an experienced diplomat, immediately knew what to do.


    ¡°Lord Rocky, the Alliance has always been open to new technology. If you wish to share Rune Technology with the Alliance, that would be most welcome. Once evaluated, the Alliance will surely honor its initial agreement, as promised. I can assure you of that,¡± Glan said, emphasizing the last part to remind Rocky that as long as he was willing to share Mana Runes, the Alliance would continue to support him regardless of past grievances.


    ¡°That¡¯s excellent,¡± replied Rocky, smiling at Glan, and nodding his head while seated on the City Lord¡¯s Throne, ¡°In that case, I wouldn¡¯t mind sharing some Rune Technology with the Alliance. I¡¯ll sell the method for drawing Basic Runes to the Alliance, provided the price is right.¡±


    ¡°Lord Rocky, rest assured, the Alliance will not be stingy with Contribution Points.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want Contribution Points. I want Gold Coins,¡± Rocky said, shaking his finger at Glan, making it clear that this time he wasn¡¯t interested in Contribution Points¡ªhe wanted Gold Coins!


    Glan was taken aback, then frowned slightly, ¡°Lord Rocky, that¡¯s not in accordance with the Alliance¡¯s rules.¡±


    On this matter, Glan truly wasn¡¯t trying to be difficult with Rocky. The Alliance had its rules: any member who shared technology with the Alliance, no matter how cutting-edge, would only receive Contribution Points. But that wasn¡¯t an issue because Contribution Points could be exchanged within the Alliance for many things, including Gold Coins and even items that couldn¡¯t be bought with Gold Coins.


    However, that wasn¡¯t what Rocky wanted. Contribution Points were indeed useful within the Alliance, but let¡¯s not forget his current relationship with them. Although they hadn¡¯t openly fallen out, things were already extremely strained, and Rocky knew very well that, for the technology he held, the Sky Alliance might turn against him any day. If that happened, what use would an abundance of Contribution Points be to him? They¡¯d be as good as waste paper, nowhere near as valuable as Gold Coins!


    So, Rocky immediately shook his head firmly and declared, ¡°Lord Glan, this time we¡¯ll do it by my rules. I¡¯m only selling for Gold Coins. If the Alliance disagrees, then I¡¯ll have to find another buyer.¡±

 Chapter 696 - 696 659 Not For You

    ?Chapter 696: Chapter 659: Not For You Chapter 696: Chapter 659: Not For You ¡°`


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Rocky¡¯s words were so firm and resolute that Glan couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow, feeling a myriad of emotions as he looked at Rocky.


    He was the earliest Alliance member to arrive in Thunderhawk City, so he still vividly remembered the vast gap between Rocky and the Alliance at that time. Back then, Rocky joined the Alliance to escape from Wild Horse City¡¯s pursuit, and his reliance on the Alliance was unimaginable. This was evident from his initial act of sharing the Tank Armor with the Alliance.


    But within a few years, he was already daring to negotiate terms with the Alliance.


    More frustrating for Glan was that Rocky actually had the leverage to negotiate with the Alliance now.


    After all, he wielded Mana Runes!


    Although Glan didn¡¯t know exactly how advanced the Mana Rune technology was, he knew Rocky used it to create the world-renowned White Demon Armor, defeated the City of Fury with it, and it caused him so many troubles. These were enough for Glan to understand the importance of Runes.


    So, in the face of Rocky¡¯s demands, Glan instantly calculated countless scenarios in his mind and then nodded, ¡°Lord Rocky, how much do you intend to sell to the Alliance for?¡±


    When it came to Mana Runes, the Alliance was undoubtedly determined to obtain them. Even without asking for instruction, Glan knew this, so he asked directly.


    ¡°Fifty million gold coins.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    When Rocky nonchalantly mentioned the figure of fifty million, Glan couldn¡¯t help but gasp!


    Fifty million gold coins?!


    This amount¡­ this amount was enormous!


    The Sky Alliance was indeed a vast and powerful entity, that was unquestionable, but even within the Sky Alliance, fifty million gold coins was considered an astronomical sum. Glan never expected Rocky to demand so much money.


    ¡°Lord Rocky, do you mean to sell all of the Rune Technology to the Alliance?¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky didn¡¯t even bother to answer, merely chuckling twice at Glan.


    What a joke; with fifty million gold coins, they wanted to buy all his years of painstaking Rune Technology research? Over the years, Rocky¡¯s research investments alone had nearly reached a million! So it was only because it was Glan asking that Rocky didn¡¯t begrudge him. After all, Glan didn¡¯t understand the sector; otherwise, if anyone else dared to ask such a thing, Rocky would have kicked them out directly.


    Rocky¡¯s demeanor seemed to make Glan realize his ignorance, so he didn¡¯t inquire further and left directly.


    After leaving the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, he immediately returned to his embassy and contacted the Alliance, getting straight through to the Elders¡¯ Council. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once the Elders¡¯ Council learned of this, they immediately discussed it and then communicated their directive. Money was not an issue; as long as Rocky was willing to hand over the Runes, the Alliance didn¡¯t care about the amount. However, the Alliance must send someone to verify the Runes provided by Rocky ¨C this matter was non-negotiable.


    Clearly, the Alliance had its own thoughts regarding this matter. The Elders¡¯ Council didn¡¯t care about how much money Rocky wanted; they only cared about the Runes. As long as Rocky was willing to hand over the Runes, that was what mattered. However, since only Rocky and Orton knew what Runes actually were, to guarantee their authenticity, the Alliance had to send someone to verify. If Rocky didn¡¯t agree to this request, then there would be nothing further to discuss.


    Naturally, Rocky promptly agreed to this requirement because he and the Alliance could mutually benefit from each other. However, Rocky wasn¡¯t a liar; he never intended to deceive the Alliance, so afterward, he went to see Orton and had Orton prepare a set of materials on the Runes immediately.


    These materials were actually quite simple to prepare; Orton basically copied the content of the first two pages from Wensel¡¯s research notes verbatim, merely removing some key words. But even so, following the methods in these materials, the Alliance could engrave Runes, real Runes that were undeniably authentic, but¡­ only the First Level Runes.


    Meanwhile, as Rocky made his preparations, the Alliance¡¯s preparations were even swifter. By the third day after, the verification team arrived at Thunderhawk City.


    Three days¡¯ time, in the currently chaotic skies, reaching so swiftly showed the Alliance¡¯s urgent desire for the Runes.


    And when Rocky finally met the verification team, he chuckled. The team was led by his ¡®old acquaintance,¡¯ Higgins, and his team.


    Back when Rocky shared the Tank Armor with the Alliance, it was Higgins and his team who came to test it. This time, they were here again to test the Runes. This was perhaps deliberately arranged by the Alliance, but it also indirectly proved Higgins¡¯ capability.


    However, despite being old acquaintances, Higgins was fully aware of the purpose of his visit, so he didn¡¯t engage in much small talk with Rocky. As soon as he arrived at Thunderhawk City, he directly requested the materials from Rocky and then dived into the accompanying warship. Later, Rocky learned that part of the warships that arrived with Higgins were genuine escort warships, but another part was actually mobile laboratories.


    Once Higgins plunged into the warship, he stayed inside for seven consecutive days, only emerging after a full week to meet with Rocky, Master Aniye, and others.


    ¡°Lord Rocky, Master Aniye, I have verified this Rune information, and there is no issue. I can indeed engrave Runes following the methods outlined,¡± Higgins said succinctly about the accuracy of the materials, without presenting any deliberate difficulties, for Rocky hadn¡¯t deceived him. But afterward, he mentioned, ¡°However, I have a few questions I don¡¯t quite understand.¡±


    ¡°Ask away.¡±


    ¡°Who exactly invented the Mana Runes?¡±


    ¡°Master Wensel.¡±


    To this, Rocky directly provided the answer, as there was no need to conceal it. In fact, speaking truthfully only enhanced the value of the Runes.


    Sure enough, hearing the name Wensel, Higgins widened his eyes and inhaled sharply, then continuously nodded, ¡°No wonder, no wonder¡­ Only Master Wensel could have pioneered such technology¡­¡±


    After muttering to himself for a few moments, Higgins asked again, ¡°City Lord Rocky, if I am not mistaken, what you have given me is only a part of the Mana Rune, right? There should be more advanced Runes beyond the First Level Runes, correct?¡±


    Higgins, having stayed in the lab for seven days, clearly scrutinized all the information Rocky provided during that period and discovered the shortcomings. Of course, anyone with master-level expertise like Higgins could easily notice the many omissions in the materials.


    So Rocky didn¡¯t hide it, nodding directly, ¡°That¡¯s right, there are more advanced Runes.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you give them to me?¡±


    ¡°Because they are not within the scope of this transaction. I mentioned before, I would sell the Mana Runes to the Alliance, but I never said I would sell the entire Rune Technology to the Alliance.¡±


    Glancing at Higgins, Rocky said calmly and confidently. Hearing this, Higgins¡¯ face became increasingly stern.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 697 - 697 660 High-Spirited

    ?Chapter 697: Chapter 660: High-Spirited Chapter 697: Chapter 660: High-Spirited Rocky¡¯s message was clear: he had the Advanced Runes, but he just wouldn¡¯t give them to you!


    After he finished speaking, the look on Higgins¡¯s face was indescribably ugly, for after several days of verification, he had not only confirmed the authenticity of the Rune, but also seen its potential. It was undeniably an invention great enough to change the world, and for an academic master like Higgins, this sort of invention was fatally tempting.


    So, how could merely First Level Runes satisfy him? He wanted to get his hands on more Advanced Runes and even more Rune Technology, but regrettably, Rocky had no plans to give any to him.


    Afterwards, Higgins still wanted to make an effort, but Rocky clearly had no intention of continuing the negotiation, simply saying, ¡°Mr. Higgins, if you think there¡¯s no problem, please inform the Alliance.¡±


    ¡°This, well, alright.¡±


    Though somewhat unwilling, Higgins had no choice in the face of Rocky¡¯s hard stance, especially since he had seen that this Rocky was not the same as the one who sold the Tank Armor before¡ªnobody dared to deliberately make things difficult for him now, or else they could just look at the fates of the City of Fury and Sky Might.


    So, despite his reluctance, Higgins still nodded to Glan, indicating that the items Rocky had provided were up to the Alliance¡¯s standards.


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll notify the Alliance now.¡±


    Seeing Higgins nod, Glan didn¡¯t say much else and directly went to contact the Alliance. At the same time, Higgins planned to take his team and leave.


    ¡°Mr. Higgins, please wait.¡±


    From the throne in the City Lord¡¯s Hall, Rocky, watching the departing Higgins and his team, called out to them.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, why not rest a few more days in Thunderhawk City?¡± Rocky said with a slight smile to Higgins before turning his head to Monte, ¡°Take Mr. Higgins and his team to the hotel, and make sure they¡¯re well attended to, understood?¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Monte responded and with a wave of his hand, two Void Magic Warriors clad in Thunderhawk Armor stepped in from outside, then followed Monte to approach Higgins and his team.


    ¡°Mr. Higgins, if you please,¡± Monte said with a booming voice, gesturing with an outstretched hand.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    How could someone as clever as Higgins not understand? He glanced at Monte and the two Void Magic Warriors behind him, then looked back at Rocky and realized what this meant.


    Clearly, Rocky was not going to let them leave so easily, or to be more precise, he wouldn¡¯t let them leave without getting the money first.


    Is that so?


    Of course, it is! Rocky hadn¡¯t become so naive as to blindly trust the Alliance, and unless he received the agreed-upon fifty million Gold Coins, he wouldn¡¯t let Higgins leave with the Rune. What if the Sky Alliance reneged on their agreement? Never think that the big Alliance wouldn¡¯t stoop to dirty tricks; when it comes to interests, any means were possible.


    It was precisely because Higgins saw Rocky¡¯s intentions that he didn¡¯t insist too much, and simply followed Monte with his team.


    No sooner had Higgins and his company left than Glan returned, promptly informing Rocky that the Alliance agreed to the trade, but fifty million Gold Coins were indeed an enormous sum. Nevermind the other concerns, the coins¡¯ weight alone was several tons, so they couldn¡¯t be delivered all at once; it would have to be in two installments: twenty million first, then thirty million.


    To this, Rocky naturally expressed understanding, not only agreeing but also telling Glan that until all the Gold Coins had been delivered, Higgins and his team wouldn¡¯t be able to return to the Alliance¡­ sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps Higgins being detained had made the Alliance a bit anxious, or perhaps it was simply Rocky¡¯s own mistrust, but in any case, the first installment of twenty million Gold Coins arrived three days later, and after another two days, the second batch of thirty million Gold Coins also arrived, completing the Alliance¡¯s payment of fifty million Gold Coins.


    And of course, once the money was paid in full, Rocky kept his promise and decisively let Higgins and his team leave Thunderhawk City.


    And with that, Rocky had finally come into money¡ªand a tremendous amount of it at that!


    Fifty million Gold Coins, a sum not only sufficient for Orton and the others to proceed with the next phase of research, but also more than enough for Rocky to do many extra things.


    So, after seeing off Higgins, the first thing Rocky did was contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce to get them to help procure research materials in Eternal City on one hand, and on the other, to continue transporting supplies to Thunderhawk City.


    As mentioned before, since the Demon attacks ended, Rocky had the Ruby Chamber of Commerce continuously send supplies to Thunderhawk City, a move that was, of course, very understandable¡ªafter all, for a long time, Backhill Village had been blockaded by the City of Fury, leading to Rocky¡¯s two Sky Cities and one base barely scraping by on smuggling, not to mention the subsequent Demon attacks. Hence, once all that was over, Rocky naturally wanted to replenish in full force.


    But the reality was not so simple; after getting the fifty million Gold Coins, Rocky had the Ruby Chamber of Commerce continue to send supplies to Thunderhawk City. By then the Chamber had already made two trips and had sent over a hundred merchant ships¡¯ worth of goods to Thunderhawk City, yet Rocky still felt it wasn¡¯t enough.


    Let¡¯s put it this way: in addition to purchasing research materials and supplies, Rocky spent a total of twenty million Gold Coins on these two items alone, with half on research materials, and the other ten million all on supplies. The supplies were so abundant that Thunderhawk City and Carltos City couldn¡¯t hold them all, necessitating that the new supplies be stored in North Mountain Village, but even so, Rocky kept buying and buying without cessation.


    This behavior naturally puzzled everyone, even the Ruby Chamber of Commerce found it incomprehensible, but later, as Rocky stockpiled more and more goods, people began to sense something amiss¡ªclearly, he was preparing for something.


    Indeed, Rocky was not mindlessly splurging, everything he did had a clear purpose, but that purpose was unknown to outsiders, and he had no intention of revealing it.


    In any case, after getting the fifty million Gold Coins, he quickly spent twenty million of it, yet still, that wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy Rocky. He soon started planning how to spend the remaining thirty million Gold Coins.


    In Rocky¡¯s eyes, Gold Coins were only truly useful when spent; what difference was there between hoarding them in a vault and keeping scrap metal? So with a wave of his hand, he allocated another ten million for Orton¡¯s research budget, allowing Orton and his team to spend freely, no longer needing to worry about research constraints.


    As for how to spend the remaining money, Rocky considered for a long time, even feeling that he had so much money that he couldn¡¯t find enough ways to spend it. This feeling was simply wonderful¡ªand wasn¡¯t it just like that of a wealthy tycoon!

 Chapter 698 - 698 661 Upgrade the City

    ?Chapter 698: Chapter 661: Upgrade the City! Chapter 698: Chapter 661: Upgrade the City! Fifty million gold coins¡ªsuch a vast fortune was something Rocky had never possessed before. So when he truly acquired such an almost inexhaustible amount of wealth, he found that it was actually a bit difficult to spend.


    Even though he had invested twenty million in extremely costly research projects and spent another ten million on stockpiling resources, deciding how to spend the remaining twenty million became a perplexing problem for Rocky. He discovered that he didn¡¯t really have that many places where he needed to spend money.


    Firstly, let¡¯s talk about construction. Thunderhawk City was indeed preparing to build new armories, but the costs were completely covered by the Apple Tree Corporation. Rocky did not need to pay a single penny, and on the contrary, they were eagerly contributing. As for other factories, there wasn¡¯t much need for additional investment since Thunderhawk City had a population of only about five thousand people, a base which wasn¡¯t enough to sustain too many factories.


    Next came the military forces. Since Rocky had already signed an agreement with the Apple Tree Corporation, providing them with rune battleship technology at no cost, and in return, the corporation provided him with rune battleships for free. Furthermore, they had to share the income from selling rune armor to third parties with Rocky. In this area, Rocky did not need to spend money; in fact, he could earn money. If we must mention any required investments for the military, it would probably only be for the production of armor and purchasing equipment for the Guard Corps.


    In light of these circumstances, Rocky made a decision without delay. On one hand, he purchased a large number of raw materials necessary for making armor, preparing to have the factory produce armor for his own Void Magic Corps as soon as they completed the external orders for Thunderhawk Armor. On the other hand, he sent Lin Feng to Eternal City with the frequently visiting Ruby Chamber of Commerce to buy new magic energy equipment for the Guard Corps once again.


    After sorting out these arrangements, Rocky had spent nearly five million gold coins in the blink of an eye, just five million gold coins¡­


    ¡°My, I really can¡¯t find a way to spend it all¡­¡±


    Looking at the bill Aileen had provided, and seeing the remaining fifteen million gold coins in the balance, Rocky was tormented. If he couldn¡¯t spend this money, it would truly be wasted.


    ¡°Why not buy some population?¡±


    It was then that Liliya, who was by his side, suggested this idea. Since there was so much money to spare, she proposed buying the most important resource in the entire Sky¡ªthe population! Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At present, Thunderhawk City¡¯s population was only about five thousand. No, it should be said it had just reached the milestone of five thousand, given that the constant warfare had decreased the city¡¯s population by several thousand. Therefore, Liliya felt that it might be better to use the remaining funds to buy a batch of ¡°laundered¡± populace from the black market.


    As soon as she finished speaking, Monte, Orton, Aileen and others nearby all nodded in agreement. The recent demon attack caused many to become homeless, and consequently, the black market¡¯s human trafficking trade skyrocketed. Moreover, due to the abundance of people, the price of the population had also decreased significantly compared to before. With Rocky¡¯s good relationship with Berg, he was fully capable of leveraging that connection to purchase a batch of people through Berg¡¯s interventions.


    But when Rocky heard this, he thought for a moment and then shook his head, ¡°No need, it won¡¯t be long before we have a better way to acquire a population.¡±


    Rocky had his own plans regarding this matter, or rather, he had his own judgment. He believed that there would soon be better ways of obtaining a population, and that there really was no need to spend money to buy people. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t forgotten one thing¡ªhe still had Carltos City.


    In the past, Thunderhawk City was truly short on people, but now it was different. After acquiring Carltos City, especially after Carltos City gradually submitted to Rocky¡¯s authority, he already had a large population resource in his hands. Thunderhawk City short on people? No problem, just transfer a batch from Carltos City to settle. After all, Carltos City had a population of thirty thousand, and relocating a few thousand would just help ease the city¡¯s burden.


    Consequently, Rocky shook his head at this matter rather quickly. He indeed had money that he couldn¡¯t find ways to spend, but that didn¡¯t mean he should spend it recklessly.


    However, Liliya¡¯s suggestion did remind him of another matter. It was something he had planned a long time ago, but due to many unforeseen circumstances, he had never implemented it¡ªthe upgrading of the city!


    Thunderhawk City was Rocky¡¯s painstakingly managed fortress, the core of his existence in this world. Neither its status nor its sentimental value could be matched by any other Sky City. However, despite Rocky¡¯s development in various aspects having been quite successful, Thunderhawk City remained a small-scale Sky City up to that point.


    Of course, there were many reasons for this, such as the limit posed by population. But that was only an objective factor. In reality, after acquiring Carltos City, Rocky no longer lacked people. Just as he had considered before, if he wanted to bring Thunderhawk City up to the population scale of a medium-sized Sky City, which is ten thousand people, he could simply transfer five thousand from Carltos City to settle. Who would dare to disobey if the City Lord commanded it?


    The real reason Thunderhawk City had not been upgraded was not the population, but because Rocky encountered too many things. In careful consideration, since joining the Sky Alliance, he had first occupied Backhill Village, then encountered a great war. After the war ended, he gained Carltos City, followed by a series of collaborations. Eventually, he got himself into big trouble headlined by Rick. In this period, Rocky hardly had a moment of leisure; there was simply no time to upgrade the city.


    But now he finally had time. The demonic invasion plunged the whole world into chaos, and his various enemies, preparing for the imminent Third Counteroffensive War, temporarily went underground. In such circumstances, Rocky finally had a moment to breathe.


    More importantly, he also had money now.


    With the fifteen million gold coins in hand, he could significantly expand Thunderhawk City. And even if this money was insufficient, Rocky now had a considerable income capability. Relying on his personal revenue was more than enough to support the follow-up needs for the upgrade.


    Yes!


    Upgrading Thunderhawk City.


    Rocky finally knew how to use this massive sum of money.


    Once he had clarified the purpose of the gold coins, he immediately shared his ideas with everyone. He received affirmation and support from all present, and each person showed great excitement.


    What Rocky planned to do was upgrade a city! Such a feat was not only beyond ordinary citizens but even few City Lords had the capacity to attempt it. Therefore, upon learning of this, everyone was extremely excited and began preparations with great enthusiasm.


    Upgrading a Sky City is not child¡¯s play. Not only does it require a great deal of time and money, but it also needs plenty of planning and strategic development. The plans and projections made in advance will directly affect what the city will look like after the upgrade. So, following this, Rocky and his associates once again became busy.

 Chapter 699 - 699 662 Expansion Planning

    ?Chapter 699: Chapter 662 Expansion Planning Chapter 699: Chapter 662 Expansion Planning Upgrading a city is not a matter to be taken lightly; it requires a clear-headed person to undertake the master planning. Therefore, as soon as he made this decision, Rocky immediately got in touch with the Technician Guild and hired a group of designers¡ªexperts in this field.


    For this, he spent no less than one million Gold Coins, and that was just to hire the technicians.


    From this alone, it¡¯s clear to see how much investment is needed to upgrade a city. In fact, despite there being so many Sky Cities, the vast majority will never have the chance to be upgraded because the costs are too enormous. An investment of tens of millions of Gold Coins is just the starting point, and there¡¯s essentially no upper limit.


    In other words, even with fifteen million Gold Coins in capital, Rocky couldn¡¯t guarantee a complete upgrade of Thunderhawk City, but as he himself said, he now had the ability to earn money. Even if he spent all fifteen million Gold Coins, he could rely on his own income to finish the city upgrade.


    So Rocky didn¡¯t skimp at all on this matter. One million Gold Coins to hire technicians? Take it¡ªas long as the technicians can arrive immediately.


    In any world, money talks. After offering up a commission of one million, the Technician Guild in Eternal City dispatched technicians right away, and within less than a week, they arrived at Thunderhawk City.


    The technicians immediately demonstrated their professionalism upon arriving at Thunderhawk City. On the one hand, they sent people to survey the entire city; on the other hand, they found Rocky to ask about his specific requirements for the city upgrade.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, do you plan to upgrade the city directly into a large Sky City or a medium Sky City?¡±


    The one who came to see Rocky was an old man, appearing to be in his seventies or eighties. Whether by appearance or temperament, he seemed no different from an ordinary elder, but Rocky dared not treat him lightly. This old man was Master Wynn, a master in the field of urban construction. The reason Rocky spent a whole million Gold Coins to hire this group of technicians was partly due to the cost of inviting Master Wynn.


    ¡°A medium Sky City.¡±


    In response to Wynn¡¯s question, Rocky answered truthfully. He did not plan to upgrade Thunderhawk City in one go¡ªfor one thing, there was no need, and for another, he didn¡¯t have the money or the time.


    Wynn nodded at this answer and continued:


    ¡°Do you have plans for further upgrades in the future?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it will be upgraded to a large Sky City later on.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then City Lord, to what extent do you plan to expand the urban area and how many residents do you intend to accommodate?¡±


    ¡°Is there a difference?¡±


    Since this was Rocky¡¯s first time upgrading a city, he was not very familiar with the process and steps involved in upgrading a Sky City.


    ¡°There is.¡±


    Wynn answered directly: ¡°Currently, Thunderhawk City can accommodate five thousand residents. If City Lord Rocky wishes for convenience, I can directly expand it tenfold to the limit where it can accommodate fifty thousand people. This would save a lot of work in upgrading to a large Sky City later on, but it would also require more time and cost.¡±


    ¡°Of course, if City Lord Rocky does not see the need for such a large expansion, or wants to save some time, I can reduce the scale somewhat, say only to accommodate thirty thousand or even twenty thousand people. Either way would save time and cost, but once the city¡¯s population exceeds the limit, another upgrade will be necessary.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    With Wynn¡¯s explanation, Rocky understood what he meant. After thinking for a moment, he said, ¡°Then upgrade it to the maximum.¡±


    ¡°You mean to expand to a capacity of fifty thousand residents?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Nodding firmly, Rocky affirmed.


    Upgrading a Sky City requires a substantial amount of time and a huge sum of Gold Coins; it¡¯s certainly not something that can be done frequently. Therefore, it¡¯s better to do it all at once. Although directly expanding the urban area tenfold would indeed be too large for the current Thunderhawk City, it would definitely be useful in the future. Rocky was very certain of this, so he preferred to get it done in one step.


    Since he said so, Wynn naturally had no reason to refuse. He then asked further, ¡°Besides the urban area, does City Lord require the construction of other new zones?¡±


    ¡°Needed, I hope to have barracks and research facilities built outside the city area. Additionally, the size of the Skyport needs to be expanded¡ªno, rather build a new Skyport altogether specifically for docking fleets.¡±


    ¡°You mean to construct a separate military port?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! A separate military port.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Is there anything else you need? For instance, expanding the overall area of the city to include new farmland and such.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ should not be necessary.¡±


    After nodding, Wynn took note of Rocky¡¯s requests. After asking a few more questions, he left. However, a few days later, to be exact, a week later, he met with Rocky once again.


    During that week, the team brought by Wynn had surveyed the whole of Thunderhawk City and, following the survey, they designed and planned for the city¡¯s new layout. Wynn¡¯s meeting with Rocky this time was to let him personally review the planned proposal.


    Of course, this was just a preliminary proposal, or one could also say it was merely a general direction for the upgrade. If Rocky agreed to this proposal, then Wynn and his team would proceed to plan in detail according to this direction and ultimately complete the entire upgrade proposal.


    ¡°That will do.¡±


    After having a brief look at the plans, Rocky said, although the detailed proposal had not been released yet, all the various requirements he had previously made were already reflected in this plan, which naturally made him satisfied.


    However, Rocky then brought up a new requirement: ¡°Master Wynn, does upgrading the city require replacing the Super Crystal?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it must be replaced.¡±


    Wynn nodded affirmatively. The Super Crystal is the core of a Sky City, so it¡¯s necessary to change it during the upgrade because the Super Crystal used by a small Sky City is not capable of sustaining a medium Sky City. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What level of crystal do you plan to replace it with?¡±


    ¡°Of course, a medium Super Crystal.¡±


    Rocky¡¯s probing question left Wynn somewhat perplexed. Since Thunderhawk City was to be upgraded to a medium Sky City, it was natural to switch to a medium Super Crystal. Could it be they intended to use a high-level Super Crystal? That would only be required for a large Sky City.


    ¡°I need the large crystal.¡±


    As Wynn was feeling confused, Rocky blurted out that he hoped to directly replace Thunderhawk City¡¯s Super Crystal with a large one during this upgrade!


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, why?¡±


    ¡°I have my own plans.¡±


    Faced with Wynn¡¯s bewilderment, Rocky¡¯s answer was quite enigmatic.

 Chapter 700 - 700 663 Arm Thunderhawk City

    ?Chapter 700: Chapter 663: Arm Thunderhawk City! Chapter 700: Chapter 663: Arm Thunderhawk City! ¡°City Lord, are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Looking at Rocky in confusion, Wynn furrowed his brows tightly.


    He couldn¡¯t figure out what Rocky was planning because, according to Rocky¡¯s upgrade requirements for Thunderhawk City, ordinary medium-sized Super Crystals were sufficient to support the entire city¡¯s operations. There was absolutely no need to use large crystals, especially since the price of large crystals was more than double that of medium crystals.


    Super Crystals were already extremely expensive; with the prices of the two crystals differing by a factor of two, this could even increase the city¡¯s upgrading costs by several folds.


    Yet, even so, Rocky insisted on using large Super Crystals.


    And as he said, there was a reason for this requirement, and that reason was Orton.


    So, when Rocky¡¯s meeting with Wynn ended, he immediately went to the institute.


    ¡°Teacher, are you sure you want to use large crystals? Those are very expensive!¡±


    Upon seeing Orton and others, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but ask. He wasn¡¯t foolish; he knew that if he insisted on using large crystals for the city¡¯s upgrades, the cost would increase significantly. Yet Orton insisted on doing so and had not yet told him why.


    ¡°Of course, it is necessary!¡± And when Rocky asked him this, Orton glanced at him sidelong: ¡°What? Kid, do you not trust me?¡±


    ¡°Teacher, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyone who trusts you is blind!¡±


    Before Rocky could speak, Hammerfire, standing on the side, chipped in, criticizing Orton along with Rocky. Clearly, his jab was aimed at Orton.


    ¡°You, always ruining the Magic Energy Research Institute, now planning to ruin your own disciple too?¡±


    ¡°You shorty! What are you talking about!¡±


    ¡°Hmph, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you are scheming. You¡¯re planning to restart that failed plan, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Plan? What plan?¡±


    Hearing Hammerfire say this, Rocky quickly looked at Orton, while Aniye and Pelaya, who had been busy with their work, also turned their heads to look at Orton.


    ¡°Orton, you haven¡¯t given up?¡± Pelaya asked.


    ¡°Yeah, you still haven¡¯t let it go?¡± Aniye asked following her.


    Faced with their doubts, Orton instead responded righteously, counter-questioning both: ¡°What? Do you still think my initial idea was exaggerating? If the Magic Energy Research Institute was as dedicated as they claim, truly focusing on research without these tricks, my plan would have succeeded long ago. Would we still be fearing Flying Demons by now?¡±


    Facing his retort, Pelaya and Aniye looked at each other and then let out a sigh of resignation, even Hammerfire fell silent. At that moment, all four of them were enveloped in silence, while Rocky, completely baffled, stood aside looking dumbfounded.


    ¡°Can someone explain to me¡­ what are you talking about?¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking baffled at the four, Rocky had no choice but to ask, and then he finally understood what everyone was talking about.


    Orton, as a top-notch master in the Magic Energy Domain, had a reason for ending up in Thunderhawk City. Among the most significant reasons was a massively costly project he had botched¡ªthe Sky City Armament Plan, which they had just mentioned.


    The so-called Sky City Armament Plan aimed to equip Sky City with more powerful and flexible offensive capabilities. While the City currently could launch the powerful City-Destroyer Cannon, this was more of a defensive measure and, due to its high costs, its deterrent effect was much greater than its practicality; it could only deter other Sky Cities, and Demons didn¡¯t care about it.


    Thus, Orton had proposed the Sky City Armament Plan. He tried to enhance Sky City¡¯s offensive capabilities, making it a true main force in wars, especially in wars against Demons, rather than just serving as a platform that could only observe the war from the sidelines.


    To accomplish this plan, Orton had joined the Magic Energy Research Institute, which then invested countless resources. However, the final results were disappointing.


    Orton¡¯s concept seemed flaw-free, but after repeated experiments and ruining seven to eight large crystals in these tests, everyone realized that current technology was simply incapable of realizing the plan. This was also why Orton fell out with the Magic Energy Research Institute, leading to the decline in his career until he met Rocky.


    Now, upon learning that Orton requested Rocky to use large crystals in the city¡¯s upgrades, Hammerfire immediately guessed his intention¡ªhe obviously planned to restart this project!


    ¡°Teacher, are you¡­ is this what you are thinking?¡±


    Listening to Hammerfire explain everything, Rocky then looked at Orton.


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    After looking at Rocky, Orton nodded his head without hesitation and then excitedly said to everyone, ¡°Everyone, the Demons have now reached the sky! Do you still think I was being paranoid?¡±


    ¡°We never thought that.¡±


    Seeing Orton so fired up, Pelaya shook her head; she was well aware that Orton had proposed this plan because he anticipated that one day Demons would reach the sky, so she had never denied Orton, but some things are not as simple as just saying them.


    ¡°Orton, we trust you, but your idea is simply not feasible at the moment.¡±


    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t feasible in the past, but now it is.¡±


    Looking at Pelaya, Orton was very excited: ¡°In the past, we didn¡¯t have Mana Runes, but now we do. Now we have Runes, the funds, and all the past research successes in my head, so we are fully capable of completing this plan!¡±


    At this point, Orton looked at Rocky, then took two steps to stand in front of him: ¡°Rocky, do you trust me?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Looking at the highly excited Orton, then turning to see Pelaya, Aniye, and Hammerfire all shaking their heads, Rocky felt torn. He certainly trusted Orton, but he also trusted Aniye and the others, so he could see that if Orton¡¯s Sky City Armament Plan was really feasible, Aniye and others wouldn¡¯t show such expressions.


    However, faced with the excited Orton, Rocky couldn¡¯t bear to refuse him, so after biting his back teeth, he vigorously nodded his head: ¡°Teacher, I trust you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    Hearing this, Orton was so excited he almost cried. He then swung his fist and shouted loudly, then looked at Aniye, Pelaya, and Hammerfire: ¡°Let¡¯s start arming Thunderhawk City!¡±

 Chapter 701 - 701 664 Comprehensive Transformation

    ?Chapter 701: Chapter 664 Comprehensive Transformation Chapter 701: Chapter 664 Comprehensive Transformation Orton¡¯s plan brought about new changes to the upgrade of Thunderhawk City.


    According to Orton, the reason his armed Sky City plan had repeatedly failed was because the magic energy technology at the time couldn¡¯t meet the requirements of the plan. And what exactly were his requirements? Simply put, to add weapons to Sky City.


    This weaponry could mean installing magic energy cannons with extremely long ranges on the city, or directly transforming Sky City into a floating mothership-like large combat platform. In short, to turn Sky City into a huge weapon of war, akin to a moving fortress, so that it could be fully engaged in actual combat.


    While this idea was undoubtedly good¡ªotherwise the Magic Energy Research Institute wouldn¡¯t have originally supported the plan and invested so much into it¡ªpeople soon discovered, after numerous trials, that no matter what level of armament was applied to Sky City, it couldn¡¯t get around a major problem: the city¡¯s power supply was insufficient.


    Giving Sky City combat capability was not as simple as merely installing a few large cannons. The range of ordinary magic energy cannons was too short; they couldn¡¯t even reach enemies outside the city, let alone worry about whether the cannonballs could make it past the defensive net. Therefore, if Sky City was to truly have offensive power, even just installing the most basic magic energy cannons required them to be transformed into super cannons.


    In pursuit of this plan, Orton and the support of the Magic Energy Research Institute did indeed research such super cannons. These cannons had a range of tens of thousands of meters and power far surpassing that of battleship-class main guns. One shot could sink a floating aircraft carrier without any issues. However, the consumption of such super cannons was also enormous; ordinary magic stones simply couldn¡¯t withstand it, and they had to rely on the mana from Sky City itself, that is, the mana from super crystals.


    This was where the problem arose. Although the mana from super crystals was vast, Orton didn¡¯t plan to merely install a super cannon on Sky City; to arm Sky City, at least hundreds or even thousands of super cannons were needed to truly have offensive capability. But with the super crystal already having to support the flight and operation of the city, as well as the defensive net, there simply wasn¡¯t excess energy to sustain the consumption of so many super magic energy cannons. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was the crux of the problem with the armed Sky City plan: all the ideas were good, but they couldn¡¯t be realized.


    But now things were different. Now there were mana runes, and Orton and his team had thoroughly researched and mastered these runes. So with the dual support of runes and super crystals, the armed Sky City plan seemed to have a glimmer of possibility of success.


    Of course, this possibility was just a glimmer, and everything still depended on the final outcome.


    In order to make this plan successful, Orton also got involved in the city¡¯s design and planning. The first thing he did was to transform Thunderhawk City¡ªor to be more precise, to transform the city¡¯s magic energy supply system, making Thunderhawk City a dual supplier with super crystals and mana runes. Doing so would allow not only the implementation of the armed plan but would also double the magic energy supply of the entire Thunderhawk City.


    Once this plan was undertaken, Thunderhawk City would completely become the most unique city in the sky. Thunderhawk City was set to double its mana supply, which would bring countless benefits. Not to mention others, just consider the defensive net. Once the city¡¯s mana supply doubled, Thunderhawk City¡¯s defensive net could be significantly strengthened. Isn¡¯t the benefit to Thunderhawk City obvious?


    But this was also a major project that involved the city¡¯s entire magic energy supply system. Orton alone couldn¡¯t complete it; he had to cooperate with a master of city transformation like Wynn to accomplish it.


    And this would also affect the entire city¡¯s planning, as transforming Thunderhawk City¡¯s magic energy supply system was only the first step. Once that step succeeded, Orton planned to designate large areas for the installation of super cannons, all of which tied into the planning for the upgrade.


    At first, Rocky thought that Wynn would not agree to this, but to his surprise, after Orton met with Wynn and shared his ideas, the two hit it off immediately, and Wynn immediately made changes to his original plans for Orton¡¯s sake.


    This was simply incredible, because masters like Wynn rarely change plans they have already designed, which could be said to be a common stubbornness among masters, or conversely, a sign of their pride. Therefore, he never expected Orton and Wynn to get along so well.


    It was not until later that he found out that Orton and Wynn had known each other for some time and had in fact met through the Sky City military upgrade plan, which was why Wynn had so readily agreed.


    Upon learning this, Rocky felt somewhat depressed. He suddenly realized that everything seemed to have been arranged, which made it difficult for him not to suspect that Orton had manipulated the situation.


    However, he was certain about one thing, that Orton would definitely not harm him, and once the Sky City military upgrade plan was completed, Thunderhawk City would be completely transformed, of that he was sure.


    With Orton involved in the city¡¯s upgrading, Rocky found that he did not need to worry too much.


    And when Rocky had some free time, he examined the recent development achievements of the city.


    A lot had happened during this period, but the development of Thunderhawk City had not halted; rather, it had progressed quite smoothly.


    Firstly, the construction of the new armory had begun. According to Old Jack¡¯s estimate, it would take another three months before the new armory was ready, and by then, the production rate of Thunderhawk Armor would at least double. For this, Old Jack had already started recruiting new workers and had begun their pre-job training.


    While the new armory was being built, the old one continued to produce without pause; many orders had been completed, and a large number of Thunderhawk Armor had been manufactured. These newly produced armors were soon carried away by the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce and successfully delivered to various customers, and Rocky was quite confident that these customers would be satisfied with the New Armor, especially now, with the skies in such chaos and Demons attacking in small groups, there would be plenty of opportunities for them to witness the power of Thunderhawk Armor firsthand.


    Beyond these developments, Thunderhawk City¡¯s traditional industries were also thriving. The textile industry, as Thunderhawk City¡¯s most traditional sector, had been the most stable ever since the Ruby Chamber of Commerce had become involved.


    As for the leather manufacturing industry, it had seen significant growth due to the promotion of luxury goods.


    Although Rocky had been busy and even faced several major crises in the past six months, he had never forgotten the promotion of luxury goods. However, due to his own circumstances, he had left these matters to the Ruby Chamber of Commerce. Thanks to Amanred¡¯s efforts, the income from luxury goods had now completely surpassed the traditional income from leather manufacturing, which led Rocky to start preparing for the transformation of Thunderhawk City¡¯s leather industry, decisively abandoning traditional products, and focusing all production capacity on the manufacture and sales of luxury goods.


    Overall, in the absence of invasions or blockades from external enemies, the development of Thunderhawk City was quite smooth. In contrast, other cities in the sky might not have been so lucky, because while Rocky was focusing on this brief period of stability to strengthen himself, the world outside had already become more chaotic.

 Chapter 702 - 702 665 Guiding Public Opinion

    ?Chapter 702: Chapter 665: Guiding Public Opinion Chapter 702: Chapter 665: Guiding Public Opinion Since the last demon attack, Backhill Village had become relatively quiet, even though it would still be harassed by demons every now and then, but these harassments were considered normal. At most, there would be about a hundred demons, and without any Flying Demons, which meant that Rocky was having quite a good time recently.


    However, unlike the tranquility of Backhill Village, the outside world was not the same.


    Now, two months had passed since the last large-scale demon attack, and during these two months, the Demons had launched two more organized attacks. Though neither was as large as the first, dozens of Sky Cities and multiple times more land properties had been attacked. In addition to that, small-scale attacks occurred daily.


    It could be said that the past two months had been the worst in the last decade. By this time, even deliberate concealment by the Shadow Alliance was useless; everyone had already felt the change, and enormous panic thus spread throughout the skies.


    Facing the panic of the people, The Three Great Alliances had no choice but to gather a large military force, on one hand to increase the security around safe zones, and on the other hand to enhance their patrol and support efforts. As long as a Sky City was attacked and a rescue request was issued, the troops of The Three Great Alliances would immediately move out to assist, and that assistance was gratuitous.


    In this situation, the scene was finally brought under control, but that was merely preventing it from getting worse. In fact, everyone knew that the skies could never be as sunny and bright as before.


    The Three Great Alliances were naturally aware of this, so they subsequently changed their strategy and began gradually leading public opinion.


    ¡°Look, this is the intelligence that just arrived today.¡±


    Rocky was handling official duties in his study when Athena came in, bringing intelligence from the Shadow Alliance.


    ¡°What does it say?¡±


    ¡°A statement from a group of demonologists.¡±


    As she spoke, Athena sat on the sofa and then unfolded the intelligence, reading, ¡°Master Chernikov¡¯s latest report indicates that the appearance of Flying Demons undoubtedly represents a breakthrough in demon evolution, and the presence of Flying Demons also indirectly confirms Master Chernikov¡¯s previous conjectures that the direction of demon evolution is closely related to their attack targets¡­¡±


    The so-called demonologists refer to a group of scholars who specialize in studying demons. These individuals focus academically on demons, and for this reason, many major alliances provide substantial support for their research, resulting in increasingly complex relationships between demonologists and various major forces. Thus, often their statements are academically inclined on one hand, and on the other, they are used as mouthpieces for major forces.


    ¡°According to Master Chernikov¡¯s research, the direction of demon evolution depends on their objectives. These monsters, who know only to occupy and destroy, will evolve differently based on different targets. Although the evolution cycle requires as much time as other species, it still warrants everyone¡¯s vigilance, because if Master Chernikov¡¯s conjecture is correct, then the next target of the demons is already very clear; these monsters have set their sights on the skies.¡±


    ¡°However, everyone need not worry¡ªfor now, demon evolution is still in its early stages. The vast majority of demons have not yet completed their true evolution, so all we need¡­¡±


    After finishing reading this report, Athena looked at Rocky, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no doubt that the demon evolution conjecture is correct,¡± Rocky said, putting down his work.


    He had also heard of Master Chernikov, an expert in demon research, who had proposed the demon evolution theory decades ago. Although at the time the idea was too avant-garde and many people did not agree with it, ridiculing such statements, time proved everything. The emergence of Flying Demons undoubtedly proved that demons were capable of evolution, and, as mentioned in the report, that demons would evolve differently depending on their attack targets¡ªRocky agreed one hundred percent with Chernikov¡¯s statement.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t ask you about your view on demon evolution theory; I¡¯m asking why the Shadow Alliance would release this kind of report at this time.¡±


    Athena shook her head after looking at Rocky.


    She obviously knew that the demon evolution theory was correct, but her real question was why, in such a turbulent situation, the Shadow Alliance would release this kind of intelligence? To prove that the demon evolution theory was correct would not stabilize the situation but could potentially make the already unstable situation even worse. Why would the Shadow Alliance do this?


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    Hearing Athena say this, Rocky furrowed his brows, and after thinking for a moment, said uncertainly, ¡°Do you mean that The Three Great Alliances are preparing for the third counterattack war through public opinion?¡±


    Indeed, releasing this kind of statement about demon evolution now would further undermine people¡¯s confidence, but since the Shadow Alliance, a large organization, had done so, there must be a reason. After thinking it over, Rocky could not think of another reason. The only plausible explanation was that the Shadow Alliance was steering public opinion for the third counterattack war! Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Counterattack wars of this global scale require very careful handling of public opinion. Only by mobilizing the enthusiasm of everyone in the skies could the real war commence. Given the current situation, where everyone was immersed in panic, even if The Three Great Alliances were ready for battle, they could not start the war. Therefore, it was necessary to mobilize people¡¯s enthusiasm, make everyone feel that this war was necessary, and generate a desire for it. Only by achieving this could the actual war begin.


    And from the content of the report just read, the Shadow Alliance was clearly guiding the public¡¯s thoughts because the intelligence stated that although demons had begun to evolve, this evolution was just beginning. This implicitly told everyone that they must initiate the war sooner rather than later, lest it be too late. And since the Shadow Alliance had started reporting this, it indicated that The Three Great Alliances were preparing for war!


    ¡°Pretty much.¡±


    After Rocky finished speaking, Athena nodded slightly, ¡°From this report, it¡¯s indeed clear that The Three Great Alliances have already begun to stir up the public. However, they probably haven¡¯t made full preparations yet, at least from the intelligence I have received.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What intelligence have you received?¡±


    It had been mentioned before that Athena had her own intelligence network, which was no less robust than that of the Shadow Alliance, so upon hearing this, Rocky immediately asked.


    ¡°According to my intelligence, there seems to be a division among The Three Great Alliances.¡±


    ¡°A division? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because of you, of course.¡±


    After looking at Rocky, Athena smiled.

 Chapter 703 - 703 666 The Mastermind Behind the Disaster

    ?Chapter 703: Chapter 666: The Mastermind Behind the Disaster Chapter 703: Chapter 666: The Mastermind Behind the Disaster ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Athena smiled at Rocky, ¡°According to my information, after learning that Sky Alliance completed the transaction of the Mana Rune with you, the Magic Energy Research Institute and Kafka Empire were very dissatisfied and are trying to pressure the Alliance to hand over the Mana Rune.¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What did the Alliance say?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know, the stance of the Elders¡¯ Council is still unclear, but what¡¯s certain is that the Alliance is rushing to study the rune you sold to them. They¡¯ve even postponed their war plans because of this, which has also provoked dissatisfaction from the Magic Energy Research Institute and Kafka Empire.¡±


    At this point, Athena glanced at Rocky, ¡°Your decision to sell the Mana Rune to Sky Alliance was indeed a strategic move; it bought us quite a bit of time.¡±


    ¡°Did you do it on purpose?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ heh-heh¡­¡±


    At Athena¡¯s question, Rocky leaned back in his chair, let out a long sigh of relief while pretending to smile calmly.


    In truth, when he decided to sell the Mana Rune to Sky Alliance, he hadn¡¯t anticipated things would turn out this way. His original thoughts were quite simple: to get a substantial amount of money quickly, and considering his mastery over runes, he felt it wouldn¡¯t be a problem even if he sold a First Level Rune. And so, he acted, nothing more.


    So, initially, Rocky really hadn¡¯t meant to outmaneuver anyone, yet his unintentional move had an unexpected effect and led to divisions among The Three Great Alliances. It was quite the surprise indeed.


    And indeed it was so.


    As Athena mentioned, as soon as Rocky sold the Mana Rune to the Sky Alliance, the Magic Energy Research Institute and Kafka Empire got wind of it, becoming extremely anxious.


    The reason those two powerhouses joined forces against Rocky in the first place was precisely because they feared that, as a core member of the Alliance, he would give the runes to the Alliance, which would then become dominant after acquiring this cutting-edge technology.


    But now, Rocky went ahead and sold the rune to the Alliance, for just fifty million Gold Coins!


    This news drove the Magic Energy Research Institute and Kafka Empire mad. Even Rick and the others, upon hearing this, were furious, virtually exploding with rage. Fifty million Gold Coins, that¡¯s what they call money?! If they had known how easy Rocky was to talk to, why would they bother with such an elaborate scheme? They could¡¯ve just bought the Mana Rune outright with money. And with the strength of these individuals, never mind fifty million Gold Coins, they could afford to buy five massive Sky Cities!


    Of course, those privy to this trade were well aware that the real situation was far from being as simple as imagined. The Magic Energy Research Institute and the Kafka Empire only knew that Rocky had sold Mana Runes to the Sky Alliance, but they were unaware that he had merely sold the tip of the iceberg. The Sky Alliance had not only failed to obtain the Rune Technology Rocky had developed over the years, but they didn¡¯t even get their hands on any Advanced Runes.


    It was precisely this misinformation that rendered the Sky Alliance¡¯s explanations futile when facing the other two behemoths. The others paid no heed to the Alliance¡¯s explanations, ultimately forcing the Alliance to stop offering them and instead to focus on researching Runes while delaying their plans to start a war, further inciting dissatisfaction from the Magic Energy Research Institute and the Kafka Empire.


    After such a long period of preparation, The Three Great Alliances were actually ready for war. Hundreds of Sky Cities, millions of warships, and tens of thousands of Void Magic Corps were poised for action. At this stage, it should have been the Shadow Alliance¡¯s turn to spearhead the war propaganda, but at this very moment, the Sky Alliance urgently called a halt.


    Everyone knew why the Alliance paused their plans at this crucial juncture; they were clearly planning to utilize the Runes they had just acquired. Indeed, this was the case; upon acquiring the Runes, Higgins immediately led his team in research and quickly yielded results.


    It must be admitted that the developmental strength of the Sky Alliance was quite formidable. Under Higgins¡¯ leadership, the development team quickly mastered and applied First Level Runes, and even went on to research many new devices centered on First Level Runes.


    Due to the limited time and low Rune level, the new devices developed by Higgins naturally couldn¡¯t compare to the Rune Technology developed by Orton and others. Nevertheless, Mana Runes were, after all, a cross-era innovation, so even devices based on First Level Runes were enough to cause a huge impact on the world as it was.


    In light of this, the Sky Alliance immediately fitted these new devices onto their warships and Armor. After a brief trial, they concluded that warships and Armor equipped with Rune devices had improved by about ten percent in all aspects!


    This figure was incredibly promising. A performance improvement of ten percent might not seem like much, but don¡¯t forget how many troops the Sky Alliance had, over a million warships, hundreds of thousands of Void Magic Warriors¡ªif all these forces could improve their combat power by ten percent, how terrifying would that be?


    Thus, the Alliance resolutely put a hold on war preparations and began to retrofit their existing forces fully, deciding to engage in war only when their entire forces were Runified.


    Naturally, the Magic Energy Research Institute and the Kafka Empire were staunchly against the Alliance¡¯s actions. Not only did such actions delay a critical opportunity, but they also disrupted the war plans agreed upon by the three parties. More importantly, if the Sky Alliance truly Runified all their forces, they would completely surpass everyone in strength, an outcome that the Magic Energy Research Institute and Kafka Empire could not allow to happen.


    Thus, the scene unfolded as before, with the Magic Energy Research Institute and Kafka Empire joining forces with the Shadow Alliance, ignoring the Sky Alliance¡¯s cessation of war and forcibly steering the public opinion toward war. Clearly, their aim was to push the Sky Alliance into a corner, to force the start of the Third Counteroffensive War without giving the Alliance a chance to strengthen their lead!


    This was the clash among the titans. When behemoths like The Three Great Alliances fought, whether overtly or covertly, the entire sky became their chessboard, and everybody under the sky became their pawns and tools, unless¡­ unless one stepped out of this chess game and became the chess player themselves.


    Fortunately for him, Rocky was one such chess player. Although he was just a small player and had been almost entirely wiped out in this game, at least now, he was no longer under anyone else¡¯s control.


    So, while the major forces were overtly and covertly clashing over his unintended actions, he could actually keep himself safe.


    However, Athena also reminded Rocky to be even more careful in these circumstances. After all, he had set these events in motion, and once the three behemoths were through with their frantic scrambling and had a moment to cool down, they would still turn their sights on him, the instigator of it all!

 Chapter 704 - 704 667 New Model Warship

    ?Chapter 704: Chapter 667 New Model Warship! Chapter 704: Chapter 667 New Model Warship! Although an inadvertent move had changed the whole game, when everything settled, everyone¡¯s attention still focused on the person responsible. In this situation, Rocky had no time for amusement, instead, he had to make even better use of his time.


    Rocky was well aware of this, but fortunately, he was the type to build up gradually and strike suddenly. He had been dedicated to preparation for several years, and now when he needed to act, the years of preparation quickly bore fruit.


    For instance, the day after, the Apple Tree Corporation brought good news¡ªthe first batch of rune battleships they manufactured had arrived at Thunderhawk City!


    As previously mentioned, while Rocky had shared Rune Technology with the Apple Tree Corporation without any compensation, he had also commissioned them to construct three hundred rune battleships. After two months, these battleships were finally completed¡­ partially.


    Since it was their first time constructing rune battleships and they were still unfamiliar with Rune Technology, even though the Apple Tree Corporation had dozens of large shipyards, the output of rune battleships was not high. In two months, they managed to produce only a hundred rune escort ships. However, to avoid making Rocky wait too anxiously, this batch of battleships was sent directly to Thunderhawk City and arrived at the port today.


    Upon hearing this news, Rocky and Archimonde immediately headed to the skyport, where they saw a hundred neatly docked warships. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Rocky, are you satisfied with this batch of battleships?¡±


    Standing beside Rocky and looking at the hundred warships, Archimonde couldn¡¯t help but smile proudly. He indeed had every reason to feel proud, because these hundred newly launched rune battleships, although merely escort ships, were far superior to the rune battleships under Rocky¡¯s command. The reason was simple: these escort ships were entirely new designs centered around rune technology by the Apple Tree Corporation!


    Although Rocky had also modified a large number of battleships and used them to conquer the City of Fury, those were still, strictly speaking, not true rune battleships since they were modified from existing ones. However, the one hundred battleships delivered by the Apple Tree Corporation were different; these were true rune battleships, without a single magic stone throughout!


    It must be acknowledged that the Apple Tree Corporation truly lived up to its reputation as a giant in the battleship industry. They not only had their own shipyards but also a very powerful battleship development team that was extremely knowledgeable in designing, manufacturing, and producing battleships.


    Thus, upon receiving the Rune Technology provided by Rocky, the corporation¡¯s development team immediately researched these technologies and started designing a new series of battleships with runes at their core. Because they spent considerable time on this, the corporation could only produce a hundred escort ships in two months. However, on the flip side, since these escort ships were newly designed based on rune technology, their combat power was naturally stronger.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, this is our newly designed War God Escort Ship. All systems of the battleship utilize the rune technology you provided, enhancing its maneuverability, defensive power, and offensive capabilities manyfold. There¡¯s no doubt this redefines the standard for the new era¡¯s escort ships!¡±


    While walking towards the hundred rune escort ships, Archimonde went on to describe in detail, ¡°Thanks to the rune technology, we¡¯ve equipped this model with fifty secondary cannons of 3000 magic energy power each, and ten main cannons of 15000 magic energy each. Thus, in terms of offensive capabilities, the firepower of this escort ship even surpasses that of the old patrol cruisers.¡±


    ¡°Also, by using rune technology, the defense system of the battleship has also been significantly upgraded. The strength of the Defensive Net has increased by threefold, rendering the attacks from traditional Fifth Generation main cannons akin to mere tickling. Additionally, the maneuverability of the ship has also been enhanced¡­¡±


    While Archimonde was still explaining, he and Rocky came up to one of the escort ships, and Rocky looked up and showed a satisfied smile.


    Indeed, this newly designed rune escort ship was very satisfying.


    By the standards of the Fifth Generation, an escort ship is usually between one hundred to one hundred fifty meters long, but the full length of these one hundred War God Escort Ships had exceeded two hundred meters, which was clearly much larger than typical escort ships. It was precisely because the hull had been enlarged that it was possible to equip the battleship with fifty secondary cannons and ten main cannons¡ªfirepower that typically would only fit on a Fifth Generation patrol cruiser.


    This is the progress brought about by rune technology. Since runes can hold far more magic energy than magic stones, once rune technology was comprehensively applied, the overall performance of the battleships was greatly improved. And when this improvement reached a transformative level, it gave rise to these completely reengineered new battleships.


    ¡°Sir Archimonde, has this model of battleship been tested in combat simulations?¡±


    After looking up for a while, Rocky turned to ask Archimonde.


    ¡°It has been through several simulations already.¡±


    ¡°What were the results?¡±


    ¡°Against Fifth Generation escort ships of the same class, it can achieve an overwhelming victory against five opponents.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Archimonde said very proudly.


    What did he mean by that?


    It meant that in a real battle, one War God Escort Ship could completely dominate and defeat five Fifth Generation escort ships!


    This achievement was indeed sufficient to make Archimonde display a proud expression, because among the Fifth Generation battleships, even the enhanced flagship version could hardly ever overcome such a huge disparity of one to five to achieve victory, let alone a decisive one. However, the rune battleship had done it, clearly demonstrating that rune battleships had completely surpassed traditional battleships in combat capability.


    ¡°That¡¯s excellent¡­¡±


    This response naturally brought a smile to Rocky¡¯s face, and he then said, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s see how it performs.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    For this suggestion, Archimonde was not at all surprised and was even quite excited.


    Following this, Rocky called Felly over, and after receiving his instructions, Felly sent a crew to board one of the War God Escort Ships. At the same time, Rocky, along with Archimonde and others, boarded his own Thunderhawk. The two warships quickly left the skyport.


    As the two warships flew side by side out of the skyport, Archimonde glanced at Rocky with a smile: ¡°Rocky, how do you intend to test it?¡±


    ¡°A real combat test.¡±


    ¡°Real combat?¡±


    Looking at Rocky¡¯s smiling face, Archimonde was taken aback.

 Chapter 705 - 705 668 Bidirectional Testing

    ?Chapter 705: Chapter 668: Bidirectional Testing Chapter 705: Chapter 668: Bidirectional Testing Rocky wanted to personally test the new methods, and although his actions did not surprise Archimonde, he had thought Rocky would just casually fire a couple of shots onto the land. However, to his astonishment, Rocky actually wanted to witness the new warship¡¯s combat abilities in action?


    This left Archimonde rather perplexed. There were no enemies around Backhill Village, not even Demons. Where would Rocky find combat to test the warship¡¯s capabilities?


    Soon, he had his answer.


    After giving Archimonde a slight smile, Rocky immediately got Uncle Wil in touch with Felly aboard the War God Escort Ship, and ordered Felly to commence an attack on the War Steed!


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡±


    Upon hearing Rocky¡¯s command, Archimonde immediately sprang into action!


    ¡°Rocky, this is no joke! The firepower of the warship¡¯s secondary artillery is up to 3000, and the main cannon¡¯s firepower is even at 15000. The defensive net of the War Steed won¡¯t be able to withstand it!¡±


    Rocky¡¯s move had truly terrified Archimonde.


    Although he had always stayed in Thunderhawk City, he had already obtained detailed data on the new model warships through the Chamber of Commerce and was very aware of the new warship¡¯s combat strength.


    The firepower of the secondary artillery of the new warship had already surpassed that of the main artillery on warships of the same class, while the main cannon¡¯s power of the new warship was considered the ultimate in the skies. Ten cannons, each with a firepower of 15000, could unleash destruction rivaling the City-Destroyer Cannon when fired simultaneously!


    All these figures were authentic, which meant that the combat capabilities of the new warship had already surpassed almost all Fifth Generation battleships. Rocky¡¯s War Steed had no chance against it, and if he really let the new Armor fire at it in a moment of confusion, it would result in the century¡¯s most monumental blunder. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hence upon hearing Rocky¡¯s order, Archimonde hastily intervened to stop him.


    Unfortunately, his reaction was still a beat too slow. Just after Rocky had finished issuing the order, Uncle Wil had already passed it on to Felly using the communicator. Then, with a wave to the crew inside the bridge, the defensive net of the War Steed was deployed.


    Uncle Wil¡¯s fluid series of actions left no chance for Archimonde to interject. By the time he desperately tried to stop it, everything was already too late. As the defensive net of the War Steed was deployed, Archimonde turned his head to look in the distance and saw the new warship had already aimed all its cannons right at them!


    ¡°Rocky, don¡¯t joke around! Stop it right now!¡±


    After a glance at the cannons aiming at him, Archimonde immediately shouted to Rocky, truly panicking this time.


    Yet, faced with his desperate attempts to stop him, Rocky remained very calm, gesturing not to worry; he had everything under control.


    And it was at that moment that a deafening cannonade erupted!


    Under Felly¡¯s command, the new warship quickly aimed its cannons at the War Steed and without hesitation chose to fire. The instant Archimonde heard the booming, he closed his eyes, a myriad of curses racing through his mind.


    But as he waited with his eyes closed for two seconds, he noticed nothing amiss ¨C no explosion, not even a slight shake. Other than the ceaseless roaring of artillery, there was silence.


    This involuntary led him to open his eyes and look across, where he saw dozens of secondary cannons on the new warship continuously firing at the War Steed. Propelled by the Rune, the cannonballs, each like a bright, large meteor, fell without exception upon the War Steed¡¯s defensive net.


    But when faced with the continuous bombardment of dozens of secondary cannons, the defensive net of the War Steed did not budge a single thread. It didn¡¯t break or show any signs of change. The meteor-like cannon shells disappeared upon contact, similar to droplets of water melting into the vast sea.


    Upon seeing this scene, Archimonde finally took a deep breath of relief and suddenly understood what was happening.


    He remembered that although the War Steed was just a Fifth-Generation Battleship, it had undergone rune enhancement. And since it was Rocky¡¯s flagship, the extent of its modifications were likely larger and more comprehensive than other warships, therefore its defensive power remained quite formidable.


    At the same time, it seemed Rocky was allowing the new warship to target and fire at him, but only secondary cannons were being used. Although these secondary cannons possessed a magic energy power of 3000 points, nearly equivalent to an ordinary warship¡¯s main cannon, they were still inconsequential compared to the modified defensive net of the War Steed.


    Thinking this, Archimonde nodded to himself in ease. Thankfully, Rocky wasn¡¯t insane. He had only allowed the new warship¡¯s secondary cannons to fire. If he had ordered the main cannons to open fire just now, a single shot with 15000 points of power would have reduced the War Steed to rubble.


    Just as Archimonde was secretly relieved that Rocky hadn¡¯t lost his mind, he noticed the main cannons on the new warship starting to swivel!


    As the new warship aimed its main cannon at the War Steed, Archimonde forgot to intervene and took a sharp breath of cold air.


    Simultaneously, a thunderous boom sounded as the main cannon of the new warship fired, a violent beam of light shooting towards the War Steed!


    The sound of this firing was so loud that everyone aboard the two warships felt their ears ringing.


    The power of this shot was so immense that it caused the new warship to tilt.


    After the shot, a booming noise erupted as the enormous light beam instantly struck the defensive net, turning it snow white. The entire warship shook violently and then¡­


    There was no ¡°then¡± after that.


    As the bright glow of the defensive net disappeared, looking outside, one would find both warships intact. Both Rocky¡¯s War Steed and Felly¡¯s commanded new warship were floating calmly in the air.


    ¡°How, how is this possible¡­¡±


    Realizing he was still alive and seeing the War Steed undamaged, even the defensive net unbroken, Archimonde was stunned because this was utterly impossible!


    Even with rune enhancement, the War Steed¡¯s defensive net couldn¡¯t possibly be that strong! The main cannon of the new warship had a power of 15000 points! How could the War Steed¡¯s defensive net have survived such a powerful blast without shattering? This defied all logic!


    While Archimonde was dumbstruck, a crew member ran up to Uncle Wil and whispered something to him, and then Uncle Wil approached Rocky and reported respectfully, ¡°City Lord, the damage rate to the defensive net has been calculated. The damage rate is fifteen percent!¡±


    ¡°Oh? That much?¡±


    Hearing such a report, Rocky showed a trace of surprise and then turned to Archimonde, ¡°Lord Archimonde, the firepower of the new warship is indeed very powerful.¡±


    While saying this, Rocky nodded in satisfaction. However, Archimonde opposite him was already in shock. His mind still echoed with Uncle Wil¡¯s report¡ªthe defensive net¡¯s damage rate was, was actually only fifteen percent¡­ Struck by a main cannon with 15000 points of power, how could the damage rate of the defensive net be so low!?

 Chapter 706 - 706 669 A Little Reminder

    ?Chapter 706: Chapter 669: A Little Reminder Chapter 706: Chapter 669: A Little Reminder As the Vice President of the Apple Tree Corporation, Archimonde was an expert in warships, as this was the old business of the Chamber. So, when he heard Uncle Wil reporting to Rocky that the damage rate of the Defensive Net was only fifteen percent, he was completely astounded.


    The so-called damage rate actually refers to the strength of the Defensive Net. The higher the damage rate after an attack, the more severe the attack on the Defensive Net, and the lower the damage it could sustain in the next strike; conversely, the lower the damage rate after an attack, the stronger the Defensive Net and the more damage it could withstand in the next round of attacks.


    So, according to Uncle Wil¡¯s report, after taking a direct hit from the main gun of the new warship, the damage rate of the War Steed¡¯s Defensive Net reached fifteen percent. Is this number high or low?


    Too low!


    The main gun of the new warship had a potency of 15,000 points! A main gun of this potency could elevate the damage rate of any fifth-generation warship¡¯s Defensive Net to one hundred percent, effectively shattering the Defensive Net with a single shot. Yet, such a formidable attack only caused fifteen percent damage to the War Steed¡¯s Defensive Net, which was simply incredible.


    Thinking about this, Archimonde¡¯s look towards Rocky changed somewhat, realizing he had underestimated Rocky once again.


    The combat power of the new warship was unquestionable, something Archimonde was certain about, which meant there was no issue with the potency of the attack. Thus, the problem did not lie with the new warship, but with the War Steed¡¯s Defensive Net.


    Why was the War Steed¡¯s Defensive Net so strong?


    With Archimonde¡¯s intelligence, as soon as this question popped into his mind, he already had the answer. The War Steed¡¯s Defensive Net was so formidable surely because it utilized new Rune Technology!


    Is that so?


    Yes.


    Rocky¡¯s test this time was actually a dual test. He indeed intended to see if the combat power of the new type of warship was as formidable as Archimonde had suggested. Additionally, he also wanted to see how well the modifications on the War Steed had progressed.


    Several months had passed since the destruction of the City of Fury and Sky Might. During these months, the research team in Thunderhawk City had not been idle. The team¡¯s work during this period was mainly directed in three areas. Firstly, Aniye led a team to continue the rune research, secondly, Hammerfire led a team to develop the new White Demon Armor, and lastly, Pelaya led the remaining members to begin research and experimentation on warship Rune Technology.


    In the previous years, although Orton and others had developed many Rune Technologies, their main focus had been on Rune Armor, and not much on warship technology. However, after the battle at the City of Fury, both Orton and Rocky realized that the Runification of warships could also substantially enhance their combat capabilities. Thus, Pelaya was appointed to head a team to commence the research and development of warship Rune Technology.


    Meanwhile, thanks to years of prior accumulation, Pelaya made rapid progress in her research soon after it began and achieved many substantial results. The Rune Technology that Rocky entrusted to the Apple Tree Corporation was the research outcome at that time.


    But now, over two months had passed since Rocky delivered the first batch of research results to the Apple Tree Corporation. During this period, Pelaya had not only continued her research but had already developed new technologies, which were then applied to War Steed.


    This is why Rocky dared to let the new warship fire at War Steed. He was not crazy, nor would he joke with his own life. He simply trusted completely in the new technology Pelaya had developed.


    And from the final results, both tests were satisfactory enough.


    On one hand, the new warship developed by the Apple Tree Corporation indeed possessed superior combat power. Now that Rocky was battle-hardened and had commanded fleets in large-scale battles more than once, even having just defeated the City of Fury a few months ago, he could tell at a glance whether a warship had real combat power. The combat power of the War God Escort Ship was clearly worthy of the title of Rune Battleship.


    On the other hand, it was precisely because of the War God Escort Ship¡¯s excellent performance that it indirectly highlighted how powerful Pelaya¡¯s research was, which naturally pleased Rocky even more.


    As for Archimonde¡¯s astonishment, Rocky had anticipated it as well, and it similarly satisfied him. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because it cannot be denied that having acquired Rune Technology, especially after developing warships with runes at their core, the Apple Tree Corporation was somewhat smug. This could be seen from Archimonde¡¯s behavior beforehand, even an old city like Archimonde had its tail up in the air at that moment.


    Of course, this was understandable, for after acquiring Rune Technology, the Apple Tree Corporation had indeed developed a warship that could be called era-transcending, and just by that fact alone, they had enough capital to be proud and boastful.


    However, it was necessary for Rocky to remind the Chamber at this time that all the achievements the Chamber had obtained were due to Rune Technology, and Rune Technology, was given by him!


    This was very important, after all, even if the partnership between Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation was close, the relationship was merely that of cooperation, the foundation of which was Rocky providing technology, and the Chamber responsible for production. This was a balance, and once this balance was disrupted, their cooperation would cease to exist. Rocky¡¯s actions today were precisely to maintain this balance; he wanted to make it clear to the Apple Tree that Rune Technology was still in his hands.


    Only by soberly realizing that they did not truly control Rune Technology, could the Apple Tree Corporation recall their relationship with Rocky, and continue to maintain it.


    After the live-testing had concluded, Archimonde, representing the Apple Tree Corporation, clearly realized this point. He didn¡¯t ask why War Steed had such strong defenses¡ªa question that would have been pointless. Instead, he was somewhat more restrained than before and, foreseeably, after parting with Rocky, he would report everything he saw today to the Chamber, which was sufficient.


    Thus, a hundred newly developed warships were formally handed over to Rocky, and soon, another batch of warships would be delivered, and this time, it would not be escort ships of that class. The Chamber would deliver to Rocky even more powerful destroyers, patrol cruisers, battleships, and even the most gargantuan floating motherships. Once these ships were obtained, with the power of the Rune Battleships, Rocky truly wouldn¡¯t fear any single opponent anymore. If, by then, Rick still dared to cause trouble, hehe, Rocky would certainly show him an era-transcending combat power!

 Chapter 707 - 707 670 Suppression

    ?Chapter 707: Chapter 670: Suppression Chapter 707: Chapter 670: Suppression ¡°Last week, three more small Sky Cities were overrun by Demons,¡±


    said Liliya as she sat in Rocky¡¯s study and looked at the intelligence that had just come in.


    Reports of Demon attacks had been relentless during this period, with Sky Cities falling almost every week. Perhaps the only relief was that the conquered cities were unknown, small-scale ones; this indicated that although the frequency of Demon attacks was increasing, their intensity wasn¡¯t overly terrifying. As for the small Sky Cities that were overrun¡­ well, to some extent, they had it coming.


    The current year was more than half a century removed from Era 060, when mankind had launched the second counter-offensive; to be exact, it had been a full 60 years. Because so much time had passed, many had forgotten the terror of the Demons, especially some of the City Lords.


    As the most exalted class within the skies, the position of City Lord could easily lead to corruption. Indeed, many had become swiftly decayed once they assumed the title, losing their edge and will, and indulging daily in power and pleasure. Thus, once the Demons attacked, these Sky Cities ruled by such Lords stood no chance at all.


    And for these individuals, no one would sympathize. If they could not develop anything substantial in the six decades of peace, then indeed they deserved to be eliminated.


    Having said this, Liliya stopped paying attention to the matter and turned her gaze to Rocky, ¡°There¡¯s still no news about us.¡±


    ¡°Heh, there won¡¯t be any. Let me guess, it¡¯s all about the Mass-produced Holy Angel Armors in the intelligence report, isn¡¯t it?¡± Rocky said with a chuckle.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°As expected.¡±


    Smiling at this response, Rocky quipped, ¡°The Shadow Alliance is no longer maintaining neutrality over the matter of Mana Runes, so they won¡¯t report anything that favors us.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, even if they don¡¯t report it, it doesn¡¯t change a thing,¡± Liliya remarked with a rare pouting expression, visibly indignant.


    ¡°Indeed, it doesn¡¯t change a thing,¡± Rocky nodded as he glanced at the pouting Liliya.


    What the two of them were discussing was actually related to the Thunderhawk Armor.


    After months of manufacturing, the arsenals had completed the first batch of orders for the Thunderhawk Armor, which had all been delivered to various customers and had received feedback. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as Rocky had anticipated, in such a chaotic world, the Thunderhawk Armor would find plenty of opportunities to prove its worth; and indeed it did. Many customers sent their newly equipped Thunderhawk Armors into conflict against Demons, especially the Flying Demons, shortly after receiving them.


    Following the engagements, the performance of the Thunderhawk Armor was immediately affirmed by all, from City Lords to soldiers. Everyone who witnessed the Thunderhawk Armor in action couldn¡¯t help but give a thumbs up. Its exceptional mobility and unique weapon system gave it a significant advantage over Flying Demons. The mobility combined with the magic energy machine guns completely suppressed the Demons¡¯ offensives.


    Therefore, in battles where the numbers were equal, the Thunderhawk Armor could almost always achieve a decisive victory over the Flying Demons. Even in battles where they were outnumbered, as long as the Demons didn¡¯t exceed twice their number, Void Magic Warriors clad in Thunderhawk Armor were capable of holding their ground and ultimately prevailing.


    This record was outstanding in the current world because as the attacks of Demons on Sky Cities increased, the performance of the old Fifth-Generation Armors, especially the Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armor, became increasingly worrisome. Real combat situations made it all too clear how inadequate the Fifth Generation Mass-Produced Armor was against Flying Demons. By contrast, the performance of the Thunderhawk Armor seemed shining bright.


    However, just as Liliya mentioned, despite the impressive show of the Thunderhawk Armor, the Shadow Alliance did not mention a word about it in their intelligence reports, which mainly focused on the Mass-produced Holy Angel Armor.


    Sigma Corporation was well aware that Fifth Generation Armors could no longer meet combat needs, so they rushed to market with the Mass-produced Version of the Holy Angel Armor. If only combat capability was considered, the Mass-production Holy Angel Armor could indeed be deemed perfect, even surpassing the Thunderhawk Armor, but the cost of this superiority was its high manufacturing price, almost double that of the Thunderhawk Armor.


    In such a scenario, it was clear which Armor was more popular in the market. Naturally, the Thunderhawk Armor, with its affordable price and reliable combat prowess, was more favored, especially by mid-sized, Independent Sky Cities. Unfortunately, the Shadow Alliance¡¯s reports focused solely on the Mass-produced Holy Angel Armor and overly praised it while not mentioning the Thunderhawk Armor at all.


    This biased reporting from the Shadow Alliance was clearly unfair, and Rocky had his own clear analysis of the reasons¡ªthey were trying to suppress his development through various means. Yet, Rocky was not the least bit concerned, because the customers weren¡¯t fools; everyone knew which Armor was more appropriate, and this was evidenced by the second batch of orders that Rocky had already received.


    After completing the first batch of orders and successfully delivering them, it didn¡¯t take long for the Apple Tree Corporation to bring in a second batch of orders, larger than before, which was proof enough that even without the Shadow Alliance¡¯s reports, Thunderhawk Armor had made its mark in the market through word-of-mouth. So, Rocky wasn¡¯t worried at all.


    He wasn¡¯t just unworried; he was also thinking about competing with the behemoths, Sigma and Uranus, who had always been targeting him.


    In light of this, seeing Liliya¡¯s indignation, Rocky chuckled and picked up a blueprint on the table, shaking it, ¡°What do you think this is?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Liliya glanced at the blueprint in Rocky¡¯s hand with a puzzled expression, and after she approached, took the design and looked it over before smiling, ¡°You¡¯ve completed the design already?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my design. My teacher and I had already finished it a long time ago; I¡¯ve only added some new technologies and equipment to it now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more than enough! This time we must show Sigma and Uranus corporations just how formidable we are!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they will surely know. And this is just the beginning,¡± Rocky assured as he placed the blueprint back on the table and thoughtfully took a pen to write down the name¡ªHeavy Tank Armor.


    What he had just finished was a blueprint for a new type of Tank Armor, and upon writing down its name, Rocky looked at Liliya, and both shared a look of satisfaction.

 Chapter 708 - 708 671 Competition

    ?Chapter 708: Chapter 671: Competition Chapter 708: Chapter 671: Competition The collaboration with the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce allowed Rocky to enter the armor market, and within a short period, armor manufacturing became the pillar industry of Thunderhawk City, significantly advancing the city¡¯s development.


    For this reason, Rocky naturally became the most direct competitor of Sigma and Uranus Corporation.


    Therefore, even without the interference from the Shadow Alliance, these two companies would have tried to suppress Rocky and Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce. In fact, they had already taken action. For example, when Rocky had just launched the Tank-type Armor, both companies had subsequently released their own Tank-type Armors, clearly contesting Rocky.


    While there were objective reasons for this, like the companies jointly targeting Rocky at that time, subjectively, they were also pleased to do so, and they would have acted this way even without the targeted attacks at that time.


    Admittedly, as titans in the armor manufacturing sector, both companies far surpassed Rocky in terms of strength and reputation and even surpassed the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce. Therefore, since they also released Tank-type Armor, business became challenging for Rocky¡¯s side, and it¡¯s no exaggeration to say that if Rocky hadn¡¯t launched the Thunderhawk Armor shortly thereafter, his and the Apple Tree Company¡¯s situation would have been much more difficult.


    However, Rocky didn¡¯t care much about this because he ultimately possessed the trump card of Rune Technology. As long as he held this trump card, he had the capital to compete with anyone, even if the opponent was much larger and wealthier than him.


    So facing the competition of the Mass Production Type Holy Angel Armor, Rocky didn¡¯t care at all¡ªon the contrary, he wanted to compete with them, and naturally, the most crucial means of competition was to launch a new Armor.


    For example, he intended to reclaim the market for Tank-type Armor!


    As mentioned before, while the Demons¡¯ continuous attacks brought chaos, they also presented huge opportunities, one of which was the market for Tank-type Armor.


    With the Demons¡¯ attacks becoming more frequent, the land-based industries of various forces suffered significantly. Coupled with the inefficacy of the fifth-generation armors in facing the Demons¡¯ attacks, the market for land-specialized Armor witnessed explosive growth. Given the unprecedented high demand for land-specialized Armor to protect the land-based industries, Rocky naturally would not miss this opportunity.


    It wasn¡¯t just him; Archimonde had also repeatedly expressed the Chamber of Commerce¡¯s intentions subtly, hoping Rocky could reclaim the Tank Armor market. Simply put, they hoped he could design a new type of Tank Armor, preferably one centered around Rune Technology, because only then could it maintain competitive strength in the market.


    Thus, Rocky personally drafted the design in front of him, creating the third version of the Tank-type Armor.


    But the design of this new type of Tank Armor actually didn¡¯t take much time, because as Rocky said, when he and Hammerfire designed the first version of the Tank Armor, it was based around Rune Technology. However, it was later changed back to a traditional form to sell to the Sky Alliance, so now he just needed to make some adjustments to the first version of the design, add some new technology, include some new weapons, and correct some flaws.


    And Rocky believed that as long as the new Tank Armor was released, it would undoubtedly reclaim its previous customers and leave Sigma and Uranus Corporation with no foothold in the market for land-specialized Armor!


    Afterward, Rocky left the study with Liliya and went to the laboratory to hand over the third version of the Tank Armor¡¯s design to Hammerfire; then, they went to see Wynn.


    All this time, Orton had been representing Rocky in managing all matters related to the city¡¯s upgrade, and with his involvement, a detailed plan for the city upgrade had been made. Therefore, when Rocky saw Wynn and Orton, he saw this plan.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Looking at the detailed plan in his hands, Rocky initially nodded repeatedly because, in his eyes, this plan was excellent. Not to mention anything else, the city planning map drawn by Wynn alone was a work of art, looking as beautiful as a painting. Rocky could even envision how beautiful Thunderhawk City would become if it really were upgraded according to this plan.


    However, his brow furrowed as he read halfway through.


    Because according to this plan, Thunderhawk City had to land once after the large Super Crystal was transported in order to complete the upgrade! S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Landing on the land¡­


    This was somewhat unexpected for Rocky, leaving him puzzled, ¡°Master Wynn, what¡¯s this all about? Why do we need to land on land?¡±


    ¡°Because Thunderhawk City needs to expand in size.¡±


    Wynn wasn¡¯t surprised by Rocky¡¯s question and immediately answered, ¡°After all, Thunderhawk City is a small Sky City; its current area is too small. We cannot meet the upgrade requirements without expanding the ground base by landing on the land and absorbing more soil to expand.¡±


    Sky Cities, though flying above, aren¡¯t just cities aloft; essentially, a Sky City consists of two parts, one part being the city, and the other is the ground base.


    So Wynn¡¯s point was simple: the city had to absorb more land to form a larger ground base, allowing for city expansion above it. To achieve this, it could only descend to land and absorb the soil using Mana power.


    But having a Sky City descend to land was no trivial matter!


    The land had long been occupied by Demons, and given the current craziness of the Demons, even a single Skyship landing posed deadly risks, let alone an entire Sky City landing on land¡ªthe consequences could be unimaginable.


    So after listening to Wynn¡¯s explanation, Rocky¡¯s brows didn¡¯t relax but furrowed even more. He then turned to Orton and saw him nodding at him.


    In this matter, Wynn had not deceived Rocky; indeed, not only did upgrading Thunderhawk City require landing on land, nearly every Sky City needed to go through this step during a major upgrade, and this was precisely why few Sky Cities chose to upgrade actively. The upgrade of a Sky City was not only time-consuming and costly but incredibly dangerous.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Seeing Orton nodding, Rocky knew this matter seemed non-negotiable, so after frowning and thinking for a while, he finally nodded in agreement.


    Seeing him nod, Wynn immediately brightened with a smile and handed him a list. The list wasn¡¯t long but was extremely important, as it was the purchasing list for the large Super Crystals.

 Chapter 709 - 709 672 Total Troop Strength

    ?Chapter 709: Chapter 672: Total Troop Strength Chapter 709: Chapter 672: Total Troop Strength The matter of upgrading Sky City was absolutely Rocky¡¯s biggest concern, so upon learning that Thunderhawk City had to make a forced landing, he immediately called an emergency meeting.


    On the one hand, he arranged for Aileen to contact the Ruby Chamber of Commerce to help purchase Super Crystals in Eternal City needed for the upgrade and transformation. On the other hand, he discussed defense plans with Monte and others.


    Concerning the forced landing, Rocky and Wynn spoke at length. According to Wynn¡¯s years of experience, Thunderhawk City would typically need to stay on land for about three days under normal circumstances, during which Wynn¡¯s team could complete the replacement of the Super Crystals. However, this was only under normal conditions, and the upgrade of Thunderhawk City was clearly not normal.


    Because Thunderhawk City¡¯s upgrade also included Orton¡¯s armament plan, this complicated matters considerably. To carry out Orton¡¯s plan, Wynn had to not only replace the Super Crystals but also make a series of modifications to the city¡¯s Mana supply system during the process.


    This was obviously a major project, and it even required the assistance of Thunderhawk City¡¯s technical team, thus undoubtedly extending the duration Thunderhawk City would stay on the ground. Therefore, according to Wynn¡¯s conservative estimate, Thunderhawk City would need to stay on land for at least a week before it could take off again¡ªand that was if everything went smoothly. Should there be any unexpected issues¡­ that was really hard to predict.


    Meanwhile, Rocky¡¯s task was to figure out a way to ensure that Thunderhawk City could safely return to the skies after the transformation was completed.


    This task might sound simple, but achieving it was very difficult¡ªafter all, Thunderhawk City had to stay on land not just for a day or two, but for a week! This meant Rocky had to lead his troops to carry out a week¡¯s defense task, and this was no trivial matter.


    Although Rocky was not unfamiliar with such defense tasks¡ªhe had once successfully defended Backhill Village with just a few hundred Guards¡ª he was quite proficient in handling such tasks.


    But the situation he faced now differed greatly from the previous one. Last time, he only needed to defend Backhill Village which not only had the support of the village¡¯s troops but also the advantage of the terrain, and most importantly, the area of Backhill Village was very small. Thunderhawk City, even as a small Sky City, was a true city capable of accommodating five thousand people and could cover the entire Backhill Village when on land. Defending such a large city without thousands of people was simply not feasible.


    Regrettably, Rocky did not have that many people at his disposal.


    How to defend in this situation became critical.


    So after summoning Monte and others to his side, Rocky first sought to understand the situation with the troops.


    ¡°Sir, currently, the Guard Corps from both Thunderhawk City and Carltos City combined totals one thousand five hundred soldiers, and all are equipped with the latest Three-Star Magic Armor, however¡­¡±


    ¡°However, what?¡±


    ¡°However, since we just expanded our recruitment, the majority in the Guard Corps are new recruits.¡±


    Standing before Rocky, Monte spoke with a hint of helplessness.


    After the last demon attack, Rocky had conducted recruitment, which included Carltos City, so the Guard Corps was adequately staffed in terms of personnel. Together, the two cities had one thousand five hundred people. Additionally, after selling Runes to the Sky Alliance, Rocky had Lin Feng personally go to Eternal City to purchase a large quantity of Magic Energy Equipment, so the Guard Corps were not only numerous but also well-equipped.


    The only problem was that there were too many new recruits.


    Calculating the time, Rocky had issued the recruitment order two months ago, which meant that the Guard Corps was filled with a large number of new recruits.


    Originally, Monte had a detailed training plan for this. He planned to take advantage of the fact that Backhill Village was harassed by Demons every other few days, letting the new recruits defend Backhill Village after completing their basic training. With the defensive power of Backhill Village, not only could the safety of these new recruits be ensured, but they could also gradually engage in real combat with the Demons, and in no time at all, they would be able to form an effective fighting force.


    However, plans could never keep up with changes. The training program for the new recruits had not yet been implemented when a new battle was about to begin.


    After listening to Monte¡¯s explanation, Rocky furrowed his brows in thought. He did not rush to express his opinion but instead continued to ask, ¡°What about the Void Magic Corps?¡±


    Upon hearing Rocky inquire about the Void Magic Corps, Monte immediately responded,


    ¡°The Void Magic Corps of Thunderhawk City has now been expanded to ten squads. The newly promoted Void Magic Warriors have undergone several months of training and have been rotating in defending Backhill Village. Their combat effectiveness is still guaranteed.¡±


    ¡°Additionally, the Tank Corps has also been expanded to the scale of five squads and have continuously defended Backhill Village, exhibiting excellent combat abilities.¡±


    In contrast to the Guard Corps, which had many new recruits, Rocky¡¯s Void Magic Corps was in a much better position. The traditional Void Magic Corps, after having battled with the City of Fury, not only grew rapidly but also replenished to ten squads, totaling one hundred people. More importantly, these Void Magic Squads, whether new recruits or veterans, had been rotating in defending Backhill Village and thus all had experience fighting against Demons.


    However, the main force defending Backhill Village had always been the Tank Corps. Since they already had their own armament factory, Rocky¡¯s Tank Corps had reached the scale of five squads and had always been the main force defending Backhill Village, possessing extremely powerful strength.


    After hearing this report, Rocky nodded in approval. It seemed that the elite forces of Thunderhawk City were quite impressive; although they might not be large in scale, their combat abilities were quite outstanding, which would be crucial in the upcoming defensive battles.


    Having nodded, he then turned his gaze towards Felly.


    ¡°Sir, Thunderhawk City has a total of one hundred and sixty Rune Battleships, comprising one hundred and fifty Escort Ships, eight destroyers, one patrol cruiser, and one battleship.¡±


    Without waiting for Rocky to ask, Felly reported the situation of Thunderhawk City¡¯s fleet.


    In the battle with the City of Fury, Thunderhawk City¡¯s fleet also suffered heavy losses. At that time, not only did Rocky himself have seventy to eighty warships, but he also purchased one hundred warships from Howling Sky. Yet, after the war, the warships under his command had dwindled to just over sixty. If it were not for the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce having just recently sent one hundred new Rune Battleships, the number of ships would not even have reached a hundred.


    Although the number of warships in Thunderhawk City was not large, they were all extremely powerful Rune Battleships, which was enough to compensate for their numerical deficiency.


    After Monte and Felly had successively reported, the forces of Thunderhawk City were clearly laid out: one thousand five hundred Guard Corps members, one hundred Void Magic Corps members, fifty Tank Corps members, plus one hundred and sixty Rune Battleships. That was the total military strength at Rocky¡¯s disposal. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 710 - 710 673 Reconnaissance

    ?Chapter 710: Chapter 673 Reconnaissance Chapter 710: Chapter 673 Reconnaissance The troop development in Thunderhawk City had always been based on a policy of elite soldiers. The number of troops under Rocky¡¯s command might not be many, but from all aspects, they could be considered elite. However, don¡¯t forget, in the battle against Demons, even the most elite troops couldn¡¯t withstand the seemingly endless number of demons.


    Therefore, based on Rocky¡¯s experience, it would be difficult to defend Thunderhawk City with just the existing troops. This made him furrow his brow and prevented him from making a rash decision. Instead, he had Monte and others discuss first, asking them to come up with a defensive plan before considering what to do next.


    Fortunately, although the mission was daunting, time was on Rocky¡¯s side. He could wait until he was fully prepared before choosing to lower Thunderhawk City to the land. Of course, considering his current situation and the overall state of the world, there wasn¡¯t much time for preparation.


    In such circumstances, he had his troops prepare for battle on the one hand and on the other, he asked the Ruby Chamber of Commerce to transport the Super Crystals as quickly as possible, all while seeking out Hammerfire.


    ¡°Teacher, when can the New White Demon Armor be ready?¡±


    Once Thunderhawk City was forced to land, it would undoubtedly engage in continuous battles with Demons. At that point, Rocky would have to join the fight. This was not only about combat power but also about morale. However, since the last Demon attack, his White Demon Armor had been rendered unusable. If he wanted to join the battle, he could only rely on New Armor, but¡­


    ¡°Forget about the New White Demon, it¡¯s going to take at least half a year to be ready.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Hammerfire shook his head and said that it would take at least half a year for the New White Demon Armor to be ready.


    Upon hearing this response, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He already knew this answer. The New White Demon Armor would incorporate the most advanced Elemental Rune Technology, which, let alone in Thunderhawk City, was among the top in the whole world. Therefore, it was impossible for the New White Demon Armor to be ready in a short time. But without the White Demon Armor, how could he fight?


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. If you must fight, I¡¯ll make another set of the White Demon Armor for you, but it can only stay as the old model. There¡¯s no time to add any new technology.¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s brow locked in concern, Hammerfire put down his work, glanced at him, and then proposed a compromise. The New White Demon Armor certainly couldn¡¯t be produced in time, but replicating the old model would be no difficulty for Hammerfire with mature technology and the factory¡¯s equipment at his disposal.


    ¡°That will be enough, thank you, Teacher.¡±


    As soon as he heard this, Rocky immediately nodded his head. After all, even the old White Demon Armor was still among the finest today and sufficient for his combat needs.


    With that matter settled, Rocky¡¯s heart was eased somewhat. He then took Liliya and Lin Feng with him to the Skyport.


    ¡°Sir, what are we going to do?¡±


    Lin Feng had been rushing to train the Guard Corps when he was suddenly summoned by Rocky, making him quite puzzled. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Go scouting the enemy¡¯s situation. Knowing the enemy and knowing oneself is the secret to victory in every battle.¡±


    Rocky glanced at Lin Feng, spoke, and then boarded the deck of War Steed. Following his command, War Steed and ten other War God Escort Ships slowly took off and flew out of Thunderhawk City after a short while.


    Letting a city in the sky land on the ground was not a matter to be taken lightly. To truly achieve this, a considerable amount of preparation was needed, such as choosing the right landing spot, wouldn¡¯t you say?


    Thunderhawk City was massive, and it would obviously not work to land right outside Backhill Village. There wasn¡¯t enough space around the village, and besides, when a city lands on the ground and absorbs the soil to expand its foundations, it will inevitably cause extensive damage to the surrounding terrain, which naturally can¡¯t be done on one¡¯s doorstep.


    So this time, Rocky planned to inspect the terrain and choose a suitable landing site for Thunderhawk City while also checking the distribution of demons in the vicinity.


    In this way, the warships led by the War Steed quickly flew away from Backhill Village.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Since the warship had descended in altitude after leaving Thunderhawk City, Rocky at the bow of the War Steed could clearly see the ground, but what he saw was a barren land with nothing on it.


    The endless barren land unconsciously made him frown, followed by taking out a map and calling over Lin Feng.


    ¡°Lin Feng, where is this place?¡±


    Pointing at the map, Rocky asked.


    Looking in the direction of his finger, Lin Feng found it was pointing to the north side of Backhill Village, which seemed to be a forest by the map¡¯s labels.


    ¡°Sir, this is the Ancient Tree Forest. I have been there twice. It is very large, and the trees are extremely lush. However¡­ there are a lot of demons in this forest, and there are many different types.¡±


    As an elder of Backhill Village, Lin Feng had far more knowledge of the surrounding environment than ordinary people; one glimpse at the map and he knew exactly which place Rocky was referring to.


    He understood what Rocky meant; obviously, he was considering landing Thunderhawk City near the forest or even directly in it. The idea wasn¡¯t bad, because landing next to the forest or directly in the forest would certainly be better than landing on the flat barren land.


    Unfortunately, despite the forest looking good, in reality, it was not feasible because there were too many demons inside, and many types at that, including some that specialized in forest living. If Thunderhawk City were to land nearby, it would be disadvantageous for the troops to fight the demons in the forest.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Once Lin Feng finished, Rocky nodded, realizing that his idea of landing Thunderhawk City in the forest was impossible, and he would have to choose another site.


    However, when he looked at the map again, he found it hard to find any other suitable site. The terrain near Backhill Village was mostly barren land, with very few features like forests or mountain ranges. There wasn¡¯t even a river, making it difficult to find a suitable landing site.


    This was quite troublesome because if there truly was no suitable site, Thunderhawk City would have to land on the barren land, which would significantly increase the defensive pressure on Rocky.


    However, it was at that moment that Lin Feng spoke up, ¡°Sir, I know a place that should be fairly suitable for Thunderhawk City to land.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Where?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky¡¯s eyes lit up, and he quickly handed the map to Lin Feng, asking him to show it. Unfortunately, Lin Feng shook his head as he faced the map handed to him, ¡°Sir, the place I am talking about is to the west of Kasin City, it¡¯s not on the map.¡±

 Chapter 711 - 711 674 Red Water Lake

    ?Chapter 711: Chapter 674: Red Water Lake Chapter 711: Chapter 674: Red Water Lake ¡°`


    ¡°Kasin City¡¯s¡­ west side?¡±


    After glancing at Lin Feng, Rocky suddenly realized.


    If it were on the west side of Kasin City, indeed, it would not be on the map, as this map was drawn by Karina, reaching only as far as Kasin City.


    ¡°Exactly what place are you talking about?¡±


    Since it wasn¡¯t on the map, Rocky asked Lin Feng.


    ¡°My lord, I am speaking of a lake, known as Red Water Lake.¡±


    ¡°A lake?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve never been there myself, but I heard about it when chatting with people from the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild in the village. They mentioned that while their caravan was en route to the village, they saw a lake to the west of Kasin City, which the people from the commerce guild called Red Water Lake.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    With Lin Feng¡¯s explanation, Rocky nodded.


    He certainly remembered the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild; it was the very organization that traded minerals with Backhill Village. After the villagers had relocated to Thunderhawk City, the guild seized the opportunity to take over the village, although later on, they were driven away by Rocky.


    And from Lin Feng¡¯s words, it was clear that during its business dealings with Backhill Village, the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild had discovered Kasin City, as well as the Red Water Lake that Lin Feng mentioned. Of course, this was only what Lin Feng had heard; he had never been there himself, especially considering the considerable distance from Backhill Village to Kasin City. But since this information had passed from the mouths of the traders, its credibility was relatively high. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So after thinking it over, Rocky nodded and immediately ordered the warship to return.


    Naturally, he wanted to see Red Water Lake for himself, but the location was even farther than Kasin City. Thunderhawk City had taken three days to reach Kasin City from Backhill Village, and now, even traveling at full speed aboard the warship would take a day or two, and Rocky wasn¡¯t prepared for such a journey; he needed to supply back at the city first.


    Thus, led by the War Steed, the fleet soon returned to Thunderhawk City, swiftly resupplied, and left once again that same night, heading straight for the Red Water Lake as Lin Feng had described.


    As Rocky expected, even though the warship was much faster than Sky City, the distance from Backhill Village to Kasin City was still significant, and it took them an entire day and night of flight to reach Kasin City. After arriving, the warship began to fly west in search of the legendary Red Water Lake.


    Normally, such a flight would be very boring, as there isn¡¯t much to do in the sky, but Rocky and his group fared better, as they were on a mission. Besides searching for Red Water Lake, they also had to observe the terrain and take the chance to map out the area. More importantly, they had to watch for the distribution of demons.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky often had the group spread out during their flight, carrying out reconnaissance in units of warships, then reporting all their findings back to him.


    ¡°`


    With that, on one hand, they discovered many demons, and on the other hand, they quickly found their destination, the Red Water Lake as referred to by Lin Feng.


    When Rocky truly saw the lake for the first time, he couldn¡¯t help but inhale sharply. No wonder, no wonder the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild called it Red Water Lake; the name was downright fitting. The water in the lake was actually red!


    The area of the lake was immense, roughly estimated to be even larger than Kasin City not far away¡ªat least capable of containing two Kasin Cities. Such a large body of water, yet the lake was red, a bloody red. The stench of blood permeated the air, so much so that the pungent smell was noticeable even when War Steed flew above the lake.


    ¡°Is this really water¡­ or is it blood¡­¡±


    Standing at the bow and looking down, Liliya couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked by the blackish-red water, as the scent of blood was incredibly strong, akin to a massive pool of blood.


    Compared to the surprised Liliya, Rocky obviously noticed something different about the water, but he didn¡¯t dwell on it. After flying around above the lake, he ordered the warship to the shore and began to fly along the lakeside.


    The water of Red Water Lake was so unique, it naturally concealed unknown secrets. As for what those secrets were, Rocky was not interested at all. His only interest was whether Thunderhawk City could be stationed near this lake, because the moment he saw Red Water Lake, he considered it an ideal location.


    This position was just too suitable for Thunderhawk City to land.


    Just imagine, if Thunderhawk City could stop by the banks of Red Water Lake, then the pressure of defense would naturally lessen significantly. The lake could act as a natural barrier against the onslaught of demons, allowing Rocky and the troops of Thunderhawk City to focus their forces on the frontal defense, which was the situation Rocky most wanted to see.


    Thus, under his command, troops quickly dispersed once more and commenced surveying along the entire lakeshore.


    After an initial observation, Rocky ruled out the possibility of landing on the east side because Kasin City lay to the east of Red Water Lake.


    Kasin City was situated on the east of Red Water Lake. The distance between them was not considered far. Departing from Red Water Lake, warships could reach Kasin City in just half a day. Therefore, if Thunderhawk City landed on the Lake East Shore, the demons from Kasin City might be drawn over once a battle ensued. With the speed of demons, it would take approximately one day to reach the east shore, and no one understood more than Rocky how many demons were hoarded in Kasin City. Naturally, this was not an outcome he wished to see.


    Therefore, the ideal landing spot for Thunderhawk City became the West Lake Shore.


    In such a case, Rocky quickly led his troops to concentrate on the survey of the West Lake Shore and mapped the entire topography of the west shore as detailed as possible, even recording it with a Magic Energy Projector.


    Whether it was feasible to station Thunderhawk City on the West Lake Shore of Red Water Lake, and whether this location was suitable for the descent of Thunderhawk City, were decisions Rocky actually could not make by himself. These matters required Wynn¡¯s approval, as he was the expert in this area. Sky City had undergone countless upgrades at his hands, and he had more experience than anyone. What Rocky needed to do now was to gather as much intelligence as possible and then take it back for Wynn to review.


    Thus, the troops continued to scout along the lakeside for a full two days before Rocky finally led them to leave, evidently to discuss the details with Wynn.


    However, just as the War Steed, leading the troops, was departing, a young Beastman stood atop a tall tree in a small forest not far from Red Water Lake. He watched from a distance until he saw the War Steed and the rest of the warships all leaving and growing further away. Then, with a flip, he jumped down from the high treetop, landing steadily before running swiftly into the depths of the forest.

 Chapter 712 - 712 675 Assembling the Troops

    ?Chapter 712: Chapter 675 Assembling the Troops Chapter 712: Chapter 675 Assembling the Troops ¡°Master Wynn, do you think this location is feasible?¡±


    Upon returning to Thunderhawk City, Rocky immediately sought out Wynn and laid all the intelligence he¡¯d brought back in front of him. Wynn then meticulously reviewed the information.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Holding the topographic map that Rocky had handed him, Wynn frowned in thought before looking back at Rocky, ¡°If we park Thunderhawk City on the lakeshore, it is indeed feasible. However, the geology and soil of the lakeshore are not the best choices for expanding the city¡¯s foundation. But that¡¯s not a major issue. Sky City¡¯s mana supply system can reinforce these soils, bringing them up to standard.¡±


    This was precisely why Rocky had come to consult with Wynn. The primary purpose of bringing Thunderhawk City down to land was to absorb the soil to expand the city¡¯s foundation. Although the specifications weren¡¯t exceptionally high, there were still standards to meet, and in this matter, only Wynn could make the decision.


    What he had just said seemed to suggest that the shores of Red Water Lake might not be the best choice, but given the city¡¯s defense needs, it seemed acceptable.


    So when Rocky heard Wynn¡¯s words, he breathed a sigh of relief. After all, after surveying Red Water Lake, he was not only quite satisfied with the location but had also formed a plan.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll start preparing.¡±


    With Wynn¡¯s affirmative answer, Rocky was at ease and immediately set out to prepare.


    He first summoned Aileen.


    ¡°Has there been any news from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce about when they can transport the Super Crystal?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been contacted. The caravan will arrive within a week.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Now certain of the Super Crystal¡¯s arrival date, Rocky then proceeded to the research institute and found Hammerfire.


    As soon as they met, before Rocky could even speak, Hammerfire, who was working, pointed to the side of the laboratory. Following his gesture, Rocky quickly spotted a brand-new set of White Demon Armor!


    During the days Rocky went to scout Red Water Lake, Hammerfire had managed to recreate the White Demon Armor. Like he¡¯d said before, the newly crafted set remained a second-generation version, but for Rocky, it was sufficient and crucial. With the White Demon Armor finished, he could freely move ahead with the subsequent preparations.


    As for what he planned to do next, it was actually quite straightforward: lead the Fleet to Red Water Lake.


    Rocky had never intended to delay the crystal replacement for too long. Although he had full control of when to commence, considering his situation and the possibility of the Magic Energy Research Institute, the Kafka Empire, and other forces turning their sights on him at any moment, Rocky felt that it was better to complete the crystal swap sooner rather than later. Otherwise, if something did go wrong, he might not be able to carry out the task for a lengthy period.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky promptly issued orders for the Fleet to assemble, while informing Orton that once the Super Crystal arrived at Thunderhawk City, they should immediately initiate flight mode to head straight for Red Water Lake. As for Rocky himself, he would lead the Fleet in advance to the lake to eliminate demons, aiming to reduce the pressure on the upcoming battle by killing as many as possible.


    Thus, just two days after returning to Thunderhawk City, Rocky set out once again. Only this time, he brought his entire Fleet of one hundred sixty Rune Battleships, all soaring into the sky under his command, swiftly heading towards Red Water Lake.


    Having traveled the same route just a few days earlier, Rocky, now accompanied by a large contingent, left Thunderhawk City and, being well-acquainted with the journey, returned to Red Water Lake in just two days. It was on the day of their arrival at the lake that Rocky began issuing a series of commands.


    First, he assigned the warships into groups, directing them to thoroughly and meticulously scout the surrounding areas of Red Water Lake, ensuring that they located every demon gathering spot. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Red Water Lake was an excellent location, but even the best spot was still situated on land; and on land, demons were ever-present. Therefore, even after selecting a suitable landing site for Thunderhawk City, the preparations were not complete. In some respects, this was just the first step. The next was to eradicate the demons.


    Following Rocky¡¯s instructions, the Fleet dispersed, with groups of ten ships conducting a carpet search around Red Water Lake.


    During this search, demon encampments were uncovered one after another within just a few days. When these discoveries were compiled and delivered to Rocky, he couldn¡¯t help but inhale sharply.


    ¡°So many¡­¡±


    In the Captain¡¯s cabin of the War Steed, Rocky, Liliya, and Felly gathered around the map, which was now covered with markings, especially around Red Water Lake.


    These markers represented demon encampments discovered in the last few days. When plotted on the map, they appeared dense and swarming like ants, making one¡¯s skin crawl.


    Although Rocky had anticipated many demons around Red Water Lake, given its status as a water source, demons still depended on water, and those nearby the source were bound to be numerous.


    But he had not anticipated such an enormous number. Looking at the myriad markings on the map, Rocky even felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. How many demons could there be?


    After synthesizing the pieces of intelligence, he made a rough estimate and found that there were at least dozens of demon gathering points around Red Water Lake. These varied in size, with smaller ones hosting a few hundred demons and larger ones teeming with thousands, some of which included species even Rocky had never seen before.


    When all these disparate gathering points were added up, it revealed a conservative estimate of several tens of thousands of demons around Red Water Lake! And that was just the figure on the surface; once Thunderhawk City landed nearby, the commotion would surely attract even more demons.


    At this point, Rocky¡¯s foresight became apparent. It was fortunate that he led the Fleet to Red Water Lake ahead of time and conducted surveillance on the surrounding demons, allowing for the preemptive extermination of a wave of demons before the arrival of Thunderhawk City. Otherwise, upon landing near the lake¡¯s shores, these demons would inevitably become formidable foes.


    Following this, Rocky immediately recalled all the warships that had scattered and commenced a large-scale extermination of the identified demon strongholds!

 Chapter 713 - 713 676 Wide Variety of Species

    ?Chapter 713: Chapter 676: Wide Variety of Species Chapter 713: Chapter 676: Wide Variety of Species After several days of reconnaissance, Rocky had basically figured out the distribution of demons at Red Water Lake and had marked their specific locations on the map. Next, he intended to eliminate all these demons, clearing the landing obstruction for Thunderhawk City.


    Soon after, the warships that had dispersed quickly reassembled and headed straight towards a stone forest on the West Bank.


    The so-called stone forest was essentially an area of rocky hills. Whether formed naturally or ruined by demon actions, it was filled with abandoned stone ruins very close to Red Water Lake on the West Bank. Most importantly, it was also a massive demon gathering point. Inside, no fewer than a thousand demons laid siege, making it Rocky¡¯s primary target for eradication.


    ¡°Order the fleet to reduce altitude.¡±


    Leading the fleet over the stone forest, Rocky had the ships gradually descend while he, clad in White Demon Armor, launched himself into the air to survey the area below.


    Looking down, he soon spotted numerous stone ruins on the land. However, more crucially, among these stones lay countless demons.


    Black-eyed Demons.


    Bull-horned Demons.


    Mole Demons. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Poison Fang Demons.


    Given that Red Water Lake was quite far from Backhill Village, the varieties of demons were not limited to Black-eyed Demons and Bull-horned Demons. Rocky roughly spotted at least four types of demons in the stone forest, their numbers mingling into the thousands!


    ¡°Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar!¡±


    ¡°Shreeek!¡±


    ¡°Yooh¡­ Yooh¡­¡±


    As Rocky looked towards these demons on the ground, the thousands of demons entrenched in the stone forest spotted him and the fleet as well. A chorus of roars ensued as thousands of demons bellowed towards the sky simultaneously.


    The combined roars of thousands of demons fused into a wave of sound that rushed from the ground to the sky. Given the large quantity and variety of demons present, their collective roar mixed several sounds together, turning an already unbearable noise even more displeasing.


    ¡°Void Magic Corps, move out to protect the fleet, in case of attacks by Flying Demons.¡±


    Gazing at the demons in the stone forest, Rocky mobilized the Void Magic Corps to protect the fleet, preventing any surprise attacks by flying demons during the bombing process.


    Shortly after this order was issued, ten squads of Void Magic Warriors appeared in midair. They then dispersed around the fleet, beginning their vigilance.


    ¡°Prepare to attack!¡±


    Once everything was ready, Rocky gave the order to attack. One hundred and sixty Rune Battleships adjusted their cannons simultaneously, aiming all secondary guns at the ground.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    As Rocky gave the order, the warship, which was already aiming all its cannons toward the land, fired in unison. Hundreds of cannon muzzles lit up in an instant, and the sound of bombardment immediately fused into a single, deafening roar, easily drowning out the agonized screams of the demons.


    But this was just the beginning, for at the very moment the cannon fire sounded, even more intense noises arose.


    Countless mana cannonballs flew out of the cannons and instantly slammed into the ground, completely upheaving Stone Forest in a cataclysm.


    After modifications, the Rune Battleship¡¯s secondary magic energy power had reached 3000 points. The power of each cannonball was terrifying; each one, when it hit the ground, was capable of causing immense destruction, and such killing power was something even demons couldn¡¯t withstand.


    When the bombardment began, Rocky didn¡¯t rush back to the fleet. He hovered in midair, so he could clearly see the tremendous damage inflicted on the demons in Stone Forest by the Rune Battleship¡¯s cannons.


    From his perspective, the area of the bombardment covered the entire Stone Forest. Countless entrenched demons were instantly shattered into pieces, and even more were blasted into the air. Under the explosive force, these demons were hurled over ten meters high, as if they were mere pebbles being flicked upwards.


    But one had to admit, the demons were indeed true monsters. Even though they faced such a brutal attack, their performance was still chillingly formidable.


    Take, for example, those demons blown into the air. Even though they were blasted more than ten meters up, when they heavily fell back to the ground, a considerable number managed to get back up, particularly the robust Bull-horned Demons. These colossal creatures seemed unnaturally strong. Unless hit directly by a bombardment, the blast¡¯s reach hardly injured them, and those not directly hit continued to roar at the sky, showing no fear at all.


    As for the less common Poison Fang Demons, they caused Rocky to frown even more. These demons, over three meters long and resembling giant lizards, had mouths full of sharp and venomous teeth. A bite from them could poison someone to death if it didn¡¯t kill outright. Moreover, these demons had incredibly strong biting power, capable of crushing Void Magic Armor, and importantly, they could also burrow underground.


    Right after the bombardment started, a significant number of Poison Fang Demons instantly burrowed underground, barely suffering any harm from the first round of bombardment.


    ¡°Hmph¡­¡±


    Watching the Bull-horned Demons roaring amidst the bombing, and the giant holes appearing on the ground, Rocky scoffed coldly. He admitted that these demons were really tough challengers, but in the face of the powerful attack capability of the Rune Battleship, they were all just inconveniences.


    As the bombing continued, the previously unyielding Bull-horned Demons stopped their roaring. Under the intense bombardment, these massive creatures soon suffered a devastating blow. More and more Bull-horned Demons were directly hit by cannonballs, instantly being blown to smithereens.


    Though the Poison Fang Demons hiding underground had dodged the first few rounds of attack, as the bombing continued for a while, the ground was literally blasted away layer by layer. The hiding Poison Fang Demons were forcibly expelled from the ground, and once blown out, even the Bull-horned Demons couldn¡¯t compare; they were instantly turned into a bloody mess.


    Seeing this sight, Rocky finally let his guard down, reassured that it wouldn¡¯t be long before all the demons in Stone Forest would be obliterated, thus clearing this demon stronghold.


    However, just as he had begun to relax, suddenly, out of the smoky Stone Forest, a huge rock fiercely shot out!


    Because the rock flew out so unexpectedly, Rocky barely had time to think before he hurriedly dodged. Following that, he heard a loud crash behind him, and turning around, he discovered that the rock he¡¯d dodged had hit a War God Escort Ship, smashing the ship¡¯s hull inward!


    ¡°This¡­!¡±


    Seeing this, he quickly looked back toward Stone Forest, and then through the billowing smoke, he discovered¡­ the rocks in Stone Forest were standing up!


    It turned out those weren¡¯t rocks at all, but demons!

 Chapter 714 - 714 677 High-level Demon

    ?Chapter 714: Chapter 677: High-level Demon! Chapter 714: Chapter 677: High-level Demon! A sudden huge rock that flew out from the Stone Forest almost smashed a large hole in the hull of the Escort Ship, something entirely beyond Rocky¡¯s expectations. It immediately made him look towards the Stone Forest.


    After such a long period of bombardment, the Stone Forest was now shrouded in gunsmoke, but even so, through the smoke and explosions, he could see that the stones were slowly standing up!


    Demons!


    Once he saw all those rocks standing up, Rocky knew they had all been deceived; this was not any stone forest at all. Those objects on the ground were not rocks either; this place was completely filled with Demons!


    And as he was shocked, those ¡°rocks¡± on the ground had already fully stood up¡ªindeed they were not stones, but actual Demons, and extraordinarily powerful ones at that!


    The Demons rising from the ground were each over five meters tall, even bigger than the Bull-horned Demons. Rocky, even from mid-air, could distinctly feel their oppressive power, and these demons were all composed of stone and dirt, looking as if they were towering statues. But they were not statues, they were genuine Demons, and they were the most fearsome kind!


    ¡°My God¡­ these, these are Blood Image Demons!¡±


    After seeing the true faces of these demons, Rocky sharply inhaled in shock.


    Having Monte by his side, Rocky had a very good understanding of the types of Demons, especially after his encounter with Knife Fox Demons. He had specifically asked Monte about high-level demons, so the moment he saw the towering figures standing up in the Stone Forest, he instantly recognized them as Blood Image Demons!


    Blood Image Demons, one of the high-level demons, are unlike the traditional kind. The body of a Blood Image Demon is actually just a Demon Core, but just like other high-level demons, Blood Image Demons possess extremely special powers. They can emit a force akin to Mana, thereafter using mud and stone to form their own bodies. That is to say, the colossal forms Rocky was now seeing were all fake creations of the Blood Image Demons using their abilities.


    This characteristic made the Blood Image Demon one of the few valueless high-level demons. Other high-level demons are extremely valuable due to their various special powers, but since the Blood Image Demons¡¯ true bodies are nothing but a Demon Core, to kill them one must destroy the core. And once the core is destroyed, they completely vanish, which is why these demons have no value whatsoever.


    That is also why Blood Image Demons are considered the most troublesome among high-level demons, because only by destroying their Demon Core can they be truly killed. Otherwise, Blood Image Demons can endlessly use mud and stone to rebuild their bodies, making them incredibly difficult to kill.


    Rocky had never imagined he would encounter such demons and, upon careful observation, realized that the number of Blood Image Demons rising from the Stone Forest was not just one or two, but more than a dozen!


    To see more than a dozen high-level demons appearing before him at once was a first for him, and truthfully, he never wanted to witness such a scene in his lifetime.


    How on earth could he deal with so many high-level demons?!


    While Rocky was stunned by the sheer number of Blood Image Demons before him, those on the ground had already lifted their heads, and in unison, they let out a roar!


    Strangely enough, when more than a dozen Blood Image Demons let out a simultaneous roar towards the sky, not a sound was heard. It wasn¡¯t drowned out by cannon fire; rather, it was because these enormous creatures were merely bodies condensed by the Blood Image Demons, and they inherently couldn¡¯t make any sound. So, they merely performed the action of roaring without producing any audible roar.


    But one must never underestimate these large creatures that could roar without making a sound, for right after their silent roar, the Blood Image Demons reached towards the ground. In the blink of an eye, when they pulled their hands back out of the dirt, they were each holding a massive boulder!


    The stones that had been pulled out by the Blood Image Demons were each incredibly massive, some even larger than the demons¡¯ own bodies. Then, the demons hefted the boulders above their heads and hurled them viciously into the sky!


    ¡°Not good!¡±


    As he watched more than a dozen enormous stones soar through the air like cannonballs, Rocky initially was startled, then quickly drew his Magic Fang Scythe, ready to face the giant rock flying straight towards him.


    With a swish, he split the huge rock in two, but before Rocky could even catch his breath, he heard several loud crashes. Looking back, he saw that aside from the boulder he had cleaved apart, the rest had struck the warships in midair with astonishing accuracy, two of which had even smashed gaping holes through the hulls!


    Could the power be this great?!


    Rocky was completely stunned, never having imagined that a few boulders thrown by the Blood Image Demons would be capable of damaging the warships.


    Previously, in order to facilitate the bombardment, he had indeed ordered the warships to descend in altitude, but even if more than a hundred warships had lowered their altitude, there would still be a distance of at least a hundred meters from the ground. Yet the boulders thrown by the Blood Image Demons could easily span this distance to hit the warships, their might so great that they were capable of punching through the armored hulls, an unimaginable feat.


    And while Rocky was still in shock, the second wave of boulders had already arrived!


    With the second wave of boulders pounding the skies, several more warships took hits. One warship, in particular, was struck by three consecutive boulders, and not only were two huge holes smashed into its hull, but the entire vessel even began to list.


    ¡°All warships, ascend!¡±


    As the second wave of boulders flew past him, Rocky immediately issued the command, raising the warships¡¯ altitude before the third volley arrived to avoid the attack.


    It turns out that no high-level demons can ever be underestimated. Initially, when Rocky saw these Blood Image Demons, he was surprised by their number but didn¡¯t take them too seriously because these demons lacked the power of flight and the ability to leap aboard warships like the Knife Fox Demons previously had. This made Rocky think it was entirely feasible for the fleet to use its aerial advantage to bombard these Blood Image Demons to death. However, he now realized this idea was naively optimistic. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Though the Blood Image Demons didn¡¯t have the capacity to fly, their boundless strength still posed a threat to the fleet. The boulders they hurled into the sky were not weaker than the Magic Energy Cannons, and in some cases even more powerful. Moreover, the Defensive Net, which could only guard against Magic Energy Attacks, was useless against these massive stones, ultimately forcing Rocky to have the fleet elevate as the only way to evade the attacks.

 Chapter 715 - 715 678 The Third Party Appears

    ?Chapter 715: Chapter 678: The Third Party Appears Chapter 715: Chapter 678: The Third Party Appears ¡°Continue the bombardment and deploy the Void Magic Corps!¡±


    After having the entire fleet take off, Rocky ordered the warships in the sky to continue the ground bombardment, while also deploying the previously escorting Void Magic Corps to join the fight.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t send the Void Magic Corps directly to combat the Blood Image Demons, as that would be too dangerous. Apart from Rocky himself, only Liliya and Monte among the Void Magic Corps of Thunderhawk City could possibly handle high-level demons. As for the others, they lacked the ability, so Rocky¡¯s deployment of the Void Magic Corps was mainly to protect the warships.


    The stone attacks thrown by the Blood Image Demons were indeed powerful, but after all, a stone is just a stone. It¡¯s frightening when used for a sneak attack, but if taken seriously, it¡¯s easy to defend against. Besides, although there are quite a few Bloody Demons in the Stone Forest, there are only about a dozen of them; even if they threw stones continuously, they wouldn¡¯t be able to throw many.


    Under Rocky¡¯s strategy, the fleet quickly resumed bombing. During the bombing process, although the Blood Image Demons continuously threw stones into the sky, with the Void Magic Corps present, ten squads of Void Magic Warriors formed a defensive net, knocking every stone aimed at the fleet out of the sky. Even if a few stones got through, because the fleet had risen higher, it was difficult for the stones to hit the warships.


    This significantly reduced the threat of the Blood Image Demons, or rather, eliminated the threat altogether.


    However, even though the fleet was out of reach of the Blood Image Demons attacks after ascending higher, this greatly reduced the accuracy of the bombardment. Moreover, since the bodies of the Blood Image Demons were made of stone and mud, even if directly hit by a Magic Energy Cannon and shattered, they would regenerate in not much time unless their Demon Cores were completely shattered. Therefore, it was virtually impossible to eliminate these demons in the short term.


    In this situation, the only thing Rocky could do was to slowly attrite these Blood Image Demons through cannon fire.


    These high-level demons absolutely must not be left unchecked, as they would pose a significant threat once Thunderhawk City landed here. Yet, it was also impossible to confront these high-level demons directly, as even sacrificing ten squads might not be enough to kill them. Thus, Rocky¡¯s only choice was to wear them down slowly, using the superior firepower and aerial advantage of the Rune Battleships. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although this method was slower and even a bit boring, Rocky could fully accept it, because he had plenty of time before Thunderhawk City arrived to clear out these demons.


    Thus, time slowly moved from noon to afternoon, and from the afternoon to evening. During this process, Rocky continued to direct the fleet to bombard the Stone Forest, effectively turning the entire area into a giant crater, and as time passed, the number of Blood Image Demons steadily decreased, with more than half already bombed to death.


    What pleased Rocky even more was that as the noise from the bombardment grew louder, it began to attract other demons from the surroundings. This was excellent for him, as his original task was to cleanse West Lake Shore of demons. Now that these demons were being drawn in, it saved him time.


    Under these circumstances, despite the continuous bombardment lasting an entire day, the quantity of demons in the Stone Forest had not decreased at all. In fact, as more and more demons were drawn in, their numbers were actually increasing.


    As time passed and night fell, Rocky ordered the fleet to continue the bombardment, then he returned to the War Steed.


    ¡°Give me the map.¡±


    Upon returning to the War Steed, Rocky took the map from Uncle Wil and, after looking at it for a while, he contacted Felly.


    ¡°Felly, reassign a portion of the warships to directly bomb the positions at three, six, nine, eleven, twelve, and fourteen o¡¯clock and draw all the demons there to the Stone Forest.¡±


    While looking at the map in his hand, Rocky spoke to Felly on the other end of the communicator.


    At this moment, deep within the Hunter, Felly also held a map identical to Rocky¡¯s, listening to Rocky¡¯s orders and examining the map, quickly grasping his intention.


    The points mentioned by Rocky were all demon gathering locations marked on the map by numbers due to their abundance, and these sites were precisely near Stone Forest. These points almost circled around Stone Forest, clearly revealing Rocky¡¯s intention, he hoped to use the warship¡¯s bombardment to attract the demons from these gathering points to Stone Forest, thus saving them the trouble of having to clear them out one by one later on.


    Upon understanding this, Felly immediately issued orders, quickly reallocating twelve warships from the fleet. Two warships per group headed to the six gathering points mentioned by Rocky to lure the demons there.


    Late at night, the originally calm earth was ablaze with fire, and the thunderous sound of cannons rhythmically shattered the night sky. When the twelve warships broke away from the main force, they dispersed in six different directions, soon followed by the sound of new cannon fire.


    Standing at the bow of War Steed, Rocky used his binoculars to look into the distance, seeing the warships in the midst of bombardment and the fires they caused. He could even imagine how the demons must have gone mad by now, and in this frenzy, they would surely follow the closest noise and hence inevitably head towards Stone Forest, where he could then catch them all in one fell swoop.


    Thinking this, Rocky slightly raised the corners of his mouth.


    However, at that moment, while observing his surroundings with his binoculars, he suddenly saw a figure in the sky above a small grove in the distance¡­


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Seeing the figure above the grove, Rocky was momentarily startled and quickly looked more closely, only to find that it was a Void Magic Warrior!


    How could this be possible?


    Discovering that the figure above the forest was a Void Magic Warrior, Rocky was astonished and his eyes widened, then he looked again carefully.


    Although they were still quite far apart, when he looked again carefully, he noticed that he had not been mistaken, the person really was wearing Void Magic Armor hovering above the grove, and definitely was not one of his own warriors.


    What was happening, could there be other Sky Cities around?


    Seeing an unknown Void Magic Warrior appearing near his fleet, Rocky immediately furrowed his brows, then with a leap, he flew out of the War Steed.


    ¡°Liliya, Sandro, Dusa, follow me! Monte, command the Void Magic Corps to be on alert!¡±


    Having said this, Rocky, without another word, took Liliya and the others and flew toward the nearby grove immediately.

 Chapter 716 - 716 679 Abandoned Beastmen

    ?Chapter 716: Chapter 679: Abandoned Beastmen Chapter 716: Chapter 679: Abandoned Beastmen There are other Void Magic Warriors here?


    This discovery immediately made Rocky tense up, and it wasn¡¯t without reason. Given the enemies he was facing and the environment he was in, it was only natural for him to be on edge.


    At this time, Rocky was essentially isolated, with Thunderhawk City not by his side and Backhill Village several days¡¯ journey away. If Rick and his people chose this moment to send a troop to ambush him, Rocky¡¯s situation could become dire. He might not even have the chance to escape.


    So upon spotting the others, Rocky immediately took Liliya and the rest with him as they flew towards the forest. He had to ascertain their identities.


    ¡°Rocky, could there be an ambush?¡±


    At first, Liliya and the others didn¡¯t know what was happening. But after learning that there were other unknown Void Magic Warriors present, they too became alert. This was no joking matter; an actual enemy ambush could cause them serious trouble.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, that¡¯s why I brought you few. If it turns out to be an ambush, you all must head back immediately, don¡¯t worry about me, understand?¡±


    While flying in the sky, Rocky spoke. In fact, the moment he noticed the others, he had considered the possibility of an ambush. That¡¯s why he had brought only Liliya, Sandro, and Dusa¡ªthree individuals whose combat strength was top-notch and whose armors¡¯ mobility was second only to that of the White Demon. If they indeed fell into an enemy¡¯s trap, Rocky believed they could definitely make their escape.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After agreeing, Liliya and the others prepared for battle. By this time, they had already arrived above the forest. However, looking around, they found that the Void Magic Warriors they had spotted earlier had disappeared.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go down.¡±


    Realizing the Void Magic Warriors were gone, they looked downward, but now that it was night, all they could see were dark branches. With no other choice, Rocky ordered them to descend, and they all landed within the forest.


    The forest, which didn¡¯t seem very large from above, revealed its considerable size once they entered. Moreover, it was now night; thus, when they looked around, it seemed as if the forest was boundlessly vast, with no visible end in sight.


    ¡°Rocky, something isn¡¯t right here¡­¡±


    After looking around, Liliya spoke up.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve noticed.¡±


    Nodding, Rocky too became guarded, for indeed there was something off about this place. Although it looked like a normal forest, just larger, something made it feel abnormal.


    ¡°Everyone be careful.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    After responding, Sandro and Dusa activated the lighting on their shoulders. The light from the Magic Energy Lamps shot out in two beams, dispelling the darkness ahead. Then they followed behind Rocky, moving deeper into the forest.


    Crack¡­


    Crack¡­


    Crack¡­


    Walking in the forest, every step crunched on the leaves and twigs on the ground, making sharp, crisp noises, and apart from that, the entire forest seemed eerily quiet.


    ¡°It¡¯s so quiet here¡­ Why are there no demons?¡±


    After walking in the forest for a while, Dusa had begun to feel something was off about this place. Outside, the sound of artillery was incessant, and the nearby demons should have been drawn to the commotion, but this forest was frighteningly tranquil. Aside from the distant booms of artillery, only their own footsteps and breaths could be heard, with almost no other sounds.


    This was incredibly strange, and Dusa found it unbelievable.


    Though Dusa was the youngest among them, her familiarity with the land was unparalleled because before she and Monte had joined forces with Rocky, she and her father were demon hunters who specialized in hunting the tail-end of demons. According to Dusa¡¯s experience, a forest like this would inevitably be a demons¡¯ lair, perhaps not many, but certainly some.


    However, as they had walked along, she saw no demon, nor did she hear any sounds indicative of them, which was peculiar indeed. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Dusa, take a close look at our surroundings. Is there anything unusual?¡±


    Hearing Dusa¡¯s remark, Rocky turned back to her and said, only Dusa had the necessary skills for this job among them, and she immediately nodded, then ran ahead of Rocky and crouched to examine the ground.


    After studying the ground for a while, Dusa didn¡¯t speak but stood up and ran forward a few steps. Seeing this, Rocky and the others hurriedly followed. Only after running deep into the forest for several tens of meters did Dusa stop again.


    ¡°My lord, there are footprints here, but¡­ they¡¯re not from demons.¡±


    Crouched on the ground, gently brushing the fallen leaves with her hand, Dusa slowly said.


    The forest floor, covered in a thick layer of leaves, seemed to contain nothing else to Rocky and the others. To Dusa, however, it was different; she could discern footprints from the shape of the leaves, and she had indeed found some¡ªjust not from demons¡­


    ¡°These are¡­¡±


    Staring at the footprints on the ground, Dusa¡¯s brows first drew together in confusion, but then she suddenly stood up, ¡°We¡¯re surrounded!¡±


    And it was precisely at the moment she uttered these words that several dark shadows whooshed and leaped from the surrounding area. By the time Rocky and the others realized what was happening, they were already encircled!


    ¡°Prepare for battle!¡±


    Realizing their surroundings had suddenly filled with many figures, Rocky instantly held the Magic Fang Scythe in his hands, then stood back to back with Liliya, Sandro, and Dusa, the four of them facing outwards in four directions, ready to defend themselves.


    ¡°They are¡­¡±


    As all four of them drew their respective weapons, standing back to back in a defensive stance, they were taken aback.


    For they discovered that those who had trapped them were neither demons nor Void Magic Warriors, but a group of¡­ Beastmen?!


    The Beastmen who appeared were numerous, easily in the dozens. They wore the most primitive leather clothes and held a variety of weapons. Some were on the ground, others perched on tree branches. Each one was clearly prepared for battle, as if the slightest impulse from Rocky and his companions would trigger an immediate and relentless attack from these Beastmen.


    This turn of events was beyond Rocky¡¯s expectations, for he had never imagined encountering The Forsaken People here!


    Clearly, these Beastmen were The Forsaken People who lived on the land!

 Chapter 717 - 680 Chief

    The Forsaken People, a term for those who live on the surface.


    Due to the situation at Backhill Village, Rocky was more familiar with The Forsaken People than most, yet he had never expected to encounter them here.


    There were exceedingly few of The Forsaken People because the land had been occupied by demons for a century. Few could survive on land, especially now with demons being so active, making encounters with The Forsaken People even rarer.


    However, what Rocky encountered this time were indeed The Forsaken People, and they were a group of Beastmen.


    More importantly, based on the encircling Beastmen¡¯s glaring hostility, they harbored significant animosity towards Rocky and his companions.


    This was quite awkward.


    ¡°Do not attack.¡±


    Upon realizing that those who surrounded him were a group of Beastmen, Rocky instructed Liliya and the others, then voluntarily put down the Magic Fang Scythe. But as soon as he made a move, the Beastmen let out a low growl, as if they were about to pounce on him.


    ¡°Everyone, stop.¡±


    However, at that moment, a rugged voice suddenly intervened, reaching the Beastmen who were prepared to attack Rocky. When Rocky turned to look, he saw a large figure emerging from the shadows of the trees.


    A Beastman wearing Void Magic Armor!


    Seeing this person, Rocky immediately recognized him; this Beastman was the Void Magic Warrior he had seen above the forest.


    ¡°Human, state your name.¡±


    The Beastman, slowly emerging from the shadows, glanced at the surrounded group and ultimately fixed his gaze on Rocky.


    ¡°Rocky, City Lord Rocky.¡±


    Rocky assessed the Beastman up and down before responding.


    Normally, Rocky was quite familiar with Beastmen, having known Monte and Dusa who were Beastmen; however, the oppressive aura of this Beastman was much stronger, perhaps because of his significantly larger size. He was a head taller than Monte, and the Void Magic Armor he wore, though evidently old and worn ¨C specifically, it seemed to be a fourth-generation battleship, and very much outdated ¨C yet this tattered armor added a seasoned, battle-hardened air to him.


    Without a doubt, this fellow was not to be messed with, and he was clearly the leader among these Beastmen.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, my name is He Nan, and I am the Chief of the Fireteng Tribe.¡±


    After sizing Rocky up, the tall Beastman also stated his own name. As Rocky had anticipated, there was indeed a Beastmen Tribe in this forest, and Beastman He Nan was the chief of this tribe.


    ¡°My lord, the Tribe Chief is also the strongest warrior in our tribe.¡±


    When He Nan revealed his name, especially his status as chief, Dusa reminded Rocky using her armor¡¯s communicator.


    As a Beastman herself, Dusa knew the rules of the Beastmen Tribe well. In nearly all Beastmen Tribes, the chief is determined through combat; only the strongest and bravest warrior in the entire tribe is eligible to contend for the position of chief. As He Nan had become the chief of a tribe entirely constituted of Beastmen, one could imagine how formidable he was¡ªunequivocally stronger than Monte and by a significant margin.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Rocky knew a fair bit about the traditions and rules of the Beastmen Tribe, so after agreeing, he slowly retracted his mana whip and then removed his Void Magic Armor helmet.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, I didn¡¯t know your tribe was here, we came without any ill intentions.¡±


    Beastmen were among the most belligerent species; not only did they love war, but they also possessed extreme combat strength. Thus, unless necessary, it was best not to show hostility when facing them, as irritable Beastmen could truly explode in anger, and Rocky did not want any unnecessary conflicts with the Beastmen in front of him.


    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t mean any harm. We have observed you for quite some time, since the first time you came here.¡±


    When Rocky put down his weapons and removed his helmet, Chief He Nan also waved to the surrounding Beastmen, signaling everyone to step back, then said, ¡°But City Lord Rocky, I want you all to leave, now.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    To tell the truth, Rocky was not surprised by Chief He Nan¡¯s expulsion order. On one hand, he had just come to confirm if there were enemies observing them, which clearly was not the case. On the other hand, he knew well that while the Beastmen from the skies might have completely integrated into the racial melting pot, accustomed to living alongside various species, those living on the land might not have.


    In fact, not just the Beastmen, most of The Forsaken People living on the land still upheld the traditions of the Land Era. These traditions had their good and bad aspects, such as traditional culture on the positive side and xenophobia on the negative side; both were present.


    So when Chief He Nan issued the expulsion order, Rocky simply nodded, then prepared to leave with Liliya and the others.


    But just then, just as Rocky was about to lead his group away, Chief He Nan truly added, ¡°City Lord Rocky, I want you to take everyone and leave.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Having turned to leave, Rocky had to turn back around to face He Nan, his brow furrowing, ¡°You want me to take the fleet away?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky laughed dismissively, immediately giving his answer, which was impossible.


    Although he did not want to conflict with the Beastmen and their tribe, this was more out of respect, as the more he understood about this world, the more he had to admit that he admired The Forsaken People who chose to survive on the land. This was why he was ready to leave without further word¡ªif it were someone else with a hundred Rune Battleships and ten squads of Void Magic Warriors, these Beastmen might already have become slaves! S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But respect was respect, which did not imply that Rocky was afraid of them, nor did it mean he would alter his plans for these Beastmen.


    ¡°No, you must leave.¡±


    However, facing Rocky¡¯s resolute answer, Chief He Nan displayed equal firmness, and even as he finished speaking, the previously retreating Beastmen once again advanced, raising their weapons.


    Looking around at the imposing Beastmen, Rocky turned towards Chief He Nan and asked coldly, ¡°Chief He Nan, what if we insist on staying?¡±


    As he finished speaking, Liliya, Sandro, including Dusa, all drew their weapons!

 Chapter 718 - 681: Beastmen Tribe

    For a moment, the atmosphere in the woods became tense, as both sides seemed to have reached a dangerously precarious edge, as if the slightest carelessness could lead to a conflict.


    One had to admit, the Beastmen were indeed born warriors, facing warriors like Rocky who were clad in Armor, the Beastmen armed with only primitive leather clothing and crude weapons showed no fear. Each one was as fierce as a lion, without a hint of fright.


    But they should have been afraid.


    Because they were not facing ordinary people, Rocky and Liliya, everyone was wearing the most advanced Armor of the day, especially Liliya¡¯s Armor which had been upgraded before the battle with the City of Fury. In terms of combat power, it was on a level with the White Demon Armor. In such a state, although the Beastmen seemed to have a numerical advantage, they stood no chance at all once the fighting started, not a bit.


    What the Beastmen didn¡¯t know was that they didn¡¯t have the advantage in numbers, either.


    As the tension between the two sides began to mount, Liliya had already used the communicator in her Armor to contact Monte, so Monte had now led five Void Magic Squads to rush over! And this was all thanks to Liliya showing mercy on account of Monte and Dusa being Beastmen; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to summon all the Void Magic Warriors and the entire Fleet. By then, all City Lord Rocky needed to do was give one command, and this forest and all the Beastmen in it would be leveled in an instant!


    Fortunately, at the pivotal moment when swords were drawn and bows were tense, the Tribal Chief, He Nan, spoke up, ¡°City Lord Rocky, you must leave, or you will kill us all, including yourself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying,¡± Rocky replied, frowning at He Nan, truly not understanding what he meant, and his words sounded like nothing more than a bluff.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    He Nan looked at Rocky with a somewhat vicious expression, as if he was struggling to suppress his anger, but after a while, he sighed, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    After saying that, He Nan turned and walked deeper into the forest, and seeing him leave, Rocky thought for a moment and then followed him with Liliya and the others.


    Rocky naturally understood that there was a reason why He Nan wanted him to leave with the Fleet. It also piqued his curiosity, so he wanted to see what it was all about. Besides, Rocky felt that even if these Beastmen really intended him harm, they could do nothing about it, and he did not need to be afraid.


    And so, he quickly followed He Nan¡¯s pace, surrounded by a group of Beastmen, slowly walking deeper into the woods.


    The deeper into the woods they went, the more Rocky noticed the difference. They followed He Nan, and it grew darker and darker around them, almost as if they were being led into a cave, until finally, even Rocky began to lose his sense of direction, realizing he was completely engulfed in darkness. Apart from He Nan leading the way in front, even the Beastmen who were surrounding them seemed to have disappeared into the darkness, as if swallowed up.


    But Rocky was clear that he was still in the forest; the leaves underfoot and the faint sounds of artillery nearby were the best proof.


    ¡°This forest¡­ is very suitable for living in,¡± Rocky remarked after noticing the eerie surroundings.


    He had already noticed the anomaly here, and now he was certain that this seemingly small forest was very unusual, but he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to ask what was going on. He believed that even if he did ask, He Nan wouldn¡¯t tell him.


    ¡°This forest is shrouded in fog all year round, which can block the Demons,¡± He Nan said indifferently, without intending to give a detailed explanation.


    Fog?


    Upon hearing this answer, Rocky looked around and then gently swept with his hand, only to discover that the darkness around him was actually like a tangible substance, truly a fog.


    This environment, or rather this phenomenon, was truly extraordinary, and even Rocky felt that it was an eye-opening experience.


    After walking in the forest for about an hour, He Nan finally stopped, and as he did, the black fog surrounding Rocky gradually dissipated, followed by the revelation of a village!


    Indeed, within this forest shrouded in mysterious fog, there lay a village, which was the Beastmen Tribe that He Nan led!


    When Rocky saw the tribe, his eyes widened in surprise because the scale of the tribe was much larger than he had imagined. He originally thought that He Nan¡¯s so-called tribe would consist of at most a few hundred people, as the forest itself was not very large, and it seemed impossible to accommodate more.


    However, after truly witnessing He Nan¡¯s tribe, Rocky realized how wrong his assumptions had been. Due to the presence of the mysterious fog, the forest was obviously not as small as it appeared to be, and the Beastmen Tribe within it was certainly not just a few hundred strong, the scale of the tribe suggested a population of at least a thousand!


    A Beastmen Tribe of over a thousand members¡­ This was truly unimaginable!


    ¡°Chief!¡±


    ¡°The Chief has returned!¡±


    ¡°Chief!¡±


    As Rocky was stunned by the size of the Beastmen Tribe, the Beastmen of the tribe also noticed them, or rather, they noticed He Nan and the other Beastmen and immediately some people came to greet them.


    However, as the welcoming Beastmen saw Rocky and the other three, they stopped in their tracks, and quickly, some strong Beastmen positioned the female Beastman and the young Beastmen behind them.


    ¡°Chief, are these the outsiders?¡±


    ¡°Chief, why have you brought them¡­¡±


    ¡°We should kill them! Chief!¡±


    Upon seeing Rocky and his group, a commotion arose among the Beastmen of the tribe. Some were confused, some were frightened, and some were angrily shouting that they should kill Rocky and his companions, leading to a rather chaotic scene.


    In the face of such agitation, He Nan simply waved his hand, and everything immediately quieted down, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡±


    It was evident that Chief He Nan held considerable authority within the tribe, and without any explanation, just a single sentence was enough to calm the Beastmen down. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t surprising; being able to lead a thousand-member tribe to survive in such a perilous land environment, He Nan¡¯s abilities must be extraordinary, clearly sufficient to command such respect.


    It was also apparent that He Nan held no hostility towards Rocky and his group, and it seemed that he also wanted Rocky to see something, because right after, he looked back at Rocky and led him into the tribe, and before long, they reached the very center of the tribe.


    And when He Nan led Rocky and the others to the center of the tribe, Rocky was dumbfounded¡­

 Chapter 719 - 682: Monsters Gather in Groups

    As they followed He Nan into the tribe along the way, Rocky saw nothing but Beastmen, a good half of which were strapping adult Beastmen, but there were also many women and children, with some Female Beastmen even holding children in their arms.


    Under the gaze of these people, it wasn¡¯t long before Rocky reached the center of the tribe, where he saw a massive bonfire belching thick, black smoke, with Demon corpses burning within!


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Seeing this, Rocky frowned and looked puzzledly at He Nan.


    ¡°Ever since you started the bombardment, the Demons have been increasing. This is already the third batch of Demons we¡¯ve killed today,¡± said He Nan in a deep, resonant voice, his eyes fixated on the bonfire and the Demon Corpses on it.


    On the way to the tribe, He Nan had said that the naturally occurring fog in the forest could block Demons from finding and attacking the tribe, thus allowing their tribe to survive in what seemed to be a small patch of forest; but after all, the fog was an external force, not capable of blocking the Demons completely, and occasionally a few would inadvertently enter the village. Fortunately, all Beastmen are born warriors¡ª even a child¡¯s combat ability could rival that of a human soldier, so occasional Demon incursions were not a significant threat.


    Therefore, despite the tribe led by He Nan appearing to dwell merely in this small patch of forest, their life was relatively ¡®comfortable¡¯ compared to the old days in Backhill Village. However, all that was disrupted with the arrival of Rocky.


    Rocky¡¯s ongoing bombardment of the Stone Forest had alarmed almost all the surrounding Demons. Not only that, but he had even ordered the Fleet to harass the Demons in groups, drawing them into the Stone Forest to eliminate them together. While this seemed inconsequential to Rocky, it spelled disaster for the Fireteng Tribe.


    More and more Demons were alerted and naturally, more stumbled into the forest, increasingly bypassing the barrier of fog and finding the village. In just one day, He Nan and his people had already been attacked by Demons thrice, and not in small numbers either¡ªeach wave consisted of dozens of Demons, thus, throughout the day, the Beastmen had killed more than a hundred invading Demons, and in the process, over ten Beastmen had died.


    In keeping with He Nan¡¯s character, he certainly wouldn¡¯t explain this process in such detail to Rocky, but this wasn¡¯t Rocky¡¯s first visit to the surface, so after hearing just a sentence from He Nan, he roughly understood the reasons behind everything, including why He Nan wanted him and the Fleet to leave, and why the other Beastmen were showing hostility towards him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know things would turn out like this,¡± Rocky said reluctantly after looking at the blazing bonfire, especially at the ¡®grilled¡¯ Demon Corpses on it.


    He didn¡¯t apologize, for he didn¡¯t even know there was a Beastmen Tribe by the West Bank of Red Water Lake, so this situation was merely collateral damage. On this matter, Rocky couldn¡¯t possibly apologize, and he had no intention of halting his plans either.


    As Rocky had said before, he held the Beastmen Tribe led by He Nan in high regard, but let¡¯s not forget what all Rocky¡¯s actions were for¡ªhis priority was to ensure the successful upgrade of Thunderhawk City, and that mission took precedence. As much as he respected the Beastmen present, they were secondary to Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± He Nan said, somewhat surprisingly to Rocky. Far from harping on the problems caused by Rocky¡¯s actions, He Nan displayed a casual attitude, ¡°The attacks by Normal Demons are not a big deal for us, they just give us more food.¡±


    Food?


    Upon hearing these words, both Rocky and others including Liliya were stunned, and then they instinctively looked towards the bonfire, or more precisely, at the grilled Demon Corpses in it. It was then that they noticed something¡ªall the burned Demon Corpses in the bonfire were Poison Fang Demons.


    Realizing this, Rocky and his companions understood.


    Since Poison Fang Demons could produce potent venom, those particular Demons were clearly not edible, but other Demons, like the Bull-horned Demons, Black-eyed Demons, and Mole Demons, though seemingly unlikely, were theoretically edible. This was something that sky-residing Demon Scholars had researched and confirmed¡ªthough, despite the confirmation, very few above took to practicing this in reality.


    But on second thought, this seemed not to be a matter for alarm. After all, the conditions on the land were harsh, the Beastmen were, by nature, a hunting race, and it seemed that He Nan and his people were not particularly adept at conducting business. So, if they chose to use demons as food, it didn¡¯t seem entirely far-fetched.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I asked you to leave for other reasons.¡±


    Just as Rocky and his companions arrived in surprise, He Nan continued to speak, immediately capturing Rocky¡¯s attention.


    As he had just stated, Rocky¡¯s actions outside had indeed brought many troubles to the Beastmen Tribe. However, He Nan did not care¡ªand unsurprisingly so. As Beastmen, they were naturally averse to conflict, and it was evident from the outcome; only He Nan in the entire tribe wore Void Magic Armor, an outdated Fourth-Generation Armor at that, yet they were still able to withstand the demons¡¯ continuous assaults. This clearly demonstrated the tribe¡¯s formidable combat abilities.


    Even so, He Nan insisted on making Rocky leave, even going so far as to bring him to his own tribe, which was quite intriguing.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I have heard of you, so I know your forces are powerful.¡±


    He Nan¡¯s first words took Rocky by surprise¡ªhe had actually heard of him?


    ¡°We do have contact with the outside world.¡±


    He Nan offered no further explanation in response to Rocky¡¯s surprised gaze, simply glossing over it with a brief remark. He then said, ¡°But what you are doing now is drawing deadly trouble upon yourself.¡±


    ¡°You do not understand Red Water Lake; you do not know how terrifying this place is. It is not a place that you can easily disturb.¡±


    As he spoke, He Nan took out a map from his chest and handed it to Rocky without further ado.


    Confused, Rocky took the map and looked down, slowly furrowing his brow.


    This map was of Red Water Lake. Rocky had previously ordered his forces to draw a similar map during a reconnaissance, but the level of detail was far inferior to He Nan¡¯s. However, that was not the essential point; the crucial aspect was that He Nan¡¯s map was not only more detailed but also had clearer annotations.


    In the position of Stone Forest, the map explicitly marked a ¡°Blood Image Demon.¡±


    At other locations, there were several similar annotations.


    Blood Image Demon.


    Knife Fox Demon.


    Lava Demon.


    Steel Fury Demon.


    Upon a mere cursory glance, Rocky saw at least four types of markings on the map, all of them high-level demons! This was the reason for his deep frown! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 720 - 683: Big Mystery

    How could there be so many high-level demons?!


    Seeing these marks on the map, Rocky was shocked. He had never imagined that such an unknown place as Red Water Lake could harbor so many high-level demons!


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, do you understand what I mean now?¡±


    As Rocky was still reeling with shock, Chief He Nan spoke again, ¡°What you¡¯re doing now is courting death! If you continue bombing like this, you¡¯ll draw out those terrible things. When that happens, not only will my tribe suffer, but your troops won¡¯t be able to escape either.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Chief He Nan spoke bluntly!


    To Rocky, Red Water Lake was only his second visit, but as The Forsaken People who lived here all year round, Chief He Nan knew much more about Red Water Lake than Rocky did. And as he said, this unnamed, even inconspicuous-looking place, was far more terrifying than it seemed on the surface!


    Not only were there normal demons here, but it was also home to a large number of high-level demons, which was the most horrifying part.


    Anyone who knows even a little about demons understands that high-level demons are far superior to normal demons in all respects. Some demonologists even believe that normal demons and high-level demons are not the same species. Because of this, high-level demons are very rare.


    Take Backhill Village, for example. Rocky had occupied Backhill Village for nearly two years. During those two years, Backhill Village was harassed by demons every three days on average. Initially, there were dozens or close to a hundred, and now as the demonic activity has become more frequent, not only has the frequency of harassment increased, but the number of demons has also multiplied. Now, each harassment of Backhill Village involves at least several hundred demons, and at times possibly thousands.


    But even with such frequent harassment, how many high-level demons have actually appeared?


    A total of four.


    Right after Rocky had taken over Backhill Village, he encountered a Knife Fox Demon, and more recently, in the attacks launched by demons across the world, he encountered three more. That is to say, in nearly two years and amidst the continuous demonic attacks, Backhill Village only came across four high-level demons. And during this period, they had encountered tens of thousands of normal demons, which highlights how rare high-level demons are.


    So, when Rocky looked at the marks on the map, he was completely stunned. Considering the several dozen Blood Image Demons he had encountered recently, he only needed to imagine a little to feel a chill down his spine.


    Several dozen Blood Image Demons might not be terrifying, because Blood Image Demons are a special existence among high-level demons. But what if they were other high-level demons?


    If dozens of Knife Fox Demons appeared at the same time, these monstrous creatures that could leap hundreds of meters into the air and whose scythes could even slice through White Demon Armor¡ªwhat would it be like if they appeared in groups?


    Similarly, what would the scene look like if dozens of Lava Demons or Steel Fury Demons appeared at the same time?


    Unthinkable, Rocky truly couldn¡¯t bear to imagine!


    Therefore, after giving the map back to Chief He Nan, Rocky looked at him again, ¡°Chief He Nan, what exactly is Red Water Lake?¡±


    It¡¯s no wonder he would ask this question, high-level demons are so rare, yet so many have emerged at Red Water Lake. This must mean there¡¯s a big mystery hidden in Red Water Lake. Logically, Rocky shouldn¡¯t concern himself with this matter. Not to mention the terrifying secrets Red Water Lake might hide, just the presence of so many high-level demons there should have made him turn around and leave immediately.


    But he had no choice but to care about this matter, because Red Water Lake was too close to Backhill Village!


    Some might find it odd, wasn¡¯t it previously said that Red Water Lake is quite far from Backhill Village? Now, how can it be too close?


    Indeed, in terms of geographical location, Red Water Lake is quite a distance from Backhill Village. To cover this distance, even Sky City would have to fly for at least three days, and a fleet at least one day ¡ª it¡¯s certainly not close.


    However, that¡¯s just the distance in terms of travel. If we look at it from a strategic point of view, the two are worryingly close.


    Strategically speaking, there¡¯s just Kasin City between Backhill Village and Red Water Lake. Once past Kasin City, there lies Backhill Village. From a strategic location standpoint, this is dangerously close. To put it bluntly, even if we ignore any mysteries surrounding Red Water Lake, just the restlessness of the numerous high-level demons here would mean they could reach Backhill Village in the blink of an eye with just a stretch of the leg!


    Rocky had never thought the location of Backhill Village could become so precarious. In fact, the reason he had initially included Backhill Village as part of the core development was due to its good location, surrounded by wasteland with virtually no threats. Now, it seemed that this idea was obviously mistaken. While Backhill Village¡¯s location might look favorable, right next to it lay a zone similar to a forbidden area!


    Yes, with the current level of danger at Red Water Lake, given the numerous high-level demons there, it most definitely qualifies as a place on par with a forbidden zone.


    Such a terrifying place naturally made Rocky immediately discard the idea of upgrading Thunderhawk City here. But at the same time, he noticed another matter, what exactly was the mystery of Red Water Lake?


    With this in mind, Rocky turned to He Nan, ¡°Chief He Nan, why are there so many high-level demons in this place?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important, what¡¯s important is that you stop provoking them.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Turning back to Rocky, it was clear that Chief He Nan had no desire to indulge Rocky¡¯s curiosity and dismissed him directly.


    But he clearly misunderstood Rocky. The reason for his inquiry was not out of mere curiosity. He needed to know what Red Water Lake really was, after all, Backhill Village was not far away!


    So even though he knew that Chief He Nan didn¡¯t want to answer, Rocky continued to press, ¡°Chief He Nan, I can order my troops to withdraw completely, but you have to tell me what¡¯s really going on here.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Hearing these words, Chief He Nan frowned at Rocky, not expecting this human to be so troublesome. He had already made the danger clear to him, why was he still pushing this issue?


    Did this human not know that such intense curiosity could kill him?


    As a tribe leader, Chief He Nan naturally wouldn¡¯t see things from Rocky¡¯s perspective, just as he wouldn¡¯t worry about the location for upgrading Thunderhawk City. In his view, Rocky¡¯s persistent questioning was nothing more than curiosity. But considering his statement about withdrawing the troops, Chief He Nan sighed heavily, almost like a growl, and finally opened up, ¡°I¡¯m not very sure of the specific reason, but I know of a place that leads to the bottom of Red Water Lake, and everything here is related to Red Water Lake.¡±

 Chapter 721 - 684 Lake East Shore

    Red Water Lake¡­ There is indeed something mysterious about this place!


    As He Nan¡¯s voice faded, Rocky involuntarily turned his head to look into the distance; although he was within the Beastmen Tribe at the moment, his gaze seemed to penetrate the forest and fall upon the vast, crimson lake in the distance.


    When he first laid eyes on Red Water Lake, he had already taken notice of the lake¡¯s strangeness, with its blood-red waters and the piercing stench that made it hard to ignore.


    But at that time, Rocky hadn¡¯t cared much, since his purpose in coming here had little to do with the eerie lake¡ªhe merely wanted to take advantage of the local terrain to facilitate the upgrade of Thunderhawk City.


    But now, the situation had taken a drastic turn for the worse.


    He Nan¡¯s warning made it clear that Thunderhawk City must not stay here, otherwise, they would suffer numerous high-level attacks, the horror of which did not require firsthand experience to understand, an opposition that Rocky and his troops were absolutely unable to withstand.


    What was more severe was that the oddity of Red Water Lake had threatened the safety of his main base on land, Backhill Village. Therefore, he had to figure out what was going on here, otherwise, even if he returned to Backhill Village, he would not have peace of mind.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, take us to the cave you mentioned,¡± Rocky said, shifting his gaze back from the distance and looking directly at He Nan.


    He had to see for himself what was so peculiar about Red Water Lake!


    ¡°Are you insane?¡± However, upon hearing his words, He Nan furrowed his brows, ¡°City Lord Rocky, the place I¡¯m talking about is not an ordinary cave. No one knows what¡¯s in there. We¡¯ve sent people to scout it out, but they all died inside. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good place to go.¡±


    It was very considerate of He Nan to speak so candidly, and he was telling the truth. Compared to Backhill Village, which was several days¡¯ travel away, He Nan and his Fireteng Tribe were actually more fearful of Red Water Lake. This is why they had long tried to explore the secrets of the lake. But, as He Nan stated, all their explorations had ended in failure, with hundreds of elite Beastman Warriors never returning, eventually forcing He Nan to declare the cave a forbidden area and ban all members of his tribe from going there.


    So, in his view, Rocky¡¯s approach was pure suicide; he should not even have asked the question.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, you must tell me, or I will not allow the troops to leave,¡± Rocky stated unyieldingly in the face of He Nan¡¯s obstruction. He needed to understand what was truly unusual about Red Water Lake, and this was not merely a matter of curiosity but also crucial for the future development of Backhill Village.


    To that end, he even used the withdrawal of his troops as leverage against He Nan, insisting that if He Nan did not tell him where the cave was, he would not allow the troops to retreat.


    At those words, He Nan¡¯s brows instantly furrowed and his expression darkened.


    Beastmen do not react well to threats, especially those who are traditional dwellers of the land. Thus, when Rocky spoke such words, even the other Beastman Warriors around became restless.


    Luckily, He Nan was not so impulsive; after all, he was the tribe¡¯s Chief, and he knew better than any other Beastman how to deal with humans. He could even understand that Rocky was merely trying to intimidate him, or rather, demonstrate his resolve. After brooding with a somber face for a good moment, He Nan eventually nodded his head.


    ¡°I can take you there, but you must stop the bombardment,¡± He Nan stipulated.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Rocky agreed.


    ¡°Also, if you die in there, your successor cannot take their anger out on my tribe,¡± He Nan added.


    ¡°I won¡¯t die,¡± Rocky assured.


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Watching Rocky snort coldly, He Nan walked towards his people, gave them a few instructions, and then picked out several individuals.


    A total of five Beastman Warriors were chosen by him, each towering and muscular as if their bodies had been carved out by axe and chisel, an elite sight to behold, and after selecting these five, He Nan approached Rocky.


    ¡°You¡¯d better contact your people to send over a warship, the Demons have been stirred up too severely, the land is no longer traversable.¡±


    Nodding his head, Rocky glanced at Liliya, who immediately contacted the Fleet, and then their group followed He Nan out of the Tribe and began walking towards the forest periphery.


    The forest was still enveloped in darkness as before, a black mist surrounding the whole woods, making it impossible for outsiders like Rocky to discern any sense of direction. As soon as they left the Tribe¡¯s area, they were essentially lost. Thankfully, with He Nan leading them, they managed to exit the forest without much time despite the darkness.


    As soon as they left the forest and looked up, they saw the hovering War Steed in the sky, accompanied by five squads of Void Magic Warriors.


    These Void Magic Warriors, led by Monte, had rushed over upon receiving Liliya¡¯s message. They had been on alert above the forest this whole time. So, as soon as they saw Rocky emerge, they immediately landed beside him.


    ¡°My Lord, this is¡­?¡±


    Monte was quite surprised to see He Nan since Liliya hadn¡¯t explained the situation in detail; he hadn¡¯t expected to encounter one of his kin in such a place.


    ¡°This is Chief He Nan of the Fireteng Tribe, he¡¯s going to help us figure out what¡¯s going on at Red Water Lake.¡±


    ¡°Chief.¡±


    After listening to Rocky¡¯s brief introduction, Monte crossed his arms over his chest and saluted He Nan, a gesture of respect among the Beastmen. Following Monte¡¯s gesture, He Nan and the five other Beastman Warriors behind him also saluted back.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, let¡¯s board the ship.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Rocky nodded to Liliya then Uncle Wil made the War Steed descend slowly. Once the massive warship touched down, the group, especially the Beastmen without Void Magic Armor, boarded the War Steed.


    Having boarded the War Steed, Rocky said to Liliya, ¡°Tell Felly to halt the bombardment, and have all the Armors assemble and wait for instructions.¡±


    ¡°Monte, Lin Feng and Dusa, Liliya, Sandro, the four of us will explore the Red Water Lake to understand the anomalies, the rest of the Void Magic Warriors are under your command, protect the Fleet, and be prepared to assist at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Having received the command, Liliya and Monte immediately went to convey the orders, only then did Rocky turn to He Nan.


    ¡°The place I mentioned is on the east shore of Red Water Lake.¡±


    Without waiting for Rocky to ask, He Nan stated the location of the cave. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky looked to Uncle Wil, ¡°Change the course of the warship to the east shore of Red Water Lake.¡±

 Chapter 722 - 685: Cave of Blood Cries

    When everyone had boarded the deck, the War Steed slowly ascended and then flew toward the Lake East Shore of Red Water Lake.


    He Nan was right about one thing, due to Rocky¡¯s bombardment for an entire day, the West Bank of Red Water Lake was infested with demons, and since Rocky had ordered the cessation of further attacks, the demons, having lost their target, began to roam constantly along the shore.


    In such circumstances, indeed, only an airship could reach the East Shore; otherwise, it would be courting death.


    However, due to the vast size of Red Water Lake, being twice as large as Kasin City, and given that the journey from the West Bank to the East Shore was the longest straight-line distance, even the War Steed took a long time to fly. During this time, Rocky chatted with He Nan for a bit.


    ¡°How long have you been living here?¡±


    Standing at the bow with He Nan, Rocky asked while they both looked at the bloodstained lake surface.


    By now, the War Steed had left the lake shore and was flying over the lake, so below them was already a patch of blood-red water, which also emitted waves of a bloody scent. Although it wasn¡¯t the best time for a chat, it was indeed necessary to divert their attention through conversation.


    ¡°Since I can remember, our tribe has always lived here.¡±


    Looking at the blood-red water below, He Nan spoke slowly.


    ¡°Living on land must be hard, even for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we Beastmen are accustomed to fighting and enjoy it, moreover¡­¡± He Nan said, glancing at Rocky: ¡°Moreover, we don¡¯t know what other kinds of life are like.¡±


    The hardships of life on land are hard to express in words, so despite He Nan¡¯s seemingly casual remark, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean that life on land was easy for him and the Fireteng Tribe¡¯s people, even though they were Beastmen and brave warriors. But as He Nan said, they had lived on the land for so long that they had no concept of other ways of living and had become accustomed to it.


    ¡°Would you be interested in trying a different way of life?¡±


    ¡°You and your tribespeople could come live in my city, just like Monte and Dusa.¡±


    Turning his head to look at He Nan, Rocky said slowly.


    Upon hearing this, He Nan grinned and then shook his head: ¡°City Lord Rocky, I appreciate the gesture, but I think my tribespeople are more accustomed to living on the land.¡±


    ¡°Alright then¡­¡±


    Rocky had somewhat anticipated such a response from He Nan but still wanted to give it a try. After all, if he could convince a Beastmen Tribe to join Thunderhawk City, it would be a significant boost for him. Unfortunately, He Nan and his people did not wish to leave.


    Rocky even felt that he was surely not the first to hope He Nan and his tribe would venture to the skies. After all, He Nan had mentioned contact with the outside world, so before Rocky, he must have received other invitations as well. Still, He Nan had rejected them all, so there was no reason to think he would simply follow Rocky to Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about where we¡¯re going.¡±


    Since the conversation on that topic could not continue, Rocky shifted the topic to their imminent destination.


    And as soon as they discussed this matter, He Nan¡¯s face took on a serious expression.


    ¡°The place we¡¯re going to is called Cave of Blood Cries.¡±


    Looking toward the East Shore of Red Water Lake, He Nan continued: ¡°The first time this place was discovered, I had not undergone my rite of passage into adulthood, but I remember the Chief at that time had once sent people to explore it¡ªunfortunately, they failed. Thirty Beastman Warriors all died in the cave, and nobody even knows how.¡±


    ¡°Later, the Chief sent more people to explore the cave several times, each time with more warriors than before. Eventually, the Chief led the expedition himself, and then¡­¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°And then I became the new Chief.¡±


    He Nan sighed as he spoke. Although he wasn¡¯t adept at storytelling, Rocky could clearly grasp just how terrifying the Cave of Blood Cries was through his few words.


    The fact that such a warlike species as the Beastmen had ventured into this cave never to return, and that their most valiant warriors had all perished within, was enough to send chills down one¡¯s spine.


    At the same time, it deepened the mystery of the cave: what could be inside that had claimed the lives of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of Beastmen? In the end, even the Chief had died in there. Rocky had never met the former Chief that He Nan spoke of, but judging by the strength that He Nan demonstrated, the former Chief of the Fireteng Tribe must have been a powerfully strong warrior; however, even such a Beastman had died in the cave, which was truly incomprehensible.


    After all, even if there were high-level demons inside the cave, and even if the Chief couldn¡¯t handle them alone, with his strength and the Beastmen at his side, he should have been able to escape the cave, right? How could it be that he didn¡¯t even make it out?


    ¡°When I became Chief, I also tried to lead people back to the cave because I wanted to retrieve the remains of the former Chief and our other tribespeople, but I was stopped by the elders of the tribe. So, I declared the Cave of Blood Cries a forbidden area and prohibited any tribe members from getting near it.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, if you¡¯re only driven by curiosity, I advise you not to take this risk. Your troops are strong, and you seem capable, so you shouldn¡¯t die in that godforsaken place.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, He Nan earnestly advised.


    As the Chief of the Fireteng Tribe, having lived by Red Water Lake since he was a child, he knew the horrors of the Cave of Blood Cries better than anyone. The place was like the entrance to Hell: once someone entered, they never came out. With the tribe¡¯s elite warriors and a Chief among the fallen, He Nan had every reason to believe Rocky¡¯s expedition was doomed.


    Unfortunately, Rocky remained silent in the face of another dissuasion. Of course, he had no desire to venture into such danger, but he had to go, so he chose not to explain further.


    Fortunately, at that moment, the War Steed had flown over the lake and reached the East Shore, abruptly bringing their conversation to a close.


    Perhaps because it was so far from the West Bank, the Lake East Shore was noticeably quieter than the bombarded West Bank. As the airship approached the East Shore, looking down, they could see a few scattered demons, but they were very sparse.


    ¡°Where exactly is it?¡±


    ¡°Turn around and head south; about one thousand meters in that direction should get us there.¡±


    After discerning the direction at the bow, He Nan pointed toward the south, directing Rocky, and the War Steed immediately flew in the indicated direction.

 Chapter 723 - 686: Entrance to Hell

    Chapter 723: Chapter 686: Entrance to Hell


    While the two of them were chatting, War Steed had crossed from the West Bank over Red Water Lake and had arrived at the Lake East Shore.


    Upon reaching the east shore, He Nan had the group continue to fly south, and after about a kilometer, they finally reached their destination.


    Just as He Nan had said earlier, the Ghost-crying Cave they were headed to was indeed rather special, because even if the east shore was not disturbed by the bombing and thus had fewer demons, there were still some demons wandering sporadically along the shore. However, none of these demons dared to come close to the Cave of Blood Cries, to the extent that when Rocky and his companions arrived at the cave, the area within several hundred meters all around was utterly deserted, not a single demon daring to approach, a veritable barren wasteland.


    It seemed this cave was indeed very unusual.


    After looking down from the bow for a while, Rocky nodded to He Nan, ¡°Chief He Nan, thank you for bringing us here, I¡¯ll have the warship take you back to the forest.¡±


    ¡°No, we will go with you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky was slightly taken aback. He had originally planned to part ways with He Nan and have the warship take them back, but he hadn¡¯t expected He Nan would also want to go into the cave?


    This was somewhat beyond his expectations, as He Nan¡¯s behavior along the way had clearly shown his great wariness of the cave, and he had even explained the reason for his wariness. Thus, Rocky could not understand why he would want to accompany him.


    ¡°With us there, at least you won¡¯t all die inside,¡± He Nan said, glancing at Rocky. He spoke succinctly, and what he said was not only the truth but also the reason for wanting to go into the cave with Rocky. He simply did not want to see Rocky die there.


    The reason for his concern was straightforward: he was afraid that if Rocky truly died in the cave, his troops might retaliate against his own tribe.


    As the tribal chief, He Nan knew better than all the other Beastmen the threat that Rocky¡¯s troops posed, with over a hundred warships and a hundred Void Magic Warriors. If the troops vented their wrath on his tribe after Rocky¡¯s death, the Fireteng Tribe would be finished. So, even for the sake of his own tribe¡¯s survival, he could not allow Rocky to die in the cave. The best course of action was to accompany him.


    He Nan believed that with his strength, even if he could not explore the cave, he would still be able to drag Rocky out in the face of true danger, and that would be enough.


    So, when Rocky intended to have the warship send him away, although He Nan did not explain his reasons in detail, he still firmly shook his head.


    Seeing this, Rocky hesitated for a moment but then agreed, as the interactions over this period had allowed him to understand this tribal chief somewhat: a man of few words, but decisive in action and meticulous in planning. Even though He Nan had not stated his reasons for staying, Rocky believed he definitely had his reasons. Therefore, he felt no need to say much more, especially since having this Beastman Chief and a few Beastman Warriors by his side would undoubtedly make the operation much safer.


    In such a situation, Rocky had War Steed descend slowly, and the group disembarked from the warship and came beside the cave.


    The entrance of the Cave of Blood Cries was directly on the ground, resembling a gaping maw on the surface, with a steep slope leading into the cave¡¯s interior, being rather difficult to traverse at first glance.


    ¡°Rocky, look around¡­¡±


    As Rocky stood at the entrance, looking down into the seemingly bottomless cave, Liliya was beside him speaking up. When Rocky looked around, he discovered that they were already surrounded!


    That¡¯s right, they were surrounded by demons in just a short amount of time!


    Looking around, the cave was entirely encircled by them, with Bull-horned Demons, Black-eyed Demons, and Poison Fang Demons numbering in the hundreds, and among these demons, Rocky also spotted a familiar silhouette¡ªthe Knife Fox Demon!


    Even high-level demons had appeared!


    The moment he saw the Knife Fox Demon, Rocky immediately took out his Magic Fang Scythe, but at that time, Chief He Nan spoke up from the side.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t come over.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky glanced at Chief He Nan, and then, when he looked back at the demons, he found that, just as He Nan had said, although these demons had surrounded the cave, not a single one dared to approach the Ghost-crying Cave. Even the high-level Knife Fox Demon didn¡¯t dare to do so. The demons were merely watching from around the cave, without daring to take a single step closer.


    ¡°What on Earth is inside this cave¡­¡±


    Realizing that the demons didn¡¯t dare to approach, Rocky knew these creatures were not fearful of him or the beastmen; they were scared of the cave itself!


    But what could possibly be inside this cave to instill such fear in the demons, to the extent that even high-level demons wouldn¡¯t dare to advance? Could it be, as Chief He Nan said, that this is the entrance to Hell?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡±


    After scanning the surroundings, Rocky refocused on the cave, which was within arm¡¯s reach, and then said, ¡°Liliya, follow me in the vanguard, Lin Feng, Dusa, Sandro, you stay in the middle, Chief He Nan, you and your men take the rear.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Chief He Nan did not question Rocky¡¯s arrangement, knowing it was indeed the best one. Rocky and his companions were wearing the most advanced Void Magic Armor, which would make it easier for them to respond in case of any unexpected danger. Placing Chief He Nan and his beastmen in the rear ensured their safety and also allowed them to assist if Rocky and his team were in danger or needed support.


    And so, after Rocky had organized the team, he and Liliya took the lead on the sloping path that led deeper into the cave.


    Perhaps because the passage had been left untouched for many years, the path was soft, and one could leave deep footprints with each step. Moreover, the slope was steep, making the ascent challenging. However, Rocky and his companions had the advantage of the Void Magic Armor, which made it seem like they were walking on the slope, but in reality, they were hovering and flying. As for the beastmen, they were accustomed to such terrain, having lived on land for years. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, the depth of the cave exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations. After leading the group only about ten meters in, the surroundings became pitch black. Looking back towards the entrance, Rocky realized the opening was now overhead, meaning they had only ventured about ten meters into the cave, but had already arrived underground.


    ¡°Turn on the lights.¡±


    As the light gradually waned and it became impossible to see clearly, Rocky activated the shoulder-mounted lights of his White Demon Armor, and a burst of light instantly illuminated the path ahead of him.


    But it was in that flash of light that Rocky suddenly saw a skeleton appear right in front of him!

 Chapter 724 - 687: The Corpse is Not Yet Cold

    Chapter 724: Chapter 687: The Corpse is Not Yet Cold


    When Rocky activated the light due to the increasing darkness of the cave, a skeleton appeared before his eyes!


    The sudden appearance of the skeleton startled everyone. Liliya instantly raised her Mana Sword, almost striking down with it.


    ¡°Wait, it¡¯s just a pile of bones¡­¡±


    Fortunately, Rocky stopped her before the Mana Sword came down because he had seen clearly that this was nothing more than a pile of bones at the entrance of the cave.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    After stopping Liliya, Rocky stepped back to get a better look at the skeleton. This skeleton was over two meters tall, standing like a statue inside the cave. Upon closer inspection, Rocky discovered that this skeleton wasn¡¯t formed by the decay of flesh, but rather seemed as if it had turned to stone, completely petrified.


    And the skeleton¡¯s frame was huge; it was clearly not human, but it was a bit smaller compared to a demon, especially its teeth that looked like fangs¡­


    It was the skeletal remains of a Beastman.


    After examining the skeleton closely, Rocky recognized that it was indeed not human, nor a demon, but a Beastman.


    ¡°It¡¯s one of my people.¡±


    At this time, He Nan, accompanied by several Beastman Warriors, approached and immediately recognized the skeleton.


    This skeleton was from the Beastman that had previously explored the cave!


    Finding the remains of his own people, He Nan and the Beastman Warriors with him knelt on one knee on the ground. They each grabbed a handful of soil as if performing a ritual.


    Although Rocky didn¡¯t know what these Beastmen were doing, he knew it must be some kind of Beastman ritual because Beastmen are a race that worships totems, hence they have many rituals and ceremonies, especially those living on land, who almost retain all their traditions.


    In such a situation, it was not convenient for Rocky to disturb them. Of course, he believed these rituals or ceremonies wouldn¡¯t take too much time.


    So, using this time, Rocky used the communicator in his armor to speak to Dusa, ¡°Dusa, can you tell how this Beastman died? His remains are quite strange.¡±


    ¡°My lord, I¡¯ve also noticed.¡±


    As Dusa spoke, she glanced at the Beastman¡¯s remains. Just as she and Rocky discussed, the remains had turned completely into stone, and this was clearly not normal.


    Even though it was obvious that this Beastman had been dead for quite some time, if he was from the Fireteng Tribe, then the time of death could only be at most a decade or so, not more than a few decades. Such a passage of time definitely wasn¡¯t enough to turn remains to stone.


    ¡°Could it be death by a petrification ability? Dusa, I remember there should be high-level demons with such abilities, right?¡±


    As he closely examined the skeleton, Rocky asked.


    According to what he knew, although Normal Demons didn¡¯t possess such abilities, within the ranks of high-level demons, there were indeed some with the power to petrify others. So, if this Beastman had been petrified by a high-level demon, it would make sense.


    However, Dusa then shook her head:


    ¡°There are, but this manner of death¡­ it¡¯s not right.¡±


    Before them lay a skeleton, and if this Beastman really had been petrified by a high-level demon, then his flesh should have been petrified as well. How could it have turned directly into a skeleton?


    So, after shaking her head, Dusa looked toward the deeper parts of the cave:


    ¡°My lord, regardless of how this Beastman died, he must have been trying to escape the cave. It¡¯s a pity something attacked him from behind.¡±


    The skeleton before them faced the cave entrance, its back to the depths of the cave, indicating he was desperately trying to flee when he died. He was close to success, yet he ultimately perished here, and the culprit responsible for his death undoubtedly came from within the cave.


    Upon hearing Dusa¡¯s words, Rocky also looked into the depths of the cave, his brow furrowing. What on earth was inside this cave¡­ Beastmen were such fierce warriors, warriors who would almost never retreat when berserk, and yet something in this cave had caused a Beastman to flee in terror. To tell the truth, Rocky had no idea Beastmen could even run away in combat.


    ¡°Something¡¯s there!¡±


    Just then, as some Beastmen kneeling on the ground in prayer for their kin suddenly shouted, mounds of earth appeared under the feet of Rocky and the others, as if several small burial mounds had popped up from the ground.


    Quick as a flash, many claws emerged from these mounds. These were not the claws of hands, but the claws for dismembering animals, looking frightful and chilling to the bone.


    Soon, Rocky and the others found out what was emerging from the mounds¡ªit was a swarm of giant beetles! sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That¡¯s right, beetles.


    Ordinary beetles are about the size of a fingernail, and even larger ones don¡¯t extend beyond the size of a palm. So even if they are scary, they are never too alarming, but the beetles now emerging from the ground were enormous, each one measuring a meter in size, looking extremely frightful.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    Seeing these beetles burrowing up from the ground, a few Beastmen exhibited superhuman reactions. In the brief moment that Rocky and the others were slightly stunned, one Beastman had already raised his Broadaxe and cleaved down on the beetle¡¯s exoskeleton.


    A Beastman warrior swung his axe with full force, and it landed with a crisp sound. However, the beetle that was hit was completely unharmed.


    Hiss hiss hiss!


    What was even more terrifying was that after being smashed hard, the beetle, instead of being hurt, hissed twice and then sprayed two bursts of Green Slime onto the Beastman Warrior.


    ¡°Ahh!!!¡±


    A terrible scream followed as the Beastman splashed with the Green Slime collapsed in agony. In face of the beetle¡¯s spray, the Beastman had already prepared his defense, blocking with the head of his Broadaxe in front of himself. His response was quite perfect, yet when the Green Slime met the axe head, the first burst of slime melted the iron-crafted Broadaxe, and the second burst splashed directly onto the Beastman. Then his body began to melt as if it had been hit by lava, revealing his white bones!


    ¡°It¡¯s corrosion fluid!¡±


    Seeing his warrior end up like this, He Nan immediately shouted, and with a stride, a War Hammer appeared in his hand.


    ¡°Roar!!¡±


    Charging forward with large strides towards the beetle, He Nan roared and smashed his War Hammer down with a vengeance. In an instant, blood and guts flew in all directions. The beetle that had taken an axe hit without a scratch was now smashed into a pulp by his hammer blow!


    ¡°Rescue them!¡±


    As He Nan acted, Rocky also dashed out after exchanging a word with Liliya, charging towards the emerging beetles. His Scythe swung smoothly, cleaving a beetle into two halves¡­

 Chapter 725 - 688 Major Reduction in Personnel

    Chapter 725: Chapter 688 Major Reduction in Personnel


    Although everyone had anticipated danger in the cave, no one expected it to arrive this quickly.


    When the giant beetle suddenly crawled out from the ground, Rocky was clearly startled, and while the Beastmen reacted swiftly, unfortunately, their attacks were of little use against the beetles.


    Apart from Chief He Nan, the five Beastman Warriors he had brought with him reacted impeccably, but their attacks had no effect on the beetles. Whether it was a steel sword or a broadaxe, striking the beetle¡¯s shell was like hitting metal.


    In contrast to the other Beastmen, Chief He Nan, as the tribe¡¯s leader, effortlessly smashed a beetle into pulp with his hammer, proving far stronger than the others.


    Meanwhile, Rocky also joined the fight. After snapping back to reality, he charged in front of a Beastman just as a beetle was about to spew green slime, and with a sweep of his Magic Fang Scythe, he bisected it, then grabbed the Beastman and tossed him behind.


    At that moment, Liliya, Lin Feng, and Sandro also appeared at his sides. Each thrust their long swords into the ground, pinning two beetles in place. Liliya and Dusa weren¡¯t idle either; with Dusa covering her, Liliya quickly dragged several Beastmen away from the beetles, and then Chief He Nan and Rocky followed up, swiftly killing the creatures that had emerged from the earth.


    ¡°Are there any more?¡±


    After smashing the last beetle, Chief He Nan held up his hammer and looked around, only to see a floor littered with beetle corpses and no other bugs in sight.


    ¡°Stay alert, more of these things might crawl out.¡±


    At that moment, Rocky too was gripping his scythe tightly, watching his surroundings without a trace of relaxation, especially the ground, because as he said, those giant beetles could burrow out at any time.


    And so, the group huddled together, waiting for a good while in place. Only after ensuring no other beetles were coming to meet their end did they finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Lin Feng, Dusa, you two are on guard duty.¡±


    After taking a breath, Rocky turned to Lin Feng and Dusa. They responded immediately, taking positions at the front and rear of the party, then Rocky turned his gaze to Chief He Nan.


    Chief He Nan and a few Beastmen were gathered around a corpse at this time. The corpse was that of the first Beastman attacked by the beetle, sprayed with the corrosive green fluid. By now, the Beastman was dead, his upper body having decayed into a mere skeleton, a ghastly death indeed.


    Seeing the half skeleton remains of the Beastman, Rocky hadn¡¯t expected things to turn out like this. Although he had heard from Chief He Nan more than once about the dreadfulness of this place on their way here, he didn¡¯t expect that they had barely entered the cave and not even covered a hundred meters before they suffered casualties.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, do you still plan to continue onward?¡±


    After standing before the Beastman¡¯s corpse for a while, Chief He Nan patted the shoulders of the few Beastman Warriors and then turned to Rocky, asking the question.


    Rocky didn¡¯t answer immediately. He had indeed witnessed firsthand the horrors of the Cave of Blood Cries, but he also realized even more deeply the anomaly of this place. Whether he liked it or not, he had to continue forward and understand what this place truly was.


    Therefore, after a brief silence, Rocky glanced at He Nan:


    ¡°Chief He Nan, let them all leave. They can¡¯t handle the fight here.¡±


    As he spoke, Rocky looked at the remaining four beastmen. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These four beastmen were undoubtedly some of the most elite warriors of the Fireteng Tribe. Without going into detail, their response to the sudden incident made it clear that their individual strength was without question. However, they were of little use here.


    Without proper equipment to support them, these beastman warriors simply couldn¡¯t survive in this cave.


    In fact, from the exchange just now, Rocky had already understood why so many of the Fireteng Tribe had died here: the reason was simple, not that they weren¡¯t strong enough, but that they were too outdated.


    The beastmen were indeed strong, even strong enough to battle demons outside, but the Cave of Blood Cries was, after all, a special place. It was certainly different from the outside world. Therefore, if the beastmen came here to explore relying solely on their bodies without the support of powerful armor, they had absolutely no chance of victory.


    Following this, Rocky suggested that the remaining beastmen should leave, implying that He Nan should leave as well.


    On hearing his words, He Nan turned to look at the beastmen he had brought with him and nodded before they could speak. Then he added, ¡°But I will stay.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    Nodding, Rocky did not argue the point and then turned to say, ¡°Lin Feng, Sandro, you two escort the warriors out, then wait for us outside.¡±


    My Lord! We¡­¡±


    As soon as they heard Rocky¡¯s words, Lin Feng and Sandro wanted to speak up, but like He Nan, Rocky gestured with his hand and didn¡¯t give them a chance to speak.


    The recent fight had revealed many problems. Not only was it too dangerous for ordinary beastman warriors to be here, but even Lin Feng and Sandro were no exception. Although they both wore armor, their combat style was cautious and methodical, which simply didn¡¯t work well in the confined space of the cave. To say no more, the broadsword that Lin Feng carried was difficult to even swing here, so how could he fight?


    In such a situation, Rocky had no choice but to have the two of them leave. Otherwise, even if they stayed, they would be of no help and might instead lose their lives.


    With a helpless sigh, Lin Feng understood Rocky¡¯s intentions; therefore, he and Sandro left the cave with the four beastmen and also took the body of another fallen beastman warrior with them.


    Once they had all departed, the remaining group, including Rocky, continued to advance deeper into the cave.


    After one battle, their team¡¯s composition had drastically changed, reduced from eleven to just four: Rocky, He Nan, Liliya, and Dusa. Having lost more than half their number, they had to be even more careful and cautious. The formation changed once again, with Rocky leading, He Nan at the rear, and Liliya and Dusa in the middle. The four of them remained vigilant, staying as close together as possible, because they didn¡¯t know what dangers lay ahead or what kind of terrifying creatures they would encounter. Their only option was to be careful, then more careful still.

 Chapter 726 - 689: Skeleton Mural

    Chapter 726: Chapter 689: Skeleton Mural


    Due to a reduction in personnel, although Rocky and his team became more cautious than before, their pace sped up significantly, leaving the entrance of the cavern far behind in no time.


    By this time, they had completely entered the cavern, which had already become pitch dark. If not for the lighting provided by the Armor, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to see the path at all.


    ¡°How was this place formed?¡±


    Being sandwiched in the middle, Dusa followed Rocky and, looking around at the cavern, couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    In her eyes, the cavern didn¡¯t seem to be naturally formed, but rather as if it had been bored out by something, yet she found it difficult to imagine what could have such capability.


    ¡°My lord, could this be related to Kasin City?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s possible.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky, who was cautiously advancing ahead, didn¡¯t turn around, but clearly heard it, ¡°Since Kasin City constructed such an immense area underground to research the Moving Fortress, they might have built similar research centers elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°I think not.¡±


    At this moment, Liliya also spoke: ¡°The purpose of Kasin City building research facilities underground was to construct a moving city. It was only after they reduced the scale of their plans that they changed to constructing a Moving Fortress. They had no reason to build a similar research institute under Red Water Lake. Did they intend to take the entire lake with them?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, who knows, the people of the Land Era had very big imaginations; heaven knows what they were thinking,¡± Liliya¡¯s words made Rocky laugh, truly amazed.


    The people of the Land Era, due to suffering severe attacks from the Demons, had reached the brink of extinction. Under such tremendous pressure, their burst of intelligence and creativity was something the current Sky City simply couldn¡¯t compare with. For instance, Sky City and Void Magic Armor¡ªthese two inventions, one nearly a century old and the other about sixty or seventy years old, even the world-stirring Mana Runes were invented during the Land Era. Yet, with so much time passed, had the people in the sky come up with any great inventions?


    Obviously not.


    More than a hundred years had passed, and despite people being in the sky for so long, no inventions had emerged that could match Sky City or Void Magic Armor. It was uncertain whether this was progress or regression.


    ¡°Have you noticed? We haven¡¯t found any bodies for a long time,¡±


    Just as Rocky and his team started to digress further, Chief He Nan timely brought the conversation back on track, raising a very crucial question.


    As soon as he mentioned this, Rocky and his team also noticed that since the previous battle ended, they had ventured hundreds of meters deep into the cavern, yet they hadn¡¯t seen a single skeleton along the way. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When they had first entered the cavern, they immediately saw a bizarre skeleton and were attacked by beetles. But now, after walking for so long, they hadn¡¯t seen any skeletons at all, which was quite strange.


    It must be considered that the Fireteng Tribe had sent explorers to this cavern more than once before them, although those were decades or even scores of years ago. Since none of the Beastmen who came to explore left the cavern, all their skeletons should have been here.


    So it was strange that after such a long time, no skeletons of the Beastmen had been seen¡ªthere had been hundreds of them!


    ¡°Chief He Nan, you¡­ look!¡±


    Realizing this, Rocky was about to ask He Nan for his opinion, but before he could finish speaking, he saw a skeleton.


    However, seeing this skeleton did not reassure Rocky and his team; instead, they sharply inhaled a breath of cold air because the skeleton was embedded in the cave wall!


    Following the beam of light cast from the shoulder of the White Demon Armor, they could clearly see the skeletal remains of a Beastman deeply entrenched in the mud of the cave wall, looking as if it had turned into a fossil, eerily bizarre.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Seeing this skeleton, Rocky was stunned; he had only one question he wanted to ask: how did this skeleton end up inside the cave wall?


    If the Beastman had died leaning against the wall, even if its body had decayed, the skeleton should have been leaning against the wall, not sunken into it.


    What¡­ exactly was going on?


    It must be said that this cave was thoroughly eerie. Not to mention the secrets hidden by the cave itself, but even the Beastmen who died here were puzzling; the previously discovered Beastman had only left behind a skeleton, but it seemed as if it had been petrified, and now they found a Beastman skeleton deeply sunk into the wall. What exactly happened to the Beastmen who had explored here before, and what did they encounter before they died?


    ¡°Rocky, look¡­¡±


    While Rocky was staring at the Beastman in the wall, Liliya suddenly called out to him, and turning his head, Rocky saw that Liliya, He Nan, and Dusa had already walked ahead of him.


    And when he caught up with the three, he was stunned.


    He stood behind the trio, staring dumbfounded at the cave wall before them, at a row of Beastman skeletons embedded in the wall!


    ¡°So many¡­¡±


    Looking at the cave wall before him, no, at the row of Beastmen deeply embedded in the wall, Rocky¡¯s mouth fell open, utterly agape.


    Earlier they had been discussing why they hadn¡¯t seen any Beastman skeletons, but now, not only had they seen them, but all these Beastmen were embedded in the wall just like the first skeleton, as if their bones had formed a frightful mural.


    On closer inspection, Rocky counted a total of eighteen skeletons embedded in the wall, and adding the one they saw earlier made nineteen, plus the first they encountered made exactly twenty.


    ¡°This is the team that came here to explore twenty years ago.¡±


    Just as Rocky had finished counting the number of Beastman skeletons, He Nan spoke up, ¡°I remember twenty years ago, the Chief sent a team to explore here, exactly twenty people were dispatched, so if nothing else¡­ it¡¯s these people here.¡±


    Looking at the skeletons embedded in the wall, He Nan spoke slowly.


    ¡°It is them¡­¡± Hearing He Nan say this, Rocky looked again towards the wall, then quickly changed his expression, ¡°Everyone, be careful!¡±


    As he spoke, Rocky immediately gripped the Magic Fang Scythe tightly, and with his reminder, the others quickly reacted too; He Nan immediately picked up the War Hammer, and Liliya and Dusa also drew their weapons. The four of them instantly formed a tight circle, back to back, warily scanning their surroundings¡­

 Chapter 727 - 690: Showing Ones Fangs and Brandishing Ones Claws

    Chapter 727: Chapter 690: Showing One¡¯s Fangs and Brandishing One¡¯s Claws


    As they discovered the Beastmen skeletons, Rocky and his companions also realized something else, danger was present as well!


    So many Beastmen dying in the same place must mean there was enormous danger here!


    Therefore, from then on, the four of them banded together, cautiously looking around.


    ¡°Watch your step, there could be beetles crawling out from underground.¡±


    While gripping the Magic Fang Scythe tightly, Rocky reminded them, not forgetting the battle they had faced previously.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, are you sure you¡¯ve never seen those kinds of demons before?¡±


    ¡°Positive.¡±


    Turning to look at Liliya, Chief He Nan, holding a War Hammer, reiterated.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time Liliya and Rocky had asked him the same question. Right after the previous battle had ended, they had discussed it and concluded that none of them recognized what the beetles emerging from underground were, which was very strange. It was somewhat excusable for Liliya and Rocky to not recognize the beetles, but it was odd if Dusa and He Nan did not as well, given that one was the daughter of a Demon Hunter and the other was a Beastman living on the surface. Both should have an extensive knowledge of most demons.


    But the reality was that neither Dusa nor He Nan recognized what the beetles were.


    ¡°In any case, be careful of the ground, and don¡¯t let the green slime that those beetles spew get on you. We¡¯re still not sure whether it can corrode armor.¡±


    Glancing at her feet, Liliya cautiously warned, the green slime spat by the beetles they had encountered before was something to be wary of, so they had to be careful.


    But just then, right after Liliya had finished speaking, the entire cave began to shake!


    The violent shaking came abruptly and was extremely intense. It felt like a massive earthquake had occurred, causing Rocky and the others to become unsteady on their feet.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°No one let their guard down!¡±


    The violent shaking made everyone sense that something was terribly wrong. As they struggled to steady themselves, they became even more vigilant of their surroundings. However, due to the darkness in the cave, the four of them could only rely on the lights provided by their armor to barely make out what was around. No, actually only three of them, as Chief He Nan¡¯s Armor was so outdated it had no lighting equipment.


    In this situation, three beams of light moved back and forth in the cave, barely dispelling the darkness but appearing frustratingly inadequate.


    Thankfully, after continuing for a while, the violent shaking slowly subsided and eventually stopped altogether.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    Feeling the shaking completely disappear, Dusa, who had her Mana Bow fully drawn, released a long breath of relief. To be honest, she was quite excited at the start of the mission since this was the first time Rocky was taking her on such an important and dangerous task. But now, after arriving in this eerie cave, she was finding it much less fun.


    ¡°That was¡­ so frightening¡­ phew¡­¡±


    Putting down the Mana Bow in her hand, Dusa turned to look at Liliya and then stuck out her little tongue.


    But just as Dusa had let out a sigh of relief, the wall behind her suddenly exploded, and a tentacle-like root instantly stretched out from the wall, wrapping itself around Dusa!


    The sudden danger left Dusa with no time to react, she only managed to let out a cry of alarm before feeling herself getting pulled backwards by the tentacle!


    ¡°Catch me!¡±


    Fortunately, in that instant, Liliya¡¯s quick reflexes kicked in as she grabbed Dusa¡¯s arm, trying to pull her back.


    But it was to no avail; the tentacle¡¯s strength was clearly much greater than that of the Void Magic Armor. Liliya, who had grabbed Dusa, only struggled for a moment before admitting defeat. Not only did she fail to rescue Dusa, but she herself was also dragged towards the wall.


    However, in that critical moment, a cold light suddenly flashed behind Dusa, and right after, both Dusa and Liliya tumbled to the ground. They quickly looked up to see Rocky holding the Magic Fang Scythe in front of the wall¡ªit was clear he had cut off the tentacle with the scythe.


    At the same time, Chief He Nan let out a roar of fury. When everyone turned towards him, they discovered that he too had been ensnared by a tentacle that had emerged from the wall!


    But Chief He Nan, after all, was a Beastman and, moreover, the Chief of the Beastmen. After being caught by the tentacle, he didn¡¯t struggle recklessly but instead swung the War Hammer in his hands in a circle while being pulled towards the wall. As he got close, he brought down the hammer with a thud, snapping the tentacle that had ensnared him!


    ¡°Protect Dusa! She¡¯s not suited for dealing with these tentacles!¡±


    After picking up Liliya, Rocky, while speaking, swept the Magic Fang Scythe horizontally across the wall. The sharp scythe drew a gash on the wall, and in the blink of an eye, three clouds of blood mist spurted out from the earth of the wall¡ªit was obvious that the tentacles inside had been severed before they could even emerge.


    ¡°Run inside! There are more and more of these things!¡±


    At this time, Chief He Nan also yelled, and five more tentacles emerged from the opposite wall!


    These tentacles stretched out from the wall, waving and lashing as if they were claws. Some aimed to ensnare Chief He Nan while others whipped at him like lashes. Fortunately, Chief He Nan¡¯s own strength was strong enough, and he was also clad in the fourth-generation Armor, which allowed him to barely fend off all the tentacles. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this was only temporary because, as he said, there were more and more tentacles stretching out from the walls, not only the wall he was facing, but also the wall in front of Rocky now sprouted five or six tentacles.


    Although compared to the War Hammer, the razor-sharp Magic Fang Scythe was more suited for this type of combat, the tentacles that stretched out from the wall couldn¡¯t get close to Rocky, whether they tried to ensnare him or to lash at him. They were severed by the sharp scythe as soon as they began to wave. Yet, these things seemed as if they could regenerate endlessly, even if the scythe could instantly cut off all the tentacles, they would stretch out again the next second, even more numerous than before!


    So, Chief He Nan was right¡ªthey had to run!


    In such a confined space, the four of them simply couldn¡¯t withstand the attack of so many tentacles. Perhaps they could manage for now, but even a single mistake could result in their complete demise here.


    ¡°Listen to him! Go!¡±


    Hearing Chief He Nan¡¯s roar, Rocky immediately made a judgment, shouted at Liliya and Dusa, and with that, the two of them hesitated no more, their Armors accelerating toward the cave¡¯s interior in an instant.


    ¡°You move fast too! I¡¯ll cover the rear!¡±


    As Liliya and Dusa rushed into the cave, Rocky called out to Chief He Nan.

 Chapter 728 - 691: Disgusting

    Chapter 728: Chapter 691: Disgusting


    After Liliya left with Dusa, Rocky also sent He Nan away, leaving only himself to guard the rear.


    He Nan didn¡¯t say much about this decision, because through the recent and past battles, he had come to roughly understand Rocky¡¯s strength. He knew that Rocky was definitely not inferior to him in terms of power, so he didn¡¯t argue further. A flip of his body allowed him to dodge three tentacles sweeping from different directions, and he quickly caught up with Liliya and Dusa.


    With their departure, only Rocky remained in the cave, facing an increasing number of tentacles. Before, these tentacles had only been stretching out from the left and right sides of the cave, but now even the ceiling and ground had begun to sprout tentacles.


    Standing alone in the tunnel, Rocky swung his scythe to his left and right in a fluid motion, slicing through the tentacles advancing toward him with a couple of swift strokes. The severed tentacles thumped to the ground, writhing for a few moments before turning into lifeless lumps of flesh.


    However, it was when Rocky was dealing with the tentacles on either side that the ones beneath his feet coiled around his ankles, binding him to the ground like numerous ropes, completely immobilizing him.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Realizing his feet were trapped, Rocky quickly reached down to the ground, intending to use a Magic Energy Bullet to break the tentacles, but then tentacles from above wrapped around his head and body. Tentacles also began growing out of the walls, elongating rapidly and, in the blink of an eye, knitting into a vast net that enveloped him and sealed off the entire cave¡­


    ¡°Rocky!¡±


    The situation Rocky faced was complex when described, but it all transpired in a mere few seconds. Liliya, who was guiding Dusa deeper into the cave, turned her head and with the help of the light cast from her shoulder, witnessed the tentacles sealing off the cave and Rocky being enwrapped like a cocoon. Alarmed, she immediately turned back and rushed toward the scene.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go back!¡±


    Just as Liliya was about to rush back, He Nan, who had just come over, grabbed her arm.


    ¡°Let me go!¡±


    Seized by the Beastman¡¯s grasp, Liliya tried to break free, but found that his palm was clutching her like a vise, refusing to let go.


    ¡°There¡¯s no use in going, City Lord Rocky will be fine.¡±


    Turning to look at Liliya, He Nan urged her to calm down, because in his view, the danger was not significant enough for someone of Rocky¡¯s abilities to fear for his life. However, if Liliya or Dusa were to be caught in it, the outcome would be uncertain, given that Liliya was not as powerful as Rocky.


    However, Liliya had no intention of listening to He Nan. She shook her arm, trying to throw off his hand. At that moment, a burst of blood plasma suddenly exploded from the tunnel, which had been blocked by tentacles, and a flash of cold light followed. As countless tentacles were simultaneously severed, Rocky burst out from behind them.


    Perhaps because he surged out too fiercely, Rocky couldn¡¯t stay upright and fell to the ground. Liliya hurried over to help him up.


    ¡°Come over here.¡±


    Striding to their side, He Nan without a word pulled them back. Thanks to He Nan¡¯s quick reaction, for just as he had pulled Rocky and Liliya back a few steps, the tentacles that had been cut off grew back, flailing wildly for a moment before they tangled together and once again sealed off the cave.


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡±


    Watching as the tentacles merely twisted around each other, Rocky let out a sigh of relief and gave He Nan a thumbs up, ¡°I definitely don¡¯t want to be caught again, it¡¯s disgusting.¡±


    While speaking, Rocky shook off the blood plasma from his body.


    Since he had already been completely entangled by the tentacles, Rocky had no choice but to use his Magic Fang Scythe to cut all the tentacles that were binding him, resulting in him being splattered with blood plasma. Upon closer inspection, the blood plasma was not red, but purple, and it emitted a nauseating stench.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    After shaking off the plasma from his body, Rocky looked at Liliya and smiled before turning his head toward the tentacles that blocked the cave entrance.


    ¡°Now we finally know how those Beastmen got stuck in the walls.¡±


    Looking at the tentacles that not only blocked the cave but were still slowly writhing, Rocky thought of the skeletons embedded in the walls, evidently, the Beastmen had been attacked by these tentacles before they died, dragged into the walls by them, and met their fate inside.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that now, our way out is blocked.¡±


    Liliya also glanced behind them and said, although Rocky had made it out, the tentacles had blocked their escape route, which definitely wasn¡¯t a good thing.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, when the time comes, I can cut through these tentacles.¡±


    Rocky frowned as he looked at the exit blocked by tentacles but wasn¡¯t as worried as Liliya. After all, with the Magic Fang Scythe, cutting through the tentacles shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.


    So, after saying that, he turned to Chief He Nan, ¡°Chief He Nan, you certainly don¡¯t know what these tentacles are either, do you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Hearing this, He Nan shook his head. He truly didn¡¯t know what the tentacles attacking them were and had never heard of Demons of this kind before.


    As for such a result, it wasn¡¯t at all surprising to Rocky, or rather he had grown accustomed to it. Since entering this cave, almost everything he encountered couldn¡¯t be explained reasonably, and over time he had stopped digging deeper.


    But not digging deeper didn¡¯t mean he was dismissive. Rocky always knew there was an answer to all these weird occurrences, and that answer lay within the cave, so he subsequently turned his head to look deeper into the cavern.


    ¡°Dusa? Where are you, Dusa?!¡±


    Turning his head to look further into the cave, Rocky found it pitch dark and Dusa was nowhere to be seen!


    Just a moment ago, Liliya and He Nan both focused on Rocky and neglected Dusa, so when they and Rocky looked together toward the depths of the cave, they became panicked, how could Dusa have disappeared?


    ¡°My lord, I¡¯m here!¡±


    However, just when everyone was somewhat flustered, the voice of Dusa came from deep within the cave, which relieved the three, and they quickly followed the sound toward the depths.


    After walking about ten meters or so, Rocky finally saw Dusa¡¯s figure, which put his mind at ease, and then he let his face fall.


    ¡°Dusa, you can¡¯t just¡­¡±


    ¡°My lord, look.¡±


    Just as Rocky was about to give Dusa a few words of reprimand for leaving without a sound, Dusa indeed interrupted him, then pointed ahead. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 729 - 692: True Colors

    Chapter 729: Chapter 692: True Colors


    Rocky hurried to Dusa¡¯s side, barely able to scold her when he suddenly found the area before him opening up expansively.


    By then, they had traveled through the tunnel and arrived at an immensely huge Dissolving Cave!


    The vastness of the Dissolving Cave was beyond Rocky¡¯s imagination. Looking up, one would see that the cave was hundreds of meters high, and under dim light, its ceiling was almost invisible. When he looked to his left and right, he found the cave seemingly boundless.


    ¡°What is this place¡­¡± Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sight before him made Rocky forget about Dusa. He took a couple of steps forward with his mouth slightly agape, a look of disbelief plastered across his face.


    ¡°It seems this is the true face of the Cave of Blood Cries.¡±


    As Liliya joined Rocky and Dusa, she looked up and spoke with a tone filled with awe.


    Just as she said, this Dissolving Cave must be the true nature of the Cave of Blood Cries. The Cave of Blood Cries was not merely a cave; the land¡¯s cave was just an entrance. What truly connected was this Dissolving Cave, and this was exactly what made everyone incredulous. They had guessed that the entrance might be connected to a larger cave, but no one had imagined that such a vast space could exist underground.


    The area of this Dissolving Cave was simply too vast.


    ¡°Where exactly might this Dissolving Cave be located?¡± Looking around and finding the cave surprisingly large, Rocky could not help but ask.


    ¡°It should be beneath Red Water Lake.¡±


    Hearing Rocky¡¯s words, Chief He Nan crouched down on the ground as he spoke, prompting Rocky and the others to hurry over to him. Bending down, they saw a pool of red liquid.


    ¡°Bloodwater?¡±


    Seeing the pool of blood on the ground, they all immediately furrowed their brows and pulled out their weapons.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not bloodwater.¡±


    However, Chief He Nan down on the ground shook his head. He dipped his finger into the bloodwater, sniffed the trace on his finger, and soon detected a stench, ¡°This isn¡¯t bloodwater; it¡¯s lake water.¡±


    ¡°Lake water?¡±


    Such an answer made everyone look up together, all gazing at the ceiling above.


    Drip¡­


    Drip¡­


    Drip¡­


    As if to prove something, when Rocky and the others looked up, the dripping sound followed. Looking carefully, they could see red drops rhythmically falling from the ceiling of the Dissolving Cave.


    Seeing this, everyone gasped, because they finally knew their current location.


    They were right beneath Red Water Lake!


    This vast Dissolving Cave was actually beneath Red Water Lake!


    Upon reflection, this did not seem so strange, because since they entered the cave, they had traveled downward along the tunnel, walking several hundred meters. Considering the steepness of the tunnel, they clearly had not only moved forward but also downward several hundred meters, eventually arriving beneath Red Water Lake.


    But why would there be such a vast Dissolving Cave beneath Red Water Lake?


    Was it naturally formed, or was it man-made? And what secrets were hidden here?


    There was one thing Rocky could confirm: the Dissolving Cave likely had nothing to do with Kasin City, meaning it was almost certainly not man-made, especially since the only city nearby was Kasin City.


    So it must have been naturally formed, but that raised many unanswered questions. If it was naturally formed, why was the water of Red Water Lake red, and why did it emit a fishy smell? What were the beetles and tentacles they encountered on their way here? Most importantly, why were the demons on the ground so afraid to approach this cave? These were questions that a naturally formed Dissolving Cave could not easily explain.


    Without a doubt, there were secrets here.


    ¡°Let¡¯s split up and check around; signal immediately if you encounter any danger.¡±


    Shifting his gaze away from the puddles, Rocky looked left and right, then quickly arranged for everyone to spread out. The cave was too vast, and frankly, Rocky didn¡¯t want to stay here any longer than necessary. It was better to wrap everything up quickly.


    No one objected to this plan, so they quickly scattered in different directions.


    Once the others had left, Rocky also turned and walked deeper into the Dissolving Cave. Illuminated by the light from his Armor, he walked and looked around, trying his best to spot anything suspicious.


    Crack¡­


    He had only taken a few steps when Rocky felt a crisp sound underfoot, as if he had crushed something. Looking down, he saw a skeleton appear under his foot, its arm broken by his step.


    It was another Beastman.


    Rocky quickly identified it as a Beastman skeleton. It was an important find that Beastmen had been here before them.


    Considering Rocky¡¯s own experiences, the Beastmen who had made it here, like them, had overcome the initial beetles and then evaded the tentacle attacks to finally arrive at the Dissolving Cave.


    The fact that they managed this proved that the Beastmen who got here had considerable strength; otherwise, they might not have gotten past the beetles. But still, they ended up as a pile of bones here. What had these Beastmen encountered?


    ¡°Be on high alert, I¡¯ve found Beastman bones here; there might be danger.¡±


    Furrowing his brow and thinking, Rocky could not come up with an answer, but he still loudly cautioned everyone.


    ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve found some here too! More than one.¡±


    As soon as Rocky finished speaking, Dusa¡¯s voice appeared; she too had discovered Beastman skeletons, and not just one.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, you better come and see this¡­¡±


    After responding to Rocky, Dusa then called out to Chief He Nan, who immediately ran over.


    Rocky had thought about going there as well, but at that moment Liliya stopped him.


    ¡°Rocky, come and see this.¡±


    ¡°Coming.¡±


    Upon hearing Liliya¡¯s voice, Rocky quickly flew up and soon landed beside her, swiftly understanding why she had called him.


    Because at that moment, Liliya was standing in front of a huge corpse, which wasn¡¯t that of a Beastman or a demon, but some monster!


    The corpse was over three meters tall, resembling a mantis magnified a hundred times, not only vast but also with serrated scythes on its forelimbs, looking extraordinarily sinister.


    ¡°Is this¡­ a demon? Or some other monster?¡±


    Seeing the mantis-like monster corpse, Rocky and Liliya exchanged glances, seeing confusion and disbelief in each other¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 730 - 693: Old Friend

    Chapter 730: Chapter 693: Old Friend


    Standing before the gigantic corpse, Rocky¡¯s brows furrowed ever tighter, as he gradually began to discern what was different about this cave.


    At the very least, the biggest difference here was the demons.


    Since arriving at this cave, they had been attacked more than once, and had fallen into considerable danger, and although they had narrowly escaped each time, a look at the enemies they encountered revealed that they had never seen any of them before, to the extent that even Rocky and his companions were unsure whether they should call these foes demons or not.


    They first encountered beetle attacks in this location, and truth be told, although no one knew what those beetles were, to be fair, they still bore some resemblance to demons, but the tentacles they met later were harder to explain.


    Even now, Rocky didn¡¯t know what the tentacles he encountered really were, were they demon like creatures resembling tentacles? Or were the tentacles they came across simply part of some monstrous creature they had never seen before? Unknown, and nobody knew.


    And now, the body of the giant monster before him was even more difficult to make sense of, they had never seen a demon that looked like this before, so they had no idea what it was at all, whether it was a normal demon or a high-level demon, or some new species they had never encountered before, it was all a mystery, and this oddity was clearly related to the secrets hidden within the cave.


    ¡°Rocky, look here¡­¡±


    As Rocky intently examined the monster¡¯s corpse with a furrowed brow, Liliya had already approached the monster and squatted next to one of its scythe-like limbs.


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    Seeing Liliya so close to the monster, Rocky quickly cautioned her, after all, the monster¡¯s scythe-like limbs were almost taller than a person, let alone being cut by them, even a smash would be enough for Liliya to contend with.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Beastman.¡±


    As Rocky warned her, Liliya, squatting in front of the scythe-like limbs, saw clearly what was impaled into the ground by the limbs, it was a Beastman skeleton pierced through!


    While Liliya and Rocky were studying the monster¡¯s corpse, Chief He Nan had also arrived beside Dusa, but the scene here was far more tragic than what Rocky and his group had encountered, this place was like a battlefield!


    Just when Rocky reminded everyone to be alert, Dusa mentioned she, too, had found Beastman skeletons¡ªand not just one. Indeed, the spot Dusa found contained dozens of Beastman skeletons, and not only that, there were also Demon Corpses. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Approaching Dusa, Chief He Nan looked around and quickly noticed the Beastman skeletons on the ground and soon realized that these skeletons had clearly experienced battle before death, as the skeletons were largely stacked in groups of five¡ªa formation Beastman Warriors often used in combat.


    ¡°They all died in battle¡­ with these demons¡­¡±


    Following the direction of the Beastman skeletons, Chief He Nan quickly saw a number of demon corpses on the ground, among them the beetles they had encountered before, and in great numbers, and he, like Rocky, saw the gigantic mantis-like monster.


    Clearly, the dozens of Beastman skeletons he saw were those who had perished in the battle against these demons and monsters, and all of them were dead.


    This scene after scene made Chief He Nan¡¯s heart incredibly complicated, because these skeletons were not just Beastman, they were Beastman from his own tribe, and if the bodies of these Beastman had still been intact, he might have even been able to name them, but these Beastman were all dead.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, come take a look at this¡­¡±


    Just as He Nan was deeply moved, Dusa called him over, not to have him look at the skeletons scattered on the ground. She summoned him solely to show him one corpse in particular ¨C the one before them now.


    The corpse in front of Dusa, unlike those that had already turned to skeletons on the ground, was standing, and¡­ dressed in the Void Magic Armor!


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    He Nan, whom Dusa had called over, naturally saw the corpse straight away and then stood there in shock. After a long while, he murmured, ¡°The Chief¡­¡±


    Upon seeing the body clad in the Void Magic Armor, He Nan recognized it immediately ¨C it was the previous Chief of their tribe!


    As a tribe living on the surface, the Fireteng Tribe was considerably poor in terms of resources, which was obvious from the equipment of the Beastman Warriors. To them, the Void Magic Armor was an extremely precious piece of equipment that only the Chief could wear. This was why He Nan was the only one in the entire Fireteng Tribe to be equipped with the Void Magic Armor. Therefore, when He Nan saw this Beastman¡¯s corpse, he didn¡¯t even need to look closely; just by the Void Magic Armor it wore, he recognized it ¨C this Beastman was his predecessor as Chief!


    He Nan once said the reason he became the Chief of the Fireteng Tribe was that the previous Chief had gone to the Cave of Blood Cries and never returned, and now it appeared that the Chief had indeed died in the cave.


    ¡°Chief He Nan¡­¡±


    Realizing He Nan was frozen in front of the Chief¡¯s body, Dusa knew he must have recognized the identity of the corpse, but sadly, she didn¡¯t know how to comfort him.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    Hearing Dusa¡¯s voice, the returning-to-his-senses He Nan turned to her, then showed a bitter smile, ¡°The Chief died a glorious death; I should feel proud for him.¡±


    As he spoke, He Nan looked back at the Chief¡¯s body. The battle armor, now ragged and torn with several holes, had clearly sustained severe damage before death, confirming He Nan¡¯s words ¨C his predecessor had indeed died in battle, a death that was considered honorable for a Beastman warrior.


    ¡°Let everyone be cautious; this place is not as tranquil as it seems.¡±


    After glancing at the Chief, He Nan added, since the tribe¡¯s previous Chief and dozens of Beastman Warriors had died in this Dissolving Cave, and with even more demon corpses around, it meant that the hidden dangers in the cave were far greater than they seemed at first glance. Following this, He Nan then went with Dusa to meet up with Rocky.


    The four of them regrouped, briefly shared their findings, and continued their exploration in the Dissolving Cave. It wasn¡¯t long before they reached the cave¡¯s center.


    ¡°What is this¡­¡±


    Upon reaching the center of the Dissolving Cave, Rocky and the others stood in amazement because a massive pit had appeared before them!


    The pit was more than ten meters wide, looking like an abyssal sinkhole, and this discovery left Rocky and the rest dumbfounded. They had not expected to find another pit within this cave, already situated under Red Water Lake?!

 Chapter 731 - 694: Bottomless Pit

    Chapter 731: Chapter 694: Bottomless Pit


    Upon discovering a vast number of Beastmen skeletons and the corpses of Demons, Rocky and his companions came upon an even larger pit.


    This gigantic pit was located right at the center of the Dissolving Cave, with a diameter exceeding thirty meters. When Rocky and his team stood at the edge of the pit and shone light from their Armor into the depths, they saw that the beam of light ended in inky darkness; they couldn¡¯t make out the bottom at all.


    Why would there be a bottomless pit here?


    Such a bottomless pit left Rocky and the three others dumbstruck since their current location was already beneath Red Water Lake and hundreds of meters below ground level. In their opinion, this Dissolving Cave should have been the deepest area of the Cave of Blood Cries, but the presence of the bottomless pit suggested that even deeper secrets lay hidden beneath.


    What exactly is this place?


    Gazing into the abyss of the pit, this question resurfaced in Rocky¡¯s mind: what exactly was the Cave of Blood Cries, and what exactly was hidden there?


    He had thought that by entering the Cave of Blood Cries he would find the answers, but to his surprise, there was this Dissolving Cave. And just when he believed the answers would be found within this cave, they stumbled upon the bottomless pit before them, leaving Rocky at a loss for words.


    ¡°Is there something¡­ at the bottom of this pit?¡±


    Standing at the edge and looking down, Dusa couldn¡¯t help but ask. From her perspective, they were already hundreds of meters underground within a Dissolving Cave. How could there possibly be anything deeper?


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s just a naturally formed pit.¡±


    Looking into the pit as well, Liliya also spoke uncertainly. She didn¡¯t know how to judge it either.


    However, her point did have some merit. It was quite possible that the bottomless pit was a natural formation since they were hundreds of meters underground. Logically, there shouldn¡¯t be anything deeper, and if there were, it was likely just natural, rendering any exploration unnecessary.


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure.¡±


    He Nan, however, shook his head. Although his tone was uncertain, he seemed to disagree with Liliya¡¯s view. He felt that regardless of whether the pit was naturally formed, it seemed rather unusual.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we¡­ fly down and take a look?¡± S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was then that Rocky also spoke up. He, too, was unsure how to deal with the pit, but he felt uneasy about simply ignoring it; after all, he had come to uncover the secrets of Red Water Lake. It would be a great pity if the pit did have a connection to Red Water Lake and he just overlooked it.


    Fortunately, all four of them were wearing Void Magic Armor. Even though He Nan¡¯s Armor was the outdated fourth-generation type, flying was still no issue. So, they could fly into the pit to investigate.


    Although the suggestion was feasible, it was undeniable that it also carried a higher level of danger. The bottomless pit seemingly defied everyone¡¯s understanding in every conceivable way, meaning if they were to venture inside and truly encounter danger, they could be in big trouble, with their experience and knowledge rendered useless.


    So when Rocky made the suggestion, both Liliya and He Nan furrowed their brows. A decision with such high stakes couldn¡¯t be made on impulse; they needed a thorough discussion.


    But clearly, the matter they faced left no room for discussion, as just as Rocky finished speaking, the Dissolving Cave began to tremble slightly.


    Similar tremors had been experienced by Rocky and his group before, so they immediately became alert, and soon they realized that the current shaking wasn¡¯t very strong, it was just a faint sensation.


    However, as time passed, the tremors underfoot grew from weak to strong, not only becoming more noticeable but also more intense.


    ¡°Rocky, something¡¯s coming up!¡±


    As everyone increasingly felt that something was amiss, Liliya glanced unintentionally toward the bottomless pit and, although she saw nothing, discovered that the source of the tremor seemed to be from here!


    In this situation, she quickly alerted everyone and, with her warning, Rocky, He Nan, and Dusa all looked towards the pit, and soon they saw something abnormal.


    From the depths of the seemingly endless pit, it appeared that something was indeed climbing up; the vibrations they felt were coming from there. As they all focused their attention on the pit, Rocky and his group gradually saw a huge figure climbing out of the darkness of the pit!


    It was those mantis-like demons! And not just one, but at least four or five were climbing up the pit!


    These enormous demons used a pair of scythe-like forelimbs to fiercely stab into the sheer walls of the pit, each strike allowing the entire limb to sink completely into the stone, climbing up the nearly vertical pit bit by bit.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let them up!¡±


    Upon discovering these kinds of monsters crawling out of the pit, Rocky immediately shouted and then aimed his arm at the pit, firing a series of Magic Energy Bullets in quick succession.


    After Rocky launched his attack, Liliya and He Nan also commenced their assault, standing next to the pit and trying to unload their Magic Energy Bullets on the Mantis Demons as much as possible, but unfortunately, not only their bullets but also the ones Rocky fired didn¡¯t seem to have any effect on the demons.


    These mantis-like demons were not only enormous in size, but their defensive power was also incredibly strong. A series of Magic Energy Bullets fell on these demons and were completely blocked by their hard exoskeleton, not even managing to knock them off, let alone injure these behemoths.


    ¡°Dusa, shoot them down!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    In fact, Dusa had already drawn her Mana Bow as Rocky and the others began their attack, so as she acknowledged with an affirmation, she fired an arrow immediately.


    This arrow, Dusa had fully taken into account the size of the Mantis Demons, as well as their hard exoskeletons, so this shot was actually charged up. Upon release, it whistled toward the Mantis Demon closest to the pit¡¯s entrance, not only hitting the head but also having the Mana-formed Arrow Feather penetrate its brow.


    With an arrow embedded in the Mantis Demon¡¯s brow, the huge creature died instantly, and with its death, its body lost control and fell from the precipice of the pit in the blink of an eye.


    As one Mantis Demon fell, Dusa swiftly followed with a second arrow, then a third and a fourth. With each arrow she fired, there would be another Mantis Demon meeting its end and tumbling down the cliffs. In less than a couple of minutes, all the massive climbers had fallen.


    Seeing the Mantis Demons fall one by one, Rocky took a deep breath, but before he could catch it completely, even more Mantis Demons emerged from below the pit, and around these climbing demons appeared an even larger number of Beetles!

 Chapter 732 - 695 Infinite and Endless

    Chapter 732: Chapter 695 Infinite and Endless


    With Dusa¡¯s help, the first few mantis demons that crawled up from the deep pit hadn¡¯t made it to the dissolving cave when they were shot down, but just as everyone had begun to breathe a sigh of relief, an even more serious situation emerged.


    The mantis demons that were shot down were just the beginning; after the first few were taken out, more of them climbed up, and what¡¯s more, along with another batch of mantis demons, there were also beetles that Rocky and his team had encountered before!


    Compared to the mantis demons, which were over three meters tall, the beetles seemed much smaller. However, their smaller size made them even more agile.


    This was troublesome because although the mantis demons seemed more frightening, they weren¡¯t as big a threat due to their limited numbers and the very slow pace at which they climbed from the deep pit. They could only support their bodies with their large front limbs and move up bit by bit. So, as long as Dusa was there, it was almost impossible for the mantis demons to reach the top, and even if one or two slipped through, Rocky and his team were more than capable of handling them.


    But the beetles¡¯ arrival changed things.


    First off, there were more beetles, and unlike the mantis demons, they seemed to be naturally capable of climbing cliffs. So when Rocky saw these beetles, it was like seeing a swarm of giant cockroaches approaching en masse. They were numerous and fast. Even for Rocky, who was used to seeing thousands of demons charging together, the sight of these beetles made his scalp tingle.


    ¡°Dusa, don¡¯t worry about the beetles, aim for the big guys!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Noticing the overwhelming number of beetles, Rocky knew they couldn¡¯t rely solely on Dusa to hold them off, so he decisively told her to just focus on the mantis demons, while he, Liliya, and He Nan would deal with the beetles.


    This decision was undoubtedly correct, as although there were many beetles, their defensive power wasn¡¯t as strong as the mantis demons¡¯. Magic energy bullets might not kill them instantly, but they were enough to knock them off the walls.


    So, after that, the three of them opened fire together, unleashing a series of magic energy bullets into the mass of beetles, blasting them off in swathes. To stop the beetles from getting close as quickly as possible, Rocky and Liliya soon employed magic energy beams and even magic energy cannons. Operating their armors, they fired relentlessly at the cliffs of the deep pit in a full barrage.


    The White Demon Armor and the Red Flame Goddess Armor were among the most top-notch armors of the day, not only centered on runes but also equipped with numerous cutting-edge technologies. So as Rocky and Liliya fired with all their might, the walls of the deep pit were instantly bombarded, with the beetles blown away in swathes and even the massive mantis demons being blasted off the cliffs.


    For Dusa, this scene was nothing new; she had witnessed the power of the White Demon and the Red Flame Goddess countless times. But for He Nan, a beastman who lived on land and had some understanding of the sky¡ªeven having heard of Rocky¡ªit was unbelievable. After all, he had very limited knowledge and had never known that the current Void Magic Armor was this powerful.


    However, even as Rocky, Liliya, and Dusa unleashed their powers simultaneously, the number of beetles was simply too great. More importantly, the speed at which these beetles climbed upward was also too fast, so that as soon as they had knocked down a large swath of beetles, even more would climb up the cliffs of the deep pit.


    Under these circumstances, it was only a matter of minutes before some beetles approached the ground of the dissolving cave and immediately opened their mouths to spray green slime at Rocky and his team!


    ¡°Take off!¡±


    The green slime sprayed by the beetles was something Rocky had experienced before. Its corrosiveness was extremely strong, easily turning a Beastman Warrior without armor into a pile of white bones. Although it might not necessarily corrode Armor, especially the White Demon Armor, which is forged from top materials, one must not forget the number of beetles crawling out of the pit at this moment.


    At this very moment, the number of beetles emerging from the pit was beyond counting. Dozens that were close to the ground simultaneously sprayed their green slime. If all that slime fell on them, it was feared the White Demon Armor wouldn¡¯t hold up. Therefore, Rocky had no choice but to stop blocking the beetles from getting close and immediately ordered everyone to take flight, and in an instant, all four of them were in the air.


    Thankfully, the Dissolving Cave¡¯s space was large enough, with ample room for them to fly, which allowed them to dodge the calamity.


    However, in that brief moment when they took off, due to the interruption of gunfire, and as a large number of beetles had already approached the Dissolving Cave, just as Rocky and company had ascended, another several dozen to hundred beetles crawled out of the pit!


    This was bad.


    As the first beetle reached the floor of the Dissolving Cave, countless more beetles swarmed up the steep walls of the pit, like a dam burst, flooding the surface of the cave.


    ¡°Hiss! Hiss!¡±


    A massive swarm of beetles reaching the surface immediately directed a piercing noise toward Rocky and the others in midair, and then, together, they opened their mouths to spray countless streams of green slime at them!


    Such a scene startled everyone. Whether it was Rocky, Liliya, Dusa, or He Nan, everyone instinctively climbed higher.


    Again, it was lucky the height of the Dissolving Cave was sufficient, otherwise this barrage would have been enough to bring Rocky and his team down!


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    And facing such a multitude of beetles, escaping was basically impossible for Rocky and his team. Therefore, after dodging the beetles¡¯ sprayed green slime, they began to counterattack immediately. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment, Magic Energy Bullets, Magic Energy Arrows, Magic Energy Cannons, Magic Energy Beams¡ªall kinds of attacks¡ªwere unleashed without mercy, smashing into the insides of the Dissolving Cave, and under such ferocious assaults, the beetles were unsurprisingly blown to pieces en masse.


    Undoubtedly, while the beetles¡¯ shells could withstand regular attacks, they stood no chance against Magic Energy Attacks, especially powerful ones like the Magic Energy Cannon or Magic Energy Beam. Just one shot from a Magic Energy Cannon was enough to kill several beetles. Yet even so, the more Rocky and the others attacked, the more furrowed their brows became.


    Although their attacks killed many beetles, the rate of elimination was far slower than the rate at which new ones were appearing. As they targeted the beetles on the ground, an endless stream continued to pour out of the pit. What¡¯s more, as Rocky and his team were unable to hold the pit, aside from the beetles, the Mantis Demons also began to climb out!

 Chapter 733 - 696: Nowhere to Hide

    Chapter 733: Chapter 696: Nowhere to Hide


    Facing the increasing number of beetles, Rocky, in order to evade the sprayed green slime, had to fly high into the mid-air of the Dissolving Cave.


    Although they also launched an attack on these beetles, bombing them extensively and killing swathes of them, this left the deep pit undefended, causing even more beetles to surge up like a tide. More importantly, without Dusa to hold them off, those enormous Mantis Demons finally crawled out of the deep pit!


    When the first Mantis Demon crawled out of the deep pit, the ground around the pit emitted a slight tremor, and then more Mantis Demons climbed up, quickly numbering five or six next to the pit.


    Each of these Mantis Demons was over three meters tall with massive bodies, and while continuously hissing, their scythe-like forelimbs were also constantly swinging at Rocky and his group.


    ¡°Thank goodness, thank goodness these things can¡¯t fly¡­¡±


    While aiming the Magic Energy Beams and Magic Energy Cannons at the Mantis Demons, Rocky secretly felt relieved that these bizarre demons lacked the ability to fly, otherwise they really would have died here this time.


    At this moment, the number of beetles emerging from the deep pit was immeasurable, as they gushed out continuously like a fountain, now covering the entire floor of the Dissolving Cave, looking just like a pool of black water inundating the cave. The only consolation was that these beetles couldn¡¯t fly, for if so many beetles could fly into the mid-air, then not just Liliya, but even Rocky himself would be overwhelmed.


    It was also because they couldn¡¯t fly that, although these beetles on the ground kept spraying green slime at Rocky and his companions, the slime sprayed from their mouths could only reach up to about a dozen meters high. Although this height was already quite astonishing, with the Dissolving Cave being hundreds of meters high, Rocky and his group, flying high in the air, were out of reach of the slime, which ultimately fell back to the ground, or rather onto the beetles themselves, corroding them in the process.


    Similarly, when the Mantis Demons climbed out of the deep pit, they looked terrifying and indeed were lunging and clawing at Rocky and his group, but as long as they couldn¡¯t fly up into the air, they posed little threat to them.


    Even so, Rocky and his group were becoming increasingly troubled.


    The number of demons crawling out of the deep pit was just too many!


    Now, the number of beetles emerging from the pit was well over a thousand and still increasing. In this situation, the entire Dissolving Cave was already filled with beetles. Although Rocky and his companions could hide in the air, what next?


    Are they to just keep hiding like this, forever?


    By this point, Rocky had realized why the previous explorations by the Fireteng Tribe had ended in failure, because there were simply too many demons here, beyond the capacity of just a few Beastmen to fend off, even with the presence of a Chief among these Beastmen¡ªthe same was true for Rocky now. Although the four of them still possessed strong combat abilities, they could not overcome the sheer number of beetles.


    Thus, they must find a way out, whether it is to rapidly explore or to delay, they needed to find a solution, because hiding like this was definitely not a sustainable plan.


    However, in reality, the time left for Rocky and his group to find a solution was not much, because just when they felt the Mantis Demons wouldn¡¯t pose too much of a threat, an unexpected situation occurred!


    The first few Mantis Demons that had climbed up yelled a few times at the air, then their massive bodies began to swell, especially their abdomens, which ballooned into a round sphere within a few blinks. Following this, even before Rocky could react to this scene, the Mantis Demons sprayed green slime at them!


    ¡°Dodge!¡±


    Watching the Green Slime shoot towards mid-air, Rocky immediately shouted and hurriedly moved to the side, narrowly dodging the Green Slime aimed at him.


    Even though he dodged the Green Slime, Rocky still felt a lingering sense of trepidation.


    Now, he was more than fifty meters above the ground!


    Early on, to avoid the beetles¡¯ spitting attack, Rocky and his team had ascended to a height of over fifty meters. At this elevation, no matter how hard the beetles tried, they couldn¡¯t reach them. However, it seemed that what the beetles couldn¡¯t do, the Mantis Demons could!


    The Green Slime spat out by these Mantis Demons appeared similar to that of the beetles, but it was even more potent. Never mind fifty meters, they could shoot the Green Slime up to the very top of the Dissolving Cave, which was over a hundred meters high!


    At this, Rocky started to panic, as anyone could see that if these Mantis Demons could attack them, the aerial advantage of Rocky and his team would be gone. More importantly, as the pit fell, more and more Mantis Demons were crawling out of it! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Right now, Rocky and his team were only facing the attack of five or six Mantis Demons, but if the number of Mantis Demons increased, they would be completely unsafe in the air.


    However, just as Rocky was thinking this, more Mantis Demons crawled out of the pit, totaling up to more than a dozen!


    ¡°Don¡¯t let them get ready!¡±


    Seeing more than ten Mantis Demons crawl out, Rocky instinctively sensed trouble and immediately targeted all his attacks at them without any delay.


    He had realized that these Mantis Demons seemed to need to gather energy for a while before they could shoot the Green Slime to a higher altitude, so they absolutely couldn¡¯t give them any time.


    After that, the four of them unleashed all their firepower on the Mantis Demons. Despite their enormous size and tough shells, the Mantis Demons couldn¡¯t withstand the barrage and soon several of them fell.


    ¡°Rocky! Look!¡±


    But just then, just as each Mantis Demon was successively blasted and Rocky had just breathed a sigh of relief, Liliya suddenly shouted.


    Hearing Liliya¡¯s voice, Rocky quickly looked over, then witnessed a scene that made his scalp tingle.


    While they directed all their firepower against the Mantis Demons, a countless number of beetles had completely taken over the entire Dissolving Cave, and not only that, but these beetles had subsequently climbed up from the ground to the cave walls, and then from the walls to the cave ceiling!


    What were these beetles planning to do?!


    As Rocky looked up at the beetles that had covered the Dissolving Cave, Dusa suddenly screamed because at that moment a beetle had just fallen from the cave ceiling right onto her!

 Chapter 734 - 697: Into the Deep Pit!

    Chapter 734: Chapter 697: Into the Deep Pit!


    It was only at this moment that Rocky and his companions encountered real danger.


    Since they had entered the Cave of Blood Cries, they had faced a few battles, but those skirmishes were more bizarre than truly perilous. However, the situation had changed drastically. Faced with thousands upon thousands of beetles and an increasing number of Mantis Demons that could threaten them, Rocky and his group were not just in danger¡ªthey had plunged into desperate straits in an instant!


    By this time, a great many beetles had crawled up the walls of the Dissolving Cave to the ceiling, and then began to drop like raindrops. One of them happened to land right on Dusa.


    As mentioned before, each of these beetles was about a meter in size, so even though Dusa was not afraid of insects, having such a huge beetle land on her was terrifying indeed, and more importantly, the beetle that landed on her wasted no time in opening its mouth, instantly oozing green slime, causing Dusa to let out an uncontrollable scream when she saw this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid!¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, Liliya was right beside Dusa at that moment and, before the beetle could spray its green slime, she flicked it away with her Mana Sword. It was exactly when she flipped the beetle away that it sprayed a stream of green slime, narrowly missing the two of them.


    While Liliya¡¯s decisive action averted one crisis, the real peril for the quartet was just beginning. More and more beetles were falling from the ceiling, raining down like droplets, and the number of Mantis Demons crawling out of the deep pit was also increasing. There were so many that, despite the group¡¯s continuous bombardment, some of the Mantis Demons were still able to shoot terrifying jets of green slime at them.


    At first, it was only one, but soon there were five or six, and when the number of Mantis Demons firing at Rocky and his group increased to over a dozen, they were no longer capable of bombarding continuously. At this point, beetles were raining down from above, and the number of Mantis Demons was piling up, with barrages of green slime, more dreadful than cannon shells, being fired at them. In such circumstances, all Rocky and his friends could do was dodge as best as they could.


    But even if they dodged with all their might, how long could they possibly keep it up?


    There were so many beetles that it didn¡¯t matter how many were squashed to death, and it was clear they could not block the deep pit with just the four of them. So, not only were the beetles continuously pouring out, but the Mantis Demons were also increasing in number. The count quickly went from a dozen to several dozens, and it was still rising. Soon enough there would be hundreds, and once the number of Mantis Demons reached the hundreds, Rocky and his companions wouldn¡¯t even be able to dodge anymore.


    What to do?


    Never had they expected to face a life-and-death crisis so abruptly. Liliya and the others, though prepared, were somewhat panicked and unsure of what to do next.


    ¡°To the deep pit!¡±


    It was then that Rocky suddenly shouted, and immediately, without time for explanations, he flew towards the deep pit.


    Seeing him act so decisively, Liliya and the other two didn¡¯t ask any questions; they immediately followed him, accelerating as they flew towards the deep pit.


    As mentioned earlier, the Dissolving Cave¡¯s deep pit was over thirty meters wide and bottomless, truly a bottomless abyss. Moreover, Rocky and his team were originally on the edge of the pit and had flown up to midair without changing position much, so it was a mere headlong plunge for them to fly directly into the pit.


    A pit over thirty meters wide was definitely spacious enough to admit the four of them. And it wasn¡¯t until they flew into the deep pit that Rocky understood what terror was.


    Being the first to fly into the deep pit, Rocky hovered after descending several tens of meters, and when he looked left and right with the light shot from his Armor¡¯s shoulders, he saw that the sheer walls of the pit were covered with beetles climbing upwards, and here and there, a few Mantis Demons were struggling to climb up as well.


    This scene was absolutely a disaster for those with a fear of swarming insects. At this moment, the chasm¡¯s cliffs were covered with beetles, their dense masses standing one¡¯s hair on end. Although the sight was terrifying, one had to admit that once Rocky had flown into the depths, he was indeed safe.


    Even though the walls of the chasm were covered in beetles, beetles will be beetles; they lacked necks. These fearsome creatures, even aware of Rocky¡¯s presence hovering in the abyss, couldn¡¯t spit green slime at him like they could in the Land Melt Cave, because they were facing away from Rocky, unable to turn their heads, let alone their bodies.


    But one must acknowledge the ferocity of these insects, for upon sensing Rocky¡¯s hovering in the chasm, quite a few beetles leaped straight at him!


    Unfortunately for them, Rocky was now hovering right in the center of the chasm, which is to say, at the center of the circle. This meant that as long as he didn¡¯t actively approach the walls, the beetles that did leap at him would only fall back down into the abyss mid-jump, not having the capability to leap tens of meters in a single bound.


    Soon after, Liliya and the others arrived, hovering around Rocky one by one.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, are you alright?¡±


    Upon glancing at He Nan, Rocky noticed multiple areas on the chest and back of his armor were hit by the green slime, with obvious signs of corrosion.


    The armor He Nan wore was, after all, Fourth Generation. It might sound close to the Fifth Generation Armor, but one mustn¡¯t forget that with the emergence of Rune Armor, and the Sixth Generation Armor on the horizon, even the Fifth Generation was nearing obsolescence, the Fourth even more so that it wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement to call it an antique.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I can still hold on.¡±


    Checking his armor, He Nan responded. Although it was clearly corroded by the green slime, it hadn¡¯t damaged the armor itself, so there was no significant trouble.


    After shaking his head nonchalantly, He Nan looked around, and even he, a tribe chief well-experienced on the land, felt a chill go down his spine at the sight of the densely packed beetles on the surrounding cliffs.


    He now understood just how his predecessor had died, obviously under a similar attack to what they had just faced. Unfortunately, back then only the Chief had Void Magic Armor, so not only could they not withstand the terrifying assault, they didn¡¯t even have a chance to flee.


    Similarly, He Nan also knew that their current situation was not much better than that of his predecessor because they hadn¡¯t truly escaped danger; they had merely taken temporary refuge in the depths of the chasm. But they couldn¡¯t stay there forever!


    Consequently, He Nan turned to Rocky: ¡°City Lord Rocky, what do you plan to do?¡±


    ¡°What else can we do¡­¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky looked straight down at his feet.


    Currently suspended in the middle of the chasm, below him lay pitch darkness, and his meaning was clear: their only option was to continue flying deeper into the chasm to see what lay within!

 Chapter 735 - 698: Alive?!

    Chapter 735: Chapter 698: Alive?!


    To avoid the crisis, Rocky and his group had no choice but to fly into the deep pit.


    This action indeed won them a glimmer of hope, but it also cut off all their retreat options, so the only thing Rocky and his group could do was to continue flying towards the depths of the pit, otherwise they would never get out.


    In such a situation, the four of them could only begin to slowly fly deeper into the pit, covering hundreds of meters!


    ¡°This pit is way too deep¡­¡±


    Looking back while flying, Dusa noticed that the pit¡¯s mouth, originally more than thirty meters in diameter, had shrunk to the size of an egg in her perspective, indicating that they had flown quite a distance downwards, and also that this deep pit was straightforward without any twists, a straight plunge down.


    Even so, even though Rocky and his group had flown down hundreds of meters, looking further down, the pit still seemed bottomless.


    However, although they hadn¡¯t seen the bottom, the insects on the surrounding cliffs were getting smaller, which was indeed true.


    As they continued downwards, Rocky noticed that numerous caves of varying sizes started appearing on the cliffs, and he saw beetles and even Mantis Demons crawling out from these larger caves.


    Only then did Rocky realize that the beetles, including the Mantis Demons they had seen climbing up the pit before, had all actually emerged from these caves. After Rocky and his group passed these caves and continued to descend deeper for a while, there were no more beetles on the surrounding cliffs.


    But they saw something else!


    ¡°Rocky, these¡­ these are¡­¡±


    As the beetles and Mantis Demons disappeared, the four discovered something else on the cave-riddled cliffs, resembling thick tree roots. But when they flew closer, they were all stunned.


    Looking at the things that looked like tree roots coiling around the cliffs, all four were stupefied because they had no idea what they were. They looked like tree roots, but they were not, as these root-like things were clearly wriggling.


    ¡°Are they tentacles?¡±


    Seeing these wriggling roots, Dusa immediately thought of the tentacles they had encountered before.


    ¡°They don¡¯t seem like it¡­¡±


    However, He Nan shook his head after taking a closer look because he had been entangled by tentacles before and knew exactly what they looked like, and what was before him was definitely not that. In He Nan¡¯s view, these things resembled¡­


    ¡°Blood vessels.¡±


    Hovering in front of the thick root-like structures, He Nan looked closely again and again, finally figuring out what these things resembled¡ªthey looked particularly like a bunch of blood vessels!


    ¡°Blood vessels? Impossible!¡±


    Upon hearing his words, Rocky and the others immediately flew up close to the cliff and looked at the root-like structures, and the more closely they looked, the more they realized He Nan was right¡ªthese things indeed looked like blood vessels growing on the cliff!


    ¡°Could it be¡­ could it be that this deep pit is alive?¡±


    Over and over again, Liliya found it increasingly unbelievable. How could there be blood vessels on the cliff? And if that was indeed the case, what did it imply?


    Could it mean that this pit was a living creature?


    This discovery was simply too astonishing and terrifying that almost no one could believe it.


    ¡°Guessing blindly is useless, let¡¯s just try and find out.¡±


    Hovering in front of the cliff, Rocky also furrowed his brows in surprise, but he was calmer than the other three. While the others were still astonished, he had already gripped the scythe in his hand tightly.


    Without waiting for the others to react, Rocky swung his scythe at the cliff! sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The edge of the Magic Fang Scythe was so sharp that not just the root-like thing in front of them which was a blood vessel, even if it had been an actual root, it would have been instantly cut in two. Indeed, that was what happened¡ªRocky¡¯s swing cleaved the root-like thing in half, and immediately afterward, a spurt of purple blood sprayed out, drenching him completely.


    It really was a blood vessel!


    The root-like objects on this cliff were actually blood vessels!


    Heaven¡­


    Upon witnessing this scene, Rocky and the others were stunned. Although they had considered this possibility before, speculation was just speculation, seeing it in reality was another matter altogether. So, they just stood there dumbfounded, watching the severed blood vessel as purple plasma continued to pour out, not knowing what to say.


    ¡°Sir, look!¡±


    Just then, Dusa called out to Rocky and pointed to the side, and Rocky, Liliya, and He Nan saw that the other root-like blood vessels around the severed one began to wriggle as if in pain.


    At first, the movement was very slow, but in just a few seconds, the wriggling of these blood vessels became more and more violent, almost spasmodic. Moreover, as these surrounding blood vessels wriggled fiercely, the amount of purple plasma spewing from the severed vessel increased.


    Suddenly, in an instant, there was a cracking sound, and the cliff face split open, then a huge tentacle burst out from within!


    This massive tentacle, over ten meters long, smashed fiercely towards Liliya and the others after it extended from the cliff.


    Everything happened so suddenly that Liliya and Dusa couldn¡¯t react in time, although He Nan reacted quicker than them and stepped in front, holding his war hammer across his chest, ready to withstand the blow.


    But, before the thrashing tentacle could reach them, a cold light flashed suddenly, and the raised tentacle then fell to the pit¡¯s bottom like a lifeless lump of meat.


    Rocky had cut off the tentacle with one swing!


    When the tentacle had reached out, Liliya and Dusa hadn¡¯t reacted in time, He Nan stepped in front of them, his responses were not too slow, but it was Rocky who reacted the fastest. Almost in the instant the cliff exploded, he had raised the scythe in his hands, and as soon as the tentacle appeared, he swung it down with one fatal blow, severing it instantly without giving it a chance to strike.


    ¡°Quick, let¡¯s go!¡±


    After severing the tentacle with one swing, Rocky didn¡¯t even take a moment to breathe; he promptly yelled to the other three, then led them flying deeper into the area. As if to prove something, right as they flew deeper, there were several loud booms, and four or five tentacles, even thicker and longer than the one before, burst out. They thrashed toward the direction of Rocky and his group frenziedly, hitting the cliff loud and hard!

 Chapter 736 - 699: The Truth at the End

    Chapter 736: Chapter 699: The Truth at the End


    After cutting off a blood vessel on the cliff face, Rocky and his companions were once again attacked by tentacles, and unlike the last time, the tentacles stretching out from the cliff this time were even more terrifying¡ªeach one was at least several dozen meters long, easily capable of sweeping across the entire cave.


    In such a situation, Rocky only managed to sever the first tentacle before he immediately led Liliya and the other two to speed down further, because it was clear that it wasn¡¯t wise for them to battle the tentacles reaching out from all directions here¡ªthey had to continue downward.


    At the same time, after so many experiences, especially after cutting off a blood vessel, Rocky and his party already had a speculation about the secret hidden within this cave.


    This speculation, although still vague, undoubtedly began to take shape, and was so shocking that, although they all had ideas, no one spoke of them¡ªeveryone hoped to confirm their theories after delving even deeper.


    The so-called delving deeper naturally meant penetrating further into this bottomless pit, so taking the opportunity to dodge the tentacles, the four of them quickly descended further, and in the blink of an eye, they had flown down another hundred meters.


    One had to admit, this bottomless pit was truly too deep¡ªjust a rough calculation would reveal that by now, Rocky and his companions had flown down hundreds of meters following the deep pit, at least three hundred or more. This was simply too terrifying, considering that the Dissolving Cave itself was located beneath Red Water Lake, and this deep pit extended hundreds of meters into the earth and appeared to have no end, which inevitably led to wonder where on earth this pit led to¡ªcould it really extend to the end of the world?


    And as they descended continuously, the scenery around Rocky and his companions kept changing, which seemed puzzling. Weren¡¯t they just flying down along the deep pit¡ªwhat else could there be besides the cliff walls?


    Indeed, there was something else¡ªand it was absolutely dumbfounding.


    As they went deeper, the cliff walls around them were completely covered by blood vessels; looking around, the cliff walls were densely packed with blood vessels of varying thicknesses, each one worming as though they were transporting blood.


    Moreover, as they delved deeper, the number of tentacles lashing out from the cliff walls decreased, which Rocky considered might be because the blood vessels were becoming more numerous, and if the tentacles were to reemerge, they would inevitably damage many blood vessels, so they gradually disappeared.


    However, the absence of tentacles did not herald the end of the deep pit. Rocky and his companions continued their flight into the darkness of the deepest region, surrounded by increasingly dense and terrifying blood vessels, and after flying down another hundred meters, they finally saw the end!


    The bottom!


    When Rocky, who was the fastest, saw there was an exit at the end of the deep pit, he suddenly stopped, then clenched the Scythe in his hand tightly.


    As he hovered in front of the exit, the three who were closely following behind him also stopped in succession and then looked toward the exit in front¡ªmore precisely, below them.


    Looking down at the exit beneath their feet, it was almost the same size as the opening inside the Dissolving Cave, with a diameter of over thirty meters. If there was any difference, it was that outside this exit, there was a faint red light emanating in waves!


    From looking down from the opening within the Dissolving Cave, only darkness could be seen, which wasn¡¯t strange, because after Rocky and his companions had personally flown down several hundred meters inside the deep pit, they knew that the pit was indeed bottomless. However, the entrance they saw now was different; it flickered with a red glow, faint it might be, but it at least confirmed one thing¡ªthat beneath this exit, there definitely wouldn¡¯t be another pit.


    Beneath this exit lay the truth!


    ¡°Everyone, prepare yourselves, we need to be extra careful,¡±


    As Rocky uttered these words, he looked at Liliya and the others, who then nodded vigorously. Liliya gripped her Mana Sword tightly, Dusa pulled out her Mana Bow, and as for He Nan, he grabbed his War Hammer. Everyone was ready.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    After nodding to the three, Rocky charged ahead towards the exit and instantly rushed through it. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After he burst through the exit, it was as if everything had turned upside down because he had arrived inside another dissolving cave!


    This cave was even larger than the one above, but since Rocky descended from the exit above, as he hovered in midair, he found himself at the top of the dissolving cave.


    When he looked around, he was immediately struck with a chilling dread. This was no dissolving cave; it was more like the belly of a monster!


    As Rocky looked around, he noticed that although this place was roughly the same size as the dissolving cave, the surroundings were not rock, nor was the ground made of earth. All around him, the walls were covered in thick, dense blood vessels that looked extremely harmful. What was even more terrifying was that on the ground of the giant dissolving cave, there were red cocoons, each a few meters in size!


    These red cocoons looked like huge forbidden fruits, but in reality, they were massive cocoons, covered with fine blood veins and emitting a faint red glow. The red light they had seen in the deep pit earlier came from these red cocoons.


    And if one looked closely at these giant cocoons, through the faint red light they emitted, one could make out the silhouettes inside¡­ Demons!


    Without a doubt, these cocoon corrupted beings were Demons!


    This scene left Rocky absolutely stunned, even though he had somehow anticipated it.


    It had been mentioned before that as they ventured deeper into the pit, the experiences along the way had led Rocky to some speculation, especially after seeing the blood vessels on the cliffs. Rocky had suspected that beneath Red Water Lake amidst this otherworldly realm, there might be a giant creature hiding!


    This monster had merged with the deep pit of the earth, which is why they had found blood vessels on the cliffs of the pit. As for the Beetles and Mantis Demons they encountered before, these creatures were very likely¡­ parasites of the giant monster?


    This conjecture had already formed in Rocky¡¯s and the others¡¯ minds, but even so, when Rocky saw all this with his own eyes, he was still shocked. More importantly, the reality before him far exceeded his expectations, because he had never imagined that he would see so many cocoons here, nor did he expect that these cocoons would be incubating Demons!


    When he finally calmed down and looked towards the floor of the dissolving cave, again he felt an uncontrollable chill because there were, on the ground of the dissolving cave, as many as tens of thousands of cocoons!

 Chapter 737 - 700: The Egg of the Demons!

    Chapter 737: Chapter 700: The Egg of the Demons!


    Looking around, Rocky saw thousands of cocoons emitting a regular red glow, completely covering the entire Dissolving Cave!


    This scene was not only horrifying, but it also made Rocky¡¯s skin crawl.


    ¡°My God¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually true¡­¡±


    ¡°This place is really a monster¡¯s belly¡­¡±


    As Rocky was shocked by everything he saw before him, Liliya, Dusa, and He Nan also came to his side. The trio had the same reaction upon seeing the contents of the Dissolving Cave, their faces filled with shock after clearly seeing everything!


    It was terrifying!


    The contents of this Dissolving Cave were absolutely terrifying and so sensational that it stunned them all right there on the spot.


    ¡°Go take a look!¡±


    While the trio remained stunned, Rocky was the first to snap out of it and immediately lowered his altitude after speaking.


    He now had a premonition, one extremely strong and ominous. He felt as though he had uncovered an earth-shattering secret!


    So, after snapping out of it, he immediately lowered his altitude, and Liliya and the others, prompted by his actions, quickly regained their senses and followed him, approaching the densely packed cocoons inside the cave.


    It didn¡¯t take long before the four of them landed on the ground. Unfortunately, because the cocoons were so numerous and completely covered the cave floor, the four could only search for gaps to barely stand.


    ¡°Are these¡­ all Demons?¡±


    Standing in front of a cocoon that resembled an egg but was taller than a person, Liliya looked closely. Apart from seeing many tiny blood vessels on the cocoon shells, the faint red light emitted by the cocoons allowed her to see through the shell to the thing inside¡ªa figure even taller than her. Although it was curled up inside the cocoon, she could still make out its ferocious contours, even just from the shadows.


    Without a doubt, there was a Demon inside.


    ¡°What exactly is this place¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly what kind of Demons are in these cocoons?¡±


    After clearly seeing the Demons inside the cocoons, Liliya said incredulously, though her questions went unanswered.


    Research on Demons over the past century had never ceased; a separate discipline called Demonology had even been established, as well as many demonologists. Unfortunately, none of the four present were demonologists, and their understanding of Demons was basically only related to fighting; beyond that, they really didn¡¯t know.


    Because of this, they were completely baffled by the cocoons they now faced before them.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to ponder, just look and you will know.¡±


    While everyone else was puzzled and could not find the answer, Rocky said this and then decisively raised his Magic Fang Scythe.


    Since none of them could tell what kind of demon was inside the cocoons, why not just cut it open and see?


    Thus, Rocky gently used the scythe to slash across the surface of the cocoon. With a swish, a large gash was made, and immediately after, a large amount of sticky fluid came pouring out of the slash. Soon, it covered the ground. After all the fluid inside the cocoon had drained, Rocky stepped forward, grasped the shell of the cocoon, and tore it open.


    It was odd, the shell of the cocoon, which was initially hard, became soft after all the fluid drained out. It felt like a thick flap, and once Rocky peeled off the shell completely, the demon inside fell out with a thud.


    ¡°Sss¡­sss¡­¡±


    After the demon fell out of the cocoon, it curled up on the ground, emitting a series of soft hisses¡ªit was actually alive!


    Although Rocky and his companions were not well-versed in Demonology or Demon Dissection, they had basic common sense. They understood from the pain in the demon¡¯s cries what had happened.


    Clearly, the fluid that had poured from the cocoon was some sort of nutrient meant to aid the demon¡¯s incubation. Unfortunately, Rocky had cut it open before the demon had fully developed, hence why it was now half-dead. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Realizing this, the four of them looked together at the demon curled up on the ground. This demon was neither a Beetle nor a Mantis Demon, which everyone had guessed by then, having already seen the demon¡¯s outline through the red glow emanating from the cocoon. The demon in the cocoon looked more like a normal demon as Rocky and his associates recognized.


    This demon had a humanoid form, its body entirely red, with two horns growing on its head. These horns, evidently undeveloped, were just tiny tips¡ªmaking it hard to discern what it would look like fully grown. However, on the demon¡¯s back¡­ were indeed a pair of fleshy wings!


    Yes, wings. There was a pair of wings growing on the demon¡¯s back!


    Even though the demon was clearly not yet fully developed, with its back wings looking flimsy and merely a layer of skin stuck to its back, a closer look revealed that these were undoubtedly real fleshy wings!


    It was upon seeing these wings that Rocky and the others finally understood what kind of demon was being incubated in the cocoons, a Flying Demon!


    Indeed, ever since the Flying Demon first appeared, demonologists had been researching their origins. Of course, everyone knew they must have evolved, but how these beings came about was a mystery. Were they born from some other demons? Or did they come into existence via some other methods? Or perhaps they even, like when demons first appeared, came directly from the Otherworld¡ªnobody knew for certain because there was still too much that remained unknown about Flying Demons.


    But now, this mystery had finally been unraveled¡ªthe Flying Demons were hatched!


    Never had they expected this to be a Flying Demon, not just Liliya and the others, but even Rocky, who was usually the most decisive, was stunned. The revelation was completely unexpected. Even though he had anticipated they might uncover a major secret this time, he had never imagined it would be something so immense!


    They had actually found the birthplace of Flying Demons?!


    At this thought, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but look around; all he could see were cocoons, thousands of them!


    And all of these were Flying Demons!


    Terrifying, shocking, unbelievable¡ªat this moment, numerous thoughts surged through Rocky¡¯s mind, and like Liliya, he was rooted to the spot, staring at the thousands of cocoons, at a loss for what to do next¡­

 Chapter 738 - 701: Mother Worm!

    Chapter 738: Chapter 701: Mother Worm!


    In these thousands upon thousands of cocoons, there were actually Flying Demons¡­!


    This outcome, unexpected by everyone including Rocky, after some thought, seemed also to make sense.


    Flying Demons were a new breed of demon, and people knew far too little about them; thus, it didn¡¯t seem strange for these demons to have hatched from the cocoons. Moreover, considering the recent demon attack, new problems arose.


    In the recent massive demon attack, Backhill Village was also a target. Among the demons that attacked Backhill Village were tens of thousands of Flying Demons. Now, looking at the cocoons scattered throughout the Dissolving Cave revealed the origins of those Flying Demons. They hadn¡¯t appeared out of nowhere; they had hatched from this cave.


    If the timeline were shifted back to the wartime period when the Sky Alliance and Kafka Empire first encountered Flying Demons, Rocky had been there. He remembered clearly: while both fleets engaged in fierce combat, tens of thousands of Flying Demons flew out from the demon-occupied Tulip City. Now, thinking about it, beneath the occupied Tulip City, there likely was a vast Dissolving Cave incubating tens of thousands of Flying Demons as well¡­


    Having pieced all this together, Rocky now understood what was happening at the Cave of Blood Cries¡ªit was a major base for hatching Flying Demons!


    ¡°Rocky, what should we do?¡±


    As Rocky furrowed his brows, Liliya asked from his side.


    With so many cocoons before them, all containing Flying Demons, how were they to deal with this?


    Ignoring them was not an option, because anyone could realize that if the thousands of cocoons hatched, they would inevitably release tens of thousands of Flying Demons, whose next target would definitely be Backhill Village, as they had already attacked it once before.


    Therefore, these demons¡ªor rather, these cocoons¡ªhad to be destroyed.


    But the problem arose: with so many cocoons, how could they be completely eradicated?


    If these cocoons were located somewhere on land, Rocky only needed to gather his fleet for a bombardment. With the powerful combat capability of the Rune Battleships, eradicating the tens of thousands of cocoons would be an easy task. However, the cocoons were in the Dissolving Cave, deep underground at a depth of hundreds of meters. Such terrain meant that neither warships nor the Guard Corps and Void Magic Corps could be of use. Not to forget, to reach this depth, they had to get past the attacks from beetles and Mantis Demons. With the military force at Rocky¡¯s disposal, confronting so many beetles was impossible.


    ¡°First, let¡¯s inspect the area; give me a moment to think.¡±


    Liliya¡¯s question was precisely what Rocky was pondering over, but unfortunately, he had yet to find an answer. With their limited manpower, eradicating all the cocoons was simply impossible, and he couldn¡¯t think of any other way¡­


    Just then, as Rocky was deep in thought and the others were about to look around, a sudden, violent shaking occurred within the cave, accompanied by a loud boom!


    The boom and the shaking arrived simultaneously, immediately drawing their attention and disrupting Rocky¡¯s train of thought. As they looked towards the source of the noise, they saw something moving in the deepest, darkest part of the cave.


    Boom¡­


    Boom¡­


    Boom¡­


    The sound of enormous footsteps made all four of them look towards the deepest part of the Dissolving Cave; soon after, aided by the faint light emitted by the cocoons, they saw a massive figure emerging from the darkness.


    The appearance of this figure made everyone gasp in shock!


    Because the figure was so tall¡ªat a glance, it stood dozens of meters high in the darkness, massive like a small mountain, each step causing the entire Dissolving Cave to tremble.


    Soon thereafter, the immense figure stepped out of the darkness and revealed its true form in front of the four.


    It was a creature as large as a Moving Fortress, resembling a spider!


    To say it resembled a spider was because the creature had eight legs and its body was like a huge sphere, making it appear spider-like, but a closer look would reveal it was not a spider at all. Its massive belly looked like a huge cocoon; no, it was exactly like a cocoon, covered in thick blood vessels and emitting a faint red light.


    And in the instant they saw this huge creature, everyone immediately knew what it was¡ªit was a Mother Worm!


    Although Rocky and his companions did not understand the reproduction of Demons, just one look at this creature made everyone realize that all the cocoons scattered around the Dissolving Cave must have been produced by this monster. So even though they didn¡¯t know what this massive creature was called, they were certain it was a Mother Worm, a First Level being among the Demons.


    ¡°Kill it!¡±


    The moment Rocky saw the enormous Mother Worm, he made a judgement¡ªit absolutely must not be allowed to live.


    Although there were thousands of cocoons in the Dissolving Cave, destroying them would be useless as long as this Mother Worm-like creature existed. It could produce even more Flying Demons no matter how many he destroyed, so the only way to prevent further trouble was to kill this Mother Worm!


    This logic, understood not only by Rocky but also by everyone else, required no further explanation. The moment Rocky soared into the air, Liliya and the other two followed him into the sky, and immediately flew towards the Mother Worm.


    ¡°Hiss! Hiss!¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The instant they took flight, the Mother Worm, moving its massive body, also emitted a series of hissing sounds, clearly having noticed Rocky and his group. However, due to its immense size, even as it hissed, the fastest among them, Rocky, had already charged close to it!


    Although the Mother Worm was as large as a Moving Fortress, a colossal creature Rocky had never encountered before, his combat experience was rich, and he instantly spotted the Mother Worm¡¯s weakness¡ªit was too massive. Therefore, after approaching it, he spiraled in midair and swiftly closed in on one of its legs, then fiercely slashed it with his Scythe!


    Against such a colossal creature, the best strategy was to sever its limbs to restrict its movement. Once its movement was restricted, the giant creature was no different from a live target.


    Thus, upon approaching the Mother Worm, Rocky aimed a blow at its leg, but as he swung the Magic Fang Scythe down hard, there was a clang¡ªthe infallible Magic Fang Scythe was unexpectedly blocked by the hard shell on the leg¡­!

 Chapter 739 - 702 Siege!

    Chapter 739: Chapter 702 Siege!


    Rocky reached the Mother Worm in an instant, raising the Magic Fang Scythe and viciously chopping at one of the Mother Worm¡¯s legs, but the result was as if he had struck stone, and the Magic Fang Scythe was repelled.


    This scene greatly exceeded Rocky¡¯s expectations, for since he had obtained the Magic Fang Scythe, he had never met an opponent it could not cut through. It was almost like slicing through tofu, and this was the first time it had been blocked, even deflected. However, in the blink of an eye, Rocky understood what had happened.


    There were two reasons why the Magic Fang Scythe was exceedingly sharp: first, because the blade was made from a Knife Fox Demon¡¯s scythe, making it incredibly sharp; and second, because the scythe was covered in Mana Runes, which when activated for charging, could enhance the sharpness even further. Now, however, there was a problem.


    First, the reason why the Knife Fox Demon¡¯s scythe was sharp was because it was a high-level demon¡¯s weapon, but this Mother Worm seemed to be no less than a high-level demon in rank. In fact, in some respects, the Mother Worm¡¯s level could very well be higher than that of the Knife Fox Demon. This meant it was likely a being above high-level demons, and so the scythe made by the Knife Fox Demon didn¡¯t have enough sharpness to wound the Mother Worm on its own.


    Second, Rocky had not activated the Rune when he struck, and it had to be said that he had been complacent in this regard. He hadn¡¯t expected the Mother Worm to be so troublesome.


    But in reality, the difficulties the Mother Worm presented were beyond imagination!


    Just when the Magic Fang Scythe in Rocky¡¯s hand was repelled, the Mother Worm let out a hiss and swung its leg with unimaginable speed, severely striking Rocky!


    Keep in mind that the Mother Worm was a colossal creature spanning dozens of meters, so enormous that it could be said to be bigger than a Moving Fortress. Therefore, the eight legs that supported its huge body were like columns of poison, each over ten meters long. Yet now, as the Mother Worm viciously whipped its leg at Rocky, it demonstrated an agility beyond belief, hitting Rocky before he even had a chance to dodge.


    In an instant, Rocky was like a kite with its string cut, whooshing backward, knocked all the way to the other end of the Dissolving Cave and out of sight.


    At the same time, as he was being knocked away, Liliya, Dusa, and He Nan also coincidentally felt the impact and just happened to witness Rocky being hit, even brushing past the flying Rocky as they rushed forward¡­


    Seeing Rocky flying past them, the three wanted to help but were helpless to do so, as at that moment the Mother Worm had already targeted them! S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Go for its body! Its abdomen is the weak point!¡±


    Rushing towards the Mother Worm, He Nan roared and suddenly accelerated into flight, and once close to the Mother Worm¡¯s head, he swung up the War Hammer in his hand and smashed it down hard!


    A loud thud echoed as He Nan¡¯s War Hammer struck the Mother Worm¡¯s head, crowned with many eyes, with such force that even his own hand went numb. However, this powerful blow only caused the Mother Worm¡¯s head to tilt slightly downward, beyond that it had no effect.


    And his strike had no effect, but the Mother Worm was clearly enraged, rearing its head and snapping at him with an open mouth!


    The enormous Mother Worm, even with only half its gaping mouth open, was large enough to swallow He Nan whole, let alone when it opens completely. Under these conditions, He Nan dared not pause for even a moment, immediately retreating explosively backwards.


    In an instant, He Nan retreated seven or eight meters to barely dodge the Mother Worm¡¯s bite, but he did not continue to run away. Instead, he charged forward again, swinging his War Hammer down fiercely once more.


    Regrettably, just like before, though He Nan was exceptionally brave, and his War Hammer was embedded with the Mountain Opening Stone, he was too insignificant compared to the Mother Worm. The vast disparity in size between them created a chasm-like difference in strength, so no matter how He Nan attacked with his War Hammer, it was no more bothersome to the Mother Worm than a mere itch.


    But he had no intention of stopping, for he knew he must do this.


    As the strongest warrior of the Fireteng Tribe, He Nan¡¯s formidable strength and extensive battle experience made him no less capable than Rocky, so he was very aware of the enormous gulf in power between himself and the Mother Worm. Nonetheless, he knew he needed to focus all his strength on the attack because only by doing so could he create an opportunity for Liliya and Dusa!


    In fact, while He Nan was grappling with the Mother Worm at the risk of being swallowed in one bite, Dusa had already flown to a distant spot. She was neither fleeing nor avoiding combat, but as an Archer, she was finding the best position to strike from.


    Once she had distanced herself from the Mother Worm, Dusa immediately began shooting arrows, pulling her bowstring continuously, firing relentlessly at the giant belly of the Mother Worm. By then, her Mana Bow was gleaming as she had fully activated all the runes on the arrows, with each arrow she shot having enough power to instantly kill a Normal Demon with the enhancement of the runes.


    Simultaneously, Liliya had also drawn close to the Mother Worm, aiming specifically at its belly.


    He Nan proved his mettle as a battle-hardened warrior; his previous assertion was spot on¡ªthe weak point of the Mother Worm was indeed its massive belly. Compared to its legs and body, which were covered with a hard shell, its cocoon-like belly appeared extremely fragile. The enormous belly lacked a shell and was covered in clearly visible veins, making it obviously vulnerable; if not for a twist of fate, it was likely that all those cocoons in the Dissolving Cave were produced from this vast belly.


    So, upon getting close to the belly, Liliya wasted no time in lifting her left hand to shoot a series of Mana Points. Then, the Armor on her shoulder opened up, revealing the Magic Energy Beam Emitter hidden within the shoulder guards. Finally, a small cannon barrel extended from her back, but it fired a Rune Mana Cannon shot of extremely high potency. In the blink of an eye, Liliya had activated all the weapons of the Red Flame Goddess, unleashing all her firepower on the Armor.


    However, even then, the damage she inflicted on the Mother Worm was limited. Although she was attacking the Mother Worm¡¯s most vulnerable area, its belly, the creature was thick-skinned and tough. Liliya¡¯s attacks, despite turning the surface of the belly into a bloody mess in an instant, only wounded the outer layer of skin; the vital organs underneath remained relatively unscathed.


    Nevertheless, the Mother Worm still felt the pain and attempted to crush Liliya beneath its enormous body by sitting down, planning to squash her alive!

 Chapter 740 - 703: Not Just One!

    Chapter 740: Chapter 703: Not Just One!


    Liliya¡¯s harassment clearly enraged the Mother Worm, causing it to abandon its feigned attack on the directly facing He Nan. It plopped its colossal body onto the ground, intending to crush Liliya to death!


    As the massive Mother Worm sat down, the entire Dissolving Cave shook. This startled He Nan below, who until now had been drawing the Mother Worm¡¯s attention above and could not see Liliya¡¯s situation. He braced himself for the worst outcome.


    Fortunately, just as He Nan was becoming frantic, the Mother Worm let out a pained scream. He Nan then saw a jet of blood erupting from its abdomen!


    Liliya had not been crushed by the Mother Worm. The moment its gigantic body started to sit down, she quickly maximized the speed of her Armor, barely skimming past the Mother Worm¡¯s abdomen. But that was not all; as she flew out, she also used the Mana Sword to slash a huge gash across the Mother Worm¡¯s belly!


    Knowing the Mother Worm had thick skin and tough flesh, Liliya went all out, plunging the Mana Sword deep into its belly. The wound she inflicted was not only immense but also profoundly deep, dealing a severe blow to the tough-skinned Mother Worm!


    For a moment, pain prevented the Mother Worm from getting up again, leaving it with no choice but to wail incessantly, undoubtedly giving the three fighters their best opportunity.


    He Nan had the quickest reaction among the three. He instantly flew up from the Mother Worm¡¯s head and in a blink, reached one of its legs. He hefted his War Hammer and smashed it down hard against the Mother Worm¡¯s leg.


    With that hammer strike, a crisp crack followed, and the Mother Worm¡¯s screaming intensified. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Logically, it should not have been so easy. Each of the Mother Worm¡¯s eight legs was protected by an exceptionally thick shell, impenetrable to even the Magic Fang Scythe, let alone a blunt weapon like the War Hammer. But one must not forget how experienced He Nan was in combat. He didn¡¯t strike head-on; instead, he targeted the joint of the thigh.


    As mentioned before, the Mother Worm resembled a gigantic spider. Therefore, all eight of its legs had joints, and the point He Nan¡¯s War Hammer aimed at was precisely one of these joints, where the shell was most fragile. Consequently, his hammer shattered the joint with a single blow!


    Simultaneously, Liliya and Dusa were not idling. After discovering that a Magic Energy Arrow was capable of slicing open the Mother Worm¡¯s abdomen, Liliya continued to press her attack. Leveraging the Void Magic Armor¡¯s flight advantage, she plunged into the Mother Worm¡¯s belly once more. Then, accelerating the Armor, she used the momentum to carve out another massive wound.


    Meanwhile, Dusa had once again drawn her Mana Bow from a distance. This time, however, she didn¡¯t aim for the abdomen, as the Mother Worm¡¯s belly was too tough. Her Magic Energy Arrows, despite being powerful enough to kill a Normal Demon instantly, hardly affected the Mother Worm¡¯s abdomen. So, decisively changing her target, she now aimed at the Mother Worm¡¯s head.


    Draw the bow.


    Aim.


    Charge.


    Release the arrow!


    This series of actions flowed smoothly in Dusa¡¯s hands, and as she released a Magic Energy Arrow fully charged with mana, a whizzing sound followed. The shot arrow, like a bolt of lightning bright enough to illuminate the Dissolving Cave, streaked towards the Mother Worm.


    A moment later, the Magic Energy Arrow precisely struck the Mother Worm¡­ in the eye!


    This shot, to He Nan who was unfamiliar with Dusa¡¯s archery, was simply inconceivable, because although the Mother Worm was monstrously huge, its head was not particularly large, let alone a pair of eyes on the head. Nevertheless, Dusa hit the target with a single arrow, such high-level archery was beyond He Nan¡¯s imagination.


    After being hit by this arrow, half of the Mother Worm¡¯s head exploded instantly, and the deafening roar stopped as a result. Clearly, no matter how massive it was, no matter how thick-skinned and even if the shell on its head was extremely hard, the eyes were still the most vulnerable part. Thus, after being hit by an arrow, half of the Mother Worm¡¯s head was blown off, silencing it.


    Just when Liliya and the others thought they had finally brought down the behemoth, the Mother Worm, which seemed to have died, suddenly let out a roar and abruptly stood up. Kicking out, it sent He Nan, who was closest, flying, and that wasn¡¯t all; after launching He Nan away, the Mother Worm spewed a stream of Green Slime from its half-remaining mouth towards Dusa in the distance, showering her like a fountain!


    Facing the spray of Green Slime from the Mother Worm, Dusa dodged in fright, at the same time the Mother Worm started moving its massive body, its seven legs working in unison, quickly changing its orientation and spotting Liliya, who had been hiding underneath its abdomen. Then, another gush of Green Slime was spat out.


    In an instant, within a mere moment, Liliya, Dusa, and He Nan were battered and scattered by the Mother Worm. There was no helping it, it wasn¡¯t that they were too weak, but the life force of this mammoth Mother Worm was simply too resilient. Even with half its head shot away by a Magic Energy Arrow, one leg smashed by He Nan, and two huge wounds cut open by Liliya on its abdomen, from which blood was now profusely pouring, the Mother Worm was still alive and managed to put the three of them in a sorry state in the blink of an eye.


    However, at that moment, just as the Mother Worm sent flying whoever it could and was ready to chase after them, Rocky¡¯s figure came flying in from the depths of the Dissolving Cave!


    Not only did he fly rapidly, but the Magic Fang Scythe in his hands was also completely illuminated with runes, almost blinding in the pitch-black Dissolving Cave.


    Under such circumstances, Rocky, putting all his effort into accelerating, was almost instantly upon the Mother Worm, then leapt into the air, and with a sweep of the scythe in his hand, he brought it down hard.


    A flash of crescent moonlight and the scythe fell from above the Mother Worm¡¯s head, slitting it right through without any resistance. As Rocky landed heavily on the ground, there was a crack, and the Mother Worm¡¯s body, as huge as a mound, slowly split into two halves in front of him, followed by a heavy shower of blood.


    ¡°My god¡­¡±


    Amidst the shower of blood, He Nan was stunned by the sight of the Mother Worm¡¯s body cloven in two. He knew Rocky was formidable and understood the White Demon Armor must be extraordinary, but he had never imagined that Rocky could possess such overwhelming combat power to bisect the Mother Worm in a single stroke!


    While He Nan was in shock and Liliya and Dusa exhaled in relief, Rocky, having taken care of the Mother Worm with a single slash, shouted at them, ¡°Quick, let¡¯s go! Leave this place!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Upon hearing this, He Nan regained his senses, and both Liliya and Dusa looked at Rocky with puzzlement, not understanding why he was insisting they leave in such a hurry when the Mother Worm had already been dealt with.


    Just then, before Rocky could explain, roars echoed from the depths of the Dissolving Cave, and once again, the figure of the Mother Worm appeared. And it wasn¡¯t just one, but three of them!

 Chapter 741 - 704: Escape to Heaven

    Chapter 741: Chapter 704: Escape to Heaven


    Rocky¡¯s all-out strike cleaved the Mother Worm in two, leaving everyone¡¯s jaws dropped in shock and relief. But before they could catch their breath, the Dissolving Cave trembled once more.


    Looking in the direction of the trembling, Liliya and the others saw not one, but¡­ three Mother Worms!


    Following the tremors, Liliya and her companions quickly saw three gigantic Mother Worms emerge from the darkness, appearing like three moving hills, terrifying and exerting immense pressure.


    ¡°How¡­ how is this possible¡­¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As they watched the three Mother Worms roar and barrel toward them, everyone was stunned. They finally understood why it had taken Rocky so long to return after being flung away and why he had urged everyone to leave immediately after killing the Mother Worm¡ªit was because of this!


    Indeed, the reason Rocky took such a long time to come back after being flung to the depths of the Dissolving Cave was that he almost crashed into another Mother Worm. It was this encounter that was reason enough for him to realize that the Dissolving Cave was home to more than just one Mother Worm.


    On closer thought, it was evident that the thousands of cocoons in the Dissolving Cave couldn¡¯t have been the progeny of only one Mother Worm. It had to be several Mother Worms to produce so many Flying Demons. But this meant that staying in the cave was not an option for Rocky and his companions.


    Don¡¯t assume that because Rocky easily split the Mother Worm in half with one strike that they are easy to defeat. On the contrary, the enormous Mother Worms possess strength in proportion to their vast size. Rocky was able to cut it in half so easily because Liliya and the other two had already severely wounded the Mother Worm, and because of the power of the White Demon Armor and the Magic Fang Scythe.


    But now, facing three Mother Worms appearing simultaneously, it wasn¡¯t going to be easy for Rocky to dispose of them all. Given the strength the Mother Worm had previously demonstrated, should even one survive, it would pose a massive threat to both Rocky and the other three. Therefore, unless Rocky could instantly slay all three Mother Worms at once, he had no confidence in entangling with such creatures any longer.


    Thus, Rocky made an immediate decision¡ªthey couldn¡¯t stay here any longer. Though somewhat unwilling to leave, they had to depart. If they left now, there might still be a chance to return, but if they all died here, everything would indeed be over.


    After that, without a second word, Rocky immediately led Liliya and the others flying toward the exit above. They fled through the opening before the three Mother Worms got any closer, flying back into the chasm.


    ¡°Rocky, are we just leaving like this?¡±


    Back in the chasm, although everyone breathed a sigh of relief, they also felt unease. They all knew that if they left this time, it might not be so easy to come back again. Although unwilling to admit it, they had to acknowledge that the Demons were breeding in such a concealed place, undoubtedly as a precaution against humans. It was conceivable that after they left this time, returning would be extremely difficult.


    Moreover, even if they could come back, dealing with the three Mother Worms¡ªor worse, the tens of thousands of Flying Demons about to hatch¡ªwould still be a headache.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Rocky was well aware of this issue, but he remained firm in his decision¡ªthey needed to leave as soon as possible. He would rather abandon this place than let his people die in this cursed location. That was his bottom line.


    ¡°Hiss! Hiss!¡±


    However, just as Rocky was about to speak with a frown, a series of roaring hisses came from the Dissolving Cave. Looking down through the exit, the four of them saw the three Mother Worms below!


    They¡¯ve actually caught up!


    Just as they saw the Mother Worm had reached the entrance, everyone was alarmed, quickly maneuvering their Armors to accelerate and start flying upwards, but at the very moment they accelerated their ascent, they heard a loud boom, and the Mother Worm¡¯s eight legs suddenly sank downwards, and then, just as quickly, it leaped into the entrance!


    Upon entering the pit, the Mother Worm¡¯s huge body spread its eight legs in an instant, barely gripping the surrounding cliffs as if casting a giant net inside the deep pit, then began to climb up relentlessly.


    ¡°My God! How did this thing climb up here!¡±


    Looking down, they saw a creature of enormous size climbing up from the Dissolving Cave below, leaving Rocky and his companions dumbstruck, never having imagined that the Mother Worm, with its massive body, could climb up through the entrance.


    Now they were in trouble, as Rocky and the others didn¡¯t even have the chance to discuss their next move, hurriedly speeding up their climb without any delay.


    When they had flown down earlier, Rocky and his team had also been pursued by tentacles, but the situation now was far more dangerous than before. Despite the Mother Worm¡¯s enormous size, or precisely because of it, when it climbed up the cliff walls, it moved incredibly fast. Each movement it made allowed it to ascend more than ten meters. Although the frequency was slow, its speed was not at all slower than Rocky and his team.


    In such dire straits, Rocky didn¡¯t dare to pause or delay. He pushed the Armor¡¯s speed to the maximum. It had to be admitted that the advantages of the Void Magic Armor were immense under these circumstances: its flying ability combined with its superior speed eventually enabled Rocky and his team to create a safe distance from the Mother Worm, which continued to grow larger.


    But just then, just when Rocky and his team had breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly, several huge tentacles burst out from the depths of the cliffs, instantly blocking their path!


    ¡°Stick with me!¡±


    The suddenly appearing tentacles frightened everyone, but Rocky¡¯s reaction was lightning-fast. The moment the tentacles reached out, he swung the Scythe in his hand, slicing the tentacles into pieces in just a few swipes, then quickly led Liliya and the others past the tentacle blockade.


    However, after this, more tentacles burst forth from the cliffs, and began flailing wildly within the walls. Although they were not fast, they undoubtedly slowed Rocky and his team¡¯s escape, allowing the Mother Worm, which had been left behind, to catch up again.


    Left with no choice, Rocky had to take the lead, sweeping away all obstacles with his Scythe while considering how to break through.


    Given the current situation, with Rocky¡¯s strength, if he cleared the path ahead, the tentacles would definitely not be able to stop them. If the tentacles couldn¡¯t stop them, then the Mother Worm behind would certainly not be able to catch up. But the problem was what to do after they emerged from the deep pit.


    After all, the Dissolving Cave above had been occupied by Beetles and Mantis Demons. Therefore, even if Rocky and his team manage to break through the deep pit successfully, they would still have to face endless Beetles and Mantis Demons. And without a doubt, the Mother Worm would eventually also break into the Dissolving Cave above. What should they do then?


    How exactly could they escape from this place?


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡±


    As this thought struck him, a spark of inspiration flashed across Rocky¡¯s mind. He then turned back and shouted to Liliya, ¡°Liliya! Dusa! Take He Nan and stick close to me, we¡¯re going to speed up!¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 742 - 705: Blast a Way Out!

    Chapter 742: Chapter 705: Blast a Way Out!


    With tentacles blocking the front and the Mother Worm chasing from behind, Rocky chose to risk it all and suddenly increased the speed of his armor¡¯s flight.


    Seeing him accelerate, Liliya and Dusa each took one side and grabbed He Nan. Before He Nan could understand what was happening, they also sped up, catching up with Rocky.


    Not until this moment did He Nan realize that Rocky and the others had not been flying at top speed before; now they were.


    Indeed, that was true. Before this, Rocky, Liliya, and Dusa had merely maintained high speed, but they had not pushed their armor to its limits. This wasn¡¯t due to overconfidence but rather consideration for He Nan, as his Fourth-Generation Armor was no match for the Rune Armor in terms of speed.


    But now that was no longer possible. Now, Rocky and the others couldn¡¯t just slowly progress; trapped between attacks from both front and back, they needed to leave at their highest speed. Without Liliya and Dusa¡¯s help, He Nan would have nearly instantly fallen behind as soon as the trio reached their peak speed.


    As Liliya and Dusa rapidly propelled He Nan forward, Rocky led the way and cleared all obstacles, severing the tentacles stretching out of the cliffs with his scythe. Since their speed was so fast, there wasn¡¯t enough time for new tentacles to emerge from the cliffs before they flew past.


    This way, the tentacles were no longer a barrier, and the high pace finally allowed them to shake off the Mother Worm, appearing as though the four had escaped the danger.


    But that clearly wasn¡¯t enough. Rocky had suddenly increased the speed because he had already thought of a way to eradicate the threat permanently, a method that would not only allow them to escape but would also bury all the demons here¡ªincluding the Mother Worm, the myriad cocoons, and even the countless beetles!


    Afterward, Rocky engaged the full power of his White Demon Armor, his speed increasing even more. He not only shook off the Mother Worm chasing behind but also created a gap between himself, Liliya, and Dusa. Of course, this was expected since, although Liliya and Dusa¡¯s armor was the same one-rank as the White Demon Armor, it was still somewhat inferior, especially since they were also carrying He Nan. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under these circumstances, Rocky quickly saw the exit of the deep pit, meaning they were about to return to the Dissolving Cave above.


    But this was not something to be relieved about yet because the upper Dissolving Cave was filled with countless beetles and Mantis Demons, a danger not inferior in any way to the Mother Worm below. However, Rocky had already figured out a solution.


    As he began destroying all the obstructive tentacles at top speed and approached the pit¡¯s exit, he adjusted his position and opened his chest plate, revealing the massive cannon mounted inside!


    Demon Annihilation Cannon!


    As Rocky unveiled the Demon Annihilation Cannon, even though Liliya and Dusa didn¡¯t previously know what he intended to do, they now understood: he clearly wasn¡¯t planning on returning the same way they came, as the route was now blocked by beetles. Rocky was planning to blast a new path with the Demon Annihilation Cannon!


    Yes, that was exactly what he was thinking!


    As previously mentioned, the path the four had taken was now swarming with Beetles and Mantis Demons, making it impossible to leave through the same route under the relentless attack of countless Beetles and Mantis Demons. Therefore, Rocky thought of this plan: he would use the Demon Annihilation Cannon to blast a way out.


    The current location was several hundred meters underground. If it were merely beneath the ground, Rocky¡¯s plan would have been completely unviable, because even the Demon Annihilation Cannon couldn¡¯t possibly blow a path through hundreds of meters to the surface, which was impossible, but don¡¯t forget the existence of Red Water Lake.


    Indeed, Rocky and his group were hundreds of meters underground; however, it wasn¡¯t solid rock that was above them, but Red Water Lake.


    Remember when they had just reached the upper Dissolving Cave, He Nan noticed water dripping from above the cave and then deduced their position right beneath Red Water Lake, which also proved another thing: the layer of rock between the Dissolving Cave and Red Water Lake was not very thick. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for lake water to seep through the rock layer into the Dissolving Cave. This provided Rocky with an opportunity. The Demon Annihilation Cannon might not be able to blow through hundreds of meters of rock, but blasting a hole in the Dissolving Cave to let the water from Red Water Lake pour in was still feasible.


    As long as this was achieved, it would be equivalent to blasting an exit within the Dissolving Cave itself, and Rocky and his team could use this exit to escape the cave. Although this was still quite risky, since all four were equipped with Void Magic Armor, and besides He Nan, they wore the most advanced Rune Armor of today, overcoming this difficulty was not too hard.


    Furthermore, once the lake water flooded the Dissolving Cave, whether it be the countless Beetles inside, the tens of thousands of cocoons, or the terrifying three Mother Worms, all would be drowned by the lake water!


    This was the solution Rocky came up with, fraught with danger, but if successful, it would resolve the issue once and for all, utterly destroying the place!


    So, once he activated the Demon Annihilation Cannon, Rocky immediately put the White Demon Armor into full-state mode. The runes drawn on the armor were all activated at this moment, greatly enhancing the armor¡¯s mana, and all these mana were channeled exclusively into the Demon Annihilation Cannon, significantly increasing its power and greatly reducing the charging time of the cannon.


    While flying at high speed and activating the Demon Annihilation Cannon, it was almost at the same moment they approached the pit¡¯s exit that the Demon Annihilation Cannon finally charged completely. By then, not only did Rocky see the exit, but he also saw countless Beetles tumbling out from the exit, obviously too impatient to wait.


    However, no matter whether it was these Beetles, the Mantis Demons, or the relentlessly pursuing Mother Worms behind them, they stood no chance at all once the Demon Annihilation Cannon was fully charged. Because, just as Rocky approached the pit¡¯s exit, a bright light burst forth from his chest, followed by an immensely thick beam of light that shot out!


    In full-state mode, the power of the Demon Annihilation Cannon was significantly greater, and the light produced by the mana was dazzling. Thus, when the beam of light shot out of the pit, it instantly lit up the upper Dissolving Cave, and the intense light caused countless Beetles and Mantis Demons to emit screams, clearly because these demons, having lived underground all their lives, were afraid of light.


    But at this point, what they feared was irrelevant, because, in the blink of an eye, the Demon Annihilation Cannon fiercely hit the top of the Dissolving Cave, followed by a loud explosion!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 743 - 706: The Whirlpool at the Bottom of the Lake!

    Chapter 743: Chapter 706: The Whirlpool at the Bottom of the Lake!


    The Demon Annihilation Cannon, emitting an intensely dazzling bright light, struck the top of the Dissolving Cave in an instant.


    With a thunderous explosion, the Demon Annihilation Cannon effortlessly blasted a massive hole in the ceiling of the cave. The hole was over ten meters wide, perhaps not as big as the entrance to the deep pit, but almost the same size. Accompanying the sound of the explosion, innumerable large and small rocks rained down, but that wasn¡¯t the important part. The key issue arose after the explosion ended, when the entire cave ceiling started to vibrate violently. Upon closer inspection, one could see fine streams of water squirting out amidst the tremors. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Initially, the jets of water were extremely fine, virtually undetectable, but in just a few seconds, these streams grew into powerful columns. The rocks at the top of the cave had already been damaged by the Demon Annihilation Cannon, either shattered or cracked, and thus, under the impact of the water, a large amount of rock collapsed. As more and more rocks were swept away, the whole cave ceiling seemed to cave in as cracks spread, and tumbling lake water gushed in soon after!


    This all may sound slow, but it happened in the span of a few breaths. To Rocky and his companions, it was as if, almost immediately after the Demon Annihilation Cannon fired, a torrential flood of lake water surged into the Dissolving Cave.


    Facing the oncoming rush of lake water, Rocky, making use of the last few seconds in full-power mode, channeled a copious amount of mana into the Magic Fang Scythe, then took the lead, charging straight into the incoming water. In the process, he slashed downward, employing the extraordinarily sharp edge of the Magic Fang Scythe, which was fully charged, to cleave the rush of water heading towards him!


    To witness such a scene, let alone imagine it, would seem incredible, but Rocky accomplished it. Obviously, he wasn¡¯t doing this to show off, but rather to reduce the impact force of the lake water.


    The immense impact of the surging lake water goes without saying. Rocky¡¯s White Demon Armor might be able to withstand it with its extraordinary capabilities, but Liliya and Dusa behind him were another matter entirely. Their armors were after all somewhat inferior to the White Demon Armor, and the same could be said even more so for He Nan. In reality, if it weren¡¯t for Liliya and Dusa leading him, He Nan would have already been left behind by Rocky and the others. Under these circumstances, Rocky had to consider the three behind him.


    And indeed, he accomplished it.


    After splitting the oncoming water with a single slash, Rocky then charged into the large hole he had blown in the ceiling, leading the charge against the lake water and continually swinging the Magic Fang Scythe as if trying to churn the surging currents. His actions may have looked absurd, but the flow of lake water that entered the cave indeed slowed down a bit.


    This gave Liliya and Dusa the opening they needed. The two, practically dragging He Nan with them, pushed their armors to the limit and, just like Rocky, charged into the hole in the top of the cave against the flood pouring into the Dissolving Cave.


    With that, the four of them finally left the cave!


    But leaving the cave didn¡¯t mean they were out of danger, for their current location was underneath Red Water Lake. And because the lakebed had been blown open, creating a hole, the inflow of lake water into the cave generated a massive vortex, right where Rocky and his group emerged from the cave.


    This was the great danger they now faced.


    In the face of the vortex¡¯s immense force, Liliya, He Nan, and Dusa had virtually no ability to resist. At this critical juncture, however, He Nan¡¯s actions were admirable. His armor might not have been able to match Liliya¡¯s and Dusa¡¯s in terms of speed, but when they were about to be scattered by the whirlpool, He Nan simply grabbed onto the two of them, one in each hand, just holding onto Liliya and Dusa, preventing them from being immediately dispersed by the vortex. It was this action that allowed the trio to survive.


    Because just when they seemed about to be overwhelmed, Rocky¡¯s figure reappeared!


    Facing the vortex¡¯s daunting force, Rocky was also in grave danger, but he took advantage of the White Demon Armor¡¯s exceptional capabilities, particularly the vast amount of mana generated in its full-power mode, to rapidly accelerate toward the trio. Then he grabbed He Nan and, with the three in tow, swiftly rushed towards the lake¡¯s surface.


    ¡°Hang on¡­¡±


    ¡°Hang on¡­¡±


    ¡°Just hold on a little longer!¡±


    Dragging the three of them and accelerating towards the lake surface, Rocky had clenched his teeth crown, for sprinting within the giant whirlpool was almost impossible for him as well ¨C if the White Demon Armor hadn¡¯t been in full state mode, even he wouldn¡¯t have managed it.


    But don¡¯t forget, the full state mode of the White Demon Armor could only last for ten seconds. Once the ten seconds passed, the armor would disintegrate due to the inability to bear the massive amount of mana, and by then, Rocky would perish in the disintegration. And now, he had already maintained the full state mode for over eight seconds!


    From the moment he fired the Demon Annihilation Cannon, Rocky had activated the full state mode. He had not stopped since, and he couldn¡¯t afford to stop; otherwise, once the White Demon Armor lost the support of the massive mana, not to mention Liliya and the other two, even Rocky himself would be swept away by the whirlpool.


    At this time, alarms had already been sounding inside the armor, constantly reminding Rocky to disengage the full state mode. And it was in this piercing alarm sound that Rocky accelerated with all his might, rushing upwards.


    At that moment, he felt every second was longer than a day. Yet even so, two seconds flew by in the blink of an eye, and the full state mode had reached the ten-second limit. However, at this very moment, they were still at least a hundred meters away from the lake surface.


    And after the ten seconds were up, he distinctly felt that there was a problem with the armor ¨C it felt as though the entire armor was about to be crushed. And as soon as there was a problem with the armor, the water pressure from the depth of the lake followed suit, making Rocky feel instantly out of breath, as though he was about to be flattened.


    But even so, he did not disengage the full state because he knew that even underwater, a hundred meters was just a matter of a few seconds for the fully accelerating White Demon Armor. So he had to hold on, he had to get everyone out!


    One second.


    Two seconds.


    Three seconds!


    As Rocky continued the sprint towards the lake surface with the three people, he could see that they were getting close to the lake surface. But at this time, he also felt that everything he saw was becoming blurred, and the armor¡¯s mana also suddenly stopped at this point.


    The White Demon Armor had reached its limit. Under such extremity, the Magic Conduction System of the armor automatically entered a closed mode ¨C all Magic Energy Conduction was immediately stopped. This was Pelaya¡¯s design for the White Demon Armor, which served as a safety feature in the full state mode so as not to let Rocky die while in it.


    But with the sudden stop of all the armor¡¯s mana, Rocky passed out, and the four of them, who were about to break through the lake surface, began to sink downwards at that moment¡­


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 744 - 707: Return

    Chapter 744: Chapter 707: Return


    Following Rocky¡¯s instructions, Monte and Felly not only stopped the bombardment of the West Lake Shore, but also gathered the entire fleet and the Void Magic Corps, having already brought the fleet above the Cave of Blood Cries and met up with the War Steed.


    ¡°How long has it been now, why hasn¡¯t the City Lord come out yet?¡±


    Standing at the bow of the Ranger alongside Monte, a somewhat anxious Felly glanced at the time, then looked up at the moon hanging high in the sky.


    It was just getting dark when Rocky and the others had entered the Cave of Blood Cries, roughly around 8 o¡¯clock, but now it was past midnight. The night had completely enveloped Red Water Lake, yet Rocky had still not emerged from the cave, naturally making everyone feel anxious.


    A cave exploration shouldn¡¯t take an entire night, should it?


    You must know that Rocky is no ordinary person; after all, he is the City Lord, the linchpin of all the people in Backhill Village and Thunderhawk City. Any mishap befalling him would spell a prolonged disaster for all his subjects.


    ¡°Lin Feng, what exactly is going on with this Cave of Blood Cries? Why has the City Lord been gone for such a long time?¡±


    Like Felly, Monte was extremely anxious at this time because not only did Rocky enter the Cave of Blood Cries, but so did his daughter, which made him the most anxious of them all.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we were sent out by the City Lord just as we had entered the cave, so we don¡¯t know the details.¡±


    Seeing the anxious look on Monte¡¯s face, Lin Feng wanted to reassure him, wanted to tell him not to worry, but he couldn¡¯t because he knew all too well that the Cave of Blood Cries was definitely no place for the faint-hearted; not to mention, from the moment he and Sandro were sent out upon entering the cave, it was very clear how dangerous it was inside.


    So after sighing, Lin Feng patted Monte on the shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, with the City Lord there, and Chief He Nan, Dusa will certainly be fine.¡±


    ¡°I hope so¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Monte reluctantly nodded in agreement, because he had to admit that Lin Feng had a point. No one knew better than he how strong Rocky was, and as a beastman, Monte was very aware of the kind of strength He Nan needed to possess to remain an undefeated chief. Therefore, with both of them there, Dusa shouldn¡¯t encounter too much danger. His only concern was, what if the danger inside the Cave of Blood Cries had exceeded the limits both Rocky and Chief He Nan could withstand?


    ¡°Look! Look at the lake surface!¡±


    Just then, a crew member suddenly shouted out, and hurriedly pointed towards the distant surface of the lake.


    The cry instantly caught everyone¡¯s attention; Monte and Felly, along with Lin Feng and the others, all quickly turned to look at the water, their brows furrowing immediately after.


    In their sight, a giant vortex had appeared on the previously calm surface of Red Water Lake, the blood-red water continuously spinning as if stirred by a pair of huge hands, creating a terrifying sight.


    ¡°Quick! Go check it out!¡±


    Noticing something unusual about the lake, Felly and Monte, as the highest commanders of the fleet and the Void Magic Corps, exchanged glances and immediately decided to have the fleet investigate what was happening, as they had a strong premonition that the abnormality in Red Water Lake was likely related to Rocky and his group.


    Following this, the fleet moved swiftly and in no time reached the very center of Red Water Lake, right above the heart of the vortex.


    Arriving directly above the vortex, Monte immediately led Lin Feng, Sandro, and Robin¡¯s Squad as they flew out of the warship, slowly descending toward the lake surface.


    ¡°My God¡­ what in the world is going on?¡±


    Stopping about fifty or sixty meters above the water, the group gazed at the massive vortex within the lake, their hearts filled with shock and dismay. This was no small whirlpool; the vortex in Red Water Lake was so large it almost encompassed the entire body of water. Not only the center but even the edges of the lake were stirred up by the tremendous force of the whirlpool.


    What on earth happened inside Red Water Lake?


    Looking at the enormous vortex below, Monte and the others were all shocked, and none of them dared to descend any further to investigate because they could see that the vortex¡¯s power was too strong. The entire lake was affected, and they feared that if they got even a little close, they might be sucked in!


    However, just then, just as Monte and the rest inhaled a chilly breath, a wave suddenly rose from the center of the vortex, followed by several figures flying out!


    ¡°It¡¯s Lady Liliya!¡±


    Robin, who was watching the vortex, had the sharpest eyes and saw Liliya and the others flying out of the lake. He was the first one to rush over, and with his movement, Monte and the others also noticed the scene and quickly flew over as well.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    Groggily opening his eyes, Rocky felt everything before him was blurred, and it took him a while to recover. Then he clearly saw Liliya beside him.


    ¡°We¡¯re out¡­¡±


    He smiled faintly at Liliya and then asked.


    ¡°Of course we¡¯re out, everyone made it out.¡±


    Liliya shook her head helplessly and sighed with a smile, saying indeed they had all escaped, all four of them had.


    Previously at the bottom of the lake, Rocky almost managed to get Liliya and the others to the surface, but at a critical moment, the Armor malfunctioned due to being unable to withstand the immense Mana produced in full state mode and forcibly ¡®crashed.¡¯ However, luckily, they were already extremely close to the surface of the lake by then, and more importantly, with Liliya and Dusa there, the two immediately took over Rocky¡¯s task. Each grabbed Rocky and Monte and flew out of the lake, then they were spotted by Monte and the others and were brought aboard the warship within a minute.


    Now, it had been a full day and a half since they were rescued. During this day, Rocky had been unconscious the entire time. He simply couldn¡¯t help it; he had pushed himself too hard before. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that if Pelaya hadn¡¯t incorporated a safety feature in the creation of the White Demon Armor, enabling it to automatically lock all Mana transfer in a crisis, Rocky would have disintegrated along with the Armor by now. But even so, the White Demon Armor that Hammerfire had just fashioned for him was now a write-off. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s that exaggerated¡­¡±


    After listening to Liliya recount what had happened after he passed out, Rocky was full of sighs and disbelief, never expecting things to end up this way.


    Caught up in his sighs, he looked around unintentionally and found the room where he was to be so familiar.


    ¡°Is this¡­ the City Lord¡¯s Mansion? Have we arrived at Thunderhawk City?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we got here yesterday.¡±


    ¡°I see, what about Red Water Lake?¡±


    After learning they had arrived at Thunderhawk City, Rocky nodded and then thought of Red Water Lake.


    At his question, Liliya¡¯s expression became somewhat strange, and it was only after a long time that she spoke, ¡°You better see for yourself. Red Water Lake now¡­¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 745 - 708: A Blessing in Disguise

    Chapter 745: Chapter 708: A Blessing in Disguise


    Before leading the Fleet to clear the Demons on the West Bank, Rocky had already given orders that after his departure, Thunderhawk City would head directly to Red Water Lake. At that time, his idea was relatively simple, wanting Thunderhawk City to land on the West Lake Shore and complete its upgrades.


    However, as he encountered a large number of high-level Demons during the clearance process, later met with the Fireteng Tribe, and finally went to the Cave of Blood Cries, amid this series of events, he had essentially abandoned the plan to upgrade Thunderhawk City here, simply because it was too dangerous.


    But since everything had happened so suddenly, Rocky hadn¡¯t had the chance to issue new orders to Thunderhawk City, and so the city had already arrived.


    In response, Rocky didn¡¯t seem too concerned, because even if it had arrived, there would be no problem as long as it didn¡¯t land.


    After this, he thought about Red Water Lake and wanted to know how it was after they had been rescued, whether it was as he had envisioned with all Dissolving Caves submerged, as after all, it was a major matter and couldn¡¯t be neglected.


    When he asked about it, Liliya revealed a strange expression and said, ¡°This¡­ you should go see it for yourself, and then make a decision.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky was taken aback and then, with Liliya¡¯s assistance, sat up from the bed. Once he was dressed, Liliya helped him leave the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Leaving the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, they took a carriage directly to the Skyport and then boarded the War Steed.


    ¡°This¡­ how, how could it turn out like this¡­¡±


    Standing at the bow of the War Steed, Rocky looked down at the Red Water Lake below, his eyes widened in disbelief.


    No wonder he looked shocked, because in his eyes, the former Red Water Lake was now¡­ dried up!


    Yes, the vast Red Water Lake had dried up overnight and was now nothing but a dry riverbed.


    But that was not all, as when Rocky realized that Red Water Lake had dried up, and then looked towards the shore, he discovered that the lake shore had been completely submerged by floodwaters. The rolling floodwaters had now inundated the entire lakeshore, turning the once Red Water Lake into a solitary patch amidst the flood.


    All of this was simply unbelievable to Rocky, and what was even more incredible was that he had caused all this!


    ¡°I caused this?¡±


    Turning to look at Liliya, Rocky was baffled, not understanding how he could have such a huge impact.


    ¡°Master Wynn came by during the day, and he said it was the big hole you made at the bottom of the lake that caused all the lake water to drain into the Dissolving Cave. But actually, the entrance to the Dissolving Cave wasn¡¯t just at the Cave of Blood Cries. Around Red Water Lake, there are many entrances leading to the Dissolving Cave. So when the lake water poured into the Dissolving Cave, it came back out through these entrances and, with the lake shore¡¯s terrain, it somehow ended up looking like this now.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it turned out, I really hadn¡¯t thought it would become like this.¡±


    Looking at the dried-up Red Water Lake, especially at a large hole at the bottom of the lake, Rocky turned his gaze to the shore now submerged in the blood-red lake water. He truly found it incredible. He had only intended to drown the Dissolving Cave completely, to drown all the Mother Worms, cocoons, Beetles, and other such Demons, but he had never expected it to end up like this.


    This outcome was indeed a surprise to him and everyone else.


    ¡°Right, what about He Nan and the Fireteng Tribe?¡±


    After staring at the flood-submerged shore for a moment, Rocky suddenly remembered He Nan and his Fireteng Tribe. They lived in the forest by the shore, and although that forest was quite special, it was undoubtedly submerged!


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we had already moved everyone from the Fireteng Tribe to Thunderhawk City yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Oh!?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky immediately turned to Liliya with a surprised look, noticing that her expression was also very happy.


    Previously, Rocky had expressed to He Nan that he hoped he could bring the Fireteng Tribe to Thunderhawk City or to Backhill Village. He would welcome them anywhere, after all, they were a tribe of Beastmen. If they could join under Rocky, it would undoubtedly increase his strength significantly. Unfortunately, He Nan made it clear that he and his tribe did not want to leave the land, so naturally, Rocky couldn¡¯t force them, and thus the matter was dropped.


    However, unexpectedly, although the exploration of the Cave of Blood Cries was fraught with danger and nearly yielded no benefits, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it led to bringing the Fireteng Tribe to Thunderhawk City, which was fantastic!


    It¡¯s important to know that after the forest was flooded, the Fireteng Tribe had no place to live. Although moving them to Thunderhawk City didn¡¯t necessarily mean they would agree to become members of Thunderhawk City, it at least provided an opportunity. Moreover, Rocky¡¯s rule wasn¡¯t confined to just one Thunderhawk City; if the Fireteng Tribe was willing, they could very well reside in Backhill Village, also situated on the land.


    Thinking of this, Rocky¡¯s mood greatly improved, and he even burst into loud laughter, which was not strange. If he could form an army entirely of Beastmen, it was the kind of thing that any City Lord would be thrilled about just by imagining it, enough to wake up laughing in their dreams.


    However, this time, the good news for Rocky didn¡¯t stop there!


    Liliya then continued to Rocky, ¡°Rocky, Master Wynn and Teacher Orton had already been here during the day, and they even sent out a scouting team to survey the area. They found that because of the flood, the Demons around here have all retreated, both high-level Demons and Normal Demons alike.¡±


    ¡°So this means¡­ Master Wynn and Teacher suggest¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky looked back at the dried-up Red Water Lake. In his eyes, there wasn¡¯t a single drop of water left in the Red Water Lake, now completely turned into a dry riverbed. And according to what Liliya just said about the flood inundating the shores, causing the Demons to flee, didn¡¯t that mean that Red Water Lake had become the safest place?!


    Now, if he could park Thunderhawk City inside the dry riverbed of Red Water Lake, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to complete upgrades safely there?!


    This outcome was both astonishing and delightful to Rocky, because he had initially planned to upgrade Thunderhawk City here, but many incidents later forced him to abandon this idea. He never expected that an indirect blessing from misfortune would provide an excellent chance for Thunderhawk City to safely upgrade. This made Rocky extremely excited, as he had never anticipated that he would both gain a tribe of Beastmen and enable a safe upgrade for Thunderhawk City, truly a double celebration.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 746 - 709: The Upgrade Begins!

    Chapter 746: Chapter 709: The Upgrade Begins!


    The outcome of this event truly was unexpected. Although Rocky and his team didn¡¯t gain anything in the end, the results were surprisingly good.


    First of all, the pressing trouble next to Backhill Village was removed. With so many high-level demons in Red Water Lake and an underground cave hatching flying demons, if this issue were not resolved, Backhill Village could be described as endlessly troubled. To put it lightly, they would never have a day of peace; to put it gravely, they could be annihilated at any time. But now, this threat has been eliminated. After being submerged by the lake, both the Mother Worm and the unhatched flying demons were destroyed, which was absolutely wonderful news for Backhill Village.


    At the same time, due to the flooding, the Fireteng Tribe also had to relocate to Thunderhawk City, though only temporarily. But this at least gave Rocky a chance to interact closely with the Fireteng Tribe for an extended period of time. This interaction would undoubtedly greatly improve the tribe¡¯s feelings towards both him and Thunderhawk City, and even towards the Sky City. As long as the Beastmen could develop a fondness for Rocky and Thunderhawk City, there was a chance to keep them close by. This too was good news for Rocky.


    Lastly, and most crucially, the drying of Red Water Lake created excellent conditions for the upgrade of Thunderhawk City. This was the part that made Rocky the happiest.


    To be fair, both the flooding of the flying demons¡¯ nest and the relocation of the Fireteng Tribe were unexpected gains for Rocky. Although he was happy with these gains, they wouldn¡¯t have had a great impact if they hadn¡¯t occurred. However, the upgrade of Thunderhawk City was his primary concern. Only if this issue was securely managed could he consider future development. Otherwise, it was all empty talk. But this happened to be the most difficult task. After all, one of the critical steps in upgrading Thunderhawk City was landing on the ground. No matter how much preparation was made, accidents could still happen. So, not just Rocky but even Master Wynn, who had upgraded numerous Sky Cities, was not very sure about this.


    But now everything was looking up. With Red Water Lake dried up and its location now engulfed by floodwaters, most of the demons around had been drowned, and the rest had fled. This turned Red Water Lake into a natural secure area, making it entirely possible for Thunderhawk City to land in the lake for the upgrade.


    Of course, although Red Water Lake had dried up, the lake bed was all mud. And let¡¯s not forget about the hollow Dissolving Cave underground. So, whether Thunderhawk City could actually land in Red Water Lake still depended on Wynn¡¯s decision. As long as he agreed, Rocky would initiate the upgrade of Thunderhawk City immediately!


    In light of this, Rocky rode on the War Steed above the dried-up Red Water Lake and after surveying the area, he headed back to Thunderhawk City, where he promptly went to see Wynn and Orton.


    ¡°Master Wynn, Teacher, do you think Red Water Lake is suitable for Thunderhawk City to land?¡±


    Rocky asked the two of them without beating around the bush.


    In response to his question, Wynn immediately gave an answer, ¡°As far as the terrain is concerned, there should be no problem. Although there is a Dissolving Cave under Red Water Lake, according to everything Liliya has described, the cave is not extensive enough to hollow out the entire lake bed. Plus, the area of Red Water Lake is large enough, so we can certainly choose a suitable location for the city to land.¡±


    The Dissolving Cave under Red Water Lake was indeed an issue, but as Wynn said, the cave was clearly not large enough to completely empty the lake bed. Moreover, the area of Red Water Lake was as large as two Kasin Cities, so Thunderhawk City could certainly land in a spot not affected by the Dissolving Cave.


    ¡°Then there is the issue of the lake bed¡¯s mud. While the city¡¯s Magic Energy System can purify and refine this mud, whether or not it¡¯s suitable still requires inspection. However, City Lord, there is no need to worry. Tomorrow, Master Orton and I will lead a team to inspect the lake bed and we should have results soon. I personally believe there will be no problem.¡±


    ¡°Then please do, Master,¡± Rocky replied gratefully.


    After hearing Wynn¡¯s words, Rocky felt much relieved, for he could tell that even though Wynn didn¡¯t give a definite answer, he was quite optimistic. This naturally put Rocky at ease. Therefore, he went back to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, since his injuries had not yet completely healed and he still needed to recover.


    Just as Wynn had said, the inspection of Red Water Lake by him and Orton was indeed swift. Three days later, they went together to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion to meet Rocky and told him the good news: Thunderhawk City could land at the bottom of Red Water Lake and proceed with the upgrade!


    Upon receiving this confirmed result, Rocky was overjoyed and immediately ordered the start of the city¡¯s upgrade. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This phase, from the time Orton had joined Wynn¡¯s team to now, had been spent preparing for the city¡¯s upgrade, and everything required had been readied. So, at Rocky¡¯s command, Thunderhawk City slowly flew over Red Water Lake the next day and then gently descended to the lake bed!


    When Thunderhawk City landed on the lake bed, the entire city felt a strong tremor, just like an earthquake. However, since Old Jack had already informed the residents of the situation, there was no panic in the city.


    At the same time, Wynn led his team and the research team led by Orton to the Central Square to begin replacing the Super Crystal in Thunderhawk City.


    At this point, Thunderhawk City was at its most vulnerable because during the Super Crystal replacement process, the entire city¡¯s Mana supply would be completely interrupted. The city¡¯s interior might manage to operate using emergency measures, but external defenses such as the Defensive Net would be entirely unusable. This situation would last for about three days, after which Thunderhawk City would complete the crystal replacement process.


    Yet even that was not the end. After the Super Crystal was replaced, Orton would lead the research team to update and upgrade the entire city¡¯s Magic Energy System. At the same time, they would add Rune-based facilities around the Super Crystal, transforming Thunderhawk City into a dual system of Super Crystal and Rune, thus fulfilling the requirements of the Sky City armament plan. Conservatively, this would take at least a week, perhaps even longer. Hence, according to Wynn and Monte¡¯s estimation, they might need to stay grounded for half a month to complete the upgrade of Thunderhawk City¡¯s Magic Energy System.


    In this situation, although Rocky¡¯s injuries had not yet fully healed, he still boarded the War Steed, personally commanding Thunderhawk City¡¯s Fleet and Void Magic Corps to defend the entire city.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 747 - 710: Reunite

    Chapter 747: Chapter 710: Reunite


    Since Thunderhawk City landed at the bottom of the lake and began its upgrade, Rocky had practically taken up residence on the War Steed, personally deploying the fleet every day and participating in defense missions. He did this to ensure that Thunderhawk City would be entirely safe during this half-month period.


    However, the flooding around Red Water Lake indeed proved to be a great help. Under the raging floodwaters, the countless demons that once thrived on the lake shore were drowned, and even those few that survived fled elsewhere, some even to Kasin City. Not only Normal Demons but also high-level demons did the same, making the surrounding area of Thunderhawk City relatively safe.


    ¡°If only it could stay this safe¡­¡±


    Standing at the bow of the War Steed, Rocky looked down and saw a small, flooded grove, which wasn¡¯t large to begin with, with only a few treetops barely visible above the water, looking lonely and isolated.


    Seeing this, Rocky let out a smile, because in his view, as long as the floodwater at the lakeshore didn¡¯t recede, Thunderhawk City was relatively safe. His only concern was what would happen in a few days, as the lake shore was already submerged. But let¡¯s not forget, Thunderhawk City needed at least half a month to complete its modifications and upgrade. During this period, the floodwater couldn¡¯t remain forever. And once the floodwaters receded, if the demons were to launch a renewed offense, things could get troublesome.


    This was the only issue he worried about, but he had also made early preparations for it. Whether it was the warships or the Void Magic Corps, they were all on high alert, ready to respond to any problems. As long as an attack by thousands of demons on Thunderhawk City wasn¡¯t imminent, the combined attacking capabilities of the Rune Fleet and Air Magic Corps would give them a chance to ensure the city¡¯s safety.


    With this calculation in mind, Rocky extended the patrol range in the following few days, dispatching the fleet to the outskirts of the flood to scout out where those fleeing demons might be hiding, thereby preparing for any potential crises.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    While Rocky was busy with the upgrades of Thunderhawk City, The Three Great Alliances was also making moves.


    The first was the Sky Alliance¡¯s eventual capitulation under pressure from the two giants, the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute.


    Prior to this, having acquired Mana Runes from Rocky and thus unilaterally delaying the third counter-offensive, the Sky Alliance saw no hurry in starting the battle.


    Having obtained the coveted Mana Rune¡ªeven if it was only a First Level Rune¡ªthe Alliance, with its own formidable research team, believed that it wouldn¡¯t take them long to further develop the Rune Technology, so they clearly didn¡¯t want to initiate the third counter-attack war so soon.


    The Sky Alliance indeed had the capability, not to mention their application of Mana Runes in a matter of months, which was enough to demonstrate the strength of their research team.


    To date, the Sky Alliance had already fully assembled a ¡®Rune Fleet¡¯ and a ¡®Rune Air Magic Corps¡¯.


    Admittedly, these two forces termed ¡®Rune Troops¡¯ needed quotation marks because their warships and Armor were inscribed with simple First Level Runes, lacking any sophisticated Rune Technology. Even so, these forces received a considerable boost to their combat effectiveness thanks to the Runes inscribed, and with their large numbers, they were already leading the other two forces.


    With such a development momentum, the Sky Alliance believed that by delaying the third counter-attack a few more years, they could dominate the skies with their Rune research, and could even possibly win the counter-offensive war with their vast forces. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, the Alliance¡¯s wishful thinking ultimately came to naught, because the other two forces would not give them the time to pull away. In order to force the Alliance to join the war, the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute even threatened to start a conflict. It cornered the Alliance into a compromise, but even so, the Sky Alliance still managed to buy themselves a year and delayed the launch of the third counteroffensive war to one year later.


    To this, the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute were obviously dissatisfied, but the Two Giants also knew that they couldn¡¯t push the Sky Alliance too hard. After all, they were a major player just like themselves, and pressuring them too much would be bad for everyone. Even if they agreed to the Alliance¡¯s demands, the Two Giants would not just take a loss, nor would they sit back and watch the Sky Alliance rise during this one year. They also put forward their own demands to the Alliance.


    This demand was related to Rocky!


    After Rocky sold the Mana Rune to the Sky Alliance, the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute were really pushed into a corner. If the Mana Rune remained solely in Rocky¡¯s hands, it would have been barely acceptable for The Three Great Alliances, as this would not disrupt the balance between the three parties. However, Rocky unexpectedly sold the Mana Rune, and what¡¯s more, to one of the Three Giants, the Sky Alliance. This turn of events was quite unfavorable for the other two giants.


    With the Sky Alliance obtaining the Mana Rune, even if it was just a First Level Rune, they would inevitably start to widen the gap with everyone else. This was well understood by the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute, which is why they were pushing the Sky Alliance to launch a war with them¡ªto not allow their opponent the time to develop. Meanwhile, the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute once again set their sights on Rocky.


    Now that the Sky Alliance had acquired the Mana Rune, trying to take the Rune from them would be akin to snatching food from the jaws of a tiger¡ªpractically impossible. Thus, the only path left for the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute was to get the Rune from Rocky, and they had to succeed without fail!


    In this situation, the former six-party forces once again gathered together.


    ¡°Has the Sky Alliance agreed to our terms?¡±


    As he spoke, Rick¡¯s Magic Energy Image looked toward the Magic Energy Images of the Imperial Chancellor from the Kafka Empire and the Elder from the Magic Energy Research Institute.


    ¡°They have agreed.¡±


    ¡°What about the measures against the White Demon?¡±


    As these words were spoken, five Magic Energy Images simultaneously turned to look at the same person¡ªnot someone else, but Denise from Sigma Corporation.


    Seeing everyone look toward her, Denise smiled slightly and then nodded, ¡°Everything is ready.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? This is our last chance before the war.¡±


    Despite Denise¡¯s confident demeanor, the others couldn¡¯t help but ask. After all, as they said, this was their last chance before going to war, and they had to get the Rune from Rocky this time.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have developed a brand new Armor for Rocky.¡±


    Facing everyone¡¯s skepticism, Denise nodded with great certainty, exuding immense confidence.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 748 - 711: The Return of the Heavenly Wolf

    Chapter 748: Chapter 711: The Return of the Heavenly Wolf


    ¡°My Lord, Master Orton has sent word that the Super Crystal in Thunderhawk City has been replaced, and a comprehensive transformation is now underway. Everything is progressing smoothly,¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I know,¡±


    Inside the cabin of the War Steed, Rocky glanced at Robin, who reported to him, and nodded.


    Ever since the upgrade of Thunderhawk City began, Rocky had left the city, leading the Fleet around Red Water Lake, fearing any unexpected incidents, but fortunately, the situation around the lake turned out to be much better than anticipated. First, the receding of the floodwaters was slower than expected, and second, it seemed the demons had truly run off. In these past few days, while leading the Fleet in patrols, they encountered some demons, but the numbers were very scarce, only a few thousand at most.


    With this in mind, Rocky felt considerably more relaxed, because the few thousand demons he had discovered posed no significant threat to Thunderhawk City, especially since Rocky controlled Rune Battleships. Although the number of Rune Battleships was not particularly large, their combat strength was extraordinarily formidable; a few thousand demons were hardly a concern before them.


    Now, Orton also sent news that the upgrade of Thunderhawk City was proceeding smoothly, the city having replaced its original Super Crystal, and next came the transformation part. Once that was completed, Thunderhawk City could take to the skies again. The most critical and challenging part of the entire upgrade process would be considered finished, which naturally made Rocky breathe a sigh of relief internally.


    However, after he nodded, Sandro in front of him did not immediately leave, prompting Rocky to give him a glance: ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ My Lord, there¡¯s a message from Backhill Village.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is there a problem?¡±


    Upon hearing Sandro mention Backhill Village, Rocky frowned. Lately, he had been maintaining regular contact with Backhill Village, because for this upgrade, he had almost brought out ninety percent of his forces. The entire Fleet and Void Magic Corps were mobilized, along with more than half of the Guard Corps, leaving only a few hundred guards and several tank squads in Backhill Village, plus a Moving Fortress for defense.


    In principle, the defense forces of Backhill Village weren¡¯t weak, but it was Rocky¡¯s sole road-based base and also a mine, vital to his development. Rocky was always somewhat worried, so as soon as Sandro brought up Backhill Village, Rocky immediately looked at him.


    ¡°My Lord, there¡¯s a message from Backhill Village stating that Sirius City has come back.¡±


    ¡°Sirius City has returned?¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky¡¯s brow furrowed even more tightly, for the Sky Alliance had withdrawn Sirius City several months ago, and this act had marked the relationship with Rocky hitting rock bottom.


    So when Rocky learned that the Sky Alliance had once again sent Sirius City back, he was somewhat baffled.


    Could it be because of the trade involving Runes, indicating the Alliance intended to further ease relations?


    Learning that Sirius City had returned, the first thing Rocky thought of was that the Alliance was softening its stance towards him, given that he had recently completed a Rune trade with them. Although the transaction was brief, it was beneficial to both parties and indeed fulfilled the Alliance¡¯s wish of acquiring the coveted Runes. Could it be that the Sky Alliance was using this opportunity to send a signal of rapprochement?


    Not necessarily. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this thought, Rocky shook his head. To the likes of the Sky Alliance¡ªa colossal entity¡ªin their eyes there were only interests, devoid of personal sentiments. Thus, even though Rocky had sold them the runes, they would definitely want more. Even if the return of Sirius City was the Alliance¡¯s way of seeking to mend the relationship with him, it was crucial to remain cautious.


    ¡°I understand. You may go now. Also, inform Uncle Wil to have the War Steed return to port.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    After affirming with a single word, Robin left the cabin. Once he was out, Rocky frowned and pondered over the recent developments carefully.


    Concerning the actions of the Sky Alliance, he had to stay on guard. Yet, Rocky also had to admit that he wasn¡¯t particularly talented in this regard. The truly talented one was Athena, which was why he ordered the War Steed to return, planning to consult Athena face to face back in Thunderhawk City and hear her opinions on the matter.


    Thus, about half a day later, Rocky returned to Thunderhawk City. Having led the fleet on patrols outside these past days, this was his first time back since Thunderhawk City had descended. Upon his return, Rocky first visited the Central Square in the city sector to inspect the renovation work, then chatted with Wynn and Orton to confirm the progress of the upgrades. Only after all this was handled did he return to the City Lord¡¯s residence and meet with Athena.


    Before Rocky¡¯s return, Athena had already learned about the situation with Sirius City, so upon seeing him, she cut straight to the point, ¡°My Lord, we need to be cautious.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    At her words, Rocky¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he hastily asked, ¡°You mean the Alliance has sent Sirius City over not to ease the relationship with us, but with a different purpose in mind?¡±


    ¡°For a power like the Sky Alliance, there is always an ulterior motive in everything they do.¡±


    With a faint smile at Rocky, Athena casually remarked, ¡°The Sky Alliance has sent Sirius City this time with clearly two purposes. The first is naturally to mend relations with us, as my Lord¡¯s previous decision to sell runes to the Alliance, while somewhat displeasing to them, has indeed eased the tension between us to some extent. Therefore, their sending of Sirius City certainly contains some goodwill.¡±


    ¡°However, my Lord must not overvalue this goodwill. To the Sky Alliance, such goodwill is merely a means to an end. In fact, I believe the true intention behind the Alliance sending Sirius City lies with the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute.¡±


    ¡°Related to them?¡± Hearing this, Rocky¡¯s expression turned somewhat grim.


    It was well known that Rocky¡¯s greatest crisis before had stemmed from the Kafka Empire and Magic Energy Research Institute¡¯s collusion with numerous forces targeting him. To cope with these giants¡¯ hostility, Rocky had no choice but to reveal all his cards and only narrowly avoided disaster thanks to a sudden demon attack. Everything he was doing now, including selling runes to the Alliance, producing rune armor and rune battleships in cooperation with Apple Tree Corporation, and even upgrading Thunderhawk City, was all to prepare for the next targeting by these adversaries.


    What Rocky hadn¡¯t expected was that they would set their sights on him again so soon?


    ¡°My Lord, now that the Sky Alliance has obtained the mana runes, the Kafka Empire and Magic Energy Research Institute naturally will not let matters rest. They have been backed into a corner and, if I¡¯m not mistaken, they are surely considering how to continue targeting us. Moreover, this time their targeting will be unprecedented, as this will be their last opportunity. We must make thorough preparations for it.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 749 - 712 Awkward Relationship

    Chapter 749: Chapter 712 Awkward Relationship


    According to Athena¡¯s estimation, after learning that the Sky Alliance had already obtained the Rune, both the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute, as well as those major forces capable of speaking on the world stage, could no longer sit still; they would undoubtedly become even more eager to get their hands on the Mana Rune.


    But getting it from the Sky Alliance was impossible. The Sky Alliance had just seized an opportunity to leave everyone far behind, so they would absolutely not let this opportunity slip through their fingers easily.


    Thus, it was easy to guess what would happen next. Since there was no way to get the Rune from the Sky Alliance, the only option would be to get it from Rocky.


    Therefore, the forces led by the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute would inevitably launch a final attack against Rocky, an attack that would be more intense than any before, for it would be their last chance.


    ¡°Why is it the last chance?¡±


    As Athena was sharing her thoughts, she mentioned more than once that the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute had only one last chance left, which puzzled Rocky. Why was it the last one?


    ¡°Because the Third Counteroffensive War is about to erupt. Once the war breaks out, The Three Great Alliances will undoubtedly become the main force leading the entire Sky Alliance in a counterattack against the ground forces. In such a situation, The Three Great Alliances will not have the leisure to target us, and without their lead, the others won¡¯t be able to stir up any significant trouble.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ How much time do we have left?¡±


    Finding Athena¡¯s diversions quite reasonable, Rocky immediately asked.


    To this question, a hint of a smile appeared on Athena¡¯s face:


    ¡°My lord, in my opinion, the time we have left is at least enough for us to make thorough preparations.¡±


    ¡°The Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute are willing to wait that long?¡±


    ¡°They have to wait.¡±


    Glancing at Rocky, Athena was very certain and then chuckled, ¡°And this is all thanks to the lord¡¯s decision before.¡±


    ¡°My decision?¡±


    ¡°To sell the Rune to the Alliance.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky was somewhat taken aback. In fact, when he had decided to sell the Rune to the Alliance, not everyone had agreed with him. Even Orton felt that his approach was risky because the Mana Rune was their only reliance. If it leaked out, what if the Sky Alliance shared it with others? Or if the Sky Alliance realized the true value of the Rune and decided to forcibly seize it? Wouldn¡¯t that be bringing trouble upon themselves?


    That was why, upon hearing Athena mention this, Rocky was curious, looking at her expectantly, clearly wanting to hear her different point of view.


    Athena didn¡¯t keep him in suspense and began to explain directly: Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°My lord, though selling the Rune to the Sky Alliance pressured everyone else, it also stabilized the Alliance. More importantly, it made the Alliance a target for all.¡±


    ¡°Before this, even if a major event like a demon attack diverted everyone¡¯s attention, once the matter settled, the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute would refocus their targets on us. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that they would not hesitate to delay the Third Counter-Offensive War if it meant getting their hands on the Mana Rune from us.¡±


    ¡°But now it¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°Due to the Sky Alliance acquiring the Mana Rune, the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute already feel the pressure. The Alliance now possesses technology they don¡¯t, a technology that could create a vast gap between them. That is precisely why the Third Counter-Offensive cannot be postponed, or it would give the Alliance the chance to develop further. That¡¯s also why the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute only have one shot left at us. If we can withstand this one time, then we¡¯ll be free as the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea, and no one will be able to stop us anymore.¡±


    With just a few words, Athena had thoroughly analyzed the current situation. After her analysis, Rocky finally understood how his thoughtless action had affected the state of the world so greatly.


    His decision to sell the Rune to the Alliance had, in effect, forced the initiation of the Third Counter-Offensive War without even the possibility of delay, and inadvertently put the Sky Alliance in an awkward position, compelling the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute to leave the Alliance be.


    All of this had virtually completed Rocky¡¯s own ambitions, giving him time to develop first and foremost. To prepare for the unavoidable Third Counter-Offensive War, the Kafka Empire, the Magic Energy Research Institute, and even the Sky Alliance had to give it their all and had no time to target Rocky. After all, Rocky had grown powerful and was no longer someone who could be bullied as in the past.


    Secondly, it eliminated future problems. As Athena said, once the Third Counter-Offensive War broke out, The Three Great Alliances, as the rulers of the skies, would have no leisure to concern themselves with Rocky, willing or not. In this case, the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute really did only have one chance left. If they missed this opportunity, they would truly be unable to do anything to Rocky anymore.


    However, similarly, it also posed a significant crisis for Rocky, because one could imagine that those forces desiring the Mana Rune would use any means necessary in their only opportunity to obtain it. They would undoubtedly go to all lengths to get the Mana Rune in their hands, so Rocky absolutely could not be careless. He had to employ every means at his disposal to confront this crisis.


    Fortunately, Athena had already anticipated this and thus spoke:


    ¡°My lord, I have roughly guessed the means by which the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute will act. This method will be a death knot for us; once they deploy it, we will be doomed without a doubt.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Rocky¡¯s eyes widened immediately, and he looked at Athena with extreme seriousness, listening intently to her every word.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°Why is it always me¡­¡±


    While Rocky and Athena were discussing how to deal with the upcoming major crisis, Howling Sky, the City Lord of Sirius City, sighed with a mix of frustration and depression that he couldn¡¯t quite put into words.


    Being ordered to return to Backhill Village this time left Howling Sky extremely embarrassed, especially since he had only left a few months earlier following the Alliance¡¯s instructions. And Howling Sky was fully aware of why the Alliance had transferred him away in the first place, but now to send him back felt unbearably awkward.


    And if it were just awkwardness, that might have been bearable, but the task the Alliance had given him was what truly depressed Howling Sky.


    Unfortunately, though Howling Sky was the City Lord of Sirius City, that city was but one member of The Three Great Alliances¡¯ core, which meant Howling Sky had no power to defy the Alliance¡¯s wishes. So no matter how disheartened he was, he had to follow the Alliance¡¯s demands¡­


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 750 - 713 Alliance Mission

    Chapter 750: Chapter 713 Alliance Mission


    After discussing with Athena, Rocky had originally planned to continue commanding the fleet. Although the situation seemed optimistic, accidents could still occur, and he was somewhat uneasy. However, before he could leave, Howling Sky arrived.


    Howling Sky¡¯s return to Backhill Village coincided with the upgrade of Thunderhawk City. When he arrived at the village, Rocky had already gone to Red Water Lake earlier, so they never met. Unexpectedly, Howling Sky took the initiative to pursue Rocky all the way to Thunderhawk City.


    Rocky naturally had his guard up against the Sky Alliance, but he still held a favorable view of Howling Sky because Howling Sky had assisted him during his most difficult time, even when the alliance strictly prohibited it. Rocky always remembered this kindness, even feeling somewhat guilty, as Howling Sky¡¯s actions had clearly gone against the alliance¡¯s wishes, yet the alliance had not punished him afterward.


    So, upon learning that Howling Sky was coming, Rocky delayed his own plans to meet with this old friend.


    ¡°Rocky, my brother, long time no see!¡±


    When Howling Sky saw Rocky at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, he was extremely enthusiastic, showing none of the airs typical of a major city leader and core member of the alliance.


    Logically, with Howling Sky¡¯s status, he didn¡¯t need to be so cordial towards the lord of a smaller Sky City. In fact, the situation should have been completely reversed. It should have been the lord of the small city who eagerly went to meet Howling Sky, who might not have even bothered to engage.


    Yet, when facing Rocky, Howling Sky dared not act this way; he neither allowed Rocky to come to him nor showed him any disdain.


    Firstly, it was because he had a mission. This time, the alliance had sent him back to Backhill Village with a clear task, and Howling Sky dared not be careless.


    Secondly, it was because Rocky¡¯s status had changed considerably. Though he was still only the City Lord of Thunderhawk City, governing just two Sky Cities, by leveraging Mana Runes and his achievements in battle that leveled both Sky Might City and Fury City, his status was now on par with the great powers of the world.


    In such circumstances, even if Howling Sky didn¡¯t want to admit it, he had to¡ª he was no longer Rocky¡¯s equal, even though he was the lord of a major Sky City and a core member of the alliance. Howling Sky also had to admit to himself that if he possessed the top-level technology of Mana Runes, he wouldn¡¯t dare to negotiate terms with the Sky Alliance or confront The Three Great Alliances, just like Rocky did.


    Let alone not having any Runes, even if he did possess them, he certainly wouldn¡¯t dare confront The Three Great Alliances like Rocky.


    Therefore, upon returning to Backhill Village this time, Howling Sky lowered his posture considerably when facing Rocky, without showing any pretense, simply treating him as an equal. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rocky, fully aware of his behavior, didn¡¯t feel it was overdone or take any pride in it. He just thought it was normal, because since he had transformed from a pawn into a player, his focus was no longer on any one Sky City or any city lord. What Rocky was concerned with now was the matter of The Three Great Alliances.


    Thus, he smiled at Howling Sky, and once he had taken a seat, he took the initiative to speak, ¡°Howling Sky, last time I was truly indebted to your vigorous support. Without it, I wouldn¡¯t be here today. I hope the alliance didn¡¯t give you a hard time?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, not at all. With Rocky developing so well, I would only benefit from it, instead of being implicated,¡±


    Waving his hand at Rocky, Howling Sky then laughed heartily.


    Although his words contained formalities, they were actually true, for the last time he faced the assault from Fury and Sky Might City, his unauthorized provision of a hundred warships to Rocky had indeed dissatisfied the Alliance. It was only because the sudden outbreak of the Demons¡¯ attack that they had no time to punish him, and by the time the Demons¡¯ attack ended and the Alliance had time to punish Howling Sky, Rocky had already sold the Mana Rune to the Alliance, which in turn made the Alliance drop the idea of punishing Howling Sky.


    Within the Sky Alliance, aside from Wilton, Howling Sky had the deepest friendship with Rocky, even Glan stationed in Thunderhawk City could not compare. Hence, if the Alliance wanted to mend relations with Rocky, Howling Sky was the best bridge, so it wasn¡¯t wrong for Howling Sky to say he not only hadn¡¯t been implicated by Rocky, but had actually benefited from him.


    However, because of this, Howling Sky also had to fulfill the task assigned by the Alliance, or else he would truly be in trouble.


    Since he had a mission, it was naturally impossible for Howling Sky to engage in endless small talk with Rocky. After a few brief exchanges of pleasantries, he got straight to the point.


    ¡°Brother Rocky, I must admit, I have come back this time with a task at hand.¡±


    Having said this, Howling Sky showed a distressed expression. He was well aware of the current relationship between the Alliance and Rocky, had heard about the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute targeting Rocky together, and had even personally witnessed Rick launching an attack on Backhill Village. Truthfully, Howling Sky had no desire to get involved in these matters, as they were too significant and the people involved were too influential, beyond what he could handle. However, the reality was that he had already been dragged into this, and had no choice but to wade through these muddy waters.


    ¡°Big brother Howling Sky, feel free to speak your mind, I might disregard others, but I will definitely listen to what you say,¡± Rocky assured.


    Seeing Howling Sky¡¯s troubled expression, Rocky could understand his helplessness and thus did not plan to make things difficult for him.


    Hearing these words, Howling Sky immediately cheered up, therefore he quickly said, ¡°Brother Rocky, you must have heard about the Third Counterattack War, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard a bit about it,¡± Rocky replied.


    Looking at Howling Sky, Rocky was somewhat surprised; he had not expected Howling Sky to bring this up, and what he was even less expecting was what came next. Howling Sky continued, ¡°Brother Rocky, I have a piece of latest news to share, unknown to outsiders.¡±


    ¡°Just a few days ago, the Alliance, the Kafka Empire, and the Magic Energy Research Institute reached an agreement to launch the Third Counterattack War in one year, aiming to retaliate against the Demons on land.¡±


    ¡°Oh, has it been confirmed?¡± Rocky inquired.


    ¡°It has been confirmed, and it was only decided recently,¡± Howling Sky confirmed, nodding his head firmly.


    This revelation made Rocky frown. Although he and Athena had studied the Third Counterattack War more than once, they knew little about the details of this war. Athena might be somewhat better informed since she had her own sources, but Rocky knew almost nothing about the details. So, even though he had just discussed it with Athena, knowing the war was inevitable, this was the first time he had learned the exact timing for the start of the war.


    After pondering with a furrowed brow for a moment, Rocky then looked at Howling Sky and asked, ¡°Big brother Howling Sky, your reason for telling me all this is¡­¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 751 - 714: A Disaster, Not a Blessing

    Chapter 751: Chapter 714: A Disaster, Not a Blessing


    Upon learning that The Three Great Alliances were to officially commence war in one year, Rocky turned to look at Howling Sky, somewhat puzzled. He did not understand why Howling Sky would disclose such information to him, because, as Howling Sky himself had said, the decision was not only recent but also absolutely confidential. With his relationship with the Alliance being so delicate, why would Howling Sky tell him this?


    ¡°Brother Rocky, there is something you don¡¯t know.¡±


    Staring at Rocky, Howling Sky then spoke up, ¡°A counteroffensive war of this magnitude simply cannot rely on a single force for support, not even if the Alliance, Kafka Empire, and the Magic Energy Research Institute exhaust all their efforts¡ªit¡¯s still not enough. To launch a true counterattack, everyone in the entire sky must be involved.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why The Three Great Alliances have decided to start the war officially only a year later. The Alliances are actually ready now, so this year is really given for other City Lords and forces to prepare.¡±


    ¡°Of course, this hasn¡¯t been officially announced yet, but many people are already well aware of it. And in half a year, The Three Great Alliances will summon all the major forces in Eternal City to discuss war matters.¡±


    ¡°The Alliance¡¯s intention in sending me is to inform you, brother, that in half a year the Alliance will invite you to partake in this gathering, to discuss strategies with everyone.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    When Howling Sky finished his statement, Rocky was truly stunned. He had never expected the task the Alliance gave Howling Sky would be this!


    A counteroffensive war of such a level indeed could not be managed by one or two alliances alone; it was a war involving the whole world, not just the sky, but even the two remaining Saint Cities on the ground would participate. Thus, it was a war that would impact everyone.


    With the strength of The Three Great Alliances, such a war that involved everyone undeniably had to be led by them. Still, even for The Three Great Alliances, this was not an easy task. Even though they were currently the most elite forces, there were also numerous other forces and Independent Sky Cities to consider, and how to lead all these people was indeed a great challenge.


    Thus, ever since the first counteroffensive war, a rule had been established: before the war began, all participating forces would be convened to first elect an overall commander and then proceed with allocation, to ensure the war could proceed smoothly.


    This was also the part that perplexed Rocky because such a summons, while ostensibly open to everyone, couldn¡¯t possibly include every City Lord in the sky. In reality, those involved in the meeting were usually Alliance Hierarch-level figures from major forces who would decide how the entire war would be conducted¡ªCity Lords like Rocky typically did not qualify to take part in these discussions. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, according to Howling Sky, the Sky Alliance wanted him to be involved this time, which was definitely unexpected for Rocky.


    Frowning and thinking for a moment, Rocky then smiled lightly at Howling Sky, ¡°Big brother Howling Sky, I understand what you¡¯ve said. However, I can¡¯t give you an answer right now. But don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s still plenty of time. Let me give it some good thought.¡±


    Looking at Howling Sky, Rocky did not immediately respond, for this was indeed something he had to consider.


    Had it been anyone else, they probably would have agreed at once, as it was clear what being part of such a summons meant. Being able to participate in such an occasion implied standing at the pinnacle of the world, having the right to compete with the world¡¯s top forces. Such an opportunity should be seized without hesitation, with immediate agreement and not giving the other party a chance to back out.


    But Rocky saw it differently. He sensed an ominous undercurrent¡ªthe Alliance¡¯s invitation seemed less of a blessing and more of a possible calamity.


    ¡°Brother Rocky, you¡¯re right, there¡¯s still plenty of time. Take your time to consider it,¡± Howling Sky said.


    While Howling Sky did not receive an affirmative response, he understood Rocky well enough to know that Rocky was not rash. Considering the delicate relations with The Three Great Alliances, it was normal for him to think before giving an answer.


    Afterwards, Howling Sky was much more relaxed, as the Alliance had tasked him with ensuring Rocky was informed, no matter what. Howling Sky¡¯s greatest fear was that Rocky, due to conflicts with the Alliance, wouldn¡¯t even give him the chance to speak. But now that he had said everything he needed to, and the Alliance had not demanded an immediate answer from Rocky, Howling Sky could let his guard down. After chatting with Rocky for a little while, he took the Skyship and left.


    And once he was gone, Rocky once again summoned Athena to his side and repeated everything Howling Sky told him.


    ¡°My Lord, give me some time, I need to think this over carefully,¡± Athena said.


    After Rocky recounted everything, Athena, uncharacteristically, did not immediately respond but instead planned to thoroughly ponder what was going on.


    Given the circumstances, Rocky naturally could not pressure her for an answer. Instead, he left Thunderhawk City overnight and returned to the Fleet, continuing to command the Fleet in the defense of the city.


    Having returned to Thunderhawk City, not only had Rocky discussed the Alliance¡¯s intentions with Athena, he had also seen Howling Sky. However, these matters did not prevent the upgrading of Thunderhawk City.


    It also had to be acknowledged that during this time the upgrading process went very smoothly. Not only were Wynn and Orton proceeding according to plan, the Demons¡¯ presence was nowhere to be seen, leaving Rocky almost in disbelief in the following days. He kept sending warships to scout the lakeshore, only to find that although the floodwaters had gradually receded, the Demons had not returned with the water¡¯s retreat, and the shores of Red Water Lake were eerily quiet.


    While such a situation seemed incredible, with this excellent opportunity, Rocky¡ªno, Orton¡ªwould not let it slip away. After half a month passed and the original upgrading and transformation plans for Thunderhawk City were complete, Orton, seeing such favorable surroundings, decisively expanded the transformation plans, starting further enhancements for Thunderhawk City.


    Normally, this phase of transformation could wait until after Thunderhawk City took to the skies again, but once airborne, the difficulty and time required for the transformation would increase significantly. So Orton took advantage of this rare opportunity to advance the second phase of the Sky City armament plan. According to his estimates, once the second phase of the transformation was complete, the only thing left for Thunderhawk City would be to install weapons throughout the entire city, arming it to the teeth!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 752 - 715: Transformation Complete!

    Chapter 752: Chapter 715: Transformation Complete!


    Due to the surprisingly peaceful surroundings, the demons had retreated under the floodwaters, and Orton, after completing the original upgrades and renovations, decisively chose to continue letting Thunderhawk City stay on the ground for further modifications.


    In the past, even someone as eccentric and crazed as Orton would never dare to do such a thing, but this opportunity was too good and too rare to miss. Not just Orton, but even Rocky couldn¡¯t resist, so they decided to let Thunderhawk City remain on the ground for a little longer.


    During this time, Orton would further modify the city, with the main goal of building enough Magic Energy Conduction Systems inside the city to provide sufficient mana for arming the city. Although this work could be done in the air, it could be completed much faster on the ground. According to Orton¡¯s estimate, what would take three months in the air could be smoothly accomplished in at most a month and a half on the ground.


    Once this phase of the transformation was completed, the next step would be to produce and install the weapons for the armed city. This was naturally not something Rocky needed to worry about; it could be entirely entrusted to the Apple Tree Corporation. If the Corporation was unable to fulfill the task, they could look for suitable merchants in the Eternal City. In short, this was not a difficult matter.


    As time swiftly passed by another half a month, the floodwaters by the lake had already receded. At first, the demons were sparse, but as time progressed, the demons that had retreated due to the flooding began to appear again along the riverbanks. Initially, they appeared in small numbers, but the size of their groups grew larger and larger. Naturally, the fleet led by Rocky did their best to reduce the demons¡¯ numbers as much as possible, with battles occurring nearly every day.


    However, the demons, after all, are demons; their numbers were simply too great. Once they found that the lakeshore was no longer covered by floodwaters, they became more numerous and ultimately swarmed in. Fortunately, it takes time for the number of demons to grow from a few to many, and it was during this time that Orton completed the modifications first, allowing Thunderhawk City to once again soar into the sky! Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thunderhawk City rose from the bottom of Red Water Lake back into the high skies. With that, this round of modification and upgrading was thoroughly complete, and it even exceeded expectations. Not only were the processes smooth, but they achieved more and were better.


    After this round of modification and upgrading, Thunderhawk City also underwent significant changes.


    Firstly, the city had gotten bigger.


    The primary goal of this round of descent and upgrading was actually to scale up Thunderhawk City to the size of a medium Sky City. To accomplish this, the city itself had to expand. So, when Thunderhawk City flew back into the sky, the entire city was almost twice as large as before. The new soil absorbed from the lake bed was purified and solidified by mana, forming a solid foundation that made the city appear much larger from afar as well as up close.


    Secondly, the city¡¯s power system became stronger due to the replacement of the Super Crystals and the addition of runes.


    In the past, Thunderhawk City was just an ordinary small Sky City, not much different from other small Sky Cities in the world, and possibly even inferior. But now, Thunderhawk City was using genuine large Super Crystals. Compared to the previous small Super Crystals, the large ones could provide the city with over ten times more mana. More importantly, while the large Super Crystals supplied mana, the Mana Runes would provide an almost equally immense amount of mana to the city.


    This type of transformation was unprecedented among all Sky Cities and was something other Sky Cities simply could not achieve. Yet, Thunderhawk City had done it, and it was because of this transformation that the city¡¯s internal performance had nearly surpassed all other Sky Cities except for the God Cities!


    Under the support of an immense amount of mana, the flight speed of Thunderhawk City increased exponentially. This was critically important because everyone knew that despite being able to fly, the enormous structures like Sky Cities could not be fast. Many people had sought to solve this problem, but it remained unresolved.


    In reality, making a Sky City fly faster wasn¡¯t difficult; providing much more power to the Sky City could increase its flight speed. However, the issue was that with current technology, even the mana provided by large Super Crystals was limited and insufficient for high-speed flight. But this issue was resolved for Thunderhawk City.


    During the past month¡¯s transformation, Orton and the research team combined their efforts to create thousands of Level 5 Magic Energy Runes around the Super Crystals, supplying the city with an enormous amount of mana. A portion of this mana would be directed into the city¡¯s power system to increase the flight speed of Thunderhawk City. From then on, Thunderhawk City¡¯s flight speed might not match that of warships and Armor, but it would undoubtedly leave other Sky Cities far behind. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that if another city were to attempt to pursue Thunderhawk City, they wouldn¡¯t stand a chance, no matter how hard they tried.


    The enhancement of flight speed was just one of the many benefits gained by Thunderhawk City. With the support of far more mana than any other Sky City, Thunderhawk City¡¯s defensive systems were also significantly strengthened.


    Although Thunderhawk City could previously deploy a Defensive Net, its strength was only average, certainly unable to compare with those of medium and large Sky Cities. But now, with the support of mana, the strength of Thunderhawk City¡¯s Defensive Net had dramatically increased.


    Years ago, when Thunderhawk City faced an assault by Wild Horse City, its Defensive Net was nearly breached, forcing Rocky to join the Sky Alliance for protection. But the same situation was unlikely to happen again now. With mana support, the strength of Thunderhawk City¡¯s Defensive Net could compete with that of large Sky Cities and might even be a bit stronger if one were to scrutinize the numbers. This meant that even if besieged again, Thunderhawk City would have significant self-defense capabilities, something that other small and medium Sky Cities simply could not accomplish.


    Lastly, and most importantly, during this past month of modifications and upgrades, Orton had nearly completed all the preliminary preparations for the City Armament Plan. These preparations had equipped Thunderhawk City with the necessary conditions to install more weapons. So the next thing to do was to proceed with the actual weapon installation on Thunderhawk City.


    Of course, this task couldn¡¯t possibly be completed in one day, as the weapons needed by the city were all massive, and Thunderhawk City itself definitely couldn¡¯t produce them. In fact, these weapons were unique, with some existing only in Orton¡¯s concept. This aspect truly required time and care.


    However, Rocky also knew that he didn¡¯t have much time left and needed to start preparations right away. Because when Thunderhawk City took to the skies once more, and Rocky finally ended his long month-long patrol duty, Athena came to see him.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 753 - 716: Double-pronged Approach

    Chapter 753: Chapter 716: Double-pronged Approach


    When the upgrade was halfway through, Rocky had returned to Sky City once and had met Howling Sky, who had traveled specially from Sirius City. Through Howling Sky, Rocky learned a piece of news that the third counteroffensive war would officially start in a year. To ensure the smooth conduct of this great war, The Three Great Alliances planned to gather all forces in the sky in six months to discuss how to initiate this war and had invited Rocky to join. Howling Sky had approached him precisely for this matter.


    This news should have been good for most people, as it not only represented a status of identity but also indicated that one¡¯s strength had been recognized by The Three Great Alliances; otherwise, they would have no qualification to participate in such a major event. However, Rocky did not think so.


    Upon learning this, his first reaction was that this event was more of a misfortune than a fortune, especially when he told Athena about it. Surprisingly, Athena did not immediately react positively but asked to consider it for a few days before discussing it further with Rocky.


    Now, since Rocky and Howling Sky had met, another half month had passed. Thus, when Thunderhawk City was reascending, and Rocky had just returned to the city the next day, Athena came to see him.


    Apparently, after half a month, Athena had made up her mind.


    ¡°My Lord, we still have half a year.¡±


    Unlike others, who approached Rocky in a subordinate role¡ªeven Liliya did so in formal situations¡ªAthena was different. Although she appeared to be Rocky¡¯s Staff Officer, in reality, this kind of staff officer was not genuinely in a superior-subordinate relationship, at least Athena never thought so. Each time she met Rocky, it was more like meeting a friend, at most addressing him as ¡°My Lord¡± without exchanging pleasantries or providing updates, always getting straight to the point.


    Already accustomed to Athena¡¯s personality, Rocky wasn¡¯t usually bothered by her demeanor, yet this time he was taken aback. He did not understand what Athena meant.


    What half year?


    ¡°My Lord, the Alliance inviting you to attend the meeting in six months clearly indicates they plan to make a move against you after that half year.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky furrowed his brows, and his expression grew stern.


    Just before meeting Howling Sky, Rocky had just finished discussing the current situation with Athena. The conclusion they had reached was that the Alliance, having acquired the Mana Rune, had found themselves in a very awkward position. This conclusion was quite favorable for Rocky because it would compel the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute to divert much of their attention to the Alliance, thereby reducing the focus on Rocky.


    This scenario allowed Rocky ample time to prepare, which he was indeed doing. Otherwise, he would not have thought about upgrading Thunderhawk City, nor would he have directed Orton to implement an armament plan there. All this was to strengthen his own power.


    But Athena¡¯s recent words had indeed made Rocky frown; he had not expected that his adversaries would move against him so soon.


    The Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute would certainly take the last opportunity to act against him before the war. Athena had mentioned this before. However, Rocky hadn¡¯t anticipated it to happen so soon. Six months might seem long for an individual, but for a city, especially a rapidly developing one like Thunderhawk City, it was far too soon.


    So, after frowning in thought for a moment, Rocky turned to look at Athena. Although he did not ask anything, it was clear he wanted her to explain exactly what was going on.


    Athena did not keep him in suspense but explained directly,


    ¡°My Lord, as I¡¯ve already mentioned, before the great war begins, both the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute will inevitably act against us. Since the Three Great Alliances have decided to begin the war in a year, our bottom line in terms of time is one year.¡±


    ¡°But just think about it, and you will know that it¡¯s definitely not possible for them to make a move on us before the war starts. After all, compared to us, the third counterattack war is more important. Moreover, there isn¡¯t enough time. If I¡¯m not mistaken, the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute clearly plan to obtain Rune Technology before the war begins in order to gain an advantage during the conflict,¡± said Athena.


    ¡°With this in mind, when you look at the Alliance¡¯s invitation this time, it¡¯s not hard to guess their intentions. Obviously, they plan to take this opportunity to make a move either on you or on Thunderhawk City.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    After Athena finished speaking, she furrowed her brows and thought for a moment. Soon, she understood everything, precisely as she had said. The Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute intended to make their move against her in half a year because that would be the best opportunity. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking of this, he sighed, ¡°It looks like the Sky Alliance, after all, has not decided to stand with me.¡±


    Rocky said this with a sense of helplessness. He had thought that, after the events of the last time, the Alliance would at least remain neutral even if they didn¡¯t side with him. But now, it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case. It appeared that the Sky Alliance had taken the opposing side, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have invited him knowing full well that the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute were planning to move against him. This was not an invitation; it was a trap.


    ¡°My Lord, our hearts are not with the Sky Alliance either.¡±


    Smiling slightly at Rocky, Athena did not seem surprised by the Sky Alliance¡¯s fickleness. As she had said, Rocky was not in agreement with the Alliance either, and even though their relationship had been somewhat eased by the last transaction, it remained strained. Thus, Athena saw the Alliance¡¯s actions as typical.


    ¡°Athena, what do you think their plans are for dealing with us this time? Are they planning to move against me, or, as last time, against Thunderhawk City?¡± asked Rocky.


    Based on what Athena had said earlier, Rocky had basically confirmed that the enemies planned to take this gathering as an opportunity and a pretext to move against him. But as he asked, was the opposition planning to target him personally, or, as before, to send troops to threaten Thunderhawk City?


    ¡°Both barrels,¡± replied Athena.


    Just as the question was finished, Athena directly provided the answer. In her view, this time the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute did not plan to target Rocky or Thunderhawk City alone; they intended to strike at both simultaneously!


    Upon hearing her response, Rocky was stunned, then, without needing Athena to explain further, he let out a bitter smile.


    Indeed, this time the opposition would be striking with both barrels.


    This was because Athena had already analyzed it. According to her analysis, this would be the Kafka Empire and Magic Energy Research Institute¡¯s last chance, an opportunity they could not afford to miss. They had to obtain the Mana Rune, thus, they wouldn¡¯t hold back and would use all means available.


    ¡°So¡­ what do you think we should do?¡±


    After smiling bitterly, Rocky turned his head to look at Athena, continuing to ask.


    And to this question, Athena quickly provided an answer as well.


    ¡°Both barrels.¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 754 - 716: Great Development

    Chapter 754: Chapter 716: Great Development


    Regarding the actions of The Three Great Alliances, Athena not only largely saw through all their plans but also thought of a countermeasure, which was quite simple¡ªalso a two-pronged approach.


    On one hand, it involved strengthening Rocky¡¯s own power. Since The Three Great Alliances had invited him to attend a gathering six months later, there was no doubt that they planned to take action against him after six months. Therefore, within these six months, Rocky had to find ways to become stronger, and the method was naturally not difficult¡ªdeveloping stronger Armor.


    For Rocky at present, enhancing his strength meant upgrading the White Demon Armor was the best and only option. Moreover, the White Demon Armor was already one of the most top-notch armors today. If it could be further improved, Rocky¡¯s self-preservation would not be a problem.


    On the other hand, it was necessary to enhance the strength of Thunderhawk City, or rather, to enhance the overall strength of the two Sky Cities and one ground base under Rocky¡¯s rule. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    According to Athena¡¯s speculation, this time The Three Great Alliances not only wanted to target Rocky himself but also intended to target Thunderhawk City like the last time. This move was almost akin to a killing blow because with the power of The Three Great Alliances, once they truly decided to go all out, it would be an onslaught that no one could withstand.


    However, the situation also had an advantageous side for Rocky.


    Firstly, Rocky was no longer the minor character he used to be, who only had one small Sky City and could only drift through the winds in the sky. Now, he ruled over one small and one medium Sky City, and once Thunderhawk City was upgraded, he would have two medium-sized Sky Cities. Besides, don¡¯t forget he also had the ground base of Backhill Village. In such a situation, even if The Three Great Alliances wanted to take action against him, they had to treat it seriously, perhaps even deploying heavy forces.


    Yet, the current situation did not allow The Three Great Alliances to go all out because the Third Counterattack War would erupt a year later, where war took precedence at that time. Thus, even if The Three Great Alliances took action, they would have considerable reservations.


    Under these circumstances, if Rocky could develop the two cities and the base under his rule, then it might not be impossible to get through this crisis.


    This was not just Athena¡¯s assumption but a conclusion she reached after careful calculations, having fully considered the current situation, and even the future development potential of Mana Runes, ultimately believing that with the right time and place, Rocky had every capability to get through this crisis. Once he got through it, the world would be vast with sky high for the birds to soar and war upon them, The Three Great Alliances would no longer have the leisure to target him.


    As for Athena¡¯s thoughts, Rocky naturally agreed profoundly. In fact, even if Athena hadn¡¯t mentioned it, he also thought the same. With the current chaotic situation, even without The Three Great Alliances directly opposing him, he still needed to make himself and the cities under his rule stronger; the only difference was time.


    If there were no external pressures daring to challenge him, Rocky could develop slowly and systematically, just like a few years ago, but now it could no longer be that way. Time had become exceptionally pressing¡ªhe only had six months left. Within these six months, he had to do his utmost to make himself stronger, to become stronger in every aspect.


    So, afterward, Rocky gathered Liliya and the others to formulate the development plans for the next six months.


    First and foremost, the Armor.


    Whether the new generation of White Demon Armor could be manufactured within six months was the most important issue, as it represented the highest combat power of Rocky and the forces he ruled. It was no exaggeration to say that he had developed to this stage in the world today largely due to the White Demon Armor. Therefore, within six months, the new edition of White Demon Armor had to be manufactured¡ªnot only had to be completed but also had to ensure its combat power far surpassed all current armors.


    ¡°Kid, you can rest assured, the design for the new version of the White Demon Armor has been completely finalized, and the Ruby Chamber of Commerce has already delivered the Steel Essence needed for production. Next, I will start crafting the first version of the Test Armor, so the new White Demon Armor will certainly be made within half a year,¡±


    When Rocky looked at Hammerfire, Hammerfire patted his chest and said.


    The development of the new generation of White Demon Armor had been ongoing, even the major upgrade of Thunderhawk City did not delay it. While other members of the institute were taken by Orton to help transform the city, only Hammerfire did not go; he had been perfecting the armor¡¯s design without attending to anything else.


    Now that the design work was all completed, and the Steel Essence previously requested from the Ruby Chamber of Commerce had arrived, both design and materials were in place. Just as Hammerfire had said, they could now proceed to craft the first version of the experimental battle armor.


    Hearing this from Hammerfire, Rocky felt considerably relieved. After all, he had been involved in the development of the previous two generations of White Demon Armor and had personally led the design of tanks and Thunderhawk Armor. Thus, he was well aware that reaching the stage where they could make experimental battle armor meant the design work for the new armor was mostly complete¡ªdefinitely good news.


    ¡°Teacher, how long will the renovation of Thunderhawk City take?¡±


    After taking a deep breath, Rocky turned to Orton and inquired about the progress of Thunderhawk City¡¯s armament plan.


    Logically, enhancing Thunderhawk City¡¯s strength was not something that could be achieved in a single step; after all, developing a city¡¯s infrastructure was not child¡¯s play and certainly not something that could be decided on a whim. If it had been earlier, this could have been Rocky¡¯s Achilles¡¯ heel, easily targeted by The Three Great Alliances, and Rocky would have been utterly helpless.


    But now was different. If Orton¡¯s Sky City armament plan could truly succeed, Thunderhawk City would not only be able to greatly enhance its strength in a short amount of time but also become the most unique city in the world. Thus, Rocky could not afford to neglect this matter.


    ¡°It depends on when the weapons can be in place,¡±


    Asked in such a way by Rocky, Orton, head held high and full of confidence, replied. Although most people, including Pelaya and Aniye, were skeptical about the Sky City armament plan, claiming the project had failed even with substantial support from the Magic Energy Research Institute, thus offering little hope for success, Orton firmly believed in the plan he had personally led. Facing Rocky, he was quite meticulous and stated that once the custom armaments were in place, Thunderhawk City would be armed immediately!


    Seeing this, Rocky nodded silently, thinking to himself. Having interacted with Orton for such a long time, he understood his teacher¡¯s temperament and personality well, knowing that Orton might seem eccentric at times but was never careless in academic research. As such, since Orton had made such a statement, he chose to trust his teacher.


    However, on this matter, Rocky could not solely rely on the armament plan. Regardless of Orton¡¯s confidence, he could not guarantee that the plan would be 100% successful, and even if it succeeded, it was not certain that an armed Sky City could withstand targeted actions from The Three Great Alliances. Therefore, in this regard, Rocky had to prepare alternate strategies, so he finally turned to another individual.


    ¡°Lord Archimonde, how is the situation with the Chamber of Commerce now?¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 755 - 717: Cant Stay Idle

    Chapter 755: Chapter 717: Can¡¯t Stay Idle


    This time, Rocky did not only summon confidants like Liliya and Orton to his side but also called for Archimonde, as currently, the Apple Tree Corporation could be considered Rocky¡¯s only ally. Although in comparison, the Ruby Chamber of Commerce seemed to be closer to Rocky, it was, after all, only a medium-sized business, and the help it could offer was limited. It could not compare to a giant like the Apple Tree Corporation.


    When Rocky asked him, Archimonde smiled and said, ¡°City Lord Rocky, you know that the orders for Void Magic Armor and Tank Armor have been coming in continuously lately. Besides, the Corporation is also building new factories and further mastering Rune Technology. I believe it won¡¯t be long before we can mass-produce Rune Battleships.¡±


    Archimonde was very clear about what Rocky wanted to ask. Naturally, it was whether the Corporation could provide him with a large number of warships. As for the Corporation, this naturally wasn¡¯t a problem, just as Rocky would call upon Archimonde, a representative of the Apple Tree Corporation, in such a situation. Now, Rocky had also become one of the most important partners of the Apple Tree Corporation, without a doubt.


    But even so, a corporation was still a corporation, possessing an unusual business model. Take the Rune Battleships, for instance. Although Rocky had handed over some of the Rune Technology to the Corporation, and the Corporation had already manufactured several warships and handed them over to Rocky, the Apple Tree Corporation was still quite cautious.


    Here, it is necessary to mention the Guild President Pansen. If it were someone else, upon acquiring Rune Technology, they would most likely put it into production as quickly as possible and promote Rune Battleships as fast as they could. Only by doing so could they make money. But Pansen didn¡¯t do this. While he did continue to produce Rune Battleships, it wasn¡¯t for sales but rather to meet Rocky¡¯s needs. On the other hand, he was researching Rune Technology, which alone was enough to show Pansen¡¯s methods and schemes.


    He knew very well the sensation that releasing Rune Battleships onto the market would cause and the immense profits it would bring the Corporation. But Pansen was also very clear about how delicate the current situation was.


    The third counter-offensive war was about to erupt, and The Three Great Alliances were coveting Rune Technology. Although other major forces had not stepped forward at this juncture, everyone¡¯s hearts were far from calm. So, if the Apple Tree Corporation were to flamboyantly introduce Rune Battleships at this point, to put it nicely, it would immediately become a focus; to put it bluntly, it would become the target of all arrows. It¡¯s possible that the attention The Three Great Alliances had on Rocky might even shift to them as a result.


    Naturally, this was not the outcome Pansen wanted to see. The Apple Tree Corporation might indeed be a giant, but it was still just a corporation, and absolutely should not become the target of all arrows. Hence, Pansen was very cautious about the Rune Battleships. Although it had already been several months since they acquired Rune Technology and the Corporation had developed real Rune Battleships, they had yet to officially sell them.


    On the surface, it seemed like it was because the production couldn¡¯t meet the demand and could only satisfy Rocky¡¯s needs first. But in reality, Pansen was deliberately controlling it. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Similarly, while Pansen was obviously restrained in this matter, he was also actively preparing at the same time, such as actively researching the Rune Technology provided to them by Rocky, designing new-style warships with Rune Technology at the core, and actively expanding the shipyards. All these efforts actually represented Pansen¡¯s preparations for the time after the issues between Rocky and The Three Great Alliances had passed before making a move.


    In fact, Pansen had a clear plan in mind regarding this matter. He was to support Rocky with all his might. Once Rocky survived this crisis and the war truly erupted, he could then mass-produce and sell Rune Battleships, because by that time, it would mean that all the methods The Three Great Alliances had against Rocky had failed. As his most steadfast ally, Pansen would no longer have any concerns.


    But if Rocky failed, Pansen wasn¡¯t worried. After all, the Apple Tree Corporation was a titan in warship manufacturing. Even if The Three Great Alliances acquired Rune Technology, it wouldn¡¯t be too detrimental to him. He could even cooperate with The Three Great Alliances instead.


    In such a situation, Archimonde naturally had to fully convey Pansen¡¯s intentions. So, he immediately assured Rocky that the second batch of Rune Battleships would be delivered within a month.


    Before the upgrade and transformation of Thunderhawk City, the Apple Tree Corporation had delivered a batch of Rune Battleships, totaling a hundred vessels. However, these hundred warships were only part of what they had agreed to deliver to Rocky, and a considerable portion of the warships had not yet been delivered. What Archimonde referred to were these undelivered warships.


    Upon hearing his words, Rocky nodded and didn¡¯t say much else, because there really wasn¡¯t much need for further words. Now he and the Apple Tree Corporation were tied to the same battle line, and Rocky believed the Corporation would steadfastly support him.


    With that, the several matters he was most worried about had been basically settled. The development of the White Demon Armor was underway, with completion guaranteed within half a year. The armament plan was also progressing quite smoothly, and there were no issues with the Apple Tree Corporation. If things continued to develop in this manner, Rocky believed that in half a year, both he and the forces under his rule would undergo an earth-shattering transformation.


    However, after dismissing everyone, Rocky wasn¡¯t idle and went directly to see Wynn.


    Now that Thunderhawk City had replaced the Super Crystal and the city¡¯s foundation had been expanded many times, the next step would be the expansion of the city area. Once the city area expansion was completed, the upgrade of Thunderhawk City could be considered to have reached a stage of completion. Then, just as long as the population breached the ten-thousand mark, Thunderhawk City would completely become a medium-sized Sky City.


    This was the most time-consuming and laborious step in upgrading a city, as expanding the city area required a large amount of labor and investment. In this regard, Wynn could only plan, not decide. The one who made the decisions was Rocky.


    Therefore, when they met, Wynn explained to Rocky all the material and manpower needs for the expansion of the city area. Rocky asked Aileen and Old Jack to purchase materials on one hand and to recruit workers within the city on the other, striving to start construction as soon as possible.


    Only when all this was done did Rocky finally get a chance to rest, but it wasn¡¯t for long.


    ¡°Rocky, He Nan wants to see you.¡±


    ¡°He Nan¡­¡±


    That day, while Rocky was studying a tome on Mana Energy Conduction, Liliya suddenly told him that He Nan, the Chief of the Fireteng Tribe, had arrived.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 756 - 718: Thanks

    Chapter 756: Chapter 718: Thanks


    ¡°He Nan¡­¡±


    Putting down the book in his hands, Rocky furrowed his brows and pondered, then sighed.


    It had been almost a week since Thunderhawk City had taken to the skies again. Including the time Thunderhawk City had landed, the Fireteng Tribe had already been living in Thunderhawk City for over a month.


    However, Rocky had not forgotten about Chief He Nan and the Fireteng Tribe. The reason he had delayed meeting He Nan was actually to allow He Nan and his tribe to spend more time in Thunderhawk City.


    Living here for a longer period, the Beastmen would surely feel the comfort of life in the sky and might change their minds. Even if not all of them changed, if even a part of them yearned for the sky, Rocky felt he had a chance to keep those individuals here. Although this was somewhat unkind towards He Nan, some things were just that way; there was no helping it.


    So when Rocky learned that He Nan had taken the initiative to seek a meeting with him, he felt a bit regretful because he had hoped to delay a little longer since the Fireteng Tribe had only been in Thunderhawk City for a short time.


    Reluctant as he was, He Nan still needed to be seen. After all, he was the chief of a tribe; slighting him would certainly leave a bad impression among the Beastmen of the Fireteng Tribe, which was naturally not something Rocky wanted.


    Even though he had to meet him, Rocky did not wish to meet at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, so he glanced at Liliya, ¡°Tell He Nan that I¡¯m about to head to Backhill Village, ask him to meet me there in the village.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Liliya understood what Rocky meant and promptly left the room. Not long after she departed, Rocky also left the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and took a carriage all the way to the Skyport.


    As the city¡¯s expansion had officially started, the Skyport at Thunderhawk City was naturally included in the construction plans, so when Rocky arrived, the Skyport was under construction. Half of the Skyport was enclosed, with workers coming in and out, and the noise of construction clanging, making the entire Skyport appear particularly messy.


    At the Skyport, Rocky saw He Nan who had been waiting there and Liliya who had brought him.


    Standing next to Liliya, He Nan was not wearing his Void Magic Armor this time but was dressed in traditional Beastmen leather attire. Yet, even so, his robustness could not be concealed. As the strongest warrior in the Fireteng Tribe, He Nan was half a head taller than Monte, his muscles firm like chunks of stone, providing an immense sense of oppression with just one glance.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky.¡±


    Upon seeing Rocky, He Nan nodded to him. While he still maintained the chief¡¯s blockade and dignity, his attitude had clearly improved a lot compared to when on land.


    This was normal; firstly, although the two had hardly met in this past month, they had previously faced a life-and-death crisis together, naturally making them no longer as unfamiliar as when they first met. Secondly, after He Nan brought his tribe to Thunderhawk City, he truly understood the extent of Rocky¡¯s power.


    Although He Nan had always known that Rocky¡¯s identity was that of the City Lord of Sky City, living on land his whole life meant he didn¡¯t understand much what the role of a City Lord entailed. In He Nan¡¯s view, a City Lord was more like a title, and he had no clue about the power it held.


    But now, he knew.


    Arriving at Thunderhawk City, after seeing its residents and its army and witnessing the major project of upgrading the city, He Nan finally understood what the role of a City Lord represented. So when he saw Rocky again, naturally, there was a bit more awe than before.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, how is everyone finding their stay in the city?¡±


    ¡°Very good, sorry for the trouble, City Lord.¡±


    Responding to Rocky¡¯s query, He Nan nodded repeatedly. In this regard, he was genuinely grateful to Rocky, because even though they had not seen each other much, Rocky had arranged everything perfectly for all the Beastmen of the Fireteng Tribe, leaving He Nan nothing to complain about.


    Speciesponsoring a tribe of over a thousand people in a city where all five thousand residents had already found accommodation was no small feat. Moreover, ensuring that this thousand-plus Beastmen lived well required a lot of effort from Rocky.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I really can¡¯t thank you enough for this time. If it weren¡¯t for your help, I really don¡¯t know what would have become of our tribe.¡±


    As they walked towards the War Steed, He Nan sincerely expressed his gratitude to Rocky. This gratitude came not only from his heart but also on behalf of more than a thousand Beastmen of the Fireteng Tribe, because as he said, if they had not arrived at Thunderhawk City in time, faced with the overwhelming flood, the Fireteng Tribe really would not have known where to go; they might have ended up completely submerged like the demons that were washed away by the flood.


    However, grateful as he was, after expressing his thanks, He Nan still insisted, ¡°City Lord Rocky, I heard that the floodwaters have receded, so¡­¡±


    Undoubtedly, even though He Nan was grateful that they could stay in Thunderhawk City during difficult times and that the living conditions in Thunderhawk City were indeed much better than on the ground, He Nan still had no intention of staying. After expressing his gratitude, he clearly seemed ready to take his leave.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, let¡¯s talk about these matters later, first accompany me on a trip to Backhill Village.¡±


    However, before He Nan could finish speaking, Rocky interrupted him with a smile, then after giving him a look, he boarded the War Steed without waiting for a response. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Watching He Nan board the War Steed, He Nan hesitated with his mouth slightly open for a long time, eventually sighed quietly to himself, and followed.


    Afterward, the War Steed slowly took off from the Skyport and left Thunderhawk City.


    Standing on the bow of the War Steed, Rocky did not allow the situation to remain awkward. As the warship broke through the clouds, he pointed below and said, ¡°Chief He Nan, the village below is Backhill Village.¡±


    Since Thunderhawk City hovered above Backhill Village, the War Steed quickly descended after leaving the city, allowing He Nan to easily see the entire village by following Rocky¡¯s pointing finger.


    He Nan had actually heard about Backhill Village because although Rocky had not contacted him during this period, Monte and Dusa had become well acquainted with He Nan and the other Beastmen of the Fireteng Tribe. Over this month, the two of them had managed all the tribal affairs, so in this process, He Nan indeed heard about Backhill Village more than once from Monte¡¯s mouth, knowing it was a village under Rocky¡¯s jurisdiction and located on the land.


    Yet, even though he had heard about it long ago, when He Nan saw Backhill Village with his own eyes, he could not help but be silently amazed because the village was nothing like he had imagined¡­


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 757 - 719: How does it feel?

    Chapter 757: Chapter 719: How does it feel?


    Gazing down from the sky at Backhill Village, Chief He Nan¡¯s first impression was that it was vast. The village was much larger than he had imagined.


    This was not surprising, as Backhill Village originally had a population of two thousand. Its size would only be larger, not smaller, than the Fireteng Tribe that lived in the small forest. Moreover, since City Lord Rocky took back control of Backhill Village from the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, he had expanded the village to some extent to develop it as his base on the road. Therefore, based on the standard of the residing population, the now expanded Backhill Village could at least accommodate three thousand people, making it naturally appear quite vast.


    Besides being vast, the village gave He Nan the impression of strength, especially the towering walls at the entrance to the village, which left him speechless.


    Since he was looking down from mid-air, He Nan could not see the entirety of the walls, but he could clearly see the walkways on them. Just the sight of the walkways took his breath away, because atop the walls of Backhill Village were not only numerous Magic Energy Cannons but also rows of Tank-type Armors!


    This was also a change that had occurred since City Lord Rocky took over Backhill Village. After the initial occupation by the Proud Dragon Commerce Guild, the guild spent a lot of money repairing the walls, which had been severely damaged. At the time, City Lord Rocky had put a lot of effort into preserving these walls. After retaking the village, Rocky not only did not neglect the walls but expanded them significantly.


    After years of continuous reinforcement, the walls¡¯ height remained the same, but their thickness had doubled. And because the walls had become thicker, the walkways had to be widened, leading to what He Nan was witnessing.


    Now, Backhill Village¡¯s walls did not rely on soldiers for manual defense, as they were fully equipped with Magic Energy Cannons. And as He Nan saw, thanks to the widened walkways, Tank-type Armors had been driven up there as well. This not only increased long-range firepower but also allowed for the Tank Armors to shoot down at Demons should they break through the range of fire and approach the walls.


    What surprised He Nan the most, however, was the Moving Fortress parked outside Backhill Village. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The massive Moving Fortress, stationed at the entrance of the village, was like a small hill, leaving He Nan dumbfounded. For someone who had lived in the Fireteng Tribe since birth, everything he saw was beyond his experience. Although He Nan was the chief and the strongest warrior of his tribe, he had never left the vicinity of Red Water Lake, never seen a place like Backhill Village, nor encountered the strange Tank Armor. As for the Moving Fortress, it was something that completely surpassed his imagination.


    In this situation, He Nan had no time to think about how to broach the topic with City Lord Rocky and couldn¡¯t help but ask:


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, what is¡­ that?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Following the direction of He Nan¡¯s gesture, Rocky smiled and said, ¡°That is the Moving Fortress, something another city lord and I discovered underneath Kasin City half a year ago.¡±


    ¡°Kasin City? Kasin City actually has such a thing?¡±


    He Nan couldn¡¯t hide his surprise upon hearing this. Although he had never been to Kasin City, his tribe had always lived around Red Water Lake, and he had heard of Kasin City from his elders. He could not fathom how such a ¡®monster¡¯ could be hidden in a city not far from the tribe.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, what is this Moving Fortress used for?¡±


    After his initial shock, He Nan looked at Rocky like a child, filled with questions about what he had just seen. Rocky detailed the answers to all of his questions, prompting He Nan to nod frequently and repeatedly show expressions of amazement and disbelief.


    Rocky gave such detailed answers to all of He Nan¡¯s questions not to show off his own strength, but to help the Beastmen, represented by He Nan, understand what the world had become.


    The Forsaken People who lived on the land, though admirable for their courage and strength, could not change the reality that they had been left behind by the world. Whether they liked it or not, the core that led people forward was no longer the land, but the sky. Thus, the Forsaken People, like He Nan who lived on the land, were still alive, but they had been discarded. The current world was entirely different from the world they knew.


    This was evident from the reactions of He Nan and the Fireteng Tribe after their arrival at Thunderhawk City. Monte had been reporting to Rocky about the conditions of the Fireteng Tribe¡¯s life in Thunderhawk City, mentioning their difficulty in adapting, not because life in Thunderhawk City was bad or outdated, but because it was too good and too advanced, leaving the members of the Fireteng Tribe struggling to keep up.


    This difficulty in adapting was reflected not only in the ordinary Beastmen but also in Chief He Nan. In Rocky¡¯s view, this was extremely sad because the Beastmen of the Fireteng Tribe deserved to live better lives.


    That¡¯s why Rocky had chosen to meet with He Nan in Backhill Village this time. He wanted He Nan to know what the world had become, and to understand where the world was heading. Only by seeing and comprehending these things, could the Fireteng Tribe truly survive in the world. Otherwise, even if they left Thunderhawk City, they would still not escape the fate of extermination, especially with the third counter-attack war about to erupt in a year¡¯s time.


    And so, as Rocky conversed with He Nan, War Steed gently descended inside Backhill Village. Then, Rocky took He Nan to his residence in the village.


    After years of development, Backhill Village had not only recovered its former state but was even better than before. There were barracks, mines, and newly constructed homes, allowing many workers from the mines, along with their families, to move directly into the village to live. Rocky¡¯s residence was located at the innermost part of the residential area.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, what do you think of this village?¡±


    Once He Nan was seated, while Liliya was pouring him tea, Rocky asked him.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    He hesitated at the question, knowing what Rocky meant. Indeed, throughout the past month, Monte had repeatedly conveyed that the Fireteng Tribe could fully settle in Backhill Village if they wished. This would allow them to live on the land yet give the tribe¡¯s people a better life. Rocky¡¯s question now was clearly seeking his opinion on the matter.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 758 - 720: Sincerity Moves

    Chapter 758: Chapter 720: Sincerity Moves


    ¡°To be honest, Chief He Nan was both surprised and really fond of Backhill Village,¡±


    With his understanding, he couldn¡¯t imagine how Rocky managed to develop a village on the land to such an extent, especially since no one knew better than Chief He Nan just how dangerous the land could be. Living on the land generation after generation, he knew all too well the hardships of life there.


    Even so, he still had great concerns.


    While Chief He Nan¡¯s experiences weren¡¯t vast, he wasn¡¯t foolish. He knew all too well just how excellent his own tribe was.


    Every male Beastman in the Fireteng Tribe, regardless of age, possessed tremendous fighting capabilities. This stemmed partly from their race and partly from the harsh environments they endured. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that, with almost no need for equipment, the warriors of the Fireteng Tribe could battle demons one-on-one. The significance of such combat strength to Rocky was self-evident, and this was precisely what Chief He Nan worried about.


    Didn¡¯t he want his tribe to have better days? Of course, he did. But Chief He Nan was always afraid that Rocky intended to use his people, as there were precedents to this.


    As a naturally combative race, Beastmen, who chose to stay on the land in the past, were numerous. Moreover, due to their inherent fighting prowess, some City Lords from Sky City captured Beastmen from the land to enslave them and force them into combat, leading many land-based Beastmen tribes to extinction. Thus, as the Chief, he would rather lead his tribe to strive for survival on the land than to be enslaved by others.


    These matters inevitably brought a bitter expression to Chief He Nan¡¯s face. Seeing his expression, Rocky spoke up:


    ¡°Chief He Nan, I know what you are worried about,¡±


    Looking at Chief He Nan, Rocky spoke honestly and openly, ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you. If the Fireteng Tribe could join under my command, it would undoubtedly be a great advantage for me.¡±


    Looking squarely at Chief He Nan, Rocky, hiding nothing, indeed valued the impressive combat skills of the Beastmen. There was no doubt about it and no need to conceal this truth. However, he did not wish to exploit the Beastmen.


    Rocky admitted that even today, some City Lords from Sky City would forcefully capture The Forsaken People from the land to use as their slaves, and there were even specific markets for this on the black market. But Rocky was not such a City Lord.


    In his view, should the Fireteng Tribe join his command, the Beastmen, just like the other residents of Thunderhawk City, would be seen as his citizens. He would not treat the Beastmen as slaves; he didn¡¯t care what they chose to do; he remained impressed by Chief He Nan and his tribe, just as he had been at their first meeting. Hence, he was even less inclined to let them return to live on the land.


    On the one hand, land life was too perilous. Rocky had seen firsthand the conditions the Fireteng Tribe lived under on the land where they managed to survive only within a small coppice and relying on its unique characteristics for protection. But don¡¯t forget, demonic activities were becoming more frequent. Perhaps the Fireteng Tribe had thrived on the land for generations, but facing increasingly frequent demonic activities, they might not survive much longer.


    On the other hand, as Rocky mentioned, the Third Counterstrike War was about to break out. Once this global war erupted, enveloping both the sky and the land, how would the Fireteng Tribe survive in the conflict? By then, facing demons would be the least of their problems, compared to the people from the sky.


    Therefore, facing Chief He Nan this time, Rocky knew this might be his only chance to persuade Chief He Nan. He held nothing back and sincerely shared his thoughts. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, once the war breaks out, no one will be spared. I won¡¯t, and neither will you. The only thing we can do is find a way to survive,¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen the conditions here. Backhill Village is my base on the land. I will fully develop this place. I have two Sky Cities, and I possess the most advanced technology in the world today. All I¡¯m doing now is to be able to survive the coming war.¡±


    Speaking to Chief He Nan, Rocky earnestly and passionately revealed things he had almost never shared with anyone else.


    Everything he was doing now seemed to be in resistance to The Three Great Alliances in half a year. But in fact, that was not the case. Rocky had a larger goal. It was not just about resisting The Three Great Alliances but surviving the impending Third Counterstrike War!


    This war would be inescapable, drawing everyone into its storm, and it was foreseeable that in this conflict, countless Sky Cities would be wiped out. So Rocky¡¯s real goal was actually this war. He could not and would not allow Thunderhawk City to be obliterated after this war. He was desperate to ensure his survival in this conflict, which is why he was working so hard now. And he had only shared these things with Liliya and Athena before, but now he was sharing them with Chief He Nan, truly showing his heart.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, I know your concerns, but I can assure you, as long as you join me, your people can reside in Backhill Village. In my eyes, your people are the residents of Thunderhawk City, my citizens. I will not enslave my citizens,¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, you¡­¡±


    When Rocky finished speaking, Chief He Nan was stunned. It is easy to discern whether someone is sincere, and Chief He Nan was shocked by the sincerity Rocky displayed. He had never expected that Rocky, who held two Sky Cities and a village, would be so profoundly open and trusting, even by the relatively naive standards of the Beastmen.


    Equally, the sincerity shown by Rocky moved Chief He Nan, so after staring blankly at Rocky for a while, Chief He Nan furrowed his brow and thought for a long time before speaking again, ¡°City Lord Rocky, take me back to Thunderhawk City. I need to discuss this with my people.¡±


    Clearly moved, Chief He Nan didn¡¯t elaborate further but decided to return to Thunderhawk City to discuss with his tribe.


    Upon hearing him, Rocky sighed with relief. Everything he had said was true, including his admiration for the Fireteng Tribe and his attitude towards the Beastmen. More importantly, the statement that adding the Fireteng Tribe to his command would undoubtedly increase his strength significantly was crucial for him!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 759 - 721: Reinforcements Join!

    Chapter 759: Chapter 721: Reinforcements Join!


    After returning to Thunderhawk City, He Nan did not immediately respond to Rocky. Indeed, as he had mentioned, he gathered several elders in the tribe to discuss whether to stay in Backhill Village, and the discussion lasted for three days.


    Three days later, He Nan had finally managed to persuade all the tribe¡¯s elders, winning their agreement to move the entire Fireteng Tribe to Backhill Village!


    Upon learning the news, Rocky was so thrilled that he didn¡¯t sleep all night ¨C the matter was of utmost importance to him. The addition of the Fireteng Tribe meant not only an increase of over a thousand people under his rule but, importantly, those thousand people were Beastmen!


    Although Rocky had said he would not force the Beastmen to fight for him, the very presence of willing Beastmen, even if only a few hundred, would dramatically enhance the combat capability of Thunderhawk City!


    Thus, Rocky began to arrange the migration personally. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Though the Fireteng Tribe¡¯s population was not as large as Backhill Village initially, they numbered over fifteen hundred. Accommodating these people was a massive project, but fortunately, the tribe had traveled light, making the relocation less troublesome.


    Since it was not the first time large numbers of people moved into a city or village under his dominion, Rocky was quite experienced in handling such matters. He managed to arrange everything properly within just a week.


    Originally, Rocky planned to let the Beastmen adapt for a while, then thoroughly arrange their lives in Backhill Village once they had settled. Whether they chose to enlist or live ordinary lives like everyone else, both cities and the village under Rocky¡¯s rule were rapidly developing, ensuring there were plenty of jobs available.


    However, contrary to his expectations, barely after the Fireteng Tribe had settled in Backhill Village, He Nan came to him proactively and informed Rocky that he had already organized the tribe¡¯s warriors, ready to fight at any moment.


    One must admit, though He Nan was a Beastman and among the most formidable, his intellect was truly fit for a chief. Since joining Rocky¡¯s forces, he immediately changed his approach and found a way to improve his tribe¡¯s living under Rocky¡¯s command.


    That way was value.


    In He Nan¡¯s view, the simplest way for his tribe to thrive in Backhill Village was to demonstrate their value. Only by proving their worth could they gain Rocky¡¯s attention, and the best way to do that was to utilize the Beastmen¡¯s natural prowess.


    What is the Beastmen¡¯s specialty?


    Of course, combat.


    With this in mind, once the tribe settled in Backhill Village, He Nan gathered his people. Under his arrangement, the women had time to familiarize themselves with the environment while the men, especially young and robust ones, formed a regiment immediately.


    Combat was nothing new for the Beastmen of the Fireteng Tribe; during their time at Red Water Lake, it was almost their sole occupation. Thus, at He Nan¡¯s command, a regiment of eight hundred Beastmen rapidly assembled.


    Rocky was, of course, overjoyed by He Nan¡¯s initiative and immediately issued a command.


    Under his order, this all-Beastmen force would not be integrated into the Guard Corps but would remain an independent unit, led by He Nan as the captain, with Rocky himself as the overall commander. Monte was then assigned to distribute Mana Equipment to them and incorporate them into the defense of Backhill Village.


    Of course, this arrangement was only temporary for Rocky. A Beastmen regiment was universally recognized as formidable, and since all its members were battle-hardened warriors of The Forsaken People, capable of fighting demons single-handedly without any gear, assigning such a troop to act as mere infantry would be a waste of their talents. Rocky¡¯s real plan was to transform this Beastmen force into a powerful Void Magic Corps!


    The Fireteng Tribe¡¯s Beastmen, capable of battling demons one-on-one without any equipment, would be unstoppable in Void Magic Armor, especially if equipped with Rune Armor. Just how powerful could this regiment be in battle? Rocky hardly dared to think about it; he was afraid of jinxing himself.


    So, he immediately went to the laboratory to find Hammerfire.


    Although Rock had specially selected a site for a new, more advanced laboratory under the city¡¯s upgrade plan, Hammerfire and his team were still confined to the old laboratory at that stage since the new one had not yet been completed.


    ¡°No time, no time, no time.¡±


    However, to Rocky¡¯s surprise, when he found Hammerfire and expressed his desire to design a New Armor for the Beastmen, Hammerfire, standing on a stool and working at his bench, didn¡¯t even look up. Instead, he impatiently waved him off, ¡°Kid, didn¡¯t you say you wanted the White Demon Armor completed quickly? I don¡¯t have time for your pretend games; go play by yourself, and stop bothering me!¡±


    After saying that, Hammerfire shooed Rocky out of the laboratory before he could even respond, leaving a bewildered Rocky behind.


    Of course, no blame could be placed on Hammerfire. As he said, his focus was entirely on the White Demon Armor, and the first prototype of the new generation was almost completed. Once done, Hammerfire had countless tests to conduct, so he definitely had no time for other tasks now or anytime soon unless he shelved the White Demon Armor project.


    Naturally, Rocky could not afford to delay Hammerfire¡¯s work on the White Demon Armor, so he refrained from returning to the lab and instead brooded alone.


    Even though Rocky was now capable of designing Armor himself, his real reason for consulting Hammerfire was to discuss Elemental rune technology.


    In Rocky¡¯s view, since he was designing a New Armor for the Beastmen, he couldn¡¯t rely on old designs. This New Armor had to be Rune-driven and ideally incorporate Elemental rune technology, especially since this technology had already been successfully developed. The future of Armor was clearly heading in this direction, and Rocky didn¡¯t want his new design to take any steps backward.


    But since Elemental Technology was the most cutting-edge technology and Rocky did not have a complete grasp of it, he had come to seek Hammerfire¡¯s assistance, which now seemed unlikely.


    ¡°What am I going to do¡­¡±


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 760 - 722: Beastman Specific Armor!

    Chapter 760: Chapter 722: Beastman Specific Armor!


    After standing dazed in the corridor of the research institute for a while, Rocky could only turn to another laboratory. Since Hammerfire was too busy to help, he had no choice but to seek assistance elsewhere.


    Apart from Hammerfire, Aniye was leading part of the research team in studies primarily focused on the practical application of Elemental Rune Technology, and Orton was engaged in the City Armament Plan. Both were too occupied to be approached, leaving only Pelaya as a potential helper.


    During this period, Pelaya had some free time on her hands. She had just completed her research on Elemental Conduction Technology, and it was indeed thanks to this breakthrough that Hammerfire was able to create the Test Armor. Thus, Pelaya wasn¡¯t particularly busy and should have time to assist Rocky.


    And so, Rocky went to Pelaya¡¯s laboratory.


    ¡°Teacher, are you busy?¡±


    After knocking and entering the laboratory, Rocky saw Pelaya sitting in front of the test bench, with two relatively younger researchers standing by her side.


    It was clear that a master of Pelaya¡¯s caliber, even during quieter times, was actually immersed in her own research. Or to put it another way, only those with such an indefatigable spirit could ascend to such a level of mastery.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Turning her head to glance at Rocky standing at the door, the forty-year-old-looking Pelaya smiled and waved him in.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, you didn¡¯t go to help Hammerfire?¡±


    As Rocky came in, Pelaya put down her work and asked with a smile.


    ¡°No, it seems that Teacher Hammerfire doesn¡¯t need my help.¡±


    Scratching his head, Rocky said somewhat awkwardly.


    After so much time studying, Rocky¡¯s own technical prowess had grown considerably strong. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say he was at least on par with the other researchers in the institute. He had even been capable of participating in the research with Orton and the others before. Unfortunately, that was no longer the case.


    Because Orton and his team had expanded their research into the realm of Elemental attributes, a field that was brand new to the entire world. Not only did Rocky not understand it, but other masters around the world didn¡¯t either. Even Orton and his team were feeling their way forward cautiously, so at the moment, Rocky was of no help to them.


    ¡°What did you come to me for, is there something you don¡¯t understand?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I want to design a new Armor, and there are some things I¡¯m not quite clear about.¡±


    Nodding at Pelaya, Rocky spoke while glancing at the two other researchers standing beside them. These researchers were also quite discerning. They politely nodded at him and Pelaya once their eyes met, and then they left the laboratory.


    Elemental runes and the resulting elemental technology were top-secret within the research institute, with only Orton, four others, and Rocky privy to such matters. Other researchers weren¡¯t qualified to partake, so when Rocky saw the two researchers off, Pelaya knew exactly what he was about to discuss.


    ¡°Planning to integrate elemental technology into the new armor?¡±


    Once the two researchers left, Pelaya asked.


    ¡°Yes, and this time, I plan to design a beastman-specific battle armor, specifically to equip the beastman forces.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Has the Fireteng Tribe agreed to join?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Pelaya looked at Rocky with a hint of surprise.


    In fact, it had been over a week since the Fireteng Tribe had joined under Rocky¡¯s command. The entire tribe had already moved to Backhill Village. However, it was apparent that Pelaya was unaware of this development, not just her but likely Hammerfire as well, because they were always engrossed in research within the institute and seldom paid attention to external events unless it was a matter of life or death.


    Rocky wasn¡¯t surprised by this; he understood his teachers¡¯ personalities all too well. Thus, he briefly explained the Fireteng Tribe¡¯s allegiance to Pelaya and then moved on to discuss the new armor he planned to design.


    As Rocky just mentioned, this time he wasn¡¯t simply planning to design another new armor. Instead, he intended to create a beastman-specific battle armor equipped with elemental technology. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was widely known that Void Magic Armor was a human invention, so the main target audience for armor had always primarily been humans. Although most generic armor types could be worn by other species, the results were not as effective as with humans, with beastmen being the most affected.


    Beastmen were known as a warrior race, and their formidable military prowess was no secret. However, there were hardly any specialized armors crafted explicitly for beastmen on the market, mostly because there were simply too few beastmen.


    This scarcity didn¡¯t refer to the beastmen population being too small, but rather that there were too few regular units consisting mainly of beastmen. Most beastmen in the sky belonged to ragtag groups. Either they were Demon Hunters like Monte used to be, or they formed their Mercenary Groups. It was rare to see officially organized units serving a particular force, so large armor manufacturers such as Sigma and Uranus Corporation naturally wouldn¡¯t produce specialized armors for beastmen. After all, merchants attuned everything to the core interest of profit; anything that did not satisfy this was out of the question.


    And it was for this very reason that Rocky intended to design such an armor.


    With the current conditions in Thunderhawk City, equipping the beastmen force as a Void Magic Squad was not difficult. Thunderhawk City had its own armory and armor. All that was lacking was money, and Rocky had multiple assets: Backhill Village had mining fields, the armory¡¯s orders were never-ending, and finally, there was the backing of the robust Apple Tree Corporation. Therefore, money was not an issue. But Rocky had chosen not to do this.


    He had, rather easily or say, very fortunately acquired an entire unit composed of beastmen, who were not only numerous but also part of The Forsaken People, all vetted warriors seasoned by battle. In Rocky¡¯s view, equipping this troop with standard armor would be an underutilization of their capabilities.


    Thus, Rocky intended not only to shape his beastmen force into a special Void Magic Corps but also to forge it into the strongest such force of the day, akin to the top-notch units like the Sky Alliance¡¯s Blue Crune and the Kafka Empire¡¯s Imperial Knight Order.


    If this had been proposed previously, Rocky¡¯s ideas would have been dismissed as the delusions of a madman. But not anymore, for now, he possessed the capacity to nurture a top-notch unit. He had the technology, the money, and even the personnel. Why couldn¡¯t he cultivate his own elite force?


    With this in mind, he had devised his current plan¡ªto design a new armor for the beastman forces. This armor was not only going to be the most advanced Rune Armor of its time, but it would also be the world¡¯s first and only Special Armor made explicitly for the beastman species. This armor had to be powerful and capable of unleashing the beastmen¡¯s full potential, allowing them to tap into their total strength upon being clad in it. That was Rocky¡¯s goal!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 761 - 723 Excitement

    Chapter 761: Chapter 723 Excitement


    ¡°What do you have in mind? Let¡¯s hear it.¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Teacher, this Armor naturally has to be centered around Runes. Nowadays, Rune Technology is very mature, and that part won¡¯t pose a problem for me. What really gives me pause is the Elemental Technology.¡±


    When Rocky discussed the specific details of the New Armor with Pelaya, that¡¯s what he said.


    The main purpose of his visit to Pelaya was precisely about Elemental Technology. He was by no means an expert in this area, only having a basic understanding. Pelaya, on the other hand, was different. As a master of Magic Conduction Technology and playing a vital role in the research of Rune elementalization, the transformation of ordinary Mana into Elemental Magic Energy involved numerous technical challenges related to Magic Conduction, most of which were overcome by Pelaya herself. Therefore, in the cutting-edge field of Rune elementalization, Pelaya had considerable authority.


    Indeed, it was just so, because after Rocky had made his intentions clear, Pelaya only thought for a moment before responding:


    ¡°Given our current mastery of Elemental Technology, the safest method would be to apply it to weaponry. Although Elemental Technology can also have a huge impact in the defensive domain and can be utilized in other areas, further research by Senior Aniye is still in progress and hasn¡¯t quite matured. Therefore, aside from the White Demon Armor, I personally do not recommend using these technologies, especially in Mass-Produced Armor.¡±


    The saying ¡°An expert shows their skill with their first move¡± perfectly suited Pelaya at this moment. Pelaya had conducted the analysis for him without needing Rocky to go into details¡ªand of course, this was hardly surprising. After all, she had been involved in the development of Elemental Technology and knew better than anyone the development stage of Elemental Technology, which technologies could be practically applied, and which could not.


    After Pelaya finished speaking, Rocky frowned in thought and then said, ¡°Teacher, I was thinking the same thing. Now that Rune Technology has become the most advanced Technology, we really don¡¯t need to use immature technologies on Armor. Hence, the core technology of the New Armor will still be Rune Technology, and as for Elemental Technology, it could be focused on weaponry.¡±


    ¡°My current thought is that the New Armor must be equipped with at least a Magic Energy Cannon, a Shoulder Beam Gun, and a magic energy machine gun, but these are all conventional weapons. The focus should be on incorporating some new weapons that apply Elemental Technology.¡±


    ¡°Actually, existing weapons can also undergo elemental conversion, and this technology is ready to be applied.¡±


    ¡°No, Teacher, although current weapons can possess elements through conversion technology, their power and utility can¡¯t match weapons that are designed with Elemental Technology as the baseline. I still believe we should design a weapon that¡¯s fundamentally based on Elemental Technology.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying you already have some ideas?¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s insistence, Pelaya looked at him with a smile. She had witnessed such determination from him before, during the design of the Tank Armor, and when working on the magic energy machine gun, he had shown the same persistence. Understanding this, Pelaya realized that Rocky must have come prepared.


    Rocky did not hide this and simply said with a smile, ¡°Not exactly ideas, just a few thoughts.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear them.¡±


    ¡°Well, I want to create a¡­¡±


    After that, Rocky and Pelaya delved into a detailed discussion of the New Armor¡¯s concept.


    Professionally speaking, Pelaya¡¯s specialty was actually Magic Energy Conduction, and she wasn¡¯t an expert in Armor design. However, having been involved in the entire development of the White Demon Armor, working closely with Hammerfire for so long, and given that Armor design inherently cannot do without the domain of Magic Energy Conduction, she was more than familiar with Armor design and, in fact, quite adept at it. Some of her insights could indeed help Rocky.


    In such a manner, Rocky spent the following days in discussion with Pelaya. On the first day, he went to see Pelaya empty-handed, as his ideas for the New Armor were still just concepts. But after the first day¡¯s discussion, he went back to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and put all his thoughts about the New Armor down on paper. Later on, he gradually sketched out the initial design draft of the New Armor, constantly making revisions and improvements during discussions with Pelaya.


    Time flew by in the blink of an eye, and within two weeks, Rocky and Pelaya had essentially determined all the specifications of the New Armor. After that, Rocky called for He Nan and asked him to bring five Beastman Warriors to the research institute.


    ¡°Lord Rocky, what is this¡­?¡±


    He Nan had not only never been to the research institute but hadn¡¯t even heard of it. So, when he arrived and saw Rocky waiting in the courtyard, especially with all the equipment around him, He Nan and his accompanying Beastman Warriors were puzzled and entirely unclear about what Rocky was planning to do.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, don¡¯t be afraid. I just want to run some tests on you.¡±


    Although the Fireteng Tribe had now come under Rocky¡¯s command, he hadn¡¯t disbanded or scattered the tribe. Instead, he preserved the tribe¡¯s integrity, which significantly increased the Beastmen¡¯s favorable opinion of him. And for this reason, though He Nan addressed him as City Lord just like everyone else, Rocky still referred to him as Chief when they met.


    ¡°Tests?¡±


    ¡°Correct. I plan to make New Armor, specifically designed for Beastmen.¡±


    ¡°For, for us?¡±


    Hearing Rocky¡¯s words, He Nan was stunned. He had not expected Rocky to call him for this reason.


    It had been almost a month since the Fireteng Tribe had joined Thunderhawk City. Although it wasn¡¯t a long time, He Nan had interacted with Monte and others quite a bit during the month, gaining some understanding of Rocky, knowing that he was not only the City Lord but also well-versed in academia and capable of leading the design of Armor.


    For He Nan, this was utterly incredible because, in his eyes, the Void Magic Armor was definitively the most powerful weapon in the world. Before joining Thunderhawk City, only the Chief of their tribe was eligible to wear Void Magic Armor. Thus, knowing that Rocky not only had his own Void Magic Corps but also had the ability to design Armor himself, He Nan was thoroughly impressed.


    Now, learning that Rocky was actually designing New Armor for them, he was completely astonished and then incredibly excited¡ªvery excited!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 762 - 724: Strength Test

    Chapter 762: Chapter 724: Strength Test


    Having learned that Rocky was going to design new armor for himself and his tribal warriors, Chief He Nan was extremely excited, as were the few Beastmen he brought along.


    Since they did not know the reason Rocky had summoned them to the research institute this time, Chief He Nan had brought some of the strongest warriors from his tribe, which made the news of the new armor designs even more thrilling not just for him, but also for the Beastmen he had brought along.


    Unlike Chief He Nan, the Fireteng Tribe did not know Rocky very well. In fact, even though some of them had settled in Backhill Village, they were still distrustful of Rocky; however, it seemed that the matter of the armor could definitely leave a very good impression of Rocky in the warriors¡¯ hearts.


    Of course, all these matters were secondary today since the main reason Rocky had summoned Chief He Nan and his group was actually to collect data.


    Beastmen had far superior physical qualities compared to humans, which made the existing inheritable or universal data meaningless as those were collected based on human references and were not applicable to Beastmen. This was why Rocky had brought Chief He Nan here¡ªhe had not only called upon Chief He Nan but had also asked him to bring several Beastman Warriors to gather the necessary data for the new armors.


    Thus, following a brief explanation of the situation to Chief He Nan and his companions, Rocky began the tests without further ado.


    ¡°First, the power room door test.¡±


    While speaking, Rocky led Chief He Nan and the others to a machine that looked quite crude, almost like an empty frame, but its base was very firm, entirely embedded in the ground.


    ¡°Lord Rocky, what is this¡­?¡±


    Standing in front of this frame-like machine, the Beastman called out to go first was a bit confused. As one of The Forsaken People, he was completely clueless about research, and the strange appearance of the device before him made him even more bewildered.


    In response, Rocky did not explain much but simply nodded to a nearby researcher, who then turned on the switch. Instantly, a light emitted from the frame-like machine, revealing a mirror-like defensive net.


    ¡°This is a defensive net specially made to test strength. You just need to break it with all your might. Remember, do not hold back. Use all your strength.¡±


    ¡°Oh, got it.¡±


    Though he did not quite understand Rocky¡¯s purpose, the Beastman called out nodded honestly, indicating that Rocky and the researchers should step back.


    Once everyone had stepped aside, the Beastman took a deep breath and roared as he fiercely punched the defensive net.


    With one punch, the defensive net in front of the Beastman shattered like a piece of paper and turned into countless light points that disappeared before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Is that, is that all?¡±


    Blinking and looking at Rocky, the Beastman did not know if he had succeeded or not.


    Actually, this type of test had no concept of success; even if the defensive net were not broken, the machine itself could still measure the attack strength the net could withstand and thus obtain a series of data.


    However, the result of the Beastman breaking the net with one punch was somewhat unexpected to Rocky; he had anticipated that the Beastman could break the net, but he did not expect it to be so effortless.


    So, Rocky just smiled, whispered something to the researcher beside him, and then looked at the Beastman, ¡°You did very well. Next, I will increase the strength of the defensive net, and you can try again.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As the Beastman nodded, the researcher operated the device, and a new defensive net appeared in front of the Beastman¡ªjust as Rocky had mentioned, this was a Second-level Defensive Network, stronger in defensive power than the previous First-level one.


    Seeing the defensive net unfold again, the Beastman, just like before, took a deep breath and punched it.


    With a crack, the Second-level Defensive Network shattered under the Beastman¡¯s punch. Although there was a clear pause when his fist hit the network this time, it still surprised Rocky and the researcher beside him.


    If the strength of the First-level Defensive Network was indeed not high, then the strength of the Second-level Defensive Network was no joke. The strength of the Second-level Defensive Network was enough to easily stop a regular Magic Energy Bullet, yet it still shattered under the Beastman¡¯s punch, proving just how formidable the Beastman¡¯s strength was.


    ¡°Another one, this time a Third-level Defensive Network.¡±


    With his surprise put aside, Rocky continued because his purpose this time was to collect data on the Beastmen in various aspects, so it was best to measure the limits the Beastmen could reach in each aspect. This would enable him to refer to these data for detailed design and adjustment of the armor. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, not long after, the defensive net unfolded again, and the Beastman swung his fist once more.


    With a bang, when the Beastman¡¯s fist hit the Third-level Defensive Network, it did not shatter but made a dull sound as if he had hit a solid iron wall, indicating that the Beastman¡¯s strength had essentially reached its limit and clearly did not have the capacity to shatter the Third-level Defensive Network.


    This result somewhat disheartened the Beastman¡ªhe even looked at Chief He Nan with a somewhat aggrieved expression, almost as if he was asking for another chance. However, he did not get this opportunity, because, as Rocky had said, the test was just for data collection, not about success or failure. Just being able to test out the range of the Beastman¡¯s strength was enough.


    However, this type of test had to gather data from more than just one person, so Rocky then had the other Beastmen begin the same testing process.


    Afterward, the Beastmen Chief He Nan brought took turns stepping forward, swinging their fists at the defensive net. Having experienced it once, the following tests for the Beastmen started directly with the Second-level Defensive Network because, given the strength of the Beastmen, the First-level Defensive Network was too easy and no longer necessary to test.


    In this way, time quickly passed more than an hour, and several Beastmen brought by Chief He Nan took their turns to complete the tests. The majority of them could easily shatter the Second-level Defensive Network, but they struggled with the Third-level Defensive Network; only three were able to crack the Third-level Defensive Network, and amongst everyone, only one Beastman managed to completely shatter it.


    Upon breaking the Third-level Defensive Network, this Beastman excitedly raised his arms and shouted as if he had won a victory, whereas the others seemed downcast as if they had lost. Such was the nature of the Beastmen¡ªhighly combative, almost never resting until a clear winner was determined in any situation.


    When all other Beastmen had completed their tests, only the last test subject remained¡ªit was Chief He Nan.


    ¡°Chief He Nan, it¡¯s your turn,¡±


    After the last Beastman had completed his test, Rocky turned to Chief He Nan. He too was a Beastman, and the strongest warrior of the entire Fireteng Tribe, making it essential to collect his data.


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 763 - 725: The Strongest Warrior!

    Chapter 763: Chapter 725: The Strongest Warrior!


    Chapter 725: The Mightiest Warrior!


    After several Beastmen had completed the strength test one after another, Rocky was quite satisfied.


    Despite the fact that the majority had failed to break through the Third-level Defense Net, this performance was still quite remarkable.


    Rocky had conducted similar tests before and his best result without Armor was just enough to barely shatter the Second-level Defense Net, unable to make even a dent in the Third-level. As for the others in the Guard Corps, most of them could only break the First-level Defense Net, and even the strongest among them, Lin Feng, could only break the Third-level Defense Net.


    This suggested that on a level of raw strength, the average Beastman was indeed more powerful than humans by one level, and these were just the ordinary Beastmen. Chief He Nan of the Fireteng Tribe, who represented the mightiest of the Beastmen, had not yet been tested.


    Once the other Beastmen had finished their tests, Rocky¡¯s gaze turned to Chief He Nan. Now, only Chief He Nan had not completed the test, and being the leader of the Fireteng Tribe as well as its mightiest warrior, Chief He Nan¡¯s data was not only necessary to be tested but far more precious than that of the other Beastmen. He represented the limit that all the Beastmen of the Fireteng Tribe could reach.


    Actually, it wasn¡¯t only Rocky looking expectantly towards Chief He Nan at this time¡ªother Beastmen were also turning their gaze toward him.


    Unlike their behavior towards Rocky, the Beastmen of the Fireteng Tribe showed heartfelt respect towards Chief He Nan. In the eyes of a Beastman, the strong were the most revered, which explained why the leaders of the Beastmen Tribes were often the mightiest warriors.


    The truth was, Chief He Nan himself was quite excited at this moment as well. The innate belligerence of the Beastmen was no less present in him, so after witnessing the other Beastmen completing their tests, Chief He Nan was eager to have his turn.


    In such a situation, as soon as the last Beastman finished testing, Chief He Nan took the initiative and walked over to the machine. Rocky chuckled at his enthusiastic mannerism, then asked, ¡°Chief He Nan, shall we start from Level 3?¡±


    The other Beastmen had started their tests from the Second-level Defense Net, as the Third-level was already a limit for them. Of all the Beastmen tested, only one had managed to break the Third-level Defense Net, and came to a stop at the Fourth-level. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Chief He Nan was, after all, the mightiest warrior of the Fireteng Tribe. Rocky felt that the Second-level Defense Net would certainly be meaningless for him, and Chief He Nan should be able to shatter the Third-level Defense Net easily. He might even have a chance at challenging the Fourth-level Defense Net.


    No sooner had he spoken than Chief He Nan gave him a slight smile, showing his sharp fangs, ¡°Lord Rocky, let¡¯s start from Fourth-level, I need to get used to it.¡±


    ¡°Fourth-level? Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Witnessing such confidence in Chief He Nan, Rocky blinked and then, with a wry smile, nodded to the researchers. The researcher who got the signal immediately ran to the machine to reset the strength of the Defense Net.


    After that, as the intensity was raised and the Fourth-Level Defense Net stretched out anew, Rocky and the researchers stepped back, leaving only Chief He Nan standing before the machine.


    Facing directly in front of the machine, Chief He Nan took a deep breath, and without any hesitation, stepped forward with a standard punch.


    With a single punch, firm and without any delay, the Fourth-Level Defense Net shattered instantly!


    With apparent ease and almost no preparation, a single punch had shattered the Fourth-Level Defense Net!


    This immediate result set off a cheer among the surrounding Beastmen. Rocky was stunned for a moment. He wasn¡¯t surprised that Chief He Nan could break the Fourth-Level Defense Net¡ªafter all, Monte could do the same¡ªbut compared to Monte, who could also shatter the Fourth-Level Defense Net, Chief He Nan made it look too effortless. Not only did it seem easy, but he also apparently didn¡¯t even use his full strength!


    ¡°Bring up the Fifth-Level Defense Net.¡±


    Surprised and after a glance at Chief He Nan, who nodded in his direction, Rocky signaled to the researcher beside him, who immediately adjusted the machine to present the Fifth-Level Defense Net.


    When faced with the Fifth-Level Defense Net, Chief He Nan¡¯s expression reflected a bit more seriousness. However, without too lengthy a preparation, he adjusted slightly and threw another punch that shattered the Fifth-Level Defense Net with a crack.


    ¡°Switch to the Sixth-Level Defense Net.¡±


    Seeing that Chief He Nan had smashed through the Fifth-Level, Rocky felt no need to ask him; it was clear that he hadn¡¯t exerted his full strength yet, so he told the researcher to open the Sixth-Level Defense.


    Under the looming threat of the Sixth-Level Defense Net, Chief He Nan¡¯s expression grew more solemn as after breaking through the Fourth and Fifth-level Defense Nets successively, he had gotten an idea of the scale of enhancement for the Defense Net.


    To him, the Fourth-Level was easy, but the intensity of the Fifth had clearly doubled from the Fourth, or perhaps even more. Although it still looked like a simple punch that shattered the Fifth-Level, in reality, he had used about eighty percent of his strength¡ªnot far from going all out.


    With this in mind, facing the Sixth-Level Defense Net, Chief He Nan had to be more cautious as its strength could very well be twice that of the Fifth or even more. Such an intense Defense Net was not something he could afford to underestimate, or he might end up embarrassing himself in front of Rocky and his own tribe.


    So afterward, Chief He Nan finally took some time to prepare. After amassing his energy for quite some time, he suddenly unleashed a punch.


    The speed of this punch wasn¡¯t fast, but the power behind it was clearly stronger. When his fist hit the Defense Net, it made a louder noise, and with a thunderous boom, the Defense Net shattered on impact!


    Impressive!


    As he watched Chief He Nan shatter the Sixth-Level Defense Net with a single punch, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but give a mental thumbs-up.


    What did the destruction of the Sixth-Level Defense Net represent?


    It meant that Chief He Nan¡¯s strength was almost comparable to that of a Void Magic Warrior wearing the third generation Armor!


    Rocky had conducted similar tests before, and the subject was Liliya, who was clad in Fire Guard Type 5. In the same strength test, Liliya too had managed to shatter the Sixth-Level Defense Net with a single punch, but that was as far as she could go, as the Fire Guard Type 5 was ultimately just a third-generation Armor with limited combat capability. To break the Sixth-Level Defense Net was the limit.


    To think that Chief He Nan¡¯s bare-handed strength was already so formidable, without wearing any equipment at all, he had reached a level akin to a third-generation Armor¡ªthat was astonishingly surprising.


    ¡°Lord Rocky, let¡¯s continue,¡± said Chief He Nan.


    Just as Rocky was reeling from Chief He Nan¡¯s impressive performance, and seeing that Rocky hadn¡¯t proceeded to deploy the next Defense Net, Chief He Nan prompted him from the side¡ªsnapping Rocky out of his stupor and almost disbelieving what he heard.


    Could it be¡­ Chief He Nan hadn¡¯t yet used his full strength? Was he truly capable of challenging a Level 7 Defense Net?!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 764 - 726: No Need for Regrets

    Chapter 764: Chapter 726: No Need for Regrets


    When Chief He Nan successively shattered the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth-Level Defense Nets, Rocky had come to fully acknowledge his strength, but to Rocky¡¯s surprise, He Nan himself was not satisfied. He actually wanted to challenge the Level 7 Defense Net!


    To everyone, this seemed like an incredible feat since even the Sixth-Level Defense Net was already beyond the capability of a normal person to break with their bare hands. One could imagine the strength of the Level 7 Defense Net. He Nan, after breaking through three defense nets in a row, must have also anticipated the strength of the Level 7, yet he still wished to challenge it.


    Rocky couldn¡¯t help but give a thumbs-up in his heart upon hearing this; regardless of whether Chief He Nan ended up succeeding in challenging the Level 7 Defense Net, his determination alone was enough to win respect. Perhaps it was precisely this never-ending pursuit of challenges that had made him the Fireteng Tribe¡¯s strongest warrior.


    Following this, Rocky nodded to the researchers beside him, and the researchers activated the Level 7 Defense Net.


    Facing the Level 7 Defense Net before him, He Nan truly prepared himself this time, slowly adjusting his breathing and stance, standing in front of the defense net for a long, long time.


    Others might have considered such behavior a sign of a lack of confidence, but for He Nan, it was different. Everyone knew he was adjusting his state and accumulating his strength, as without doing so, it was impossible to shatter the Level 7 Defense Net.


    After a full five minutes, Chief He Nan, stalwart as Mount Tai in front of the defense net, suddenly let out a roar and threw a punch!


    ¡°Roar!!!¡±


    In the midst of his roaring, He Nan¡¯s fist struck like a cannonball, fiercely slamming into the defense net. The punch was so powerful that one could clearly see the veins bulging on his arm. It was undoubtedly He Nan¡¯s all-out strike. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, in the blink of an eye, the fist heavily collided with the defense net, the force was so strong that a faint shock wave spread outwards, and next, a crackling sound was heard as the part of the defense net hit by the fist began to fracture, slowly splitting apart like a shattered mirror!


    ¡°He did it!¡±


    ¡°The Chief did it!¡±


    As the defense net fractured bit by bit, the Beastmen behind He Nan immediately let out a roar-like cheer, as if they themselves had succeeded in the challenge. Likewise, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but nod repeatedly. Although this time the defense net didn¡¯t break as easily as the previous ones, it still shattered under He Nan¡¯s punch, which was proof enough of how formidable his strength was. It was no exaggeration to say that with that single punch, He Nan could have been considered the strongest warrior under Rocky¡¯s command!


    ¡°Chief He Nan is truly as renowned as they say.¡±


    After He Nan withdrew his punch, Rocky gave him a thumbs-up. The title of the Fireteng Tribe¡¯s strongest warrior was evidently not unwarranted. Just from this test alone, it was clear that He Nan¡¯s strength far surpassed that of other Beastmen by not just a couple of levels, explaining why he was called the tribe¡¯s strongest warrior.


    ¡°Lord Rocky, you flatter me. This is already my limit, unfortunately, I cannot challenge a stronger defense net.¡±


    After retracting his fist, although He Nan was quite pleased, he still felt a bit of regret, for only he knew best that his last punch truly was his all-out effort, and it had done no more than fracture the defense net, not utterly destroying it as he had done previously. Therefore, challenging the Level 8 Defense Net was certainly out of the question, which was somewhat disappointing.


    ¡°Hehe, no need to rush, no need to rush. Once the new armor is complete, you will naturally be able to challenge even stronger defense nets.¡±


    Rocky merely smiled in response to He Nan¡¯s expression of regret, because as he said, once the new Armor was complete, both He Nan¡¯s and other Beastmen¡¯s strength would surely increase by several levels due to the armor¡¯s enhancement. By then, they could challenge whatever level of defense net they desired.


    In fact, that was exactly why Rocky had specially crafted special armor for the Beastmen. In today¡¯s era, the limits of personal strength are ultimately defined. We live in a time dominated by high technology. For example, He Nan¡¯s strength can be considered incredibly strong, even the strongest among Rocky¡¯s subordinates, but the strongest defense net he could challenge was only Level 7. In contrast, Rocky¡¯s limit was only Second Level. Under normal conditions, he couldn¡¯t even break a Third-Level Defense Net. So what?


    Rocky indeed could not break a Third-Level Defense Net in his normal state, but once he donned the White Demon Armor, he could shatter up to a Level Fifteen Defense Net!


    Each level of defense net is more than twice as strong as the previous one, so could you please calculate the difference between the Level 7 and Level Fifteen Defense Nets? This was the gap between He Nan and Rocky equipped with the White Demon Armor. Hence, in this era, no matter how strong a person is, it¡¯s of no use without the assistance of Armor ¡ª they really can¡¯t accomplish anything.


    To design an armor truly fit for the Beastmen, simply collecting a part of the data was insufficient. Thus, when the strength test concluded, Rocky had He Nan and the other Beastmen rest for a while before beginning the other tests.


    There were many aspects to these other tests as well, such as speed, endurance, and other physical indicators that all needed to be measured. Testing just one group was obviously inadequate, especially since there were as many as eight hundred Beastman Warriors. The few people He Nan brought this time didn¡¯t represent the average level of all Beastman Warriors, so Rocky felt that at least three to five batches of Beastmen should be tested to obtain data with reference value.


    Consequently, the tests naturally became very lengthy, and Rocky definitely couldn¡¯t accompany the Beastmen through all the tests every single time as he did today; there was no need for that. So, for the next few days of testing, he left it to other people at the research institute to oversee with He Nan, while he went on to attend to other matters.


    During these few days, the Apple Tree Corporation had delivered the second batch of Rune Battleships as promised.


    Archimonde had mentioned before that the Chamber of Commerce would soon deliver the second batch of Rune Battleships to Thunderhawk City, and after a week-long wait, these new warships finally arrived.


    Just like the last time, the Apple Tree Corporation delivered no fewer than a hundred warships, and this batch of warships was not only made up of Rune Armor but also consisted of brand-new models. The sole difference from the previous shipment was that this time the hundred warships were a higher level, even more formidable destroyers!


    Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com

 Chapter 765 - 727: Magic Panther Destroyer

    Chapter 765: Chapter 727: Magic Panther Destroyer


    The Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s regard for Rune Battleships was so high that even Rocky was astonished. Not only did the Chamber of Commerce research the Rune Technology given to them by Rocky, but they also used it as a base to design an entirely new fleet of Rune Battleships, such as the War God Escort Ship previously delivered to Rocky¡¯s hands.


    This time, the hundred destroyers delivered by the Apple Tree Corporation were the same, also being the latest design of the new-type destroyers. Therefore, Rocky also had to pay attention to this batch of warships.


    Just like last time, Rocky and Archimonde personally went to the Skyport to inspect these warships and gained a full understanding of the new warships¡¯ performance through Archimonde¡¯s introduction.


    Named Magic Panther, this new-type destroyer had a length of two hundred seventy meters, which was almost the size of a traditional battleship. It was equipped with eighty Rune Cannons, each with a force of 5,000 points, and its range was enhanced to eight hundred meters, which was one-third farther than the conventional Magic Energy Cannon and almost equivalent to the traditional main cannon¡¯s range.


    In addition to the eighty secondary cannons, the Magic Panther destroyer also carried ten main cannons. Although the number was not high, the same as the War God Escort Ship, their power was even more formidable. The main cannons of the War God Escort Ship were already very formidable, with a staggering force reaching 15,000 points, but the power of the Magic Panther destroyer¡¯s main cannons was even stronger, hitting the astonishing mark of 18,000 points!


    Also, as a destroyer, the new battleship¡¯s power system was greatly enhanced compared to the old warships. According to Archimonde, the speed of the Magic Panther destroyer was on par with the High-Speed Patrol Space Ship unique to the Sky Alliance. Moreover, the destroyer¡¯s other metrics, such as defensive power, were also significantly strengthened due to Rune Technology, making its comprehensive capability surpass traditional warships entirely.


    After learning about the various performances of the new warships, Rocky nodded his head in satisfaction and gave the Apple Tree Corporation a thumbs up for their ability to apply the Rune Technology he provided to such an extent. Their strength indicated the potential for successful future cooperation, given that the Rune Technology Rocky initially gave to the Apple Tree Corporation was just a small part of what he possessed. If their strength was indeed robust, one could imagine the combat power the warships manufactured by the Apple Tree Corporation could reach when Rocky shared more of his vast array of technologies.


    Of course, all these presupposed that the Apple Tree Corporation wouldn¡¯t act subversively against him, for if they were disingenuous, Rocky had plenty of other partners to choose from. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, judging by the Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s recent performance, Rocky had grown to trust them more. Another important factor was his belief that if they had already researched the Rune Technology he provided to such an extent, they must understand that they only possessed the tip of the iceberg. If they wanted access to more potent Rune Technologies, they had to collaborate with Rocky.


    Thus, after inspecting the new warships, Rocky discussed with Archimonde about the arrival time of the next batch of warships and when it would be appropriate to transport the new Thunderhawk Armor.


    Nowadays, Thunderhawk City was no longer the city that once relied solely on rudimentary textile industry. Its three major industries ¨C textiles, leather manufacturing, and the military industry ¨C had already developed and became the economic pillars of Thunderhawk City, thriving in an organized fashion.


    Of the three, the military industry, the latest to develop, grew the fastest. This was partly due to the strong support from the Apple Tree Corporation and partly because the products Rocky produced were incredibly popular.


    Time-wise, it hadn¡¯t even been a year since the announcement of the Tank-type Armor and the first order for Thunderhawk Armor, but during this period, Thunderhawk City¡¯s armory had been in continuous production. Especially after the ships Fury and Sky Might were sunk and the blockade was lifted, a flood of orders had come to Rocky¡¯s hands, including orders for Tank Armor and Thunderhawk Armor. If counted, Thunderhawk City had already sold thousands of Armors.


    Now, with the second armory built and operational, Thunderhawk City¡¯s productivity had further increased. The Apple Tree Corporation had also placed more orders, which meant that both armories were producing Armor constantly, and countless Gold Coins were flowing into the pockets of Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation.


    In the past, it was good if Thunderhawk City¡¯s quarterly revenue exceeded one hundred thousand Gold Coins. Now, its quarterly income had already broken through the million mark. Not only was it enough to sustain Thunderhawk City, but even if Carltos City and Backhill Village were included, there would be more than enough to support them. However, Thunderhawk City didn¡¯t need to sustain Carltos City or Backhill Village; the latter had its own mines with substantial quarterly profits, and Carltos City¡¯s income had stabilized after its initial decline.


    Under such circumstances, Rocky¡¯s development proceeded smoothly. However, he was acutely aware that this was just the calm before the storm. If he couldn¡¯t overcome the trials set by The Three Great Alliances in six months, everything would be fleeting.


    Therefore, while new Armor was being tallied, and he didn¡¯t need to be overly concerned about other matters, Rocky went directly to Carltos City from the Skyport after parting ways with Archimonde.


    As another Sky City under his rule, and a mid-sized one at that, Rocky rarely visited Carltos City. As Athena initially analyzed, his feelings toward the city were very complex. Carltos City was a city that belonged to Rocky, yet it had once abandoned him. So, his feelings towards Carltos City were mixed and fraught with distrust.


    It was precisely because of this distrust that Voss, the old and wise, took decisive action after assuming office. He purged almost all the existing forces from Carltos City, winning Rocky over somewhat. More than a year had passed since Carltos City returned to Rocky¡¯s hands. In this time, the turmoil caused by Voss¡¯s several decisive actions had subsided, and the city was gradually recovering. Most importantly, everyone in Carltos City, from commoners to officials, knew under whose sovereignty they lived.


    Thus, for Rocky, it was time to incorporate Carltos City into his next development plan.

 Chapter 766 - 728: Developing a New City

    Chapter 766: Chapter 728: Developing a New City


    Calculating the time, it had been over a year since Rocky had taken back Carltos City from the Mairente Family, but during this time, Rocky had largely neglected this Sky City, except for appointing Voss as the Governor, who conducted a thorough purge of the city¡¯s administration, after which he mostly left it unattended.


    Only recently had the residents of Carltos City been allowed to enlist in the Guard Corps, signaling that Rocky was starting to pay more attention to Carltos City.


    Indeed, it was the case that Rocky could not afford to neglect a medium-sized Sky City like Carltos City forever. After all, whether it was potential for development or actual strength, Carltos City possessed substantial resources. If well-developed, it could certainly become a significant asset to Rocky.


    Thus, after more than a year had passed and Carltos City had gradually emerged from the shadow of the Mairente Family under Voss¡¯s administration, Rocky finally planned to develop the city.


    ¡°Senior Voss, have the city¡¯s industries recovered?¡±


    Sitting in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Carltos City, Rocky looked at Voss, who was sitting opposite him.


    As the former finance officer of Thunderhawk City and the current Governor of Carltos City, as well as Aileen¡¯s grandfather, Rocky held a great deal of respect for Voss. Indeed, Voss had the remarkable ability to command respect; his series of policies as Governor had immediate impact, swiftly eradicating the remnants of the Mairente Family¡¯s forces within the city and quashing several significant disruptions to order. Rocky was quite satisfied with these accomplishments.


    In response to Rocky¡¯s question, Voss, although sitting across from him, still maintained a respectful demeanor typical when addressing a superior and said, ¡°Sir, all existing industries have returned to normal operation. However, due to the closure of many factories and shops, unemployment is still a major problem in the city. Additionally, there is the issue of supplies; the population of Carltos City is large, but there are too few Ruby Chamber of Commerce shops here, resulting in a constant shortage of materials.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Voss quickly summarized the current state of the city¡¯s development, then waited for Rocky¡¯s further comments.


    Indeed, from his words, it was clear that the development of Carltos City was not going smoothly. Although the turmoil caused by the large purging had settled, the issues it created had not been resolved. For instance, the closing of many factories previously owned by the Mairente Family inevitably led to a significant rise in unemployment. While Voss had continued to issue subsidies in the name of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, this was not a sustainable solution. More critically, if too much time passed, these already disgruntled unemployed people would certainly become destabilizing factors. In fact, lingering forces from the Mairente Family had planned to use these people to incite riots in the city, but fortunately, Voss discovered and eradicated this threat in time, preventing potential chaos.


    Furthermore, the supply situation in Carltos City was indeed tight. When the city was under the Mairente Family, all the chambers of commerce in the city were linked to the family. Thus, when Carltos City returned to Rocky¡¯s control, Voss expelled the original chambers and invited the Ruby Chamber of Commerce to take their place.


    However, because Rocky had not explicitly given the nod, the number of Ruby Chamber of Commerce shops established in Carltos City was very limited, roughly equal to those in Thunderhawk City.


    It should be noted that the population of Thunderhawk City was only about five thousand, and even if the recently joined Fireteng Tribe from Backhill Village was included, it totaled just over six thousand. However, Carltos City had a population of over thirty thousand, but only a few dozen shops, naturally leading to a scarcity of resources.


    Voss, as the experienced Governor, was keenly aware of these issues, yet he had never reported them to Rocky. This was exactly where Voss¡¯s depth of experience showed. He knew that, with Rocky¡¯s administrative experience, Rocky could not possibly be unaware of these issues, yet he had never mentioned them. Undoubtedly, this meant Rocky was not unaware; he simply chose not to intervene.


    Thus, Voss had not spoken to Rocky about the difficulties Carltos City faced, focusing instead on ensuring the city remained stable. He believed that when Rocky felt the time was right, he would take action, and all problems would be resolved swiftly.


    Now, Rocky¡¯s rare visit to Carltos City was a clear signal to Voss, prompting him to lay out these matters. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sure enough, after Voss had spoken, Rocky thought for a moment and then asked, ¡°I plan to build a shipyard in the city in collaboration with the Apple Tree Corporation.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t discussed this with Archimonde yet, but it shouldn¡¯t be a big issue, so we¡¯ll need a lot of workers soon; you can start preparing now.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    ¡°Also, I will mention to the Ruby Chamber of Commerce that Amanred should open new shops in the city as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    After making these arrangements, Rocky looked over at Ozz, but noticed that Voss¡¯s expression seemed a bit off. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡±


    Asked by Rocky, Voss simply chuckled and shook his head slightly. In fact, he had just been lost in thought because strictly speaking, apart from Liliya, Voss was one of the oldest veterans beside Rocky. He had been with Rocky even longer than his own granddaughter Aileen had, though he was still the finance officer of Thunderhawk City.


    This experience was why, in Voss¡¯s view, Rocky¡¯s transformation was simply astounding. When Rocky first arrived in Thunderhawk City, not only could he not command his own officials, including the corrupt and incompetent administrative officers and captain of the Guard, but he was also occasionally subjected to being effectively held hostage by them. Yet, in just three or four years, Rocky had grown into his current role.


    Now, with just one word, he could determine the fate of a city like Carltos City. Just as he could bring about radical change with a single sentence, he also held the power to completely destroy such a city of thirty thousand people. Such was the supreme authority of the City Lord, and now, Rocky possessed that authority.


    ¡°City Lord, there is another matter that needs attention¡­¡±


    Regaining his focus, Voss quickly added, ¡°Carltos City¡¯s food processing and manufacturing industries are very well-developed and have always been the backbone of the city¡¯s economy, but they have faced many difficulties recently. Could you perhaps contact some chambers of commerce¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Hearing this, Rocky turned to look at Voss, his face showing an intrigued expression, ¡°Go on.¡±

 Chapter 767 - 729: New Industry

    Chapter 767: Chapter 729: New Industry


    Rocky naturally had a detailed and complete report on the industrial distribution within Carltos City, so although he visited less often, his understanding of Carltos City was no less than anyone else¡¯s. Therefore, when Voss mentioned the city¡¯s industrial dilemma, Rocky became interested.


    As he knew, Carltos City had several key industries, with food processing and manufacturing being the primary focus. In the world today, with resources in the skies relatively scarce, food unquestionably remained a basic necessity. Thus, processed and manufactured foods were always in demand, and this was the case in Carltos City as well. However, the city now faced difficulties.


    According to Voss, due to increased demon attacks, the number of merchant teams sent out by various chambers of commerce had significantly decreased. This not only increased the cost of importing raw materials for all industries but also made sourcing these materials more difficult. Carltos City¡¯s food industry was currently facing such predicaments.


    The food industry in Carltos City mainly processed meat products, capable of producing a large quantity of meat that could be preserved for a long time, and the profit was quite substantial. However, since it involved meat processing, the raw materials were naturally livestock. Carltos City had its own livestock farms, but these were not on a large scale; they were more for self-sufficiency, so the livestock needed for the food industry was usually imported.


    Now, due to increasingly frequent demon attacks, major chambers of commerce were hesitant to send merchant teams to trade in far-off places, making it difficult for Carltos City¡¯s food industry to import livestock, leading to a major crisis where production had already dropped by more than half.


    With production down, income naturally decreased as well, but Voss saw this as a secondary issue. He was well aware that Rocky¡¯s main focus was on developing Thunderhawk City, which was generating millions in revenue every quarter, so Rocky was not short on money. The real serious issue was that if the food industry, a pillar of the city, collapsed, then Carltos City itself would face significant problems. No more need be said; once a large number of people became unemployed, the city¡¯s stability would truly be at risk, and that was Voss¡¯s biggest concern.


    ¡°So that¡¯s the situation¡­¡±


    Having heard Voss¡¯s explanation, Rocky nodded thoughtfully, not only taking in the information but also being quite inspired by it. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For him, saving Carltos City¡¯s food industry was not a big problem. He now had such a good relationship with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce who would definitely be willing to engage in this business. Even if the Ruby Chamber of Commerce declined, the Apple Tree Corporation would agree, since they had always wanted to expand their business beyond warships and armor. They were also trying their hand at general trade, and if all else failed, Rocky could find other chambers of commerce willing to cooperate with him in Eternal City. So this matter was not difficult.


    In fact, what really interested him about this situation was that through Carltos City¡¯s food industry, Rocky thought of demons.


    Yes, he did think of demons.


    Of course, Rocky had no intention of processing demons into food, as this approach had been tried before and ended disastrously.


    Theoretically, demons are not much different from other animals, and indeed many demons could be used as food. Not to mention, the Beastmen of the Fireteng Tribe on land consume demon meat, seeing no difference between it and beef. But the same could not be said for those living in the skies who would absolutely not accept eating demons. Thus, what Rocky really considered was not making food from demons but processing demon materials.


    The value of demon materials needs little explanation. Apart from income from mined resources, Backhill Village¡¯s most significant revenue comes from selling demon materials, an amount not even less than what they get from mining.


    Thus, once Rocky learned about the issues in Carltos City¡¯s food industry, he suddenly thought of a possibility¡ªcould an industry related to demon materials be developed within Carltos City?


    One must understand that what is euphemistically referred to as ¡°demon materials¡± are actually various materials from a demon¡¯s body like demon skin, demon bones, or demon cores, among others. If one thinks about it carefully, this process does not seem too different from slaughtering livestock¡­


    So if Carltos City¡¯s food industry had the capability to process livestock, then, with proper training and development, they would be fully capable of applying the same technology to extracting demon materials!


    And once Carltos City attained this capability, Rocky¡¯s income from demon materials could almost double because a complete demon could sell for a thousand or two gold coins in Eternal City, and the same could be fetched from its demon core with demon skin and other parts bringing in decent revenue as well. Thus, selling a complete demon and buying demon materials were two different concepts, with both potentially generating substantial income. If Rocky had the capability to directly manufacture demon materials, then he would make substantially more money from demon parts.


    However, this decision could not be rushed; after all, decomposing a demon into demon materials wouldn¡¯t be as simple as slaughtering a pig and couldn¡¯t be easily performed by a butcher. So this matter still needed to be consulted with professionals, but at least it gave Rocky a new direction.


    In this context, Rocky had a discussion with Voss, then returned to Thunderhawk City and met with Archimonde again the next day.


    Once they met, Rocky discussed his plan to build a shipyard in Carltos City.


    Upon hearing this idea, Archimonde was initially taken aback because building a shipyard was no trivial matter. An ordinary city in the skies simply could not undertake such a project; a single warship required hundreds of meters of space and at least a thousand workers, something a normal Sky City just couldn¡¯t support.


    But after thinking it over carefully, he realized his perspective had been too rigid, framed by Thunderhawk City¡¯s standards, forgetting that Rocky not only had Thunderhawk City but also another Sky City. Carltos City, in terms of both population and scale, was many times larger than Thunderhawk City, and establishing a shipyard there was certainly feasible.


    Realizing this, Carltos City became very excited, as this was indeed a big deal!

 Chapter 768 - 730: Foresight

    Chapter 768: Chapter 730: Foresight


    Regarding the shipyard project, the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce was naturally entirely willing. Firstly, this would deepen the cooperation with Rocky, and secondly, once Rocky had built the shipyard, he would definitely need the technical support of the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce. This mutual enhancement of technological capabilities would allow Rocky to acquire the technology for designing and manufacturing warships while the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce would gain more Rune Technology, resulting in a win-win outcome.


    Thus, when Rocky expressed his intention, Archimonde immediately reported the matter to the Chamber of Commerce, and soon after Pansen decided to fully support Rocky¡¯s factory construction. Not only that, but he also dispatched a large number of experienced technicians to Thunderhawk City. These technicians were to train Rocky¡¯s selected personnel during the shipyard construction so that they could commence work immediately once the shipyard was completed.


    Knowing that the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce was so proactive, Rocky also immediately took action, selecting a group of experienced core staff within the arsenal and arranging for Voss to recruit workers in Carltos City.


    Upon receiving Rocky¡¯s order, although Voss was somewhat prepared, he was still quite surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected Rocky to settle the matter so quickly. Building a factory, especially a large shipyard, was not something that could be accomplished just by talking about it¡ªsuch a major project required extensive preparation even with sufficient funds. Yet, Rocky had managed to complete everything within a few days, a speed that Voss found unbelievable.


    Clearly, Voss had been in Carltos City for too long and had obviously underestimated the development speed of Thunderhawk City. Upon closer calculation, Thunderhawk City had already built several new factories, including leather manufacturing and two successive arsenals, besides expanding the city itself. These engineering projects, each more massive than the last, had given Thunderhawk City substantial construction experience. Some residents even made their living from it. Coupled with the unmatched enthusiasm of the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce, it was natural for the project to be completed so quickly. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this matter well-arranged, concerning the city development, Rocky did not need to worry too much anymore. Aileen would be responsible for negotiations with the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, and Old Jack would handle the factory construction, essentially freeing Rocky from these concerns.


    Thus, following this, Rocky dived headfirst into the research institute.


    During the days he handled administrative tasks, all kinds of tests involving the Beastmen were completed. To gather data, hundreds of Fireteng Tribe Orcs participated in testing during these days, including warriors chosen by He Nan, ordinary tribe members, and even Female Beastmen. Thus, this data was extremely valuable. After receiving it, Rocky quickly applied it to the design of the New Armor.


    It must be said that Beastmen indeed possess a unique advantage in combat strength, clearly reflected in the data. After conducting uniform tests on hundreds of Beastmen, Rocky found that the average strength of a Beastman was three times that of a human, their speed twice, and their stamina five times greater. Such formidable data indeed justified why Beastmen were known as a warrior race.


    Of course, the data Rocky had obtained belonged to the Beastmen, specifically the Fireteng Tribe¡¯s Beastmen. As the Forsaken People, these Orcs had been battling Demons almost from birth. This included not just the warriors but ordinary members of the tribe too. What¡¯s more, this scenario had prevailed for generations in the Fireteng Tribe, possibly even altering their genetic makeup. It was no exaggeration to say that the combat capabilities of these Orcs were not just superior to humans but also notably stronger than those of other Beastmen.


    It was precisely because of this, Rocky had to be even more cautious in designing the Armor. If the new Armor failed to fully account for the robust physical qualities of the Beastmen, it would be no different from the common Armor available on the market, which was not Rocky¡¯s intention. However, ensuring a perfect integration of the Beastmen¡¯s robust physical qualities with the Armor posed a significant challenge for Rocky, as he had never designed such Armor before.


    Having obtained the Beastmen¡¯s test data, Rocky went to find Pelaya, who was most authoritative on this matter.


    ¡°I think we can enhance the overall output of the new Armor since the Beastmen¡¯s physical qualities are so strong that they can do what human Void Magic Warriors cannot,¡± said Pelaya, holding a thick stack of data.


    ¡°Are you saying¡­ Monte and Dusa¡¯s Armor?¡± asked Rocky, immediately understanding her implication upon her mention.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Pelaya nodded. ¡°Monte and Dusa¡¯s Armor, in a sense, are already specialized for Beastmen. In designing these two types of Armor, Hammerfire fully considered their physical qualities. It¡¯s precisely because of this consideration that Dusa¡¯s Armor has such strong maneuverability, and Monte¡¯s Armor can achieve extreme firepower output.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡±


    As Pelaya finished speaking, Rocky nodded, thinking over it and realizing that it was indeed the case.


    As is well known, the strongest aspect of Dusa¡¯s Armor is its maneuverability, almost comparable to that of the White Demon. However, one shouldn¡¯t assume that just anyone wearing Dusa¡¯s Armor could achieve such high maneuverability. In fact, other than Dusa, no one else could reach such a level of agility with the same Armor. The reason lies in the technology used by Hammerfire in designing Dusa¡¯s Armor, which is fundamentally different from that used for the White Demon and only manageable by a Beastman.


    A similar situation was evident with Monte¡¯s Armor, more directly observable, for instance, in the single-handed Magic Energy Cannon on the Armor.


    Since Monte had lost his left hand, Hammerfire had modified the left arm of the Armor into a Magic Energy Cannon, specifically designed for Monte because only a Beastman like him could withstand the enormous recoil produced by the cannon¡¯s firing without getting injured. If a human Void Magic Warrior were to use this single-handed Magic Energy Cannon, their arm would be shattered after firing a single shot.


    These two designs by Hammerfire unquestionably aligned with Rocky¡¯s thinking and even helped him identify a direction. Thus, thereafter, Rocky immediately went to Hammerfire¡¯s laboratory, and after a series of curses, he obtained the design drawings of Dusa and Monte¡¯s Armor. He then proceeded to thoroughly study these two types of Armor.

 Chapter 769 - 731: Play to Strengths

    Chapter 769: Chapter 731: Play to Strengths


    After obtaining the Armor design drawings for Monte and Dusa, Rocky began to study Hammerfire¡¯s design philosophies for these two types of Armor. This task seemed simple, but in reality, it was not easy because Hammerfire was a master after all. Even the most ordinary Armor he personally designed contained many subtle complexities that were hard to comprehend.


    Fortunately, Rocky was a disciple trained by Hammerfire himself. Not only had he inherited the ability to design Armor, but more importantly, Rocky was also more familiar with Hammerfire¡¯s many design habits and trains of thought. Even then, he spent a week studying the two sets of blueprints before he finally organized his own thoughts.


    After that, he went to see Pelaya once again.


    ¡°Teacher, I know what to do now!¡±


    Upon seeing Pelaya, Rocky was very excited, and Pelaya, curious about his excitement, asked with interest, ¡°What do you plan to do?¡±


    ¡°I want to design a piece of Heavy Battle Armor for the Beastmen!¡±


    ¡°Heavy?¡±


    At these words, Pelaya obviously paused, pondering for quite some time before speaking again, ¡°You mean¡­ design a heavy type like the traditional Land Combat Armor?¡±


    The concept of Heavy Battle Armor was rather vague to Pelaya, as strictly speaking, there was no such thing as Heavy Battle Armor in this world. However, the idea could be easily understood upon reflection, which led Pelaya to quickly associate it with the old-fashioned Land Combat Armor. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The so-called old-fashioned Land Combat Armor referred to Armor so heavily armored that it was incapable of flight, a type of old-fashioned Armor. Pelaya remembered that when the Holy Angel Armor first debuted in the Arena, its opponent had been of that kind. So when Rocky brought up Heavy Battle Armor, she immediately thought of the old-fashioned Land Combat Armor.


    ¡°Exactly, that kind!¡±


    Seeing Pelaya mention the old-fashioned Land Combat Armor, Rocky nodded repeatedly to confirm that this was indeed his idea.


    ¡°But won¡¯t it be too cumbersome?¡±


    Facing Rocky¡¯s enthusiastic nods, Pelaya furrowed her brows. She was clearly not in favor of this idea. The old-fashioned Land Combat Armor might have had heavy armor and powerful armaments, but its performance was extremely poor due to its excessive weight, eventually leading to its obsolescence at the hands of Tank-type Armor. If Rocky designed Beastman Specific Armor in this way, it would certainly not be a good thing.


    ¡°No, Teacher, I¡¯m not planning to design the New Armor as an iron ball. I just want to increase the armor on the Beastman Armor,¡± Rocky explained.


    Pelaya¡¯s concerns were certainly valid, but Rocky had also anticipated these issues. He didn¡¯t aim to make the New Armor overly cumbersome, as he had his own ideas, which he then explained to Pelaya in full.


    Based on his concept, with the physical prowess of the Beastmen far surpassing that of ordinary humans, he could employ some ¡®heavy-duty¡¯ measures in the New Armor designs.


    For instance, when designing Armor for a regular Void Magic Warrior, if the goal was to increase the Armor¡¯s speed, one would need to consider both the Armor¡¯s propulsion and the Void Magic Warrior¡¯s endurance. If the propulsion was too strong, the Armor might achieve an extremely fast speed, but the Void Magic Warrior inside would not be able to withstand it, inadvertently restricting the Armor¡¯s potential for speed.


    However, for the Beastmen, there were fewer considerations of this nature. A Beastman¡¯s endurance was several times greater than that of ordinary humans. Although too much propulsion would still be overwhelming, their endurance was certainly higher than that of a regular Void Magic Warrior. With this in mind, Rocky could afford to be more bold in designing the propulsion of the Armor.


    It was precisely because he intended to design the New Armor as Heavy Battle Armor that such flexibility was possible. If it was just ordinary Armor, the Beastman¡¯s physical prowess would undoubtedly allow for a significant increase in speed. Yet, speed just needed to be faster than the enemy¡¯s, not the fastest. If the Armor¡¯s speed did not hit the highest mark, wouldn¡¯t the potential for powerful propulsion be wasted?


    Therefore, Rocky thought of increasing the New Armor¡¯s armoring. In this way, while making full use of the propulsion, the design would not only ensure the New Armor¡¯s speed but would also enhance its defensive power, achieving two aims with one action.


    In fact, Rocky approach to all aspects of the New Armor was similar. For the weapon system, he planned to equip the New Armor with heavy weaponry. Ordinary Armors might not accommodate such firepower, or at most could be outfitted with one or two heavy weapons, but the New Armor could fully do so as it was designed for Beastmen, whose powerful bodies could effectively wield an array of heavy weapons.


    Rocky shared his ideas and planning in detail with Pelaya, and after listening to all he had to say, she pondered a moment before nodding in agreement.


    Though Pelaya¡¯s field of research was not Armor design, she had been involved in the design of many more Armors than Rocky could have imagined, and her experience in this area was profoundly substantial. So when Rocky finished explaining his concepts, Pelaya quickly realized that not only was this strategy viable, but also it could be fully realized with the technology they currently possessed.


    With this realization, the two immediately set to work, turning their ideas into practice and beginning the drafting process for the New Armor¡¯s details.


    Consequently, the research institute in Thunderhawk City was simultaneously engaged in the design of two kinds of Armor¡ªone led by Hammerfire designing the novel White Demon Armor, and the other spearheaded by Rocky and Pelaya for the Beastman Specific Armor. As time gradually passed, Aniye, after finishing his current projects, joined the effort. He did not focus exclusively on one Armor but juggled both, truly showcasing the expertise of a master.


    Days went by, and in the blink of an eye, more than a month had elapsed. During this time, Rocky encountered no significant events, aside from Backhill Village still being sporadically attacked by Demons and the increasing orders for Armors received by Thunderhawk City. There was nothing else of note.


    However, the rest of the world was a different story. In that period, profound changes were stirring. The reason was simple: for everyone, the time for the third counteroffensive war was drawing ever nearer.


    Even though The Three Great Alliances had not officially announced the date of the war¡¯s commencement, the news that The Three Great Alliances would launch the third counteroffensive war in a year¡¯s time had spread like wildfire. Now, the entire Sky City was aware of it.


    Upon learning this, the various forces in Sky City and the numerous small and large sky cities immediately began preparing. After all, no one wanted to be cannon fodder in this world-level conflict due to inadequate preparations.

 Chapter 770 - 732: War Dividends

    Chapter 770: Chapter 732: War Dividends


    For the imminent Third Counterattack War, every City Lord in the sky, every force treated it with utmost importance, which was unavoidable, as everyone understood that this was not just a war against the Demons. In fact, it was also a battle facing them, in which the weak would be eliminated, and elimination meant extinction. Conversely, those who performed admirably in this war would secure a superior position in the next era, so no one wanted to be eliminated; everyone wanted to be prepared before the next era arrived.


    In such circumstances, the sky fell into an unusual silence. The overt and covert struggles between cities or forces had vanished during this period, and every City Lord, every force was preparing for war to the best of their abilities.


    Every city had started conscription, a large number of residents were drafted into the military and began training, and the alliances were also purchasing armaments in large quantities during this period. Armor, warships, Mana Equipment, and other military supplies were unprecedentedly popular, even leading to supply shortfalls. Naturally, the greatest beneficiaries were the armament dealers. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Take Apple Tree Corporation, for example.


    As a giant in the warship sector, Apple Tree Corporation had been producing warships that always held a good reputation in the sky; almost everyone knew about their close cooperation with Rocky. To order the most perilous Rune Armor, that is, the Thunderhawk Armor, one could only go through Apple Tree Corporation. Given the current situation, this led to an unprecedented demand for Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s products. Even though they hadn¡¯t yet released their Rune Battleship, the sheer sales of regular warships had made them incredibly profitable.


    As Apple Tree Corporation¡¯s business boomed, sales of Thunderhawk Armor and Tank Armor naturally surged as well. The initial intent behind this sales frenzy was to prepare for the upcoming counterattack war. These two types of armor designed by Rocky happened to be excellent weapons against Demons, naturally drawing everyone¡¯s favor, and this was not an exaggeration but proven through extensive real combat.


    Considering the timeline, the Tank-type Armor had been on the international market for over a year. In this year, numerous City Lords and alliances had purchased this new type of Land Combat Armor. The Tank Armor had not disappointed, achieving outstanding results in a series of ground battles, proving its combat ability early on and directly promoting a comprehensive evolution of Land Combat Armor.


    To this day, traditional Land Combat Armor had been completely phased out. Every armor manufacturer, including giants like Sigma Corporation and Uranus Corporation, were all imitating Tank Armor in developing their own Land Combat Armor. Sigma and Uranus, with their profound heritage, were the first to reverse-engineer the Tank-type Armor successfully and developed their own versions, quickly capturing the market and preventing Rocky from monopolizing this market segment.


    Due to Sigma and Uranus launching their own Tank-type Armors successively, for a considerable time, the Tank Armor produced by Rocky actually couldn¡¯t sell because the competitors¡¯ armors were not only cheaper but some also performed better than Rocky¡¯s. This suddenly took a large number of customers from Rocky and Apple Tree Corporation.


    Luckily, Rocky soon launched a new generation of Tank Armor with Rune as its core, which allowed him to recapture the market. Even so, Sigma and Uranus Corporation had still managed to establish a foothold in the market for Land Combat Armor, taking a significant market share from Rocky.


    Yet even so, Tank-type Armor continued to receive numerous orders, and let¡¯s not forget Rocky still had the ace product, the Thunderhawk Armor.


    Compared to Tank-type Armor, Thunderhawk Armor hadn¡¯t been on the market long, but it possessed advantages unique to it due to the most advanced and exclusive Rune Technology of Rocky, making it incomparable to any other armor on the market. More importantly, since no one else possessed Rune Technology, no other armor manufacturer could replicate Thunderhawk Armor like they did with the Tank Armor, including giants such as Sigma and Uranus.


    This made Thunderhawk Armor a unique presence on the market. As a Mass-production Type Armor, Thunderhawk Armor¡¯s superior performance made the old Fifth Generation Mass-produced Armor look inferior; any capable City Lord or Alliance would choose Thunderhawk Armor, as this powerful armor undoubtedly increased their chances of victory in the counterattack war.


    For other armor manufacturers, facing such a formidable competitor was frustrating, but there was nothing they could do because unless traditional technology underwent a breakthrough, facing the unprecedented Rune Technology, these manufacturers had no means to retaliate. Their only option was to try to retrofit existing Fifth Generation Mass-produced Armor to preserve a semblance of honor for traditional armors.


    And it must be said, some had indeed succeeded, such as Sigma Corporation.


    While other companies were at a loss, Sigma Corporation promptly launched the mass-production version of Holy Angel Armor. Once launched, Mass-produced Holy Angel Armor immediately became popular for its performance that surpassed Thunderhawk Armor and was even comparable to Fifth Generation Special Armor. This was hardly surprising, after all, Holy Angel Armor was essentially Fifth and a Half Generation armor, so its prototype design ensured the mass-production version would not be weak.


    Unfortunately, Mass-produced Holy Angel Armor not only inherited the advantages but also the sole disadvantage of Holy Angel Armor, which was its high cost. Although its performance was superior, the price, despite being reduced several times, was still nearly double that of the Thunderhawk Armor. Thus, after its rollout, it indeed won many orders for Sigma Corporation but did not impact the sales of Thunderhawk Armor significantly.


    In this surge of arms sales, Rocky also caught a favorable wind. Like other armament dealers, the two armament factories in Thunderhawk City were also receiving continuous orders during this period. The armors they produced were shipped to various corners of the sky in batches. The huge number of orders not only kept the factories running at full capacity but also brought substantial income to Rocky.


    Due to the relentless flow of armor orders, the revenue of Thunderhawk City during this period surged continuously. Not to mention exceeding a million each quarter, now Thunderhawk City¡¯s monthly revenue could easily break through a million!


    This outcome was somewhat beyond Rocky¡¯s expectations, but he quickly collected his surprise and started investing a large amount of Gold Coins into development.

 Chapter 771 - 733: Rich!

    Chapter 771: Chapter 733: Rich!


    Having earned a hefty profit from the sale of Armor, Rocky naturally wouldn¡¯t let this huge sum rust in the vault; he immediately spent all the Gold Coins.


    Making money is hard, spending it is easy¡ªeveryone understands this principle, and it¡¯s even more applicable to Rocky, who now governs two Sky Cities and one land-based hub, meaning there are not only numerous places to spend money, it practically disappears into an endless pit.


    Take Thunderhawk City, for example, which was undergoing a city upgrade. Although Rocky had already allocated tens of millions of Gold Coins for this major project months ago, this was now ancient history, and those millions had already been almost entirely spent within a few months.


    It¡¯s undeniable that the rate of spending was incredibly high, yet it was to be expected. Consider that just one large Super Crystal could cost close to ten million Gold Coins, and expanding city districts, enlarging the Skyport, building new Skyports, and reconstructing research facilities¡ªall of these are major projects, so tens of millions of Gold Coins are spent the moment they are spoken for.


    Luckily, Rocky had anticipated this, preparing for a prolonged campaign even before upgrading. Now, benefiting directly from the booming Armor sales, he put the regular income directly into city upgrades.


    While these inputs weren¡¯t as massive initially, not reaching tens of millions of Gold Coins, their value lay in their sustainability. At least before the war officially began, the sales of Tank Armor and Thunderhawk Armor remained brisk. Thus, Rocky could persistently channel substantial amounts of Gold Coins into city upgrades and, once the war truly erupted, he believed Armor sales would surge even more, allowing the situation to sustain until the city upgrade was completely achieved.


    Of course, Rocky¡¯s investment in city upgrades wasn¡¯t his only focus; he only used general income for that purpose while using the other portion to strengthen his forces.


    Just like the other City Lords in the skies, facing the three major forces targeting him, Rocky also needed to make ample preparations for the third counterattack war. So, aside from waiting for the Apple Tree Corporation to deliver more Rune Battleships, he also began gradually expanding his Armor force.


    Although Thunderhawk City now had two armories, ever since the first one was operational, he hardly had them produce Armor for himself, aside from the initial push to breach the blockade of City of Fury. They were primarily used to fulfill orders.


    Now, with two armories in Thunderhawk City doubling the output, Rocky finally had some opportunity to profit for himself. Therefore, once he finished some large orders, he allocated the order completion tasks to one armory temporarily while the other began producing Tank-type Armors in large quantities for Backhill Village.


    According to Rocky¡¯s judgment, once the counterattack war erupted, world peace would end completely. At that time, the enraged Demons would inevitably counterattack furiously, and their primary targets would naturally be the various industries and bases on land. Then, all land industries would become extremely precarious, with Backhill Village being no exception.


    Therefore, it was essential for Rocky to enhance the defensive capabilities of Backhill Village. Although the village¡¯s defenses currently seemed strong, this was only by present standards. If these standards were raised, one would realize that Backhill Village¡¯s defenses were still very fragile.


    Rocky had once asked Aniye and Athena about the scenes of the previous two counterattack wars. According to Aniye, once the war erupted, the number of demons would increase exponentially. The number of demons currently harassing Backhill Village might be only a few hundred, or at most a few thousand, but during the wartime, the number faced by Backhill Village could easily be several thousand, or even tens of thousands of demons.


    Facing so many demons, with the current strength of Backhill Village, it was simply impossible to hold. They had to increase the input of defensive forces, and among these, the priority was naturally the Tank Armor.


    Since the first version of Tank Armor had been designed, several years had passed, and it had undergone three generations of change. It could be said that the Tank-type Armor was now a very mature and practical armor. Deploying this mature armor en masse to the defensive forces of Backhill Village was the best choice. Moreover, the manufacturing cost of Tank-type Armor was not high, and training drivers was considerably easier than training traditional Void Magic Warriors. It was undeniably the most suitable option.


    Besides massively producing Tank Armor, Rocky was also producing another major weapon, the Moving Fortress!


    Ever since he had obtained the Moving Fortress, Rocky had witnessed its formidable combat power time and again in defense battles. It was no exaggeration to say that if the Wanzhong Kingdom had not failed to last until the end, which resulted in the research institute in Kasin City not obtaining the resources to fully construct the Moving Fortress, it would have been hard to say whether Kasin City could have been conquered by the demons!


    Because the combat power of the Moving Fortress was simply too overwhelming. With its steel-built body and incredibly formidable attacking power, it was truly a nightmare for the demons. Also, let¡¯s not forget that after obtaining the Moving Fortress, Thunderhawk City¡¯s research team modernized this giant, thereby making the combat power of the Moving Fortress even stronger. It had now become an insurmountable barrier within the Defensive Net of Backhill Village. Not just a few hundred demons, even thousands of demons appearing together would not stand a chance to cross half a step past the fortress. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And of course, Rocky would not forget such a major weapon, so he planned to use this last bit of time before the war erupted to build another Moving Fortress.


    This matter was not technically difficult for Rocky, as he not only possessed all the research materials to develop the Moving Fortress, but his research team had thoroughly understood this giant, inside and out, through the opportunity of its modernization, making its manufacture not difficult at all.


    The only difficulty was production. A Moving Fortress, unlike Tank Armor, could not possibly be manufactured in a factory, as there simply were no factories capable of producing Moving Fortresses in the world today. Thus, Rocky had to find another way, and for this purpose, he specifically sought Orton, who was fully engaged in promoting Thunderhawk City¡¯s armament plan. Orton, truly a master, immediately thought of a solution based on his experience leading various major projects and constructions¡ªassembly.


    Thunderhawk City now had its own arsenal, hence it could produce some of the parts needed for the Moving Fortress as far as possible. As for the original parts that Thunderhawk City could not produce, they could be purchased from external sources. With all the necessary parts procured, assembling the Moving Fortress in Backhill Village was then feasible.


    It must be said, Orton was indeed cunning as Elder Jiang, solving a major problem with just one strategy. Naturally, Rocky immediately decided to implement this method and began to order a large number of parts needed for the Moving Fortress from external sources.


    Of course, such a task was not as simple as just talking about it; it still required money, and a lot of money at that. But luckily, Rocky had money now.

 Chapter 772 - 734 Siege Armament

    Chapter 772: Chapter 734 Siege Armament


    Having money, you truly can do as you please.


    Now, Rocky understood exactly what that statement meant. The immense war dividends had rocketed the income of Thunderhawk City, allowing Rocky to develop it more freely. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As time passed, with each day that went by within such development, the various investments Rocky made gradually started to yield returns.


    The first to bring him returns were from the most substantial investment, the Thunderhawk City armament plan led by Orton.


    To arm Thunderhawk City, Orton began by overhauling the city¡¯s mana supply system. Following the completion of this, he teamed up with the research and development team to tailor an array of weapons for Thunderhawk City. Orton dubbed these ¡°siege armaments,¡± consisting exclusively of gigantic heavy equipment.


    However, precisely because these weapons were too massive, the munitions factory in Thunderhawk City couldn¡¯t produce them. Hence, they had to enlist the help of Apple Tree Corporation, which owned its shipyards, the only ones capable of manufacturing such enormous equipment.


    Now, after several months, Apple Tree Corporation had finally constructed this batch of weapons and delivered them to Thunderhawk City. For this reason, not only Rocky but also Orton expressed their gratitude to the Chamber of Commerce. They truly deserved thanks because to make this batch of equipment, Apple Tree Corporation had dedicated two shipyards to work exclusively on the project so that they could complete it in such a short time. Otherwise, considering the size of the heavy equipment designed by Orton, it would have taken much more than a few months¡ªperhaps even half a year or a full year¡ªnot to be able to produce them.


    However, precisely because they had crafted these pieces of equipment themselves, Apple Tree Corporation was quite curious about them. So, when these siege armaments arrived, Archimonde couldn¡¯t resist going to the Skyport to catch a glimpse of these giants.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, these pieces of equipment¡­ what do you plan to do with them?¡±


    Standing side by side with Rocky in the Skyport, watching Orton directing workers in the distance to unload each piece of equipment almost the size of a cargo ship, Archimonde couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Although he had been in Thunderhawk City for over a year, Archimonde still found himself frequently amazed by the things that happened there, such as what was occurring now.


    Orton, a renowned master and Rocky¡¯s mentor, held a position in Thunderhawk City second only to Rocky. Not just anyone, even Rocky, would treat him with utmost respect. Yet, here he was, seemingly acting like a foreman, personally directing the workers in offloading the cargo.


    This was not the least of it. The equipment being unloaded from the cargo ships also greatly surprised Archimonde. He had never seen such large equipment before, with each ship managing to carry only one piece. Moreover, judging by the unloaded equipment, it seemed to be only a part of some larger assembly.


    This was a shock to Archimonde. He could hardly imagine what could possibly need such massive size.


    It wasn¡¯t that Archimonde lacked imagination. It was that although Rocky had ordered these armaments from Apple Tree Corporation, he hadn¡¯t disclosed their intended use. So, Archimonde knew only that these seemed to be some kind of custom-made weapons, but he couldn¡¯t conjure an idea of their purpose. Of course, this wasn¡¯t his fault, as no one before had ever been mad enough to think about arming Sky City to this extent.


    So in the face of his question, Rocky merely smiled and then spoke with a hint of mystery, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lord Archimonde, you will know what¡¯s going on in a few days.¡±


    For City Lord Rocky, it was impossible to conceal the military plans of Thunderhawk City from Archimonde, nor did he wish to do so. He had already established a deep partnership with the Apple Tree Corporation, and there was no need to tarnish their relationship over such a trivial matter.


    When he said that all would become clear in a few days, it was because they were currently in the midst of unloading cargo, with dozens, if not hundreds, of ships waiting to be unloaded. Even if he wanted to show Archimonde what Orton had custom-made, he¡¯d have to wait until all the cargo was unloaded.


    Since Rocky had put it that way, Archimonde naturally refrained from asking further questions. He believed that in a few days, he would understand what this was all about. Therefore, he soon returned to his own residence.


    But even though he went back, his curiosity had been thoroughly piqued. In the following days, it constantly itched at him, and he couldn¡¯t stop musing over what big move Rocky might be making.


    This curiosity wasn¡¯t due to Archimonde¡¯s lack of knowledge; in fact, he was far more knowledgeable than most people in the skies of Sky City. The reason for his current impatient curiosity was entirely because Rocky¡¯s past actions had made him inevitably intrigued.


    Since coming to Thunderhawk City, Archimonde had witnessed more than one miracle created by Rocky, ranging from mana runes to Thunderhawk Armor, then Rune Armor, and the miraculous battle to conquer Sky Might City. Not to mention his astonishing feat of decimating two large sky cities with a single command. All these things had continuously taken Archimonde by surprise. Just when he thought he had grown accustomed to everything he¡¯d seen and Rocky could no longer shake him, Rocky always came up with something new.


    Therefore, he was quite certain that Rocky was up to something big this time, something that would surely astonish him. That was why he was so curious.


    And so, filled with restless curiosity, Archimonde waited for a week, but during that time, Rocky did not come to see him, which struck Archimonde as strange. However, during this period, he became even more certain of his thoughts, because even though Rocky did not seek him out, he had the Thunderhawk City fly away from Backhill Village, heading toward Kasin City. To Archimonde, this undoubtedly indicated that Rocky was about to make a move.


    Indeed, on the second day after the week Archimonde had anxiously waited, Rocky sent for him.


    Getting on the carriage that had come for him, Archimonde was filled with expectation. The week¡¯s time had not diminished his curiosity, but rather made it grow stronger, making him even more impatient.


    However, after riding in the carriage for a while, he noticed something was amiss. The situation didn¡¯t seem quite right because the carriage soon left the city area, but it didn¡¯t head towards the City Lord¡¯s Mansion or the Skyport. Instead, it took him to an extremely secluded location, so remote that in the end, there wasn¡¯t even a road.


    Thunderhawk City had become very large after expansion, resulting in a lot of empty and barren lands apart from the central city area. The carriage brought Archimonde to such a place.


    Where were they taking him?


    Realizing he had been brought to such a remote location, Archimonde frowned. Driven by instinctive self-preservation, his first thought was that Rocky intended to harm him, but this idea was immediately dismissed. With the Chamber of Commerce and Rocky on such good terms, Rocky wouldn¡¯t possibly do such a thing, and besides, with Rocky¡¯s authority as City Lord, if he really wanted to do something, why would he go to such trouble?


    In Archimonde¡¯s view, the fact that Rocky had brought him to such a remote place must be related to something he planned to reveal. With this thought, not only did he let go of his apprehension, but he also grew even more expectant.

 Chapter 773 - 735: The Tense Orton

    Chapter 773: Chapter 735: The Tense Orton


    Sitting in the carriage, Archimonde jostled for over an hour before the speed of the carriage finally began to slow down. Not only that, he also noticed that the bumpiness had lessened, and when he looked out the window, he discovered that the carriage had returned to the cobblestone road.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Realizing the carriage was once again on a cobblestone road, Archimonde was momentarily stunned, and right at that moment, the carriage came to a halt.


    As the carriage stopped, Archimonde slowly stepped down from it, only to be shocked by the sight before him!


    The first thing he saw was a gigantic square!


    The area of this square was so vast, it even surpassed the Central Square within the city district. Extending his gaze, it was at least several kilometers in size, but the square was utterly empty, devoid of anything but the cobblestone pavement under his feet.


    When did Rocky build a square here?


    Gazing at the empty and immense square, Archimonde¡¯s heart filled with amazement, for upon looking around, he realized that the position of this colossal square was precisely on the edge of the city, with the end of the square being the boundary of Sky City, one step further and he would fall off.


    Could it be¡­ that this is the new military harbor Rocky built?


    Living deep within Thunderhawk City, of course, Archimonde knew that the city was in the midst of an upgrade, and during casual conversations with Rocky, he had heard Rocky mention the construction of a new military harbor specifically for the use of warships¡ªwas this place that harbor?


    It did indeed resemble one¡ªconsidering the area of the square and its location, Archimonde felt it could be the newly constructed military harbor.


    After that, he saw Rocky approaching him, accompanied by Orton, Liliya, and other individuals, with virtually all the important figures of Thunderhawk City in attendance.


    ¡°Archimonde, it¡¯s been a hard journey for you, it must have been bumpy,¡± Rocky said with a beaming smile as he arrived next to Archimonde.


    ¡°No worries, no worries, what is this place? Is it the newly built military harbor?¡±


    Waving his hand dismissively at Rocky, Archimonde naturally had no interest in discussing such trifling matters as road conditions; he was more concerned about where exactly he was.


    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t the new military harbor, the new harbor is on the other side of the city.¡±


    ¡°Then, what is this place¡­?¡±


    ¡°This is the armament area of Thunderhawk City, yes, it will be called that from now on.¡±


    Looking around, Rocky said offhandedly, naming the area on the spot.


    His casual manner, however, left Archimonde completely baffled. In his confusion, he looked around, the armament area? What exactly was this place?


    ¡°Teacher, everyone is here,¡± Orton said, his face alight with excitement.


    And just as Archimonde was trying to make sense of the situation, Rocky turned to one side, towards the visibly excited Orton.


    Hearing his words, Orton lifted his chin and spoke to everyone, ¡°Alright, follow me.¡±


    After saying that, Orton led everyone towards the depths of the square, and it was at this moment that Archimonde noticed not far behind them were these two structures¡­ No, not structures!


    At first glance, Archimonde thought there were two two-story buildings behind them, but as he followed Orton closer, he realized it was not the case. These were not two small two-story buildings; they were two gigantic cannon mounts, each as tall as a two-story building!


    Indeed, these were two huge cannon mounts. Archimonde was currently at the back of the cannons, so they initially looked like small buildings, but as he followed Orton to the side, he saw the true nature of these mounts.


    The enormous cannon mounts were as tall as two-story buildings, which wasn¡¯t the most exaggerated part. The real exaggeration was the overly long and thick barrels mounted on the cannons, which looked like giant smokestacks that had been laid down. The barrels were over ten meters long, with diameters wide enough to span six or seven meters.


    ¡°What, what is this?!¡±


    Gazing up at the gigantic barrels, standing several meters off the ground, Archimonde was completely dumbfounded. Despite his many speculations beforehand, he never imagined he would see such a thing.


    ¡°Lord Archimonde, these are the equipments that I requested the Chamber of Commerce to manufacture.¡±


    Seeing the dumbstruck look on Archimonde¡¯s face, Rocky smiled and said. In fact, he had no intention of mocking Archimonde¡¯s amazement; after all, not to mention him, even Rocky himself had been totally flabbergasted the first time he laid eyes on the two massive cannons before him.


    ¡°These are the equipments¡­ that our Chamber of Commerce made¡­¡±


    Hearing Rocky¡¯s words, Archimonde carefully distinguished the features and indeed noticed that some parts of these two massive cannons looked similar to the equipment they had unloaded from the cargo ship a week ago. He then understood what had happened¡ªthese cannons must have been assembled from various components.


    However, even with this understanding, Archimonde still couldn¡¯t resolve the doubt in his heart; he didn¡¯t understand what Rocky planned to do with these two giant cannon mounts in the city.


    ¡°This is the teacher¡¯s idea. The teacher plans to modernize Thunderhawk City¡¯s armament, to give Thunderhawk City real combat capabilities.¡±


    As if seeing through Archimonde¡¯s doubt, Rocky briefly explained the City Armament Plan to him. The plan itself wasn¡¯t too complicated, so Archimonde understood it as soon as he heard it¡ªbut that very understanding made him even more surprised.


    ¡°To¡­ to arm Sky City? Is that even possible?!¡±


    Though Archimonde wasn¡¯t a City Lord, he was very familiar with Sky City and knew well that it had only defensive power. Aside from the City-Destroyer Cannon, it had no real offensive capabilities, so he could easily grasp the intention behind the City Armament Plan. But in his view, it was an impossible task¡ªhow could such a colossus possess attacking power, and by what means?


    Could it be possibly through these two giant cannons before him? Such a thought was utterly fantastical!


    ¡°How can it not be possible! Of course, it is possible!¡±


    However, as Archimonde posed the question, Orton, who was leading the way in front turned his head and glared at him which scared Archimonde into silence.


    Seeing this, Rocky could only smile helplessly, understanding all too well Orton¡¯s feelings at the moment. It was a mix of excitement and anxiety¡ªexcitement because, after so many years, the City Armament Plan he had dreamt of was finally taking shape. However, this also made Orton anxious; the plan had been dismissed too many times by too many people. Not to mention outsiders, even close masters like Aniye, Pelaya, and Hammerfire didn¡¯t hold the plan in high regard. Orton was extremely nervous; he feared that although he had completed the City Armament Plan, he might discover in the end that it was all just an illusion, dreading that the plan was indeed unfeasible as others said.


    So despite Orton¡¯s seemingly fierce demeanor, he was actually quite uncertain inside.


    Not long after, everyone arrived in front of the cannon mounts. After looking up at the two massive cannons, they all turned their attention to Orton, waiting in anticipation.


    S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 774 - 736: Launch!

    Chapter 774: Chapter 736: Launch!


    Having arrived in front of two giant cannons, Rocky and the others turned to look at Orton. By now, not only were Archimonde¡¯s eyes filled with anticipation, Rocky and his group felt the same, and even Aniye, Pelaya, and Hammerfire were no different.


    Although Aniye and the others were not supportive of Orton¡¯s armed plan for Sky City at first, they, just like Rocky, supported Orton after all, and given all that Orton had done, they naturally hoped for the plan¡¯s success, which was beyond doubt.


    In everyone¡¯s hopeful anticipation, Orton took a deep breath, then looked at the two cannons beside him, and took out the Magic Energy Communicator.


    ¡°Charge the siege weapons.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    As soon as Orton finished speaking, there was an immediate response from the other end of the communicator. Clearly, the personnel within the cannons had begun operating, but when everyone looked up at the cannons, they noticed nothing unusual.


    Of course they noticed nothing, as both cannons were powered by mana drawn from underground; in fact, when the giant cannons started charging, there might not have been any visible changes to the cannons themselves, yet there was now activity in Thunderhawk City¡¯s Central Square.


    As the cannons started charging, the Super Crystal located at the Central Square lit up with a faint glow. Not only that, the ground of the square also started to shimmer with bursts of light, and upon closer inspection, the light patterns on the ground were all in the shape of runes! Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The last time Thunderhawk City landed, Wynn had replaced the city¡¯s Super Crystal, and Orton had installed numerous Mana Runes around the crystal. Thus, Thunderhawk City now effectively had a double mana supply, the only level of mana supply capable of supporting the energy consumption of the siege weapons.


    ¡°Orton, the mana supply is normal, no problems have occurred.¡±


    On the Central Square, Wynn and his team monitoring the dynamics of the Super Crystal communicated with Orton through the communicator, reporting the situation there to him.


    ¡°Good, keep a close watch on the crystal, and stay in contact.¡±


    Once Wynn finished speaking, Orton quickly responded. These two cannons were running for the first time and were directly linked to Sky City¡¯s core Super Crystal, so Orton did not dare be careless. He specifically arranged for Wynn to be at the Central Square, ensuring that if anything unexpected happened, Wynn could immediately protect the crystal even if Orton couldn¡¯t react in time.


    ¡°Huff¡­¡±


    Having put down the communicator, Orton took another deep breath, visibly feeling very tense. Of course, he was not the only one feeling tense, as Rocky and others standing beside him felt the same.


    So, although the charging time was not short, lasting over ten minutes, during this period everyone kept looking up at the cannons until, after about fifteen minutes, Orton¡¯s communicator rang again, and everyone then turned their gaze to him.


    ¡°Charging complete, awaiting next instructions.¡±


    ¡°Adjust the angle of the cannons, aim at the ground.¡±


    Hearing the voice from the communicator, Orton issued a new command. This time, as his voice fell, a huge noise emanated, and everyone followed the noise by looking up, soon seeing the elongated barrels of the cannons slowly moving, adjusting their angles downward bit by bit.


    Meanwhile, as the barrels were slowly adjusted, Orton signaled for everyone to back away, moving nearly a hundred meters away from the cannons. Right when the cannons¡¯ adjustment had just finished, Orton picked up the communicator again.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    This time, when he picked up the communicator, he did not waste any words, but directly gave the command to fire!


    A few seconds after the command was given, the downward-facing cannon muzzles lit up. The light, which grew increasingly intense from its initial appearance, became so bright within moments that it was unbearable to look at directly, and suddenly, two beams of light shot out from the cannon muzzles!


    As the beams shot out, the intense light at the cannon muzzles also vanished, and only then could everyone barely look toward the cannons, only to find that the cannons had not changed.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Finding no change in the cannons after the light had disappeared, everyone looked at each other, not knowing what to say, as no one knew whether the experiment had succeeded or failed.


    In such a situation, when everyone looked at each other, they eventually turned their gaze to Rocky, who, having the best relationship with Orton and theoretically being his superior, was the best person to make inquiries, and thus in desperation, Rocky licked his lips and then walked over to Orton.


    ¡°Teacher, did it succeed?¡±


    Glancing at the cannons and then at Orton, Rocky cautiously asked.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    In response to his question, Orton did not immediately speak. Instead, he squinted and looked into the distance for a while before turning to Rocky, ¡°Order the Skyship to descend.¡±


    ¡°Descend? Oh, okay.¡±


    Although Rocky did not quite understand this request, he still turned to look at Liliya, directing her to immediately arrange for Thunderhawk City to lower its altitude.


    Thus, thereafter, Thunderhawk City began to slowly fly towards the land, gradually breaking through the clouds from a height of ten thousand meters getting closer to the land. Naturally, this process was lengthy, and during this lengthy process, no one dared to speak because no one knew whether Orton¡¯s experiment had been successful or not. If it had been successful, everyone would rejoice, but if not¡­


    Not only would Orton¡¯s efforts have been in vain, but all the investments made to smoothly implement the armed plan would be lost, amounting to millions of Gold Coins! If they were wasted, it would be a significant blow to both Rocky and Orton, so no one dared to chat casually at this time.


    In this eerie silence, time passed by the second, and during this process, Thunderhawk City was also slowly approaching the land. Once it had broken through a thick layer of dark clouds, they could finally see the other side.


    Due to the heavy clouds in the sky, as Thunderhawk City approached the land the sky grew darker, and light rain began falling over Sky City, further intensifying the already oppressive and silent atmosphere.


    And as Thunderhawk City approached the land, Orton lead everyone to the edge of Thunderhawk City to look down towards the ground.


    ¡°My, my god¡­ What, what is that!¡±


    When Rocky and the others reached the edge of the city and looked down, everyone¡¯s eyes widened simultaneously, their faces instantly showing disbelief, but unlike them, Orton breathed a long sigh of relief¡­

 Chapter 775 - 737: Asura Cannon!

    Chapter 775: Chapter 737: Asura Cannon!


    Standing at the edge of Sky City, Rocky and the others instinctively looked down to the ground and quickly spotted Kasin City not far below, but when they saw Kasin City, they noticed two huge craters within its ruins!


    These two craters had diameters extending over ten meters, with raging flames still flickering inside, clearly the result of recent explosions¡­


    Recent explosions¡­


    With this in mind, everyone immediately turned their heads to look at Orton!


    At that moment, Orton had reverted to his original demeanor, the tense expression previously on his face had vanished, replaced by a smug, triumphant smile.


    ¡°Teacher, this, this is¡­ Was this just caused by the explosion?¡±


    Rocky, standing beside Orton, glanced at him, then back to the ground, and then turned to Orton again, asking incredulously, while the others also cast their gazes upon him upon hearing this question.


    ¡°Of course, this is the power of the siege weapons.¡±


    Seeing everyone staring at him dumbfounded, Orton chuckled proudly, and then pointed behind him to the two artillery pieces, saying, ¡°These two cannons are called Asura Cannons, weapons I designed specifically for arming Sky City.¡±


    ¡°The magic energy power of the Asura Cannon reaches 50,000 points, and its range spans tens of thousands of meters, second only to the City-Destroyer Cannon. What do you think? Not bad, right?¡±


    After Orton finished speaking, Rocky and the others¡¯ mouths dropped open slightly, and they couldn¡¯t help but turn their heads to look at the two massive cannons behind them. So these two huge cannons were called Asura Cannons, and their power reached 50,000 points? That was astonishing!


    What¡¯s more, the range of these two cannons actually exceeded ten thousand meters?!


    Hearing that the Asura Cannon had such formidable capabilities, truth be told, Rocky and the others found it hard to believe, but the sight of the two massive craters in Kasin City forced them to accept the reality; they knew that Thunderhawk City was not at this altitude when firing the cannons, and when they fired, Thunderhawk City was indeed about ten thousand meters in the sky. Considering the altitude from which the cannons were fired and the destruction inflicted upon Kasin City, it was clear that Orton had not exaggerated the Asura Cannon¡¯s power.


    With this realization, gleeful expressions suddenly appeared on everyone¡¯s faces, no, they were ecstatic, for this meant Orton¡¯s City Armament Plan had been successful!


    ¡°Teacher, congratulations!¡±


    ¡°Master Orton, congratulations on completing such a monumental achievement!¡±


    Confident now that the City Armament Plan had succeeded, Rocky and the others immediately congratulated Orton. It was indeed a great success because once this plan took effect, Thunderhawk City would completely differentiate itself from other Sky Cities. Moreover, it was no exaggeration to say that once the plan was promulgated, it would entirely alter the long-standing patterns of warfare.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to congratulate me for, did you not believe in me before?¡±


    However, faced with everyone¡¯s congratulations, Orton once again displayed his old habits, with a dismissive snort and an arrogant retort.


    Fortunately, those present understood him very well by now, quite aware that Orton¡¯s attitude was all an act and that, in reality, he was overjoyed.


    ¡°Teacher, how many Asura Cannons do you plan to install in Thunderhawk City?¡±


    After everyone had their share of laughs and conversation, Rocky pulled Orton aside and asked him a question.


    He had already witnessed the power of the Asura Cannon, and to be frank, it truly amazed him, but although the performance of the Asura Cannon was impressive, there was one issue that could not be concealed ¡ª the quantity.


    When evaluating the strength of Magic Cannons, power is one aspect, range is another, and the quantity is also a critical consideration. It¡¯s like the Magic Cannons on a warship: setting aside the issue of power for a moment, having an adequate number is absolutely essential. Otherwise, no matter how powerful, it would be useless. The same issue applied to the Asura Cannons.


    The Asura Cannon¡¯s power was indeed tremendous, and its range was flabbergasting, but what about the quantity?


    How many Asura Cannons did Orton actually plan to build in Thunderhawk City to effectively arm it? If the number was only two, then it would be regrettable, as the armament plan could hardly be called a success; it would only mean that a new weapon had been developed. Therefore, Rocky needed to clarify this matter.


    Fortunately, Orton had already considered this issue, so as soon as Rocky finished asking his question, he held up three fingers.


    ¡°Based on the current total magic energy of Thunderhawk City, I plan to install thirty Asura Cannons for now and then decide whether to increase the quantity based on the situation,¡± he said.


    ¡°Good!¡±


    Upon hearing Orton¡¯s plan, Rocky finally breathed a sigh of relief. Thirty Asura Cannons was not a small number. Although it might not sound like a lot, one must not forget what kind of power and range the Asura Cannons had. If thirty Asura Cannons could be installed in Thunderhawk City, then it was no exaggeration to say that Thunderhawk City would indeed have the ability to enter the fray itself.


    Relieved, Rocky returned to the group with Orton, and then they all went together to tour the inside of the cannon emplacements until dusk when they finally left.


    After leaving the armed zone, Rocky brought Liliya back to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, while Orton returned to the research institute. With the successful debut of the Asura Cannon, a weight was lifted from his shoulders, and all that remained was to proceed with the installation of the Asura Cannons in the armed zone. This freed up more of Orton¡¯s time, and he thus plunged into the research of the next-generation White Demon Armor, aiming to successfully produce the New Armor for Hammerfire.


    Upon leaving, Archimonde hurried back to his residence and immediately contacted Guild President Pansen.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Inside Archimonde¡¯s dwelling, Pansen¡¯s Magic Energy Image was full of confusion, and Archimonde was all too familiar with this expression on the Guild President¡¯s face. He remembered the President having the same look when he first informed him about the Mana Runes, and now, surprisingly, the same thing was happening again.


    So, after that, Archimonde recounted what he had seen and heard that day to Pansen once more, and after he finished speaking for the second time, Pansen remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a long breath.


    ¡°This Rocky¡­ really is someone¡­ someone¡­¡±


    After searching for the right words for quite some time and finding none, Pansen could only shake his head with a bitter smile. At this moment, Archimonde spoke up:


    ¡°Guild President, what do you think about this?¡±


    ¡°What do I think?¡±


    After looking at Archimonde, Pansen thought for a moment before speaking, ¡°This guy Rocky, if he keeps going like this, he will either soar to great heights or¡­ he will die with nowhere to bury him. There will be no third outcome.¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 776 - 738: Double Happiness Comes Knocking

    Chapter 776: Chapter 738: Double Happiness Comes Knocking


    ¡°Archimonde, go tell Rocky that the last batch of Rune Battleships will be delivered within a month,¡±


    After Archimonde recounted his day¡¯s observations to Pansen, Pansen thought for a moment and told him to inform Rocky that the last batch of warships agreed upon by both parties would be delivered within a month!


    Undoubtedly, the success of Thunderhawk City¡¯s armament plan was a significant stimulation for Pansen as well. Like Archimonde, though not a City Lord, Pansen held a high position and was also the Guild President of a major Chamber of Commerce. He had an exceptionally keen insight and quickly judged the potential global impact of the armament plan. Thus, he naturally wanted to consolidate the relationship between the Chamber and Rocky as much as possible, because as he said, if it wasn¡¯t crushed in the cradle, he would undoubtedly become a leader of the next era. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Pansen¡¯s intentions were crystal clear to Archimonde, so the next day, he went to meet Rocky. After this, Pansen did not break his word, and barely twenty days later, the last batch of Rune Battleships arrived at Thunderhawk City.


    The number of warships in this last batch wasn¡¯t particularly large, only seventy units, but these seventy warships¡¯ quality and combat power were even stronger than the previous two hundred.


    This batch consisted of three types of ships: thirty Rune Patrol Airships, thirty Rune Battleships, and finally, ten Rune Motherships.


    All of these were genuinely large battleships, especially the Rune Motherships. Frankly, although Rocky had been the City Lord for so long and participated in many battles, he had never seen what a Floating Aircraft Carrier looked like.


    This isn¡¯t surprising, because a Floating Aircraft Carrier, known as a flying fortress, not only possesses extremely formidable offensive power but can also carry thousands of Void Magic Warriors, allowing it to nearly end a battle on its own.


    But precisely because Floating Aircraft Carriers are so powerful, the cost of manufacturing these ships is exceedingly high; hence, even colossal entities like The Three Great Alliances hesitate to deploy them lightly¡ªfrankly, they can¡¯t afford the loss of such ships.


    That precisely was why Rocky had the Apple Tree Corporation build a Floating Aircraft Carrier for him. If Thunderhawk City¡¯s fleet could have such a level of warships, it would undoubtedly hold a tremendous advantage in any potential wars that might arise. So, when this batch of warships arrived, Rocky immediately went to the Skyport.


    Although Rocky had personally overseen the delivery of the previous two batches of warships at the Skyport, this time was different. This time he was more excited than before because, as a seasoned war veteran, he clearly understood the impact that top-tier ships like Patrol Airships, Battleships, and Motherships could have on the battlefield. To put it bluntly, these seventy warships were the real main force, and therefore, he couldn¡¯t help but feel thrilled.


    When Rocky personally saw these top-tier warships, he certainly wasn¡¯t disappointed. The three types of giant warships docked at the Skyport of Thunderhawk City occupied the entire space¡ªnot because the Skyport of Thunderhawk City was too small, but because these warships were truly enormous.


    Originally, the Patrol Airships, Battleships, and even the Floating Aircraft Carriers were extremely large, but with the application of Rune Technology, the new models designed by the Apple Tree Corporation were even bigger, especially the Floating Aircraft Carriers, ten of which almost took up half of the Skyport.


    Afterward, Rocky, accompanied by Archimonde, personally boarded these new warships, and then listened as Archimonde detailed their various specifications and capabilities, naturally leaving him quite satisfied.


    With the delivery of this last batch of warships, the Apple Tree Corporation had fulfilled all of Rocky¡¯s prior demands, delivering a total of two hundred seventy warships into his hands. With this new batch, Rocky¡¯s fleet had seen its quality and quantity multiply significantly.


    Now the number of warships under his command had exceeded four hundred, and just speaking in terms of quantity, the size of this fleet had long surpassed the standard of a small Sky City, even surpassing some medium-sized Sky Cities in terms of troop capacity. For example, the former Wild Horse City, being a medium-sized Sky City, had only about a hundred warships when it had hostilities with Rocky, indicating the high standard of fleet that Rocky now possessed. At this point, if he were to encounter Wild Horse City again, it¡¯s likely that Wild Horse City¡¯s fleet wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against a single round of cannon fire.


    What¡¯s more important, quantity was only secondary. The real strength of Rocky¡¯s fleet did not lie in its numbers, but in its quality.


    These over four hundred warships were all Rune Warships without exception!


    This was truly terrifying. In the battle against Sky Might City, the Rune Warships had already shown their formidable power to everyone. At that time, the warships under Rocky¡¯s command weren¡¯t even real Rune Warships; they were just a fleet hastily modified in an emergency and could not compare with those delivered by the Apple Tree Corporation, which were designed anew and incorporated Rune Technology from inside out.


    With this in mind, one could imagine how fearsome the fleet under Rocky¡¯s command was.


    With such a fleet, Rocky was much more at ease; at the very least, with this force, he no longer feared situations like the blockade by Sky Might City. At this point, if anyone dared challenge his Backhill Village, whether it was the Heavenly Ancestor Church or The Three Great Alliances, Rocky was confident he could make them regret it.


    Yet what made Rocky even happier was that, after securing the warships, both he and Hammerfire had made breakthroughs in their research.


    Over the course of several months, the design work for the Beastman Battle Armor was completely finished, and they were now ready to begin creating prototype armors for testing.


    At the same time, there was also good news from Hammerfire. The new generation of White Demon Armor had been successfully developed!


    After more than a year of development, using the latest Elemental Technology, the White Demon Armor was finally a success.


    This news was a tremendous joy for Rocky, as the White Demon Armor was extremely important not just to him but to everyone under his rule. Actually, this was also the reason why Rocky hadn¡¯t taken any major actions during this period.


    Calculating the time, he had been in Backhill Village for almost half a year. In that time, aside from visiting Red Water Lake once, Rocky had made no other moves. Why? Was it because he had nothing to do? Of course not. With Rocky¡¯s current strength, he could easily find countless things to do. The sole reason for his inactivity was that the new generation of White Demon Armor had not yet been successfully developed. Rocky knew well that without the White Demon Armor as a reliable backing, he absolutely could not afford to act rashly or face possible catastrophe.


    This sufficiently illustrates how crucial the White Demon Armor was to Rocky, because as long as he had the White Demon Armor, he was confident that he could turn around any perilous situation.


    Now, with the new generation of the White Demon Armor finally developed, coupled with the expansion of the fleet and the armament of Thunderhawk City, Rocky was truly fearless of anything.

 Chapter 777 - 739: Third Generation White Demon

    Chapter 777: Chapter 739: Third Generation White Demon


    Since the first version of the White Demon Armor was created, it has now reached its third generation. And compared to the second generation White Demon Armor, the development time for the latest generation has been much longer.


    Of course, there is a reason for this because the changes from the first generation White Demon Armor to the second were not particularly significant. The difference lay in the application of more mature Rune Technology and the incorporation of new weapons; that was all.


    However, compared to the second generation White Demon Armor, the progress made by the latest generation was enormous. First and foremost was the comprehensive upgrade of Rune Technology. The new generation White Demon Armor made use of the most mature and advanced Rune Technology available today, significantly enhancing performance in every aspect. What¡¯s more, apart from Rune Technology, the new generation White Demon Armor also incorporated a significant amount of Elemental Technology.


    Elemental Technology is a kind of technology that can¡¯t merely be described as advanced. It is more accurately depicted as cutting-edge, top-tier, and transcending eras. It¡¯s precisely because of the application of such advanced technology that the development of the new generation White Demon Armor was so prolonged and the investment so immense.


    Excluding the routine quarterly expenses of the research institute, the manufacturing cost of the new generation White Demon Armor alone had already exceeded ten million Gold Coins. This is because the materials for this generation of White Demon Armor were all top-grade Fine Steel, exceedingly expensive. If other investments were added, the R&D costs of the newest generation White Demon Armor would have long reached the scale of tens of millions of Gold Coins.


    And after such substantial investment and a long period, once Rocky personally donned the latest generation White Demon Armor and completed the first flight test, he realized that all the waiting and investment were worthwhile.


    The performance of the new generation White Demon Armor had already surpassed that of its era!


    ¡°Third Generation White Demon Armor, second flight test, begin,¡± Rocky said into the communicator, then turned his head to look toward Orton and others in the distance. After giving them a thumbs-up, he leapt up into the sky, disappearing into the clouds almost in the blink of an eye, then suddenly accelerated and vanished altogether.


    ¡°So, so fast¡­¡± He Nan, who had come to witness the test, was stunned, his mouth agape and remaining open for a long time.


    Considering the time, He Nan and his Fireteng Tribe had almost been under Rocky¡¯s command for half a year. During this period, they had got along very harmoniously, especially He Nan, who had grown increasingly familiar with Liliya and the others. Otherwise, he would not have been present at such an event.


    But even after staying near Rocky for nearly half a year, when he saw the performance exhibited by the new generation White Demon Armor with his own eyes, he was still astounded.


    In fact, he wasn¡¯t the only one taken aback; Liliya and the others shared in the astonishment, and their surprise was even greater than He Nan¡¯s. He Nan¡¯s understanding of the White Demon Armor was very limited, having only witnessed the White Demon¡¯s combat power during the exploration of the Cave of Blood Cries. In contrast, Liliya and the others had fought alongside Rocky countless times and were well aware of the White Demon¡¯s capabilities.


    That was why they were all so surprised when they saw Rocky disappear in almost the blink of an eye. Such explosive speed had clearly surpassed that of the second generation White Demon Armor, which was completely inconceivable.


    What was even more unbelievable occurred shortly after. While Liliya and others were still amazed and discussing fervently, they heard a loud thud. A figure heavily landed not far from them¡ªit was Rocky, who had already flown around Thunderhawk City and returned to the backyard of the research institute!


    In just a matter of minutes, Rocky had circled Thunderhawk City and returned to the institute¡¯s backyard. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°This is just too fast!¡± Liliya¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Rocky, who had reappeared before them, in stark contrast to Hammerfire and the others.


    To Hammerfire and his group, the speed displayed by Rocky was not surprising at all. After all, there was nothing astonishing about it, considering that the Third Generation White Demon Armor utilized the most advanced Rune Technology available, greatly improving performance in all aspects compared to the first two generations. What was a little extra speed in such a scenario?


    However, that was as far as the observations could go because Rocky was about to conduct weapons tests next, which involved the highly confidential Elemental Technology. Therefore, all present, including the researchers, Monte, and He Nan, were asked to leave the institute. Only Liliya stayed alongside Hammerfire and his group to observe Rocky¡¯s live-combat test.


    Just like that, a month flew by, and the third generation White Demon Armor test was essentially concluded. With the testing of the White Demon Armor complete, all of Rocky¡¯s preparatory work was also ready.


    The armament of Thunderhawk City was progressing in an orderly fashion. In just over a month, Orton had installed more than a dozen Asura Cannons in the armament zone. In one or two months¡¯ time, thirty Asura Cannons would be completely installed. Meanwhile, the Fleet had been reorganized and had struck the surrounding Demons multiple times from Backhill Village, testing the Demon Cores on new warships. Lastly, after a series of tests, the Third Generation White Demon Armor was officially ready for service. This meant that Rocky could once again don his White Demon Armor and dash energetically across battlefields as before.


    Speaking of coincidences, just as Rocky had everything prepared, half a year had passed.


    This half-year mark was extremely important for Rocky because, six months ago, he had received a notice from the Sky Alliance inviting him to attend a total war mobilization in Eternal City half a year later. At that time, all forces from Sky City, all the renowned City Lords, would gather to discuss the details of the third counter-offensive war.


    But according to Athena¡¯s analysis, the Sky Alliance¡¯s invitation was not meant for him to participate in the third counter-offensive war but to seize the Mana Rune. This would be The Three Great Alliances¡¯ last chance to snatch the Mana Rune before the war broke out and their most drastic attempt yet. All the preparations Rocky had made over the past six months were for this very moment.


    And now, with everything prepared, half a year had also finally passed; interestingly, with half a year gone by, Sirius City, which had previously shown little activity, was stirring again, and Howling Sky came to see Rocky once more.

 Chapter 778 - 740: Half a Year Has Passed

    Chapter 778: Chapter 740: Half a Year Has Passed


    Sirius City had returned to Backhill Village almost half a year ago, yet there had been barely any contact between the two during this six-month period.


    This was quite normal, as Howling Sky was a member of the Alliance after all. Rocky might not have any particular opinion about Howling Sky himself, but considering his own position, it was certain that he would not have much contact with him. Likewise, the same situation applied to Howling Sky; he bore no grudge against Rocky. On the contrary, their relationship was rather good. However, considering the Alliance¡¯s current stance towards Rocky, Howling Sky could no longer associate with Rocky as before.


    Because of this, in the nearly half a year, aside from a personal visit to Red Water Lake to meet Rocky, the two had had no other contact. Even when Rocky returned from Red Water Lake to Backhill Village, Howling Sky merely sent greetings through the Alliance Ambassador Glan stationed in Thunderhawk City, nothing more.


    However, with the time nearly reaching the six-month mark, the pre-mobilization assembly for the summoning was about to be convened, so the Alliance issued an order to Howling Sky to reconnect with Rocky and arrange for him to attend the conference in Eternal City.


    Receiving this order, Howling Sky, however reluctant he was, had no choice but to head to Thunderhawk City, reuniting with Rocky after half a year together with Glan.


    If it were in the past, given the relationship between Howling Sky, Glan, and Rocky, their meetings would mostly be private, either in Rocky¡¯s study or by Rocky visiting them, relaxed and cordial. But this time, when Howling Sky and Glan met Rocky, it was in the City Lord¡¯s Hall. Although it appeared very formal, it also subtly set a distance between them.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky.¡±


    ¡°Howling Sky City Lord, Lord Glan.¡±


    Upon meeting, they greeted each other. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t cold, but it wasn¡¯t warm either.


    ¡°Rocky, the pre-mobilization assembly convened by The Three Great Alliances starts next month. When shall we leave?¡±


    After glancing at Rocky, Howling Sky sighed inwardly and then spoke up, not beating around the bush and getting straight to the point.


    Everyone present was intelligent; there was no need for beating around the bush, and meaningless pleasantries wouldn¡¯t solve anything. Just like now, if Rocky was willing to go to the conference, he would nod at a word from Howling Sky. But if he didn¡¯t want to, no amount of persuasion from Howling Sky and Glan would be effective. Therefore, Howling Sky wasted no words and went straight to the point.


    ¡°Is it in a month?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°Specifically when?¡± S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°July 5th, at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion in Eternal City.¡±


    Although The Three Great Alliances intended to make a move against Rocky in this counter-offensive conference, they didn¡¯t overpower the host to dominate the meeting. Mobilizing everyone to participate in the counter-offensive was still the main purpose of this conference, so The Three Great Alliances simply arranged the venue at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion in Eternal City, indicating how important this conference was to everyone.


    However, for Rocky, when he learned that the counter-offensive conference was to be held in the enormous City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Eternal City, he felt a pang of unease in his heart. Could it be that regarding the matter against him, even the Committee of Eternal City was involved?


    Thinking of this, Rocky furrowed his brows slightly, but soon they smoothed again. After all, those against him already included The Three Great Alliances, and adding Eternal City to the mix wouldn¡¯t make the situation any worse.


    So after shaking his head with a wry smile, he looked back at Howling Sky and after a while finally spoke, ¡°Brother Howling Sky, are you sure you want me to go?¡±


    Out of the blue, Rocky suddenly asked this.


    When Howling Sky heard his words, he was slightly stunned at first, and then a helpless expression mixed with a bit of struggle appeared on his face.


    It was quite some time before he turned his head to glance at Glan beside him, sighed softly, and spoke, ¡°Brother, Big Brother is also helpless in this. Please don¡¯t make it difficult for me.¡±


    After all, everyone present was smart; some things were well understood by all, even if unspoken.


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    After Howling Sky had finished speaking, Glan, who stood nearby, let out a barely audible huff, clearly dissatisfied with his words.


    This was no surprise since Glan was representing the Alliance. As the Alliance Ambassador, although Glan had a great relationship with Rocky during their honeymoon phase with the Alliance, this was not built on personal friendship but on official business. Now that Rocky and the Alliance were essentially at odds, it was natural for Glan, as the representative of the Alliance, not to be close to Rocky.


    And at the same time as Glan huffed softly, Rocky also looked at Howling Sky, nodded slightly, sighed, and then said, ¡°Brother Howling Sky, I remember all the help you¡¯ve given me.¡±


    After this, Rocky stood up, his gaze resting on Glan for the first time, ¡°Inform the Alliance that I am ready to leave at any time.¡±


    Having said this, Rocky then left the City Lord¡¯s Hall, and following his departure, Glan and Howling Sky were also escorted out by the guards.


    Having left the City Lord, Howling Sky and Glan rode in a carriage directly to the downtown area, silent all the way. There really was nothing to say. Glan, as the Alliance Ambassador, despite his good relationship with Rocky, could not stand by him, while Howling Sky, although also a core member of the Alliance, had more autonomy than Glan and had many private dealings with Rocky outside of official matters, which made his feelings much more complex than Glan¡¯s.


    The two thus returned to Glan¡¯s Embassy in silence and reported the matter to the Alliance.


    By the next day, Rocky had received a notification from Howling Sky, and they immediately set out for Eternal City!


    This trip to Eternal City, Rocky only took Thunderhawk City with him, leaving Carltos City to defend Backhill Village; accompanying them to Eternal City was also Sirius City. Although ostensibly there for protection, the real reason was to keep an eye on Rocky to make sure he didn¡¯t flee en route.


    Rocky was fully aware of the Alliance¡¯s motives, but he didn¡¯t care because since he dared to attend this war mobilization conference in Eternal City, he was fully prepared.


    Considering the distance, from Backhill Village to Eternal City wasn¡¯t exactly close, especially since the flight speed of Sky City was slow, so at the very least, it would take about half a month to arrive. Of course, if Thunderhawk City had traveled alone, it would have taken much less time, as the flight speed of Thunderhawk City had more than doubled after upgrades. However, Rocky did not do so. Traveling slower was fine by him; instead, it allowed him more time to prepare thoroughly.


    Therefore, on the journey to Eternal City, all matters within Thunderhawk City were being managed seamlessly. The city area was still expanding, and the Beastman Specific Armor test armor was also completed, with He Nan already participating in the trials. Meanwhile, as they were about to reach Eternal City, Orton, Hammerfire, Aniye, and Pelaya also ceased all their current work and began preparations for the final task.

 Chapter 779 - 741 Space-Time Magic

    Chapter 779: Chapter 741 Space-Time Magic


    Nearly half a year ago, Thunderhawk City began its upgrade. After completing the replacement of the Super Crystal, the city started its upgrade and construction. This mainly consisted of three parts: the most critical part was the expansion of the city district; another part was the expansion of the Skyport and the construction of a military port; and lastly, the addition of new facilities.


    Among the new facilities, the new research institute was the first to be completed, and the entire research team moved into the new institute upon completion.


    After the new research institute was completed, it was officially named the Rune Research Institute. Not only was the institute new, but all the various equipment and instruments inside were also new, and they were the most advanced of their time. From the inside out, everything was brand new. However, although the new research institute was established, the old one was not demolished. On the contrary, it remained active. The old research institute thus became a new venue for Orton, Hammerfire, Aniye, and Pelaya, among others, to conduct secret research.


    On this day, as Thunderhawk City continued to fly towards Eternal City, Rocky and the four others were conducting a new research study within the old institute.


    At this time, within the laboratory, Orton, Pelaya, and Aniye were all using their magic power to the fullest, jointly casting an extremely difficult spell.


    The three of them stood in a triangle, releasing their magic power visibly, which swirled around them. Under their control, the magic power was being fed into an instrument in front of them without restraint.


    At first glance, the instrument in front of the three looked like a candelabrum. As more and more magic power was input, a sphere began to expand on the apparatus. The more magic power was fed, the larger the sphere became, and if one looked closely into the sphere, it seemed to contain another space!


    Indeed, the sphere truly contained another space, because Orton and the others were casting one of the most top-tier and difficult spatial magic spells at that moment!


    ¡°Hold it! Keep it steady!¡±


    When the Space-Time Sphere expanded to the size of a soccer ball, Hammerfire shouted, and then tossed a Helmet of the Void Magic Armor right into the sphere.


    ¡°Okay, close it now.¡±


    As soon as the Helmet was thrown in, Hammerfire quickly called out, then took cover behind Rocky like one would avoid the plague. Hearing his shout, the sweaty-browed Orton and the others hastily controlled their magic and gradually stopped the spell. Once the magic power stopped flowing, the Space-Time Sphere on the instrument disappeared.


    ¡°Phew¡­ Finally closed it.¡±


    As the Space-Time Sphere vanished steadily, the five individuals present all breathed a sigh of relief. Spatial magic is the most difficult of all magic, and a mistake in casting could lead to a major disaster. Moreover, people hardly use magic anymore, causing spatial magic to be almost a lost art. Thus, even for Orton, Pelaya, and Aniye, casting this spell together was incredibly challenging, and they feared one careless mistake could destroy the entire Thunderhawk City.


    Fortunately, this time the spell was cast successfully.


    ¡°Teacher, take a rest.¡±


    When Orton and the others ceased casting the spell, Rocky quickly stepped forward to have them sit down. Normally, despite their age, Orton and the others were always full of energy. However, now they were visibly exhausted, sweating profusely, and looking rather listless. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Tomorrow, tomorrow we¡¯ll try one more time to see if we can retrieve the item. If we can, it means we¡¯ve succeeded.¡±


    Taking the cup from Rocky, Orton took a sip and then spoke, while the others nodded in agreement at this moment.


    The next day, the five of them appeared again in the old research institute, and Orton and his two colleagues once again performed the space-time magic.


    Just like yesterday, as the magic was successfully cast, a soccer ball-sized space-time sphere appeared on the instrument, and immediately after, Orton, his two colleagues, and Rocky all turned their attention to Hammerfire.


    ¡°Damn it, always picking on me!¡±


    Rolling his eyes at the group, Hammerfire took a deep breath, then walked over to the instrument and climbed onto the stool beside it. Now at a similar height to the instrument, he reached out toward the space-time sphere.


    As Hammerfire¡¯s small hand touched the space-time sphere, whoosh¡ªhalf of his arm extended into the sphere, and when he swiftly withdrew his hand, it now held the helmet of the Void Magic Armor!


    ¡°We did it!¡±


    Hammerfire shouted as he extracted the helmet from the space-time sphere. Filled with excitement, he leaped off the stool and, just like the day before, took cover behind Rocky. After he moved away, Orton and his colleagues gradually dispelled the magic.


    With the magic fading, although the three of them appeared very exhausted just like yesterday, their spirits were significantly brighter. With the successful casting of the space-time magic, the final preparation was now declared complete.


    Indeed, it was evident to any discerning observer why they had gone to such lengths and risked so much to test the space-time magic in actual combat¡ªto allow Rocky to successfully keep the White Demon Armor at his side.


    Upon arriving at Eternal City, Rocky was undoubtedly due to attend the mobilization meeting. Clearly, The Three Great Alliances would make things difficult for him at the meeting. Under such circumstances, only by having his Armor on him could Rocky ensure his absolute safety. However, even a fool could understand that the forces of The Three Great Alliances would never allow Rocky to do so. If they intended to target Rocky, how could they possibly let him bring the White Demon to the very site of the meeting?


    Therefore, Aniye came up with this strategy: they would use space-time magic to seal the White Demon Armor within it and then seal the space-time magic itself. When necessary, Rocky only needed to release the sealed space-time magic, and he would have access to his Armor.


    There were two major challenges in this series of procedures. First was the space-time magic itself. Even during the Land Era, when magic was widespread, space-time magic was considered one of the hardest to perform. Thus, the successful completion of this magic was the first significant hurdle.


    The second challenge was how Rocky could unseal and use the space-time magic. With Rocky¡¯s level of magic power, he couldn¡¯t hope to cast space-time magic alone, let alone break the seal. However, Pelaya solved this problem by utilizing runes. With the runes providing the magic power, Rocky would handle the operation, making things much simpler.


    As for sealing the magic within a device, that was relatively easy because such technology was quite popular during the Land Era. Remember the underground research institute in Kasin City? Its walls were sealed with large-scale defensive magic; hence, this technique was not difficult for Aniye and his team.


    Now, with the successful space-time magic experiment, all that remained for Orton and his team was one last task: to seal the White Demon Armor within the space-time magic, and then seal the space-time magic itself. Once all this was done, Rocky would be able to present a surprise to everyone at the mobilization meeting!

 Chapter 780 - 742: Return to the Sleepless City

    Chapter 780: Chapter 742: Return to the Sleepless City


    Time had swiftly passed by, and after a lengthy ten-day flight, Rocky once again arrived at Eternal City. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Standing at Thunderhawk City¡¯s Skyport, looking at the distant, bustling city, Rocky couldn¡¯t help but recall his first experience arriving here.


    Counting back, his first visit to Eternal City was several years ago, back when Thunderhawk City was just a tiny town. No one knew him when he arrived, and no one cared when he left. As for himself, despite being a City Lord, he was less significant than the common folk in Eternal City back then, penniless and inexperienced.


    After frequent visits, Rocky had gradually gained an understanding of this neutral city. He lived in the Star of the Sky, met Karina and Berg, and established connections with the local Chambers of Commerce. Eventually, he even became a contestant in the city¡¯s arena and resided there for a considerable length of time.


    Reflecting on it now, Rocky found it interesting. A City Lord himself, he had fought in Eternal City¡¯s arena for several months. To outsiders, he was honing his skills and testing the White Demon Armor, but in reality, only he knew that he had no choice. His participation in the arena was purely for the significant prize money of thousands of Gold Coins.


    However, Rocky had no regrets about this decision. Although he was a City Lord, it was the best choice under the circumstances. Moreover, it was precisely because of his combat experience in the arena that Rocky had repeatedly triumphed in subsequent battles. Everyone thought his dominance on the battlefield was entirely due to the White Demon Armor, forgetting that he was capable of winning the arena on his own merits.


    Afterward, though Rocky continued to have trade relations with Eternal City, especially with the Apple Tree Corporation and the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, he seldom visited in person. The last time he personally came to Eternal City was over a year ago.


    A year¡¯s time might seem fleeting to the average person, but it was different for Rocky. So, when he returned to Eternal City after more than a year, both his state of mind and his outlook had altered.


    What was more different was that, right after Thunderhawk City entered the airspace of Eternal City, fleets had immediately come to meet him, and on closer inspection, these fleets belonged to no standard force or Sky City but were, in fact, the troops of Eternal City.


    Soon, after approaching Thunderhawk City, the fleet stopped, and then a flagship emerged, contacted Thunderhawk City¡¯s Skyport, and then landed alone inside the Skyport.


    Upon their landing, Rocky learned that this detachment was specifically sent by Eternal City to welcome him.


    Given that an important War Preparation Meeting was forthcoming, with various forces and City Lords gathering in Eternal City, the Eternal City Committee had made comprehensive arrangements. An essential aspect was ensuring that every visiting City Lord and force could safely participate in this mobilization meeting, at least until the meeting commenced.


    No wonder the Eternal City Committee took such measures; with numerous forces in the skies and countless Sky Cities, many of which had vendettas against each other, if Eternal City didn¡¯t deploy troops to maintain order at this time, heaven knows these enemies might start fighting outside God City before the War Preparation Meeting even began, which would certainly ugly up the scene.


    ¡°Really? Heh, how amusing.¡±


    However, when Rocky heard this report from Liliya, he couldn¡¯t help but scoff. Eternal City had sent troops to protect him?


    He might believe it if it were someone else, but not when it concerned himself. Rocky didn¡¯t trust this one bit because the Three Great Alliances had summoned him here for the meeting, clearly targeting him. Didn¡¯t the Eternal City Committee know The Three Great Alliances¡¯ intentions?


    Stop joking; the identities of Committee members in Eternal City were regarded even higher than those of the Alliance Elders, each a chosen talent, so how could they be unaware of this matter? Rocky even thought that if The Three Great Alliances dared to make a move on him in Eternal City, it was either because the Eternal City Committee was also involved, or it had tacitly allowed it; otherwise, The Three Great Alliances wouldn¡¯t dare to act recklessly here.


    So knowing that they were here to protect him, Rocky truly found it laughable.


    However, this didn¡¯t matter much to him anymore. He had already arrived, and since he had made it here, he was ready to face any trouble that came his way, adding Eternal City to the mix didn¡¯t bother him.


    In this situation, Rocky didn¡¯t say much, simply followed the instructions, and took only Liliya and Athena along with some other attendants. They departed Thunderhawk City onboard Eternal City¡¯s warship and headed straight for God City.


    ¡°It seems they plan to separate us from Thunderhawk City and deal with us individually.¡±


    Standing on the deck of the warship, Athena looked around and then spoke openly.


    They were now aboard an Eternal City warship, while Thunderhawk City docked within the airspace of Eternal City. This might not seem unusual because at the moment, there were at least hundreds of Sky Cities in Eternal City¡¯s airspace, most of which were large and reputable, indicating many attendees of the War Preparation Meeting had already arrived, and also suggesting most had their cities docked inside the Skyport.


    But while this arrangement might not affect others, it left Rocky in a passive position. Once separated from Thunderhawk City, he would lose his utmost support. That wasn¡¯t the most critical concern¡ªwithout Rocky himself, Thunderhawk City would become highly vulnerable. After all, Thunderhawk City hadn¡¯t yet completed its upgrade and remained a small Sky City. Even if it were upgraded to a medium Sky City, it would still appear minuscule compared to the surrounding hundreds of large Sky Cities.


    ¡°All these were anticipated, no need to make a fuss.¡±


    Athena mentioned the situation, and Rocky had noticed it too, but as a City Lord, he naturally couldn¡¯t show any fear. He maintained a demeanor as if unfazed by an imminent disaster.


    And like Athena, he spoke without any reservation, almost as if chatting, aware that the guards from Eternal City sent to protect them were right behind them. The closest, the Captain of the Guards, could hear their conversation clearly!


    From the captain¡¯s silent expression after hearing these comments, either he had mastered the ultimate guard skill ¡®Turn a Deaf Ear¡¯ or he really knew something¡­

 Chapter 781 - 743: Are You Scared?

    Chapter 781: Chapter 743: Are You Scared?


    The warship was fast, and in less than half a day, it smoothly delivered Rocky and his companions to Eternal City, where Rocky then saw the carriage waiting to receive him.


    This time, the preparations in Eternal City were indeed thorough, as every City Lord who came to attend the mobilization meeting was specially welcomed and directly taken to the Star of the Sky afterward.


    Rocky was naturally familiar with the Star of the Sky, it being a hotel exclusively for City Lords, and only City Lords were eligible to stay there. In Eternal City, it was a symbol of the highest status.


    In this hotel, the floor on which one stayed represented their status; the City Lords of small Sky Cities could only stay on the first floor, those from medium Sky Cities on the second, and so on, with the topmost floor being equivalent to a VIP level. To stay on this floor, just being a City Lord was not enough; additional conditions were required.


    Although Rocky had stayed at the Star of the Sky more than once and more than one day, his status had always been that of a small Sky City City Lord, so he had always been limited to the first floor. However, this time when he was brought to the Star of the Sky, he was directly taken to the VIP level.


    ¡°This treatment¡­ really isn¡¯t bad¡­ ha!¡±


    Guided by the attendant to a luxurious suite on the fifth floor, Rocky found that the size of the rooms here was almost five times that of those on the first floor¡ªthat was five times! It was even larger than his room in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, prompting him to comment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too careless, they might play dirty tricks.¡±


    Seeing Rocky¡¯s confident to somewhat conceited demeanor from the beginning until now, Liliya couldn¡¯t help but remind him. They had indeed made comprehensive preparations, but this should not lead them to be careless or lose sight of their surroundings, especially since their opponent was The Three Great Alliances, whom they absolutely could not underestimate.


    ¡°I know, I know.¡± S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With Liliya¡¯s words, Rocky simply waved his hand at her with a chuckling smile, indicating that he was well aware.


    Thus, Rocky moved into the Star of the Sky, and alone occupied three luxurious suites on the VIP floor¡ªone for himself and the other two for Athena and others to stay in. This situation was extremely rare because there were only a few suites on the VIP floor of the Star of the Sky, reserved for real VIPS, yet Rocky had managed to claim three rooms, an almost unthinkable occurrence, but the Star of the Sky allowed it to happen.


    After everything was settled, before Rocky could plan his next step, guests had already started to arrive, and Howling Sky appeared before Rocky once again.


    ¡°Brother Rocky, the date for the mobilization meeting has been set, July 5th, in three days.¡±


    Upon seeing Rocky, Howling Sky reiterated the date of the meeting; Rocky had already inquired about this before, and Howling Sky had previously mentioned it, so his coming again to remind Rocky had somewhat the air of making conversation for the sake of conversation.


    ¡°Brother Rocky, are you¡­ ready?¡±


    Sure enough, after seeing Rocky nod, Howling Sky asked with a slightly melancholic tone. This question, seemingly abrupt, held a clear underlying meaning.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything is ready; I¡¯m really looking forward to the meeting.¡±


    With a smile towards Howling Sky, Rocky said while nodding.


    Then, the two fell into silence, as if the conversation had come to an end and they could find no new topics.


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll be going then¡­¡±


    After an awkward silence, Howling Sky finally sighed and stood up to leave the room, and watching his retreating figure, Rocky nodded to himself. It seemed that the friendship formed back in Backhill Village wasn¡¯t wasted. Howling Sky was obviously doing his best to help and warn him. Although this gesture didn¡¯t practically help Rocky much, remembering Howling Sky¡¯s goodwill meant a lot.


    ¡°What should we do next?¡±


    Once Howling Sky had left, Liliya turned to Rocky.


    ¡°Respond to every change with constancy.¡±


    Watching the closed door, Rocky narrowed his eyes slightly, but soon turned to smile at Liliya. ¡°Isn¡¯t there still three days left? It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve been to Eternal City. It¡¯s a good chance to wander around and maybe even visit the Arena. I¡¯ve actually missed that place a lot.¡±


    Rocky wasn¡¯t lying. The situation now was that both parties were well-prepared, so it was just a matter of seeing who had more tricks up their sleeves, which meant there was really nothing he could do but wait for the convention to officially start in three days.


    Also, he genuinely missed the Arena. Since leaving the Arena, Rocky¡¯s journey had been full of ups and downs but fairly orderly. Now, he and his past self were quite different. Because of this, he longed for the days when he competed in the Arena, where there weren¡¯t as many crises around, nor did he have to consider so much¡ªjust pure fighting, which truthfully, were his most carefree days.


    So upon returning to Eternal City, Rocky particularly wanted to visit the Arena. He even wanted to fight in a match to relax, although that was impossible, but at least watching a match was feasible.


    ¡°Whatever you want¡­¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Liliya rolled her eyes and then ignored him.


    The first night in Eternal City passed without incident, and the next day, just as he had said, Rocky took Liliya and left Star of the Sky early in the morning.


    Others initially disagreed with this move, considering the tense situation. What if something happened to Rocky? In their opinion, if he had to tour inside Eternal City, he should have at least taken a group for protection.


    Unfortunately, these requests were rejected by Rocky. He didn¡¯t bring anyone, just Liliya.


    Leaving Star of the Sky with Liliya, Rocky first went to the city¡¯s Hunting Exchange, the very first place he visited during his initial trip to Eternal City, where he had purchased the Azure Fang for a very low price. Now revisiting the old place, they browsed through the Hunting Exchange, floor by floor, just like old times.


    After leaving the Hunting Exchange, Rocky took Liliya to the Mercenary Guild, where he had registered a Mercenary Group years ago to make money, and he was still the leader.


    Leaving the Mercenary Guild, they then went to the trading market and found a familiar Armor Store, where Liliya¡¯s first suit of Fire Guard Type 5 Armor was purchased.


    ¡°Do you remember how you were so reluctant when I wanted to buy you an Armor suit?¡±


    Standing on the second floor of the store, looking at the Armor on display, Rocky reminisced.


    But after he finished speaking, Liliya did not respond for quite some time, which made Rocky look at her, finding Liliya staring at him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Rocky¡­¡± Looking at Rocky, Liliya spoke and gently took his hand, ¡°You¡¯re actually very scared, aren¡¯t you¡­¡±

 Chapter 782 - 744: Honored Guest Arrives

    Chapter 782: Chapter 744: Honored Guest Arrives


    Looking at Rocky, Liliya suddenly asked.


    Actually, Liliya had already noticed what Rocky was doing. The places he walked through that day were exactly the same as the ones they had first visited in Eternal City. So, what was Rocky doing?


    Was he making his last memories? sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This behavior of Rocky¡¯s gave Liliya a very clear feeling, that despite Rocky¡¯s seemingly confident appearance, he was actually very nervous inside.


    However, it was because she perceived his emotions that Liliya subsequently showed a smile, ¡°If you are scared, you are right to be, because you should be afraid.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Liliya said with a sigh of relief.


    Her words were not wrong at all; being scared is just like feeling pain. It¡¯s not shameful at all, in fact, it¡¯s a good thing.


    As is well known, pain is a mechanism of self-protection in humans. Only when we feel pain physically do we know what is dangerous, what should not be done, and what should be avoided as much as possible. Fear works the same way; this emotion is also a mechanism of self-protection. Only when we know what fear is can we recognize what danger is and potentially dissipate that danger.


    So, just as Liliya said, Rocky should indeed feel afraid now, because the opponent he faces is too strong. He must know fear in order to possibly resolve all crises, otherwise, it simply won¡¯t do.


    ¡°Nonsense, I¡¯m not scared at all.¡±


    However, Rocky still stubbornly retorted and smirked at Liliya without admitting it, which caused Liliya to shake her head and chuckle. But that didn¡¯t really matter anymore, at least Rocky¡¯s behavior had made it clear to Liliya that he wasn¡¯t being arrogant just because he was prepared. That was enough.


    After that, the two left the Armor Store without buying anything, as at this point, with Thunderhawk City¡¯s current technology and productivity, there really was no need to buy armor from outside anymore.


    The two left the store and continued strolling through the market, appearing just like a leisurely couple.


    ¡°Rocky, they have been following us for a long time now.¡±


    Walking through the bustling market, Liliya said casually all of a sudden.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve noticed, let them follow.¡±


    Upon hearing her, Rocky didn¡¯t show any surprise; he just nodded slightly, appearing unconcerned.


    And as they spoke, if you looked behind them, you would see several seemingly ordinary silhouettes following them. These individuals looked like regular pedestrians, but their steps were noticeably steadier and more agile than ordinary people, obviously not just anybody.


    These people were, of course, not ordinary people. In fact, if Rocky had turned around then, he could even name these few people, because they were officially the guards who had escorted Rocky to Eternal City on the warship, with the Guard Captain among them!


    They had been secretly following Rocky from the moment he left Star of the Sky, but as Liliya said, Rocky and she had noticed these people¡¯s presence a long time ago. However, they had not pointed it out, because there was no need. This place was, after all, Eternal City, and these people were guards of Eternal City. Whether Rocky wanted to shake them off or eliminate them, it was almost impossible, so he simply left it be, as these people likely wouldn¡¯t do much anyway.


    However, the appearance of these people seemed to further confirm one thing, that Eternal City, like the Shadow Alliance, was no longer maintaining neutrality in regard to Mana Runes, which definitely was not good news for Rocky.


    Although he had anticipated this upon arrival, anticipation was one thing and confirmation another.


    Hence, although Rocky and Liliya could not shake those people off after their stroll in the market, they returned to the Star of the Sky.


    According to Rocky¡¯s original plan, he had intended to go directly to the Arena in the afternoon, but unfortunately, they spent too much time elsewhere. By the time he and Liliya left the market, it was almost dusk, so they simply returned to the Star of the Sky.


    After returning to the Star of the Sky, the day passed without any incident, except that they had come under surveillance.


    The next morning, just as planned, Rocky once again took Liliya and left the Star of the Sky, heading straight for the Arena.


    Due to his status as the City Lord, when he arrived at the Arena, he was able to purchase tickets for the competition even without a reservation, and they were in the top private box.


    ¡°What level of competition is it today?¡±


    Sitting in the private box, Rocky asked while sipping the red wine provided there.


    Having once participated in the Arena and even hoped to compete for the ultimate championship, Rocky knew far more about the Arena¡¯s competitions than most people.


    ¡°It¡¯s one of the playoff matches. The two competitors are said to be strong, one has already won ten consecutive matches, and the other has just ended the winning streaks of two other players.¡±


    ¡°Oh? It seems like a highlight battle, lucky us this time.¡±


    After hearing Liliya¡¯s introduction, Rocky chuckled, then put down his wine glass and walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, his gaze turning toward the venue.


    Having not been to Eternal City for a long time, he and Liliya were not very familiar with the competitors in this match, but Liliya had still made some inquiries when buying the tickets. However, this was not too important for them. Rocky was here to watch the match more for relaxation and nostalgia than to care deeply about who would win or lose.


    As Rocky looked towards the competition arena, he soon saw the massive stage and a sea of spectators, which all felt overwhelmingly familiar. He had also once stood on that same stage and received cheers from countless spectators. Just as he expected, seeing all this stirred a hint of nostalgia within him.


    However, no matter how nostalgic, Rocky knew he could no longer step into the Arena as he once did, due to the heavy responsibilities he now bore¡­


    Soon after, the stadium¡¯s announcer began to stir up the atmosphere, and the audience quickly formed waves, signalling that the match was about to begin.


    Thump, thump, thump¡­


    But at that moment, the door of the private box was suddenly knocked. Hearing the knock, Liliya walked to the door with a look of confusion, while Rocky continued watching the match.


    ¡°Rocky, there are visitors.¡±


    Shortly after that, Rocky heard Liliya¡¯s voice. When he turned around, he saw her followed by two men, one of whom made Rocky frown. This man was the Guard Captain who had been tracking them since yesterday. However, this time, the captain was standing behind a young man.


    This caused Rocky to shift his gaze to the other person, and before he could take a closer look, Liliya spoke, ¡°Rocky, this is Aurora, the son of the Chairman of the Eternal City Committee.¡±

 Chapter 783 - 745: The Attitude of the Committee

    Chapter 783: Chapter 745: The Attitude of the Committee


    After glancing at Rocky, Liliya hurriedly introduced that the young man before them, who was about the same age as they were, was the son of the Chairman of the Eternal City Committee!


    Like the Sky Alliance, the Eternal City wasn¡¯t owned by any one person; it was governed by a committee. Thus, one could imagine how high the status of the Chairman of that Committee was. Liliya¡¯s introduction to Rocky was naturally meant to inform him of the young man¡¯s identity before them.


    After listening to Liliya¡¯s words, Rocky indeed was startled, having never expected that someone of such status would come to see him.


    As mentioned before, based on various ¡®encounters¡¯ after arriving in the Eternal City¡ªfrom deliberate reception to being followed and surveilled¡ªRocky had essentially concluded that the Eternal City Committee and The Three Great Alliances were in cahoots, so he hadn¡¯t anticipated that the Eternal City Committee would send someone to meet with him under these circumstances.


    Perhaps some might say that this young person was only the son of the Guild President and didn¡¯t represent the Committee, right?


    Thinking so would be quite na?ve. Given the current situation and Rocky¡¯s identity and predicament, how could the Committee¡¯s Chairman possibly allow his son to meet with Rocky? Without a doubt, the other party¡¯s visit to Rocky might seem unrelated to the Committee, but considering the visitor¡¯s identity and the current situation, things were certainly far more complicated.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I¡¯ve long admired your reputation; meeting you in person is indeed more impressive than what I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    While Rocky was slightly caught off guard, Aurora, the son of the Committee Chairman¡ªbrought before him by Liliya¡ªhad already approached him and said with a hearty laugh.


    ¡°Oh, the young master flatters me.¡±


    Regaining his composure upon hearing this, Rocky quickly smiled and invited Aurora to sit down, taking a seat himself afterwards.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I¡¯ve seen the Combat Skills Arena matches you¡¯ve participated in before. The strength of the White Demon Armor in battle is simply breathtaking. I¡¯ve always felt that if you had continued to compete, Denise might not necessarily have won the championship.¡±


    Aurora¡¯s personality was just like his smile, very hearty, and he started chatting directly with Rocky about the Arena matches as soon as he sat down. But don¡¯t mistake this for Aurora being overly familiar; this actually demonstrated his excellent communicative abilities. Since Rocky had previously participated in Arena matches, this topic was most appropriate and comfortable, helping to avoid any awkwardness during this first meeting.


    Sure enough, Rocky smiled in response, fully aware that Aurora was looking for a topic of conversation. Thus, they chatted for a while until the roaring cheers from outside signaled the commencement of the matches, and it was only then that their conversation came to a temporary pause.


    The thunderous applause from the arena indicated that the competing contestants had made their appearance, and it also interrupted the casual conversation between Rocky and Aurora. They resumed eye contact only after the cheering had subsided.


    ¡°Young Master Aurora, you came here for¡­?¡±


    Turning his attention back to Aurora, Rocky clearly didn¡¯t intend to continue with small talk and asked directly.


    To his question, instead of appearing surprised, Aurora smiled, glanced at Rocky and shot back, ¡°City Lord Rocky, you must be aware of The Three Great Alliances¡¯ intentions this time, right?¡±


    Rocky was straightforward, yet Aurora was even more direct, cutting straight to the core without hesitation.


    Although Rocky was somewhat startled by this question, he didn¡¯t hide anything and simply nodded, ¡°Quite clear.¡±


    ¡°Good! City Lord Rocky, you¡¯re truly forthright.¡±


    Seeing that Rocky didn¡¯t beat around the bush, Aurora laughed twice and continued, ¡°City Lord Rocky, may I ask, how do you plan to deal with The Three Great Alliances?¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    At Aurora¡¯s question, Rocky chuckled but did not reply, because the answer obviously exceeded the scope of what Aurora should know, and so Rocky would not provide any answer.


    Aurora seemed to realize that his question was a bit presumptuous. When Rocky gave him a slight smile, he too laughed heartily and let the matter drop. Then, Aurora went on to say, ¡°City Lord Rocky, we in the Eternal City have always maintained our stance, we remain neutral.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Aurora¡¯s statement made Rocky frown involuntarily, and he unconsciously looked towards the Guard Captain standing behind Aurora. Aurora noticed Rocky¡¯s action and subsequently smiled, ¡°City Lord Rocky, perhaps there¡¯s been a misunderstanding. Captain Sika was sent by my father to protect you, nothing more.¡±


    Plain-speaking was the hallmark of the wise, and Aurora exemplified this when he realized that Rocky must have noticed the Guard Captain¡¯s tracking and candidly revealed the truth.


    He was right; the Guard Captain referred to as Sika had indeed been following Rocky, not for surveillance but for protection, because the Eternal City Committee was not involved in The Three Great Alliances¡¯ plans!


    According to Aurora, The Three Great Alliances had indeed approached the Committee, partly to arrange the pre-war mobilization meeting and partly to discuss how to coordinate with the Eternal City once the war started, and, in the end, regarding the matter of Rocky.


    According to what The Three Great Alliances had hoped, they wanted the Eternal City to join their plan. If so, they would almost certainly be guaranteed victory. For this reason, The Three Great Alliances proposed quite tempting conditions, which indeed swayed some of the members, but the majority of the members, led by Aurora¡¯s father, expressed a clear refusal.


    In Aurora¡¯s father¡¯s view, the Eternal City had no need to wade into these murky waters. He believed that even if Rocky held Rune Technology, he would still deal with the Eternal City, naturally making them business partners. Why antagonize him?


    As for the other high-sounding reasons proposed by The Three Great Alliances, Aurora¡¯s father was even less inclined to heed them. According to The Three Great Alliances, the reason they wanted to seize the Rune Technology from Rocky was entirely to benefit the whole Sky, in preparation for the counter-offensive war to be launched in six months. But in Aurora¡¯s father¡¯s eyes, this was all nonsense. How could such a venture be without self-interest? Therefore, he did not acquiesce to The Three Great Alliances¡¯ various demands.


    ¡°Nevertheless, City Lord Rocky, you still need to be cautious.¡±


    After restating the Committee¡¯s position, Aurora changed the subject again and added, ¡°Even though the majority of members, represented by my father, refused to collude with The Three Great Alliances, there are still some members who have been persuaded by them. So the Committee has made some concessions regarding this matter¡­¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 784 - 746 The Conference Begins!

    Chapter 784: Chapter 746 The Conference Begins!


    ¡°It seems the Eternal City Committee has a high regard for you,¡± Liliya said to Rocky after Aurora had left, sounding somewhat teasing, yet she actually heaved a sigh of relief.


    The main purpose of Aurora¡¯s visit was to clarify the stance of the Eternal City Committee, which was that between The Three Great Alliances and Rocky, the Committee had not deliberately sided with anyone; Eternal City continued to maintain its usual stance of neutrality.


    Such neutrality was a good thing from any angle, and to prevent things from getting out of control, the Committee even had people protect Rocky to prevent any drastic actions that could escalate the situation further.


    This showcased the strength of Eternal City. As a God City in the skies, they always maintained neutrality but stepped in at critical moments. Clearly, in the eyes of the Committee, whether Rocky monopolized the Rune Technology or The Three Great Alliances shared it, it was only beneficial for the skies. However, if the two parties were to destroy each other, it would benefit no one; thus, Eternal City took the initiative to act as a referee at this moment.


    In this regard, the performance of the Committee was much better than that of the Shadow Alliance because the Shadow Alliance, also a neutral force, showed a clear bias toward the issue of Mana Runes, siding completely with The Three Great Alliances. At least, Rocky found this behavior quite despicable.


    In any case, Aurora¡¯s appearance ultimately brought Rocky some good news; Eternal City would remain neutral. Moreover, Aurora also revealed crucial information, that while the Committee did not agree to the collaboration proposed by The Three Great Alliances, under the pressure from the Alliances, they had made some concessions. This was very important as it directly hinted at the potential tactics The Three Great Alliances might use against Rocky.


    Fortunately, Rocky had long been prepared for this.


    After that, Rocky finished watching the rest of the game and then returned to Star of the Sky; thus, his second day in Eternal City ended.


    On the third day, it was time for the third counterattack war mobilization conference.


    The conference was scheduled for the evening, so Rocky did not get up particularly early. Once he was up, he didn¡¯t do anything special as he had been preparing for this day for half a year, and everything that needed to be done was already done.


    Time flew by quickly, and soon it was evening, and Rocky left Star of the Sky alone.


    According to previous notices, everyone attending the conference, including city lords and the heads of forces, were to go alone, simply because there were too many people.


    The number of city lords and alliance hierarchs attending the conference was well over a hundred, each a renowned figure in the skies. With so many gathering at the Eternal City Lord¡¯s Mansion, frankly, the mansion could not accommodate them all.


    Moreover, if every city lord brought their guards, not only would the number exceed a thousand, but it could also lead to unforeseen accidents, something no one wanted to see. Hence, Eternal City simply instructed all city lords not to bring guards, and they would be entirely responsible for security.


    To other city lords, this was trivial because the power of Eternal City was evident. As the wealthiest city in the world, their guards were already equipped with Holy Angel Armor and Thunderhawk Armor, the most advanced armors available. Everyone was reassured about their safety under the protection of God City, everyone except Rocky.


    Attending the conference without guards might not have mattered to others, but for Rocky, it was like cutting off his arms since even having Liliya by his side with her strength and armor could have been a decisive help if danger arose. Unfortunately, that was not an option.


    But as mentioned before, all this was expected, so Rocky was not panicked. Upon leaving Star of the Sky, he boarded a carriage that had been waiting for a while and traveled directly to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    It was Rocky¡¯s first time at the Eternal City Lord¡¯s Mansion. Although he was mentally prepared, he was still taken aback by the sight of it after he got off the carriage because the place was simply too large.


    The Eternal City Lord¡¯s Mansion covered an area almost ten times that of Thunderhawk City¡¯s City Lord¡¯s Mansion and was three to five times bigger than that of Thunderhawk City¡¯s mansion. What¡¯s more, despite its vast size, Rocky still had to queue to enter when he arrived.


    Once Rocky stepped down from the carriage, he saw the line of people outside the mansion, each a city lord and not short of alliance hierarchs or such significant figures.


    In this world, being a city lord places one above others in any circumstance and commands immense respect, but when everyone shares the same status, they are no different from ordinary people. So when hundreds needed to enter the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, everyone queued up respectfully.


    Seeing this, Rocky naturally did not except himself and was soon ushered by the servants to the end of the line to join all other city lords in queueing up to enter the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    However, it must be said that while the Eternal City Committee had arranged everything else about the conference very well and thoughtfully, the queuing was somewhat unsatisfactory. Rocky started queuing and found the progress exceptionally slow, and before long, a considerable number of people had gathered behind him. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Interestingly, when the city lords queuing in front and behind him saw Rocky, their expressions turned slightly strange. Some of the more gracious ones managed a stiff nod, but some plainly gave him a cold smile.


    Those invited to this conference were significant figures, and many matters were not secret to such individuals, so they clearly knew what could happen today.


    Likewise, for Rocky, he could understand the somewhat awkward expressions of those city lords because these people knew what was to happen but could not say it, making them somewhat unnatural. But what about those who sneered at him?


    Rocky took a closer look at these people and was very sure he did not know these folks at all. But clearly, they recognized him and even seemed to take delight in the impending issues?


    This was odd, as Rocky did not recall having provoked so many enemies!

 Chapter 785 - 747: Alone and Forsaken

    Chapter 785: Chapter 747: Alone and Forsaken


    Looking at the City Lords sneering coldly at him, Rocky really found it odd. He didn¡¯t know these people at all, so why did they seem to take pleasure in his misfortune?


    Actually, the answer was simple: envy.


    Rocky had no idea how envious other people were of him, his fame, his strength¡ªthese alone were more than what many City Lords could strive for in their entire lives, not to mention the Rune Technology he possessed.


    Even though only The Three Great Alliances were acting against Rocky, the number of people who despised him and coveted his Rune Technology was not limited to them. Without exaggeration, it could be said that the majority of the City Lords in the sky drooled over the Rune Technology he held, all wishing they could snatch it for themselves. The only reasons they didn¡¯t act were either a lack of strength or confidence.


    It was because of this that many, upon learning that The Three Great Alliances planned to move against Rocky, felt a secret thrill. Although these people had no urgent grievance or vendetta against Rocky, they were still quite willing to see him brought low.


    More importantly, in their view, since Rocky had come to Eternal City, it was certain that he could not escape from the palms of The Three Great Alliances, so these people waited with cold smiles, looking forward to the spectacle that evening.


    Rocky had no knowledge of these thoughts, nor was he interested in knowing them. After giving them a glance, he no longer paid them any attention.


    As time passed, about fifteen minutes later, he finally arrived at the front gate of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, where a beautiful woman appeared before him and immediately informed Rocky that a body search was required.


    ¡°A body search?¡±


    Rocky looked at the woman and frowned.


    ¡°Yes, City Lord Rocky, this is a requirement of the Committee. There are too many City Lords attending the conference, and the Committee does not wish for any accidents to occur during this period. Rest assured, City Lord Rocky, we will take good care of your weapons, and our Guard Corps will guarantee your safety one hundred percent.¡±


    ¡°Really? Can you guarantee it one hundred percent?¡±


    Rocky asked with a slight smile, leaving the woman before him perplexed with his response, but he didn¡¯t make things difficult for her. Instead, he spread his arms and said, ¡°I¡¯m not carrying any weapons.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, City Lord Rocky.¡±


    Seeing that Rocky opened his arms for the search, the woman silently breathed a sigh of relief, and then she reached out to frisk him from top to bottom. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite the woman¡¯s seemingly fragile appearance, her frisking technique was quite professional. It was clear she was a specialist. However, after she finished searching, she realized that, just as Rocky had said, he was not carrying any weapons. Other than a necklace around his neck, he had nothing else on him.


    The necklace Rocky wore was very exquisite, featuring a crystal pendant with exceptionally beautiful patterns. It clearly looked to be an incredibly valuable treasure, but considering his status as City Lord, it seemed not inappropriate. Thus, after the search, the woman nodded to the guard by her side, who then led Rocky into the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Having finally entered the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Rocky was swiftly brought to the City Lord¡¯s Hall, which served as the venue for the mobilization meeting.


    The meeting was called a mobilization meeting, but the venue looked much like that of a banquet¡ªonly larger and more luxurious. When Rocky entered, the place was already bustling with people. Over a hundred City Lords who had arrived earlier were already there.


    ¡°Backhill Village, Carltos City, Thunderhawk City Lord, Lord Rocky has arrived!¡±


    As Rocky entered the venue, a servant immediately announced his name ¨C a normal occurrence, as every City Lord¡¯s arrival was duly reported.


    However, when Rocky¡¯s name was announced, the previously bustling venue suddenly fell into silence. Hundreds of guests simultaneously turned to look at him, each with a different expression. Some were surprised, seemingly not expecting Rocky to actually show up. Others sighed, and still others displayed the same awkwardness and schadenfreude they had shown outside.


    This lasted for a few seconds, after which the hundreds of gazes shifted away as simultaneous as they had come, because these people knew one thing: whatever happened today had nothing to do with them. They were merely onlookers and absolutely should not get involved.


    In response to this behavior, Rocky could only give a bitter smile. He suddenly felt as if he were the subject of a spectacle for hundreds of viewers. But this was to be expected, as his showdown with The Three Great Alliances today was indeed a grand show in the eyes of these outsiders.


    Well, let them have their fill of entertainment then.


    With this thought, Rocky gave a faint smile and made his way indifferently to one side, he took a glass of wine from a tray held by a servant and began to stroll around the venue.


    While this mobilization meeting was supposedly related to war, in reality it was nothing more than an extravagant and luxurious ball. And Rocky was quite familiar with balls; although he hadn¡¯t attended many in the last year or so, he had both attended and hosted large balls in Eternal City and in his own Thunderhawk City, so he was quite comfortable in such settings.


    In the past, when Rocky appeared at such balls, there would always be someone who approached him for a chat, because even without considering Rune Technology, Rocky had considerable assets that attracted attention. Without going into detail, just Backhill Village alone was enough for him to form many connections and for many City Lords to actively seek his company.


    But today, as he walked alone in the venue, everyone kept their distance as if he carried the plague.


    This was not surprising. Although not everyone reveled in his misfortunes, it was undeniable that everyone believed since Rocky had shown up today, he surely wouldn¡¯t be able to leave. Under these circumstances, no one wished to have anything to do with him, for fear The Three Great Alliances would mistakenly assume some association and cause trouble.


    Everyone¡¯s reaction made Rocky smile bitterly again and again, but it was normal. In this circle of City Lords, everyone was so pragmatic. However, it made Rocky miss Karina and Berg ¨C if they had been here, he might not have felt so isolated, right?


    Unfortunately, neither of them was qualified to be here.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky.¡±


    However, just as Rocky was lamenting to himself, a man approached him and soon stood before him.


    ¡°You are¡­?¡±


    Surprised that someone dared speak to him at this time, Rocky glanced at the man curiously, noting that he appeared a bit older than Rocky but was still quite young. His attire, however, suggested he was not a City Lord.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself, my name is Kashu.¡±


    ¡°Kashu?¡±


    ¡°Kashu Uranus.¡±


    Upon hearing the man¡¯s full name, Rocky suddenly realized ¨C this guy was the Sect Leader of Uranus Corporation!

 Chapter 786 - 748: Conditions

    Chapter 786: Chapter 748: Conditions


    Upon a single glance at the young man before him, Rocky knew who he was; this Kashu Uranus might be young, but he was the famed Sect Leader of the Uranus Corporation!


    Rocky didn¡¯t have a particularly deep impression of the man or even of the Uranus Corporation, only knowing that they, like Sigma Corporation, were developing sixth-generation Armor, and their progress far surpassed Sigma¡¯s. Aside from that, he didn¡¯t know much else.


    However, Rocky had been hearing the name Uranus quite frequently lately, for no other reason than that this company was also among those targeting him.


    Among the forces that initially backed the Heavenly Ancestor Church to cause trouble for Rocky, aside from the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute, as well as the Shadow Alliance¡ªthese three major powers¡ªSigma and Uranus were also involved. Logically, these two companies should not have muddied the waters, yet this time was an exception. The application of Rune Technology in Armor had seriously threatened their positions in the Armor Domain, and to change this situation, Sigma Corporation had tried to approach Rocky but failed, while Uranus Corporation didn¡¯t reach out at all and joined forces with the Kafka Empire and the Magic Energy Research Institute right away.


    The reason for this was naturally based on their judgment of Rocky; Uranus Corporation believed that Rocky would never share Rune Technology. Rather than making futile contact, it was better to pick a side directly¡ªonce they were on the winning side, that was all that mattered. And the one who made this judgment was Kashu standing before him now.


    It was precisely because Rocky knew about Kashu¡¯s and his representing Uranus Corporation¡¯s attitude that when Rocky looked at him, he slightly furrowed his brows¡ªnot out of displeasure but out of confusion. He couldn¡¯t understand what Kashu wanted from him by seeking him out at this time.


    Now that Rocky had arrived at the meeting, the longstanding opposition between them was about to come to a head. What did Kashu want by coming to him now? Was he here to declare victory in advance?


    If that were truly the case, then Kashu would find himself disappointed by Rocky, because, even at this moment, victory had not yet been determined. If Kashu was so arrogantly assuming that they already held the winning card, that would be exceedingly naive.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I¡¯ve come to propose a deal to you.¡±


    As if sensing the puzzlement in Rocky¡¯s eyes, Kashu then smiled and, without beating around the bush, straightforwardly voiced his intent.


    He wasn¡¯t here to declare victory in advance; he was here to discuss a deal.


    This perplexed Rocky even more. With their current relationship having developed to this point, what else was there to talk about? Besides, Rocky had no desire to discuss anything. However, even though he felt this way internally, he didn¡¯t show it, instead smiling: ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, Rune Technology will inevitably become widespread. Why cling to this little benefit and keep it to yourself? Better to share it with us, and we assure you no more troubles will come your way.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you came to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Heh, of course not.¡± Kashu smiled slightly at Rocky, stepping a bit closer: ¡°Those words are just a lofty pretext, trivial indeed, but they serve well as an opening remark.¡±


    ¡°What, exactly, do you want?¡±


    ¡°I hope that you will cooperate with our company.¡±


    Giving Rocky a look, Kashu continued with a smile: ¡°City Lord Rocky, it¡¯s natural to want to control Rune Technology. I would do the same. But to fully unleash the technology¡¯s true power, you need collaboration, and our Uranus Corporation is clearly a more suitable partner than Apple Tree Company. You should have heard of our technological prowess. If our two sides can forge a front, not only could we further the glory of Rune Technology, but also make you the sovereign of the skies in the next era. City Lord Rocky, isn¡¯t that precisely what you desire?¡±


    Indeed, Kashu hadn¡¯t approached Rocky to engage in empty rhetoric; he genuinely wanted to negotiate a deal to have him abandon Apple Tree Company and instead partner with him.


    Kashu then continued: ¡°City Lord Rocky, if you agree to work with us, I can ensure your safety today, and I can even guarantee that The Three Great Alliances will not target you in the future; you will also receive the backing of Uranus Corporation¡¯s authority. Trust me, Uranus Corporation has the strength to promise this.¡±


    To propose cooperation with Rocky, it wouldn¡¯t suffice to rely on mere words; Kashu had clearly thought this through and hence offered his conditions. He assured not only Rocky¡¯s safety for the day but also promised that he wouldn¡¯t be targeted by The Three Great Alliances in the future, along with the promise of support from Uranus Corporation¡¯s authority.


    If someone else had made this claim, it would be implausible¡ªafter all, not even the Heavenly Ancestor Church possessed such power, but Uranus Corporation dared to make such promises. As a giant in the Armor Domain and the company leading the development of sixth-generation Armor, they indeed had the power. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without a doubt, the terms Kashu proposed were quite tempting.


    Yet, after he had finished speaking, Rocky simply smiled and gave Kashu a glance: ¡°Actually, I could share Rune Technology with you all, but what is mine is yours only if I give it. If I don¡¯t, you can¡¯t take it.¡±


    With that, Rocky raised his glass to Kashu, turned, and walked away, completely disregarding the so-called deal.


    In truth, Rocky¡¯s last words represented his stance on the entire matter. Those who knew him were aware that Rocky had originally intended to share Mana Rune with others¡ªotherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have joined the Sky Alliance. But as the situation developed, especially when he felt the timing was right and was about to share the Rune, he found people continuously trying to snatch it from his hands. This included other forces and even the Sky Alliance itself, which irritated Rocky. Because, as he said, what is mine is yours only if I give it. If I don¡¯t, you can¡¯t take it!


    Now, Rocky still held the same view. He was open to giving away what was his but not to it being taken by force. Both The Three Great Alliances¡¯ current aggression and Kashu¡¯s recent proposal essentially amounted to robbery. The Three Great Alliances were openly attempting to seize it, while Kashu appeared to be offering a trade; in reality, he was leveraging The Three Great Alliances¡¯ pressure to coerce Rocky into a coerced pact. This was utterly unacceptable to Rocky, which is why he paid no heed to the so-called deal.


    However, Kashu¡¯s appearance did enlighten Rocky about a few things: the group headed by The Three Great Alliances was not unbreakably united, harboring their own personal agendas¡ªan undoubtedly favorable development. Furthermore, they truly believed they had Rocky cornered, which was also favorable.

 Chapter 787 - 749: Seizing the initiative

    Chapter 787: Chapter 749: Seizing the initiative


    Since The Three Great Alliances seemed to have him figured out, Rocky didn¡¯t mind giving them a few surprises.


    After his conversation with Kashu ended, there were already more people in the meeting hall, and the attendants continuously announced the arrivals. One by one, the famous city lords arrived at the venue during this time, and not long after that, the hall¡¯s doors were firmly closed by the attendants. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clearly, everyone expected to attend this mobilization meeting had arrived.


    As the doors were shut, the atmosphere in the hall grew more solemn, and soon after, everyone noticed three people walking onto the second floor of the venue.


    Seeing these few people, a small number of city lords were somewhat puzzled, but most drew in a sharp breath, because these three were none other than the top figures of The Three Great Alliances!


    The Chief Elder of the Sky Alliance¡ªAdolf.


    The Chief Elder of the Magic Energy Research Institute¡ªSimonuo.


    And finally, the Chancellor of the Kafka Empire¡ªLudwig.


    These three individuals represented The Three Great Alliances and were the most authoritative figures within them. Their simultaneous appearance undoubtedly signalled that the pre-war mobilization meeting had officially commenced!


    Standing in the middle of the three, the Prime Minister of the Kafka Empire, Ludewino, was the first to speak. The hall, which had been very quiet since their arrival, became even more silent with his words. Every person looked up at the second floor, focusing their attention on this Chief Elder.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen¡­ The purpose of gathering everyone here today, I believe, is already known to all present.¡±


    ¡°We shall retake the land!¡±


    Without any superfluous talk, Ludwig went straight to the point with a strong and determined voice, ¡°The demons have occupied our land for over a hundred years. During this century, we have constantly striven, developed, and our forebears have launched counterattack wars time and again, all with the ambition of one day returning to our land.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately¡­ The first two counterattacks ultimately ended in failure, but is that a reason for us to stop?¡±


    ¡°No! The previous failures serve as motivation for each one of us to move forward! To return to the land, we have never given up; we have always been growing stronger, up until today.¡±


    ¡°Today, we boast thousands of Sky Cities. Our power is greater than ever before, so the time has come, the time to return to the land!¡±


    ¡°Return to the land!¡±


    ¡°Return to the land!¡±


    ¡°Return to the land!¡±


    It must be said that Ludwig¡¯s words were extremely stirring. As soon as he finished speaking, the assembly of city lords couldn¡¯t help but shout out loud, the atmosphere immensely electrified.


    In the midst of this process, Ludwig, who was on the second floor, slowly extended his hands downward to gesture for calm, and then he continued, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I know that deep down, everyone harbors a trace of doubt. After all, the results of the first two counterattack wars both ended in failure, so it¡¯s natural to wonder whether we will win this time.¡±


    ¡°Such thoughts are nothing out of the ordinary, but I can assure everyone here that this time, we will certainly win!¡±


    ¡°If we look at the time, sixty years have passed since the last counterattack war. During these sixty years, we have been recuperating and breeding in Sky City, constantly enhancing our own strength. Up to today, in every aspect, we have made multiple advancements compared to sixty years ago.¡±


    ¡°We possess the most advanced warships, we have the most cutting-edge Armor, and every single one of us will give our all.¡±


    ¡°The reason I am here today is that I am acting on an imperial edict from His Majesty the Emperor. The Kafka Empire will fully participate in the counterattack war, with every warship and every soldier of the Empire committing one hundred percent to this war!¡±


    When Ludwig finished these words, he looked to the side, and as his voice faded, Adolf, the Chief Elder of the Sky Alliance, also spoke up, ¡°The Sky Alliance will also commit fully to the counterattack war, with all member nations partaking in the battle.¡±


    ¡°The Magic Energy Research Institute will do the same; we will share all of our technological research with everyone to help win this great war.¡±


    Finally, Simonuo, the Elder from the Magic Energy Research Institute, spoke up. It¡¯s common knowledge that the Magic Energy Research Institute¡¯s most formidable aspect isn¡¯t its military power but its technology. Apart from the lost technology of Mana Runes, the most advanced technologies of today are all within the grasp of the Magic Energy Research Institute. And from the sounds of it, the Elder Simonuo indicated that the Institute is willing to share these technologies for the counterattack war, an unequivocal sign of determination.


    After the leaders of The Three Great Alliances had spoken, a thunderous applause filled the venue, as it had to be acknowledged that The Three Great Alliances were indisputably the strongest forces of Sky City. Were one to diagram the combat power of Sky City, the share belonging to The Three Great Alliances would easily surpass half. Therefore, facing a battle of this magnitude, they are not only the main force but if they are willing to commit fully to this war, then the odds of victory would undoubtedly increase.


    In truth, The Three Great Alliances were certain to utilize their full strength in this matter, for the eyes of all Sky City were upon them. If they did not exert their utmost effort, how could anyone else be expected to engage wholeheartedly in the conflict? And if these influential city lords present did not give their all, The Three Great Alliances, even with half of Sky City¡¯s combat power, would assuredly be unable to win the counterattack war.


    Hence, in a mutually reinforcing manner, The Three Great Alliances were bound to put forth their full efforts.


    And with such declarations from The Three Great Alliances, those present could somewhat settle their minds because not only were all of these individuals important figures, but each was also exceedingly astute. None would be used as a pawn for no reason. If The Three Great Alliances were not putting in everything they had, neither would the rest commit to any action. Thus, the declarations from The Three Great Alliances served as a reassurance to everyone, which was precisely the objective of this mobilization meeting.


    Moreover, as soon as the words of the Elder from the Magic Energy Research Institute had fallen, Chancellor Ludwig spoke once more, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, in this counterattack war, not only will The Three Great Alliances give our all, but others will do the same, such as¡­¡±


    At this point, Ludwig paused, then turned his gaze to the first floor¡¯s crowd, ¡°Like Sigma Corporation and Uranus Corporation, who will provide the most recent Armor to all the troops participating in the war.¡±


    As these words were spoken, everyone¡¯s eyes simultaneously fell upon Kashu and Denise, each look more fervent than the last.


    And in that moment, Ludwig¡¯s voice was heard again, ¡°Furthermore, I believe that others will follow suit, such as City Lord Rocky.¡±


    While speaking, Ludwig¡¯s gaze settled on Rocky, and then he offered a slight smile, ¡°No doubt everyone has heard, City Lord Rocky¡¯s research on Rune Technology has already been put into practice. Therefore, without a question, City Lord Rocky will also share the Rune Technology with us all, helping us reclaim the land.¡±


    When Ludwig concluded this statement, every eye in the audience turned towards Rocky, and upon hearing these words, Rocky himself first looked startled, then smiled. So that was the move¡­ That was the game they were playing¡­

 Chapter 788 - 750: The Dagger Revealed When the Drawing is Complete

    Chapter 788: Chapter 750: The Dagger Revealed When the Drawing is Complete


    As Ludwig¡¯s voice fell, his true intentions finally became clear. They were planning to force Rocky into surrendering the Rune Technology.


    Actually, from the actions of the three dignitaries just now, there seemed to be no issue on the surface. Everything they said did pertain to the war, and they were indeed boosting everyone¡¯s morale for the upcoming grand battle.


    But if you added the last sentence, then the whole matter took on a different flavor. At least in Rocky¡¯s view, everything the three figures had previously said was just a prelude to this final demand. It was all to compel him to hand over the Rune Technology under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes.


    It must be said that this move was truly ruthless and cunning. Because now, it wasn¡¯t just Rocky facing The Three Great Alliances; there were also hundreds of other City Lords present. These people might seem unrelated to this matter on the surface, but in reality, which among them could claim they had never coveted the Rune Technology? None, absolutely none. Every person present had thought about the Rune Technology at some point, and with that one sentence, Ludwig had aligned them with The Three Great Alliances.


    Perhaps some would say that if Rocky caved in at this moment, the Rune Technology would become public, and The Three Great Alliances wanted everyone to possess it?


    That might seem to be the case on the surface, but in reality, it wasn¡¯t like that. Technology wasn¡¯t something that could be clarified in a word or two. If Rocky really softened at this point, he would still need to hand over the technology afterward. By then, what business would the others have? Naturally, The Three Great Alliances would receive and exclusively enjoy the technology.


    Without a doubt, the strategy of The Three Great Alliances was brilliant. Even describing it as ¡°killing two birds with one stone¡± was not an overstatement. They could inspire everyone and simultaneously put pressure on Rocky.


    In fact, once Ludwig finished speaking, all the City Lords present turned their eyes toward Rocky. Many showed a fiery gaze, and some even directly called out to him, ¡°City Lord Rocky, I thank you right here!¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Rocky turned his head to glance at the City Lord who had spoken and asked bluntly.


    Such a question was quite insulting because all of those present were well-known City Lords. Being questioned like this by Rocky was like being reduced to an anonymous bit player, which immediately prompted snickers from many and left the instigator¡¯s face red with anger.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, I am¡­ ¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are. Shut up when you¡¯re supposed to,¡± Rocky interrupted, not even letting the other party state their name, leaving him red-faced with frustration.


    If this had been any other day, the City Lord would have definitely turned hostile on the spot. After all, he was a renowned City Lord and unaccustomed to such treatment. But today he dared not, and not only did he not dare, no one present dared provoke Rocky at this time. Everyone knew that today¡¯s issue was between Rocky and The Three Great Alliances, and anyone who butted in now would be an idiot.


    So even though his face was red with pent-up frustration, the City Lord managed to hold it back.


    However, even though he restrained himself, others couldn¡¯t. Someone immediately spoke up again.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, from what you imply, are you not willing to share weal and woe with everyone?¡±


    At the sound of this voice, everyone, including Rocky, turned to look. They saw a person standing there, sneering repeatedly at Rocky. It was none other than Sect Master Rick of the Heavenly Ancestor Church!


    Others might refrain from interjecting because of the gravity of the situation, but Rick wouldn¡¯t, because he had a stake in today¡¯s affairs!


    Therefore, Sect Master Rick took two steps forward and, pointing at Rocky, said, ¡°City Lord Rocky, do you really want to ignore the bigger picture for your own personal gain? The counter-offensive war will commence in half a year, and now is the perfect time to reveal your Rune Technology. With your Rune Technology, the odds of victory in the counter-offensive will certainly increase. How can you consider keeping it to yourself at such a critical time?¡±


    Amidst a cold laugh, Rick spoke with righteous indignation. At first listen, everything he said seemed reasonable, but upon closer consideration, it was clear he was just using the larger situation to pressure Rocky.


    Not only that, but after Rick finished speaking, Ludwig on the second floor also opened his mouth once more, ¡°Sect Master Rick is right.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, we now face a formidable enemy. All of us should stand united against the Demons. At such a time, everyone must do their utmost to ensure victory in the war, not let personal gain hinder the greater good.¡±


    ¡°Well said.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as Ludwig finished his sentence, and before anyone could react, a voice chimed in agreement, only for everyone to look and see that it was Rocky himself who agreed!


    Rocky¡¯s face was already filled with smiles as he nodded and said, ¡°Chancellor Ludwig is right, we should indeed work together at this time, so I think it would be appropriate for your Kafka Empire to cede half your territories to me.¡±


    ¡°And the Sky Alliance and the Magic Energy Research Institute should also give half of their respective territories under Sky City to me. In this way, not only am I willing to share Rune Technology, but I am also willing to lead you to win this war. What do you think?¡±


    When Rocky finished saying this, the entire conference room fell silent because his words were audaciously bold! To make such a statement in front of the leaders of The Three Great Alliances ¨C had Rocky lost his mind?


    In fact, the proposal did have a sting, because right after Rocky¡¯s words concluded, the faces of the three people on the second floor, including Ludwig, began to look unsightly. With their status, it had been many years since they had encountered someone so impertinent.


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    At the same time, Rick also shouted angrily and then bellowed with fury, ¡°Rocky! Do you wish to betray the skies?¡±


    ¡°Rick, do you really want me to destroy a few more Sky Cities? Or is it that you don¡¯t value your own son¡¯s life?¡±


    Facing Rick¡¯s rebuke, Rocky responded coldly without a second thought, throwing Rick¡¯s words right back at him.


    If it were the three dignitaries on the second floor, Rocky might not have had any recourse, but against Rick, he had no fear. He had destroyed both Sky Might and Fury, two Sky Cities, even before he had acquired anything of significance. Now his forces were fully equipped with Rune Battleships and Rune Armor, so he was not afraid of Rick. As he said, Rick¡¯s son Zuluo was still imprisoned in Thunderhawk City. He didn¡¯t care about Rick¡¯s threats.


    ¡°You!¡±


    Rick was so enraged by Rocky¡¯s words that he almost leapt up in fury, but Rocky paid him no mind and instead turned to look at the three personages on the second floor.


    ¡°If that is all you are capable of, don¡¯t even think about taking Rune Technology from me. I will not only withhold Rune Technology from you but also will not participate in any so-called counter-offensive war!¡±


    With that statement from Rocky, the whole meeting room exploded in uproar!

 Chapter 789 - 751: Heaven and Earth Net

    Chapter 789: Chapter 751: Heaven and Earth Net


    ¡°Not only will I not hand over the Rune Technology, but I also will not participate in your counteroffensive war!¡±


    When Rocky had said this, the entire hall erupted in chaos!


    He actually was not participating in the counteroffensive war!? How dare he!


    Everyone was taken aback by Rocky¡¯s statement, something none had ever considered, because the counteroffensive war was not just any war, it was intertwined with many interests.


    If they actually could win this great war, then all who participated would receive immense rewards at the end¡ªwithout saying too much, establishing oneself as a king after recapturing the land was definitely feasible, though unlikely, as no one was confident that a war of this scale could be won.


    Even if the war was not won and the land was not reclaimed, the benefits of this great war were still immense because once the war ended, the entire sky¡¯s structure would change drastically; it was uncertain whether The Three Great Alliances would still be in charge, and frankly, once the war ended, every City Lord and Alliance Hierarch present might also have the chance to dominate The Three Great Alliances and rule the skies. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Therefore, for everyone present, the counteroffensive war was an excellent opportunity to lead an era, and faced with such an opportunity, they naturally desired to participate in the counteroffensive war.


    Of course, another reason these people wanted to participate was that they had no choice.


    No matter what the skies would look like after the war, the current situation was still controlled by The Three Great Alliances, and since The Three Great Alliances wanted to initiate this war, everyone present had to participate, whether willingly or not.


    This was why, when everyone heard Rocky¡¯s statement, they were so surprised, and many secretly gave him a thumbs up.


    Most of the City Lords present had heard of Rocky, but very few actually knew him or had seen him; now, regardless of whether they knew him or not, whether they had seen him or not, these people all deeply respected Rocky.


    Without discussing whether today¡¯s issue could be resolved amicably, just Rocky¡¯s performance alone was enough to earn praise.


    ¡°Hahaha, good!¡±


    In the midst of everyone¡¯s surprise, Ludwig on the second floor suddenly laughed, his usually gentle face gaining a bit of ferocity. He then looked down at Rocky and nodded, saying, ¡°Rocky, we have given you a chance. Since you are so stubborn, don¡¯t blame us for being unreasonable.¡±


    ¡°Guards, seize him!¡±


    At Ludwig¡¯s command, several soldiers dressed in Void Magic Armor quickly surrounded Rocky, not only isolating him from the other City Lords but also encircling him!


    Looking at these soldiers surrounding him, Rocky squinted slightly. The soldiers surrounding him were not only clad in Void Magic Armor, but they were also wearing Holy Angel Armor! What was more important was that these were not the guards of Eternal City who had been standing watch here before. Judging from the insignias on their uniforms, they were actually soldiers from the Kafka Empire, and moreover, they were elite members of the Imperial Knight Order!


    Having clashed with the Kafka Empire before, Rocky recognized their emblem at a glance and knew the identities of these men.


    By this time, City Lord Rocky finally understood what Aurora meant when he met with him the day before. Initially, Aurora had said that although the Committee had not agreed to the requests of The Three Great Alliances, pressured, they still made some concessions, and those concessions were clearly these elite troops from the Empire.


    Eternal City had explicit regulations: no private fighting was allowed within the city¡ªexcept in the Arena¡ªand anyone found violating this rule would be immediately expelled. Rocky knew this rule since his first visit to Eternal City, and it applied to everyone, including The Three Great Alliances.


    However, now, this rule had clearly been broken, apparently with the silent consent of Eternal City, as the guards who normally surrounded the hall were nowhere to be seen after the appearance of the Empire¡¯s elites.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, if you change your mind now, we can still talk. All of us will remember your contribution,¡±


    Watching a Void Magic Warrior clad in Holy Angel Armor surround Rocky, Ludwig, who was on the second floor, slightly smiled and then spoke. It was clear that in his view, the outcome was already decided, which was precisely why they had prompted Rocky to come.


    Before this, The Three Great Alliances had always been cautious about targeting Rocky, fearing that if pushed too hard, he might destroy the rune technology in a desperate move. Hence, they had been restraining themselves, but evidently, mere restraint was not enough to subdue Rocky, so they concocted this plan: lure him away from Thunderhawk City, capture him thereafter, leaving Thunderhawk City leaderless, simplifying their subsequent intentions.


    It must be said that this time The Three Great Alliances had prepared on three fronts: capturing Rocky at the venue, surrounding Thunderhawk City, now halted in the airspace of Eternal City by several Sky Cities of the Sky Alliance, and even the airspace of Backhill Village had enemies appear!


    Without a doubt, The Three Great Alliances had laid a comprehensive trap for Rocky this time. They targeted not only him but also Thunderhawk City and Backhill Village, so that even if there was a problem at one point, having either of the other two or even just one succeed, Rocky would ultimately have to comply.


    It can be said that this time, Rocky had nowhere to escape!


    In contrast, Rocky was still unaware that both Thunderhawk City and Backhill Village were facing a crisis similar to his. He simply looked calmly at the Void Magic Warriors surrounding him, then looked up at Ludwig on the second floor.


    ¡°Chancellor Ludwig, do you think this will make me surrender?¡±


    Watching Ludwig, Rocky said with a bitter smile. This wasn¡¯t him giving in; he had anticipated this situation and, while speaking, he slowly reached for his pendant!


    This move was not conspicuous, and most people present didn¡¯t notice it. Even those who did didn¡¯t think much of it, assuming it was merely a nervous gesture, including the three people with Ludwig.


    But do not forget that the Void Magic Warriors surrounding Rocky were the elite of the Imperial Knight Order, and they were wearing the most advanced Holy Angel Armors of the day. So the moment Rocky¡¯s hand touched the pendant, one of them detected the mana reaction through his armor.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him touch the pendant!¡±


    Upon noticing the mana reaction in Rocky¡¯s pendant, this soldier immediately shouted and charged at him in his armor, and with his warning, the others also realized and quickly rushed towards Rocky.


    But, their reaction was still too slow!

 Chapter 790 - 752: Fearless!

    Chapter 790: Chapter 752: Fearless!


    In order to obtain Rune Technology, The Three Great Alliances had laid a trap as pervasive as the sky and as dense as the earth this time; they targeted not only Rocky but Thunderhawk City as well, even encompassing Backhill Village. Thus, when Void Magic Warriors clad in Holy Angel Armor surrounded Rocky, the Thunderhawk City outside Eternal City was encircled by the Sky City of the Sky Alliance, and even the airspace of the far-off Backhill Village saw the emergence of enemies!


    Of course, Rocky was unaware of all this. He did not know that, as he fell into danger, both Thunderhawk City and Backhill Village were also suffering, and he was in no position to care about that now.


    Whether one liked to admit it or not, with the sixth generation armor still under development and the White Demon Armor not for sale to the public, the Holy Angel Armor remained the strongest armor. More importantly, these warriors clad in Holy Angel were members of the Imperial Knight Order, the elite of the elite. Therefore, when Rocky was surrounded by these people, he had undoubtedly fallen into a great crisis.


    Thankfully, Rocky was prepared for this. So, when he was encircled, he reached for the pendant on his necklace. This move was so subtle that others did not notice it, but the elite warriors of the Imperial Knight Order did not overlook this minor action and immediately charged forward, obviously seeking to make quick work of Rocky, leaving him no chance to resist.


    But they were still too late!


    As the first Void Magic Warrior who had spotted Rocky¡¯s surreptitious move charged at him, Rocky had already activated the magic concealed within the pendant of his necklace. Immediately following this, a visible Defensive Net sprung up to protect him.


    This was truly a matter of a split second, for as the Defensive Net unfurled, the first warrior to reach Rocky was already in front of him. True to the reputation of the Imperial Knight Order, the warrior reacted in the brief moment he saw the Defensive Net, drew out his Mana Sword, and struck the net.


    With one strike, the targeted Defensive Net flashed with blinding light. Then, the second incoming Void Magic Warrior did the same, drawing his Mana Sword to slice at the net, followed immediately by the third warrior attacking without hesitation. Simultaneously, the fourth and fifth warriors arrived and acted likewise.


    In the blink of an eye, five Void Magic Warriors had converged from all directions. As they tightly encircled Rocky, their five Mana Swords struck the Defensive Net simultaneously, causing it to radiate intensely to the point where Rocky inside was barely visible.


    However, when the intense glare dissipated, the surrounding City Lords, who were spectators, were astounded. After being struck by all five warriors at once, Rocky¡¯s Defensive Net seemed precarious, yet in reality, it remained unshattered, staunchly protecting Rocky. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This outcome was to be expected, for the Defensive Net was personally sealed within the pendant by Pelaya. It wasn¡¯t just immune to the slashes of five Mana Swords; even if it were to be bombarded by five Magic Energy Cannons at the same time, it would not have broken.


    And at that very same moment, as people looked towards Rocky inside the Defensive Net, they discovered that he was now holding the pendant with both hands. The pendant he was barely holding lit up with an even more dazzling brilliance, and what was more terrifying was the extremely strong magic power fluctuation that formed with the glow¡¯s emanation.


    ¡°This¡­this is¡­¡±


    ¡°Could this possibly be¡­¡±


    Among these City Lords present, many were fond of delving into magic. As they sensed the magic power emanating from the pendant, they all furrowed their brows. The most learned in magic among them was naturally Simonuo, the chief Elder of the Magic Energy Research Institute. Like the others, Simonuo also showed an expression of astonishment upon feeling this wave of magic power.


    ¡°Is this¡­Space-Time Magic?!¡±


    At the same moment Simonuo felt the fluctuation of magical power, he knew exactly what Rocky was doing¡ªhe was activating space-time magic!


    This was simply unbelievable for Simonuo, because only someone with a mastery of magic akin to his own would understand how difficult it was to activate space-time magic. Given Rocky¡¯s magical power, he shouldn¡¯t have been able to cast a spell of such caliber. And even if he had the capability, he would definitely not be able to do so under such perilous circumstances.


    However, Simonuo¡¯s proficiency in magic was there for all to see; following a moment of shock, he quickly realized that Rocky was merely activating the magic.


    Is that so?


    Of course!


    Long before arriving at Eternal City, Rocky and people like Orton had been contemplating how to smuggle the White Demon Armor into the grand meeting. Eventually, they had decided to use space-time magic as their method, and evidently, it was effective. Before entering the venue, Rocky had undergone a thorough body search. If he hadn¡¯t hidden the White Demon Armor inside space-time magic, and if the space-time magic hadn¡¯t been sealed inside a pendant on his necklace, it would have probably been confiscated.


    But now, Rocky had successfully activated the space-time magic that had long been sealed. In front of him, a space-time sphere had appeared.


    Compared to previous experiments, the space-time sphere that appeared this time was even bigger, its diameter exceeding one meter. If size were an indicator of capacity, then it was obvious that this space-time sphere could contain much more.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him succeed!¡±


    Although the Void Magic Warriors surrounding Rocky were unaware of the exact magic he was using, they did understand that they must not let Rocky succeed, or else this great crisis might shift in his favor.


    In such a situation, several of them immediately raised their Mana Swords and brought them down fiercely, evidently intending to crush the Defensive Net at once.


    But as good as the idea was, it was difficult to execute. The Defensive Net unleashed by Rocky drew its mana from the pendant, on which Orton himself had etched close to a hundred fifth-level runes, providing an amount of mana that was beyond anyone¡¯s imagination and not easily shattered.


    During this process, Rocky, under the watchful eyes of many, raised his hand towards the space-time sphere. Then, as he activated his own magic power, a white bracer flew out from the sphere and slid onto his arm!


    Although it was just a bracer, from its color and design, everyone could tell that it was unmistakably a piece of the White Demon Armor. Then, before everyone¡¯s eyes, piece after piece of armor continuously flew out from the space-time sphere¡ªhelmet, breastplate, greaves, and other pieces of equipment appeared one after another and were equipped on Rocky¡¯s body.


    In the blink of an eye, Rocky was fully suited in the White Demon Armor, and with the final piece of equipment flying out from the sphere, he grabbed it in his hand¡ªit was the fearsome Magic Fang Scythe!


    With that, Rocky had completely donned his White Demon Armor!

 Chapter 791 - 753 Not Enough!

    Chapter 791: Chapter 753 Not Enough!


    In the blink of an eye, Rocky had appeared before everyone, clad in the White Demon Armor.


    This outcome was surprising and admirable, as at this moment, everyone understood that Rocky had made thorough preparations to dare face The Three Great Alliances.


    In fact, many had suspected during the entry search that this action targeted Rocky specifically to prevent him from bringing the White Demon Armor into the venue, because everyone knew that Rocky in his White Demon Armor was an entirely different beast. Yet despite the precautions, Rocky had still managed to bring the White Demon Armor inside.


    This added an element of uncertainty to the situation. Who in the world today would dare to underestimate the White Demon Armor? Absolutely no one. So, when Rocky donned the White Demon Armor, everyone instinctively looked towards the five Void Magic Warriors surrounding him. Although these five were wearing Holy Angel Armors, one mustn¡¯t forget that the White Demon Armor had a record of triumphing over Holy Angel Armor. Therefore, even with a numerical advantage, the certainty of Rocky¡¯s capture was no longer assured.


    If the situation was completely in favor of the Void Magic Warriors before, at ten to zero against Rocky, now the odds might have been leveled to an even five to five, with Rocky possibly turning the tide.


    What no one expected was that as soon as Rocky put on the White Demon Armor, the five Void Magic Warriors immediately retreated, creating a distance between them and him.


    What¡¯s going on?


    Seeing the elite fighters from the Imperial Knight Order retreat this way, the City Lords exchanged glances, puzzled by this development. Although Rocky¡¯s White Demon Armor was formidable, the five encircling him were, after all, from the Imperial Knight Order. Surely they couldn¡¯t be scared, could they?


    The reason why the five Void Magic Warriors retreated was not out of fear but caution. They had meticulously studied Rocky and even more thoroughly the White Demon Armor upon receiving this mission. It was this careful analysis that led them to prudently distance themselves, realizing that the White Demon Armor Rocky wore was different!


    The White Demon Armor now on Rocky had shrunk in size, no longer bulky like the previous generation, but appeared even more imposing and awe-inspiring. While the armor still embraced angular designs, there were many noticeable changes that might seem trivial to the untrained eye but represented significant modifications to someone who truly understood armor. For these elite Imperial Knights, such changes were clearly not good news, demanding a cautious approach.


    It must be said that these warriors of the Imperial Knight Order were indeed elites, for they were not mistaken; what Rocky was sporting was the brand new, completely redesigned Third Generation White Demon Armor!


    ¡°Do you see it now¡­¡±


    Having donned his armor, Rocky also deactivated the protective Defensive Net that had been safeguarding him and, upon noticing that his previously immovable adversaries had stepped back, he knew they recognized the difference in the White Demon.


    But¡­


    So what?


    Or rather, is it not already too late to notice these differences?


    ¡°It¡¯s my turn!¡±


    Rocky glanced at the Imperial Knights¡¯ Warriors surrounding him. While his helmet hid his expression from onlookers, everyone could feel it¡ªhe smiled at this moment, and the next, he burst forth with a fierce charge!


    ¡°So fast!¡±


    The Void Magic Warrior to his left realized Rocky was charging at him; his first thought was how fast it was. In his view, Rocky had gone from a standstill to full sprint in an instant, with seemingly no transition at all.


    Everyone knew the White Demon Armor was renowned for its speed, so when Rocky instantly charged toward him, this Void Magic Warrior hurriedly raised his Mana Sword, almost instinctively blocking above his head.


    Although his action was largely subconscious, it was incredibly correct, for the slashing downward strike was Rocky¡¯s most accustomed attack move when wielding the Magic Fang Scythe, so this instinctual move could be said to have saved his life.


    Sure enough, just a second later, Rocky¡¯s figure appeared before the Void Magic Warrior, scythe raised high, but since the opponent had already raised his Mana Sword, the Magic Fang Scythe¡¯s descent was blocked, and at the same time, the surrounding Void Magic Warriors had already charged at Rocky.


    ¡°Tightly blocked, but not enough!¡±


    However, just at that critical moment, Rocky¡¯s voice suddenly emerged, and immediately his scythe fell!


    With a swish of crescent moonlight, the scythe, unimpeded, sliced through the Mana Sword, struck the Holy Angel Armor, and then cleaved the warrior inside the armor in two¡ªsplitting the armor and the warrior in half!


    In an instant, a spurt of blood gushed out, and a living person was just like that split open by Rocky¡­


    ¡°My god¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah!!!¡±


    ¡°Too terrifying¡­¡±


    As Rocky¡¯s blade fell, the observing City Lords immediately fell into disarray, some stared dumbfounded, some simply screamed, some furrowed their brows tightly.


    The truth is, no one had expected such an outcome, because the Void Magic Warrior who was bisected was clad in Holy Angel Armor! The White Demon was strong, but after all, the Holy Angel Armor was fifth and a half generation, its performance not weaker in any aspect compared to the White Demon, how could it be split in two by the Magic Fang Scythe? Such a domineering battle record was something the White Demon had never achieved before!


    Indeed, the second generation White Demon Armor indeed could not do this, as the previous generation, although also equipped with the Magic Fang Scythe, could not breach the Holy Angel Armor with just the blade¡¯s sharpness alone, and charging the scythe would make too much noise; the enemy would not just sit there waiting to die, but now it was different.


    The new generation White Demon Armor had completely upgraded from technology to material. There was so much more to say, but just the amount of Mana alone surpassed the previous White Demon Armor by several times. With such powerful Mana at its disposal, the Magic Fang Scythe could now silently engage in more advanced and precise charging, drastically enhancing its lethality.


    This was why Rocky could cut an enemy clad in Holy Angel Armor in half, because the latest generation White Demon Armor had completely surpassed the Holy Angel Armor!


    And while everyone was still in shock, the other four Void Magic Warriors had already charged in front of Rocky, but as they prepared to swing their blades, the supposedly surrounded Rocky suddenly accelerated and dashed out of the encirclement!


    Too fast!


    Not only was the speed fast, but the acceleration was something the Holy Angel Armor couldn¡¯t possibly compare to!


    As they watched Rocky escape the encirclement, the same thought crossed the minds of the four Void Magic Warriors. In contrast, Rocky, who was already standing outside the circle, shook his head at them as though speaking to everyone, or as if speaking to himself, he said, ¡°Not enough.¡±


    ¡°Just you few, it¡¯s not enough.¡±


    Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 792 - 754 Absolute Domination

    Chapter 792: Chapter 754 Absolute Domination


    Above Backhill Village, Carltos City had already urgently dispatched its forces, and Governor Voss personally arrived at the Skyport. When he looked outside, he saw that two large Sky Cities had completely blocked off Backhill Village.


    ¡°They have really come¡­¡±


    Gazing at the distant three large Sky Cities, Voss then turned to look at Felly beside him.


    As the commander of Rocky¡¯s fleet, Felly had not accompanied Rocky to Eternal City this time. He was left in Backhill Village along with the entirety of Rocky¡¯s fleet. Rocky made such an arrangement to ensure an absolutely fail-safe defense. Backhill Village, like Thunderhawk City, was a base that absolutely could not afford to fail.


    After exchanging glances with Voss, Felly also turned his head to look at another person beside him; it was none other than Athena, who was also left in Backhill Village!


    ¡°Miss Athena, what do we do now¡­¡±


    Turning to Athena, Felly couldn¡¯t help but speak out.


    ¡°No rush, let the enemies approach a little closer. We¡¯ll wait until they send out their entire fleet before we act.¡±


    Looking into the distance with a slight smile, Athena faced the massive attack of the three large Sky Cities with composure. This calm demeanor inevitably made Felly and Voss beside her give a mental thumbs-up. Although they had anticipated this scene and made thorough preparations, the actual appearance of the three large Sky Cities still startled them, and they were incessantly anxious. In contrast, Athena remained unruffled, as if she had everything under control.


    But even with her strategic capabilities, the fact that three large Sky Cities were on their doorstep was real, plunging Backhill Village and Carltos City into a great crisis without a doubt.


    Meanwhile, the situation in Thunderhawk City, outside Eternal City, was not much better.


    Originally, around Thunderhawk City, which was stationed outside Eternal City, were many Sky Cities from all over the world, belonging to different forces, all gathered for the mobilization meeting. Now, these Sky Cities had distanced themselves from Thunderhawk City, replaced by five other large Sky Cities that had Thunderhawk City tightly surrounded.


    All five Sky Cities came from the Sky Alliance, including even Sirius City. More exaggeratedly, Sirius City was actually the smallest among these five large Sky Cities, which gives an idea of the scale of the other four cities.


    Surrounded by these five large Sky Cities, Thunderhawk City seemed like it was imprisoned in a cage; despite the vast expanse of sky, it was unable to move.


    ¡°Liliya, shall we act now?¡±


    Located at the Skyport under construction, Monte and Liliya together looked outside the city. Both of them were not wearing Armor since it was not necessary. Before departing, Rocky had left all his troops in Backhill Village for defense, so now Thunderhawk City was essentially an empty city with no troops available for sortie. Under such circumstances, it no longer mattered whether the two of them wore Armor or not.


    Upon hearing Monte¡¯s question, Liliya shook her head and said a single word:


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Compared to Backhill Village and Eternal City, Rocky¡¯s situation turned out to be the best, because the moment he donned the Third Generation White Demon Armor, he unleashed overwhelming combat power. Instantly decapitating an Imperial Knights¡¯ warrior from his horse ¡ª such a stunning performance not only shocked everyone but also extricated him from danger.


    With one man down, the original group of five encircling him now numbered only four. Although it seemed the Imperial Knight Order still had the numerical advantage, they had lost the edge in terms of momentum. More importantly, after just one clash, the warriors of the Imperial Knight Order already felt the gap between themselves and Rocky.


    In the brief exchange, Rocky not only cut down one of them from his horse but also exploited a gap and accelerated out of the encirclement just as the remaining four were converging on him. In just this one move, the difference between the Holy Angel Armor and the new generation White Demon Armor was starkly revealed.


    The Imperial Knights had not held back at all. They had charged at Rocky with full force, yet he still broke through their encirclement with ease. What did this suggest? It implied that the White Demon Armor¡¯s performance far surpassed the Holy Angel Armor; otherwise, such a situation would not have occurred. More crucially, the ease and fluidity Rocky displayed after breaking through the encirclement undoubtedly showed he had not even exerted his full strength yet!


    Indeed, Rocky had not yet used his full strength.


    The Third Generation White Demon Armor¡¯s performance had surpassed the Holy Angel Armor in all aspects, an indisputable fact. Thus, when the two sides confronted each other again, they were no longer on the same level. That was why Rocky said that these few before him were definitely not enough to defeat him, it wasn¡¯t arrogance or bluster, but a fact.


    Even if it was a fact, the remaining four Imperial Knight warriors had no intention of giving up. After realizing Rocky had broken through their encirclement, they immediately adjusted formation and, without any pause, charged at him again.


    The resilience of these warriors of the Imperial Knight Order deserved more praise. When Rocky easily broke through their encirclement, they immediately knew continuing to surround him was ineffective and decisively changed their tactics. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While charging at Rocky, the four did not do so mindlessly but with strategy. One took the lead on horseback, while the other two burst forth from the left and right. This left Rocky with no avenue of retreat.


    And just as the warrior in the front was about to enter the attack range, he suddenly leapt up, revealing the fourth person who had been hidden behind!


    Only at this moment did the Imperial Knight Order¡¯s killing move truly unfold. At that point, Rocky had someone above him, in front of him, and on both sides. It seemed his only option was to retreat, but even retreating would not free him from the assault of all four. He could only face the attack head-on, and even with the strength of the new generation White Demon Armor, he might not gain any advantage against the coordinated attack of four Imperial elite warriors.


    Without a doubt, the true combat power of the Imperial Knight Order was demonstrated at this moment.


    Just then, an unexpected scene unfolded. As the leading warrior leapt into the air, planning to suppress Rocky from above, Rocky also jumped, watched by all, and preemptively landed above his adversary!


    ¡°This!¡±


    At this sight, everyone was stunned. No one had anticipated the explosive power of the White Demon Armor could be so strong, and in the instant the crowd was dumbfounded, Rocky¡¯s scythe was already at his opponent¡¯s neck. With a light tug, a head soared into the air.

 Chapter 793 - 755: Anti-Demon Armor!

    Chapter 793: Chapter 755: Anti-Demon Armor!


    Gurgle¡­


    The severed head hit the ground first, followed by a headless corpse that crashed heavily onto the floor, blood spurting from the neck like a fountain, staining a large area of the carpet red.


    Once again, Rocky had instantly taken down another warrior wearing Holy Angel Armor from the Imperial Knights¡¯ Order.


    This scene shocked many. If the first warrior¡¯s death could be considered an accident, or perhaps luck, the second warrior¡¯s demise left no room for dispute¡ªRocky was simply stronger than these people!


    At that moment, everyone was looking up into the air because Rocky, who had taken flight, had not yet returned to the ground, and his gaze was already fixed on the second floor.


    Previously, due to being on the first floor, when Rocky looked up to the second floor he had to look up, and Ludwig and the others looked down on him. But now, Rocky was airborne, gazing straight at Ludwig and the others on the second floor.


    However, when he looked again, he found two more people had appeared upstairs, both of whom he recognized.


    One was Kashu, with whom he had spoken before, and the other, an old friend¡ªthe Sigma Corporation¡¯s Denise!


    These two had somehow appeared on the second floor and were standing next to three important figures, watching Rocky together with the others.


    ¡°Denise, do you want to try it yourself?¡±


    Rocky spoke as he looked at Denise.


    He had long been aware of the role Sigma Corporation had played against him. Although they had not, like Rick, sent troops to attack him, they had continually hindered the development of Thunderhawk City. For instance, immediately after the Tank-type Armor went on sale, Sigma Corporation was quick to roll out a copycat product, and a mass production type of the Holy Angel Armor was introduced just as the Thunderhawk Armor was being tested¡ªa clear suppression, not a coincidence.


    Now that Denise had appeared here, her stance and that of Sigma Corporation were self-evident, so Rocky didn¡¯t bother with pleasantries.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky¡­¡±


    Looking at Rocky, Denise sighed, her expression tinged with helplessness. She had not anticipated that things would turn out this way. She thought that by putting pressure on Rocky, by making him understand the principle that ¡°the innocent man must bear the guilt of his wealth,¡± he would understand what he needed to do, namely, to share the rune technology. Besides, in Denise¡¯s view, such an outcome would be beneficial for everyone.


    But Rocky¡¯s stubbornness had far surpassed her, and everyone else¡¯s, expectations, spiraling events into the current state. In this situation, she and the Sigma Corporation she represented had no choice but to be enemies with Rocky.


    Even so, Denise still hoped Rocky would hold back, because she knew very well how much had been prepared for him this time¡ªit was something Rocky absolutely couldn¡¯t resist.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, sharing the rune technology benefits everyone, why must you be so stubborn?¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense and just use whatever means you have!¡±


    Things had developed to this point, and no words could sway Rocky now, so he just snorted coldly, eager to see what else The Three Great Alliances could do.


    Upon hearing him say this, Denise sighed and then gently lifted her hand¡­


    As the next Sect Leader of Sigma Corporation, it was naturally impossible for Denise to don armor and fight Rocky herself. Moreover, she was aware that, judging by the overwhelming performance of the White Demon Armor just now, even if she took to the field herself, defeating Rocky would be out of the question. However, she was well-prepared for the scene unfolding before her.


    Therefore, as she stretched out her hand, an intense tremor resonated throughout the entire venue.


    ¡°What, what is happening¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation¡­¡±


    The intense vibration startled everyone present, as they could not imagine what was happening. Not only them, even Rocky was equally in the dark, unable to fathom what Denise had prepared for him.


    Just then, a loud crash suddenly echoed, causing everyone to instinctively look around, only to find nothing. But immediately afterward, someone shouted, ¡°Look up!¡±


    Following that shout, everyone simultaneously looked up, only to see the ceiling above Rocky had cracked open. As the ceiling collapsed, something crucial happened: a massive figure also fell down with it, crashing onto Rocky!


    Since everything happened too fast, none of the people present, including Rocky himself, managed to react. Instantly, he was struck by the enormous dark shadow and was smashed from mid-air to the ground.


    It was only afterwards, when everyone looked towards the main hall, that they finally saw what had fallen. It was a gigantic suit of armor!


    This suit of armor stood over five meters tall, resembling a small mountain. The collapse of the ceiling was clearly linked to it, and now, as the gigantic suit of armor landed, Rocky was already pinned under its foot!


    Because the armor was so tall, its enormous foot was almost the size of a normal human. So, when it pinned Rocky under its foot, everyone could hardly see him, seeing only his head poking out from beyond the foot.


    ¡°Damn it¡­! What, what is this thing!¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Pinned tightly underfoot, Rocky felt as if a small mountain was pressing down on him. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn¡¯t break free.


    As he desperately tried to escape, the gigantic suit of armor slowly lifted its foot, but didn¡¯t give Rocky a chance to run. Instead, the moment the foot was lifted, it reached down and grasped Rocky from the ground, then lifted him up.


    It was only then that Rocky got his first good look at what he was facing. Like the others, when he saw this massive suit of armor, he was dumbfounded; he had never imagined someone would deliberately make a suit of armor this massive.


    After that, he was held high up and faced towards several people on the second floor.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky, don¡¯t resist any further, it¡¯s pointless.¡±


    Looking at Rocky, firmly grasped and held up before her by the gigantic suit of armor, Denise slowly began, ¡°This armor was specifically designed to counter the White Demon Armor. I have named it¡­ Anti-Demon Armor.¡±


    ¡°In front of this suit of armor, you will stand no chance.¡±

 Chapter 794 - 756: Targeted Everywhere!

    Chapter 794: Chapter 756: Targeted Everywhere!


    Although Denise did not want things to turn out this way, she did not go easy when it came to dealing with Rocky.


    It is well known that whether it is Thunderhawk City or Rocky himself, the reason they are difficult to deal with is because of the White Demon Armor, and to target him, one simply cannot bypass the hurdle of the White Demon Armor. In this context, Denise utilized her abilities, along with the formidable strength of Sigma Corporation, to design the armor standing before us.


    This armor, true to its name, was specifically designed to counter the White Demon Armor. Its various specifications and capabilities did not strive for the most advanced or most powerful, but rather to suppress the White Demon Armor. However, conversely, an armor capable of suppressing the White Demon must be among the most elite, or it would not be possible to do so.


    And from the current results, Denise¡¯s design had been successful. From the moment the Anti-Demon Armor made its appearance, Rocky had been suddenly stepped on and now was caught in its grasp, simply without any room to fight back.


    Therefore, the words that Denise spoke did not come across as arrogant, because at least for now, any resistance that Rocky mounted against the Anti-Demon Armor seemed indeed futile, and he had no chance of victory.


    But how could Rocky possibly surrender without a fight?


    The moment he was captured, he struggled desperately, trying every means to break free, but the strength of the Anti-Demon Armor was too great. Even when Rocky activated all his Mana Runes, the power they provided was simply not enough to contend with this colossal force.


    Seeing his persistence, Denise slightly shook her head, because she knew very well that the White Demon could not contend with the armor before her.


    And just as she shook her head, the huge Anti-Demon Armor raised the hand grasping Rocky high into the air and then, like a spike, powerfully smashed down, bouncing Rocky off the ground like a rubber ball. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A thunderous boom resounded as the floor struck by Rocky immediately cracked. The force of the blow almost knocked the Rocky inside the armor unconscious, and it would have been the end had it not been for the upgraded material of the new generation White Demon Armor. This one encounter alone would have been enough to declare the outcome.


    Yet, Rocky did not lose consciousness. Furthermore, the moment he hit the ground, he seized the fleeting opportunity, using the unparalleled explosive power of the White Demon to spring up and once again take to the air.


    As he flew back into the air, he no longer held back, and immediately extended both hands to launch an attack.


    In the blink of an eye, countless Magic Energy Beams shot out from the short barrels extended from the arms of the White Demon, firing in rapid succession. These beams, continuously shot out, quickly rained down on the Anti-Demon Armor like droplets.


    This scene made everyone gasp in shock, including Denise and Kashu on the second floor, who also frowned slightly. They knew that while beam weapons were powerful, their slow firing rate due to charging needs had always been a drawback. Yet Rocky was now firing Magic Energy Beams as quickly as if he was shooting Magic Energy Bullets, which was truly incredible.


    Denise and Kashu, indeed experts in the domain of armor, instantly pinpointed the key factor. Rocky was using the newly developed magic energy machine gun, which was small in size, fast in firing rate, and also powerful due to the Rune energy supply ¨C the main close-combat weapon of the new generation White Demon Armor.


    In just a few blinks, Rocky directed dozens of beams at the Anti-Demon Armor, which, due to its large size like a living target, made Rocky¡¯s volley almost certain to hit, and all beams did strike.


    However, after this barrage, when people looked at the Anti-Demon Armor again, they found that the massive armor had hardly taken any damage!


    How was this possible!


    This outcome left everyone dumbfounded. Given the ferocity of Rocky¡¯s recent attack, it was enough to obliterate a Holy Angel class armor on the spot. Even against a Defensive Net, it should have easily broken through, so why did it have no effect against the Anti-Demon Armor?


    ¡°It¡¯s the Defensive Net! Look closely, it¡¯s the Defensive Net!¡±


    Just as everyone couldn¡¯t figure out the situation, someone suddenly shouted, and after that, when everyone looked at the Anti-Demon Armor again, they noticed a faint light emanating from the giant armor.


    That light was actually a Defensive Net!


    ¡°Defensive Coating technology?¡±


    Kashu raised an eyebrow at the sight and then turned to look at Denise beside him, with a contemplative look in his eyes.


    The so-called Defensive Coating technology was actually the next generation of Defensive Net technology, aiming to reduce the size of the Defensive Net that needed to be deployed, while strengthening its defensive power. Uranus Corporation was also researching this technology but had not yet made a breakthrough. However, it seemed that Sigma Corporation had made significant progress in this area.


    ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡±


    Ignoring Kashu, Denise once again turned to Rocky, ¡°Although the Anti-Demon Armor doesn¡¯t use Rune Technology, its mana capacity is much stronger than that of the White Demon. Even if you use the Demon Annihilation Cannon, it will be useless.¡±


    Damn!


    When Denise finished speaking, Rocky cursed inwardly as he had also realized this issue.


    The Anti-Demon Armor in front of them may not be using the most advanced Rune Technology, but its massive size was enough to be filled with Medium Magic Stones, no, given the expertise of Sigma Corporation in external Magic Conduction Technology, they could even split and cram a Super Crystal into this behemoth, so in a straight comparison of mana, the White Demon couldn¡¯t possibly win.


    And just as Rocky was stunned by this realization, two huge shoulder-mounted gun ports suddenly popped up on the Anti-Demon Armor, clearly preparing for a counterattack!


    Seeing this, Rocky didn¡¯t hesitate to deploy the Defensive Net.


    Since the new generation White Demon utilized brand new technology, the defensive power of the Defensive Net had been significantly enhanced, so even though the Anti-Demon Armor was rich in magic energy and had a formidable attack power, Rocky had confidence in withstanding its attack.


    But in the next moment, he was shocked!


    Because at the same time he deployed the Defensive Net, flames burst from the gun ports on the shoulders of the Anti-Demon Armor, followed by a series of sounds.


    Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang!


    This sound was not from a magic cannon or a Magic Energy Bullet, nor was it a Magic Energy Beam, but rather¡­


    Solid bullets!


    As the sound erupted, countless solid bullets struck Rocky and instantly penetrated the magic energy defense net he had deployed, hitting the White Demon Armor directly and sending Rocky, hovering mid-air, tumbling backward!

 Chapter 795 - 757 Powerless…

    Chapter 795: Chapter 757 Powerless¡­


    Although Rocky immediately activated the Defensive Net in response to the Anti-Demon Armor¡¯s counterattack, he never imagined that the enemy would be firing actual projectiles!


    With the development of Mana Technology up to today, there are many types of Defense Nets that use it as their source of energy, among which the most powerful naturally is the bi-directional Defensive Net used by Sky City. Although this Defensive Net is formed by Mana, it is almost tangible, able to block any type of attack from the outside.


    Then there are the ordinary Defense Nets, which can only defend against attacks from Mana Weapons. This is the most common type of Defensive Net, used by both warships and Armors, including the White Demon Armor.


    Perhaps some may wonder, if the new generation of White Demon Armor uses the most advanced technology, why doesn¡¯t it use a more sophisticated Defensive Net?


    The reason is simple: there¡¯s no need.


    Void Magic Armor might be equipped with projectile weapons, but it completely lacks the capability to carry ammunition, which means that no Armor would choose projectile weapons as equipment, hence there¡¯s no need for a bi-directional Defensive Net.


    It was for this very reason that when the Anti-Demon Armor fired a barrage of projectiles at Rocky, he was immediately sent tumbling through the air, thrown into disarray!


    To this, Denise could only sigh. She knew Rocky was defiant, but her disbelief was useless.


    In order to develop the Anti-Demon Armor, Denise had used every possible means and resource at her disposal, and she had almost studied every one of Rocky¡¯s battles, trying her best to analyze all the vulnerabilities of the White Demon Armor through these fights.


    In this world, nothing is perfect, and the White Demon Armor is no exception. This Armor is indeed powerful, but even the strongest have weaknesses. For example, in terms of strength, the White Demon Armor is not very powerful due to its excessive pursuit of mobility. That¡¯s why the Anti-Demon Armor was designed to be so huge, to absolutely overpower the White Demon in terms of strength.


    Furthermore, the large size of the Anti-Demon Armor not only allows it to contain a vast amount of Mana but also enables it to be equipped with a number of projectile weapons, which precisely targets the relatively weaker defensive power of the White Demon Armor.


    It was because of this targeted design that Denise could assert with confidence that Rocky stood no chance at all.


    This also gave Denise a small sense of pride and excitement inside, because ever since the White Demon Armor was introduced, it was so stunning that even she had to admit that this Armor was actually more perfect than the Holy Angel, and now, although the Anti-Demon Armor was specifically designed to target the weaknesses of the White Demon, just managing to best it was enough to delight Denise.


    Of course, she also knew that Rocky wouldn¡¯t easily concede, he would definitely make a desperate attempt, but Denise had anticipated everything. All resistance was futile.


    In fact, everything that followed happened exactly as she predicted. After being shot by projectiles from the Anti-Demon Armor, Rocky immediately used his speed advantage to shake off the targeting, causing all the enemy¡¯s gunfire to only roar behind him. Immediately afterwards, he circled over the head of the Anti-Demon Armor, and then began to dive downward.


    As he dived towards the enemy, he also raised the Magic Fang Scythe in his hand!


    In fact, Rocky had also been searching for weaknesses in the Anti-Demon Armor, and he really did find one, the massive size of the Armor made it impossible for it to fly, and this was precisely Rocky¡¯s opportunity. He planned to use the Magic Fang Scythe to slice the behemoth apart, piece by piece!


    Diving with full force, Rocky turned into a white streak of light, and in the blink of an eye, he was close and had maneuvered behind the Anti-Demon Armor. He then raised the charged Magic Fang Scythe and viciously chopped down, targeting its arm!


    Clang!


    As the Magic Fang Scythe descended, a crisp sound was heard¡­


    That sound suddenly silenced everyone, and their eyes gradually widened in shock, because the Magic Fang Scythe, which had been unstoppable and was fully charged, was actually blocked!


    The Anti-Demon Armor did not make any defensive maneuvers, it just took the blow head-on, and the force of Rocky¡¯s strike was so great that it caused the massive Armor to stagger forward a step. Yet even so, the Magic Fang Scythe was stopped and had not cut off the Anti-Demon Armor¡¯s arm, as everyone had imagined it would.


    ¡°How¡­ is that¡­ possible¡­!¡±


    Even Rocky himself had not anticipated this outcome. He never thought that the charged Magic Fang Scythe could be blocked, and contrasting starkly with him was the smile that now appeared on Denise¡¯s face.


    Ever since the Anti-Demon Armor appeared, there had not been a trace of a smile on Denise¡¯s face, because, despite having conducted thorough research and targeted adjustments, she could not guarantee that the Anti-Demon Armor would withstand the White Demon. Why? Because the White Demon¡¯s most powerful weapon was the scythe in its hands!


    The power of the Magic Fang Scythe was universally acknowledged and could not be underestimated by anyone. Anyone who disregarded this weapon could see even the greatest advantage overturned by a single slash. To counter the Magic Fang Scythe, Denise had put a lot of work into the material selection for the Anti-Demon Armor, making a huge investment, and eventually chose an extremely expensive and rare metal: Magic Energy Alloy. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The so-called Magic Energy Metal is a metal synthesized artificially using mana, with extremely high strength, one of the hardest metals in the world. However, this metal is not suitable for building warships or Armors because it is too heavy, making them unable to fly. But the same issue did not exist for the Anti-Demon Armor because it had sufficient mana, and it was not designed to fly in the first place, making it ideal for countering the Magic Fang Scythe.


    Judging from the current results, Denise¡¯s choice was undoubtedly correct, and once the attack of the Magic Fang Scythe was blocked, Rocky really had no more strategies left.


    Indeed, after the Magic Fang Scythe was blocked, Rocky was genuinely stunned, and it was in this moment of daze that the upper body of the Anti-Demon Armor facing away from him executed a swift 180-degree turn, followed by a punch thrown his way.


    A muffled thud was heard as the huge fist struck Rocky, who then flew out like a cannonball, and then with a thud, he hit the wall, nearly breaking through the thick barrier.


    As Rocky, whose fate was unknown, slowly fell to the ground from the wall, everyone in the venue knew that the fight had been decided. Even though Rocky had brought the White Demon Armor into the venue, and even though the White Demon Armor was still strong, faced with the Anti-Demon Armor, he was helpless¡­

 Chapter 796 - 758: A Way to Revive!

    Chapter 796: Chapter 758: A Way to Revive!


    Facing Rocky, who had heavily fallen to the ground, Denise and Ludwig no longer spoke. There was no need for any more pointless talk now, the outcome was already decided.


    ¡°Go capture him.¡±


    Looking at the Anti-Demon Armor, Ludwig issued the order. All they needed to do now was to capture Rocky, and everything would be over.


    Prior to this, Ludwig had also received reports that both Thunderhawk City and the more distant Backhill Village were now under control. Thunderhawk City was now encircled by five massive Sky Cities, with no chance of escape, while Backhill Village was surrounded by three Sky Cities and thousands of warships, similarly leaving no room for resistance. In such circumstances, capturing Rocky would mean he had no chance of a comeback.


    The Anti-Demon Armor, following Ludwig¡¯s command, turned its massive body, but it didn¡¯t move towards Rocky. Instead, it simply extended its hand, and with a loud ¡®bang,¡¯ its gigantic palm was launched like a projectile and snatched Rocky up!


    The weakness of the Anti-Demon Armor was its overly large figure, which made it extremely inconvenient to move. Therefore, Denise designed this function, allowing it to shoot out its hand, and then use the connecting chains to reel it back. In this way, the Anti-Demon Armor hardly needed to move at all.


    Of course, this design wasn¡¯t just for convenience, but to counter the White Demon. Unfortunately, the performance of the Anti-Demon Armor was too eye-catching, and Rocky was defeated before it could reveal its full power.


    Once they had captured Rocky, the Anti-Demon Armor pulled back its hand, dragging Rocky to its front. Then, its massive frame slowly turned around, starting to walk towards the outside of the venue.


    As the Anti-Demon Armor turned, everyone knew that Rocky had truly been defeated this time; he had no possibility of resistance left.


    However, just as everyone thought so, suddenly, the Rocky being held in its hand moved!


    After shaking his head slightly, Rocky was clearly coming to from unconsciousness. Indeed, he had been directly punched by the Anti-Demon Armor and had hit the wall hard, knocking himself out, and was only just waking up now.


    Upon regaining consciousness and finding himself once again captured by the Anti-Demon Armor, he naturally wouldn¡¯t submit without a fight and immediately began to struggle.


    But everyone had seen this scene before, and the outcome was already known. Against the overwhelming might of the larger-than-life Anti-Demon Armor, all of Rocky¡¯s attempts to escape were meaningless.


    However, just at that moment, just when everyone thought Rocky¡¯s resistance would be futile once more, the Anti-Demon Armor, which had been steadily striding towards the doorway, paying no heed to Rocky¡¯s struggles, suddenly stopped in its tracks.


    After stopping, the Anti-Demon Armor turned its head to look at its own palm, at Rocky.


    At that moment, Rocky was pressing both his hands on the back of its hand. Consider how massive the palm of the Anti-Demon Armor must have been to capture Rocky, and how minuscule Rocky¡¯s hands in comparison. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that outsiders might not even be able to see what he was doing.


    Actually, Rocky wasn¡¯t doing much; he was merely pressing his palms against the Anti-Demon Armor¡¯s forearm. However, at the same time, blue runes lit up on his palms.


    With such an inconspicuous little action, the Anti-Demon Armor stopped¡ªthen, to everyone¡¯s surprise, it suddenly threw its hand, sending the securely captured Rocky flying. Immediately after being thrown, Rocky quickly stabilized his figure in mid-air and hovered there.


    What¡¯s going on?


    What¡¯s the problem?!


    Seeing the Anti-Demon Armor suddenly throw Rocky out, everyone was stunned, with Denise on the second floor frowning deeply because only she could see that the Anti-Demon Armor had thrown Rocky out because it had sensed danger.


    With such confusion, Denise quickly looked at the palm of the Anti-Demon Armor and then saw a scene that shocked her: in her view, noticeable chunks of ice had formed on the massive palm of the Anti-Demon Armor, with two fingers frozen together!


    With a snap, the Anti-Demon Armor moved its palm, and the ice that had frozen its fingers shattered, seemingly causing no significant harm, but this scene made it impossible for Denise and Kashu to remain calm.


    Where did that ice come from?


    Why did it appear on the palm of the Anti-Demon Armor and freeze the fingers?


    As the current and future Sect Leaders of the two largest armor-manufacturing companies, Denise and Kashu knew not only how to run a company but also had a profound understanding of Armor. It goes without saying for Denise; she designed the Holy Angel Armor, and the Anti-Demon Armor came from her hands as well. Kashu was no different; the research for the Uranus Corporation¡¯s sixth-generation Armor was under his direction. So when they saw the ice on the fingers of the Anti-Demon Armor, they both thought of one word: Elemental!


    Could this be Elemental Technology?!


    At this thought, Denise¡¯s complexion changed because Elemental Technology wasn¡¯t just the latest technology; it was a concept not yet developed. The level of danger it represented was beyond any current standards of measurement. If the White Demon Armor had this technology, the consequences would be severe!


    In light of this, Denise dared not take any chances and immediately shouted at the Anti-Demon Armor, ¡°Catch him! At once!¡±


    Following her command, the Anti-Demon Armor immediately aimed its palm at Rocky, and then with a bang, shot out, intending to capture Rocky just as before.


    But this time he wasn¡¯t so lucky. The reason Rocky had been caught before was mainly that he had been unconscious, but now he had come to, which meant he was not going to be caught so easily. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, facing the huge palm flying towards him, he merely sidestepped with ease, and then suddenly reached out to firmly grasp the chain connecting the palm to the arm.


    Grasping the thick chain, blue Runes once again lit up on Rocky¡¯s hands. Then the chain he was holding began frosting over at a visible rate¡ªthe white frost spread from his palms outward, becoming thicker and almost instantly coating the chain completely. With a forceful pull backward, there was a snap as he broke the chain made of Magic Energy Alloy!


    The toughness of Magic Energy Alloy certainly could not be broken by sheer human strength, but when frozen by extreme cold, its strength inevitably became brittle, losing its original toughness and resilience.


    As a result, with the chain torn apart, the other end of the palm thudded heavily to the ground¡­

 Chapter 797 - 759: A Clash of Ice and Fire!

    Chapter 797: Chapter 759: A Clash of Ice and Fire!


    The sudden reversal shocked everyone; Denise and Kashu¡¯s mouths fell open slightly, as if they couldn¡¯t believe what they were seeing.


    It was Elemental Technology¡­


    It really was Elemental Technology!


    As Rocky tore the chains connected to the palm of the Anti-Demon Armor, others didn¡¯t understand what was happening, thinking maybe the White Demon was too strong or the chains too fragile, but Denise and Kashu knew what it meant.


    How could chains forged from Magic Energy Alloy be easily torn apart? This could only be the result of Rocky freezing the chains first!


    Not good¡­


    Realizing the White Demon Armor indeed possessed Elemental Technology, Denise¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The Anti-Demon Armor was indeed designed to counter the White Demon, but in the information before this, Denise didn¡¯t know that Rocky had mastered Elemental Technology and applied it to the White Demon Armor, meaning the Anti-Demon Armor had no capability to counter Elemental Technology!


    Thinking this, Denise became somewhat panicked, now unsure whether they could capture Rocky this time.


    At this moment, Denise was really overthinking it; in fact, she didn¡¯t need to confirm whether Rocky could be captured, because by displaying Elemental Technology, it meant he had also used all his tricks, making it impossible for him to be caught.


    Indeed, after disabling one palm of the Anti-Demon Armor, Rocky suddenly flew up high, then raised his hands targeting the Anti-Demon Armor below.


    This scene looked very familiar; Rocky had tried to use long-range strikes to threaten the Anti-Demon Armor previously, but it had already been proven that his remote attacks were utterly ineffective against the Anti-Demon Armor¡¯s Defensive Net, leaving those still clueless about his intentions puzzled.


    Was he going to test the strength of the Anti-Demon Armor¡¯s Defensive Net again?


    Of course not!


    While it seemed to others that Rocky was making a futile attempt, they failed to notice a small detail: this time, when Rocky raised his arms and aimed at the Anti-Demon Armor, the barrels of the Magic Energy Beam Gun did not pop out on his arms; instead, his palms lit up.


    As the runes on his palms lit up again, Magic Energy began to gather in Rocky¡¯s palms, followed by a loud ¡°bang bang bang.¡± He fired several Magic Energy Bullets at the Anti-Demon Armor.


    Although this attack seemed not very threatening, the pilot of the Anti-Demon Armor had never underestimated Rocky and immediately activated the Defensive Coating to ensure absolute safety.


    But the next scene truly stunned everyone, including the pilot of the Anti-Demon Armor, because when Rocky¡¯s Magic Energy Bullets hit, they exploded into a burst of ice flowers, and their landing spots were meticulously chosen¡ªnot on the body of the Anti-Demon Armor, but on its legs. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this situation, several Magic Energy Bullets exploded in succession, the burst ice flowers quickly froze into blocks of ice and connected, actually freezing the feet of the Anti-Demon Armor to the ground.


    As I mentioned before, the Anti-Demon Armor was massive in size and incredibly cumbersome to move. Now with its feet frozen, it was completely immobilized.


    However, one should not underestimate the Anti-Demon Armor, especially the pilot operating this giant armor. Realizing that the feet were frozen, the pilot reacted swiftly, shaking the feet and easily shattering the ice blocks with the armor¡¯s formidable strength.


    Yet, at the same time, Rocky¡¯s attack began. From his palms, he continuously fired Magic Energy Bullets. Without exception, these bullets targeted the legs of the Anti-Demon Armor and exploded into ice flowers. The continuous explosions linked these ice flowers together, forming massive blocks of ice.


    Thus, within a few blinks, the entire lower body of the Anti-Demon Armor was frozen, turning into a massive block of ice. Even with the armor¡¯s immense strength, escaping from this ice was extremely difficult


    What¡¯s more, why would Rocky give it a chance to break free?


    After freezing the lower body of the Anti-Demon Armor, Rocky sped up and flew toward it. Seeing him approach, the Anti-Demon Armor immediately lifted its other hand, with all five fingers transforming into gun barrels, shooting a series of live rounds at Rocky.


    Facing the live rounds once again, Rocky wouldn¡¯t be complacent like before. He stretched out his hands forward and created an Ice Shield in front of him using the low temperature. Then, with a crackling sound, the incoming bullets hit the Ice Shield. Although the shield was riddled with holes, Rocky remained unharmed.


    However, this defense gave the Anti-Demon Armor a chance, allowing it to instantly shoot out its palm.


    With Rocky¡¯s speed, it was almost impossible for the Anti-Demon Armor to catch him directly, but Rocky¡¯s action of using the Ice Shield, although blocking the bullets, had blocked his own line of sight, providing an opportunity for the Anti-Demon Armor.


    The ejected palm quickly reached the front of the Ice Shield and easily shattered it, reaching for Rocky behind it!


    But, it grabbed nothing!


    With Rocky¡¯s combat experience, he certainly knew that raising the Ice Shield would give the opponent an opportunity, but he was precisely waiting for this moment!


    The palm that the Anti-Demon Armor could eject was a concern for Rocky since its strength was too powerful; even a slight touch could hurt Rocky. So, he was actually luring the Anti-Demon Armor to grab at him, and once it missed, the rest would be easy.


    Indeed, the opponent fell for it!


    Grabbing at nothing, the pilot of the Anti-Demon Armor was stunned, and by the time he saw Rocky again, Rocky had already appeared above its head.


    Hovering above the Anti-Demon Armor, Rocky quickly descended and positioned himself on its back, extending his hands towards the Anti-Demon Armor just like before.


    But this time, no blue runes lit up on his palms. Instead, there was a glow of runes on his arms, and they were red. When these red runes flashed brightly, two red tongues of flame sprayed out from his hands, and fierce flames spurted towards the head of the Anti-Demon Armor!!

 Chapter 798 - 780: Only One Person Left!

    Chapter 798: Chapter 780: Only One Person Left!


    The flames ejected by the Anti-Demon Armor enveloped the driver, who saw nothing but a burst of red before his vision blacked out. However, his reaction was quick; he retracted his extended hand immediately and then attempted to grab Rocky off his back.


    But it was impossible at that moment. The intense flames completely blocked the driver¡¯s vision, and compared to the huge Anti-Demon Armor, the White Demon¡¯s speed and agility were incomparable. Under these circumstances, the Anti-Demon Armor could only blindly flail its massive palms overhead but couldn¡¯t touch Rocky at all.


    Dodging the Anti-Demon Armor¡¯s last resistance like a dance, Rocky¡¯s attack did not stop for a moment. The flames he emitted from his palms targeted the upper body of the Anti-Demon Armor, and soon after, they melted the ice on the lower body.


    What did this mean?


    It meant that the high temperature had begun to spread on the Anti-Demon Armor. The intensity of the mana was indeed high enough; however, it was ultimately a metal and metals conduct heat. Thus, as the ice on the lower body melted, the driver operating the Anti-Demon Armor began to sweat.


    In this era, Elemental Technology equated to revolutionary tech, and no one had mastered it, let alone devised a countermeasure. The enormous Anti-Demon Armor had no means to cope with the high temperature of the flames.


    That posed a problem; although the Magic Energy Alloy was strong enough to make the Anti-Demon Armor virtually immune to cuts and stabs, it was helpless against the scorching temperatures. More importantly, even if the Magic Energy Alloy did not melt under the high temperatures, the driver inside couldn¡¯t withstand the increasing heat, deciding the battle¡¯s outcome almost immediately.


    Once Rocky had employed the Elemental Weapon, he was virtually invincible.


    ¡°Help immediately!¡±


    By that time, it wasn¡¯t necessary for Denise to explain as everyone already understood the situation. The unexpected outcome finally caused the hitherto composed Imperial Chancellor Ludwig to grow anxious. Noticing that the Anti-Demon Armor¡¯s struggles were slowing down, he immediately shouted to the remaining three warriors of the Imperial Knight Order.


    In the previous fight, Rocky had killed two of the five Imperial Knights¡¯ Warriors, leaving three. Since the appearance of the Anti-Demon Armor, these three had not provoked Rocky but were on standby, ready to intercept him should he attempt to flee.


    Since the battle had commenced, Rocky had shown no intention of fleeing, rendering the three of them ¡°idle.¡±


    Therefore, upon hearing Ludwig¡¯s command, these three finally sprang into action and charged toward Rocky together, bracing themselves.


    For these three warriors of the Imperial Knights¡¯ Order, today¡¯s battle was exceptionally unlucky, especially now. They were quite aware that charging in was a suicidal move since they hadn¡¯t been able to overcome the White Demon even before Rocky used the Elemental Weapon, and now there were only three of them left with Rocky fully unleashed. Would they stand a chance if they fought again?


    However, a command was a command. As members of the Imperial Army, obedience was paramount, even if the command was to march to their deaths.


    In truth, the three warriors harbored a sliver of hope. Although they couldn¡¯t defeat Rocky, the Anti-Demon Armor hadn¡¯t been thoroughly defeated yet. If they could really entangle Rocky and give the Anti-Demon Armor a chance to breathe, maybe the tide of the battle could still turn.


    With that thought in mind, the three soldiers maxed out the output of their Holy Angel Armor and charged at Rocky from three different directions.


    They were well aware that with the White Demon¡¯s performance, they could never encircle him no matter how fast they burst forth. Rocky would definitely be able to break through or evade at the first opportunity, but that was precisely what they hoped for because if Rocky was forced to retreat, the Anti-Demon Armor could get a chance to recuperate.


    Unfortunately, they were wrong because this time Rocky did not choose to break out but let the three people surround him.


    However, being surrounded by the three people did not mean he was trapped, because just as the three charged towards him, the flames from Rocky¡¯s hands did not cease, and the armor on his shoulders lit up with runes!


    This time, the runes lighting up on his shoulders were colorless but carried an electrical current!


    These were runes capable of generating elemental attacks! Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once the elemental runes on his shoulders lit up, tiny currents of electricity emerged around Rocky as the center, and in the blink of an eye, these small currents intensified into visible bolts of lightning. As if targeted, they split into three streams, striking the approaching Imperial Knights¡¯ Warriors.


    Crack!


    Crack!


    Crack!


    Accompanied by the crackling of thunder, three crisp sounds echoed at the same moment, followed by three figures falling from mid-air onto the ground, exactly the three Imperial Knights¡¯ Warriors who had been struck by lightning!


    Just as the Anti-Demon Armor lacked high-temperature resistance, the Holy Angel Armor lacked electrical resistance too. After being hit by the three currents, the armors might have been undamaged, but the three warriors operating them were instantly stunned and fell to the ground right afterward.


    This scene stunned everyone present. Every person was left open-mouthed, watching Rocky and retreating as far back as possible, fearing injury from the ongoing discharge of electricity.


    Actually, since the beginning of the battle, the bigwigs had already been hiding in a corner. After all, this was a life-or-death struggle with real swords and spears, and any carelessness could be fatal for them, but it must be admitted that these dignitaries had not only high status but unmatched courage, as none of them chose to flee and all were watching the battle unfold.


    But their decision to stay turned out to be correct, because as per the current scenario, they not only witnessed a great battle but also the birth of a new era! Therefore, if there were one sentence to describe those present today, it would be that their attendance was incredibly worthwhile!


    Just as everyone eagerly moved away from Rocky, fearing being affected by him, a loud rumbling noise was heard, and the entire hall shook.


    This feeling was familiar to everyone, as the hall had shaken tremendously when the Anti-Demon Armor descended from the sky not long ago; this time, the battle had the same effect, but it was now caused by it collapsing to the ground!


    Under the relentless blaze, the pilot of the Anti-Demon Armor could no longer bear it and passed out directly inside the armor. With the pilot unconscious, the massive Anti-Demon Armor also crashed to the ground.


    With this massive object falling, Rocky was left as the sole survivor among the Void Magic Warriors in the entire hall!

 Chapter 799: 781: Caught them all...

    Chapter 799: Chapter 781: Caught them all¡­


    After a great battle, the hall of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion was now a mess, with ceilings shattered above people¡¯s heads and the ground beneath their feet pitted and uneven. The wall near the entrance was also severely cracked, as if it could collapse at any moment. Fortunately, the battle had ended, and the victor was undoubtedly Rocky!


    With the Anti-Demon Armor down, whether it was The Three Great Alliances or the two major armor manufacturing companies, they had exhausted all their means. No one could subdue Rocky anymore.


    This outcome was unexpected by everyone, including The Three Great Alliances themselves. They had prepared extensively to target Rocky, even designing a New Armor specifically to suppress the White Demon. Yet, Rocky still had the last laugh.


    Perhaps some might ask, didn¡¯t The Three Great Alliances bring more troops?


    The Three Great Alliances indeed wanted to bring more forces, but don¡¯t forget this was in Eternal City. The Eternal City Committee allowing them to attempt to deal with Rocky at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion was already giving The Three Great Alliances face. If The Three Great Alliances really sent a large force, it is likely that the Eternal City Committee would have intervened decisively to support Rocky, as the Committee also cared about its reputation.


    Thus, with the Anti-Demon Armor and five warriors of the Imperial Knight Order falling one after the other, the battle was declared over.


    But though the battle was over, the matter was far from settled for both Rocky and The Three Great Alliances. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Floating mid-air, Rocky turned his head towards the second floor, which was in much better condition compared to the devastated first floor. Whether it was the Anti-Demon Armor, the warriors of the Imperial Knight Order, or even Rocky himself, they all took care not to let the aftermath of the battle reach the second floor, as the several important individuals upstairs were too important even for Rocky.


    ¡°Sirs, please come with me.¡±


    Turning his head toward the five people on the second floor, Rocky merely smiled slightly, planning to take these five influential figures with him!


    He was actually planning to take these people hostage?!


    Upon hearing Rocky¡¯s words, Ludwig and others¡¯ already grim expressions darkened further. However, it must be admitted that these individuals on the second floor really were important, as despite the unfavorable situation, none of them showed any panic. In fact, not long afterward, Ludwig¡¯s face even revealed a slight smile.


    ¡°Rocky, aren¡¯t you concerned about your Thunderhawk City and Backhill Village?¡±


    Smiling faintly at Rocky, Ludwig confidently said, ¡°You might not know, but right after you entered the hall, we had already sent people to surround Thunderhawk City, and City Lord Rick had already headed to Sky City to attack Backhill Village. So, by now, I guess those places must have been taken?¡±


    After saying this, Ludwig¡¯s smile grew even broader!


    The people like Ludwig were indeed surprised by the current outcome, but as said before, to counter Rocky, The Three Great Alliances had prepared three hundred percent. They targeted not only Rocky personally but also didn¡¯t spare Thunderhawk City and Backhill Village. So, although Rocky seemed to have won, Ludwig and his companions were not scared at all, as they held the bargaining chips Rocky could never abandon!


    Without Thunderhawk City.


    Without Backhill Village.


    Rocky, the city lord, just couldn¡¯t hold out¡ªhe had nothing left. So as long as they could control these two places, what did it matter if Rocky had defeated the Anti-Demon Armor? In the end, he would still have to obey them.


    Indeed, just as Ludwig had said, Rocky was unaware of the situation in Backhill Village and Thunderhawk City. Since he had donned the White Demon Armor and begun battling, he had been unable to contact Liliya and Athena. It was clear that The Three Great Alliances had already blocked mana communications, thus, Rocky was only just finding out his strongholds were under threat.


    However, he soon smiled, showing no sign of panic. Indeed, he landed on the first floor and tore off a long chain connected to the palm of the Anti-Demon Armor.


    ¡°Sorry to inconvenience you high-profile individuals, but come with me.¡±


    Hoisting the chain, Rocky flew to the second floor and without a word, bound all five people, including Denise and Kashu, with iron chains!


    ¡°Rocky! Do you know what you¡¯re doing? You don¡¯t want your city anymore!¡±


    It was beyond belief that Rocky actually dared to tie them up. Representatives of The Three Great Alliances, Ludwig, Adolf, and Simonuo, were just staring wide-eyed.


    ¡°Gentlemen, my Thunderhawk City and Backhill Village are hot potatoes, not so easy to handle.¡±


    After saying this, Rocky did not elaborate further. He grabbed the end of the chain and, as if he was carrying a huge package, he lifted the five people who had been chained together, then reached above his head and fired several shots, blasting a skylight through the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, and flew out with the five people.


    ¡°This Rocky¡­ he¡¯s got some nerve¡­¡±


    ¡°He, he actually kidnapped the chief elders of the Sky Alliance and the Magic Energy Research Institute, and the Chancellor of the Kafka Empire¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, there are also two sect leaders from Sigma Corporation and Uranus Corporation!¡±


    ¡°My God, what is he planning to do!¡±


    ¡°Remember this, we should never mess with this Rocky again, this guy is too tough for us to handle¡­¡±


    Looking up at Rocky, who had already flown out of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, along with the string of hostages he took, the city lords inside the hall exchanged glances, each one¡¯s face a picture of astonishment. They could never have imagined that the situation would turn out like this? Rocky had actually scooped up the leaders of the Three Great Alliances and the two major armor manufacturing companies in one fell swoop?!


    ¡°He¡¯s out!¡±


    ¡°Look!¡±


    As Rocky flew out from the rooftop of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, he noticed that the area below was already filled with the Void Magic Corps. Hundreds of Void Magic Warriors had surrounded the City Lord¡¯s Mansion during his fight, completely sealing it off. However, judging by the equipment and deployment of these troops, they seemed not to belong to The Three Great Alliances, but rather to the troops of Eternal City.


    When Rocky saw the troops below, the Void Magic Warriors also spotted him. And just like the city lords inside the hall, when everyone saw Rocky, especially as he held a string of people with a chain, they were all dumbfounded.


    ¡°Sir, what should we do¡­¡±


    Looking up at Rocky, a Void Magic Captain hurriedly asked the person next to him, who was none other than Aurora, who had previously had a brief encounter with Rocky.


    ¡°My God, he actually did it. He even kidnapped the leaders of The Three Great Alliances¡­¡±


    At that moment, Aurora was also looking up at the sky, just as dumbfounded as everyone else.

 Chapter 800: 782 No One Dares to Stop

    Chapter 800: Chapter 782 No One Dares to Stop


    Rocky looked up at the starry night sky as he soared away from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, dragging a chain of hostages behind him. Aurora was completely dumbfounded by the sight, utterly unable to fathom how things had turned out this way.


    As for Rocky, Aurora had always had high hopes for him; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have made the effort to meet him beforehand. Even considering the most optimistic scenario, Aurora had only hoped Rocky could escape the encirclement laid by the Three Great Alliances unscathed¡ªit would have been miraculous enough to label him extraordinary. But what Aurora hadn¡¯t expected was that Rocky would go to such absurd lengths.


    He not only escaped the Three Great Alliances but even managed to capture their leaders¡ªplus the heads of two major armor manufacturing firms!


    This¡­ This was simply beyond belief¡­ Aurora didn¡¯t even know how to put Rocky¡¯s actions into words.


    ¡°Sir, should we try to stop him?¡±


    As Aurora sat there entirely stunned, the Masked Captain beside him couldn¡¯t help but ask. Their encirclement of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion had two goals¡ªone was to contain the fallout of the battle, and the other was to prevent any irreversible incidents. By now, though, an incident had clearly already occurred.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    When Aurora heard the question, he simply stared in silence. Standing beneath the night sky, he watched Rocky¡¯s silhouette fly farther and farther away without uttering a single word.


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    Seeing his continued silence, the captain pressed again anxiously, only to be met with Aurora¡¯s icy gaze.


    ¡°We¡¯re not enforcers for the Three Great Alliances, nor is Eternal City a member of the alliances. What¡¯s happening between Rocky and the alliances has nothing to do with us.¡±


    With that, Aurora promptly turned around and issued the order for everyone to pull back.


    Still, though they withdrew, Aurora and his men continued to shadow Rocky. After all, they were in Eternal City¡¯s domain, and Aurora wouldn¡¯t outright stop Rocky, but he couldn¡¯t ignore him either. If any further incidents unfolded that threatened the city, Aurora and his troops would be forced to intervene.


    Fortunately, Rocky faced no unexpected problems along the way. Though Rick immediately notified the Three Great Alliances once Rocky left the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, and they swiftly dispatched personnel to intercept him, Rocky remained unaffected.


    Let¡¯s not forget: Rocky wasn¡¯t traveling solo anymore¡ªhe had hostages. And not just one or two; five. With three of them being central figures of the Three Great Alliances, when their forces caught up to Rocky, all he had to do was lift the chain holding the three older men and rattled it lightly. That simple action was enough for the pursuing forces to retreat obediently.


    No one dared gamble with the lives of the Three Great Alliances¡¯ leaders!


    In the end, while Rocky was constantly surrounded, he still managed to swagger straight to Skyport and effortlessly flew out of Eternal City.


    As soon as Rocky left, Aurora and his team on the ground breathed a collective sigh of relief. Once outside Eternal City¡¯s boundaries, whatever happened would no longer be under their jurisdiction, freeing them from responsibility. Including Aurora, everyone relaxed a little.


    On the contrary, once Rocky exited Eternal City, the forces sent by the Three Great Alliances became even more hesitant to act. Forget even minor blunders¡ªthey couldn¡¯t afford any slip-ups where the hostages¡¯ lives were on the line. And considering they were flying at high altitudes, those captives might not survive long irrespective of circumstances.


    Rocky understood these fears all too well. Knowing they wouldn¡¯t dare make a move, he never experienced any sense of trepidation. Whether or not the people he dragged along survived the flight to Thunderhawk City wasn¡¯t something he cared much about. The fa?ade was already shattered, the animosity brutal and beyond repair. There was no room left for mercy.


    That said, Rocky indeed sped up. If there was one thing he still cared about, it was Thunderhawk City.


    ¡°Liliya, what¡¯s the situation?¡±


    As he raced towards Thunderhawk City, Rocky contacted Liliya to assess the current scenario.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They haven¡¯t commenced an attack yet.¡±


    ¡°What about Backhill Village?¡±


    ¡°I just talked with Athena. Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s forces have surrounded the village. They seemed poised to strike earlier, but now there¡¯s been a development that¡¯s holding them back.¡±


    With Rocky unreachable earlier, Liliya and Athena had been exchanging information. Surprisingly, both Backhill Village and Thunderhawk City weren¡¯t in as dire a situation as expected¡ªespecially once Rocky took the hostages. The Three Great Alliances clearly had their concerns.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ve left Eternal City, and I¡¯ve brought some guests along. Get ready; once I¡¯m back, we¡¯ll head straight to Backhill Village.¡±


    Rocky understood Liliya¡¯s report perfectly well, but given the circumstances, he didn¡¯t bother explaining in detail. Once the call ended, he promptly accelerated his flight to Thunderhawk City.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Rocky to reach Thunderhawk City, and the situation was indeed as Ludwig had described. Thunderhawk City was completely surrounded by Sky Alliance¡¯s large-scale flying fortresses. Counting carefully, no fewer than five floating cities had encircled Thunderhawk.


    Deploying five massive aerial fortresses at once signaled nothing less than preparations for an all-out war. The sight made Rocky chuckle darkly. Clearly, the Three Great Alliances took him very seriously, pulling out all stops and discarding any semblance of top-tier dignity.


    But even if they threw all decorum aside, they still couldn¡¯t stop him!


    Within a short time, Rocky made his return to Thunderhawk City¡ªalong with his prized hostages, which he promptly handed over to Liliya.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­ You¡ªYou actually brought them back here!¡±


    Having heard of Denise, Liliya was already stunned, but discovering the identities of the other four individuals rendered her completely speechless. This development was far beyond their plans. They had never anticipated capturing this many prominent figures.


    ¡°Plans change. Just lock them up for now,¡± Rocky shrugged nonchalantly, even managing to feign innocence. Casting his gaze to the shivering figures lying on the ground, he noted their unexpected resilience¡ªwithstanding prolonged exposure in high-altitude flight without perishing was no small feat. Of course, their faces were livid, and their seething glares burned holes into Rocky.


    Rocky didn¡¯t pay them the slightest attention. Turning firmly to Liliya, he asked, ¡°Is the Asura Cannon ready?¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s been fully charged for ages, waiting for your return,¡± Liliya nodded.


    ¡°Good. We¡¯re heading to Backhill Village!¡±

 Chapter 801: 783: Trapped Beast

    Chapter 801: Chapter 783: Trapped Beast


    ¡°Rocky, do you really want to make us your enemies?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t even get out of Eternal City¡¯s airspace right now, and you dare capture us¡ªare you really planning to bury yourself here?¡±


    After a frantic journey, the Great Elder and Chancellor, representing the Three Great Alliances, were both too old to endure the ordeal and could hardly speak anymore. Denise¡¯s face was pale, but Kashu, being young and strong, seemed to be holding up well. When taken away, he still had the strength to direct a fierce roar at Rocky.


    Kashu was on the verge of losing his mind. As the Sect Leader of Uranus Corporation, he had never been subjected to such treatment. Rocky had actually kidnapped him¡ªan act Kashu considered utterly ridiculous. Even the most daring person wouldn¡¯t dare something like this.


    Yet Rocky did exactly that. Not only did he do it, but he also firmly believed he wouldn¡¯t meet his demise here.


    Thus, after glancing at the captured Kashu and the others, Rocky couldn¡¯t be bothered to speak further and simply headed to the Armament Zone with Liliya.


    Very soon, the two of them flew to the Armament Zone and saw Orton, who had been waiting there for quite some time.


    ¡°Teacher, is everything ready?¡±


    ¡°All set¡ªready to fire at any moment.¡±


    Nodding at Rocky, Orton¡¯s face was filled with excitement.


    The Armament Zone now was vastly different from how it had been months ago. Months ago, it had been empty; the vast square contained only two lonely turrets. But today, it was a completely different scene.


    Now, the Armament Zone was bristling with turrets. Thirty imposing turret installations were neatly arranged in formation, resembling thirty towering giants. These turrets were fully charged and prepared to fire at any given moment! sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was precisely the source of Orton¡¯s excitement. Finally, the Sky City Armament Program he had planned and implemented could shine in front of the whole world. No wonder Orton was thrilled!


    ¡°Break out from the southeast direction.¡±


    Seeing that all thirty Asura Cannons were ready, Rocky flew to a high altitude to survey the situation. Thunderhawk City was completely encircled by five large-scale Sky Cities, locked in an ironclad cage.


    This encirclement was akin to an impregnable iron wall. If it were any other Sky City, no matter its size, it would be impossible to escape. But Thunderhawk City was different. Thunderhawk City had been thoroughly armed, transforming it into not just a Sky City but a flying war machine in the sky!


    Thus, Rocky issued his command for Thunderhawk City to advance toward the southeast.


    The southeast direction was chosen because, upon ascending to the skies, Rocky immediately saw Sirius City and decided on this direction. His actual target, however, wasn¡¯t Sirius City¡ªit was a large Sky City next to Sirius City.


    Rocky didn¡¯t recognize this large Sky City but observed that it was even bigger than Sirius City¡ªa veritable giant. He planned to use this Sky City as his breakthrough point, to smash through in this direction.


    With his order given, Thunderhawk City, previously immobilized in the air, sprang into action, immediately raising alarms among the surrounding Sky Cities.


    To be honest, the moment Rocky fled from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, the surrounding Sky Cities had already been alerted. They knew he had kidnapped the Sky Alliance¡¯s Great Elder Adolf. Truthfully, when this news broke, no one believed it. It was already miraculous enough that Rocky escaped from the layers of encirclement, but he went a step further and kidnapped the Alliance Elder¡ªnot just Adolf, either!


    Precisely because of this, the surrounding Sky Cities had been hesitant to act rashly. They were waiting for directives from the Alliance, which had been continuously trying to contact Rocky to negotiate. But Rocky completely ignored them.


    Now, as Thunderhawk City began to move, the City Lords of the surrounding Sky Cities were thrown into a dilemma. What should they do? It would be easy to launch an attack to destroy Thunderhawk City, but could they guarantee the lives of the three captured leaders?


    If they didn¡¯t attack, would they just sit back and watch Rocky escape?


    ¡°Tighten the encirclement! Trap Thunderhawk City in place!¡±


    Soon the City Lords received their orders. They weren¡¯t instructed to attack but were told to imprison Rocky within the enclosure.


    This was indeed a clever tactic. Sky Cities were massive, so without sufficient gaps, it was impossible for Thunderhawk City to break out. By simply tightening the perimeter, Rocky would have no way to escape unless he could destroy one of the Sky Cities to carve out an opening.


    However, neither the Three Great Alliances nor the City Lords considered this remotely possible, so they gave it no further thought.


    The five large-scale Sky Cities began contracting their perimeter, attempting to box Thunderhawk City in. But even so, Thunderhawk City showed no signs of stopping, pressing onward toward the southeast.


    The other City Lords found this move laughable. Did Rocky plan to squeeze Thunderhawk City through the gaps? Or perhaps he intended to go ¡°all-in¡± and crash Thunderhawk City out of the encirclement?


    Both possibilities were utterly absurd¡ªcompletely unrealistic.


    Only Howling Sky thought differently. Having interacted with Rocky for so long, Howling Sky had witnessed too many of Rocky¡¯s miraculous achievements. Therefore, when he saw Thunderhawk City veering toward the neighboring large Sky City, Howling Sky grew cautious and subtly ordered Sirius City to slow its approach speed.


    ¡°Rocky, they¡¯re tightening the encirclement¡ªbut Sirius City seems to have noticed something.¡±


    The activity of the surrounding Sky Cities didn¡¯t escape Rocky¡¯s sight. Liliya quickly grasped their intentions and turned to Rocky.


    ¡°Ignore them. Let them have their moment of satisfaction.¡±


    After saying this, Rocky turned to Orton: ¡°Teacher, are we within range yet?¡±


    ¡°Almost there¡ªjust a little closer. We can¡¯t give them even a sliver of time to react.¡±


    Holding a telescope in hand, Orton kept an eye on the distance.


    Although the Asura Cannons had a range exceeding tens of thousands of meters, the distances between Sky Cities far surpassed that. Moreover, to eliminate any chance of retaliation or escape, Orton insisted on closing in a bit more before launching the attack.


    As Thunderhawk City continued its relentless advance, the City Lords of the surrounding Sky Cities frowned and began deploying their fleets.


    In an instant, warships filled the skies, appearing one after another. The sheer number was overwhelming, akin to a swarm of locusts. Within seconds, their numbers exceeded tens of thousands!


    But these warships were utterly insignificant in Rocky¡¯s eyes. As the enemy unleashed their fleets, the distance between Thunderhawk City and its target shrank to under ten thousand meters. At that moment, Rocky glanced at Orton and said slowly, ¡°Teacher, fire.¡±

 Chapter 802: 784: The Might of Asura!

    Chapter 802: Chapter 784: The Might of Asura!


    Looking at Sky City already in sight, Rocky glanced at Orton and nodded.


    Seeing his nod, Orton immediately picked up the communicator, his face brimming with excitement as he gave the command to the fully charged batteries: ¡°Fire!¡±


    As his order echoed, the muzzles of thirty Asura Cannons lit up with dazzling light one after another. The glow persisted, growing increasingly intense, and only after two or three minutes of accumulation did they finally fire. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With an earth-shattering roar, the first Asura Cannon¡¯s muzzle unleashed a blinding burst of light, followed by the second, third, fourth¡ªuntil all thirty Asura Cannons discharged their stored energy in succession.


    The massive magic-energy projectiles they fired streaked through the air like meteors. Their high energy density rendered them as dazzling as colossal fireballs, capturing everyone¡¯s attention in an instant.


    As previously mentioned, just before Rocky fired the Asura Cannons, the five Sky Cities encircling Thunderhawk City had only just launched their respective fleets. At this moment, tens of thousands of warships hovered in midair, and when the Asura Cannons¡¯ giant projectiles were unleashed, they became a spectacle that all the warship crews witnessed with slackened jaws and widened eyes.


    What¡­ what are those things?


    Faced with the looming gigantic fireballs, the ship crews were dumbfounded. No one knew what they were looking at. In truth, it wasn¡¯t just them¡ªeven the five City Lords, who had left their mansions to oversee the situation personally from the skyports, had no idea what these were.


    ¡°That Rocky¡­ he¡¯s definitely cooked up another new weapon,¡± Howling Sky muttered.


    Though he didn¡¯t know what these fireballs were, Howling Sky, having spent a great deal of time dealing with Rocky, was undoubtedly the person most familiar with him among The Three Great Alliances. The moment he saw dozens of gigantic fireballs emerging from Thunderhawk City, he knew this must be another one of Rocky¡¯s bizarre weapon creations.


    This realization brought Howling Sky a sense of relief. He could clearly tell that, although these enormous fireballs were headed in his general direction, their target was not him but Tiger Swallow City. This eased his worries significantly, for even he wouldn¡¯t dare assume that Sirius City could emerge unscathed when faced with Rocky¡¯s unpredictable arsenal of secret weapons.


    With this in mind, Howling Sky shifted his gaze to the city beside him¡ªTiger Swallow City, the clear target of the Asura Cannons.


    Unlike Sirius City, Tiger Swallow City was one of the oldest and most prestigious Sky Cities within the Sky Alliance. Legend had it that Tiger Swallow City had joined the alliance back when the Sky Alliance was still a modest faction. Over time, it had grown from a small Sky City into a giant metropolitan Sky City¡ªor more accurately, a super Sky City. With a population exceeding 200,000 people, Tiger Swallow City was on a scale that Sirius City couldn¡¯t match.


    A city of this magnitude naturally possessed formidable capabilities in every respect. Without delving into specifics, its deployed forces alone dwarfed Sirius City¡¯s several times over, which was a testament to its immense power.


    At this moment, Tiger Swallow City¡¯s City Lord, like Howling Sky, had also arrived at the skyport and noted the massive fireballs heading straight for his city.


    However, there wasn¡¯t a trace of panic on the City Lord¡¯s face. Instead, he appeared utterly dismissive.


    As mentioned earlier, Tiger Swallow City was a stalwart veteran of the Sky Alliance that had developed step by step from a minor Sky City to its current prominence. The City Lord position had already been passed down through three generations, and the city had weathered so many major events that they were essentially uncountable. As a result, in the eyes of its City Lord, Rocky¡¯s rebellion was nothing more than a petty trick. How could a city as powerful as theirs fear such a clownish attack?


    Thus, the City Lord issued an indifferent order to activate the defensive net, supposedly a mere formality to counter the oncoming attack.


    In truth, even this gesture seemed unnecessary to the Tiger Swallow City Lord. In his view, the fireballs launched by Thunderhawk City wouldn¡¯t even reach the defensive net¡ªthey might not even bypass his deployed fleet. After all, he had dispatched a full two thousand warships, forming an impenetrable barrier in front of the city. At most, those fireballs could strike a few ships but would never pose a threat to the city itself.


    With this mindset, Tiger Swallow City¡¯s City Lord stood calm and unshaken at the skyport. It was at this moment that the Asura Cannon projectiles reached the vanguard of the city¡¯s fleet and, as everyone anticipated, smashed into one of the warships.


    Scoring a direct hit on a ship with the first shot wasn¡¯t a testament to the cannons¡¯ accuracy. The truth was, the cannons¡¯ true target was Tiger Swallow City itself. The reason a ship was struck first lay purely in the fleet¡¯s unfortunate positioning¡ªthe projectiles were massive, and the sheer number of ships made them unavoidable.


    Seeing this, the Tiger Swallow City Lord chuckled dismissively, as it confirmed his expectations: the colossal fireballs would never breach his city¡¯s defenses and were destined to be blocked by his fleet.


    But in the instant of his chuckle, an utterly jaw-dropping moment unfolded. The fireball-like projectile consumed the struck warship entirely upon contact. More astonishingly, the projectile neither detonated nor slowed down, barreling forward toward Tiger Swallow City with undiminished speed.


    All who witnessed this scene were stunned, their eyes widening in disbelief. They watched helplessly as the fireball carved a fiery path through the fleet, consuming every ship it touched. Ultimately, the projectile bypassed the entire fleet and hurtled toward Tiger Swallow City itself!


    Impossible!


    This outcome was beyond everyone¡¯s expectations, leaving even the previously composed Tiger Swallow City Lord utterly dumbfounded.


    Before anyone could even process this shock, the first Asura Cannon projectile struck Tiger Swallow City directly!


    With a deafening explosion, the bewildered Tiger Swallow City Lord was blinded by an intense white light. The impact of the projectile against the defensive net generated a radiance so powerful that neither he nor his soldiers, nor even the city¡¯s 200,000 residents, could open their eyes. Once the light finally subsided, the City Lord raised his gaze toward the defensive net and was stunned to see it rippling violently with wave after wave of energy.


    Anyone with even a rudimentary understanding of Sky Cities knew that their defensive nets were virtually impervious. Typically, no attack could even make the net flinch. However, if a defensive net of this caliber began to ripple so furiously, it could only mean one thing¡ªit had suffered catastrophic damage!

 Chapter 803: 785: Flames Shooting Into the Sky

    Chapter 803: Chapter 785: Flames Shooting Into the Sky


    How could this happen¡­


    Staring at the defensive net overhead, the City Lord of Tiger Swallow City unconsciously opened his mouth wide.


    Though he was somewhat arrogant, he was undoubtedly a genuinely capable City Lord. Upon observing the intense fluctuations of the defensive net, he immediately understood that they were caused by a severe attack. This, however, was exactly what puzzled him¡ªhow could the city¡¯s defensive net react as if critically damaged after just one artillery strike?


    The artillery shells fired by Thunderhawk City couldn¡¯t possibly be this powerful!


    Impossible! Absolutely impossible! There must be something wrong somewhere!


    Thinking this, the City Lord hastily ordered the adjutant next to him, ¡°Quick! Send someone to inspect the defensive net!¡±


    Just as these words left his lips, the second shell fired from the Asura Cannon arrived. Again came a thunderous roar and blinding flash, but this time, the sound was even louder, and the light even more intense. This was because three shells had consecutively struck the defensive net, causing damage several times greater than before.


    Once the thunderous blast and light subsided, the defensive net of Tiger Swallow City trembled even more violently.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Go inspect the defensive net right now!¡±


    Seeing that the fluctuations of the defensive net were becoming increasingly severe, the City Lord of Tiger Swallow City roared at the adjutant nearby. Only then did the adjutant, who had been frozen in fright, finally snap out of it and hurriedly sprint away.


    Up until now, the City Lord of Tiger Swallow City still refused to believe that the tremors afflicting the defensive net were caused by the attack. He stubbornly thought that something must be wrong with the net itself. Although this belief was somewhat obstinate, it was understandable¡ªbefore this incident, there truly wasn¡¯t any force in the world capable of delivering such destructive power.


    In the City Lord¡¯s worldview, the only weapon capable of threatening a Sky City¡¯s defensive net, let alone heavily damaging it with just a few artillery strikes, was the City-Destroyer Cannon. However, the shells from Thunderhawk City were clearly not fired from such a weapon, which reinforced his conviction that the issue lay within his city¡¯s defensive net.


    While the adjutant went to command inspections of the defensive net, dozens more colossal shells fired from the Asura Cannons began raining down. Each shell landed with pinpoint precision upon Tiger Swallow City¡¯s defensive net, creating a series of thunderous booms, as if the skies were filled with an unending cascade of explosions. The net radiated increasingly fierce light, turning the entire city into a blindingly luminous scene, as if daylight had descended.


    Under such concentrated and relentless assault, Tiger Swallow City¡¯s defensive net quickly became critically unstable. The radiant light emitted by the net grew so intense it could blind a person, while the constant impacts echoed with deafening noise that could leave one¡¯s ears ringing.


    ¡°My Lord! There¡¯s nothing wrong with the defensive net!¡±


    At that moment, the adjutant who had been sent out earlier had returned to the City Lord¡¯s side, yelling at the top of his lungs. Upon hearing this, the City Lord immediately turned toward him.


    Nothing wrong with the defensive net?


    Then that would mean¡­ Just as the City Lord arrived at this realization, a sudden crack sounded. The defensive net that had been struggling to hold itself together collapsed instantly!


    Having endured dozens of massive shells fired by the Asura Cannons, Tiger Swallow City¡¯s defensive net could no longer bear the strain and shattered into pieces.


    As the defensive net fragmented, all those stationed at the skyport witnessed two more colossal shells approaching. These final two shells soared overhead and headed straight into the city districts. Moments later, two thunderous explosions erupted, followed by two blazing bursts of light emanating from the city¡¯s direction¡­


    The City Lord turned his gaze toward the Sky City districts, staring at the two blinding bursts of light rising from them. His heart sank. Yet his reaction was swift as he promptly shouted to the people at his side, ¡°Quick! Activate Sky City! Retreat! Retreat out of the encirclement!¡±


    With the defensive net broken, Tiger Swallow City had no means of defending itself. Any subsequent attacks, especially those from the Asura Cannons, would mean total annihilation for Tiger Swallow City. Against the sheer power of the Asura Cannons, without protection from the defensive net, there was absolutely no way the city could endure. Therefore, the City Lord decisively issued the order to retreat from the encirclement and prepare to re-establish the defensive net.


    However, his decision, although correct, was something Rocky would never allow.


    Once Tiger Swallow City¡¯s defensive net was shattered, Rocky and the others stationed in the armed zone erupted into jubilant cheers. Even Orton, normally composed, was as thrilled as a child, nearly jumping with excitement. The destruction of Tiger Swallow City¡¯s defensive net not only opened a path of survival for Thunderhawk City but also proved the feasibility of the City Armament Plan, a cause for celebration for everyone.


    Shortly thereafter, Rocky gave Orton a decisive nod, who immediately relayed new orders to the artillery post: ¡°Begin the next round of charging!¡±


    Following this command, thirty Asura Cannons started their next charging sequence. After more than ten minutes, the muzzles of each cannon began to glow brilliantly once again.


    When the charging was complete, Orton looked toward Rocky, awaiting his signal. For this round of artillery strikes, it would mean more than just breaking Tiger Swallow City¡¯s defensive net. The aftermath of this barrage would see Tiger Swallow City obliterated entirely!


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    Rocky gave Orton a firm nod and issued the order.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    As soon as Rocky signaled, Orton wasted no time, directly transmitting the order via communicator. Then, thirty Asura Cannons unleashed their full fury!


    After the shells were launched, Rocky and the others raised their binoculars to observe Tiger Swallow City from afar.


    While the second round of charging took over ten minutes, during this time Tiger Swallow City had noticeably retreated a significant distance. Additionally, the shells required quite some time to traverse the tens of kilometers to their target. But none of that mattered.


    Tiger Swallow City had not undergone the same type of modifications as Thunderhawk City; thus, no matter how fast its retreat, it could never escape the range of the Asura Cannons. As for the time it took the shells to travel, that was even less of a concern. If the target were a warship, it might have evaded due to the extended flight time. But targeting a Sky City, especially a large Sky City like Tiger Swallow City, was different; no matter how far the shells traveled, their accuracy remained unquestionable. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a few moments passed, Rocky observed through his binoculars as Tiger Swallow City erupted in flames. At first, there was just one flame. But as more massive shells struck, the flames spread and soon engulfed the entire city, illuminating the sky.


    Within these raging infernos, Tiger Swallow City rapidly began to tilt, appearing as though it were struggling to stay airborne. But after mere moments of resistance, it plunged irresistibly toward the ground¡­

 Chapter 804: 786: City-Destroying Machine!

    Chapter 804: Chapter 786: City-Destroying Machine!


    Under the stunned gaze of everyone, Tiger Swallow City slowly tilted in mid-air, the angle becoming increasingly pronounced until it finally plummeted to the land!


    This scene left everyone wide-eyed and open-mouthed. No one had anticipated such a turn of events; some even doubted it was real, hastily rubbing their eyes¡ªonly to find the result unchanged.


    Tiger Swallow City had indeed been sunk, not by a fleet, but by another Sky City!


    This outcome thoroughly exceeded people¡¯s understanding. In everyone¡¯s fixed perception, how could a Sky City possess such destructive power?


    In conventional wisdom, the only roles of a Sky City on the battlefield were resupply and covering retreats. As long as a Sky City remained on the battlefield, troops could return to the city at any time for resupply. If the situation turned unfavorable, they could retreat to the Sky City and rely on its Defensive Net for a final stand.


    Though these roles were significant, they were ultimately auxiliary. A Sky City fundamentally lacked the capability to actively engage in combat.


    But Thunderhawk City¡ªwhat was going on? How did this city manage to use its own firepower to sink a Sky City, particularly an ultra-large one like Tiger Swallow City?!


    It must be understood that sinking a Sky City of Tiger Swallow City¡¯s caliber required an immense effort. First, countless fleets needed to launch relentless attacks on the Defensive Net until it shattered. Only then could an assault on the city itself commence. The time, resources, and manpower required in this process were staggering. Yet Thunderhawk City had shattered Tiger Swallow City¡¯s Defensive Net with just a single round of bombardment, and sank the city completely with a second. This outcome was utterly beyond comprehension.


    The remaining three Sky Cities, however, reacted swiftly, immediately issuing orders to their fleets, commanding them to encircle Thunderhawk City. With Tiger Swallow City¡¯s fall, a breach had opened in the encirclement, creating an opportunity for Rocky to escape.


    But these City Lords underestimated Rocky. They assumed that after sinking Tiger Swallow City, Rocky would surely flee, deploying their fleets to block his route. Yet, Rocky had no intention of running! S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Three Great Alliances had long provoked Rocky with their actions. All of Rocky¡¯s preparations over such a long time were never intended for him to flee in disgrace. Therefore, after Tiger Swallow City¡¯s destruction, Rocky issued new orders: one to have Thunderhawk City fly steadily toward the breach, and a second to begin turning the city.


    In theory, there is no such concept as ¡°direction¡± for Sky Cities in the air, but Thunderhawk City was different. The Asura Cannon was mounted in the western armament region of the city, so continuing the assault required turning the city.


    This process required some time, but it was just enough for the Asura Cannon to recharge for a new round of firepower. Meanwhile, the surrounding enemies were hardly idle. Among the four remaining Sky Cities, aside from Howling Sky¡¯s Sirius City, the other three quickly began closing in on Thunderhawk City. Their fleets, traveling faster, approached and launched an attack just a few minutes later.


    The first wave of forces to engage was Tiger Swallow City¡¯s fleet.


    After Tiger Swallow City¡¯s descent, its fleet temporarily lost command, but it was swiftly taken over by the Commanders of other Sky Cities. At the same time, the Sky Alliance issued new orders, commanding all forces to fire upon Thunderhawk City, break its Defensive Net, and seize the city!


    Rocky had already infuriated the Sky Alliance beyond measure by capturing its Chief Elder Gandalf, sinking Tiger Swallow City, and refusing communication from beginning to end. Not only did several nearby Sky Cities receive orders, but other Alliance-controlled cities in the Eternal City airspace were also mobilized, racing toward Thunderhawk City at maximum speed!


    Undoubtedly, this situation was unprecedented in the history of the Sky Era. Although alliances like the Three Great Alliances had appeared before, no individual had ever dared single-handedly provoke them all. An instance where all major powers of the sky combined their might to target a single city had never occurred.


    But today, that moment arrived!


    ¡°This Rocky¡ªhis audacity is staggering.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not just bold; his power is overwhelming. How did he manage to sink Tiger Swallow City?¡±


    ¡°Today will undoubtedly go down in history!¡±


    Many Sky Cities populated the Eternal City airspace, especially today. When Rocky sunk Tiger Swallow City and the Sky Alliance began encircling him, the City Lords observing from other Sky Cities were left dumbfounded.


    But for Rocky, he no longer cared. How others viewed him¡ªwhether favorable or hostile¡ªwas irrelevant. The only thing he cared about now was making the Three Great Alliances feel pain!


    Confronting the advancing remnants of Tiger Swallow City¡¯s fleet, Rocky commanded the Defensive Net to open. With the net activated, all incoming firepower was blocked outside. However, the fleets were faster than the Skyships, so it wasn¡¯t long before large numbers of fleets closed in on Thunderhawk City and launched fierce assaults.


    Unfortunately, these attacks barely made a ripple against Thunderhawk City¡¯s Defensive Net. Even with thousands of warships firing their main cannons in unison, the result was futile¡ªagainst Thunderhawk City¡¯s Defensive Net, such attacks were akin to scratching an itch.


    After enduring the attacks for some time, all thirty Asura Cannons completed their recharge. Rocky decisively issued the order: all Asura Cannons aimed at another Sky City and fired simultaneously, instantly unleashing their massive payloads.


    Within seconds, the targeted Sky City¡¯s Defensive Net was shattered. Ten minutes later, the second round of cannon fire arrived, and this Sky City descended into ruin.


    The second Sky City collapsed from the skies, its wreckage crashing beside Tiger Swallow City¡¯s remains on the land below¡­!


    But was this enough?


    Of course not!


    Thunderhawk City, after modifications, possessed an abundant reserve of Mana, more than sufficient for extended combat. Without hesitation, Rocky had Thunderhawk City change direction again, pointing the Asura Cannons toward a third large Sky City.


    Twenty minutes later, yet another two rounds of bombardment smashed the third Sky City, sending it plummeting to the ground!


    With the third Sky City¡¯s fall, the previously impenetrable encirclement was now nominal at best. Of the original five large Sky Cities, only two remained, making any effective blockade impossible. Rocky seized this moment to command Thunderhawk City to accelerate fully, charging out of the Eternal City airspace.

 Chapter 805: 787: Escaping Safely

    Chapter 805: Chapter 787: Escaping Safely


    In just one hour, three massive Sky Cities were sunk in succession, not only breaking Rocky¡¯s seemingly impenetrable encirclement but also shocking everyone present!


    The onlookers, especially the spectators without stakes, need not be mentioned¡ªthey were astonished beyond words. As for the surrounding City Lords, their jaws had already dropped to the ground. Thunderhawk City sinking Tiger Swallow City had left them dumbfounded, but who would have thought that this was merely the beginning? Just when everyone assumed Rocky would use the gap created by Tiger Swallow City¡¯s destruction to escape, Thunderhawk City suddenly sank two more Sky Cities in the blink of an eye, thoroughly stunning everyone.


    Compared to the spectators, those City Lords who had received orders from the Alliance and were rushing toward Thunderhawk City as quickly as possible were far from relaxed. Unlike the former, they weren¡¯t left slack-jawed but were instead trembling with fear!


    No one cared anymore about *how* Rocky managed this feat. Every single Sky Alliance member within Eternal City¡¯s airspace now contemplated one singular question: ¡°Am I the next target?¡±


    Under these circumstances, hesitation seeped into everyone¡¯s actions. One by one, the Sky Cities that had initially accelerated toward Thunderhawk unwittingly began to slow down, especially the medium-sized and small Sky Cities. If even large Sky Cities couldn¡¯t survive Thunderhawk City¡¯s two rounds of cannon fire, wouldn¡¯t the mediums and smalls be erased in a single volley? They¡¯d likely cease to exist as soon as Thunderhawk unleashed its guns. Thus, these cities slowed their advance.


    Those Sky Cities farther away benefited from this caution¡ªthey still had time to retreat. By contrast, the unfortunate ones already close to Thunderhawk City weren¡¯t so lucky, especially the two Sky Cities remaining within the encirclement.


    After the fall of the other three Sky Cities, Rocky found himself surrounded by only two remaining opponents: his old acquaintance Sirius City and another unnamed Sky City. The City Lords of these two¡ªespecially the latter¡ªwere under immense stress due to their proximity to Rocky!


    ¡°Quick! Retreat! Pull back immediately!¡±


    The moment the third Sky City plummeted from the skies, the City Lord of the unnamed Sky City issued a retreat command. Now, his Sky City was already pulling away from Thunderhawk as swiftly as possible, looking like a beaten dog running for safety.


    On the other hand, Sirius City held its position¡ªnot because it couldn¡¯t move, but because Howling Sky had given strict orders from the outset of the battle. His directive was clear: Sirius City and its deployed fleet were to remain motionless. No matter how the other cities fought, he absolutely refused to initiate attacks against Rocky.


    Howling Sky truly understood Rocky well. He knew that as long as he refrained from attacking Rocky, the faint bond between them would remain intact. As long as that shred of goodwill existed, Rocky wouldn¡¯t intentionally target him. His gamble paid off.


    When the encirclement had dwindled to just the two cities, Rocky simultaneously directed Thunderhawk City to fly toward the borders of Eternal City¡¯s airspace while ordering the Asura Cannon to continue charging. Once fully charged, another round of fire shattered the defensive net of the unnamed Sky City nearby, forcing it to retreat. Only then did Rocky start to leave; as Thunderhawk passed by Sirius City, no attack ensued.


    In this way, Howling Sky could only watch Thunderhawk glide past his city helplessly. In a daze, it even seemed as though he saw Rocky aboard Thunderhawk looking back at him. Of course, this was just an illusion¡ªbut it was enough to showcase the psychological impact Rocky¡¯s recent actions had inflicted upon Howling Sky. He now lived under the shadow of Rocky¡¯s power.


    As Howling Sky watched Thunderhawk¡¯s silhouette disappear into the distance, an enormous fireball suddenly erupted before his eyes! S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It turned out that another Sky City, already positioned along Thunderhawk¡¯s escape route, had intercepted its path. Without hesitation, Rocky fired upon it. The unfortunate city¡ªmerely a medium-sized Sky City¡ªstood zero chance. A single round of cannon fire shattered its defensive net, and subsequent bombardment obliterated the city entirely in an instant.


    But this wasn¡¯t the only victim. Another medium-sized Sky City appeared near Thunderhawk¡¯s flank. Though it began retreating immediately upon noticing Thunderhawk, Rocky showed no mercy. Once the Asura Cannon finished charging again, it unleashed another volley, reducing the city to nothing but fire and wreckage plummeting to the ground.


    With this, not a single Sky City under the Sky Alliance dared to pursue Thunderhawk. Everyone had come to realize a stark truth: anyone who ventured into Thunderhawk¡¯s firing range would inevitably be greeted with its merciless firepower¡ªno exceptions.


    One single Sky City terrorizing dozens of Alliance-controlled Sky Cities into abandoning pursuit was undeniably yet another miracle Rocky had orchestrated, destined to reverberate across the skies by tomorrow.


    While the Sky Alliance¡¯s members had ceased their pursuit, the Alliance itself wasn¡¯t ready to let Rocky and Thunderhawk off the hook. On the contrary, Thunderhawk¡¯s extraordinary display of strength only further galvanized their desire to capture him.


    Thus, the Sky Cities halted their chase, but each dispatched massive fleets in an attempt to intercept Thunderhawk with warships instead.


    Unfortunately, this plan failed too. Thunderhawk City now boasted not only unmatched offensive power but also impregnable defenses!


    The defensive net of Thunderhawk, enhanced through modifications, far exceeded enemy expectations. Ever since Tiger Swallow City fell, thousands of warships had bombarded Thunderhawk relentlessly, yet its defenses remained completely unscathed.


    Even so, Rocky dared not grow complacent. The Sky Alliance fleets now numbered far more than mere thousands. Every Sky City that had avoided direct confrontation had deployed its entire fleet¡ªa force that had grown to over tens of thousands of warships!


    Faced with such a massive pursuit force, even Thunderhawk¡¯s impenetrable defenses couldn¡¯t guarantee safe passage. Accordingly, Rocky ordered Thunderhawk to retreat at full speed.


    As Thunderhawk accelerated, another of its upgraded advantages came to light¡ªits unparalleled speed, far beyond that of any contemporary Sky City!


    When Thunderhawk flew at full speed, not only could no Sky City keep up, but even the fleets couldn¡¯t match its pace. It wasn¡¯t that Thunderhawk had outpaced warships entirely; rather, when the fleets were deployed, Thunderhawk had already traveled far ahead. With such an enormous initial gap between them, those slower fleets had no chance of catching up.


    Thus, after an entire day and night of pursuit, the few thousand warships closest to Thunderhawk were ultimately forced to retreat. In the end, Thunderhawk succeeded in shaking off all its pursuers completely.

 Chapter 806: 788: The Peril of Backhill Village

    Chapter 806: Chapter 788: The Peril of Backhill Village


    When Rocky returned to Thunderhawk City, Thunderhawk City successfully evaded all pursuers and escaped Eternal City¡¯s airspace, yet Backhill Village was still surrounded¡ªthis had become the only hope for the Three Great Alliances.


    To deal with Rocky this time, the Three Great Alliances had gone to great lengths, not only targeting Rocky individually, but also Thunderhawk City and Backhill Village. As long as any one of these three fell into their hands, it would be considered a victory for the alliances.


    This time, the ones sent to besiege Backhill Village were none other than the two massive Sky Cities of the Catholic Church.


    After Rocky destroyed the Sky Might and Fury Sky Cities, Rick had previously mobilized his forces to take revenge on Backhill Village. However, midway there, they suffered a massive demon attack and heavy losses, forcing him to abandon the plan. Though vengeance was postponed, Rick never forgot this humiliation. When the Three Great Alliances planned an all-out strike against Rocky, Rick proactively volunteered his remaining two massive Sky Cities for the operation against Backhill Village.


    The Heavenly Ancestor Church only controlled five Sky Cities in total. When the Fury and Sky Might Cities were destroyed, Rick was left with merely three cities. Among those, Heavenly Ancestor City was a stronghold of the church and would not act recklessly. Hence, Rick deploying his remaining two Sky Cities could only be described as ¡°putting everything on the line.¡±


    The Heaven¡¯s Commencement and Heaven¡¯s Grace Sky Cities were both massive cities as well, fully prepared for the siege of Backhill Village. Now that Rocky had escaped, and Thunderhawk City had fled, all hopes of the Three Great Alliances rested solely on Backhill Village.


    This was precisely the scenario Rick had hoped for. Losing two massive Sky Cities had already left him seething with hatred for Rocky¡ªhe wished for nothing more than to obliterate Rocky and every force under his command. If Rocky had been captured in Eternal City or Thunderhawk City had been destroyed outright, Rick might not have had the chance to exact his vengeance.


    But the current situation was different. Rocky had led Thunderhawk City to break through layers of encirclement and escape. As a result, all hopes of the Three Great Alliances now rested on Rick. After all, other Sky Cities could not reach Backhill Village in time, but Heaven¡¯s Commencement and Heaven¡¯s Grace had already arrived beneath the village and were ready to attack.


    Given the circumstances, as soon as Rocky and Thunderhawk City escaped, Rick, who was stationed in Eternal City, immediately issued the order for the two Sky Cities¡ªHeaven¡¯s Commencement and Heaven¡¯s Grace¡ªto launch a full-scale assault on Backhill Village!


    According to the original plan, the Three Great Alliances merely intended to control Backhill Village to use it as leverage against Rocky. However, their attitude had completely changed. Thunderhawk City¡¯s merciless slaughter had cost the alliances dearly and thoroughly enraged the three leaders. Hence, new instructions were issued to Rick¡ªto annihilate Backhill Village and wipe out Rocky¡¯s stronghold entirely!


    In an instant, the situation in Backhill Village turned dire.


    Previously, although Heaven¡¯s Commencement and Heaven¡¯s Grace had already arrived over Backhill Village, they had restrained themselves, awaiting higher-level directives. But now, everything was different. Upon receiving Rick¡¯s new orders, the two Sky Cities immediately dispatched their fleets, advancing toward Backhill Village!


    These two massive Sky Cities had long been prepared, and the troops they sent amounted to more than three thousand warships. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some might wonder¡ªdoesn¡¯t this force seem relatively small? After all, a single Sky Might City had fielded nearly two thousand warships last time. Why would Heaven¡¯s Commencement and Heaven¡¯s Grace, going all out, merely dispatch three thousand ships?


    Those who think this way are missing the point. Three thousand warships may not sound like a large number, but these warships weren¡¯t ordinary vessels¡ªthey had been fully upgraded using the latest technology provided by the Magic Energy Research Institute!


    So while the quantity might not be overwhelming, these three thousand warships represented the pinnacle of conventional technology and demanded the utmost respect.


    Meanwhile, on the Backhill Village side, apart from the isolated village itself, only Carltos City remained. Fortunately, Rocky had been forward-thinking¡ªhe not only left Carltos City stationed at Backhill Village but also deployed his entire fleet there, ensuring Backhill Village had some degree of defense.


    Even so, the disparity in strength between the two sides remained immense, reaching a ratio of nearly ten to one.


    ¡°Rocky has returned to Thunderhawk City, and Thunderhawk City has left Eternal City¡¯s airspace and is heading back,¡± Athena stated calmly.


    At the skyport, faced with an enemy fleet already advancing in full force, Athena, who was fully in command, remained as composed as water. After briefly explaining Rocky¡¯s situation, she turned to Felly. ¡°Master Felly, we¡¯re ready to retaliate.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    With a crisp reply, Felly turned and headed toward the fleet. Behind him, a hundred rune battleships were already standing by, fully prepared for deployment. Once Felly boarded the War Steed, the fleet of a hundred warships began lifting off one by one.


    On the opposing side were three thousand upgraded warships, yet Backhill Village could only muster a fleet of slightly over three hundred vessels¡ªmore precisely, three hundred and seventy ships. These represented the entirety of Rocky¡¯s fleet.


    As Felly led his fleet past Carltos City, what lay before him was a sky overflowing with enemy ships that occupied half the heavens. Compared to such a vast enemy force, Felly¡¯s fleet appeared almost laughable in scale.


    However, despite facing an enemy with overwhelming numerical superiority, Felly showed no fear. Neither did any captains or crew members in his fleet. None faltered under the sight of such an army.


    Every captain and crew member had followed Rocky through countless battles; even the newer members hailed from Thunderhawk City and Carltos City. They all harbored profound faith in their fleet. Outnumbered? Outmatched? Where was the fear in that? When had Thunderhawk City¡¯s forces ever held the numerical advantage, and when had they not emerged victorious?


    The record of consistent victories had ingrained a sense of confidence in Rocky¡¯s fleet, making them accustomed to overcoming disadvantageous odds. Instead of feeling apprehensive, they were brimming with confidence, knowing they commanded rune battleships¡ªthe most advanced warships in the world.


    In stark contrast was the fleet dispatched by Heaven¡¯s Commencement and Heaven¡¯s Grace Sky Cities. The forces were led by Goodley, Rick¡¯s most battle-hardened general. Yet Goodley¡¯s expression revealed no complacency¡ªonly a somber seriousness.


    He had no choice but to be cautious; Rocky¡¯s fleet had already produced countless miracles. Chief among them was the sinking of the Sky Might and Fury Sky Cities. This compelled Goodley to take the fleet seriously. Still, after a moment of grim contemplation, he suddenly broke into a smile.


    ¡°City Lord Rocky isn¡¯t here¡ªcan this fleet still manage to win without him¡­¡±

 Chapter 807: 789: The Battle Begins!

    Chapter 807: Chapter 789: The Battle Begins!


    There is no one who dares to underestimate Rocky anymore, the same goes for Goodley. Not only does he not dare to belittle Rocky, but he also quite admires this young City Lord who is at least twenty years younger than himself.


    For this attack, Goodley had carefully studied every air battle Rocky participated in and commanded, and he admires him considerably.


    In his view, every battle commanded by Rocky was well thought out. Although there were still some minor weaknesses, he never made fatal mistakes in any aspect. More importantly, Rocky himself possesses an extraordinary strength capable of changing the course of a battle, which is incredibly rare.


    In the vast majority of air battles Rocky participated in, his command ability could only be described as passable, but his ability to influence the outcome of the battle was too strong. As a Commander, he clearly knew how to win the battle, and as the main force, he had the power to impact the entire situation, which is terrifying. It was for this reason that, after Goodley closely studied all the air battles Rocky commanded, he had to admit it was indeed challenging to defeat him.


    But at this very moment, there¡¯s no Rocky in Backhill Village!


    According to Goodley, the most capable fighter under Rocky is himself, and the best commander is also himself. So, Backhill Village is indeed hard to break into with him around, but without him, the village is without its backbone, and even advanced warships are not enough to rely on.


    ¡°Order the First Fleet and Second Fleet to attack from the left flank, the Third Fleet and Fourth Fleet to attack from the right flank, and the remaining troops to press from the front.¡±


    Looking at the forces led by Felly, Goodley smiled slightly and issued several commands, and under his command, the large force immediately changed. Four hundred warships, after detaching from the main force, drew an arc in the air and approached the enemy from the left, another equally numbered force approached from the right, and then the remaining army slowly advanced from the front.


    It could be seen that Goodley intended to fully use the numerical advantage of his troops to encircle Felly. He indeed had the capital to do so because the small force he sent out alone had a warship count reaching four hundred, exceeding Felly¡¯s total forces.


    And Felly, who had been keeping a close eye on enemy moves, naturally saw all of this and responded accordingly.


    ¡°Deploy War God Escort Ships to intercept from the left flank.¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Contrary to what others imagined, Felly did not choose to concentrate forces on defense, nor did he choose to huddle. Instead, he made what seemed to outsiders to be the most erroneous decision: splitting the forces.


    He sent out one hundred War God Escort Ships, sending this force directly towards the flank, clearly intending to engage them head-on.


    To others, this decision seemed incredibly wrong. The friendly force was already at an absolute disadvantage, yet he divided it further; wasn¡¯t this courting death? More than one person had this thought, including Goodley.


    But they were all wrong!


    Felly dared to split his forces not because he couldn¡¯t command but because he had absolute confidence in the War God Escort Ships. In fact, as the enemy began to move, Felly not only realized the enemy intended to encircle him but also noticed their speed.


    In his view, the enemy seemed to be playing it safe; therefore, the encircling forces from both wings were heavy warships, primarily battleships and patrol cruisers. These classes of warships were naturally formidable, but their speed was not advantageous, at least not compared to smaller Escort Ships, let alone Rune-driven Rune Escort Ships. So Felly chose to split his forces, aiming to disrupt the encirclement before it was completed!


    Thus, under his command, a hundred War God Escort Ships immediately turned and flew towards the flank, showcasing immense speed as they started and proactively approached the enemy.


    ¡°So fast¡­¡±


    Leading the main forces slowly to press forward, Goodley put down his telescope. He also saw the enemy¡¯s division move and sneered at such an act before. However, noticing the enemy¡¯s speed being much faster than expected, he couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    After some thought, Goodley chose to trust the flank troops. This trust wasn¡¯t merely out of faith but also based on judgment.


    First, the numerical gap between the two sides was significant. Felly¡¯s deployed warship count was only a hundred, compared to the four hundred sent by Goodley. In a four-to-one gap, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be disadvantageous.


    Secondly, although Goodley was well aware of Rocky¡¯s rune technology as the trump card, which destroyed both the Fury and Sky Might Sky Cities, the fleet he led had also undergone modifications, using the most advanced technology from the Magic Energy Research Institute. Thus, the gap in technology between the two sides wouldn¡¯t be significant.


    Lastly, in a scenario where they held numerical superiority and the technological gap wasn¡¯t large, the fleet he sent consisted entirely of major battleships and patrol cruisers. Facing merely Escort Ships of the enemy, there was no reason to lose.


    It was due to such judgments that Goodley did not reinforce the flank troops.


    And shortly afterward, the two forces located on the battlefield¡¯s flank officially exchanged fire!


    The first to open fire were naturally the War God Escort Ships. As newly developed warships based on Rune technology, the War God Escort Ships had an extremely long range for their main guns, reaching an astonishing two thousand meters, and their main gun¡¯s power was tremendous, up to 15,000 points. Thus, upon approaching the enemy, they commenced their attack without hesitation.


    In an instant, hundreds of main guns fired simultaneously, and the thick Magic Energy Beams easily shattered the obstructive clouds as they flew towards the enemy, igniting a series of fiery explosions among the enemy forces.


    Undoubtedly, the advantage of main gun range coupled with immense power allowed the War God Escort Ships to achieve quite commendable results in this round of shelling. Dozens of enemy ships were destroyed even before they could fire back.


    Yet such an outcome made Felly, who was focusing on the battlefield, frown. To outsiders, these results seemed satisfactory, but to him, it was disappointing because the War God Escort Ships were cutting-edge and unparalleled in all aspects today, including not just range and power but also targeting systems.


    Therefore, in Felly¡¯s view, after this round of shelling, at least a hundred enemy warships should have been sunk. Why were only a few dozen sunk?


    Something¡¯s not right, something¡¯s very wrong!


    Upon realizing the unsatisfactory results of the long-range attack, a tight feeling gripped Felly¡¯s heart, giving him a foreboding sense of unease.

 Chapter 808: 790: Technology Clash!

    Chapter 808: Chapter 790: Technology Clash!


    After the flanking units of both sides engaged, the War God Battleship utilized its range advantage to take the initiative and launched a fierce barrage.


    Following a round of bombardment, the casualties among Goodley¡¯s dispatched troops were naturally significant, with dozens of warships being sunk without even a chance to fire. However, this result left Felly very dissatisfied, as he believed that with the War God Battleship¡¯s firepower, they could achieve even greater results.


    This cast a shadow over his heart.


    Though Felly always appeared unremarkable beside Rocky, as if his role as Fleet Commander was dispensable, this wasn¡¯t due to Felly¡¯s incompetence but rather Rocky¡¯s brilliance overshadowing him. In reality, after becoming the Fleet Commander, Felly studied relevant knowledge almost daily and tried to summarize experiences from every battle, thus enhancing his capabilities far beyond what outsiders knew.


    Because of this, upon discovering the unsatisfactory results of the War God Battleship¡¯s first barrage, he developed a foreboding sense. As one of Rocky¡¯s trusted aides, he might not understand technology well, but he was acutely aware of its impact in battle. Felly astutely realized that the enemy warships must also be equipped with advanced technology, otherwise, with the War God Escort Ship¡¯s combat strength, they couldn¡¯t have achieved such meager results.


    Indeed, outsiders underestimated Felly because he was absolutely right!


    Goodley¡¯s dispatched fleet indeed carried new technology, such as the interference system, which caused the War God Escort Ship¡¯s bombardment to fall short.


    This interference system could drastically alter the mana fluctuations within the warship¡¯s Defensive Net. Though it offered no direct enhancement to the net itself, it could affect the enemy¡¯s targeting systems, as any targeting system relies on mana locking to function. Once the mana¡¯s fluctuations changed, the targeting system¡¯s accuracy would significantly decrease, thereby diminishing the enemy¡¯s attacks to the greatest extent possible. This was why the War God Escort Ship¡¯s offense was ineffective.


    This interference system naturally originated from the Mana Energy Research Institute.


    As one of the Three Great Alliances, the Mana Energy Research Institute has always been committed to developing mana technology, and thus possesses an extremely rich and advanced technological reserve. Although this technology has evolved from traditional mana techniques and can no longer compare to Rune Technology in development potential, the Mana Energy Research Institute¡¯s longstanding technological reserve is so rich that once they deploy their most advanced tech on warships, they can indeed contend with Rune Technology.


    So today¡¯s battle not only concerns whether the Three Great Alliances¡¯ plans will succeed or if Backhill Village can continue to exist, but it is also a contest of technology!


    This is a top-tier showdown between traditional technology led by the Mana Energy Research Institute and emerging technology spearheaded by a Rune Battleship!


    ¡°Continue the bombardment!¡±


    ¡°Keep firing!¡±


    ¡°Gunners, don¡¯t stop. Don¡¯t give the enemy a chance to approach!¡±


    After a round of shelling, although the results fell short of expectations, the fleet composed of War God Escort Ships did not cease their attack, nor did they lose confidence, because so far they still maintained a range advantage. As long as the opponent couldn¡¯t reach them, they could continue the assault indefinitely.


    Soon, the second round of main gun attacks commenced, and the brief interval between the second and the previous rounds exceeded the enemy¡¯s expectations. This was the advantage of the Rune Battleship: due to the use of Rune Technology, mana was exceedingly abundant, shortening the Magic Energy Cannon¡¯s charging time significantly. Once the attack intervals were reduced, the offensive power naturally doubled. The War God Escort Ship was using this advantage to conduct long-range intensive strikes on the enemy.


    As the second round of main guns fired in unison, the momentum was greater than before, as by this time, a hundred War God Escort Ships had adjusted their formation. The main guns that couldn¡¯t fire during the earlier attack found suitable angles, making the offense even fiercer.


    By the end of the second round of shelling, the flanking unit dispatched by Goodley had already suffered losses exceeding a hundred. Though these warships were equipped with interference systems that maximally affected enemy accuracy, they couldn¡¯t withstand the overwhelming force of the War God Escort Ship¡¯s attack. Each War God Escort Ship was equipped with ten main guns, and when all the main guns on every ship fired simultaneously, it meant a total of a thousand main guns were attacking!


    Such dense firepower couldn¡¯t be stopped by the interference system, or to put it plainly, with such potent firepower as a foundation, the War God Escort Ship didn¡¯t even need to aim accurately; they only needed to fire roughly in the enemy¡¯s direction. A thousand main guns would certainly hit something.


    In this situation, the commander of the enemy¡¯s flanking fleet immediately ordered all warships to speed forward and launch interference shells.


    Once this order was issued, all warships at the fleet¡¯s front line began firing into the air, but what was launched wasn¡¯t Magic Energy Bullets but fireworks-like shells. These shells exploded shortly after being launched, linking with countless others to form a shimmering light screen in the battlefield¡¯s center.


    This light screen looked like mist but was exceptionally bright. As it formed, each War God Escort Ship¡¯s Captain reported that the warship¡¯s targeting systems were completely obstructed, unable to aim at the warships behind the light mist.


    ¡°Idiot! Use your eyes to aim! Order to aim with eyes!¡±


    ¡°Captain, I can¡¯t even see the enemy.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Hearing this, the overall commander of the hundred War God Escort Ships immediately rushed to the bridge to observe the enemy. Indeed, they couldn¡¯t see the enemy¡¯s warships behind the light mist. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Evidently, this was another technology from the Mana Energy Research Institute. The purpose of these special shell-discharged light mists, essentially mana, was precisely to block the enemy¡¯s aim completely and to obscure the fleet¡¯s whereabouts. The opponent¡¯s use of this method at this moment had one simple goal: to cut off the attack while seizing the opportunity to close in.


    With no choice, given the War God Escort Ship¡¯s range advantage and attack power were too strong, relying solely on conventional methods to charge head-on was a losing battle. Therefore, the opponent tried using this approach to close the gap, and once within range, their numerical superiority and modified warships would definitely give them a fighting chance.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    The commander of the War God Escort Ship fleet wasn¡¯t a fool; he immediately understood the enemy¡¯s intentions. However, he didn¡¯t panic but promptly issued an order: ¡°Order the fleet to advance at full speed. If the opponent wants close combat, we will oblige!¡±

 Chapter 809: 791: Reorganize the Ranks!

    Chapter 809: Chapter 791: Reorganize the Ranks!


    The opposing fleet was trying every possible way to close the distance, but the hundred War God Escort Ships did not retreat to maintain separation. Instead, they pressed forward, actively approaching the enemy fleet.


    It had to be said that the commander of these hundred War God Escort Ships was a formidable general. While this choice could hardly be called perfect, or even correct, one thing was crucial: if they could triumph in such a direct, head-on battle, it would enormously boost morale for the entire war.


    After that, the hundred War God Escort Ships all turned their bows and charged toward the light screen in the distance, which loomed like a wall. Naturally, this maneuver shattered the enemy¡¯s expectations. Rather than retreating, the enemy accelerated instead.


    However, with both sides pushing their speeds to the limit, the War God Escort Ships still held a clear advantage. Their incredible velocity allowed them to break into the wall of light before the enemy had emerged from it, and a close-quarters engagement erupted instantly.


    The light screen spanned several hundred meters. Consequently, once both fleets entered the light simultaneously, they came into each other¡¯s firing range. What followed, of course, was an all-out firefight. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In such a moment, no one had the luxury to think. The minds of both sides were consumed by a singular thought: defeat the enemy. Amid this shared determination, the thunderous roar of cannons filled the battlefield immediately.


    Numerically, Goodley¡¯s fleet had a significant advantage. Even after enduring two prior rounds of bombardment, they still maintained a three-to-one margin. As a result, at the outset of the skirmish, their sheer firepower completely suppressed the War God Escort Ships, leaving Backhill Village¡¯s forces without even a chance to retaliate.


    Yet, even under such brutal firepower, the War God Escort Ships suffered negligible¡ªalmost nonexistent¡ªlosses, thanks to the unrivaled strength of their rune-powered defensive nets.


    The defensive net technology was never particularly sophisticated. Its principles were straightforward, and the way to enhance defensive power was remarkably simple: increase the supply of magic energy. As long as there was enough magic energy, the defensive net¡¯s capabilities could be infinitely augmented. It was as simple as that.


    This was precisely the Rune Guard Ships¡¯ greatest strength. Supported by runes, the War God Escort Ships¡¯ defensive nets were as solid as iron walls. Even when each ship faced the concentrated firepower of three enemy ships, the defensive nets held firm, leaving not a single ship sunk.


    As long as the ships weren¡¯t significantly destroyed, the War God Escort Ships could maneuver with flexibility. Instead of hastily returning fire, the hundred Escort Ships withstood the enemy bombardment and began rearranging their formation.


    We must highly commend the commander who issued this order, as it was astoundingly correct.


    At the helm of this fleet of one hundred War God Escort Ships was Commander Watt. Now in his forties, Watt was one of the earliest captains in Thunderhawk City. In fact, he had served as a captain here even before Rocky became the City Lord.


    Back in those days, Watt was merely the captain of a reconnaissance ship. At that time, Thunderhawk City didn¡¯t even possess any warships. After Rocky became City Lord, he methodically expanded the fleet, growing its size step by step. During this period of growth, Watt ascended from a humble reconnaissance ship captain to a warship commander. Finally, half a year ago, on Felly¡¯s recommendation, he was appointed commander of this hundred-ship fleet of War God Escort Ships.


    Watt¡¯s command skills were, at best, average. However, he possessed one glaringly outstanding quality: self-awareness.


    ¡°Know yourself, and you will win a hundred battles,¡± the saying goes. Watt may not excel at understanding the enemy, but he knew his own forces inside and out. His grasp of the fleet¡¯s every detail was so meticulous that it bordered on obsessive. This trait consistently allowed him to make the correct decisions in battle.


    For instance, just now, because Watt had such thorough knowledge of the War God Escort Ships¡¯ defensive capabilities, he dared to order the fleet¡¯s aggressive advance. Now, knowing the enemy would not be able to inflict severe damage in the short term, he withheld the order for immediate melee engagement and instead opted to regroup under heavy fire.


    This decision was undeniably pivotal. In any battle, formation is critical. However, in this kind of close-quarters combat, it¡¯s rarely possible to reorganize a formation. Why? Because the enemy would typically annihilate their opponents before such reorganization could occur.


    Yet, this battle defied convention. It was not that the enemy lacked the intent¡ªit¡¯s just that they couldn¡¯t do it!


    No matter how fiercely the enemy fired, the War God Escort Ships successfully regrouped under the onslaught, realigning into an impeccable, battle-ready formation.


    As the fleet completed its assembly, Watt issued the command to open fire. What followed was a level of firepower far exceeding the enemy¡¯s expectations.


    A hundred War God Escort Ships, each equipped with fifty secondary cannons, with each cannon boasting a firepower rating of 3000 units. When these hundreds of cannons unleashed their volleys simultaneously, the resulting scene defied description.


    In an instant, Goodley¡¯s fleet felt as though a torrential rainstorm had descended upon them. A deluge of shells rained down, and although every captain immediately ordered their defensive nets activated, the opponent¡¯s firepower was too overwhelming.


    The battleships and patrol cruisers had strong defensive nets, capable of withstanding most hits from standard secondary cannons¡ªeven those with 3000 firepower. However, a single net could block one shell, but could it block a hundred? And if those hundred shells, each with the same firepower, hit simultaneously, could the net still hold?


    The answer was, of course, no. No matter how strong the defensive nets of the battleships and cruisers were, they were utterly incapable of withstanding such concentrated firepower.


    And this was precisely the advantage of formation-based attacks. Once the fleet established a cohesive formation, its firepower could be concentrated for maximum effectiveness. This eliminated the inefficiencies associated with individual skirmishes and fully exploited the War God Escort Ships¡¯ strengths.


    As a result, once Watt gave the order to counterattack, enemy warships were sunk one after another. Even their once-intense bombardment began to dwindle significantly.


    Moreover, the secondary cannons had much faster recharge times compared to the main cannons. Thus, mere minutes after the first volley, the War God Escort Ships launched their second round of attacks. Then came the third, the fourth¡ªone wave after another of relentless barrages. Under this sustained onslaught, it was easy to imagine what would become of the enemy.

 Chapter 810: 792: The Troops Encircle

    Chapter 810: Chapter 792: The Troops Encircle


    The battle on the light screen was unclear to outsiders, so both Goodley and Felly were extremely anxious.


    Compared to Goodley, who held an absolute advantage in military strength, Felly was clearly more urgent and worried. He was already certain that the enemy warships were equipped with highly advanced technology. From the skirmishes on the flanks, he could tell that both the interference system and the interference shells causing the light screen disturbance were technologies he had never heard of before. These were undoubtedly new advancements.


    Under such circumstances, it was impossible for Felly not to worry. After all, the forces under his command were limited. If his War God Escort Ships truly lost, even if they merely fought the enemy to a draw, this battle would already be decided¡ªthey would inevitably lose!


    Time ticked by second by second. Both sides¡¯ main fleets continued to move, but their attention was no longer on each other. Instead, it was focused entirely on the light screen. Both hoped their respective fleets could endure until the end.


    As time passed, the light screen finally dissipated bit by bit. Goodley and Felly immediately picked up their binoculars and carefully observed the scene, producing starkly different expressions.


    Goodley furrowed his brows tightly, while Felly exhaled a sigh of relief.


    Following their gaze, they saw that the War God Escort Ships¡¯ formation remained intact, whereas the 400 warships Goodley had dispatched were completely annihilated!


    The War God Escort Ships had won!


    ¡°Relay the orders¡ªhave the Escort Ship fleet flank the enemy¡¯s main fleet.¡±


    ¡°Order the entire fleet to accelerate and follow the Escort Ships¡¯ pace!¡±


    Seeing his Escort Ship fleet win, Felly wasted no time celebrating and quickly issued new commands. On one hand, he ordered the Escort Ship fleet to flank the enemy, and on the other hand, he directed his main fleet to follow their movements. This maneuver would result in a ¡°circular¡± positioning against the enemy.


    Upon receiving the orders, Watt immediately instructed the fleet to accelerate at full speed from the flank towards Goodley¡¯s main fleet. Meanwhile, Felly¡¯s main fleet deployed its defensive net, advancing rapidly while dodging artillery fire from the right flank.


    As previously mentioned, Goodley had aimed to encircle Felly from three directions¡ªleft flank, right flank, and the front. While the left flank forces engaged in battle, the right flank forces were already closing in on Felly¡¯s fleet and had even started firing.


    Faced with this situation, Felly demonstrated decisive action. Although his main fleet was the backbone of his force, comprising 100 Rune Destroyers, Rune Battleships, Rune Patrol Cruisers, and even a Floating Aircraft Carrier, he did not recklessly opt for direct combat. This was because as the right flank enemy approached, Goodley¡¯s main fleet was also closing in. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Confronted with an enemy main fleet boasting over a thousand warships, even Felly¡¯s confidence would not allow for a direct confrontation¡ªit would be unthinkably foolish. Thus, he decisively chose to avoid the enemy¡¯s strongest advantage. Importantly, he had the capability to do so, thanks to the Rune warships¡¯ significant speed advantages over conventional warships.


    Although the forces under Goodley¡¯s command had undergone modifications to slightly improve their speed, these improvements were mere incremental changes compared to standard warships. Rune warships, on the other hand, offered a transformative leap in speed. As a result, once Felly issued his orders, his main fleet quickly moved out of the enemy¡¯s artillery range. Coupled with the protection of the defensive net, they suffered no losses.


    This put Goodley in a difficult position. The Rune warships¡¯ speed advantage prevented him from quickly forming an encirclement. If he failed to trap the Rune warships, Felly would undoubtedly continue to leverage his fleet¡¯s superior speed and range, employing guerrilla tactics. In the process, Goodley would not only lose the benefit of his numerical superiority but also turn into a sitting duck, slowly worn down by the opponent.


    ¡°I never expected that Rocky¡¯s subordinates would include someone who knows how to fight¡­¡±


    Realizing Felly¡¯s strategy, Goodley couldn¡¯t help but nod in admiration. To rapidly assess the battlefield situation and leverage one¡¯s advantages to create favorable conditions amidst such intense combat demonstrated Felly¡¯s command prowess, earning Goodley¡¯s recognition.


    However, as one of the Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s most formidable generals, Goodley was no pushover. He quickly devised a counter-strategy.


    ¡°Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Fleets, intercept the enemy Escort Ship fleet. Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Fleets, engage the enemy main fleet head-on. Meanwhile, Fourth and Fifth Fleets will continue pursuing their main fleet and must rendezvous with Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Fleets as soon as possible to encircle the enemy¡¯s primary forces. All other units are to converge towards the enemy¡¯s main fleet as well.¡±


    Felly wanted to rely on speed and range to execute guerrilla tactics, but Goodley wasn¡¯t about to grant him that opportunity. He immediately split his forces into four groups. One would intercept the Escort Ships to prevent harassment, while the remaining three¡ªincluding his own forces¡ªrapidly approached Felly¡¯s main fleet from multiple directions to create an encirclement. As long as one group managed to pin down Felly, even temporarily, the encirclement would swiftly form.


    Goodley¡¯s rapid response and strategic acumen were undeniably top-tier. Not only did he immediately decipher Felly¡¯s intent, but he also formulated a countermeasure in the shortest possible time, leveraging his numerical superiority to limit the enemy¡¯s movement range and forcing Felly into a decisive confrontation!


    Although aerial battles might appear limitless, the actual battlefield was far from infinite. Goodley seized upon this fact, deploying a massive number of units to approach the enemy from various directions, leaving them with no escape route. This effectively forced Felly¡¯s plans to fail and dragged him into Goodley¡¯s tempo.


    Evidently, in terms of battlefield experience and judgment, Goodley was clearly more seasoned.


    Following his orders, the previously concentrated forces immediately dispersed, with several fleets advancing toward the enemy from diverse directions.


    ¡°Excellent!¡±


    Had it been any other commander, facing such a large-scale encirclement from the enemy would undoubtedly induce a furrowed brow. The enemy¡¯s advantage lay in their numerical superiority¡ªa factor nearly impossible to counteract. However, Felly was different. Upon realizing the enemy¡¯s intent, he put down his binoculars and enthusiastically clenched his fist, as though he had been anticipating this moment.


    Not only that, but he promptly issued an audacious command: ¡°Dispatch the destroyer fleet to block the enemy¡¯s intercepting force.¡±


    ¡°Send the patrol cruisers to deal with the pursuing enemies behind us.¡±


    ¡°The remaining forces will follow me to engage the enemy¡¯s main blocking fleet. Additionally, instruct the Void Magic Corps to prepare for action!¡±


    Facing the enemy¡¯s encirclement, Felly made a series of extremely bold decisions¡ªhe, too, opted to divide his forces!

 Chapter 811: 793: The Only Chance of Winning

    Chapter 811: Chapter 793: The Only Chance of Winning


    In the face of the enemy¡¯s massive encirclement, Felly chose to divide his forces for a counterattack!


    Under his command, thirty patrol cruisers immediately turned their bows and flew back in the direction they had come from, heading directly toward the enemy fleet that had previously flanked them from the right and was now in pursuit.


    At the same time, a unit of one hundred destroyers split off from the side and moved directly toward the enemy fleet that had flown out, attempting to flank them from the side.


    After the two units broke off successively, the main formation where Felly was positioned shrank significantly. Now, he was left with only thirty Rune Battleships, a floating mothership, and one hundred modified Rune warships led by the War Steed.


    However, despite the reduction in surrounding forces, the task ahead of Felly was undoubtedly the most challenging, as he would now lead these remaining forces to confront the enemy¡¯s main fleet head-on!


    In truth, his strategy was simple: capitalize on the superior quality of his forces to dismantle the enemy fleet piece by piece!


    Why was Felly so excited when Goodley chose to encircle them? Because the enemy¡¯s decision to divide their forces to surround him was his sole opportunity to claim victory in this grand battle!


    Against an enemy fleet of three thousand ships, a direct frontal confrontation was absolutely out of the question. Even though Rune warships had exceptional individual advantages, such strengths would be nullified by the sheer number disparity.


    Thus, the only path to victory lay in finding ways to force the enemy into dividing their fleet, then dismantling them unit by unit¡ªgradually reducing their numbers. Only through this approach could the opportunity for triumph be found.


    This was precisely the reason why Felly feigned a guerrilla strategy. In reality, he dared not truly adopt such tactics, because if he did, the enemy might simply ignore him and advance directly to attack Carltos City or Backhill Village. If that happened, he¡¯d be in dire straits, as neither Carltos City nor Backhill Village had undergone the upgrades necessary to withstand a concentrated assault from a thousand warships.


    Fortunately for Felly, Goodley was unaware of this critical vulnerability. If he had known, he might have opted for a different method to force Felly into direct confrontation. Instead, Goodley was intent on employing the most conventional strategy to annihilate Backhill Village¡ªa tactic that, though not inherently incorrect, was simply inappropriate in this particular scenario.


    ¡°Accelerate forward!¡±


    After dispatching the separate units, Felly turned to Uncle Wil and issued the order, commanding the War Steed to move at full speed as excitement rarely seen on his face surfaced.


    For Felly, commanding and engaging in battle aboard the War Steed was a long-standing dream, as he had previously always directed operations aboard the Ranger ¡ª the War Steed belonged to Rocky.


    As the War Steed began accelerating at full throttle, it soon charged to the front of the fleet, becoming the spearhead of the entire formation. This maneuver was evidently fraught with danger, as the farther forward one advanced, the more likely they were to become a primary target¡ªan especially enticing one at that.


    Sure enough, noticing the War Steed¡¯s bold advance, Goodley¡¯s fleet took immediate notice, with all the warships on the vanguard aligning their weaponry to target it.


    ¡°What¡­ what is that¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that a Defensive Net?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­¡±


    However, just as the enemy ships aimed their weapons at the War Steed and prepared to fire, everyone was momentarily dumbstruck.


    Before their eyes, the War Steed was suddenly surrounded by a dazzling sphere of light, so intense that it was nearly blinding.


    This scene left everyone momentarily stupefied, as nobody could understand what it was. It seemed like a Defensive Net, but they had never witnessed one so radiant before.


    Normally, even the Defensive Nets of Rune warships appear as faint glows¡ªperceptible yet always hazy and intangible. But the War Steed was entirely different now; its emitted light seemed solid, as if a tangible barrier were wrapping around the entire ship.


    ¡°Stop staring! Fire! Fire quickly!¡±


    The captains of the warships were momentarily shaken by the War Steed¡¯s unexpected transformation, but their reactions were much steadier than those of their crew. They quickly regained their composure and urged the gunners to fire without hesitation.


    This was followed by deafening cannon blasts, as shells launched from the enemy¡¯s main guns flew at the War Steed. Most struck their target with precision, a testament to the accuracy of the enemy fleet¡¯s upgraded targeting systems.


    Yet despite the high accuracy, dozens of direct hits from the enemy¡¯s main guns were completely absorbed by the War Steed¡¯s solid barrier, leaving it unscathed!


    The massive attack seemed like nothing more than bouncing marbles, entirely neutralized by the War Steed¡¯s shield!


    The sight left everyone utterly stunned. These were volleys from main guns! Not even the formidable Defensive Nets of Rune warships could fully withstand such intense bombardment, let alone without even a ripple on the shield¡¯s surface. But the War Steed effortlessly blocked all incoming devastation without a single disturbance!


    How was this possible?


    This was not only possible¡ªit was a reality!


    The barrier enveloping the War Steed was indeed a Defensive Net, but it was no ordinary net. Instead, it was a substantial shield formed entirely through advanced Mana¡ªa true physical barrier! S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Rocky¡¯s exclusive flagship, Orton and his team had equipped the War Steed with the same level of advanced technology as the White Demon Armor, incorporating the most groundbreaking Rune Technology available. Though it retained the name ¡°War Steed,¡± every component of the ship, down to the last screw, had been completely transformed. Like the White Demon Armor, this flagship was an unparalleled masterpiece.


    Take the War Steed¡¯s current defensive barrier, for example; this represented the latest evolution of Defensive Nets, pioneered under Orton¡¯s leadership. Recall the combat test conducted when the War God Escort Ship first arrived in Thunderhawk City: Rocky had ordered the War God Escort Ship to fire upon the War Steed, frightening Archimonde. Even then, the War Steed was already equipped with this superior barrier, rendering it completely immune to attacks¡ªa capability demonstrated again today.


    Despite the ferocity of the enemy main guns, their salvo was far weaker compared to the War God Escort Ship¡¯s full-force assault during testing. As such, the War Steed once again emerged completely unscathed.


    ¡°Prepare the Sky-piercing Cannon! Aim at the densest cluster of enemy ships!¡±


    After the enemy¡¯s round of shelling concluded, Felly took a deep breath and turned to shout toward the towering cannon mount in the rear. Upon hearing his command, the War Steed¡¯s sole main gun began charging energy, while its massive barrel slowly adjusted its angle to lock onto the area where the enemy ships were most concentrated.


    ¡°Fire!¡±

 Chapter 812: 794: Cooking Without Rice

    Chapter 812: Chapter 794: Cooking Without Rice


    With Felly¡¯s command, the fully charged Sky-piercing Cannon adjusted its barrel. Immediately following, a deafening boom echoed, as a massive shell was launched!


    The enormous sound instantly spread across the entire battlefield, making the crew aboard thousands of warships feel as if they had heard a thunderous rumble. Even though the crew on the War Steed had been thoroughly prepared, they were still shaken and thrown about by the blast. The recoil it generated pushed the entire War Steed back tens of meters.


    Before Rune Battleships had truly become widespread, the Sky-piercing Cannon aboard the War Steed was always the Thunderhawk City Fleet¡¯s most formidable main cannon. With a staggering power level of over 10,000 points, it had played a pivotal role in many critical battles.


    But now, with the widespread use of Rune Battleships, the Sky-piercing Cannon¡¯s impact was no longer as remarkable. Even the main cannon of the Martial God-class Escort Ship already surpassed 10,000 power points, reaching 15,000 points. The firepower of other Rune Battleships¡¯ main cannons was even greater, putting the Sky-piercing Cannon at risk of obsolescence.


    Fortunately, Orton and his team had performed a comprehensive upgrade of the cannon, particularly over the past two months. Following the installation of the Asura Cannon, Orton had applied the latest modifications to the Sky-piercing Cannon, elevating it to the same tier as the Asura Cannon.


    It¡¯s important to note that the Asura Cannon is a siege weapon capable of shattering Sky City¡¯s Defensive Net within just tens of shots. If the Sky-piercing Cannon achieved such power, its impact on the battlefield would be self-evident.


    And indeed, as the Sky-piercing Cannon roared, an enormous fireball hurtled straight toward the fleet commanded by Goodley, targeting the most densely packed area of warships. This scene mimicked one that had previously occurred in Eternal City. Against the incoming massive shell, while all warships along its path activated their Defensive Nets immediately, the nets were like paper before the colossal shell¡ªeasily torn apart. The shell continued its relentless path, obliterating countless warships along the way.


    It was nearly impossible to estimate how many warships were destroyed in this shot. All one could say was that every ship along the straight line was gone¡ªat least thirty to forty vessels! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The forces commanded by Goodley had never seen such devastation. It wasn¡¯t just the ordinary crew members; even Goodley himself had never encountered a weapon of such ferocity. As they stood in stunned silence, the War Steed advanced rapidly, closing within a range of over a thousand meters, where all its secondary cannons opened fire simultaneously!


    Firing secondary cannons at a distance of over a thousand meters was undoubtedly a testament to their modified range. Without such modifications, it would have been impossible to achieve such a feat. In fact, every secondary cannon aboard the War Steed had been runified into Magic Energy Cannons. Their range now matched traditional warships¡¯ primary cannons, and their firepower was equally comparable. Each secondary cannon boasted a power level exceeding 5,000 points.


    Under the aggressive barrage of these numerous secondary cannons, two battleships quickly succumbed. As their Defensive Nets shattered, they sank almost instantly.


    However, the aggressive charge of the War Steed also resulted in it attracting an overwhelming amount of enemy firepower. Despite its possession of a Defense Barrier¡ªa top-tier protective measure¡ªFelly was forced to reduce its speed significantly, allowing the following fleet to catch up before pressing forward again.


    After this, the main forces of both sides began a full-scale confrontation!


    The Backhill Village forces, led by the War Steed, showed no intention of employing any flanking tactics. Given their numerical inferiority, maneuvering around their opponents was unrealistic. Thus, upon closing in, they charged head-on into the fray, engaging the enemy in the fiercest exchange of fire.


    As for their tactics, Goodley had little room to maneuver and could only respond with direct confrontation. Leveraging his numerical superiority, he attempted to completely encircle the enemy.


    In truth, Goodley could already see through Felly¡¯s strategy. It seemed as though Felly intentionally sought such close-quarters combat. He had planned to rely on the superior individual capabilities of his warships to engage in this chaotic battle. Under Felly¡¯s command, the entire fleet had the ferocity of a rampaging beast, throwing itself at the enemy with reckless abandon, forcing Goodley to play along with his tempo, whether or not he wished to.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s see who can hold out until the end!¡±


    Realizing Felly¡¯s strategy, Goodley, despite his overwhelming numerical advantage, refused to retreat. He not only met the enemy head-on but also dispatched the Void Magic Corps!


    Two hundred Void Magic Warriors flew out in formation from the warships, entering the battlefield.


    Some might wonder why Goodley only deployed two hundred Void Magic Warriors¡ªsuch a scale for the Void Magic Corps was hardly impressive. But this wasn¡¯t Goodley holding back; with the battle already at this stage, there was no more reason for concealment. The simple truth was that he had no more forces to deploy. Rick had only provided him with two hundred Void Magic Warriors.


    The strength of the Heavenly Ancestor Church was undoubtedly immense, but no matter how great an organization, it could not withstand endless attrition!


    Consider all that the Heavenly Ancestor Church had endured over the past year. A year ago, they committed two Sky Cities in an attempt to surround Backhill Village, only for Rocky to completely annihilate both cities along with all their troops. This devastating loss had already severely weakened the Heavenly Ancestor Church.


    Following that, Rick, in a bid for revenge, rallied not only his own forces but also ten additional Sky Cities to mount a united offensive against Backhill Village. Yet, by sheer misfortune, they encountered an attack by Demons. Under the fierce assault of the Demons, they suffered yet another heavy loss, forcing Rick into half a year of silence.


    During those six months, while the Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s forces gradually recovered, these recovery efforts paled compared to their prior incessant losses. Thus, even though Rick had deployed the Heaven¡¯s Commencement and Heaven¡¯s Grace Sky Cities along with considerable forces this time, he didn¡¯t send many Void Magic Warriors. Warships are replaceable, but fallen Void Magic Warriors cannot be regenerated by simply acquiring a new set of armor. Cultivating a qualified Void Magic Warrior requires time, and with the Third Counter-Offensive War looming, Rick simply couldn¡¯t afford the loss of his Void Magic Corps; otherwise, he¡¯d be sidelined for the upcoming offensive!


    This was precisely why Goodley had only sent out two hundred Void Magic Warriors¡ªhe simply couldn¡¯t field more.


    As soon as Felly realized the enemy had dispatched the Void Magic Corps, he immediately issued a command. His own Void Magic Corps, already primed aboard the floating mothership, took to the skies.


    With both sides deploying their Void Magic Warriors, the battlefield reached peak chaos, and predicting the outcome became nearly impossible.

 Chapter 813: 795: Beam Machine Gun!

    Chapter 813: Chapter 795: Beam Machine Gun!


    Goodley had been extremely confident about this grand battle beforehand. First, he had an absolute advantage in numbers. Second, apart from the numerical superiority, he believed that after the modifications by the Magic Energy Research Institute, the quality of his warships wouldn¡¯t lag too far behind. Lastly, and most reassuringly, Rocky wasn¡¯t here in Backhill Village.


    But now, Goodley no longer had that confidence.


    The power of the Rune Battleships far exceeded his expectations. Even though his warships had also been upgraded by the Magic Energy Research Institute, their combat effectiveness still couldn¡¯t rival the Rune Battleships. This negated Goodley¡¯s dual advantages in number and quality, leaving only his edge in commanding capabilities.


    However, based on the performance since the start of the battle, Felly¡¯s command might not be deeply experienced, but with such an overwhelmingly powerful force at his disposal, Felly could command with unrestrained boldness. Decisions that would have been obvious errors under normal circumstances, in this case, became feasible and even pivotal in turning the tide of the battle. This completely caught Goodley off guard.


    For instance, right now, Felly had the audacity to charge a fleet of several hundred warships directly into an army of thousands of warships. Such an act would be suicidal in any other battle, but in this one, it had become his sole hope for victory!


    The current battlefield was essentially divided into four parts: the confrontation between the main forces was one battleground, the conflict involving the War God Escort Ship units was the second, the engagement of the Magic Panther Destroyer units formed the third, while the fight led by thirty patrol cruisers became the fourth. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Among these four battlegrounds, although Felly had already spread out his limited forces, Goodley had done the same. He had deployed over a thousand warships to the two other battlegrounds as well. While his main force still comprised over a thousand warships, such dispersal of forces inevitably weakened the strength of his main force.


    As a result, if any of the other three battlegrounds faced a problem, such as being entirely wiped out, Goodley¡¯s primary forces would be in grave danger. If the thousand warships he had dispatched were slaughtered, his main force alone would have no chance of securing victory.


    This was the situation Felly had been striving for all along¡ªit was his only chance of winning this battle.


    However, such a scenario also subjected Felly to enormous risks. While the battles at the other locations were manageable, his command on the main front was exceptionally precarious. After all, he was tackling an enemy force of thousands of warships. If his main force could not withstand the pressure and was instead annihilated, then this battle would entirely slip out of his grasp.


    Goodley sent his Void Magic Corps precisely for this reason!


    Goodley had already realized that trying to decide victory purely through warship combat was incredibly challenging. At best, it might result in mutual destruction; to annihilate the opposing side completely was nearly impossible due to the sheer strength of the Rune Battleships.


    However, no matter how powerful the Rune Battleships were, they were still warships, inherently vulnerable to Void Magic Warriors. As long as his Void Magic Corps could strike a decisive blow in this battle, victory would still be within Goodley¡¯s grasp.


    While this reasoning was sound, executing it was a monumental challenge, especially since Felly also had Void Magic Corps within his fleet!


    Not only did Felly possess a Void Magic Corps, but he also had a Floating Aircraft Carrier specifically designed to support them. Even more importantly, every Void Magic Warrior under his command was equipped with Rune Armor!


    Under his orders, the Void Magic Corps led by Sandro immediately launched from the Floating Aircraft Carrier, quickly closing in on the battlefield.


    ¡°Everyone! The Heavenly Ancestor Church has no forces left to call upon. Victory will inevitably belong to us!¡±


    Leading ten Void Magic Corps units into the inferno of the battlefield, Sandro swiftly locked onto his target¡ªthe opposing Void Magic Warriors. Observing their numbers, he sneered coldly and bellowed into the communicator.


    As one of the earliest Void Magic Warriors under Rocky¡¯s command, Sandro had participated in countless battles, large and small, witnessing every imaginable scenario. A force of two hundred Void Magic Warriors was not only unimpressive to him but even seemed somewhat paltry.


    Under these circumstances, he immediately instructed his troops to adopt their customary formation. The Void Magic Warriors clad in Thunderhawk Armor spread out into a long, snake-like formation, resembling an impenetrable wall blocking the enemy¡¯s advance.


    Faced with Backhill Village¡¯s Void Magic Corps, the Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s forces had no choice but to engage; otherwise, they would never pose a threat to the Rune Battleships.


    Thus, the two hundred-strong Void Magic Corps instantly launched a charge, sprinting at breakneck speed toward Sandro¡¯s units.


    ¡°Stay calm! Steady your aim, and wait until the enemy is close before opening fire!¡±


    Standing at the forefront, Sandro kept a close eye on the approaching enemies while constantly using the communicator to steady his troops. The Void Magic Warriors behind him were all recruits gathered before the destruction of Sky Might City. Although they had undergone over a year of training, they had participated in only one real battle. They were still far from maintaining absolute composure on the battlefield and required Sandro¡¯s continuous reassurance.


    Under his constant encouragement, all the Void Magic Warriors raised their Magic Energy Machine Guns. Clearly nervous, none of them pulled the trigger prematurely.


    In the blink of an eye, the Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s Void Magic Corps had closed the distance, drawing within 300-400 meters.


    This range was already within firing distance, yet Sandro still refrained from ordering an attack.


    Moments later, the distance shrank further, down to 200 meters. At this range, not only was it well within the effective range of the Magic Energy Machine Guns, but even the enemy could use their Magic Energy Cannons to strike. And indeed, they began to do so.


    ¡°Deploy the Defensive Net!¡±


    As sporadic shots came their way, Sandro ordered his Void Magic Warriors to activate their Defensive Nets. However, he still did not give the command to attack. Not until the enemy closed to within 100 meters, preparing for their final charge, did he finally issue the order!


    ¡°Fire at will!¡±


    At his command, the restless Void Magic Warriors behind him immediately pulled their triggers. In an instant, waves of Magic Energy Beams poured down on the enemy like torrents of raindrops!


    Beam Machine Guns!


    It was only after Sandro commanded the attack that the Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s Void Magic Warriors realized that the Thunderhawk Armor¡¯s weapons had been upgraded. They no longer wielded Magic Energy Machine Guns capable of firing Magic Energy Bullets, but instead wielded the significantly more powerful Beam Machine Guns!

 Chapter 814: 796: Go for Broke

    Chapter 814: Chapter 796: Go for Broke


    The ten full squads of Void Magic Warriors unleashed a combined volley, using the highly powerful beam machine guns. The result was as devastating as expected.


    The Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s Void Magic Corps had already advanced close, reducing the distance between the two sides to less than a hundred meters. However, faced with the overwhelmingly fierce suppressive firepower of the beam machine guns, the Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s Void Magic Warriors immediately suffered heavy casualties.


    Sandro managed to stay calm and waited until the enemy approached within the hundred-meter range before ordering the attack. His reasoning was clear: he knew better than anyone the potency of the beam machine guns. He was also the most experienced warrior on this battlefield, so he understood that they must never let the enemy realize the beam machine guns¡¯ overwhelming firepower too early. Otherwise, the enemy would avoid direct confrontation and opt for dispersed guerrilla tactics. If this happened, the Void Magic Corps¡¯ advantage of intensive firepower and cohesive offensives would be nullified. More importantly, if guerrilla warfare broke out, their side wouldn¡¯t just lose its numerical superiority¡ªthey would also be outmatched in individual combat strength. In that situation, the outcome of the battle would be unpredictable.


    Considering all this, Sandro waited for the enemy to close in before initiating the attack. In doing so, he ensured that the enemy wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to retreat. Of course, this strategy carried significant risks since, if the beam machine guns proved less effective than anticipated and failed to inflict devastating damage promptly, the formation he commanded could be overrun in an instant, plunging Backhill Village¡¯s Void Magic Corps into a dire crisis.


    Fortunately, the newly developed beam machine guns did not disappoint. As torrents of beams rained down on the enemy, the Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s Void Magic Warriors deployed their defensive nets immediately. However, the high firing rate of the beam machine guns, combined with the much greater destructive power of the magic energy beams compared to magic energy bullets, overwhelmed the nets. The defensive webs shattered repeatedly under the relentless barrage, and one Void Magic Warrior after another was struck out of the sky in swathes.


    In response to the dire situation, the Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s subsequent Void Magic Corps scattered immediately to evade the bombardment. Yet despite this, they still suffered heavy losses, with at least five squads of Void Magic Warriors felled in the first round of attacks¡ªlosing a quarter of their forces.


    As the enemy dispersed, Sandro promptly ordered a formation adjustment. The original snake-like single-line array split in the middle, forming two rows that pressed tightly back-to-back. These two rows aimed their guns at the scattered enemy forces.


    Under such formation adjustments, the Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s Void Magic Corps had virtually no place to flee. Their only option was to retaliate as best as they could amidst the relentless onslaught.


    To their credit, the enemy was doing their absolute best under the circumstances. Ordinary Void Magic Warriors engaged in long-range exchanges with Backhill Village¡¯s troops, while the squad leaders utilized the superior capabilities of their special armors to charge forward, attempting to break open the formation and even change the tide of the battle through individual combat prowess.


    This highlighted the Void Magic Warriors¡¯ biggest advantage over warships: no matter how advanced a warship might be¡ªeven the pinnacle War Steed with its cutting-edge technology¡ªit couldn¡¯t single-handedly turn the tide in a battlefield. But Void Magic Warriors could, a fact Rocky and other Void Magic Warriors knew well, and which the Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s Void Magic Corps clearly intended to exploit now.


    However, while the idea was sound in theory, it couldn¡¯t hold up in practice, especially when it came to dealing with elite squadrons. Backhill Village had those too!


    True, top Void Magic Warriors like Rocky, Liliya, and Monte were no longer at Backhill Village, but Sandro, Dusa, and Robin were. Downplaying their contributions would be a grave mistake. In terms of combat experience, they were in no way inferior to anyone. Their armors, which integrated the first-generation White Demon Armor, were equally formidable. Hence, their combat abilities matched or even exceeded their adversaries¡¯.


    When the enemy attempted to disrupt the formation with individual combat, Sandro and Dusa immediately charged out to intercept them. Following closely behind, Robin and the other squad leaders joined the fray.


    With this, the enemy¡¯s last sliver of hope was extinguished.


    The Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s squad leaders were indeed strong, but Sandro and his team weren¡¯t weaker. On top of that, while trying to fend off Sandro and the others, these squad leaders also had to face the concentrated firepower of Backhill Village¡¯s ten full Void Magic squads. Under such dual pressure, how could they possibly hold up? After all, they weren¡¯t equipped with White Demon Armor.


    Not long after, the Heavenly Ancestor Church¡¯s squad leaders began falling one by one, plummeting from the sky like angels with broken wings. Witnessing this, the remaining squad leaders had no choice but to retreat, leaving them with no alternative but to engage in guerrilla skirmishes against Sandro and the Backhill Village Void Magic Corps.


    Although this forced Backhill Village¡¯s Void Magic Corps into a reactive posture¡ªthey couldn¡¯t fully exert their strength¡ªthe Thunderhawk Armor wasn¡¯t yet powerful enough to completely disregard the enemy City Lord¡¯s influence. Even so, Felly¡¯s fleet didn¡¯t particularly need their assistance.


    While the Void Magic Corps clashed, the primary fleets of both sides did not cease fire. In fact, noticing their Void Magic Corps trapped in a difficult fight, Goodley immediately ordered his fleet to accelerate forward, forcing the battle from long-range exchanges into a melee phase. Through this maneuver, he attempted to disrupt Felly¡¯s formation and minimize their firepower.


    Even so, it was still futile.


    The Rune Battleships¡¯ individual combat prowess posed no fears against any form of close-quarter battle. When melee fighting broke out, Goodley realized his miscalculation: he had assumed the enemy¡¯s combat strength would drop as their formation collapsed. Yet reality proved otherwise. In fact, the Rune Battleships revealed their true potential only after entering this stage of battle.


    During the previous phase, with the fleet in a phalanx formation, collective firepower was indeed powerful, but individual Rune Battleships didn¡¯t operate at their fullest potential. For example, some rear-positioned battleships could fire their main cannons, yet their secondary cannons remained idle. Once melee combat started, once the battleships came under enemy encirclement, those previously-unused secondary cannons began fulfilling their roles. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Each Rune Battleship initiated all-out attacks after deploying its defensive net, eliminating the need to maneuver positions. Faced with enemies coming from all directions, the battleships merely needed to fire at full capacity.


    Yet, it must be acknowledged that despite this, Goodley¡¯s fleet still maintained an overwhelming numerical advantage. Though his forces had taken considerable damage earlier, their numbers remained dominant.


    As time passed and the melee persisted, Goodley finally caught a glimpse of hope for securing victory: Rune Battleships had begun suffering losses!

 Chapter 815: 797: Powerless to Redeem the Situation

    Chapter 815: Chapter 797: Powerless to Redeem the Situation


    When a quantitative change reaches a certain level, it triggers a qualitative change.


    Goodley truly lived up to the reputation of being the most capable and battle-hardened general of the Heavenly Ancestor Church. When he realized that the exchange of fire yielded no advantage, and the Void Magic Corps failed to make any real impact, he opted for the simplest yet riskiest strategy to end the battle: dragging the fight directly into the decisive stage, a chaotic melee.


    As soon as the melee began, the troops under Goodley¡¯s command encountered the terrifying power of the Rune Battleships firsthand. A standard Rune Battleship could easily fend off four or five enemy warships, while the War Steed turned out to be beyond outrageous¡ªthis ship alone encircled over a dozen enemy vessels and even chased them madly across the battlefield. The scene was utterly shocking.


    Under such circumstances, not just Felly but even Goodley¡¯s adjutants were utterly disheartened. They were convinced that victory was no longer possible in this battle.


    However, over time, the scenario began to change. As more and more of their warships were destroyed, the Rune Battleships started to show signs of strain.


    Finally, a Rune Battleship succumbed to the bombardment of nine surrounding enemy ships. Its Defensive Net was shattered, and moments later, a series of shells struck the hull, turning it into a burning ball of fire.


    This seemed to serve as a signal, announcing that the Rune Fleet commanded by Felly had also reached its limit. Only then did everyone understand Goodley¡¯s strategy¡ªhe was using the silence of his own warships to secure ultimate victory in this battle!


    ¡°Who the hell is this guy¡­¡±


    As his Rune Battleships began to suffer casualties, Felly, still rampaging across the battlefield, couldn¡¯t help but mutter. He had to respect the enemy commander¡¯s resolve, using the destruction of his own ships to push Felly¡¯s fleet to its limits¡ªit was brutally effective!


    At this point, Felly couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. He knew very well that his fleet was in an absolute numerical disadvantage. While no losses were sustained initially, once the tide turned and warships started falling, the disparity in numbers would widen drastically. More critically, the morale would crush instantly. In such a battle where the few faced the many, a collapse in morale spelled total doom.


    Thus, Felly decisively ordered the War Steed to accelerate and take on a more fearsome, dominating presence on the battlefield in an effort to boost his side¡¯s morale.


    This effort, however, was deemed futile by Goodley. He admitted that the War Steed was indeed an unbeatable warship¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call it the ¡°White Demon¡± of warships¡ªbut could a single ship alter the entire tide of battle?


    No, it couldn¡¯t!


    Just as Rocky couldn¡¯t single-handedly defeat a thousand Void Magic Warriors¡ªhe¡¯d simply exhaust himself to death!


    Therefore, Goodley paid no mind to the War Steed¡¯s increasingly fierce rampage. In his view, once the other Rune Battleships were wiped out, the War Steed would simply become a toothless tiger. When the thousand-strong fleet focused their bombardment upon it, could it still stay afloat?


    But just at this moment, when Goodley began to feel confident in securing victory, his adjutant delivered a report that made his heart sink.


    ¡°Commander! The Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Fleets have been annihilated!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, Goodley, who had remained calm and composed until now, turned noticeably pale.


    In truth, he had prepared himself for the possibility that the detached forces might not return safely¡ªor rather, he knew they were highly unlikely to survive. However, this didn¡¯t matter much, as long as the dispatched fleets managed to buy enough time for him to eliminate the enemy¡¯s main forces. Once that goal was achieved, he could lead his remaining forces to reinforce other battlefronts and secure victory in the overall campaign.


    But never had he anticipated that the hundreds of warships he had sent out would be wiped out so quickly!


    As he reeled from this shocking development, another adjutant rushed up to him: ¡°Commander! The Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Fleets have been annihilated!¡±


    ¡°Commander, it¡¯s bad news! The Fourth and Fifth Fleets have also lost contact!¡±


    Two adjutants reported one after another, and the news was universally grim¡ªevery fleet sent to other fronts had been annihilated!


    This created a massive problem because, with all battles on the other fronts concluded, Felly would soon receive reinforcements on an unprecedented scale. All his dispatched warships would regroup and re-enter the fray in a short amount of time, which meant the hard-won advantage Goodley had earned at such a great cost was bound to vanish completely.


    It was over¡­


    Upon learning of the total defeat on the other fronts, Goodley let out a quiet sigh. Experienced as he was, he fully understood that he now had no chance of winning. Once the Rune Battleships from the other fronts joined forces, their morale and numbers would peak again, making victory utterly impossible for Goodley¡¯s forces.


    ¡°Issue the order¡ªbegin retreat¡­¡±


    With a deep sigh, Goodley was forced to give the command for retreat. It was the correct decision at this point in time. Since he still held an advantage against Felly¡¯s forces here, retreating now was possible. But if he chose to keep fighting, the arrival of enemy reinforcements would render retreat impossible.


    As the fleet¡¯s highest commander, Goodley¡¯s order was efficiently carried out by the fleet, which began an orderly withdrawal, slowly disengaging from the battle.


    Seeing this, Felly made no effort to pursue. He too was reaching the end of his strength, and had it not been for the other fronts¡¯ overwhelming victories, this battle would have been lost outright.


    Watching the retreating enemy fleet slip away, Felly finally exhaled in relief¡ªit was over.


    On the other side, after exiting the battlefield, Goodley didn¡¯t look for another chance to strike. Instead, he promptly sought out the City Lords of Heaven¡¯s Commencement and Heaven¡¯s Grace and persuaded them to retreat immediately.


    Even in defeat, Goodley remained cool-headed. He was already aware that Rocky was heading back, as well as the insane series of strikes Thunderhawk City had carried out in the Eternal City airspace, destroying six Sky Cities in a row. Goodley wasted no time convincing the City Lords of Heaven¡¯s Commencement and Heaven¡¯s Grace to pull out, reasoning that if they waited until Thunderhawk City returned, their Sky Cities would merely add to Thunderhawk¡¯s war record.


    Though reluctant, the City Lords of Heaven¡¯s Commencement and Heaven¡¯s Grace ultimately chose to withdraw, leaving the Backhill Village airspace the very next day.


    With Goodley¡¯s defeat and the retreat of Heaven¡¯s Commencement and Heaven¡¯s Grace, the last hope of the Three Great Alliances to subjugate Rocky was utterly extinguished. This campaign against Rocky ended in complete defeat!

 Chapter 816: 798: Crushing Defeat

    Chapter 816: Chapter 798: Crushing Defeat


    With the retreat of the Heaven¡¯s Commencement and Heaven¡¯s Grace Sky Cities, the crisis in Backhill Village was officially resolved. Yet, this was not the most significant event. The most critical outcome was that, with the Heavenly Ancestor Church forces withdrawing from Backhill Village¡¯s airspace, the Three Great Alliances¡¯ concerted efforts to target Rocky came to a complete collapse.


    Total defeat!


    The capture of Rocky failed, the siege of Thunderhawk City failed, and the assault on Backhill Village failed. Each failure proved that the overall action of the Three Great Alliances ended in complete disaster. This was something no one had anticipated, but it ultimately transpired.


    A week later, Thunderhawk City safely returned to Backhill Village, formally declaring its victory to the world.


    This declaration required no propaganda; in truth, by the time Heaven¡¯s Commencement and Heaven¡¯s Grace retreated a week earlier, everyone already knew that Rocky had won. And not just a simple victory¡ªthis was a comprehensive triumph against the Three Great Alliances, devastating every opponent beyond recovery.


    At the same time, Rocky¡¯s victory forced people to reassess their opinions of him. This was not a case of lucky survival; he had overwhelmed every adversary with absolute strength, which was the key factor and the most notable point.


    First, the White Demon Armor.


    The battle in Eternal City compelled the world to reevaluate this top-tier piece of armor. In a previous confrontation, the White Demon Armor showcased abilities far exceeding expectations, especially its elemental capabilities, which left everyone dumbfounded. This was cutting-edge technology no one had yet mastered!


    Second, Thunderhawk City. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While the White Demon Armor¡¯s performance was within the bounds of some people¡¯s predictions, Thunderhawk City¡¯s accomplishments completely defied everyone¡¯s expectations. Thunderhawk City¡¯s solo achievement of annihilating six Sky Cities left people bewildered. How could a single Sky City possess such formidable offensive power? How was it possible to do this without employing a City-Destroyer Cannon? How had this been accomplished?


    Amid these questions, people soon recalled Orton¡¯s urban armament plan from years prior, finally realizing the profound impact of its completion. No one had anticipated that, with this plan enacted, a Sky City could become so overwhelmingly powerful.


    Finally, we return to the recurring topic: Rune Technology.


    The battle at Backhill Village completely demonstrated the terrifying extent of Rune Technology¡¯s potential when fully applied. Whether it was Rune Battleships or Rune Armors, the combat effectiveness exhibited surpassed the current era, making contemporaneous equipment seem obsolete¡ªeven the technologies from the Magic Energy Research Institute were left far behind.


    Combining these three points, people ultimately arrived at a shocking conclusion: this era was on the brink of transformation. Revolutionary advancements in technology were fundamentally reshaping the world, and the one holding the key to this new epoch was none other than Rocky!


    Now, Rocky commanded an arsenal of groundbreaking technologies¡ªbe it Rune Technology, Elemental Technology, or the city armament plan. Each innovation could be described as transcending its time. It was no exaggeration to say that Rocky presently stood at the forefront of this era, the man atop the crest of the wave.


    As a result, no one dared to underestimate Rocky anymore.


    Prior to this, although everyone knew Rocky possessed exclusive Rune Technology, his forces were considered too small¡ªmerely comprising two Sky Cities and one Backhill Village¡ªand could not compare to truly top-tier forces. Many believed that once the Three Great Alliances acted, Rocky and his domains would be obliterated in an instant, without any chance to resist.


    Yet Rocky countered those assumptions with decisive, resounding blows, leaving his detractors utterly humiliated. Now, no one dared to claim his forces were insignificant or unworthy. How could they, when two major Sky City armies were nearly annihilated, forcing them to flee in disgrace; when Thunderhawk City single-handedly eradicated six Sky Cities; when a single White Demon Armor left everyone speechless?


    Thus, after these events, no one dared to belittle Rocky anymore, nor did anyone dare provoke him. It was no exaggeration to say that after this, Backhill Village¡¯s airspace became a forbidden zone¡ªwithout Rocky¡¯s permission, no one would dare approach.


    Yet, even so, this matter wasn¡¯t entirely resolved, because Rocky still held hostages!


    Consider this carefully: Rocky really did have quite a few hostages in his custody. From Zuluo, captured early on, to the three Great Elders and two prodigies later apprehended, there were now six prominent individuals imprisoned in Thunderhawk City. Every one of them was a dominant figure in their own right¡ªpeople whose mere appearance could spell trouble¡ªand yet they had all been taken by Rocky as his captives.


    Adolf, Simonuo, and Ludwig were the three leading figures of the Three Great Alliances. Their capture was something the Three Great Alliances could not possibly ignore. Meanwhile, Denise and Kashu, two top-level leaders in the Armor Domain¡¯s manufacturing circles, were equally critical. Even Zuluo, though relatively lower in status compared to the others, was still the son of Rick, which made him an influential figure in his own right.


    This situation had already caused a worldwide sensation. No one had imagined Rocky daring to seize these major figures all together. Consequently, what seemed to be a concluded spectacle would undoubtedly continue to unfold. Everyone eagerly watched how the Three Great Alliances and others¡ªand Rocky himself¡ªwould handle the aftermath.


    Thus, how to deal with these six individuals became a critical issue Rocky needed to address. Fortunately, he had someone by his side adept at managing such situations¡ªAthena.


    With Athena¡¯s brilliance and resourcefulness, it was apparent that she had expertise in handling matters like these. Therefore, upon returning to Backhill Village, Rocky immediately summoned her for advice on the matter. After all, capturing figures like Kashu was a rather unexpected move, and having so many prominent individuals concentrated in Thunderhawk City left Rocky feeling uncertain.


    To Rocky¡¯s surprise, Athena advised him to remain calm. Not only did she assert that capturing these individuals was advantageous, but she encouraged him not to rush into actions concerning them. Instead, she suggested he attend to his other affairs first and wait until everything else was arranged before deciding their fate.


    Clearly, Athena already had a plan¡ªor at least ideas¡ªon how to handle or leverage these hostages. Seeing this, Rocky felt reassured. He decided to ignore the hostages for now and began focusing on his other endeavors.

 Chapter 817: 799: The Rage of the Masses Is Hard to Quell

    Chapter 817: Chapter 799: The Rage of the Masses Is Hard to Quell


    With Athena supporting him, Rocky no longer concerned himself with the hostages whose mere mention could shake the entire world. He began to focus on handling his own affairs.


    Although he and Thunderhawk City hadn¡¯t suffered severe damage in this grand battle, the troops stationed at Backhill Village and who had experienced the battle faced significant losses.


    Therefore, Rocky first commended all the Fleet¡¯s officials, starting with Felly. Almost everyone, from the Commander and Captain to the ordinary crew members involved in the battle, received praise, before he proceeded to reorganize the troops.


    There¡¯s no other way¡ªafter a major battle, the Rune Battleship troops have also suffered considerable losses, especially among the original troops.


    The so-called original troops refer to those left over from the battle with Sky Might City. These battleships were all ordinary warships transformed into Rune Battleships. Despite undergoing numerous renovations over time, they ultimately couldn¡¯t compare to genuine Rune Battleships. As a result, they suffered heavy losses in battle, with almost complete annihilation except for minor ships like the War Steed and Ranger.


    Consequently, Rocky then reorganized these troops and no longer grouped them by one single category. Instead, he restructured them into more reasonable and efficient groups.


    Although the combat power of Rune Battleships is strong, the focus and characteristics of different types of battleships are still no different from traditional warships. Therefore, his previous approach of putting a single type of battleship in one team was indeed unwise. This change was made after Rocky listened to Felly and others¡¯ practical opinions. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once everything was completed, Rocky was basically left with nothing much to do.


    Somewhat unbelievably, the plan of The Three Great Alliances¡ªthis colossal entity¡ªtook nearly half a year targeting him. Yet when everything concluded, Rocky hardly incurred any losses. After reorganizing the troops, he contemplated and couldn¡¯t think of anything else he should be doing. Not just him; even the two Sky Cities and Backhill Village under his governance were the same¡ªeveryone returned to their usual duties as if nothing had happened.


    Of course, that¡¯s a bit of an exaggeration. For others, life indeed returned to normal, but at least for Rocky, there was still one thing left to do, and that was to check on the hostages once he finished dealing with other affairs.


    Almost half a month had passed since Rocky captured Kashu and others from Eternal City. In this half-month¡¯s time, although he had not paid any attention to a few of them according to Athena¡¯s instructions, the outside world was going crazy.


    The most frantic were naturally the Three Great Alliances. The capture of their three leading figures was a monumental humiliation for the Alliance, so they had been constantly in contact with Rocky. Initially, Rocky ignored them, but after returning to Backhill Village, he started to communicate with them gradually. Of course, even so, it was merely a tactic to buy more time, as Rocky hadn¡¯t yet formally discussed with Athena how to handle these people, so naturally, no results could come from the communication.


    On this day, Rocky called Athena for a proper discussion on how to deal with these people.


    ¡°My lord, you should now issue a statement to the outside world, declaring your willingness to share Rune Technology and even Elemental Technology.¡±


    Upon seeing Rocky, Athena straightforwardly suggested, not addressing the hostage situation but instead advising him to make a statement.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Rocky was naturally stunned by this, firstly because he wasn¡¯t prepared, and secondly because he didn¡¯t understand why Athena wanted him to say these things. He didn¡¯t have any intention of sharing the various technologies he possessed.


    ¡°My lord, we must do this; otherwise, it will provoke public anger.¡±


    As she spoke, Athena explained to Rocky the reason why he needed to issue this statement.


    After this incident, the whole world now knew that Rocky possessed unparalleled technological superiority. This not only made him the center of attention but also an unconscious threat to everyone.


    Everyone understood that the technologies Rocky controlled were unique and far ahead of everyone else¡¯s, so given enough time, he¡¯s bound to become a behemoth that no one could afford to provoke. But once Rocky grows stronger, regardless of his subjective intentions, he would become a lethal threat to others.


    In such circumstances, how could he become a less terrifying threat?


    There is only one way, which is to eradicate him in the cradle before he becomes a monster that induces fear in everyone!


    Athena was almost certain that many people already had this thought, except that Rocky¡¯s momentum was too strong for them to dare show it, especially The Three Great Alliances leading this mindset.


    Despite the previous disastrous defeat and their head being captured all at once, The Three Great Alliances seemed at a disadvantage against Rocky, but this is merely a highly unrealistic illusion because The Three Great Alliances didn¡¯t actually suffer any real loss beyond losing face.


    However, to regain their lost dignity, what The Three Great Alliances would do next is hard to say. Athena¡¯s priority was to ensure they could do nothing, hence asking Rocky to issue the statement.


    Once this statement is published, letting others know that Rocky won¡¯t monopolize the technology would undoubtedly greatly reduce hostility towards him. In fact, it would even protect Rocky in some way, preventing the furious Three Great Alliances from annihilating him.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡±


    After Athena¡¯s explanation, Rocky stroked his chin, pondering. He finally understood Athena¡¯s implication. The so-called statement, bluntly put, was to soothe people¡¯s fears; as for when he truly would share the technology, that was a matter for the future. Right now, the priority was to stabilize the situation.


    With this understanding, Rocky nodded, indicating he had no issues with it.


    ¡°Next is the matter of the hostages.¡±


    After finishing discussing the statement, Athena finally got to the main topic¡ªhow to deal with those problematic individuals.


    ¡°My lord, using these people to gain more benefits is the best choice.¡±


    As for the troublesome individuals Rocky brought back, Athena clearly had long thought of a plan, which was to use these hostages to engage with their respective forces for exchanges, to gain more benefits! It was evident that, in Athena¡¯s view, these hostages weren¡¯t revered figures at all. In her eyes, these individuals were almost akin to merchandise¡­

 Chapter 818: 800 Negotiations Begin

    Chapter 818: Chapter 800 Negotiations Begin


    Athena had long devised a plan for these hot potatoes Rocky brought back.


    According to her idea, these people would ultimately have to be released, no matter what. Otherwise, every major power in the world would go to war with Rocky. However, before releasing them, they could be leveraged in negotiations with The Three Great Alliances and the two major corporations to extract maximum remaining value from them. This was the course of action they should take.


    As for how to extract benefits from these hostages, Athena had thought it through thoroughly. This time, her main purpose in talking to Rocky was to have him transfer authority on this matter to her, allowing her to negotiate with The Three Great Alliances herself.


    ¡°No problem. Take Aileen with you¡ªshe¡¯s more skilled in this area.¡±


    Rocky nodded and agreed to the request, also instructing Athena to bring Aileen along.


    This wasn¡¯t because he distrusted Athena, but because Aileen was indeed highly proficient in this field. With Aileen assisting, Athena¡¯s task would be considerably easier.


    With this division of tasks, Rocky began drafting a statement, while Athena and Aileen focused on preparing for the negotiation.


    Of the two tasks, drafting the statement was naturally faster. Thus, three days later, Rocky published a statement to the entire world through all the channels he could access.


    The message of this statement was simple. On one hand, it candidly acknowledged the existence of rune technology and elemental technology, even divulging some specific details. On the other hand, Rocky made a promise to everyone that, when the time came, he would gradually reveal these technologies to promote joint development of the skies. He assured they would never be monopolized solely by him.


    Through this statement, Rocky displayed humility and restraint, without the slightest hint of arrogance, aiming to minimize external hostility toward him as much as possible.


    However, he knew that a mere statement couldn¡¯t convince everyone. Therefore, at the same time as the statement, he and the Apple Tree Corporation jointly announced plans to sell rune battleships to the public soon!


    This announcement immediately caused a sensation. By now, nearly a month had passed since Rocky returned to Backhill Village. The details of his earlier conflict with The Three Great Alliances had already been unveiled, and people were well aware of the significant role rune battleships played in defending Backhill Village. Everyone understood just how formidable these new battleships were.


    So, when news broke that Rocky and the Apple Tree Corporation would be selling these battleships, the entire sky was set abuzz. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This move also lent some credibility to Rocky¡¯s statement. Simultaneously, a narrative began quietly spreading among the City Lords. It claimed that Rocky originally intended to share rune technology but had been forced into conflict with The Three Great Alliances because they wanted to monopolize the technology and tried to seize it from him. As a result, the sharing of rune technology was temporarily delayed.


    Though this rumor only circulated privately, it still caused a stir. Given The Three Great Alliances¡¯ historically domineering behavior, many found this narrative highly plausible, arousing grievances among many City Lords.


    In any case, after Rocky¡¯s statement was made public, the external pressure on him did lighten significantly. While plenty still dismissed his statement as nonsense, many others found themselves anticipating something tangible¡ªat the very least, the opportunity to purchase a few rune battleships, which were indisputably real and valuable after all.


    Meanwhile, Athena, with her mandate in hand, prepared alongside Aileen before proactively reaching out to The Three Great Alliances and the two corporations. It was clear they intended to begin formal negotiations. Of course, this also included the Catholic Church. Though Zuluo¡¯s stature was no match for that of the others, he was, after all, Rick¡¯s son. This fact alone made it possible to extort a significant sum from Rick in exchange for Zuluo.


    Previously, Thunderhawk City¡¯s lackadaisical attitude toward negotiations had greatly frustrated the anxious parties eager to rescue the hostages. Despite their repeated contact attempts, no clear response was ever provided. Therefore, when Athena finally reached out, the other side responded with remarkable swiftness.


    Quickness aside, however, the subject of these negotiations was no trivial matter¡ªparticularly given the current state of relations. Though Rocky and The Three Great Alliances had not officially declared war, everyone knew they were essentially at war. As such, these negotiations were bound to be far from simple or smooth. The number of twists and turns ahead was anyone¡¯s guess.


    Indeed, that turned out to be the case. Even the early stages of communication took an extraordinary amount of time, as the two sides were in active opposition. Neither side could trustingly send personnel into the other¡¯s territory. Under normal circumstances, Eternal City might be used as a neutral meeting ground, but after the previous incident, Eternal City was no longer trusted. This left them with no choice but to communicate via magic energy images.


    Though current magic energy communication technology was advanced, certain discussions could only be properly conveyed face-to-face. Magic energy images allowed for little more than surface-level dialogue. Under such conditions, even establishing preliminary contact took half a month, leading to a barely acceptable agreement.


    According to this agreement, Athena consented to The Three Great Alliances and the two corporations sending delegates directly to Thunderhawk City for further negotiations. However, these delegates had to come alone¡ªat most one representative each from The Three Great Alliances, the two corporations, and the Catholic Church, totaling no more than six individuals. If any extra personnel came along, Rocky reserved the right to immediately execute hostages.


    This condition was, of course, unacceptable to the other side. With Rocky¡¯s current momentum, what if he decided to detain the delegates, too? That would be disastrous. Thus, they refused outright.


    They were willing to travel to Thunderhawk City for further discussions, but The Three Great Alliances insisted on sending Sky City and a fleet to provide protection. Otherwise, they would not come.


    This single point of contention took another two weeks of back-and-forth negotiation to resolve, with both sides eventually compromising. The Three Great Alliances agreed to send only one representative each, while the protective fleet and Sky City would remain outside Backhill Village¡¯s airspace, waiting at a safe distance.


    After half a month of wrangling, the matter was finally settled. Representatives from The Three Great Alliances, the two corporations, and the Catholic Church each set off for the area outside Backhill Village with substantial military escort. From there, they took a single battleship to reach Backhill Village, finally arriving at Thunderhawk City. Thus, the negotiations officially began.

 Chapter 819: 801: Asking for an Outrageous Price

    Chapter 819: Chapter 801: Asking for an Outrageous Price


    It was unclear whether they were genuinely frightened or simply unwilling to risk any further mistakes. In any case, this time the Three Great Alliances joined forces with two major corporations and the Heavenly Ancestor Church¡ªsix factions in total¡ªdispatching over thirty Sky Cities and tens of thousands of warships to escort their negotiation representatives. It was a grand mobilization indeed.


    However, perhaps due to the lessons learned from the last incident, this time they refrained from playing any tricks. Upon entering the airspace near Backhill Village, the vast forces came to a halt, and six representatives were sent ahead aboard a single warship, slowly entering the Backhill Village airspace.


    When these people finally arrived in Thunderhawk City, the negotiations between both sides officially began.


    This compelled Rocky to personally step forward. After all, he was the only one who could truly make decisions. The six representatives, who had traveled thousands of miles, would never agree to negotiate without meeting Rocky in person. Thus, although the specifics of the negotiations were still handled by Athena, Rocky had to make frequent appearances throughout the discussions.


    Soon, the first round of negotiations was held¡ªand concluded.


    In this initial session, the six representatives, led by the Three Great Alliances, issued stern warnings to Rocky. They loudly condemned him for his egregious act of taking hostages, demanding that he release all captives immediately and unconditionally. If not, the Three Great Alliances would be forced to use military means to rescue those he had detained.


    The warning was delivered in a tone of righteous indignation, painting Rocky as nothing short of a bandit, a tyrannical warlord indulging in looting and arson.


    Yet, despite how aggressively the words were spoken, they were ultimately meaningless. Even a fool could see that rescuing the hostages this time would require paying an extraordinarily steep price. This was precisely why the representatives adopted such a forceful stance from the outset¡ªto appear tough and lay the groundwork for the later, more substantive negotiations.


    Athena, of course, was well aware of such tactics. She denied all accusations outright, even refusing to acknowledge that there had been any kidnapping at all. According to her, Rocky had only acted out of concern for the safety of some very important individuals during the chaos of battle, bringing them to Thunderhawk City out of necessity¡ªnot as hostages, but rather to ensure their protection.


    Such an explanation infuriated the representatives. The audacity! Even the Three Great Alliances would never have dared to utter something so shameless, yet Athena remained utterly unfazed, insisting time and again that it was all for their safety. Moreover, the negotiations had nothing to do with hostage ransom; they were merely routine discussions unrelated to the captives¡¯ well-being.


    Under these circumstances, it¡¯s no surprise that the first round of negotiations ended in disarray without coming to any conclusion. Still, though the talks broke down, everyone understood this was merely the warm-up; the real negotiations had yet to begin.


    This was indeed the case. The first round of discussions served as little more than mutual probing. Both sides were testing just how unyielding the other¡¯s position was, using this understanding to formulate strategies for the next phase. However, just as the six representatives were gearing up to negotiate substantive terms with Athena, she suddenly changed tactics. Instead of proceeding to a second round of collective talks, she began meeting privately with each representative.


    ¡°Elder Farey, you and City Lord Rocky go way back. You should know that City Lord Rocky harbors no ill intentions in this matter.¡±


    Athena started her one-on-one visits with none other than the Sky Alliance¡¯s representative, Elder Farey, an old acquaintance of Rocky¡¯s.


    As soon as she saw Elder Farey, Athena greeted him with a smile, as though they were already old friends. ¡°And you must also know,¡± she continued, ¡°that to this day, City Lord Rocky remains a core member of the Sky Alliance. How could he possibly do anything to harm Elder Gandalf?¡±


    Facing Elder Farey, Athena maintained her smile, and Farey returned the gesture. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite Athena¡¯s friendly tone, this was actually the first time the two had met. However, Farey had long heard of Athena¡¯s reputation as a bold and capable woman, and now that impression was fully validated. Smiling, he nodded. ¡°Indeed, the Alliance has no other intention this time but to retrieve His Excellency the Great Elder.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, the Elders¡¯ Council has already declared that what transpired in Eternal City was an unfortunate accident. City Lord Rocky himself suffered significant losses during the ordeal. As a core member of the Alliance, it is only right for the Alliance to offer him some compensation.¡±


    Elder Farey, being as experienced as he was, immediately grasped Athena¡¯s intentions the moment she approached him. Clearly, she sought to exploit divisions among the representatives to achieve her own objectives sooner. This notion aligned perfectly with Farey¡¯s own preferences, as he had long grown tired of this messy affair.


    As the Elder most familiar with Rocky, Farey had consistently advocated for a conciliatory approach toward him within the Alliance Elder Council. Farey believed in deepening the Alliance¡¯s ties with Rocky, ensuring his development became inseparable from the Alliance¡¯s future. This way, their interests would naturally align.


    Unfortunately, Farey¡¯s perspective was a minority within the Council. Most of the other Elders pushed for a hardline approach to force Rocky into surrendering the advanced technologies he possessed¡ªtechnologies initially promised in exchange for his membership. This hardline stance had only worsened relations between the Alliance and Rocky, leading to the current situation.


    And now, Elder Farey once again found himself at Thunderhawk City, tasked with cleaning up this unholy mess. After all, it had been Gandalf who advocated action against Rocky, Gandalf who ended up captured, and now it was Farey who had to personally negotiate his release. This not only left Farey exasperated but also eager to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.


    So, when Athena made her move, Farey decided to cut straight to the point: ¡°Name your price. If it¡¯s reasonable, let¡¯s end this charade.¡±


    Athena, sharp as ever, caught on immediately. She cast a glance toward Aileen, who promptly handed a detailed list to Elder Farey.


    The contents of the list represented Athena¡¯s terms. Fulfilling them would guarantee Gandalf¡¯s immediate release.


    But the moment Farey laid eyes on the list, his expression darkened dramatically.


    What was written on this list?


    Fine Steel¡ªthe primary material for the next generation of White Demon Armor, one of the rarest metals in the world¡ªfive tons?


    Ten Magic Dragons? What madness! Every part of a Magic Dragon, down to the last bone, was sold by weight. Magic Dragon Skin alone was priced by the square inch, and yet here they demanded ten of them in their entirety?


    Lava Demon Cores, five hundred?


    Frost Demon Cores, five hundred?


    The list went on, filled with demands that left Farey utterly dumbfounded. A single thought sprang to his mind: if these terms were the price of securing Gandalf¡¯s release, then Gandalf might as well die here in Thunderhawk City!

 Chapter 820: 802 Best Opportunity

    Chapter 820: Chapter 802 Best Opportunity


    Looking at the contents of the list, Farey felt the sweat forming on his forehead.


    Though he and Athena had both repeatedly affirmed that Rocky was still a member of the Alliance, even a core member, Farey knew very well that those were just pleasantries. The cost to have Rocky release Great Elder Gandalf this time would undoubtedly be staggering.


    But he hadn¡¯t expected Athena to be so outrageously greedy!


    The contents of the list Athena presented were terrifying¡ªsomething that couldn¡¯t even be measured in Gold Coins. If one were to assign a value to such demands, even exchanging for one or two Sky Cities wouldn¡¯t come close to covering it!


    It was simply impossible to realize!


    Gandalf, as the Chief Elder of the Alliance¡¯s Elder Council, was indeed a venerable figure and vitally important to the Alliance, but he was absolutely not worth this price! If Athena insisted on extracting such a painful cost from the Alliance to release Gandalf, then they might as well let Gandalf die right there.


    At that thought, Farey raised his head to look at Athena and found her wearing her trademark smile while watching him. This caused Farey to secretly raise his evaluation of Athena even further.


    He had already heard tales of this extraordinary woman. Back when she was under City Lord Alas of Glory City, she had orchestrated many remarkable feats. However, at that time, she had never laid a finger on the Three Great Alliances, leading many to believe she was too afraid of them and had thus drawn clear boundaries for herself. Yet now, it seemed that assumption was laughably wrong¡ªit wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t dare to oppose the Three Great Alliances, but that she had been waiting for the right opportunity. Once the opportunity came, she struck decisively, with absolutely no mercy!


    Farey also finally understood why she had left Alas to align with Rocky. Based on his understanding of Alas, while the man had ample ability, he lacked boldness. If Athena had remained under Alas¡¯s command, no matter how many golden opportunities were presented to him, Alas would never have allowed Athena to pull off something like this.


    But Rocky dared!


    Not only did Rocky dare to let Athena challenge the Alliance, but he also trusted her completely! S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A fearless and audacious Rocky, paired with an unrelenting and world-shaking Athena¡ªtogether, these two could truly turn the entire Sky City upside down¡­


    Staring at Athena, Farey let out an inward sigh, carefully folded the list in his hand, and, without revealing any emotion, nodded at Athena. ¡°Please convey to City Lord Rocky that the Alliance will deliberate these terms carefully and provide a response as soon as possible.¡±


    Although Farey found Athena¡¯s demands utterly outrageous, as a seasoned negotiator, he understood this was her way of anchoring her price sky-high. What was negotiation, after all, if not a tug-of-war where both sides compromised? A deal with a fixed price wasn¡¯t negotiation at all. For that reason, even though he would never agree to the terms on this list, he still kept it as a starting point, leaving room for bargaining¡ªhe trusted Athena would understand that as well.


    As expected, Athena nodded and then left Farey¡¯s room.


    ¡°Athena, don¡¯t you think the terms we proposed are too steep?¡±


    As she walked out with Athena, Aileen couldn¡¯t hold back her question; after all, no one understood better than her how the terms on that list had been drafted.


    Technically speaking, all the items on the list were authored by Aileen. Just as Rocky had said, Aileen was more familiar than anyone with what Thunderhawk City lacked and what was most valuable in this world, making her the most suitable person to draft such a list. However, the quantities had been determined by Athena.


    To put it bluntly, Aileen had initially drafted the quantities, leaving room for negotiation based on her prior experience. But then Athena had taken one look at Aileen¡¯s numbers and, with a single stroke of her pen, increased them tenfold!


    Tenfold!


    This was why Aileen had asked her question¡ªbecause even she felt Athena¡¯s demands were exorbitant, to the point that there was no way the other party would ever agree.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯ll think about it carefully,¡± Athena replied, completely unperturbed by Aileen¡¯s concern. ¡°Right now, City Lord Rocky is riding high, and with the hostages in hand, the entire Sky situation is in chaos. This is the best¡ªand also the only¡ªchance to extort the Three Great Alliances. Even if the other side knows it¡¯s extortion, they¡¯ll have no choice but to consider it, so we mustn¡¯t hold back. Besides, didn¡¯t I leave them some wiggle room?¡±


    In just a few words, Athena explained her reasoning. With her intelligence, she fully understood what she was doing and how precious this opportunity was. Such chances were exceedingly rare, a perfect confluence of timing, geography, and human factors. If she allowed fear to hold her back now, wouldn¡¯t it be a wasted opportunity?


    With that, the two headed straight to the room of the Magic Energy Research Institute¡¯s representative.


    Like the Sky Alliance, the Magic Energy Research Institute had sent a representative to this meeting, also one of their Elders¡ªElder Ouli, who was about the same age as Elder Farey. In the hierarchy of the Institute¡¯s Elders¡¯ Council, this was considered quite young. Why? One only had to look at how ancient Orton and the others were to understand. Academic pursuits often required age and experience.


    It was clear that the Magic Energy Research Institute had chosen to send Elder Ouli due to his youth. Youth often implied open-mindedness, which was critical at the negotiation table. Still, even so, Ouli could not compare to Farey.


    As a member of the Sky Alliance Elder Council, Farey¡¯s work centered entirely around wielding power. But for Ouli, being an Elder in the Magic Energy Research Institute meant a primary focus on research rather than administration. For this reason, he was the most stubborn negotiator among all the representatives¡ªthough that was still manageable. If it had been another Elder from the Institute, the obstinance might have been even worse.


    But Athena had her own strategies for dealing with an Elder wholly engrossed in academic research.


    ¡°Elder Ouli, here are our terms. As long as these conditions are met, we will immediately release Great Elder Simonuo.¡±


    Since their relationship with the Magic Energy Research Institute was relatively unfamiliar, Athena kept the initial pleasantries brief when meeting Ouli. Just as in her previous negotiation, she handed Aileen a list to pass over to the other party. This one outlined the terms for releasing Great Elder Simonuo.


    Unlike the conditions presented to the Sky Alliance, the demands for the Magic Energy Research Institute did not involve material resources. Taking into account the Institute¡¯s nature, they couldn¡¯t be expected to provide many rare goods. The Institute derived its strength not from material wealth but from its technological prowess. As such, the list was filled entirely with technological projects.